Crisis at the Public Security Bureau!

As the Teleportation Array glowed pink, Bai Xuan and Xilin arrived near the mission site.

Forest Park lay silent. Darkness swallowed the surrounding scenery, and only the occasional birdcall echoed through the night.

"Is this place always so creepy at night?" Bai Xuan muttered. Then he and Xilin headed toward their target.

As soon as they reached the mission site, they spotted a Golden Slime hanging from a tree like a faintly glowing dumpling.

Inside its body, they could make out a mass of bones—some animal, some human.

"Wait, it's a light-attribute Slime... Would your Holy Light skills be useless against it?" Bai Xuan asked Xilin.

"Mm." Xilin nodded and raised her hand.

Purple flames appeared in her palm.

Bai Xuan lifted an eyebrow. He had almost forgotten that Xilin was not only a Holy Knight, but also a Succubus.

"I'll leave it to you, then."

"Okay."

With that, Xilin hurled the purple flames.

The Sunlight Slime was instantly engulfed. Its huge body twisted violently before crashing down from the tree.

It seemed to struggle, but the flames kept burning until it crumbled to ash.

That took care of it.

Huh?

After the flames died out, Bai Xuan noticed something where the Slime had been.

He stepped closer and picked a red fragment out of the ashes. It felt hot and crystalline, though it was nothing like an ordinary ruby.

"What's this?"

"Could be something valuable. Let's take it for now." Bai Xuan slipped the unknown crystal into his pocket, activated the Teleportation Array, and returned home with Xilin.

As soon as they arrived, he submitted the quest.

[World Quest: Slime Battle (Completed)]

[Quest reward: Equipment—Slime Mask (Green). Your agility has increased slightly!]

[Slime Mask (Green): Conceals the wearer's appearance and aura.]

[Refresh Scroll +1]

"Oh?" Bai Xuan was pleasantly surprised.

This time, the reward was not a Character Setting but equipment that could conceal his face and aura. It was perfect for him. The last thing he wanted was for the Investigation Bureau to recognize him.

Meanwhile, his agility had risen to D, sharpening his reflexes even further.

"Not bad..." Bai Xuan smiled, satisfied. He was about to close the World Book when he noticed a new quest had appeared in Ninghang City.

[World Quest: Public Security Bureau Defense War]

[Quest difficulty: F+]

[Quest location: Public Security Bureau First Branch, Ninghang City, Huaguo]

[Quest description: A Biological Weapon known as "Tyrant" is about to massacre the Police Officers inside the Public Security Bureau!]

[Quest hint: Its weakness is its heart.]

[Quest reward: ?]

"The Public Security Bureau First Branch? Isn't that where Bai Yu works?!"

Bai Xuan's heart clenched. He turned to Xilin at once. "Emergency quest. Come with me!"

Meanwhile, inside the Public Security Bureau.

"Bai Yu, take a break. You've been working since before dawn without a wink of sleep, haven't you?" Liu Qian said, handing her a cup of coffee.

"I'm fine." Bai Yu shook her head and took the coffee, but her eyes never left the man in the black leather jacket inside the interrogation room.

For some reason, she felt uneasy. Something about the man seemed wrong.

"Liu Qian, where's the girl in the qipao?" Bai Yu asked suddenly.

"Her? I didn't notice. I think she's already left?" Liu Qian replied uncertainly.

"Miss Red Pomelo got called away by the higher-ups. She's a busy woman—some things need her personal attention." Huang Xin deftly spun a playing card between his fingers. "Why? Do you need her?"

"Something about this man doesn't feel right," Bai Yu said quietly. "It's almost as if... he let himself get caught."

"Let himself get caught? You're worrying over nothing!"

Huang Xin chuckled dismissively. "Miss Red Pomelo and I had to work hard to bring him in. How could he have done it on purpose?"

"Besides, even if he has something else planned, you don't need to worry." He spun the card as he spoke. "I'm here. You can all relax."

"Exactly!" Liu Qian nodded. "Bai Yu, it's getting late. Why don't you go home and rest? They can handle things here."

"Maybe... Maybe I'm just too tense." Bai Yu nodded and turned to leave.

Just then, a deep, unnatural heartbeat sounded from the interrogation room.

"What was that?!"

Everyone turned toward the interrogation room.

The Man in Black's body was swelling at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, he stood over two and a half meters tall!

His skin turned ashen, and strange ridges of muscle rose across it, as though something inhuman were bursting out of him.

"Quick—restrain him!"

Several Police Officers inside the interrogation room moved to pin the transformed man down.

But with a slight wrench of his arms, he snapped his handcuffs. Then he slammed into the officers with enough force to send them flying!

He kicked out, and the interrogation room's tempered glass shattered.

"Damn it!" Huang Xin shouted to Bai Yu and Liu Qian. "Contact the Investigation Bureau for backup! I'll hold him off!"

"Can... can you really stop him?" Liu Qian's voice trembled.

"Miss, don't underestimate me." Huang Xin gave a confident little laugh. "I'm Huang Xin of the Ninghang City Investigation Bureau. They call me—Card Huang!"

"Uh..." Liu Qian frowned. She looked no less doubtful.

Huang Xin said nothing more. He charged straight at the Man in Black, who was trying to leave the interrogation room.

"Hey, big guy!" he called out. "Why not pick on someone your own size?"

The Man in Black turned a cold gaze on him. An instant later, a huge fist came straight at Huang Xin!

So fast!

Huang Xin reacted at once, flinging several playing cards that erupted in blinding light!

The Man in Black instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes. When the glare faded and his vision returned, several cards were already stuck to his body.

Huang Xin had used the opening to put some distance between them. Standing nearby, he smiled.

"Show your cards!"

Boom!

A violent explosion swallowed the Man in Black, sending smoke and dust billowing through the room.

"Liu Qian, leave him to it. We need to alert the Investigation Bureau."

Bai Yu grabbed Liu Qian, who was still staring in shock, and pulled her away from the fight.

They ran to a relatively safe area, where Bai Yu immediately called the Investigation Bureau. "Hello! Is this the Investigation Bureau? This is Bai Yu from the Ninghang City Public Security Bureau. We have an emergency—"

While Bai Yu was on the call, Liu Qian heard an odd noise outside the window.

She looked up. On the street outside the Public Security Bureau, dark figures were closing in fast.

At the horrifyingly familiar sight, all the color drained from her face.

"Bai... Bai Yu..."

Liu Qian gripped Bai Yu's sleeve. Her voice shook as she pointed out the window.

"Look outside..."

"What is it?"

"The Zombies... they're here!"