Olof thought for a moment. "Since that case involving burning bodies happened two stops from here, in the direction of the Safe Zone's edge, let's investigate toward the edge. See if anyone appeared on the streets carrying a lot of bags filled with unidentified objects."
He glanced again at the empty dumpsters. "The God Remains in all three dumpsters are gone. That's no small amount. If he took them away as they were, he must have been carrying a huge bundle. It would have been hard not to attract attention."
"Yes, I'll report to the bureau right away."
"Good. Thanks for your hard work."
"But Inspector, what if we can't find anyone carrying a large quantity of unidentified objects near the edge of the Safe Zone?"
Olof tossed away his cigar butt and smiled faintly. "If we can't, things get interesting."
Then he stamped out the butt and murmured meaningfully to himself, "After all this time in this dump, I've finally got a lead."
It was already eight in the evening when Qin Siyang got home.
He was late because he had found a deserted spot, eaten all the remaining God Remains in his backpack, taken out the lunch box, then burned the backpack and his second jacket.
Dealing with those loose ends had taken some time.
Fortunately, he still hadn't noticed anyone following him by the time he reached home.
As Qin Siyang sat on the hard cardboard sofa at home, exhaustion washed over him.
Even with his exceptionally strong physique, all that fleeing and killing had taken its toll.
"What a day... Absolutely maxed out."
He glanced out the window. A scorpion covered in sticky goo, its tail obscured, was crawling across the glass.
Qin Siyang sighed with a bitter smile. "I really want to taste it... But eating things at random comes with risks."
"Then again, risk and reward always go hand in hand. The greater the risk, the greater the reward!"
Qin Siyang took another satisfied look at the [Greedy Rogue] sequence in his mind and smiled with anticipation.
Today was Sunday, supposedly a day of rest, yet it had been his most exhausting day since reincarnating.
Qin Siyang emptied his mind and gave himself a dozen or so minutes of peace, then took a cold shower and went to bed.
Perhaps because something was weighing on his mind, Qin Siyang slept lightly that night.
It was only six when he woke up.
"Can't sleep anymore. I'll get up and check things out at the internet café."
Qin Siyang rolled out of bed, planning to heat up the food he had brought back from the school cafeteria.
He turned on the stove. "Life without money is so tight... Huh?"
Just then, he suddenly remembered that he had also taken some money from the three thugs yesterday. He had left in such a hurry that he hadn't checked how much there was.
He dug out yesterday's trousers and emptied the money from the pockets, then froze.
Among the pile of copper coins was a gleaming silver coin!
"There's actually... a silver coin?! Those thugs were loaded!"
Generally speaking, ten thousand copper coins were worth one silver coin. However, because the composition of copper coins varied widely, it often took twelve thousand to exchange for a single silver coin.
Qin Siyang had assumed the three thugs dressed as vagrants were as penniless as he was, with at most a few hundred copper coins in their pockets.
He hadn't expected them to have the enormous sum of one silver coin!
"If they were that rich, why did they attack me?"
Qin Siyang was puzzled at first, then immediately understood. They had been after his backpack, thinking it contained something extremely valuable.
Those three had never imagined that not only would the money they had saved for so long end up in someone else's hands, but they would lose their lives as well.
Three vagrant thugs carrying a fortune-it went without saying that the money was ill-gotten.
At that realization, Qin Siyang's mood hit rock bottom.
Three thugs carrying a fortune-how could they possibly dare report me to the Police Bureau?! Wouldn't that mean taking themselves down with me?
Damn it! If I'd known they had that much money, I could've just robbed the three of them instead and hurried away. That would've saved me all this trouble afterward.
Now, on top of stealing God Remains, I've added a murder case.
"Those three piles of shit! They stink, and they have to make everyone else sick too!"
Holding the silver coin, Qin Siyang coveted it, yet felt as though it burned his hand.
The reason was simple: he had nowhere to spend it.
If he pulled out this silver coin anywhere nearby, it would definitely arouse suspicion.
Where would an orphan who didn't even work get so much money?!
If someone grew jealous and reported him, and people from the United Government came asking questions, he would have no way to explain where the silver coin had come from.
Having so much money that he could only look at, not spend, made Qin Siyang beat his chest in frustration.
After finishing the leftover food he had brought home from school, he took forty coins from the hundreds of copper coins and decided to pay for some computer time at the internet café.
On second thought, forty copper coins seemed like a fortune for someone in his position too. That would also be hard to explain.
He had no choice but to put twenty copper coins back.
Taking twenty copper coins to the internet café for an hour of computer time seemed more reasonable.
"Fuck, I even have to tiptoe around spending money. This is so damn frustrating!"
Qin Siyang left home, cursing under his breath.
He had also realized the limitations of his current situation.
With his identity as a poor orphaned student, he couldn't spend his money freely at all.
But that wasn't his most pressing concern. Money was secondary.
More than a plausible explanation for a large income, what he needed now was an identity that suited him.
A suitable identity as a Sequence Ability User that he could openly present to the world.
"I'll find a sequence to tell everyone about that can hide the truth, then join a team of Sequence Ability Users and hunt Gods outside the Safe Zone to learn how to fight. Once I've learned, I'll hunt on my own and eat Gods to grow stronger!"
He believed that as long as he could keep a low profile and survive, he would steadily grow stronger. Once he could finally do whatever he pleased, he would reveal his sequence and abilities. By then, no one would be able to threaten him.
Even if he couldn't keep a low profile forever, he at least had to do so at the beginning. He would step into the spotlight only once he could protect himself.
Having made up his mind, Qin Siyang went to the internet café and took out twenty copper coins.
Today's attendant was the same heavyset middle-aged man as last time.
"One hour on a computer."
Without expression, the attendant pointed to the computer he had used last time. "That one. Go ahead."
Qin Siyang noticed a new advertisement behind the attendant: "Top up five hundred copper coins and get five hundred free! What are you waiting for?!"
Looking at the promotion, which resembled those he remembered from his previous life, he sighed inwardly.
He could afford to top up, but he couldn't explain how he could produce so much money at once.
With some regret, Qin Siyang turned away and sat down at the computer, surrounded by the smell of smoke.
Just like last time, the machine took forever to boot-long enough for Qin Siyang to brush his teeth and wash his face.
Once the desktop appeared, Qin Siyang opened the browser and visited the [Godslayer Camp] forum again.
He saw several pinned posts, all containing information that would be useful to him.
Besides the list of all known sequences he had opened last time, there was a guide explaining how newly awakened Sequence Ability Users could register with the United Government and then join a God-Hunting Team.
Qin Siyang opened the beginner's guide and began reading carefully.
"A person can awaken a sequence ability at any time, in any place, and in any condition. When you awaken a sequence ability, an information panel will appear in your mind, telling you your sequence's name, your sequence level, and the skills you can use."
Qin Siyang checked the information panel in his mind again.
[Sequence: "God Eater"] [Digesting Gods makes you stronger] [Current sequence level: Level 2, Greedy Rogue] [Skill: Blood Drink. Skill description: Allows you to digest Gods even when eaten raw.] [Skill: Violence. Skill description: Triples your strength, agility, and physical toughness for ten minutes. You feel no pain or injuries during this period.]
His information panel seemed to have one more line than the poster had described.
[Digesting Gods makes you stronger]
It was precisely this instruction that had led Qin Siyang to try his luck looking for God Remains at the Exit of Safe Zone 114514 the day before yesterday.
Now, looking at the contents of other Sequence Ability Users' information panels, it seemed they didn't have that line.
"If they don't get a hint about how to grow stronger, how do they do it?"
With that question in mind, Qin Siyang continued reading the post.
"After awakening a sequence ability, you can register at a nearby Sequence Ability Management Bureau and report your sequence and related information. Since no one else can view the information panel in your mind, what you report is up to you."
"However, we strongly recommend reporting truthfully. Don't withhold anything or provide false information. Once you have registered, the Sequence Ability Management Bureau will make arrangements based on your sequence and skills."
"At the same time, after your information is posted in the Sequence Ability User hall, interested Sequence Ability Users will invite you to join their teams and hunt Gods outside the Safe Zone."
"If your information is inaccurate, it could easily lead to your death or your team's annihilation."
At this point, Qin Siyang made a mental note.
Once he reported his information, all Sequence Ability Users would know his sequence and skills.
"After registering with the Sequence Ability Management Bureau, you will receive your first payment from the Administration Bureau. You can also think of it as a beginner's gift package-a Sequence Potion."
"Sequence Potions are medicines researched and developed by the United Government specifically to strengthen Sequence Ability Users. Their formulas remain among the United Government's most closely guarded secrets, held by the highest leaders of each Safe Zone."
"Drinking Sequence Potions is currently the only known way for any Sequence Ability User to grow stronger. Only by taking Sequence Potions can Sequence Ability Users continually strengthen themselves and advance."
"However, you cannot simply keep taking Sequence Magic Potions. After taking one, you must digest the Magic Potion before your strength will increase. There is only one way to digest a potion: use your skills while fighting Gods. The more often you use your skills, the faster you digest the Sequence Magic Potion."
"Don't think you can digest Sequence Potions by randomly using skills outside the Safe Zone. The Administration Bureau distributes Sequence Potions according to the grade and quantity of God Remains you turn in."
"If you use your skills many times and fully digest your Magic Potion, but bring back only one measly piece of God Remains—or turn in none at all—the Administration Bureau will conclude that there is a problem with your combat ability. It will then reduce your supply of Sequence Magic Potions, or possibly cut it off entirely."
"After you hunt Gods, the Administration Bureau will provide not only Sequence Potions, but also corresponding honors and generous payments. Therefore, hunting Gods is the best way for Sequence Ability Users to grow rich and increase their strength."
Qin Siyang fell into thought.
All Sequence Ability Users needed Sequence Magic Potions to increase their strength, and they also needed to use skills while fighting Gods to digest those potions.
He, however, only needed to eat Gods and digest them to keep growing stronger.
Didn't that mean he was practically cheating?!
No, he didn't have some system outside the rules or anything. This was the sequence he had awakened. How could that count as cheating?
I, Qin Siyang, am not cheating!
Before you continue