Sheng An had looked at the photos earlier, but the figure was blurry, and the shots had been taken from too far away to be clear enough for her to be certain.
These processed photos were much clearer.
Two seconds, four photos, all showing the same man. Only his silhouette was visible, not his face, but they could be certain it was the same person.
His clothes and hat were identical.
When they stitched the four photos together and compared them against a map of the actual area, only two seconds had elapsed, yet the man had covered at least eight hundred meters!
In two consecutive shots, he was still beneath a tree in the first, but in the second, he was already two hundred meters away from it.
No ordinary person could cover eight hundred meters in two seconds. The world record for the hundred-meter sprint was 9.58 seconds.
This was several times faster than the world record.
Hao Jingye spoke softly. "There are no signs of manipulation. They're all original photos, and the scenes captured... are real."
Sheng An nodded and looked at Zhang Jialiang.
Zhang Jialiang looked back at her expectantly.
Sheng An said, "We understand the situation now. Thank you for your cooperation. I'll have someone take you home, and you'll also receive a cash reward."
Zhang Jialiang: "?"
His eyes widened. "That's it?"
"Yes, that's it." Sheng An smiled. "Of course, if you remember anything else, you can let us know."
Zhang Jialiang: "..."
Disappointment was written all over his face.
Sheng An and Hao Jingye watched him, but he did not leave. Holding his returned phone, he fidgeted where he sat, clearly reluctant to go.
"Was there something else?" Sheng An asked, though she already knew the answer.
Zhang Jialiang gritted his teeth and sat up straight. "I was the first one to discover something strange, and I went through all this trouble to tell you. You can't just brush me off with 'we understand'!"
"Then what do you want?"
Zhang Jialiang said, "I want to know what's going on! Is he a ghost or not? Also, are there lots of other supernatural phenomena in this country? Ghosts, or spirits that became sentient before the founding of the country?"
That was far too many questions!
Hao Jingye frowned, about to say something.
Sheng An raised a hand to stop him. Looking into Zhang Jialiang's expectant eyes, she said, "He isn't a ghost, but there is something supernatural about him. As for anything else, we can't disclose it yet. We also hope you'll keep this confidential."
Zhang Jialiang's shoulders slumped, his face full of displeasure.
Hao Jingye was puzzled. "You're just an ordinary person. Why are you so curious about something this mysterious? Aren't you afraid something bad might happen to you?"
Zhang Jialiang grew excited. "I'm curious precisely because it's mysterious!"
He leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Neither of you looks surprised. Has the country already got a handle on lots of supernatural beings? Like in novels, is there a cultivation department, or a monster management office? A liaison office between the living and the dead?"
Hao Jingye: "..."
Sheng An said, "...You're overthinking it."
College students in their country really had the wildest imaginations.
Undeterred, Zhang Jialiang continued, "Then can I join you?"
Sheng An shook her head. "No. None of the people in our department are normal. You don't meet the requirements."
So he had lost out because he was too normal??
With a serious expression, Zhang Jialiang said, "I think I'm pretty abnormal too. I have intermittent fits of temper, can't sleep and keep staying up late, and often feel like going crazy. My mental state-"
Sheng An smiled faintly. "Your condition makes you a better fit for the Third Hospital, not us."
The Third Hospital was a famous psychiatric hospital.
Zhang Jialiang settled for the next best thing and pleaded, "Then can I come along while you look for this 'ghost'? I'm really curious!"
"Curiosity killed the cat," Hao Jingye said ominously.
Zhang Jialiang said, "I'm human. Besides, if I die after encountering something supernatural, so be it. Maybe I'll become a supernatural being myself, or get transported to another world..."
The more he talked, the brighter his eyes became.
Sheng An stood up.
Zhang Jialiang's eyes sparkled. "Can I?"
Sheng An said, "I'll have someone take you home."
Zhang Jialiang: "..."
He was so mad!
Not only had this trip failed to answer his questions, it had left him with even more questions-about Sheng An, about the Special Affairs Office, and about supernatural beings.
But they wouldn't tell him anything!
Zhang Jialiang huffed angrily. "I took the photos! I already know supernatural phenomena exist, so why won't you tell me? No, if you won't tell me, I'll spread the word! I'll post it online!"
That was a threat.
Sheng An's expression did not change at all. "Sure. Post it if you want."
After a pause, she continued under Zhang Jialiang's furious glare, "But if you cooperate with us, I'll tell you in ten days."
"Really?!"
"Really," Sheng An said with absolute certainty.
It's only ten days, isn't it? Zhang Jialiang thought.
He would wait!
So Sheng An called a police officer to take him home. He marched off with his head held high, ready to go home and count down those ten days.
Once he was gone.
Hao Jingye suddenly asked, "When was the country tentatively planning to announce the news about the Apocalypse again?"
Sheng An said, "In ten days, when there are five days left on the countdown."
Hao Jingye: "..."
So yes, he would indeed be waiting ten days.
By then, they would tell not just Zhang Jialiang, but everyone in the country!
That poor kid had been played by Sheng An.
Sheng An's expression turned serious as she instructed, "Have someone find out who the Aberrant is immediately. His ability is very unusual."
The photos were not clear.
But with the resources of the entire country at their disposal, they would be able to track him down.
Hao Jingye asked curiously, "What's his ability? Is it super speed?"
If it was super speed, it was not all that frightening.
But Sheng An shook her head. "I don't think so. At eight hundred meters in two seconds, he should have been a blur. There's no way the camera could have captured him."
Although she had never seen a speed ability, it was obvious that its defining feature was speed-extreme speed.
But the faster someone moved, the harder they were to see, leaving only a blur behind.
These photos were fairly clear. It was not a matter of moving fast.
That left only some other special ability.
Hao Jingye sucked in a breath. "It isn't a speed-type ability, and it clearly doesn't fall under metal, wood, water, fire, earth, or similar abilities. It can only be one of the rare abilities."
"We'll probably have to ask him for the specifics, or ask... Li Wanyun." Sheng An headed outside.
They still knew too little about abilities.
Among the people they had discovered who had returned from the future, Yang Chuan had come back from the end of the second year of the apocalypse. However, his memories were somewhat confused and still being sorted out. Perhaps Li Wanyun was the one who knew the most.
Hao Jingye hurried after her.
"When are they coming back?"
"If nothing unexpected happens, Team 0 will return the day after tomorrow. Li Wanyun will be a day later."
"?" Hao Jingye was puzzled. "Captain Qi is coming back before Li Wanyun?"
"Team 0 is flying back. Li Wanyun feels guilty about acquiring so many supplies, so she bought a ticket herself and is coming back by ship."
Hao Jingye: "..."
Before you continue