In City D, a second-tier city that was not particularly prosperous, a young but very mature face looked out through a café window at the busy world outside.
He lifted a steaming cup of coffee, took a small sip, then slowly set it down again, as though the world outside had nothing to do with him.
"Big Brother Nanming, their strawberry cake is so delicious!
Have a taste too!"
Si Xiaobei, sitting across from him, excitedly held a spoonful of strawberry cake in front of Nanming, who was busy acting cool, stars gleaming in his eyes.
Nanming turned his head helplessly.
Looking at the excitement written all over Si Xiaobei's face, he smiled and finally ate the cake in front of him in one bite.
"See? Big Brother Nanming, it's so good! Isn't it?"
Si Xiaobei looked at Nanming expectantly, excited as a child.
"Mm, it really is good. Have some more." After answering Si Xiaobei gently, Nanming turned back to the window, as though waiting for someone.
"Hehe, all right, Big Brother, I'll keep eating, then."
Si Xiaobei scooped up a spoonful of cake and was just about to put it in his mouth when he suddenly seemed to sense something.
His spoon stopped in midair.
Si Xiaobei stood up and looked into the distance, a smile suddenly appearing on his face.
"Big Brother Nanming! She's coming!"
"How far away is she?" Nanming asked calmly.
"Hmm... she's not close enough to see yet, but I reckon she'll be here in ten minutes at most," Si Xiaobei replied after a little thought.
"Mm, let's wait." With that, Nanming took another sip of coffee.
Si Xiaobei sat down too and resumed eating his cake.
"Big Brother Nanming, can I have a sip of your coffee?"
"Okay, thank you, Big Brother Nanming!"
"Pfft-! So bitter!"
Ten minutes later.
The café door swung open, and a woman slowly walked in.
"Welco-"
The server froze halfway through the greeting, at a loss for words.
The woman who had just entered was dressed a little too... conspicuously.
She wore a black overcoat, a gentleman's hat, a black face mask and sunglasses, and carried a briefcase.
It was clear she was trying to avoid drawing attention, but her outfit only attracted more looks.
The woman paid no attention to the strange look from the person at the counter and walked straight into the café.
She looked around after entering, finally fixing her gaze on Nanming's table. But after only a glance, she immediately looked away, afraid someone would notice.
Si Xiaobei, who had witnessed everything from his seat, watched the woman's baffling behavior, his brain racing.
At last, Si Xiaobei recognized her and waved excitedly. "Over here!"
The woman seemed to hear him too and walked straight toward Nanming and Si Xiaobei's table...
To the seat beside it.
Si Xiaobei: Huh? ⚆_⚆?
Si Xiaobei looked in confusion at the woman sitting back-to-back with him.
He turned around and asked her in confusion:
"Um... are you Miss Xing Lan?"
"Cough! Cough!"
The woman immediately coughed twice in a serious manner when she heard him, as though reminding Si Xiaobei of something.
After a few seconds of bewilderment, Si Xiaobei seemed to understand what she meant and immediately turned back around.
"Member of the Sp... Special Investigation Squad, Si... Si Xiaobei!"
"Night Star, Xing Lan."
Xing Lan lowered her voice as she replied, her tone eight parts serious and two parts excited.
Si Xiaobei's eyes lit up at her reply, but he grew nervous again and looked to Nanming for help.
Watching the pair's antics, Nanming held his forehead and said, speechless:
"Um, Miss Xing Lan, Night Stars and ability users aren't some kind of evil organization. There's no need to be so secretive."
Hearing this, Xing Lan, across from him, nodded slightly, then fell silent again.
"What?! I don't have to do this!"
"Ah!"
After several seconds of silence, Xing Lan suddenly shot to her feet, knocking off her sunglasses. Her blue eyes went as wide as copper bells.
"Uh, sit down first. You really don't need to be secretive, but aren't you attracting a bit too much attention?"
Hearing Nanming's words, Xing Lan looked around and found everyone in the café, a dozen or so people including the servers, staring at them in unison.
Everyone's expression was different, yet vastly dissimilar.
Some were even whispering.
"Do you think they're filming a comedy skit or something?"
"Maybe. There might really be a camera hidden somewhere, filming."
"Then we'd better leave quickly."
"Hello, 120? I've found a mentally ill person here. She seems schizophrenic, and it doesn't feel safe. Please send someone over quickly..."
Nanming still had his hand against his forehead, covering most of his face, his expression exceedingly complicated.
Si Xiaobei, who had just been startled by Xing Lan, buried his bright-red face in the table, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Noticing so many eyes on her, Xing Lan blushed too, then immediately sat back down properly, as if nothing had happened.
"Cough, cough. Xing Lan, right?"
Nanming raised his head and looked at the faintly blushing Xing Lan, asking seriously.
"Yes!"
"Age?"
"Nineteen!"
"You're here to join the Special Investigation Squad?"
"That's right!"
"Have you thought it through?"
"I have!"
Xing Lan puffed out her chest and answered with a determined expression.
Nanming sighed softly, then spoke seriously.
"Do you know the mortality rate for Night Stars?"
"Thirty percent!"
"Then do you know the mortality rate for the Special Investigation Team?"
Xing Lan started to speak, then stopped and thought about it.
"Let me tell you the answer." Before Xing Lan had much time to think, Nanming spoke up.
He raised his right hand and made a six with his fingers.
"Sixty percent! Twice that of other Night Stars."
Xing Lan's body jolted. The number had clearly startled her. She knew the Special Investigation Squad's mortality rate was a little higher than the others', but she hadn't expected it to be this much higher!
"Are you still sure you want to join?"
"I'm sure!" Xing Lan answered decisively without even thinking.
"..."
Then what the hell were you so shocked for just now? I thought Xing Lan had been scared off.
Nanming slowly let out another sigh.
"Since you want to join, there's nothing I can do about it, but don't get excited too soon. Whether you can actually join still depends on our captain."
"Captain?" Xing Lan tilted her head.
"Right..."
"Oh! I get it! You must want to test how strong I am, right? Is the captain going to test my strength personally?!" Xing Lan said excitedly, stars gleaming in her eyes.
"..."
I haven't even finished talking. How did she figure it out...
And she got every bit of it right.
Nanming nodded. "That's right, that's how it is. Since you've already guessed, come with us."
With that, Nanming got up to leave, and Si Xiaobei, who had been sitting beside him in a daze for quite a while, prepared to get up too.
"Wait!" Xing Lan suddenly called out to stop them.
"What is it?" Si Xiaobei asked, looking at Xing Lan with concern.
Xing Lan rubbed her stomach and spoke with some embarrassment. "Can we eat first?"
"..."