Surrounded: What did romance mean to you?...

Even such a powerful woman was so badly injured.

"A-Rank Polluted has appeared in the world?" Xiao Pei asked.

Her biggest worry is that A-Rank Polluted might appear in the world.

Miao Qiao shook her head. "No, I'm not A-Rank Polluted."

She paused, then said, "I only encountered B-Rank Polluted, and I was Polluted by B-Rank."

"B-Rank?" Xiao Pei exclaimed in surprise, "Impossible!"

As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Jiang beside him and a thought flashed through his mind, "Could it be an exceptionally powerful B-Rank Polluted?"

Like the person next to her, who is clearly a D-Rank ability user but has A-Rank strength, there is a possibility that such Polluted could exist!

Miao Qiao was puzzled, not understanding what she was saying. B-Rank is B-Rank, how could her strength be abnormal?

Having never encountered anyone with special abilities before, Miao Qiao couldn't quite understand what the other person was saying.

Miao Qiao said, "I don't know what you're talking about, but I only encountered ordinary B-Rank Polluted."

As she spoke, Miao Qiao took off her bracelet and gave it to Xiao Pei, asking her to take it back and review the video footage. She had suffered a crushing defeat in her fight with the Polluted, and after desperately fleeing, she collapsed. Therefore, Xiao Pei, who came to rescue her, did not see the Polluted, but the video recorded it.

Xiao Pei took it suspiciously, not quite understanding why Miao Qiao had almost been killed by an ordinary B-Rank Polluted. Miao Qiao also had doubts in her eyes.

Her battle with the Polluted shouldn't have ended this way, but at the time...

She seemed to suddenly feel extremely weak at that moment, a feeling that has persisted to this day, like...

His superpowers were depleted.

Miao Qiao suddenly summoned her Ability System, and a screen popped up. She stared at her superpower interface, her soul frozen in a daze.

Xiao Pei noticed her unusual behavior and asked, "What's wrong?"

Miao Qiao's lips trembled a few times, but no sound came out.

Ye Jiang was blinded by the light from the Ability System. Looking over, she saw the Miao Family heir's voice trembling as he said, "... My superpower has been downgraded to C-Rank."

Normally, depleting one's superpowers wouldn't cause a power downgrade, but Miao Qiao was downgraded.

Why?

Chapter 67 Ambush: In your eyes, what is romance?...

These words caused a stir in all directions.

Can the power level decrease?

I've never even heard of it!

The superhumans stranded here paled and quickly summoned their respective Ability System. Fortunately, none were found, and their superpower levels remained unchanged.

A drop in ability level—this was terrifying. The surrounding ability users whispered amongst themselves. Among the group, Wang Zhiqiang absentmindedly touched the Blood Moon symbol on his hand... Had she done it?

He knew that person could lower someone else's ability level; he himself was a living example. But that person had just saved the Miao Family.

Ye Jiang felt a complicated gaze fall upon her. Looking over, she saw a Little Thief frantically trying to avoid her.

"Miao Qiao, are you sure your level has dropped?" Xiao Pei's expression was serious, realizing the gravity of the situation. Even she, who was most familiar with abnormal events, had never heard of a drop in ability level before.

Superpowers seem to be a gift bestowed upon humanity by the Blood Moon, so generously given that it has never taken them back, a tradition that has lasted for three hundred years. So why did this happen to Miao Qiao?

Miao Qiao did not answer the question. Her face was pale, and she was in a state of confusion and bewilderment due to the huge blow she had suffered.

Understandably, this kind of thing would be unpleasant for anyone. Seeing this, Xiao Pei lowered her voice and called out, "Miao Qiao— "

The Miao Family heir's eyelashes trembled, and the vulnerability she exuded was even more pronounced than when she had just faced death. For a person with superpowers, a mishap involving their abilities is a more serious matter than death itself.

Xiao Pei sighed, "Come with me to the Ability Control Bureau."

This matter must be investigated.

The situation had become serious, Xiao Pei took Miao Qiao and left. Although they left in a hurry, they didn't neglect Ye Jiang Ye Jiang, telling her that they could talk about it later and discuss today's treatment costs then. Ye Jiang didn't care.

The lingering contestants with superpowers dispersed in bewilderment after the departure of the two individuals. Ye Jiang, however, remained, gazing at the desolate area, still waiting.

Wang Zhiqiang approached her. "B-Boss."

Ye Jiang turned to look at him. Wang Zhiqiang kept fiddling with his Blood Moon mark, wanting to say something but afraid of offending anyone. He was so anxious that he could hardly speak. In the end, he just asked dryly, "Aren't you leaving?"

He mumbled, "It's getting dark."

Yes, it's getting dark.

Ye Jiang took one last look at the wilderness; the boy hadn't emerged yet. She didn't wait any longer and left.

The bizarre events that befell Miao Qiao, the heir of the Miao Family, were like a pebble thrown into a lake, disrupting the smooth and peaceful progress since the start of the competition. Or perhaps, even earlier, when Yu Wei, a part-time Part-Time Cat investigating the disappearance of the head steward, encountered the boy in the Green Forest Exclusion Zone, the ripples had already spread. The boy was the pebble thrown into the lake.

The City A Branch of the Anomaly Control Bureau was in a flurry of activity. The Miao Family heir's supernatural abilities malfunctioned during the anti-poisoning competition, and there seemed to be progress in the case of the part -Part-Time Cat steward's disappearance. Both events occurred simultaneously, but that wasn't all. After a hectic night, the next morning, upon opening the door—

My brother didn't come back from yesterday's competition!

My friend didn't come back from the competition yesterday!

My husband didn't come back from his competition yesterday!

The number of people coming to report the case overwhelmed the entrance of the Ability Control Bureau.

The members of the Ability Control Bureau who opened the door were shocked. How could so many contestants have suddenly disappeared?

Because the captain of the Ability Control Bureau led elites to participate in the protection throughout the entire process, although there were a few deaths among the participants in this amateur competition, the number was small. Moreover, the organizer, Xingyi Technology, has a sound compensation system, so no major incidents have occurred until now. However, with so many people suddenly coming to report missing persons, the situation can be considered out of control.

The members of the Ability Control Bureau quickly let the person who reported the incident in. After counting and confirming the information, they found that more than 100 people had mysteriously disappeared during yesterday's competition. Xingyi Technology also confirmed that they had not received the bracelets submitted by these contestants. These contestants did not send out any distress signals and simply vanished without explanation.

This was a serious matter, so the Ability Control Bureau urgently suspended the competition at Xingyi Technology. After handing Miao Qiao over to the City A Branch Bureau for investigation, Xiao Pei personally met with the people who came to report the case. She had participated in the entire competition and was more familiar with it than other members of the Ability Control Bureau.

Hundreds of people who had reported crimes were gathered in the branch office's conference room. Xiao Pei pushed open the door and asked them to line up and report their situations to her one by one. When she asked one person, she paused, "You also want to report a crime?"

Ye Jiang said, "Xingyi Technology sent me a message asking when I last saw my partner, confirming that my partner's situation was unknown, and told me to report it to the police."

Last night, Xingyi Technology's customer service received numerous inquiries about why the contestants hadn't returned home. Realizing something was amiss, Xingyi Technology quickly tallied the recovered bracelets and discovered the number was far from accurate. They then notified the contestants' families and friends to report the incident to the Ability Control Bureau. Ye Jiang also received this message. Contestant Dong Zhen hadn't turned in his bracelet. He had no relatives or friends, and the emergency contact number he left with Xingyi Technology was invalid. However, he was well-known; he and Ye Jiang, a prominent figure in the competition, were often seen together at the venue. Xingyi Technology then contacted Ye Jiang.

Ye Jiang said, "My partner is missing."

An image of a well-behaved young boy flashed through Xiao Pei's mind. She also knew that Ye Jiang was often accompanied by a boy, but it turned out that the boy had also disappeared.

Xiao Pei patted Ye Jiang on the shoulder, concealing her personal emotions, and asked the routine question.

"So yesterday he told you he had to leave for a bit and then you parted ways, and you haven't seen each other since?"

"Um."

Did he say what he was going to do?

"No."

"He..."

There was a light knock on the conference room door, interrupting Xiao Pei's questioning. Captain Qin, dressed in a suit and tie, appeared outside the door. "I heard Ms. Ye is here."

Qin Daichuan's gaze swept around and landed on Ye Jiang. Xiao Pei turned around. "What's wrong?"

Qin Daichuan said, "There's something I'd like to discuss with Ms. Ye."

Xiao Pei frowned. Why did the branch office's Operations Team want to see the Waiter?

Xiao Pei recalled that the branch office seemed to be handling other cases, but as someone from the head office, she hadn't received any information about what they were. It seemed to be another major case, keeping them busy all night.

Xiao Pei scrutinized Qin Daichuan, who, sensing her protective instincts, explained, "It has nothing to do with Ms. Ye; I just wanted to ask her about someone else."

Ye Jiang looked up. "Who are you asking?"

Qin Daichuan stared at her. "The boy who was next to you during the competition."

Ye Jiang: "..."

Xiao Pei seemed lost in thought.

Ye Jiang went to another room. There were only two people in the room: the man who brought her there and a woman. As soon as she entered, the woman stood up and said to her, "Nice to meet you, Contestant Ye."

Ye Jiang stared at the hand that was outstretched towards her, but did not take it.

Yu Wei didn't mind and naturally withdrew her hand, asking directly without beating around the bush, "Contestant Ye, how much do you know about the boy beside you?"

Ye Jiang asked, "What's wrong with him?"

Yu Wei licked her lips, unable to help but recall the dangerous illusion in the jungle that had instantly led her into a trap, "He..."

"The head manager of Part-Time Cat has mysteriously disappeared. That young man might be involved in this matter. I'd like to learn more about him," Qin Daichuan said.

Yu Wei was taken aback; she hadn't expected the captain of the Ability Control Bureau to speak so frankly. This was a bit...

Qin Daichuan said calmly, "Ms. Ye is a distinguished guest of the branch office, personally appointed by Director Shi."

Shi Tao instructed that they must not be negligent or rude.

Yu Wei opened her mouth in surprise.

Qin Daichuan looked at Ye Jiang: "That's how it is. So, Ms. Ye, could you please provide some information?"