Ch20 - Su Jiuzhou raised his eyes and lightly glanced at Xiao Jinyu.

Ten minutes later, Haidu City’s police arrived and cordoned off the coffee shop.

The bullet that flew through the air, leaving sparks behind had long been caught barehanded by that man donning a black cloak. However, that explosive sound from the gunshots traveled out of the bathroom to the rest of the coffee shop, even scaring some passersby on the street outside into a frenzied run. 

No matter if it was before or after the radiation, guns have always been classified as highly prohibited contrabands.

A group of onlookers gathered outside the cordoning. The members of the extermination team wore police uniforms and stepped over the yellow tapes, quietly entering the coffee shop. There were even some doctors who came along.

A young doctor examined Xiao Jinyu’s right hand and applied some antiseptic solution. He seemed to think that this cool and distant young man was another policeman and remarked in passing: “Thankfully, it’s just a scrape. Keep it from getting wet these two days. Though, aren’t you two supposed to bring weapons on assignments, such as riot suppression batons? Are all fights supposed to be engaged hand-to-hand?”

Xiao Jinyu: “…” 

“He brought a weapon.”

A deep sound filled with humor made both Xiao Jinyu and the doctor look up at him.

Su Jiuzhou was leaning on the white walls of the coffee shop. He commented casually: “Flying fists.”

Doctor: “???”

Xiao Jinyu: “…”

The youth coldly retracted his gaze.

The doctor put away his medical kit and left quickly.

There were only two who were wounded on the scene: Xiao Jinyu, and the short guy who was hiding in the bathroom stall. Surprisingly, Su Jiuzhou, who grabbed the bullet bare-handed, did not have a single scratch in his palm left behind by the supersonic bullet. 

The moment this man caught and let go of the bullet, Xiao Jinyu activated Fourth Perspective, secretly observing the hollow of his palm.

A thin yet gorgeous layer of light covered this man’s palm. After he opened his hand and tossed the bullet, that light suddenly disappeared.

Xiao Jinyu could not figure out what this man’s logic skill was.

… 

After Haidu’s extermination team arrived at the scene, they quickly searched for information on the short guy on the Grow Some Brains APP.

“Tell us your user ranking!”

The short guy’s hands were firmly shackled by handcuffs. Because Xiao Jinyu provided information that this person’s logic skill was related to his right hand, the extermination team also brought out a black case, additionally locking his right hand inside.

The short guy was extremely dejected, hanging his head and not making a sound. 

The extermination team’s member: “Say it!”

The short guy: “…C1779.”

He was ranked to be C grade, placing below 1000. In other words, this man was a level two user.

Every user could search for the profile of other users on the rankings using the Grow Some Brains APP. However, these rankings did not have the ‘next page’ function. If one wanted to look for information on the user under C1779, they had to single-handedly scroll through to find them. 

Thankfully, the short guy’s rank wasn’t that far back. If he were ranked 20018 in D grade like Xiao Jinyu, just scrolling to his profile would waste a ton of time.

Soon, the short guy’s user ID could be seen.

The member of the extermination team looked at the guy’s ID and revealed a complicated expression. He raised his head and gave the short guy a look filled with some sympathy rather than full viciousness.

Zhao Hen curiously rushed over: “What’s up? What’s the name?” 

After clearly seeing the words displayed on the APP…

Zhao Hen: “…”

The short guy covered his face.

Su Jiuzhou also gave the APP a look, and after a brief surprise, he lifted a brow meaningfully. 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Wljb Alcse rabbv eq lc rerqlmlbc jcv kjixfv bnfg ab yftlcv atf afjw wfwyfg. Lf ibbxfv vbkc ab rff, gluta atfc…

Wljb Alcse: “…”

Ktf afjw wfwyfg erfv tlr lcafgmbw ab mbcajma tlr afjwwjafr ja atf ufcfgji tfjvdejgafgr: “Obbx eq J1779… Ztw, Qlcv Dibklcu Mjga’r qgbolif.”

Ktf gjcxlcur bcis rtbkfv atf erfg’r PG jcv ugjvf, klat cb vfajlifv lcobgwjalbc. Coafg olnf wlceafr qjrrfv, atf Frfg Jbwwlaaff reqqilfv j vfajlifv nfgrlbc bo atf ibulm rxlii lcobgwjalbc. 

[User ID: Wind Blowing Fart]

[Real Name: Zhang Haixiang]

[Gender: Male]

[User Rank: C1779] 

[User Level: Level 2]

[Logic Skill: When inside a bathroom where ventilation falls below 50%, air can be condensed in certain areas not obstructed by any objects and form a difference in the local high and low atmospheric pressure to create a pressurized wind…]

Turns out this short guy’s logic skill could only be used inside bathrooms.

Yet, no one let down their guard just because he has now left the bathroom nor have they released his right hand from the black case. 

The logic skill description automatically generated by the Grow Some Brains APP was generally concise. For example, the Grow Some Brains APP only detected that Xiao Jinyu’s logic skill could “see logic factors” when the real uses of Fourth Perspective obviously go way beyond that.

The short guy’s logic skill description was mostly written by himself or secretly recorded by the User Committee. There was no way to guarantee if the information divulged was 100% accurate.

Furthermore, he was only a level two user.

Only after reaching level three would the User Committee increase their interest and be more engaged in collecting information on him. 

“What is inside this black box?” The team member pointed at the black box sitting on the table, with a serious look on his face.

Zhang Haixiang lowered his head and answered honestly: “A polluter.”

“What’s its ranking?!”

“It’s not ranked.” 

Zhang Haixiang replied: “It was a polluter that I had just brought back from completing a mission in a contamination area.”

Once he finished talking, he raised his head and looked towards Zhao Hen and the member of the extermination team. Then, after his gaze quickly touched on Su Jiuzhou who was leaning on a wall to the very side, and Xiao Jinyu who stood right beside him, he shivered and immediately retracted his glance.

Zhang Haixiang had a painful expression: “I didn’t kill Meat King, I really didn’t kill him.”

Xiao Jinyu: “No one mentioned anything about Meat King. Why would you think we suspect you of murdering him?” 

Zhang Haixiang: “I confess. Two days ago, I did indeed meet with Meat King in this very coffee shop. He learned that I got my hands on a polluter and wanted to buy it from me, so we planned to meet in the bathroom of this coffee shop. However, I really didn’t know he was Meat King! He was only a client!”

Zhang Haixiang’s face became filled with wrinkles, piling up at the corners of his eyes.

Zhang Haixiang felt that he was very unlucky.

So very unlucky. 

Just before he opened his eyes this morning, Zhang Haixiang had no idea of what was to happen to him.

Secretly buying and selling polluters was illegal behavior, but when users exit contaminated areas after completing missions, they can occasionally get their hands on one to two polluters. It wasn’t something so out of the ordinary.

Grow Some Brains APP divided users into grades, and even ranked them within each grade.

A polluter was eager to grade humans. Humans were not idle either and the User Committee also divided polluters into various grades. 

Whenever a highly ranked polluter appears, the User Committee would use any means possible to get their hands on it. Unless a user hides it well, as long as there was a singular, tiny leak, the User Committee will try their best to fight for it.

The User Committee paid comparably less attention to slighting more ordinary polluters. After submitting an application and obtaining approval, they can be collected privately.

However, most of the polluters were “trash” without even a ranking.

This sort of garbage polluter was not only unable to pollute the logic skills of users but also had extremely weak and boring abilities. 

There was a rumor that last year, a user in the capital found a contaminated mirror in a contaminated area. It was penetrating in all its aspects, its mirror as bright as crystal and its edge was inlaid with more than a dozen pigeon egg diamonds, all brilliant and extraordinary. Perhaps even if it were pre-radiation, it would still have sold for an outstanding price.

However, its ability to pollute was extremely weak to the point that it couldn’t even affect a level one user.

Moreover, its special ability was–

Growing pimples. 

If someone happens to be within ten meters of this mirror for over ten minutes, after 24 hours, a pimple would burst onto their face.

Zhang Haixiang had a bitter expression: “I really didn’t know he was Meat King. He found me through a friend and contacted me because he learned that I wanted to sell a polluter. According to our business deal, he verified the polluter in the morning two days ago and transferred money. Once I received the cash from the bank, I was to hide the polluter in this very coffee shop’s bathroom this very morning at midnight, and after an hour, he would personally pick it up and we wouldn’t meet at all again.”

Zhang Haixiang could not for the life of him understand how, while everything was clearly going well, an issue like this suddenly cropped up.

Two days ago, Meat King was very satisfied with the polluter and transferred money. 

One day ago, he received the cash and, as arranged, hid the polluter in the sink at midnight today.

How good was this, he had easily made 800,000 dollars, but before he could even think about how he should spend this money, he saw the news of Rongsi Company’s CEO, Wei Rong’s death on the TV. This two hundred pound face of the buyer, Zhang Haixiang wouldn’t be able to forget for at least two years. And so he hurriedly searched the news in horror.

The buyer died yesterday.

That must also mean, the buyer never retrieved the polluter he placed in the coffee shop’s bathroom! 

At first, Zhang Haixiang didn’t feel that things were that bad yet, and so his first reaction was: get the polluter and sell it again.

However, before he was happy for a few minutes, the user who had introduced them told him that the buyer was Meat King.

Meat King!

This ID was well known throughout Haidu City, all the way to its peripherals. 

It wasn’t because of his strange logic skill, these types of strange logic skills were a dime a dozen in the nation. It also wasn’t because of money, Meat King’s real identity was hidden very well, no one knew he was Wei Rong. But it was because a lot of users knew that Haidu City’s Extermination Team’s Captain was Meat King’s wife.

Now the thought of selling the polluter again was completely forgotten and the only thing he wanted to do was to get back the polluter he had hidden in the coffee shop.

“I’m just here to get the goods. Official, really, there is no way for me to kill Meat King.” The short man hurried to explain himself: “I’m a level two user, there is no benefit to me killing Meat King. Instead, it would cut off a financial route for me. I was afraid you guys would find this polluter, then find me, thinking I killed Meat King, so I hurried to retrieve it!”

“You’re lying!” 

The Haidu City’s team member said in denial.

“Meat King’s hobby of buying polluters, the entire Haidu City knew. But if Meat King wanted to buy polluters, does he have to secretly buy it from you? It is entirely possible for him to just greet the User Committee and then openly buy it from your hands. As long as the danger level of this polluter wasn’t too high, then your transaction can be carried out publicly.”

Zhang Haixiang racked his brains to explain: “Perhaps the danger level of this polluter is quite high. The User Committee hasn’t tested it yet, so its danger level cannot be determined.”

“It’s around 150.” 

Suddenly, a male voice sounded, and everyone turned their heads around.

They saw that in the corner of the coffee shop, Su Jiuzhou casually opened the black box that Zhang Haixiang was hugging earlier. His hand reached into the pitch-black box and with a gentle movement, he took out a pearl necklace.

A round and plump pearl hung from the man’s fingertips and Su Jiuzhou closed his eyes to probe around some, before turning his head and looking at the confused Zhang Haixiang, smiling and saying: “Unless its ability is very peculiar, based on it’s pollution level, it’ll rank at the very most at 150.”

Zhao Hen and the team member already knew about this mysterious man saving Xiao Jinyu earlier, but they didn’t think that the other would actually hold an unknown polluter with his bare hands! 

Catching a bullet with bare hands and holding a polluter with bare hands are two completely different danger levels!

Zhao Hen hurriedly said: “Hurry up and put it down. Polluters are very dangerous, so quickly put it in the isolation box!”

Su Jiuzhou put the pearl necklace away without hesitation.

Xiao Jinyu glanced at him silently. 

…Just how strong was this man?

Zhao Hen was one of the strongest in the group of level three users, yet he still doesn’t dare to touch the polluters. Yet this man had done so, so casually.

A level four user.

Or was it level five? 

In the silent coffee shop, Zhao Hen and the team member were still interrogating Zhang Haixiang, asking why Meat King would secretly buy polluters, as with Meat King’s identity, if he had wanted to buy polluters, he could completely buy it through formal channels. There was no need to hide at all.

Zhang Haixiang felt that even with a hundred mouths, he couldn’t argue against them. He felt aggrieved as he kept on trying to defend himself.

“I also don’t know why Meat King wanted to secretly buy it from me, I really don’t, Official. But I really didn’t kill, I only privately sold some polluters…”

“There probably is another reason why Meat King wanted to secretly buy polluters. But there must be a secret hidden in you.” 

Zhang Haixiang’s voice stopped abruptly and he turned his head to look at the dark-haired youth on the side.

Xiao Jinyu’s expression was calm as he looked at Zhang Haixiang. He said methodically: “You’re afraid that Haidu City’s Extermination team would find out that you privately traded with Meat King, suspect you killed Meat King, and take away the polluter you hid in this shop. But you were discovered. In fact, you were only discovered, you still have the chance to explain yourself, to prove yourself. But after you were discovered, your first reaction was to kill the witness and run…

“Running is understandable. But killing the witness…”

Xiao Jinyu looked at him coldly: “Zhang Haixiang, do you think an innocent person would do something like this?” 

“Tinkle—”

The evening wind blew through the wind chimes in front of the bathrooms.

Si Jiuzhou looked up and glanced at Xiao Jinyu.

After a while. 

Zhang Haixiang gritted his teeth: “I really didn’t kill Meat King! I heard that there’s a polluter in Haidu City’s warehouse which can tell if someone is lying or not. I didn’t kill. If you don’t believe me, I’m willing to be tested by that polluter!”

Xiao Jinyu: “Did I say you killed Meat King?”

Zhang Haixiang froze.

Xiao Jinyu: “Meat King is your buyer, based on his identity, even if you wanted to increase the price, it wouldn’t have mattered much to him. It’s also possible that the amount you got afterwards has already been a raised price. But you want to kill.” After a moment, Xiao Jinyu looked down and said: “I think the only thing that killing people could hide, is even more murder. Perhaps in the world of users, there are some things that must be kept secret even if it means killing people. What do you think?” He looked up at Zhao Hen. 

Zhao Hen froze in place, his mind clouded, and didn’t open his mouth yet.

Behind him, an answer came from the low laughing Su Jiuzhou: “I also think it’s murder.”

His body paused for a bit before Xiao Jinyu looked up, his eyes meeting the man behind him.

The author has something to say: 

Zhao Hen: Eh, didn’t Xiao Jinyu ask me? [Scratches head]

Ninth Sister: Can’t I respond to my wife’s words? [Smiles]

Little Goldfish: If you don’t know how to speak then shut up!

004: Dad, these words are so familiar, are you talking to me? (⊙ν⊙)! 

Little Goldfish: …You’re definitely blood-related!

—

Damn, editing and writing the little theater took me until 8 o’clock!

Today my body doesn’t feel that well, so I will try to write more tomorrow. 

Muah