Introduction to Bullets

"You think Lin Mo is messing with us?"

Old Bai stood like a door god in the corner of the office, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, his eyes fixed on the window.

It had been almost a week.

"He said, let the bullet fly for a while," Liu Zheng said without looking up, his fingers tapping an unconscious rhythm on the desk. "So we just wait patiently."

He paused, glanced up at Old Bai, a hint of self-mockery in his tone.

"But I'm genuinely curious how the two of us ended up like we retired early, completely idle."

This idleness was the literal kind.

No missions, no need to support other cities, no towering piles of reports to write.

Daily life was just clocking in on time, punching the card, and then... that was it.

The office was lifeless. The air conditioner hummed away, but the air still carried a musty smell.

Liu Zheng, a seasoned field agent, suddenly pinned to his chair, felt like ants were crawling all over him.

Finally, he couldn't stand the silence anymore and straightened up abruptly.

"Alright, enough of this pointless waiting. Watching you with that cigarette like a beggar isn't doing anyone any good."

Liu Zheng waved a hand. "Take it to the back."

They slipped out one after the other to the rear stairwell. The click of the lighter sounded sharp against the cold concrete steps.

In the haze of smoke, Old Bai lowered his voice.

"Heard about it? That bastard Hu Rong might get to atone through meritorious service. Might not get the death penalty."

Liu Zheng took a hard drag. A crimson ember flared in the gloom. He exhaled the smoke fully onto the cold wall before speaking slowly.

Let him. Even if he piles some earth-shattering achievements on himself, don't think he's getting out.

The best he can hope for is a private cell, meat with every meal, sitting there until he rots."

His tone was flat, but the cigarette butt between his fingers was pinched flat.

"That thing isn't human. Let him out? Who knows what kind of trouble he'd stir up again."

"True enough," Old Bai nodded, then changed the subject. "Right, you said before that abilities naturally get stronger over time. Is there any... method to actively cultivate them?"

Liu Zheng shot him a glance, seeing right through him.

"The essence of an ability is an existence based on mental power. So an ability getting stronger means mental power is getting stronger. So things like meditation, training your willpower, can also strengthen your ability."

He patted Old Bai's shoulder, not lightly.

"The truly useful method is to push yourself to the brink.

Like locking yourself up for three days and nights without food or water, or staying conscious in extreme environments.

Mental power is honed bit by bit like that.

But the prerequisite is being an awakened ability user."

Old Bai's face twitched, and he gave a dry chuckle.

"Forget it. That's for ability users. Ability users aren't invincible either. Take that 'Gun King' at headquarters, isn't he just an ordinary person?"

Liu Zheng was precisely worried Old Bai would get the wrong idea.

Old Bai was about to say something when a steady male voice, carrying a hint of amusement, came from the stairs above.

"He's right. The Gun King is just an ordinary person."

Both men looked up sharply to see a figure standing at the turn of the upper stairs.

"But many ability users fear him because his firepower suppression can grind so-called talent into the dirt, especially at long range. His bullets are the law."

The man walked slowly down the stairs.

It was precisely the person they'd been thinking about—Dongfang Shuye.

Dongfang Shuye took a sip of tea, his gaze sweeping over Liu Zheng and Old Bai.

Liu Zheng quickly greeted him: "Hello, Team Leader Dongfang. We were just chatting casually. The cleaners here are all our own people, so we shouldn't be violating confidentiality protocols."

Dongfang Shuye nodded.

"I know. That's why I'm continuing your topic, am I not?"

Dongfang Shuye looked at Old Bai.

"Don't envy ability users too much. Few who overuse their abilities live long lives."

Liu Zheng nodded. "That's true. Abilities actually consume mental power, and mental power needs vitality to replenish it. Especially using an ability after mental exhaustion is equivalent to overdrawing your own life."

"No wonder I rarely see you use your ability," Old Bai muttered.

But he was somewhat persuaded. After all, Old Bai had faced quite a few ability users himself.

Working at a place like Yanhuang Juexing, you naturally dealt with these things.

It was just that being controlled this time left him resentful.

He wondered if things would have been better if he were an awakened too.

So these days, Liu Zheng had been guiding Old Bai, both openly and subtly.

After saying this, Liu Zheng looked at Dongfang Shuye.

"I assume Team Leader Dongfang isn't here just to share a smoke."

Dongfang Shuye pulled two bottles of drink from his pocket and handed them to Old Bai and Liu Zheng.

"There are some matters requiring your team's assistance. But it's a covert investigation. The fewer people know, the safer you are."

Liu Zheng gave a wry smile. "Team Leader Dongfang, to be frank, Old Bai and I aren't high in combat effectiveness. So please don't set your expectations too high."

Dongfang Shuye nodded.

"Don't worry. You're just responsible for investigation."

As he spoke, he produced a document from behind him, seemingly out of nowhere.

"You're only responsible for finding someone—a girl named Ning Qingcheng. She is very important to Yanhuang Juexing. The incident in Pengcheng also started because of her."

Liu Zheng took the file, opened it, and read through it quite seriously. After finishing, he passed it to Old Bai.

"In that case, we'll need to go to Pengcheng to investigate. If we find something, how do we notify you?"

Dongfang Shuye took out something resembling a pager and handed it to Liu Zheng.

"This is a signal emitter. If you investigate and find something, just press this button. The people I've sent to Pengcheng will come to extract you immediately."

Liu Zheng nodded seriously and pocketed the pager.

"Alright, understood. Does the Bureau Director know about this?"

"Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't casually reassign you."

Dongfang Shuye said it as a matter of course.

"Good. Then we'll go prepare for Pengcheng. We'll set off tonight."

Liu Zheng didn't waste more words, taking Old Bai back to the office to pack.

They'd also stop by the armory to requisition gear.

Yanhuang Juexing Bureau Director's Office. Dongfang Shuye looked at Dong Lingjun.

"Director Dong's people are indeed good."

"Mhm. Just a bit lacking in combat power. Keep an eye on them, Team Leader Dongfang. Goat City doesn't have a second reconnaissance team this professional."

"Of course."

And Dong Lingjun also approved Liu Zheng's various applications on the computer.

At the same time, an unfamiliar number sent a message to Lin Mo.

"The bullet has truly entered the door."

Lin Mo thought for a moment and sent a reply.

"Then the question arises: when to test it?"