My Partner Is a Bit Too Strong

The man wrapped himself up tightly.

He was tall and thin, wearing a high-collared coat, a hat, gloves, and a pair of high-top Martin boots.

The two approached each other face-to-face.

The lighting in the hallway late at night was poor, making it impossible to see the man's expression clearly. However, he didn't seem to have any intention of interacting and was prepared to just walk right past.

Chen Miemie spoke up, pretending to be an enthusiastic young man: "Hey neighbor, it's rare to run into you. Heading out so late?"

The man paused for half a second, seemingly surprised that Chen Miemie would strike up a conversation with him.

"Ah, going to work." His voice sounded normal, without any intention of keeping people at a distance.

"Working at this hour? I heard you're a driver?"

"You could say that. I drive a sanitation sprinkler truck. I have to finish a lap around the city every day before people are out and about."

"That sounds like hard work."

"It's alright. I'm in a hurry, let's chat next time." The man prepared to end the conversation.

Chen Miemie had finally encountered this mysterious neighbor. This man was a suspect who might have exposed the clown's residence. Although he wouldn't go as far as using brute force to interrogate him, he wasn't going to just let it go without trying a few tricks.

Chen Miemie resorted to trickery.

"Mr. Driver, there's something I probably need to inform you about. I'm currently the person in charge of this entire floor. You've been living here on your own for over three months now, shouldn't you pay some rent?"

The man had already walked past Chen Miemie and was about to enter the stairwell. Hearing this, he stopped dead in his tracks: "You're from the Church!"

Thoughts flashed rapidly through Chen Miemie's mind: The Church? Which church? The Mist Church or the Sun and Moon Church?

"As long as you understand. What needs to be paid can't be avoided, right?"

The man muttered sullenly: "Got it. I'll prepare it in two days and hand it over."

After saying that, he left.

Chen Miemie went home to sleep and didn't wake up until ten in the morning.

Just as he ate something, he received a message.

Time: 10:30 AM

Sender: [Painter] Xi

Content: It's our group's turn to patrol the block today. Let's meet at the society at 1:30 PM.

Chen Miemie generally didn't schedule dangerous activities during the day. He happened to be free this afternoon and was originally planning to knit a sweater at home.

He left at one o'clock, snapped his fingers downstairs, and the palanquin appeared.

"How did you get back yesterday?"

"If I'm not carrying a passenger, a mere city wall can't stop me."

"Not bad. Let's head to the [Court of the Silver Moon]."

"My other half, the mother palanquin, has also returned. From now on, we can send out one to pick people up."

Chen Miemie showed a look of joy. This was truly good news.

They quickly arrived at their destination.

Chen Miemie walked into the society. In the hall, besides Xi, he also saw the president, Fina.

For some reason, he could actually make out an expression resembling a smile on Fina's Rubik's Cube head.

"This is your first time patrolling as a team. Chen Miemie isn't familiar with the rules, so I'll repeat them once more.

Every society has its own designated area of responsibility. We are in charge of the surrounding two-kilometer radius. During the city's martial law period, we must send people to patrol our area every day.

This task is carried out by each group in rotation.

If you encounter the mist, issue an early warning immediately. If you encounter an anomaly, focus on gathering intelligence. Avoid direct combat at all costs. Safety comes first."

Chen Miemie heard clearly and had no questions.

Patrolling meant walking a lap around the streets and reporting any danger found.

After he and Xi came out of the society.

They walked down the street, chatting as they went.

Xi explained briefly: "Actually, there used to be very few patrol missions. This is because there's a problem with the city, and it's a task jointly arranged by the Society Alliance and City Hall."

Chen Miemie didn't have much of an issue with strolling the streets; his focus was elsewhere.

"Xi, I just graduated, and you're a Painter. Do we even have any combat power? Don't tell me we won't even be able to run away when the time comes."

"What's wrong with a Painter? I can fight very well too." Xi ran her hand through her hair, tucking a few long strands behind her ear.

"In a face-to-face fight, would the enemy give you time to draw a picture?"

"Hehe, I don't just draw on a canvas. Come, watch closely."

The two happened to walk into an empty alley, and Xi decided to show off a little.

A paintbrush slid out of Xi's sleeve and landed in her palm.

She waved the paintbrush in the air, and the sunlight surprisingly followed the tip of her brush, leaving lines in the air. These lines seemed to have substance, actually casting shadows on the ground.

With just a few simple strokes, a stone block formed out of thin air, half made of light and half of shadow.

Chen Miemie's eyes almost popped out.

What was this? Using light and shadow as lines for 3D composition!

Xi's movements hadn't stopped. On the slightly shifting image of the stone block, she drew a long diagonal line, slicing the stone block in two as if cutting fruit.

As she finished her stroke.

The real stone block she had drawn was split in half, the cut as smooth as if sliced by a blade.

"How's that?" Xi patted the petrified Chen Miemie.

"Amazing, amazing, you're really something." Chen Miemie gave a thumbs up.

His praise was genuine. Even if Xi couldn't slice a Mystic in half like this, her destructive power against inanimate objects was already terrifying.

If she wanted to, the walls of Sixiang City would be like tofu dregs.

"Xi, what do you usually do besides painting?" The sycophantic Chen Miemie started trying to get closer.

This was a powerful ally. Clinging to her during the day was definitely the right move.

"Me? I have a part-time job. I also hold a post in the Sixiang City Fire Department."

"What do you do at the fire department?"

"The buildings we live in are very enclosed. If a fire breaks out, the consequences are severe. I can draw the burning building and then draw some water to put out the fire."

Chen Miemie: ......

"Alright, don't give me that look. My abilities have huge limitations. I can't draw things out of thin air if they don't exist at all. I can only add a very small amount of content to the main body of the original object, like a tiny bit of water for a whole burning building."

Chen Miemie didn't believe a single word of Xi's modest claims.

They had only been partners for a few days. While they seemed honest, they were definitely both hiding things.

Chen Miemie had figured it out. People in the mystic circles didn't like to brag; instead, everyone liked to keep a trump card hidden. On average, they all reported their public [Mystery] level one major tier lower than it actually was.

The streets were relatively peaceful today.

Not even the mist appeared.

"By the way, on the sixth day of this week, the society has arranged a collective subjugation. Are you going?"

Hearing a new term, Chen Miemie immediately cast a questioning glance at Xi.

"Collective subjugation is when the society members go out together to gang up on an anomaly. The main purpose is to obtain the special materials dropped after the anomaly dissipates.

The anomaly this time is a specific type that has been chosen. Its materials have a high probability of matching the First Seat [Gardener], and we can split the time then."

"Can we choose not to go to this kind of event?"

"Of course. If you're busy, you don't have to go. But generally, people go if they're free. Splitting the time is one aspect, and also, some help is mutual. If you don't go when others need help, naturally no one will pay attention when you ask for help."

"Then I..."

"You're different. You're still a newcomer and wouldn't have any combat power if you went. Until you break through [Mystery] 2, you're allowed to opt out."

"I do have combat power. As long as it's nighttime, I'll go." Chen Miemie, unhappy at being underestimated, immediately retorted loudly.

From Chen Miemie's repeated emphasis on "nighttime," Xi understood that his strength at night must be completely different from during the day.

Recalling the gathering on the night of the Frost Moon, she could roughly deduce that Chen Miemie's [Immortality] probably only took effect at night.

Walking and chatting along the way, the two of them strolled leisurely without any rush.

The entire patrol took over two hours.

Chen Miemie got into his sedan chair, and Xi got into her small car. The two went their separate ways home.

Eating roast chicken every day wasn't a long-term solution, so Chen Miemie made a point to eat downstairs before heading up to his apartment.

As soon as he entered the door, Bobo, who had been rushing over excitedly, stopped halfway, tossed his pineapple head, gave a cold snort, and turned away.

Loop covered her mouth and laughed, "Miemie, you didn't wipe your mouth clean. There's still a grain of rice stuck to it."

"Bobo, come here. I still have room for a few slices of after-dinner pineapple."

Bobo immediately wiggled his butt and ran back over.

Qinghua, who had been hanging around Chen Miemie's neck all day, also revealed herself.

The group shared another round of laughter and playfulness.

Night fell.

Yellow light spilled down; tonight was another Constant Moon.

Chen Miemie closed his eyes slightly. When he opened them again, his pupils had turned into two yellow half-moons.

"My [Mystery] has been stuck at 1.99 for a few days now. Let's break through today. Let me see which weirdo is unlucky enough to fall into my hands tonight."