UCS Chapter 47

After being made to sleep by Gao Shi, Cheng Zeqi finally regained some energy. He shaved his beard, revealing his handsome face, giving the impression of “starting over.”

 

Cheng Zeqi was confused about Gao Shi’s intention to bid on land, but he still carefully explained the precautions to Gao Shi and promised that if Gao Shi successfully acquired the land, he would speak to his grandfather about giving Gao Shi a substantial discount on subsequent construction and decoration.

 

Gao Shi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he couldn’t explain the specific reasons to Cheng Zeqi.

 

This was because the location of the land Gao Shi wanted to bid on was very remote and had inconvenient transportation. The surrounding environment could hardly be described as picturesque. Even building a nursing home or similar quiet residence there might be mistaken for a haunted house.

 

Bidding on this land could easily make one look like a wastrel.

 

In his dream, almost no one bid on this piece of land, allowing Li Mochen to easily snatch it up.

 

But within a month after the purchase, the government announced plans to build a subway line that would pass right by this land, making it a prime location.

 

Instantly, the land value skyrocketed, increasing dozens of times, and Li Mochen became famous overnight because of this.

 

Even if Gao Shi could convince Cheng Zeqi, he couldn’t guarantee that the plot wouldn’t deviate under his intervention. Although he had plans for this land, and even if he couldn’t make a profit, at least he wouldn’t lose money-but at this point, it was better not to say anything.

 

After Cheng Zeqi’s spirits lifted, Gao Shi felt reassured. He pocketed some preserved plum candy and prepared to go to the station-the Hundred Flowers series lollipops that Lele bought were all the same flavor, and even if you liked them, you could get tired of eating the same thing, so it was better to have different flavors to alternate.

 

After Gao Shi left, he saw that small skinny cat again.

 

With his excellent memory, Gao Shi couldn’t possibly mistake it, but the commercial street was not particularly close to Cheng Zeqi’s makeup studio. How did this weak little cat get here?

 

The cat saw him and happily walked over, sat down properly, and meowed, “Meow~”

 

Gao Shi crouched down and gently stroked the cat’s head. The cat narrowed its eyes and made a purring sound.

 

Feeling the warm, soft touch under his fingers, he asked softly, “How did you get here? If you don’t go back today, the old lady will worry.”

 

The cat meowed twice.

 

Gao Shi found it somewhat amusing that he was seriously talking to a cat as if it could answer.

 

He opened the car door. “I’ll be passing by the commercial street later. Do you want me to take you there?”

 

The cat meowed twice and walked away.

 

Gao Shi was startled. He looked toward the wall where the cat had disappeared.

 

Was it an illusion? Why did he seem to see the cat shake its head before leaving?

 

***

 

As soon as he entered the department, a group of people started chattering. Gao Shi took the tablet Ran Qiu handed him, which showed news that Qin Shi, due to the severity of his crimes, had begun his state-sponsored accommodation early.

 

“Boss, Qin Shi got sentenced to twenty years. A generation’s idol has collapsed.”

 

Chang Yang, holding a bag of chips and munching “crunch, crunch,” complained, “I don’t understand what those appearance fans are thinking. Even with Qin Shi like this, there are still people who follow him for his looks, saying things like ‘We’ll wait for Brother Qin to come out, this is our youth’ and ‘In twenty years when he comes out, Brother Qin will be a handsome older man.'”

 

Ran Qiu turned around. “Yang, you’re just not up to date. Didn’t Qin Shi’s face get disfigured? His face was seen during the trial this time, and those appearance fans suddenly went quiet.”

 

Chang Yang exclaimed “Good!” and handed Gao Shi some candy with a flattering smile. “Captain, I know you like candy. Eat more, there’s plenty if you want.”

 

Seeing his smile, Gao Shi knew something was up. He opened his palm and saw the spicy crayfish flavor he had discussed with Gao Gusheng last time, along with a Sichuan pepper flavor-truly unique tastes of the world.

 

Chang Yang spread his hands. “Actually, there are also coriander-wasabi and coriander-garlic flavors, but since the captain doesn’t like coriander, I didn’t bring them. Perhaps the captain would like to…”

 

“No, I wouldn’t,” Gao Shi coldly refused, waving his hand three times.

 

Looking at the spicy crayfish flavor, then at the Sichuan pepper flavor, Gao Shi thought the green packaging of the Sichuan pepper flavor looked fresher, so he opened it first and put it in his mouth.

 

“Captain, I brought those substitute-themed novels too this time, you… Captain, are you okay?!!”

 

Gao Shi silently waved his hand, feeling his face might be as green as the packaging.

 

He crunched the candy a few times. The initial sensation was like swallowing a mouthful of wasabi, but now it was better, with a hint of sweetness… wait, isn’t sweetness expected when eating candy?

 

“Thanks, Xiao Zhuang. I can probably finish reading in a week,” Gao Shi said cautiously, looking at the pile of novels that reached his waist.

 

Zhuang Xiuxiu blushed. “It’s nothing, just leave them at your place, Captain.”

 

The novels she read when she was young and ignorant were so embarrassing to recall!

 

After speaking, she added, “Captain, is there any news from Da Xiong?”

 

Come to think of it, Da Xiong had been transferred to City A for a full three weeks now, and it still wasn’t over?

 

Gao Shi shook his head. “No news, not from the Criminal Investigation Brigade either.” He called out to Ran Qiu, “Xiao Qiu, has the number of missing persons in City A decreased? What about the Anomaly Management Bureau’s dispatch frequency?”

 

Ran Qiu typed away at the computer with a “pitter-patter,” and as she pressed Enter firmly, a chart appeared on the desktop. Everyone in the department immediately gathered around.

 

Ran Qiu said, “The number of missing persons has indeed decreased significantly, but the Anomaly Management Bureau’s dispatch frequency has increased.”

 

Just as they were discussing this, a new unusual case was added to the case database. It had been reported by the police station and transferred to the Anomaly Management Bureau for handling.

 

Ran Qiu clicked to open it-

 

A thief had been repeatedly breaking into homes, specifically targeting families with students. After entering, they wouldn’t take anything else, just tear up students’ homework, from high school down to elementary school. Within a week, there were over 200 incidents. Even kindergarten teachers’ craft assignments weren’t spared. Reportedly, a parent had stayed up all night making a lantern for their son’s craft class, and in the brief moment they closed their eyes, it turned into fragments on the floor. The parent cursed for three days and three nights, forcing neighbors to call property management and the residents’ committee to mediate.

 

The thief came and went without a trace, and since they only tore up homework, no one initially noticed anything unusual. Who knows how many children were misunderstood by their parents and received beatings? That week, the sound of children crying filled the neighborhood.

 

So how was the thief discovered? One night, they sneakily entered a high school senior’s home, not expecting that at 2 AM, the student would still be doing homework. The thief crept in, coming face to face with the student. The student held a pen, with dark circles under their eyes; the thief held lock-picking tools, also with dark circles. They stared at each other, creating a very awkward scene.

 

The incident ended with the high school student’s scream and a thrown book, “One Thousand Pages”-yes, the same book that had been aggressively marketed for its thickness after Gao Shi had knocked out a kidnapper with his schoolbag. It had now evolved from elementary school exercises to cover all stages: elementary, middle, and high school.

 

After the high school student captured (knocked out) the thief, the crying of children throughout the neighborhood finally ended, and they even gave a small interview.

 

Reporter: What determination did you have to fearlessly confront and subdue an adult man in the face of danger?

 

High School Senior: No determination needed. I’d been doing homework until 2 AM, and my resentment was greater than any ghost’s.

 

Reporter: …Is there anything you’d like to share with everyone? For example, what should children do when they encounter a burglary in progress?

 

High School Senior: Ah… I’d recommend everyone carry “One Thousand Pages” with them. I remember this book first became famous because a child knocked out a kidnapper with their schoolbag. Now I’ve knocked out a thief too. I feel like there’s some mysticism involved.

 

This case sounded amusing, but the fact that it was transferred to the Anomaly Management Bureau indicated there was something problematic-for instance, if the thief wasn’t mentally ill, what drove them to so diligently tear up children’s homework, sacrificing sleep and exhausting themselves?

 

Also, after being caught, the thief cried hoarsely, insisting they were wronged.

 

“You can insult my character, but don’t insult my taste and skills! Ahhh-I, the King of Thieves, have roamed the underworld for decades. Every job I take is a big one. I’ve always followed the rules of the underworld, never targeting the elderly, weak, sick, or disabled. I even go back to help old ladies cross the street. Why would I tear up children’s homework?!”

 

The wailing echoed throughout the office. Chang Yang stroked his chin and voiced what everyone was thinking, “Doesn’t this thief’s behavior seem familiar?”

 

There was also someone who stole cow dung before.

 

They tried to escape two weeks before being caught, and in the past week had started claiming they were wronged.

 

The usually silent Huang Shan suddenly said, “Could it be ghost possession?”

 

Chang Yang exclaimed in surprise, “Ghost possession is something from novels. Although ghosts need to absorb human yang energy, yang energy that’s too strong would directly destroy the ghost. After possession, the ghost itself would also vanish. Why would Brother Huang suddenly say this? It’s not like your style.”

 

Huang Shan gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and said nothing.

 

Gao Shi said, “Maybe, perhaps Brother Huang isn’t wrong. I mentioned before that spiritual energy might be reviving.”

 

Gao Shi immediately said to Ran Qiu, “Xiao Qiu, report this to the Anomaly Management Bureau.”

 

“Got it!”

 

Gao Shi’s fingers lightly tapped his arm. “Before encountering the airport ghost, we never thought that ghosts could retain memories from when they were alive-hasn’t the Anomaly Management Bureau released their new ghost classification system yet?”

 

Ran Qiu shook her head. “Not yet. There was apparently some error during formulation, but it should be out in the next couple of days.”

 

Gao Shi nodded, casually unwrapped a candy, and put the spicy crayfish flavored candy in his mouth under the admiring gazes of everyone.

 

Chang Yang asked expectantly, “Captain, how does it taste?”

 

Gao Shi didn’t speak, turned his head to spit out the candy, and drank a glass of water before finally suppressing the salty, spicy, and greasy taste in his mouth. It was like drinking a mouthful of cooled hot pot base with a layer of oil floating on top.

 

Gao Shi said coldly, “Come on, Yang. I remember telling you to practice dodging 500 times every day during this period. Let’s see if you’ve improved today.”

 

“Ah? No, no, no, Captain, please don’t-!”

 

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