Chapter 21: Do You Think it’s a Boy or a Girl?
“Alright, everyone, disperse! Go back to what you were doing,” Li Nai said.
With just a few simple words, all the onlookers returned to their original positions, and everything went back to the orderly state it was before. Their efficiency was terrifyingly high.
At this point, I could only sigh in admiration.
“Amazing. The organization’s style is a bit too overbearing, don’t you think?”
If I hadn’t been told about the organization’s goals by the principal before coming here, I might have thought I had joined an evil organization.
Well, the organization’s goals aren’t exactly easy to achieve. Without absolute power, how could they possibly interfere with various anomalous events at will? If you want to talk about overbearing, ‘maintaining world balance’ is the most overbearing declaration, isn’t it? It’s simply arrogance to the extreme.
Li Nai showed her pearly white teeth and smiled, then put her hands in her pockets and continued walking.
I nodded in agreement, deeply impressed.
“That’s right. Power is the foundation of everything.”
Might makes right. Whoever is strong gets to call the shots. It sounds barbaric, but that’s often how the world works.
If you don’t have the power to match your ideals, then your ideals are just fantasies, or even worthless delusions.
“Ahaha~ Basically, any anomaly that can reason with us either reaches an agreement, is contained, or joins the organization. The troublesome ones are those who can’t be reasoned with.”
“So the organization’s motto is actually aimed at them, isn’t it?”
“Fight violence with violence, stop killing with killing, fight darkness with darkness, and suppress evil with evil.”
It sounds terrifying, but in reality, it’s all about ‘acting second.’ If you do nothing, then of course, no one will target you. But if you commit a crime, then I’m sorry, you’ll have to be dealt with.
Come to think of it, isn’t this exactly what city management officers do!
So, I’ve joined the city management organization of the underworld!
But speaking of which, why is the organization so dedicated to maintaining world balance? What’s the point of doing such thankless work?
…Never mind, this isn’t something a small fry like me should be thinking about.
If the sky falls, someone tall will hold it up. Why should I, a newly joined low-level grunt, worry so much?
“Alright, this is the base of operations for our Investigation Department’s Class 6.”
Snapping back to reality, Li Nai had already led Yu Hui and me to a rather old-looking office building.
At first glance, I thought it was an abandoned building, reminding me of that abandoned cram school in “Hao 0 Yu.” There was no sign at all, and the paint on the building’s surface had peeled off. It looked like a place where supernatural phenomena would occur.
“Is the entire Investigation Department here?”
“No, only our Class 6 is here. This entire abandoned building is our Class 6’s territory!”
“It really is an abandoned building!”
Even if you were lying, at least tell me it’s a disguise!
How am I supposed to feel a sense of belonging to a department I’m about to join?
“The Investigation Department is different from other departments. There’s no so-called headquarters. Each class is located in various corners of Black Street. This is for the convenience of investigation, and also to prioritize the evacuation of Investigation Department members if the organization comes under attack.”
Yu Hui’s concern was evident as she asked more pointedly.
“Prioritize the protection of the Investigation Department? Does that mean that in dangerous situations, members of the Investigation Department can immediately escape?”
“Yes, after all, we can be considered the organization’s ‘eyes.’ The organization relies on us to obtain necessary information. We are also the organization’s ‘storage,’ where all the investigation reports and documents are kept.”
“Important information…”
Thinking about it, the Investigation Department is arguably the most important department.
“Alright, let’s not stand here. We’ll talk inside. After entering the abandoned building, we saw a completely empty first floor. There were only stairs and elevators in the corners, and support columns for the building. It was as if construction was halted halfway, making me doubt if this building truly met standards.”
“Everyone usually works on the 11th and 12th floors. Other floors… well, although I’d like to show you around, some floors are too dangerous. You might die if you just wander in.”
“Dangerous?!”
Why does our territory have places that pose a threat to life!
“Yes, some floors are used to contain dangerous items, so you can’t just enter. Some floors are due to special accidents. For example, the 6th and 7th floors were previously lent to the R&D Department. As a result, whatever those otaku in the R&D Department were messing with failed, causing the 6th and 7th floors to form a Mobius strip connection. I heard that once you go in, you can’t come out.”
“What the heck is a Mobius strip connection?”
“I don’t really understand it either, but I heard those otaku say that the stairs going down from the 6th floor and the stairs going up from the 7th floor are connected.”
What on earth were they doing to create such a phenomenon?
“Also, sometimes a button for the 13th floor appears in the elevator. Don’t press it out of curiosity, okay? Ahahaha, I couldn’t resist going to the 13th floor last time, and as a re—”
Li Nai suddenly frowned, tilted her head, and asked me sternly.
“As a result, what happened there? Why can’t I remember anything?”
“You’re asking me? Ask the ghosts!”
This building is too weird!
This isn’t just a place where supernatural phenomena occur; it’s a grand party for ‘anomalies’!
Is it really okay for our base to be set up in a place like this!
“Lord Juncheng, I suggest we apply for a departmental transfer immediately. I personally believe that the General Affairs Department or the Human Resources Department would be safer than this department.”
“No, no, no! Don’t leave! If you leave, I’ll be the least experienced one again~”
Upon hearing that we were leaving, Li Nai immediately became displeased and stuck to us like gum, pouting and suggesting.
“Alright, we’re already here, let’s go in and take a look~ As long as you don’t go to other floors, nothing will happen.”
In the end, Yu Hui and I were pushed into the elevator by her. Li Nai immediately pressed the button for the 12th floor.
At this moment, I noticed a notice posted on the side of the elevator, specifically informing us which floors not to go to. Especially the 13th floor, which was written in bold red letters, warning us never to press it.
What exactly is on the 13th floor…
Fortunately, my curiosity isn’t that strong yet. If someone else who was highly curious were here, they might have tried all the floors.
Of course, there’s no guarantee they would come out alive.
Upon arriving at the twelfth floor, the elevator door opened. This floor was much more normal.
It looked like an ordinary apartment building with four room doors.
Li Nai led us into one of the rooms and opened the door, only to find that the room inside was exceptionally large. Looking back, we actually saw four doors. It seemed they had combined four rooms into one!
Is this really okay?!
This house won’t collapse, will it?
“I brought the newcomers back!”
The three people inside looked at us, but none of them said anything.
Just as I was about to prioritize greeting them and introducing myself, Li Nai spoke on her own.
“Tsk, such a cold pair! Anyway, Little Transparency-kun, Junior Sister Bai, let me introduce you.”
Uh, is this really okay, Li Nai.
“The one with the dark circles and curly hair over there is Eddie. He was supposed to join the R&D Department but went crazy and came to the Investigation Department. His specialty is demolitions! He’ll blow up anything for you!”
In a corner of this huge room, there was a pile of equipment whose purpose was unknown, a collection of laboratory glass containers and unknown liquids, three monitors lined up side-by-side, and a complex mass of cables. Among them was a young man with dark circles so noticeable he looked like a panda. He had curly hair and wore a short-sleeved lab coat, but for some reason, both his arms were bandaged… no, all exposed skin was bandaged, even his neck. If his cheeks were also wrapped, he’d look like a mummy. He was holding a triangular flask and looking intently at something in front of him, his eyes narrowed.
After hearing Li Nai’s introduction, he placed the flask on the table, looked us over, and finally his gaze settled on Li Nai, refuting her unhappily.
“Correction, I am a scientist, not a demolition expert.”
The second he finished speaking, with a sudden ‘bang,’ the glass flask he placed on the table exploded, emitting purple smoke, and the unknown liquid corroded the tabletop.
The scene became very awkward.
SF Light Novel
If I couldn’t see his title, even I would have believed he was a demolition expert.
But Eddie wasn’t lying. He was indeed a scientist, but you’d have to add the word “mad” before scientist.
[Mad Scientist]
[Eddie Frankenstein]
Eddie was also my classmate. However, because he always wore a lab coat at school, he was often mistaken for a chemistry teacher by students from other classes.
What was even more outrageous was that in his first year, he actually impersonated a chemistry teacher and taught a self-study class for a senior year class. Although he was eventually discovered by Teacher Xiaozhen and apprehended mid-lesson, it seemed to have a significant impact.
The students in that class, after listening to Eddie’s lesson, became incredibly enthusiastic about their studies. Everyone vowed to become a doctor, and the graduation rate reached 100%. Furthermore, 80% of them were admitted to prestigious universities… It was practically brainwashing.
At this moment, a girl wearing a Japanese-style maid outfit walked over to clean up the remnants of the explosion and the scene.
“The short-haired beauty next to Eddie is called Ai. Don’t let her cute appearance and soft feel fool you; she’s actually a robot~”
Li Nai walked over and patted Ai’s head, but Ai angrily raised her hands in protest.
“Correction! Ai is a general-purpose appliance, not a robot!”
[General-purpose Appliance]
[Ai]
Li Nai hugged Ai and nuzzled her, saying enviously.
“I wonder what kind of rotten luck Eddie has to accidentally create such a cute machine while making a blow-up doll… Ah~ How enviable~ Eddie, why don’t you give Ai to me?”
“Sure, take her. You pay for the electricity, parts, and maintenance.”
“What! Master, are you abandoning Ai! Ai cooks, cleans, and does laundry for you every day. What did I do wrong? Is it that motherboard you bought the other day! Because you have a new motherboard, you don’t like model Ai anymore, right! Wuwuwu, men are all fickle betrayers, you heartless person…. Wuuu wuuu, Ai is the most miserable robot, no, appliance, wuwuwu…..”
“Ah, don’t cry, don’t cry, my Ai is the goodest girl~ Ignore Eddie that idiot. He must have been blown up in the head. Even I, a zombie, would spit on his brain if I saw it. Too rotten. Oh, right, Eddie, add a crying function to Ai next time. A girl crying with tears is the cutest, isn’t it!”
…Idiot.
Eddie classmate rolled his eyes and said the same thing I was thinking. Then he turned to me and said.
“Yes, An Juncheng, right? I… actually, I don’t need to introduce myself, do I? We’re classmates. Although we’re not close, but—”
“What! Why doesn’t Ai remember someone like this in class! Did the memory file get lost! Or did you reformat my hard drive again, Master!”
“How did I create such a clown… Pearl is much better…”
Eddie seemed troubled, scratching his head. He glared at Ai, then turned back to me and apologized.
“Reallllly… when manufacturing this guy, there was an explosion, and as a result, the main program generated some strange code, causing Ai to often say silly things. Just ignore her.”
“Wh-what! There was an explosion when Ai was born! Could it be that Ai actually transmigrated from another world and became a robot, ah, no, a general-purpose appliance!”
“Why are you so fixated on appliances…”
“Because Ai only does housework! Because Master is completely hopeless in life and doesn’t do housework at all, that’s why Ai was created to help!”
“You inefficient robot! Shut up! Who was it that washed my lab coat and ruined it the other day?”
“That was Ai testing a new washing technique!”
Watching them argue, I inexplicably felt a sense of shared misery.
“Ah… Ahaha…”
In a way, this master-servant pair? They are quite similar…
“…Um…”
Suddenly, I felt someone tugging at my sleeve.
Turning my head, I saw a short-haired young man who looked like a small animal. He cautiously saluted me and said.
“Um, hello, are you An Juncheng? My name is Phil. I’m also a member of Class 6. Please take care of me in the future.”
His sweet smile shot through my heart like an arrow.
[Intern Angel]
[Phil]
…Oh, oh, oh! P-please take care of me!”
He’s an angel—this child!
I wasn’t referring to the title, but rather his appearance, voice, and mannerisms were like an angel!
For a moment, I thought he was a girl, but in reality… No, is he really a boy?
Is he a boy or a girl…
I suddenly lost the ability to determine his gender.
If I were to say he’s a boy, he’s too beautiful.
I hadn’t paid much attention to him in class before, but now, observing him at such close range, I suddenly realized… Are there such magically enchanting beings in our class that one can’t tell their gender!
Why does such an unfair existence exist in the world!
God must have forgotten to set his gender when he created him!
