Zhao Hao looked at Liu Shuai's 300-pound build and struggled to actually call him "Handsome."
But then Liu Shuai said, "Since we're all on this mission, let's share what our abilities are. I'll start. I've got spatial abilities."
The phrase "spatial abilities" instantly made Zhao Hao gasp. Anybody with a little common sense would know that powers linked to space were super powerful.
"Handsome, are you seriously a spatial psychic?" Zhao Hao asked, amazed.
Liu Shuai grinned. "Yep, I'm a spatial psychic. I can teleport."
Hearing this, Zhao Hao couldn't hide his jealousy. "Teleporting, wow! That's so cool. I thought my ability was awesome, but yours is even more amazing!"
"What's your ability?" Liu Shuai wondered.
Zhao Hao paused, shooting an awkward look at Shen Lingxue, who was at the wheel. For some reason, he didn't seem eager to say it.
Noticing this, Shen Lingxue snorted, "If you've got such a power, no need to be shy. As team leader for this mission, I'll list everyone's abilities to make sure we all know. Fang Xiu has perception skills, Zhao Hao has a sex-related ability, and our chunky friend Liu Shuai already told us his. Me, I control fire."
When she said 'sex-related ability,' Zhao Hao went beet-red. Liu Shuai looked at him like he was some kind of freak and exclaimed, "Man, you're really something!"
Then Liu Shuai started laughing. "Seriously, a sex-related ability? How do you plan on fighting Specters? You gonna sleep with them?"
The moment the words "sleep with Specters" were said, Zhao Hao's face turned an even deeper shade of red.
Just then, Shen Lingxue cut in, "Chunky, quit your laughing. You're messing with my tunes. Besides, what's so awesome about your power? You can only teleport like ten centimeters an hour. Nothing to brag about."
Liu Shuai's laughter suddenly stopped, his face showing both frustration and anger, but he didn't dare to say anything back.
However, another laugh joined in. "Haha, teleporting ten centimeters? That's not even half as far as I can reach."
The one laughing was Zhao Hao.
Annoyed, Liu Shuai shot back, "Ten centimeters was before! I've gotten better. Now I can go twenty centimeters in half an hour!"
"Haha, twenty centimeters? The second I use my ability, I can go farther than that!"
"You're so full of it. I don't believe you!"
"Enough!" Shen Lingxue yelled, making both of them shut up. "If either of you says one more thing, I'm kicking you out of this SUV, and you can jog to Blackwater yourselves!"
Both Zhao Hao and Liu Shuai instantly clammed up, not daring to chuckle or make a sound. They had been part of the Investigation Bureau long enough to know Shen Lingxue's formidable abilities and no-nonsense attitude.
Setting aside her personality, just in terms of her psychic powers alone, Shen Lingxue was a top-tier senior psychic. Her Spiritual Energy was already ignited at over 10%, a level that could easily overpower rookies in the psychic field.
Coupled with her destructive fire ability, her strength was anything but insignificant among first-tier psychics.
As Shen Lingxue's mood soured, the inside of the car fell dead silent, except for the soft background music that continued to play.
Meanwhile, Fang Xiu was deep in thought the whole trip, eyes closed. However, he felt slightly baffled.
'A Grade C Specter event, and they're sending just one seasoned, first-tier psychic along with three newcomers? In the agency's assessment, Zhao Hao and Liu Shuai were basically non-combatants, and I was not considered much better. Is this really the way to handle a C mission? Or is the agency so understaffed that they have no other option?'
Several hours later, their ride finally pulled into Blackwater Village. Encircled by steep mountains and hazardous terrain, a lengthy river meandered through the settlement.
This was the Blackwater River.
Possibly due to some geological factors, the river's waters looked dark and unfathomable, appearing black when viewed from afar. As they arrived, the dimming sky and the setting sun created a spooky glow over Blackwater.
The Blackwater River looked even more mysterious, resembling a black python twisting around the mountain.
Once they reached the outskirts of Blackwater, Shen Lingxue opted to proceed on foot, as the mountain roads were too dangerous for the vehicle. The team collected their bags and cameras and began to walk.
Shen Lingxue had used her connections at the bureau to pose as a TV crew, even coordinating with Blackwater's village chief to set up a news story.
After roughly an hour of trekking, they entered the territory of Blackwater. By this time, the surroundings were shrouded in complete darkness.
Shen Lingxue took out her phone to make contact with Blackwater's village chief. Shortly thereafter, a young man assisting an older man slowly came into view. They were holding lanterns that gave off a subdued light.
The flickering luminescence seemed to sway with their movements, casting a surreal pattern of light and shadow on their faces, enhancing the eerie ambiance of the mountain village.
"Are you Miss Shen from the TV station?" The elderly man asked, his voice quivering.
Undeterred by the surrounding darkness, Shen Lingxue stepped forward, confirming, "Yes, I'm Shen Lingxue. You're Chief Wang, I assume?"
By this point, the elderly man had moved close enough for the lanterns' soft glow to illuminate everyone, fully revealing the facial features of the two villagers. Chief Wang had dark, weather-beaten skin and a somewhat stooped posture.
His face was a roadmap of fine lines, etched by years of experience, and his eyes were slightly cloudy, hinting at his advanced years. Strikingly, his head was absent of any white hair; rather, his hair was dark and glossy, almost as if it had been oiled.
The young man supporting him shared some physical traits with Chief Wang. He too had dark, glossy hair and a sun-tanned complexion. But his face was wrinkle-free, albeit slightly rough.
When he saw Shen Lingxue, his earnest but awkward smile became even more uneasy. Had it not been for the covering darkness and his naturally dark skin, he probably would have turned a shade redder.
Standing next to Chief Wang and his grandson, Shen Lingxue looked almost ethereal. Her refined features and smooth, porcelain-like skin gave off the impression that she hailed from an entirely different universe.
It was as if a radiant star had made a landing in this remote, disadvantaged mountain village.
"My name is Wang Yougui, and this is my grandson, Wang Fugui. Fugui, go ahead and greet our visitors," Chief Wang instructed. His voice was robust and filled with a welcoming chuckle.
The young man, now identified as Wang Fugui, awkwardly scratched his head before finally saying, "Hello Miss Shen, and greetings to everyone else here."
Translator's note: The grandfather and his grandson both have the character "Gui" in their names, which means "Expensive, noble" in Chinese. However, in China, it's uncommon for three generations to share the same character in their names, a contrast to Western culture.