Director Deng sighed, a wistful smile touching his lips. "Men my age are usually grandfathers. If I had descendants, my grandson might be about your age... though probably not half as capable as you, hahahaha!"
They arrived at the Logistics building, its architecture resembling a giant, open book.
Inside, shelves overflowed with texts: cultivation manuals, treatises, reference materials—a dazzling array that left Lu Ding momentarily overwhelmed.
He stepped into the Trainee Investigator section.
His fingers brushed a spine: *"Primate Strike Method"*.
*"Most suitable for those with exceptionally long arms. Emphasizes extended reach and powerful strikes. A restless mind seeking stillness leads to perfection."*
Lu Ding glanced at his own arms. *Not quite.* He moved on.
Next: *"Manual of Shadowfire Refinement"*.
*"Temper the body with Yin-fire, plant its seed within. Qi infused with Yin-fire becomes supremely soft and dark."*
*Interesting... but let's see more.*
Seeing his hesitation, Director Deng approached, holding an ancient scroll. "Try this."
Lu Ding unrolled it. The scent of ages washed over him. A deafening roar echoed in his mind—
—A monstrous bear, wings unfurled, lunged from the parchment!
Lu Ding flinched, raising a hand defensively before realizing it was an illusion.
*The presentation alone was epic.*
The scroll depicted the winged bear in terrifying detail, standing atop a mountain of mythical beast carcasses, rivers of blood flowing below. Utterly savage.
Lu Ding looked up, questioning.
Deng chuckled warmly. "This is the *Flying Bear Contemplation Scroll*. The being depicted is the true Flying Bear, standing upon Two Realms Mountain, dividing north from south. Legend says this ancient beast is an omen: **Violence** north of the mountain—where it revels in slaughter. **Protection** south—where it guards the peaks and maintains order."
"Unlike fixed techniques, contemplation scrolls offer unique insights to each viewer. Its wonders are profound. Care to try?"
The implication was clear: *This is superior to anything on the shelves.*
Lu Ding rolled the scroll. "I'll take your advice. This one."
"Hahaha! Sharp as ever. Take it, study it well—no hurry to return. It was just gathering dust here. Go cultivate! Remember: time is precious. When contemplating the Bear, consume the Awakening Pill simultaneously—it synergizes perfectly with the image."
"Thank you, Director. May I go now?"
"Go! Go!" Deng shooed him away fondly.
Lu Ding bowed and left, eager to begin.
*Tigers gain power with wings... what about a bear?* He was determined to find out.
Watching the polite, quick-witted youth depart, Deng nodded in satisfaction. Then, a frown creased his brow.
"*Inaccurate records...* 'Violent temper'? Nonsense! Courteous, intelligent, respectful... Some investigators need better fact-checking!"
He turned, walking towards the deeper shelves. His hand reached out, peeling off a label marking an empty slot:
***Flying Bear Contemplation Scroll - 500 Contribution Points***
...
Back in his 200-square-meter private dorm, Lu Ding spread the scroll on the table.
He popped the Awakening Pill into his mouth.
**State of Formless Unity: ACTIVATE!**
Unity of Heaven and Man flooded his senses.
Warmth erupted from his heart, flowing with his blood. The image on the scroll *shifted*.
He stood atop a mountain peak.
The Flying Bear roared, wings spread wide. The sound tore through clouds, shaking the earth, resonating for five hundred *li*.
To the south, beasts cried out, forests trembling.
To the north, dust clouds rose—a stampede of ten thousand creatures.
The Bear stood atop Two Realms Mountain. It glanced south... then beat its wings, tearing northward into the sky, unleashing a storm of blood and fury.
Lu Ding's eyes snapped open.
Two days had passed.
Every aperture in his body blazed open. He had ascended directly to the **Zhaoxuan Realm**.
A wave of **primal savagery** radiated from him—an annihilating force crushing any hint of defiance.
This was his enlightenment:
**Flying Bear Annihilation Method.**
The ultimate art of destruction. Born solely for slaughter and ruin. The Qi vortices swirling within him pulsed with brutal, invasive energy.
"The Director chose *well*."
*This was a debt of gratitude.*
Lu Ding stood, stretching. His joints cracked like popping firecrackers.
Checking his phone confirmed two days had passed.
*Power surged within him. Time for his first 749 mission!*
He opened the 749 App. His status was updated. Refreshing the mission board, detailed tasks appeared.
One headline caught his eye:
**Case #816: Annihilation Incident - Investigation**
*[Aug 16th - Long'an Street, Apricot Blossom Community. A family of six slaughtered. Local report: Victims died from hemorrhagic shock due to lacerations; facial skin removed. Preliminary assessment: Wild animal attack.*
*Referred to 749. Specialist analysis: Traces of 'Dark-Faced Granny' activity detected. Investigate truth. Eliminate or contain the 'Dark-Faced Granny'.]*
Ancient folk texts recorded the 'Dark-Faced Granny' (黑老太太), also called 'Dark Immortal'.
Originating as a guardian spirit for northern sects.
Later, it referred to black foxes, bears, or snakes who shed their physical forms through corpse-liberation (尸解) to become spirits.
**Black bears** who achieved this transformation were known to... *consume human faces*.
Alive. Ripped fresh. Exceptionally cruel.
*Perfect.*
Lu Ding cultivated the Flying Bear Annihilation Method.
The perpetrator was a corpse-liberated spirit from a black bear.
**Both were bears.**
*This wasn't coincidence—it was fate.*
**[Rewards:]**
* Team Leader: 20 Contribution Points + ¥100,000
* Support Investigator: 5 Contribution Points + ¥50,000
* Bonus (Capture Alive): +¥10,000 + 1 Contribution Point per member
**[Recommendation:]** Team Leader should be **Zhaoxuan Realm+**.
Lu Ding recalled the 749 App store: A sword crafted from ten-year lightning-struck wood, harder than steel, warding off evil—cost just **5 Contribution Points**.
Exchanging points for cash? **1 Point = ¥100,000**. Twenty points equaled two million yuan.
*Tempting... but only a fool trades points for cash.*
Twenty points was substantial.
The catch? 749 rules, like police protocols, required **at least two investigators per mission**—for mutual oversight and emergency support.
Lu Ding was alone. He had no other investigators' contacts.
Solution? Post directly to the forum.
He created a task listing and attached a bold message:
**[Trainee Investigator Lu Ding: Seeking 1 Support Investigator. Prioritize quick thinkers. Combat prowess irrelevant. Must handle support tasks and avoid dying.]**
The sheer audacity instantly drew a crowd:
**[Who the hell is this? Thinks he's hot shit? Couldn't be more full of himself unless he's a Formal Investigator!]**
**[Hey genius above me... maybe check the name first?]**