Chen Yourong was frightened.
An unbearable itch crawled up her neck, as if something large were growing beneath the skin.
She quickly took off her coat.
"Uncle, come here—help me take a look."
"Oh—oh."
Chen Xuan hurried over, pulling open the collar at the back of her neck.
Lin Bei, abandoning his toy plane, darted closer out of curiosity.
On the back of Chen Daxigua's neck—
a tumour.
But what froze them all was the faint shape of a human face on it: brows, eyes, even the curve of a mouth.
"Hiss…"
Chen Xuan's scalp tingled; his breath caught.
Lin Bei only leaned in, eyes wide, delighted.
"He really does have two heads."
"I told you," Zhou Cong said, smug and utterly serious, "I never lie."
"Uh-huh," Lin Bei nodded solemnly. "You're an honest boy. The captain commends you."
Chen Daxigua nearly fainted.
Is honesty the point right now?
Shouldn't anyone be concerned about the thing growing on my neck?
"No—I have to get checked right away!"
She bolted from the room.
Chen Xuan, panicked, ran after her.
"Wuhu—take off!" Lin Bei yelled, returning happily to his toy plane.
News of Chen Daxigua's tumour spread through the Bureau of Superpowers like wildfire.
The corridors buzzed with voices.
"This is unbelievable. I've seen plenty in my years here, but never something like this."
"Could it be just a pimple?"
"Are you daft? A pimple with a face?!"
Even the old experts couldn't explain it.
Scans showed that the tumour behaved like an independent organism, its nerves linked directly into her spine.
Ordinary surgery couldn't remove it.
"What should we do?"
Within half an hour, the growth had doubled in size, its features twitching faintly—as if alive.
Director Li adjusted his glasses, his tone grave.
"It's likely a mutation. Normal treatment won't work. We should send her to headquarters—they might know more."
Chen Xuan hesitated, anxiety tightening his throat.
Maybe it wouldn't help, but doing nothing felt worse.
"Okay," Daxigua whispered. Sweat rolled down her pale face. "Then let's go."
Just as she prepared to leave—
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Her wristwatch alarm rang.
Lin Bei, of course.
Before she could silence it, footsteps thundered down the hall.
"Chen Da Xigua! Didn't you say to ring the bell if you needed anything? Why no movement now?"
Lin Bei stormed in, wearing pink Peppa Pig shorts, Zhou Cong following behind with an armful of toys.
"That's right," Zhou said righteously. "The captain called. How dare you ignore him?"
"I… I'm not feeling well," Chen Daxigua said weakly. "I have to go to headquarters."
"You can't go." Lin Bei folded his arms.
If she left, who would wash his feet?
"Lin Bei, stop fooling around—my niece's life is in danger!" Chen Xuan pleaded.
"I told her to go to headquarters. Who are you?"
Director Li's tone cut through the room.
He'd seen Zhou Cong before but not Lin Bei.
"I'm their captain," Lin Bei shot back. "Who are you?"
"I'm the director."
Lin Bei turned to Chen Xuan, genuinely puzzled. "Who ranks higher—the captain or the director?"
"Of course the director," Chen Xuan sighed.
"Well then," Lin Bei said simply, "I'm the director now."
Everyone stared.
"…Nonsense!"
Director Li's patience snapped.
"Chen Xuan, who is this? Why is he even here?"
"Director, please—he's a little… off. But he's strong. He's handled many mutants."
"Handled monsters? He can't handle this. Send her to headquarters, now."
Lin Bei's eyes narrowed.
"You old fool—who said I can't fix it? It's just a tumour. You dig it out."
"I don't have time for this," Director Li muttered.
But Chen Xuan hesitated.
He'd seen Lin Bei do impossible things before.
"Lin Bei—um, Director Lin—can you really dig it out?"
"Is digging hard?" Lin Bei scoffed.
They exchanged uneasy looks. Director Li thought it was pure madness.
"Then let him try," Chen Xuan said at last.
Chen Yourong's body trembled. Her neck ached, her head heavy.
Even reaching headquarters might be too late.
She nodded faintly.
"Alright… try."
"Great brain, bring me my magic shovel." Lin Bei held out a hand without looking.
"Okay!"
Zhou Cong threw down his pile of toys—plasticine, toy cars, Transformers—rummaging frantically until he pulled out a beach shovel: yellow handle, green scoop.
"Captain, your magic shovel!"
Lin Bei took it, marching forward with confidence.
"Chen Daxigua, bend down."
She gripped the test bench with both hands, head lowered, exposing the grotesque face on her neck.
The features were clearer now—and smiling.
Lin Bei's eyes glinted with mock seriousness.
"You're smiling, huh? You don't look like a good guy."
Then, softly, as if to himself, he murmured—
"When a face looks back at you, you don't turn away — you answer."
And with that—he raised the shovel high.
[Ding! System enchantment: Beach shovel becomes 'Exorcist Shovel'.]