Odd Containment Specialist.

Chapter 1172 Mochi (4K)

The aroma of tea filled the antique-style room. After a few sips, everyone's mood returned to calm. Their brains, which had become sluggish due to the numbing effect of alcohol, slowly started to function again, as if lubricated.

"This piano music is quite nice. Where is it coming from? The speakers in this room are really well hidden." Jiang Wengao looked around curiously, trying to find the source of the music.

"What I hear is the sound of rain and rain chains," Mo Ying said.

“What I heard was the sound of wind chimes,” Kehen said.

Xia Shou was surprised to find that the sound he heard was different from the others, and said, "What I heard was... um, the sound of snow being blown by the wind against the pillar? Or maybe the sound of fallen leaves being blown by the wind?"

Shangguan Yan smiled slightly: "There is no sound of zither or rain. This is the effect of the tea. After the tea is made, it will acquire an extraordinary quality and record all the sounds around it during storage."

When tea leaves are steeped in water and drunk, the tea drinker can hear the most calming sound among all the recorded sounds.

Some people are like the sound of rain, others are like the sound of wind.

I heard that to increase the sound capacity and satisfy the fetishes of a few individuals, the boss even stored tea leaves near the assembly line where large screws were being screwed in for two days, so some people can still hear the screw-screwing sound.

"How interesting." Su Yue took another sip.

Shangguan Yan: "Alright, let's get down to business."

Before we begin this topic, let me first go over some common knowledge we'll be discussing later. Although I think everyone knows this, there are bound to be some people like Xia, who just joined the department and has absolutely no clue.

Shangguan Yan glanced at Xiao Gao, then said, "Is there anyone here who doesn't understand the phenomenon of extraordinary aggregation?"

Jiang Wengao, who had just been glanced at and was initially a little guilty, immediately raised his hand upon hearing the term, volunteering to prove himself:

"I know!

The higher the correlation between extraordinary powers, the stronger the attraction between them, like two magnets that gradually approach each other. Once they cross a certain limit, they will stick together completely.

The tangible products they form are like mechanical devices composed of countless precisely assembled parts. It can be said that all sealed objects and anomalies are manifestations of extraordinary aggregation.

Before all the parts are fully assembled, the central point that connects all the parts is called the "convergence point".

Furthermore, although many things can be called convergence points according to this academic definition, in real-world communication, convergence points generally only refer to those 'miracles' with a truly enormous impact.

"Hmph~ Even Xiao Gao knows, so it seems everyone knows." Shangguan Yan laughed.

Xia Shou felt a little ashamed after hearing this.

He realized that although he knew the definition of a convergence point, he certainly couldn't have explained it in as much detail as Xiao Gao had if he had been asked to speak.

To be honest, he had always known that he was the worst in common sense among the three, but ever since Xiao Gao and Xiao Ming came in, he had assumed that he was third from the bottom.

Later, Xiaoming became a capable administrative staff member, and he felt that he was second to last.

But now, Xia Shou has a bad feeling.

Could it be... that my knowledge of common sense is still the worst?
The thought that he had performed well in the mission and that the new recruits would still respect him made Xia Shou feel that he had to maintain his image as a trump card!
So, Xia Shou rested his cheek on one hand, held a teacup in the other, and commented with the air of a seasoned senior: "It seems that Xiao Gao did take the online classes seriously after all."

"Then why don't you expand on this? After all, Xiao Gao didn't explain everything." Shangguan Yan directly put Xia Shou on the task at hand.

Xia Shou was taken aback, and immediately sat up straight.

He never expected the minister to suddenly say something like that, so disrespectful.

Xia Shou glanced at Shangguan Yan, then looked at the others at the table. Everyone was looking at him very seriously, even Mo Ying.

If it were in front of Brother Bai and Brother Pang, he would just give up, since they were the first ones to go on missions with him and they know what kind of person he is.

But Yingjie and Xiao Gao probably really think they're pretty good.

Of all the people present, only Kehen knew his true identity, and she was currently looking at him with a gloating expression.

That's precisely why Xia Shou felt he couldn't afford to lose face.

Think quickly! You should have something in your head, even if it's just nonsense, it's good to deduce something from the information Xiao Gao has already given you.

Just when he was at his wit's end, Su Weiyu had already taken out her phone, searched for information, and handed it to Xia Shou.

When Xia Shou saw the phone that suddenly appeared in front of him, it was like a student who was in a complete panic being handed an answer key by the proctor. A huge sense of relief welled up in his heart.

Xia Shou looked at Su Weiyu, who nodded firmly at him with a smug expression, as if to say: I knew you were looking for this!

Xia Shou immediately read out the standard definition and extended content of the aggregation point.

"Besides what Xiao Gao Gang is talking about, there are some common-sense points about aggregation points. For example, an aggregation point may not necessarily be a physical object; it could be a date."

It could be a type of event, or it could be a piece of virtual information, such as music, a story, or even a catchphrase or meme, or a person.

The greatest reference for determining whether something is a convergence point is coincidence.

When extraordinary events frequently occur around a particular thing, that thing may be a focal point.

Of course, the judgment is still very complicated, and it is precisely because it is a very complex chaotic system that it is almost impossible to predict.

For example, in the 19th century, there was a case where someone identified a superhuman named Tus as the convergence point because he was present during the previous purple tsunamis and no one else experienced these nodes at the same time.

To rule out other possibilities, the control bureau conducted a detailed investigation of the prohibited items and clothing he was carrying, and ultimately determined that, apart from him, none of the other items were present at the same time.

Even so, the prediction was wrong, because the final convergence point of the purple tsunami was a woman who secretly loved Tus.

The necessary condition for triggering the Purple Tsunami is related to her current crush. So, a year after the Control Bureau contained Tus, her crush fell in love with someone else, and the Purple Tsunami still occurred, ultimately causing a large number of casualties.

Besides the purple tsunami, there are many other similar instances of misjudgment and aggregation, such as the washbasin vortex shear incident.

When Xia Shou finished speaking expressionlessly, he saw a gleam in Xiao Gao's eyes.

Xiao Ming seemed very surprised, perhaps because he was shocked that someone who wasn't an office worker knew so much about obscure knowledge.

Su Yue seemed pleasantly surprised, as if she had discovered another shining point in him.

Mo Ying was also surprised and praised, "Your memory is really good. Did you just memorize it after browsing it?"

As for Kehen, he was completely stunned, his smile vanished, and his eyes were filled with suspicion.

"Not bad," Shangguan Yan said with a smile. "Xia Xia explained it very clearly."

Now I'll get to the main point.

Just recently, the Council of Scepters issued an order to all its branches, requiring them to select a number of reliable intelligence personnel to investigate the Kingdom of Wushu.

The reason for the investigation is that they suspect Wu Shuguo is involved in the phenomenon of supernatural aggregation, and the reason for this sudden suspicion is some clues that have been discovered recently.

"What I wanted to discuss with you all here is a private matter. Just keep it to yourself and don't tell other investigators, including those from other departments and branches." Mo Ying pondered for a few seconds, then said in a deep voice, "This sounds like a very serious matter. Can someone like me, a special personnel, participate?"

“I’ve already informed the director and received approval. If you behave well… I can take you to the Ink Pond,” Shangguan Yan said.

In an instant, everyone noticed a subtle change in Mo Ying's aura.

This change is so subtle, yet so significant.

Although she didn't make any movement in her eyes or eyebrows, you could tell how intense her emotions had been just now from her body stiffening instantly and the dark aura of her ponytail that kept swaying but then froze for a moment.

"really?"

"Of course, haven't I done everything I promised you?" Shangguan Yan nodded, reiterating his stance.

Mo Ying took a deep breath: "I understand."

Xia Shou was very curious about how rare the minister's promise must be to cause such a big emotional fluctuation in Ying Jie.

"Wei Yu, please check out this Ink Pond."

Su Weiyu looked down and operated her phone for a few seconds, getting the result a few seconds later.

She presented the information related to the Ink Pond to Xia Shou.

[Name: Mochi]

[Brief Introduction: This is the place where Wang Xizhi, the "Sage of Calligraphy," washed his inkstone and brushes. He often practiced calligraphy by the pond and washed his inkstone there. Over time, the pond water became completely black with ink, hence the name "Ink Pond."]

[Abnormality Level: Varies depending on the target, LV1~EX]

Hazard assessment: No direct harm.

[Number: 81-385]

Risk Management: No risk.

[Details: Discovered in 1950 at "Lanting", investigator A found a pool of dark water in the Lanting area. After touching it, he learned that this was where Wang Xizhi once washed his brushes.]

The other four investigators did not learn any relevant information after touching the pool water. Later tests showed that only those with a certain level of desire for "narrative" would receive information upon touching the pool water.

In 1951, just before Lanting was to close, the Control Bureau extracted three tons of water from the Ink Pond and named it Ink Pond-1.
The pool has the same effect as the Ink Pool; those who touch the water can gain inspiration related to narrative.

In addition, those skilled in narrative can also place their bodies in a pool of water and cut them open with a sharp instrument; instead of bleeding, ink will flow from the wound.

Tests showed that the test subjects' narrative talent declined significantly after losing ink.

Attachment 1: Please click here for details.

Attachment 1:

Tester 01: Proficient in painting, one of the leading figures of the realist school, with extremely precise control over lines.

Tester 02: A top online novelist, skilled at imitating other writers' styles and freely switching between genres, with monthly book income exceeding one million.

Tester 03: Proficient in composition, formerly worked for...

……

Test results.

Tester 01: The finger control has declined significantly, and it is no longer possible to draw a precise, winding curve steadily. The composition positioning has also declined significantly.

Tester 02: Has lost the ability to write about trending topics.

Tester 03: Can only create catchy pop songs
According to the sampling: the ink flowing out of 01 was the most concentrated, followed by 03.

(Note: After a month, the three men immersed themselves in the inkwell again, and their skills improved to varying degrees. Some even surpassed their previous levels, while others failed to return to their previous normal state.)

After reading it, Xia Shou knew what the Ink Pond was.

In fact, it can be simply summarized as a special kind of superpower bank.

The Superpower Bank is about transferring superpowers; it's about the strength of the transferred abilities, and it can only be done within the realm of narrative.

"So, Sister Ying wants to go to Mochi to improve herself?" Su Weiyu guessed casually after reading the information.

Xia Shou shook his head: "It doesn't seem like it. The information says that this ink pool has no side effects. It was used casually before, and many employees have used it to improve their skills."

However, due to the large number of people promoted, the pool water became much lighter in color, so its use was restricted to exceptionally capable employees, who were required to apply for permission to use it.

If all she needed was the inkwell, with Yingjie's abilities, she should have just applied; she shouldn't have been rejected.

“That’s true.” Su Weiyu nodded gently, agreeing thoughtfully.

Xia Shou continued, "Besides, if it's just a small matter, there's no need to get so worked up."

Such unimportant pursuits don't even require a deal with the minister.

While he was investigating the gossip, Shangguan Yan didn't stop talking about it.

"The Wu Shuguo you're going to investigate later was also a member of the Jiangbo City branch, and by seniority he's my senior."

The organization will send you a copy of some of his information, but what I'm going to show you now is a part that won't be in the information.

Xiao Ke, get my laptop out. The rest of you, gather around a bit, let's watch a video first.

Everyone stood up and gathered around Shangguan Yan.

She entered a password, and after a few clicks, she opened a video, which then showed an office on the screen.

"Damn it! Brother, you can't go on like this. Retire! You've reached retirement age, haven't you? Don't you have an adopted daughter? Wouldn't it be better to live a normal life with her?"

The person speaking is the doctor in the white coat in the video. The doctor has a receding hairline and looks to be about forty years old.

Sitting opposite him was a gray-haired man, probably in his fifties.

Shangguan Yan pointed at the doctor and said, "This is the previous deputy minister of the medical department, and this is Wu Shuguo."

In the video, Wu Shuguo smiled and said, "Not yet. The world is waiting for me to save it, and so many younger generations need my guidance. If I retire like this, I don't know how many people I will miss out on saving."

"You don't have to retire, but you have to tell me now why you're not following the standard treatment process?"
If you had followed the normal treatment process, the bureau could have provided you with very comprehensive medical care, and your health wouldn't have deteriorated so quickly!

Why do you insist that I treat you personally? You always exhaust yourself, and I can barely manage on my own. Now you're forbidding me from using the bureau's medical equipment. What are you trying to do?

(End of this chapter)