As someone in sequence 001, I also want to give up today.

Three days after the rat infestation, a long queue formed outside the Jiangcheng Special Abilities Branch.

It wasn't citizens coming to report a crime or ask for help, but rather—a hearse.

Trucks of all sizes, vans, and even several modified sanitation vehicles, carrying the carcasses of gold-eating rats cleaned up from all corners of the city, continuously drove into the temporary processing area in the backyard of the branch office.

An indescribable odor permeated the air.

It wasn't just simple decay, but a nauseating smell, a mixture of rusted metal, burnt protein, and the release of some kind of alien beast's unique energy.

"Which bus is it?"

Chen Zhe stood at the edge of the processing area, covering his nose with his sleeve, his voice muffled.

Forty-seven.

Li Yu stood beside him without changing her expression.

Her mind-cutting technique can precisely form a barrier around the nasal cavity, completely blocking out odors.

This is the ability she is most grateful for today.

"Forty-seven carts..."

Looking at the mountain of gray fur, Chen Zhe felt his mental energy was being affected by the fumes.

"How many are there?"

"A rough estimate suggests that approximately 630,000 rat carcasses have been removed."

The technician's voice came through the communicator.

"There are at least 400,000 more corpses in the underground pipe network and building cavities, which are extremely difficult to clean up. Another portion has been disposed of by citizens or has decomposed naturally, making it impossible to accurately count them."

Chen Zhe fell silent.

Six hundred and thirty thousand.

Including those that haven't been retrieved yet and those that have already rotted, the total number is easily over a million.

"What...can this thing be used for?"

The little round creature next to it peered around, looking at the mountain of rat carcasses.

"Can it be used as animal feed? Or fertilizer?"

"no."

Su Lin walked over, holding the newly released test report in her hand, her face somewhat pale.

"Gold-eating rats feed on metals, and their bodies contain heavy metals at levels exceeding the standard by more than a thousand times. Ordinary incineration cannot completely decompose the toxins, and landfilling will pollute groundwater."

"Moreover, their energy cores slowly release radiation after death, and long-term exposure may induce awakening disorders in ordinary people or energy disorders in people with superpowers."

She paused, then added, "Currently, there is only one method for disposing of the carcasses of gold-eating rats nationwide."

"What?" Xiaoyuan asked.

"Send it to a special processing center with advanced fire-type ability users, where it will be completely incinerated at a temperature of over 3,000 degrees Celsius, and then the residue will be sealed up."

Su Lin sighed.

"However, there are only three such processing centers nationwide, located in the uninhabited northwest region. The transportation costs are extremely high, and there is also a risk of secondary pollution during the journey."

"So..." Chen Zhe had a bad feeling.

"So the General Administration's intention is to hope that Jiangcheng can resolve the issue locally."

Li Yu took over the conversation, her tone flat.

"Chen Zhe, what's the highest temperature you can control your Flame Heart?"

Chen Zhe: "…………"

He looked down at his hands, which he usually used to fry eggs and occasionally scald the bottoms of disobedient students, and remained silent for five seconds.

"...I tried my best."

Half an hour later.

A golden pillar of fire, ten meters in diameter and with a temperature exceeding 3,500 degrees Celsius, rose into the sky above the backyard.

Chen Zhe hovered in mid-air, veins bulging on his forehead, his hands seemingly supporting an invisible volcano.

The pillar of fire lasted for a full three minutes.

Three minutes later, the mountain of 630,000 rat carcasses turned into less than two tons of grayish-white residue that emitted an eerie metallic luster.

Chen Zhe fell from the air, his legs went weak, and he was supported by Li Yu.

"Is it alright?" Li Yu asked.

"OK……"

Chen Zhe's voice was somewhat erratic.

"I just feel like... I don't want to eat any barbecued food for the next month..."

Li Yu didn't say anything, but silently handed him a bottle of water.

Chen Zhe took the bottle, tilted his head back and gulped down more than half of it, then suddenly asked, "Xiaoyu, do you think... all these rats really came from the same rat king?"

Li Yu paused for a moment.

"The Rat King is male," she said.

"Yes, it's male."

Chen Zhe put down the water bottle, his brows furrowed.

"Even if it has a harem, even if it works day and night, year-round, it still takes at least twenty days from pregnancy to giving birth, with a maximum of a dozen or so kittens per litter. To reach a million in number, it would need at least..."

He did the math.

"It takes at least three to five years of continuous breeding, and we also have to ensure that every litter survives and every chick grows up."

"But based on the energy traces, the Rat King's appearance time is no more than three months," Li Yu continued.

The two looked at each other and saw the same confusion in each other's eyes.

"So where did these rats come from?" Chen Zhe asked in a low voice.

Li Yu did not answer.

She looked toward the processing area in the distance, where the flames had been extinguished, and two tons of unexplained residue were piled up.

Just like everything this city is facing, it's filled with too many inexplicable things.

---

That evening, the Jiangcheng Special Abilities Branch welcomed a special guest.

A black sedan with no markings, but which looked expensive, was parked at the entrance.

The car door opened, and the first person to step out was a young man wearing a purple trench coat, whose silver-purple hair shimmered in the sunset.

Lin Mo.

He wasn't holding a coffee, and his face lacked its usual nonchalant attitude.

Following behind him were five men and women with restrained auras and sharp eyes.

They wore uniform dark combat uniforms, with no name tags on their chests, only a minimalist gold emblem—the General Bureau's Direct Investigation Section.

"Brother Lin Mo." Li Yu greeted him.

"Light rain."

Lin Mo nodded seriously, a rare occurrence for him.

"The General Administration attaches great importance to the rat infestation in Jiangcheng. I have been ordered to lead a team to take over the relevant investigation by the Divine Group."

He skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point: "Where is the Rat King?"

"He is personally guarded by Chen Zhe in a specially made isolation room."

"Take me to see it."

Inside the isolation room, the Rat King was curled up in an enhanced energy cage, its size seemingly even smaller than when it was first captured.

Its metallic scales had lost their luster, its eyes were dull, and it occasionally emitted a weak "squeak," like a house mouse that had been abandoned by its owner and starved for three days.

Lin Mo stood in front of the cage and silently stared at it for half a minute.

Then he raised his hand, his five fingers loosely clenched.

The space around the Rat King seemed to distort slightly.

A wisp of extremely thin, almost invisible gray mist was drawn out of its body.

In Lin Mo's palm, it condensed into an energy fragment the size of a fingernail, constantly changing shape.

"This is..." Li Yu frowned.

"A fragment of an energy core that was artificially embedded."

Lin Mo stared at the fragment in his palm.

"The remaining causal lines point to... very complicated... seemingly completely unfamiliar coordinates."

He paused, his tone unusually serious.

"These rats are not native to Jiangcheng. They were 'transported' in bulk from other places."

"Other places?"

Li Yu pressed for an answer.

"where?"

Lin Mo did not answer immediately.

He put away the fragment and turned to look at Li Yu.

"I need records of all abnormal energy fluctuations in Jiangcheng over the past three months, especially those related to spatial disturbances. Also, I heard that one of your cats was the first to discover the Rat King; I'd like to see it."

Li Yu was taken aback: "See Fatty Orange?"

"right."

Lin Mo nodded, explaining earnestly, a rare occurrence for him.

"That cat fought the Rat King, and it should still carry the scent of fragments of energy from the Rat King's body. Ordinary people can't sense this scent, but those with causal abilities can use it to trace its origin."

He paused, then added, "And I heard your brother was there too?"

Li Yu: "...You want to see my brother?"

"By the way." Lin Mo's tone was nonchalant, but there was a hint of...curiosity in his eyes that he couldn't hide.

Li Yu remained silent for two seconds.

"I can help you get in touch," she said, "but I can't guarantee whether my brother will cooperate."

"It's alright." Lin Mo gave a meaningful smile. "I have a hundred ways to get him to cooperate."

Li Yu: "…………"

She suddenly felt that she should send her brother a warning text message tonight.

---

Meanwhile, at Li Xian's house.

"Achoo!"

Li Xian sneezed, rubbed his nose, and glanced suspiciously out the window.

The weather was fine, no wind or rain, so why did I suddenly sneeze?

"Old Deng, you have a cold?"

Bell popped her head out from the sofa, holding Fat Orange in her arms.

To be precise, I used the fat orange cat as a cushion, pressing my whole body against it.

The chubby orange cat looked utterly dejected, its tail swaying listlessly.

"no."

Li Xian rubbed his nose, deciding to ignore the ominous premonition and continue looking at his phone.

A news notification appeared on the screen:

Jiangcheng Special Abilities School Receives 10 Million Yuan Donation from Philanthropic Individuals for Disaster Relief and Facility Upgrades

Li Xian paused for a moment.

Ten million.

He scrolled down and saw that the news article did not reveal the donor's name, only vaguely stating "a local philanthropic entrepreneur".

But Lingdang said in the morning that she would call her last night to tell her that it was her mother who donated it.

Su Wenjin.

Lin Wanwan's mother.

Li Xian put down his phone, leaned back on the sofa, and stared at the ceiling.

Ten million, donated without hesitation.

How rich must they be?

He recalled Su Wenjin, whom he had met a few times when picking up and dropping off Lingdang—in her early thirties, gentle and intellectual, dressed appropriately but not ostentatiously, driving a low-key black sedan, and speaking softly, like an ordinary middle-class white-collar worker.

Looking back now, that black sedan was a custom-made bulletproof model.

The unassuming silver watch on her wrist had an extremely fine energy pattern around the edge of its dial, almost invisible unless you looked closely.

That's the symbol of advanced supernatural protective equipment.

Li Xian suddenly became a little curious.

It's not that he's never seen a rich person before.

Which of those S-level bigwigs in Beijing doesn't have a huge fortune?

But Su Wenjin's "wealth" seems to be different.

That kind of understated elegance, which comes from the core yet exudes a sense of "being used to it," is not something a nouveau riche can fake.

"Old Deng," the sound of a bell interrupted his thoughts.

"Wanwan said their swimming pool is finally fixed! She asked if I wanted to go swimming this weekend!"

Li Xian snapped out of his daze: "You can swim?"

"No, but I can learn!"

Bell's eyes sparkled.

"Wanwan said she doesn't know how either, but we can put on swimming rings together!"

She paused, then added, "Wanwan also said that her mom's cakes are delicious, even better than those from bakeries!"

Li Xian looked at Lingdang's expectant little eyes and remained silent for two seconds.

"...Okay, I'll take you there this weekend."

Bell cheered and rushed over to hug him around the waist: "Old Deng is the best!"

Fat Orange took the opportunity to break free from Bell's clutches.

She darted to the balcony in a flash, squatted down next to Xiao Jin, and licked her ruffled fur with lingering fear.

On the balcony, golden cat's paw flowers sway gently in the wind, emitting a faint pudding scent.

Li Xian watched this scene and the corners of his mouth curved slightly.

But the curve quickly smoothed out again.

He remembered the number on the screen last night.

One hundred and thirteen.

God Group.

He lowered his head, looking at the donation news on his phone screen, but his thoughts drifted far away.

---

The next morning, Li Xian dug the bell out of the quilt.

"Didn't you say you were going to Wanwan's house on the weekend...?"

Lingdang's eyes were not even open, her hair was a mess of golden bird's nest, and she was hanging on Li Xian's arm like a kitten that hadn't woken up yet.

"With schools closed, you'll just be watching TV at home anyway."

Li Xian, expressionless, carried her to the bathroom door.

"Wanwan's mom is free today and said you're welcome to come over."

"But I want to sleep in..."

Bell grumbled, but still obediently picked up her toothbrush.

Half an hour later, the father and daughter stood in front of the entrance to a building that Li Xian was unsure whether to call a "door".

This is a double cast iron gate, about five meters high and four meters wide, with intricate bronze patterns on its surface.

Extending out from both sides of the gate are solid walls that appear to be over three meters high, with faint energy patterns visible flowing on the tops of the walls.

Through the crack in the door, one can glimpse the lush courtyard and the outline of a white building.

Li Xian remained silent for three seconds.

He knew Su Wenjin's family was wealthy, but he didn't expect them to be this wealthy.

This is no longer a "villa", this is an "estate".

No, this size is so large that calling it a small castle wouldn't be an exaggeration.

The visitor intercom system on the side of the door lit up with a soft blue light, and a gentle, deep male voice came through:

"Mr. Li Xian, little Li Xiaoling, welcome. Ms. Su is already waiting for you two."

As soon as he finished speaking, the heavy cast iron gate slid open silently to both sides.

A man in his fifties, dressed in a dark gray Zhongshan suit with his hair neatly combed, stood inside the door, bowing slightly.

His movements were humble and proper, the standard demeanor of a butler.

But in Li Xian's perception, the man's energy core was as clear as the blazing sun—

Grade A.

Moreover, he is a very stable, long-established A-level, with a restrained and well-rounded aura, having been immersed in this realm for at least ten years.

An A-level superhuman becomes a butler.

Li Xian walked inside with the bell in hand, his expression unchanged, but in his heart, he had already subtly upgraded his definition of Su Wenjin's "wealth" from "rich woman" to "a big shot of unknown level".

The courtyard is larger than it appears from the outside.

A meticulously manicured lawn, well-arranged landscape trees, a white gazebo covered with climbing roses, and a shimmering swimming pool faintly visible in the distance.

Several peacocks strolled leisurely on the grass. When they saw someone coming, they just glanced at them lazily and continued to peck at their food.

Lingdang's eyes widened in amazement. She tugged at Li Xian's hand and whispered, "Old man, old man, there are peacocks!"

"Um."

"Are they real or fake?"

"……real."

"Old Deng, Old Deng, can we eat them?"

"Um... I don't think so..."

"Wow--"

After passing through the courtyard, the main building finally came into view.

This is a three-story white French-style building with elegant lines, tall and wide doors and windows, and columns carved with delicate vine patterns.

It's not the kind of nouveau riche extravagance, but rather a refined elegance that has truly been tempered by time and aesthetic appreciation.

Su Wenjin stood at the entrance of the main building, wearing a simple off-white knit sweater and navy blue trousers.

Her hair was loosely tied back, and she wore a gentle smile.

"Mr. Li, Little Bell, welcome."

Her voice was as soft and gentle as it had been on previous occasions, but now, standing before this mansion, that gentleness carried a different weight.

"Ms. Su, I apologize for disturbing you." Li Xian nodded.

"I'd be happy to not bother you."

Su Wenjin looked at the bell, her eyes filled with genuine affection.

"Wanwan has been talking about it since last night, saying that Lingdang is coming today. She even ate breakfast faster than usual."

She paused, then smiled and said, "This child has always had a rather unique personality... and hasn't made many friends. Little Bell is the first peer she's been willing to approach."

Lingdang felt a little embarrassed by the compliment and shrank behind Li Xian, but still peeked out and politely said, "Hello, Auntie! Where's Wanwan?"

"Upstairs in her 'observation room'."

When Su Wenjin mentioned this, there was a subtle hint of helplessness in her expression.

"She said she was going to prepare the 'highest ceremony to welcome the star observers,' and she started preparing at six in the morning."

Bell's eyes lit up: "I'll go find her!"

She glanced back at Li Xian, and after receiving a nod of approval, she followed a maid and jogged into the room.

Su Wenjin watched Lingdang's figure disappear around the corner of the stairs, then turned to Li Xian and smiled, "Mr. Li, would you like to come in and sit for a while? Or will you come to pick up the child later?"

"I'll pick you up later," Li Xian said. "I have things to do at the bureau."

This wasn't an excuse. Although the rapid response team didn't have any urgent missions today, he did have something he planned to do.

Su Wenjin did not try to stop him, but simply nodded.

"Okay, don't worry, I'll take good care of the bell. Wanwan finally has a friend, I'll make sure she's well taken care of."

She paused, then suddenly said, "Mr. Li, about Wanwan at school... Teacher Li mentioned some things to me. This child might have some special potential, and I've never known how to guide her. But since she met Lingdang, she's become much more cheerful and willing to share more about school with me."

She looked at Li Xian with sincere eyes: "Thank you."

Li Xian paused for a moment, then said, "Wanwan is a good child. Lingdang likes her very much too."

He didn't say anything more.

Some things don't need to be said outright.

As he left the Su family, Li Xian glanced back at the slowly closing cast iron gate.

A top-tier butler, a custom-made bulletproof car, an invaluable manor, and the ease with which he donates ten million.

Su Wenjin is by no means just a "rich entrepreneur".

But that's not something he should concern himself with.

Everyone has secrets, as long as those secrets don't hurt the people they care about.

He has something else to deal with now...