My Strange Tale Love Strategy Simulator

Zhang Ying and his staff had barely taken a step when they were blocked at the elevator entrance by the scene before them.

In the corridor, Zhao Husheng was hunched over, looking like a quail being scolded so badly he couldn't lift his head.

Seeing Zhang Ying come out, he was like a drowning man seeing the last straw. He quickly slipped out from the gaps in his female boss's stormy lecture and hid behind Zhang Ying.

"Um... let me introduce you." Zhao Husheng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and pointed to the woman in front of him who exuded a powerful aura. "This is my boss, and also the deputy director of the Okura City branch of the Supernatural Investigation Bureau, Xie Lichun."

Following Zhao Husheng's introduction, Zhang Ying's gaze fell on Xie Lichun.

The deputy director looked to be no more than thirty or forty years old. She was dressed in a well-tailored business suit, her long hair was tied up, and she exuded the capable and efficient aura of a mature and powerful woman.

Her features were exquisite, like a ripe cherry, alluring and full of charm. However, judging from her lion-like temper just now, this cherry was definitely a cherry bomb that could explode at any moment.

"Alright, the person has been brought, you can leave now." Xie Lichun glanced at Zhao Husheng, waved to the staff with annoyance, then turned his gaze to Zhang Ying, the sharpness in his eyes instantly softening.

The staff, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, quickly pressed the elevator button and fled.

Zhao Husheng followed behind Zhang Ying with trepidation, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Xie Lichun walked up to Zhang Ying in her high heels, and her previous aggressive aura instantly dissipated, replaced by a perfectly gentle demeanor.

She extended her hand and said with a smile, "Hello, Mr. Zhang. My name is Xie Lichun. As the gentleman next to you said, I am the deputy director of the Okura City branch of the Supernatural Investigation Bureau. Please forgive my rudeness just now."

Zhang Ying extended his hand in return, and when he shook hands, he could feel that the other person's hand was strong and his palm was slightly warm: "Director Xie, you're too kind."

"Let's go, this isn't the place to talk. Let's go to the office and sit down."

The three walked through the noisy office area and entered a spacious private office.

Zhang Ying sat down on the leather sofa, while Zhao Husheng stood obediently in the corner with his head down, like a schoolboy who had made a mistake, wishing he could shrink into a crack in the wall.

Xie Lichun then skillfully picked up the tea set, boiled water, warmed the cups, and brewed the tea. Her movements were fluid and elegant.

A moment later, a cup of fragrant tea was handed to Zhang Ying.

Xie Lichun also picked up a glass and sat opposite Zhang Ying, apologetic. "I'm sorry, my husband's behavior just now may have caused you to misunderstand the Investigation Bureau. I sincerely apologize to you."

Zhang Ying looked at the gentle and refined woman before him and inwardly clicked his tongue in amazement. This transformation was too swift! Just moments ago she was a cherry-bomb ready to explode, and now she's a well-educated and refined lady.

What surprised him even more was that Xie Lichun was actually Zhao Husheng's wife!

So, this supposedly official organization actually supports office romances?

Moreover, judging from Zhao Husheng's submissive demeanor just now, the difference in their family positions is quite obvious.

They wouldn't flirt in the office during work hours, would they?

The absurd thought flashed through Zhang Ying's mind, but he immediately found it amusing.

No wonder Zhao Husheng, that grown man, was so afraid of his boss earlier; so that's why. This isn't a superior-subordinate relationship; it's clearly a case of a henpecked husband.

Zhang Ying shook off the random thoughts in his mind, coughed twice, and said seriously, "No need for apologies. Can you agree to the suggestion I just made?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Lichun put down his teacup, his expression becoming serious: "Mr. Zhang, you're exaggerating. Perhaps my husband's behavior was a bit...rude, causing you to misunderstand the Investigation Bureau. Our Investigation Bureau always prioritizes practical matters over formalities. We would be extremely grateful if you could lend a helping hand to Dacang City in this critical moment and solve problems that ordinary people cannot handle."

She paused, looking at Zhang Ying earnestly: "As for what you said about 'obeying orders but not summons,' we can guarantee that we will absolutely not hinder your personal freedom in any way, nor will we force you to participate in any non-task-related social activities. For us, a position is merely a responsibility, not a manifestation of power, much less a shackle to bind you."

Zhang Ying nodded, finally feeling relieved.

Zhao Husheng's submissive behavior just now made him think that the Investigation Bureau was a strict, hierarchical, and tough bureaucratic institution that made things difficult for its subordinates.

In retrospect, it seems that it was purely because Zhao Husheng was afraid of his wife, and had nothing to do with the organization itself.

Seeing the misunderstanding cleared up, Xie Lichun breathed a sigh of relief. Then, as if remembering something, she abruptly turned around, gritted her teeth, and growled at Zhao Husheng in the corner, "Stand still! If this kind of misunderstanding caused by poor communication happens again, you'll see how I beat you to a pulp when I get home!"

"You shouldn't scold your husband in front of others..." Zhao Husheng protested weakly.

"I think you're asking for it!" Xie Lichun's forehead veins bulged instantly, and she was about to explode on impulse. But then, she realized that Zhang Ying was still sitting opposite her, so she quickly coughed twice, forcibly suppressing her anger, and forced a stiff smile back onto her face.

"Ahem... Well, Mr. Zhang, now that things have been made clear, what are your thoughts on your intention to join our Investigation Bureau?"

Zhang Ying immediately switched from a spectator's mindset to a serious one and said, "I'm very interested. How do I join? There shouldn't be a written test or interview, right? If it's an essay test, I might not be very good at it."

"No need, those formalities are meaningless to you." Xie Lichun waved his hand. "You just need to take a small test with us."

"Test?" Zhang Ying raised an eyebrow.

Zhao Husheng remained in the corner of the office as a background figure, while Xie Lichun got up and led Zhang Ying out of the office.

The two entered the elevator again, and Xie Lichun pressed the button for the basement level.

As the elevator descended, Zhang Ying secretly wondered if this basement level must be the true core area of ​​the Investigation Bureau.

With a "ding," the elevator doors opened.

However, what came into view was neither a high-tech laboratory nor a heavily guarded base, but an ordinary underground parking lot. Dim lighting, mottled cement floor, and a damp, musty smell permeated the air.

Zhang Ying was a little confused. Why was he brought here?

Xie Lichun seemed to see his confusion, but did not explain further. Instead, he led him through the empty parking spaces to the first pillar in the B1 area of ​​the parking lot.

This pillar looks ordinary, with some small "GG" signs for document processing and stamping pasted on it.

Xie Lichun stepped forward and placed his palm on an inconspicuous area on the side of the pillar.

"Beep—Identity confirmed."

With a soft electronic sound, a wall next to the pillar suddenly emitted a muffled rumble, then slowly slid open to both sides, revealing a heavy iron door leading directly to the secret space.

The iron gate slowly opened, and a chilling aura rushed out. Xie Lichun stepped aside and gestured for Zhang Ying to enter.

Zhang Ying stepped inside, thinking to himself:

That makes sense! An official agency dedicated to dealing with monsters should at least have a grand secret hideout. That office building earlier was indeed a disguise; this is the real one.

The space behind the iron gate was extremely spacious, divided into two parts by a glass wall.

To the left is the archives room. Through the heavy glass door, you can see that it is filled with all kinds of paper documents, piled up from the floor to the ceiling, looking somewhat messy and disorganized, like a forgotten archive.

The shelter is on the right.

Xie Lichun led Zhang Ying to the entrance of the shelter.

Although there was a sign with the words "Shelter" written in large characters hanging at the entrance of the shelter, which looked quite intimidating, Zhang Ying couldn't help but twitch his lips when he peeked inside.

This place... is actually just a warehouse!

Inside the thick metal walls, all sorts of odds and ends were piled up: a rusty ladder, a pressure cooker with a missing lid, several worn-out work clothes, and even a mahjong machine covered in dust.

These items, which looked like they had been salvaged from a garbage dump, were all covered with a yellow talisman.

Looking at these things, Zhang Ying felt that this place didn't seem like a shelter, but rather a scrap metal collection station.

"Don't underestimate these things." Xie Lichun seemed to see through Zhang Ying's thoughts and said calmly, "Every item with a talisman attached to it has been the subject of a human life, or nearly caused a human life."

As she spoke, she rummaged through the pile of clutter in the corner.

"This one won't do, too much resentment... This one won't do either, it's easy to lose control..."

Xie Lichun muttered something under his breath and finally pulled out a teddy bear with a yellow talisman stuck to it from under a pile of old clothes.

This teddy bear looks quite old; its originally white fur has turned gray, and half of the button on one of its eyes is missing, drooping down on its face, making it look somewhat eerie.

Xie Lichun blew the dust off the surface of the teddy bear, looked it up and down, and muttered to himself, "Hmm, this seems to have been contained about half a year ago. Although its level is a bit high, it should be fine for testing."

She approached Zhang Ying with the teddy bear and handed it to him, saying, "This is supposed to be a test, but it's really just a formality for you. After all, for someone like you, an 'outcast,' all the containment items in this warehouse combined probably don't even equal a single one of your fingers."

"Um..." Zhang Ying took the teddy bear, his brows furrowing slightly. "Could you please not use the word 'outcast' to describe me? It sounds a bit awkward to me, like an insult."

Xie Lichun paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Alright, what do you want me to call you? A Ghost Rider? A Cyborg? Or a Half-Ghost?"

"The Demon Tamer, I suppose." Zhang Ying weighed the teddy bear in his hand, feeling something wriggling slightly inside. "That sounds cooler."

"Alright, then let's go with the Demon Hunter." Xie Lichun readily agreed.

Zhang Ying, holding the teddy bear, looked up and asked, "Alright, what do we do now? Smash it?"

"It's not that violent." Xie Lichun waved his hand. "The test is very simple. You just need to hold this teddy bear firmly in your hand and keep it from falling for one minute."

"That's it?" Zhang Ying was somewhat surprised.

"That's it." Xie Lichun nodded, his gaze sharpening. "Ready? Can we begin?"

"Okay," Zhang Ying replied, tightening his grip slightly as he held the teddy bear in his palm.

Xie Lichun took a deep breath and reached out to peel off the yellow talisman stuck to the teddy bear's forehead.