Chapter Ten: The Arrival of the Secret Society of Extraordinary Abilities

The second time I met Ren Tianxing was at a secret research institute on the outskirts of Xi'an.

He was the same as before, with his signature sleek, shoulder-length hair reminiscent of a movie star, bearing a certain resemblance to Ekin Cheng. Apart from a hint of anxiety at the corners of his eyes, there was nothing particularly different about him.

After seeing me, he shook my hand warmly, much more enthusiastically than just a few days prior. I supposed Huang Feng must have told him about how Wang—the girl—had given him a hard time. Having such an extraordinary assistant under my command forced him to reassess me. For someone like him, looking into anyone’s background would be a trivial matter.

After our handshake, his attention shifted to Wang, and he lavished her with praise, calling her a heroine among women.

I took the opportunity to examine the general layout of the institute.

Inside, the place was heavily guarded, with professional soldiers posted every few steps. Ren explained that since leaders in various fields had gathered here, he had specially deployed an entire company of special forces for security. It was understandable; with so many pillars of the nation gathered here—living national treasures, so to speak—utmost caution was a necessity.

This institute was in no way inferior to America’s extraterrestrial biology research centers. All the equipment was of the highest international standard.

I had seen laser cutters at other institutes and marveled at the advancements in technology. But here, laser cutters were already obsolete relics.

According to Old Liu’s introduction, a laser is a high-quality light source generated by stimulated emission and amplification. The principle behind a laser cutter was the conversion of energy from the light source into cutting power using minimal energy.

But the cutter I saw here actually utilized the gravitational force of molecular energy, transforming it directly into kinetic energy. There were other high-tech products I had never even heard of.

Though astonished, I managed to keep my composure—at least outwardly. Wang, on the other hand, was far less restrained, exclaiming “Wow! Wow!” at every turn of Old Liu’s explanations. While she seemed to be making a fuss, she lightened the atmosphere considerably, making things feel far less tense.

Old Liu was delighted to give us a tour of their institute and then arranged for our accommodations.

We were put up at a military guesthouse on one side of the institute.

Soldiers guarded the guesthouse inside and out, and even within, bodyguards paced back and forth.

I complimented Old Liu: “Your security measures are truly impressive.”

He replied with a somewhat embarrassed smile.

Afterward, we enjoyed a lavish dinner. I hadn’t seen Old Liu for years and was surprised to discover his newfound expertise in food; he ordered signature Xi’an dishes for me—Gourd Chicken, Goji Berry Stewed Tremella, and Cream Soup Fish. His introductions piqued my curiosity about these dishes.

Among the renowned Xi’an dishes, these stood out as the most representative. The top ten specialties included: Gourd Chicken, said to have originated from the family kitchens of Wei Zhi, Minister of Rites during the Tang Dynasty. A young hen is selected, prepared, and deep-fried until golden, its shape resembling a gourd. The skin is crisp, the meat tender, and what amazed me most was how the meat fell off at the slightest touch of chopsticks—fragrant and delicious. The "Salivating Duck" I’d once tasted in Beijing was nothing compared to this authentic dish.

The Goji Berry Stewed Tremella, according to legend, was created when Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, after helping Li Shimin seize the throne in the early Tang, adapted the Han Dynasty’s stewed tremella recipe by adding goji berries, symbolizing that a great man should not only be upright but also have passion and vitality. The dish, with its red and white hues, was aromatic and sweet.

I couldn’t help but praise the chef’s skills, and Wang Tingting ate heartily, clearly delighted; she’d probably be content to stay here forever.

After dinner and some casual conversation, Old Liu led us to a conference room.

We all sat around a square conference table. According to Old Liu, the man at the head was his mentor, Dr. Wang, and the others were leaders from various fields sent here for research.

Wang Tingting sat beside me, attentive and professional, recording everything with a voice recorder and taking notes.

When Old Liu introduced me to the group, I nodded slightly. His introduction was as brief as possible: “This is Mr. Changfeng, here to assist us with official approval.”

The scientists were surprised to see someone so young and, with so little background provided, eyed me with curiosity.

I nodded back and said directly, “Let’s get straight to the point, Old Liu. Please brief us on the current situation.”

Ren Tianxing nodded in approval at my straightforwardness.

On the plane, Wang had only heard a vague explanation of our mission, but now, as we were about to begin, she looked excited.

The truth was, I didn’t know much more than what Old Liu had previously shared.

Old Liu spoke gravely: “We must resolve these issues as soon as possible—every day we delay, our anxiety grows.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Seeing my skepticism, Ren Tianxing explained, “Just yesterday, we lost another comrade. Jiang Lin was shot dead in his own home.”

A chill ran down my spine.

“A Type 54 pistol was used, just like the previous cases. No clues were found,” Ren said, helpless.

As silence fell, I spoke up, recounting all the information I had gathered for everyone and then summarizing concisely.

First: About twenty miles from Pit One, a terracotta warrior resembling a charioteer was found. Its appearance was strange, and inside, a Type 54 pistol was hidden.

Second: This pistol, a modern weapon, was found inside a relic over two thousand years old.

Third: The weapon had no factory serial number.

Fourth: Several people connected to the terracotta warriors had already been murdered.

Fifth: The pistol had vanished without a trace.

My summary won the group’s approval. Old Liu nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Wang, hearing such bizarre matters for the first time, was thoroughly fascinated.

She remarked, “If we can solve these four mysteries, does that mean our mission is accomplished?”

Her comment was rather tactless, but only she could have said such a thing. Though unnecessary, her words stirred quite a reaction.

I noticed Dr. Wang, Old Liu, and Ren Tianxing whispering to one another.

Finding this odd, I asked, “Is something wrong?” Wang, realizing her words had caused such a stir, looked at me in bewilderment.

After some murmuring, Ren Tianxing replied, “To be honest, aside from solving these mysteries, we’re also facing external pressure.”

Hearing this, my first thought was pressure from their superiors to solve the case, but upon reflection, it seemed unlikely that such internal matters would provoke such a strong response.

I pressed further: “Brother Ren, are you referring to something more than just pressure from above?”

Dr. Wang, who had been silent until now, looked at me and said, “We don’t know who leaked the information, but now several foreign countries are aware of what’s happening at our institute. Many organizations have taken an interest, including America’s UFO research agencies, who have already submitted requests for joint research. We haven’t officially responded yet.”

Ren Tianxing continued, “That’s not all. A secret domestic organization, Dragon Fang, will be arriving in a few days.”

Most present didn’t know what Dragon Fang was and showed no reaction, but my expression changed involuntarily.

Their arrival troubled me deeply.

Dragon Fang is a classified national organization dedicated to researching special abilities—a secret weapon of the state. All individuals with such abilities are under their jurisdiction.

This organization began keeping tabs on me over a decade ago, covertly monitoring me for a long time. After graduating from university, I changed jobs multiple times to avoid unnecessary trouble, all because of them. I’ve had to evade and even confront them on several occasions.

Now that they were coming, I had to find a way to make them hesitate before they arrived.

I whispered something to Wang Tingting, then said aloud, “Right now, I urgently need all the information on the deceased—their backgrounds, photographs, locations, and any related data. Also, I need to see that terracotta warrior with my own eyes.”