"How is this possible?!"
Chen Wang shouted incredulously.
Although he had only awakened a few days ago, he was quite confident in his awakened ability.
He had tried it quietly on others on the street, and it worked like a charm, only taking a few seconds!
"Again! I don't believe it!" Gritting his teeth and stomping his foot, Chen Wang's pupils gradually darkened from their original color, even covering much of the whites in his eyes.
But Wu Liang still stared at him with a dead-fish expression, poker-faced and silently watching him.
It was as if he was watching a clown performance at the circus, and he seemed amused.
"Damn it! Don't laugh at me!" Unnamed anger surged in Chen Wang's heart as he shouted loudly.
"Wow! Boo-hoo!" "Ah-boo-hoo-hoo!"
Finally, as Chen Wang exerted more force, even his eyes slightly bloodshot, two sorrowful cries echoed through the living room.
Hmm? Two?
Now everyone was stunned.
They turned to see Auntie and Uncle wailing, as if they had lost the will to live, utterly heart-wrenching.
"Sigh, your control over your ability's range is too poor, and since you can influence others' emotions, why not control your own?"
He Zhan's disappointed voice sounded, and then he raised his right hand, revealing the palm eye towards Chen Wang.
With just one look, Chen Wang's awakened ability was instantly suppressed, his eyes returning to normal.
The crying elders also calmed down a bit.
But since they were in extreme sadness, it wasn't so easy to calm their emotions, and they still sobbed occasionally.
Retracting his right hand, He Zhan said flatly, "Alright, that's it. I'll report Chen Wang's situation to the authorities and have him remember to visit the department base to record his ability within the week."
"What about Xiaowang's qualification?"
Though still sobbing, the elders were quite concerned about their child's prospects.
He Zhan glanced at Chen Wang, who was still muttering "impossible" incredulously, and shook his head.
The ability was decent, but his temperament was far off.
He could tell, Chen Wang initially targeted Wu Liang alone, but when Wu Liang wasn't affected, his excessive exertion out of anger affected the entire living room.
Even He Zhan himself felt a strange sadness in that instant, indicating that the coverage was indiscriminate and caused his parents to cry too.
If his ability lost control when facing a Fierce Ghost and led his teammates' emotions to extremes, it would be more of a loss than gain.
This kid could remain as a documented Awakened for now—like Lei Zhangming, one of those folksy Awakened that's known to the officials.
"Why is it like this..." The expressions of Auntie's family visibly showed disappointment.
Meanwhile, Wu Liang had to interject sarcastically, "Is the circus show over? Can I go back to sleep?"
This ignited Auntie's entire family's anger, their teeth gnashing, "You! It's all your fault!"
Just as they were about to explode, He Zhan stepped forward to stop them, then approached Wu Liang, staring into his indifferent eyes.
A few seconds later, He Zhan smirked slightly and said, "Didn't I say, I'm here to understand your family's awakening situation, isn't there another one here?"
Now it was everyone but Wu Liang's turn to be shocked.
Chen Wang's disbelief turned straight into terror, and Auntie and Uncle vigorously shook their heads.
"No no no, how could he be an Awakened? He's just a parentless..." Auntie awkwardly started to speak.
"Hmm? If it's not him, is it you?"
Before the words left his mouth, He Zhan turned with a slightly sharp look that shut them up immediately.
How ridiculous this family was!
They never considered why Wu Liang could face Chen Wang's ability head-on, stay unaffected, and still mock them without anything seeming off?
He was an Awakened, and his ability was mainly suppressive, so he resisted the influence.
But why Wu Liang!?
"Because I don't rejoice in external pleasures nor grieve personal losses but reflect on the expanse of heaven and earth, alone feeling sad and shedding tears!"
Glancing at He Zhan's seemingly smiling eyes, Wu Liang blurted out nonsense, guessing what he was implying.
But he refused to admit it!
What could the other party do about it?
He Zhan, just about to ask, was stifled by the gibberish, realizing something even stranger.
Among worldwide Awakened, no matter the ability, activation would alter the body or objects to some extent.
For example, his palm eye, Chen Wang's pupils turning inky, the Priest's scepter glowing, etc.
This was a small way to identify if an Awakened was using an ability.
But Wu Liang?
From the beginning to the end, he just stood there.
No part of his body changed, indirectly proving he wasn't using any awakened ability.
Or... he truly had no awakened ability?
"No, even if he doesn't, there's someone discreetly using an ability to assist him!" He Zhan silently deliberated.
Today's events couldn't all be coincidences!
Especially seeing Wu Liang now convinced He Zhan that a powerful mysterious Awakened was backing Wu Liang, though why is uncertain.
They even risked exposure at the TV station office to remove the Fierce Ghost and protect Wu Liang, shielding him from disgrace at home.
He Zhan suddenly had an interesting thought—"If invited into the ranks, such a strong Awakened could be a great asset for protecting the public! Since they wish to protect this kid, recruiting him wouldn't hurt either."
But immediately, his expression turned crestfallen.
Alas, just based on his assumptions, recruiting a normal person and research into the Awakened behind him was too unreasonable.
"Sigh, let's leave it at that. I won't trouble you, just stay out of trouble." Sighing, He Zhan shook his head and left.
Before leaving, he turned back to look.
Wu Liang waved goodbye with a smile, his expression of carefree indifference leaving He Zhan speechless.
His earlier words were naturally not meant for Wu Liang, but to express something to the mystery Awakened behind him—
The official investigation to follow was unavoidable, but he could ensure that Wu Liang wouldn't be troubled, letting the other party rest assured without such a strong guard against the authorities.
The day's events were quite vexing, leaving He Zhan with a pounding headache.
"It's exhausting enough to be ready to face Fierce Ghosts on missions day or night, and now psychological sparring with these folk Awakened, how frustrating!"
He sighed heavily twice in anger, unsure when this would all end.
Stomping out of the district, he flagged down a couple of cars at East Pavilion Street and left.
However, after He Zhan left, a small thug crouched by the roadside outside the district quietly dialed a phone number.
He whispered cautiously, "Boss Lei, the person you wanted me to watch has left, seems quite angry, doesn't seem in a good mood."
"What? You're coming to East Pavilion Street personally tomorrow? Alright, alright, I'll instruct the underlings to prepare to receive you."
The thug nervously listened to the orders over the phone, glancing at the entrance of the Pumin District.
Wondering who inside had provoked the boss, prompting him to come personally...