"Lei Zhangming! Stop! Could you explain what you meant by cutting the surveillance just now?"
As soon as He Zhan finished speaking, two team members beside him stepped forward swiftly to block Lei Zhangming's path.
In this situation, Wu Liang just quietly continued packing his things for the trip.
He felt like he was really about to miss signing in for work.
"Alright, alright! Since we're already talking, let me be straight. I figured, Brother He, that you hadn't reached an agreement with the Awakened behind Wu Liang, so I thought to test him for you..."
"Test him? Do you want to test the policy that says using awakened abilities on an ordinary person leading to casualties will get you issued on a wanted notice?"
Before the other party could finish speaking, He Zhan yelled at him.
Usually, the department didn't let them manage the borderline illegal behaviors of these unofficial awakened. He was already somewhat dissatisfied with that, and he never thought they would directly use awakened abilities on regular people!
This has touched the baseline of social order!
They might overlook collecting some protection money, but if injuring civilians were to cause a big stir, escalating tensions between the awakened and ordinary people, who could bear such responsibility!
But before the two could continue arguing about it, Wu Liang coughed lightly and said:
"Ahem, guys, if you want to argue, please go argue by the street curb. I could even set up a stall to promote it while making some money, but right now I need to get to work."
After pausing for a moment, he pointed at Lei Zhangming.
"You wanted to see someone, right? Then don't wait till tomorrow, just wait until I get off work today. Captain He, you too."
In his words, Wu Liang realized why the official awakened had come at this time; it was probably because of last night's events causing some people to be a bit jittery.
But it didn't matter. He could take advantage and bring the mysterious awakened everyone speculated about into the open.
I'll become my own mysterious background!
"The supernatural incident last night was due to the removal of a Fierce Ghost. The last step hasn't been completed yet, so why don't we go together this afternoon?"
Saying this, without caring for their opinions, Wu Liang directly picked up his bag and strode out of the living room.
The two official awakened outside wanted to stop him, but they saw He Zhan shake his head, signaling to let him go.
Since Wu Liang said so, it was probably the intention of that mysterious awakened protecting him, and it seemed that someone else had removed a Fierce Ghost without their knowledge.
This actually was a good thing!
It showed that the mysterious awakened had the tendency to actively eliminate Fierce Ghosts to maintain social order. After discussing thoroughly, the officials might not find it difficult to recruit him into their ranks.
Might as well follow his lead now, since they could see him in the afternoon anyway!
"He left, but you can't! Lei Zhangming, you'll probably have to wait under our watch today so we can have a good discussion about this 'test' issue."
He Zhan said coldly to Lei Zhangming, instructing two team members to keep an eye on him, and they all left the room together.
After everyone left, Auntie suddenly felt weak in her legs and collapsed to the ground.
Although she didn't quite understand the content of the conversations among the few, she could at least see—
Regardless if it was Lei Zhangming, the shadow hanging over her family for a long time, or the official awakened, they were all seeking Wu Liang's opinion, treating Wu Liang on an equal conversational level.
"What is happening to this world... I must be dreaming... He's just a young punk..."
She murmured to herself, the hundred thousand yuan cash on the table remained untouched, likely needing Wu Liang to handle it when he got back.
When did Wu Liang already pull away from her family completely in terms of social class?
Ever since she was little, she couldn't compare to her exceptional younger sister, and her husband didn't measure up to the successful man her sister married; now even her child was better than her family?
"Am I truly this much of a failure?"
......
Arriving at the unit and catching the attendance check, Wu Liang didn't know his aunt was at home questioning her life. He just felt like everything was moving along his set course.
After today, he should be able to settle the issue about getting into official channels.
Without letting them suspect that the Ghost Compendium doesn't belong to awakened abilities.
"Why is there a police car parked downstairs? It looks like it followed you all the way here," Li Guoqiang casually remarked while looking down from the window.
Wu Liang was unconcerned, turning on the unit's computer and starting to edit some raw material while responding, "Oh, just some official awakened folks. They should be waiting for me to get off work; don't bother with them."
As soon as he said this, the office fell into silence.
What do you mean 'just some official awakened', and with 'just' at that?
What kind of trouble did this kid get into?
Wait, if he was in trouble, why would they wait until he gets off work and not just come upstairs to arrest him?
At this moment, Wu Liang, with his back to everyone editing material, appeared increasingly mysterious to them. Could this guy be an illegitimate child of the Paranormal Handling Department's chief or something, here in the TV station's lower levels to gain some fake experience?
Clang—
Wu Liang pushed the chair aside and stood up abruptly, making everyone tense along with him.
"Ha, just going to the bathroom. Li, watch my computer while I import the material; don't turn it off."
With that said, he turned and left the office.
Just as he stepped out, everyone began to gossip about his identity.
However, Wu Liang walked to a bathroom stall, locked the door, and skillfully pulled the Ghost Compendium from his head.
After contemplating for a moment, he summoned a puppet doll.
Except for the eyes, which had two buttons that appeared brand-new, the puppet looked dirty everywhere else, with patches in many places, like it had been lying at the bottom of a box in an old warehouse for ten years.
As soon as it was summoned from the Ghost Compendium, it started trembling uncontrollably, the button eyes bleeding non-stop.
"Quiet! If you keep going berserk, I won't ever release your true form in this lifetime!"
With Wu Liang's reprimand, the doll's button eyes rotated slightly, and the blood previously oozing out was suddenly reabsorbed by it.
"Good! Look into my eyes, and then—become me." Wu Liang, holding a puppet doll and speaking to himself, appeared somewhat like a madman.
With that, he bit his finger and dripped a drop of fresh blood onto the puppet's button eyes.
However, as the blood landed, a strange grin suddenly appeared on the doll's face.
Then, it started bouncing around on its own, incessantly growing taller with each bounce; within just a few seconds, it turned into a giant puppet doll standing at 1.78 meters.
Afterward, the worn-out surface fabric began turning red then faded, revealing underneath it was smooth, delicate skin. The face gradually formed, becoming more recognizable.
Finally, it stopped changing and stood there, looking exactly like Wu Liang, its mechanical jaw moving awkwardly as it said:
"Hel-lo..."
"My...mas-ter...I..."
"I will become...you."
"My name is—Wu Liang."
"It is an honor to live in this world for you, would you like to die now?"
With that, the puppet's demeanor and language ability became almost indistinguishable from ordinary people within seconds.
The two Wu Liangs exchanged looks and shared the same bright smile.