"Oriental culture really is mysterious," the female lawyer commented, trying to ease the tension. She gestured subtly to Kalinda, signaling her to step out and consult with the boss.
The salary offer was just too unreal.
At that moment, Diane Lockhart, one of the firm's partners, walked past with their client, Mr. Bauer. Kalinda immediately rose, clicking her heels as she left the room.
"$60,000 a week?"
After seeing the client out, Kalinda muttered in frustration.
As an excellent investigator at the firm, she prided herself on self-control. She followed cases tirelessly, dealing with people of all walks of life, facing constant legal risks and occasional threats to her life—all for a modest annual salary of $100,000.
Yet this arrogant man, Chuck, was about to sit in court, reading jurors' microexpressions, and effortlessly earn $60,000 in a week.
Where was the justice in that?
"Let's hire him for two weeks!" Diane declared.
"Are you serious?"
Kalinda couldn't believe it.
"As long as the client trusts him," Diane replied with a smile. "We're not the ones paying."
Kalinda had no retort and returned to the meeting room, giving the female lawyer a nod: "Two weeks then."
"Dr. Wolf, now we can discuss the case, right?" the lawyer asked with a smile.
"These are the files. Take a look first," she added.
"No discussion necessary," Chuck said firmly. "I only observe jurors' microexpressions and report their thoughts. How you defend is your responsibility."
"Sounds easy for you," Kalinda remarked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"That's always been the case for me," Chuck nodded matter-of-factly. Then, locking eyes with her, he added, "Do we need to continue?"
Kalinda instinctively avoided his gaze. She feared he might expose her inner thoughts and embarrass her—there were plenty to go around.
Luckily, Chuck's phone rang. He glanced at it, stood up, and said, "See you in court tomorrow!"
With that, he left, leaving only Kalinda and the female lawyer in the room. The two exchanged a knowing glance, silently agreeing to forget Chuck's comments about admiration and the like. Kalinda resumed her investigation work, while the lawyer delved into the case files to strategize for tomorrow's trial.
Elevator Lobby
"Dr. Wolf."
"Ms. Lockhart."
Chuck waited for the elevator and saw Diane arrive with her two nephews. He cast a glance at little Leonard, who looked up at him with an eager, pleading smile.
Chuck remained expressionless.
The elevator arrived, and he stepped in.
Having spent years in this world, he was used to seeing familiar faces from various American TV shows. His own body, however, left no room for the usual social warmth he might have shown little Leonard.
With Leonard's disappointed gaze behind him, Chuck exited the office building, took a taxi, and disappeared into the bustling night.
Luxury Hotel near the Airport
"You're here."
Stepping out of the car, Chuck saw a woman in her thirties approaching briskly—a blonde with a melancholy yet intellectual aura. She stopped about a meter away, her icy-blue eyes sparkling with joy.
"Alexis," he nodded, walking toward the hotel.
Alexis followed cautiously, keeping her distance. "I postponed my flight until tomorrow morning, just to be next door."
"I have court tomorrow morning," Chuck replied, checking his watch. "One hour and twenty-three minutes left."
"I can wait until you're done…"
Alexis stopped mid-sentence, knowing the impossibility.
They entered the room together. Alexis hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign.
1 hour 22 minutes later
Alexis stared at the sign, her blue eyes dimmed with sorrow, sitting quietly in her room.
Next door, Chuck unpacked methodically from his suitcase:
Digital timer
Small speaker
Strobe light
Prescription medication
A short baton, about the size of nunchaku
After arranging everything, he turned off the lights. Darkness engulfed the room. Then, deafening metal music blasted, accompanied by flashing lights.
Chuck sat on the bed, gripping the baton, repeatedly striking his thighs. The digital timer ticked relentlessly: 1 minute… 2… 5…
Through the wall, Alexis winced at the relentless noise, clutching an old photograph, tears streaming down her face.
Time was relative. Ten minutes for an ordinary person felt like an eternity for Chuck and Alexis.
When the timer hit 10:00, the alarm blared. Sweat-soaked, Chuck stopped, turned off the strobe, silenced the noise, and took a prescribed pill. He collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling, gradually relaxing.
Chuck had once been an ordinary person. Somehow, he had traversed worlds, inheriting a body, not beautiful in the conventional sense, but gifted in both physique and talent.
He expected to enjoy this new life, yet the body came with severe autism.
No matter how much he wished for connection, his body resisted.
Even as his consciousness replaced the previous occupant's, he couldn't fully overcome the neurological barrier. Over the years, his high intellect slowly fused with the new body, altering his perception of the world, tinting everything with unusual colors.
Without adaptation, he would fade into a shell—retaining memories of a traveler, but unable to communicate, lost in a lonely genius's mind.
Luckily, his predecessor's father was strict and refused to hand him to doctors, training him personally.
If light and noise were intolerable, then exposure and training would gradually build resilience.
Chuck's training had long been established when he arrived. It allowed him to interact, integrate into society, and preserve his consciousness—delaying the catastrophic fading of self-awareness.
Yet complete control over his body remained impossible.
Fortunately, he had the standard traveler's system: the Yin-Yang Life System
Host: Chuck Wolf
Yang Points: 196
Yin Points: 15
365 points of Yin-Yang collide to generate one drop of Life Water.