Xu Xiaoyou’s body jolted, and she quickly looked away.
She started whistling.
It had nothing to do with her!
Not long after, Aphrah was scolded until she cried and ran out of the office.
"That child is acting so strange today, suddenly coming down with some weird ailment. It’s like someone filled her head with a bunch of bizarre ideas—talking about talking back and PUA and whatnot."
Glos sat down and complained, poking Xu Xiaoyou’s shoulder. "Little Nian, do you have any idea what’s going on?"
"No, I don't know. I don't know anything."
Xu Xiaoyou felt guilty.
After a moment, she sat in her chair, two cards manifesting in her hands. She thought to herself that the effect was just too good.
【Skill Card: Linguistic Artist】
【Quality: paperback (green)】
【Effect: After use, permanently obtain the 'Linguistic Artist' effect. 'Linguistic Artist': You will automatically translate all languages and master all-language communication abilities. Your words will have more affinity and be more convincing.】
【Skill Card: Social Master】
【Quality: paperback (green)】
【Effect: After use, permanently obtain the 'Social Master' effect. 'Social Master': Your appearance becomes more charming, making it easier to draw others close. Base favorability from others increases. (Note: When others' favorability toward you is too high, danger!)】
These were the skill cards she had pulled using the credit points earned from debt collection not long ago; she hadn't found a chance to try them until now.
Initially, she had been a bit frustrated that she hadn't pulled a combat card, but after testing these, that frustration had completely evaporated.
Linguistic Artist and Social Master—combining these two cards was practically a cheat code. Just a few sentences had been enough to completely baffle Aphrah.
However, even she felt a bit strange; it seemed as though a lot of people in the office today were looking at her with weird expressions.
It was like the look a pack of wolves would give a little lamb, as if they were about to pounce and devour her.
Xu Xiaoyou felt a bit uneasy and silently tucked the two cards away.
These two cards seemed to work better on simpler people.
Xu Xiaoyou searched her mind for someone who could be called simple, and it didn't take long for someone to bubble up in her thoughts.
Should she try these two skill cards on Bai Youyou?
Xu Xiaoyou tried to imagine the scene, her face went pale, and she quickly shook her head.
Better not. That might actually end in a fatality.
She stretched, and just as she was planning to nap on her desk for a while, she heard several people nearby discussing something. Judging by their clothes, they were employees from other groups.
"Did you hear? About the recent business with Alley No. 5."
"Hiss, I heard! It appeared out of nowhere recently and has been causing quite a stir. Ghost Alley No. 5... and that thing about 'Supper Time.' Many people have gone missing already, including quite a few fixers from agencies."
"How terrifying. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps."
"I heard that the entire Alley No. 5 is an urban eldritch creature that wanders through any alley in the hive city. Who knows, it might suddenly appear while you're walking home at night."
"It's already become something of an urban legend in the hive city—the man-eating Alley No. 5. I wonder when the association will send someone to deal with it."
"In this hive city of ours, it'd be a miracle if the association even noticed..."
"I don't dare walk home alone at night anymore. Let’s head out together after work."
Xu Xiaoyou listened to their discussion from the side, her expression thoughtful.
She had also heard many things regarding Alley No. 5 over the past two days.
You could say it was the most dangerous and influential urban eldritch creature born in the Corrupt Hive City in decades.
The Fixer Association generally defined existences of this level as 'urban legends.'
Based on what she knew from the news, the entire Alley No. 5 was a mobile urban eldritch creature.
In fact, Alley No. 5 had appeared over a month ago, but back then its range and influence were small. Most of those who went missing were homeless people no one cared about, and it only circulated as a rumor among fixers.
But recently, Alley No. 5 seemed to have suddenly entered some kind of hunting state, actively preying on fixers who were alone in the city.
According to intelligence, this alley wakes up at 8:15 PM and begins its activity.
One moment an alley might be normal, and the next, it could instantly transform into Alley No. 5. The most obvious characteristics were the crimson moon and the red tide.
From within, a humanoid urban eldritch creature derivative called a 'dismantler' would be born. These things, which could barely be called living beings, seemed to be social, always appearing in groups.
No one knew how they were born from the red tide, nor where they went after they disappeared. All that was known was that their bodies were covered in thick alchemical armor and they carried metal tanks filled with the red tide on their backs.
All this information came from a fixer who had escaped from Alley No. 5. The person's mind collapsed shortly after escaping, and no matter what people asked, they would only repeat words like 'assimilation,' 'hunger,' and 'feeding' in a state of terror.
Xu Xiaoyou didn't pay it much mind.
In the eyes of the association, this level of urban legend wasn't even worth sending fixers to handle. Compared to legendary urban legends like the 'Death Call' or the 'Red High Heels,' the current threat of Alley No. 5 was practically nothing.
Those kinds of eldritch creatures claimed tens or even hundreds of thousands of lives in the hive city every day, entities capable of shaking the very foundations of the city and causing worldwide panic.
To the association, Alley No. 5 was at most a slightly larger predator that came out at 8:15 PM to eat a few unlucky souls.
Of course, if she were the one to encounter it, then forget everything she just said.
At most, her combat power was that of a grade 1 fixer; separately, she wouldn't even be enough to fill an urban legend's tooth gap.
While Xu Xiaoyou was lost in thought, a voice suddenly called out to her from outside the door.
"Xu Nian, the department manager is looking for you. Go quickly."
Xu Xiaoyou frowned.
Why would the department manager be looking for her at a time like this?
And he specifically asked for 'Xu Nian.'
She had only seen that werewolf once, during the newcomer meeting more than half a month ago...
Was it because she had completed so many debt collections in this half-month that she had caught the attention of the higher-ups?
With a thousand thoughts racing through her mind, she suppressed her doubts and agreed.
A short while later, she arrived at the department manager's office. She didn't knock, simply pushing the door open and walking in.
The powerful werewolf sat in the office with his legs crossed. His white round-neck shirt was stretched tight by his robust chest, and his fur-covered arms flipped through one document after another.
He showed no reaction when he noticed someone had entered.
Silently taking off his glasses and placing them on the desk beside him, the werewolf let out a yawn.
"Don't be a stranger. Just make yourself at home."
Xu Xiaoyou nodded, closed the door, and then naturally reached for a bag of potato chips on the werewolf's desk, tearing it open and popping a chip into her mouth.
"I didn't mean literally make yourself at home," the werewolf said, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
"Sigh."
Xu Xiaoyou knew she couldn't escape this ordeal. After a sigh, she spoke first.
"Supervisor Wilson, if you have something to say, just be direct."
Seeing the young girl so calm and composed, Wilson raised an eyebrow, his tone playful.
"Fine. Then as you say, let's be direct."
"Tell me, how did you get your hands on Xu Nian's ID card?"
"You're that certain?" Xu Xiaoyou asked back, appearing unfazed.
Wilson curled his lips, revealing the sharp fangs in his mouth. "Of course."
"Because I was the one who sent those three fixers to kill Xu Nian."
Rate on N.U.
