Chapter 53: Passing the Trial (Bonus Chapter for New Book Ranking)

Before making any modifications, Shi Rang faced two unavoidable questions:

First, based on past experience, any alteration had to be documented beforehand, locked and analyzed by the headquarters, and only after revision and “saving” would it take effect.

Would the file he created for himself be visible to everyone?

If the answer was “yes,” it would be tantamount to turning himself in.

Second, would this bring any negative consequences?

If this ability were all benefit and no harm, Shi Rang would immediately write a project to find Ying Shang, then another to make himself invincible, the next to restore the Mini People to their original state, and finally erase all the chaotic anomalies in the world once and for all.

But… was his ability really capable of that?

He wanted to test it but couldn’t find a suitable subject.

He couldn’t put Ying Shang at risk, worried the ability might harm himself, and couldn’t let the Mini People suffer due to his selfish desires.

The best approach was to make a tiny change to something and let the Bureau’s experts handle the aftermath, but he had already done that—it was precisely the initial alteration of the “Midnight Visitor.” From Kyle’s response, it seemed the content had come true, but Shi Rang still felt something was off.

Hadn’t an area of Greentown been evacuated recently?

Was that necessary?

Wasn’t the “visitor” supposed to have been dealt with?

Most importantly, if the altered outcome didn’t meet expectations, could it be changed back?

He tended to believe this ability was his “miraculous awakening,” but the effect had to go through headquarters, making it feel more like he was using this anomaly project in a way ordinary people couldn’t comprehend…

And headquarters wasn’t omnipotent.

It could determine anomaly details out of thin air and access them anywhere on specific devices regardless of signal issues, but it could only provide basic intelligence and countermeasures. The rest still required human testing, with room for oversight and error—the Mini People had even faked a “gas” attack.

Shi Rang’s talent was unique, but he wasn’t familiar with his own power.

This “special ability” was like a tremendously powerful gun. Compared to creating order, it was clearly better suited for sowing chaos and misery.

Holding the gun quietly, Shi Rang slowly removed his finger from the trigger.

The gun was already in his hand—that was enough.

Until the situation was clear, he wouldn’t act rashly unless absolutely necessary.

At that moment, his body in reality felt a tug, disconnecting from the virtual and snapping back. He found Jack hanging onto his collar, pulling him.

Shi Rang quickly assessed the surroundings—some customers had entered the supermarket, but no one was coming toward him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Stop sleeping; we need to leave.”

“Now? But it’s just—already six o’clock?”

Shi Rang suddenly stood up but sat back down due to dizziness. After a moment, he picked up his long-forgotten helmet and battery from the floor and headed to checkout with his items.

Outside the supermarket, the parking lot was packed, and the sky showed an unusual brightness just before sunset.

Shi Rang looked at the dramatically changed sky in confusion. Losing body sensation had affected his sense of time.

Seems he couldn’t casually browse websites outside anymore.

Fortunately, no one had stolen the electric bike.

Before darkness fully descended, Shi Rang rode home.

The battery was more than half drained, so he slowed down and turned on the headlight.

Most of the Mini People had crawled into the plastic bag holding the food, nestled between his legs on the footrest to avoid being blown away by the wind, leaving only Jack clinging to his collar.

---

“Are we going to pick up the sheriff and the others?”

“The Bureau agents are in Yunling New District; we need a safer plan…”

The new district wasn’t far from the supermarket. Within minutes, Shi Rang spotted the abandoned bus stop serving as the rendezvous point on the horizon. The sunset stretched the shadow of the broken sign far along the ground.

Shi Rang signaled Jack to hide and carefully controlled the bike, slightly diverting his attention.

This time, he didn’t activate both headquarters’ information reception and sensing—only the latter.

The sensing range spread in a circular radius centered on him.

First to be detected were Jack and the bag of Mini People. Further ahead, inside a building that looked like an abandoned house, there was a distinct signal source.

[Field Operations Department Yunling City West District Group A Communication Device #7274]—that was the signal’s name.

Shi Rang’s palm grew damp with sweat. He casually drove past the sentinel nearby and even overheard the sentinel speak through the device:

“A vehicle has entered the restricted area, over.”

More signals appeared soon after.

Four, eight, twelve, sixteen… at least thirty people carrying communication devices were in Yunling New District. Both the Field Operations and Research Departments appeared in the signal names.

This lockdown and accompanying carpet search would not end today.

As the signals grew denser, an abstract and blurry map unfolded in Shi Rang’s mind—a super-simplified, zoomed-in version of the global map from headquarters. He focused, beginning to differentiate the unique fluctuations beneath the signals belonging to anomalies—

Fifteen faint, flickering signals like dying candles appeared diagonally ahead.

Found them!

The reconnaissance team and Shi Rang thought in unison. They passed the bus stop rendezvous point and advanced more than twenty meters toward the supermarket.

This must be a long trek for them.

Well done—that gave them a chance!

Shi Rang assessed the position of nearby lookouts and glanced at the shopping bag between his feet before steeling himself. As he was about to pass the reconnaissance team, he suddenly swayed sideways as if dizzy, falling with both bike and body onto the roadside.

To bystanders, it looked like he had lost balance over a pothole.

…Overall, the idea was good, but the execution was imperfect.

Shi Rang had planned to fake a fall, using his foot to cushion the carton of eggs in the bag.

But multitasking reduced his control over his body. He accidentally pressed too hard; the foot he extended got trapped under the electric bike, and he heard a heartbreaking “crack.”

The eggs were broken!

---

“Shi Rang!”

“We’re here!”

“He’s heading toward the bus stop; what do we do? He’ll misunderstand—hey?!”

The reconnaissance team was struggling by the roadside.

To catch Shi Rang’s attention, they had even grabbed a small tree, trying to make themselves more visible.

Then Shi Rang fell.

They were stunned for a moment—he fell precisely, his head hitting a Mini Person.

“Don’t waste this chance, move!”

The sheriff shouted to rouse everyone, and the reconnaissance team quickly climbed into the folds of Shi Rang’s clothes to hide.

---

Though they didn’t understand what was happening, hearing Shi Rang’s half-limp, half-heartbroken groans, even the Mini Sheriff couldn’t help but exclaim:

“His acting is really good!”

At least the goal was achieved…

Shi Rang crawled out from under the bike, hopped to steady it, and quickly left.

He no longer had to fake pain. Out of the twelve eggs, six were completely smashed, yolks and whites leaking into the bag. The Mini People scrambled to higher ground to avoid the “flood.”

Ten bucks gone.

Shi Rang still kept himself distracted, “tied” to the nearest communication device. At this moment, he heard chatter on the device’s channel:

“Isn’t that the white electric bike from this afternoon? How did he just happen to fall here? Should I detain him for a check?”

“Yellow-skinned, wearing a helmet. The task force mentioned this guy… Right, they met him at the supermarket this afternoon. He’s a reporter who applied for investigation rights, but his mental state isn’t good—suspected PTSD.”

“That’s the reporter who exposed them—let him through. The alliance will protect him for that positive news. Don’t provoke the alliance.”

“Calling B post, alarm lifted. Let him through.”

As the bike pulled away, the voices didn’t become muffled but vanished instantly once out of sensing range.

The wind chilled Shi Rang’s skin. Sweat soaked him, making him cold from head to toe.

This should count as passing, right?

The ankle pain faded into an itching healing sensation. He didn’t dare look back to see if anyone was following him, gritted his teeth, and pretended the pain lingered as he headed home.

Upon reaching a familiar neighborhood, he parked in front of a noodle shop he frequented. Shi Rang finally allowed himself to savor the joy.

Success!

He had slipped past the Bureau’s watchful eyes!

“Shi Rang, the Bureau agents found the place. They didn’t find blood, but it seems someone—”

The Mini Sheriff climbing into his ear began to speak, but Shi Rang gently shook his head, signaling he couldn’t listen for now.

As long as no blood was found…

Perhaps as a side effect of accessing headquarters and using his ability, his head felt foggy, as if overworked, leaving him powerless to think further. Carrying the damp plastic bag, Shi Rang locked his bike simply on the roadside and entered the familiar “Second Brother’s Fried Noodles,” sitting heavily on an empty bench outside and pointing at the signature fried noodles on the wall.

Even counting his hasty breakfast, he hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for over twelve hours.

The outside world was too dangerous now; everyone looked like Bureau agents to him.

Better to pack a meal to go.

“Long time no see, Shi Rang. Sit for a while. Don’t worry about your bike; I’ll watch it,” the owner said, taking a Coke from the cooler and placing it in front of him. “My treat—don’t count it against me. You look like you’re about to kick the bucket—oh, what a mouth I have… Sit down; I’ll ask them to make your noodles quickly.”

Shi Rang tried to smile at the owner.

He was grateful but couldn’t find the words. He placed the plastic bag by his feet, leaned on the table, and rested his head, enduring the torment of the surrounding food aromas. He was no longer the person who could eat here while chatting with fellow townsfolk; he only wanted to go home until he mustered enough courage to face the outside world again.

Suddenly, someone pulled out a chair and sat beside him, making him open one eye to size up the newcomer.

The woman, as if stepped out of a fashion magazine, lowered her sunglasses slightly, revealing smiling eyes.

“Alone, handsome?”