Shanhai University, Principal’s Office.

Yuan Dongzhi sat in her chair, video‑calling a trusted retainer from her family.

“Second Young Miss, No. 36 Source Site has been unusually quiet lately—no upheavals for months. I don’t know whether the other side has abandoned this passage, or is plotting something big.”

On the laptop screen, a crisp, short‑haired woman was reporting the situation at Source Site No. 36 to Yuan Dongzhi.

Yuan Dongzhi nodded and asked, “How is Qianxue doing in the Source Site? Is she adapting?”

“Very well. She’s growing rapidly—almost evolved to Advanced Tier 2.”

“Mm, faster than expected.”

“Second Young Miss, who exactly is Qianxue? Her physique is so special it hardly feels human—more like a different species from us.”

“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”

“S‑sorry, Second Young Miss. I was out of line.”

The woman on the call was flustered.

Yuan Dongzhi said nothing more only, “That’s enough. I have a student match to watch. Get back to work.”

She ended the call and pulled up the gymnasium feed to watch the coming bout: the No. 9 mechanical student versus the No. 8 evolution student.

* * *

After watching and seeing the mechanical student win, Yuan Dongzhi was a little surprised.

The Machine God Group was stronger than expected.

Mechanical modification had a real advantage in universality.

Unfortunately, no matter how powerful, its limitations were too great: it could only defend the home front on Earth, never enter the Source Sites.

Once inside, all electronic machinery fails. No matter how formidable, a cyborg becomes scrap metal.

* * *

Elsewhere, after watching the match, Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan soon left the gym.

One headed to the institute to study the script of the Blood‑Tempering Art.

The other returned to the dorm to do strength training.

They might live together now, but each had a separate schedule—their lives no longer moved in lockstep like before university.

* * *

Time passed quickly.

A few days later.

Friday afternoon after school.

They went back to the dorm, shouldered their backpacks and ordered an Uber to go home.

The school was close—about an hour later, the car pulled up.

Zhang Wanxin had been waiting outside.

Seeing them get out, she greeted them with a beaming smile, saying she’d prepared some snacks and freshly squeezed juice, urging them inside for a taste.

* * *

That night, both families gathered for dinner.

Right in front of their parents, Shen Qinghan turned storyteller, vividly recounting Lin Zichen’s performance in the Opening Trial—one punch per provincial top scorer, even crushing Gene Fusers, shocking the school leadership.

Their parents had long known he’d become Freshman King, but this was the first time they’d heard the blow‑by‑blow. All four were amazed.

Lin Yansheng teased, “Son, you’re not one of those so‑called ‘aberrant humans,’ are you?”

Many experts had speculated: if aberrant beasts exist, aberrant humans should too—though it’s never been confirmed.

Zhang Wanxin shot him a glare, “Our son came out of my belly. How would he be an aberrant human?”

Lin Yansheng laughed it off, “I was praising our son.”

Smiling at their homely banter, Lin Zichen then brought up the housing: as he became more famous, aberrant cults would probably target him, so for safety he wanted his parents to move onto campus.

Both parents were freelance web‑novelists. They could write anywhere. They agreed instantly—ready to move anytime.

Beside them, Shen Qinghan said her parents, Shen Jianye and Xu Meng, should also move to Shanhai University. As for work, the inner campus required general‑education electives; they could be placed as humanities teachers.

Her parents thought it sounded great and said they’d move after handing off their current school duties.

* * *

At 10 p.m. Lin Zichen opened the Catwoman task he’d accepted in the school app for more details.

Target codenames: Catwoman, The Juicer, Collector of Rods, Woman of a Thousand Faces.

Target strength: Biological Level Ordinary Tier 6. Extremely fast.

Activity pattern: Often appears in Shanhai City’s red‑light districts to seduce men, then lures them to secluded spots for intercourse; afterward she tortures and kills them, cutting off their reproduction “equipment” as trophies.

Notes: Target is highly skilled in disguise and very cunning; adept with various drugs.

Other: omitted…

Reading, Lin Zichen finally understood why the task had been posted so long without success.

The location range was too broad and the enemy too slippery—a tough catch.

But none of that was a problem for him.

With the combined effects of his Eye of the Sky and Danger Perception, he could sweep every red‑light district in Shanhai City.

As long as he searched thoroughly enough, he stood a good chance.

* * *

10:10 p.m. Lin Zichen styled his hair and altered his looks a bit so no one would recognize the Southern River Province exam runner‑up, avoiding unwanted attention.

He told his parents he was turning in early, then slipped out a second‑floor window, hailed an Uber and headed to the nearest red‑light district to start a carpet search.

On arrival, he used the Eye of the Sky to scan every person—man or woman—within sight, because the target used disguises.

He used Danger Perception to feel out everyone within range, checking their biological levels and focusing on anyone at Ordinary Tier 6.

“That guy’s eyes are scary.”

“What’s he doing?”

“He’s handsome, but that stare is creepy.”

Everyone swept by his gaze felt like mice under an eagle’s eye—an inexplicable panic.

A few women wanted to chat him up, but as soon as they neared, his sky‑piercing gaze made them retreat.

“Who the hell are you staring at!”

A burly man felt provoked and stomped over to start trouble.

Lin Zichen didn’t bother arguing; he unleashed his biological pressure, knocking the man out, then turned and left for the next red‑light district.

He’d swept this one already—no suspicious targets.

Could the target arrive right after he left and pass him by? Possible, but unavoidable. He could only hope luck was with him.

Tonights, luck seemed average.

Over the rest of the night, he swept ten red‑light districts, never meeting a single suspect.

By then it was 4 a.m.

It was too late; he went home to sleep, planning to resume the next night.

* * *

The following night.

He returned on schedule and resumed the sweep.

He covered several districts in a row—still nothing.

Just as he was about to head to the next area,

He ran into someone familiar—Ma Xiwei of the Gifted Class.

She had a man and a woman with her, both around twenty, both at Ordinary Tier 7—likely upperclassmen from Shanhai University who’d come along to help her with the Catwoman task.

“Bad luck!”

Ma Xiwei saw Lin Zichen too, pulled a long face, snorted and led her companions away.

Once they were farther from him, she stopped and told them, “Lin Zichen took the Catwoman task too. He must be here hunting her. We have to beat him to it and make him come up empty.”

“Leave it to me,” the young man said confidently, “I fused the Demon Hound gene. My sense of smell is razor sharp. I’ll find Catwoman first.”

Right after saying so, his expression changed.

He sniffed instinctively, then brightened, “I’ve caught her scent—she’s in that bar across the street!”

Ma Xiwei lit up, “Then let’s go arrest her—afterward we’ll drag her in front of Lin Zichen and make him fume!”

She still brooded over the swollen‑face incident from the Opening Trial. If she could annoy him, all the better.

The three hurried across the street toward the bar to apprehend Catwoman.