Twin Star Town, a peripheral district surrounding Center City, was just like countless other unnamed small towns completely unnoticed.
The town’s main functions were processing agricultural products and generating population.
However, the latter was a common feature shared by most regions, so the true representation of Twin Star Town lay in the few processing stations and factories scattered throughout the town. They gave this small town its very purpose.
The town’s security department had few personnel, and idleness was the norm. This didn’t mean Twin Star Town was harmonious and friendly, but rather that the standards were simply low. Occasionally, when an accident happened or a handful of people died, it was hardly considered a big deal.
The leadership of the security department rotated every few years; the last change was three years ago. So, in theory, Wen Fang, the Town Warden, still had a year or two left here.
Wen Fang was in her thirties, not unattractive, yet seemingly indifferent to appearance and dress. She wore her plain, old-fashioned clothes day in and day out, all year round the same style. Weather changes only meant putting on or taking off a jacket for her. Every day, she sat in her office playing on her phone, occasionally joining a meeting to say a few sentences that sounded important but ultimately accomplished nothing.
But the security department here had always been like this, and one could only say that they got a leader who fit the environment well.
That day, Wen Fang, as usual, wore her dull overcoat and sat behind the desk, pulling out her phone, ready to start another day of idling. Suddenly, an unknown number called in.
“Ne 7.”
“Hello, hello, this is Milk Baby Dairy Company. May I ask if you would like to subscribe to our fresh milk delivery service? Delivered punctually to your mailbox every morning. We also offer yogurt and various flavors… Don’t hang up! Just kidding well, not really. This phone actually belongs to a salesperson from Milk Baby Dairy Company. I borrowed it while he was asleep.”
The tone was extremely familiar, far more suited to sales than actual salespeople.
Wen Fang frowned: “Morris, why are you calling me? Didn’t you say you were done dealing with those clowns?”
As a low-level member of the Supreme Society, Wen Fang knew only a few people inside it, and Morris happened to be one of them. This guy was just like his nickname slick-talking and smooth. Even if you didn’t say a word, he could keep chatting with you for half a day.
“I said it’s been a while since we talked. I just wanted to chat with you. Do you hang up when I call? Alright, alright, don’t hang up yet. Seriously, someone important from above sent a message. Ever since the Benjett incident, the security department is furious and eager to catch some internal traitors. I’m passing this on to you middle-level insiders… ah, I mean covert agents. Be careful.”
After hearing this, Wen Fang chuckled: “Why tell me this? I’m just waiting for someone important in the Society to help promote me. Until then, there’s nothing I can do because I haven’t done anything.”
She had no suspicions for now. Why on earth was she being investigated?
“Of course, I know you’ll be careful. This is just a routine heads-up. I have a lot more calls to make later. I called you first because we know each other. You’re an indispensable member of the Society. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Then go make your other calls. Don’t waste time here.”
Wen Fang hung up, pretended to tap the end call button a few times, then picked up again.
“Am I really an indispensable member of the Society?”
There was a slight pause on the other end before Morris’s laughter came through: “I think you are.”
“I find this person has a lot of contradictions about her.”
When Shen Ning arrived at the activity room, the meeting had already started.
Xiao Si Nuo was holding a pile of organized materials and reporting to Officer Xu.
Xu Chuyao noticed her girlfriend had come, so she shot her a fierce glare.
Shen Ning felt a bit guilty, said nothing, and quietly sat down.
“What’s there to be afraid of? She dares to glare at you like that? How outrageous! Just pick her up and rough her up!”
No one needed to guess who said that; it was pure emotion with no practical basis.
Fortunately, Xu only gave a sharp glance and then turned back to listen to Xiao Si Nuo’s report.
“On the surface, it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but all these contradictions together raise serious doubts. The problem is, I don’t know exactly where the doubts lie… Ahem. Anyway, Officer Xu, please have a look.”
Xiao Si Nuo placed the organized materials on the table, some in paper form, others displayed on a tablet.
Wen Fang, female, 32 years old, her registered birthplace was an unknown small town, the same as where she currently worked. She grew up at the Spirit Power Academy in another main city—West Hunting City. Her path was smooth with outstanding talent. She was now a mid-level Three-Stage Spirit Power User and served as Town Warden of Twin Star Town, commanding the entire security department.
Because she was relatively young and just taking office, much information was publicly available. So gathering materials wasn’t the challenge—it was finding clues amid the mountain of documents.
Xiao Si Nuo had found a few.
“First is the earliest obvious contradiction. During her Academy years, the brilliant Wen Fang shone brightly,” he said, pointing to a photo and text for Xu Chuyao to see. “This is an interview conducted by the school just before her graduation.”
【The Honor of West Hunting City’s XX Graduating Class: Wen Fang is set to graduate with mid-level Second Tier Spirit Power User strength, her goal is the Star Sea.
Wen Fang: Climbing upwards is my life motto…】
Because this was an official report, both pictures and text were very clear.
Xu Chuyao clicked her tongue, thinking it was convenient to investigate such powerful people because of their numerous interviews and reports in earlier years. Like her and Shen Ning, they had been subjected to all sorts of probes and critiques online for months.
Moreover, unlike Professor Swina, this person’s status and ability were somewhat inferior, and she didn’t have any explosive projects. The Supreme Society had no reason to erase her past from the internet.
But…
“This report doesn’t show any issues,” Xu reasoned.
The girl in the picture was dressed elegantly, in what looked like Parisian fashion, talking about lofty ambitions, displaying the pride and poise of youth.
There really was no problem.
“Yes, but Officer Xu, please take a look at this,” Xiao Si Nuo handed over a not-so-old newspaper. “This is last year’s Twin Star Daily, the only local paper in Twin Star Town.”
[Approaching the mysterious security department Town Warden: Since taking office, Ms. Wen Fang has worked diligently, safeguarding our town’s security. She is frugal. According to security staff, Ms. Wen Fang owns only one set of clothes, wearing the same style all year round…]
The photo showed a woman dressed very plainly, almost old-fashioned. Although the weather wasn’t warm, she still wore a heavy overcoat. Compared to her Academy days, it was like night and day.
Xu Chuyao blinked: “Suddenly stopped wearing nice clothes after graduation?”
“Even if she doesn’t like dressing up, there’s no need to deliberately dress so badly,” Xiao Si Nuo pointed to the tablet. “Also, look closely at the edges of this photo from that interview.”
He pointed to the corner of the image, where beside the smiling host and spirited young Wen Fang, stood a girl wearing a fiery red coat. But she was standing too close to the edge, so the camera only caught her thick overcoat and a braided rope.
“I don’t know who she is, but my instinct tells me she’s related to Wen Fang’s current dressing style. Also, due to some reasons, I looked into other things and found that in small towns like Twin Star, or even larger counties, security leaders are below Second Tier peak. The newly appointed security chief in Center City, a man named Wei Lin, is publicly listed as early Third Tier.”
Xiao Si Nuo shrugged: “I don’t know, but I think that given her mid-level Three-Stage Spirit Power strength, it’s odd she’s still a Town Warden. Maybe she… offended someone?”
Suddenly, Xu Chuyao clapped her hands: “Exactly, Xiao Si Nuo! Your thinking is spot on, just enough for me to convince those above.”
“Good. I was shocked when I saw her strength and position. I worried for my own future, but after investigating, I realized she’s just different… ahem, hope this helps.”
In the afternoon, Xu Chuyao and Xiao Si Nuo discussed some details further and finalized a report to submit upstairs.
While her girlfriend focused on writing the report, Shen Ning sat beside her, absentmindedly snacking on treats from the activity room, not saying a word but certainly not skipping any food.
Flower worried she was too quiet and brewed a pot of tea for her.
“It’s not much. Minister Long isn’t that strict. A little joking around is fine.”
Xu Chuyao put away the final draft and glanced outside. The sun was already setting; her phone showed 18:15. Afternoon classes were long over.
“Let’s go… Did you hear me? I’m talking to you!”
The girl eating snow cakes froze briefly, then saw her girlfriend’s fierce gaze and realized it was time to leave. She swallowed her tea and snow cake, grabbed a few tissues, and wiped her mouth while walking.
Leaving the activity room, walking back to the dorm together, Xu Chuyao glanced at the girl.
“Why stand so far? Come here.”
Shen Ning silently took a few steps closer.
“Alright, you’ve really grown up. Now you know how to lie and sneak around.”
“Saying you’re tired was a lie.”
“Xu’s already given up, then suddenly climbed back up—it was a sneak attack.”
The female lead had no honor, using both lies and sneak attacks. Shameful!
“Outrageous! She dares to lecture you,” the Suppressed Reflection raised her fists, “Quick, drag her into the nearby flower garden and rough her up!”
But Shen Ning was a normal girl. She wouldn’t do such things. Yesterday, she did play some tricks on her girlfriend to complete a mission, so now she was obediently lowering her head to accept the scolding.
“Also, let me ask you something,” Xu Chuyao glanced at her: “Why did you suddenly get mad yesterday?”
Xu had dreamed about this all night and still couldn’t figure it out. 2000 Counter Villain Value wasn’t small. She recalled when she sneaked into Shen Ning’s dorm to steal a book, holding a dirty novel and reading it while running away—it took over ten minutes to rack up that number.
“You… used that thing to do that thing,” Shen Ning whispered.
Xu blinked dumbfounded: “That? Really?”
“Yes.” The Suppressed Reflection answered from nowhere, “All the sisters had the same reaction when they found out.”
Not to mention Xu, even Shen Ning herself was shocked when she got jealous over a self-made weapon yesterday. All reflections were stunned; even the Milky Ning Reflection, lying in the rocking chair, sat up and said she’d never seen such a thing.
“Anyway, that’s what I mean,” Shen Ning said with a flushed face, “I was right beside you. You shouldn’t have used something else.”
She was right there watching. She wasn’t lacking hands. How could she use something else?
Xu was so mad she almost laughed: “But you said you were tired, lying there unable to move.”
“You just lay there doing nothing, and I had to find a way. What’s the problem?”
“I… I was just resting.”
“That’s fine if it’s fine, but if it’s not, what does ‘resting’ mean?”
Xu knew she wasn’t tired. She also knew Shen Ning knew she wasn’t tired. Shen Ning knew Xu knew she knew… In short, the boisterous girl purposely said this, making Shen Ning blush.
“I won’t do it again,” she promised, “I won’t get tired anymore.”