Chapter Thirty: The Beggar Who Shadows Every Step

“Let’s have a good meal! Work officially starts tomorrow!” Qi Chen walked home brimming with joy.

He hadn’t expected that the files Fu Ying handed him would also include his first month’s salary—in fact, a bonus for his excellent handling of their last supernatural case. The thickness of that envelope, the weight in his hand, felt almost unreal; never in any of his previous lives had he received so much money all at once.

Now that his financial foundation was secure, he felt compelled to reward himself. Otherwise, what was the point of saving so much if he couldn’t enjoy it? As he strolled past storefronts, Qi Chen idly reviewed the detection results in his hand, seeking a deeper understanding of his own abilities.

Name: Qi Chen
Age: 24
Supernatural Power Level: A
Supernatural Mental Strength: B+
Supernatural Projection Range: E
Overall Assessment: Excellent potential, currently low risk of loss of control.
Current Affiliation: Special Operations Group One, Supernatural Mental Anomaly Division, City Number Three
Mentor Partner: Yue Lie
Codename: Pending
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A glance at the data gave Qi Chen a general idea of himself. According to the report's analysis and recommendations, since he had yet to discover any unique supernatural abilities, his current talents seemed best suited to close combat.

And not just ordinary close combat, but exceptionally potent abilities. The division’s specialized training would soon focus on instant reflexes, combat skills, and comprehensive enhancement tailored to his strengths.

With systematic training, his combat prowess in supernatural matters would undoubtedly reach new heights.

The thought excited him—wouldn’t that mean he could resolve more cases and earn even greater bonuses?

“Pah! I need to set more lofty goals for myself. How can money so easily cloud my vision?” He chastised himself righteously, yet the reassuring thickness of the envelope at his fingertips made him smile despite himself.

Suddenly, an oddly discordant figure appeared in his field of vision, catching his attention.

A ragged man knelt by the roadside, his only right hand clutching a bowl, glancing ceaselessly at the passing crowd.

Even in the remote neighborhoods where he’d lived before, Qi Chen had never seen a beggar. How could there be one in the city center?

Curious, he walked slowly over.

As he approached, the beggar abruptly turned his head toward him. His neglected body exuded a pungent sour stench; his mouth, half-open, revealed few good teeth, his skin loose and sagging. He looked less like a beggar and more like a refugee.

“Kind soul... could you spare me something to eat?” The beggar, trembling, lifted his filthy white hair with his hand, exposing a pair of cloudy eyes that gazed at Qi Chen with pitiful hope.

“Wait here for me.” Qi Chen said little, turning toward a nearby shop. He returned with a bag full of coarse bread.

“Take your time, old man. Don’t rush,” Qi Chen squatted down, warm concern in his eyes. He reached into the sack and pressed a rough bun into the beggar’s stiff hand, twisting open a bottle of water and handing it over with a cheerful smile.

Qi Chen prided himself on his kindness.

Having just received a generous bonus, how could he ignore an elderly man who couldn’t even afford a meal?

He was alone, with nothing urgent at home. Why not stay and accompany the old man until the buns were gone?

The beggar seemed deeply moved by such goodwill, mechanically lowering his head to chew the bun, shoulders quivering. Qi Chen’s eyes nearly grew damp.

“That’s enough, sir. Too much at once isn’t good.” Qi Chen glanced at the empty bag, smiled, bid the beggar farewell, and resumed his journey home, pondering where he might indulge himself with a good meal.

Yet, barely ten minutes after departing—

Qi Chen suddenly spotted that same familiar figure—the old beggar.

The beggar knelt by the roadside, turning to meet Qi Chen’s gaze. Despite the distance, both instantly recognized each other.

“Damn! Did the buns I bought earlier fail to satisfy him?”

Realizing his mistake, Qi Chen hurried to another snack shop, bought another bag of food, sampled it himself, and found it tasty—surely the old beggar would like it.

“Here you go, sir—this time it’s enough!” Embarrassed, Qi Chen scratched his head, placing the food in the beggar’s arms, not noticing how the old man’s expression grew increasingly vacant.

He watched as the old man slowly finished the heartfelt meal and left, feeling relieved—now he could look for his own dinner guilt-free.

This time, he didn’t move off immediately. Instead, he took out the dedicated communicator issued by the Supernatural Division, calling a specific contact:

“Beep beep!”

“Who is it? Off duty, and still bothering me?”

A warm male voice sounded, impatient. Qi Chen guessed it might have something to do with the scene he’d witnessed before leaving headquarters.

“I found a strange guy on the street—a beggar.”

Qi Chen related his discovery, pointing out the oddest detail:

“I’ve been walking straight along one road, but after our first parting, the beggar somehow appeared ahead of me again. Don’t you think that’s strange?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” The warm man replied, pressing a hot towel to his bruised forehead. “He could be a remnant from the Repentance Guillotine incident, or perhaps just a rogue supernatural wanderer.

“Anyway, be careful. Go home first—I’ll finish up here and come find you.”

After some thought, the warm man decided to check on Qi Chen personally. No matter how promising his assessment, Qi Chen was still a rookie.

He wondered what it was about Qi Chen’s constitution that allowed him to encounter so many extraordinary events.

After hanging up, Qi Chen tucked the communicator away and headed home as instructed.

This time, he didn’t see the old beggar on the road again, making him suspect that perhaps his frequent dealings with the supernatural had made him overly anxious.

“Looks like Captain Fu was right—I really should schedule regular talks with her.” He nodded in agreement, pulled out his keys, and turned them gently in the lock.

Click!

The door swung open, but Qi Chen’s pupils contracted instantly!

A figure he’d just seen not long ago was standing in his living room behind the door, staring at him.

The old beggar raised his only right hand toward Qi Chen, mouth stretched in a ghastly grin as his ancient voice rasped:

“Kind soul, could you give me your hand...?”

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