I run a Taoist temple in a bizarre world.

Chapter 49 Dissipation, the Special Affairs Bureau's Recruitment

Inside the main hall of Qingshan Temple.

Chi Le checked the newly acquired items in his inventory one by one.

"The drop rate for second-tier demons is quite high."

"Not only did they produce two [Strange Creatures], but they also gave out three [Strange Cores] at once."

Chi Le looked at the [Four-Legged Toad's Toad Leg], [Four-Legged Toad's Flesh Tongue], and [Strange Core], which had increased in quantity by 3, lying quietly in his inventory.

Chi Le sighed.

But what surprised and delighted him the most was the [Mysterious Relic: Toad Shell].

Judging from the name, this thing is the shed skin of a toad, so it is definitely related to the appearance of a toad.

But in reality, it resembles an old-fashioned, loose-fitting outer robe with scattered dots that look like ink splatters.

Its effect is also very simple and straightforward.

[Mysterious Relic: Toad Molt]

[Effect: Significantly reduces physical damage from external sources up to the second-tier level.]

[Summary: Let's have a one-on-one fight!]

"This description... is it the four-legged toad's last words?"

Looking at the description of "Toad's Treasure Molt," Chi Le was somewhat puzzled.

However, this did not stop him from wearing this [mysterious relic].

You can hardly feel any weight on your upper body.

When you gently run your hand over it, you can feel a texture similar to thin gauze on your fingertips.

"Unfortunately, it can't be set to be transparent and invisible like in games."

"In that case, unless absolutely necessary, we can't wear it in the real world, otherwise it will be too conspicuous."

Chi Le looked at the clothes she was wearing.

His appearance changes automatically every time he enters Qingshan Temple.

Your head will be shrouded in a light white mist, and your clothes will transform into a dark, loose-fitting Taoist robe.

Now, adding this [Toad's Treasure Molt] doesn't seem out of place; instead, it creates a wonderful sense of harmony.

"We can't stay in Qingshan any longer; we have to go back first."

Chi Le summoned the door back to the real world and stepped out.

Back to Changxing Street.

With the death of the final boss, the four-legged toad, this eerie fusion area has begun to dissipate.

Chi Le could clearly see that the things in the swamp were fading at an alarming rate.

It's like a brightly colored photograph that suddenly turns into a black and white one.

In just a few minutes, Chi Le seemed to have stepped into a traditional Chinese ink painting.

His hand touched the leaves of the wild grass, which were no longer lush and green.

As if unable to withstand the slightest touch, the leaf shattered with a snap.

It immediately transformed into a gray-black mist, merging into the mist that already enveloped the swampy land.

The crisp sound just now was like the firing of a signal flare.

Centered on this blade of wild grass, everything around it began to collapse, shatter, and turn into mist.

Wild grass, sewage, silt, toad carcasses...

Everything in front of them that belonged to the swamp was crumbling.

Until the last wisp of mist in this bizarrely merged area dissipated, Changxing Street in the real world reappeared.

Chi Le returned to Changxing Street.

Even the barbecue table he was sitting at before he was swept into the mud was just a few steps in front of him.

"I'm back... I'm finally back!"

"Waaaaah..."

"Don't come any closer... Monsters, you're all monsters!"

The relief of surviving a disaster, the sobs after a breakdown, the stress brought on by the demons...

These sounds coalesced into a cacophony, assaulting Chi Le's senses.

He saw it.

He staggered to his feet and wandered around, seemingly searching for someone.

He heard it.

The person was curled up, seemingly clutching something tightly in their arms, and weeping bitterly.

He smelled it.

The familiar cumin flavor of barbecue, but mixed with an unfamiliar muddy and bloody taste.

Changxing Street is still the same as it was before Chi Le was drawn into the bizarre fusion area.

It's as if nothing has ever happened here.

But everyone is well aware of the changes this disaster has brought about.

Just like the glass of ice-cold beer on the low table where he ate barbecue, there are no longer any water droplets dripping from it.

"Ah Le, where did you run off to?"

Yu Xun's voice sounded from behind, bringing Chi Le's briefly wandering thoughts back to reality.

Yu Xun continued.

"Jiang Yu told me that we just met Li Yong, and then you left all by yourself. Where did you go?"

Who is Jiang Yu?

Chi Le was straightforward.

"Jiang Yu, the one with the super long legs, she's my type!"

Yu Xun replied immediately, a smile involuntarily curving his lips.

"Wait, you still haven't answered me, where did you go?"

But he quickly realized something was wrong and immediately pressed for answers.

After Yu Xun's outburst, Chi Le's sullen mood improved somewhat.

"What should we do with these people next?"

He still didn't answer Yu Xun's question, but raised his head and gestured to the group of people still on Changxing Street.

"I don't know either. This is the first time I've encountered something like this. It depends on what the higher-ups decide."

At this time, the entire Changxing Street where Chi Le was located had been sealed off.

Chi Le could see the yellow warning tape that had been put up at the street corner.

Outside the yellow line, people in uniforms began dispersing the crowd from a great distance away.

I imagine the end of the street will be the same.

Inside the yellow line, the staff of the Special Affairs Bureau had already entered and taken their positions.

Their division of labor is very clear.

Some people were carrying instruments that Chi Le didn't recognize, but which looked very professional, and they were testing and checking something one by one.

Others, however, immediately began to soothe the emotions of those who had survived the invasion.

"Second Brother Yu, I heard you've been doing quite well inside!"

"That's great, Second Brother Yu! Such a wonderful contribution, I'll treat you to dinner tomorrow night!"

The two people speaking were acquaintances of Chi Le, whom he had met before.

The two people who came were employees of the Special Affairs Bureau whom he and Yu Xun had encountered at the police station after they solved a gang of pickpockets.

The thin man is named Huang Wuwen, and the rather fat man is named Wu Dazhou.

The two greeted Yu Xun, and Yu Xun responded.

"Definitely, definitely!"

"Young man, haven't we met before?"

Huang Wuwen stroked his stubble and looked him up and down.

After a while, he slapped his forehead and suddenly realized.

"Oh! That guy from the police station, he's a really fun little fellow!"

"I heard from the statisticians that your performance there was quite extraordinary."

"He was clearly an ordinary person, yet he and Yu Erdi ran around inside, saving many people."

"You have the temperament and the guts... So, how about joining the Special Operations Bureau?"

Huang Wuwen extended an olive branch for the second time.

The first time was at the police station.

He became interested in the man who was chasing the pickpocket gang with Yu Xun.

Calm, bold, and empathetic.

These personality traits, not to mention meeting the Special Affairs Bureau's recruitment requirements, are practically made for the Special Affairs Bureau's employees!

As for combat prowess, that can be developed later.

"But he's never experienced it, not even once..."

Yu Xun tried to speak up to stop them, but was suppressed by Huang Wuwen and Wu Dazhou.

"Yu Xun, you know the rules, and he's already been exposed to them..."

Huang Wuwen tapped his toes on the ground, indicating that this area had just experienced a bizarre invasion of the real world.

You don't need to have been to the bizarre world; just being exposed to bizarre invasions of the present world counts.

Huang Wuwen took out a metal rod about the thickness of an egg and slung it across his shoulder.

"According to the rules of our Special Operations Bureau, you have been in contact with the bizarre."

"Either pass our test and join the Special Operations Bureau."

"Or...you've seen the Men in Black, right?"

Huang Wuwen suddenly changed the subject, shaking the metal rod in his hand.

"Of course, this works differently from the memory eraser in Men in Black. Our department doesn't have such high-tech gadgets."

"This thing is a replica, and it's probably used like this..."

As he spoke, he grabbed the metal rod and gestured a few times towards the back of Yu Xun's head.

"It's very easy to erase your memory of tonight. You'll only remember that you were on this street, but you won't remember anything that happened there."

"It's painless, and everyone who's used it says it's great."

So, what's your choice?