Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Connections
Wu Chang followed the two into the Fighting Club. The interior was professionally decorated, with a Power Training Area, Fighting Zone, and Judo Area all available.
A few people were scattered around training, and upon seeing the baby-faced duo return, they waved to greet them.
Everything seemed very natural, as if nothing was amiss.
But having nothing wrong was the biggest abnormality.
Wu Chang quietly asked the baby-faced man, "Is this really the Management Bureau?"
"Is there a problem?"
"It’s a bit different from what I imagined." Wu Chang didn’t hide his disappointment.
Come on, this is supposed to be the Abnormal Phenomena Management Bureau, one of the top three forces in the Abyssal Game.
In his imagination, even if the Bureau’s base wasn’t as exaggerated as the movie "Men in Black," he should at least see creatures from different Planes roaming freely, or perhaps a fantasy-style secret base.
The crew-cut middle-aged man saw through Wu Chang’s thoughts and said:
"The important thing isn’t how the Bureau’s buildings look, but the people inside."
Wu Chang murmured, "So this is the reason it took half a month for you to find me?"
Crew-cut middle-aged man: "..."
"If you chat like this, you’ll kill the conversation."
The crew-cut middle-aged man led Wu Chang to the Rest Area and waved at the sunglasses-wearing youth punching a sandbag nearby, "Second Fire, come make a registration."
He turned to Wu Chang and said:
"Your statement will be handled by him. We have to find the next guy. As someone who’s been through it, I suggest you cooperate and answer all his questions. It’s in your best interest."
After speaking, he and the baby-faced man left the club.
The youth responsible for taking Wu Chang’s statement sat opposite Wu Chang, removed his sunglasses, and squinted as he eyed Wu Chang.
"And you are Wu Chang?"
Wu Chang skillfully recited a string of ID numbers, "If you’re looking for this person, yes, that’s me. Officer, may I ask how to address you?"
"Zhao Yan, Double Fire Yan."
Wu Chang pursed his lips, restraining the urge to smile. So the middle-aged man was calling him Second Fire, and he almost mistook his nickname for ’Second Fool’ and followed suit.
"Officer Zhao, regarding the act of bravery that day, is there anything you need my cooperation on?"
"Since the crew-cut guy could bring you here, he must have already confirmed your identity as a player. The statement can wait, let’s do a simple registration first."
"Every player has their own secrets; we understand. If there’s something you don’t want to share, you have the right to remain silent."
Wu Chang was already prepared for the so-called registration Zhao Yan mentioned.
The incident on the bus was straightforward. Just reviewing the surveillance footage would clarify what happened in minutes, no need for a statement half a month later.
With the Bureau’s capabilities, identifying Bloodthorn’s identity would be effortless.
To knock down Bloodthorn with an elbow, the Bureau definitely saw him as a player.
The statement was just an excuse; the Bureau’s real intention was to officially register him.
Every Abyssal Game player possessed power beyond ordinary people. They could be seen as minor superheroes, or as ticking bombs ready to explode.
The possession of powerful tools can stimulate a desire to kill.
When ordinary people suddenly acquire extraordinary power, especially after experiencing life-or-death scenarios in Instances, they might become numb and indifferent to Life.
Some might even believe they’ve become Dragons with both the ability and the right to decide others’ fates.
Taking it to the extreme, like Bloodthorn who worshipped an Evil God, they might become antisocial terrorists.
As guardians of social order, the Abnormal Phenomena Management Bureau couldn’t allow wild players to act freely.
Zhao Yan saw Wu Chang had no objections, so he began asking:
"What’s your current level?"
"Level 7."
"When did you enter the Abyssal Game and how many Instances have you gone through?"
"I became a player about eight months ago and have completed 13 Instances."
Zhao Yan inputted the data into his tablet and complimented, "Your level-up efficiency is impressive; surpasses most Independent Players."
"Thank you."
Wu Chang used the Calamity’s Incarnation Spirit Body ability. Through the Spirit Body’s perspective, he saw Zhao Yan mark his potential rating as B.
Since learning of the Bureau’s existence, Wu Chang knew this day would come, so he had prepared a spiel.
Before joining the Bureau as a player with the Moonlight Sanatorium clearance, he needed to "infiltrate" the Bureau and understand its true nature.
Since this was infiltration, it required being inconspicuous, not standing out.
In the Abyssal Game, every 5 levels was a threshold. Level 7 just barely climbed out of rookie territory but still fell within the newcomer category, not reaching the skilled player zone above level 10, making it ideal for experiencing and gathering intel.
Only, in his plan, Wu Chang didn’t intend to join the Bureau from the start, but to establish a connection first and gradually interact.
Approaching from the outside is the only way to see the full picture of the Bureau.
The registration was also an evaluation, and he needed to lower his rating.
Officer Zhao continued to ask, "Would you mind revealing how many Skills you have?"
Wu Chang naturally said, "2."
"How many?"
"2."
"I meant all skills, including passive ones," Zhao Yan emphasized, fearing Wu Chang didn’t get his meaning.
"Yes, including passives, a total of two skills," Wu Chang repeated once more.
He wasn’t lying. The Thunder Skill Fragment is a cultivation technique, and the Calamity counted as a talent, making his skill bar on the Attribute Panel indeed show only two skills.
This made Zhao Yan’s smile a bit stiff. He tapped his finger to change Wu Chang’s potential rating to C-Level.
Abyssal Game design difficulty is very smooth. To help beginners adapt to instances in the early phase with self-preservation ability, in F and E-Level instances, there are many opportunities to learn Skills.
That’s why F and E-Level instances are called newbie hatcheries.
According to statistics from various factions, in the newbie hatchery, on average, one learnable skill appears every two instances.
For some extremely lucky players, learning two to three skills in a single instance isn’t strange, and some even learn C-Level skills in E-Level instances.
At Wu Chang’s level, 9 to 11 out of 13 instances would be F or E-Level instances.
Zhao Yan couldn’t understand; how unlucky must a face be, and how eerie must the pass mode be, to learn only two skills in so many instances.
"Do you mind telling me what type of skills they are?"
Wu Chang shrugged and relaxedly said, "One is a passive gear usage skill, and the other is an active control skill."
"No damage skills?"
"None."
"..."
Zhao Yan was silent for a moment, then tentatively asked, "You didn’t clear the instances by just surviving, right?"
Wu Chang gave a thumbs up and praised, "Officer Zhao surely understands!"
Zhao Yan slapped his forehead; he seemed to now know how Wu Chang cleared the instances.
Wu Chang’s gear usage passive must be survival-oriented, avoiding direct combat from the moment he enters the instance, relying on survival skills to roam the instance borders.
Occasionally ambush a few small fries, gather intel, and always complete the instance strategy at exactly 40% completion without the slightest risk.
Indeed, there are players of this type, and their survival rate in the early phase is indeed high.
But the cost is, once out of the newbie hatchery and faced with the suddenly harder D and C-Level instances, they will struggle immensely.
Unless they obtain some powerful skill, players who only rely on surviving usually meet terrible fates.
Zhao Yan adjusted Wu Chang’s rating again, changing C to C-.
He was a bit reluctant, as if he must find an advantage in Wu Chang, asking:
"How about your Attribute Points preference?"
"I follow a balanced route, no weak points."
Tui!
At Level 7, that’s 30 free Attribute Points, balanced distribution, at best means no weak points, at worst means not good for anything.
The rating dropped from C- to D.
Zhao Yan was driven to not give up and must ask for an advantage, "Do you have any personal specialties?"
Wu Chang confidently replied, "I’m stellar at playing ball, especially resilient in physical confrontations."
"Seriously?" Zhao Yan’s mouth twitched, suppressing the urge to retort.
"If you don’t believe me, we can play a game of street ball."
Zhao Yan seemed thoroughly disheartened. His hand moved over to the rating as if intending to downgrade it again, but in the end, he did not.
"I have something to do, wait here for a sec, I’ll be right back."
He said and hurriedly left directly towards the lounge.
Wu Chang was curious about what Zhao Yan was going to do, so he transformed into a Spirit Body squatting by the lounge door.
As soon as he got close, he could hear Zhao Yan complaining.
"Sis, I’ve truly hit a wall, this guy is simply worthless; recruiting him to the bureau, my conscience would hurt."
Wu Chang peeked through the door crack and found that sitting opposite Zhao Yan was someone he knew.
Fang Hui’s girlfriend, Meng Yawen,
Meng Yawen ignored Zhao Yan’s complaints, speaking in a formulaic tone:
"Level up to 7 through 13 instances, and even caught a first-level wanted criminal Bloodthorn, both the level and the merit meet the requirements to join the Management Bureau."
Zhao Yan: "But the ratings..."
Meng Yawen extended a hand, slowly clenching it into a fist, her knuckles popping like firecrackers.
"Second Bro, between a painful conscience and a painful everything else, which do you choose?"
Zhao Yan shivered and immediately said, "I choose Wu Chang, the first time I saw this guy, I thought he was a talent, the future of the Management Bureau can’t do without him!"
Meng Yawen was very satisfied with Zhao Yan’s understanding.
"I promised a relative of mine to take care of Wu Chang if there’s a chance, keep an eye on him for me, and if anything happens to him..."
Zhao Yan stood at attention and said, "Please rest assured, Officer, Zhao Yan will definitely complete the task!"
As the conversation inside the room was about to end, Wu Chang sent his spirit body back to his corporeal form.
Fang Hui’s peculiar attracting physique was continuously on the rise, didn’t expect his new girlfriend to be a member of the Abnormal Phenomena Management Bureau, and from the sound of it, her position wasn’t low.
He rubbed his nose, didn’t expect that one day he would become a connection holder.
Anyway, given his registration record, he wouldn’t stand out in the Management Bureau, why not join and try?