Chapter 301: Is It Really This Terrifying?  

Xiao Yu’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.  

An inexplicable feeling of danger flickered in and out of his chest, an ominous premonition that couldn’t be put into words. The sensation told him one thing. If he signed in, he might encounter something entirely unknown.  

But as a police officer, now also serving as a national security operative, could he truly ignore danger once it reared its head?  

Silently cursing to himself, Xiao Yu made his decision.  

‘Sign in!’

【Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully signing in to the case!】  

【System reward granted: Ability—Assassination Expert.】  

【Mission issued: Solve the “Novel Chain Case!”】  

【Time limit for solving the case: 25 days.】  

【If the host completes the task within the time limit, an additional reward will be granted: System Skill—Mongoose’s Stomach.】

【Failure to complete the task within the time limit will result in the forfeiture of the system-granted abilities.】  

【Mission countdown begins now.】  

Like a tidal wave, data, skills, and abilities flooded Xiao Yu’s mind. Without giving him a moment to react, the knowledge fused into his body, etched into his brain, spreading to every corner of his being.  

All of it—every shred of information—centered around one thing: killing.  

A myriad of methods to eliminate any target Xiao Yu chose, employing stealthy, silent, and undetectable means.  

‘Assassination. What the…’ Xiao Yu nearly jumped out of his seat.  

‘System, what the hell?! I’m a police officer, not some assassin. Why would I need this kind of ability?!’

But, as always, the system didn’t care to respond. Its personality had been consistent for years. The system gave him things without asking for his opinion.  

Once you signed in, the ability was his—whether he wanted it or not.  

He didn’t get a choice.  

Suddenly, a phrase popped into Xiao Yu’s head: This man… this system must not be allowed to exist, it’s a calamity waiting to happen. 

With a face growing paler by the second, Xiao Yu forcibly “muted” the newfound assassination abilities. But not before catching a glimpse of the hundreds of ways he could silently and efficiently take out Wang Dong, who was currently sitting across from him.  

Even the chopsticks and toothpicks on the table were potential weapons.  

Wang Dong, the seasoned national security officer that he was, instantly sensed a strange wave of danger.  

He turned to Xiao Yu, puzzled.  

“What are you staring at me for?” Xiao Yu glared back. “What’s with that hopeful look in your eyes?”  

Wang Dong, “…”

‘What the hell is wrong with this kid?’

The fleeting killing intent must have been a figment of his imagination. After all, there was no reason for Xiao Yu to kill him.  

Sitting nearby, Shen Zhengyang glanced between the two, confused by their odd behavior.  

The three men continued their meal in silence, with none taking responsibility for the unsettling aura that had just filled the room.  

***

After the meal, Xiao Yu spoke up.  

“I need to head to C City and see the scene in person.”  

Then, as if it were an afterthought, he added, “Let Fang Shuoxin keep writing.”  

Wang Dong and Shen Zhengyang exchanged bewildered looks.  

Xiao Yu explained, “Whether or not he continues writing, it doesn’t seem to matter anymore. I’m even considering having him write upcoming scenarios in advance, maybe we can preemptively catch this special agent or whoever they are.”  

Unfortunately, Xiao Yu had already tested that idea.  

Whenever Fang Shuoxin tried to write about an event before it occurred, his creativity would inexplicably dry up.  

Weird? Not really.  

Xiao Yu had a theory.

Fang Shuoxin could only write about events after they had already taken place.  

***

On the flight to C City, Xiao Yu sat with a furrowed brow, lost in thought.  

“Twenty-five days,” he muttered under his breath. “Looks like I’m in for another deadly challenge.”  

Experience told him that any system-assigned task exceeding twenty days was guaranteed to be life-threatening.  

Shaking off the grim thoughts, Xiao Yu refocused on the case. But no matter how much he analyzed it, the link between the novel and the crimes remained elusive. The whole thing was too bizarre. Too suspenseful. 

It teetered dangerously close to the realm of the supernatural.  

Logical reasoning alone wouldn’t crack this case. He had to investigate the scene for clues.  

“Thinking about your wife, huh?” Wang Dong teased, interrupting Xiao Yu’s thoughts.  

“Do I look like that kind of guy?” Xiao Yu scoffed.  

Though, he wasn’t entirely wrong. Xiao Yu missed her. A lot. Even the playful way she’d nibble at him sometimes.

“Ever handled cases like this before?” Xiao Yu asked, trying to change the subject.  

“Plenty,” Wang Dong replied, his tone laced with nostalgia. “We’ve dealt with all sorts of bizarre incidents in the Second Group.”  

“Like?” Xiao Yu’s curiosity was piqued.  

“Our cases all start at D-level or higher. Thinking back, some were downright chilling. There was one—an eating human flesh case.” Wang Dong’s voice dropped. “The perpetrator killed his wife, ate her, then killed and ate his two kids over the course of six months. He even turned their bones into powdered amber.”  

Xiao Yu, “… “

He wasn’t sure whether to feel horrified or disgusted.  

“Then there was a string of nine murders involving female corpses,” Wang Dong continued. “The killer would dismember his victims, removing their heads and limbs before violating their remains.”  

Xiao Yu sucked in a sharp breath.  

“But the one that sticks with me the most,” Wang Dong said, his expression darkening, “was a dismemberment case. The victim was a woman. At the first crime scene, we found over 500 pieces of boiled flesh. Then another 500 at the next site. And another 500… In total, the victim was chopped into more than 2,000 pieces. The last 500 pieces? Gone. The killer had turned them into dishes and served them to his neighbors and mother-in-law.”  

Xiao Yu froze.  

“The victim was his wife.” Wang Dong let out a heavy sigh. “She wanted a divorce after discovering his affair. Said she’d take the kids. That was his motive. He was utterly ruthless.”  

Xiao Yu frowned. “How do you even…?”  

“The killer,” Wang Dong explained, “was a chef. His knife skills were impeccable. None of the neighbors or his mother-in-law realized they were eating human flesh.”  

Xiao Yu, “…”

‘Chef-level knife skills are really this terrifying?!’