Chapter 237: 236 Probe the Depths

"Renew my subscriptions!"

After waiting in line at the post office's subscription window for quite a while, Hearing Li Ang finally managed to squeeze his way up to the service counter. He handed the pre-written list of publications to the clerk, then spoke at a rapid pace:

"Renew all of these, top me up for two weeks, I want the dual editions for the newspapers—both the mass-market entertainment edition and the political-business quality edition. For the magazines, I want the platinum versions with the special bonuses and supplements!"

"Very well, I'll process that for you right away!"

After taking the subscription form Hearing Li Ang had filled out and glancing at the long string of newspaper and magazine names on it, the clerk—who had been looking weary and rather indifferent while serving customers just moments ago—immediately broke into a smile like a trumpet flower that had just bloomed.

After clicking away on the counter for a while, tallying up the publications on the subscription form, the clerk said with a beaming smile:

"Mr., the total for all your renewed subscriptions comes to 7 silver wheels and 9 copper wheels. Do you happen to have our post office's stamp-collection card? If you're a regular customer of our branch, given your subscription volume, you won't need to go line up at the gift counter to get your stamps pressed—I can press the new stamps for you right here."

"If you're a regular customer at our bureau, based on your subscription volume, you won't need to go queue up for the stamp at the gift area — I can have your new stamp pressed for you right here."

Hearing the clerk's words, Hearing Li Ang couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. He then took out a stack of stamp-collection cards he'd found in the postmaster's drawer and passed them through the small side door of the window to the clerk.

The so-called stamp-collection cards were actually a disguised form of rebate that the various post offices and newspapers gave to retain loyal customers. After subscribing to a publication at the post office for the first time, one could receive a corresponding thin iron sheet, and each time one renewed a subscription at that post office, a stamp could be pressed onto the iron sheet with a machine.

Once the subscription time was long enough and enough stamps had been collected, the post office and newspaper would send out corresponding gifts and renewal discount qualifications, or invite the customer to participate in special events like the annual review ceremony or reader interest groups—essentially exclusive perks for major customers.

Under the dissatisfied gazes of the people waiting in line, the clerk behind the counter who was "eagerly sucking up to a major customer" abandoned even her regular duties, directly pulling out a stamp-pressing machine from under the desk, placing Hearing Li Ang's stack of stamp-collection cards on it one by one, and pressing away with a clanking sound.

After a short while, once all the stamp-collection cards had been pressed, the clerk didn't even wipe the sweat from her brow before handing the cards back with a smiling face, and even took the trouble to remind him:

"Mr., the stamps for the three publications you subscribe to—【Wine Traveler】, 【Sun Newspaper Mass Edition and Quality Edition】, and 【Meili Focus】—have all been collected to the maximum. You can go directly to the gift counter to claim your gifts. I just checked for you: the gift for 【Wine Traveler】 is a small bottle of specially selected Chardonnay dry white; the gift for 【Meili Focus】 is a Mei Kou lingerie fan card, which allows you to try on new lingerie styles in advance and get a 30% discount on purchases."

"As for the gift for 【Sun Newspaper Dual Edition】, it's a temporary pass. You can take it to the Sun Newspaper office across the street to visit any reporters or editors you're interested in, and ask about some of the hidden news that wasn't printed in the paper due to space or policy issues."

"I just checked for you — the gift for 【Grape Wine Traveler】 is a small bottle of specially selected Chardonnay dry white, and the gift for 【Charm Focus】 is a Mei Kou lingerie fan card, which lets you try on new lingerie in advance and get a 30% discount when purchasing."

After taking the stamp-collection cards back from the clerk, Hearing Li Ang, who had finally completed his "mission," couldn't help but let out a slight sigh of relief. He then followed the clerk's directions to the gift counter and collected the three stamp-collection gifts.

The small bottle of wine and the lingerie discount card went without saying—they were definitely to be brought back for the postmaster. If he guessed correctly, she must have had her eye on these two items for quite some time; otherwise, she wouldn't have been attending a meeting at headquarters and still specifically asked him to help her subscribe to newspapers.

After taking the stamp-collection card back from the subscription clerk, Hearing Li Ang, having finally completed his "mission," couldn't help but let out a small sigh of relief, then followed the clerk's directions to the gift area and collected the three stamp-collection gifts.

Looking at the pass in his hand, which bore a golden gear-shaped sun emblem, Hearing Li Ang hesitated for a moment on the street corner. He didn't board the public carriage, but instead set off on foot toward the Sun Newspaper office across Chaojie.

As for newspapers, Hearing Li Ang had neither the money to subscribe nor much interest in them in the past. Even when he occasionally needed to know some news, he'd just mooch off other people's old newspapers. Naturally, he didn't have any reporters he particularly wanted to visit.

However, yesterday while flipping through the postmaster's newspapers, he discovered she'd been clipping articles about his embarrassing photos. Beneath those reports about himself, he did come across a name that gave him quite the urge to pay a visit.

As for newspapers, Hearing Li Ang had neither the money to subscribe nor much interest in them in the past; even when he occasionally needed to know some news, he'd just mooch off other people's old newspapers, so naturally there wasn't any reporter he wanted to visit.

If he remembered correctly, the only anomalous-object holder who hadn't appeared at the rebel meeting was named Nicole, and the old Owen couple who treated Little Barkins as their own child had the surname Collins, so...

Was it possible that this reporter who'd written several exposé pieces about him was that twelfth rebel?

Although he was quite suspicious of the Sun Newspaper reporter's background, following Hearing Li Ang's usual habit, naturally everything came down to playing it safe—wait until the postmaster or Senior Emma returned before doing anything.

But since he'd gotten the pass from the stamp-collection card, he now had a perfectly reasonable excuse to investigate. Combined with the dual protection of the lamb's heart and the postmaster's hair, wouldn't it be fine to go scout ahead a bit early?

Although he was quite suspicious of that Sun reporter's background, following Hearing Li Ang's usual habit, naturally stability came first — he'd wait until the bureau chief or Senior Emma came back before deciding.

"Phew... these few days you've been undercover, you've almost suffocated me to death!"

After being taken out of the small mirror by Hearing Li Ang and stuffed into the shopping bag he was carrying, Hearing Heishanyang, who had been silent for a long time, couldn't help but complain:

"Isn't the undercover job over? Why are you still stuffing me into that broken mirror? Can't you just carry me like before? Let me tell you, that broken mirror of yours is incredibly cramped. Besides that worthless second-rate heart that nobody wants, there's just some dumb dog pup—not a single living thing to chat with! Staying in there is way too boring!"

"Fine, I'll carry you more from now on."

Although Hearing Heishanyang wasn't exactly a good sort, as a comrade-in-arms who had fought alongside Hearing Li Ang in the past and helped him through the most dangerous "newbie period," he still held a certain place in Hearing Li Ang's heart. Such a small request was naturally nothing to refuse.

And having gotten Hearing Li Ang's promise—no longer having to stay cooped up in the mirror world—Hearing Heishanyang was instantly in a great mood. After letting out two eerie chuckles, he unusually took the initiative to ask:

"Kid, just spit it out. Whose soul do you want me to look at this time?"

Hmm? In the past, although Hearing Heishanyang had cooperated, he'd always demanded this and that in return, never being this easy to talk to. It seemed these past few days had really gotten to him.

After thoughtfully eyeing the drastically changed Hearing Heishanyang, Hearing Li Ang showed the stamp-collection card and pass to the Sun Newspaper's gate guard while answering:

"It's a reporter named Nicole. I suspect she's the rebel's anomalous-object holder. I'm planning to go probe her background... the specific procedure is the same as before. Once we find her, if she lies, just give me a heads-up."

Hmm? In the past, although Hearing Heishanyang cooperated, he always demanded this and that verbally, never being this easy to talk to — looks like he's been cooped up pretty badly these past few days.

Afraid that Hearing Li Ang would find it troublesome and toss him back into the godforsaken mirror world to stew, Hearing Heishanyang, who had resolved to show off his "value," unusually exercised his own initiative and began proactively scanning the souls within a one-kilometer radius.

"'It's a reporter named Nicole, I suspect she's an anomaly holder from the rebel faction, I'm planning to go probe her background... the specific procedure is the same as before — after I find her in a bit, if she lies, you just give me a heads-up.'"

After looking around, seemingly noticing something off, Hearing Heishanyang's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly urged:

Afraid that Hearing Li Ang would find it troublesome and toss him back into the godforsaken Mirror World to stew, Hearing Heishanyang, who had made up his mind to show off his own "value," unusually exercised his own initiative and proactively began scanning the souls within a one-kilometer radius.

"Hm?"

After glancing around once, as if noticing something not quite right, Hearing Heishanyang's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly urged:

"Quick! Quick, put me away!"