Chapter 96: Full of Vitality (Revised)

Inside the temporary command center, several Supervision Bureau members were gathered around Yue Chengzhang, quickly reporting the situation.

"Captain, based on the informant's last transmitted coordinates and the tracking of residual energy, we have preliminarily locked onto an area centered on this barbershop with a radius of five hundred meters."

"We have already conducted a first-round sweep of all registered shops, warehouses within the area, as well as several known Undercurrent gathering points."

"What are the results?"

Yue Chengzhang's voice was low, yet carried an inexplicable sense of pressure.

"The team members responsible for the search found three locations with abnormal energy reactions, but after verification, two were ordinary industrial waste piles and one was an underground workshop, none of which matched the Mutation Feature emitted by the Gloomy Fluorescent Stone."

Another agent spoke at a rapid pace.

"We have already dispatched personnel to deal with that underground workshop. Additionally, we intercepted three groups of people attempting to leave the area; after brief questioning and scanning, we found no one carrying the target item."

Yue Chengzhang tapped his fingers lightly on the table, presenting a wholly reliable squad leader demeanor before his subordinates.

"The opponent is very cunning, or perhaps... the item has already been transferred in a way we didn't anticipate."

"Expand the search radius, focusing on recent abnormal personnel movements or suddenly quieted nests; even if the Mutation emitted by the Gloomy Fluorescent Stone is limited, large-scale storage cannot leave no trace whatsoever."

"Understood!" The agents, having received the order, quickly dispersed to attend to their respective duties.

Yue Chengzhang furrowed his brows tightly, as if pondering something.

Suddenly he sensed someone approaching, looked up, and his brilliant golden eyes precisely caught the silhouettes of a few people at the doorway.

The originally stern expression on his face softened into an infectiously bright smile.

As the few approached, they saw a youth just over twenty greeting them; his radiant golden hair emitted a soft glow even under the lights, never appearing overly glaring.

From a distance, the group saw him swiftly issuing commands to several subordinates, his tone steady and powerful, exuding an innate leadership.

"Tianyou, thank you for your hard work."

He first nodded at Min Tianyou, his tone gentle, but his steps and gaze unhesitatingly passed beyond him, heading straight toward Su Jingchuan behind.

"Jingchuan!"

Yue Chengzhang's voice carried unabashed familiarity and joy, and even from a few steps away he extended his hand, as if to pat Su Jingchuan's shoulder.

But under Su Jingchuan's distant gaze, his hand paused midair, ultimately turning into a natural gesture inviting him inside.

"I didn't expect us to meet again so soon, and under these circumstances."

His words were sincere, his eyes full of earnestness, and paired with that especially affable smile, "We truly appreciate you offering assistance this time; we're short on personnel here, and if you hadn't come on your own, we might have had to seek extra support."

Su Jingchuan's steps halted, his reaction starkly contrasting Yue Chengzhang's displayed enthusiasm, appearing unusually indifferent.

He merely gave a slight nod, his gaze courteously meeting Yue Chengzhang for a moment before shifting away; seeing Yue Chengzhang about to babble on, he interjected.

"Captain Yue, that's too courteous; I came this time to be responsible for the Mitra Academy student, and we need to find a way to resolve the issue he has."

He deliberately emphasized the title "Captain Yue," clearly delineating their relationship within official duties.

Yue Chengzhang's smile remained unchanged, a complex expression flashing through his eyes so swiftly it was impossible to catch.

He smoothly withdrew his hand, his smile still bright, feeling he had spared unnecessary chatter, and switched back to the squad leader mode of getting things done.

"In any case, with you and Mitra Academy's assistance, the Supervision Bureau's confidence in cracking this case has grown even stronger."

He deftly took the lead in conversation, preventing the atmosphere from cooling.

It was only then that his gaze followed the direction Su Jingchuan had indicated earlier, landing on Ying Duo standing quietly at the back.

When he saw that head, its hair still stubbornly emitting a faint green glow despite the myriad lights in the command center, Yue Chengzhang was visibly taken aback.

Wow......?

He curiously circled Ying Duo slowly, his intrigued gaze as if admiring a rare treasure never seen before; after several rounds he finally stopped, his tone brimming with unending praise.

"Wow, wow...... this truly... one glance is unforgettable."

He let out a light laugh, his golden eyes curving upward.

"What a rarity! I didn't expect to see such... vibrant 'green plant' in this grayish Slum. You, classmate, have taken good care of it!"

While saying this, thinking himself quite humorous, Yue Chengzhang also reached out to pat Ying Duo's shoulder, his eyes full of affirmation for Ying Duo's unique aesthetic.

This oddly vivid metaphor made several nearby Supervision Bureau agents, whose faces had been tense, unable to suppress a smile, though they quickly tucked it away, lowering their heads and pretending to be busy.

But that trembling shoulder revealed everything.

Su Jingchuan, hearing his words, closed his eyes outright; even though he had mentally prepared, the scene was still too unbearable to watch, and his mouth twitched harshly.

But having long heard of Yue Chengzhang's indiscriminate humor, he simply shifted his gaze aside.

Standing slightly behind Yue Chengzhang, Min Tianyou let out a silent sigh there, helplessly placing a hand on his forehead.

Captain Yue is great in every way—righteous, powerful, unafraid of authority, and a role model for many in the Supervision Bureau.

He is also highly reliable during missions; on the battlefield he protects everyone to the best of his ability. It can be said that no one in the Supervision Bureau fails to admire Captain Yue.

But why... can't he be steadier in ordinary times?

He feels profoundly powerless against his superior's "carefree" style.

Seeing Yue Chengzhang's attention seemingly wholly captured by Ying Duo's hair, and fearing he might utter an even more shocking metaphor, Min Tianyou quickly stepped forward, raised his voice slightly, and forced the topic back on track.

"Captain Yue! Regarding this 'vividly colored' Ying Duo classmate, his situation is somewhat special and ties into the mission we are currently executing."

Upon hearing the word "mission," Yue Chengzhang's smile receded like the tide.

He instantly straightened his back, the teasing in his eyes replaced by solemnity; the previously easygoing aura around him collapsed completely, giving way to a mountain-like steady and reliable presence.

He turned to Min Tianyou, his gaze like a torch, and said, "Explain in detail."

Min Tianyou exhaled, then promptly reported clearly and swiftly how Ying Duo had mixed the missing Gloomy Fluorescent Stone into hair dye at the barbershop, ultimately causing the Mutation energy to bizarrely fuse with the hair, making it inseparable.

Yue Chengzhang listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the edge of the table in a steady rhythm.