[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-player-reboot":3,"chapter-player-reboot-player-reboot-chapter-12":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Player Reboot",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2271977,4438,"Chapter 12: Rare","player-reboot-chapter-12",12,"\u003Cp>The corpses of the dead men and women immediately changed: their skin turned pale and swollen, covered with dense horizontal stripes like worms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Cheng, still breathing heavily, calmed his breath slightly, walked into the kitchen, and turned on the faucet to rinse the slime and blood from his mantis-arm bone blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then picked up a palm-sized plastic bag from the floor, emptied the nuts inside, and placed the six blood amber stones into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing, he scanned the scene, confirmed he had left nothing behind, tucked the bag away, and turned toward the balcony—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commotion here was too loud; neighbors might have already called the police. When they arrive, they’ll report the room’s condition to the Special Affairs Bureau, who will clean up the mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, Li Cheng did not knock on the master bedroom door to warn the two brothers inside that the outside was now safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For them, hiding and avoiding seeing their parents’ corpses was better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Li Cheng, aching all over, prepared to leap out the window, a gentle breeze swept past, and a figure appeared out of thin air on the balcony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a short-haired girl with delicate features, barely older than Li Cheng, wearing a brown wool coat and a gray fisherman’s hat, with a plump, adorable gray-and-white chinchilla floating beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes met. Silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind his sunglasses and hood, Li Cheng’s expression tightened as he prepared to snap out his mantis-arm bone blade again—or turn and flee through the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clap, clap, clap.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short-haired girl glanced at the messy living room, then suddenly clapped her hands and nodded. “There are two children’s heartbeats under the bed in the adjacent bedroom, and two corpses dressed in human clothing—escaped experimental subjects—on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from the family photo on the TV cabinet, they were a family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let me guess: you intervened and protected the children from these two experimental subjects disguised as humans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncertain whether she was friend or foe, Li Cheng gave no reply, carefully shifting his stance, his hidden hand already gripping the doorknob.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you design this outfit yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short-haired girl tilted her head, her voice rich and resonant. “Gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shoe soles wrapped in cloth and taped to prevent footprints, so police can’t deduce your shoe size, height, weight, gender, or even occupation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hood to prevent hair from falling during combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunglasses to avoid being captured on surveillance, so police can’t use image-enhancement software to identify your irises and trace your identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And you sprayed deodorant on yourself to prevent police from using odor-collection devices to extract human scent molecules from the scene.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone was admiring, her gaze appreciative. “Since you didn’t seek help from the Special Affairs Bureau, you’re probably a newcomer—no contact info for them? Did you figure all this out on your own?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And you didn’t call the police either—perhaps because you feared they couldn’t handle these two escaped experimental subjects and would just add more casualties?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A newcomer with brains, courage, ability, and—rarely—conscience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, in this day and age, you’re a rare species.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why rare?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Cheng spoke, his voice hoarse and low from damaged laryngeal cartilage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been five years since the Killing Grounds opened. National supernatural response organizations, the Global Supernatural Alliance, and civilian guilds are all well-established—with clear protocols.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short-haired girl said: “Newly awakened Summoners rarely come as pure as blank paper.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Cheng’s heart stirred. She clearly saw him as part of some group called “Summoners,” speaking of their world’s common knowledge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By regulation, newly discovered wild Summoners must be reported to the Special Affairs Bureau. But I’ve lived in this neighborhood for years—roughly speaking, you saved my neighbor. So I won’t report you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The short-haired girl pulled a gray plastic card from her pocket and tossed it casually.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Cheng didn’t reach for it; instead, he picked up the metal nutcracker from the coffee table and caught the card midair, glancing at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The front bore six lines of text:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Chang Sun Yao】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【General Manager of World Nuclear Peace House】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Address: Room 408, Building 2, Seg Tower Tech Industrial Park, Yunjin Road, Pu District, Yin City】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below were phone, email, and website.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The back showed a round, plump nuclear bomb graphic, with service details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【World Nuclear Peace House Services: Intelligence Trading, Security Services, Arms Procurement, Personnel Training, Equipment Repair, Engineering Contracts】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the bottom were two lines of small-print slogans:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Precise, Standardized, Reliable, Punctual, Efficient, Loyal】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Uphold Integrity, Value Reputation, Pursue Mutual Growth】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chang Sun Yao noticed Li Cheng’s caution but paid it no mind. She spoke coolly: “My World Nuclear Peace House isn’t far from here. Drop by sometime—might make a deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since you’re a true newcomer, I suggest you visit the company website on the card. There’s a hyperlink to the Killing Grounds forum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The newbie FAQ posts there will answer your questions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, gazing out the window. Sirens had already reached the street below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your neighbors have called the police. Officers are coming—and so will the Special Affairs Bureau. You’d better run now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Cheng slowly set down the card, nodded to her, and leapt out the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he had arrived, he gripped the gaps between wall tiles and the drainpipe, descending swiftly to the first floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fixed surveillance cameras in the compound had been knocked askew earlier by small stones—he’d cleared a path invisible to them. Li Cheng fled the compound swiftly, vanishing into darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two minutes later, a squad of Yin City police rushed up the stairs and smashed open the door with a battering ram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lead officer, gun raised, burst into the room and saw the chaotic interior, two grotesquely fallen corpses, and Chang Sun Yao standing calmly among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior officer immediately backed out, ordering his men not to enter, then pulled out his phone and dialed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, Tang Wenwei, team leader of the Fifth Mobile Task Force, First Squad of the Yin City Special Affairs Bureau, stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her, the black-suited agents efficiently secured the scene, took photos, scanned the pseudo-human corpses, and placed them in body bags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two agents broke into the bedroom, found the two children huddled under the bed, covered their eyes, lifted them out, and carried them downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One agent checked the scanner’s readout and reported: “Anomaly fluctuation index: 68. Yellow alert level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two corpses were originally human. Two worm experimental subjects, infected by the Lord of Worms, parasitized and replaced them. Caused this tragedy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no Divine Corruption fragments were found inside them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Wenwei turned her gaze to Chang Sun Yao, who met it without flinching. “I didn’t take them. The scene was like this when I arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Wenwei knew this. Chang Sun Yao’s combat style wouldn’t have shattered the living room so badly—if she’d fought, these low-tier experimental subjects wouldn’t have lived a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone else took the Divine Corruption fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What troubled her was that Chang Sun Yao arrived so early—without notifying the Mobile Task Force, and without activating the Shadow Realm to help track the Summoner who came first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divine Corruption fragments are serious threats to public order. This month alone, over twenty yellow-alert or higher anomalies linked to the Lord of Worms’ fragments have been reported nationwide.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Wenwei said sternly: “Miss Chang Sun, assisting the Special Affairs Bureau in maintaining order is every civilian organization’s duty—it affects us all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah. If I follow your wishes and activate the Shadow Realm to track that first Summoner, and he attacks me—what then? I protect public order—who protects me? Do I wait for you to come collect my corpse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chang Sun Yao laughed, flicked her hair dismissively, walked straight to the balcony, and vanished with the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Wenwei stared at the spot where she’d disappeared, lips slightly pressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To anyone else, Chang Sun Yao’s words would sound like stubborn nitpicking, baseless bickering—eating the meal, then cursing the cook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without the Special Affairs Bureau maintaining order, society would be in chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for her—Tang Wenwei had no rebuttal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chang Sun clan, like the Xue, Lu, Wang, and Shao families, had once signed contracts with the Special Affairs Bureau to help the nation establish itself in the Killing Grounds. In return, the state granted them privileges: business incentives, personal security guarantees, and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two years ago, the Chang Sun clan suffered a catastrophic blow—every member died, leaving only Chang Sun Yao alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Special Affairs Bureau’s security guarantees proved useless. Even afterward, they failed to uncover the truth behind the clan’s extermination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she had no grounds to be rebuked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget it. Let her be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Wenwei turned to her subordinates and ordered: “That Summoner just left. Collect all physical evidence: fingerprints, footprints, blood, hair, bodily fluids, skin flakes. Also, retrieve the compound’s surveillance footage and question the two children—see what they saw or heard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do good deeds and leave no name?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmph. If it were truly just about doing good, why take the infinitely dangerous Divine Corruption fragments?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Monitor the black market for Divine Corruption fragments. Find that Summoner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1527,"2026-06-19T22:31:22.154Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","b5a522c1f50572424bb982300e55003f656228c835940da6aed1cb25d83326fc","player-reboot-chapter-13","player-reboot-chapter-11",612,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fplayer-reboot-cover.jpg"]