Chapter Three: Tales of the Strange

It was that time between spring and summer, when the morning air was still cool. Yet Li Xueshu wore only a short T-shirt and jeans, her long, taut legs hinting at a figure just beginning to take shape.

She leaned down in front of Lin Lei.

A faint fragrance drifted into Lin Lei’s nostrils. His gaze swept over the girl's slender, fair legs, but did not linger. He was a grown man, perfectly normal in every way, yet at this moment, not a trace of desire stirred within him.

“Why are you still alive?”

Her words struck like a thunderclap beside his ear, igniting the confusion already churning in his heart. His eyes suddenly turned blood-red; he reached up and gripped her slender arm tightly, his gaze burning.

“What do you know?!”

Feeling the strength in Lin Lei’s grip and the crimson in his eyes, the girl’s face flashed first with annoyance, then with a hint of surprise. She raised her brows.

“Calm down, first.”

Buzz.

An icy chill spread from the spot where he grasped her wrist, stabbing into his palm like needles of frozen steel—a pain so sharp it could only come from the most intense cold.

“Ah!” Lin Lei cried out instinctively, recoiling his hand. He looked down at her fair hand, his lips twitching.

“What was that?!”

She didn’t answer, her expression shifting through complex emotions.

“First, let me make it clear—anything unusual you’ve experienced has nothing to do with me! If it did, I wouldn’t have sought you out today. Secondly…”

She glanced around. “This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s find somewhere else for a proper conversation.”

Because of Lin Lei’s outburst, the few drowsy students in the study hall had all woken up, shooting curious and even peculiar glances their way.

“Are you alright, Xueshu?” A tall boy came over, concern in his eyes.

Lin Lei was known for his grades but was otherwise considered a complete oddball, while Li Xueshu excelled at everything and was well-liked. What kind of relationship could exist between two such contrasting people?

“I’m fine,” Li Xueshu replied with a smile, turning and leaving the classroom.

The tall youth scratched his head, glanced at Lin Lei, but said nothing and returned to his seat.

Lin Lei lifted his hand, staring at his blue, numb, clearly frostbitten palm. He licked his lips but didn’t leave immediately.

The chill from Li Xueshu’s touch was so intense that even his transformed body couldn’t withstand it.

“This woman is definitely someone from the extraordinary world.”

And as she said, she likely had nothing to do with that monster. Not only did they have no connection, even if she chose her targets at random, she wouldn’t have come to him today of her own accord.

But then why had she asked that question?

Lin Lei took a deep breath, the mingled confusion and excitement surging through his mind as he finally stood up and left the classroom.

Li Xueshu was waiting at the end of the hallway.

…

Outside the school.

In a private room at a teahouse, Lin Lei washed down the bread he’d bought on the way with a cup of green tea.

Ever since awakening his “Gluttony” ability, he found himself hungry even faster than before.

“If I’m not mistaken, your body has already undergone some kind of ‘mutation,’ hasn’t it?” The short-haired girl fixed him with an unwavering gaze.

Lin Lei raised his eyebrows, meeting her eyes without replying.

Li Xueshu shook her head.

“Let me introduce myself first. I am Li Xueshu, an investigator with the Biyang City Investigation Bureau.”

She produced a badge and showed it to Lin Lei.

“The Investigation Bureau?” Lin Lei was taken aback. He had no recollection of such an organization in his mind—clearly not a public-facing department.

Li Xueshu explained, “You can think of the Investigation Bureau as a ‘special’ government agency, with branches all across the country.”

Lin Lei nodded, raking his fingers through his messy hair and cutting straight to the point. “That question you just asked—why am I still alive—what did you mean? Why would you ask that?”

Her expression grew deeply complicated. She sighed before answering.

“You may not believe this, but according to the original course of history, you were supposed to die several hours ago, torn apart by a monster called a ghoul. But something changed the outcome…”

Lin Lei’s eyes flashed. “The dog-headed thing that attacked me was a ghoul?”

He’d taken it for some kind of werewolf.

Li Xueshu nodded, taking out a black, metallic phone and showing him a photo. “This is the creature you encountered, isn’t it?”

Lin Lei recognized the scene and nodded, then took a deep breath, his lips twitching.

“How do you know all this? And what do you mean, I was supposed to die?”

Li Xueshu’s explanation wasn’t just that she knew he’d been attacked—it was that she knew he should have died from the attack. Two very different things.

And Lin Lei knew full well that if it hadn’t been for his transmigration and the awakening of his Gluttony power, his predecessor would have been long dead, nothing left but bones.

That’s why he pressed her.

Li Xueshu shook her head, her tone subtly evasive.

“There are things beyond your understanding. All I can tell you is that, through certain special means, I can glimpse the trajectories of people and events around me. But in your case, everything has already veered off its original course…”

Lin Lei’s lips twitched. What kind of heaven-defying ability was this?

And—when she said she could “glimpse,” did she mean she’d known in advance that “Lin Lei” would be attacked and killed, or had she only learned after the fact?

If it was the latter, so be it. If it was the former, did that mean she’d stood by and let his predecessor be attacked by the ghoul? Did it mean she didn’t care if the original Lin Lei died? Did she only value the one who survived and awakened? Or perhaps she simply didn’t wish to interfere with the normal flow of the world?

Lin Lei stared at her beautiful, delicate face, but in the end, did not voice his questions.

Li Xueshu, uncomfortable under his gaze, looked away.

“I’ll say it again—what happened to you has absolutely nothing to do with me.”

“And let me be blunt: even though you’ve awakened, and your ability is of the [physical] type, you’re still no match for me. If I wanted to deal with you, I wouldn’t need any tricks—”

As she spoke, a faint chill radiated from her, and Lin Lei couldn’t help but shiver.

Cold—bitingly cold. As if he’d dived naked into an icy lake in midwinter.

His scalp tingled. He immediately raised his hands. “Stop, stop, I believe you!”

Li Xueshu nodded and withdrew her power, the intense cold slowly fading.

But Lin Lei’s body still trembled. He rubbed his hands together and blew into them for warmth.

“What exactly are ghouls? Why did one target me?”

Li Xueshu’s expression was complicated.

“You’re a natural awakener. As someone who’s left behind the ordinary, you’re entitled to know these things…”

“Beneath the ordinary surface of this world, there exist all manner of mysterious entities that threaten humanity. We call them anomalies.”

Lin Lei clenched his palm, recalling the hideous face of the creature from last night. He murmured, “Anomalies…”

Li Xueshu continued, “Anomalies come in many forms, with different abilities and types. They’re also classified into grades according to the level of threat they pose…”

“Ghouls are considered low-level threats to humans and are the most common type of anomaly. They’re first-grade anomalies—the lowest class.”

“And even among first-grade anomalies, a single ghoul is relatively weak…”

“A ghoul’s physical strength barely surpasses the human average. Its skin is as tough as rubber, but most dangerous are its fangs and claws, which can easily pierce human flesh.”

“They’re social creatures, usually possessing a certain level of intelligence, and even have their own language. When they speak, it sounds like hurried, desperate weeping…”