Mechanical Spear-Gun

*Thump, thump...* Having deciphered the contents, Bai Zhou felt his heart suddenly hammer violently, sending a faint tremor through his body. The Age of Gods shattered? Bathed in blood to don the crown? And who was this King of Gold? He didn't quite get it, but it sounded terrifyingly formidable. He strove to show no outward sign of disturbance, but his thoughts were a tangled mess. For some reason, these words brought to mind the legend from Wancheng about "The Miller Who Drew the Holy Sword and the Millstone Knights." Whoever drew the holy sword from the millstone was the miller chosen by destiny, taken into the family as a son-in-law by the previous miller. Could putting on the crown make someone that... King of Gold? Bai Zhou wondered inwardly. ...Still, he had heard that the sword-drawing miller son-in-law went on to face many more trials afterward. Presumably, the trial of donning the crown wouldn't be as literal or simple, either. —Even if these thoughts sounded like the fantastical ravings of a madman. If Section Chief Liu caught wind of them, he would surely lecture him loudly that there were no such things as kings, princes, or generals nowadays, only the two equal Eastern and Western Federations of Blue Star. Even so, Bai Zhou felt... it was worth a shot. Yet how could he evade Section Chief Liu's gaze, slip into the tightly locked Black Chamber, open the Black Box made of special materials, and lay a hand on this occult relic? —Dreaming seemed more realistic than that. Pulling back his gaze, Bai Zhou maintained a calm facade while sighing softly in his heart. Better to ask Crow about the crown first. For reasons unknown, she seemed to know far more about this crown than Branch 36 of the Special Control Bureau did... Just then, Section Chief Liu called out from ahead: "Let's go, Bai Zhou. Time to head to the next Black Chamber sector." "Coming!" Bai Zhou called back, pushing his thoughts down for now as he caught up. Section Chief Liu walked ahead, his silver-white metal briefcase bumping against his knee from time to time. "Our Black Box Maintenance Department divides the Black Chambers into three sectors." "The one we just inspected was Sector Three; now we're heading to Sector Two." "Sectors?" Bai Zhou asked in curiosity. "That's right." Section Chief Liu nodded. "Each sector is managed fully by a P3 commissioner. Every supervisor holds maximum authority over their sector and is assigned several P2 commissioner subordinates." "In times of special need, such as during a Black Box riot, the supervisor is even permitted unrestricted deployment of F-grade Black Boxes within their jurisdiction." Bai Zhou asked inquisitively, "Then which sector are you the supervisor of, Chief?" "None of them," Section Chief Liu said with a shake of his head. "I'm a P4 commissioner, Chief of the Maintenance Department's Inspection Section. I answer directly to the director of the Maintenance Department, tasked specifically with supervising those supervisors to ensure they aren't neglecting their duties or stealing what they're supposed to guard." "—That's why I can lead you freely across all the sectors." The Inspection Section! No wonder he could stroll through the Black Chambers with his stainless steel thermos, marching with a steady, unhurried crab walk, completely unconcerned with sector boundaries. "...Though lately, we'll have to visit Sector Three, the one we just inspected, quite often." "Because Sector Three's supervisor was unfortunately killed in action not long ago while dealing with the riot of Black Box F-2334." Section Chief Liu added solemnly: "It was a hat that loved telling corny jokes and hadn't been washed in centuries. Honestly, when it rioted, all you had to do was laugh out loud at its bad jokes..." "—Unfortunately, the Third Supervisor had suffered facial paralysis during an operation in his younger years." "..." Bai Zhou fell silent for a moment before finally managing to squeeze out: "How tragic." Section Chief Liu nodded and sighed. "So until a new commissioner in the Maintenance Department is promoted to P3, that seat will probably stay vacant for a while." Sector Three... supervisor... the authority to deploy the sector's Black Boxes without limit during emergencies... Bai Zhou blinked, giving nothing away. The crown was in Sector Three. If he could become the supervisor of Sector Three—or even just attain a certain rank there—investigating the crown would no longer be fraught with impossible obstacles. However... Easy as it was to say, for Bai Zhou, who had only just joined the Special Control Bureau— It was like knowing having lots of money could solve most problems, except the people facing those problems usually weren't rich. Bai Zhou was even worse off; his standing in this dilemma was neither "rich" nor even "poor." He was more like a stray dog begging on the roadside that nobody gave the time of day. *Clack, clack...* Their rhythmic footsteps echoed through the Black Chamber corridor illuminated by dim blue flames. Following closely behind Section Chief Liu as they toured, Bai Zhou found an opening and casually probed into the matter of ranks. "Other branches might care about seniority, but here in Branch 36, the Major has never stuck to conventions when employing people. He only looks at talent and merit." "Work hard! Who knows, maybe the next supervisor of Sector Three will be you?" Bai Zhou's heart gave a leap, but his expression remained impassive. "I wouldn't dare dream of it, Chief, not at all!" Section Chief Liu chuckled heartily and patted Bai Zhou's shoulder. "You think too little of the organization, and you sell yourself short!" "The Special Control Bureau never lacks crises, but crises are also opportunities." With that, he cast a meaningful glance at Bai Zhou: "I hear you have a constitution with high resistance to contamination? Higher-ups specifically brought it to my attention." "In Branch 36, it's not at all unusual for someone to be utterly ordinary in the morning and jump three ranks by afternoon thanks to distinguished service." "Why can't the next one be you?" As the patrol drew near its end, their light footsteps sounded down the quiet corridor of the Black Chambers, Section Chief Liu's voice drifting lazily through the air. Handing his thermos to Bai Zhou to hold, with a sharp *clack*, he drew a black barrel from his waist. "—The 'Adjudicator-300' enchanted pistol. Modular design, seventeen-round magazine capacity, nine-millimeter caliber, specially modified by Logistics next door." "Its base model was the Western Federation's SIG Sauer P320. Only commissioners ranked P2 and above are qualified to be issued one during base martial law." He lowered his voice. "Martial law won't end anytime soon. If you work hard, you can breeze through your probationary period and get promoted to P2 in no time!" "When that happens, I'll teach you how to shoot myself!" Beneath the dim blue flames, the sleek contours of the black pistol exuded a chilling aesthetic of violence. Several strands of ornate, intricate mystic patterns were delicately carved into the slide, faintly reflecting the blue light. Guns were a man's romance; no one could turn down such a dangerous yet silent firearm, just as anyone in the era of cold steel would yearn to tame a charging steed. Many years later, when facing green recruits just joining the bureau, Section Chief Liu would always recall that distant afternoon when he was first issued his sidearm. The thrill back then had been unforgettable. Perhaps that was human nature: reviling the slaughter of blood and fire, yet instinctively chasing the thrill of conquering danger. —Yet Section Chief Liu failed to find any hint of excitement on Bai Zhou's face. Only bewilderment. Because Bai Zhou had no clue what this lump of iron was supposed to do. Section Chief Liu: "..." "Fine, you'll understand later." Section Chief Liu sheepishly put away his Adjudicator-300 sidearm, took back his thermos, and felt his temples throb with an inexplicable ache. "I was going to tell you more about the P3 rank..." "A P3 commissioner can not only serve as a sector supervisor, but they're even eligible to requisition a potion." "When that time comes, researchers will design a customized potion enhancement plan for you. There's a certain chance of awakening your Fate Principle to achieve the Extraordinary, along with receiving a mechanical briefcase!" "—Never mind, though. You'd probably find it boring." Section Chief Liu sighed. As they spoke, the two had already arrived at the exit of the Black Chambers. Not a sliver of light escaped the sealed heavy gate; the surroundings were frighteningly dark and abnormally freezing. With a *beep*, Section Chief Liu took out his access card and swiped it. The gate swung open slowly, and light from outside poured in, scrambling forward and prompting both of them, accustomed to the dim gloom, to instinctively shield their eyes. "After all, you can't grasp the concepts of potions and Extraordinaries just yet..." Section Chief Liu muttered as they walked, "but later you'll realize just what kind of miraculous beings they are." No, of all things, Bai Zhou actually did understand that... In fact, he was one himself. An Extraordinary who had awakened his Fate Principle and stirred his spirituality. It was just that Section Chief Liu was entirely in the dark. Bai Zhou's heart skipped half a beat as his eyes unconsciously drifted to the metal briefcase that never left Section Chief Liu's left hand. The scene of Section Chief Liu using it to manifest a mechanical arm was still vivid in his mind. The silver-white metal briefcase gleamed brightly, the chained cross emblem upon it striking and clear. ...Once his special training was complete, the only thing separating him from the "miraculous being" Liu spoke of might just be a case like that. Then again, What did he mean by researchers designing a customized potion enhancement plan, with a certain chance of awakening Fate Principle? Were their potions different from Crow's Enlightenment Potion? "I'll... work hard!" Bai Zhou took a deep breath, putting on a look of being inspired and moved by Section Chief Liu. —Regardless, Section Chief Liu's words had indeed given him food for thought. A P3 commissioner supervisor was nothing unreachable. From the sound of it, P3 commissioners weren't even necessarily Extraordinaries. Yet Bai Zhou was. —And the talent height of his Fate Principle approached five chi and five cun. As long as he earned promotion to P3 as soon as possible, he could become the supervisor of Sector Three. When that time came, the mystery of the crown would easily unravel. *Clang—* The clock tower of the underground base struck promptly at six in the evening. As the chimes echoed, Section Chief Liu stretched luxuriously and clocked out right on the dot. The moment the end-of-shift bell rang, Section Chief Liu seemed to have had a filter slapped on him—his whole presence became vibrant, looking noticeably refreshed. ...Beside him, however, Bai Zhou grew quieter, his face turning visibly sour. Because he knew his "leisure" hours were over. —The true agony was waiting for him back at the dorm. ... On the way back, Bai Zhou dragged his feet. He lingered in a small convenience store inside the cafeteria for half an hour, spending twenty minutes picking out a jar of Lao Gan Ma and a small bottle of mustard oil. Spotting a line of ants passing by, these little black ants looked like a professional pallbearer squad, keeping in step with an orderly drumbeat as they carried steamed bun crumbs from who knew where. Bai Zhou wished he could count every antenna on their heads. —Naturally, these were all expressions of Bai Zhou's childlike wonder and zest for life. Certainly not because he was stalling to avoid going back. Yet no matter how long the road was, it would eventually come to an end. Standing before the yellow dormitory building, Bai Zhou no longer felt the color looked warm at all. Instead, the dormitory's cavernous entrance seemed like a man-eating maw. He had to psyche himself up. *A true warrior dares to face a bleak life.* And with that, he resolutely stepped into hell. ...That being said, each step up the stairs remained a grueling crawl. The dormitory building actually had an elevator. When Bai Zhou first rode it, he had assumed people or mules were hauling ropes out of sight. New to the place back then, he lacked any sense of security in enclosed spaces and constantly feared the elevator would suddenly stall. And the next moment, the doors would slide open to reveal a dozen burly thugs charging at him with watermelon knives. Only a true God of the Elevator could walk out standing when the doors opened again. —For Bai Zhou, who had just experienced the Black Robes' execution, such paranoia was entirely natural. He wasn't quite that paranoid anymore. Skipping the elevator to take the stairs was purely to get some exercise. —Definitely not to stall for a few extra minutes along the way. Filled with a solemn, almost tragic resolve, Bai Zhou stood before the dorm door and turned the key with a sharp *click*. The door pushed open slowly. The burnt aroma of roasted coffee beans drifted right into his face. The tidy, clean dorm room was dead quiet, noticeably colder than outside, lending it a slightly chilling air. A long, slender black ribbon stretched across the room from left to right, anchored to opposite walls at a height of about a person off the floor. The young girl was reclined upon the ribbon, treating it as a bed, weightless as nothing, lazily turning the pages of a book. From time to time, she casually tossed a coffee bean or two into her mouth, crunching them noisily. Outside the window, the faint hustle and bustle of people could be heard. Stray light slanted inside, illuminating the red-eyed girl's focused reading figure. Refined and elegant, yet cold as an iceberg. As the light shifted, time seemed to freeze, picturing a serene and exquisite scene straight out of a painting. It gave the illusion that even if the apocalypse arrived this very second, the girl would simply remain lounging on the ribbon, absorbed in her book. ...Hearing the sound, the reading girl looked up. Her crimson eyes met his, like the setting sun dipping toward the horizon. "...Sis, you already finished all those coffee beans?" Those were the first words out of Bai Zhou's mouth upon stepping inside. Because at a glance, he noticed the flattened bag of Mandheling in her lap. It had only been a few days—finished already? Were they really that delicious...? The girl immediately straightened her expression, bent her knees, and shifted into a cold, cross-legged sit atop the ribbon. "Not entirely." Then, she replied deadpan: "There are still a few left." "...Fine." Bai Zhou nodded. "Then I'll bring you a new bag tomorrow." Saying so, he walked over to the desk, set down the plastic bag, and turned toward the bathroom to wash his hands. His heart felt heavy. No time to mourn the eaten coffee beans; the next act of the recurring repertory show was about to begin: *My Broadsword Devil Instructor and Me, Treated Like a Dog.* "By the way, you're back just in time." "The foundational training is just about wrapped up. It's time to begin advanced training and teach you some real skills." "Before that, however..." Snapping the book shut with a sharp *clap*, Crow flipped down from the ribbon. "There's something I need to show you." Only now did Bai Zhou notice what Crow had been blocking behind her, leaning against the wall right beside her blade. It was exceedingly conspicuous, something that had never been there before. "Is that... the broken spear?" Bai Zhou couldn't be sure. Because it was no longer a broken spear; it was a complete, full-length spear. Yet what stood before Bai Zhou's eyes was by no means an ordinary spear. Rather, it was a battle-scarred piece covered in coiled springs and chain assemblies, reinforced with welded rebar brackets, fitted with multiple loading grooves and caliper ports of unknown purpose, and battered all over with hammer and burn marks... "I call it a mechanical spear-gun," Crow described it. Just like Section Chief Liu, she had also used the word "gun." Sure enough, affixed to the butt of the spear-gun was a rudimentary crosshair sight. Bai Zhou even caught a faint whiff of sulfur, its function unknown. "I studied the broken spear you brought back and found both its material and mechanical ingenuity astonishing. It gave me a great deal of inspiration," Crow said. "So I went and scrounged up some materials, and took a crack at restoring it according to my own understanding." Restoring it? When? Bai Zhou was taken aback. While he was at work, Crow hadn't been idling either. Where had Crow gotten the restoration materials, though? Why did the parts welded onto the outside look so suspiciously like scrapped junk from the base's scrapyard? That... probably wasn't likely. Lifting the mechanical spear-gun—covered in rust and weld marks with its blatantly patchwork style—from the wall with a *clatter*, the perpetually cold Crow actually wore a rather satisfied look. "This should be my most satisfying piece in the last two years. I can guarantee it's ten times more useful than most enchanted firearms." "Its appearance might be a bit bizarre, but as Karl Benz, father of the automobile and a famous Extraordinary of the [Machinist] Sequence, once said—" "'An Extraordinary never nitpicks their weapons, so long as they can compose a melody from the enemy's screams.'" "Taking its original material into account, this spear-gun can already be classified as an Extraordinary weapon!" Holding the spear-gun, she took a stride toward Bai Zhou. "However, unlike normal Extraordinary weapons—" "following the ingenious mechanisms native to the broken spear, I also installed many... well, practical little additions." Bai Zhou could see them without her having to point it out. All sorts of contraptions sat waiting to be triggered. What they were used for was anyone's guess, but they looked wickedly unorthodox. Before Bai Zhou could ponder any further, with a *click*, Crow offered the spear-gun forward. Roughly 1.7 meters long, covered in scorch marks and exaggerated mechanical linkages, yet possessing an unmistakably rugged industrial aesthetic, the mechanical spear-gun lay held out before Bai Zhou. The metallic tang of old steel rushed into Bai Zhou's nostrils, and his gaze was completely captivated by the weapon. A complete spear-gun, an Extraordinary weapon, Crow's proud creation... Suddenly, he inexplicably recalled Section Chief Liu's excitement and pride when drawing his sidearm. Now, he seemed to understand that feeling a little. "Want to test its power?" Meeting Bai Zhou's transfixed gaze, Crow said softly: "—It's yours now."