The ceiling light in the living room was dimd to the lowest setting, casting a pale white halo over the dining table. The sauce from the synthetic steaks had congealed into dark red lumps at the bottom of the plate, with a delicate texture. The 3D-printed vegetables remained extraordinarily green, even if stir-fried, exuding a fresh taste.
Feng Ju sat at the dining table, chanically picking up a piece of at with his chopsticks and chewing it, yet his taste buds seed to detect no flavor at all.
His gaze never left the television screen, as if the flickering images were his true sustenance.
"Ladies and gentlen, here is today’s weather report."
The female host showed a standard smile with eight teeth visible. Her skin had an unnatural pearl sheen under the strong light, obviously a result of the latest nano-level costic mask.
The voice also seed synthesized with precision tuning, each syllable tid to the millisecond:
"Today, from 9:30 to 17:00, the light intensity is at 82%, with a radiation index of LUX-3. It is recomnded to wear corneal filters. From 17:01 to 23:13, Zone 9 will receive this month’s cycle of water blessings. It is advised to take a Neutralizing Agent with als today."
"Now, playing news from Zone 9..."
The weather forecasts in Lower City are never wrong, always precise to the minute, like the hands of a clock.
This is the only area where Lower City far surpasses Upper City.
After all, Upper City still relies on the whims of the sky, while Lower City’s "weather" is rely a small line on the schedule of one of Upper City’s property companies.
Wang Xiuli carefully took out a silver dicine box labeled "Level 2 Neutralizing Agent" from the cupboard and gently tipped out a pale blue Neutralizing Agent.
The mont the tablet fell into the water, it emitted a slight fizzing sound, like the sound of masks used by Upper City socialites during spa treatnts.
The black, turbid substances in the water began to churn violently, as if dancing a desperate waltz, eventually transforming into gray sedints that slowly sank.
The water in the upper layer of the cup was instantly refreshed, exuding a "clear and sweet" taste, said to be mixed to imitate Upper City’s mountain spring water, believed to extend life upon consumption.
This is a Level 2 Neutralizing Agent, differing from the ordinary ones circulating in Lower City, a hundred tis stronger, bestowed upon Feng Ju by a special envoy.
"Breaking news—"
The male news anchor’s voice seamlessly cut in, processed in a way that gave it a reassuring magnetic quality,
"Now, a piece of urgent news: Recently, another serial killing has occurred in the city, with most victims being university students."
The screen switched to edited clips of the cri scene, but ticulously processed—the bloodstains were replaced by virtual red dots, and the dismbered limbs were pixelated, like cute cartoon patterns in children’s programs.
The anchor’s voice remained calm, as if reporting an ordinary weather forecast:
"The bodies were found brutally dismbered,"
As he said this, the background music aptly switched to a soothing piano tune,
"Signature marks of the murderer were left at the scene—the victims’ facial skin was removed."
The top right corner of the LCD screen—"Adult Protection Mode Enabled" sign was gently flashing, as the male anchor continued with his magnetic voice:
"Experts speculate that the killer may possess a strongly antisocial personality and even enjoys the act of killing..."
Feng Ju’s fork suddenly screeched against the porcelain plate.
His pupils slightly contracted, Adam’s apple bobbed, as if swallowing so unspeakable pleasure.
His chanical fingers absentmindedly rubbed the dining knife, the blade’s cold reflection sweeping past his mouth—where there was a barely noticeable twitch.
"Honey, is this serial killer the sa one who severely injured you and landed you in the hospital?"
Wang Xiuli’s voice had a slight tremble, filled with worry in her gaze.
Feng Ju made an absent-minded sound, took the glass, rinsed his mouth with its residues, and replied, sowhat muffled:
"Don’t worry, I’m not the sa as before. This ti I’ll definitely catch him, it’s just a matter of ti."
Seeing Feng Ju’s full confidence, Wang Xiuli’s worry eased a little, but she still reminded him:
"You have to be extra careful, the experts said this kind of person is extrely deranged, capable of anything, you must..."
She rembered vividly that day at the hospital, when Feng Ju was pushed into the operating room, his severed limb was still oozing blood, a horrific sight.
Feng Ju heavily set down the glass, forked a piece of synthetic at into his mouth, his jaw muscles tense:
"I have my own plan, don’t fret unnecessarily, I’m now the captain of the Patrol Office, catching criminals is my duty, the more ruthless he is, the sooner I must capture him!"
The synthetic at made a discomforting crunching sound between his teeth, the sound of cheap protein fibers breaking.
Wang Xiuli nodded, as if wanting to say sothing more, but ultimately just sighed and asked instead:
"How’s Yuhuai, how’s she been lately, has she encountered any danger?"
Her gaze drifted to their daughter’s photograph on the wall, taken when Feng Yuhuai entered the martial arts key class at the Eighth Academy, with a radiant smile almost blinding, like the perfect faces of celebrity billboards.
ntioning their daughter, even the frequency of Feng Ju’s chewing beca gentler.
He took out his phone and handed Wang Xiuli a video recorded on-site.
The video burst with cheers like tidal waves, amidst frantic shaking, the girl’s ponytail traced an arc in the arena
Feng Yuhuai’s snap kick tore through the air, the opponent’s guard shattered instantly, and in slow motion, the flying sweat beads were captured refracting rainbow hues.
"Yuhuai perford excellently, outstanding in the competition, reaching the senior finals as an underclassman, truly my daughter."
Feng Ju’s face softened, a deep sense of gratification emanated, his voice laced with a hoarse laugh like tal rubbing:
"This Martial Arts Joint Examination is well organized, many TV stations are broadcasting it live, just unlock the channel for a fee to watch, I’m the captain of the Patrol Office now, could be promoted to Chief in the future, no need to economize like before."
Feng Ju paused, then laughed:
"This weekend is the final, you can watch at ho, maybe Yuhuai can make it to the last day."
Wang Xiuli finally showed a small smile: "Great, Yuhuai is just amazing."
Her tone was full of comfort, but soon, her smile dimd, her voice careful, "And... how about Feng Mu? Any news from him recently?"
Feng Ju’s expression instantly froze, a shadow flickering through his eyes.
He remained silent for a mont, his fingers stopped drumming on the table, slowly clenching into a fist.
Wang Xiuli sensed the heavy atmosphere in the room, quickly hung her head, not daring to speak further.
However, unexpectedly, Feng Ju did not flare up as usual. His fist gradually relaxed, his voice low and even:
"I arranged with him to co ho for dinner this weekend, could you give him a call to confirm it."
Wang Xiuli was stunned, slowly raising her head, eyes mingling surprise and joy: "You... are you being serious?"
Her voice trembled slightly, as if she couldn’t believe her ears.
Feng Ju nodded, but his gaze never t hers.
His eyes were clearly fixed on the television screen, yet his focus was lost, as if staring at an imaginary point.
His lips curled into a displeased arc, his voice carrying a hard-to-detect self-mockery and sarcasm:
"Well, your son is now soone special, just got , his father, begging him to co ho to eat, but that’s alright, a family should all gather around one table, cook in a single pot, for life to be enjoyable."
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