Chapter 24: The Shifting Self and the Bureau’s Gaze

Bai Mengqi stood silently by the bed, her gaze falling upon the pile of women’s clothing scattered across it. She had a faint furrow between her brows.

In truth, she was acutely aware that her mindset was unconsciously shifting, slowly transforming to align with her current female identity.

This metamorphosis was subtle, yet undeniably real. It resembled a gently flowing stream—not a raging torrent, but a steady current that gradually reshaped its banks as it moved forward.

Still, in the deepest recesses of her heart, she stubbornly refused to acknowledge this truth.

On one hand, an internal barrier prevented her acceptance. Her former identity was so starkly different from her current one; embracing such a profound change was anything but simple.

On the other hand, her surroundings offered virtually no support for her predicament.

If she were to reveal her true self to the public now, she couldn’t fathom the uproar it would cause.

Thus, she meticulously kept herself hidden, daring not to openly display her genuine form.

In a way, she found this constant switching of identities incredibly vexing.

One day, she would handle matters as a man; the next, she’d revert to her female form to manage different situations. It felt as if she were perpetually living on a fantastical stage, constantly changing roles, never truly able to relax. The sensation was utterly dreadful.

She wished that those around her could immediately accept her as she was now.

Yet, between ideal and reality, an unbridgeable chasm seemed to forever lie.

How could her friends and family possibly instantly accept the bizarre transformation of Bai Mengqi from male to female?

They were all ordinary people, who perceived the world as an era entirely governed by scientific principles, where everything could be clearly explained through scientific means.

Supernatural phenomena, or anything defying logic, simply did not exist within their understanding.

Bai Mengqi understood that it was far too soon to reveal her identity, so she could only continue to hide it with meticulous care.

“Sigh! I’ll just wait a little longer. If the time truly comes when I have no choice but to expose myself, then so be it.”

Bai Mengqi let out a helpless sigh, softly acknowledging the conflict and resignation within her heart.

****

Meanwhile, a vastly different scene was unfolding within Jiang City’s Ability Bureau.

Outwardly, the Jiang City Ability Bureau appeared no different from the police station in the Old District.

It stood quietly, a place of constant bustle, handling all sorts of matters that seemed ordinary yet perhaps concealed deeper mysteries.

Inside the office of the Ability Bureau’s Head of Operations, a particularly robust middle-aged man sat at his desk.

A cigarette dangled from his lips, its smoke curling gently upwards, filling the office with a faint scent of tobacco.

His gaze was fixed intently on the two files before him, his eyes reflecting a hint of scrutiny and bewilderment.

If Bai Mengqi were present at that moment, she would undoubtedly realize at a glance that both files were, in fact, about her.

Not long ago, she had thoroughly dealt with the ability users who sought to harm Zi Yanran in the Old District.

At the time, driven by the sole purpose of protecting Zi Yanran, she had acted without a second thought.

Her actions, naturally, attracted the attention of the Ability Bureau. As the agency responsible for overseeing all matters related to abilities, they were bound to launch an investigation into her.

This time, Bai Mengqi had essentially placed herself in the open, fully exposed to the scrutiny of the Ability Bureau.

Yet, she had no alternative. From the moment she decided to stay by Zi Yanran’s side and protect her, she knew that a situation like this was inevitable.

She couldn’t possibly stand by idly while Zi Yanran was threatened by those ability users. Thus, even knowing the potential repercussions, she had intervened without hesitation.

“Bai Mengqi, Bai Mengqi… how interesting. It seems someone secretly employed some trickery, creating two different gender identities for the same person.”

The middle-aged man muttered to himself as he scanned the files, a slight upturn at the corner of his lips, seemingly both curious and rather amused by his discovery.

This formidable-looking, powerful middle-aged man was none other than Song Yanhua, the Head of Operations for the Jiang City Ability Bureau.

He was no ordinary individual; a C-rank martial artist, he held a significant position and wielded considerable power within the Jiang City Ability Bureau.

The Ability Bureau possessed immense authority not only within the cities it governed but also throughout the entire government system.

If they wished to investigate someone, they could effortlessly unearth every detail of that person’s background, leveraging their advanced technologies and vast information resources.

Upon learning of the sudden appearance of an unknown female ability user beside Zi Yanran, the Ability Bureau immediately sprang into action.

Employing various technical methods, they cast a vast net, swiftly uncovering everything about Bai Mengqi.

Furthermore, they even discovered the peculiar fact of Bai Mengqi constantly changing their gender identity.

According to the confessions of the captured ability users, Bai Mengqi was incredibly powerful.

They had defeated an E-rank martial artist in an instant, simply by radiating their aura. And it wasn’t just one E-rank martial artist; dozens of F-rank martial artists had also fallen before them.

Based on this, after careful assessment, the Ability Bureau concluded that Bai Mengqi was at least a C-rank ability user.

To severely injure an E-rank ability user solely with invisible qi force was not something an ordinary D-rank ability user could achieve.

Moreover, considering the captured ability users’ descriptions of the scene, they believed this was a manifestation of a martial artist’s inner force externalization.

Generally, only D-rank martial artists could barely achieve inner force externalization. However, merely achieving it was far from enough; to severely injure an E-rank ability user, one would need to be at least a C-rank martial artist.

After a period of contemplation in his office, Song Yanhua picked up Bai Mengqi’s identity information, rose from his seat, and headed towards another office.

On the door of that office, large characters prominently spelled out: ‘Deputy Director’s Office.’

“Knock, knock.” Song Yanhua reached the door, raised his hand, and gently rapped.

Soon, a soft female voice responded from within: “Please, come in.”

Hearing this, Song Yanhua immediately pushed open the door and quickly stepped inside.

Upon entering, he saw a beautiful woman seated within, clad in a black military uniform. A lieutenant colonel’s insignia adorned her shoulders. Her entire demeanor exuded both the valiant spirit of a soldier and the graceful tenderness of a woman, a striking sight to behold.

The Ability Bureau operated under a special designation, its nature lying between policing and military affairs. However, in terms of affiliation, it was still considered part of the military system.

Thus, while the uniforms of Ability Bureau officers leaned towards a police-style in color and cut, their epaulets and other insignia clearly favored military ranks and medals, giving them a distinct characteristic.

“Director Su,” Song Yanhua greeted with a broad smile the moment he entered, his attitude overtly respectful.

“Hmm, Old Song, what is it?” Deputy Director Su asked softly, her gaze gentle as she looked at Song Yanhua.

This woman was Su Ruoxi, the Deputy Director overseeing the Ability Bureau’s Operations and Investigation Department. Moreover, she herself was a B-rank sorcerer, holding a considerably high status and power within the Jiang City Ability Bureau.

Unlike other departments, the Ability Bureau placed a strong emphasis on the strength of its subordinates. The entire department’s structure embodied a ‘might makes right’ philosophy, where the most powerful individuals occupied the most significant positions.

“Hehe, Director Su, take a look at this. This individual is quite peculiar. They appear to be Zi Yanran’s newly hired bodyguard from the Zizijing Group.”

As Song Yanhua spoke, he handed Bai Mengqi’s identity information to Su Ruoxi, his eyes gleaming with a hint of expectation, as if hoping she might discern something extraordinary from the details.

Seeing this, Su Ruoxi immediately reached out, picked up the papers, and glanced at them. A momentary flicker of surprise unexpectedly crossed her eyes.

She concealed it well, though. After her gaze swiftly swept across the pages, she quickly understood Song Yanhua’s intention.

“You wish to investigate them?” Su Ruoxi asked softly, looking up at Song Yanhua after finishing her read.

“Yes, this Bai Mengqi appeared out of nowhere. They’re not old, but their ability strength is terrifyingly high—at least a C-rank martial artist, or perhaps a superpower user who isn’t on record,” Song Yanhua hastily explained.

A trace of seriousness etched his face, clearly indicating his grave concern for this sudden appearance of Bai Mengqi, as C-rank was merely a preliminary assessment; their true power was likely even higher.

Upon hearing Song Yanhua’s words, Su Ruoxi couldn’t help but fall into deep contemplation.

Considering the information gathered so far, Bai Mengqi hadn’t violated any relevant regulations. Investigating them would indeed require careful deliberation.