Chapter 196

Even though the other party’s abilities seemed to be related to “doors,” there was a connection between the chaotic faction and the Aquarius Director, and since Aquarius had created so many anomalous items, it was highly likely that she casually left one or several items with him.

So, if this anomalous item could use hair to detect someone’s condition, would the identity he borrowed through the photo have any chance of being exposed?…

“Xiaoba Jin?”

Seeing Leon didn’t immediately pluck a strand of hair but instead stood silently in place without any movement, the chubby uncle beside him couldn’t help but get anxious and hurriedly shoved him.

“Hurry up! What are you waiting for?”

“Sorry, I… I got too excited!”

Taking advantage of the force from the chubby uncle pushing him, Leon stumbled slightly, then quietly slipped his hand into his pocket, tapped on the small mirror, and beckoned to the puppy inside. He then said gratefully,

“Thank you, Leader, for the opportunity! I’ll pluck the hair now!”

Under the curious gazes of a group of people, Leon acted out the role of a youth stunned by surprise well, quickly pulling his hand out of his pocket, and then reached back and yanked forcefully at the hair on the back of his head.

“Leader, is this enough?”

“Enough, more than enough… actually, just one strand would do…”

Looking at the trembling hand of “Xiaoba Jin,” holding a small tuft of black short hair, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly before taking one strand and, following the method taught by the Aquarius Director, lightly rubbed it against the inner side of his wristwatch.

“Zii~”

Accompanied by a sound akin to metal gears meshing, a tiny gap suddenly opened on the side of the middle-aged man’s wristwatch, revealing its internal mechanical structure.

Under the “shocked” stares of Leon and another person, this peculiar six-needle wristwatch seemed to come alive. The brass-crafted gears, flywheels, and rocking columns, like the sharp, distorted teeth revealed in the gap, directly swallowed the black strand of hair.

“This is something a friend gave me; it can use hair to detect whether a person possesses ‘special’ strength. The more needles move and the greater their amplitude, the better your aptitude.”

After briefly explaining the function of the wristwatch, the middle-aged man pressed the switch on the other side of the wristwatch and lightly flicked it.

“Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!”

With an extremely subtle sound, five needles almost instantly jumped and began advancing rapidly toward the abnormal range.

Past, body, soul, personality, emotions… Old Ba Jin’s kind of experience only caused three needles to react, yet this kid had so many areas deviating from normalcy? Surprisingly looking at “Xiaoba Jin” once, the middle-aged man lowered his head, watching the wristwatch with some anticipation. When all the needles stopped, he couldn’t help but reveal a regretful expression.

Although three passed, they weren’t one from each group, but rather past, body, and soul passed, while the last two groups—emotions and personality—just barely moved, far from reaching the level of abnormality.

Xiaoba Jin had a painful past, but no great future. Although both his body and soul were abnormal, his emotions and personality didn’t meet the standards at all, with amplitudes that could only be considered slight fluctuations.

It seems my previous judgment was correct: although this child also experienced a painful past, with the care of the old Owen family, he didn’t truly fall into darkness. His personality and emotions are merely somewhat radical due to family changes.

What a pity. Like his father, Old Ba Jin, although not impossible, he ultimately lacked that final decisive step.

“Sorry.”

“Xiaoba Jin isn’t completely without potential, but compared to the minimum standard, he’s still a bit lacking. Currently, he doesn’t seem to have that kind of potential.”

“…”

“Is that so…”

Upon hearing the middle-aged man’s response, “Xiaoba Jin,” personally declared by the leader as lacking talent, couldn’t help but dim his eyes and dejectedly lowered his head.

The chubby uncle sighed deeply, patted his back as a comfort, then forced a smile and said to the middle-aged man:

“Thanks, Leader. But even without such miraculous abilities, we believe that as long as we work hard, we can still do something!”

After hearing the chubby uncle’s words, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but fall silent for a moment.

Can effort alone suffice… Despite my numerous efforts before and after crossing the Otherworld Door, why does everything still keep sliding towards the abyss? In this world, some things are destined to be unattainable no matter how hard you try. Without ability, there is no ability; without qualification, there is no qualification!

“Yes… As long as you try, it should be fine…”

The middle-aged man, feeling a bit of chest pain, smiled and told a lie he himself didn’t believe in. Then he stepped aside from the door leading to the Capital City and instructed Leon: “Go back quickly. Although most of your money has probably been drunk away by Old Ba Jin, and the rest will likely go towards fines for the defaced memorial wall, he might not have carried all his money with him. There might still be some left at home.

None of the content is missing, check it out on 69 Book Bar!

So you can take a look; if your money isn’t enough later, you can ask the finance department for an advance. Just say it’s from me.”

“Thank you, Leader…”

Faced with the middle-aged man’s concern, the dream-shattered “Xiaoba Jin” nodded listlessly, thanked him weakly, and then followed the chubby uncle who was consoling him softly, crossing the warehouse door with a gloomy expression, leaving the valley where they lived.

And after their figures disappeared, whether it was regret for failing to obtain a new anomalous item or lamenting his own similar powerless fate, the middle-aged man sighed again and turned around to walk towards the center of the valley, preparing to arrange the actions for the next period of time.

But he had only taken a few steps when he saw a muscular figure rushing over hastily. That person was sniffing enthusiastically while running and, upon seeing the middle-aged man, rushed over with great joy.

“Nathan… Leader! Is that your scent? How did you become fragrant again?”

“???”

What scent? What does becoming fragrant mean? Smelling his own sleeve curiously, he didn’t find anything special, so the middle-aged man couldn’t help but frown and asked,

“Tiger? What are you talking about? What fragrance is on me?”

“…”

There really isn’t any fragrance… Or rather, it’s not his scent, and it’s getting fainter…

Sniffing close to the middle-aged man twice, the strange man with burn scars shook his head full of disappointment and then asked disdainfully, “Lea… Nathan, did you meet a true strong person? Where is he?”