Chapter 18: A Day of Chaos at the Police Station

Shi Yi frowned. Was even something like finding a lost chicken within the jurisdiction of the Special Management Bureau? She could hardly believe it.

Gu Hansheng leaned in gently and spoke in a low voice, “Although our Bureau 857 is an Abilities Management Bureau, in the eyes of the general public, we’re just an ordinary police station. We have to keep up that pretense, so we help out with everyday trivial matters to avoid drawing attention and causing panic.”

Shi Yi nodded at his explanation.

At some point, the young security guard Shi Yi had briefly met that morning slipped quietly over to them, unnoticed. He clapped his hands lazily.

“Auntie Li, let me help you catch your chicken.”

Auntie Li saw the security guard in uniform and nodded eagerly. “Good, good! Let’s hurry, or it’ll be too late to catch it.”

Wang Zhiyuan gestured toward the security guard walking away with Auntie Li. “That’s Zheng Fei. He’s got abilities too, but he didn’t want to be a police officer, so we found him a security job.”

Shi Yi nodded at this explanation.

The rest of them returned to finish the meeting. In truth, it was less a meeting and more a round of introductions—nothing else of note.

After chairing this icebreaker, Wang Zhiyuan vanished without a trace.

Shi Yi found it odd. Mi Chen, who sat at the desk beside her, smiled softly. “Don’t mind him. He always comes and goes without a sound. He’ll show up when there’s something to be done.”

Shi Yi nodded. There were only five desks in the entire station, so there was no choice. She took the empty one, unpacked her things, and arranged them on the desktop.

The morning was quite leisurely. Zheng Fei, who had gone to help Auntie Li with her chicken, returned to his post within minutes. No one else came in all morning, so the few of them enjoyed the peace, chatting and sharing gossip.

It wasn’t until noon that Mi Chen, watching the clock, called out as soon as it struck twelve. “Let’s go, time for lunch!”

Seeing everyone get up, Shi Yi followed suit. Feng Ming, standing to the side, explained, “We eat at noon here. Before you leave work each day, you can tell the canteen lady what you want for lunch tomorrow—she’ll make it for you.”

Shi Yi nodded in understanding. The station was a bit run-down, but in this regard, it was quite considerate.

They headed together to the canteen, which was in the backyard of the station. It was more of an open-air space, with tables under umbrellas—about as basic as it got. Next to it was a patch of ground thick with vegetables.

Feng Ming grinned and pointed to the garden. “Auntie Li grows all these herself. Make sure you don’t pick or trample them, or she’ll be furious.”

She spoke quietly, and Shi Yi nodded quickly. The vegetables looked well-tended; Auntie Li clearly had a deft touch.

“Come, come, kids, lunch is ready!” Auntie Li called, carrying a huge pot of rice from the kitchen and placing it on the table.

Shi Yi stared, taken aback. “Aren’t there only seven of us?”

Feng Ming nodded. “That’s right.”

Shi Yi felt sweat break out. The pot held what must have been over ten pounds of rice—enough to feed pigs. “Isn’t this far too much? We can’t possibly finish it.”

Feng Ming glanced at Shi Yi, her smile sly, and covered her mouth to laugh. “You’ll see in a moment.”

Shi Yi pursed her lips and sat down.

Auntie Li spotted her and broke into a wide grin. “So you’re the new member Director Wang mentioned! You’re so handsome. Let me know if you want anything special; I’ll make it for you tomorrow.”

With that, Auntie Li heaped a generous bowl of rice and set it before Shi Yi.

“Thank you, Auntie Li. I’m not picky—I’ll eat anything.”

No sooner had Shi Yi spoken than Gu Hansheng drawled, “Don’t be shy with Auntie Li. Treat this like home. Say whatever you want to eat, she can whip up anything—even an imperial banquet.”

After serving everyone, Auntie Li set the enormous pot in front of Mi Chen. “You always know what to say, kid.”

Shi Yi stared wide-eyed at the pot. Mi Chen, unfazed by her shock, picked up a ladle and began to eat slowly and methodically.

Shi Yi felt her worldview teeter. One small bowl of rice was enough to make her stomach swell, but Mi Chen, spoonful after spoonful, finished nearly ten pounds of rice? The others looked utterly unfazed, so Shi Yi quickly wiped the cold sweat from her brow.

Feng Ming watched her reaction with a smiling gaze. “Mi Chen has a naturally enormous appetite, which is why she’s so strong. To use her abilities, she has to eat a lot.”

Suddenly, Shi Yi understood. So that was it. Still, looking at Mi Chen’s petite frame, it was hard to imagine how she could possibly hold so much food.

After spending the day together, Shi Yi began to get a sense of everyone’s personalities.

Gu Hansheng hardly needed explanation—never serious for a moment, yet clearly the backbone of the station, and likely possessed of extraordinary powers, though Shi Yi had yet to discern exactly what.

Feng Ming, though young, was like a big sister, looking after everyone.

Mi Chen, the oldest, had the youngest face—she looked like a child, had the strength of a titan, and needed to eat as much as Popeye.

The most silent and reticent of them was the fortune-teller, Tang Yu.

Then there was the mysterious security guard, Zheng Fei. Handsome and sunny, yet content to be a guard in this backwater—he must have his own story.

As for Auntie Li, who cooked in the canteen, it was still unclear whether she had abilities or was an ordinary person, but her cooking was superb. Shi Yi had never tasted Michelin-starred cuisine, but in her heart, Auntie Li’s food was no less than the very best.

Fortunately, the day passed without incident—just helping villagers catch chickens, herd cattle, and other trifles.

At four sharp, work ended. Unsurprisingly, Shi Yi again rode home with Gu Hansheng.

Back at her apartment, Shi Yi lit incense for her master as usual and told him about her day at work. After her little chat, she took a shower and lay in bed playing with her phone.

Ding ding ding!

Wang Zhiyuan of Bureau 857 has added you to the group chat “One Big Happy Family.”