novelraw Chapter 10 : Watching from the Shadows
Chapter 10 : Watching from the Shadows
Chapter 10: Watching from the Shadows
Jiang City Public Security Bureau, “Task Force 815” temporary office.
A stack of new reports lay in front of Captain Chen Mo.
“Captain, these are the anomaly reports we’ve compiled during this period.”
A police officer in charge of technical analysis pointed at several video clips displayed on the large screen and said in a grave tone, “In different parts of the city—especially the old district with dense buildings—multiple surveillance and dashcam recordings have captured some unexplainable scenes.”
On the screen, the first video began to play.
It was footage from a bus’s dashcam; the bus was waiting at a red light at an intersection.
Suddenly, a blur of shadow streaked past the side of the bus, crossing the entire intersection at a speed that was almost teleportation.
“We’ve analyzed the frames one by one. That shadow crossed over thirty meters within 0.2 seconds—its speed converts to more than five hundred kilometers per hour!”
“That surpasses any terrestrial creature on Earth and even exceeds the top speed of most sports cars.”
The second video came from external surveillance of an office building.
In the footage, a human figure leaped from one building to another—the gap between them was more than ten meters wide.
The third video was the eeriest of all. It came from a camera beneath an overpass: a black shadow jumped down from the bridge, slowed dramatically when still more than ten meters from the ground, then floated down like a leaf before vanishing into a blur outside the frame.
“We’ve ruled out possibilities such as video tampering, drones, and birds.”
The technician adjusted his glasses and concluded, “All clues point to one conclusion—someone, or several people, with super-speed abilities have appeared on the streets of Jiang City… superhumans.”
“What about that streamer? Have you found Sun Na?”
“All available security forces have been mobilized to search, but it’s as if she vanished into thin air. Her phone’s off, her social accounts are silent—we’re tracing her last movements through the SkyNet system.”
“What about the internet? How are netizens reacting?”
“It’s already been reported up the chain. The online platforms are cooperating fully to delete posts, ban accounts, and limit traffic.”
A cyber-monitoring officer gave a wry smile. “But the videos are spreading too fast. We suppress one batch, and new ones keep popping up. There’s all kinds of talk online right now…”
As he spoke, he cast his laptop screen onto the projector.
The projection showed screenshots from comment sections across the country’s largest social media platforms.
The discussions were in full swing.
“Publicity stunt! Definitely a publicity stunt! Waiting for the police report!”
“Wake up, upstairs! This is obviously a supernatural event!”
“Fellow cultivators, stop hiding! I feel the spiritual energy recovering—I’m heading to Kunlun Mountain to claim my peak first!”
“+1 upstairs! Selling my family’s ancestral cultivation manual, Three Years to Foundation, Five to Golden Core! Not nine hundred ninety-eight, only nine point eight!”
“Nonsense! This is clearly an awakening of powers! I can feel the primordial energy inside me stirring too!”
Though most people were joking and turning it into a bizarre topic of amusement, Chen Mo knew—when an incomprehensible “truth” was exposed to the public, after the initial frenzy, what inevitably followed was panic and the collapse of order.
“We must find Sun Na before this gets completely out of control—and figure out what’s really going on!”
Chen Mo slammed his palm onto the table. “At all costs!”
“I strongly disagree!”
The Deputy Bureau Chief threw a document onto the desk, his face dark. “An A-level wanted order? Ridiculous!”
“Their actions have already constituted a serious threat to public safety!”
Chen Mo stood, arguing firmly. “Whether it’s that streamer named Sun Na, or the unidentified ‘Flying Man,’ the destructive power they’ve displayed is far beyond the scope of any ordinary criminal case!”
“That’s all based on a few questionable videos!”
The Deputy Bureau Chief was unyielding. “The higher-ups have approved this case as a ‘new type of high-tech crime.’ Until we obtain solid evidence, no more resources will be allocated—certainly not a top-level wanted order based on internet clips!”
“Isn’t what we already have enough?!”
Chen Mo pointed to the screen—side by side were Sun Na’s livestream footage, the blurred surveillance images of Zhang Jie leaping between buildings, and photos of the scene at Deshengli Third Alley that looked as if it had been bombed.
“One can control fire out of thin air, another scales walls like an acrobat! If these don’t count as solid evidence, then what does?!”
“Chen Mo!”
The Deputy Bureau Chief’s voice rose sharply. “Watch your tone!”
“I’ll say this once more—we are police officers. We believe in science!”
“Until you find the ‘high-tech devices’ they used, everything remains speculation!”
“You can continue internal surveillance and investigation, but there will be no public wanted order!”
“That would cause public panic. You can’t bear that responsibility—neither can I!”
Staring at the Deputy Bureau Chief’s unyielding expression, a deep sense of helplessness welled up inside Chen Mo.
He knew that unless he could capture a living “superhuman” and place them in front of everyone, his theory of “the extraordinary descending upon the world” would always sound like fantasy.
Chen Mo took a deep breath and rasped, “Understood, Chief.”
“I request authorization to issue a wanted order for the identified suspect, Sun Na, under charges of ‘endangering public safety’; and a citywide bulletin seeking information on the unidentified male suspect.”
“Additionally, I request permission to monitor and filter all online information citywide related to ‘supernatural,’ ‘paranormal,’ or ‘divine phenomena,’ with top priority.”
The Deputy Bureau Chief was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. “Approved. But remember—keep it quiet.”
After leaving the Deputy Bureau Chief’s office, Chen Mo stood alone by the window, gazing at the bustling city below. He felt like he was watching a storm approach in slow motion—utterly powerless to stop it.
He knew that with the limited resources of the task force, trying to find these “immortals” in such a vast city was like searching for a needle in the ocean.
But he had no choice.
“No matter if you’re human or ghost…”
Chen Mo lit a cigarette, his gaze steely. “I’ll drag you out from the shadows.”
……
Night deepened over an old apartment building in Jiang City.
Li Ming phased through the wall like a ghost and returned to his ten-square-meter rental room.
In recent days, he had become completely addicted to the joy that “invisibility” brought.
On the day the Game began, Li Ming had been slumped over his computer, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the screen as he furiously typed.
“Where is this bug? Where the hell is it?!”
He raked his sparse hair in frustration, feeling on the verge of madness.
Just then, his department manager’s profile picture lit up in the work chat, followed by a string of “@Everyone.”
“Overtime tonight. All issues must be resolved before tomorrow’s launch! No one leaves!”
Staring at the cold notice, rage flared in Li Ming’s chest like a spark to dry grass.
Overtime again! Endless overtime!
He remembered how, earlier that day, the manager had thrown a project proposal at his face in front of everyone.
“Are you a pig? Can’t even understand simple logic?!”
“The company pays you to eat, is that it?”
“If you can’t do it, get out!”
Humiliation, anger, resentment—all those poisonous emotions gnawed at him like snakes.
Why?
Why must I be treated like a dog, barked at and ordered around?
A powerful, desperate urge to “disappear” from this suffocating world took root in his mind.
At that very moment, a cold and commanding voice echoed in his head, as if answering his plea.
【Welcome to ‘Game of Gods’】
【Matching player identity and faction】
【Identity match complete】
【Faction match complete】
【Player: Li Ming】
【Identity: The Hermit】
【Faction: Radiance】
【When the world forgets you, you shall own the world】
……
When his boss once again berated him in front of everyone, and that overwhelming desire to “vanish” surged up—divine revelation descended.
The Hermit’s power gave this man, who had always been invisible in real life, true supernatural ability.
After the initial shock came sheer ecstasy.
He—Li Ming—the company’s punching bag, a faceless cog in society—had gained the power of invisibility!
The darkness he had repressed for over twenty years burst free like a beast breaking from its cage, roaring wildly.
He sneaked into his manager’s office and swapped his treasured Pu’er tea for footwash;
He slipped into the subway, standing close beside beautiful women he’d never dared glance at before, greedily inhaling the fragrance of their hair;
He even broke into the apartment of the female colleague he’d long secretly adored, spying on her every move.
All the acts he’d never dared to imagine before—he now indulged in freely, without consequence or discovery.
The feeling was more intoxicating than the strongest liquor.
He felt like a god—a god who could judge and watch all.
Now, having just returned “satisfied” from his colleague’s home, Li Ming floated in euphoric excitement.
Back in his squalid little room, he went to the center of the floor.
At a thought, the air rippled like disturbed water.
A thin, greasy figure appeared out of nowhere.
He still wore a lewd, lingering grin as he peeled off his oily plaid shirt and muttered to himself, “Little minx… will you wear that black skirt again tomorrow? Heh heh…”
Completely lost in his vile fantasies, Li Ming failed to notice that as he deactivated his invisibility—
From the shadow at his feet, a rat—larger and glossier than normal—quietly poked its head from a hole in the wall.
Under his bed, another shadowed corner stirred; the same sleek rat crouched there, its once dull, glassy eyes suddenly focusing.
It squatted silently in the dark, watching the oblivious Li Ming with eyes that did not belong to an animal—cold and calculating.
Like a seasoned hunter studying his unaware prey.
……
On the other side of the city, in a dim underground room filled with the smell of formalin and disinfectant, a man sat before a surgical table, stitching the severed nerves of a sparrow’s wing.
His movements were precise and elegant—less like surgery, more like creating art.
Suddenly, his hands paused.
He slowly raised his pale face—one long unexposed to sunlight—and a flicker of emotion passed through his eyes.
“Found… one.”
He put down the surgical needle and closed his eyes.
Through the eyes of the puppet rat, he could clearly “see” the man named Li Ming—his greasy face, his filthy muttering.
“Invisibility, is it…”
The man extended his tongue, lightly licking his dry lips, like a gourmet anticipating a dish about to be served.
“Then the game…”
“Shall begin with you.”