Chapter 281

Chapter 281: The Cognitive Blind Spot

This was not only because his memories seemed to have some issues, but also because he recalled another matter, something that had occurred not long ago.

Councilwoman Nia had once told him that he resembled his father, truly his son.

However, with a formal adoption process, someone in her position as a councilwoman should certainly be aware of the details.

Though she hadn’t explicitly stated it, her words subtly suggested that he was biologically connected to his father, steering him toward the notion of a natural father-son relationship.

Why would she say that?

Luke fell into deep contemplation.

As time passed, the Adoption Relationship Certificate in his hand became increasingly crumpled from his tight grip.

Luke understood the underlying message in Nia’s words:

She was attempting to evoke the bond between him and his father, using emotional triggers to sustain his thirst for revenge and to prevent him from abandoning his path midway.

The sound of creaking echoed in the confined space, emanating from Luke’s clenched teeth.

The thought of that woman using such a feeble lie to deceive him, to deter him from rejecting her surgical transformation, filled Luke with fury.

This wasn’t merely about being deceived; from this perspective, it revealed that she never believed he possessed the resolve to follow through, that she doubted this adopted child could harbor a steadfast conviction, and that she questioned whether he could maintain his vengeful rage even after uncovering the truth about his relationship with his father.

What sheer contempt!

In the darkness, Luke’s eyes were bloodshot, and his hands trembled slightly as he folded the certificate and tucked it into his pants pocket.

He resolved to start relocating that very night; one day, he would stand before Nia and declare to her face —

“You underestimated my resolve and overestimated your own capabilities.”

—

“What would I do if I were him?”

This question had plagued Shi Jin for several days, becoming a constant source of discomfort that weighed heavily on her mind.

During this time, she experienced a sense of helplessness akin to what she had felt when tackling reading comprehension questions in school.

Could she determine the current state of someone who might still be alive based on past information and documents?

It was difficult to say.

Although she had her own office within the central spire, the areas Shi Jin could freely access remained severely restricted.

The central spire was fundamentally different from the surrounding buildings.

Though she hadn’t yet examined the exterior of the structure closely, Shi Jin could already discern many peculiarities from her daily work.

The surveillance cameras seemed almost seamlessly integrated into the walls, the flooring and walls appeared to be made of a material somewhere between metal and non-metal, and there were an excessive number of access control doors, which became a source of irritation.

As a result, whenever she heard the words “beep, insufficient permissions,” Shi Jin felt an innate impatience and a growing curiosity about the upper levels.

Yes, the upper levels.

Anyone granted access to the central spire received an access card embedded with a chip linked to their identity.

Each person had a corresponding permission level, and if their permissions were insufficient, the upper areas remained off-limits to them.

Even as a shadow to an elected council member, Shi Jin had to submit a formal request in advance through the room’s equipment if she wished to meet Nia.

Such advanced technology and complexity left the Young Man, who had only repaired factory machinery before, utterly awestruck.

It felt as though the interior and exterior of the spire existed in entirely separate worlds.

After sitting for an unknown duration, Shi Jin felt a dull ache in her lower back.

This was one of the side effects of her recent job transfer. Previously, her days were filled with either training or active duty. Now, sitting for long stretches left her body feeling stiff and uncomfortable.

As she debated whether to take a short break, a faint conversation drifted in from outside her office:

“It’s past three; time for a break…”

Had it really passed three o’clock already?

Shi Jin was mildly surprised but quickly decided to step out for a walk.

After all, even if time was tight, it didn’t matter much. Shi Jin had discovered a new way to utilize her abilities.

By combining Ephemeral and Slow Time, she could stretch time in small areas by dozens of times.

Even if only five minutes remained before a deadline, she could extend it to over an hour.

With this in mind, she decided to take a stroll.

The spire’s corridors were usually quiet, and the earlier conversation had been an unusual occurrence.

As Shi Jin stepped out of her room, she noticed two colleagues from another office whispering to each other.

These two seemed to be the ones who had inadvertently inspired her decision to take a break.

Shi Jin didn’t intentionally eavesdrop, but their voices carried to her ears—

“Do you know where the second archive room is? I’ve never been there.”

“Why are you asking about the second archive room? I thought no one ever looked at the stuff there.”

“Well, someone must have, because I got an order to pull some files. Apparently, it’s for an outside case—something about investigating the sewers.”

“You’re saying there are people in the sewers? That can’t be right. A place like that…”

“Who knows? Anyway, you know where it is, right? Come with me after work…”

Their voices faded as they walked further away.

Shi Jin listened half-heartedly, suddenly realizing she had never given much thought to the sewers before.

Hope City was built on a plain near the Seaside, and in such a flat area, the sewers not only handled household wastewater but also managed the heavy rainfall during the summer months.

Yet, throughout her life, Shi Jin had rarely seen any maintenance work on the sewer pipes, as if they didn’t exist or were somehow immune to damage.

Reflecting on how she had overlooked this issue, Shi Jin felt a pang of inadequacy in her investigative skills.

This kind of mental gap couldn’t be bridged by raw power alone.

Whether it was for assisting Councilwoman Nia or completing tasks for the Holy Fire Meow Meow Cult, Shi Jin resolved to read more case files to sharpen her abilities in this area.

But that was a matter for later.

The moment she recognized her blind spot, Shi Jin abandoned her brief break and returned to her office.

She quickly briefed Nia on her findings, then donned her combat suit, grabbed her electric shock gun and handgun, and left the central spire.

Shi Jin had never seen the exterior of the spire, as she had never entered through the main gate.

After walking through a long passageway, she emerged from a Hidden Door in the Wager Chemical Factory.

As dusk settled, Shi Jin draped herself in a loose coat and melted into the bustling crowd of the Chemical Factory’s black market.