Jiang Qi sat at the desk, the Gray Notebook open before him.
He recalled the two times writing had appeared, and still felt a lingering sense of dread.
This thing had displayed an uncanny ability to foresee the future, yet was also full of misleading implications.
The first time was 【Teleportation will fail】.
He indeed hadn’t been able to return directly to the Inspectorate Dormitory.
But did Deviant Teleportation count as a failure of teleportation in some sense?
He had encountered a World-Devouring Species and nearly died at Wang Huan’s hands.
Judging by the outcome, the prophecy hadn’t been wrong, but the process had been perilous.
The second time was 【The enemy is here】.
Wang Huan had appeared right after.
The two of them had indeed fought soon afterward.
From the Bronze Man’s point of view, Wang Huan was certainly an enemy.
But from “Jiang Qi’s” point of view, Wang Huan was the Inspectorate Director who had come to deal with the World-Devouring Species.
The Notebook’s perspective seemed to be on the side of the uncanny Rust Lake.
“A double-edged sword...”
Jiang Qi murmured to himself.
Since it could predict the future, perhaps it could communicate, too.
After thinking it over, Jiang Qi tentatively wrote on it:
“What are you?”
Corroded lettering quickly appeared.
【I’m a notebook】
A perfectly useless answer.
Jiang Qi’s cheek twitched.
The Notebook had sidestepped the question with an answer he hadn’t considered.
That way of responding also reminded him that he needed to be more specific with his questions.
Jiang Qi immediately wrote:
“Are you a World-Devouring Species?”
The Notebook didn’t answer again.
“It can only answer one question. If that has to do with frequency, there are currently three possibilities.”
“One day has passed.”
“An Ascension has taken place.”
“A World-Devouring Species has been eaten.”
There was still too little useful information, so Jiang Qi temporarily gave up on studying the Notebook.
At least he had confirmed three things.
First, the Notebook could passively reveal a kind of “foresight” that wasn’t absolutely accurate.
Second, gaining some kind of ability from an eaten World-Devouring Species （remained uncertain）.
Third, it could communicate.
He put the Gray Notebook away in his Left Eye and turned to examine himself again.
The abilities of the 【Mad Laughter Controller】 were already clear.
One: 【Bewitchment】 used Speech to release Mental Power and influence others, but he hadn’t had a chance to test this ability yet.
Two: 【Mad Laughter】 was an area-of-effect Psychic Shock, powerful but costly.
Three: 【Reversal】 was a passive ability that combined offense and defense, converting incoming Mental Attacks into Mad Laughter while keeping him conscious.
A chill brushed his neck. It was the black-and-white necklace Shen Yun had given him.
It not only expanded the range of Mad Laughter, but also brought a strange sensation—
His Mental Power no longer seemed to be nothing more than intangible thoughts. It felt like energy that could be guided.
He stared at the cup of water on the desk.
Ripples stirred in his mind as he tried to focus his attention on the bottom edge of the cup.
“If Mental Power can create an impact, can I use it to control objects like a hand?”
Jiang Qi’s mind registered the sensation of his Mental Power touching the cup’s surface.
This could work!
His heartbeat quickened as he tried to clench his fingers in his mind.
“Bzz—”
A faint sound hummed through the air, and the bottom of the cup lifted off the desk first.
He hurriedly strengthened his control over his Mental Power. The cup wobbled, then finally came to a stop in midair!
He’d done it!
Uncontainable joy burst into Jiang Qi’s eyes!
It really hadn’t been his imagination. By focusing his control, he could make his Mental Power “extend beyond his body.”
He tried to spin the cup once in the air, his Mental Power gripping its base like invisible fingers.
In less than a minute, his sense of control ebbed away like a tide.
The cup crashed back onto the desk, and liquid splashed across it.
Only then did Jiang Qi realize he was drenched in sweat.
The feeling of control, of his will moving as his heart desired, vanished.
In its place came a faint, dull ache in his mind—the first sign that his Mental Power was depleted.
But that couldn’t dampen his excitement.
He closed his eyes, and the necklace around his neck grew slightly warm.
He felt his depleted Mental Power slowly being restored, a thin stream flowing from the necklace toward his sea of consciousness.
“This effect must be unique among the Newly Ascended. Only an initial Mental Scale of 16, together with a Tier Three Mental Item, made it possible for me to try this.”
Jiang Qi tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk as he thought.
“I couldn’t keep it up for even a minute, but... this might be the earliest form of an ability related to Space!”
“I still have three days. I should try this as many times as I can.”
“Officer Shen said Mental Power can be improved through training, just like muscles. Maybe I can quickly develop a simple means of attack.”
Just then, the Synchronizer on his wrist suddenly vibrated.
“Beep—”
A message from Shen Yuehuai appeared on the Holographic Screen that popped up.
“I’m downstairs. I brought a few things.”
Jiang Qi had been completely absorbed in experimenting with his Mental Power.
Only when he saw the message did he notice his stomach growling with hunger. He quickly replied:
“Thanks. I’ll be right there.”
When he opened the dormitory door, Shen Yuehuai was standing against the wall, holding a gray bag.
Her expression was calm. When she saw Jiang Qi, she gave a slight nod.
Shen Yuehuai held out a disposable meal box, its handle facing Jiang Qi.
“There’s meat, rice, and vegetables.”
Before Jiang Qi could speak, she held out a rectangular object with her other hand.
“Some basic clothes, a toiletry bag, and a few other everyday items.”
Her voice was mild, without a hint of extra emotion.
Jiang Qi opened the box. The carefully prepared dishes were all mixed together.
“This is...”
“I brought it from the cafeteria. Inspector Wang asked me to find out what you want on your inspector uniform. I guessed you hadn’t eaten.”
“Thanks. I was starving.”
Jiang Qi put aside his strange thoughts, picked up his chopsticks, and wolfed down the food.
He said indistinctly:
“You can make requests about the Inspectorate’s uniforms? I thought they were all standard issue.”
“You can choose from four styles. More importantly, you get to pick the design on it yourself.”
Shen Yuehuai opened the Holographic Screen, and four styles appeared before them.
Jiang Qi glanced over them.
“A trench coat like Inspector Wang’s would be fine.”
“All right. Next, the design.”
The design?
Jiang Qi thought of the five red clouds on Inspector Wang’s collar.
He couldn’t help picturing a certain organization that was unbeatable in team fights but insisted on split-pushing.
So he had picked it himself.
Then perhaps Inspector Wang’s Red Cloud just represented something like volcanic clouds.
“Headquarters is pretty considerate. Every Ascendant gets to choose a distinctive inspector uniform.”
Jiang Qi remarked, glancing at the young woman beside him.
“By the way, Officer Shen, how come I’ve never seen you wear an inspector uniform?”
Shen Yuehuai always wore an ordinary police uniform, but Jiang Qi was sure she was an Ascendant, too.
“I don’t fight much, and I hardly ever leave the Inspectorate grounds, so I don’t count as an Inspector.”
“Only personnel responsible for combat count as Inspectors?”
Jiang Qi quickly cleaned out the meal box.
“You could put it that way.”
“Besides representing your status, an inspector uniform also offers protection. The materials are scarce, so there can’t be one for everyone.”
Shen Yuehuai continued answering patiently.
“What design do you want?”
Jiang Qi pondered for a moment, then looked up and met Shen Yuehuai’s clear, calm eyes.
“I want something a little flamboyant.”
“Like this.”
Jiang Qi placed both index fingers at the corners of his mouth and slowly pulled them toward his ears.
A huge, silent smile bloomed across his face.