"Pregnant?!"

  Skyler and Lynn exclaimed in unison, both visibly shocked.

  Beasts could actually get pregnant?

  Didn't beasts lack human reproductive organs?

  Skyler felt a headache coming on.

  There were too many questions he needed answers to, and unfortunately, he was still a complete weakling.

  He really didn't know how many days he had left to live.

  Without hesitation, Lynn asked, "Are you sure she's not lying to you?"

  "Absolutely sure," Officer Huang replied firmly.

  "I can't think of any reason she would lie."

  "And are you sure the child is yours?"

  "Uh..."

  Lynn's question was a brutal one.

  Officer Huang paused for a moment and said,

  "I believe my wife isn't cheating on me."

  Lynn said nothing more.

  Skyler hesitated for a moment, then asked,

  "Officer Huang, can I ask you a personal question?"

  Officer Huang gave a slightly awkward smile.

  "I know what you're about to ask.

  Even though my wife is a beast, our relationship has been very good.

  We fell in love before I awakened, and even now, we still... share a bed about once a week."

  Skyler nodded, signaling for him to continue.

  "My wife is pretty shy.

  She insists on turning off the lights whenever we do it, and she likes having some red wine beforehand..."

  Officer Huang abruptly cut himself off.

  "Ahem, you two are too young for the details.

  Anyway, because I never had relations with a real human woman,

  I didn't notice anything unusual when I was with her."

  Officer Huang sighed deeply.

  "My wife always wanted a child, so naturally, we didn't use contraception.

  I always thought beasts couldn't have children."

  "And after you found out? What do you plan to do?"

  Skyler continued asking.

  Officer Huang took out a cigarette, held it between his lips, then put it back down.

  "Honestly, my first reaction when I heard about the pregnancy wasn't shock — it was joy."

  "Joy?" Lynn frowned.

  Officer Huang took out a cigarette, placed it at his lips, then withdrew it.

  "Honestly, when I first heard my wife was pregnant, my first reaction wasn't shock — it was happiness."

  "Happy?" Lynn frowned.

  "Yes, the joy of becoming a father. Even I find it unbelievable,"

  Officer Huang said, taking out a lighter and resolutely lighting the cigarette.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  "I've decided to have the child, if it can be safely born."

  "Are you crazy?" Lynn asked in disbelief.

  "She's a beast!"

  "I know..." Officer Huang gave a bitter smile.

  "But she's also my wife, and she's carrying my child."

  Skyler said nothing.

  Deep down, he actually supported Officer Huang's decision.

  He had a vague feeling that the birth of this "child" might uncover more secrets about the world —though it would most likely drag Officer Huang into even greater danger.

  Still, it was a risk worth taking.

  "Do whatever you want, just don't drag me into it," Lynn said, no longer objecting.

  "Don't worry, I won't," Officer Huang said gratefully.

  He turned around and leaned back against the desk.

  "Alright, next topic: Since the mission wasn't completed, I can't reveal the sequence rankings.

  But the bonus reward still stands.

  You may each ask me one question — think carefully before you ask."

  "How can talent levels be improved?" Lynn blurted out immediately.

  "Why do you think talents have levels?" Officer Huang's eyes flickered.

  "Yeah," Skyler chimed in, equally curious — after all, he was the only one with a system.

  "At first, I wasn't sure either," Lynn lowered her head and looked at her palm:

  "But my 'Blade God' talent has upgraded twice.

  It's a completely different feeling from slowly growing stronger through physical training.

  At a certain moment, some kind of energy surged through my entire body, clearing every channel inside me —it felt like I was reborn.

  My 'Blade God' has undergone that experience twice."

  "But your 'Metal Manipulation' didn't?" Officer Huang continued asking.

  "'Metal' only had one upgrade, and nothing since.

  When I first awakened 'Metal', I could only control less than one kilogram of metal.

  After the upgrade, I could control up to ten kilograms.

  Logically, I should be able to upgrade again."

  Lynn clenched her hand.

  "I just don't know what's missing."

  "To understand so much on your own — very perceptive,"

  Officer Huang said, removing his cap and thinking for a moment.

  "Actually, every talent can be upgraded.

  Rumor has it the maximum is level 8.

  Your 'Blade God' is just level 3 right now — there's a long way to go.

  Of course, my 'Gun God' is only level 3 too."

  "Then how do you upgrade?" Lynn's eyes lit up.

  "Sorry, I can't answer that."

  "Why not?"

  "It's a rule."

  "Who made the rule?"

  Officer Huang simply smiled and didn't reply further.

  "My turn," Skyler raised his hand, like a student eager to ask a question.

  "Go ahead."

  "How can I meet them?"

  Officer Huang was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

  "You kid, quick on the uptake."

  "You're flattering me," Skyler thought to himself.

  If his ability was trash and he didn't even have brains, he wouldn't even qualify as cannon fodder.

  "Officer Huang, you're under some organization, right? These rules must be set by that organization?"

  Officer Huang nodded and sighed.

  "Actually, I'm not officially part of the organization — more like an external member.

  Normally, they contact me first and order me around, treating me like a tool.

  I don't even have the right to talk to them directly.

  But since I've been a good little tool, sometimes I can wrangle some useful info out of the liaison."

  Officer Huang's smile faded and he grew serious.

  "But I'm forbidden to spread it around.

  If they found out, my ending wouldn't be pretty."

  "Why didn't you join them?" Skyler asked again.

  "Your profession should give you an advantage, right?"

  Officer Huang gave an embarrassed laugh.

  "Because I'm too weak."

  "You... are too weak?"

  Skyler felt like his knees took a hit.

  "I couldn't pass the organization's assessment.

  I'm still on probation — turning full-time seems out of reach."

  Officer Huang looked out the window.

  "That organization is very mysterious, extremely low-profile.

  Even awakened ones much stronger than us are extremely cautious."

  "I see."

  "But," Officer Huang turned around, "now that you two have joined in, I think I might try to apply again. That is, if you both want to join the organization too."

  "I do!"

  Skyler agreed immediately and turned to look at Lynn.

  Lynn asked with a cold expression, "Joining the organization will teach us how to level up our talents?"

  This woman... can't she think about anything other than getting stronger?

  "Of course."

  "When's the interview?" Lynn asked.

  "Don't rush. Sometime in the next couple days — I'll let you know."

  Officer Huang glanced at his phone.

  "Anyway, I gotta go. I'm taking my wife to an ultrasound."

  Skyler grumbled, "Aren't you on duty? Skipping work now?"

  "The joy of slacking off… you wouldn't understand—"

  Before he finished the sentence, Officer Huang's smile vanished. In a flash, he drew his gun and aimed it at the door.

  "Who's there?!"

  Lynn was closest to the door.

  She turned on a dime and summoned her Tang blade, thrusting it straight into the closed door.

  Screech—

  Lynn pulled the blade back and shook her head.

  "No one outside."

  Skyler was stunned!

  Like seriously? You just stab first and ask questions later?

  What if it really was a beast? What if you stabbed the wrong person?

  Talk about trigger-happy… kill a thousand just to make sure you don't miss one.

  Officer Huang slowly lowered his gun.

  "Looks like I was being paranoid. Nerves are shot lately."

  He put his hat back on.

  "Alright, dismissed."

  ……

  The rest of the day was uneventful for Skyler.

  He occasionally opened his system interface in his mind, checking on the accumulation of luck points.

  There was no dramatic multiplier, which meant he was in a safe environment — his awakened identity had not been exposed.

  So, he resumed idling.

  After evening study hall, Skyler walked home alone.

  Late at night, the streets were eerily quiet.

  The rain had stopped, but the roads were still damp.

  Puddles large and small shimmered under the neon lights, looking like gateways to other worlds.

  Splash. Skyler stepped into a puddle and came to a halt.

  Something… didn't feel right.

  His instincts kicked in: Someone was following him.