Chapter Twenty-Five: Source Energy Radar

Upon hearing what Qi Fangyan said, Lin Lei realized she still didn't have a boyfriend, and the restlessness in his heart faded considerably. Still, he did not completely let his guard down. Qi Fangyan was a gentle, indecisive woman who struggled to say no; who knew when she might be tricked by another man. His eyes flashed as he said directly, "That's settled then. I remember where your company is, Sister Yan. Tomorrow after work, I'll wait for you downstairs at your office!"

"Well... alright," Qi Fangyan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately nodded. No matter how attentive her male colleagues were, none were as reliable as her own younger brother.

Lin Lei smiled and then lifted the snacks and food in his hands to show Qi Fangyan. "Sister Yan, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I've bought plenty—let's eat together."

...

The next day.

Morning.

After waking, Lin Lei did not get up immediately but instead arranged his body in a yoga-like posture, closed his eyes, and began absorbing source energy. He could sense the ambient source energy entering his body and merging with him... Though it couldn’t compare to the vivid perception and absorption speed he experienced after taking the Enlightenment Serum, it was still much faster than his subconscious absorption rate.

However, this process lasted only about half an hour before stopping; the amount of source energy he could absorb using the Source Energy Cultivation Method had reached its limit for the day.

"Dr. Zhou was right—only the first time yields the most noticeable effect. The second time is much weaker..." Source energy cultivation was inherently slow, and opportunities like the first were rare indeed.

In fact, though the time spent cultivating each day was limited, it still far exceeded the passive absorption his body managed on its own.

Having finished his daily cultivation, it was only seven o'clock. Lin Lei got up, went downstairs for a run, ate breakfast, and returned upstairs. After showering, he changed clothes and lounged on the living room sofa with a black phone in hand.

Li Xueshu had set their meeting for nine o'clock, so he still had plenty of time.

The black phone was a special PDA issued by the Investigation Bureau. Besides functioning as a normal smartphone, it was equipped with powerful additional features. Its drop resistance and shock absorption were exceptional—it could even stop a bullet. Its hardware far surpassed commercial models, and it was loaded with many internal apps, accessible only via fingerprint and facial recognition.

As he fiddled with the phone, he suddenly heard the sound of the door opening across the hall.

Lin Lei promptly sat up and opened his own door, pretending he was about to leave. "Morning, Sister!"

Qi Fangyan, still half-asleep and yawning, replied, "Morning, Lei Lei."

Lin Lei stepped forward to help carry her bag. "What a coincidence, Sister! Let's have breakfast together."

Although Lin Lei had already eaten once, nothing stopped him from enjoying a second meal. As expected, after breakfast, he insisted on escorting Qi Fangyan to work.

Normally, daytime was much safer than night, and unusual incidents were rare, but Lin Lei’s initiative and Qi Fangyan’s inability to refuse made a difference. Qi Fangyan was indeed surprised by Lin Lei’s sudden change, but she wasn’t part of the supernatural world, so she couldn't imagine anything out of the ordinary. On the contrary, she was delighted by his transformation; not wanting to hurt Lin Lei’s fragile and sensitive heart, she didn’t refuse his request.

After delivering Qi Fangyan to her company, it was only eight thirty.

Lin Lei hailed a cab and headed straight for a nearby coffee shop.

...

Upper District, Left Bank Café.

Following the server’s directions, Lin Lei entered a private room in the café.

Li Xueshu, sucking on a lollipop, was already waiting inside. She wore a simple, elegant dress today—not the attire of someone on a mission, but more like someone out for a stroll in the countryside.

Lin Lei glanced at the time; ten minutes remained until nine o’clock.

"Captain, you’re really early."

Li Xueshu yawned. "Better early than late."

As she spoke, she produced a long, leather bag nearly a meter in length and handed it to Lin Lei. "I brought what you requested."

Lin Lei’s eyes brightened immediately.

He opened one end of the leather bag.

It was a sword bag containing a gleaming silver long blade.

This wasn’t standard equipment from the Investigation Bureau, but a cold weapon he’d specifically requested. The blade looked simple but was actually forged from a combination of various alloys, making it a superb weapon. Hardness, strength, and toughness were all balanced in optimal proportion—the pinnacle of modern cold weapon manufacturing in Shaya!

Compared to the tang blade he had sharpened himself, this was on an entirely different level!

Although it wasn’t a “source artifact”—not infused with source energy—it could still effectively enhance Lin Lei’s strength.

"In addition, for the sake of this mission, I requested this as well."

Li Xueshu took a silver device with a screen from a nearby handbag.

It looked a bit like a handheld game console.

"What’s this?" Lin Lei had taken the Enlightenment Serum and awakened his first source quality, allowing him to sense the presence of source energy in the air. He noticed that the small device Li Xueshu held emitted a faint aura of source energy—clearly no ordinary item.

Li Xueshu handed the radar to Lin Lei. "This is a low-level source artifact I applied for: the Source Energy Radar. It can detect source energy fluctuations within a radius of several hundred meters..."

"It’s also crucial for our operation."

"You’re leading this mission, so I’ll leave it in your care for now."

It was indeed a source artifact!

Lin Lei nodded, examining the radar’s screen. It was covered in a dense grid, with faint yellow lights flickering across it. One grid near the edge flashed with a distinct yellow spot, while the central grid glowed with a deeper red light.

Li Xueshu explained, "When the Source Energy Radar detects fluctuations, it lights up. The color transitions from yellow to red—the deeper the color, the stronger the fluctuation."

She pointed to the center of the screen. "See that red dot in the middle? That’s because your source energy has been picked up by the radar!"

Lin Lei couldn’t help but ask, "Why me? Shouldn’t your source energy level be higher?"

Li Xueshu shook her head. "Ordinary source energy users keep their energy contained. Unless they actively trigger their gifts, the Source Energy Radar won’t detect them."

"But you’ve just taken the Enlightenment Serum, and your source energy surged rapidly, causing such a noticeable fluctuation..."

Lin Lei understood, running his hand over the Source Energy Radar, his eyes shining.

"What a remarkable device!"

He took the opportunity to activate his Gluttony ability, attempting to “plunder” it.

But soon, he realized he couldn’t plunder the item after all.

"How could this be?" His face froze.