Chapter Twenty-Two: Eyes Turned Away, Wisdom Revealed

Ye Chen finally understood what the “Reverse Sight” skill truly was.

At this moment, to his delight, he found that not only could he perceive everything around him with open eyes, but even with his eyes closed, he could “grasp” the entirety of his surroundings.

The sensation was uncanny, as if his entire body were covered with eyes, able to sense the world in a flawless, 360-degree panorama.

Moreover, it was even clearer and more detailed than seeing with his normal eyes.

However, this “grasping” was currently limited to a three-meter radius, centered on himself.

Even a centimeter beyond that, and his vision reverted to its original state.

The reason Ye Chen chose the word “grasp” was because the images in his mind appeared as black backgrounds outlined with white lines.

It was as though all things in the world had been reduced to three-dimensional diagrams.

And he himself seemed endowed with the eyes of a god, able to penetrate all mysteries.

For instance, even with a wall in the way, he could clearly see every scene in Ye Shanshan’s bedroom next door.

Including the prepaid card she had secretly sewn into her pillow, and even the numbers on its surface—he could recite them one by one.

Within three meters, nothing could hide from him.

And this effect was made possible solely by the consumption of his internal energy.

That is to say, once this skill was activated, it continuously drained his inner reserves.

Though the rate of depletion was not particularly fast, it still outpaced his recovery.

Therefore, Ye Chen’s assessment was: extremely powerful, extremely practical.

Used when needed, he became a humanoid radar, with the added benefit of x-ray vision.

In an instant, he thought of countless ingenious uses for this skill, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled into a slightly mischievous smile.

...

In the bathroom, Ye Chen washed the grime from his body, feeling the further enhancement of his muscular strength, while quietly counting his current abilities.

The broken blade, able to extend invisible edges, was his first skill—its half-length blade could easily deceive enemies.

It was perfect for surprise attacks, a veritable tool for stealth and ambush.

Then there was his ever-strengthening physique—muscle strength, resilience, bone hardness, as well as power, speed, and endurance.

With the continued practice of the breathing technique, all his attributes were steadily improving.

A powerful body was itself a weapon.

And finally, this newly mastered Reverse Sight; he wasn’t sure whether it belonged to the category of tools or the body.

It seemed hard to classify... Ye Chen mused, realizing that what he was mastering was gradually diverging from the abilities of ordinary awakeners in this world.

---

Ye Chen dried his hair as he gazed at his reflection in the mirror, murmuring to himself:

“The hunter’s game has officially begun.

“This time, I’ll see for myself—who is the hunter, and who is the prey!”

...

That morning, Ye Chen arrived at the Patrol Bureau half an hour early—for the simple reason that they served breakfast, and the price was far more reasonable than anywhere else.

It was a perk the Patrol Bureau provided.

Most importantly, if you came late, you’d miss out.

Yesterday, when Chen Bingfeng told him about it, Ye Chen had been overjoyed.

He felt that not taking advantage of this benefit would be a disservice to himself.

Chen Bingfeng had been puzzled at his reaction.

Ye Chen had explained mournfully:

“For us wilderness hunters, three meals a day is an unattainable luxury—normally it’s just two.

“I’m considered lucky; when I return at night, someone saves dinner for me.

“Some less fortunate hunters, if they have nothing to show for a day’s work, make do with wild fruit to stave off hunger—it’s commonplace.”

Hearing the newcomer’s account of his past, his two partners fell silent.

They even felt the world was fair—those who awaken do so because their experiences are richer, their suffering greater.

The Patrol Bureau’s cafeteria was divided into a dining area for regular members and a section for team leaders and higher-ranking officers.

As soon as Ye Chen entered, he saw Team Leader Dai seated by the window in the officer’s section—calmly eating breakfast while flipping through a notebook.

Ye Chen thought, no wonder Chen Bingfeng was favored by Team Leader Dai; with such rigorous work habits, it was as if they were cut from the same mold.

But this also proved the saying: if the upper beam isn’t straight, the lower beam will be crooked—Unit One was a counter-example.

Noticing Ye Chen’s glance, Team Leader Dai nodded slightly, signaling approval for his punctual arrival.

Ye Chen hadn’t been seated long before Chen Bingfeng arrived, carrying his breakfast, and took the seat opposite him in a familiar way, asking casually:

“What do you think of the food here?”

Ye Chen replied,

“There’s variety, and the portions are generous and filling—the ingredients are fresh.

“Just this seemingly simple meal, if served elsewhere, would make countless children salivate.”

Thinking back to his days in the wild, eating cold rice balls, drinking icy, strange-tasting water under the open sky, Ye Chen felt a surge of emotion.

---

No wonder Jin Yinghui had said,

“Don’t underestimate the position of an outer city Patrol Bureau member—countless people would break their heads to get in, even hoping to use it as a stepping stone to climb into the inner city.

“In this twisted, indifferent society, every rung you climb brings a world of change in the benefits you enjoy.

“Between inner and outer cities, or among the four capitals on the continent, resources are always distributed unfairly...”

Ye Chen remembered asking curiously,

“So, what do the big shots in the inner city eat and wear?”

Old Jin had replied with a meaningful look,

“They eat human flesh, drink human blood, and wear human skin...”

Though the words sounded exaggerated, even tinged with emotion, Ye Chen realized that, from his very first breakfast at the Patrol Bureau, he’d tasted the privileges brought by class differences.

This was only the tip of the iceberg.

During the meal, Chen Bingfeng’s communicator on the table beeped; he glanced at it, didn’t reply, and set it aside.

After finishing breakfast, Ye Chen watched Chen Bingfeng return to the serving area, pay for another meal, and pack it up. Gesturing to Ye Chen, he sighed,

“Xu Fan asked me to pack him a breakfast. It’s routine, happens often. Let’s go.”

...

Each squad had their own designated office area.

In the office for Squad Two, Ye Chen’s desk was pushed together with those of Chen Bingfeng and Xu Fan.

The packed breakfast was placed on the desk.

Just then, a thick, dark hand reached over, grabbed the breakfast bag, tore it open, and took a big bite.

Ye Chen didn’t even turn his head—he knew exactly who it was.

But the next moment, he suddenly spun around and looked at the unkempt Xu Fan, asking in confusion,

“When did you get your issued pistol?”

Xu Fan, midway through his meal, froze, even stopping his chewing.

His eyes widened as he asked, word by word,

“How did you know I have a gun on me?”