There is a bit of it, but it can't be called capricious, and it's not giving up either. Shen Jingye still has the thought of going inside. He is cultivating diligently and has the awareness to avoid risks. During the negotiation with superiors, he is more clear-headed than before.
What kind of change is it exactly? Li Banfeng thought for a long time and could only describe it with one word.
Real.
Shen Jingye has become more real than before.
"Bureau Chief Li, I have to remind you of one more thing. The research room has just been established, and the hardware is not yet complete. But among their members, there are many high-level Dark Energy Users. It's better to be a bit more patient during communications."
Li Banfeng frowned and said, "What do you mean by that? Do you think I'm an impatient person?"
Shen Jingye shook his head and said, "I'm worried that they are the ones without patience. They are all Seventh Layer Dark Energy Users. I'm concerned that if they get provoked, they'll be killed by you in an instant."
"I'm just Fifth Layer. How could I kill a Seventh Layer instantly?"
Shen Jingye calculated briefly: "Considering the margin of error, I think at most it would take two hits."
The two were chatting idly when Shen Jingye's phone rang. He looked at the incoming number and pressed the speaker button directly.
The call was from Director Du: "Director Shen, there's a situation in the Dark Matter Research Room. We need to convene an emergency meeting, please attend."
In the past, Shen Jingye would agree immediately and then ponder the meeting's content.
But today, he didn't want to guess riddles: "Director Du, what situation has occurred? Why do I need to participate in the research room's emergency meeting?"
Du Wenming paused for a moment and said, "The professor sent from the Dark Star Bureau to the research room has been abducted."
Li Banfeng was taken aback, who acted so swiftly?
Shen Jingye was quite displeased: "Director Du, why emphasize it was sent by the Dark Star Bureau? We handed over the person to the research room yesterday. Now you're having me attend a meeting; are you asking me to take the fall?"
Shen Jingye was correct; calling him to attend the meeting does desire him to take a broad view and jointly bear the responsibility.
But Shen Jingye's attitude surprised Du Wenming greatly. He had no choice but to clearly state the meeting time to Shen Jingye.
"Is the meeting location in the research room? You need to provide me the address of the research room."
Du Wenming gave the address to Shen Jingye. After hanging up the phone, Shen Jingye intended to prepare a material document but then dismissed this idea after calling the secretary.
"Writing a document is useless, no matter how much I write; I'm definitely not taking the fall today. There's no need to be so euphemistic when speaking to them..." While muttering to himself, Shen Jingye scribbled a few pages in his notebook and left for the meeting when the time was about right.
Two hours later, Shen Jingye returned and went straight to Li Qi's office.
Li Qi put down the documents in his hand and asked, "How was it? Didn't take the fall, did you?"
Shen Jingye shook his head and said, "Didn't take the fall, but the matter is ours."
"What's the difference?"
"The difference is that we lost Yu Yaoming. It's not our fault, but we must find a way to retrieve Yu Yaoming."
Li Qi frowned and said, "Why should we be the ones to find him?"
"The higher-ups said Yu Yaoming's disappearance is a public security issue caused by Dark Ability, handled by the Dark Star Bureau's Public Security Team."
"Nonsense! Where did the incident occur? Wasn't it at the research room?"
"It was the research room, but the situation is rather special." Shen Jingye copied three video clips onto a hard drive and handed it to Li Qi. They were surveillance footage of Yu Yaoming's abduction.
At the time, Yu Yaoming was in the confession room, being interrogated by a research room agent who was making records. Suddenly, a man appeared by the wall of the confession room.
The man wasn't tall, had a big head, wore a large brown hat wrapped with a circle of blue ribbon, with a feather stuck in the ribbon.
Under the brim, blonde curly hair hung down to his face, and through the curls, his deep blue eyes were visible. They were large but lifeless.
Beneath the eyes was a long nose; the tip covered the upper lip. He wore a yellow top with black shorts and a pair of big-headed shoes with neatly tied laces.
Li Banfeng recalled the classic fairy tale he read as a child, "The Adventures of Pinocchio."
Could this person actually be named Pinocchio?
Neither the agent nor Yu Yaoming noticed the man as he stood by the wall for a while and then walked sideways towards Yu Yaoming.
Li Banfeng asked, "Why did he walk sideways?"
Shen Jingye said, "Look further down, there are clues below."
The man stood by Yu Yaoming for a moment, seemingly observing the handcuffs and shackles on Yu Yaoming.
The agent suddenly looked up, and the man's silhouette vanished.
Li Banfeng pressed pause, repeatedly observing how the man disappeared.
With each frame flashing by, in the previous frame, the man was beside Yu Yaoming, and in the next, he was gone.
Shen Jingye shook his head and sighed, "Their hardware equipment is indeed somewhat lacking. This is the limit of the surveillance equipment."
The agent asked two more questions and then continued recording. Li Banfeng said, "Why is there only one agent in the confession room? There should be at least two people."
Shen Jingye said, "The research room explained that Yu Yaoming's mental condition is unstable; in crowded settings, he doesn't cooperate in interrogations and might even attack the interrogator."
"Has this situation occurred in the Dark Star Bureau before?"
"Yu Yaoming is somewhat manic, but it doesn't seem to relate to the number of people. He also caused a scene when there were fewer people."
The man stood by Yu Yaoming for a while, and the most crucial clue emerged.