Chapter 29: Liu Tianyou's Research Data

"Zhang Shuo, it is time to repay the debt of gratitude."

"Heh, gratitude is gratitude, but not a single cent of the money can be missing."

"Of course. 500,000. Help us eliminate someone who might be a bit... special."

"Special? There won't be any danger, will there?"

"There is a little risk. After all, this person is likely under the surveillance of the City Guard. But that shouldn't be a problem for you, should it?"

"Hey, a 'special' person under City Guard surveillance? Isn't this just a sting operation? You guys really think highly of me."

"Don't forget, it was us who gave you the method to control subconscious monsters. Without our help, you never would have obtained Dr. Liu Tianyou's research data."

"800,000. I'll kill him for you. After that, we are square. I don't want to work for a bunch of people who hide in the shadows."

...

The memory cut off abruptly. Zhou Mo took off the dog brain and tossed it aside, letting it romp about. It turned out that the problem wasn't his brain's limited capacity; rather, "Brainy" had pummeled the dog brain until it was swollen. After waiting all night for the swelling to subside, Zhou Mo had finally equipped it. However, just like before, he could only access the memories for a short time after connecting.

Zhou Mo let out a long sigh, looking at Brainy, who was sprawled out asleep nearby, and muttered, "So it really was the killer who arranged for Zhang Shuo to come and kill me."

"It’s basically confirmed that the killer is someone who oversees this type of operation. Although they used a voice changer, that way of enunciating was very professional."

"Still, Dr. Liu Tianyou's research data is truly intriguing..."

"So, where should I start my investigation next?"

"Zhang Shuo's death will likely attract the killer's attention. Regardless, I've already stirred the hornet's nest..."

As Zhou Mo rubbed his chin, planning his next move, his phone suddenly rang. He picked it up and was surprised to see it was a call from Xia An.

Zhou Mo hesitated for a moment before answering, "Captain Xia An?"

"Hello? Zhou Mo, are you free this afternoon? Want to grab a bite to eat?"

Hm? Xia An is inviting me to dinner?

Zhou Mo couldn't help but frown, unable to figure out what game Xia An was playing. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded. "I don't have anything going on. What made you suddenly want to take me out for a meal, Captain?"

Xia An’s voice sounded a bit unnatural. "You'll see when you get here. Meet me at the City Guard office this afternoon."

Zhou Mo felt bewildered, but decided to go and see what it was about. By the afternoon, Zhou Mo hadn't eaten anything, planning to bring Brainy along and stuff himself. Regardless of Xia An's motives, his own goal was to fill his stomach.

Of course, before leaving, Zhou Mo had one major problem: he had to find a way to get the dog brain into the refrigerator.

"I know, I know. Stop fussing, look..."

"How about this: when I get back, if it's late and there's no one around, I'll take you out for a walk, alright?"

Watching the dog brain scurrying around the room, Zhou Mo offered the condition, nursing a headache. This ridiculous thing had realized Zhou Mo was leaving without it and started throwing a tantrum. It was a good thing it didn't have a mouth, or Zhou Mo doubted any furniture in the house would still be intact.

Zhou Mo wasn't even sure if he could calm it down, but the brain was more "dog-like" than an actual dog, and this was his only option. To his surprise, upon hearing about the walk, the dog brain, which had been crawling all over the room, instantly froze, its eyes filled with a look of pure, foolish expectation.

*Really?*

Zhou Mo’s mouth twitched, but he nodded. "Really, I promise."

*Deal!*

The dog brain zipped over to the top of the refrigerator, kicked the door open, dove inside, and squeezed into the pot with Liao Feng's brain to sleep. Zhou Mo let out a sigh of relief and was about to leave, but Brainy flipped open the lid and jumped out, retrieved a roll of tape from a drawer, and firmly sealed the refrigerator shut before returning to Zhou Mo's head, satisfied.

Zhou Mo nodded in agreement. "You really are something."

He left the house, hopped on his e-bike, and drove toward the City Guard office on Zhongshan Road. Upon arrival, he noticed quite a few people in City Guard uniforms, each of them looking at him with curious expressions.

Just as Zhou Mo parked his bike, Sun Yue walked out in a white lab coat and waved at him. "Come on, let's head to the cafeteria."

Zhou Mo was stunned. "We're eating in the cafeteria? I thought we were going out..."

Sun Yue shrugged. "Can't be helped; regulations are strict right now. But our cafeteria food is actually quite good. Besides, you count as an auxiliary staff member; it's no problem for you to grab a meal here."

Zhou Mo suddenly remembered that he did indeed belong to the auxiliary staff—the kind that even received a salary. However, when he followed Sun Yue to the second floor of the cafeteria, he was dumbfounded.

Although the decor on the second floor was just as plain as the first, he saw a roasted suckling pig and large lobsters on a long table, along with several other high-end dishes being served.

Sitting at the table, Xia An waved at him with an unnatural smile. "Come sit here, Zhou Mo. Let's eat and talk."

Sun Yue whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, the Captain paid for this out of his own pocket."

Zhou Mo was completely baffled. He walked over, sat down, and asked curiously, "Captain Xia An, what is all this?"

Xia An awkwardly poured him a soda and said with a look of shame, "Zhou Mo, I owe you an apology."

"I suspected you were one of the 'Brain Eaters,' which is why I used you as bait. I didn't expect it to cause so much trouble or almost get you killed."

Zhou Mo smacked his lips, finally realizing this was an apology for the previous incident. He raised an eyebrow. "How about you drink three cups as a penalty? And we call it even?"

Xia An looked surprised at first, then gave a sheepish laugh. "I wish I could!"

"This was truly my fault, so I plan to pull some strings and get you appointed as a reserve investigator."

"An investigator? A reserve one?" Zhou Mo blinked, unsure if this counted as compensation.

*Are there still detectives in this world?*

Watching Zhou Mo's expression, Xia An patiently explained, "Are you not satisfied? You should know that even as a reserve, if you help with just a few cases, the monthly base salary the City Guard pays you will be higher than any job you'd find outside."

"I can arrange for you to join us in investigating the theft of Dr. Liu Tianyou's research data. You don't have to do anything—just show your face and sign off on the case at the end."

"You'll get a 10,000-credit bonus and an official title as a reserve investigator. What do you think? Give it some thought."