Chapter Thirty-Seven: Mist

June arrived, and the weather began to turn warm.

Lin Yilin, however, did not seem to feel it. She was still wearing that black coat, which looked oversized on her. Since the day Zheng Fan first met her, this was the only part of her attire that never changed.

It was not that Lin Yilin lacked a sense of style. Her outfits always highlighted the vibrant prime of her youth in every way, making her seem even younger than a fresh college graduate—more like the legendary "JK," a high school girl.

In such moments, the scar on her face felt like an eyesore, and her flat, indifferent expression seemed a pity.

But Zheng Fan thought it was all perfect.

The scar made her unique, and as for her expression, that was not an issue at all. He was not the type of person to nag, "You’re so pretty, you should smile more," or "You look better when you smile." Deep down, he didn't believe that. Beautiful women with different temperaments naturally have different ways of expressing themselves.

To pass a "death sentence" on someone just because they didn't smile much was going too far. In Zheng Fan’s memory, there was a classmate who was as robotic as they came—so impossibly handsome that he didn't seem real—yet because he didn't smile, people started baseless rumors about him being asexual or cold. It was complete nonsense.

Following the "remnant incident" at Cannetong in early June, Lin Yilin’s accumulated track record had yielded significant results.

Her success rate in accepting tasks from the official website had improved considerably. Some commissions were restricted to only one firm at a time, and when one attempted to claim such a task, the Bureau’s official system would filter the applicants.

Firms without a solid track record were at a huge disadvantage in these cases, a problem that had previously trapped Lin Yilin.

The increase in reputable completed commissions had raised her weighting on the Bureau’s website.

The snowball was growing larger.

These commissions involving supernatural phenomena were essentially a game of "blind boxes." Not every commission that appeared to be supernatural actually turned out to be one.

For instance, not long ago, Lin Yilin snagged a commission regarding a "vampire."

This had thrilled her.

Fantasy races seemed to be rather rare in the Great Metropolis. Vampires, a trope so common in fantasy stories elsewhere, were not the case here.

It wasn't just vampires; any fantasy creature Zheng Fan could think of in specific detail followed this rule.

Hallucinations here tended to be abstract rather than concrete, and while fantasy objects were slightly better, they were still extremely limited.

Given this, fantasy creatures and fictional races with pre-defined abilities and appearances were truly rare commodities.

It had made Lin Yilin incredibly happy.

However, once she arrived at the scene, she discovered it was just a child suffering from a vitamin deficiency causing gum bleeding—a bit more severe than the average person, that was all.

At the strong insistence of the child’s parents, Lin Yilin had helplessly used supernatural methods to help treat the gum issue.

Zheng Fan, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but call it a "Science Investigation" moment.

For some firms, these blind boxes were actually a good thing. The Bureau did not deny the legitimacy of a commission just because the cause was misidentified.

Every completed commission was recorded as part of one’s track record, even if the weighting was slightly lower than that of a genuine supernatural event.

Being able to get official recognition for doing minor chores was something most firms were happy to do.

But for someone like Lin Yilin, who was driven by interest, it was hard to say.

If she had nothing to do, that was one thing, but she disliked the feeling of a wasted trip.

It was better to stay at the office and listen to Zheng Fan tell stories from his own world.

"The weather has been a bit humid lately. What kind of geographical location is this Great Metropolis, anyway? The climate is so strange," Zheng Fan remarked, lying on the sofa and looking at the mist swirling outside.

The muggy, humid weather was the most unbearable, and while Zheng Fan couldn't feel it, the Toast beside him was quite sensitive to humidity.

Because it was, after all, toast.

Toast, of course, would get damp.

It looked a bit wilted, its body soft and limp, losing its perfect form, its spirit noticeably dampened.

Could it be getting moldy?

Zheng Fan’s thoughts drifted aimlessly.

"The Great Metropolis is the Great Metropolis; it is the center of the world." Every time Zheng Fan asked about the specifics of the city, Lin Yilin would repeat this line.

Sitting at her desk reading a book, Lin Yilin said, "As for the climate, there is no fixed rule. It mainly depends on which world is overlapping during the current season. For instance, right now, a portion of the Water World is making contact."

Except for the Violent World and the Dark World, which made time to overlap at the end of every month, the overlaps of other worlds were relatively random.

Or rather, these capricious worlds were simply the most ordinary "weather" in the Great Metropolis.

As she spoke, Lin Yilin turned to look out the window. "The fog seems to be getting thicker. Could it be the Mist World?"

"Didn't you say it was the Water World?"

"The Mist World is a world that often 'hitches a ride' with the Water World to overlap first. There are many stories in the Great Metropolis related to the Mist World."

"I see..."

"It’s just like the movie *The Mist* that Mr. Hallucination mentioned before. A thick fog blankets the streets, and all sorts of things might be lurking within it. If it happens to bring out a piece of the Dark World, then creating hallucinations and fantasy objects is even easier," Lin Yilin explained.

"It’s only natural for people’s fear of the unknown to manifest when visibility is low. That makes sense," Zheng Fan said.

"By the way, you still haven't given your opinion on the ending of *The Mist*. You were in such a rush to get off work last time."

"The ending where, in total despair, all the companions commit suicide, and the protagonist even ends his own child's life, only to find rescue arrive the moment he is left alone?"

"Uh-huh." Zheng Fan nodded.

"It’s not a very bizarre ending," Lin Yilin said after some thought. "Too many people succumb to fear in despair. I don't think they made the wrong choice. It was just fate playing a joke on them."

"If it were you, what would you do?"

"I would want to see every monster from the other world within that mist. Whether I die in the process or am lucky enough to be saved, the ending doesn't really matter." Lin Yilin gently brushed back her bangs, then asked with curiosity, "Though, hearing Mr. Hallucination tell it, the movie sounds quite good. It’s just that hearing a retelling loses some of the meaning."

Zheng Fan nodded in agreement. "True, movies are only truly interesting when you watch them yourself. However, that’s assuming it’s a good movie. If it’s a trash film, you just feel like your life has been wasted."

"It would indeed be a pity, but even a trash film can be considered a way to pass the time, so it’s not entirely a total loss."

"Just like that 'vampire' incident was for you yesterday?"

"...So, is Mr. Hallucination beating around the bush just to try and cheer me up?"

"I don't know." Zheng Fan couldn't help but laugh.

He rose from the sofa. "By the way, I’ve mostly gotten the hang of my recent abilities. Let me show you a magic trick."

"A magic trick? I can see through most magic tricks at a glance..."

"That might be different. Anyway, lend me your bank card."

"...What kind of magic trick requires a bank card?"