[ Handsome God of the North Sea ]: "Ah... huh?"
He was utterly bewildered. He couldn't believe that simply watching a live stream had led to the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations knocking on his door. What was this nonsense about hacking their internal database? He wasn't crazy—why would he ever do such a thing?
The Black-Clad Man continued, "Come with us. You're under arrest for espionage."
The Bureau of Anomalous Investigations' database contained highly classified information on Evolvers, Transformers, Outsiders, and Dimensional Rifts—secrets of the highest order. Attempting to hack into it was undoubtedly an act of espionage.
"Wait... wait! No, I didn't do it! How am I a spy? This is a set-up!" Handsome God of the North Sea shouted, but it was too late. The two Black-Clad Men from the Bureau stepped forward and handcuffed him.
According to Article 110 of the Dragon Nation Criminal Law, espionage that endangers national security is punishable by imprisonment of ten years or more, up to life imprisonment. Even in less severe cases, it carries a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum of ten years.
Perhaps the Handsome God of the North Sea hadn't intended to steal confidential information. He might have simply wanted to dox Robin. But his actions spoke for themselves, and the ironclad evidence was undeniable.
While he might not face a full ten-year sentence, the Kuaishou live streaming community likely wouldn't see him for several years.
Of course, Robin remained completely unaware of these events. She was focused on familiarizing herself with her new song. However, news of the incident had reached the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations in Longcheng, Robin's city. With Lü Heng out on a mission, the remaining four members of Zhong Wanhong's team were glued to Robin's live stream.
Zhong Wanhong glanced at his phone before refocusing on his computer. He sighed, "That Top Rank guy who tried to dox Robin earlier has been arrested."
"Ugh... doxing, doxing, doxing. Why are young people so quick to resort to that these days?"
At that moment, a red-haired girl beside him flicked her tail and scoffed, "Hmph! He deserved it!"
Even as she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on the screen—or rather, on Robin in the live stream. Her beautiful ruby-like eyes sparkled as if catching the light of distant stars.
What truly captured attention was the pair of curved dragon horns sprouting from either side of the girl's head, just above her ears. A thick, red tail, roughly the size of an adult man's thigh, emerged from beneath her clothing and trailed on the ground, twitching and swaying with her excitement as she watched the live stream.
The girl's name was Yu Lin, a local of Longcheng and a member of Zhong Wanhong's team. At first glance, most people would mistake her for a Transformer. In reality, however, Yu Lin was a genuine Evolver.
When she was young, a Dimensional Rift had opened near her home, and a wounded dragon had emerged from it. Even in its injured state, the dragon wreaked havoc on Yu Lin's town. Her parents sacrificed themselves to protect her, perishing in the dragon's jaws. Just as Yu Lin was about to meet the same fate, a figure stepped in front of her.
It was a member of the local Bureau of Anomalous Investigations. The elderly man, hunched over with white hair and beard, wielded an ordinary-looking iron sword. Yet this seemingly frail figure stood like an impenetrable wall, intercepting every one of the dragon's attacks.
Yu Lin still vividly remembers that moment. The man swung his weapon, its sharp blade slicing through the sky and severing the dragon's head. A torrential rain of blood poured down, drenching them both completely.
After that day, Yu Lin became a half-human, half-dragon Evolver. Without any additional training, her power steadily grew with age.
Theoretically, the man should have become a half-dragon Evolver as well. But in reality, he collapsed and died right in front of Yu Lin the moment he unleashed that final strike.
Later, Yu Lin learned that the man had been barely twenty years old. He possessed the ability to temporarily trade his lifespan for power, and with each rescue mission, he had aged prematurely. The sword stroke that felled the dragon's head, the one meant to save her, had consumed the last year of his life.
Following that, Yu Lin joined the local Bureau of Anomalous Investigations to study and train. A year ago, she became a full-fledged field operative and joined Zhong Wanhong's team.
"Ahem!" Zhong Wanhong cleared his throat, noticing Yu Lin's rapt attention to the live stream. "I brought you here to analyze the song, not to find a new idol. Tell me, what do you think of Robin's music?"
As a Dragon Lady, Yu Lin possessed exceptional resistance to supernatural abilities. Negative influences that might easily affect ordinary people had little sway over her. For example, a hypnotist might easily mesmerize an ordinary person, but they would find it nearly impossible to hypnotize Yu Lin.
Zhong Wanhong had asked Yu Lin to watch the live stream precisely to assess whether Robin's song concealed any hidden, detrimental supernatural abilities.
But Yu Lin shook her head. "This song contains no supernatural power at all. It's just... purely beautiful! Utterly, irresistibly beautiful! I can't stop listening!"
"Alright, alright," Zhong Wanhong interrupted, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was clear to anyone watching that the Dragon Lady had been completely swept away, utterly transformed into a devoted fan. Either Robin's song was exceptionally potent, bypassing Yu Lin's usual resistance, or the song genuinely contained no supernatural properties at all.
"Captain Zhong," said another woman in the office, also watching the live stream. Dressed in a black uniform and wearing glasses, her expression was serious. "Robin's song might not possess supernatural power, but it certainly has a 'spirit-restoring,' 'emotion-stabilizing,' and 'courage-inducing' effect."
"It's like how even the most timid person, surrounded by teammates shouting and charging into battle, will naturally find the courage to charge alongside them. That's the power of 'atmosphere.' Robin's song achieves a similar effect, resonating with people without relying on any supernatural force."
Hearing this, Zhong Wanhong recalled Robin's words from yesterday during questioning: "Singing gives people buffs." So that's what she meant.
"In any case, as long as there are no hidden dangers, we should be fine," Zhong Wanhong said, his expression reflecting a blend of friendliness and caution toward Robin, the "Outsider."