My Superpower Is Kind of Cute

Chapter 37: Soundproof Speakers

No sooner had Qi Yun finished speaking than the giant shield instantly shrank back to its original size. I could clearly see the expression on Huang Zhenxing’s face as he stood before me—a look of astonishment mixed with confusion. I could tell at a glance that he was puzzled as to why his punch had had no effect, and he hadn’t yet recovered from the shock. Actually, I was just as puzzled as he was and hadn’t recovered either. Qi Yun didn’t waste any words with him; he took control of my body, crouched down, and threw a punch. The corner of the shield struck his abdomen—much like when he’d struck first just a moment ago. The only difference was that this time, he didn’t have a moment to prepare a defense. As Qi Yun landed this blow, Huang Zhenxing’s entire body was sent flying backward into the wall behind him. Even from where I stood, I could hear a faint crack as the wall gave way. Qi Yun murmured enigmatically, “Third move.” As he spoke, he tossed the shield in his hand lightly into the air. As it fell, it actually began to shrink continuously; by the time it landed back in Qi Yun’s hand, it had shrunk to the size of a palm, its octagonal edges becoming increasingly sharp. With lightning speed, Qi Yun appeared right in front of Huang Zhenxing. Huang Zhenxing had only just managed to wriggle his upper body out of the crack in the wall; before he could even activate the knuckle dusters in his hand, Qi Yun had already swung the miniature shield at him with a backhand strike, its sharp edges cutting through the air. “That’s my spirit artifact, the Black Tortoise Shield. It’s as solid as a rock and can change size at will. Few divine artifacts in the world can break through its defense—I wouldn’t tell just anyone about it.” I spoke thoughtfully, “So it’s the same principle as the Divine Pillar of the Sea—both are products of the deep sea.” Geng Dong and the other man had been crouched by the window, observing in secret. Only after Huang Zhenxing had completely left the alley did they cautiously approach me to express their gratitude. “Thank you, sir, for your timely assistance. By the way, you look quite unfamiliar to me—why haven’t I seen you before at the research institute?” I stroked my chin and said with feigned profundity, “Is that really important? I’d actually like to ask why you two are here.” Geng Dong replied, “Wu Peng and I were just out shopping. We ran into them at the three-way intersection. They outnumbered us, so we had no choice but to take refuge here—but I never expected they’d find us.” I glanced at the other man—so his name was Wu Peng. I silently scoffed to myself: “What do you mean, ‘outnumbered’? They’re barely holding on with just three of them. It’s clearly because there’s such a huge disparity in strength that you’re cowering here. Yet you manage to sound so righteous.” I continued, “What good does hiding here do? Why not just go straight to the police station?” The two looked at me with astonishment, as if I were a complete fool. Wu Peng retorted, “This is a conflict among us psychics—how could we possibly drag ordinary Muggles into this?” “You’re barely clinging to your lives—why are you still worried about that?” “You’re mistaken,” Geng Dong said, shaking his head. “Although we’re sworn enemies of the Original Sin Guild, there haven’t been any major conflicts in recent years. We’ve established an unwritten rule: we can fight, but we can’t kill each other. They certainly wouldn’t dare break that rule.” I furrowed my brow. If I hadn’t been lying in wait beforehand and witnessed the scene where they were about to make the ultimate sacrifice, I almost would have believed them—but it’s only because they’re safe now that they can sit here spouting such nonsense. Wu Peng seemed to have had enough as well; he tugged at Geng Dong’s shirt to signal him to stop spouting nonsense, then looked at me and asked, “Then how did you end up here, sir?” “I came out for a walk because I had too much time on my hands.” I was being completely honest about that. After answering, I fired a question right back at him: “How were you guys discovered?” I just didn’t believe everyone had a nose as sharp as Qi Yun’s. Geng Dong pointed proudly at the badge on his chest and said, “Because we’re wearing this, we were spotted at a glance.” Only then did I notice the badges on both their chests—silver winged emblems bearing the three characters for “Research Institute.” “This is clearly just a way to invite trouble, yet you wear it like a treasure.” I looked completely baffled. Just how intense does the brainwashing have to be to produce an effect like this? “This is an honor,” Geng Dong retorted, getting flustered. “Not just anyone gets one.” “So you two must hold pretty high positions?” “Absolutely. We’re both researchers—Wu Peng specializes in weapons and equipment, while I study the physiology of psychics…” Wu Peng seemed to grow suspicious; he interrupted Geng Dong and looked at me. “Since you, Mr. Chen, also claim to be a member of the Research Institute, you should be familiar with all this, right?” I nodded casually. “I wasn’t entirely clear on it before, but I’m pretty much up to speed now.” “In that case, Geng Dong and I will be on our way. I’ll thank you properly next time at the research institute,” Wu Peng said. Without waiting to see if Geng Dong was willing, he grabbed him by the arm and started jogging away. “Wait a minute,” I said, watching their retreating figures. “I have one last question: why can’t anyone outside hear the fight going on in here?” Wu Peng slowly turned around, the confusion in his eyes deepening, but he still pointed to something in the corner of the room. I took a closer look. From a distance, it looked like a Bluetooth speaker; up close, it was literally a Bluetooth speaker. “What’s this…?” I crouched down, puzzled, and examined it for a long time, thinking to myself that it couldn’t be that simple. “A soundproof speaker. When activated, it blocks sound within a certain radius for about ten minutes—a signature product of the Original Sin Guild.” “Damn,” I cursed under my breath. So it really was just a speaker after all.