INHA Chapter 96

Just moments ago, Zhang Feng received a call from the Anomaly Handling Bureau. They had noticed the negative news circulating online about Xu Dongyou. In particular, the higher-ups emphasized that Xu Dongyou must continue to rise in popularity with a positive image, and ideally, he should become universally liked. This task had even been assigned an A-level importance. The only thing higher than that would be an S-level mission, which typically involved matters related to global catastrophe.

Naturally, this caused the entire Anomaly Handling Bureau to take the situation very seriously. Some within the Bureau were confused as to why Xu Dongyou’s fame was so crucial, but they assumed there were secrets behind it that they weren’t yet privy to.

At that very moment, the General Director of the Bureau was standing in a secluded valley beyond a secret portal. His voice was calm as he said, “We’ve begun the necessary arrangements. Soon, Xu Dongyou will become the most popular and beloved star. We can then move on to the next phase of the plan.”

In response, glowing lights began to appear within the valley, eventually coalescing into a being whose original form was impossible to discern. Its eyes shone with wisdom, the product of time’s passing, as it slowly spoke, “Good. Time is running out. I can sense it—the force behind the malevolent spirits is about to emerge.”

The General Director’s expression grew serious, and he nodded. “I understand, Elder Bai.”

After the General Director left the valley, he immediately asked his subordinates, “Is the item ready?”

“Yes, it’s been developed. Should we inform Zhang Feng?” a subordinate asked.

“Inform him. Do everything possible to ensure that Xu Dongyou doesn’t attract any negative news, but don’t overdo it. We can’t forcefully suppress the bad press, or it might provoke a public backlash.”

“Understood.”

The General Director sat down, his gaze growing distant, and murmured, “I hope everything I’m doing is the right choice.”

On their end, Elder Chen and Jiu Chao had also received a message from Elder Bai. Their expressions were complicated and filled with hesitation. Jiu Chao turned to Elder Chen and asked, “Elder, do you really think… this is the right path?”

The information from Elder Bai was shocking, yet it also sparked a glimmer of hope in their hearts.

Elder Chen asked in return, “Then why is it that after so many years, there has never been any newborns among the Demon clan, except for Xu Dongyou? Why is his Demon energy pure white, without any elemental attribute? And why can he remain untouched by evil forces? Don’t these all prove that Elder Bai is right?”

“His… identity is indeed…” Elder Chen lowered his voice, as if speaking aloud would alert the evil forces.

Jiu Chao nodded thoughtfully, “You’re right. But in time as Xu Dongyou’s power grows stronger, if he comes to us seeking answers, how should we explain things to him?”

Elder Chen pondered for a moment before replying, “Let’s just say we don’t know all the details ourselves. The fewer people who are aware of the truth, the better, even if Xu Dongyou is directly involved.”

Jiu Chao nodded again. “I understand.”

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xu Dongyou sat up straight and asked Zhang Feng, “Brother Zhang, what do you mean by that?”

Being younger in both human and Demon age, and considering that they would be working together closely, Xu Dongyou had started calling Zhang Feng “Brother” to foster a sense of camaraderie.

Zhang Feng had just finished reading the message he’d received from the Bureau and gave a brief explanation. “The Bureau just sent me some news. This news should be enough to neutralize the negative press about you. You should be receiving it soon.”

Xu Dongyou blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

At that moment, his spiritual energy watch, which had been silent, suddenly pinged. Sure enough, a message had arrived from the chief.

It was only a few short sentences, but the content left Xu Dongyou stunned.

“Dongyou, the Anomaly Handling Bureau’s research department has developed a new public service product—an advanced screen-casting smartphone. You will be the official spokesperson for this product.”

Being the official spokesperson for a government-endorsed product was far more prestigious than even the biggest commercial endorsements. What’s more, this new product was a screen-casting smartphone.

Though Xu Dongyou didn’t fully understand the details of this product yet, he was about to message the chief for more information when another message arrived.

“If you agree, the Bureau will send you an electronic contract. All you need to do is sign it. This will benefit both you and the public.”

The chief’s words immediately dispelled Xu Dongyou’s hesitation. Though he had been unsure if he could handle the responsibility, hearing that it would benefit the public made him agree without further doubt.

Shortly after, an electronic contract arrived. Xu Dongyou quickly signed his name and sent it back.

Zhang Feng waited until Xu Dongyou was finished before asking, “What did the Bureau say?”

Xu Dongyou briefly explained, then added, “Brother Zhang, do you know what specific features this screen-casting smartphone has?”

Though there were already tools available to cast movies and link phones to project content onto walls, the Anomaly Handling Bureau’s research department was known for cutting-edge technology. This phone likely wasn’t what Xu Dongyou imagined.

Zhang Feng wasn’t too sure either, so he was about to contact a researcher he knew when he suddenly paused and said, “Dongyou, check Weibo right now.”

The top three trending topics seemed to all be about the phone.

The number one trending topic was #OfficialAnomalyHandlingBureauPhone.

The second was #EraDefiningPhone.

And the third was #PhoneLaunchEvent.

Each post was related to the Anomaly Handling Bureau. The main content revealed that the Anomaly Handling Bureau, in collaboration with the government, was set to release an era-defining product: the screen-casting smartphone. The official launch would take place in three days.

The posts briefly summarized that the phone was only the size of a button and could be worn as an accessory. When activated, it could project a screen. It had all the functions of a regular phone, but its key feature was the ability to bypass local police and send an emergency call directly to the Anomaly Handling Bureau.

However, the specifics weren’t fully detailed. All would be revealed at the launch event in three days.

This news instantly caused a stir. Over the past few months, people have gone from doubting the existence of the Anomaly Handling Bureau to fully accepting its reality. It had taken several days for the public to digest and come to terms with this new information.

At the same time, various major TV stations and official channels began discussing the issue. Now, there were few people unaware of it.

Though many people had never encountered anything strange in their lives, after watching official documentaries, they became particularly anxious about resentful spirits and ghosts. Some even considered seeking talismans from spiritual healers for protection. However, the news urged the public not to waste money, warning that it could be a scam.

They also advised people to report suspicious activities to the police as soon as possible. Generally, when encountering resentful spirits or evil ghosts, there was usually a three-day grace period, except for the rare unlucky ones who were harmed on the first day. Most people would have enough time to wait for the Anomaly Handling Bureau’s rescue.

Ever since people learned that evil ghosts truly existed, the number of murder cases significantly dropped, easing the workload and stress on the police. They were still in disbelief that ghosts actually existed in this world.

However, intelligent ghosts were relatively rare. Most simply followed their obsessions without much awareness.

As for evil ghosts, the Anomaly Handling Bureau had already explained that these entities were even more dangerous than ghosts. They could easily harm people, regardless of whether they were good or bad. Fortunately, evil ghosts rarely killed on the first day, so reporting them immediately was the best course of action.

Yet, despite these reassurances, people couldn’t help but feel terrified deep down. Therefore, when they heard about the Anomalu Handling Bureau’s new screen-casting smartphone, they were filled with hope. This product had a direct connection to their personal safety.

Within just three days, everyone knew about the phone, and on the third day, they eagerly tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the product launch. But what they saw left them stunned.

Sitting beside the presenter was a strikingly handsome young man, who looked oddly out of place at such a serious launch event. Wasn’t that Xu Dongyou, the recent sensation?

Even though Xu Dongyou was a popular idol singer, his fame couldn’t compare to the official weight of the Anomaly Handling Bureau, which was backed by the government. Seeing these two contrasting figures together created a mix of awe and confusion.

Xu Dongyou’s parents were watching the broadcast and were equally shocked.

All major TV networks had quickly adjusted their programming to broadcast the live event, as this was currently the most important issue, leaving all other shows sidelined.

Lu Xianhong was also watching the live broadcast. The moment he saw Xu Dongyou sitting at the event, he was stunned and immediately gritted his teeth, “Why is he sitting there?”

This was a point of confusion for everyone.

The reporters sat quietly, listening as the host of the launch event began to introduce the people present. “The official launch event for the screen-casting phone developed in collaboration with the Anomaly Handling Bureau has officially begun. First, let’s invite the Director of the Fengnian Anomaly Handling Bureau to introduce the main features of the product.”

As the words were spoken, a middle-aged man with an imposing presence nodded and spoke calmly, “Due to the recent increase in evil ghosts and unusual incidents, after a discussion among all the Anomaly Handling Bureaus, our research department has developed a product called the screen-casting smartphone. It will be officially available for purchase seven days after the launch event, with a price of just 1888.”

1888?

It wasn’t expensive.

However, the public was still curious about what this so-called screen-casting smartphone actually was.

Soon, a detailed video demonstrating the phone’s features was played. Everyone held their breath as they watched intently.

The phone was the size of a button and could also serve as a decorative item, available in both male and female styles. It could be used for screencasting and charged through light energy, eliminating the need for traditional charging.

The most important feature was that the phone was linked to the user’s body data. If an injury occurred, it would immediately contact the nearest police officer, who would arrive on the scene promptly.

Moreover, if a person encountered a supernatural event and was attacked by an evil ghost, the phone could detect the presence of the ghost. The phone would then be destroyed and contact the Anomaly Handling Bureau for emergency assistance.

However, this phone cannot withstand attacks from evil ghosts or demons. It only activates its emergency system when it detects the presence of such supernatural forces, essentially making it a disposable product.

Nevertheless, the vast majority of people will likely never encounter an abnormal event, so the phone is still quite durable.

After the introduction, the director pointed to Xu Dongyou and said, “Xu Dongyou will be the sole permanent spokesperson for this phone. If we release other products in the future, he will be the only one to endorse them as well.”

Then came the usual process, and finally, it was time for the journalists to ask questions. No one dared to pose challenging or sharp questions; they all stuck to standard inquiries about the phone. At last, a daring reporter raised their hand and asked, “Why did the government and the Anomaly Handling Bureau choose Xu Dongyou as the spokesperson?”

The branch director replied, “It’s simple. He is a hardworking and exceptionally good-hearted individual. Next question.”

The journalists looked at each other in disbelief. Was it really just because Xu Dongyou had good character that he was chosen as the spokesperson?

It didn’t seem plausible, especially considering that the government and Anomaly Handling Bureau wouldn’t need to focus on a star’s popularity.

Could it really be due to Xu Dongyou’s good character?

Xu Dongyou’s fans were overjoyed, immediately refuting the comments that claimed he had no endorsements. The once arrogant comments quickly fell silent.

There was no comparison. Even though their idol had secured a brand endorsement, it paled in comparison to being associated with a government and prestigious organization.

Lu Xianhong’s face turned dark with rage; he even threw a cup and shouted, “I don’t believe it! Just because he has good character and works hard, he gets to be the spokesperson?”

Brother Zhao, standing beside him, was also incredulous and looked equally displeased. “We miscalculated. We didn’t expect him to make a strong comeback so silently.”

The worst part was that they couldn’t use any more tactics to undermine Xu Dongyou. Any further attempts could result in severe backlash.

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