"I’m a flame-wielder. What’s the issue with that?" I asked, recalling the moment I revealed my ability to Zhu Shi and how surprised she was that I had defeated the fallen demon hunter with fire.

I also thought about the confrontation with the demon hunter. When he realized I was a flame-wielder, his wariness dropped several levels.

Initially, he had been extremely cautious, using feints and diversions to deal with an unknown opponent. But as soon as he discovered my ability, he boldly closed the distance. It wasn’t just that the unknown became known—it seemed he genuinely didn’t think flame-wielding was a particularly formidable power.

Could Zhu Shi think the same way? But I had already described my battle to her. If she believed the demon hunter was a formidable opponent, then as someone who defeated him relatively easily, I shouldn’t be considered weak, right?

"The common issue with flame-wielders lies in a severe lack of both defensive and mobility capabilities," Agent Kong explained. "For elemental ability users like you, especially those who control fire, the defining trait is overwhelmingly destructive power. If an opponent takes your attack head-on, they could easily be obliterated on the spot. Even if they have strong defenses, it’s just a matter of hitting them a few more times—assuming they’re willing to stand still like a target dummy and let you attack."

"And correspondingly, your margin for error is far lower than that of your opponents. Once you embark on the path of a demon hunter, you’ll face countless dangerous anomalies—some of which can afford to make countless mistakes in front of you, while you only need to make one to be doomed beyond redemption.

"The key to surviving the path of a demon hunter isn’t about achieving great successes but about enduring great failures."

"I see, it’s an issue of error tolerance," I said, fully grasping the concept. "So, does that mean as long as I improve my defense and mobility, I’ll be fine?"

"That’s easier said than done. The forms of danger posed by anomalies are incredibly diverse—not just physical forces, but also mental powers, curses, and even spatial-temporal and rule-based forces, along with others that defy comprehension. That’s why I’ve never envied demon hunters. The world they face is too terrifying," Agent Kong sighed. "You’ve experienced it firsthand, haven’t you? That feeling of being in a true dead end, completely powerless, unable to escape no matter what you try...

"Zhu Shi mentioned in her report that the basement beneath the fifteenth-floor room was an absolutely isolated subspace. Not only were electronic signals unable to penetrate it, but even supernatural connections were severed. She noted that your connection to the flames you summon seems to be a kind of mental link. I assume that’s a conclusion you reached through your exploration, right?"

"Exactly." I recalled the isolated experience beneath the basement and said, feeling the weight of it, "Even with powerful abilities, when faced with unpredictable anomalies, there are times when you’re powerless... So, is this the reason why Zhu Shi opposes me becoming a demon hunter for Mount Luo?"

Thinking it over, I realized that Zhu Shi hadn’t directly brought up this reasoning, perhaps to avoid hurting my pride.

"It’s not just that," Agent Kong pondered for a moment. "Zhu Shi also strongly dislikes killing and bloodshed. Though, even so, she will act when necessary... In any case, the enemies of a demon hunter are not just monsters and anomalies; they also include humans who use their power for evil purposes. She probably doesn’t want you to kill anyone."

"But I already fought a fallen demon hunter?" I countered.

"That’s different. First, the fallen demon hunter didn’t die by your hand; second, he wasn’t defeated in his human form by you." His voice suddenly grew very serious. "With your superpower, killing a human would be incredibly easy. There’s a saying—though I’m not sure how true it is—that on today’s battlefields, humans are more likely to overcome the psychological burden of killing each other than in ancient times. Do you know what the basis for that saying is?"

I’ve never been on a battlefield, but I immediately understood what he implied: "Because of the difference in weaponry?"

"That's right. In ancient times, humans killed with swords and spears. While there were long-range weapons, most of the time it was face-to-face combat, stabbing the weapon into the living flesh of the opponent, even hearing their screams and seeing their pain up close. The process was incredibly cruel," he said slowly. "In modern times, humans use firearms. Pulling the trigger can take someone's life."

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"Even more at ease than soldiers using firearms are the powerful elites. They just need to sit in their offices and give an order, and people far away will die without them lifting a finger, with no psychological burden. Many elites harm countless people, not because they are born cold-blooded demons, but because it seems too easy to them, like clicking the left mouse button in a strategy game."

"And you? As a superpowered individual, you possess a power far more terrifying than that of any elite. You don't need to move your hands or feet, or even instruct anyone else—you only need to think, and you can take many lives... Once you start killing, do you really think you can stop?"

Listening to his words, I couldn't help but start reflecting seriously.

It was like an interrogation of my own soul.

I was very aware that I had the power to take someone's life with just a thought, and I often imagined such scenarios in the past. Now, I was mentally simulating the scene of actually killing someone, repeatedly confirming my resolve.

However, whether someone living in a peaceful society can truly take a life in a critical moment is something that cannot be truly known until the situation arises. Similarly, whether killing with such ease would lead to a disregard for human life, treating it as nothing more than dirt, is also something impossible to understand without firsthand experience.

As I thought, I noticed that Agent Kong didn't seem to be waiting for my answer. He was silent, staring into the distance, deeply lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly, an idea flashed in my mind. His question wasn't just applicable to me—it also applied to the demon hunters. Don't they, like me, possess a "power far more terrifying than that of the powerful elites"?

Perhaps not all of them have the effortless ability to turn a person into ashes, like I do, but they must also possess powers like mental manipulation, curses, and other methods. Throughout history, many rebels and heroes, when rising to power, would claim they were chosen by heaven. Any coincidence in their achievements would be beautified as a divine fate, as if some unimaginable force had granted them favor, which helped them win the support of countless superstitious followers.

Even deception has such an effect, let alone the demon hunters who truly possess supernatural powers?

Why, in a world with supernatural organizations like Mount Luo, is history still dominated by ordinary people? Shouldn't the current political system be more reasonably centered around "extraordinary individuals"? Not that "extraordinary individuals" would necessarily be better at governing the country than ordinary people, but in terms of power struggles, it's hard to understand how regular people could compete with them.

So far, I've never heard of a demon hunter causing a huge disturbance in society, which means there is a powerful force suppressing them.

Is this suppressive force Mount Luo? And how does Mount Luo ensure its demon hunter group doesn’t become the source of chaos?

According to Zhu Shi, it seems that Mount Luo is currently in a troubling state of turmoil...

I’m not sure if I’m overthinking things in the current conversation context, but it feels like a storm is brewing.

As an outsider, I don’t have the standing to probe into Mount Luo’s internal matters. Even when I asked last time why Mount Luo hid information about supernatural events from the public, Zhu Shi was vague in her response.

It seems that becoming a demon hunter is indeed the only way to unlock more clues.

Agent Kong withdrew his gaze from the distance, then smiled, lightening the solemn atmosphere with his tone:

“I’ve said so much, but honestly, I still hope you can join Mount Luo.”

I immediately perked up. “Why?”

“As a probe for Mount Luo, it’s part of my job to scout potential demon hunters from among civilians, but that’s secondary. More importantly, I hope that Zhu Shi can become your guide, and you can stand by her side to support her,” he said with a gentle expression. “She bears the mission of hunting demons, but she’s far less resilient than she believes. Afraid of her own blood, afraid of her opponent’s blood—she even feels uneasy about killing bad people… She’s far too naïve and fragile. If you could be there to support her, that would be ideal.”

“She’s my friend’s sister. If she’s ever in danger, I’ll do everything in my power to help her,” I replied seriously.

“Good.” He nodded with satisfaction. “I’ll be reassigned to another area soon. Knowing you’ll be there to look after her puts me at ease.”

As we spoke, we had long since left the residential complex and arrived at a street near Xianshui University. It was still the morning rush hour, with the road bustling with cars and pedestrians. Many students were passing by, and food carts at the intersections were selling breakfast items like jianbing and hamburgers.

Our conversation contained a mix of secretive, mystical topics unknown to the general public. However, Agent Kong seemed entirely unconcerned about being overheard by passersby. Seeing this, I, too, spoke freely. It was obvious that even if anyone overheard our words, they would not believe them. Demon hunters? Supernatural abilities? To the uninitiated, these sounded like nothing more than elements of fantasy.

Even as I walked through this familiar, everyday scene filled with the air of normalcy, I suddenly began to feel a growing sense of truly “drifting away from normal society.”

It was a kind of loneliness entirely different from the isolation beneath the basement.

"Agent Kong, can you answer a question for me?"

"As long as it’s not something I can’t answer," Agent Kong replied.

"It’s about the time you impersonated a police officer."

“Cough, cough…” He once again looked embarrassed. "Haven’t we already put that topic to rest?"

“No, I’m not trying to tease you… What I want to ask is about the young girl you accused of being a serial killer.” I was momentarily at a loss for words before continuing. “I asked Zhu Shi about it before, and she said it was a task under your responsibility and couldn’t disclose more details. So I’m asking you instead.

“Why is Mount Luo looking for this girl? Who exactly is she?”