The System Arrived Four Years Early, but the Anomaly Is Still a Juvenile

Chapter 46

Hearing the system’s notification, Shen Ge shot up from the rest chair, his exhaustion instantly forgotten.

He opened his panel and confirmed that the line “Rating: None” had indeed changed to “Rating: Tier 1.”

That said, Shen Ge’s week of consistent training had already boosted his three base attributes by over a dozen points. Combined with his previously lacking combat skills, it was no surprise his rating had improved.

But more than the rating or attributes, what Shen Ge cared about most were the “evolved” traits—

[Traits:]

Silent: When activated, the user enters a soundless state, consuming 0.5% Spirit per second. Can be used simultaneously with other traits. By expending 10%-100% Spirit (scaling with the object’s noise level), the user can imbue an object with their spiritual energy, keeping it silent even after release for a limited duration.

Still: When the user remains completely motionless, they can manipulate their shadow to bind similarly immobile targets. The Spirit cost per second varies (10%-100%) based on the target’s tier, quantity, and distance (max range: 10 meters).

While using Still, the user can choose whether to pull the target into the Still anomaly space. Even outside the anomaly space, the binding effect remains active.

…

Shen Ge’s first reaction upon seeing the evolved traits?

His second thought? Silent could now affect objects after release—meaning, with enough Spirit, he could practically slap a silencer on a grenade.

At first glance, it didn’t seem groundbreaking, but the tactical possibilities were endless.

For example, making a grenade silent after being thrown meant he wouldn’t need to expend massive Spirit to mute the explosion—just silencing its landing and rolling would be enough to give enemies a nasty surprise.

As for Still, being able to restrain targets outside the anomaly space without making them disappear opened up coordination with teammates.

Imagine Deng Yuqi or Huo Yu lining up a shot—Shen Ge could freeze the monster at the critical moment. As for exposure?

Overall, while the evolutions weren’t earth-shattering, they added significant tactical flexibility.

Shen Ge asked.

[After achieving an official rating (Tier 1), each subsequent rating upgrade will grant 1 ‘Trait Evolution Point,’ allowing one trait to evolve.]

[First-time rating bonus.]

Shen Ge grumbled.

[…]

The system was speechless.

Shen Ge was still obsessing over that Tier 7 anomaly.

Based on recent experience, if the anomaly at Tom’s Mall would reach Tier 7 in four years, it had to be at least Tier 3 or 4 by now.

But this puzzled him—if a Tier 3 or 4 anomaly was already there, casualties should’ve occurred. So why hadn’t there been any reports?

With that in mind, Shen Ge decided to use tomorrow’s “patrol time” to visit Tom’s Mall.

…..

Once his break ended, Shen Ge headed to the firearms training room where Huo Yu was waiting to begin his first day of gun training.

Compared to physical and combat training, firearms were far less demanding on the body. But after an afternoon of basic combat drills, Shen Ge’s hands trembled like he had Parkinson’s. Huo Yu had no choice but to start with theory.

After the basics came practical application.

Huo Yu began by demonstrating handgun techniques.

*”The Glock 17 Gen5—standard model with a 17-round magazine, paired with 9mm Parabellum rounds, offers excellent sustained fire capability. Muzzle velocity around 370 m/s, theoretical rate of fire between 450 to 550 rounds per minute. It’s basically the AK-47 of handguns.”*

As he spoke, Huo Yu raised the gun, aimed, and fired—17 shots in rapid succession, every bullet hitting the bullseye dead center.

Shen Ge was impressed.

Shen Ge asked eagerly.

Huo Yu looked baffled.

After a long pause, Huo Yu managed,

Huo Yu demonstrated,

Shen Ge nodded thoughtfully. and

Huo Yu’s expression was complicated. Now he understood why Deng Yuqi had patted his shoulder and solemnly advised,

Under Huo Yu’s guidance, Shen Ge experienced firing a gun for the first time—and found it harder than expected.

First, the recoil. Even braced for it, the kickback left his arms aching. Then there was aiming. Especially with the Glock 17’s rapid fire—Shen Ge quickly learned the joy of sending bullets skyward.

He also asked Huo Yu to teach him that gun-disabling move from earlier. Watching Huo Yu perform it fluidly, Shen Ge gave it a try.

He got shot seventeen times.

On the eighteenth attempt, he barely managed to keep Huo Yu from firing the first shot.

Two hours of firearms training later, Shen Ge’s “Parkinson’s” had worsened.

Fortunately, as it was his first day “on the job,” evening training was canceled. Feng Chengxiu and Huo Yu gathered some of the department’s operatives in the cafeteria to throw Shen Ge a “welcome party.”

Shen Ge stared at the massive bowl in front of him, filled to the brim with baijiu, and his expression turned uneasy.

Feng Chengxiu said, sounding like he was using the party as an excuse to indulge.

Shen Ge eyed the bowl larger than his fist.

With that, Feng Chengxiu downed the entire bowl in one go, then turned it upside down to prove it was empty.

Following his lead, the other operatives chugged theirs too.

Shen Ge had no choice but to follow suit. The burn of the liquor hit him hard—this was the most he’d drunk in years.

As Feng Chengxiu moved to refill his bowl, Shen Ge quickly waved him off.

Feng Chengxiu assured.

Shen Ge swayed slightly, the room spinning.

Feng Chengxiu frowned.

Shen Ge face-planted onto the table.

For a moment, the room fell dead silent.