Resonance (Jiyan x Fem!Reader x Calcharo)

Chapter 8 : Control

[A week later...]

You sat at your office, your fingers tapping relentlessly against the smooth surface of the wooden table. Your eyes scanned the files in front of you, each document detailing the information of another Criminal Exile you were tasked to hunt down and bring back. The overwhelming volume of paperwork weighed heavily on you, and you could feel the frustration brewing within.

"Zhi Yu!" you suddenly bellowed, startling the young man working in the corner. He hastily approached you.

"Yes, Madam Secretary?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly.

"Is there any pattern to these people? Any common ground?" you demanded, waving the stack of folders in the air.

Zhi Yu took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Not really. They all seem to come from different backgrounds, different skills, and different locations."

You sighed deeply, feeling a throbbing headache forming at the back of your skull. "Great. Just great." you muttered under your breath as you massaged your temples.

"Do you need me to do something else?" Zhi Yu offered, his eagerness to help is evident in his tone.

"No, no. Keep doing what you're doing." you reassured him with a weary smile. "Just try to find something. Anything that could make this easier for me."

Zhi Yu nodded before returning to his desk.

As you prepared to dive back into the mountain of paperwork, the chime of your Pangu Terminal startled you. You glanced over at the device, noticing the notification.

It was an anonymous message. You furrowed your brows, wondering who it was from.

Your eyes widened as you read the contents. It was a list of three high-profile exiles that committed grave crimes in Huanglong, organized in a manner that seemed familiar, yet with a level of precision that you couldn't help but admire. "Wow, it's sorted by skills and their proficiency levels. And it's accurate." You silently thought as you continue reading the information on your screen.

As you reached the end of the list, a new message appeared. "Just a little gift to make things easier for you, Officer." 

You stared at the message for a moment, immediately recognizing that it was from Calcharo. It was him, and there's no doubt about it. You hesitated for a brief second, contemplating whether or not to reply, but curiosity got the better of you. So you did it anyway.

(SMS)

You : What are you up to, Calcharo? And how did you get my Terminal Number?

Calcharo : Nothing serious, Officer. And I have my own ways when it comes to gathering intels.

You : What's your game?

Calcharo : I'm not playing around with you.

You : Why?  (you pressed further, intrigued by his motives.)

Calcharo : It's beneficial for both of us. (Calcharo's response was short and to the point.)

But come on, you know you're way smarter than that. You're not some sucker who falls for anything.

You : You know I'm not easily fooled.

Calcharo : I wouldn't expect you to be. And I'm doing this for my own reasons.

You : Your reasons better not get in my way.

Calcharo : They won't. (He signed off with a final message, leaving you to ponder the situation.)