The modern world is like a sieve (1): 

The young man sat in an interrogation room no larger than a few square meters. His skin was as white as snow, his long hair black as a waterfall. His entire bearing was cool and ethereal, like an immortal who had just stepped out of the heavenly palace, noble and untouchable.

The police officer sitting across from him felt uneasy under the young man’s gaze. Even his breathing felt too loud, as though he might disturb something. He asked, “You said you had something to tell us. What exactly happened?”

As he spoke, his eyes unconsciously flicked to the jade pendant hanging at Si Qi’s waist, wondering why it glowed. Could it really have a battery hidden inside?

Si Qi thought for a moment and said concisely, “A group of outsiders will soon arrive in your country and cause unimaginable destruction among the people. Preparations must be made in advance.”

The policeman, who had been stealing glances at Si Qi’s face, gradually became serious. With a few swift strokes of his pen, he wrote something on paper and asked sternly, “Are you saying you discovered foreign terrorists who are planning an attack within the country?”

Si Qi: “…………”

Si Qi nodded slightly. “Something like that.”

The officer frowned, his tone sharp. “Where did you discover them? What do they look like? What exactly did you hear? Is the situation urgent?”

Si Qi: “Urgent.”

“As for their location and time of appearance, that cannot yet be determined.”

After a pause, Si Qi added, “If you must know right now, I… can cast a divination for you.”

A question mark slowly appeared over the policeman’s head.

His expression hardened, and he tapped his pen against the desk, raising his voice: “Comrade, I am not joking with you. Please take this seriously!”

Si Qi replied even more earnestly, “I am not joking. I am very serious.”

The officer: “……”

Showing up at a police station dressed like this and claiming he was here to report something was already not serious at all.

Seeing Si Qi’s solemn demeanor, the officer found himself unable to continue questioning. Carrying the notes, he left the interrogation room and went to his superior.

Si Qi saw him leave and knew the mortal did not believe him. He thought to himself that mortals of this world were not like the young man in his memory, who had instantly accepted the existence of cultivators. After some thought, he drew out a divination compass from the jade pendant and began to cast a reading.

Moments later, the director returned with the officer. They saw that Si Qi had somehow produced an antique-looking metal object and was muttering while counting on his fingers. Exchanging glances, they both thought the same thing—this person really did seem mentally unstable.

The director said kindly, “Comrade, we took what you said just now very seriously. It’s just that the information you gave is incomplete. Could you be more specific? For example, where did you hear about this, and what are the time and location?”

Before Si Qi could answer, someone suddenly stumbled into the room. He looked terrified, glanced at Si Qi, then at the two officers.

Both knew who he was: the officer responsible for monitoring the surveillance.

Before they could question him, the man pointed at the ceiling camera, then at the divination compass on the table, swallowing hard. “That thing… that thing came out of the glowing jade pendant!!”

He had replayed the footage more than ten times—he could not possibly be mistaken!

The two officers present: ???

What nonsense was this?

They were just about to say that the jade pendant was far too small to contain such a large object, when right then, Si Qi finished his divination, slipped the compass back into the pendant, and looked at the three stunned officers. “Could you help me contact Director Chu Feng of the Bureau of Dimensional Management? His number is 187…”

Si Qi’s tone was so calm it made the three almost believe they were dreaming.

Soon after, the officer who first spoke to Si Qi dazedly went to verify whether such a department existed, whether there really was a Director Chu Feng, and if that phone number was correct.

Meanwhile, the director and the other officer tried to act calm, asking Si Qi about his “magic trick,” saying it looked amazing.

Ten minutes later, the first officer staggered back, speaking as if in a trance: “The director said our country really does have a Bureau of Dimensional Management…”

And it specifically handled special cases that science and common sense could not explain.

Countless movie and novel plots flashed through his mind. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, his face flushing red.

He wanted to look at his colleagues’ expressions, to see if they were just as shocked.

But the director and the other officer weren’t listening at all. They stood frozen, their lifelong materialist worldview collapsing. Just moments ago, they had seen with their own eyes Si Qi take out and put back an object the size of a human head from a pendant no larger than a thumb—without the slightest trace of trickery.

Not long after, the police chief entered with a grave expression. His eyes fell on the strikingly out-of-place youth in the interrogation room, then on his dumbfounded subordinates. He addressed Si Qi: “Hello, Si Qi, was it? I’m Chief Liang Feng. How did you know about the Bureau of Dimensional Management? And what did you mean by ‘a group will cause destruction within the country’?”

Si Qi explained patiently, “The Bureau of Dimensional Management—I calculated its name during my divination.”

In the original host’s memories, there had never been such a term. Si Qi had simply read it aloud when it appeared on the compass.

The “ignorant” mortals present stared at him with reverence.

Either this man was deeply delusional, or he truly had ability.

“As for what I said earlier, the result is something you cannot handle. It would be better to wait until people from the Bureau arrive, then I will explain everything together.”

Before coming, the chief had already phoned the Bureau. They said they would send people immediately and warned him to treat Si Qi with extreme caution. Even if he seemed like a lunatic, they were to handle him gently.

They were not to say anything that might upset him, nor do anything that might seem normal to them but unacceptable to him.

In short: as long as he didn’t attempt to disrupt social order or break the law, they were to accommodate him in every way and not let him leave or go into hiding.

The chief didn’t understand why the Bureau was so insistent, but as a career soldier used to following orders, he obeyed. While carefully observing Si Qi’s reactions, he tried to lower his guard and coax information out of him.

He had thought the Bureau’s people would need at least half an hour to arrive, but less than ten minutes later, a helicopter descended on the police station, attracting crowds outside.

Three young men and women in their early twenties jumped down from a rope ladder and rushed inside, immediately laying eyes on Si Qi.

The moment they saw him—his gaze and aura so utterly unlike modern people—they stiffened. There was no mistake: this man was not from their world. He was a transmigrator.

The nearby officers noticed that one of the young men went pale, his body tensed, and his hidden hand trembled uncontrollably, as though facing something terrifying. His reaction was too strong to ignore.

The one at the front glanced at the chief and said, “Please ask your people to step out first.”

The director raised a brow, wanting to speak, but seeing the chief’s silence, he obeyed and left with the others.

The pale young man whispered to the director, “Tell your people to be prepared.”

The director frowned. “Prepared? Prepared for what?”

“For battle—or to run.”

The director’s body stiffened, his eyes locked on him.

The young man said nothing more, busy contacting the Bureau to report that the person they found was indeed a transmigrator.

Si Qi, sharp-eared, could see through the door and glanced meaningfully at the people outside, then at the chief and his companions.

“I have no intention of being your enemy,” he said. “There’s no need to be so wary.”

Despite being in a police station, despite facing three high-ranking officials, Si Qi maintained a calm and assuring air, as if saying, “Don’t worry, I won’t harm you.” This only made them even more uneasy.

The chief, a seasoned man in his forties, smiled and said, “Of course we’re not enemies. We just don’t know you yet. Young man, whatever you wish to say, please tell us. We are friendly, and since you chose to approach us, we believe you are friendly too.”

Si Qi glanced at him and replied, “You should not call me ‘young man.’”

The three across from him froze, thinking he was displeased.

But then Si Qi added, “I am more than thirteen hundred years old.”

The chief looked bewildered. What nonsense was this? But the Bureau agents, knowing much about transmigrators, felt their hearts sink heavily.

Si Qi did not wait for them to ask questions and continued, “Do you know what a ‘cultivator’ is?”

In the original host’s world, they were not called cultivators but were addressed as certain immortals or celestial lords.

But according to the young man Si Qi had once met, those who could ride clouds and command the forces of nature were called cultivators here on Blue Star. So, Si Qi simply used that term.

The chief, who had never read a xianxia novel and had no concept of such things, was utterly confused. The members of the Bureau, however, due to the nature of their work, were much more “well-informed” and quickly said, “Yes, yes, we know!”

Could it be that this ethereal youth before them, who looked nothing like a mortal, was one of the legendary cultivators who could command the wind and rain?

Si Qi nodded slightly, raised his hand, and under the nervous gazes of those before him, channeled spiritual power. With a sudden whoosh, a ball of flame appeared in his palm.

The bright, flickering flame radiated such an intense presence that, even at a distance of more than a meter and a half, the chief could feel waves of scorching heat—far beyond what ordinary fire could produce.

The hardened soldier, who had never encountered anything like this, was stunned on the spot. The Bureau members, however, adapted more quickly. In fact, seeing Si Qi voluntarily reveal his abilities, they faintly sensed what his true purpose in making contact was, and their attitude toward him softened.

With a casual wave, Si Qi dispersed the flame that could easily have melted rock. Then, moving his fingers, he conjured countless wisps of white mist that swiftly condensed into crystals, merging into a glittering, diamond-shaped ice pillar.

This time, the chief—who had still been hoping it was just an extraordinarily powerful lighter—was left completely speechless.

Once he was sure they had seen clearly, Si Qi closed his palm and crushed the solid ice pillar into formless cold air. He said, “As you understand it, cultivators can use immortal arts to do many things, such as the fire and frost you just witnessed, and also divination.”

“Not long ago, I came to your world. Since I could not find a way back, I decided to reach out to you and accept your offerings.”

The Bureau members, well-read and full of knowledge from novels, immediately recalled the meaning of “offerings” in cultivation stories. Their hearts leapt with joy. “You mean, you are willing to join our department and become one of us?”

Si Qi nodded slightly. “That is what I mean.”

“What do you require from us?”

Si Qi thought for a moment and said, “A livable environment.”

The group was taken aback. They thought this request could be either simple or difficult, depending on how high his standards truly were.

One of the Bureau members said, “In that case, we will arrange a place for you to rest. Whatever needs you may have, please tell us. If it is within our power, we will do our best to provide it.”

Then he paused, locking eyes with Si Qi, his tone firm. “But there is something we must make clear in advance. In our world, the safety of the people’s lives and property is protected by the state. No one may infringe upon it. That is our bottom line, and we hope you understand.”

Hearing this, Si Qi once again confirmed that the reality of this world was different from what that young man had told him. The young man had been wrong, and his own judgment was correct. He replied calmly, “I know. If it were not so, I would not have sought you out.”

The Bureau members’ expressions shifted slightly, secretly delighted.

It seemed things had turned out for the best: this transmigrator was not a villain, not a bloodthirsty madman, nor a selfish, twisted individual impossible to coexist with. He was someone they could live alongside.

Even if Si Qi did nothing more than settle in some quiet, scenic place and refrained from causing trouble, they would be endlessly grateful.

Like respectful hosts, they carefully escorted Si Qi out of the interrogation room, through the silent police station, and to the rooftop where a helicopter was waiting.

The pale-faced young Bureau member peeked out, exchanged glances with his colleagues, and only after seeing their reassuring expressions did he finally relax.

He had dreaded facing unreasonable outsiders like this. Their very existence defied common sense, and every encounter made his scalp prickle.

“The chief said we’re to bring him over. He wants to meet Si… Si Qi.”

The other two nodded, then explained to Si Qi, “This is a helicopter, a kind of vehicle that can fly in the sky. We need to take it to another place.”

Si Qi nodded slightly.

In the host’s memories, he had seen such machines. Mortals in this world were far more capable than in his own—they could achieve feats only cultivators could in his world. They were by no means inferior.

That was also why Si Qi disagreed with the host’s view of mortals as ants.

Perhaps because he had seized this body and was not a pure cultivator himself, Si Qi did not think cultivators or transmigrators were inherently nobler. Peaceful coexistence was far better than mutual harm.

They flew toward the capital. Since the journey was long and it happened to be lunchtime, the three Bureau members, uncertain if a cultivator needed food, politely asked whether Si Qi wanted to eat something with them.

Si Qi knew cultivators had no need for food and shook his head.

But when they opened chocolate bars, the sweet fragrance filled the air. Si Qi’s gaze shifted to the dark treats in their hands, his burning eyes almost tangible.

The young man across from him, who had been pale and trembling, found himself oddly unafraid under that gaze. Instead, almost against his will, he asked, “Would you like some?”

The other two instinctively glanced at Si Qi, expecting him to refuse again.

But to their surprise, this man, aloof and luminous like the distant moon, actually nodded. He reached out, accepted half a chocolate bar, and took a light bite.

The rich sweetness bloomed in his mouth, and his cold expression softened visibly. Like the first plum blossom blooming in winter, the corners of his lips curved upward, an otherworldly beauty that made their hearts skip a beat. Their pupils constricted as if glimpsing the most breathtaking sight in existence.

In that moment, they all thought the same thing.

Perhaps… this man was not as frightening as they had imagined.

The hour-long flight, marked by that piece of chocolate, suddenly felt less tense.

One by one, they offered him more snacks, and Si Qi ate them all. With every bite, his expression grew gentler, much to their relief. By the time they landed, their initial fear had melted away. They even found themselves making plans to get him ice cream and lollipops later.

They had assumed, from his aloof aura, that he was some untouchable ice-cold beauty. Now, they pictured him instead as a powerful senior who knew little of the mundane world, focused only on cultivation. Smiling, they escorted him into the chief’s office.

When the door opened, a man in a black uniform stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, turning to look their way.

The crisp lines of his uniform highlighted his tall frame and strong build, his sharp features radiating authority. His commanding presence did not pale even before the ethereal Si Qi.

Seeing the snowy-skinned, black-haired youth at last, Chu Feng’s eyes softened with a smile as he walked over.

That smile, undeniably gentle, nearly scared the three Bureau members out of their wits. They almost blurted out, “Boss, have you been possessed?”

Chu Feng said to Si Qi, “You’ve had a tiring trip. Nothing unpleasant happened on the way, I hope?”

His three subordinates exchanged strange looks. This didn’t sound at all like something their boss would say to a newly encountered transmigrator. Was it because good looks had that much advantage? Or was it because Si Qi was the first transmigrator to voluntarily contact the state and seek cooperation?

Especially since, as a thousand-year-old cultivator, his combat power must be terrifying. Such a person clearly could not be treated like the others.

Yet as they pondered this, they noticed Si Qi standing silent, not answering for a long time.

Puzzled, they turned to him. Si Qi seemed to return to himself, his gaze flickering, lips pressed tight. His voice came out tense: “No, everything was fine.”

Chu Feng acted as if he noticed nothing unusual and invited Si Qi to sit. With a magician’s flair, he produced from the stern, dark-toned office—

A pile of snacks.

The three subordinates: “…………”

So their boss had definitely been possessed, right? Otherwise, how could this be explained?!

With his stern brows and upright air, who would have thought that beneath it all he was a closet lover of popping candy and strawberry cake? They had truly misjudged him.