Chapter 78
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Chapter 78: Me? I’m going to do it?
[Overview of Incident-Related Organisms:
Unknown Organism A: A flesh blob covered in skin, measuring approximately two meters in radius, with human limbs and organs indistinctly floating above. It moves by rolling and feeds by assimilating human bodies, exhibiting low-level intelligence. (Based on the combined accounts of twenty surviving researchers.)
Humanoid Figure B: A male with white hair, age unknown, possessing disproportionate limbs and a powerful superpower that grants immunity to physical damage, showing some goodwill. (Based on the combined accounts of five members of the sixth squad.)
Humanoid Figure C: A probabilistic humanoid entity, specific description can be found in “Item 1.”
Description of Incident-Related Items:
Item 1 (Black Coffin): A hollow black rectangular box measuring 52*44*191 cm, the material is unclear, showing signs of internal damage. Inside, there appears to be a human-shaped space, initially judged to be nurturing an unknown humanoid organism, but its relation to Unknown Organism A cannot be determined.
(Image)
Item 2 (Emblem): A yellow emblem on a white wall, consisting of three elements: a ring, wings, and rays of light. Initial judgment suggests it was hand-painted using iodine disinfectant or represents a certain organization.
(Image)
Item 3 (Collapsed Tunnel): A tunnel behind the walls of the underground operating room, discovered by the sixth squad member “Quicksand.” The tunnel is significantly collapsed, showing obvious signs of human destruction and cannot be restored at this time.
(Image)]
“Click.”
The man closed the investigation report in his hands and began to massage his temples.
This freshly released report covered the shocking case that had recently occurred in the Department of Life Technology.
Although they had taken steps to contain the relevant information and provided strict education to those involved, it could not completely erase the existence of that event.
Especially since the matter was actually not resolved by any official organization in Hope City, which made it somewhat ironic.
Amid such immense survival pressure, who would have thought there could be vigilante-type civilian organizations in Hope City?
Their actions this time were almost beyond comprehension.
In fact, he had begun to imagine that this incident might have been part of the organization’s plan all along.
However, one detail in the report dispelled such thoughts: Humanoid Figure B had shown considerable kindness.
The man had met with members of the sixth squad earlier that morning and heard their testimonies in person.
According to Captain Nian’s description, Humanoid Figure B instinctively chose less lethal methods while combating them and did not take the opportunity to attack their bodies after they entered the unknown dream.
After pacing a few steps, the man pulled a book from a corner of the bookshelf. The book had distinctly yellowed pages, indicating it was quite old.
Yet, the inner pages appeared remarkably new, clearly having been produced without anyone flipping through them.
He quickly flipped through the book, producing a rustling sound.
Suddenly, his hand stopped on a page, and he opened it. The content read:
“Overview of Several Common Religions and Their Characteristics from the Old Era.”
The man had thought along these lines upon seeing that symbol. With a limited understanding of the topic, he continued to browse through this section, eventually finding some characteristics that matched the symbolic elements.
The halo and wings were two distinct features of the servants of deities from the Old Era.
The rays of light could actually represent the incarnation of a deity.
The man closed the book and fell into deep thought.
After a moment, he took out a specially crafted pen and inscribed a word at the bottom of the document:
[The Sect]
The man clapped his hands, summoning his assistant from the doorway. He handed the document to the assistant and instructed,
“Deliver this to that old fellow Wayne and have him scrutinize it. He appears to have ample free time lately; it seems he’s grown rather fond of teaching.”
The assistant nodded in silence and then exited the office, hastening downstairs.
With the door shut, the windowless office was once again enveloped in solitude, occupied solely by this man.
Minister Meng Chang’an of the Ministry of Internal Affairs exhaled deeply, adjusted his chair and the lighting before him, and reclined for a brief fifteen-minute rest.
The assistant descended one floor and located Deputy Minister Wayne in the sun-drenched corridor.
After delivering the report, the assistant offered no further commentary.
This task was routine for him; merely handing over the document sufficed, as Wayne was well aware of the necessary actions.
Leaning against the wall, Wayne opened the document and skimmed through it. His previously relaxed demeanor abruptly shifted to one of gravity.
He snapped the folder shut, glanced towards the stairway, and signaled Zhuang Mian, who had just arrived for work, before retreating into his office.
Having successfully transitioned roles, Zhuang Mian’s current public identity was as a junior clerk in the statistics section of the inner city security bureau.
This change also liberated her from the confines of the staff dormitory, allowing her to dine with her parents at home each evening.
Team [Butterfly] had only recently reached full strength, and Zhuang Mian had yet to receive her first assignment, rendering her days relatively tranquil.
However, this tranquility was fleeting. Upon seeing her mentor’s formal and serious expression, Zhuang Mian sensed impending trouble.
Upon entering Wayne’s office, Zhuang Mian secured the door behind her.
The elder man sat at his desk, his countenance troubled.
“Have you not been eager to learn about the developments in Zhao Kai’s case? The follow-up has arrived, and the situation is escalating.
“I intend to assign this matter to your team as a long-term mission. Such tracking and investigative tasks can expedite the new team’s cohesion while maintaining safety.
“If you have no objections, you may review this report.”
Zhuang Mian’s expression momentarily faltered as she recalled a detail: in the dream of Zhao Kai and the other researchers’ consciousness collective, Zhao Kai had answered a phone call with notable humility.
Who had made that call in the real world?
Zhuang Mian had initially planned to continue the investigation, but the recent surge in suicides had been overwhelming.
She had not anticipated that the clues would converge here.
She accepted the document from Wayne and quickly perused it, finding herself stunned on the spot.
Something was amiss.
Why was this circling back to her?
In an instant, Zhuang Mian began to sift through her previous testimonies in her mind.
The initial operation of the [Believers] organization had been a full-scale mobilization, requiring specific alibis from each member.
The considerate “Hand of God” had foreseen this; during the day’s dream gathering, they had assisted everyone in devising solutions and providing cover.
Now, the document’s mention of short-term memory loss among security personnel and the complete loss of surveillance data was attributed to the Paster’s intervention.
