Chapter 224
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Upon returning to the human world, the individuals were immediately covered with blankets by the staff of Shian. Without the enhancements from the Other Side, everyone who returned was naked.
Once separated from the environment of the Other Side, their bodies suddenly felt heavy. It was as if waking up from a drunken stupor, surrounded by a subtle dullness and a sense of unreality. Lu Xiaohe almost fell to the ground, but she managed to support her mother and stand firmly on her feet.
The next step was a continuous process from the hospital to the conference room. Lu Xiaohe sadly realized that she had become very accustomed to this route.
The surviving missing people, the survivors from the Other Side, and many more awaiting rescue were all repeatedly questioned. After leaving the Other Side, Lu Xiaohe spent almost three days in the conference room.
However, this time, she was no longer as anxious and restless as before.
Her mother lay peacefully in the hospital, with all her vital signs improving. Lu Xiaohe had never felt so relaxed; even if the world was crumbling before her, it couldn’t destroy her good mood.
……
That being said, the world wasn’t much different from destruction.
“The mild sources of corruption from Sunken Society have rapidly spread to other cities, and a monster with the ‘Resonance’ abilities has appeared in Haigu. The monster, suspected to be guided by Xiang Jiang, is active through the underground system and has yet to be captured by Shian.”
In the underground conference room, Li Nian calmly explained the current situation.
In front of him, the screen displayed various reports and discussions. The cunning corpse centipede never engaged in direct confrontation with Shian personnel. It would only occasionally show up in the middle of the night and quickly escape, letting everyone know that there were still “gods and ghosts” in this world.
With frequent gruesome murders and people’s unstable mental state, combined with the reshuffling of the worldview involving “monsters” and “angel’s arms”, the Shian personnel weren’t necessarily faring any better than those on the Other Side.
Lu Xiaohe couldn’t help but glance at Li Nian a few more times. When they were rescuing the survivors, Li Nian maintained a serious expression until the end. After confirming that he hadn’t missed anyone, he silently left.
When Xiao Zheng returned, he naturally mentioned Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng’s situation. Upon hearing that Meng Huai wanted to stay behind, Li Nian only paused his pen for a moment, not lifting his head. No one knew what he was thinking.
In comparison, Fu Xingchuan was much more straightforward. Upon realizing that Fu Tianyi hadn’t come out, he had a worried smile on his face.
“Now the whole country knows about the ‘angel’s arms’. The good news is that besides ‘knowing that it represents protection’, the situation hasn’t further deteriorated. Those who tried to establish a cult were all arrested. The bad news is that this information is still spreading, and we still don’t know what Love’s purpose is.”
Fu Xingchuan’s dark circles returned, even heavier than before.
“It doesn’t seem too serious?” Back in the human world, Ge Tingting could only rely on her phone to voice her thoughts.
The monsters didn’t destroy cities like in disaster movies, and the corruption sources remained at their initial levels, but there was now a mischievous corpse centipede causing trouble.
Li Nian glanced at Ge Tingting. “It’s precisely because it doesn’t appear serious that it is serious. Why do you think Shian is blocking the information and keeping the metaphysical practitioners hidden underground?”
Ge Tingting shook her head honestly.
“A major disaster can be resolved quickly. But with this continuous series of events, it becomes more difficult to clean up. The unstable environment inevitably affects people’s beliefs. Spreading information about gods and ghosts at this critical juncture will lead to a significant shift in people’s perceptions.”
“Society has its own order, and the law is also evolving, all based on the premise that ‘the majority of people do not believe’. The existing order and laws cannot withstand such abrupt changes… If things continue like this, societal chaos will only spiral out of control.”
Huang Jin silently pondered the possibility of evacuation. Since Ding Lizi’s eyes had also recovered, maybe he could take her to a deserted island for a year or so after he received his prize money.
Fu Xingchuan: “Our top priority now is to rescue those who are still trapped on the Other Side. Regarding this matter, I have a few proposals…”
While Fu Xingchuan spoke, Lu Xiaohe, unusually, became absent-minded.
Assisting Yin Ren with the help of Shian might be too ambitious. This was a battle at the level of a Primordial Elemental. In the past, she would probably have blindly followed the leader—helpless situations were just helpless situations.
But she once believed that her mother’s terminal illness was beyond human power.
Shian had its own arrangements, but she was still the rear commander of Unit 9. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were still her front-line team. The current her sat at the table, on equal footing with Shian’s two top human fighters.
Could she be even more “outrageous”?
“Our top priority should be addressing the root of the problem.” Lu Xiaohe deliberated before speaking up.
Fu Xingchuan was in the middle of speaking, but he looked at this usually obedient employee with a hint of surprise. Nevertheless, he interrupted his speech and nodded at Lu Xiaohe.
Lu Xiaohe interlocked her fingers and furrowed her brows slightly. “Addressing the corruption, tracking the monster, and rescuing the missing people—Shian has always been in a passive response. Sunken Society is using this method to buy time because it knows that compared to everything on the Other Side, Shian will prioritize the ‘human world’. If we don’t come up with an alternative, we will continue to be passive.”
“Wait.” Huang Jin hurriedly spoke up. “You don’t mean to have Shian support the Other Side, do you? Yes, Meng Huai and the others have developed some spells, but it still requires a significant number of personnel to perfect them! If we withdraw the cultivators from outside now…”
Lu Xiaohe shook her head. “I am a science post, and I can only speak from the perspective of a science post. It appears that Shian does have a clear potential ally—one that won’t cause manpower pressure or attract attention.”
“At present, the science post is relatively relaxed, so I suggest that the available senior science posts and the laboratory support Zhong Chengshuo. He already has considerable knowledge of the Other Side, and being a former Primordial Elemental, his thinking is certainly broader than that of humans.”
Lu Xiaohe’s tone was very solemn.
“This is my judgment as the rear commander.”
Fu Xingchuan raised an eyebrow and stroked his stubbled chin. Li Nian lowered his eyes, adding another layer of shadow to his already troubled expression.
Only Comrade Huang Jin persistently challenged. “If Zhong Chengshuo is on the Other Side, will Qi Xin readily assist us in opening and closing the door?”
“We don’t need to have direct contact with him.” Lu Xiaohe turned her head. “We just need data exchange, and there will always be a way.”
“Are you sure he will assist the human world?”
Hearing this, Li Nian finally spoke quietly.
“Yin Ren is currently being trained by Qi Xin. The likelihood of Zhong Chengshuo, as a fellow Primordial Elemental, providing support is higher.”
Lu Xiaohe: “Uh…”
“Zhong Chengshuo isn’t a human. At this critical moment, asking him to turn around and study the human world may not be what he desires. Your proposal is good, but unfortunately, the reasoning is insufficient.”
“I…” Lu Xiaohe’s voice trailed off sadly.
Yes, Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t human. When they were together, she always seemed to forget that. To explain to Shian, she needed to find a way to present it as feasible…
Fu Xingchuan cleared his throat, preparing to continue explaining the rescue plan. Just then, his phone started vibrating like crazy.
Minister Fu answered with a troubled expression, but after a few sentences, his face gradually froze, and his eyes turned to Lu Xiaohe.
“Miss Gao, you dreamt of Zhong Chengshuo and a black cat? He was clinging to the window and said he wanted to talk to Shian?”
“Hold on, don’t go back to sleep… Wait!”
……
Zhong Chengshuo firmly clung to the window.
He held onto the windowsill with both hands, looking sincere, while Dr. Cat sat steadily on the windowsill—both of them looking towards Gao Mengyu inside the house.
Gao Mengyue had long grown accustomed to this dream. Since she discovered that it was the real Qiqi outside her door, she no longer feared the recurring dream. Over time, she even learned to pet the cat’s soft limbs in her dream while reviewing knowledge points for the postgraduate entrance examination.
But today, her dream had two unexpected visitors.
“I just called the people from Shian, and they will send someone soon.” After getting Qiqi’s affirmation, Gao Mengyu opened the window. Dr. Cat leaped into the room, surveying the small apartment.
“I see. It seems feasible to enter dreams in a physical sense.” It lay down on Gao Mengyu’s desk with its tail swaying from side to side. “Those ‘Lonely’ cats are quite useful.”
In recent days, the Lonely cats had been crawling all over the human stronghold—their fleshy limbs flailing in fear of the large number of corpses in the cold storage. Despite this, most of the Lonely cats didn’t dare go out due to the constant surveillance of the forces of Love.
Only Gao Mengyu’s cat took advantage of its physical strength and dived into “Satisfaction” every day, tirelessly warning Gao Mengyu.
At first, Dr. Meiqiu just hitched a ride and collected data on its own. Who would have thought that today, even this Old Fear had infiltrated its fleshy limbs and smuggled himself into “Satisfaction”.
Although she knew it was a dream, Gao Mengyu still poured a glass of water for Zhong Chengshuo and opened a can of meat for Meiqiu. Gao Mengyu’s cat, Qiqi, entered through the door and comfortably sprawled in the middle of the room.
“Where’s Yin Ren?” she politely asked.
Zhong Chengshuo: “He’s recuperating.” More accurately, he was scavenging for food and then running away.
Gao Mengyu had no knowledge of the situation on the Other Side. “Are you saying that you want to talk to Shian and everyone is fine?”
“Everyone is fine. I just have something I want to discuss with them,” Zhong Chengshuo said, pushing his glasses up. “You mentioned bringing someone. Who would that be?”
“It’s me.” Fu Xingchuan appeared in the center of the room.
This should have been a handsome entrance, but it was a pity Minster Fu stepped on a sprawled-out Lonely cat. Gao Mengyu’s cat let out a loud “meow” as several fleshy limbs fiercely struck Fu Xingchuan’s back.
Startled, Fu Xingchuan and the cat instantly engaged in a one-on-one battle inside the apartment.
Zhong Chengshuo patiently held his cup of water, waiting for the two to calm down. Dr. Cat, on the other hand, calmly began licking its paws, ignoring the man and Lonely cat that was wrestling.
“…So, what do you want with Shian?”
After about half a minute of struggling, Fu Xingchuan sat down on the ground, panting heavily.
“I want data,”
Zhong Chengshuo sincerely looked down at Fu Xingchuan and started to count on his fingers.
“All the research materials of the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi; the ghost fetus data recorded by Shian in the Archive regarding the Guo Laifu case; and the blood sample analysis data of Shian on me and Yin Ren, especially the latter—the more detailed, the better.”
Fu Xingchuan: “……” While he didn’t fully understand this science post, he could sense a hint of meaning.
Whether it was Shian, the Primordial Elementals, or Zhong Chengshuo himself, they all believed that Yin Ren was the cub of “Fear”. Why did Zhong Chengshuo suddenly request this data again at this critical juncture?
Back then, “Fear” split off its power to Yin Ren, giving birth to a brand new “Fear”. Later, Zhong Chengshuo, as the old Fear, merged with a human, and Yin Ren developed as the cub of Fear. Most of the process had also been observed in the memory world.
The subtle rejection between the two also corresponded to the characteristics of the Primordial Elementals that Meng Huai discovered on the Other Side.
Even if there were deviations, they could be attributed to individual differences. Fu Xingchuan pondered but couldn’t come up with any worthwhile insights.
“Why do you suddenly need all this?” Fu Xingchuan asked decisively. “If you want to study yourself and regain your powers, I can understand that.”
“When I see a bird that walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call it a duck*.” Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip on the cup in his hand. “This method may be effective, but it doesn’t apply to biology.”
*Quote from James Whitcomb Riley.
Zhong Chengshuo once had spoken one-on-one with Qi Xin about the peculiarities of Yin Ren. At that time, she had made it clear that she didn’t care who Yin Ren was and only wanted to solve the problems on the Other Side. However, in their previous encounters, although Qi Xin didn’t say much, she clearly showed fear and concern towards Yin Ren.
“Now Yin Ren is focused on gaining power, so there’s no time to worry about trivial details, but I cannot afford to overlook them.”
Zhong Chengshuo looked at his own hands.
What if Yin Ren was meant to be a bird that flew in the sky but now clumsily tried to imitate swimming? What if Yin Ren’s fatal weakness was different from “Fear”? What if Qi Xin had discovered something before him and betrayed them at the crucial moment, leading to a disastrous outcome?
“I used to think that as long as I provided strong support, I could help him. Now it seems that it’s far from enough…”
Even though he had retrieved the authority of “Fear” through the Karma Lantern, that hollow feeling of powerlessness hadn’t disappeared; it had become even more apparent.
Fu Xingchuan observed this ancient Primordial Elemental.
The sleeves of his white-lined robe were slightly long, with a few folds piled up near the cup. Zhong Chengshuo furrowed his brow, showing genuine distress.
The first time Fu Xingchuan saw Zhong Chengshuo, this person exuded an air of “ease and confidence” from head to toe. But now, he seemed somewhat helpless, resembling a young person in their thirties.
“Alright, I understand.” Fu Xingchuan snorted. “Shian will provide you with all the data you need, and we will arrange for people to come here to exchange information with you. If necessary, you can access the highest-level laboratories and researchers.”
“But I heard that Meiqiu has been researching the ‘angel’s arm’ recently. If needed, please assist him,” Fu Xingchuan added meaningfully.
“No problem.” This time, Zhong Chengshuo responded quickly.
“Lu Xiaohe just mentioned it recently, that we should support your possible research.” Fu Xingchuan smiled. “Your team seems to have good coordination.”
“Please thank her for me,” Zhong Chengshuo said, bowing his head sincerely.
With a helpful assistant acquired, Meiqiu’s tail curled up straight, and it contentedly started purring.
Fu Xingchuan nodded to the two of them and disappeared on the spot. Not far away, Gao Mengyu took off her earphones and closed the graduate entrance exam materials in her hand. “Have you finished discussing?”
“Almost. I just have one more question.”
The black cat jumped onto Zhong Chengshuo’s knee and looked at him with its round eyes.
“Even if you’re incredibly bored, you wouldn’t negotiate with Shian without any clues. Hey, do you have some kind of lead?”
Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze, and the reflection of the black cat appeared in his eyes.
“It’s just an insignificant conjecture,” he said.
Indeed, it was an insignificant conjecture. Taking advantage of Yin Ren being away for treatment, Zhong Chengshuo locked himself in a solitary space of imagination, thoroughly chewing on every memory related to Yin Ren, hoping to find even the tiniest clue.
And he did find something.
It was just a subtle feeling.
A long time ago, in the Archive, he encountered the most beautiful monster in the world. Zhong Chengshuo remembered the mottled red veil, the sea-like black wings… and the hundreds of pale arms protruding beneath the veil.
It was their first day of interaction, and he had gently pressed his hand against that enormous palm.
And not long ago, while curled up amidst a sea of wings, a pale arm suddenly attacked, narrowly brushing past him.
Their auras were undeniably similar.
The author has something to say:
The final unveiling begins.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Upon returning to the human world, the individuals were immediately covered with blankets by the staff of Shian. Without the enhancements from the Other Side, everyone who returned was naked.
Once separated from the environment of the Other Side, their bodies suddenly felt heavy. It was as if waking up from a drunken stupor, surrounded by a subtle dullness and a sense of unreality. Lu Xiaohe almost fell to the ground, but she managed to support her mother and stand firmly on her feet.
The next step was a continuous process from the hospital to the conference room. Lu Xiaohe sadly realized that she had become very accustomed to this route.
The surviving missing people, the survivors from the Other Side, and many more awaiting rescue were all repeatedly questioned. After leaving the Other Side, Lu Xiaohe spent almost three days in the conference room.
However, this time, she was no longer as anxious and restless as before.
Her mother lay peacefully in the hospital, with all her vital signs improving. Lu Xiaohe had never felt so relaxed; even if the world was crumbling before her, it couldn’t destroy her good mood.
……
That being said, the world wasn’t much different from destruction.
“The mild sources of corruption from Sunken Society have rapidly spread to other cities, and a monster with the ‘Resonance’ abilities has appeared in Haigu. The monster, suspected to be guided by Xiang Jiang, is active through the underground system and has yet to be captured by Shian.”
In the underground conference room, Li Nian calmly explained the current situation.
In front of him, the screen displayed various reports and discussions. The cunning corpse centipede never engaged in direct confrontation with Shian personnel. It would only occasionally show up in the middle of the night and quickly escape, letting everyone know that there were still “gods and ghosts” in this world.
With frequent gruesome murders and people’s unstable mental state, combined with the reshuffling of the worldview involving “monsters” and “angel’s arms”, the Shian personnel weren’t necessarily faring any better than those on the Other Side.
Lu Xiaohe couldn’t help but glance at Li Nian a few more times. When they were rescuing the survivors, Li Nian maintained a serious expression until the end. After confirming that he hadn’t missed anyone, he silently left.
When Xiao Zheng returned, he naturally mentioned Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng’s situation. Upon hearing that Meng Huai wanted to stay behind, Li Nian only paused his pen for a moment, not lifting his head. No one knew what he was thinking.
In comparison, Fu Xingchuan was much more straightforward. Upon realizing that Fu Tianyi hadn’t come out, he had a worried smile on his face.
“Now the whole country knows about the ‘angel’s arms’. The good news is that besides ‘knowing that it represents protection’, the situation hasn’t further deteriorated. Those who tried to establish a cult were all arrested. The bad news is that this information is still spreading, and we still don’t know what Love’s purpose is.”
Fu Xingchuan’s dark circles returned, even heavier than before.
“It doesn’t seem too serious?” Back in the human world, Ge Tingting could only rely on her phone to voice her thoughts.
The monsters didn’t destroy cities like in disaster movies, and the corruption sources remained at their initial levels, but there was now a mischievous corpse centipede causing trouble.
Li Nian glanced at Ge Tingting. “It’s precisely because it doesn’t appear serious that it is serious. Why do you think Shian is blocking the information and keeping the metaphysical practitioners hidden underground?”
Ge Tingting shook her head honestly.
“A major disaster can be resolved quickly. But with this continuous series of events, it becomes more difficult to clean up. The unstable environment inevitably affects people’s beliefs. Spreading information about gods and ghosts at this critical juncture will lead to a significant shift in people’s perceptions.”
“Society has its own order, and the law is also evolving, all based on the premise that ‘the majority of people do not believe’. The existing order and laws cannot withstand such abrupt changes… If things continue like this, societal chaos will only spiral out of control.”
Huang Jin silently pondered the possibility of evacuation. Since Ding Lizi’s eyes had also recovered, maybe he could take her to a deserted island for a year or so after he received his prize money.
Fu Xingchuan: “Our top priority now is to rescue those who are still trapped on the Other Side. Regarding this matter, I have a few proposals…”
While Fu Xingchuan spoke, Lu Xiaohe, unusually, became absent-minded.
Assisting Yin Ren with the help of Shian might be too ambitious. This was a battle at the level of a Primordial Elemental. In the past, she would probably have blindly followed the leader—helpless situations were just helpless situations.
But she once believed that her mother’s terminal illness was beyond human power.
Shian had its own arrangements, but she was still the rear commander of Unit 9. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were still her front-line team. The current her sat at the table, on equal footing with Shian’s two top human fighters.
Could she be even more “outrageous”?
“Our top priority should be addressing the root of the problem.” Lu Xiaohe deliberated before speaking up.
Fu Xingchuan was in the middle of speaking, but he looked at this usually obedient employee with a hint of surprise. Nevertheless, he interrupted his speech and nodded at Lu Xiaohe.
Lu Xiaohe interlocked her fingers and furrowed her brows slightly. “Addressing the corruption, tracking the monster, and rescuing the missing people—Shian has always been in a passive response. Sunken Society is using this method to buy time because it knows that compared to everything on the Other Side, Shian will prioritize the ‘human world’. If we don’t come up with an alternative, we will continue to be passive.”
“Wait.” Huang Jin hurriedly spoke up. “You don’t mean to have Shian support the Other Side, do you? Yes, Meng Huai and the others have developed some spells, but it still requires a significant number of personnel to perfect them! If we withdraw the cultivators from outside now…”
Lu Xiaohe shook her head. “I am a science post, and I can only speak from the perspective of a science post. It appears that Shian does have a clear potential ally—one that won’t cause manpower pressure or attract attention.”
“At present, the science post is relatively relaxed, so I suggest that the available senior science posts and the laboratory support Zhong Chengshuo. He already has considerable knowledge of the Other Side, and being a former Primordial Elemental, his thinking is certainly broader than that of humans.”
Lu Xiaohe’s tone was very solemn.
“This is my judgment as the rear commander.”
Fu Xingchuan raised an eyebrow and stroked his stubbled chin. Li Nian lowered his eyes, adding another layer of shadow to his already troubled expression.
Only Comrade Huang Jin persistently challenged. “If Zhong Chengshuo is on the Other Side, will Qi Xin readily assist us in opening and closing the door?”
“We don’t need to have direct contact with him.” Lu Xiaohe turned her head. “We just need data exchange, and there will always be a way.”
“Are you sure he will assist the human world?”
Hearing this, Li Nian finally spoke quietly.
“Yin Ren is currently being trained by Qi Xin. The likelihood of Zhong Chengshuo, as a fellow Primordial Elemental, providing support is higher.”
Lu Xiaohe: “Uh…”
“Zhong Chengshuo isn’t a human. At this critical moment, asking him to turn around and study the human world may not be what he desires. Your proposal is good, but unfortunately, the reasoning is insufficient.”
“I…” Lu Xiaohe’s voice trailed off sadly.
Yes, Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t human. When they were together, she always seemed to forget that. To explain to Shian, she needed to find a way to present it as feasible…
Fu Xingchuan cleared his throat, preparing to continue explaining the rescue plan. Just then, his phone started vibrating like crazy.
Minister Fu answered with a troubled expression, but after a few sentences, his face gradually froze, and his eyes turned to Lu Xiaohe.
“Miss Gao, you dreamt of Zhong Chengshuo and a black cat? He was clinging to the window and said he wanted to talk to Shian?”
“Hold on, don’t go back to sleep… Wait!”
……
Zhong Chengshuo firmly clung to the window.
He held onto the windowsill with both hands, looking sincere, while Dr. Cat sat steadily on the windowsill—both of them looking towards Gao Mengyu inside the house.
Gao Mengyue had long grown accustomed to this dream. Since she discovered that it was the real Qiqi outside her door, she no longer feared the recurring dream. Over time, she even learned to pet the cat’s soft limbs in her dream while reviewing knowledge points for the postgraduate entrance examination.
But today, her dream had two unexpected visitors.
“I just called the people from Shian, and they will send someone soon.” After getting Qiqi’s affirmation, Gao Mengyu opened the window. Dr. Cat leaped into the room, surveying the small apartment.
“I see. It seems feasible to enter dreams in a physical sense.” It lay down on Gao Mengyu’s desk with its tail swaying from side to side. “Those ‘Lonely’ cats are quite useful.”
In recent days, the Lonely cats had been crawling all over the human stronghold—their fleshy limbs flailing in fear of the large number of corpses in the cold storage. Despite this, most of the Lonely cats didn’t dare go out due to the constant surveillance of the forces of Love.
Only Gao Mengyu’s cat took advantage of its physical strength and dived into “Satisfaction” every day, tirelessly warning Gao Mengyu.
At first, Dr. Meiqiu just hitched a ride and collected data on its own. Who would have thought that today, even this Old Fear had infiltrated its fleshy limbs and smuggled himself into “Satisfaction”.
Although she knew it was a dream, Gao Mengyu still poured a glass of water for Zhong Chengshuo and opened a can of meat for Meiqiu. Gao Mengyu’s cat, Qiqi, entered through the door and comfortably sprawled in the middle of the room.
“Where’s Yin Ren?” she politely asked.
Zhong Chengshuo: “He’s recuperating.” More accurately, he was scavenging for food and then running away.
Gao Mengyu had no knowledge of the situation on the Other Side. “Are you saying that you want to talk to Shian and everyone is fine?”
“Everyone is fine. I just have something I want to discuss with them,” Zhong Chengshuo said, pushing his glasses up. “You mentioned bringing someone. Who would that be?”
“It’s me.” Fu Xingchuan appeared in the center of the room.
This should have been a handsome entrance, but it was a pity Minster Fu stepped on a sprawled-out Lonely cat. Gao Mengyu’s cat let out a loud “meow” as several fleshy limbs fiercely struck Fu Xingchuan’s back.
Startled, Fu Xingchuan and the cat instantly engaged in a one-on-one battle inside the apartment.
Zhong Chengshuo patiently held his cup of water, waiting for the two to calm down. Dr. Cat, on the other hand, calmly began licking its paws, ignoring the man and Lonely cat that was wrestling.
“…So, what do you want with Shian?”
After about half a minute of struggling, Fu Xingchuan sat down on the ground, panting heavily.
“I want data,”
Zhong Chengshuo sincerely looked down at Fu Xingchuan and started to count on his fingers.
“All the research materials of the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi; the ghost fetus data recorded by Shian in the Archive regarding the Guo Laifu case; and the blood sample analysis data of Shian on me and Yin Ren, especially the latter—the more detailed, the better.”
Fu Xingchuan: “……” While he didn’t fully understand this science post, he could sense a hint of meaning.
Whether it was Shian, the Primordial Elementals, or Zhong Chengshuo himself, they all believed that Yin Ren was the cub of “Fear”. Why did Zhong Chengshuo suddenly request this data again at this critical juncture?
Back then, “Fear” split off its power to Yin Ren, giving birth to a brand new “Fear”. Later, Zhong Chengshuo, as the old Fear, merged with a human, and Yin Ren developed as the cub of Fear. Most of the process had also been observed in the memory world.
The subtle rejection between the two also corresponded to the characteristics of the Primordial Elementals that Meng Huai discovered on the Other Side.
Even if there were deviations, they could be attributed to individual differences. Fu Xingchuan pondered but couldn’t come up with any worthwhile insights.
“Why do you suddenly need all this?” Fu Xingchuan asked decisively. “If you want to study yourself and regain your powers, I can understand that.”
“When I see a bird that walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call it a duck*.” Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip on the cup in his hand. “This method may be effective, but it doesn’t apply to biology.”
*Quote from James Whitcomb Riley.
Zhong Chengshuo once had spoken one-on-one with Qi Xin about the peculiarities of Yin Ren. At that time, she had made it clear that she didn’t care who Yin Ren was and only wanted to solve the problems on the Other Side. However, in their previous encounters, although Qi Xin didn’t say much, she clearly showed fear and concern towards Yin Ren.
“Now Yin Ren is focused on gaining power, so there’s no time to worry about trivial details, but I cannot afford to overlook them.”
Zhong Chengshuo looked at his own hands.
What if Yin Ren was meant to be a bird that flew in the sky but now clumsily tried to imitate swimming? What if Yin Ren’s fatal weakness was different from “Fear”? What if Qi Xin had discovered something before him and betrayed them at the crucial moment, leading to a disastrous outcome?
“I used to think that as long as I provided strong support, I could help him. Now it seems that it’s far from enough…”
Even though he had retrieved the authority of “Fear” through the Karma Lantern, that hollow feeling of powerlessness hadn’t disappeared; it had become even more apparent.
Fu Xingchuan observed this ancient Primordial Elemental.
The sleeves of his white-lined robe were slightly long, with a few folds piled up near the cup. Zhong Chengshuo furrowed his brow, showing genuine distress.
The first time Fu Xingchuan saw Zhong Chengshuo, this person exuded an air of “ease and confidence” from head to toe. But now, he seemed somewhat helpless, resembling a young person in their thirties.
“Alright, I understand.” Fu Xingchuan snorted. “Shian will provide you with all the data you need, and we will arrange for people to come here to exchange information with you. If necessary, you can access the highest-level laboratories and researchers.”
“But I heard that Meiqiu has been researching the ‘angel’s arm’ recently. If needed, please assist him,” Fu Xingchuan added meaningfully.
“No problem.” This time, Zhong Chengshuo responded quickly.
“Lu Xiaohe just mentioned it recently, that we should support your possible research.” Fu Xingchuan smiled. “Your team seems to have good coordination.”
“Please thank her for me,” Zhong Chengshuo said, bowing his head sincerely.
With a helpful assistant acquired, Meiqiu’s tail curled up straight, and it contentedly started purring.
Fu Xingchuan nodded to the two of them and disappeared on the spot. Not far away, Gao Mengyu took off her earphones and closed the graduate entrance exam materials in her hand. “Have you finished discussing?”
“Almost. I just have one more question.”
The black cat jumped onto Zhong Chengshuo’s knee and looked at him with its round eyes.
“Even if you’re incredibly bored, you wouldn’t negotiate with Shian without any clues. Hey, do you have some kind of lead?”
Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze, and the reflection of the black cat appeared in his eyes.
“It’s just an insignificant conjecture,” he said.
Indeed, it was an insignificant conjecture. Taking advantage of Yin Ren being away for treatment, Zhong Chengshuo locked himself in a solitary space of imagination, thoroughly chewing on every memory related to Yin Ren, hoping to find even the tiniest clue.
And he did find something.
It was just a subtle feeling.
A long time ago, in the Archive, he encountered the most beautiful monster in the world. Zhong Chengshuo remembered the mottled red veil, the sea-like black wings… and the hundreds of pale arms protruding beneath the veil.
It was their first day of interaction, and he had gently pressed his hand against that enormous palm.
And not long ago, while curled up amidst a sea of wings, a pale arm suddenly attacked, narrowly brushing past him.
Their auras were undeniably similar.
The author has something to say:
The final unveiling begins.
Upon returning to the human world, the individuals were immediately covered with blankets by the staff of Shian. Without the enhancements from the Other Side, everyone who returned was naked.Once separated from the environment of the Other Side, their bodies suddenly felt heavy. It was as if waking up from a drunken stupor, surrounded by a subtle dullness and a sense of unreality. Lu Xiaohe almost fell to the ground, but she managed to support her mother and stand firmly on her feet.The next step was a continuous process from the hospital to the conference room. Lu Xiaohe sadly realized that she had become very accustomed to this route.The surviving missing people, the survivors from the Other Side, and many more awaiting rescue were all repeatedly questioned. After leaving the Other Side, Lu Xiaohe spent almost three days in the conference room.However, this time, she was no longer as anxious and restless as before.Her mother lay peacefully in the hospital, with all her vital signs improving. Lu Xiaohe had never felt so relaxed; even if the world was crumbling before her, it couldn't destroy her good mood.That being said, the world wasn't much different from destruction.The mild sources of corruption from Sunken Society have rapidly spread to other cities, and a monster with the Resonance' abilities has appeared in Haigu. The monster, suspected to be guided by Xiang Jiang, is active through the underground system and has yet to be captured by Shian.In the underground conference room, Li Nian calmly explained the current situation.In front of him, the screen displayed various reports and discussions. The cunning corpse centipede never engaged in direct confrontation with Shian personnel. It would only occasionally show up in the middle of the night and quickly escape, letting everyone know that there were still gods and ghosts in this world.With frequent gruesome murders and people's unstable mental state, combined with the reshuffling of the worldview involving monsters and angel's arms, the Shian personnel weren't necessarily faring any better than those on the Other Side.Lu Xiaohe couldn't help but glance at Li Nian a few more times. When they were rescuing the survivors, Li Nian maintained a serious expression until the end. After confirming that he hadn't missed anyone, he silently left.When Xiao Zheng returned, he naturally mentioned Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng's situation. Upon hearing that Meng Huai wanted to stay behind, Li Nian only paused his pen for a moment, not lifting his head. No one knew what he was thinking.In comparison, Fu Xingchuan was much more straightforward. Upon realizing that Fu Tianyi hadn't come out, he had a worried smile on his face.Now the whole country knows about the angel's arms'. The good news is that besides knowing that it represents protection', the situation hasn't further deteriorated. Those who tried to establish a cult were all arrested. The bad news is that this information is still spreading, and we still don't know what Love's purpose is.Fu Xingchuan's dark circles returned, even heavier than before.It doesn't seem too serious? Back in the human world, Ge Tingting could only rely on her phone to voice her thoughts.The monsters didn't destroy cities like in disaster movies, and the corruption sources remained at their initial levels, but there was now a mischievous corpse centipede causing trouble.Li Nian glanced at Ge Tingting. It's precisely because it doesn't appear serious that it is serious. Why do you think Shian is blocking the information and keeping the metaphysical practitioners hidden underground?Ge Tingting shook her head honestly.A major disaster can be resolved quickly. But with this continuous series of events, it becomes more difficult to clean up. The unstable environment inevitably affects people's beliefs. Spreading information about gods and ghosts at this critical juncture will lead to a significant shift in people's perceptions.Society has its own order, and the law is also evolving, all based on the premise that the majority of people do not believe'. The existing order and laws cannot withstand such abrupt changes If things continue like this, societal chaos will only spiral out of control.Huang Jin silently pondered the possibility of evacuation. Since Ding Lizi's eyes had also recovered, maybe he could take her to a deserted island for a year or so after he received his prize money.Fu Xingchuan: Our top priority now is to rescue those who are still trapped on the Other Side. Regarding this matter, I have a few proposalsWhile Fu Xingchuan spoke, Lu Xiaohe, unusually, became absent-minded.Assisting Yin Ren with the help of Shian might be too ambitious. This was a battle at the level of a Primordial Elemental. In the past, she would probably have blindly followed the leaderhelpless situations were just helpless situations.But she once believed that her mother's terminal illness was beyond human power.Shian had its own arrangements, but she was still the rear commander of Unit 9. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were still her front-line team. The current her sat at the table, on equal footing with Shian's two top human fighters.Could she be even more outrageous?Our top priority should be addressing the root of the problem. Lu Xiaohe deliberated before speaking up.Fu Xingchuan was in the middle of speaking, but he looked at this usually obedient employee with a hint of surprise. Nevertheless, he interrupted his speech and nodded at Lu Xiaohe.Lu Xiaohe interlocked her fingers and furrowed her brows slightly. Addressing the corruption, tracking the monster, and rescuing the missing peopleShian has always been in a passive response. Sunken Society is using this method to buy time because it knows that compared to everything on the Other Side, Shian will prioritize the human world'. If we don't come up with an alternative, we will continue to be passive.Wait. Huang Jin hurriedly spoke up. You don't mean to have Shian support the Other Side, do you? Yes, Meng Huai and the others have developed some spells, but it still requires a significant number of personnel to perfect them! If we withdraw the cultivators from outside nowLu Xiaohe shook her head. I am a science post, and I can only speak from the perspective of a science post. It appears that Shian does have a clear potential allyone that won't cause manpower pressure or attract attention.At present, the science post is relatively relaxed, so I suggest that the available senior science posts and the laboratory support Zhong Chengshuo. He already has considerable knowledge of the Other Side, and being a former Primordial Elemental, his thinking is certainly broader than that of humans.Lu Xiaohe's tone was very solemn.This is my judgment as the rear commander.Fu Xingchuan raised an eyebrow and stroked his stubbled chin. Li Nian lowered his eyes, adding another layer of shadow to his already troubled expression.Only Comrade Huang Jin persistently challenged. If Zhong Chengshuo is on the Other Side, will Qi Xin readily assist us in opening and closing the door?We don't need to have direct contact with him. Lu Xiaohe turned her head. We just need data exchange, and there will always be a way.Are you sure he will assist the human world?Hearing this, Li Nian finally spoke quietly.Yin Ren is currently being trained by Qi Xin. The likelihood of Zhong Chengshuo, as a fellow Primordial Elemental, providing support is higher.Lu Xiaohe: UhZhong Chengshuo isn't a human. At this critical moment, asking him to turn around and study the human world may not be what he desires. Your proposal is good, but unfortunately, the reasoning is insufficient.I Lu Xiaohe's voice trailed off sadly.Yes, Zhong Chengshuo wasn't human. When they were together, she always seemed to forget that. To explain to Shian, she needed to find a way to present it as feasibleFu Xingchuan cleared his throat, preparing to continue explaining the rescue plan. Just then, his phone started vibrating like crazy.Minister Fu answered with a troubled expression, but after a few sentences, his face gradually froze, and his eyes turned to Lu Xiaohe.Miss Gao, you dreamt of Zhong Chengshuo and a black cat? He was clinging to the window and said he wanted to talk to Shian?Hold on, don't go back to sleep Wait!Zhong Chengshuo firmly clung to the window.He held onto the windowsill with both hands, looking sincere, while Dr. Cat sat steadily on the windowsillboth of them looking towards Gao Mengyu inside the house.Gao Mengyue had long grown accustomed to this dream. Since she discovered that it was the real Qiqi outside her door, she no longer feared the recurring dream. Over time, she even learned to pet the cat's soft limbs in her dream while reviewing knowledge points for the postgraduate entrance examination.But today, her dream had two unexpected visitors.I just called the people from Shian, and they will send someone soon. After getting Qiqi's affirmation, Gao Mengyu opened the window. Dr. Cat leaped into the room, surveying the small apartment.I see. It seems feasible to enter dreams in a physical sense. It lay down on Gao Mengyu's desk with its tail swaying from side to side. Those Lonely' cats are quite useful.In recent days, the Lonely cats had been crawling all over the human strongholdtheir fleshy limbs flailing in fear of the large number of corpses in the cold storage. Despite this, most of the Lonely cats didn't dare go out due to the constant surveillance of the forces of Love.Only Gao Mengyu's cat took advantage of its physical strength and dived into Satisfaction every day, tirelessly warning Gao Mengyu.At first, Dr. Meiqiu just hitched a ride and collected data on its own. Who would have thought that today, even this Old Fear had infiltrated its fleshy limbs and smuggled himself into Satisfaction.Although she knew it was a dream, Gao Mengyu still poured a glass of water for Zhong Chengshuo and opened a can of meat for Meiqiu. Gao Mengyu's cat, Qiqi, entered through the door and comfortably sprawled in the middle of the room.Where's Yin Ren? she politely asked.Zhong Chengshuo: He's recuperating. More accurately, he was scavenging for food and then running away.Gao Mengyu had no knowledge of the situation on the Other Side. Are you saying that you want to talk to Shian and everyone is fine?Everyone is fine. I just have something I want to discuss with them, Zhong Chengshuo said, pushing his glasses up. You mentioned bringing someone. Who would that be?It's me. Fu Xingchuan appeared in the center of the room.This should have been a handsome entrance, but it was a pity Minster Fu stepped on a sprawled-out Lonely cat. Gao Mengyu's cat let out a loud meow as several fleshy limbs fiercely struck Fu Xingchuan's back.Startled, Fu Xingchuan and the cat instantly engaged in a one-on-one battle inside the apartment.Zhong Chengshuo patiently held his cup of water, waiting for the two to calm down. Dr. Cat, on the other hand, calmly began licking its paws, ignoring the man and Lonely cat that was wrestling.So, what do you want with Shian?After about half a minute of struggling, Fu Xingchuan sat down on the ground, panting heavily.I want data,Zhong Chengshuo sincerely looked down at Fu Xingchuan and started to count on his fingers.All the research materials of the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi; the ghost fetus data recorded by Shian in the Archive regarding the Guo Laifu case; and the blood sample analysis data of Shian on me and Yin Ren, especially the latterthe more detailed, the better.Fu Xingchuan: While he didn't fully understand this science post, he could sense a hint of meaning.Whether it was Shian, the Primordial Elementals, or Zhong Chengshuo himself, they all believed that Yin Ren was the cub of Fear. Why did Zhong Chengshuo suddenly request this data again at this critical juncture?Back then, Fear split off its power to Yin Ren, giving birth to a brand new Fear. Later, Zhong Chengshuo, as the old Fear, merged with a human, and Yin Ren developed as the cub of Fear. Most of the process had also been observed in the memory world.The subtle rejection between the two also corresponded to the characteristics of the Primordial Elementals that Meng Huai discovered on the Other Side.Even if there were deviations, they could be attributed to individual differences. Fu Xingchuan pondered but couldn't come up with any worthwhile insights.Why do you suddenly need all this? Fu Xingchuan asked decisively. If you want to study yourself and regain your powers, I can understand that.When I see a bird that walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call it a duck*. Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip on the cup in his hand. This method may be effective, but it doesn't apply to biology.*Quote fromJames Whitcomb Riley.Zhong Chengshuo once had spoken one-on-one with Qi Xin about the peculiarities of Yin Ren. At that time, she had made it clear that she didn't care who Yin Ren was and only wanted to solve the problems on the Other Side. However, in their previous encounters, although Qi Xin didn't say much, she clearly showed fear and concern towards Yin Ren.Now Yin Ren is focused on gaining power, so there's no time to worry about trivial details, but I cannot afford to overlook them.Zhong Chengshuo looked at his own hands.What if Yin Ren was meant to be a bird that flew in the sky but now clumsily tried to imitate swimming? What if Yin Ren's fatal weakness was different from Fear? What if Qi Xin had discovered something before him and betrayed them at the crucial moment, leading to a disastrous outcome?I used to think that as long as I provided strong support, I could help him. Now it seems that it's far from enoughEven though he had retrieved the authority of Fear through the Karma Lantern, that hollow feeling of powerlessness hadn't disappeared; it had become even more apparent.Fu Xingchuan observed this ancient Primordial Elemental.The sleeves of his white-lined robe were slightly long, with a few folds piled up near the cup. Zhong Chengshuo furrowed his brow, showing genuine distress.The first time Fu Xingchuan saw Zhong Chengshuo, this person exuded an air of ease and confidence from head to toe. But now, he seemed somewhat helpless, resembling a young person in their thirties.Alright, I understand. Fu Xingchuan snorted. Shian will provide you with all the data you need, and we will arrange for people to come here to exchange information with you. If necessary, you can access the highest-level laboratories and researchers.But I heard that Meiqiu has been researching the angel's arm' recently. If needed, please assist him, Fu Xingchuan added meaningfully.No problem. This time, Zhong Chengshuo responded quickly.Lu Xiaohe just mentioned it recently, that we should support your possible research. Fu Xingchuan smiled. Your team seems to have good coordination.Please thank her for me, Zhong Chengshuo said, bowing his head sincerely.With a helpful assistant acquired, Meiqiu's tail curled up straight, and it contentedly started purring.Fu Xingchuan nodded to the two of them and disappeared on the spot. Not far away, Gao Mengyu took off her earphones and closed the graduate entrance exam materials in her hand. Have you finished discussing?Almost. I just have one more question.The black cat jumped onto Zhong Chengshuo's knee and looked at him with its round eyes.Even if you're incredibly bored, you wouldn't negotiate with Shian without any clues. Hey, do you have some kind of lead?Zhong Chengshuo lowered his gaze, and the reflection of the black cat appeared in his eyes.It's just an insignificant conjecture, he said.Indeed, it was an insignificant conjecture. Taking advantage of Yin Ren being away for treatment, Zhong Chengshuo locked himself in a solitary space of imagination, thoroughly chewing on every memory related to Yin Ren, hoping to find even the tiniest clue.And he did find something.It was just a subtle feeling.A long time ago, in the Archive, he encountered the most beautiful monster in the world. Zhong Chengshuo remembered the mottled red veil, the sea-like black wings and the hundreds of pale arms protruding beneath the veil.It was their first day of interaction, and he had gently pressed his hand against that enormous palm.And not long ago, while curled up amidst a sea of wings, a pale arm suddenly attacked, narrowly brushing past him.Their auras were undeniably similar.The author has something to say:The final unveiling begins.
