The System Arrived Four Years Early, but the Anomaly Is Still a Juvenile - Chapter 168

After the dense fog moved away from the hospital, the surrounding blocks returned to normal. Survivors emerged one after another, some searching for companions, others trying to seize the chance to grab resources and escape.

Just then, amidst the ruins of the largely collapsed hospital main building, rubble suddenly began to shift and crumble. A worm, resembling a large intestine, burrowed out from underneath.

Strangely, the survivors nearby didn’t flee upon seeing the large worm emerge from the ruins. Instead, they stepped forward to help move the corpses pinning it down.

Once the two-to-three-meter-long worm was fully “dug out,” a thump sound was heard as its belly was slit open, and a thin, sharp-featured man with a gaunt figure slid out.

This man was the leader of the hospital faction. He looked up at the guards and slaves who had come to dig him out, caught his breath, and cursed irritably, urging them to go clear the collapsed shelter entrance. He then took out a fist-sized fleshy tumor and retracted the “worm” back into it.

At that moment, the leader suddenly felt his shirtfront grabbed by an invisible force, lifting him up.

The next second, he was “flung” by this force. With a loud crash, he smashed through a window of the main building’s corridor and landed inside a consultation room.

The guards and slaves outside were terrified. This clearly wasn’t something a human could do. They didn’t dare help anymore and, disregarding whether there were still creatures or freaks on the streets, scrambled to escape the hospital.

The leader crashed onto a consultation table, seeing stars. Then he saw a mysterious figure in Self-Defense Force uniform materialize before him.

The leader scrambled backward, supporting himself on the table, pointed a trembling finger at Shen Ge, and asked, “Y-you, who are you? What do you want?”

Shen Ge got straight to the point: “You were an Otherworldly Agent from the former Takaguchi City Otherworldly Response Department?”

“Y-yes!” The leader nodded hurriedly.

Shen Ge said, “I want all the equipment research data from your Response Department. Where can I get that?”

“Ah?” The leader was stunned, not expecting this question.

Takaguchi City had fallen nearly two years ago. This place was trapped inside an Otherworldly Domain, entry only, no exit. The streets were filled with creatures and freaks. What use was research data now?

“Th-this… you… I… I’m just an ordinary agent, not a researcher. How would I know about that stuff?” The leader wore a troubled expression.

Shen Ge pulled the Otherworldly Sniper Rifle from his Bloodskin Backpack, pressing the dark muzzle against the leader’s forehead. “But your brothers said you were the captain of the Takaguchi City Response Department’s action team, on good terms with the Director, and had been to the research department for equipment testing. And you’re telling me you don’t know? In that case, you’re useless to me… Go d…”

Before Shen Ge could finish the word “die,” the leader thumped to his knees. “Don’t kill me, don’t kill me! I’ll talk, I’ll tell you everything!”

The leader thought about how even the strongest, Second Brother, had been dealt with, coupled with Shen Ge’s elusive ability moments ago. He clearly wasn’t a match. Where there’s life, there’s hope; a real man knows when to yield and when to stand firm. As long as he could save his skin, kneeling was nothing.

“Big Bro, I really was just a small team captain in the Response Department. My relationship with the Director was just so-so, I just gave him some gifts a few times. As for them saying I participated in equipment testing, that was a misunderstanding. Hey, hey, hey, B-Big Bro, don’t be impatient, let me explain.”

“Although the Takaguchi City Response Department had a research division, it only tested Otherworldly equipment sent over by the Kawasaki Research Institute. The testing I participated in was internal department stuff. What you want, Big Bro, probably requires going to the Kawasaki Research Institute.”

Shen Ge held the sniper rifle against the leader’s head, not speaking, just staring coldly at him, making him sweat profusely. The leader tentatively added, “That’s all I know, Big Bro. Please spare my life. If you ever need me in the future, just say the word.”

Shen Ge said calmly, “You’re quite the schemer. Even after parting ways, you still remember your old colleagues, sending me back to get revenge for you?”

The leader’s face stiffened. He clearly hadn’t expected Shen Ge to know about the situation at the Kawasaki Research Institute, and this definitely couldn’t have come from Second Brother.

After the Takaguchi City Response Department split, he had manipulated Second and Third Brothers into abandoning the Section Chief and following him south.

They couldn’t have known the Section Chief and others went to the Kawasaki Research Institute. Besides, the situation there wasn’t great either. He’d heard from some southbound survivors that they’d been attacked by freaks several times; perhaps even those at the Kawasaki Institute hadn’t escaped disaster.

The leader’s plan was simple: Shen Ge seemed capable and wanted the research data. Sending him to the Kawasaki Institute might solve the Section Chief problem. Even if Shen Ge took a fancy to the equipment there, he couldn’t carry much alone. Then he, the leader, could follow and pick up the scraps.

But the leader clearly hadn’t expected Shen Ge to bluff his way into revealing his scheme using the information about Takaguchi City’s situation that Feng Hua You Cai had provided earlier.

Shen Ge only knew the Takaguchi City Response Department had split, not where each group went. Now he was sure this leader knew something.

“B-Big Bro, I don’t know what you mean.” The leader forced an awkward smile, still hoping to bluff his way through.

The information came from his mouth; who knew if it was true or false?

Shen Ge couldn’t be bothered to argue. His left hand extended, and a Flesh Tentacle rapidly extended from his left arm towards the leader. Its tip opened into a Flesh Maw like a creature’s, biting off the leader’s left arm.

A Freak?
Otherworldly Equipment?

The leader clutched his severed arm and scrambled backward in panic until he hit the wall, looking at Shen Ge in terror. “Don’t kill me, don’t kill me! Big Bro, I really didn’t lie. The Otherworldly equipment in Takaguchi City was all manufactured by the Kawasaki Research Institute. I’m not lying! Th-there… there must be Otherworldly Agents who went to the Kawasaki Institute for the equipment. But they were attacked by freaks before; whether they survived is questionable. I really didn’t mean for you to deal with them! Spare me!”

The leader was in so much pain he was becoming incoherent. According to his account, it wasn’t really setting Shen Ge up, since regardless of those people, Shen Ge would have to go to the Kawasaki Institute to get the research data. His only little scheme was seeing Shen Ge’s strength and wanting to follow behind to scavenge.

Seeing Shen Ge unmoved, the leader frantically spilled everything about the Takaguchi City Response Department’s split, the possible whereabouts of the various teams afterward, and even detailed the specific Otherworldly equipment the Section Chief used.

“Oh, right, th-that S-Section Chief, Section Chief… that guy is greedy for money and women. Originally, he wanted to carve out his own kingdom, which caused public outrage. Big Bro, you are just—”

Bang!

Before the leader could finish his flattery, a gunshot rang out. A bullet passed through his forehead in his stunned gaze and embedded itself in the floor.

Shen Ge put the sniper rifle back into his Bloodskin Backpack, took out the Otherworldly Annihilation Revolver, and fired two more shots into the leader’s chest to prevent any funny business.

“Little Seven, scan him for Otherworldly equipment.”

“Okay, Master.”

Little Seven controlled several Flesh Tentacles to scan the leader, retrieving the fleshy tumor that controlled the Worm Hide, a retractable Otherworldly Bone Tanto, an Otherworldly Leather Jacket that was bulletproof, and three Otherworldly Grenades that grew into flesh-eating flowers.

Shen Ge collected the items and left the hospital. But he didn’t go looking for Feng Hua You Cai. Instead, he re-entered the dense fog to search for the hidden Tier 3 creature.

Meanwhile, Feng Hua You Cai, waiting in the shop for Shen Ge without seeing him return, used her communicator to have her team members take the resources back to the base.

Shen Ge emerged from the fog several hours later, still unable to find the hidden Tier 3 creature. The “Crisis Mission” had a two-hour limit; he didn’t need to search that long.

Mainly, he was “annoyed.” Since awakening his system, he’d never encountered a creature that even the system and Little Seven couldn’t detect, even when it was right there.

This creature seemed rather “special.” Shen Ge suspected it might possess a “Trait” that could block detection—an ability he obviously needed.

Well, no—any “Trait” was something he needed.

Shen Ge didn’t have many dreams. His only aspiration was to assemble a set of buffs like “Immortal, Undying, Ageless, Unlucky(?), Limitless, Boundless, Unharmed, Unafflicted…” and then stand before those Tier 7 or 8 creatures, crooking his finger—

“Come at me!”

Aiming for sheer “invincibility.”

But unfortunately, Shen Ge wasn’t afraid of fighting creatures; he just hated these hide-and-seek types that stayed hidden. If he couldn’t find them, there was nothing he could do.

Shen Ge thought of Sakura’s Otherworldly Energy Dispersal Grenades. They sounded similar in name to the equipment used by the hospital agents. Plus, the leader said Takaguchi City’s Otherworldly equipment was supplied by the Kawasaki Research Institute. Perhaps he could find the dispersal grenades there.

He didn’t know if the grenades would work on the fog-shrouded creature, but it was the only idea he had right now.

Shen Ge considered that getting to Kawasaki required bypassing the most dangerous downtown area. Taking the outer route seemed safest. The hospital had modified jeeps; getting one would save a lot of effort.

But when he returned to the hospital ruins, he found people already rebuilding the defenses. The person in charge was someone he recognized—a member of the scout team.

“Halt!” As soon as Shen Ge approached, he was stopped by alert soldiers pointing guns.

“You! Tony Da Ying! You’re alive! Great!” The soldier recognized Shen Ge and excitedly stepped forward to pat his shoulder.

“Hey, we heard you single-handedly lured away the Otherworldly Agents stationed here. After Captain Feng Hua reported it to the Regiment Leader, he immediately sent reinforcements. But we only found the leader’s body and thought you had… Ah, never mind. Just glad you’re alive, glad you’re alive!” The soldier said excitedly.

After hearing the explanation, Shen Ge learned that after he entered the fog, Feng Hua You Cai and the vice-captain had returned to look for him.

They didn’t find him but discovered many slaves from the hospital. Feng Hua You Cai reported the situation here to the Regiment Leader.

Watanabe Natsusugi, considering the scout team’s heavy casualties and lack of resources, and that the hospital’s resources were relatively plentiful, plus the leaders were dead, decided to take over.

He sent Feng Hua You Cai with ten soldiers to take over the hospital, persuade the guards and slaves to join them, and start rebuilding the defenses.

They didn’t plan to rebuild the hospital entirely, just to give those staying here some defensive capability while they dug out the underground shelter to retrieve the stored resources.

Shen Ge followed the soldier into the hospital and met Feng Hua You Cai and the vice-captain, who were reassuring the slaves. They were overjoyed to see Shen Ge safe and sound.

After some pleasantries, Shen Ge slightly “embellished” the leader’s story for Feng Hua You Cai and the others. He said that after the Takaguchi City Response Department split, the leader brought some people here to build a base, while another part went to the Kawasaki Research Institute, enslaving survivors even more brutally. Therefore, he intended to go to the Kawasaki Institute to investigate and find an opportunity to rescue those survivors.

Shen Ge only intended to ask for a vehicle, but upon hearing that former soldiers were now immorally enslaving survivors, Feng Hua You Cai became indignant and insisted on going with him.

“Da Ying, I once served in the Kawasaki Research Institute’s guard unit. I’m familiar with the situation there. I’ll go with you.” Feng Hua You Cai stated that if it was confirmed that the Takaguchi agents were indeed enslaving survivors at the Kawasaki Institute, they must find a way to rescue them—it was a soldier’s duty.

With that, Feng Hua You Cai had someone bring a map of Takaguchi City and plotted a route to the Kawasaki Institute with a pen: “We’ll detour via the New National Stadium to the outer route, then cut through Sakura Women’s University. It’s a bit roundabout, but it avoids several severe disaster areas…”

As a member of the scout team, Feng Hua You Cai clearly had skills in intelligence gathering and route planning.

Feng Hua You Cai had the vice-captain take over the hospital rebuilding efforts, then sent a soldier to report the intelligence Shen Ge provided to the Regiment Leader. After getting the leader’s approval, she and Shen Ge found a modified jeep and set off.

Following Feng Hua You Cai’s planned route, they smoothly avoided several severe disaster areas and regions gathering freaks.

The reason for avoiding downtown was that it was most severely affected by the Otherworldly Domain. Sunlight, altered by the domain, was harmful to humans. This was why Shen Ge’s Flesh Armor lost energy when exposed to sunlight after he first emerged from the underground research base.

If they took the downtown route, they couldn’t travel during the day. So, compared to that, detouring via the outer route to the Kawasaki area was better.

…

…

The fence around the Kawasaki Research Institute had been reinforced with several additional layers. Trenches filled with spikes had been dug both inside and outside.

Creature hides and corpses hung on the fence to drive away low-tier Parasitized and creatures, serving as a defense.

Dozens of people were gathered near the main gate. Besides a few soldiers in special equipment, most were survivors dressed as civilians.

Shen Ge and Feng Hua You Cai hid on the second floor of a building some distance away. Feng Hua You Cai observed the people at the entrance through binoculars.

“What are they doing? It looks like… they’re handing something over to the guards at the gate,” Feng Hua You Cai said.

Shen Ge, leaning against the wall, said casually, “Nothing unusual. These people seek the institute’s protection. Their daily work is to collect resources from relatively safe areas. If they complete their tasks, they can return to the safe shelter before dark. Otherwise, they have to survive amidst the creatures and freaks in the city.”

Feng Hua You Cai looked at Shen Ge strangely. “Da Ying, how… how do you know so clearly?”

“Oh, that’s how it’s always written in Great Heavenly Dynasty’s post-apocalyptic novels.”

“…”

Feng Hua You Cai picked up the binoculars again. Comparing it with Shen Ge’s description, she indeed saw survivors handing over supplies. Some were let directly in, while others were stopped outside. Those stopped were either weeping bitterly or kneeling and kowtowing…

“But… if they have to hand over any resources they find to those scum, why not keep them for themselves and hide in a house somewhere?” Feng Hua You Cai asked, puzzled.

Shen Ge said, “Low-tier creatures and Parasitized are sensitive to sound and are scared off by high-tier creature auras. High-tier creatures are sensitive to life signatures… They’re like your underground shelter, using high-tier creature corpses to suppress low-tier ones. Ordinary people have no chance to obtain creature corpses.”

“If they find a place to hide, giving up the protection of the Otherworldly Agents, it’s no different from living through A Quiet Place, Resident Evil, and Parasite every day. While joining the institute means exploitation and enslavement, at least there’s ‘hope.'”

“In a post-apocalyptic world, soldiers and civilians can’t interact like in pre-apocalyptic times. Either absorb the civilians into the troops or simply enslave them. A ‘coexistence’ model just makes the civilians take the soldiers’ efforts for granted, ending up like your situation at the school back then.”

“Clearly, the research institute chose the latter.”

Shen Ge’s words were blunt but held truth. In peaceful times, soldiers had the duty and responsibility to protect civilians. In an apocalypse, if the protected were grateful, that was fine. The fear was that some wouldn’t have the apocalyptic mindset, taking everything for granted. Such people would bring endless trouble.

Indecision invites disaster. If a base doesn’t resolve its grassroots issues early, the hard-built structure can easily collapse.

Feng Hua You Cai thought about how the scout team had once sincerely treated the survivors in the dormitory area, only to be stabbed in the back at the most critical moment.

If…

If they had managed things like the hospital and research institute back then…

Feng Hua You Cai quickly shook the dangerous thought from her head. She was a soldier; she had her responsibilities. She couldn’t wallow in the same mud as these people.

“I tried sending the situation here to the Regiment Leader via communicator, but the distance is a bit far. Not sure if it’ll get through. Da Ying, you have more ideas. What do you think is the best approach here? Persuade the survivors to return to the base with us, or…”

Feng Hua You Cai was about to say “stop the institute from enslaving survivors,” but with just the two of them against a complete guard team and stationed Otherworldly Agents, it seemed unlikely.

Shen Ge was also pondering how to handle the institute. With his ability, wiping out the institute was a matter of minutes. But dealing with the institute was secondary now. The main goals were to get the equipment research data and find the Otherworldly Energy Dispersal Grenades to deal with the fog-hidden creature.

“Captain Feng Hua, you worked in the Kawasaki Research Institute’s guard unit before, right?” Shen Ge asked.

Feng Hua You Cai nodded.

“Do you know about Otherworldly Energy Dispersal Grenades?”

“I’ve heard of them… Two years ago, when the Sakura Takaguchi Research Base was testing anti-Otherworldly missiles, they also test-detonated these missiles that could disperse Otherworldly Energy fog. Why do you ask?” Feng Hua You Cai found it strange.

Shen Ge asked, “Does the Kawasaki Research Institute have these?”

“To my knowledge, the Kawasaki Research Institute, as the eastern research base of Takaguchi City, is equipped with complete missile launch facilities. They should… have them, right?” Feng Hua You Cai had only been a guard before; she didn’t have access to classified information. Most news came from chats with comrades.

Shen Ge’s original plan was: if the Kawasaki Institute didn’t have the dispersal grenades, he’d just storm in, get the research data, and leave.

If they did have the grenades, he alone couldn’t simultaneously locate the fog-making creature and launch the grenades.

Getting the institute’s people to work for him was the problem.

“Da Ying, why are you suddenly asking about the dispersal grenades?” Feng Hua You Cai asked.

Shen Ge said casually, “Remember that moving dense fog near the hospital? There’s a high-tier creature hiding inside. If not dealt with, it’s always a threat to the hospital.”

Feng Hua You Cai was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Shen Ge, who seemed indifferent to the hospital’s affairs, to actually care about the survivors’ safety, still thinking about solving the threat for them.

She felt a surge of respect for him, sighing inwardly that someone like him truly deserved to be called a “soldier.”

“But even if the Kawasaki Institute has stockpiled dispersal grenades, using them requires gaining control of the missiles. The regiment does have people who can operate missiles, but capturing the Kawasaki Institute… probably isn’t that easy, right?” Feng Hua You Cai said worriedly.

Shen Ge said, “No need for the regiment’s people. There are ready-made ones here. Find a place to hide. I’ll go try ‘joining’ them.”

“Ah?” Feng Hua You Cai was stunned.

Shen Ge briefly explained his idea: use the identity of a scout team soldier to apply to join the institute. With his abilities and skills, becoming an enforcer shouldn’t be a problem.

Then find an opportunity to persuade them to cooperate with the scout team, proposing the condition of “borrowing” the dispersal grenades to eliminate the threat.

If that didn’t work, find an opportunity to take out the institute’s personnel, then have Watanabe Natsusugi send people who could operate the missiles to take over.

At first, Fenghua Youcai thought this plan was feasible, but when she heard “kill everyone in the research institute”, her expression suddenly became a little subtle.

Strangely, even though Shen Ge said something so “overbearing,” Feng Hua You Cai didn’t doubt him. Strictly speaking, the hospital faction had also been taken out by Shen Ge.

“If we’re infiltrating using the scout team’s identity, maybe I should go with you. I’m from the scout team, and I was present when the Regiment Leader contacted them before.” Feng Hua You Cai said.

Shen Ge thought for a moment. If he resorted to direct action, Feng Hua You Cai was unnecessary. But if he tried negotiating cooperation first to trick them into providing the dispersal grenades, having her help mediate could save a lot of effort.

“Alright, let’s do that.”

…

…

Outside the institute’s main gate, several soldiers were still registering the spoils handed over by survivors. They pulled a few unfamiliar faces out of the line for questioning.

Just then, a slightly overweight, middle-aged man in his forties emerged from the gate with two guards.

“Why so slow today? It’s this late, why aren’t the gates closed yet?” The man questioned the registering soldiers in an unfriendly tone as soon as he appeared.

A soldier explained, “Reporting, Director. There’s a lot of information to register today. Explorers found survivors in East Block 5 and brought them back.”

“Newcomers?” The Director’s gaze swept to the side, seeing five men, three women, and two children being led aside by two soldiers.

The Director looked over the group appraisingly, then walked up to a woman who still had some charm and reached out to touch her face.

The woman was around thirty, fairly good-looking, wearing a shirt and tight jeans that showed off her figure well.

She was startled by the sudden move and quickly stepped back.

The Director narrowed his eyes but didn’t speak, just stared coldly at the woman, making her shiver slightly. She said nervously, “Sir, I-I’m a resident from the southern district. I evacuated with the Takaguchi City Otherworldly Department before but got separated six months ago. I settled down in East Block 5. I can sew, do many handcrafts. Please, take us in, take us in, please.”

As the woman spoke, a little boy clung to her leg, clearly her son.

The Director glanced at the child and snorted. “Not needed. We have enough people here already. Go back where you came from.”

The woman quickly knelt, begging, “Director, please take us in! My son and I haven’t eaten in two days. Please!”

“Get lost.”

The Director snorted coldly and glanced at the soldier beside him. “Chase them out. All this noise might attract freaks.”

“Yes!”

As the soldier moved to obey, the woman knelt and scrambled forward, clutching the Director’s leg. “Director, please, take us in. As long as my son and I can survive, I-I’ll do anything you say. Please, take us in!”

The Director raised an eyebrow, his expressionless. “Oh? I don’t like forcing people. Resources here are limited; we can’t support idlers. If you want to follow me, naturally, you’ll have to share from my resources… Don’t say I coerced you later. Remember, I can let you in, and I can make you leave.”

“Yes, yes!” The woman recalled the fearful days in East Block 5. Now she just wanted a safe place for herself and her son. What she might face… didn’t matter anymore.

The Director had no interest in the remaining people and told the soldiers to handle them according to procedure. Just then, they saw a man and a woman in special combat uniforms approaching from a distance.

“Halt!”

“Stay where you are!”

The guards at the gate immediately raised their guns, aiming at Shen Ge and Feng Hua You Cai, preventing them from advancing further.

Feng Hua You Cai raised her hands. “We are from the Takaguchi Support Army Scout Team! We previously made contact with Section Chief Takahashi. We’re here today to discuss important matters!”

Takahashi Takanan was the head of the Operations Section of the Takaguchi City Otherworldly Response Department, the “greedy, lecherous old man” mentioned by the hospital leader.

Hearing Takahashi Takanan’s name, the soldiers didn’t lower their guard, still aiming their guns and motioning for the two to approach.

Although Feng Hua You Cai had a frightening scar near her eye, she covered most of it with her hair. Combined with her curvaceous figure and uniform, she caught the eye of the Director, who had a taste for “mature” women.

Feng Hua You Cai stepped forward, showed her credentials, and stated her purpose. She thought she could smoothly meet Takahashi Takanan, but the Director deliberately created difficulties.

The Director was indeed the head of the Kawasaki Research Institute. A decade ago, he was a senior researcher. After a research achievement, he became a department head and grew fond of the feeling of being flattered and curried favor. He became engrossed in office politics and climbed to the director position in just a few years.

After the Takaguchi City disaster, he claimed the area as his own, becoming the underground emperor of the Kawasaki Research Institute. Using his control over institute passwords and resources, he joined forces with Takahashi Takanan to control this area.

The Director and Takahashi Takanan were “birds of a feather,” often engaging in group activities and “sharing.” So, even knowing the other abused their authority within the institute, they turned a blind eye.

The Director had heard from Takahashi Takanan before that the scout team had tried to recruit them, but Takahashi refused. Firstly, regaining regular army status came with restrictions, nowhere near as comfortable as being a local tyrant. Secondly, the location Watanabe Natsusugi chose wasn’t great, sandwiched between two high-tier creatures. Even if less affected by the “Misfortune” Domain, who knew if they might be swallowed by a deep-sea creature someday.

The Director knew Takahashi Takanan would never agree to the cooperation Feng Hua You Cai proposed. Seeing no need to pretend, he told them he and Takahashi were the supreme commanders here. Takahashi was currently on a mission, so he was the highest authority.

He then called a soldier to take Shen Ge to “rest” and asked Feng Hua You Cai to go to his office for “detailed discussions.” Whether cooperation succeeded depended on whether they could “have a pleasant conversation.”

Feng Hua You Cai’s face darkened. She wanted to reprimand him and refuse outright, but remembering Shen Ge’s plan, she felt she shouldn’t act rashly. Just as she was about to nod, she heard Shen Ge ask, “You said Takahashi Takanan isn’t at the institute, and you’re the highest commander now?”

The Director looked Shen Ge over, clearly disdainful of this seemingly ordinary soldier, and said dismissively, “Correct. Here, I—”

Thwip!

Suddenly, a silver flash. By the time everyone registered it, they saw Shen Ge holding a Butcher Knife, from which blood dripped slowly.

The Director clutched his neck in horror, watching Shen Ge’s figure seem to tilt and grow taller—actually, it was his head separating from his body and rolling to the ground.

“Now I’m the highest commander here. So, I’ve finished speaking. Who agrees? Who objects?” Shen Ge’s gaze swept over the surrounding soldiers.

Click!
Click!

Two soldiers immediately raised their guns and aimed at Shen Ge and Fenghua Youcai. The other soldiers hesitated, and most of the civilians were so scared that they squatted on the ground with their heads in their hands. Some of those who screamed quickly covered their mouths, not knowing whether they were afraid of attracting monsters in the distance or of angering Shen Ge.

The two soldiers, fearing Shen Ge would kill them next after killing the Director, reacted almost reflexively. They didn’t budge even when Shen Ge coldly snorted, “Put down your guns.”

Thwip—

But the next moment, everyone felt their vision blur. They saw two white objects fly from Shen Ge’s hands, thwipping through the two soldiers’ shoulders and pinning them to the wire fence.

A bone spear and an Otherworldly Bone Tanto, used by Shen Ge as throwing weapons. With his strength, amplified by the Flesh Armor the moment he activated his “Static Domain,” even if the soldiers wore specialized anti-cold-weapon gear, they wouldn’t have escaped being impaled.

“You, you!” The two soldiers glared angrily at Shen Ge. One cursed, “D-don’t think… just because you’re strong, you can do whatever you—”

His response was a flash of the blade. His head was split in two from the nose down. The other, whether he meant to beg or curse, had his mouth permanently sealed by Shen Ge’s knife.

“Sorry, but might makes right.” Shen Ge had originally intended a more harmonious approach to entering the institute, but clearly, the Director wasn’t reasonable.

Shen Ge didn’t want to waste time acting with the Director. Plus, he had a pile of things to do and no time to waste here.

Since the supreme commander was uncooperative, the only option was to become the supreme commander himself before talking.

Shen Ge pulled the Otherworldly equipment impaling the two soldiers and put it away, saying calmly, “Talk about having principles. They didn’t stand up when the Director bullied others and acted tyrannically, but as soon as he died, they got possessed by ‘justice.’ Probably just worried their patron was gone and they’d suffer.”

“As for you all…”

Shen Ge’s gaze swept over the remaining soldiers. He pointed at Feng Hua You Cai beside him. “You have five minutes. Get everyone outside inside and lock the gates. Then gather all personnel and follow her arrangements and commands. Understood?”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

Looking at the cold corpses on the ground, none dared say “no.”

Although Shen Ge’s methods were bloody, they were undoubtedly the most effective and fastest way to achieve his goal.

The soldiers hurriedly followed Shen Ge’s orders to assemble the personnel. When they reported the events outside to the other soldiers, even without any exaggeration, it left a terrifying impression of Shen Ge in their minds.

Although Feng Hua You Cai had long suspected Shen Ge was strong, she hadn’t expected him to be this powerful. She couldn’t help asking, “Da Ying, you… are actually an Otherworldly Agent, right? The knife, bone spear, and short sword you used just now… they seem to be Otherworldly equipment?”

Shen Ge nodded, offering no further explanation.

His next step was to have Feng Hua You Cai direct the institute’s soldiers to cooperate in using the Otherworldly Energy Dispersal Grenades to see if they could deal with the hidden Tier 3 creature.

After resolving the Tier 3 creature and confirming the presence or absence of a concealment-type Trait, Shen Ge planned to “scout” the Tokyo Tower and Togane City, or find the Flesh Maw to return to the past. Whether Feng Hua You Cai and the scout team eventually took over this place wasn’t his concern.

Remembering the “Section Chief” mentioned by the hospital leader—the other commander here, Takahashi Takanan—Shen Ge stopped two soldiers to inquire about him.

The institute soldiers told Shen Ge that shortly after Takahashi Takanan and the Response Department soldiers joined the institute, they suffered a freak attack, resulting in the deaths of two Otherworldly Agents. So, including Takahashi, only three agents remained.

Two months ago, they noticed the creatures appearing near the institute were getting stronger. Ammunition and Otherworldly equipment consumption were high. Besides the institute, there was a Self-Defense Force base about ten kilometers away in the Kawasaki area.

Takahashi Takanan took the two remaining agents and half the soldiers to the base, intending to acquire some attack helicopters and tanks to strengthen the institute’s defenses.

It had been nearly a month and a half since they left, with no news since.

Shen Ge didn’t care about Takahashi Takanan’s fate, only whether the institute still had Otherworldly Energy Dispersal Grenades and people who knew how to operate the missiles.

The good news: “Both are available.”
The bad news: While launching the grenades around the institute wasn’t difficult, launching them accurately across the entire city to the Kawasaki area was highly constrained, especially since the fog-making creature was often mobile.

The only solution was for Shen Ge to acquire an attack helicopter, mount the dispersal grenades on it, and launch them close-range after flying back.

Shen Ge pondered the feasibility of this plan while Feng Hua You Cai successfully stepped into her role. Using Shen Ge’s “borrowed authority,” she reorganized the institute and redistributed resources and work among the survivors.

Although there were more people, and individual shares were smaller, the soldiers’ treatment didn’t decrease much. Moreover, Feng Hua You Cai belonged to the “regular army.” These people were former “soldiers” after all; if given a choice, they’d prefer to follow the regular army.

As for the survivors, they saw Shen Ge and Feng Hua You Cai as saviors, holding them in high esteem and trust.

In the apocalypse, nothing boosts morale more than “hope.”

While Feng Hua You Cai was “reorganizing” the institute, Shen Ge went to the locked underground research lab. Although only the Director had the password, for Shen Ge, there was no such thing as a “door” in this world.

Inside, Shen Ge first looted the underground equipment vault.

Unfortunately, it was mostly standard-issue equipment. Otherworldly equipment was scarce to begin with, and Takahashi Takanan’s mission was particularly difficult, so he took all the available pieces. However, there were some Otherworldly bullets and grenades left—eight grenades, a nice unexpected harvest.

Next, Shen Ge found the research lab and had Little Seven copy all the creature research reports stored there.

But to Shen Ge’s surprise, among these reports was an unexpected find. Little Seven discovered that among the numerous research files, there was one related to “Freaks,” the mysterious organization of this world, and the possible location of the “Misfortune” entity.

While the connection between “Misfortune” and the mysterious organization surprised Shen Ge, what shocked him more was that they actually knew where the “Misfortune” entity was?