The System Arrived Four Years Early, but the Anomaly Is Still a Juvenile - Chapter 173

“Alright, I’m in.”

Shen Ge’s tone was serious and solemn, giving the impression that he had struggled and wrestled with the decision for a long time, finally resolving himself after deep contemplation.

However, only three seconds had passed between the green-robed figure’s invitation and his response.

“…”

This left the green-robed figure utterly speechless.

While everyone appreciates dealing with reasonable people, this was a bit too compliant. Shouldn’t the top investigator of the Special Investigations Department at least put on a bit of a show?

“Go on, let me see what this ‘truth’ you want to tell me is. I hope it’s something original, not some cliché about destroying the world out of revenge against society,” Shen Ge said.

The green-robed figure snorted coldly. “Jealousy, betrayal, hatred… humanity has long been terminally ill. Even without us and the Anomalies, humanity’s extinction is only a matter of time. As I understand it, there was a mysterious Anomalous Eye at the Great Capital Special Investigations Department’s experimental base. After the Great Capital Anomaly Disaster, this eye was acquired by your Rong City branch.”

Shen Ge frowned. What surprised him wasn’t the disappointment and disgust towards “humanity” lacing the green-robed one’s words, but the fact that he had never introduced himself, yet she not only knew he was from the Rong City branch but also knew about the Anomalous Eye that showed strange images.

“So?”

The green-robed figure continued, “That Anomalous Eye originates from the Ancestral Anomaly. The Ancestral Anomaly is like a dinosaur fossil from a prehistoric era, or rather, the previous civilization. It acts as a chronicler of that last civilization, telling us through these means that the Earth is constantly undergoing cycles of destruction and rebirth.”

“I believe you’ve seen the headquarters’ research on the Anomalous Eye. In fact, they already knew the ‘truth’ but chose to completely suppress the information. On one hand, they feared the panic that would ensue if the news of the world’s inevitable end got out. On the other hand, they still maintained a ‘skeptical’ attitude towards these images.”

Since seeing the images transmitted by the Anomalous Eye, Shen Ge had also found the information it conveyed incredible. But he didn’t understand why there were three Earths in the images.

“You seem very familiar with the research on the Anomalous Eye? Were you part of the headquarters?” Shen Ge asked casually.

If the green-robed figure was from the headquarters, then with Deng Yuqi’s methods, they could probably trace some clues.

The green-robed figure laughed. “You could say that. Are you puzzled about why there are three Earths in the information from the Anomalous Eye? Since you’ve studied those images, haven’t you noticed that Earth 2 seems to be replicating the situation of Earth 1, and Earth 3 is replicating Earth 2’s situation?”

“For example, Earth 1 started like a seed: taking root, sprouting, growing, maturing, withering… It seems it didn’t achieve its ideal state. So, it was repeatedly reset back to its larval stage, made to grow again and again, until it exhausted all the life force of that seed.”

“After the experience with Seed 1, the planter, when cultivating Seed 2, incorporated the advantages observed in Seed 1’s growth and eliminated its shortcomings. Yet, even after repeated resets and growth cycles, it still failed to achieve the planter’s desired result. Thus, the planter sowed a third seed.”

“This third seed is our Earth, and we are the insects, or animals, living on this tree. If the tree dies, we die with it.”

Shen Ge said somberly, “You’re not going to tell me our world is like something out of a movie or novel, actually a seed planted by some Celestial Group, our lives entirely dependent on their whims, and these so-called ‘gods’ can casually crush the planet if they’re displeased?”

The green-robed figure shook her head. “No. Actually, I’m an atheist. I firmly believe that if gods existed in this world, they would annihilate humanity without hesitation. Because humanity is the root of all evil. Without humans, the Earth would be much more harmonious, don’t you think?”

“I strongly suspect that beneath that green robe is a conglomerate of insects; otherwise, you wouldn’t harbor such immense hostility towards humans,” Shen Ge said flatly.

The green-robed figure laughed. “Perhaps. Although, I truly can’t be considered human anymore. Returning to the previous topic, the example I gave wasn’t to say the world was created by so-called ‘gods,’ but to convey that if the Anomalous Eye’s visions are true, then it’s trying to tell us two things—”

“Earth 3 is repeating the process of Earths 1 and 2, constantly being destroyed and reborn. Judging from the images, whenever Earths 1 and 2 were about to be destroyed, faint black smoke would appear, coiling around the planet. Then, they would begin to ‘wither’ until they collapsed and reset.”

“The latest images from the Anomalous Eye show that faint black smoke has already appeared around Earth 3, meaning the countdown to destruction has begun. ‘Black Smoke’—I believe you can guess what that is, even if I don’t say it, right? So, we believe the Anomalies are the key to the world’s destruction. If we don’t find a way to completely resolve the Anomalies and the Black Smoke, the Earth will ultimately be destroyed.”

“And we believe that the Ancestral Anomaly, as the chronicler of the previous civilization, suddenly appeared in this world precisely to deliver this message to us, allowing us to prepare in advance.”

Shen Ge was puzzled. “Since you said that when the tree falls, all life on it perishes, why do you call the Ancestral Anomaly the chronicler of the previous civilization? Whether it’s the ‘chronicler’ from Earths 1 or 2, or a native of our Earth 3, it couldn’t possibly survive the reset, could it?”

The green-robed figure’s voice grew grim. “That was also a question we once diligently researched. Unfortunately, due to the appearance of some traitors, our experiments were forced to halt.”

Shen Ge was taken aback, then said with certainty, “So you were a researcher at the Haiya Research Institute! No wonder you’re so familiar with the Ancestral Anomaly and the Anomalous Eye!”

The green-robed figure didn’t deny it and continued, “The appearance of the Ancestral Anomaly was very strange and sudden. It was first discovered in a six-month-old fetus inside a pregnant woman. The most authoritative medical experts in the Great Celestial Dynasty examined it and found it completely different from any known tumor records worldwide. It was as if it had appeared ‘out of thin air’ in this infant, showing no harmful effects on his body.”

“These medical experts waited until the baby was born and attempted to surgically remove the ‘tumor’ from the infant. Unfortunately, the ‘tumor’ had already begun merging with the baby. The experts could only extract a small part. Later, they continued researching the extracted ‘tumor.’ These people became the first batch of researchers at the Haiya Research Institute.”

“Eventually, this small part of the ‘tumor’ began to develop and grow, finally forming a one-foot-long ‘monster’ with a human body, ten hands, ten feet, and covered in red fleshy growths. When researchers surgically removed these growths, they would just grow back.”

“Speaking of these red growths, does it sound familiar? That’s right, they are the same things that grew on the bodies of the Twelve Branches members. Humans cannot merge with Anomalies directly; the only way is to use these red growths to fuse with an Anomaly first, then transplant them into a human body.”

“Members of the Twelve Branches use this method to gain an Anomaly’s rapid regeneration, control over Anomalous Energy, the ability to devour heads and grow identical ones, or even acquire the Anomaly’s abilities. But unfortunately, once these growths are separated from the Ancestral Anomaly’s body, they need to absorb large amounts of Anomalous Energy to maintain cellular activity. Otherwise, they quickly die. However, absorbing large amounts of Anomalous Energy is highly damaging to the human body, causing pathological changes and turning the person into a fleshy monster.”

So that’s it!

Hearing this, Shen Ge finally understood. He had always found the Twelve Branches’ ability to devour heads and mimic targets incredibly “convenient.”

With such an ability, infiltrating a single department would be easy; they could infiltrate the entire world!

But indeed, this ability had a “flaw.” Without continuously absorbing Anomalous Energy, the cellular activity of the growths decreases, leading to death. But continuously absorbing Anomalous Energy causes pathological changes in the human host, ultimately leading to the recipient’s death anyway.

Members of the Twelve Branches were all on borrowed time. This flaw alone prevented them from conducting long-term infiltrations.

So, were they causing trouble worldwide to experiment with solving this problem?
“From the sound of it, the Twelve Branches members are like ‘death warriors.’ So, are they serving someone? Otherwise, why use such a ‘suicidal’ method?” Shen Ge asked.

The green-robed figure explained, “Regarding that, it brings us back to what I said at the beginning: ‘Aberrants’ might be the only ‘people’ who can survive the destruction.”

“Since you know about the Haiya Research Institute, you must know that the research team discovered the existence of Anomalous Energy after obtaining the Ancestral Anomaly. Through their research on Anomalous Energy, they accidentally detected intense Anomalous Energy reactions in the subterranean world. An exploration team was formed and found the second Ancestral Anomaly… Why call it Ancestral? Simple, because its tissue information was eighty percent similar to the first Ancestral Anomaly.”

“The difference was, since most of the first one had merged with the infant, the research team could only extract a small part. The second one, however, was a ‘complete form,’ albeit in a dormant state. The research team called it the ‘Complete Form Anomalous King,’ the Progenitor of Anomalies.”

“At the location where the Anomalous King slept, there was a bottomless pit, seemingly leading to the Earth’s core. Endless Anomalous Energy emanated from this pit. Non-human creatures in the cave that absorbed this energy mutated, becoming Anomalies. When the energy reached the surface, non-human creatures there also began to mutate.”

“The research team dedicated themselves to studying the Ancestral Anomaly and the Anomalous King, trying to find a solution to the Anomaly incidents. Unfortunately, they made little progress.”

“Then, some suggested that if they expanded the research team, pooling talents from around the world for joint research, they might find a solution.”

“Although some researchers immediately objected, the news somehow leaked. Various countries began negotiating with the Great Celestial Dynasty, stating this concerned humanity’s survival and hoping for joint research.”

“Countries like the United States, Russia, Japan, South Korea, etc., successively sent their top talents to participate in Anomaly research, establishing the Haiya Research Institute.”

“Initially, the research at Haiya was quite ‘harmonious.’ But as the research delved deeper, they discovered that Anomalous Energy could not only be used as a power source for special equipment, but the ‘red growths’ could also devour cancer cells in the human body, effectively curing cancer.”

“You know, once ‘energy’ is involved, research inevitably becomes less pure, filled with scheming and competing interests.”

“During this period, the research team made significant progress.”

“Through the eyes of the Ancestral Anomaly, they discovered the existence of Earths 1, 2, and 3, and how the three worlds initially operated ‘normally.’ Then, one day, a dark vortex in the central region emitted a thick black fog connecting to Earth 1, causing mutations on Earth 1.”

“After Earth 1 evolved to a certain ‘outcome,’ Earths 2 and 3 would repeat this outcome. These were the images seen by the first ‘Anomalous Eye’—the one you now possess.”

“The images from the second Anomalous Eye showed events after the connection to Earth: the Earth undergoing various evolutionary stages, the emergence of humans, the rapid development of human technology, and the severe damage to the Earth’s body. As the damage worsened, black Anomalous Energy appeared, and Anomalies emerged.”

“Anomalies increased, while humanity gradually moved towards extinction. Once humanity was completely extinct, the world would reset.”

“So, the researchers believed the black Anomalous Energy was essentially the Earth’s punishment for humanity. As the instigators of the Earth’s destruction, humans don’t mutate when exposed to black Anomalous Energy; they only suffer pathological changes and death. Other creatures absorbing black Anomalous Energy mutate, becoming the Earth’s ‘avenging’ executioners.”

“However, during the Earth’s repeated cycles, a strange phenomenon occurred. In the blurred images of the second Anomalous Eye, an explorer accidentally entered the cave where the Anomalous King slept. Prolonged lack of food and water led him to consume the Anomalous King as sustenance. Although Anomaly incidents continued to occur normally afterwards, this person survived the reset.”

“But after that, the second Anomalous Eye could no longer show any images. Based on analysis, the researchers concluded this might be the origin of the Ancestral Anomaly. Precisely because he devoured the Anomalous King, his body contained tissues identical to the King’s, and he was also trying to convey these messages to us through the ‘eye.'”

Hearing this, Shen Ge frowned deeply. From the moment the green-robed figure began sharing this information, he had maintained a skeptical attitude. But her account was so earnest and detailed, it resolved some doubts while raising many inconsistencies.

For instance, how did the first Ancestral Anomaly come about?
Reincarnation?
That seemed unrealistic.

Why would someone who devoured the Anomalous King become immune to the “reset”?
Did they become a god or a saint?
If so, why did they become a “corpse” instead of surviving?

“What happened to the baby with the Ancestral Anomaly?” Shen Ge thought of the most crucial part of the information. After all, the research team only obtained a small part of the Ancestral Anomaly; the larger part had merged with the infant.

The green-robed figure’s voice turned icy, as if filled with immense hatred. “He died. After the joint research team discovered that Anomalous Energy could potentially be converted into a ‘new energy source,’ solving humanity’s energy crisis permanently, they became covetous of the Ancestral Anomaly and the Anomalous King.”

“Instigated by the United States, the Japanese were the first to turn. They tried to claim the Anomalous King’s body for themselves. A researcher uncovered their plot, leading to a severe lab accident. With the Anomalous King dead, Anomalous Energy leakage from the subterranean world intensified, and Anomaly incidents multiplied.”

“The Japanese thus discovered the secret of the Ancestral Anomaly. Following the research reports, they tracked down the pregnant woman and child, murdered them brutally, and conducted their own research. The Great Celestial Dynasty had set aside past grievances for humanity’s sake to allow Japanese participation, yet they chose betrayal for their own gain.”

“After that, researchers from various countries seized parts of the Anomalous King’s corpse for their own studies. The leader of the Twelve Branches took advantage of the chaos to steal the Ancestral Anomaly.”

“Although the Haiya Research Institute disbanded, research had to continue for humanity’s survival.”

“Based on previous findings, they believed that if humans could merge with Anomalies, they might be spared from the ‘reset.'”

“So, the Twelve Branches dedicated themselves to researching ‘artificial Anomalies.’ They want to become a new humanity and survive the ‘reset.'”

Shen Ge looked towards the charred corpses of the Anti-Anomaly investigators and the similarly burnt, heart-like objects that could hatch Aberrants. “You’re also cultivating Aberrants. But the ones you cultivate seem different from the Twelve Branches’.”

The green-robed figure laughed. “That’s why I said our goals might align, but not entirely. I once wanted to find a way to perfectly merge humans with Anomalies, to help humanity survive the ‘reset.’ But later, I came to believe this is humanity’s deserved retribution.”

“Even if you won’t help, must you accelerate humanity’s extinction?” In Shen Ge’s view, the green-robed figure’s mass production of Aberrants undoubtedly created a second major enemy for humanity, alongside the Anomalies.

The green-robed figure shook her head. “It’s not like that. A very talented researcher at Haiya once proposed a method to mitigate Anomaly incidents. Anomalies appear due to Anomalous Energy surging from the subterranean world. The Anomalous King was the ‘plug’ blocking this energy. Humans pulled out this plug, causing the energy to leak. Even so, Anomaly incidents weren’t initially so frequent… until the Anomalous King’s death.”

“So, that researcher believed that because the King died, there was no high-tier Anomaly to absorb the massive amounts of leaking energy. This led to more and more mutated non-human creatures. If we could create a new, dormant Anomalous King to continue absorbing the energy, it could reduce the frequency of Anomaly incidents.”

Shen Ge was stunned, his mind reeling with shock!

The previously disjointed pieces of information in his mind suddenly connected, forming a coherent picture. Questions that had long puzzled him finally found answers!
“You were a researcher at Haiya. Because of Japan’s betrayal, you chose Japan as your ‘experimental site.’ Down there, a giant Anomaly gradually merging with the Japanese archipelago… it’s the new ‘Anomalous King’ you’re cultivating to absorb the subterranean Anomalous Energy!” Shen Ge exclaimed in surprise.

The green-robed figure laughed loudly, her hoarse voice sending chills down the spine. After a long while, she said, “I didn’t expect you to know even more than I imagined. You’re even aware of the Anomaly merging with the archipelago.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Shen Ge asked.

The green-robed figure said, “I once thought humanity was beyond saving. But later, I realized things always have two sides. There are bad people, but also good people. We shouldn’t condemn everyone. The emergence of young people like you reinforced this belief.”

“So?” Shen Ge narrowed his eyes, his tone deadly serious.

The man in the green robe slowly untied his robe, and when he removed it, a rotting “corpse” that was barely recognizable as human was revealed, covered in all sorts of insects—maggots, centipedes… various thumb-sized parasitic creatures were crawling on her body, either gnawing at the corpse or simply moving around.

The woman’s body, apart from her organs protected by a faint black mist, was mostly eaten down to the bone by the parasitic Anomalies.

Shen Ge’s earlier “joke” had unexpectedly become reality.

The green-robed figure continued, “To achieve this goal, I chose to merge with Anomalies, becoming an ‘Aberrant.’ But current Aberrants still have flaws. Some, like the Twelve Branches, experience physical death. Others, like me, abandon their physical bodies, but our consciousness and spirit are gradually eroded by Anomalous Energy, eventually turning completely into Anomalies.”

“After I die, my corpse will merge with the dormant Anomaly below, sinking the entire Japanese archipelago into the sea. But I don’t know how much Anomalous Energy this artificially created ‘Anomalous King’ can handle. I can suppress it for at least twenty years. If humanity hasn’t found a way to seal the subterranean energy by then, and this Anomaly ‘awakens,’ I need someone who can ‘kill it.’ And that person… is you.”

“Thanks, I’m flattered you think so highly of me,” Shen Ge said.

The green-robed figure said, “You appeared out of nowhere in the Special Investigations Department, becoming its top investigator in just half a year. If you can’t do it, no one else can. I’m telling you these truths as a precaution for potential future ‘loss of control.’ This is all I can do.”

Shen Ge asked, “Are you… the woman who gave birth to the baby with the Ancestral Anomaly?”

“No, I’m not. That was my sister… When I found her and her child’s brutally dissected, unrecognizable bodies in the underground lab in Takiguchi City, I decided to place the new ‘Anomalous King’ under the Japanese archipelago, sinking this despicable nation into the sea with it!” The green-robed figure spoke through gritted teeth.

During her account, Shen Ge had suspected she might be that infant, mainly because he himself had a system suspected to be an Anomaly.

But this woman was unfamiliar. He found no trace of a “mother” in her. Besides, his own mother had no sisters and had been devoured by his father before his eyes.

Shen Ge had received too much information to delve deeper into the truth. He just wanted to verify how much of her story was credible.

“Although the information you’ve shared largely matches what I know, and I deeply sympathize with your experience, we are ultimately on opposing sides. For me to believe you completely, you need to show some sincerity, right?” Shen Ge said seriously.

The green-robed figure wrapped her robe around herself and got straight to the point. “What do you want? As a dying person, I have little to offer. The only valuable information I had, I’ve already told you. Besides, I believe you have no interest in becoming an ‘Aberrant,’ correct?”

“What I want is simple. Since you said the dormant Anomaly below is the ‘new Anomalous King’ you cultivated, what are those fleshy mouths composed of countless human hands on its body?” Shen Ge asked.

The green-robed figure was startled. She was already surprised Shen Ge knew about the giant Anomaly, but he had even seen its main body?

“Remember I told you the Anomalous King died in a lab accident and was dissected by researchers? Researchers from various countries took parts of the King during Haiya’s collapse. We did the same. I obtained a small part of the King’s heart and a blood vessel from the Ancestral Anomaly.”

“Most of the blood vessel was merged with the King’s heart. The heart was the key tool for cultivating the new King’s body. The mouths composed of countless bloody hands you mentioned are actually the result of people I killed during the blood vessel cultivation process, transformed into Anomalous Energy by the vessel.”

As she spoke, the green-robed figure took out a small transparent vial containing a thumb-sized, blood-red object. A few small centipedes were lying on it, consuming the red substance.

“Give me that, and I’ll believe you,” Shen Ge said bluntly.

The green-robed figure paused, then tossed the vial to Shen Ge. “The subterranean Anomaly is already fully formed. Its derived blood vessels have spread beneath the Kawashina Ward like giant tree roots and will gradually consume the entire Japanese archipelago over time. This thing is useless now; you can have it.”

Shen Ge caught the vial and examined it. The “blood vessel” inside did somewhat resemble the composition of the fleshy mouths.

The difference was that the mouths were made of countless human hands, while this “vessel” was covered in countless red filaments.

“A blood vessel?”

Did the deep-sea giant Anomaly have blood vessels growing outside its legs?
Shen Ge opened the vial, poured out the centipedes, kept only the “blood vessel” inside, sealed it, and placed it in his blood-leather backpack.

He looked at the green-robed figure. “I have another question. You said you created the Anomaly disasters in Japan to cultivate a new Anomalous King to absorb Anomalous Energy. Then what about the previous three incidents in Yuzhou, the Great Capital, and Rong City’s Deer Lake Water Town?”

Instead of answering directly, the green-robed figure returned to the topic of the Anomalous King’s dissection. “After the King was dissected, although other countries took parts, most remained in the Great Celestial Dynasty, taken by former Haiya researchers to various branches.”

“I’m not sure what Rong City has, but the Yuzhou branch has an Anomalous Hand, and the headquarters has the Anomalous Eye. The Twelve Branches, on one hand, experiment with rapidly transforming hosts into Aberrants. On the other hand, they also collect these parts of the Anomalous King to further their research on the Ancestral Anomaly.”

“No wonder this Takiguchi disaster felt different from the previous ones. The Aberrants appeared too frequently and in too many ‘varieties,’ unlike the Twelve Branches’ usual style…” Shen Ge glanced at the charred corpses in the distance. “They are the Twelve Branches members infiltrating the International Anti-Anomaly Organization, right?”

“Correct. They were excellent nourishment, now ruined by your intervention. A pity,” the green-robed figure said regretfully.

Shen Ge thought for a moment, then realized an inconsistency. “Wait, you said creating a new King was to absorb Anomalous Energy and reduce Anomaly incidents. So why did the Takiguchi disaster happen?”

The green-robed figure sighed, her voice filled with helplessness. “You know about the ‘Traits’—special abilities some Anomalies possess, right?”

Shen Ge nodded.

“After the Japanese kidnapped the mother and child, they conducted research at the Takiguchi underground lab, trying to use the child’s corpse for parasitic Anomaly research. They wanted to create a so-called ‘vaccine’ for perfect human-Anomaly fusion. This would, on one hand, protect humans from pathological changes caused by subterranean Anomalous Energy, and on the other, help them avoid the ‘reset.'”

“But years ago, while searching for my sister, I found the Takiguchi underground lab. I implanted Anomalous Centipedes into the parasitic Anomaly eggs they were cultivating, causing a lab accident. Then, I secretly took control of the Anomalous Centipedes and occupied the underground lab. That’s why it was abandoned for two years.”

“However, with our limited manpower, we failed to detect that the Japanese researchers had also imprisoned a low-tier Anomaly deep within the facility.”

“This Anomaly was very weak and evaded our detection. Unexpectedly, it was a rare ‘Special-Type’ Anomaly capable of using Anomalous Energy to alter a creature’s ‘luck,’ amplifying misfortune.”

“As you’ve seen, it escaped and grew rapidly… becoming one of the culprits behind the Takiguchi disaster.”

“Oh, the other culprit is me.”

“My time is limited. Since Takiguchi is already in chaos, I might as well intensify Aberrant research to create more nourishment for the new King.”

Shen Ge’s expression turned peculiar upon hearing this, but he pressed on. “But I copied all their Anti-Anomaly research reports from the Takiguchi underground lab. Why wasn’t there any research record about the mother and child? Did you delete it?”

The green-robed figure nodded. “That was my sister and nephew. You didn’t expect me to leave their brutal research reports in the Japanese archives, did you?”

“Fair enough,” Shen Ge conceded. So far, the green-robed figure hadn’t shown hostility and had patiently answered his questions.

He wasn’t so unreasonable as to deliberately reopen old wounds just for some reports.

“One last question.”

“Go ahead.” The green-robed figure showed no annoyance at Shen Ge’s incessant questions, remaining patient.

“Do you know where ‘Misfortune’ is? I’m very interested in that Trait. If I can deal with it, its corpse might make a fine piece of Anomalous Equipment,” Shen Ge said.

The green-robed figure thought for a moment. “I also considered capturing it, but its ability is too bizarre. Under the influence of its power, just as I was about to catch it, unexpected interferences always occurred. Moreover, finding it isn’t easy. The last time I saw it was near Tokyo Tower. During the pursuit, I ran into Joint Force troops, a fight ensued, and I lost track of it.”

“I see.” As Shen Ge spoke, he scanned the surroundings. During their conversation, the green-robed figure had controlled the Anomalous Centipedes to extinguish the flames.

Countless centipedes began cannibalizing each other. The black blood from their corpses turned into the disgusting flowing substance again, covering the cavern walls.

“How long until this place is finished?” Shen Ge asked.

The green-robed figure replied, “Soon. I must create enough nourishment for the new King’s dormancy, preventing it from waking prematurely. The Human-Head Balloons and Anomalous Centipedes are parasitic Anomalies I released. The people they kill become nourishment here, fueling the new King’s growth.”

“…It’s a shame I won’t live to see its birth.” Her tone was filled with regret and resignation.

Shen Ge asked, “How much time do you have left?”

“Not sure. You saw my body being consumed by parasitic Anomalies. What’s left might last a few days at most,” the green-robed figure said bitterly.

When she had opened her robe earlier, most of her body was already skeletal, with only her organs protected by a faint Anomalous mist preventing the parasites from entering.

“After you die, will someone take over your work? Since you invited me to join you, how should I contact them?” Shen Ge asked.

The green-robed figure said, “Don’t worry, you will meet them.”

“Oh?”

“Good luck, young man. I hope you can make the most of the time we’ve bought for you, and find a way to prevent the destruction and reset.”

“Here, take this. It can disperse the Human-Head Balloons in an area. While parasitic Anomalies of that level aren’t a threat to you, it can save you some trouble.”

The green-robed figure tossed Shen Ge a finger-sized bone whistle. Then, the large centipede amalgamation retracted its tongue into its mouth, merging into the black flowing substance on the ground as if it had never been there.

Shen Ge fell into deep thought, staring at the spot where the green-robed figure had disappeared. Most of the information she shared aligned with the Anomalous Eye’s data and Deng Yuqi’s investigations. The difference was that her account connected the previously scattered pieces.

He hadn’t expected the mastermind behind the scenes to suddenly switch sides, leaving him conflicted. But it confirmed his suspicions.

The report from the Chuanhuang Research Institute, stating “Misfortune” was 379 meters below Hokuei City, was a “false lead” planted by the green-robed figure to lure the International Anti-Anomaly Organization and Japanese forces here to become nourishment for the “new King.”

And the “future” indeed unfolded as she said: the Anomaly merging with Japan remained dormant.

However, it didn’t absorb Anomalous Energy to reduce incident frequency. Instead, the world plunged into an early apocalypse because of the Takiguchi disaster.

“Wait.”

Shen Ge realized a problem. In the future timeline, he hadn’t participated in this operation, so “Misfortune” was still alive and well.

Taking advantage of the Takiguchi disaster, “Misfortune” grew into an 8th-tier Anomaly, powerful enough to rival the giant Anomaly.

In other words, Japan’s role in the apocalypse was due to “Misfortune,” not the dormant giant Anomaly… So, if he dealt with “Misfortune,” could he change the future?

Remembering the green-robed figure mentioned “Misfortune” was last seen near Tokyo Tower, Shen Ge took out his communicator and contacted Fang Mingyue.

After dealing with the Aberrants, Fang Mingyue and Luo Jing had gathered over a hundred survivors in the complex. The problem was how to evacuate.

The streets were patrolled by the Parasitized. Any fight would attract more due to the noise. Although Fang Mingyue had Anomalous Energy grenades, the Flesh-Eating Flowers’ duration was short. Evacuating over a hundred survivors within that time was impossible.

If they tried an aerial evacuation, even without the Anomalous Space barrier, Japan could send armed helicopters.

But the sky was filled with Human-Head Balloons, which, like the Parasitized, were sensitive to sound and extremely troublesome.

Both air and land were problematic, leaving only water routes.

However, the sewers were teeming with rats and cockroaches. Mutated by Anomalous Energy, they appeared in swarms. Taking over a hundred survivors through the sewers would be like delivering takeout.

As they were racking their brains, Fang Mingyue received Shen Ge’s call.

Finding an empty room, Fang Mingyue answered.

“Investigator Shen?”

“Are you still in the Tokyo Tower area?”

“Yes. We’ve gathered survivors from the entire complex and are trying to figure out how to evacuate them.” Fang Mingyue briefly explained the situation.

Shen Ge said, “Since Japan is willing to send armed helicopters for evacuation, let them. In 30 minutes, I’ll deal with the Human-Head Balloons.”

“Okay, I will relay this situation to the commander of the Cherry Blossom unit.” Fang Mingyue, upon hearing Shen Ge say that he would handle the human-shaped balloons, didn’t express any doubt, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and simply agreed to relay the message to the commander.

“Also, help me investigate the area around Tokyo Tower most affected by ‘Misfortune.’ Then, create some distractions to keep the Japanese forces too busy to focus on ‘Misfortune,'” Shen Ge instructed.

Fang Mingyue responded promptly, “Yes, sir!”

After ending the call, Fang Mingyue found Luo Jing, informed her about Shen Ge handling the balloons, and they contacted Commander Watanabe Natsumi.

Unbeknownst to them, Watanabe, suspicious of the Celestial Dynasty investigators, had been secretly monitoring them nearby.

Upon receiving Fang Mingyue and Luo Jing’s request, she had no choice but to agree to dispatch helicopters, all while continuing her surveillance.

As for actually sending helicopters… Watanabe glanced at the sky full of balloons, thinking she’d believe it when she saw the balloons gone!

Exiting Hokuei City, Shen Ge made his way to the Tokyo Tower area. Using Intangibility, he reached the roof of a building near Fang Mingyue’s location and blew the bone whistle.

An eerie scene unfolded: upon hearing the whistle, the Human-Head Balloons showed terrified expressions on their distorted faces and drifted away into the distance.

While Shen Ge solved the balloon problem, Watanabe failed to dispatch the helicopters. They waited, even witnessing Anomalies fighting amongst themselves, but no support arrived.

Now, the investigators and survivors in the complex were caught between a rock and a hard place. If they fled, countless Parasitized and Aberrants awaited outside. If they stayed, the giant Anomalies’ battle was encroaching!
Fang Mingyue and Luo Jing furiously confronted Watanabe, but it was too late. The complex was caught in the crossfire of the giant Anomalies’ fight.

Meanwhile, Shen Ge noticed “familiar” mishaps occurring near the battling giant Anomalies. Clearly, “Misfortune” was nearby!