The System Arrived Four Years Early, but the Anomaly Is Still a Juvenile - Chapter 76

The screen displayed footage from the outskirts of the city.

A distinctive 33-story building stood half-embedded into a mountainside, as if the mountain had been hollowed out to accommodate its construction—a literal “mountain skyscraper.”

But now, the building was engulfed in an eerie phenomenon. Thick black smoke billowed into the sky, giving the illusion that the entire structure was ablaze.

Upon closer inspection, however, it wasn’t fire at all.

The building was shrouded in a dense, swirling black mist of anomaly energy, mimicking the appearance of smoke.

The surrounding streets and neighboring buildings had been cordoned off, completely evacuated.

Deng Yuqi sat at the head of the conference table, her back to the screen, her expression grim as she stared at her laptop.

Assistant Xiao Zhang, standing beside the display, read from the report sent by headquarters:

“The building consumed by the black mist is a mixed-use complex. The first floor faces Dongyu Street—the largest pet market in Yu Zhou. Floors two and three host various commercial shops, ranging from food stalls to jewelry stores.”

“Floors four through sixteen are residential-commercial hybrids, housing regular tenants alongside businesses like nail salons, spas… and certain ‘adult entertainment’ establishments.”

“On December 23, 2023, an anomaly incident occurred in the pet market. The Yu Zhou branch dispatched an elite agent and two tactical teams to handle it. During containment, the anomaly devoured numerous animals, evolving into a Tier 2 anomaly.”

“This is the footage from that operation.”

As the screen displayed the grotesque creature, Shen Ge couldn’t help but comment:

“Damn, these little freaks keep getting uglier. Especially those red legs…”

Huo Yu, sitting nearby, added:

“That’s why they’re called ‘anomalies’—their mutations are unpredictable. My first anomaly was just a pile of flesh sludge. Couldn’t even tell what it originally was.”

“So what was this thing supposed to be?” Shen Ge asked.

Xiao Zhang answered: “According to initial reports, the Yu Zhou branch identified it as a poodle—originally bred in France and Central Europe.”

Shen Ge nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I can see the poodle vibes…”

(…No. No, he couldn’t.)

Tap. Tap.

Deng Yuqi rapped her knuckles on the table, cutting through the chatter. “Stick to the report, Xiao Zhang. Don’t let him derail you.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Xiao Zhang quickly resumed:

*”After the anomaly evolved to Tier 2, containment failed. The Yu Zhou team forced it into the underground parking garage and sealed it using anomaly-energy equipment. But as they withdrew,* the entire building was engulfed by the black mist, cutting off all contact with the outside world.”

One officer interjected: “Was it a spatial anomaly caused by the Tier 2 evolution?”

“No. According to Yu Zhou’s reports, the black mist first appeared on the 18th floor, then spread upward and downward. Within 17 seconds, it consumed all 33 floors.”

“The branch suspects a high-tier anomaly was already dormant in the building. The fight with the ‘poodle anomaly’ accidentally awakened it, triggering the black mist.”

“Based on energy readings… this is at least a Tier 4 anomaly.”*

BANG!

Section Chief Chen slammed his fist on the table, furious.

“Those incompetent bastards! A Tier 4 incident could wipe out a whole damn city, and they tried to cover it up? If this hadn’t leaked, would they have waited until Yu Zhou was gone before telling us?”

Different perspectives led to different priorities. Chen wanted swift action to minimize civilian casualties. The higher-ups, however, cared about public stability—avoiding panic at all costs.

Standard crisis management… except this wasn’t a standard crisis.

This was an anomaly event.

Delaying containment risked catastrophic escalation.

A Tier 1 anomaly could still be killed with firearms.

A Tier 2 could tank rocket fire.

And beyond that?

Unthinkable.

Xiao Zhang, nervously swallowing, continued:

“On December 24, the branch evacuated residents within a 10-kilometer radius, claiming a gas leak. But disappearances had already begun near the building.”

“By December 27, they relocated evacuees to a temporary housing project, suppressing the incident. But during New Year’s, some civilians tried returning to Dongyu Street. Seven slipped past patrols… and vanished.”

“On January 4, a tactical squad entered the area to search for them. They lost contact shortly after.”

“On January 7, Yu Zhou’s second elite agent led a full team—armed with all branch anomaly gear—into the zone. Within two hours, 57 personnel went missing.”*

Chen was seething. “Sixty lives! And they kept hiding it! I ought to strangle those Yu Zhou idiots myself!”

Xiao Zhang pressed on:

“Compensation and housing silenced most evacuees. The branch chief still didn’t report to HQ, instead hiring private anomaly mercenaries.”*

*”On February 1, a 13-man merc team entered Dongyu Street. They reached the building… then their signals* vanished instantly.”*

“Only then did HQ learn the truth.”

Deng Yuqi took over, her voice icy:

“HQ’s ‘solution’? They want the Southwest Four Branches to handle this—before it becomes an international incident.”*

Globally, Tier 4 anomalies were classified as worse than 8.0 earthquakes. If unresolved, foreign “aid” might intervene—with no regard for local casualties.

Chen snarled: “Like hell we’ll let those vultures in! They’d nuke the whole block ‘for containment’!”

Deng Yuqi continued: “HQ has secured the perimeter and is scanning the interior. We’ll have fresh data soon. But here’s the reality— we’re next if this spreads. What’s our move?”

The room erupted into debate, splitting into two factions:

1. “Let HQ clean their own mess.”

   • This was only China’s second Tier 4 incident. The first had slaughtered three of the nation’s top five agents.

   • Rong City Branch was under-equipped, ranking last nationally in resources.

   • “HQ’s negligence caused this. They should fix it.”

2. “Scout the perimeter.”

   • If the anomaly expanded, Rong City would be ground zero.

   • “We need intel to prepare, even if we don’t enter.”

But beneath the arguments… fear festered.

Everyone remembered the first Tier 4 event—a biotech experiment gone wrong. Three elite agents, armed to the teeth, had gone in.

Two died. One came back crippled.

If HQ’s best had barely survived… what hope did Rong City’s skeleton crew have?

Deng Yuqi glanced at Shen Ge, expecting input from her rising star.

Instead—

Crunch.

Shen Ge was stealthily eating a braised egg, cheeks bulging like a chipmunk.

The entire room fell silent, staring.

“……”

Choking, Shen Ge gulped tea and blurted: “Uh… yeah! Totally agree!”

(…Bro, you weren’t even listening.)

Deng Yuqi deadpanned: “HQ’s national conference starts in two hours. What’s your take?”

Shen Ge shrugged. “We’re Yu Zhou’s neighbors. This’ll land on us. So let’s extort HQ for all they’re worth first.”

(……)

Way to say the quiet part out loud, genius.

But Deng Yuqi’s lips curled. “When Rong and Yu branches were established, Yu Zhou hogged three anomaly gears by claiming more elites. Now they want our help? They’ll pay for it.”

(……Ma’am, you’re the director! Don’t let him corrupt you!)

Her stance was clear:

No prep, no sacrifice.

If HQ refused support, she’d station troops outside the danger zone—retreating mile by mile if the anomaly expanded.

“Let someone else die. Not my people.”

Shen Ge was impressed. She wasn’t blindly preaching “glory in death.”

Chen looked conflicted but stayed silent.

At 8:00 AM, the national conference began.

As predicted, HQ pushed the crisis onto the Southwest Four Branches, demanding a joint task force.

Then—

“Chief, if you’re too senile to do your job, retire. This is your screw-up. Our branches are understaffed and underequipped—and you expect us to fix it? Do it yourself or get the hell out!”

Deng Yuqi’s tirade echoed live across every branch.

Even Shen Ge gaped. “Damn, boss. No chill.”

(Was she trying to get fired?)

But the veterans just sighed.

Because everyone knew:

Deng Yuqi and the HQ Chief shared a surname.

Family.

…Yet they acted like mortal enemies.