Shen Ge walked over to Du Mingwu’s remains. Only the lower half still resembled a human; the upper half, which had transformed into an abnormal octopus, had been minced into paste by him.
Du Mingwu’s sudden mutation had taken Shen Ge by surprise. But thinking back, if the freak organization had secretly tampered with the research materials the Rong City Branch specially supplied to headquarters, it made sense that Du Mingwu, the company’s responsible person, would be the best “pawn” and could have been tampered with.
Admittedly, this ability to “shield” abnormal energy detection was quite troublesome. If a countermeasure couldn’t be developed quickly, the freak organization was bound to cause trouble at the Asian Abnormal Research Conference.
Shen Ge glanced at Du Mingwu’s corpse on the ground, then looked back at Fang Mingyue and asked, “This person is practically half from the Rong City Branch. You don’t mind if I handle the body, do you?”
Fang Mingyue nodded matter-of-factly. “Of course. According to Special Countermeasures regulations, since you resolved this abnormal incident, you have the right to handle this corpse.”
While that was true, there was actually an unwritten rule in the Special Countermeasures Department: abnormal incidents occurring in a city, if resolved by an anti-abnormal investigator from another province, would still be handed over to the local branch for processing. Especially here in the capital, the headquarters of the Special Countermeasures Department.
Shen Ge wasn’t really being polite with Fang Mingyue; he was just asking as a formality. Regardless of whether she agreed or not, he would take this freak’s body.
He took out the Abnormal Sleeping Bag. Inside, the two corpses had completely fused into “white wax.” This time, Shen Ge didn’t directly put Du Mingwu’s body in. Instead, he first packed it in a Special Countermeasures containment bag before stuffing it into the Abnormal Sleeping Bag. Even if the containment bag couldn’t withstand the erosion of the “white wax,” it was better than letting them consume it directly.
After handling Du Mingwu’s body, Shen Ge asked Fang Mingyue, “When will your people arrive?”
“About half an hour from the Second Division,” Fang Mingyue replied.
Shen Ge looked at Kaede Hananako and Tang Laoya and said, “You two, according to regulations, you need to cooperate with the Special Countermeasures Department’s investigation. But it’s just routine questioning. As long as you truly have nothing to do with this, there won’t be a repeat of that idiot’s situation earlier.”
“Mr. Shen, I will cooperate with the investigation. I just hope you’ll consider our previous discussion. As long as you’re willing to help, we will agree to any of your requirements!” Kaede Hananako never thought she could leave the Great Celestial Dynasty safely after her identity was exposed. Her purpose in coming here was to contact Shen Ge, and now that she had achieved that, even “sacrificing” herself would be worth it. However, as long as Shen Ge hadn’t agreed to help Sakura Blossom Nation, she couldn’t let go of her worries for her homeland.
“I’ll consider it,” Shen Ge said calmly.
Kaede Hananako sighed inwardly. Sakura Blossom Nation was now a complete mess, with even high-level officials having given up and emigrated to other countries.
Now, placing the nation’s hopes on an anti-abnormal investigator from a long-standing “rival” nation was, in itself, a desperate gamble of trying anything that might work!
“Cooperating with the investigation? No problem. I believe our Great Celestial Dynasty’s Special Countermeasures Department won’t wrong any innocent person. Besides, Investigator Fang is your close friend, Mr. Shen. I trust her,” Tang Laoya, hearing they still had to be investigated, didn’t show displeasure. Instead, he readily agreed.
In his view, Shen Ge intervening to get them out of the First Division’s hands and handing them over to his friend Fang Mingyue for processing was, in itself, helping them escape.
During Song Zhengjun’s interrogation, they were essentially treated as Shen Ge’s accomplices. Even if they had nothing to do with the abnormal plane incident, they would still bear some indirect responsibility.
For example, if Shen Ge’s negligence led to a large number of survivor deaths, they, as Shen Ge’s “helpers,” would be considered accomplices who expanded the scope of the abnormal incident.
Those targeting Shen Ge naturally wouldn’t consider that Shen Ge had done his utmost to ensure the survivors’ safety and resolved the incident in the shortest time possible. If not for him, any other anti-abnormal investigator, let alone dealing with the abnormal plane, might have been completely wiped out just handling the “abnormal octopus” intended as food for the plane.
Meanwhile, in the Rong City Branch, Deng Yuqi received a “notification” from headquarters implying they might try to pin the blame for the worsening situation of the abnormal plane incident and the disappearance of its characteristics on Shen Ge. She was so furious she nearly flipped the table, thankfully restrained by Liu Jiayi, Chen Ke, and others.
Well, that settled it. The previously discussed list of attendees for the Asian Abnormal Research Conference was finalized on the spot. Deng Yuqi would personally lead the team to attend, clearly intending to come and help Shen Ge turn the tables.
Of course, Shen Ge was unaware of the situation at the Rong City Branch at the moment. While waiting at the research institute for Fang Mingyue’s subordinates to take over Kaede Hananako and Tang Laoya, he briefly explained Kaede Hananako’s situation to Fang Mingyue.
The main reason Shen Ge insisted on protecting Kaede Hananako, even using his connection with Fang Mingyue, was because, with his “future” experiences and the 【Logs】, he knew the biggest thorn Sakura Blossom Nation had planted in the Great Celestial Dynasty wasn’t her, but Watanabe Natsumi.
Even though the development of “reality” had deviated significantly from the “future” and the 【Logs】, Shen Ge still had to take precautions to prevent Watanabe Natsumi from hiding in the shadows and plotting against the Rong City Branch’s assets.
After all, just from the plan to seize the “Buchu” corpse in the 【Logs】, it was clear there were still spies in the Rong City Branch in contact with Sakura Blossom Nation.
However, Sakura Blossom Nation in the “future” wasn’t in as dire a situation as in “reality.” It was unclear whether the benefits of a nearly extinct Sakura Blossom Nation could still drive those people to help under these circumstances.
By telling Fang Mingyue about Kaede Hananako, Shen Ge obviously wanted to use her to investigate Watanabe Natsumi’s situation, saving the Rong City Branch some effort.
Half an hour later, after Fang Mingyue’s subordinates took Kaede Hananako and Tang Laoya away, Shen Ge and Fang Mingyue proceeded with their original plan to “visit” the First Division’s research institute.
The First Division thoughtfully arranged a dedicated “tour guide” for Shen Ge to show him the newly developed abnormal energy equipment and the mass-production factory.
However, after walking around for a while, Shen Ge noticed the team was only showing him the upper two floors of the institute. The abnormal energy equipment he saw was indeed newly developed, but it was very ordinary abnormal energy weaponry, lacking any “eye-catching” functional abnormal energy equipment.
Shen Ge realized the First Division was keeping him at arm’s length. He didn’t mind and stopped the leader, getting straight to the point: “Do you know Li Xiang from our branch? He’s practically our branch’s number one in abnormal research… He’s made significant contributions to the study of abnormals and abnormal energy equipment. When he heard I was coming to headquarters for exchange, he eagerly grabbed me and told me about his admiration for two researchers here at headquarters. He hoped I’d have a chance to meet them and ask them about some difficulties he’s encountered in his research.”
The leader of the research team outwardly humbly said Shen Ge was overpraising the headquarters’ researchers. Li Xiang was practically a legend in the Special Countermeasures Department’s abnormal research field; how could any researcher at headquarters be qualified for his seeking advice.
Although these people were outwardly modest, they were inwardly extremely disdainful of Shen Ge’s words. The reason was simple: headquarters had invited Shen Ge and Li Xiang for exchanges multiple times, but the two always found excuses to refuse. Now he says they’ve always wanted to come to headquarters?
Who would believe that?!
After some polite mutual flattery, a researcher tentatively asked, “Investigator Shen, which two researchers are you referring to?”
Shen Ge pretended to think for a moment, speaking with a tone of reverence. “One is named Zhang Baochang, the other is Yu Dechu. They should be very senior, experienced researchers… Li Xiang heard they were transferred to the First Division and repeatedly urged me to definitely pay them a visit.”
“Director Zhang and Expert Yu? Ah, what unfortunate timing. Director Zhang took leave half a month ago, saying there was important family business. He hasn’t returned yet. Expert Yu went on a business trip to K-Pop Nation last week to prepare for the Asian Abnormal Research Conference. He’s not at the division right now either,” the researcher said with a face full of regret.
What a coincidence?
Shen Ge narrowed his eyes. According to the information Fang Mingyue investigated, Zhang Baochang had appeared at the First Division’s research institute just two weeks ago. How could it be that just as he wanted to “visit,” the man had taken leave two days earlier?
Well aware that the First Division was wary of him, Shen Ge didn’t mind. He smiled and said, “What a shame. I’ll have to visit them another time. I think it’s getting late today. The rest… we’ll visit another day. Thank you for your hard work today.”
“Not at all. Having the opportunity to exchange knowledge on abnormal matters with you, the number one anti-abnormal investigator of the Rong City Branch, Investigator Shen, is our honor,” the lead researcher said politely.
“Then we’ll call it a day. No need to see us out, we’re leaving,” Shen Ge said, walking towards the institute’s entrance. After a few steps, the researchers quickly caught up.
“Investigator Shen, wait!”
“Something else?”
The researcher said, “Investigator Shen, Head Song, the person in charge of the abnormal plane incident, mentioned that one of the three suspects transferred from the survivors mutated at the institute and was subdued by you. Could we take a look at that freak’s body?”
“Freak body? Ah, you should have said so earlier. I burned it,” Shen Ge stated frankly.
The researcher was stunned. “Huh?”
“Special Countermeasures regulations state that if an abnormal or freak is found to have a high probability of losing control or mutating, elimination takes priority, containment is secondary. At the time, I saw the First Division wasn’t planning to send anyone to handle it, so I just used abnormal fire to burn it. If you don’t believe me, ask Investigator Fang,” Shen Ge said, looking at Fang Mingyue.
“…” Fang Mingyue’s expression stiffened. She wasn’t thick-skinned enough to lie with a straight face, and she really wanted to complain—Investigator Shen, have you forgotten there are surveillance cameras all over the First Division?
But Fang Mingyue didn’t know that Shen Ge had Little Seven scan and process the surrounding surveillance the moment he entered the First Division, replacing the original footage with modified recordings. So what the First Division saw was indeed Shen Ge burning the body with red abnormal fire.
Otherwise, these researchers wouldn’t have been fawning over Shen Ge the whole way, trying to build rapport first to find an opportunity to ask about viewing the freak’s body.
They never expected Shen Ge had “actually” burned the freak’s body clean with fire, leaving not even a bit of research material.
Now that Shen Ge denied it, and with “evidence” and a “witness,” the researchers had no choice but to believe, watching helplessly as they left.
On the way back to the hotel, Fang Mingyue asked puzzledly, “Investigator Shen, they were clearly lying. I received word just last week that Zhang Baochang and Yu Dechu were working on a freak research project. It’s only been a few days; how could they not be at the institute? Besides, the timing doesn’t match up.”
“They’re clearly preventing us from meeting them,” Shen Ge said calmly, looking out the window.
Fang Mingyue hesitated. “Are we just going to let it go? Then didn’t we come for nothing?”
Shen Ge laughed. “For nothing? Not really. We recovered a freak body, rescued two fairly obedient and useful people, and most importantly, scared the arrogant Head Song witless. Isn’t that enough?”
“…” Fang Mingyue really wanted to say, is scaring people some kind of quirky hobby of yours, Investigator Shen?
However, Fang Mingyue didn’t know that Shen Ge hadn’t given up. The First Division was wary of him; they definitely wouldn’t let him openly go to the underground research institute, let alone see Zhang Baochang and Yu Dechu.
But if the open approach didn’t work, it didn’t mean Shen Ge couldn’t investigate secretly. So he had Little Seven do some tampering in the First Division’s system and left behind two precious Blood Spiders to first check on the whereabouts of those two, then find an opportunity to make a surprise return attack.
With the three major buffs of “Silent + Invisible + Traceless,” there was no place in the world Shen Ge couldn’t infiltrate. Given the First Division’s defenses, it was practically like “going home.”
It’s just that such matters needed to be done covertly, and there was no need to involve Fang Mingyue. If nothing else, even though this paramecium was a bit scatterbrained, her respect for him was completely genuine.
“By the way, I remember you mentioned earlier that you’re in charge of my exchange visit to headquarters. So what’s my itinerary for the next few days?” Shen Ge asked.
Fang Mingyue replied, “The higher-ups want you to rest for a few days first, then arrange for you to visit the research institutes of the First, Second, and Third Divisions in turn for exchanges based on the Rong City Branch’s situation. After that, in three to five days, they hope you can go to the Anti-Abnormal Investigator Training Base to provide guidance. As the Great Celestial Dynasty’s number one anti-abnormal investigator, I’m sure many newcomers would love to see you in action and receive your guidance and training.”
“Tsk tsk, so they want to use me as an instructor?” Shen Ge said.
Fang Mingyue said, “That seems to be headquarters’ intention. I don’t know about the higher-ups’ arrangements, but I personally hope you can visit the Anti-Abnormal Investigator Training Base. Not for three to five days, just one day is enough. I believe with your abilities, that one day will definitely leave a lasting impression on those newcomers, helping them find their life goals on the path of fighting abnormals!”
“…” What kind of cult-like talk is this?!
When Fang Mingyue said this, she sounded like a devout believer. Her adoring look left Shen Ge speechless for a moment; he almost thought he was some cult leader.
“Since you put it that way, I’ll have to go for a day for your sake. You arrange it when the time comes,” Shen Ge said readily.
Fang Mingyue’s face lit up with joy. She never thought her “face” was worth so much. Just as she was about to thank Shen Ge, her phone rang.
Fang Mingyue answered the call, her expression instantly changing. She suddenly braked, made a U-turn, and headed down another road. “Investigator Shen, the vehicle escorting Kaede Hananako has been attacked. Someone intercepted it midway. Preliminary suspicion is that it’s the work of the freak organization!”
