Chapter 826: Aftermath of the Deep Investigation

The old site of the Research Institute – our people will be here soon.

We will conduct another thorough cleanup and search, hoping to uncover more clues to accurately reconstruct the events of that day.

If we make any discoveries, we’ll notify you immediately.

Mr. Lone Soldier, you can head back to Qinggang to rest while we send over the items left for you by Miss Kuimeng.

This investigation mission is now considered complete.

As for the two hundred million payment agreed upon in advance, we will pay it promptly. We remain committed to assisting wherever Miss Kuimeng can help. For other matters you might question, I believe the items she left behind will offer answers.

There’s no need for us to elaborate any further.

……

……

Director Xue quickly finalized the arrangements and contacted the reserve support personnel of the Moon Eclipse Research Institute.

Furthermore, noticing Lu Xin’s growing impatience, he arranged, as soon as contact was made with outside personnel, for the items left by Mom to be delivered to Lu Xin in Qinggang.

The danger for those remaining to continue the investigation here need not be overly concerning.

The First Researcher is preoccupied with repairing the Genesis Hard Drive, leaving little energy to cause trouble at the moment.

Also, after losing his trump card, the First Researcher is likely keeping a lower profile.

The Moon Eclipse Research Institute can’t confidently claim not to fear the First Researcher anymore – at least not as much as before.

Lu Xin did not refuse Director Xue’s arrangements.

He now felt emotionally low and mentally exhausted, eager to return to Qinggang as soon as possible.

Facing Director Xue’s plan, his only concern was the payment.

Fortunately, Dr. An spoke up for him: “It’s three hundred million.”

“And in between, I promised an extra hundred million…”

……

Director Xue was instantly alarmed: “How did you promise extra again?”

“A hundred million is a lot…”

“Our annual research funding at Moon Eclipse Research Institute barely reaches a few dozen million…”

……

Dr. An rolled his eyes and said, “I’m willing!”

“You regularly win a few million playing mahjong. So what if I promised an extra hundred million?”

……

“That’s not equivalent at all…”

Confronted with Dr. An’s eye roll, Director Xue, though somewhat hesitant, stammered:

“I usually come out ahead when playing mahjong…”

“Ha, so you rely on your Mental Monster to help you cheat at cards?”

“Not exactly. I may have bent the rules a bit during the game, but when it came to collecting the money, my integrity was intact…”

……

……

Hiss, hiss, hiss…

A surge of mental turbulence swiftly approached, and soon a portal formed on the ground, created by a chaotic storm of mental power.

Two monsters, each pulling a horse carriage, leaped out from the Abyss, their claw-like limbs scraping the ground.

These were the Mental Monsters that had escorted Lu Xin and his group earlier.

Earlier, due to too many eerie occurrences around the Research Institute ruins and the surrounding area locked down by the First Researcher, they were forced to remain outside the forbidden line, waiting.

But now, after the profound upheaval in the Abyss, its blockade has been lifted.

“Be careful – the power of ‘Primordial’ has begun to affect the first layer of the Abyss.”

“Though its influence may not yet fully permeate reality or severely disrupt the first layer,”

“for safety, avoid entering the Abyss until the Undercover Units have scouted the situation…”

……

Director Xue halted Lu Xin’s attempt to enter the Abyss, then, after a moment’s thought, he said seriously:

“Also, even if you might have grasped it, let me remind you once more.”

“Beware of ‘Primordial’…”

……

Lu Xin paused, confused at first, before understanding what he meant.

Shaking his head lightly, Lu Xin replied, “I won’t let the man from thirty years ago destroy my sanity.”

“No…”

Director Xue shook his head and said:

“Primordial isn’t simply about that man from thirty years ago.”

……

He gave Lu Xin a piercing look, his face unyieldingly serious as he broached the topic.

In a low voice he added:

“We all know you’ve already withstood direct contamination once, but how can I put it…”

After a pause, he found a fitting adjective, looked earnestly at Lu Xin, and said:

“Every Pollution Source inherently desires to exert greater control over its contaminated hosts.”

“Even when only instinct and primordial nature remain, it despises hosts that act against its will.”

“In other words, on an instinctual level, it resents you for being contaminated yet not fully controlled…”

“And that resentment will only intensify over time…”

“Moreover, whenever it gets the chance, it won’t hesitate to further contaminate you. Do you understand?”

“…”

Lu Xin fell silent, contemplating Director Xue’s words, then nodded slightly and said, “I understand.”

“That’s good.”

Director Xue nodded and advised, “So, if circumstances allow, steer clear of the Abyss in the future!”

“As for now, I think you’d be better off returning via helicopter…”

……

Lu Xin, ever agreeable, didn’t argue as he waited for the helicopter.

While waiting, he noticed an Undercover Unit wearing a red cap with two pointed protrusions on top, accompanied by two or three little monsters with similarly adorned hats, all lined up before him.

They uniformly removed their hats and saluted Lu Xin.

Seeing the bright red cap, Lu Xin felt a pang of sorrow.

The pointed tips on their hats were granted by his own mental power, but the red color was gifted by Mom.

Moved by the kindness of these little fellows and at a loss for words,

they extended their removed hats toward him.

“?”

Lu Xin, a bit exasperated, said, “I’m in the middle of my sorrow – is this really the time to ask for payment?”

“Besides, I don’t owe you anything…”

……

“Oh, by the way…”

Noticing the Undercover Unit’s actions, Director Xue turned back to explain to Lu Xin:

“The items left for you by Miss Kuimeng will be escorted back to Qinggang by their own kind.”

“They are showing you that this collaboration was pleasant – and also expecting you to settle the payment now.”

“After all, in the end, who truly benefits from this payment is the same for everyone.”

……

“Alright…”

Lu Xin let out a deep sigh as he saw the helicopter landing not far behind.

He then stood up slowly, shook hands with each of the Undercover Units until they beamed with delight, and finally relaxed his grip.

Gurgling sounds…

The helicopter rose with Lu Xin aboard, gradually flying towards the mountain range behind.

“He never once revealed that ambition to claim this world as his own until now,” thought Dr. An as he glanced at the receding helicopter, letting out a low sigh.

“Whether it’s building a commercial empire, enforcing an iron-fisted regime, or destroying the world…”

Director Xue murmured, “In the face of higher forms of life, even the most grand or insane notions seem the same.”

“He merely wishes to be human.”

“To him, that ideal might be just as great as becoming a king…”

……

“Ha, indeed…”

At the sound of his reply, Dr. An shot him a cold glance and remarked, “Better than some, that’s for sure.”

Director Xue instantly looked embarrassed, as if he wanted to engage but was too hesitant.

At that moment, the Undercover Units each raised the right hand they’d just shaken with Lu Xin, forming a circle as they began to dance.

On each little clawed hand, a pristine white glove had appeared without notice.

The gloves looked immaculate, even exuding a noble air.

Every little clown face beamed with joyous smiles.

In the center, a red-capped Undercover Unit carefully produced a box.

Inside the box lay a handful of freshly dug soil.

Within the soil, a light, fluid substance shimmered with strange radiance.

“This is…”

Dr. An, taken aback, looked at the mysterious little fellows with confusion.

“Tyrant’s Tears,” Director Xue explained.

“Tyrant had just shed tears that fell onto the ground. They locked onto that patch of soil like precious treasure and dug it out. In short, these little creatures have hit the jackpot with this investigation.”

“But they still took the opportunity to demand their payment before Tyrant left.”

“Now they’re celebrating their extra income…”

……

“Well…”

Dr. An, clearly still trying to process everything, shook his head in a mix of amusement and irritation.

It seems the rumor about Mr. Lone Soldier being stingy when it comes to payments isn’t entirely untrue – he really is the sucker here…

……

……

At the same time, Lu Xin sat silently in the helicopter cabin, staring ahead as the rising sun broke over the mountains.

The brilliant light made his eyes slightly blur, forcing him to squint.

As the helicopter climbed higher, he looked down upon the world below and felt a touch of dizziness.

The vast, dark forest and the block-like houses below – was this really the world he lived in?

Lu Xin felt a sense of dislocation; high above, he could scarcely fathom life on the ground…

“Phew…”

A cool breeze seeped through a slightly distorted gap in the helicopter door, and Lu Xin exhaled, feeling a chill run through his body.

He pulled his clothes tighter and softly said to the pilot ahead, “Sir, can you speed up a bit?”

“I want to get home as soon as possible.”