novelraw Chapter 19: Sea of Darkness - (19)
Chapter 19: Sea of Darkness - (19)
“The remnants of ancient… ancient gods?” Kui Xin found it utterly absurd.
Are there even cult groups in this Alternate World? She hadn’t yet had the chance to explore such knowledge; upon returning, she definitely needed to thoroughly investigate this topic.
“That’s what they believe,” Shu Xuyao said. “Alien Creatures have existed from ancient times until now, as evidenced by widely circulated folk legends. However, it cannot be denied that these Alien Creatures differ significantly from the organisms we commonly encounter in nature… They practically don’t seem like species our planet could nurture.”
“Indeed… They look way too disgusting.” Kui Xin commented sarcastically, “I won’t be able to eat lunch after seeing them.”
“Thirty years ago, the Federal Government passed legislation declaring all religious beliefs and organizations illegal. The chaotic era of ignorance has passed. In the past, people revered nature and imagined divine beings ruling over this world. Now, the brilliance of science has dispelled the chaos. We no longer need deities to guide humanity forward; instead, technology should lead us,” Shu Xuyao explained. “However, various secret cults persist despite being outlawed. If they remained obedient and discreet, the Investigation Department wouldn’t target them. Unfortunately, they never learn to stay compliant.”
Kui Xin looked at the person lying on the cell floor and asked, “He belongs to the secret cult?”
“Yes. A week ago, Field Operations Team’s third squad raided their gathering place. At that time, he was undergoing a ceremony led by several Cultists to consume Divine Blood.” The smile at the corner of Shu Xuyao’s lips held a hint of mockery. “Not a single one escaped; they were all captured.”
“Do all Variant Blood individuals undergo physical mutations?” Kui Xin observed the prisoner within the cell. “It seems like he won’t survive much longer. Are Variant Blood lifespans generally short?”
Shu Xuyao pondered for a moment before replying, “The Investigation Department records every captured Variant Blood individual. From these records, each Variant Blood person experiences bodily mutations, although the extent varies from mild to severe. The Variant Blood individual here only exhibits moderate body distortion.”
“How disgusting must severe distortions be?” Kui Xin murmured.“You can request access to these records from Yadang,” Shu Xuyao said. “They include images and videos documenting the mutation processes. However, avoid viewing them right before or after meals—you might either lose your appetite or end up vomiting.”
Kui Xin clicked her tongue, impressed. “Thank you for the warning, Captain.”
“We haven’t conducted research on the lifespan of Variant Blood individuals here. However, I can tell you that among all those we’ve captured, not a single one has lived beyond a month,” Shu Xuyao said. “This type of mutation is irreversible. Both doctors and the prisoners themselves could only helplessly watch as their bodies gradually transformed into grotesque monsters, ultimately becoming unrecognizable.”
“How truly terrifying…” Kui Xin sighed, “After paying such a high price, did they gain superhuman abilities?”
“Perhaps they did,” Shu Xuyao replied. “Through observation and experiments, we discovered that Variant Blood individuals recover from injuries incredibly quickly, even faster than high-rank awakened beings with exceptional physical attributes. Their physical strength also increases, reaching two to three times that of ordinary people—this data is solely based on the captured Variants we studied. The cost for these abilities is their rapidly shortened lifespans and bodily deformations. From our current records, it seems they do not develop the diverse range of superhuman abilities like awakened beings; only their physical capabilities are enhanced.”
“Are there no individuals who successfully survived?” Kui Xin asked. “The balance between what they give and receive is fundamentally skewed. Why would they continue taking Divine Blood despite this?”
“Those who believe in science cannot comprehend the fervor of religious devotees; perhaps to them, it seems worthwhile,” Shu Xuyao said. “Maybe there have been individuals who survived after consuming Divine Blood. During interrogations, these Variant Blood members were deeply convinced of this belief. They thought their failures were due to the gods not accepting them, and they saw their deaths as offerings of blood, flesh, and spirit to the ancient god, aiding its awakening from slumber.”
Kui Xin pondered, “I wonder if any survivors developed diverse superhuman abilities similar to awakened beings? Can’t we capture one for interrogation?”
“It’s difficult to catch them. They’re exceptionally skilled at hiding, and the true leaders of the Order never come forward publicly.” As Shu Xuyao spoke, his expression slightly darkened. “In other words, all the Cultists and Variant Blood individuals we’ve apprehended so far are merely minor henchmen and peripheral members of the secret cult. The real core has never revealed itself.”
Kui Xin was extremely astonished upon hearing this.
As a government department, the Investigation Department wielded considerable authority.
The super artificial intelligence Yadang possessed terrifying computational power, enabling it to swiftly sift through city-wide surveillance footage to pinpoint suspects. If necessary, it could remotely control investigative drones, trace an individual’s digital footprint over the network, and assist the Investigation Department in setting up an intricate dragnet.
The Investigation Department harbored hidden talents; there was no shortage of awakened individuals, including high-rank awakened ones. Despite this, they still couldn’t apprehend the core members of the secret cult?
“Your onboarding training is nearly complete, Kui Xin.” Shu Xuyao turned around, addressing her with warmth and seriousness. “We must maintain city security, eliminate alien creatures, and confront the forces lurking in the shadows of society. From now on, every day you will need to fulfill your duties as a security officer.”
His demeanor conveyed great expectations for Kui Xin, and she responded with a smile, “I will accomplish it, Captain.”
Fulfilling one’s duties depends on the situation; sacrificing one’s life in the process is absolutely unacceptable. The essence of survival at all costs lies in letting others take the lead when encountering danger, assessing the situation first before deciding the next course of action.
“We can leave now,” said Shu Xuyao.
Upon returning to the elevator, Kui Xin remained deep in thought.
Variants, Awakeneds.
These were two distinct professions, each possessing different avenues of power.
Kui Xin recalled that the Game System’s description of the “Depriver” class stated: “A profession that gains strength by hunting and stealing the extraordinary abilities from special ability wielders.”
The term “special ability users” did not solely refer to “awakened ones.” Does this imply that if Kui Xin kills a Variant Blood individual, she could still deprive and utilize their power?
“You’re thinking about Alien Creatures, aren’t you?” Shu Xuyao’s concerned voice sounded in her ear.
“No,” Kui Xin snapped back to reality. “I was wondering how much my salary will increase after getting promoted.”
Shu Xuyao fell silent.
“Captain,” Kui Xin asked, looking directly into his eyes, “how does one become an awakened being?”
“It requires sheer luck,” Shu Xuyao replied. “There’s no pattern for becoming an awakened being. Sometimes it happens just after waking up from sleep, other times it occurs suddenly following a significant shock. I can’t provide much insight on this aspect since I myself am not an awakened being.”
Casually, Kui Xin continued, “Who among the Investigation Department members are awakened beings? Is there a high number of them?”
Maintaining appropriate curiosity and asking pertinent questions. Although some queries Shu Xuyao wouldn’t answer, her behavior wouldn’t raise suspicion. Curiosity is inherent in human nature, and seeking gossip from one’s superior due to curiosity is a logical action.
As expected, Shu Xuyao didn’t respond directly but said, “That information is confidential. You’ll find out once you get promoted to Captain’s position.”
Kui Xin smiled. “Then I’ll strive for it and aim to reach the captain’s level.”
During lunchtime at the employee cafeteria, Kui Xin deliberately avoided all red and green foods to prevent any unpleasant associations that might dampen her appetite.
Despite this precaution, she still ate very little. She sat there mechanically chewing and swallowing, forcing herself to consume the food because she needed sufficient energy for the afternoon training session.
The training time passed surprisingly quickly.
After completing basic combat and shooting drills, Kui Xin began weighted running exercises. Laden with tens of kilograms, she panted heavily like a bull, her clothes completely drenched, feeling as though she could collapse onto the ground, eyes rolling back.
On the sidelines of the training field, the instructor checked his stopwatch, surprised. “Impressive willpower! Achieving such a good result on your first test, finishing five kilometers swiftly! Why not try another eight kilometers? Ah, don’t look at me like you’re seeing the devil! What’s wrong with attempting to push beyond your limits? You can never truly know your boundaries unless you challenge them!”
Gasping between breaths, Kui Xin managed to say, “I… let’s discuss it tomorrow. We have a Field Operations Team meeting in half an hour.”
With reluctance, the instructor allowed Kui Xin to take a break.
For newcomers to the Investigation Department, specialized personnel were assigned to train them. Today marked their first official day of training, and Kui Xin was exhausted to the point of wanting to spit blood.
In her past life, physical education class had been her greatest dread; she disliked running immensely. Whenever PE approached, Kui Xin fervently hoped that a regular subject teacher would take over the period instead. She’d rather complete an extra worksheet than attend gym class.
Those memories now seemed like fleeting wisps of smoke, but Kui Xin had achieved a personal breakthrough. Under the pressure of survival, she voluntarily began her rigorous training regimen.
After collapsing on the ground for three minutes, Kui Xin stood up, feeling shaky as she trudged back towards the elevator area, intending to return to the rest room for a shower.
Drenched in sweat, it would be utterly unprofessional to go directly to the meeting.
Kui Xin spent ten minutes bathing, grateful that her short hair dried quickly without much effort. After drying her hair, she changed into her uniform, jogged to the elevator, and headed for the conference room.
Nearly everyone had arrived at the conference room by the time Kui Xin entered. With keen eyes, she spotted Lan Lan waving at her, so she swiftly walked over and took the empty seat beside him.
The conference room accommodated around forty to fifty people, all members from various squads. Field Operations Teams typically consisted of small groups with five to seven individuals, each member having specific roles. Tasks were usually carried out by these squads, and for more challenging missions, multiple teams would collaborate.
“So many people,” Kui Xin observed, glancing around.
As the squad leader, Shu Xuyao sat in the front row, somewhat distant from them.
“Today is the general assembly meeting, so all squads are present,” Lan Lan explained.
Liu Kangyun, seated ahead of them, turned and looked at Kui Xin, asking, “Did you complete the orientation training, Kui Xin?”
“Yes… It was quite memorable.” Kui Xin’s expression conveyed mixed emotions, “I couldn’t even enjoy my lunch afterwards.”
Jiang Ming, who had just been discharged from the hospital, chimed in, “It’s perfectly normal. You’ll adapt soon enough. On future missions, you might encounter even more gruesome scenes.”
“You’re right,” Kui Xin sighed.
After exchanging brief pleasantries, they fell silent as the meeting was about to commence.
Wei Zhi, the Field Operations Team Leader, stepped onto the podium. With her sharp gaze scanning the crowd, she skipped straight to the main point without any introductory remarks: “Recently, there has been a surge in port gang disturbances, resulting in numerous casualties for our team. The coastal security force now faces significant personnel shortages. Consequently, adjustments need to be made to the areas overseen by the Field Patrol Teams.”
Only individuals with exceptional combat skills could join the Field Operations Team. This group faced the highest risks and consequently suffered the most casualties among all teams.
However, some of the casualties within the coastal security force could arguably be attributed to Silver Mask, as he had killed two members of Sixth Squad during his investigation.
“Seventh Squad.” Wei Zhi’s gaze turned towards Shu Xuyao. “Starting tomorrow, you will be reassigned to Port Bay District. Alongside Fifth and Sixth Squads, originally part of the coastal security force, you will execute coastal patrol duties.”
Shu Xuyao stood up and saluted, “Yes, we guarantee the completion of the mission.”
This is truly… just when one starts feeling drowsy, someone delivers a pillow, Kui Xin thought expressionlessly.