Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 435 - 375 The Anointed One_1

In the still study, as she closed the book, the efficient old woman with glasses raised her head and gazed at the girl before her, sighing deeply.

"Is this how it ends?"

The old woman asked, "You could have let him live till the next era, couldn't you?"

"But it's precisely because of that, that the story is most beautiful, isn't it?"

The Teenage Girl named Lily answered earnestly, "After all, this isn't my stage. Meddling recklessly would only undermine the original intent. A Hero's death before dawn—there couldn't be a more fitting end."

The old woman removed her glasses and looked at her intently, unable to help but feel emotional. "If you were an author, you might become one of those who are especially cruel to their protagonists."

"Author? That's an exaggeration."

Lily shook her head. "I don't possess the Ability to create events. I'm just picking the elements I like and compiling them into a collection."

"That's enough."

The old woman nodded approvingly, passing the book with reverence. "DM and the others have good judgment. Being a manager in the Heavenly Kingdom is like being a librarian and an editor. You don't have to create content; you just need to place it where it belongs. And for you, who were born from legend, this is simply instinctual. I really envy them for finding an inheritor such as you."

"You flatter me too much, Predecessor," Lily said with her head lowered, but she could not conceal the excitement of being praised.

"Please thank DM and the others for me, for specially coming to see this old woman off on her journey."

The old woman smiled and pulled a carefully preserved book from her bag. "This was the credential I used when I entered Utopia. Now that Utopia is no more, please return it to the Ivory Tower for me."

It was an ancient book, weathered by time, yet the gilded letters on its cover had not faded. Despite countless readings, it still bore the marks of the past, entirely undamaged.

*Gone with the Wind*

Feeling the substantial Source Fluctuation within, Lily paused and couldn't help but look up.

It was undoubtedly a Source Substance book from the Heavenly Kingdom, holding an indispensable part of former human mythology.

"After borrowing a book for so many years, it's finally time to return it."

The old woman winked at her cheerfully. "But it's alright if you return it a few days late. I suggest you read it when you have time…"

"Thank you," Lily nodded vigorously.

"I'm not skilled in manipulating events. If there's any way I can thank you, it must be this."

The old woman smiled gently. "Well then, goodbye, young lady. I wish you peaceful growth before the storm arrives."

"Goodbye."

Lily nodded and vanished from the sofa.

There was a knock at the door.

"Please come in," said the old woman, tilting her head to light a cigarette in her mouth, speaking bluntly, "Let's see which dumbass from the Existence Institute has come."

Niflheim entered with a helpless expression, smiling stiffly at the old woman.

There was no help for it. After all, she was dead, so what if she cursed you a bit? Besides, given their difference in seniority, forget scolding; if she slapped you twice, would you dare claim the Predecessor hadn't done it right?

"Have a seat."

The old woman gestured to a couch that had somehow turned into an old chair before her. "Don't go spreading rumors that I'm taking advantage of my old age, not even offering a seat to someone from the Existence Institute."

Niflheim simply sat down without a word.

The old woman gave this junior a pitying look, shaking her head. "You look decent enough. So why did you end up in that godforsaken corner of the Existence Institute? Ah well, everyone has their own ambitions; we can't force them. Let's get down to business."

She flicked the ash from her cigarette and asked, "Did you get the stuff? You've had plenty of time. Even if it's a knockoff, you should have managed to get it about eighty or ninety percent right by now, right?"

"Just a bit more to go," Niflheim answered frankly, pulling out a stack of manuscripts. "This is the portion of your results, excluding those related to the Ranch Owner and the Beast of Immortality."

"It's all here. Check it. Don't go saying I'm still hiding things, even after I'm dead."

With a snap of her fingers, the old woman conjured a huge box in front of Niflheim.

This was the ultimate research outcome of this Witch's Night.

And it was the most important part of it.

—Regarding the feasible technology for Biologicization.

Apart from researching the Element of Destruction, this was the essence of her life's work—she had no need to confirm anything through Witch's Night; she had already succeeded.

Fu Yi was the living proof of this research.

She was the most suitable candidate for this Witch's Night.

It required no Sublimators to execute, nor Scholars to investigate. It was a technology whose value could only be fully demonstrated through ordinary people.

A method for ordinary people to survive in an apocalyptic world… This was her proudest research!

Representing the bygone Utopia, she left this final gift for the Current Circumstances.

After Niflheim finished reading, he stood up in silence, bowed deeply, and on behalf of the Current Circumstances, expressed his gratitude.

The old woman enjoyed Niflheim's admiring expression and smiled pleasantly, waving goodbye and indicating he could leave.

"Don't you have any more instructions?" Niflheim asked.

"How you utilize this technology, whether to experiment or seal it, and how you use my other materials, whether to disseminate or preserve them—it's all up to you," said the old woman calmly.

"The deceased should not interfere with the world of the Current Circumstances. Besides, shouldn't you be the ones to use it? Though the Existence Institute is always ridiculously stingy, and the Jurisdiction Bureau moves at a snail's pace, I believe the Existence Institute can manage its risks. I also trust the Jurisdiction Bureau to fulfill its mission."

She paused, sighing helplessly. "Although it's regrettable, I must admit that the task of protecting the Current Circumstances can be achieved without Utopia, and they're even doing quite well—so get to work, Little Brag."

"Don't let down an old woman's expectations."

She grinned, devoid of the frailties of old age, her eyes as clear as a child's. "The Current Circumstances, I leave them in your hands."

"Hmm."

Niflheim nodded solemnly. "Leave it to us."

He cradled the box reverently and turned to leave.

.

.

Huai Shi yawned, opened his eyes, smacked his lips, and saw the gentle sunlight outside the window.

It was no longer the darkness and silence he had grown accustomed to.

He was stunned for a long time. "WOOF?"

Then, he realized he wasn't a dog anymore!

He leaped excitedly from the couch, looked down at his hands—those familiar ten fingers—then further down at his legs, those familiar feet.

Finally, he cautiously loosened his belt a notch... That familiar...

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had finally changed back.

He couldn't help the tears welling up.

It was only after being moved for quite some time that he noticed the elderly lady sitting across from him on the sofa, enjoying the scene. The old woman sipped her tea gently, her eyes full of interest. "Go on. This old lady hasn't seen a young hunk like you in a long time..."

Huai Shi blinked, then quickly realized, "Are you... that one?"

"Which one?"

The old woman calmly countered, "If you're referring to that unlucky old hag who died in the Abyss, then yes, that would be me. By the way, my cause of death was likely a stroke. I started forgetting to take my medicine as I got older..."

"Uh..."

Huai Shi offered an embarrassed smile. "So you called me here because..."

"To give you something. Don't you want it?" The old woman waved her hand dismissively. "If not, forget it then."

As she spoke, Huai Shi's figure began to fade away.

"Wait a minute, I want it, I want it!!"

Huai Shi panicked, yelling out quickly, and the disappearing trend halted.

The old lady smiled smugly, clearly enjoying teasing a child, which made Huai Shi feel utterly powerless.

"According to tradition, as the Explorer with the highest progress, I really should recognize you as The Anointed One and give you something..."

The old woman pondered for a moment, then said straightforwardly, "However, I don't have anything suitable for you here, considering my specialty is Abyssal Creature Biology. So, how about this: I'll give you this."

She unbuckled the saddlebag strap from her waist, gently patted the dust off it, and handed it to Huai Shi.

Huai Shi took it, looking puzzled, not sure what it was.

He opened it to find it empty; it didn't seem to contain anything. But when he opened the innermost compartment, he found something inside.

As he reached in and pulled it out, he saw...

Huai Shi's expression twitched.

In his hand was a collar... well, to be exact, a dog collar, the kind with a Bell attached, and it even came with a leash.

It looked tough and sturdy, very durable!

"What... is this?" Huai Shi asked the old woman, clueless.

"Well, this was a gift from an Owner of the Great Mob. I later had it modified by someone from the Helios Workshop. By the standards of the Current Circumstances, it's considered a Divine Artifact, I suppose."

The old woman's words left Huai Shi astounded.

What the heck? A Divine Artifact? This thing? Where's the 'divine' part? Could it be a collar once used by some divine dog?

Huai Shi examined the collar over and over, hoping to find the words 'Heavenly Howl'—or any other divine name, for that matter—inscribed in some crevice.

Until the old woman sighed helplessly, "It's not the collar, it's the bag..."

"Oh, oh," Huai Shi finally caught on.

"Its full name is The Wise One's Survival Pack. It has accompanied me for many days in Hell, and to be honest, I'm a bit reluctant to part with it," the old woman explained. "Its effect is just as you witnessed. Every week, you can take out a small-scale civilian item from it that will help your current situation. For instance, if you fall into a desert, it'll produce a bottle of water. If you're freezing, you can pull out a coat. But that's the extent of its usefulness, so don't get your hopes up too high."

Huai Shi was bewildered.

It sounded incredible, being able to pull out something every week that could improve one's situation. Even if it were just a small-scale civilian item, it could still be of great help.

But... why did he pull out a collar? Was it hinting that he should wear it?

.

.

.

.