Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 585 Deep Dive
In Starlight City, in the 53rd district of the outer city, the air still carried the lingering smells of blood and burnt flesh, which mixed with the aroma of cheap alcohol and low-quality tobacco, creating a nauseatingly sweet odor.

Two old police hovercars were parked crookedly across the street from the "Iron Jaw Gang's" old hideout bar, their police lights spinning silently, casting red and blue beams onto the wet and dirty street.

Two uniformed police officers leaned against the car, lit cigarettes, and gazed into the distance at the bar entrance that was blocked by a temporary energy barrier.

There was no tension on their faces, but rather a numb indifference that suggested they were used to it.

"Is it another case of these scum fighting amongst themselves?"

The younger policeman blew a smoke ring and squinted at the other side.

"That was quite a commotion. Were they all wiped out?"

The old policeman chuckled and flicked his cigarette ash.

"Who cares? Social garbage will clean up itself, which saves us a lot of trouble and makes the reports easier to write."

"Tsk, that's right."

The young policeman nodded, then lowered his voice as if he remembered something.

"However... this involves the supernatural, and people from over there have arrived."

He gestured towards the bar entrance with his lip.

Several sleek, black-painted hovercars had silently come to a stop there, and a group of people in dark gray uniforms, whose demeanor was distinctly different from that of ordinary police officers, were entering and leaving the scene.

They moved efficiently, were taciturn, and exuded a low-pressure atmosphere that kept strangers at bay.

"The Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs, that's normal."

The veteran policeman was used to it.

"Anything that's even remotely 'abnormal' falls under their jurisdiction. We're just here to maintain order on the periphery and wait for them to finish up."

A hint of envy flickered in the young policeman's eyes.

"I heard that their benefits are shockingly good, and they have a lot of authority, so they are almost not bound by ordinary laws."

"privilege?"

The old policeman snorted, took a drag of his cigarette, and slowly exhaled.

“Privileges come at a price. Do you think those skills came for nothing? Moreover, every single one of the extraordinary individuals, just like dolphins that need to surface for air, must go ‘down’ every now and then.”

"under?"

The young policeman was taken aback.

“The Sea of ​​Psionic Power, kid.”

The veteran policeman glanced at him with the same look he'd given a rookie.

"No matter how you get involved, directly or indirectly, if you're exposed to that power, you have to go back periodically to 'soak' or... 'repay' it. Otherwise, that power will become a noose that strangles you. And every time you go down there, you're putting your head on the line. Who knows if you'll be able to come back unscathed this time?"

He paused, looking at the figures in gray uniforms, his tone complex.

“We’re just ordinary people. Our lives are boring, dealing with all sorts of trivial matters and gang fights every day. But at least we’re safe. We can retire alive and collect our pensions. As for them? Ha, who knows when they’ll be filling some hole in some little world.”

The young policeman fell silent, smoking quietly. When he looked at the bureau members again, the envy in his eyes faded, replaced by an indescribable awe and...sympathy.

……

Inside the bar, the smell of blood was even stronger.

Mao Lan, the captain of the third squad of the Bureau of Extraordinary Things, stood amidst the chaos. Her long, ice-blue hair seemed to emit a faint, cold light in the dim light. This was not dyed; it was one of the external manifestations of her fusion with the power of the "Demon Essence" from another world.

Her expression was cold as she swept her gaze over the twisted corpses scattered on the ground.

I had already read the briefing before I came. The Iron Jaw Gang deserves to die.

The absence of civilian casualties further dampened her already limited compassion to rock bottom.

She appeared here because of one thing: an extraordinary event had occurred here.

"Captain, preliminary testing complete."

A team member came over with a scanner.

"The residual energy is very weak, but its nature is clear, and it is a typical characteristic of low-level mutation out of control. All wounds and traces are consistent with the internal melee and... the attack pattern of some kind of henchman-type mutant. The monitoring data has been partially repaired, showing that the target leader 'Butcher' Hawk suddenly went berserk and attacked everyone, and then underwent a violent mutation, but... failed, energy backlash, and disintegration."

A team member handed over a data panel containing an analysis report and several blurry but discernible surveillance screenshots. A huge, twisted figure was attacking people around it before exploding into a cloud of blood mist.

The report's conclusion is clear: internal strife within the gang, an unexpected mutation of the leader leading to the gang's annihilation, and the failed mutation resulting in self-destruction.

Mao Lan took the data panel, glanced at it, and her icy blue eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Understood. Follow the procedures to handle the situation on-site and write the report."

Her voice was cold and emotionless.

The team members dispersed in response and began the final finishing touches.

But Mao Lan did not move.

She slowly closed her eyes, and a chilling aura quietly spread from her center, as if the moisture in the surrounding air had condensed into tiny ice crystals.

Her power originates from the blood of a super magical beast from another world. After special processing, it becomes what is known as an 'Imperial Arms'. By chance, she used the blood from it and gained the same power. However, she is not yet able to develop this power to its fullest potential. But she can give her senses an additional attribute: she can perceive space and time.

Something's not right about the "time and space" here.

It is not a large-scale rewind or fast forward, but rather an extremely subtle, localized "stitching" and "covering" of a specific event stream.

It's as if someone used perfectly matched needle and thread to seamlessly sew the edge of a new piece of fabric into an old time and space. At first glance, it looks perfectly normal, but if you touch the fine details of the stitches, you can tell that the texture is definitely not naturally formed.

Someone has altered what happened here!

The evidence has been falsified, and reality has been covered up!
Mao Lan suddenly opened her eyes, a hint of horror flashing in her icy blue pupils.

To achieve this level of skill... what kind of exquisite control over power would that require? Or rather, what kind of bizarre abilities would be involved?

She took a deep breath of the cold, bloody air, forcing herself to calm down.

This matter must remain a secret.

The other party clearly had no intention of escalating the situation; their target was merely these gang scum, and they handled the matter "according to regulations," leaving no obvious clues pointing back to themselves.

Mao Lan and the Third Squad have no reason to, and absolutely cannot, provoke such a being.

Unless one day she can completely control all the power of the "Demon Essence" within her, perhaps she will be qualified to peek into it.

But now... all she wants is to leave work on time.

"Collect the team."

She gave the order in a cold voice, turned around and walked out, her long blue hair drawing a cold arc behind her.
-
Dividing line

In the central area of ​​Starlight City, inside the magnificent hall of the Psionic Sea Access Tower.

Li Zhongren looked at the silver wristwatch he had just received on his wrist. This was the wristwatch he had registered for, which allowed him to travel back and forth across the Sea of ​​Spiritual Energy.

This thing is not easy to obtain. Generally speaking, only citizens and those who have naturally mutated into extraordinary individuals can acquire it. Yes, exploring the Sea of ​​Psionic Energy is everyone's freedom, but the technology that supercities possess now allows people to return with a higher survival rate and makes deep diving much easier. This is the fundamental reason why supercities maintain their rule.

This is why Li Zhongren fabricated a citizenship identity.

Ordinary superhumans have to undergo several days or even months of review. After all, power is the foundation for maintaining rule. If outsiders want to drink from the well that someone else has dug, they will definitely need a pledge of allegiance.

Citizens, on the other hand, are treated differently. Everything is kept simple, and to put it bluntly, cities would love for their citizens to die so that they can reduce some of their financial expenditures.

"Identity confirmed. Li Zhongren, a third-class citizen, has applied to explore the Sea of ​​Psionic Energy. Approved. Teleportation sequence is being generated... Please wait at Teleportation Platform No. 7."

Hearing the cold voice coming from the machine, he calmly walked towards the designated platform, as if he were just an ordinary adventurer. There were already quite a few people gathered on Platform Seven.

At the end of the platform was a huge, bright, circular portal.

Above the door is a countdown timer; the door will open once a certain number of people have gathered.

Those present can then descend into the Sea of ​​Psionic Energy through the door.

Of course, the small worlds you go to are all different, depending on each person's own conditions. It's like throwing a stone into the sea; where the stone eventually lands depends on its shape, luck, and other conditions, unless you're bound together beforehand. However, there's also a certain probability that you'll end up in the same place randomly.

However, most deep-sea divers do not want this to happen. After all, fellow divers are rivals. Everyone is here to explore and make money. If you take more, what will I take?

At this point, either one side backs down, or they fight it out. The winner takes everything, and the loser leaves behind belongings or their life.
In the final few minutes of waiting, several more people arrived at Teleportation Platform No. 7.

Li Zhongren noticed one of the figures, a woman with long, icy blue hair, whose demeanor was cold and aloof, completely different from the other deep-sea divers around her who were either tense, excited, or feigning composure.

She simply walked calmly to a corner of the platform and stood there. Her gaze swept across the crowd, lingering briefly on Li Zhongren. There was no probing in her eyes; it was more like a routine glance, perhaps even carrying a hint of indifferent pity for the "newbie."

Li Zhongren didn't recognize her and didn't pay any attention to her; he simply noted down her features.

He had no idea that this was Mao Lan, the captain of the third squad of the Bureau of Extraordinary Things who had just finished dealing with his "handling".

Mao Lan was not in a good mood at the moment.

Her precious weekend plans were ruined. Her "deep dive syndrome" flared up unexpectedly, and the invisible pull from the sea of ​​psychic energy became clear and urgent, reminding her that she had to "breathe" again.

She also noticed Li Zhongren, not because he was anything special, but quite the opposite, because he looked too ordinary. He lacked the wariness or excitement of a veteran about impending danger, and seemed more like a clerk who had wandered into the wrong place.

She silently labeled this "newbie" in her mind and wished him good luck, even though she knew that in the Sea of ​​Psychic Energy, good luck was often more scarce than strength.

"Om-"

Suddenly, the enormous circular portal at the end of the platform lit up, the soft white light transforming into a deep, swirling, eerie blue vortex, as if connecting to the boundless void.

The countdown on the door reached zero.

"Teleportation sequence initiated. Best wishes for a successful exploration."

The cold, electronic sound echoed in the hall.

The crowd began to move forward, stepping one by one into the dark blue vortex, their figures instantly swallowed up and disappearing.

Li Zhongren took a deep breath, blended into the crowd, and stepped in.

Instantly, immense pressure surged in from all directions!
It wasn't physical water pressure, but a heavy, viscous feeling that acted on the soul and spirit.

It felt as if I had been plunged into the deepest ocean, where darkness enveloped everything, my senses became blurred and distorted, and there was a silent roar in my ears, or like billions of souls whispering and howling in my ear, filled with chaos and madness.

The icy chill penetrated through my clothes, reaching my very bones, and my blood seemed to freeze.

Fear grew uncontrollably from the bottom of my heart, amplified, and almost choked me.

He felt himself falling, falling ever lower, sinking into a lightless abyss.

The surrounding darkness grew thicker and thicker, the pressure almost crushing his consciousness.

Is this what deep-sea diving is like?
No wonder specific technology and equipment are needed for protection; if one were to rely solely on physical strength and mental fortitude, probably very few people could survive.

Just as he felt his consciousness was about to be completely swallowed up and disintegrate by the endless darkness and pressure—

Suddenly!

All the pressure, darkness, coldness, whispers, and fear vanished in an instant.

Like a taut string suddenly snapping, or like being jolted awake from the depths of a nightmare.

An extreme sense of ease enveloped him, as if his soul had been cleansed, leaving him light and weightless.

……

After the feeling of weightlessness comes the feeling of being grounded.

Li Zhongren shook his head and quickly regained his senses.

He found himself standing on a muddy patch of ground, the air thick with dampness and a faint smell of rust.

Looking around, the sky was overcast, and a light drizzle was falling continuously.

The surrounding buildings were low and dilapidated, mostly wooden structures, with a simple and rustic style, presenting a familiar ancient Japanese style.

Most of the houses were dilapidated, with many broken walls and old bloodstains. The streets were deserted and lifeless, as if a disaster had just occurred.

"Tsk, not bad luck, we randomly ended up in the same fragment world."

A cool, clear voice came from beside me.

Li Zhongren felt a chill and turned to look.

It was the blue-haired woman. She was looking at him, her icy blue eyes filled with scrutiny and...surprise.

Judging from your expression…

Mao Lan tilted her head slightly and caught a fleeting glimpse of unfamiliarity with the surroundings and a scrutinizing look on Li Zhongren's face.

Do you know where this is?

Her tone was somewhat casual, as if she didn't really expect a novice to provide an answer.

This is more like a professional habit of observation and probing.

Li Zhongren, of course, had no idea that this strange place, which looked like ancient Japan, was actually a "story world" he had no clue about.

But a deliberately profound smile appeared on his face, and following the other person's words, he spoke in a confident tone.

"Of course I know."

【Jeong-yeon 言。】

The moment he uttered those words, Mao Lan, standing opposite him, with her rich experience and keen observation, almost immediately discerned from Li Zhongren's subtle expressions, eyes, and tone that he was lying.

He had no idea where he was.

[Lie detection in progress... Sufficient 'questioning' and 'denial' detected... Target individual's luck matches the 'intensity' of the lie... Extraction begins... Lies forge truth...]

A faint warmth flowed into Li Zhongren's mind.

In the Ninja World, on the border of the Land of Rain, lies an unnamed village—literally, without a name.

(End of this chapter)