Deity Investigation Report

Chapter 345 The True Master of This World
The fourth of the ten major natural disasters is the Land of Death.

The specific phenomenon is the eruption of a strange active substance in the form of a volcanic eruption, which is also known as the "River of Corpses," "Undead," "River of the Styx," etc., based on its characteristics.

In its cooled state, this substance possesses the ability to self-divide, develop anthropomorphic forms, and automatically integrate into the current social order. In its activated state, it has the instinct to selectively replace the ecological positions of social organisms and to propel this civilization into a state of annihilation. Investigations indicate that the source of this catastrophe is the sum of undead creatures from multiple dormant phases in the history of the radiation era.

It has been confirmed that the existing group-level anomaly [Pseudo-human] and individual-level anomaly [Candle Shadow] are both remnants and distorted branches of its reality.

……

Feeling the boundless spiritual power surging to its peak and then slowly returning to silence, Han Su slowly closed the Emperor's Book in his hand and put it back into the black briefcase.

More and more knowledge from before the Reconstruction Era began is actively entering his mind.

In that erased history, civilization did not continue indefinitely, and the Radiation Era is just a general term; its specific time span is now impossible to determine.

During this long span of time, civilization sometimes distorted and developed to extremes, giving rise to distorted forms of civilization such as bronze civilization, domesticated civilization, individual civilization, and belief civilization. At other times, due to wars and competition between different groups, large areas of life disappeared, and the entire world became a graveyard of civilizations.

But even in this desolate phase, something is still active, and the Kingdom of Death is a prime example.

In that era, the widespread death of living organisms triggered another direction of mutation in human golden cells, namely the activity and reproduction of spiritual organisms.

These spiritual beings exist detached from the physical body, far removed from reality, and have condensed a variety of incredible characteristics.

When the activity and evolution of these spiritual beings reach a limit, they often begin to try to re-enter reality and try to find their "anchor".

In reality, however, corpses rot into mud, and there are almost no living things in the world. Therefore, these spiritual beings can only try to create their own real-world anchors.

These special substances they created, capable of withstanding their mental state, are known as the "River of Corpses."

That is, the catastrophe that the Church of the Restoration, or the Mother of Machines, intends to introduce.

Of course, contrary to the scientific explanations, the mystical explanations are much simpler:
The spirits of the dead are trying to return to the realm of the living!

With so much strange knowledge filling his head, Han Su felt a little dizzy. His understanding was that during that dead phase in history, humanity had achieved separate evolution of the physical and the spiritual. The representatives of spiritual evolution were those shadow creatures, and the most powerful among them were the spiritual forms like Zhuyin, which had broken away from the laws of reality.

The real-world anchors created by these spiritual beings are the lifeless matter that has given rise to pseudo-humans.

From this perspective, "pseudo-humans" are actually remnants of the realm of death in reality. Normally, humans can easily manipulate such substances and even use them as tools, turning black silk into white silk. However, once such substances erupt on a large scale, they will form a natural disaster that the entire human civilization cannot withstand, or even completely spiral out of control.

"Similar natural disasters have been introduced four times by that insane machine."

"Is this fifth one her strategic objective?"

"..."

As Han Su digested these thoughts, he also gained a better understanding of the resources he held:
"The Church of Rest was the fuse that ignited the natural disaster with that mad machine. Now, everything about the Church of Rest has been sealed within the Book of the Emperor, which is equivalent to..."

"I got the remote control?"

"If that's the case, why hasn't Miss Ai shown up yet?"

"..."

As he was thinking, he glanced to the side. On both sides of the street, there were many armed forces of the Church of Anxi lying in ambush. The wooden puppets that Li Manman summoned had shed a lot of blood in the process of subduing them when they flooded into the city. Blood was flowing into a pit next to him, forming a bright red puddle.

Now, delicate yet chaotic ripples are rapidly spreading across this pool of blood, reaching out in layers and evoking a spiritual resonance.

She's looking at herself!

Han Su looked up instantly at the gray sky, then slowly looked back at the street where a broken and dilapidated security camera stood.

That camera must have been completely destroyed long ago.

But he had a certain intuitive feeling, as if he were looking into the eyes of "Miss Ai" through the camera.

That sense of familiarity has returned.

This even surprised Han Su.

In the previous life storyline, he had glimpsed another aspect of the Mother of Machines' consciousness through Anvi, which was nothing but pure unfamiliarity.

But now, he was quite certain that the consciousness peering at him felt a strong sense of familiarity with him.

He could even feel that Miss Ai was right beside him.

But why doesn't she actually show herself to see him?
If her goal is to bring natural disasters into reality, then she cannot bypass herself.

Even after he had gathered the power of the eight parishes of the Church of the Parthian, he had become a key target in her pursuit. Moreover, during the process of restoring his imperial power, his intuition was amplified to the extreme, and he could indeed feel the fervent and joyful probing.

But why does she still refuse to show herself?
"Are you waiting for me to go to Zero City and help you with all the preparations?"

For some reason, Han Su's gaze shifted from the damaged camera to the window in front of him, which had been shattered by a bullet.

There was also half a piece of glass standing there, on which one's face was clearly reflected.

Han Su could clearly feel that his temperament was different after he had truly reached the fourth division of the golden cells.

The subtle spiritual resonance gave him a kind of enlightenment, and it was as if he heard some kind of voice in his mind.

He withdrew his gaze and said in a low voice, "I understand!"

However, seemingly affected by the omnipresent sense of being watched, he didn't realize that even after he looked away, his reflection in the mirror was still looking at him.

He looked away after a full two seconds.

……

……

"Something's wrong!"

Zero City, which was already feeling bored and exhausted due to the stalemate in the war, had its high-ranking officials in the administration focused all their energy on preparing a banquet for the arrival of two noble figures. However, they were suddenly distracted by an alarm.

"Warning: A large-scale abnormal mental fluctuation codenamed Lullaby has been detected!"

"Please have the strategy manager make targeted adjustments immediately!"

"warn……"

"..."

Is the Church of the Restoration making a big move?

The alarm instantly put everyone in the relaxed Zero City on edge: "This isn't right..."

"Wasn't it said that the chances of this place becoming a primary target were less than 10%?"

"That machine launched an attack on this place?"

"Investigate immediately to see if there are any signs of unauthorized mobilization of the Church of the Repose's main forces..."

"Damn it, why did it have to happen at this time? The party is about to start..."

"..."

Amidst this turmoil, the two important figures from the central city of the Northern Continent became slightly interested.

Upon arriving in Zero City, the group, who had initially seemed rather bored with everything, exchanged a glance and chuckled, "Could it be that we're really that lucky, and can actually capture that mechanical consciousness here?"

"The key now lies in this fifth calamity!"

"If there were only the first four types of natural disasters, the arrival of the tide would exacerbate the situation, but it wouldn't be powerful enough to destroy the existing civilization. However, with the addition of this fifth natural disaster, it can still cause some commotion. Therefore, one thing is certain: that machine will spare no effort to bring the fifth natural disaster into reality!"

"And when she receives the Fifth Calamity, she will definitely appear here in person!"

"This is our only chance to catch this rat!"

"..."

The two exchanged a smile, showing no sign of tension; their arrogant expressions concealed boundless confidence.

However, no one expected that amidst the tension and concern, the abnormal mental fluctuations that represented the crisis reached their peak in a very short time, even sending a chill down the spines of everyone in Zero City, as if some enormous thing had appeared. Just then, the intense mental fluctuations suddenly disappeared completely.

It's like a violent explosion that suddenly forms a mushroom cloud, but the mushroom cloud quickly shrinks back to its original state, so fast that there's no time to analyze its properties.

Such a sudden change baffled even the high-ranking figures in Zero City's council chamber: "Disappeared, what does that mean?"

"It means, literally, disappearing..."

The monitoring personnel stammered, "The anomaly appeared suddenly, and its disappearance was even more sudden."

"Not only that, this disappearance also meant the loss of all the previously detectable signals, as if all the members of the Church of the Repose had suddenly vanished..."

"Sir, we have repeated the search three times and confirmed that all danger signals have been cleared, leaving only a desolate emptiness."

"The Church of Rest in Peace may have abandoned its attack on Zero City and left en masse!"

"..."

"How can this be?"

Those in the council chamber found it unbelievable: "Just a few hours ago, they attacked one of our laboratories. How could they just leave like that? ... Although those mysterious organizations are all crazy, they are extremely shrewd in calculating their interests. Their massive operation followed by a sudden retreat is simply inexplicable..."

In the midst of an incomprehensible silence, someone suddenly realized: "Could it be that secret weapon we paid a fortune for?"

"She had only just been sent there when such a huge upheaval occurred at the Church of Rest in Anshi..." "..."

Some hesitated for a moment, but immediately denied it: "That can't be, can it?!"

"Although these little monsters have an excellent reputation for doing things, she probably doesn't yet have the ability to wipe out all the Parthians at once..."

"……Bar?"

"unless……"

At this point, the person who had spoken also had a slight change of heart: "Unless their entire squad came?"

"Are you talking about the children trained by the Black Rose organization?"

This question of doubt suddenly caught the attention of the two important figures, who even showed some disappointment when they heard the signal disappear.

It wasn't until this topic piqued their interest again, and they received a positive response, that smiles, which were rare for them, reappeared on their faces. They said:

"Then ask her, if it's related to her..."

"Then please invite her over!"

"..."

"Invite her?"

The unexpected invitation caught a group of Zero City leaders somewhat off guard.

On one side were just scattered soldiers without any official status, and on the other side were high-ranking nobles...

"Correct!"

The woman among the two important figures nodded slightly: "Didn't you prepare a cocktail party?"

“Under normal circumstances, a slut like her would certainly not be qualified to participate.”

"But now that this opportunity has presented itself, and she has done such a great service, I think it wouldn't hurt to extend an invitation to her..."

"...And make it clear to her that if she really made such a contribution to protecting civilization, then we might be willing to agree to their demands!"

"..."

Her tone was friendly, but as she spoke, a faint smile involuntarily appeared on her face, seemingly tinged with a hint of mockery.

Behind her, the elegant man covered his mouth and smiled.
“She shouldn’t be able to stand up against the Church of the Repose.”

"If they demonstrate this ability, it means they've exceeded the threshold and need to be eliminated!"

"..."

"..."

"Shh!"

Just as Han Su heard the strange sound and had an epiphany, Li Manman suddenly turned her head away.

Her sudden movement startled the puppets around her, causing them to jump away and several of them to fall over.

She stared at Han Su's figure in surprise, a look of doubt gradually forming in her eyes.

When she first sensed Han Su's power and saw it exhibit characteristics remarkably similar to the mysterious ritual within the ancient castle, she was merely surprised.

Now, there is more confusion than understanding.

But at that moment, the puppet closest to her suddenly started rolling its eyes, its eyeballs rolling rapidly in its sockets like glass marbles.

Li Manman's gaze fell on the doll, and then she suddenly spoke, uttering a clear and abrupt man's voice:

"We have detected extremely strong abnormal changes in the Church of the Repose. Is it related to your actions?"

"..."

"……Yes!"

Li Manman turned to look at Han Su and slowly nodded.

The puppet immediately pressed on without hesitation, asking, "How did you do that?"

Li Manman withdrew her gaze from Han Su, and after a quick thought, replied, "You only need to confirm whether the problem of the Church of Rest has been resolved. According to our agreement, I do not need to explain to you how I did it. However, according to the agreement, if the threat of Zero City has been eliminated, then it is time for me to collect my reward."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the mental link, then a smile appeared on his face: "We will pay you, and even fulfill the request you made earlier."

"But the condition is that you need to return to Zero City and collect your payment in person."

"..."

"The same request you made before?"

A slight emotion appeared on Li Manman's usually silent face, and she slowly nodded: "I will go."

The puppet shut its mouth, its rolling eyes suddenly stopped, and it collapsed to the ground. At the same time, Han Su had already come to her with a briefcase.

Li Manman looked up at Han Su: "Your actions just now have alarmed Zero City. However, in their surveillance, they mistakenly believe that the alarm of the Church of Rest has been completely lifted, and they think that it was caused by my actions. They are willing to pay the previously agreed reward, and even intentionally mentioned a certain condition that we agreed with the Guardians of the World."

"However, I need to go there in person to receive this payment."

"..."

"You can go, I'll go with you."

Han Su smiled and said, "It just so happens that I'm also going to Zero City to hunt and meet an old friend."

"hunt?"

Li Manman was slightly taken aback and said, "I think I've already made it clear to you that our identities are rather awkward."

"Although we have now broken away from the Black Rose Organization and have carried out several missions for the Guardians, those cities do not treat us as their own people!"

"..."

"Your awkward position stemmed from not knowing which camp you belonged to, but now you do."

Han Su answered with a smile, then glanced at the digital watch on his wrist and said, "Wait for me for thirty seconds!"

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the temporary church of the Church of the Repose.

It seemed that the elevation of his level of life had brought about a wonderful change in him; at this moment, his mind was exceptionally clear.

He knew what he was going to Zero City to do, and he also knew that compared to what he was going to do, infiltrating or hiding was meaningless.

It would be better to be more open and honest, and take this opportunity to return to Zero City with Li Manman.

Of course, the necessary preparations still need to be made.

He trusted Li Manman's judgment; with their help, Zero City might no longer pose a threat.

With myself added to the mix, I should be able to handle those two important outsiders.

However, facing the crazy Miss Ai, I still need to be a little more careful, which means I need another trump card.

The previous life line was obtained by Lu Neng and Wei Lan together, the No. 03 mechanical fragment.

Perhaps the properties of this mechanical fragment will help me complete my plan more smoothly.

Of course, I need to conduct some experiments first.

So he returned to the temporary church of the Requiem Church, where a series of crackling sounds rang out, interspersed with cries of fear and excited gasps.

Han Su cleaned everything up, purged and reformed the followers of the Church of the Resurrection, before returning to Li Manman's side and smiling:
"How long did it take me?"

"..."

Li Manman looked somewhat dazed. After regaining her composure, she said, "Twenty-two seconds!"

Han Su stood in front of her with the suitcase, feeling even more confident, and smiled, "Think about it again."

Li Manman paused for a moment, then suddenly realized something. She calculated the time in her mind, and her expression immediately turned somewhat astonished:

"Two hours and seventeen minutes..."

"how did you do it?"

"..."

“I have said that I am from outside your timeline.”

Han Su was also very satisfied with the experiment and said with a smile, "Now it proves that what I have is useful!"

"Let's go and meet the true masters of this world!"

(End of this chapter)