After drawing cards, the evil god became my source of吐槽 (tu cao, a form of humorous commentary/criti

Chapter 139 Black Sea Basin (4)

An Jing turned around, looking at the three dejected new recruits from the Special Service Department. His brows furrowed slightly, and his tone carried an undisguised tone of speechlessness and sternness:
"What did you learn in school? Didn't they tell you in class that when entering a known or suspected mysterious magnetic field, the first priority is to establish and maintain a mental protective barrier and be wary of any form of mental interference? Or have you not even completed the most basic mental resistance training?"

She paused, her gaze sweeping over their pale faces and terrified eyes.

"If you're afraid of dying, you shouldn't have joined the Special Service in the first place. Now that you're here, crying and despair won't solve anything; they'll only make you die faster."

034 was mercilessly rebuked by An Jing, who looked even younger than him. His howl choked in his throat, his face flushed red and then turned pale, a mixture of shame and fear. In the end, he could only stammer and lower his head, not daring to say anything more.

He knew An Jing was right, but knowing and being able to do are two different things. Faced with absolute eeriness and the threat of death, his hastily acquired knowledge and self-righteous mental fortitude proved incredibly fragile.

035 was still retching and had no strength to respond.

Only 066, though equally pale and trembling, wiped her mouth forcefully, braced herself against her weak legs, and slowly stood up. She looked at An Jing, her eyes filled not only with lingering fear but also with a clear understanding and decisiveness.

The moment of disorientation and near-death experience made her fully realize the insurmountable gap between herself and An Jing, and made her realize more clearly that the only person she could rely on to survive was the research institute agent in front of her, who was calm to the point of being cold-blooded.

She took a few deep breaths of the stench of decaying air, trying to calm her wildly beating heart. Her voice was still trembling, but she tried to remain clear:

“Detective Ann… I’m sorry, we were so useless.” She paused, her gaze hardening.

"Is there anything I can help you with? Anything, as long as it's within my power."

An Jing glanced at 066, his gaze lingering for a moment on the expression on her face that was a mixture of fear and determination.

Without directly commenting on 066's volunteering, he simply turned his attention back to the three still-shaken members of the Special Service, his tone returning to its usual businesslike calm:
"You don't need to do anything special. Stay calm, stay rational, and use the basic methods you learned in school to combat mental pollution. Maintain your mental barrier. That's what you should do now, and it's the foundation for your greatest chance of survival."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear on the deathly silent beach, carrying an almost cruel pragmatism:

"If you continue to make a fuss like this, scaring yourselves and letting fear completely overwhelm your reason and deplete your already meager defenses, then no one can save you. You have all received professional training, and even if it was a crash course, you should still have more basic knowledge and coping awareness than the general public. Don't act like unprepared victims."

Being lectured so bluntly by An Jing, who looked younger than her but had a much more mature and composed demeanor, 034 felt her face burning and lowered her head.

066 nodded vigorously, took a deep breath, and tried to focus his mind using the method he remembered. Even 035, who had been dry heaving, managed to lift his head, his eyes flickering, lost in thought.

An Jing ignored them and turned his gaze back to the inky black sea. His mental energy, like invisible tentacles, cautiously extended outward to explore once again.

After the mesmerizing song stopped, the magnetic field seemed to temporarily return to its previous calm.

The source of mental pollution that she had previously disturbed and identified has indeed gone into hiding and is unlikely to launch another large-scale mental attack anytime soon. Such highly intelligent and enigmatic individuals, once aware of exposure and potential threats, typically shift to a more covert and cautious mode of operation.

But this does not mean it is safe.

The magnetic field itself continues to exist and slowly expand; the massive energy core deep within the seawater continues to pulsate gently. Moreover, no one can guarantee that there is only that one thing in this heavily polluted sea area.

High-level, mysterious realms often give rise to or attract other low-level strange phenomena or entities.

She needs to get closer to the core area to obtain more information.

Staying on a relatively safe beach is pointless except for passively waiting or facing the next unknown attack.

"I may need to explore closer to the central area."

An Jing turned around and spoke to the three of them, his tone as calm as if he were stating a pre-established plan.

"You stay here, remain vigilant, and observe carefully. Do not approach the seawater, and do not touch any unusual objects. If you notice anything amiss, whether it's a change in the environment, an unusual feeling in your own body, or anything you see or hear, notify me immediately in your own way, if possible."

Upon hearing that An Jing was going to abandon them and venture alone into the inky black sea that had just revealed its terrifying side, 035 was the first to jump up, forgetting all about feeling nauseous, her voice shrill.
"Aren't you going to abandon us?! If you leave, what if... what if that thing comes again, or something else comes?!" An Jing raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at him calmly: "Or are you going to come with me?"

035 was taken aback by her gaze, instinctively taking a half-step back. Her eyes swept over the chilling black seawater with terror, her lips trembling, unable to utter a word.

Go together? Are you kidding me! What's the difference between that and jumping straight into a meat grinder?
Just then, 066 stepped forward and stood slightly behind An Jing.

Her face was still somewhat pale, but her eyes were unusually firm: "Detective An, I'll go with you."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable resolve.

Rather than staying here passively awaiting unknown fears, it's better to stay by the side of this powerful agent. Even if it's dangerous, at least I can see, learn, and even... do something.

An Jing glanced at her, not particularly surprised. This girl possessed a suppressed tenacity and a thirst for power; in dire circumstances, this trait was more likely to translate into action.

To An Jing's slight surprise, 034, who had been keeping his head down and appeared timid yet shrewd, slowly raised his head after a few seconds of silence.

He pushed up his crooked glasses, his face still showing fear, but deep in his eyes there was a complex, almost desperate glint.

He avoided An Jing's gaze and said in a dry voice, "I...I'll go too."

He was terrified of death. But he also knew that staying here, while seemingly safe, meant that his fate was completely out of his control.

The agent is gone. How long can these three rookies last in this strange magnetic field?
035 looked at 066 and 034, who both chose to go with them, his face full of disbelief and struggle.

He looked at An Jing, then at his two companions, and then at the relatively calm but equally gloomy beach behind him, and the almost invisible outline of the village in the distance.

Stay here? Alone? He shivered.

"...You've all gone mad! You're all insane!"

He murmured, and finally, the fear of being alone and the fear of the unknown deep sea made him back down.

He clutched his injured arm, took two steps back, further away from the sea, and said in a weak but determined voice, "I...I'll wait here! It should be safe here! You guys go! I'll wait for rescue!"

An Jing did not try to persuade her further.

"Whatever," she said coldly, then stopped arguing.

She produced a card with a peculiar texture from her fingertips. The card was dark silver with subtle shimmering patterns along its edges, and the front featured a simple, seemingly woven flying carpet design.

"Luckily, there's still one that works," she muttered to herself, her fingertips twitching slightly.

The card instantly transformed into a streak of silver light and flew out of his hand, unfolding in the air to become a blanket large enough to accommodate three or four people, shimmering with a soft, silvery-white light.

The blanket is not a solid piece of fabric, but rather something made of solidified energy. Its edges ripple slightly, and it floats quietly in the air about half a meter above the ground, unaffected by the surrounding viscous air and magnetic field.

An Jing leaped lightly and landed steadily at the front of the blanket. She looked at 066 and 034: "Get on. Stand firm, hold on to the edge, or I won't be responsible for catching you if you fall."

A flicker of surprise crossed 066's eyes, but without hesitation, she jumped up, crouching down like An Jing, her hands gripping the cool, resilient fabric of the blanket tightly. 034 swallowed hard, scrambling up on all fours, her posture clumsy, but she too held fast to the edge.

With a slight thought, An Jing caused the floating blanket to drift forward smoothly and silently, leaving the black sand beach and gliding into the air above the gray, misty sea.

035 stood still, watching the faintly glowing blanket carry the three of them slowly flying into the depths of the thick, inky black sea, their figures gradually swallowed by the gray mist.