I was the Heavenly Emperor in ancient times

Chapter 17 Finding Li Jun
The Taoshan Island incident appears to have ended.

At least, among all the channels that ordinary people can find and mention, no one mentions this seemingly insignificant little island anymore.

However, everyone in the know understands that the problem on Taoshan Island is constantly worsening, and the more the secrets deep within Taoshan Island are researched and discovered, the more the fear it brings becomes.

This panic is not only felt by every individual who knows the secret of Taoshan Island, but also by every institution and group that studies it.

at the meeting.

One person after another kept asking questions, while experts, either seated or in front of the camera, kept giving answers, creating a tense atmosphere throughout the process.

The first man sitting on the left asked a question, his gaze fixed on the screen above.

"What will happen if the situation on Momoyama Island deteriorates further?"

The man on camera was a gaunt man who looked like a researcher at first glance, even though he was wearing a life jacket, his demeanor was still very distinctive.

Behind it is the deck of a ship, and further away you can see the sea with a lot of floating objects on it.

Each floating object is pointed at a certain point, making them appear to be observation devices.

Even more strangely, a certain spot on the screen could be observed to be constantly flickering.

There seems to be an island on the sea, but it seems to exist in a state between existence and disappearance.

Although the skinny man was in the shot, it was clear that he was under a lot of tension, and he was even speaking with excessive force.

"If this power of distorting space spreads further, it may not only be limited to the sea surface where Momoyama Island is located, but may even cover the mainland and even the wider world."

The other party then asked, "What about the time?"

The answer was: "At the current rate, it could completely swallow Taoshan Island within a few years, or even faster. There's no way to predict that."

Question: "Why?"

Answer: "Because it is a force that distorts the laws of physics that is completely unknown to us, we have no way of knowing in a normal way how it affects the outside world. It has the power to influence space, and of course it can suddenly appear in any corner of the world in any way."

These words made the atmosphere even more oppressive.

Question: "What is the current progress of the exploration?"

Answer: "There is no activity from any of the equipment that has entered Taoshan Island. We are actively adjusting our plans."

After finishing with the questions about Taoshan Island, we moved on to the next segment.

The question was asked by Luo Zhen, and the person asking the question was Director Lu Gang.

Luo Zhen: "How exactly does the Muke virus spread? If it spreads further, will it affect more people?"

Director: "The specific transmission method of the Muke virus is still being determined, but as we have stated in our previous reports, this newly emerging virus can create a completely new organism that is entirely different from humans."

Luo Zhen: "Another race that possesses immortality and extraordinary power, yet also has the same intelligence as humans?"

Director: "Yes."

Luo Zhen: "If a person transforms into a wooden puppet, will his consciousness and emotions undergo tremendous changes?"

Director: "Of course it will. Even without considering supernatural factors, when a person's life form undergoes a huge change, their ideology will definitely be affected."

Luo Zhen then asked several more questions, delving deeper and deeper into the matter, and the more serious the situation seemed.

Finally, the topic returned to the very question that led to all these questions.

Double pupil virus.

"Regarding the connection between the double pupil virus and the wood virus, what is their true nature? Are there still no results?"

"There are no results yet. All those infected with the double pupil virus have begun to recover, while the only adaptor to the double pupil virus, Li Jun, is currently missing."

"What should we do to contain the source of this abnormal change? Is it a disaster or an opportunity?"

"We cannot predict it."

Are you just going to watch the situation deteriorate step by step?

"We need time."

Lu Gang was sitting below, and he could see everyone's face.

Most people appear either calm or anxious and serious, but hidden behind that is fear.

After all, most people don't like change.

Moreover, any tiny fluctuation or any possibility could be enough to cause earth-shattering changes to the entire world.

However, he also vaguely sensed that some people were looking forward to it. These people felt that there was a huge opportunity hidden behind this disaster. They felt that they could be the ones riding the wave and could use this change to discover or guide this power.

However, only Lu Gang, who had experienced the Taoshan Island incident, could understand that this power was absolutely beyond the control or mastery of ordinary people.

When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.

"End of the meeting."

Ultimately, apart from some breakthroughs regarding the Trojan virus, this conference yielded little else.

However, the severity and danger levels of each incident have been raised significantly once again.

Lu Gang followed the director out of the conference room. When they were alone, the director told Lu Gang something.

The director said in a low voice, "Do you know why you're in such a hurry?"

Lu Gang: "Won't this leak secrets?"

Director: "Your security clearance level is sufficient."

Lu Gang asked thoughtfully, "Could something have happened?"

The director said, "All the people from the Changsheng Temple have disappeared."

Lu Gang asked, "Did they run away?"

The director's face darkened: "They disappeared."

"It's not just those who ran off to Kunlun Mountain, but all the important members of the Changsheng Temple located in various places, and even those we have already detained."

"They all suddenly disappeared overnight."
-
Perhaps it's because I thought about it during the day that I dreamed about it at night.

Seven or eight days have passed since the Taoshan Island incident ended, but Lu Gang still dreams about the scene from that day.

Under the wondrous light that replaced the sun, Li Jun walked alone into the depths of the peach grove.

Finally, they vanished without a trace in that distorted world.

That silhouette remained unforgettable for him for a long time.

He often wondered what would have happened if he had gone in with them at that time.

Even if the hidden dangers on Taoshan Island cannot be completely eliminated, we may still discover something and uncover some crucial information.

The more helpless and confused Lu Gang felt in the face of these extraordinary powers, the more he thought of Li Jun, hoping to see him again, even if it was just for a conversation.

At the very least, we can learn some more important information.

Most of their key information comes from what Lu Gang previously obtained from Li Jun.

but.

Today's dream was different from the ones of the past few days.

It felt incredibly real, as if he had returned to Taoshan Island.

"Dangdangdangdang~"

A loud clanging sound came from afar, and Lu Gang looked through the fog.

As the sound grew closer, a soda can passed by him and disappeared into the ruins of the street behind him.

Following closely behind the aluminum can was a flyer fluttering in the wind.

Taoshan Travel Agency

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and visit your dream paradise.

He walked through the misty fog, along the twisted and eerie streets.

One after another, figures protrude from the wall; these are the islanders of Momoyama Island who were lost here in the past, or perhaps tourists who have come here for travel.

Just as I walked along the road, I heard a confused calling coming from the wall.

"I'm coming."

"He's calling us."

"It's time to go in."

"Peach Blossom Spring... Fairyland... Paradise... Mountains and Seas..."

"Leave this world..."

suddenly.

A great light shone brightly in the distance, illuminating the entire world in a blinding white.

Even in such a fog, one can still find the right direction.

At first, Lu Kan shielded his eyes from the light, but as he became more familiar with it, he could vaguely see a figure at the source of the light through his fingers.

"Who is that?"

"What is he doing? Those carpenters just said someone was calling them. Is it this person?"

"Could it be Li Jun?"

Next, Lu Gang saw a large number of figures struggle out of the wall and walk one after another toward the ray of light at the end of Taoshan Island.

He mingled with the crowd and walked forward with them.

He walked further and further away, the path beneath his feet becoming increasingly distorted. He felt as if he were walking on a Möbius strip, with the procession of wooden men stretching from behind him to above him.

The surrounding fog grew thicker, while the light in the distance grew stronger.

Fog makes people lose their way, and light makes people dizzy.

And everyone, and even the whole world, is being pulled toward that figure at the end.

Finally, he followed the wooden craftsmen to the highest point.

"who is it?"

Lu Gang forced his eyes open.

He followed the street and buildings in front of him and saw the peach grove at the end.

On the hillside, he saw Li Jun's figure.

Li Jun closed his eyes tightly under a peach tree, just like the image of Lao Tzu attaining enlightenment, or perhaps like Shakyamuni attaining enlightenment under the twin Sahasrara trees.

His hands were on his knees, and he was silently chanting some ancient and mysterious incantation.

Subsequently.

Lu Gang then saw a figure gradually emerge from the sacred tree that resembled the peach tree in mythology.

"call!"

A gust of wind blew, and peach blossoms fell from the peach tree. The peach blossoms transformed into a woman dressed in ancient, coarse white linen clothes and appeared behind Li Jun.

Then the light deep within Taoshan Island magnified infinitely, distorting the entire world.

The light swept across everything around it like a vortex.

All the buildings on Taoshan Island, as well as all the non-human things that remained on the island, were dragged into another world.

All things in the world seemed to merge into the infinite light behind that figure, making Li Jun, who was sitting cross-legged chanting mantras, appear even more like a figure from mythology.

In a daze, Lu Gang thought he had really seen the immortals and Buddhas from mythology.

Lu Gang himself was also uncontrollably pulled into another world by the crowd and sucked into Li Jun's back.

During this process, the peach tree and Li Jun's figure grew taller and taller, giving people a feeling that they filled the heavens and the earth.

Lu Gang felt that it wasn't Li Jun and the peach tree that had grown bigger, but rather that he himself had become smaller and smaller.

“Li Jun…”

"Li Jun!"

He shouted, wanting to say something to Li Jun or ask him something.

But before they could get a response, the scene abruptly ended.

His dream ended.

Lu opened his eyes and found himself still lying in his bed at home; everything that had just happened was just a dream.

He let out a long sigh, wondering why he had such a dream.

The feelings in the dream were so real, but upon closer reflection, the scenes seemed unreal. Everything that happened and the various images were unbelievable and hard to believe.

Lu Gang thought, "Perhaps it's because I especially hope that Li Jun can survive in another world, and that he can successfully resolve the hidden dangers behind Taoshan Island."

"To prevent the light at the end of Taoshan Island from spreading further and bringing its powerful destructive force and disaster to the outside world, that's why such an absurd and bizarre dream was created!"

After having such a dream, Lu Gang found it difficult to fall asleep again.

He turned over to wash his face, but as he got up, a peach blossom petal suddenly fell.

Lu Gang was stunned for a moment, then slowly picked up the petal and placed it in his palm.

This ordinary peach blossom petal had a profound impact on Lu Gang, proving that everything he had just experienced was real.

That was not a dream.

He actually went back into Taoshan Island and brought out everything from the island.
-
As soon as Lu entered the building, the director informed him that Luo Zhen would be picking him up soon, and that they were going to a certain place.

Lu Gang had something to report at that moment, so he asked a question.

"what happened?"

The director told him, "Taoshan Island has completely disappeared."

Lu Gang pressed further, "Really gone?"

The director looked at his expression and said, "How come you seem to have known in advance?"

How could he not know that this was exactly the same as what he had seen in his dream?

Lu Gang grabbed his briefcase, wiped his glasses, and got into the car, where Luo Zhen was already waiting for him.

"The notice has come down."

"A temporary investigation team has been formed to investigate a series of events, including Taoshan Island, Chongtong, and Muke. I am the team leader and you are the deputy team leader."

“We have the authority to mobilize all resources, and you know what that means.”

Lu Gang felt no joy at being promoted; instead, he felt a sudden increase in pressure.

"Won't they give us a deadline to complete the task?"

Luo Zhen laughed: "It wasn't explicitly stated, but the pressure on both of us won't be small. We need to achieve some results at least in the near future."

Lu Gang nodded: "I heard that Taoshan Island has disappeared."

Luo Zhen glanced at Lu Gang: "You dreamed about it?"

Lu Gang's eyes widened in surprise: "How did you know?"

Luo Zhen told Lu Gang, "The survivors who were transferred from Taoshan Island all had the exact same dream last night. Guess who they dreamed about?"

Lu Gang's mouth trembled: "Li Jun?"

Luo Zhen said seriously, "You really did dream about it. Then you have to come with me to the next place. You probably won't be able to move around freely for a while."

"However, there just happens to be an operation that you must carry out."

Lu Gang was somewhat confused. He was told not to move around freely, yet he was required to carry out an operation.

What kind of operation is this?
Finally, the car stopped in a mountainous area in the suburbs.

If Li Jun came here, he would probably find this place very familiar. It is the Fourth Central Hospital of Nangang City where he used to stay. Now, the survivors of Taoshan Island have also been transferred here for further recovery and treatment.

Once inside.

Lu Gang and Luo Zhen went straight to the monitoring room and watched the videos from each ward last night.

For a period of time, the bodies of all the patients in these wards disappeared, and they reappeared about half an hour later.

After Luo Zhen finished playing the video, he asked for directions.

What did you think of?

Lu Gang pushed up his glasses and suddenly remembered something.

"Those people from the Changsheng Temple also disappeared suddenly, including those who have already been detained by us."

Luo Zhen asked Lu Gang, "Your thoughts are the same as ours, and we have investigated the relevant videos and can confirm that the two disappeared in almost the exact same way."

Luo Zhen led Lu Gang to the top of a building behind them. Lu Gang recognized this place; it was the spot that had been destroyed by Mu Ke before, but now it seemed that Luo Zhen had transformed it into their temporary office space.

Lu Gang could roughly guess Luo Zhen's thoughts: only by getting closer to where the problem occurred could he get closer to the truth and the issue.

Luo Zhen walked through the stairwell, pushed open the door, and entered before speaking to Lu Gang.

"Li Jun disappeared deep into Taoshan Island, then all the important members of the Changsheng Temple disappeared, and finally all the survivors of the Taoshan Island incident also developed the same symptoms."

“You even saw a shadow similar to Li Jun.”

“We have reason to believe that the Changsheng Temple and Li Jun and the others are heading to the same place, and that the same force is also urging you to go to that place.”

"And that's where the problems will arise next."

As soon as Luo Zhen finished speaking, Lu Gang vaguely guessed what the other party would say next.

And, the actions he previously mentioned that he would have himself carry out.

"Our investigation team's first action was to send people back to Taoshan Island."

"To be precise, it means entering a space that is completely unknown to us."

Lu Gang smiled wryly: "You want me to lead the team?"

Luo Zhen knew this operation was extremely dangerous, but he still spoke up.

"Is there anyone more suitable than you?"

Lu Gang nodded: "I understand."

Lu Gang is the most experienced and familiar with the situation inside, and he recently showed signs of being affected by the peach tree.

He understood why he was chosen as the deputy team leader; this responsibility was indeed not something just anyone could shoulder.

Lu Gang asked, "If we go inside, what will be our most important task?"

Luo Zhen said, "Experts will arrange some detailed exploration tasks, but I have a more important task for you."

Lu Gang: "What mission?"

Luo Zhen: "Find Li Jun."

(End of this chapter)