Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

However, despite the impossibility, there have always been those who strive, try, and want to break through the "impossibility." Even before the birth of Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals, which holds the core technology of "suppressing and even eliminating Oripathy" and forms the main storyline, there were research institutions in this world, such as "Rhine Lab," attempting to uncover the secrets of Oripathy.

Of course, their purpose might not have been to cure Oripathy, but rather to use the pathology of Oripathy to create weapons. Even so, their existence still promoted the development of Oripathy treatment technology, and their achievements formed the essential foundation for the creation of the antidote.

So……

....................................

Inside the police station in Lungmen City, the female police officer who identified herself as 'Talulah' put down her pen.

"So, you two are both former employees of Rhein Life Sciences?"

--nod.

“Your name is Luo Ai,” Alice said, wagging her tail.

--nod.

“And your name is Lin Xi,” — Xilin’s head feathers twitched.

--nod.

"Both of you are senior researchers, some even in charge of important research projects. Then, because of differences in philosophy with the company's upper management, you left RheinLife Science and came to Lungmen?"

——Nod x2

"Hmm..." The young policewoman tapped her forehead, looking quite troubled. "Could you tell me what kind of research you're doing?"

Alice and Celine exchanged a glance.

“It’s related to Oripathy.” Alice pursed her lips, trying to appear thoughtful as she answered, “We’re researching how to cure Oripathy within the company. And we’ve made… some progress.”

She saw a clear look of astonishment in the policewoman's eyes, and then that astonishment, which was clearly not feigned, quickly vanished without a trace.

“I see, then I understand. When I first saw you two, I thought you were related to the Reunion Movement. I didn’t expect there to be such a hidden story… No wonder you paid special attention to the activities of those infected… I apologize for bringing you two to the station for the investigation so hastily. I will arrange for someone to verify your identities later, and until then, please accept my small apology.”

She stood up and gave Alice and the other woman a half-bow.

"Please leave your address and contact information, and then you can leave." Her voice was sincere and clear, like a flawless bell vibrating in the night sky.

Fifteen minutes earlier, when Alice and Sirin were observing the Reunion Movement group at the street corner, she pulled them away from the crowd near the march. Originally, this encounter would have ended there, but through Alice's underhanded manipulation, the unscrupulous witch deliberately let her certificate fall from her body and then hurriedly put it back, thus attracting the attention of the dragon policewoman.

She knew why she was doing this, and Sirin knew the reason behind it. Because this "Talulah" was the main antagonist in the original storyline, the supreme leader of the Reunion Movement, and currently the strongest fighter. In fact, the entire plotline revolved around her actions.

Now, she, who was supposed to be a villain in the Reunion Movement, has become a police officer in Lungmen. And in her recent subtle inquiries, Alice also learned that her half-sister, Chen Huijie, another dragon girl who was one of the main characters in the original script and her antagonist, didn't undergo any identity reversal to become the leader of the Reunion Movement; instead, she's dutifully attending school as a young lady from a wealthy family. As a result of this development, the original main plot conflict no longer exists, and everyone quietly stays in their respective positions without having to bleed each other.

This is normal. In the original storyline, without Talulah's leadership, the Reunion Movement was just an insignificant little organization among many infected groups. Without her, the infected had no banner, no ideology, and no order. And the ultimate consequence of this is that the infected, ostracized for thousands of years, remain a disorganized mess to this day.

In this alternate timeline, Chernobog, the city where the protagonist with a complex backstory is located, did not perish in the natural disaster orchestrated by the Reunion Movement as originally planned. The disaster still occurred, but a messenger codenamed Angelica delivered a preemptive warning, allowing the city to escape unscathed at the last minute. Following this, a major news story broke in Chernobog: a safety incident occurred at the 'Stone Coffin Organization,' where the protagonist is located, but no suspect has been found.

Everything was peaceful.

Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals, which was originally at the center of the incident, has also gone into hiding amidst this calm. However, they have recently been secretly recruiting, and it's not hard to see that the "Doctor," who was originally the protagonist of the story and possessed core technology, has successfully returned to their headquarters. It's just that for certain reasons, it's not convenient to announce it publicly at this time.

So what does this mean?

—This means someone deliberately altered the origins of all these events. It means someone foresaw the main plot's development and made these changes. The possibility of an outsider stumbling upon it by accident is very small, as this involves a series of changes related to complex power shifts. After all, in the original setting, the rise of the Reunion Movement and the destruction of Chernobog were both anticipated by Lungmen's higher-ups. They also subtly hinted that two major powers, one in the north and one in the south, were behind the scenes.

—【Who do you think that person is, Sirin?】

—[I'm guessing it's Wei Yanwu, the leader of Lungmen. Because it's easy for someone in his position to engage in underhanded tactics; effectively mediating conflicts between the two nations or diverting them elsewhere wouldn't be difficult for him. And if he's one of our allies rather than one of the other native players, then this kind of maneuvering would be even easier. Alice.]

—【So, want to give it a try? If he's our ally, then when we influence those around her, he's extremely sensitive to external interference and will directly retaliate. You see, both Chen Huijie and Talulah theoretically have to call him uncle…or rather, maternal uncle?】

—[Tsk, what nonsense! You're already trying it out, so why are you asking me? Your previous actions have already led this girl to believe that 'the two of them don't have a place to stay yet.' Given her identity and special physical condition, if you take up that topic, she'll definitely recommend accommodations to you to try and build a closer relationship.]

—[Correction: It's "we," not "I." Miss Celine, we are now on the same side and acting together, so please don't be so formal.]

— [Tsk, whatever.]

The exchange of thoughts was fleeting, while in the material world, Miss Talulah had just finished asking that question.

So, Alice, who had received two votes in favor during the simple meeting, naturally wore a puzzled expression. Her hand, holding the pen, hovered above the signature line.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Miss Talulah leaned forward slightly, asking in a way that seemed a little affected to Alice. "Is it... inconvenient?"

“It’s not that it’s inconvenient,” Alice shook her head, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “We haven’t been in this city long. We haven’t found a suitable place to stay yet…”

"Hmm... Is that so? Then this is indeed a bit difficult..." She saw the girl in front of her tilt her head deliberately, then feign sudden realization. "Hmm... I have a solution."

“I know a few friends who happen to have some spare accommodations. Why don’t you two stay there for the time being? Consider it my way of apologizing to you two for your impetuous actions as a native of Lungmen?”

She used a tentative tone, which helped her to build rapport between them. Seeing their obvious wavering expressions, she added another sentence.

“My sister lives nearby, perhaps I could ask you to give her a lesson. She’s very interested in Oripathy…”

She finally saw the two former Rhine researchers in front of her, who clearly harbored great secrets, nod.

And at that very instant... deep within the city,

An ominous wind suddenly surged forth!

Section 11. Mingyanwei - Part 1

When ominous winds rise, somewhere, in some place, in some location...

Someone is experiencing visual hallucinations.

【………………】

【………………】

【………………】

I saw... I saw wolves tearing at each other. There were two of them, evenly matched.

Before someone's eyes appeared a desolate city ruin. Above the city, two star-like eyes gazed down upon the earth. Below the city, countless skeletons, crushed under thick layers of earth and stone, writhed and howled in black flames. And in the very center of the city, two enormous wolves tore at each other.

I know one of the wolves.

One of the wolves gave someone a sense of familiarity; its eyes were bright, yet seemed to show signs of frenzy. Its fur was slightly darker, and a black shadow, like that of a small fox, swayed on its shoulder. It spewed flames and sulfur from its throat, melting the city ruins beneath its feet into large swaths of boiling, scorched earth.

Buildings melted down, steel flowed, and the skeletal remains, once heavily suppressed, were met not with suffering but with liberation. They became part of the fiery currents that coursed through the streets. They ignited the wild grasses, burned the thorns, and then rebuilt fertile land on the abandoned wasteland, where new life leaped joyfully from the black soil. They celebrated and toiled, and then… froze into fragmented earth.

I don't know the other wolf.

Another wolf brought the chill, its body slender, its face long and narrow, its dark eyes holding an endless winter's cold. Its fur was gray, a pure gray like decaying silver. A chilling aura, like a tidal wave, emanated from its body and limbs, and all things, whether lava or newborn life, froze to death, crumbled, and turned into howling skeletons buried beneath the earth.

Ice and fire clashed. Giant wolves tore at each other.

The shadow fox, perched on the first wolf's shoulder, was weak, but she struggled to gather the shadows beneath the flames, transforming them into a protective shield for the few remaining creatures surviving the omnipresent winter. She built a city within the shadows, allowing those creatures to barely cling to life. At the same time, she tried to guide them, preventing the struggles between wolves from directly destroying the wasteland beyond the ruins.

Eyes flickered in the sky, their outlines reflected in the shadows on the ground. And those outlines moved as if alive, drifting into the city from the shadows like insignificant specks of dust.

The two enormous wolves didn't notice them, nor did the shadow foxes. But someone did, and that person followed the movements of the two reflections, casting their gaze into the city.

It was a fascinating city. The warmth emanating from the first wolf shielded the second wolf from the harsh winter, filling the city with a peace and gentleness unlike anything found on the terrifying external battlefield. However, this peace was merely an illusion, for the winter still lingered, and darkness and terror still lurked in the deepest recesses of the shadow city. It was like a delicate yet fragile contraption; if even one node was breached, everything would instantly collapse.

The reflections of those two eyes, like headless bulls, rampaged through the labyrinthine city, completely disregarding the increasingly unstable ground beneath their feet.

Someone saw the reflections touching a small dragon, who was leading them to another young dragon—they were all very fragile, as fragile as transparent paper to wolves, foxes, and those starry eyes. A single touch would utterly destroy them. And this could very well disrupt the fight between the two wolves, tilting the outcome in favor of one of them.

Is this the reflections' intention? Or is it their mistake?

I don't know, I don't understand, but as an outsider, someone might be able to interfere with the outcome of this match from the sidelines.

but……

Why should I help them? Why should I provoke them? Why should I get involved with them?

Someone began to think, their thoughts tinged with confusion.

Leaving aside the matters of helping, angering, and interfering, there is something far more important to consider. And that is…

Who is this person?

【who I am?】

Who am I?

The world around someone shifted dramatically. They suddenly realized they were already standing amidst the ruins of that battlefield. The two wolves fought, tore, destroyed, and annihilated, projecting immeasurable energy shockwaves and material radiation onto every inch of their vision. They crumbled, reconstructed, froze, and then melted the earth.

Only then did someone realize that the ruins were actually quite large; only then did someone realize that the entire world lay within these vast ruins. The shadow city, protected by the fox, was not only the only peace, but also the button that would further activate the war. Once the shadow city called "Dragon Gate" was destroyed, the flames of war would inevitably spread to every corner of the land.

The reflections in those two eyes must have gotten something wrong... They definitely made a mistake, or missed something. But they couldn't quite put their finger on what they'd done wrong.

I want to help them. — Why should I help them?

I need to remind them. — Why should I remind them?

Who...who am I? — Who is I, again?

A deeper confusion arose in someone's mind; she didn't know who she was, she couldn't even figure out who she was. And as the confusion intensified, scenes, like memories, surfaced in her eyes.

She saw herself born from a surging river, and stood on the verdant grass along its banks. She saw a group of creatures, seemingly mortal, surrounding her, worshipping her, and offering her sacrifices. Then she reached out her hand and bestowed upon them the river's blessing.

They were taught to hunt, to fight, to raise livestock, to herd. And then… fire fell from the sky.

'Oneself' dies, then revives. Upon returning to life, 'Oneself' has become one of the 'mortals'. Then 'Oneself' picks up a bow and seeks revenge on the entity that unleashed heavenly fire.

It seemed that 'itself' had failed, because the thing that released the heavenly fire was a city flying in the sky—one had been destroyed, but there were still a trillion more in the sky. And even if all one trillion were destroyed, pure and clear light would descend from the highest point of the sky, turning all resistance into nothingness.

'Myself' failed again, failed many times. And before the final 'failure', 'myself' was preparing for a 'great operation' with a cheerful young man carrying an axe. And 'myself' died on the main battlefield of that great operation. After shooting out all the arrows, 'myself' was completely swallowed up by endless light.

And at the moment of its complete death, it seemed to hear the mournful cry of a friend. And the name it cried out was...

"—Luo Mi!!!"

Ah, yes. I am Luo Mi, the Mi of the Luo River. And I should…

The memories in my eyes shifted again, and the next moment, the 'I' appearing in my field of vision was a newborn infant—learning, growing up, 'I' possessed extraordinary talent. Before long, 'I' became a qualifying shooter for the Olympics. And before that… a childhood sweetheart whose face was no longer clearly visible betrayed 'me'.

My heart died, plunging into hell. Yet, just as my body was about to perish, I opened my eyes in a cycle even deeper than hell. And after that, endless battles began.

It was boring at first: an incompetent and furious captain, teammates who were only superficially united, and a newcomer with ulterior motives. I had no expectations of them, and they certainly didn't disappoint me.

I brought this upon myself, I brought this upon myself. I died once again, and then opened my eyes once more. But this time, I found the reason for my struggle.

She was a delicate, obedient, lovely, and intelligent little witch. She lost all her family in the war, and 'I' rescued and protected her. During those years when we depended on each other for survival, 'I' lived quite happily. No worries, no anxieties, just the act of shooting down monsters that roamed the war-torn lands to earn respect and recognition—such a life… was quite good.

Until that woman woke me from my dream, until she brought me back into the war.

Admittedly, she was a very easy-going teammate. Moreover, she was quite resourceful, managing to mold what was originally a chaotic team into her own hands—she could have done it, but she chose not to. She relinquished the power she had built from scratch, simply because she admitted that the original, incompetent captain was far superior to her.

Ah... what an interesting person. If I hadn't already met my little shrine maiden, and if she hadn't been so focused and already had someone she loved, perhaps 'I' would have fallen in love with her. But that's just wishful thinking; there's no need to delve too deeply into developments that don't exist.

And so, I became her partner, fighting alongside her in various worlds. Slowly, gradually, as time passed, I also came to accept the other partners, seeing everyone as part of an indispensable team.

Yes, that's right—I accepted them, and they accepted me. They were my partners. And my name is…