Upon hearing Tang Xunan's words, Shen Qingyang's smile faltered slightly.
In the next moment, he replied softly, "My work permit is left at the front desk, please wait a moment."
But Tang Xunan didn't afford him that time. Dust swirled as a sharp blade flashed before Shen Qingyang's eyes.
A jet-black tentacle blocked the path of the blade, splitting into two as it fell to the ground. Within those deep blue eyes on the tentacle, there was a twisted expression of resentment.
Shen Qingyang didn't want to reveal his identity, but often reality left him no choice.
Compared to the tentacles, his true form was much more vulnerable.
He withdrew the blood-drenched tentacle, muttering under his breath, "Damn it."
Shen Qingyang wasn't keen on fighting Tang Xunan here; fights led to casualties. He didn't want Lu Yan to see him in his current state.
He could endure the detachment, calmness, and even vigilance in Lu Yan's eyes, but he couldn't bear to see eyes filled with disgust.
It would remind Shen Qingyang of the days when he was a rat in the gutter. Due to a work injury, he limped along the streets, followed by a string of giggling children.
Shen Qingyang's massive, jet-black tentacles filled the corridor in an instant.
He assumed a defensive stance, feinted a move, then broke through the window, leaping from the high-rise building.
Tang Xunan spread his dragon wings behind him, plummeting like a meteor. His blade cleaved through the black tentacles in front of him, deep blue blood bursting in mid-air, splattering on the nearby glass as if painting a layer of lacquer.
【Talent 3 - Time】
The severed tentacles quickly withered and wrinkled from losing vitality, falling to the ground like shriveled eggplants.
The dust ruthlessly pierced through Shen Qingyang's heart, stabbing sharply from behind.
Everything happened in an instant.
The body that came into contact with the blade quickly turned a yellowish hue, like a mummy dried by the wind.
Shen Qingyang coughed out bright blue blood from his lips, yet a sinister smile crept onto his face. "Until next time, Lu Yan, you're mine."
The accommodation at the Prevention and Control Center was converted from a holiday hotel.
Underneath the building was a swimming pool.
Shen Qingyang sank into the depths of the water, dissipating like water itself.
A tiny black fish slipped into the drain.
Tang Xunan swung his blade towards the outlet; the pool's bottom cracked like a spider web, and the ground trembled.
In an instant, dragon's breath erupted, causing the entire pool water to evaporate in an instant, not even leaving behind mist.
However, the fish was still swimming too fast.
Tang Xunan pursed his lips, his expression darkening.
He opened his earpiece, contacting headquarters, "October 17th, 8:13 AM. Black Octopus spotted near Fengji Island."
When the commotion outside the corridor erupted into a fight and Shen Qingyang broke through the wall and leaped out of the building, the WiFi in Lu Yan's room went out.
Unfortunately, his webpage refreshed, displaying a 404 error.
"It seems the fiber optic cables are damaged," the system's voice sounded somewhat gleeful.
With no internet, Lu Yan temporarily halted his work. Standing by the bed, he glanced downward, catching sight of the moment when Shen Qingyang transformed into a fish and escaped.
He squinted slightly.
A burst of exclamation came from outside, as staff rushed in from all directions like ants.
The system made a clicking sound, "Shen Qingyang won't be coming back. You know about rabies, right? The rabies virus affects the central nervous system of the brain, and once contracted, the mortality rate is 100 percent. Contamination diseases work the same way. His thoughts have undergone some permanent, irreversible changes. Even for perfect evolvers."
"These changes, often the person affected isn't aware of them. In fact, Harbingers are also contamination disease patients, only they haven't fully developed the disease."
Lu Yan withdrew his gaze, and a few minutes later, there was a knock on the door.
He opened the door, making way for Tang Xunan, who instinctively straightened his tie, still stained with a bit of blue blood.
Tang Xunan entered, speaking in a businesslike tone, "Lu Yan. According to the surveillance, a black octopus disguised as a staff member has entered your room."
"According to headquarters' data, he used to be your patient. Pollutants and humans often have a significant difference in mentality. Although under special circumstances, remnants of human emotions may persist, the Special Operations Department has always had a policy of no mercy."
His implication was clear: Shen Qingyang wasn't a good person, and he hoped Lu Yan wouldn't be swayed by pollutants.
Although the data showed there wasn't any special relationship between the two.
But Shen Qingyang's words had left Tang Xunan feeling irritated, sounding like an inevitable declaration of something, even making him struggle to control his anger.
This anger made him want to coil Lu Yan tightly with his tail, lick him all over with his barbed tongue, leaving behind his scent.
Lu Yan took out two paper cups and poured some coconut milk from the fridge, "I know."
His tone remained as indifferent as ever.
After speaking, he sat on the sofa opposite Tang Xunan, sipping the chilled coconut milk.
Tang Xunan looked into his silver eyes, eventually relenting to his curiosity, "I want to know what Shen Qingyang did when he contacted you?"
The process of contacting pollutants was supposed to be the responsibility of the staff at the Prevention and Control Center.
Directly asking Lu Yan seemed somewhat presumptuous.
Lu Yan replied, "He delivered a letter, it's on the table."
【49°51′S, 128°34′W】*
Lu Yan took out a world map and cross-referenced the coordinates. This place was above the ocean, part of the Roaring Forties, also known as the "Devil's Westerlies," where massive waves often occur.
During the Age of Discovery, countless ships sank here.
Tang Xunan opened the envelope and his brows lifted in surprise.
"We have no record of this place at headquarters, but I remember it."
"During the initial outbreak of contamination diseases, many witnessed supernatural phenomena, turning atheists into theists."
"This kind of social environment became fertile ground for cults. The Western Truth Society and the Eastern Blissful Sect both emerged in this context."
"The Western Contamination Disease Prevention and Control Center once teamed up with the Hunters Guild and the Old Covenant Alliance to put an end to the Truth Society's headquarters. In the office of the Truth Society's president, Ya Wei, they found a yellowed nautical chart."
"The endpoint of the maritime chart wasn't marked with coordinates, but according to a proportional scale conversion, it coincidentally matched South Latitude 49°51′, West Longitude 128°34′... However, headquarters had dispatched fleets to that location before, only to find an expanse of sea. They guarded it for two years."
Tang Xunan took out his phone, "I have the authority to retrieve that nautical chart and show it to you."
The system sighed faintly, "[This might be one of the rare useful moments for the Dog Dragon. After working for over eighty years, the old man still has some privileges.]"
"[This place is called R'lyeh]."
"[I really want to tell you everything I know, but I'm afraid you'll become an idiot. Who understands this feeling of wanting to speak but stopping?]"
Tang Xunan pulled up the map and handed his phone to Lu Yan.
The scanned nautical chart had strange fonts, giving off an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
After pondering for a moment, Lu Yan remembered why it felt familiar.
When Lu Cheng was young, he liked to write diaries in this strange font.
Young Lu Yan once firmly believed that this was evidence of Lu Cheng killing his mother. He sneaked a few peeks, but no matter how careful he was, he would always be discovered, and then Lu Cheng would break a few of his bones. It's better not to bring up such things.
On the map, both the land and ocean areas were filled with crude drawings of monsters. In the central area was a large banyan tree, with roots almost covering the entire continent. Next to it was a bird flying with flames.
In the first area, a black dragon lay coiled on the ground, while in the distance, an eight-headed serpent bared its fangs and claws. In the third area, wings of birds were replaced by three pairs of angel wings covered with eyes.
Lu Yan scanned to the position of Changjia Island, where a brain flower was drawn.
...
...
Every inch of land on this nautical chart was filled with monsters, the overall tone was dark, except for one place, which was bright red as if dripping blood.
This place was marked on the sea with a dot circled by a pen, and next to it was written an English word: Destation (Destination).
Lu Yan looked very focused. After confirming that he remembered every detail on the nautical chart, he handed the phone back to Tang Xunan.
He asked the system, "What is R'lyeh?"
After a long silence, the system hesitated to reply, "[The underwater city, the land of destruction.]"
"Is it dangerous?"
"[According to human standards, it's classified as an S-level contaminated area.]"
Research has shown that underwater contamination mutations occurred at least three centuries earlier than on land.
Lu Yan continued, "Should I go?"
The "Abyss" mentioned in Shen Qingyang's letter didn't sound like a good thing.
The system said, "[Sooner or later, you'll go there. I hope to see your psychic threshold break ten thousand by then.]"
After experiencing the Divine Realm operation, Lu Yan's psychic threshold had once again increased. Now his psychic threshold was 8100, with a mutation level of 40.6.
Thinking of this, Lu Yan retrieved a box of walnuts from the bedside table and placed it in front of Tang Xunan, "Have some."
Tang Xunan: "What is this?"
Although he was curious, he obediently took one and chewed it, feeling that the walnut was quite fragrant.
"It's a local specialty brought back from Changjia Island," Lu Yan said, suddenly a thought struck him, "By the way, you've been working for so long, you should be good at writing reports, right?"
Tang Xunan: "Indeed, I've written quite a few."
Mainly task reports, they're quite relaxing.
Just like Lu Yan enjoys cleaning the room.
Lu Yan handed Tang Xunan the proof materials and task reports for Ning Huai, "Could you help me write these?"
Tang Xunan remained silent for a moment, "...Sure."
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