Chapter 23
Chapter 23
“What in the world is happening?”
Inside the shopping center, Qin Shiyu’s expression had turned exceptionally grave. For the first time, she felt that the situation was slipping out of control.
Qin Zhenye, who had called her only yesterday, had suddenly vanished.
Then an A-class Haunted House Anomaly had disappeared right beneath her nose.
Worse, Rain had actually developed humanity. She could hide within a crowd so perfectly that she was almost indistinguishable from anyone else.
“What happened to Rain?”
Qin Shiyu’s delicate brows drew together.
In her view, every strange development stemmed from Rain’s transformation.
“It seems Rain truly has undergone some degree of evolution. If this continues, Frost may never be able to compete with her for the Water God’s Authority.”
She murmured to herself as urgency tightened around her heart.
“No matter what, she has obtained the Water God’s Knot. It is her companion object, something the Water God left specifically for her. She will definitely contain it.”
“And once she does, she will no longer be a threat.”
Qin Shiyu sounded as though she were trying to convince herself.
They had spent years plotting to obtain the Water God’s Authority, and the Water God’s Knot had been specially treated.
Now that Rain had finally reclaimed it, they had come too far to retreat.
“Tell Frost to prepare. We can begin.”
She took out her phone and made a call.
…
At Mingjiang No. 7 Special School…
Wang Zhong and Zuo Qingting had arrived. After arranging the visit through the Education Administration Bureau, they were respectfully escorted around the school by Principal Zhu Jiayan.
Wang Zhong inspected everything carefully, paying particular attention to the garbage area where the records said a battle had taken place.
These two officials clearly cared a great deal about how the school handled its garbage. Zhu Jiayan made a mental note to remember that.
Wang Zhong and Zuo Qingting found nothing. They continued walking around, and when they passed the public restroom, Zuo Qingting gave it a puzzled glance without showing any outward reaction.
Before long, the two men left the school.
“It’s too clean,” Wang Zhong said with a frown. “Normally, after an S-class anomaly like Rain appears, a great deal of anomalous aura remains at the scene.”
“This school doesn’t look as though an S-class anomaly has ever visited it.”
Zuo Qingting replied calmly, “Rain remained hidden in Mingjiang City for so long without being discovered. That alone proves how cautious she is.”
“It would be stranger if we found her this easily.”
Wang Zhong nodded. “True. Let’s head back.”
They climbed into separate cars.
Once inside his vehicle, Zuo Qingting took out a private phone, quickly typed a message, and sent it.
“Detected anomalous aura in the public restroom at Mingjiang No. 7 Special School. Based on the reading, it should be A-class.”
A reply soon arrived.
“A-class? Not Rain? Could an anomaly have been born inside the school?”
The dirtier, more chaotic, desolate, and lightless a place was, the more easily anomalies emerged there.
If a new A-class anomaly had been born in the restroom, the situation made sense. It might have absorbed all the anomalous aura Rain left behind.
“Very possible,” Zuo Qingting replied. “Send someone to investigate secretly.”
After sending the message, he erased every record from the phone.
…
At the Anomaly Suppression Bureau…
“There isn’t a single problem in Wang Zhong or Zuo Qingting’s records.”
Xu Changjiang frowned as he examined their personnel files.
Both appeared to be highly talented and competent officers who had advanced one step at a time.
Shi Xuan remained calm.
“Wang Zhong is a Wang, and Zuo Qingting is a Zuo. That is the problem.”
Xu Changjiang stared at him. “You mean… the two great families?”
Shi Xuan nodded. “You don’t know much about the province’s major families, so it’s understandable that you didn’t notice anything.”
He sighed.
“In recent years, families like the Wangs and Zuos have produced more anomaly wielders every year, and each generation is stronger than the last. Something isn’t right.”
“Zuo Qingting is considered an outstanding young talent even within the Provincial Department. But inside the Zuo family, he’s only a member of a collateral branch.”
Shi Xuan revealed more of what he knew.
Xu Changjiang’s heart grew heavy. He understood the scale of the danger hidden in those words.
After anomalies began running rampant, many of society’s underlying rules remained unchanged.
The wealthy conglomerates that already controlled social resources had more opportunities to research and experiment with containing anomalous entities.
Over the years, family-based power blocs had formed throughout the country. Their influence grew by the day, to the point that even the government struggled to restrain them.
If either Zuo Qingting or Wang Zhong truly was a traitor, the implications would be severe.
At minimum, it would prove that a faction controlling immense resources and power had already joined forces with the Eclipse Organization.
They had even infiltrated the Anomaly Suppression Bureau system.
“What are they trying to accomplish? What could possibly be worth taking a risk like this?”
Xu Changjiang couldn’t understand.
“Have you heard of the Water God?” Shi Xuan asked calmly.
Xu Changjiang frowned. “The Water God? What gods could still exist in this world?”
If gods truly existed, how could they allow anomalies to run rampant?
“This isn’t a god in the traditional sense. It refers to… an extraordinarily powerful anomaly,” Shi Xuan explained with a soft sigh.
“S-class anomalies already possess terrifying abilities and can easily destroy an entire city. But those anomalies can still be dealt with.”
“The strongest anomalies are those capable of forming rules. When a rule becomes powerful enough, it can govern a particular force-changing the weather across several provinces, altering the direction of ocean currents, or causing a volcano to erupt. That is why they’re called gods.”
“The power they command is considered divine authority.”
Xu Changjiang stared in disbelief.
Anomalies powerful enough to do such things actually existed?
“These anomalies are strong enough to affect the world, but some unknown limitation has prevented them from ever truly manifesting. Otherwise, no one could stop them.”
Shi Xuan seemed to understand Xu Changjiang’s confusion and continued explaining.
“Within Jiangdong Province, we have identified three anomalies that might be called gods.”
“One of them is the Water God.”
Shi Xuan calmly took out a file and handed it over.
“In the entire Provincial Department, only the director and I have seen this. You’re the third person.”
Xu Changjiang solemnly opened the file.
“Name: Water God”
“Place of Origin: Five Dragons Mountain”
“Ability: Governs the water systems of the Mingjiang River, Yongjiang River, and Taibai River. Capable of influencing weather and waterways.”
“Note 1: Several years ago, Jiangdong Province repeatedly experienced extreme weather, alternating between torrential rain and intense heat. The Mingjiang River, Yongjiang River, and other water systems suffered multiple severe disasters affecting tens of millions of people. An investigation confirmed the Water God’s existence. The anomaly’s aura was subsequently detected dissipating, suggesting that the entity had perished.”
“Note 2: Cause of disappearance unknown.”
“Note 3: After the Water God perished, the Mingjiang River and other water systems lost their governing force, while the anomalies around Five Dragons Mountain became difficult to control. Research suggests that finding an anomalous entity left behind by the fallen Water God may allow the Water God’s Authority to be condensed anew.”
“Related Anomalies: Frost, Rain, Hundred-Insect Miao Maiden.”
“Frost and Rain are both closely connected to the Water God and are the most likely anomalies to inherit the Water God’s Authority,” Shi Xuan explained. “The Hundred-Insect Miao Maiden was likely one of the Water God’s followers. She is also an extraordinarily powerful anomaly.”
Xu Changjiang was shaken. The file had shown him a higher level of the world-and allowed him to feel the cold radiating down from it.
“So the Hall of Anomalies and the Eclipse Organization are both searching for Rain because they want the Water God’s Authority…”
His expression grew complicated. At last, he understood why a small city like Mingjiang had attracted so much trouble.
“Deputy Director Shi, why show me something this secret?”
Xu Changjiang didn’t understand.
Shi Xuan sighed softly.
“You aren’t the only one filled with doubt. Even I have very few people left whom I can trust.”
“Since you’ve laid a trap in Mingjiang City, you must have some kind of trump card. Giving you all the information will make it easier for you to act. Isn’t that right?”
Xu Changjiang looked at the deputy director who had fought his way up from the lowest ranks, his heart full of conflicting emotions. Shi Xuan had seen through everything he had done, yet offered neither blame nor interference. Instead, he was helping perfect the plan and protecting Xu from the consequences.
“This battle is about far more than protecting the people of Mingjiang City,” Shi Xuan said with unprecedented gravity.
“The Eclipse Organization, the Hall of Anomalies, and even those major conglomerates have gone too far in recent years. They’re testing us. If we reveal weakness, the consequences will be unimaginable. Society itself may lose all order. Do you understand?”
The government had struggled constantly to maintain a fragile balance.
That was why, despite anomalies running rampant, most ordinary people could still live peaceful lives.
Now the rival factions were expanding. If the authorities could no longer suppress them, no one could imagine what upheaval would follow.
This was a contest.
Their opponents were unknown enemies: the Hall of Anomalies, the Eclipse Organization, and powerful families harboring their own schemes.
The government stood in the open and was forced to react.
Here in Mingjiang City, the card in Xu Changjiang’s hand was their only hidden force, one the major families had not yet discovered.
“I won’t pry into Mingjiang City’s secrets. I’ll help you maintain confidentiality, and you can act without restraint,” Shi Xuan said calmly.
“There is nowhere to retreat in this battle. We must win.”
…