"The concentrated training zone..."
Guan Tong looked at his phone, which displayed a ssage from Xu Xiaotian.
He said he had been delivering food and other daily necessities to the officially established concentrated training zone every day recently and was incredibly busy.
Guan Tong had seen the news about the establishnt of the concentrated training zone online yesterday.
The official stated purpose was that they didn't want these fanatical training groups to affect other people, so they had designated a separate training area for them.
But this approach, no matter how you looked at it, wouldn't make the situation any better.
Especially with the fanatical trainees gathering together; under "resonance," wouldn't they just beco even more fanatical?
Guan Tong didn't bother guessing the official's true purpose for doing this. It had nothing to do with him anyway; he had his own matters to attend to.
"I've posted the commission." Uenoshi's voice ca from beside him.
She was holding her phone, displaying the Ascendant Ho website.
"Let's wait. There should be results soon."
Guan Tong had previously said he would help Uenoshi. This thod of help was to have her post a commission on the forum.
The commission requirent was to obtain the database information of Sakura Prayer's official citizens. The fee was one hundred thousand Ascension Coins.
The forum itself had many top-tier hacker users. The most skilled among them could even hack into the Suroma Empire's national security database, let alone breach Sakura Prayer's official firewall to get data.
The reason the commission content didn't directly request searching for soone by the na "Uenoshi" was to prevent the commission from being seen by Sakura Prayer officials, who might then urgently make modifications, deletions, or other obstructive actions.
Less than fifteen minutes after the commission was posted, soone replied to accept it.
Guan Tong glanced at the ID. It was actually an acquaintance—the hacker "Mask."
Back when he first built this website, it was this Mask who optimized the interface for him. Although this guy's real purpose was to implant Trojans, he ended up doing all the grunt work but failing to achieve his goal.
Mask sent Uenoshi a private ssage: "Infiltration plus data copying, one hundred thousand is fine, right?"
Uenoshi replied: "Okay."
Mask: "I'll give you the data in one hour."
"Can we find them like this?" Uenoshi wasn't very sure.
Guan Tong said, "If there's no information in the database, then it will be very difficult. Perhaps we can only look for Ascendants with people-finding abilities or items... but I don't think the hope is great."
Modern electronic data collection in various countries is very comprehensive. From the mont a person is registered at birth, their own information and that of their Imdiate Family mbers are bound together in the database.
If it can't be found in the database, it ans either even the na "Uenoshi" is fake, or the data related to her has been specially processed.
Either way would make things very troubleso.
"Do you know where the Divine Child usually lives?"
While waiting, Guan Tong inquired about the specific details of the Divine Child.
Uenoshi shook her head: "After moving to this land, I was placed under house arrest. I don't know where he usually is."
"What is his personality like?"
"Personality..."
Uenoshi didn't expect Guan Tong to ask about such things. She thought for a mont before answering.
"Very hypocritical," she said. "Actually has a terrible temper, but likes to pretend to have a good temper."
"...I think I get the picture."
It had to be said that Uenoshi's description was very fitting. The image of a sanctimonious Superior imdiately ford in Guan Tong's mind.
"Speaking of which, based on what you said earlier, besides you, the Chosen Team has two other mbers. What are their situations like?"
Uenoshi shook her head: "I only know they are absolutely loyal to the Divine Child. They probably aren't under house arrest."
"What's your relationship with them like?"
"Probably okay, I guess."
"Hmm... With you disappearing, the Divine Child must really want to find you. He will most likely send these two teammates of yours to participate in the search for you. We might be able to use this to our advantage to lure the Divine Child out instead."
Uenoshi looked at Guan Tong. The latter's face was still concealed by Shadow, not revealing his true appearance to her, undoubtedly a sign of distrust.
Guan Tong had been upfront with her about this earlier.
Before their cooperation ended, he would keep his true face hidden. Both parties should just act according to the agreed-upon pattern. There was no need to pretend to trust each other when they weren't really familiar.
An hour later, Mask promptly sent Uenoshi several files.
Mask: "I got the databases from the population registration departnt and the Public Security Headquarters. No matter who you want to look up, you should be able to find results. Pleasure doing business."
After obtaining the data files, Uenoshi imdiately searched using the computer Guan Tong provided.
She searched for her own na. Dozens of results ca up, all people with the sa na.
After inputting more detailed filtering data like place of origin and age, only one result remained.
Upon opening it, she found that her data stopped being updated in May of last year, and her list of related persons had completely changed to "None."
"It seems soone has tampered with your data," Guan Tong, standing beside her, said.
"...I entered the Chosen Team in May of last year. The data also stopped updating during this period. It must be the Divine Child's order."
"Check your two teammates."
Uenoshi nodded, inputting the nas of her two teammates. She found their situations were the sa as hers: after joining the team, their data was no longer updated, and their related persons also beca "None."
"The related persons of people who join the 'Team' are all cleared. Your Divine Child's need for control is really strong."
"...Can deleted data be recovered?"
"It's been too long; I'm not sure. You can ask Mask."
After Uenoshi inquired, Mask quickly replied that it couldn't be done. However, Mask told her that such deleted data usually had value, and the relevant personnel would most likely retain it on their local machines.
If they could find the local machine, they might still find the information.
"I need to know who my parents are," Uenoshi said to Guan Tong, her vertical pupils showing a hint of obsession. "Let's go with your plan. Use
as bait to lure the Divine Child out."
"Agreed." Guan Tong had already thought of a related idea. "I know a place very suitable to serve as our battlefield."
...
Public Security Headquarters, Room 109.
The mbers of the special investigation team hadn't gone ho for a day and a night, all thoroughly worn out by the administrative building case.
Several groups of people had co to lecture them within a single day, from high officials of the Headquarters to ministers of the administration.
"I heard the Director say the Divine Child might even co to our special investigation team. I wonder if it's true?"
"Probably not very likely..."
"I think we should focus on investigating the case. We need to find that guy sooner."
"Have you checked all the surveillance footage? Still no sign of anyone?"
"None. It's really strange. He wasn't caught at any of the building entrances or exits. It's as if he appeared inside the building out of thin air. Could it be a fixed-point teleportation item?"
"Then how did he leave? And he even took a person with him. That would require a group teleportation, right? Such items all need a certain amount of ti to take effect, but the guards clearly rushed to the detention room imdiately at the ti and saw nothing."
The special investigation team personnel were completely clueless. In the end, they could only look at the transferred personnel sitting in the corner.
That woman from the Antu Public Security Bureau nad Suzuki. Her desk was densely piled with over a hundred drawings, each with a portrait of a man.
So of these portraits were overly realistic, so blurry, so even a chaotic ss, completely indistinguishable as human or ghost.
This made everyone, who had initially placed high hopes in her ability, sowhat disappointed. They felt her [Profiling] wasn't as impressive as imagined.
However, with no progress in surveillance or population screening, the case seed to have hit a dead end.
The special investigation team leader walked over and asked, "Suzuki, you've been drawing all day. Any new developnts?"
Suzuki held a pencil, her brow furrowed tightly.
The team leader called her na several tis before she snapped back to attention.
"Ah... Team Leader."
"Suzuki, have you profiled the target's image?"
The team leader said, casually picking up a drawing. Seeing its contents, his expression turned strange.
On the drawing were things resembling tentacles, spreading out from a mass of darkness.
This looked less like a profile and more like an illustration from so horror novel.
"Ahem, Suzuki, is this really what you profiled?"
Suzuki took the drawing and said, "This is indeed a certain scene I 'saw' after using my [Profiling] ability."
A young man ca over, saw the drawing, and chuckled: "So the target we're looking for is actually a tentacle monster?"
"Shut up." The team leader scolded him, then looked at the woman. "Suzuki, you're probably too tired. Rest for a few hours."
"Okay, thank you, Team Leader."
Suzuki got up and went to the window outside the room, taking several deep breaths.
She wasn't stupid. She knew what those looks from the special investigation team ant. Those mocking eyes clearly held contempt and ridicule.
Although she didn't show it, she felt very resentful inside.
But...
"Could my ability really be malfunctioning?" Suzuki muttered. "Otherwise, why would I keep profiling such bizarre images..."
Judging from the surveillance footage, the target was clearly a normal young man. Yet in her profiling scenes, a large number of strange, grotesque things kept appearing.
What exactly was...
As she was thinking, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching.
Turning to look, she saw several people walking over. The one in the lead wore traditional Sakura Prayer robes, with exquisite makeup on his face. It was the person with the most esteed status in this country—the Divine Child.
She had also heard the special investigation team mbers say the Divine Child might co, but she didn't expect to actually see him in person. She was montarily stunned.
It wasn't until the Divine Child and his group approached that she snapped out of it and hurriedly bowed: "Divine Child, hello..."
The Divine Child glanced at her and smiled. "You're Suzuki, transferred to the special investigation team, right? You've worked hard."
The Divine Child actually knows ?!
Suzuki was pleasantly surprised. When she looked up again, she only saw the Divine Child's exquisite profile flash by as he entered Room 109.
Suzuki's heart was pounding with excitent.
She never imagined the Divine Child would know a small figure like her and even smile at her. This made her feel imnsely honored.
At that mont, a sentence Yoshino said before she ca from Antu suddenly surfaced in her mind.
"To live up to our superiors' trust, we should be prepared."
That's right! The Divine Child coming in person must be to urge a quick resolution of the case.
To help, I...
"Deep breaths... Inhale..."
Suzuki turned and took big gulps of fresh air from outside the window. She had only one thought in her mind: to quickly absorb the alien spores.
She had been very resistant to using the power of the spores before. But now, for the sake of that friendly smile from the Divine Child, she was determined to successfully profile the target using her own ability!
Her heartfelt wish seed to be sensed by the invisible spores. Soon, she felt the changes occurring in her body.
Light, clear. The original pressure and fatigue were all swept away.
So the feeling brought by the spores could be this good...
After her initial surprise, Suzuki imdiately struck while the iron was hot. Based on the hundreds of profiles she had accumulated earlier, she activated her ability again.
As if heaven itself was helping, an image rapidly ford in her mind, and she was absolutely certain this image was very accurate.
The mont this image ford, she imdiately understood why, among the hundreds of drawings she had made earlier, a large number had wildly different contents.
"So that's it!"
Suzuki's eyes lit up, and she imdiately ran back into the investigation room.
At that mont in the room, after the Divine Child's arrival, all mbers of the special investigation team stood straight, their faces filled with reverence.
"This case is very complex. I know everyone has been working hard," the Divine Child said. "Compensation will certainly be given, but the most important thing is still to identify the target and protect national security."
"Divine Child, please rest assured!" The special investigation team leader said solemnly. "I and all team mbers will spare no effort. We will definitely identify the target and solve this case!"
The Divine Child nodded and was about to continue speaking when Suzuki, who had rushed in, interrupted him.
"Suzuki! Can't you see the Divine Child is here?!" The team leader imdiately raised his voice in reminder upon seeing this.
But Suzuki seed not to hear. She rushed to her desk, grabbed a blank sheet of paper, and quickly started drawing with a pencil.
"Suzuki, you—"
"Wait." The Divine Child raised his hand to stop the team leader. "Don't disturb her. She seems to have had so inspiration."
"Yes..."
Not long after, Suzuki finished drawing and flipped the paper around to show everyone.
"This is the target image I profiled! I'm confident this is definitely one of his appearances, at least one of them!"
Everyone looked and showed surprised expressions.
The content of the drawing was a person entirely wrapped in darkness, with large amounts of black shadows spreading out in all directions around him and at his feet.
Seeing this, the team leader couldn't help but feel that presenting such a target image in front of the Divine Child was completely embarrassing.
"Suzuki, you're overtired. How could the target possibly be this—"
Before he finished speaking, the Divine Child stepped forward and took the drawing from Suzuki's hand.
"You drew very well," he said, looking at the drawing, his gaze gradually becoming very sharp.
"Divine Child?"
The team leader and other mbers didn't understand why the Divine Child approved of Suzuki. The figure in the drawing didn't look like a normal human at all; it looked more like so kind of monster.
"Have you all forgotten soone?" The Divine Child raised the drawing. "That person from Beixing who can manipulate shadows. Would such an image be strange for him?"
"Ah! You an...!"
Everyone suddenly understood, uttering a na in unison.
"Shadow!"
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