Anomaly

While Luo Yifang was still observing his surroundings, Paqi suddenly spoke, "The [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds] has detected uncontrollable changes in the world. Please investigate."

"What?!" Luo Yifang was surprised. He had just discovered a peculiar corpse, and the [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds] had already issued a task-like request? It seemed this corpse was indeed a significant problem.

But Luo Yifang suddenly thought of something else, "The [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds] doesn't seem to be forcing me to complete the task?"

"Don't overthink it. The [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds] has always been like this. If you can't complete a task, you just won't get a reward. There are no punishments," Paqi said helplessly. "But none of the previous contractors were like you. You're a complete oddball."

Luo Yifang was curious. If they weren't like him, what were they like?

"Those high-level beings are all beyond individual will, true omniscient and omnipotent gods. They don't act based on personal likes or dislikes. Most of them are essentially collections of consciousness. They are merely observers of the universe, one level below the [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds]. How could they be like you, a pure human?" Paqi couldn't understand why the [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds] would seek out such a contractor.

"So, you're saying there's no such thing as a 'cultivation competition'?" Luo Yifang asked, quite confused. The previous collaborators the [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds] had sought were all at the level of cosmic or world consciousness. Why would it suddenly approach him? Unfortunately, he didn't have time to ponder things that weren't immediately useful. The current matters were far more important: first, the Absolute Ability User Project, and second, the corpse the [Book of Ten Thousand Worlds] wanted him to investigate.

"You've watched too many 'infinite flow' novels," Paqi said speechlessly. "Your persecution complex is too severe. Why don't you go raise a 'kun'?"

Unexpectedly, Luo Yifang frowned upon hearing this and said very seriously, "I don't play mobile games."

"&￥%#&*&@" Paqi had no idea what to say. She felt like she couldn't have a normal conversation with this guy.

Luo Yifang didn't notice Paqi's near-exploding state and continued to investigate his surroundings. He even dipped his finger in the congealed blood on the ground. The moment he touched the bloodstain, Luo Yifang felt a significant amount of energy from it. This energy seemed to be hidden very subtly; he wouldn't have discovered it if he hadn't touched it. In that case, a biological crisis could likely be ruled out. Luo Yifang would have to consider the origin of the corpse more.

"That energy is very strange..." As Accelerator, Luo Yifang had undergone numerous experiments in his youth. He could recognize almost all forms of energy in the world, whether it was heat, light, electricity, or even cosmic radiation. However, this energy gave him a sense of unfamiliarity he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Hmm, it looks a bit like magic," Paqi offered a hint.

Magic? Luo Yifang knew that magic did exist in this world. However, logically, mages shouldn't have entered Academy City yet. Moreover, this kind of magic that controlled corpses was likely something disreputable. Would Aleister really allow necromancer-like individuals to roam freely in his territory? Such magic was often similar to plagues. Even if the worlds were different and the types varied, this kind of magic that manipulated corpses, without extremely strong assimilation, would be quite uninteresting.

Furthermore, he found it difficult to track the corpse's whereabouts. Luo Yifang wouldn't believe for a second that there wasn't supernatural assistance involved. It was just that the clues had run dry. The only useful thing was that if he could come into contact with this energy again, he could identify it immediately. However, at this point, such an action was akin to finding a needle in a haystack, and the sheer absurdity of it was apparent. The difficulty of encountering someone who specifically operated in the darkness would not be small.

"NO.2, haven't you found that intruder yet?" a man in black asked unhappily, looking at the brown-haired youth in a casual suit in front of him. "It's been almost two days since that guy stole important experimental materials from the research institute, and you haven't found any trace? The board of directors is not satisfied."

"Heh," the youth, NO.2 "Uncreated Substance"--Kakine Teitoku--glanced dismissively at the man in black. "You're not satisfied? I'm sacrificing my precious time to catch a petty thief for you, and your useless investigation team can't provide any leads. Who should be dissatisfied?!"

Seeing Kakine Teitoku's "It's already a great honor that I'm gracing you with my presence" expression, the man in black's face darkened. He said in a low voice, "Fine, but the board wants me to inform you that you must find that guy's whereabouts within a week. Those experimental materials are very precious."

After the man in black finished speaking, Kakine Teitoku waved his hand impatiently and said to him, "Alright, I get it. You can leave!"

"Hmph!" The man in black couldn't be bothered to say more to this guy. He snorted and left. Kakine Teitoku glanced at his retreating back, a cold smile on his lips, and turned to step into the darkness.

The departing man in black stood in an alley, holding a satellite phone, seemingly talking to someone. His voice was filled with resentment, "Yes, sir. Ever since NO.2 got involved with that project, his personality has become even more arrogant and frivolous than before. He doesn't even pay attention to the board anymore."

"..." There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, then a hoarse voice slowly said, "Alright. As long as he's willing to contribute, it's fine. But if there are no results within a week, you know what to do."

Upon hearing the reply, a few drops of sweat appeared on the man in black's forehead. He quickly acknowledged and hung up the phone. He then made several other calls, arranging some matters. But as he put his phone away and prepared to leave the gloomy alley, he didn't notice that the moment he turned around, a pair of scarlet eyes lit up behind him, accompanied by what sounded like the dripping of water.

A muffled thud echoed in the alley, and then it returned to silence, though a faint dragging sound could be heard on the ground.