Clues

In the operation meeting room on the seventh floor of the Research Institute, Sun Hang saw Yang Lian again, as well as Wang Xiyi, who was wrapped in bandages like a zombie and had her long legs resting on the table.

Yang Lian had changed into the Research Institute's standard uniform. She was standing in front of a whiteboard, holding a thick stack of papers, her brow furrowed.

Many photos and clue cards were pinned to the whiteboard with magnetic thumbtacks, and a large amount of analysis was scrawled next to them in marker. Sun Hang took a closer look and saw that most of it was information related to the anomaly at the South City Public Cemetery.

"I just received word that the Tianfu City Management Committee's stance is that this matter has been handed over to the Special Operations Team sent down by the Federation for follow-up. We just need to cooperate with them at critical moments," Sun Hang said. "But judging by their attitude... this matter is pretty much over. The so-called follow-up is just to quell public opinion."

"That's their business, it has nothing to do with me," Yang Lian said coldly. "I will find my sister."

"It seems you and your sister have a very good relationship," Sun Hang said. "I thought you were the type who was cold and ruthless to everyone."

"My mother died in childbirth when she gave birth to me, and my father was always away on business. My sister raised me from a young age," Yang Lian said. "Even if no one helps me, I'll keep searching on my own."

Her tone was calm, but also firm.

"There's a saying, 'an elder sister is like a mother'," said Wang Xiyi, who looked like a mummy. "I used to have a sister too."

"And then what?" Sun Hang asked subconsciously.

"When I was first infected with the Anomalization Virus, I couldn't control my strength and killed her," Wang Xiyi said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Sun Hang realized he might have asked something he shouldn't have.

"There's nothing to apologize for. It was many years ago... and besides, she was already infected with the Anomalization Virus back then and had completely lost her mind... Even if I hadn't killed her, she would have eventually turned into an Anomaly," Wang Xiyi said. "In the Director's words, I was helping her find release."

Sun Hang let out a breath and walked to the whiteboard. After looking for a while, he shook his head helplessly. "Are you trying to summarize the pattern of that Phenomenon-type Anomaly's appearance?"

"Mm," Yang Lian nodded, placed another photo on the board, and then quickly wrote next to it with a marker.

"I feel like everything you've learned in your seven years working at the Investigation Bureau has gone into your backside," Sun Hang muttered, crossing his arms. "What's more, all these so-called 'patterns' and 'conditions' you've written down can't stand up to scrutiny... Many of your deductions seem like wishful thinking to me."

The marker in Yang Lian's hand stopped. She took a deep breath and said softly, "...I know, but this is all I can do. I can only hope that things will develop in the direction I've deduced... This is my only chance to find her."

"If you really want to take a gamble, I have a suggestion for you," Sun Hang said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "Help me check the weather forecast for the next period of time, find the cloudy, windless days with low atmospheric pressure, and mark them one by one."

"Weather forecast?" Yang Lian was stunned at first, then turned around and looked at Sun Hang excitedly. "Did you get some crucial information?"

"You can't really call it information..." Sun Hang said. "The first time Spacetime Displacement occurred, I saw those missing people on the TV screen. And when the original spacetime was displaced back, a few hours ago, I saw the sky covered by heavy clouds... But as you know, today is a clear day with no clouds. That old man in the wheelchair told me that the reason I saw those 'scenes' that didn't exist in reality was because I had 'Resonance' with that Anomaly."

"Resonance... Resonance!" Yang Lian tightly gripped the marker in her hand. "Meaning, the next time Spacetime Displacement occurs, the 'non-existent scenes' you saw will also appear in the real world!"

"I didn't say that... Even that old man didn't dare to be sure, let alone me," Sun Hang shook his head. "I can only offer you some ideas... But no matter what, it's more reliable than you playing a deduction game with those worthless photos."

"I'll check right away!" Yang Lian busied herself opening the laptop beside her, typed a string of passwords into an input field, and directly accessed the management backend of the Tianfu City Meteorological Bureau.

With the authority Yang Lian held, all the meteorological bureau's data was practically transparent to her.

"The next cloudy day is in three days, May 19th," Yang Lian said, staring at the screen. "Windless weather, atmospheric pressure 997 hectopascals, average humidity 46%... This is the only windless day in the next fifteen days."

"It's simple, we just need to place a batch of beacons in the South City Public Cemetery," Sun Hang said. "When the beacon's signal disappears, it means spacetime has been displaced again."

"The Special Operations Team sent down by the higher-ups is already doing that," Wang Xiyi added. "They've sealed off the entire displaced area and ordered fourteen thousand special beacons, which are expected to be distributed by air drop in two days."

"Then it depends on whether they're willing to share information with us," Sun Hang said.

"Probably not," Wang Xiyi shook her head. "These 'Imperial Envoys' from above are all arrogant. We're the ones who cooperate with them... For them to cooperate with us in return, tsk, unless the Director personally intervenes."

"That might not even work," Yang Lian continued. "We can't place our hopes on them. We need to make our own batch of beacons."

"Does the Investigation Bureau have any of these ready-made?" Sun Hang asked.

"Yes, but not enough," Yang Lian said. "I calculated that if we deploy them at the minimum standard interval, we'll need at least six thousand beacons. Considering various uncontrollable factors, the actual deployment number will need to be at least doubled."

"That's twelve thousand... tsk." Sun Hang clicked his tongue. "The factories in Tianfu City capable of producing these beacons have all been monopolized by that Special Operations Team, haven't they?"