On the way out, the base was always kept at a constant temperature, yet Bai Zhou inexplicably felt cold all over, his limbs stiff.
It turned out he was not the only one watching Deputy Han. Deputy Han had been watching him as well.
It seemed that after "eating" Section Chief Liu, he could not wait to "eat" Bai Zhou too.
...The "fresh goods" Deputy Han had told Baldy to collect tomorrow night—could that include him as well?
That would explain why Deputy Han had treated him so well for no reason and been so eager to make him Extraordinary.
--But why exactly?
Why was he so impatient?
So many people were perfectly fine. Why Section Chief Liu and him, the newcomer, of all people?
Had the two of them done something, or was there something special about them worth "eating"?
What worried Bai Zhou most was whether "eating" him was Deputy Han's idea or Major's orders from behind the scenes.
...All these mysteries tangled in Bai Zhou's heart, leaving him deeply troubled.
He was clearly walking through the familiar base, surrounded by bustling crowds.
Yet Bai Zhou could not feel the slightest sense of security.
Everything he passed was still just as it had been, but in Bai Zhou's eyes, the feeling was completely different from before.
The armed patrols still smiled and greeted him whenever they saw him.
Their stark white teeth were bared.
--These were people-eaters.
They could eat people. There was no guarantee they would not eat Bai Zhou too.
The tower stood there in silence.
One gray and black building after another loomed wordlessly, while the passing Commissioners were dressed to the nines.
Slogans could be seen everywhere, all ringing with righteousness and force.
...Who could have imagined that they were hiding another enormous, blood-filled maw unknown to the world?
The fake beauty trap:
A stranger curries favor with you.
The real beauty trap:
Your leader values you, your organization pays you, the world respects you, and your comrades shout that they will never abandon you. Your spirit is dedicated to fighting for the Federation.
--Who wouldn't be dazzled by that?
But the truth was that this base was always eating people, and Bai Zhou might be next.
Perhaps this was also part of the truth of Blue Star's Mystic World--
A world where people ate people.
Even if the ordinary Commissioners had suspected something, they could only continue pretending not to know.
Otherwise, what could they do?
The enormous profits were enough to blind them, leaving them no time to think too deeply.
Even if Bai Zhou stood up now, raised his arms, and exposed the darkness of the Special Management Department and Deputy Han's ugly true face...
Where was the evidence?
How many people would believe him was another matter.
Before they were willing to believe Bai Zhou--
All those people whose numbers and strength were unknown, and who had participated in this incident, would immediately use every means available to crush Bai Zhou.
Then everything would return to tranquility, as if nothing had happened.
Tomorrow, Branch 36 of the Special Management Department would once again be beautiful and harmonious, united as one, and fighting for justice!
Perhaps becoming "Extraordinary" was the threshold for becoming "fattened up" and being eaten.
But the ordinary people at the bottom who lacked the qualifications to become Extraordinary could continue profiting from it.
Above them were the informed vested interests.
Below them were the uninformed vested interests.
--Then who was the "newcomer" caught between everyone now?
Bai Zhou!
Perhaps from the day his high-resistance contamination constitution was discovered, he had already become tempting "fat meat" in the eyes of the higher-ups.
Bai Zhou shuddered where he stood.
Fortunately--
Section Chief Liu's funeral had allowed Bai Zhou to discover everything ahead of time.
No one knew that he was a Level 1 Adventurer.
He was a Destined One who wielded Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash, and he also had a Mechanical Spear-Gun... not to mention Ya behind him.
Was a Level 1 Destiny Adventurer strong enough?
He was decent.
But in a base full of talented people, there was certainly no shortage of people stronger than him... such as Major and Deputy Han.
However, Bai Zhou felt...
No matter how powerful a force was, if it was left exposed and openly manipulated every day, one day the sky would collapse.
No matter how weak a force was, if it was hidden deeply enough to make others underestimate it, it could still pry loose the boulder at the mountain's peak.
--Because weakness itself could become strength.
Victory came from catching the enemy off guard!
Back in the Dormitory, Bai Zhou set down the "Intelligence Potion" and discovered that Ya was not in the room.
So he changed into his uniform and hurried out again.
...Although he possessed an unexpected trump card, there was no such thing as having too much hidden strength.
Bai Zhou needed to become stronger.
Because Deputy Han had already set his sights on him.
Now, his enemies included not only Deputy Han but everyone standing behind him.
It was not only for Section Chief Liu. Even for his own sake, he had to prepare for the worst in the near future.
--He probably really could not stay in this base much longer.
But if that was the case...
There were still a few final things he had to do!
"Beep--"
Bai Zhou arrived before the door of a low gray building, took out his newly replaced Level P3 Specialist identification card, and swiped it at the entrance.
Black Box Maintenance Department, newly appointed sector supervisor, Bai Zhou--
Had arrived at his loyal Third Sector of the Black Room.
The wage slave began today's "routine work" with an expressionless face.
Walking through the pitch-black corridor, with silence and no one around, Bai Zhou surveyed his surroundings as he passed the iron doors of one Black Room after another.
As the supervisor, he had permission to come to the Black Room at any time and inspect the Black Boxes whenever he wished.
--In any case, he would not be staying in this cursed place for long...
He had to take full advantage of it before leaving!
Although he had only one day left, Bai Zhou was not without opportunities to grow stronger.
He would use the convenience of his current identity and position to obtain as many benefits as possible and arm himself.
Take the organization's things and fight the organization?
That was perfectly reasonable.
--Otherwise, how could he live up to his new identity as a Level P3 supervisor?
Hadn't he worked so hard to rise through the organization just to enjoy the fruits of victory today?
As the highly dangerous and special Black Box Maintenance Department, a Level P3 supervisor could do things that other Commissioners could never imagine, provided he was bold enough.
Because this was the position closest to the Black Boxes.
At first, Bai Zhou had wanted to secretly pack up every Black Box in the sector and carry them away.
Unfortunately, when he actually worked out a plan, he discovered that it would be extraordinarily difficult and could only regretfully abandon the idea.
But there was one thing that was extremely easy for Bai Zhou now--
With a click,
Bai Zhou stopped before Black Room F-13777 on the directory.
The introduction to the [Johor Laurel Crown] was densely pasted across the black metal door.
As a rattling sound rang out, Bai Zhou took out a long string of brand-new keys, found the corresponding one, and unlocked the door.
With a creak--
Bai Zhou slowly entered the narrow, dim Black Room.
As he closed the door behind him, he looked up and saw the Black Box resting in the center.
[Containment Measures: Place the Crown in sealed distilled water. Direct starlight is strictly forbidden. The Crown must remain in a dim environment isolated from all outside light at all times.]
[Appendix: The water must be changed and the containment renewed once every seven days.]
"--Today is the seventh day."
Bai Zhou picked up the bucket on the floor and set it on the platform to one side.
He had instructed his subordinates to put it in the Black Room in advance last night.
"Time to change the water."
On his first day officially taking office, Supervisor Bai Zhou began his work "diligently and responsibly."
As a Level P3 supervisor in the Maintenance Department, of course he did not need guidance or supervision from his seniors like a newcomer.
Independently maintaining a Black Box was perfectly normal.
Unfortunately, the Black Room corridor was silent and deserted...
Otherwise, anyone who saw the newly appointed supervisor working so enthusiastically and diligently would have raised a thumb and praised Deputy Han for choosing the right man.
With a click,
Bai Zhou held his breath and slowly opened the sealed Black Box.
A closed water tank appeared before him.
It was a glass cabinet filled with distilled water. A golden Crown rested quietly at the bottom, utterly lifeless beneath the dim light.
A... Crown of Thorns.
Submerged in water, the thorn-shaped metal Crown was covered in layers of ancient, intricate, and gorgeous patterns. Twelve spikes grew from it, with an arc between every two spikes and their tips meeting, as though they were holding something up.
Although he had already obtained a "Jurassic Pass" from it once, this was still Bai Zhou's first time seeing the true form of the Crown of Thorns.
It was also the closest he had ever been to the Crown.
His gaze involuntarily shifted toward the thing floating above the Crown, something impossible to ignore.
--It was also his greatest motivation for becoming a Level P3 sector supervisor.
[Even though the Divine Age has long since shattered, I still hope someone will wear the Crown through bloodshed and become the new... Golden King.]
The ancient blood-red words were close at hand, incomplete and blurred.
Yet both their presence and the pressure rushing toward him far surpassed the clear Last Will left behind by Empress Irene.
Divine Age Shattered.
Blood-Soaked Coronation.
Golden King.
How was he supposed to fulfill this Last Will?
What would happen after he did?
Bai Zhou had no interest in turning into some Golden King, since the base did not seem to lack gold.
But since it made itself sound so impressive, there was no reason he would not receive something good after fulfilling the Last Will.
--Even something comparable to the [Jurassic Pass] would do!
Perhaps it could directly help Bai Zhou break through his current predicament!
That was exactly why he had come today.
...Staring at the Crown resting in the distilled-water tank and looking at that mysterious ancient Last Will,
Bai Zhou remained silent where he stood, lips pursed as countless thoughts churned through his mind.
He did not drain the water or replace it.
The water splashed...
Something was lifted from the tank.
A pair of hands raised the Crown in the dimness.
Before you continue