Different Paths, Same Destination

Once Bai Zuo finished all the cleanup.

Shen Yu even had Bai Zuo walk a certain distance, to a place without surveillance, before retrieving the Character Card.

Shen Yu himself was still curled up in a corner. He looked out at Zhang Lin, who was lying on the ground unconscious, and began to think about what to do next. This was the only person whose memories he hadn't had Bai Zuo's ability wipe.

After all, Bai Zuo's appearance needed someone to leak word of it. If no one ever knew the organization existed, where would he get Construction Points?

As for why Bai Zuo hadn't erased Zhang Lin's memories, perhaps he could make something of this "Adaptive" constitution.

Adaptive meant that certain people had a constitution with strong resistance to Weird contamination. Such people, after being contaminated by a Weird, would actually gain power far beyond others. Those with this constitution were called Adaptives.

Maybe others would see an Adaptive as a greater threat after contamination, but Bai Zuo's ability happened to be Mind Control.

Bai Zuo needed this kind of powerful "puppet."

So he left Zhang Lin's memories intact, to better use this tool later.

Shen Yu thought about it. This fit Bai Zuo's persona pretty well—it was exactly the kind of thing he'd do!

Good! Then that's settled!

Shen Yu shifted his position, decisively lay down on the ground, and "passed out."

He didn't forget to ask the system in his mind.

"System, does this count as containing a Weird?"

"Ding! System scanning... Congratulations, Host, on successfully containing a Weird. First containment of a Weird, Construction Points +10,000!"

"Congratulations, Host, on successfully containing a Wandering Soul-rank Weird, Construction Points +1,000!"

"Construction Points Balance: 1,000."

"First containment of a Weird also gives a reward? That's an unexpected bonus." Shen Yu was thrilled. Ten thousand in debt wiped clean—no debt, light as a feather.

"System, why didn't I get Construction Points for playing Bai Zuo?"

"Host, the prerequisite for earning Construction Points is that you must establish an organization, complete its framework and purpose, form the concept of an organization, and then gain the world's recognition and acknowledgment of the organization you've built. Only then can you earn Construction Points."

"Establish an organization!"

So that was it! When Shen Yu played the role of Bai Zuo, he had blurred the concept of an organization, giving the impression that there might be one behind him, or maybe not.

More importantly, it all happened so suddenly he hadn't had time to think it through.

Since he hadn't presented the existence of an organization, naturally he couldn't gain others' recognition of one.

"Let me think. A containment organization—its purpose would be to contain anomalies. The philosophy, well, to fight against dangerous entities that defy reason like Weirds, we need to achieve containment through different paths. To contain Weirds and uphold human order, no method is off the table."

"Different Paths, Same Destination!"

"Then I'll call it the Aberration Containment Association!"

"Congratulations, Host, on constructing the concept of an organization and successfully establishing the Aberration Containment Association. You have received a Ten-Million-Level Company Acquisition Voucher."

Shen Yu, eyes still closed, opened the acquisition voucher the system gave him and read its description.

Ten-Million-Level Company Acquisition Voucher: Can unconditionally acquire a company with a market value of ten million.

Not a bad reward. A free company—why refuse it? Besides, his next moves would need a company as cover.

He didn't lie there long.

The scene of people lying all over the ground was finally noticed by a passerby. After a scream, someone soon came running over.

He vaguely heard people calling for an ambulance and the police.

A dozen ambulances arrived, taking everyone on the ground to the hospital for emergency treatment.

After treatment, passengers gradually regained consciousness.

Police officers and doctors questioned these passengers. Their memories were very fuzzy. They only remembered taking the bus to work, to buy groceries, to school. Midway, the driver suddenly fell ill, and then they knew nothing else.

The passengers all had varying degrees of fractures and bone cracks.

From the scene, it looked more like the driver had a sudden illness while driving, lost control of the vehicle, and caused the bus to crash.

Fortunately, none of the passengers were in life-threatening danger after treatment.

The one most seriously injured was actually Patrol Officer Zhang Lin, who had helped stop the bus.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The sharp sound of a hospital monitor came from beside his ear.

Zhang Lin felt like he had walked a long way in the darkness, following the direction of the sound until he saw a faint light ahead. Following the light out, he opened his eyes.

A white ceiling came into view.

The surrounding facilities told Zhang Lin he was lying in a hospital ward.

He tried to sit up, but his whole body ached terribly, like he'd over-exercised and then been beaten up. He couldn't move at all!

Just then, his colleague Sun Xin walked in. Seeing Zhang Lin awake, he excitedly ran out to call the doctor. "Zhang Lin, you're awake? Doctor! Doctor! Zhang Lin is awake!"

Several doctors filed in, using instruments to check Zhang Lin's body. "The patient's condition is stable. His consciousness is clear; he should recover soon."

Sun Xin: "That's great!"

"I..." Zhang Lin opened his mouth to say something, but his voice was so hoarse it didn't even sound like him, startling even himself.

Brother Sun quickly poured a cup of hot water, stuck a straw in it, and brought it to his lips. "Here, have some water first."

Zhang Lin downed the whole cup in one go. Only after feeling his throat wasn't so dry did he hurriedly ask, "Brother Sun, are those passengers okay?"

Sun Xin replied, "One of them is seriously injured. The rest all have external wounds—they'll be discharged after a few months in the hospital."

"And the driver?"

"He got into the crash and hasn't woken up yet. You were unconscious for a whole day too. If you hadn't come to, we'd all be thinking you were a vegetable."

"Wait—crash?"

"Yeah! The driver had a sudden medical episode, causing the No. 104 bus to crash. You were injured saving the passengers. Once you're discharged, a Second-Class Merit is all but guaranteed!"

Impossible!

Zhang Lin got agitated and tried to sit up, but the movement pulled at his wounds, and he grimaced as he lay back down.

Sun Xin quickly pressed him down. "Hey! Don't move around. Lie still! The doctor said you can't move yet."

"Brother Sun! What crash? Why don't I remember any crash? And wasn't my arm bitten? How could it be from a collision?"

"You were wearing a cotton coat and uniform back then. With all those layers, no one could bite that deep. The doctor said it looks like a laceration—probably from some part of the bus scraping you."

Seeing the shock and disbelief on Zhang Lin's face, Sun Xin suddenly recalled the doctor's diagnosis. "Oh, right. The doctor also said you have a mild concussion. Some memory confusion is totally normal. Don't overthink it—just rest up and get better so you can leave the hospital soon."