Investigation

"Begin!"

An ANBU voice broke the silence. "Start from when your squad left camp to carry out the reconnaissance mission.

"The route, the orders, the personnel's condition, and the ambush you encountered."

Tianyi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After recalling the events, he began to speak:

"Our squad's mission orders... were to follow the predetermined route.

"Conduct routine patrols and terrain confirmation to the northwest, focusing on possible signs of small-scale infiltration by the Hidden Rain Village.

"...

The questioning continued for nearly an hour and a half.

For the most part, Tianyi's answers were cautious and truthful.

Some answers were vague or uncertain due to pain and fear clouding his memory, which instead made them more credible.

Tianyi held firmly to several key points:

The route and mission had been legitimate; they had encountered an ambush by superior forces; the squad had been scattered; and the captain had voluntarily stayed behind to cover their retreat.

After narrowly escaping a pursuer, he had collapsed from exhaustion and fallen unconscious.

At last, the ANBU seemed to have found a flaw. He gave Tianyi one final look, his gaze still sharp.

"We will verify your testimony. Until further notice, remain here and recover. You are not to move around without permission."

Then he gave Mitarai Aoi in the corner a slight nod. "Medical unit, take good care of him."

On the outskirts of the camp, in shadows far from the medical area.

Three ANBU members stopped, their gazes meeting in the darkness behind their masks.

"What do you think?" one of them asked. His voice was flat and devoid of emotion.

Another fell silent for a moment, seemingly recalling every detail of the interrogation. "There's a problem."

"Oh?"

"His testimony sounds logically consistent on its own and fits the understanding of a frightened Genin.

"But it explains every questionable point too perfectly—convenient amnesia, convenient luck, convenient injuries, and a convenient time to lose consciousness."

The ANBU member continued his analysis.

"Most importantly, the final intelligence transmitted by C-2 twelve hours before the incident clearly indicated this.

"Massive chakra fluctuations had been detected at the far end of Route B-3, the scheduled patrol route of their Seventh Squad.

"The predicted chance of an encounter exceeded eighty percent, while the estimated chance of survival was below five percent.

"Especially for him—a Hyūga branch family member whose strength had only been assessed at C-rank—his odds of survival had been approaching zero."

The last person nodded. "So his survival itself is the greatest point of suspicion.

"Either he concealed crucial strength or information, or... something happened after the ambush that exceeded C-2's predictions."

The leader nodded.

"Place him on the Class A observation list. Continuously monitor all his movements and personal contacts within the camp.

"As well as any abnormal chakra fluctuations. Report immediately if he displays any behavior beyond that of a Genin.

"Compile everything into an encrypted scroll and deliver it directly to Lord Danzō by the fastest possible means." His voice did not fluctuate in the slightest.

The three said no more. With a flicker, their figures merged into the night and vanished.

Inside the medical tent.

"ANBU..." Then a name that had sent chills down one's spine in the original story flashed through his mind.

Root!

If Root was involved, then this was serious trouble.

An ordinary camp review might merely be going through the motions, but once Root had its eyes on him—

It meant endless suspicion, surveillance, and perhaps even disappearing completely in some accident.

He had to be even more careful, or find a backer with enough influence.

Then he lowered his head and looked at the Book of Ten Thousand Worlds in his hand.

He took a light breath, forcing himself to calm down as he considered what help he needed at this stage.

And what he could offer the country for research.

The Book of Ten Thousand Worlds would open in a few dozen minutes!

The base's central command headquarters.

Time: 21:59:30.

The enormous circular main screen displayed a graph of the Book of Ten Thousand Worlds' energy readings.

For the past several hours, it had remained a flat line.

Now, the air in the command center was so heavy it seemed one could wring water from it. Everyone held their breath.

Their eyes were fixed firmly on the screen.

Commander Tian stood at the front with his back to everyone.

Old Li stood not far behind him, his palms faintly sweating.

Academician Chen stood close beside the main control console, his eyes fixed behind his lenses.

21:59:58... 59...

22:00:00!

At the instant the atomic clock's digits changed—

Woooo—!

On the main screen, that flat line suddenly shot upward!

Immediately afterward, the readings on every detection instrument instantly broke through all previously observed thresholds and continued to climb!

A report came simultaneously from the analysis section. "Report! The book is actively releasing energy! The intensity is surging!

"The spectrum... the spectrum is completely unidentifiable! It isn't electromagnetic radiation, nor is it any known form of radiation!"

"Communications team!" Commander Tian spun around sharply. "Lock onto the signal source!

"Determine whether the source of this energy reaction—this signal—is on Blue Star!"

"Analyzing parameters... comparing them with the characteristics of all known information sources..." The communications team leader's voice was tense.

Several seconds later, he abruptly raised his head, his face flushed with excitement.

"Report, Commander! The signal source has a clear direction, but the coordinates... are not at any existing point on Blue Star or nearby coordinates!

"It isn't even within the plane of the Solar System's ecliptic! It... it comes from an entirely unknown direction!"

A wave of barely suppressed exclamations rose through the command center.

"Did you catch the spectral characteristics? Does the analysis section have corresponding data?" Commander Tian pressed, his gaze sharp.

The researcher responsible for spectral analysis had gone pale, his voice trembling. "W-we caught fragments!

"But this spectrum... cannot be matched to the emission or absorption lines of any known element on the periodic table!

"The structure... the structure is... completely new!"

"Completely new..." Commander Tian savored those words, his gaze slowly sweeping across every face in the command center, all filled with disbelief.

Finally, his eyes met Academician Chen's.

Academician Chen took a deep breath, stepped forward, and picked up the briefing microphone on the main control console.

His voice carried through the silent command center via the sound system, bearing an old scientist's distinctive steadiness and a faint, almost imperceptible tremor.

"Commander, comrades. Based on all currently available monitoring data, we can draw a preliminary conclusion."

He paused.

"What we are coming into contact with is... another world independent of our universe."

Every researcher, young and old alike, had a sense of mission ignite in their eyes at the prospect of another world.

In unison, they looked toward Commander Tian.

Yet Academician Chen's eyes were fixed on another split screen beside him.

"Attention! The energy waveform is undergoing regular changes! This is... encoding!

"The other party—or rather, the book—is attempting to establish a stable information channel!

"The peak of the energy fluctuations is about to reach the optimal coupling state!"

A sharp glint burst from Commander Tian's eyes. He then walked to the Book of Ten Thousand Worlds' glass protective enclosure, picked up a microphone, and spoke.

"Comrade Fang Tianyi! I am Tian Weidong, commander-in-chief of the External Research Base!...

"The nation has confirmed the authenticity of the Book of Ten Thousand Worlds and verified the dangerous environment of the other world where you are located!

"Now, on behalf of the nation, I am telling you this—

"The nation is your strongest support! We will mobilize every resource at our disposal.

"At any cost, we will provide you with support and help you overcome this crisis.

"And ultimately bring you safely home!"