The Natives of This World Are So Fierce - Chapter 23: The Tenth Man
Old Zhao and Tian Zhuang, who had visited the scene, thought to themselves.
They did far more than destroy the anomaly. They baked the riverbed dry.
As though he had heard their inner monologue, Special Envoy Tao switched the projection to photos and videos taken during the cleanup.
The riverbed was grayish white, its edges riddled with dry cracks. Close-ups of the center showed that it had almost crystallized.
Drawing on deductions and information from headquarters, along with the inquiries he had conducted after arriving in Yue City, Special Envoy Tao gave a brief summary of the incident.
"While we were in the capital, we held a brief assessment meeting on this incident. After two days of field investigations, some details have become clearer, while certain key points have only grown more obscure."
"However, that does not prevent us from making an overall assessment of incidents of this kind."
At this point, Special Envoy Tao turned his gaze toward the man appearing on a laptop's video feed. The man gave him a slight nod.
Only after receiving his approval did Special Envoy Tao continue.
"All of you work within the national security apparatus, and none of you hold junior positions. I believe you've already heard something from above."
Those present either remained silent or nodded slightly, clearly agreeing.
"Then I'll keep this brief."
"According to the information gathered by our intelligence agencies, a type of 'sudden anomalous incident' has begun occurring around the world, just like those shown in the videos a moment ago."
"And I believe these videos represent only a portion of such incidents. There must be others that have not been documented or discovered."
"Clearly, the occurrence of such incidents in the real world is nothing to celebrate."
Special Envoy Tao paused and surveyed everyone present, as though gauging their reactions and preparing to address any objections that might arise.
"The tenth man theory!"
"We conducted extensive investigations and organized numerous assessments. With sufficient data and supporting information still lacking, we adopted a theoretical framework used by Israel in its early days."
"We made a slight adjustment to fit our circumstances: when the conclusions of the 'first nine men' cannot account for the current situation, the 'tenth man' must object. However absurd it may be, he must propose a hypothesis that fits the situation."
"Unfortunately, I am that tenth man. And in the absence of compelling evidence to disprove it, my hypothesis is coming ever closer to reality."
"I don't know whether any of you enjoy science fiction or fantasy films, but does this scenario seem a little familiar?"
Special Envoy Tao paused yet again—who knew how many times that made today—and drew a deep breath.
"What we are experiencing may very well be the beginning of a sweeping transformation of our world. It could mark the opening of the final chapter of humanity's reign, or the dawn of a new age of evolution amid changes to heaven and earth."
Those present had entertained similar notions to varying degrees, but almost always as fanciful extensions of a joke.
They had never imagined hearing such an "absurd" conclusion from a special investigator representing the highest levels of the central government.
After a brief silence in the meeting room, quiet discussion broke out. Yet almost no one directly challenged him, because they realized they could find no compelling evidence to refute this absurd argument.
Merely saying "that's impossible" or "you're talking nonsense" would have been far too weak.
"This is an extremely unfavorable conclusion for our country, and indeed for all humanity. At the very least, we have yet to see any clear advantage for us."
Special Envoy Tao did not let the discussion continue.
"But the Crooked Loach River Channel Incident is a major turning point!"
"To everyone here, the leaders watching by video, and my team members-comrades, let me reiterate: the Crooked Loach River incident is an extremely important turning point!"
"This video differs from every piece of intelligence we collected before it. One crucial distinction..."
"Is that great fire!"
Everyone present was a capable elite, without a single incompetent among them. In that instant, they all felt as though they had grasped something crucial.
"That fire clearly did not result from an attack by our country's armed agencies. Nor was it likely an act of suicide by the monsters in the river channel. And of course, it certainly wasn't spontaneously igniting marsh gas, as the news reported."
"I believe that fire was deliberately set! Of course, calling whoever did it a 'person' is wishful thinking on my part, but I very much hope that is the truth."
"This fire demonstrates that these strange incidents do not bring only disaster. Something capable of countering them also exists!"
"Whether it is an evolved human or someone with supernatural powers, or an anomalous being friendly to humanity, whatever that entity may be, it is undoubtedly helping us. At least, that is how things appear for now."
"Yue City! As the only place where an incident of this kind has occurred, I hope everyone in Zhejiang Province will do their utmost to cooperate with my work!"
"Find the 'source of the fire' without publicizing the search or provoking whoever is responsible!"
That day's meeting left a deep impression on everyone who attended.
Their feelings remained complicated even as they left the meeting.
It felt as though the higher-ups had suddenly sent someone to tell them, "Aliens have invaded Earth without us even noticing."
Whoever they were, worry was inevitably among the emotions they felt after the meeting.
In less than twenty-four hours afterward.
The Zhejiang Provincial Tendering Office launched construction projects for "new-model Civil Defense Projects" and "military reserve facilities" through private invitations to bid.
Many major cities across the country also began similar projects in succession, either opening them to bids or assigning contractors directly.
Most of those aware of this, however, were large construction companies. Ordinary people saw, at most, a few peripheral news reports describing them as "civil defense modernization projects."
Smoking a cigarette, Tao Xingzhi stood in the corridor of the Yue City guesthouse and watched the fine drizzle around the Qingming Festival.
He had just received word that he had been promoted again.
He had risen from department-level rank to vice-ministerial rank, yet just six months earlier, he had been only a deputy department-level official.
This was not a good thing.
At least, under the current circumstances, it was not a good thing.
The more he was promoted, the more important his theory and his colleagues' work were becoming.
In other words, far from being disproved by new information and evidence, his deductions were moving in a direction no one-including himself-wanted to see.
It was not that such a future offered nothing good. Change, after all, was fertile ground for evolution and opportunity. But overturning the stable status quo was not something that could be weathered through mere growing pains.
Under these circumstances, he, the man chiefly responsible, was himself hopelessly tangled up inside, without any idea where to begin.
Yet he had to feign composure and work with his team to develop seemingly reasonable, farsighted recommendations for those above to evaluate.
Clearly, those evaluating them were also unable to refute their recommendations, or unwilling to bear the potential responsibility of doing so. As a result, their recommendations were implemented to an astonishing degree.
This only intensified the pressure they felt, and it was also why they attached such importance to the Crooked Loach River incident.
Stubbing out his twelfth cigarette of the day, Tao Xingzhi returned to his room and put on his overcoat.
Let there be some good news.