Shen Heng lowered his eyes slightly.
Starting to cultivate last February was indeed a bit early.
It's worth noting that information about the Calamity Beast was only released last May or June.
It was around that time that ordinary people learned about the Ruins Realm, the Calamity Beast, and the Origin Power, and then they began to try to sense the Origin Power.
A month or two later, the first person to sense the Origin Power appeared.
In other words, the earliest ordinary people to begin cultivation did so around July.
But Dahuang the rhubarb) actually started cultivating in February?
"I... I don't know either!" Dahuang said, trembling.
"It might be because the Origin Power in our Supervision Bureau is relatively strong!" Le Gu Nan said softly.
Everyone was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then suddenly understood.
Since September of the year before last, the Supervision Bureau has set up a Spirit-Gathering Array, and the concentration of Origin Power is indeed higher than outside.
The announcement of the Ruins Realm news was partly due to the exposure of that Seventh Tier Calamity Beast, but it was also because the concentration of Origin Power had reached the standard for cultivation at that time.
In other words, Dahuang who always stayed by Old Li's side, coming to the Supervision Bureau every day and staying there for the entire day.
It's not surprising that he sensed the Origin Power in February and then began to try cultivating it.
only...
Shen Heng looked at Dahuang with a thoughtful expression.
Ordinary animals, if they stay in an area with a relatively high concentration of Origin Power, can also sense the Origin Power and then attempt to cultivate...?
"You started cultivating in February." Wang Hai raised his eyes slightly and asked in a deep voice, "When did you reach the First Tier, and when did you reach the Second Tier?"
"I reached First Tier in June, and then just last month, I reached Second Tier," Dahuang replied, trembling.
"So you've been cultivating right under our noses all this time?" Wu Cheng asked, a slight ache in his teeth.
Neither the Calamity Beast nor the warriors had any words engraved on their foreheads.
To determine their exact rank, one must sense the fluctuations of their Origin Power.
That's not necessarily accurate. People like Shen Heng, who have specifically strengthened their control over Origin Power through cultivation, are generally unaware of his level.
"Yes... yes!" Dahuang replied, trembling.
"Since you've sensed the Origin Power and started cultivating, why didn't you tell us?" Wang Hai looked at Dahuang sternly.
"This..."
It seemed that after talking a bit more, Dahuang's tension eased slightly. It looked hesitantly at the crowd surrounding it.
"You kill Calamity Beast you see, I dare not tell you!"
Everyone fell silent upon hearing this.
"Captain, what should we do?" Han Ling asked Wang Hai.
This matter seems simple, yet it also seems somewhat complicated.
It's simple because the logic is clear and straightforward; there's nothing complicated about it.
Dahuang simply spent a long time in the Supervision Bureau, an environment with relatively abundant Origin Power, and then sensed the Origin Power and began to cultivate.
What's remarkable is that Dahuang appears to be the first example of an animal beginning to cultivate itself.
Wang Hai pondered for a moment, then looked at Dahuang and asked, "Have you done anything that could harm humans during this time?"
"No, absolutely not!" The dog shook its head like a rattle-drum.
Wang Hai looked at Shen Heng.
Shen Heng shook his head slightly.
Seeing this, Wang Hai looked away and turned his gaze back to Dahuang.
He thought for a moment, then turned to look at Li Jianguo.
" Old Li, we probably can't rely on your advice regarding Dahuang anymore. We need to report its situation to headquarters first!"
Old Li hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What will happen to Dahuang if we report this?"
"It's unclear yet. He might live, but he might also die." Wang Hai's gaze lingered on Dahuang.
"S, s, dead? To be dissected and studied?" A hint of panic flashed in Dahuang's eyes. It suddenly took two steps back, its tail tightly tucked between its hind legs.
"Can someone die even if they haven't done anything to harm humanity?" Old Li asked.
"Well, that mainly depends on headquarters' decision." Wang Hai nodded slightly.
"Is there... no other way?" Old Li asked with some concern.
Although Wang Hai only said it was a possibility, if another outcome occurred, it would be a certainty for them.
"That's right, Captain." Wei Leyang couldn't help but speak up, looking at the Dahuang trembling like a leaf.
" Dahuang has been following Old Li around and has been in the bureau for so long. Apart from being greedy and playful, it really hasn't done anything bad."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Over the years, Dahuang has been coming to the Supervision Bureau with Old Li. They know Dahuang inside and out, if not by name.
"I know that," Wang Hai said in a deep voice, "But does any of you have a way to guarantee that it won't turn into the same kind of Calamity Beast in the future?"
"This..."
Everyone was speechless upon hearing this.
Dahuang opened its mouth, its head turning as if it had remembered something, and suddenly spoke:
"I promise I won't do it again. I shed blood for Linhai!"
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Dahuang with curiosity.
"No, Dahuang, I do want to live, but you can't make things up!" Wu Cheng said.
"I'm not making this up, I really did shed blood for Linhai," Dahuang said anxiously.
"Didn't you encounter a few times before Calamity Beast Calamity Beast, only to find them missing when you arrived at the scene? I was the one who killed those Calamity Beast!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes widened slightly, and they looked at Dahuang with some shock.
Shen Heng also looked at Dahuang with surprise, as information about the relevant mission quickly surfaced.
Several related incidents all revolved around Lanshan District Lanshan District, where Old Li lived;
Then it was always at night; Old Li would only go home at night.
In the past few months, those who died were all those who had not yet reached the next level, but in the past month, only those who had reached the First Tier have died, which seems to match the speed of Dahuang's cultivation.
Adding to what Fan Hong mentioned earlier, the person who called the police said they saw a brownish-brown color...
"Holy crap, could it really be Dahuang?!" Wu Cheng's eyes widened.
"Yes, it's me." Dahuang nodded as if grasping at a straw.
"I was at home, and after smelling their scent nearby, I sneaked out and killed them."
Everyone opened their mouths, unsure of what to say.
As expected of a dog kept by the Supervision Bureau?
Even though they knew they had to conceal their identities, they still knew they had to fight back when they encountered Calamity Beast.
Wang Hai looked at Dahuang in silence, pondered for a moment, and then said:
"I understand. I'll report this matter to the authorities as well."
Upon hearing this, Dahuang instinctively retreated to Old Li's side, his body trembling.
"Oh no, oh no, is this not going to work either? We're really going to be sent for dissection now!"
Its vision shifted as its body trembled, and its gaze suddenly fixed on a black-haired youth.
"Woof woof... Lord Shen Heng! Save my life!"
Shen Heng lowered his gaze slightly and asked, "Why do you believe that if your situation is reported, you will definitely die?"
"Isn't that how it's always portrayed in anime? Humans discover special creatures, capture them, and dissect them for research," Dahuang said.
"From the anime?..." Everyone was taken aback, then looked at Wei Leyang.
Wei Leyang coughed lightly and turned his head to look elsewhere.