Hell's Gate?!!
The investigators only heard this term yesterday, and today it appeared. Seriously? Is their luck this bad? They had just narrowly survived the Serpent Mother incident, so why were all the major disasters happening in their Baijiang City?
Damn it!
The investigators' faces all darkened. At this moment, Director Zhou comforted them, "Panicking is useless. Besides, we're at least luckier than the incident in Boruo Country. We discovered the abnormality before the Hell's Gate opened. At least, we still have time to prepare."
"This is no longer within the scope of our Baijiang Branch. I will immediately request assistance from the Provincial Bureau and the General Bureau. Perhaps many grand masters will come and contain this disaster."
The lockdown in this area must be even tighter. They even needed to evacuate the residents of the surrounding area, making the lockdown zone much larger than before.
Sigh, Director Zhou's mind was filled with headaches, but he had to deal with them. Wasn't this their duty?
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. It was the bureau's dedicated phone. Director Zhou picked it up and listened. "What!" he roared, his face immediately darkening again.
One disaster after another? Were they trying to kill Baijiang City?
The investigators around them also became tense, but soon they noticed Director Zhou's grim and anxious expression smooth out, turning into a look of... a look of 'Are you kidding me?' He then hung up the phone.
The investigators were bewildered, but seeing that it wasn't a true emergency, they thought, well, hopefully, everything would be fine.
When they returned to the bureau, investigators like Wei Nian met Jiang Tingqiu, and that's when they understood what had happened.
"What, you don't believe me? Do I, Jiang Tingqiu, joke around?"
"Mmm-hmm, yes."
Damn it, you're doubting me, the only Level 1 investigator!
Uh, Grand Master Sister, this doesn't concern you.
Jiang Tingqiu gave a series of assurances, and his accompanying personnel corroborated his story. Only then did the other investigators believe him, letting out cries of surprise. Even Director Zhou was drawn over.
"Although there's no direct evidence, it's highly likely."
"I didn't catch up to the figure afterward, but I've checked the area thoroughly, both inside and out. There are no strange entities present."
When it came to investigations, he was absolutely professional and responsible, not just guessing based on intuition.
Those two strange entities couldn't have appeared and disappeared out of thin air. The surrounding pedestrians were unaffected. Eliminating all impossible explanations, only one truth remained...
The strange entities were controlled by someone. A girl controlled the strange entities and eliminated other strange entities!
"Is that possible?"
"What kind of method can control strange entities?"
Such a method was like a cult, but they investigators were not squeamish. To awaken and be promoted to a Grand Investigator, one had to accumulate mystery and embrace strange entities. With this premise, controlling strange entities, though terrifying, was... still acceptable.
Controlling strange entities was, after all, just a method. The core lay in the person using the method.
What the investigators couldn't comprehend was that such terrifying things as strange entities could be controlled. They couldn't even touch them, yet someone could control them! This gap...
"Although this person could also be an awakened individual from the civilian sector, it's more likely they are from..."
That organization!
There were two reasons: both were equally mysterious, and...
"They can also very promptly discover and eliminate newly spawned strange entities. In Baijiang City, besides our Investigation Bureau, only that organization can do it so quickly."
Jiang Tingqiu was also quite surprised.
The black-clothed big brother who decapitated strange entities had astonishing swordsmanship, and the mysterious girl who controlled strange entities was even more inscrutable. But their inscrutability was in different directions, completely different!
Previously, the Investigation Bureau's analysis of the black-clothed expert suggested he had a master and possessed some kind of 'martial arts' or 'blade aura' that they couldn't comprehend.
But how to explain this second person now? From a martial artist to a summoner, wasn't the leap too great?
Director Zhou also fell into contemplation.
"Two completely different combat systems. Then, could there be a third, a fourth?"
"And who taught them, or rather, what kind of person could lead such a mysterious and powerful organization, earning the trust of these grand masters with unfathomable abilities?"
The investigators were very curious.
It was as if they saw a figure, incredibly tall, who could make strange entities vanish with a wave of their hand.
...
"Swish~"
Boiling water was poured into the soup basin, melting the seasonings spread on the noodle cake. Instantly, a rich aroma wafted through the air. Fang You then added a sausage, sniffed it, and his mouth began to water.
It smelled fragrant.
However, when he thought about how he, the dignified Savior... well, even if he wasn't yet the Savior, he was at least a mentor for the Spark Organization and one of Baijiang's mysterious ghost expellers.
Powerful, with even greater merits.
Yet, he could only make instant noodles for himself. And they were packet noodles—after all, packet noodles were much cheaper than cup noodles. Today, he had specially added a sausage to treat himself; normally, he wouldn't have one.
Thinking of this, Fang You felt a pang of sadness. The instant noodles, though fragrant, didn't taste as good anymore.
"But my future is bright. The organization's three great generals are progressing rapidly."
There was no need to mention the Black Blade elder brother; he had always been a golden worker, and his strength was steadily improving.
Today, there was also the second worker, An Jianyou, and he, the boss, was personally getting his hands dirty.
By the end of the day, well, he was a bit busy today, only expelling two minor strange entities. But An Jianyou had also eliminated two, and Black Blade elder brother had dealt with a large one. They had harvested quite a lot.
It wouldn't be long before he could perform his fourth ten-consecutive "Fate" draws.
...
In the blink of an eye, two days quietly passed.
Fang You maintained his rhythm, spending most of his time at home exercising, playing the Savior game, assigning tasks to Black Blade elder brother and An Jianyou, and occasionally arranging daily training for An Jianyou.
Then there were outings to wander around and catch a few minor strange entities to expel.
In these two days, he had improved significantly.
"Fate's Savior"
"Physique: 2.5 → 2.7"
"Spirit: 1.6"
"Mystery: 1.08"
"Skills: Basic Swordplay (Proficient: 36.9%), Strange Entity Tracking (Skilled: 10.1%), Palm Thunder (Proficient: 47.4%), Ghost Control (Novice: Temporary), Blade Slash (Untrained: 7.2%), Ghost Control (Untrained: 6.1%)"
The proficiency of all skills had improved. Among them, Fang You had used 'Diligence and Effort' a few times on Basic Swordplay and Palm Thunder. The 0.2 unit increase in Physique was also a result of practicing Basic Swordplay.
Overall, his combat power hadn't increased dramatically, but his combat experience had become much richer. Fang You felt that he was now more adept at dealing with strange entities.
Most importantly...
Awakening!
"After days of tireless effort, my Mystery value has finally accumulated to one unit. I can now perform the ritual for guided awakening."
"Only by awakening will I be qualified to face truly powerful strange entities and have the strength to protect myself in this gradually sinking world."
Now, it's my turn. Awakening!