Chapter 149

After the video ended, the meeting room was terrifyingly quiet.

Having reviewed the latest materials transmitted by the Pan-Asian Anti-Defilement Organization, the scant “patterns” of defilements that the Special Response Department had managed to grasp over the past six months were now completely shattered.

How could something as metaphysical as “luck” possibly follow any discernible pattern?

How to deal with a purely conceptual defilement like “Misfortune”? Almost everyone present, including Shen Ge, was at a complete loss.

However, compared to the tricky nature of “Misfortune,” Shen Ge was currently more concerned about the “Takaguchi Defilement Disaster.”

According to the [Log], it wasn’t until January 3rd, 2027, when an 8th-stage defilement appeared and swallowed the entire city of Takaguchi, that defilements were completely exposed to the world.

Although the system’s early activation had set Shen Ge on the path of an Anti-Defilement Agent ahead of time, leading to earth-shaking changes compared to the future, putting aside the early exposure of defilements due to the Daijing Disaster, was the 8th-stage defilement that devoured Takaguchi in the [Log] this “Misfortune”?

If so, what stage was it at now?

One had to remember, the future Shen Ge from the [Log] had been locked in a battle of wits for months with the 7th-stage Formless and still couldn’t deal with it, and that was the Formless, which did have patterns to follow!

“According to the intelligence provided by our neighbors, the epicenter of the defilement disaster is the Hakae Jōkōkyo Imperial Palace in central Takaguchi, eventually spreading to the Takaguchi Tower area. The situation in this zone is similar to the Haicheng District during the Daijing Disaster, but even more severe. The entire area is enveloped in defilement-energy black fog, cutting off all contact with the inside.”

“The defilement-energy black fog stretching from Takaguchi Tower to Takaguchi International Airport is continuously weakening. Based on the movement of the fog, our neighbors are already evacuating citizens near the airport.”

“Therefore, following headquarters’ directive, we will enter from Kikawa City and rendezvous with Anti-Defilement agents from other countries dispatched by the Pan-Asian Organization to jointly enter the affected area.”

Someone immediately raised an objection: “Our relations with them are hardly friendly. Sending support is already giving them plenty of face. Cooperating with other countries? What if we get stabbed in the back before we even solve the disaster? In my opinion, we’ll provide support, but we absolutely will not accept orders from the Pan-Asian Anti-Defilement Organization.”

Deng Yuqi said calmly, “They aren’t qualified to command us either. And this isn’t just a simple support mission. Think about it, why was the Pan-Asian Organization so eager to send people into our country when we had our defilement disaster? Was it really just about support?”

Deng Yuqi didn’t spell it out completely, but no one in the room was foolish. Her hint made them realize that we also intended to take advantage of this opportunity to conduct some operations on their turf.

The support team would depart by plane for Kikawa Airport tomorrow morning. The rest of the meeting focused on resource allocation and personnel selection for this support operation.

Generally, for major defilement incidents like this, at least one of Shen Ge, Lin Yin, and Deng Yuqi had to go. Deng Yuqi’s initial idea was for either her or Lin Yin to accompany Shen Ge.

Had she not known about Shen Ge’s Defilement-Eradication System, Deng Yuqi might have considered going with Lin Yin and having Shen Ge hold down the fort at the branch.

But Shen Ge’s system could sell defilement corpses. For this support mission, Deng Yuqi had no intention of leaving the defilement corpses for their… neighbors who lead peaceful lives. So, Shen Ge absolutely had to go.

After discussion, Shen Ge proposed that he go alone, with everyone else, including Deng Yuqi and Lin Yin, remaining behind.

Deng Yuqi immediately understood Shen Ge’s meaning. Clearly, Shen Ge also planned to secretly pocket the defilement corpses. But having more people with him would instead tie his hands, as he couldn’t very well sell defilement corpses in front of other countries’ agents. This might also expose the incident where they snatched the 3rd-stage defilement corpse.

After the meeting, Deng Yuqi and Shen Ge discussed this issue at length. They finally decided to wait for the support list from headquarters before finalizing the candidates from the Rong City branch.

When Shen Ge left Deng Yuqi’s office, Li Xiang intercepted him and took him straight to the research institute.

“New discovery?” Shen Ge had given Li Xiang many good items to study—to be precise, he had let Li Xiang study almost all the system rewards.

If he could pinpoint where the system was located in his body, Shen Ge would have actually liked to “take it out” for Li Xiang to study.

“You’ve complained before about the inconvenience of carrying so much stuff, right? I think I’ve found a solution…” Li Xiang said.

Shen Ge: “?”

Li Xiang solved the “inventory space” that the system hadn’t?

“What is it?” Shen Ge asked, somewhat surprised and excited.

After operating the console, a mechanical arm brought a silver tray from a sealed research chamber. On the tray lay a foot-long fleshy worm.

“Is this… a worm?” Shen Ge asked.

Li Xiang’s expression nearly cracked. The word “philistine” almost slipped out, but remembering it was Shen Ge, he swallowed it back.

“Is that all you see? A worm?” Li Xiang retorted.

Shen Ge carefully observed the foot-long worm on the tray. It looked familiar, but he couldn’t place it immediately.

“Wait, is this the worm head from ‘Liu Zongrui’?”

Li Xiang shook his head: “To be precise, this is the parasitic defilement extracted after that ‘Liu Zongrui’ fused with the villa. You mentioned in your report that Liu Zongrui’s abilities included ‘Fusion Defilement-Energy’ and could distortion space and time within its defilement domain. Over the past month, I’ve been researching along this direction and finally found a way to distortion space.”

“I used Defilement-Rat genes to resurrect this parasitic defilement, then had it consume the pangolin hide you brought back from Daijing. This is the final form.”

As he spoke, Li Xiang put on a pair of black defilement-energy gloves, picked up the defilement worm, and pried open its mouth. The inside was similar to the worm mouths Shen Ge saw in the villa, like an oral cavity with concentric rings of teeth.

“This defilement can open a distortion space, about the size of a small room, over ten square meters. After ‘Liu Zongrui’ fused with the villa, there were many such parasitic defilements inside. That’s why when you entered certain rooms, it took you multiple times longer to get out—you were trapped in another distortion space. Leaving that area was equivalent to traversing a space.”

While explaining the parasitic defilement’s properties, Li Xiang picked up various instruments from the lab bench and stuffed them into the worm’s mouth. Soon, over a dozen items were inside. Logically, it should have been full long ago, but Shen Ge, peering into the mouth, couldn’t see the items inside.

“However, the ‘survival rate’ of these parasitic defilements is very low. Once separated from the ‘Liu Zongrui Villa Defilement,’ they die. I tried many methods and have only successfully separated this one, and that was by feeding it Defilement-Rat and pangolin hide.”

“Even so, its defilement-energy content is very low, less than even a 1st-stage defilement, roughly between 60% and 80%. Each time the mouth opens to access the distortion space consumes at least 10% defilement-energy. It currently has about 40% left. Both opening and closing consume energy. In other words, without finding a solution for the energy issue, it will be useless after one open-close cycle.”

Li Xiang then began pulling out the items he had stuffed inside: “The good news is that this parasitic defilement inherently contains ‘Fusion Defilement-Energy.’ So, I thought of a solution: directly integrate it into the combat armor, merging it with the blood-hide pack previously created from the Twelve Branches’ blood hand.”

“If successful, the blood-hide backpack will contain a distortion space. You can use it to store less critical items, like firearms, ammunition, supplies, etc. Even if the distortion space is damaged or affected by another defilement’s domain, the loss wouldn’t be fundamental.”

“As for the 10% energy cost per use, it can be supplemented by the armor. The armor can now self-recover and absorb defilement-energy, perfectly solving the energy consumption issue.”

Shen Ge nodded. As Li Xiang said, if he could carry more firearms, ammunition, and explosives this way, he wouldn’t need to rely on lucky draws during critical moments. Moreover, often the rewards from the system lottery couldn’t all be carried away, which was quite a waste.

“Also, my research confirms that the parasitic defilement and ‘Liu Zongrui’ are not a single entity. The research on ‘Liu Zongrui’ is nearly complete. Given the complex situation with the Takaguchi disaster, and based on what the Director and you have told me, my recommendation is… you’d better dispose of ‘Liu Zongrui’s’ corpse and stock up on system points to ensure your safety.”

“Furthermore, without the ‘Liu Zongrui’ corpse, the likelihood of the Twelve Branches targeting the Rong City branch decreases, making us safer while you’re away.”

“However, you mentioned the system lottery operates through a transfer method. Although you demonstrated it before, I haven’t found any leads yet.”

“But according to those two lottery criteria, if you go to Takaguchi and ‘draw’ extensively, you might be able to take away their defilement-energy equipment, which would be a reasonable utilization of the system’s rules.”

Shen Ge found Li Xiang’s analysis very reasonable. He had initially planned similarly. However, he only had a little over two thousand system points. Adding the value of Liu Zongrui’s corpse would bring it close to ten thousand. Going to Takaguchi City and doing thirty or fifty draws might indeed yield characteristic equipment.

After discussion, they finalized the plan for handling the “Liu Zongrui corpse” and the latest armor upgrade. Shen Ge then had Little Seven assist Li Xiang with the upgrades.

First, they fused the space-twisting parasitic defilement with the “blood-hide backpack.” Then, considering they were going to sell the “Liu Zongrui corpse” anyway, Li Xiang decided not to conserve defilement-energy. He extracted a large amount of “Fusion Defilement-Energy” to attempt integrating the Black Bone Dagger into the armor.

After successful fusion, the previously seven-featured “LiXiang II Combat Armor” was upgraded to eight features, directly integrating the Black Bone Dagger and several defilement spine bones into the armor.

After Shen Ge equipped the full-body armor, he first tested the new “Black Bone” function: it could extend a one-foot-long black bone dagger from the back of either hand.

The second form was a two-meter-long black bone spear. The third was a two-meter-long black bone spine whip.

This meant the defilement-energy equipment Shen Ge needed to carry personally was reduced to just the Butcher’s Cleaver, the Defilement-Eradication Revolver, and the two Defilement Eyes, all relatively small and easy to carry.

Next, Shen Ge tested the long-awaited “Sys（Li）tem（Xiang） Space.” After fusing with the parasitic defilement, the blood-hide backpack could form an oval, foot-and-a-half-long “worm-shaped” pack. If not touched, it just looked like a uniquely styled sling bag.

But once touched, it felt soft, sticky, and fleshy, as if carrying a real maggot on one’s back—utterly creepy.

Shen Ge opened the pack and tried putting a few items inside. Retrieving them required reaching in and rummaging around.

A space the size of a small room wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t tiny either. Finding small items like explosives after putting them in could be difficult.

However, Shen Ge didn’t need to search himself. He could have Little Seven extend a tentacle to find anything, no matter how small, within a second. Very convenient.

Shen Ge and Li Xiang pulled an all-nighter for the armor upgrades. Even Li Xiang, accustomed to all-nighters, was feeling the strain, but Shen Ge remained full of energy.

He intended to go to the equipment depot to load up on explosives and defilement-energy canisters. But just as he left the research institute, Assistant Xiao Zhang intercepted him again, summoning him to Deng Yuqi’s office.

As soon as Shen Ge entered, Deng Yuqi placed a list on the desk and got straight to the point: “The personnel list for the support mission is finalized. Since our Rong City branch is taking the lead, the final selection is still up to us. Headquarters suggests it’s best if you participate, which aligns with our plan. If the Rong City team only sends you, then we need to select six others from the list.”

“It’s a pity that idiot Liu Jiayi got injured during the Daijing Disaster. Otherwise, besides me and Lin Yin, she’d be the most suitable to go with you to Takaguchi, whether for covering for you or gathering intelligence… Her strength ranks within the top ten in the entire Special Response Department.”

Shen Ge had heard Liu Jiayi’s name mentioned by Elder Fang during the Daijing Disaster. She was an elite agent from Daijing, one of the team captains, and also Deng Yuqi’s cousin.

Injured during the Daijing Disaster while saving someone, she was transferred to a desk job and was later requested by Deng Yuqi from headquarters. She currently serves as the deputy section chief of the Information Department at the Rong City branch.

Whenever Deng Yuqi mentioned Liu Jiayi, her tone carried a hint of annoyance, yet her words always affirmed Liu Jiayi’s capability.

“Were you and Deputy Section Chief Liu teammates before?” Shen Ge tentative asked.

Deng Yuqi was startled: “How did you know?”

“So, you and her had a team name like ‘Addition’?”

“?” Deng Yuqi clearly didn’t understand.

Shen Ge said, “6 + 1 = 7, right?”

“…”

Deng Yuqi’s expression was subtle. It took her a moment to say, “It’s May. The weather’s warm, but please, no more cold jokes. But yes, Liu Jiayi and I were teammates. I was the captain of the special operations team; she was the deputy. Aside from her temper, her skills are indeed commendable.”

“A shame she got injured,” Shen Ge said.

Deng Yuqi sighed, “Yes. So, what’s your take? Oh, by the way, Elder Fang also contacted me. He’d like Xiao Fang to continue following you for training. I’ve read the reports; Xiao Fang has performed quite well these past few times. In the month since the Daijing Disaster, she’s independently resolved three Stage 1 and one Stage 2 defilement incidents. Her overall strength ranks in the top five at headquarters. She actively applied for this support mission.”

Shen Ge’s impression of Fang Mingyue, the “paramecium,” was fairly good. During the Chongqing incident, he initially disliked her reckless, save-everyone-at-all-costs attitude. He admired the sentiment, but preferred not to have such a person as a teammate.

Later, she inexplicably became “receptive to advice.” At first, Shen Ge thought she might be setting him up, but then realized she was just genuinely… simple.

Anyway, the paramecium’s main virtue was being “obedient.”

Taking her along wouldn’t weaken the branch’s remaining strength, could provide some cover for him, and they had cooperated before, possessing a certain “tacit understanding” in a way.

“Fang Mingyue is acceptable,” Shen Ge nodded.

Deng Yuqi ticked Fang Mingyue’s name on the list. “She seems to admire you quite a bit. Getting your approval will probably make her happy. Any other recommendations from the list?”

Shen Ge glanced at the list and finally pointed to a name from the Yunnan support list: “Him.”

“Xiao Cheng? You know him too?” Deng Yuqi also knew of him. Given her seniority, that wasn’t strange, but Xiao Cheng had almost no collaboration history with the Rong City branch.

Shen Ge said, “Don’t know him. But the remark listed specialty is ‘Infiltration,’ right? Since we’re going to Takaguchi to conduct operations, we naturally need such ‘talent’.”

Understanding dawned on Deng Yuqi. “I see. How about this: this operation will be led by you and Xiao Fang. For the rest, I’ll pick a few acquaintances skilled in intelligence gathering and dealing with bureaucratic formalities with the Pan-Asian Organization. They can provide cover and facilitate your actions.”

“Alright, that works,” Shen Ge agreed. He generally trusted Deng Yuqi’s arrangements and usually didn’t worry about such matters.

Shen Ge’s relationship with Cheng Shengnan was known within the Special Response Department. Therefore, the Twelve Branches, through their previous “infiltration,” likely already had Cheng Shengnan’s information; otherwise, “Yin Hu” wouldn’t have targeted her directly.

Cheng Shengnan told Shen Ge that Deng Yuqi had already made arrangements for her. During Shen Ge’s absence, the two women would often act together.

Clearly, to let Shen Ge go to Takaguchi with peace of mind, Deng Yuqi had voluntarily taken on the role of “bodyguard.”

…

…

At 9 a.m., Shen Ge boarded a special flight to Kikawa Airport. Six hours later, around 3 p.m., he arrived.

Fang Mingyue and others had arrived an hour earlier. Among the agents from headquarters, only she was familiar with Shen Ge, so she was assigned to wait at the airport for him, while the others went to rendezvous with the Pan-Asian Anti-Defilement Organization.

“Agent Shen!” Fang Mingyue was excited to see him, waiting actively on the tarmac.

“Where’s your equipment?” Shen Ge asked directly upon seeing her.

Fang Mingyue patted the sleeves of her black combat suit: “The defilement-energy equipment is on me, but firearms and standard gear are in the luggage. Oh, I heard they will fully cooperate with the support forces dispatched by the Pan-Asian Organization, so standard firearms and equipment can be requisitioned from the armory.”

Shen Ge wore the Special Response Department’s black combat suit and carried the pure black worm-shaped backpack, with no other luggage.

Clearly, Fang Mingyue assumed Shen Ge departed in a hurry and didn’t bring firearms or standard gear.

“Do you know where the armory is?” Shen Ge asked.

Fang Mingyue glanced at the soldiers waiting in the distance. “I reviewed their reports before coming. There’s a Self-Defense Force armory here in Kikawa City.”

“Is the requisition process complicated?” Shen Ge thought for a moment.

Fang Mingyue said, “Probably need to go through the Pan-Asian Organization’s procedures. Back and forth, it might take until evening just to get the authorization.”

“Let’s go. We’ll go directly,” Shen Ge said, walking straight towards the airport exit.

“Ah?” Fang Mingyue was taken aback, then quickly followed. Though worried about whether barging into the Self-Defense Force armory might cause an international incident, they were here for support. Takaguchi was in critical condition; every second counted. Handling matters specially due to the circumstances might… possibly, perhaps, roughly, maybe… be justifiable?

Fang Mingyue thought shaking off the soldiers would be troublesome. But following Shen Ge, they just circled the airport a few times, then walked into an elevator one after the other. The soldiers passed right by the elevator as if they didn’t see them.

Shen Ge had Fang Mingyue walk ahead. She obediently entered the elevator first, completely unaware that Shen Ge had activated the Formless Defilement Domain after avoiding direct sightlines, rendering both of them invisible.

Taking the elevator to the parking garage, Shen Ge found a black SUV. Little Seven unlocked the door and started the vehicle.

“You drive,” Shen Ge said, giving the driver’s seat to Fang Mingyue.

Fang Mingyue nodded: “Okay.”

They drove away from the airport. By 9 p.m., it was completely dark. Following Little Seven’s navigation, they arrived near the Kikawa Self-Defense Force equipment depot.

“Master, the forward checkpoint detects defilement-energy reaction.” Little Seven’s warning sounded almost simultaneously with the system’s alert about a “Stage 2 Defilement.”

Shen Ge had Fang Mingyue pull over. They got out and approached the checkpoint ahead. Surprisingly, there was no one inside the guard post. Blood was splattered on the walls and the monitoring console.

“Agent Shen, there’s a defilement-energy reaction here…” Fang Mingyue stood by the post, holding a defilement-energy detector.

Shen Ge looked down the road ahead. The whole street was eerie. The road leading to the Kikawa Self-Defense Force base was devoid of human figures.

“Agent Shen, there’s someone up ahead.” While scanning with the detector, Fang Mingyue suddenly saw a figure near the dark roadside ahead.

The figure seemed to be moving towards them. As it passed through the dark section into the dim light of a streetlamp, they could see it was a fashionably dressed woman with an attractive figure, wearing a face mask and long hair.

When the woman was about five or six meters away, Fang Mingyue had already attached the detector to her belt. With a flip of her hand, she held her Defilement-Bone Rod.

“Stop! Stay where you are!” Fang Mingyue raised a hand to halt the other’s approach.

Shen Ge pulled Fang Mingyue behind him. “This is their country. Do you think she understands Chinese?”

In fact, when the woman appeared, the system had already warned of a Stage 2 defilement approaching. But the only humanoid defilements Shen Ge had encountered were from the Twelve Branches. This was the first time the system alerted him to a non-“multi-limbed” humanoid defilement. So, he let the woman approach to see what she really was.

The woman stopped about three meters away. Even with the mask, her beautiful eyes suggested high attractiveness.

Most importantly, by conventional male standards, her clothing and perfect figure would make her an exceptional catch even if her face was average—lights off, at least.

The woman’s eyes curved into crescents, as if smiling. Then, in an extremely seductive voice, she asked the two: “Am I beautiful?”