The Eldritch Files

Outside the storage room, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed. It seemed many people had rushed over, but none entered—as if they couldn't find the door.

Han Su scanned the room, his eyes landing on a small Crystal Skull next to Jackal's body in the corner. It emanated a translucent, crystalline glow, looking almost alive.

Han Su had seen something similar before: a Crystal Skull.

This appeared to be the same kind of object, only a miniature version about the size of a walnut. It had obviously been modified, set in a custom-made metal holder.

'Is this what the D7 used to seal off this area?'

Han Su had a dawning realization. These D7s all wore "dog leashes" to keep them in check. Since these guys wanted to kill him, their first step must have been to disable those leashes. This object, he figured, was what they had used to isolate the area.

Was this also why the people outside had clearly arrived but still couldn't find this storage room?

Han Su thought for a moment, then picked the object up. He looked at Pot Lid Head, who understood. Pot Lid Head gently raised a hand and shook Han Su's. Both activated their Spiritual Power at the same time, letting it seep into each other's palms.

The exchange of Spiritual Information was complete. Han Su also tightened his grip on the Crystal Pendant, and then the two of them stepped back at the same time.

The actors were in position.

"The door's over here..."

A shout immediately rang out from outside, followed by a BANG as the door was kicked open.

The Executioner captain led a group of armed security, along with Doctor and Black Tiger, and burst in. At a glance, they saw the signs of a struggle in the storage room, Han Su's blood-stained thigh, and the D7 Executor with a deep gash that Han Su had inflicted on him.

The two were now facing each other, separated by three or four meters. It was clearly the aftermath of a vicious battle, a stalemate.

But while one's eyes blazed with hatred and the other's were eerily calm, the intense urge to kill was palpable between them!

The sight sent a chill down their spines, and a dozen guns immediately swiveled to point at Pot Lid Head.

Black Tiger immediately rushed to Han Su's side, complaining, "See? What did I tell you? I said I should have come in with you!"

Doctor saw the wounds on both Han Su and the D7, his expression showing a flash of surprise. But then, he saw the bodies of the other D7s nearby and Han Su's already bandaged thigh.

After a moment's thought, understanding dawned on him, and he silently began to consider how to revise the investigation report.

Amidst the chaos, Han Su looked at Pot Lid Head, who was held at gunpoint, and shouted sharply, "Keep him alive!"

"...I need to find out who's behind this!"

'He was genuinely worried someone's trigger finger would twitch and blow Pot Lid Head away.'

As if his reminder wasn't needed, the Executioner captain also knew Pot Lid Head's value. With a face full of shock and anger, he gave the order. Pot Lid Head was instantly forced to the ground, and the electronic collar on his neck reconnected to the signal after being rebooted.

Throughout the entire process, he just stared coldly at Han Su, without struggling or cursing.

But looking at that gaze, the Executioner captain felt a wave of sympathy and pity for Han Su. 'It's over. This guy is finished. He's been targeted by that psycho...'

At that moment, perhaps his were the only genuine emotions in the room.

'When an Executioner messes up, it drags down my evaluation too...'

'Just like that, at least the last six months of missions have gone to waste.'

Han Su just grit his teeth. As he stood up, he seemed to pull a muscle in his thigh, grimacing slightly. Then he said in a low voice, "The Disaster Management Bureau really lacks discipline, doesn't it?"

"Fortunately, I've already completed my mission!"

"..."

As he spoke, he shot a cold glance at the pinned-down Pot Lid Head, then picked up the case and walked over to the oil painting.

With so many people around now, the oil painting appeared completely normal.

Although the residual Spiritual Activity had been severely damaged, it still existed. Now, however, it seemed to have hidden itself.

Han Su didn't care what it was up to. He zapped it twice with an electric baton to make it behave. That saved him from having to use Designation 06.

Only then did he take the briefcase, open it up in front of him, and lay the painting flat inside. It fit perfectly. Of course, the briefcase had been specially designed and could be adjusted.

It could accommodate paintings that were slightly larger or smaller.

"Contaminant successfully retrieved. Time to head back to the Disaster Management Bureau and write the report!"

After placing the painting in the briefcase, Han Su straightened up, shot a cold glance at the Executioner captain, and said, "And of course, I have a question for the Disaster Management Bureau: who exactly tried to murder me, an Investigator, in the middle of a mission!"

The nearby Executioner captain's face instantly darkened. He nodded in agreement, and as he escorted Pot Lid Head out, he handled him much more roughly.

But Pot Lid Head just stared intently at Han Su, the corner of his mouth twitching into a slight grin. The sight of this expression made everyone nearby feel a chill run down their spine.

'Only Han Su knew that the guy was actually giving him a friendly smile...'

...

...

The group immediately drove back to the Disaster Management Bureau. For the first time, Han Su wasn't thinking about how to write his report on the way. Instead, he was working himself into a fury, letting a menacing expression settle on his face.

Of course, another reason was that Doctor had already written the report.

He just needed to polish it a bit, sign his name, and he could submit it directly to Miss Ai.

All he needed to do now was be angry!

"An Investigator was attacked by a D7?"

And just as Han Su had expected, when he brought the news back to the Disaster Management Bureau, the staff members who understood the implications looked horrified. "This is a huge deal..."

Anyone could see that with the strict control of the D7s' "dog leashes," an attack on an Investigator was highly unlikely.

But if an attack *did* happen, it would be a major incident...

Wasn't the Disaster Management Bureau about to be turned upside down by another investigation?

Immediately, discussions broke out on all sides. Someone wanted to take Han Su to the medical room, but Han Su just waved his hand coldly. "It's a minor injury. What's the point of a medical room?"

"Right now, all I want to know is who was audacious enough to try to have me killed during a mission?"

"..."

But to Han Su's surprise, this time, Secretary Cui Qiao, who came to ask about the matter, showed no indignation.

It seemed she already knew about the incident. She merely checked on Han Su's condition.

Seeing that Han Su was only lightly injured, she seemed relieved. She didn't even ask about the specifics of the situation, just patted Han Su's hand. "Rest and recover well."

"..."

Han Su's anger had been an act from the start, purely to blow the situation up.

But seeing that Cui Qiao wasn't playing along, he immediately reacted and asked in a low voice, "Did something happen to Uncle Zhang?"

"Not yet."

Cui Qiao replied calmly, "Don't ask about it for now. Finish your mission report first."

Han Su watched her leave, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately held his tongue.

He stayed in the break room, first handing over the painting he'd brought back to the base's Executioners for containment. Then he personally polished the mission report Doctor had sent him, signed it, and submitted it to Miss Ai before waiting patiently.

He soon received a reply from Miss Ai: [Thank you, Mr. Butcher, for your contribution to the defense of reality. The B Level contaminated item "Round Table Altar" has been retrieved. The B+ Level mission "Two-bodied People" is complete!]

[Your initial rating is being upgraded. Current rating: C Level!]

[Mr. Butcher, please keep up the good work!]

[...]

'We know each other this well, and she's still using these canned responses?'

Han Su frowned slightly, then replied directly from his own phone: [Thank you!]

Miss Ai replied: [You're very welcome, Mr. Butcher. I'm just doing my job!]

"Doing my job..."

Han Su stared at Miss Ai's reply, his doubts reaching their peak.

The infected were dealt with, the Penetration was cut off, and the source was handed over for containment. The report prepared by Doctor even clearly detailed the full story of how that small workshop was smuggling artifacts from ruins. The mission could be considered an extraordinary success.

And in the process, he'd finished testing his new ability, gained a clear understanding of his strengths and weaknesses, and then there was the contamination from the painting...

Everything had aligned with a suspicious level of convenience.

'And this was all just Miss Ai doing her job?'

He mused, then tentatively typed: [What do you have to say about me being attacked on this mission, Miss Ai?]

Miss Ai replied: [My sympathies for what you went through, Mr. Butcher, but the Disaster Management Bureau has not granted me the authority to investigate such matters. I'm sure the relevant personnel will provide you with a satisfactory response!]

'So she's saying this kind of thing is out of her hands?'

Han Su thought for a moment, then took out the small Crystal Skull. He took a photo of it with his phone, uploaded it to the program, and then asked: [This is an item I picked up at the scene. It seems to be related to the attack. Do I need to turn it in?]

Miss Ai replied instantly: [Scan indicates this type of object is a transcendent item with mystical properties, capable of creating a small Barrier to prevent snooping. According to regulations, it must be handed over and serve as evidence!]

[However, based on an analysis of the current situation, the investigation into the attack will proceed regardless of this item. The suspect has already been identified.]

[...]

'This is a hint that I can keep it. It proves that between me and the Disaster Management Bureau, Miss Ai is still leaning toward my side...'

'In that case...'

Han Su asked the most important question: [Is the contamination I saw in that painting related to the Life Code...]

This time, Miss Ai's reply was unusually fast. So fast that a reply popped up before Han Su had even finished typing his question, let alone hit send:

[Shh...]

[...]

[...]

And at this very moment, in a secret underground facility in Qinggang, Pot Lid Head had been escorted back and was immediately subjected to a mandatory full-body examination. The data was quickly transmitted to multiple terminals.

Upon learning he was injured, countless faces filled with horror. "How dare they? Who dared to injure him?"

Even more alarmingly, someone spotted a piece of information alongside his injury data that made them break out in a cold sweat. "Quick, raise the alert level! Raise the alert level!!"

"He's... showing signs of excitement!!"

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