Deity Investigation Report

Chapter 299 The Oriole Awaits
"Ok?"

Before he realized the immense spiritual power was converging upon him, Han Su was watching the giant steel statue rise up, marveling that the Doctor seemed to have had a strange door opened for him.

Looking at how much he's enjoying himself, why does he seem to have such an eerie aura?
Another point is that the altar to the scientific giants has already been erected. So, when he meets those people, will his acting skills be up to par?
"Shouldn't this represent the arrival of a scientific giant?"

The doctor stood beneath the enormous statue, adjusting his glasses with his middle finger, and said, "I haven't studied disguise and infiltration skills. But I imagine they're just techniques that can be learned temporarily. However, I need to know your overall plan before I meet with them."

“My plan is simple: I need the credit from this incident as leverage for my promotion to independent investigator.”

"Furthermore, I also need them to successfully construct the portal between reality and illusion, but..."

Han Su had some concerns about Doctor and Black Tiger, since they both belonged to the Disaster Management Bureau. Although they were on the same team, Han Su had some of his own thoughts that he couldn't tell them directly.

Now things are much better; we've basically formed a community of shared interests, and it's much easier to talk to each other.

But he had only uttered half of his thought when he suddenly paused slightly and looked up.

In that instant, he sensed a strange spiritual force surging within the polluted area that enveloped the Baila Mountain region.

It started in the central square of Bailashan Town, then swept through the Pillar of Civilization, the Key to the Future, and the Soul of Machinery. Finally, even the altar of these scientific giants was stirred up, forming a huge vortex that quickly converged towards the center.

The altar for the scientific giants was originally set up by the Doctor, who carried out his will. This event happened seemingly without any warning.

This was somewhat beyond the scope of the doctor's knowledge, and he turned to look at Han Su.

A slight rustling sound came from inside Han Su's suitcase.

That was the blood left in the box by the white corpse, which was becoming active and vaguely conveying some information to him.

"They acted faster than I expected..."

Sensing what had happened to Hou Zhizhu, Han Su was also slightly surprised: "This guy is quite composed. He didn't give himself away at all when facing the five high priests."

"How did they steal my..."

Faced with this change, the doctor remained calm and searched for a suitable word: "authority?"

“They are not trying to steal your authority, but simply trying to unite the will of this region.”

Han Su looked up towards the direction of Baila Mountain Town and slowly said, "This is also the reason why the scientific giants were able to infiltrate. They don't really care which cults came or whose wills were mixed in."

"Because, before the Bronze Codex even begins, it is necessary to unite the wills of everyone to form a truly powerful and complete will!"

"Heh, a mysterious organization, the Bronze Inscription Church..."

“They all claim to believe in something and are pursuing some mysterious will, but in reality, they each have their own ideas!”

"..."

The doctor was suddenly stunned upon hearing this: "What?"

"You didn't actually sneak in under a disguise."

Han Su looked at the doctor and patted him on the shoulder: "Now, in essence, you are a believer in the Bronze Script."

"Scientific giants, that is, the true Bronze Order."

"Because the nature of other religious orders is similar to yours, those high priests do not lead believers to worship a mysterious will or anything like that. The so-called idols, the so-called omnipresent mysterious will, are simply their own will projected into them."

"Exactly the same as your current situation."

"..."

The doctor clearly felt somewhat surprised: "This is different from the mysterious organization we know."

"The foundation of this mysterious organization lies in worship!"

"..."

"Perhaps it's because they've lost their restraint, or perhaps their deepest will has been diluted, and they're no longer devout!"

Han Su said in a deep voice, "Now it is clear that they are projecting everyone's will onto the same individual, thereby completely integrating this field into one. The scientific giant is also in this field, so he will naturally be swept up as well."

"So now you either fight against their will and expose your identity, or you can only remain silent and submit, and be devoured by their will."

"I think that's why they're not worried about anyone infiltrating and causing trouble."

"On a mystical level, once a unified will appears, it will digest all heresies."

"Even an enemy who infiltrates will become a part of you."

"..."

"but……"

The doctor quickly processed Han Su's words, and a question immediately followed: "Why would they do this?"

For me!
Han Su thought to himself, but he couldn't possibly say the answer directly.

Based on the information obtained from the Pillar of Marquis, and combined with the actions of these priests, I now understand very clearly:

These people are the heirs appearing!
On the surface, they seem to want to find the successor of the Bronze and rebuild the Bronze Kingdom.

On the surface, they seem to share the same fanatical loyalty and worship for the heir to the bronze throne as the elderly residents of the Lilac Mansion.

But in reality...

...They're all a bunch of damn ambitious people!

Thankfully, I didn't take advantage of the Will of Bronze to make contact with them so easily...

The followers of the Bronze Inscriptions, lacking any worship of their successors, are likely driven only by a strong possessiveness, a desire for control, and...

...the desire to destroy!
In this case……

He opened the box and even saw that the jar containing the white corpse's blood was bubbling and boiling as if it had been boiled.

The blood was clearly resisting something instinctively.

As the fused will connecting the seven altars appeared, the individual wills within the entire field began to be forcibly distorted. After a while, even Black Tiger and the Doctor were affected.

"Although I am not actually the heir, why do I still feel a bit angry when I see these believers so lacking in reverence?"

Han Su realized his own complex and subtle feelings, and found them somewhat amusing.

Then, he raised his hand and pressed it against the vial of blood, chanting softly, "The will of bronze will live on forever in the world's reflection!"

In an instant, an invisible force surged out, instantly obscuring the jar of bronze-colored blood. Immediately afterward, it was as if an unusual spiritual force soared into the sky, clashing with the omnipresent spiritual field, but it vanished in a flash.

"Eh?"

"……found it!"

At the same time, in Bailashan Town Square.

The five major sacrifices are corrupting the will of the Pillar of the Lord.

Originally, Hou Zhizhu was merely a "favored one" of the Mechanical Buddha, but they wanted to transform him into a favorite of several other major religious orders.

Only those who are priests know the underlying operating logic of the religious order.

The earliest believers in bronze inscriptions, and even the various sects that branched out from them, did indeed believe in the mystical will. They pursued mystical power and received the infusion of mystical knowledge by pursuing that mystical will.

However, as time went by, the mysterious will grew weaker and weaker, and as the higher-ups of the mysterious organization, they had not acquired any new knowledge for a long time.

They were once believers in the gods, and the people closest to them, but now, even embarking on the path to divinity is incredibly difficult for them. Therefore, they are left with only one survival strategy: to gather followers and build a spiritual network.

The mysterious will within this mental network is self-sufficient, which has led to the major religious orders increasingly evolving into private assets.

However, this kind of private local area network is destined to clash with the heir!
Now they want to use Hou Zhizhu, a person whose will is extremely easy to be distorted, to become the most powerful will in this vast field, in the spiritual ocean formed by hundreds of thousands of people!

Given their proximity to Qinggang, this artificially created "Chosen One" is bound to have a strong entanglement and influence with the person with the Will of Bronze hidden in Qinggang.

The heir who has been hiding in Qinggang will hear the call of the Copper Script believers.

Of course, this call to action carries a certain degree of coercion.

They were certainly very devout, at least on the surface. They seemed to simply want to invite the chosen one of the gods to Mount Baila to participate in this sacred bronze ceremony. At that time, Hou Zhizhu, this temporary product of will, would be sacrificed, and they themselves would be cleansed.

If the heirs are unwilling to cooperate, then what will happen next is anyone's guess.

But now, there's only one problem...

"So fast?"

Someone spoke softly, their voice carrying a mixture of joy, a sense of awe, and a touch of caution.

Their blessing of divine favor has only just begun. Theoretically, they will only begin searching once they reach at least 80% of the required level, and they can only forcibly create entanglement once they reach at least 95%.

But now, with only 60% remaining, it clearly sensed the emergence of that powerful will, refusing assimilation, and even felt the other party's obvious resistance.

this means……

"he……"

The high priest of the Mechanical Soul trembled slightly: "He is on White Wax Mountain!"

"He did discover what we were doing all along..."

"Perhaps he's still hiding in the shadows, infiltrating among the believers, secretly plotting something..."

"..."

"So, it really is him?"

The priest, Songchai, also thought of someone.

The investigator who infiltrated the Baila Mountain area has not been found and has not made any special effort to look for him.

Because of this sudden surprise, no one in the room spoke immediately.

After a long silence, someone whispered, "So, should we politely invite him over first, or..."

"Enhance the field!"

These words were immediately interrupted by the high priest of the pillar of civilization, who said in a deep voice, "His rejection was very obvious just now, and he was also very resistant to us, and even intended to continue hiding. So why should we be polite? In this field, there can only be one will!"

"If he appears in time, we will sacrifice this chosen one; if he does not appear..."

"..."

There was no need to say anything more, but everyone immediately quickened their pace, as if they were forging a weapon.

Hou Zhizhu had by this time developed a strong instinct to resist.

However, the drop of bronze blood in his forehead seemed to be influencing him as well, strengthening the fusion of his will.

"So it really is in the Baila Mountain area?"

Not far away, Anwei noticed the excitement of these people and secretly confirmed something.

Of course, this certainty is nothing at all.

Everyone had been suspicious of him from the start, and they didn't understand why Abyss Studio had let him run rampant for so many years. The problem was that the impatient people in Qinggang couldn't prove it was him, which is why the Bronze Inscription Church needed to truly verify his identity.

Now that this proof is 90% complete, my own task can begin.

"High Priest, something terrible has happened..."

Just as the seven major religious groups in the Baila Mountain region were about to form their chosen ones, a cry of surprise was suddenly heard.

They all turned their heads and saw the commander of the outer mechanical ghost legion. He said urgently, "The first team of investigators sent by Qinggang has arrived. They are led by a man wearing a green hat and have requested to enter the Baila Mountain area to investigate the truth behind the construction of these auxiliary sacrificial altars."

"They came in large numbers, and there will definitely be others following, so it's not appropriate for us to directly..."

"……solve!"

"..."

"We've already taken the lead, so why worry?"

Hearing this news, Priest Songchai was not surprised and withdrew his gaze from the priests in front of him.

Then he sighed to himself, "Now that he has come to Baila Mountain, there is no way he can leave again."

"Miss Anwei..."

As he muttered to himself, he turned to look at Anwei and smiled, "We can trust you, right?"

Anwei smiled: "Of course."

"In that case..."

Priest Songchai smiled and said, "We can give you the mechanical legion access password you want right now, but I also know what you want most. Shall we make another deal on top of that?"

Anwei smiled broadly and said happily, "It's my honor!"

"However, those rare metals that my elder brother and younger brother took away..."

"Don't worry, we've already made arrangements."

The priest, upon hearing the report from the assistant priest, said, "Notify the Electronic Secret Society!"

"His guess was absolutely right, and the target is already in our trap. We can prepare to come over!"

Watching the assistant priest leave, he slowly walked up to Hou Zhizhu, looked at Hou Zhizhu's blank face, and whispered:

"May those favored by the gods protect the altar!"

"..."

Hou Zhizhu blinked, looked at him, and didn't say anything.

Deep within the forest, beneath the scientific giant, Han Su also sensed all of this, took a deep breath, and said:

"Promise him!"

Hou Zhizhu was startled, and a copper mark appeared between his brows. The next moment, he gently raised his hand, and suddenly ripples appeared in the seemingly empty air. These ripples carried a metallic resonance and spread outwards in layers.

The six auxiliary altars on the outer perimeter resonated simultaneously, forming an invisible barrier that enveloped the entire town of Bailashan. At the town's closest gathering point to Qinggang, the investigator team led by Green Hat immediately turned around and ran back.

"How dare they! Do these Tongwen believers not know Qinggang's background? How dare they openly rebel?"

Then came a series of changes.

The crisis in Bailashan Town had been brewing in secret for so long, yet it went unnoticed by the Qinggang leadership, and naturally, no countermeasures were taken.

The person in charge immediately checked all the relevant documents and found that only one investigator, codenamed Butcher, had volunteered to go and investigate, and so far there has been no news back.

The Grand Sacrifice of the Pillars of Civilization, the Key to the Future, the Soul of Machinery, the Electronic Secret Society, and scientific giants of unknown origin...

The appearance of any mysterious organization always warrants high alert and close monitoring from the entire Disaster Management Bureau. Now, with all of them setting up altars less than 100 kilometers from Qinggang, it's practically a declaration of war for the city!

According to observations from the outside, the area has been completely overrun, and the level of mental impact it has triggered is astonishing. According to the Disaster Management Bureau's usual assessment standards, it is already classified as an absolute Super S-level crisis.

"What did you say?"

Zhang Chiguo waited in vain all night for Song Chu, but no one came. He was so angry that his voice changed.

"It's Han Su..."

When Secretary Cui first met Zhang Chiguo, she was so nervous that she stammered, "...I mean, Butcher, he...he set off yesterday for the Baila Mountain area, and I...I helped him with the paperwork."

"Now, I can't contact him anymore..."

"It's certain he's trapped there, and his fate... is unknown!"

"..."

"How could you allow him to go straight in?"

This was also the first time Zhang Chiguo had ever lost his temper with Cui Qiao: "I only agreed to let you tell him some things about the promotion to independent investigator. Who gave you the guts to just barge in?"

He was truly furious. Not only had he waited for Song Chu all night, but he had also suddenly learned about the gathering of Tongwen believers at Baila Mountain.

In particular, when he discovered that Han Su was also deeply involved, his worry and anger almost made him lose his composure.

There was no time to vent his anger, so he hurriedly stepped out and went straight to the Qinggang Council to report that such a huge matter could not be handled by the Disaster Management Bureau alone. It had to be reported to the council and even treated as a war.

"There's no time to lose. I need to mobilize the Qinggang Armed Forces and request assistance from at least two independent investigators, no..."

"Send all three of them out!"

"Furthermore, I need to hold those responsible accountable, including the An family and Dingxiang Mansion. They need to come forward and explain..."

"I need……"

"..."

"Old Zhang, I know you're anxious, but don't rush it."

However, when faced with Zhang Chiguo, who arrived in a hurry and shouted in a deep voice, the assistant who received him simply said calmly: "Qinggang has a mature system in place for dealing with such emergencies."

"Now, you should fulfill your duties and quickly arrange for people to conduct reconnaissance of that area. After obtaining detailed data, come back to the meeting to discuss what to do!"

"Human lives are at stake, what's the point of holding a meeting?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chiguo felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world: "Besides, these bronze-script believers either don't show themselves or they make such a big fuss. You don't know what they're going to do in the next minute. Shouldn't we hurry up and execute the emergency procedures?"

"..."

Whether or not emergency procedures need to be implemented depends on the results of the investigation in that area!

The assistant advised, "Old Zhang, you're not a newbie anymore. Why are you still so impulsive when it comes to such an important matter?"

"It is precisely because we know nothing about that region that we must be even more cautious."

"Armed forces can't just be transferred to you for free. You need to submit an application and wait for those gentlemen above to sign it before personnel and weapons can be arranged!"

"Furthermore, although your secret mission last night failed, it's not over yet. Now, the higher-ups want you to continue discussing how to leave the city to pursue Song Chushi..."

"..."

When Zhang Chiguo walked out of the council chamber, Secretary Cui Qiao, who had been waiting, immediately came to greet him.

"How about it?"

She also felt guilty. When she helped Han Su with the paperwork, she didn't realize that the problems in the Baila Mountain area were so serious.

"Heh, they said my application didn't meet the requirements..."

Zhang Chiguo spoke, a bitter smile on his face. His mind began to replay the contents of the email Miss Ai had sent him, and he thought of the demands placed upon him—the preliminary reconnaissance and meetings during the pursuit of Song Chu…

...Do they really think I'm a fool?
"To hold a meeting to discuss?"

Secretary Cui Qiao was also taken aback: "At the very least, we should immediately dispatch sufficient armed forces to deter them, and even consider deploying our existing defenses, or..."

"...Unlock Miss Ai's body!"

She blurted it out unconsciously, then suddenly stopped herself, looking at Zhang Chiguo with some worry: "Then we..."

"Screw the discussion!"

Zhang Chiguo suddenly unleashed a powerful punch, smashing the stone lion at the entrance of the council hall to pieces. It was daytime, and there were cars and people on the road. Many people were terrified when they saw this.

This was already a serious leak of a mysterious phenomenon, but Zhang Chiguo didn't even glance at it. He only felt a sense of relief, as if a long-suppressed shackle had been broken, and said in a deep voice, "I'm not going to play by their rules anymore."

"Bring me my suitcase, I'm coming right now!"

"..."

"you……"

Cui Qiao's heart skipped a beat, and Zhang Chiguo's low voice confirmed her thoughts:
"Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"Someone in Qinggang is colluding with the Tongwen believers of Baila Mountain. Otherwise, why did Qinggang only become aware of it now, and why did they remain silent for so long after the other party built the altar?"

"Even Xiao Han..."

He looked up abruptly, his eyes bloodshot, with veins bulging: "I suspect someone deliberately sent him into the hands of those bronze script believers..."

……

……

As Zhang Chiguo left, on the top floor of the Qinggang Council Building, someone stood with their hands behind their back, calmly watching the angry middle-aged man below who had punched and shattered a stone lion. After a long while, they finally let out a sneer.
"The honest man has learned to get angry!"

Beside him, the assistant whispered, "After all, he's quite dangerous. Rushing into Baila Mountain like this might cause trouble..."

"Stop him!"

The man with his hands behind his back spoke calmly: "Send the highest-level armed forces over there and tell him that if he doesn't want to be imprisoned in D7, he must obey orders."

"Otherwise, let's make sure he never gets to Baila Mountain!"

"...

The assistant knew the weight of those words and felt a slight chill run down his spine.

The middle-aged man said in a calm tone: "If we're going to do nothing, we'll do nothing. But if we're going to do something, we need to seize the most crucial bargaining chip. This time, we only need to ensure one thing: we'll do the work that Abyss Studio won't do, and let that child take on the responsibility that is destined for him."

"Of course, I'll also tell Xiao Wu that we need to put more effort into things there."

The assistant quickly agreed and went to do the work.

However, the middle-aged man watching Zhang Chiguo leave was unaware that on the building opposite him, behind the heavy curtains, someone was also observing him with binoculars.

Lu Xiaoba, who had infiltrated Qinggang City, frowned deeply: "Damn it, I was careless. I promised that model I'd kill these three guys, but their security is just too tight. How am I supposed to do this?"

"I make a living with my brain, and I have excellent assassination skills. I can't just stab him with a knife when he goes out, can I?"

(End of this chapter)