Industrial Cthulhu doesn't believe in the end times.

Chapter 96 Are there really people this lucky?

"So you're saying you're actually from Pingyang in southern Shanxi?"

"Yes, sir, I don't know how I ended up here. Do you think I can go back?"

"That's probably going to be difficult."

The middle-aged man named Yin Danyi was also lying in a hospital bed. He was in the best condition among the people in the same car, having only broken two ribs.

Although the relevant inquiries had already been made, Su Xun was still somewhat surprised when he personally confirmed the matter with the other party.

He had also told Jiang Yi in person that it would be very difficult to make use of the interconnected nature of the lower levels of the secret realm in the early stages, but now there was a living example right in front of them.

What's this? Are there too many survivors? So even extremely low-probability events happened?

Are there really people this lucky?

He looked at the man in front of him and thought to himself, "You're the main character, aren't you?"

Su Xun asked himself honestly, and he realized that even he would find it difficult to use the secret realm to traverse such a long distance now.

Could you briefly describe your experiences in the secret realm?

"This...isn't anything special about it?"

The man thought for a moment, then said somewhat blankly, "Once I entered that place, I completely lost my sense of direction. I just wandered around, but..."

At this point, he said with some confusion, "I don't know. I seem to have forgotten some things. I only know that I suddenly saw that monster."

Speaking of the alien species, a look of fear appeared in his eyes: "It probably didn't notice me at the time, so I ran in the direction away from it, and then I saw the troops."

"Forgot..."

Su Xun suddenly frowned. Upon hearing about forgetting, he subconsciously thought of the questions he had suddenly realized when the apocalypse arrived. He looked the man in front of him up and down again.

He was tall and strong, but his hair was messy and his stubble looked unkempt. Now that he was injured, he looked listless.

There seems to be nothing unusual, but could this be related to the tenth-order natural disaster hidden after the apocalypse?
It is too early to draw such a conclusion. When this person passed through the cognitive maze, they may have traversed a deeper area, and the greater degree of cognitive interference could also cause similar phenomena.

However, we cannot let our guard down. The probability of an ordinary person safely passing through the secret realm is extremely small. If Su Xun really believed that this was a coincidence, he wouldn't have lived so long in his previous life.

If it really is Him, then what is His purpose in sending this person to Him?
Is this a signal? Or a greeting to oneself?
Or is it a warning?
The power of a tenth-order being is beyond imagination. The very speculation that He might exist and be watching over this place is itself a very important piece of information.

But these things are still far off, so Su Xun put aside these doubts for the time being. Right now, he needed to focus more on the situation at hand.

Regardless of how this person came to be, now that I've found him, the most important thing is to find out where he came from.

"Jiang Yi, find the map."

The Taimon base has a complete map recording the construction of shelters in various places, but they did not bring it to the Haiqu Command. The one that Jiang Yi took out today was drawn by herself based on the old map and the information provided by Taimon.

It must be said that her drawing skills were quite remarkable; the lines were meticulous and clean, and people would probably believe that the map was printed. Unfolding the map, Yin Danyi, with Jiang Yi's help, sat up and explained to Su Xun the situation he had encountered and his original location.

Su Xun was once again amazed that one of the greatest legacies left to them by the civilized era was that almost everyone could read a map, which was actually a remarkable ability.

Through his explanation, Su Xun was temporarily relieved. It was the appearance of a new secret realm. Such an abnormal expansion as Haiqu was indeed not a common phenomenon. Of course, this judgment was also temporary. After Yin Danyi was drawn into the secret realm, he himself was not very clear whether there had been any changes in the outside world.

What's even more encouraging is that, based on the details described by this person, the local shelters have stabilized, and the preparations of the previous month have not been in vain. Comrades in other areas have successfully completed their tasks.

"So, your location is between the first and fourth shelters in Pingyang? You didn't enter any shelters?"

"No, we formed a small team to take on missions from the shelter, and we usually live on our own outside."

"That's it."

Su Xun understood that some small groups of survivors outside the official shelters and safe zones were mostly led by superhumans. There were also some similar groups in Haiqu. Perhaps they felt that they were freer and had more opportunities outside the shelters, or perhaps they were unwilling to leave the place where they had lived for a long time.

The current shelter is no longer as cruel and dangerous as the apocalypse Su Xun experienced in his previous life. Moreover, most of the things to pay attention to are written in the survival manual, and they can survive quite well in the apocalypse with the help of that book.

Regulating these people is quite difficult right now. There were similar forces in the past, but the situation is very different from today, and there is no experience to draw on.

Even if people weren't in the officially established shelters, they had gathered into quite large groups, or rather, they had established their own shelters and had become a large, autonomous force.

In that environment, leaving the shelter as a small group of people was a certain death sentence. However, now, such people are beginning to increase. Although they have not yet formed a large scale, their initial form is emerging. The new environment will give rise to a new social structure, and it is still unknown how far they will develop in the future.

"So what are your plans now? Are you still going to venture out on your own?"

"No, no, I feel it's fine to stay in the shelter." Yin Danyi shook his head repeatedly, it seemed that his encounter in the secret realm had frightened him quite a bit.

To Su Xun's question, he put on a smile and said, "Well, sir, how about I be your bodyguard? Look at my physique, I'm quite a fighter!"

"You'll be my bodyguard?"

Su Xun chuckled. This person knew how to build relationships and knew that he was safest with Su Xun by his side.

But given Su Xun's current strength, he probably doesn't need such a bodyguard. Before coming here, he had already learned that although this man named Yin Danyi was physically strong, he actually possessed a magical ability called 'Sharpness'.

Similar to the ability of those with affinity for metal elements to enhance weapons, this ability is purer, more offensive, and can affect objects beyond just metal items. It can also continue to work for a period of time after the weapon leaves the body.

The crucial thermobaric bomb that was used to break through the surface of the fifth-tier alien species was thus used.

However, that breach was due to a combination of factors, including continuous artillery fire, the penetrating power of the missiles, and the weaknesses of the alien species. All of these factors were indispensable.

Ultimately, this person is only a second-tier ability user.

Su Xun considered for a moment, but decided not to say anything too discouraging. He said, "I don't really need guards right now, but I'm starting a school that teaches extraordinary knowledge. You were able to reach the second level through your own exploration, so you should have some understanding of this. You can come to the school as a lecturer and share your experience."

This person's origins are unknown, so keeping him under control is a good option.

(End of this chapter)