Chapter 402: The Dream
Chapter 402: The Dream
"Hurry!"
"Everyone, move faster!"
Several seemingly ordinary vans appeared near Cloud Shield University, and a group of fully armed Night Watch members quickly emerged from them.
"Starlight Barrier, cover the entire university campus, especially the area near the Material Research Institute."
The district captain, possessing Tier 3 Extraordinary power, shouted as he threw a strange eyeball into the air:
"Monitor the movements of everyone on campus, and arrest everyone who has entered or exited the Material Research Institute within the last two hours."
"Yes, sir!"
"Move faster!"
In the principal's office, Gregory, who was reviewing this year's reported projects, suddenly looked up.
"Malz."
He asked in a low voice:
"What's going on?"
As the principal of a renowned federal university and also a member of the federal parliament, he was an Extraordinary individual himself.
Moreover, he was a powerful being who had lived for nearly two hundred years.
"Old friend."
Malz, the district captain in charge of this area, sighed as he looked into the principal's office from afar:
"A Foreign Deity has unleashed Divine Punishment, and your school has been contaminated."
"..." Gregory paused, his expression complex.
"So soon?"
The news of the birth of the Son of Destruction had not been concealed by the Temple of the Gods, and those with Extraordinary powers had all heard about it.
But he never expected,
The Divine Punishment to come so quickly!
"Where is the Son of Destruction?" Gregory asked.
"Can the Night Watch organization contact the Foreign Deity? Perhaps... we can hand over the Son of Destruction."
The power of Deities was almost insurmountable for mortals.
Moreover, the more powerful an Extraordinary individual was, the more they could sense the unbridgeable gap between themselves and others.
Surrender,
In his opinion, was the only choice.
"No one knows where the Son of Destruction is." Malz shook his head:
"And even if we hand over the Son of Destruction, the Foreign Deity might not spare this world."
"Old friend..."
"The moment of destruction has arrived."
"Is that so?" Realizing that the situation was irreversible, Gregory, instead of being tense as he was initially, stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Looking down, he saw countless energetic students below.
"I've lived for one hundred and eighty-seven years. I've experienced everything there is to experience, and I have no regrets."
"But they..."
"Are still young!"
Malz fell silent.
The next moment—
"Boom!"
A loud noise came from the institute, and a dark shadow smashed through the glass and leaped from the fifth floor. In mid-air, a black membrane extended from its body, resembling a gliding wing, as it descended towards the ground. After landing, it rolled and was about to charge into the crowd.
Countless black lines sprouted from its body, piercing towards the people around.
"Divine Punishment!" Malz exclaimed:
"There's something on the institute staff's body. We can't let it escape. The base's telepathic message said it would split and expand."
"By then..."
"Everything will be over!"
"Whoosh!"
Before he could finish, Principal Gregory's figure suddenly appeared in the middle of the scene. His aged body erupted with inconceivable power.
With a light wave of his large hand, invisible gravity manifested, drawing everything towards the concentrated fist.
The strange parasitic worms shooting towards the crowd were also pulled back.
"Boom!"
White light burst from his fist, shattering the dark shadow into pieces, leaving only a dozen black silk threads wriggling back and forth.
"It's still not dead?"
Gregory's face turned gloomy.
He had just used seventy percent of his strength, and the remaining thirty percent was only to avoid damaging the surrounding buildings. Yet, this bizarre parasite had not been completely eliminated.
It should be known,
That the infected was just an ordinary person.
In less than an hour, it could grant an ordinary person the power to rival a Tier 3 being.
This thing...
Was terrifying!
Malz witnessed this scene as well, his face turning pale instantly, and he made a decision.
"Seal off the campus."
"I request access to the Dark Gateway to seal off the campus!" Gregory exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.
Polar Region.
In just a few days, an extensive base had been established around the Black Bug Stone in the Polar Region.
Cooling devices capable of rapid refrigeration adorned the base's walls, and all personnel underwent rigorous inspections.
"Breaking news," a voice announced.
"Cloud Shield University is experiencing a highly contagious plague. The campus has been sealed off, and outsiders are prohibited from approaching."
"Our reporter has arrived near the campus, where a security net has been set up by the guards..."
"This is Natalie, reporting live for the station. We will now interview the police officer in charge."
"Hello!"
"What is the situation inside the campus?"
"... "
Karl looked up at the television mounted on the wall, which was broadcasting news about Cloud Shield University.
Even drones were flying overhead, capturing a bird's-eye view of the campus below.
"These reporters are incredibly bold," Austin remarked, his brow furrowed as he watched the footage.
"It's been made clear that the situation inside is off-limits, and yet they dare to send drones to spy."
"Sensational news always grabs attention," Karl said, retracting his gaze with a smile.
"No problem, I'm leaving now."
"Professor."
Austin paused for a moment, then asked, "Aren't you considering joining the research team?"
"No," Karl shook his head. "With the current methods, there's not much we can discover. I advise you not to waste your time on this either."
The Black Bugs, when they parasitize other organisms, enhance their host's abilities to an astonishing degree.
If one could grasp the underlying principles...
It would undoubtedly be of great use.
Unfortunately, Karl wasn't optimistic.
It wasn't that it was impossible to reverse-engineer, but with current technological means, it was simply unfeasible.
The Wizard World might offer some possibilities, but even that was a long shot.
The Black Bugs originated from a Foreign Deity.
In fact, if Karl's suspicions were correct, these bugs were the offspring of that deity. How could they possibly be dealt with?
However, he himself could gain insights from this phenomenon.
"Professor, you need a medical examination."
"Okay."
Entering and exiting the base required thorough inspections to ensure no one was carrying parasitized Black Bugs.
Even a single escapee could potentially destroy the entire world.
"Whir..."
The helicopter's propeller spun rapidly, emitting an ear-piercing whine as Karl braved the cold wind and boarded the aircraft.
"Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!"
Waving his hand, the helicopter ascended swiftly, and the figures below grew smaller until they disappeared from sight.
"Professor, we'll head to the nearest airport first, then take a commercial flight back to Fast City."
The pilot turned around and shouted, "It might take some time, so feel free to rest."
"Okay."
Karl adjusted his clothing and found a comfortable position, slowly closing his eyes. But his mind was not at rest; his consciousness was rapidly turning.
Divine Punishment!
Black Bugs!
Son of Destruction!
Hmm? Karl opened his eyes and looked at the pilot, "How much longer?"
"Almost there."
"I thought you said it would take a long time?"
"The professor fell asleep; it's been quite a while."
"Is that so?"
Karl stroked his chin, "I think it's you who's been sleeping."
"This is..."
"The Dream World!"
Ignoring the pilot's attempts to stop him, Karl stood up and, with a force that defied explanation, opened the cabin door.
He gazed out at the vast expanse of white before him.
"There's more than one Foreign Deity seeking to destroy this world, and the Divine Punishment they bring is not limited to one kind."
Karl took a step forward, walking into the void, "Forcing people into the Dream World, this deity's methods are truly incomprehensible to mortals."
(End of Chapter)
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