A crystalline jade-like yet blood-red tree branch stretched out, its force so great it slightly supported the bed board.
Almost forgot about this thing!
Hibiscus immediately remembered a Disaster Beast blood vessel remains placed under the bed together with Evil-Repelling Incense. Looking carefully now, the Evil-Repelling Incense's luster was dim as if consumed and severely weakened. The originally thick blood vessel was gone, probably having contracted and regrown into the current "blood tree" appearance.
How careless was I to put this thing under my bed—practically using it as a pillow?
Rich life essence emanated around the blood tree. Seeing this, Hibiscus tried cutting her finger while suppressing regeneration, unexpectedly finding it automatically healed upon touching the blood-red mist.
A portable blood recovery potion?
Netizens said powerful Disaster Beasts' power basically couldn't escape 3 attributes: destruction, creation, spirit. But weak individuals like Vanguard Disaster Beasts couldn't even show basic attributes—too weak. In other words, remains that made Hibiscus feel rich creative essence came from quite formidable Disaster Beasts. So Storm Gang hit the jackpot? Very possible, after all they had kidnapped Jin Ruochu then.
Something that happened so long ago was still fermenting. Fortunately it wasn't bad news—the blood tree should have wonderful uses, like serving as a permanent healing point, stronger than hospitals.
Nothing happens without reason—such changes probably resulted from combined effects of Evil-Repelling Incense and magical girls.
Hibiscus guessed that remains originally derived from powerful Disaster Beasts still retained power. Evil-Repelling Incense purified their violent uncontrollable aspect, while she as a magical girl with positive-leaning magic power provided long-term nourishment and guidance for the new form's birth. Tools that absorbed flesh and blood became treasures emitting healing power.
She tried injecting magic power and indeed got a reaction.
The truth was revealed—its mechanism was storing life energy to someday emit healing abilities in a range. Whoever injected benefited, sufficient to serve as field healing points.
Life was full of surprises—perhaps this blood tree already counted as a "relic." This name represented the general term for "items possessing controllable strange powers" discovered through human archaeology, generally believed to come from Planet Gaia's previous era civilization, still influencing modern society.
For example, the world's most famous relic "Ring of Levitation" could make objects weightless—the smooth Earth-Moon route relied entirely on it.
But no one stipulated that newly born strange items couldn't count as relics. The blood tree was definitely priceless.
Thinking carefully, the recently used "Blank Identity Card" and the "Evil-Repelling Incense" currently lying quietly in her hand slowly recovering purification power both belonged to relics.
System products were definitely top quality.
Hibiscus carefully wrapped the blood tree in cloth, compressing its volume slightly, still placing it under her bed. Since it would absorb life essence and store it, perfect—normally break off a branch to carry.
With this thought, the girl continued lying down to sleep soundly, vowing to make up for several days of fatigue.
On the other side.
After the attack, Changfeng Financial Group's experimental building was sealed overnight, surrounded by bright lights and dense security lines. A day later, countless armed personnel still arrived for martial law.
Jin Changfeng drove up leisurely, his calm appearance causing Jin Yulu, who had been mentally tense guarding for a day, to show anger, complaining: "You really left everyone a mess. The higher-ups said entrusting things to you for research was trust—if you mess up, there's a price to pay."
The suited man quite inelegantly belched from alcohol, patting his belly wrapped in solid abs with satisfaction.
"Right, I was fined several drinks. The leaders all said no next time. As for public compensation, we can only make taxpayers suffer."
"You fucking—"
Jin Yulu wanted to punch him, but she wasn't stupid. The smooth-talking Jin Changfeng maintained close connections with various forces. For some reason he could always connect with big shots, possessing network resources far exceeding his economic strength. What was a mere city hall? Yesterday he spent the first 12 hours hosting banquets to comfort subordinates, the latter 12 hours running through state governments—everything else didn't matter. Such dimensional reduction attacks left Jin Yulu nowhere to vent.
Before she could voice opinions, her direct superior, Countermeasure Bureau Director Li Congzhou, was already chatting arm-in-arm with Jin Changfeng. Obviously the experimental building incident that caused such commotion was being swept under the rug.
Whatever—as long as no personnel casualties occurred, she was too lazy to care.
"Captain, don't look at that guy being smug. Actually the situation isn't entirely under Changfeng Financial Group's control anymore. The International Mercenary Alliance has intervened to investigate the Disaster Beast corpse."
"That's not good news."
As a practitioner, Jin Yulu knew best the chaos in humanity's Disaster Beast combat field. Because various nations' armed forces were mainly used to guard against each other, direct Disaster Beast combat involved heaps of troublesome issues like death benefits, war weariness, military expenses, gradually reducing enthusiasm.
On the other hand, many relics were actually privately owned, especially key offensive ones. They spontaneously formed groups creating transnational interest groups.
Disaster Beast attacks causing casualties were just superficial changes. More importantly, they struck the organization, rigor, and credibility of nation-based entities. As a result, no one wanted to be the scapegoat leader ordering large numbers of soldiers to their deaths. Authorities urgently needed cost reduction and efficiency improvement. So-called low-cost, low public pressure mercenaries gradually stepped onto history's stage, supported by several powerful companies forming alliances. Controlling violence, they naturally became a super-sovereign power.
Jin Yulu believed that authorities shifting blame and delegating power to companies would destroy human organization in the long run—infinitely harmful.
Tap tap!
A series of high-heel footsteps approached. For some reason, everyone instinctively stopped their activities to look at the newcomer:
Eight people in blue nun habits walked together, their gaits identical, their figures, temperament, and even unconscious hand gestures completely consistent. Without exception, they wore thick black veils covering their faces, making one wonder if they could see the road. When all eight walked to the experimental building together, it created quite an eerie atmosphere.
"Welcome, Lady Pasha."
The financial group chairman and countermeasure bureau director both expressed welcome. At the same time, the Special Attack Forces also solemnly saluted. After all, this person was a genuine great hero who had subjugated Vanguard Disaster Beasts and repeatedly cleared large-scale infected entity rampages.
She served not only as investigator, warrior, and researcher, but also as East Continent Defense Director and President of Winter Mercenary Group—truly Jin Changfeng's old friend.
Even setting aside battle records, those who fused with powerful relics could be called self-sacrificing. This iron will alone was worthy of admiration.
If there were cults worshipping Disaster Beasts, naturally there were also cults worshipping these hunters. Those fanatical believers claimed that complete relic fusers dedicated body and soul, living toward death, no longer able to count as human yet guarding civilization—called holy relics walking among mortals. Over time, this title became symbolic.
"Due to urgency, 'I' only brought eight people. Is that enough?"
The nuns spoke together with completely identical tones.
"Sufficient."
"You're afraid I'll steal achievements, right? Don't worry—everyone's using the technology anyway. I'm happy to help you advance iterations."
"Actually I'm more interested in investigating that humanoid life form that killed the Vanguard Disaster Beast."