Apocalypse Forecast

Hearing Ai Qing's response, the legal affairs commissioner laughed instead.

"I haven't heard that the Astronomical Society has any capable officers in Xinhai!" sneered the middle-aged man. "Don't just send any Tom, Dick, or Harry to deal with the situation and call it done. We want results."

"Tom, Dick, or Harry?"

Ai Qing's eyebrows raised. "If you consider a Sublimator to be just any Tom, Dick, or Harry, even after he killed an international criminal from Green Day and quelled The Purified People's unrest in Xinhai within a week of joining, then I can only say Wanli must be teeming with talent. Fifth Stage talents must be as plentiful as clouds there."

The legal affairs commissioner was taken aback for a moment, not expecting Ai Qing to have someone with such an impressive record under her command. Then he looked at the manager with suspicion. Was this woman trying to trap me?

The manager seemed to remember something, involuntarily wiped the sweat from his forehead, and quietly shook his head at the legal affairs commissioner, signaling him not to dwell on this issue.

"It seems you have doubts about his abilities? Quite normal, I suppose, since he's just a seventeen-year-old Little Brag."

Ai Qing's words seemed to intentionally expose weaknesses, which made the commissioner, who had been hesitant, suddenly look more stern. But then, he heard her say:

"But I have to say, even though that guy has a good temper, his methods are anything but... gentle."

As she spoke, Ai Qing reached into a compartment of her wheelchair and pulled out a thick stack of reports, placing them in front of the legal affairs commissioner.

That stack of death reports was a good two fingers thick.

Or rather, it was quite the record of achievements...

An appalling record of kills that even elite seeds cultivated by various Genealogies with abundant resources could hardly match. The top three reports were especially notable.

Aside from Red Gloves, Green Day's operative in the Current Circumstances, the reports notably included Wanli's former major clients: the Qi Wen father and son. Nearly the entire family was killed by that guy. This occurred within a mere week, all while he was supposedly still in prison undergoing interrogation.

Even now, the overpass mentioned in the damage report has yet to be repaired!

Ai Qing considerately asked, "If you really have any objections to his investigation, why don't you discuss it with him face-to-face? I'll call him over right now..."

"No need, no need!"

The legal affairs commissioner struggled to shift his gaze from those gruesome crime scene photos and squeezed out a smile with difficulty.

"Then it seems we at least have reached consensus on this matter."

Ai Qing nodded with satisfaction. "You said you wanted results. What a coincidence, so do I."

While saying this, her pen tapped on the record in front of her, revealing a polite, formulaic smile. "But before that, we need to clarify what needs to be clarified, right?"

So, the investigation continued.

.

.

In the evening, Huai Shi received a call from Ai Qing.

When he arrived anxiously, Ai Qing seemed to have been waiting for a while. She was sitting in the living room drinking tea, looking composed and at ease.

After Huai Shi entered, she glanced at him, signaled for him to sit down, and then lowered her head to drink her tea.

Her first words after putting down her teacup startled Huai Shi to his feet.

"Looks like it was quite a fruitful effort?"

"Uh... what did you say?"

Huai Shi's expression twitched. "I didn't catch that."

"Ah, then maybe I got it wrong."

Ai Qing pointed to the document on the table and pushed it towards him. Huai Shi picked it up and was completely baffled. "Operation authorization? What operation?"

"A few days ago, a serious robbery occurred in Xinhai. A suspected Roman Alchemist robbed the Wanli Group's vault and absconded with merchandise worth tens of millions..."

There was never that much!

Huai Shi almost blurted out, holding back with great effort and managed a strained smile. "That's outrageous, isn't it?"

"Indeed. That is why we in the Astronomical Society must thoroughly investigate."

Ai Qing glanced at him and said, "This task falls to you."

"Uh..." Huai Shi hesitated. "What if I can't catch him? Cough, cough, I mean, if I were the suspect, I'd surely hit and run, right? I can't possibly search everywhere, can I?"

"If you can't handle it, then you can't. Just report to headquarters and issue a reward; that'll be the end of it. There are countless unsolved cases like this every year. Since it's not a major one, we don't even have the manpower to assign to it."

Ai Qing calmly stated, "It's just that you'll be tagged as ineffective, and it will be another stain on your record."

"Leave it to me."

Huai Shi quickly pocketed the authorization document, his voice full of enthusiasm. "Fighting crime is the unshirkable duty of every Member of the Astronomical Association."

A stain? He couldn't care less about that. With a record like his, it was already thoroughly stained. He was even reprimanded after taking down Qi Wen last time. Besides, he wasn't even a formally registered employee and had no desire for promotion. Just coasting along under this guise was satisfaction enough for him.

"Having such confidence is good."

Ai Qing calmly lifted her teacup, giving him a look. "But when it comes to mutual trust, both you and I have a long way to go and much to learn..."

Huai Shi pretended not to hear.

"How about we start by helping each other?" Ai Qing suddenly suggested.

"Huh?"

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" asked Ai Qing. "Like with some enthusiastic junior, or maybe the daughter of Director Fu? Or some lady you've suddenly confessed to? I really don't want to disturb your romantic time."

"No! That's not the case!"

Huai Shi shook his head like a rattle drum, hating the fact that even though he was innocent, to others, he seemed like some lascivious Evil Ghost.

Once again, he felt the pain of having his reputation unjustly tarnished!

"Good."

Ai Qing nodded. "Later, go to the Special Affairs Department to make a report. You're being sent on a business trip."

"Hmm?"

Huai Shi was first stunned, then greatly alarmed. "A business trip? To where?"

"Not far, about a five-hour sea journey."

Ai Qing calmly finished her tea and set down the cup. "Thanks to a certain suspect who pulled off an utterly unnecessary double-cross, at least it let me get a grip on the Achilles' heel of the Wanli Group.

In order for them to be able to smoothly conduct business in Dongxia and to give an explanation to the Astronomical Society, that bunch of stingy bastards cried as they handed over a piece of intelligence.

According to them, a smuggling fleet has taken a big job—there's a ship carrying an artifact from Hell, a Border Relic, from Indonesia to the Russian Federation.

Our goal is to cooperate with other Inspectors and operational agents of the Astronomical Society to intercept this ship and recover that item."

"Border Relic?"

Huai Shi asked curiously, "What Border Relic? And why involve other Inspectors?"

"A fragment."

Ai Qing said, "A fragment of the Philosopher's Stone."

"What in the world?!"

Huai Shi's eyes widened, and he almost jumped out of his chair, incredulous.

.

.

Once, when Huai Shi had just become a Sublimator, he had a discussion with Raven about the Philosopher's Stone.

After all, the thing was so famous that it was impossible not to be curious about it. Besides, Raven was quite good at Alchemy, wasn't she? If she could produce it, wouldn't that make a fortune?

In response, Raven was quite nonchalant.

"The Philosopher's Stone, although not common, is not so rare that it appears only once in a thousand years," Raven replied. "There are probably hundreds of people alive in the world today who possess it."

"Alive? In the world? Hundreds? People?"

"There are those who have died, too, but I know what you're wondering—yes, the Philosopher's Stone is a living person. Or rather, only those who have reached the pinnacle of their own Stigmata Genealogy and have transformed into their original form can be called perfect beings, the Philosopher's Stone."

This was the division of stages for Sublimators, the process of gradually turning into a miracle.

Raven also took the opportunity to explain to Huai Shi once more the five stages of Sublimators, known in Alchemy's advancement chart as the 'Path of the Fire Sword'.

First Stage·Mercury, goes without saying.

Named after the first metal in Alchemy, it signifies its role as the foundation for sublimation. The Source Fertile Soil, formed from the three substances of salt, sulfur, and mercury, is necessary to bear miracles.

Second Stage·Gold signifies an essential step within one's Genealogy, determining the future path. Sublimators master the talents and abilities of their category and Genealogy skillfully, with some distinctive Stigmata even possessing various peculiar innate Skills. Take, for example, the Gargoyle's Eye of Loathing...

Third Stage·Ether represents a change in one's lineage.

If before this point it was merely reinforcement by fits and starts, now it is a holistic strengthening from within.

Sublimators will completely transcend human limitations and be endowed with the essential blood of their path of sublimation. Their vitality becomes incredibly strong.

It's akin to Bone Refining and Marrow Cleansing.

Take He Luo's Naga and the Savior Association's Nue, for instance. Even if riddled with gunfire, their heads blown off by a sniper rifle, or even if they are blown into two sections with only a head remaining, they can still maintain basic consciousness.

At this stage, with the substantial nourishment of vital force, the Soul of the Sublimator begins a new transformation. Only when both body and Soul reach their limits and advance together can they step into the Fourth Stage and undergo a profound metamorphosis.

Fourth Stage·Stellar Antimony is entirely different from the previous stages.

Not only is the metamorphosis of the Soul complete, but the body is also comparable to a humanoid Godzilla. At this moment, Sublimators can truly be called dragons, Angels, exiled immortals, devils, Sons of God, and other legendary creatures from myths walking among mankind.

And to them, the world has also become something else entirely.

This is the 'supernatural vision,' or 'Soul Vision,' that rumors say could upset the foundation of physics.

What is unimaginable for ordinary people might, to them, be easily achievable with a mere gesture. This is what most people would consider a master among masters.

Further up, we reach a realm not accessible to ordinary Sublimators.

—Fifth Stage·Philosopher's Stone.

Huai Shi had personally seen the White Emperor's Son and Xuan Niao. They made it clear what kind of power a Sublimator truly possesses upon reaching the pinnacle of their Stigmata Genealogy—their complete and final form.

Even the inherently deficient Garuda, with just its own radiance, can purify someone as weak as Huai Shi like dust.

Even Daguan, who was brutally beaten by Fu Canlight, could transform into an entire mobile Border. It could carry a multitude of Sublimators, ready to invade the Current Circumstances at any moment. Its sheer weight alone was capable of destroying an entire city.

And the importance and preciousness of a Fifth Stage Sublimator far exceed just that.