Investigation Report of the Gods

Chapter 78: Zero Sequence

"Oh… what?"

Fortunately, Han Su had yet to put the wonton into his mouth, or he would have sprayed it all out. His expression was stunned. "What the hell?"

"Don't get too happy too soon."

Zhang Chiguo gave him a cold glance and said, "Miss Ai only makes judgments based on logic, so she gave you an S‑Level. This kind of thing is too rare and will definitely trigger a lot of doubts and discussions."

"So when I saw it, I took the opportunity during the meeting to simply bring this matter to light for open discussion."

"Since it's now in the open, the rules become a hundred times stricter than usual. Therefore, no one has a reason to reject your promotion application. However, even under such circumstances, they still set a challenge for you."

"Only by completing this challenge can you obtain the Investigator license."

"......"

Completely unprepared, Han Su was hit hard by this sudden news.

The Investigator license, just like that?

"Of course, that challenge is extremely difficult. It's unrealistic for you to complete it in your current state. However, this application has brought you another benefit."

While eating, Zhang Chiguo spoke, "You can start receiving Mysterious Power Training in advance."

This news truly invigorated Han Su. "Uncle Zhang, does starting the Mysterious Power Training mean I can learn that Invisibility Spell?"

"First tenet of the Zero Sequence?"

Zhang Chiguo replied, "Of course. That is one of the most basic trainings. All Mysterious Power Training begins there."

Han Su sincerely thanked him. "Just being able to access that spell is enough for me."

"Uncle Zhang, I can already tell you must've done a lot to help me with this. Thank you."

Zhang Chiguo merely let out a laugh and said, "Don’t be so sentimental. If you cause fewer disasters like this, I might end up thanking you instead."

Feeling both touched and excited, Han Su asked again, "Then what's the challenge they assigned me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chiguo snorted and said, "They want you to subdue that Ghost Freight Truck."

"Ghost Freight Truck?"

Listening to Zhang Chiguo's indignation, Han Su was slightly taken aback. He recalled the murderous truck he had once faced with Xu Ji and felt a strange unease.

Perhaps because his first encounter with it had gone smoothly, he didn’t harbor any awe toward the grotesque.

But this grotesque, which he had first encountered in the 'present', was always described by others as immensely difficult. The Disaster Management Bureau had yet to resolve the escaped grotesque, which made it all the more bewildering for him.

Was the Disaster Management Bureau just too incompetent, or had he underestimated that grotesque truck?

"Those people are more like trying to get you to back down!"

After revealing the task, Zhang Chiguo gave a cold laugh. "That Ghost Freight Truck may not have a high Status, but its existential traits are extremely complex."

"So many people have tried to surround and capture that grotesque for so long without success, even to the point of considering whether to bring back that Legendary Investigator. And now they actually want you—someone who has been in the Disaster Management Bureau for only a month—to subdue it?"

"My suggestion is simply to ignore it. Take advantage of this opportunity to receive Mysterious Power Training. That's already a pretty good outcome."

Listening to Zhang Chiguo's words, Han Su nodded slightly, but he didn't dare to relax inside.

What Song Chu‑shi had said to him this time had cast a shadow over his heart. He glanced at the water glass beside the small wontons—the water inside was still and calm.

But there was always the sense that ripples could rise at any moment.

In just half a month, that monster would complete its transformation. Only with an Investigator license could he protect himself. And now, the opportunity to obtain that license was right in front of him. How could he possibly just throw it aside?

Of course, though tempted, he knew his priorities. Learning the Invisibility Spell and returning to the Ancient Castle was the most urgent matter.

Only by returning from the Ancient Castle could there be a future. Otherwise, all would be for naught.

After finishing the late-night meal with Zhang Chiguo, Han Su returned to the lounge. He could technically go home to rest now, but Zhang Chiguo had already said that the Mysterious Power Training would start the next day, so he simply stayed there.

Early the next morning, someone knocked on the door. Han Su, already up and waiting, opened the door, slightly surprised to find that it wasn’t Secretary Cui Qiao standing outside, but Miss Crow.

She wore a black hoodie, dark tight jeans, white flat sneakers, and a baseball cap.

Han Su had opened the door too quickly, and his expectant gaze startled her, causing her to take a step back in fright. Then she lowered her head and quickly said:

"My aunt... mentor asked me to come get you. She said she's waiting for you in C1 Training Room."

"Let's go!"

Han Su, who had already changed and was waiting, immediately closed the door and followed her through the base’s labyrinthine corridors, arriving in a spacious training room with a distinctly metallic aesthetic.

There were many similar training rooms throughout the base, though Han Su himself did not yet have the clearance to apply for them. What he could apply for were the shooting range and the gym.

Still, for his recent visits, whether it was with Miss Crow or someone else, it had always been convenient.

As soon as they entered the training room, he saw a woman in a red trench coat standing by the window, reading a book. It was the Investigator he had previously seen on Beidi Street. It had been nighttime then, and her demeanor was capable and tough.

Now, seeing her in daylight, she appeared somewhat more languid. Nevertheless, she still wore a pair of ten-centimeter heeled riding boots. She was already tall, about one seventy.

With those heels, even if her height didn’t surpass many men, her presence was exceptional.

Seeing Han Su enter, she took off her black-rimmed glasses and gave him a once-over before suddenly speaking: "What exactly is your relationship with Zhang Chiguo?"

Han Su thought for a moment and replied, "A relative without blood ties?"

The woman in the red trench coat let out a cold snort. "That old man is so rigid you couldn’t warm him even if you stuffed him in your coat."

"To think he’d use a personal favor to ask me to give Mysterious Power Training to someone with no blood relation—truly rare."

"……You sure you’re not his illegitimate son?"

"……"

Han Su felt speechless, even slightly regretful.

The woman in the red trench coat smiled slightly but quickly put on a stern expression. "My training is very strict. Are you ready?"

Han Su nodded earnestly.

Every return to the Ancient Castle came with the risk of losing his life. For him, there was no such thing as being unprepared.

"Good that you have that awareness."

The Red Trench Coat stepped forward. "How much have you grasped about Spiritual Penetration?"

Han Su answered honestly, "I haven’t tried it yet. Uncle Zhang told me to forget the sensation of penetrating for now, and wait until someone guides me."

The Red Trench Coat nodded, stepped up beside Han Su, and took his hand.

"Come."

Knowing that the Red Trench Coat was testing him, Han Su began to release his Spiritual Power bit by bit, doing his utmost to suppress the penetration to its weakest level.

As soon as their Spiritual Power made contact, both withdrew. The Red Trench Coat shook her head and said, "As expected, very unskilled."

"With an ordinary person’s Spiritual Power limit, the way you’re releasing it, you’re just a three-second guy. After three seconds, you’ll feel dizzy, dazed, weak, and lose your ability to think and judge clearly."

"Even if you master a bunch of spells, how could you possibly stand against grotesques like that?"

"So for now, the most important thing for you is to strengthen your foundation in Spiritual Penetration."

"……"

Han Su frowned slightly. He just wanted to learn spells that could be used directly. This kind of dull foundational training might be useful, but it didn’t seem meaningful to him.

However, just as he was thinking that, the Red Trench Coat added, "But I don’t have time to accompany you through such dull training. Usually, just have Weiwei help you practice. What I’ll train you in now is the Encrypted Text spells."

Han Su perked up. "Okay."

The Red Trench Coat turned and walked to the wall of the training room. She gently raised her hand and stroked the surface.

With the penetration of Spiritual Power, faint, invisible patterns lit up across the black wall.

This was a metallic wall, but its style felt very ancient. The patterns seemed inlaid with bizarre electronic components and circuits, causing line after line of text to appear across the wall.

Each column of text had two lines.

The upper line was modern script, clearly describing the Encrypted Text spells. The lower line was a distorted, strange tadpole script.

Beside him, the Red Trench Coat exhaled lightly and said, "These are the eleven Encrypted Text spells of the Zero Sequence owned by the Disaster Management Bureau. As someone just beginning Mysterious Power Training, you now have clearance to access and use them."

Han Su had already seen the Mysterious Power Secretary Cui Qiao specialized in, which seemed to belong to Sequence Three.

Now hearing about Sequence Zero, he was slightly curious. Surely what he was now accessing wasn’t higher than Secretary Cui Qiao’s, was it?

As he thought this, the Red Trench Coat seemed to read his mind and snorted. "The Zero Sequence means no sequence—just the most basic Encrypted Text spells."

"The Disaster Management Bureau holds three main sequences. Each sequence contains a different number of spells. While their effects and expressions differ, they’ve all been confirmed to point toward the same source."

"But beyond these three sequences, there are scattered ones—dug up from ruins, proven to possess some kind of Mysterious Power direction, but without a known final target. These are all classified under the Zero Sequence."

"These unknown directions are safer and have broader applicability."

"……"

Listening to her, Han Su looked up. The lines of script on the wall exuded a mysterious and grotesque aura, entering his field of vision.

Zero Sequence Encrypted Text Spell No. 01: 『I Shall Enter the Abyss』

No. 02: 『Respond to My Limbs』

No. 03: 『What I Think Becomes the Boundary』

No. 04: 『The Dead Must Return』

No. 05: 『By My Command, Appear in the Light』