MTLNOVEL Chapter 788: Food Chain Suppression
The first day of public opinion started.
The authorities still had no response.
Most areas of the Heiyu District were cordoned off, and some employees at Radiance Studio lived nearby, so as the month neared its end, they were simply absent from clocking in.
As a result, there was no need to wait for an official announcement of the Abyss pollution.
Most people in the studio were already having a hard time focusing on their work.
Although everyone knew it wasn't good to get distracted at work,
in places where the boss couldn't see.
Discussions among employees were still blazing hot.
...
An entire day.
Apart from reusing the statement from last time, the authorities still hadn't officially acknowledged the existence of the Abyss.
But unlike last time, they didn't ban public discussions online, allowing the situation to develop. It's unclear what the intention behind this was.
The outcome of not banning discussions was countless speculations online, with some high-profile figures making statements out of panic, causing widespread concern among the public for a while.
It was extremely lively from day to night.
After nightfall.
The studio quieted down again.
Xu Shuo stood by the office window, thoughtfully watching the traffic on the overpass outside when a text message arrived on his phone.
It was from Pei Sheng, sent via encrypted software.
Attached was a photo that seemed to show Pei Hong in a meeting room with many people.
[So many Superpower Users!]
In the photo, Pei Sheng was squeezed into a corner with an exaggerated expression.
[What you were talking about yesterday, about the sun exploding, probably wasn't these things, but this is clearly an alien invasion! You and my brother have been keeping it too secret!]
Xu Shuo chuckled lightly at the message, intending to reply when Pei Sheng sent another blurry photo.
It showed Pei Hong expressionlessly reaching out to snatch the phone from him.
Alright then.
Looks like there's no need to tease him.
And the next message from the other side.
The tone of the text clearly changed.
[The authorities announced the news to the upper levels this morning, but internal disputes arose, so they neither made it public nor stopped the spread of the news. Now it's chaotic, so let's see what they decide, but it's likely to be finalized in the next two days. The Yangcheng Security Bureau has probably sensed my intentions. I'll notify you once I've arranged everything here.]
A string of texts laid everything out clearly.
Xu Shuo replied in half a second.
[1]
...
...
Approaching midnight.
The commotion in the real world seemed to ease slightly.
And the Script Space had finished its maintenance and upgrades.
Almost instantly afterward.
Thousands of posts flooded into Player Square.
Players, who had been holding back all day, freely expressed their feelings and thoughts, with the forum posts refreshing so fast it was dazzling, and no hot topics stayed on the homepage for long.
Xu Shuo calculated the time and opened the Player's Handbook to check the forum.
He then saw that most players were discussing the same issue — Abyss pollution had appeared in their own real world, even though it was originally an Authentic World.
And it wasn't just one or two worlds.
Most of the Authentic Worlds were polluted.
As Xu Shuo browsed through posts.
Luo Kai suddenly sent a player message.
Luo Kai: [The higher-ups know our space has reopened and specifically sent Captain Zheng to ask if we can resume work.]
Luo Kai: [Ah, but I'm not ready yet.]
Luo Kai: [It's clear that I'm not ready, but whether you're ready there is uncertain.]
Xu Shuo: [I'm heading to Peach Blossom District tonight; I can't manage other places.]
Luo Kai: [(thumbs up.jpg)]
Luo Kai: [By the way, I'm almost level five, I was just suppressing my level-up progress for profession reasons, but recently I want to find time to complete the level five assessment.]
Luo Kai: [I've got to prepare for this, so should we find time to go to the Star Guild to study together?]
Xu Shuo: [Let's talk about it later.]
After ending the conversation, Xu Shuo glanced at the night outside the window.
It was already close to midnight.
But he was still in the studio and hadn't left.
Today, he helped Li Ziwen with some work.
Xu Shuo checked the time, feeling that Captain Zheng might already be looking for him, so he took the initiative to head towards Peach Blossom District in the Heiyu District.
...
By the time work ended last night.
The pollution area in Peach Blossom District was an irregular 3,700 square meters of radiation.
And by midnight tonight's records.
This area had only expanded by about a hundred square meters.
According to previous investigations, the spread and speed of this pollution source were extremely stable, suggesting that Qing really was eating properly last night.
The existence of Qing.
Both Luo Kai and Xu Shuo hadn't informed others, but Captain Zheng definitely knew. However, he seemed to have concealed it once again.
Even to avoid alarming the enemy.
Captain Zheng held back from personally overseeing Peach Blossom District and instead stayed guarding Peace Street.
Thus, the one guarding Peach Blossom District was still that squad leader.
"So you've been on watch for two days and two nights?"
"Yes, Officer Xu!"
"How's your mental state?"
"Alright!"
"I can hear that."
Xu Shuo curiously sized up the person.
The first time they met in the village by Yuhua Dam, this person was the only ordinary person in the armed forces who had withstood the Abyss erosion, although he owed Xu Shuo ten thousand yuan for it.
But an ordinary person managing to hold on like that was indeed admirable.
So when the Safety Bureau was established, this person was directly promoted to the captain of a special operations team and was brought to learn from Captain Zheng.
They could be considered old acquaintances.
The squad leader didn't waste words, directly reporting last night's observations without superfluous chatter, and showed Xu Shuo an encrypted record file.
It documented Qing's feeding situation with regular food.
The food was placed at the alley entrance.
Compared to cooked food, Qing clearly preferred raw meat, and after consuming a lot of it, there was a slight change in aura.
This manifested as — the squad leader delivering the food was almost lured into the alley.
From this, Qing indeed had some self-control.
But perhaps not much.
Xu Shuo read the document expressionlessly, then handed it back to the squad leader to be destroyed, before going alone to the alley entrance.
Even though the Abyss pollution had spread outwards.
There remained a barrier blocking the alley entrance.
Xu Shuo stood at the alley entrance, looked at the dense, unyielding darkness inside, and then took out his phone to search for a contact number.
But before he could dial after finding the contact, he suddenly sensed something and looked up at a building.
Los was standing on a balcony of the polluted building, looking at him with questioning eyes.
…
Since Xu Shuo didn't have Los's player contact information.
He could only make a phone call.
But... although he always knew Los occasionally monitored his situation, but now, it's clear they've even been monitoring through his phone camera constantly, right?
What a pervert...
Xu Shuo glanced at Los, then gestured into the alley before directly stepping into it.
And at the moment Xu Shuo entered the alley.
The darkness swirling there surged violently, seemingly forming a monster to engulf him.
But before the turbulent darkness could change, a black-green figure suddenly appeared in the void, swallowing up the darkness in a single gulp!
After devouring the darkness, the figure immediately descended toward Xu Shuo, joyfully plunging into the young man's arms!
But just like how the monsters she devoured didn't manage to touch Xu Shuo.
As Qing was about to leap over.
She was also caught by another hand that grabbed her by the collar.
...