This villain is too popular.

Chapter 372 Occupied Area - Changsheng Island
[At the entrance of the Yellow-level training area simulation store]

As soon as Tiandao stepped out of the simulation store, he squinted at the sunlight that was shining in his face.

"Tiandao, this is the bill the manager gave me. Take a look."

Upon hearing Caroline's words, Tiandao reached out and took the bill. He then discovered that the bill stated that his simulator had caused a data error, which resulted in other simulators in the store temporarily shutting down as well.

This resulted in losses for the store.

However, although these losses were all attributed to Tiandao, for some reason, the shop manager of the simulation store did not ask Tiandao for compensation, but instead told him not to worry about it.

As for the 'bill,' it was just the store manager trying to curry favor.

After all, there is a difference between 'letting others know your good intentions' and 'doing good deeds quietly'.

"Okay, I see."

Hearing this, Caroline said no more.

It was nothing more than a trivial matter; what she truly cared about was how her master would react once he knew what was happening inside the simulation chamber.

You should know that guy hasn't made a move in a long time.

But based on my understanding of him, once he knew the photos of himself when he was young, he actually lost to the Heavenly Dao by half a move.

They must really want to do something.

The thought of this gave Caroline a headache.

If Tiandao and Enite were to actually meet, the new Federation would likely descend into chaos.

Because in a sense, neither of these two guys are exactly the peaceful ones.

[Three days later, at the First Floating City - Star Trail Corridor, Star Envoy Association Headquarters]

Squeak!

Valentina, the president's secretary, pushed open the bamboo gate to the president's courtyard.

Ennett sat at the stone table, holding a celadon teacup in his hands. A faint aroma of tea filled the air around him, and a dark blue folder lay open in front of him.

The cover of this document prominently displays the words 'Investigation Report of Occupied Areas AQ-099-Chang Sheng Island'.

"President, you wanted to see me?"

Valentina walked to the stone table, her gaze falling on the folder, a question rising in her mind.

Is this a new survey report on the occupied territories?

Ennett put down his teacup, pushed the folder in front of her, and said mysteriously, "Take a look, Valentina. This is a report that the Martial Arts Heavenly Capital Branch just sent. I plan to make this the first trial ground for the Starry Sky Ladder students."

With a touch of curiosity, Valentina opened the folder.

The first thing you see is the configuration information for the "Moon Wheel Squad" exploring this occupied area.

The team consists of 10 people, three of whom are Level 3 Star Envoys, making it an experienced exploration team.

But the more she read the report, the more alarmed she became.

Because even with such a well-organized team, only one person actually survived in the end.

【Title: First Phase Investigation Report of the Occupied Areas】

[Occupied Zone Code: AQ-099-0421-Chang Sheng Island]

[Investigation Team: New Federation Star Envoy Association Martial Arts Capital Branch Moon Wheel Squad (10 people)]

【人员配置：2名强化系、3名智械系、3名元素系、2名特质系，队长为拥有‘生命感知’星源的李默（42岁，三级上位）】

[Equipment List: 3 Star Energy Detectors, 10 sets of Emergency Medical Devices, 500ml Star Energy Reverse Flame Agent (Experimental)]

【调查时间：星源纪99年4月12日-4月21日】

[The report is as follows (by Li Mo, Captain of the Lunar Squad):]

[April 12, 14:00] Accept the Changsheng Island investigation mission and land on the island the next day.

The energy level at the dock area was 1.2 μS/cm, with pale golden energy permeating the air and carrying a faint grassy fragrance. There were no abnormalities at the moment.

【March 13, 15:30】

We set up a temporary base in the dock area. One of our team members noticed that some shimmering golden vines were wrapped around the metal fishing boats along the shore, with small golden flowers blooming at the tips of the vines.

The petals look like they're made of thin gold leaf, refracting tiny specks of light in the sunlight.

A team member wanted to pick a sample, but I stopped him because my intuition told me that this flower was not ordinary.

【March 13, 20:00】

Explore to the central living area and discover the first 'islanders'.

Strangely, they were not only wearing floral shirts from the last century, but each of them was like a puppet whose pause button had been pressed, maintaining the actions of 'washing vegetables' and 'fixing a radio'.

Even more strangely, on the windowsill of each household was a pot of blooming golden chrysanthemums, exactly the same as the vines on the dock.

On the way back, the three young team members suddenly began to repeatedly touch the telephone handset in a public phone booth not far away, and muttered words such as "Mom, I got into university," and light golden patterns appeared on their skin.

Back at the base, I suddenly noticed that those strange little golden flowers had also appeared not far from the base, and I had no idea what that meant.

【March 14, 06:00】

Suddenly, the song "Sailor" filled the entire island, and the old-fashioned television in the supply and marketing cooperative automatically turned on, playing blurry images of fishing boats setting sail.

Two members of the elemental team suddenly stood up and went to a television set outside the base, staring blankly at it with empty eyes.

I tried to forcibly pull them away, but the islanders around us suddenly came to life.

Their pupils reflected the image of the golden chrysanthemum, and they roared, "Outsiders, those who pick flowers will die!" They began to issue an island-wide warrant for our arrest.

【March 14, 12:30】

The 'Long Life Island militia' came to our door and demanded that we show them our 'birth certificate'.

Their uniforms were embroidered with golden chrysanthemum patterns, and they were completely immune to astral energy spells.

My 'life perception' star source cannot detect their 'life fluctuations,' just like detecting a bunch of plants.

In a moment of urgency, a member of the AI ​​team decisively helped us quickly forge a birth certificate and produced it.

The 'Long Life Island Militia' accepted the fake certificates without even looking at them, and warned us: 'Don't touch Jinju, don't leave the island, or you will be punished by the 'elders'.

【March 15, 19:40】

The two team members who had been unconscious woke up but did not recognize us. They insisted that they were "the sons of fishermen on the island" and even moved into an empty house belonging to an islander. No amount of persuasion could change their minds.

【March 17, 20:00】

Some time has passed, and our investigation has not only made no progress, but seven members of the team have also 'converted' to islanders.

Only I and two other team members over 35 years old remained conscious, but the condition of the other two was still not optimistic.

I have finally discovered the pattern: the younger the age, the easier it is to be 'cognitively modified', and the longer the exposure to chrysanthemum, the faster the modification speed.

The two team members experienced the so-called 'cognitive error' because they had accidentally touched the chrysanthemum vines before.

I need to find a way to successfully bring all the team members back.

【March 21, 15:30】

The message is clear: don't pick the chrysanthemums.
The report abruptly ends here, indicating that the investigator, Li Mo, was recording under certain special circumstances.

With that in mind, Valentina turned to the last page of the investigation.

The last page features a photograph of the survivor, Li Mo.

Looking at this photo, not only Valentina, but also the viewers on the 13th station were stunned.

(End of this chapter)