Deity Investigation Report

Chapter 173 The Mother Tree
"Ha, what a waste of my time!"

When the Aries investigator returned, he saw Han Su and Rong Qiyue walking out of the tent one after the other.

He didn't know what the two were talking about, but he suddenly felt a little worried.

However, once this arrogant doctor of archaeology stepped out of the tent, he became even more haughty, scoffing, "A mere celebrity investigator is not worth my investment?"

“Our Rong family has always chosen to cooperate directly with independent investigators.”

"So what if he's a celebrity investigator? A dead celebrity is still just an ordinary investigator!"

"..."

The Aries investigator felt quite pleased to hear these words. This star investigator from Qinggang, was she taking herself way too seriously? She actually wanted to chat with Dr. Rong privately?

Heh, does it feel good to be treated like trash now?

He immediately stepped forward with a beaming smile and said, "Dr. Rong..."

Rong Qiyue immediately took a step back in disgust, giving him a look that said, "You're trash too."

The Aries investigator immediately stopped chuckling, took a step back respectfully, and whispered, "The D7 access work has been completed!"

"Humph!"

Rong Qiyue turned and left, leaving behind an arrogant silhouette.

No one else dared to say anything at this moment, but Li Yiting of the Magic Box Group made a firm decision and narrowed his eyes.

I'm also considering whether to call a few ruthless thugs armed with knives and guns to come over...

We need to pay more, and find a few tough guys...

"I need to get down to business. I don't want to stay in Qinggang for another second!"

Rong Qiyue approached the group of infected individuals with a cold expression. He saw the scene depicted by the mental energy emanating from these contaminated death row inmates. After a careful look, his expression suddenly changed drastically:

"Report this to your headquarters. This incident may need to be upgraded to a Level A threat."

"A-level?"

Upon hearing Rong Qiyue's words, the first reaction of everyone present was disbelief.

How could it be Grade A?
The highest level of threat that investigators in Qinggang normally face is Level B. This represents anomalies that have infiltrated reality, or infected individuals severely contaminated by mysterious forces.

As for Rank A missions, they are already something incredible in themselves.

They can easily devastate a city.

If missions prior to A-level were merely infiltration, then missions at A-level signify a breach in the dam.

"Do you think A-level is the limit?"

Rong Qiyue's face was even slightly flushed as he shouted, "This is one of the ten world-destroying disasters that have occurred during the Radiation Era. The Mother Tree has a number in the Hidden Scroll. Before the Reconstruction Era, the entire human race perished because of it."

“Even today, remnants of this surreal phenomenon still exist in the Insect Island area.”

"I am now suggesting that you raise its threat level to A, because the bud has not yet fully grown."

"Once it blooms, its spores will spread, and the entire Qinggang will be within its radiation range!"

"At that point, the incident will be upgraded to an S-level threat!"

"..."

Upon hearing his words, everyone's expression changed drastically, and Rong Qiyue, who had spoken so much in one breath, suddenly jumped up on the spot:
"Go!"

"Are you investigators not allowed to use telephones?"

"..."

It was only then that the Aries investigator suddenly realized what was happening and hurriedly went to make a phone call.

Not only was he flustered on the surface, but he was also filled with regret, to the point of wanting to vomit his guts out.

This is a really big problem.

An event that could potentially be upgraded to S-level was delayed due to my own actions, and I still expect to benefit from it?
Although he also knew that being able to upgrade to S-level did not mean that the threat had reached S-level, it often meant that there was potential to rapidly increase the threat in a short period of time, just like ordinary pollution, if left unchecked, could potentially expand its impact range several times over in a short period of time.

However, on the other hand, the mere existence of this possibility already represents a rare high-level threat for the Qinggang Disaster Management Bureau, and the responsibility is ridiculously large!
This is a crisis that could mobilize all the idle investigators, and even the four top investigators from Qinggang.

Han Su, standing nearby, seemed slightly puzzled upon hearing this: "Really?"

"We told this guy to lure them out, but we weren't told to make such a big fuss..."

But looking at Rong Qiyue's expression, it seemed he wasn't faking it.

After Rong Qiyue arranged for someone to make the call, he was also very worried. He glanced at the infected person and whispered:
“These people also need to be locked up. We need to set up advanced containment measures for them as quickly as possible and be ready to respond at any time.”

"Now, they have been forcibly converted into believers of the Divine Tree, but if the source of pollution is threatened, Divine Tree Guardians will be born directly from among these believers. Each of those Divine Tree Guardians is probably an individual with the strength of a B-level threat."

"..."

As he made the arrangements, he subtly glanced at Han Su, then shouted, "Where's the person in charge? Take me to see those relics right away! I need to find the source of the contamination as soon as possible!"

"Yes Yes……"

Just as he was roaring, the Aries investigator who had just made the call returned.

The phone call just now was a pleasant surprise; as the situation escalated, he was able to request that the four major investigators come to the scene.

Once the drunkard arrived, this hot potato could be pushed away. But to everyone's surprise, Rong Qiyue said something else, wiping away cold sweat as he stepped forward and said, "Wait...wait a bit more?"

"I've already notified the Disaster Management Bureau. The four investigators will be arriving shortly. You can go then..."

"..."

"wait?"

Rong Qiyue suddenly turned to look at him: "The most important thing in dealing with this kind of pollution is speed."

"The longer this drags on, the bigger the problem will become. If it's not handled properly, a B-level will become an A-level, and an A-level will become an S-level in the blink of an eye. Don't blame me for not telling you in advance. Once the situation really escalates to an S-level, Qinggang will be gone. Can you take responsibility?"

"..."

The Aries investigator was naturally unwilling to take responsibility, but considering the alcoholic's arrangements, he didn't want to completely disrupt them.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Then...why don't we just destroy all those relics?"

For them, this is the best outcome.

Destroy everything, leave it completely clean; the alcoholic would owe him a huge favor.

"Destroy?"

Rong Qiyue's brow furrowed, and he snapped, "Don't you have a brain?"

"Destroying the thing with the mysterious source directly does not mean destroying the source of pollution. On the contrary, it may cause it to lose its attachment and dissipate, which may solve the problem. But more likely, it will cause it to lose its restraint and spread even more severely!"

"Will it really be possible to upgrade to S-rank then?"

"..."

"I……"

The Aries investigator's voice trembled this time, as if he were having an internal struggle.

Even though the drunken investigator was arriving soon, his only requirement for himself was to safeguard this information...

But now...

"remember!"

Rong Qiyue suddenly changed his temper, turned to look at the Aries investigator, and said in a cold voice:
"This is a matter for Qinggang. I can abandon it at any time and not care what happens."

"But out of a sense of responsibility for the existing defenses, I will relay everything to the Qinggang Disaster Management Bureau!"

"As for now, a wise man avoids dangerous situations, so I'll take my leave!"

"..."

"Don't, don't..."

Seeing that he was really turning to leave, the Aries investigator suddenly panicked, stamped his foot, hardened his heart, and said:

"I won't waste any time. Come on, I'll take you there now!"

"..."

Having said that, he turned and led the way, with Rong Qiyue naturally following behind, and Han Su also slowly getting up.

The Aries investigator suddenly turned to look at Han Su: "You, are you really going to come along?"

Han Su glanced at him lazily: "I was sent by Miss Ai to provide support. Don't I have the right to come along?"

The Aries investigator said no more, only whispering, "I just hope you won't regret it!"

The group followed him and soon emerged from the path beside the temporary shelter. They found themselves in a desolate open space with waist-high weeds, but nothing could be seen in sight.

"Right here!"

The Aries investigator took a deep breath, raised his cane, and waved it in the air while chanting incantations. It was as if a dense layer of silk threads was rapidly dispersing from their intertwined state in the air.

The next moment, everyone felt a blur before their eyes and saw that the scene in the open space in front of them had undergone a huge change.

A truck bearing the logo of the Magic Box Group appeared in the open space ahead, with relic items unloaded from the truck scattered around it.

It looks like it has already undergone a preliminary inventory, and there are numbers next to it.

As these relics appeared, the seven or eight figures who had been sitting or lying down next to the truck slowly stood up, raising their heads with grim expressions.

Their gazes, without prior agreement, all focused on Han Su's face, their pupils revealing a hidden murderous intent.

Among this group of people, Han Su even spotted a girl with a black hood and a cold expression, playing a single-player game on her phone. It was none other than Miss Crow, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

She must have seen Han Su's appearance out of the corner of her eye, but she remained expressionless, playing on her phone without even looking up.

But Han Su's phone suddenly twitched slightly. He took it out and saw two words flashing quickly in the small group chat he and the four PhD students had created:
"Come on!"

"..."

Han Su sensed the murderous aura emanating from him and glanced at the various people in the room who seemed to have been waiting there for a long time. He understood the drunkard's caution regarding the information and smiled slightly.

In return for Miss Crow's kindness at this moment, he replied with two words:

"careful!"

(End of this chapter)