Deity Investigation Report

Chapter 259 The Traveling Knights

"Is it the second mechanical fragment?"

After the initial surprise, Han Su immediately realized the key point.

Each time I flashed back in time, my life would be somewhat deviated and overlapped due to different experiences, but time would not change.

For example, if I was kidnapped and taken back to the castle by Flash at 10:35:17 on the night of the 13th, then after I escaped back to the present, the time would be 10:35:21 or 10:22, but it would not become 15 seconds.

Time only moves forward and never backward; this seems to be an ironclad rule.

However, this time, things went backwards, and the backwards lasted for quite a while, a full two days.

The situation was unprecedented and far-reaching. Han Su was completely unable to analyze the underlying principles, but tracing the source was not difficult.

Compared to before, the only extra item in his suitcase was the mechanical fragment that Ms. Shen had given him in the previous life storyline. It must have been that fragment that had affected the timeline.

"Do the mechanical fragments each have a different function?"

Han Su became increasingly alarmed as he thought about it. The function of these mechanical fragments was even more mysterious than he had imagined, possessing unimaginable properties.

Another question is whether he brought that mechanical fragment into this life trajectory.

If so, does the Abyss Studio still possess this mechanical fragment at this time?

"The most important thing right now is to find the black briefcase."

Although he was filled with shock and disbelief, Han Su immediately grasped the key point: "The last time I left the castle with the black briefcase, Miss Ai delivered it to me through some mysterious logic. So, what will happen this time?"

That's enough, getting things done is the priority.

At this moment, Captain Akbai, seeing Han Su staring blankly at the computer, lost his patience and spoke with a cold laugh:
"If you can't finish this job, forget about Qinggang, you won't even be able to have a dream in any Level 3 reality incubator."

"..."

Han Su's words triggered memories along this part of his life.

For these mysterious mercenaries, entering city life is like entering a comfortable bed of reality to indulge in daydreams. They usually show disdain and contempt for this, tacitly assuming it is the act of cowards.

This seems to be because, having fought and died in the wilderness, they have become accustomed to all sorts of bizarre and absurd things and believe that they understand the truth of the world better.

However, entering the city requires signing a strict confidentiality agreement, such as not being allowed to casually mention mysterious things or to arbitrarily touch supernatural objects, etc., since that would be considered a breach of the real defense line and would be punished jointly by the council and the secret school.

This means that their move to city life is, in a way, the same as retiring from the life of a criminal.

He had no intention of arguing about this; he simply closed his laptop, turned to Akbai, and asked, "So what am I supposed to do?"

Akbai sneered at him: "You haven't forgotten that you came out here this time to get a permanent position, have you? You begged me for a long time before I agreed to this opportunity!"

"..."

Han Su can indeed remember, that's a fact.

Mercenary squads don't keep idle people. As a well-known mercenary organization in the Southern Region, Queen Bee only has seven official members. When they need a big job that requires manpower, they have to temporarily recruit desperados.

Those temporary desperados actually earn a fair amount of money for each job they do, but Han Su is different.

He was trained as an apprentice by Akbai, but he was always doing dangerous work and didn't get paid.

Having no other choice, I applied to officially join the team.

Before setting off, he hadn't expected that recruiting the Queen Bee mercenaries would be such a kidney-draining experience.

Akbai asked this last question, undoubtedly to give Han Su a chance. Seeing that Han Su was just sitting there thoughtfully, Akbai was certain that Han Su would not come back to the room with him.

With a hint of dissatisfaction in his heart, he sneered, "I originally left you a good path, but you didn't agree. Then we'll have to rely on your true abilities to see if you're qualified to enter the Queen Bee."

"After daybreak, you will disguise yourself as an investigator and enter the village below as an outpost to gather intelligence. If you can complete the mission and this job is done, I will still agree to let you join the team. How about it?"

"..."

"Playing the role of an investigator?"

Han Su was slightly taken aback by these words, and couldn't help but laugh. This really suited his persona perfectly.

Upon seeing him smile, Akbai became even more displeased. This guy would rather risk his life in Black Valley Village than sleep with him.
With a cold expression, she turned to Lalai: "Have the supplies arrived yet?"

Lalai shrugged, glanced at Han Su with some regret, and said, "Everything is complete."

Akbai said, "Let's go!"

As he spoke, he took the lead and walked out. Han Su and La Lai followed him down half a slope and saw three cars gathered below. There were people carrying guns, wrapped in thick blankets, sitting in the shadows. When they saw them come down, they all quietly got up.

These were several official members of the Queen Bee mercenary squad. Akbai didn't have many men under his command, but they were extremely loyal and worked seamlessly together.

This is a key reason why she was able to break through in the extremely dangerous mercenary market, even achieving a good ranking, and finding jobs was not difficult for her.

These people silently rose, their gazes towards Han Su seemingly filled with complex emotions.

Akbai didn't greet them, but went to the back of a car and saw that it was piled with all sorts of things.

They are a well-trained mercenary team, capable of handling a wide variety of complex situations. They are very well-prepared, and this time they had already planned to enter unfamiliar areas disguised as investigators, so they acquired the necessary equipment in advance.

Han Su glanced over and saw several suitcases lying in the carriage, piled with tuxedos, suits, pistols, and even stun guns and short knives, as well as obviously forged documents and the like.

These are all commonly used by investigators.

Reflecting on my own life experiences, I can understand why major cities around the world have begun experimenting with anomaly assessment management bureaus in recent years.

However, although they all claimed to be building a fourth line of defense in reality, some people treated the investigators as private soldiers, some took the opportunity to seize the power of the council, and some treated the investigators as tentacles for the city to invade the wilderness.

The only certainty is that these figures carrying boxes have begun to appear frequently in the wilderness.

There are many hidden places that are dangerous for ordinary people to enter, but the investigators' identities can provide them with a sense of security.

After all, every investigator has the disaster management agency backing them up. If they disappear somewhere, it could attract more people, or even independent investigators.

This can be considered quite well-known.

However, what attracted Han Su the most at this moment was a black briefcase.

All eight corners of the box have wrapped copper corners, giving it an overall old and worn feel, as if it has been sealed away somewhere for a long time.

That's right, this is my suitcase.

It appeared in this part of my life.

Previously, it arrived at the castle a step behind me, like luggage being checked in. I never expected that it would appear so quietly on this completely different life path, as if life is just a journey.

Seeing the black briefcase, Han Su felt relieved, smiled, and asked, "Where did these things come from?"

"Of course, I found it at the Great Horn City flea market."

The team member in charge of procurement spoke coldly and casually picked up a suit jacket, a stun gun, a dagger, and identification documents, and threw them over.

He picked up another box that was closer to him, but after glancing at Han Su, he put the brand-new box down again.

As if out of some kind of dissatisfaction, he deliberately picked up the old black box and threw it over.

Even Akbai felt a little uncomfortable when she saw it. She picked up the old black box and glanced at it. Seeing that it was empty, but the box was sturdy, she zipped it up and gently pushed it in front of Han Su.

Every movement was smooth and fluid.

Just as fate would have it, this black briefcase belonged to Han Su and was destined to return to his hands.

Moreover, Akbai had clearly just checked and the box was empty, but when Han Su picked it up, he immediately felt its weight.

Everything is still here!

He breathed a sigh of relief, then changed into a suit and leather shoes in the back of the car. He wet his hands with a mineral water bottle, ran his fingers through his hair, picked up his briefcase, and transformed himself. The wild aura he had carried for years in the wilderness vanished instantly.

He looked impeccably dressed in a suit and tie, with a straight posture, and even Akbai and the other team members next to him were impressed.

Lalai, in particular, couldn't help but touch his nose, finally understanding why the other person was qualified to climb into that bed.

"You don't look like someone who should be carrying a gun, you should be carrying a suitcase."

Akbai muttered something, then put on a stern face and said, "After dawn, you will go to Black Valley Village below."

"Remember your disguised identity. The most important thing is the mission. I need you to see the terrain, roads, population, and defenses of the village clearly. Of course, the most important thing is to find the location of their hidden altar."

As he spoke, he waved, and someone handed him a bag containing a dip pen and a bottle of ink.

She took it and handed it to Han Su, saying, "This village is very wary of outsiders. Once you go in, you won't have a chance to come out. The electronic signals inside and outside the village will also be easily affected, and you won't have a chance to transmit intelligence."

"But all you need to do is take this thing with you and find a way to write down the information anywhere—in a notebook, on a piece of paper, or even on a wall or the ground. I will know the information you write down."

"By the way, if you encounter danger, you can drink this ink or smear it on your body. This can save your life for a certain period of time."

"..."

Han Su remembered everything and asked, "And then?"

Akbai rolled his eyes and said, "Then just protect yourself and wait for us to come and meet you."

Han Su thought about it carefully. As an intern mercenary, he was not qualified to know the specific details of the mission before he came here, but now that the mission is about to take place, according to the rules of the mercenary team, it seems that he can ask for clarification.

"Then you need to tell me first what kind of place this village, or rather, the target, is?"

"Heh, it's a very sinister place." Akbai sneered upon hearing this, and said, "It's very likely that a real black goat has already been born here."

"A truly bizarre creature that has descended into reality."

“Our mission is simple. Both Giant Horn City and Skinning Manor are vying for this place. Giant Horn City wants to use this village as their secret prison, but Skinning Manor believes that this place is within their territory and the entire village is their property.”

"The two sides have already clashed openly and covertly several times over this dilapidated village. If they fight again, it may attract the patrolling knights. They had no choice but to come to us."

"..."

"The Traveling Knight?"

Upon hearing the name, Han Su immediately took note.

He still vividly remembered the knights who last appeared on the hills outside the city when Qinggang collapsed.

The eerie mounts and the terrifyingly powerful flintlock muskets were mysterious and formidable. Even Lady Shen, who could easily suppress the four city-slaughtering priests, was no match for them. Their strength was vastly different from that of everyone else.

He had heard of these people's names when he was at the Qinggang Disaster Management Bureau, but he didn't have the opportunity to learn more about them.

In their memories along this life's journey, as mercenaries, they had dealt with many city councils and secret societies, but they also seemed to rarely mention this name.

"Ah……"

Akbai was not surprised by Han Su's doubts. He sneered and said in a low voice, "A bunch of guys who are secretly monitoring the whole world."

"Actually, the work we do is similar to that of us mercenaries; we go wherever there's chaos."

"However, they are very capable and are usually selected from outstanding independent investigators in various cities, or they can only join if they are jointly recommended by three nobles."

"Once selected, it is equivalent to transcending social classes, and from then on, one is only responsible for maintaining order between the major regions and serving the nobility."

"You want to live in the city? Ha, instead of signing a confidentiality agreement and working like a slave in the city, why not make a name for yourself? If you can become a traveling knight, then you'll be a superior person when you return to the city."

"..."

Han Su ignored her hidden agenda and merely frowned: "The nobles you're referring to, are you referring to those ancient nobles?"

"Pretty much, anyway, we're all superior people."

Akbai said, "Why do you think a small town like Skinning Manor has the confidence to compete with a behemoth like Giant Horn City for prey?"

"That's because the investor in Skinning Manor is an earl from the Western Continent."

"Of course, we don't need to consider these things. Giant Horn City invited us here, so we'll only work for Giant Horn City. There are only three possible outcomes this time: either they resolve the issue through negotiations, we don't have to lift a finger, and we just collect the money!"

"If the negotiations break down and open conflict breaks out, we will join the war, regardless of victory or defeat, and collect the money."

"If they can't reach an agreement and don't dare to actually fight, then it's our job: wipe out this village, find the Black Goat, hand it over to the independent investigator from Giant Horn City, and we'll make a fortune!"

That explanation immediately made everything clear.

Han Su said no more. Seeing that the night was about to fade, he picked up his suitcase and followed the mountain path toward the villages and towns deep in the mountains.

Beside the temporary base, the other team members watched Han Su's figure disappear. Lalai thought of the bottle of ink Akbai had given Han Su, sighed, and said, "Looks like you really want him..."

Akbai sneered and shook his head: "What a pity, such a handsome person should be a male bee!"

"Now, I can only do the same as you."

"..."

"..."

"A small village that worships mystical things has developed a distorted form, and has therefore been designated a secret prison by independent investigators?"

Han Su followed the mountain path into the village on foot, pondering to himself that this situation felt strangely familiar.

Qinggang, in fact, also followed this model.

Whether it's Li Moses, Zhao Fantian, or Wang Fotuo, they all guard similar secret prisons. The difference between Qinggang and Giant Horn City is that in the surrounding area, there is only one dominant force, and no one can compete with Qinggang.

The mysterious world is really different from what I imagined. Being in the comfort of reality, I can't see what this world looks like at all. Even if I know there is danger outside the city, I don't know to what extent.

Han Su quickly arrived at the mountain path, which was more than ten miles long.

He took out a handkerchief at the village entrance, wiped his shoes covered in a layer of dirt, and looked up to see a village with rough and ancient architecture, exuding an air of poverty.

Here, regardless of age or gender, everyone wears a headscarf. When they see an outsider like yourself, their expressions become cold and strange, giving you an instinctive sense of insecurity.

The woman instructed him to observe the road here, in order to find the Black Goat Altar?
What's the difference between this and sending someone to their death?
Han Su thought to himself as he slowly entered the village. The people drying grain at the village entrance were all staring at him intently. Han Su looked back at them, smiled, and asked gently, "Is there an inn here?"

The villagers of Shaliang Village stared at him for a long while before slowly asking, "What do you do?"

Han Su smiled and said, "Tourism."

His smile was flawless. The man stared at him for a while before slowly pointing in a direction.

"Thank you!"

Han Su walked straight ahead, his eyes fixed straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with anyone. He slowly passed the crowds that were gathering on both sides of the road. Fresh animal hides pasted on the earthen walls on both sides emitted a fishy smell, and meat racks swarmed with flies hung with flesh and blood whose original form was unrecognizable.

"Crunch, crunch"

There was always a faint sound of chewing grass in my ears, weak but clear, constantly drilling into my ears, making me feel suffocated.

Ignoring all the strangeness, Han Su walked until he reached the end of the village road.

Sure enough, he saw a dark red-fronted, old-fashioned inn, so he picked up his suitcase and went straight into the inn.

Behind the counter, the owner, also wearing a headscarf, was accompanied by a little boy who was doing his homework on a stool. The two of them looked up at him at the same time. Han Su stopped at the door and said, "Check-in."

The boss stared intently at Han Su, then asked stiffly, "What do you do?"

Han Su smiled and said, "Tourism."

The boss glanced at his attire and the suitcase in his hand, but didn't ask any more questions or check his identification. He simply took out a key and handed it over, with a room number written on it on tape.

Without saying a word, Han Su went up the narrow stairs to the corresponding room, closed the door, and sat down.

First, I took a water glass, poured a glass of water, and placed it by the bedside. I saw that the surface of the water was constantly rippling.

He waited a while, closed his eyes to rest, and when the ripples gradually disappeared, he spoke softly, reciting in a barely audible voice:
[That is, the night itself.]

【…】

Now, as the sun rises, this cryptic spell that controls shadows is somewhat restrained. However, since we are in the mountains, the towering peaks cast shadows over the village, so the spell still has some effect.

Han Su could sense that in places where no light or human gaze was directly illuminating them, the shadows became active, as if something strange was reviving within them.

They flowed, talked, collided, and spread outwards in an instant, quickly reaching the entire village.

Now, his contact with the Emperor's Book has made his mental activity extraordinary, and his zero-sequence spells are also incredibly effective.

In an instant, all the roads, people, things in the open or hidden were vaguely examined, which was far more effective than personally running around and wandering around.

Han Su could even see the innkeeper below looking up at the direction of his room with a sinister expression. However, he refrained from coming up and instead gave the little boy doing his homework a cold glance, as if as a warning, before turning and leaving.

"What kind of awful place is this...?"

Han Su sighed softly, "In Qinggang, we couldn't have developed to this extent at all before Miss Ai sent people over..."

He first picked up the dip pen and ink bottle that Akbe had given him, but did not rush to write down the information he had observed in a certain place as she had suggested.

I checked it first and found that the dip pen was just an ordinary pen, then I looked at the bottle of ink.

'Just pick something, write down the information, and she'll know it?'

'What exactly are this woman's abilities? Why is she so eager for my body?'

With a slight concentration, Han Su opened the ink bottle, took a gentle sniff, and immediately felt as if something hazy had tainted his spiritual power, vaguely trying to invade him.

Han Su wasn't surprised at all. He simply picked up the black briefcase and let his spiritual power, carrying this hazy, polluted aura, seep into the Emperor's Book.

The pollution was so weak that there was no need to even retrieve the Emperor's Book.

Han Su vaguely heard the Emperor's Book rustling inside the black briefcase, and it seemed as if countless words were flowing through his eyes:
[Honeycomb Virus: An Abnormal Pheromones That Can Alter the Genes of Biological Populations]

[Level: Individually Beast-level, but with the potential to develop into a pack-level creature]

[Characteristics: Individuals infected with this type of virus will exhibit a social structure and hierarchical relationship similar to a bee colony, with the queen bee at the core, contaminating and recruiting other individuals as members of the colony.]

【…】

Han Su looked closely and was slightly surprised: No wonder her code name was Queen Bee, no wonder she could know whatever was written in this ink.

Is this something that contains bee colony pheromones?

No wonder her mercenary group is so cohesive and works so well together; they're practically inhuman!

Did this woman seduce me to make me her worker bee or her male bee?
Having learned the other party's background, Han Su no longer cared. He tossed the ink aside, then slightly pointed his finger, and copper-colored blood seeped out of the box, quietly hovering around the room and creating a safe space.

Then, with no more worries, he opened the briefcase, glanced at all the familiar things inside, took out the crystal skull that Ms. Shen had given him, and slowly pressed it against his forehead.

(End of this chapter)