Deity Investigation Report

Chapter 288 Mechanical Buddha Followers
"It looks like a fight is definitely not going to happen."

On the jeep heading out of the city, Han Su waited for a signal from Qinggang while thinking about the mission at Baila Mountain.

To this day, Wei Lan has not sent any new information, indicating that Song Chushi did not enter Qinggang, and the Four Heavenly Kings' ambush against him failed. This is, of course, the result that Han Su wanted to see.

The only problem was that he remembered Zhang Chiguo had been quite traumatized during that confrontation, leading to a significant shift in his mindset. But now that the immense pressure was gone, he didn't want him to revert back to his old ways…

...In order to stop Uncle Zhang from being bullied, should we ask Song Chu to give him a good scolding in private?
Of course, the fact that Qinggang has remained peaceful indicates that Abyss Studios has also chosen not to invade Qinggang.

This confirms from another perspective that although Abyss Studio has been trying to complete the Seven-Day Divine Descent Plan, its primary target is not itself.

However, since the death of the white corpse was related to her, she still harbored doubts about herself and was unsure whether she would do something else.

At present, however, Han Su is most concerned about another issue.

On this life path, I did not have a conversation with Ms. Shen, nor did she hand over the mechanical fragment to me. However, mechanical fragment number 2 was still lying peacefully in my suitcase. In that case, does Abyss Studio have any more mechanical fragments?
"……No!"

Han Su quickly came to a conclusion.

On the lifeline of the Great Horn City, he witnessed that mysterious and vast resonance.

That resonance confirmed that there are only seven mechanical fragments in the world, each different, with no overlap in amplitude or properties. This indicates that, like the fisherman's song, there are only seven mechanical fragments, each with a different life path and a different point in time.

Of course, the question that puzzles me most right now is:
The No. 2 mechanical fragment in my possession serves the purpose of time reversal. So, what role does it play when it was originally placed in the deepest part of the Abyss Studio?
Before even stepping into the mysterious circle, he was already bound by the blinking, shuttling back and forth through time.

But having been involved in the mystical circles for so long and encountered all sorts of mysterious forces, I have found very few that are related to time.

If we had to say, only Song Chu possessed a handful of Sands of Time, but that only allowed him to freeze time.

The One Throne, Seven Fragments, the Emperor, the Castle...

Han Su increasingly felt that some deep secrets were hidden within these things.

Perhaps, as Ms. Shen said, all hope lies with the emperor; however, the emperor himself is an unfathomable and unimaginable mystery...

……

"We've entered the Baila Mountain area. What are you thinking about?"

Lost in thought, the professor looked up at Han Su, his brows furrowing slightly as he asked.

He felt that Han Su was acting strangely after the Mother Tree incident was resolved, and his mental fluctuations were also abnormal.

I've always been able to see through people at a glance, but now I find this investigator rather interesting.

"Of course, we need to consider how to resolve the trouble here..."

After a moment's thought, Han Su said to the doctor, "I came here not just for the promotion to independent investigator, but also because I'm curious about these mysterious organizations."

"I'd like to know, if you were in this situation, and you were both interested in the mysterious power these people worship, but also aware of how terrifying that power is, how would you utilize it while ensuring your own safety?"

The doctor paused slightly, adjusted his glasses, and said, "All mysterious organizations are madmen; that's a consensus!"

"They believe in mystical forces or 'gods' who will save them, so they don't consider safety. This is why mysterious organizations can train superhumans much faster and more efficiently than the Disaster Management Bureau and the Hidden School!"

"..."

Han Su nodded: "That's why I said, if it were you."

The doctor pondered for a moment and said, "This seems to be a problem that you care about a lot."

"I won't give an irresponsible answer. Here's what I'll do: I'll give you an answer before this mission ends."

"..."

Han Su nodded, not really holding out much hope. When it came to those things, intelligence had nothing to do with it.

That was an unknown and dangerous concept.

He put aside his thoughts and began to survey the area around him, which was marked as very dangerous in the disaster management bureau's data. However, at first glance, it seemed rather ordinary, because this area had always been a transportation route for important supplies, so the roads were very well constructed.

However, as far as the eye could see, the area was quite desolate, with abandoned wastelands polluted by industrial use, where even grass could not grow.

You can still vaguely see many intersections, each blocked by piles of barbed wire.

Along both sides of the road, there were many overturned roadblocks, and even a damaged oil tanker stuck in the bushes.

We've only just entered this territory, yet we can already vaguely sense a dangerous atmosphere.

"Di-"

Just as I was thinking this, a series of horn sounds suddenly rang out behind me.

Black Tiger wasn't driving fast. When he heard a large truck honking loudly behind him, he steadily swerved to the right and waved to let the huge truck, which was four or five meters tall, pass first.

The other party was not polite at all. With a throttle, it sped past them on the left. But unexpectedly, just as the entire vehicle had passed them, the rear of the truck suddenly swung and almost hit the front of the jeep.

Black Tiger had been shot in the head, so his thoughts were slow, but his body reacted extremely quickly. He swerved to the right to avoid the huge rear of the car, then straightened the front of the car and continued to drive forward at a steady speed, showing no signs of road rage whatsoever.

The only thing he cared about was glancing at the truck to make sure it wasn't his enemy.

But this possibility was quickly ruled out; the driver was clearly an ordinary person and not qualified to be his enemy.

Moreover, the vehicle I applied for was only for use outside the city and did not have the identification of the Disaster Management Bureau.

Even Han Su and the doctor only glanced at it before withdrawing their attention, knowing that a significant portion of these truck drivers operating outside the city were short-tempered and savage.

Perhaps they just felt that the Jeep had blocked their way, so they deliberately cut it off to vent their overflowing anger. Since nothing happened, they were too lazy to have any unnecessary interaction with such a person.

Unexpectedly, this was just the beginning. When the big truck saw that the Jeep driven by Black Tiger was trying to give way, it slowed down and blocked the Jeep's path.

The taillights flashed red intermittently, and the speed decreased again and again.

Seeing this, Black Tiger seized the opportunity to overtake, but the other car suddenly swerved and maliciously rammed into the jeep.

Black Tiger frowned, slammed on the brakes, turned the steering wheel sharply, and then quickly stepped on the gas, instantly avoiding the truck that was tilting to the right. He then sped off to the left, moving too fast for the truck to react in time, and almost crashed into the roadside.

"hey-hey……"

Black Tiger chuckled happily, stepped on the gas again, and gradually increased the distance between them.

Han Su and the doctor exchanged a glance in the rearview mirror, but ultimately did not ask Black Tiger to stop the car.

The other party shouldn't be a real enemy, since no one would try to kill three disaster management bureau investigators in this way.

The three people in the car didn't bother to take it to heart, but the other party wouldn't give up. They were almost thrown into a large truck parked on the side of the road. Clearly angry, the other party turned the car around and started honking its horn like a wild beast as it chased after them.

The jeep possessed a speed that he couldn't match; if it accelerated continuously, he certainly wouldn't be able to catch up. However, seeing that the other party was relentless, Black Tiger also felt somewhat strange. Finally, after three minutes, he turned to Han Su and said:
"Should we wait for him?"

Han Su also frowned and looked to his left. He saw a sizable gathering place on one side of the road, with many figures and buildings visible in the distance.

It must have been a service area, but in places so far from the city, these service areas have long been dismantled and rebuilt by people in the wilderness, becoming gathering points with trading and living functions.

"Stop there and see what he's up to!"

"..."

Black Tiger did as instructed and drove the jeep inside. Han Su and the others got out of the car, picked up their suitcases, and sat down to the side.

Black Tiger stood guard at the door, arms crossed, waiting for the other party to come.

Sure enough, about a minute later, the crazy truck caught up and, upon spotting Han Su and his jeep in the distance, turned right in.

They were moving so fast that they even scraped the iron fence at the entrance, sending sparks flying everywhere.

From a distance, it looked like the front of the car was heading straight for the Black Tiger and the Jeep, and it didn't seem to slow down even as it got closer.

Black Tiger had already bent his knees slightly, ready to charge out. Han Su also frowned and looked over, ready to make a move at any moment.

But unexpectedly, as the truck approached, it suddenly veered to the side and crashed into the open space next to it, stopping abruptly. The door was opened and then slammed shut, and a middle-aged man covered in dragon and tiger tattoos jumped out of the truck.

He glanced coldly at Black Tiger, spat disdainfully on the ground, and then sat down at a nearby stall to drink water.

He crossed his legs and stared at Black Tiger with a hostile gaze.

It's surprising that they're not going to talk or communicate now, but they're clearly going to cause trouble later.

"Cough, you've gotten yourself into trouble, haven't you?"

Next to the bench where Han Su and the others were sitting was an old man selling food. He was wearing a wrinkled suit and had seen everything. He whispered a word of advice: "Don't mess with these people running around on the street. They're all like that, with really bad tempers."

"If you want to avoid this trouble, that's simple. Just find some scrap metal or steel bars here and carry them on your back."

“They don’t dare to mess with people carrying scrap metal. If they’re worried the person can’t see them, they can just kidnap them to a car.”

"..."

"Carrying scrap metal?"

Han Su was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and asked, "What kind of custom is this?"

The old man didn't answer, but just chuckled and said, "Anyway, this method works."

Han Su frowned slightly and looked around. Sure enough, he noticed that this gathering point was somewhat different from other places.

There were quite a few people here, about a hundred or so, and they were all obviously from different backgrounds and had different identities. But behind each of them was a steel bar or scrap iron, and some even had half a metal frame tied to their backs, like an electric wire.

This strange custom, while desolate, also arouses a sense of curiosity.

Han Su thought for a moment, then smiled and extended his palm to the old man, saying, "Thank you for reminding me, sir."

The old man hurriedly wiped his hands on his body and shook hands with Han Su somewhat embarrassedly, but after shaking hands, his expression suddenly changed and he looked slightly dazed.

Han Su's smile vanished, and without changing his expression, he looked into the old man's eyes and asked, "What happened?"

He had already silently recited the incantation, "All things shall obey my will."

Influence the other person with your own spiritual strength, follow your own will, and answer your own questions.

And it was after that handshake that he became certain that there was something wrong with the old man.

Normally, given my current level, if the person opposite me were an ordinary person, they would find it difficult to refuse me simply by speaking. That's because my mental activity is too high; even without deliberate infiltration, it constantly exerts an influence on reality, and every word I utter has the power to distort the will of others.

The fact that I still need to shake hands with this old man indicates that the other person has already been affected by some kind of contamination, although it is relatively mild, but it has developed some resistance to the influence of spiritual power.

"It's been like this ever since those people who worship the iron statue came..."

The old man was unaware that his will had been distorted and thought he had suddenly become very talkative.

While warmly inviting Han Su and the doctor to try the things on his stall, he said, "The people in our town all rely on the mines and cotton fields to make a living, so making a living has never been a problem."

"However, the mine owner is very capable and has many connections. His business has been getting better and better lately, and his demand for workers is increasing. In the past, whether they were homeless or just passing through, as long as they came to find work, they could stay in that town."

"Anyway, the factory pays us, and there are security companies to maintain order, so no one looks down on these outsiders."

"But two or three years ago, a group of people wandered over from the north. There were about a hundred of them, men and women, and they were the kind of people you often see outside."

"What's a bit strange is that they all walked here, regardless of age or gender, but the only truck carrying a huge iron frame didn't go into town. Instead, they set up camp on the open ground next to it."

"It was only after they rested that the frame on the truck was revealed, which is really strange..."

"..."

The old man's eyes revealed a hint of reminiscence: "It was actually a Buddha statue pieced together from scrap steel."

"Buddha statue?"

Han Su frowned slightly.

He knew the name; it referred to something unearthed from historical sites.

According to research, it should be a belief. Some people still believe in it today, but the number is very small and it doesn't have much influence.

It is also rarely associated with mysterious things.

The name of Wang Fo Tuo, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Qinggang, is derived from this ancient concept.

"Correct."

The old man recalled, "That Buddha statue was quite large, made of all sorts of scrap iron, steel bars, and iron frames, it was rather frightening."

"However, as everyone knows, these homeless people live hand to mouth and have all sorts of beliefs. At the time, although the people in the town were wary of them, they kept to themselves. Moreover, the mine was short of manpower, so they invited them to work there."

"They were only paid one-third of their wages, but they all worked without complaint, which made them the laughingstock of the guys at the mine."

"But if I had to point out a flaw, it would be that he loves to pick up things. No matter what kind of steel bars, gears, or discarded wire mesh they see, he will pick them up and carry them on his back. Some of them, if they can't find anything good, will even carry a broken bicycle on their backs."

"At the time, everyone just took it as a joke and no one said anything to them. The security company came to warn them once or twice, but nothing came of it."

"It wasn't until later, as time went on, that they settled down here and things started to change."

"After spending so much time together, how can people not have a few tricks up their sleeves and be a little shrewd?"

"They were no exception, of course. Whenever they encountered such a thing, they would always go together to reason with someone. They would not take advantage of others, but they would never suffer a loss either, and they were not afraid of trouble."

"No matter who they faced, they would always cause trouble together. After several such incidents, I don't know if they hadn't offended anyone powerful or what, but they gradually gained a reputation, and no one dared to underestimate them anymore."

"As they stayed here longer and longer, other people gradually followed suit and started carrying scrap metal frames and the like on their backs."

"It's strange, but once someone carries these things, no one dares to mess with them. Even if you get into trouble, other people carrying scrap metal will come and reason with you. So, more and more people are carrying these things."

"By now, it has become a local attraction, and those who don't carry steel bars and scrap iron have become the rarer ones."

"And then there are those kinds of people..."

"..."

As he spoke, he glanced at the truck driver next to him, who was giving him an unfriendly look and kept glancing at Black Tiger. He lowered his voice and said, "He only bullies people who aren't carrying anything, but he'll let you off the hook if you're carrying something."

People who worship iron statues have a custom of carrying things on their backs...

Mechanical Buddha?

Han Su recalled what he had seen in the documents, pondered for a moment, and said, "Is it just carrying something on your back?"

Did they ask you to do anything else?

"..."

"I didn't see anything."

The old man shook his head and said, "Anyway, that's how it is now. The more respectable and prestigious a person is, the more burdens they carry, and the more weight they carry."

"The more things they carry on their backs, the more things they have to take care of. They will help with medical treatment, and on quiet nights, they will gather people together to chat and sometimes many people will hug each other and cry."

"Whenever they get together, they take off the steel bars, scrap iron, iron frames and other materials they are carrying, and piece them together to form statues of gods to kowtow to. After that, they take them off again and carry them on their own backs."

"Life just goes on like this, and no one from the security company, the mine, or the farm cares anymore."

"..."

"Is it just a ritual?"

Han Su learned the source of all this bizarre behavior without breaking a sweat, and frowned, saying, "I've heard that there are cannibalistic practices here?"

"no!"

The old man suddenly raised his voice, and his facial features became unnaturally distorted: "The cannibalism is all made up by those people outside; it's blasphemy!"

As he spoke, he slowly pulled out a metal plate made of several iron sheets wrapped together with wire from the side, carried it on his back, and stared straight at Han Su: "Even if you eat people, you'll only eat bad people."

"And it's not people eating people, it's the idols eating people!"

"..."

"..."

Han Su stared at the old man for a moment, sensing that something was wrong with him.

It was as if his question about "cannibalism" had suddenly activated a certain ferocity within him.

But this is not normal for him; he is still in a state of mental confusion under certain specific conditions, but it has not yet involved any mysterious forces.

He possesses the Emperor's Book, which allows him to directly steal these mysterious powers, but this mental confusion is useless.

Turning his gaze away from the old man, he looked at the doctor beside him and said, "So, this must be the chaos caused by the mysterious information proselytizing incident in the Baila Mountain area, right?"

"According to the regulations of the Disaster Management Bureau, all we need to do is drive away these people who worship iron statues and like to carry these tattered things on their backs, and restore the original customs of this area, and that will be enough?"

"It might be difficult to expel them..."

The doctor adjusted his glasses and said, "This is just a small gathering point outside Bailashan Town, and it's already like this."

Han Su turned around and saw that the entire gathering point had quieted down.

Just a moment ago, everyone was busy with their own things, some buying, some selling, some coming in from outside, and some leaving after eating, drinking, and resting their fill. But now, that lively atmosphere has disappeared.

Everyone stood up, their eyes filled with suspicion as they stared intently at the three of them. Some of the bolder ones were slowly approaching, each carrying a piece of scrap metal on their back.

It was Han Su's questioning of the old man that triggered some kind of alarm; this subtle pollution had already begun to spread within this gathering place.

Han Su asked the doctor, "What do you think should be done about this?"

The doctor took a deep breath and said, "Normally, we should keep a low profile and first find out the details of this nomadic tribe from elsewhere, to see which side is secretly protecting them..."

"Heh, with this scale of pollution and the spread of faith, I simply don't believe that the security companies and conglomerates here aren't secretly protecting them..."

"Once we've investigated thoroughly, we'll mobilize armed forces to resolve the issue in one fell swoop."

"..."

Han Su nodded. Normally, that's indeed the case.

Investigators are not soldiers. To solve problems, they usually put themselves in dangerous situations, confront mysterious forces, collect data, analyze logic, and finally, after identifying the opponent, call in the armed forces of Qinggang City to solve the biggest problem.

But who can blame him when he's a celebrity investigator?

Moreover, these corrupted individuals perfectly fit the criteria I used to study the psychology and behavioral patterns of mystical believers.

Perhaps we can find a reference from them for how to seize the emperor's power in the future.

He turned his head, patted the old man next to him on the shoulder, causing him to sit down uncontrollably and become unable to move.

Then he pulled out his pistol, went straight to the truck driver who had been causing him trouble on the road, pointed the gun at his face, and said, "Why did you cut us off?"

The truck driver looked fierce, clenching his teeth as if he was about to spit out a mouthful of saliva, but Han Su moved quickly.

"Bah!"

A shot hit the driver's leg, and he immediately knelt on the ground, drooling. The countless people around him carrying scrap metal also suddenly trembled slightly, as if there were ripples in a lake.

"Who arranged for you, or people like you, to put pressure on those who aren't carrying scrap metal?"

"Whose orders do you take?"

"..."

As Han Su slowly asked questions, he shot the driver in the other leg, then another, and another.

The movements weren't fast, but the shots kept coming.

Without a doubt, since the other party is so maliciously causing trouble, he must be acting under someone's orders. There are probably many people like him, all trying to create a tense atmosphere in this area.

Of course, if not, then just treat such a person as such, since that will make it easier to write a report later.

Throughout the shooting, he kept his eyes on the people in these gathering points.

The goal is to use forceful coercion to see whether these people will be activated by their own stronger corruption, or whether they will be awakened from this superficial corruption.

　Brothers, if you still have any monthly tickets left, please cast them!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)