Gao Wu: After transforming into a soft girl, I became a calamity?

A road in the north of the city.

Ye Chenyang parked his motorcycle diagonally on the side of the road, staring at the empty street in front of him, a rare look of confusion in his eyes.

After the team finished their work and reviewed the operation last night, Cheng Qiao told him to go back and rest.

The other party believed that he had just completed a breakthrough and needed some time to adapt, so they proactively granted him leave.

He accepted it even though he didn't need it.

In the latter half of the night, he did not return home, but instead went to the west of the city, the direction in which the suspected "apocalyptic" afflicted person had last disappeared.

But after venturing deeper into the western part of the city, Ye Chenyang found only desolate streets.

It was as if an invisible hand had wiped away those diseased individuals, leaving not a trace.

Could it be... that they were "eaten"?

Is this the end of the world?

The first generation of "Doomsday" more than a hundred years ago was a primordial calamity. It was quite large and its appearance was somewhat like a mythical creature from some ancient texts.

But it is a calamity, a man-eating calamity, and its method of devouring is primitive and brutal.

He was somewhat unsure how this generation of "Doomsday" who were the diseased individuals ate.

Generally speaking, those who are not fully afflicted by the Calamity can digest the flesh and blood of their own kind or the core of the Calamity to improve themselves, but their efficiency is quite limited.

Because of the inherent strength of their bodies and the lack of a core, they are prone to going berserk and exploding, which could lead to their death.

There must have been quite a few patients who died in the western part of the city last night; even the bodies found on the roadside have disappeared.

Moreover... Ye Chenyang remembered that a sizable group with three Tier 3 leaders near the factory area also disappeared overnight.

Thinking hard.

This "apocalypse" is far too ambitious...

They've wiped out so many infected people, leaving no trace of their bodies. Could they have already reached level three by now?

Ye Chenyang felt that this possibility was almost 100%, but he also noticed some anomalies in it.

There had been no large-scale deaths in the city before, in other words, the opponent had been very secretive before reaching the second tier, developing to this level quietly.

To advance to the third tier, the resources required have increased significantly, which is why she took advantage of the riots in the west of the city to hunt on a large scale.

The only time the other party had ever given themselves away before this was in the case of the self-immolation of the painted skin victim.

That time, some traces were still left behind. Only the core part of the painted skin was burned, but a charred skin was left behind.

Could it be that……

"fire?"

Ye Chenyang had a guess.

If the opponents she kills with fire can be transformed into nutrients for growth and nourish her body, then everything makes sense.

As a vertex sequence, it's normal to have some special methods.

As she grew, the flames became more powerful, burning everything away more thoroughly. The effect was exactly what he had seen last night.

For those at the pinnacle of their rank, each advancement at least doubles their basic abilities.

With the evolution of the original skills, it becomes quite terrifying in the later stages. Ordinary awakened beings are no match for it, even those of advanced sequences.

Assuming her new ability upon entering the third tier is water, then in an environment like last night, concealing her presence would be effortless for her.

Without even thinking, Ye Chenyang was certain that the other party would choose the ability to control water.

He spent several hours traversing the entire western part of the city, checking everything meticulously, but he found no trace, not even a trace of his presence.

This level of caution would probably even put the [Forgetful River] to shame.

Continuing to search like this is not a solution.

Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure by the roadside in the distance.

Jiang Mian?

Ye Chenyang checked the time; it was already past eight o'clock. Was she heading to the city defense?

It doesn't seem like it either...

This road is the shortest route from the north to the south of the city. Jiang Mian's appearance here clearly indicates that he is not heading east.

He glanced at Jiang Mian; the girl was dressed simply in a white short-sleeved shirt and jeans, with a light jacket draped over her shoulders, and her hair was loosely tied in a low ponytail.

She looked like she was wearing whatever she had on hand, quite casually, like a typical homebody.

He didn't call out to her directly. He silently started the motorcycle, slowly drove towards her, and stopped beside her.

"Jiang Mian?"

"Huh? Brother Ye? What a coincidence, what are you doing here?"

Jiang Mian turned around, blinked, and showed a hint of confusion.

She had actually noticed Ye Chenyang a long time ago, and a sense of vigilance rose in her heart.

Why would he suddenly appear here?

Were you recognized last night?

When Ye Chenyang drove me back earlier, he said it was on his way, but he was probably lying to me.

She had lived in this area for some time, and she had never sensed this guy's presence before.

There's no way I'd live in this area.

The residential area in the north of the city, apart from some factory dormitories, is mostly concentrated in this area, which is more than enough for her current perception range.

So... why did he appear?

It couldn't have been a deliberate "chance encounter," could it?

Ye Chenyang looked at Jiang Mian, a strange feeling lingering in his heart.

Because of a momentary doubt last night, he still feels a tightness in his chest.

But her demeanor was completely natural, giving her an innocent and harmless appearance.

Is it an illusion?

"I'm off today, so I'm going to wander around. It's quiet and not crowded here, perfect for a drive. What about you? Weren't you supposed to be on duty?"

Taking a drive early in the morning? Looking for some scenery?

Who are you trying to fool...?

Jiang Mian definitely didn't believe it. Riding a motorcycle for a spin so early in the morning? It was so cold last night, she was stuck in bed for ages...

Wait, last night?

Could he... have come from the west side of the city?

She glanced at the motorcycle beneath Ye Chenyang and felt that the possibility was quite high.

Has it become entangled with me?

The intuition of the [Radiance] path is very sharp, especially for things related to mist, and in some cases it can even surpass that of the [Soul] path of the same level, not to mention the vertex sequence.

I cleaned it up myself last night, but the corpses of those infected were also cleaned up, as if a road had been cleared out.

Jiang Mian's route last night was to start from the southwest, head west, cross over by air, and then connect with the warehouse area in the north of the city.

There weren't many people in that last area, since it belonged to the Black Killers' territory.

If Ye Chenyang investigates afterward, he will likely follow the road she cleared northward, and if he returns to the south of the city, he will end up in this very location.

Jiang Mian couldn't understand why this guy, who was only a high school graduate, seemed to be hiding so many secrets.

It's one thing to be naturally talented, but to know so much about information that isn't publicly available online...

Surely it's not some old man, is it?

Although it sounds far-fetched, she had read many novels before, and she herself had time-traveled. Other possibilities... probably exist, so she had to be on guard.

"I?"

Jiang Mian thought for a moment and decided to hold back and proceed as usual to see what this guy was up to.

"The duty roster has been changed at the last minute, so I'm off today. I only found out this morning."

"Oh, I see."

Ye Chenyang nodded, wisely refraining from asking further questions.

"By the way, are you... headed to the south of the city? Shall I give you a ride?"