10: Chapter 10 If you pay me 20, I'll wear a full black suit to your funeral...

In a certain desert in the Northwest.

Within a newly built desert military zone that had evacuated countless residents within the surrounding area.

A meteorite that had fallen from the sky stood majestically.

Constantly radiating energy more terrifying than a nuclear power plant, to absorb this radiated energy and prevent it from spilling outward and causing unknown impacts,

the military had urgently built dozens of power stations, yet they could only absorb the tip of the iceberg.

Even so, this caused electricity prices throughout the entire Northwest to plummet below rock bottom.

And this was not even the scariest part.

The most terrifying thing was!

Within the high-energy object suspected to be a meteorite, whenever the full moon appeared, under the illumination of the silvery-white moonlight, one could faintly discern that inside the stone body of unknown material, a humanoid figure existed.

The information it contained was simply spine-chilling upon careful thought.

The appearance of the code-named "Meteorite" caused all residents of the Northwest to be continuously evacuated outward.

If this mysterious Gear could truly take the initiative to interpret and popularize science, Zheng Fei felt that no matter how high an evaluation was given to it, it would be worth it.

On the surface, this meeting was to search for the relevant traces of the "Association" and attempt a Third Kind of Contact.

But how could the higher-ups not also hope

to seize the opportunity to find some information content about the "Gear".

After all, the incident in the Hongdu Suburbs

was the first popularization science of the Gear stepping from behind the scenes to the foreground.

Many among the higher-ups of the empire believed that there might be some unknown secret connection between the two.

...

As the meeting drew to a close.

The crowd filed out from inside one after another.

However, the people leaving the venue did not have the usual relaxation after finishing a major meeting.

Instead, they felt an inexplicable heaviness weighing on their hearts.

This feeling was just like waking up from a nap to find that the higher-ups had suddenly issued a document saying "Aliens are invading Earth".

No, it should be even more serious than this.

Above the United States, various messy mechanical wrecks looked nothing like something that could be produced natively on the planet—proper extraterrestrial technology. If not for the fact that most were mainly wrecks with usable things rarely seen,

now it would not just be international public opinion calling for joint research and mutual progress.

Instead, it would directly play out like the Six Great Sects besieging Bright Summit.

Not only were the high-ranking and powerful bigwigs

solemn in expression and uneasy in their hearts,

even Zhao Jinlong, a veteran king who had just experienced life and death, felt a sense of apprehension after walking out of the conference room.

Suddenly hearing so much unimaginable news,

his highly resilient nerves also felt dizzy and groggy.

The impact on one's worldview was not something anyone could easily withstand.

Rarely smoking, he took the initiative to buy a pack at a convenience store.

Sitting in the car, he puffed away on clouds of smoke.

He himself did not know what he was thinking.

By the time the pack of cigarettes reached the bottom,

and twenty cigarette butts had accumulated beside him,

he suddenly snapped out of it, realizing in a daze that he had taken a car to a place of scenic beauty with clear waters and lush mountains.

——

"Martyr Cemetery?"

Looking at the familiar architectural style around him, Zhao Jinlong quickly regained his wits.

The pattering drizzle beat against his body.

"Is it Qingming again?"

Only then did he realize what day it was today. Having experienced such a massive shock, he had almost forgotten about it.

He hurriedly turned and entered the shop at the intersection.

After carrying out bags and parcels of things, he stepped forward and walked into the cemetery.

Passing through layer upon layer of stepped gravestones,

he came to a place where the soil had just been turned and construction had begun.

Buried inside were his brothers who had unfortunately perished.

As one of the survivors, he did not feel much joy.

What he felt more of was powerlessness, feeling powerless against his meager and weak strength.

Even with the help of firearms, his performance remained quite powerless when facing these extraordinary monsters.

Deep in his heart, he even held a bit of an indescribable yearning for this distorted power.

Even if it was deformed, as long as it could help him become stronger—strong enough to kill those monsters and take revenge—he would be completely willing.

Facing calamities and having to watch helplessly as his comrades died, once was enough.

Unfortunately... it was ultimately just a fantasy.

Even for deformed powers like Gu Martial Arts, it was most likely not going to be his turn.

Just as he could not help drowning his sorrows with alcohol while pouring a few cups to accompany his brothers resting in peace,

his peripheral vision suddenly caught a flash of black.

Black clothes!

Black umbrella!

Sunglasses!

Earphones...

"Hmm?"

The expression of Zhao Jinlong changed slightly, instinctively sensing an abnormality.

A group of people wearing black suits was one thing.

After all, dressing was free; as long as they were not wearing the attire of the Benzi country, no one bothered to meddle in other people's business.

But on such a sunny day, holding a black umbrella here was simply too bizarre, right?

And wearing Bluetooth earphones and sunglasses as well—this kind of outfit stood out far too much!

What was even more bizarre was that the people around the cemetery seemed completely oblivious to it?

Turning a blind eye to this group of strangely-styled men in black, not a single person showed a curious expression and just went about their business. This did not match the fondness of Daxia people for watching the excitement.

The brow of Zhao Jinlong tightened, instinctively sensing something was wrong.

Putting down the alcohol he had prepared to share a cup with, he was about to get up and step over.

Just as he got up,

the mysterious men in black also seemed to make a new move.

——

"Flowers."

Su Xiu reached out and took a bouquet of hand flowers from the black suit beside him, bending down to place it in front of the forest of steles to briefly express his inner respect.

Towards these martyrs who sacrificed themselves for the country, reason and emotion dictated that one should hold respect in their heart.

That is right.

The line of black suits that Zhao Jinlong saw

was none other than Su Xiu and 002 along with its split bodies.

As for why they were wearing suits to come here?

Of course it was because someone paid him 20 yuan in performance fees~

["If you are willing to pay me 20 yuan, I will wear all-black attire at your funeral, wear sunglasses and Bluetooth earphones, hold a black umbrella on a sunny day, and silently gaze at the crowd, making the people around suspect that you have a terrible and interesting secret"]

Cough cough, just kidding.

Of course he was kidding!

To play a meme, it should be at a private funeral; only then would there be a mysterious atmosphere.

How could it be in a public cemetery?

The real purpose of Su Xiu was fishing!

What? You say there are no lakes in the cemetery, so how can you fish?

Is there not a fish biting the hook right now?

Fishing with a straight hook, all he was waiting for was someone fated, just to deploy the newly rewritten sequence anomaly in his hands.

Under the meaningful gaze of Su Xiu,

Zhao Jinlong quickly approached.

But he was stopped by the black suit beside him, unable to easily get close.

Being blocked by several tall figures,

Zhao Jinlong, who was unwilling to start a brawl in the cemetery and cause a riot, inevitably felt somewhat irritable.

Just as he planned to notify the higher-ups first and then act when the opportunity arose,

what he saw in the corner of his eye instantly made him dispel the action in his hands.

"It is you——"

Zhao Jinlong let out a low, deep shout.

His wide eyes carried an unbelievable gaze.

It was her!

It was the mysterious figure he had seen before in the ancient architectural complex of the Longwhale Gang!

That mysterious woman who blew up the Taotie Cat with a single shot.

Although the clothes she wore had changed—from a mysterious black robe to a half-covered black veil—her unforgettable white hand bones and the heroic temperament that was unforgettable at first glance

instantly reminded Zhao Jinlong of that figure from back then.

"Eh, recognized?"

A cold, clear voice sounded in his ear like the flowing sound of a clear spring, completely confirming the thought in the heart of Zhao Jinlong.

"The Association——"

"You are people from the Association!"

His burning gaze carried the firmness of metal and iron, but the reply of the opponent threw Zhao Jinlong completely into disarray.

"Do you want to gain power?"

"An extraordinary power that lets mortal bones shed their dust and undergoes a complete rebirth!"

The calm voice sounded,

and its content instantly threw Zhao Jinlong into complete disarray.