NOVPUBEvolvers must endure the perpetual pain of Resonance reactions, making them temperamentally different from ordinary people.
Martin glanced at the two men and spoke, "Alright, let’s get down to business."
"Here’s the situation. I previously sent Andy to lead a team to a place called Isaac Town to investigate supernatural occurrences. Given the limited number of monsters appearing there, and the absence of civilian casualties, our intelligence department rated the threat as Category C."
Ah, Category C, a rating too familiar.
Upon hearing this, Daniel already had an inkling.
A situation that could turn Martin’s face so grave must signify trouble.
The investigators sent to Isaac Town must’ve run into issues.
The threat level there was certainly more than just Category C.
Martin continued, "I must admit some culpability for the incident. We’ve had past mistakes with threat assessment, leading to your severe injuries, Alex, and I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have."
"Had I been more cautious, I wouldn’t have dispatched Andy. I would’ve waited for Brooks to return or for you, Alex, to recover sufficiently."
"Perhaps then the outcome would be different, and not have ended with Andy as the sole survivor among the investigators. Moreover, Andy’s Resonance reaction is on the brink of going haywire."
A twitch of concern passed through Daniel’s mind.
He was unaware of Andy’s capabilities, but anyone leading a team must be at least a Level 2 Evolver—perhaps a seasoned one like Julia.
Yet, all his team members were lost, and he himself was on the edge of mortality.
The monsters in Isaac Town were not to be underestimated.
At that moment, Alex spoke, "Get to the point. Did Andy bring back any information?"
Martin, already accustomed to Alex’s blunt manner, didn’t take offense.
Instead, he frowned, "According to Andy’s report, upon entering Isaac Town, they were engulfed in an inexplicable dense fog. They could see nothing and were unsure if they had even arrived at the town."
"In such an environment, conducting any investigation was out of the question. Andy, experienced as he is, promptly ordered a retreat. However..."
"They were ambushed by an unidentified creature. The entire team was torn to shreds within moments, and Andy himself was gravely injured."
Daniel found it hard to fathom. From the sound of it, Andy and his team hadn’t even had a fighting chance, reduced to mere prey. Puzzled, he asked, "How did Andy manage to escape?"
This was crucial information that could shed light on the monster’s modus operandi.
Martin explained, "Andy’s ability is to teleport. In the face of impending doom, he drained every ounce of his energy to teleport away from the town, surviving by a hair’s breadth."
"I’ve summoned you both to meet Andy and further assess the situation. As a mere human, I can’t gauge the extent of his deteriorating condition."
Daniel turned to leave. "Then lead the way."
Recognizing the urgency, Martin wasted no more words. He led Alex and Daniel straight to the medical bay.
...
The medical unit was situated at the lowest level of the Investigation Bureau, staffed with the world’s finest healthcare personnel and equipped with cutting-edge medical technology.
It was universally acknowledged as the best medical team in the world.
Currently, the unit was bustling with activity, with everyone rushing to move various pieces of equipment.
Andy was on the brink of a power surge; the explosive force of a Level 2 Evolver was enough to level structures within a hundred-meter radius.
Even with the superior construction of the Investigation Bureau’s buildings, there was no guarantee that the medical bay housing Andy would not be reduced to rubble.
Martin, leading Daniel and Alex, went straight to Andy.
Inside an isolated medical room, the air was thick with a stifling fog.
A bedside table next to the hospital bed was cluttered with smoldering cigarettes; their stubs piled into a miniature mountain on the tabletop.
Daniel felt a potent magnetic field in the room, causing the Gene Lock Chain, which sealed his soul within him, to quiver ever so slightly. In this environment, both Alex and Andy seemed to experience a calming aura.
Daniel felt nothing of the sort; instead, he found the field vexing. Such was the influence of the Gene Magnet.
With furrowed brows, Daniel studied the young man lying on the bed.
Emaciated and weary, an air of restless irritability haunted his expression.
His lips were pale, his eyes devoid of vitality, constantly darting left and right.
He looked terrified, as though something might emerge from the smoky air to attack him at any moment.
Both Daniel and Alex grimaced upon seeing this.
"Andy has been a heavy smoker," Martin explained. "They say cigarettes calm him more effectively than the Gene Magnet does."
Daniel stayed silent, sensing a hint of melancholy and regret in Martin’s voice.
It was understandable. The Investigation Bureau had few Evolvers to begin with, and most were scattered across different regions of the world.
Although this was the headquarters, the actual number of combat-capable Evolvers was less than twenty.
Andy’s team had been entirely wiped out. Even Andy, an experienced Level 2 Evolver, was on the verge of losing control. Martin couldn’t help but feel the weight of the loss.
Alex’s expression grew colder. "It seems he won’t last much longer. Once the magnetic field from this Gene Magnet dissipates, the power within him will go completely rogue. Death will be a mere matter of time."
"Daniel, if you have questions, ask them now. I will intervene before he loses control."
Daniel knew what ’intervening’ entailed.
Although harsh to contemplate acting against one of their own, it was a necessary evil—better than letting Andy’s rogue powers cause greater harm to the Investigation Bureau.
Calmly staring at Andy, Daniel pondered briefly before speaking, "Andy."
Andy lay on the bed, his eyes still closed. Seeing this, Martin approached, "Andy, Andy, wake up."
After several calls, Andy finally opened his eyes. Upon seeing Martin, a glimmer of raw hope flashed across his face. "Director, please save me. I don’t want to die."
"My girlfriend is waiting for my proposal, my mom is waiting for me to come home for dinner... Director, I’m begging you, save me!"
A flicker of compassion crossed Martin’s eyes. "Andy, rest assured. If there’s a way to save you, no matter the cost, I will do it."
"For now, cooperate with Daniel and Alex. Tell us more about what happened in Isaac Town."
"Isaac Town?"
A veil of confusion settled over Andy as he looked at Daniel and Alex. His expression rapidly twisted into one of terror, as if recalling something profoundly horrifying.
"Monsters! Monsters!"
"The monsters there are invincible! Once you step into their territory, you’re as good as dead!"
"Ha ha ha ha! Dead! All will die!"
Andy’s demeanor spiraled into madness.
His eyes became bloodshot, and a strange smile contorted his face.
Martin quickly grabbed a smoldering cigarette from the table and shoved it into Andy’s mouth.
Taking a deep drag, Andy closed his eyes and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I’m sorry, I can’t provide you with any information."
"Because I didn’t see anything. All I heard were two coughs, and then everyone was dead."
"There’s something in the fog. Stay away from it. Don’t hold onto any illusions of luck."
As he spoke, an almost imperceptible sound of clinking chains emanated from his body.
Clink, clink.
The Resonance Reaction had reached its peak, and even they, as outsiders, could hear the sound of the Gene Lock Chain resonating!
Alex immediately stepped forward, ready to act.
But Andy’s body vanished from the bed, reappearing on the sofa the next second.
Unresponsive, Andy was still immersed in the emotion of his narration. "In the fog, there’s always the sound of coughing. Each time it coughs, it’s as if an entire symphony orchestra plays in my head…"
Whoosh!
Andy vanished again, reappearing at the entrance of the medical room the next second.
He continued, "The pain is unbearable, even worse than the Resonance Reaction. No one could survive it, not even a level 4 Evolver."
Whoosh!
Andy vanished once more, this time reappearing back on the bed.
Alex knew; this was the sign that Andy was losing control of his abilities, a manifestation that the power within him had completely spiraled out of control.
He watched Andy coldly, his fist clenched, ready to act at any moment.
Suddenly Daniel asked, "What’s the range of Andy’s teleportation?"
Martin and Alex exchanged glances, both uncertain, until Andy said, "Ten meters. I’m only a level 2, so my teleportation range is at most ten meters."
Daniel’s eyes filled with even more confusion. "Just that distance? Then how did you escape the town?"
Upon hearing this, Andy suddenly became vacant. Gone was the fear of death from his face; what remained was a void.
He looked at them with lifeless eyes and uttered words that sent chills down their spines: "Yes, how did I escape the town?"
"I remember that after using my full teleportation abilities, my body entered an energy recovery phase. I couldn’t use my powers and couldn’t evade the monster’s attack. Didn’t I die? How did I come back?"
