He could only lament that some of these individuals were incredibly resilient; otherwise, they wouldn't have found anyone left alive to give a statement.
He truly couldn't comprehend Ai Qing's hardcore, Russian Federation-style logic.
However, he also had to thank her for this reckless and arguably excessive decision, which had successfully averted a brutal ambush. Just looking at the remnants of those monstrous things at the scene was enough to make one's teeth ache.
What gave him an even bigger headache was this: how did so many Border Variants appear in the Current Circumstances?
These creatures were already formidable enough to engage a modern military in a direct confrontation...
Irritated, he lit a cigarette. "What in the blazes are the customs people up to?"
"As much as I'd love to teach those incompetents a lesson, unfortunately, these things have nothing to do with customs." Ai Qing sighed regretfully, proposing a new hypothesis. "What if they weren't smuggled in from the Border, but were raised right here in the Current Circumstances?"
"Hm?" Director Fu was momentarily stunned, then furrowed his brows.
If that were the case, it would explain where all the money and resources the Savior Association had been hoarding had gone, and how they had used the privileges they'd so desperately schemed to obtain from the upper echelons.
But it also meant the severity of the situation had escalated once more.
The irony was that for so many years, the shadow of the Savior Association had been silently growing in the coastal regions, and the Special Affairs Department had remained completely oblivious. In the end, it was a Border terrorist organization like Green Day that inadvertently exposed them...
One could only imagine that someone in the shadows had been constantly covering for them, shielding them and allowing them to flourish...
What was more troubling was that Border Variants weren't like chickens, ducks, pigs, or sheep that could thrive on simple fodder. Their environmental requirements were even more stringent than those of some endangered species. Air, food, even the depth of their habitat—all could influence their development and growth.
Apart from the Astronomical Society's now-sealed giant biological experimentation facility, the 'Existence Institute,' institutions capable of such feats were exceedingly rare.
And, coincidentally, among them was an organization renowned for its ability to rear Border Variants...
"—The Purified People." Director Fu uttered the name, almost groaning as he massaged his temples. "Damn it, this is a huge mess. Can we be sure?"
"Don't we have a ready-made test subject?" Ai Qing lifted her chin, gesturing toward the Crying Snake Sublimator in the cage, her gaze becoming profound. "If it really is those lunatics, you definitely won't get anything out of him. Better to make some use of the waste.
"The moment any of The Purified People use external power to achieve sublimation, their souls are branded by their Lord. From that moment on, everything they possess, including their life and body—down to the last drop of blood and every shred of flesh—belongs to the Ultimate Master.
"In Hell's Paradise of Bliss, believers and envoys alike—all living beings—are merely provisions in reserve. Once they are deemed to have lost their value, it is time for the Superiors to indulge in them at the nocturnal banquet..."
As she spoke, she looked at Director Fu. His expression changed, and after a long moment, he sighed helplessly and waved his hand. "Do as you wish. I'll sign off on it later."
Satisfied, Ai Qing retracted her gaze and beckoned to Huai Shi.
Nearby, Huai Shi, who was thoroughly enjoying a moment of slacking off, jumped in fright. Looking around and confirming Ai Qing was calling her, she instinctively felt uneasy.
"Uh, Old Pal," Huai Shi dithered, reluctant to approach. "Even if I'm just a cog in the Astronomical Society's machine, you can't just order me around every single day, can you?"
"Relax, I'm not asking you to go through hell and high water," Ai Qing said, pointing to the Sacrificial Knife in Huai Shi's pocket. "Give me that."
Huai Shi hesitated for a moment but eventually took out the knife, offering it to Ai Qing handle-first. "Be careful, that thing is pretty wicked."
"It's just a D-Grade Border Relic. The risks are manageable."
Ai Qing indifferently took out a handkerchief, wrapped it around the knife handle, and took it. Once it left Huai Shi's hand, the knife began to act up again, trembling and emitting a low hum that made one's scalp tingle.
Supporting herself with her cane, Ai Qing rose from her wheelchair. Holding the knife in her other hand, her face expressionless, she stepped forward. Through the bars of the cage, she plunged the blade into the Crying Snake Sublimator's throat.
CRACK!