“Ah? Yes.” Lyle nodded stiffly.
The special high-risk containment anomaly, “Silence,” was just “contained” like that?
The anger in Rain’s eyes was about to overflow.
The memory of the containment staff being slaughtered was still fresh in her mind.
She extended her right hand, aiming at the “Dolls” and clenched her fist.
Dozens of thick branches burst from the earth, growing wildly, their sharp tips stabbing furiously at the targets.
With the sound of plastic splitting open one after another.
A rough, bare tree covered in “Dolls” now stood at the center of the street, nothing but branches.
The plastic Dolls, filled with human limbs, continued to struggle, looking utterly terrifying.
Rain panted heavily, staggering and nearly falling.
A small hand grabbed her shoulder, keeping her from collapsing.
Rain turned and looked at “Messiah,” offering a grateful smile.
“Thank you.”
As expected, “Messiah” harbored absolute goodwill toward humans.
Regarding “Messiah.”
The only information released from the containment facility was—
“Harbors absolute goodwill toward humans, as if the Messiah himself had descended.”
Clearly a mysterious and powerful unknown being, yet so friendly to humans.
That’s why she was given the name “Messiah.”
Rain’s power was completely exhausted.
After all, she was only a first-rank [Acolyte of the Goddess] at the moment.
Unleashing dozens of wood-element attacks at once had nearly pushed her to the brink.
***
“Rain, look ahead!”
Lyle’s voice sounded a little startled, motioning for her to look up.
Rain looked forward, her pupils suddenly contracting.
Several containment anomalies, each in a different form, were rushing toward them.
At the very back walked a human. Aside from the bronze chains on his hands and feet, he looked no different from any ordinary person.
Only, his expression was especially bleak and confused.
He seemed uninterested in everything around him.
“A humanoid containment anomaly? I don’t remember the facility having such a being.”
“Messiah” remained calm, though she faintly sensed something was off.
That “man” gave her a feeling on par with the Goddess of Life.
That made her a little excited.
***
“Rain, move to the back.”
Lyle’s face was grave as he looked at the exhausted Rain, a trace of guilt in his eyes.
After working in a team with Rain and the others for so long, he had come to regard them as his own children.
As their guardian, he had failed to protect them—this was his dereliction of duty.
Lyle stood in front of Rain and “Messiah.”
“As team leader, it’s my duty to protect my teammates. Rain, you did well. From here on, I’ll hold them off for you.”
“Lord ‘Messiah,’ please request support from Headquarters.”
“Messiah” clapped her hands with a smile.
“Human courage is a trait I have always admired.”
“By the way, when did I ever say I was useless except for following protocols?”
“Messiah” grabbed the Black Coffin in one hand and hurled it at the seven rampaging containment anomalies.
The coffin shot out like a missile, heading straight for the man at the rear.
The Black Coffin swept up a howling gale, about to smash into the man’s face.
Time seemed to freeze.
The Black Coffin stopped right in front of the man, not advancing an inch.
***
The man raised his head slightly, his timeworn face suddenly showing an indescribable expression.
“You carry the scent of faith.”
“Messiah” narrowed her eyes, her petite body tensing up for no apparent reason.
She clenched her fists, then reached out, about to pull the coffin back.
“Are you referring to me?”
“Unknown beings really are troublesome.”
The man showed no reaction to “Messiah’s” words.
He didn’t care about anything, as if nothing in the world could draw his attention.
Until he caught sight of Rain.
The man’s eyes flashed with a sharp light, his face trembling in shock.
As if provoked by something.
Gone was the listless air from before; now, authority radiated from him, inside and out.
His gaze swept over the containment anomalies blocking his path, a hint of irritation in his eyes.
He raised his arm and swung at them from a distance.
Divine power surged forth in a wave so overwhelming that none could look directly at it.
The space trembled. Lyle, Rain, and the others were shaken to the ground, but in the next instant, “Messiah” pulled them back to their feet.
“So, another unknown god.”
Even “Messiah” couldn’t help but take things more seriously.
***
When Rain opened her eyes and looked at the mysterious man.
She saw that only his figure remained, the containment anomalies having vanished completely.
Containment anomalies that even the facility couldn’t destroy had been wiped out by this man, not even a trace left?
In the blink of an eye, Rain saw he was already standing before her.
“Goddess of Life, what is she to you?!”
“I am Her Highness’s [Acolyte of the Goddess]. She once saved me, and all the citizens of Lai City as well.”
“I see. Her Highness is as kind and great as ever.”
The man forced a complicated smile, then spoke, as if to himself.
“It seems Her Highness has not been banished from this multiverse. The gods should also return one day.”
But his voice was not low, as if he meant for “Messiah” and the others to hear.
“Banished? The gods will return?”
Questions flooded Rain’s mind one after another, and she had no idea what was going on.
Her Highness had never mentioned anything like this.
“Messiah” also stared at the man with a cold expression, as if weighing the truth of his words.
Seeing that everyone wore contemplative expressions.
Lu Ming’s lips curved with a barely noticeable smile.
That’s right, this was his new identity—a fallen demigod, the Watcher.
***
“Are you also a god?”
Rain was the first to ask, curiosity filling her face. She’d always wanted to know whether these mysterious things were connected to the gods.
A look of reminiscence appeared at just the right moment on Lu Ming’s face.
“I once was, but now I am nothing more than a failure. You may call me the Watcher.”
“I’ve exiled myself across the universe, searching for a certain item all these years.”
***
At that moment, on the seventh floor of a residential complex beside the street.
Anthony’s face was full of shock as he desperately tried to reboot the Livestream Room.
After several attempts, he finally succeeded.
As soon as the Livestream Room opened, a huge wave of viewers flooded in, most of them already regulars.
Some, however, had come because Anthony’s last livestream had just shot up the trending charts.
They were here for the spectacle.
Anthony aimed the camera at Lu Ming.
His voice was trembling with excitement.
“Brothers, you absolutely won’t believe what you just missed!”
“That majestic man was once a powerful god!”
As he spoke, Anthony’s tone grew mysterious.
“And, I just got some incredible news. Want to hear it?”
“Then get the Carnival going!”