The time during the holidays is always fleeting. After two days, it’s time to return to the team and continue with missions.
“I’ll be back!”
“Okay!”
…
In the following days, the entire biu investigation team, apart from a small amount of training, was busy carrying out missions in various locations.
In March, excluding the trip to Bailong County, they undertook nine missions. They discovered three small bases belonging to hsac, though they couldn’t even be called bases. The places were deserted, and apart from a conspicuous symbol in a room, there was nothing else.
As for the Eternal Life Cult, there wasn’t any clue. Even the collected data from Bailong County didn’t mention any other strongholds of the Eternal Life Cult in China. It seemed to suggest they could establish connections through a specific method.
The investigation and research on Ji Xuan Yan were also nearing completion. This girl was only twenty-five years old, meaning she was captured for experimentation during the Spring Festival after graduating from university. She possessed incredibly strong willpower, and her mental test results were normal. She had endured such inhuman torture that every research scientist gave her a thumbs-up. Truly amazing.
Regarding the mutation on her body, the researchers in the safety zone currently had no solution. This required long-term experimental research to find a resolution. Therefore, they only treated Ji Xuan Yan’s wounds. They used up half of a mutated specimen’s gel, removed the stitches from her mouth, sewed up the wound on her abdomen, and also healed some hidden injuries she herself was unaware of. Only after her complete recovery was she sent to aircraft carrier 001, becoming a neighbor to Jiang Ziqi, separated by two hundred nautical miles.
It is now April 6th. Lin Yuan’s team is collaborating with the Liaozhou biu investigation team. They went to a military base in Meng Province and just annihilated an evil religious organization that had been lurking there. They are currently chatting on the plane. Dealing with such deluded survivors didn’t require much effort.
However, the reason for coming here, apart from helping the Meng Province military base, was also due to something said by someone who escaped from this organization. The leader of their organization worshipped a deity called Isis. Originally, this wasn’t an issue. After all, Isis was the ancient Egyptian goddess of life and harvest, and the protector of children and souls. From some interpretations of the deity, she was a benevolent god. When Lin Yuan’s team first received intelligence, they thought the same. But upon meeting the person, they realized things were not as simple as they imagined.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, Isis was a beautiful and elegant goddess with a kind heart. According to the escapee, their worshipped deity’s appearance could not be described as human. The upper body was that of a human female, with hair whose color was indistinguishable, appearing as countless worms upon closer inspection. The lower body was even more terrifying, resembling a fusion of an octopus and a worm. Just the sculpture was so bizarre, let alone the actual appearance of this self-proclaimed deity.
Upon hearing the mention of worms, Lin Yuan and his team, who had experience fighting monsters from the Eternal Life Cult, naturally made a connection to the Eternal Life Cult. However, the Eternal Life Cult pursued eternal life of the soul and body, and Isis was the goddess of life, which seemed somewhat inconsistent with their doctrines.
It was Wang Xiaoxin who clarified the confusion for everyone: “Isis’s husband was the ancient Egyptian god of the underworld, Osiris, who governed eternal life.”
“Then, does this so-called god of the underworld mean he’s their leader?” Wan Changfeng was examining his wound. That’s right, he had been injured again during this operation, being the first to face the danger. Fortunately, during his recovery, he spent time with Ji Xuan Yan, who trained him using her unique combat style, significantly improving his strength. It couldn’t be helped; the girl had specifically requested Wan Changfeng’s company. When they parted ways, Wan Changfeng even came to complain to Lin Yuan that Ji Xuan Yan had poked his eye with her finger before leaving, and it took a long time to recover. He also said she had repaid his care over the past half-month.
Lin Yuan didn’t expose him, as this guy might not understand the meaning of a spider’s sting to the eye. Let him ponder it.
Getting back to the topic, Lin Yuan contacted the ancient Egyptian myths he had read before and analyzed seriously: “No, no. If that’s the case, the Eternal Life Cult likely has three leaders: the goddess of life Isis, the god of the underworld Osiris, and the sun god Horus.”
“And the god of vengeance Horus might even be the biggest leader,” Lin Yuan added.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because the god Horus is described extensively in ancient Egyptian mythology. He is the embodiment of the sun god and represents the concept of eternal life itself. He is also the son of Osiris, the god of the underworld, and Isis. His image is that of a man with a falcon’s head, wearing an Egyptian crown, a linen kilt, and holding a Was-scepter (power) and an Ankh (eternal life/life) symbol. The Ankh he holds symbolizes eternal life. Therefore, based on this symbolic symbol of the Eternal Life Cult, this person codenamed Horus could very well be the leader.”
“I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Perhaps this person is a figurehead, and the real decision-makers are the other two,” Zheng Mengmeng offered a different answer with clear reasoning.
“Makes sense.”
“Mengmeng’s point is also valid, and what the team leader said is not impossible. We’ll only know for sure when we see the real person,” Jiang Hai commented pragmatically. Seeing is believing. Moreover, their current mission is not to eliminate this organization but to submit their findings to the major safety zones to raise their vigilance. The Eternal Life Cult’s methods of manipulating people are quite effective. Without resorting to worms, they managed to turn these survivors into their fanatical followers. The captured survivors are still clamoring to unite with other “divine servants” to launch a holy war. How amusing. It’s like they’re embarking on a crusade. However, while one may despise the enemy strategically, one must take them seriously tactically. This must be discussed in an all-region meeting. Lin Yuan’s team might even have to assist other safety zones with inspections.
Upon returning to the safety zone, Lin Yuan found Ying Tian Long. The satellite observation center had detected unusual activity in Fushui Village. It was likely that someone had arrived, though it was unknown if Carol Anna herself was present.
“Team Leader Ying, I have to depart in two days, I can’t wait any longer.” The effect of the meteorite was weakening, and he could no longer delay.
“Alright, I will issue a mission in two days. You’ll have to act according to the circumstances. Whether you succeed or not depends on you.” Since very few people knew about this matter, how to make contact without arousing suspicion was his own affair. In fact, there was another piece of news he hadn’t shared with Lin Yuan: he hadn’t reported this matter to the China Anti-Biochemical Command at all, but had reported it directly to the leader. It seemed they were conducting investigations there as well, and it would be inadvisable for Lin Yuan to act rashly on this matter.
“Understood!”
“Alright, alright, hurry back. I’ll give you two days off. Take this opportunity to have a good time with Wu Tian.” For some reason, Wu Tian didn’t come out to meet him when he returned home this time. It was Wu Mengyao, who was also on holiday at home, who opened the door. She cautiously pulled Lin Yuan aside and said, “Brother Lin Yuan, did you bully my sister? She woke up crying today and has been absent-minded ever since.”
Lin Yuan touched his nose, feeling a bit guilty as he said, “I’m not sure either.” They say that while they may not have the wings of colorful phoenixes to fly together, their hearts are linked by telepathy. Wu Tian must have sensed something.
“Why are you crying?” Lin Yuan placed the items he brought back aside and said softly. Wu Tian, with her eyes swollen from crying, turned to look at Lin Yuan. “Can you not go out again? Our family has saved a lot of money!” Hearing his lover’s voice was hoarse, Lin Yuan’s eyes also welled up with tears.
“Meng Yue, I don’t want to go either, but if I don’t go, I will die, and I will also implicate you. This divine strength I possess didn’t come naturally, do you understand?” Wu Tian didn’t ask further. Exhausted from crying, she leaned against Lin Yuan’s chest and fell asleep.
For these two days, they tacitly avoided mentioning the matter. It wasn’t until they were about to part that Wu Tian grabbed Lin Yuan’s hand and said, “Do you really have to go?”
“I have to. There are too many things I need to know the truth about. I also need to save myself, and I need to protect you all.” Knowing she couldn’t keep Lin Yuan, Wu Tian released his hand and stared fiercely at Lin Yuan, “Then you must come back to see me alive and well!”
“Yes, I will.” Just as he was about to leave, Wu Tian’s angry roar came from behind: “I’m pregnant! If you don’t come back, I’ll take our son to your cenotaph every day to urinate, and I’ll steal and eat your offerings!!” He didn’t look back.
“Yes, I will!”