The Eldritch Files

For a moment, Han Su wasn’t sure if he should say he needed it.

This Independent Investigator was different from what he’d imagined in many ways. But he was, after all, sent from "above," and Zhang Chiguo was extremely wary of him. Han Su could cooperate with his work, but he couldn’t bring himself to trust the man completely.

’Would he really be so kind as to offer Mysterious Power training to someone like me, a person blacklisted by the Hidden School?’

While he thought this, he didn’t let it show on his face.

He gave a noncommittal smile. "It’s not necessarily true that everyone is trapped in a single Sequence. I’ve met someone who mastered all three major Sequences."

"You mean the Investigator codenamed Drunkard, right?"

Investigator Moses smiled and said, "That has to do with the path one takes."

"Humanity’s Stealing of Mysterious Power, in the end, is about actively enduring its corruption. It means altering one’s own Divine Material and assimilating a part of oneself with that power. Only then can one use spiritual resonance to steal its power. But because of this, the price is immense."

"This is also why it’s so difficult to change paths once you’ve entered a Sequence."

"On this path, one’s Divine Material has already changed accordingly and can no longer accept other Mysterious Powers."

"But that Drunkard Investigator is no ordinary person. He’s a student of the Hidden School."

Investigator Moses paused slightly here before continuing, "The Disaster Management Bureau is just an experiment cooked up by the Qinggang Council Hall and the Hidden School. The so-called three major Sequences, the forbidden experiments—they’re all the hardest paths."

"Any idea that seems simple, produces quick results, but is extremely likely to lead to a dead end gets thrown to the Disaster Management Bureau. They use countless lives for trial and error, for experimentation."

"If a good outcome is forged, everyone shares in it. If the attempt fails, it’s considered no great loss."

"After all, compared to the Hidden School and the Ancient Nobles, the Disaster Management Bureau is really meant for ’outsiders.’ From the moment people are recruited into the Bureau, they’re prepared to be abandoned."

"The Hidden School, on the other hand, is different. They Master the changes in Mysterious Power through research and textual analysis."

"To put it simply, ordinary people connect with these Mysterious Powers through spiritual resonance, while the Hidden School relies on knowledge. This is, of course, more powerful and also a bit more stable."

"But there are problems, too. The Hidden School has a limited number of members, limited experience, and limited mystical knowledge."

"While the Hidden School’s knowledge is passed down and developed through generations, the pace is extremely slow. It’s also very easy to go astray. One wrong guess could lead many years, even several generations, down the wrong path. When facing Mysterious Power, it’s just too inefficient."

"Relying entirely on the Hidden School to analyze and Master these strange and grotesque things is just too slow. It can easily take years, even decades."

"It’s even possible that after decades of hard work, they discover they were wrong."

"..."

Hearing this, Han Su frowned slightly. He could sort of understand the situation Moses was describing. After a moment of contemplation, he looked up. "If you think even the Hidden School’s path is too ordinary, then what path do you Independent Investigators take?"

After speaking, he held his breath slightly.

Even among ordinary Investigators, asking about someone’s trump card was taboo, let alone asking an Independent Investigator.

The question he had just asked would normally be enough to displease someone.

This was also a small trick by Han Su to test Investigator Moses’s true attitude.

But to his surprise, Investigator Moses didn’t seem to mind at all. Instead, he just smiled and said:

"Me, Fantian, Buddha, and Zhang Chiguo—the four of us aren’t on a normal path. Didn’t you know?"

"We were all born from a chance encounter. Caught off guard, we had to face a historical remnant that was beyond any reasonable scope—a monster that knew only how to slaughter madly. In the end, almost the entire special operations team was wiped out."

He spoke of this past event in a relaxed tone. "The four of us survived, but that doesn’t mean we were the most capable. Many of those who died or were corrupted were elites from the Hidden School, and there were even some from the Ancient Nobles."

"But somehow, only we survived. However, because of the contamination from that historical remnant, we can never escape it. We can only fight against that feeling for the rest of our lives."

"To this day, the four of us each have our own methods to fight the corruption of that power. It’s hard to say who’s right and who’s wrong. After all, all four of us have survived to this day without losing control."

"And this process of resistance—that is our path."

"..."

Han Su had heard Secretary Cui Qiao talk about the origins of the Four Heavenly Kings, but he didn’t know about this incident and couldn’t help but be a little surprised.

His mind raced, but his expression remained unchanged. He said, "The Disaster Management Bureau only has these three major Sequences, which you call a huge pitfall. You’ve also torn the Hidden School’s methods to shreds. So what do you consider the proper path?"

"Resistance!"

When speaking on this topic, Investigator Moses’s expression became unusually solemn. "Actively accepting the corruption of a Mysterious Power, then undergoing a transformation at the peak of that corruption while maintaining your own will—in my opinion, that is the stupidest method imaginable."

"And because it’s so stupid, very few people in Qinggang have successfully reached the end of Tier Two. Even some of the old-timers only made it by relying on special conditions unavailable to others."

"Deciphering its cultural code, deepening one’s Understanding, and thereby gaining control is also a stupid method."

"My understanding is much simpler. If humanity is truly to cross this long river of mystery, the only thing we can rely on is our own will. We must use our will to strengthen our Divine Material, increase our Spiritual Activity, and command those Mysterious Powers with a domineering spirit."

"..."

"Spiritual Activity?"

When Han Su first heard this, it sounded like a fairy tale. It was as if a great charlatan was giving him a speech.

Investigator Moses asked directly, "What’s your current Spiritual Activity?"

Han Su hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully, "71%."

Ever since he stepped into the Divine Domain, his Spiritual Power had been a constant 71%.

The only difference was that its magnitude had gone from ten years to the current thirty years—a threefold increase, thanks to the Mother Divine Tree.

"You’ve only just crossed the threshold."

Investigator Moses said coolly, "Mysterious Power, in the end, is just a weapon. The source of one’s standing lies in your Spiritual Activity—that is, your Divine Material."

"Divine Material itself possesses infinite possibilities, so why covet the corruption of those Mysterious Powers?"

"There’s no need to make it imitate any other power. Instead, you just need to let it resist, let it collide, let it wage war. There’s no need to steal any existing Mysterious Power in this world, because our own Divine Material is the most mysterious of all."

"And you don’t have to guard this Divine Material as carefully as others do, terrified of it taking the slightest damage. Only by subjecting this material to resistance and pressure can it grow stronger!"

"..."

This philosophy left Han Su stunned. He subconsciously asked, "If that’s the case, doesn’t that mean completely abandoning all those incredible Mysterious Powers?"

Investigator Moses sneered. "What do you think Encrypted Spells are for?"

"Besides, as long as your own Divine Power is strong enough and your Spiritual Activity is high enough, what need is there for other Mysterious Powers?"

"A gun can kill, and so can a knife."

"A few Encrypted Spells from the Zero Sequence can just as easily make you a god walking among men in the city."

"..."

"Ah... this..."

Han Su never would have imagined that the words of this Independent Investigator, whom he initially distrusted, would move him so deeply.

Ever since he had used the Fishing Song to suppress the Copper Will, he had been pondering how to cross the threshold to Tier Two. None of the options seemed good, but he never expected that Li Moxi’s theory would open a new door for him.

A door that, while lacking many details, offered a glimpse of a grand path forward.

According to his theory, it seemed Han Su really could bypass the Disaster Management Bureau’s restrictions and complete his Mysterious Power training on his own terms.

"I knew you would understand."

When Investigator Moses saw the surprise dawning in Han Su’s eyes, a rare look of gratification appeared on his face. He smiled.

"I’ve actually said these things to the people in my Red Sea Studio, but they don’t believe me."

"Their reverence for Mysterious Power has made them forget that after enduring an age of chaos—solar flares, radiation, and all the rest—it was humanity that ultimately got the chance to rebuild civilization."

"Why should humanity revere Mysterious Power? It should be the other way around—they should be the ones who revere us."

"I have to admit, you’re the only person I’ve met in the Disaster Management Bureau who has absolutely no reverence for Mysterious Power."

"Today is just the beginning. If you have any questions about training your Mysterious Power, you can always come and ask me."

"..."

"I do, Mr. Moses, I do!"

Han Su spoke up at once. Even if he didn’t fully trust Li Moxi yet, he couldn’t deny his respect for this philosophy. "When it comes to Mysterious Power, I’m still a novice. I really do have many questions for you, for example..."

"Then let’s talk as we walk!"

Li Moxi raised his hand, glanced at his watch, and smiled. "We should be getting some things done now."

Han Su was a little surprised. "What things?"

"A trip to the Bai Mansion!"

Li Moxi said, "The moment I received the mission to reinvestigate the Ancient Castle kidnapping case, I began applying to the higher-ups to investigate and interrogate Qinggang’s No. 2 Secretary, Bai Senmang."

"However, he’s a person of high status and great power, so summoning him is quite difficult."

"It took a full three days to get the approval, but now, we can go directly to the Bai Mansion to question him."

"Theoretically, since you’re not a member of the Red Sea Studio, you aren’t qualified to come with me. But I believe that as the sole survivor of the Ancient Castle kidnapping, you might be able to provide some assistance when I question him. So I plan to take you with me."

"Are you... free?"

"..."

"I am, Mr. Moses, I am."

Han Su was stunned for a good while before he realized that the Independent Investigator before him wasn’t joking.

’He’s really going to make a move on Bai Senmang? Does this mean he’s serious about investigating the kidnapping case?’