Chapter 102: Return to Tianhai
According to Ou Gao La Si's conjecture, the pitfall of the "Indestructible Body Scripture" likely lay in its final step. These high-ranking individuals never admitted to being "Blood Clan"; they consistently maintained that blood was merely a requirement for cultivating the "Indestructible Body Scripture." They believed that once they completed the full body transformation, they could completely break free from their reliance on blood. Ou Gao La Si, for instance, hadn't absorbed blood for over a hundred years. Yet, a vague sense of danger in the unknown kept many of these second-generation old-timers from taking that final step.
"The final step actually requires returning to Siberia's headquarters to break through? It seems the problem lies there," Bai Mo muttered to himself.
The next morning.
"It's time to go back to the Tianhai ruins. I hope all the things I stored in the basement are still intact."
More than ten days had passed since the catastrophe. Thanks to the strenuous efforts of a large military force, most of Huaxia Federation's transportation networks had been restored.
Simultaneously, a major announcement was made: the coastal regions were officially designated as strategic buffer zones. The Huaxia Federation would rebuild new cities two hundred kilometers inland to gradually resettle the affected populace.
Engineering units nationwide were temporarily mobilized, beginning the construction of temporary housing at maximum speed.
"Attention, residents of coastal cities: Due to the potential second landing of the Sea Race, if you need to return to your original residences to retrieve valuables, please do so as soon as possible." Every television station was broadcasting this message.
With preparations in place, the military was clearly not overly concerned about a large-scale landing of these "seafoods." They even permitted citizens to return to the cities during the potential landing period.
...
After an eight-hour high-speed train ride, Bai Mo arrived at Tiannan, the largest city closest to Tianhai.
Tiannan City was teeming with people. Millions of refugees affected by the tsunami from nearby areas had gathered here. The outskirts were covered with vast temporary tents and makeshift houses. Numerous armed police relentlessly maintained order, ensuring residents received relief supplies in an orderly fashion.
Interspersed among them were many formidable auras, ready at any moment to suppress any potential chaos. With millions of temporarily relocated refugees, even a tiny bit of disorder was unimaginable.
...
Bai Mo headed straight for the former location of Tianhai.
"According to my phone's map, it's still about two hundred and thirty kilometers to Tianhai city proper. A car would be too slow; I might as well run it."
Along the way, he saw quite a few cars also heading towards Tianhai. Most of them were going back to their homes in Tianhai to retrieve important belongings.
Of course, a clever few intended to seize the opportunity to profit from the dead.
As Huaxia Federation's largest city, the total wealth buried within Tianhai City was unimaginable. If they didn't grab a share while the nation was still too preoccupied to deal with it, such an opportunity would never come again.
...
"Mama, I think I just saw someone pass by outside the car window."
"Silly child, you must be seeing things. Our car is already going a hundred and ten kilometers an hour; how could anyone on two legs outpace us?"
"Really, it was just a white blur!"
Seeing her child's earnest expression, the woman in the passenger seat began to panic.
"Honey, have you heard any rumors about the Tianhai ruins being haunted?"
"I'm driving, stop tugging at my clothes."
"I heard from my girlfriend that when they went back to collect their valuables, they seemed to see some strange things. Children's eyes are more sensitive, so could what our son saw be..."
"Stop scaring yourself. Even if there are ghosts, aren't you going back home to get the money and gold from the safe? Are we just going to starve afterward? Millions died at once in Tianhai, a city of twenty million; it's normal for some 'unclean' things to be around. Just go quickly and come back quickly."
"You're right, there's no ghost scarier than being broke," the young woman comforted herself.
...
Speeding past, Bai Mo paid no mind to the little interlude he had caused, continuing single-mindedly towards his destination.
"Finally, I've reached the former suburban laboratory." Because it was far from the explosion's epicenter, and the tsunami had only grazed it, the damage to the laboratory wasn't severe. Most of the instruments were still usable.
He spent half an hour packing up everything usable, then continued towards Tianhai city proper.
This time, Bai Mo's target was his former home in Tianhai.
Through continuous divine sense scans, combined with his memories of Tianhai, he spent another half an hour before finally locating his home amidst the widespread ruins. Unfortunately, half of it had already collapsed.
The side facing the nuclear blast center had completely crumbled. All that remained standing was the back wall; the entire house was like a squashed persimmon, with only a bit of its skin left intact.
After clearing away the ubiquitous construction debris, Bai Mo found the entrance to the basement. Opening the door and going inside, he found everything normal. The backup laboratory power supply still kept the small cold storage unit operational, even after days without electricity.
Once again, he skillfully disassembled various experimental instruments, simultaneously taking his cultivation records from the safe and the portable hard drive containing data on the biochemical reactor. Having secured funding once more, he intended to formally commence applied research into the biochemical reactor.
Another half hour of busy work, and Bai Mo had collected nearly two tons of items from the laboratory.
"Even though carrying it by hand isn't tiring, not having a vehicle seems a bit troublesome," Bai Mo began looking around for a truck that could carry several tons of goods.
...
"Brother, you're solid! To actually think of digging for gold in the ruins of a jewelry store. Once we finish this haul, we can pay off the loan shark, and we won't have to mooch off Shaxian's anymore!" The young man in the passenger seat laughed, giving a thumbs-up to the middle-aged driver beside him.
"Of course! Think of how much is buried in Tianhai City! Nuclear bombs or floods, at best they just demolished the gold shops; the gold left behind won't just vanish. We finally managed to steal a small truck, quickly check the map, and go to the next place to dig. Soon enough, others will catch on, and then everything will have to be handed over to the state; not a single hair will be left. There's no way I'm going back to working for someone else. Xiao An, be diligent, don't just show up for work but not put in any effort."
"So why don't we go dig up a bank's vault?" a voice from the roof asked.
"Are you stupid?! Bank vaults can't even be blown open by bombs; how are we going to get in with our paltry tools? Wait! That's not Xiao An's voice! Who are you?!" The driver suddenly realized the voice came from above him, and he slammed on the brakes in fright.
After getting out of the car, the middle-aged man was startled by what he saw before him. A young man floated in the air, surrounded by numerous packages also floating around him.
"King's Treasure!" Xiao An suddenly yelled.
"You, you... are you human or ghost? Though I know this place isn't clean, we haven't even made our fortune yet. Please, show us some mercy and let us off the hook." The middle-aged man wasn't sure if Bai Mo was a ghost or a passing Ability User, but relying on years of street smarts, he clearly knew this guy was not to be trifled with.
"I'm borrowing something from you."
"It's always been us borrowing from others..." The pressure from the man floating in mid-air grew heavier and heavier. Xiao An's voice trailed off as he spoke.
"Just borrowing your truck for a bit; I'm not borrowing your heads to claim military merits." Bai Mo didn't give the two men a chance to speak, directly placing all the floating items onto the truck.
"Five tons load capacity, good." After putting down the packages, he checked the load. "You two get in too."
The two had no choice but to sit in the back seat.
"Give me the map with the jewelry stores marked." Bai Mo commanded while driving. "Never mind, I'll take it myself."
The map in Xiao An's pocket automatically floated into the air, even unfolding itself into a large sheet.
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