Surviving in a Collapsed World, Is Something Wrong?

three days later.

Ji Zi sat in front of Jiang Ming again.

"Ms. Jizi, did you take time out of your busy schedule to come here specifically to visit me?"

Jiang Ming looked at Ji Zi with a smile on his face.

"This kid..."

Ji Zi couldn't help feeling a little surprised when she saw Jiang Ming who seemed fine. Normally speaking, most people couldn't stay in such hot weather for even half a day, let alone three days, not to mention he was in this closed interrogation room.

Originally Ji Zi thought that her behavior was a bit too cruel, but when she was delivering food to Jiang Ming, she saw that this guy looked completely fine and greeted her with a leisurely smile, so she became furious.

"I was originally thinking of turning on the air conditioner for this guy..."

Jizi cleared her throat and spoke.

"This time I came mainly to tell you two good news."

"Oh? Can you finally let me out?"

Jiang Ming looked at Ji Zi with a surprised expression, then lay on the table and complained.

"Although there is food and drink here, it's too stuffy, and the weather is so hot. I'm afraid ordinary people will collapse after staying here for half a day."

Jizi knocked on the table, signaling him to be quiet.

"This is the first good news I mentioned. Another girl was attacked last night. This proves that you are not the murderer. You have been cleared of suspicion."

"What about the second piece of good news?"

Jiang Ming looked at Ji Zi impatiently.

"Are you going to apologize to me for this? Oh, you don't have to do that, but you don't have to be stingy with your apology."

"..."

Jiang Ming looked at Ji Zi expectantly, while Ji Zi crossed her arms and stared at Jiang Ming with her amber eyes, hoping to find a flaw from his micro-expressions.

"Your name is Jiang Ming, right? Although you are no longer a suspect, but..."

"but?"

"But there are big problems with your identity. I haven't found any information about you in these three days. This alone makes you very suspicious."

"..."

"Actually, I came here from a remote mountainous area just to see what life is like in a big city, but I didn't know that I would be arrested by you before I got here for long."

Jiang Ming told his story without changing his expression.

"Remote mountainous area, where exactly is it?"

"Longmiao Village at the foot of Taixu Mountain."

"Taixu Mountain? Longmiao Village?"

Ji Zi certainly knew about Taixu Mountain, but she had never heard of this Longmiao Village. However, Shenzhou is extremely vast, and some places are sparsely populated, so it is normal to have a few strange place names.

"Yeah, it's a remote mountainous area, so it's normal that you can't find anything here. But then again, why don't you apply to the Tianming archive system to check? If it's there, it should be quick, right? Why would it take three days?"

Jiang Ming suddenly said something more, which made him even more suspicious.

"You actually know destiny?"

Ji Zi’s beautiful eyes widened and she looked at Jiang Ming in surprise.

In this world, Destiny is a secret organization. Although collapse may occur, it is not as serious as in the original world, so there are very few people who know about collapse and Destiny.

"? What time is it now?"

"2006, are you crazy from the heat?"

Ji Zi frowned slightly, but this was not the time to think about it.

"No, why do you know destiny?"

"..."

"Okay, I'll stop pretending, I'll showdown."

Jiang Ming spread his hands, looking helpless, but then became serious again.

"Actually, I am the captain of Hyperion. I didn't want to reveal myself at first, but now I have lost my patience. Miss Wuliangta, I have arrested a captain of a floating battleship and detained him for three whole days. I think you should know more about the consequences of such a crime than I do, right?"

"...Wait for me for a moment."

After a long time, Ji Zi sat in front of Jiang Ming again.

"Indeed, the construction of Hyperion was developed secretly not long ago. An ordinary person would not know about it, but why didn't you tell me before?"

Seeing that Ji Zi seemed to believe it, Jiang Ming became more assertive. However, saying that he was the captain in front of Hyperion's active captain... was really exciting.

"Didn't I tell you? Captain Hyperion's identity can't be exposed so easily?"

"Okay, I don't want to talk to you about this anymore. Miss Jizi, if you offend me, the captain, do you know what the consequences will be?"

Jiang Ming raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and stared at Ji Ke with ill intentions. Unexpectedly, Ji Ke was not afraid at all, and responded to him with a smile instead.

"Should I call you 'Sir'?"

Jiang Ming was somewhat uncomfortable with Jizi's youthful and seductive tone. Normally, when Jizi spoke to him in this tone, he would directly throw himself into Mei's arms and ask for a hug. But now, he got goose bumps and Mei was not around.

"Well~ Never mind, let me tell you the second good news, which is... assist me."

"?"

Jiang Ming blinked, wondering if he had heard it wrong.

"what?"

"Hmm? Didn't you understand? It's about the continuous blood-sucking incidents in Canghai City. As the captain of Hyperion, you should be very capable, right? So... come and assist me in my investigation, Watson!"

"Huh~"

Faced with Ji Zi's proposal of good news, Jiang Ming frowned and expressed his unwillingness blatantly.

"Oh? So that means - you would rather have a sauna in this interrogation room?"

"..."

"What right do you have to......"

Jiang Ming, who originally wanted to complain, swallowed what he wanted to say, lowered his head and began to think, just because...

[Ding! An event has been detected, start options]

[Choice 1: Agree to Ji Zi's request]

[Reward: Imitation of Judas: Blood Embrace]

[Choice 2: Reject Ji Zi's request]

[Reward: Super Dimension☆Sonata]

[Option 3: Run away directly]

[Reward: Xiaoyue Requiem]

"Why are there only crosses? Never mind..."

After thinking it over, Jiang Ming raised his head and looked at Ji Zi helplessly.

"Then please spare me, Mr. Holmes. I am willing to help you. When shall we set out?"

[Ding! The host has completed the selection and the reward has been issued]

"very good."

Ji Zi was very satisfied with Jiang Ming's attitude.

"Combined with the time of the previous incidents, the investigation has to start at night, so...see you at the entrance of Houmu Happy Restaurant at 12 o'clock tonight~"

After saying that, Ji Zi let Jiang Ming go.

......

2006年8月23日 00:00:01

The night in Canghai City is filled with a riot of neon lights, with noise and bustle of all kinds of emotions mixed together, but this... has become the most covert disguise. Jiang Ming mingles in the crowd, observing the surrounding environment, trying to find some useful information.

"You are on time, Captain~"

Ji Zi in casual clothes appeared in front of Jiang Ming. Compared to the serious police uniform, Ji Zi in casual clothes seemed a little more... playful?

"Well, since you're here so punctually, I won't say much."

After looking around, Jizi explained the mission this time.

"This kind of alley near the block is the most ideal place for the attacker to commit the crime. Then comes the real work. In an alley like this..."

"It's dark and narrow, so it's easy to hide and escape. Even if I call for help in the nearby streets, the noise will drown it out. No matter what I do, no one will find out...right?"

Jiang Ming suddenly interrupted Ji Zi and expressed his guess.

"Oh? You understood it so quickly... Could you be a repeat offender?"

Ji Zi looked at Jiang Ming meaningfully.

Jiang Ming couldn't help but feel a little amused and helpless.

"Do I look like such a bad guy?"

But who would have thought that after Ji Zi looked at Jiang Ming carefully, she suddenly crossed her arms, took a few steps back, and said with a look of horror.

"It does look a bit like that. Will I be......?"

"......Hello."

"Haha, just kidding, just kidding. In that case, I'll go to the right and take a look. I'll leave the investigation on the left to you, okay?"

After saying that, Ji Zi didn't care about Jiang Ming's thoughts. She patted him on the shoulder and walked away in a somewhat dashing manner. However, the atmosphere around him seemed to become gradually more solemn with the rise and fall of her footsteps.

"..."

Jiang Ming's expression gradually became serious, and he began to walk in the opposite direction of Ji Zi.

......

The street lights and moonlight interweave into scattered light and shadows in the narrow alleys. The shadow outlines are distorted and magnified because of the angle, like aliens lurking in the dark. Compared with the hustle and bustle on the street, it seems a lot quieter here, creating a subtle sense of horror.

Just around the next corner, Jiang Ming frowned slightly and looked ahead in surprise, only to see a...

"Little white-haired loli?"

................................

................................