Chapter 419: Report and Conspiracy Theory

Tina ultimately chose not to act, and she was invited to join a celebratory late-night banquet.

The location was a luxury hotel next to Yoyogi Gymnasium.

This hotel's property rights belong to Sima Wei Zhi, and tonight's expenses will all be settled by Miss Sima.

"Let us raise a toast, celebrating the Mass Ritual's great success!"

Aqua raised a glass of red wine.

"Cheers~"

The Starting Girls raised the grape juice in their hands.

"Next, we must redouble our efforts to proselytize!"

Aqua drank the red wine in one gulp.

"Mhm, we will redouble our efforts!"

The girls echoed in agreement, imitating Aqua's action and drinking the grape juice in their cups.

"Aqua-sama, I feel that in the future when proselytizing, we can focus on areas that aren't very prosperous, even the Outer District."

Just then, Sennju Kayo raised her small hand and proposed her own suggestion; she recounted how her proselytizing today in the prosperous district went poorly, but in the edge areas it went very smoothly.

"Makes sense; places of suffering need the gods' protection more, suffering crowds need faith in the gods more."

Aqua nodded in agreement with Sennju Kayo's words; the Scorpion Cult's best potential believers are actually not ordinary people, but the Cursed Children of the Outer District.

Like these Cursed Children girls before us, once gathered into the Scorpion Cult, they directly become devout believers, their stance naturally standing in the same alignment as Scorpio.

"If that's the case, our Sima Heavy Industry is willing to donate another sum of money to help the Scorpion Cult establish churches in Outer District locations."

Sima Wei Zhi hurriedly said; the Outer District is desolate enough, land prices are cheap, it won't cost much, but it can deepen the binding with the soon-to-soar Scorpion Cult.

"Alright, this is a celebration banquet now, let's not talk work matters for now, eat what you should eat, drink what you should drink, a banquet should be about happiness above all!"

Aqua rallied everyone, herself picking up two fans, standing on a table, and beginning to use Flowers Birds Wind Moon to liven things up.

The Starting Girls gave Aqua applause; the little octopus girl, seeing this, wobbled and flew onto the table, imitating Aqua using a tentacle-hair version of Flowers Birds Wind Moon, and the applause at the scene became even more passionate.

"Aqua-senpai, how can you let this Scorpio child drink alcohol?"

Yet amid the passionate applause, Eris's lecture was mixed in.

"I didn't let her drink alcohol, eh, isn't that grape juice?"

Little Scorpio performed in a daze; by the time the celebration banquet ended, she had become an ornament hanging on Aqua.

Her soft lower half coiled around the Water God Mother's waist, her head tilted resting on top of Aqua's crown, her octopus-flesh-tentacle hair twisting somewhat at a loss.

According to Muroto Sumire's words, Scorpio inherited the Octopus Factor, and every octopus tentacle has an External Brain.

In other words, although Little Scorpio is drunk, those flesh-tentacle-like hairs on her head still remain awake.

"Tina, do you have a place to stay in Tokyo? If not, you can come stay at my home."

Broly invited the girl beside him, who seemed somewhat unenthusiastic.

"That is my home."

Satomi Rentaro reminded her.

"No need, I've already rented a room at another hotel."

Tina hurriedly waved her hand.

"Then let me send you back?"

Tina shook her head and still refused, because where she was going next wasn't a hotel, but the house prepared for her on this side by Professor A. Rand, and inside that house, there were probably all the weapons equipment she needed to execute her assassination mission.

"No need."

"Then when do you plan to leave here?"

"I won't be leaving Tokyo for the time being, and I haven't joined the Scorpion Cult yet."

"Then come find my Broly tomorrow, I'll personally arrange your Baptism Ritual for joining."

Aqua walked over and said.

"Okay."

Tina nodded in agreement, and left the hotel alone.

The night wind blew in her face, slightly cold.

After walking a distance, the girl took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Tina, why are you calling?"

"Professor A. Rand, I've arrived in Tokyo."

"Did something unexpected happen?"

"Mhm."

Tina responded, deliberated her wording for a moment, then reported: "Professor, I discovered a religion on this side in Tokyo."

"A religion?"

The voice on that end sounded doubtful.

"Matters unrelated to the mission, you don't need to report to me."

"Uh, this religion held a Mass activity, the Holy Son of Heaven attended the event site."

"You mean to say you've already succeeded in the assassination?"

"No, what I want to say is, I had the opportunity to assassinate, but I gave up on the assassination."

"Why?"

"Professor, do you believe this world truly has the existence of gods?"

Tina answered with a counter-question.

"I don't believe in gods, I only believe in science."

"Then if I tell you, at the Mass scene, I saw a miracle?"

"What miracle?"

"A girl half-human, half-octopus floated in midair, wielding light like fine rain, healing the wounds and illnesses of thousands attending the Mass in an instant. My eyesight is good; I could see ordinary people with scars, their scars falling off, skin restored to its original state……"

Tina recounted the situation at the Mass, but she did not mention Broly and Scorpio, merely describing what happened at the Mass scene from the objective perspective of a Mass attendee.

She also spoke of the two promises the Scorpion Cult gave believers: one, purification of the Gastrea Virus for ordinary people; the other, perfect evolution for the Cursed Children.

In an underground military research institute in Washington, United States, Professor A. Rand listened, stunned again and again.

"Professor Lande, this assassination mission of mine, do I still do it?"

After a while, Tina's questioning voice came through the microphone.

"Can you be sure the miracle is real?"

"Professor, I am not sure."

Tina lied; she could be sure.

"When I entered, I received some snacks and water that religion gave to Mass attendees. I suspected those things might have problems."

"But this cannot explain why someone could, like a Cursed Child, repair their wounds at visible speed under strange light."

"Did it succeed?"

"Professor, what did you say?"

"Nothing. The assassination mission is temporarily suspended. Investigate that religion's situation clearly. Also, seal and preserve everything you ate and touched at the Mass ritual, then mail it back."

Professor A. Rand suspected Muroto Sumire's research had succeeded.

Among the Four Sages who once carried out the New Human Creation Plan, Muroto Sumire was the first to abandon the human mechanical modification project.

Turning instead to research on the Gastrea Virus itself, seeking to achieve the most impossible Gastrea Virus controllability project.

However, hearing from Tina, who had just gone to the Tokyo Safe Zone, about the incredible things at the Scorpion Cult Mass ritual, made Professor A. Rand suspect whether the other's research had made a breakthrough.

Suspecting the so-called Mass ritual was actually a launch event for a new biotechnology, merely packaged with a religious exterior.

And compared to the Varanium mining rights Saito Zongxuan promised, the possible biotechnology for purifying the Gastrea Virus and achieving perfect Jiushe Animal transformation was the more important thing.

"Yes, I understand, Professor A. Rand."

Tina breathed a sigh of relief; finally she didn't have to assassinate her friend's acquaintance.

She sneaked back to Yoyogi Gymnasium, where staff were still cleaning.

Tina quietly picked up some unfinished mineral water and opened but uneaten snacks from the trash cans outside, planning to mail these things to Professor A. Rand far away in the United States.

"Professor, don't blame me. I don't want to hurt my friend."

Tina muttered to herself, then took out the small half tube of Gastrea Virus Original Solution she had secretly kept while working, and injected it into the unfinished mineral water.

She thought that by then, Professor A. Rand would surely make a discovery, even if this discovery was man-made.

The next day, a special package smuggled to the United States boarded a plane to Washington.

And the aftermath caused by the Mass ritual had only just begun to ferment in the Tokyo Safe Zone.

Last night, more than three thousand attended the Mass ritual, and quite a few brought mobile phones and filmed the scene. Aqua did not prohibit believers from recording miracles.

Videos of the Mass scene filmed from various angles had long been uploaded to the Internet, titled with headlines like 【True God Descends】, 【God Finally Comes to Save This World】, and so on.

However, many still did not believe it, thinking the scenes in the video were made with special effects.

Of course, that wasn't wrong—it wasn't video special effects, but Qi special effects performed live.

And Scorpio was even considered by many to be an AI-synthesized character. After all, how could this world have an octopus girl? Even if there were, how could she float in the sky?

And divine grace and such—light and shadow special effects maxed out. Really thinking magic exists in the Real World? Simply fake beyond belief.

As for those claiming divine grace healed their old injuries for years, letting people with old cold legs and herniated discs recover directly, and those with bad eyes suddenly seeing the light again—that was simply whoever believes is an idiot. As for the strange things at the scene, they were all plants.

What, the Holy Son of Heaven also appeared, and you still don't believe?

Nonsense, of course I don't believe.

That Holy Son of Heaven fellow is pushing the Gastrea New Law, while the Scorpion Cult preaches the doctrine of not discriminating against Cursed Children. Who's behind them goes without saying, right?

The old woman selling melons naturally boasts her own goods. Would she say her melons are bad?

A large pile of conspiracy theories appeared on the Internet.

In this post-disaster world, the credibility of governments of all countries is very low.

In reality, naturally not many people would jump out to say this, but on the Internet, who cares who the hell you are?

The Scorpion Cult, openly opposing the social trend of hating Cursed Children, naturally has no good reputation.

(Chapter End)