Chapter 815: NO.184: Growth Is Just a Change in Skin Thickness

NO. 184: Growth is just a change in skin thickness.

Looking back at history, investigators solving cases—whether detectives, police officers, or other professionals with a self‑imposed mission—have always gathered information individually, busily.

Even an Ultraman who came here from another world's universe still thinks of checking things one by one.

The idea of broadcasting to the whole universe and letting the villains roll out on their own is naturally childish; even heroes for children wouldn't be that naïve.

They even strive to stay hidden so as not to affect others unnecessarily.

They hope to find the enemy by themselves, then defeat them quickly and cleanly without affecting anyone else, keeping their own group's position as 'observers'.

But in this world, this universe, even just this Earth—there is not only the physical realm but also the data world, and the data world can be nested like boxes within boxes; if you try to find something on your own……

When will you ever find it—maybe in the Year of the Monkey and Month of the Horse?

Easy investigations always involve rights and connections; in this information‑advanced civilization, gathering intel could be quite simple—if you make good use of those two factors, the investigation becomes a stacking of countless human resources.

This 'human resource' can even include the work of AI, familiars, sprites, divine messengers, and similar beings.

At this point, it truly amounts to 'broadcasting to the whole universe and letting the villains roll out on their own.'

But in reality, even the authorities find it hard to issue such an order.

Because investigation itself carries latent danger, even the federal government would not resort to this when the situation is still unclear.

And public figures with sufficient influence would not have this kind of demand either.

Thus, under these premises, a certain 'champion' forged by Internet promotion has indeed become a one‑of‑a‑kind alternative.

Aomo Lindun clearly knows he is undertaking an unknown attempt.

This attempt lacks precedents; in all recorded history, although Internet‑created 'idols' are countless, only he has posted that information‑gathering commission under the guise of a game.

He has no burden that would put fans in danger, because he already discussed the event's planning with that product manager yesterday.

First, this event needs a threshold to be set; second, it needs to establish 'rules'.

Just like the so‑called rule‑based creepypastas that were popular online years ago, using those solemn‑sounding 'rules' to warn and correct participants' behavior, so as to avoid unnecessary trouble and even prevent illegal crimes.

In fact, it's enough if it feels enough like a game.

Players' psychology will overlook many problems.

Just as when you properly post commissions and demands, they'll think you're micromanaging, but once you attach rewards and rankings… just sit back and wait for the progress to surge.

Thus, on September 14 at 09:36.

At the seventh minute after the event was posted.

After the webpage emergency repairs barely restored comment‑section operation and allowed normal email forwarding, Aomo received an urgent communication from the staff.

——

"Isn't it a bit too fast?"

After crossing the intercity transfer array, riding the subway, and biking, when they were finally on the last short stretch, the vehicle had just stopped and the two Triple Crown horsegirls decided to jog to the meeting point, obviously knowing how to conserve stamina.

Just speaking while running is usually not worth encouraging, and speaking naturally draws a speechless look from their companion.

"How many times have you asked this already?"

Narita Hakujin had never seen Qianming look so doubtful; after being asked for the third time, he only felt it was nagging.

"Isn't it too fast?"—this question obviously isn't about their running speed, but about how the event has been out for only a few minutes, which feels as if important evidence has just arrived at Aomo's place……

Not to mention Qianming; even Narita Hakujin himself feels it's somewhat unreal.

But she doesn't mind it much, thinking it'd be good to finish work early, and she doesn't know whether Aomo has changed back.

Yesterday she and Qianming spent plenty of time idly chatting in the chat room, naturally talking about a certain trainer's de‑aging incident.

Even photos were posted in the chat room, and afterward several netizens sprang into action, leaving this side sighing repeatedly, feeling somewhat wistful.

While we're out here investigating, over there it's in full swing.

I thought missing this would be the end of it, but the next morning I was called back early, making me feel like the biggest loser.

I missed the school's 'limited‑time event,' the main quest was a wasted effort, and now I don't know if I can catch the tail end of the activity.

Could it be that I can only watch this event?

She pulled out her phone to activate it and glanced at the now relatively stable voting website.

Narita Hakujin is also one of this site's core users; his Lv6 account level indicates not just the strength of his filler posts but also the extent of his spending on merchandise, and he even has to thank Aomo for making him notice this aesthetically pleasing voting‑social platform this year.

She flipped through picture records of past champions, each one excellent, each one pleasing to her eye.

But when she looked back, it was still Aomo's various beast‑forms, and the cosplay model of the demon god Zero that she liked most—especially the new upload of the Evil Ash Jettun appearance that Qian posted in the chat room a few days ago——

——this is still not uploaded to the forum, merely spread within the small group that's been harassing Aomo.

Miss Qian's idea was naturally to try developing everyone's monster aesthetic, to discover more like‑minded people, and in this the biggest response was naturally Narita Hakujin.

She really likes it; upon seeing Evil Ash Jettun she immediately saved it, then spent five or six minutes wavering over whether to use it on her phone's home screen, lock screen, case, and so on.

Finally, inspiration struck: she decided not to replace the other forms above, but to order a sticker and stick it on her dormitory water card.

By comparison, Aomo's usual appearance isn't very attractive to her; even the shota image he posted in the chat room only gives her a slight interest in 'rushing over right away to mock him.'

But that was yesterday, so there's probably no chance left now.

She's also heard a bit about the horsegirl named Ailisuzhi, pondering the drug's side effects—very few last more than a day.

"Isn't this too abnormal? Maybe it's a trap—can we really trust the netizens of that website forum completely?"

"Indeed, so this investigation site has also undergone three rounds of screening; we judge that even if it's a trap, it's an open‑scheme, and as long as we break through we can gain something."

"?"

"Eh?"

Suddenly hearing a voice like that guy Aomo's, Narita Hakujin's gaze instinctively turned toward the sound source, where he saw three men he had only ever seen in online photos.

The communication indeed mentioned these three fellow helpers, but what about Aomo?

As she ran up, she instinctively ignored the large plush doll beside Chao Cang Lu and glanced around.

Where is Aomo?

And beside her, Qianming the representative likewise swept his gaze over this line, then his subtle gaze fell upon that overly simplistic blue stuffed toy.

"What kind of pose is this?" she asked, half-smiling.

This made Chengtian Bai Ren turn his head, following her gaze to look at that extremely abstract stuffed toy; a guess made her eyes widen instantly.

And that 1.7-meter stuffed toy spoke again, directly confirming her guess:

"A person is glowing, wearing the roommate's stuffed-toy costume that hinders movement the least."

Although a bit immature, somewhat different from his usual voice, that was indeed Aomo's voice.

"Xiao Qian's gaze always surprises me..." Qianming the representative, who had also seen Qian post monster pictures in the chat room, couldn't help but sigh.

But then, smiling, he asked: "Is there a prototype?"

"Yes." Aomo's tone gave no hint of emotion.

"The clumsy cat from Monster Hunter Rise."

"I see." Facing those dazed big eyes, Qianming held back laughter and turned his head away.

Although it was unknown how the person stood inside the stuffed toy, the toy itself indeed had a proud, chest-out posture; even the onlooker Chengtian Bai Ren couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

"Just laugh if you want to, as long as you don't laugh while acting."