Chapter 23: The Secret of Gray Rain!

Watching the stream of messages, Su Ming's mouth twitched slightly upward.

Just as expected.

No matter what happened.

There are still far too many thrill‑seekers online!

On the other side.

In the capital of Long Nation, the Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau headquarters.

Inside the massive operations command center, the lights were blazing.

The atmosphere was as oppressive as it could be.

The giant screen on the wall continuously scrolled emergency reports from across the country.

Red—everything was a shocking, eye‑catching red!

Group Leader Qin's direct superior, General Li Zhen Guo, who shoulders the General Star, stood with his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the command center.

He was over fifty, his temples streaked with white, yet his spine stood perfectly straight and his uniform was immaculate.

"Jiangzhou, how is the investigation of the 【Golden Light】 incident and the 【Red Light】 incident over at Group Leader Qin going?"

General Li suddenly halted his steps, his voice low and rumbling like distant thunder.

"Report, General! Group Leader Qin is conducting a full sweep in Jiangcheng, has locked onto the abandoned industrial zone west of the city, but… the leads have been cut off!"

"That place has been washed clean by 【Gray Rain】!"

"Sigh…"

General Li sighed, saying no more.

Who can be blamed?

After all, no one had ever encountered such a situation before.

At that moment, another voice rang out.

"The current situation… the overall drift toward loss of control is accelerating!"

Everyone present shivered.

"All day yesterday, the known frequency of 【Black Light Calamity】 incidents nationwide rose by 37% compared to the same period yesterday!"

"Sss!"

A collective gasp of cold air echoed through the command center.

"Especially those hidden underground forces, they've begun small‑scale fire fights and robberies!"

"Without the watchful eye of the Sky‑Eye and with control forces stretched thin, they have fully unleashed their ferocity!"

"And abroad… it's completely collapsed."

An analyst opened the world map.

The dense red alerts covering it made the hair on one's scalp stand on end.

Many places have already fallen into chaos, losing all order!

"And over in Eagle‑Sauce Nation…"

"According to ultra‑secret intel from an informant, Eagle‑Sauce's military deployed an armored division, surrounded a massive altar, and attempted to sacrifice a… brand‑new main battle tank!"

"What?!"

The entire command center was stunned.

"What was the result?"

General Li's voice trembled slightly.

"All they got was 【Purple Light】…"

Dead silence.

A main battle tank worth hundreds of millions, the pinnacle of war machines, yielded only a 【Purple Light】 feedback!

What does this indicate?

It shows that the old‑era's might and wealth…

…in the face of this new 【Rule】, have depreciated to a staggering degree!

The altar's pattern is utterly incomprehensible!

"What item did Eagle‑Sauce produce?"

"The intel has been completely sealed off; we don't know."

A sense of helplessness hung over everyone's hearts.

"General! General! Good news!"

At that moment, the command center's doors were pushed open.

A disheveled‑haired, white‑lab‑coat‑clad research director stumbled in.

"Professor Zhou, what's wrong?"

The crowd's eyes were filled with anticipation.

"Gray Rain! The secret of Gray Rain! We've cracked it!"

General Li lunged forward in a single stride.

"Get to the point!"

"We urgently analyzed the unknown active substance in the rainwater!"

Professor Zhou took a deep breath.

"It's harmless to the human body!"

"However! It has an extremely strong 【Formatting】 effect on all 【Transcendent Energy】!"

Formatting?

Right! Any sacrificial victim drenched by rain will have the blessings, items, and abilities they gained from the altar temporarily nullified! It's as if they're blocked!

What?!

General Li was stunned.

All senior officials in the command center wore expressions of disbelief.

The abilities will only recover once the rain on the body or items fully evaporates and dries!

Professor Zhou waved his arms, spitting droplets everywhere.

What does this mean?

It means that between midnight and 5 a. m., those arrogant, self‑proclaimed invincible powerful sacrificial victims who get wet by rain will...

Be reverted to their original form! Turn into ordinary people!

Boom!

A single sentence, like Jinglei on flat ground!

Good! What a 【Formatting】!

General Li slammed the table hard, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

The earlier irritation was somewhat suppressed.

If the fact is truly so, they can use rainy nights to capture those out‑of‑control individuals who have slipped from their grasp!

Those guys will also have reservations!

"Also!"

Professor Zhou added.

"This rain... can't be stored! We took the sample directly on site!"

"But if we can extract and cultivate the active substances within, we could make an 【Inhibitor】 or a high‑pressure water gun..."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up, understanding instantly.

If it can truly be achieved...

That would be the sharpest slaughter knife in the Official's hands!

Inside the abandoned small building.

Su Ming was completely unaware of all this.

His fingers were still scrolling wildly on the forum.

Suddenly!

【Shocking Secret! Don't go out when it rains! You'll turn back into a mortal!】

A post flashed across the forum section.

Su Ming's fingers abruptly stopped, and he instinctively clicked into it.

【This post has been deleted】.

"Deleted instantly?!"

Su Ming was startled.

This is definitely not a coincidence!

"Turn back into a mortal..."

Su Ming recalled those words.

If this is true...

That would mean that the crazy woman at the time couldn't turn into the bizarre Blood Mist and evade that fatal blow!

Immediately after, a wave of unease surfaced.

"Wait... what about me?"

"Am I... also affected?"

He lowered his head and looked at his own hands.

If he also turns into a mortal, then hunting is pointless!

Running away quickly is the right path!

"Huh... stay calm!"

Su Ming forced himself to analyze.

"If contact with Gray Rain causes all abilities to fail..."

"My 【Fourth Act Ticket】 would become unusable!"

"But... no!"

Suddenly, Su Ming shivered all over.

"What I obtained from the 【Crimson Throne】 is 【Source Blood】!"

"【Source Blood】 merged directly into my flesh and blood; the description says it's permanently solidified!"

This is not a temporary blessing, nor is it some external equipment.

It is his own power!

"It's like... rain can strip your armor, but can it also dissolve the muscles on your body?"

"Most likely not!"

Su Ming's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Also!"

Su Ming's mind flickered, confirming that the pocket watch was now lying safely and steadily in the Dimensional Reduction Warehouse.

The Dimensional Reduction Warehouse is an independent dimensional space!

Rainwater, how does it become tainted?

So, the passive effect of the Fate Pocket Watch—

That god‑defying intuition and reaction speed, still effective?!

"If it really is as I think, then the degree to which I am weakened is negligible!"

"And the others…"

Su Ming felt his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

The whole world, under Gray Rain, turned into a fair arena.

But he…

Will be the Unique god in the rainy night!

Su Ming's eyes narrowed slightly.

He wants… to verify!