Chapter 578: Let's eat the mixed rice!

Is this really useful?

Play a nursery rhyme for a lump of meat?

The two investigators wore heavy anti-contamination protective suits, staring at the lump of meat inside the thick isolation cover, utterly bewildered.

Who knows? Just do as you're told.

This is the safest anomaly I've ever seen; aside from the high concentration pollution, there's nothing worth noting.

Hurry up, finish the nursery rhyme and then play the cartoon.

Okay~

The young female investigator stretched, enjoying a long-lost ease, but just as she turned around to play the cartoon, the meatball behind her suddenly began to wriggle slowly....

Ah! He he he he he! He!

Just a turn, and that lump of meat had already undergone an earth-shaking change.

A neither-human-nor-nonhuman thing lay quietly on the ground, its skin no longer white but a flesh tone close to that of a person.

His body bore infant-like tender skin, yet it was a half‑human‑sized misshapen lump, curled like a newborn, but from the folds of flesh grew adult arms that eerily scratched at the air.

Mom... Mom?

I'm not! I'm not! Get away!

The investigator was clearly panicked; she didn't know how this monster had emerged from the completely sealed cover, but she knew that if she didn't run, she would likely die.

Why...?

The monster kept approaching, her sixth sense screaming that she would be eaten, absorbed as nourishment....

In crisis, she instinctively chose to attack, which happened to be the worst possible way to handle it.

Don't!!!

Another, more senior investigator tried to stop it, but it was already too late; a bottle of azure substance was thrown, shattering with a sound, accompanied by a childlike scream, and the scene instantly spiraled out of control.

The monster's flesh surged wildly, instantly covering the terrified female investigator; a muffled shout came from within, and after just two or three seconds, she vanished completely.

Hungry....

...... Don't rush, I'll get you food right away.

It takes a veteran investigator; faced with a comrade's death, he's long been used to it, and even if someone dies before his eyes, he can stay calm.

And upon hearing his words, the other party indeed did not attack him, which let him breathe a huge sigh of relief.

But the situation was still not good; the corrosive substance the female investigator had thrown continued to hiss, and the continually writhing flesh showed how abnormal things were.

This is what you said! Very calm! An investigator with good on‑spot reaction experience!

A Final Overseer slammed the table in anger, but fortunately the investigators he dispatched were experienced enough to temporarily contain the opponent, avoiding greater loss and casualties.

Her record says so, and she's completed more missions than the other.

How can you still be a Final Overseer and believe this nonsense!

At first this thing had no hostility; perhaps it only wanted to hug, and since it hasn't hurt anyone afterward, it's probably a neutral creature.

But we can't rule out that the investigators might have violated some taboo; even friendly forbidden‑zone creatures aren't unheard of.

No matter what, their first contact with this thing was a total screw‑up.

Keep observing; that's why we sent two more experienced people, preferably with childcare experience.

Don't screw up again!

Dad, no way, you'd even take an SS‑level mission!

And it requires childcare experience—do you really have that?

Zhang Yan stared dubiously at his father, whose beard was messy, his face full of disbelief.

What nonsense! When you were little, your brother was little, your older brother was little—I was the one who changed your diapers!

You three were raised by me, old man, wiping your butts and noses; this task is perfect for me!

Zhang Jie looked at the message on his father's phone, rubbing his chin.

Dad, we're not exactly short on money, why would you take a job like this?

Not short on money? Kid, do you know how much a C‑grade protective anomaly costs?

The father spread out five fingers and waved them in front of the siblings.

Five thousand?

Zhang Yan was the first to speak, his clueless look instantly earning two bewildered stares.

It's five million!

Only that?

Now even Zhang Jie was shocked—who would risk their life for that much? You think it's happy beans? I couldn't save up five million happy beans either!

Your older brother looks steady, but he's got a reckless streak—just like me.

So, to secure future anomaly bodies for you two and for your older brother, this old father has to work hard.

Zhang Jie and Zhang Yan stared at each other; this thing is indeed a necessity—a good protective anomaly can even effectively ward off B‑grade anomalies.

All right, I'm off; Mom's not around lately, so you, as the older sister, need to look after Zhang Jie.

Got it!

The older sister slapped her car headlights confidently, while the father nodded satisfied and turned to leave.

Wow, Dad actually left two thousand bucks! Get rich, get rich!

Zhang Jie looked at the older sister in charge of firewood and rice, and instantly had a bad feeling....

Sis, what are we having for lunch?

Mixed rice.

Zhang Jie:???

"Two thousand bucks, you just bring your brother to eat the set meal!"

"What's up, it's delicious, you love eating it!"

Zhang Jie tugged at his mouth; if his older brother were here, his older sister definitely wouldn't dare be so presumptuous, missing his older brother every day.

Thinking of this, Zhang Jie couldn't help but recall that obscure martial arts manual; what humans call 'transcendence'—is it really transcendence?

By the way, lately his own body has also become stronger, but this rate of getting stronger seems to have slowed down a lot....

Is it because his puberty growth has stopped?

Zhang Jie shook his head; he's still young, thinking so much is useless, he's small, if the sky fell it definitely wouldn't hit him.

"Sis, can we not eat the set meal?"

"No way! But.... if you act cute and sweet toward your older sister, I might agree~"

"Then forget it, I'd rather eat the set meal."

"Zhang Jie!!!! You soulless!!!!"

Someone's defenses broke; Zhang Jie didn't say who, but in the end, the older sister who dotes on her younger brother still brought him to eat dry pot braised noodles; can only say, 'mouth disagrees but body is honest' on this point.

Zhang Jie didn't know why his older sister was so money-obsessed, so fond of saving money; he only knew his older sister treated him well, and that was actually enough.

One month later......