Chapter 624: Hunt Down

"Just based on this, you can confirm I'm not human?!"

"If that's the case, he hasn't been human from the start! Then why did all those checkups from childhood never detect anything?"

"Zhang Jie! You're a senior investigator! Have you ever seen a normal human who can ingest pollution?"

"I...."

"Ironclad evidence! Mimicry! Show yourself now!"

"Zhang Jie:......"

"Reveal your dam!"

"Yellow mud fell into his pants—now it's fine! Can't wash it clean, it's basically shit!"

"Can't there be a person with a special innate talent who can absorb pollution?"

"You don't know my Unfettered? I don't believe any abnormality could replace me!"

"Ceng Tian furrowed his brows; when he received this news, he was also shocked."

"He had participated in that young man's promotion ceremony; the one destined to become future Chief would originally have been a cornerstone of humanity."

"Normally, for such a promising prospect, Headquarters would have a dedicated position to protect him."

"But helplessly, Zhang Jie grew too fast, too fast, and with his Unfettered that ignores all abnormalities, in the blink of an eye he became an elite sentinel."

".... We failed to protect you; that's our responsibility."

"So you should understand even more how dangerous it is for someone like you to be contaminated by pollution!"

"Unfettered is useless against abnormalities, yet it similarly suppresses humans! This means the vast majority of containment items cannot affect Zhang Jie!"

"Remember how Zhang Jie previously used a containment item to forcibly reverse a person's abnormal state? Headquarters has considered more than once using the same method to reverse Zhang Jie's condition."

"The Ultimate Overseer could find countless containment items to save Zhang Jie!"

"But unfortunately, because Mimicry can perfectly imitate, Unfettered is also surely successfully imitated, so such containment items have absolutely no effect on him!"

"Then, the only remaining option is to execute him on the spot...."

"Unfettered, once the most desirable thing, has become the greatest obstacle, the most loathed existence."

"And Zhang Jie quickly realized this: if Headquarters determines his identity, only a containment item that can affect time could possibly save him."

"But using such an item would certainly incur an enormous cost; it couldn't be activated unless humanity faced existential peril—why would they waste it on him?"

"Doomed...."

"This is a dead-end situation with a single-minded impasse!"

"I demand another test of my sample!"

"Zhang Jie suspected the problem lay with his sample, after all he could replace Qi Yu's sample; though it seems easy, only someone like Zhang Jie could pull it off!"

"Light-cone Vision, this supernatural ability is unique! For now no one else has obtained it, but we can't rule out others being able to achieve it."

"Moreover, he is already the first under the Chief; even the highest rank of the railway police is merely Senior Investigator, so he can certainly accomplish the replacement!"

"...... I cannot guarantee."

"The sample needs time, and I cannot control you, nor will you submit to my control."

"Now no one dares to collect your sample; hope you understand."

"Understand your sister!"

"Alright, reality is indeed like that; if he truly is an abnormality...."

"Zhang Jie never expected that, having arranged everything for Qi Yu, the problem would instead arise here with him."

"Sometimes, proving oneself is the biggest problem, especially in this vile era where abnormalities are ever-changing and uncanny, and no one can confidently say that someone nearby is normal."

"He isn't some fool who cuts open his belly to prove he ate a few bowls of noodles; life is only one thread, and if he dies, there's nothing left."

"Even if he proves his innocence, what then? Others are still waiting for him..."

"'Only escape....'"

"Zhang Jie's steps jerked back, Light-cone Vision activated, and the next moment the same attack landed beneath his feet."

"Tsk!"

"Ceng Tian somewhat regretted wasting so many words on an abnormal creature, yet he was willing to chat with Zhang Jie, secretly hoping Zhang Jie could give him a sufficient reason to persuade him."

"As long as Zhang Jie convinces him, he doesn't mind giving Zhang Jie a chance to prove himself."

"But unfortunately, he doesn't have..."

""Run? Can you get away?""

"Ceng Tian's figure also vanished, pursuing in the direction Zhang Jie fled; as a Chief Investigator, his strength is beyond doubt."

"Even though Zhang Jie had the heaven-defying mobility of Light-cone Vision, it was of no avail; he first felt what it's like to be constricted with a suffocating, python-like grip."

""Is this the strength of a Chief Investigator?""

"Ceng Tian's movement speed is not inferior to Zhang Jie's at all; he latches on, making it impossible to shake off."

"Not to mention that the Shotgun Cannon could turn Zhang Jie into relics with a single blast—this and the one in his hand are not even in the same league."

""Still not showing your true form?""

"Ceng Tian kept firing, and the reason he could attack recklessly was precisely because Zhang Jie wasn't fleeing toward the urban area."

"Ceng Tian obviously hadn't noticed this; it's obvious that strength doesn't always correlate with intellect, and Zhang Jie still thought this approach could make the opponent understand something."

""Graze... can't shake off..""

"In an instant, a buckshot grazed Zhang Jie's leg and flew past, directly shattering his tibia."

"Immense pain surged, Zhang Jie's thoughts were nearly scattered, but fortunately Light-cone Vision doesn't rely on legs to run, otherwise he'd have to stay here."

""Can't just run—must counterattack!""

"Zhang Jie made a snap decision, pulling out the Living Shotgun; the familiar coiling sensation surged in his chest, he directly chose to bear an enormous amount of pollution, plus a supernatural enchantment, and fiercely pulled the trigger."

""!!!""

A huge sense of crisis surged; Ceng Tian turned his aircraft carrier, narrowly avoiding that shotgun blast. Fortunately, Zhang Jie didn't intend to kill him—otherwise, if Zhang Jie fired another shot this round, he wouldn't die but would be crippled.

"What fierce aggression!"

Ceng Tian silently cursed his own carelessness; when he looked up again, he discovered Zhang Jie had already vanished.

The mobility of Light-cone Vision is terrifying; just a moment of dodging and he lost track.

If Zhang Jie were still in his field of view, at least he could pursue him, but unfortunately, only bone fragments and a pool of blood remained on the spot.

Tracking isn't difficult, but catching Zhang Jie in a short time is obviously impossible.

"Oh no...."

"Attention, headquarters, I failed to eliminate the target..."

At this moment, Zhang Jie, dragging his battered body, casually found a small alley to rest.

His left shin was shattered; without special treatment from the Anomaly Bureau, he could only become a cripple.

"....."

"I never expected I'd have such a downtrodden day."