Chapter 713: Contamination in the Present World

This is the place.

Zhang Jie looked at the two mercenaries behind him and said; the two nodded and began analyzing and probing the ruins before them.

There really is a cognitive virus.

The human mercenary who looked calm said that, while the stone person seemed quite brainless.

He just charged straight in.

Zhang Jie, meanwhile, piloted the warship toward the Deep Space Giant Sword.

As the docking port of the giant sword slowly opened, Zhang Jie also successfully entered and saw the interior scenery.

Inside the Deep Space Giant Sword, it was still as usual, except there were far fewer knights' silhouettes.

Seeing Zhang Jie, many knights recognized him at once and immediately led him toward the command room.

Are they all inside now?

Zhang Jie asked, and the knight guiding him nodded.

The instructors and leaders are now inside the ruins and cannot be contacted.

The knight said.

But not all of the elite forces are inside; about a hundred or more knights have entered, half of whom are recruits.

The signal is intermittent; we now only know that the leader has escaped mortal danger and instantly returned to peak condition.

As for the rest, we know nothing.

It's fine; I've already found two elite mercenary forces from outside, and they are now delving deep into the ruins.

Zhang Jie took the data from the other's hand; this was the preliminary investigation of the ruins by 'Xiao Yi' and them at that time.

It doesn't belong to any current ascension system?

Zhang Jie wondered, speaking frankly, he is not an omniscient god‑ascendant in this era.

Even Teacher Yuan would have things he doesn't know, let alone him.

That's right; it doesn't belong to any ascension system. The mainstream ascension systems nowadays are merely biological, mechanical, spiritual, or faith‑based.

But what exists here does not belong to any kind of energy or technology in our cognition.

Zhang Jie stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Can you take me to see it? Or do you have a sample?

The other party thought for a moment, then nodded.

You don't need to go; we'll send someone to collect the sample—your safety comes first.

Emmm, okay, I'm a bit overwhelmed, but it's indeed true that Zhang Jie should cherish his life.

Don't worry, we're not that easy to kill.

That statement is actually true; the knights are just like the chief investigator in the previous simulation—a bunch of monsters wearing human skin.

And the knights aren't even pretending; they directly take natural disasters as their true form.

Zhang Jie waited in the reception area, and someone even gave him a drink of unknown type.

Anyway, it's just a little throat‑irritating, not hard to drink.

Soon, a fully armed squad of knights returned to Zhang Jie's sight, still holding a box for storing medicine.

Your Excellency, sorry for the wait; everything is here.

No casualties, right?

Zhang Jie:....

After a silence from the other side, Zhang Jie knew something was wrong—someone must have died.

Seeing the other's silent demeanor, Zhang Jie sighed and continued asking.

What's going on?

This time.... ten knights have sacrificed.

As long as we grab the sample, an anomaly will occur; our warriors relay it back bit by bit.

Now it's fine; inside this container, it's very calm.

Zhang Jie looked at the container before him and continued asking.

Anomaly? What exactly is the situation?

Is it bodily overgrowth? Or fleshly rot and mutation?

Both.

Zhang Jie instantly realized; frankly, this reaction is all too familiar to him.

Because this is exactly the contamination he knows all too well!!!

And the ensuing close‑range contact only solidified Zhang Jie's judgment: this thing is contamination!

Your Excellency—don't!

The other party spoke too late; only Zhang Jie's hand had already touched it, yet astonishingly, the substance that disintegrates on contact had no effect on him.

Lock them up first; I'll handle it.

Don't let anyone else come into contact with them.

We've already done that.

Zhang Jie nodded, said nothing more, and carefully observed the sample in his hand.

No... this thing isn't complete.

Zhang Jie furrowed his brows; normal contamination would constantly self‑split and proliferate, but this one does not.

Moreover, its condition.... seems to have much less aggressiveness than before; the current pollution is very weak.

Qi Yu....

Zhang Jie spoke softly, already knowing the answer in his heart; the appearance of the pollution must be strongly related to her.

This shows that Qi Yu must have existed in the past timeline; although it's unknown whether she survived to the present, but according to the simulator's usual nature.

Qi Yu is likely alive.

But a new problem has arisen—Qi Yu doesn't even know herself!

You should know that the him inside the simulation is not what he looks like outside; the him inside the simulation is practically a Cthulhu covered in tentacles!

Zhang Jie suddenly had a bad premonition—you say, could Qi Yu's combat power be off the charts?

No way?

But the next moment, a vast fleet of ships came from the outside world, though these have nothing to do with Qi Yu.

It's Yunxiao.

"Zhang Jie! I'm here!"