Chapter Thirty: Next Stop, Tokyo

Retracting the "Infernal Blaze" ability he had obtained from Yang Luo, Xi Gu returned home. A quick search online confirmed his suspicions: his experiment with the ability in the Pacific had indeed thrown human society into chaos.

Every major country's news sites—whether the Dragon Kingdom, Japan, Korea, the United States, France, or Australia—featured headlines about the anomaly in the Pacific Ocean.

"Unusual Energy Fluctuations Detected at the Heart of the Pacific—High-Energy Radiation Disrupts Meteorological Satellites!"

"High-Energy Reaction in the Ocean, Possible Unknown Nuclear Test!"

"Fierce Radiation Particles and Sudden Extreme Weather—What Is the Cause?!"

These headlines were still relatively restrained. Some self-media outlets, however, ran even more sensational titles:

"Signs of Alien Civilizations or Relics of Prehistoric Humans? Atlantis Myth Might Be Real!"

"The Pacific Anomaly—Could It Be Tied to the Mystery of Time Travel?"

"All Five Permanent Members Deploy Aircraft Carriers in Full Readiness—Who Has Become Their Dreaded Foe? Is the Legendary Stargate Finally Unveiled?"

And so on—countless variations.

This, however, did not surprise Xi Gu. When he had previously searched for other superhumans and dark organizations based on online rumors, he had seen firsthand how a piece of information could be twisted beyond recognition by the media.

All the more so, if it were ever discovered that the searing temperatures of hundreds of millions of degrees had been conjured by his own hands, and that he had triggered the fusion and fission of atoms around him as a matter of course, the story would be no less shocking than the appearance of extraterrestrials.

Even without knowing the truth, the high-energy anomaly over the Pacific was enough to draw the attention of many nations.

"Surely, many countries will see this as a secret weapon hidden by some other power. Yet there’s no test site, no satellite evidence, and such overwhelming force... the international situation is bound to grow tense for a while," Xi Gu mused as he browsed the news online.

Yet he was not particularly concerned.

"But what does any of this have to do with me? I’m just an ordinary young man living in the outskirts of Qingxia City," he said, a smile playing on his lips.

"—Well then."

Turning off the news, Xi Gu dismissed the incident and its aftermath from his mind. For him, something else was far more important now.

"According to my perception, Yang Luo has already returned home. Lately, his thoughts have been on living quietly, staying by his parents’ side, and waiting for the world to change—for the 'deities' I spoke of to descend upon the world.

"With that, the pace of disruption to social order from supernatural forces has slowed considerably, and those powers remain hidden in the dark.

"In truth, that suits me perfectly... After all, the Dragon Kingdom is my homeland. If things were too chaotic here, I wouldn’t be very comfortable either.

"However, the 'Supernatural Era Creation Project' must go on—especially now that I’ve learned my 'Blood of Evolution' can serve as the key for other humans to awaken new supernatural abilities, and that, through their 'spiritual transformations,' I can copy the abilities they gain into myself via the 'connection' of the Blood of Evolution...

"This means that creating superhumans is no longer just an entertaining pastime tailored to my own tastes. It now holds real significance for my own abilities.

"…With that in mind, the next step is to seek out a second 'superhuman' and, through their new abilities, acquire new powers for myself."

Xi Gu pondered, his index finger tapping rhythmically on the table.

"…Yang Luo serves as a perfect precedent. His experience is highly instructive for me—an extreme mind, a spirit of pure intensity, and an utterly unified emotion: under such conditions, my Blood of Evolution will nurture 'possibility.' This 'possibility' marks the emergence of a new supernatural ability rooted in the domain of will.

"…If I use him as a template, then I can already summarize the traits I should seek in the next superhuman:

"First, he or she should be living under some kind of oppression, harboring much darkness within.

"Second, he or she should lack support, facing a predicament with no way out, forced to wait for a miraculous opportunity to change their fate.

"Third, there should be an individuality in his or her soul, different from the ordinary. When confronted with the extraordinary, their true self will be unleashed, and they will possess a spirit capable of intense focus. After awakening, they will not settle for mundane wealth and power, but rather, in their clashes with social order, will kindle their own spiritual fire and ceaselessly surpass themselves."

Contemplating all this, Xi Gu let slip a faint, ambiguous smile.

"Hey… come to think of it, the superhumans I’m picking—those with the potential to awaken—are a lot like protagonists in online novels, aren’t they? First, they get slapped down in the opening chapters, vowing, 'Never look down on the poor young man!' Then, they rise from adversity and play the underdog; finally, they laugh to the heavens, declaring, 'My fate is my own!' Tch, the resemblance is uncanny."

Shaking his head to dispel this odd thought, Xi Gu continued to reflect.

"…Alright, I’ll use this template to search for a new superhuman, but this time, I’d better not look within my own country.

"With just Yang Luo alone, in little more than ten days as a superhuman, dozens have died, including one of the nation’s top ten tycoons. If another superhuman emerges here, society might just be turned upside down.

"—So, where would be the best place for the second superhuman?"

He pondered, his gaze falling on a world atlas lying on his desk.

"Let fate’s dice make the choice, then."

He picked up the atlas, closed his eyes, and tossed it lightly into the air, waiting for it to fall open at a random page.

Of course, in the very instant he tossed it, his perception—now precise down to the molecular level—already told him exactly which page would open, and which region would be so fortunate, or perhaps unfortunate, as to be chosen.

"So, it’s here?" Xi Gu couldn’t help but smile wryly, surprised at such a dramatic result.

When he opened his eyes and looked at the page, the outcome he’d half-expected appeared before him.

—Japan, Tokyo.

A place that, in countless commercial films and anime works, had already been destroyed over eight million times—more times than there are gods in Japan!