Tonight was destined to be a sleepless one.
Three Void Realms descended one after another, and the high-alert crimson alarms within the Special Anomalies Bureau blared incessantly.
Even now, Yun Ning could still recall the flicker of disbelief and shock that had crossed the Director’s usually impassive, poker-faced expression.
However, such a reaction was entirely understandable.
After all, ever since the advent of the intelligent AI system, the sudden, unannounced descent of a Void Realm had become an exceedingly rare occurrence, happening perhaps once every few years.
To encounter three in a single night would leave anyone bewildered.
‘Teacher Yue is still suppressing the first Void Realm, and the Anomalous Individuals responsible for the second lack the combat strength to spare any personnel. Anomalies from other cities will also require some time to arrive!’
Yun Ning’s expression was grim; this situation was proving quite troublesome.
Though the Special Anomalies Bureau had reacted with remarkable swiftness, quickly deploying all available city Anomalies to suppress the Void Realms.
Their efforts, however, were ultimately insufficient.
The three Void Realms had not descended simultaneously; the first two alone had already exhausted all available personnel.
Consequently, when the third Void Realm manifested at the First High School, they found themselves in the embarrassing predicament of having no one left to dispatch.
Even he had just rushed over from the site of the second Void Realm’s descent, the Ying City Funeral Home.
For the time being, he alone would have to suppress this third Void Realm.
In truth, the Ying City Police Department was not far from here, and their manpower was plentiful.
However, within the areas where the Void Realm merged with the mundane world—the so-called “touchpoints”—the Void Realm’s rules rejected all worldly objects, making more intricate modern creations particularly susceptible to damage.
While ordinary firearms could be used, albeit with limited effect, they were utterly useless against Void Realm creatures possessing an array of bizarre abilities.
Thus, when a Void Realm descended, the police and military were primarily tasked with securing the perimeter and evacuating civilians.
Yun Ning’s mind raced, brainstorming frantically, yet in reality, barely two seconds had elapsed.
During those fleeting two seconds.
He had managed to regulate his ragged breathing, a consequence of his long-distance sprint and recent combat.
The ethereal energy within him surged, causing the wisps of hair across his forehead to flutter without a breeze.
Just as Yun Ning was about to finish off the fox-like monster, his calf was suddenly seized.
Looking down, he saw Shi Lei, his face streaked with tears and snot, looking utterly dishevelled, sobbing, “Please save my classmate, Huang Xiu! He’s fighting a monster in the teaching building. I beg you, save him!”
‘Huang Xiu… Huang, my classmate?’
Hearing that familiar name, Yun Ning paused, a slight frown creasing his brow, and instinctively glanced at Shi Lei again.
‘If Huang were willing to use his Anomalous Ability, it would mean an additional asset on our side.’
‘After all, he’s a genius with S-class potential. Even in his nascent stage, if he could wield his ability effectively, his strength wouldn’t be negligible.’
“No!” Yun Ning shook his head.
‘Shifting responsibility would be irresponsible.’
‘Huang is still just an ordinary student; he hasn’t trained his Anomalous Ability nor undergone combat training.’
‘His only priority should be to protect himself.’
‘Protecting ordinary people and resolving Void Realm incursions – that is my duty as an Anomalous Individual.’
“Don’t worry,” Yun Ning murmured, his voice soft and reassuring. “I’ll do my best.”
He gently disengaged Shi Lei’s grip, his peripheral vision suddenly catching a massive dark silhouette charging from afar.
“You’re truly courting death!” Yun Ning’s expression hardened.
Pushing off with his right foot, he pivoted, his entire body coiling with power, before his left leg lashed out like a whip.
Bang!
The monster, attempting a sneak attack, blocked the strike with clasped hands, yet the immense force still sent it stumbling backward repeatedly.
“Ah, ow, ow, ow!” The fox-like monster cried, tears streaming down its face.
Its thick forearms, previously braced, now dangled limply before its chest, shattered by a single kick.
Possessing the inherent cunning of a fox, it realized its surprise attack was futile against Yun Ning. It retreated, attempting to seize the unconscious old security guard lying on the ground.
But Yun Ning would never allow the monster to succeed.
He slammed his foot down, the immense power instantly carving an inch-deep indentation into the concrete pavement.
Propelled by the recoil, the young man, though starting later, arrived earlier, landing squarely in front of the fox-like monster.
“So… so fast!”
Meeting its utterly astonished fox-like eyes, Yun Ning raised his right foot high above his head, then brought his heel down like an axe.
Thud!
Unable to dodge, the fox-like monster took the blow directly to its head, toppling forward and slamming face-first into the ground.
A cloud of grey dust billowed up, momentarily obscuring Yun Ning’s merciless and emotionless eyes.
He stomped down with full force!
The fox-like head flattened against the concrete, its face contorting with a flicker of terror. “Don’t kill me! If you kill me, our Principal won’t let you off!”
‘Principal?’
‘This fox appears to be a security guard, and the pig-like creature Huang encountered previously seemed to be a teacher.’
‘So what exactly is this “Principal”? Is it a case of a fox borrowing a tiger’s might (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘hú jiÇŽ hÇ” wÄ“i,’ meaning to use someone else’s power to intimidate others.)?’
‘Is it a tiger, then?’
‘”Do positions truly denote strength? What a truly ironic setup in reality!”‘ Yun Ning mused, his expression remaining impassive.
A hint of disdain flickered in his eyes. Too disinclined to even reply, he pressed his foot down with utmost force.
Squish!
The head was violently crushed, blood splattering everywhere, staining the young man’s once pristine athletic shoes crimson.
Yun Ning, however, paid it little mind. He lightly tapped his toe, shaking off the blood and gore clinging to the upper of his shoe.
Without even wiping the blood from his face, he bent down to check on the old security guard, only exhaling a breath of relief upon confirming the man was merely unconscious and otherwise unharmed.
Turning, Yun Ning looked at the crestfallen Shi Lei and spoke softly, “Could I trouble you to carry this elder out of here?”
Although this spot was temporarily safe, there was no telling when a Void Realm creature might wander by.
It would be best for them both to leave the touchpoint as quickly as possible.
“I’ll… I’ll try my best,” Shi Lei mumbled hesitantly.
Shi Lei nodded uncertainly, an unconcealed flicker of envy in his eyes as he gazed at Yun Ning.
‘If only… if only he could be this strong, would he then not be… so cowardly?’
He clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms.
Yun Ning pointed back the way he had come. “Follow this path straight ahead; don’t take any detours. When you see police cars, someone will naturally come to assist you.”
The Ying City Police Department had already cordoned off these three touchpoints, sealed off nearby roads, and evacuated residents.
Anomalous Individuals were crucial for another reason: within the touchpoints, the semi-ethereal, semi-real ethereal energy was so abundant it could easily shatter the minds of ordinary people.
Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, ordinary individuals, apart from Anomalies, were not permitted to enter a Void Realm.
The young man before him was a prime example—his mental defenses had already been overwhelmed by the ethereal energy.
‘If he were a person of talent, perhaps he could seize this opportunity to undergo mental anomalous transformation and become an Anomalous Individual.’
‘But alas, he was not.’
Watching the young man, who struggled slightly under the weight of the security guard on his back, Yun Ning considered for a moment before adding, “You’ve already done remarkably well. Not everyone would remember their friend in a moment like this.”
At these words, Shi Lei’s steps faltered, but he remained silent, continuing his slow, uneven retreat down the path, the old security guard still on his back.
‘First, save the people. Other considerations can wait until reinforcements arrive.’
With his plan firmly in mind, Yun Ning wasted no time, turning and charging into the campus.