Chapter 157: The Gloomy Sanctuary of Protection

Wu You was actually quite willing to believe in the potential of humanity itself—referring, of course, to the potential of intellect.

Human technological advancement, to put it plainly, is a mechanism designed to serve the lazy. Its ultimate goal is to allow humanity to live more comfortably. This predestined that, barring extraordinary circumstances and given humanity's current trajectory of development, physical strength was hardly likely to undergo a natural, breakthrough evolution.

At most, it would amount to individual records akin to the Olympic sporting spirit or Guinness World Records, without creating an insurmountable gap between extraordinary individuals and ordinary people.

Human intellect, however, was different. It remained a scientific forbidden zone brimming with untapped potential. Research into the brain had never ceased, yet aside from the biological knowledge taught in standard textbooks, countless mysteries remained unsolved.

Some scientists might attain scientific inspiration simply from a dream; others might achieve breakthroughs after experiencing drastic emotional fluctuations, while still others did so through calm accumulation, ultimately succeeding due to unexpected deviations.

In short, a variety of factors made Wu You reluctant to directly transform scientists into alchemical beings within the realm of scientific research.

There was one direct illustration of Wu You's hesitation: alchemical beings did not dream when they slept.

Wu You did not know if this was an absolute rule, but based on his current research results, it was indeed the case.

He could employ a few alchemical beings with exceptionally high scientific literacy as assistants, but the primary research leaders were best kept as orthodox humans.

Well, ideally, even the assistants should be pure humans, so as not to miss any potential "accidents."

At least within a controllable range, Wu You had already decided to proceed this way.

Finding suitable candidates was one aspect; figuring out how to motivate scientists to willingly serve him was quite another.

The former condition would hardly pose a difficulty for vampires.

As for the latter condition...

After much deliberation, Wu You excitedly designed a network of factions that, since ancient times, had silently guarded all of humanity from the shadows.

Yes, not just a single faction, but a network of factions.

Bound by ancient prophecies and oaths, they never exposed themselves to the public unless it was an absolute last resort.

Their adversaries were diverse, ranging from extremist organizations and terrorists to a majority of evil entities that transcended reality.

While the guardians resisted and eradicated these threats, they simultaneously worked to erase the public impact of such incidents, allowing the vast majority of humanity to live and develop normally and peacefully. They could truly be called the great heroes behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, these malevolent forces invariably sought to eliminate their troublesome, time-honored rivals first, with the ultimate objectives of enslaving humanity, subverting humanity, annihilating humanity, or devouring humanity.

Heh, in any case, plenty of anime, movies, and television shows featured remarkably similar background stories.

Just telling stories might lack sufficient persuasiveness, but when true supernatural power manifested before one's eyes—at the very moment one's worldview was shattered—there was simply no choice left but to believe.

And what was about to be revealed to the Albenson family at this very moment was precisely one of these "ancient factions with a history spanning millennia."

***

Polly ran swiftly through various streets and alleys, glancing frequently at the navigation route on her phone.

Because of the numb state of mind she had fallen into after moving here, she had never bothered to familiarize herself with the surrounding environment, and now she was reaping the bitter fruit of her negligence.

She had no choice but to rely on navigation software, whose routes were all too easily anticipated.

"Hoo... hoo... hoo... hoo..."

Polly already felt her mouth and throat burning with dryness, taking ragged, heaving breaths as she ran, yet she dared not stop to rest, nor did she dare to buy water at a roadside shop.

Fear warred with a burning urgency within her heart; she only wanted to get home quickly—to return to the home her father had been striving so hard to build for her—and find her father immediately, give him a hug, and flee together with him.

The alley was nearing its end. Polly recognized the trash can sprayed with graffiti of a penguin; she had even kicked it on her way to school that morning.

She was almost home. She wondered if her father was safe.

Across the small road right outside the alley exit was the entrance to the apartment building.

Though she was already exhausted, Polly quickened her pace.

Yet the moment she darted out of the alley, a powerful force jerked her aside, pinning her against a recessed corner of the alley wall.

"Ah—mph..." Polly struggled, instinctively opening her mouth to scream, but a pair of delicate hands immediately muffled her cries.

A reassuring voice reached her ears.

"Shh—don't scream, it's me."

Polly turned around in pleasant surprise.

Sure enough, it was the beautiful woman she had seen earlier, but right now, she was not looking nearly as composed as she had at first.

A section of the sleeve on her tight leather jacket was missing, and several deep wounds marred her fair, delicate arm.

The flesh of the wounds was not only deep, but the surface color was abnormally ashen, carrying a sense of decay.

Moreover, those parallel gasps grouped together looked nothing like injuries caused by a blade.

"It's you! Are you okay? Your arm?"

Polly asked with genuine concern.

"I'm fine. This isn't the time to worry about that. Your home is in that building ahead, right?"

Dasan pointed toward the opposite apartment building and asked Polly.

The latter nodded in reply. "Yes, my father and I live on the fourth floor. We rented two apartments opposite each other; one is for living, and the other is my dad's laboratory."

Then, Polly noticed the beautiful woman furrowing her brows, sniffing the air with her nose.

"A foul stench. They tracked us down after all."

These words sent a chill straight through Polly's heart; she now took everything this woman said with utmost gravity.

"It seems completing this mission in peace is out of the question."

Dasan murmured to herself, then turned her head to look at Polly.

"Polly, would you mind doing big sister a favor?"

Polly felt no resistance whatsoever to acquiring a big sister; on the contrary, she felt a profound sense of affinity.

"What favor?"

"Well... just make sure you stick close to me in a moment!"

With that, Polly watched as the voluptuous woman unzipped her leather jacket and drew two flat metal plates from her waistband, which had been pressed flush against her skin.

These silvery-white metal pieces were extremely thin yet long. Just moments ago, they had been wrapped like a pair of thin waist-binders around the area from just below her breasts down to above her hips.

Once the two metal pieces were drawn out, Polly realized that this big sister's figure was even more perfect than she had initially thought.

More wondrously, these metallic sheets, which should have possessed a soft texture, were actively reshaping themselves.

A dozen seconds later, a pair of single-handed silver swords with exquisite styling and razor-thin blades took form, held one in each of Dasan's hands.

Dasan casually brandished the silver swords, and a sharp, piercing hiss that tore through the air reached Polly's ears.

Dasan licked her lips, crossed the twin swords downward in front of her, and smiled as she looked at Polly.

"Curious, aren't you, Polly? Let me introduce myself: I am Saruna, a swordsman knight of the Gloomy Sanctuary."

Polly stared spellbound at Dasan and the silver twin swords before her.

Only a single thought echoed in her mind: *So cool!*