The Dead Are Currently Stable

  Assistant Physi Anna's rea was within Li Aoz's expectations.

  From the beginning, after 'actally' killing the professor, she had once directed her aowards him. However, after Li Aoz beat her up, she calmed down immediately and did not hide the professor's death, merely g that it was 'at the hands of the robbers.'

  People were certainly shocked by the death of the professor, the soul of the Abyss. But Anna quickly showed her strong side, granting patients some freedom uhe guise of 'self-rescue.'

  The survivors of the attack were either power users with strong bat abilities or weak and deformed patients who couldn't move on their own. With the medical team severely damaged, the patients became the main force, greatly garnering goodwill.

  Anna wasn't eloquent, but her as spoke louder than words. In the current crisis, people didn't need someone who just talked pretty but a capable, quick-reag leader who could give them safety and help.

  So, knowing that Li Aoz had witnessed her actally killing the professor and seeing his impressive bat strength, Anna uood she couldn't kill him to silence him and subtly veyed: you have the freedom to leave now, go wherever you wish.

  Why prepare a car?

  This belongs to the subtext of the external world. For the people of the external world, the importance of a car is akin to horses for nomads.

  Many are born, live, and die in cars.

  By giving him a car, Anna essentially said, "I've given you a house; you keep quiet now."

  "A bribe... Although she didn't explicitly drive me away, it's clear she wants me away from the political ter. Iing, should I say, as expected of city folks? Their style is quite refined."

  This series of as further vinced Li Aoz of his thoughts:

  "Even if the professor hadn't died, Assistant Anna would have eventually seized power."

  From Anna's perspective, she had no idea that Li Aoz's bat power was exaggerated or that 'subduing' Nomi artly an act.

  She only knew: as long as the professor's cause of death wasn't revealed, she could use hatred to trol Nordli's emotions, thus wielding the Alpha-tier warrior's power to trol the situation.

  Whether the professor's death was an act, and whether she agreed or disagreed with being killed by Anna—Li Aoz didn't know.

  This had to be asked of the professor herself.

  As it stands, the professor herself had no objes; the dead are very stable emotionally.

  Power struggles within the Abyss, or rather ideological disputes, had always existed. From the first day Li Aoz ehe shelter, disputes over the 'Camity Virus Iion Theory' had never ceased.

  In his previous life, Li Aoz, as a pyer from the Red Arrow Empire, had participated in plex political flicts, so he had some insights into such matters.

  The Abyss was small, but it created myths.

  In his view, three ideological fas had emerged within the Abyss.

  First, the supporters of the 'Camity Virus Iion Theory,' simir to reformists, represented by the professor. They firmly believed that the 'Camity Virus iing humans caused the current chaos' and ducted researd humanitarian aid based on this. Their tral idea was clear, but the theory remained unproven, and their cohesion mainly came from the professor's unique charisma.

  Sed, those skeptical of the Camity Theory but still adhering to humanitarian principles, represented by Nordli Crow, the head hey didn't form a clear anization but were widespread among ordinary Abyss members, easily swayed by other theories.

  Third, represented by Assistant Physi Anna, who had an ambiguous attitude toward the Camity Virus, fog on the survival and growth of the Abyss iernal world, thus the realists.

  Although they had different ideologies, uhe professor's charisma, they could unite and tribute to the Abyss's development.

  But now, with the professor's death, the question of reality versus ideals iably arose.

  Is human life more important, or is humanitarianism a priority? This sounds like a hellish joke wheioning a humanitarian anization.

  The answer is, any anization must es survival first.

  Anna seemed to resped admire the professor, but this didn't e that some of the professor's measures and ideas were uable to realists.

  For example, as a humanitarian aid anization for the external world, their ambiguous retionship with the Four Nations was itself a collisioween humanitarianism and realism.

  For an anization to survive, it needs funding. But why would the profit-driven Four Nations spend money on aiding an anization that helps the external world?

  sidering the previously discovered security guard unit, Nordli's strange rea to the ied ZX-102 isotion ward, and the rumors iernal world that "the Abyss ducts evil and forbidden human experiments."

  "What if the Four Nations fuhe Abyss for research?"

  Li Aoz had a hypothesis, but it couldn't be firmed yet.

  In his past life, because Blue P was destroyed and all historical records were buried, no one tio research this, but Li Aoz thought that if he delved into the Four Nations' e, history might ge a bit.

  National maery isn't easily toppled, but once public trust is destroyed, rebuilding it could take decades. This time is enough to dishearten the popud shake and scare capital.

  And that would be enough.

  ", let's check the gains."

  Before departure, Li Aoz, uhe excuse of going to the restroom, so the logistics department.

  Nomi, still fused and fretting over the bet to bark like a dog, followed him while Li Aoz instructed:

  "Go to the cold ste, turn off the main switch for two mihen turn it ba."

  "What? Are y to mess with me?!"

  "Just do it." Li Aoz patted Nomi's head, dissatisfied: "There's no be in trig you. Besides, have I ever lied to you? You always jump into traps yourself."

  "You!" Nomi stomped her foot in frustration: "Annoying, annoying, annoying! If you dare trick me, I'll smash your head into pulp with my wrench!"

  Li Aoz didn't mind and kicked Nomi's little butt. This girl had a hard mouth but soft hands, a typical bully of the weak.

  He went to the logistics department to get some supplies. With Anna's bag, he smoothly got emergency rations, syic food, and filtered water.

  As for ons, Li Aoz was cautious. Most ons here had been tampered with by the "Biochemist." Who knew if they had "posite spore packs," "sneaky bacteria," or "Fort Detritments"?

  "Mutants" and "Biochemists" were actually peers, both deeply involved iigineering, with the former having a strong idealistipo, while the tter urely materialistic.

  As the saying goes, peers are enemies. "Biochemists" specialize iic attacks, which are particurly harmful to "Mutants" in the early stages.

  Of course, once past the early stages of three mutations, with his rich experience, Li Aoz was fident he could crush any "Biochemist."

  "No ons, no problem. My Omega-level power of gravity means I'm not afraid of anyone except maybe a "Biochemist."

  Omega-level pave Li Aoz fidence. Without ized gear, a high-tier power was the best equipment for a "Mutant."

  The logistics department had been heavily looted by the White Fang gang, leaving it almost barren.

  Amidst the bustling logistics staff, Li Aoz noticed a small figure with distinctive long and short ponytails, dyed pink, wearing an oversized coat.

  Although she acted holy, stantly moving and cheg supplies, Li Aoz noticed that items handled by her were always a bit short.

  Li Aoz folded his arms, waiting for an opportunity.

  Soon, a logistics manager covered his earpiece, listened for a moment, then said:

  "Zessie, there's a problem in the cold ste. Check it out."

  "Okay, that's my area."

  The pink-haired girl, Zessie, nodded fidently, put down the heavy items, ahe logistics department.

  Just outside, she suddenly felt something, looked around, saw nothing unusual, and proceeded to the cold ste.

  "Those thugs better not have messed up the cold ste. I have stuff hidden there..."

  Zessie muttered, starting her iion.

  "Everything's fihe system's okay, just a trip... Strange, how did it trip? Overheat? Shouldn't be... Sabotage?"

  She uzzled wheiced a shadow by her hand, quickly turned, and pulled a gun, firing.

  Click!

  The trigger didn't move. Zessie's heart sank. She looked up at the two figures, f a polite smile:

  "Uh, this is a fake gun, just for show. Gave me a scare... Seriously, don't mind it, haha."