Chapter 239 - 239 Ninety-six

Words : 1404 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

239: Ninety-six. Sanity Value Status 239: Ninety-six. Sanity Value Status The hall was bathed in a desolate light, mingling with the brightness of the overhead lamps. The spacious hall dispelled the oppressiveness that came from being underground as one emerged from the narrow, cramped corridors lined with pipes. The windows on the walls contributed to this effect. At the top of the hall’s walls, there was a row of narrow windows, no wider than a palm, with a railing outside. Light filtered in from beyond the railing, making the windows look like drainage openings by the roadside. Passing calves briefly flickered outside. It was indeed a drainage opening. “If you had paid attention to the seashore a few months ago, you would have noticed that construction was underway for a while in the Snowflake District,” said Reese, as he shifted his gaze from the windows to other parts of the hall. “What happens when it rains?” There was no concept of renovation within the investigators’ division; they didn’t even bother with appearances. The walls were bare with coarse grey cement exposed to the air, one of them even leaving the red bricks within starkly uncovered. The place resembled a genuine pipeline maintenance station. Putting a positive spin on it, one could interpret the simplicity as a minimalist style. To the left, many identical wooden doors were set into the wall, their purpose unclear. To the right was a rest area, where a bar stocked with drinks was positioned in front of about a dozen dining tables, though only three were occupied. Four young people sitting apart sized each other up while simultaneously observing Reese and Tesla, who had just walked in. “This is Belfast,” Tesla said with a smile, removing his top hat that obstructed his view. “Besides, there are drainage holes between the railing and the windows, so don’t worry – we are professional pipeline maintenance workers.” “Those are the newcomers taking part in the assessment. Go over and sit down; I’ll meet with the other supervisors and call you in when we begin the assessment,” Tesla gestured for Reese to find a seat in the bar of the rest area, then turned and walked through one of the many doors on the right side of the hall. “I’ve brought the person.” Hanging his top hat on the coat rack beside the door, Tesla closed the door and walked over to sit at an empty chair at the round table. A few candles burned in the silver candlestick, wafting a faint fragrance. The luxurious room, decorated like a study, had rich velvet carpets that swept across the floor, while the walls were clad in dark oak paneling. The burgundy curtains were drawn back, concealing the windows, which opened to bare walls. If one disregarded the scene outside the door, the room could have been mistaken for a study in a noble’s mansion. Three figures sat on the other sides of the round table: a mature woman in a dark red gown and a black lace hat, a muscular man in dungarees with his muscles taut, and a mysterious figure shrouded in a cloak, his face hidden in the shadows. Among them, Tesla’s attire was seemingly the most normal. “Shall we begin, then?” the mature woman uncapped her lipstick and applied it to her already bright lips. The muscular man rested his palms on his thighs, his voice muffled as he sat in a soft chair that seemed tiny in comparison to his frame, “We can.” All at once, Tesla spoke up, “Wait, shouldn’t such matters be decided by the regional supervisor? What do you think, supervisor?” He looked toward the silent figure in the black robe. “If you hadn’t run out on the bill yesterday, your words might have carried more weight,” came a surprisingly unhoarse, unchilled voice from within the cloak. “Cough cough... Let the assessment begin, starting with the Sanity Value test. Tesla, call him in.” Tesla nodded and rose to approach the door. ... As Tesla left, four pairs of eyes followed Reese as he made his way to the rest area. He ordered a glass of milk at the counter and sat down in the most secluded corner, in silence. “Looks like he’s just like us after all.” “Who brought him in?” “Seems even more silent and aloof than that guy.” “...” A few low conversations began to stir in the rest area. “Should we say hi to him?” “Give it up, he looks even more indifferent than this guy.” “I want a drink too... uh, forget it, can’t drink at a time like this.” “...” Lu Li couldn’t make out their whispered conversation and didn’t care, his gaze fell on the Alliance Personnel who was carrying a milk glass towards him. At that moment, a door in the right section of the hall opened. In the relatively calm hall, even a slight disturbance could attract attention. All eyes turned to look as Tesla stood by the door and said to the rest area, “Lu Li, you can come over now.” Lu Li, who had just taken the milk from the Alliance Personnel, paused. He looked at the outstretched hand that intended to take the glass back, suddenly brought the milk to his lips and drank it in one gulp, handed the glass back to the Alliance Personnel, and stepped towards Tesla. The door closed. The voices of hushed conversation resumed echoing in the empty hall. “I arrived first.” “Maybe the last one to arrive begins the assessment first.” “Or maybe he knows Mr. In Charge. His name is Lu Li, strange name.” “...” ... “She is Rachel, he is Tristan. The city head of Belfast, and that guy who can’t show his face is Dylan, one of the regional heads for the Ailen Peninsula,” Tesla introduced the three to Lu Li. Lu Li’s gaze swept over the three people and finally rested on Rachel, with her bold red lips, and he calmly said, “Lu Li.” Perhaps because there were not a few silent members among the investigators, the three didn’t take much notice of Lu Li’s reticence. “Why are you looking at me?” Rachel looked back at Lu Li with interest, her eyes narrow behind her veil, with a teardrop mole beneath the corner of her eye. “Looking at others would seem strange.” Lu Li replied. Tesla chuckled and moved next to Tristan, saying, “It seems I don’t need to remind you to relax.” At this point, the robed man Dylan spoke, “Because you have already undergone two tests before this, we will not ask you psychological-related questions this time.” His palm, wrapped in bandages, took out a nearly fifty-centimeter-long pitch-black branch with offshoots. “Then, please touch the manifestation of the Sanity Value on the branch of the Soul Tree.” Lu Li raised his hand and reached for the branch on the table, touching it with the tip of his finger. The illusion of a huge banyan tree appeared once more, more intense and immersive than before. Because Lu Li noticed that this time he was even closer to the giant tree. The massive canopy covered the sky, like an umbrella hiding the gloomy sky. Indistinctly, an indescribable consciousness seeped out from the banyan tree, enveloping Lu Li, calling his name. In a daze, Lu Li felt as if he had become the banyan tree; his body began to stiffen, and a black, bark-like keratin appeared on the outer layer of his skin... Crack— The sting on the back of his hand woke Lu Li. He came back to his senses as Tesla moved his cane away, sternly cautioning, “Don’t get too immersed in the illusion. Your abnormal perception level is very high, which makes you more susceptible to assimilation.” Lu Li, having regained his senses, withdrew his hand, “What is assimilation?” “It means you’re more sensitive to them, and they’re more sensitive to you. Think of it like a weakened version of the True Period of Sanity Value at the third stage,” Bite replied to Lu Li before Tesla could. Tesla and the other two were watching the tabletop as the pitch-black branch had now manifested the results of Lu Li’s third test.

Chapter 239 - 239 Ninety-six

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