Chapter 137: The Matter is Resolved

Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Matter is Resolved

In response to Philip Jensen’s inquiry, Seraphina Sullivan immediately put on the performance of a lifetime.

First, a flicker of panic and helplessness appeared in her eyes as she unconsciously wrung her hands. Then, her expression shifted to one of troubled distress, a mixture of worry and resignation.

"Um... Officer, actually... I do know."

Her voice lowered slightly, with a subtle tremor. "It... it was shortly after the rain started. Sean... he... he became a little strange. It was like something about him changed. He got incredibly strong, and his reflexes became scarily fast. Later, when people online started talking about ’Players’ appearing, I slowly started to put the pieces together..."

She looked up, her eyes filled with a fierce protectiveness for her "boyfriend." "But he’s really not a bad person! His personality just became a little more withdrawn. He’s normally so timid he wouldn’t even kill a chicken, really! If Mr. Brooks next door hadn’t been so badly hurt, on the verge of death, and if Miss Webb hadn’t been crying so miserably, he never would have intervened, much less revealed who he is. He’s always been terrified of being arrested..."

Philip Jensen, who was taking notes, paused, his pen stopping mid-stroke.

Especially when Seraphina Sullivan said, "He wouldn’t even kill a chicken" and "He’s really not a bad person" in that frightened yet utterly sincere tone, the corner of Philip Jensen’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

He couldn’t help but glance over at the "Sean Chandler" not far away, the one who had just impassively snapped the wanted criminal’s neck.

He was ranting internally, ’...Wouldn’t kill a chicken? Not a bad person? Miss Sullivan, isn’t your girlfriend-filter a little ridiculous?!’

Although he knew Hunter Lowe deserved to die and that Sean Chandler had done a public service by eliminating him, that clean, ruthless efficiency had absolutely nothing to do with descriptions like "wouldn’t kill a chicken" or "not a bad person."

Philip Jensen took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his professional expression. In his mind, however, he had already slapped a "hopelessly in love" label on Seraphina Sullivan—someone who saw her boyfriend through an incredibly thick filter and possibly didn’t know him at all.

"Alright, Miss Sullivan, we have a general understanding of your situation now. Thank you for your cooperation." Philip Jensen closed his notebook, deciding to end this highly "informative" interview.

Seraphina Sullivan took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart, which was racing from the official questioning.

She knew this performance had only gotten her a temporary pass.

Meanwhile, Sean Chandler—with the immense power he had displayed and his... well, his slightly savage methods—had officially appeared on the radar of Vorlag City’s authorities. He was now marked as a "powerful Player" who needed to be closely monitored and recruited.

The Player attack in their residential complex, along with Sean Chandler’s forceful intervention and Justin Brooks’s testimony, all drew the attention of higher-ups.

This undoubtedly accelerated the government’s process for managing and registering Players.

Thanks to the "Child of Weather" operating at full capacity, the torrential rains across Arkadia were finally brought under effective control, and the floodwaters in various regions began to steadily recede.

But the scars left by the disaster were far from healed.

The authorities seized this opportunity to vigorously promote the Player registration system. The goal was to determine the number of Players in the country and establish files on them. On one hand, it was to consolidate power to face future crises; on the other, it was to prevent the emergence of more extremists like Hunter Lowe, who used their newfound Power to harm society, and to nip such dangers in the bud.

Of course, there were bound to be many cautious Players like Seraphina Sullivan, who preferred to hide themselves and would choose to wait and see or remain completely concealed.

As long as the authorities hadn’t developed some black-box technology to accurately detect a Player’s identity, Seraphina Sullivan felt she could remain hidden for a while longer.

However, the post-disaster reconstruction from the torrential rains and floods had only just begun.

The news that "Azure Star has entered an apocalyptic era" was no longer a secret, and panic was spreading among the populace.

The state machinery began operating at full steam, initiating plans to build more standardized and heavily fortified safe zones and large-scale Shelters across the country, attempting to establish order and security in this new era.

Thanks to the strong guarantees and testimony from Justin Brooks, an official Player, Sean Chandler’s registration process went smoothly. He even received a tactful invitation from the authorities.

Sean Chandler, however, did not accept.

Seraphina Sullivan and Sean Chandler walked home, side by side.

Since becoming a Player, Seraphina Sullivan had spent most of her time holed up at home or struggling to survive in dungeons, so it had been a long time since she’d had a good look at the streets outside.

Now, her view was filled with the thick sludge, scattered trash, and water-damaged furniture left behind by the receding flood. The air was thick with an indescribable stench of rot and decay.

Looking at the devastation, Seraphina Sullivan couldn’t help but sigh. "Sigh... I hope the authorities can build the planned safe zones quickly and are capable of maintaining order within them. Otherwise, without order and hope, the chaos of human nature will surely erupt on a massive scale."

She knew very well that the incident with Hunter Lowe would not be the last of its kind.

Those who had acquired Extraordinary Power but harbored ill intentions were surely, slowly beginning to multiply.

It was exactly as Seraphina Sullivan had predicted.

The loosening of order and the appearance of Extraordinary Power were giving rise to all sorts of people and ambitions.

Not all Players were content to hide or submit to control. Some had begun to ponder how to use this sudden Power to seize authority, wealth, or achieve their own twisted "great cause."

...

In a city neighboring Vorlag City, the floodwaters had receded, but the gloomy sewer system remained a mess.

Countless rats scurried madly through the murky sewage and garbage, gnawing on anything edible.

Among this swarm of rats, a mutant rat king, one particularly enormous and nearly the size of a small lamb, stood out.

Its scarlet eyes glinted with a cold, sharp light that did not belong to a mere beast, as if it were contemplating something, directing the swarm in some unknown operation.

...

Seraphina Sullivan and Sean Chandler returned to the base of their apartment building, looking somewhat disheveled.

The streets outside were a muddy mess. With every deep and shallow step, their pant legs and shoes became caked in foul-smelling sludge.

As soon as they entered the residential complex, they saw many residents spontaneously cleaning up the wreckage from the fight and the trash left by the flood. The atmosphere was oppressive and busy.

All Seraphina Sullivan wanted was to hurry home, get cleaned up, and study the strange necklace Sean Chandler had brought back.

However, just as she set foot on the steps leading to their building’s entrance, an old, scrawny woman with graying hair suddenly rushed out from the side. Tears and snot streamed down her face, and her eyes were filled with a crazed resentment!

Her target was clear. She made a beeline for Sean Chandler and, without any warning, raised her hand and slapped him across the face with all her might!

CRACK!

The crisp sound of the slap was exceptionally piercing in the relatively quiet courtyard, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

Seraphina Sullivan: "???"

She was completely dumbfounded.