CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: CREATION

"Twenty meters?!" A sheriff who was relatively close exclaimed, immediately pulling out his gun.

"At this distance... I should be able to find a way to pinpoint it precisely..." The researcher holding the device walked in a small circle at the spot, and as he moved, the device kept emitting a "beep beep" sound... Finally, the researcher settled on a direction and started walking forward step by step.

The frequency of the beeping increased continuously, indicating that his chosen direction was correct... The distance between the device and the spectral object kept shortening.

Behind the researcher, a group of fully armed sheriffs stood ready, each one trying their best to suppress their breath and heartbeat. The scene was so quiet that only the beeping of the device and the sound of the researcher’s boots stepping on the ground were heard.

The beeping became more and more rapid, while the researcher’s steps grew slower and slower...

Finally, he stopped in front of a site filled with shattered remains of a spectral object.

A fifteen-meter-long alien blade stood vertically stabbing into the ground, its end reaching towards the sky.

The blade of this alien knife was covered in peculiar patterns— it wasn’t forged or cast from molten metal, but formed by countless steel bars twisting together and compressed by an unimaginable force.

The compression was so intense that even the atoms between the steel bars permeated and adhered tightly to each other.

"You’re not going to tell me... that the spectral object you detected is this thing, right?" Sun Hang asked from behind the researcher, his expression somewhat strange.

It couldn’t possibly be that "food scraps" remain on the "cutlery," could it? However, the other party had repeatedly emphasized that the spectral object had been completely eliminated, so even if there were "food scraps," they wouldn’t trigger the detection device.

The researcher didn’t reply; he merely pulled a cable with a terminal electrode from the device and carefully attached the electrode to the alien blade.

After a dozen seconds, he turned around and nodded to Sun Hang.

Sun Hang immediately fell into deep thought.

This... This isn’t right, is it?

This thing wasn’t just skillfully crafted by my "ability," was it? How did it become a spectral object?

This machine... Could it really be malfunctioning?

"Preliminary determination, it should be a ’self-type·artifact-type’ spectral object," the researcher stated, "but specific information needs to be brought back to the Institute for thorough investigation in order to be confirmed."

"How did this spectral object appear here?" Yang Lian approached the alien blade and asked Sun Hang, "Did you see how it came about?"

Not only did I see it... This thing was made by me... Sun Hang thought to himself but didn’t say it out loud— Mysterious Creature Hunters are not under the jurisdiction of the Investigation Bureau. Given their current identities and status, Yang Lian didn’t have the right to demand Sun Hang to answer his questions.

Talking too much leads to mistakes, Sun Hang decided to maintain silence for the time being.

If this alien blade truly is an artifact-type spectral object... does that mean I possess the ability to "create spectral objects"?

The ability "to create" already sounds quite impressive, and the ability to "create spectral objects"... this isn’t just a question of impressiveness.

Sun Hang recalled the scene of "creating" this alien blade...

At that time, he only thought of making handy, effective weapons to cause damage to the spectral object. He didn’t even deliberate on the weapon’s material and form; those steel bars automatically detached from the broken concrete blocks, collapsed walls, and even cement-filled foundations, then levitated into the air and were "die-cast" into this alien blade.

It could be a knife, a sword, a spear, or something else.

To Sun Hang, its definition was purely "weapon."

Sun Hang suddenly remembered a phrase he’d seen or heard somewhere—

"Only a spectral object can eliminate a spectral object."

This phrase originally referred to the fact that the Mysterious Creature Hunters, who deal with spectral objects, are themselves infected by the Deceit Virus. The most significant difference between them and spectral objects is that the hunters possess human self-awareness.

In essence, hunters can also be considered a type of spectral object— "humanoid spectral objects."

Could it be that subconsciously influenced by this phrase, I thought the weapon to eradicate the spectral object had to be an "artifact-type spectral object," which led me to create this thing?

Sun Hang felt his conjecture was outrageous and absurd... but given the current situation, this conjecture seemed to be... "the most reasonable."

Sun Hang ignored Yang Lian, silently moved to the side, took out his phone, and sent a text message to Yang Qi.

"Do Mysterious Creature Hunters use artifact-type spectral objects as weapons?"

Within seconds, Yang Qi replied.

"Of course, they do... Not only do they have them, but there are many. However, these artifact-type spectral objects, as ’special equipment,’ are strictly stored away when not in use. In the Mysterious Creature Research Institute in Tianfu City, there are several such spectral objects sealed. By the way, why do you ask?"

"What are the conditions for generating artifact-type spectral objects?" Sun Hang inquired again.

"This is difficult to define... due to the variety and ’infection’ methods of spectral objects, it’s challenging to summarize in one sentence." Yang Qi wrote in the message, "There are some naturally born artifact-type spectral objects, as well as ordinary artifacts that transform into artifact-type spectral objects after being spectralized. For example, if someone uses a knife to kill a person infected by the Deceit Virus, the knife smattered with the infected person’s blood may have a chance to become an artifact-type spectral object."

Before Sun Hang could edit his next message, Yang Qi sent another one.

"Of course, this likelihood is very, very low, even lower than hitting the jackpot lottery. Moreover, artifact-type spectral objects generated this way don’t actually possess any threat... Their abilities merely add some buffs to the holder at most. An artifact-type spectral object I researched previously was a broken hunter knife; just grasping the handle would enhance the holder’s physical qualities slightly. But the accompanying side effect was turning the holder extremely bloodthirsty, and if wielded for too long, might drive the holder entirely insane, causing the holder to attack every visible person randomly."

"There are also some very powerful artifact-type spectral objects that I haven’t seen personally but have understood through data. In the Mysterious Creature Research Institute in Chang’an, there’s a water clock sealed that reportedly can briefly suspend time... Are you asking me these things because you’re planning to apply for an artifact-type spectral object as a weapon?"