Chapter 187: “…Must Go to the Sea.”

Chapter 187 "...Must go to the sea."

That evening, the test results of the capsule came out.

The substance inside the capsule shell was water with trace dissolved salts—commonly known as seawater—containing no other special components.

Through the observation of the All-Seeing Eye, the water only contained an extremely faint reaction of "Ocean" domain power—but this minimal level of energy was barely higher than that of natural seawater, with limited potential to cause contamination in humans.

Yet, according to prior investigations, this capsule had not only caused the first victim's body to mutate horrifically, but its byproduct oily residue had also disrupted the mind of Ability User Meng Siyou...

By all accounts, it didn’t seem as harmless as the test results suggested.

Meng Siyou pondered for a moment over the system mission panel, then tentatively input the information:

「The main component of the capsule is seawater imbued with "Ocean" domain power」—Error.

Showing no reaction, Meng Siyou thought for a while before rewriting:

「The main component of the capsule, when exposed to air, dissolves into seawater imbued with "Ocean" domain power.」—Correct.

The progress bar for Mission 1 moved by 10%.

"Hmm, I still need to determine what the substance inside the capsule was before dissolving," Meng Siyou muttered, eyeing the progress bar. "Perhaps I also need to specify the exact conditions under which the substance causes human mutation... Why was the resident of Room 602 the first to be affected?"

With this question in mind, Meng Siyou sent subordinates to retrieve surveillance footage near the apartment complex, identifying the woman who had triggered the mission earlier that afternoon. He then texted her.

"Ms. Xu, hello! This is Wan Neng Chao Xi Pharmaceuticals' official distributor in China. Thank you for supporting our product! May we confirm whether the medication is working properly for you?"

Ms. Xu on the other end seemed entirely unsuspicious and immediately praised the effects of the Universal Capsule enthusiastically: "Ever since taking the pills, I haven’t had any trouble sleeping! My hair loss has improved too..."

"Your encouragement is our motivation to develop new products [heart]," Meng Siyou replied in a customer-service voice. "Would you mind sparing a few minutes to share your experience and feedback after taking the medication? A more detailed survey will help us with future product development."

Ms. Xu was clearly a loyal supporter of the Universal Capsule and agreed without hesitation.

Meng Siyou asked a few standard questions—such as whether she had experienced allergic reactions or a racing heart—before finally posing the question he truly wanted answered:

"Lastly, have you experienced symptoms like increased thirst or dry skin?"

Holding his breath, Meng Siyou stared at his phone screen until her reply popped up:

"Thirst? No, I drink water as normally as before."

...So not all users felt "thirsty" or an extreme need for water?

In fact, according to Ms. Xu’s account, her health had actually improved since taking the capsules...

Meng Siyou felt a flicker of disappointment but politely concluded: "We’ve noted your feedback. Thank you for your cooperation [flower]. Wishing you a pleasant life."

After learning of the Universal Capsule’s existence, the Anomalous Affairs Bureau immediately mobilized members from the "Secrets" and "Fate" domains, swiftly compiling a list of users across China. Pages of personal data piled up like snowdrifts, covering the entire room in white.

An Ability User with digital abilities then simultaneously contacted multiple users, mimicking Meng Siyou’s approach under the guise of a "follow-up survey."

With enough data, Meng Siyou soon noticed a strange trend—

Most female users reported no unusual thirst or dehydration, while many male users admitted to drinking more water than usual... with obese individuals exhibiting particularly severe symptoms.

One overweight man, alarmed by the "customer service" inquiries, rapid-fired panicked questions:

"I didn’t realize it until you asked—is there something wrong with your pills? Why have I been so thirsty lately? And I barely sweat now—it’s suffocating!"

"I knew I shouldn’t have trusted some ‘wonder drug’—all a scam! Looking back, I must’ve been out of my mind to believe it and not suspect the pills!"

The "customer service" agent apologized helplessly, offering a scripted response: 【Dear customer, we sincerely apologize. Upon review, we’ve identified issues with this batch of medication.】

"Please provide your purchase number and shipping address. We will arrange a medication recall and offer generous compensation [fist bump]."

Under the Anomalous Affairs Bureau’s coordination, regional branches had users within their jurisdictions brought to hospitals for comprehensive exams—yet the results showed they were all healthy. Unnaturally healthy, in fact, with even previously incurable chronic conditions miraculously resolved.

For now, with official intervention, the situation appeared stabilized.

But all knowledgeable agents knew the crisis was far from resolved—merely at a stalemate.

As long as the countdown for the reality anomaly persisted, the system’s warnings loomed like a guillotine over the world, the threat silently festering...

After a day of nonstop work, night had fallen.

Meng Siyou stepped out of the Anomalous Affairs Bureau, a cool breeze against his face—yet it did nothing to dispel the unease haunting him.

"Women and men, normal-weight and obese users... What fundamental difference separates them?"

He couldn’t figure it out.

Divine beings wouldn’t care about human gender or body type—except perhaps those of the Life Domain, which prized reproduction.

Thus, the variation in symptoms must point to something deeper...

Lost in thought, Meng Siyou wandered the streets until he found himself back at the apartment near A University.

Gazing at the peaceful residential area, he sighed heavily, questioning how long this illusion of safety could last.

Just as he turned to leave, Wu Suer spoke abruptly, certain: "Stay. Wait ten more minutes."

"?"

Confused but obedient, Meng Siyou waited under a streetlight.

The minute hand of his watch clicked forward, its quiet clicks in the night evoking the turning of some vast, invisible gear of fate.

True to the prophet’s words, ten minutes later, a familiar woman appeared in Meng Siyou’s field of vision.

Ms. Xu, now even healthier-looking than before, pulled a heavy suitcase behind her, her eyes alive with energy as she strode forward.

Spotting Meng Siyou, she looked surprised. "What a coincidence, seeing you again."

Meng Siyou suspected she really meant "You again?" but greeted her cheerfully before eyeing her suitcase. "Going on a trip?"

"Yes," she replied, tucking loose hair behind her ear with a beaming smile, her eyes shining with desire. "I’m going to... the sea."

Her voice slowed on the last word, as if lingering on the word lovingly.

...Something was off.

Meng Siyou became suspicious. It was early spring—warmer, but hardly time for beach trips.

"Why the sudden urge to visit the coast?"

The woman hesitated at the question.

Her eyes glazed over, as if she had never considered the question before. She looked like a glitching NPC stuck in a logic loop, freezing up for an awkwardly long time before answering incoherently:

"I... I don't know..."

"I want to go... because... I must go to the sea."

"...Yes, I must go to the sea."

After a dazed moment, the woman suddenly snapped back to reality, glanced at her watch, and let out a panicked yelp, "I'm going to miss my train!"

Without another thought, she yanked her luggage and hurried away.

Leaving Meng Siyou rooted to the spot.

Under the dim yellow glow of the streetlight, a cool breeze brushed past, plastering his shirt to his sweat-slicked back. Only then did he realize he was drenched in cold sweat.

Biologically speaking, human thoughts, emotions, and preferences are actually the result of complex interactions among gut bacteria, cells, organs, and other intricate structures.

For example, when someone gets a sudden hankering for seaweed for a period of time, it’s likely due to a deficiency in certain trace elements within their gut flora, triggering corresponding physiological changes. These changes eventually transmit to the brain, tricking the brain into thinking "I should crave seaweed."

Viewed this way, the woman’s weird fixation with going to the sea...

—Was this truly her own desire?

Or was something hidden within her body, compelling these thoughts and actions?

Meng Siyou had a chilling realization: he had unconsciously been operating under a false assumption.

He had mistakenly believed that, apart from the resident of Room 602 and those exhibiting thirst symptoms, those who took the pills had not shown outward changes yet.

But in reality, every pill-taker had started transforming—in ways obvious or hidden—the moment they swallowed the capsule.

However, some unseen mechanism "sorted" the specific symptoms of these individuals... It wasn’t the condition for mutation, but rather the condition that determined the direction of mutation.

Meng Siyou's blood ran cold as he realized something, and with a grim expression, he opened his phone, logged into a social media app, and punched in "sea."

The moment he tapped search, a deluge of posts exploded across his screen, all published within the past week. The same eerie phrases seared into his retinas:

"The weather’s been great lately—time for a beach trip~"

"Never cared for the ocean before, but suddenly I want to see it. Any travel tips?"

"Why am I suddenly obsessed with the ocean?! First day embracing the ocean!"

"..."

In the darkness, the cold glow of the phone screen illuminated these posts like glowing windows, showing all sorts of people.

They came from different regions, with distinct appearances and temperaments—some young and stylish urbanites, others mature and composed middle-aged individuals. Yet deep in their eyes, staring beyond the screen, blazed with identical manic intensity.

Their lips moved as if they were fat, squirming, skinless fish, all ultimately enchanted, chanting the same sacred destination.

—The sea.