Chapter 52: Crisis Response Center

When the steam train, laden with the marks of an era, finally rolled into King's Cross Station after a day of clanks and roars, Lin Jie felt as if he had stepped into another lifetime.Only a week earlier he had been a rookie hunter full of curiosity and uncertainty about the Scottish Highlands, yet now he had personally witnessed an ancient UMA with godlike power and carried back two relics capable of rocking the Underground City.

One was the blue scale personally gifted by the Loch Ness Guardian Deity, and the other was the cult stone slab that foretold the descent of the Paris Disaster Star, radiating an ominous aura.

After settling the newly acquainted and much-respected scholar Alistair, Lin Jie and William hurried through the British Museum’s secret passageway and returned to the I.A.R.C. London branch.

When the two of them, dusty and travel-worn, stepped back onto the main thoroughfare of the Underground City, several investigators looked over with curious and expectant expressions.

Clearly the rumor that the genius craftsman Arthur Conan had plunged into a frenzy of “technological innovation” inspired by a newcomer had become a hot topic during their absence.

What they were about to submit would add an even heavier, more crisis-laden footnote to that conversation.

They did not go to the mission settlement office but went straight to the Administrative District’s “Intelligence Assessment and Crisis Response Center,” a department of higher rank and much tighter security.

They were not greeted by an ordinary clerk but by a middle-aged man wearing a silver association badge on his chest, roughly in his forties, with a stern expression and sharp eyes.

His nameplate clearly identified him as — Level Two Intelligence Analyst Phillips.

“Welcome back, Sergeant William, and… Mr. Lin. Although this is our first meeting, your name has been appearing with increasing frequency in the headquarters’ internal briefings.”

Analyst Phillips’ tone was flat yet carried the pressure of authority;the type of elite intelligence officer who trusts data and reports above all and regards others with baseline skepticism.

“Analyst Phillips, we have an urgent situation to report.” William spoke in his usual brisk, military manner, then naturally handed the lead to Lin Jie.

Lin Jie nodded. This briefing would test his reasoning and logic more than any previous battle.

He placed the carefully organized investigation report he had been polishing on the way, along with the “Disaster Star Slab,” still tightly wrapped in oiled cloth, on Phillips’ large desk.

“Our conclusions regarding assignment S-1888-C004 are,” Lin Jie’s voice was clear and steady, and he began with a startling conclusion, “there is indeed a UMA in the Loch Ness area, but its nature may differ significantly from the early records in the Association’s files.”

“It is not an aggressive ‘monster’ but an elemental lifeform of a very high power tier whose nature is gentle.”

“We recommend reclassifying its threat level from Alert-class to Unknown, and upgrading the response strategy from ‘observe and study’ to the highest level of ‘protect and isolate.’”

“In addition, we specifically brought in an expert on the Loch Ness Monster;you may consult him for detailed information.”

A faint surprise flickered across Phillips’ usually impassive face.

For a newcomer to challenge the Association’s rating standards was bold, even reckless.

Before he could ask a question, Lin Jie continued with a tightly reasoned tone to present their second, even more shocking discovery.

“During the investigation we encountered armed interference from a third-party force. Based on evidence seized and interrogations of survivors, we have confirmed the organization is a mystical cult called the Eternal Serpent.”

“The Eternal Serpent!” At that name from Lin Jie’s mouth Analyst Phillips suddenly leaned forward!

His sharp eyes fixed on Lin Jie as if trying to see through him!

He fully understood the madness and danger that name represented!

“The objective of their operation was to capture alive that elemental creature from Loch Ness and harvest its blood to assist a wicked plan they call the Ancestral Regression Ritual.”

Lin Jie slowly peeled back the layers of oiled cloth wrapped around the slab, “And the final location and timing of that ritual may be recorded on this ‘relic’ we seized from the leader of their squad.”

When the slab engraved with the “Paris Disaster Star Descent Chart” lay before Phillips, the seasoned Level Two intelligence analyst’s breath paused for a moment.

He stepped quickly forward, put on a pair of observation glasses whose lenses shimmered like mercury, and leaned in cautiously toward the slab.

“Old Norseti script linears… mixed with ancient Babylonian astronomical sigils… this… this cannot be…” A cold sweat formed on Phillips’ forehead, “This is the ‘Astrological Oracle Slab’ that only mentor-level members of the Eternal Serpent cult are permitted to possess!”

You… you actually seized this level of item from a field squad leader?

“Perhaps that mentor had some extraordinary connection with him,” Lin Jie answered calmly.

Phillips could no longer maintain his usual composed authority.

He excitedly pressed an emergency communication button on the desk and said into the device in a hurried tone, “Immediately connect security line five and forward to the Geneva Headquarters’ Department of Mysticism and Ancient Languages! I have high-priority encrypted intelligence to report! Repeat, high priority!”

The Intelligence Assessment Center instantly shifted into a high-speed, tense mode because of that small slab.

Several other analysts, also wearing silver badges, rushed over. They handled the slab like a live explosive, carefully placing it into a special container composed of crystal and lead blocks designed to block its spiritual contamination.

Then they sent it deeper underground through an “aether transmission conduit” similar to a modern pneumatic tube system.

Lin Jie and William were shown to a comfortable lounge to wait.

About two hours later Phillips reappeared before them.

His face remained calm, but the surprise in his eyes was still hard to hide.

“Please sit.” His tone was considerably more polite than before, and he personally poured red tea for them.

“The headquarters’ preliminary assessment results are in.” Phillips’ voice grew grave, “First, headquarters gives very high marks for your completion of the mission.”

Not only did you successfully protect a friendly UMA of significant research value that was not thoroughly recorded in our files, but more importantly, the intelligence you brought back revealed the Eternal Serpent cult’s core conspiracy on the European continent.

Your actions may have prevented a serious catastrophe affecting millions.

He looked at Lin Jie with a complex expression.

“Mr. Lin, your evaluation report on the Loch Ness UMA has been accepted by headquarters. The linguistics department’s experts also confirmed that the correlation you proposed between ancient Celtic legends and the demonization by Christianity is highly credible.”

“Effective immediately, all missions concerning the Loch Ness area are temporarily frozen.”

“Until biologists and mysticism experts sent by headquarters complete a harmlessness assessment of that UMA, no investigator may for any reason disturb the ‘Guardian’ of the lake.”

This was the highest directive co-signed by three elder masters.

A sense of satisfaction swelled in Lin Jie’s chest;with his intelligence and effort he had secured for that powerful being, which had helped him, a coveted human-world peace.

“As for this slab…” Phillips’ expression turned grave, “the information it contains is far more complex and dangerous than we imagined.”

Headquarters has formed a top-level “Paris Emergency Task Force,” to be personally led by an elder master to respond to the coming crisis.

He looked at Lin Jie with an apologetic yet expectant gaze.

“Mr. Lin, Sergeant William, since you were the first contacts in this incident and understand the Eternal Serpent’s modus operandi better than most, headquarters… formally invites you to join the Paris Emergency Task Force as the task force’s ‘frontline intelligence advisors’ for the United Kingdom region.”

“Of course, this is only an invitation and will not be enforced.”

“I accept.” Lin Jie and William exchanged a look. After a confirming nod from his companion, he answered without hesitation.