AMRWFA -Chapter 428 The Strange Anomaly

Unexpectedly, this anomaly—so faint and mist-like that its true form couldn’t even be seen—actually nodded.

“Oh, you really know? I mean, the person I’m looking for is either living with an anomaly or being imprisoned by one. They haven’t been eaten,” Ruan Yaoyao said firmly. “Within these few days—no more than a week.”

The faint mist-like anomaly nodded again.

“You can’t speak?”

It nodded.

“Alright then. Lead the way.”

Ruan Yaoyao glanced at Hong Pengyi, knowing she couldn’t leave him behind this time. She just wasn’t sure that when they ran into trouble later, she’d be able to protect him.

The Soul-Pinning Gun couldn’t be given to him, but she could still stick him with “Exorcism Talismans.” She handed him several more.

Hong Pengyi looked at her. Except for the one already stuck on his back, he stuffed the rest into his pocket.

Ruan Yaoyao’s mouth twitched. She almost reminded him it would be safer to hold them in his hand—but seeing his expressionless little face, she gave up.

【This kind of deadpan kid is way too hard to deal with.】

She deliberately complained in her mind, then grabbed his hand and let the mist-like anomaly lead the way.

Originally, her plan was: if she couldn’t find the target, she would simply “collect” all the anomalies in this world.

She didn’t believe it—if she cleared area after area, she still couldn’t find the one that had taken her daughter.

But now that there was a guide, she wouldn’t need such large-scale action and could find her daughter sooner. That made things easier.

At night, the faint mist-like anomaly blended easily into the darkness, almost impossible to notice.

Even Ruan Yaoyao missed it sometimes.

Silently, she thought:

【No wonder I missed so many anomalies I collected—it’s just too good at hiding. Anyone would overlook it.】

Low rank, good at blending into the environment, no humanoid or monster form—just a silent mass of black mist standing unnoticed in corners. Who would pay attention?

Not only did it blend in, it also liked staying in blind spots.

If it hadn’t been guiding them, it would have already run away.

Hong Pengyi: “…”

Is it possible… that this is my shadow?

As for why it could communicate with anomalies, even Hong Pengyi didn’t know. When he noticed it, it had already started communicating.

He was used to being called a “psycho” or “weird kid.” To avoid being seen as abnormal, he had long trained himself to ignore his shadow.

Until…

He met Ruan Yaoyao.

She exposed the “truth”—that even if he pretended to be normal, he would still end up dying at the hands of his parents.

He fell into despair.

Then he was taken away.

He watched coldly, observing what they wanted.

He didn’t believe in “good people” who would save someone without any purpose.

So he observed.

And discovered Ruan Yaoyao behind Jiang Yangran—a so-called “wild Taoist” woman full of secrets.

She was looking for someone.

She was slaughtering members of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau.

She was mass-exterminating anomalies.

She didn’t look normal either.

Everyone else had adapted to the darkness of this world, but she was like a sun—carrying hope and firmly believing this world still had salvation.

Heh.

Hope in this world?

Ridiculous.

Was the person she wanted to save also some pitiful soul waiting to be rescued?

For the first time in years, Hong Pengyi used his shadow to probe the anomaly world.

Unexpectedly, he got a result: the Anomaly King had captured a woman from somewhere and forbade anyone from harming her.

They couldn’t harm her anyway—she had protective artifacts.

Some anomalies suspected she might be the “saint” of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau.

They wanted to corrupt her and turn her into one of them, but the Anomaly King refused.

And since the Anomaly King refused, no one could do anything about it.

Because they couldn’t beat him.

Hong Pengyi thought: if they can’t beat the Anomaly King… what about her? Can she beat him?

Ruan Yaoyao glanced at her identity card and realized the shadow anomaly was leading them exactly where she had planned to go—the Red Forbidden Zone, taboo-level danger.

Why had she put it last?

Because she was afraid she might not be able to win.

Even though she was confident, she had never fought something like the Anomaly King before. How would she know whether she could win?

What if she couldn’t?

Better to avoid trouble if possible.

She looked at the shadow anomaly and asked:

“Hold on… this direction… isn’t it the Anomaly King’s territory? Are you sure she’s there?”

The shadow anomaly stopped and nodded.

【Why do I feel like someone is trying to harm me?】

【What a coincidence… she just happens to be in the Anomaly King’s territory?】

Hearing her thoughts, Hong Pengyi also wanted to know: when her own life was at risk, would she still go to save someone?

How far would her kindness go?

Ruan Yaoyao sighed in her mind:

【Sigh… looks like someone really is trying to set me up.】

【What a pity… I thought I could report this to the government.】

Could it be that there really are people born evil in this world?

At the same time, she felt a bit regretful. Hong Pengyi seemed quite intelligent; in the original storyline, he had almost become a major Anomaly BOSS.

If such a person could be “handed over,” he would be quite a useful asset.

Hong Pengyi: ????

She’s insane.

She killed members of the Anomaly Bureau herself and still talks about “handing him over”?

Does she think the Bureau can’t investigate her?

He even felt an urge to report her—just to see if she would still be so confident when hunted.

But in the end, he gave up. After all, his current “peaceful life” was given by her.

Until he found a better option, he didn’t want her to “go offline” too soon.

【Feels cold on my back.】

【Sigh…】

【I’m so pitiful. Even my kindness is being betrayed.】

Ruan Yaoyao kept muttering in her mind as they finally arrived at the Anomaly King’s territory.

A barren mountain range. No signs of human life.

Truly fitting for the Anomaly King’s domain. If it were near a city, the whole place would have already descended into chaos. The Anomaly Suppression Bureau probably placed it here deliberately so it wouldn’t be disturbed and could grow.

At this point, the shadow anomaly refused to go further, clearly frightened.

Ruan Yaoyao didn’t force it. In front of Hong Pengyi, she let the little “companion” go.

If she was going to capture it, she’d do it away from him.

Hong Pengyi stared at her.

Ruan Yaoyao: …

Wait—she was only thinking it. He couldn’t have noticed that, right?

She quickly added another mental “thought” to cover it:

【This place feels so creepy… I’m scared.】

【Maybe I should go back.】

【This doesn’t seem like a place normal people should be.】

【What if I can’t beat it?】

【And maybe she’s not even here.】

…

Hong Pengyi looked away.

Ruan Yaoyao sighed in relief.

This annoying kid… why is he putting so much pressure on people?

Too hard to deal with.

He absolutely must be “handed over.”

Not a moment longer can be kept.