On a street in Cuvatoan, Raines and Adjutant Buddy parked their van on the side of the road and walked into a residential area. The place is full of small three-story buildings, white and yellow, that look exactly the same. Raines and Buddy searched for a long time before discovering that the building they were looking for was not far from where they had first dropped off.

"This is it, Captain."

Buddy looked at the messages on his phone repeatedly, pointed to the building in front of him, and said to Raines. Raines nodded, and walked into the building with Buddy. The two knocked on the door of a house on the first floor, and the man who opened the door saw that it was Raines and Buddy, and nodded knowingly.

"This way."

Closing the door, the man led the two to the bedroom. There is only one wardrobe here, and when you open the wardrobe door, there is a hidden door inside. Behind this door is a road that connects to the basement. Raines and Buddy walk down the narrow stairwell to the basement – or Baird's secret lab.

The basement is quite spacious, with a dozen people and various machines lining the walls, with an aisle in between. Baird was talking to a female researcher, Connor, who was also the head of the lab, when he saw Raines appear.

"It's coming, isn't it hard to find?"

"yes, I've turned," Reigns said a little grumbling, "but it's hidden enough." ”

"Hehe, safety must come first in everything."

Raines looked at the machines in the room, in addition to the computers that process the data, there are also some simulators that simulate the changes in the shape of the EXP. The research group in this laboratory belongs directly to Baird, and the location of the laboratory is known only to Baird and the top leader of the Black Force, Dr. Black, except for the personnel involved. Raines only found out about this place after receiving the order.

He glanced at Connor beside Baird, a weak woman with large glasses, standing straight beside Baird. Raines could tell she was tired and struggling.

"These people have been here for a long time?"

"I only arrived yesterday, Connor, they've been busy for two months, and as for this place, it's been almost half a year since it was built."

"Just to find Marthoun's box?"

"At the same time, it is also to analyze the method of opening the box."

Baird said, glancing at the display of an analog machine behind him, the letters and numbers on which Raines didn't understand at all. But he had heard of the fact that it required a special method to open the box.

"Forget it, I'll leave this side to you. It's good to put in the work, but it's also important to be mindful of the changes around you. ”

Baird heard Rains say, "So, what's happened around me lately?" ”

"When I received the task a week ago, I specially arranged for a few trustworthy people to be on guard in the city, and it turned out to be a bit of a discovery. Have you heard about last night? ”

"No, I didn't leave the house yesterday when I came."

"In a hotel to the east, two arms dealers met as if they were going to trade something about the box. Didn't I tell you last night? ”

Baird lowered his head slightly and thought about it, and said with a little sudden realization: "It seems that there is such a thing, but I don't care." After all, I have a rough idea of the location of the box, and the method of opening the box is about to have a result, so do you need to care about that? ”

"You don't care, but someone does. I was more concerned, so I sent someone to keep an eye on it, and it turned out that Dimmit was found. ”

Raines spoke to Baird seriously, but Baird just smiled lightly, not at all surprised.

"Of course. He should almost know about the box, and he's always listened to the wind and rain, and even the smallest clue has to try his luck. And then what? Did he get something? ”

"No, he missed. A man in black snatched something and fled under Dimmit's nose. ”

This news carries more weight than what was just said.

"Who?"

"I don't have a clue. It was reported that he was dressed in black, wore a half-black, half-white mask, and was capable of Galeppo illusions. Have you heard of it? ”

"The man in black with a two-color mask......"

Baird's gaze shifted slightly, and his mind quickly searched for similar information, and quickly said a possibility.

"SHADOW, MAYBE IT'S HIM, AND HE'S REAPPEARED."

“SHADOW？ What's the matter? ”

"I don't know, I also heard some news about him sporadically a few years ago. THE NAME SHADOW IS NEITHER HIS REAL NAME NOR HIS CODENAME, BUT THE NAME GIVEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM HIM, AS WELL AS OTHER NAMES SUCH AS NAMELESS, DEMON, ENDERMAN, ETC. ”

Raines thought over the names, but none of them had heard of them.

"What do you mean he said he reappeared?"

"Because I hadn't heard from him for years, and I thought he was dead. Plus, he's never been against us, so there's not much information about him in the database. ”

"But this time it's different, right?"

"yes, hehe."

Baird walked over to a laptop, keyboard in his left hand and mouse in his right, and opened a folder on his computer.

"If he also targets the box, it will be a matter of time before he confronts us, and the plan will have to change."

"What do you mean?"

"I know the approximate location of the box, it must have been buried deep in the ground. I called you here today to tell you the location in person, and then when the time comes, you will dig again. But looking at it now, I can't wait. ”

"Besides us, the Savior, this SHADOW, is there any other organization?"

"Yes, one is the intelligence agency of the Arctic Continent, and the other is more terrifying than these."

Raines furrowed his eyebrows, Baird wouldn't say such a thing easily.

"When I was dealing with Headley at Videa, I learned that Headley had joined forces with an organization and betrayed us. Although their identities are still uncertain, since they can plot against Headley, it is difficult to guarantee that they will not be involved in such a big matter as Martoun's box. ”

"Makes sense."

"The method of unboxing, you can have results in a few days. You'd better organize someone to dig up the box right now, and it's here. ”

Baird pointed to a picture of a map on his computer screen. Raines casually took a picture with his phone.

"Leave it to me."

*****

In the hotel where Dimitte was staying, in an inconspicuous corner of the underground parking lot, Dimiit and Rolov were talking. Rolov received Akeya's report last night, and he wanted to ask Dimmit about it immediately, but Dimmit, who was tired of driving, only said "not in the mood" and went to sleep. Then today, Rolov came to the hotel as soon as he got up and called out the sleepy-eyed Dimmit.

"Akya said that it was a half-breed superhuman who stole things? Or what is the perfect hybrid? ”

"yes, a perfect half-blood. Are you so surprised? It's not very common, though. ”

"Hmph, Akya said you looked depressed, thinking you had encountered something tricky."

Dimmit looked a little surprised, "I'm depressed? He asked rhetorically, remembering something again, "Possibly." ”

"Is that guy strong? Stronger than you? Otherwise, I will not be able to escape from you. ”

"Joke, I just didn't expect him to be half-blood, after all, there are too few of them."

The so-called mixed-race superhuman, as the name suggests, is the offspring born from the combination of superhumans of different nationalities. Although both parents can inherit the power elements, the power elements of different structures are very tolerant of mutual exclusion and destruction. There are four outcomes of this combination, and the odds vary widely.

The highest probability is that one of the power elements occupies the vast majority of the child's brain, crowding out the other power element, and it is usually the father's power element that has a greater chance of winning. Such children are called "average mestizos", and they are born with one ability, while the other ability is not obvious or even shows no signs of existence at all. At present, more than 70% of the known mixed-race super-capable people are generally mixed-race people.

In the second case, the child retains the power elements of both sides, but they are incomplete and cannot activate the ability normally, or can only activate a small part. This kind of child, like the offspring with incomplete power elements left behind after the combination of natural person and superhuman person, is called "quasi-superhuman person". This is the result of the mutual exclusion of the power elements and the loss of both sides. However, for some super-capable people who want to live in peace and away from strife, this is more ideal. Among the quasi-superhumans, there are about 28% of the mixed-race superpowers.

The third can be said to be the second extreme phenomenon, that is, the power element of both sides is destroyed, and the child inherits an incomplete power element, which is only 30% or even less of the size of the power element of a normal superhuman person, until there is almost none. Such children are no different from natural persons, and usually their parents will treat them as natural persons. They make up only about 1% of mixed-race superhumans.

The last one, as Dimmit said, is the perfect hybrid. Literally, it is the perfect inheritance of the power element of both sides. Not only does it retain the abilities of both parties, but it can also be used normally, and it is more likely that the abilities of the two will be combined to produce new abilities, so that the child can be called the chosen one, and the strength of both parents can be called a match made in heaven. Of course, the odds are pitifully low, and it is difficult to pick one out of tens of thousands.

Rolov drained his cigarette and threw the butt in the trash. After listening to Dimmit's introduction, he knew that in a sense, he could be regarded as a jackpot.

"No wonder you're so depressed. It's funny to be a hybrid with two powers, and it can bring a lot of strange abilities. ”

"Perhaps, but there are exceptions to these probabilities, which is that there must be a quasi-superhuman or a natural person."

"What do you mean?"

Dimmit paused, touched his mouth, and suddenly opened his mouth to say a paragraph of Tang (the lingua franca of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia).

"Ice and fire are incompatible, wind and thunder compete for favor, divided into two, light and shadow are invisible."

Rolov was confused by this passage and did not understand why Dimmit suddenly became literary and artistic.

"What ...... Fire and Ice"

"This is an ancient admonition that has been passed down among the superhumans after the destruction of Astaroth. To put it simply, the four mixed-race combinations of the Lenin and the Powi, the Karin and the Bander, the Gallebou and the Pabaya, the Lady of Haru and the Dinik, these four mixed-race combinations, give birth to offspring that are either quasi-superhuman or natural, and may not even be able to bear children. However, although it is said that there are four groups, in fact, only the first three groups are accurate. ”

"This is the first time I've heard of it, what's wrong with Haroff and Dinnik?"

"Don't ask, it's not an important matter, let's be serious."

Rolov also felt that it was time to bring the topic back, coughed, and continued to ask: "Then this man in black, do you have a clue?" For example, the organization he belongs to, the purpose or something. ”

"That dress, and the half-race of Gallepo and Denick, I always felt like I had heard it a few years ago, and I couldn't remember it. You don't have to think about the purpose, you must be running for the box. To put it bluntly, he is our enemy. That's pretty much the Black Force or some other hostile organization. ”

"Black troops, if it's a black army, the rescuer should have a way."

"There's a connection between you and the Savior, right? Are they making progress now? ”

"There are some clues about the location of the box, which are being pursued."

"Tell them to hurry up, I can only make a fuss around that man in black now."

"Don't you have any other clues?"

"I'm not omnipotent. If you're too embarrassed to rush, I'll do it for you—in the way I'm good at it. ”

When Dimmit finished saying that he was leaving, Rolov stopped him with a loud shout.

"Everything is done step by step, and you'd better not mess around in my city."

"I try."

Dimitte, who dropped this sentence, ignored Rolov's words behind him and went to his car. He hasn't eaten yet, so since he's out, let's just go to the street and eat something.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Dimmit took out his mobile phone and quickly dialed a number. He knows this number by heart, but he will never leave it in the phone address book, and every time he calls, the call history will be completely deleted.

Rolov was half right, Dimmit was depressed, but not just because of the perfect half-breed superman, but because of his half-blood, the half-blood of Dynick and Galebau. Once this kind of thing is linked to the Dniks, it is basically equivalent to tying a dead knot.

Before the advent of Astarrot, each superhuman race focused on maintaining the purity of their own bloodline, they would never combine with natural people, and they were afraid of mixing with other superhuman races, that is, aliens. This is the case even in the relatively open-minded Marton, except that they do not despise the natural person. The superhuman believes that union with a natural person weakens the power of the offspring, while union with a foreign person will lead to unknown results and invite trouble.

After the establishment of Quedren and Macton, as the war between the two superhuman forces heats up, Quedren begins to seek more powerful forces in order to completely defeat Mackton, one of which is the research of hybrids. The probability of four outcomes for mixed-race offspring was already in shape at that time.

The researchers hope to control the combination of power elements as much as possible to increase the chance of birth of a perfect half-breed, which requires a large number of test subjects. As a result, intermarriage among ethnic groups began to be advocated within Quedlun, and then policies were introduced to encourage it. In order to expand the scope of their research, they hardly took prisoners during the war, and deliberately left Macton's captives and forcibly had a relationship with them. This kind of mixed-race research flourished for decades, involving all three peoples, but the Dynicke were firmly opposed.

Dynick is a very tradition-oriented people who are immensely proud and proud of their origins. Mixed race, let alone doing it, shouldn't even think about it. When mixed-race research was popular, the opposition of the Dynic tribe never stopped, and there were many disputes with the other three tribes over this issue, and the rationality of mixed-race research has been questioned, but it is still continuing. It wasn't until Aried, the High Priest of the Night, led Quedren that half-blood research was completely banned.

Later, the appearance of Astarrot caused the superhumans to suffer a catastrophe, and the population of all ethnic groups was drastically reduced, even to the point of threatening their survival. In order to keep their nation alive, many super-capable people began to seek new horizons and accept new ways of life, and mixed races returned to people's sight and were no longer an obstacle to reproduction.

Not only that, but the superhuman also gradually let go of pride and prejudice, combined with the natural person, and abandoned the old concept little by little. Whether in the history of superhuman beings or natural people, this is a commendable progress, and it is also the trend of the development of the times.

However, for the stubborn Dinnick people, what historical progress and the trend of the times have nothing to do with them. While other peoples were allowed to intermarry with strangers and natural persons, the Dinnik still adhered to their traditions and did not allow outsiders to tarnish their blood. They also consider it shameful for other peoples to abandon their traditions, so they do not associate with them and live only in their own space.

However, the reality is cruel, restricting intermarriage and closing the door makes the road to the revival of the Dynick people difficult. While the populations of other ethnic groups gradually increased and their vitality gradually recovered, the Dynicks almost stood still.

Under the blow of reality, many people of insight of the Dynic tribe recognized the situation and called for only openness to have a future, which attracted the suppression of almost the entire Dynic tribe. Over the next hundred years, without any outside threat, there were many bloody conflicts within the Dinike tribe.

Fortunately, the blood was not shed in vain, and in the end, the major nobles of the Dynic clan spoke out one after another, allowing exchanges with foreigners and natural persons, and allowing intermarriage with natural persons, but still forbidding intermarriage with aliens. This is also the reason why it is not quite certain that the descendants of Harlouf and Denik will not be able to inherit the power.

Hundreds of years have passed, and to this day, there are still many large families in the Dynicke clan who adhere to this last line of defense. If it is found that someone in the family has intermarried with a different race, it must be executed according to the rules of the clan, even if the child is born. Even if they escape, they must be chased to the ends of the earth and captured and executed.

This extreme rejection of half-breed superhumans is both a good and a bad thing for Dimmit. The good thing is that as long as the man in black is still being hunted down by the family, he will be able to find out some reliable information about the identity of the man in black.

The bad thing is that information can only come from the mouth of the Dynick. And this kind of scandal, which can be called a national stain, I am afraid that no one wants to talk to an outsider.

The phone went through, and a call rang in Dimitt's ears. He took a deep breath and secretly prayed that the man in black was not from the Will family.

*****

"I'm afraid I can't do anything about this."

Dior's answer was expected by Dimi, but he didn't want to give up so soon.

"Is that man in black from your family?"

"No way, don't forget that I'm the head of the Will family, and I won't know that something so big has happened. Judging by your narrative, this person should be SHADOW, who disappeared two years ago. ”

Dior's words reminded Dimmit, and the name, which had been tangled in his mind, finally became clear.

"IS THAT UNIDENTIFIED AGENT SHADOW? I think I've heard of it. ”

"HE HAS A LOT OF NAMES, AND SHADOW IS THE ONE THAT PEOPLE USE THE MOST. Every time he appears, he is dressed in black, and he also has a black and white mask. He was first seen 12 years ago, and since then there have been sporadic sightings, and then two years ago, he was completely unheard from. ”

"Don't you know which organization he is? Or maybe it's an individual acting alone? ”

"I don't know. There are two things that can be determined. First, every time he intervenes in an event, there is no connection between them, that is, he is not acting for a fixed, long-term goal, which means that there must be an organization behind him. Second, he often uses the power of the perfect half-blood, and with the chance of a perfect half-blood, the past and the present, the same person is behind that mask. ”

"What happened when you disappeared two years ago?"

"To be precise, he was last seen two years ago, and he hasn't been heard from since. Maybe he has also appeared in the past two years, but we don't know. ”

In fact, Dior's words are not adulterated at all, but Dimmitt still can't let go, not only because he has always been suspicious of Dior's words.

"Are you hiding something? Don't want me to know him? ”

When he asked, Dio was silent for a moment.

"Where do you start?"

"I've heard that if there is a half-breed in a Dynick family, they will often join forces with the heads of multiple settlements to arrest them. With your squatting personality at home, you won't get involved, but the news must have been received, right? There's always a personal information about him, right? Even if it doesn't connect with his current identity, at least let me know what the face looks like under the mask, right? ”

There was silence again, longer than before. Dimmit waited patiently for a while, and Dio finally spoke.

"I'm sorry, man. It's not a business and can't be done as a business. Even if I don't like it, I have to follow the rules of the family. ”

Dimmit was about to go berserk: "What a disappointment for me, Dio. I thought you were a person with a lively mind, but I didn't expect to be the same as your kind, all stone-headed! So I can't stand you Dynicks! ”

"Trying to understand each other's values is not something that can be done in a few words. I don't expect you to understand the importance I attach to the rules of the clan, after all, your very existence has broken the rules of Haruf. ”

"You!"

Dior's calm retort almost provoked Dimmit's anger, but fortunately, his reason prevailed in time. SHADOW's identity is not necessary for him, and he can't cut off contact with Dior for this matter.

"I'll get back to you."

Without listening to what Dior said, Dimmit hung up.

Leaning back in his seat, Dimmit calmed down, planning to eat first. He pressed the start button of the car, and the instruments behind the steering wheel lit up, but after a while, they all went out, and the engine did not catch fire.

Dimmit frowned and tried again, still like that. After a few times in a row, his temper exploded instantly, he slammed the steering wheel with both hands, cursed a bunch of swearing, and got out of the car angrily.

Looking at it like this, there may be a problem with the battery. The car was bought when he left Siralda, and it broke down only half a month later. He called the 4S store angrily, shouting from beginning to end, telling the other party to come quickly. The salesman who answered the phone said yes again and again.

Still angry, Dimiit went to the front desk on the first floor of the hotel, threw the car keys and 2,000 karma to a waiter, explained and went out. Without a car, he had to find a taxi. However, it is the morning rush hour, and it is not so easy to get a taxi.

Standing on the side of the road, Dimmit looked left and right, and suddenly saw four police cars parked not far away, several policemen standing beside the cars, one of the female policemen, he was a little impressed, and walked over.

"Your name is Junsha, right?"

Junsha was explaining her work to a few colleagues when she heard someone calling her, and she shuddered when she looked back. She had seen Dimmit, and just the day before yesterday, when the special detachment returned from Mount Rogar, she was summoned by Rolov to pick up Akya at the hospital, and at that time she met Dimmit and heard about how powerful Dimmit was. Rolov also specifically told her that if Dimmit made a request, she would do so unless it was a matter of principle.

"Di, Mr. Dimmit? Can I help you? ”

"You're on duty, where are you going?"

"We are ...... in Suub Commercial Street today"

"That's right, take me, I'm going to buy something to eat."

"What do you say? We are going to work. ”

Dimmit, who heard Junsha's words, stood in front of Junsha step by step, leaned his face up, and stared at Junsha's eyes. His expression was flat, but his eyes were full of threat.

"I said take me, don't talk too much."

"Hmmm......"

The word Junsha almost blurted out, whispering. The other policemen heard Junsha talk about Dimmit and Rolov's advice, and everyone dared to be angry and didn't dare to speak, so they could only let him go.

Dimiit sat in the passenger seat of the police car driven by Junsha, and the policeman who was supposed to sit in that position had to go to the back. After a few minutes, the convoy drove towards Su'ub shopping street.

Today, the work of Junsha and others is to inspect vehicles and taxis from other places. Originally, this was the work of the traffic police and had nothing to do with the criminal police, but in the past half month, the black army and the Predator have made a big fuss in Akiyama City, which made Rolov very angry and asked the Highway Administration to rectify it and increase the management of various stations into the city.

On the other hand, Rolov also ordered the criminal police team to draw up a schedule and arrange for the criminal police to go to some relatively busy road sections every day to check the cars and taxis from other places. As for why the criminal police were chosen instead of the traffic police, it is because in case of a situation, the criminal police can deal with it immediately. This schedule is scheduled until at least the end of June, as there is a very important event in Akiyama City in June.

Some police officers prefer to make cameo appearances as traffic policemen, which can get out of those disorganized and clueless cases and change their mood, which is quite good. There are also people who don't like it, Junsha is, and then she and her subordinates will stand until noon to change the guard, and they are never allowed to leave during this period. The thought of being exposed to the sun, saying repetitive words and doing repetitive things all morning, she couldn't keep her spirits up.

Dimmit, however, quickly returned to normal. As soon as the convoy stopped at the intersection of Suwub Street and Sifik Street, he got out of the car to find food. This is one of the four major commercial streets in Akiyama City, and it is the most prosperous place in the city except for the central square, and there are several food streets shuttling through here, and Dimiit is quickly dazzled.

He finally chose his favorite bacon sandwich, fried egg, and vegetable soup, and after a full meal, he packed away two pieces of roast beef. The hardness is moderate, the outside is charred and the inside is tender, and the aroma is refreshing when you bite into it. When he took the second bite, Dimiit couldn't help but leave the piece of meat on his tongue for a little longer, and the pleasure of the food made him forget the unhappiness of the morning.

While enjoying it, Dimmit did not forget to think about the next plan. But after thinking about it, he found that he had nothing to do for the time being. SHADOW's clues are interrupted, the rescuer is investigating the location of the box, and the way to open the box is with Andora's help, all he can do is wait.

Dimmit doesn't like to wait, it makes him uneasy and he has to do something. Maybe you can find someone who is a rescuer, ask for some clues, and check it yourself, or find Andora to urge him, and if he has any difficulties, he can help himself.

Dimmit, who was eating while thinking, unknowingly returned to Junsha's convoy. The police also stopped cars on the side of the road, interrogated them, and let them go. He was still sitting in Junsha's car, planning to rest for a while after eating before making a decision.

Outside the car, the policemen who were busy checking saw Dimmit eating, and they hated it one by one, and they all dealt with a bite of breakfast. Now they will be tested not only by exposure to the sun, tiredness, but also by the invisible taunts from Dimmit, and the police feel tired faster.

Junsha glanced at Dimmit, pursed her lips, and patted her face again to concentrate. You can't be distracted by this. I happened to see a gray car driving in front of me, and the license plate was from out of town. A policeman reached out to stop the car, and Junsha walked to the driver's seat and knocked on the window.

"Hello, vehicle inspection. Please show your driver's license, driving license, and then get out of the car and cooperate with us to check the engine number. ”

The driver was a young guy with some long hair that blocked his eyes. Junsha thought that the other party didn't hear clearly, so she said it again.

"Hello, please show your ID and get off the bus."

However, the driver still did not move, holding the steering wheel with one hand and pressing the gear lever with the other, and his hands became tighter and tighter. The engine of the car was still spinning, and the handbrake was not pulled, so Junsha suddenly had a bad premonition.

"Open the window, right away! Otherwise, ......"

Before he finished speaking, the young man slammed into gear, kicked the accelerator, and the sedan sprang out, almost hitting the car in front of him. As soon as the young man hit the steering wheel, the car turned slightly to the right and dodged, and then ran wildly. Junsha hurriedly ran back to the car and grabbed the walkie-talkie.

"Suub Sifik rendezvous, someone broke into the post! Repeat! Suub Sifik rendezvous, someone broke into the post! ”