Reincarnated In a Cthulhu World And Everyone Is Obsessed With Me - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Inquiries – Calamity does not rest.

Teresa lowered her voice mysteriously. “You all know him—Chief Sheikh. As early as the first year of the apocalypse, his mental power was already vast enough to sustain the operation of a miniature universe.”

A collective gasp rippled through the hall.

Teresa winked, feigning a slip of the tongue. “Oh, did I let that slip? Remember to keep it a secret for me.”

Sheikh’s personal data had always been under S-class security clearance. Aside from his undefeated record, almost no precise information was public. Quantifying a mental capacity capable of running a “miniature universe” was a staggering thought.

Unlike the fanatical students around him, Xia Mingyu felt his blood run cold.

A miniature universe. In the first year.

If Sheikh truly marked him, was there anywhere in the world left to run?

Teresa then moved on to the topic of Mental Entities. She explained that these were organs of consciousness linked to Sentinels and Guides—they shared intent but possessed independent thought and behavior.

“Some believe they are proof of a high-dimensional invasion, but it remains unproven,” she noted.

Xia Mingyu frowned. Independent thought? His own entity was still a pupa, but all signs pointed to it becoming a butterfly—a predatory, man-eating one. Did these entities possess a sense of good and evil? Could they survive without their host? The more he learned, the more unsettled he became.

“One interesting point,” Teresa added, “is that so far, no one has awakened a mental entity related to the ocean. Some believe the ‘phantom meteorite’ that fell into the sea at the start of the apocalypse contaminated the waters so deeply that human consciousness instinctively bypasses the ocean.”

…

The lecture ended, leaving most students either asleep or terrified. Xia Mingyu, however, felt enlightened. He had spent years in his previous life as an “outsider”; now, the missing pieces of the world’s puzzle were finally fitting together.

“Senior, do you want to join the Shadow Guild?” Tang Yaopeng asked while packing his things. Thanks to Sheikh’s presence, the guild’s popularity was at an all-time high.

Xia Mingyu rested his chin on his hand, flipping through his handwritten notes. “No.” He didn’t say “I don’t want to”; he said “I won’t,” a definitive refusal.

“Then where?”

“Shadow is great, but if I have a choice, my first preference is the Nirvana Guild.”

Xia Mingyu had thought this through. Nirvana was known for protecting the rights of ordinary people, a cause he held dear. After the death of its leader, Ao Nie, the guild lacked an S-class to balance the power between the big three. Xia Mingyu hoped to restore that balance to prevent the civil wars that plagued his previous timeline. Plus, his personal “history” with Sheikh made joining Shadow a suicidal move.

…

After parting ways with Tang Yaopeng, Xia Mingyu went to a small, cheap eatery. He had more money now, but he still preferred a simple bowl of nutrient porridge and a side dish.

He checked his Star-Net—there was no news of the next class. He couldn’t just wait around. To master his fate, he needed to grow, and the best way was through combat. He decided he would try his luck by entering a Domain soon to build up some “internship experience” before applying to Nirvana.

At the next table, a group of Sentinels were talking.

“Chief Sheikh has already led the first team to the Northern Base. Deputy Ruan is leading the second team tomorrow.”

Xia Mingyu’s ears perked up at the mention of Sheikh.

“Does that mean it’s going to rain again tonight?” one man sighed. The dry weather of the past few days was thanks to Sheikh’s constant purging of the monster tides.

“Probably not yet. Ruan will take over the shift before he leaves.”

Xia Mingyu sighed internally. As S-classes, they could hold back a tide alone. For him, it was still an impossible task.

“Does the Chief never sleep? He just harvested a Domain, came to the base, handled the tides, attended a ball, and he’s already left again.”

“Wait, was he at the ball? I only saw Deputy Ruan.”

“You wouldn’t see the Chief at a party. He never attends.”

Calamity does not rest, Xia Mingyu thought. Yet, the self-sacrifice required for such a role was beyond human comprehension. He suddenly remembered the mysterious young man he met in the rose garden.

He had asked the Sanctuary, but the AI admitted it had stayed away from the ball to avoid Ruan Congyun’s detection. No wonder it was so quiet last night.

Thinking the man might be a high-ranking Shadow member, Xia Mingyu stepped toward the Sentinels’ table. “Pardon me. Are you from the Shadow Guild?”

The Sentinels looked up. Xia Mingyu’s face was too striking to ignore, and he wore the Dove Academy badge. One silver-haired Sentinel smiled. “Yes. Can we help you?”

“I’m looking for someone. A young man, tall, black eyes. Probably an A-class.”

The Sentinel paused. “There are many A-classes like that. Did he attend the ball?”

Xia Mingyu nodded. He tried to think of a distinguishing feature. “He also wore black gloves.”

The table went silent. The silver-haired Sentinel’s expression shifted. “Black gloves?”

“In our guild,” another added slowly, “only the Chief has a habit of wearing black gloves.”

Sentinels rarely wore gloves in combat as they interfered with their connection to weapons. Only Sheikh wore specially made gloves to suppress his overwhelming mental power.

“Are you sure he’s in Shadow?” the silver-haired man asked.

Xia Mingyu realized he wouldn’t get a clear answer. “Perhaps I was mistaken. Sorry for bothering you.”

As he turned to leave, the silver-haired Sentinel called out, “Sir.”

Xia Mingyu looked back, his long hair sliding over his shoulder to reveal the beauty mark beneath his eye. The Sentinel felt a pang of pity—this beauty likely already had someone in mind.

“Sir, please forgive my intrusion. But one-night stands at balls are as common as monsters outside the walls. Don’t take it too seriously.” The Sentinel looked at him like he was a lamb wandering into a wolf’s den. “High-level Sentinels often have multiple partners. They might just be looking for fun. Don’t give your heart away too easily.”

Xia Mingyu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but the man’s gaze was so sincere he couldn’t bring himself to argue.

“…I see. Thank you for the warning.”