The silence lasted exactly seven seconds.
Then Bruno sneezed.
“…Achoo.”
The overwhelming golden pressure vanished instantly.
The rotating clouds stopped.
The cracked ground settled.
The terrifying aura that had shaken the entire zoo disappeared as though someone had flipped a switch.
Bruno blinked twice.
Then looked down at the broken roof.
“…Oops.”
A large chunk of concrete slid off the building and landed beside him.
The panda scratched the back of his head.
“Keeper…
Director Wang will be angry.”
Arjun stared.
He looked at Bruno.
Then at the destroyed hospital.
Then back at Bruno.
“You just destroyed half a building.”
Bruno nodded obediently.
“…Sorry.”
The system immediately responded.
QUEST COMPLETE
The Heavenly Bear Emperor has successfully rescued the Keeper.
Mission Rating:
SSS
Rewards Granted:
800 Years of Cultivation
Heavenly Beast Contract
Divine Storage Ring
10,000 System Points
Bonus Reward:
The Heavenly Bear Emperor’s Trust has reached MAXIMUM.
Arjun rubbed his forehead.
“I didn’t do anything.”
Correct.
The Bear Emperor did everything.
“Then why am I getting the rewards?”
Because you are the Keeper.
“…I hate that answer.”
Golden light flooded his body.
Warm energy surged through every muscle and bone.
Unlike before, the power no longer felt violent.
Instead, it settled comfortably inside him, as though it had always belonged there.
Arjun instinctively clenched his fist.
A faint ripple spread through the air.
Nothing exploded.
Progress.
Varkhaz watched in complete disbelief.
“The Keeper’s authority is returning…”
Arjun immediately pointed at him.
“No.”
“My lord…”
“No.”
“The authority—”
“I refuse.”
Varkhaz sighed.
“It has already accepted your refusal.”
“What?”
“…And ignored it.”
Arjun looked toward the ceiling.
“Even reality doesn’t listen to me anymore.”
Aisha couldn’t help smiling.
For the first time all night, she laughed softly.
“You know…”
“What?”
“You’re surprisingly funny.”
“I wasn’t trying to be.”
“I know.”
That somehow made it funnier.
3Bruno suddenly waddled toward Arjun.
The giant panda lowered his head.
Then gently rubbed it against Arjun’s shoulder.
“I was worried.”
“It’s okay.”
Bruno closed his eyes happily.
“I smelled scary people.”
Varkhaz coughed awkwardly.
“…That might have been me.”
Bruno opened one eye.
“I know.”
The panda smiled.
“I almost punched you.”
Varkhaz immediately bowed again.
“My deepest apologies.”
Aisha stared at the interaction.
Her beautiful eyes slowly widened.
“…Why does the terrifying demon seem afraid of the panda?”
Arjun answered honestly.
“Because I think he values living.”
Before anyone could continue, the system suddenly changed.
The familiar blue interface turned silver.
Dozens of lines of text appeared at once.
WORLD EVENT DETECTED
Massive Spiritual Disturbance Recorded
Source:
Green Paradise Zoo
Exposure Level:
Global
Estimated Witnesses:
1,483
Government Detection Probability:
99.97%
Arjun frowned.
“…Government?”
The next notification appeared immediately.
NEW FACTION ENTERING THE STORY
The Heavenly Investigation Bureau
Current Status:
Dispatched
Estimated Arrival Time:
11 Minutes
“…That’s oddly specific.”
Traffic conditions are favorable.
Arjun blinked.
“What kind of system factors in traffic?”
An efficient one.
Outside, distant sirens echoed through the city.
Not police sirens.
Something else.
Three black SUVs raced toward Green Paradise Zoo.
Their headlights cut through the darkness.
On the lead vehicle’s roof sat a strange bronze compass, spinning wildly before suddenly pointing directly at the abandoned hospital.
Inside the first SUV…
A middle-aged man adjusted his glasses.
He wore a black tactical uniform embroidered with a silver dragon.
A folder rested on his lap.
Across the front was written:
CONFIDENTIAL
LEVEL SSS
He opened it.
Inside were satellite photographs of Green Paradise Zoo.
Most were ordinary.
The last image was not.
A massive golden pillar of light had erupted above the zoo only minutes earlier.
The man sighed.
“So…”
He looked at the woman sitting beside him.
“It finally happened.”
She nodded.
“The readings don’t lie.”
“No.”
She looked at the latest energy graph.
“Worse.”
She closed the file.
“The Keeper has awakened.”
Silence filled the vehicle.
Even the driver tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
The middle-aged man looked out the window.
“I hoped we would never hear that title again.”
Back inside the hospital…
Arjun suddenly sneezed.
“…Why do I feel like someone just mentioned me?”
The system answered.
HOST HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED
Enemy Awareness:
Established
Current Threat Ranking:
SSS
Suggested Cover Identity:
Continue pretending to be a normal zoo keeper.
“…I already am a normal zoo keeper.”
Probability of others believing that:
12%
“That’s generous.”
Aisha looked toward the entrance.
“Did you hear that?”
Everyone fell silent.
Engines.
Several of them.
Drawing closer.
Bruno’s ears twitched.
“Many humans.”
Varkhaz frowned.
“They carry spiritual weapons.”
Arjun’s heartbeat quickened.
“What?”
Bruno sniffed the air.
“They smell annoying.”
The panda’s description was unexpectedly accurate.
The system displayed one final notification.
ARC ALERT
The Heavenly Investigation Bureau has arrived.
Main Mission Updated:
Protect Your Identity
Failure Conditions:
Reveal the System.
Reveal the Keeper’s Authority.
Reveal the existence of the Fake Demon Realm.
Success Rewards:
New System Function Unlocked
1,000 Years of Cultivation
Mystery SS Reward
Heavy footsteps echoed outside the ruined hospital.
Flashlights swept across the broken entrance.
A calm, authoritative voice rang out through the darkness.
“Everyone inside.”
A brief pause.
Then—
“This is the Heavenly Investigation Bureau.”
Another pause.
“We know you’re here.”
Arjun slowly looked at Bruno.
Bruno slowly looked at Arjun.
Then the panda whispered,
“…Should I pretend to be a normal panda?”
Arjun sighed.
“Please.”
Bruno immediately flopped onto his back, stuck out his tongue, and began chewing bamboo he had somehow produced from nowhere.
It was, without question, the worst acting Arjun had ever seen.
Unfortunately…
It was also their best plan.
To Be Continue….