Travel through time, and then establish an anomaly management bureau!

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Travel through time, and then establish an anomaly management bureau!

Author: Beyond Everything

Introduction:

When Zhang Su fell from the drowning whirlpool into the swaying cabin, he realized that he was no longer in the original world.

Here, whispers of the past echo in the deep sea, and beneath the mortal bodies lies a terrifying path of sequence.

Faced with indescribable madness and uncontrollable supernatural power, he chose the most dangerous path—

Establish containment, set ironclad rules, and control anomalies!

"Welcome to... the Curtain Cornerstone Administration. File number 001, containment initiated."

Volume 1: Chapter 1: Transmigration, Extraordinary Sequence

At midnight, only the computer screen glowed faintly in the dormitory, like a bottomless well, reflecting Zhang Su's bloodshot eyes. An unknown melody flowed from his headphones, a female voice singing ethereally: "...the siren's chant tears through the waves, the abyss opens its arms..."

He was somewhat dazed by what he heard, and subconsciously reached out to pull on the headphone cord. The moment his fingertips touched the cold plastic cord, something unexpected happened.

The dark area displaying the singer's photo began to spin without warning. It wasn't the image that was rotating; the space itself was collapsing and distorting, forming a pitch-black vortex that sucked everything in its path.

Before Zhang Su could even cry out in surprise, the solid floor beneath his feet instantly vanished into nothingness.

An irresistible force seized him, dragging him violently toward the spinning abyss.

My body felt weightless, the world spun around me, and icy liquid suddenly poured into my mouth, nose, and ears, causing an excruciating pain that made me suffocate.

It felt like countless ice needles piercing my lungs.

Water, all water! Cold, salty, and with a rusty taste, it relentlessly overwhelmed him.

Is this a hallucination? Am I going crazy from staying up all night? Fragments of chaotic thoughts flashed through my mind, only to be completely swallowed up by the overwhelming darkness and cold.

Consciousness was swept away by the heavy tide, sinking into boundless silence.

……

The biting cold felt like needles, piercing deep into his bones. Zhang Su gasped, his lungs burning with pain.

He struggled to open his eyes, his vision filled with a blurry, dim yellow light.

The light was dim and of unknown origin, barely enough to outline an extremely low and narrow shape.

The air was humid and heavy, filled with a strong, nauseating mix of smells—rotten wood, damp, moldy fabric, salty seawater, and a faint rusty odor.

He struggled to move, feeling a hard, gritty sensation and a creaking sound beneath him.

It was made of wood. He struggled to lift his heavy head, and all he could see were rough, thick wooden walls covered in dark mold. The entire space, including the "bed" beneath him, was swaying slightly and continuously.

Each sway was accompanied by a deep, creaking sound, as if coming from the chest of a giant beast, and a rhythmic, muffled swishing sound from further away.

This is definitely not his rented apartment!

My heart felt like it was being gripped by an icy hand, pounding wildly against my ribs, almost bursting out of my chest.

"A ship!?" That was the only terrifying thought that remained in his mind.

Am I on a ship? In a swaying, musty, death-scented…cell?

Fear gripped his limbs like cold vines. He tried to sit up, but all his strength gave way, and his vision blurred.

Just then, a clear sound pierced through the wood and the low roar of the waves, coming from afar and approaching like a heavy hammer striking taut nerves.

“Tick…tick…tick…”

That was the sound of boots stepping on wooden steps, firm, steady, unhurried, yet carrying an undeniable sense of oppression, coming from the depths of the narrow corridor outside the cell.

The sound grew closer and closer, each step feeling like it was treading on Zhang Su's heart.

Immediately following was the ear-piercing metallic scraping sound of the heavy iron bolt being pulled open, followed by a loud "clang" that seemed to shake the small cage.

The dim, flickering light poured in from the open door, and a figure blocked the entrance.

He was a tall, imposing man, dressed in a uniquely styled deep indigo captain's uniform.

The stand-up collar was crisp and straight, with edges trimmed with some kind of dark silver metal, and the double rows of brass buttons gleamed with a cold, hard luster in the dim light.

He has broad, strong shoulders, and a wide leather belt around his waist from which hangs a simple, antique-looking scimitar and a bronze monocular telescope.

His face was that of a weathered middle-aged man, with deep features, a sharp jawline, and some graying temples.

What was most unsettling were those eyes, as deep as an ancient well with no bottom, now fixed on Zhang Su with a calmness as if scrutinizing prey.

The captain spoke, his voice deep and rough, like the sea breeze.

He was speaking an extremely strange language, with rapid, complex, and rhythmic syllables, sounding like the recitation of some ancient poem, yet with the sonorous rhythm of Latin, filled with an exotic accent that Zhang Su had never encountered before.

Every syllable was clear and distinct.

What made Zhang Su's scalp tingle even more was that he understood! Every word seemed to be directly imprinted in his mind, without any obstacle to comprehension!

“Drowning man,” the captain’s voice was calm and even, but his gaze was sharp as a hook, “you have finally woken up.”

Zhang Su's throat felt as if it had been rubbed raw by rough sandpaper, so dry that he couldn't utter a sound.

He struggled, using all his strength to squeeze out a hoarse, broken question: "Who...are you? Where...is this?" His voice was as weak as a mosquito's buzz, yet it was unusually clear in the oppressive space.

A faint, elusive light seemed to flash across the captain's deep eyes, so fleeting it was almost an illusion.

He showed no surprise that Zhang Su could understand and respond to him.

"This is the 'Cangming'," the captain replied calmly, his tone unwavering, as if stating a perfectly ordinary fact. "An ocean-going trading ship, laden with exotic treasures, is on its way home."

He paused slightly, his gaze fixed on Zhang Su as if it were a physical object, "And I am the captain of this ship. You can call me 'Kurokawa'."

Kurokawa? The name carries a sense of ethereal beauty reminiscent of Eastern landscapes, which, combined with his nautical attire and peculiar language, creates an indescribable contradiction and strangeness.

Zhang Su's mind was in complete chaos. Drowning? The Cangming? Ocean trade? Return voyage? It was all as absurd as a nightmare!

"What on earth happened? How did I end up in a place like this?" Zhang Su didn't understand. He slapped his forehead, trying to wake himself up and pretend that this was just a dream.

Captain Kurokawa took a step forward, his boots, etched with the marks of wind and waves, echoing dully on the damp wooden planks.

He didn't answer directly, but instead a very faint smile appeared on his lips, a smile that seemed to carry a hint of mockery.

"And also, the ocean's gifts are never free, child." Kurokawa's voice turned low. "There's a price to pay for pulling you out of the sea."

As he spoke, he slowly pulled a roll of something out of the inner pocket of his uniform.

It was a roll of yellowed parchment, its edges badly worn, revealing the marks of time. It was loosely tied with a dark red string that looked as if it were stained with congealed blood.

Kurokawa's slender fingers deftly untied the knot, and with a gentle shake, the parchment scroll silently unfurled.

The scroll was covered with a dense array of strange symbols, twisted and coiled, shimmering with a faint, neither gold nor silver light, like some ancient creature breathing slowly in its slumber.

Zhang Su didn't recognize any of these symbols, but a chilling coldness emanating from the depths of his soul suddenly gripped him as the scroll unfurled, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Kurokawa handed the scroll to Zhang Su. The unique dry and rough smell of parchment mixed with a faint sea smell and another indescribable, old metallic smell wafted over.

“Sign it,” Kurokawa’s voice was flat and even, as calm as discussing the weather, yet it contained an undeniable and absolute power. “Sign your name and become my slave, or…”

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the thick ship's planks, casting it upon the turbulent, merciless dark sea outside, "Go back to where you belong."

"The sea is always willing to take back the second breath it has generously given away."

Upon hearing the captain's words, Zhang Su's mind exploded: "They actually want me to sign a slave contract?! What a joke! As a model student who has received nine years of compulsory education, how could I possibly accept slavery, something that should have been swept into the dustbin of history long ago!"

Kurokawa also noticed Zhang Su's surprised expression, and then his eyes became even more playful.

He actually quite enjoys the moment when he oppresses the other person into being his slave, and the other person looks terrified.

He looked at the young man in front of him, whose clothes were strangely styled, whose face was pale but whose eyes were bright, as if he were looking at a novel and troublesome piece of merchandise.

At the same time, Zhang Su's mind was racing.

Wooden cells, a swaying ship, an unfamiliar language... all the clues instantly connect, pointing to an answer that is familiar to everyone in the world of online novels.

He time-traveled! And he was in another world!

It wasn't that he was swapped with someone else; it was Zhang Su himself, an ordinary young man from the 21st century, who was dragged to this godforsaken place by that damned "black hole" vortex!

Moreover, its situation was perilous from the moment it landed, just like the protagonist in an online novel.

Since fate has chosen him to be the protagonist, he naturally cannot back down; even if he's playing a role, he must act like the protagonist!

Then, in the next moment, he shouted in a resounding voice: "But—I refuse!"

Zhang Su used all his strength to shout out the words, one by one, and his voice echoed in the narrow cell!

"My name is Zhang Su! Remember that well, I will never become anyone's slave!"

The air seemed to freeze. The damp, musty smell, the crashing of the waves, and the creaking of the ship all became the background noise of the deathly silence.

The playful smile on Kurokawa's face vanished, replaced by a cold indifference, as if he were looking at a piece of trash about to be discarded.

"Oh?" Kurokawa responded softly, his voice flat and emotionless, yet more chilling than any roar. "That's truly disappointing... I was hoping that your black hair and black eyes, a relatively rare trait, would fetch a good price."

He shook his head slightly, the movement carrying an almost elegant cruelty, "Since you want to die, then I'll grant your wish with this hand."

Before he could finish speaking, Kurokawa raised his right hand, and then a chilling sight appeared—tiny, cold, dark blue scales that shimmered with a dark metallic luster sprouted from under the skin of the back of his hand like bamboo shoots after a spring rain!

They are tightly packed together, with sharp edges, exuding a deep-sea chill and an inhuman, savage texture.

His hand instantly transformed from a human hand into a claw that resembled that of a giant sea monster!

As the scales emerged, an invisible, heavy sense of oppression suddenly descended!

This was not physical wind pressure, but a more fundamental fluctuation of power, spreading silently like a deep-sea undercurrent, instantly filling the entire small cell.

The air became thick and heavy, carrying a strong salty, fishy smell and the scent of seaweed.

"This is... extraordinary power! This world isn't an ordinary world, it's an extraordinary world!" Zhang Su instantly analyzed in his mind.

The person in front of me, this Kurokawa who calls himself Captain, is the kind of...extraordinary person described in online novels!

At that moment, Zhang Su's mind went "buzz!" again.

He felt some kind of power awakening within him.

Kurokawa's figure suddenly became "transparent" in his eyes.

No, it wasn't transparency in the physical sense, but rather the "information" that constituted his existence poured down like a waterfall into Zhang Su's mind.

His flesh, bones, nerves, flowing blood... these conventional physiological structures were instantly stripped away and faded, but deep within them, a faint yet exceptionally clear "light" was locked onto by Zhang Su's eyes!

It was a deep blue energy core, like a concentrated ocean, located slightly to the left of Kurokawa's heart, beating slowly and powerfully, like a second heart.

Countless fine, almost imperceptible dark blue light threads spread out from this core, connecting his muscles and nerves throughout his body, especially his right hand, which was now covered with snake scales—the place where the light threads were most concentrated, as if it were the output port of power!

The instant Zhang Su's "gaze" focused on the deep blue core, a cold, clear, and emotionless stream of information was branded directly into the depths of his mind:

[Analysis complete]

[Target: Kurokawa]

[Race: Human]

[Transcendent Rank: Seawalker Path - Sequence 9 - Abyss Diver]

Core Competencies:

Deep-sea Body (Passive): Basic physical abilities (strength, endurance, reaction speed) surpass human limits, with particular expertise in underwater activities and breath-holding. Demonstrates significant resistance to water pressure and low temperatures.

Water Affinity (Basic): Can subtly sense and guide water movement within a small area (about an arm's length) around the body, used to assist actions (such as acceleration or deflection in water) or slightly disrupt the opponent's balance (such as creating a small slippery area).

Scale Transformation (Active): Instantly generates deep blue, water-attribute scales covering specific areas of the body (usually the hands, arms, or vital parts), providing excellent physical defense and some energy resistance. The strength and coverage of the scales are limited by rank and proficiency.

Abyssal Echo (Passive/Weak): The soul and will are imbued with the aura of the deep sea, possessing weak resistance to pressure and charm on a spiritual level (basic resistance to low-level mental interference). Simultaneously, its power fluctuations naturally emanate a weak deep-sea pressure, which can slightly intimidate ordinary creatures.

The information stream flashes by, and the parsing process in reality takes only a moment.

The strange light in Zhang Su's eyes suddenly disappeared, and his vision returned to normal.

His cheat ability... has awakened! At this critical moment of life and death! An ability to instantly analyze the essence of another person's extraordinary power!

Kurokawa's movements did not stop because of Zhang Su's sudden change.

His right hand, covered in cold snake scales, spread its five fingers wide, exuding a suffocating pressure, and went straight for the heavy iron chains on the thick wooden bars of the cell!

The chain was as light as a thread in his scale-covered hands; he could easily pull it off and toss it aside!

"Since you have chosen dignity," Kurokawa's voice was as cold as ice, "then take it with you and rest in the abyss!"

Although Zhang Su knew what his opponent was—a Sequence 9, a Deep Sea Stalker! Power, scales, water control… what use was knowing? If the opponent wanted to kill him, it would still be as easy as crushing an ant!