Chapter Sixty-Seven: Our Technology Is Superior

According to the records in the Demon Suppression Bureau’s database, the appearance of anomalous creatures dates back to an exceedingly early period. Some scholars even speculate that several mass extinction events in Earth's history are connected to them.

Take, for example, the Ordovician–Silurian extinction event, which occurred between 450 and 440 million years ago and resulted in the extinction of 27% of families, 57% of genera, and 60–70% of species. Then there was the Late Devonian extinction, spanning from 375 to 360 million years ago, which wiped out 19% of families, 50% of genera, and at least 70% of species. Most striking of all is the Permian–Triassic extinction, which happened between 258 and 252 million years ago and led to the disappearance of 57% of families, 83% of genera, and 90–96% of species. In this event, 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species perished, making it the largest known extinction in history.

Afterward came the extinction 201 million years ago and then the one 66 million years ago—the latter famously known as the “Dinosaur Extinction.” Each of these five mass extinctions has its own explanations: some blame gamma-ray bursts triggered by supernova explosions in the Milky Way, others point to abnormal temperature shifts and oceanic anoxia, still others to massive volcanic eruptions causing chain reactions, or to enormous asteroid impacts.

Some theories have evidence, though insufficient; others are supported solely by data models rather than concrete proof. At the same time, the Demon Suppression Bureau’s research has put forward its own hypothesis: these extinctions may be Earth’s natural allergic response or a form of self-healing. Much like a fever in humans, when illness strikes, either the virus or the host must die—or both perish together.

No one truly knows the details; after all, events from tens or hundreds of millions of years ago are far too ancient, and even archaeology struggles to uncover them. What is clear is that masses of anomalous creatures died alongside Earth’s native species, and fossil evidence shows traces of battles between the two: bite marks on bones, or one creature’s bones found within another’s stomach.

It wasn’t until the emergence of humans—and their earliest rock paintings—that people began to piece together some clues, realizing their ancestors were fighting off some kind of predator. As civilization evolved and written records appeared, modern archaeological accounts gradually became clearer.

By this point, the narrative starts to resemble urban legend: depending on a nation’s culture, terms such as demon, ghost, or monster are used, though internal documents are far more accurate than mere folklore. In essence, it was a world overrun by monsters, chaos reigning, and every dynasty’s end marked by the rise of evil beings—or perhaps, the dynasty fell precisely because of them.

As humanity’s weapons grew increasingly powerful, monsters found themselves unable to confront humans directly. It was as if they suddenly became enlightened; their tactics changed abruptly. They began to hide, sowing chaos among the population through subterfuge.

With superweapons rendered ineffective, nations turned to the development of “super soldiers.”

Back when firearms first emerged, everyone cried, “Times have changed!” and those with outstanding individual combat ability were sidelined in favor of machine gun sweeps and artillery bombardments. Now, with the winds shifting, it’s not so easy to find those extraordinary individuals again.

Thus, several decades ago, nations began to implement their own superpower programs. The Steel Union in the north formed the 10003 Unit; the Eagle Federation on the other side established the Psychic Corps and launched the Stargate Project; the Great Qin had its own Bureau 749.

Later, these organizations began to interact and discuss forming international bodies, standardizing regulations, and expanding their operations. Once formalized, the Great Qin renamed Bureau 749 to the more official “Demon Suppression Bureau.”

Research confirmed that these organizations classify anomalous creatures as “extraterrestrial beings”—in other words, humanity is facing an alien invasion. This matches the information from the Hunter System.

While reviewing the Bureau’s materials, Zhou Shu discovered another crucial point: the mutants he’d slain were, strictly speaking, not the original extraterrestrial beings, but their offshoots.

This phenomenon was caused by those “Evolution” pills.

International superpower organizations had tracked down and destroyed several laboratories manufacturing these drugs. According to the information obtained and logical analysis, it appeared that the ruling class of extraterrestrial beings used their own genes combined with human biotechnology to create a drug named “Evolution,” which was then distributed worldwide to lure people into taking it, ultimately triggering their transformation into monsters.

People were drawn in because the name “Evolution” was enticing—it truly could “evolve” humans.

It could cure diseases caused by viruses, and for some ailments currently vexing humanity, it was remarkably effective. It could also strengthen the body, making the user robust in a short period. It could even push users beyond normal human limits, turning them into “superhumans.”

Yet, these benefits came at a dire price.

Those who intended to use it for healing thought the drug destroyed the virus, but in reality, something far more ruthless replaced it.

The “Evolution” substance not only eradicated viruses but also killed normal cells, taking their place. As more of it accumulated in the body—usually after several weeks—the entire person would be replaced.

At that point, there were two outcomes: sudden death, or transformation into a complete monster.

The path from “strengthening the body” to becoming “superhuman” followed the same logic. From the moment the drug was consumed, you ceased to be yourself and became a monster.

These monsters were mere cannon fodder. Before mutation, they retained some intelligence, though their personalities grew increasingly bloodthirsty, craving raw organs. After mutation, they lost all reason, attacking humans indiscriminately and disrupting social order.

For now, humanity has held the line.

Normal social order remains intact—for the time being.

However, recent developments suggest that maintaining order is becoming precarious. New, improved “Evolution” pills—a green variant—have begun to circulate.

More critically, the world’s superpower organizations haven’t seen any advanced extraterrestrial beings for quite some time; no one knows where they’ve gone.

There’s a sense among these organizations that the aliens are plotting something, prompting frantic searches for clues and efforts to bolster their own strength.

Speaking of which, while eating his late-night snack, Zhou Shu sought out Wang Kailun.

“Captain Wang, I’d like to discuss something with you.”

“What is it? Have you finished reviewing the basic information?” Wang Kailun glanced at Zhou Shu after swallowing a dumpling.

“I’ve finished, and I understand how heavy the Bureau’s responsibilities are. That’s why I’ve come up with a method to enhance individual combat effectiveness,” Zhou Shu replied seriously.

Hearing this, Wang Kailun put down his spoon and matched Zhou Shu’s seriousness.

“Zhou Shu, I know you’ve performed admirably since joining the Bureau, and you’ve taken down so many mutants. There’s a hefty bonus being calculated for you, and you might even be awarded the second-level ‘Upper Maker’ title. Still, I hope you remain grounded.”

“You were on the scene early this morning, so you know better than I do what happened. Hu Wenli and his team caused a huge commotion by acting on their own, and I’m still cleaning up their mess. I don’t want you to become reckless like them.”

“Your talent is exceptional. I hope you’ll diligently learn more and become an outstanding demon hunter, protecting the peace of our world.”

Zhou Shu: “……”

Wang’s words were true. Hu Wenli and his team were both incompetent and impulsive, but what did that have to do with him?

He was already cautious enough.

He didn’t argue further; he had intended to mention the powered exoskeleton.

If monsters use technology to create cannon fodder against humans, then humans can certainly use stronger technology to fight back.

But those ideas were only in his mind for now; mere words wouldn’t suffice. It would be better to draft a formal technical document later and let facts and technology speak for themselves.