My Apocalypse Territory

After their training, the first batch of mature apprentices were poised to take up various positions, becoming the backbone of the Sanctuary.

The Intelligence Department's Awakener took over the conversation, explaining in detail the "Doomsday Cult" to the apprentices and spread out a map of Tiannan Province on the table.

Marked on the map were a total of twenty-one large Sanctuaries, as well as hundreds of medium and small Sanctuaries—following the reclamation policy, these Sanctuaries existed for various reasons, yet none were weak, all having the strength to withstand minor Demon Tides.

"In many places throughout Tiannan Province, there have been traces of 'Doomsday Cult' activities, but they are extremely well-hidden; currently, the clues we have are all left behind by the deeds of cult Awakeners. As for the location of the Doomsday Cult's stronghold, we have not a single lead."

"Look here..."

Six out of the twenty-one dots representing large Sanctuaries were circled in red ink, and some had check marks beside them.

The Intelligence Department Awakener continued, "The circled large Sanctuaries all have traces of Doomsday Cult Awakeners active in them, and they need your assistance with investigations... Apprentices from Green Shadow have already set out ahead of you; the three marked Sanctuaries are where they have chosen to go. You can act together or split into three teams to assist in investigating the remaining three locations."

"Lastly, I must caution you all not to underestimate the 'Doomsday Cult.' They are not simply some No Rank cult, as Awakeners of the Eighth and Ninth Layer have already appeared, and it is unclear what kind of power the cult holds in their hands."

The apprentices from Luoxia were not nervous; what they felt was excitement.

They were well aware that, as a target for their training, the 'Doomsday Cult' would not be easily defeated, and precisely for this reason there was room to demonstrate their worth.

The headquarters' apprentices had missed this chance and had not encountered them, but they could surpass them on the training score!

They quickly discussed and divided into three teams, heading for the three large Sanctuaries respectively.

...

Pingliang Sanctuary, located in the western part of Tiannan Province, was a large Sanctuary similar in scale to Lindong.

Sun Yu, Cai Jiajia, and two other young apprentices formed a team and rode the Investigation Corps' Rhino Chariot to this place.

They soon made contact with Pingliang's intelligence personnel.

"Three days ago, the orphanage in Pingliang was raided, and over a hundred orphans disappeared. According to the analysis, this is the work of the 'Doomsday Cult,' and the Pingliang Sanctuary has so far been unable to trace the whereabouts of the orphans."

"The orphanage?" Captain Sun Yu frowned, "Why raid the orphanage? There shouldn't be anything valuable there, right? Or is there something different about that orphanage?"

"Exactly, that is not an ordinary orphanage. All the hundreds of orphans housed there are highly gifted geniuses. The whole orphanage has resident instructors, and it is surrounded by a tight Patrol Team. The defense is not to be underestimated, but on the night three days ago, the Awakeners stationed in the orphanage were slaughtered, not one survived, and dozens of orphans ranging in age from eight to fourteen vanished without a trace."

This...

Sun Yu hesitated, still not understanding the purpose of the cult abducting the orphans.

It doesn't fit the cult's style of retribution, does it?!

At the end of the day, Sun Yu was just a minor with not much life experience, somewhat indecisive, and he couldn't help but look to Cai Jiajia for a decision.

Cai Jiajia pondered deeply for a moment, then could only look helplessly toward the Intelligence Department's Contact Person.

The Intelligence Department's Awakener Nian Chengwei was a middle-aged uncle, and Sun Yu and company were about the same age as his daughter—if she were still alive.

Looking at the few people before him, Nian Chengwei shook his head silently.

In terms of strength and combat experience, these apprentices lacked nothing, but what they did lack was decisiveness and the ability to stand on their own.

The commander hoped that by sending out these apprentices, they would grow through their experiences.

Only,

Nian Chengwei smiled bitterly in his heart.

This investigation concerning the 'Doomsday Cult' was trickier than imagined; the cult had only shown the tip of the iceberg so far, and using it as a training target, it was uncertain whether there would be accidents.

As an intelligence contact person and also as an evaluator guiding and grading Sun Yu and others, Nian Chengwei didn't show it, maintaining an expressionless poker face.

He spread his hands, "After all, I'm just a contact person. Here in Pingliang, the Intelligence Department is understaffed and can't provide much support for you, so... how you want to conduct the investigation depends on you."

The ball was kicked back to them.

Sun Yu thought for a moment, "We'll start by going to the orphanage to understand the situation."

...

Under the guidance of Nian Chengwei, Sun Yu and the others quickly approached the orphanage with swift strides, spotting it from a distance.

The former orphanage, once a small school, was not large, but it had been cordoned off with police tapes. Uniformed Awakeners were patrolling back and forth.

They were stopped as soon as they approached.

"What are you guys doing here?"

Sun Yu, recognizing the attire of the approaching person and knowing that they were part of the Pingliang Security Bureau, one of Pingliang's official forces, clasped his hands in salute and said:

"We are investigators from Green Shadow, here to look into matters concerning the 'Doomsday Cult.'

Nian Chengwei fumbled in his pocket and cooperatively pulled out an identity card from the Green Shadow Investigation Corps—it was one of several identities he had prepared for outdoor activities.

However, to their surprise, the Security Bureau's Awakener did not even glance at it, "Go, go, go. There is no cult here. The Security Bureau is handling things; all irrelevant people need to leave."