"The legacy of the ancient gods?" Cyrus found the notion absurd.

Were there also sinister cults in this otherworld? She had yet to learn about this aspect and resolved to investigate thoroughly upon her return.

"They believe it to be so," Shu Xuyao said. "Exotic species have existed since ancient times, as evident by the widespread folk tales. However, it's undeniable that exotic species differ greatly from the natural creatures we're familiar with... They don't seem like they could have originated from our planet."

"Indeed... they look too repulsive," Cyrus complained. "I might lose my appetite for lunch."

"Thirty years ago, the federal government passed a law declaring all religious beliefs and organizations illegal. The age of chaos and ignorance has passed. People used to worship nature, imagining deities ruling over this world. Now, the light of science has dispelled the chaos; we don't need deities to guide humanity forward—technology should do that," Shu Xuyao said. "But various secret cults continue to exist stubbornly. If they kept to themselves, the Enforcement Department wouldn't come knocking. Unfortunately, they never learn to stay out of trouble."

Cyrus looked at the man lying on the cell floor. "Is he part of a secret cult?"

"Yes. A week ago, the third squad of the Field Operations Group raided their gathering site. He was in the midst of a ritual, consuming 'divine blood' under the supervision of his fellow cultists," Shu Xuyao said with a hint of sarcasm. "Not a single one escaped; we captured them all."

"Do all Exotics exhibit physical mutations?" Cyrus observed the inmate. "He seems like he won't last much longer. Do Exotics have short lifespans?"

Shu Xuyao pondered, "The Enforcement Department keeps records of all captured Exotics. According to those records, every Exotic undergoes some form of mutation, varying in severity. The one before us shows what would be considered a moderate degree of bodily distortion."

"Then a severe mutation must be truly grotesque," Cyrus murmured.

"You can request access to these records from Adam. They include photos and videos of the mutation processes," Shu Xuyao said. "Just don't look at them before or after a meal, or you might lose your appetite or throw up what you've eaten."

Cyrus clicked her tongue. "Thanks for the heads-up, Captain."

"We haven't studied the lifespans of Exotics here. What I can tell you is that none of the Exotics we've captured has lived more than a month," Shu Xuyao revealed. "The mutations are irreversible. The doctors and prisoners can only watch helplessly as their bodies gradually deform into monstrous shapes until they're unrecognizable."

"How terrifying..." Cyrus exhaled. "After such great sacrifices, did they gain supernatural abilities?"

"Perhaps they did," Shu Xuyao said. "Observations and experiments have shown that Exotics recover from injuries rapidly, faster than high-tier awakened beings with exceptional physical capabilities. Their physical strength also increases, two to three times that of an ordinary person—this is just from the data we've gathered on captured Exotics. The cost of these abilities is their drastically shortened lifespans and bodily mutations. From what we've seen so far, they don't develop a variety of supernatural powers like awakened beings; only their physical attributes are enhanced."

"Isn't there a single individual who has survived?" Cyrus asked. "Their sacrifices and gains seem disproportionate. Why do they keep taking 'divine blood'?"

"Those who believe in science can't understand the fervor of religious followers. Perhaps they see it as worthwhile," Shu Xuyao said. "There might be individuals who have succeeded in surviving after consuming 'divine blood.' When interrogating these Exotics, they are convinced of this. They believe their failure is because the gods haven't accepted them, and their deaths are offerings of blood, flesh, and spirit to help awaken the slumbering deities."

Cyrus contemplated, "I wonder if any survivors have developed diverse supernatural abilities like awakened beings? Can't we capture one and interrogate them?"

"They're tough to catch. They're adept at hiding, and the true leaders of the cults never show themselves," Shu Xuyao said, his expression darkening slightly. "Which means, all the cultists and Exotics we've captured are just the underlings and peripheral members; the core has never come into the light."

Cyrus was taken aback.

The Enforcement Department, as a governmental agency, wielded considerable power.

The super AI Adam possessed terrifying computational power, able to swiftly sift through citywide surveillance to pinpoint suspects. If necessary, it could remotely control reconnaissance drones, tracking an individual's trail online, helping the Enforcement Department cast a wide net.

With its hidden dragons and crouching tigers, the Enforcement Department housed numerous awakened beings, even high-tier ones. Yet, they couldn't capture the core members of the secret cults?

"Your orientation training is nearly complete, Cyrus," Shu Xuyao turned to face her, speaking with a gentle yet solemn tone. "We must maintain public order, eradicate exotic species, and combat those forces lurking in society's shadows. From now on, every day, you must fulfill your duties as a security officer."

He seemed to hold high hopes for Cyrus, who smiled and replied, "I will do so, Captain."

Fulfilling duties depended on the situation. Dying in the line of duty was absolutely out of the question. The true art of survival was letting others take the lead in dangerous situations while assessing the circumstances before planning the next move.

"We can leave now," Shu Xuyao said.

Back in the elevator, Cyrus was deep in thought.

Exotics and Awakened.

These were different professions, different paths to power.

And Cyrus remembered that her game system described the "Deprivers" as: "A profession that gains power by killing special ability users and seizing their supernatural abilities."

The term "special ability users" didn't solely refer to "awakened beings," which could mean that if Cyrus killed an Exotic, she could still deprive and utilize their power.

"Are you pondering over the exotic species?" Shu Xuyao's concerned voice sounded in her ear.

"No," Cyrus snapped back to reality. "I was wondering how much my salary would increase after my promotion."

Shu Xuyao fell silent.

"Captain," Cyrus looked into his eyes and asked, "How does one become an awakened being?"

"You have to be lucky," Shu Xuyao said. "There's no pattern to becoming an awakened being. Sometimes it happens after a good night's sleep, other times after a major shock. I can't offer you any advice in this area; after all, I'm not an awakened being myself."

Cyrus casually asked, "Who in the Enforcement Department is an awakened being? Are there many?"

Maintaining an appropriate level of curiosity and asking suitable questions was important. Even if Shu Xuyao might not answer some questions, her behavior wouldn't raise suspicions. Curiosity is human nature, and inquiring about the gossip from her superior was a logical action.

As expected, Shu Xuyao didn't answer, simply saying, "That's classified. You'll find out once you're promoted to captain."

Cyrus replied with a smile, "Then I'll work hard to be on the same level as you, Captain."

At lunch in the staff cafeteria, Cyrus deliberately avoided all red and green foods to prevent any unpleasant associations from affecting her appetite.

Still, she ate very little, mechanically chewing and forcing herself to swallow. She needed enough energy to support her afternoon training.

The training session passed unexpectedly quickly.

After basic combat and shooting training, Cyrus began weight-bearing running, carrying dozens of kilograms until she was gasping for air, her clothes soaked through, almost ready to collapse and roll her eyes back in exhaustion.

The trainer by the field, timing her with a stopwatch, exclaimed in surprise, "Impressive willpower! To achieve such good results on the first test, you finished five kilometers quickly! How about trying eight more? Hey, don't look at me like I'm the devil. Why not try to push your limits? If you don't push, you'll never know where they are!"

Cyrus managed to say between breaths, "I... Let's talk about it tomorrow. In half an hour, we have a meeting in the Field Operations Group."

The trainer reluctantly let Cyrus off the hook.

For new recruits to the Enforcement Department, there were designated personnel for training. Today was her first official day of training, and Cyrus felt like she could vomit blood from the exhaustion.

In the past, the class she dreaded most was physical education. She disliked running, so whenever PE class approached, Cyrus hoped the regular class teacher would take over, preferring to work on another test rather than attend PE.

Times had changed, and Cyrus had achieved a breakthrough, now willingly training under the pressure of survival.

After three minutes of rest on the ground, Cyrus stood up, staggering back to the elevator room, planning to return to the rest area for a shower.

Going to a meeting in her sweaty state was simply indecent.

Cyrus took ten minutes to shower, grateful her short hair dried quickly. After blow-drying her hair, she changed into her uniform and rushed to the elevator to the meeting room.

The meeting room was nearly full, and Cyrus spotted Lan Lan waving at her. She quickly made her way over and took the empty seat beside him.

The room was packed with forty or fifty people, all members of various squads. The Field Operations Group typically operated in teams of five to seven members, each with their own roles, and carried out missions in these small groups. For more challenging tasks, they would cooperate with multiple teams.

"So many people," Cyrus observed her surroundings.

As the team leader, Shu Xuyao sat in the front row, a bit far from them.

"Today is a big meeting; all teams are here," Lan Lan explained.

Liu Kangyun turned around and addressed Cyrus, "Have you completed your orientation training, Cyrus?"

"I have... It left quite an impression," Cyrus's expression was hard to describe. "It even spoiled my lunch."

Jiang Ming, who had just been discharged from the hospital, said, "That's normal. Get used to it, and who knows, you might see even more disgusting things on missions."

"True enough," Cyrus sighed.

After exchanging a few words, they fell silent as the meeting was about to begin.

Azure, the head of the Field Operations Group, stepped onto the podium. Her sharp gaze swept over the audience, skipping formalities to get straight to the point: "Lately, the port gangs have been causing frequent disturbances, resulting in numerous casualties. There are significant gaps in the personnel of the Port Coast Security Team, necessitating an adjustment to the areas patrolled by the Field Operations Group."

Those who made it into the Field Operations Group were exceptionally skilled in combat, facing the most dangers and suffering the most casualties.

However, part of the Port Coast Security Team's casualties might be attributed to Argentum, as he had killed two members of their sixth squad during his investigation.

"The seventh squad," Azure's eyes settled on Shu Xuyao, "will be reassigned to the harbor area starting tomorrow, joining the fifth and sixth squads of the original Coast Security Team to carry out coastal patrol duties."

Shu Xuyao stood and saluted, "Understood, we will complete the mission."

This was... just like being handed a pillow when drowsy.

Cyrus thought without showing any reaction.