Shrouded Seascape-Chapter 1089: Goblet

Why would the IMF need the percentage of normal humans entering Subterranean London? Anna pondered to herself as she walked along the streets of Subterranean London.

She scanned the crowd around her and spotted a few that stood out among the silence. Their expressions were nervous, and their movements fidgety.

Since the IMF is aware that ordinary civilians are becoming more aware of the existence of Anomalies, they aren't planning on going public with that information, are they? A full, no-hold-barred disclosure to the whole world?

The outrageous yet possible thought suddenly crossed Anna's mind. She couldn't even begin to imagine what earth-shaking upheavals would unfold if that ever happened. And what kind of new path would humanity take next?

However, if the revelation of Anomalies could truly shake the order of the surface world, then it would be perfect for her course.

Her only worry was that the IMF would find some way to suppress everything under the carpet.

Anna didn't have any better solution at the moment, so she could only take things one step at a time. The tension between both sides was already nearing its breaking point.

Regardless of whether the IMF would choose to go with full disclosure or not, a war between both sides was inevitable. Neither would it take long to arrive.

Ding, ding, ding!

A bell rang as the door was pushed open. Anna and her group entered Three Crows, the largest Anomaly trading shop within Subterranean London.

After receiving the red ceramic goblet from Anna, the shop assistant promised with confidence that they would have detailed intel on the item within six hours.

It wasn't that these people were particularly powerful. Rather, they had the connections to get information. After a few dealings with these figures, Anna had already figured out their modus operandi.

Most Anomalies passed through several hands before ending up with hunters. With the right connections, one could easily find out what an item did. There was no need to risk lives to test out its effects.

And even if they couldn't find any past users, they would refund the money without question. There was no loss incurred.

Since they only had to wait six hours, Anna and her group had no intention of leaving Subterranean London. Two people were left behind at the shop to wait for the results while the other checked into a nearby inn,

It was a rather small place with rudimentary furniture. But there was one upside to it—the soundproofing was excellent. After all, inns like these were typically used by those who needed a quiet, private space for confidential conversations.

Of course, if one was making money through honest means, there was no need to come to Subterranean London. This inn doubled as a hub for posting hunter missions. This also explained why a night here cost two thousand U.S. dollars.

Anna used her gloved hand to click on the mouse and scanned the list of missions posted on the dark web. Most hunters preferred to keep a low profile, and of course, this was a far more discreet method to select their missions.

Payments were also made in virtual currency, similar to casino chips. If one ever wanted to cash out, they could select a delivery point, and the money would arrive safely.

An anonymous payout system like this was undoubtedly satisfactory for those doing dirty work.

Meanwhile, Anna didn't even bother to consider missions with high rewards or easy to complete. The only thing she focused on was the mission locations.

"Sis, can you get me a handgun with less recoil?" Gao Zhiming asked, looking down at the weapon in his hand. "This gun's precision is kinda low."

Anna took a side glance at him before turning her gaze back to the screen. "Just use whatever you have. You don't need a fancy one. You won't be fighting on the front lines for long anyway."

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In the first place, she had let Gao Zhiming learn to shoot under Jackal's guidance so that he could defend himself. It wasn't for him to go out there and risk his life in a fight.

Gao Zhiming's life was more important than anything else. If he died, everything that had been done would be all in vain.

Clearly, Gao Zhiming didn't share the same sentiments. He wanted to become stronger so that he could better protect his Big Sis, this woman who would one day be his wife.

Just as he was about to fight for his viewpoint, the door handle turned. Olivia and Jackal entered the room with the case that held the crimson ceramic goblet.

"High Priestess," Jackal called out respectfully and held up a piece of paper. "They've identified the Anomaly. It's unlike those that we found previously. This one actually seems useful."

Anna reached out and took the paper from his hand. Her eyes scanned the printed text.

Dear customer, Greetings.

We've identified the item you've entrusted to us. It's an Anomaly that alters direction. Place anything inside of it for longer than three seconds to change its direction. Also, the altered direction can be controlled by the will of the user.

Sorry if the explanation is unclear. Please feel free to test it out by placing your own finger into the goblet while focusing on a direction. Rest assured. We have tested the Anomaly, and it only alters direction and has no side effects.

Anna glanced at the goblet next to her. She then picked up a bullet Roy had left on the table and dropped it into the goblet.

Three seconds later, a strange scene unfolded. The bullet swiftly soared out of the goblet and slammed into the ceiling. The bullet ended up getting stuck there.

Anna reached up and plucked the bullet free from the ceiling. She held it at eye level and studied it for a moment before letting go. Once again, the bullet "fell" toward the ceiling.

After which, Anna placed one of her fingers into the goblet. Three seconds later, she floated up, and just like the bullet from before, she clung to the ceiling upside down.

From her perspective, Gao Zhiming and the others were hanging upside down above her. But from their perspective, she was the one defying gravity.

Changing the direction of gravity, huh… Anna thought as she eyed the crimson goblet in her hand with interest.

With a thought, her direction changed again. Anna plummeted sideways into the wall. When she stood up, she realized she was standing perfectly balanced on the wall, but horizontally in the eyes of others.

This wasn't weightlessness. Rather, it was as if gravity had changed direction completely.

For an ordinary human, gravity always pulled downward. However, with this anomaly, one could change the direction of the gravitational force on oneself.

It was hard to gauge the usefulness of this Anomaly. However, it would probably take a prolonged time of training to fully master its power after being absorbed into the body.

Ignoring the others who gathered around her, Anna continued reading the letter.

Of course, this Anomaly comes with its side effects. If you remain in its proximity for an extended period of time, the orientation of your body will change randomly.

For instance, the direction of your hair growth, the length of your finger, and your age may even reverse. Those are still insignificant changes.

The dangerous part is that it can also alter the direction of the blood flow in your blood vessels and disrupt your heartbeat's rhythm.

If things spiral to that point, I assume I don't need to explain too much about the inevitable consequences. Therefore, my recommended advice is to use the Anomaly for three months and then stop for half a year. Do not try to change users to avoid the side effects.

The third owner tried that, and it didn't work. The burden left by the previous user would be stacked onto the next user. His ending was miserable.

Its applications are up to your imagination. With proper control, one could use this Anomaly to fly freely in the air.

Thank you for consulting Three Crows Anomaly Shop. I'm the owner of this shop. If you're ever interested in putting up any Anomaly for sale, feel free to drop by or call me directly at 0414545…

Anna couldn't be bothered to read the rest of the long-winded sales pitch. She raised her head and looked at Li Lu, Roy, and Jackal. She then pondered over a question—Should she absorb the Anomaly herself or give it to one of them?