Chapter 122: Chronicle

"Current plane: Chronicle. Energy cost for travel: 4,000."
"Host identity: Extra."
"Chronicle..."
Ma Jun pulled out a cigar and began to contemplate as he smoked.

Back when he was a nobody dreaming of making it big, he had watched countless films while studying at the Beijing Film Academy. Although he hadn't studied such commercial blockbusters in great detail, he had watched many in hopes that he might one day star in such high-grossing movies himself.

Ma Jun had certainly watched the film *Chronicle*. However, it had been a long time, and given that the plot wasn't exactly top-tier, he hadn't felt the need to analyze it deeply, leading him to forget many of the specifics. Still, he remembered the general gist.

The film was similar to Marvel’s *Spider-Man* in that an ordinary teenager accidentally gains superpowers and proceeds to play around without restraint. The difference was that the film primarily explored the concept of "losing control." It tried to elevate its theme, but in reality, it felt a bit cliché.

According to the plot, the most valuable item in this plane was undoubtedly the irregular crystal. The three protagonists gained their powers precisely because they were irradiated by the crystal or something similar. Furthermore, the abilities they acquired were akin to telekinesis—the power to manipulate objects and even their own bodies.

"In the *Resident Evil* plane, it took a great deal of effort to acquire superpowers, and unfortunately, they weren't very strong. If I can obtain the crystal from this plane, I will surely be able to enhance my telekinetic abilities. Currently, I haven't found any other way to improve these powers, so this is a worthy attempt."

Ma Jun’s eyes lit up. "Once I succeed, I can use telekinesis to control my own body and fly just like Superman!"

In *Chronicle*, the three protagonists were baptized by the crystal together, gaining significant manipulation powers. Once they became accustomed to them, they could use these abilities to soar through the sky. Humanity's longing for flight had never ceased since ancient times. Although airplanes existed in the modern era, only a few people could experience the freedom of flying like a bird, and even then, only with specialized equipment.

"Hmm..."

Ma Jun looked around the roadside and headed toward a distant block, lost in thought. "However, since this plane possesses a crystal that can grant humans superpowers, there must be other wonders here as well. Trying to conquer the whole thing won't be easy. After all, the unknown is what’s truly frightening!"

"I have 92,500 energy points left—more than enough! In that case, I will only aim for the crystal in this plane. No need to bring Old Qian and the others over. Spending 8,000 energy points to obtain a massive boost in telekinesis is well worth it!"

Before long, Ma Jun reached a nearby street. He found a hotel, took some cash out of his Qiankun ring, and checked in. Inside the room, he summoned a bio-engineered super-soldier from his ring.

"Boss!" the fully armed android stood ready for orders.

Ma Jun looked it over and tossed the Qiankun ring to it. "There are some ordinary clothes inside. Go change into a set. Then, go out, find a secluded place, and deploy all the other androids!"

Without the help of the system, Ma Jun would have struggled to understand the plot or the protagonists' identities. Fortunately, he now had plenty of subordinates, and with his rich储备 of network technology, it would be relatively easy to track people down.

After a moment of reflection, Ma Jun added, "Once everyone is deployed, split up and make sure you're all wearing civilian clothes. Search for three people: one named Andrew, one named Matt, and one named Steve! They are all high school students. Andrew’s father is an alcoholic, his mother is bedridden, and he is very introverted, carrying a camcorder around all day."

He lit another cigar and continued, "The three of them seem to attend the same school. This guy named Steve appears to be a school celebrity with a lot of influence! Oh, right, he’s Black. The other two are White."

"Use all your capabilities. Keep it low-profile and don't disturb them, but you must find these three! Report back to me the moment you do! Understood?"

"Yes!"

"Good, move out!"

With the mission assigned, Ma Jun dismissed his subordinate and spent his time leisurely watching television in the room. Things were different now compared to the beginning; with countless subordinates to do the heavy lifting, he didn't need to tire himself out. Searching for people in such a massive place on his own would have taken ages.

Although the system had dropped him not far from where the plot unfolded, he was a stranger in a strange land. Since the protagonists weren't particularly famous, finding them was like looking for a needle in a haystack. If he waited too long, they might already have gained their powers, and by then, it would be too late.

...

During the time spent searching, Ma Jun rarely left the hotel. He only went out to the street for meals, spending the rest of his time playing computer games or analyzing the plot, wondering if there would be any accidents when he went to receive the crystal's baptism.

A week later, the android contacted him.

"Boss, we have found them!"

"Very good. What are they doing now? What are they planning to do?"

"They are attending a party tonight. It’s at a place called Raven’s Cave; it seems to be an abandoned farm!"

"Well done!" Ma Jun smiled. "Report your location; I’m coming over immediately!"

...

The protagonists of *Chronicle* lived in a small town. The younger the students were, the wilder they partied. They loved parties—all sorts of interesting parties.

Because of his family situation, Andrew was very introverted and hadn't wanted to go to any party. However, after his cousin Matt’s persistent persuasion, he finally joined in.

Unfortunately, Andrew’s gut feeling was right: he shouldn't have gone. First, he couldn't pick up any girls, and second, because he was filming with his camcorder, he ended up getting beaten up.

Being beaten was a common occurrence for Andrew. He had to leave the party alone, find a secluded spot, and cry in silence. The lens of his camera faithfully recorded the tears.

Steve, the school’s golden boy, suddenly found Andrew and told him they had found something interesting, wanting Andrew to come along and record it. After some persuasion, Andrew followed Steve.

Before long, they arrived at an abandoned patch of farmland and saw a hole over half a meter in diameter in the ground. Andrew's cousin, Matt, was there too. The group huddled around the hole and heard a shrill, piercing sound coming from within.

The students were excited; they thought it was incredibly interesting.

However, the next moment, bright lights suddenly appeared in the distance. Over a dozen SUVs charged out and screeched to a halt. Men in black suits emerged from the vehicles, all of them holding guns.

This threw Andrew and the others into a panic.

"Who are you?" Steve shouted.

"We didn't do anything! Don't shoot!" Andrew cowered, screaming at the top of his lungs.