âJack Reeves.
Jack!!!
The name struck Zhou Chenâs mind like a bolt of lightning.
"I found Jack Reevesâs photo in the police departmentâs classified files, along with a confidential document issued by the FBI." Liu Ling handed him a thin file folder.
Zhou Chen opened the folder. Inside were several photos taken from different angles. Some were headshots, while others were taken surreptitiously. They all showed a handsome Western man with a high-bridged nose and well-defined features. He looked to be in his early thirties, with calm brown eyes and a steady, reliable air about him.
Picking up the photos, Zhou Chen looked at the confidential document. It contained only a few short sentences, the gist of which was: An agent from a special department will be investigating the recent strange cases in Akita Town. The local police department is to cooperate with Agent Jack Reevesâs work. Until the case is closed, Agent Jack Reeves has the highest priority in the investigation and can requisition any and all manpower and resources.
Zhou Chen then studied the photos carefully, noticing many similarities between Jack Reevesâs appearance and Old Jackâs.
They were the same person.
In an instant, many things were explained.
Why did Old Jackâs mad ramblings hide the truth? Because he was the federal agent who had mysteriously disappeared. He knew what was happening in Akita Town all along!
But how did Jack Reeves end up like that? Why did he suddenly disappear? And why had he gone mad and aged by decades?
"Zhou Chen, you experienced an Essence Resonance phenomenon before and saw Akita Town destroyed, right?" Liu Ling asked.
"Yes." Zhou Chen nodded. He had told everyone about this.
Liu Ling glanced at the Glory Colosseum in the sky. "At the end of the dream, you saw a blazing light that pierced the heavens and the earth. That light was clearly not from Natasâs Power. Iâm guessing Jack Reeves unleashed it. Heâs an agent who investigates Supernatural Power, so he must possess Extraordinary Power himself.
"The police department has Jack Reevesâs activity log from last month. It shows he was diligently investigating the case, but Akita Town was already contaminated, and he was no exception. The contamination prevented him from getting close to the truth, which is why he investigated for so long without any results.
"In the original timeline, he probably failed to stop Natas from destroying Akita Town, even at the very end. So, he used some kind of Mysterious Power to start over.
"In college, I studied the concept of âReboot.â A âRebootâ is when the state of surrounding things is reversed, returning to a certain point in time. Itâs a bit like loading a save file in a game. The most common examples are those Restricted Area dungeons, which remain in a constant state of âRebootâ until they are cleared.
"A certain B-Level Forbidden Object and some special Extraordinary Artifacts also have âRebootâ Skills. Itâs said that a Crowned King has mastered this Ability as well."
Zhou Chen frowned. "You mean... Akita Townâs Reboot wasnât caused by the power of a Restricted Area, but by Jack using some method similar to a âRebootâ to return Akita Town to its state before it was destroyed?"
"Exactly. That would explain why Jack Reeves suddenly disappeared and why he became so old."
Liu Ling said slowly, "The âRebootâ he used must have a major flaw: his own state cannot be rebooted. Any injuries he suffers or the aging process wonât be reversed by the âReboot.â He can only keep âplaying the gameâ until he clears it.
"But... it seems he couldnât hold on. Itâs possible he was injured during one of the loops, causing him to lose his mind. Or perhaps he absorbed too much contamination and lost his sanity. Itâs also possible the long cycle of repetition eroded his memories, causing him to go mad and become the homeless Old Jack we see now.
"Thatâs why Jack Reeves suddenly vanished without a trace in the new loopâbecause he had already turned into the incoherent, homeless Old Jack.
"From this, we can actually determine Akita Townâs âsave point.â Jack Reeves disappeared eighteen days ago, which means the save point for Akita Town is eighteen days in the past.
"Eighteen days ago, Natasâs Power wasnât that great. If we give up on this loop, the people in the next one, with proper protection, could definitely clear it easily."
After hearing Liu Lingâs theory, Zhou Chen looked at the photo of the young, handsome Jack Reeves in his hand, then thought of the homeless Old Jack he had become. He fell silent for several seconds before speaking softly:
"Why didnât Jack just leave or call for backup?"
"That part, I donât know." Liu Ling shook her head. "Maybe he was seriously injured in the very first loop, which caused his mental problems... or maybe his âRebootâ isolated Akita Town, preventing anyone from leaving and anyone new from entering.
"Come to think of it, everything he said was the truth. He probably discovered that Father Natas was the culprit in one of the earlier loops, but why couldnât he successfully clear it..."
"A difference in power."
Zhou Chen looked up at the Glory Colosseum and sighed softly. "To us, Father Natas from eighteen days ago isnât much, but for Jack, he was likely a formidable enemy. Jack isnât even an Ascender..."
As he spoke, he paused, a possibility occurring to him. "Liu Ling, go back to Joeyâs House and check Old Jackâs body. I suspect he might have left a clue on himself."
Liu Ling froze for a moment. Thinking it over, she realized it was indeed a real possibility.