ã€ŠFrom the Apocalypseã€‹


 Ch 1: Picked Up the Apocalypse Girl 1

    Mid-September, 10 AM.

    Most people are either at work or school at this time, but I took a leave of absence from my school and stayed in this off-campus rental house. Today, I have something far more important to do than attending class.

    I am fully aware that what I''m doing is something I cannot tell anyone about.

    Feeling guilty, I didn¡¯t open the window to ventilate this morning. When I walked to the window, I only dared to pull the curtain open a small crack. The dazzling sunlight hit my face, and the morning scenery of the neighborhood came into view.

    The outside world is peaceful, andno one knows that two people, unwanted by society, are hiding in this room.

    I picked up the cold metal object to my right and brought it up to my eyes.

    It¡¯s a handgun.

    I¡¯m not sure about the specific type or model. In my past life, I had never handled real firearms or ammunition, and I knew nothing about them. The only thing I could tell was that this was definitely not the toy model guns I used to play with as a child, but a genuine firearm that could blow someone''s head off with a single pull of the trigger, and would likely land me in prison for life.

    Verifying its authenticity was simple. I clumsily removed the magazine, and inside, three cold, yellow metal bullets were loaded, with another one already chambered and ready to fire. Undoubtedly, these were live rounds.

    The legal text I had found online automatically surfaced in my mind:

    "Anyone who illegally possesses or secretly stores firearms or ammunition shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than three years, criminal detention, or surveillance; if the circumstances are serious, the sentence shall be more than three years but less than seven years."

    I gazed at the deadly weapon in my hand for a long while, then turned to look at the beautiful girl sitting restlessly on the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll repeat what you just said. You said that the future world fell into an unprecedented catastrophe, strange phenomena appeared one after another, monstrous creatures roamed and slaughtered, and human civilization was shattered under the impact of countless supernatural forces¡­¡± I collate the information I had just heard and my emotions, ¡°And you, are a survivor from the end of the world, who crossed time and space to arrive at this point in time?¡±

    She nodded.

    "And then? What is your purpose now?" I continued to ask. "Do you want to stop the apocalypse from happening in this era?"

    "That''s right..." She looked at the gun in my hand. "So, can you give me back my gun now?"

    ---

    I first met this unfamiliar yet dangerous girl last night, while conducting a ghost story investigation at a nearby abandoned construction site.

    Ghost story investigations are one of my hobbies. Specifically, I visit places where local ghost stories and urban legends are said to occur, to see if they are really true.

    This act of verification is not particularly groundbreaking; curiosity is something everyone has. In schools, for instance, when ghost stories circulate, students may spontaneously go to check whether the rumors are true. What I do is no different in essence.

    If there¡¯s anything special about it, it¡¯s that I¡¯ve been doing this since I was young, drawing a definitive line between myself and others.

    Since I was young, I¡¯ve been obsessed with the magical stories depicted in books, enjoying imagining myself experiencing those thrilling adventures and battling world-destroying enemies like dragons in intense struggles. I was also fascinated by the strange and inexplicable events in the real world, such as the unsolved mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle, or the popular internet legends like the tall, slender ghost figure and the slit-mouthed woman. These unreal existences, so far removed from my own life, captivated my imagination.

    Similarly, I also had a deep interest in concepts with strong elements of the unreal and mysterious, such as feng shui, the art of war, black magic, and more, and I was eager to try them out myself in order to test their authenticity.

    Needless to say, my hands-on experiments mostly ended in disproving the claims or simply fizzling out, and my exploration of ghost stories and legends earned me some unpleasant reputations.

    Whenever I heard about local reports of paranormal phenomena that couldn¡¯t be explained scientifically, I would try to visit and verify the truth. The people I investigated were sometimes mistaken, sometimes superstitious with little grasp of basic scientific knowledge, or vague and evasive. Occasionally, I would even make someone so angry with my questions that they would lose their temper.

    Some people, frustrated by their failures with me, would angrily tell others, ¡°Zhuang Cheng is just a loser, he¡¯d be scared out of his wits if he encountered the real thing!¡± Some listeners even wholeheartedly agreed.Stolen story; please report.

    Within the university, I was also seen by most people as an eccentric individual. Although I didn¡¯t cause much trouble, it was rare for students to interact with me regularly. My only friend in college was puzzled by my efforts, which seemed to be directed toward nothingness. He once tried to probe into my motivations and even advised me.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve never encountered true supernatural forces, why do you keep investigating ghost stories and legends?¡± My friend probably asked me something like this. ¡°No matter how passionate you were at the start, after failing a few times, you should¡¯ve lost interest. But I heard that you¡¯ve been doing this since you first started middle school. Isn¡¯t that a bit strange?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see you doing any live ghost hunts, and there¡¯s no profit in it. You haven¡¯t even had any real results. There should be some positive feedback... some related evidence or clues that would keep you going, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    I heard the underlying meaning in his words, so I decided to get straight to the point: "Stop beating around the bush. If you have something to say, just say it."

    Hearing this, he stopped dodging and frankly expressed his thoughts: "I think you should stop taking risks and investigating ghost stories."

    "Why? Do you, like those people, think I¡¯ll be scared out of my wits if I encounter the real thing?"

    "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m worried about that, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll break the law," he complained. "Sometimes you give off this rebellious aura that feels really unsettling. You¡¯re not planning to dig up ancient tombs or get involved in cult rituals just for thrills, are you?"

    "¡­"

    "You wouldn¡¯t, right?" His voice had changed.

    Whether or not I actually planned to do such things is another matter. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t really afraid I¡¯d break the law; maybe he just used exaggerated language to avoid conflict after I sharply countered his concerns. After all, I¡¯ve always been a law-abiding citizen.

    In any case, he wasn¡¯t able to convince me in the end.

    And recently, I turned my attention to the abandoned construction site near the university.

    It was rumored to be haunted, with vengeful ghosts of those who had died in a construction accident roaming the area at night, covered in blood and abducting female students passing by.

    That very night, after hearing the story, I grabbed my large flashlight and walked over alone.

    The incident took place at the abandoned construction site, specifically in a half-finished building. Due to the interruption of construction, there were no doors or windows installed on the walls. After passing through the dark doorway, all I could see were the drab, gray concrete walls of the building, with dust and construction debris scattered everywhere.

    Not even homeless people approached this place, and it seemed that mosquitoes also refused to enter this barren land. The lights and noise from the outside world were gloomily shut out, leaving only silence and darkness in the air. The only sounds I heard were my own heartbeat and breath, accompanied by the feeling of loneliness.

    The beam of my flashlight only illuminated the path ahead, while the darkness behind me seemed almost tangible, pressing against my back like a wet weight, making me feel an impulse to look back. But once I did, I would worry about whether something had appeared ahead. I was constantly on edge, scanning my surroundings, fearful and wary at all times.

    This surreal atmosphere, while chilling, also made me feel strangely at ease.

    My friend''s words did have some truth to them; one cannot remain passionate about a direction where there is no hope.

    I don''t know when, but I somehow came to understand a truth on my own: the real world is not as strange and bizarre as the fantasy stories; many puzzles have mundane and monotonous truths behind them. Those who claim to use magic are merely skilled in sleight of hand, those who say they are good at divination are just proficient in psychological techniques, and the Taoists who can bless people with safety are merely eloquent speakers, with followers skilled in self-deception. There was a time when I truly sank into a depression, as if stuck in a mire.

    But, after all, people will eventually die.

    Rather than dying in a life that is calm and uneventful, I would rather die in an adventure as bizarre and fantastical as a story.

    I want to break free from the control of my life, to fantasize about monsters suddenly bursting into the classroom and killing the teacher and students. If such a ridiculous situation really occurred, how would I react? Perhaps I would discover a courage I never expected, or maybe I would show unimaginable cowardice¡ªI want to know. I want the world I live in to fall out of control.

    What truly keeps me addicted is not the narrow and trivial demons and monsters, but the adventures that completely transcend my experience and life, the unpredictable and unimaginable ones.

    Though I don¡¯t expect to encounter truly bizarre experiences this time, I still repeatedly hone my sense of vigilance as much as possible. A truly bizarre experience would undoubtedly bring unimaginable danger. Even I cannot guarantee I will make it out unscathed.

    As I carefully advanced deeper into the ruins, I focused intently on scanning every detail of the environment with the beam of my flashlight, imagining that deadly dangers lurked in those barely perceptible corners. They were like ferocious beasts, holding their breath and lying in wait, ready to pounce the moment I relaxed and blinked, tearing into my throat.

    Monsters, if you truly exist, show yourselves before me.

    I will prove that I am not a loser

    Suddenly, a loud crash echoed nearby, the sound of a heavy object colliding forcefully.

    This space was so silent that I could clearly hear my own heartbeat, and when that noise rang out, it was like thunder striking out of a clear sky, violently pounding against my chest.

    I was instantly startled, and immediately fixed on the direction of the sound, rushing toward it without hesitation.

    It was only a short distance down the hallway, and I quickly reached the source of the sound, using the flashlight to see what had caused it.

    It was a scaffold that had fallen to the ground. I see, a heavy object like this falling indeed makes a loud noise. But a scaffold wouldn''t just fall on its own; someone must have knocked it over.

    I quickly noticed, out of the corner of my eye, a vague shadow in a dark corner, leaning against the concrete wall and sitting on the ground.

    Blood was flowing across the floor, winding like several small snakes, slowly, slowly, crawling from the darkness into the light of my flashlight.

    I had heard that the ghostly figure haunting this abandoned construction site was a vengeful spirit, covered in blood, from someone who had died in a past construction accident.

    A suffocating sensation gripped my throat; it turned out that I had unconsciously held my breath. In this isolated and helpless situation, my limbs felt stiff and cold, like those of a corpse.

    With trembling and eagerness, I slowly moved the beam of my flashlight, illuminating the vague shadow before me.

    What appeared in front of me was indeed a person covered in blood.

    But it was not the terrifying vengeful spirit I had imagined.

    It was a girl, dressed in a blue and white striped hospital gown, with delicate limbs and a beautiful face.

 Ch 2: Picked Up the Apocalypse Girl 2

    The girl, covered in blood, leaned against the wall without moving, her eyes closed.

    Even as the beam of my flashlight shone directly on her face, she showed no reaction, as though she had fallen unconscious.

    For a moment, I was utterly stunned.

    The vengeful spirit said to haunt this abandoned construction site at night¡ªwas its true form a girl?

    No, aside from being "covered in blood," this girl had almost nothing in common with the vengeful ghost I had heard about.

    So, this is a living human being? But why is she so gravely injured, and why is she wearing a hospital gown in such a desolate place?

    Now isn¡¯t the time to ponder these questions. Since she is a seriously injured living person, what I should do next is obvious.

    I quickly walked up to her and squatted down, using my limited knowledge to check her vital signs while pulling out my phone to call for emergency services.

    At the same time, I carefully observed her appearance.

    She looked to be only thirteen or fourteen, about the age of a middle schooler. Despite the bloodstains on her cheeks, it was clear that she possessed delicate and youthful beauty. Her flawless, porcelain-like skin appeared almost dazzling under the flashlight. Her head tilted slightly in a pitiable manner, with her medium-length black hair cascading over one shoulder.

    The blue-and-white striped hospital gown she was wearing had been severely torn in many places, with dark red blood seeping through. These injuries were absolutely not the kind caused by accidentally tripping on the road or falling down stairs¡ªthey were clear evidence of fatal violence. There must have been a cold-blooded and ruthless assailant wielding a sharp weapon.

    The blood was very fresh, meaning she could only have been injured nearby.

    The attacker was still in the area!

    I kept my eyes and ears on high alert, but I couldn¡¯t detect any signs of another presence. Still, I didn¡¯t let down my guard.

    It seemed I would need to make another call, this time to the police.

    However, I didn¡¯t expect that I wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to make the emergency call. Just as I was about to press the dial button, the girl suddenly raised her arm and grabbed my wrist holding the phone with surprising force¡ªcompletely disproportionate to her frail appearance.

    She weakly opened her eyes, her consciousness seemingly unclear. I couldn¡¯t even tell if she had fully registered my face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call the police¡­¡± she murmured feebly, her voice barely audible.

    After saying this, her eyes closed again, but her hand stubbornly remained on my wrist. No matter how much I called out to her, she wouldn¡¯t wake up.

    Don¡¯t call the police? Why?

    I couldn¡¯t comply with her request. Regardless of whether I called the police or not, I had to call for emergency medical assistance. I wasn¡¯t cold-hearted enough to leave a stranger to die. And given her condition, the hospital would inevitably notify the authorities.

    Initially, that was exactly what I intended to do.

    But soon, I realized there was no need to even make the emergency call.

    As I removed her hand, the motion caused her hospital gown to shift slightly, revealing the skin beneath a tear in the fabric.

    That skin appeared completely unscathed.

    Immediately sensing something was off, I cast aside any concerns about propriety and began examining her injuries directly.

    What I discovered left me stunned¡ªbeneath her clothes, I felt something entirely foreign: a hard, cold object. Pulling up the edge of her garment to take a closer look, I found tucked inside a chillingly ominous item.

    The sinister aura emanating from it transformed into an icy shock that surged straight to the top of my head.

    It¡¯s a handgun!

    I incredulously pulled the handgun out and examined it over and over again. Even as an amateur, I could tell without a doubt that this was a real gun!This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Moreover, based on my earlier inspection of the girl, she genuinely appeared to be completely unharmed.

    If that¡¯s the case, why had she fallen into what seemed like a coma from excessive blood loss?

    Could it be that she was simply tired and decided to take a nap?

    And whose blood was on her? If it wasn¡¯t hers, could it actually be animal blood? That¡¯s absurd. Someone carrying a real gun¡ªhow could I believe the blood soaking her body was fake?

    I had to revise my assumptions. Initially, I thought this was a criminal incident, with her as the victim. But the truth might be entirely different from my preconceived impression.

    I had to call the police.

    Even assuming she herself was innocent, allowing a firearm to circulate among civilians was unquestionably against moral and ethical principles.

    However, I couldn¡¯t ignore the alluring radiance surrounding this enigmatic girl¡ªa brilliance filled with potential for drama, something utterly beyond my experiences, my life, and my ability to predict.

    A mysterious, blood-soaked girl lying in the ruins¡ªnever in my life had I encountered something so profoundly surreal.

    In this moment, my curiosity overpowered my sense of morality.

    I decided to take her with me.

    No sooner thought than done.

    ---

    Having decided on a course of action, I immediately took off my jacket and wrapped the oversized garment around the girl. Then, I carried her in my arms.

    I¡¯m not someone who usually has much interaction with the opposite sex, nor am I immune to their charm. Holding this girl¡¯s soft body, I couldn¡¯t help but let my imagination run wild. Normally, just physical contact with a girl wouldn¡¯t be enough to send my thoughts astray. But at this moment, this mysterious young lady possessed a fatal allure¡ªlike a poisonous flower.

    She was so enigmatic, so dangerous, radiating the potential to unravel everything in my life up to this point.

    Was it really necessary to take her back with me? Even if I followed her request and refrained from calling the police, I could just as easily leave her here.

    But my curiosity¡ªit was overwhelming, irresistible. Why was she in such a disheveled and bloodstained state? Why was she carrying an illegal firearm? What kind of extraordinary story lay hidden within her?

    I had to find out.

    I carried her out of the abandoned construction site.

    The rented apartment I lived in off-campus and the abandoned construction site shared one thing in common: both were near Xian Shui University, where I studied. The distance from the site to my place wasn¡¯t very far.

    The problem was, while I could avoid being seen by others by taking a shortcut through small paths for the first half of the journey, completing the trip without being spotted was nearly impossible. There was always the risk of being seen by pedestrians, captured by surveillance cameras, or stopped and questioned by the security guard at the entrance to my apartment complex.

    Because of this, when I reached the halfway point, I hid the girl in a nearby patch of tall grass and hurried home as fast as I could. I retrieved a large suitcase I had used for moving my luggage in the past and immediately rushed back to where I had left her.

    On my way back, I was riddled with anxiety, fearing she might have already woken up and left on her own while I was gone, or worse, that someone passing by had stumbled upon her by sheer chance in such a short span of time.

    Thankfully, my luck hadn¡¯t sunk to that level of misfortune.

    I took the girl out of the grass. She was petite, and curling her arms and legs up to fit into the large suitcase wasn¡¯t difficult. At first, I worried this might just be my naive assumption, but it turned out she really could fit inside.

    Heaven knows! When I bought this suitcase, I never imagined there would come a day when I¡¯d end up acting like some depraved criminal in adult thrillers, stuffing an underage girl into a suitcase for transport.

    My heart pounded wildly, and my mind wandered. But what captivated me even more than those indecent thoughts was the sheer surrealness of the experience and the fact that I was carrying out such an unthinkable act.

    Yes, this was unquestionably strange, something that would never happen in a normal life.

    What might happen next?

    As I entered the residential complex where I lived, I glanced back at the security booth as I passed.

    The guard was idly playing on his phone, not even sparing a glance at me¡ªthis suspicious figure dragging a large suitcase back and forth in the middle of the night. None of the passersby I encountered along the way paid any attention to me either.

    No matter how extraordinary tonight felt to me, for everyone else, it was just another ordinary day.

    ---

    I dragged the large suitcase back to my home.

    Fortunately, I live alone off-campus as a university student, or I wouldn''t know how to explain this situation to my parents.

    I took the girl out of the suitcase. Clearly, the inside of the suitcase was not a comfortable means of transport, and even the deeply unconscious girl frowned uncomfortably, as if she was feeling it subconsciously.

    I was lucky that the bumpy ride didn¡¯t wake her up. No matter how indifferent the security guard was, if a minor¡¯s cries for help suddenly came from the suitcase, I would have been in a very awkward situation.

    I tried once again to wake her up, but once again, I failed¡ªshe couldn¡¯t wake up for now. So, I decided to let her rest for a while longer.

    I carried her to my bedroom and laid her down on the bed.

    Although it wasn¡¯t ideal from a hygiene standpoint to leave her in her bloodstained clothes, and the sheets and blankets were also stained, I didn¡¯t plan to change her clothes myself. I would let her change them when she woke up. If she hadn¡¯t woken up by tomorrow, I would help her then.

    For tonight, I decided to sleep on the couch in the living room and let her have the bed. It wasn¡¯t out of any sense of gentlemanly courtesy, but because if she slept in the living room, I might not notice if she woke up and left. If she stayed in the bedroom, she would have to pass through the living room to leave, which would alert me.

    Just to be cautious, I carefully placed an empty soda can on the bedroom door handle. The handle wasn¡¯t spherical but bar-shaped, so I could balance the can on it quite stably. If she turned the handle from inside the bedroom, the can would surely fall and make a noticeable sound.

    Would she be a witch bringing destruction to my life, or something else entirely? Before leaving the bedroom, I looked at her sleeping face, unable to suppress the heat building inside me. I could even feel the lively pulse in the veins behind my ears.

    I really wonder what will happen tomorrow.

 Ch 3: Picked Up the Apocalypse Girl 3

    A stern-faced police officer stood in front of me, his roar as deafening as thunder, shaking my very soul:

    "Zhuang Cheng, you''ve broken the law! Do you understand that!?

    "That girl is a murderer with many lives on her hands. Not only did you illegally conceal firearms and ammunition, but you also harbored and protected her!

    "You¡¯re an accomplice, her partner in crime!"

    I couldn¡¯t bear to meet his gaze. I hastily covered my ears and turned away, only to find my parents standing behind me, their voices and eyes filled with utter disappointment:

    "We raised you with our hard-earned money, sent you to university, not to raise a criminal who disrupts society''s peace.

    "Prepare yourself to go to prison. After you get out, don¡¯t contact us anymore.

    "We no longer have a son like you..."

    My friend also appeared in front of me, but after making eye contact with me, he recoiled and quickly stepped back. From a distance, he called out to me:

    "Acheng, I never thought you¡¯d actually commit a crime...

    "From now on, don¡¯t tell anyone you know me. I don¡¯t want to be dragged down with you¡­"

    Suddenly, the surroundings were plunged into complete darkness, and then it brightened again.

    Under the harsh lights, a judge looked down at me from a high podium, his voice solemn and merciless as he announced:

    "The defendant, Zhuang Cheng, harbored and concealed a murderer, illegally hid firearms and ammunition, showed no remorse, and the circumstances are serious. With multiple crimes compounded, he is sentenced to life imprisonment, effective immediately!"

    "!!!"

    ---

    The sensation of imbalance, a sharp jolt, and pain.

    I suddenly woke up.

    But the surroundings were not my familiar bedroom.

    It took me a couple of seconds to regain my senses. It turns out everything that happened before was just a nightmare. I must have rolled off the couch while sleeping, landing on the floor. This is the living room of my home, sunlight pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and I can vaguely hear the sounds of the city outside.

    It¡¯s already daytime.

    Why was I sleeping on the couch...?

    Right, last night I gave up the bed in my bedroom for the mysterious beautiful girl I brought back from outside... but that part wasn¡¯t a dream.

    As I was sorting through the chaotic thoughts in my mind, I pushed myself up from the couch and immediately noticed the metal object placed on it.

    It was a handgun.

    Last night, I hadn¡¯t gone straight to sleep on the couch. Instead, I had been fiddling with the handgun. While I didn¡¯t take the clich¨¦ of ¡°real guns and ammo are a man¡¯s romance¡± as a motto or anything, I had indeed been deeply fascinated by it. While playing with the gun, I imagined myself aiming and shooting at imagined enemies, targeting various objects around the house like the dining table, refrigerator, and TV, enjoying it without getting tired of the exercise.

    I wasn¡¯t particularly worried about an accidental discharge. In action movies, I¡¯d often seen characters get into dangerous situations because they forgot to disengage the safety mechanism on their guns. Even though I knew very little about firearms, I had a particularly vivid memory of the safety mechanism. When I brought my laptop into the living room, I cross-referenced the relevant knowledge I found online and discovered that the safety on this handgun had been previously engaged, so I made sure to turn it off.

    However, no matter what, a real gun is a real weapon, a terrifying tool capable of taking lives with ease. If the authorities discover that I possess a firearm and have been hiding a dangerous murderer, the nightmare in my mind could quickly turn into a merciless reality, instantly ruining my future.

    No, wait¡­ I can¡¯t be certain that girl is a murderer yet. I know nothing about her.

    How is she now? Has she woken up? Has she already sneaked away?

    I took the handgun and hid it behind my back, feeling uneasy as I moved to the bedroom door.

    The empty can was still perfectly positioned on the door handle just as it had been last night. I breathed a small sigh of relief, took the can down, and then, moving quietly as if in a zombie game, I pushed the door open and peeked inside to take a look.

    Fortunately, the girl was still in the bedroom. She lay on the bed, motionless, just like the empty can, with only the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed rhythmically.

    After a night, the blood on her body had dried and turned into a dark, solidified substance, no longer fresh.

    If you ignored the faint bloodstains on her cheek and the dirty, torn blue-and-white hospital gown, her innocent sleeping face could easily be mistaken for that of a sweet, pure neighbor girl, completely disconnected from the harsh, serious words like firearms, murderers, life imprisonment, and so on.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    After a night¡¯s sleep, my once fervent emotions had cooled, and I began to reflect on the consequences of my impulsive actions.

    I would never regret the choice I made; that is not in my nature. The only thing I can¡¯t be at ease about now is whether this girl will meet my expectations. Will the secrets she hides be as incredible as I hope, or will they be far less than I imagined?

    Let¡¯s assume that after she wakes up, I ask her about her background, and she answers truthfully. If the story she gives is an utterly dull and unremarkable one, it would truly be a huge disappointment, considering the risks I¡¯ve taken.

    At that point, to protect myself, I might have no choice but to secretly deal with her.

    Secretly deal with her... I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m even having thoughts like a hired killer.

    Perhaps even that wouldn''t be enough. If this girl really is a dangerous individual wanted by official forces, with my amateur skills in counter-surveillance, I¡¯d have no hope of escaping pursuit. The traces left from last night might be enough to pinpoint my location.

    However, I also realized that perhaps, deep down, I was expecting such an unexpected event to happen. It would be boring to just get away scot-free. If the authorities could pick up on the faintest trace and come knocking at my door, that would be far more interesting.

    Caught up in this conflicted emotion, I took a couple of steps forward and leaned in to observe the girl¡¯s sleeping posture.

    And then, an accident happened.

    The girl suddenly opened her eyes. Her arm, hidden beneath the blanket, shot out with lightning speed, grabbing my collar.

    At the same time, her body moved like a predator on the hunt, flipping off the bed and using both her arm strength and body weight to disrupt my already unstable balance.

    I instinctively struggled, but it was in vain. It seemed as though she had used judo or some other technique to take advantage of my own force. For a moment, I couldn''t even describe what was happening. All I could feel was the world spinning, as a powerful impact slammed into my torso.

    When I regained my senses, I realized I had been pinned to the floor, with my limbs locked in place.

    Although this was an unexpected ambush, I hadn¡¯t imagined that a girl of her age could overpower me like this. Had she been pretending to sleep the whole time? So she really isn¡¯t an ordinary person? I couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of surprise and admiration.

    After executing this impressive wrestling move, she didn¡¯t speak or make any further moves. She simply pressed her entire body down on my back, breathing heavily in my ear.

    "You''re awake?" I was the first to break the silence, eager to see her reaction.

    After a long pause, she finally spoke.

    "Who... are you?" Her voice was sweet and youthful, but there was an unmistakable tone of threat in her words. "Where is this place? Why am I here? If you don''t want to suffer, answer me immediately."

    "My name is Zhuang Cheng, and this is my home." The question wasn''t beyond my expectations, so I answered honestly and briefly. "I found you last night, covered in blood, lying in a nearby abandoned construction site, so I brought you here."

    "...I don''t understand." She maintained her high-alert posture but asked with some confusion, "What do you mean, ''brought you here''? What does that have to do with anything?"

    "Didn''t you tell me ''don''t call the police''?" I answered patiently. "I couldn''t just leave you there, could I? What if some malicious homeless person found you?"

    "Is that so? But..."

    She took a deep breath, then propped herself up on my back, freeing one hand as if she were checking her body. Was she checking to see if I had taken advantage of her while she was unconscious?

    No, she was more likely searching for the firearm she carried with her.

    She was probably still very weak. Suddenly, her body lost balance, and she almost fell.

    I instantly seized this golden opportunity, quickly freed my left hand from her grip, and swiftly drew the handgun hidden at my waist. Without looking back, I pressed the muzzle against her torso.

    "Is this what you''re looking for?"

    At my words, her body stiffened immediately.

    One for the win!

    I was extremely satisfied with my performance, 120% above and beyond expectations. Could this scene be straight out of an action movie?

    Indeed, in stark contrast to my full energy, her current condition was poor. Even though she was pressing against my back, she hadn''t noticed the handgun hidden at my waist in time. From her initial tactics and demeanor, I sensed a warrior-like sharpness and skill, but a true warrior wouldn''t have made such a mistake, would they? This meant she was far from being in her normal state¡­ Can I interpret it this way?

    Perhaps her outward appearance was unharmed, but something else might have been injured¡­ Internal injuries, perhaps?

    "Tit for tat. Now it''s your turn to answer my questions." To avoid her detecting the intensity of my emotions, I tried to speak as calmly as possible. "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

    "You think this counts as winning?"

    Clearly, my unexpected counterattack not only failed to intimidate her, but actually heightened her fighting spirit.

    This alone couldn¡¯t be considered my victory. The situation had escalated so suddenly that I hadn¡¯t even had time to disengage the safety on the handgun. Even if I had, it would have been inconvenient to fire a weapon in the middle of the neighborhood. More importantly, I truly didn¡¯t want to shoot her.

    However, she probably still didn¡¯t know that the safety on the gun was now off.

    Didn¡¯t she fear real bullets?

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to escalate things here, do you?¡± I didn¡¯t intend to lose ground in the verbal sparring. ¡°Get off me.¡±

    ¡°I refuse.¡± She responded without hesitation, her attitude now sharp and defiant, "Right now..."

    Thud, thud, thud.

    At that moment, there came a knock on the door from the hallway.

    We both immediately fell silent.

    ¡°Is anyone home?¡± came a voice from outside.

    Who could it be? A delivery person? Do I have any packages coming?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get rid of them,¡± I whispered to the girl, turning my neck to speak.

    ¡°No.¡± She immediately refused, ¡°What if¡­¡±

    ¡°Or, I could just start yelling or even fire the gun,¡± I said, making an empty threat.

    Upon hearing this, she fell into silence, seemingly weighing the situation or trying to determine if my threat was genuine.

    Soon, she released her hold on me and took a step back, standing on the bed with the alertness of a wild animal, gazing down at me with caution.

    I quickly got up from the floor, grabbed a random T-shirt from the wardrobe, and, after stepping out of the bedroom, closed the door behind me. The close contact with the girl had left blood stains on my clothes, so while moving towards the hallway, I swiftly changed my shirt, calling out ¡°Coming, coming!¡± while wrapping my dirty clothes around the gun and hiding it behind the sofa.

    Reaching the hallway, I opened the door and saw who was standing outside.

    At that moment, my heart nearly stopped.

    Standing at the door was a police officer, with a mature face and a stern expression.

    ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± I consciously controlled my facial muscles, trying to maintain composure.

    "Sorry to disturb you, I''m a police officer, and we''re currently searching for a fugitive serial killer." He first showed me his badge, then handed me a photo. "If you''ve seen this face around here, please provide any relevant information."

    I took the photo and looked down, and my heart nearly gave out.

    The "fugitive serial killer" in the photo was none other than the girl I had hidden in my bedroom.

 Ch 4: Picked Up the Apocalypse Girl 4

    From the moment I first came into contact with a real gun, I was well aware that I might end up dealing with official forces in the future, and secretly hoped for such a development.

    However, I never expected the police to come knocking so quickly, nor could I believe how eerily similar reality would play out to the nightmares I''d had before.

    That girl is a serial killer? Seriously?

    Fear and excitement surged violently in my chest at the same time.

    Perhaps my control over my facial muscles slipped a little, as the police officer before me raised an eyebrow and asked, "What''s wrong? Do you recognize this face?"

    "Nothing, it''s just that..."

    "Just that?"

    "A little girl like this... could actually be a serial killer?" I shifted some of the disbelief I had earlier onto my tone at this moment.

    "Oh, you''re talking about her..." He nodded with deep understanding. "Someone asked about this before. Actually, she found a handgun somewhere. A rebellious girl going through her teenage years, her thoughts easily go to extremes, sometimes not valuing her own life or others''. She harbors resentment toward adults and society, and then she just happened to get a real gun. With both psychological and physical factors, it''s easy for things to spiral out of control."

    "Could she be classified as a murderer?" I asked, probing.

    "If the circumstances are particularly severe, yes... You can check it online later to find out." He seemed unwilling to go further on the topic and asked, "So, have you seen her? Do you recognize this face? She''s been around this area, and poses a serious threat to the safety of the locals. The sooner she''s caught, the better. You could even earn a cash reward for reporting her."

    Reporting would earn a reward, but on the other hand, harboring her would carry serious criminal responsibility, something I was well aware of. While it wouldn''t be as severe as a life sentence as my nightmares had suggested, it would undoubtedly cast a shadow over my future.

    Last night, during the first half of moving the girl, I consciously avoided pedestrians and street cameras. In the latter half, I placed her into a large suitcase for transport. In theory, I shouldn¡¯t have been easily exposed. But the problem was that I wasn''t someone who routinely prepared for criminal activities, so I couldn¡¯t be absolutely certain I had avoided all surveillance cameras. There could be cameras in some hidden corners that I hadn''t noticed. The possibility of being caught by the authorities was real.

    Perhaps this police officer in front of me had already gathered unfavorable evidence against me, and now he was giving me a final chance to confess. It was best for me to admit that I acted out of temporary confusion and quickly turn in the "hot potato" of a girl before there was no turning back.

    But, after all the trouble and having encountered such an extraordinary event, up to this point, am I really going to end this mysterious encounter as just an enthusiastic bystander? I haven¡¯t even heard any of the story yet!

    There were still several perplexing questions surrounding that girl, and the explanation of "a rebellious girl who somehow found a real gun" didn¡¯t even begin to satisfy my curiosity. Once I handed her over, I feared I would lose the opportunity to continue being involved in this strange incident forever.

    I can''t give up that child, not until I''m fully satisfied.

    When the police officer asked me, I pretended to think for a moment before answering, "I don''t think I''ve seen her."

    "Alright... sorry to have taken up your time." The police officer didn¡¯t show any surprise or disappointment, but simply and skillfully helped close the door. "If you see her, make sure to report it immediately."

    "I understand," I responded normally, then closed the door. Afterward, I began to eavesdrop on the sounds outside.

    The sound of the officer''s footsteps moved next door, followed by a knock. It seemed like he was going to continue questioning the neighbors for leads. He probably planned to visit each household one by one.

    I think I¡¯ve heard somewhere before that in modern times, over 90% of solved cases are actually resolved through this simple, unglamorous method of door-to-door visits and checking surveillance footage.

    Just in case, I didn¡¯t immediately return to the bedroom to talk to the girl. Instead, I grabbed my phone by the sofa and went back to the entryway, silently eavesdropping on the police officer¡¯s movements outside while using my phone to search for recent serial killer cases in the city of Xianshui.

    Sure enough, there were reports.

    In the past two or three months, five horribly mutilated bodies had been discovered in the urban area of Xianshui City. All the victims were high-ranking officials or wealthy individuals.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Media coverage seemed to be somewhat controlled. The news articles I could find didn¡¯t provide detailed accounts of their causes of death, nor were there photos or specific written descriptions of their "horribly mutilated" appearances. All I knew was that the authorities had collected fibers and skin tissue from under the victims'' nails, which did not belong to them, suggesting that the victims had scratched the killer''s clothing and body in their final moments. It was confirmed that the same person was responsible for all five murders.

    The true identity of the killer remains unsolved, and the upper class is in a state of panic, fearing they might become the next victim.

    I vaguely remembered this news. When I saw it last month, I even wondered if I should get involved and investigate, but since I was focused on researching other strange tales and urban legends at the time, I didn¡¯t give this local, bizarre serial killer case much attention.

    I thought it was just another case of a wealthy-hating, twisted serial killer, and that the all-powerful authorities would catch the culprit soon enough. But now, after so much time has passed, the case still hasn¡¯t progressed at all.

    Could that mysterious girl be the killer in this case?

    Something doesn¡¯t feel right. Assuming the victims died from gunshot wounds, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for their deaths to be described as "horribly mutilated."

    Of course, if all five bodies had their heads blown off by a handgun, that would be a different story. But in that case, would there really be time for the "victims to scratch the killer in their final moments," especially more than once? After all, considering the range of a handgun, it''s not very realistic for the victims to have had close contact with the killer.

    However... I shouldn''t be so certain. Maybe the girl is a terrible shot and only managed to hit the victims when they were close enough to her. Or maybe she used hand-to-hand combat, just like how she used joint locks against me before.

    Moreover, the police officer had indeed accused the girl of being the killer. Additionally, while the girl¡¯s appearance resembled that of the victims, she herself hadn¡¯t suffered any injuries.

    If she truly is the murderer, then what I¡¯m doing right now...

    No, hold on, there are still too few clues. Jumping to conclusions at this point would be premature.

    It¡¯s better to just ask her directly and see how she reacts.

    ---

    When the police officer finished his rounds on this floor, I turned and retrieved the handgun hidden behind the sofa. I disengaged the safety and then headed to the bedroom, pushing the door open.

    The girl was sitting cross-legged on the bed, arms folded in a meditative pose, completely unconcerned about her half-naked appearance.

    It seemed like she had been staying in the same spot, but I noticed subtle signs of things being disturbed around the room. It appeared that while I was talking to the police, she had quietly sneaked around the bedroom, trying to investigate and learn more about me.

    Hearing the door open, she immediately lifted her head, first quickly scanning behind me, then looking at me with a confused expression.

    "Why are you hiding me?" she asked, furrowing her brow deeply, her tone full of strong suspicion. "You heard it just now, right? I''m a ruthless serial killer. You''re just an ordinary citizen, shouldn''t you report me instead of hiding me?"

    "Then, are you a murderer?" I asked her in return.

    "I''m not," she firmly denied at first, then her expression faltered, and she seemed unsure of herself. "¡­Am I not?"

    "Yes or no, I hope you can give a clear answer."

    "Yes and no." This time, her wording was still vague, but her tone was more certain. "At least, I haven''t killed anyone in this era."

    "That''s vague." I said, "Are you trying to say you''re from the future?"

    "Answer my original question first." Her tone became more forceful, trying to regain control of the conversation. "Why are you hiding me?"

    I had no intention of arguing with her for control of the conversation. I had already prepared my response and answered smoothly: "Because you''re not the killer."

    "Why do you say that?" She asked, suspicious.

    "The cause of death for those victims was not gunshot wounds." I tossed my phone, which was displaying a webpage, to her, then continued, "Besides, I don''t think the killer in this case would end up like the victims, bleeding all over and lying in the ruins late at night."

    This was a lie. Although I hadn''t seen direct evidence proving she was the killer, I had already mentally prepared myself to accept she was the one, and to some extent, I had even prepared myself to deal with her in secret.

    She persistently pressed on, "Even if you don''t believe I''m the killer, there''s no reason to hide me. Whether I''m the killer or not, the fact remains that I possess firearms and ammunition illegally in this era. Telling the police about me is what you should be doing."

    "Didn''t I tell you before? It was you who asked me not to call the police." As I spoke, I slowly walked over to the desk, placed the handgun on the surface, and then turned to face her. "I don''t know what secrets you have, but since it involves firearms and ammunition, it means your secret is a matter of life and death."

    "To me, you''re just a girl, ragged and lying in the night. I want to step up and protect you. Is that really so strange?"

    I don¡¯t know if it was my carefully prepared "lines" that were too forceful, but she seemed startled, retreating to the corner of the bed with a flurry of movement. She swallowed and, wide-eyed, asked, "Just... just... because of that reason?"

    At this point, I steeled myself and was determined to carry this act to the end.

    "Isn''t that enough?"

    "How could this be? Could people from this era really...?" She unexpectedly wavered.

    I had thought I would need to use more words, but it seemed like she believed me right away.

    But what did she mean by this era and that era? Could she have a case of "chuunibyou" (delusions of grandeur)? Or was there something I couldn''t even begin to imagine behind her actions?

    Just as I was about to voice my confusion, she regained her composure before I could speak, stared at me for a while, then relaxed her defensive posture a bit and introduced herself. "My name is Ma Zao. What''s your name?"

    "I''m Zhuang Cheng." I replied.

    Ma Zao seemed to have made some important decision in her mind.

    She straightened her posture, sitting up properly on the bed, her hands resting on her knees.

    "Alright, Zhuang Cheng... Next, I¡¯m going to reveal my true identity and background. I know you probably won¡¯t believe me, but I hope you¡¯ll listen first."

    Is she finally going to confess?

    Isn¡¯t it a bit too soon? Is she going to tell the truth, or is she going to weave a lie to deceive me?

    Filled with anticipation, I nodded and gestured for her to continue. "Go ahead."

    "As you said earlier, I don¡¯t belong to this era. I¡¯m someone who traveled from the future to the present." She began with a shocking statement. "And in the future, human civilization has been destroyed, and the world has entered an apocalyptic age."

 Ch 5: Picked Up the Apocalypse Girl 5

    I was completely stunned.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t understand."

    "Where didn''t you understand?" Ma Zao asked.

    "Wait a second, wait a second..." I gestured with my hands as if signaling for a pause.

    To be clear, I considered myself to have a strong capacity for accepting things, and I had already mentally prepared myself to unconditionally accept whatever strange identity or background she might reveal, no matter how unbelievable it might be.

    Even if she claimed she had uncovered dark, top-secret government or corporate documents and was being hunted by countless assassins, or if she said she was an artificial super-powered being who escaped from some mysterious research facility¡ªjust like some scenes in fantasy stories¡ªI wouldn''t be unable to try to think from her perspective and believe her for now.

    But time travel, the end of civilization, the apocalypse?

    Isn''t the scope of your narrative jumping a bit too far all of a sudden? Wasn''t I holding a script for an urban legend or a crime thriller? This feels more like one of those sci-fi disaster blockbusters I used to watch... I mean, are we really not going to see some villain from the future show up, trying to kill her or assassinate some important person from this era, like a terrifying rogue robot?

    Moreover, as someone who has supposedly traveled through time, shouldn''t she be keeping her secrets, using the priceless future information to maximize her own benefits? Or maybe it''s just that I''ve read too many web novels to think that way¡ªperhaps someone who hasn''t been steeped in web novel culture wouldn''t think of that immediately?

    I might as well let her continue with her story. Even if she''s just making up a tale to amuse me, at least she''ll have to come up with a story that can serve as some entertainment. I''ll just treat it like I''m listening to a storyteller. As for the class today, I''ll just text the school to ask for leave. Classes can be attended anytime, but this kind of magical conversation is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

    "How many days ago did you travel here?" I asked first.

    "If I only slept one night, then it was yesterday," she responded quickly, as if not making it up on the spot.

    "You mentioned the ''apocalypse'' earlier, so what exactly is it like?" I asked again. "Is it a virus that turns people into zombies and has spread worldwide? Or did a small asteroid fall from the sky, or has a nuclear war finally broken out?"

    She must have picked up on my skepticism, but for some reason, she chose to continue with the topic.

    Compared to when she first tried to ambush me by pretending to be asleep, her attitude had somehow softened.

    "The cause of the apocalypse, and how human civilization fought against it... I don¡¯t know any of that. Since I became aware, the world has already been in the age of the apocalypse. For a long time, I even thought the world was always supposed to be like that..." She briefly revealed a sense of nostalgia, but quickly concealed it, patiently continuing, "The biggest difference between the world now and the world of the apocalypse is the space-time¡ªtime and space in the apocalyptic world are distorted, and survivors are always at risk of encountering strange and bizarre phenomena.

    "Moreover, there are numerous powerful monsters roaming around. Even though there are blessed monks among humans, they still can''t reclaim lost territory, let alone revive human civilization. All they can do is slowly march toward decline, and the way of life becomes more twisted as they do."

    I didn''t expect it to be a magical post-apocalyptic story rather than a sci-fi disaster blockbuster... As I listened, my ears caught a certain term that I couldn''t ignore.

    "''Blessed monks''¡ªwhat are those?"

    "They would be something like ''superpowered individuals'' in terms of this era?" She answered vaguely.

    "So there are indeed superpowered individuals in this era?"

    "Probably... I''ve heard there are some... but unlike the apocalyptic era, the superpowered individuals in this era seem to be low-profile."

    "Does that mean their numbers are small in this era, but after the apocalypse, they increased rapidly due to some factor?" I connected it to many post-apocalyptic novels I¡¯d seen online.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    "No... although I can''t be sure about the exact numbers, I''ve heard that they have a very large influence in this era..." It was clear that the topic had shifted to an area she wasn¡¯t familiar with, and she could no longer respond as confidently as before. Her tone became hesitant. "As for why they are low-profile, I don¡¯t know... maybe there are certain taboos or rules. When I arrived in this era yesterday, I tried to gather information about them, but I couldn''t find anything right away."

    If she could have found it right away, that would be strange. I''ve visited many famous mountains and scenic spots to meet immortals and spirits, and have even probed many fortune tellers and feng shui masters who like to play tricks with supernatural claims. I¡¯ve investigated countless urban legends, only to return empty-handed each time.

    Does such a large superpowered faction really exist in this era? Even if there are certain taboos or rules, I would have stumbled upon it at least once, right?

    Was she really lying to me?

    I swallowed my words, noticing that the topic had veered in another direction, so I decided to pull it back.

    "Since you''re a time traveler, what method did you use to travel to this era?"

    "You misunderstood... It wasn¡¯t some special method that brought me to this era. I don¡¯t even know why I ended up here. The last thing I did in my time was trying to escape from the clutches of the Great Demon with my friend..." At this point, a lonely expression appeared on her face. "But the power gap between me and the Great Demon was too vast. No matter where we ran, we would always be caught. In the end, I tried to use a spatial transfer, taking my friend along for one last struggle, but for some reason, I ended up here in this era, while my friend... I don¡¯t know where they are... It must have been my fault..."

    "¡ªHmm?" I caught a crucial point. "You? Power gap? Spatial transfer?"

    "Right... I forgot to mention," she pointed to her chest, "I am the ''Blessed Monk'' I mentioned earlier."

    "So, you have superpowers?"

    "Yes."

    "To be honest, I can''t believe a single word of what you just said. Suddenly talking about the end-of-the-world era, it just sounds like pure fantasy." I admitted.

    "I figured as much." She nodded without surprise.

    "But since you have superpowers, everything should be easier," I said, focusing intently on her. "If you can show me at least one instance of your power in front of me, I''ll believe you. I''ll believe whatever you say."

    I was being sincere.

    However, she fell into silence, seemingly hesitant about whether she should answer honestly.

    After a moment, she finally replied with difficulty, "I can''t."

    "Why not?"

    "When I was escaping the Great Demon, my soul was burned. After coming to this era, I forced myself to use the blessing¡ªmy superpower¡ªand that worsened the damage to my soul," she said through gritted teeth. "Earlier, when you were talking to the police, I tried to use my power in the room, but I couldn''t do it."

    It seemed that admitting her weakness in front of me was something she felt very reluctant to do.

    "If you''re saying this, then I can''t trust you," I said. "And after all, why would you tell me, an outsider, such an important thing?"

    At the beginning, she was all sharp edges, her tone domineering and aggressive, showing me an intimidating posture.

    But now, despite still maintaining an obvious wariness and distance toward me, she was willing to spend a lot of effort and words, answering each of my questions with what seemed like a lack of guile, as if she were sincerely trying to be forthcoming.

    I couldn''t figure out what kind of mental process she had gone through. Was it because I had sheltered her in front of the police? Or was it because my performance as a "good guy" and my lines had been so convincing that even her cold and suspicious heart had been touched?

    She answered my question again.

    "Actually, it''s not that complicated. Although I don''t know why I came to this era, I''ve thought it through. If my time travel holds any significant meaning, then perhaps it''s to stop the apocalypse from happening in this era." She became serious. "As for the message of the impending apocalypse, I must warn more people about it, and you are just the first. I wanted to test how someone ''living before the apocalypse'' would react to my prophecy, so I can gain the trust of more people in the future."

    "Well, now you''ve tested the result. As long as you use your superpower, most people will at least believe half of it. Too bad you can''t use it." I threw a small jab at her.

    "Hmph..." Upon hearing that, her expression soured, and she immediately retorted, "Say whatever you want. Anyway, I''ve got nothing else to do with you. I''m leaving now, I don''t have time to keep accompanying..."

    While speaking, she tried to push herself up from the bed, but suddenly her body weakened, and she collapsed.

    Many people with low blood pressure or low blood sugar experience dizziness when they stand up too quickly after squatting, and her symptoms were quite similar, if not worse. I quickly rushed over to support her soft and petite body, but she had already fainted again.

    What a troublesome person.

    I laid her down on the bed, then sat down at the desk, looking at her innocent and cute face while reflecting on the apocalyptic information she had shared earlier.

    The apocalypse, time travel, blessed monks, and superpowered individuals...

    In my view, Ma Zao didn¡¯t quite fit the stereotypical image of a "cold-blooded, cruel, and selfish survivor of the apocalypse" that I had in mind. She was more like a mysterious and strong-willed young woman with unusual personality traits. "Apocalypse" and "time travel" sounded like pure fantasy, and I couldn¡¯t immediately believe that such "settings" could exist in reality.

    However, I did believe that "superpowered individuals" could exist in real life.

    My friend''s past words resurfaced in my mind.

    ¡ª Since you''ve never seen true supernatural powers, why have you been investigating ghost stories and legends all this time?

    ¡ª There has to be some positive feedback... some related evidence or clues to keep you going, right?

    Yes, I do.

    I have clues and evidence that supernatural powers really exist.

    That evidence is myself.

    I am a person with superpowers.

 Ch 6: Picked Up the Apocalypse Girl 6

    It is now mid-September of 2023, and the time I awakened my superpowers was in early April of 2019.

    It''s been about four and a half years. At that time, I was in the second semester of my third year of middle school, still at an age full of fantasies.

    Although people around me still say I''m someone who loves to fantasize, I was even more naive back then. So, when I awakened my superpowers, I had no doubts about the existence of supernatural powers and was able to wholeheartedly search for mysterious things that others believed were impossible.

    The legendary fairies, demons, and gods might actually exist, and superpowered individuals like me undoubtedly exist in some corners of the world.

    I never thought of myself as the only superpowered individual in the world. Where there¡¯s one, there must be more¡ªit''s a very simple logic. Although I don¡¯t know how I ended up awakening my powers by sheer luck, even if the probability was one in a billion, with a global population of eight billion, there should still be at least a few dozen other superpowered individuals. And if I expand the search from ¡°superpowered individuals¡± to ¡°supernatural forces,¡± who knows how many more there could be. My reasoning shouldn¡¯t be wrong.

    However, despite more than four years having passed, my search progress is still at zero.

    Only my own powers have been advancing rapidly on the evolutionary track.

    ---

    This time, unlike the previous occasion, Ma Zao didn¡¯t sleep for an entire night.

    It hadn¡¯t been long before she groggily opened her eyes, looking at me as if she were still half in a dream.

    I took the initiative to show goodwill.

    "You must still be very tired. It''s alright, you can rest for a little longer."

    However, upon hearing this, she didn''t respond. She simply watched me silently, her gaze growing clearer by the moment. After a brief pause, she pulled the covers off and got out of bed, stumbling toward the door.

    "Where are you going?" I quickly stepped in front of her.

    "Move aside." She glared at me like a wounded pup.

    "Are you really trying to leave?"

    "I told you, I''m done with bothering you."

    "But I still have something to say. After all, I took the risk of harboring you, even at the risk of being arrested by the police. I can''t just sit back and let you act recklessly now." I gave a valid reason.

    She ignored me, trying to quickly step around me.

    However, after just one step, her body swayed involuntarily, and then her knees buckled, causing her to almost fall to the ground.

    I hurriedly stepped forward to catch her, but she stubbornly shrugged me off and immediately retreated two steps, putting a cautious distance between us.

    "What can you even do in this condition?" I pressed on, "You can''t even walk properly; you could faint at any moment. Not to mention you''re covered in blood, wearing that barely covering hospital gown. If you go outside like this, the police will catch you in no time."

    "I won''t tell anyone about you. Is that okay?" She frowned in response.

    "What I mean is... don''t you plan on taking a bath first?" I racked my brain, trying to buy some time to figure out how to persuade her to stay. "You can throw that outfit away. You can wear my clothes, and I''ll get you new underwear."

    "Take a bath?" She was puzzled, then seemed to remember something, retreating two steps and looking at me with even more caution. "You mean...?"

    "Don''t misunderstand," I quickly dispelled her suspicions. "If I had those kinds of intentions, I would''ve already done everything."

    "That''s true..." Although she said that, she still checked her body again before reluctantly admitting, "A bath... I guess you''re right, I can''t just walk out like this..."

    After some persuasion, she finally agreed, walking into the bathroom while glancing back at me every few steps.

    I brought her the spare slippers, then took out my clothes, new underwear, and a towel from the nightstand, handing them over. I followed her to the bathroom door and watched as she closed it behind her, the frosted glass door shutting with a soft sound.

    Behind the door, I could hear the crinkling of the towel¡¯s plastic wrapping being torn open, followed by the sound of clothes being removed. The frosted glass reflected a faint, small shadow of her. She seemed to be sorting through the bathing supplies, with the quiet sound of bottles being picked up and set down.

    The shower turned on, and the sound of water splashing on the floor came through the door. At first, the water was definitely cold, and she let out a short, cute squeal, like a startled little animal.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Soon, the water must have warmed up, as she fell silent and emitted a comfortable sound.

    Just a door away was a living, naked beauty, and I suddenly realized I shouldn''t be standing so close. I quickly moved to the sofa in the living room, sat down, and began thinking about what to do next while pulling out my phone to ask for leave from university.

    At that moment, I noticed a few text notifications on my phone. They were from my only friend at university. The time was from last night; he had asked if I was free in the evening. I had been busy with Ma Zao''s situation and hadn''t seen the messages.

    Why was he suddenly reaching out to me? Was there something urgent?

    It seems Ma Zao, being a survivor from the apocalypse era, may have developed a deep habit of conserving water resources. I had initially thought that since she was a girl, she would take a long time in the shower. That would give me plenty of time to think of ways to keep her around with my words. However, Ma Zao''s shower speed was surprisingly quick¡ªjust as quick as I, a rough man, would be. It wasn¡¯t long before she was dressed in my clothes, leaning against the wall for support, and slowly walking out of the bathroom.

    I had prepared for her a gray long-sleeved T-shirt and long pants, and black boxer briefs. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have any upper-body undergarments designed for girls, so I wasn¡¯t sure if this might cause her any discomfort or have a negative impact, especially for someone her age.

    The shirt I had originally intended for myself was obviously too loose on her. The sleeves were long enough to cover her hands, and the hem of the shirt was so long it almost looked like a short dress. She simply rolled up the sleeves and pants, exposing her fair, slender forearms and calves.

    I led her back to the bedroom. The dirty sheets and blankets had already been removed. She sat down on the bed, still carrying the warm steam of the water and the fragrance of lemon-scented shampoo.

    It was rather unbelievable¡ªher lemon scent, which was exactly the same as the shampoo I use most often, now seemed different as it wafted from her. It created an entirely different, subtle atmosphere.

    The clothes, so ordinary and commonplace, now seemed to exude a strange charm just because they were on her.

    This must be what the internet calls the "boyfriend shirt" look, though she and I were not that kind of relationship. Just thinking about it felt like I was deluding myself.

    "Thank you, I can''t even remember the last time I had such a comfortable bath."

    Maybe the hot water had softened this "hedgehog''s" prickly demeanor, as her attitude toward me had become gentler.

    Then she asked me to return her handgun.

    Without thinking, I refused.

    "By the way, how did you end up with a handgun? Did you bring it with you when you traveled through time?"

    "...That''s none of your business." She remained uncooperative, though her tone was softer. "Since you won''t give it back to me, keep it. I''m leaving now."

    "You''re planning to investigate the cause of the apocalypse, right? But do you have any leads?"

    "No. But the apocalypse didn''t just suddenly happen. It has signs and forewarnings. It''s just that people today haven''t paid enough attention to them. Strange phenomena, or bizarre monsters... things like that must have already appeared openly in this era." She became a little more patient, then issued a warning. "You also need to be careful. If you encounter any suspicious signs, don''t hesitate. Get as far away as possible. And..."

    "What else?"

    "...Don''t come any closer." She seemed to consciously speak in a calm tone. "I... am different from you. I am a harbinger of misfortune.

    "People who are around me, who get involved with me... they always end up being far more likely to get caught up in bizarre events that defy common sense, until they tragically die.

    "If you value your life, then don''t continue to get involved with me."

    Huh? There''s such a good deal?

    I was suddenly filled with energy.

    "How can that be?" I immediately said with righteous indignation. "I told you from the start, the reason I saved you is because I couldn''t just stand by and do nothing for you ¡ª for a girl lying in the night in tattered clothes. And now you want me to just forget about you? Isn''t that like killing me mentally? If I do that, would I even be me anymore?"

    "Anyone can say such grandiose things. When death is looming, you will regret your decisions," her tone became heavier.

    "Don''t underestimate me. If I say I won''t regret it, then I won''t. It''s you who should reconsider yourself," I replied. "Right now, you can''t use your powers, you can''t move freely, and you still need to rest, but you''re planning to go out and keep running around? Isn''t that just making things worse?"

    "Instead, why not stay here and recover? That way, you can better serve your mission to prevent the apocalypse, right? Or is it more important for you to satisfy your need to show off?"

    "Besides, even if you really are a harbinger of misfortune, capable of bringing unpredictable disaster to those around you, there''s no need to rush. Not even a few days'' wait should be unbearable, right?"

    "This..." She seemed to be moved by my words. "Just a few days..."

    "Well?" I probed.

    "..." She fell silent.

    I waited nervously for her response.

    If...

    If I couldn''t persuade her no matter what, then, to put it bluntly, I would break her legs and chain her up if I had to, keeping her imprisoned in my home.

    Although illegal imprisonment of a minor is both a crime and perverse, even to avoid having my criminal history discovered by the authorities, this might be necessary. After all, I already possess illegal firearms and ammunition, and am hiding a "serial killer." Adding one more crime wouldn''t make a difference.

    I didn''t want to resort to such extreme measures until the very last moment. For me, it would require overcoming a huge psychological barrier to do so.

    After a long pause, she finally exhaled and reluctantly nodded.

    "... I understand," she said, sounding as though she had been defeated. "But just in case, I won''t stay here for too long. No matter how my recovery goes, I will leave in no more than five days... no, at most three days."

    "Also... thank you."

    By the end, her voice had become very small.

    The tension in my heart finally eased, at least for now.

    Knock, knock, knock.

    Suddenly, there was another knock on the door from the hallway.

    We both fell silent, staring at each other in shock.

    Could it be the police again? Has the same officer returned?

    Why would he come back? Did he finally realize something was off here? How many officers are outside now?

    "I''m coming, I''m coming," I called toward the door, signaling for Ma Zao to stay quiet with a hand gesture.

    She nodded and curled up on the bed.

    I reached the hallway and, instead of peeking through the peephole, I stayed alert and slowly turned the doorknob.

    There was no sudden forceful attempt to open the door.

    I gently pushed the door open and saw the person standing outside.

    "It''s you?" I was surprised.

    Standing outside was my only friend from university.

    However, his face looked quite bad, with traces of lingering fear, as if he had just gone through some inexplicable and bizarre event.

 Chapter 7: Basement 1 of the 15th floor 1

    "Chang An, what''s wrong?"

    As I asked, I took the lead and stepped out of the entrance hall, casually leaving the door to my apartment slightly ajar.

    My friend, seeing that I intentionally moved the conversation into the hallway of the residential building, seemed a bit puzzled, but didn¡¯t ask about it. Instead, he started with some casual pleasantries: "I saw your text saying you needed to ask for leave from school. Are you feeling unwell, or is there something urgent? If it''s inconvenient right now, I can come back another day."

    "It''s fine, I just wasn¡¯t in the mood for class today," I quickly brushed off the leave request and steered the conversation back to him. "But let''s talk about your issue. You don¡¯t look well, and you came all the way to find me¡ªdo you need my help with something?"

    "Yes, there is something..." His attention seemed more easily triggered than usual, and he looked clearly troubled. "This matter... I can only discuss it with you."

    "Oh?" I immediately became interested. "Could it be..."

    Before I could probe further, he straightforwardly admitted, "It''s exactly what you think."

    I nodded, as expected.

    I knew exactly how my friends and others saw me. If there was a topic that required specifically asking me for advice, it could only be something related to strange or supernatural events.

    Although I had visited and investigated strange events many times, it was rare for someone to come to me for advice.

    What made this even more unusual was that the person seeking my help was my friend. He wasn¡¯t the type to lack basic scientific knowledge or someone who would fabricate stories just for fun. Any clue coming from him was something I had to take seriously.

    At this point, a thought from earlier echoed in my mind¡ªwhat Ma Zao had said.

    ¡ª "I... am different from you all. I''m a harbinger of misfortune."

    ¡ª "People who are with me, or get involved with me... are always more likely to be caught up in strange events that can''t be explained by common sense."

    Wait a minute. She had just mentioned this, and now something related to strange happenings has come knocking on my door. Could it be that her curse or bad luck is really at work here?

    Is it really that effective? This feels almost like an instant cure... I mean, the disaster happened so quickly.

    Or is it just a coincidence?

    In my view, Ma Zao is an incredibly mysterious girl. If this event is somehow connected to her in some cosmic way, then I need to take it more seriously.

    But, to be honest, without solid evidence, even I can''t fully take Ma Zao''s "harbinger of misfortune" claim seriously.

    "Since you have time, why don''t you come to where I''m staying now?" my friend suggested.

    Ma Zao is still at my place, so I don¡¯t want to go far.

    "Can''t we discuss it here first?"

    "It¡¯s possible..." He hesitated. "But if you don¡¯t see it with your own eyes, you might not believe me."

    "Is that so..."

    "Are you really too busy to come? If so, I can wait until you''re done and come back later."

    Although he said that, his gaze was filled with eager anticipation. If I refused him here, he¡¯d probably be extremely disappointed.

    I made a gesture to pause. "Give me a minute to think."

    He patiently waited, while I lowered my head and started thinking¡ª

    What I initially wanted from Ma Zao was nothing more than the secrets she was hiding, and she had already revealed all of them, so I could say my main task was already halfway complete.

    The other half of the task is to verify whether what she told me is true or not.

    In other words, I¡¯ll let her rest for a few days until she¡¯s able to use her abilities again. Everything depends on whether she can truly use her superpower. In other words, Ma Zao¡¯s situation has shifted from an "urgent matter" to something that can¡¯t be rushed.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I really want to keep a close watch on Ma Zao, but I can¡¯t just stay home the entire time while she recovers¡ªwell, actually, maybe I could? Meals could be taken care of with takeout, and keeping the door closed would be entirely feasible. What¡¯s more, I¡¯d be willing to do that.

    However, after giving it careful thought, I made the painful decision to go with another course of action.

    "Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll leave now."

    "Alright!" My friend was immediately overjoyed.

    "Wait for me, I need to go inside and tidy up, it won¡¯t take long."

    I told my friend to wait outside, then closed the door after entering my home. I went to the bedroom to inform Ma Zao that I would be stepping out for a bit. Ma Zao didn¡¯t seem to associate her claimed "bad luck" with the events unfolding so quickly. She only reminded me to be careful. To prevent her from taking back the handgun, I packed my bag, hiding the gun deep inside it as I left.

    Since Ma Zao can¡¯t move freely right now, I didn¡¯t have to worry about her leaving while I¡¯m out. However, my concern still made me overthink, worried that she might sneak away in my absence. And as I left with my friend, I also had other intentions.

    Being alone reveals a person¡¯s true nature, and I wanted to see what Ma Zao would do in my absence, what kind of state she would be in while I wasn¡¯t around.

    To do this, I needed to set up "surveillance cameras" in my house.

    Naturally, it would be impossible to set up such things without Ma Zao noticing in such a short amount of time. Moreover, I wasn¡¯t the type of person who would usually keep hidden cameras in my home.

    So, I¡¯m going to use my superpower here.

    Back at the entrance, I turned around and extended my finger toward the air.

    As for the specifics of my superpower, I¡¯ll keep it a mystery for now.

    In reality, the power I possess isn¡¯t complex enough to warrant such secrecy; on the contrary, in the world of superpowered individuals, this ability is likely very simple and common.

    However, my friend will probably take me to witness an event related to supernatural phenomena, and in such a special situation, there may be a place for this unique power to come into play. Many characters with superpowers in fantasy stories use their abilities while explaining the details of their powers, and I kind of look forward to that kind of scenario. I¡¯d like to try it out when the time comes.

    Here, I¡¯ll reveal just the "tip of the iceberg" of my power.

    An orange-red light dot appeared on the tip of my finger, fluttering into the air like a firefly. Then came the second, third, fourth...

    Dozens of ¡°fireflies¡± scattered across the corners of the room in quick succession.

    These little things have a psychic connection with me¡ªthey act as my "eyes" when I¡¯m not present.

    Once I had set them up, I turned around, opened the door, and said to the friend waiting outside, ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, let''s head out.¡±

    He was eager to go, and together we left the building, heading toward his place.

    I quietly monitored the sights and sounds in my home through the ¡°fireflies.¡±

    Strictly speaking, the information shared by the ¡°fireflies¡± is not visual or auditory. If I had to describe it, it¡¯s like my imagination uncontrollably paints pictures and sounds in my mind.

    I¡¯m sure many people have experienced moments when, after watching a movie, the climax keeps replaying in their mind, or after hearing a catchy song, it plays over and over in their head. It¡¯s something like that.

    When I first left, Ma Zao had no reaction; she was just sitting quietly on the bed, resting. But as time passed, she seemed to have confirmed that I wasn¡¯t returning anytime soon. The soft expression on her face quickly faded, replaced by one that was cold and numb.

    She immediately got off the bed, put on her slippers, and slowly moved to the entrance. She opened the door and stepped into the hallway, looking around.

    Was she planning to escape?

    I was startled and wanted to return immediately.

    But before I could turn around, she had already gone back into the room and closed the door behind her.

    My friend noticed that something was off with my expression.

    "Ah Cheng, what¡¯s going on?"

    "It¡¯s nothing, I just suddenly felt like sneezing..."

    I took a moment to calm my racing heart and continued to observe the mysterious and beautiful girl, trying to decipher her every move.

    Ma Zao seemed like a small stray dog just taken in by a stranger, her back tense as she looked around the room. Every now and then, she would quickly glance back toward the entrance, likely on guard for my potential return.

    Occasionally, she would move objects around, picking them up and carefully putting them back in place. It didn¡¯t seem like she was looking for anything in particular, more like she was trying to investigate my background.

    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t just that I found her full of mysteries¡ªshe probably saw me as a mystery too.

    Realizing this, I felt a little pleased¡ªso I¡¯m a "mysterious character" now?

    For someone like me, who was acting "suspicious," her initial attitude was one of full hostility, with clear signs of resistance and an aggressive stance. However, after I dealt with the police, she suddenly calmed down. I had been wondering whether my act of playing the good guy had fooled her, but now I was starting to understand.

    The reason she suddenly became more agreeable was probably based on a very practical reason¡ªI had a gun in my possession.

    However, even in such an unfavorable position, she had never tried to flatter me. Was it because she had extraordinary integrity, or did she think that changing her attitude too much would make me dislike her?

    In the end, why was she considered a serial killer by the police?

    Why was she wearing a hospital gown when I first found her? Had she been staying in a hospital before? Perhaps she escaped from some psychiatric hospital and everything she said to me was just the ramblings of a madwoman?

    I wasn¡¯t in a hurry to get answers right away. There was still plenty of time ahead, and I wanted to slowly savor this extraordinary cohabitation experience.

    ---

    My friend, looking troubled, led me to a nearby tea restaurant where we sat down. I decided to focus my attention on him first.

    "In order to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings later, I need to explain the whole situation to you before showing you that thing," he said with a serious expression.

    "Go ahead," I gestured for him to continue.

    He first asked a question: "You still remember where I live, right?"

    "Yes, I remember. It''s that house where someone died," I replied.

 Chapter 8: Basement 1 of the 15th floor 2

    Before explaining where my friend currently lives, let me talk about him first.

    I met him in college, and his full name is Zhu Chang''an, so I call him "Chang''an." He is also a second-year student at Xianshui University, a young man who is handsome and dresses in designer clothes.

    Although his speech has been relatively normal so far, he is actually a well-known "second-generation rich" in the area. His father holds a high-ranking position in the government, and their family is quite wealthy. I''m not sure exactly how rich they are, but it''s certainly beyond the imagination of someone like me, who comes from an ordinary background, and I don''t really care about such matters. However, I occasionally hear people at school maliciously referring to him as "Young Master Zhu."

    The animosity towards him isn¡¯t entirely due to class envy; that would be oversimplifying things. While my reputation in school could be described as unconventional, Chang''an is widely criticized, and simply labeling it as "envy of the rich" doesn''t fully explain the situation. The issue lies with him personally.

    He is a well-known "bad boy" on campus, often heard flaunting his father''s higher status, acting arrogantly, stirring up trouble, and even rumored to hang out with a group of unsavory friends at places that students should avoid. Over time, he became ostracized by the majority of those who prided themselves on maintaining a clean image.

    His bad reputation actually has a backstory, though he has indeed done some bad things. My relationship with him started off somewhat hostile, but we eventually became acquainted.

    To go into the full details of our story would take a while, so for now, I''ll focus on his current residence.

    I don''t know if it''s true that "a person is influenced by their surroundings," but like me, he has a certain interest in urban legends. And since he didn¡¯t have many close friends at school, he rented a place off-campus. By chance, there was an abandoned apartment in a regular residential area near Xianshui University, located on the 15th floor. It was a high-rise apartment, and it had a history of someone dying there.

    When I say "someone died there," I don''t mean that an elderly person passed away unexpectedly or a tenant committed suicide by slashing their wrists. No, it was a proper, horrifying murder case.

    The incident occurred eight months ago when the previous tenant of Chang''an was found in the bathroom, disemboweled by an unknown assailant. The scene was extremely bloody, so much so that even the neighbors next door were scared enough to move out. The identity of the killer remains a mystery, and the perpetrator is still at large. It¡¯s completely understandable that no one would dare rent that apartment.

    It¡¯s said to be haunted at night. I went there to investigate and stayed for three days and nights, but nothing happened. That was about two weeks ago. Afterward, Chang''an rented the place, claiming it was a test of courage, and moved in, foolishly, for the thrill of it.

    "Now, do you think the place is really haunted? Is the ghost of the previous tenant after you?"

    "No, no..." He shook his head repeatedly. "It¡¯s the basement. I found the basement."

    "So it¡¯s just the basement..." I felt a bit disappointed, but then I noticed something odd. "Wait, did you just say ''basement''? In that apartment?"

    "Yes, in that apartment on the fifteenth floor."

    He looked uneasy as he began explaining the situation:

    It all started the night before yesterday, when he saw a video online of someone cleaning an old, dirty carpet. Carpets¡ªespecially plush ones¡ªare prone to accumulating dirt, and the uploader specifically chose a particularly filthy carpet to clean and film. After watching the video, he thought of the black plush carpet in his own living room.

    The carpet had been there since he moved in, and he wasn¡¯t sure how many tenants it had seen. He¡¯d never paid much attention to it, but now, he became critical of it. Black was supposed to be a color that hides dirt, but it was probably full of grime, and maybe even the blood of the previous tenant, of which he was completely unaware. He decided he¡¯d replace it.

    But when he lifted the carpet, the floor underneath revealed something that definitely shouldn¡¯t have been there in an everyday setting.

    What he discovered was a magic circle, intricately drawn with black paint.

    Could it be that a previous tenant was some kind of delusional black magic enthusiast, and this was their leftover work? It was only natural for Chang''an to think that way.

    But soon, he noticed something else within the magic circle that couldn¡¯t be ignored¡ªa wooden cover, about one meter in length and width, embedded in the floor.

    Driven by curiosity, he lifted the cover.

    To his surprise, beneath it was a deep, bottomless staircase, leading down into complete darkness.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    He was immediately shocked.

    Was this a basement? But this was the fifteenth floor¡ªhow could there be a basement here?

    He immediately came up with a plausible explanation¡ªthe staircase likely led to the apartment below. Just to be sure, he didn¡¯t descend the stairs himself. Instead, he went downstairs to inquire, and after receiving permission, he entered the apartment to take a look.

    However, there was no staircase downstairs, and the ceiling didn¡¯t have any openings.

    For a moment, he was overcome with an indescribable sense of panic.

    That dark staircase led to a space that didn¡¯t exist in reality.

    ---

    I was deeply captivated by his description, and curiosity arose within me.

    "Did you go down there?" I asked.

    Chang''an slammed his hand on the table, unable to help himself as he shouted, "How could I have gone down there!"

    The staff and customers in the tea restaurant all looked over at him, and he awkwardly cleared his throat and sat back down.

    "Anyway, I haven''t gone down, and I¡¯ve temporarily moved to a nearby hotel. I really can¡¯t continue living there," he said after calming down. "But I haven¡¯t canceled the lease yet, and I still have the keys."

    I nodded and continued to inquire, "Then, have you tried lighting up the space beneath the stairs?"

    "I tried. The depth below should be more than three meters, and the bottom of the stairs is made of gray concrete," he said dejectedly. "Beyond that, I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t dare go down to investigate."

    "Besides me, have you told anyone else about this?"

    "I have. I told my sister yesterday, but she didn¡¯t believe me."

    "You mean Zhu Shi? You saw her yesterday during the day, but you told her and not me?" I was a bit upset.

    Zhu Shi, Chang''an''s younger sister, is one year younger than both of us. I had met her a few times before.

    This year, she entered her first year at Xianshui University. Unlike the notorious Chang''an, her first impression is more like the image of a small stream, clear spring, or misty lake¡ªsomething like an elegant watercolor painting.

    It¡¯s understandable that she didn¡¯t believe Chang''an, or rather, any normal person wouldn¡¯t believe his account.

    Chang''an quickly gave a forced laugh, steering the conversation back and adding, "Also... when I encountered that thing the night before, I called the police right away."

    "You called the police?" I reflexively frowned.

    From my current perspective, it¡¯s hard to feel any sense of security from the police.

    "And then? Did you tell them about the strange happenings in your house, and they actually came?"

    "Of course, I didn¡¯t say that directly. I just came up with some random excuse to get the police to come over. Then, after they arrived, I lifted the carpet in front of them again, and...," Chang''an''s expression grew darker, "It disappeared. The wooden cover was gone, the entrance to the basement vanished without a trace, and all that was left on the floor was that suspicious magic circle. They thought I was making a false report and almost detained me."

    At this point, he noticed my expression and quickly explained, "Wait, I''m not lying to you, I really saw the basement!"

    "Although I personally want to believe you..."

    In the past, many of the people I visited who claimed to have experienced supernatural events shared a common trait: they insisted they encountered strange phenomena in certain situations, but when I accompanied them or investigated based on their clues, the supernatural events would vanish without a trace.

    Chang''an¡¯s situation now seemed very similar to my past experiences. He claimed to have encountered a strange phenomenon, but it was something only he could perceive, and when other people were present, the phenomenon would mysteriously disappear.

    How could I fully trust him with all my heart?

    However, he is still my friend, and I wanted to give him at least the basic trust.

    "Trust me! I know you''ve encountered many people who have deceived you before, so that''s why I didn''t talk to you at school yesterday. I was afraid you''d think of me as one of them!" He said, looking flustered. "But... but! Last night, I just couldn¡¯t let it go, and I felt that, both emotionally and logically, I should talk to you about it. Now, you''re the only one who might believe me..."

    "Last night, suddenly?" I caught on to a key point. "What time was it approximately?"

    "Uh? Well... around 10 o''clock?" He said vaguely.

    That was around the time I had just encountered Ma Zao.

    Assuming that both Chang''an and Ma Zao are telling the truth, then I was originally supposed to miss the strange events that Chang''an experienced. However, due to Ma Zao¡¯s curse-like physique, which attracts misfortune, it seems that Chang''an, far away from me, was suddenly thrown off course, bringing the clues of this event to knock on my door?

    Chang''an''s testimony contains many suspicious points, yet it somewhat aligns with Mazao''s account...

    As I ponder the logic between the two events, I said to Chang''an, "Words alone are not enough. Take me to your place and show me."

    "Alright, but..." he hesitated.

    I countered, "Isn''t the reason you came to me so that I can go with you to see the house again?"

    "...Yes. That was definitely not a hallucination or nightmare I created while alone, but a real, strange occurrence. I hope you can help me prove that..." he admitted, then grew cautious, "But if nothing happens this time..."

    "Just take me there," I said firmly. "I promise, even if there''s nothing under the carpet, I won¡¯t blame you."

    Having said that, he couldn''t argue further. After quickly eating at the nearby tea restaurant, he and I headed to the house.

    We passed through the entrance of the community, went through the security door of the building, and took the elevator all the way to the fifteenth floor. Chang''an took out his key and opened the door to the target apartment, leading me into the living room.

    Although it was said to be a house where someone had died, it actually looked no different from an ordinary home. In fact, due to Chang''an''s time living there, it had a bit more of a lived-in feel. To put it plainly, there were some scattered items, a few crumpled clothes and pants thrown on the sofa, and the trash bin was full of takeaway boxes with leftover sauce and rice.

    Between the sofa and the TV was the black plush carpet he had mentioned. It looked like an ordinary old carpet, with a few large brown English letters drawn on it, spelling out the word "carpet."

    "Well... I''m going to lift it now," Chang''an swallowed nervously.

    I didn''t want to take the initiative in his house, so I simply urged him verbally, "Go ahead."

    He took about ten seconds to gather his courage, then crouched down, grabbed the edge of the carpet, and suddenly yanked it up.

    Underneath the carpet, on the floor, there was a complex magic circle painted in dark black paint.

    At the center of the magic circle, there was a light brown wooden lid.

 Ch 9: Basement 1 of the 15th floor 3

    Seeing the wooden lid in the center of the magic circle, the most surprised person wasn''t me, but Chang''an.

    Before I had the chance to express any thoughts, he let out an involuntary yelp, his eyes glued to the wooden lid.

    Moments later, he shouted excitedly, "It appeared... It really appeared! I knew it wasn¡¯t just my imagination... Acheng, you saw it too, didn¡¯t you? You saw it, right?"

    "I saw it," I replied simply.

    "...You don¡¯t seem very excited?" he asked, calming down slightly and looking puzzled. "Aren¡¯t you usually the most interested in things like this?"

    "I am interested, yes, but what I¡¯m seeing right now is just a wooden board," I said matter-of-factly.

    Before seeing the basement Chang''an had mentioned with my own eyes, I wasn¡¯t going to "pop the champagne." That said, my calm demeanor was only on the surface. Out of basic trust in my friend, I couldn¡¯t deny that I was feeling a surge of excitement, as if my blood was flowing faster.

    I didn¡¯t rashly lift the wooden lid. Instead, I crouched down first to examine the magic circle on the floor.

    The magic circle was composed of numerous twisted lines and symbols, yet it contained an unmistakable sense of order that prevented it from being mistaken for random scribbles. As for Western mysticism, my knowledge was scattered and unstructured, making me utterly clueless when it came to analyzing this magic circle. However, there was one thing I managed to discern.

    I reached out a hand to gently trace the edge of the magic circle, picking up a bit of the black pigment used to draw the lines. After lightly rubbing my fingertip, I was completely certain. This pigment was dried, oxidized blood.

    Considering the clue about the "bizarre murder case that once occurred in this house," could it be that the magic circle was drawn by the murderer, using the victim''s blood as paint?

    If this assumption holds true, then what was the killer''s purpose? And why leave the magic circle in this house?

    Is the murderer still keeping an eye on this place?

    "Should we open the lid and take a look?" Chang''an asked tentatively from the side, not daring to lift the wooden lid himself.

    "Mm." I nodded, stood up, and took the initiative to step into the center of the magic circle.

    The wooden lid had no handle or grooves, so I bent down and wedged my fingers into the gap between the lid and the floor.

    Then, I lifted the wooden lid high, and the scene beneath it came into view.

    At that moment, I instinctively held my breath.

    Beneath the wooden lid, just as Chang¡¯an had described, was a pitch-black entrance. Below the opening lay a staircase leading to a basement, descending into unfathomable depths!

    But this is the fifteenth floor!

    Chang¡¯an seemed to hold his breath as well, and then, with a voice as if afraid of disturbing something, he said, ¡°You see it, don¡¯t you? I wasn¡¯t lying...¡±

    I stared intently at the staircase before me.

    The staircase was made of gray-white concrete, unadorned and unfinished. Part of it lay starkly exposed to my view, while the rest disappeared deep into the darkness, as though leading to an unknown and terrifying netherworld. Just a glance was enough to send chills coursing through me.

    In that instant, countless chaotic images flashed through my mind.

    This bizarre sight was like a meteor crashing into the lake of my heart, setting off waves upon waves. All my past efforts in exploring the strange and the uncanny surfaced one after another in rapid succession.

    Even the words Ma Zao had said earlier surfaced in my mind.

    ¡ª The greatest difference between the current world and the apocalyptic world lies in space and time. In the apocalyptic world, time and space are both distorted, and survivors may encounter strange and bizarre phenomena at any moment.

    ¡ª The apocalypse doesn¡¯t arrive all of a sudden; it comes with signs and preludes. It¡¯s just that people today haven¡¯t paid enough attention to them.

    ¡ª Incomprehensible phenomena or grotesque and peculiar creatures... things like these must already be appearing openly in this era.

    Could this be what Ma Zao was referring to¡ªthe signs and preludes of the apocalypse?

    However, judging from the magic circle at the scene, this seems to be an anomaly caused by human factors, not a natural disaster... No, wait. That¡¯s a preconceived notion on my part.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Who says that what brings about the apocalypse must be a natural disaster and not human-caused catastrophe?

    Could the strange phenomenon before me be related to the apocalyptic signs Ma Zao mentioned?

    Wait, wait, my thoughts are getting ahead of me. I shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions about things that are far off and lack evidence. What should I be doing right now?

    "Chang''an, stay here and wait for me. I¡¯m going downstairs to make a confirmation."

    With that, I walked out into the corridor, leaving a "firefly" in the house.

    At this critical moment, I realized I was still filled with doubt, afraid that this strange and eerie event might turn out to be a well-planned hoax. So, I didn¡¯t immediately send the "firefly" to explore the space beneath the hole. Instead, I first instructed the "firefly" to keep watch over Chang''an.

    I, on the other hand, first leaned against the railing in the corridor, taking in the scenery to calm my racing thoughts. Afterward, I went downstairs, pretending to be a visitor who had knocked on the wrong door.

    While the resident was opening the door, I secretly slipped a "firefly" inside and explored the place.

    Just as Chang''an had described earlier, there were no visible stairs descending from there, nor was there a hole in the ceiling.

    At the same time, I also completed a crucial confirmation by monitoring Chang''an with the "firefly"¡ªChang''an had not closed the wooden lid during this time, and I was still able to continuously observe the existence of that hole.

    Now, I could finally be 100% certain.

    That hole indeed led to a "space that doesn''t exist in reality."

    ---

    The strange thing I had been dreaming of and searching for, something I had only seen in fantasy stories, was real!

    I had imagined countless times what it would be like to finally confirm this. And now, as I verified the existence of this strange phenomenon with my own eyes, I didn¡¯t feel the ecstatic joy I had expected.

    It wasn¡¯t because I was scared, or because my enthusiasm for the inexplicable had suddenly waned at such a critical moment. I think the emotion I felt now was likely quite universal.

    It¡¯s said that many people, when faced with a sudden, dramatic change, don¡¯t react as exaggeratedly as they do in movies. For example, when someone suddenly learns they''ve won the lottery or when they receive the tragic news of a family member¡¯s death... they don¡¯t immediately react with extreme joy or sorrow. Instead, it often takes a long time for them to process such overwhelming facts.

    It felt like falling into a dream¡ªperhaps this is the most fitting description of my current state of mind.

    I couldn¡¯t even tell if my feet were firmly on the ground.

    Today was an exceptionally important day in my life, and even this sensation of feeling like I was suspended in midair felt so precious. If I could, I would want to fully immerse myself in this dreamlike experience.

    However, I had to quickly regain my normal ability to think. The more bizarre and strange the event, the more I needed a clear mind. Many characters in horror stories meet their end when they lose themselves in the moment; I certainly didn¡¯t want to become one of them.

    Besides, there was an important question I needed to seriously face next.

    Since what Chang''an said was true, the credibility of Ma Zao''s claim that she is a "disaster bringer" also rises. And if Ma Zao really does bring misfortune to those around her, would this negative influence extend to the "people around the people" she knows?

    In other words, could Chang''an¡¯s encounter with strange events be because he is my friend?

    I met Ma Zao last night, while Chang''an encountered the strange events the night before. Based on the timeline, Chang''an''s experience doesn¡¯t seem to have a direct causal relationship with Ma Zao¡¯s disaster-prone nature. However, when it comes to the bizarre, we can¡¯t apply common sense and must consider the possibility of events happening in reverse order.

    In other words: Because I met Ma Zao last night, Chang''an experienced the strange events the night before, and the purpose of this might be that he was responding to Ma Zao¡¯s disaster-prone nature, pulling me into the strange events today¡ªthis kind of illogical cause-and-effect might still hold in the world of the bizarre.

    If that''s the case, how should I handle my relationship with Ma Zao?

    ---

    I returned to the house where the hole was located. Chang''an was carefully shining a flashlight into the hole, seemingly afraid that some monster might suddenly emerge from within. When he saw me return, he finally let out a sigh of relief. By now, I had more or less sorted out my state of mind.

    "I''m sorry, Chang''an," I sighed. "Maybe I''ve dragged you into this."

    "What¡¯s going on? Why are you saying that all of a sudden?" He was surprised.

    "I¡¯ll explain it to you later." I had already come up with some ideas on how to handle the situation. "For now, let¡¯s focus on the problem at hand."

    Hearing this, he didn¡¯t ask any further questions and instead redirected his attention to the hole.

    Using the light from the flashlight, I could clearly see the scene below the staircase. The space below was only about three meters deep, with a gray concrete floor at the bottom, which did indeed resemble a basement.

    I remained silent as I observed the hole.

    After realizing the supernatural nature of this hole, it became irresistibly captivating to me. It was as if someone had pulled the plug from a bathtub full of water, and I was silently watching as the water was sucked into the dark hole, almost as if my very heart was being drawn into it as well.

    As I savored this mesmerizing feeling in my mind, I took another two steps forward, wanting to get a little closer and see more clearly.

    Suddenly, my arm was grabbed from the side. I turned to look, and it was Chang''an. He had caught hold of me and was wearing a rare serious expression.

    "Do you want to go down there?"

    "Isn¡¯t that obvious?"

    It would be impossible for me not to want to go down and take a look.

    He was stunned and said, "What kind of nonsense are you talking? I didn¡¯t bring you here to make you go down!"

    "You called me here, so how could I not go down and investigate for myself?" I countered, then suddenly realized something.

    Right, from my perspective, it would be impossible to encounter something strange and not personally investigate it thoroughly, from the inside out. I believed others would see it the same way. And of course, as my friend, Chang''an was surely well aware of my tendencies.

    But this time was different. Probably because Chang''an had already experienced the strange event himself, he had formed the initial impression that "this hole should not be entered." When he shared it with me, he unconsciously projected his own judgment onto me¡ªhe hadn¡¯t even considered that someone might want to go down and take a look.

    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not as reckless as you think. Even if I want to go down, I won¡¯t do it right away."

    As I said this, I used my body to block his line of sight and sent the "firefly" down into the hole.

    However, at that moment, something unbelievable happened.

    When the "firefly" entered the hole¡ªentered that "space that doesn¡¯t exist in reality"¡ªthe spiritual connection between me and the "firefly" was suddenly cut off. The "firefly" itself vanished, as if blown out like a candle by the wind.

 Chapter 10: Basement 1 of the 15th floor 4

    Things that defy the laws of the world cannot exist, just as a flame that has lost its fuel cannot continue burning.

    While my "firefly" was indeed an unnatural creation, it was far from a fleeting existence.

    The reason it could persist was because of the spiritual connection between us. My mental energy continuously fueled its existence, like adding firewood to a flame.

    However, the hole before me was like a barrier, invisible and intangible. When the "firefly" descended, the unseen barrier, although not actively obstructing it, mercilessly severed the spiritual connection between us. It was as if to say, "The divide between ''real space'' and ''spaces that should not exist in reality'' is as clear as the distinction between yin and yang. Those of the living cannot defy the laws of nature, attempting to breach the boundary and establish free passage between the realms."

    "So what do you plan to do?" Chang''an didn''t notice the disturbance on my side.

    He first asked for my opinion, then looked uneasy, "I think we should close the lid quickly. What if there''s something nasty hidden under the hole..."

    "Hold on a moment." After thinking for a moment, I asked, "Do you have a Bluetooth camera or anything like that?"

    "You''re going to throw a Bluetooth camera down there to replace your own eyes?" He immediately understood, then shook his head regretfully, "But I don¡¯t have one."

    "No worries, just give me your phone."

    He obediently handed me his phone, and I took out my own, opening WeChat and sending a video call request to Chang''an''s phone.

    Once the call was connected, I went to the kitchen to grab a broom, then used a rubber band from the takeout barbecue to attach both my phone and flashlight to the end of the broom, turning it into a glowing selfie stick. I squatted on the floor and extended it down into the hole.

    "So there¡¯s another way to do this!"

    Chang''an''s eyes lit up as he leaned in to look at his phone, eager to see the video feed coming from below.

    But then he made a sound of confusion and disappointment: "¡­Huh?"

    Unfortunately, no image was transmitted.

    Ever since my phone entered the hole, the network signal had automatically been cut off.

    I retrieved my phone, changed the connection to share Chang''an''s mobile hotspot, and tried sending it back into the hole again, but it still didn¡¯t work. It seemed the network was being blocked by an invisible barrier.

    It seemed that not only the spiritual connection, but also electronic signals were unable to pass through.

    I retrieved my phone again, took a deep breath, and mentally prepared myself.

    This time, I extended my arm directly into the hole!

    Chang''an couldn''t stop me in time and could only shout, "What are you doing!"

    I ignored his voice, focusing entirely on the sensation of my arm.

    Ultimately, human perception and control of one''s own body rely on electronic signals. If this hole truly interfered with electronic signals, I should not have been able to move my arm at all.

    But this time, the signal wasn¡¯t blocked. I could clearly feel my arm and move my hand smoothly.

    "Spiritual connection" and "electronic signal connection" are essentially both "wireless connections." Based on the current situation, since the brain can maintain the physiological connection to my arm, does this mean that other forms of "wired connections" should also work?

    Or is it that the human body itself has some mysterious quality, like how certain magical items in fantasy stories can¡¯t store life but can store everything else? Could it be that this hole simply cannot block the life signals of living beings?

    If it''s the latter, then I would have no choice but to enter the hole myself.

    Wait, it seems I''ve been misled by the earlier disappearance of the "firefly."

    If all I want is to understand what¡¯s inside the hole, I don¡¯t need to worry about wired or wireless connections. I could simply switch my phone to video mode and repeat the previous method!

    I know why I didn¡¯t think of such a simple approach right away. It¡¯s because I was so fixated on the phenomenon of the hole being severed from the outside world. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve encountered something so unbelievable, and I couldn¡¯t help but focus on exploring the exact mechanism behind it.

    Seeing that I was unharmed, Chang''an let out a sigh of relief and quickly grabbed me, trying to pull me away from the hole.

    "You¡¯re being way too reckless! Didn¡¯t you think about what could happen to you!?" he said, his voice filled with lingering fear.

    "Chang''an, let¡¯s try again," I turned to him and said what I was planning.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    After hearing this, his first reaction was: "You really just want to use your phone to record what¡¯s down there, right? You¡¯re not planning to go down yourself, are you? After seeing it, you¡¯ll be satisfied, won¡¯t you?"

    "¡­"

    "Why are you turning your head away?" He glared at me.

    Chang''an''s intuition was correct. I couldn¡¯t possibly be satisfied with just a quick look inside. Even if there were some "dirty things" down there, I would still persist.

    I started thinking about how to convince him, or perhaps find a way to get him to leave.

    Although it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to rush into the hole, doing so might lead him to follow me in. What if there¡¯s danger inside? The reason he¡¯s encountered these strange events is likely because of me, but I never intended to drag him into this.

    The most practical solution might be to pretend to agree for now and then investigate on my own afterward. After all, he doesn¡¯t live in this house anymore.

    It seemed like I couldn¡¯t move forward with my investigation for now.

    "Chang''an, I..."

    Just as I was about to speak, an unexpected situation interrupted our conversation.

    Knock, knock, knock.

    There was an unexpected knock at the entrance.

    I could only helplessly close my mouth. Why does it feel like I keep encountering people knocking on doors today? This is already the third time, although this time, it isn¡¯t my own door being knocked on.

    "Who¡¯s there?" Chang''an called out.

    But there was no answer from outside, just the persistent knocking.

    I stood up and walked toward the entrance, while Chang''an grabbed the black plush carpet nearby, temporarily covering the hole. While it wasn¡¯t exactly a secret, when it came to such unknown supernatural things, perhaps it wasn¡¯t wise to expose it to random strangers.

    However, this time, the person at the door, at least, was not a stranger we had never met.

    When I opened the door, the person outside saw me.

    "Hmm?" The person first appeared confused and surprised, and after a moment, he finally recognized my face. "¡­You live here? This doesn¡¯t seem right."

    The person was none other than the police officer who had knocked on my door not long ago to investigate the serial killer witness sightings.

    He¡¯s even come this far with his investigation?

    "No, my friend lives here," I quickly suppressed my surprise and turned to call out to Chang''an.

    Chang''an immediately rushed over and introduced himself to the officer.

    The officer looked at me with confusion but eventually addressed Chang''an: "You''re the one who made a false report the other night, right?"

    "I didn¡¯t make a false report," Chang''an said, his neck stiff with defiance.

    "The people in our department checked back later, and it turns out a very serious murder occurred in this house some time ago. The murderer has yet to be apprehended," the officer asked seriously. "You say this place is haunted¡ªare you sure it¡¯s just ghosts? Please tell me again what abnormalities you¡¯ve noticed."

    It turns out this officer was here to investigate a murder case from eight months ago.

    I had heard that law enforcement takes murder cases very seriously, with slogans like "All murder cases will be solved." But that was an incident from eight months ago! I didn¡¯t realize they would still be pursuing a case with such intensity even after such a long time.

    I had once read online about a fugitive who, after laying low for a while, went to a *Jay Chou concert, only to be spotted and apprehended by law enforcement in the middle of the crowd. Given that, it didn¡¯t seem that strange that the authorities were still focusing so much on a murder suspect who had been at large for so long. *famous chinese singer

    But I remembered that this officer had been investigating the recent serial killer case, yet now he was taking time to ask about a completely different case. Is it common for them to juggle cases like this? Or perhaps¡­

    "It really is haunted!"

    In his eagerness to prove his point, Chang''an hurriedly invited the police officer inside, then walked over to the black plush carpet and yanked it away.

    "Look!" He pointed at the magic circle on the floor, "See? This really... really..."

    But as he spoke, his voice trailed off.

    What lay before us was nothing but an empty floor. There was no sign of any basement. Only the magic circle, painted in black, remained on the ground. Not even the wooden lid was there.

    It wasn''t just Chang''an who was stunned¡ªso was I. The basement had disappeared?

    What was going on? The last time the police came, the basement vanished. And now, with the police here again, it had vanished once more.

    Could it be that the police, with their upright and righteous presence, caused the basement to disappear, as if the basement were some dark and malevolent thing that hid itself at the arrival of authority? That didn¡¯t make any sense!

    The situation before me made me remind myself not to panic. This wasn''t the first time the basement had appeared and disappeared, so perhaps this was part of the strange phenomenon I needed to explore.

    "Where''s the ghost?" the police officer asked, his expression unreadable. "Let it show itself."

    "Ghost... ghost..." Chang''an stammered, unable to speak.

    The police officer sighed, then seemed to notice something. He immediately crouched in front of the magic circle and began to touch the painted edge with his finger.

    He rubbed his finger thoughtfully, his expression growing more serious, and after a moment, muttered to himself, "...Blood?"

    ---

    Although the strange basement wasn''t visible, the police officer''s attitude clearly changed after he made contact with the magic circle. His already serious expression became even more intense.

    He led us downstairs and then asked Chang''an, "Do you have another place to stay?"

    "What?" Chang''an was still processing the question.

    "The house you rented is now a crime scene and must be secured again. At least for today and tomorrow, you cannot go back there to stay," the officer said in an authoritative tone.

    "Ah? But..." Chang''an seemed like he was about to say something.

    However, he suddenly closed his mouth, glanced at me, and then decisively said to the officer, "No problem, I wasn¡¯t planning on staying there anyway. Please make sure the scene is protected properly, not even a mouse should be allowed in!"

    It was really a bit much to be called a mouse.

    He must have said that to prevent me from going into the basement. Honestly, he was worrying for nothing. If I had truly made up my mind to enter that basement, no matter how many ordinary people showed up or how strict the precautions were, it would all be in vain.

    "By the way, why are we protecting that house?" Chang''an finally asked. "Is it because of the murder case from eight months ago? But that happened eight months ago, right? The killer might have already fled to another city by now."

    "You can''t say that," the officer replied. "This is a homicide case, and it''s not just any case. The methods were extremely brutal, and the situation is very serious. The department has been paying close attention to it. And..." The officer seemed to be debating whether to reveal more.

    After a long pause, he looked at Chang''an, then at me, and finally said, "The killer is still roaming around Xianshui City, and may even still be causing trouble."

    "What?" Chang''an was stunned.

    I made a connection through the officer''s gaze and, combining it with my earlier suspicions, came to a conclusion.

    "The serial killer who has been committing murders in the city over the past two months... is the same person who killed the previous tenant in that house eight months ago?"

    The face of Ma Zao also surfaced in my mind.

 Ch 11: Mount Luo 1

    In response to my question, the police officer gave a slight nod and cautiously stated, "At least that''s what the current evidence suggests."

    No wonder the police officer handling the case related to Ma Zao was here.

    If we were to fully accept the officer''s testimony, then Ma Zao would be both the serial killer responsible for the recent murders over the past two to three months and the one who killed the former tenant eight months ago.

    According to Ma Zao''s own testimony, she had accidentally crossed over from the apocalypse era to the present day just yesterday, which would serve as her "alibi."

    There are indeed ways to make these seemingly contradictory statements both valid, but for now, I won''t delve into it further, and it would require complete trust in Ma Zao''s account.

    I must admit, I do have a bit of a desire to stir chaos, longing for an apocalypse capable of dismantling all existing order.

    It''s not that I want the "end of human civilization" as the "result." What I truly desire is for everything around me to collide with the catastrophic events that might bring about that result, and for me to be part of that process. In this upheaval, I might be terrified out of my wits, laughing at my own na?ve thoughts, or I might come to realize other versions of myself.

    However, from a rational perspective, I still remain skeptical of Ma Zao''s description of the future; in other words, the possibility that she is the serial killer still exists in my mind.

    Not to mention, the police even have a photograph of Ma Zao.

    It''s a proper portrait photo, not one that was randomly snapped on the street. If there were no specific need, most people wouldn''t take such a photo on purpose. This piece of evidence further undermines the credibility of Ma Zao''s testimony that she "only crossed over to this era yesterday."

    Ma Zao didn''t give me the impression of being someone who would recklessly kill everywhere, but if everything could be judged based on vague impressions, then what would be the point of reasoning or evidence?

    "We can leave now, right?" Chang''an couldn''t stay calm after learning that the killer was still active in the city.

    "You two shouldn''t leave yet. Come, let''s take your statements."

    The police officer adopted a formal, official tone and led us to a pavilion in the neighborhood.

    "Don''t we need to go to the station for the statement?" Chang''an asked.

    "No need," the officer replied briefly.

    Seeing that Chang''an was still a bit confused, I added, "We''re not suspects. There''s no need to go to the interrogation room. We can take your statements here outside as well."

    When Chang''an used to cause trouble everywhere, he had run-ins with the police a few times, but his knowledge in this area hadn''t improved at all. He was even worse than me, a law-abiding citizen.

    Although, the title of "law-abiding citizen" had become somewhat humorous by now.

    The police officer casually asked, "You seem to know a lot. Have you ever given a statement before?"

    "I just read a lot of novels," I replied.

    The officer sat down in the pavilion, took out paper, a pen, and a recording device, then looked at me and said, "In that case, let''s start with you."

    I sat across from him, sitting upright, but inwardly, I felt a bit nervous.

    Not just guilty, but I also had a real gun hidden in my backpack. Now, it felt like the gun was burning, as if the heat was seeping through the fabric of the bag and onto my back.

    The statement was just a simple Q&A. After all, they couldn¡¯t ask me any complicated questions. I wasn¡¯t the tenant of the fifteenth-floor room, and the main questioning was still focused on Chang''an.

    During the process, I seized the opportunity to ask, ¡°That ¡®magic circle¡¯ in the room, it was left by the killer eight months ago, right? Didn¡¯t the police who collected evidence at the scene notice it?¡±

    If the magic circle was hidden under the carpet, it would make sense that a regular tenant might not notice it right away. But if the police officers responsible for investigating the crime scene didn¡¯t notice it, that would be hard to explain.

    From the officer''s attitude, it seemed that they only realized the existence of the magic circle today, eight months later.

    There was likely some important clue hidden here that I had yet to uncover.

    "This is something you¡¯ll have to ask the person in charge at the time," the officer first dodged the question, then added, "And no more distractions, now it''s my turn to ask you."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    As expected, I couldn¡¯t get an answer so easily. After all, I was just an ordinary citizen, and he had no reason to share case-related information with me.

    I could only verbally agree, then change the topic, trying to subtly inquire about Ma Zao.

    The last time, the officer directly referred to Ma Zao as a "serial killer." From a procedural standpoint, even with overwhelming evidence of a suspect''s crimes, they could only be called a "suspect" until they were officially tried and convicted. Referring to someone as a "criminal" without a trial would be incorrect.

    Of course, that was the strict procedural definition. In casual conversation, no one would mind calling a clearly guilty suspect a "criminal."

    What I wanted to know was whether the authorities had already gathered irrefutable evidence that Ma Zao had committed murder.

    However, the officer remained tight-lipped about the case, and I couldn¡¯t extract any useful information.

    Soon, the officer finished questioning me, then glanced at Chang''an and said to me, "I need to speak with him alone now. You can leave."

    "Ah?" Chang''an was confused.

    I vaguely guessed what the officer was planning to say to Chang''an next.

    "I understand." I stood up and told Chang''an, "I''ll wait for you outside the neighborhood."

    ---

    Although I verbally agreed to leave, there was no way I would be that honest.

    As I was leaving, I secretly placed a "firefly" near the pavilion to covertly observe the entire process of the officer taking Chang''an¡¯s statement.

    As expected, during the conversation, Chang''an insisted that he had indeed encountered strange events in the fifteenth-floor room, but he could never provide proof of what he had experienced. Most of the officer¡¯s questions were just common-sense inquiries.

    However, is it really true that the authorities know nothing about those "beyond common sense" existences? In this world, there are people like me with special abilities, and strange things like the underground basement of the fifteenth floor. Even if many of these unusual secrets are unknown to the public, the authorities should still be aware of them.

    Moreover, the fact that the public is unaware of the existence of strange entities itself provides evidence of a "invisible hand" preventing information related to these entities from reaching the public. To carry out this level of information control, there must be a large organization operating behind the scenes.

    The question is, why would the authorities need to control the information? Are they worried that the existence of strange entities might cause societal panic? This reason seems too far-fetched.

    Or is it possible that there are strange entities that can spread harm through human cognition, which is why the authorities have to resort to such measures?

    Of course, there is another possibility, although I find it unlikely. Surely, things like my own abilities or the strange basement on the fifteenth floor cannot be so rare that no one knows about them.

    "Uh, officer, why do you want to speak to me alone?" Chang''an finally couldn''t help but ask. "Is there something you don''t want my friend to know?"

    The police officer didn¡¯t seem to notice the "firefly" I had secretly set up. Under my watch, he responded, ¡°Sort of, but mainly to warn you.¡±

    ¡°Warn me?¡± Chang''an didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°The serial killer has taken the lives of five victims in the last two to three months. All of them share a common characteristic¡ªthey were either rich or influential. They were either wealthy entrepreneurs or high-ranking officials. You may not be a businessman or a government official, but you also come from an extraordinary background, so¡­¡±

    I had already read about this in the news, but Chang''an was completely unaware. He looked horrified. ¡°You think I might be the next victim?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s a possibility. We¡¯ll have someone secretly protect you from now on,¡± the officer said reassuringly, with a firm tone.

    Chang''an panicked, but then suddenly came up with a sharp retort, noticing a blind spot: ¡°Wait a minute, that doesn¡¯t make sense. Was my former tenant one of those rich or influential people you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    The room on the fifteenth floor was located in an ordinary residential complex, and based on my past investigation, the former tenant didn¡¯t have a wealthy or powerful background.

    ¡°No, he was just an ordinary employee at a company, and he¡¯s the only exception in this series of incidents. We¡¯re still investigating the potential connection between him and the other victims,¡± the officer shook his head, then advised, ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t let your guard down. Didn¡¯t your parents or elders tell you about the recent turmoil?¡±

    At this, Chang''an¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Well¡­¡±

    Others might not know, but I knew that Chang''an didn¡¯t have a harmonious relationship with his family.

    The officer didn¡¯t know the details, but seeing Chang''an¡¯s reaction, he skipped the topic and continued, ¡°In any case, you need to stay alert and avoid solitary places. Be cautious of suspicious individuals. Especially if you spot the trace of large wild animals, don¡¯t stay in place.¡±

    "Large wild animals?" Chang''an asked cautiously.

    "The bodies of the previous five victims, as well as the former tenant of that room, all showed signs of severe tearing and biting, and there were animal hairs found at the scene," the police officer revealed a detail that had not been mentioned before in front of Chang''an. "Although there are no reports of escaped wild beasts from the zoo in Xianshui City, and no sightings or surveillance footage of such beasts in the city, it¡¯s always better to stay vigilant."

    Tearing and biting marks... So the cause of death for those victims wasn¡¯t gunshot wounds after all?

    But according to the officer¡¯s earlier statement, the serial killer was supposed to be a rebellious girl who accidentally found a handgun, and it was the power of the gun that allowed her to cause chaos.

    I recalled the first time I met Ma Zao. She was wearing a hospital gown that was severely torn in several places, and at the time, I thought the damage had been caused by a violent attacker wielding a sharp weapon. But if I now said it was the result of an attack by a wild animal, it seemed to make more sense.

    So, Ma Zao was a victim in this incident; she encountered the serial killer and was severely injured by the latter in some way? But considering the outcome, Ma Zao, despite being drenched in blood, was completely unharmed¡ªhow could that be?

    Why, then, was Ma Zao being accused of being the murderer?

    "That¡¯s all for now. Remember to communicate with your landlord and cancel the lease for that room. Also, hand over the keys to me. We¡¯ll need to protect the scene."

    "Oh, okay." Chang''an took out the keys and handed them over.

    "My colleague will contact you later. I have other important matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll take my leave for now."

    After saying that, the police officer packed up his paper, pen, and recording device, then stood up and left.

    I felt a bit puzzled. Since they were planning to protect Chang''an, shouldn¡¯t they have taken him to the station or some other secure place first and then have his colleagues come over? What if the killer attacked during the gap? That would be quite awkward.

    The more I thought about it, the more suspicious the police officer seemed.

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwas he really a police officer?

    I controlled the "firefly" and followed this seemingly experienced-looking man.

 Ch 12: Mount Luo 2

    The "police officer" said he had important matters to attend to, but his pace was calm and unhurried as he left through the east gate of the residential complex.

    Meanwhile, Chang''an came to the south gate of the complex, the same one we had passed through when we arrived, and met up with me.

    After seeing me, he openly told me everything that had been discussed between him and the "police officer," and then said worriedly, "I might be in danger recently, and I probably won¡¯t be able to go to school. You¡¯d better stay away from me too, so you won¡¯t get caught up in this."

    While keeping an eye on the "police officer''s" movements, I responded, "I understand."

    "But why did he send you away earlier?" Chang''an asked in confusion.

    "It¡¯s to avoid leaking the details of the case. You¡¯re practically a party to the situation, so it doesn¡¯t matter much. I¡¯m more of an outsider," I said, giving a simple analysis based on my outsider perspective. "The victims in this case are mostly local elites, so the nature of it is probably more than just a few deaths. Until the truth is revealed, no one wants it to cause a citywide uproar or endless gossip."

    Chang''an suddenly understood, then took out his phone, checked the time, and said to me, "I have somewhere to go after this, so I¡¯ll say goodbye here."

    "Aren''t you supposed to have class this afternoon?" I asked in confusion. "Are you going to skip class again and head to the club? I mean, it¡¯s already this late¡­"

    One of the main reasons Chang''an was often criticized in university was because he was said to frequently visit places of ill repute.

    What made it worse was that it wasn¡¯t just a rumor¡ªit was the truth.

    Given his looks and financial situation, it was easy for him to get attention from the opposite sex. Even with his current reputation, he still had people throwing themselves at him. So, I could never understand why he had an interest in paying for sex.

    "No, no, I''m going to visit my mom at the hospital!" he quickly explained. "As for today''s class, I already took leave. I¡¯ll be at the hospital until evening. It''s a military hospital with strong security, so I can avoid the spotlight. My sister is probably going tonight too. She keeps nagging me, saying I¡¯m not visiting mom enough..."

    "Alright then. But you¡¯d better stay away from the club in the future. Didn¡¯t Zhu Shi keep criticizing you for not keeping a clean reputation?"

    "Okay, okay, I get it... Ugh, I don¡¯t know how to talk to my sister. She probably thinks I¡¯ve lost my mind by now," he complained.

    "Just act like nothing happened. Zhu Shi won¡¯t bring up the whole ¡®losing your mind¡¯ thing either."

    "I haven¡¯t lost my mind!"

    He protested loudly, muttered a few more complaints, then said goodbye and turned to leave.

    I secretly placed a "firefly" on his back to keep track of him, just in case something happened. Although there was no evidence suggesting that he would become the next target of the serial killer, his background closely resembled that of the previous five victims, and he was involved in the case, so this level of caution was necessary.

    After doing all that, I found a fried chicken shop on the street, sat down, and quietly monitored the "police officer''s" movements.

    ---

    Not long after I parted ways with Chang''an, the "police officer" took out his phone by the side of the road and dialed a number.

    The "firefly" sensor had an all-around, no-dead-zone perception, allowing me to clearly sense every image and sound in the space. I could also see the exact digits of the number he dialed. I quietly took out my phone on the other end and recorded it while continuing my surveillance.

    The call was quickly answered.

    "I''ve done everything you asked of me," the "police officer" spoke first. "There were indeed unusual traces at Zhu Chang''an''s residence. I didn''t see the ''basement'' he mentioned when he reported the incident, but the ''magic circle'' is real, and it is indeed an almost effective ritual circle."

    "Thank you, Agent Kong," a young woman''s voice came through the phone, with a sense of meticulousness in her tone.

    Through the "firefly," I was able to clearly eavesdrop on the conversation.

    Agent Kong?

    Is the "police officer" named Kong? But why the title "Agent"?

    In my impression, police officers in our country don''t usually use the suffix "Agent." I had some suspicions earlier, but now it seems this person really isn''t a police officer?

    The young woman on the other end of the phone continued speaking.

    "You just said the ritual circle was ''almost effective.'' What do you mean by that?"If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "It means that the ritual circle shouldn''t have been effective," Agent Kong patiently explained. "Although I''m not one of your demon hunters, I did study ceremonial magic at Mount Luo in the past. So I can tell that, as a ritual circle, it has more than ninety percent of the necessary components. Its purpose is to open a gateway to another dimension that overlaps with our current space-time. However, due to missing one or two key magical symbols, it was unable to accurately access the intended dimension.

    "To put it simply, the ritual circle is like a game of dominoes with a few pieces missing at the start. No matter how high the overall completion is, without those critical pieces, it just won''t function."

    The young woman understood and said, "I see... But there were indeed strange occurrences there, right?"

    Agent Kong shook his head. "I wouldn''t know. I believe Zhu Chang''an isn''t lying, but I can''t explain why the ritual circle suddenly activated."

    Wait, what are they suddenly talking about?

    A ritual circle? A different dimension?

    Demon hunters? Mount Luo?

    Is this the same kind of "demon hunter" I think it is¡ªthe ones who hunt magical creatures?

    As for Mount Luo...

    I¡¯ve never heard of such an organization or power, but I do know the concept.

    In Taoist beliefs, the underworld is called "Fengdu," which is also referred to as "Luofeng Mountain" or "Fengdu Luoshan." The so-called "Mount Luo" refers to the realm of the dead, the underworld. The Taoist text Dongyuan Ji also records: "Fengdu Luoshan is in the north, where the ghostly gates are located. It is the root of the dark realm, the mountain rises 2,600 miles high and has a circumference of 30,000 miles. Within the mountain are caves and palaces, the capital of ghosts and spirits."

    I suddenly realized that I had inadvertently stumbled into another unfamiliar world. Who exactly are these people?

    The conversation continued.

    "Perhaps the source of the phenomenon isn''t the ritual circle itself?" the woman, referred to as a demon hunter, speculated.

    "I don¡¯t know," the man, known as Agent Kong, replied. "I''m just a ''probe,'' responsible for notifying you of the existence of these strange events. The follow-up investigation is up to you demon hunters." He then adopted a detached attitude and added, "By the way, I also saw another person there, probably one of Zhu Chang''an''s friends, named Zhuang Cheng. Does that name ring a bell?"

    Hearing my name suddenly mentioned, I instinctively straightened up in my seat at the fried chicken restaurant.

    "Zhuang Cheng..." The demon huntress repeated my name.

    "I''ve also heard rumors about this person. He''s a well-known supernatural enthusiast in Xianshui City and has been investigating paranormal phenomena for a long time." Agent Kong seemed to know quite a bit about me. "Three or four years ago, wasn''t there a Feng Shui master from overseas who came to offer advice to local tycoons, only to be exposed as a fraud on the spot? I heard he even assisted official forces in another province to dismantle feudal superstition organizations."

    "It seems that he''s now noticed many suspicious points in this case, like why the ritual circle was only discovered now..."

    "It''s because our people in Mount Luo lack criminal investigation experience," the demon huntress sighed. "If it were real police officers handling the case, they definitely wouldn''t have missed such a huge clue. Mount Luo''s methods in recent years have been problematic. At the very least, they should have deepened their cooperation with the public security departments during the investigation process. How could they monopolize all the work and still fail so miserably?"

    "This is not something we on the frontlines should be discussing." Agent Kong avoided the topic, but continued with his previous point. "From the way he looks, he probably has never given up on pursuing supernatural events."

    "You mean..." The demon huntress''s voice became more serious.

    Agent Kong nodded on the phone. "You''re aware of the trends in the past two years. Zhuang Cheng may have already come into contact with the world of demon hunters, and perhaps even gained some level of power."

    Huh? I''ve already come into contact with the world of demon hunters?

    Do I know about this?

    What does "the trend in the past two years" mean? From his tone, it seems like this is a period when people like me are more likely to encounter the "world of demon hunters." But how come I¡¯ve never encountered it before?

    "Are you saying that the source of the strange phenomenon is not the ritual array, but him?" the demon huntress asked, rebutting.

    Hearing this, I slightly calmed my thoughts, and then realized that this speculation might not be without merit.

    If it is true that I was affected by the strange, disruptive nature of Ma Zao, and Chang''an, being my friend, was caught up in the strange occurrences, then it would make complete sense to trace it back to me. Even if the source wasn''t me, but Ma Zao, I couldn''t escape responsibility.

    Agent Kong and the demon huntress''s analysis might very well be correct.

    "I just had this thought, but there are no actual clues in this regard. Ultimately, we don¡¯t even know why the fallen demon hunter left the incomplete ritual array in that room¡­" Agent Kong merely brushed over my doubts, then moved on to a more practical topic. "Do you have time later to come and deal with the ritual array in that room? Something like that is beyond someone like me, but it''s something you demon hunters can handle."

    "I have something to do in the evening, a hospital visit, but I can take care of the ritual array in the afternoon." The demon huntress responded quickly. "However, we still don''t know the cause of the basement. If worse comes to worst, we can just tear up the living room floor and remove the conditions that created the basement from a physical perspective."

    "That''s one way to do it." Agent Kong agreed.

    And immediately, a huge sense of urgency surged in my heart.

    They want to eliminate the basement?

    No, I haven''t explored it yet.

    I can''t accept that.

    For me, whether it''s the "apocalypse" and "blessed monks" that Ma Zao mentioned, or the "Mount Luo" and "demon hunters" that these two are talking about, they''re all just concepts that exist on a verbal level¡ªthings I can''t see or touch.

    But that basement is different. That basement is the only supernatural phenomenon I have witnessed with my own eyes, and it holds unique value.

    The basement can be destroyed, but it must be after I''ve explored it.

    I have to do something to stop them.

    Just then, Agent Kong spoke again.

    "Also, I''m a bit concerned that the next target of the fallen demon hunter might be Zhu Chang''an. If someone of that level targets him, no matter where we take him, we can''t guarantee his safety. I can''t provide any protection either, so it will be up to you. Didn''t you repel a fallen demon hunter last time? If you don''t have any other leads, I suggest you lie in wait at Zhu Chang''an''s place."

    "Alright, I''ll go protect him," the demon huntress agreed promptly, then paused and added, "But if I do that, I won''t have time to deal with the ritual array and the basement."

    "We don''t need to rush over there for now; after all, no casualties have been reported so far."

    "No, unknown anomalous events must be dealt with quickly..." The demon huntress thought for a moment before saying, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, I''ll ask other hunters to temporarily take over my protection duties. I''ll personally handle it, or I''ll have someone else take care of the ritual array and the basement."

 Ch 13: Harbinger of Misfortune 1

    The demon huntress''s "death sentence" for the strange basement had shifted from "immediate execution" to "postpone execution."

    This turn of events allowed me to breathe a small sigh of relief.

    Since the destruction of the basement had been postponed until tomorrow, I could take the opportunity to explore it again today.

    However, how much I could uncover in such a limited timeframe remained uncertain. The most critical issue was that I didn¡¯t understand the basement¡¯s pattern of appearance and disappearance.

    Why did the basement appear when Chang''an was alone the night before, and again when the two of us were present, only to vanish after Agent Kong arrived? The answer undoubtedly lay somewhere in these occurrences.

    As I continued monitoring the conversation between Agent Kong and the demon huntress, I reflected on the terms they had mentioned earlier.

    The "Fallen Demon Hunter" they mentioned was undoubtedly the serial killer. Whether it specifically referred to Ma Zao was still uncertain, but just from the name alone, it was clear that the so-called "Demon Hunters" were people who hunted entities related to demons or the supernatural. The definition of "demons" likely wasn''t limited to strange phenomena like the basement but also encompassed the Fallen Demon Hunter.

    As for the term "fallen," it might refer to certain demon hunters whose targets had shifted from "demons" to "humans." This hypothesis aligns with the recent criminal behavior of the serial killer.

    The demon huntress''s tone carried a sense of duty toward eradicating supernatural phenomena, and she had also mentioned that Mount Luo should strengthen its cooperation with the public security departments. I surmised that Mount Luo was likely an anonymous supernatural organization officially recognized by the authorities¡ªor perhaps even a secret official organization operating in a different system than the public security departments.

    An organization dedicated to handling supernatural events really does exist!

    This filled me with an inexpressible excitement, as if I were witnessing wild flights of fantasy gradually stepping into reality.

    After that, the demon huntress seemed to have nothing more to discuss with Agent Kong. He quickly ended the call, then turned and headed back to the residential complex, stopping in front of that room.

    He took out a key, unlocked the door, and entered the room, inspecting everything thoroughly.

    His main focus was the ritual formation on the floor. He didn¡¯t recklessly step into the formation but instead circled around it, observing its state from various angles. He even took out his phone and captured multiple photos of the formation.

    To avoid being spotted should he suddenly turn around, I maneuvered the "firefly" to simply attach itself to his back.

    "It shouldn''t be possible," he muttered to himself. "Why could such an incomplete formation activate? There clearly aren¡¯t any conditions nearby sufficient to compensate for its flaws..."

    He circled around a few more times before finally giving up. Then, he casually pulled the black plush rug lying nearby back over the formation and turned to leave the room.

    ---

    While continuing to monitor Agent Kong, I wasn¡¯t idle myself.

    Maintaining the surveillance, I moved to a nearby electronics market to purchase equipment I¡¯d need for exploring the basement.

    After Agent Kong left, I didn¡¯t rush back to the house. Instead, I released more "fireflies" throughout the neighborhood, both inside and around the complex, to check for any suspicious individuals.

    Even Agent Kong and the Demon Huntress were uncertain why the Fallen Demon Hunter had set up the ritual formation in that room. So, I had to consider the possibility that the basement¡¯s appearance aligned with the Fallen Demon Hunter¡¯s expectations, potentially being a deliberate result of their actions.

    Was the Fallen Demon Hunter keeping a close eye on the activity in the fifteenth-floor room? While it¡¯s unlikely they would¡¯ve monitored it continuously for eight months, it¡¯s entirely possible they paid close attention during periods when the room was occupied.

    I definitely didn¡¯t want any unknown, potentially dangerous individual lurking in the shadows, watching my every move while I explored the basement.

    Perhaps the landlord should be added to the list of suspects. Someone in that position would know when the room is occupied and would have a reasonable excuse to keep tabs on any changes to it.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    At the moment, I was simultaneously monitoring four different areas: Ma Zao¡¯s location, Chang¡¯an¡¯s location, Agent Kong¡¯s activities, and the interior and exterior of the residential complex where the fifteenth-floor room was located. In other words, all of these scenarios were unfolding in my mind at the same time, with the last one being the most significant. The experience felt akin to solving several unrelated, high-intensity problems simultaneously. Even though I allocated most of my focus to the last location, my concentration was being rapidly drained.

    Every now and then, I would pause to rest, letting my mind relax by looking at the distant scenery before resuming my checks. Yet, even after searching thoroughly throughout the day until evening, I couldn¡¯t find anyone within or outside the complex who matched the ¡°suspicious behavior¡± label.

    Is it that there¡¯s really no one here, or did I just fail to find them? I can¡¯t afford to spend too much time on this matter; I still need to explore the basement later.

    It seems unlikely that I¡¯ll be able to go home tonight, so I need to let Ma Zao know in advance. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have a landline at home, and Ma Zao doesn¡¯t have a mobile phone either (at least, I didn¡¯t find one on her last night). Looks like I¡¯ll have to take a quick trip home to inform her in person.

    Coincidentally, there are also some questions I need to ask her face-to-face.

    I¡¯m feeling hungry too, so going home will give me a chance to eat as well.

    ¡­Come to think of it, I feel like I might be forgetting something.

    ---

    I quickly returned to my apartment door.

    Through the ¡°firefly¡± in the room, I saw Ma Zao even before opening the door. She was sitting on the sofa in the living room, curled up with her knees hugged to her chest. Her rolled-up sleeves and pant legs overlapped messily, and her loose, oversized clothes made her look even smaller.

    She hadn¡¯t turned on the lights or the TV. She just sat there in silence, gazing out of the floor-to-ceiling window at the view, reminiscent of a small household appliance entering standby mode to save energy.

    Outside the window, the sky was transitioning between a deep blue and a soft yellow, the hues of dusk, accentuating the faint sense of melancholy in her small figure.

    I inserted the key into the lock, and the faint sound instantly triggered her, as if an invisible switch had been flipped. Her head turned sharply toward the entrance with heightened alertness.

    As I opened the door, she had already leaped off the sofa with surprising agility¡ªonly to lose her balance and take a tumble.

    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± I asked, dumbfounded.

    She propped herself up using the nearby coffee table, her face stiffening as if trying to mask her embarrassment.

    Then, she slowly walked up to me, circling around twice, her gaze scanning me from head to toe. Leaning in closer, she began an even more meticulous examination, as if trying to uncover some clue hidden in the seams of my clothes. Occasionally, she even sniffed at me, as though attempting to catch some trace of a particular scent.

    I was puzzled by her actions, raising my arms to cooperate with her observations and asking again, "What are you doing?"

    She glanced up at me, then took two steps back.

    "¡­You¡¯re really late," she said, as though probing something, or perhaps hiding a hint of dissatisfaction.

    I had told her before I left that I was just stepping out for a bit, but I ended up spending most of the day outside, which was indeed my fault. That being said, I couldn¡¯t exactly tell her the truth, so I just gave a vague answer: "I had some things to take care of with a friend."

    "Did something happen while you were out?" she asked, frowning.

    "Something happened¡ªwhat do you mean?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

    She began listing things one by one: "For example, did you run into someone who should¡¯ve been dead, suddenly showing up alive in front of you? Or did you find a road where it shouldn¡¯t be? Or perhaps something strange, like suddenly growing limbs or organs that humans shouldn¡¯t have¡­?"

    The last thing she mentioned¡ªwas she really including bizarre occurrences like mutations in the human body among the disasters she might attract? I couldn''t help but internally scoff, but I answered without changing my expression, "No."

    She looked at me uneasily and asked, "Really? Nothing happened?"

    "Really nothing," I lied with my eyes wide open, though the "basement" definitely fit the second example she listed.

    "That''s good," she seemed relieved, as if she thought I had no reason or courage to lie about something like this.

    Then, she hesitated for a moment, glancing at the door behind me. "But I guess I should leave after all. If I stay here for too long..."

    "No!" I reflexively shouted.

    "Huh?" She jumped in surprise.

    "How could I possibly let you, a girl who can''t protect herself, wander around outside on your own?" I quickly lowered my voice, trying to sound as reliable as possible. "Don''t worry, I won''t let anything happen, and I''ll do my best to protect you during this time."

    "Uh, th-thank you?" She looked at me with a confused expression.

    I also felt that my reaction was a bit over the top, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I genuinely didn¡¯t want to let her go. Not only because I still hadn¡¯t uncovered the secrets about her, but also because I realized that the strange events I was experiencing for the first time in years might be thanks to her "Harbinger of Misfortune." I almost wanted to buy a baby carrier online and strap her to me like an infant, keeping her close to me 24/7, always shadowing me.

    I admit that having such thoughts about a girl a few years younger in her adolescence is hard to defend, and even if I did have the chance, I probably wouldn¡¯t actually do it. Saying it like this was just a way to express my state of mind.

    Speaking of Ma Zao''s disaster-attracting constitution, there''s something I need to ask.

    Although this might make her doubt my previous situation, I must confirm it as soon as possible out of responsibility.

    I placed my backpack by the shoe rack, switched on the living room lights, and then looked at her.

    "Ma Zao, I want to ask you a question, is that okay?"

    "You can ask," Ma Zao said cautiously. "As for whether I''ll answer, that depends on your question."

    "You said before that the people around you are affected by your special constitution and become more prone to encountering strange phenomena, right?"

    "Yes."

    "Is this phenomenon limited only to the people around you?" I asked. "Or does it extend further, affecting even the people close to them, causing them to encounter strange and dangerous occurrences as well?"

 Ch 14: Harbinger of Misfortune 2

    "As expected, when she heard this question, Ma Zao''s expression immediately changed.

    ''Why are you suddenly asking this?'' She observed my expression. ''Could it be that you...''

    ''It''s not what you think,'' I replied in a calm tone. ''It''s just that, to prevent any unforeseen circumstances, I need to confirm this in advance.''

    ''How would you even prevent something like this in advance?'' She frowned. ''And weren''t you don''t believed what I said before? Why are you suddenly asking such in-depth questions now...?''

    ''The only thing I found hard to believe was your talk of the apocalypse, not your description of how you might bring disaster upon yourself. Seeing how concerned you are about the possible misfortune you could bring, I can''t just dismiss it as a joke. And also...''"

    She asked suspiciously, "...And what else?"

    "I can''t fully believe you, but... I want to believe you." I looked at her eyes sincerely. "Ma Zao, can you let me believe in you?"

    This was truly how I felt. Whether it was the apocalypse or her misfortune-attracting nature, these were things I found hard to fully believe in but wanted to believe were real.

    However, to be honest, I never expected such a clich¨¦ line to come out of my own mouth one day. I don¡¯t know who once said that when a person is playing a role they¡¯re unfamiliar with, they inevitably end up reflecting the stereotypes they have about that role. Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯ve watched so many anime, but whenever I try to act like the nice guy, the lines that come out are always overly dramatic like this.

    Not sure if it¡¯s because I disgusted her, but Ma Zao instinctively stepped back again. This time, she backed all the way up until her back was against the wall, staring at me in shock and saying, ''You¡¯re really... really unbelievable... How could someone like you even exist?''

    ''So, does your misfortune-attracting nature affect the people around you as well?'' I couldn¡¯t help but return to the question I had started with.

    She composed herself and, after a moment of thought, replied, ''I¡¯m not really sure either.''

    ''You don¡¯t even know yourself?'' I asked, puzzled. ''Shouldn¡¯t you be the one who knows best about something like this?''

    ''If you just think about it for a moment, you¡¯ll understand. In the apocalyptic world I live in, strange creatures are everywhere. Survivors try their best to avoid these monsters, but anyone could be spotted by one and fall into danger at any moment,'' she explained. ''In such a situation, I can¡¯t really tell which anomalies are caused by my misfortune-attracting nature and which ones are just the result of bad luck.''"

    "Since everyone has a considerable chance of being attacked by strange creatures, how can you be sure that the anomalies you encounter are the ones caused by your own actions?" I didn¡¯t let this question slip by.

    "...It¡¯s based on statistics." Her tone became subdued. "From the information I¡¯ve gathered by communicating with other survivors, I noticed that the frequency with which I encounter these strange creatures is unusually high. And this abnormality seems to gradually affect the people who cooperate with me... Some of them, who might have survived longer. It should be me who¡¯s supposed to die, not them..."

    By the end, she could no longer conceal her negativity and frustration.

    It seemed that the trauma caused by this issue was really serious for her; she exuded a sense of fragility and a disdain for the world.

    Seeing this, I tried to shift her attention: "I understand. It''s like black paint being most noticeable when applied to white paper, but if it''s on black paper, it becomes blurry. Your misfortune-attracting nature can only be observed in a blurry way in an environment already filled with disaster. Is that the idea?"

    That said, perhaps even in such an environment, with enough trials, a more accurate conclusion could still be reached. But that would mean sacrificing more lives, which clearly wasn¡¯t something Ma Zao would do.

    "Yes..." Ma Zao took a deep breath, seeming a bit tired.

    Suddenly, her legs gave way, and she swayed, almost collapsing to the ground again.

    I quickly stepped forward and supported her. She had fainted before, and it seemed like those symptoms were returning now.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t lose consciousness this time, but instead grabbed onto my arm to steady herself.

    I helped her over to the sofa and had her sit down.

    "Are you alright?" I recalled the patient¡¯s gown she had been wearing earlier. "Do you have an illness? If you need any medication..."

    "No, it¡¯s not a physical illness." She said seriously. "Didn¡¯t I tell you before? My soul was severely injured by the apocalyptic demon, and I can¡¯t even use the power of blessings anymore. The fact that I can''t move right now and pass out is also because of my soul..."

    Before she could finish speaking, her stomach suddenly rumbled loudly.

    She fell silent.

    "Are you hungry?" It suddenly hit me what I had forgotten before coming home.

    I forgot to give Ma Zao something to eat!

    Since I found her last night, I hadn¡¯t seen her eat anything, and she had been in a weak state the whole time.

    This was the first time I had left someone at home for this long, so I never considered her needs for food and drink. It was like the first time someone keeps a pet but forgets to prepare food for it, leaving the poor animal at home while they happily go out.

    No wonder Ma Zao seemed dissatisfied when she saw me return earlier. She probably thought I would be back soon, but I ended up leaving her hungry at home for so long.

    I felt extremely guilty about it.

    "I''m sorry, I was careless. You must be very hungry right now, right?"

    "It''s nothing, I''m used to it." She looked unfazed, but her hand couldn''t help but gently touch her stomach.

    Hearing this, I felt even more guilty towards her.

    "I didn¡¯t expect you to faint from hunger..."

    "It''s not because of hunger!" She furrowed her brow and tried to argue, but then couldn''t resist touching her stomach again. "I already ate yesterday. It''s just that I¡¯ve been hungry for a day, so it¡¯s not enough to make me faint. I fainted because of the soul injury... Wait, what kind of look is that?"

    "Yeah, I understand. A soul injury, right? I get it."

    "No, that expression on your face... You clearly don¡¯t believe me! Don¡¯t look at me with those sympathetic eyes! Didn¡¯t you just say ''you want to believe me''?"

    It seemed that, more than being embarrassed about being hungry, she minded my pitying gaze more. She was so angry that it seemed like she wanted to bite me.

    I quickly changed the subject. "But, isn¡¯t there still food in the fridge? There should be some snacks in the bedroom too, didn¡¯t you touch any of it?"

    "Are you talking about the stir-fried meat and rice in the fridge? That¡¯s your food, right?" She said matter-of-factly. "I still have to hide here for the next three days. How could I take your food or water without permission? Anyone who does that deserves to be killed."

    "This isn''t an apocalyptic world, no one will be killed over a small mistake like that." I hoped she could relax while staying here. "This time it¡¯s my fault, I didn¡¯t think things through in advance. From now on, you can use anything in my house freely, just treat it like your own home. My things are your things. You can eat and drink whatever you want, and if you''re running low on anything, just let me know."

    Instead of being happy about such generous treatment, she gave me a suspicious look. "Is that really okay?"

    "Well, you¡¯re only staying for three days, aren¡¯t you?" I said to reassure her, then walked towards the fridge. "Wait a moment, I¡¯ll cook for you. Just to be sure, let me confirm¡ªyou''re really not fainting because you''re hungry, right? There¡¯s no issue with your health?"

    "No problem." She didn¡¯t seem like she was lying.

    "Then I''ll make you some fried rice, but remember to chew slowly." I took out the food from the fridge.

    It was leftover from the last time I ordered takeout. Since the takeout app often has large discounts for ordering more, I usually order a lot of dishes, then save the leftovers in the fridge to reheat when I¡¯m hungry. What¡¯s left now is stir-fried peppers with meat and rice, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and a few eggs. I planned to mix everything together and make fried rice for Ma Zao.

    Actually, there was another question I wanted to ask her, but I decided to fill her stomach first.

    However, it seemed like she sensed something from my attitude.

    "You probably have other questions you want to ask me, right?" She stopped me while repeatedly observing the plastic container with the food I was holding. "I didn¡¯t answer your last question properly, so I won¡¯t count it as a fair exchange for food. You can ask me one more question."

    "If I ask, will you answer?" I retorted.

    "I can¡¯t guarantee that. It depends on the question." Her attitude remained unchanged.

    I placed the plastic container with the food onto the dining table beside us.

    "Alright... then first, you traveled from the apocalypse to this time period, yesterday, right?"

    "I said that last time too."

    "The police officer who knocked on my door this morning said you¡¯re a serial killer who has killed five people in the past two or three months. What do you think about that?"

    "I didn¡¯t do it," she said firmly. "Before yesterday, I wasn¡¯t even in this era."

    Yes, that was her alibi.

    Someone between Ma Zao and Agent Kong must be lying. The possibility of Ma Zao lying is higher because there¡¯s a record of her large portrait photo in this era.

    But I knew there was a possibility that could make both their testimonies valid at the same time.

    Ma Zao is a time traveler, and "time travel" was originally a literary concept referring to the phenomenon where a person moves to another time or space for certain reasons. This phenomenon can generally be divided into two forms: one is when the person moves to another time or space along with their body and soul; the other is when only their soul moves to another time or space. In many works of fiction, time travelers who only move their souls to another time or space often possess the bodies of others.

    Ma Zao once mentioned that she arrived in this era after a failed spatial transfer. So, I subconsciously assumed that she had moved to this era with both her body and soul.

    However, if we assume that Ma Zao is not using her original body, and that the original owner of this body is the true serial killer, most of the mysteries would be easily explained.

    "Ma Zao, is this body really yours?"

 Ch 15: Harbinger of Misfortune 3

    "...That question of yours is really strange."

    Ma Zao didn¡¯t immediately answer my question. However, it wasn¡¯t as if she didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind it.

    My question had clearly caught her off guard, to the point that she seemed to want to conceal her surprise but failed to react in time, allowing me to catch the change in her expression.

    It seemed like she was planning to feign ignorance... No, that probably wasn¡¯t it. From her perspective, it would be inconceivable for me to ask such a question, especially since an apocalyptic era wouldn¡¯t be conducive to a culture of time-travel novels. So, she was likely questioning whether she had misunderstood what I said.

    Seeing this, I elaborated on why I had asked that question earlier.

    After listening, she slowly calmed her expression and fell into thought.

    After a long while, she finally responded, "I''m sorry, but I can''t answer your question. Because even I haven¡¯t figured out exactly what¡¯s going on."

    "How can that be?" I was utterly confused. "Was it a physical body crossing over, or just the soul? Isn¡¯t that something you¡¯d be able to figure out immediately? It should be very clear¡ªone or the other, right?"

    "You¡¯re not wrong, but..." she hesitated.

    I quickly realized the implication. Yes, under normal circumstances, whether one¡¯s body has been replaced or not is something that doesn¡¯t even require a mirror to confirm¡ªyou could feel it with your eyes closed. However, there is one scenario in which the person involved would truly find it "impossible to figure out."

    "Can I understand it this way... The body you''re currently using is so similar to your original body that it feels like nothing has changed, yet certain subtle differences have made you suspicious?"

    "...I can¡¯t say much for now," she replied cautiously.

    I countered, "Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d answer my questions in exchange for food?"

    At my words, her expression wavered slightly, as though torn. Unfortunately, after some internal struggle, she maintained her guarded stance.

    However, it didn¡¯t feel like she was being cautious about revealing too much to me. Instead, it seemed like she was more worried that her situation might drag me into something troublesome.

    She had shown similar emotions multiple times before. Perhaps, in her view, the changes happening to her were so bizarre and incomprehensible that she didn¡¯t want anyone else to get too close until she was absolutely certain it was safe. Her caution was understandable from her perspective. According to her, she had unwittingly dragged others into calamities brought about by her on more than one occasion. This had made her suspicious and paranoid, with even the slightest disturbance setting off her already fragile nerves.

    "Alright¡­ then at least answer this: where did your handgun come from?" I had no choice but to change the question. "You can¡¯t possibly say you don¡¯t know the answer to that, right?"

    "This, I can answer." Her expression relaxed slightly. "I stole it from the local law enforcement department."

    "You stole it from the station?" I exclaimed in shock. "Why would you take such a risk to steal something like that?"

    "My original intention wasn¡¯t to steal a weapon," she calmly explained. "When I first arrived in this era yesterday, I knew nothing about my surroundings and was desperate for information to determine if my current situation was safe. However, I didn¡¯t know where to start my investigation. After some thought, I decided to infiltrate the local law enforcement office."

    "Infiltrating a place like that right off the bat¡ªyou¡¯ve got some serious guts..." I looked at her in a new light.

    "Since it¡¯s a place that maintains law and order, it¡¯s bound to have the most information about potential dangers in the area. Investigating there would be the most efficient approach," she replied matter-of-factly, exuding an air of defiance. "Besides, with my ¡®blessing,¡¯ I¡¯m unbeatable when it comes to escaping. If something went wrong, I could retreat immediately."

    "I think the most efficient way would¡¯ve been to find an internet caf¨¦, but it¡¯s not even clear if you know how to use the internet."

    "So, when you infiltrated, you stumbled into the room where the guns and ammunition were stored and couldn¡¯t resist taking one?" I asked, intrigued. "Now the authorities are chasing you¡ªwas it because you were caught during the infiltration?"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "¡­Yes," she admitted reluctantly, as if embarrassed by the fact that she was discovered during the attempt. "I¡¯m not very familiar with the security systems of this era, so¡­"

    I pressed further, "Earlier this morning, you mentioned that you can¡¯t use your abilities now because you forced yourself to use them despite your soul¡¯s injury after coming to this era. Was that to escape from the authorities chasing you?"

    "...No." She pressed her lips together. "The exact reason is something I can¡¯t share with you."

    Although she wasn¡¯t willing to tell me, she also didn¡¯t try to make up a lie to deceive me. Perhaps the real reason was connected to her being found covered in blood at that abandoned construction site. It was likely that she had determined the true cause to fall into the category of ¡°a disaster that might bring danger to me.¡±

    Which only made me want to know even more.

    I realized I couldn¡¯t rush this and decided to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Hmm... so, this morning, when I was talking to the police, you immediately understood that the serial killer they were looking for referred to you. That wasn¡¯t because you¡¯re actually the killer, was it?"

    "I¡¯ve already familiarized myself with the basic public safety situation of this era. ''A little girl wandering around with a real gun''¡ªno matter how you think about it, that¡¯s obviously referring to me, right? Later, I also confirmed it through you." As she spoke, a puzzled expression crossed her face, and she touched her stomach. "What I don¡¯t understand is why they¡¯ve labeled me a serial killer."

    So she had tricked information out of me at that time without my realizing it.

    I had underestimated her.

    Still, it seemed like it was time to stop the questioning¡ªshe was clearly hungry.

    I walked over to the sofa, picked up the remote control, and turned on the television. Then I said to her, "Let¡¯s pause our conversation here. You can watch TV in the living room for a while; I¡¯ll have a meal ready for you in no time."

    "I understand."

    Her gaze was immediately drawn to the colorful images flashing on the TV screen, yet she showed no sign of finding the television itself to be a novelty.

    I quietly observed her reaction, taking mental notes, and then turned to head into the kitchen.

    It was just a simple stir-fry, throwing various ingredients together, so it didn¡¯t take me much time. However, I couldn¡¯t help but worry¡ªwould it be too greasy or salty and upset her stomach? Maybe I should add more rice to reduce the ratio of oil, salt, and side ingredients. But then again, she did mention that her body was fine...

    Forget it, I¡¯ll just trust her for now.

    Besides, if she ends up having stomach trouble later, I could use that as an excuse to let her rest at my place for a few more days.

    With that thought in mind, I didn¡¯t hesitate to increase the proportion of side ingredients in the fried rice. I even went back to the fridge, grabbed some rice sauce, and added a generous amount to the mix.

    Before long, I emerged from the kitchen with two plates of deluxe fried rice.

    Apparently, Ma Zao had caught the aroma wafting out of the kitchen, as her gaze had already shifted from the TV screen at some point, and she was now watching eagerly in my direction.

    As the saying goes, hunger is the best seasoning. And if she truly grew up in a post-apocalyptic world where food was severely scarce, her resistance to delicious food might be far lower than that of someone from a peaceful era.

    I¡¯ve heard that in the last century, when material conditions were not as abundant, even instant noodles were considered a rare luxury, while nowadays, instant noodles have become a rather basic, average food in the eyes of the public.

    I gestured for Ma Zao to sit at the dining table, then placed one of the deluxe fried rice plates in front of her and handed her a spoon.

    She held the spoon in her hand, staring blankly at the fried rice, completely still.

    ¡°You can eat now,¡± I reminded her. ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh¡­¡± She snapped out of her daze but continued staring at the fried rice without moving.

    After a while, she swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then finally moved the spoon, mixing the vegetables with the rice before taking a bite, chewing slowly.

    I stood by the table, silently observing her every move.

    Halfway through chewing, it seemed she noticed my gaze. She furrowed her brows and looked up, asking suspiciously, "Why are you staring at me? Aren''t you going to eat?"

    Hearing that, I also picked up my plate, took a bite of the fried rice, and then said, "I just wanted to hear your opinion."

    "It''s very delicious," she replied with a hint of modesty, then continued eating.

    I was still hoping that she might react dramatically, like the inhabitants of a fantasy world who are surprised by modern barbecue in novels, but it seemed I was just overthinking it.

    Slowly, I began to notice the corners of her mouth curling up slightly, and her body, which had been tense like a wary wild animal, gradually relaxed. Her knees, hidden beneath the table, started to tremble lightly.

    Her attention was entirely focused on the fried rice, and her spoon moved faster.

    "Don''t eat too quickly, chew more slowly, be careful of indigestion," I couldn''t help but remind her.

    "Mm, mm..." she nodded without looking away, slowing down her eating slightly.

    As she ate, she unknowingly smiled a contented smile, and her complexion turned rosy.

    How foolish of me to remind her about that.

    But at that moment, she really looked like a young girl in the prime of her youth, rather than the wary, cold, and distant time traveler who feared both being hurt by others and hurting others.

    I had never thought about how to make her smile, nor had I ever imagined that she, too, could show such an expression.

    This was the first time I had seen her smile.

    I sat down across from her, watching her eat for quite a while. For me, this might be an unnecessary emotional indulgence, something that could hinder my actions when I need to be ruthless with her. But such a cute smile... surely looking at it a few more times won''t bring misfortune, right?

    ...

    ...

    If she knew what was truly in my heart, how would she view me?

 Ch 16: Initial Entry into the Apocalypse 1

    After finishing the fried rice, Ma Zao once again rubbed her belly.

    This time, it should no longer be hunger, but her stomach seemed to be full. However, she still appeared somewhat reluctant, her eyes lingering on her empty plate, as if unwilling to part with it. The plate was completely empty, not a single grain of rice left.

    At first, I thought she would react like a primitive person, exaggerating her surprise, but now, seeing her treat the fried rice I made with such care, I felt unexpectedly flattered. This was the first time in my life that someone had valued something I made with my own hands so much.

    Did I really make it with my own hands? I had just taken the ready-made takeout dish and added rice, heating and stirring it in a pan. My personal contribution probably made up less than 30%.

    "Tonight, I can only serve food at this level. I will prepare something better tomorrow," I said, determined to improve. "So you don¡¯t need to be reluctant; there will be better food next time."

    "Really?"

    She suddenly looked up, her eyes shining brightly, but then realized she had reacted too excitedly and awkwardly cleared her throat.

    "Really," I responded, revealing my true intention. "If you stay a bit longer, you''ll get to enjoy even more different delicious things."

    At my words, her expression darkened.

    "...You are really kind to me. Although I don¡¯t know what exactly you think of me, you have treated me so well and shown so much care. I must thank you. Thank you." She spoke slowly, her voice softening. "Because of this, I must stay away from you. Otherwise, sooner or later, you¡¯ll end up despising me, cursing me, seeing me as an enemy, and regretting ever associating with me."

    "I would never do that," I said, trying to make my promise sound sincere.

    "If you haven''t done that, it means you died before you had the chance to," she replied.

    It seemed like she had built thick walls around herself, and my words couldn¡¯t reach her closed-off heart.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. I wasn¡¯t the type to charm or manipulate others, especially not in such crucial moments. I wasn¡¯t skilled in winning someone over with my words. Despite my strong desire to help, I had no choice but to temporarily give up on persuading her.

    Besides, I didn¡¯t have much time left. The sun had already completely set, and the sky had turned pitch dark. From the very beginning, my purpose for coming home was simply to check in with Ma Zao and ask about her unlucky constitution and the details of her crossing over. I had to finish investigating the basement in the room on the fifteenth floor before tomorrow morning.

    I stood up while saying, "I need to step out again, and I might not be back tonight."

    "Where are you going?" she asked, sounding alert.

    "I''m going to a bathhouse with a friend. After the bath, we might have some late-night snacks and spend the night there," I said, making up an excuse. "If conditions allowed, I''d actually like to bring you along, but you probably can''t go out right now, right?"

    "Yes, I¡¯m currently being hunted by the official forces," she nodded regretfully.

    "So, just stay here and rest up," I continued. "Like I said before, you can freely use anything in my house. You can watch TV, use the computer, or even look at the novels I¡¯ve collected."

    As I said this, I walked over to the cabinet next to the TV, took down a mystery novel, and handed it to her, cautiously asking, "Have you ever read books of this genre before?"

    She glanced at the cover of the book, flipped through a few pages, and then shook her head. "I haven''t read anything like this. But since you''re recommending it, I''ll give it a try."

    After speaking, she got up from the dining table and sat down on the nearby sofa, then really started reading.

    It seems like she can read.

    If the apocalypse truly exists, I wonder how high the literacy rate was among humans in that era. Would she be able to understand the many modern concepts mentioned in this mystery novel? When talking to me, she didn¡¯t seem to have any trouble understanding. Perhaps she had received a good education in the apocalypse era.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    In the apocalypse era, there likely wasn''t a concept of "calling the police," yet when she first met me, she asked me not to call the police. This can somewhat be explained by her previous interactions with law enforcement, but there are other aspects that are harder to explain. For example, even in peaceful societies, people from different eras often experience a communication gap, let alone someone from a civilization era and someone from the apocalypse era. Yet, when I communicate with her, I rarely feel that gap.

    That being said, she does naturally reveal traces of an apocalypse survivor in certain details...

    Once again, I realize that I genuinely want to believe her. This is likely why, earlier, I unconsciously ignored many doubts. Even now, I am actively seeking evidence that she is an apocalypse traveler. Unknowingly, I have become increasingly fascinated by her¡ªby this mysterious girl.

    I grabbed my backpack, walked out the door, and then turned around to close it.

    Through the ever-narrowing gap in the door, I quietly watched her petite figure, hunched over and reading on the sofa, until the gap was completely closed.

    ---

    I once again entered the residential area where the room on the fifteenth floor was located.

    At the same time, I controlled "Firefly" to scout the area around the fifteenth-floor room in advance.

    Although I had heard that this place would be re-secured as a crime scene, it was evident that this was just an excuse to drive ordinary citizens like me and Chang''an away. There were no personnel protecting the scene. It seemed that in Mount Luo''s view, there were no further clues to be searched here, only negative remnants that needed to be dealt with by tomorrow morning.

    I even specially conducted preliminary surveillance around the residential area using "Firefly," and didn¡¯t spot anyone suspicious, possibly from Mount Luo¡¯s team, keeping watch nearby. Were they lying in wait, or was there really no one? If it was the latter, it would be a bit careless and negligent. Even I could realize that the Fallen Demon Hunter might still be monitoring the fifteenth-floor room. It would make even more sense for the proper police to have not missed it.

    But Mount Luo is not part of the public security department, and the Demon Huntress had admitted that Mount Luo lacked criminal investigation experience. Setting aside combat abilities, in terms of criminal investigation, Mount Luo was far from the professionals I had interacted with during my previous investigations into feudal superstition forces in other provinces.

    So, what about the so-called Agent Kong?

    I tried to confirm the whereabouts of Agent Kong and Chang''an.

    Agent Kong referred to himself as "Probe" when speaking to the Demon Huntress. From his words and their literal meaning, it seemed that his role in the Mount Luo supernatural organization was to investigate supernatural events, report them to the organization, and then have the organization send Demon Hunters to the frontline to handle these events.

    "Police" should only be his superficial identity, or more clearly, it is likely just a false identity. The information gathered through "Firefly" surveillance shows that he is not performing tasks that align with the role of a police officer.

    In the morning, he seemed to be tracking Ma Zao under the guise of searching for a serial killer, but now, he was wandering around the city, occasionally entering remote areas to observe and occasionally taking out paper and pen to jot something down. He might be fulfilling his duties as "Probe."

    I couldn''t help but realize a possibility: could it be that the organization Mount Luo, rather than the public security department, is the one actively searching for Ma Zao''s whereabouts?

    For what reason? Could it be that Ma Zao unknowingly exposed her identity as a time traveler, and Mount Luo is searching for time travelers?

    I temporarily pushed aside the confusion in my mind and shifted my focus to Chang''an.

    Chang''an was currently at the hospital visiting his mother with his sister. I won¡¯t go into details about his sister and mother for now, but I noticed a few suspicious men near him. These men weren¡¯t watching Chang''an directly, but were keeping an eye on his surroundings. Although they were acting covertly, they made a few mistakes due to their lack of awareness of "Firefly," exposing some vulnerabilities.

    I suspect they are probably from Mount Luo. As for the whereabouts of the Demon Huntress, I couldn¡¯t track her down at all. According to what she told Agent Kong on the phone, she should have already arrived by now.

    However, on second thought, this situation actually made a lot of sense. Agent Kong mentioned that she had successfully repelled a fallen demon hunter before, so it''s possible she was recognized by the enemy. To avoid alerting them, she might be hiding in the shadows.

    If the Fallen Demon Hunter (the serial killer) is indeed Ma Zao, then their precautions would have been in vain. Because Ma Zao, at this moment, not only struggles with combat but even with normal movement.

    As I observed and pondered, I had already arrived at the door of the room on the fifteenth floor.

    Since Chang''an already has protection, I will take responsibility for investigating the basement. Chang''an had previously encountered this inexplicable phenomenon, but it¡¯s unclear whether this strange occurrence will continue to haunt the person involved like some curses in supernatural stories, in a mysterious and unexplainable way, pulling them into an endless abyss.

    Therefore, for the sake of my friend, I must find a way to investigate this thoroughly.

    No, I must honestly face my own heart: I am doing this for my own desire... It¡¯s my own curiosity that drives me to explore this.

    I am a villain who prioritizes my desires over my friends.

    I grasped the doorknob of the room on the fifteenth floor. The door was locked, and I didn¡¯t have the key to this room. But I didn¡¯t worry about how to get in. With the help of my supernatural ability, the lock¡¯s mechanism quickly melted away. I effortlessly pulled the door open and walked in, as if entering my own home.

    The room was dark, as there were no lights on, and it was nighttime. I waved my hand, and several "fireflies" that had already been stationed here flew out from the corners, emitting a bright orange-red glow. They illuminated the living room with a mysterious, candlelight-like ambiance.

    I casually closed the door behind me and approached the black plush carpet. Bending down, I lifted it.

    The black ritual array appeared before my eyes, unchanged.

    Surprisingly, the wooden lid that had disappeared earlier was now back on the floor.

 Ch 17: Initial Entry into the Apocalypse 2

    The basement has appeared again!

    I still haven¡¯t grasped the pattern of the basement¡¯s appearances and disappearances, so its timing doesn¡¯t surprise me anymore. I had already braced myself for the worst, planning to spend a great deal of time investigating how to make the basement reappear. Yet, here it is, surfacing on its own. How could I not feel a surge of delight?

    If Chang¡¯an and Ma Zao were here, they might regard the basement as an ominous harbinger. But to me, this is nothing less than an auspicious beginning.

    I lifted the wooden cover, and the dark, unfathomable entrance revealed itself before me once again.

    Unlike the last time, I¡¯m observing this basement at night, all alone, with a vastly different state of mind. Chang¡¯an once worried that something "unclean" might crawl out from the depths of the basement, but I couldn¡¯t empathize with his concerns at the time. For me, during the daytime, when I was with Chang¡¯an, this space seemed infused with the mundane atmosphere of everyday life, a place where ghosts would never dare to tread.

    But now, I feel as though this space has transformed into a mystical realm disconnected from reality. The distant clamor of the city has completely faded from my consciousness, and anything that happens here belongs solely to my personal ¡°ghost story.¡± There are no other witnesses¡ªno matter how I try to explain it to others, no one would ever believe me. In other words, this has already become a domain where strange creatures and spirits can roam freely without restraint.

    This time, Chang¡¯an isn¡¯t here to stop me, and Agent Kong won¡¯t suddenly knock on the door to interrupt me either.

    What would happen if I went downstairs to the room below and drilled a hole in the ceiling where the basement is located? I pondered this with great curiosity. But if doing so caused the basement to disappear, that would be a shame, not to mention that the room below is occupied. I didn¡¯t want to disrupt the mysterious atmosphere that only exists when I¡¯m alone, fearing that if I startled anyone else, the basement might be scared away and hide again.

    I set my backpack down on the floor and took out a wired camera and a selfie stick. Connecting the camera to my phone, I secured it to the selfie stick and extended it into the depths of the basement. Then, I turned my attention to my phone screen.

    Unlike what I had imagined last time, the phone screen displayed nothing.

    It seemed that the wired camera was also ineffective¡ªthe signal-blocking mechanism inside and outside the basement appeared to work regardless of whether it was wired or wireless. If that was the case, why wasn¡¯t the human body affected by the disruption of electronic signals? Could it truly be because the human body holds a unique status in supernatural events?

    If I were a scientist, I might pursue a more rigorous conclusion. But I was perfectly content to accept this mysticism-tinged explanation.

    Next, I retracted the wired camera and selfie stick, switched my phone to video mode, and turned on the flashlight function. Using the selfie stick, I extended the phone into the depths of the basement.

    After about a minute of recording, I retrieved the phone and looked down to check the footage.

    To be honest, I had prepared myself for the possibility that "electronic devices wouldn¡¯t function properly in a supernatural space," as so many horror stories suggest. But this time, it exceeded my expectations¡ªthe phone had successfully captured the scene beneath the basement.

    The scene matched the first impression that Chang¡¯an and I had ¡ªit was indeed a basement.

    Moreover, it was quite a spacious basement, roughly two-thirds the size of a classroom at a glance. Naturally, there were no doors or windows installed on the walls. The interior hadn¡¯t been renovated in any way; the floor and walls were bare concrete, and the space was filled with lonely gray shelves, resembling the remnants of a defunct convenience store.

    Most of the shelves were empty, their surfaces thickly coated with dust. The few items present consisted only of open, yellow cardboard boxes scattered sparsely. There was basically no place to hide, and I couldn¡¯t see any signs of monsters, ghosts, or other supernatural entities.

    It¡¯s hard to say¡ªwhat if electronic devices simply can¡¯t capture ghosts? Or perhaps there are creatures as small as insects or mice lurking? One cannot use common sense to judge the supernatural.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Suddenly, I noticed something strange in the video footage.

    At the base of the far wall in the basement, it seemed like something was reflecting light.

    I pressed my eyes tightly against the screen, trying to make out what it was. But I couldn¡¯t see it clearly. It wasn¡¯t an issue with the camera angle; the object was simply too small and too far from the shooting position to discern its true nature.

    I could barely make out that it probably wasn¡¯t a piece of broken glass or anything like that. Besides, there were no other glass items or any reflective objects in this basement.

    Whatever it was, it stood out starkly in this otherwise barren basement.

    It was one thing before I noticed it, but once I did, that unknown object seemed to exude an indescribable presence. Even though it was just ¡°something unclear in a dim basement,¡± it felt like a drop of black ink on a pristine white sheet of paper. Before I realized it, all my attention had been drawn to it.

    What is that?

    I kept turning over this inexplicable feeling in my mind as I put away my phone.

    So, now that I¡¯ve seen it, should I just head home?¡ªAbsolutely not.

    This was just an appetizer, barely enough to whet my appetite. Now that it had me practically drooling, there was no way I could walk away. Forget it.

    Next, I was going to venture deeper into this basement.

    ---

    I had envisioned the potential dangers I might encounter.

    For me, the least threatening scenario would be one involving physical dangers.

    To exaggerate, even if ten Godzillas suddenly spawned in this basement, I have my ¡°second form¡± as a trump card, which places me in an inherently invincible position.

    But if what appeared was a ghost with mysterious and unfathomable powers, that would be a different story. If it could unleash mental or curse-based attacks on me, I couldn¡¯t guarantee I¡¯d be able to resist. After all, I¡¯ve never been subjected to that kind of metaphysical assault before.

    The most threatening scenario, however, would undoubtedly be if the entrance disappeared after I went down, leaving me completely trapped inside with no way out.

    There might be other, more clever and sophisticated ways to investigate the interior without taking personal risks. But is there truly a better way to experience this basement than directly venturing into it myself? Words, pictures, videos¡­ I have no interest in relying on such mundane means to understand a mysterious and otherworldly space. I want to measure the space beneath the basement with my own two feet and breathe in the air of this surreal realm with my own lungs.

    This is why I came here.

    To put it bluntly, I was fully aware that my rationality had been significantly diminished at this moment. In my pursuit of a "transcendental adventure," this basement held an irresistible allure in my eyes, one I simply couldn¡¯t resist with reason alone. No matter what, I had to explore it.

    I stared at the staircase descending into the basement, then stepped forward, placing my right foot on the first step.

    It felt as if I had stepped into a deep, murky swamp¡ªmy foot had entered a time and space that didn¡¯t exist in reality, sending a tingling sensation through my entire body. I took a deep breath, then lifted my other foot and continued downward.

    One step, another step, and another... I slowly descended the staircase, while the floor above me gradually rose until it was over my head.

    I couldn¡¯t help but glance upward. The real world had now transformed into a square opening above me. Forcing myself to look away, I extended my right hand and summoned the "firefly."

    A speck of orange-red light appeared in the air, glowing brightly. Just as I suspected, the "firefly" wasn¡¯t incapable of being summoned below the basement; it simply couldn¡¯t exist here while I remained outside the basement.

    The "fireflies" appeared one after another, quickly multiplying to two or three dozen. Under my command, they dispersed to various corners of the basement, glowing even brighter and illuminating the space as if it were daylight.

    My feet landed on the basement floor, and I began to survey my surroundings. There were no monsters, no ghosts, and for now, no other strange phenomena. This entire space was now within the range of my perception. Not only was there no visible danger, but I couldn¡¯t even spot a single insect. It was as if life had completely vanished from this place.

    After a brief pause, I moved directly toward the far end of the basement.

    Soon, I saw clearly what the reflective object from the video actually was.

    The object lying at the base of the wall was an irregularly shaped, hard substance, entirely black and roughly the size of a ping-pong ball. Although it was black, its material resembled jade, which is why it reflected a faint glimmer when illuminated.

    I picked it up and examined it repeatedly in my hand. This black jade wasn¡¯t just visually similar to jade¡ªit also had the same smooth, warm texture to the touch. However, the edges were a bit sharp, and carelessness might even result in a cut.

    From my judgment, this black jade didn¡¯t seem like a complete object. It was more likely a fragment broken off from a larger jade artifact.

    I looked around again but found no object that seemed to be its original source, nor did I find a second fragment.

    I refocused my attention on the black jade. Even though the floor was icy to the touch, this piece of jade didn¡¯t transmit any sense of coldness¡ªor warmth, for that matter. It was as though the concept of temperature didn¡¯t apply to it at all.

    What is this thing?

    I examined it even more closely.

    And at that moment, something unbelievable happened.

    The instant I focused all my attention on the black jade, it felt as though the darkness of the jade, like a black hole capturing light, "caught" my gaze.

    By the time I realized something was wrong, I couldn¡¯t shift my gaze anymore; not even my eyeballs could move. The black jade began to grow larger in my field of vision. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was actually growing or if my face was involuntarily moving closer to it.

    In the blink of an eye, the black jade filled my entire vision, and my consciousness seemed to fall, crashing directly into the black jade.

    Then, in the pitch-black darkness, a gray mist began to materialize.

 Ch 18: Initial Entry into the Apocalypse 3

    In a dark world, gray mist began to emerge all around me.

    To say it surrounded "me" might not be entirely accurate, as I couldn¡¯t locate where my body was. In this realm filled with gray mist, I felt like I was in the "ghost perspective" mode after dying in a first-person shooter game. I couldn¡¯t feel my hands or feet, couldn¡¯t speak or move, couldn¡¯t breathe or blink. I couldn¡¯t smell anything, nor could I hear anything.

    Perhaps it was because I couldn¡¯t perceive the existence of my body, but I found that even my emotions were utterly still. Ordinarily, I should have been shocked and terrified, yet somehow, I had already come to terms with it all, facing this mysterious space with an unprecedented sense of acceptance and equanimity.

    After pausing for a moment, I began to try controlling my perspective, willing it to rotate or move forward.

    Without any points of reference, I couldn¡¯t tell if I was actually moving. I simply focused all my attention on the thought of "move." Maybe I was indeed advancing now; I could only trust in that possibility.

    I don''t know how much time passed, but eventually, something new appeared in front of me.

    About several dozen meters away, I saw eight chairs carved from white stone. Of course, "several dozen meters" is also an imprecise way of describing it, just a feeling I got. These eight stone chairs, seven of which were larger than ordinary armchairs, were arranged in a straight line. The eighth chair was even bigger, about twice the size of the others, and it was placed separately, facing the other seven.

    On the largest of these stone chairs sat an extraordinarily massive figure, resembling a god. Because of the mist, I couldn¡¯t clearly make out the specific features or clothing, only a black silhouette blurred by the fog.

    As I got closer, I noticed that there were also figures on the other stone chairs, but only two of them, while the other five seats were empty. The two figures sat on the two seats to the left. The one on the farthest left was a tall and slender shadow; next to it, in the seat right beside, was another shadow, small and childlike in appearance.

    Compared to the god-like figure, these two shadows had a physique that at least resembled that of a normal person.

    Slowly, a feeling of curiosity began to arise within me¡ªwho were they? Why were they sitting here?

    Although I wasn¡¯t supposed to be experiencing any emotions right now, my curiosity was unstoppable.

    Suddenly, I felt like I was about to wake up. It seemed like this was just a dreamlike realm, and regaining my normal mental faculties meant that I wouldn¡¯t be able to continue dreaming.

    At that moment, the tall, slender shadow on the far left seemed to notice my presence.

    He suddenly turned his head, letting out a deep, hoarse voice: "Who¡¯s there?"

    "Hmm?" The small, childlike figure next to him also turned around.

    The god-like massive figure remained completely still, like a statue.

    I was about to respond to him, but just as the words were on the tip of my tongue, I realized I shouldn¡¯t even be able to feel my mouth. At the same time, all the chairs, along with the mist, completely disappeared from my sight.

    I had woken up.

    I opened my eyes. The surrounding space was no longer filled with mist. I was still standing in front of the wall in the basement, holding the black jade stone in my hand.

    ---

    It was only then that I suddenly got goosebumps.

    What just happened? Did I actually stand there and dream?

    No, rather than saying I was dreaming, it felt more like I was pulled into some kind of illusionary world¡­

    Was it the black jade stone that caused this?

    I immediately placed the black jade stone on the ground, then quickly stepped back a few paces, cautiously observing this mysterious object. However, this time, the black jade stone didn¡¯t show any signs of mysterious power; it simply lay on the ground like an ordinary stone.

    No abnormalities? But just now, this thing clearly controlled my consciousness¡­ No, "controlled" is not the right word. It didn¡¯t bring me any danger, it just made me experience an odd illusion for no apparent reason.

    What was the meaning behind that illusion? The mist-filled realm, the eight stone chairs, the three strange figures¡­ Were they human? Or were they some kind of incredible creatures living in that illusionary world?The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    There were too few clues for me to analyze, so I could only pick up the black jade stone first.

    I knew that this black jade stone might still harbor other mysterious dangers, but now that I had come this far, I couldn¡¯t just throw it away. If it were clearly harmful, that would be a different story. But since its nature was still unclear, I needed to take it back and study it carefully.

    If I were to avoid strange objects simply because of fear of danger, I would never have come to this basement in the first place.

    I still planned to continue my investigation in the basement for a while. Although I estimated that my gains for tonight were probably limited, the basement was quite empty. Everything, whether present or absent, was obvious, and the "fireflies" I had set up around the place had observed it thoroughly. Still, this was a "space that didn¡¯t exist in reality," and its mere existence was enough to captivate me.

    Suddenly, I sensed something was wrong. This basement seemed to have changed in some way compared to when I first entered. Something had shifted, a very crucial detail¡ª

    I suddenly turned around.

    The staircase I had descended was gone, and the ceiling was completely flat, with no entrance or exit at all!

    In that instant, a chilling sensation surged up from my heart, as if several ice-cold cockroaches were crawling from my tailbone up along my spine to the back of my head.

    The exit disappeared? Why?

    I had been keeping an eye on the staircase and exit through the "fireflies" around me, watching for any changes. When did it vanish?

    Was it when I fell into the illusion just now?

    I immediately went to the spot where the staircase had originally been to check, but no matter how I inspected it, I couldn¡¯t find any sign that a staircase had ever been there. Even the ceiling¡ªevery tiny detail of the concrete texture seemed to say that it had always been this way.

    This is utterly absurd. If there was no entrance or exit from the start, how did I even come down here?

    I need to stay calm and carefully think about what to do next.

    The appearance and disappearance of the basement should follow some kind of established pattern. If I can figure out this pattern, I should be able to reopen the exit.

    However, the idea that "everything follows a pattern" is a general truth humans have concluded from analyzing nature, but what I¡¯m facing now are bizarre events that go beyond the bounds of logic. So it¡¯s possible there was never any pattern to begin with, and all my thinking could be in vain.

    Indeed, the basement appeared within the ritual array, and the ritual array itself was man-made. But Agent Kong had also mentioned that the ritual array didn¡¯t actually have the power to open the basement. This might be an unknown phenomenon beyond the Fallen Demon Hunter''s understanding, something that falls outside the scope of human control.

    By tomorrow morning, the demon huntress will come to the fifteenth-floor room. Whether she intends to eliminate the ritual array or break through the floor of the room, in the end, she will use her own methods to bring the basement''s strange occurrences to an end.

    At that point, I will never see the basement open again and will be trapped forever in this space that doesn¡¯t exist in reality.

    What a desperate situation!

    But this is the bitter fruit I¡¯ve brought upon myself.

    I will never say something pathetic like "If I had known..." at least not now. I need to think in a more positive direction. Perhaps this is a trial. Sometimes, one must put themselves in a desperate situation to truly understand themselves. Didn¡¯t I always want to know how I would react when faced with hopeless, dangerous circumstances? Well, this is the critical moment.

    Let¡¯s first analyze the pattern of the basement¡¯s appearance. What did I do just now that caused the basement to disappear?

    No, I should shift my perspective... Could it be that "because I didn¡¯t do anything, the basement disappeared"?

    When I fell into the illusion, I temporarily lost my ability to monitor the basement and staircase, and it was during this period that both disappeared... So, could the answer be, "The basement disappears when it is not being observed"?

    This hypothesis seems quite reasonable.

    When Agent Kong came to knock on the door during the day, Chang''an temporarily covered the basement with a carpet. When he uncovered it again, the basement had disappeared. And without a doubt, during this time, both Chang''an and I lost our ability to observe the basement.

    When Chang''an first encountered the basement''s strange occurrence, he temporarily left the fifteenth-floor room to confirm whether the basement led to the room downstairs. During that time, he have lost the ability to observe the basement as well. Afterward, he called the police, and when they arrived, the basement was gone... But did he go back to observe the basement before calling the police? It seems like he never mentioned it to me.

    Even if my hypothesis is correct, I¡¯ve only figured out why the basement disappears. What I need is to make the basement appear again.

    This is the one area where I truly have no ideas.

    What if the conditions for the basement¡¯s appearance can¡¯t be fulfilled in the basement and can only be achieved outside the basement? Then I¡¯d be completely helpless. Am I supposed to rely on someone else entering the fifteenth-floor room, and by coincidence, fulfilling the conditions for the basement to appear? The problem is, no one will be coming to the fifteenth-floor room now¡ªexcept for the demon huntress who plans to eliminate the basement''s strange occurrences.

    Perhaps I need to change my perspective again and broaden my thinking.

    Why do I have to follow a pattern with no clues to solve this current predicament? I¡¯m not an ordinary person with no special abilities¡ªI¡¯m a superpowered individual. Maybe I should look for an "outside-the-box" solution and try to break through the problem by force.

    But¡­ unfortunately, my superpower doesn¡¯t seem well-suited for this situation.

    My superpower is top-tier when it comes to killing and causing destruction, but using it for solving puzzles is like using a chainsaw for delicate surgery¡ªit¡¯s probably just going to make everything worse.

    Right, speaking of breaking through the problem with force, I realize there¡¯s a question I¡¯ve never considered before.

    This basement is a "space that doesn¡¯t exist in reality," so what lies outside of the basement? By "outside," I don¡¯t mean the fifteenth-floor room that can only be reached through the basement¡¯s exit, but rather the "outside" of the walls.

    I don¡¯t believe that breaking through the walls would lead to the real world, but at this point, I¡¯m out of options, and any new discovery could potentially provide a clue to breaking the deadlock.

    More importantly, I¡¯m really curious.

    With that thought, I walked up to the wall and raised my right hand.

    I activated my superpower.

 Ch 19: Initial Entry into the Apocalypse 4

    I raised my right hand, palm facing up, and as I activated my superpower, a large amount of flames suddenly surged into existence in the center of my palm.

    The flames gathered toward the center, forming a fireball nearly half a meter in diameter.

    Superpowers are a concept commonly found in many fantasy stories. Some can stop time, others can control consciousness, and some can alter the body. There are also superpowers with complex mechanisms, requiring hundreds or thousands of words just to explain, leaving the listener confused.

    Unlike those powerful or complicated superpowers, my superpower is incredibly simple.

    In a word, it¡¯s "manipulating fire."

    I can summon flames out of thin air and control them, or manipulate any fire within my sight. It¡¯s so simple that it¡¯s almost a classic¡ªso much so that in most fantasy stories with superpower combat themes, there¡¯s usually a character who can manipulate fire in the early stages. And while I may not be able to do everything they can, I can at least do eight or nine out of ten things.

    The "fireflies" I summoned earlier were essentially small flames, and the reason they could be used as scouting tools is quite logical.

    For a normal flame to form, it requires the three elements of combustion: fuel, an oxidizer, and heat. However, my flames are conjured from thin air, without needing those material conditions. Or rather, all the material conditions are replaced by my mind.

    My mind is the fuel, the oxidizer, and the heat.

    In other words, my flames are my mind. The "fireflies" scattered around are simply "myself" spread out, allowing them to sense the surroundings on my behalf.

    At the same time, naturally, since these are flames, they possess powerful destructive force.

    I slowly lifted the blazing fireball, and it collapsed inward, transforming into a hot, glowing sphere the size of an eyeball. Then, I pointed forward, and the glowing sphere struck the solid concrete wall before me.

    There was no obstruction, no explosion. The high-density light sphere effortlessly pierced through the concrete wall, like a spoon diving into tofu, and reached the space beyond the basement.

    Through my mental connection with the flames, I was able to view the space outside the basement.

    Then, I couldn¡¯t help but hold my breath.

    There was nothing¡ª

    The space outside the basement was completely empty.

    No earth, no sky; no color, no sound... just endless darkness.

    From the external perspective, the basement appeared to be a small concrete box suspended in an infinite void, and nothing else. Even when I manipulated the light sphere to go directly below, I couldn¡¯t find any material supporting this "concrete box." In fact, not only were there no other objects, but even the most basic elements like air and gravity didn¡¯t exist.

    It was like outer space, but at least outer space still has countless stars, harmful cosmic radiation, and extremely sparse cosmic dust¡ªthere''s still a certain "activity" to it.

    But here, it¡¯s different. It¡¯s a complete and utter silence, a void.

    It feels as though all matter has met its end, and this is a completed space-time.

    Loneliness, terror, suffocation.

    The endless emptiness of this void seemed to pour into my airways like an all-encompassing suffocation. This basement felt like a tiny speck of dust in a vast afterlife, and I was the only passenger on that speck, ready to dissolve into nothingness, turning into meaningless foam at any moment, vanishing without a trace in the void.

    After sitting there in a daze for a long time, I dispelled the external light sphere and view, then sat on the ground, trying to collect my thoughts.

    The idea of "returning to the real world through an unconventional method" was definitely not going to work.

    Fortunately, even though the outside was a void, the air in the basement didn''t leak out through the hole I had opened. While it''s true that I can still function in a vacuum environment when I enter my "second form," and blocking such a small hole isn¡¯t particularly difficult.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    On a lighter note, I realized that this phenomenon could lead to another discovery: certain physical laws don¡¯t apply in this place. This finding could be considered a "discovery" in itself.

    So, what should I do next? Should I really go back to studying the conditions under which the basement appears?

    If there were still a connection between the "fireflies" set up in the real world and myself, I could try another approach, but the connection has long been severed.

    It¡¯s almost ironic¡ªwhen Chang''an came knocking this morning, I was thinking that if he really encountered an abnormal event, I¡¯d have the chance to showcase my abilities, like a comic book character showing off my powers while explaining my "ability setup"... Life rarely goes as planned. My superpower is useless in this situation.

    Someone once said, "All fear comes from insufficient firepower," but no matter how powerful the firepower is, it probably wouldn''t help in this particular situation.

    Perhaps this is the inevitable dead end I must face, a fate that was bound to arrive sooner or later.

    My superpower is undeniably simple and brutally strong, something anyone can understand. However, the supernatural is unpredictable, and no one knows what form it will take to bring someone to their doom. Even with a spear that can destroy everything and a shield that can defend against anything, there will still be many things that cannot be done.

    I braced myself on my knees and stood up, pacing around and looking for any useful clues on the shelves.

    The yellow cardboard boxes on the shelves weren¡¯t completely empty; some contained small items like cartoon stickers, plastic keychains, and candles. None of them seemed helpful for the current situation. If it had been before, I might have been excited to take them as souvenirs, but now I had no such thoughts.

    To focus my mind, I decided not to maintain the "fireflies" providing light from all directions. Instead, I lit a candle I found on the shelf and placed it on the floor. The basement returned to darkness, and the single light source in the darkness helped me concentrate, while also bringing back memories from the past.

    Speaking of which, back in the third year of middle school, when I first awakened my superpower, the trigger was also related to a candle...

    People who have had near-death experiences often say that when you''re about to die, you inevitably start recalling the past.

    Now that I¡¯m suddenly recalling the past, is it because I know I¡¯m about to die here?

    Time still passed, second by second, and I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been.

    My analysis of the situation still has no progress.

    Since I¡¯m not very hungry, that means there¡¯s still a long way to go until dawn.

    However, this is a space outside the real world, so perhaps the flow of time here follows an unusual rule. The outside world might have already passed more than a day, where I am abandoned by the world in this place beyond the universe.

    Marxism says that a person is the sum of their social relations. At this very moment, I am undoubtedly cut off from all connections to society, not even knowing whether I can return. If I die like this, it would be more accurate to say I died as a nameless animal rather than as a human being.

    Perhaps influenced by the strange environment, I even developed a more bizarre thought¡ªwhat if I was always a resident of this underground space, never living in the real world, and everything in my life up until now has merely been an illusion?

    I touched my pockets. Inside, I found my house key, but that doesn¡¯t prove I¡¯ve ever lived in a home outside; it doesn¡¯t even prove that the "real world" in my memories actually exists. A key is a concept paired with a lock, but there are no locks here, so this metal object cannot be proven to be a key.

    The ID card and change are the same. These items only hold meaning in society. Once removed from society, they are just objects with specific shapes¡ªjust like me now.

    All the meaning built on the concept of "society" dissolves here. Whether it¡¯s these objects, my personality, or even the clothes I¡¯m wearing, they all seem to be dissolving into this dim space, revealing the most primal, natural nakedness.

    In the midst of strange shivers, I felt a faint, intoxicated emotion. In this realm, completely isolated from everything, it felt as though I was gradually transforming into some unforeseen, otherworldly existence.

    Those who live in seclusion are either beasts or gods.

    Surprisingly, despite feeling fear, unease, and pessimism, there was one thing I did not feel: regret or panic.

    Because I entered this place with determination and awareness.

    As I mentioned before, part of the reason I sought adventures that transcended reality was a strong desire to know what kind of person I would become in such a moment. To speak frankly, I believed this might be categorized as a form of "seeking the way." And now, facing this predicament, this despair, and the imminent death that I face alone... it seems I have finally discovered a truer version of myself.

    If it were the everyday version of me, perhaps I would be proud of myself now, feeling excited and happy, but the current me doesn''t have such passionate emotions.

    It''s not that I''ve been overwhelmed by negative emotions. On the contrary, I feel an unprecedented sense of relief about myself right now.

    This is truly a moment of clarity. No matter how many negative emotions arise in my heart, they cannot touch this peaceful state of mind.

    However, I won''t say anything like "to hear the way in the morning, to die in the evening."

    I am very greedy, and this level of reward cannot satisfy my appetite.

    I want to use my own strength to "clear" this predicament, to prove that I am not the kind of early-stage character who would die easily in an adventure story that transcends reality.

    After that, I want to return home and see Ma Zao again. Eventually, I will make her reveal all her secrets. I also want to explore the mysteries of Mount Luo and the demon hunters, to understand how supernatural forces are distributed and structured in this world. There are so many more things I want to explore, countless in number.

    ¡ª So, the question is, can I really do it?

    Just like how negative emotions can''t affect the clarity of my mind, no matter how much peace I feel, it can''t deny the objectively existing deadlock.

    It is precisely because I am calm that I understand clearly.

    Perhaps, this is the end of my adventure.

    My adventure is going to end just as it began.

 Ch 20: Zhu Shi 1

    I am Zhu Shi, a demon huntress of Mount Luo.

    My brother, Zhu Chang''an, has recently become a potential target for the fallen demon hunters. Although I think the likelihood of this is very low, we genuinely don¡¯t have any solid leads to trace the fallen hunters.

    What I didn''t expect at all was that he would visit the hospital to see our mother. While I¡¯m happy he has the heart to do so, what if the fallen demon hunters really launch an attack and harm those around him? I can¡¯t explain to him why even a military hospital isn''t safe, and I¡¯m not good at lying. I¡¯ve been struggling to come up with a reasonable excuse to get him to leave.

    Besides, sharing a room with him feels uncomfortable. He¡¯s under surveillance by several agents, and I have to keep up the pretense of being a literary university student in front of him. The agents'' gazes feel scorching, making it difficult to relax. So, I found an excuse to step outside for some fresh air and ease my strained nerves a bit. With surveillance around him and my spells set up, as well as my senses extending throughout the inpatient building, I don¡¯t have to worry about someone taking advantage of the situation.

    When I went out, he even asked me why I was taking my guitar case. The truth is, it contains my spiritual weapon, but I could only tell him it was for playing some tunes in the courtyard. I don¡¯t intend to let him know about my work in Mount Luo.

    As soon as I stepped out of the inpatient building, I saw Agent Kong walking toward me from across the way. He was probably coming to switch shifts with the other agents.

    In Mount Luo, agents are officially referred to as "Probes." Their primary role is to investigate leads related to paranormal events and notify demon hunters to handle them, though they also take on various other tasks.

    Agent Kong, however, is one of the elites among them. His insights into paranormal events are even more profound than mine. My university happens to fall within his patrol area, so we''ve collaborated a few times. I¡¯ve heard from others that his superiors have recently forced an unreasonable workload on him, leaving him with no choice but to run around posing as a police officer.

    Many demon hunters look down on agents, considering them failed candidates who couldn¡¯t become demon hunters. That notion implies that anyone who isn¡¯t a demon hunter is inherently inferior¡ªa sentiment they genuinely seem to believe. For the same reason, they also look down on ordinary civilians. I suspect Agent Kong¡¯s superiors share that perspective. I can¡¯t stand that attitude and don¡¯t get along with those people at all.

    Since there were still thirty minutes until his shift change, we chatted for a while in the courtyard pavilion. Agent Kong, a man in his thirties, didn¡¯t have much common ground with me when it came to casual topics, so we ended up talking about work. Soon, our conversation turned to the anomaly that had occurred in the fifteenth-floor room, which he had mentioned during our phone call earlier in the day.

    "Zhu Chang''an mentioned that the cause of the basement''s appearance is still unknown," Agent Kong said with a worried expression. "Even though I was the one who asked if you were available to handle it, are you really up for this?"

    "Whether I can handle it or not, I''ll only know once I try. Besides, we don''t even know if that basement is one of those paranormal phenomena capable of affecting people regardless of distance. He''s my brother¡ªI have to protect him."

    "But your specialty is combat, right? If it''s too difficult, you could ask another demon hunter who¡¯s more skilled in this area."

    "I can''t just ask other demon hunters to deal with a paranormal phenomenon whose nature even I don¡¯t understand."

    "Alright, since you''re so determined, I won''t try to dissuade you," he said with a sigh, then shifted the topic. "But while you''re dealing with the basement, you could also use the opportunity to probe that Zhuang Cheng."

    "Zhuang Cheng? You still think he¡¯s connected to the basement''s appearance?"

    "That¡¯s a secondary reason, and the likelihood is low," he explained. "What I¡¯m mainly saying is that he¡¯s very likely already come into contact with our world. Over the past two years, paranormal events have been occurring more frequently, yet someone like him¡ªwho persistently chases after such phenomena¡ªhas remained completely unscathed. Don¡¯t you find that a bit odd? Perhaps he¡¯s gained some sort of protective power."

    He¡¯d said something similar the last time we spoke, but this time I caught a different implication. "Are you suggesting we recruit Zhuang Cheng as an ally?"

    "Even if he can¡¯t become a combatant, he could definitely make an excellent agent. For him, it would be a dream come true, wouldn¡¯t it?" he said with a smile. "Discovering talented individuals from outside the organization is technically part of my job as a Probe, but if you¡¯re the one to bring him in, you could also be his mentor, guiding him to assist you. Even if he has no magical powers, he¡¯s a very capable person and would undoubtedly be a great help to you."

    "Thank you for the suggestion, but..."

    Though I agreed that Zhuang Cheng was an exceptional individual, certain truths might not align with Agent Kong¡¯s assumptions.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    I recalled how I first met Zhuang Cheng.

    ---

    It was around my first year of high school that I first heard about Zhuang Cheng from my brother.

    Unlike ordinary families, the Zhu family I belong to is a family of demon hunters. Legend has it that one of our ancestors even became a Great Impermanence, though the family has since fallen into decline. Originally, it should have been my brother who inherited the family¡¯s magical artifacts and became a demon hunter. However, due to an accident, I became the heir instead, while he lost his childhood memories. The family also shielded him from all knowledge about the world of demon hunters.

    Although he is said to have lost his memory, it wasn¡¯t a complete erasure. Fragments and vague impressions remained. As a result, he has always strongly believed in the existence of supernatural phenomena, claiming to those around him that he had seen and encountered such things before.

    Naturally, the family never acknowledged his claims, and outsiders were even less inclined to believe him. When he was in middle school, he was ridiculed and bullied by his classmates, and his teachers often called him in for talks. People are easily influenced by their surroundings, especially during adolescence¡ªa time when personalities undergo rapid growth and change. External validation or denial becomes especially critical during this period.

    After losing his memory, my brother indeed never encountered anything supernatural again. Over time, he might have gradually convinced himself that those fragmented memories and impressions were just childhood fantasies. Eventually, he stopped bringing up those things altogether.

    Even so, I¡¯m sure that deep down, in some corner of his heart, he still harbored a sense of defiance and anticipation, hoping for an opportunity to vent and release those feelings.

    I deeply sympathized with my brother, but at the same time, I also envied him.

    I had once thought I would never become a demon hunter.

    One day, while we were having dinner, he suddenly mentioned someone¡ªa peculiar guy from his high school who was obsessed with investigating urban legends. His name was Zhuang Cheng.

    This person reminded me somewhat of my brother¡¯s past self. Although Zhuang Cheng didn¡¯t openly proclaim the existence of the supernatural to others, he was fervently trying to prove it, even more zealously than my brother had been back then.

    I thought my brother was rekindling his interest in the supernatural again. For reasons that I couldn¡¯t explain to outsiders, my family and I didn¡¯t want him getting involved in this world, so I criticized the topic from a normal person¡¯s perspective, dismissing it as ¡°a waste of effort.¡± After a moment of silence, my brother agreed with me.

    Later, I investigated Zhuang Cheng myself. It turned out his interest in urban legends didn¡¯t start in high school; at the latest, it began during middle school, where he displayed an extraordinary enthusiasm. His classmates remembered him vividly, but hardly anyone was close to him.

    A senior at my high school, who had been his classmate in middle school, spoke of him with a look of unease.

    ¡°That guy... he used to bring candles to school all the time.¡±

    ¡°Candles?¡±

    ¡°Yes, candles. He¡¯d take them out of his desk drawer now and then, and then just stare at them with this terrifying look in his eyes, like he was possessed or something. You know how he was obsessed with ghost stories and always going to haunted places? I¡¯m sure he was possessed by something unclean...¡±

    In addition, I heard from others that he used to focus on studying concepts like feng shui and occult rituals. He often carried compasses and divination tools to experiment with. After a while, he seemed to lose interest and shifted his focus to other fields, all of which were still related to mysticism. Most people thought he was either mentally unstable or immature, and the gossip and ridicule he endured were even worse than what my brother faced during middle school.

    Yet he seemed completely unfazed, as if the voices around him couldn¡¯t reach his ears. Everything he did was utterly self-driven and unconstrained by others'' opinions.

    In high school, there was a girl in my class who was into paranormal romance novels and developed some peculiar fantasies. She tried to portray herself as a ¡°paranormal girl,¡± claiming she could ¡°see things.¡± Naturally, he picked up on it and tracked her down, ¡°exposing¡± her on the spot. Her entire act was mercilessly torn apart.

    There was even a time when a feng shui master from overseas came to town to swindle a local tycoon. Somehow, as a high school student, he caught wind of the scam, showed up, and exposed the fraud right then and there.

    Years passed, and who knows how many times he had encountered fake paranormal phenomena. Yet he remained as ¡°mentally unstable¡± and ¡°immature¡± as ever.

    Although this is just my own guess, my brother may have been drawn to this very trait of his.

    So, later on, when I criticized Zhuang Cheng in front of him, he no longer agreed with me like he used to, pretending to side with me while secretly thinking the opposite. Instead, he started to support Zhuang Cheng.

    It was only after that, when I thought back, that I realized he had been quietly keeping an eye on Zhuang Cheng''s movements, collecting information about him like a fan.

    Whenever he mentioned Zhuang Cheng, his tone became more animated, as if he regarded him as another version of himself that could have been.

    ¡°You know, he went to another province just before graduating high school to investigate a case of missing children. It¡¯s said to be related to a local folk legend, similar to Japan¡¯s ghost stories. Actually, it¡¯s tied to some powerful evil forces behind the scenes there¡­¡±

    After hearing similar topics repeatedly, I had to admit that Zhuang Cheng was indeed a "legendary figure."

    But this is dangerous, too dangerous.

    One day, Zhuang Cheng will find himself in an inescapable predicament, dying with regret, consumed by the very thing he relentlessly pursued.

    It started around two or three years ago when organizations worldwide connected to the supernatural began to notice that anomalous phenomena, once hidden in the shadows of the world, had begun to occur more frequently. Distortions in space and time, once rare, were increasing in number. The intensity of these phenomena was rising year by year, with reports of ordinary people dying because of these anomalies piling up.

    In Mount Luo, some even made heretical predictions, claiming that these were signs of a great calamity approaching.

    If we define human history up until now as the "Age of Humanity," then starting from today, within the next ten years, the prosperous era of human history will come to an end.

    Afterward, not only all humans, but every living being and every anomalous entity will be destroyed under this great calamity.

    Ultimately, all matter will cease to exist.

    And the next era¡­ well, there probably won''t be another era.

    If it had to be named, it would be called the "Era of the Apocalypse."

 Ch 21: Zhu Shi 2

    Let''s continue talking about Zhuang Cheng, but this topic still has to start with my older brother.

    Although our family originally planned to pass down the family artifact to my older brother, he was actually not well-liked at home.

    Or rather, it was because he was not well-liked that he was chosen as the heir in the first place.

    The Zhu family¡¯s skill in hunting demons had gradually declined over the generations. By the time of my grandfather, there were plans to withdraw from the demon hunter world altogether.

    However, withdrawing wasn¡¯t something that could be done all at once. The Zhu family still had some grudges and obligations in the demon hunter world, and one of us, either my brother or I, needed to take up the banner as a transition. My grandfather, feeling both weary and wary of the demon hunter world, decided to place this dangerous responsibility on my brother instead.

    My brother''s position in the family was awkward. Our father was adopted into the family, and my brother was actually my father''s illegitimate child from outside.

    My mother was deeply favored by my grandfather, and naturally, my grandfather despised my father¡¯s affair and couldn''t show any kindness toward my brother.

    Logically, since my brother was supposed to become the family demon hunter, the family should have treated him with respect, but instead they always showing sour face whenever see him. Moreover, if anyone deserved to be despised, it should have been my father, as the source of the problem. However, understanding this rationally didn¡¯t mean it was handled well emotionally. My grandfather was the type who couldn¡¯t hide his feelings of love or hate. My father had been missing for many years, and with no way to settle accounts with him, all the anger my grandfather had built up had no outlet.

    Under such circumstances, my brother naturally became deeply depressed. From high school onward, he fell into bad habits, running wild with a group of friends, which caused us to drift apart. After he entered university, his behavior worsened even more.

    As his reckless actions escalated, the troubles he got into only piled on. The following events are things I heard about. Apparently, he was kidnapped by some hired thugs, who covered his head and taken him to a remote area, where he was severely beaten.

    The beating didn¡¯t break any of his bones, not because he was tough or because his attackers showed mercy, but because halfway through the beating, someone who couldn¡¯t stand to watch came to his rescue.

    That person who came to his aid was Zhuang Cheng, who was at the time investigating strange incidents in the wilderness.

    It was only then that the two truly met, as before, it had only been my brother who knew Zhuang Cheng. Naturally, my brother was deeply grateful to be saved by someone he had long admired, and he actively sought to befriend him. During this period, their relationship seemed to be quite good.

    However, the good times didn¡¯t last. Not long after, Zhuang Cheng heard about my brother¡¯s past misdeeds and even caught him in the act of doing something bad. He ended up beating my brother up, severing ties with him right on the spot.

    This incident dealt a heavy blow to my brother, but later, after much reflection, he gradually changed, and eventually, he and Zhuang Cheng rebuilt their friendship.

    The two of them are now very close, at least that¡¯s what my brother brags about, though I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s true.

    I¡¯m really happy about my brother¡¯s change, and I¡¯m also deeply grateful to Zhuang Cheng.

    At the same time, I¡¯ve started to worry.

    Zhuang Cheng is very likely to encounter truly strange and bizarre entities in the future. Normally, an honest person living a regular life wouldn¡¯t easily come across such things, but someone like Zhuang Cheng, who¡¯s "not a normal person," might have already encountered these kinds of things... Not just in the past two or three years when strange occurrences have been frequent, but maybe even when he was a child. Otherwise, how could he be so determined to follow the trail of these strange events?

    His middle school classmates mentioned that he used to stare at candles obsessively, as if something evil had possessed him... Could these odd behaviors be the result of some external supernatural influence?

    More importantly, will he bring danger to the people around him in the future?

    To confirm this, I personally went to meet him through my brother¡¯s connection.

    It was during the winter solstice of 2022. I was in my final year of high school, planning to apply to the same university as my brother and Zhuang Cheng, Xianshui University. The meeting place was set at a commercial center near Xianshui University. The reason for the meeting was "to go eat at a newly opened hotpot restaurant nearby." It was at the steaming hotpot table that I met him and my brother.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Seeing him in person was different from hearing about him. Just by looking at his appearance, no one would imagine that he was someone with wild, magical ideas swirling in his mind.

    He was wearing a black turtleneck sweater, with his down jacket draped over the back of his chair. He wasn¡¯t playing on his phone but was instead staring intently at the simmering broth in the hotpot, seemingly lost in thought. At first glance, his looks and attire were nothing special¡ªjust like any ordinary college student you¡¯d see on the street.

    If I had to point out something unusual, it was that he appeared quite detached, not concerned with the tangible things around him. He seemed to be the type who could easily lose himself in his inner world.

    But is that really something special? In truth, many young people are like that, right?

    When I walked over, he only glanced at me before quickly returning his attention to the hotpot. I understood¡ªI''d also be more interested in eating hotpot than chatting when I¡¯m with friends.

    "My little sister¡¯s here," my brother said as he introduced me from across the table. "Sis, this is Zhuang Cheng. Ah Cheng, this is my sister, Zhu Shi."

    When I saw Zhuang Cheng shift his gaze back to me, memories of his previous "clueless" actions came to mind, and I couldn''t help but feel a mix of respect and a desire to keep my distance. I subconsciously greeted him: "Senior Zhuang, hello, I¡¯m Zhu Shi."

    He was momentarily stunned, then replied, "Junior Zhu... no, just call me Zhuang Cheng."

    "Okay..."

    Unless the person is an elder, I usually prefer to call people by their first names.

    But in daily life, I tend to act like an ordinary person. The problem is, I don¡¯t really know what it means to be an ordinary person, having grown up in such a way. I don¡¯t remember who said it, but when a person mimics a role they¡¯re not familiar with, it often reveals a stereotype they have of that role. My portrayal of an ordinary self is based on the weak, helpless women I¡¯ve seen in online novels, and sometimes, I might overdo it.

    In other words, uh, how should I explain it? Anyway, some people in my class say I¡¯m a bit of *green tea. It¡¯s different from when I¡¯m working as a demon hunter. In daily life, my tone of voice is more high-pitched. By the time I realized this was an issue, it was already too late. Those who are consistent inside and out might not understand, but for someone who has already built a "persona," going against it is actually quite a psychological challenge.

    *chinese slang for young woman whom always pretend to be sweet or innocent

    "Senior Zhuang, have you ever seen a ghost or something like a monster?"

    During the meal, I found an opportunity to ask the real reason for my visit.

    Zhuang Cheng didn¡¯t correct me again, but instead shook his head with a hint of regret. "No, not once."

    "Really?" I was skeptical.

    "I wish it were a lie," he said with a helpless smile, and the expression on his face, as if returning empty-handed, didn¡¯t seem fake at all.

    I still couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Though I¡¯m not as enthusiastic as my brother, I¡¯ve continued to look into Zhuang Cheng, and the results raised even more questions. In this era when strange occurrences were becoming increasingly active, Zhuang Cheng seemed to have made no progress at all on the path of investigating strange tales.

    I even visited some of the places he had investigated, and they weren¡¯t completely free of abnormalities. Some of them were even occupied by monsters blatantly causing trouble. Yet every time, Zhuang Cheng would somehow narrowly avoid them, as if... as if the strange occurrences themselves were afraid of him.

    Is that even possible?

    Or is it simply that his survival all these years has been due to sheer luck?

    I would rather believe that he has been hiding what he¡¯s seen.

    However, after repeatedly testing him, my heart increasingly leaned toward the conclusion that "everything he said was the truth."

    I then tried to persuade him to give up investigating strange tales. Clearly, my persuasion couldn¡¯t shake the determination he had held for years. Similarly, I couldn¡¯t convince my brother to cut ties with him; behind the scenes, my brother was practically his biggest fan.

    I had no choice but to exchange contact information with him, using the excuse of checking in on my brother¡¯s well-being to chat with him online and gather information about his activities, closely monitoring his movements. Although we didn¡¯t meet often in person, we communicated quite a bit online.

    Before I knew it, I had developed a strong sense of familiarity with him.

    Contrary to the rumors, he wasn¡¯t the kind of reckless maniac people described. Instead, he was a young man with a clear mind and a strong sense of conscience, who simply liked strange tales more than anyone else and would occasionally act heroically.

    At least, that¡¯s what I believed.

    Which is why I became even more convinced that he shouldn¡¯t be dragged into the strange... dragged into the dangers of our world.

    He was also someone I, as a demon hunter, had to protect.

    Then, two nights ago, my brother told me about the "basement."

    It wasn¡¯t until then that I found out he had recently moved into a house where a fallen demon hunter had committed crimes. But since I couldn¡¯t reveal my identity as a demon hunter in front of him, I had to ask Agent Kong to investigate the matter first.

    What I didn¡¯t expect was that Agent Kong not only confirmed the existence of the basement and the ritual formation, but also brought me another shocking piece of news¡ªmy brother had actually taken Zhuang Cheng to see the basement and the ritual formation with his own eyes.

    The unexpected turn of events almost made me black out from shock.

    It wasn¡¯t Zhuang Cheng who brought the strange events to my brother, but rather my brother who brought them to Zhuang Cheng?

    Brother, what are you doing?

    Given my brother¡¯s timid and cautious nature, he likely wouldn¡¯t have approached the basement on his own. But what about Zhuang Cheng? He must have already had the intention to investigate the basement. Such a clear and strange event, someone like him would never ignore it.

    Although I heard the basement has temporarily disappeared, since it has already appeared for the second time, it will definitely appear again soon¡ªthird, fourth times... What if, in order to investigate the basement, he chooses to take the risk and enter it himself...

    No, no, no, that¡¯s still impossible.

    Even someone as obsessed as him wouldn¡¯t risk entering such an unknown realm, knowing that the entrance and exit could disappear at any moment, with no way to return.

    Just in case, when the other demon hunters come to relieve me after dawn, I¡¯ll immediately go and take care of the strange event at the basement.

    I am a demon hunter of Mount Luo, and Zhuang Cheng is now also my friend. Even if it¡¯s out of personal concern, I must protect his life and safety, and rescue him from the potential dangers of the strange occurrences.

 Ch 22: Zhu Shi 3

    "Zhu Shi, what are you thinking about?"

    Noticing that I had been lost in thought for a while, Agent Kong curiously asked.

    "Nothing much," I snapped out of it and shook my head. "You just mentioned the frequent occurrence of strange events, which reminded me of the apocalypse prophecy circulating in Mount Luo."

    "You mean the one that says the world will be destroyed within ten years, with all life and matter wiped out in a great catastrophe?" Agent Kong paused for two or three seconds before recalling. "That''s just alarmist talk, isn''t it? Sure, the global situation feels a bit odd right now, but calling it the end of the world seems like an exaggeration."

    Agent Kong''s attitude was shared by most people in Mount Luo, and I thought the same way.

    Apocalypse prophecies are not a recent phenomenon. Throughout history, there have always been alarming declarations that "the world will end at a certain time." Some predicted that a great terror would descend in 1999, destroying the world; others claimed the world would end in 2012. Yet here we are in 2023, and all those so-called apocalypse moments have proven to be nothing more than "just another ordinary day."

    Periods of heightened strange phenomena are not unprecedented in history. From a long-term perspective, such events may not even pose a greater threat to human civilization than issues like global warming or the melting of the Arctic ice caps.

    The people who propose these prophecies always like to exaggerate bad events, whether they are mystics or scientists. Of course, they can''t really be blamed for this. When someone notices ominous signs, it''s their responsibility to make those around them take them as seriously as possible.

    The problem, however, is that the origins of this "apocalypse prophecy" are unclear. No one knows who started spreading it, and there is no direct evidence to lend it any credibility.

    I didn¡¯t underestimate the trend of strange phenomena becoming more frequent. The sands of time may seem insignificant, but when they fall upon an individual, they become an insurmountable mountain. Even if this trend isn¡¯t enough to shake the entire world, it can easily disrupt my world and that of those around me.

    "I don¡¯t know if the world will end in ten years, but if I can¡¯t complete the task assigned by my superiors, my world might end in ten days," Agent Kong sighed.

    "You mean the task of finding someone?"

    Agent Kong often shared the experience he had accumulated while investigating strange events. When I first became a demon hunter, his advice had helped me a lot. So, I wanted to repay him. "If there¡¯s anything I can help with, I¡¯d be happy to lend a hand."

    "That won¡¯t be necessary. Besides, this job is... not exactly something to be proud of," he said, shaking his head before complaining. "Honestly, I don¡¯t know which genius came up with this idea¡ªhaving me pose as a police officer and accuse a girl who doesn¡¯t even look fourteen of being a serial killer, then going door-to-door investigating her whereabouts.

    "Do you know what happened today? One of the houses I visited belonged to that Zhuang Cheng guy. When I handed him the girl¡¯s photo, the look on his face was as if he was asking whether I was dreaming."

    "If I remember correctly, that girl is currently the only known person in the world to have awakened from soul-loss syndrome, right?" I racked my brain for any information I¡¯d heard. "I think her name is... uh..."

    "It''s ''Ma Zao.'','' Agent Kong filled in for me. "It happened just yesterday morning. She woke up in the hospital and then vanished without a trace."

    "I understand she¡¯s incredibly important. If possible, I¡¯d want to find her too. But is this really necessary? Accusing her of being a serial killer right off the bat¡ªdoesn¡¯t that completely disregard her human rights?" The more I thought about it, the more wrong it felt. "And if they¡¯re so desperate to find her, why not involve the Public Security Bureau? They¡¯re far more capable than us in Mount Luo."

    "It seems the higher-ups are in a huge hurry, and accusing the girl of being a serial killer was a decision made without proper approval. They¡¯re currently negotiating with the Public Security Bureau, trying to push this accusation through, but the bureau hasn¡¯t budged yet," Agent Kong said with a sigh. "As for why they didn¡¯t ask the Public Security Bureau to help... you know how strained the relationship between Mount Luo and the official forces has become. It might not be long before an all-out conflict breaks out."

    Many demon hunters in Mount Luo are arrogant, believing that power is the primary determinant of hierarchy and that they themselves should be the ruling class. This mindset makes them fundamentally incompatible with modern society.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Nominally, Mount Luo is an officially supervised and directed "demon hunter division." In reality, that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. To the average person (if they even know about us), we probably come across as some kind of rogue, violent, and evil organization detached from society.

    This kind of conflict is bound to erupt sooner or later.

    In fact, the real question is how this society has managed to bury such a ticking time bomb for so long while continuing to develop. I can¡¯t help but ask, "Does that even make sense?"

    "Alright, let¡¯s set that aside for now..." Agent Kong pulled out a tablet. "I¡¯ve found combat footage of a fallen demon hunter for you. The official forces have been studying ways to counter demon hunters with modern weaponry. Not long ago, they tracked down a fallen demon hunter before we could and dispatched a team to engage him. This is the result."

    I took the tablet and began to watch intently.

    The confrontation took place in a bamboo forest on the outskirts, captured entirely from a drone''s overhead perspective.

    The footage showed the bamboo forest illuminated by several flares, turning night into day. In one corner of the screen, a grotesque creature emerged.

    The creature resembled a demon straight out of an oil painting, with a monstrous goat-like head, a massive body over two meters tall, and dark red skin. It wore no clothing or accessories, and patches of black fur covered its wrists, ankles, and groin.

    This demon-like figure was the fallen demon hunter.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t truly a demon but a human with the ability to transform.

    In the bamboo forest, a well-trained, modern combat team was also present. They were not only heavily armed with guns and ammunition but also had combat vehicles equipped with heavy weaponry.

    The moment the fallen demon hunter appeared openly, the team immediately raised their weapons and launched a coordinated assault from multiple angles. The serene natural setting instantly turned into a battlefield. A storm of bullets and shells tore through large swathes of the bamboo forest, completely engulfing the fallen demon hunter in the onslaught.

    But it was all completely ineffective. The fallen demon hunter didn¡¯t even bother to dodge. He simply crouched into a sprinter¡¯s starting stance, then, like an arrow loosed from a bow, his body blurred into a shadow that shot forward explosively.

    The terrifying shadow effortlessly tore through the web of firepower. It wasn¡¯t just bullets and shells that were useless¡ªflamethrowers, sonic weapons, and other specialized armaments had no effect either. The fallen demon hunter moved as if in a realm of his own, rampaging through the bamboo forest in a massacre.

    This wasn¡¯t a battle anymore¡ªjust the mechanical slaughter of one-sided carnage by the fallen demon hunter.

    Before long, the footage ended.

    "¡­What do you think?" Agent Kong asked, his voice seemingly calm.

    "It aligns with what I gathered during my last encounter with him," I said, voicing my conclusion. "He¡¯s at least at the ''Existence'' level and excels in comprehensive physical enhancements. Within Mount Luo¡¯s demon hunters, he ranks among the top-tier elites. Defeating him with firearms isn¡¯t impossible, but not with firepower of this caliber."

    In novels and manga, physical enhancement abilities often feel mundane, almost like the standard skill of a low-level grunt.

    But from a warrior¡¯s perspective, physical enhancement is undoubtedly a top-tier ability. A powerful body means enhanced attack power, defense, and mobility. Some physical enhancement abilities even boost the user¡¯s sensory perception, recovery speed, and immunity, granting superior reconnaissance capabilities, higher survival rates, and resistance to toxins and curses.

    And what about other abilities? Take fire manipulation, for example.

    The ability to summon flames out of thin air certainly looks impressive and packs considerable destructive power. However, it offers no defensive capabilities, meaning the margin for error in combat is extremely low. A single gunshot from an ordinary person could take the user down instantly if fired from behind. It also doesn¡¯t enhance mobility, so the user moves at the speed of an average human, leaving them vulnerable to quick and agile opponents. The saying ¡°speed is invincible¡± isn¡¯t just for show.

    Not to mention its shortcomings in reconnaissance and other areas. Many fire manipulators have even accidentally injured themselves¡ªgetting burned by their own flames, causing explosions at close range and getting caught in the blast, or choking to death in smoke-filled environments. Cases like these are so common that Mount Luo¡¯s internal magazine has compiled them into a black comedy anthology.

    This issue isn¡¯t limited to fire manipulation. Many special abilities, due to their "high offense, low defense" nature, make their wielders less like true demon hunters and more like ordinary humans armed with a special weapon. And as long as they remain human, there are countless ways to defeat them.

    The amount of water a bucket can hold is always determined by the shortest plank.

    A mortal, even one capable of stopping time itself, becomes as fragile as any other when faced with poison or an ambush.

    Don¡¯t be fooled by how the modern combat team in the footage was utterly powerless against the fallen demon hunter. If their opponent had been one of those with special abilities, there would likely have been countless ways to bring them down.

    "And what about you?" Agent Kong put away his tablet. "If you were to face this fallen demon hunter, what are your chances of winning?"

    "I can¡¯t calculate it precisely," I replied cautiously. "All I can say is that if I fought him with my current abilities, the outcome would be uncertain. Whether he dies or I die, neither result would be surprising."

    "And what if it were one of the top-tier ¡®Formation¡¯-level demon hunters? Or perhaps..."

    Before Agent Kong could finish his sentence, I suddenly sensed a powerful surge of mana. Instinctively, I stood up.

    I turned my gaze to the distance.

    In the far-off direction, two distinct waves of mana were clashing violently.

    One of the mana waves I recognized¡ªit belonged to the fallen demon hunter.

    The other, however, was unfamiliar. To me, it felt like a blazing inferno.

    In an instant, the overwhelming force of the flames completely suppressed the former.

 Ch 23: Superpowered Individual vs Fallen Demon Hunter 1

    I am Zhuang Cheng.

    I¡¯m not someone who can''t tolerate solitude, but when forced to stay in a confined space for an extended period, unsure whether I can return to civilized society, even I find it difficult to maintain a normal mindset.

    The clues in this basement are too sparse, and there aren''t many objects that could help me make positive connections. Before long, my mind started to wander aimlessly, like I was watching a documentary on the universe. In a way, I felt like one of those bored people who, without their phone in the bathroom, ends up contemplating the meaning of life and the end of the universe. It''s not that I don''t want to think through a way to escape; it''s just that I''m currently in the bathroom.

    However, after a while, as I lay on the floor like a fish washed up on the beach, trying to find some insight from the patterns on the concrete ceiling, a spark of thought suddenly flashed in my mind.

    I suddenly sat up, repeatedly searching through my memory, pondering the inspiration I had just received.

    I think I¡¯ve figured out the pattern behind the appearance and disappearance of the basement.

    The disappearance and appearance of the basement likely follow the same set of rules. At first, I thought that "just knowing why the basement disappear isn¡¯t enough," but I was wrong. Agent Kong and the demon huntress might have thought the cause of the basement was outside the ritual formation, but that¡¯s not the case. The answer lies within the "ritual formation."

    Agent Kong once mentioned that the purpose of the ritual formation was to "open certain parallel spaces that overlap with the current space-time," and the reason it was deemed a failure was because it "lacked the final part of the magical symbols."

    I¡¯m not entirely sure what the magical symbols are, but since the basement appear, it must mean that the missing symbols in the ritual formation were somehow filled in by an accident.

    So, what exactly filled in the missing magical symbols of the ritual formation?

    At this moment, my suspicion is on that black plush carpet.

    To be more precise, it¡¯s the letter patterns on the black plush carpet.

    It¡¯s not that the letters themselves are magical symbols, but perhaps the lines that make up the letters happen to match the requirements for magical symbols. At the same time, I have evidence that supports this line of reasoning.

    If I think carefully about the instances when the basement appeared and disappeared, every time I and Chang''an performed the action of covering and uncovering the black plush carpet, the basement would switch between appearing and disappearing.

    This morning, Chang''an and I uncovered the carpet, and the basement appeared; then we covered the carpet, and when we uncovered it in front of Agent Kong, the basement disappeared. Later in the afternoon, when Agent Kong was checking the room alone, he casually covered the carpet, and when I came back alone at night and uncovered it, the basement appeared.

    The same thing happened the night before yesterday, when Chang''an first witnessed the basement. After he uncovered the carpet for the first time, he discovered the basement and called the police. Then, in front of the police, he "uncovered it again"¡ªyes, when he was telling me the story, he clearly mentioned "uncovered it again," which implies that he had covered the carpet before the police arrived.

    Why did he cover the carpet in the middle? Because he was afraid. He told me today that he was worried whether there might be something evil hidden under the basement, so the night before, he decided to seal the wooden lid and the carpet together.

    In this series of events, the black plush carpet seems to have acted as a "switch," with all the changes directly related to it.

    Is my reasoning correct? Can I be sure of this?

    No, wait, wait... I''ve missed one very important piece!

    That is, why did the entrance and exit of the basement disappear after I entered it?

    If only the action of covering the black plush carpet causes the basement¡¯s state to change, then the basement shouldn¡¯t have disappeared by itself after I entered.

    Unless... unless, after I entered the basement, someone "whose identity is unknown" sneaked into the fifteenth-floor room and sealed the basement.

    I have indeed been monitoring the surroundings, but right now, the one thing I cannot monitor is the real world outside the basement. Moreover, the basement disappeared while I was pulled into the illusion by the black jade stone, so it was even more impossible to observe if anyone was outside the basement during that time.

    And there¡¯s another despairing issue with this reasoning.

    That is, just as I initially feared, the opening and closing of the basement can only happen from outside, not from this side.

    I am really at a dead end.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    No, I can¡¯t give up now. It would be too ugly to surrender like this. Since I yearned for an adventure beyond reality, I shouldn¡¯t simply sit and wait to die. I must struggle until I take my last breath, that¡¯s more in line with my aesthetic.

    So, how should I struggle? The location I¡¯m in and the ritual array outside aren¡¯t even in the same space-time... Wait a minute, Agent Kong previously mentioned that this otherworldly space is overlapping with the real world. Since it¡¯s overlapping, it cannot simply be treated as "separate."

    In other words, if I draw the letter patterns from the black plush carpet on the ceiling, could it overlap with the ritual array outside?

    There''s still a problem. First of all, the surface of the ceiling and the surface of the floor are not exactly on the same plane... but the patterns on the black plush carpet and the ritual array on the floor aren''t exactly on the same plane either. If it works over there, maybe it could work here as well. Though the degree of deviation is quite different, how thick is this floorboard again...?

    Forget it. There''s no point in overthinking it. It''s better to try it out!

    I raised my right hand and pointed my fingers at the location on the ceiling where the basement''s entrance originally was. Suddenly, flames appeared out of thin air, moving like thin snakes through the air, climbing up the surface of the ceiling.

    The letter patterns on the black plush carpet spell out "carpet," I remember that clearly. Then, the style and size of the font... I recalled while adjusting the flames, shaping them to match my memory.

    After completing the task, I let out a long breath and anxiously watched the ceiling.

    No change.

    I couldn''t help but feel deeply disappointed.

    Is this still not working? Is it because it''s not in the same space-time, or is it because the floorboard is too thick, causing too much deviation between the two planes?

    Or maybe it¡¯s because I shouldn''t be using flames to draw the pattern? The ritual array was drawn with blood, so maybe I should have used blood... but the letters on the black plush carpet weren¡¯t made of blood, right? Could it be that the dirty carpet, as a crime scene object, soaked up blood stains...?

    I tilted my head and observed, moving around to look at the flame letters from different angles. After all, I might have made a mistake in spelling the word.

    Walking around like this with my head tilted easily made me dizzy. Before long, I felt a bit uncomfortable, so I lowered my head and closed my eyes to rest for a couple of seconds.

    When I opened my eyes again, something incredible happened.

    A concrete staircase appeared in front of me at some point without my noticing.

    After a brief moment of shock, my gaze moved up the staircase, and at the end of it, on the ceiling, I saw a light brown wooden lid.

    The entrance to the basement had appeared again!

    ---

    Why the entrance didn¡¯t appear immediately after I drew the letter pattern with flames is something I only came up with a theory for afterward¡ªand even then, I can¡¯t say for sure if it¡¯s correct.

    The theory itself is a bit amusing. At first, I was standing directly beneath where the basement was supposed to be, and the concrete staircase later appeared in that exact spot. Like in a strategy game where new buildings can¡¯t overlap with existing structures, it¡¯s possible that because I was occupying the staircase¡¯s position, the staircase and the entrance couldn¡¯t manifest immediately.

    To avoid any further mishaps, as soon as I saw the entrance, I acted quickly. Climbing the staircase, I reached the wooden lid and pushed it open, returning to the floor of the fifteenth-floor room.

    I had finally returned to the real world.

    I looked around and let out a long sigh of relief.

    At the same time, I could feel that the near-enlightened state of mind I¡¯d experienced in the basement¡ªwhen I was faced with solitude and the prospect of death¡ªwas now slowly receding.

    That enlightened state must have been a special mindset that arose under those unique circumstances, something I can no longer sustain now that I¡¯ve survived. But I believe that moment of clarity left a lasting imprint on my heart.

    The me standing here now is no longer the same as the me who had not entered the basement.

    I mulled over my reflections before turning back to look behind me.

    Setting aside abstract questions for now, let¡¯s deal with the practical ones.

    When I pushed open the wooden lid, I didn¡¯t feel the black shag carpet that was supposed to be covering it. And now that I¡¯m out, I can see the carpet is still lying off to the side, exactly as it was. This means that during my time beneath the basement, no ¡°unknown individual¡± entered the fifteenth-floor room to place the carpet over the lid.

    Since my actions successfully allowed me to escape, it confirms that my reasoning about the basement¡¯s appearance and disappearance was correct. But if there was no ¡°unknown individual,¡± then how can I explain the earlier disappearance of the basement¡¯s entrance?

    I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around it, so I turned to look at the basement entrance once more.

    This basement, this underground chamber¡­ I thought I had figured it out, but there¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t understand.

    For instance, I still have no idea what the black jade stone I obtained from the chamber really is. Nor do I understand the misty illusion I saw earlier, or the three shadows within it.

    There are still secrets hidden below that I do not yet understand.

    What if... I go down there again?

    Although it might seem a bit reckless to consider going back right after narrowly escaping death, this basement will be destroyed by tomorrow. If I don''t finish exploring it now, I might never get another chance.

    I genuinely had this thought, but soon after, another anomaly made me put the idea on hold.

    All the "fireflies" I had deployed in the real world had disappeared. This, of course, was due to losing connection with them while I was in the underground chamber. The bigger issue, however, is that I had now lost my surveillance of Ma Zao.

    This made it impossible for me to stay calm.

    Ma Zao occasionally talks about leaving me. If I¡¯d only lost track of her briefly, it would have been fine¡ªI could quickly leave and return, which was my initial plan. But now, I¡¯d lost track of her for a long time, which changed the nature of the situation entirely. If she really left during this time, I might never find her again.

    It¡¯s possible that Ma Zao¡¯s jinx-like presence is what brought me into contact with these strange occurrences. I¡¯m not so shortsighted as to not differentiate between ¡°a single satisfying meal¡± and ¡°constant sustenance.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t explore the underground chamber while simultaneously deploying "fireflies" to my house. I had no choice but to put this side of things on hold for now.

    Before leaving, however, I made sure to take photos and videos of the ritual array and the black shag carpet from various angles. Perhaps I could replicate this ritual array in another location someday.

    After finishing everything, I turned and left the fifteenth-floor room, making my way out of the residential building.

    Gazing at the moon in the night sky, I finally felt a sense of "returning to the world."

    However, I hadn''t gone far when, ahead in my line of sight, a bizarrely shaped shadow appeared in an eerie manner, blocking my path.

 Ch 24: Superpowered Individual vs Fallen Demon Hunter 2

    The residential area was now silent, deep into the night. Clouds shrouded the moonlight, plunging the surroundings into even deeper darkness. The streetlights flickered nervously, as if on the verge of malfunctioning, and then, with a sharp snap, they went out completely. A light breeze rustled through the greenery, and the trees and shrubs let out a faint, whispering sound.

    In this almost ominous atmosphere, a shadow emerged from the bushes¡ªan abyssal darkness even deeper than the night around it.

    At first glance, I thought it was dirty puddles and instinctively moved to step around it. But the shadow shifted, as if alive, deliberately cutting off my path. Only then did I sense something was wrong and stopped in my tracks.

    What is this?

    Thanks to my earlier encounters with far stranger occurrences, my mind hadn''t yet snapped out of its state of readiness for dealing with the bizarre. If this had happened to the old me, I would have been completely overwhelmed with shock. But now, even confronted with such a strange sight, I only felt a mild sense of surprise.

    The current me could accept even the most unbelievable twists of reality.

    This mysterious shadow was undoubtedly here for me, and the transformation it heralded was far from over. From the shadow that resembled a pool of puddles, a massive arm suddenly emerged, unimaginably thick and grotesque. It looked as if something was clawing its way out of a lake. The arm came crashing down to brace itself on the ground, and with just that single motion, the concrete shattered, the hand sinking deep into the broken surface.

    The owner of the arm then began pulling the rest of its body out of the ground¡ªhead, the other arm, torso, right leg, left leg¡­ In no time, the figure revealed its horrifying full form.

    It was a demon, as if it had stepped straight out of a dark oil painting, with the head of a black goat. Standing nearly three meters tall, its exposed body blocked my path like an impenetrable wall of flesh. Its crimson skin and bulging muscles seemed to pulsate with rage, veins coursing across its frame like the roots of a gnarled tree.

    The goat-like face of the demon was horrifyingly menacing. When people think of goats, they might imagine the gentle appearance of white sheep, but among goats, there are terrifying breeds, such as the adult Damascus goat with its distorted, grotesque features. This demon was the very embodiment of such horror.

    To make matters worse, its mouth had no lips, leaving its teeth and gums fully exposed, making it appear even more bloodthirsty and savage.

    "Zhuang Cheng."

    It spoke in a voice that was sharp and raspy, like nails scraping across a chalkboard.

    I couldn¡¯t help but focus all my attention on the terrifying creature before me.

    "You know my name?"

    Just from its dramatic entrance, it was obvious that this wasn¡¯t some prankster in a costume trying to scare people.

    The demon didn¡¯t answer my question. It moved its goat-like protruding jaws and spoke in a chillingly calm tone that didn¡¯t match its ferocious appearance:

    "I am here to claim your life."

    "Claim my life¡­" I scrutinized its entire form carefully. "Instead of talking about that, what exactly are you? Judging by your ability to speak human language, you must possess intelligence comparable to or even surpassing that of humans...

    "I never imagined there would be beings like you in this world. Are there others like you in other places? What is your species called, and where do you primarily reside?"

    I was fully aware that asking such questions at this moment seemed highly inappropriate, but I couldn¡¯t help my curiosity about this non-human intelligent being. Following the mysterious basement in the fifteenth-floor room, now came the appearance of such a demonic creature. It felt as if a journey into the unknown, full of magic and adventure, was slowly unfolding before me.

    At the same time, I wasn¡¯t entirely off guard. This monster, claiming it was here to kill me, had shown itself openly and struck up a conversation. Was it planning to let me die with some clarity, or was it deliberately standing in the open to draw my attention?

    I moved my left hand behind my back, quietly activating a "Firefly."

    Through the "Firefly," I could sense my surroundings with a full 360-degree view, and I quickly discovered the reason for the creature¡¯s bold, upfront appearance.

    About ten meters behind me, I sensed another shadow slowly creeping closer, like a venomous snake stalking its prey.

    Upon closer observation, I noticed a faint black thread connecting the shadow to the demon''s foot. Hidden under the cover of darkness, it was imperceptible to the naked human eye.

    Rather than awkwardly maneuvering that enormous body to launch a sneak attack, using a diversion tactic like this... was its true strategy.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Why would it need to use such cautious tactics to deal with a "normal person" like me? Could it know that I¡¯m have superpowers?

    Would that shadow suddenly transform into a spike and impale me? Or morph into a swamp, dragging me into another dimension? Or perhaps it might undergo some even more bizarre transformation?

    I anticipated the developments that might follow, while mentally preparing countermeasures for when the time came. Don¡¯t let my calm demeanor fool you¡ªI do have a decent sense of crisis. Regardless of my strength, the dangers posed by supernatural entities can often bypass such considerations. The basement in the fifteenth-floor room had already taught me that lesson.

    But compared to my sense of crisis, what surged more strongly within me was an inexplicable thrill. Perhaps I was about to engage in a life-and-death battle with an unknown foe¡ªsomething I¡¯d never experienced in my life and had always dreamed about.

    The demon seemed momentarily stunned by my question before asking in return, ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t afraid of death?¡±

    ¡°How do you plan to kill me?¡± I pretended to remain unaware of the shadow behind me as I curiously asked, ¡°And, for that matter, why do you want to kill me? Have we met before?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the demon let out a voice filled with boundless resentment: "Perhaps you¡¯ve completely forgotten, but I¡¯ve never for a moment let go of what you did to me two years ago..."

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really can¡¯t remember. Could you be more specific?¡± I asked, utterly baffled. ¡°When exactly, and where, did I do something to you? What exactly happened?¡±

    I truly couldn¡¯t recall ever doing something to any non-human being that would provoke such deep-seated hatred. Besides, this was the first time I¡¯d ever encountered an intelligent creature that wasn¡¯t human.

    I was more inclined to believe it had something to do with the events in the fifteenth-floor room. From a probabilistic perspective, this theory also seemed to make sense.

    Two strange, supernatural entities¡ªones I had never encountered before¡ªhad appeared to me today. One was the ¡°basement,¡± and the other was this ¡°demon.¡± Assuming these two incidents were unrelated coincidences seemed far too far-fetched. It made much more sense to hypothesize that they were connected.

    The basement, the ritual circle, the fallen demon hunter... The clues I gathered earlier during the day seemed to resurface in my mind, as if taken out of a drawer. I couldn''t help but develop a suspicion ¡ª was this "demon" who spoke human language really a non-human species?

    Could it actually be a human? And further, could it be a fallen demon hunter transformed into this form? Or perhaps a monster summoned by a fallen demon hunter?

    And speaking of "two years ago," the most memorable thing I did at that time was assist the authorities in eliminating a local superstitious faction, based on clues from a missing children case and folk legends. Could this demon be claiming to be the leader of that faction, or one of its affiliates?

    But I remember that the leader was burned alive by their followers after losing their credibility. It¡¯s impossible that he went to hell and came back as a demon to start a second life. Moreover, I never exposed my supernatural abilities to anyone during that incident.

    The "two years ago" part that the demon mentioned was likely a smokescreen, designed to mislead my thinking.

    "Still asking so many questions when death is at your door! It seems you¡¯re just like those ordinary people, a fool who''s been lulled into complacency by a peaceful life and doesn''t even know how close death is," the demon scoffed with a harsh, mocking laugh. "This is the end for you. You won''t even know why you lost..."

    As it spoke, it lowered its stance, and suddenly its voice grew enormous: "¡ªYou will die by my hand!"

    With that, it lunged at me with terrifying force. But knowing its plan, this extended preparation for its charge seemed a bit too obvious. It clearly wanted to draw my attention toward it, to make me focus on its movements. The real attack, however, was the ambush from behind.

    As the demon launched its assault, the flat shadow behind it transformed into a three-dimensional blade, speeding toward me from behind.

    I revealed my left hand, which had been hidden behind me, and the "firefly" hovering at my fingertip suddenly expanded.

    The "firefly" was essentially a small flame I summoned. At that moment, I infused it with additional mental energy as fuel. It was like pouring gasoline into a fire pit, and instantly, the "firefly" transformed into a fireball.

    The fireball then exploded, sending scorching, blinding flames sweeping in all directions, attacking both the demon in front and the shadow behind. The intense light was enough to blind any ordinary witnesses.

    Fortunately, there were no witnesses other than the demon and me, and I wasn''t harmed by the flames or the intense light. Both the fire itself and the light and heat it emitted were ultimately manifestations of my mental energy. Therefore, unless I intended to harm myself, this power wouldn¡¯t have any adverse effect on me.

    It seemed the demon had anticipated my counterattack. As soon as the situation changed, it quickly reacted by jumping back, avoiding the flames altogether.

    The shadow attacking me from behind instantly dropped to the ground, then quickly leaped up from the corner where the flames hadn¡¯t reached, transforming into a blade and swiftly thrusting toward me again. Although it was just a shadow, the intense light didn¡¯t seem to disperse it. What a fascinating ability. As I thought this, I quickly sidestepped to avoid the attack.

    In reality, with the speed of this thrust, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to dodge it in time. However, because I had anticipated it, and the demon clearly hadn¡¯t accounted for the fact that I had already noticed its move, I managed to narrowly evade it.

    Though, taking the blow wouldn¡¯t have mattered much either.

    "¡ªSo it''s a fire ability!"

    The demon, whose eyes weren¡¯t blinded by the intense light, landed next to a streetlamp. It then let out a triumphant laugh and said, "You''re finished, Zhuang Cheng... one more strike, and you''re done!"

    As it spoke, it reached out and grabbed the streetlamp, effortlessly pulling it out of the ground before hurling it toward me with great force.

    It¡¯s important to note that what it hurled wasn¡¯t a javelin, but the entire heavy streetlamp, and its speed was no different from an athlete throwing a javelin. This wasn¡¯t a weapon meant for humans, but rather a siege weapon. The visual effect was so terrifying that even I reflexively dodged.

    By the time I raised my foot and had yet to bring it down, the streetlamp had already brushed past my cheek. The demon had already closed the distance, charging at me with a terrifying speed.

    At the same time, its arms transformed, changing from flesh and blood into white, mantis-like bone blades, moving much faster than its earlier attacks.

    From this contrast, it seemed that earlier, it had been cautious of my unknown abilities, using a strategy of feint and distraction. But now, it was completely confident in its victory, unleashing its full power without restraint.

    Its cruel face grew larger in my view, and I simply stared at it.

    Then, my gaze ignited its body.

 Ch 25: Superpowered Individual vs Fallen Demon Hunter 3

    Let me talk a little about my past, about how I became a person with supernatural abilities.

    Before becoming a person with supernatural abilities, I often did things that seemed unconventional. And perhaps because I projected my own thoughts onto others, I believed that the things I did weren''t as unconventional as they were made out to be. I assumed that others must have done similar things, they just rarely shared them with the people around them.

    One of those things was placing a pen, eraser, or any other light object within reach in front of me, then focusing all my attention on it, imagining that my mental will could infiltrate physical reality, causing it to move.

    It didn¡¯t need to move violently, just a little would do, as long as it was visible to the naked eye. As long as I could focus fully and devote all my mental power to it, then expecting that little miracle didn¡¯t seem too unreasonable.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t truly believe in this kind of reasoning. It was more of a personal hobby. Ever since I could remember, I had been fascinated by concepts like magic and supernatural powers. Those stories sometimes would create elaborate settings inspired by mysticism, telling readers how to cultivate their abilities and glimpse the path to immortality. It was only natural that after reading such things, I would feel a desire to imitate them. At that time, I certainly didn¡¯t believe I would go deep into the mountains to find a suitable ¡°spiritual vein¡± or ¡°cave residence,¡± but meditating while lying in bed with my heart and mind focused was something I could easily do.

    Even when I first did this, I was still in elementary school, and deep down, I knew very well that no matter how long I persisted, this method would never truly allow me to access the "spiritual energy between heaven and earth." I just wanted to get as close as possible to the world of fantasy stories. When I meditated and imitated the characters from the stories, I felt as though I was becoming part of that imaginary world.

    The last attempt I made was in the third year of middle school, when I came across a certain idea in a miscellaneous book. It said that ancient monks would prepare a burnt-out candle in a quiet room and focus all their attention on the wick, imagining that their gaze would ignite it.

    This method wasn¡¯t about truly thinking that one could light the wick with their eyes, but rather it was intended to clear the mind of other distractions, making it easier to enter the deep and mysterious state of meditation. After reading this, I thought it made a lot of sense and became quite fascinated by it. Although the monks¡¯ meditation didn¡¯t manifest any visible supernatural powers, it was still a form of mystical experience, and I was very curious about it.

    For a while after that, I would carry a candle with me every day, and during my free time, I would take it out and focus on the wick, imagining the scene of it catching fire.

    What I didn¡¯t expect was that, over time, although I had not succeeded in entering the mysterious meditative state, I inadvertently triggered another absurd phenomenon.

    It was an ordinary school day. After the teacher announced the end of class, she left with some materials, and the classroom became noisy as the break time began. No classmates came over to talk to me, so as usual, I took out my candle and continued to pass the time by staring at it, trying to distract myself from boredom.

    One minute, two minutes, three minutes... about five or six minutes passed, and I still hadn¡¯t entered the so-called meditative state. This was to be expected. I continued to empty my mind, staring at the wick as I had done countless times before.

    But this time, it was unlike any other.

    Under my gaze,

    The wick suddenly ignited out of thin air.

    ---

    The demon suddenly ignited.

    It was as if its entire body had transformed into a giant matchstick, and as it sprinted toward me at high speed, the friction with the air generated heat, which then caused it to explode in a burst of flames.

    A torrent of scorching heat swept in all directions, causing the trees and bushes along the road to fall in disarray. I too was caught in the wave of heat, but I didn¡¯t suffer any burns. Instead, I was pushed back two steps by the force of the heat wave and spun around, avoiding the demon¡¯s path. The demon, on the other hand, crashed uncontrollably into a nearby charging station, like a car losing control.

    It let out a sharp, frantic scream, so painful that it couldn¡¯t even stand, instead rolling on the ground in desperation, trying to put out the flames engulfing its body.

    At the same time, the shadows around me began to stir, and dozens of shadowy blades rushed toward me from all directions, launching swift and deadly thrusts.

    But before the shadow blades could even touch my body, flames erupted from me in all directions. The shadow blades, upon encountering my fire, disintegrated instantly like cotton being burned, unable to cross even a single step through the blazing defensive circle I created.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The demon¡¯s actions at this crucial moment didn¡¯t stop there. Some of the shadows didn¡¯t attack me but instead rushed toward it.

    It is said that in some firefighting efforts, sand is used instead of water to extinguish flames. The principle is similar to water¡ªby covering the burning object, it cuts off the oxygen, preventing the fire from continuing. It seemed that these shadows intended to play a similar role, enveloping the demon, who was writhing in pain, like a cocoon.

    However, before the shadows could smother the flames, they were ignited by the fire first. Instead of extinguishing the flames, they became additional fuel, intensifying the demon¡¯s suffering.

    "Zhuang Cheng¡ª" It seemed as if it had been cast into a fiery hell, and the voice that came from that place was filled with negative emotions. "¡ªZhuang Cheng!!!"

    As it roared, its body suddenly sprang up from the ground, attacking me in the blink of an eye.

    But I didn¡¯t blink. My gaze remained focused on it.

    Its speed was incredibly fast, and its strength was immense. If I moved in my normal state, it would tear me apart before I could even twitch a finger. However, my attack doesn¡¯t require me to move a finger. If it thinks I need to go through the process like some fire user in combat games¡ªfirst gather the fireball around me and then throw it¡ªthen it¡¯s greatly underestimating me.

    My gaze, my voice, my breath¡ªthese everyday things are all mediums through which I transmit my power.

    My fire is my spirit. Therefore, wherever my spirit can reach, my fire can destroy. Some people might say, "If looks could kill..." to describe how strong someone¡¯s killing intent is, but my gaze can truly kill.

    Just like now.

    The demon was set on fire once again. This time, I let the flames erupt only on the front of its body. The immense heat sent it flying backward, forcing it to continue struggling desperately in the flames.

    "This is impossible..." It seemed to finally realize what was happening to its body. "Just... just from a single glance... Ahhh!!!"

    "It''s just manipulating fire, nothing that impressive," I said, more interested with the demon true abilities than my own powers, which I had long since become accustomed to. "Don''t you have anything more... novel? More bizarre abilities?"

    The demon seemed to have no energy left to respond, focusing instead on manipulating its shadow powers, trying to put out the flames on its body, but it was completely useless.

    The flames continued to steadily break down its body, but I could observe that its flesh and blood were regenerating at an unnatural speed. For every part of its flesh that was charred and shattered, new flesh would regenerate to replace it. Overall, the regeneration speed was still slower than the destruction, but based on this change, it would still take some time to burn it to death.

    It wasn¡¯t impossible to burn this demon to a crisp in one go. The current situation also had some factors where I was deliberately holding back. I wasn¡¯t entirely sure how hot my flames could get, as their destructive power didn¡¯t depend on the physical temperature but on the intent behind them. As long as I infused a killing intent, even rocks could be vaporized on the spot; without that intent, I could wrap a human body in flames without causing any harm.

    I had originally intended to kill it. After all, the enemy was trying to kill me, and if I killed it, no one could blame me. However, at the crucial moment when I was about to make the fatal move, I hesitated.

    It wasn¡¯t because I valued the enemy''s life. If the opponent had been human, I might have considered it, but since it wasn¡¯t even humanoid, I had no psychological burden when burning it. Still, would it be a little regrettable to kill it on the spot?

    Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t kill it, but capture it alive instead. Then I could find a place to imprison it and ask it more about the strange things it knows. Of course, it might still have other bizarre and dangerous trump cards capable of killing me. But I believe the risk is worth taking.

    Speaking of "risk," there¡¯s something very important I haven''t done yet, so I might as well do it now.

    "You¡¯re struggling in vain." I took the initiative to explain my ability. "As long as it¡¯s within my line of sight, my flames will never disappear. Even if you find a way to extinguish them, I can reignite them countless times."

    Many villains in battle manga tend to explain their powers when they have the upper hand. While I also believe this is far from a wise move, it''s one of my obsessions.

    If I were to write a life¡¯s bucket list, one of the items would definitely be "demonstrate my abilities in front of my opponent while explaining the power set."

    Even if this approach later leads to my own predicament, I would accept it calmly. My experiences under the basement helped me truly understand myself, and I am now completely certain of the strength of my mental power.

    It¡¯s clear that the demon isn''t ready to admit defeat. Just as I was about to explain more, it suddenly let out a roar of humiliation, then once again jumped off the ground and charged forward.

    But this time, it wasn¡¯t trying to get closer to me¡ªit was fleeing as quickly as possible.

    Its hurried retreat was as fast as a twisting lightning bolt, and in the blink of an eye, its figure disappeared from my sight.

    Perhaps this is the best strategy it can think of right now. It has realized that I can ignite objects with my gaze, and seeing that both its shadows and its physical attacks can''t reach me, the best course of action is to disappear from my sight as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will just be continuously burned by me, suffering to death.

    However, I never said that it would be safe just by getting out of my line of sight.

    It''s not a good habit to escape halfway through an explanation.

    I closed my eyes, and the image of the demon''s location appeared in my mind.

    I saw that after fleeing the neighborhood, the demon quickly arrived at the river about a kilometer away. It was still burning from my flames, and upon seeing the river, it didn''t hesitate to dive in. When the river water met the flames, a large amount of white steam immediately erupted.

    Even my flames can''t evaporate an entire river, at least I''ve never tried to see if I could. The demon must be trying to use the large amount of water to extinguish the flames, but it¡¯s a futile effort. My flames can appear without oxygen, and they certainly won''t disappear just because of a lack of it.

    Moreover, running away from me was also a mistake. No matter how far it runs, it can''t escape my gaze. True, there are no ¡°fireflies¡± around it now, but the reason the ¡°fireflies¡± could share my vision was because they were my flames, my dispersed spirit. And now, the flames burning on the demon¡¯s body have also become my eyes.

    Where the light of the flames reaches, my gaze reaches.

    Once ignited by me, no matter how far it runs, it cannot escape my burning. Unless I allow it, the flames will not go out.

 Ch 26: Superpowered Individual vs Fallen Demon Hunter 4

    The commotion caused by the earlier battle within the neighborhood was extremely loud, with shockwaves from my flames and the demon pulling out and hurling streetlights. In terms of noise level from a single event, ordinary construction work couldn¡¯t compare to this degree of disturbance.

    As a result, it wasn¡¯t long before some residents from the surrounding apartment buildings began peering out from their balconies and windows.

    To avoid being stopped by anyone, I quickly left the neighborhood.

    At the same time, I kept a close eye on the demon¡¯s movements a kilometer away.

    After submerging itself in the river, the demon quickly realized something was wrong. Like the underwater combustion phenomena demonstrated in middle school chemistry classes, the flames entwining its body refused to extinguish.

    That horrifying goat-like face instantly twisted into an expression of utter terror and despair. Under the hellish agony of the burning, it spewed out a series of panicked air bubbles. Then, struggling to escape, it crawled onto an empty riverbank, once again letting out a heart-wrenching scream of pain.

    It was clear that it desperately wanted to do something but had no idea what to do. It had fled my line of sight and even submerged itself in water, yet the flames still wouldn¡¯t go out. It couldn¡¯t calm down to think, as the burning pain was likely boiling its brain.

    Its only remaining escape route now was the basement in the fifteenth-floor room. If it could get to the basement below, it would sever the connection between me and the flames. But it seemed like it hadn¡¯t considered this, or perhaps it didn¡¯t know how to access the basement or understand its special properties?

    After howling in agony for a while, it finally managed to gather a sliver of reason and dashed away again, heading further from the neighborhood.

    What a remarkably resilient body, and an equally tenacious will to survive. A normal person burned to this extent would probably have been drained of all their mental strength by now¡ªnot that I¡¯ve tested it myself, of course.

    To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed by the actual performance this demon had shown.

    From the start of the battle until now, all it had displayed before me were physical attacks. Even its shadow attack earlier, despite appearing mysterious and enigmatic from a visual perspective, ultimately turned into a physical blade to strike at me. Isn¡¯t this kind of use a bit dull? Are there no other more bizarre skills it can unleash?

    Could it be that the fighting style in its world is all like this? Or is it simply a low-level grunt?

    Judging from its current decision-making, it seems to suspect that it hasn¡¯t put enough distance between itself and me, which is why it¡¯s still being burned. Although escaping to the other side of the ocean wouldn¡¯t help, I need to retrieve it later, so I can¡¯t let it run too far.

    I stopped in place for now, raised my right hand toward the distant figure a kilometer away, and clenched my fist tightly.

    The flames entwined around its body suddenly seemed to come alive under my control. The flames on the outer sides of its legs rushed inward, eagerly burrowing into its muscles.

    With a thunderous boom, its legs exploded on the spot. Unable to brake in time, its body tumbled helplessly into the roadside woods, rolling a considerable distance before finally coming to a stop.

    It pressed its hands against the leaf-strewn, muddy ground to support its body. Since I had no intention of damaging the surrounding environment, even though it was engulfed in flames and had fallen in a place filled with flammable debris, the fire showed no signs of spreading.

    It glanced back at its exploded, severed legs and suddenly let out a deranged laugh.

    "Zhuang Cheng, you''re watching me, aren''t you?!" it shouted at the empty night sky, its voice filled with madness. "If you¡¯ve got the guts... if you¡¯ve got the guts, just end it! Kill me already!"

    "That won¡¯t do," I replied, knowing it couldn¡¯t hear me from a kilometer away. "You still have your uses."

    Moments later, I arrived at the wooded area where the demon lay.

    It was sprawled on the ground, motionless. Its entire body was charred black, resembling a piece of smoldering coal. It looked dead, but I knew it was still alive. After all, aside from its legs, I had only used the flames to damage its skin and muscles, intentionally avoiding its internal organs. I could even sense its deliberately subdued breathing through the flames.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Perhaps it had been burned so badly that most of its pain nerves were already dead. Out of a certain curiosity in the past, I once looked this up online (let¡¯s not discuss why I was researching that kind of information). Since human pain receptors are primarily distributed in the epidermis and dermis, the depth of a burn doesn¡¯t necessarily correlate with the level of pain. Some patients with severe burns actually feel little to no pain. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this demon¡¯s physiological structure in this regard was similar to that of humans.

    ¡°You¡¯re still conscious,¡± I said, taking the initiative to speak. ¡°I have some questions for you. If you¡¯re willing to answer, I can hold off on burning you.¡±

    The demon didn¡¯t respond. I took a few steps closer.

    When the distance between us had narrowed to only four or five meters, it suddenly pushed off the ground with its arms, springing up and launching itself straight at me.

    ¡°Zhuang Cheng¡ª!!¡± it roared, its voice filled with thick, venomous hatred.

    It seemed this was its last desperate attempt. Since it was within my expectations, I felt no surprise. However, what happened next was something that greatly exceeded anything I had anticipated.

    Just as I was about to counterattack, a white light shot out from behind me, grazing past my shoulder and striking the demon squarely in the torso. The demon was sent flying backward like a ball powerfully kicked by an athlete, crashing into a nearby tree with such force that the tree bent under the impact.

    This time, it seemed the demon wasn¡¯t pretending anymore¡ªit had truly lost consciousness.

    Who did this?

    I immediately turned around to look.

    On the other side of the woods, a figure holding a sharp sword was approaching slowly.

    The clouds drifted across the night sky, finally revealing the moon. Its light poured into the bamboo grove, illuminating the figure¡¯s face.

    It was someone dressed like an ancient warrior. The person wore a brown-black straw raincoat and a matching conical hat, with a black-and-red sheathed sword slung across their back. The longsword, however, was held in their hand, its tip angled toward the ground, radiating an aura of poised readiness, as though it could strike at any moment.

    Judging by how this person had just stepped in to assist, they probably weren¡¯t an enemy. To be honest, I felt their intervention was unnecessary, but the experience of having a mysterious stranger step in to fight injustice was novel, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to view it negatively. Still, even if I believed they weren¡¯t an enemy, the other party might not see it that way. Perhaps I should introduce myself first to show I had no hostile intentions.

    "Hello," I began, breaking the silence. "I am Zhuang¡ª"

    Suddenly, the person seemed to get a clear look at my face and exclaimed, "Zhuang Cheng?"

    It was a young woman¡¯s voice, and it sounded oddly familiar.

    "You know me?" I asked in surprise. "Who are you?"

    The other party hesitated for a moment before raising a hand and removing her conical hat, revealing her true face.

    At that moment, I was even more surprised¡ªshocked, even. The emotional ripple I felt now far exceeded what I had experienced upon first encountering the demon.

    The revealed face belonged to someone I knew.

    In my memory, that face always seemed gentle and obedient, evoking images of streams, clear springs, and misty lake surfaces¡ªdelicate like an ink painting. Most of the time, she would go out of her way to avoid any conflicts that might arise in human interactions.

    But now, while her appearance hadn¡¯t changed at all, her aura was completely different. She exuded the commanding presence of a gallant swordswoman, someone who would confront any dispute with straightforward determination and grace.

    ¡°¡­Zhu Shi?¡± I uttered her name.

    The person before me was none other than Zhu Shi, Chang¡¯an¡¯s younger sister.

    ¡°This¡­ is this your doing?¡± she asked hesitantly, glancing at me, then at the demon lying collapsed nearby, her tone filled with disbelief.

    ¡°No, wasn¡¯t it you who just took it down?¡±

    Of course, I understood what she truly meant¡ªshe was simply trying to buy herself a moment to calm the storm within her.

    ¡°What I mean is, these burn injuries on him¡­¡± At first, her tone carried a hint of disbelief.

    But gradually, she composed herself, regaining her composure as her voice steadied: ¡°¡ªare all your doing?¡±

    Her way of speaking was quite different from the Zhu Shi I remembered, even her tone seemed unfamiliar. In comparison, her previous manner of speaking now felt like she had been putting on an act of innocence. Perhaps what she was showing now was her true personality.

    I had mostly calmed down as well, analyzing this new version of her as I gave a straightforward reply: ¡°Yes, it was me.¡±

    She studied me for a moment, then sheathed her sword and cautiously asked, ¡°Are you a demon hunter too?¡±

    ¡°A demon hunter¡­? No, I don¡¯t do that kind of work,¡± I replied. ¡°If I had to label myself, I suppose I¡¯d be a superhuman.¡±

    ¡°That still counts as a demon hunter,¡± she said, to my surprise.

    Also counts as one? The term "demon hunter" wasn¡¯t new to me; it seemed to refer to a specific profession. Could someone without formally working in that role, merely possessing extraordinary powers, also be called a ¡°demon hunter¡±? The idea felt a bit off to me, but it triggered an association in my mind.

    No wonder Zhu Shi¡¯s voice had sounded so familiar¡ªher voice was identical to the demon huntress I had spoken to over the phone earlier with Agent Kong.

    Zhu Shi was that demon huntress!

    Shocked, I quickly realized a critical issue¡ª

    The demon huntress, Zhu Shi, was affiliated with Mount Luo, which was likely an official supernatural organization. Didn¡¯t that mean it would now be nearly impossible for me to keep the demon for myself?

    Is there any way to reclaim the demon¡­? No, that would be short-sighted. The official supernatural organization had just revealed its presence before me, and here I was still thinking about a random demon of unknown origin. If I wanted to learn more about the strange world of the supernatural, wouldn¡¯t it be better to approach them directly?

    And Zhu Shi was my friend¡¯s younger sister¡ªthis connection was practically a gift from the heavens!

    I immediately focused all my attention on Zhu Shi.

    ¡°I forgot to reintroduce myself. I¡¯m a demon hunter from Mount Luo, responsible for the safety of this area,¡± Zhu Shi said in a very formal tone. ¡°I have many questions to ask regarding you taking down the fallen demon hunter earlier. May I know if you¡¯re available now?¡±

 Ch 27: Non-routine communication 1

    If I really answered "not available" here, would you just let me go home like that? I had this thought and then replied, "Available."

    Although I really wanted to go home first to check on Ma Zao¡¯s condition, this wasn¡¯t like the earlier decision of whether or not to re-enter the basement. Choosing to talk with Zhu Shi wouldn¡¯t sever my connection with the ¡°fireflies.¡±

    On my way to this forest, I had already sent a few ¡°fireflies¡± ahead to return home and check on things in my place.

    ¡°You just said that this monster is a fallen demon hunter?¡± I didn¡¯t miss Zhu Shi¡¯s words about the demon. ¡°So, does that mean it¡¯s actually... human?¡±

    In other words, could this demon possibly be Ma Zao? Absolutely not. Right now, Ma Zao, not only could barely move, even walking normally on flat ground had a high chance of making him fall.

    The suspicion that Ma Zao could be the fallen demon hunter (the serial killer) could be ruled out.

    "That''s right. So, you didn¡¯t know he was human before?" Zhu Shi said thoughtfully, then continued, "Well, it''s probably for the best. When dealing with such evil beings, we shouldn¡¯t show mercy. If you knew he was human, you might have hesitated before acting..."

    Zhu Shi nodded as if to herself, then walked toward the demon lying on the ground.

    "You must have heard about it elsewhere already¡ªthere¡¯s been a serial killer in Xianshui City recently. In fact, he was active eight months ago... huh?"

    Suddenly, she hesitated, her gaze fixating on the demon.

    The demon remained motionless.

    "What''s wrong?" I asked cautiously, sensing through the lingering flames on the demon''s body.

    Zhu Shi moved closer, circling the demon twice before leaning down to check his chest. Then, she exclaimed in surprise, "He..."

    "¡­died?" I concluded. "Did you kill him?"

    At that moment, the demon was completely lifeless, no longer breathing.

    This wasn¡¯t just playing dead¡ªwhen he was pretending earlier, I could sense it. But now, it was less of a life and more like a lifeless, charred, and rotten piece of flesh.

    "No, I didn¡¯t." Zhu Shi shook her head. "I only knocked him out earlier."

    "I only damaged his skin and some of his muscles, without causing harm to vital organs or other fatal areas." I explained as well. "Although I blew off his legs, I quickly cauterized the wounds with flames, so he didn¡¯t lose much blood. It¡¯s impossible he died from blood loss¡­ Could it have been burn shock? Did he go into shock and die?"

    If the cause was from me, does that mean I killed him?

    I tried to find some guilt within myself, but I couldn¡¯t even feel a sense of guilt, let alone any real emotions. This demon didn¡¯t look human, and even when burned, it didn¡¯t resemble a human. It was hard for me to think I had killed a person.

    "It¡¯s impossible. A demon hunter with this level of physical enhancement wouldn¡¯t die from such physiological damage in such a short time unless something happened to his brain or heart..." Zhu Shi shook her head again and walked forward. "Anyway, we¡¯ll have the organization come and recover the body, and then conduct an autopsy for analysis."

    Upon hearing that she was going to perform an autopsy, I immediately removed the remaining flames from the demon¡¯s body.

    Before doing so, considering the slim chance that the demon might have suddenly figured out the art of feigning death while on the brink of life and death, I carefully sensed it again. This demon¡ªthis fallen demon hunter¡ªwas not only not breathing, but there was also no heartbeat, and the blood wasn¡¯t flowing normally. There was no trace of life force at all.

    I judged that he was truly and completely dead, and there was no possibility left.

    Zhu Shi¡¯s approach was even more direct. She drew her sword again from her back.

    With a flash of the sword, she immediately decapitated the fallen demon hunter. Then, she drove the blade into his chest and shredded his heart, completing a perfect "death check"¡ªas long as she personally killed the person, any erroneous death conclusions were instantly corrected.

    Simple and brutal, yet revealing the coldness and efficiency of a professional. It seemed that this was something she had done more than once. Unlike me, a novice dealing with strange battles for the first time, she was already highly skilled.

    She then swung the sword through the air to shake off the blood splattered on the blade before returning the sword to its sheath.

    ---

    Zhu Shi took out her phone and made a call. Soon after, some people dressed in gray uniforms arrived at the scene, loaded the demon''s body into a vehicle, and left.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    She then led me to a quieter location. Along the way, I observed her attire carefully. The rain cloak, the conical hat, the sword, and paired with her beautiful face¡ªshe now looked like the female protagonist from an ancient martial arts drama.

    Did this unusual attire have some special meaning? Or was it the uniform exclusive to the combat personnel of Mount Luo? Regardless of the truth, this outfit aligned perfectly with my preferences, and I couldn''t help but glance at her a few more times. It wasn¡¯t that I was fond of martial arts-style attire, but in such an unreal night, she intervened in my battle with the demon in a non-realistic manner, and instead of seeming out of place, it only made me more intrigued.

    Thinking back to her cold and experienced demeanor when she ¡°finished off¡± the demon, it really showcased the kind of battlefield presence I imagined someone hunting monsters should have.

    The only drawback was that beneath the cloak, I could vaguely see that she was still wearing casual clothes and short boots. This "flaw" would be considered a blooper in an ancient costume martial arts drama. But perhaps there was a beauty in this, too¡ªthe kind that comes from a sense of incongruity. I tried to convince myself of that.

    It wasn¡¯t just me repeatedly examining Zhu Shi¡ªshe was also repeatedly examining me.

    Although she maintained a calm demeanor, the initial expression of disbelief was probably her true feelings. Even now, it seemed like she still couldn¡¯t accept it. Her gaze, as she scrutinized me, seemed to be searching for some flaw, some reason to prove I wasn¡¯t the Zhuang Cheng she remembered.

    While I wasn¡¯t as unable to accept this as she was, I could understand her feelings. It¡¯s such an incredible coincidence that a friend¡¯s sister is working as a demon hunter in a supernatural organization¡ªthis kind of thing only seems to happen in stories. Tonight truly felt like a dream.

    "You just said that I could also be considered a demon hunter¡ªwhat does that mean?" I took the initiative to start the conversation.

    Zhu Shi took a moment to steady herself before answering, "It¡¯s just the literal meaning. Anyone who possesses power related to the supernatural is called a demon hunter."

    "I suppose I can understand it like this..." I thought for a moment before continuing, "If there¡¯s a person who has supernatural abilities but has never hunted demons, has no intention of doing so, and their abilities aren¡¯t even suitable for fighting... they would still be classified as a ''demon hunter''?"

    "Yes," she affirmed.

    "Isn''t that a bit strange? Why not just call them ''superhumans,'' or ''sorcerers,'' or even something like ''extraordinary beings'' like in web novels?" I asked, puzzled.

    "I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s just what everyone calls them," she casually replied.

    After a brief moment of contemplation, some vague thoughts formed in my mind.

    She, however, clearly wasn¡¯t interested in lingering on these trivial naming issues, and straightforwardly asked, "Zhuang Cheng, when did you first become a superhuman?"

    Weren¡¯t you calling me ¡®Senior Zhuang¡¯ before? Why the sudden change to just my name... I swallowed this thought.

    Before, when Zhu Shi called me that, I always felt like she was putting me on a pedestal, which made me a bit uncomfortable, and I even suggested she just call me by my name. But now that she actually did, I felt uncomfortable from a different angle. I really am a complicated person.

    But these were just small details, so I responded normally, "I awakened my powers a little over four years ago."

    "Over four years... So that would have been around the time you just started high school? Or maybe a little before that, just before graduating middle school... I see, no wonder you''ve been..."

    She seemed to be thinking to herself, slowly putting the pieces together.

    After a brief pause, she asked again, "Based on the injuries sustained from the Fallen Demon Hunter, your superpower must be related to fire, right?"

    "My superpower allows me to summon and control fire." I answered without hesitation.

    "To think you defeated that Fallen Demon Hunter with such a simple ability?"

    She seemed quite surprised, but was it really that surprising?

    In the context of superpower combat comics, fire abilities are often the most straightforward and unremarkable, but compared to turning into a hulking, muscle-bound monster, I felt at least in terms of style, fire abilities were superior. In many of the battle stories I had seen before, a character like the Fallen Demon Hunter, who relied on large, physical attacks, would likely only appear as an early-stage antagonist. And even if they were high-class villains, if they used skills to transform into giant monsters, it was basically foreshadowing their eventual defeat, and they were likely to end up with no corpse left to bury.

    However, I also knew that I was completely ignorant about the strange world and had no idea how the organization, Mount Luo, evaluated the powers of Demon Hunters. Relying on half-formed knowledge from stories wouldn''t work here. Perhaps other fire abilities users were unexpectedly weak, and as a result, fire abilities were seen as just a flashy but useless power in the eyes of others.

    "Can you tell me the whole story?" Zhu Shi asked again.

    "Of course."

    I told her everything from the moment I encountered the Fallen Demon Hunter to the point where Zhu Shi intervened, including all the skills I used during the battle.

    Zhu Shi then took out her phone from inside her cloak and used it as a temporary voice recorder to document my story.

    Honestly, for someone like me, a superpowered person, it would have been wiser to hide the details of my combat methods to ensure my own safety. But I hoped to leave a good impression on Mount Luo through Zhu Shi. Through this official supernatural organization, I might gain more credible clues about strange events and encounter even more exciting anomalies.

    In my mind, gaining access to Mount Luo''s resources was even more important than my concerns about Ma Zao.

    Furthermore, if I could join Mount Luo and become a part of their organization, Ma Zao would no longer be necessary to me.

    Mount Luo was a massive organization, and as the saying goes, "The monk can leave, but the temple remains." Now that I knew about Mount Luo''s existence, I would have plenty of ways to contact them in the future.

    But what about Ma Zao? Forget about her already strong desire to leave¡ªshe even claimed to have the ability to teleport. Assuming what she said was true, she could directly transport herself to somewhere I didn''t know once she recovered. While it wouldn''t be impossible for me to continue tracking her with my abilities, it seemed I already had a much better option now.

    Of course, there was an even better choice I could consider.

    That choice was simply: "I want it all."

    My encounter with the Fallen Demon Hunter wasn''t something that needed much explanation. It was mostly me overwhelming him. Soon, I had explained the whole process clearly to Zhu Shi.

    From the moment I began explaining my abilities, Zhu Shi quietly put away her phone, which she had been using as a makeshift voice recorder. Her face gradually showed an expression of shock that she couldn¡¯t hide.

    "You can ignite your target with just your gaze? And even targets out of sight can still be burned... an unquenchable flame that keeps burning no matter where the opponent runs?" After a brief pause, she couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, "What kind of ''ordinary control of fire'' is this?!"

 Ch 28: Non-routine communication 2

    I consider my superpower to be quite ordinary, but I¡¯ve never said I¡¯m weak.

    Although I haven¡¯t gone all out, based on my expectations, if I were to take things seriously, I could probably destroy a whole street with a single fireball without much effort. However, does having immense destructive power mean I¡¯m highly skilled? Not necessarily. When I was trapped in the basement, what helped me escape wasn¡¯t destructive power capable of destroying the entire basement¡ªit was analysis and reasoning.

    So, I have doubts about whether my strength could be classified as "strong." Who knows what the average strength of Demon Hunters is, and what the specific criteria for evaluating strength might be? Perhaps many people would evaluate strength based on "how big a crater you can make on the ground." But I can¡¯t view it that way anymore.

    "You have such a powerful ability, yet you¡¯ve never revealed it to those around you?" Zhu Shi suddenly grew suspicious after calming down. "So many people criticize you, saying you¡¯re crazy. Have you never thought about getting revenge on them?"

    "Since you have this ''killing with your eyes'' ability... No, you don¡¯t even need to be there. With just the intention, you could ignite the target you want to take revenge on from several kilometers away. Whether you inflict light or heavy burns is entirely up to you, and no one would suspect you at all, right?"

    Seeing her growing suspicious, I intentionally played along with her words and said, "So there¡¯s a way to do that? Thanks for the suggestion. I''ll try it next time."

    She stared at me.

    "That was a joke. Don''t worry, I never thought of doing something like that," I reassured her.

    She glared at me for a while, then relaxed her shoulders and sighed, saying, "I hope that''s the case. I don¡¯t want to see you turn into a fallen Demon Hunter..."

    "Thanks for the concern," I replied. "So, you''re saying that the fallen Demon Hunter wasn''t a traitor from your side, but someone who was already using extraordinary power to do evil from the start?"

    Because the title was "fallen Demon Hunter," when I first heard it, I assumed that the person had originally been a part of the righteous forces, but then fell and became a brutal murderer of humans. But since I could easily transition into being a "fallen Demon Hunter," it seemed like the same could apply to him.

    Zhu Shi nodded and said, "Yes. His first appearance was eight months ago, during a murder case on the fifteenth floor. He was the killer."

    I still had some doubts about the origins of the fallen Demon Hunter, but I asked the question that was most important to me: "From your perspective, was he strong or weak?"

    "¡­He¡¯s considered powerful." Zhu Shi gave a very clear answer. "Mount Luo roughly categorizes Demon Hunters into four levels, from strong to weak: Formation, Existence, Disintegration, and Emptiness. Most Demon Hunters are at the ''Disintegration'' level, while the fallen Demon Hunter is at the ''Existence'' level, and he also possesses very comprehensive physical enhancement abilities. Even within the ''Existence'' level, he''s a top-tier one."

    Formation, Existence, Disintegration, and Emptiness¡ªthese are Buddhist concepts used to describe the four stages of the world''s formation to destruction.

    "Formation" corresponds to the birth and formation of the world, "Existence" to the world after formation, where it remains stable and sustained, while "Disintegration" and "Emptiness" refer to the stages of decline and ultimate destruction, where nothing remains.

    Even though "Mount Luo" is a Taoist concept, the Demon Hunter rankings are based on Buddhist concepts, which feels a bit odd. But then again, the mutual influence between Taoism and Buddhism has historically been quite common.

    Zhu Shi added, "I started handling the fallen Demon Hunter case just a week ago. Before me, two Mount Luo Demon Hunters had already been killed by him."

    "He''s that dangerous?" I was shocked.

    "Very dangerous." As she spoke, she analyzed the situation for me. "Since your superpower can damage the Fallen Demon Hunter''s body, it means your attack methods are at least at the ''Existence'' level. This kind of power is rare even among Demon Hunters."

    "Then, according to your view..." I asked the question I was most concerned about, "Do you think I could join Mount Luo?"

    To my surprise, she immediately frowned deeply. "You want to join Mount Luo?"Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "Is there a problem?" I was taken aback.

    "With your personality, it¡¯s not surprising you would want to join Mount Luo, but..." She hesitated for a moment. "I suggest you don''t join Mount Luo, especially at this time... Mount Luo is in great turmoil, and there might be internal conflict soon. I can¡¯t go into details, but in short, I advise you not to join during this turbulent period."

    Turmoil? Conflict? I was immediately intrigued. Unknown internal conflicts in a supernatural organization sounded very enticing. I could tell she was trying to protect me by advising me to stay away from the chaos. I could only apologize, but whether I would get involved or not would depend on how much I learned about the situation.

    However, her expression seemed very resistant, so I switched to another issue that had been on my mind: "Does Chang''an know about your work as a Demon Hunter in Mount Luo?"

    "He doesn''t know. Not only does he not know I''m a Demon Hunter, but he also knows nothing about our world."

    Her words made me happy, but not because "Chang''an doesn¡¯t know." It was because she referred to "our world." As a Demon Hunter, she had explicitly connected herself to my world, making me feel like I was being recognized in some way.

    She continued, "Also, I hope you don¡¯t tell him. About my job, or anything related to the supernatural."

    "Is it a secret? But he¡¯s already encountered the supernatural phenomena in the Fifteenth Floor room, right?" I pointed out. "Ultimately, why does Mount Luo want to conceal information about supernatural matters from the general society?"

    "I don¡¯t really know how to explain it to you, but you¡¯ll likely feel the same way I do eventually." She sighed. "As for the Fifteenth Floor room, that was an accident, and we had no choice but to accept it. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll go take care of the ritual array and the basement."

    "Ritual array? Is that the magic circle?" I pretended not to have overheard her conversation with Agent Kong.

    "Yes." She nodded. "However, the ritual array and the basement may not be directly related. The latter is still an unknown event. You don¡¯t have experience handling true supernatural incidents, so I¡¯d suggest you don¡¯t get involved..."

    At this point, she noticed something suspicious. "Hmm? Wait a minute, where did you say you encountered the Fallen Demon Hunter?"

    I didn¡¯t immediately answer her question. Instead, I proactively provided her with information about the basement.

    "The basement is actually connected to the ritual array. I¡¯ve solved the mystery of the basement¡¯s appearance¡ªthe answer lies in the missing symbol of the array. The letters on the carpet just happened to complete the missing part. So every time the carpet is placed over it, the basement shifts between appearing and disappearing."

    "Ah?" She was stunned for a moment, then instinctively asked, "But the carpet and the floor aren''t on the same plane, are they?"

    "It doesn''t matter if they''re not on the same plane. Even if it''s below the basement, as long as the symbol is completed in the corresponding position, the basement can be reopened." I patiently explained. "But there are other unresolved issues, like how the entrance to the basement disappears after someone enters. I haven¡¯t figured out why this happens yet. If you plan to go in, you¡¯ll need to be cautious about that..."

    "Wait, wait, wait, hold on..." She finally snapped back to her senses, staring at me in disbelief. "Can you first explain... how you know that even below the basement, you can reopen it, and why the entrance disappears once you go in?"

    "Because I went in."

    "You went in!?" She suddenly exclaimed loudly, then realized her overreaction and quickly calmed down. "Aren''t you afraid you might never come out?"

    "That¡¯s not important."

    "No, this is important..." She grumbled.

    I continued, "Anyway, since you plan to deal with the basement, I''ll give you all the information I know..."

    Then I started sharing everything I knew.

    In truth, I hoped she wouldn''t deal with the basement just yet so that I could continue investigating the other unknown parts of it. But for one, I still didn¡¯t know if the basement¡¯s existence would affect Chang''an, who had been exposed to it. Two, rather than opposing her, I preferred to make things easier for her, aiming to build a good relationship with her and the forces behind her, which were likely part of Mount Luo. As I said, I know where my priorities lie.

    As she listened to my firsthand experience beneath the basement, her gaze grew increasingly strange.

    After I finished, she let out a long sigh. It took her a while to process everything, and when she finally did, her expression became hollow.

    "I always thought you were just really into ghost stories. When people said you were crazy, I thought they didn¡¯t understand you the way I do. They were completely wrong about you..."

    "Regardless of whether they misunderstood me, we''ve only met a few times offline, right?" I asked, confused.

    She asked, looking completely certain, "Don¡¯t we chat online all the time?"

    That was only online, though.

    She did often talk to me about Chang''an online, and we communicated a lot. But the internet is still the internet. Without even seeing each other''s faces, how could we be sure of each other¡¯s true feelings? I couldn''t keep talking to my friend''s sister about all my failed ghost story investigations when the latter was the main focus of my life.

    She couldn¡¯t be the type to fall for online scams easily, could she?

    It seemed like she had been seeing me as a good friend all along, while I was just now realizing it, which made me feel a bit guilty.

    "But now I must admit, the one who truly misunderstood was me," she said, sounding defeated. "When I heard that you awakened your superpowers a long time ago, I even thought that the reason you''ve been so persistent in pursuing ghost stories all these years was because you yourself are proof of the existence of the supernatural. Now it seems I was wrong about that."

    "No, that''s pretty much the case," I replied. "Without superpowers, I¡¯m not sure I would have been able to keep going until today."

    "Whether or not you believe in the existence of supernatural things, and how deeply you obsess over them, are two different matters," she shook her head. "Now I¡¯m truly convinced, that whether or not you have superpowers, you would have kept going no matter what."

 Ch 29: Non-routine communication 3

    Life cannot be hypothesized, just as people cannot know how they will live ten years from now. Similarly, one cannot know how their life would have turned out if a certain condition in the past had been different.

    Therefore, regarding Zhu Shi¡¯s statements, I can only remain noncommittal. However, she still misunderstood one thing. I¡¯ve emphasized this before: the true object of my obsession is not the supernatural but the unpredictable, transcendent adventures beyond reality. The world of the supernatural merely comes closest to this answer. It may seem similar, but to me, the distinction is quite significant.

    "Since you mentioned my superpower, there¡¯s a question I want to ask you," I said solemnly. "This question has troubled me for years and is very important to me."

    Seeing my serious demeanor, she grew serious too. "Go ahead and ask."

    So, I voiced my question.

    "What exactly is the deal with my superpower?"

    "Huh?" She looked confused. "This question... you''re asking me? Aren''t you the one who knows best?"

    "Actually, it¡¯s like this..."

    I recounted the origins of how I awakened my superpower.

    "Ah, no wonder you always carried a candle around in middle school and kept staring at it from time to time..." After hearing my story, she suddenly had an epiphany. Then, without thinking, she blurted out a cruel remark. "I even wondered if you''d been possessed by some evil spirit to act so strangely. Turns out, the real issue is with your brain."

    "What did you just say?"

    And why does she even know about my middle school years?

    "Ahem!" She quickly realized what she¡¯d said, coughed twice, and finally adopted a serious tone. "Right, I get it now. So, what you want to know is the principle behind your superpower, right?"

    "Exactly. Even in fictional worlds, the origins of superpowers are always explained somehow. Like whether it''s caused by some undiscovered mutant gene, radiation from a special mineral, or if humans inherently have the potential to awaken superpowers but it¡¯s just incredibly rare..." I listed a few examples.

    "This is a tough question for me to answer definitively," she said, scanning me up and down.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if she was using some special power at that moment, but I suddenly felt an unsettling sensation, as if all my clothes had been stripped off and I was being scrutinized completely exposed.

    Thankfully, the feeling disappeared quickly. She withdrew her probing gaze and gave her conclusion: "There are many reasons why someone might develop superpowers. The examples you mentioned earlier are all legitimate cases. As for you, I can at least say you''re not someone with the bloodline of demons or monsters. Beyond that, I can''t draw a more specific conclusion¡ªperhaps only a precise examination could shed light on it."

    A precise examination conducted by Mount Luo? I mulled over the idea in my mind, weighing its pros and cons.

    "But this is strange..." Zhu Shi suddenly remembered something. "By all accounts, supernatural are supposed to attract one another. Since you''re already a superpowered individual, that means you''re one of us. Yet the fact that you''ve never encountered any supernatural events before just doesn¡¯t add up."

    "Supernatural attract one another? Why is that?" I asked, intrigued.

    She offered an irresponsible explanation: "I don¡¯t know; it¡¯s just a widely recognized phenomenon."

    "Isn''t that answer a bit too rough?" I complained.

    "Besides," she continued, saying something I found completely incomprehensible, "I¡¯ve also investigated some of the locations you¡¯ve looked into in the past. Many of those places did have genuine supernatural. For you, it shouldn¡¯t have been that hard to discover them. But somehow, you just never encountered any..."

    Her words set off a storm of turmoil in my mind. "Wait a second, I don¡¯t get it. Are you saying that..."

    "I can¡¯t figure it out either. It¡¯s almost as if you and supernatural events aren¡¯t drawn to each other but repelled instead," she said with genuine puzzlement.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Many of the supernatural I investigated before were real? And I¡¯m repelled by supernatural events?

    This was the first time I¡¯d ever heard of such a thing!

    But if what she said earlier is true, then I should indeed be more likely to encounter supernatural events compared to ordinary people. It¡¯s unreasonable that after tracking them for years, I¡¯ve had no results at all.

    I took a moment to calm myself, then tentatively asked, "...So, following this trend, if I were to join Mount Luo..."

    "If the cause can¡¯t be determined, even if you become a member of Mount Luo, you¡¯d probably still be destined to never encounter supernatural events," she concluded, then fell into thought. "Speaking of which, logically speaking, this time you should have passed by the basement in Floor 15th like you always do... What special change occurred this time that made you finally encounter an supernatural event?"

    Upon hearing this, the only decisive change I could think of was that I met Ma Zao.

    Before, I thought that once I connected with Mount Luo, I wouldn¡¯t need Ma Zao''s "bad luck" anymore. But now, it seems that was just my wishful thinking.

    Sure enough, I can¡¯t let Ma Zao go!

    She remains indispensable, even more so than before.

    I must keep her firmly in my grasp, I absolutely cannot let her slip away from me.

    It seems like Mount Luo is also searching for Ma Zao now, but I don¡¯t know their purpose. Can I find out through Zhu Shi? I carefully considered how to phrase my questions in my mind. A small misstep, and I could inadvertently reveal a flaw, exposing that I know Ma Zao¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°Is there anything else you want to know?¡± Zhu Shi seemed to notice the question lingering on my lips. ¡°It¡¯s fine, today we¡¯ve gotten to know each other again. I¡¯ve learned a lot from you, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I¡¯ll answer as best as I can.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about the Fallen Demon Hunter,¡± I finally came up with a specific line of reasoning in my mind. ¡°You mentioned before that the Fallen Demon Hunter is the murderer from the murder case eight months ago, right? Well, I met a police officer before, and he said the murderer from eight months ago is the same as the serial killer who has recently appeared.¡±

    She thought for a moment. "You mean Agent Kong, right? He''s the one I asked to investigate the Fifteen Floor room for me."

    "That officer is also from your Mount Luo group?" I asked, pretending not to know.

    "Yes, but his primary job is as one of our front-line investigators. He only posed as a police officer because of the task at hand; he''s not a real police officer."

    "I see..." I continued, "Anyway, Agent Kong told me that the murderer and the serial killer are the same person, and it''s a 13- or 14-year-old girl. Does this mean that the Fallen Demon Hunter, before transforming, was a girl?"

    "Ah, you''re talking about that..." She showed an awkward expression. "No, no, that''s not it. Don''t worry, you haven''t burned a little girl that young."

    "So, Agent Kong lied to me then, deliberately accusing someone who didn''t kill anyone as the murderer?" I pressed. "Why? Who is the girl he was looking for?"

    "This matter is related to a task Agent Kong is currently handling, so it''s not convenient for me to disclose much..."

    From her expression, it seemed like she also felt that Mount Luo¡¯s accusation of Ma Zao as the serial killer was morally questionable. But after all, I was an outsider to Mount Luo, and to her, I had nothing to do with this matter. If I pressed further, it might raise suspicion. I would have to think of other ways to probe.

    At that moment, Zhu Shi''s phone rang.

    She looked down at the caller ID, and her expression shifted to a more businesslike one before answering the call.

    I quietly turned my right hand behind my back and activated "Firefly," using my special sensory ability to eavesdrop on the conversation. The voice on the other end seemed to belong to the gray-uniformed personnel who had collected the body of the Fallen Demon Hunter. Their tone was a bit strange, saying that the preliminary results of the autopsy had come in and they hoped Zhu Shi could come over to take a look.

    What could be so important that Zhu Shi, a frontline investigator, needed to go back to check?

    After agreeing to the call, Zhu Shi hung up and gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry, I need to head back for work."

    "Is it related to the Fallen Demon Hunter? Before he died, he mentioned that he had seen me two years ago and had some kind of grudge with me, but I don''t remember him at all."

    I had mentioned this situation briefly to her when I described the battle earlier.

    "I''ll look into it," she nodded and then added, "Actually, I think there''s something very strange about the Fallen Demon Hunter''s death."

    "What is it?" I asked.

    "He had a skill that allowed him to use shadows as a portal, transferring between different spaces," she said. "But according to your description, during his escape, he never used this skill, even though it''s perfect for fleeing. Maybe I¡¯m just overthinking it... but this case might not be over yet."

    The skill she mentioned wasn¡¯t unfamiliar to me.

    When the Fallen Demon Hunter first appeared in front of me, he had come out of the shadows.

    Since he could emerge from shadows, it meant he should also be able to enter them.

    Yet, in his desperate escape, he never once used the shadows to flee ¡ª why?

    This incident might not be over yet ¡ª I couldn¡¯t help but have that thought.

    After saying goodbye, Zhu Shi hurriedly turned around, and I was also preparing to head home.

    In fact, if circumstances allowed, I originally wanted to take out the black jade stone I had obtained from the basement and ask Zhu Shi to help me identify it. However, judging by the cautious attitude she had toward the abnormal phenomena, and her sense of duty as a demon hunter for Mount Luo, I figured that once I handed over the black jade, I might not be able to get it back. So, I decided to abandon that plan for now.

    Suddenly, I noticed that after taking a few steps, Zhu Shi turned around and looked at me again, her gaze seemingly hesitant.

    Not knowing what she wanted to say, I stood still and waited for her to speak.

    After a moment, she let out a sigh, and her expression slowly softened. Her voice returned to its usual tone, and she gave me a slight smile.

    "See you tomorrow, Senior Zhuang."

    As she spoke with a smile, she waved goodbye.

 Ch 30: Poisonous Flower

    I ultimately didn''t follow Zhu Shi with "Firefly."

    Regardless of the ever-possible departure of Ma Zao, since I had decided to establish a relationship with Zhu Shi and Mount Luo, it would be inconvenient to take actions that might damage that relationship. Zhu Shi isn''t like Chang''an, and as a demon hunter, she might detect my "Firefly." Although she didn''t seem to notice when I was with Chang''an in the hospital, there¡¯s always the possibility of an exception.

    As I walked home, I was still reflecting on the conversation with Zhu Shi.

    This was the first time I had officially revealed my abilities in front of someone else, especially someone I knew. Although I¡¯ve kept my true powers hidden up to this point, I¡¯ve secretly hoped for the moment when I could showcase them.

    "Fame and wealth that don''t return to one''s homeland is like walking at night in gorgeous clothes." Gaining great power and not showing it to anyone around you is no different from walking in fancy clothes at night.

    In high school, I couldn''t help but imagine, before falling asleep, a person with exceptional observation and reasoning skills. This person would notice the slightest suspicious detail about me, then go through a series of magical deductions and self-denial, painfully reconstructing their worldview. In the end, they would follow the clues to find me, and with overwhelming shock and an inability to accept reality, they would state their reasoning: "Zhuang Cheng, are you really a superhuman?"

    At that time, I would calmly admit their reasoning in front of them and demonstrate my powers¡ªyes, I am.

    Who could have predicted that this time, I did confess the truth of being a superhuman in front of a friend''s younger sister, but she, too, transformed before my eyes, revealing herself as a member of a mysterious organization of demon hunters.

    It felt nothing like I had imagined...

    Just as I was struggling to reconcile this thought, my phone suddenly made a sound, signaling a new message. When I looked at it, the message was from Zhu Shi. The content was a single sentence:

    "By the way, Senior Zhuang, you are not allowed to return to investigate the basement in Floor 15th tonight. Just in case, I have asked the investigator to keep watch over it!"

    What a sister who could be so drastically different from one moment to the next.

    The first time we met, she called me "Senior" because she had already planned to enter Xianshui University. Recently, she had indeed enrolled in the first year of Xianshui University, so I could proudly call myself her Senior.

    "I understand, Zhu Shi." I replied to the message.

    After a while, I returned to my doorstep, having bought some late-night snacks along the way, which were packed in two plastic bags.

    "Firefly" had already returned before me and confirmed Ma Zao''s condition. Ma Zao was still at home, just as she was when I left, lying on the couch in the living room.

    However, she seemed quite exhausted now, curled up on the couch. The mystery novel I had recommended to her was halfway opened, resting beside her head. There were also some old magazines I had bought out of curiosity placed on the coffee table, showing signs of being flipped through.

    She was still wearing the gray top and pants I had given her. Perhaps she had taken my words, "Feel free to use anything at home," to heart. She had found some rubber bands from somewhere and used them to secure the sleeves and pant legs, which were rolled up in layers, at her wrists and ankles.

    I opened the door and walked into the house, then approached her side. Her sleep quality looked poor; her eyes were tightly shut, her brows furrowed, and her throat emitted meaningless whimpers like a small animal. Even though she was asleep, her entire body was still tense, as if drawn into a bow.

    Although earlier I had been thinking, "Now that I have Mount Luo, maybe I no longer need Ma Zao," seeing her again made me instinctively toss those thoughts aside.

    It wasn''t just because I still needed Ma Zao to counterbalance my unknown repulsion effect with supernatural events. Honestly, I hadn''t even thought about that aspect first. Sometimes, I have to admit that I''m a short-sighted person, more inclined toward what is immediately reachable, and someone easily swayed by emotions. Her figure awakened the mysteries of her that had been buried in my mind, and once again, I found myself unable to escape from her.

    I turned and placed the two plastic bags on the coffee table. To keep an eye on her, I still thought it best to carry her to the bedroom, just like last time, and sleep on the couch myself. However, as soon as my finger touched the back of her knee, she suddenly startled. Her eyes snapped open, and in an instant, she swiftly leaped up. One hand grabbed my arm, while the other lunged toward my throat.

    I had a feeling this kind of development had happened during the day as well. Was I about to be put in a joint lock again?

    This thought instinctively crossed my mind. Although I knew I wouldn¡¯t be in any danger, it was like walking past a corner in a hallway and suddenly having someone jump out to scare you¡ªanyone would be startled, and so I was too.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    In the next instant, her quick and agile movements seemed to hit the "pause" button. The hand that was about to choke me shifted from a tight grip to a light touch.

    "Zhuang Cheng?" she asked, uncertain.

    "It''s me." I calmed my heartbeat. "I''m back."

    She froze for two or three seconds before relaxing and sitting cross-legged on the couch.

    "Where did you think you were?" I asked.

    "I''m sorry." She muttered, looking upset.

    "I¡¯m not upset with you," I said as I placed one of the plastic bags with items in it on her lap. "Look, I brought you something."

    She looked down, her nose twitching as her eyes lit up. "This is..."

    I pulled out a hot, cheese-filled chicken cutlet from the plastic bag and said in a friendly tone, "I thought you''d probably be hungry by now, so I brought you a midnight snack."

    "I''m not that greedy," she protested, but her eyes couldn''t leave the fried food in my hand.

    I purposely asked, "So, you don''t want to eat it?"

    "...I do want to eat," she reluctantly admitted.

    "Go ahead," I said, handing the chicken cutlet to her. Then, I pulled out something else from the other plastic bag. "There¡¯s ice cream too. After you finish the chicken, you can have this."

    "Ice cream? I¡¯ve seen it in written materials before. It¡¯s supposed to be really tasty..." She widened her eyes, staring at the chocolate-flavored ice cream in my hand.

    Yes, go ahead and eat it. Eat as much as you want. It would be best if you messed up your stomach and couldn''t leave my house... I hid those malicious thoughts deep inside, continuing to recommend the midnight snack to her. She seemed more and more eager to try it.

    Suddenly, she looked up and asked suspiciously, "Aren''t you going to eat?"

    "I will."

    It seemed that if I just watched her eat, she wouldn¡¯t move. Fortunately, I had already anticipated this and bought two servings.

    After a while, we finished everything. She seemed somewhat satisfied and, once again, unconsciously showed a contented smile.

    Perhaps she was already very tired, and after eating, she became even sleepier. Her eyelids slowly started to droop. I suggested she go back to the bedroom to sleep, but she insisted on sleeping on the sofa.

    "The bed is only one, right? This is your home, so you should sleep in the bed," she said, now much more relaxed than before. "You''re really strange. Is there really only someone like you in this day and age? If it were the end of the world, someone like you would die very quickly."

    "That''s not necessarily true. There are plenty of bad people in this era too," I shamelessly accepted the label of being a ''nice guy,'' then asked, "From what you said earlier, it seems you''ve come across some materials about this era. What do they say?"

    "I haven''t come across much material, and a lot of it was written by people from the post-apocalyptic era based on their memories and impressions. I¡¯ve heard that during the civilized era, people''s morals were very noble," she said seriously. "Anyone who grew up in the post-apocalyptic era can''t be trusted. They only know how to deceive and hurt each other, thinking only of benefiting themselves. But those who grew up in the civilized era were honest, united, rational, hardworking, and willing to contribute..."

    She thought for a moment, then added, "Also, they were incredibly serious about their work. Even when cleaning toilets, they would scrub them until they were so clean you could drink the water from inside..."

    "Wait, wait, wait..." I started feeling something was off after hearing the rest. "What exactly was that last part? Who wrote it, and based on what memory?"

    She picked up an old magazine from the coffee table, flipped to a page, and pointed at the text. "Isn''t this what it says?"

    I quickly concluded, "This is a made-up ghost story. It''s fake."

    "Actually, I don''t really believe those things, but after seeing you, I started to wonder if the legends I heard about the civilized era might be true," she said, and towards the end, she couldn''t hold back a yawn.

    "I''ll say it upfront¡ªI won''t be drinking toilet water," I said.

    "Why would I ask you to do that? You''ve helped me so much, and I don''t even know how to repay you..." She became more and more tired, her body swaying.

    After a while, she finally couldn''t resist and fell asleep again.

    Would her sudden sleepiness be related to the soul injuries she mentioned? I tried picking her up again. Although she insisted on sleeping on the sofa, I reasoned that it would be better for her to sleep in the bed, and for me to sleep on the sofa so I could keep an eye on her movements while she slept. This wasn''t me being softhearted, it was a rational choice. This time, she didn¡¯t wake up. I carried her to the bedroom, laid her on the bed, and covered her with a blanket.

    I''m not sure if it was another nightmare, but her brows furrowed again, and her body tensed up.

    I reached out a finger to smooth the crease between her brows, silently concentrating on generating warmth, making the blanket nice and cozy. Her expression gradually softened, and her whole body relaxed.

    I recalled the smile of happiness on her face when she tasted the food and the way her knees gently wobbled like a child''s, then looked at her peaceful, relaxed face now.

    I slowly withdrew my finger and reflected on all that had happened so far.

    Though there are still things I can''t fully confirm, based on my observations and experiences, I no longer need to add uncertain phrases like "maybe" or "perhaps" when considering the truth of the bad luck or curse that follows Ma Zao.

    The basement, the ritual array, Moumt Luo, Zhu Shi, Agent Kong, the Fallen Demon Hunter... ever since Ma Zao arrived, I''ve been encountering one mysterious thing after another¡ªthings I had never come across in my past life.

    It felt like the protagonist of a fantasy story, someone who had lived a dull and uneventful life before the story began, only to be struck by a series of misfortunes once the story unfolded. Just as one trouble seemed to subside, another would emerge.

    In the past, no matter how hard I tried, I could never encounter anything related to the supernatural. But now, those things seemed to come to me on their own, as if every step I took might lead to a new adventure.

    If this isn''t Ma Zao looking out for me, then how else could it be explained?

    At least, I''m willing to believe that this is the truth.

    And that means I have to approach it with the assumption that Ma Zao''s bad luck might affect not just those around her, but even those connected to them. I must now decide how to handle my relationship with her going forward.

    I have to make a choice¡ª

    Either I give up on continuing my relationship with Ma Zao, kick her out of my house right now, and return to a boring, uneventful life that guarantees safety and doesn''t drag anyone else down;

    Or, I cut off all normal relationships with family, friends, and classmates... and choose to remain connected with Ma Zao, embracing a life of separation from normal society.

    .........

    What a remarkable poisonous flower.

    Very well, this suits my intentions perfectly.

    I do enjoy poisonous flowers, the more toxic, the more delicious.

    I have chosen the path of maintaining a relationship with Ma Zao.

 Ch 31: Approaching The End 1

    I miscalculated.

    The junk food and ice cream didn¡¯t ruin Ma Zao¡¯s stomach, but instead, they ruined mine. That night, I had diarrhea.

    Perhaps it was also because I slept on the couch without properly covering myself, which caused my stomach to catch a chill. Ma Zao slept soundly all night, while I had to get up in the middle of the night and run to the bathroom. When I turned back and saw her innocent sleeping face, unaffected in the slightest, I felt like I had shot myself in the foot.

    There was more to my miscalculations. When I was under the basement, I had wondered whether the flow of time in the real world was different from that in the otherworld. After returning to the real world, I could have used my phone to check for any time difference, but then so many things happened one after another that by the time I remembered this question, it seemed my phone had automatically corrected the time when it connected to the network.

    I could talk to Zhu Shi about the events in the basement, but I couldn¡¯t talk to Ma Zao about it. As for the black jade I found in the basement, I had considered whether I should ask Ma Zao to appraise it. Unlike me, Ma Zao should have knowledge about strange things and might be able to identify something.

    But then I thought, if she couldn''t identify it, it wouldn''t be a big deal. But what if she really identifies the black jade as something strange? That might damage the relationship between us, so I decided to temporarily set it aside.

    The next morning, I bought breakfast downstairs and came back to wake Ma Zao up. She found herself in the bedroom bed and looked at me, completely confused, as if she still couldn¡¯t accept my ¡®kindness¡¯ towards her.

    Of course, I wouldn''t specifically explain my sinister intentions; I just gave a more reasonable explanation: "How could I let you, a delicate girl, sleep on the couch while I comfortably sleep in the bed?"

    She sat on the edge of the bed and, after hearing my words, uncomfortably shifted her body, then spoke with an unhappy tone: "Why are you saying that again... The apocalypse doesn''t discriminate between men, women, or children, and I''m not a delicate girl."

    "But this isn''t the apocalypse, and I''m not from the apocalypse era," I said seriously. "Besides, in my eyes, you''re a delicate girl."

    "I''m not delicate."

    "Who was it that kept fainting and falling yesterday?"

    "..It was me," she reluctantly admitted.

    "Well answered." I handed over the breakfast from the plastic bag. "This is the reward."

    She immediately forgot all her unhappiness and looked at the breakfast with eager anticipation.

    The breakfast was just a simple start. I hadn''t forgotten the promise I made to her yesterday to make her something even tastier. By evening, I would make her a heavy, spicy, fish-and-meat-filled Sichuan meal, delivering a powerful blow to her fragile digestive system.

    This time, I absolutely wouldn¡¯t shoot myself in the foot again¡ªat least, I hope not.

    However, it wasn¡¯t ideal to keep using the tactic where she sleeps in the bed and I sleep on the couch to prevent her from quietly leaving after I fall asleep. I had thought of a new solution, one of which involved making some modifications to the "firefly."

    The "firefly" is my dispersed spirit, essentially a sort of clone. Although it cannot think independently like the main body (me), it should have some degree of adaptability.

    For example, I could try inputting some "preset instructions" into the "firefly," so that when it detects certain changes in its environment, it will respond accordingly. Taking Ma Zao as an example, if Ma Zao tried to leave me, the "firefly" would detect this change and send an alert through our mental connection, waking me from my sleep.

    I am still in the practice and testing phase. Theoretically, it should be possible, but the practical results will depend on how things go in the future.

    After finishing breakfast, I told Ma Zao that I needed to go out.

    "Where are you going?" she asked, habitually, like a wife suspicious of her husband''s infidelity.

    It wouldn''t be too much to say that this comparison wasn''t just my imagination. Living with an attractive person of the opposite sex, doing everything together like brushing teeth, washing up, eating, and then one person saying they need to go out¡ªimmediately the other person becomes alert. In such a suggestive situation, most people would probably have this kind of thought.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Though the person who was on guard was five or six years younger than me, and I had only formally met her a day ago.

    But I, like a husband accustomed to infidelity, answered calmly, "School."

    "School... school?" she repeated, as though the words didn''t quite sit right, then suddenly realized, "Right, there are schools in this era."

    In the post-apocalyptic era, there were no schools, which was to be expected.

    I lied to her again. I wasn¡¯t going to school; I was heading to the room on the fifteenth floor.

    This time it wasn¡¯t for exploring a basement, but to observe how Zhu Shi would handle the ritual array. Of course, part of my intention was also to continue trying to establish a connection with Mount Luo.

    I had already made up my mind to distance myself from interpersonal relationships in normal society, which, of course, included my interactions with Chang''an.

    Zhu Shi, on the other hand, was a demon hunter from a strange world. She didn¡¯t belong to "normal society" and had the ability to protect her personal safety. Maintaining a relationship with her didn¡¯t feel as dangerous as maintaining one with Chang''an. However, she was still the sister of a friend, and if possible, I didn¡¯t want to involve her in any danger caused by me. After officially establishing a relationship with Mount Luo, I would also need to distance myself from Zhu Shi.

    Thinking of this, a sense of loneliness grew within me.

    If nothing unexpected happens, my connection with Chang''an¡ªand with this friend¡ªwill come to an end.

    From childhood to adulthood, there have been very few people willing to become friends with me, and in college, it was just Chang''an. The scenes from our journey of becoming acquainted and understanding each other floated in my mind, only to fade away one after another, like a candle flame blown out by the wind.

    In fact, I should have done this long before I met Ma Zao. Even if I had never had a "bad luck" aura around me, as someone who pursued the strange, I could have brought disaster to those around me. Forming random relationships was irresponsible behavior.

    The experiences beneath the basement were a search for me, but for the people around me, they were nothing but disaster.

    Now was the perfect opportunity to kill off my weak self. I was a villain who valued my own desires more than my friendships. If I truly believed that my friendship with Chang''an was more important than the strange world Ma Zao had opened for me, I would never have made such a choice from the very beginning.

    After temporarily bidding farewell to Ma Zao, I left the "firefly" behind to monitor from the shadows, then moved toward the complex where the room on the fifteenth floor was located.

    The battle I had with the fallen demon hunter in the complex was definitely recorded by surveillance cameras, but no officials came to knock on my door. It¡¯s likely that Zhu Shi and Mount Luo had already filed a report. Last night, there also seemed to be some issue with Mount Luo¡¯s inspection of the fallen demon hunter¡¯s body, which is another part I plan to inquire about.

    ¡ªThis incident might not be over yet.

    That¡¯s what Zhu Shi told me.

    Although I find it hard to believe the fallen demon hunter would come back to life, there might still be other unknown dangers lurking in the shadows.

    Could these dangers potentially affect Ma Zao through me? It¡¯s a thought I¡¯ve had, but unlike my attitude toward Chang''an and Zhu Shi, in my mind, Ma Zao was never a helpless girl to be dragged into something. Instead, she was the mysterious figure who could pull everything around her into a storm. I was also quite curious about how she, who often talked about the apocalypse and disasters, would react when facing something truly strange.

    When I reached the room on the fifteenth floor, Zhu Shi had already arrived ahead of me.

    To my disappointment, she wasn¡¯t wearing the raincoat and wide-brimmed hat from last night. Instead, she was dressed in a white blouse and a black skirt, carrying a large black guitar case, looking like a band girl who had snuck out of a rehearsal room.

    She must have just arrived as well. At that moment, she was walking around the ritual array on the floor, while the wooden lid and the basement beneath it had disappeared. On my way here, I didn¡¯t encounter the agent she mentioned who was supposed to be keeping watch. They probably left after she arrived. Her expression as she looked at the ritual array seemed to be one of contemplation, as if deciding where to start erasing it.

    The door wasn¡¯t closed, so I just walked in. I couldn¡¯t have closed it anyway, since the lock had already been melted by me last night. She heard the noise and looked up alertly. When she saw it was me, she relaxed her expression, but her demeanor remained serious.

    It seemed that she wasn¡¯t in the gentle ¡°Junior Zhu Shi¡± mode now, but in the ¡°Demon Hunter Zhu Shi¡± mode where she would address me by my full name. It felt a little regretful.

    "Zhuang Cheng, why are you here?" she asked. "And did you break the door lock?"

    "I did," I said. "I¡¯m just here to take a look."

    "Just looking? Not planning to enter the basement?" she asked suspiciously.

    "I promised I wouldn¡¯t enter," I answered seriously.

    She mumbled softly, "So suspicious..."

    "By the way... why did the basement disappear?" I asked, now more focused on it, while taking out my phone.

    "You really do want to go in, don¡¯t you?" She was startled.

    "No, no, it¡¯s just pure curiosity."

    Based on my observations, the carpet rolled up by the side of the room was exactly the same as it had been when I left last night, meaning no one had covered the ritual array with the carpet. The basement must have disappeared on its own. To rule out the possibility of a memory error, I even took out my phone to check the photos I took last night.

    With this, the reasoning that "the basement''s manifestation changes only after the carpet covers the ritual array" was immediately disproven.

    Of course, it¡¯s also possible that the basement itself has a natural tendency to disappear after being manifested for a certain period, just like how a phone screen automatically turns off after being idle for a while. This could also explain why the entrance and exit of the basement disappeared automatically after I entered it last night.

    Just then, I heard footsteps behind me, and another person entered the room on the fifteenth floor.

 Ch 32: Approaching The End 2

    Zhu Shi and I simultaneously turned to look at the newcomer.

    The person who walked through the door was dressed in a gray uniform. I had seen this uniform last night¡ªit was the same outfit worn by the Mount Luo personnel who had retrieved the corpse of the fallen demon hunter.

    As for this person¡¯s face, it was even more unforgettable. It was none other than Agent Kong, who had once knocked on my door and later unintentionally disrupted my exploration of the basement.

    "Hmm?" Agent Kong¡¯s face turned awkward the moment he saw me. "You¡¯re Zhuang Cheng..."

    "Good morning, ''Officer.''"

    Seeing his face again stirred up a mix of emotions within me.

    Although I possess the supernatural ability to manipulate fire, having grown up in a society governed by law, I¡¯ve been thoroughly marinated in its propaganda and slogans. Deep down, I have an unconscious sense of awe and reverence for official authority. Just the thought that I might be rejected by society instinctively fills me with unease.

    Initially, I had firmly believed that Agent Kong was a real police officer. I even broke into a cold sweat worrying about harboring a "serial killer" and privately possessing firearms and ammunition. Now, however, the tables had turned¡ªhe was the one feeling guilty for having impersonated a police officer. Our roles had completely reversed.

    "Don¡¯t mock me. You¡¯ve probably already heard from Zhu Shi¡ªit was all part of Mount Luo¡¯s assignments."

    Hearing this, Agent Kong looked even more embarrassed. He quickly waved his hand and changed the subject. "I¡¯ve already heard¡ªit was you who defeated the fallen demon hunter, right? I¡¯m the agent responsible for patrolling this area, so I have to thank you for your heroic efforts. By the way, are you planning to join Mount Luo? I¡¯d recommend that you..."

    Before he could finish talking about me joining Mount Luo, Zhu Shi frowned and immediately interrupted, "Agent Kong, how¡¯s the progress on that matter I asked you to investigate?"

    From Zhu Shi¡¯s attitude, it was clear that she really didn¡¯t want me to join Mount Luo. Was it because of the internal chaos and the potential conflicts she mentioned last time? Or was there another reason?

    I didn¡¯t rush to ask, nor did I continue mocking Agent Kong. Instead, I followed Zhu Shi¡¯s lead and asked, "That matter¡ªwhat do you mean?"

    "It¡¯s about the potential grudge between you and the fallen demon hunter," answered Agent Kong. "All information related to the fallen demon hunter incident is compiled and submitted to Zhu Shi by the ¡®Probe¡¯ responsible for this area¡ªthat¡¯s me. If Zhu Shi discovers any suspicious points during the handling of the case, she will ask me to investigate further."

    "And in her report, she mentioned that the fallen demon hunter seemed to harbor a very intense hatred toward you, with clues pointing to ''two years ago.''"

    I added, "That¡¯s right. However, back then, he shouldn¡¯t have had the kind of power he has now, nor would he have transformed into a non-human appearance. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have failed to recognize him."

    "Unfortunately, after his death, the fallen demon hunter did not revert to his original human form but retained his monstrous appearance. We¡¯re unable to identify his original social identity or investigate the nature of the grudge between the two of you from two years ago," Agent Kong said with a regretful shake of his head before continuing. "However, another result was uncovered..."

    "What is it?" I asked curiously.

    "It¡¯s the cause of death," Zhu Shi interjected. "The fallen demon hunter¡¯s cause of death was neither your flames nor my sword energy¡ªit was acute organ failure."

    I searched my limited knowledge of medicine: "So... it was death by shock?"

    "Close, but not the burn shock you¡¯re thinking of. It was an unexplained failure phenomenon," Zhu Shi explained. "For someone as powerful as the fallen demon hunter, acute organ failure might typically lead to a loss of control over their power and a self-detonation. However, it seems he consumed too much energy before dying, so he just died quietly."

    It was probably because I kept chasing him and burning him while he was continuously regenerating his physical tissues, consuming a lot of energy in the process. After hearing Zhu Shi¡¯s explanation, I formed a reasonable interpretation in my mind.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    But the fact that she referred to that fallen demon hunter as a "stronger being" made it hard for me to agree. Or was it possible that my standard for judging strength and weakness was the one that was skewed?

    "Even though we can¡¯t rule out the possibility that his acute organ failure was caused by excessive energy consumption, we still need to stay vigilant. When it comes to incidents involving supernatural, any unusual traces must be taken seriously and viewed with suspicion," Zhu Shi said earnestly. "Especially you, Zhuang Cheng... If the fallen demon hunter somehow makes a comeback, you¡¯re very likely to become his target."

    "I¡¯ll be careful."

    However, instead of worrying about myself, I was more concerned about how I could protect Ma Zao if she were caught up in any of this.

    While I was lost in thought, Zhu Shi turned around and resumed examining the ritual magic circle in the room. She then crouched down beside it and began inspecting the black plush carpet.

    A moment later, she let out a contemplative and puzzled sound. ¡°¡­Something really doesn¡¯t add up¡­¡±

    ¡°Is there an anomaly?¡± I shifted my focus to her.

    ¡°Zhuang Cheng, you mentioned last night that the alphabetic symbols on this carpet completed the missing parts of the ritual circle,¡± she said hesitantly. ¡°From my perspective, what you said isn¡¯t unreasonable. The ritual circle could indeed be completed in this way. However... even if it¡¯s completed, it¡¯s still a severely flawed circle. The chances of it successfully activating are astronomically low.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s basically impossible to activate?¡±

    She stated firmly, ¡°If this kind of circle could activate, it would be nothing short of a miracle.¡±

    ¡°A miracle¡­¡± Once again, Ma Zao came to mind.

    Could this also be Ma Zao¡¯s influence? Was it her presence that brought about the near-zero-probability event of the basement appearing, just to entangle me in the anomalies within it?

    But attributing all misfortune to Ma Zao¡¯s ¡°jinxed aura¡± seemed like an intellectual cop-out. Would I start blaming all my future bad luck on her as well?

    Could there be other clues I hadn¡¯t noticed yet? Slowly, the image of the black jade stone surfaced in my mind.

    However, as a clue, the black jade was still far too vague¡­

    ¡°That said, this does confirm something. Perhaps opening the basement was indeed the fallen demon hunter¡¯s goal in setting up this ritual circle. But the fact that the basement actually appeared wasn¡¯t something he achieved intentionally, because he simply didn¡¯t have the capability. In fact, he¡¯s probably the one most desperate to understand why the basement appeared in the first place,¡± Zhu Shi said, straightening up with her hands on her knees. ¡°Now, we can go ahead and erase this ritual circle.¡±

    "How about trying to open the basement again using the method I suggested? Maybe we¡¯d discover something new," I suggested, still feeling regretful that the basement in the fifteenth-floor room had been erased.

    "No, the safest way is to eliminate it without triggering any anomalous phenomena."

    Zhu Shi once again displayed her extremely cautious attitude before turning to deal with the ritual circle.

    However, instead of wiping it away with a mop or similar tool, she took out a white chalk and began drawing entirely new mystical symbols around the outer edge of the circle.

    Seeing my confusion, Agent Kong provided an explanation.

    Since it was a bit complicated, I simplified it based on my understanding: essentially, the ritual circle might still contain residual energy. While a demon hunter¡¯s power could suppress it when destroying the circle, there was still a risk of causing damage to the surroundings. What Zhu Shi was now doing was setting up a new circle designed to absorb any remaining energy and safely dissipate it into the environment.

    Although the process was something you¡¯d never witness in ordinary society, to me, it felt a bit tedious. Leaving without learning more would have been a shame, so I decided to chat with Agent Kong and ask about Mount Luo.

    Agent Kong immediately picked up on my implied meaning after a few words. "So, you¡¯re interested in joining Mount Luo, is that it?"

    I hid my eagerness in my heart and pretended to be calm as I asked, "Yes. For an organization like yours that deals with the supernatural, what kind of requirements are there for recruits? For instance, do you think I¡¯m suitable?"

    Initially, I wanted to be more straightforward, but the only Mount Luo personnel I currently had access to were Zhu Shi and Agent Kong. At this level, while they weren¡¯t official interviewers, they felt somewhat like it to me. I could relax a bit around Zhu Shi, but when it came to Agent Kong, I became keenly aware of myself as a candidate. I tried to suppress my bubbling enthusiasm, hoping not to let the "interviewer" see how eager I truly was.

    Agent Kong nodded slightly, pondering aloud, "Well, as far as I can see, you..."

    Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence because Zhu Shi, who was busy drawing mystical symbols on the floor, had shot him a sharp glare.

    "Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say it, I won¡¯t say it..."

    Agent Kong quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. Zhu Shi¡¯s expression softened slightly before she turned back to her work. Taking advantage of her focus on the symbols, Agent Kong gave me a sly wink.

    I nodded in understanding and made up an excuse about needing to use the restroom, leaving the room on the fifteenth floor and heading straight downstairs.

    After a while, Agent Kong seemed to have found his own reason to step away and met up with me downstairs.

    "I told Zhu Shi that I needed to attend to some of my ''Probe'' duties. It¡¯s not entirely an excuse, though. Let¡¯s talk as we walk," he said, leading the way out of the residential area. His tone carried a hint of melancholy. "You were asking earlier if you could join Mount Luo, right? My answer is clear: if someone like me, without any powers, can join, then of course you can."

    "That¡¯s great news! But if that¡¯s the case, why is Zhu Shi so against me joining Mount Luo?" I asked, puzzled. "Is it because the organization is going through turbulent times?"

    "Did Zhu Shi tell you about those issues? Only part of them, I¡¯m guessing. It¡¯s true Mount Luo is in a state of turmoil, but that¡¯s something for the big shots to worry about. We little guys only need to focus on our livelihoods," he said. "As for why Zhu Shi is against you joining Mount Luo, it¡¯s most likely because¡­ you¡¯re a flame-wielder."

 Ch 33: Approaching The End 3

    "I¡¯m a flame-wielder. What¡¯s the issue with that?" I asked, recalling the moment I revealed my ability to Zhu Shi and how surprised she was that I had defeated the fallen demon hunter with fire.

    I also thought about the confrontation with the demon hunter. When he realized I was a flame-wielder, his wariness dropped several levels.

    Initially, he had been extremely cautious, using feints and diversions to deal with an unknown opponent. But as soon as he discovered my ability, he boldly closed the distance. It wasn¡¯t just that the unknown became known¡ªit seemed he genuinely didn¡¯t think flame-wielding was a particularly formidable power.

    Could Zhu Shi think the same way? But I had already described my battle to her. If she believed the demon hunter was a formidable opponent, then as someone who defeated him relatively easily, I shouldn¡¯t be considered weak, right?

    "The common issue with flame-wielders lies in a severe lack of both defensive and mobility capabilities," Agent Kong explained. "For elemental ability users like you, especially those who control fire, the defining trait is overwhelmingly destructive power. If an opponent takes your attack head-on, they could easily be obliterated on the spot. Even if they have strong defenses, it¡¯s just a matter of hitting them a few more times¡ªassuming they¡¯re willing to stand still like a target dummy and let you attack."

    "And correspondingly, your margin for error is far lower than that of your opponents. Once you embark on the path of a demon hunter, you¡¯ll face countless dangerous anomalies¡ªsome of which can afford to make countless mistakes in front of you, while you only need to make one to be doomed beyond redemption.

    "The key to surviving the path of a demon hunter isn¡¯t about achieving great successes but about enduring great failures."

    "I see, it¡¯s an issue of error tolerance," I said, fully grasping the concept. "So, does that mean as long as I improve my defense and mobility, I¡¯ll be fine?"

    "That¡¯s easier said than done. The forms of danger posed by anomalies are incredibly diverse¡ªnot just physical forces, but also mental powers, curses, and even spatial-temporal and rule-based forces, along with others that defy comprehension. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve never envied demon hunters. The world they face is too terrifying," Agent Kong sighed. "You¡¯ve experienced it firsthand, haven¡¯t you? That feeling of being in a true dead end, completely powerless, unable to escape no matter what you try...

    "Zhu Shi mentioned in her report that the basement beneath the fifteenth-floor room was an absolutely isolated subspace. Not only were electronic signals unable to penetrate it, but even supernatural connections were severed. She noted that your connection to the flames you summon seems to be a kind of mental link. I assume that¡¯s a conclusion you reached through your exploration, right?"

    "Exactly." I recalled the isolated experience beneath the basement and said, feeling the weight of it, "Even with powerful abilities, when faced with unpredictable anomalies, there are times when you¡¯re powerless... So, is this the reason why Zhu Shi opposes me becoming a demon hunter for Mount Luo?"

    Thinking it over, I realized that Zhu Shi hadn¡¯t directly brought up this reasoning, perhaps to avoid hurting my pride.

    "It¡¯s not just that," Agent Kong pondered for a moment. "Zhu Shi also strongly dislikes killing and bloodshed. Though, even so, she will act when necessary... In any case, the enemies of a demon hunter are not just monsters and anomalies; they also include humans who use their power for evil purposes. She probably doesn¡¯t want you to kill anyone."

    "But I already fought a fallen demon hunter?" I countered.

    "That¡¯s different. First, the fallen demon hunter didn¡¯t die by your hand; second, he wasn¡¯t defeated in his human form by you." His voice suddenly grew very serious. "With your superpower, killing a human would be incredibly easy. There¡¯s a saying¡ªthough I¡¯m not sure how true it is¡ªthat on today¡¯s battlefields, humans are more likely to overcome the psychological burden of killing each other than in ancient times. Do you know what the basis for that saying is?"

    I¡¯ve never been on a battlefield, but I immediately understood what he implied: "Because of the difference in weaponry?"

    "That''s right. In ancient times, humans killed with swords and spears. While there were long-range weapons, most of the time it was face-to-face combat, stabbing the weapon into the living flesh of the opponent, even hearing their screams and seeing their pain up close. The process was incredibly cruel," he said slowly. "In modern times, humans use firearms. Pulling the trigger can take someone''s life."The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Even more at ease than soldiers using firearms are the powerful elites. They just need to sit in their offices and give an order, and people far away will die without them lifting a finger, with no psychological burden. Many elites harm countless people, not because they are born cold-blooded demons, but because it seems too easy to them, like clicking the left mouse button in a strategy game."

    "And you? As a superpowered individual, you possess a power far more terrifying than that of any elite. You don''t need to move your hands or feet, or even instruct anyone else¡ªyou only need to think, and you can take many lives... Once you start killing, do you really think you can stop?"

    Listening to his words, I couldn''t help but start reflecting seriously.

    It was like an interrogation of my own soul.

    I was very aware that I had the power to take someone''s life with just a thought, and I often imagined such scenarios in the past. Now, I was mentally simulating the scene of actually killing someone, repeatedly confirming my resolve.

    However, whether someone living in a peaceful society can truly take a life in a critical moment is something that cannot be truly known until the situation arises. Similarly, whether killing with such ease would lead to a disregard for human life, treating it as nothing more than dirt, is also something impossible to understand without firsthand experience.

    As I thought, I noticed that Agent Kong didn''t seem to be waiting for my answer. He was silent, staring into the distance, deeply lost in his own thoughts.

    Suddenly, an idea flashed in my mind. His question wasn''t just applicable to me¡ªit also applied to the demon hunters. Don''t they, like me, possess a "power far more terrifying than that of the powerful elites"?

    Perhaps not all of them have the effortless ability to turn a person into ashes, like I do, but they must also possess powers like mental manipulation, curses, and other methods. Throughout history, many rebels and heroes, when rising to power, would claim they were chosen by heaven. Any coincidence in their achievements would be beautified as a divine fate, as if some unimaginable force had granted them favor, which helped them win the support of countless superstitious followers.

    Even deception has such an effect, let alone the demon hunters who truly possess supernatural powers?

    Why, in a world with supernatural organizations like Mount Luo, is history still dominated by ordinary people? Shouldn''t the current political system be more reasonably centered around "extraordinary individuals"? Not that "extraordinary individuals" would necessarily be better at governing the country than ordinary people, but in terms of power struggles, it''s hard to understand how regular people could compete with them.

    So far, I''ve never heard of a demon hunter causing a huge disturbance in society, which means there is a powerful force suppressing them.

    Is this suppressive force Mount Luo? And how does Mount Luo ensure its demon hunter group doesn¡¯t become the source of chaos?

    According to Zhu Shi, it seems that Mount Luo is currently in a troubling state of turmoil...

    I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m overthinking things in the current conversation context, but it feels like a storm is brewing.

    As an outsider, I don¡¯t have the standing to probe into Mount Luo¡¯s internal matters. Even when I asked last time why Mount Luo hid information about supernatural events from the public, Zhu Shi was vague in her response.

    It seems that becoming a demon hunter is indeed the only way to unlock more clues.

    Agent Kong withdrew his gaze from the distance, then smiled, lightening the solemn atmosphere with his tone:

    ¡°I¡¯ve said so much, but honestly, I still hope you can join Mount Luo.¡±

    I immediately perked up. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°As a probe for Mount Luo, it¡¯s part of my job to scout potential demon hunters from among civilians, but that¡¯s secondary. More importantly, I hope that Zhu Shi can become your guide, and you can stand by her side to support her,¡± he said with a gentle expression. ¡°She bears the mission of hunting demons, but she¡¯s far less resilient than she believes. Afraid of her own blood, afraid of her opponent¡¯s blood¡ªshe even feels uneasy about killing bad people¡­ She¡¯s far too na?ve and fragile. If you could be there to support her, that would be ideal.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my friend¡¯s sister. If she¡¯s ever in danger, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help her,¡± I replied seriously.

    ¡°Good.¡± He nodded with satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ll be reassigned to another area soon. Knowing you¡¯ll be there to look after her puts me at ease.¡±

    As we spoke, we had long since left the residential complex and arrived at a street near Xianshui University. It was still the morning rush hour, with the road bustling with cars and pedestrians. Many students were passing by, and food carts at the intersections were selling breakfast items like jianbing and hamburgers.

    Our conversation contained a mix of secretive, mystical topics unknown to the general public. However, Agent Kong seemed entirely unconcerned about being overheard by passersby. Seeing this, I, too, spoke freely. It was obvious that even if anyone overheard our words, they would not believe them. Demon hunters? Supernatural abilities? To the uninitiated, these sounded like nothing more than elements of fantasy.

    Even as I walked through this familiar, everyday scene filled with the air of normalcy, I suddenly began to feel a growing sense of truly ¡°drifting away from normal society.¡±

    It was a kind of loneliness entirely different from the isolation beneath the basement.

    "Agent Kong, can you answer a question for me?"

    "As long as it¡¯s not something I can¡¯t answer," Agent Kong replied.

    "It¡¯s about the time you impersonated a police officer."

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± He once again looked embarrassed. "Haven¡¯t we already put that topic to rest?"

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not trying to tease you¡­ What I want to ask is about the young girl you accused of being a serial killer.¡± I was momentarily at a loss for words before continuing. ¡°I asked Zhu Shi about it before, and she said it was a task under your responsibility and couldn¡¯t disclose more details. So I¡¯m asking you instead.

    ¡°Why is Mount Luo looking for this girl? Who exactly is she?¡±

 Ch 34: Approaching The End 4

    Agent Kong first looked puzzled, then scrutinized my expression.

    ¡°Why are you so interested in this matter?¡±

    Because prying into information related to Ma Zao might arouse suspicion, I had already prepared an excuse: ¡°I¡¯m interested in strange and peculiar things, and this matter might also be connected to the Fallen Demon Hunter incident.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, is that so¡­¡± Agent Kong thought for a moment before answering. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not classified information. The reason Zhu Shi didn¡¯t tell you is probably because, from the perspective of Mount Luo¡¯s personnel, it¡¯s not exactly a proud matter.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­Mount Luo did something wrong?¡± I asked tentatively.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know if that¡¯s the case. I¡¯m not one of the higher-ups, nor do I have access to all the information. Let me answer your earlier question first, about who that girl is¡­¡± He continued, ¡°As far as I know, she¡¯s the world¡¯s only known survivor to wake up from Soul-Loss Syndrome.¡±

    ¡°¡­Soul-Loss Syndrome?¡± I repeated the unfamiliar term.

    Taking the phrase literally, it should refer to a "disease of losing one''s soul."

    Forgive my ignorance, but I¡¯ve never heard of such a condition¡ªunless it¡¯s just a metaphor for being in a vegetative state.

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you haven¡¯t heard of it. This mysterious illness is dismissed as an unexplained vegetative state in the surface world. Only in our circles is it referred to as Soul-Loss Syndrome,¡± Agent Kong explained in a low tone. ¡°It began spreading globally four years ago. To date, it has afflicted many people, but its source, transmission method, and cure remain unknown. Mount Luo has deployed countless experts and spent four years uncovering just two facts:

    ¡°First, the disease is caused by some unknown supernatural phenomenon. Second, while the bodies of those afflicted continue to function normally, their souls are completely gone.¡±

    ¡°Their souls¡­ gone?¡± Thoughts immediately began racing through my mind.

    I had once asked Ma Zao whether her experience involved physical or spiritual transmigration, and her response had been ambiguous. However, it was evident she couldn¡¯t confirm if the body she currently inhabited was her original one. If she really were a transmigrator from the apocalypse, the likelihood of her being a spiritual transmigrator was quite high.

    Coincidentally, the body Ma Zao currently uses was, in this era, a complete shell¡ªa perfect vessel seemingly placed there specifically for a spiritual transmigrator to inhabit. I¡¯ve read some transmigration novels where the original soul of a body perishes due to drowning or a fever, conveniently leaving the body for the transmigrating protagonist to take over.

    But fiction is fiction¡ªI still need to focus on real-world issues.

    For instance, what happened to the soul that originally inhabited that empty vessel? And could it be related to Ma Zao¡¯s spiritual transmigration?

    The first possibility that came to mind was: could the original soul have transmigrated to the apocalyptic era, somehow lost all its memories, mistakenly believed itself to be a resident of that era, and then inexplicably transmigrated back to the current time?

    No, there¡¯s a glaring flaw in this hypothesis: in the apocalyptic era, Ma Zao would also need a body to host her soul. Yet how could a body almost identical to Ma Zao¡¯s current one exist in another era?

    Given that Ma Zao¡¯s original body is highly likely to resemble her current one, another hypothesis seems more plausible: she is a Ma Zao from another world, and the apocalyptic event occurred in the future of that other world.

    This would fall under the so-called parallel worlds theory.

    However¡­ the parallel worlds theory is still just a hypothesis in the scientific community. Using it as the foundation for reasoning¡ªwould that be too far-fetched?

    To be honest, my mind is now filled with terms like "transmigration" and "apocalypse," concepts that until now I''d only encountered in novels and comics. Trying to analyze these without sounding far-fetched is almost impossible.

    "I more or less understand," I said, deciding to refocus my thoughts on reality. "In other words, this girl is the only known case of recovery. By studying her body, there¡¯s a chance to save numerous soul-loss syndrome patients, right?"

    "Exactly." Agent Kong nodded slightly and continued, "However, after she woke up, she disappeared from the hospital immediately. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary departure¡ªit was as if she vanished into thin air, like the air swallowed her."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Spatial displacement?" I immediately recalled what Ma Zao had mentioned about her so-called "blessing power."

    "That¡¯s what Mount Luo suspects as well. But the issue is, this girl, named Ma Zao, was just an ordinary girl before she contracted soul-loss syndrome. And while she was in a vegetative state, she had absolutely no opportunity to come into contact with any extraordinary powers," Agent Kong explained slowly. "Yet after she woke up, she suddenly possessed the ability to perform spatial transfers. Even more baffling are her actions¡ªshe¡¯s no pushover, I can tell you that."

    "When she reappeared, she had somehow infiltrated the local police department and stolen firearms and ammunition¡ªa feat that the original her would have neither intended nor been capable of," Agent Kong said.

    The fact that the body''s original owner was also named Ma Zao slightly raised the plausibility of the parallel-world hypothesis. However, it could also serve as evidence that Ma Zao might be lying and that the apocalypse and transmigration were fabricated from the start.

    As Agent Kong spoke further, I considered a possibility from an outsider''s perspective: "Are you suggesting that she didn''t actually wake up from soul-loss syndrome... but rather, her empty body was taken over by some malicious spirit that came out of nowhere?"

    This explanation seemed to fit.

    It would explain why Mount Luo is pursuing Ma Zao as though she were a criminal. They aren''t tracking a "unique case of recovery" but rather a malevolent ghost that has taken over a young girl''s body.

    And even I don''t have enough evidence to completely rule out this possibility.

    Still, compared to the notion of a "post-apocalyptic transmigrant," the idea of a "possessive ghost" feels undeniably disappointing. What''s more, if Mount Luo operates from a position of justice, why would Zhu Shi and Agent Kong feel that Mount Luo''s actions in this case are unbecoming?

    "I had similar doubts," Agent Kong shook his head, "but the higher-ups don''t see it that way. They''re genuinely operating under the premise that she''s a ''recovered soul-loss syndrome patient'' as they conduct a large-scale search. They''re so eager, in fact, that they acted preemptively by labeling her a serial killer and pushing the public security system to enforce this suspicion, though the latter hasn''t agreed to it yet. If it were just a minor case of possession by a spirit, the higher-ups definitely wouldn¡¯t resort to such measures."

    "Could it be that they¡¯re actually unsure?" I, an outsider, deliberately took a relatively sympathetic stance, offering my interpretation. "That girl might indeed be a recovered patient, or she might be someone possessed by a malevolent spirit, and they''re simply preparing for the worst.

    "For instance, because she previously infiltrated the police department and stole firearms, they probably couldn¡¯t justify searching for her under the pretext of an abducted or missing girl. And conveniently, there¡¯s recently been an unidentified serial killer in our city, so they went ahead and used that as a cover."

    "With the methods available to high-ranking demon hunters, detecting whether a spirit had invaded a hospital ward is an incredibly simple task. They must be certain. While they can¡¯t explain how that girl gained her powers or why her personality changed so drastically, they don¡¯t regard her as someone else," he said. "Additionally, given her unknown spatial transfer abilities, the higher-ups have decided to extend the search nationwide."

    "More search methods go without saying, and the aggressive accusations used before won¡¯t be left out either. Such a large-scale operation, such unscrupulous means... Zhuang Cheng, do you understand what this implies?"

    Nationwide search? Ruthless tactics?

    I felt relieved that Ma Zao wasn¡¯t merely a simple case of possession by a malevolent spirit, but I was also shocked by Agent Kong''s account, leading me into deep thought.

    Given Ma Zao''s potential value in the eyes of Mount Luo, a nationwide search made sense. Her infiltration of the police department to steal firearms was undoubtedly her fault. From the perspective of secular law, this could easily be classified as a major crime. However, Mount Luo isn''t part of the public security system, and its actions don¡¯t resemble those of a fair and just official organization. Aside from the scale of their operation being on an official level, the entire approach reeks of cutting corners and bending the rules.

    What a tangled web!

    I could feel the blood coursing faster through my veins as I slowly voiced my impression of Agent Kong''s words: "As long as they can get their hands on that girl, her basic rights don¡¯t matter... Is that it?"

    Wait, isn¡¯t that exactly how they¡¯re treating me?

    Agent Kong nodded.

    "What I know about that girl is only what I¡¯ve told you. I wasn¡¯t supposed to share so much, but you seem to have a habit of digging into strange stories. Rather than letting you go snooping around elsewhere, it¡¯s better that I clarify things myself," he said. "Of course, I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand Mount Luo. Mount Luo consists of more than just one faction. The ones behind this matter are merely one of the more radical groups."

    That last comment felt like a subtle jab at me... I deflected, asking, "Are you part of that faction?"

    The word "faction" gave me a bad feeling.

    "I''m just a low-level grunt. How could I claim to be part of any faction? I''m just a pawn, tossed around like a soccer ball," he replied with a self-deprecating chuckle. Then he added, "By the way, Zhu Shi has absolutely no connection to the faction involved in this matter."

    "Thanks for the reminder," I said as I glanced ahead. "By the way... where exactly are we heading?"

    "I already mentioned it earlier. I''m here to handle my duties as a ''probe''," he said, stopping in front of me. "A ghost story investigation¡ªthis is something you''re most familiar with. If you''re interested, you can come along with me. Who knows, in some areas, I might even fall short compared to your expertise."

    At that moment, we had arrived at the abandoned construction site near Xianshui University.

    Ahead of us was a cold, desolate piece of land, with a half-built, crumbling structure standing in the middle. I couldn''t tell what its original purpose had been or why it had been abandoned. From a distance, it looked like a gray, crude tombstone, oddly planted in the city, as if even the wind passing through here grew colder by three degrees.

    This was the place where I first encountered Ma Zao.

 Ch 35: Approaching The End 5

    Standing in this abandoned construction site, I couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of emotion.

    It was here that I found Ma Zao. For so long, I had possessed incredible power, yet no incredible adventure had come my way. It was only from that moment that I finally turned the first page of my life''s story. This place was the site of my destiny, the starting point of my journey.

    Though it appeared desolate and empty to outsiders, to me, it seemed as though everything here had been touched by a magical filter. Whether it was the weeds swaying in the cold wind, the piles of construction debris beside them, or especially the looming unfinished building ahead, everything seemed to carry a suggestive charm.

    The lower floors of this building had relatively intact outer walls and partitions, while the upper floors were still missing walls and partitions. At a glance, it resembled a parking lot suspended in the air.

    A voice, indifferent as ever, came from beside me: "Zhuang Cheng, do you know the ghost stories that circulate around here?"

    "Yes," I replied. "I¡¯ve heard of it. It''s said that this place is haunted. Back when this area was still under construction, a foreman without a helmet walked beneath the building being erected. Unfortunately, a heavy object fell from above and struck his skull.

    "After his death, the construction site began to experience strange occurrences, and people became fearful. Eventually, the development and construction were abandoned, and the construction team left the area."

    Agent Kong nodded in agreement, leading me into the unfinished building. My view shifted from bright daylight to the dim, eerie interior.

    He seemed to be gathering his thoughts, then took over where I left off and continued, "That¡¯s the general story. It happened before I was assigned here. But there¡¯s more to it, and this part has only recently gained attention. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of it. It¡¯s said that the malevolent spirit lurking here tries to abduct female college students passing through the area after school.

    "The victim claimed that when she passed by the site late at night, she saw a bloodied man standing on the unfinished building. Then, when she blinked, she found herself inside the building, and that bloodied, twisted figure was right in front of her, slowly drawing closer."

    "However, the evil spirit seems to have limited power. After moving the victim inside the building, it couldn''t continue and could only watch helplessly as the person escaped in panic, unable to recapture them."

    This was the same story I had heard, but, no¡ªactually, it was fortunate that what I encountered here wasn¡¯t the typical, unremarkable evil spirit from the ghost story, but instead, the "lucky" encounter with Ma Zao.

    It was clear that Agent Kong was investigating this supernatural event as a member of the Mount Luo, and this was my first time investigating a ghost story with members of a supernatural organization.

    In the past, I had always worked alone, not understood by those around me; now, I was exploring alongside people who took the strange and unexplained seriously, and it felt incredibly refreshing, even stirring emotions that were hard not to express.

    Seemingly casually, he asked, "Have you investigated here before?"

    "I..." I was about to say that I had, but then I suddenly remembered some of the marks inside the unfinished building and changed my answer, "I haven''t been here before. I was planning to come recently."

    "Really? Well then, let''s take a look together. I came to investigate twice after the rumors first spread, but I didn''t encounter any evil spirits. However, the expressions of the people involved when they spoke about their personal experiences didn''t seem like they were lying, so I thought it would be better to come and check again," he said with a slightly playful tone, in contrast to the serious demeanor he had when posing as a police officer. "Maybe it''s because I''m not a female university student; the evil spirit isn''t interested in an old man like me, so it didn''t appear in front of me."

    As we walked along the corridor, passing by the exterior of a rough unfinished room on a lower floor, Agent Kong suddenly made a sound of surprise, walked into the room, and began to examine it.

    It was the very place where I had found Ma Zao, and there were still remnants of blood stains on the floor from the previous night¡ªthis was the reason I had claimed not to have been here earlier.

    Agent Kong crouched down and touched the bloodstains.

    "This... blood, is it human blood?" He looked thoughtful. "It seems like it was left not long ago... has someone been killed?"This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Perhaps there really is an evil spirit here. Agent Kong, do you have a way to find it?" I feigned ignorance about the blood, pretending to be worried as I asked, "What if the evil spirit doesn''t show itself?"

    "Don''t worry. After all, I am a professional, so I do have a way," he said with a confident smile, then stood up. "Some abnormalities have special rules for their activities, such as targeting only children, or only the sick, or in this case, only people of a specific gender... so they won''t easily show themselves in front of others outside of those targets.

    "But as agents, we can''t just give up our investigation because of such reasons, so we must have ways to bypass those special rules to a certain extent."

    My curiosity was piqued. Was he going to demonstrate his true abilities for forcing an anomaly to reveal itself?

    To be honest, I was more interested in the real methods that the agents of Mount Luo used to investigate abnormalities than in the demon hunters'' combat techniques.

    Agent Kong took out a silver-gray square piece, about the size of a smartphone, from his pocket.

    The surface of the square piece was covered with a dark gray paper film. He tore it off, revealing intricate, mysterious engraved symbols, almost like a metal talisman.

    "I don''t know if you''ve heard this saying, but abnormalities tend to attract each other," he explained to me. "Although the specific principle behind this rule is still unclear, there are theories that can explain it, especially when it comes to evil spirits.

    "It''s like how a hungry human would find high-calorie, high-fat food particularly appetizing. Similarly, those inner voids in evil spirits make them crave high-quality souls. And when such a soul appears before them, even if it doesn''t match their hunting interests, they can''t control their instincts and will act on impulse."

    I looked at the "metal talisman" in his hand and made a guess: "Does this item seal the kind of soul you''re talking about?"

    "How could that be! The thing you''re talking about is too evil. This is just a tool that emits a similar scent to attract nearby evil spirits," he said, first speechless, then continued, "If the rumors are true, the evil spirit here should be a low-level one with only instinct. Even if it normally targets female university students, it will surely be drawn to this item, uncontrollably rushing toward it."

    "I see..." I observed the surroundings, staying alert for any potential enemies. "But if the evil spirit really does appear, won''t you be in danger, Agent Kong?"

    "I have the protective talisman that was provided to agents by Mount Luo. Low-level evil spirits can''t harm me," he smiled. "And even if something unexpected happens, aren''t you here too? Let''s see your real skills, the hunter-in-training, Zhuang Cheng."

    Upon hearing this, I made up my mind to show off my abilities here.

    Simply showing a bit wouldn''t be enough. Since Zhu Shi felt that my defenses were lacking and that I wouldn''t go far on the path of a demon hunter, I needed to demonstrate a skill I hadn''t used before. Even if Zhu Shi herself wasn''t here, it would be good for Agent Kong to see it.

    If I just talked about it verbally, they might think I was boasting, but if I showed it in action, no one would be able to deny it.

    I focused intently, on high alert for any sudden attack from the evil spirit. Agent Kong also closed his mouth and kept his eyes peeled.

    But after quite a while, the space remained eerily silent, and Agent Kong showed a confused expression.

    After another moment, he finally couldn''t help but ask, "What... nothing has happened?"

    "Could it be that the rumors about the evil spirit are fake?" My first thought was that.

    "It shouldn''t be... Based on my past experience, there''s an 80-90% chance there''s an evil spirit here..." he said, perplexed, and then lowered his head to check the metal talisman again. "The soul-attracting talisman is working fine... Could there be some other factor preventing the evil spirit from appearing?"

    "The rumors say the evil spirit appears at night. Could it be that the timing isn''t right?" I asked.

    "Evil spirits do fear sunlight, but this is indoors, and it''s the place where the evil spirit was born. Even if it dislikes the daytime, it should still appear under the attraction of the soul-attracting talisman," he pondered, thinking deeply. "Could it be that there really is no evil spirit here? Or is there some other influencing factor that is preventing the evil spirit from approaching?"

    "Let''s wait a little longer. Maybe the evil spirit is still getting up." I had long since grown used to waiting in vain and had more patience when it came to this.

    He nodded slightly, and we waited together. However, after a long time, there was still no sign of the evil spirit appearing.

    Zhu Shi had said last night that I seemed to repel strange things, which was why I had always failed to encounter the things I was seeking.

    Could it be the same reason the evil spirit isn''t showing itself now?

    Even the soul-attracting talisman, which should have drawn the evil spirit in, seemed unable to counteract this unknown repulsion. But logically, since Ma Zao''s bad luck should have neutralized my unknown repulsion, how should this be explained?

    Could it be that there really is no evil spirit here?

    Or perhaps, as this is my "fateful place," even in this regard, it must demonstrate a unique style?

    At this point, Agent Kong could only put the soul-attracting talisman away and leave the unfinished building with me for now.

    We went to a place far away from the abandoned construction site, and on the way, he apologized to me, saying, "Sorry, I brought you here to show you the strange phenomena, but it turned out to be a wasted trip."

    "It''s fine, I don''t mind. I''m used to it," I said, my attitude still stable.

    "Used to it..." He gave a helpless smile, then seemed to think of something. "That reminds me, I have a question."

    "What question?"

    "Since you''re so determined to pursue the strange and have extraordinary abilities, why have you never revealed yourself?" He observed me curiously.

    "What do you mean?" I asked in return.

    "Although you only recently learned about our organization, you must have suspected the existence of supernatural groups in this country from the start, right?" He looked at me with curiosity. "If you displayed your abilities in broad daylight to those around you, Mount Luo would naturally come to you, and you could make contact with us. Why haven''t you done that? Are you afraid of being treated as an experiment by official forces, locked up, or even dissected for research?"

 Ch 36: Approaching The End 6

    "The method you mentioned, I have considered it as well..." I carefully chose my words.

    The reason I didn¡¯t do what Agent Kong suggested is actually quite simple.

    Perhaps to others, my superpower seems to be something I was born with, naturally and intrinsically tied to me, but I¡¯ve never thought about it that way.

    Why did I awaken my superpower? This has been a question I¡¯ve pondered since the day I first awakened it. Was it really because I was born with the potential for it, and it just so happened to awaken during puberty? Or could it be that the method I was obsessed with¡ª"lighting a candle with my gaze"¡ªwas truly effective? That as long as I persisted, I could awaken the power to control fire?

    Or perhaps my ancestors had the bloodline of a demon or deity, and it manifested in my generation? Or maybe, not long ago, I encountered some external factor that triggered my superpower awakening, but I just haven¡¯t recalled it?

    I always feel like the origin of my superpower is a bit strange. When I was thinking about lighting the candle, I just so happened to awaken the corresponding superpower, and the speed at which this power grew was enough to make me shiver.

    At first, I was incredibly delighted by the mysterious power that appeared within me, repeatedly practicing the manipulation of my superpower in secret places; and during this practice, my superpower grew rapidly, just like how muscles become stronger after repeated training.

    But gradually, I realized something unusual.

    It seemed that even when I wasn¡¯t actively practicing, my superpower would still grow stronger on its own. Although not as quickly as when I actively practiced, I could feel that even if I simply lay down on a patch of grass, my superpower would automatically strengthen with my breathing. And as time passed, this power grew to a level that even I couldn¡¯t fully understand.

    Is this really a power that can casually appear in a human like me? I often doubted.

    In many stories about superpowers, they¡¯re not permanent. They can degrade or even disappear due to various factors. Some stories are even more extreme, saying that superpowers are a phenomenon that only appears during puberty, and once a person matures, no matter how powerful they were before, the powers will disappear as time passes.

    What is obtained in an unknown way might also be lost just as mysteriously one day.

    I¡¯ve never looked at this mysterious power with a sense of security. I¡¯ve long been prepared for the possibility that it may one day become unusable. With this premise in mind, I would certainly not take it for granted as my inherent asset, nor would I rely on it as the foundation of my life, showing it off in broad daylight.

    Of course, when I must use it, I will throw aside all my concerns and use this power without hesitation. When threats like the Fallen Demon Hunter appear before me, if I keep thinking about things like what life will be like tomorrow or the day after, the result will be that I won¡¯t even survive today.

    Moreover, I have no intention of taking my superpower to the grave. Although I still remain cautious about the true nature of this power, "adventures beyond reality" are what I focus on most. If by the time I graduate from university and enter society, I still haven¡¯t obtained what I want through investigating ghost stories, I will actively expose my power to the public to attract the attention of supernatural organizations.

    Fortunately, before I reached that point, Mount Luo appeared in front of me first.

    Noticing that I hadn¡¯t replied for a long time, Agent Kong kindly reminded me, ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient to answer, there¡¯s no need to force yourself.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s inconvenient to answer, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s a long story¡­¡±

    Just as I was saying this, my ears suddenly caught an unusual sound.

    It was like the sound of a stick being thrust into thick liquid and stirred vigorously¡ªdull and strange, and it seemed familiar, as though I had heard it somewhere before. This inexplicable sense of familiarity made me immediately stop talking and look toward the source of the sound.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    It was a small patch of shadow at the edge of the curb not far away, which had become unusually thick and deep, to the point that it stood out from the surrounding shadows, as though it were ink spilled on the ground, constantly spreading and growing. From that strange shadow, bubbles began to rise, bubbling and undulating on the surface. The sound came from here.

    Suddenly, an extremely thick arm shot out from the shadow, splashing ink-like liquid onto the surroundings. This scene was all too familiar to me¡ªit was the same one I had witnessed last night when the Fallen Demon Hunter appeared before me. Soon, a demon monster, identical to the Fallen Demon Hunter, crawled out from the shadow.

    And the changes didn¡¯t stop there. The other shadows around us began to show the same anomaly. The second and third demons climbed out onto the ground. One appeared in front, while the other appeared behind, blocking our retreat. The three demons glared at us with ferocity.

    If only one demon had appeared, I might have wondered if the Fallen Demon Hunter from last night had come back to life. But with three demons appearing consecutively, I could only conclude that the Fallen Demon Hunter wasn¡¯t a single entity.

    These three demons didn¡¯t speak but instead emitted deep, animalistic growls, with saliva dripping from their mouths. Perhaps they weren¡¯t even humans that had been transformed.

    Indeed, the incident with the Fallen Demon Hunter was far from over.

    What is their purpose for appearing here? Are they here to take revenge for what happened last night? Is the target only me, or does it include Agent Kong as well?

    Does this have anything to do with the grudge between the Fallen Demon Hunter and me?

    How unlucky! If it were just me here, it would be fine, but there¡¯s also Agent Kong, who isn¡¯t skilled in combat.

    Seeing this scene, his voice started to tremble: "Zhuang Cheng..."

    "Agent Kong, I''ll deal with them. You look for a chance to escape."

    I wasn¡¯t sure whether these three demons had different abilities from the Fallen Demon Hunter I faced last night, so I didn¡¯t finish my sentence.

    "...No, looking at their formation, I won''t be able to escape." Agent Kong steadied his emotions and pulled out a handgun from his pocket.

    I couldn''t help but glance over. It was a gray revolver with a relatively long barrel, engraved with strange symbols, seemingly a weapon designed to deal with unusual entities.

    "This is the weapon that Mount Luo equipped for the agent. Although it¡¯s not a high-end weapon, it will have to do for now," he said, forcing himself to remain calm. "Next, we..."

    He seemed like he wanted to discuss our next move, but reality isn¡¯t a turn-based game. It¡¯s not that the enemies can¡¯t act until we¡¯ve finished our turn.

    Before he could finish his sentence, the enemies charged forward.

    As they rushed at us, I turned my attention back to them and activated my superpower.

    One of the demons, the one in front charging at us, was instantly ignited, turning into a roaring torch as if gasoline had been poured all over it.

    The skill of igniting the opponent with my gaze does have a flaw¡ªit can only ignite one target at a time.

    The reason for this skill¡¯s limitation is that its principle is to direct my gaze¡ªor more specifically, to transfer my focus and spirit to the target.

    Often, when we talk about "someone transferring their spirit to an object," it actually means "someone focusing their attention on an object." Humans are visual creatures, and when someone focuses their gaze on a specific object, they are directing their attention to it.

    Thus, people often describe the eyes as the windows to the soul. Where the gaze goes, the spirit follows. And the focus of the gaze is where the spirit rests.

    While the flames can expand the area my gaze can reach¡ªstrictly speaking, this has exceeded the biological definition of sight and should be considered a supernatural perception¡ªsome principles still apply since I am still human. After all, no one can focus their eyes in multiple directions at the same time. My "attention focus," or the "spot where my spirit rests," can only exist in one place at a time.

    The second demon, directly in front of me, immediately used the first demon, who was on fire, as a shield to continue charging at me. While this would burn their own comrade, it allowed them to avoid my gaze.

    From their reaction, it¡¯s clear that they know my gaze can be a medium for flame attacks. It seems they obtained information about last night''s battle through some means. However, they still don¡¯t realize that where the flames reach, my gaze also reaches.

    Furthermore, just because my gaze can only ignite one target at a time doesn¡¯t mean I can only use one skill at a time.

    The reason I used this particular skill is simply because it was the first supernatural ability I learned, and it¡¯s the one I¡¯m most familiar with. The moment I saw the enemy moving, it was a reflex to use it. While using this skill, I quickly raised my right hand and summoned a small "firefly" from my palm.

    With a large amount of spiritual power poured into it, the "firefly" rapidly expanded, turning into a massive fireball that exploded.

    The tidal waves of flames spread in all directions, instantly engulfing the three demons that had charged from both the front and back. The area around me was transformed into a fiery purgatory, with the intense light temporarily blinding human vision.

    This time, because I needed to protect Agent Kong, I didn¡¯t hold back or show mercy. I infused the flames with the will to utterly destroy my enemies.

    Under the impact of the destructive flames, the three charging demons were immediately swept up, like fish caught in a torrent, unable to resist.

    They didn¡¯t even last a single blink before they were reduced to ashes.

 Ch 37: Approaching The End 7

    The surging flames engulfed everything around.

    Inevitably, not only myself but also Agent Kong was swept into the tide-like fire. Unable to help himself, he let out a terrified cry, ¡°Ah!¡±

    Only then did I remember I had forgotten to warn him, so I hurriedly reassured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my flames won¡¯t harm allies.¡±

    In fact, not only did they not harm allies, but even the ground and nearby greenery remained untouched. Whether it was the destructive heat or the blinding intensity of the light, they only worked against the enemies. As long as I willed it, the flames would exhibit this multi-standard special effect.

    But the ordeal wasn¡¯t over yet. At the moment the three demons were destroyed, two more crawled out from the shadows beyond the reach of the fire and light.

    At the same time, through the previous skirmish, I confirmed one thing: their combat power was inferior to that of the fallen demon hunter from last night.

    Their massive builds were the same, but their speed had significantly decreased, and their agility was in a completely different league. At least when they charged, although I didn¡¯t have time to move my feet, I could still move my arms and make a symbolic attack gesture. Whether their attack power was the same, I couldn¡¯t say, as they were taken out before they could land a blow.

    As for their defensive power¡­ well, the flames I unleashed earlier would have had about the same effect on last night¡¯s fallen demon hunter, so there wasn¡¯t much difference to discern.

    In summary, the fallen demon hunter from last night was probably an elite among them, while the ones before me were just small fry.

    The two demons let out deafening roars and charged recklessly, as if they didn¡¯t care about their own lives.

    Doing so would only lead to the same outcome as the three demons earlier.

    Considering that some demons earlier had used their companions as shields, it¡¯s clear they¡¯re more like beasts lacking humanity but at least possess some intelligence. I don¡¯t believe they¡¯re foolish enough to make such senseless sacrifices. This overly aggressive frontal charge seems intended to draw my attention, doesn¡¯t it?

    I didn¡¯t turn around but instead used the surrounding flames to sense what was happening behind me.

    As expected, a shadow had quietly crept along the ground to a spot far behind me. Although it was still within the reach of the firelight, the shadow seemed completely unaffected by the illumination and spat out a demon from within.

    At this moment, that demon was cautiously approaching me, avoiding the flames on the ground. With the roaring sound of the flames and the two demons¡¯ charging howls in front of me, even its massive, clumsy body could execute a stealthy assassination attempt.

    Initially, I planned to burn it to ashes directly, but then I reconsidered¡ªwasn¡¯t this a great opportunity?

    Agent Kong and Zhu Shi believed my strength lay solely in my offensive capabilities, so why not use this chance to demonstrate my tolerance for sneak attacks? I had originally intended to use the wraiths to showcase this, but they didn¡¯t show up. Now, with this situation falling perfectly into place, there was no reason to let it go to waste.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Fortunately, this demon wasn¡¯t as agile as the fallen demon hunter. Even with this additional maneuver, I could still protect Agent Kong.

    Raising my right hand toward the two demons in front of me, I commanded the flames on the surrounding ground to surge toward them. Under my control, the flames consumed them in an instant, reducing them to ashes.

    The demon behind me, seeing the obstructing flames on the ground redirected elsewhere, wasted no time. It accelerated and charged closer to me without hesitation.

    Its two arms morphed into mantis-like bone blades, crossing like scissors in a slashing motion aimed at my torso.

    I pretended not to notice, not even turning my head.

    However, Agent Kong had spotted the demon. His face immediately turned pale, and he shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡±

    At the same time, he pulled the trigger on the demon.

    If it were last night¡¯s fallen demon hunter, it would have been entirely impossible for a human¡¯s reflexes to keep up. Even if Agent Kong¡¯s brain could react in time, his body wouldn¡¯t move fast enough.

    But this demon wasn¡¯t on that level. A gunshot rang out, and whatever special round was loaded in that revolver, it caused the demon¡¯s massive body to veer off course. It brushed past me, narrowly missing.

    As Agent Kong himself had said before, his weapon was ultimately an emergency tool. While it managed to disrupt the demon¡¯s charge, it couldn¡¯t inflict significant damage.

    Realizing its ambush had failed, the demon let out a frustrated roar. If it had thought to attack again at that moment, it might have been trouble. But instead, it chose not to linger, fleeing into the distance without looking back.

    I could only sigh and glance at the retreating back of the demon in the distance.

    As my gaze landed on it, a brief flash of fire, as quick as lightning, erupted. In an instant, its body turned to ash.

    The battle was over. All the surrounding flames and disturbances dissipated. Except for the scattered ashes on the ground, it was as if nothing had ever happened.

    According to Agent Kong, this was undoubtedly an example of "an overly simple act of killing."

    Given the precedent of the fallen demon hunter, it was impossible to completely rule out the possibility that these demons weren¡¯t human. I only killed them without hesitation because they didn¡¯t look human to me.

    However, if the enemies I faced earlier had been entirely human, and I had been required to kill them, there would have been no difference in practical difficulty¡ªthough overcoming the psychological hurdle would have been another matter. They, too, would have been effortlessly destroyed by me.

    In the face of this power, life is so fragile... As I imagined that scenario in my mind, I felt a complicated, indescribable emotion.

    "That scared me to death¡ªI thought that monster was actually going to get you," Agent Kong exhaled in relief beside me. "Zhuang Cheng, are you okay?"

    "I''m fine."

    As I thought about Agent Kong''s intervention earlier, my initial reflections were replaced by a sense of helplessness. Truly, life is often filled with disappointments. It seems I¡¯d be better off looking for other opportunities to demonstrate my combat abilities¡ªor perhaps abandoning the idea of live combat scenarios entirely. Simply showcasing my skills in front of them might be a more reasonable compromise.

    Of course, if possible, I still hope for a chance to display my abilities in a more dramatic and impactful way.

    I set aside my scattered thoughts for the moment and stepped forward, wanting to touch the ashes on the ground.

    I was curious¡ªwould the ashes of these strange creatures be different from ordinary ones after being burned?

    But after just two steps, I stopped involuntarily.

    Agent Kong should be standing behind me at this moment, and his shadow, cast by the sunlight behind, was projected onto the ground in front of me. Yet, at some point, the arms of that human shadow had changed shape, resembling long, blade-like weapons.

    Instinctively, I turned around.

    But before I could even bring the figure into my sight, the world abruptly spun. My vision fell to the ground, and shortly after, a headless body¡ªone that was both familiar and unfamiliar¡ªcollapsed beside me.

    I struggled to lift my gaze, trying to see who had attacked me.

    But the next moment, a heavy slash mercilessly struck into my eye socket, shattering even my brain...

 Ch 38: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 1

    I am Kong Da, a probe of Mount Luo.

    In professional settings, I am usually addressed as "Agent Kong."

    Looking at Zhuang Cheng¡¯s lifeless body before me, I reverted my blade-shaped arms back to normal.

    "I¡¯ve warned you before, Zhuang Cheng," I said, pulling out a handkerchief to casually wipe my hands, then tossing the soiled cloth onto his corpse. "The weakness of a flame user lies in their lack of tolerance for mistakes. All it takes is one ambush like this, and there¡¯s no coming back."

    Yes, I am the true Fallen Demon Hunter.

    At this moment, Zhuang Cheng was undoubtedly dead. His severed head lay on the ground, his eyes destroyed by the blade, and the slash had cut deep into his skull, utterly obliterating his brain tissue.

    There were still traces of blood and brain matter stubbornly clinging to my hands. After killing so many people, I no longer felt remorse or melancholy for taking lives. However, the sticky, disgusting sensation always managed to irritate me.

    This is one of the drawbacks of being a body-enhancement type. Unlike those who use firearms, authority, or abilities that kill without leaving a trace, body-enhancement hunters must take lives with their own hands. Sometimes, they¡¯re even forced to listen to the screams of the dying and witness their anguished faces up close.

    If I had Zhuang Cheng¡¯s flame ability, perhaps I could kill with more ease and precision. But, of course, if I were actually offered a trade for such an offensively one-dimensional power, I would never accept it.

    The current situation is the best justification for my reasoning. Zhuang Cheng''s superpower is incredibly potent¡ªhe only needs a glance to destroy the clones I summon. Even if I personally faced him, the outcome wouldn¡¯t be much better. But so what?

    Being able to kill an opponent in one strike has never been something to brag about; it¡¯s merely the most basic requirement.

    In ancient melee combat, piercing an enemy¡¯s vital point with a blade or spear was enough to take their life. In modern warfare, victory comes to whoever raises their gun and fires first. Even in street fights, there are instances where an accidental elbow strike can be fatal. In human-on-human combat, overwhelming offensive power is commonplace. Thinking that "one-hit KO" is impressive is just a game-centric mentality.

    What truly matters is striking first. Even if you''re wielding a dagger against an opponent armed with a cannon, victory is assured as long as you land the first hit. Someone like Zhuang Cheng, who¡¯s essentially an amateur in combat, probably doesn¡¯t understand this.

    So what if he can kill with a glance? A simple sneak attack from behind is enough to take him down. A regular person could kill him if they were determined enough. In the bizarre world we inhabit, there are far more unfair and overpowered abilities than his. His skill is relatively easy to counter once you identify its weaknesses.

    ¡­That said, when he unleashed that omnidirectional fire attack earlier to kill my clones¡ªand incidentally engulf me as well¡ªI was so startled I nearly transformed on the spot. I genuinely thought I had been exposed, or that he¡¯d gotten so carried away with the fight that he forgot I was his ¡°ally.¡±

    Turns out his flames can distinguish between friend and foe, and he simply forgot to warn me in advance. What a guy¡ªcompletely lacking in team awareness.

    I¡¯ve analyzed his personality briefly, and in my view, he is a very typical case of someone who becomes arrogant after obtaining great power.

    Many might assume that such individuals would inevitably act recklessly in society after gaining their abilities, but that¡¯s not necessarily true. Based on the cases I¡¯ve observed over the years, at least half of these individuals merely see themselves as superior to others around them, while still showing a measure of reverence toward powerful national institutions.

    These people tend to see themselves as elevated above ordinary people and often exhibit a certain degree of disregard for human life. This is entirely natural. Anyone who possesses the ability to kill someone just by looking at them¡ªand lives with the constant awareness of being able to kill without any cost¡ªwill inevitably experience a psychological distortion over time. As the saying goes, ¡°When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail,¡± and ¡°Those who wield sharp tools develop a killer instinct.¡±

    He likely frequently envisions scenarios of killing in his mind, perhaps even wanting to test it out in reality¡ªnot because he has any particular motive, but simply because he can. There¡¯s a lawless glint in his eyes, suggesting he may even ponder how to fight back if confronted by the police or military. Outwardly, he appears modest and cautious, but deep down, he harbors immense confidence in his power. While he wouldn¡¯t actively seek trouble, he genuinely believes that if it came to a fight, he would undoubtedly emerge victorious.

    In the absence of any conflict, he might try to conceal his identity as a superpowered individual. However, if circumstances force his hand, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to reveal himself. According to Zhu Shi¡¯s report, when he encountered him at the scene of a battle and spoke with him, the man didn¡¯t attempt to hide his actions. This stems from a latent desire to showcase his uniqueness to those around him.

    To him, a mundane life feels suffocatingly restrictive. This is why he yearns to venture into an extraordinary world, much like a fish thrown onto land longs to return to water. He likely believes that such a world is where he truly belongs.

    It is an utterly na?ve and arrogant dream.

    ---

    I first came into contact with the world of the supernatural and demon hunters twenty years ago.

    Back then, I was very young and fascinated by all sorts of incredible phenomena recorded in casual books. Ghost ships where all the crew mysteriously vanished, the voices of hell coming from the world¡¯s deepest drilled wells, ghostly encounters, spiritual photos, and doppelg?ngers¡ªall these things fascinated me from the moment I could remember. I had an interest in the supernatural that went beyond that of others.

    These inexplicable events that defied common sense far surpassed my life and experience. They both frightened and captivated me, making me wonder how I would react if I really encountered such events. Would I be as clever and brave as the characters in those stories, and perhaps even gain supernatural powers after overcoming such predicaments?Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Likewise, I was also drawn to metaphysical and spiritual knowledge¡ªmeditation, spiritual communication, exorcism, divination... For a period, I secretly tried these things, practicing as if I truly believed in them, hiding it from my family and friends.

    If my family and friends had known what I was doing, they would have thought I genuinely believed in it. Of course, I didn¡¯t truly believe in it, but I wanted to believe. These practices allowed my mind to escape from the dull monotony of studies and work, transporting me to a fantastical world of imagination. Over time, my obsession grew, reaching almost fanatic levels.

    However, the good times didn¡¯t last. When someone becomes truly obsessed with something, it inevitably shows in their life. When my family and friends discovered my secret, they began to look at me strangely, treating me as an eccentric, and whispered behind my back.

    In fact, I never considered myself to be an extraordinary person. If I were to openly express my true thoughts, not everyone, but at least most people would be able to relate. The desire to escape the gravity of reality and venture into a realm of incredible time and space, where one could experience exciting encounters and adventures, is a dream many people have had in their youth. Even those who mock fantasy and pride themselves on being realists, deep down, haven¡¯t they secretly wished that such fantastical things were real? I am simply more honest with my desires and have allowed myself to dream this dream for longer than those around me.

    After graduating from university, I didn¡¯t give up on these interests. In fact, I even found some like-minded new friends. External criticism doesn¡¯t always make people abandon their hobbies; it can, in fact, make people more determined and united. We began spending our free time and holidays investigating urban legends and supernatural phenomena, sharing the clues we discovered and our failures along the way.

    One day, I finally encountered the supernatural event I had always dreamed of.

    In a supposedly haunted, forgotten alley, my friends from an offline gathering and I stepped in with a casual ¡°just checking it out¡± attitude. What we didn¡¯t expect was that this seemingly insignificant exploration, one that wouldn¡¯t even make it into the list of failed attempts, hid a real and dangerous evil spirit.

    At first, we walked to the end of the alley and found nothing. The strange events began on our way back. We chatted and laughed as we walked, but gradually, no matter how long we walked, we couldn¡¯t see the alley entrance we had come through. By the time we realized something was wrong, it was already too late.

    Panicking, we desperately searched for an escape, but one by one, our friends disappeared. The sounds of the bustling city outside grew increasingly distant, until they were completely gone. The neon lights and stars above us slowly flickered and went out. The alley gradually transformed into a realm far removed from civilization¡ªa cursed place.

    When I came to my senses, filled with dark and terrifying thoughts, my companions had all disappeared. I was left alone, abandoned in this eerie dead-end alley.

    It was truly haunted!

    In an extreme state of panic, I began to run, sprinting towards the exit.

    However, no matter how far I ran, it felt as if I were standing still. The dead-end alley, which should have been a straight path, now seemed like a M?bius strip, with its ends connected. I was an ant futilely running along the surface of this loop.

    Even the high walls on both sides began to show inexplicable distortions. I tried to climb the wall to escape, but aside from not having much experience with urban climbing, when I strained every muscle to reach a higher point, the wall seemed to grow taller before my very eyes.

    I had no choice but to return to the ground and try to continue moving toward the exit. However, I had already lost all hope in my actions.

    Time passed second by second, and the hours turned into a never-ending, terrifying night in the dead-end. Thirst and hunger gradually crept up.

    I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed¡ªmaybe a day, maybe two¡ªbut the burning thirst and hunger finally reached a point where it was unbearable.

    Unable to distinguish whether it was my physical strength or my spirit that had first exhausted, I finally could no longer move. The prolonged anxiety and panic had numbed my soul, making it feel like a piece of flesh that had completely lost its elasticity.

    After this long numbness, I finally broke down and cried out in despair in the dead-end alley, which seemed to have no end.

    I regretted it.

    I hated myself for what I had done until now.

    Why did I enter this strange place?

    Why was I so foolish to chase after strange and supernatural things?

    The life that once disgusted me¡ªboring, uneventful, but safe¡ªseemed so warm and dazzling to me in this moment.

    I just want to go back there, back to my home, back to my soft and comfortable bed, to sleep well and forget everything that happened here today. After that, I¡¯ll work and live properly, never thinking about those unrealistic things again.

    So, please, let me go... Please, let me return...

    I knelt and bowed, crying uncontrollably, to the ghost that I didn¡¯t know was watching me, unsure whether it even was watching me.

    However, there was no response from the darkness, and my spirit was consumed by despair. Perhaps I was going to die here, losing all dignity and respect, dying in this place like a starving animal, without any value.

    By some stroke of luck, I didn''t die there after all.

    I had fallen into a coma from hunger, and then someone woke me up.

    It turns out that during my unconsciousness, a new visitor had entered the dead-end alley. This visitor personally eliminated the evil spirit that had been haunting the alley. And that was how I was saved, somewhat inexplicably.

    After saving me, the person asked about my previous experiences. I was mentally exhausted, but I still forced myself to tell him everything, detail by detail.

    After reluctantly finishing my story, I couldn''t help but ask, "...Who are you?"

    "I am Wu Chang," he answered.

    "Wu Chang... is that your name?"

    "No, Wu Chang is my identity. In Mount Luo, I am a demon hunter on the front lines, referred to as ''Wu Chang,''" he said, his tone quite friendly.

    Mount Luo, demon hunters, Wu Chang... My mind had not yet escaped the nightmare, making it difficult to process these concepts.

    Suddenly, I remembered the friends who had entered the dead-end alley with me, and I asked the person in front of me, "Wu Chang," if he had seen them.

    "I didn''t see them. They were all probably devoured," he said. "You''re the only one who survived. It seems you were placed last in the order of the evil spirit''s consumption, which is why you managed to survive by a stroke of luck."

    "Only... me..." Fear surged through me like acid reflux, making me tremble uncontrollably. "You... how did you destroy that ghost?"

    "You want to know how I destroyed it... I just found it normally and struck it with a sword," he said. "This evil spirit didn''t have any particularly strong powers. It was good at invading people''s minds and manipulating panic to create illusions. It was fine against ordinary people like you, but it couldn''t do anything against us demon hunters, as we are immune to it. Even ordinary people, if they can hold onto their inner peace, wouldn''t be harmed by it."

    "Take you as an example. If you hadn''t let fear control your mind in that alley, you wouldn''t have been trapped for so long. Or, if you had faced death and accepted it as a possible outcome, that level of illusion would have been ineffective on you."

    "However, to be fair, not even many demon hunters can stay unaffected by fear in such a helpless situation, or face death calmly. To ask an ordinary person to do so is indeed asking too much..."

    Hearing this, I silently lowered my head.

    Yes... it wasn''t my fault.

    Anyone who realizes they will die alone, far from everything, would eventually break down. Because humans are social animals; they cannot endure absolute loneliness and death.

    Those who live in isolation are either gods or beasts.

    Humans stripped of their societal roles are nothing but beasts who succumb to primal fear, and I was just one of those beasts.

    No matter who was in my position, they would eventually become like me.

 Ch 39: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 2

    After being rescued by Wu Chang from the dead-end alley, I made a decision to never again involve myself in anything related to the supernatural.

    That dead-end alley would undoubtedly become the nightmare of the rest of my life. I no longer wanted to be trapped in such a terrifying predicament.

    However, Wu Chang''s words shattered my plans for the future.

    "It seems you''ve already come to understand the terror of the supernatural. In that case, let me tell you something very important. Consider it a way to mentally prepare for your future."

    "...What are you going to say?" I immediately had a bad premonition.

    "The moment you accidentally found yourself caught in a supernatural event, you and the ordinary people out there who remain oblivious were already separated by a line. From now on, stop thinking you''ll be able to live out the rest of your life in peace." Perhaps he was trying to warn me with good intentions, but to me, his words felt incredibly cruel. "There''s a saying in Mount Luo: ''When you encounter the supernatural, you are bound to it.''"

    "Although Mount Luo still hasn''t figured out the principles behind this phenomenon, statistics show that people who have experienced supernatural events have a much higher probability of encountering them again in the future, almost as if they are cursed.

    "Unless you''re the legendary ''Great Wu Chang,'' immune to all evil and causing demons and monsters to flee at the sight of you, you''ll undoubtedly face similar dangers again."

    Unable to face it, unable to escape, the shadow of the supernatural had already entangled itself with my fate.

    Under these circumstances, I had only one choice. Although, from a rational perspective, it was a natural decision, it still took a lot of effort to convince myself. That was to dive into the world of the supernatural and learn the skills necessary to handle such events.

    With the help of that kind-hearted Wu Chang, I used a letter of recommendation to join Mount Luo and became an apprentice there.

    Most of the other apprentices at Mount Luo had similar experiences to mine¡ªthey were ordinary people who had encountered supernatural events, and they joined Mount Luo to learn survival skills. The typical training period was four years, though there were some exceptions. Upon graduation, there were generally two paths: one was to become a true demon hunter with the power to hunt the supernatural; the other was to remain unable to become a hunter, serving as a "probe" for their predecessors.

    Just by the name, it was clear that probes were expendable within Mount Luo. Although they were referred to as "Mount Luo Agents" outside, both in the eyes of Mount Luo and in the eyes of the probes themselves, they were still half-outsiders. Even though Mount Luo would provide them with safety equipment out of obligation, the death rate of agents in the field remained high.

    I wanted to become a demon hunter, to have power. Since I would inevitably encounter the supernatural again in the future, at least let me master the means to protect myself. With intense fear and a desperate desire, I immersed myself in learning everything related to demon hunting. Looking back, even before the college entrance exams, I had never been as passionate about studying as I was then.

    At that time, the reason I was so helpless must have been because I lacked power. If I had the strength to break through that dead-end alley, or even had the immunity to illusions and the power to slay evil spirits with a single sword, like Wu Chang at that time, would I have been so desperate?

    All fear and despair in this world come from a lack of strength.

    However, I despaired once again.

    Most of the Mount Luo apprentices did not have the talent to become demon hunters, and neither did I. After four years, I was still powerless and had to return to the mundane world as a probe.

    Then, several years, more than a decade passed...

    Nearly twenty years had passed, and such a long time was enough to change many things. For example, the Wu Chang who had saved me in the past had now been reassigned to "Patrol" and, by coincidence, had become my superior.

    There were also many unchanging things, such as myself, who was always unable to obtain what I desired.

    As a Mount Luo agent, I had encountered numerous supernatural events. Thanks to my cautiousness driven by fear, and more importantly, thanks to some crucial luck, I had managed to survive. However, the fear inside me had not faded. I was well aware that my survival thus far was nothing but a stroke of luck. Meanwhile, the colleagues I had come to know were dying one after another, tragically, just like my friends who had entered that dead-end alley with me in the past. They left me alone in the bottomless darkness.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    During this time, I also tried to continue my studies, repeatedly challenging myself at the gates of becoming a demon hunter. But the world of talent is incredibly cruel¡ªsome things are simply innate, and some things cannot be obtained. The gates to becoming a demon hunter remained firmly closed.

    Perhaps I would never achieve my wish. One day, I would surely emerge with regret, buried once again in that darkness.

    At the moment of my despair, a stranger wearing a silver mask appeared before me, bringing with him a hope laced with hidden poison.

    Having been a Mount Luo agent for so many years, I had accumulated vast experience in observing the supernatural. Therefore, I could immediately tell that this masked stranger was wrapped in an air of strange and madness-driven energy from head to toe. Beneath his seemingly rational and confident speech, there lurked the face of a madman.

    He was a lunatic, and any words he spoke should not be trusted. I had to distance myself from this dangerous man immediately.

    But the words he spoke made it impossible for me to refuse.

    "Do you want power?"

    "...Power?"

    "From the look in your eyes, it seems you know what kind of person I am. Likewise, I can see through the cowardly face you''ve worked so hard to hide."

    "No need to be so angry. It''s natural to be afraid of dangerous things, to want to stay away from them. That''s human nature. When the granary is full, people know propriety; when their food and clothing are adequate, they know honor and disgrace. Courage is the same. People often think courage is the companion of the weak, but that''s absurd talk from fools brainwashed by peace and order. Courage without power is merely a fool''s self-satisfaction. True courage must be born from power."

    "And what I bring you now is the treasure you''ve longed for and begged for, but never obtained."

    Right before me, he took it out.

    I couldn''t take my eyes off of it.

    "What is this?"

    "True courage."

    His voice was like the seductive whisper of a devil.

    ---

    In the end, I accepted the "gift" from that person.

    He called himself the "Creator of Oddities," and both his true name and background were unknown, with movements as elusive as a shadow. What he gave me was called the "Seed of the Heart." It was an unusual object that could merge with my body and bring me power.

    While using this power, I transformed into a demon with a goat''s head and could control the power of shadows at will. This power was extraordinarily strong, and just having obtained it, I surpassed the "Disintegration" level in terms of strength.

    The community of demon hunters generally divides their cultivation path into four stages: Formation, Existence, Disintegration, and Emptiness, based on the Buddhist stages of the world''s birth to its end.

    "Emptiness" corresponds to ordinary people with no power. As the name suggests, they cannot exert any magical abilities, their bodies essentially empty. Many demon hunters just beginning their cultivation journey, who can only manipulate external natural forces and have not yet developed their own magic, are classified in this stage.

    "Disintegration" corresponds to most demon hunters. Just as a person who does not regularly review their knowledge will gradually forget what they once mastered, or someone who doesn¡¯t exercise will lose muscle strength, hunters in this stage are in a "resisting the current; if you don''t progress, you regress" situation. Some demon hunters at the "Disintegration" level may possess strength equal to those at the "Existence" level, but they still face the risk of power degradation and must continually train and improve.

    "Existence" level demon hunters do not have such concerns. Their magic has transformed both their souls and bodies, deeply integrating with them to become a permanent power. From their perspective, hunters at the "Disintegration" level are like those who rely on powerful magical tools or those who accidentally awaken supernatural abilities¡ªessentially, just ordinary people wielding powerful weapons. Only those at the "Existence" level can be considered truly extraordinary, the "true demon hunters," and they are also the backbone of Mount Luo.

    "Formation" level demon hunter symbolizes the limit of the cultivation path. Demon hunters at this stage can no longer evolve further, as they have reached the summit¡ªthis is the literal "completion" stage.

    Originally, even if I were to become a demon hunter, I would have to start from the "Emptiness" stage and reverse the path from the world''s birth to its destruction. However, with the help of the "Seed of the Heart," I immediately touched the threshold of the "Existence" stage. If Mount Luo were to discover this, it would undoubtedly cause massive upheaval.

    But I also knew very well that the "Creator of Oddities" handing me this item could not have been for free.

    The "Seed of the Heart" itself came with considerable side effects. The "Creator of Oddities" explicitly told me that anyone I killed would have their soul automatically devoured by me. The more souls I consumed, the greater my desire to consume more. It was an instinct of the body, like throwing a fragrant piece of roasted meat in front of a starving person¡ªthey would inevitably want to tear it apart and devour it. Only during the digestion process would this evil craving subside.

    The "Creator of Oddities" also had his own demands of me, though compared to the side effects, these demands were perhaps not that significant. He required regular checks on my body, as well as the collection of my blood and other bodily tissues. I was also to report my physical condition to him as if I were a patient with an illness.

    It was clear that he considered me a test subject. To him, I was not important; what mattered was what changes the "Seed of the Heart" would undergo within me.

    I wasn''t foolish enough to resist him with violence; threatening the shopkeeper with a gun I bought from a gun store would only work in a bad joke. Although I didn''t know what kind of power he possessed, he certainly had the means to suppress me.

    The power I gained from the "Seed of the Heart" made me feel triumphant, but the urge to kill plunged me into anxiety. Before thinking about resisting the Creator of Oddities, I had to find a way to deal with the immediate problem.

 Ch 40: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 3

    The changes brought by the Seed of the Heart were not limited to transforming into a horned demon and manipulating shadow powers.

    According to the Creator of Oddities, those abilities were merely the standard configuration of the Seed of the Heart. If the compatibility between the Seed of the Heart and its host was sufficiently high, the host could develop unique abilities of their own.

    He also mentioned that the hosts he personally selected weren¡¯t chosen randomly. All of them were people he deemed highly compatible, enough to develop unique abilities. In that regard, I wasn¡¯t particularly special.

    Since he called himself the Creator of Oddities, it was only natural that those who bonded with the Seed of the Heart were referred to as Oddities. As the name suggests, they were humans who transformed into monsters.

    As for my unique ability as an Oddity, it was Substitute.

    I could temporarily transfer the Seed of the Heart out of my body and turn another human into an Oddity. During this period, all the power of the Seed would be transferred to the host, and I would temporarily lose my strength. The urge for souls would also shift to the substitute.

    Humans turned into Oddities through this method would become my substitute puppets. I could issue any command to them and even share their senses remotely. When necessary, I could retrieve my powers at any time, and the craving for souls would also return to me. This process was instantaneous, eliminating concerns about being unable to recover my strength in a dangerous situation.

    An Oddity could evolve their powers by hunting humans and devouring souls, and a substitute could achieve the same. Moreover, when I retrieved my powers, the progress made by the substitute would also transfer back to me. However, the cost was the death of the substitute.

    Even though I had never used this ability before, I instinctively grasped its details. These truths surfaced in my mind as naturally as breathing, leaving no room for misunderstanding the essence of my unique power.

    When the Creator of Oddities came to examine me, he inquired about my ability. Since I knew nothing about his true motives, I couldn¡¯t afford to lie or withhold the truth. I could only disclose it honestly. Upon hearing the specifics of my ability, he showed a somewhat surprised expression.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be this kind of ability,¡± he remarked. ¡°Among all the Oddities I¡¯ve created so far, your ability might be the closest to the original.¡±

    I immediately asked what the original was, but he seemed to have spoken offhandedly and had no intention of elaborating further.

    ¡°More importantly,¡± he said, ¡°it seems you haven¡¯t devoured a soul yet.¡± He looked at me meaningfully. ¡°If you continue to resist devouring human souls, you¡¯ll eventually lose control under the compulsion to kill and spiral into madness. When that happens, you¡¯ll become a target for extermination by Mount Luo, and die under the sword of Wu Chang. Is that the ending you¡¯re prepared to accept?¡±

    ¡°...I don¡¯t want to kill anyone,¡± I said with difficulty. ¡°Is it truly necessary to kill people and devour human souls? Can¡¯t animals work¡ª?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°If you could think of that possibility, you¡¯ve probably already tried it. The Seed of the Heart will only accept human souls.¡±

    ¡°Then... is it possible to remove the Seed of the Heart from my body?¡± The moment I uttered those words, I regretted it immediately.

    ¡°Are you certain? The Seed of the Heart has already fused deeply with you. Unless you die, it cannot leave your body.¡±

    ¡°...¡± I fell silent.

    After a moment of thought, he added, ¡°However, there is one other situation where the Seed of the Heart might leave you.¡±

    ¡°What situation?¡± I asked.

    ¡°To prevent the Seed of the Heart from being captured by Mount Luo, when an Oddity finds themselves in an inescapable predicament, the Seed of the Heart will automatically detach from the Oddity. Of course, in such a case, the Oddity will still die due to the loss of the Seed of the Heart,¡± he said. ¡°Unfortunately, the Seed of the Heart itself doesn¡¯t possess the ability to assess the situation. That judgment lies entirely with you. Therefore, when you truly despair, when you wholeheartedly resign yourself to the idea that there¡¯s no way out¡­¡±

    ¡°...I¡¯ll die,¡± I said.

    ¡°Exactly. So, go kill someone already, Kong Da,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°The moment you stop thinking and accept your fate of being hunted down by Mount Luo, the Seed of the Heart will leave you. You¡¯ll return to being the powerless person you once were, dying without accomplishing anything.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ---

    After much internal struggle, I ultimately chose the path of killing.

    Because I didn¡¯t want to lose my power, and I didn¡¯t want to die.

    To avoid being tracked by Mpunt Luo or official forces, the one doing the killing couldn¡¯t be me¡ªit had to be my substitute.

    The Substitute¡¯s individual qualities or loyalty weren¡¯t important. My ability would elevate them to a usable level, and they couldn¡¯t disobey any command I gave. I didn¡¯t have grand ambitions or plans to manipulate influential figures in society. Any human would suffice¡ªeven a marginalized person on the fringes of society.

    However, there was a problem with controlling people in power: those I transformed into Substitute would immediately assume the form of a goat-headed demon, and the transformation would remain even after their death. If I was merely ¡°a human capable of transforming into a goat-headed demon,¡± then the Substitute was a person whose body had been physiologically altered by the power of the Seed of the Heart to become a goat-headed demon in essence.

    So, I found a down-and-out homeless man on the streets. Someone like that, whose disappearance wouldn¡¯t raise any concerns, seemed like the safest option.

    But there was a small twist. These days, even homeless people aren¡¯t as simple as they appear. I¡¯d read news stories online about certain vagrants picking through trash on the roadside, only to be recognized by passersby as formerly wealthy millionaires or influential figures who had fallen from grace due to various misfortunes.

    I¡¯d always thought of those stories as distant and improbable, but after questioning the homeless man I¡¯d captured, I discovered to my astonishment that he had once been the leader of a feudalistic cult.

    He had once lived a life of unchecked power and comfort in the countryside, lording over others with ease. But his fortunes changed drastically when, out of nowhere, a high school folklore enthusiast appeared. This amateur single-handedly exposed all his tricks and even helped the authorities bring him to justice. Stripped of his support, he nearly met his end at the hands of his enraged followers, who came dangerously close to dragging him out to be burned alive. If not for his foresight in preparing a brainwashed scapegoat¡ªsomeone surgically altered to resemble him¡ªhe likely would have perished that day.

    But fate has its ironies. The man who escaped death by relying on a double now found himself, years later, transformed into my Substitute.

    Under the influence of my ability, his psyche crumbled almost instantly.

    My Substitute ability isn¡¯t some absurd, unconditional power that works on everyone¡ªit has its limitations. Not everyone can be converted into a Substitute. When I activate this ability on a target, they¡¯re first imprisoned within an illusionary realm before the transformation takes place.

    The Creator of Oddities once told me that a Oddities¡¯s abilities are deeply tied to their past experiences and innermost desires.

    The illusion I create is the same dead-end alleyway that once filled me with terror and despair.

    The more fear and hopelessness a person experiences while trapped in the illusion, the longer they remain imprisoned. For most people, it takes several days to escape. But for me to convert a target into a Substitute puppet? It only takes one minute.

    The "imprisonment" stage could still be resisted with magic power, but the "conversion" stage followed entirely different rules, disregarding any disparity in strength. Once that single minute passed, no matter how powerful the person trapped in the illusion might have been, they would inevitably become a puppet at my command.

    After gaining my Substitute, I began ordering him to kill.

    While the Substitute could absorb the urge to kill on my behalf, letting that impulse build up unchecked was not an option. When the Seed of the Heart returned to me, I would inherit all of the accumulated killing impulses, which would be disastrous.

    Even so, I had no intention of letting him indiscriminately slaughter ordinary people. Since I had already decided to kill, and it was the Substitute acting on my behalf, I resolved to abandon any hesitation or conscience and target demon hunters.

    Most demon hunters derive their magical power from their souls, meaning their souls are often of higher quality. Even though the Seed of the Heart wasn¡¯t with me temporarily, I was still a monster, and I could sense whose souls were of superior quality.

    By devouring those souls, I could grow even stronger. Moreover, the longer digestion time required for such souls would mean I wouldn¡¯t have to kill as frequently.

    To minimize risks, I avoided hunting the demon hunters of Mount Luo and instead targeted independent ones. These so-called "civilian demon hunters" were often more accurately described as superpowered individuals, with little actual experience or intent to hunt demons.

    As I moved in the shadows, however, a lingering unease clouded my mind.

    "Among all the monsters I¡¯ve created so far, your ability may be the closest to the original form."

    Creator of Oddities had said those words to me. I had never dared to ignore or forget them.

    The term "original form" seems to refer to the prototype or origin of us monsters.

    When a monster succumbs to utter despair, the Seed of the Heart will leave them. But then¡­ where does a departing Seed of the Heart ultimately go?

    My ability allows me to transplant the Seed of the Heart into another human and then reclaim it, gaining all the power accumulated by the puppet. So¡­ to an original form possessing a similar ability, do we monsters appear as their stand-in puppets?

    Perhaps, at some moment, the original form will activate their power and reclaim all the Seeds of the Heart.

    Every monster would return to their powerless self and die a meaningless death.

    The thought of such a scenario fills me with dread.

    I must investigate¡ªexplore the origins of the Seed of the Heart and all related information. I must find a way to prevent that eventuality, or at least ensure that when it comes, I might be spared.

    Whenever the Creator of Oddities visits, I subtly probe him for information.

    Whether he is genuinely lacking caution or simply believes such information to be inconsequential, he has occasionally mentioned things during casual conversation.

    "The technological prototype of the Seed of the Heart originates from a realm that is spatially completely overlapped with the real world."

    "Completely overlapped with the real world¡­ Are you referring to another time?" I asked, stunned.

    In all the occult knowledge I¡¯ve encountered, there are "nearly overlapping" alternate spaces, but none that are "completely overlapping" with the real world.

    If I had to give an example, it could only be the same space in a different time.

    That is, the past¡ªor perhaps¡­ the future.

 Ch 41: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 4

    Based on the information I gathered from Mount Luo, there are indeed certain supernatural phenomena that allow individuals to travel back and forth between the past and the future. However, these are extraordinary occurrences that are absolutely impossible to replicate through human means. They are also rare, fortuitous experiences that cannot be sought out intentionally.

    Just how firm is Mount Luo''s stance on the claims of being "irreproducible" and "fortuitous"? One only needs to look at their publicly accessible archives to understand. Knowledge about rituals related to time travel is boldly displayed there for anyone to consult. The general gist of these records is: "I successfully traveled to the past and the future using the following steps, but for some reason, I could never replicate the success again. Anyway, I¡¯m writing it down here, believe it or not."

    As for Mount Luo''s attitude toward these claims, while it isn¡¯t as dismissive as how serious scientists view "amateur inventors discovering perpetual motion machines overnight," they clearly do not take it seriously at all.

    If the "Creator of Oddities" wasn¡¯t lying, it¡¯s very likely that they also traveled to the past or future using one of these irreproducible methods. Considering the innovative nature of their peculiar technology, the future seems like the more probable origin. Of course, it¡¯s also possible that they simply "foresaw the future" and acquired technology that won¡¯t emerge until much later. However, judging by their tone, this seems unlikely. If I wish to ensure that the Seed of the Heart becomes mine forever, pursuing the path of the "future" might not be a bad direction.

    I have no idea how to "foresee the future," and I am even less confident about being able to "travel to the future." But with no other clues to follow, I can¡¯t just sit idly by. For now, I can only attempt to put into practice the ritual knowledge I¡¯ve found in the public archives. Dwelling endlessly on the various difficulties I might face in my mind is the most futile thing to do¡ªeverything starts with action.

    Then, I began killing.

    This time, my prey was, of course, another individual with special abilities from the general populace. People who possess such abilities¡ªor "superpower," so to speak¡ªoften serve as substitutes for many ritual materials. Killing them on-site and using their blood as components for ritual formations can, in itself, significantly enhance the effectiveness of many such formations beyond expectations.

    As an agent of Mount Luo, if I were to recklessly collect large quantities of ritual materials through my connections, it might arouse suspicion from those with ulterior motives. Killing is far more convenient. Moreover, due to the nature of my work, I have a knack for identifying individuals with magical abilities among ordinary people. Before long, I discovered a suitable target in an apartment complex not far from Xianshui University.

    On the surface, he was just an ordinary company employee renting a room on the fifteenth floor of a residential building. In reality, he was a dormant superhuman. The moment I saw him, I could sense the rich fragrance of a high-quality soul emanating from his body.

    Using my official identity as a Mount Luo agent, along with years of experience, I quickly managed to gain a certain level of his trust. Through investigation, I learned that his ability was "Phasing," which allowed him to transform into an intangible shadow capable of passing through any object.

    In other words, while his ability was active, no object could harm him. Not even a nuclear bomb or an asteroid impact could affect him as long as his ability remained activated. It was a highly valuable superpower with a focus on defensive performance.

    The reason he hadn''t exposed himself was likely due to a lingering respect for the state and society, as well as a lack of interest in the thrills of an exciting life. However, it was clear from his demeanor that he harbored a deep-seated arrogance toward ordinary people. He no longer considered himself one of them. Even while living among the masses, he likely saw himself as a wolf hiding within a flock of sheep, relishing in this self-perception with smug satisfaction.

    Unfortunately for him, superhumans like him, whose strength lies in one exceptionally strong "pillar," can often be dealt with through a simple surprise attack from behind. Being intangible while his ability was active meant, conversely, that as long as he couldn¡¯t activate it in time, he was no different from an ordinary human.

    I sent out my Substitute and, with minimal effort, managed to kill him in his rented apartment. He didn¡¯t even have the chance to activate his "intangible" ability before he died.

    As for the ritual formation I set up using his blood, it included one or two symbols meant to target a specific time in the past or future. However, since I couldn¡¯t determine the exact number of years into the future the strange technology originated from, I couldn¡¯t encode it into the formation. Instead, I added my own blood as a strange person into the formation, theoretically using it as a substitute condition for the search.

    And, of course, theory is just theory¡ªI failed.

    Not only that, but the burst of magical energy upon failure attracted the attention of a Mount Luo Demon Hunter who happened to be patrolling the area.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    The one patrolling at that time was Zhu Shi. Unlike the superhuman I¡¯d just dealt with, she wasn¡¯t someone I could easily handle. Not wanting to escalate matters, I had no choice but to command my Substitute to retreat for the time being.

    And now, eight months have passed since that day.

    After countless hunts, the strength of my Seed of the Heart has reached its limit.

    The Strange Person Maker once told me that if I wanted to break through to the next stage, there were two paths: either overcome my inner demons and let my soul naturally ascend, or devour a sufficient number of souls and forcibly elevate my soul.

    I chose the latter.

    Over these eight months, many other events have occurred.

    First, the Creator of Oddities created another "Oddities" in Xianshui City.

    I made covert contact with this Oddities. He never bothers to hide the traces of his crimes and harbors a mysterious hatred toward the wealthy and powerful. Ironically, he himself is rather affluent, yet he despises those who are even wealthier and more influential. Over the past two or three months, he has killed five local elites in succession.

    I despise him. He carelessly leaves biological evidence at the crime scenes. When I deliberately left a few hairs with follicles in the fifteenth-floor apartment, it was to create a plausible disassociation from myself. What is his excuse? Fortunately, Mount Luo forces in Xianshui City lack modern forensic expertise and, for the time being, have lumped me and him together. Still, it¡¯s only a matter of time before he exposes himself and implicates me in the process.

    Dealing with him quietly isn¡¯t simple, either. All Oddities share the ability to summon shadow-based mirror duplicates of ourselves. Though these duplicates are much weaker than our main bodies, but he also possesses an inherent ability called ¡°Shift and Swap.¡± This ability lets him ignore spatial distance and instantly exchange places with one of his distant duplicates.

    What¡¯s more infuriating is the underhanded aspect of this ability: it can activate passively. If he¡¯s faced with a fatal strike he cannot react to, the ability will trigger on its own, guided by some mysterious mechanism, to protect his life. It¡¯s pure, unadulterated cheating.

    Perhaps his reckless behavior stems from this ability as well. In any case, I am powerless against him. Currently, Zhu Shi is handling the cases related to him¡ªI can only hope he meets his end beneath her blade soon.

    Then, two days ago, I encountered a mysterious superhuman.

    It happened during the daytime while I was resting at the Mount Luo office across from the Public Security Bureau. A commotion of unprecedented scale broke out across the street. When I rushed over, I learned that someone had infiltrated the bureau to steal firearms and ammunition¡ªa major incident for them. And amidst the chaos, I caught the distinct scent of a soul.

    Just as a carnivore can detect the blood of wounded prey in the air, I can easily track down nearby prey with injured souls. At that moment, I smelled exactly such a presence. I ordered my Substitute to move in the direction of the scent, eventually tracing it to an alley behind a fried chicken shop.

    The source turned out to be a girl, around thirteen or fourteen years old, with a pale, fatigued complexion. She held a real gun in her hand, confirming her as the culprit behind the theft from the Public Security Bureau.

    Judging by the scent of her soul, she must have once been a remarkably powerful superhuman. In her prime, someone like me¡ªor even my Substitute¡ªwouldn¡¯t have even registered as a threat to her. But her current state was abysmal, leaving her even weaker than my Substitute.

    If I could devour her soul, my Seed of the Heart would undoubtedly break through to the next stage¡ªand I might even gain more than I expected!

    I immediately commanded my Substitute to launch a sneak attack on her, but the outcome was deeply disappointing.

    It turned out she possessed the power of spatial transfer. Although she initially fell into a disadvantage and suffered severe injuries, she quickly teleported to a location far beyond the reach of my soul-sensing ability.

    Shortly afterward, an unforeseen development occurred. My superior handed me a report on someone and ordered me to track them down by any means necessary. The target was none other than the same girl who had escaped from me earlier.

    It wasn¡¯t just me or my superior who wanted to locate her¡ªmy superior¡¯s superiors and various factions within Mount Luo also began mobilizing their efforts. They were all well aware of her spatial transfer abilities and even planned to expand the search nationwide, determined to secure her at all costs.

    An unimaginable storm swept my mind into chaos.

    ¡ªJust who is that girl?

    ---

    Given the gravity of the situation, I dared not make any further moves against the girl and instead focused on another matter.

    This issue was one I couldn¡¯t ignore: Zhu Shi¡¯s older brother, Zhu Chang¡¯an, had rented the fifteenth-floor apartment from eight months ago¡ªthe one that belonged to the superhuman with the power of phasing. There, he discovered the ritual formation I had left behind. To my surprise, the formation had somehow activated on its own without my knowledge.

    Whether it had activated successfully, I couldn¡¯t say. It was reported that a mysterious basement had appeared at the center of the formation, which I could only interpret as the result of the ritual. When Zhu Shi told me about this and asked for my help investigating it, I set out without hesitation.

    Once again, however, I came up empty-handed. I didn¡¯t find the basement in the fifteenth-floor apartment¡ªinstead, I encountered Zhuang Cheng.

    Zhuang Cheng is a relatively well-known figure within the local Mount Luo network. In these increasingly chaotic times, it¡¯s baffling that someone like him, dedicated to investigating strange phenomena, repeatedly returns empty-handed. His peculiar track record has even become a lighthearted topic of conversation among myself and a few familiar Mount Luo agents. Even my superiors and several local Demon Hunter are familiar with his name.

    After learning about Zhuang Cheng, I couldn¡¯t help but harbor suspicions about him. I wondered if he had genuinely encountered strange phenomena or if he was deliberately concealing his experiences, feigning ignorance of our world. What motive could he have for hiding his knowledge? Naturally, I began to suspect that he had gained some benefit¡ªor even supernatural powers¡ªfrom past strange events.

    Or perhaps it was precisely because he had acquired such powers that he was able to escape from those incidents. Unable to reveal his experiences without exposing his abilities, he chose to remain silent.

    And individuals with such unique abilities are exactly my kind of prey.

    Yet, perhaps by coincidence, every time I set out to investigate or hunt Zhuang Cheng, various reasons would arise to make me abandon my plans. In the end, nothing ever came of it.

 Ch 42: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 5

    Unlike the other superhumans I¡¯ve encountered, Zhuang Cheng exudes neither the aura of a high-quality soul nor any trace of magical energy. He feels like an entirely ordinary human¡ªsomeone you could find anywhere.

    However, this lack of feedback isn¡¯t enough to prove that Zhuang Cheng is just a regular person. There are plenty of individuals skilled at concealing their superpower, and it¡¯s possible that Zhuang Cheng¡¯s power lies precisely in such concealment.

    I decided to send my Substitute to investigate Zhuang Cheng while also delving into the mysteries of the fifteenth-floor apartment.

    In truth, I don¡¯t believe the basement in the apartment is a gateway to the future. It seems more likely to be an entrance to some other supernatural space. Its form and behavior are entirely different from the effects the ritual formation was theoretically designed to produce, suggesting it may be the result of an incorrect activation.

    But even if it was a flawed activation, it was still an activation. Zhu Shi planned to dismantle the ritual formation the next day, so I had to uncover the reason for its activation before then.

    If I had a choice, I wouldn¡¯t even have informed Zhu Shi of the ritual formation¡¯s existence. But in the end, I had no other option.

    After all, it was Zhu Shi who had entrusted me with investigating the fifteenth-floor apartment. I couldn¡¯t lie about what I saw there because she could corroborate details with Zhu Chang¡¯an and Zhuang Cheng. Silencing them outright would only bring disaster upon myself.

    As a Mount Luo probe, I also couldn¡¯t avoid filing a request for Zhu Shi to handle this anomaly. Not doing so would violate my duties and appear highly suspicious.

    Thus, I had no choice but to suggest delaying the matter after submitting my request. When she rejected the idea, I proposed assigning someone else to handle it instead.

    Phenomena like the basement aren¡¯t within the expertise of Zhu Shi, who is a combat specialist and a Black Demon Hunter. It would be far more logical to delegate this to a White Demon Hunter, who is better equipped to deal with such occurrences. If a White Demon Hunter were sent instead, I could easily eliminate them and harvest their high-quality soul in the process.

    Unfortunately, Zhu Shi has an overly cautious view of the dangers posed by supernatural events, combined with an excessive sense of responsibility and kindness. Anything that occurs within her jurisdiction is something she feels compelled to handle personally. There have been similar incidents in the past, and from the look on her face, I knew my plan was doomed to fail once again. Left with no other choice, I had to abandon the idea.

    To cover my tracks and ensure my alibi, I waited until the evening after meeting Zhu Shi before sending out my Substitute. However, as my Substitute approached the building housing the fifteenth-floor apartment, I saw through its shared senses that Zhuang Cheng was walking out of the building.

    Clearly, Zhuang Cheng, who has a strong interest in the supernatural, was also intrigued by the fifteenth-floor apartment. He had truly walked right into a trap. I immediately commanded my Substitute to test Zhuang Cheng''s abilities. Since there was already a history of conflict between them, my Substitute eagerly revealed himself.

    Suspecting that Zhuang Cheng might possess superpowers, I instructed my Substitute to proceed with caution. He heeded my advice and carefully probed Zhuang Cheng. However, he ultimately made the mistake of being too eager. Once he discovered that Zhuang Cheng was a fire user, he rushed in without hesitation.

    In hindsight, it was not just my Substitute who miscalculated¡ª even I hadn¡¯t anticipated that Zhuang Cheng¡¯s fire abilities would be so different from those of most fire users. He could ignite his opponent simply by looking at them.

    Even after Zhuang Cheng revealed his powers, I still couldn¡¯t sense any magical energy coming from him¡­ no, to be precise, I could feel his flames emitting a very strong magical energy, but there were no signs of this energy emanating from him as the source.

    Magical energy is a broad term that refers to any kind of power used in casting spells, or the potency of the spell itself. Even superhuman abilities fall under the definition of magical energy. Though the sources of magical energy vary widely¡ª some come from the soul, others from life force, and some even from kinetic, thermal, or electrical energy¡ª as long as there is energy in motion, there will be a corresponding fluctuation. It is impossible for there to be none.

    Could it be that the source of the flames wasn¡¯t him, but some object he carried? But even if it was an external object, it should still have been detectable as the source when the flames were activated. Those flames appeared to come out of nowhere, like water with no roots, leaving me utterly confused.

    I had no choice but to accept this as a fact¡ª the supernatural world is full of strange, inexplicable things. Perhaps this was just a characteristic of Zhuang Cheng as a special ability user, and there was no other way but to accept it.

    After my Substitute was caught in the flames, he tried to escape using shadow transfer, but I wanted him to continue probing Zhuang Cheng¡¯s abilities, so I forbade him from using it. However, after being burned, he seemed to panic and lost control, running away regardless of my verbal command. I originally intended to force him to turn back and attack Zhuang Cheng, but at that moment, I noticed something new.

    Even after escaping Zhuang Cheng¡¯s line of sight, the flames still clung to my Substitute. I stared at it for a while before finally determining that there seemed to be a mental connection between Zhuang Cheng and the flames. Although I couldn¡¯t tell if he could extend his perception through this connection, I was sure that he could still add fuel to the flames from a distance.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Unfortunately, the information my Substitute managed to gather was limited. Once Zhu Sh¨ª arrived on the battlefield, I remotely retrieved the "Seed of the Heart" to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Mount Luo organization.

    In fact, this information alone was already extremely valuable. Based on the overwhelming power Zhuang Cheng displayed when defeating my Substitute, if I were to consume him, it would be enough to make the Seed of the Heart break through to the next stage.

    Before long, I received new intelligence from Zhu Sh¨ª.

    Zhuang Cheng had personally entered the basement in the fifteenth-floor room. The entrance and exit unexpectedly disappeared, and he nearly got trapped inside.

    However, he used his own power to find a way to break free from the predicament and survived...

    ---

    I have experienced a similar dire situation.

    Being trapped in what seemed like an absolutely inescapable predicament, I understand that fear, that despair... and the regret that feels as vast as the ocean.

    So I can empathize with Zhuang Cheng''s emotions.

    Although Zhu Sh¨ª remarked over the phone about Zhuang Cheng¡¯s calm demeanor in the face of the strange event, it was obvious that, unless someone were truly insane, no one could remain calm in such a situation. I couldn¡¯t, and neither could Zhuang Cheng. He must have spent a great deal of effort suppressing his panic and fear, and when recounting his experience to Zhu Sh¨ª, he likely struggled to hide the lingering unease in his heart.

    If it were me, I would also want to put on a brave front in front of Zhu Sh¨ª. Zhu Sh¨ª is a woman of extraordinary beauty and figure, and it¡¯s only natural for men to try to act tough in front of her. If I were ten years younger, I might have pursued her myself.

    At the same time, I greatly admire Zhuang Cheng. In the past, I couldn¡¯t even manage this level of superficial performance.

    And I didn¡¯t escape from danger in the past relying on my own strength. Perhaps it¡¯s because he gained confidence in overcoming his own struggles that he was able to barely maintain his dignity. From this perspective, while I admire him, I also feel a bit envious.

    All of his hidden fears are concealed beneath that facade of dignity, and perhaps the only person who could truly understand him is me.

    Thinking of this, an unspoken sense of closeness toward Zhuang Cheng grew uncontrollably within me.

    By early morning, I finished my surveillance on Zhu Chang''an and visited the fifteenth-floor room once again. Although there were agents guarding the area nearby, they had no suspicion of me as a colleague. I easily entered the room, hoping to use the new information provided by Zhuang Cheng to open the basement.

    However, I still failed. The ritual array had indeed become more complete, but opening the basement successfully still required an extremely high level of luck. Zhuang Cheng must have succeeded due to some additional element he hadn¡¯t noticed. I didn¡¯t have time to continue my exploration, so I had no choice but to give up for now.

    After Zhu Sh¨ª and Zhuang Cheng arrived, I approached as if I had just arrived and led Zhuang Cheng to the abandoned construction site near Xianshui University, hoping to probe more of his abilities through the evil spirits there.

    Understanding Zhuang Cheng does not mean sparing him.

    To allow my Seed of the Heart to break through to the next stage, I will not let this opportunity slip away.

    However, it seems that the abandoned construction site never had any evil spirits from the beginning. I had no choice but to switch to my second plan¡ªsummoning a shadow clone to attack Zhuang Cheng and observe his abilities at close range.

    By the evening, Zhu Shi had already written and submitted a report on Zhuang Cheng. Although the report mentioned his abilities, it only stated, "Just an ordinary fire ability," likely to help keep his powers confidential. When I spoke to Zhuang Cheng on the way, showing more understanding of his abilities than necessary, it was merely to probe him.

    Even if he asked me how I knew those details, I had already prepared an excuse. It seems like Zhu Shi hasn¡¯t tried to take credit for this, though¡ªshe''s such a girl who doesn¡¯t understand social nuances, all my effort was for nothing.

    The information I truly wanted to probe was one thing: whether Zhuang Cheng had any countermeasures for a sneak attack.

    Since Zhuang Cheng can ignite his opponents with just a glance and his offensive power is so strong, a sneak attack from behind should naturally be the best strategy. However, during the battle between my shadow clone and Zhuang Cheng, I had attempted a surprise attack from behind, but it was avoided.

    I couldn¡¯t discern whether Zhuang Cheng had simply been lucky or if he could truly sense an attack from behind. Moreover, that shadow strike had altered its attack path midway to avoid Zhuang Cheng''s flames, switching from a backstab to an attack from the left side of his feet. It¡¯s possible Zhuang Cheng only reacted because of this change.

    In my combat experience, vague assumptions like ¡°possibly¡± are the most dangerous. I needed a definitive answer. So, I had one of my clones launch a sneak attack on Zhuang Cheng from behind, while I used a handgun to attack the clone. The latter was to prevent Zhuang Cheng from questioning why I just stood there watching after he dealt with the ambush.

    This was a successful probe. Zhuang Cheng showed no reaction to the sneak attack from behind, and by saving his life, I managed to further earn his trust.

    Unexpectedly, he had hidden his true power during the previous battle¡ªhis firepower could be amplified to such an extent that it instantly obliterated my clone.

    However, even with such overwhelming firepower, his weaknesses remain glaringly obvious.

    When a blade reaches one¡¯s neck, whether wielding a handgun, a cannon, or even a missile, it becomes utterly useless.

    And so, at the moment he turned his back and let his guard down¡ª

    I transformed part of my arm, morphing it into a monstrous blade, and severed his head.

    After being decapitated, a human¡¯s head can retain consciousness for several seconds.

    To prevent him from using his gaze to ignite me in his final moments, I swung my blade again, slicing into his eyes and directly crushing his brain tissue.

    ---

    The mana fluctuations generated during Zhuang Cheng''s earlier battle with the shadow clone had undoubtedly attracted Zhu Shi''s attention. She would arrive here soon.

    I couldn¡¯t linger.

    Turning away, I prepared to leave immediately.

    What I had told Zhuang Cheng earlier¡ª"I will be reassigned to another area"¡ªwasn¡¯t entirely a lie. I did indeed plan to leave Xianshui City after achieving my breakthrough.

    From this point on, I would no longer be Kong the agent of Mount Luo, but Kong Da, the Oddity.

    However, just as I took two or three steps, I realized something was wrong.

    When I kill a human, I should be able to sense their soul entering my body. This feeling is especially pronounced with the souls of superhumans. Yet now, there was no sensation at all. It was as if...

    As if Zhuang Cheng wasn¡¯t dead.

    At that moment, I felt the air behind me begin to heat up.

    From where Zhuang Cheng had fallen, the sound of burning rose, and flames began spreading into my path ahead.

 Ch 43: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 6

    efore my eyes.

    The headless body, visually becoming more ethereal and flame-like by the second, actually began to rise slowly as if nothing had happened, right in front of me¡ªthe very murderer who had killed him.

    He clumsily reached up to touch his non-existent head. After finding nothing there, he paused for a moment, bent down, located his severed head on the ground, and picked it up, cradling it in his arms.

    He¡ªhe was still able to move?

    The unexpected turn of events left me utterly dumbfounded. "You... you..."

    Had he revived? No, was he never dead to begin with?

    Surviving after being decapitated¡ªwhat kind of superpower was this? Immortality? But wasn''t he supposed to be a flame manipulator? How could this ability possibly connect to immortality?

    He adjusted the position of the head in his arms slightly, turning its face toward me. The horrifying, mutilated visage, with its eyes destroyed from the earlier strike, seemed to be staring straight at me.

    And yet, the unharmed mouth began to move, speaking in a thoughtful tone: "While I was lying there just now, I took some time to think things through. Turns out you''ve been acting this whole time. You''re the one behind all of this, aren''t you?"

    How could he speak when his head was separated from his body? His vocal cords shouldn¡¯t even be functioning properly!

    No, calm down, Kong Da. Stay calm.

    This is the first time I''ve encountered someone who could keep moving after being decapitated, but in this world, such a level of immortality isn¡¯t entirely unheard of. It seems his powers aren''t merely about controlling fire but something far more enigmatic. But so what?

    There are countless mysterious powers out there. Most agents and demon hunters, no matter how reluctant, have to face forces they can''t fully comprehend. In real combat, this isn¡¯t some battle of wits from a manga where you must unravel the enemy''s power to win.

    On unpredictable battlefields, there''s only ever been one sure way to gain the upper hand¡ªa method I¡¯ve relied on time and again:

    Strike first!

    Without hesitation, I transformed into my monstrous form, my arm morphing into a deadly blade as I launched a full-force charge. No unnecessary words, no wasted movements. In an instant¡ªa fleeting moment too quick for an ordinary person to even blink¡ªmy relentless strikes landed on Zhuang Cheng''s body one after another with absolute precision and unrestrained power.

    Earlier, my partial transformation slashes prioritized stealth over strength, but now, in full transformation, my strikes pursued nothing less than maximum destructive force.

    If Zhuang Cheng thought I was limited to physical attacks, he couldn''t be more wrong. The slashes of my monstrous form weren¡¯t just capable of annihilating physical bodies¡ªthey could also target and destroy spiritual entities.

    In other words, I had the power to directly attack the soul.

    Especially now, with my mind filled with killing intent and wholly focused on assaulting his soul, the magic channeled into my blade became devastatingly lethal. Ordinary humans without magical protection would have their souls obliterated just by grazing it, and most superpowered beings without soul-related abilities would meet the same fate.

    Every slash connected, and Zhuang Cheng was instantly torn to shreds. Completing my charge, I skidded to a halt behind him, ending my attack sequence.

    It was over. I had won...

    Just as this thought reflexively crossed my mind, Zhuang Cheng''s voice rang out behind me:

    "Physical attacks don''t work on me."

    As his voice echoed, my right hand and both legs suddenly burst into flames. The searing agony forced an uncontrollable scream from my throat.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I could understand why my right hand was burning¡ªit still had Zhuang Cheng''s blood and brain matter on it. Since his biological remnants ignited elsewhere, it was natural that my hand would burn too. But why were my legs spontaneously combusting? He wasn¡¯t even looking at me!

    Before this¡ªwhy hadn¡¯t he died?

    Amid my anguished cries, I twisted and collapsed onto the ground. His figure came into view.

    He stood there, completely unscathed, holding his severed head in his arms. The head continued speaking to me, its voice calm and thoughtful:

    "This form¡­ I was planning to reveal it earlier, if not for your sudden gunshot... Ah, I see. That demon that attacked me from behind¡ªwas it to test if I could sense a strike from my back?"

    He seemed to drift into contemplation, muttering to himself as he pieced things together.

    Impossible. My blade had clearly sliced through his body¡ªhow was there no new wound on him? More importantly¡­ why hadn¡¯t my soul attack worked? Not only that, but he didn¡¯t even seem aware that his soul had been targeted!

    No, this fire¡ªthis unbearable pain¡ªI had to deal with it first!

    I swiftly swung the blade of my left hand, severing my right hand and both legs in one fluid motion. The excruciating pain was nearly unbearable, but compared to letting the flames spread to my torso, this level of suffering was acceptable. Given enough time, this monstrous body of mine could regenerate the lost limbs.

    All of this happened in a flash. For now, I had no intention of continuing my attempt to kill Zhuang Cheng. Trying to deal with an opponent who couldn¡¯t be killed no matter what I did was a pointless endeavor. If necessary, I¡¯d find another way to assassinate him later. Right now, I had to escape¡ªby using the power of the shadows to transfer away!

    At my mental command, the surrounding shadows surged toward me like a tidal wave. I had to flee immediately; Zhuang Cheng¡¯s attacks weren¡¯t slow, and their power was overwhelming. If I hesitated for even a fraction of a second, I¡¯d be burned to death on the spot.

    But I was still a moment too late. Zhuang Cheng¡¯s flames reached me in an instant.

    Once again, there was no visible trajectory for the flames, and this time, they didn¡¯t even ignite on the surface of my body. Instead, I felt an unbearable heat welling up from deep inside my chest and abdomen, as if someone had poured boiling water directly into my stomach. The searing pain radiating from within and the intense internal pressure forced my mouth open involuntarily.

    My vision suddenly plunged into darkness, and all sound disappeared. Immediately after, I felt something surging violently out of my nose, mouth, eyes, and ears.

    No, I understood¡ªit was flames. Flames had appeared directly inside my body and were now erupting from the inside out!

    At the same time, the muscle tissues throughout my body seemed to be completely destroyed, leaving me utterly immobilized. My mind was reduced to a single thought¡ª

    He can summon his flames directly inside my body? How is that possible!?

    But... I wasn¡¯t dead yet. With his level of firepower, I should have been incinerated instantly. Truthfully, I could already feel myself teetering on the edge of death; the excruciating pain had drained all of my strength, leaving me barely conscious. Yet, I wasn¡¯t dead¡ªhe had held back. And that was his biggest mistake.

    The surrounding shadows were still following the command I had given earlier. As flames erupted from my seven orifices, the shadows on the ground opened up a portal. Gravity pulled me down, allowing me to fall into it.

    The "Shadow Shift" activated successfully, and I entered the shadow realm.

    Unlike the vibrant, multicolored real world, the shadow realm is devoid of light and sound¡ªa place akin to the depths of the ocean. This description isn''t merely because my eyes and ears had been destroyed by the flames; the realm itself is inherently this barren. Even concepts like up, down, left, right, forward, or backward are imperceptible. The only thing I can barely sense is the vague notion that "I seem to be moving somewhere."

    For those without the necessary abilities, merely thinking or surviving in this realm is impossible because even time and space lose their meaning here. And even for me, the user of this power, it remains perilous; one wrong move could leave me lost here forever, unable to return to the real world. The only destinations I can reach through shadow shift are places I have physically visited before in the real world.

    Zhuang Cheng once mentioned that there exists a psychic connection between him and his flames. However, beneath the basement of the fifteenth-floor room, this psychic connection was temporarily severed.

    The reason for this severance is clear¡ªbecause the space beneath the basement is an extradimensional realm that does not exist within normal reality.

    Likewise, the space entered during a shadow shift operates outside the laws of the real world. In this realm, any form of signal, including psychic links, is completely cut off. Zhuang Cheng¡¯s connection to his flames would undoubtedly be severed as well. As proof, the flames scorching my body quickly extinguished the moment I entered the shadow realm. The torment I had been enduring eased, allowing my mind to regain a modicum of clarity.

    I concentrated my magical energy on my eyes and ears. Before long, I felt as though I had regained my sight and hearing. It was as if I had surfaced from water, emerging from the shadow space and arriving at a location I had visited before.

    This place was the abandoned construction site where I had previously investigated with Zhuang Cheng. I had directly shifted to the upper floors of the unfinished building. Since construction had stopped, the upper floors were only skeletal remains. Looking up from where I stood on the ground, the floors above had no ceilings or walls, only a gray framework of steel beams and concrete layers stacked in a crisscross pattern.

    If I escaped here, it should be considered safe... I let out a brief sigh of relief.

    The shadows had transformed into three-dimensional material to form prosthetics, providing me with temporary replacements for my right hand and legs, allowing me to stand.

    Suddenly, a magical fluctuation appeared nearby.

 Ch 44: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 7

    Right now, I am truly afraid of Zhuang Cheng, afraid of that inexplicable "fire ability user."

    I¡¯ve never encountered a fire ability user like him. Just using his gaze to ignite an opponent is already enough to be considered cheating, but what kind of absurd skill is it to summon fire inside someone¡¯s body? And how does he completely disregard both my physical and soul attacks? I never want to face him again.

    At this moment, parts of my flesh have already turned to charcoal, still emitting scalding heat, torturing me to the brink of madness. Mentally, I have become a frightened bird, trembling at the slightest sound.

    When that magical fluctuation appeared nearby, I was so startled that my soul seemed to leave my body. However, when I focused, I realized the newcomer was not Zhuang Cheng.

    It was a man, his head missing half, his body twisted, drenched in blood, wearing an orange construction jacket. He stood at a distance, his body appearing semi-transparent, allowing me to faintly see the scenery behind him through his form. His face was numb and vacant, his eyes devoid of any rational light, moving slowly toward me like an animal drawn by the scent of blood and flesh.

    This was a ghost... No, it should be called an evil spirit.

    It seems that this is the evil spirit rumored to haunt this abandoned construction site. It must have caught the scent of the Soul-Attracting Talisman on me. Although I had put the talisman away, I hadn¡¯t resealed the paper, so it''s only natural that such an instinct-driven evil spirit would be drawn here.

    Last time, I almost thought it didn¡¯t exist at all. Why didn¡¯t it appear when Zhuang Cheng and I were here together?

    But never mind that for now; I should deal with this troublesome evil spirit first.

    I walked over, raising my blade. It seemed to be startled by me and suddenly froze in place, a look of terror appearing on its face. What use is it to be afraid now? If anything, it can only blame itself for foolishly getting too close.

    Just as I was about to strike, I saw its lips twitching, as if it were a mental patient muttering in fear: "It''s coming... it''s coming..."

    Upon hearing that, I stopped in my tracks, a sense of foreboding rising in my heart. "What¡¯s coming? Tell me clearly, what¡¯s coming?"

    Like some instinct-driven insects or animals, which can sometimes sense climate changes or predict the onset of earthquakes, tsunamis, or storms, these evil spirits, because of their weakness, are often more sensitive to spiritual matters than many demon hunters.

    At that moment, the evil spirit trembled all over, clutching its head, crouching on the ground, and its blood-soaked face showed an expression of despair.

    ¡°He... he¡¯s coming...¡± it screamed in immense fear. ¡°He¡¯s already looking over here... He¡¯s watching! He sees it! Aaaahhh!!!¡±

    As soon as its words fell, the scene before me suddenly changed.

    Flames erupted from all directions, instantly turning the floor into a sea of fire.

    Caught in the overwhelming firestorm, I quickly used my shadow power to shield my body. However, the intensity of the heat destroyed my shadow defense in an instant, and the distant evil spirit was evaporated on the spot, like a droplet of water falling into hot oil.

    At the center of the firestorm, a large amount of flames gathered and condensed, finally forming a huge fireball that floated in the air like the eye of a god.

    Although the flames had destroyed my shadow defense and the evil spirit, they did not harm me.

    I was already overwhelmed with terror. The massive fireball slowly rotated in the air, then turned toward me.

    I immediately turned and ran, manipulating the nearby shadows to attempt another spatial transfer. But as soon as I moved my legs, the shadow forming my leg prosthetics exploded, causing me to fall to the ground. The shadow coming toward me was also scorched by the flames, vanishing without a trace.

    The giant fireball contracted inward and transformed into a humanoid shape made of fire. The figure then shifted into a human dressed in casual clothes, landing on the ground.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    It was Zhuang Cheng.

    "Didn''t expect you to come back here. Is there something here that would make you come back specifically?" He curiously looked around, seemingly unaware that there had been an evil spirit earlier, which he had incinerated with his flames.

    Surrounded by the overwhelming sound of burning, I struggled to support my body, staring at him with an indescribable sense of terror, unsure if my dry voice could even reach him.

    "How... how do you know I''m here?"

    At the same time, after seeing the image of him forming amidst the sea of flames, I finally understood the principle behind his immortality.

    Although the ability to manipulate natural elements is powerful, when this ability reaches a level that transcends common human understanding, the usual knowledge of a demon hunter no longer applies.

    In the ancient world of demon hunters, there was a legendary state known as "Manifestation."

    Throughout history, those who embarked on the path of cultivation often sought to combine themselves with the Way of Heaven and nature, known as "Heaven and Man in Unity." Those who controlled the spirit of water would emulate water''s nature of benefiting all things without contention; those who controlled the spirit of the earth would emulate the earth''s nature of bearing all with great virtue. The ultimate goal of this emulation was to become one with the object of emulation, or to merge with it.

    Those who reached the legendary "Manifestation" state in cultivation could abandon their physical bodies, freely transform their souls, and merge with the natural world, appearing in the human realm like gods when necessary.

    That is no longer the realm of mere mortals, but the domain of an immortal on land.

    I couldn''t believe that Zhuang Cheng was an immortal, but his ability to seemingly transform himself into natural elements clearly exhibited traits of the "Manifestation" state.

    What he displayed was undoubtedly a technique that only appears in mythological tales. Even the most powerful beings, like the great and mighty ones at the pinnacle of Mount Luo, who could destroy an entire nation single-handedly as if gods descending from the heavens, might not be capable of doing the same thing.

    I didn''t expect to get an answer to my question, but Zhuang Cheng really did respond.

    "Why? I should''ve told you already, there''s a spiritual connection between me and the flames I release, so of course, I can lock onto your location."

    "But the flames on me have already disappeared..."

    "It seems I didn''t explain it to you clearly. The flames I release, along with the light and heat they produce, are essentially my spirit," he said, surprisingly patient and answering every question. "Even though the flames are extinguished, the heat remains. This isn''t acceptable."

    "What... no, that''s not right!" I said, unable to accept it. "The Shadow World is a separate dimension from the real world, so even the connection to the heat should have been severed!"

    "Oh, you''re talking about that..." He nodded. "Although the connection became unstable for a while, it wasn''t completely severed. It''s just that the scene on your side couldn''t be seen clearly for a while. But whether I need to reignite the flames or move into your Shadow World, it''s all possible."

    "I had already made up my mind to come over, but you left first... it''s fine, you can just help me open the portal later."

    This didn''t make sense. The Shadow World, just like the basement on the fifteenth floor, was another dimension. Since the latter could sever Zhuang Cheng''s connection, there was no reason the former couldn''t.

    Could it be that the basement on the fifteenth floor was truly that special?

    Or perhaps...

    Suddenly, I realized a more plausible possibility.

    "So... you''re saying... you lied?"

    "Lied?" Zhuang Cheng paused in surprise.

    Yes, he must have lied.

    No wonder he could calmly talk to Zhu Shi and me about his experiences in the basement beneath. He already possessed the ability to freely travel through different spaces and times using flames, so naturally, he had no fear.

    I had just seen it clearly. He could summon flames from the heat on my body and could travel here through fire. Since his spiritual connection with the flames was strong enough to penetrate the barriers between the real world and other spaces, there was no reason for him to have been trapped in the basement, forced to find the missing symbols of the ritual array to escape.

    Thinking carefully, he shouldn''t have been able to use the so-called "missing symbols of the ritual array" to open the basement either. I had tried the same method myself, but failed. This meant that the method was a lie from the beginning.

    After a moment of confusion, Zhuang Cheng shook his head.

    "Although I don''t know what you''re talking about, this is not the place for a conversation. I have more questions for you, so let''s change the location. Once I get all the information I need, I''ll hand you over to Zhu Shi."

    "Is that so? Sorry... but you''re going to be disappointed!"

    I wouldn''t just sit back and wait. Even if he didn''t plan to kill me right away, I had no intention of letting him dispose of my life at will. I would fight to the death.

    I am no longer the person I was twenty years ago. The current me possesses strength, and with it, true courage.

    ¡ª Courage without strength is merely a fool''s self-satisfaction. True courage is born from strength.

    With this in mind, I immediately activated my Substitute ability against Zhuang Cheng.

    Given the level of magic he displayed, my ability couldn¡¯t possibly turn him into a Substitute. But as long as I could delay him for even a second¡ªno, even just a blink of an eye¡ªI would find the opportunity to escape.

    Then, I would follow his advice and wait for the heat to dissipate in the shadow space, so he wouldn¡¯t be able to track me anymore. Even if he attempted to enter the shadow world, without the necessary abilities, he wouldn''t be able to survive there, let alone harm me.

    I will escape from here!

    Without any movement or light, just with a thought, my power instantly activated, heading toward Zhuang Cheng, attempting to erode him.

    However, the moment my ability touched his spirit, a sun filled with destructive waves suddenly appeared in my consciousness.

 Ch 45: Fallen Demon Hunter vs Superpowered Individual 8

    It was only at this moment that I realized I had made a very serious mistake.

    Zhuang Cheng said that his flames are his spirit. My understanding of this statement was that his spirit is just an ordinary one in standby mode. Only when he activates his superpower does his spirit serve as the fuel for the flames, or even transform directly into the flames themselves.

    But what if the truth is different?

    Zhuang Cheng is an ability user who can freely transform between himself and the flames. If his spirit in standby mode isn¡¯t just an ordinary spirit, but instead possesses the attributes of blazing flames, or is even more akin to "flames disguised as spirit"¡­

    Then what I had done would have been as foolish as reaching my hand into an active furnace!

    And reality surpassed even that metaphor. In that moment, I experienced a hallucination of seeing the sun.

    The instant I activated my ability against Zhuang Cheng, I felt as if I had collided head-on with a blazing sun. Destruction, death, ash, vaporization, sublimation... I vividly saw endings like these.

    At the same time, many of the questions I had been unable to understand in the past were suddenly resolved in my mind. For example, why Zhuang Cheng had said he had never encountered anything unusual before.

    He wasn¡¯t lying; he probably really had never encountered anything unusual before.

    The idea that supernatural attract each other is a common rule of the human world, but this old and worn-out logic cannot bind true power. In fact, it might even have the opposite effect, causing other supernatural to steer clear of it.

    Supernatural acting on instinct will avoid it out of fear, while intelligent supernatural will subconsciously avoid drawing attention to it. Even purely phenomenological supernatural will pass by it due to some unknown law.

    Now, I can understand why I couldn¡¯t sense any magical fluctuations from him. It wasn¡¯t because he had some special attribute, but because we were in different dimensions. It¡¯s like how a two-dimensional being can¡¯t perceive or interact with the three-dimensional world. Unless I was sensing the flames, which are fragments of his spirit, or unless he intentionally lowered his own level, I couldn¡¯t possibly detect any magical fluctuations from him.

    He is far too great an existence for me to grasp, and to him, I am far too insignificant. He probably can¡¯t sense my magical fluctuations either, just like how he was oblivious when I attacked his soul earlier.

    Wait¡­ why haven¡¯t I been burned to death?

    I snapped back to reality. The illusion had long since ended. Zhuang Cheng was still standing in front of me, seemingly waiting for me to make a move.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Aren¡¯t you going to attack?¡± he asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t come at me, I¡¯ll have to come to you.¡±

    As he said this, he took a step toward me. Instinctively, I retreated, frantically checking my own mind and abilities.

    I immediately understood why I wasn¡¯t dead yet. Before I could be incinerated by the illusionary sun, my ability had stopped itself.

    The illusionary sun could have burned me to ashes in an instant, but my ability deactivated in less than an instant. It was akin to how a mantis shrimp could generate temperatures exceeding the surface of the sun in a flash, yet it causes no catastrophic damage¡ªthe contact time is simply too brief to be lethal. But that wasn¡¯t the main issue. The real problem was why my ability had stopped on its own.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    It wasn¡¯t because Zhuang Cheng had used some magical force to block my ability, nor because my ability had some kind of built-in safety mechanism. The only explanation was that the duration of the ability had ended.

    The time my ability traps a target in a dead-end illusion depends on the target¡¯s mental response¡ªthe intensity of the emotions they experience within the illusion. And if my ability deactivates immediately after making contact¡­

    That could only mean one thing. It wasn¡¯t that his magic overpowered my ability; it was that his mind had overcome it first.

    ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s impossible! I don¡¯t accept this¡­ I refuse to accept this!¡±

    A surge of inexplicable rage overwhelmed me, and I shouted uncontrollably.

    ¡°What is it that you won¡¯t accept?¡± he asked, looking genuinely puzzled.

    The contact with my ability had been too brief; it seemed he wasn¡¯t even aware that I had activated it.

    I no longer paid attention to his reaction. Instead, I threw everything I had¡ªall my strength and beyond¡ªinto manipulating every shadow I could reach in the surrounding area.

    Countless shadows surged out of crevices and corners, transforming into sharp blades that shot toward Zhuang Cheng like a barrage of arrows from all directions. He controlled the surrounding sea of flames to create a massive wave, sweeping away all the incoming shadow arrows. But this was merely a feint, part of my plan. By now, I had seized control of the shadows from the lower floors as well.

    The moment he focused his attention on the visible attacks, the floor beneath his feet shattered as shadows surged upward, swallowing him whole.

    The shadows dispersed, and Zhuang Cheng, who had been at the center, vanished without a trace. He had simply disappeared.

    It wasn¡¯t that he dodged my attack¡ªI had directly transported him into the shadow world.

    Banishment to the shadow world had no inherent benefit for me, which was why I had never considered using this move against anyone before. Even earlier, I hadn¡¯t immediately thought of this method.

    But now, I wanted Zhuang Cheng dead.

    By all logic, even he shouldn¡¯t be able to think or survive in a world devoid of time and space, let alone return from it!

    Yet what happened next shattered all my hopes.

    Zhuang Cheng reappeared. With a flash of fire in the air, a humanoid figure composed entirely of flames materialized above the countless crisscrossing layers of steel and concrete.

    I couldn¡¯t comprehend how he had managed to return. Hastily, I gathered all the surrounding shadows again, forming them into a massive serpent that lunged at him. But I knew all too well that this seemingly powerful attack was little more than an empty display¡ªutterly useless against him.

    He merely raised his right hand and made a downward slicing motion in the direction of the shadow serpent.

    I couldn¡¯t comprehend what had just happened. All I saw was an unimaginably brilliant flash of fire, and the next instant, I was engulfed by an explosion. My body was swept away by the shockwave, like a fallen leaf in a raging storm, flung far into the distance.

    The blast hurled me out of the abandoned building, even higher than its crumbling structure.

    In my inverted field of vision, I saw an awe-inspiring cascade of flames surging upward, cleaving the entire building vertically in two!

    The shadow serpent was gone, utterly annihilated. The deafening roar of the explosion reverberated endlessly.

    How could anyone hope to fight against such an absurdly overwhelming opponent? If I landed and immediately fled into the shadows¡­ I would surely be pursued¡­

    No, even if I could escape¡­

    I¡­

    Scenes from my past life began to flash vividly in my mind, one after another.

    My childhood fascination with the magical and the strange, my youth spent despairing on my knees in a dead-end alley, and my middle age, where I abandoned my conscience and took lives in pursuit of power¡­

    The words of the Creator of Oddities echoed through my mind amidst these memories:

    ¡ª When you truly despair and resign yourself, convinced that you are powerless to change anything¡­

    ¡ª The seed of the heart will leave you.

    The final image that lingered in my consciousness was Zhuang Cheng¡¯s expression¡ªcompletely unaware that I had ever activated my ability.

    I closed my eyes, utterly hollow.

    The heart seed I had nurtured all this time vanished from my body like a fleeting illusion.

    The power that once coursed through me lost its anchor, spiraling out of control and running amok, tearing my body apart from the inside¡­

 Ch 46: Dreams in Celestial Time

    I am Zhuang Cheng.

    It has been more than four years since I awakened my superpower, and I¡¯ve taken the time to reassess my current level.

    To evaluate my abilities, it¡¯s essential to establish clear criteria for judgment. The concept of "superpowers" is vast and varied. For instance, if someone¡¯s superpower is "mind reading," it would be unsuitable to measure their level based on how much destruction they can cause. However, my superpower excels in destruction and combat, so I¡¯ll use the hypothetical scenario of how powerful an enemy I can contend with as the basis for my assessment.

    Let¡¯s hypothesize: a fully armed and well-trained army from the era of cold weapons appears before me, determined to fight me to the death. Regardless of whether this army consists of 100,000 soldiers or a million, I believe the outcome would always end in my victory. Even if the entire world¡¯s armies were gathered together, I cannot imagine a scenario in which I would lose. This is due to the nature of my superpower¡ªdirect and straightforward physical attacks cannot harm me.

    What if it were a modern army relying on advanced weaponry? I still don¡¯t think I would be defeated. Bullets, artillery shells, missiles, chemical weapons, biological weapons¡ªall of those are ineffective against me. Not even nuclear bombs could kill me.

    That said, I¡¯ve never actually been hit by a nuclear bomb, so my confidence in this conclusion is somewhat lacking. Who knows? Perhaps, as some science fiction stories suggest, the human soul operates as an electromagnetic field, and the explosion of a nuclear bomb could disrupt that field, thereby destroying the soul and all.

    Moreover, the wisdom of scientists should never be underestimated. In monster movies, there are often scenarios where an apparently flawless ultimate lifeform has its weakness discovered by human scientists. Sometimes, I can¡¯t help but put myself in the position of the monster, thinking that if I truly believed my superpower was invincible, I might one day suffer an unexpected defeat in an unforeseen situation.

    As for what would happen if I were to face other superpowered individuals, that¡¯s something I find genuinely hard to judge. As mentioned earlier, the types of superpowers are incredibly diverse. What if my opponent could directly attack my soul? How would I even defend against that?

    I¡¯m not a violent maniac constantly fixated on fighting, but in a "transcendent adventure," conflicts with others¡ªeven with those like myself¡ªare scenarios that must be considered in advance. Many fantasy stories have depicted similar situations.

    I imagine that if there really were a superpowered individual skilled in mind-reading who regularly read my thoughts, they might ask themselves this question: Why does this guy always mention ¡°fantasy stories¡±?

    Or more precisely, they might wonder how I define "transcendent adventure."

    I often distinguish between "pursuing supernatural phenomena" and "pursuing transcendent adventures" in my mind. This is because, to me, "transcendence" does not necessarily require the "supernatural."

    Everyone¡¯s reality is different. People from thousands of years ago would have considered modern airplanes surreal. Those ignorant of science might view quantum mechanics as something beyond reality, and people living in peaceful countries might think the chaos in war-torn nations is something different from their own reality. As for my definition of a "transcendent adventure," it is an adventure beyond my experience and life¡ªunpredictable and inconceivable.

    So, not long ago, when Ma Zao was covered in blood and collapsed in front of me with a real gun, even though she hadn¡¯t shown any supernatural signs at that point, I couldn¡¯t help but take her back to my home.

    Yes, transcendent adventures don¡¯t necessarily exist only in fantasy stories; they also exist in the real world. War correspondents in conflict zones, explorers traversing mountains and jungles, mercenaries living on the edge of life and death, even criminals who disrupt societal stability... Even without superpowers or strange phenomena, there are many people in the real world experiencing absurd adventures.

    There are also generations of legends in the political and business arenas. Even if the reality I face is monotonous and dull, it doesn¡¯t mean that everyone in the world faces the same kind of reality.

    I actually understood this principle when I was fourteen, but¡­If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    I had a dream.

    It was a dream I had shortly before awakening my superpower. Of all the dreams I¡¯ve had from childhood to adulthood, this one wasn¡¯t particularly special. I dreamt I was standing in a long corridor, with grey concrete walls surrounding me on all sides.

    It looked like the corridor of an abandoned building, with no light bulbs even, yet for some inexplicable reason, I was able to see the surroundings around me, just like a character in a horror game. But this ability only extended to my immediate vicinity¡ªthe further ahead or behind, it was as dark as the mouth of an abyss.

    A vague premonition arose in my mind, and I began walking forward. Not long after, I found an iron door beside the corridor. I opened it, and inside was an empty room. In the center of the room was a set of wooden table and chairs, with the chair facing the door, and a person sitting on it.

    Perhaps because it was a dream, I couldn¡¯t describe the person¡¯s exact appearance or clothing, only that it was a man. As soon as I saw him, my premonition grew stronger. This strange person could grant my wish.

    ¡ªDo you want power?

    The strange person asked me.

    ¡ªPower?

    I replied, puzzled.

    ¡ªYes, power.

    ¡ªThe power you¡¯ve long desired, the power of fantasy, the kind that matches your idea of a transcendent adventure.

    The strange person tempted me like a devil.

    I hoped that I could resolutely reject him, because I had already seen clearly that a transcendent adventure does not need to be pursued in a dream.

    The real world has its own brilliance. I only need to abandon fantasies, recognize reality, and work hard to reach that place.

    However, at that time, I must not have been strong enough...

    More than four years later, I had this dream again, and found myself back in that dark, decaying corridor.

    I recognized it as the same dream I had before, and I could even clearly recall every detail of my previous conversation with the strange person. This time, there was no mysterious premonition to guide me. Using my memory, I walked down the corridor and soon found the same iron door, opening it.

    Inside the room were the same lonely wooden table and chairs from before, but the strange person was no longer there.

    I entered the room, casually closed the iron door behind me, and sat down at the wooden table, observing the surroundings idly.

    After a moment, footsteps echoed from outside, growing louder as they approached.

    Someone opened the door and walked in.

    It was a boy around fourteen years old, with a face that was both familiar and unfamiliar to me. His gaze was alert, his movements tense, exuding an aura of rejecting others.

    He was me, another version of me¡ªthe me that had not yet grown up.

    His eyes focused on me, silently urging me to introduce myself.

    I didn¡¯t introduce myself. Instead, I recalled the conversation I had with the strange person from years ago and asked the same question.

    ¡ªDo you want power?

    ¡ªPower? he asked in return.

    ¡ªYes, power¡­ I consciously used a seductive tone, "The power you¡¯ve long desired, the power of fantasy, the kind of power that matches your idea of a transcendent adventure..."

    Upon hearing this, he fell silent, seemingly caught in an internal struggle.

    I stopped speaking and silently waited for his response, hoping he would give a different answer this time.

    However, this time, I didn¡¯t get an answer.

    In the closed room, for some unknown reason, a grayish fog began to appear.

    The fog quickly thickened to the point where I couldn¡¯t see anything, not even the boy who was both familiar and unfamiliar, nor my own body.

    My vision sank into the darkness within the layers of mist.

    Until I opened my eyes and woke up from the dream.

    ---

    It has been a day since the death of the true fallen demon hunter¡ªAgent Kong.

    By the time I fought with Agent Kong, I¡¯m not sure why, but at the end, he suddenly screamed, ¡°Impossible, I won¡¯t admit it!¡± in a breakdown. However, because he finally used a creative move, I was a bit impulsive and couldn¡¯t help but retaliate with a more powerful attack.

    I say "move," but in truth, I don¡¯t really have any particular techniques when using my power. I simply concentrated a lot of flames together and shot them out. The consequence, however, was that I accidentally split the abandoned building in half, and the shockwave seemed to have shattered the windows of nearby buildings.

    Such a huge disturbance naturally attracted Zhu Shi, who was still handling the room on the fifteenth floor from a distance.

    I could only inform her of Agent Kong''s death and collect most of the scattered bodies from the explosion. Thankfully, there was still some residual heat from my flames, so it wasn¡¯t that difficult to find them. In fact, this probably wasn¡¯t caused by my attack. I had deliberately spared him, but who could have predicted that he would self-destruct in mid-air after being thrown back? From start to finish, it was completely baffling.

    Self-detonation was one thing, but his body even reverted to its human form, which made it seem like I had uncontrollably murdered the innocent Agent Kong. At first, I didn¡¯t know how to explain this to Zhu Shi, so I could only tell her the truth.

    Fortunately, Zhu Shi didn¡¯t doubt me. She carefully examined the fragmented remains of Agent Kong¡¯s body, her focused expression reminding me of the last time she deduced that my superpower didn¡¯t originate from the bloodline of demons or monsters. After a while, she seemed to come to a conclusion and acknowledged that Agent Kong was indeed a fallen demon hunter. Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief.

    However, regarding the other parts of my explanation, she seemed deeply shocked, struggling to process what I had said.

    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying you personally split this building in half? You can also transform your body into flames, and even if your head is severed, you¡¯ll be fine. And even when Agent Kong ambushed you from behind, nothing happened to you¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I nodded. ¡°So, can I join Mount Luo now?¡±

 Ch 47: External Wu Chang 1

    ¡°Join Mount Luo...¡±

    Zhu Shi was stunned for a moment before letting out a sigh.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s still not allowed?¡± I asked, somewhat concerned.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s impossible. If you truly have such extraordinary power, whether you want to join Mount Luo or do something else, I have neither the reason nor the authority to stop you.¡±

    ¡°Then, do you think I¡¯m exaggerating or fabricating my abilities?¡± I found her reaction entirely understandable.

    But she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your account of the battle.¡±

    At least show some doubt!

    I was already prepared to demonstrate on the spot.

    ¡°Before, I thought you had weaknesses in combat, which is why I opposed your joining Mount Luo. But now, it¡¯s the complete opposite¡ªbeing too powerful has its own set of problems.¡± Zhu Shi seemed to be weighing certain concerns. She glanced at the fragmented remains on the ground again, her expression tinged with sorrow. ¡°I¡¯ll explain the reasons to you in detail later. For now, let¡¯s deal with the aftermath of the fallen demon hunter.¡±

    Agent Kong seemed to be someone Zhu Shi was familiar with. Seeing a former acquaintance become corrupted and die, her emotions must have been extraordinarily complex.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t intend to kill him earlier,¡± I said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize to me. I know it wasn¡¯t you who killed him but some other unknown cause. Even if it truly was you, the fault lies with Agent Kong, not you.¡± As she spoke, a look of guilt appeared on her face. ¡°Besides... I¡¯m the demon hunter responsible for this area. This burden should have been mine to bear.¡±

    Initially, I had felt a faint and somewhat irrational sense of guilt for causing the death of someone Zhu Shi knew. But now, it was her who felt guilty toward me. That¡¯s when I remembered what Agent Kong had said while still disguised¡ªthat one of the reasons Zhu Shi didn¡¯t want me to join Mount Luo was because she didn¡¯t want me to kill.

    That wasn¡¯t something Agent Kong had said casually; Zhu Shi truly did have a remarkably naive side to her.

    Although I didn¡¯t directly kill Agent Kong, his death was undoubtedly linked to me. Yet, unlike the previous fallen demon hunter, Agent Kong had left me with the impression of being human. Perhaps I should have felt some guilt for his death, but I felt nothing at all.

    Instead, I found myself regretting that, with Agent Kong¡¯s death, many truths I didn¡¯t yet understand were buried in darkness along with him.

    The fallen demon hunter incident clearly has many unanswered mysteries. Where did Agent Kong acquire this power? Why did he suddenly self-destruct at the end? Why did the previous fallen demon hunter seem to recognize me? What was the deal with the ritual array and the basement in the fifteenth-floor room?

    It feels as if I¡¯ve speedrun through a game only to discover I missed a lot of collectibles. But reality doesn¡¯t allow for a restart. All I can do now is throw myself into the next adventure.

    The fact that I could no longer access the Shadow World through Agent Kong also left me feeling deeply regretful.

    The internal state of the Shadow World is indescribable using human language¡ªso much so that even I couldn¡¯t fully grasp what it felt like to be there. If I had to compare it to something, it would be like forcing a text editor to open a video file, with the result being that I was nearly reduced to a meaningless string of garbled data.

    I had to muster all my strength to endure it, barely maintaining my existence and ability to think while I was there.

    When I explained this part to Zhu Shi before, her expression grew even more baffled, as if she couldn¡¯t make any sense of what I was saying. Honestly, I didn¡¯t understand it either. I was just going with my instincts.

    Originally, I had intended to spend more time observing the Shadow World, but I worried that Agent Kong might take the opportunity to escape while I was preoccupied. Since capturing him would allow me to make him reopen the portal, I hurriedly returned. I hadn¡¯t expected, however...

    After parting ways with Zhu Shi, I searched the area again and managed to find more scattered remains of Agent Kong¡¯s body. Of course, these weren¡¯t large pieces¡ªjust a finger that had been blown apart during the explosion and charred to ash by the flames.

    Driven by a sense of regret, I picked it up and took it with me. Perhaps because it had been scorched into charcoal just before his death, the finger retained its Fallen Demon Hunter form, making it somewhat of a keepsake.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Calling it a ¡°memento¡± might make me seem a bit twisted, especially considering I¡¯ll likely encounter far more bizarre events in the future. Compared to what¡¯s to come, this charred finger is probably nothing significant.

    But at least for now, this strange object holds some meaning to me.

    ---

    The next day, this morning to be exact, I met Zhu Shi at a park near the university.

    Maybe she had done something behind the scenes¡ªdespite the huge commotion I caused by splitting the abandoned building in half, no official personnel had come to talk to me. Or maybe she was the official personnel sent to speak with me.

    As usual, she wore a white blouse and a black skirt, with a large black guitar case slung over her back, dressed like a member of a band.

    Compared to yesterday, her expression had become much calmer. Perhaps she had come to terms with the emotions stirred by seeing an acquaintance turn into a villain and then die, or maybe she had simply buried it all deep within herself.

    There was no one else around, so we could talk freely. Today, she came as a Demon Hunter of Mount Luo, officially here to discuss my future.

    She first asked me to demonstrate the ability to transform my body into flames. After I obliged, she circled me as she observed, her expression looking as if she¡¯d just seen a ghost.

    "¡­Even though I never doubted what you said and had mentally prepared myself, still¡­ are my eyes playing tricks on me? Am I dreaming right now?"

    "Is this ability really that amazing?" I asked curiously.

    "It''s no longer a matter of being impressive or not¡ªthis is divine-level power," she evaluated. "The ability to freely transform your body into a natural element is considered a manifestation of ''divine'' power in the world of demon hunters, commonly referred to as ''elementalization.'' This skill is seen as a characteristic of gods or immortals. While there are other methods to forcibly mimic such a divine ability, they almost always come with certain conditions, costs, or limitations. There''s no way they could use it as effortlessly as you."

    With a sense of unreality, I responded, "So, does that make me a god or an immortal?"

    "¡­That depends on how you came to possess the ability to elementalize," she replied, seemingly finding the idea just as absurd.

    Hearing this, I reflected on my past experiences and gave her an explanation.

    The process of learning to elementalize¡ªor what could be called my ''second form''¡ªwas not particularly complicated.

    Zhu Shi and Agent Kong both seemed to think that a flame user like me resembled more of a "mortal wielding a powerful weapon" than a true "transcendent." Honestly, in my normal state, I had to admit I often felt the same.

    I had always felt there was an invisible gap between myself and the flames. When I manipulated fire, it felt like issuing orders to a subordinate¡ªthere was always a delay between "me giving the command" and "the flames executing it." No matter how much I practiced, it felt like I was trying to build rapport with the flames, rather than achieving seamless, instinctive control.

    Logically speaking, the flames should be an extension of my mind, so this inexplicable delay shouldn''t exist. Thus, I formed a hypothesis: there was a difference between "my own spirit" and "my spirit transformed into flames."

    From this, a thought occurred to me¡ªwhat if I couldn''t control the flames seamlessly because I was still human, and not the flames themselves? So why not become the flames?

    To put this idea into action, I chose an incredibly simple and brutal method.

    I set myself on fire.

    Unless I willed it otherwise, flames couldn¡¯t harm my body. I could fill every crevice of my being with fire, feeling myself merge entirely with it.

    And one day, I found that the boundary between myself and the flames had vanished completely.

    I became the flames.

    The whole process was so muddled that even I didn¡¯t fully understand it.

    After hearing my explanation, Zhu Shi was utterly dumbfounded.

    ¡°That method of yours¡­¡± she managed to say after a long pause, ¡°all I can say is, for true gods and immortals, even if they can¡¯t articulate the process of achieving elementalization to others, they themselves are always completely aware of how they did it.

    ¡°For the former, it¡¯s an innate state of being; for the latter, it¡¯s the result of profound enlightenment.

    ¡°But as for your approach¡ªgrabbing onto some nonsensical idea, training aimlessly, and then suddenly succeeding¡­¡± She hesitated before concluding, ¡°based on everything I¡¯ve seen, there are no other examples of this method.¡±

    "I see..."

    It seemed I truly had no connection to gods or immortals. However, as a superpowered individual, I was clearly quite unique.

    I wasn¡¯t sure whether I should feel happy about being ¡°different.¡± This uniqueness appeared to mean there were few, if any, examples I could draw upon for reference, making it even harder for me to uncover the reasons behind my superpower awakening.

    ¡°I think I now understand why you never encountered anomalies in the past,¡± Zhu Shi said with a sense of clarity. ¡°Anomalies attract each other, but extreme power has the opposite effect. Your power is so immense that anomalies actively avoid you. Not only do intelligent and instinct-driven anomalies retreat, but even anomalies that exist as phenomena seem unable to interact with you for some inexplicable reason.

    ¡°This is a phenomenon usually observed only with the Great Wu Chang or with a handful of hunters whose powers are extraordinarily immense.¡±

    Hearing this new term, my curiosity was piqued. ¡°What¡¯s a Great Wu Chang?¡±

    ¡°The so-called Great Wu Chang are the strongest hunters at the pinnacle of Mount Luo,¡± she explained. ¡°They are immensely powerful and extremely few in number. Currently, there are fewer than ten Great Wu Chang in all of Mount Luo.¡±

    ¡°You say they¡¯re immensely powerful... How powerful are we talking?¡±

    As I asked, I began speculating to myself. Considering that an organization like Mount Luo hadn¡¯t taken over the country or left a distinct mark on history, the Great Wu Chang¡¯s power likely didn¡¯t surpass that of ancient armies, and at most, wouldn¡¯t exceed that of modern ones.

    Still... I was confident I could defeat an ancient army. Couldn¡¯t the strongest hunters manage that?

    Or was I underestimating armies? Did ancient forces have hidden means to suppress superpowered individuals like me?

    What Zhu Shi said next, however, was utterly absurd:

    ¡°Barring certain exceptional historical cases, as far as I know, the Great Wu Chang generally possess the power to single-handedly destroy entire nations.¡±

 Ch 48: External Wu Chang 2

    The Great Wu Chang can single-handedly destroy an entire nation¡ª

    Forgive me for my disbelief upon hearing this. Coming from Zhu Shi¡¯s mouth, this statement felt as absurd within my previous worldview as a government official openly declaring that ¡°the five permanent members of the UN Security Council are actually puppets controlled by the Rothschild family,¡± the kind of outlandish conspiracy theory you''d find in tabloid fiction.

    Then I gathered my thoughts.

    ¡°When you say ¡®an entire nation,¡¯ are you referring to something like a small country? Or perhaps ancient nations from before the rise of industrial civilization?¡±

    ¡°I mean the country we¡¯re currently standing in,¡± Zhu Shi said, gesturing at the ground beneath us.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°I am.¡± She nodded, then paused to think and added, ¡°Though I¡¯ve never personally witnessed the Great Wu Chang fighting seriously, at least based on what I¡¯ve learned, the Great Wu Chang are capable of such feats.

    ¡°Throughout history, the Great Wu Chang have been able to summon tsunamis and floods, trigger earthquakes and droughts, and unleash other natural disasters like typhoons. If they were to truly get serious, the scale of the disasters they could cause would be monumental, enough to be recorded in history books.

    ¡°Even concentrated nuclear strikes couldn¡¯t kill the Great Wu Chang. They either possess defenses that defy all worldly logic or have an immortality that allows them to return even if their bodies and souls are completely obliterated.¡±

    ¡°In the myths and legends that have been passed down, some of the deities are actually the Great Wu Chang who once brought calamity to the land or benefitted the people.¡±

    Able to trigger tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, and droughts...

    I wasn¡¯t sure if what Zhu Shi was saying was true. While I was certain she wasn¡¯t lying to me, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how reliable those historical records were. I didn¡¯t know much about natural disasters, but I did understand some basic concepts. For example, the energy released by a major earthquake that leaves a mark in history is at least hundreds or thousands of times the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

    Tsunamis or typhoons are the same. Nuclear weapons may be hailed as the ultimate weapon of modern civilization, a cornerstone of peace maintained through mutual deterrence between great powers. However, when it comes to competing with large-scale natural disasters in terms of total energy, they still fall far short.

    It would make sense that the Great Wu Chang, who can manipulate such massive natural disasters, wouldn¡¯t be afraid of nuclear weapons.

    But this raised an even bigger question: why would such powerful Great Wu Chang still nominally submit to the guidance of nations?

    Or to put it bluntly¡ªsince these individuals already possess such heavenly power, why bother establishing something like Mount Luo? Why didn¡¯t they just create their own Heavenly Court?

    Why do they quietly handle the dangers of the world below the surface, dealing with the anomalies, rather than stepping out to rule the world?

    After all, if our country has figures capable of literally shaking the heavens and the earth, why do such perplexing twists still exist in history?

    I directed all my questions to Zhu Shi.

    She showed an expression of helplessness. ¡°I can¡¯t answer you.¡±

    ¡°Is this one of Mount Luo¡¯s secrets?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that¡­ this isn¡¯t a secret at all. It¡¯s actually common knowledge around here.¡± She seemed to be choosing her words carefully. ¡°The reason I¡¯m not answering you isn¡¯t because I don¡¯t want to, but because, including myself, all the hunters I know have no idea of the answer.¡±

    My confusion deepened. ¡°You mean even Mount Luo doesn¡¯t know why they¡¯re doing this?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t know the fundamental reason behind why we don¡¯t publicly disclose the existence of hunters and anomalies, or why we don¡¯t become the rulers of this country.¡±

    ¡°So, if you¡¯re not speaking from the organization¡¯s standpoint, but from your personal standpoint, why do you think you¡¯ve chosen this approach?¡± I pressed.

    ¡°Because everyone around me does the same, so I just followed along.¡± She answered directly. ¡°After all, I have no desire to dominate others or seek fame. As long as I can protect innocent people, that¡¯s enough for me.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°This¡­¡± I felt as though a fog of doubt had enveloped me. ¡°At the very least, the core leadership of Mount Luo must know why they¡¯re doing this, right? They¡ªthe Great Wu Chang¡ªmust have hidden their true intentions from all of you, and forcibly made you do this. Over time, you¡¯ve just gotten used to it¡­ is that it?¡±

    This time, the words she spoke plunged me even deeper into the fog of confusion: "It''s not like that. The Great Wu Chang don''t know the truth either."

    I countered, "How can you determine whether the Great Wu Chang know the truth?"

    "Because the Great Wu Chang have been in conflict over this issue for the past three years," she said. "Do you remember what I told you the night before last? Mount Luo is currently in chaos and conflict, and everyone is gradually realizing that what they''ve been doing isn''t so natural. They realize they could reveal their true selves to society, they could become rulers of this country, or even try to do much more."

    "Your statement sounds like every hunter throughout history has been under some inexplicable hypnosis, and now, for some unknown reason, the hypnosis is finally being broken," I sarcastically remarked.

    She didn''t deny it, instead replying, "The ''hypnosis theory'' is quite popular in Mount Luo as well, but it''s hard to imagine that even all the Great Wu Chang, both past and present, could have been hypnotized."

    I had only been casually making a remark, but it was surprising that she didn¡¯t outright reject it.

    I now understood. No wonder when I last asked her why Mount Luo hid the truth about the existence of anomalies from society, she was evasive. It was because she genuinely didn¡¯t know how to explain it.

    "Wait, you said this chaos has been happening for the past three years..." I carefully reconsidered what she had said. "Why has this chaos lasted for three years without ending? Aren''t the Great Wu Chang capable of easily conquering this country?"

    Not only this country¡ªassuming no foreign supernatural organizations are of comparable scale, the Great Wu Chang who can manipulate large-scale natural disasters would be able to conquer the world with ease.

    Perhaps my question had touched a very sensitive point, as Zhu Shi''s expression suddenly became very serious.

    "Before answering this question, Zhuang Cheng, I want to ask you a question first¡ª"

    Seeing this, I couldn''t help but focus and prepare myself to take her question seriously.

    She seemed to wait until I was mentally ready before asking her question:

    "How do you view the world as it is now?

    "How do you view people like yourself, those with superpowers, compared to ordinary people without any powers?

    "Do you think superpowered individuals are superior to ordinary people? Do you think you should become the ruler of the world, forcing those without power to submit to you and view you as a god, high above them?"

    Upon hearing these words, I immediately understood what kind of turmoil was currently happening within Mount Luo.

    What she was asking now was likely a question of stance.

    It seemed that within Mount Luo, at least for now, there were at least two conflicting viewpoints: one, as previously mentioned, believed that the hunters should be above all, becoming gods on Earth to dominate all beings; the other believed that hunters should reintegrate into the existing social system in a relatively peaceful manner.

    Given Zhu Shi''s personality, her views were most likely aligned with the latter. Since I was aiming to join Mount Luo through her, I should say something that resonates with her preferences. In other words, this was a political alignment, and I had to take it seriously.

    I opened my mouth, about to say a lie, but for some reason, I found this politically charged questioning unbearably nauseating. I decided to disregard everything and speak the truth.

    "Yes, I believe that superpowered individuals are superior to ordinary people," I said directly from my heart.

    This wasn''t something I came up with on the spot.

    Ever since awakening my superpowers and gradually growing stronger, I had repeatedly considered what attitude I should have toward the relationship between myself and society, if my superpowers remained with me permanently. Specifically, whether I could consider myself superior to ordinary people.

    The answer was clear. I am a superpowered individual, and I possess violence far beyond that of ordinary people. I am indeed superior to them.

    In the past, when people around me criticized me, sometimes even saying hurtful things, I never used my powers to trouble them. Partly because I couldn¡¯t be bothered, but also perhaps because I knew, "I could kill them anytime, anywhere." Because I held the upper hand in terms of power, I was able to view them with an unusually tolerant attitude.

    For a time, I even tried to emulate the aloof, god-like characters in fantasy novels who could decide life and death, speaking in a detached tone.

    However, I often forgot the persona I had set for myself. When someone near me cracked a joke or did something funny, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh aloud. Over time, I just thought, "Forget it, forget it." Even though I did have the power to lord over others, I didn¡¯t particularly yearn for that kind of life.

    On the other hand, while I had concluded that "superpowered individuals are superior," I couldn''t help but feel some doubt.

    Indeed, if another superpowered individual appeared before me and declared, purely based on their power, that they were superior to ordinary people, I would acknowledge them. Violence is important. Human history has been a history of violent struggles, and since ancient times, the strongest wielders of violence have claimed legitimacy. No matter how powerful the weapon of critique, it cannot outweigh the power of the weapon itself.

    To be honest, though, I always felt that kind of approach was a bit beneath me.

    Or, to use a more modern expression, it was "low-class." Violence can certainly force people to acknowledge your superiority by pressing their heads to the ground, and it can eliminate anyone who refuses to recognize it. But all that does is make them comply. I think a person who is truly superior to ordinary people should have some persuasive quality that wins people''s hearts and minds. Not only should they excel physically, but ideally, they should also have a sense of taste on a mental level.

    I shared these thoughts with Zhu Shi.

    The more she listened, the more speechless she became. In the end, she expressed her thoughts: "¡­Overall, you still think superpowered individuals are superior to ordinary people¡­ Am I right?"

    "That''s roughly the case," I admitted.

    "Then why did you become friends with my brother? Isn''t he also a ''lower-ranking human'' in your eyes?" she asked.

 Ch 49: External Wu Chang 3

    "I said that superpowered individuals are superior to ordinary people, but that''s just a rational conclusion I came to." I answered honestly. "It''s one thing when it''s those people gossiping behind my back, but when it comes to Chang''an, or anyone who can engage with me normally, I just can''t bring myself to feel that kind of superiority."

    "Then, if your reason and emotions come into conflict, which one would you choose?" Zhu Shi asked next.

    Without thinking, I retorted, "Do I seem like a person who prioritizes reason?"

    "¡­It seems I asked a pointless question." She was speechless.

    "I understand why you''re so focused on my answer. You''re trying to confirm my stance, right?" I said. "Now I can tell you directly, I won¡¯t side with those who think superpowered individuals should integrate into the mundane world, nor with those who think superpowered individuals are above it. I have no interest in your political factions; just thinking about those things makes me feel bored.

    "But, Zhu Shi, I¡¯ll stand by your side. Since you¡¯re Chang''an''s sister, you¡¯re also my friend. If anyone becomes your enemy, they¡¯ll be my enemy too.

    "Now, tell me, what do you want me to do?"

    Zhu Shi slightly opened her mouth, and after a moment, she sighed and laughed. "You¡¯re cheating with this answer..."

    "I¡¯m just speaking the truth."

    Actually, there was a bit of theatrics in what I said. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t sound so grandiose.

    But it was the truth, and it was what I intended to do.

    "Honesty is the most unfair," she responded softly at first, then began to vent her frustrations. "You might think I¡¯m annoying for bringing up such topics, but honestly, I hate political discussions like this too. What girl my age likes to talk about serious politics? So, I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand me, I really wasn¡¯t trying to pressure you with any political persuasion."

    "I won¡¯t misunderstand you," I promised.

    "Good, now, back to your earlier question¡­" She adjusted her expression and continued, "I hope you can hide your true power in Mount Luo for now."

    "If I expose my true power, will someone try to harm me?" I asked, curious.

    "On the contrary, most of Mount Luo''s factions would fight to have you join their side. Unless they¡¯re out of their minds, they¡¯ll definitely do that. You can choose whichever faction you like and gain immense benefits," she said slowly. "The reason I¡¯m suggesting this is not to represent my own faction or to claim you for myself. It¡¯s just a personal request."

    "What''s the reason?" I asked.

    "I hope you can observe carefully," she said, staring at me seriously. "Once you reveal your power, people with all sorts of ulterior motives will approach you, speaking exaggerated words, pretending to have certain stances. But none of that will be their true selves. You can remain hidden, observe their true faces, and then decide your direction.

    "Even if the direction you choose in the end isn¡¯t the same as mine, that¡¯s fine. I just hope you choose the one you truly want."

    I had already said that I wasn''t interested in these kinds of matters.

    Although I wanted to say that, I could sense the genuine goodwill in Zhu Shi''s words.

    Moreover, upon careful consideration, it was clear that I wasn¡¯t in a position to expose myself to the scrutiny of multiple factions right now.

    I personally didn¡¯t mind getting involved in the so-called "political whirlpool." If it happened, then so be it¡ªI would just do my own thing. If anyone tried to force me into doing something else, I could easily ignore them. And if anyone tried to obstruct me, then they would become my enemy. It was simple and clear.

    The issue, however, was with Ma Zao.

    Mount Luo was currently focusing on tracking down Ma Zao, and she was right by my side. Although I didn¡¯t know exactly which factions within Mount Luo were involved in this, I needed to keep Ma Zao hidden from their eyes.

    The dark humor of the situation was that I wasn¡¯t trying to protect the weak, helpless girl from the bad guys¡ªI was another bad guy myself.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Before I knew about the mutual repulsion between me and the anomalies, it was more important for me to solidify my position within Mount Luo. At that time, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have hidden my true power just for Ma Zao. But now, Ma Zao had become an indispensable option for me, while Mount Luo had become secondary.

    Seeing that I agreed, Zhu Shi also relaxed.

    "Hiding your true power actually has another benefit," she sighed. "It means others won¡¯t know how to properly deal with you. Like with Agent Kong this time... If he had known in advance that you could elementalize, he would have used methods focused on attacking your soul to ambush you."

    "Yeah, fortunately, he''s only good at physical attacks," I sighed, then asked, "By the way, you mentioned hiding, but with how big the commotion was during my battle with Agent Kong, isn''t it impossible to hide now?"

    "I''ll figure something out for that. Once I have the results, I''ll let you know," she replied.

    "Alright, then about me joining Mount Luo..." I brought up the old topic again.

    "To become a Hunter of Mount Luo, you need to pass a test. It''s not just about testing your power level, but also your knowledge about anomalies," she said tactfully. "If you¡¯ve never formally studied this before, you¡¯ll need at least three years of training before you can pass Mount Luo¡¯s Hunter test."

    "Three years?!" I was surprised. "But I heard from Agent Kong that you could be my guide... His tone made it sound like I could join Mount Luo immediately."

    "In Mount Luo, the relationship between a guide and the one being guided is essentially that of a teacher and student," she said with a slightly awkward expression. "What he meant was that you could become my student, learn for a few years by my side, and then join Mount Luo..."

    "I see. Then, Teacher Zhu Shi."

    It was my first time calling her "Teacher," and I said it seriously, though I felt a little embarrassed and had a strange sense of novelty and excitement.

    On the other hand, Zhu Shi looked much more flustered than I did. She was shocked, "You really called me that?"

    The one who wavers first in situations like this is the awkward one. I continued, trying to keep my face neutral: "What''s wrong with that?"

    "Don''t you think I¡¯m not qualified? Like with age, strength..." she asked, fidgeting.

    "You know more than I do, and your experience is richer. As the saying goes, the accomplished are the teachers, so of course you¡¯re qualified," I said honestly.

    She carefully observed my expression, seeming to lose her confidence as she sighed and said, "...Actually, becoming a Hunter doesn¡¯t necessarily have to go through the test. There are other paths."

    "Please, tell me more," I said, suddenly intrigued.

    She gave her answer: "That¡¯s to become an ''External Wu Chang.''"

    "''External Wu Chang''? What¡¯s that?"

    "The Hunters of Mount Luo who handle anomalies are called ''Wu Chang.'' An ''External Wu Chang,'' on the other hand, refers to powerful Hunters who exist outside of Mount Luo''s system but are recognized by Mount Luo," she explained. "You can think of them as Mount Luo''s united front targets. For Mount Luo, most civilian Hunters are less like Hunters and more like potential threats, people they need to manage. However, for particularly powerful individuals, Mount Luo will deliberately grant them the same qualifications as official Hunters."

    I ransacked my mind for any scattered knowledge I had learned in the past.

    In Buddhism, they refer to their teachings as "Inner Dao," while other teachings are called "Outer Dao," and "Wu Chang" refers to the soul collector in Taoism.

    External Wu Chang... I mulled over this term. Without even thinking about its origins, I couldn''t shake the feeling that it had an inexplicable charm and an air of rebelliousness that really appealed to me.

    "How can I gain Mount Luo''s recognition?" I asked.

    "You don''t have to worry about that. Even if I can hide your true strength in the report, the building you split in half can¡¯t be hidden," she said. "Although fire users are usually seen as only excelling in offensive capabilities, if your power reaches this level, Mount Luo will probably have to acknowledge it. I''ll help you apply for this as well."

    "Then I¡¯ll leave it to you," I said, seriously entrusting the task to her.

    She briefly switched back to her "Junior" mode, smiling brightly as she nodded. "Leave it to me, Senior Zhuang!"

    ---

    Before parting ways, I asked Zhu Shi for one more thing.

    That was to check the source of my superpower.

    Zhu Shi could only determine that my powers did not originate from the bloodline of demons or monsters, but the specifics still required a thorough examination. I was very concerned about the origin of my abilities. After learning about my request, she took a few drops of my blood, saying she would take them back for testing.

    I didn¡¯t head home immediately. Instead, I called Chang''an and arranged to meet him.

    Because the Fallen Hunter incident had ended ambiguously, the "fireflies" I had left with him had not been recalled yet.

    And as Chang''an himself said, to avoid being implicated if the "mysterious serial killer" targeted him again, he had stopped going to school recently. Normally, one would think that in such a situation, he would want to stay in crowded places for safety, but his way of thinking seemed a bit different.

    The agents who had been secretly monitoring him had already withdrawn, likely because Mount Luo thought the Fallen Hunter incident was over and no longer required surveillance. It seemed that he had also received the news, as he appeared much more relaxed. He even sent me a text last night.

    We arranged to meet at a fried chicken shop, and when he arrived, he was still wearing his gaudy brand-name clothes. It¡¯s not that I have a stereotype against branded clothing, but he was someone who only pursued expensive clothes without any sense of style or fashion coordination.

    As Zhu Shi being his little sister didn''t seem to have much knowledge of fashion either, but she favored a simple style in her clothing, which didn¡¯t show any downsides. Chang''an, on the other hand, had a flashy, attention-grabbing style, like someone who had too much money and didn''t know how to spend it.

    But now, even his dreadful outfit started to evoke a sense of nostalgia in me.

    He walked over with a big smile, speaking loudly as he approached: "Ugh, I''ve been cooped up for the past two days... What¡¯s going on, why did you suddenly call me out? Is this a treat? I¡¯ll treat! Come on, what do you want to eat?"

    He had no idea that I was here to end our friendship.

 Ch 50: Friend 1

    Chang''an was never someone who was good at pretending or putting on a facade, and as his friend, I considered myself to have a deep understanding of his character.

    He had a stubborn side, or perhaps a slightly awkward side. If asked to do something directly, he might comply; but if told not to do something, he¡¯d likely become rebellious and insist on doing exactly what was prohibited, making a big show of it, as if he wanted everyone to know he did it.

    So I knew very well that if I suddenly distanced myself from him without saying anything, or if I directly told him I wanted to sever ties, he would never accept it. Not only that, but he might even come around every day to bother me. That was something I didn¡¯t want to see. I didn¡¯t want to bring the trouble of Ma Zao¡¯s situation into his life.

    In my heart, I already had a concrete plan to distance myself from Chang''an and other normal relationships. This distancing wouldn¡¯t happen all at once, but would be gradual.

    But, even though I had prepared my words, the moment I saw Chang''an¡¯s face, I suddenly didn¡¯t know how to say it. The carefully crafted words I had in mind vanished without a trace.

    I could only try to regain the composure I should have had.

    Perhaps this was all an excuse¡ªI just wanted to talk with my good friend in the remaining time. It didn¡¯t matter what we talked about.

    Chang''an and I sat together at the long table in the fried chicken shop, and he relaxed his collar with a smile, chatting with me about what he had been up to the last couple of days: "I¡¯ve been staying at the army hospital. The food there is healthy, but it tastes terrible. Plus, no one¡¯s around to talk to me, and my mom can¡¯t talk either."

    I awkwardly responded, "How¡¯s Auntie doing now?"

    "Same as usual, lying in bed without responding," he said.

    Chang''an and Zhu Shi''s mother is in a vegetative state. According to Chang''an, one day she suddenly fell into an unexplained coma and has not regained consciousness since. Despite medical tests showing that all her bodily functions are normal, she just can¡¯t wake up. If it weren''t for her physiological activities still continuing, she could almost be considered a corpse.

    Chang''an, of course, couldn''t make heads or tails of it, but Zhu Shi certainly knew the truth, and now I understand it too.

    This is "Soul Loss Syndrome."

    The source of the disease, how it spreads, and how to treat it are all unknown... It''s not even a condition that fits into the normal medical definitions; it''s more akin to a curse caused by some strange entity. Those afflicted have lost their souls, and it''s a phenomenon that spreads globally.

    Ma Zao is the only known case of recovery, which is the main reason why Mount Luo has been searching across the country for her.

    If Ma Zao is truly an apocalyptic traveler, then according to common sense, her awakening wouldn''t have anything to do with Soul Loss Syndrome. Studying her wouldn''t reveal any answers, and it certainly wouldn''t help Chang''an¡¯s mother.

    However, I have other thoughts on this. Why did she happen to travel into the body of a person with Soul Loss Syndrome, and one whose body is nearly identical to hers? Is her journey truly unrelated to the syndrome?

    From my perspective, if she refuses to continue maintaining a relationship with me, I¡¯ll have no choice but to imprison her and hide her somewhere no one can reach her. On the other hand, as long as I can ensure that our relationship continues and she is willing, there¡¯s no harm in Mount Luo trying to find a cure for Soul Loss Syndrome through her. Chang''an would likely be glad to see this happen.

    There is a key issue here, which is that certain factions within Mount Luo have shown a disregard for Ma Zao¡¯s basic rights during their search for her. This has made me faintly sense that they might not be following the proper path. While I have no real right to criticize them for ignoring others'' basic rights, it doesn''t stop me from being wary of those who engage in such behavior.

    Chang''an continued to complain, "My sister is really good, she often goes to visit Mom, but whenever I go, she vanishes and leaves me there to face it alone. Isn¡¯t that strange?"

    I knew that Zhu Shi had been busy with the Fallen Demon Hunter case at that time, so I couldn¡¯t bring up that topic with Chang''an. I responded indifferently, "Maybe it''s because you¡¯ve been misbehaving, and she doesn''t like you."Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    He didn¡¯t seem to hear that and sighed instead, "When she was younger, she was such a cute girl who loved music. She used to carry her guitar around. Now, she still carries a guitar case everywhere, probably playing in a band somewhere. But ever since she changed her name a few years ago, she¡¯s been really cold toward me..."

    I realized that what Zhu Shi currently kept in her guitar case was likely not a guitar, but the sword she had shown me last time.

    As I thought about this, I noticed a key piece of information in Chang''an¡¯s words: "Changed her name?"

    I remember Chang''an mentioning something like this to me before, but at that time, I didn''t know Zhu Shi''s true identity and had no interest in her, so I let that topic slip by without giving it much thought.

    "Yes, doesn¡¯t ''Zhu Shi'' sound like a name that¡¯s not very feminine?" Chang''an asked in return.

    "''Zhu Shi'' does sound rather neutral, but giving a neutral name to a girl isn¡¯t really that strange," I replied.

    "I¡¯ll tell you, the ''Shi'' in ''Zhu Shi'' actually isn¡¯t ''Shi'' as in ''pick up,'' but the character for the number ''ten,''" Chang''an gave me an unexpected answer. "Our family, the Zhu family, has this strange tradition of naming our descendants with numbers. For example, my mother¡¯s name is ''Zhu Jiu,'' and before that, there was ''Zhu B¨¡,'' ''Zh¨± Q¨©,'' ''Zhu L¨´,'' and so on..." (lu, qi, ba, jiu is number 6, 7, 8, 9)

    This was quite a mysterious tradition.

    The Zhu family was a local, hidden wealthy family, and I had never connected them to the supernatural before.

    When I saw Zhu Shi hiding her identity as a demon hunter in front of Chang''an, I thought she was a lone hunter with her family unaware. But now, I began to wonder if the Zhu family itself had certain secrets, and Chang''an just didn¡¯t know about them.

    "What about other siblings?" I asked.

    "Generally, they give all the children non-numerical names first, and then after choosing an heir, they give that heir a special name," he explained. "For example, my sister used to be called ''Zhu Jiuxing,'' but after she started middle school, she changed her name to ''Zhu Shi.''"

    "You¡¯re called Chang''an, and she¡¯s called Jiuxing; it really does suit the names of siblings," I commented. ( Chang''an mean long peace, and Jiuxing mean long happiness )

    "Although we¡¯re not biological siblings," he said with a hint of sadness. "As you know, I¡¯m just the illegitimate son that my scoundrel father had with another woman. The person lying in the hospital isn¡¯t even my biological mother. Even though, in my heart, she¡¯s truly my mother and she¡¯s been very good to me, but¡­"

    "Is that why you¡¯ve never gone to visit Auntie?" I asked.

    "I know it¡¯s just me being petty, but... do you think Zhu Shi¡¯s distancing herself from me now is also because of this?" he said in a hollow tone. "And the fact that my dad never comes to see me, could it also be because of this¡­"

    He always put on a carefree persona in front of others, but at that moment, he showed a vulnerable side in front of me.

    Since he was my friend, I had asked around before. His father was a high-ranking official in the government, but he had been missing for years now.

    It wasn¡¯t that Chang''an''s father had died, but rather, he seemed to be involved in secret activities that were not convenient to disclose. Perhaps related to some confidential government projects. His official position remained, but he was no longer physically present in his post. It also seemed like he quietly kept an eye on Chang''an; whenever Chang''an got into trouble and needed him to clean up, he would send someone to handle it.

    He was a son-in-law of the Zhu family, so his position was not particularly solid. As Chang''an¡¯s illegitimate son, he couldn¡¯t feel the warmth of a normal family in the Zhu household. I had previously suspected that the reason Chang''an always caused trouble outside was not just to vent his negative emotions, but also to possibly attract his father''s attention.

    "He¡¯s probably just caring for you in his own way, but because of his work, he can¡¯t reveal himself openly," I reassured him.

    "I hope so," he said, quickly wrapping up the topic and turning his attention to something else. "By the way, A Cheng, about that basement... the one in the room on the fifteenth floor, do you remember it?"

    "Of course I remember."

    "I actually... regret it a little. I wasn¡¯t interested in strange things only after meeting you; I had always wanted to prove the existence of strange phenomena. But... I ran away from that basement, didn¡¯t even dare to go in," he gritted his teeth. "These past couple of days, I¡¯ve been having nightmares, dreaming that a huge hand reaches out from the basement and drags me into the dark depths. After that, the entrance disappears, and I can¡¯t find a way out... I feel like, instead of living in constant fear, maybe..."

    He suddenly became dejected and said self-deprecatingly, "Sorry... What am I saying? Just forget what I said. It¡¯s too crazy, no matter how you look at it..."

    "I¡¯m sorry, but you might be disappointed by what I¡¯m about to tell you," I said. "About the basement you mentioned, it won¡¯t appear anymore."

    "...Huh?" His eyes widened. "What!"

    "Actually, I called you out here to tell you this," I said with firm resolve. "I¡¯ve already explored the basement. For some reasons I can¡¯t explain, the basement has completely disappeared now."

    "Wait! Don¡¯t just brush over that! What do you mean by ''reasons I can¡¯t explain''?" He pressed.

    I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and began to weave a lie. "The issue isn¡¯t there, it¡¯s in what happened afterwards."

    He stared at me. "Afterwards?"

    "I may have been cursed by that basement. The reason I can¡¯t explain everything to you is because I¡¯m unsure if the information I share could be harmful to you. You should understand, right? Just knowing about strange phenomena can already be dangerous," I said in a serious tone.

    "Ah, yes, some new ghost stories have such settings, like memes or something..." He nodded, half-understanding, then was shocked. "So you¡¯ve been cursed by that thing!?"

    "Yes. Just telling you over the phone might lack a sense of reality, so I¡¯m telling you face-to-face," I said solemnly. "For a while, it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t keep in contact."

 Ch 51: Friend 2

    Chang''an immediately became flustered and stood up from the long table.

    "Is there anything I can help with? Or you can just tell me the truth, and we can figure out a solution together! Don¡¯t worry about involving me!" he said urgently.

    Around us, the other customers and staff briefly glanced in our direction before turning away, not particularly concerned with what was happening at our table.

    Seeing Chang''an so panicked and anxious, even I couldn¡¯t help but feel a flush of shame and guilt.

    But I had already told the lie, so now I had to stick with it.

    "Don¡¯t be so nervous," I said deliberately in a strong and confident tone. "It¡¯s not as dangerous as you think. I¡¯ve already prepared a thorough response plan. Just treat it like I¡¯ve caught a rather special contagious disease, and for now, I can¡¯t casually interact with familiar people or talk... especially with those who have witnessed the basement, like me."

    "Does it also relate to whether or not they¡¯ve witnessed the basement?" he asked.

    "I can¡¯t reveal more," I added, taking on a mysterious tone.

    In reality, there was no deeper meaning. From the beginning, it was all made up, and I only included that detail to consider whether Chang''an might accidentally see me interacting normally with others later on.

    My thinking was quite simple¡ªI intended to "temporarily" distance myself from him in the beginning, then gradually extend this period, until our relationship eventually faded. If he tried to approach me during this time, I could come up with more excuses, such as "Coming closer would actually escalate the situation and put us in more danger," and so on.

    I felt really sorry for him, but this was to prevent him from getting caught up in the mess.

    Chang''an sat back down, still unwilling to accept it, and asked, "Is there really nothing I can do to help?"

    I answered firmly, "No."

    "I see..." he said, dejected.

    This time, it was my turn to stand up.

    "Well, then, let''s part ways here."

    Looking at his face, thinking that this might be the last time we have a proper conversation, I didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. All I could do was repeat the same old advice: "You shouldn¡¯t always go to places like nightclubs. Keep yourself clean. It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t find a girlfriend. Why not talk to a female classmate and have a proper relationship instead of looking for women at nightclubs?"

    He gave a dry laugh and retorted, "How can you compare the two? Going to a nightclub to find women is just about a physical and financial relationship, but if I were to find a girlfriend at school, I¡¯d have to deal with all kinds of messy emotions. I¡¯m not stupid, why would I set myself up for that?"

    This was a conversation we¡¯d had many times before. I wasn¡¯t angry at his response, just filled with an indescribable sense of melancholy and sadness. After that, I left the place.

    ---

    Walking on the way home, I lowered my head and thought.

    Given Chang''an''s personality, he probably wouldn¡¯t give up so easily. He¡¯s just that kind of stubborn person. Perhaps he would go back to the fifteenth-floor room again, but the ritual array there had already been erased by Zhu Shi.

    Even if, for the sake of argument, the ritual array still existed, it was originally a flawed creation with a probability of activation so low it could be considered astronomical¡ªthere was no need to worry about it... No, I still had to worry, because Chang''an had triggered the ritual array when he was alone before.

    If I could open the basement because of Ma Zao''s favor, could it be the same for Chang''an? Was it just because he was someone close to me, and he had been affected by Ma Zao''s bad luck?

    Luckily, the ritual array had been erased, removing the last dangerous factor. Although I wasn¡¯t completely without regret about its disappearance, I still had video recordings of the ritual array, so it was possible to reopen the entrance to that "space that doesn¡¯t exist in reality" somewhere else.

    I bought two servings of spicy grilled pig¡¯s trotters on the way, then entered my neighborhood. First, I picked up a package from the parcel locker, then returned to my front door.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Through the "firefly" setup I had in my home, I could see Ma Zao¡¯s current state. She was still sitting on the couch as usual, staring at the view outside the floor-to-ceiling window, looking like a canary imprisoned by a bad person.

    When she was alone, she would read books, or turn on the TV to watch current affairs news to understand how modern society functioned. However, moments like this, where she just stared off into space, were quite frequent. I didn¡¯t know if she was reflecting on memories from her past life in the apocalyptic world, or if she simply enjoyed being still, like a plant, quietly letting time pass by.

    At this point, I have already designed the "fireflies" that can store preset instructions, allowing them to monitor Ma Zao''s activities even while I¡¯m sleeping. However, just like how a person''s memory fades over time, the "fireflies" also gradually forget my preset instructions as time passes. To maintain their effectiveness, I must regularly correct them.

    The preset instruction stored in the "fireflies" near Ma Zao is: "If Ma Zao steps outside the boundaries of this home, send me an alert." Recently, Ma Zao has indeed been keeping her word, not once attempting to leave the place.

    However, sometimes, I have other concerns. In the past, I refrained from having the "fireflies" follow Zhu Shi because I was worried that she might notice them. And since Ma Zao is also an extraordinary "superpower user" (at least, that¡¯s what I believe), could she potentially sense the "fireflies" as well?

    Has she truly not noticed so far because she can''t? Or is it because her soul has been damaged, making her unable to sense them?

    Or... could it be that she has always known I¡¯ve been monitoring her?

    Once I considered this possibility, my heart couldn''t help but race.

    But compared to this issue, I actually have a more urgent and pressing problem right now.

    It¡¯s the "third day."

    Three days ago, Ma Zao and I made an agreement that she would stay at my house for only three days, and today is the "third day." In other words, tomorrow she will leave, but I still haven''t found a way to convince her to stay longer.

    If it¡¯s just to extend it for another two or three days, that should still be possible. Because her recovery progress isn¡¯t going that well, she still cannot use the so-called "blessing power." But after the extension ends? If possible, I hope she would willingly stay by my side.

    Of course, it''s not that she wouldn''t want to stay, but rather, I just haven''t figured out how to make her stay yet, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered to say goodbye to Chang''an just now. If I had no other choice, I could still resort to forceful methods. Even if she could use spatial transfer to leave, it wouldn''t matter. I¡¯ve already left my ¡°mark¡± on her, allowing me to track her position at any time and, when necessary, switch to my "second form" to teleport directly to her location.

    Those who can "teleport" aren¡¯t limited to Ma Zao and Agent Kong; I can mimic similar techniques.

    As for the "mark," it isn¡¯t the "fireflies." Ultimately, the "fireflies" are external monitoring tools, unable to penetrate her body. This means that when she uses spatial transfer to leave, the "fireflies" won¡¯t be able to track her.

    The true identity of the mark is a "heat signature."

    My ability isn¡¯t just limited to creating flames with my mental energy; I can also convert the heat of the flames into a separate entity, and this heat is an embodiment of my mental power. The reason I was able to track Agent Kong, who escaped through the Shadow World, was because there was still residual heat from my flames within his body.

    Leaving this thermal mark on Ma Zao¡¯s body would, in theory, be even easier to detect than the "fireflies." After all, if someone has a part of their body that¡¯s significantly warmer than the rest and it doesn¡¯t fade away, they¡¯d definitely feel something is off. However, it was thanks to the battle with Agent Kong that my thoughts were opened up.

    Why did I have to leave the thermal mark on her outer body? Why not directly place it inside her organs?

    Human internal organs are not as sensitive to temperature changes as the skin, and since internal organs are naturally warm, a slight increase in temperature in a specific area would not be noticeable. To be safe, I decided to place the heat signature while Ma Zao was asleep. By the time she wakes up, her body may have adapted to it, making the change even harder to detect.

    I placed the heat signature in her stomach, thinking of it as warming her stomach.

    However, I felt that this alone was still not secure enough.

    I needed to take one more precaution...

    With this in mind, I opened the door and walked inside.

    Ma Zao, as usual, was quite sensitive to external changes. As soon as I opened the door, she immediately reacted, turning her head toward me.

    Then she jumped off the couch and hurried over to me with quick steps.

    I held out the plastic bag with two portions of spicy roasted pig''s trotters in front of her.

    "You bought food again? I''m not a kid. Don''t always give me food. It makes it seem like I''m greedy," she said, looking speechless.

    No, you''re actually just a child.

    "You''re not going to eat it? It''s really delicious, and if you leave it, it''ll get cold," I said.

    Although she had just said that, she was still quite fond of food. Upon hearing this, she reached out to take one of the roasted pig''s trotters, but then hesitated.

    "What''s wrong?" I asked.

    "...Nothing," she replied.

    She took one of the roasted pig''s trotters and glanced at me. After I took a bite of the one in my hand, she followed suit, returning to the couch with a heavy heart.

    I had a rough idea of what was on her mind. I had been trying my best to persuade her to stay, but tomorrow she was leaving.

    If it had been when we first met, she would have simply stated her intentions outright. But it seemed she was very defensive against "other people''s kindness"... No, that''s not it. Perhaps she''s not good at dealing with kindness, but before confirming whether it was genuine or not, she would become highly cautious.

    She probably had high expectations for people living in peaceful societies, which was why she somewhat accepted me. Right now, she was probably thinking about how to say goodbye without making me sad.

    Faced with her, I chose to walk over to the table, grab a pair of scissors, and open the package I had just picked up from the delivery locker. Inside was a well-made red bracelet.

    This is a GPS bracelet I bought online.

    I turned my back to Ma Zao, paired the red GPS bracelet with my phone, and then turned around.

    Ma Zao was attracted by the sound and looked over with curiosity.

    I then said seriously, "Ma Zao, I have a gift I want to give you."

 Ch 52: Apocalyptic Girls Date 1

    The GPS wristband I purchased online was originally intended to prevent children from getting lost. Its exterior is red, giving it a somewhat toy-like appearance, though one could argue it also resembles a delicate accessory that suits a middle school student¡¯s aesthetic.

    For those familiar with such devices, their true purpose would probably be apparent at a glance. However, based on my observations over this period, Ma Zao seems to have only a basic understanding of modern electronics. For example, while she knows what a refrigerator and a television are, she¡¯s quite unfamiliar with smartphones. When she saw the fitness tracker I had idly purchased in the past, she even curiously asked what it was. It was then that the idea of giving her a GPS wristband came to me.

    Admittedly, thermal markers are more covert than a GPS wristband. However, since I¡¯ve started to suspect that Ma Zao might notice the ¡°firefly¡± markers I¡¯ve been using based on superpowers, I can¡¯t fully trust thermal markers either, which are also based on superpowers.

    Using superpowers is necessary, but so is modern technology.

    Keeping Ma Zao by my side is the most important matter of my life. How could I possibly feel secure with only one layer of precaution?

    Hearing my voice, Ma Zao froze for a moment, then looked puzzled as she got up from the sofa and walked over.

    "A gift for me?"

    "Yes, this is for you." I handed over the red GPS wristband, which looked like an ordinary accessory.

    She hesitated instead of immediately taking it and softly reminded me, "I¡¯m leaving tomorrow."

    "I know. There¡¯s no need to feel awkward about it. Consider this a farewell gift," I said, speaking with as much sincerity as I could muster. "Even though it¡¯s only been three days, we¡¯ve at least shared meals and slept under the same roof.

    "You¡¯re a fugitive being hunted by official forces, and I¡¯m the accomplice harboring you. From that perspective, we share a secret that no one else can know. You could even say we¡¯re partners in crime, wouldn¡¯t you agree?"

    Hearing this, she thought for a moment and then nodded. "That¡¯s... reasonable."

    "Even if you leave, I won¡¯t forget you; likewise, I don¡¯t want you to forget me after you¡¯ve left," I continued. "This wristband is my keepsake for you."

    She seemed on the verge of being persuaded. "¡­But I don¡¯t have anything to give in return."

    "It¡¯s fine. As long as you remember me and are willing to come back and visit me someday, I¡¯ll be content."

    As I spoke, I simply reached out slowly and took hold of her left arm.

    When I touched her, I could feel her reflexively tense up. However, she soon consciously relaxed, letting me take her arm. She was still wearing my gray long-sleeve T-shirt, so I rolled up the overly long sleeve to reveal her slender, fair wrist. Then, I carefully placed the red GPS wristband on it.

    She withdrew her wrist and examined the GPS wristband with a curious gaze.

    Seeing her scrutinize it so closely made me a bit nervous. Unable to help myself, I spoke a few more words, hoping to divert her attention. "I¡¯m just a student, and my finances are limited. If I could, I would¡¯ve bought you a more expensive accessory. But for now, this toy-like wristband is all I can afford."

    "No, it¡¯s fine. I like it a lot."

    I couldn¡¯t tell if she genuinely liked it or was just being polite. But having received a gift, she certainly wouldn¡¯t say outright that she didn¡¯t like it.

    As she responded, she showed a joyful smile and gently touched the GPS wristband¡ªone that held a rather ulterior motive.

    "It''s been how many years since I last received a gift..." she murmured, her tone tinged with a trace of nostalgia.

    It seemed she hadn¡¯t recognized the true function of the wristband.

    To be honest, giving a GPS wristband disguised as a simple accessory to a 13 or 14-year-old girl was, without a doubt, the most perverse thing I¡¯d ever done in my life. Even I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at my own depravity. The younger version of myself, who appeared in my dreams last night, would never have imagined that I¡¯d one day become such a despicable and shameless man.

    Seeing that the mood was improving, I decided to press my advantage and make my next move.

    "Ma Zao, even though you said you¡¯re leaving tomorrow, I hope you can wait just a little longer before you go."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Hearing this, she snapped out of her thoughts and asked suspiciously, "Why?"

    "Look, you¡¯re still wearing my clothes, aren¡¯t you?" I brought out the reasoning I¡¯d prepared in advance. "A normal girl wouldn¡¯t walk around wearing men¡¯s clothes that are so oversized. Sure, you¡¯re no longer wearing that bloodstained hospital gown like when we first met, but if you go out dressed like this, you¡¯ll still attract suspicion. And don¡¯t forget, there¡¯s an active manhunt for a ¡®teenage girl carrying firearms.¡¯ That¡¯ll only make it easier for you to run into trouble."

    "But as long as I avoid drawing attention..."

    "I don¡¯t know what the population density of a post-apocalyptic world is like, but in our society, cities are incredibly crowded. If your only goal is to hide, maybe you could avoid being noticed. But the moment you try to do anything outside, it¡¯s impossible to stay completely out of sight," I said seriously. "You might say you can steal clothes from others, but I don¡¯t want you resorting to stealing. That¡¯s not a good thing to do."

    "Then what should I do, according to you?" she countered.

    "It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ve already ordered a few outfits for you online, using the size of the hospital gown you took off as a reference," I answered directly. "The delivery just needs some more time¡ªit didn¡¯t arrive today, but it should be here by tomorrow at the latest. Once it arrives, you can head out wearing the new clothes."

    I didn¡¯t dare mention anything about the day after tomorrow or later, as she might decide to leave right away.

    For now, I could only stall her for a bit longer and use the extra time to persuade her to stay.

    She lowered her head and thought for a while before reluctantly nodding. "Alright, I¡¯ll wait until tomorrow then... Oh, by the way, where is that hospital gown now?"

    "Since it was too dirty and tattered, I threw it away."

    In truth, I¡¯d secretly kept it as a ¡°memento of our fateful encounter.¡±

    To avoid being mistaken as a creep, I decided to keep this particular matter hidden from her.

    ---

    Ma Zao had said she¡¯d "wait until tomorrow before leaving," but through my persistent efforts, I managed to extend her stay until the day after tomorrow.

    While keeping her occupied, I also used the internet to investigate the information I needed.

    Although there hadn¡¯t been an official statement from the authorities yet, news of a "teenage girl carrying firearms and ammunition" wanted by law enforcement had already started circulating online. Fabricated stories about recent victims of this so-called criminal were even making their way onto trending lists, with all sorts of rumors running wild like a chaotic circus.

    Just as Agent Kong had mentioned before, Mount Luo had expanded their search for Ma Zao to a nationwide level. What was visible online was merely the ripple on the surface; there were undoubtedly more covert operations happening in the shadows, and those were likely the true driving force behind the hunt.

    I also subtly probed Zhu Shi for information, and her answers largely confirmed my suspicions. In addition, I asked her about the so-called "jinx constitution."

    A jinx constitution does indeed attract strange phenomena, but supernatural are naturally drawn to each other. Even demon hunters with supernatural powers tend to attract supernatural. From a demon hunter''s perspective, could Ma Zao¡¯s jinx constitution be less unique than it seems?

    However, Zhu Shi denied my speculation outright.

    It¡¯s true that demon hunters have the ability to attract supernatural, but this trait doesn¡¯t extend to those around them, let alone the people around those people. Moreover, a demon hunter¡¯s attraction to supernatural isn¡¯t particularly frequent¡ªover the course of a year, it might only happen a handful of times, at most enough to ensure that "a demon hunter can never truly live an ordinary life."

    A situation like "picking up Ma Zao at night and immediately being targeted by an supernatural the very next morning" is so instant and conspicuous that it can only be attributed to some kind of curse. And if all demon hunters had such an absurd constitution, then according to the six degrees of separation theory (the idea that any person can connect to any other person in the world through a chain of no more than six acquaintances), human society probably wouldn¡¯t have survived to this day.

    Zhu Shi also shared another crucial piece of information with me: in the past two or three years, the frequency of supernatural-related incidents around the world has been significantly increasing.

    This information is corroborated by what I¡¯ve found online. Over the past two or three years, there¡¯s been a noticeable surge in urban legends, ghost stories, and sightings of supernatural events. I¡¯d already observed this anomaly myself and had conducted several on-site investigations at locations linked to these reports, but I always came up empty-handed.

    If Zhu Shi hadn¡¯t told me this in person, I might have continued to dismiss those reports as nonsense, assuming they were merely part of a growing new wave of urban legend culture on the internet in recent years.

    Whenever I think deeply about this, I find it baffling. Despite this wave of frequent supernatural having lasted for so long, I somehow kept missing them time and time again. If not for my chance encounter with Ma Zao, I probably would still believe this was nothing more than a cultural trend of new urban legends rising online.

    Incidentally, the scene of me slicing through an unfinished building during my fight with Agent Kong was also witnessed by bystanders. Some even filmed the event and uploaded the videos online. The uploader adamantly claimed that the footage had not been edited in any way, and a few locals commented under the video, vouching for its authenticity. However, the majority of viewers assumed it was either an unexplained but otherwise logical explosion or simply a well-crafted special effects video.

    I never expected to become the protagonist of such an incident myself¡ªthere¡¯s even a chance that urban legend enthusiasts might visit the site for an investigation.

    Since I¡¯ve now stepped onto the stage of the demon hunter world as a superpowered individual, there¡¯s no point in pretending to hide my abilities anymore. From now on, I won¡¯t bother with the whole "don¡¯t use your powers in public" nonsense. When unnecessary, I won¡¯t flaunt them, but when needed, I won¡¯t hesitate or shy away from using them. Just let things take their natural course.

    That said, I still need to be careful in front of Ma Zao. Because I had initially portrayed myself as a normal person, suddenly revealing my powers now might raise her suspicions. I can¡¯t keep this hidden forever, though; I¡¯ll need to find the right opportunity to tell her.

    As of now, it¡¯s the fifth day since we first met.

    This time, I can no longer find a reason to convince her to delay her departure.

    Her decision to leave is final.

 Ch 53: Apocalyptic Girls Date 2

    Simply relying on postponing Ma Zao''s departure day by day would never truly keep her by my side.

    There must be a hard deadline in her heart. The initial "three days" she mentioned was like the expiration date on food packaging¡ªthere¡¯s often a buffer zone between the stated expiration and the actual spoilage. Once that buffer zone is gone, so too will any room for sweet talk and persuasion.

    That morning, after she woke up and finished breakfast, we sat together in the living room watching TV. The news was reporting on the "mysterious explosion at an unfinished building" near Xianshui University, an incident caused by none other than myself. The experts, with a tone of finality, concluded the incident was due to a gas explosion. Regardless of how Mount Luo currently views the question of whether "supernatural should continue to be concealed," it¡¯s clear that the official stance is still to keep them hidden.

    When the program entered a commercial break, Ma Zao informed me that she was leaving. Her expression made it clear this wasn¡¯t a discussion, but rather a perfunctory notice.

    Of course, there was no way I would just let her leave without a fight.

    And over these past few days, I¡¯ve also come up with a plan to make her stay willingly.

    This was my first time putting so much thought into tricking a girl, and I¡¯d made plenty of missteps earlier. But as the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Through these days of trial and error, I¡¯ve gradually honed my approach.

    At first, my ideas revolved around luring her with delicious food, giving her an upset stomach so she¡¯d have no choice but to stay, or making excuses like "the package won¡¯t arrive until tomorrow." These tricks were minor ploys, capable only of slight delays.

    The reason she was willing to stay at my place before was that she truly believed she needed time to recover and hide. Now, however, she no longer faints at the drop of a hat, can walk steadily without stumbling, and looks visibly healthier. It wouldn¡¯t even be surprising if she could already use her spatial displacement powers again. In her eyes, I¡¯m no longer essential.

    As the saying goes, "A thousand books of false knowledge can be summed up in a single truth." What I truly need to do now is simple: make her feel that I, as a person, am indispensable to her.

    Once I found the right approach, inspiration and clever ideas came flooding in, one bad scheme after another forming into detailed plans. Who would¡¯ve thought I had a talent for deceiving girls? It¡¯s almost ironic¡ªafter hitting rock bottom in certain areas of my life, my mind has only become clearer. As I repeatedly refine the plan taking shape in my head, I grow increasingly confident.

    By now, Ma Zao had risen from the sofa.

    She was no longer wearing my gray T-shirt and pants but the clothes and shoes I had bought for her online.

    Though I used to mock Chang¡¯an in my head for his poor fashion sense, I must admit I don¡¯t have much of an eye for clothing coordination either. My grasp of color combinations is shallow at best, and when it comes to women¡¯s fashion, I¡¯m utterly clueless. However, I do have one superficial trick: when unsure of what colors to pick, black is always a safe choice.

    She was now dressed in a black printed hoodie and a short skirt, her slender legs wrapped in black cotton tights, and on her feet were a pair of black ankle-length Martin boots. The only exception to her otherwise dark-toned outfit was the red GPS bracelet I had given her, which stood out against the ensemble. From my own aesthetic perspective, the outfit seemed safe from any fashion faux pas, and she hadn¡¯t voiced any complaints about it either.

    Seeing the beautiful girl wearing clothes I had personally chosen for her gave me an unprecedented sense of novelty. I couldn¡¯t help but start considering ways to further refine her look.

    At that moment, I noticed Ma Zao walking toward the entryway, pulling her hood down to conceal her face. I decided to speak up: ¡°Let¡¯s go out together.¡±

    ¡°Together?¡±

    She stopped in her tracks. Over the past couple of days, it was clear she had built up some resistance to my sweet talk. Hearing me speak now, she turned to look at me with a wary gaze.

    ¡°You¡¯re still unfamiliar with a lot about the outside world, aren¡¯t you? I can show you around,¡± I said, rising from the sofa. ¡°Let¡¯s grab a meal, explore a bit, and then part ways amicably. That way, we can give this a proper ending. Consider it my farewell gift to you.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°If someone sees you with a wanted criminal like me¡­¡± she said, still hesitant.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just wear this.¡±

    I took out the mask I had prepared in advance¡ªa black cotton mask with a white whiskered cat design.

    She questioned, ¡°Wearing something that hides my face like this, wouldn¡¯t that make me look even more suspicious?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, wearing a mask while out and about has been perfectly normal these past few years,¡± I reassured her.

    After some thought, she nodded in agreement, took the cat-whiskered mask, and put it on before heading out with me.

    Once we were downstairs, the morning sunlight bathed her entire figure. She looked up at the sky, seemingly moved by the open space she hadn¡¯t experienced in a while.

    I felt something unusual at that moment. Even though we¡¯d been living together for several days, this was the first time I was walking with her under the sunlight. To clarify, I¡¯m absolutely not objectifying Ma Zao here¡ªwhat I felt was perhaps akin to taking a cat or dog outside for the first time, with no leash in hand. I was nervous she might suddenly run off to a place where I couldn¡¯t catch her.

    She turned to glance back at my apartment and then looked at me with a relaxed expression.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, puzzled by her gaze.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing...¡± Despite saying this, two seconds later, she spoke her mind. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me. Even though I¡¯m small and not very... endowed, I do think my face is pretty. At least, that¡¯s how I see it. So, well... I¡¯ve always had this slight suspicion.¡±

    ¡°What suspicion?¡±

    ¡°That you might actually be some kind of creep who wanted to keep me captive. That the reason you¡¯ve been so nice to me was because you were attracted to my body...¡± she said, adding, ¡°But now I see I was mistaken. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°...¡± For a moment, I didn¡¯t even know how to respond.

    Although I wasn¡¯t the kind of person she suspected, I had entertained the thought of keeping her captive, and it remained my last resort if all else failed.

    Deflecting the topic while testing the waters, I asked, ¡°More importantly, are you feeling okay now? You won¡¯t suddenly collapse, will you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m much better. While the damage to my soul won¡¯t heal so easily, I can at least run without any issues now.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been spacing out a lot recently,¡± I remarked.

    She gave an unexpected answer. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve been meditating.¡±

    ¡°Meditating?¡± I was taken aback.

    Wasn¡¯t that the legendary state of mindfulness and focus that I¡¯d only read about in books¡ªthe one I couldn¡¯t achieve even after developing my superpowers?

    ¡°Meditation helps restore the soul and conceal one¡¯s aura. This effect lasts even after the meditation ends. Plus, it can be done in any posture or setting, which makes it ideal for my current condition,¡± she explained. ¡°Right now, my soul is damaged and prone to leaking unnecessary aura. The person who ambushed me last time likely tracked me down through this.¡±

    ¡°The person who ambushed you?¡± I latched onto this crucial detail.

    Only then did she realize she¡¯d said too much and immediately stopped, withholding any further information. Perhaps she was afraid of dragging me into her troubles. Right now, she was like a lone hero in the shadows, determined to shoulder everything herself.

    In this state, she wouldn¡¯t reveal anything more. I made a mental note to dig deeper later.

    We left the residential area and stepped onto the bustling street. It was the morning rush hour, and the sidewalks were packed with hurried office workers and students. At a street cart, I bought two pouches of sweet soy milk, intentionally letting her see the entire transaction.

    She noticed me pulling out my phone and scanning a QR code. Perhaps she¡¯d seen something similar on TV before, but if she really was a time traveler from a post-apocalyptic world, this might be her first time witnessing it in person. Her curious gaze betrayed her fascination with this unfamiliar technology.

    I handed her one of the soy milk pouches, and after we moved away from the cart, I explained, ¡°What you just saw was mobile payment. It works by using a mobile device to scan a QR code to complete the transaction.¡±

    ¡°Mobile payment, mobile devices... So, as long as you have a phone, you can do it?¡± she asked inquisitively.

    "Not just that. You also need to download the relevant app and link it to your bank account, which must have money in it. And applying for a bank account requires certain procedures, including providing identification," I explained.

    "Identification..." She worked to digest this information. "Can fugitives apply for bank accounts?"

    "Of course not," I said. "These days, mobile electronic payments dominate society, especially in big cities, where people are gradually moving away from cash. It¡¯s becoming increasingly hard to live and operate in society without adapting to this system. Many elderly people, who struggle to keep up with modern trends, often encounter difficulties with this, as you''ve probably seen in the news."

    As I spoke, I observed her reactions. She lifted the lower half of her mask to sip the sweet soy milk, a thoughtful look appearing on her face.

    Emphasizing the problems she couldn¡¯t easily overcome but needed to¡ªand framing myself as essential to solving them¡ªwas the core of my plan. Right now, I was like a cunning interviewer, carefully trying to chip away at her firm resolve.

    And this was just step one.

    I also needed to further increase my value by providing her with additional, relevant information. For instance, that those pursuing her weren¡¯t limited to the obvious forces but also included Mount Luo, a shadowy organization lurking in the background. Or that the body she now inhabited originally belonged to a girl suffering from Soul Loss Syndrome.

    Soul Loss Syndrome was something only demon hunters knew about, and based on Ma Zao¡¯s statements, she hadn¡¯t yet been exposed to the hidden world beneath the surface of this era. This suggested she might not even know what Soul Loss Syndrome was.

    I was deeply curious about how she would react upon learning this concept, but I also had to tread carefully. My current identity in her eyes was that of an ordinary person, so I needed a solid pretext to reveal such obscure information.

    After carefully drafting my plan, I began to lie again.

 Ch 54: Apocalyptic Girls Date 3

    "Ma Zao, over these past few days, I¡¯ve been investigating your identity," I said. "Not who you are as a visitor from the apocalypse, but rather the identity of the body you''re currently using."

    "...Hmm."

    Ma Zao continued sipping her sweet soy milk, showing no surprise. It was entirely reasonable for a co-conspirator to investigate those around them. She had, after all, rummaged through my room to gather more information about me.

    "You likely woke up in some hospital at first, didn¡¯t you? Then you disappeared from the ward right away, probably using the spatial transfer ability you mentioned. But perhaps you don¡¯t know this¡ªyour current body originally belonged to someone who also went by the name ''Ma Zao.'' She was in a vegetative state, comatose for unknown reasons, and had been unconscious until your arrival."

    Hearing this, her ears metaphorically perked up, and her attention became laser-focused.

    It seemed this was indeed new information to her, and I had managed to capture her interest.

    But the most critical part was yet to come.

    "I have a few well-connected friends at university, and I asked them to look into this matter. Though they could only find bits and pieces..." I said, carefully observing her reaction.

    As expected of someone untainted by the cynicism bred by the internet, she didn¡¯t show the reflexive suspicion one might have toward my conveniently fabricated ''friends.'' Seeing her accept this without question, I pressed on:

    "...I heard that the reason the body¡¯s original owner became comatose was due to a mysterious condition known as ''Soul Loss Syndrome.''"

    "Soul Loss Syndrome..." she echoed, her expression a mix of confusion and dawning realization.

    "I don¡¯t know much about the specifics of this condition," I admitted. "All I¡¯ve heard is that many people are suffering from it. But based on the name, I¡¯ve drawn some inferences..." I continued. "You¡¯ve mentioned before that your soul was damaged and that you¡¯re trying to recover it. So, do you sense another soul within this body¡ªa second soul?"

    "I don¡¯t," she replied, shaking her head. "By all logic, a body without a soul should fall into a state of death. However, when I entered this body, it was still functioning normally, yet the original soul seemed to have vanished without a trace."

    Her statement was essentially an admission that she was a ¡°soul traverser.¡±

    Perhaps because I had provided her with previously unknown information, she was willing to share more:

    "What''s more, for some reason, this body is remarkably similar to my original one. The compatibility between it and my soul is extraordinarily high, as if it were tailor-made for me. If the body¡¯s original owner didn¡¯t have her own identity in this world, I might have thought I had traveled here with my own body."

    "In that case, could it be possible¡ª" I decided to lay my cards on the table, "*¡ªthat you¡¯ve been a person from this world all along, and you just had a nightmare called the ¡®apocalypse¡¯? Now, you''ve finally woken up."

    She answered without the slightest hesitation:

    "If all of that were just a dream, it wouldn¡¯t explain where my Blessing powers come from."

    "How can you prove your Blessing powers are real when you currently can¡¯t use them?" I deliberately pushed further.

    "Didn¡¯t you mention earlier? I disappeared from the hospital room using spatial transfer," she replied.

    "That¡¯s just hearsay. I put more faith in what I can see with my own eyes."

    "...Fine." She thought for a moment and then said, "With my current condition, I should barely be able to use my Blessing powers without harming my soul. I¡¯ll use them to prove it to you."

    After saying this, she took one last sip, completely draining the sweet soy milk from the pouch, and then showed me the now-empty package.

    I didn¡¯t understand her intent, but I was filled with eager anticipation as I quietly observed.

    What happened next utterly convinced me of the truth behind her claim of possessing ¡°Blessing powers.¡±

    She cupped the now-empty packaging in her hands, her gaze focused intently on it. The next moment, the small space where the package rested began to distort visibly, as if the surface of a reflective pool had been violently stirred with a stick.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The distortion lasted only for an instant, and when the space calmed, the sweet soy milk pouch, now refilled, appeared once again in her hands.

    ¡ªTime had been reversed!

    Or¡­ had it really? Could this truly be time reversal? Or was it some other phenomenon that only appeared similar?

    How did this relate to "spatial transfer"? Or did her ¡°Blessing powers¡± encompass more than one type of ability?

    Regardless, she had finally fulfilled my long-held expectations. While I had always known she was unique, it wasn¡¯t until this moment that she demonstrated her uniqueness so tangibly before my eyes.

    At that instant, she seemed to shine like a beacon in my vision.

    ¡°I can¡¯t disclose the core of my abilities to you, but as you can see, this serves as the best proof that my experiences weren¡¯t just a dream,¡± she said seriously.

    ¡°Well, with you going to this extent, I can only believe you,¡± I replied, admitting defeat before adding, ¡°But what about another possibility: that you¡¯re still someone from this world, but your soul traveled to the apocalypse, where you forgot your true past, and then returned to the present?¡±

    ¡°Forgotten¡­?¡±

    I had tossed the idea out casually, not expecting much, but to my surprise, she fell into deep thought.

    Could it be that I¡¯d struck a chord?

    After a moment, she shook her head again. "There''s a serious flaw in your explanation. Why would two different eras have two bodies that are so strikingly similar, even having the same name?"

    I noted her strange reaction and responded, "Perhaps the apocalypse took place in another world, and you and the original owner of this body are the same person from different worlds. Or maybe the original owner of this body is your mother. After the apocalypse, she gave birth to you, named you after herself, and your similar appearance is because you''re mother and daughter."

    "Setting aside the first possibility, if it''s the second, then wouldn''t it mean that my daughter in the future would become me, travel back in time to be my mother, and then give birth to me?" She was initially stunned, then quickly shook her head. "No, no, that kind of absurd cause-and-effect relationship relies on the future staying the same, but my goal is to change the future..."

    "You might think all of these assumptions are wild fantasies, but I believe they must be seriously considered," I said, not joking. "Apocalypses, time travel, the bizarre, superpowers... aren''t all of these things absurd? Compared to those, are the possibilities I just proposed really that far-fetched?"

    "¡­Perhaps you have a point, but I still can''t believe it," she said cautiously. "Also, you mentioned earlier that ''soul-loss syndrome'' has many patients..."

    "If you really did soul-travel from this era to the apocalypse era and then returned, then soul-loss syndrome might have been the trigger for your crossing. That would mean the souls of other soul-loss syndrome patients might have also traveled to the apocalypse era," I suggested. "Do you have any clues about this?"

    "I never heard of anything like time travel in the apocalypse era," she decisively rejected. "And, I was born and grew up in the apocalypse era. Though I¡¯ve forgotten many things from the past, this one thing I am certain of."

    "What''s the deal with your memory loss?" I felt like I had stumbled upon a crucial piece of information and added, "To figure out if other soul-loss syndrome patients traveled to the apocalypse era, it¡¯s simple. Just tell me the names of the people you knew in the past, and we can cross-reference them with the data on soul-loss syndrome patients."

    "Unfortunately, I can¡¯t even remember their names..." She sighed. "Also, Zhuang Cheng, didn¡¯t you say we were going to part ways today? Why are you still speaking as if we¡¯ll continue working together in the future?"

    With that, she fell silent.

    It seems my "interview" hasn''t passed yet.

    I had no choice but to remain patient and continue with the original plan. I took her to the nearby aquarium.

    The Xianshui City Aquarium required a ticket for entry, and buying the ticket required showing an ID. Needless to say, Ma Zao didn¡¯t have an ID. However, since I was an adult and she was a minor, I could buy her ticket along with mine.

    I couldn''t remember the last time I had visited an aquarium; it must have been many years ago, probably during a class outing in elementary school. As we entered the exhibition corridor, it felt like stepping back into my childhood. On both sides were transparent glass walls, behind which various sea creatures swam. The dimly lit corridor was filled with shimmering waves, creating a dreamy, romantic atmosphere.

    Ma Zao followed closely behind me, curiously watching the marine animals swimming around. She couldn''t help but ask, "Is it necessary to show an ID when entering this place?"

    "Yes, but it''s normal for someone your age not to have an ID yet. As long as I help you buy the ticket by going in first, it''s fine," I continued to demonstrate my value. "There are plenty of places like this in today''s society."

    She must have seen through my intentions and spoke in a tone of persuasion, "Zhuang Cheng, being with me will only bring you misfortune.

    "Maybe in your heart, you''re thinking that even if things go wrong, you can always back out later. But the bad influence I bring won¡¯t disappear quickly. For example... do you still have contact with your friends?"

    She was likely referring to Chang An... I replied, "We only met once after he came to knock on my door last time."

    "Then, even if my influence affects the people around me, he should be fine by now," she said confidently. "But you''re different, Zhuang Cheng. This is the fifth day we''ve known each other. Even if I leave you now, you''ll still need to wait a long time before the influence is completely gone. We can''t continue to be together."

    "Why can''t I, but your friend can?" I retorted.

    She seemed completely caught off guard by my sudden question. "What?"

    "You mentioned the apocalypse for the first time and talked about having a friend. But when ''the Great Demon'' was chasing you, you couldn''t escape with your friend and ended up accidentally transferring to this era instead."

    I had never forgotten every word she had mentioned in front of me.

    "Or were you just saying it casually, and there was no such friend? If they truly existed, why can''t I be your friend?"

 Ch 55: Apocalyptic Girls Date 4

    Also, what was the gender of that friend?

    Although I was indeed curious about this, I felt that asking would change the nature of the conversation, so I swallowed the question down.

    It seemed that my question had caught her off guard. After a while, she answered, "¡­She is an exception."

    "An exception?" I pressed.

    "She was a ten-year-old little girl. In such a dangerous environment, if there was no one to protect her, she would have died even faster." She explained. "Although being around her would also bring danger, it was still better than leaving her all alone."

    "A ten-year-old girl..." I nodded. "Then, do you remember her name? Since you were with her until the very end, you must at least remember her name. We can check the records of the soul-loss syndrome patients later to see if we can find her."

    She seemed somewhat moved, but then sighed and denied, "I don''t know her real name. She had already forgotten it."

    Once again, an unexpected obstacle appeared. I asked, "Why is that?"

    "As I mentioned before, I''ve forgotten many things from the past. This is a very common phenomenon in the apocalypse era." She showed a reflective look. "The world in the apocalypse era was shrouded in an invisible madness, and the people living there would gradually be consumed by this madness, losing themselves and forgetting their past experiences. The people I caused to die, I can''t even remember their appearances or names anymore.

    "And when a person forgets their own name, even forgets everything, they lose themselves, descend into madness, and become monsters that devour others."

    "These transformed monsters are called ''Oddities,'' or ''Demon Beasts.''"

    The term "Oddities" is quite vivid.

    As for "Demon Beast"... I recall this term originates from Buddhism.

    In Buddhism, the obstacles that hinder a practitioner''s enlightenment are called "demons." The so-called "demon beast" is the root cause that causes the practitioner to uncontrollably commit evil deeds¡ªmore commonly put, it is what makes a person do bad things. Buddhism believes that the reason humans commit evil is because their hearts have been invaded by a demon, and that demon is the "demon beast."

    "The reason I acted together with my friend was partly to prevent myself from forgetting everything and becoming a demon beast," Ma Zao continued. "In the apocalypse era, it''s best to team up with at least two people so you can call out each other''s names and confirm each other''s memories. Even temporary codenames will do. The key is that everyone must have a name."

    "I see..." I processed this information and then said, "But even if you don''t know your friend''s real name, you must remember her face, right? This world doesn''t have the madness you spoke of, so there shouldn''t be any risk of forgetting her again."

    "I remember," she nodded. "I will follow your advice and investigate the records of soul-loss syndrome patients... though I don''t believe the souls of these patients went to the apocalypse era."

    It seemed she still intended to go solo. I had to convince her to give up that idea.

    After visiting the aquarium, I took her to an abandoned construction site near Xianshui University.

    "This is..." Ma Zao hesitated.

    This was where I first met her, the place I considered the location of fate. Although it had changed beyond recognition, she probably hadn''t forgotten that she had been here before.

    Now, it had become a dangerous area. The half-demolished, unfinished building still stood, but it was a true hazard now. A perimeter had been set up to prevent people from approaching. In a while, this place would probably be demolished.

    If I couldn''t convince Ma Zao no matter what, I would reveal my abilities here.

    I led Ma Zao past the caution tape and into the unfinished building, climbing the stairs in the undamaged section. Although she looked confused, she followed me.

    "I suggest you avoid exposing yourself recklessly. Right now, it''s not just the obvious forces tracking you. According to what my friends have found out, there seems to be some significant underground forces investigating you as well," I tried once again to persuade her. "The police who came to accuse you of being a serial killer were probably just the tip of the iceberg. If you expose yourself, you won''t be able to gather the information you''re looking for anymore."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "Underground forces... Even if such forces exist, they are something I have to face," she said firmly. "From the beginning, I made my purpose clear. That is to announce to as many people as possible that the apocalypse is approaching, and stop it from coming in this era."

    "Then why did the first thing you say to me when we met was ''don''t call the police''? Wouldn''t it be better to report the impending apocalypse to the official authorities first?" I asked.

    Without hesitation, she answered, "Because I need to gather enough evidence first to gain people''s trust."

    "This evidence, I will gather for you outside," I said. "You should hide here for now. At least wait for the current storm to pass."

    "No, you can''t do it," she asserted.

    "Why?" I asked, completely confused.

    By this time, we had reached the middle section of the unfinished building.

    Though it was called the middle section, it was effectively the rooftop, and above us, the structure consisted of a crisscrossed framework of steel and concrete.

    The rooftop had also been split in two, with a gap of about ten meters between the broken edges. We were standing on one half of the rooftop. The ground was slightly slanted. She walked to the edge where the rooftop had split. The sky was a clear blue, and the sun was shining brightly. A cool breeze blew from above, and her medium-length black hair swayed in the wind.

    She removed her black cat whisker mask and turned to face me, her expression calm.

    "Because, Zhuang Cheng... you don''t actually believe in the apocalypse, do you?"

    "Why would you say that?" I asked in return.

    Her next words left me speechless.

    "Have you ever once asked me, ''When will the apocalypse arrive?''"

    Her words struck me like lightning.

    "If you truly believe in the apocalypse and are wary of it, you would inevitably care about when it will arrive. Whether it''s in a few years, a few months, or just a few days... it would be impossible not to ask, because that is the countdown to destruction," she gazed into my eyes. "But you never once asked. It''s only natural, because you don''t believe in the apocalypse, so you don''t feel a sense of crisis, and naturally, you don''t have the concept of a countdown."

    "So, in your view, I can''t collect evidence for the approaching apocalypse for you..." I murmured.

    "I''m not blaming you, nor am I accusing you of lying to me earlier," she said in a firm tone. "Because just a few days ago, you emphasized to me that you ''cannot believe'' me, but you ''want to believe'' me. Even up until this moment, you have been trying to believe me, which is why you''ve been talking to me about so many things related to the apocalypse.

    "I truly appreciate your intention, but simply ''wanting to believe'' is not enough. The apocalypse will be stopped by me, and I will protect your future.

    "But we cannot be together."

    "......"

    Her evaluation of me was largely correct, but there was one thing she misunderstood.

    In my heart, the apocalypse was not a taboo subject. Even if I truly believed in it, what I likely felt toward it was anticipation.

    So, the reason I never asked about the countdown to the apocalypse was that I didn''t feel enough anticipation toward it?

    It¡¯s not like that. In my heart, the apocalypse is undoubtedly something worth anticipating. However, it may be similar to someone dreaming of becoming a wealthy person by winning the lottery ¡ª while dreaming of hitting the jackpot, it¡¯s hard to truly imagine that scenario happening in real life, and it¡¯s impossible to anticipate it with a realistic mindset. The apocalypse, to me, is that kind of unreachable thing.

    Whenever I think about the apocalypse and the time travel she mentioned, I always start with ¡°hypothetically¡± or ¡°if¡± as a prefix. If it¡¯s true, if it really is... how could I not think that way? Indeed, the things she has said before have been proven true, whether it¡¯s the "harbinger of misfortune" physique or the "blessing power"... But the apocalypse is ultimately a different scale of event, and even calling it ¡°the difference between heaven and earth¡± doesn¡¯t seem sufficient.

    No matter how much I want to believe her, the reality is that so far, there hasn¡¯t been a single clue to prove the existence of the apocalypse.

    Rather than relying on the distant ¡°apocalypse,¡± I might as well focus on the nearby ¡°harbinger of misfortune.¡± This is the irrefutable truth in my heart.

    ¡°Do you want to just leave like this?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You have shown me kindness. This favor, I will surely repay. But I cannot repay it by staying by your side, because that would not be repaying a favor, but returning kindness with harm,¡± she said, her tone as firm as iron.

    ¡°...If you¡¯re worried that your ¡®harbinger of misfortune¡¯ physique will bring disaster to me, there¡¯s no need for that.¡±

    I had finally been pushed to my last step.

    ¡°I must be honest with you. In the past, I¡¯ve been lying to you¡­¡± I said slowly. ¡°Actually... I¡¯m a Superpower User.¡±

    ¡°¡ªWhat?¡±

    Upon hearing this, she showed an expression of complete confusion and astonishment.

    I exhaled.

    In front of her, I raised my right hand, palm facing up.

    A blazing fireball appeared in the palm of my hand, its flames reflecting on her face, which now wore a look of surprise.

    However, I knew that this alone might not be enough to convince her. To people like Zhu Shi and Agent Kong from Mount Luo, fire abilities were typically seen as a mere offensive power, not a means of survival in a bizarre world. Maybe Ma Zao would view my ability the same way, so I had to go further.

    I quickly slapped the fireball onto my chest.

    As the fireball made contact, my entire body was set aflame. Skin, muscles, bones, blood, organs... not a single part of me was left untouched by the fire. Long ago, I had learned to ignite myself in this way to comprehend my second form. In an instant, my body was engulfed by a blazing inferno.

    The flames didn¡¯t harm my body; instead, my body merged with the flames, taking on the same color and becoming slightly transparent. Not just my body, but even my clothes were assimilated into the flames. I had changed my form countless times in front of a mirror in the past, and in this state, I resembled a ghost woven from orange-red light, my body¡¯s outline flickering like flames. This seemingly unstable form was, in fact, my strongest trump card.

    This was my second form¡ªFire Elemental Form.

 Ch 56: The Disappearance of the Apocalypse Girl 1

    Entering the fire elemental form allows me to overcome all the weaknesses of a normal human body.

    Since my body is made of fire, even if my head is blown off or my heart pierced, it''s merely a deformation of my form. Toxins are ineffective, and chemical weapons don''t work.

    I can still see and hear normally, and I can also pick up objects as long as I intend to. Whether the fire will damage the object depends on my will, so there''s no need to worry about breaking anything when I pick it up.

    In this form, I can even merge my consciousness with the surrounding heat in nature.

    It¡¯s said that the former Soviet Union used nuclear bombs to extinguish fires, although I¡¯ve forgotten the exact details, even if a super powerful weapon were used to extinguish all the flames that make up my body in an extreme situation, I still wouldn''t die. I can merge with the surrounding environment¡¯s heat and reignite my existence.

    To completely prevent my revival on a physical level, one would have to create an extremely large-scale absolute zero environment, but that would only work if I hadn¡¯t set up "fireflies" or other fire derivatives elsewhere.

    Attempting to ambush and assassinate me before I entered the fire elemental form is also futile; Agent Kong has already tried it. In fact, my division of forms into "normal form" and "fire elemental form" isn''t very precise. Since the first time I entered the fire elemental form, I have already become the fire itself, and my normal form''s body is more like a fire imitation. External ambushes can''t deliver a fatal blow; at most, they will force me from my first form into my second.

    If there¡¯s any room for controversy, it¡¯s the endurance time of this form.

    It¡¯s not that the endurance time is insufficient¡ªon the contrary, I can maintain the fire elemental form for a long time. The longest I¡¯ve gone is over two months without feeling any limit, and I can¡¯t quite pinpoint the exact maximum time. During this period, I don¡¯t even need sleep. If not for the fact that the fire elemental form is too conspicuous and produces the sound of blazing flames, I would even consider using this form to monitor Ma Zao for extended periods during the night.

    In theory, since I¡¯ve become the fire itself, there¡¯s no need to worry about endurance time, but the truth is, my experience in the fire elemental form isn¡¯t as comfortable as my normal form. It¡¯s like someone who easily gets carsick being forced into a car¡ªeven if it hasn¡¯t started moving, they¡¯ll still feel uncomfortable.

    Perhaps it¡¯s because my consciousness still belongs to humanity. The fire elemental form may place an invisible burden on my mind. However, under normal circumstances, this isn¡¯t something I need to worry about.

    In any case, this is all of me now, and I¡¯ve fully revealed it to Ma Zao.

    ¡°Elementalization¡­¡±

    Ma Zao stared at me in disbelief, her breathing seeming to become very heavy.

    ¡°A few days ago, I fought a human who had turned into a monster here. Perhaps you think that was an unusual danger you attracted, and I can''t deny the possibility. However, as you can see, I didn¡¯t die, not even a scratch. I defeated him, then went home as usual. You probably didn¡¯t even notice that I had been in a fight.¡±

    ¡°This place, you¡¯ve seen it in the news. The news said it was damaged by a gas explosion, but that¡¯s not true. This is the site where I fought the other person, and this building is one I personally severed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you this not to boast about my power, but to show you that I have the strength to help you, and that I won¡¯t die because of the disasters you attract.¡±

    ¡°I have indeed concealed my abilities and lied to you. I must apologize for that. But I truly want to be with you, to help you prove to the public that the Apocalypse is coming. I swear to you, this is my genuine, sincere desire, with no pretense.¡±

    ¡°I hope you can accept me, and together, we can fight.¡±

    I finished my long speech and waited for her response.

    As she listened to me, the look of disbelief on her face slowly faded, gradually transforming into a look of contemplation and scrutiny.

    After a long pause, she actually shook her head.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Having such a level of power¡­ Even among all the strong in the Apocalypse times, you would be an exceptionally outstanding warrior. But the strange dangers I¡¯ve attracted cannot simply be overcome by strength alone.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t wrong. The otherworldly space beneath the basement wasn¡¯t something I could simply conquer with brute force. However, in this situation, I couldn¡¯t express any weakness, so I could only continue with a firm tone: ¡°No, I can overcome it.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re willing, you could live a carefree life in this era,¡± she said, seemingly not angry or suspicious about my concealment. Instead, she spoke with an unprecedented gentle tone. ¡°But because of that, you cannot be with me. Being with me will make you lose all your happiness and peace, ultimately leading you to destruction.¡±

    ¡°I know your feelings... I¡¯m very sorry, but this is to prevent you from being affected.¡±

    These words, for some reason, seemed to have passed through my heart before.

    ¡°I will prove the existence of the end times to society, or find the divine seal and directly end the coming of the apocalypse.¡± As she spoke, she took a step back from the edge of the rooftop. ¡°Go back to the life you were supposed to have, Zhuang Cheng. The darkness ahead belongs only to me.¡±

    The divine seal? What is that?

    Just as I reflexively grew puzzled, she took another step back, her body leaving the edge of the rooftop and falling downward.

    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±

    She was leaving. The moment I realized this, I immediately rushed toward her, trying to catch her.

    But it was too late. The instant my fingers touched her, her body shattered and dissipated like the moon¡¯s reflection in water, vanishing without a trace.

    Ma Zao had used spatial displacement to escape!

    I stood at the edge of the rooftop, futilely grasping at the air, struggling to process this fact.

    It took me a few seconds to retract my hand, and then I exited the fire element form, letting out a long sigh.

    It has finally come to this point...

    Persuasion was useless, showing my social value and intelligence value was useless, even revealing the truth of being a superpower user was still useless. Ma Zao''s insistence on fighting alone and her fear of harming those around her seemed to be deeply ingrained.

    It¡¯s possible that showing her ¡°how strong I am¡± was the wrong move and only made her more determined that she shouldn¡¯t stay by my side.

    On the other hand, if I expressed to her that I was ¡°weak¡± and couldn¡¯t survive without her, she might actually be more willing to stay with me, just like the ten-year-old girl she mentioned. Although Ma Zao has experienced the cruel end times, she still seems to have a kind heart, so perhaps appealing to her sympathy is the right approach.

    But how could I, a young man living in a peaceful society with fully functioning limbs, make her believe I couldn¡¯t live without her? Should I say I fell in love with her at first sight and that I would kill myself if we were apart for more than a day? That would be too heavy and pathological, right?... Though I suppose I could do it if I absolutely had to.

    There¡¯s no use looking back at past mistakes now; I can only face reality as it is.

    Plans lead to success, while lack of preparation leads to failure. I had prepared for this kind of situation, with my thermal signature and GPS wristband. Since she is so extreme in her actions, I can only be more extreme. First, I¡¯ll capture her and then figure out how to imprison her in a place where no one can hear her.

    Such a morally corrupt thing, I wouldn''t want to do it unless necessary, but if I have to choose between my desires and morals, I would unhesitatingly choose my desires.

    I am a villain who prioritizes my own desires over morality.

    With this constant self-reflection in mind, I closed my eyes and began to sense the location of the thermal signature.

    However... things did not go as I expected.

    I couldn''t sense the location of the thermal signature.

    It was as if the thermal signature had gone to some far-off place beyond my perception, or maybe it had disappeared entirely.

    A very bad feeling began to rise in my heart.

    Wait, wait...

    Wait, wait, wait... This... this can''t be!

    How could I possibly not sense my own thermal signature?

    In the past, I had conducted many tests on my abilities, such as testing the limit of the spiritual connection between myself and the "fireflies." One such test was at an international airport, where I placed a "firefly" on a flight heading to Argentina.

    Argentina is the furthest country from my own, literally on the other side of the Earth. If I were to dig a vertical tunnel from Xianshui City and come out on the other side of the Earth, I would end up in Argentina. If I could sense the "firefly" in Argentina from Xianshui City, it would mean that the spiritual connection between me and the "firefly" could not be severed by distance.

    The conclusion was that I could indeed do it.

    And the spiritual connection between me and the thermal signature is no different from the one I have with the "fireflies." What the latter can do, there''s no reason the former can''t do. Since I can''t sense it now, it means...

    I can only make two assumptions about this:

    First, Ma Zao is no longer on Earth. She may have truly gone to another planet (though I haven''t tested whether my spiritual connection can extend to other planets), or she may have gone to a space similar to the place beneath the basement¡ªan "otherworldly space" that doesn''t exist in reality.

    Second, Ma Zao has discovered the thermal signature and erased it through some supernatural means.

    I find it hard to believe the first assumption, because Ma Zao¡¯s purpose must be realized on Earth, in the real world... So, could it be the second one? There is a possibility. I¡¯ve long suspected that she might be able to sense both the "fireflies" and the thermal signature.

    Even if it''s the second scenario, it''s not a problem. Thankfully, I had the foresight to prepare for such an eventuality and equipped her with a GPS bracelet.

    I took out the phone paired with that bracelet and tried to use the GPS signal to locate Ma Zao¡¯s current position.

    However, the situation once again exceeded my control.

    The phone failed to display Ma Zao¡¯s location.

    The GPS signal had disappeared.

 Ch 57: The Disappearance of the Apocalypse Girl 2

    GPS is the abbreviation for the English term "Global Positioning System." As the name suggests, GPS is theoretically able to cover most of the Earth''s surface and near-Earth space. At least, that''s what the knowledge I found online tells me.

    But now, my phone can''t receive the GPS signal from Ma Zao.

    How should I interpret this situation? Did Ma Zao travel to an area with poor signal? Or is there a problem with the device?

    First, we can rule out the possibility of the bracelet''s battery running out. The red GPS bracelet on Ma Zao''s left wrist has a maximum standby time of three months, and when I gave it to her, the battery was fully charged. Secondly, it''s also unlikely that the bracelet got damaged due to water while she was showering. When I purchased it, I specifically checked that the bracelet had a very high waterproof rating.

    Perhaps she noticed the problem with the bracelet and immediately destroyed it... But is that really the case? Based on the gentle tone she used when speaking to me before we parted, it''s hard to imagine that she has realized my true intentions.

    All my preparations have failed, and I truly tasted the feeling of helplessness.

    No, I can''t give up yet!

    I must struggle until the very last moment.

    With this thought in mind, I once again entered the fire elemental form and condensed a large fireball, shooting it into the sky.

    The fireball exploded in the sky, turning into thousands of "fireflies" that scattered like fireworks, shooting off in all directions.

    Although Ma Zao disappeared from my sight, she may not have left Xianshui City. Next, I will conduct a carpet search of Xianshui City until I find her. It''s a very foolish and inefficient method, but it''s the only thing I can do right now.

    In the fire elemental form, the more fire I gather to form my body, the stronger my physical performance becomes. Strength, speed, perception... even the processing speed of my consciousness can be considered an enhancement to my "physical performance."

    Therefore, even with the thousands of images transmitted from the "fireflies," I am able to process them. Strictly speaking, this cannot be called "simultaneous and precise processing." Perhaps because my mental structure still leans toward being human, my consciousness still faces focus issues.

    An ordinary person without superpowers might also understand my difficulty. Imagine someone holding three different colored pieces of paper, each with a line of text written on it, and displaying them to another person. The latter would definitely be able to quickly discern the colors of the three papers. However, if they were to try to figure out what each piece of paper says, they would have to go one by one.

    I can only hastily process the images from different locations, sifting through them to see if there are any people who resemble Ma Zao in terms of clothing or height, and then focusing my attention on each of them one by one.

    Furthermore, Xianshui City is still a city on a large scale. Although thousands of "fireflies" seem like a lot, conducting a carpet search of the entire city is incredibly challenging. What''s even worse is that the city not only has outdoor areas but also a complex network of indoor spaces, making it even harder to search thoroughly.

    By the time evening came, and the moon hung high in the sky, my mind was numb from searching. I still hadn''t found any clues.

    At the same time, I was still keeping an eye on the GPS signal, because Ma Zao might have just moved to an area with poor signal... but the GPS signal never appeared. It became clear that relying on this method was futile.

    I had no choice but to exit the fire elemental form for now, allowing my stiffened consciousness some time to recover its flexibility.

    Looking around, it was already late at night. The sound of cicadas filled the air, and the streets were lit up with the vibrant lights of nightlife. This ruined building felt like another world. For some reason, the wind here felt very cold, and I turned around and went downstairs.

    As I passed through the hallway on the lower floor, I saw the room where I first met Ma Zao. The blood she left behind was still there, now a dark stain that was hard to recognize. Next to it was the lonely scaffolding, likely knocked over by her back then, causing a noise that drew me to her.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    On the way home, I walked through the crowd and bought two servings of spicy grilled pig''s feet. Then, I entered the community and opened the door to my house.

    The lights inside the house were off. Ma Zao had a bad habit: if I didn¡¯t turn on the lights when I went out, she wouldn¡¯t do it herself when night came. She would let the room remain pitch black.

    The food in the fridge, I told her she could eat whatever she liked, but she wouldn¡¯t take anything herself. Instead, she wanted me to take it out and give it to her. She wouldn¡¯t accept food if I only bought one serving. Either I bought one for myself as well, or we would share it equally.

    At first, she was also unwilling to turn on the TV herself. I had to tell her that she could learn about the current social system by watching the TV programs, and only then would she turn it on to watch. She didn¡¯t watch entertainment shows, only political ones. She didn¡¯t watch for long, though. Most of the time, she would read books and magazines from my house. Her expression was always serious.

    It was only when she was eating that she would unconsciously show a childlike, innocent, and happy smile, treating the most ordinary food I made as a delicacy and eating it with great care. Every time I saw her eating so happily, it felt like those mealtime moments were sparkling, and I wished time could slow down.

    Without saying a word, I pressed the lighting button at the entrance. Ma Zao usually stayed in the living room. When the dark living room was illuminated by white light, it was as if she would appear in the light. She would then jump off the sofa and quickly run over to me. I would hand her one of the servings of spicy grilled pig''s feet, and she would grumble about me treating her like a child, but would obediently accept the pig¡¯s feet.

    But this scene did not unfold. The living room was empty; no one was sitting on the sofa, and silence filled the space.

    I slowly walked into the living room, threw the plastic bag with the food onto the dining table, and then sat down on the sofa, just like how Ma Zao used to, zoning out. I wasn¡¯t really recalling or thinking about anything in particular; I just wanted to empty my mind for a while.

    However, not even a minute passed before I couldn¡¯t sit still. I glanced toward the bedroom. Of course, Ma Zao wasn¡¯t here; I was just checking. After looking, I wandered around the house, my mind drifting back to the moments of living together with her.

    A moment later, I found myself in front of the fridge. On top of it was an old backpack, hidden near the wall. If I hadn¡¯t known about it beforehand, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed it was there. Inside the old backpack were a few things, including Ma Zao¡¯s torn hospital gown and a real gun loaded with four bullets.

    I returned to the sofa and opened the backpack. The hospital gown and gun were neatly placed inside. I took out the hospital gown and unfolded it.

    Unlike the bloodstained appearance it had in the beginning, this hospital gown had been washed a little. It wasn¡¯t me who washed it; it must have been Ma Zao when she took her first shower at my house, secretly washing it. But she clearly didn¡¯t wash it thoroughly. I didn¡¯t wash it again either; instead, I used my powers to dry and disinfect it before storing it away like this.

    Would I ever meet her again?

    What will my future be like? Will I return to the days when I can no longer encounter the strange things?

    Is she doing alright out there? She doesn¡¯t even understand mobile payments, doesn¡¯t have any money, no phone or identification. What will she do when she gets hungry? Where will she spend the night?

    With unresolved emotions, I put the hospital gown back into the old backpack.

    At that moment, I noticed something was wrong.

    The old backpack contained more than just the hospital gown and gun; there were other hidden items, one of which was Agent Kong¡¯s charred fingertip. I had placed it in a glass jar and put it at the bottom of the main compartment of the backpack.

    The glass jar was still lying in the backpack, but as its name implied, it was truly an empty jar now.

    There was nothing inside!

    I immediately took the empty jar out, thoroughly searched the old backpack, even turned it upside down and shook it, but still couldn¡¯t find the charred fingertip.

    Impossible. I clearly remember placing the charred fingertip in the jar, and the lid was sealed tightly, so it couldn¡¯t have fallen out. Moreover, I hadn¡¯t taken the charred fingertip out since then, nor had I taken the backpack down from the top of the fridge. The charred fingertip couldn¡¯t have just disappeared on its own.

    Unless someone took it!

    Who?

    In the past few days, the only person in this house, apart from me, was Ma Zao. Since I didn¡¯t take it out, it could only have been Ma Zao who did.

    It couldn¡¯t have been a thief either. If that were the case, other valuables would have been missing, and I didn¡¯t notice any such signs when I was moving around the house just now.

    Taking a step back, let''s assume that a thief entered the house, found the old backpack on top of my fridge, and discovered the gun inside. Yet, they only took the charred fingertip, which would be meaningless to an ordinary person... They even put the glass jar containing the fingertip back in place. Is that even possible?

    If Ma Zao found this old backpack, I can only blame myself for not hiding it well enough. But the problem now is... why did she take the charred fingertip?

    Did she recognize that the source of the fingertip was something extraordinary?

    But why did she leave the gun behind? After all, not long ago, she wanted to take it back... Wait, she mentioned that even if she left, her influence on me would persist for several days... Was she trying to leave the weapon with me?

    Could I use the charred fingertip as a clue to analyze her next movements?

    I stared at the empty jar, thinking and analyzing repeatedly.

    Perhaps I was fatigued from the earlier exhaustive search with the thousands of "fireflies," combined with my brain working at high speed. Not long after, I felt drowsy and unknowingly fell asleep.

    Then, I had a dream.

    A dream filled with gray mist...

 Ch 58: Ma Zaoéˆ¥æªš friend 1

    I barely felt any interruption in my consciousness, the transition into the dream was so smooth that I could only describe it as "like an antelope hanging its horns." It was like on a school day when I arrived early, and only a few classmates were in the classroom. I took out a random book to kill time, and when I looked up again, the classroom was filled with voices.

    When I came to my senses, the living room was already filled with dense gray fog... No, this was no longer the living room. There were no walls or furniture around me, only endless mist. I was no longer sitting on the sofa either; somehow, I had ended up standing. The backpack and empty jar that had been in my arms were nowhere to be found.

    There was no floor beneath my feet, only layers of gray mist. I didn¡¯t know how I was able to stand in this place, but the sensation of walking on it felt like stepping on sand.

    My body also appeared strange. In terms of direct sensation and touch, it felt almost the same as usual. I could still feel my clothes and shoes on, but visually, my entire body seemed to be in a dim, foggy state, as if it was made of black mist.

    This seemed to be a dream. I had been exhausted and fell asleep. Only then did I realize. Perhaps I should have entered the fire elemental form before I fell asleep, that way I wouldn¡¯t need sleep. Now, I must use every moment to analyze and search for Ma Zao¡¯s whereabouts. There was no time to waste on sleep.

    But since I was already asleep, I could only look forward. Having a dream shouldn¡¯t take up much time in the real world. Besides, this dream seemed quite unusual.

    I had encountered this gray mist twice before. Once when I touched the black jade in the basement; the other time was in a recent dream before my powers awakened, and the gray mist appeared at the end. I always kept the black jade close to me, so perhaps the second time was also caused by the black jade.

    Was I once again pulled into a dream by the black jade?

    This seemed like an incredibly strange phenomenon.

    My mind was drawn to the phenomena that could not be explained by common sense, and my curiosity and desire for adventure took the lead.

    Staying here any longer probably wouldn¡¯t bring any change, so I began to move forward through the dense gray fog.

    One minute, ten minutes, thirty minutes... I had no idea how vast this mysterious foggy dream was. I walked for a long time without discovering its boundary, even feeling as though I were treading water. Perhaps there was no boundary here. Without a timepiece, I could only rely on my vague sense of time.

    I didn¡¯t know how long I had been walking. Though I considered myself patient enough, such a monotonous space still made me feel bored. That was when I began to wonder if there was any way to actively escape this place. Clearly, there was no entrance or exit here. The last time I was able to escape from this gray fog space was when I regained my normal consciousness and emotions. Now, I had these conditions from the start, yet I was still trapped here.

    During this dull period, I also tried to activate my superpowers. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t respond to my call. They weren¡¯t sealed nor blocked by any external forces. I¡¯m not sure if this description is accurate, but many people have likely experienced the sensation of suddenly forgetting how to write a particular word, and that¡¯s exactly how I feel now. It fits very well with the ¡°dream¡± style.

    This feeling of being ¡°defenseless¡± was quite rare.

    I often imagine what kind of life path I would have taken if I hadn¡¯t become a superpowered individual.

    Without superpowers, perhaps I would have strived to become a war correspondent, or an adventurer, or even a mercenary living on the edge of danger. It¡¯s even possible that I might have become a criminal disrupting social stability. Of course, it¡¯s also very possible that I would have forgotten everything and become an ordinary, unremarkable person.

    After experiencing the enlightenment beneath the basement and realizing my true nature, it became difficult to imagine myself as the ¡°ordinary me.¡±

    Compared to becoming a war correspondent, adventurer, mercenary, or criminal, I now feel that the version of me with unparalleled ¡°extraordinary power¡± is, in fact, the weakest. It¡¯s the version of myself that emerged after uttering words of weakness in a fourteen-year-old dream, on a path that extends into the future.Stolen story; please report.

    The adventure beyond reality is clearly within reality.

    Even knowing this, I still cannot help but walk toward the world of fantasy...

    Suddenly, the sound of unfamiliar footsteps vaguely reached me from the distance in the thick fog, interrupting my thoughts.

    I raised my head alertly and looked in that direction.

    Those footsteps were not a figment of my imagination. The sound of footsteps from deep within the fog grew clearer and clearer, sounding almost identical to my own footsteps, like walking on sand. Soon, the footsteps came within a certain distance. A strange intuition rose in my heart.

    ¡ªThe owner of these footsteps is someone ¡°extremely terrifying.¡±

    This was the first time I had ever felt this way about someone.

    Especially after awakening my superpowers, I had never felt ¡°danger¡± or ¡°fear¡± from anyone. It was like coming into close contact with a large carnivorous beast in real life, as opposed to watching it on television. The difference between these experiences is the ¡°terror¡± that I felt.

    As this unfamiliar emotion rose within me, it seemed the owner of the footsteps also sensed something, and abruptly stopped moving.

    Then, a highly alert voice came from the other side: ¡°¡ªWho?¡±

    It was the voice of an adult male.

    I didn¡¯t respond rashly, and the man on the other side didn¡¯t speak again. The situation became stiff and tense. I watched the direction of the voice through the dense gray fog, and the owner of the voice clearly had his guard up as well.

    For a moment, it was like two unfamiliar hunters, each armed, encountering one another in the deep forest at night. Neither of us could tell whether the other was friendly or hostile, and we didn¡¯t know whether we should retreat or continue approaching. Neither of us made a move.

    After a while, I decided to take the initiative and moved toward the other person. It seemed he had the same idea, as he moved at the same time. We soon came face to face.

    The figure of the other person emerged through the thick fog. Similar to my current state, his body also appeared to be composed of black mist, and could only be described as ¡°a silhouette.¡±

    He was much taller than me, at least around 1.8 meters. From his body¡¯s outline, he seemed to have trained muscles, but he wasn¡¯t overly bulky¡ªhe gave off an impression of being lean and toned.

    His scrutinizing gaze fell on me, as if he was assessing my level of threat. I had no intention of threatening him, but after his inspection, his vigilant gaze seemed to increase, and his muscles were still tense.

    ¡°Who?¡± he asked again.

    ¡°That¡¯s my question,¡± I replied. ¡°Who are you, and why are you here?¡±

    After I asked this, for some reason, his tense muscles seemed to relax.

    ¡°I came to this dream through a divine seal fragment,¡± his voice suddenly turned friendlier. ¡°Are you the same?¡±

    Divine seal fragment?

    I didn¡¯t know I had something called a ¡°divine seal fragment.¡± If I had to name something, it would be the black jade stone. I must have come here through the black jade stone¡­ Could the black jade stone be the divine seal fragment he mentioned?

    Divine seal... I had heard that term before. It was mentioned by Ma Zao before she left.

    ¡ª "I will prove the existence of the apocalypse to this society, or find the divine seal and directly prevent the apocalypse from happening."

    Was the ¡°divine seal¡± Ma Zao mentioned the same as the ¡°divine seal fragment¡± this person is talking about?

    Should I pretend to know what the divine seal is and try to pry more information out of him, or should I just ask him directly?

    Before I could make a decision, this person seemed to have sensed the truth from my attitude.

    "I see, you don¡¯t know what the divine seal is..." he murmured.

    Seeing this, I decided to ask directly, "The divine seal fragment you¡¯re talking about, is it something that looks like black jade? And what exactly is the divine seal?"

    He first nodded, likely confirming my first question, then answered my second: "The divine seal is a legendary artifact that can grant any wish."

    "Any wish?" I repeated in a tone that lacked a sense of reality.

    "Any wish," he said. "At least, that¡¯s what I know."

    The black jade stone... is a fragment of a wish-granting artifact? I found it hard to believe. If this is true, no wonder Ma Zao said that finding the divine seal could prevent the apocalypse.

    But... since it has already become a fragment, does that mean the wish-granting artifact is no longer usable? Or is it that as long as the broken pieces are collected, the wish can still be granted?

    If Ma Zao''s goal is to collect this black jade, then should I just show it to her in advance so she wouldn''t leave? However, at the time, my intention was to keep her from knowing that I encountered something strange, so naturally, I couldn''t show her the black jade.

    Moreover, all these speculations rely on the assumption that "the black jade is really a fragment of the divine seal, as Ma Zao said." I didn''t just blindly trust this person''s words. Perhaps there isn''t such a wish-granting artifact after all.

    Then, the person spoke again.

    "Would you consider trading the divine seal fragment in your hand to me?" His tone was very polite.

    "You just said that this thing can grant any wish, but now you''re asking me for a trade. Don''t you find that a bit contradictory?" I asked.

    "The one that can grant wishes is the complete divine seal, and the fragments do not have that power," he patiently explained. "Rather than holding onto this fragment, wouldn''t it be better to exchange it for some tangible benefits? Don''t you think so?"

    "You kindly answered my questions earlier, and I want to thank you," I said. "But I''m sorry, this fragment is still useful to me, so I can''t trade it at the moment."

    If I find Ma Zao later, the black jade might become one of the bargaining chips to persuade her to stay. Although I didn''t know what this person intended with the trade, I couldn''t part with it now.

    "Is that so..." He gazed at me, seemingly calculating something.

 Ch 59: Ma Zaos friend 2

    The mysterious person I encountered in the misty dreamscape was now staring at me, subtly exuding an ominous atmosphere. I had rejected his trade request, and perhaps he was now considering whether to resort to violence and forcibly take the black jade from my hands.

    It was quite a new experience; under his gaze, I truly felt as though my life was overshadowed by an impending crisis.

    However, the black jade wasn''t on me at the moment. This was a dream, so the item should be with my real-world body. And unless I''m mistaken, he too should be unable to use any supernatural powers in this misty space, just like me.

    He was likely a real person, possibly very powerful, but here, like me, he was no different from an ordinary human.

    The sense of mysterious danger I felt now wasn''t because he truly had the ability to wield mystical powers, but because his "essence was enormous." Even though he had become like a mortal in this place, it didn''t mean he had truly become one. He still exuded a sense of pressure.

    "Are you going to make a move here?" I asked.

    After our conversation, I actually had quite a favorable impression of this mysterious man.

    It wasn''t just because he had shared important information with me, but also because of his seemingly contradictory actions. He appeared to value the black jade I had and wanted to gather it for himself. In this situation, the best approach would have been for him to prevent me from realizing the black jade''s importance or even to make me believe it was a dangerous object that needed to be disposed of quickly. Instead, he chose the opposite path.

    This surely wasn¡¯t because he was foolish. When I hesitated about whether I should admit I didn¡¯t know what the divine seal was, he had already seen through my act. He possessed the wisdom and insight to read other people''s thoughts.

    He seemed worldly wise but without any hint of mercenary greed, carrying an aura of integrity and even an otherworldly, transcendent quality.

    "¡­Incredible." The pressure in his gaze dissipated, and he returned to a calm demeanor. "You''re really powerful. For someone as powerful as you, I have no impression of you at all. Is this what they mean by ¡®there¡¯s always someone stronger¡¯?"

    He shook his head and then looked into the depths of the mist. "I want to continue exploring this place. Would you like to come with me?"

    "Sure," I replied, with no objections.

    We then moved deeper into the misty dreamscape together.

    I no longer asked him who he was. Although I was curious, the experience of exploring a mysterious place with an unknown person was exciting and refreshing. He, too, seemed to understand this unspoken understanding, and didn¡¯t inquire further about my identity. A strange tacit agreement was formed between us.

    Perhaps it was because I had such bad luck earlier, wandering through the mist for so long without any changes. This time, with the company of someone else, things quickly started to change.

    After walking for only a few minutes, shadowy figures appeared ahead. As we approached, I realized I had seen these things before.

    There were eight massive rock chairs.

    Closer to us were seven identical rock chairs arranged in a row, while the remaining one, much larger, stood in the distance, positioned in opposition to the others.

    Three people had already arrived here before us.

    Perhaps it would be more accurate to say "two people," as one of them clearly wasn''t human. This figure, at least four meters tall, sat motionless on the especially large rock chair, resembling a colossal statue.

    The two human figures were seated on the leftmost chairs. Their heights were more normal. Like us, they too appeared in shadowy forms. The person on the far left was tall and thin, while the one beside him looked more like a child.

    I recognized this scene.

    When I first encountered the black jade, my mind was drawn into this misty dreamscape. At that time, I had also seen these rock chairs and the three shadowy figures sitting in them. However, my mental state was clearly not normal back then, and I couldn¡¯t communicate with them.

    Perhaps hearing our footsteps, the two normal-sized figures immediately turned their gaze toward us.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Who¡¯s there?" the tall, thin figure asked sharply.

    The childlike figure cautiously asked, "Are you a new companion?"

    From the voice, the former was male.

    As for the latter... although the voice clearly belonged to a child, the speaker was too young to have gone through puberty. It was hard to determine the gender just from the voice. If I had to guess, it sounded like a little girl, and I could vaguely tell that she had long hair.

    I glanced at the mysterious person beside me. I had expected him to speak first, but after arriving here, he was staring at the giant figure, looking completely stunned.

    I also studied the giant. Even after we arrived, it remained motionless, making it hard not to suspect that it was just a lifeless statue. But just like us, this "statue" appeared in shadowy form, as if it could move and speak like us at any moment.

    To be honest, I still lacked a sense of reality in this misty dreamscape. Even though it was related to something strange, it was still a dream.

    The two figures continued to stare at us. I decided to speak to them first.

    "I was pulled into this place after obtaining the so-called ''Divine Seal fragment.'' As for this person, I''m not familiar with him; we just happened to meet on the way. You can ask him later." I said. "Did you two also come here after coming into contact with the Divine Seal fragment?"

    "Divine Seal fragment? As expected..." The tall, thin figure seemed to frown. "Yes, we are also contactors of the Divine Seal fragment. I am ''Number One,'' and she is ''Number Two."

    As he spoke, he pointed to the childlike figure beside him, who softly said, "Hello, big brother, I''m Number Two."

    "There¡¯s no need for us to exchange names here. We¡¯ll just use numerical codes to refer to each other," Number One said to me in a blunt, straightforward tone. "You are Number Three, and he is Number Four."

    Number Four is the mysterious person beside me.

    "Alright, I¡¯m Number Three. Then..." I looked at the silent giant, "What number is he?"

    "He doesn¡¯t have a numerical code. If you really want to call him something, you can refer to him as Zero," Number One snorted coldly. "Are you curious about who he is?"

    "Of course. Could you enlighten me?" I asked.

    Despite his unfriendly tone, Number One answered without hesitation: "There¡¯s nothing to hide. Actually, neither Number Two nor I know what he is, but one thing is very clear: it¡¯s this guy who pulled us into this strange foggy dream."

    "It''s him..." I observed the giant, now referred to as "Zero."

    At that moment, the mysterious person¡ªNumber Four¡ªmade a move.

    He suddenly strode forward, walking straight up to the giant. With a voice filled with suppressed fury, he demanded, "Is it you? Are you the one who brought the world to its current near-destruction state?! Answer me!!"

    Previously, I had seen Number Four as a figure with considerable composure, but now, he was confronting the giant in a manner like an erupting volcano.

    The giant, however, remained as still as a mountain.

    Number One coldly interrupted, "There¡¯s no need to talk to Zero. He¡¯s in a dormant state right now. If you have any questions, you can wait for him to wake up and ask then."

    Number Four sharply turned to Number One, "Have you spoken to the Master of the Divine Seal?"

    "Master of the Divine Seal... Hmph, so this guy is indeed the original master of the Divine Seal. No wonder he could use the power of the Divine Seal fragments to pull us into this place..." Number One seemed to be deep in thought, then answered Number Four¡¯s question, "Yes, when Number Two and I first entered this place, he was still awake. But after giving us his instructions, he fell into a deep sleep.

    "According to him, once this place is full, he will wake up again and reveal the reason he summoned us here."

    I glanced at the remaining empty seats¡ªthere were five in total.

    If two of the empty seats belong to me and Number Four, then three more people are needed.

    Then I asked the question that concerned me the most: "If the others don¡¯t arrive, will we be stuck here forever?"

    "Not really," Number One replied, "It¡¯s just that our consciousnesses are now bound to the Divine Seal fragments, so we¡¯ll occasionally be drawn back here. Probably, after a little while, we¡¯ll be able to wake up from this dream."

    That¡¯s a relief. Although I¡¯m very curious about this place, I still need to return to the real world to find Ma Zao.

    As for the Master of the Divine Seal they mentioned... If I understood correctly, the giant is the owner of the Divine Seal, the one who can fulfill any wish? Why did he summon us here?

    What does Number Four mean by "the world being brought to the brink of destruction"? From his tone, it seems like the giant made a wish using the Divine Seal that led to this? Could it be related to the "apocalypse" Ma Zao mentioned?

    This topic is getting too big for me to grasp. I can¡¯t even fully believe in the concept of a "wish-granting artifact."

    I turned to ask Number Four about my doubts, but he seemed to be lost in thought, staring angrily in the direction of the giant.

    "It¡¯s probably related to the apocalyptic prophecy passed down in Mount Luo," Number One said nonchalantly. "I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s an unknown prophet in Mount Luo who believes the apocalypse will come in the near future. The increasing frequency of strange events is considered a sign that the apocalypse is approaching."

    "Mount Luo... apocalypse..." I muttered these two words.

    The mention of "Mount Luo" by the person in this foggy dream made me feel that, like me, he was a person from the real world.

    However, from his tone, it seemed he wasn¡¯t a part of Mount Luo.

    And his mention of the "apocalypse" brought a different feeling to my mind.

    Originally, both the "apocalypse" and the "Divine Seal" were just terms thrown out by Ma Zao in my mind.

    But now, with these people knowing about the existence of the Divine Seal and the so-called "apocalyptic prophecy," the concept of the apocalypse suddenly felt like something that truly had weight in reality.

    "What''s the matter, you believe in the apocalypse too? I heard that even in Mount Luo, only a few people actually believe in it," Number One continued in a dismissive tone, seeming to not believe in the apocalypse. "If that¡¯s the case, you probably have a lot in common with Number Two."

    "Number Two?" I looked at the quiet child.

    "Yeah, this little girl, she claims to live in a future after the apocalypse has already occurred," Number One said.

 Ch 60: Ma Zaoéˆ¥æªš friend 3

    Is Number Two someone from the apocalyptic era, just like Ma Zao?

    Moreover, according to Number One, Number Two isn''t even someone who "traveled from the apocalyptic era to the modern world," but rather someone who is still living in the apocalyptic era?

    My gaze immediately shifted entirely to Number Two, and she shrank back into the rock chair, looking frightened as if my gaze had startled her.

    Although I really wanted to ask about that giant, I was more concerned with Number Two right now, compared to an unresponsive figure like the giant.

    "Is what Number One said true?" I asked.

    "Yes, it''s true..." Number Two said, her voice trembling like a timid young animal. "Although you probably won''t believe it..."

    "The world nearing destruction, the wish-granting artifact that can fulfill all desires¡ªit''s all just nonsense," Number One said calmly. "If you really want others to believe in such wild concepts, you''d better provide some evidence. Words alone are not enough."

    Although we were currently in an unbelievable dream, he seemed to stick to a stubborn mindset. But is that really what he thinks? Perhaps he doesn¡¯t completely disbelieve it. Showing me evidence¡ªthat might be his core demand.

    I feel the same way. To truly convince me, seeing is believing.

    I turned to Number Two and asked, "Can you describe what the world is like in the apocalyptic era?"

    "Uh..." Number Two seemed a bit embarrassed.

    Was she unable to answer? No, perhaps my question was too abstract. If someone from another world suddenly asked me to describe the world I live in, I wouldn''t know where to start either.

    "If the apocalyptic prophecy from Luoshan is true, then after the apocalypse arrives, all life and matter will vanish, and everything will return to nothingness," Number One said. "How could there still be any humans left in such a world?"

    "But there are still people alive in the world I live in..." Number Two weakly said. "Although the numbers are small, and it''s difficult to encounter others, some people are still struggling to survive in the ruins..."

    "...It''s not impossible," Four suddenly spoke up, shifting his attention to our conversation. "Everything has a process, just like the world has four stages from birth to destruction: Formation, Existence, Disintegration, and Emptiness. The apocalypse should also have its stages.

    "We are currently in the phase where the signs of the apocalypse are appearing, but the great calamity hasn''t truly arrived yet. As for her, she might be in the time after the great calamity has arrived, but before it has reached the stage of total destruction."

    "Finally snapped back to reality, Four," Number One said. "What, are you actually going to believe those nonsense stories from Number Two?"

    Four seemed to adjust his clothing, then spoke in a serious tone, introducing himself: "There''s no need to give me a number code. You can call me ''Xuanming.''"

    "¡ªXuanming?"

    Both Number One and Number Two reacted to this name.

    The former clearly showed some wariness, while the latter subtly revealed some fear.

    Does the name Xuanming have some special significance? I also felt like I''d heard that name before. After searching through my memory, I could only find a distant legend.

    The legend is called "Divine Bird Gives Birth to Shang Dynasty."

    It is said that in ancient times, a woman named Jiandi from a primitive tribe swallowed an egg laid by a mysterious bird, and afterward gave birth to a son named Qi. This Qi was the ancestor of the Shang tribe, as well as the progenitor of the Shang Dynasty, a contemporary of the legendary hero Yu, who controlled the flood.

    Qi''s alternate name was "Yanbo," and he invented a calendar based on the Great Fire Star (heart of the constellation) and mastered the art of managing fire. In ancient times, preserving fire was difficult, but he was able to reignite it repeatedly, earning him the title of Fire God.

    By the Song Dynasty, he was also called "Xuanming Wang" (King Xuanming).

    Could this self-proclaimed Xuanming, Four, be connected to the legendary King Xuanming? Or could he even be King Xuanming himself¡ªperhaps because we are in a dream, I even entertained this absurd idea.

    However, Number One and Number Two''s reactions to Four''s self-introduction as Xuanming clearly did not seem to reflect the reverence one would expect for a mythological figure.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Are you really that Xuanming?" Number One asked with a complicated tone.

    "It seems you two have heard of me. Then I''ll get straight to the point. You both have Divine Seal Fragments, right? Would you be willing to trade them to me?" Four, now known as Xuanming, showed a straightforward attitude. "I am willing to offer whatever compensation is within my capability."

    "I refuse," Number One answered without hesitation. "The moment we entered this misty dreamscape, we were already bound to the Divine Seal Fragments, so trading is impossible. Even if you throw the fragments into the sea, they will just automatically return to your side."

    "What''s more important is that I don''t want to have private contact with someone as dangerous as you, or let you know my true identity. As for Number Two..."

    "I don''t seem to be from the same time as everyone else..." Number Two, observing our conversation, then said dejectedly, "And I can''t tell my real name like Mr. Xuanming can. I''m sorry."

    Originally, I was still curious about Four''s identity, but upon hearing Number Two''s second sentence, I immediately made a connection: "Why can''t you say your real name?"

    "Isn''t it obvious? Who would tell their real identity to strangers in such a suspicious place?" Number One said matter-of-factly, then added, "Except for some reckless person."

    I ignored his comment and repeatedly studied Number Two, the child.

    Number One had previously mentioned she was a little girl, and after observing her, I agreed. Judging by her height and voice, she seemed to be around ten years old, still in elementary school.

    A ten-year-old girl... Come to think of it, Ma Zao had also mentioned that her friend was a girl around ten years old...

    According to Ma Zao, in the apocalyptic world, "being unable to speak one''s true name" holds special significance. It likely means that the person has forgotten their name and past, teetering on the edge of becoming a demon beasts. When Ma Zao first met her friend, she was also unable to remember her own name.

    ¡ªSo, could Number Two be the friend Ma Zao spoke of?

    I know this sudden speculation might seem abrupt. How could such a coincidence even exist?

    However, since Ma Zao''s bad luck seems to attract anomalies like a vortex, and my fate is still tangled within Ma Zao''s vortex, I must pay attention to every coincidence I encounter on my journey and attempt to connect it to Ma Zao. This is especially true for coincidences within the strange events.

    The black jade stone was brought to me by Ma Zao''s bad luck, and within this misty dreamscape I entered through the black jade, I encountered someone who seems to match the characteristics of Ma Zao''s friend.

    A resident of the apocalyptic world, a ten-year-old girl, and possibly someone who has forgotten her own name...

    These "coincidences" led me to naturally ask the next question.

    "You don''t refuse to reveal your true name, you just can''t, right?" I asked Number Two. "If I''m right, you''ve already forgotten your real name. Am I correct?"

    "Eh?" Number Two seemed greatly surprised, then immediately admitted, "Yes, that''s right..."

    Number One''s gaze toward me instantly turned scrutinizing and puzzled.

    Number Four, Xuanming, first observed Number Two''s reaction, then gave me a meaningful look.

    From Number One''s reaction, could it be that he knew that Number Two couldn''t reveal her name because she was unable to, and that the attitude he had earlier was to cover for her? I had originally thought he was just a rough person, but now it seemed that wasn''t the case.

    "How does Number Three know?" Number Two asked, confused.

    I didn''t directly answer her question, but continued speaking on my own. "So, you''re not far from becoming a Oddities, are you?"

    "To think you even know about Oddities..." Number Two seemed to realize something, and said excitedly, "Could it be... could it be that Number Three, you are..."

    "Hold on, you still have to answer one more question." I wasn''t fully convinced yet. "What''s another name for Oddities?"

    Number Two immediately answered, "They''re called ''Demon beasts''!"

    "Demon beasts?" Both Xuanming and Number One seemed to react to that term.

    "Number Three, are you, like me, from the apocalyptic era?!"

    Number Two was extremely excited, even unable to stop herself from jumping off the stone seat and jogging up to me.

    "No wonder I haven''t heard of someone like you, from the future..." Xuanming, Number Four, gazed at me thoughtfully. "If it''s the Divine Seal Fragment, maybe it really can connect the future and the present through dreams..."

    I wasn''t planning to correct their misunderstanding for now, and it seemed like Number Two still had something she wanted to say.

    She stood in front of me, looking up, hesitating for a moment before finally speaking. "Number Three... could you answer a question for me? I''ve been looking for someone..."

    "Wait." Upon hearing that, a stronger sense of unease grew within me.

    I first stopped her, glanced at the other two, and then said, "Whatever you want to say, don''t do it here. Let''s move farther away and speak privately."

    "Where are you taking her?" Number One asked, suspicious.

    Number Two hesitated as well. Just because we were both from the apocalyptic era didn''t mean I could be trusted. In fact, as Ma Zao had mentioned, the moral standards of people from the apocalyptic world weren''t very high. It was only natural for Number Two to be wary of me.

    As for Ma Zao, she was clearly an exception¡ªher apocalyptic style disregarded the law, yet her conscience didn''t want to drag in unrelated people. In some ways, her sense of morality might even be higher than many modern people.

    After some hesitation, Number Two finally made up her mind. "I understand... I''ll go with you, Number Three."

    It seemed like Number One had initially wanted to intervene but ultimately gave up, allowing me to take Number Two away.

    We moved to a place where the other two couldn''t overhear us. The surroundings were thick with mist, and the stone seats and the others were no longer visible. There were no reference points here, so I had to rely solely on my memory of the direction we had come from.

    "If you had a question to ask earlier, you can ask it here," I said to Number Two.

    "Okay, okay..."

    She was extremely nervous, her words somewhat unclear at first, but she eventually became more determined and tried to explain as clearly as possible. "I''m looking for someone. That person used to protect me, but recently we got separated... I might be turning into a demon beasts soon, and I don''t know if that person is still alive...

    "So... I at least want to find out about that person before I turn into a demon beasts..."

    By the end, her voice grew more sorrowful, as if she was about to cry.

    "The person who protected you, what''s their name?" I asked.

    "...Ma Zao," she said. "Her name is ''Ma Zao.''"

 Ch 61: Ma Zaoéˆ¥æªš friend 4

    Number 2 really is Ma Zao¡¯s friend!

    Am I dreaming? Though this is indeed a dreamscape...

    Ma Zao would never imagine that I could actually establish contact with a friend she lost in the future. She herself probably never even thought of trying. It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t care about her friends, but the idea itself is simply a blind spot.

    It¡¯s like the protagonists of time-travel web novels who, after being reborn in the past, rarely consider whether the original future world continues to develop and how it might unfold. If you were to ask them if they¡¯d like to talk to people from that original future, they might be intrigued; but if no one asks, even generating such an idea is difficult. Even if they thought of it, they wouldn¡¯t consider it a realistic problem to tackle seriously.

    I deliberately said aloud, ¡°Are you the little girl who teamed up with Ma Zao in a duo that she mentioned?¡±

    Hearing this, Number 2 froze for a moment, then seemed to momentarily forget her sadness. With surprise and delight, she exclaimed, ¡°Mr. Number 3, you¡¯ve met Ma Zao? You¡¯ve even spoken with her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve met her,¡± I replied, carefully organizing my thoughts while speaking. ¡°Also, you¡¯ve misunderstood something.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked eagerly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not someone from the post-apocalyptic era,¡± I said. ¡°Like Number 1 and Number 4, I¡¯m from the era before the apocalypse.¡±

    She was incredulous. ¡°How is that possible? If you¡¯re not from my era or Ma Zao¡¯s era, how could you have met Ma Zao?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s hard for you to believe, but Ma Zao traveled to our era¡­¡±

    I recounted everything that had happened between Ma Zao and me.

    Needless to say, everything I said was heavily embellished. I couldn¡¯t openly admit to being a villain who wanted to exploit Ma Zao to satisfy my desires. Instead, I portrayed myself as a kind-hearted person who couldn¡¯t stand idly by while a ¡°frail and inexperienced girl ventured alone into the darkness.¡±

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just my imagination, but lately, it feels like I¡¯ve been lying to everyone around me. First to Chang¡¯an, then to Ma Zao, and now, even to this ten-year-old girl.

    Looking back, the only person I¡¯ve had even remotely genuine exchanges with recently is Zhu Shi, someone I don¡¯t even share a deep connection with.

    That said, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m lying out of malice right now. I truly intend to help Ma Zao. Especially after hearing others confirm the concepts of ¡°Divine Seal¡± and ¡°Apocalypse,¡± I¡¯ve developed a genuine curiosity to delve into the truth about the apocalypse.

    More importantly, if Ma Zao were to find out that I have fragments of the Divine Seal in my possession¡ªor even that I can use those fragments to communicate with Number 2¡ªmaybe this time she wouldn¡¯t leave me again. If that happens, I wouldn¡¯t need to resort to confining her anymore.

    As I recounted my story, Number 2 occasionally interjected with questions.

    Her voice was innocent and childlike, and her speaking style matched that of a child her age. However, the angles of her questions were surprisingly composed. Some of them seemed to be probing, testing whether I was fabricating lies to deceive her¡ªespecially regarding my relationship with Ma Zao.

    Yes, from her perspective, even if I had communicated with Ma Zao, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean we were friends. Perhaps I was an enemy of Ma Zao¡¯s, and she needed to determine my stance first.

    The excitement and joy she initially showed upon believing I was someone from the post-apocalyptic era may have had an element of performance as well.

    For a child her age, this level of sophistication is remarkable¡ªlikely a result of the early maturity brought about by living in an apocalyptic environment. If her acting skills could be paired with her childlike appearance, I might not have even noticed. Unfortunately for her, she now exists as a blurry shadow, which allows me to evaluate her words more objectively.

    When I finished my recounting, she fell into a brief silence. I patiently gave her time to process the information.

    Perhaps she¡¯s feeling quite bitter inside right now. She has lost her own name and is facing the desperate reality of becoming a Demon beasts in the near future. Meanwhile, Ma Zao, her protector, has unexpectedly arrived in the peaceful world before the apocalypse.

    Here, there¡¯s no madness, no Demon beasts. One can enjoy delicious food and the many conveniences of modern society.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Often, what breaks a person is not mere hardship, but inequality.

    After a moment, Number 2 let out a deep breath, but it sounded more like a sigh of relief. ¡°...So that¡¯s it. Ma Zao really has gone back to the past...¡±

    There was no resentment in her voice. Sometimes, there are truly kind-hearted people, or perhaps it¡¯s because children lack the convoluted thoughts adults might have. Seeing this reaction from someone Ma Zao had protected, after learning of her whereabouts, made me feel inexplicably happy.

    It makes sense, though. Number 2 has even forgotten her own name, yet she still remembers Ma Zao¡¯s name so fondly. It¡¯s a testament to the sincerity of her feelings.

    At the same time, a certain detail in Number 2¡¯s words caught me off guard.

    ¡°You said, ¡®really¡¯?¡± I didn¡¯t let those words slip by. ¡°Did you already know she would travel to the modern era?¡±

    ¡°Rather than ¡®know,¡¯ it¡¯s more like I had a feeling...¡± She seemed to be trying to recall something seriously. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve forgotten so many things. I can¡¯t even remember my own name right now... I just remember that Ma Zao returning to the past has something to do with me, but... I really can¡¯t recall why I have this thought.¡±

    ¡°If I remember correctly, you and Ma Zao were separated while fleeing the Great Demon, right?¡± I asked. ¡°Ma Zao pulled you into one last spatial transfer, but something went ¡®wrong¡¯ with that transfer. The result was Ma Zao¡¯s soul being sent to the modern world, where it ended up in the body of a soul-lost patient with the same appearance and name as hers. Are you saying that this ¡®accident¡¯ was caused by you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember... I¡¯m not lying. I really don¡¯t remember,¡± she shook her head.

    ¡°Looks like we need to help you recover your memories first... at least enough for you to remember your own name,¡± I mused. ¡°If I find Ma Zao, I should be able to ask her about the name you used before, and then tell you... Would that work?¡±

    ¡°That would work.¡± She seemed to regain some desire to survive, and then made a request, ¡°If possible, Mr. Number 3... I hope you can hurry. I can only hold on for ten more days at most.¡±

    ¡°Ten days¡­ I understand.¡± I nodded. ¡°But forgive me for asking¡ªjudging by your current mental state, you don¡¯t seem like someone on the brink of turning into a monster within ten days.¡±

    ¡°Mm, it¡¯s just as you imagine. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn¡¯t be able to communicate like this¡­¡± She seemed puzzled by this herself but had no choice but to accept it. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s thanks to this dreamscape that I can temporarily interact with others in a normal mental state. But once I return to the real world, it becomes very difficult to stay conscious.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I could only accept her explanation for now before asking, ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t ¡®Number 2¡¯ a sufficient name? I heard from Ma Zao that as long as you have a name, even a temporary code name will do. When you were with Ma Zao, you weren¡¯t using your real name either, were you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Back then, I used the name Ma Zao gave me. And it¡¯s precisely because I still have the code name ¡®Number 2¡¯ now that I can last these ten days.¡± She sounded dejected. ¡°But this name has no connection to my past memories. The Misty Dreamscape isn¡¯t a place I can enter every day. If there¡¯s no one around to call me by name, I¡¯ll still end up turning into a monster¡­¡±

    This was a thorny problem. Setting aside whether I could find Ma Zao within ten days, even if I could, how could I ensure I¡¯d re-enter the Misty Dreamscape during that time? From the way Number 1 spoke about it, this seemed like a random occurrence.

    In reality, my time limit wasn¡¯t even ten days¡ªit was five. That¡¯s how long I¡¯d get to spend with Ma Zao, and how long her calamity-attracting nature would continue to affect me after she left. Once it ended, I¡¯d revert to having no connection to the supernatural.

    Number 2 seemed to notice my anxiety. She spoke softly, her childlike voice gentle. ¡°Mr. Number 3, you don¡¯t have to be so tense. I¡¯m all alone now. Even if I recover my name, I won¡¯t survive long in the apocalypse. Maybe turning into a monster will allow me to live a bit longer.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s too early to give up. I¡¯ll definitely find Ma Zao, and I¡¯ll do everything I can to save you,¡± I said.

    She simply smiled and then asked, ¡°By the way, Mr. Number 3, what do you think of Ma Zao?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked in return.

    ¡°Ma Zao brings disaster to those around her, which makes her feared and resented by countless people. Even her former teammates eventually cast her out of their group. She always puts on a strong front in front of me, but in truth, she cries in secret¡ªeither behind my back or when she thinks I¡¯m asleep. I know this.¡± Her voice was soft. ¡°She treats me so well, yet no one has ever treated her that kindly. Then, you appeared in her life¡­

    ¡°Maybe one day, you¡¯ll also feel like you can¡¯t stay by her side anymore. Perhaps for your own safety, or for the safety of those around you. When that day comes, I hope¡­¡±

    I interrupted her. ¡°That day will never come.¡±

    She blinked in surprise.

    ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t let her escape from my side again,¡± I said with utmost seriousness. ¡°If she absolutely refuses to stay with me, then¡ªeven if I have to resort to some¡­ unconventional means¡ªI¡¯ll make sure she stays put.

    ¡°No matter how many others curse her or call her a calamity, I will never see her that way. I swear it.

    ¡°So, don¡¯t worry about her.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s good¡­¡±

    She seemed to smile silently.

    Unknowingly, the fog around us grew thicker.

    I could no longer see Number 2 before me, nor could I feel my own body. The layers of gray mist in my vision gradually turned to darkness¡­

    And then, I woke up at home.

    I had returned to the real world.

    ---

    Upon waking, I immediately began verifying whether the Misty Dreamscape was real.

    The Misty Dreamscape was undoubtedly a phenomenon born of supernatural forces. But just because it was supernatural didn¡¯t necessarily mean everything that happened within it was real. As a fundamental starting point, I had to clarify this.

    The simplest method was to test the information I obtained in the dreamscape. I tried placing the black jade I carried on me at a distance, then walking away from it. Just as Number 1 had said, the black jade indeed had a binding relationship with its owner. Once I moved a certain distance away, it automatically returned to my pocket.

    The Misty Dreamscape was real. Number 2 was real. I had genuinely spoken to someone from the apocalyptic era¡­ While this single test might not be conclusive evidence, I was emotionally convinced of its authenticity.

    Two days later, a lead on Ma Zao¡¯s whereabouts finally appeared before me.

 Ch 62: Revealing power 1

    To avoid wasting time sleeping, I stayed in my fire elemental form at home over the past two days, using thousands of "fireflies" to search for clues about Ma Zao¡¯s whereabouts throughout XianShui City.

    Since there was no one else at home, entering my fire elemental form wouldn¡¯t attract any attention. And once the "fireflies" dispersed across the city, they didn¡¯t cause any significant commotion. While thousands of "fireflies" clustered together would undoubtedly be noticeable, once dispersed, even if spotted by passersby, the reaction would typically be something like, ¡°Did I just see a glowing bug fly by?¡±

    While busy, I also worked on optimizing the "fireflies."

    Currently, the "fireflies" could follow preset commands, but they couldn¡¯t automatically conduct a thorough search. They could execute simple instructions like ¡°Follow the person ahead¡± or ¡°Report to me if a certain face appears nearby,¡± but they couldn¡¯t accomplish something as complex as ¡°Locate a specific person in a sprawling urban area.¡± Manual operation was still required.

    I wanted the "fireflies" to at least be able to remember the scenes they encountered. With a memory recall function, I could later review and identify any clues the "fireflies" might have missed. Developing in this direction seemed feasible¡ªif they could remember preset instructions, there was no reason they couldn¡¯t remember other things.

    It¡¯s a complicated feeling. Before meeting Ma Zao, I had never paid much attention to the "fireflies," which were essentially surveillance-type skills. Yet now, they¡¯ve become the fastest-evolving aspect of my abilities.

    When the mental strain from searching became too much, I would take short breaks, allowing myself to think about other things to regain mental flexibility.

    The Misty Dreamscape¡­

    There are still many unknowns about that dreamscape.

    I originally had many questions I wanted to ask while in the Misty Dreamscape. For example, I wanted to ask Number 4 Xuanming about the giants and the apocalypse or ask Number 2 why she and Number 1 reacted so strangely to the name ¡°Xuanming.¡± But before I could voice those questions, I was forcibly logged out of the dreamscape.

    I had no idea when I¡¯d next enter the Misty Dreamscape. If I couldn¡¯t find Ma Zao within the given time limit, considering the repelling effect between me and supernatural entities, there might not be a next time at all.

    It was midday, and just as I was preparing to resume my search for Ma Zao, one of the "fireflies" I had scattered in the outside world suddenly sent out an alert signal.

    I immediately jolted upright, reflexively assuming that the "firefly" had found Ma Zao, but I quickly realized something was off.

    No, this "firefly" wasn¡¯t one of those I had sent out to search for Ma Zao.

    This was the one I had left near Chang¡¯an.

    Due to lingering suspicions from the Fallen Demon Hunter incident, I hadn¡¯t yet retrieved the "firefly" I¡¯d placed near Chang¡¯an even after we parted ways. I had planned to pick it up later. I was also concerned that leaving a fragment of my spirit near Chang¡¯an might bring him bad luck, so I¡¯d subtly asked Ma Zao about it before she left.

    According to Ma Zao, simply being near someone wasn¡¯t enough to trigger the ¡°calamity-bringer effect.¡± At the very least, some level of interaction was required. That was why, despite constantly worrying about whether she might negatively affect me, Ma Zao never worried about the neighbors upstairs or downstairs, nor about strangers she brushed past on the street.

    Just to be cautious, I hadn¡¯t so much as glanced in Chang¡¯an¡¯s direction recently. On the one hand, I didn¡¯t want to waver in my resolve to part ways with him; on the other, I was even afraid that my gaze might somehow pass misfortune onto him.

    But now, I couldn¡¯t afford to worry about those details. The "firefly" I left near Chang¡¯an had been programmed with a specific instruction: ¡°Send an alert immediately if Chang¡¯an appears to be in life-threatening danger.¡±

    Through the "firefly," I saw the scene unfolding around Chang¡¯an¡ª

    It was a spacious indoor area, dimly lit, with dust floating in the air. It appeared to be an empty, large warehouse.

    Chang¡¯an was in the center of the warehouse, sitting on a wooden chair. It was clear he hadn¡¯t willingly sat there. He was tightly bound, secured to the chair like a criminal enduring a brutal interrogation.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    I could drop the "like" from that description because, at this very moment, Chang¡¯an was being interrogated through violence.

    Two men in black suits stood around him. One was repeatedly beating the defenseless Chang¡¯an, while the other stood behind him, gripping the chair to hold it steady.

    Chang¡¯an¡¯s face was already bruised and swollen, and he was crying out in pain. The men, unfazed, continued their relentless assault. One of them kicked him over, chair and all, sending him crashing to the ground. If this kept up, it was entirely possible they¡¯d beat him to death.

    It looked like this had been going on for some time. Why had the "firefly" only now sent me an alert?

    Even as this question surfaced in my mind, a fierce anger surged through me.

    I didn¡¯t know how far away they were from me or in which direction, but that didn¡¯t matter. Where my gaze falls, so does my fire. The moment I formed the intent to attack those two men in black suits, they were ignited by my ¡°gaze.¡±

    Flames erupted directly on their bodies. Not only that, the entire warehouse was consumed by the inferno ignited by my overwhelming intent, transforming the interior into a boiling sea of fire.

    I quickly closed my eyes. In my mind, there were now two scenes. One was my home, and the other was the warehouse where Chang¡¯an was being held. Since I was physically at home, my consciousness was focused there. But, like shifting the weight from one foot to the other, I shifted my conscious focus to the warehouse.

    Then, I opened my eyes again.

    The surroundings were no longer my living room but the blazing inferno of the warehouse.

    Chang¡¯an was sprawled on the ground, back to me, writhing desperately like an injured worm, terrified of being engulfed by the raging flames. Bound to the chair as he was, he couldn¡¯t even stand, let alone escape the inferno. Of course, my flames wouldn¡¯t harm someone I considered an ally¡ªChang¡¯an was perfectly safe from them.

    I walked toward him, and amidst the crackling of the fire, it seemed he heard my approaching footsteps. Panicked and disheveled, he turned his head to look.

    And then, he saw my face.

    ¡°Ah¡ªA-A¡­ A Cheng?!¡± His eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ you, you¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± I said, my emotions mixed.

    I had thought we wouldn¡¯t meet again, yet here we were, reunited under such circumstances.

    Moreover, this was the first time I¡¯d revealed my superpowered form in front of Chang¡¯an. I cared a lot about how he would perceive me.

    In the past, I had been cautious, worrying about this or that, always avoiding exposing my abilities to others. But now, those concerns felt far away. I had already used my powers in front of Zhu Shi and revealed the truth to Ma Zao. There was no reason to hide them from Chang¡¯an. Besides, I had lied to him the last time we met, claiming I was cursed by the basement in Room 1503 to explain my distance. Now, revealing my powers could set the record straight and put his mind at ease.

    Chang¡¯an stared at me, dumbfounded, for several seconds before finally blurting out, ¡°You¡­ turned into a ghost?!¡±

    ¡°...¡± I almost choked on his unexpected reaction.

    Fair enough¡ªI was currently in my fire-elemental form, looking very much like a spectral figure made entirely of flames.

    ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet,¡± I replied, shifting out of my fire-elemental form as I spoke.

    He had a look of complete shock, as if his worldview had just been shattered. From his perspective, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand¡ªmeeting a friend after several days apart, only to find them appearing in such a fantastical way. If it were me, I¡¯d probably have a hard time processing the reality of what I was seeing too.

    After about three or four seconds, he seemed to snap out of his daze, his face filled with fear as he glanced over my shoulder.

    I immediately turned around.

    But there was nothing in that direction. No enemies, no danger, no strange creatures. If I had to say something, it would only be two men in black suits, badly burned by my flames, lying unconscious on the ground. Was there anything else?

    Chang¡¯an¡¯s voice trembled as he asked, ¡°A Cheng, you... killed them...?¡±

    ¡°Killed them?¡±

    It took me a second or two to realize what he was afraid of.

    While those men had been the ones attacking him just moments ago, seeing them burned and in such a pitiful state seemed to have stirred some sympathy in Chang¡¯an. This wasn¡¯t some kind of ¡°savior complex,¡± but rather just a natural human reaction¡ªa feeling of empathy for others in suffering.

    However, he misunderstood. I hadn¡¯t intended to kill them. I still wanted to question them about who they were, where they came from, and why they had been beating Chang¡¯an. While I had genuinely wanted to burn them alive in that moment, my anger was understandable¡ªthey had dared to harm my friend, and I almost wished to turn them to ash right then and there... Wait a minute, I wasn¡¯t unintentionally letting that kind of emotion fuel the flames, was I?

    And besides, they had been lying motionless on the ground for a while now, without any signs of life. Could they have actually been killed by the flames?

    I quickly approached to check, kicking one of the men in the black suit who was lying motionless on the ground. He didn¡¯t respond, like a lifeless corpse, and there was no blood or bodily fluid leaking from him. It seemed like even his wounds had been burned shut by the flames.

    Using my sense of residual heat from the flames, I also confirmed they had stopped breathing and their hearts weren¡¯t beating anymore.

    Had they really died?

    Something didn¡¯t feel right. The sensation of burning them earlier felt strangely familiar¡­

    ¡°They... are dead?¡± Chang¡¯an asked, his voice trembling with fear and confusion.

    ¡°There¡¯s no choice. We¡¯ll burn them to ash and dump them in the nearby grass,¡± I quickly decided. ¡°But more importantly, Chang¡¯an, who are they? Why did they come after you?¡±

    As I spoke, I dissipated the fire that had engulfed the warehouse.

    Through the heat the fire had radiated to the surroundings, I sensed the geography of the area. It seemed to be in a remote suburban area, and the warehouse itself looked abandoned. The commotion just now probably wouldn¡¯t draw immediate attention.

    I was fine, but I couldn¡¯t let Chang¡¯an get caught up in a murder case.

    Chang¡¯an stared blankly at me. ¡°A Cheng, what are you saying¡­?¡±

 Ch 63: Revealing power 2

    I understood Chang''an''s current emotions. Suddenly, two people had been burned to death in front of him, and the killer was his own friend. His feelings were undoubtedly very complex.

    Even I wasn¡¯t entirely unaffected by this. However, the sentimental and sorrowful part of this situation could be dealt with later. Right now, the most important thing was to handle the situation at hand as quickly as possible.

    "Chang''an, listen to me, I..."

    Just as I was about to continue, a new development occurred.

    Through the information conveyed by the flames, I sensed the two bodies nearby rapidly transforming into something else. I turned to look, and saw that the two bodies had instantly turned completely black.

    Upon closer inspection, it wasn¡¯t the charred blackness caused by the flames, but rather a blackness as if they had been soaked in ink. The two men in black suits, who had originally had pale yellow skin, white shirts under their suits, and dark blue ties, now had all those "extra colors" completely smeared with black.

    I recognized this "black"¡ªit was exactly like the shadow-like substance released by the Fallen Demon Hunters in the past.

    Once fully transformed into black, the two bodies immediately lost their shape, turning into a viscous black liquid that spread across the ground, and then, like fading shadows, they disappeared into thin air.

    "They disappeared?" Chang''an stood stunned for a moment, then asked, "They''re... not human?"

    At the end, he glanced at me, then let out a sigh of relief.

    "...That''s what I wanted to ask."

    I approached the place where the bodies had vanished, crouched down, and touched the ground, but I couldn''t find any remnants of the shadow-like substance.

    The two men who had tied up and beaten Chang''an were definitely connected to the Fallen Demon Hunters, and their form made me think of the demons that had attacked me before. Looking back now, it was likely that the demons I had encountered in the past were summoned by Agent Kong from the shadows, or were some kind of avatar or entity.

    But Agent Kong was already dead¡ªwhere did these guys come from?

    Was the Fallen Demon Hunter incident still not over?

    What was the purpose of kidnapping Chang''an? Was it just to drag him out and beat him up?

    I turned my head and glanced at the ropes that had bound Chang''an to the wooden chair. The ropes burned and snapped in mid-air, freeing Chang''an. He struggled to prop himself up. It seemed that the previous beatings had left him a little dizzy.

    He stared in disbelief at the severed ropes, then looked at me, as if he wanted to ask a lot of questions but didn¡¯t know where to start.

    "Chang''an, how did you get involved with those two guys?" I asked.

    "I can''t figure it out either..."

    Under my guidance, he tried to focus on his own situation.

    Unfortunately, he seemed just as clueless, his mind still muddled by the series of sudden changes.

    "I was just going out to eat near the school, and suddenly I don¡¯t know who knocked me out from behind. When I woke up, I was brought here, and for no reason, I kept getting beaten up..." He looked at the place where the two men had disappeared, then continued, "I thought it was someone I had offended in the past, and they were just giving me a ''lesson.'' I even wondered if they had gone too far this time, but I didn''t expect..."

    Actually, I wasn¡¯t entirely without that suspicion myself, and now I understood why the "fireflies" had taken so long to send a signal.

    As a fragment of my spirit, the "fireflies" probably had the same "preconception" about Chang''an as I did¡ªthat it was normal for him to get into trouble outside, and it wasn¡¯t surprising if someone took him away for a beating. If those two guys hadn¡¯t really intended to beat Chang''an to death, the "fireflies" wouldn¡¯t have seen this as a life-threatening situation for him.

    "Think again, besides the basement in the 15th-floor room, have you encountered anything else strange lately?" I prompted.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    "Strange things..."

    Chang''an sat on the ground, wrapped his arms around himself, and lowered his head, deep in thought.

    Suddenly, his expression shifted.

    I knew him too well. The moment I saw his reaction, I immediately understood what he was thinking.

    "It seems you have some idea. Go ahead, tell me, I''ll help you," I said.

    Upon hearing that, he looked up, his expression a mixture of emotions, and said, "A Cheng, if I tell you... what will you do?"

    I responded, puzzled, "Of course I''ll help you. Didn¡¯t I just say that?"

    "Will you kill someone?" he asked in a low voice. "Just like you killed those two guys earlier."

    "You saw it yourself¡ªthey weren''t human," I replied.

    "But at first, you didn¡¯t know they weren¡¯t human, did you?" he pointed out.

    "So... what are you saying? Because I¡¯m capable of killing, you don¡¯t want my help?" I had a bad feeling.

    As expected, Chang''an''s stubbornness kicked in. He said, "When you were in danger, you didn¡¯t let me help you, did you? As for this situation... I already have a clue. I can handle it on my own."

    "That¡¯s not the same thing! As you saw, I have superpowers and can deal with strange creatures. Do you?" I couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing in his situation. "If you have them, show me and convince me. If not..."

    However, no matter what I said next, Chang''an wouldn''t listen. Once he got into this state, no one could change his mind.

    I had no choice but to try a different approach. I walked to the door of the warehouse and called Zhu Shi.

    Zhu Shi had two phone numbers¡ªone for her daily social life and another for her identity as a demon hunter. She had given both to me.

    At university, she was the gentle and approachable student Zhu Shi; in Mount Luo, she was the strong and cold demon hunter Zhu Shi. Her friends from one life knew nothing about the other.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel that Zhu Shi seemed to be living a double life, like a masked hero.

    Now, I was dialing the "Demon Hunter Zhu Shi" number.

    When the call connected, Zhu Shi¡¯s calm voice, fitting her demon hunter identity, came through: "Is this Zhuang Cheng? What''s going on?"

    If I had dialed her "student Zhu Shi" number, I wondered if she would have greeted me as "Senior Zhuang"... As that thought crossed my mind, she continued, "Actually, I was just about to contact you as well, it¡¯s about the Fallen Demon Hunter..."

    She had something going on too? While curious, I prioritized my own situation: "What I need to talk to you about is also related to the Fallen Demon Hunter, and it involves Chang''an."

    "What?" She was startled for a moment, then quickly said, "Tell me more, I''ll listen!"

    I briefly explained everything that had happened on my end. After hearing it, she immediately said, "Send me your location, I¡¯ll come right away!"

    She hung up the phone in a hurry. I opened the chat app and sent my location to her before returning to Chang''an.

    Chang''an was still sitting on the floor resting, and it was hard to tell how much his condition had improved, considering his bruised face.

    He looked at me and apologized, "I¡¯m sorry. You came to save me, and yet my attitude towards you earlier was so bad..."

    I replied gruffly, "If you really feel sorry, then give me all the clues."

    "¡­By the way, you''re actually a superpower user? You really shocked me..." He changed the subject, "When did you become a superpower user? Could it be that the basement emitted some weird radiation, and after you came into contact with it, you awakened your powers..."

    Seeing him deflecting the topic, I sighed and answered, "About four and a half years ago, at the end of my third year of middle school."

    "So early..." He was stunned. "¡­Come to think of it, during that time, you were always studying Taoism and magic, and suddenly you gave it up, focusing on ghost stories and urban legends... It turns out that wasn¡¯t because you failed, but because you succeeded..."

    How did he know so much about me? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever talked to him about this.

    But as he said, the reason "lighting a candle with a glance" was my last attempt wasn¡¯t because I was planning to "give up if it didn¡¯t work this time," but because I had awakened my powers.

    Actually, after that, I did continue to gather and study materials on Taoism and magic, but it was just a cursory glance, so I didn¡¯t count it as part of my attempts. Instead of continuing to "try my luck," I decided to focus on researching the superpowers I had at hand. That was my thought.

    "Zhu Shi will be here in a little while. You should think carefully about how you¡¯re going to explain your situation to her," I said.

    "Zhu Shi?" Chang''an was stunned. "Why is she coming?"

    I wasn¡¯t sure why Zhu Shi was coming either. According to what she had said before, she had kept her demon hunter identity hidden from Chang''an. Was she planning to come as an ordinary person this time? What could she do as an ordinary person?

    Luckily, my worries were unnecessary.

    Soon, Zhu Shi appeared in our line of sight.

    Perhaps to showcase her demon hunter identity in front of Chang''an, she had changed into a brown-black cloak and conical hat, with a black-and-red sword strapped to her back, walking into the warehouse like an ancient hero, her posture dignified.

    For a moment, Chang''an seemed unable to recognize his own sister. When Zhu Shi approached, he belatedly showed an expression of utter astonishment.

    It seemed he had a vague premonition. Sitting on the ground, he tentatively asked, "Sis... why are you dressed like this?"

    Zhu Shi didn¡¯t immediately respond. Instead, she carefully examined Chang''an¡¯s bruised face. After a long sigh, she took out a piece of white talisman paper from her sleeve and threw it toward him.

    The talisman didn¡¯t land directly on Chang''an¡¯s body but disintegrated in midair, turning into countless sparkling white dust particles. When the white dust came into contact with Chang''an¡¯s skin, the bruises on his face began to miraculously fade. In just a few seconds, his face was completely restored, as though he had never been injured at all.

    Still in a daze, he touched his face, then looked up at us, his gaze shifting back and forth between his friend (me) and his sister (Zhu Shi).

    After a long while, he said, almost in disbelief, "So... both of you are actually superpower user, and I¡¯m the only one who didn¡¯t know anything?"

 Ch 64: Feeling Lost

    Chang''an stared at us as if his brain had overloaded.

    Zhu Shi spoke in a calm tone: "Strictly speaking, I am not a superpower user, but a Demon Hunter from Mount Luo."

    "Mount Luo? Demon Hunter?" Chang''an asked in confusion.

    "Mount Luo is a government organization dedicated to handling supernatural incidents, and the Demon Hunters are the professionals in this organization," I explained briefly.

    Chang''an looked at my face: "So... you''re also a Demon Hunter from Mount Luo?"

    "Yes," I shamelessly admitted, "I just recently joined."

    Although my position as an External Wu Chang hasn¡¯t been finalized yet, and even if it were, it wouldn¡¯t truly make me a full member of Mount Luo.

    But Zhu Shi didn¡¯t expose me. Instead, she continued speaking to Chang''an: "Zhuang Cheng has already told me about the situation you encountered. You seemed unwilling to share the details with him earlier. But as you can see, we are professionals, and you should tell us all the clues you know."

    Her attitude was businesslike, not like how she would treat her brother, but rather as if she were addressing an ordinary person involved in an anomalous event.

    What she said made sense, but this impolite attitude would likely provoke Chang''an¡¯s rebellious nature. Being spoken to like this by his own sister was likely making him feel embarrassed. As expected, Chang''an fell silent. However, he wasn¡¯t a fool; he should know that telling professionals about his difficulties was the most reasonable choice.

    I tried to understand Chang''an¡¯s mindset as a friend. He was likely feeling very conflicted. His familiar friends and his sister had suddenly transformed into professionals handling supernatural. That said, the impression of being ¡°professionals¡± likely couldn¡¯t outweigh the impression of being his ¡°friends and sister.¡± His emotions probably still lingered on ¡°not wanting his friends to kill anyone¡± or ¡°not wanting his friends and sister to get involved in his danger,¡± and he couldn¡¯t quite process it yet.

    Convincing him now would require not words, but time. I estimated that after a while, he would convince himself.

    It seemed Zhu Shi understood this as well. She then said, "Let¡¯s not stay here any longer. Let¡¯s go back."

    "Go back where?" I asked.

    "My house," Zhu Shi replied.

    ---

    Unlike Chang''an, who lived alone, Zhu Shi had always lived with her family.

    However, her parents were both either missing or living in a military hospital, so the only family members living with Zhu Shi were her grandparents.

    Usually, grandparents refer to the "father''s parents," but the Zhu family''s situation was different from a typical family. Since Zhu Shi''s father had been adopted into the family, her grandparents were actually her mother''s parents.

    The Zhu family mansion was located on the edge of the city. It was large and had a small garden, which made me subconsciously refer to it as a "mansion." The entrance had a surrounding wall and an iron gate.

    We arrived by taxi using a mobile app, and an elderly woman with a kind face was already waiting at the gate. She was likely Zhu Shi and Chang''an''s grandmother. When she saw Zhu Shi dressed in a raincoat and conical hat, she didn¡¯t show any surprise.

    As soon as Chang''an saw the elderly woman, he instinctively shrank his neck, while the woman called him over, glanced at me, and smiled as she asked, "You must be Zhuang Cheng, the friend Chang''an always talks about? Thank you for being friends with our Chang''an, come in and sit down."

    Zhu Shi spoke from the side: "Grandma, we have other things to do."

    "Huh? Aren¡¯t you coming in together?" Chang''an was stunned. "Then I¡¯ll..."

    I was also somewhat confused, but the elderly woman''s voice turned serious: "Chang''an, you stay here."

    "Okay... okay!"

    Chang''an reflexively agreed. It was the first time I had seen him act so obediently.

    "Well then, you go ahead and get busy," the elderly woman returned to her kind voice, then looked at me and said, "If you''re free after you''re done, make sure to come visit."

    I nodded in agreement, and the elderly woman led Chang''an away. Chang''an kept turning back, seemingly wanting to escape, but Zhu Shi noticed and ignored him, leading me away from the Zhu family mansion while she stowed away her martial arts outfit in a guitar case she was carrying.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Why separate from Chang''an? He still hasn¡¯t revealed all the clues. And if we leave him alone, he might be attacked again," I asked Zhu Shi as we stopped by the roadside, while secretly releasing a "firefly" to head back to the Zhu family mansion.

    "You don''t need to worry about my brother. I''ve already informed my family about his situation. The Zhu family mansion has special barriers and defenses against external threats, and my grandfather is here as well. Even if several Fallen Demon Hunters attacked with their main bodies, they wouldn''t be able to make any headway in that area," Zhu Shi spoke with clear confidence about the Zhu family estate.

    Hearing this, I was somewhat reassured, then asked, "So, the Zhu family really is a family of Demon Hunters?"

    "Yes," she nodded.

    "Does everyone in your family know about this, except for Chang''an? Why?" I asked curiously.

    "Well..." She hesitated.

    "Is it something you can''t talk about?" I wondered if she really didn¡¯t want to explain and was considering investigating it myself.

    "It¡¯s really not convenient..." She shook her head, then sighed. "Alright, I''ll tell you. Otherwise, you might end up investigating it yourself."

    She saw through me.

    "First, you should know that my brother is the child of our father with another woman, a so-called illegitimate child." She seemed to carefully consider her words. "Actually, there¡¯s a secret in all of this that even my brother doesn¡¯t know. His mother isn¡¯t human¡ªshe''s a monster."

    "¡ªWhat?" I was stunned. "A monster? Did I hear that right? Did you just say Chang''an¡¯s mother isn¡¯t human?"

    Having known him for so long in college, interacting with him as a seemingly ordinary friend completely unaware of the strange world, I always thought he was just a normal person¡ªyet he was the child of a monster and a human?

    "You didn¡¯t hear wrong. That¡¯s exactly what I said," Zhu Shi replied seriously. "My brother is half non-human. He naturally has the blood and power of a monster. Originally, my grandfather planned to make him the heir of the Zhu family."

    "Wait... the more you explain, the more I don''t understand," I tried to clear my thoughts and emotions. "Chang''an''s father was an adopted son, and his mother is a monster. In other words, Chang''an not only doesn''t have the Zhu family bloodline, but he''s not even fully human.

    "In that case, why did your grandfather initially want to make Chang''an the heir instead of you? Was it because your grandfather had extreme patriarchal views?"

    "That''s not it." She shook her head. "Our grandfather hoped that the Zhu family could slowly distance itself from the dangerous world of the strange and supernatural. During this transition, he needed at least one family Demon Hunter to fend off the dangers. Grandfather wanted my brother to take on this task.

    "However, during his training, the monster side of my brother went out of control. To save his life, our grandfather had no choice but to seal away his monster blood, turning him into an ordinary human.

    "After that, the task of being the heir fell to me."

    I slowly processed these words and asked, "Then... why doesn''t Chang''an know about this? Did he lose his memory?"

    "Yes," she nodded. "The strange and supernatural world tends to attract itself. Not only people like my brother, who have monster blood, but even those who have come into contact with strange events or know about strange beings essentially form a bond with them.

    "Therefore, sealing his power wouldn''t have been enough to prevent him from being defenseless in the future when encountering strange beings. Grandfather had studied many secret methods for avoiding the supernatural, one of which was sealing all memories and powers related to the strange and supernatural from the person involved.

    "As a result, by sealing those memories, not only could the person sever their connection with the strange, but it would also make it less likely for them to encounter supernatural events in the future."

    I suddenly understood. "So the reason you didn¡¯t mention the strange world to Chang''an was because you were afraid he''d remember?"

    "Exactly. We didn¡¯t expect him to encounter strange events on his own. Once would be fine, with the seal in place, he wouldn¡¯t immediately form a bond with the strange. But two times in a row..." She sighed. "Perhaps it''s related to the frequent strange events over the past two years. And that seal only makes it harder to encounter the strange, it doesn¡¯t guarantee that someone won¡¯t come across it."

    Even so, I still felt that I had brought this trouble to Chang''an.

    This time, it was the same. Maybe it was because I placed the "firefly" near him that caused him to get involved in the Fallen Demon Hunter incident. Although, according to Ma Zao, simply placing the "firefly" wouldn''t have led to such a result, Ma Zao''s experience with the "misfortune" constitution was based on the chaotic apocalypse environment and might not be entirely reliable.

    It was my fault.

    I had to end this incident as quickly as possible and find the mastermind behind the threat to Chang''an and eliminate them.

    I still had to find Ma Zao quickly as well¡ªit''s truly true that misfortune never comes alone!

    "Zhu Shi, you still haven''t answered one of my questions. Why did we separate from Chang''an earlier? We haven''t gotten any clues from him yet," I asked.

    "The reason is simple. The clues from my brother are irrelevant; we don¡¯t need to waste time convincing him. If you want clues, I have some here," Zhu Shi said, pulling several photos from her pocket. "Zhuang Cheng, do you remember who the Fallen Demon Hunters are targeting?"

    "They target the rich and powerful, the upper echelons of society," I answered.

    "Exactly. I initially thought Agent Kong was the killer, but in the past few days, there have been new victims. Once again, they are local elites, and the crime scenes are identical to the previous ones." She handed me the photos. "There are also other Fallen Demon Hunters, lurking in the dark nights of Xianshui City."

    I took the photos and looked down at them.

    Most of them were pictures from crime scenes¡ªgruesome bodies either lying in a house or in the grass outside, as if they had been gutted by large carnivorous animals. The methods were brutally violent.

    Some photos appeared to be street surveillance footage screenshots, with blurry shapes darting across the dark streets, the true form indistinguishable.

    And when I flipped to the last photo, I almost dropped all of them in shock.

    The last photo also looked like a street surveillance screenshot.

    But instead of a body or a shadowy figure in the middle of the frame, it was a girl about thirteen or fourteen years old.

    The girl was wearing a black cat whisker mask, a black hoodie with a print, a short skirt, cotton tights, and black short Martin boots. On her left wrist was a red GPS bracelet.

 Ch 65: New Opportunity

    The girl in the photo was so familiar¡ªshe was the one who had been haunting my thoughts, Ma Zao!

    The photo was likely taken at night, with a dark sky in the background. Ma Zao was walking alone down a quiet street, with no pedestrians around and the shops on both sides already closed. This street was familiar to me; it was a pedestrian street in a neighboring district. It was usually much busier, but the photo had a cold, deserted feel, indicating it was taken in the early hours of the morning.

    Ma Zao''s face was obscured by a mask, so no expression could be discerned. Her gaze seemed to be searching for something, and her posture gave off a subtle sense of alertness and tension. Strangely, she seemed unaware of the photographer.

    Why would Ma Zao appear in a photo given to me by Zhu Shi? Aren¡¯t we talking about the Fallen Demon Hunter case?

    Mount Luo is looking for Ma Zao. Could Zhu Shi also have a similar task? Am I being tested?

    But Agent Kong had mentioned that Zhu Shi and the faction searching for Ma Zao weren''t on the same side... No, Zhu Shi is only not aligned with the faction that uses extreme methods to find Ma Zao, but there may be other factions searching for her. And since Agent Kong is dead, perhaps the task that originally belonged to him has now fallen to Zhu Shi...

    It could also be that my thoughts are going off track. The Fallen Demon Hunter case and Ma Zao are not entirely unrelated. Before leaving, Ma Zao took Agent Kong''s burnt charcoal finger from my house, and Agent Kong was the previous Fallen Demon Hunter...

    "Zhuang Cheng, what''s wrong?" Zhu Shi''s voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts. "Is there something wrong with this photo?"

    I jolted, still dazed from the shock, and instinctively lied, "Nothing, it''s just that this photo is a bit different from the others. Who is this girl in the photo? Is she related to the Fallen Demon Hunter?"

    "You asked me before about the girl Agent Kong was pretending to be a police officer to find, right? Although she''s wearing a mask, based on our analysis, she should be that girl." She seemed unaware that I was acting.

    "I see, she''s the girl with the soul loss condition that Agent Kong mentioned to me..." This part was not a lie¡ªAgent Kong had indeed told me about her.

    "Since you know, I don¡¯t need to explain further," Zhu Shi nodded. "This girl suddenly appeared while we were searching for new clues about the Fallen Demon Hunter. That said, none of our people have directly witnessed her."

    "Not directly witnessed?" I asked, confused. "But the photo was taken, wasn''t it?"

    "Zhuang Cheng, doesn¡¯t this photo you have look like a street surveillance snapshot? But actually, there are no cameras on this pedestrian street at that specific spot," she explained. "This was a photo created by someone in Mount Luo who specializes in divination and reconnaissance. They read the land''s memories along the route that the Fallen Demon Hunter might have taken, then combined it with a writing ability to produce this photo.

    "He originally intended to divine clues about the Fallen Demon Hunter, but unexpectedly, this girl appeared in the photo formed by the divination and writing."

    No wonder Ma Zao in the photo didn¡¯t notice the photographer¡ªit was "historical imagery."

    I asked with concern, "Does Mount Luo believe this girl is the Fallen Demon Hunter?"

    "Although, for most of the time the Fallen Demon Hunter was causing trouble, she was lying in the hospital in a vegetative state... yes, the possibility you mentioned can¡¯t be ruled out," Zhu shi said. "Because the Fallen Demon Hunter is clearly not just one person, and their source of power and motivations are unclear. This soul loss girl also has ''unknown sources of power,'' and her motives for escaping the hospital and stealing firearms and ammunition are also unclear..."

    As she spoke, she lowered her head, seemingly starting to seriously consider the situation.

    Uh-oh, did I give her some bizarre idea?

    I could understand why the divination for the Fallen Demon Hunter led to Ma Zao. Although I don¡¯t know exactly how Mount Luo¡¯s divination works, Ma Zao does have the charred finger of the Fallen Demon Hunter.

    And right now, the most fortunate thing is undoubtedly the fact that "Ma Zao is still in Xianshui City."

    These past couple of days, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t find Ma Zao. My biggest worry was that she had been spatially relocated to another city. I had also considered using Mount Luo¡¯s power to search for her, but since I¡¯m not yet a member of Mount Luo, I couldn¡¯t come up with a valid reason to ask. I never expected that, in the end, I would get a clue about Ma Zao through Zhu Shi.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    In my view, Ma Zao might also be looking for the Fallen Demon Hunter.

    Her motive is still unclear, but in such a large city, her figure appeared along the "suspected path of the Fallen Demon Hunter," and she also carried the charred finger of the Fallen Demon Hunter. It''s hard to imagine that her current goal has no connection to the Fallen Demon Hunter.

    Of course, there''s another possibility: her "scourge" constitution is attracting the "Fallen Demon Hunter incident."

    The truth doesn''t matter much right now. The most important thing is that the tasks of "finding the Fallen Demon Hunter who threatens Chang''an" and "finding Ma Zao" have merged into one.

    As long as the former is found, it could lead to the latter.

    It¡¯s truly like the saying, "After the dark willows, there is another village with bright flowers.!"

    Suddenly, I felt a sense of incongruity and asked, "Zhu Shi, by showing me these photos, are you hoping that I¡¯ll act with you from now on?"

    "Yes," Zhu Shi nodded straightforwardly.

    "Has my application to become an External in Mount Luo Wu Chang been approved?" I asked.

    "Not yet," she shook her head.

    That¡¯s strange. Although I really want to be involved in investigating this case, given Zhu Shi¡¯s cautious nature when it comes to strange events, she shouldn¡¯t pull me, an outsider, into this. Because I¡¯m a "capable person," it doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯d think I should "work more" ¡ª she isn¡¯t the type to think that way.

    "The reason I came to ask you to participate in this case is because it¡¯s related to your upcoming role as an External in Mount Luo Wu Chang..." Zhu Shi seemed to be trying to find the right angle to bring up the topic. "I don¡¯t know if Agent Kong ever mentioned to you that he was the one responsible for the area around Xianshui University. Now that he¡¯s dead, naturally, this area needs new personnel to take over."

    I picked up on her implication: "My becoming an External in Mount Luo Wu Chang has something to do with the new agent?"

    "Yes, but now the one taking over our area is not an agent, but a Patrol (Ñ²ÓÎ'') ," she said.

    "Patrol?" I immediately made a connection, "Is it the same ''Ñ²ÓÎ'' as in ''Wandering God''?"

    "Exactly," she nodded.

    In our country¡¯s folk beliefs, there are two deities known as the Day Wandering God and the Night Wandering God. They are subordinates of Yama and the City God, who are deities of the underworld.

    They are also referred to as the Day Patrol and Night Patrol, responsible for monitoring the good and evil of the human world.

    "In Mount Luo, the demon hunters responsible for handling the abnormalities are called ''Wu Chang'' (the Impermanents); while those responsible for investigating the abnormalities are called ''You Xun'' (Patrols)," Zhu Shi explained.

    "Then what about ''Probes''?" I asked. "Aren''t the agent also responsible for investigating abnormalities?"

    She thought for a moment before asking me a question: "Zhuang Cheng, do you think that compared to Wu Chang and You Xun, titles like Probe and Agent sound too modern?"

    "I do get that feeling," I admitted.

    "In ancient times, agent were called Yin Cha (Shadow Officers) or Gui Zu (Ghost Soldiers), etc. Since they were actually just ordinary people, Mount Luo didn¡¯t consider them part of their own group but viewed them as a private force for the Patrol," she explained. "In ancient times, there were very few Patrol, and it was difficult to monitor abnormal activities in their jurisdiction, so they had to cultivate their own forces in the civilian world. This is the origin of the Agents.

    "It wasn¡¯t until modern times that Agents were officially accepted by Mount Luo. And because the Agents were the closest part of Mount Luo to the civilian world, it would have been awkward for them to call themselves Shadow Officers or Ghost Soldiers when presenting themselves outwardly, so they adopted names more fitting for the modern era."

    "I see..."

    I wasn''t entirely convinced by this explanation. Was it really just because it was difficult to present themselves as Shadow Officers or Ghost Soldiers that they chose the name "Probe," which has such a mechanized connotation? It felt like Mount Luo might have an invisible bias against ordinary people.

    "Does this mean that the Patrol are the superior leaders to the Agents?" I suddenly made a connection.

    Agent Kong had mentioned that the reason he disguised himself as a police officer to search for Ma Zao was due to orders from his superior.

    Could it be...?

    "Is the Patrol now overseeing our university¡¯s area the superior of Agent Kong?" I asked.

    "Yes," Zhushi confirmed. "At the same time, Patrol also have another responsibility, which is to monitor the activities of civilian demon hunters. If a civilian demon hunter shows the potential to become an External Wu Chang, the Patrol also have the authority to evaluate them."

    "I originally hoped to use my family¡¯s connections to help you bypass those procedures, but after the Patrol found out about your feat againts Agent Kong, they proposed using this Fallen Demon Hunter case as an evaluation to test your power level."

    After thinking for a moment, I asked, "Is the Patrol close to Agent Kong?"

    "Very close," she said. "This Patrol only became a Patrol last year. Before that, he were a highly skilled Wu Chang."

    "I heard that twenty years ago, before Agent Kong joined Mount Luo, he got involved in an supernatural event and nearly starved to death in a ghostly wall of obstacles caused by evil spirits. At that time, it was the Patrol, who was still a Wu Chang, who saved him.

    "I think he might have some issues with you now and may try to hinder you..."

    Before she could finish speaking, I heard a voice from nearby: "It''s not very nice to talk behind my back like that, Zhu Shi."

    "Lu Chan?" Zhu Shi frowned.

    I turned toward the voice and saw a young man walking over from across the street. He was wearing deep blue clothing that mixed modern and ancient styles.

    "I saw you suddenly run off while analyzing the case, and since you didn¡¯t come back for such a long time, I decided to come find you myself." He spoke to Zhu Shi first, then turned to me with a friendly smile. "You must be Zhuang Cheng. Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Lu Chan, a Patrol from Mount Luo."

    He extended his hand to me, and I observed him.

    He was the one who had ordered Agent Kong to search for Ma Zao.

 Ch 66: Patrol Lu Chan 1

    I carefully observed the man in front of me named Lu Chan, a Mount Luo Patrol.

    His appearance was handsome and refined, no less than someone from Chang''an. His walk was full of vigor, and his stance was upright and proper. Although he was said to have saved Agent Kong from a strange incident twenty years ago as a former Wuchang, he didn¡¯t seem as old as I had imagined. Judging by his face alone, he looked only a few years older than me¡ªhe could probably even disguise himself as a student and sneak into Xianshui University without raising suspicion.

    After all, he was a Demon Hunter. It wasn¡¯t surprising that someone in their twenties outwardly might carry a soul aged forty or fifty. In reality, there are also so-called ¡°beauty witches¡± who maintain youthful appearances through makeup and wellness techniques. Compared to various supernatural abilities, this level of preservation could only be described as excellent skincare.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Zhuang Cheng.¡± I shook hands with him.

    Lu Chan¡¯s gaze shifted between Zhu Shi and me. Smiling, he asked, ¡°You two seem pretty close. Are you dating?¡±

    I replied earnestly, ¡°She¡¯s my guide.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see, a mentor-student relationship.¡± Lu Chan seemed to take it seriously.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± Zhu Shi¡¯s face turned red as she quickly clarified, ¡°I¡¯m not at the level of being able to teach and guide yet!¡±

    ¡°Those who excel are teachers,¡± I said.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop the jokes here for now. Zhuang Cheng, I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand me because of what Zhu Shi said earlier. I¡¯m not trying to make things difficult for you.¡± Lu Chan withdrew his hand and explained, ¡°Kong¡¯s descent into becoming a Fallen Demon Hunter, and his eventual defeat at your hands¡­ one could only call it karmic retribution. While I deeply regret his downfall, I certainly do not blame you.¡±

    ¡°Who knows what you¡¯re really thinking?¡± Zhu Shi shot him a cold look. ¡°If you truly have no issue with Zhuang Cheng, why did you intervene in his appointment as a Mount Luo Wuchang?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your problem?¡± Lu Chan countered.

    Zhu Shi was taken aback. ¡°Huh? Me?¡±

    ¡°Your report on Zhuang Cheng clearly had many ambiguities. As a Mount Luo Patrol, I cannot turn a blind eye to that.¡± Lu Chan first pointed this out, then turned to me. ¡°You can rest assured, regardless of the results of this assessment, I will approve your appointment as a new External Wuchang. After all, the ¡®traces¡¯ of your power are still evident at that abandoned construction site. However, I have a responsibility to oversee freelance Demon Hunters and must understand your true capabilities.¡±

    After a brief pause, he added, ¡°And personally, I¡¯m also quite interested in you.¡±

    ¡°What kind of interest?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A typical flame ability user, no matter how strong their offensive power might be, would find it incredibly difficult to defeat a Fallen Demon Hunter with no apparent weaknesses in a one-on-one battle.¡± He spoke meaningfully, ¡°At least, in other cities, there has never been such a case.¡±

    ¡°You said ¡®other cities¡¯¡­¡± A thought crossed my mind. ¡°Are there Fallen Demon Hunters like Agent Kong in other places as well?¡±

    He nodded first, then delivered words that hit like a thunderclap.

    ¡°In Mount Luo, we now refer to this type of Fallen Demon Hunter as ¡®Oddities¡¯,¡± he said.

    For a moment, I thought I had misheard. ¡°Oddities?¡±

    Oddities was another term for Demon Beasts¡ªsurvivors who, in the apocalypse, were driven mad and turned into abominations by their mania.

    Could these really be special phenomena that only exist in the apocalyptic era? Or was the ¡°Oddities¡± he mentioned merely a coincidence in naming, completely different from what I was thinking?

    No, I shouldn¡¯t dismiss this as mere coincidence. Just like in the Foggy Dream, when I suspected No. 2 was a friend of Ma Zao even before she revealed her identity, I should connect this clue back to Ma Zao as well. If for no other reason, it¡¯s because I am still caught in the vortex centered around her.

    Reflecting on my past battle with Agent Kong, he did indeed transform into a monstrous form. Although he didn¡¯t entirely lose his name and past like the Demon Beasts Ma Zao described, I think it¡¯s reasonable to assume a connection between him and the "Signs of the Apocalypse."

    With that assumption, Ma Zao taking Agent Kong¡¯s charred finger becomes much more intriguing.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    From her perspective, that might not have been just an ordinary charred finger, but rather "a remnant of a Demon Beasts that inexplicably appeared in this era." Combined with the clue I gave her¡ªthat I recently fought against humans who turned into monsters¡ªit¡¯s highly likely she believes she needs to search for evidence of the approaching apocalypse here in Xianshui City.

    No wonder she¡¯s still active in this city. Honestly, I hadn¡¯t seen her for the past couple of days, and I even worried that she might have returned to the apocalyptic era. After all, she had previously been accidentally transported to the present day through spatial displacement¡ªwho could guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t disappear again under similar circumstances?

    At least now, I can finally put one of the stones in my heart down.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk by the roadside anymore. Why don¡¯t we find a place to sit down?¡± Lu Chan suggested.

    ---

    We headed to a nearby teahouse.

    On the way, I checked on the "firefly" I had sent to the Zhu family estate. Whether I should say it was "as expected" or not, the firefly had now lost all contact. Zhu Shi had mentioned that the Zhu family estate had a barrier specifically designed to detect and repel intruders, and my firefly, at its core, was nothing more than an insignificant spark of flame. It might have been intercepted and extinguished by that barrier, like a mosquito hitting an electric grid.

    Coincidentally, I had been worried that my firefly might bring misfortune to Chang¡¯an. In this way, the severed connection could be considered a relief, cutting off my lingering concerns.

    At the same time, Lu Chan briefly introduced me to the investigation progress regarding the Fallen Demon Hunters on the Mount Luo side.

    Regardless of his true opinion about me, at least on the surface, he spoke politely and carried himself with a professional demeanor, making it hard for me to hold any resentment toward him.

    Firstly, concerning the Fallen Demon Hunters (hereafter referred to as "Oddities"), Agent Kong had kept many things hidden from Zhu Shi.

    The biggest secret was this: the monster incidents weren¡¯t limited to Xianshui City but had occurred nationwide. While not frequent enough to be widely known, there had been dozens, if not hundreds, of recorded cases, with the earliest traceable incident dating back to eighteen months ago. Anyone who made the effort to connect the dots would undoubtedly see the pattern.

    Agent Kong¡¯s original task was to hand over the relevant data to Zhu Shi. However, he deliberately withheld this part of the information, most likely to prevent Zhu Shi from realizing that ¡°there were more Oddities out there.¡± Such concealment was never a long-term solution. Perhaps he had already planned to abandon his role as an Probe and leave Xianshui City.

    It wasn¡¯t until Lu Chan took over the task that the complete set of information finally reached Zhu Shi¡¯s hands.

    Incidentally, the photo clues collected through divination abilities were also obtained by Lu Chan. Investigation skills like these seemed to be his specialty.

    However, Zhu Shi didn¡¯t seem to have much fondness for Lu Chan. It didn¡¯t appear to be solely because he had interfered with my appointment as a External Wuchang.

    Lu Chan walked in front while I lingered at the back, pulling out my phone. Like a student secretly passing a note in class, I discreetly sent Zhu Shi a text:

    ¡°Do you dislike Patrol Lu?¡±

    Zhu Shi glanced at her phone, then at Lu Chan, before slowly typing a reply. It took her a while before she sent back:

    ¡°Lu Chan belongs to the faction that believes ¡®Demon Hunters should become earthly gods and turn all mortals into slaves.¡¯ I don¡¯t get along with people like him.¡±

    After reading her response, I couldn¡¯t help but look again at Lu Chan¡¯s back.

    Truly, appearances can be deceiving!

    It made sense, though. Agent Kong had admitted that his faction was considered ¡°extremist,¡± and since Lu Chan was Kong¡¯s superior, how could he possibly have a moderate or balanced philosophy?

    Yet, at this moment, I needed Lu Chan¡¯s help.

    The photo of Ma Zao had also been obtained through his divination abilities. Over the past two days, I¡¯d come to understand that my own skills alone weren¡¯t enough to find Ma Zao. Even though relying on his power might mean that, once we find her, Ma Zao would inevitably be exposed to his gaze, I no longer had the luxury of worrying about such things.

    We sat down in a private room at the teahouse. Lu Chan pulled photos from his pocket and spread them out one by one, almost like laying out a deck of cards. They were the same photos Zhu Shi had shown me before.

    ¡°There are currently two Demon Hunters responsible for the Oddities incidents in Xianshui City: one is Zhu Shi, who handles combat, and the other is me, responsible for investigation,¡± Lu Chan said. ¡°Now, there¡¯s a third person¡ªyou, Zhuang Cheng. So from here on, I¡¯d like you to analyze the case with us.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± I nodded.

    "Over the past five days, two more local elites in Xianshui City have been killed by Oddities. Or to be precise, it¡¯s actually four people..." Lu Chan pulled out two photographs, each corresponding to a separate crime scene.

    One scene was outdoors. The victim appeared to have been a wealthy elderly man in life, but his body had been torn apart beyond recognition, as if savaged by a wild beast. His remains lay in disarray in the grass, the scene unbearably gruesome.

    The second scene was indoors. The victim was a robust middle-aged man, similarly ripped to shreds, the brutality of the attack hinting at an almost hysterical rage. Nearby were two more bodies¡ªa middle-aged woman and a young boy, seemingly mother and child.

    Unlike the elderly man and the middle-aged man, the mother and child had been killed instantly. Their cause of death seemed to be severe head trauma, their skulls visibly deformed. They were likely family members of the middle-aged man, killed incidentally by the attacker.

    The indoor crime scene also had many bloody footprints, chaotic and scattered. They didn¡¯t look human at all but resembled the tracks of a large beast. In my mind, I compared them to the transformed state of Agent Kong¡ªyes, these were definitely monster footprints.

    Lu Chan briefly explained the findings of his investigation. As the photos suggested, on what must have seemed like an ordinary day to the victims, a monster had suddenly appeared, brutally slaughtering them before leaving without a trace. The sequence of events at both crime scenes was disturbingly simple.

    Then, he took out a third photograph¡ªa picture of Ma Zao, walking alone on a dark street at night.

    ¡°Zhuang Cheng, do you know who she is?¡±

    ¡°I know a little,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Zhu Shi must have told you, right?¡± he said. ¡°So, what do you think about this ¡®Soul-Loss Syndrome¡¯ girl?¡±

 Ch 67: Patrol Lu Chan 2

    Perhaps out of guilt, whenever someone actively brings up the topic of Ma Zao, I can¡¯t help but feel like they¡¯re probing me for information.

    Lu Chan¡¯s gaze was fixed on my face. This focused expression could be interpreted as either politeness and respect, or as scrutiny.

    Why is he asking me this? Did this keen agent notice something from my behavior? I couldn¡¯t suppress my wild speculations.

    ¡°What kind of opinion are you asking for?¡± I deflected the question back to him.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve fought Kong Da, you should know well that Oddities have the ability to teleport through shadows as a medium,¡± he said. ¡°Coincidentally, this girl named Ma Zao, suffering from Lost Soul Syndrome, likely disappeared from the hospital through some form of spatial transfer. And now, during our investigation of monster incidents, she has once again appeared in our line of sight...¡±

    ¡°You suspect that she¡¯s a Oddities?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t rule out that possibility.¡±

    After a moment of thought, I gave my answer: ¡°I think the likelihood of that is very low.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think so?¡± he asked, clearly intrigued.

    ¡°I¡¯ve fought Oddities in actual combat. I¡¯m well aware of their destructive power. They can hurl street lamps like javelins and manipulate shadows to strike enemies from a distance. To someone like that, even guns and bullets are nothing more than toys,¡± I explained. ¡°But this Lost Soul Syndrome girl infiltrated a public security department specifically to steal firearms and ammunition. Would a true Oddities go to such lengths?¡±

    ¡°Fair point,¡± he admitted. ¡°However, she must have an undeniable connection to the Oddities incidents, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I couldn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°If you happen to encounter Ma Zao on the front lines or uncover any clues about her, I hope you¡¯ll share them with me,¡± he said politely, making a formal request. ¡°To be frank, I¡¯ve been tasked with finding this Lost Soul Syndrome girl. If you help me, I promise to repay this favor in full in the future.¡±

    It seems that when it comes to finding Ma Zao, Lu Chan isn¡¯t the decision-maker of his faction but merely an executor of orders.

    I didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, I glanced at Zhu Shi. She, expressionless, simply said, ¡°Alright.¡±

    What an insincere agreement¡ªZhu Shi probably never intended to help with this request. But since I felt the same way, I simply replied, ¡°Same here.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get back to the case at hand,¡± Lu Chan said, sensing the awkward atmosphere and steering the conversation back on track. ¡°I¡¯ll need to use divination later to track the culprit. To improve the accuracy of my divination, I¡¯ll need to reference your thoughts on the case. Could you share your insights with me?¡±

    Perhaps worried I wouldn¡¯t understand, Zhu Shi added from the side:

    ¡°Lu Chan¡¯s divination magic essentially works by predicting and deducing from his own perspective. But relying solely on his perspective can lead to bias or oversights. That¡¯s why he needs other people¡¯s perspectives to supplement his divination.¡±

    ¡°Additionally, I have a question right now,¡± she said, turning to Lu Chan again. ¡°From my memory, while the culprit targets local elites, they never involve unrelated people or the families of their targets. Why did they suddenly change their behavior this time?¡±

    She pointed to the photo of the middle-aged man and his wife and son who had all been murdered. The family of three had died with their eyes wide open in terror.

    This was the first time I¡¯d heard about such a thing. Looking at it now, this crime scene did seem unusual.

    ¡°It seems like it was an accident,¡± Lu Chan shared his findings. ¡°The mother and child had originally planned to travel out of town that day. However, the mother developed a fever, and their travel plans were canceled at the last minute.¡±

    ¡°So the culprit mistakenly thought the target was home alone and broke in¡­¡± I considered. ¡°If this reasoning holds, then the culprit must have known about their travel plans¡ªa close friend or relative, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Lu Chan shook his head. ¡°The mother had a habit of posting her schedule online. Even someone with a distant connection could uncover this information with enough effort.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°If the culprit went to such lengths to investigate and avoid involving the mother and child, then it¡¯s clear they didn¡¯t want to harm them in the first place. So why did they end up killing them anyway?¡± Zhu Shi questioned. ¡°It can¡¯t possibly be because they saw the culprit¡¯s face, right? Once a Oddities transforms, they¡¯re basically wearing a mask. Their original physical traits are completely obscured¡ªthere¡¯s no need for a cover-up murder.¡±

    Lu Chan stared thoughtfully at the photos.

    ¡°Has the culprit¡¯s motive been clarified yet?¡± I changed my line of questioning.

    ¡°That part is actually quite clear,¡± Lu Chan patiently explained. ¡°Mount Luo has previously attempted to capture Oddities. However, it seems that Oddities have a self-destruction mechanism. Whenever we¡¯ve managed to capture one, they would self-destruct. And this process seems beyond their own control...¡±

    ¡°However, through studying the remains left behind, we¡¯ve managed to understand the Oddities motive. They can devour the souls of their victims and permanently convert them into their own power. This is what we call the ¡®Soul-Devouring Kill¡¯ ability.

    ¡°The more souls they consume, or the higher quality the souls, the stronger they become. If they devour the soul of a Demon Hunter, the boost to their power is even more significant.¡±

    Soul-Devouring Kill? Did Agent Kong attempt to ambush me in the past because he wanted to devour my soul?

    I thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why does the Oddities we¡¯re tracking now specifically target the wealthy elites of Xianshui City? Wouldn¡¯t targeting ordinary citizens involve less risk?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s also something we¡¯re investigating,¡± Lu Chan replied. ¡°At one point, I even wondered if this Oddities might be some kind of ¡®vigilante anti-corruption hero¡¯, but among the elites he¡¯s killed, there were also upright and honest officials¡ªincluding the man whose wife and son were also killed.¡±

    He pointed helplessly at the photo of the family tragedy.

    ¡°Before leaving the scene, the culprit also took the remaining valuables and cash from the house. Similar thefts were recorded in previous cases as well. Perhaps greed for wealth is one of the motives behind these killings.¡±

    ¡°Killing an entire family just for money¡­ Such an evil individual¡ª¡± Zhu Shi¡¯s voice trembled with rage before she forcibly calmed herself down. Then she suddenly turned to me and asked:

    ¡°Zhuang Cheng, what do you think?¡±

    Why are you asking for my opinion too?

    But I understood why she suddenly posed this question.

    Zhu Shi is someone with strong moral principles, and she cares deeply about the moral stances of those around her. Perhaps it was because I once admitted to her that I believed superhumans were inherently superior to ordinary people. Now, she seems to place special weight on how I perceive wrongdoers.

    However, my answer might disappoint her.

    I am, after all, someone willing to commit wrongdoing for selfish desires. I nearly imprisoned an underage girl¡ªand the reason I say ¡°nearly¡± isn¡¯t because I had a change of heart and stopped myself, but because she escaped on her own.

    So, it¡¯s hard for me to claim that I¡¯m fundamentally different from villains.

    Of course, if you ask me whether I detest sexual predators, the answer is yes. I also look down on petty thieves, and I cannot accept criminals who rob and kill for money. But my disdain for these people isn¡¯t because they¡¯re evil, but because their motives are often vulgar and weak.

    On this point, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m alone. Many people have been fascinated by villainous characters in fiction¡ªthose with unshakable resolve, a unique sense of aesthetics, or brilliant ideals. Some might criticize, saying, ¡°Only immature minds would be drawn to such fictional villains.¡± I won¡¯t deny it, because I do have an immature side.

    So, if someone commits evil acts out of a pursuit of their ideals, I find it easier to accept.

    I¡¯m well aware, though, that from an outsider''s perspective, whether the motive is an idealistic pursuit or greed and lust, the essence is the same: selfish desire. The outcomes remain evil deeds. From an objective standpoint, I might not be so different from that monstrous criminal. The only difference is that he succeeded, while I failed.

    The reason I like to present myself as a good person¡ªoccasionally stepping in to help others¡ªis not because I have an overflowing conscience, but because I want to make friends with good people.

    And no, this isn¡¯t because I think good people are easier to exploit. I must admit, being friends with good people is simply more comforting than being friends with villains.

    As I pondered the similarities and differences between myself and that Oddities, an odd thought crept into my mind.

    I suddenly felt an urge to meet that Oddities face-to-face. I wanted to ask him about his mindset while committing these acts of evil, to understand how he thinks.

    "Zhuang Cheng?" Zhu Shi called out to me again.

    "Let¡¯s hurry and take down that Oddities before the next victim appears," I said.

    "Ah? Mm!" She nodded firmly.

    After that, Zhu Shi and I continued discussing with Lu Chan for a while longer. It seemed that he had gathered enough perspectives from us, as he eventually signaled for us to stop and began his divination ritual.

    To call it a "divination ritual" was somewhat misleading. He didn¡¯t pull out a compass or any other traditional tools. Instead, he raised both hands and began moving his fingers rapidly, as if performing mental calculations. It seemed like some kind of palm divination.

    The lines and joints on human palms have long been believed to contain traces of fate. Ancient texts often described this as "calculating with one¡¯s fingers."

    After a few minutes, he stopped, nodded slightly, and said, "I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯ll now transfer the results directly into your consciousness."

    Transfer the results into our consciousness?

    Before I could process what that meant, Lu Chan extended his hands, seemingly offering a handshake. Zhu Shi confidently reached out and shook his hand. I followed suit, mimicking her actions and shook his hand as well.

    In my mind, I imagined some kind of direct mental transmission of information. I was genuinely curious about how this would feel.

    But the moment we made contact, nothing happened.

    Instead, Lu Chan let out a startled yelp, as if he had just touched an open flame. He jerked his hand away violently, stumbling backward and even falling off his chair.

    His entire body was trembling uncontrollably, and his face was filled with abject terror as he stared at me¡ªas though he had just witnessed something unspeakably horrifying.

 Ch 68: Patrol Lu Chan 3

    Lu Chan¡¯s gaze toward me didn¡¯t look like he was looking at a fellow human being. Instead, it was as if, on an ordinary morning, he had woken up in his pajamas, opened the curtains expecting the usual blue sky, white clouds, and sunlight, only to find Godzilla¡¯s face staring back at him through the window.

    It seemed like even his ability to think had temporarily shut down. He sat there awkwardly on the floor, mouth agape, staring at me blankly, completely unable to process what had just happened.

    Zhu Shi, alarmed by his reaction, immediately stood up and called out, ¡°Lu Chan?¡±

    "Are you okay?" I asked, stepping forward instinctively to help him up, feeling that whatever had just happened was probably my fault.

    The moment I approached, his entire body shuddered again, as if his reflex was screaming at him to get away from me.

    But this time, it seemed like his brain had started functioning again. He stopped himself from recoiling further. I extended my hand, and after taking a moment to steady his expression, he cautiously placed his hand in mine, allowing me to help him stand up.

    "What just happened?" I asked curiously.

    "Well... how should I put this..." He looked at me with lingering fear in his eyes. ¡°Do you¡­ not harbor any malice toward me?¡±

    "No. Why would I have any malice toward you?"

    Honestly, I did have reasons to feel hostile toward him. In the search for Ma Zao, he and I could be considered rivals. But on one hand, I still needed his investigative skills for the search, and on the other hand, he had been nothing but sincere and reasonable in his actions so far, making it hard for me to dislike him.

    "Thank goodness you don¡¯t harbor any malice toward me; otherwise, I might have died just now." Lu Chan¡¯s voice carried a sense of survivor¡¯s relief, as though he had just narrowly escaped death.

    "Did I do something wrong earlier? Like, was there some taboo related to your consciousness-transmission ability, and I accidentally triggered it?" I asked.

    "No, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. It¡¯s just¡­" He still looked at me with disbelief. "It¡¯s just that your power is far too overwhelming. So overwhelming that your mere existence creates an untouchable domain around you. If anyone crossed that domain, it would feel like violating a cosmic law. The one who broke the taboo was me, not you."

    I¡¯m¡­ too powerful? Even if you suddenly start praising me, I¡¯m not going to give you any rewards for it.

    But Zhu Shi had said something similar before. Because my power as an was so immense, supernatural entities would instinctively avoid me. The "untouchable domain" Lu Chan mentioned seemed to align with that same principle.

    "It seems you lack a proper awareness of your own power," Lu Chan said, now appearing to slowly come to terms with what he had just experienced. His attitude toward me became noticeably warmer. "That¡¯s fine. Unlike Zhu Shi, I have some experience in guiding and teaching others. If you don¡¯t mind, we could have some private discussions later¡ª"

    "Wait a minute!" Zhu Shi immediately interrupted, sounding anxious.

    She hurried to my side, placing her hands protectively on my shoulders like a territorial guard dog, and said with clear vigilance, "Senior Brother Zhuang¡­ Zhuang Cheng is mine! You can¡¯t steal him!"

    "That¡¯s right. I belong to Zhu Shi." I decided to firmly declare my public allegiance.

    "Senior Brother? Junior Sister?" Lu Chan gave a wry smile and turned to me. "Isn¡¯t Zhu Shi supposed to be your mentor?"

    I corrected myself, "I am under Teacher Zhu Shi¡¯s guidance."

    "I¡¯m not¡ª" Zhu Shi reflexively started to deny it but then paused, her face flushing red, before she stammered, "I¡­ I am!"

    "Alright, let¡¯s stop joking around. We can discuss private lessons later. For now, let¡¯s focus on the main task." Lu Chan sighed and then turned his attention back to Zhu Shi. "While I couldn¡¯t transfer the target Oddities¡¯s location into Zhuang Cheng¡¯s consciousness, you should have received it. You two should team up and deal with that Oddities together."

    "Wait, now that you¡¯ve seen Zhuang Cheng¡¯s strength, there¡¯s no need for him to be tested anymore, right? Why are you still having him participate in this case?" Zhu Shi questioned, her tone filled with doubt.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "You¡¯re still just a young woman. Having a powerful man by your side is far more reassuring." Lu Chan¡¯s reasoning carried a hint of old-fashioned chivalry.

    Before Zhu Shi could argue back, Lu Chan turned his gaze to me and asked, "Zhuang Cheng, you haven¡¯t actually killed anyone before, have you?"

    I thought back for a moment, then nodded. "No, I haven¡¯t."

    While I had fought and won battles before, I had never actually killed anyone. The first Fallen Demon Hunter I encountered mysteriously died of organ failure. Agent Kong self-destructed. And the two men in black suits I defeated while saving Chang''an weren¡¯t even human to begin with.

    "Mount Luo hopes we can capture the Oddities alive whenever possible," Lu Chan explained. "There are still many mysteries surrounding the source of the Oddities'' power. No one knows exactly where these individuals obtained their ability to transform into Oddities."

    "But I think it¡¯s fine if you end up killing the target. The battlefield is unpredictable, and no one can foresee what moves the enemy might make. Never let hesitation put you in danger."

    "Zhuang Cheng, this applies to you as well¡ªdon¡¯t hold back. According to Mount Luo¡¯s investigation, those who have become Oddities are already enslaved by an inhuman hunger for devouring souls. They have, quite literally, become monsters in human form."

    "Put aside all hesitation, and kill the enemy without mercy."

    Zhu Shi frowned as she listened, but she didn¡¯t argue. Instead, she asked, "I remember you have a divination technique that allows you to extract information from the brains of the dead. If we manage to retrieve the Oddities¡¯s head, can you get any useful clues from it?"

    "No, I can¡¯t." Lu Chan shook his head. "Before dying¡ªor before they self-destruct¡ªthe source of their power disappears from their bodies. Additionally, their spiritual information is automatically destroyed. If it were that simple to extract intel, Mount Luo would have already uncovered the secrets of the Oddities."

    "I see¡­" Zhu Shi murmured. "Well then, we¡¯ll head out now."

    "Good luck," Lu Chan said with a solemn nod.

    ---

    After leaving the teahouse, Zhu Shi and I took a taxi toward the designated area.

    It was early evening when we got into the car, but by the time we got out, the sky had already turned dark. We had arrived in the old district of Xianshui City and continued on foot.

    On the way, Zhu Shi explained to me that the divination spell Lu Chan performed had revealed a "likely route the target Oddities would take in the near future." That was where we were heading now.

    No wonder Zhu Shi felt the clues from Chang''an were irrelevant. I had to admit¡ªthis method was far more efficient.

    I took out the photos I had received earlier from my coat pocket, pulling out Ma Zao''s picture and examining it repeatedly.

    In the photo, Ma Zao''s left wrist still wore the intact red GPS bracelet. Clearly, she hadn''t realized the true purpose of the bracelet, or else it would have already been discarded or destroyed.

    But if that¡¯s the case, why am I unable to receive the GPS signal?

    And another thing¡ªif Lu Chan possesses such an incredibly convenient divination technique, capable of predicting even the Oddities''s future movements, why can¡¯t he track Ma Zao¡¯s exact whereabouts?

    Previously, I had assumed it was because Lu Chan¡¯s divination required certain prerequisites or clues to function properly. But now, walking down these dark streets and thinking it over again, it still felt off.

    Surely, in a place as large as Mount Luo, there must be more skilled diviners, right? If even they couldn¡¯t track Ma Zao, then something must be very wrong.

    Zhu Shi suddenly turned around with a serious expression and said, "Zhuang Cheng, if we actually find that Soul-Loss Syndrome girl, don¡¯t tell Lu Chan."

    I put the photos back into my coat pocket. While her suggestion aligned with my own feelings, I still had to ask, "Why?"

    "You¡¯ve seen the methods used by Lu Chan¡¯s faction, haven¡¯t you? When it comes to that girl, whose innocence or guilt is still unclear, they¡¯ve impersonated police officers, gone around fabricating accusations, and generally shown no regard for her basic rights."

    She paused, then added, "I also hope Mount Luo can study that girl and maybe discover a cure for Soul-Loss Syndrome¡ªbecause my mother is a Soul-Loss Syndrome patient."

    "However, this must be based on the girl''s voluntary cooperation, not treating her like a test subject stripped of dignity.

    "That faction probably sees enormous profit in the Soul-Loss Syndrome girl, which is why they resort to such ruthless methods. I absolutely won''t condone or support that.

    "So, Zhuang Cheng, you might think my ideals are na?ve¡­"

    She slowed her speech, seemingly searching for the right words, but I cut in ahead of her.

    "I told you from the very beginning," I said. "I don''t care about this faction or that faction. But I''ll stand by your side. If you think we shouldn''t tell Lu Chan, then that''s exactly what we''ll do."

    Hearing this, she seemed deeply moved and nodded firmly.

    Seeing her reaction, I felt a pang of guilt. After all, the reason I said this wasn''t entirely for Zhu Shi¡ªit was for Ma Zao, and ultimately, for myself.

    "Speaking of which, are you very familiar with Lu Chan? You seem to know a lot about him," I asked, instinctively changing the topic.

    "Familiar might not be the right word, but we do have some history together," Zhu Shi shook her head. "Lu Chan was once a "Formation"-rank Wuchang, an elite Hunter whose combat prowess was unparalleled. He was also very kind and generous to his colleagues. Many Wuchang, myself included, have received his guidance.

    "Furthermore, he wasn''t always aligned with the faction that believes Hunters should act as gods ruling over humanity. He once belonged to our faction instead."

    Confused, I asked, "If he''s so powerful, why isn''t he on the frontlines anymore?"

    "Because he lost his former strength¡­" she said with a complicated expression.

    "There are many organizations outside Mount Luo¡ªsome of them hate Mount Luo and believe the world should remain under ordinary human control. They fear Mount Luo intends to use superpowers to dominate the world, so they decided to strike first. They capture and imprison Hunters, conducting inhumane experiments in an attempt to scientifically decode their powers.

    "Two years ago, the largest underground faction targeted Lu Chan during his most vulnerable moment. After an enormous expenditure of resources and lives, they managed to capture him. He was imprisoned and experimented on for eight months¡­"

 Ch 69: VS Oddities 1

    When I first awakened my superpowers, I also had delusions about my powers being exposed, followed by official forces arresting me on false charges and reducing me to a mere lab rat in some research facility.

    Rationally speaking, I thought such a scenario was unlikely. For one, using a precious superpowered individual as experimental fodder goes against basic scientific principles. Secondly, official forces must uphold ethical standards. Ethics are not just for outward appearances¡ªthey''re also an essential banner to unite people internally.

    But what if "superpowered individuals" aren''t as rare as I imagined? What if the organization targeting me doesn''t care about ethics at all?

    That terrifying scenario was just a fantasy for me, but for Patrol Lu, it was a harsh reality.

    "After eight months, Lu Chan managed to escape the underground organization''s research facility on his own. However, after enduring unimaginable torment, he lost most of his power as a Wuchang. Now, he can only provide support from the rear as a Patrol," Zhu Shi sighed. "Zhuang Cheng, you once asked me if I disliked Lu Chan, didn''t you? The truth is, I don''t dislike him at all. On the contrary, I once greatly respected him. He used to be a kind-hearted Wuchang who wielded his sword for the good of all people¡ªa role model I deeply admired.

    "In Mount Luo, ''Formation''-level Wuchang are also referred to as ''National First-Class Demon Hunters.'' However, most hunters at this level don''t take pride in the title because they don''t see themselves as bound by secular authorities. Yet Lu Chan was different¡ªhe wore that title with pride.

    "Even though his personality has drastically changed, and he now believes that Hunters should rule over ordinary people, I can''t blame him. It''s easy to say what''s right and wrong until you''ve walked in someone else''s shoes. I understand this well. The torture he endured in that facility is something ordinary people can''t even imagine. If I had gone through the same experience, I might have become just like him.

    "It''s just that, due to our differing stances, I can no longer see eye-to-eye with him. That''s all."

    I nodded in understanding, my mind picturing Patrol Lu''s humble and friendly face.

    It was truly hard to imagine that someone as composed as him had once endured such horrifying experiences. As a fellow "superpowered individual," I couldn''t help but feel a sense of shared vulnerability. Zhu Shi''s emotions regarding this must be even stronger than mine.

    "Patrol Lu seems to have noticed my power level already," I said. "You mentioned before that, in order to prevent me from being drawn into the factions too soon, it was better to hide my true strength. Is that still possible now?"

    "Lu Chan''s faction will definitely try to recruit you, but things haven''t reached the worst-case scenario yet," Zhu Shi said after some thought. "At the very least, you haven''t demonstrated elementalization in front of him. For a fire-wielder, whether or not you can elementalize makes a world of difference. In his mind, your evaluation has probably shifted from ''very strong attack power'' to ''overwhelming attack power.''"

    "He should also be able to infer from your victory over Agent Kong that your other ''weak points'' aren''t particularly weak. However, he probably wouldn''t think of something as advanced as elementalization."

    "I see...," I nodded at first but then suddenly remembered something.

    This was something I should have asked Zhu Shi earlier, but I had been so busy searching for Ma Zao, and after reuniting with Zhu Shi, there had been so many other pressing matters. Only now did this question resurface in my mind.

    "Zhu Shi, have you ever heard of the ''Divine Seal''?" I asked.

    "The Divine Seal?" Zhu Shi was momentarily stunned. "Is that its exact name? ''Divine Seal''?"

    "I think so?"

    Her question made me realize that I was being rather vague. In the realm of mysticism, the word "Seal" wasn¡¯t exactly rare. Even adding the prefix "Divine" didn¡¯t make it much more specific.

    I added, "I can¡¯t remember where I came across this knowledge, but supposedly, there¡¯s something called the Divine Seal in this world, and it¡¯s said to grant any wish."

    "A Divine Seal that can grant any wish...," she seemed to have some reaction this time. "It does sound familiar... Sorry, I can¡¯t recall it clearly right now. I¡¯ll look into it for you later. But why are you suddenly asking about this?"

    "Just making conversation to pass the time. We are on our way, after all," I said casually. "Then¡­ have you heard of someone named ''Xuan Ming''?"

    In the Fog Dream, both Number One and Number Two had a strong reaction to Number Four''s mention of this name. Number One seemed wary, while Number Two was outright terrified.

    If my judgment was correct, Number One was probably someone like me, living in the modern world. Yet, both he and Number Two, who existed in the post-apocalyptic era, had reflexive emotional responses to this name. This was enough to prove that "Xuan Ming" was a figure of immense renown and fear.Stolen story; please report.

    As expected, Zhu Shi also reacted to the name.

    Her expression immediately turned grave.

    "Zhuang Cheng, where did you hear that name?"

    "Agent Kong mentioned it to me," I deflected the question toward the dead man. "But he only briefly brought it up and didn¡¯t go into detail."

    "Why would he mention Xuan Ming to you?" She seemed puzzled at first but then had a moment of realization. "Oh, I see¡­ It must be because you''re a fire-wielder, right?"

    "So this Xuan Ming really is related to the fire god Zhurong from the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?" I asked.

    "Hmm¡­ Where should I even begin¡­?" After a moment of thought, she said, "I told you before, didn''t I? Many of the gods in mythology were actually based on Great Wuchang¡ªbeings who either brought calamity to the land or blessed entire regions."

    "Are you saying¡­?" The realization hit me immediately.

    "That¡¯s right. Xuan Ming was once one of the Great Wuchang of Mount Luo."

    Number Four, Xuan Ming, was actually one of Mount Luo''s Great Wuchang?!

    My initial shock was quickly replaced by understanding. No wonder even in the Fog Dream, where superpowers couldn¡¯t be used, Number Four (Xuan Ming) carried such an overwhelming presence and an aura of intense danger.

    Furthermore, if he had been a Great Wuchang¡ªsomeone who could control cataclysms and natural disasters¡ªit made perfect sense for his name and legend to persist even into a post-apocalyptic era.

    Then I caught onto something. "You said ''was''?"

    "About half a year ago, Xuan Ming betrayed Mount Luo," Zhu Shi said. "I don¡¯t know the exact reason, but one day, he suddenly went berserk. In front of countless witnesses, he burned another Great Wuchang, ''Fu Hongchen,'' to death, then defeated and severely injured another Great Wuchang, ''Ming Zhuo,'' in direct combat. After that, he left Mount Luo."

    "The Great Wuchang are the sovereigns of Mount Luo. Generally speaking, no matter what a Great Wuchang does, it cannot be considered treason¡ªjust like how a subject cannot accuse an emperor of rebellion. There¡¯s only one exception: when Great Wuchang turn against one another."

    "After that incident, Xuan Ming was officially labeled a traitor to Mount Luo, and his whereabouts have been unknown ever since."

    Number Four, Xuan Ming, actually did something like that¡­

    Killing one Great Wuchang with fire, severely injuring another in head-on combat¡ªcould it be that he wasn¡¯t just a Great Wuchang but one of the strongest among them?

    I had spoken with Number Four, Xuan Ming. From his words and demeanor, he didn¡¯t seem like an unstable or insane person. The idea that he attacked his peers in a fit of madness was hard for me to accept. He must have had a reason¡ªsome greater consideration¡ªthat drove him to act against the other Great Wuchang.

    I recalled the moment in the Fog Dream when he furiously confronted the giant, his voice full of righteous anger and despair. To him, the giant seemed to represent the force behind the destruction of the world¡ªthe only moment he ever lost control of his emotions.

    Could his betrayal and attack on the other Great Wuchang be connected to that incident?

    "Xuan Ming was a Great Wuchang who mastered the power of fire. That¡¯s probably why Agent Kong brought up his name when talking about you," Zhu Shi reasoned, then suddenly stopped in her tracks.

    She raised her right hand and spoke in a low voice: "Target spotted."

    At her words, my heart tightened. I held my breath and focused my gaze forward.

    We had moved into an old sports park in the historic district. It was a desolate field, with a red running track encircling an overgrown football pitch. We crept along the outer edge of the track.

    I had been here before. Occasionally, people would come to jog or exercise, though it was said that this place used to be much livelier. Over time, it had fallen into disrepair and turned into the lonely, desolate place it was now.

    On the far side of the track, I spotted a strange humanoid figure. It was clearly not a jogger or a fitness enthusiast. Standing nearly three meters tall, it had a goat''s head, walked on two muscular legs, and was covered in thick, sinewy muscles¡ªa monstrous being that looked like something straight out of a nightmare or a vision of hell.

    "A Oddities¡­" Zhu Shi focused intently on the creature, pulling me behind a nearby patch of overgrown grass to hide.

    The Oddities didn¡¯t seem to notice us. It appeared to be merely passing through, though it was equally likely that this place was its hunting ground. For a creature like this, an isolated location¡ªnot entirely deserted but sparsely visited¡ªwould be an ideal hunting ground. All it had to do was wait patiently, and eventually, prey would walk right into its clutches.

    Though I had previously entertained the idea of asking such a creature about its motivations for committing evil, this was clearly not the right time for such a conversation.

    I considered my next move carefully.

    "Kill it outright" was the first option I dismissed. Although Patrol Lu had recommended killing Oddities on sight, doing so now would eliminate any chance of gaining information about Ma Zao. Killing the creature outright would be the worst possible decision in this context.

    But I couldn¡¯t capture it alive either. According to Patrol Lu, every attempt by Mount Luo to capture a Oddities alive had ended in failure. Oddities had a built-in self-destruct mechanism that was not under their conscious control. I couldn¡¯t negotiate with it, couldn¡¯t reason with it¡ªit would self-destruct the moment it was cornered.

    If I couldn¡¯t kill it or capture it, my only remaining option was to tail it¡ªto follow it patiently until the Oddities¡¯s actions attracted the attention of "Ma Zao, who might be investigating Oddities."

    However, choosing to tail it meant that if the Oddities started killing innocent people, I would have to stand by and do nothing.

    Alternatively, I could intervene each time it tried to kill someone while simultaneously implanting a thermal marker into its body. It would be like wildlife scientists tagging a predator with a tracking device. This way, no matter where it went, it would remain under my surveillance. Even if it teleported away, it would still be within my watchful grasp.

    But there were risks. I had no idea how far its shadow-based abilities could extend. Could it kill from beyond my detection range? Was it possible that other creatures summoned from its shadows were already lurking elsewhere, killing innocents out of my sight?

    Overlooking these unknown factors would mean gambling with innocent lives. Zhu Shi would undoubtedly advocate for killing the Oddities immediately.

    That would be the safest choice for others¡ªbut it would also directly conflict with my own goals and interests.

    What should I do?

 Ch 70: VS Oddities 2

    I must extract the clues I need from this distant Oddities.

    That said, I had no idea in what form such a clue might present itself.

    Perhaps this Oddities had encountered traces of Ma Zao in the past two days, or maybe it would draw Ma Zao out in the future.

    Either way, I firmly believed that the "seemingly investigating-the-Oddities Ma Zao" would inevitably have some sort of connection with this creature¡ªeven if the specifics remained unclear.

    To achieve this, I needed to ensure the Oddities stayed alive.

    Either it would stay alive long enough to reveal information about Ma Zao, or it would live until it attracted Ma Zao''s attention.

    But Zhu Shi would undoubtedly object.

    In the worst-case scenario, I might have to disagree with her outright, or even end up fighting her.

    Perhaps I could find a middle ground¡ªa way to respect Zhu Shi''s principles while still pursuing my own objectives.

    I needed to think fast¡­

    Time was running out.

    The Oddities was moving further away.

    I glanced over at Zhu Shi.

    She was intensely focused on the creature.

    Then I noticed something strange about her eyes.

    It wasn''t the emotion in her gaze that was strange, but rather, it was as if her eyes were radiating a piercing intensity, a sharpness that could see through anything.

    I remembered seeing this look before¡ªonce when she deduced that my superpowers weren''t derived from demonic bloodlines, and again when she identified from Agent Kong''s remains that he was indeed a "Fallen Demon Hunter."

    Zhu Shi closed her eyes briefly, and when she reopened them, her gaze had returned to normal.

    "Zhuang Cheng, let''s follow Lu Chan''s suggestion this time¡ªlet''s just kill this Oddities outright," she said firmly.

    "He''s only the second Oddities after Agent Kong. What if there are a third or fourth Oddities in Xianshui City? Shouldn''t we at least try capturing him alive to extract some information?" I spoke, trying to buy time while I desperately searched for that middle-ground solution.

    To my surprise, Zhu Shi beat me to it.

    "Capturing him alive is pointless, and it¡¯s not even necessary. I have a way to extract clues from him," she said calmly.

    "What way?" I asked, surprised.

    "As long as we keep his head intact when we kill him, we can let Lu Chan use a spell to extract information directly from his brain tissue," she explained.

    "But didn''t Patrol Lu already say that method doesn¡¯t work? The source of the monster¡¯s power will destroy the information as it fades away," I asked, confused.

    "I know how to prevent that destruction," she said confidently.

    I could tell she wasn¡¯t lying¡ªnot about something like this. Yet, it was still hard to believe. "Really?" I asked.

    She nodded, her expression unwavering. "Really."

    This was fantastic news!

    In my mind, I weighed the options¡ªif I stubbornly insisted on my tailing plan, I would only end up losing Zhu Shi''s trust and would no longer be able to rely on Patrol Lu''s support.

    Furthermore, even if I continued tailing the monster, I would essentially be leaving everything to chance, with no guarantee that Ma Zao would actually show up.

    Although I firmly believed Ma Zao would eventually be drawn here, if that didn''t happen within three days, it would be meaningless.

    These three days were my countdown, not the countdown for Ma Zao and the Oddities to cross paths.

    Right now, time was the most important factor.

    If there was a way to extract information directly from the Oddities''s brain, then killing it immediately would be the better choice.

    Even if this attempt yielded no results, I could still rely on Zhu Shi and Patrol Lu''s assistance to continue searching for Ma Zao later.

    In truth, neither "tailing" nor "Zhu Shi''s plan" was entirely reliable, but if I had to choose, the latter better aligned with my style.

    "I understand," I said, making my final confirmation before the attack.

    "As long as the head remains intact, right?"This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "That''s right¡­"

    As she spoke, Zhu Shi swiftly donned her rain cloak and bamboo hat, drawing her sharp sword with a practiced motion.

    Suddenly, she froze for a moment and then seemed to realize something.

    "Wait, are you planning to attack right now?"

    "Yes," I said, my gaze locked onto the monster.

    "But isn''t this supposed to be my big moment?!" she exclaimed in disbelief.

    Too late. I had already launched my attack.

    By the way, this time I had no intention of using my "ignite the target with my gaze" ability, which was far too slow.

    When facing the Fallen Demon Hunter and Agent Kong, I had taken my time because I was excited to face supernatural opponents for the first time.

    But now, having established initial contact with Lu Chan and Mount Luo, I no longer felt the need to savor every encounter.

    In my normal form, I could actually use all my fire-element abilities, and their power wasn¡¯t necessarily weaker¡ªjust less fluid and instinctive.

    Skills that I could fire off ten or twenty times in a single second in my fire-element form might take several seconds in this form.

    The ability I used on the monster now was "Summon Flames Directly Inside the Enemy''s Body."

    To activate it, I needed to merge my consciousness with the heat in the surrounding environment.

    In my fire-element form, this process was as natural as breathing air, but in my normal state, it required total concentration.

    Through my perception, I could clearly visualize the Oddities''s internal structure in my mind.

    It was similar to how someone might imagine the inner workings of their body after reading about human anatomy.

    In that imagined image, I planted an enormous fireball¡ªone that was larger than its torso.

    The outcome of an enormous amount of heat appearing suddenly in a confined space was self-evident.

    From afar, the Oddities exploded under my gaze.

    Like a brilliant firework in full bloom, countless fragments of flesh and viscera erupted outward, mixed with searing streams of flame.

    For an instant, the football field was illuminated by the blinding flash of the explosion, casting sharp shadows across the overgrown grass in the dead of night.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to preserve the head.

    The explosion had only torn apart the torso, while the head was launched skyward by the shockwave.

    My vision couldn¡¯t clearly capture the distant scene in the dark, but through my heat-infused perception of the environment, I could distinctly see a look of bewilderment and confusion frozen on that face.

    It¡¯s said that a human head can retain brief moments of consciousness after being severed.

    It seemed that Oddities were no different.

    After a brief moment, the Oddities¡¯s head plummeted back down like an inflexible rubber ball, landing smack in the middle of the football field.

    Only then did it occur to me¡ªWhat if the head cracked on impact? I focused my gaze, relieved to see that it was still intact.

    Truly, a head strengthened by physical enhancements was just as durable as a real football.

    "Is¡­ is it over just like that?" Zhu Shi asked, dumbfounded.

    "It seems so," I replied.

    "No, listen," she said, still processing what had happened.

    "Setting someone on fire with just a glance was already over the top, but now¡­ making someone explode with a glance?" She seemed at a loss for words and finally settled into an exasperated expression.

    "You don¡¯t have¡­ even more outrageous skills than this, do you?"

    "I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s that outrageous¡­"

    In my opinion, this skill wasn¡¯t particularly complex on its own.

    And if we¡¯re talking about "overpowered abilities," Agent Kong¡¯s ability to banish opponents to the Shadow Realm when he couldn¡¯t win was arguably far more unreasonable.

    Don¡¯t let my easy victory against Agent Kong fool you.

    If I hadn¡¯t been able to teleport via flames, even with the highly-praised elementalization abilities Zhu Shi had talked up so much, I would have been defeated right there.

    After just a few encounters, I had come to understand a simple truth: in the world of supernatural, victory isn¡¯t determined by raw strength but by compatibility.

    One wrong step could lead to utter annihilation, and if someone discovered your weakness, defeat was almost inevitable.

    Patrol Lu had once wielded the power of a High-Ranking Wuchang, yet he had been captured, imprisoned, and studied because someone found a way to exploit his weaknesses.

    It was probably due to this same principle.

    However, if I said I wasn¡¯t happy with Zhu Shi¡¯s astonished reaction, I¡¯d be lying¡ªto her and to myself.

    This was the first time I had formally demonstrated my abilities in front of her, and naturally, I hoped to see an extraordinary reaction and gain her recognition.

    Come to think of it, could she have done this intentionally, knowing it would make me happy? Though, even if that were the case, I¡¯d still be thrilled.

    Back to the matter at hand¡ªthe fight wasn¡¯t over yet.

    As the saying goes, ¡°There¡¯s always someone stronger, and there¡¯s always something beyond your imagination.¡±

    If you become complacent because you believe you have an ¡°overpowered ability,¡± sooner or later, you¡¯ll find yourself countered by another overpowered ability.

    And now, it seemed I was witnessing exactly that.

    Just when I thought the enemy had been defeated, the severed head of the Oddities began to undergo an astonishing transformation.

    He came back to life.

    I¡¯m not even sure if ¡°resurrected¡± is the right word.

    It was as if several frames had been cut from a movie reel¡ªa perfectly intact version of him suddenly reappeared in place.

    There was no flash of light, no sound, and not even a traceable process.

    The scattered remains of his exploded body had vanished without a trace, as if he had never exploded at all.

    And I was certain¡ªthis wasn¡¯t a fluke.

    The Oddities had likely anticipated this outcome.

    After his resurrection, he hesitated for just a moment.

    It wasn¡¯t the confusion of someone brought back to life, but rather the puzzlement of someone analyzing how they had been attacked in the first place.

    His gaze snapped toward my location, and with an enraged roar, he charged at me.

    Despite having been blown to pieces moments ago, he showed no hesitation in charging forward once he identified his enemy.

    Clearly, he didn¡¯t fear injury or death.

    It was apparent that his ability wasn¡¯t a simple "healing factor so strong he couldn''t be killed."

    No, it was something far more elusive and incomprehensible¡ªa mystical immortality ability.

    I recalled the blessing power that Ma Zao once showed me.

    She had, right before my eyes, restored an empty bag of sweet soy milk back to its original full state.

    Could this Oddities possess an ability that could reverse time itself?

    Before the Oddities could cover much distance in his charge, he was intercepted.

    The moment he revived, Zhu Shi had already vanished from my side, moving with such incredible speed that she seemed like a superhuman warrior, too fast to track.

    A brilliant flash of sword light burst from the Oddities¡¯s rear flank, slicing cleanly through his neck.

    Blood erupted into the air as the severed head fell to the ground, and the devil-like body continued forward briefly under the momentum of its charge.

    But all of that was instantly undone.

    As if nothing had happened, the gushing blood, the falling head, and the stumbling body all disappeared.

    The Oddities regained his balance, and his head inexplicably reattached itself to his neck.

    Zhu Shi was right behind him, relentless in her pursuit.

    Meanwhile, the Oddities¡¯s hand morphed into a massive warhammer of shadow, and without even turning his head, he swung it viciously in Zhu Shi¡¯s direction.

 Ch 71: VS Oddities 3

    The enemy¡¯s sudden counterattack didn¡¯t throw Zhu Shi into disarray.

    On the contrary, it was as if she had foreseen it.

    With agile and lightning-fast movements, she ducked low to evade the shadow warhammer and spun her body around to unleash another slashing strike.

    The sweeping sword light formed an arc of silver, cleanly slicing the enemy in half at the waist.

    However, against this Oddities¡¯s inexplicable immortality, neither decapitation nor bisection was of any use.

    Even my initial attempt to detonate him from within had proven ineffective, let alone these straightforward lethal wounds.

    Perhaps it was precisely because of this immortality that the Oddities made no effort to dodge or block any attacks.

    Sure enough, the Oddities mysteriously regenerated once again.

    He didn¡¯t even glance at Zhu Shi, his focus locked entirely on charging toward me.

    His intentions were crystal clear¡ªeliminate the high-firepower threat that I posed, no matter the cost.

    But the real question remained: What was the nature of his resurrection? If he couldn¡¯t be killed, our only option might be to capture him alive.

    Would his immortality withstand his own self-destruct mechanism as a Oddities?

    I wanted to test the mechanics of his revival.

    Did his immortality have conditions or limitations? Could he only regenerate from fatal damage, or did it apply to lesser injuries as well?

    Raising my palm and aiming at the Oddities, I signaled that I was about to unleash an attack.

    The signal wasn¡¯t meant for the Oddities¡ªit was for Zhu Shi.

    Having never fought side-by-side before, we couldn¡¯t afford to skip such ¡°unnecessary gestures.¡±

    Seeing this, Zhu Shi immediately retreated.

    Without delay, my gaze locked onto the Oddities¡¯s legs.

    With a resounding explosion, his legs detonated into shards, sending him tumbling toward the ground.

    But before his body even collided with the earth, he regenerated again.

    That same seamless, frame-skipping recovery¡ªinstantaneous and without any observable process.

    Clearly, his resurrection wasn¡¯t limited to fatal damage alone.

    He swiftly resumed his charging posture, and this time, I no longer had the time to strike again.

    The Oddities¡¯s speed was blindingly fast, like a thunderbolt striking before one could react.

    Even with Zhu Shi¡¯s interference, I had only managed to launch one attack.

    And by the time I realized that my efforts were futile, the Oddities had already closed the distance¡ªand my vision suddenly rushed backward at an alarming speed.

    At first, I thought I had been knocked flying, but that wasn¡¯t the case.

    It felt like my throat had been ripped open by sharp claws, and then my head had been torn clean off.

    The process was so swift that there wasn¡¯t even time for pain to register.

    My headless body remained standing, blood gushing forth like a dark crimson fountain.

    ¡°Zhuang Cheng!¡± Zhu Shi¡¯s panicked, cracked voice rang out from the distance.

    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The Oddities let out a triumphant, maniacal laugh, raising my severed head high like a victorious general displaying his trophy.

    For the first time, he spoke:

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of overwhelming firepower if you can¡¯t even take a hit? Pathetic!¡±

    Hearing that, I let out a sigh of amusement and said:

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡±

    As the enemy had said, if it weren¡¯t for Zhu Shi¡¯s interference, I might not have had time to unleash even a single attack during his charge.

    The difference in speed between us was simply too vast.

    If this was the case for me, other fire ability users fighting him one-on-one would face the same fate.

    When the Oddities saw my severed head suddenly speak, a look of shock crossed his face.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Seizing the moment, I detonated my own head.

    My body was formed from flame mimicry, and naturally, my head was no exception.

    After the explosion, my vision plunged into darkness.

    However, through the scattered flames, I could still sense my surroundings.

    The Oddities¡¯s arm had been blown apart, and he let out an instinctive cry of shock.

    If I had wanted to, I could have obliterated him completely, but I needed to keep his head intact, so I had to limit the explosion''s range.

    The explosion lasted only an instant, bringing me little pain.

    Under my control, the scattered flames gathered like birds returning to their nests, reforming into my head atop my headless body.

    My vision was restored.

    The Oddities¡¯s arm regenerated as well.

    He stared at me in utter disbelief before¡ªunexpectedly¡ªturning around and running away.

    When confronted with an opponent who also possessed immortality, his first instinct wasn¡¯t to continue fighting but to flee.

    Was it because he thought fighting two enemies was disadvantageous? Or was he not entirely confident in his immortality? Either way, I couldn¡¯t let him escape so easily.

    At the same time, Zhu Shi appeared in his path and swung her sword from a distance.

    A brilliant arc of silver light, sharp as lightning, cleaved the Oddities in half once more.

    ¡°Zhuang Cheng! I¡¯ve figured out how his immortality works!¡± Zhu Shi called out to me while attacking.

    ¡°He only has a limited number of resurrections! We just need to keep killing him over and over!¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know the exact principle Zhu Shi was referring to, but the idea of exhausting his regeneration capacity made sense intuitively.

    Taking her advice to heart, I focused my gaze on the Oddities¡¯s torso and detonated it again.

    Before he could regenerate this time, I formed a fireball the size of a soccer ball in my palm and fired it toward his position.

    One fireball after another followed, raining down like artillery shells.

    Explosions erupted in quick succession, and the grass on the field churned and scattered like water rippling under heavy stones.

    The ground shook violently, and faint screams of terror could be heard from within the billowing dust and smoke.

    The chaotic dust cloud obscured my view, but my heat-based perception allowed me to track him clearly.

    I was also able to adjust the fireball strikes to ensure his head remained unharmed.

    The rest was just repetition.

    As Zhu Shi suggested, we just had to keep killing him until he could no longer regenerate.

    However, I couldn¡¯t help but remain curious about the true nature of his immortality.

    At the very least, it wasn¡¯t time reversal.

    Although his injuries completely healed, the residual heat from my flames still lingered on his body.

    If it had been time reversal, even the residual heat should have been reversed.

    As I pondered this, a cursed voice echoed from within the swirling dust and earth.

    "This is all your fault¡­" The Oddities''s voice rose to a frantic pitch, filled with madness.

    "You¡¯re coming with me!"

    For a moment, I thought he was going to use shadow powers to banish us into the shadow realm, just like Agent Kong had done in the past.

    I had been on guard against such a move from the start, always keeping an eye on the shadows'' behavior.

    Even if Zhu Shi didn¡¯t know how to deal with it, I was confident I could protect her.

    But the technique he used far exceeded my expectations.

    From within the swirling dust cloud, one of his shattered body fragments suddenly released a massive, expanding black fog.

    In an instant, the black mist surged past the dust cloud, engulfing me entirely.

    My vision was immediately plunged into darkness, and an overwhelming sense of dizziness and nausea surged through me.

    Was this poison gas? I held my breath at once.

    While toxins had no effect on me, if it was a supernatural poison, I couldn¡¯t take any chances.

    More importantly, I was far more concerned about Zhu Shi.

    Had she inhaled the black fog?

    But contrary to my expectations, the black mist faded away almost instantly after just a second, and the sensation of dizziness and nausea vanished just as quickly.

    What shocked me even more was that the entire scene around me had changed drastically.

    Moments ago, I had been standing on the sports field in the park, but now I was in a dim, gray, and decaying indoor corridor.

    It vaguely resembled a hallway inside an old office building, but there were no doors or windows on either side¡ªjust barren walls stretching into the distance.

    Not only had I been transported to this place, but Zhu Shi had been brought here as well.

    She was standing about twenty meters away, the exact same distance we had been apart before being transferred.

    She seemed a bit dizzy, holding her head for several seconds before finally looking up, spotting me, and running over quickly.

    I decided to ask her directly, "What¡¯s going on here?"

    "This place¡­ is a space outside of reality. We¡¯ve been trapped in an alternate dimension."

    She furrowed her brows, carefully observing our surroundings.

    "That black fog wasn¡¯t poison gas¡ªit was a force designed to transport us into this alternate space. I never expected him to have a trick like this¡­"

    "A space outside of reality?"

    I immediately tried to sense the flames I had left behind in the other location.

    Before long, I could feel the connection with my scattered flames.

    The "fireflies" I had dispersed throughout Xianshui City still existed, and the residual heat I had spread earlier during my barrage against the Oddities was still clearly perceptible.

    The image of the sports field in the real world surfaced in my consciousness.

    Of course, Zhu Shi and I were no longer there¡ªbut neither was the Oddities.

    Did he escape immediately after trapping us in this alternate dimension? No, that didn¡¯t make sense.

    I couldn¡¯t feel any residual heat from him in the real world.

    If anything, it felt like he was still here in this alternate space¡­ but the sensation was vague and distorted.

    I could confirm his presence, but not his exact location.

    It felt as though he was in every direction at once¡ªahead, behind, above, below.

    At that moment, an ear-piercing, monstrous laugh echoed from all directions.

    It was his voice.

    It didn¡¯t seem like he was physically here.

    Instead, it felt like he was speaking through some kind of broadcast system.

    Yet, looking around, it was clear that there were no speakers or devices in this place.

    "I¡¯ll give you some credit," he said smugly, his voice dripping with arrogance.

    "You actually managed to force me to use my final trump card."

    "Is this your power?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Dragging your enemies into a place like this?"

    "That''s right!" he replied confidently. "**This is my true ability. And once you''re trapped in here, there¡¯s no way out."

    At those words, Zhu Shi let out a scornful laugh.

    This wasn¡¯t the composed, reserved Zhu Shi I had grown familiar with.

    This was the aggressive, fearless Zhu Shi who emerged only when facing an enemy.

    She stood tall, sword in hand, fearlessly surveying her surroundings.

    The Oddities¡¯s voice turned cold. "What are you laughing at?"

    "You''re lying," Zhu Shi said sharply, her eyes gleaming with certainty.

    "Putting aside your so-called immortality, this phenomenon¡ªthis ability to drag us into an alternate dimension¡ªisn¡¯t your power at all."

 Ch 72: Breakthrough 1

    Zhu Shi''s tone was unwavering, as if she wasn¡¯t voicing a hypothesis but stating something she had witnessed firsthand.

    As a listener, I couldn¡¯t help but be swayed by her confidence, instinctively believing her.

    Even the enemy, now hidden somewhere unknown, seemed briefly stunned into silence.

    After a pause, the Oddities voice returned, calm and composed: "Then, according to you, what is my true ability?"

    "It''s ''Damage Transfer,''" Zhu Shi replied calmly.

    The Oddities said nothing.

    "Your true ability is the power to transfer the damage you receive to your shadow clones," Zhu Shi continued.

    "You must have set up many shadow clones in different locations. I can''t determine exactly how many, but there must be quite a few. Whenever you take damage, you can transfer it to one of your clones.

    "This is an ability that twists cause and effect, distorting reality. It doesn''t just activate when you choose¡ªit triggers passively even if you die, transferring the fact of your death to a clone, while you return to an unharmed state.

    "But this power has a glaring weakness: your clones are finite. As an ''immortality'' ability, it¡¯s actually quite mediocre. Even if you can repeatedly summon clones to take your damage, if you''re placed in an environment with continuous high damage¡ªlike being thrown into lava¡ªyour ''lives'' would deplete rapidly.

    "Moreover, if you''re restrained, you can''t escape through this ability. Once captured alive, the source of your power would leave you, and your self-destruct mechanism would activate. At that point, with your power already severed, you wouldn''t be able to revive again. Am I wrong?"

    It felt like she wasn''t speaking to the Oddities but rather explaining everything to me so I could better understand our enemy.

    After a brief silence, the Oddities asked, "¡­How did you know? If you had simply guessed correctly, I could understand. But how can you see so clearly without any clues? Is ''seeing through your opponent''s abilities'' your ability?"

    "I''ll leave that to your imagination," Zhu Shi replied indifferently.

    "Hmph¡­ No matter. You''re both going to die here anyway," the Oddities said with an air of unshakable confidence.

    "Since you can see through my ability, can you also see through the nature of this alternate space?"

    This time, it was Zhu Shi''s turn to fall silent.

    She slowly closed her eyes.

    "You''ll realize soon enough where you are. But to speed up your despair, I''ll tell you directly," the Oddities chuckled.

    "This place is a labyrinth¡ªan infinitely vast labyrinth."

    "Infinite?"

    I instinctively distrusted the idea of "infinite" being applied to anything in reality.

    At the same time, I released over a dozen "fireflies" and sent them speeding into the depths of the corridor to scout ahead.

    "Before your deaths, this space will never be undone; no matter how many centuries you wander here, you will never reach its boundary," the Oddities emphasized with two absolutes.

    "You two must both be Wuchang of Mount Luo, right? This barrier was specifically designed to deal with Wuchang like you. How does it feel to be hunted by your prey and trapped in its cage instead?

    "I will sit in the finest spectator seat and witness your final disgrace. You will die of thirst and hunger here, and your souls will become my nourishment."

    "¡ªThe finest spectator seat?" Zhu Shi finally opened her eyes.

    Once again, she revealed that piercing gaze, as though she could see through everything.

    Not only that, but the irises of her eyes had changed color.

    A cold, lake-blue radiance now shone in her eyes, exuding an aura of mystery.

    What kind of transformation is this? I was extremely curious, but it wasn¡¯t the right time to ask her in front of our enemy.

    "You''re not sitting there willingly. You can¡¯t leave either, can you?" she said slowly.

    "When this space was activated, you became one with it.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    "Furthermore, your claim that this space was specifically created to deal with Wuchang is also a lie. If it were truly your own ability, you would have used it from the beginning, instead of pulling it out as a last resort when you realized you couldn¡¯t escape.

    "This space was likely summoned using some kind of consumable artifact, and it wasn¡¯t originally intended for us¡­ That artifact might not even have belonged to you. Something that special isn¡¯t something a nobody like you could casually acquire. It was most likely given to you by someone else. Who was it?"

    As she spoke, it felt like her personality was shifting in an unsettling way.

    The "Demon Hunter Zhu Shi" I knew already had an aura of a cold, lone warrior, but now she felt like an emotionless, unfeeling soldier.

    "You really do talk a lot¡­" The Oddities seemed irritated by her aggressive demeanor.

    "It seems you do have some kind of insight ability¡­ but so what? The more you know, the deeper your despair will become.

    "You''re right. Until this space is undone, I can¡¯t leave either. But there¡¯s one key difference: as someone fused with this space, I don¡¯t need to eat or drink. You, on the other hand, can¡¯t say the same.

    "As the price for breaking my agreement with the Creator of Oddities, I¡¯ll take my time enjoying the sight of your descent into madness."

    "Who is the Creator of Oddities?" I asked.

    But the Oddities seemed to have decided not to answer anymore.

    His voice faded entirely from our surroundings.

    The Creator of Oddities¡­

    As the name suggested, it must refer to someone who "Creates Oddities."

    Could it be that these Oddities were all created by this so-called Creator of Oddities through some method?

    Was Agent Kong also a product of this?

    This was an incredibly important clue, something even Patrol Lu and Zhu Shi hadn¡¯t mentioned before.

    Clearly, the Oddities shouldn¡¯t have revealed this in front of us, which suggested that he truly believed we were doomed to die here.

    The cold, lake-blue glow in Zhu Shi''s eyes gradually faded, and her irises returned to their usual deep brown hue.

    "I''m sorry, Senior Brother Zhuang. I dragged you into this mission." Zhu Shi sighed softly, but her gaze quickly turned resolute.

    "But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely get you out of here."

    "You don¡¯t need to worry about me¡­"

    In truth, I could already escape this space using the flames I had left in the real world.

    Unfortunately, flame teleportation only works for me¡ªI can¡¯t bring Zhu Shi along.

    If I told her about this, she might start overthinking, so it¡¯s probably better to keep it to myself.

    However, in the worst-case scenario, she wouldn¡¯t end up dying of thirst or starvation like the Oddities claimed.

    I could leave flames here and use them to travel back and forth between this space and the real world, bringing food and water with me.

    The so-called deadlock described by the Oddities was fundamentally flawed from the start.

    Meanwhile, the "fireflies" I had sent out had roughly mapped the surrounding terrain.

    As the Oddities said, this place was indeed a labyrinth.

    Around every corner was yet another identical gray hallway, stretching endlessly with frequent branching paths.

    Whether it was truly infinitely large remained to be seen.

    Zhu Shi once again revealed her piercing, all-seeing gaze, carefully observing the space around us.

    Perhaps she really did have the ability to "see through" her opponents, and now she was using that ability on this space itself.

    However, she seemed to encounter difficulties almost immediately, her brows furrowing deeply in frustration.

    I decided not to remain idle.

    I conjured a fireball in my palm and aimed it forward.

    The fireball shot out at a speed far exceeding that of sound.

    I had given the fireball a command: "Follow one side of the wall as you move."

    I recalled seeing something online¡ªmost mazes, if you stick to one wall and follow it persistently, you¡¯ll eventually find an exit.

    While this place might not have an "exit" in the conventional sense, it was worth a try.

    At the same time, I directed flames to blast through the walls beside me, curious about what lay on the other side.

    The result wasn¡¯t particularly surprising¡ªthe other side of the wall was just another identical hallway.

    I then launched fireballs upward and downward, blasting through the ceiling and floor.

    I didn¡¯t even need to inspect the molten holes directly; the information returned through the fireballs told me that both above and below us were the same monotonous hallways.

    In fact, above the upper hallway and below the lower hallway were¡­ more hallways.

    It was as if this space extended infinitely in every possible direction.

    I could feel my heart gradually growing hot.

    Though it might not be the most appropriate thing to say given the situation, I couldn¡¯t suppress the excitement bubbling up within me¡ªthe thrill of exploring this unknown labyrinth.

    I¡¯ve always been fascinated by the concept of "spaces that don¡¯t belong to reality."

    Whether it was the underground basement in Room 15 or the shadow world Agent Kong once showed me, they all stirred an irresistible longing within me.

    And now, this labyrinth in the alternate dimension was provoking that same sense of challenge and adventure.

    Did that Oddities really claim this was a place with no escape and no boundaries?

    Well then, I won¡¯t resort to my "flame teleportation"¡ªthat ungentlemanly "cheat move"¡ªjust yet.

    Let¡¯s see if I can crack this "level" from the inside first!

    To be honest, if it weren¡¯t for the heavy weight of "Finding Ma Zao" pressing on my mind and the presence of a companion by my side, I would have approached this entire encounter with a challenger¡¯s mindset¡ªenjoying the battle with the Oddities, slowly unraveling the mystery behind his ability.

    Instead of earlier, when my mind was solely fixated on "take his head first, ask questions later," driven entirely by purpose.

    I focused on the fireball I had launched earlier, sensing its trajectory and surroundings.

    Based on tests I conducted long ago, a fireball I launch with full focus in my normal state can easily exceed Mach 4¡ªover 1,300 meters per second.

    As for how fast it¡¯s traveling now, I¡¯m not exactly sure, but it¡¯s definitely very fast.

    In just this short amount of time, the fireball must have traveled an immense distance, yet the surroundings remained unchanged¡ªendlessly repeating hallways.

    Could this place really be infinite?

    Come to think of it, judging from the way the Oddities spoke with Zhu Shi earlier, this space was originally supposed to have some kind of "purpose."

    Even if it wasn¡¯t meant to trap Mount Luo Wuchang, it might have been designed to trap someone else... In that case, isn¡¯t the "labyrinth" theme a bit odd?

    If this really were an infinitely large space, there would be no need for these winding maze-like corridors in the first place.

    An infinite space, by its very nature, would already be an inescapable labyrinth.

    I felt like I had just grasped the first thread of a clue¡ªa direction for Zhu Shi and me to break free from this space.

 Ch 73: Breakthrough 2

    If this space possesses a "purpose" or a "design philosophy," then the existence of this labyrinth must hold some significance.

    I am well aware that "purpose" and "design philosophy" are two different things.

    Just because a stone can be used to smash something doesn¡¯t mean it was designed for that purpose.

    Nature doesn¡¯t design stones.

    However, nature also doesn¡¯t create hallways.

    Hallways are clearly a product of deliberate design.

    Of course, in supernatural phenomena, the appearance of artificially designed structures doesn¡¯t necessarily mean there was an actual designer.

    Precisely because the supernatural defies logic, it¡¯s possible for something like a "naturally occurring artificial structure" to exist without explanation.

    This is also why detective stories tend to forbid supernatural elements¡ªonce they¡¯re introduced, anything becomes possible.

    For now, I can only propose this as a direction of thought: since this space contains hallways, has a purpose, and possesses consumable tools capable of pulling in external humans (at least according to Zhu Shi¡¯s deduction), then the existence of a designer behind all this wouldn¡¯t be surprising.

    Whether that designer is the "Creator of Oddities" mentioned by the Oddities is an entirely different question.

    Assuming this labyrinth-style hallway does have some kind of meaning, how can we uncover it?

    The answer is simple: by destroying it.

    Many things, while they exist, make their purpose difficult to perceive; only when they are gone do people realize their irreplaceable significance.

    Now, I will destroy this hallway in front of me.

    I raised my right hand once more, condensing a fireball in my palm.

    At first, it was only the size of a soccer ball, but it quickly expanded into a massive sphere over five meters in diameter.

    Clearly, such an enormous object couldn¡¯t possibly fit within the confines of this hallway.

    The ceiling and floor began to melt under the searing heat, exposing the layers above and below.

    Satisfied with its size, I aimed the fireball at the nearby wall.

    The five-meter-wide fireball shot forward at high speed.

    To prevent the shockwave from harming Zhu Shi, I initially launched the fireball at the speed of a car.

    However, as it traveled farther away, its velocity rapidly increased, effortlessly breaking the sound barrier.

    Zhu Shi was visibly startled by the commotion I caused.

    She glanced at me, then at the massive fireball disappearing into the distance, and spoke in a comforting voice, as if she thought I had been driven to recklessness by our predicament.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, Senior Zhuang. Although spatial anomalies aren¡¯t my specialty, I¡¯ve started to notice something. I promise I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡±

    I was about to tell her not to worry about me, but her next words caught my attention.

    Curious, I asked, ¡°What did you notice?¡±

    "This alternate space may not belong to reality, but it¡¯s very close to the real world," she said with absolute certainty.

    "In other words, if we can destroy it, we¡¯ll automatically return to reality."

    "Do you have a way to destroy the space itself?"

    "As long as we can find a weak point¡­"

    As she spoke, she focused her attention on the air in front of her, seemingly concentrating on observing the space itself.

    Occasionally, she raised her sharp sword, as if measuring where to make her strike.

    Could she be hiding some kind of Void-Shattering Slash skill?

    I couldn¡¯t quite tell what she was planning, so I decided to focus my attention on sensing the massive fireball I had launched earlier.

    And the moment I focused, I immediately noticed something unusual.

    I realized that when the Oddities boasted earlier about how no one could escape this labyrinth even after walking for centuries, and that this space was infinitely vast, he might not have been exaggerating.

    Through the tunnel carved out by the massive fireball''s rampage, I could see hundreds of meters into the distance, and the details in that distant scenery became noticeably vague.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Normally, such distant visual details would be impossible for me to make out with the naked eye.

    However, I was perceiving this through my fireball¡¯s special sensory link.

    Just like how my tiny "fireflies" could allow me to eavesdrop on someone¡¯s phone calls from afar, this enormous fireball acted as an external eye, giving me a sensory range far beyond my normal capabilities.

    I noticed that everything around the massive fireball appeared normal, but the further into the distance I looked, the more the "resolution" of the scene dropped, and eventually, the scenery simply disappeared altogether.

    What I perceived reminded me of open-world single-player computer games.

    To save on processing power, those games reduce the graphical quality of distant scenery or simply stop rendering it altogether.

    For example, when a character is indoors, the outdoor scenery might not load fully, or only partially.

    This alternate dimension isn¡¯t a virtual world, of course, but it seems to follow a similar principle.

    As we move forward, the hallways behind us in the far distance disappear, while the hallways ahead are generated anew.

    The total amount of "hallway space" remains constant, and we are always situated at the center of this labyrinth.

    If we walk obediently through the maze, we will never reach its end.

    This is a form of "infinity."

    Setting aside the Oddities who seems to be fused with this labyrinth space, there should currently be about twenty "centers" within this maze.

    Two of them are me and Zhu Shi, while the rest are the massive fireball, the wall-hugging fireball, and the dozen or so "fireflies" I released at the beginning.

    Why are these flames also considered "centers"?

    Is it because I can sense the surroundings through them, or because they are an extension of my spirit?

    These questions aren¡¯t important right now.

    What matters is that the method to crack this space has become clear.

    If there¡¯s a need to "conserve processing power," it means there¡¯s an upper limit to that processing power.

    No wonder this "infinite" space is filled with so many twisting hallways.

    If someone could see far enough into the distance, the illusion would immediately fall apart.

    The labyrinth exists to conceal this flaw.

    If I create an overwhelming number of "centers" and have them spread in all directions, the "processing power" of this space will eventually reach its breaking point¡ªor at least, that¡¯s my hypothesis.

    The results will depend on whether this theory holds true in practice.

    If this were earlier, I might have worried about whether breaking this space would cause some catastrophic failure.

    But since Zhu Shi said that destroying this space would automatically return us to reality, I¡¯ll trust her judgment.

    A fireball once again gathered in my palm.

    "I have a way."

    As I said those words, Zhu Shi also shifted her gaze away from the air in front of her and spoke the exact same sentence.

    She quickly realized what was happening and exclaimed in shock, "Huh? Wait, isn¡¯t this supposed to be my big moment to shine?!"

    Too late. I was already in motion.

    I was itching to put my hypothesis to the test.

    Without another word, I slapped the fireball onto my chest, igniting my entire body and entering my Flame Elemental Form.

    This transformation was essential to simultaneously control a vast number of "fireflies."

    At the same time, the massive fireball in the distance, over five meters in diameter, shattered into thousands of "fireflies," which, under my command, began speeding in all directions.

    A mere dozen or so "centers" were far from enough to push the labyrinth to its operational limit.

    But what happens when there are thousands? Tens of thousands?

    Each "firefly" became a "center" in this maze, endlessly generating corridors wherever they spread.

    As they scattered, the ground beneath us began to tremble violently, and the scene before my eyes started to blur and distort rapidly.

    "What have you done?!" The Oddities''s voice echoed again, this time filled with raw panic.

    "The maze... the maze is collapsing! Impossible... Unless the ''conditions'' specified by the Maze Maker are met, this labyrinth shouldn''t be able to be broken!"

    "Specified conditions?" So this maze space had some sort of "clear condition" or "mission objective" we were supposed to fulfill in order to leave?

    If this Oddities was the "game master," then it was clear he never intended for us to solve the puzzle in the first place.

    In that case, breaking the rules and solving it with an "unorthodox method" was perfectly justified.

    The tremors grew more intense, shaking the ground so violently it became nearly impossible to stand.

    Cracks began spreading through the corridors in every direction, and sections of the labyrinth shattered into fragments.

    Finally, the corridors themselves completely disintegrated.

    Almost simultaneously, my vision plunged into darkness.

    But the darkness lasted only a second¡ªjust like when we first entered the maze space¡ªbefore everything returned to normal.

    I found myself standing on a football field.

    In front of me was the grassland, now riddled with countless craters from my earlier fireball attacks.

    And there, standing dumbfounded and disoriented, was the Oddities with the goat-like devil''s head.

    I had successfully dismantled the maze space from within.

    A profound sense of achievement and relief welled up inside me, filling every corner of my being.

    The Oddities''s gaze fell upon me.

    His expression instantly changed, and without hesitation, he turned and bolted.

    As he ran, he manipulated the surrounding shadows, attempting to wrap himself in them.

    Clearly, he planned to escape into the shadow world and relocate himself somewhere else.

    But with me here, escape was simply not an option.

    I glanced at the shadows he was trying to control, and with a single focused look, I set them ablaze.

    I still don¡¯t fully understand how shadows can be destroyed by intense heat, but under the searing flames, they burned away like paper, reduced to drifting ashes.

    Then, I raised my right hand. I was still in my Flame Elemental Form, and in this state, my body could change shape at will.

    In other words, I could freely manipulate the length and size of my limbs.

    In an instant, my right arm stretched nearly twenty meters, and my hand expanded to an enormous size, snatching up the fleeing Oddities like a panicked rat.

    Flames erupted from my palm, instantly vaporizing everything below his head.

    The Oddities head tumbled from the fiery grip and hit the ground.

    But in mere moments, it regenerated, returning to its unscathed form.

    He let out a shrill, panicked scream and scrambled to flee again, heedless of direction.

    At that moment, a figure emerged from the darkness¡ªa silhouette clad in a straw raincoat and wide-brimmed bamboo hat, gripping a gleaming sword in hand.

    Two eyes, glowing with a piercing, icy blue light, slowly opened in the shadows.

    The Oddities barely registered the figure before instinctively shrieking, "Who are you?!"

    "Mount Luo Wuchang¡ªZhu Shi."

    Zhu Shi spoke calmly, her voice steady as she stepped forward and swung her sword.

    Four streaks of sword light flashed almost simultaneously, severing the Oddities four limbs.

    His body collapsed to the ground in a pathetic heap.

    "It¡¯s useless! I have countless clones elsewhere! This kind of wound means nothing to¡ª" the Oddities screamed in a deranged frenzy.

    But his voice abruptly cut off, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.

    Unlike every previous time, his body did not regenerate.

 Ch 74: The Enemy Shadow Surfaces 1

    "No... No recovery!?" The Oddities screamed in disbelief.

    "Why wasn''t the damage transferred? This is impossible!"

    Zhu Shi swung her sword through the empty air, flicking off the blood on the blade.

    She glanced at the Oddities lying on the ground and said mercilessly, "Zhuang Cheng, cauterize his wounds."

    At her words, I looked at the Oddities, and flames suddenly erupted from the stumps of his limbs.

    The wounds were scorched black, and blood no longer gushed out.

    He let out a miserable scream but hadn''t given up on survival yet.

    He was still trying to manipulate the surrounding shadows.

    However, just as those shadows began to surge, I destroyed them with fire, rendering them useless.

    It seemed he could no longer trap us in the labyrinth space again.

    Most likely, as Zhu Shi had speculated, he had relied on some kind of consumable item to perform his earlier feats.

    Now, he was truly defeated.

    But how did Zhu Shi prevent him from recovering his body? I had tried repeatedly before but failed every time.

    It didn¡¯t seem like the Oddities "life count" had been completely exhausted, either.

    I wondered if Zhu Shi would be willing to tell me the answer if I asked her privately later.

    The cold, piercing blue light in Zhu Shi''s eyes faded back to normal, and her indifferent expression also disappeared.

    I deactivated my fire-element form, walked over to her, and said, "Sorry, I stole your moment to shine just now."

    "I was just casually saying that¡ªI wasn¡¯t really blaming you," she replied.

    But then she quietly added, "Although... I really did want to show off in front of you just this once..."

    "Didn''t you already do great just now?" I said, looking at the pitiful figure of the Oddities on the ground.

    Zhu Shi also gazed at the wretched enemy on the floor, but she didn¡¯t show any pride or sense of accomplishment.

    Instead, she sighed deeply, her expression complicated.

    "You''re the one who¡¯s been murdering local elites for the past two months, aren''t you? We have some questions for you," she said.

    However, the Oddities paid no attention to her.

    He only muttered frantically, "Impossible, impossible... Why... Why didn''t it recover? Why was the labyrinth destroyed..."

    "Oh, you''re talking about the method to destroy the labyrinth? Actually, it''s quite simple. I¡ª" I started to explain but was immediately met with a sharp glare from beside me.

    Zhu Shi deliberately snapped at me, "Senior Brother Zhuang, can you not explain your techniques to the enemy?"

    Why did she have to call me Senior Brother Zhuang at a time like this...

    I swallowed my explanation.

    It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t understand the consequences of explaining my tactics¡ª

    I was fully aware and still chose to do it.

    But even if I said that, she wouldn¡¯t accept it.

    Since she was so firm about this, I¡¯d better hold back next time.

    After all, I¡¯d already done things like this before, fulfilling some items on my bucket list.

    Making a small concession to a friend over such trivial matters wasn¡¯t a big deal.

    Zhu Shi sighed again, as if exhausted.

    "So, what should we do with him next? Capturing him alive doesn¡¯t seem feasible, right?" I asked.

    Before she could answer, a somewhat familiar voice suddenly called out from a distance: "Since he hasn¡¯t self-destructed yet, let¡¯s interrogate him while we can."

    Zhu Shi and I turned toward the voice simultaneously.

    A young man wearing a mix of modern and traditional deep-blue clothing was walking toward us from the far end of the field.

    "Patrol Lu, why are you here?" Zhu Shi asked in surprise.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    When I had entered my fire-elemental form earlier, I hadn¡¯t sensed Patrol Lu''s presence.

    He must have arrived after I returned to my normal state.

    "There were intense and frequent mana fluctuations coming from here, but then they suddenly vanished. Of course, I had to come and check it out," Patrol Lu replied with a smile before his expression turned serious as he looked at the Oddities on the ground.

    "Is this him?"

    Zhu Shi nodded.

    "Yes, but he doesn¡¯t seem willing to answer our questions honestly. Do you have a way to make him talk?"

    "Leave it to me. This is my job now," Patrol Lu said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a black ring, slipping it onto the middle finger of his right hand.

    As he approached, I got a clear look at the ring.

    It was a black ring seemingly woven from iron wire, with faint traces of dried blood on its surface.

    Once he wore it, his right hand turned translucent and ghostly, almost like a phantom''s hand.

    The Oddities was still struggling, but Patrol Lu stepped in front of him, crouched down, and thrust his spectral right hand directly into the man''s chest.

    Despite being blown apart by my attacks and having his limbs severed by Zhu Shi, the Oddities body was undoubtedly incredibly tough.

    Yet in front of Patrol Lu''s hand, his body seemed as defenseless as tofu.

    Wait, no¡ªthat wasn¡¯t right.

    Upon closer inspection, his body hadn¡¯t been physically pierced.

    Patrol Lu''s hand had phased straight through his chest, as if using some kind of intangibility technique.

    From the position of his hand, it seemed like he was clutching the man''s heart.

    The Oddities froze instantly, like a cat being grabbed by the scruff of its neck.

    "I¡¯m holding his heart now," Lu Youxun said calmly.

    "From here on, he won¡¯t be able to lie to us, nor can he remain silent."

    Was this the power of that ring? What a terrifying artifact.

    While I was still marveling at it, Zhu Shi¡ªunfazed¡ªbegan her questioning: "Were you the one who attacked my brother... who attacked Zhu Chang''an?"

    The Oddities eyes darted around wildly, as if searching for a way to escape, but his mouth moved against his will: "Who is Zhu Chang''an?"

    "It wasn¡¯t you?" Zhu Shi was stunned.

    I pulled out my phone, brought up a photo of Chang''an, and held it in front of the man. "Do you recognize this person?"

    The Oddities mouth twitched as if he was fighting against some invisible force, but eventually, he answered: "I don¡¯t know him..."

    Zhu Shi and I exchanged a glance.

    The one who attacked Chang''an was undoubtedly the Oddities¡ªor at least, so we had assumed.

    But now, the man before us didn¡¯t recognize Chang''an¡¯s name or face.

    In other words, there were indeed more strange individuals lurking in this city.

    Patrol Lu reached into his pocket with his free left hand and pulled out a photograph.

    I caught a glimpse of it¡ªit was a close-up portrait of Ma Zao.

    I had seen this same photo before when Agent Kong first came to visit.

    He held the photo in front of the Oddities and asked, "Do you recognize this girl?"

    This was a question I was also desperate to know the answer to.

    However, under Zhu Shi''s and Patrol Lu''s watchful gazes, I couldn¡¯t allow myself to appear overly eager or concerned.

    Fortunately, Patrol Lu had asked on my behalf.

    But if the Oddities did have any information, it would inevitably be heard by Patrol Lu as well¡ªthere was no way around that.

    When the Oddities saw the photograph, his eyes widened in shock. "It¡¯s her!"

    "You¡¯ve seen her?" I asked immediately.

    "Last night, I was hunting for prey in the New District when she suddenly appeared from the shadows and attacked me¡­" the Oddities said, his mouth moving against his will.

    "Any damage I inflicted on her would heal almost instantly, but for some reason, the damage she dealt to me couldn¡¯t recover on the spot."

    "And in front of her, I couldn¡¯t even enter the shadow world for some reason. All I could do was keep running¡­ I don¡¯t know how long I ran before I finally managed to escape¡­"

    He really had encountered Ma Zao!

    And Ma Zao actually attacked him¡ªwhy?

    Did Ma Zao see these strange individuals as a sign of the apocalypse? Did she attack him because she was trying to gather evidence about the impending catastrophe?

    From what the Oddities said, Ma Zao seemed to have some sort of healing ability and could even prevent her enemies from using their powers.

    But if she could heal, why didn¡¯t she heal herself when she was with me? Was her ability limited to visible injuries, or was she so severely wounded back then that even her healing powers couldn¡¯t activate until recently?

    I immediately asked where in the New District he had encountered Ma Zao.

    The Oddities answered honestly.

    But I also caught another detail. "She can use spatial teleportation powers. Are you sure you managed to escape her?"

    "Spatial teleportation?" The Oddities looked confused.

    "No, she never used spatial teleportation in front of me¡­"

    "She was able to injure you and even forced you to flee in panic. It seems that this lost-soul girl possesses at least a high-level combat ability," Patrol Lu said thoughtfully.

    "But are you absolutely certain you escaped? It¡¯s extremely difficult to shake off someone with spatial teleportation powers through normal movement alone. Moreover, it seems like she deliberately avoided showing her teleportation abilities in front of you¡­ Are you sure she didn¡¯t follow you?"

    Tail-trailing was the method I had initially planned to use on this Oddities.

    I had never considered the possibility that Ma Zao might have done the same.

    But it was entirely plausible.

    If I could think of tailing the Oddities to lure out Ma Zao, then Ma Zao could have also thought of tailing the Oddities to investigate clues related to the impending apocalypse.

    In other words, Ma Zao might be nearby right now?

    I scanned my surroundings but saw no signs of anyone else.

    Earlier, when I had entered my elemental state, I hadn¡¯t sensed anyone either.

    Even so, I couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that Ma Zao was monitoring us from a greater distance.

    It wasn¡¯t just me¡ªPatrol Lu and Zhu Shi also seemed to be subtly observing the area.

    At that moment, the Oddities suddenly moved.

    Perhaps driven by an overwhelming desire to survive, his observational abilities had been pushed to their limits.

    He must have realized that this moment was his last chance.

    He let out an ear-piercing roar, drawing our attention to him.

    Almost simultaneously, the shadows at our feet thickened and spread rapidly, turning the ground beneath us into something that felt soft and swamp-like.

    He was trying to drag us into the shadow world.

    However, even now, I hadn¡¯t let my guard down against such a trick.

    His final gambit was destined to fail.

    Even Patrol Lu didn¡¯t look surprised.

    Instead, he quickly withdrew his phantom-like hand from the Oddities chest, as if preparing to do something.

    But the fastest among us was Zhu Shi.

    With an expressionless face, she swung her sword downward like a bolt of lightning, stabbing it into the ground.

    The shadows recoiled as if their weak spot had been struck, retreating rapidly in reverse, returning to their ordinary, inert state.

    Seeing this, the Oddities face finally showed true despair.

    His grotesque and powerful body began to rapidly shrink and transform, turning into the appearance of an ordinary human.

    Yet, in sharp contrast to this human-like form, his entire body began to swell grotesquely, the skin bulging and distorting in a horrifying manner, as if he was about to explode from within.

    He was going to self-destruct!

 Ch 75: The Enemy Shadow Surfaces 2

    The Oddities had originally been a three-meter-tall goat-headed demon-like monster.

    Even after having all four of his limbs severed and lying wretchedly on the ground, his enormous body still exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.

    Confronting him felt like standing in front of a heavily loaded semi-truck, creating the illusion that his colossal form could crush us at any moment.

    When he transformed back into an ordinary human, that oppressive feeling shifted from something tangible to something abstract and distant.

    It didn¡¯t disappear¡ªit simply receded, like an invisible hand unloading every piece of cargo from the truck, dismantling it into scattered parts, and carrying most of those parts away.

    All that remained was a bewildered driver clutching a burning fuel tank.

    We couldn¡¯t even remove the fuel tank for him¡ªbecause he was the fuel tank himself.

    Among us, Zhu Shi was still the fastest.

    The moment the signs of his self-destruction appeared, a fan-like arc of silver sword light decisively sliced off his head.

    There was something peculiar about that strike.

    If that phantom-like hand had still been extracting something from his body, this slash might severed that hand entirely.

    Almost simultaneously, I couldn¡¯t quite tell if Zhu Shi had punched or kicked the Oddities, because she moved so fast that all I could catch was a faint afterimage colliding with his torso, sending him flying.

    In an instant, the headless body was launched like a baseball, soaring over twenty meters away before exploding mid-air in a thunderous blast.

    The head, still spinning as it fell, trembled slightly, as if it was about to explode as well.

    But Zhu Shi had already sheathed her sword and caught the falling head in a clasped motion with her palms.

    As she firmly clamped the head between her hands, the trembling stopped, as though her sheer strength had forcibly suppressed it.

    ¡°It seems the reports were accurate¡­¡±

    Patrol Lu observed the series of events and spoke calmly, as though everything made perfect sense.

    ¡°The self-destruction of these creatures isn¡¯t because they¡¯re pre-programmed to explode. It¡¯s because when the source of their power departs, the remaining energy inside their bodies goes berserk and detonates uncontrollably.¡±

    Seeing that Patrol Lu didn¡¯t offer any comment on Zhu Shi¡¯s incredible reflexes, I decided to step in:

    ¡°Zhu Shi, your movements were unbelievably fast!¡±

    ¡°Really? Hehe¡­¡±

    Zhu Shi seemed genuinely flustered, smiling shyly.

    She was still holding the severed head in her hands.

    The sight was indescribably bizarre, but honestly, I liked it.

    A beautiful woman dressed in martial attire, clutching an enemy¡¯s severed head while flashing a shy smile¡ªthat kind of contradiction was exactly my type of aesthetic charm.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pity we didn¡¯t have time to ask more questions, and we still don¡¯t know what triggers a monster¡¯s self-destruction. Why didn¡¯t he self-destruct earlier when we were forcing answers out of him, but chose to self-destruct only after his resistance failed?¡±

    Patrol Lu looked pensive.

    His gaze shifted to the severed head in Zhu Shi¡¯s hands, his expression growing stranger as he asked,

    ¡°By the way, Zhu Shi, why did you keep his head? Didn¡¯t I tell you before you set out that no matter how intact the head you bring back, I can¡¯t extract any useful information from it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true.¡±

    Zhu Shi shoved the head into Patrol Lu¡¯s arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sealed the remaining power within the head, so it won¡¯t explode for the time being. Take a look.¡±

    Though puzzled, Patrol Lu followed Zhu Shi¡¯s instruction and lowered his head to examine it.

    Who knows what angle or insight he gleaned from his brief observation, but after just two or three seconds, he froze, eyes wide with shock.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°The brain tissue¡¯s information hasn¡¯t been destroyed?¡±

    ¡°When his source of power began to leave his body, I severed the connection between him and it. This way, the source of power couldn¡¯t destroy the spiritual information within his body upon separation,¡±

    Zhu Shi explained calmly, as though she had just casually mentioned something trivial.

    Patrol Lu was visibly stunned.

    ¡°You¡­ can actually do that? None of the other Wuchang who¡¯ve fought Oddities have ever managed such a feat.¡±

    I was just as surprised.

    Severing the connection between a being and its source of power?

    It sounded like something out of a fantasy tale about sword immortals¡ªnot just cutting through tangible objects, but also invisible connections between entities.

    So Zhu Shi really possesses such an incredible ability?

    Her previous wide-eyed amazement at my flame abilities sometimes gave the illusion that she was ordinary.

    But clearly, she was anything but ordinary.

    ¡°Instead of focusing on me, you should pay attention to the head. Can you extract any information from it?¡± Zhu Shi urged.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m on it.¡±

    Patrol Lu, far from annoyed, actually seemed excited as he turned his full focus back to the severed head.

    ¡°The brain tissue is almost entirely undamaged, still remarkably fresh, and retains enough biological activity. Hmm¡­ It even seems like part of the spiritual essence was intercepted and preserved by your strike. Good, with this, I can do much more.¡±

    ¡°Do more?¡±

    I realized he wasn¡¯t just planning to extract information.

    ¡°Yes, something like this¡ª¡±

    He casually tossed the head forward and pointed at it with his right hand, his finger steady in the air.

    The head froze mid-air, as though locked in place by his finger.

    With his left hand, he rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a yellow talisman inscribed with vermilion ink, which he promptly slapped onto the head¡¯s forehead.

    He then stepped back two paces, traced a few arcane symbols in the air with his finger, and finally lowered his hand.

    The head began to tremble, its features twitching violently before its eyes slowly opened, staring at us in bewilderment.

    Witnessing this, Zhu Shi gave Patrol Lu a long, searching look.

    ¡°I¡­ I should be dead¡­¡± the head said, its voice dazed but quickly turning to delight.

    ¡°Wait¡­ I¡¯m not dead?!¡±

    Its gaze darted to us, shifting from fear to anger.

    ¡°What else do you want from me? Let me go!¡±

    Patrol Lu actually revived the severed head?

    After my initial shock, I thought for a moment before calmly speaking to it:

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the reality? You¡¯re already dead.¡±

    ¡°Dead? Impossible! I¡¯m clearly alive!¡±

    The head retorted loudly before freezing, realization dawning on it.

    ¡°Wait¡­ why can¡¯t I control shadows anymore? Did you seal my powers?!¡±

    Patrol Lu observed the head¡¯s reaction and sighed to himself, ¡°It seems my technique is still not refined enough¡­¡±

    ¡°What did you do to him?¡± I asked curiously.

    ¡°Well, here¡¯s the thing. When his head was severed, his consciousness died, but the brain tissue remained active, and fragments of his soul lingered. So I used his brain as a medium, combined with a necromantic spell, to temporarily awaken him,¡± Patrol Lu explained nonchalantly, as if he hadn¡¯t just said something absurd.

    ¡°But now it seems like there¡¯s some mental instability. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s due to the trauma of death or my imperfect spellwork, but he¡¯s clearly struggling to grasp reality.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ already counts as revival, doesn¡¯t it?¡± I said.

    ¡°Not exactly. He¡¯ll die again in a while,¡± Patrol Lu shook his head.

    ¡°So if you have questions, ask them quickly.¡±

    The questions I was most curious about had already been partially answered. As for further inquiries¡­

    ¡°How did you become a Oddities?¡±

    Zhu Shi asked the head, her tone sharp.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem like one of Xianshui City¡¯s freelance demon hunters, are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about that too,¡± Patrol Lu chimed in, his brows furrowed.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Patrol of Xianshui City. Every cultivator in this city, whether they belong to Mount Luo Sect or act independently, is known to me. But your face? Completely unfamiliar.¡±

    ¡°Cultivator?¡± I repeated the unfamiliar term.

    Zhu Shi shot Patrol Lu an annoyed glance.

    ¡°Oh, sorry, slip of the tongue. I meant demon hunter¡­¡±

    Patrol Lu corrected himself seamlessly, then continued interrogating the head.

    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you were once an ordinary person, weren¡¯t you? Where did you gain the power of a high-tier hunter?¡±

    The head seemed reluctant to answer at first, but under Patrol Lu¡¯s necromantic influence, it appeared incapable of resisting the questioning.

    Eventually, it spoke, just like before:

    ¡°It was the Creator of Oddities¡­ The Creator of Oddities turned me from an ordinary person into a Oddities.¡±

    ¡°Creator of Oddities¡­¡± Patrol Lu¡¯s brows knitted tightly together.

    I set aside my confusion about the term ¡®cultivator¡¯ and asked, ¡°You mentioned this ¡®Creator of Oddities¡¯ in the labyrinth dimension as well.

    How did they turn you into a Oddities?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact mechanics¡­ I only know they implanted something called a ¡®Seed of the Heart¡¯ into my body. After that, I gained the ability to transform into a Oddities¡± the head explained, as if compelled to share more details.

    ¡°The Seed of the Heart gave us power, but it also cursed us with an insatiable hunger for human souls. And once we die or fall into despair, the Seed leaves our body.¡±

    ¡°No wonder you didn¡¯t self-destruct when we first captured you. You were still fighting to survive¡­ But when your resistance failed, you gave up hope, and that triggered the self-destruction,¡± I realized aloud.

    Patrol Lu suddenly cut in, his voice sharp, ¡°What does the Creator of Oddities look like?¡±

    ¡°He¡­ wore a white suit,¡± the head said, its severed face twisting with effort as it tried to recall.

    ¡°He looked like a man in his forties, tall and thin. He might have undergone etiquette training¡ªsometimes he spoke with a pretentious air. As for his face¡­ I don¡¯t know. He wore a silver mask¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you say¡­ a silver mask?¡±

    Patrol Lu¡¯s expression suddenly contorted, his fists clenched so tightly that they creaked under the pressure.

    ¡°Lu Chan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhu Shi asked, clearly surprised.

    But Patrol Lu didn¡¯t respond.

    Instead, he pulled out a blank photograph from his pocket, strode forward, and grabbed the head firmly.

    ¡°Focus! Recall his appearance clearly!¡±

    The head¡¯s hollow eyes widened as if forced to obey, straining to recall the Creator of Oddities image.

    Patrol Lu stared intently at the blank photograph in his hand.

    Zhu Shi and I leaned in closer, watching as an image began to materialize on the once-empty surface.

    Gradually, a figure in a white suit, wearing a silver mask, emerged on the photo.

    The moment Patrol Lu saw the face, his eyes burned with fury.

    His knuckles turned white as he crumpled the photograph in his hand and let out a low, hate-filled growl:

    ¡°Humanitarian Division!¡±

 Ch 76: The Enemy Shadow Surfaces 3

    Patrol Lu had always been warm and friendly, speaking and acting with elegance, as if he was incapable of anger.

    So when Zhu Shi once told me about his tragic past of being captured, imprisoned, and experimented on by an underground organization, I found it hard to reconcile that story with the man in front of me.

    He seemed like someone who had lived a smooth and uneventful life, with a stable demeanor perfectly matching a stable existence.

    But at this very moment, he displayed unprecedented hatred and fury.

    His forehead veins bulged, his expression twisted and flushed red, his eyes bloodshot and filled with raw malice.

    It was as if he had transformed into a completely different person.

    If the man in the silver mask from the photograph were to appear before him now, I had no doubt Patrol Lu would pounce on him like a vengeful specter, tearing his flesh apart with his teeth in a frenzied rage.

    ¡°What is the Humanitarian Division?¡±

    I asked, though I had already begun to piece together a few connections in my mind.

    Zhu Shi glanced at Patrol Lu, who was still seething, as if unsure whether to explain in his presence.

    After a few deep breaths, Patrol Lu finally spoke, his voice trembling with restrained fury:

    ¡°It¡¯s a mysterious organization that operates outside the authority of Mount Luo Sect. They capture freelance demon hunters, even Mount Luo hunters, across the country, using any means necessary. Their goal is to analyze the power of demon hunters through scientific experimentation.

    ¡°Their ultimate aim is to create supernatural warriors who are completely obedient to human authorities, soldiers who follow the commands of mortal leaders without question.

    ¡°Mount Luo Sect is destined to become the ruling power of the secular world, yet they refuse to see this inevitable future. They¡¯re a group of madmen swimming against the current of history.¡±

    It seemed the Humanitarian Division was indeed the underground organization that had once captured and experimented on Patrol Lu.

    His words carried a strong ideological bias, so I chose to selectively process and digest the information before continuing, ¡°Is the Creator of Oddities part of the Humanitarian Division?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had dealings with the Silver Mask, this so-called Creator of Oddities, in the past. I¡¯d recognize him even if he were reduced to ashes,¡± Patrol Lu said through gritted teeth, his rage barely suppressed.

    ¡°It makes sense now¡ªthe creation of these Oddities, and the Seeds of the Heart used to turn ordinary people into them¡­ This reeks of the Humanitarian Division¡¯s handiwork.¡±

    So it seemed that Oddities were the creations of the Humanitarian Division.

    At the same time, these Oddities were likely connected to the Demon Beasts that emerged in the apocalypse.

    However, according to Ma Zao, Demon Beasts weren¡¯t the result of human experimentation but rather a consequence of a mysterious substance called ¡®Madness¡¯, which spread throughout the post-apocalyptic world and corrupted survivors.

    Could ¡®Madness¡¯ also be linked to the Humanitarian Division?

    The ability of ¡®Madness¡¯ to invade human bodies, erode their memories and sense of self, and ultimately transform them into Oddities felt eerily similar to a highly infectious virus.

    It reminded me of countless apocalyptic horror movies.

    In those films, terrifying viruses capable of transforming humans into zombies or other monstrous forms would suddenly sweep across the globe, ultimately bringing about the collapse of human civilization.

    Often, such viruses were tied to conspiracy theories, portrayed as the forbidden creations of secretive organizations, developed either as biological weapons or in pursuit of immortality research, only to spiral out of control.

    Following this train of thought, it wasn¡¯t hard to arrive at the chilling conclusion:

    The Humanitarian Division might very well be the direct cause of the apocalypse.

    But could things really be that simple?

    In Ma Zao''s description of the apocalypse, Madness seemed more like a supporting role.

    Rather than being the primary cause of humanity''s downfall, it felt more like one of the many horrors running rampant in the apocalyptic world.

    Just as many viewers of zombie apocalypse films believe that even if a zombie virus truly appeared, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to destroy human civilization, I also found it hard to believe that Madness alone could drive humanity to extinction.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Patrol Lu finally seemed to regain his calm and composure.

    His breathing steadied as he turned his gaze back to the severed head and asked, "Where is the Creator of Oddities?"

    The head, still shaken by Patrol Lu earlier outburst, obediently replied, "I don¡¯t know."

    "You must have used some single-use consumable item to drag us into the Labyrinth Space before," Zhu Shi interjected.

    "Was that item given to you by the Creator of Oddities?"

    "Yes."

    "Why did he give it to you? And don¡¯t tell me it was just for your self-defense."

    The head gave an unexpected answer: "It was to deal with someone named ''Kong Da''."

    "Agent Kong?" Zhu Shi exclaimed in shock.

    Patrol Lu pressed on, "Isn''t Kong Da, like you, also a Oddities transformed by the Creator of Oddities? Why would the Creator of Oddities instruct you to deal with him?"

    "Because Kong Da had recently reached the limit of his power, and the Creator of Oddities hoped he could break through to the next stage," the head explained.

    "For a Oddities to ascend to the next stage, they must sublimate their soul.

    "While such sublimation can be forcibly achieved by devouring large quantities of souls, the Creator of Oddities hoped Kong Da could sublimate through overcoming his inner demons. So, a week ago, he gave me a one-time key to the Labyrinth Space and instructed me to trap Kong Da inside it.

    "The clear condition set for the Labyrinth Space was to ''break through from the ''Existence'' Stage to the ''Formation'' Stage.'' I don¡¯t know what connection the Labyrinth Space has with Kong Da''s inner demons, but unless he could fulfill the condition, he would starve to death inside.

    "But unexpectedly, before I could find him, he disappeared. Since you know he was a Oddities, it must mean that you killed him, right?"

    "What is the Labyrinth Space?" Patrol Lu turned to us for clarification.

    Zhu Shi explained the concept to him.

    After listening, Patrol Lu fell silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "I see¡­ so in the end, I was unable to truly save him.

    Until the moment of his death, his mind remained trapped in that endless nightmare from twenty years ago¡­."

    I thought for a moment before turning back to the head and asking, "I don¡¯t quite understand¡ªaren¡¯t you Oddities also capable of summoning avatars from your shadows? If Kong Da could summon enough avatars inside the Labyrinth Space, wouldn¡¯t he be able to overcome the clearance condition by brute force and escape?"

    "The Labyrinth Space only recognizes individuals with consciousness and perception as its core focus. Although the avatars we summon possess a certain level of intelligence, they lack true consciousness, and we cannot share our senses with them," the head explained.

    "Kong Da was likely a rare exception. The Creator of Oddities told me that Kong Da''s ability is ''Avatar Creation.'' He can temporarily transfer his ''Seed of the Heart'' to another person, turning them into an Substitute under his complete control, and he can share his senses with them.

    "However, he can only control one Substitute at a time. To overload and collapse the Labyrinth Space, you''d need at least two thousand conscious entities dispersed inside. Oddities like us can summon, at most, ten avatars at once. I¡¯m considered a rare case, and even I can only summon a few dozen. Reaching the threshold of two thousand is simply unattainable for us.

    "There¡¯s another rather crude way to break the Labyrinth Space: by unleashing an overwhelming burst of firepower¡ªat least on the scale of the gas explosion near Xianshui University recently. This would temporarily tear open a rift in the space. But again, such raw force is far beyond the capabilities of Oddities like us¡­."

    So, the Labyrinth Space could, in theory, be brute-forced open.

    I took a moment to process this new information.

    "Agent Kong can temporarily transfer the source of his power?"

    Zhu Shi seemed to have an epiphany.

    "No wonder I could never tell he was a Oddities, even though he was often right in front of me."

    For some reason, Patrol Lu expression darkened.

    "You Oddities can summon avatars from your shadows¡­ now that you mention it, I do recall reading about this in some reports¡­"

    "There should be other Oddities in this city, right?" I asked the head.

    "Aside from you and the deceased Agent Kong, how many more are there?"

    "Only one."

    "What¡¯s their real identity? Where are they located?"

    "I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only been a Oddities for about ten days. While I¡¯ve had brief contact with the other Oddities, I don¡¯t know their true identity. I only knew Kong Da¡¯s identity because the Creator of Oddities told me. Before that, I¡¯d never even met Kong Da in person," the head admitted.

    "All I know is that the other Oddities seems to reside in the New City District. Beyond that, I¡¯m clueless."

    The one who attacked Chang''an was likely this other Oddities.

    And if I wanted to find Ma Zao, this would have to be my next direction.

    Patrol Lu¡¯s face changed slightly when he realized something.

    "So, the Oddities responsible for hunting down local elites over the past two months wasn¡¯t you, but rather this other Oddities?"

    "Yes." The head confirmed.

    "This is strange¡­ We were tracking the Oddities hunting local elites, and that led us directly to you," Patrol Lu mused, deep in thought.

    "I even used divination techniques, which should mean you''re intimately connected to these events by causality¡­"

    He pulled out photos from two recent murder scenes and showed them to the head:

    One scene depicted an elderly man killed outdoors, while the other showed a husband, wife, and child murdered together.

    The head''s gaze lingered on the second photo.

    After a brief silence, he said, "¡­The scene with the family of three¡ªthat was me. The other one wasn¡¯t."

    "Is that so¡­" Patrol Lu¡¯s expression remained contemplative, though he seemed to have further questions he chose not to voice aloud.

    Zhu Shi fixed her intense stare on the head and asked with a firm voice, "Did you become a Oddities willingly, or were you forced by the Creator of Oddities?"

    "Willingly."

    Zhu Shi pressed on, "Did he tell you beforehand that, after becoming a Oddities, you''d develop an insatiable hunger for devouring human souls?"

    "He did." The head spoke calmly.

    "He even warned me that if I didn¡¯t kill and devour souls regularly, I would lose control, go berserk, and turn into a mindless creature driven solely by hunger. And if I refused to become a Oddities, he said he¡¯d simply walk away."

    "And you just agreed?" Zhu Shi''s voice carried a tone of disbelief.

    "What else could I do? This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" The head''s voice grew passionate, almost ecstatic, as if reliving the moment.

    "To become something beyond human¡ªto become superhuman! How could I possibly pass up such an opportunity? There was no way I could!

    "Look at me now¡ªI am a being that stands above the common masses. If I were in ancient times, I could declare myself a god descended upon the mortal realm. And those ignorant mortals¡ªthey should all bow before me, worship me, and become my slaves!"

 Ch 77: The Oddities closed their eyes

    The words spoken by the severed head at this moment were practically the doctrine of the Mount Luo faction Patrol Lu belonged to.

    Zhu Shi glanced at Patrol Lu, who remained expressionless, as if the head¡¯s words had nothing to do with his faction.

    "If it weren¡¯t for hypocrites like you people from Mount Luo, I would kill whenever I wanted, violate whenever I pleased, living freely... if not for you!" The head continued to rant.

    Zhu Shi said with intense disgust, "You call yourself superior, yet you must devour the souls of countless mortals; otherwise, you¡¯ll eventually lose control and go mad. What kind of transcendent being are you? You¡¯re nothing more than a parasitic vampire leeching off humanity!"

    "It¡¯s just a matter of perspective. This is the food chain, a predatory relationship. If lions and tigers can¡¯t hunt prey, they¡¯ll starve to death. Yet, despite that, they remain prouder than their prey because they are higher on the food chain," the head sneered.

    "Besides, isn¡¯t this the nature of our world? It¡¯s not just animals preying on animals¡ªhumans prey on humans too. The only difference is the method, the ''civilized'' facade."

    "Comparing yourself to animals? At least you have the self-awareness of being a savage beast," Zhu Shi retorted sharply.

    "The civilization you scorn was built by countless ordinary people. The technology you enjoy in your daily life was developed by those same ordinary people."

    "In comparison, what have you¡ªsomeone who calls themselves ''superior''¡ªactually accomplished? Can you single-handedly build a civilization? Can you single-handedly develop technology? You¡¯re capable of nothing."

    "Those dressed in finery are not the ones who rear the silkworms. In the end, those who wield greater violence are always more noble. Do you not understand even this basic truth?" the head said coldly.

    "I used to be the one who was devoured, crushed underfoot, exploited like an animal. Now, I¡¯m stronger than them. I¡¯ll devour whoever I please."

    "Judging by your demonstrated strength and the documented descriptions of your kind, this isn¡¯t your first time killing, is it?" Zhu Shi asked icily.

    "How many people have you killed before this?"

    "Not many, less than ten. Those who oppressed me, those who lorded over me, those who saw me as nothing but an easy mark¡­ their souls have all become my nourishment," the head said with a cruel smile.

    "So many have died, yet there haven¡¯t been any reports¡­ did you dispose of all the bodies?" Zhu Shi asked.

    "That''s right. I sank all those corpses into the Shadow Realm," the head replied calmly.

    "As long as the bodies can''t be found, they can only be temporarily classified as missing persons."

    "You cowardly criminal who dares act but won¡¯t admit responsibility¡­" Zhu Shi seemed unable to find harsher words and turned to me instead.

    "Senior Brother Zhuang, say something!"

    Huh, me? You¡¯re asking me, an attempted imprisonment offender?

    I thought for a moment, then pulled out photos from the crime scene.

    "Then¡­ what about the family of three you killed not long ago? Did you have some kind of grudge against them too?"

    The photos showed a middle-aged man, his body completely torn apart in a brutal fashion, with the mother and child lying not far away, both killed instantly with a single strike.

    "I didn¡¯t know them before. They were just prey," the head said.

    "If they had no prior grudge with you, why did you kill them?" I asked.

    "I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t kill innocent people¡ªwords like that are pointless with someone like you. But from my observation, your strength doesn¡¯t seem to match up to Agent Kong¡¯s, meaning you haven¡¯t reached your limit yet. So why target such high-risk individuals¡ªlocal elites¡ªinstead of, say, some random homeless people on the street?"

    The head replied in a deep voice, "Because I needed to test myself."

    "Test yourself?" I repeated.

    "I¡¯m already beyond ordinary people, yet when I see police officers and officials, I still feel an instinctive sense of fear. I know exactly why¡ªit¡¯s the societal conditioning and so-called ''morality and law'' instilled in me since childhood, binding me like chains. How pathetic is that?" the head said coldly.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "I needed to kill at least one person with authority to prove that I have truly transcended societal constraints."

    "Well, it seems your test failed," I said.

    The head¡¯s expression darkened. "What did you say?"

    "You meticulously investigated that family beforehand. You waited patiently until the wife and child were supposed to leave home before acting. That was your plan, wasn¡¯t it? To avoid involving the mother and child," I said, recalling the previous case analysis.

    "But the mother and child didn¡¯t go on their planned trip, and when you arrived, you realized the entire family was home¡­"

    "No, at first, you must have thought only your target was home. If you had realized from the start that the entire family of three was present, you likely would have waited for the target to be alone before making your move¡ªjust like you did before.

    "After brutally killing your target, the sickly mother and child, who had been resting in another room, appeared before you. Only then did you realize something was wrong, and you immediately killed them¡­ I¡¯m not wrong, am I? Why did you change your mind at that moment? Was it because they saw your true face?"

    My deduction seemed to hit the mark, but this time, the head couldn¡¯t respond.

    Its mouth opened slightly, and a confused expression crossed its face. "I¡­ don¡¯t know."

    Hearing this unexpected answer, Patrol Lu raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    "Of course, it wasn¡¯t because they saw your true face¡ªbecause at that time, you were in your transformed state," I said as I studied the head carefully.

    "But¡­ you felt seen, didn¡¯t you?"

    "What does that mean?" Zhu Shi asked, puzzled.

    I had thought carefully from the perspective of this criminal.

    Suppose I were this Oddities: I intended to kill my target without involving their family, yet at the last moment, I changed my mind.

    Why would that happen?

    It wouldn¡¯t be out of fear of retaliation¡ªrevenge from the victims would mean nothing to someone like this.

    Nor would it be because they saw his true face¡ªafter all, his face and even his body had transformed beyond recognition.

    However, before any rational judgment like "there¡¯s no need to worry about being recognized" could surface, a more primal emotion must have struck first.

    He had just brutally murdered a husband, a father¡ªand at that moment, the man¡¯s wife and child unexpectedly appeared before him.

    In their eyes, filled with confusion, fear, and hatred, his blood-soaked, monstrous figure was reflected.

    In such a moment, what would he think? What would he do?

    Perhaps the truth isn¡¯t all that complicated.

    "You didn¡¯t have time to think about why you had to kill them. Your body moved on its own¡­ isn¡¯t that right?"

    "I¡­" The confusion on the head''s face deepened, gradually twisting into something that looked like pain.

    Unlike Zhu Shi, I didn¡¯t feel compelled to condemn him from the perspective of morality or law.

    I had little reverence for either myself.

    I¡¯ve always thought that people who proudly proclaim their disregard for morality and law tend to be a little rebelliously immature.

    True defiance doesn¡¯t need to be worn on one¡¯s sleeve.

    But even immaturity can be acceptable¡ªif a person fully understands the consequences of their actions and is willing to bear them without flinching, then whatever they choose to do is valid.

    Whether it¡¯s saving or killing, helping or violating, even recklessly diving into a pit from which there¡¯s no return¡ªif they can still laugh boldly in their final moments, there¡¯s a certain raw grandeur to that.

    But¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯s someone who can laugh in the end.

    He can¡¯t become a good person, nor can he fully become an irredeemable villain.

    Most likely, he¡¯s just an ordinary person¡ªone he himself despises.

    "Do you regret it?"

    I really wanted to know his answer.

    "..."

    The head shut its eyes tightly in pain, its expression trembling, but no answer came. Only silence.

    A moment later, the head dropped from the air and hit the ground with a dull thud.

    Patrol Lu bent down, picked it up, and examined it carefully.

    After a brief moment, he said, "Time¡¯s up. He¡¯s completely dead now."

    Hearing this, I felt a sudden wave of disinterest wash over me.

    "I¡¯m not entirely sure what you were talking about, but Zhuang Cheng, it seems like you managed to shut him down somehow?" Zhu Shi still looked puzzled but couldn¡¯t hide her satisfaction.

    "Whatever, seeing him suffer like that just now was pretty satisfying!"

    Patrol Lu also glanced at me with a sigh.

    "Your reasoning about his actions had a lot of assumptions, but in the end, you managed to touch on something that truly struck a nerve. Maybe that¡¯s a talent in itself. Who knows, you might have the potential to become a criminal¡ªuh, I mean, a detective."

    You definitely said criminal just now, didn¡¯t you?

    "Well then, I¡¯ll take this head back with me. He mentioned meeting another Oddities, and I want to see if I can divine the location where they met or predict where the other Oddities might act next." Patrol Lu continued, "However¡­ there might be some complications with that."

    "Is there some kind of problem?" Zhu Shi asked with concern.

    "We tracked this place using a series of past incidents involving local elites being targeted, and this Oddities only killed that family of three. The main culprit of those incidents is actually the other Oddities," Patrol Lu explained. "So from a cause-and-effect standpoint, the one we should have divined should have been the other Oddities. But that wasn¡¯t the case."

    "The other Oddities likely has some ability to interfere with divination. Even if I manage to track it, it¡¯ll probably take considerable time. It definitely won¡¯t be tonight."

    "Will it be possible tomorrow?" Zhu Shi asked.

    "I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I have results," Patrol Lu replied.

    "For now, let¡¯s all head home and rest."

    "Alright¡­ you two can go ahead," Zhu Shi said with a sigh.

    "I need to stay here and take care of some things."

    "What are you planning to do?" I asked curiously.

    "It¡¯s¡­ just some stuff, okay?" Zhu Shi tried to dodge the question but then seemed to realize something.

    "Wait, no! Lu Chan, you¡¯re staying here too. You can only leave after Zhuang Cheng is long gone."

    "And why is that?" Patrol Lu asked, just as puzzled.

    Zhu Shi raised her voice dramatically: "Obviously, to prevent the two of you from being alone together!"

 Ch 78: Being alone together in private

    Zhu Shi was clearly still wary of Patrol Lu possibly trying to recruit me.

    In reality, if Patrol Lu truly wanted to speak with me privately, there was no way Zhu Shi could stop him.

    This was more about her explicitly expressing her stance.

    Patrol Lu chuckled and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I understand. You¡¯ve done a great job this time, so I¡¯ll listen to you."

    "What about Zhuang Cheng''s contribution?" Zhu Shi pressed.

    "Of course, not only will I approve Zhuang Cheng¡¯s status as an External Wuchang, but Mount Luo will also provide him with ample compensation afterward," Patrol Lu promised while removing a ring from his right middle finger¡ªa piece seemingly woven from iron wires.

    Earlier, he had used this ring to phase his right hand, clutch the Oddities heart, and ensure it couldn¡¯t resist interrogation.

    If Mount Luo were to reward me later, I¡¯d honestly prefer receiving a supernatural artifact like that.

    Whether I¡¯d actually use it or not was irrelevant¡ªjust having something like it would make me happy for an entire day.

    After bidding farewell, I walked out of the field first.

    Patrol Lu kept his word and didn¡¯t follow.

    But as I walked, other thoughts surfaced in my mind.

    At the beginning, he mentioned that my involvement in this incident was also a test.

    While he might have gauged my power level when he attempted to transfer information into my consciousness earlier, I couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d stop there.

    Without joining us on the front lines, how else could he have evaluated my actual combat performance?

    Was he relying on the surveillance cameras?

    After picking up Ma Zao, I had become quite sensitive to monitoring equipment and had checked the field¡¯s surveillance system.

    Most people might not realize this, but surveillance cameras need regular cleaning; otherwise, their lenses become too dirty to function properly.

    This football field was barely maintained, and while I couldn¡¯t confirm whether the cameras were broken, they certainly weren¡¯t operating effectively.

    Perhaps Patrol Lu planned to use divination magic to read the memory of the land.

    He had used the same magic to obtain photos of Ma Zao.

    If he managed to glimpse my combat actions, my elemental transformation ability would undoubtedly be exposed.

    Although Zhu Shi had gone through a lot of trouble to keep my power a secret, I no longer cared if it was revealed.

    The reason I had hidden my abilities in the past was to avoid excessive scrutiny from Mount Luo, which might have put Ma Zao at risk.

    But now, I had no choice but to rely on Zhu Shi and Patrol Lu¡¯s strength to find Ma Zao.

    The primary reason for hiding my powers was long gone.

    So if Patrol Lu wanted to discover the truth, let him.

    I found a secluded corner where no passersby could see me, then activated Flame Teleportation.

    Out of some lingering hope, I had set up a Firefly Beacon at home, thinking that if Ma Zao ever returned secretly, I would know immediately.

    Now, it also conveniently allowed me to teleport home anytime I wanted.

    After returning home, I continued using my elemental form to control the ¡°Fireflies¡± scattered across Xianshui City, searching for any trace of Ma Zao.

    The Oddities had mentioned that Ma Zao had appeared in the New District, even providing a specific location¡ªa neglected vegetable market.

    That area was now the focus of my search.

    Unfortunately, Ma Zao had been there last night, and it was unlikely she had stayed in one place for long.

    As expected, despite searching for hours, I found nothing.

    But just knowing she had passed through this place, leaving traces of her presence, made me feel one step closer to her.

    Compared to the utterly directionless search of the past two days, this faint clue brought a certain sense of calm.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    After searching for hours, the clock had already passed midnight.

    I finally exited my elemental form, left home, and went for a walk outside the residential complex.

    Walking helped soften my rigid thoughts¡ªit was like a massage for the mind.

    This was a recent realization I¡¯d come to appreciate.

    I strolled along the grassy bank by the river.

    To my left, the water flowed gently, while to my right was a road lined with shops.

    Most of them were closed at this hour.

    Yet, a few stores remained open¡ªbarbecue stalls, for example.

    Surprisingly, they still had customers.

    With the indoor seating full, people gathered around plastic tables and chairs set up outside, chatting and enjoying their skewers.

    It was hard to say whether this street was lively or quiet, but it was undeniably an ordinary scene of everyday life.

    Strangely enough, after experiencing such a surreal and magical battle earlier, this mundane scene felt almost like a glimpse into an entirely different world.

    What exactly is an adventure beyond reality? I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on myself again.

    At that moment, someone approached from the opposite direction.

    He seemed to be strolling along the riverside, just like me.

    Initially, I thought he was just another passerby.

    But as he drew closer, I recognized him.

    He saw me too and greeted me with a smile, "Still not home yet, Zhuang Cheng?"

    "Patrol Lu? Weren¡¯t you investigating that head?" I asked.

    "I¡¯ve been at it for hours, but haven¡¯t made much progress. My brain¡¯s fried, so I decided to take a break," he replied. "What about you?"

    "Just clearing my head," I said.

    "Well, since fate brought us together, how about sharing some skewers?"

    He gestured towards one of the barbecue stalls across the street.

    I couldn¡¯t tell if this was truly fate or if he had deliberately sought me out.

    I had a feeling he was trying to convince me to join his faction.

    While I wasn¡¯t particularly interested in political maneuvering, I still needed his divination abilities to help locate Ma Zao.

    So, for now, I had no choice but to humor him.

    We ordered a few skewers and some drinks and took a seat at one of the plastic tables set up in a corner outside the stall.

    The skewers and drinks arrived one after another.

    "First of all, congratulations. You¡¯re no longer just an ordinary freelance demon hunter. You¡¯ve now been officially recognized by Mount Luo as an External Wuchang,¡± Patrol Lu said with a smile.

    "The official documents and credentials will arrive in a couple of days, and the specific rewards will also be finalized then. But for now, you can have this."

    He reached into his coat and pulled out the iron-wire-like ring I had been eyeing earlier, placing it on the table in front of me.

    At first, I was still thinking about how I wasn¡¯t particularly impressed by political gestures, but in this moment, I couldn¡¯t resist the charm of a gift.

    My gaze was immediately drawn to it, and I couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    "The Black Rope Heart-Locking Ring. Once worn on your finger, it allows your hand to phase through someone¡¯s body and grasp their heart," he explained the ring¡¯s function.

    "During that time, the person cannot lie or remain silent. If they try to resist and force themselves to lie or stay quiet, their heart will stop beating. Of course, the wearer can also crush the person¡¯s heart directly if they wish.

    "Additionally, if the target¡¯s magical power is too strong, the ring¡¯s effects will be nullified. Even if the target willingly cooperates, the ring will become unusable after being activated. You¡¯ll need to keep that in mind."

    "What I mean is¡­ why are you giving this to me?" I asked.

    "This is your personal item, right? Are you giving this to me as a reward on behalf of Mount Luo?"

    "This is my personal thank-you gift. I¡¯ve been investigating the Humanitarian Division for a long time. Part of the reason I got involved in the Oddities case was that I suspected there might be some connection between them and the Humanitarian Division," he said.

    "You¡¯ve had your eye on this ring for a while, haven¡¯t you? Since you like it, it¡¯s yours now."

    Hearing this, I didn¡¯t hold back.

    I immediately took the Black Rope Heart-Locking Ring and tucked it away.

    Then I asked, "You said you joined the investigation because of your pursuit of the Humanitarian Division. But earlier, you advised Zhu Shi and me not to capture the Oddities alive. If you hate the Humanitarian Division so much, shouldn¡¯t you have encouraged us to try every means possible to take a live prisoner?"

    He gave a self-deprecating smile and didn¡¯t answer my question directly.

    Instead, he said, "If I had known earlier that you were capable of something as extraordinary as elementalization, I certainly wouldn¡¯t have thought that Oddities could pose a threat to you two. Maybe I would¡¯ve told you to try capturing it alive, just like you said."

    "So you really did find out about my elemental form." I wasn¡¯t surprised by this revelation.

    "Did you use some kind of divination magic, like reading the memory of the land in that Soccer Field?"

    "Even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t. Do you know why Zhu Shi stayed behind in that place?" He chuckled.

    "She anticipated that I might attempt to use divination to read the land and uncover your secrets. So she stayed there and set up barriers specifically to obstruct any divination magic."

    "She¡¯s clearly doing something beneficial for you, but for no reason hides it from you. Maybe she feels a little guilty about taking credit, she really is a clumsy girl who doesn¡¯t understand how to navigate social situations."

    No wonder Zhu Shi stayed in the Soccer Field¡ªshe did it for me¡­

    Since childhood, aside from Chang''an, I rarely felt such heartfelt concern from others.

    For a moment, I didn¡¯t know how to express my emotions.

    But, if that¡¯s the case, how did Patrol Lu know about my elementalization?

    "By the way, about that head¡­" I suddenly remembered.

    "The Oddities must have seen my elemental form. Did you use the head to divine this information?"

    "Not exactly. Zhu Shi also infused some counter-divination magic into that head. Although it doesn¡¯t affect my ability to divine other things, it specifically obstructs me from divining the details of the battle between you and the Oddities." Lu Youxun shook his head.

    "When did she do that?" I asked in surprise.

    "She did it when sealing the residual power inside the head," he replied.

    "She¡¯s socially awkward, but when it comes to other matters, she¡¯s airtight. Aside from the mentioned aspects, she probably also took several precautions against my power. If I had tried to use my power to probe you, I would have definitely been thwarted."

    "I guess my previous attempt to temporarily resurrect the head exceeded her expectations, so she was watching me closely. I don¡¯t know if you noticed. If I had tried to inquire about the details of your battle, she would have certainly interfered. It¡¯s quite frightening."

    "Then what kind of strange spell did you use to bypass her tight defenses?" I asked.

    Patrol Lu glanced at me, then took something black out from behind him and placed it on the table.

    I looked at it with strong curiosity.

    It was an ordinary electronic telescope.

 Ch 79: Transcendentalists 1

    Looking at this black electronic telescope, I couldn''t help but be speechless.

    Earlier, I had heard about how much effort Zhu Shi had put in behind the scenes for me, only for Patrol Lu to bypass everything effortlessly.

    Honestly, I did have some complaints about Patrol Lu.

    Of course, I was fully aware that he was just fulfilling his duties and that there was nothing inherently wrong with him.

    This was purely my personal feelings at play.

    But now, seeing this object, those emotions were instantly dispelled, replaced instead by speechlessness towards both Patrol Lu and Zhu Shi.

    Patrol Lu, after all, was a demon hunter proficient in various divination and investigation spells, yet in the end, it was an electronic telescope that allowed him to uncover my secret.

    The irony was truly staggering, and Zhu Shi, after taking so many precautions¡ªpreventing the reading of land memories, warding against divination spells¡ªended up overlooking such a mundane object.

    I couldn¡¯t really blame them either because, honestly, I had never considered that something like a telescope would come into play here.

    ¡°So¡­ while we were fighting, you were watching us from afar with this thing?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. It was my duty. I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± Patrol Lu said with a faint, humorous smile.

    Then he added, ¡°And please don¡¯t blame Zhu Shi for being negligent. It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t understand modern technology; it¡¯s that she has a stereotypical view of Transcendentalists, believing that we despise modern technology. There are indeed many among us who do, but that¡¯s just their ignorance. It¡¯s not something you can generalize.¡±

    ¡°Transcendentalists?¡±

    ¡°Zhu Shi must have described the faction I belong to,¡± he said.

    ¡°Transcendentalism is a general term for our ideology. The group I belong to is also referred to as the Transcendentalist Faction.¡±

    ¡°You once referred to demon hunters as cultivators. Is that also part of Transcendentalist terminology?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Precisely.¡± He paused thoughtfully before continuing, ¡°Zhuang Cheng, when you first encountered demon hunters, did you ever wonder why Mount Luo referred to people with supernatural abilities collectively as Demon Hunters?¡±

    This was indeed a question I had pondered before.

    If it were simply about possessing special powers, the term supernatural ability user would be far more fitting.

    The term Demon Hunter carries an active implication.

    If someone¡¯s powers have nothing to do with combat, and they have neither the will nor the experience to fight supernatural entities, referring to them as a Demon Hunter would clearly be inaccurate.

    Mount Luo would even refer to those who use their abilities for malicious purposes as Fallen Demon Hunters, rather than using a term that more accurately reflects their actions.

    If I had awakened my powers at fourteen and immediately begun causing trouble, I would have also been labeled as a Fallen Demon Hunter¡ªeven though I had never been a Demon Hunter in the first place.

    I could only draw one conclusion from this.

    ¡°It¡¯s about defining identity, isn¡¯t it?¡± I said.

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Patrol Lu nodded in agreement.

    When children are young, some might give unpleasant nicknames to peers they dislike and rally others to use them.

    While this is undoubtedly childish behavior, in the adult world, "giving names" also carries considerable power.

    Naming something is, in essence, an act of authority and an act of defining identity.

    By giving a serious subject a comical name, its seriousness is diminished¡ªand vice versa.

    This phenomenon is quite common in real life.

    If someone with the power to hunt supernatural creatures is called a Demon Hunter, those around them will gradually come to believe that hunting supernatural creatures is a natural and unquestionable duty for this person.

    Even if the individual has neither the intention nor the experience to hunt supernatural creatures, society will assume that since they are called a Demon Hunter, they are inherently obligated to shoulder that responsibility.

    Even the individual themselves might unconsciously adopt this mindset, feeling guilty for not fulfilling this supposed duty or resigning themselves to the belief that they are simply selfish.

    In reality, whether someone has the power to fight and whether they should engage in combat are two entirely separate matters.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    There¡¯s no reason for such a person to feel ashamed or selfish¡ªit¡¯s an ideology imposed upon them after the fact.

    Even those whose abilities are inherently unsuitable for combat might still find themselves drawn into this defining narrative, under the assumption that they can at least play a supportive role from the rear lines.

    This phenomenon reminded me of the occult knowledge I¡¯ve encountered in the past.

    In the world of the occult, names have power.

    The correct name can even determine a person¡¯s fate.

    Even if we consider it solely from a psychological perspective, the term Demon Hunter undoubtedly exerts a force of fate on this group.

    But it¡¯s not in a mystical sense¡ªit¡¯s in an ideological sense.

    This isn¡¯t to say that the occult is using psychology to mystify itself.

    In ancient times, feng shui wasn¡¯t entirely mystical either; certain legitimate principles of architecture were classified under feng shui.

    Similarly, long ago, some ideological studies were also part of the domain of the occult.

    But given the existence of supernatural phenomena, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the act of naming actually did involve some so-called force of fate.

    ¡°Form is extremely important. Many self-proclaimed pragmatists look down on form, unaware of the profound power form has wielded throughout human history. Names establish trust, and trust upholds authority. Neither authority nor names can be casually entrusted to others.¡± Lu Youxun sighed before continuing, ¡°One of the goals of Transcendentalism is to change ¡®Demon Hunters¡¯ into ¡®Cultivators.¡¯ In the future, we will no longer be a group inherently obligated to deal with supernatural threats, but rather free and powerful individuals.¡±

    ¡°And what about dealing with supernatural threats?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll continue doing it,¡± he said.

    ¡°But this work will no longer be a matter of unquestioned obligation. Since ancient times, the state has viewed Mount Luo as an organization that must shoulder tremendous risks to handle supernatural anomalies. This mindset is distorted, and we must correct it.¡±

    Up to this point, I didn¡¯t find anything he said particularly objectionable.

    People often say, ¡®With great power comes great responsibility,¡¯ but in most cases, the ¡®power¡¯ in question refers to social power.

    An individual who gains power with the support of a collective has an obligation to safeguard that collective.

    However, when this principle is rigidly applied to Demon Hunters¡ªthese extraordinary individuals¡ªnumerous contradictions arise.

    The problem lies in what came next.

    ¡°So, in return for handling supernatural threats, Transcendentalists believe they should become this country¡¯s gods?¡± I asked.

    ¡°If we are to bear the responsibility, then shouldn¡¯t we also be granted the corresponding authority? Isn¡¯t that reasonable?¡± Patrol Lu countered.

    "I don''t know whether the responsibility of fighting supernatural threats is truly equivalent to the power to dominate ordinary people. I lack knowledge in that area. But if this idea is really so reasonable, then why didn¡¯t Mount Luo ever do it in history?" I deliberately said, "There must be some crucial reason behind it, right?"

    "There¡¯s no reason," he replied without hesitation.

    "The reason Mount Luo never chose to rule humanity in the past is simply because they ¡®never thought of it.¡¯ I¡¯m not saying they were foolish or mad, but rather that some external force prevented them from even considering such a possibility.

    "Perhaps it was a kind of collective hypnosis, or maybe it was some other inexplicable phenomenon. Whatever it was, that force was incredibly powerful. Even the Great Wuchang of past generations were influenced by it, to the extent that they defined us¡ªwhat should have been ¡®Cultivators¡¯¡ªas ¡®Demon Hunters¡¯.

    They forbade us from revealing our existence to the secular world and from stepping onto the grand stage of history.

    And strangely, none of us ever questioned these commands.

    This continued all the way to the present era.

    "But now, that force has dissipated. We should reclaim our rightful titles and return to our proper place."

    "If that¡¯s the case, then why haven¡¯t you acted yet?" I asked.

    "According to Zhu Shi, that force dissipated as early as three years ago, yet you still haven¡¯t exerted your influence on society. Why is that?"

    I had asked Zhu Shi a similar question before.

    She had blamed it on ¡®internal divisions within Mount Luo,¡¯ but I felt that explanation was insufficient.

    Besides, Zhu Shi didn¡¯t seem like someone particularly concerned with the political dynamics of Mount Luo.

    She was likely unaware of many details.

    Patrol Lu, on the other hand, was entirely different.

    He was clearly someone who cared deeply about ideology and factions.

    He stood on a completely different side from Zhu Shi, offering a different perspective and insights into matters she couldn¡¯t see.

    I wasn¡¯t particularly interested in ideology or factions, but mysteries¡ªthose intrigued me.

    Patrol Lu spoke in a low voice: "Because we are wary of the Divine Seal."

    Divine Seal?

    Hearing that name sent a shiver down my spine.

    "What is the Divine Seal?" I asked immediately.

    "It¡¯s a term used by a small group within Mount Luo to refer to the source of that force," Patrol Lu explained.

    "There are many theories about the force that prevented Mount Luo from stepping onto the stage of history.

    One of the lesser-known hypotheses suggests that somewhere in this world exists an artifact called the Divine Seal, capable of granting any wish.

    "According to this hypothesis, long ago, a human came into possession of the Divine Seal.

    For reasons unknown, they made a wish upon it.

    "The effects of that wish rippled across the world, making ordinary humans the protagonists of history while forcing Cultivators like us to retreat into the shadows, operating in secrecy."

    I instinctively touched the shard of the Divine Seal in my pocket and cautiously asked, "Do you believe in this hypothesis?"

    "It¡¯s hard for me to believe such an artifact exists.

    I wouldn¡¯t call myself well-read, but I¡¯ve certainly studied diligently.

    If such an artifact truly existed, why have I never heard of it before?" He shook his head.

    "It¡¯s just that someone higher up once mentioned this fringe hypothesis to me in passing, so I¡¯ve adopted the term as a convenient label for that unknown force."

    In other words, when he said, ¡®we are wary of the Divine Seal,¡¯ most of the ¡®we¡¯ he referred to neither believed in nor even knew about the Divine Seal.

    He was simply using the term as a shorthand to describe the mysterious force.

    But I knew that the Divine Seal was real.

    Even a mere shard of the Divine Seal was enough to pull me, the traitorous Great Wuchang, the survivors of an apocalyptic world, and the enigmatic Subject No.1 into that unfathomable Fog Dream Realm.

    A phenomenon that transcended both space and time might very well possess the power to grant any wish.

    I said ¡®might¡¯ because the scale of this topic was simply too vast.

    Such a phenomenon could shape the course of human history.

    Could the tiny shard in my possession truly hold such divine power if made whole? I still found it hard to fully believe.

    "So, Transcendentalists believe¡­ that the master of the Divine Seal is still alive? And if Mount Luo makes any reckless moves, the master will intervene?" I asked.

 Ch 80: Transcendentalists 2

    I somewhat understood what Patrol Lu meant.

    He didn¡¯t believe in the literal existence of the Divine Seal, but he firmly believed in the existence of the power that could change everything.

    Whether its source was a person, an object, or a mere phenomenon, one thing was absolutely clear: the source of that power was heavily biased toward ordinary people.

    Even Mount Luo, even the Great Wuchang, feared the unknown.

    Before fully uncovering the truth behind that power, they dared not act rashly.

    If I were the ruler of Mount Luo, where would I think the source of that power lay?

    The first suspect would naturally be the group that had benefited the most from the existence of that power¡ªthe ruling class of the secular world.

    "We once suspected that the Divine Seal might be in the hands of the official authorities," Patrol Lu said, still using the term Divine Seal to refer to the source of that mysterious power.

    From what I knew, the master of the Divine Seal was the giant residing within the Fog Dream Realm, referred to as Zero by Subject No.1.

    Could the giant be part of the official authorities?

    Was it him who, in the distant past, made a wish upon the Divine Seal that ordinary people should rule the world?

    And could his wish be directly connected to what Subject No.4 Xuan Ming mentioned about "bringing the world to the brink of destruction"?

    I was deeply curious about this topic.

    If this conversation were merely about choosing sides, I¡¯d want to end it quickly.

    But if it delved into apocalyptic and supernatural history, I was all ears.

    "When you say ¡®once suspected,¡¯ does that mean you¡¯ve now ruled out the official authorities as suspects?" I asked.

    "We¡¯ve ruled out about ninety percent of the suspicion," Patrol Lu said.

    "In reality, the Divine Seal''s influence wasn¡¯t limited to us Cultivators¡ªit affected ordinary humans as well.

    "Think about it calmly, and you¡¯ll realize that Cultivators and ordinary people live under the same sky.

    For the two sides to remain ignorant of each other requires not only Cultivators to stay away from secular society but also ordinary people to remain uninterested in the existence of Cultivators.

    "Yet, throughout history, countless people have pursued immortality.

    Emperors and nobles seeking eternal life are too numerous to count.

    If they weren¡¯t also restrained by that power, how could the two sides have remained so separate?

    "When that power¡¯s influence disappeared, even the official authorities fell into great confusion.

    Although they made many efforts to cover it up, they couldn¡¯t hide it from our eyes.

    "But as the saying goes, ¡®The greatest secret hides in plain sight,¡¯ we¡¯ve also considered the possibility that the master of the Divine Seal might be hiding within the political landscape itself, unbeknownst even to the authorities.

    That¡¯s why we haven¡¯t acted recklessly."

    "You must have conducted many tests," I said.

    "Yes. And the result of our probing is that the Divine Seal most likely isn¡¯t in the hands of the official authorities.

    In fact, the Divine Seal itself might no longer even exist," Patrol Lu nodded.

    "This is an easy conclusion to draw.

    No matter how great an impact the Divine Seal once had on our world, its influence ultimately faded away.

    "Why did it disappear? If it wasn¡¯t because the master of the Divine Seal changed their mind, then it must have been because the Divine Seal itself malfunctioned.

    While other possibilities exist, we believe the malfunction theory holds the most potential for investigation.

    "Suppose the Divine Seal truly is an artifact¡ªwe can even boldly speculate that, due to some unforeseen incident, this artifact may have shattered."

    That bold speculation was actually spot on.

    And considering that No. 4 Xuan Ming, one of the Great Wuchang, had already obtained a fragment of the Divine Seal, I suspected that the existence of the Divine Seal and its shattered state might not even be secrets among the Great Wuchang.

    "With the conversation reaching this point, I¡¯m sure you can foresee it¡ªconflict between Mount Luo and the official authorities will break out in the near future," Patrol Lu pushed the conversation to its next stage.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "Zhuang Cheng, I hope you¡¯ll join our camp."

    And there it was.

    "But isn¡¯t there still internal disagreement within Mount Luo?

    Transcendentalism isn¡¯t the absolute mainstream, is it?" I asked.

    "That¡¯s true. There are voices within Mount Luo advocating that the Cultivator community should integrate into secular society.

    But you might have misunderstood something¡ªtheir so-called integration doesn¡¯t mean they want Cultivators to become mere cogs in the machinery of secular society," he said.

    "They, too, aim to become the new ruling class.

    The difference is that our Transcendentalist goal is to become ¡®Gods,¡¯ while theirs is to become ¡®Monarchs.¡¯"

    "Does Zhu Shi think the same way?" I asked.

    He smiled helplessly.

    "She probably hopes for things to remain unchanged forever.

    But even she can¡¯t deny that the replacement of the outdated ruling class by the Cultivator community is an inevitable outcome of history.

    The mistake lies with history itself."

    "The official authorities won¡¯t just sit back and wait.

    If war breaks out, countless ordinary people will die.

    Zhu Shi would never participate in something like that," I said.

    "It won¡¯t escalate into war, Mount Luo possesses overwhelming power¡ªthe conflict will end in a very short time."

    "Because Mount Luo has the Great Wuchang?"

    "We wouldn¡¯t even need the Great Wuchang to take action, Mount Luo alone is more than capable of ruling this country." His calm tone carried an unshakable confidence.

    "Zhuang Cheng, what do you think of the Oddities you fought tonight? If Mount Luo stayed out of it and only the official authorities had to deal with him, how do you think things would unfold?"

    I paused to think and then realized a terrifying possibility.

    He continued, answering his own question, "Perhaps to you, that Oddities seemed like nothing more than roadside trash¡ªnot worth mentioning.

    But let me clarify something for you: that Oddities actually possessed extraordinary physical enhancement abilities, even among "Existence" Cultivators.

    "His abilities are about average among Oddities: capable of moving at speeds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour, with a mana-enhanced body that can effortlessly tear through steel armor.

    He possesses dynamic vision sharp enough to track bullets in motion and reflexes quick enough to defend against them in real-time.

    He can also withstand a hailstorm of modern firearm firepower directly.

    Standard infantry weapons are essentially useless against him.

    "Combine these capabilities, and all he needs to do is employ flexible assassination and guerrilla tactics while fully utilizing his exceptional mobility.

    Killing or capturing him would already be an almost impossible task¡ªand that¡¯s before even considering his supernatural abilities.

    "That Oddities could teleport over vast distances through shadows at will and summon immensely powerful duplicates.

    The one you fought tonight even had an ability that allowed him to regenerate immediately after being killed.

    This means modern weapons relying on overwhelming firepower in ambush scenarios are completely ineffective.

    He can vanish into the shadows at any moment, appear anywhere, kill anyone he wants, and then disappear again.

    The more people he kills, the stronger he becomes, and the harder he is to deal with.

    "Someone like him, with just a little strategic thought, could single-handedly dismantle the governance of a small nation.

    Yet among us Cultivators, he¡¯s just a "Existence" Realm Practitioner.

    If we scale up and consider a "Formation" Realm Cultivator instead, and face a major world power, I¡¯d wager that fewer than ten of them would be needed to ensure total victory without any resistance.

    "And Mount Luo has nearly ten Great Wuchang alone, while "Formation" Realm cultivators are as numerous as clouds in the sky.

    With such an overwhelming disparity in power, how could the official authorities ever hope to compete with us?"

    Although I¡¯m not an expert in modern military affairs, I have to admit that his argument makes sense.

    In the past, I had imagined modern armies as hypothetical enemies and even envisioned what would happen if I were bombarded by missiles and nuclear weapons. I researched this scenario seriously online.

    The reason I did so wasn¡¯t because I actually planned to fight against modern military forces¡ªit was merely an imaginative exercise driven by curiosity.

    Many people will never encounter a tiger in their lives, yet they still imagine scenarios where they must fight one, even asking online how to defeat a tiger barehanded.

    This was the same kind of curiosity.

    After thorough investigation, I realized the enormous advantage a superpowered individual like me would have against a modern military force.

    It wasn¡¯t because I could ignore physical attacks or teleport freely across the battlefield using flames, but because modern military technology fundamentally lacks effective measures against ¡°superpowered individuals.¡±

    Whether it¡¯s nuclear weapons, which I considered the pinnacle of modern destructive power, or the steel behemoths that dominate the seas¡ªaircraft carriers¡ªthese strategic military tools were never designed to deal with highly mobile, highly resilient ¡°superpowered individuals.¡±

    Instead, they were built to target stationary strongholds and large collective forces.

    Their threat to ¡°superpowered individuals¡± was far less significant than I initially believed.

    Moreover, Mount Luo Demon Hunters don¡¯t rely solely on brute strength as ¡°superpowered individuals.¡±

    Patrol Lu and that Oddities both demonstrated mysterious and unpredictable abilities.

    The former could temporarily resurrect the dead and force them to spill information, while the latter possessed tools capable of trapping opponents in ¡°spaces beyond reality.¡±

    It¡¯s likely that among the Demon Hunters, there are also experts skilled in mental manipulation and curses¡ªpowers that would be devastatingly effective against modern society.

    Whether or not power shifts hands in the human world, and when that shift happens, was never really determined by the efforts of the current ruling class.

    It has always depended on Mount Luo¡¯s will.

    Mount Luo fear of the Master of the Divine Seal is now a thing of the past.

    The reason they still haven¡¯t made their move might simply be because they haven¡¯t yet agreed on how to divide the spoils.

    "Additionally, when Zhu Shi spoke to that Oddities earlier, she seemed to misunderstand something."

    Patrol Lu pointed to the electronic binoculars he had used earlier, now resting on the table.

    "She believes that the current technological civilization is entirely the result of human effort. I don¡¯t deny that point. But strictly speaking, technology isn¡¯t ¡®the power of ordinary people¡¯¡ªit¡¯s ¡®the power of intelligence.¡¯

    "The power of technology has never favored any particular side.

    Ordinary people can wield it, and so can Cultivators¡ªexcept Cultivators can do it better.

    To see technology as proof that ordinary people surpass Cultivators in certain areas has been a misconception from the very beginning.

    "What Cultivators can use, ordinary people may not necessarily be able to.

    That alone is enough to prove that we Cultivators, while encompassing all the strengths of ordinary people, have surpassed them entirely.

    We are truly ¡®extraordinary beings.¡¯

    "We are now standing at a turning point in history.

    It is inevitable that Cultivators will replace ordinary humans as the rulers of this world.

    "So, Zhuang Cheng, I extend this invitation to you:

    "Join us."

 Ch 81: Transcendentalists 3

    In the end, Patrol Lu¡¯s demeanor was exceptionally solemn.

    We were outside a barbecue restaurant, with steaming skewers still laid out on the plastic table between us.

    By all accounts, this wasn¡¯t the kind of setting for such serious conversations.

    Yet, his intense and earnest gaze seemed to overpower the casual atmosphere, making it impossible not to take his invitation seriously.

    I thought for a moment before speaking.

    "Before I give you an answer, I need to ask you a question."

    "Go ahead," Patrol Lu nodded.

    "I now understand that Mount Luo is destined to become the ruler of this society.

    But as you mentioned earlier, the faction Zhu Shi belongs to and your Transcendentalist faction both aim to become those rulers¡ªit¡¯s just the methods of governance that differ.

    If that¡¯s the case, why should I choose you over Zhu Shi?" I countered.

    "Would you choose Zhu Shi because you like her?" he asked curiously.

    "Zhu Shi is my friend, so of course, I would prioritize her," I replied.

    "Besides, there¡¯s another reason I find it hard to accept your side."

    He asked seriously, "What is it?"

    "Your Transcendentalism relies on violence to enslave ordinary people.

    I won¡¯t argue that it¡¯s unreasonable, but I find it¡­ distasteful," I said.

    "Distasteful¡­" He froze for a moment.

    At that point, I realized this was an opportunity¡ªa perfect chance to ask something very important to me.

    "Moreover, the methods you¡¯ve used in the past also strike me as distasteful."

    He looked puzzled.

    "Have we done something to you?"

    "Not to me, but to that Soul-Loss Syndrome girl," I said, maintaining my composure.

    "Agent Kong told me that you used fabricated charges and slander against that girl, whose nature¡ªgood or evil¡ªwas still uncertain.

    You even attempted to force the Public Security Bureau to act on those false accusations, didn¡¯t you?

    "Even if that Soul-Loss Syndrome girl could hold the key to curing the condition, your methods were unnecessarily ruthless.

    If you claim to represent an unstoppable historical force, why not act with dignity and transparency?

    Why must you resort to underhanded and dishonorable tactics?"

    He seemed taken aback by my question, his expression becoming complex. "This..."

    But what I really wanted to ask wasn¡¯t about this.

    I had no interest in moral accusations.

    The next part was my real goal.

    "You don¡¯t need the Public Security Bureau¡¯s help; you have the ability to find that Soul-Loss Syndrome girl on your own, don¡¯t you?" I said.

    "For example, you¡ªdon¡¯t you have divination magic?

    Although I don¡¯t fully understand the principles of divination, it should be a piece of cake for you to find someone who¡¯s gone missing.

    After all, we were able to find that Oddities with your help, right?

    "Even if you can¡¯t do it yourself, the faction you''re in, or other factions, should have diviners among their ranks.

    Was it really just you who was responsible for finding that Soul-Loss Syndrome girl?

    Was there no one else involved?"

    At my words, he sighed deeply. "Quite the opposite..."

    "Opposite?" I was puzzled.

    "There are so many people in Mount Luo trying to find that Soul-Loss Syndrome girl that we can¡¯t even count them all.

    This includes not only my faction but also other factions.

    And there are many of those ''other diviners'' you mentioned," he gave an answer far beyond my expectations.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    My suspicions deepened.

    "Then... if that''s the case, why has she still not been found?"

    "Because of competition," he said.

    "Too many people want to find the Soul-Loss Syndrome girl, but there¡¯s only one of her.

    Whoever finds her first gets the prize, and the rest are left empty-handed.

    Some people, realizing they were too slow to seize the opportunity, thought, ''If I can''t find her, at least I can make sure my rivals don''t find her,'' and so they interfered with others'' efforts."

    "So, the reason she can¡¯t be found by the diviners is..." I began to realize the reason behind it.

    And sure enough, he gave me the answer that was completely unexpected.

    "The hospital where she was treated still has her blood, hair, and other biological materials.

    "Some people tried to use these materials as a medium to divinate her whereabouts, while others used them as a medium to cast a powerful counter-divination spell to prevent her from being located.

    "The reason I was able to get her photo by reading the land''s memory last time was that the target I was divining had no relation to her at all, so I managed to get lucky with an accidental ''side hit.'' Now that I¡¯m aware of her presence, even if I repeat the same actions, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get the same result again."

    I was left stunned.

    Right, I had been too presumptuous.

    Despite knowing that Mount Luo had many factions, I had unconsciously viewed it as a whole, thinking they would all agree on finding Ma Zao.

    But that was far from the case.

    Now I understood why I had been able to hide Ma Zao in my house for so many days, and why such a powerful organization couldn''t find Ma Zao¡ªbefore they could even find her, they had already started fighting among themselves behind the scenes.

    The "underlying currents" I had always worried about were actually this turbulent!

    "Then, the reason you took those drastic measures was because..."

    "I won¡¯t make excuses for this," Patrol Lu sighed.

    "It¡¯s true that we weren¡¯t straightforward.

    Some among us saw the large number of competitors and couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious.

    When people are in a hurry, they often act irrationally and think of shortcuts, even resorting to unscrupulous means to achieve their goals."

    "I see..." I felt that the long-standing clouds of doubt above my head had finally cleared away.

    "I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand us too much.

    That kind of behavior isn¡¯t typical for us," he said.

    "And regarding you, we will try to engage with you as peacefully as possible."

    When he steered the conversation toward me, I became cautious. "Like how?"

    "If you want to conceal your true strength from others, I will help you keep it hidden," he said, surprising me.

    "The earlier probing I did was simply to fulfill my duty as a Mount Luo Patrol.

    Now, I represent the Transcendentalists faction and wish to extend goodwill toward you."

    "What if I want you to conceal things from your colleagues and superiors as well?" I tested him.

    Without hesitation, he nodded. "That¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll do as you say."

    Is that really okay? Is he serious, or is he lying to me? I was unsure of his intentions.

    "Since it¡¯s already clear that you are an extraordinarily powerful being who can even master elemental transformation, I will naturally respect your will, and at the very least, won¡¯t do anything that might anger you," he said seriously.

    "Also, about your earlier claim that our Transcendentalists faction would enslave ordinary people, that¡¯s also a misunderstanding of ours by Zhu Shi. It¡¯s a stereotype."

    "What?" I was once again surprised.

    "What I¡¯m about to say is unsupported by evidence.

    Fortunately, I gave you the Black Rope Heart-Locking Ring earlier, so you can use it on me," he gestured.

    "Are you serious?" I asked in return.

    He made a "please" gesture.

    This was indeed a good opportunity to use a new tool, and I couldn¡¯t deny the urge to try it out.

    But was it really okay to use it on someone I knew?

    After observing him for a dozen seconds or so and confirming he wasn¡¯t bluffing, I took out the ring he had just given me¡ªa piece that looked as though it was woven from iron wire¡ªand slipped it onto the middle finger of my right hand.

    Immediately, my right hand felt oddly light, as if the entire palm had disappeared.

    In reality, my hand was still there, but it had become semi-transparent, like a phantom limb.

    When I tried to grab a skewer, my hand simply passed through it, as though it had turned into a ghostly hand.

    I looked back at Patrol Lu.

    His expression was calm, his hands resting on the table, his back straight as he watched me.

    Any hesitation on my part would have seemed weak.

    So, without further ado, I reached for his chest.

    My right hand passed through his clothes, his flesh, and his ribs, until I touched something tough yet lively, resilient yet rhythmically pulsing with moisture.

    It was his heart.

    I grasped his heart, and a wave of understanding rose within me, as if the ring itself whispered to me¡ªhe could no longer lie, nor could he remain silent.

    He could only answer my questions.

    "You said that Transcendentalists enslaving ordinary people is Zhu Shi¡¯s misunderstanding. What do you mean by that?" I asked.

    "This isn¡¯t just Zhu Shi¡¯s misunderstanding; it¡¯s also a misconception held by some within Transcendentalists.

    In reality, the world Transcendentalists envisions has no need to enslave ordinary people."

    Even with his heart in my hand, Patrol Lu¡¯s face remained calm as he said,

    "When the world of Transcendentalists is realized, just as Demon Hunters will become Cultivators, Mount Luo will no longer be Mount Luo.

    It will be rebranded with a more fitting name.

    Perhaps something like ''Heavenly Court,'' or something else entirely... We will stand above, do you understand what that means?"

    "Not really," I said, watching his eyes.

    "In ancient mythology, even the servants of Gods and Immortals weren¡¯t ordinary mortals," he said candidly.

    "In Journey to the West, even those who guarded the homes of Gods and Buddhas had to be spiritual beasts; even the lowest-ranked soldiers in the Heavenly Court weren¡¯t mortals.

    "Of course, our Transcendentalists is far from as grand as the Heavenly Court in Journey to the West, but we truly have no need to have ordinary people running errands for us."

    "That¡¯s quite the boast.

    While ordinary humans might lack the physical strength of Demon Hunters, their mental capacity isn¡¯t inferior.

    They can still operate technological creations and generate immense power," I said skeptically.

    Yet, even as I held his heart, its steady rhythm betrayed no sign of falsehood.

    "That¡¯s precisely the argument of Zhu Shi¡¯s faction.

    However, the gap between Cultivators and ordinary people is vast.

    Even differences in skin color and facial features among humans have historically been enough to spark contempt and hatred.

    How much worse would it be with such an insurmountable power gap?" he said in a deep voice.

    "Transcendentalists doesn¡¯t concern itself with the life and death of ordinary people.

    This detached form of rule is, in fact, the fairest approach for them.

    "On the other hand, what about Zhu Shi and her faction, who want Cultivators and mortals to coexist peacefully? I can wager my heart on this prediction¡ªwhen the time comes, it won¡¯t be us enslaving mortals and turning them into mere tools; it will be them.

    "Their ideals are far more dangerous."

    His heart continued its steady rhythm.

    Even after I returned home, that sensation lingered in my palm.