Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 233: Wrong Image

“He will attack all of Haigu,” Fu Xingchuan said.

He stood in front of the map of Haigu with a solemn expression.

“Is it your intuition again?” Li Nian’s mocking voice softened a bit. Fu Xingchuan turned to look at his partner, whose face had turned pale and thin, resembling a corpse.

Since being entangled by the angel’s arm, Li Nian hadn’t been able to sleep well. Recently, his sleep was purely maintained by medication, but that wasn’t a long-term solution.

Fu Xingchuan wasn’t in the mood to argue with him and just sighed briefly. “I understand him.”

The stronger Xiang Jiang’s abilities were, the more paranoid he became.

Since Fu Xingchuan took on this new recruit, he tried to handle things gently and let Xiang Jiang handle cases that might suit his taste, such as dealing with criminals who harmed women and children. Compared to when he first arrived in Haigu, Xiang Jiang did seem to be more cheerful, but he still carried a sense of detachment.

He wouldn’t befriend anyone from Shian. When he wasn’t working, he would only buy expensive and comfortable clothes, cut them in half, and sew them back together.

Fu Xingchuan had talked to him several times, and Xiang Jiang always responded without showing any emotion. But there was one time, after they rescued a child who was being used as a living sacrifice, Fu Xingchuan said this:

“The times have changed, and now there are surveillance cameras everywhere in the city. Tragedies will become less and less frequent.”

Xiang Jiang, who was usually reticent and gloomy, reacted as if he had been stung.

“So what?” he asked.

“I know that tragedies will become less and less frequent, but that’s other people’s lives. My parents and brother died painfully and tragically, and the case has had no progress to this day… Should I just give up?”

“There were three lives in my family—the lives of the people closest to me. Should I just let it go because some strangers I couldn’t care less about might have a better life?”

“Xiao Xiang, that’s not what I meant—”

“It’s been too long, so the police can’t find the criminals from back then. That’s just how things are. There were too many people spreading rumors and gossip, but they got away with it lightly, and no one was punished. That’s just how things are… I have to understand these realities and be happy to contribute to society. This is what you mean, right?”

Xiang Jiang twisted his mouth, revealing an ugly smile.

“I can’t look ahead, senior,” he said. “Xiang Hai is behind me, and I can’t raise my head.”

Fu Xingchuan had hoped that with the passage of time and experiencing enough love and hatred, Xiang Jiang would eventually be able to move on.

…But he didn’t.

“Even if Xiang Jiang wants to attack all of Haigu, there must be a focal point. Currently, there are three locations in the city with a large concentration of people.”

Li Nian’s voice brought Fu Xingchuan back to reality.

“The shopping mall in Xizhao District is having a promotional event. They set up a world cuisine venue outside, and currently, there are thousands of people gathering there.”

“Shangguang District is hosting an international furniture expo. The number of people is slightly fewer, but there are a large number of journalists gathered inside.”

“Donghe District is conducting a tourism and cultural promotion. They just opened a popular street for influencers.”

Professor Li’s finger pointed on the map.

“These three places are all near the city center. If they serve as the center for terrorist activities, they can create the maximum impact. A large number of people would ensure a wide reach. What do you think? Do you want to rely on intuition again?”

Fu Xingchuan silently looked at the three red dots on the map. He stood there for a while, then shook his head. “Contact Hao Wenzhe and have him gather information on the social media activities of Coral Reef Group.”

Fu Xingchuan flexed his finger joints.

“Xiang Jiang may not necessarily obey Sunken Society, but Sunken Society will definitely use Xiang Jiang.”

“Coral Reef Group?” Li Nian frowned.

“Yes, that unfortunate group that seems to be involved in every case. I looked into it before, and at least on the surface, they have no connection with Sunken Society,” Fu Xingchuan said. “But in the realm of the metaphysical world, there are not so many coincidences… That’s my intuition.”

Li Nian nodded and typed on the computer for a while.

“According to Hao Wenzhe, all three locations have anchors and influencers from Coral Reef Group. The most people are on the influencer street in Donghe District, but that place already has a strong online presence. You should take that into consideration.”

“Which team is closest to that area?”

“…The joint team of Unit 7 and Unit 9.” Li Nian’s voice instantly lost its emotion.

Fu Xingchuan’s face twitched twice. “Immediately reinforce the team and put them on high alert. I’ll inform Unit 7 and Unit 9 to be vigilant, and also have the Emergency Management Department on standby. Lao Li, do you have anything else to add?”

“Let’s go to the scene.” Li Nian picked up a scarf. “It’s stuffy inside. I want to feel the cold breeze.”

……

At the same time, on the Other Side.

Jiao Lian’s physical condition was special, and Yin Ren didn’t dare let her stay outside for too long. After he gained a preliminary understanding of the Charon technique, he hurriedly sent her back to the base.

Meng Huai wasn’t familiar with Jiao Lian. She was surprised but thought they had rescued someone from somewhere again. Fu Tianyi, on the other hand, had heard of this famous Charon and thought that nothing could shock him more—

“Wait, wait, you guys dug out Minister Jiao?!” Fu Tianyi almost bit his tongue. “According to this, doesn’t it mean that our ancestor is also…”

“He has been inside for too long, and I don’t know his exact location.” Jiao Lian looked at Shian’s familiar style with a sense of nostalgia in her eyes. “But if we have Mr. Yin and Mr. Zhong, they can definitely find him.”

Jiao Lian’s features appeared youthful, and she had cut her hair short, looking clean and lovely. However, her body was still connected to her unconscious partner, and it needed careful dissection to move. At first glance, it was quite terrifying.

Fu Tianyi’s expectant gaze immediately turned to the two of them.

“We don’t have time for that now,” Zhong Chengshuo solemnly stated. “We’ll save it for later.”

Practicing the Charon technique alone already took up all of their time—they even had to cut down their short naps together.

Fu Tianyi: “…Makes sense.”

Comrade Xiao Zhong’s tone was like discussing digging up radishes in the ground, making one want to be angry but not daring to be. But it was true—the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi was here. If his ancestor was dug out and treated, it was estimated the daylily would grow a second batch*.

*Idiom referring to events are happening too quickly. If they were to find and treat the Fu ancestor, the events outside would already have significantly advanced (thus a second batch of daylily would be produced).

I’m sorry, ancestor, but it seems that Shian isn’t lacking Charons right now. 

Fu Tianyi’s face remained expressionless as he continued to chop Elementals. The sharp arrogance of the young man had long been worn down into a high-quality bearing. Even when Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren would disappear while holding hands, there was no ripple on his face.

“Fu Tianyi!” Meng Huai called him. “Stop playing with the flesh and come help! We need to separate Xiao Jiao and Xiao Zhou—”

“Okay, coming!” Fu Tianyi wiped his hands and obediently ran over.

He rushed towards Jiao Lian while Yin Ren ran towards Love’s white net. The two new “gods” moved stealthily. Yin Ren restrained his aura and pulled Zhong Chengshuo along, poking their heads out to take a look.

The “Safety First” signs on their heads had also turned into appropriately colored camouflage, looking quite fitting.

The white net remained the same, and there were even more Elementals patrolling around—a large group of them.

The two of them maneuvered through the gaps between different Elementals like protagonists in a disaster film. Yin Ren carefully sensed the surroundings. The “heartbeat” in the center of the white net became increasingly clear. Fortunately, the atmosphere around them remained stable, with no signs of abnormalities.

Zhong Chengshuo carefully observed the structure of the white net. “The explosive points are well-configured. I can bring it all down with a blast.”

“But we also need to protect the survivors,” he murmured, lost in thought.

Yin Ren couldn’t help but look at the small cocoons containing the survivors. If the huge semicircle in the center was a stadium, these smaller cocoons were at most the size of basketballs. They were scattered around the vicinity of the large hemisphere, making them difficult to handle.

“I can remove the cocoons, and Meng Huai and the others can command the ‘Lonelies’ to transport them,” Yin Ren muttered. “As long as we evacuate the innocent, we can go all out.”

Zhong Chengshuo recalled the horde of Lonely cats for a while. “Are they capable?”

It wasn’t that he discriminated against Elementals, but those “Lonelies” didn’t seem to be very bright and had little courage.

“If this plan succeeds, they will have officially cooperated with Shian, and Shian will definitely be willing to bear this cost.” Yin Ren quickly calculated. “They are already skilled at cognitive attacks, and with Meng Huai’s command, they are very suitable at escaping… What do you think?”

Zhong Chengshuo nodded. “It’s feasible.”

Being accustomed to working alone, at most he would incorporate Yin Ren into his plan. When it came to group fights, the Great Celestial Master himself had more experience. Zhong Chengshuo continued to calculate the points of destruction, his dark eyes scanning between the strands of the white net.

After this inspection, they could go back and develop a battle plan.

Suddenly, those black eyes were fixed in a certain direction.

In a corner, the massive white web seemed to have gathered some gray particles, with vertical black traces. The black spot was positioned high and maintained a distance from the surrounding swarm of Elementals.

Strange, he had just scanned the area with his gaze, and there was clearly no such “dust” before. Zhong Chengshuo imagined a telescope and looked towards that faint black impurity.

As Zhong Chengshuo’s eyebrows went from furrowed to relaxed and then raised again, Yin Ren curiously squeezed over. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s someone.”

Zhong Chengshuo tried hard to think about the internal structure of the telescope, envisioning a higher magnification.

“…Indeed, it’s a person, and still moving.”

“Let me see.”

Yin Ren swallowed the “impossible” that nearly slipped out of his mouth—all surviving members of Shian were in the stronghold, and the ancestor of the Fu family was still buried in the interstitial space. It was impossible for someone to freely move here. Could it be a talented survivor?

However, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t hand him the telescope.

“I have seen this face,” Zhong Chengshuo said in a deep voice. He pressed down on Yin Ren’s “Safety First” helmet and said slowly, “In the personnel files of the Charon Ability Branch, there is Shen Mo, a traitor of Shian and a current high-ranking member of Sunken Society.”

Yin Ren immediately clicked his tongue. “It seems that there are more than just us trying to use humans to command the Primordial Elementals.”

Charons weren’t easy to catch; they had to be eliminated with a single blow. However, the person’s position was delicate. If they acted recklessly, it would definitely alert “Love”. “Love” reacted quickly, having suffered a setback last time, so this time it found some help.

Zhong Chengshuo: “Retreat?”

“Retreat.” Yin Ren sighed. “It seems that Minister Jiao has beaten this guy before. I need to go back and do some research.”

But as he took a few steps back, Zhong Chengshuo disappeared. Yin Ren quickly turned around, only to see the person frozen in place, seemingly contemplating something.

“Zhong Ge?”

“Not right.”

Zhong Chengshuo moved his fingers, gesturing in the empty air as if writing and calculating on an invisible notebook.

“Sunken Society itself is weaker than Shian. A ‘Charon’ is a force that can reverse the situation at critical moments. Why would Wei Huaqian allow Shen Mo to act on the other side?”

“If a Charon wants to leave, Sunken Society wouldn’t be able to stop them, right?” Yin Ren halted his steps.

“No, Sunken Society seeks revenge for any slight. Even if it’s a Charon, they wouldn’t risk offending Sunken Society at this moment.” Zhong Chengshuo pondered for a bit. “If Shen Mo is here with Wei Huaqian’s consent, then things are troublesome.”

“This shows his confidence—confidence that Haigu will fall into chaos to the point where Shian has no energy to deal with him.”

After speaking, Zhong Chengshuo raised his gaze, his expression unusually serious.

“Something is wrong. We need to contact the human world as soon as possible.”

……

Shian Building. Lu Xiaohe patiently listened to the on-site reports.

“…Evil qi reaction has occurred near Yinhua Road in Donghe District. We are rushing to the scene…”

“…Evil qi reaction has occurred near Yinhua Road in Donghe District, with an evil qi value fluctuating around 3.21fR…”

Wang Zhou’s voice came through the earpiece.

Lu Xiaohe: “Data analysis complete. The epicenter of the evil qi radiation is approximately at the new pedestrian street on Yinhua Road in Donghe District. Emergency Management team members have arrived in the vicinity. Minister Fu and Minister Li have rushed to the scene.”

“Everyone, be cautious and don’t act rashly,” Xiao Zhao said with seriousness. “Let the main force of the Emergency Management team handle this. The concentration of evil qi is not something to be taken lightly. Especially Linlin Jie—Wang Zhou, you must keep an eye on her.”

“…” There was only silence in response.

“It’s no use being silent. We must restrain her!” Xiao Zhao rolled his eyes in frustration.

Lu Xiaohe wanted to laugh, but then she realized something, and her smile vanished.

There was no background noise without electromagnetic interference, no warning of equipment malfunction. The communication channel was silent, and even the sound of everyone’s breathing couldn’t be heard. If it weren’t for the normal data, Lu Xiaohe would have suspected that she accidentally muted herself.

Lu Xiaohe cleared her throat. “Can you hear me? Huang Jin? Please respond if you hear me.”

Still, there was no response.

“Hello? Unit 7, please respond!” Xiao Zhao gradually straightened up. “Don’t act rashly, don’t act rashly!”

The communication equipment wasn’t damaged, and the physiological indicators of the individuals were within the normal range. Theoretically, there was no problem.

But there was an inexplicable silence in the earpieces.

After reporting the issue, Lu Xiaohe and Xiao Zhao quickly adjusted various parameters. The programs were working properly to an exasperating extent, and there were no abnormal communications from other teams. The current situation couldn’t be explained at all.

The deadly silence lasted for more than ten minutes.

Just when Xiao Zhao was anxiously stomping his feet, a new signal finally appeared.

“…Hello, there was a communication problem just now.” Wang Zhou gasped for breath. “I took out my drone. Make do with watching through it.”

With a beep, the same scene appeared in front of the two rear commanders.

The angle of the image was facing the sky. Under the dark clouds, the stone tower on the new pedestrian street exposed its tip, as if about to pierce through the sky. This was clearly the central scene of the new pedestrian street.

“The image is wrong!”

Lu Xiaohe’s hair stood on end.

Ever since they learned about the threat from the Other Side, Shian had further tightened equipment restrictions—even the investigation drones used by the science posts were only allowed to transmit processed visual data.

What could have been used to capture such a clear image?

“Xiao Zhao, don’t look at the screen!” Lu Xiaohe shouted sternly. “Wang Zhou, what did you use to capture this?!”

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

The image shook for a moment and turned to Wang Zhou’s face. Xiao Zhao stared blankly at his familiar teammate—Wang Zhou was missing an eye, and his left eye socket was bloodied and empty.

And behind him, on top of the stone tower, was Xiang Jiang’s fragmented and broken body.

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The author has something to say:

The shopping mall in Xizhao District is doing promotional activities, and a world cuisine venue has been set up outside. ←

Xiao Yin: Look at what I missed.

The hatred for “Love” intensifies!

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 232: Good and Evil

Wei Huaqian walked down the street. He took a deep breath—the icy air cut into his lungs, causing pain.

Compared to last year, the streets of Haigu were much quieter. There were many cloudy days in winter, and the recent sky was always gloomy. Walking from indoors to outdoors felt like hitting a higher ceiling with his head.

The shops along the street were withering, and about one-third of the stores had “For Rent” signs hanging. The surrounding atmosphere was like the remaining autumn leaves, almost disappearing in the cold wind.

But Wei Huaqian’s business was doing well.

The companies on the surface were diligently managed by the people under his control. As for the transactions in the field of metaphysics… Recently, countless people turned to believing in these things, spending a fortune for peace of mind, which made Wei Huaqian’s assets soar.

But all of this was meaningless.

Wei Huaqian examined his body—once he was tall and sturdy, as elegant and handsome as Shen Mo. Now his skin was sagging, his organs aging, and illness was relentlessly eroding his body. No matter how much money he spent, he couldn’t stop the march of time.

But he would soon be relieved.

With a flick of his hand, one of his arms disappeared completely into thin air.

Corruption was intensifying, and the space in Haigu had become increasingly fragile. Just a little more wait, and he would truly become a real Charon. Then his diseases and the limitations of lifespan would no longer be a problem.

Money, power, immortality. Throughout history, these were the desires of the privileged. People always wanted to rise higher. Even Shen Mo, the lunatic, couldn’t resist these temptations.

Wei Huaqian retracted his arm and slowly entered his favorite restaurant. His reserved seat was already prepared, secluded and comfortable.

Speaking of which, he hadn’t seen Shen Mo much lately. Wei Huaqian took a sip of hot tea.

Since acquiring the useful tool Xiang Jiang, Shen Mo rarely showed up in front of Wei Huaqian. That guy was sensitive to power and didn’t like the presence of other Charons in the world… Wei Huaqian remembered that Charon with the surname Jiao, who was disabled by Shen Mo.

The memory of that day was vivid for Wei Huaqian.

It was the first and only time he collaborated with Shen Mo.

At that time, Shen Mo had just joined Sunken Society not long ago, and Wei Huaqian wasn’t yet the leader of Sunken Society of Haigu. He was still relatively young and was assigned to assist Shen Mo due to his slight involvement with Charons.

Back then, Shen Mo was still officially a member of Shian. In order to gain a high position in Sunken Society, he proposed a crazy plan—to steal research data on “the Other Side” and the “Divine Descent” phenomena from Shian, as well as a large number of precious spirit weapons, using them as a letter of introduction to join Sunken Society.

“Jiao Lian and I are the only ‘Charon’ in Shian. Their procedures don’t matter much to ordinary cultivators, but for Charons, they are full of loopholes.”

“I will communicate with the higher-ups and arrange for a relocation. I’ll say that the Charons will cause spatial instability and chaotic evil qi, necessitating a reorganization of storage and laboratories.”

Shen Mo casually tossed a stack of printed papers to Wei Huaqian.

“Your Charon abilities are somewhat useful, but you’re decent enough to handle things from the safe. I’ll teach you a few key points…”

Wei Huaqian patiently listened as Shen Mo spoke confidently, but he raised one question.

“What about the other Charon?” he said. “Once she realizes something is amiss, she won’t let you off easily. I heard that her Charon abilities surpass yours.”

Shen Mo’s smile carried a hint of disdain. “Abilities are just abilities. I work in the investigation department, and she works in the appraisal department. Our combat levels are not on the same level… But yes, I truly dislike that woman overshadowing me. It’s better if she disappears.”

Wei Huaqian remained silent, but a trace of contempt showed on his face. Shen Mo had worked at the Shian for many years, and he didn’t believe this guy could deal with his former colleague without obstacles.

It might be a trap set by Shian.

“I know you don’t believe me, but I’ll just say one thing.” Shen Mo glanced at Wei Huaqian. “What do you think is the biggest flaw of Shian?”

“Adhering to regulations and following the rules,” Wei Huaqian said.

“No, no, there are always a few mavericks, like the talisman user I brought with me, Fu Xingchuan—he’s not someone who follows the rules.”

Wei Huaqian remained silent.

“Their biggest flaw is ‘goodness’.” Shen Mo stopped smiling. “The actions of ‘good people’ are very easy to predict.”

“Let’s make a bet. If I disable Jiao Lian, all the research on the Other Side will be under my control. If I lose, I will hand over everything I stole this time, without any conditions.”

……

As it turned out, Shen Mo was right.

It was a day in late November when the Shian’s relocation convoy was ambushed.

When Wei Huaqian arrived at the scene, he witnessed a confrontation between two “Charons”—Jiao Lian and Shen Mo. They were exhausted from countless traversals. Several Shian personnel lay wounded around them, but there were still three or four people standing, and the situation seemed unfavorable for Shen Mo.

“Shen Mo, that’s enough.” Jiao Lian held a sword spirit weapon made of coins with her brows furrowed. “Now you only have enough energy for one more traversal. You can’t escape.”

“And you have a little more than one left.” Shen Mo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. “I know, you always have a tiny bit more ability than me. Oh well…”

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly raised his hand.

Instead of using the final transversal to escape, Shen Mo commanded it to throw a wooden crate, directly smashing Jiao Lian’s partner—a girl who was holding a laptop and checking the data from a distance without any defenses.

“Xiao Zhou—?!”

Everything happened very quickly. When Jiao Lian realized what had happened, the girl had already been crushed by the heavy crate, her shoulder shattered. Xiao Zhou slid down the wall in confusion, still clutching the laptop tightly in her arms.

Blood gushed out in an instant.

“She is a science post, and no one here is capable of treating her. In two minutes, she will die from blood loss.” Shen Mo raised his hands. “Well, explanation complete. Now, continue to guard against me.”

Jiao Lian hesitated for less than ten seconds.

She rushed to her partner’s side, tightly embracing the girl, and both of them disappeared on the spot. Only the blood-stained laptop fell to the ground, its screen flickering incessantly.

Wei Huaqian knew that when a Charon forcefully traversed while lacking energy, they were easily drawn into a chaotic space. Jiao Lian’s remaining power was barely enough for her own traversal, and now she had an injured person by her side.

…All for a glimmer of hope.

Truly foolish.

The subsequent events unfolded just as Shen Mo had anticipated. Without Jiao Lian’s interference, Shen Mo teleported directly to another relocation vehicle. The spirit weapons and documents in that vehicle ultimately became the possessions of Sunken Society.

“Jiao Lian will die over there.” Shen Mo evaluated afterwards. “Once entering the chaotic space, a Charon cannot determine the destination of the traversal. She couldn’t afford to gamble with two people… Staying in such a place for a long time would drive anyone insane.”

However, Shen Mo’s judgment had its first mistake regarding this matter.

Indeed, Jiao Lian didn’t abandon her partner, but she also didn’t give up on survival. The deranged woman utilized the power of the Charon to sever parts of her own body, only returning a portion to the mortal realm.

The blood-soaked and damaged laptop was dismantled and sent to the junkyard after being handled by Shian.

There was a short video clip that circulated briefly at that time. It was on a late December night, when the screens on the garbage mountain suddenly lit up, and organs and chunks of flesh slowly grew around them. Amidst the snowy landscape, those pieces of flesh emitted steaming heat, trembling uncontrollably.

“Shian. Shian.”

From a nearby damaged radio, a voice emerged. It sounded like a synthesis of countless voices, causing a tingling sensation throughout the body.

“Foreign Object, Identification, Group, Jiao Lian. Shian. Shian…”

……

The recollection ended, and Wei Huaqian put down his chopsticks.

In the end, Shen Mo obtained the position he desired. Jiao Lian didn’t die, but her body underwent separation and transformation, becoming indistinguishable from waste. She and her partner were alive, but it was merely an existence.

Stupid woman.

If she had abandoned that dying science post, maybe she could have come back to seek revenge against Shen Mo. But now, she had nothing left.

The Other Side.

“So that’s how it is. She’s only half—no wonder the fusion turned out like this.”

Ms. Zhou, the science post, was treated by Yin Ren and was still unconscious. Qi Xin examined the fused parts of their bodies, making clicking sounds with her mouth.

“I can peel it off, but the other half of this woman is in the mortal realm. Humans will have to treat her themselves.”

[I’m fine. Shian has treated cases of fusion with objects before.] Jiao Lian’s thoughts were coherent, filled with delight. [Please send Xiao Zhou back first.]

“Oh. That depends on how hard your people work.” Qi Xin remained unmoved. “Yin Ren, Old… Zhong Chengshuo—there’s a ready-made teacher here. Figure it out yourselves.”

After speaking, Ms. Qi pet Gao Mengyu’s cat. “I’ll go back first, so that guy doesn’t realize something’s wrong.”

“Wait—” Yin Ren’s paw just reached out, but Qi Xin disappeared like Dr. Meiqiu.

Beside him, Zhong Chengshuo was already seated with his knees crossed, his notebook and pen in position. “Ms. Jiao, please proceed.”

The “Safety First” helmet on Zhong Chengshuo’s head hadn’t even disappeared yet.

“Zhong Chengshuo, let me rest for a while.” Yin Ren moaned in a plaintive tone. His heart and stamina fluctuated greatly, and he hadn’t even eaten during the period. “And we need to clarify the situation first. Where did you just go? …How did you dig the person out?”

Zhong Chengshuo: “Oh.”

He imagined another “Safety First” red helmet and placed it on Yin Ren’s head. “Ms. Jiao, please start from the space just now.”

Jiao Lian: […Alright.]

……

At the same time, in the underground water system of Haigu.

It hadn’t rained for a long time, so the water level underground was low. The four of them cautiously moved along the dirty side passage, with Bao Linlin in the lead and Ge Tingting at the rear. Huang Jin and Wang Zhou were in auxiliary positions, protected in the middle.

Wang Zhou clearly had complete trust in Bao Linlin. While his partner walked ahead, Wang Zhou didn’t even look at the path; his eyes were fixed on the changing numbers on the screen. Huang Jin didn’t have the detection mode of a science post, so he had to reach into a small pocket in his backpack and hold the ping pong ball-sized Yellow Millet.

This thing could sense abnormal evil qi, and it had a soft and slippery texture, suitable for keeping warm on cold days.

“Puff, puff.” Yellow Millet didn’t like being rubbed by Huang Jin’s cold paw, and it complained softly in Huang Jin’s hand.

“What’s that sound?” Wang Zhou turned his head.

“I stepped on some water. That’s the sound it makes when I walk.” Huang Jin shamelessly replied. “Right, Xiao Ge?”

Ge Tingting: “Hehe.”

As noon approached, they still had gained nothing. The sewer was peaceful, and the most vigilant enemies they encountered were just crawling cockroaches.

“Well, since we have nothing better to do, why don’t we think about where Xiang Jiang might go?” Bao Linlin was getting restless. “I’ll guess first! At a time like this, he betrayed Shian. Perhaps he might turn around and stab Shian, attack its compound…”

“Hmm… He doesn’t have any grudges against Shian, and Shian has treated him well. I have reservations.” Wang Zhou’s eyes remained fixed on the instrument screen. “Xiang Jiang is currently cooperating with Sunken Society, so he’ll probably act according to their intentions.”

“I don’t know him, so I have no idea.” Huang Jin showed little interest.

“He might also want to seek revenge on society,” Ge Tingting guessed seriously. “Cause a scene in a sensitive public place…”

“Pass, there are too many possibilities,” a voice interrupted in their earphones. It was the rear commander of Unit 7—Xiao Zhao couldn’t help but interject.

Huang Jin: “You see, what did I say? If we could guess these things, Shian wouldn’t have to deploy personnel with such great effort.”

Ge Tingting angrily kicked the back of Huang Jin’s heel. Then she noticed that one person had remained silent all this time.

“Xiaohe Jie?” Ge Tingting tapped her earpiece.

“…I’m just saying, can you understand his feelings? Do you believe it?” On the other side of the earpiece, Lu Xiaohe’s voice sounded a bit heavy.

The two members of Unit 7 exchanged glances. Huang Jin put away his sulking face. “What are you trying to say?”

Lu Xiaohe: “After Huang Jin and Tingting joined Shian, both of you obtained resonance spirit weapons, right?”

“Yeah, mine is a ballpoint pen that can suck blood and turn it into ink, and Huang Jin’s is a stress ball that screams. Weren’t they only used for identity verification?” Ge Tingting recalled.

“They can represent certain aspects of a person to some extent. Xiang Jiang’s spirit weapon is an eternal, unbreakable dagger.” Lu Xiaohe’s voice carried a bitter tone. “Xiang Jiang is stubborn in his actions. Someone like him won’t waver in their stance for a little benefit.”

“Unit 9, what are you trying to say?” Bao Linlin slowed her pace.

“Not long ago, my mother went missing. At that time, I also harbored hatred towards Shian and even towards my comrades,” Lu Xiaohe said.

“After being with Shian for so long and witnessing so much, knowing how many strong individuals exist in this world… My mother went missing, and they were well aware of it, with the ability to search and rescue, but they chose to prioritize other matters.”

Even though Lu Xiaohe knew this conversation would be recorded in the Shian public channel, she still spoke bluntly.

“Rationally, I understand that some things may indeed be more important. Others are not obligated to do everything for me. But my mother was suffering, and the power to save her was right beside me. It was difficult for me not to feel hatred.”

“There are so many powerful and kind people in this world, so why can’t they save her?”

For a moment, the sewer fell silent.

Lu Xiaohe sighed and continued.

“If I were Xiang Jiang… because of Xiang Hai’s kidnapping case, my family was torn apart, my education was ruined, and my youth was destroyed.”

“Afterward, I found my brother, but all I found was a corpse. He and his friend were mocked by the public, turning my brother into a vengeful spirit.”

“At that time, I came into contact with Shian and discovered that there were so many powerful individuals in this world… Just based on all of you here, breaking a kidnapping case would be easy. Shian has indeed treated him well, but if it were me, I would also find it difficult to feel a sense of belonging.”

After all, her mother was rescued from the hands of the Great Celestial Master, while Xiang Hai had turned into a vengeful spirit, constantly clinging to Xiang Jiang. They stood together, witnessing the power that could save them from hell.

Only if time could be reversed.

“You can’t say that. We also have our own work…” Bao Linlin couldn’t help but interject, but she was interrupted by Wang Zhou.

Finally, Wang Zhou moved his gaze away from the screen. He gently shook his head at Bao Linlin. “We all understand the general principles, but rationality and emotions are two different things. Miss Lu, please continue.”

“…Xiang Jiang’s betrayal is inevitable. However, even if he’s upset, he wouldn’t specifically target Shian. He has only one goal.”

Lu Xiaohe continued.

“He needs a target for revenge—someone to take responsibility for the suffering of his blood relatives. For example, the village where the kidnapping occurred and the people who spread gossip online.”

“But the village doesn’t exist anymore, right?” Wang Zhou pondered. “And we can’t be certain about the identity of the online gossipers, can we?”

After saying that, his expression changed. “Could it be…”

“If we can’t be certain about their identity, indiscriminate attacks are fine. They deserve a bit of torment, whether they are bystanders or evildoers… If it were me, that’s how I would think.”

Lu Xiaohe’s voice carried a hint of coldness.

“I would attack all of Haigu.”

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The author has something to say:

Huang Jin wanted to hold Yellow Millet in his palm, but Yellow Millet didn’t want Huang Jin to hold it in his palm. Huang Jin insisted on holding Yellow Millet in his palm (…

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 231: Unexpected Discovery

“There is also a saying among humans about ‘getting stuck in a bug’. Some spaces may appear no different from their surroundings, but they are actually paper-thin and very easy to accidentally get stuck in.”

Qi Xin wandered around the area pointed out by Qiqi, observing and explaining as she went.

“What I do is similar to finding a crack and forcibly prying it open to squeeze myself out. What I can teach you is simply the ‘prying’ action—”

She paused at a certain spot and gestured with her hands. “—just like this.”

The originally empty space gradually distorted into a black-gray vortex. Initially the size of a bowl’s opening, it turned slowly and laboriously. Then, with cracking sounds of crumbling, the vortex spun faster and grew larger, eventually reaching a size barely enough for a person to pass through.

Dr. Meiqiu, in a predatory motion, seemed eager to try. However, at that moment, Qi Xin raised her hand, quickly calming the vortex.

“The path you previously took was a pre-established route, like walking in a prepared tunnel. Crossing between two realms is not that simple.”

Qi Xin glanced at the disgruntled Meiqiu.

“To break through the space on your own is like digging and advancing in quicksand; a slight distraction can lead to losing your way. I can only teach you the technique, but you must gauge your own abilities.”

Next was a strict hands-on teaching session by Qi Xin. Similar to Yin Ren’s expectations, this method wasn’t magic. In short, to break open space, one needed a powerful and meticulous imagination as well as a high level of mental focus.

Meiqiu was the first “God” to create a rudimentary passage.

When it discovered the appearance of the passage, it proudly moved its whiskers, but in the next moment, the passage burst like a soap bubble.

Dr. Cat’s ears drooped, and it tried again. The next vortex appeared just as quickly, but each time it transformed into the size of a walnut, the small vortex met its demise.

“Infinite Ability user, huh? No wonder your calculations and imagination are so astounding,” Qi Xin said, unfazed. “But your focus is too scattered.”

Meiqiu confidently retorted, “It’s not my fault.” It was a natural trait of its species.

After creating several passages, it showed signs of deflation throughout its entire body. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter if I never go back there anyway. I’m tired. I want to go back and sleep.”

Yin Ren beside it was speechless and choked up. At the moment, this cat seemed to be their best hope. Unfortunately, Dr. Cat’s temper was too foul, and they couldn’t force it to do anything.

“Think about your thesis,” the Great Celestial Master advised earnestly. “If you can’t go back…”

“I pursue knowledge to satisfy my curiosity, not to contribute to humans.” Meiqiu flicked its tail, sounding extremely disdainful. “Even if all humans were wiped out, I would still continue my research. Goodbye.”

With a flick of its paw, it disappeared effortlessly into thin air, presumably returning to its base.

Gao Mengyu’s cat looked on with wide eyes, and its two fleshy limbs once again kneaded the cat’s tablecloth. It seemed to hold great reverence for this “true cat”.

Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo and wanted to say something. Zhong Chengshuo, with his eyes tightly shut, seemed lost in thought, and it appeared it wasn’t suitable to interrupt him.

So Yin Ren obediently sat back in his original position, holding his breath and meditating.

He had imagination. His computational ability might not rival that of the “Infinite” cheater, but after studying magical arts for so many years, he could still be considered a genius. Yin Ren suspected that he had a similar problem to Dr. Cat—he was accustomed to being absent-minded, and over time, random thoughts were prone to naturally grow in his mind.

For example, at this moment, upon hearing Qi Xin’s “Hmm?” sound, Yin Ren couldn’t help but open one eye and sneak a glance.

The space in front of Zhong Chengshuo had changed.

Unlike Dr. Cat or Qi Xin, his vortex didn’t gradually expand. There was a sudden explosion, and a perfectly round, pitch-black hole appeared before him, resembling an alarmed eye.

“Old Fear… Are you calculating everything from the beginning?” Qi Xin clicked her tongue. “That’s also a method. Remember this feeling and maintain it.”

Zhong Chengshuo seemed as if he hadn’t heard her. He opened his eyes with his dull gaze fixed on the black hole about the height of a person in front of him. After hesitating for a moment, he stepped one foot into it.

Yin Ren couldn’t sit still any longer. “Hey!”

“Shh.” Qi Xin stopped him. “Let him go. If necessary, I’ll bring him back.”

Yin Ren said, “That’s not the issue—”

A thousand years ago, even when it was in a stage of confused thinking, the Black Rabbit would still hop around seeking liberation. Love stretched open a gap and spilled a large amount of flesh and blood in the Divine Descent twenty-nine years ago.

It was difficult to forcibly distort the laws of nature and come out unscathed.

Qi Xin glanced at Yin Ren, who had a worried expression on his face. “That’s enough. His current form is safer than yours. The power of ‘Fear’ won’t simply disappear. Since he has abandoned the offensive direction, his defense shouldn’t be lacking.”

“Have you ever seen someone riding a unicycle? As soon as Old Fear finds balance, if you jump onto his ride, both of you will be done for,” she added a final sarcastic remark.

Yin Ren made an effort to keep his feet steady, nervously staring at Zhong Chengshuo’s back. Like being swallowed by an upright dark pool, Zhong Chengshuo’s body was instantly engulfed by darkness.

“At most, five minutes,” Qi Xin said. “Don’t worry, a beginner can’t hold on for long.”

“Why?” Yin Ren asked.

“You’ll find out when you tear a hole yourself.” Qi Xin chuckled.

Zhong Chengshuo acted as if he didn’t hear Qi Xin’s comment, but just by looking at the scene before him, he knew that it wasn’t suitable to stay in this place for long.

Perhaps due to it being his first time, the interstitial space was incomplete.

It was like a scene with modeling errors. The abstract-colored Other Side was half-heartedly materialized, and while the tunnel remained, everything on the tunnel walls had completely changed—

Daily necessities, buildings, withered plants, animal carcasses, electronic machinery… Countless things compressed together. They wriggled in chaos, causing a headache to anyone who looked.

Zhong Chengshuo remembered that he had walked normally into the upright black hole. But upon arriving here, the black hole lay beside his feet, and the direction was a complete mess. Unidentifiable objects squeezed past his feet from time to time, desperately pressing against each other but without making a sound.

There was no light here, and the distant path led to unknown darkness. The surroundings were so silent that it felt as if hearing had been lost. Let alone creating a path to the human world, just maintaining a normal state of mind here was a difficult task.

However, someone’s mental state was exceptionally stable.

Zhong Chengshuo calmly watched the suspicious objects flowing by in front of him with only one thought in his mind—

Since the experiment had progressed, he needed to complete this attempt seriously.

He took a step towards a certain direction.

With reinforced imagination, the black hole at Zhong Chengshuo’s feet followed his every move, sliding over the uneven surfaces of objects. One step at a time, he gradually became more stable.

But his footsteps still made no sound.

Find the path to the human world… Find the path to the human world…

Zhong Chengshuo repeated this in his mind incessantly as the cluttered objects beneath his feet twisted crazily. Silence and chaos entangled each other, creating a strange sense of unreality in the entire world.

Taking step by step in this disordered place, both the concepts of time and space became chaotic. Just as Zhong Chengshuo was about to slow down and gather his thoughts again—

“Haa… Haa… Haa… Haa…”

A voice echoed from the depths of the clutter, sometimes distant and sometimes near.

The sound of human breathing.

Zhong Chengshuo suddenly stopped in his tracks. There was no sound in this place, so why was there this one sound?

Frowning, Zhong Chengshuo imagined poking the ground with a shovel.

Sure enough, there was still no sound.

“Haa… Haa… Haa… Haa…”

The breathing continued. In this chaotic and incomplete interstitial space, this breathing sound might be the only normal thing and also the most abnormal thing.

After half a second of contemplation while leaning on the shovel, Zhong Chengshuo calmly lifted the iron shovel.

……

The breathing sound moved slowly with the clutter. Over an hour passed, and Zhong Chengshuo finally dug out its source—

It was two young women.

One of them had a petite figure. She had short hair, and her eyes were tightly shut. She held a damaged laptop in her arms. After a quick observation, Zhong Chengshuo saw that half of her shoulder had been smashed into a pulp, and her blood had stained most of her clothes red.

A genuine serious injury. Her internal organs were relatively intact, but the wound would cause her to lose a significant amount of blood and die within a short time.

At this moment, her chest rose and fell laboriously, emitting slow breaths of “Haa… Haa… Haa… Haa…” as if in deep sleep.

The other woman held her horizontally. Her back was slightly bent, assuming a protective posture. She remained motionless, and it was unclear whether she was a corpse or a living being. The two individuals had been here for who knew how long, with the laptop and their flesh conjoined together; even their bodies showed a tendency to merge.

Zhong Chengshuo pried the mass of flesh with his shovel. The two individuals were merely stuck together and separate from the surrounding environment, which was a relief.

He changed his angle and made another shovel strike. Instantly, a thought entered his mind.

[Who?]

Zhong Chengshuo remained silent.

It turned out to be a living person.

Zhong Chengshuo pondered in place for a few minutes, imagining a large construction wheelbarrow. He carefully shoveled the person entangled in the various debris and forcefully stuffed them into the cart.

[Who?!] The shock in that thought grew stronger.

Unfortunately, Zhong Chengshuo’s heart was already fragmented, and he didn’t have the energy to engage in conversation. He made sure he had fully shoveled the person, not leaving any arms or legs behind, before carefully pushing the cart and moving away.

……

“How long has it been?” Yin Ren paced outside the black hole, feeling anxious. “Didn’t you say five minutes?”

“His passage was steady, without…” Qi Xin’s words were abruptly cut off.

Something emerged from the black hole.

A mass of bloody flesh wriggled out, and Yin Ren’s cry of pain built up in his throat. Before the shout could burst out, the true appearance of the flesh was revealed—

The mass of flesh belonged to two individuals stuck together.

This strange amalgamation was placed in the bucket of a construction wheelbarrow, pushed by Zhong Chengshuo. The person wore a serious expression and a “safety first” helmet on their head. It was unclear whether this was a deliberate imagination or an incidental detail.

“I didn’t find a path to the human world, but I dug up this.” Zhong Chengshuo introduced with solemnity. “Look, they’re alive.”

Qi Xin: “…”

Yin Ren: “…Cough, cough, cough!” His cry of pain turned into fitting coughs.

“That’s where the interstitial space is formed.” Qi Xin pinched her forehead in a frenzy. “How could there be living people inside?!”

Zhong Chengshuo paid no attention to her. “Yin Ren, come and take a look.”

“Wait.” Yin Ren hesitated for a moment, then imagined the infirmary at Shian.

Afterward, he approached Zhong Chengshuo and shifted his gaze to the mass of amalgamation.

In the bright and clean atmosphere of the hospital, that mass of flesh appeared especially terrifying. A membranous tissue with fine blood vessels enveloped the two individuals, and their bodies, along with the laptop, were intertwined. Blood vessels wandered on the surface of their bodies like roots.

“Haa… Haa… Haa… Haa…”

Yin Ren sensed a faint breath.

…Indeed, they were alive. The Great Celestial Master took a sharp breath and immediately began examining their hands.

One of the individuals, despite their deformity, seemed to be relatively unharmed. The other had severe injuries, with crushed flesh mixed with broken bones, revealing a dark red color. Fortunately, although their injuries were serious, on the Other Side, the situation wasn’t too dire. Unlike Meiqiu, this person could be saved solely through magic.

Yin Ren half-knelt beside the injured person, carefully casting healing spells.

Strangely, the injured person wasn’t responsive to the healing spells. A spell with full strength only had a ten percent effect on them. Fortunately, the Great Celestial Master’s power was measured in pounds, so Yin Ren ignored the minimal effect and continued to focus on the treatment.

Meanwhile, Zhong Chengshuo squatted on the other side of the wheelbarrow, vigorously searching for any clues within the mass of human amalgamation. Unfortunately, their clothes were torn, their pockets empty, and the laptop screen remained dark, providing no evidence of their identities.

Zhong Chengshuo exerted some force, supporting one person’s shoulder and reluctantly separating them slightly.

This time, he made a new discovery. There was something familiar clutched between the chests of the two individuals. Zhong Chengshuo imagined a pair of tweezers and diligently tried to pick out that object.

Two Shian ID cards fell with a clatter. The faces on the cards were distorted, the handwriting was incomplete, and everything was in disarray.

Zhong Chengshuo squinted and struggled to discern the information.

Fore■ Identification Department (A-level) – Science ■, Zhou■■; this card was hanging from the injured person, with most of the red mark on the card obscured by blood.

■ Identification ■■■ (A-level) – Non-Sci■ Post, Jiao Lian; the black mark on the ID card remained distinct.

“…Jiao Lian? Minister Jiao?” Zhong Chengshuo looked at the two masses in the small cart, tilting his head slightly. Jiao Lian, the head of the Foreign Object Identification Department. He had seen her before, but the Jiao Lian he knew didn’t have a human-like “face”, making it difficult to match her with the blurred female figure in front of him.

The masses didn’t react.

Zhong Chengshuo made a thoughtful exchange this time.

[Greetings, Minister Jiao.]

Zhong Chengshuo greeted slowly, taking a glance at Yin Ren, who was still working hard to treat the injured person, and trying to infuse a friendly smile into his thoughts.

[Zhong Chengshuo, science post of the Special Investigation Team Unit 9 of Shian. It’s a pleasure to see you again.]

The computer screen in the depths of the Shian Building’s special room suddenly flickered faster.

[Hello, Zhong Chengshuo.]

He received an affirmative response.

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Zhong: Professional at picking up people on the road √

Xiao Yin… After all, Xiao Yin was ultimately burdened by his overactive mind.

A giant cat god who’s slightly better than the cat god (×

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