Author: Kinky

Criminal Psychology Ch272

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Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

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

Chapter 272

Hongjing Municipal Bureau, Command Center.

The sound of ringing phones echoed throughout the room as nearly thirty police officers sat in rows, answering the latest news from various sources.

“Understood, is it on the main road in Meicun?”

“Connecting you to hotline three.”

“I’m sorry, this information is currently classified. We will inform you of any updates in a timely manner.”

They were like weavers sitting on a dense web of information, gathering and refining countless pieces of information, condensing them into concise and useful reports, and submitting them upward once again.

The hall was filled with bustling voices as the officers weaved and shuttled around. So much so that when the Provincial Bureau Chief accompanied by others arrived, no one paid excessive attention to him either.

The visitor was dressed in the simplest iron-gray overalls, with the cuffs and collar washed to a pale white. Paired with gray hair and the most ordinary gold-rimmed reading glasses, he looked no different from an old man taking care of his grandchildren on the street.

The only difference was that the old man looked weary, with traces of exhaustion around his eyes and brows. Yet, even so, you could still sense the authority characteristic of someone in a higher position from the gaze hidden behind the reading glasses.

In fact, if there were no special circumstances, the officers present would only be able to see this level of leadership on television throughout their entire lives.

Behind the old man were police experts, emergency response department specialists, medical department professors, and even Mr. Zhang’s dream mentor, Academician Zhang, following closely behind.

In the entire hall, the first to notice the situation was Comrade Zhang Xiaolong, the deputy head of Xing Conglian. A female officer stood up from her seat and saluted. She was about to inform the Chief of the situation when the old man waved to them, saying, “Please sit, do whatever you need to do,” before leading the massive entourage across the entire hall and arriving at the entrance to the command room on the innermost side.

A floor-to-ceiling glass partition separated the hall from the command room, like two separate worlds.

The noise from outside and the quietness inside formed a sharp contrast. In the spacious room, there was only Xing Conglian, sitting quietly in front of the TV, smoking and watching the news about the impending attack on Meicun.

The Provincial Bureau Chief thought of knocking on the door, but the old man stopped him. The group of people stared at the screen through the glass, as if watching a silent film.

The TV screen showed the tragic scenes from the Meicun clothing market. The incident happened during the peak period of shipping in the afternoon. The escalators were crowded with workers carrying large and small packages. Due to many blind spots in the surveillance, it was impossible to determine the exact location of the incident. Someone rushed to the escalator and madly rushed downward. As a result, the crowd pushed and fell off the escalator, resulting in trampling and crushing. The uninformed crowd desperately tried to escape but never made it out.

The camera panned across a brown blood stain from top to bottom, and children’s sandals were left on the railing.

There were no casualties in the footage, and the scene had already been cleared. Under the hazy white incandescent light, there were only large patches of disarrayed, colorful clothing, like soulless shells, drifting gently in the air.

The news footage ended, and only then did the old man push open the door.

On the LCD screen, the TV had already switched to the hospital. The host was reporting on the list of casualties and missing persons, and each name sounded extremely heavy.

Xing Conglian stood up to inquire, but when he turned around to see the old man, there was no surprise or shock in his gaze. He furrowed his brows, and his eyes were as deep as a pond.

“Minister Shen,” he calmly saluted the old man and then put his hand down. This attitude surprised many people around.

“Don’t waste time. We have already seen the latest briefings on our way here. Can you catch the criminals within 24 hours?”

Unexpectedly, the Minister was straightforward. He sat down with his entourage of experts around the circular table in the command room and spoke to Xing Conglian in such a manner.

“It’s difficult.” Xing Conglian only replied with two words.

“What do you mean?” The old man suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze sharp. “Facing so many victims, you’re telling me it’s difficult? If you can’t do it, get out of this position, and I’ll replace you with someone else!” The old man slammed the table, scolding him angrily.

Xing Conglian stood in front of the glass curtain wall covered with densely packed strategies and didn’t become fearful because of the old man’s anger.

The news was now interviewing eyewitnesses at the clothing market. A middle-aged woman covered in blood looked traumatized as she said, “I told them not to push, not to push, but nobody listened; everyone went crazy.”

Xing Conglian raised the remote control and lowered the volume.

“This isn’t a simple attack case,” Xing Conglian said.

The old man was impatient and asked, “I don’t need to hear the difficulty. When can we get Shen Lian’s confession?”

“Shen Lian’s confession may not be as simple as catching a criminal,” Xing Conglian said, showing no respect for the senior leader in front of so many people.

“Xing Conglian!” Minister Shen didn’t raise his voice, but real anger finally appeared in his eyes.

The chief secretary hurriedly signaled to the police captain in front of the glass panel.

However, Xing Conglian didn’t accept it. “There is no point in getting angry with me here.” He paused and said very clearly, “The criminals are just creating a time gap between us fully researching the drug and the huge social impact it causes.”

“Isn’t the current social impact bad enough?” Minister Shen said coldly.

“Compared to what they want to achieve, what we have now is just an appetizer.”

Xing Conglian’s voice had a metallic and deep quality, and he didn’t deliberately make the statement eerie, but it still sent a shiver down the spines of many present.

“What exactly are the criminals demanding? So far, no organization or individual has claimed responsibility for this matter.” Fearing that the old man might get a heart attack from Xing Conglian’s fearlessness, the head of the provincial department intervened.

“Demands?” Xing Conglian’s gaze turned cold. He turned around and wiped off a large area of useless water-based pen marks on the glass panel behind him, then wrote down the words in red.

The edges of the writing looked blurred, and the old man squinted.

Xing Conglian stopped and looked down at all the experts in the office. He said in an unprecedentedly cold tone, “Killing—what’s so remarkable about killing? His goal is to destroy people’s hearts.”

Many experts who were well-prepared with disciplinary knowledge were shocked by his words, but they quickly understood.

“The blind arbitrator talks about the purposelessness of natural selection…” Academician Zhang looked at the glass panel and said, “And… human evolution… morality, and genes?”

“Yes, genes.”

Xing Conglian calmly recounted Lin Chen’s views to them, saying, “More and more research has shown that antisocial personalities or some criminals may be born with criminal genes. For example, the warrior gene codenamed MAOA affects people’s brain neurotransmitters, making them emotionally abnormal, irritable, and difficult to control; or the mutant gene that produces a large amount of 5-H2TA receptors weakens the prefrontal cortex function, causing emotional disorders and impulsive behavior.”

Xing Conglian hadn’t finished speaking when he was interrupted.

“Genetic determinism is the most powerful argument for exculpating criminal behavior. How can a police officer like you endorse this view?” an irritable medical expert said.

“I don’t endorse it, but it is a view accepted by the criminal. Therefore, we believe that the mastermind behind all these events represents the criminal group and conveys two perspectives. First, all human behaviors defined as crimes are influenced by the brain, and the criminals do not need to take responsibility for their actions. And this is why he wants to develop and spread this drug that deprives people of their humanity.”

It was as if Xing Conglian was speaking on behalf of Lin Chen, who should have been the one to explain all this.

Emergency room footage appeared on the TV.

Even though the TV volume was already lowered to the minimum by Xing Conglian, the inhuman roar still seemed to permeate the screen and reach beyond the curtain.

“If the TERN isomer affects the human brain and causes people to commit crimes, can they avoid responsibility for their criminal behavior?” Xing Conglian asked, but he didn’t give anyone time to answer. “The answer is yes because we now classify all drug-influenced individuals as victims.”

He continued, “Furthermore, if a criminal takes the TERN isomer again and commits a crime, would they be exempt from punishment? The answer is very likely, as we cannot discern the details of how everyone is affected by the drug.”

“And if you think this is already a malicious intent, then the hidden problem of the criminals is even more deadly. In the mass panic incidents, a third scenario inevitably arises: many individuals not affected by any drug commit violations against others simply to protect themselves. Should they be held responsible for this?” Xing Conglian pointed to the TV screen and asked the most thought-provoking question. “If our answer is that we cannot determine or convict, then the criminals will ask this world—why should they be held accountable for their criminal actions?”

Xing Conglian’s presence was imposing, and his eyes revealed a cold and cruel gaze.

Someone immediately retorted, “The premise is flawed. The TERN isomer causes a specific situation, but under normal circumstances, people can control their behavior.”

“They believe they can’t; they are inherently psychopaths.”

“That’s sophistry. The law constrains human behavior, regardless of individual will. Whether you can control yourself or not has nothing to do with whether the law can constrain you!”

“Why should the law constrain me?” Xing Conglian questioned.

“Natural law, social contract…”

“I don’t care about society. I am an independent individual!”

“The essence of a person lies in their social nature!” an expert who argued with Xing Conglian shouted.

At this moment, Xing Conglian suddenly stopped.

He withdrew his previous aggressive momentum, lowered his raised finger, and looked into the distance as if peering through the long history. Calmly, he asked, “Then, what if social morality itself… is wrong?”

No one answered this question.

The room fell into a silence as dark as night, reminiscent of his mood when Lin Chen asked him this question.

Xing Conglian knew bringing up Lin Chen at this time was inappropriate, but it was also reasonable.

At that time, Lin Chen sat in the library with a calm gaze, explaining to him the terrifying thoughts behind all these events.

Lin Chen asked him, since people always like to dig deep and ask about the ultimate answer to the question of “why someone becomes a criminal”, what exactly is the ultimate answer?

Xing Conglian couldn’t answer, and he didn’t even want to hear Lin Chen’s response to this question.

Because Lin Chen’s contemplation on this question clearly pervaded the three long and gloomy years after Huang Weiwei’s death. It was the question that the mastermind raised and tormented his soul day and night.

What is morality?

Why are laws based on morality formed?

Why do people become criminals when they violate legal rules?

“If this were just an ordinary criminal, when he proves that we lack an objective standard for defining criminal behavior, he has already achieved his purpose,” Xing Conglian said. “But obviously, the criminals we are facing this time are ambitious. They are anti-society, not against the social system but against the moral principles that each of us relies on for survival.”

Since Xing Conglian had been confrontational, Minister Shen remained silent until now. The old man raised his head and slowly spoke. “If… social moral principles… are not trustworthy?”

“Yes, since everything is the result of random choices, there is actually no morality, no justice, no goodness, and no moral standards that we have constructed. Human nature is inherently selfish, and we can do whatever it takes for our self-preservation, so actions that align with our nature cannot be considered wrong and should not be punished.”

Though this idea was grand and terrifying, it also appeared ludicrous due to its grandiosity.

One of the strategy research experts sitting down couldn’t help but chuckle. “A fool’s dream, like ants trying to shake a tree. How can he prove human nature is selfish by spreading chaos and poisoning everywhere?” The middle-aged man pursed his lips and pointed at the TV. “The more he does, the more people stand up to prove he’s wrong.”

The news had moved on to the next stage, no longer reporting the chaos at the Meicun clothing market, but instead, it began to narrate the act of heroism that occurred at Meicun Train Station.

A young train station intern named Lu Xiaotian prevented a poisoning incident at the train station. However, due to ingesting too much of the drug, Lu Xiaotian suffered acute brain failure and was in critical condition.

The news report used extremely touching language, and in the corridor outside the hospital room, the reporter almost used all the honorable and righteous words to describe this young person who was only 22 years old.

While many in the command center showed pity in their eyes, Xing Conglian didn’t turn to look. He coldly interrupted the moment, saying, “You’re so stupid,” to someone.

A strategy expert slammed the table and stood up. His level was higher than Xing Conglian’s, so he confidently scolded, “Xing Conglian, who do you think you are? Until now, you haven’t explained anything logically. You’re just talking nonsense, and no wonder you can’t catch the criminals or extract confessions!”

With one hand in his pocket, Xing Conglian looked down at the strategy expert who questioned him not far away.

Actually, how could the culprit be without reason? With just a few words of verbal infringement, they managed to divide people who should have been united. Then, when it comes to life-and-death interests, who can guarantee that the moral values held by this society will not be shaken?

Xing Conglian said, “I call you stupid because you have seen the briefing, and you should know about the voting incident that happened on the Dark Web. So, do you think the culprit is just inciting chaos everywhere merely to satisfy the desires of some internet perverts who want to see violent and bloody events?”

“You!” The strategy expert was rendered speechless by the question. He then retorted, “And you also said he wanted to prove that people don’t need to be responsible for their criminal actions. But this kind of proof is meaningless in reality. The force of law is not determined by him. Even if he’s dissatisfied, he has to accept it!”

“I said this was just an appetizer.” Xing Conglian turned around and drew a map of the three provinces on the glass panel with a bright red water-based pen. “The appetizer proves his ability to threaten our social security. After widespread coverage in the news media and causing a sense of insecurity in all the masses, he can move on to the second stage.”

Throwing away the pen, Xing Conglian pointed to the map on the glass panel and asked, “Suppose this voting didn’t occur on the Dark Web. Suppose that in the real world, everyone has the right to vote. Each resident of the three provinces has the power to select the next target for the attack. What do you think would happen then?”

It was like a gale blowing or a thunderbolt striking.

This was Xing Conglian’s mood when he heard Lin Chen’s question. And now, in this simple command room, in front of the scrolling TV news, everyone finally understood his feelings at that time.

Shock, followed by being at a loss.

But Lin Chen’s questioning didn’t end there. He asked Xing Conglian, “Xing Conglian, have you ever thought that the problem I faced back then was just a tiny human nature experiment with no great social significance? But what if now, he wants every person to face the same human nature experiment? If every resident in the three provinces has the power to choose the next attack location on a city-based level, do you think this really won’t shake the moral principles that our society relies on?”

Lin Chen’s voice was calm and slow. Now, Xing Conglian also repeated Lin Chen’s words to the people at the highest level of this country.

However, just like back then, Xing Conglian was at a loss, and the weathered old man in front of him also began to panic.

Xing Conglian thought, yes, each of them always claimed to believe in human nature. But deep down in an area that was hard to speak of, they didn’t believe that justice could overcome evil, that goodness could defeat ugliness, or that some people could eventually triumph over others…

In fact, they didn’t even believe in human nature itself.

“This is a balancing game on a tightrope,” Lin Chen said.

Kinky Thoughts:

There are a lot of philosophical ideas here. The question of whether morality is inherent or learned is one of the main points, and such a question has been debated and theorized by countless philosophers and social scientists.

Personally, I think morality is simply a social construct. We have law and order only because there’s an inherent system already set up to satisfy the basic needs of human nature (food and shelter, which ultimately means survivability). Stability for these things supersedes everything else, so we can easily accept laws established through morality (in order to maintain the stability of our survival).

That is not to say that some people aren’t more “moral” than others. Chemicals in the brain and personality play a huge factor as well. Due to chemical imbalances, they can affect how people see morality and their actions.

Thus, the question is, can these people be held accountable for their actions if what they are doing is inherently because of their genes. In a moral and civilized society, yes, since they pose an inherent risk to others and, by extension, the stability of our survivability. The bigger question now is, due to criminal actions, innocent people are now driven to act irrationally, which is outside their control. Can they still be held accountable when they commit crimes during such acts? Such is the gray area…

But I digress…

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

Evil As Humans Ch230

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 230: Prelude to Chaos

“In the past few days, the sewer system has been explored by a C-level special investigation team. Starting from today, the B-level special investigation team will join the sewer system exploration operation, while the A-level special investigation team will be responsible for securing factory premises, government offices, and other important locations within the city. I will lead the Emergency Management Department for mobile support.”

“As for hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and other special facilities, they will be specially protected by the two leaders stationed in Yandu and Linnan.”

Fu Xingchuan stood in the Shian operations meeting room and spoke with a booming voice.

Underneath the stage, members of the Emergency Management Department and all the core members of the special investigation teams stood crowded together.

On the screen, the complete information of the corpse centipede was playing, along with the approximate model simulated by the Identification Department. The hideous model was slowly rotating in the middle of the screen while its estimated ability values flickered beside it.

Fu Xingchuan: “The corpse centipede has lost its intimidation effect. In order to reduce the burden, Xiang Jiang will definitely deal with it as soon as possible.”

Upon hearing the familiar name, there was a commotion among the people below the stage.

Fu Xingchuan: “I am familiar with his spellcasting style. Considering that Xiang Jiang has already sided with the Other Side but is still active in this world, we have reasonable suspicion that he is highly likely cooperating with the scum from Sunken Society.”

At this point, he paused meaningfully.

As for the unfortunate handling of those cursed arms, Fu Xingchuan still had no clue. He knew well that Love’s intention was to fully invade the human world, but he couldn’t reveal it at this moment—only questions without solutions would cause panic.

As a vulnerable human, all he could do was try his best to set up the layout in advance and give Sunken Society another big blow.

“Everyone is well aware of Xiang Jiang’s abilities. Currently, his level will only be stronger, not weaker. We must not take it lightly.” Fu Xingchuan’s tone was so serious that it was frightening. “The situation across the country isn’t optimistic, and once Xiang Jiang takes action, Sunken Society will not let go of this opportunity to stir up trouble. What follows is likely to be a tough battle…”

“Those people from Yandu and Linnan are still here. It’s been months already that even eighteen legs could be healed.” Wang Zhou, the science post of Special Investigation Team Unit 7, muttered quietly below the stage.

Since the incident in Shian’s competition and the uncontrollable situation in the abandoned building of the hospital, Special Investigation Team Unit 7 had been stationed at the Municipal Hospital in Haigu, responsible for patrols and guard duty.

Special Investigation Team Unit 7 spent their days eating hospital meals, staying in the special ward of Shian, receiving regular salaries, and living a boring and monotonous life. As time went on, Wang Zhou had the illusion that all members of Unit 7 were seriously ill and nearing retirement.

Li Xiaozhen and Li Xiaoli from Unit 6, who were severely injured, had been discharged from the hospital, while Unit 7 was still stuck there. The rookies from Unit 9 were promoted to a B-level investigation team, but Unit 7 was still lingering in the hospital. If it weren’t for the recall for the meeting, Wang Zhou suspected they would have stayed in the hospital indefinitely.

But now things were different. The hospital was under the responsibility of the ministers from the Shian branch, and they could finally get rid of the smell of disinfectant.

Even if their next destination was the sewer, it was still better!

Wang Zhou rolled his eyes. Sure enough, his partner, Bao Linlin, was also eager, her eyes shining. “We will definitely be the first ones to find that unlucky centipede.”

“Yeah,” Xiao Zhao, the rear commander, agreed softly. “I have confidence in both of you.”

“I heard that the previous <Approaching Science> plan was proposed by Unit 9. Speaking of which, it seems that Unit 9 isn’t involved in the investigation this time?” Bao Linlin scrolled through the list on her tablet. “The core partners, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, are on a long-term business trip out of town. They only have two metaphysical posts left, plus a rear command.”

“They’ll probably be temporarily assigned to another team.” Wang Zhou also leaned out to take a look. “Without a science post, they definitely can’t go on missions independently.”

Half an hour later…

“Without a science post, we can’t go on missions independently.” Huang Jin put on a polite fake smile and reached out his hand to Wang Zhou. “According to the arrangement, me and Ge Tingting will temporarily be attached to Unit 7. Pardon our intrusion.”

Wang Zhou: “…”

Wang Zhou wiped the sweat from his forehead. “In terms of power distribution, it’s not ideal for B-level officers to be attached to B-level teams…”

“This was specially arranged by Fu Xingchuan.” Huang Jin’s forced smile twitched a bit. “He said he had a hunch that our two teams were destined to be together and that we would definitely be the first ones to find the corpse centipede.”

Unit 7: “…”

They couldn’t tell whether they were being praised or insulted.

After the meeting ended in the early morning, before the sun had risen, the members of the B-level investigation team packed their belongings and headed to their respective assigned locations.

Xiao Zhao brought his equipment to Unit 9’s office and sat next to Lu Xiaohe. Ge Tingting, Huang Jin, Wang Zhou, and Bao Linlin formed a small team and headed straight to the old city district.

“I heard that your whole team went on a business trip, and you two came back early.” On the way, Wang Zhou tried to find a topic. “It’s quite rare in this situation. I hope you both are fine.”

Principally, members of the special investigation team had to act together. Wang Zhou could only think of unexpected injuries that required some members to return early.

“Nothing serious,” Ge Tingting replied fluently with the help of the AI. “Our mission is technically complete. Zhong Ge and Yin Ge still need to stay behind for some investigation work.”

For example, investigating the huge white web structure on the Other Side, or investigating their own biological species. They had heard about phenomena A-A0 “God”, which Huang Jin and Ge Tingting naturally had some knowledge of. Considering that Dr. Cat also belonged to this category, Ge Tingting remained calm.

Even if a Primordial Elemental fell from the sky and triggered a Divine Descent, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

“True, Xiao Zhong should also publish a paper.” The science post, Mr. Wang, who understood their focus, shifted to other matters.

Beside Ge Tingting, Bao Linlin happily chimed in, “I have a feeling that our mission this time will be very smooth.”

“Science post.” She pointed at Wang Zhou.

“Corpse servant, spirit smith, ghost master.” She pointed at Ge Tingting, Huang Jin, and herself, respectively. “Our team has the most diverse personnel, and we have two rear commanders!”

Huang Jin forced a smile in response.

At this point, there was nothing that could give him confidence in the mortal world. Poor Unit 7 still had no idea what was hidden behind Xiang Jiang and Sunken Society.

The car quickly arrived at their destination—Kaining Road in the Donghe District.

The faint morning light illuminated the area as the four of them carried their exploration equipment and disembarked one by one.

This used to be the office area of the old city district. Now, the aging buildings had relocated their businesses, and the remaining structures had either been converted into cheap apartments or left abandoned.

The sunlight was fragmented by the rows of buildings, casting beams of light onto the ground. Breakfast stalls were just starting to set up, and steam rose from the side of old, run-down shops.

Ge Tingting glanced around and bought a bunch of hot steamed dumplings. She divided them into bags for everyone, even giving one to the driver.

“I don’t know how long we’ll be down there. The sewer has a strong smell, so it’s better to eat more in advance.” She made a sincere suggestion.

No one objected, and Wang Zhou went to buy a bag of tea eggs and fried dough sticks. The four of them found a spot near the apartment complex’s grand entrance, which had a beautiful front garden.

Ge Tingting took a bite of the steamed dumpling, releasing a puff of steam. She looked up and caught a glint in her eyes.

The apartment building displayed the gilded characters: “Fanghua Apartments”. The gold coating seemed to have been recently restored—its shiny color contrasting with the nearby old residential buildings.

It seemed familiar, like she had seen it in the files. Ge Tingting swallowed the dumpling but couldn’t remember.

The temperature was low, so the breakfast got cold quickly. The group finished their meal with haste and arrived at the entrance to the sewer behind the building.

“Fortunately, it’s winter. If it were summer during heavy rain, who knows what it would be like.” Wang Zhou put on his mining headlamp, double-checked his gas mask and oxygen generator.

On the other side, Bao Linlin proficiently burned four talismans, sending her fierce ghosts ahead.

Ge Tingting was empty-handed—what the sewer lacked the least was the remains of small animals. However, just in case, she summoned a few dead stray cats and dogs to wait quietly by her feet.

Huang Jin expressionlessly slung his backpack over his chest, filled with tranquility talismans and explosive talismans. What Unit 7 didn’t know was that in a small pocket of his backpack, there was a small round ball.

“Puff…” The ball murmured melancholically.

“You can go down now,” Lu Xiaohe said. “The water level nearby is fine, and no toxic gases have been detected.”

“Roger.”

The four of them cautiously climbed down the ladder, gradually leaving the morning light behind as they descended into the depths of darkness.

Approximately three kilometers underground from this location.

The corpse centipede scurried through the pipes, and Xiang Jiang sat steadily in the gaps between several bodies, with Xiang Hai holding his neck from behind, muttering like a maniac.

Xiang Jiang didn’t wear any equipment; he just sat quietly, listening attentively, resembling a corpse among the bodies.

A faint smile graced his face.

……

Although Qi Xin agreed to cooperate, Meng Huai still refused to let Ms. Qi Xin enter the human stronghold. Yin Ren expressed understanding. For the sake of secrecy, he specifically imagined his favorite hot pot restaurant.

Thus, Qi Xin, holding a Lonely, sat in the empty lobby of the hot pot restaurant. The decoration here was all in vibrant red, which complemented the red hues at the corners of her eyes.

“A sneak attack on Love?” Qi Xin played with the limbs of the Lonely with her eyebrows slightly furrowed.

“This is about smothering danger in its cradle,” Yin Ren, sitting across from her, said. “Physically speaking.”

Beside Yin Ren, Zhong Chengshuo pushed his glasses up. “Qi Xin, I agree with your speculation. The body created by Love won’t be weak, and coupled with Yin Ren’s recent maturity, the gap in their abilities is still unknown. Currently, its body hasn’t fully developed, which is our best opportunity.”

His hands crossed on the table, attempting to create a serious atmosphere, but it was weakened by the festive music playing in the hot pot restaurant.

Zhong Chengshuo continued helplessly, “Yin Ren and I have verified that the central hemisphere of the white web absorbs the power of ‘Satisfaction’. That is Love’s ‘cradle’. If my speculation is correct, the other hemisphere should be in an interstitial space, near Love’s true body.”

Love was most likely in the interstitial space, most likely personally guarding its yet-to-be-developed body, awaiting the moment of becoming a “God”.

“I see.”

Qi Xin rubbed her chin.

“You, me, and Yin Ren—the three of us will deal with Love and her ‘cradle’. That would indeed give us the greatest chance of success.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “Yes, the three members of Shian will be rescuing the missing people from the outside. At that time, we can lend a hand and cut off Love’s emergency supplies directly.”

Qi Xin snorted, almost writing “I don’t care” on her face.

“We need to hurry.” Yin Ren ignored Qi Xin’s disdain and changed the topic. “Qi Xin, Love won’t trust you. Once she senses any sign of you betraying her, she will expedite the birth of her body.”

“You don’t have to tell me.” Qi Xin placed the small Lonely on the ground. “Then what are you waiting for? Go greet those humans quickly. Let’s go as soon as possible.”

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo exchanged glances.

Yin Ren wiped the smile off his face. “Ms. Qi, the situation is urgent. Chengshuo and I don’t have time to slowly explore our own abilities. However, there is one ability that we must learn first, no matter what.”

Qi Xin raised an eyebrow.

“We need to learn how to travel between the human world and the Other Side,” Yin Ren said. “Better safe than sorry.”

As an “elite miner”, Love had been wreaking havoc for so many years; its understanding of space was incomparable. When Love finally descended, it would seal off all gaps, trapping them on the Other Side.

“Do I look like Charon to you? I can only travel if there are gaps or passages,” Qi Xin sneered.

“Teach us that, and we’ll figure out the rest ourselves,” Yin Ren lowered his head. “We’re counting on you.”

“Fine.”

Qi Xin sighed.

“First, you need to find a naturally weak spot in space…”

……

As far as Yin Ren knew, there were four weak points in space in Haigu.

First, the passage to the Other Side in Shian was absolutely not viable. That was their escape route and couldn’t be messed up.

There used to be a gap in the back mountain of Haigu Secondary School, created jointly by Mr. Le and Love. It was considered enemy territory. There was also a gap in the abandoned building of the Municipal Hospital, but it had leaked too much Evil Force and had long been sealed off by Shian.

The only remaining location for a gap was near Fanghua Apartments—where Gao Mengyu’s cat had unfortunately stepped into a pitfall. It was completely natural and hadn’t undergone intense processing.

There was no better practice ground than that.

Half a day later, the three “gods”, Yin Ren, Zhong Chengshuo, and Meiqiu, stood in a row in a corner of the Other Side.

Meiqiu: “Why am I here too?”

“The nature of our bodies and abilities is quite different between us,” Zhong Chengshuo earnestly explained. “In theory, we all possess the potential of a Charon. But who will realize it first is still unknown.”

Meiqiu blinked its fourteen eyes and didn’t curse or grumble again. Converted into a new species with an extremely long lifespan, its recent mood was very good.

“Surely, I’ll succeed first.” Its tail stood straighter than ever.

In front of the three “gods” stood Qi Xin and Gao Mengyu’s cat.

Qiqi waved its fleshy limbs, swiftly gesturing around its body.

[I got stuck nearby.]

It shuddered, still feeling frightened, and pointed to a specific area.

[At that time, I was chasing after an “Annoyance” and suddenly bumped into an unfamiliar place. I struggled and squeezed through any openings I could find and ended up in the human world.]

[When my whole body entered the human world, I felt extremely uncomfortable. After Gao Mengyu moved me back, I found a gap in her living room and settled in there to recover… That place was indeed “soft”, so I could destroy it easily.]

Gao Mengyu’s cat explained with great effort.

[Good luck, everyone.]

The author has something to say:

Returning to Fanghua Apartments (×

Poor kitty, stepping into thin air.

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

Evil As Humans Ch229

Kinky2 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 229: Mature Body

After reporting their speculation to Shian, Zhong Chengshuo slept deeply.

He lay in a corner of the Other Side base with his head resting on Yin Ren’s leg and his ten fingers tangled in Yin Ren’s long hair. Yin Ren’s wounds had roughly healed, and he had temporarily stopped trading with the Lonelies, just staring out the window in a daze.

Outside the base window, snowflakes were falling, creating a flurry of snow. The distant scenery was blurred, with only the occasional snowflake hitting the window. The screens inside the base played scenes of winter in the human world, with a young Li Nian wearing a scarf appearing from time to time.

Most likely, it was Meng Huai’s memories, Yin Ren thought.

The temperature in the room had dropped, but it wasn’t as vivid as the real world.

Zhong Chengshuo’s breathing, on the other hand, was very distinct. He took off his glasses, his body rising and falling slightly, and his body temperature blended with Yin Ren’s. This person was sleeping so soundly that Fu Tianyi didn’t even dare to make too much movement while chopping up Elemental flesh.

As for the intimate behavior between the two, Zhong Chengfeng wasn’t surprised—she had determined that Yin Ren was “not human”, so Yin Ren’s gender seemed irrelevant. Moreover, this person’s face was truly captivating and very much in line with human aesthetics.

Considering that Zhong Chengfeng was his nominal older sister, Zhong Chengshuo had once wanted to explain seriously about their relationship, but this policewoman just waved her hand.

“What era is it? As long as you didn’t fall for Gao Mengyu’s cat, that’s enough,” Zhong Chengfeng said cheerfully.

Zhong Chengshuo: “…”

He silently returned to Yin Ren’s side, gently kissed his forehead, and then entered a day-long sleep.

……

Finally, his mind eased, and Zhong Chengshuo opened his eyes.

Yin Ren was still sitting in the same spot. However, he had imagined a pillow and blanket, and the two of them were snuggled together under the warm covers, giving off a slight indoor camping vibe.

Yin Ren was still looking out the window, where everything was covered in a hazy white snow. Those white hues imprinted on Yin Ren’s red eyes, transforming into reflections with window grids.

“What are you thinking?”

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t immediately get up.

Yin Ren withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes. A faint smile appeared on his face. “I’m thinking, why did you insist on becoming a ‘god’ like Love… What did you discover in it?”

“Its arm feels very similar to your arm,” Zhong Chengshuo replied frankly. “Do you remember what happened in the Archive?”

Yin Ren made a sound of agreement, his gaze softening.

“Lately, it’s been calm on the outside so there are more Lonelies that dare to go out.” Yin Ren continued, “But ‘Satisfaction’ was injured, and it’s still active as usual, just recovering very slowly.”

Zhong Chengshuo blinked. “Satisfaction? Are you saying…”

“A while ago, we were only focused on saving Meiqiu. Do you remember the reaction of ‘Satisfaction’ when it passed through the White Net? It seemed to be in pain.”

Yin Ren played with Zhong Chengshuo’s earlobe, pinching and rubbing the soft flesh.

“Now that Love is attempting to transform into an A-A0 ‘God’, it, like me, needs energy. Currently, there is no entity on the Other Side with a higher nutritional value than Satisfaction.”

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t say anything, his brows gradually furrowing.

“It’s really strange,” Yin Ren continued absentmindedly. “Satisfaction is clearly injured. Why hasn’t Qi Xin, that Other Side environmentalist, come forward to confront me? I thought she would quickly come to warn me—after all, the ‘Lonelies’ are crawling all over the place, and they can deliver messages.”

Zhong Chengshuo instantly realized. “She knows who did it… ‘Love’ has communicated with her.”

Saying that, Zhong Chengshuo casually pinched the tip of Yin Ren’s hair, quickly calculating in his mind. Yin Ren was currently the strongest “God” in terms of combat power, but this species had no precedent, and he might not be fully matured yet, so he wouldn’t act recklessly. “Love” was slightly behind, still in the process of transformation.

Now, Qi Xin was one of the only four remaining emotions. “Zhong Chengshuo is the smoke bomb, while Yin Ren is the cub.” She was well aware of this fact. Currently, Qi Xin was the biggest variable in this conflict.

Zhong Chengshuo looked at Yin Ren again, but at this moment, Yin Ren leaned down and covered Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes with his palm.

“We must deal with Qi Xin first,” Yin Ren said.

“I agree.” Zhong Chengshuo held the back of Yin Ren’s neck, adjusting their position slightly and moving Yin Ren’s hand back to his ear.

……

Qi Xin tightly shrunk her original form, wishing she could bury hundreds of layers of data within herself.

She didn’t immediately give an answer to Love, but even if she were to join forces with that smiling fox, Love might not believe her.

But Qi Xin knew in her heart that Love wasn’t lying.

The aura emanating from Love was very similar to when Yin Ren broke through the white net. Love probably realized something was wrong at that time… They were the same kind of thing, which meant Yin Ren might also prey on “Satisfaction”.

Neither Yin Ren nor Love were normal Primordial Elementals. Even if Yin Ren lost to Love, she wouldn’t necessarily be able to take control of Yin Ren’s power. And relying on Yin Ren’s victory, as Love said, that guy was born in the human world… Could he be trusted?

Qi Xin had thought that she could switch tracks, allowing fate’s train to crush Love with Yin Ren or even with herself. But now the situation was completely out of her control, and Qi Xin sadly realized that she had become a passerby like the butt of all human jokes.

She couldn’t arrange anything, and now it seemed that Love would be the one arranging her. That conversation that day was akin to a veiled warning.

But was it really good to let Love have complete control over the Other Side?

That guy probably wouldn’t kill Satisfaction but instead weaken it and artificially control its “birth rate”. Then, she would drive humans mad and make up for the parts suffering from famine. As for the human world, that was a separate matter, but for the Other Side, was this really a happy solution?

In the end, “Love” would replace “Fear” and “Satisfaction” and become the true God of the Other Side. It would carry a strong sense of love similar to that of humans and take over the next era of the Other Side.

Qi Xin always felt that something was off, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Well, there was no need to rush this matter. It could be pondered later.

Still, it was safe at home. Qi Xin sighed as she looked around her surroundings. This was her last stronghold, and only “Satisfaction” could find her. As long as she protected her core and severed connections in time, no matter how many times her avatars were destroyed, she would still survive.

As long as the green hills were preserved, there would be no shortage of firewood. Love and Yin Ren wouldn’t stop fighting just because they couldn’t find her. The more she thought about it, the more negative she became, and the core of Lady Sorrow was almost shrinking into a skeletal ball.

Maybe she should just hide until the end—

Old Fear, Zhong Chengshuo, was immortal, focusing all his abilities on defense. Yin Ren grew in the darkness, and Love was still hatching itself. Both sides were evenly matched.

Maybe she should opt for nonviolent non-cooperation. It would be best if Love and Yin Ren annihilated each other, and then she could come out to clean up the mess.

Qi Xin decided to start praying from now on.

However, deep within the depths of “historical consciousness”, peace seemed elusive.

Qi Xin squirmed in place, suddenly feeling something poking her. It felt like being gently scratched by a cat’s claw, with such a light force that it could be easily ignored.

It must be an illusion.

Qi Xin continued to huddle in the most remote corner of the Other Side, curling up tightly.

That poking sensation appeared again. Qi Xin became increasingly annoyed. She split off an avatar and patrolled around her main body. Not long after, she discovered the culprit—

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo stood hand in hand beside her core, looking like a pair of harbingers of death.

How can this be?! That was her second reaction.

Immediately, the idea of “main body exposure” hit her like a bucket of cold water, drenching her from head to toe. No, she couldn’t die. She couldn’t accept any mishaps.

Yin Ren was the monster she had personally brought to the Other Side, and Love was something she couldn’t comprehend. Her will to survive wasn’t that strong, but as the last Ancient Primordial Elemental, if she was eliminated, the Other Side would become a battlefield for the two monsters.

Since she couldn’t determine whom to bet her chips on, whoever posed a threat to her would be the enemy.

Qi Xin didn’t waste any words. The tightly curled skeletal ball instantly opened up, returning to its original form—

Countless dead bones intertwined with each other, forming a massive rib cage. It crawled on the ground like a mutated snake’s skeleton. Black and gray mist billowed around it, instantly shrouding the colorful Other Side in chaos.

In stark contrast to the white space of Love and Mr. Le, Qi Xin’s space was dim and gray.

Everything turned into a dark cave, and within the black mist, skeletal remains were revealed, petrified into cave walls. Things similar to stalactites supported the surroundings. When Yin Ren looked closely, he realized that they weren’t stalactites, but a tower formed by countless biological eyeballs.

Tears continuously fell from the tips, and from the depths of the cave, faint cries and sobbing could be heard.

The space of “Sorrow”.

Qi Xin’s avatar jumped up and stood at the top of the rib cage. In this eerie cave, the long snake-like skeletal cage slid silently, wriggling through different caves as if walking on level ground.

Yin Ren: “……”

He gently released Zhong Chengshuo’s hand, and the latter nodded at him.

In the next moment, the pitch-black wing clusters instantly unfolded. On the surface of the wing clusters, the red veil fluttered gracefully without any wind. Zhong Chengshuo tightly embraced the largest wing cluster under the red veil and carefully secured himself.

Qi Xin didn’t wait for Zhong Chengshuo to fasten his seatbelt. She dashed straight towards Yin Ren, with a resolute and sinister determination exposed from her old home.

This time, she didn’t hold back and used lethal moves.

Tears dripped from the stalactite-like eyeballs, and those tears were like poison. When Yin Ren came into contact with them, they instantly drained his strength. The giant rib cage formed by solidified bones grew from the cave wall and pierced Yin Ren’s body like a specimen, injecting a massive amount of sorrow.

Yin Ren awkwardly accepted the emotions.

The flames of Yin Village’s destruction, the desolation of old acquaintances buried by time, the ghost girl floating in the living room watching dramas, the intimate lover whose chest had burst.

The wing clusters were like sponges soaked with water, shedding many tears with each movement.

But Yin Ren’s actions didn’t slow down in the slightest. He quickly broke and fixed his own ribs, swallowing the broken pieces directly into his abdomen. The wing clusters on his hands quickly regenerated, with a bone-like luster on the surface.

Qi Xin nervously observed her opponent.

After recovering, the sea of wing clusters seemed to be pondering a difficult problem, continuously gathering and dispersing on its own. They were busy crawling, raising and lowering the red veil, as if trying to construct something. The most terrifying part was that the aura of that pile of wings was always well suppressed, clearly showing that there was still more power left.

Qi Xin felt a chill in her heart.

As expected, Yin Ren was still growing. For some unknown reason, he was toying with her like a cat playing with a mouse—up until now, Yin Ren hadn’t launched an attack on his own initiative.

If he truly was the cub of “Fear”, she would at least know his limits. Now facing this monster-like entity draped in a red veil, Qi Xin could only feel a deep, genuine fear.

Regardless of why the other party hadn’t made a move, she couldn’t let go of this opportunity.

Qi Xin focused her energy, causing the entire cave to writhe. The stalactite-like eyes became jagged fangs, instantly biting the black mass into several large chunks. The wing clusters trembled in pain, but they didn’t give up their efforts to crawl and stack, persistently converging in one direction.

She couldn’t let them come together!

Qi Xin clenched her teeth tightly, and then the rib cage fence repeatedly crossed the scattered wing clusters. Qi Xin attempted to consume a part of Yin Ren, but this substance was different from the flesh manipulated by Old Fear. They were too lively, and their intense energy almost burned through her body.

Even so, Qi Xin endured the pain and tore and bit, trying to separate the wing clusters further and further.

However, those wing clusters remained interconnected. They pulled strands of viscous threads, flowing like oil down the skeletal rock walls, relentlessly gathering together. The more they gathered, the larger they became, with a beautiful red veil spreading on the surface.

That red color emitted a faint glow, piercing the dim environment.

As the wing clusters gathered, the speed of the rib cage’s movement became faster and faster. Fragmentation, contamination, impact on consciousness—Qi Xin brought out all her special abilities, just to make that hint of red disappear from her territory.

But it was born again and again in the darkness, like an extinguishable ember.

[So that’s how it is.]

While Qi Xin quickly pondered her strategy, a vague consciousness intruded into her mind.

[Thank you, I’ve come to understand something again.]

Qi Xin: “…?”

Before she could react, countless wing clusters seemed to be injected with vitality, rapidly converging at an unprecedented speed. They gathered together, and the surface of the clusters fluttered with the red veil, giving them a somewhat tomb-like appearance.

Then, the shape of the tomb changed.

A blurry silhouette emerged from under the red veil, resembling a human skeleton. The red veil fluttered, and the skeletal figure knelt within the wing clusters.

Qi Xin wanted to rush over, but she was overwhelmed by the imposing presence that felt tangible, unable to approach.

Something emerged from under the red veil.

First, hands covered in black and gray scars and black fingernails. Then, four fair and beautiful arms followed. They extended from under the red veil, leading to the abyss of darkness hidden beneath it.

Under the red veil, the soft wing clusters stuck to each other were revealed. They fluttered and flapped energetically.

Zhong Chengshuo clung tightly to one of the wing clusters, silently observing everything.

‘It really resembles it,’ he thought.

Back in the Archive, Yin Ren nearly lost control and turned into a monstrous being. The current monster still retained its beauty, but there was an additional sense of strange order in its form. Only four of the previously chaotic arms remained, gracefully crossed in front of its body. The wing clusters were pitch black and lacked any luster, much larger than their translucent counterparts.

The red veil still covered the upper body of the human-like figure, concealing Yin Ren’s face.

The transformation was still ongoing.

The red veil gently undulated, forming milky-white bubbles with a faint golden hue on the surface. They were about the size of a fist, exuding a graceful translucent texture. These bubbles pierced patterns on the surface of the red veil, like pearls adorning it.

A crimson glow emanated from the darkness, and at the edge of the red veil, fourteen points of light appeared.

With the emergence of the light, various incomprehensible decorations appeared on the red veil. Some resembled spider legs or xanthium, while others looked like jellyfish adorned with insect limbs… They were small in size, entangled with each other, transforming into exquisite decorations on the red veil.

Swish, swish…

…Jingle.

Finally, what appeared on the red veil was a white substance with patterns resembling brain matter. They gathered at the “top” of the red veil, forming a huge bell with a silver luster, hanging above the humanoid figure’s chest.

Jingle, jingle.

With the movement of the humanoid figure, it emitted a wonderfully beautiful sound.

‘…That’s a truly beautiful monster,’ Zhong Chengshuo thought. It was even more beautiful than when he last saw it.

A monster that belonged to him.

“What the hell is this?!” Qi Xin kept trying to get closer, but the ongoing transformation made her feel uneasy.

Zhong Chengshuo glanced at her and couldn’t help but curl his lips.

He knew the answer.

And she would know it too.

Finally, just before Qi Xin could turn herself into Love #2, the transformation was complete.

A giant humanoid figure knelt silently before her. It was adorned with intricately decorated and mysterious red veils, with its four arms crossed, and below the waist, it transformed into scattered yet orderly clusters of pitch-black wings. It had a human-like shape, but whenever the red veil fluttered, only darkness was revealed beneath.

The imposing presence emanating from this entity was something Qi Xin had never experienced before.

She had encountered “Fear” in the past, but “Fear” never instilled such a strong sense of danger in her. Facing this entity, her perception was akin to a mouse encountering a cat; it was like humans encountering aliens.

Terrifying, dangerous, and incomprehensible.

…There was no other choice. She must escape.

Qi Xin quickly gathered herself. She had to lure this entity over to Love’s white web. Yes, that’s what she would do.

She stared intently at the quiet monster as the illusions around the cave quickly dissipated. However, just as she was about to make her move to flee, the monster slowly extended its hand—

Its two arms formed a gesture of “stop,” while the other two formed a heart shape.

Qi Xin: “…”

Did it mean to make her heart stop? But she didn’t actually have a heart.

Seeing the illusions becoming more chaotic and confused, the monster immediately adjusted its actions, changing the gesture from a heart shape to an “OK” sign.

[Wait, I have something to say!] A stronger mental message came from Yin Ren’s side, momentarily stunning Qi Xin.

She calmly assessed the situation. She wouldn’t fall for such a trick. The space in front of her twisted frantically, on the verge of turning into a vortex—

“Zhong Ge, don’t just stand there! She’s getting away—”

A human voice came from under the red veil, and Yin Ren freed one of his hands, patting the ground in urgency.

Zhong Chengshuo calmly took out the Karma Lantern.

He glanced at the wick, and in an instant, it ignited. The gentle crimson light exploded, casting a red glow on Zhong Chengshuo’s white sweater, adding a touch of warmth to his skin, flickering on his eyelashes.

Only those pitch-black eyes remained the same, as black as void. However, at this moment, those eyes were looking at Yin Ren, exuding a lively and vibrant smile.

The radiant glow, like an evening sunset, scattered all around, instantly engulfing the surrounding black and gray mist. The once colorful Other Side turned into a fervent shade of red in an instant.

Qi Xin was naturally enveloped in this overwhelming red light.

She hadn’t experienced this feeling in many years.

Every time the daylight belonging to “Satisfaction” ended, the black night of “Fear” would engulf everything. If “Satisfaction” was like a gentle warm breeze brushing against her body, the approaching “Fear” felt more like ice, freezing everything in their tracks.

That was the exclusive power of “Fear”, the most primal and dominant.

Compared to the feeling in her memories, the power Zhong Chengshuo now possessed hadn’t weakened but rather strengthened.

Indeed, Yin Ren was a bona fide monster, and “Fear” had never stepped down from its position; it had only been driven to the mortal realm…

Qi Xin felt disheartened.

Zhong Chengshuo clearly focused all his abilities on defense, yet somehow he regained this deadly power. It didn’t matter if he lacked offensive capabilities; with Yin Ren standing beside him, these two beasts could unleash havoc on the Other Side at any time.

Knowing these secrets, her chances of survival were slim.

Perhaps the annihilation of the Other Side was inevitable. Qi Xin sat despondently on top of her true self, quietly waiting for the end to come.

But right before her eyes, Yin Ren rapidly shrunk and transformed back into his human form. He looked quite exhausted and collapsed onto Zhong Chengshuo, who held him securely, with the lantern in his other hand.

“Sure enough, I guessed right.” Yin Ren had a happy expression.

“Yeah, you were amazing,” Zhong Chengshuo seemed like he wanted to applaud, but his hands were occupied. He could only lean his head sideways and rub against Yin Ren as a way of caressing him.

“Unfortunately, we were a little short.” Yin Ren’s face drooped. “This could be considered successful growth, possessing power but lacking skill… Later, I’ll go near the white web to explore. Let’s formulate a battle plan.”

Qi Xin: “…” You want to hang out before killing me?

“Don’t be too hasty. That attack just now must have depleted you,” Zhong Chengshuo whispered.

He wanted to feed on her to replenish himself, right? Qi Xin sighed inwardly.

“Oh, I’ll go hunting and exchange food with the Lonelies.” Yin Ren waved his hand. “They like hoarding food, so they’ll accept whatever is given.”

Qi Xin: “?” These two still didn’t possess a murderous aura. Amidst her desolation, a faint trace of anger emerged.

They whispered to each other for a while, and Yin Ren regained some strength. He left Zhong Chengshuo’s embrace and staggered towards Qi Xin.

“I’m sorry.” He lowered his head. “I didn’t mean to scare you—if I didn’t do that, you wouldn’t have put forth your full strength to deal with me.”

Ms. Qi, who always left herself ten thousand ways out: “…”

What kind of act is he going to put on now?

“‘Love’ has approached you, and we are aware of it. If I’m not mistaken, you’re probably still undecided, waiting for us to fight until we both suffer. Unfortunately, I don’t want to take such a risk.”

Yin Ren smiled faintly.

“Now, you should know whose side to lean towards.”

Could she still survive this?

Qi Xin forced herself to continue thinking. “Given the current situation, I’ll be direct. ‘Love’ may not necessarily be weaker than you.”

“You belong to the same category, and it happens to be in its prime in the mortal realm. The Great Celestial Master needs the cooperation of countless ghosts to seal the Evil Spirits. The body she created will surely not be inferior to an Evil Spirit… You only have the advantage of being ‘born’ earlier.”

Yin Ren remained silent.

“I’m not insinuating that your camp ‘can’t do without me’. I’m speaking the truth, and you should know,” Qi Xin added as coldly as possible.

“Do you know why we were able to find you so quickly?”

Amidst the fiery red light, Yin Ren looked up at Qi Xin on the pile of bones. He maintained his smile and evaded the question.

Qi Xin choked for a moment; she was also incredibly curious. She had finally found this secluded place after hiding for thousands of years, but she was suddenly discovered.

“It’s because I understand humans,” Yin Ren said. “Among a thousand thoughts, everyone has some impression, but they will always discard them and remember only certain things.”

For example, memories filled with pain, mundane moments, forgotten knowledge… or the history of humanity.

But the former was too fragmented and scattered to accommodate Qi Xin, the great Buddha. As for the latter, after numerous embellishments, it existed ambiguously in everyone’s mind.

That might be the most rugged and secretive part of all the “data” created by humans.

“But this place is very large.” Qi Xin pursed her lips, finding it hard to accept this explanation.

Yin Ren silently took out his phone, and as soon as it saw Qi Xin, the battery, which was originally full, quickly drained, and the phone automatically shut down.

“As long as you find the right place and detect the ‘unease’ on the scale of major Elementals, it’s not that difficult.”

Qi Xin: “…”

If only she had eaten this Dog Thing back in Gengsheng Town.

…But she had indeed been seen through by this person. All in all, she couldn’t argue that she hadn’t lost.

Qi Xin: “Stop beating around the bush and speak directly. What do you really want to express?”

Yin Ren focused his attention, and the red veil danced as the monstrous creature reappeared from within the red light. The creature extended a hand and gently took the lantern from Zhong Chengshuo, who was holding it. Then, its head turned towards Qi Xin. Although covered by the red veil, Qi Xin could still feel its intense gaze.

“I understand humans,” Yin Ren said softly.

During the incident in the Archive, in his dying moments, his body only displayed three distinct emotional states.

“Fear” was the basis of his power, “Disgust” was stirred by the illusion of Yin Village, and “Love” was for Zhong Chengshuo. In the eve of his bodily collapse, they blended with the impression of the Great Celestial Master himself, accumulating in a chaotic tumor-like mass.

So, what would happen if he consciously understood and controlled these emotions? But mere imagination wasn’t enough; the force was still too weak. He needed stronger stimulation, a more dangerous situation, to force his instincts to emerge.

Qi Xin was the most suitable choice.

Yin Ren had an intuitive confidence in the existence of this ability. Unlike the Elementals that lived off emotions, lacking understanding of the why, he had a deeper understanding of “emotions”.

After all, he was fundamentally human.

“I understand love, hate, joy, and sorrow. Satisfaction, fear, passion, sadness… even loneliness and unease, I have experienced them all, and I know what they feel like.”

“But you all are just… you.”

Qi Xin had nothing to say.

She naturally understood. The understanding of Elementals towards humans was mostly limited to the type of emotion they had experienced themselves. As for other emotions, they had simply thrown them to the Other Side to other Elementals.

But those were not human emotions. Even Zhong Chengshuo, who was the apex of the Elementals, appeared confused and clumsy in the face of human emotions.

“‘Love’ can’t become like me. But I have personally experienced what happens if ‘Love’ loses control.”

Seeing that Qi Xin remained silent, the monster beneath the red veil spoke again, with a hint of laughter in its tone.

“Miss Qi Xin… no, Sorrow, among the four major Primordial Elementals, you are the one who understands the decline of the current situation the most. You should also know that the Other Side of today can never return to the way it was before. Whether ‘Love’ is sincere or fake, the phantom she chases is destined to be unattainable.”

The colossal monster extended a hand.

“And pursuing a past that no longer exists will only lead to madness. Well, at least for humans.”

“While that may be true, you don’t care about the Other Side.” Qi Xin’s brows furrowed, a hint of hesitation in her expression, “If—”

“Yes, yes, yes, I don’t care. But finally, we’ve reached this point.”

Yin Ren tinkered with the bell hanging on his chest, and with a jingling sound, ripples spread through the red light.

“Before, you supplied goods for Sunken Society’s research, and now you can supply goods for Shian. The path is already paved.”

Qi Xin frowned. “Why do we have to—”

Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly choked and looked at Yin Ren in shock.

“I have zero interest in your Other Side, but I want to live in the human world. To live well, I need money,” Yin Ren expressed sincerely. “Shian will provide you with funding and rewards. You can hire the two of us to work on the Other Side.”

Qi Xin: “…………”

She understood that only interests were eternal, but she never expected that Yin Ren’s “interest” would be so literal and devoid of any dilution.

Qi Xin felt a headache coming on. “Is that it?”

Yin Ren’s voice became even more sincere. “Yes, that’s it.”

Qi Xin: “I’ll think about it.”

“No, I want an answer now.”

“…I’ll side with you.” Qi Xin squeezed out her response through clenched teeth.

Well, the plan hadn’t changed after all. She thought numbly.

Let’s see how far things would develop.

……

“In recent days, workers discovered a potent hallucinogenic mold in the sewers of Haigu…”

“The ‘corpse centipede’ monster witnessed by hundreds of people doesn’t actually exist. The sewers in the old city district appear to have a malfunction, with garbage entangled in clusters…”

“Our city will conduct a comprehensive inspection and maintenance of the sewer system in the near future. We ask for everyone’s cooperation…”

The voice of the host continuously drilled into his mind. Xiang Jiang raised his hand and turned off the TV directly.

Indeed, Shian had counterattacked, and in such a clumsy way. Xiang Jiang didn’t have any thoughts about it. He knew that this day would come sooner or later—Fu Xingchuan wouldn’t just sit and wait for death. No matter how ugly the tactics were, that man would shamelessly employ them.

Now, the mountain village that had ruined their family’s life had already received punishment.

But the person who caused his brother’s unjust death and transformed into a vengeful ghost was still living peacefully in the city.

That wouldn’t do.

“Hey, it’s me… Yeah, I know. I saw the news just now.”

Xiang Jiang dialed Shen Mo’s phone.

“Since the centipede is no longer useful, I’ll take care of it properly.” He lifted his clouded eyes and looked at the turned-off TV. “Don’t worry, I won’t let it rest in peace.”

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

Full Server First Kill Ch16

Kinky2 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 16: Falling

“Did you feel anything unusual?” Teest asked with enthusiasm.

Nol clenched his fists. His well-cultured demeanor forced him to maintain his composure—this was the millionth time Teest had asked him that. Teest had taken him around the City Lord’s mansion twice, as if he wasn’t a Lich but a corpse-sniffing dog.

“There are quite a few dead people around so it’s hard to tell,” Nol replied with a straight face. Whitebird City had stood for hundreds of years. Which household wasn’t near a few buried corpses?

“Oh…” Teest’s shoulders sagged in disappointment.

“Also, there are magical disruptors in that mansion. I need to get closer to sense properly,” Nol added.

“We should be at least 70-80% sure before we go in,” Teest said, twirling the ivy on the fence of the mansion. “If the City Lord really is involved in something, we could easily alert him.”

Nol couldn’t help but smile, showing Teest “The Complete Recipe Book” he held.

The ground was teeming with Investigation Knights, and having a notebook made of dragon skin was too conspicuous. So Nol used a unique skill inherent to his bloodline—wrapping the book cover.

He took the cover of “The Complete Recipe Book” he bought in a magic shop and wrapped it around the Dragon Corpse Notebook. Given that Teest claimed to be a cook, holding a recipe book seemed reasonable.

Amid Teest’s puzzled gaze, Nol flipped to the second page of the notebook.

[Hiding in the Shadows: Consumes 2 MP per minute. Conceals a specific object within a 100*100*200 (cm) space.]

Before heading out, he had specially prepared this new invisibility spell. The spell had low consumption and was effective, with only one drawback.

“Do we really have to do this?” Teest asked deeply.

“My magic power is limited,” Nol stated confidently. The invisibility spell’s mana consumption was calculated by space, which was even more aggressive than the rent in City A. What could he do?

Now, with Teest’s hands resting on Nol’s shoulders and the two of them standing front to back, their proximity was extreme. They moved in sync like Siamese twins, as if playing a game of tag with an invisible opponent.

“If you have a way to conceal your breath, I suggest you use it,” Nol advised as they approached the back door of the mansion.

He knew that the Fallen Knights had a skill called “Breath of the Despicable” that could eliminate their presence, which was essential for backstabbing.

Teest nodded listlessly, and the two, like a clumsy gust of wind, stumbled into the mansion. Unfortunately, there were more obstacles inside than they had anticipated.

Whitebird City wasn’t big. Lord Swain would spare two hours out of his day to meet commoners. Here, “commoners” mainly referred to homeowners and legitimate businessmen.

However, times had changed. The City Lord was fully invested in finding his daughter. Even the dirtiest beggar or wandering fortune teller could meet him if they had information.

There was a long line outside the City Lord’s office, everyone wanting to get some gold wheels. Nol and Teest had stealthily stepped on many toes before finally squeezing into the office.

The City Lord’s office was well-lit, with a row of large windows overlooking the forest, clear sky, and two adjacent snow-capped mountains. One side of the room was filled with books on shelves, all dust-free, indicating frequent usage.

Despite it being summer, a fireplace burned in the room. Small fragrant logs slowly turned to ash, filling the room with an invigorating scent.

After sneaking in, the two found a corner and focused on the main figure in the room.

Lord Swain sat at his desk, surrounded by piles of documents, looking weak and worried. An elderly servant was the only other person in the room, attending to the door as per the City Lord’s instructions.

“Next,” Lord Swain said with a cough.

“Next!” The old servant opened the door wide and shouted—this was how Nol and Teest had slipped in earlier.

The next person to enter was someone they recognized.

“Good afternoon, honorable Lord Swain.”

Chef Kurt stood nervously in the center of the room, still dressed in his finest attire. This time, he wore a comical hat, holding it against his chest, making an effort to bow.

“I, Gbagbo Kurt from Palm Street, am here to submit a relocation application,” he said carefully. “My wife, our daughter, and I wish to leave Whitebird City.”

“Reason?” Lord Swain looked up, pausing his writing.

A hint of joy appeared on Kurt’s face. “The Alva Merchant Group has officially hired me. They especially like my peach cake and want to collaborate long-term. They mentioned providing housing for us in Grape Collar. I think—I think this is an opportunity, given recent events in my household…”

He swallowed, not finishing his sentence.

“Of course, I remember the Kurt family,” Lord Swain said, setting down his pen and clasping his hands together. “I’m very sorry about your son. Leaving Whitebird City is good for you.”

Mr. Kurt bowed even lower.

Lord Swain searched in his drawer for a moment, then stood up.

“Whether one is a lord or a chef, the feelings of being a parent are the same,” he said, approaching Kurt and sighing deeply. “This is a small personal token from me, hoping you’ll have a smooth life in Grape Collar. You deserve better.”

He handed Mr. Kurt a small cloth bag, and Nol heard the faint jingle of coins.

“Thank you, oh heavens, thank you.” Mr. Kurt’s eyes welled up. “Praise the Goddess. May she calm all calamities with mercy.”

Lord Swain patted his shoulder.

[Perhaps the Lord isn’t as bad as we thought.] Nol communicated telepathically. [At least Mr. Kurt won’t have to worry about his daughter’s tuition anymore.]

[I find him even more suspicious now,] Teest responded. [If he really cared about the Kurt family, he would have shown it earlier—I don’t believe he wasn’t aware of their situation—yet he waited until Kurt found a way out, then gave him some money. Now the Kurt family will be too grateful to inquire further into the cause of their son’s death.]

[…The cause of Kurt’s son’s death?]

[While you’re busy corresponding with the witch, I have to find things to do too.]

Teest stretched his arms, leaning against Nol.

[From what I gathered, 14 days ago, Young Kurt disappeared from Whitebird City. The restaurant owner said he went to Dogtooth Bay; five days ago, he was killed by the Eternalists. The Investigation Knights witnessed him being blown to bits from afar… In those nine days, no one saw him. And the restaurant owner happens to be an Eternalist. Honesty isn’t their virtue.]

Nol frowned. [Continue.]

[To kill just an ordinary person, the methods of the Eternal Church seem quite exaggerated. It’s more like they’re trying to create a distraction. Otherwise, why meet right under the noses of the Investigation Knights? They could have waited.]

The thought was indeed a bit peculiar. Nol pondered for a few seconds. [You’re saying the Eternal Church intentionally exposed their own member to fake the death scene of Kurt’s son?]

He wasn’t used to such cold calculations.

[That’s my guess,] Teest said. [Now that the City Lord is seemingly helping them keep quiet, I have to be suspicious.]

Although Nol also had doubts about the City Lord, he was still taken aback by Teest’s thoughts.

In Nol’s view, the death of Kurt’s son might have been a hasty act by some minions of the Eternal Church. Lord Swain, being late to offer coins, might just be unaware or preoccupied. He hadn’t considered this… cunning angle.

Teest’s thinking was sharp, with a touch of darkness.

Before, as soon as his bones had fully grown, Teest had changed his address from “Mage” to “Mr. Mage”. He obviously knew how to determine the gender of a skeleton… What does this guy do in the real world?

[It makes sense, but unfortunately, we have no evidence,] Nol concluded after Mr. Kurt left the room. [If the City Lord really has issues, he certainly knows how to handle the Investigation Knights. I assume he’s already disposed of the evidence.]

[Trust me, this guy definitely has vulnerabilities.] Teest thought with amusement.

[How can you…] Before Nol could finish asking “be sure“, he suddenly felt a strong scent of death.

In the room, Lord Swain took out the silver flask given to him by his daughter and took a sip.

From the narrow, dark mouth of the flask, a chilling scent of death overflowed. Nol quickly covered his mouth to prevent a retch.

It was the smell of a dead person, and overwhelmingly so.

Whatever was in the flask wasn’t just mixed with human remains; it smelled like a whole body—fresh, cold, and intact.

But how can an entire person fit into a small flask?

Once the flask was closed, the scent vanished as if it had been an illusion. Under the sunlight, the angelic engraving on the flask shimmered. Lord Swain closed his eyes, swallowing and sighing, clearly savoring the moment.

Noticing Nol’s reaction, Teest’s amusement grew. He leaned closer to Nol’s ear—even though they were communicating telepathically at the moment.

[You see, they are, after all, followers of a wicked cult,] he thought, almost whisper-like. [People always say that when you love someone, it cannot be hidden… I say, the same goes when you love a god.]

……

Upon returning to the City Lord’s mansion, the two decided to brazenly enter through the front door. After all, with everyone and their pet cat or dog present, they wouldn’t stand out too much. Nol’s MP was tightly stretched. He couldn’t sustain the invisibility spell recklessly.

As the two leisurely ascended the staircase, they communicated telepathically.

[Ah, I’d really like to tip off the Temple about this intelligence.] Teest walked behind Nol, muttering in his thoughts. [It would be delightful to watch them fight while we stand by.]

Nol wholeheartedly agreed. If the Temple of Life was righteous, then it would be a battle of good against evil. But if they couldn’t be trusted, watching the factions bite at each other would be entertaining. They might even benefit from the chaos.

Ideally, that would be perfect. However, reality was less forgiving. Given the matter involved the City Lord and a sinister cult, even if they reported anonymously, the Investigation Knights would still trace the source.

Nol didn’t want the Temple’s attention. Going by Teest’s sentiments, he didn’t want to be widowed at such a young age either, fearing the system might inflict some debuff on him.

[We’re already here. Let’s think positively.] Nol murmured, [The City Lord won’t be too wary of us right now. We have plenty of time to investigate thoroughly and might find a better solution.]

[We’ll need to find a way to stay at the City Lord’s mansion then.] Teest pointed out.

[Yes, let me think…] Nol started brainstorming.

At that moment, Teest, walking behind, suddenly halted. Before Nol could react, Teest began to fall backward.

Nol’s heart skipped a beat.

For a split second, time seemed to stretch endlessly—Teest’s face held a smile, his silver hair spreading out as if he was sinking underwater.

Nol instinctively reached out, managing only to graze a strand of Teest’s hair. The cold hair strand slipped through his fingers, leaving his palm empty.

Teest plummeted, rolling down the staircase before crashing at the turn. Blood began to spread on the carpet, staining his silver hair.

The entire ordeal lasted mere seconds. If this were a scene in a film, the protagonist would surely be doomed.

“Teest!” An aghast Nol almost forgot to breathe. As he hurriedly descended the stairs, he prepared a healing spell—

[Don’t heal me. I’ve got this.] Teest’s calm thoughts reached him. [Now, we have a reason to stay.]

[What kind of rotten idea is this?] Nol thought bitterly. [We agreed to investigate together. I’m still going to heal you. If you recover too fast, it’ll raise suspicions.]

When they previously rescued the young knight, Teest’s excuse was that he “happened to have a healing potion.” That wouldn’t work this time. Claiming to possess another expensive healing potion would make them look suspicious, especially to the Temple’s Investigation Knights.

With half-closed eyes, Teest looked over. His eyes, obscured by blood, glimmered. As he gazed at Nol, the latter returned the stare intently.

[A rotten idea? My dear Mr. Mage, how could you think so?]

Weakly turning his head to the ceiling, the metallic scent of blood became more potent, yet Teest’s eyes remained mischievous.

[After our investigation, I can replicate this injury. No one would be the wiser.]

[This is clearly the best idea.]

The author has something to say:

Nol: Instantly check marital partner’s mental state.jpg

Teest: *:(^ω^)*·☆

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

Full Server First Kill Ch15

Kinky3 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 15: Lynn

The advantage of the forest at night was that it shattered the night sky. The four moons were nowhere to be seen; with only moonlight trickling down through the gaps.

“I’ve suddenly realized that a Lich is the best companion,” Teest said. He was carrying a lantern while his boots stepped on thick fallen leaves. The leaves, soaked with moisture, felt almost like a carpet.

Nol was walking ahead, carefully sensing the scent of the skeleton rats—there were plenty of corpses in the forest, so he had to be extra cautious.

“Why the sudden praise?” Nol adjusted his course upon spotting a skeleton rat.

“If it were a regular person, they’d definitely call the Investigation Knights,” Teest mused. “That would ruin the adventuring mood, right?”

Yeah, as if he had a choice. Nol rolled his eyes, not bothering to hide them, which glowed with a ghostly blue light.

In theory, it would indeed be safer to call the Investigation Knights. But if he did, he’d have to demonstrate his guiding necromancy to the Temple, potentially turning his head into a church artifact.

Nol continued forward. His mental state had stabilized. He decided not to think about the grim fate of the young knight that occasionally haunted his vision—

Regardless of his distress, nothing would change. “Calmness” was his main weapon, even if it was a fragile one built on sand.

Suddenly, he stopped.

“Hm?” Teest hummed.

Nol looked down at a thread—a taut strand of flax-colored hair. If not for his dark vision, he wouldn’t have noticed it.

It looked like a tripwire for a landmine. As a warning, there were two skeleton rats nearby, forming an exclamation mark.

“Don’t move a step!” Nol immediately warned.

He felt something was off just now. It was too quiet here, with no sounds of animals to be heard.

Nol summoned a skeleton crow. The crow flew low along the hair, soon spiraling up, cawing.

“Form an earth wall barrier in the direction of the crow’s call,” Nol instructed Teest, touching his Dragon Corpse Notebook.

Without hesitation, the ground trembled, and a half-meter thick wall of earth rose beside them. Nol broke off a dry twig and threw it at the hair strand.

“Boom!”

The thick earth shield shuddered, and once the smoke cleared, Nol moved to the other side of the shield. The originally smooth surface of the earth was now pockmarked, embedded with three or four ceramic human teeth. They weren’t deeply embedded, indicating the explosion wasn’t that powerful.

…A fragmentary landmine, a standard anti-infantry one.

Looking at the dark, bushy forest, Nol pursed his lips tightly.

It was a monster’s skill, but not a normal monster’s way. Nearby might be a neighbor, who was clearly hostile—the landmine was placed right where the skeleton rat pointed, clearly a warning.

“Hehe.” A giggle echoed from the bushes.

A broken ceramic doll emerged, with decayed clothing, faded paint, and one missing eye. The remaining eye was eerily blue.

“Go back,” it croaked, swinging its arms. “Go back or die.”

“Die, die…”

In the darkness, countless voices echoed softly. The bushes swayed, and the noise of joints twisted one after another. The dark forest turned into a puppet theater, with arms, legs, and heads popping out and retracting.

“Puppet Witch, a type of humanoid monster,” Nol quickly deduced. “They’re good at traps and potions, controlling humanoid non-humans.”

Traditional Puppet Witches preferred ropes, traps, and poisoned darts. This one seemed to prefer landmines.

After hearing the explanation, Teest applauded leisurely, as if on a spring outing.

Nol intently watched the ceramic doll, knowing the witch was observing through the doll’s eye.

“Please wait here for four hours. I’ll be back before sunrise,” Nol said.

The doll turned its neck with a creak.

“Lady Lynn won’t accept your things,” it giggled. “Only fools accept enemy gifts.”

“You just need to bring it back. I guarantee she will accept it,” Nol said, staring into the doll’s single eye, emphasizing each word.

……

“So, you’re going to write her a letter? Seeing you come back specially, I thought you were preparing some extraordinary bribe.” In the inn room, Teest sat on Nol’s bed. “Just a letter. Chances are she might throw it away before even reading it.”

“She won’t,” Nol said, picking up a quill pen.

“Oh?” Teest responded with keen interest.

The inn regularly accommodated merchants, so it was fully equipped. Nol quickly found what he needed—ample and sturdy wrapping paper that could be cut into envelopes of various sizes.

“Please leave.” Seeing the white-haired knight stuck to the bed, Nol put down his quill again.

“Let me watch,” Teest pleaded pitifully.

“No.”

“Ah, well. It seems this is a ‘monster-to-monster’ secret conversation,” Teest said as he got up from the bed, dejectedly walking out. Before leaving, he made sure to lock the door securely.

Nol appreciated this about Teest. Once he refused, he didn’t persist annoyingly, nor did he constantly probe with insinuations.

However, to be safe, after locking the door, Nol cast two soundproofing spells. He then summoned a skeleton parrot with the little MP he had left.

In this world, monsters could only make monster noises, and he could only read and write in the common language of “Tahe”.

Even Players communicated using this universal language—it was how the system was set up. In this way, not only was it more in line with the world view, but it also allowed Players from different regions to communicate without barriers.

But lately, Nol had been keen on finding loopholes, and he indeed found one.

The game’s language correction only appeared when people “perceived” this world. If he closed his eyes and imagined home, Nol realized he could still speak his native tongue.

Like now.

Imagining his parents’ faces, Nol began to speak to the skeleton parrot.

He first briefly described the world’s situation in his native language, then introduced himself and the three surviving compatriots in the Dragon’s Lair. To prove it, Nol also mentioned how to call up the status bar.

“My companions and I are looking for Margaret Swain,” Nol finally said gravely. “We suspect the street urchins know something, which is why we followed them. If you need help or know anything relevant, please contact me anytime. I’m staying at the Blue Fountain Inn, in the Iris Room’s east bedroom.”

Just in case, he repeated everything in the most commonly spoken foreign language.

The skeleton parrot nodded, scattering into a pile of fine bones. When it reformed, it would recount everything it heard, then return to death.

Nol wrapped it into a flat little package and then picked up the quill, carefully drawing a crest on the package.

It was a symmetrical spiral design—three spirals connected at the tips, simple and elegant. The sales office said it was three auspicious clouds, but Nol always thought it looked more like a clover.

It was the logo of the “Yunshang Joy Garden” community.

After drawing, Nol closed his eyes and scribbled the date “2××3.07.31” below it—the exact date they transmigrated. Once the ink dried, he tucked the package into his pocket.

When leaving the inn, Nol instinctively looked at Teest’s room. There was no light through the door crack. Most likely, Teest had fallen asleep.

“Goodnight,” he whispered, and he gently closed the door.

The witch’s response came quickly—

When Nol returned to his room, the eastern sky was just brightening. Before he could sit down, there was a knock on the window.

Opening the curtains, he saw the child leader from the other day, Hannah, clinging to the window, nose pressed against the glass while her eyes curiously scanned the room. The inn was heavily secured, and he wondered how she got in. Seeing the dirt and grass on her, it was clear she didn’t use the main entrance.

As soon as he opened the window, Hannah hopped in like a bird.

“I’m here to reply,” she said nonchalantly. “Hey, there are cookies here. Can I eat them?”

Nol had to cast another soundproofing spell. “…Speak first, eat later.”

The fact that the witch Lynn sent a local to relay the message wasn’t a good sign.

“Lynn thanks you for your kindness. She has personal matters and really can’t get away.” Hannah quickly grabbed a cookie and continued, “She’s willing to exchange information for tools and potions, but she doesn’t want to meet now. That’s it.”

As expected, the other party was very cautious. Nol didn’t feel offended. Unlike Ye Meng or the old couple, this neighbor probably struggled alone for a month. A more gullible person would likely have been reduced to mere bones by now.

“I understand,” Nol responded calmly.

Hannah looked him up and down for a while, then took a bite of her cookie.

“Oh, also,” she began with a smile, “Lynn mentioned that if you don’t immediately scoff, frown, or berate her for being ungrateful, she has something else to say.”

Nol smirked, finding his neighbor quite intriguing.

“If you can pacify the human disaster in Whitebird City, she’d be more than happy to assist you. Observation is necessary. She doesn’t want to work under someone whose values don’t align or lack ability… These were her exact words.”

Having finished her cookie, Hannah now licked the crumbs from between her fingers.

“Human disaster in Whitebird City?” Nol raised an eyebrow.

Hannah’s playful demeanor faded, and she looked up, her green eyes wolf-like. “Yes, you’ll have to figure out the mystery yourself. Lynn said you’re special, and you might think, ‘It’s not a big deal’.”

Nol fell silent. Hannah probably didn’t understand the deeper meaning behind those words, but he did. He understood what the neighbor was really asking—

If you’re indeed from a gaming company and this place resembles your game, how would you view the misfortunes of its inhabitants?

Would you consider them just “virtual data”?

If their answers differed, cooperation would likely be difficult.

Nol thought of Teest, the indifferent “none of my business” type. With all protective mechanisms now disabled, he didn’t want to imagine what some radical Players might do.

“I accept. Her concerns are valid,” Nol said calmly.

The young girl finished another two cookies, looking puzzled. “Aren’t you going to ask anything else?”

“She has already revealed enough.” Nol handed her the remaining cookies. “Please convey a message for me—due to unforeseen circumstances, I can only handle this matter with the help of my knight companion.”

……

In the early morning, Teest walked into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He had this peculiar habit of cooking for himself rather than eating pre-made food.

Nol had tasted his cooking before. It wasn’t gourmet, but had a simple, homemade taste. Compared to his own nonexistent cooking skills from always working late, Teest’s culinary talents were superior.

“You want to enter the City Lord’s mansion? The witch actually replied to you?” Teest asked, poking at his fried ham on the breakfast table.

“Whitebird City will face a ‘human disaster’. She didn’t specify what.”

“Sounds just like a witch.” Teest continued with his meal. “But how is this related to the disappearance case?”

“I asked, she didn’t mention it. Her silence is a statement,” Nol said. “If the witch had nothing to do with it, she could have easily denied any involvement.”

“You saw it yesterday; the power of the witch’s mechanism isn’t great. She even evacuated the surrounding animals in advance… She has a soft heart.”

Meaning, she certainly didn’t view the inhabitants as mere data.

“You think Miss Swain is hiding with the witch?” Teest raised an eyebrow. “So that’s why those kids dared to enter the forest so fearlessly, knowing the witch meant no harm.”

Nol nodded. “As for why I want to go to the City Lord’s mansion—the witch only mentioned a human disaster, without specifying a date.”

“I see, so it’s not urgent.” Teest put down his cutlery. “I guess it’s because the Investigation Knights are here, so certain people don’t dare to act rashly.”

“Exactly. The witch is related to the disappearance, and she specifically mentioned a ‘human disaster’. The two must be connected. To investigate the disappearance, the City Lord’s mansion is the most logical target,” Nol concluded.

Teest’s plate was already empty. He rested his cheek on one hand, silently watching Nol. Feeling the stare, Nol got uneasy. “…What are you looking at?”

“I agree to investigate the City Lord’s mansion, but I have mixed feelings right now,” Teest said. “On one hand, I think you’re incredibly smart. On the other hand, I find you so dense that it’s scary.”

“My feelings are quite straightforward at the moment. I think you’re very verbose. Spit it out, Sir Knight.”

“It’s quite simple. A fourteen-year-old girl, forced to seek refuge with a monster. This implies that, to her, her own father is entirely untrustworthy.”

Teest picked up his fork and carelessly jabbed it into Nol’s plate. “However, that’s assuming she’s still alive. Can the witch truly be trusted? You should be skeptical of everyone, honey.”

“Teest.”

“Hm?”

“Can I trust you?” Nol generously offered up his plate.

Teest forked a piece of fried egg and winked at him. “Of course you can. We can’t leave each other, can we?”

The author has something to say:

Modern Warfare Witch

If the culinary skills are rated out of five stars—

Teest: ★★★☆☆

Nol: ★☆☆☆☆

Nol, who probably just boils instant noodles, heats up fast food, or orders takeout on a usual day. The pitiable overtime worker…

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

Criminal Psychology Ch271

Kinky1 Comment

Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

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

Chapter 271

Hongjing Detention Center.

After hearing Lin Chen’s question, Shen Lian smiled. She raised the corners of her eyes, revealing her lips in a pleasant and mocking smile.

Lin Chen sat in front of her. Although he appeared to be a seasoned hunter, the slight hunch in his back and the lackluster look in his eyes delighted Shen Lian.

After all, no one understood better than her how terrifying the effects of drugs could be. People were merely puppets controlled by their brains.

She said, “Lin Chen, is this how you conduct interrogations? Being so straightforward and trying to trap me with simple questions? It’s not up to your usual standards.”

“It’s not a trap; I just ask whatever comes to mind. My style has always been more direct, as you know,” Lin Chen replied with a friendly tone.

However, before she could respond, Lin Chen suddenly leaned forward and nervously repeated the previous question, emphasizing his tone, “So, have you seen him?”

Shen Lian was a little displeased. Lin Chen had always been courteous to her, and for people like them, engaging in a conversation required some verbal fencing and skilled exchanges. Experts could duel with both real and feigned moves, but Lin Chen’s direct approach was simply insulting to her.

She was about to retaliate when Lin Chen leaned back comfortably in his chair. There was no luster in his black eyes, and his gaze seemed vacant, as if he were focusing on nothing in particular. He slowly said, “Oh… You’ve seen him.”

Shen Lian furrowed her brows. Lin Chen’s response made her feel strangely uncomfortable. She decided to seize the opportunity to attack his sore point, “How is your teacher doing?”

Lin Chen showed no signs of distress and maintained his leisurely attitude, saying, “Before talking to you, I called my teacher. He’s still in the ICU.”

“Is he out of danger?”

“Well, you know, unless it’s really bad, doctors won’t directly tell the patient’s family to prepare funeral clothes. So, I guess we can wait a bit longer.”

Lin Chen answered truthfully. Shen Lian continued to observe his every reaction. Looking at his pale face, he now resembled a paper man that could collapse at any moment.

She felt that she should be satisfied with this result. She even had the confidence to make Lin Chen vomit on the spot, but she also felt that she should be cautious.

As expected, during the brief pause she gave Lin Chen, after he talked about his teacher with an indifferent tone and his gaze seemed to be placed nowhere in particular, he continued, “By the way, is your teacher Duan Wanshan or someone else?”

Lin Chen knew exactly how to ask questions that could make people most uncomfortable.

He said, “I know Feng Peilin. I’ve also talked to Xiang Ye and Meijing. In my opinion, all of you are exceptionally intelligent people. People like you would willingly follow him, which means he must have a strong personal charisma, or his ideas must deeply resonate with you. You all believe that you are dedicating yourselves to truth and ideals because, at this level, the typical idol worship doesn’t apply to you.” After saying this, Lin Chen briefly glanced at her with a casual look and continued, “It’s interesting, isn’t it? The leader of a criminal organization doesn’t use common criminal methods; they prefer to brainwash people with things like ideology and ideals. One of the benefits of brainwashing is that even if you are secretly controlled by him, you all believe it’s ‘my’ own firm belief rather than ideas he has instilled in ‘me’.”

Shen Lian blinked but didn’t speak.

“I’ve always been curious about why your academic performance skyrocketed after the second year of junior high. At that time, I didn’t connect you with a case I dealt with before. But now that I think about it, it’s probably because of a certain special and stubborn dark side of you that attracted him. He used some methods to transform you into a completely different person from the cowardly and powerless you of the past. I think you must be addicted to his special charm; he can simplify the painful process of transformation, even though the pain is still there. However, he will make sure that your soul no longer endures any torment. My shimei once chose to avoid such life pain and submitted to a larger collective, even willing to die for what she believed in. But in reality, the only difference between you two is the different positions you hold in his heart. My shimei was the stepping stone he trampled upon, but you are the knife he holds in his hand.”

“After hearing you say that, I feel really miserable. I might as well just die,” Shen Lian said with a smile, not angry at all.

“It is indeed miserable, but you shouldn’t go and die.”

Lin Chen’s attitude was like that of an old lady advising her granddaughter not to fall in love too early. Shen Lian coldly responded, “You talk so much; you might as well show me some pictures of elementary school students helping old ladies cross the road. Maybe that could convince me.”

“I’m not trying to convince you. I just want to tell you that the ideas he instilled in you, including what you think is your independent thinking, are now beyond your control. You are under his control; you just haven’t realized it yet.”

Shen Lian found it quite amusing. “You still haven’t noticed it until now, Lin Chen? I am just one of his dogs, and I’m willing to bark. Do you even have the right to interfere?”

“You don’t actually want to be like this. I’ll prove it to you, but before that, please don’t die,” Lin Chen said.

At no time had Shen Lian been more annoyed by Lin Chen’s attitude of trying to influence people. She said irritably, “You can shut up now. Until I see your promised program on TV and achieve the effect I want, I refuse to say another word to you.”

“Sure.” Lin Chen leaned back on his chair, looking at the sky outside.

The wind came from the vast sky, making the air feel hot and dry.

……

Meicun Train Station was old yet bustling with people. This wasn’t because Meicun was highly developed, but because of its unique geographical location. Throughout history, it had been a transportation hub, where travelers from the south and north would rest in Meicun. Although its urban status had gradually been replaced by the neighboring coastal city Yongchuan, in the minds of some foreign visitors who weren’t familiar with the national situation of the country, Meicun was still considered a major metropolis.

Therefore, it was understandable that some people might have the whim to cause trouble in Meicun instead of Yongchuan.

But for the ordinary people of Meicun, it was just another boring and lazy afternoon.

Outside the train station, the underground passage was crowded with people, and the air carried a musty and rusty smell from the ventilation system. As the several incandescent lamps, which were much older than many people, gradually descended into the underground, it felt like entering a deep cave.

Travelers pulling their suitcases moved slowly, while women carrying children bent down to kiss their sleeping faces. Only those carrying single-shoulder bags walked quickly. They pushed and squeezed their way forward, slowly crossing the underground passage and heading upstairs.

Each person was oblivious to what was happening in the virtual world. This was the life of ordinary people—ordinary and mediocre, yet at any moment, they could be faced with a disaster.

However, the employees working in the train station today were more nervous than any other day. This nervousness stemmed from a sudden and highest-level security alert in the afternoon. The authorities demanded all station staff strengthen inspections, monitor all incoming and outgoing people, and conduct strict baggage checks, especially for powder-like substances in luggage.

Just now, a whole team of fully armed special police also entered the train station.

Liu Xiaotian’s father ran a detective agency that was on the verge of collapse. As a result, he had some knowledge about firearms, and this was the first time he had seen all the inspection station officers opening the safety catch of their revolvers.

But at this moment, he sat at the identity verification checkpoint, with thick steel bars on both sides and glass that could probably only be broken by bullets. After checking each ID card, he would glance at the steel plates, desperately comforting himself that it had nothing to do with him.

Although he reassured himself like this, he nervously scanned left and right through the glass, instinctively observing the state of each passing traveler.

Perhaps it was because of his father’s usual teachings, or maybe it was just his extraordinary intuition as a detective’s son, at around 4:30, he saw a pot-bellied middle-aged man. The middle-aged man wore a slanted business bag with gold-rimmed glasses and a shiny belt buckle, standing in the last line of the crowd entering the station.

With one hand on the phone and the other holding his ID card and recently retrieved train ticket, he appeared to be extremely busy, which was consistent with the typical characteristics of a businessman.

However, for some reason, Liu Xiaotian felt that there was something off about the man.

Of course, there were nearly a hundred people between him and the middle-aged man, so the distance wasn’t close, and he couldn’t see clearly.

Thinking back to the notice he had received earlier and the instructions from his superiors before starting the job, Liu Xiaotian felt that his nervousness might just be due to being overly sensitive. He shifted his gaze away and stamped another traveler’s ticket. But suddenly, he felt that the flow of people entering the station had slowed down.

He couldn’t help but look towards the security checkpoint, where there was a crowd of people around two large X-ray machines. At this moment, he heard a garbled voice from the intercom—someone had reported a situation at the security checkpoint. It seemed that someone from the countryside had brought a live chicken through the X-ray machine, and the train station security personnel had discovered it and were arguing with the person.

During this sensitive time, the station police were very vigilant, and the intercom was filled with busy instructions.

“Lao Wang, take Xiao Chen over there to handle the situation.”

“The rest of you hold your positions and don’t act recklessly.”

“Understood.”

Liu Xiaotian continued checking the ID cards while inexplicably thinking of the phrase “Sound in the East, strike in the West*”. He then cast another glance at the middle-aged man at the end of the line.

*(声东击西) Idiom referring to making a feint in the east but attacking in the west. Basically, concealing one’s intention by diversion.

The middle-aged man had already hung up the phone.

Finally, Liu Xiaotian realized what was wrong.

Most of the wealthy middle-aged men liked to speak loudly in public places, but this middle-aged man was different. Although he looked loyal to his outward appearance, there was an inexplicable depth and restraint to him. He was on the phone and seemed to be very busy, but after the call, he calmly put the phone back into his business bag. Nowadays, what kind of man would put his phone in his bag?

Liu Xiaotian could certainly find examples to refute himself, but in such a special period, he took a deep breath and without hesitation picked up the intercom to report, “Suspicious person spotted at Entrance B of the westbound station… Well, there’s a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.”

“Yes, it’s him. I feel he’s suspicious. Can you send someone over to question him?”

After quietly saying these words, he casually put down the intercom and pretended to be busy checking tickets and verifying identities. His heart was racing, and he felt dry in the mouth. On the one hand, he worried that his superiors might not care about his opinion, and on the other hand, he feared that he might identify the wrong person, leading to misunderstandings and embarrassment.

However, just when he was feeling anxious, the middle-aged man’s position was getting closer and closer to him. The distance between them was delicate, neither too close nor too far, neither advancing nor retreating, and according to the direction of the wind today…

He didn’t know why he suddenly thought about the direction of the wind. It was as if his subconscious told him that the man would take dangerous items out of his bag and spray them on the crowd.

Plainclothes officers were coming from inside the station. If the middle-aged man passed by his position and walked a few steps further into the crowd, he should meet the undercover police.

But at that moment, all the sounds around Liu Xiaotian suddenly quieted down. The voices of people talking, children crying, scolding for lost tickets, and farewells all disappeared in an instant.

He felt as if he had entered a state of extreme silence, yet his thoughts were incredibly clear. He stamped a small red inspection seal on the ticket and handed it back to the old lady in front of him. As the old lady moved forward, the middle-aged man moved one step closer. Liu Xiaotian inexplicably felt his blood boiling, and he abruptly opened the window, leaned out, and tightly wrapped his hands around the middle-aged man’s hands.

In the blink of an eye, there was no look of astonishment on the middle-aged man’s face, but Liu Xiaotian knew that something in the middle-aged man’s hand had broken. The faint sound of a glass bottle being crushed was deeply imprinted in his mind.

But he couldn’t let go. He knew he couldn’t let go. It was a very strange and brief moment.

He even felt like he had become a detached soul, watching as a young man suddenly burst into action, stretching out of the window in an eerie posture, entangling with another middle-aged man. The surrounding passengers were puzzled and simply stared at them in a daze. Two plainclothes police officers in the distance pushed through the crowd and rushed swiftly towards them.

The struggle between him and the middle-aged man seemed frozen in a state of stillness, yet within this absolute stillness, there was movement. The middle-aged man’s face slowly revealed a smile that completely contradicted his appearance, resembling blood dripping into clear water and slightly cracked lips.

The middle-aged man’s eyes showed an extremely cruel gleam, and the feeling of the glass embedded in his palm was excruciating. Liu Xiaotian couldn’t breathe, but he dared not let go. He even thought of death. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he struggled to swallow his saliva. In the next moment, the stillness ended, and motion resumed.

Screams, shouts, and the creaking sound of people pushing and shoving erupted like a burst of fireworks, making him feel dizzy and disoriented. Fortunately, he was certain that his hands still firmly grasped the middle-aged man’s hand, and he was sure he had exerted all his strength.

As for what happened next, Liu Xiaotian’s memory became extremely blurry. He only remembered the plainclothes officers arriving, and he gasped for breath as he collapsed against the window, hitting his head on the frame, looking incredibly foolish.

In a daze, he looked up at the large screen inside the station, amidst the bustling crowd. Instead of advertisements, there was the news from Meicun TV station. The face of the anchor flashed by, and he saw a scene of chaos somewhere. Shelves collapsed, and many clothes were scattered on the ground, vibrant and colorful but hard to discern clearly.

He seemed to see burlap sacks and people lying on them, as well as girls with blood on their fair cheeks.

Then, he knew nothing else.

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

Criminal Psychology Ch270

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Author: 长洱 / Chang’er

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

Chapter 270

Hongjing Municipal Detention Center, Female Interrogation Room, Ground Floor.

Shen Lian was beautiful—that was Lin Chen’s first impression when he saw her again.

Outside the iron railing was a large expanse of concrete ground, looking dull and gray with only a few scattered green trees in random corners, far from the high walls. Further away, the sky above the high walls was divided into regular strips by the electric fence, just like a prison.

Lin Chen averted his gaze, pulled out a chair, and sat down at the table.

Shen Lian’s fair wrists were shackled by slender iron handcuffs. Against the gray background, even wearing the pale blue prison uniform, her bright and beautiful features couldn’t be concealed.

Lin Chen nodded to her and placed his phone on the table.

Shen Lian smiled and asked, “Lin Chen, how do you feel?”

Her tone was sweet, like a doctor caring for a patient, but Lin Chen was well aware that she must have spoken in a similar manner when caring for the lab mice.

“No need to worry. I can get through it,” Lin Chen replied.

“The acute withdrawal symptoms aren’t easy to bear, right?” Shen Lian asked.

“Better off dead,” Lin Chen answered.

“You were conscious for a bit longer than I expected. It seems individuals have varying tolerances to the drug,” Shen Lian summarized in a tone like writing a paper.

“Of course,” Lin Chen replied with just two words.

Shen Lian was taken aback by his response. The heart of a woman seeking revenge was always strong. Her face stiffened, then she said, “When will you fulfill your promise to me?”

Shen Lian was referring to his promise to report on how public officials used their lives to prevent criminals from committing suicide.

Lin Chen replied directly, “The fairness of the deal lies in the fact that I promised to do something for you, and you also promised to do something for me. But I’m afraid someone like you might suddenly drop out of the game, so I need something from you to ensure that your promise is meaningful.”

“You’re not qualified to negotiate conditions with me,” Shen Lian retorted.

……

Hongjing Municipal Police Department, Conference Room.

Before answering the questions, Xing Conglian looked down at his watch and then said directly, “He’s conducting an intensive interrogation with Shen Lian.”

With this statement, the room fell silent again.

Recalling the scene of Lin Chen injecting the drug yesterday, many people had doubts in their hearts.

“Can Lin Consultant’s current physical condition sustain a prolonged interrogation?” someone asked.

“Barely,” Xing Conglian answered truthfully.

Some officials couldn’t bear the expression on their faces.

But others who were stubborn, like Huang Ze, began to whisper to each other.

Seeing this, Huang Ze decided to voice what these people wanted to say to Xing Conglian directly. “What Lin Chen is doing now is a bit like a lone hero.”

Xing Conglian’s cold gaze swept over. “Detective Huang, why do you say that?”

“All departments are cooperating in the case, and yet Consultant Lin is the one charging into the front line. Can’t anyone share the burden for him?” Another person spoke ambiguously.

“Because this case is indeed related to him.” Xing Conglian paused and said coldly, “To be precise, according to his own words, he is regarded as a typical target by the criminals. Everyone here, I’m afraid, has the same ‘honor’ as him.”

“What do you mean by typical target?” A detective from the Serious Case Department asked.

“He represents a certain type of rational and self-proclaimed righteous individual,” Xing Conglian answered. “In other words, he is the epitome of all of you here.”

The slender earphone wire passed behind Xing Conglian’s ear as he stood on the stage. With his short-cropped hair and a calm gaze sweeping across the audience, he exuded an air of authority without anger.

His words were like stones thrown into a pond. Everyone, whether the detectives in the front row or the members of the Serious Case Department, as well as the Special Operations team and other public officials in the back, fell silent but trembled in their hearts.

Finally, it was a high-ranking officer among the laptops in front of Xing Conglian who broke the silence and said, “Tell us more specifically.”

Xing Conglian withdrew his gaze, looked at the officer, and answered, “I have a complete chain of clues proving that an unknown criminal organization has planned a series of recent incidents in Hongjing and nearby cities. The same group of criminals from four years ago has returned.”

Huang Ze’s heart trembled violently. He looked at Xing Conglian almost incredulously. The events from four years ago that were related to Lin Chen could only be that case.

Xing Conglian met his gaze, and every word he spoke seemed directed at Huang Ze.

“The bizarre murder case that occurred in Hongjing last year was the prelude to their return.”

On the projection screen, timely photos of white sand and Feng Peilin appeared, but Huang Ze couldn’t spare the effort to look at them. He clenched his fists tightly and stared at Xing Conglian’s eyes.

“The accidental death of drug enforcement officer Fang Zhiming was proven to be related to the tampering of the backend time of the highway emergency call system by Yang Dianfeng. The suspect, Yang Dianfeng, also died in an explosion during transportation.”

Xing Conglian pressed the control button in his hand again, and a large amount of data was displayed on the projection screen. Several records were highlighted in red boxes, making them particularly eye-catching. “We checked the backend data of the system and found over a dozen instances of tampering with driving records, including the major highway robbery case at Yaqin Jewelry 723. The only survivor of the case, Cheng Weiwei, subsequently died in the Yongchuan University suicide case.”

There was an uproar among the crowd, but Xing Conglian’s statement didn’t stop. He continued, “In the Yongchuan University dark web live-streaming incident, the organizer identified by the students, Mr. Meijing, was found to be involved in the planning of the Yongchuan Christine Cultural Center fire incident. After the incident, Meijing committed suicide.”

“Another suspect, Xiang Ye, also committed suicide in the detention center.”

Death, death, and more death. Xiang Ye’s and Meijing’s bodies in the pool of blood were particularly terrifying.

But it was not just them; every person involved in the related cases chose to end their lives in an extremely cruel and loyal manner.

……

Lin Chen leaned back against the back of the chair. The setup in the detention center was hard and uncomfortable. He looked at Shen Lian. “You’re not afraid of death anymore. There’s nothing left in this world that scares you.” Lin Chen thought for a moment and asked calmly, “Is that what it means?”

“Of course.”

“But it’s not necessarily true. I have another view.” Lin Chen leaned slightly forward. “They say the dead don’t talk because all their secrets are buried with them. So, do people choose death to bury their secrets, or because they are afraid of the day their secrets are exposed?”

“Consultant Lin, you talk so much. Is it to force yourself to keep talking and distract yourself from the discomfort?” Shen Lian smiled playfully, completely evading his question.

Lin Chen shook his head and got straight to the point with Shen Lian. “Shen Lian, let’s have a chat.”

“Aren’t we already chatting?” Shen Lian replied.

Before she could finish speaking, Lin Chen interrupted her. “Tell me first, do you know him?”

……

“How can you confirm that there is a complete and unified mastermind behind this series of cases?”

The person asked, adding, “I mean, we understand the connection between these four cases, but how can you be sure that there is a relationship between the online betting targeting our region, these four cases, and Shen Lian?”

One of the detectives from the Lin City Major Case Unit asked.

Xing Conglian pressed the control button of the projector again.

The pattern on the screen flashed, and a very old photo of the book “Discrete Mathematics” appeared.

“This is the codebook used by the criminals and students to communicate during the collective suicide incident at Yongchuan University,” Xing Conglian explained. “The final code was cracked by Professor Ye from the Mathematics Department at Yongchuan University. Now, similar encryption methods have also appeared in the text message photos that Lin Chen received.”

Huang Ze saw the photo of the mobile phone message that Lin Chen received, and his mind was in chaos. He could hardly hear any other sounds.

But each word spoken by Xing Conglian forcibly penetrated his mind.

“We found the information left by the criminals in the journal room of Hongjing Municipal Library. There was a similar codebook to ‘Discrete Mathematics’, but with some differences in usage.”

Huang Ze suddenly looked up, and on the screen, a row of gentle handwriting entered his sight: “My Dear, did you make your choice?”

With each stroke, Huang Ze seemed to smell the strong scent of iron, and countless discarded memories flooded like a torrent. Completely red, it was piercingly painful.

However, very soon, almost without needing any adaptation time, Huang Ze was surprised to find that, although his current state was almost as if someone had hit his temples with a heavy hammer, his thoughts and consciousness were surprisingly clear.

After Xing Conglian provided his ideas, a brief silence followed. He could clearly hear the speculation rising around him.

Another person beside him suddenly said, “I have read the case file. At the beginning of the White Sands case in Hongjing, the fruit vendor went on a rampage and attacked people on the street. At that time, stimulant drugs were detected in his body. But could it be that the drug that truly triggered his violent outburst was the one developed by Shen Lian?”

“Has Captain Xing communicated with Interpol? Since the perpetrator wanted to silence Fang Zhiming, is it possible that the drug manufacturing factory he went undercover in is developing and producing this new type of drug?”

“So, were the previous live-streamed deaths and the jewelry robbery all to raise funds for the organization?”

“But what does this have to do with them setting the fire and trying to murder Song Shengsheng’s fans?”

“We need to do a lot of work to confirm…”

“Even if we can prove that the text message Consultant Lin received is connected to the collective suicide case in Yongchuan and the old case from four years ago, it still doesn’t prove that this matter is related to Shen Lian’s involvement with drug poisoning and the newly discovered drug. The dark web bets on our surrounding cities and the drugs on Shen Lian’s side may be completely separate cases?”

“That’s true…”

Various speculations continued without stopping. Everyone present was skilled in their field, naturally connecting all the clues together. Huang Ze’s mind was in a mess; he felt that he urgently needed concrete evidence to link all the details, but at the same time, he instinctively felt that something was off.

Therefore, after listening for a while, Xing Conglian interrupted the escalating discussion. His metallic voice sounded incredibly clear in the noisy space as he said, “You’re all experts in solving cases, but at the moment, we need to change our approach.”

The discussion in the room came to a halt, and everyone looked up at Xing Conglian.

“There is a simple way to verify the connection you all seek. As long as the criminals use the isomer of TERN to attack Meicun, and we find that component after the incident, we will have the evidence you need for ‘the connection exists’.” Xing Conglian then asked, “But does that make sense?”

Huang Ze frowned; this was also the instinctive reaction of everyone present.

However, Xing Conglian ignored them and continued forcefully, “We don’t have time to confirm the connections between each detail now, so we must cut off the branches. In terms of handling the problem and investigating the truth, finding evidence to convict the criminals is no longer our primary task. We must make predictions and prepare for everything that lies ahead.”

He looked at everyone in the room and said, “Although it’s difficult and may not be foolproof, the road ahead will leave us with no reliable options to choose from.”

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

Evil As Humans Ch228

Kinky4 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 228: Foolish Plan

In the depths of the myriad of information on the Other Side, in the dim history rarely touched by anyone, “Sorrow” quietly lurked.

Its form was like gray-black remnants of creatures, sticking together and slowly flowing within the crevices of old memories. Qi Xin liked it here; it had always been a safe place for countless years.

Ever since she knew Yin Ren was injured, Qi Xin had hidden herself entirely in this place.

She originally thought she could hide here until Yin Ren and Love settled their battle, and then she could act accordingly or make up for it. But not long after, she couldn’t sit still—

“Satisfaction” was injured.

Large sections of its pristine surface were missing, revealing colorful dream bubbles underneath. Its movement slowed slightly, and there were fewer newly formed Primordial Elementals than before.

Could it be Yin Ren’s doing?

Qi Xin summoned a humanoid projection and decided to give Yin Ren a serious warning. “Satisfaction” must not be compromised.

She couldn’t find Yin Ren, but she could capture the sneaky “Lonelies”. Just as Ms. Qi Xin was chasing cats all over the place, a white figure appeared behind her.

“Sorrow.” The figure wearing a hood called out.

Qi Xin didn’t even turn her head. “It’s you again.”

Love was dressed in a white cloak, standing amidst the strange and colorful Other Side. She was two steps away from Qi Xin, who was wearing a dark-colored suit, creating a stark contrast.

Upon hearing Qi Xin’s impolite greeting, Love smiled slightly. She let the large white cloak slide down, revealing a face that belonged to a human.

Graceful and delicate features, long hair falling below the collarbone, slightly curled. This face couldn’t be called breathtakingly beautiful, but it exuded a gentle temperament that made people want to get closer from the bottom of their hearts.

Qi Xin recognized this face.

Sun Qi’an, a doctor who used to be quite close to Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo.

The former Love struggled to survive within the gaps, only able to briefly manipulate humans. It couldn’t even make puppets like Disgust and Joy.

Lacking physical strength, she compensated with hardware. She had been quite interested in the research of Gengsheng Town, probably hoping to have a puppet with strong abilities but weak self-awareness. Qi Xin had happily caused trouble for Love and directly consumed the “research results” of Gengsheng Town—the old mayor.

Now, Love kept appearing in front of her, making it hard to say whether it was intentional or not.

“What are you thinking?” Qi Xin casually took two steps back. “This projection… Why did you choose a human?”

“As you know, this is just a projection. Like you, my true self is not here.”

Love put on the cloak and hood again.

“But unlike you, I won’t hide in the shadows. Soon, I will be able to go out into the world personally…”

Her voice was soft and gentle, pleasant to listen to, but in Qi Xin’s ears, it was like a thunderbolt. The Ancient Primordial Elementals could only send projections, and apart from Old Fear almost losing its life, no one had heard of a true body entering the world.

Moreover, now that she had a projection, Love could do whatever she wanted. Why did she need to bring her true self?

As if seeing through Qi Xin’s thoughts, Love took a step forward and revealed a beautiful smile.

“Thanks to you, I no longer have companions who can walk in the world.” She said, “Relying only on myself, it will be a slow process to master the human world. The nights are long and filled with dreams… Absolute power is still the most effective, don’t you think?”

Qi Xin sneered. “Absolute power? Have you seen that cub? To exert power, reverting to your true form is the most basic requirement. With your current appearance, humans won’t buy it.”

In an instant, a series of disaster movies flashed through Qi Xin’s mind. If Love suddenly descended into the human world, it might end up as a full-course nuclear meal. As for whether human weapons could completely eliminate the “data organism” like the Elementals, she didn’t know.

Love didn’t answer immediately; she just smiled quietly.

Qi Xin pursed her lips and gradually realized something. “You went through the trouble of creating a projection, could it be…”

Love’s smile became even brighter.

“This woman, isn’t she perfect? A top-tier university’s outstanding student, beautiful appearance, and the right age. Her family background isn’t too good or too bad; her parents both work in law enforcement, and she is an excellent doctor. Regardless of cultural background, human society has always favored such people.”

Love tidied Sun Qi’an’s slightly curled hair.

“In human culture, ‘gods’ always send ‘representative figures’ who can communicate. This way, humans won’t resist me too much, don’t you think?”

So that’s how it is. While the true body descended, exerting military pressure, the projection would take on a gentle guise in human form, leading them. Quite a variety of methods.

Qi Xin remained expressionless; she didn’t care about what would happen in the human world.

Qi Xin: “You came here just to explain your plan? If you have nothing better to do, you can go and preach to humans. Goodbye.”

She turned her body, about to leave.

“I know you don’t care about humans,” Love said. “I just wanted to tell you that I really only want to save the Other Side. Gaining power from the human side is meaningless to you and me. You understand that.”

Qi Xin stopped but still didn’t turn around.

“I also know why you appeared again,” Love said gently. “’Satisfaction’ wasn’t hurt by ‘Fear’. I did it.”

“Are you insane?!” Qi Xin suddenly turned around; her face drastically changed.

In Qi Xin’s vigilant gaze, Love slowly extended her hands. A glob of mercurial flesh rolled back and forth in her palms. Judging by its size, it definitely wasn’t something that naturally fell off.

Then, she tilted her head back and slowly drank the pale and beautiful flesh. The liquid, like brain marrow, slid through her fingers, leaving fine strands like honey, completely disappearing into her throat.

They rapidly transformed into pure power and flowed back to her true body through the projection.

“You…” Qi Xin was speechless and dumbfounded.

When Zhong Chengshuo was still “Fear”, he never touched “Satisfaction”. As the devourer of all Primordial Elementals, “Satisfaction” was an exception. They didn’t interfere with each other, maintaining the operation of the Other Side day and night.

Even “Fear” was like that, let alone other Elementals. As the apex predator in the food chain, its flesh contained extremely powerful energy that not everyone could easily digest. When “Fear” perished, its flesh broke down into a secondary force called “Evil Force”, and only then did the Elementals dare to consume it without worries.

But now, Love, in front of her, devoured the living flesh of “Satisfaction”.

“I told you, I found a more perfect method.”

Love licked off the last bit of flesh.

“Thanks to the blessing of ‘Satisfaction’, my losses have been completely restored over these years. Now I can contend with ‘Satisfaction’. You know what that means… Sorrow, come back to me.”

She opened her hands.

“Monster…” Qi Xin clenched her teeth. As an Ancient Primordial Elemental, she never thought that one day she would utter such a sentiment.

“Yes, I’ve become a monster. I will take everyone back to that golden era.”

Love’s tone was quite sincere. Her voice remained gentle, yet it sent shivers down one’s spine.

“By the way, the cub you favored is also such a monster… You’ve been with him all this time, haven’t you noticed? I know your difficulties and your calculations.”

“But this is a battle you can’t interfere in, Sorrow. You must make a choice.”

“Is it me, who deeply loves the Other Side, or that cub born in the human world?”

……

Ge Tingting sat on the sofa at Lao Bin’s home, carefully sipping bottled green tea. Huang Jin tightly gripped his drink bottle, his eyes fixedly staring in place.

The house was new and tastefully decorated, clearly expensive. However, the beautiful marble table was filled with instant noodle cups, leaning against empty beer bottles, emitting a long-unattended sour odor. Fruit peels, plastic bags, and takeout boxes were scattered on the floor, ready to be stepped on if one wasn’t careful.

Lao Bin slouched on the other end of the sofa, looking much thinner than before. The bearded doctor had scruffy facial hair, and his hair was thinning on top. Ge Tingting observed him for a while, suspecting that his hair was migrating from his scalp to his chin.

Qin Lele couldn’t stand the messy living room and was busy packing up the garbage in bags, frowning as he headed out.

“Enough,” Lao Bin said. “It’s been over a week. Why haven’t you given up?”

“I wonder too,” Huang Jin agreed.

“After persisting for over a week, you let us in. It proves that this approach is correct,” Ge Tingting said.

Lao Bin sighed heavily. “Fine, I didn’t want to put it in such harsh terms. You can see the current situation. That corpse centipede is ridiculously strong and refuses to engage in direct combat. Sunken Society brought about massive corruption, and there are constant minor contaminations. The nonsensical rumors are increasing.”

“The police and Shian can’t handle it. Societal chaos is just a matter of time,” he said in anguish. “Xiao Ge, you’re still young and can’t see things too far. There are some things we mortals are powerless against.”

Huang Jin nodded frantically. “Right, right.”

Ge Tingting glared at Huang Jin, then turned to Lao Bin. “But…”

She had intended to say something reasonable, like how even a small change is still a change, or about protection and righteousness. However, it was clear that Lao Bin belonged to the same category as Huang Jin, and his age and intelligence were there. If she said such things, this guy would only find it naive and laughable.

What would Yin Ren do if he were here?

Ge Tingting’s eyes darted around, and she quickly deleted the words on her phone, coming up with a different approach.

“But you need money,” she said.

“This house is expensive, and the renovations must have cost a lot of effort. It’s understandable that you feel upset when you can’t live a good life, right?”

Ge Tingting forced a smooth smile.

“Lao Bin Ge, you’ve just published a paper. You’re a talented individual with a bright future. You say society is going to descend into chaos, but it hasn’t happened yet, and Shian is still functioning normally. Take this opportunity to earn some extra bonuses—it will provide more opportunities for your future.”

Lao Bin rolled his bloodshot eyes. “Hmm…?”

“And in my idea, you don’t need to personally rush to the frontlines, and it can even increase your visibility. Would you like to hear it?”

Ge Tingting blinked frantically.

“Fine, since you’re all here, go ahead and tell me.” After hesitating for a moment, Lao Bin slightly relaxed.

“It’s like this…” Ge Tingting leaned closer and solemnly explained the plan.

Ten minutes later.

“That’s it?!” Lao Bin stood up. “No, this is simply absurd. You—”

He paused midway, suddenly at a loss for words.

The centipede hadn’t harmed anyone yet, just like the corruption spread by Sunken Society. It tried to minimize its impact, subtly creating panic. If it really caused casualties, the public would certainly resist with all their might. But operating quietly like this was the most mentally exhausting.

Just like a spider that appeared and disappeared in a room.

Ge Tingting’s method was old-fashioned, but it might be effective.

“Lao Bin Ge, you’re right. I’m still young and can’t see far into the future,” Ge Tingting said sincerely. “That’s why I thought, if Sunken Society wants a certain effect, we should do the opposite.”

“I’ll think about it.” Lao Bin rubbed his temples. “I’ll give you an answer today. I’m sorry, but with the state of the house right now, it’s not suitable for me to invite you for a meal…”

“No problem, you’re too kind.”

Qin Lele insisted on staying behind to clean, so only Ge Tingting and Huang Jin went downstairs.

“That guy will agree,” Huang Jin said, looking at the advertisement screen in the elevator. “Lao Bin didn’t immediately agree because he wants to save face since you’re younger.”

“I know.”

“You’re really something. You’re quite good at not learning the good stuff.” Huang Jin glanced at Ge Tingting. “You didn’t learn the hard skills of the Great Celestial Master, but you’ve picked up all his annoying habits. It’s impressive that you came up with such a cunning idea.”

Ge Tingting didn’t respond immediately.

Ding. The elevator arrived on the first floor. The metal doors slowly opened, and the cold air of early winter rushed in. Outside the corridor, the blue sky was clear, and the sunlight was just right.

“I know everyone is strong, and currently, I can only come up with ideas like this,” Ge Tingting said. “But I can’t just dismiss this idea as conventional and not try it. It’s not enough to just think about becoming stronger in my mind; practice is better.”

“And you, criticizing my plan as not good here and there, yet here you are with me.”

Huang Jin: “……”

Huang Jin: “…You’re a young girl. I can’t just let you wander around on your own.”

Ge Tingting clicked her tongue. “Stop pretending. You agree with Lao Bin in words, but you didn’t quit your job, and you haven’t taken long-term leave like him. Admit it, you have some courage, and it’s not shameful.”

Huang Jin sneered. “Do you think I really care about this damn society? I don’t—”

“Don’t?”

“…I don’t care about this damn society.” Huang Jin swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

That was close. He almost blurted out what he truly felt.

After exploring the Other Side, Shian did restore his identity and gave him a substantial amount of money. Even if he and Ding Lizi didn’t work, as long as they controlled their expenses, they could live off the interest for the rest of their lives.

This was the perfect time for him to submit his resignation. As soon as he returned to his room, Huang Jin immediately changed his transfer request to a resignation letter.

Finally, he would be liberated from this godforsaken place, and a life of freedom beckoned to him.

Huang Jin carefully sealed the resignation letter and set a timed email. With everything prepared, he entered Ding Lizi’s hospital room.

Ding Lizi’s eyes had been healed by Yin Ren, and her vision was gradually recovering. Huang Jin had seen her in photos; her pupils were incredibly clear, with a warm brown color that had been bathed in sunlight.

“It’s you.” Seeing Huang Jin enter, Ding Lizi put down her guitar and revealed a sweet smile.

Huang Jin sat down by the bed, his heart almost bursting out of his ribcage. After calming his emotions for a few minutes, his face turned red, and he cautiously spoke, “Lizi, there’s something I need to explain to you. Next, I’m planning to…”

Planning to resign and take you away from here to a safe place.

“Plan to go on a business trip, right?” Ding Lizi pursed her lips, showing an expression of “I understand”. “You don’t have to hide it from me; I already know.”

Huang Jin: “Huh?”

“Having gone through that kind of thing, I would be foolish not to notice.” She shook her head mysteriously and lowered her voice. “My medical condition has improved to an excessive extent. Even my eyes, which couldn’t be treated, have gotten better. Are you working in that, um, official supernatural agency?”

“Um…” Huang Jin instantly froze.

Ding Lizi: “I know you need to keep secrets. I just wanted to say that when you leave, you don’t need to make excuses to me.”

She casually plucked the guitar strings, pure joy drifting through her swirling thoughts.

‘So amazing. He’s doing the work of saving people.’ ‘He’s such a good person.’ ‘Once I’m completely better, I’ll definitely repay the medical expenses.’ ‘He’s really kind.’

Huang Jin covered his eyes with a slap.

“Okay,” he said bitterly, “No need for excuses. I’ll be busy starting tomorrow.”

‘Maybe I can delay submitting the resignation letter a bit longer,’ Huang Jin thought. A little more delay shouldn’t matter.

……

Then he joined Ge Tingting’s foolish plan. How could he say such a thing?

Huang Jin finished reminiscing, and they had already arrived at Ping’an Manor—the villa belonging to the drug lord Master Liu, which had been sealed by Shian since the Feng Qi case and remained vacant. As an employee of Shian, Ge Tingting had applied for permission to use it.

“Ah,” Huang Jin sighed heavily.

With heavy steps, he entered the mansion’s hall.

There, a massive… pile of trash was displayed.

Ge Tingting had collected animal bones from various restaurants and garbage dumps, arranging them into the shape of a dragon. She had also decorated it with numerous beverage bottles, plastic bags, and takeout boxes, making it the epitome of modern garbage art. The bones were wrapped in plastic bags, and their joints barely moved, wriggling like frozen mudskippers.

A lot of expired frozen meat was piled up in another sealed room, slowly decomposing in low temperature. When they were hung on the skeleton, the final product would be even more disgusting.

Ge Tingting was using her corpse servant ability to adjust the bones, making the monstrosity move more naturally. The skilled spirit smith Huang Jin stood to the side, holding his nose, giving structural advice in agony.

He must have gone insane to get involved with this garbage.

“When the news of Lao Bin Ge’s ‘Haigu Sewers Infected with Hallucinogenic Fungus’ is released, we’ll let it make more appearances.”

Ge Tingting happily examined the pile of trash.

“There are no monsters; just a bunch of garbage and hallucinations caused by fungus. This kind of <Approaching Science> plot will be easily accepted by everyone.”

She even directed her phone to play a popular song, tapping her foot to the beat.

Huang Jin’s gaze was dead the entire time.

She didn’t think too much about it, but he could guess what would come next.

The value of the corpse centipede creating panic would disappear, and Sunken Society would treat it as an overt weapon. Ge Tingting’s actions, carried out with such enthusiasm, must have been tacitly approved by the higher-ups at Shian. They were also waiting for the appearance of the corpse centipede.

Next, a storm was likely to arrive.

At that time, Huang Jin didn’t realize that this pile of garbage in front of him had ignited the first shot of the “War Between Gods”.

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

Evil As Humans Ch227

Kinky4 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 227: Phenomena A-A0

It took a full seven days for Meiqiu to regain consciousness from its fainting spells, and even after waking up, its condition remained unstable.

The Lonely flesh acted like a pathogen, continuously infecting Meiqiu’s body, although its destructive power wasn’t as strong as the flesh from Fear. Fortunately, Yin Ren had ample experience suppressing such power. He stood by the table like a statue, carefully suppressing those forces for Meiqiu.

Meiqiu’s physical condition gradually improved, and Zhong Chengshuo approached as well. He stood beside Yin Ren, providing support for the weary man.

At the same time, his hand always covered Meiqiu’s front paw.

The Lonely ability leaned towards the cognitive aspect, so Gao Mengyu’s cat could serve as a partial surgical recorder. Zhong Chengshuo, however, still wasn’t completely at ease. He kept alternating his gaze between Meiqiu and Yin Ren, constantly sensing Meiqiu’s aura with his hands.

Over these days, Yin Ren’s expression hardly changed. He was focused on treating Meiqiu without even blinking.

‘Yes, he’s human,’ Zhong Chengshuo thought.

Yin Ren’s actions were nothing like those of an evil creature; he valued human life, but only to the extent that an ordinary person would. If someone close to him was in danger, he would do everything in his power to help. The difference was that his “power” was much stronger than that of an ordinary person, which made it seem extraordinary and astonishing.

He loved food and protected his shortcomings; he had no ambitions and was lazy at all the jobs he disliked. Skilled in worldly affairs yet easily influenced by various emotions.

Looking back now, ever since they met, Yin Ren had simply been living as an ordinary person, giving his all.

It was the same a thousand years ago, and it was the same now.

Zhong Chengshuo’s head drooped. A subtle sense of loss washed over him. In this moment, he realized that when he had previously sensed that Yin Ren might be the cub of “Fear”, he had also felt a sense of joy deep inside.

On that day a thousand years ago, Yin Ren had shared half an apple with him and led him out of the eternal chaos.

He thought he had given Yin Ren a new life in return.

However, the half of power he had returned almost caused Yin Ren’s demise—if it weren’t for Yin Ren enduring the corruption, he might have transformed into a fearsome creature.

“Zhong Chengshuo, no matter how others classify me, I am just me. Compared to dying back then, of course, I prefer being alive.”

Yin Ren placed both hands on Meiqiu’s abdomen, his gaze unwavering. He seemed to sense Zhong Chengshuo’s melancholy, and his voice carried a hint of laughter.

“And I survived, so that I could meet you.”

Zhong Chengshuo turned his face to the side, silently gazing at Yin Ren. Yin Ren’s expression was calm, and a small bundle of wings crawled up Zhong Chengshuo’s nape and ruffled his head.

“You indeed fell flat on your face and triggered the Gong Dynasty that was plagued by ancient evils. But to me, you’re just a poor sap who got hit with misfortune, albeit a grand one.”

There was laughter in Yin Ren’s voice.

“I don’t care what others think, but if you bring it up again, I’ll make you treat me to a 50-year barbecue buffet.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “How did you know what I was thinking? Is that also one of your abilities?”

Yin Ren coughed twice. “Dog Thing trembled in my pocket, thinking it had gone mad from your uneasiness.”

Zhong Chengshuo remained silent.

Yin Ren’s smile grew wider. “It’s the first time I’ve seen you so uneasy. Is it because of the two of us?”

“Yes,” Zhong Chengshuo honestly admitted.

“Well, it’s alright. I still like you.”

Several steps away, Fu Tianyi rolled his eyes in exasperation, trying to focus his attention on Meiqiu.

On the table, Meiqiu’s aura slowly changed. The twelve new eyes initially darted around uncontrollably, but eventually, they started emitting a faint light. They resembled strange gems scattered on its black fur, beautiful yet eerie.

“How is Meiqiu doing?” Fu Tianyi made an effort to dispel the ambiguous atmosphere around them.

“Meiqiu’s condition is different from mine. Keep a close eye on it.” Yin Ren’s tone suddenly turned authoritative. “I had been corrupted by Evil Force for hundreds of years before, so my adaptability to the integration of the flesh and blood of the Elementals is much better than its. Meiqiu is taking big steps, and even with me suppressing it, its body still bears a heavy burden.”

Fu Tianyi’s expression turned serious. “Understood!”

Zhong Chengshuo frowned beside them.

He suddenly released his grip on Meiqiu’s paw and pulled up a chair beside the table. In an instant, a pile of paper and pens materialized in front of him as he began calculating, printing out sheets of paper like a printer.

Yin Ren asked in confusion, “Zhong Ge?”

“There’s quite a bit of information, and I need to calculate. You guys focus on your tasks,” Zhong Chengshuo said, lightly biting his knuckles, while more and more data flowed from his pen.

Yin Ren, perplexed, lifted Meiqiu in his arms. “Don’t you need my help?”

“The hints you’ve given are enough.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze was fixed on the papers.

“Now it’s my turn to work.”

……

“So, he’s been staying in his own little room all this time?” Zhong Chengfeng seemed on the verge of having a heart attack. “It’s been several days!”

Yin Ren sighed. “I understand.”

The Lonelies had a new task. They would venture out a little when Satisfaction struck, bringing back some scraps of Satisfaction’s flesh. Out of caution, Yin Ren no longer gnawed on Love’s elbow. Instead, he hunted small Elementals and exchanged them with the Lonelies.

With the power of Satisfaction’s flesh, his wounds healed quickly.

But while Meiqiu went from standing to walking, from walking to running, and even learned to go out with Yin Ren to hunt small Elementals, Zhong Chengshuo still hadn’t emerged from his base.

Sometimes, Gao Mengyu’s cat would be caught to replay the “Meiqiu’s healing process”. Apart from that, there was no further communication.

Yin Ren had made a special visit once—this time it was Zhong Chengshuo who leaned against him while taking a nap, and when he woke up, he immediately did calculations with the paper in his arms. Yin Ren felt dizzy looking at those strange symbols, but Dr. Meiqiu was busy adapting to its new body and couldn’t help.

He didn’t know when these days would pass. Yin Ren chugged a bottle of “Satisfaction” like drinking beer, but even the originally delicious taste had become dull.

Who would have thought that just as his wounds were almost healed, Zhong Chengshuo would emerge from seclusion?

Yin Ren followed his usual routine and entered Zhong Chengshuo’s base, but he almost didn’t recognize it. Every corner was neatly piled with calculation papers, forming upright pillars that had a particularly calming and ascetic effect.

Zhong Chengshuo carried a shoulder bag and held a few sheets of calculation paper like treasures.

“Today, you’ll accompany me into a dream,” Zhong Chengshuo said, seeming to have forgotten how to speak, searching for his words.

Seeing Yin Ren’s subtly startled expression of “Who are you?”, Zhong Chengshuo clumsily added, “Into Gao Mengyu’s dream, with Meiqiu too.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“My job, properly.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s voice was as serious as ever.

He looked at Yin Ren’s face, stretched out his hand, and gently traced his eyebrows and eyes with his fingertips, then slid them along the corners of Yin Ren’s eyes to his cheeks. Zhong Chengshuo’s movements were gentle and satisfied, as if he had accomplished some great mission.

“No matter how others classify us, you are still you… and I am still me. This is ‘my’ way of doing things.”

It had been nearly half a month without any news from the other side, and Fu Xingchuan was on the verge of giving up.

Recently, he would spend some time in Gao Mengyu’s dreams every night. Gao Mengyu didn’t mind; she would cuddle her cat and read a book. However, Fu Xingchuan felt it was inappropriate to keep entering the dreams of a young woman every day.

He had intended to call Ge Tingting to take over, but lately, Ge Tingting always applied to go out and seemed to have vanished into thin air. Fu Xingchuan vowed that if he couldn’t wait for the person from the Other Side today, he… he would have to continue waiting.

After all, he couldn’t always trouble Gao Mengyu, disturbing her sleep.

Today, Fu Xingchuan went to patrol Gao Mengyu’s dream as usual. However, as soon as he entered, he saw something that clearly shouldn’t be there—

A fourteen-eyed black cat was perched on Gao Mengyu’s knee. Gao Mengyu leaned against the Lonely cat, and there was a monster lying on her lap. She seemed to be enjoying herself.

The girl had earplugs in her ears. Fu Xingchuan shifted his gaze and, as expected, saw Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren sitting on the sofa.

However, the atmosphere between the two was a bit strange.

Yin Ren’s face showed faint confusion and anticipation, while Zhong Chengshuo’s expression was solemn, as if about to make some important announcement.

Fu Xingchuan took a colorful cushion and sat on the ground. “What’s going on? …That cat-like thing is Meiqiu?”

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t directly answer his question.

“Meiqiu and I have made a new discovery that needs to be announced,” Zhong Chengshuo said, sitting upright. “I have preliminarily confirmed my conclusions, and all the relevant people are here.”

Fu Xingchuan: “…” Zhong Chengshuo’s demeanor made it seem like he was reporting on his work. The fact that this person was a genuine ancient Primordial Elemental gave Fu Xingchuan a strange sense of unreality.

Fu Xingchuan: “…Go on.”

“Phenomenon A-A3, Evil Spirit; Phenomenon A-A2, Divine Descent; Phenomenon A-A1, the Other Side… The phenomenon I’m reporting surpasses the three, so the numbering should be sufficient.”

Meiqiu emitted a purring sound on Gao Mengyu’s lap, and Fu Xingchuan’s playful expression disappeared from his face.

“Minister Fu, have you ever considered a corruption stronger than ‘Evil Force’? One that is a thousand times stronger.”

Zhong Chengshuo glanced at Yin Ren, who still seemed puzzled. His tone was calm and clear. “Elementals can only exist on the Other Side. If they were to directly descend into the human world, their flesh and blood would crumble, corrupting into Evil Force. Evil Force is also unstable and rapidly decomposes into evil qi.”

“All of this is known, and I have taught you,” Fu Xingchuan said solemnly.

“Evil Force needs to stably exist in the human world by attaching itself to a body—whether it be a living creature’s body or an evil being’s body. Through fusion, new ‘phenomena’ will be born, such as individuals with special abilities or evil spirits.”

“Elemental flesh and blood also need a body for stable existence.”

Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip on his hands.

“Individuals like Mr. Qiu can only exert their power in the interstitial space, similar to that of a puppeteer. What I want to talk about is a deeper fusion… like Meiqiu, like me, and like Yin Ren.”

Fu Xingchuan fell into silence.

“This phenomenon is extremely rare. If it weren’t for the Divine Descent from a thousand years ago, the human world wouldn’t have encountered such fresh Elemental flesh and blood. This kind of phenomenon shouldn’t exist.”

“The conditions for this phenomenon are also extremely demanding. During fusion, it requires a balance between the power of the Primordial Elemental flesh and the power of the body. If the balance is disrupted…”

Zhong Chengshuo placed his hand on the back of Yin Ren’s hand, applying slight pressure with his five fingers.

“When Elemental flesh and blood lose control, the fused body will collapse. Subsequently, the Elemental flesh and blood will also corrupt into Evil Force, giving rise to powerful evil beings.”

A situation like this almost occurred in the Archive.

It wasn’t the birth of an Evil Spirit but rather Yin Ren, as a special phenomenon in the process of fusion, gradually “dying”.

Fu Xingchuan rubbed his chin with a blank expression. “Continue.”

“Suppose the fusion is successful. The abilities of this ‘special phenomenon’ wouldn’t be limited by the rules of the Other Side or the human world. In theory, with systematic training, they would be able to freely traverse both realms, with individual abilities starting at least on par with an Evil Spirit.”

“The Evil Spirit power version has become the Elemental flesh and blood version…” Fu Xingchuan tugged at his hair in frustration.

Inherent in the power of the Charons, with the starting point of Evil Force and an unknown upper limit, coupled with their intellect. It sounded like his most chaotic nightmare, and he believed that those on the Other Side wouldn’t like it either.

Due to the existence of the gaps, Evil Force and corruption by Evil Force still fall within the realm of nature. However, the concept proposed by Zhong Chengshuo could be considered a hybrid of both realms, a terrifying “phenomenon” that went against the laws.

“Oh fuck, wait a minute, are you now mentioning that ‘angel’s arms’ thing—?!” Fu Xingchuan suddenly looked up.

If it was just the discovery of a new species, Zhong Chengshuo could have reported it afterwards. There was no need to urgently inform Shian.

“Minister Fu, a sufficient corrupted environment and widespread awareness are essential factors for the birth of evil beings.”

Zhong Chengshuo curled the corners of his mouth.

“Love knows of my existence. Clearly, it is not satisfied with fusing with ordinary humans like me… What it wants is a more formidable body. Whether that body is an evil being or a living creature, I don’t think it cares.”

Fu Xingchuan chuckled bitterly. “Going for a custom-made option?”

Spreading corruption throughout the human world, solidifying its presence in everyone’s minds—this is to create a powerful evil. It’s better to say it’s forging a divine body for itself. But when it came to “creation”, the process was almost like…

The expression on Minister Fu’s face suddenly turned unpleasant.

Yin Ren clearly also thought of the same thing. He looked slowly at Zhong Chengshuo, and a chill ran down his spine.

“The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi, the strongest individual ever to exist in the metaphysical world. The recent ‘Great Celestial Master Replica’ case in Gengsheng Town is highly likely to have been influenced by Love. Its initial goal may have been to create a powerful avatar for itself. Upon discovering my successful case, it may have been inspired… This is my personal speculation.”

Zhong Chengshuo quietly stated.

“That concludes my research report.”

Fu Xingchuan was speechless.

What would happen if Love succeeded?

Human power was limited to controlling Evil Force. Mr. Qiu and Mr. Le relied solely on imperfectly fused puppets to fight, and that already left Shian powerless to fight back. Now that the concept of the angel’s arms was everywhere, if Love were to obtain a strong enough body…

Whether in the human world or the Other Side, even “Satisfaction” that still existed on the Other Side would be firmly held in its grasp. The birth of Elementals would be controlled and manipulated by it. On the other hand, it would become an absolute power in the human world, capable of plunging the world into endless madness with its abilities.

Fu Xingchuan was reluctant to think further.

“Well, that’s the current situation.”

The cat with fourteen eyes jumped down to the ground, walked up to Fu Xingchuan with its tail upright, and all fourteen of its eyes blinked simultaneously.

Meiqiu made a cheerful sound, completely unconcerned about the fate of the human world.

“Because the plan was determined based on me, Zhong Chengshuo said he would leave the naming of such phenomena to me. I’ve also come up with a name, listen—”

It raised its head, and all fourteen eyes looked at Fu Xingchuan at the same time.

“Phenomenon A-A0, God.”

Kinky Thoughts:

Well, shit…

Well, lots of concepts to break down for those who are confused.

First, how did they rescue Meiqiu? Using the Elemental flesh from the Lonely cat, Yin Ren was able to heal Meiqiu by transforming its body physically. This is similar to how Zhong Chengshuo was able to restore his own headless body (despite being a science post) and how Yin Ren was able to survive after being on the brink of dying while being attacked by the Gouluo army.

The Other Side is not bound by the cognition of the human world. Generally, metaphysicians can be healed through spells and magic, while science posts will need real life scientific medical treatment. The Other Side breaks this cognition and actually influences the human side in some way through Evil Force (Elemental flesh).

However, Elemental flesh is extremely powerful, and no human could survive such a powerful force… Except Yin Ren. During the Divine Descent of 1,000+ years ago (where Zhong Chengshuo first fell), Yin Ren’s mother was affected by the Evil Force from the Divine Descent, giving birth to a baby that is half corrupted by Evil Force. The logic also applies on the human side. Because Evil Force is so powerful, it’s unstable on the human side, so when an Elemental flesh enters the human realm, it starts breaking down, eventually becoming evil qi.

Not only that, Yin Ren was talented and a highly skilled cultivator specializing in sealing magic. The Evil Force prolonged his life (but also gave him infinite pain and suffering because humans aren’t meant to have such powers), but his sealing magic allows him to not be overwhelmed by the Evil Force, which if he were a normal human would have collapsed his body.

This was basically a vaccine given to Yin Ren early on. On the day that Yin Ren “died” in the Valley of Remains, rabbit Zhong Chengshuo gave him half of his power as the original “Fear”… which would have surely killed Yin Ren, let alone revived him. However, because he was plagued with Evil Force all his life and kept sealing it, he was able to maintain that balance between the power of Evil Force and his own body, thus allowing him to control half the power Zhong Chengshuo gave him.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t give Meiqiu his own flesh because it’s too powerful, so he used the Lonely cat flesh instead (less powerful) and combined with his ability to seal and control the flesh’s Evil Force, Meiqiu was saved.

Yin Ren is basically a hybrid of the Other Side and the human world, with the flesh from “Fear”, one of the most powerful Primordial Elementals of the Other Side.

Now, what Love is doing is influencing the human world with her angel’s arm and corrupting it with Evil Force. When more Evil Force are present, it gives rise to more evil beings and humans with Elemental powers (like the Charon, Resonance, and Infinite users). Love is trying to secure a body that is truly divine. She doesn’t want a makeshift body that acts more like a puppet like what Mr. Qiu or Mr. Le use (as they cannot handle her true body).

The experiment Sunken Society did in Gengsheng Town, where the mayor was becoming an Evil spirit, was under Love’s guidance, trying to forge a godly body for her. Basically… she’s trying to become God, controlling both the Other Side and the human world. With ultimate control of the human world, she can plunge it into madness, allowing stronger emotions, which means more food for the Elementals on the Other Side. At the same time, she could also control Satisfaction and stop it from endlessly giving birth to new Elementals, so food scarcity wouldn’t be a problem.

Hope that explains things.

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

Sendoff Ch65

Kinky3 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 65: Gap

At sunset, the four of them checked into a small inn near Yongsheng.

This time, Shi Jingzhi didn’t procrastinate. He called Yan Qing and Su Si over and recounted the tragic events that had taken place in the temple in great detail.

Yan Qing had obtained the Sword of Compassion and was feeling quite good. Even if they suddenly had to leave the mountain, he thought the sect master was just acting on a whim and had some urgent matters to attend to. But when he heard the devastating news about Abbot Juefei, Yan Qing stood frozen in place, and his eyes instantly turned red.

Abbot Juefei was only around fifty years old, still in his prime, while Yan Qing had just entered his twenties. To young people, masters like him were like an unshakable wall that would never collapse.

Even if another twenty or thirty years passed, Abbot Juefei would still be happily staying at the Jianchen Temple, waiting for fate.

“I… I thought…” Yan Qing began but couldn’t continue.

What did he want to do? Yin Ci remained silent.

Among the group, Yan Qing had the deepest connection with Monk Juefei. He had wanted to wield his sword and make a name for himself in the martial world, earning the approval of the plump monk. Or perhaps he wanted to do good deeds openly and then visit Juefei, forging a karmic bond with him?

No matter what determination Yan Qing had secretly made, it was destined to have no conclusion.

In the end, Yan Qing didn’t say it out loud. His lips were tightly pursed as he put down the Sword of Compassion and rushed out of the guest room alone.

In contrast, Su Si remained surprisingly calm. He didn’t chase after Yan Qing but watched him leave.

Su Si sat upright, his demeanor unusually composed, and said, “San Zi might not think too much, but I have something to ask.”

Shi Jingzhi showed no surprise. “Ask.”

“Venerable Juefei was cursed ten years ago. Sect Master deduced that Jianchen Temple is the main target of the culprit, and I agree. Although we haven’t informed the Jianchen Temple, I guess Sect Master knows the true nature of the curse.”

Shi Jingzhi remained silent.

Su Si weakly smiled. “Two roots connected, living and dying together. If poisoned, blood becomes the poison’s vessel until death. If burned, blood becomes the fuel, and the body perishes. We encountered the Twin Roots not long ago, didn’t we?”

Back in Yuanxian Village, Su Si was the one who explained it. As the young Patriarch of the Chigou Sect, he had come into contact with many things he shouldn’t have.

The Twin Roots was an evil object that could be broken by the Buddha’s Heart Incense, dispersing its demonic qi.

When the abbot saw them off, he came into contact with the Buddha’s Heart Incense, and the demonic roots within his body would have reacted. Then the culprit could use the guests the abbot saw off to kill him from a thousand miles away with different methods—piercing sword qi through the heart, shattering bones with inner force, or burning him with yang fire.

Once the curse was activated, regardless of whether the intruder was from the Kushan Sect or not, the culprit could use it to kill both Juefei and Juehui.

Shi Jingzhi made a high-profile move by killing Zheng Fengdao and headed to Huilian Mountain. This matter was known to most of the martial arts world, so it wasn’t difficult for the culprit to make arrangements based on this.

However, looking at this point, it seemed that the Kushan Sect was merely being used by someone without much thought. But…

“The timing is just too strange.”

Su Si muttered while gripping the handle of his butcher knife.

“To send off the guests with the Buddha’s Heart Incense, the prerequisite is to activate the Buddha’s Heart Formation. The last time the formation was activated was a hundred years ago, and this time it was activated because of the return of the <Woodless Sutra>… and for the <Woodless Sutra> to return, the Ghost Tomb must be breached.”

“Why did the culprit know ten years ago that the Ghost Tomb would be discovered within Abbot Juefei’s lifetime and destined to be breached? How did they know that during the three-month Sutra Cleansing Session, someone would definitely come up the mountain to meet the abbot? Moreover, the culprit seems to have an excessive understanding of the Jianchen Temple and the Kushan Sect…”

The more Su Si spoke, the paler his face became.

If his speculation was true, this move had been set in motion when Venerable Juefei became the abbot over ten years ago. Afterwards, the culprit patiently waited for the Ghost Tomb to appear in the world and for the martial world to descend into chaos before taking the opportunity to eradicate the Jianchen Temple, the unshakable anchor…

Could an ordinary person accomplish such a thing?

“Sect Master Shi, you still have the ban of the Immortal Assembly on you. What does this mean, exactly—”

“Enough, Su Si. You’re overthinking things. Where in the world would such an exaggerated conspiracy exist?”

Shi Jingzhi showed a comforting and calm expression.

“Abbot Juefei didn’t go down the mountain, and he only received guests several times a year. As long as the news is well-managed, it’s easy to kill during these meetings. Using the Buddha’s Heart Incense as a reference just makes the framing more secure.”

“Ten years ago, I was just a seventeen-year-old kid. Now, wandering the martial world was just a whim. It’s impossible for someone to tailor such a conspiracy specifically for me. As for the ban of the Immortal Assembly, it may not necessarily be related to this matter, and the Twin Roots curse is not unique to an immortal sect… Perhaps the culprit is just a lunatic who is afraid that the world won’t be in chaos and is taking advantage of the chaos caused by the Shirou.”

Su Si wasn’t entirely convinced. “Even if they wanted to cause chaos, why would an ordinary person wait ten years?”

“That’s why I say they’re a lunatic.”

Su Si: “…”

Seeing that the other party was determined not to delve deeper, Su Si had to stand up. “Fine, I’ll go check on San Zi’s situation.”

“Su Si, if you still want to leave the Kushan Sect, now is the best opportunity. Once today’s events spread, the Kushan Sect won’t have an easy time in the martial world.” Shi Jingzhi suddenly spoke up.

Su Si’s footsteps paused.

“Forget it, Sect Master Shi. I don’t fare well outside, and I don’t fare well here either. What’s the difference?”

He smiled, not looking back, and walked out the door.

After Su Si left, Shi Jingzhi relaxed his entire body and let out a sigh of relief. Throughout the whole ordeal, Yin Ci stood by, arms crossed, without saying a word.

Seeing that Shi Jingzhi was in a bad mood, Yin Ci specially borrowed the inn’s kitchen and made some candies. Unexpectedly, his cheap master wouldn’t touch the snacks and wasn’t easily appeased.

Regardless of the situation, Yin Ci didn’t want to force him to speak.

In terms of strategy, Shi Jingzhi wasn’t much inferior to himself. Given the significance of the matter, he should have a grasp of it. If he were to force the question recklessly, it would be disrespectful to the “other master”.

Seeing Shi Jingzhi lost in thought again, Yin Ci placed the candy on the table and poured two cups of hot tea. “Eat.”

His tone was quite impolite.

“A’Ci, you’ve worked so hard… but I have no appetite,” Shi Jingzhi absentmindedly said.

“You hardly ate anything for lunch, and if you continue like this, your body will weaken.”

Without hesitation, Yin Ci reached out and held Shi Jingzhi’s face, forcing him to open his mouth.

“There are many variables ahead, and if your mind isn’t clear and your energy is insufficient, who knows what might happen.”

With that, he mercilessly stuffed a piece of candy into Shi Jingzhi’s mouth.

Shi Jingzhi reluctantly swallowed the candy, finally smiling. “Feeding candy is just like feeding poison. You’re probably the only one in the world who does this.”

The candy was made by Yin Ci, sweet and not greasy, making it easy to eat. Shi Jingzhi slowly ate a few pieces, gradually regaining his appetite. He finished the plate of candy and even asked for two more.

After drinking the hot tea, Shi Jingzhi’s mood noticeably improved. “I want something sweet and sour. A‘Ci, can you make hawthorn cake? If not, how about cherry pork for dinner?”

Yin Ci immediately refused. “You’ve already had enough oily food today. I’m here to nourish you, not to feed a pig.”

Shi Jingzhi: “……”

Shi Jingzhi looked mournful. “Good disciple, at a time like this, you should indulge your master.”

“Fine, but we’ll only have sweet and sour fish for dinner.”

“I’ll assist you, and we can make hawthorn cakes…” Shi Jingzhi, fully embracing his own “object addiction”, persisted.

Yin Ci smiled and watched Shi Jingzhi, suspecting that this person’s begging for food was genuine while his spoiled behavior was authentic.

Shi Jingzhi leaned against the window of the small inn. The evening sun cast a gentle orange color on his ink-black hair. Looking at the now calm Shi Jingzhi, Yin Ci suddenly felt a heaviness in his heart.

If it weren’t for his identity as the “person in white” being discovered and receiving special attention within the temple, in the end, only Shi Jingzhi would be allowed to meet the abbot.

When the time came for the confrontation, no one would stop Shi Jingzhi as the fire raged on.

In that tragic moment, Shi Jingzhi could only tear apart the goodwill extended by Jianchen Temple and kill Zhixing, who would have witnessed the incident, before fleeing together in haste.

Wronged and filled with hatred, his sins would stain him like ink. At that time, would Shi Jingzhi’s inner demon still be as innocent and white as snow?

Faced with the overwhelming accusations and resentment, would he still be able to calmly think and genuinely mourn for Abbot Juefei?

For a brief moment, Yin Ci had a subtle feeling—he was trying to gather the fragments and piece together “people’s hearts” for Shi Jingzhi. However, at the same time, there was someone secretly intervening, hoping to break him even more completely.

…Perhaps it was just an illusion.

Perhaps because he had been thinking about Shi Jingzhi’s matters recently, Yin Ci was feeling a bit chaotic due to his concern.

“The stove in the inn is currently in use, so hawthorn cakes are not possible. How about I accompany Shizun to buy two skewers of candied hawthorns? How does that sound?”

Yin Ci shook his head and began teasing his cheap master again.

To his surprise, Shi Jingzhi didn’t respond with a joke. Instead, he slowly tightened his face, and his eyes brightened.

“A’Ci, show me your true abilities. How long would it take to get from here to Yongsheng?”

Yin Ci was taken aback. “If we don’t bring Yan Qing and Su Si, about half an hour. Why do you ask?”

“I want to go to Yongsheng with you, and we don’t need to bring anything.” Shi Jingzhi narrowed his eyes, and that familiar cunning expression returned. “We’ll go to the city to buy candied hawthorns and secretly eat them without anyone noticing.”

Yin Ci silently reached out and touched Shi Jingzhi’s forehead.

No fever?

Shi Jingzhi brushed his hand away. “Regardless of the truth behind Abbot Juefei’s matter, we’re definitely being watched. If the four of us go to Yongsheng together, it will leave a trace. It’s better to avoid big cities and head straight for the Mishan Sect—once we enter the city, I’ll send a letter to Shi Zhongyu and borrow the ‘Arrow Horses’ from Taiheng for temporary use.”

“Since we’re going to the Mishan Sect and heading north, we’ll pass by Taiheng. The Jianchen Temple won’t immediately release the news, so I’ll say that the plan has changed, and I can only personally deliver the treasure map, then we’ll ride the Arrow Horses and leave…”

Yin Ci quickly understood his meaning. “And then when the tragic incident at the Jianchen Temple breaks out, we’ll escape on horseback?”

“What are you saying? Master will definitely return the horses in the end! It’s just that without the Arrow Horses, it will take us two months just to reach the Snowy Region in the north. Borrowing it for a little longer shouldn’t be a problem, and Senior Shi will probably understand… I’ll bring her some compensation when the time comes.” Shi Jingzhi’s voice grew quieter and quieter.

Compensation? If Shi Zhongyu believed that they had killed Abbot Juefei, they would probably have to offer their heads as compensation.

“If we’re only delivering a letter, we don’t necessarily have to go to Yongsheng. Do you have any other plans?”

Shi Jingzhi winked at him. “A’Ci, the Twin Roots curse has already appeared, so we must confirm the other clue… Ah, that expression. I knew you still remembered!”

At night, in Yongsheng, two figures gracefully flipped over the wall and entered.

Shi Jingzhi skillfully put on his hood and acted as a runner to deliver the letter to Taiheng. Yin Ci waited in the dark alley, remaining vigilant of their surroundings. When Shi Jingzhi returned, he was about to lead the way when something appeared in his hand—

“Now let’s go.” Shi Jingzhi handed Yin Ci a candied hawthorn sticks and took one for himself.

Yin Ci: “…”

It seemed that this kid’s object addiction was no joke; when he said he wanted to eat, he absolutely had to eat.

Demonic Lord Yin stared at the candied hawthorn stick in his hand, feeling like he had dug a hole for himself. The matter of prioritizing teaching this Sect Master was indeed a heavy responsibility and a long way to go.

As a result, they became the first two thieves in Great Yun’s history to bring candied hawthorns into a shrine.

The shrine of the Imperial Celestial was located in the most prosperous area of the city. The time for worship had long passed, and there were still a few guards in the hall.

The shrine was spacious and quiet. The candlesticks on the table shone with golden light, and the candle flames flickered. The offerings were brightly colored and fresh, as if just picked.

The statue of the Imperial Celestial stood on the shrine—its face neither male nor female, exuding a serene beauty. That face was filled with sadness and compassion, exactly the same as the flesh statue in Yuanxian Village.

Shi Jingzhi dangled from a beam, plucked a hawthorn from the candied hawthorn stick, and threw it towards the door with a click when the guard’s attention was diverted. Masked Yin Ci descended from above and skillfully took down everyone.

“A’Ci, you go check the statue, and I’ll fake the traces of theft.”

Shi Jingzhi took out a cloth from his pocket and wrapped the golden candlestick on the table. He then took out handfuls of copper coins from the offering box and intentionally scattered them on the ground.

Yin Ci, on the other hand, went around to the back of the statue.

He concentrated a bit of sword qi on his fingertips and aimed at the least conspicuous part of the base of the golden statue. Quietly, he cut off a piece of the casing.

Yin Ci had previously tapped on the statue and knew it wasn’t hollow. He only hoped that there would be a regular clay body or some other common filling inside.

However, within the gap he pried open, there was a faint yet familiar smell of blood.

Within that one-finger-wide crack, Yin Ci saw the familiar brownish-red flesh pulp and a deformed eye—it looked somewhat shriveled, rapidly contracting its pupil due to the sudden exposure to light.

The Yongsheng Shrine had stood in this place for over two hundred years. During those two hundred years, the statue had never been replaced.

But that eye was there, still active.

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