Everyone’s changes had reasons behind them. These reasons could be as simple as the breakfast they wanted to buy being unavailable due to heavy rain, so they had to settle for a bun they didn’t like. Or it could be the determination to study hard and excel academically after being ridiculed at school. However, if it wasn’t for an alien swapping Shen Lian’s brain, her sudden leap in academic performance would undoubtedly be due to her strong internal drive for learning.
Although Lin Chen could ignore this change and attribute it to a genius girl suddenly developing a passion for studying, he instinctively believed that the reason behind Shen Lian’s transformation was very important.
“Did anything happen during Shen Lian’s transition from junior high to high school?” Lin Chen asked.
“What aspect are you referring to, A’Chen Gege?” Wang Chao asked, holding his computer.
“Involving changes in relatives or schoolmates, such as homicides, car accidents, major illnesses, especially mental illnesses, and so on.”
Time was running out. Xing Conglian got out of the car to escort Mr. Xiao Zhan into the entrance of the chemical plant, appearing very cautious. Lin Chen saw Xing Conglian patting the other person’s shoulder and saying something before quickly returning to the car.
As Lin Chen turned his head, before he could speak, with just a glance, Xing Conglian answered on his own, “I told Xiao Zhan that someone would come to protect him later.”
“He must be scared to death.”
“He’s quite timid,” Xing Conglian said helplessly.
The teenager sat in the back seat, continuously talking while checking some records. “Parents are healthy, only mother had a cold once. As for relatives at home… That’s a broad range. Are you referring to several generations of relatives?”
Thinking of Shen Lian’s “attack” target, Lin Chen said, “Grandparents.”
Xing Conglian had already restarted the car. His driving speed wasn’t as urgent as before. Instead, he seemed relaxed. He even turned on the car stereo and played a serene violin piece.
There were many abandoned construction sites on the outskirts, overlayed with long grass basking in the perfect sun. The violin music mixed with the sound of Wang Chao typing on the keyboard made Lin Chen feel drowsy. He suddenly remembered that a similar scene seemed to have occurred before.
They were driving down the highway with dense reeds all around as time was tightening… What did Xing Conglian do back then? It reminded him of when they had a bowl of braised beef noodles together, sitting on the car hood, enjoying the breeze.
Lin Chen abruptly woke up. Xing Conglian was still in the driver’s seat, saying, “Hey, what do you feel like eating later?”
Lin Chen looked at Xing Conglian helplessly. The more urgent the situation, the more relaxed Xing Conglian seemed to be.
“Wang Chao, how about going to a restaurant?”
“No, no, we’re in a hurry. Boss, don’t add to the chaos,” Wang Chao said anxiously. “A’Chen Gege, it seems like there weren’t any significant incidents, as you mentioned, during that year. Shen Lian’s grandparents were still alive that year, and there were no major events at school…”
Wang Chao incessantly began recounting the suspicious accidents that occurred at Shen Lian’s school, while Lin Chen gradually closed his eyes, his face calm and serene.
“A’Chen Gege, what should we do next? Should we continue investigating Shen Lian’s past experiences during that period? What if she suddenly had a miraculous improvement in her academic performance due to taking some divine elixir?”
Xing Conglian cleared his throat, and Wang Chao immediately fell silent.
The temporary investigation hitting a dead end left the young man restless. In reality, Lin Chen knew what Wang Chao wanted to say but didn’t verbalize it. Now that they only had three hours left, did they really need to delve too deeply into Shen Lian’s past? Moreover, even if they discovered why Shen Lian had changed so drastically, would it truly help them resolve the crisis they currently faced?
Looking at the grassy roadside ahead, Lin Chen said to Wang Chao, “The reason I think we should investigate Shen Lian’s past and the reasons behind her psychological transformation is simply because it’s the only area I excel at in this case. Besides that, I can’t find any other breakthrough points.”
“Ah, no, A’Chen Gege, I didn’t mean it that way. I never said you were useless!” Wang Chao hurriedly clarified.
Lin Chen said seriously, “Perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly. I don’t think I’m useless. What I meant was that with enough proficiency in any field of study, you can find your own breakthrough points. For example, computers for you or psychology for me.”
Wang Chao was dumbfounded.
Xing Conglian laughed as if he was satisfied with his statement. “No, no, he is still far behind you.”
Surprisingly, Lin Chen felt more at ease and smiled, saying, “It’s always good to be modest.”
“What should we do next?”
“I want to investigate everything that happened to Shen Lian during her transition from junior high to high school,” Lin Chen said decisively.
“But wasn’t Wang Chao already investigating all of that?” Xing Conglian asked.
“I want to focus on the events that occurred at Shen Lian’s school; with her teachers, classmates, relatives, neighbors, the bus she frequently took, the route she took home, and even the bookstore she often visited. We need to investigate every place and person related to Shen Lian.” Lin Chen opened his eyes and looked firmly at the astonished Xing Conglian.
However, after the brief astonishment, Xing Conglian became surprisingly relaxed and at ease. He calmly called the teenager’s name, “Wang Chao!”
“Wang Chao is online. Sir, may I ask what you need?” Wang Chao responded promptly.
“Follow your A’Chen Gege’s orders,” Xing Conglian said.
Wang Chao quickly replied, “I can search the police network for all the files related to Shen Lian’s activities within her scope. It’s a small matter. However, some things can only be obtained through interviews, which I can’t do!”
As soon as Wang Chao finished speaking, he began typing rapidly on the keyboard.
Xing Conglian said to Lin Chen, “Investigating the internal network alone won’t be comprehensive enough. I’ll assign some people to conduct on-the-ground investigations.”
Lin Chen nodded. “Try to be discreet and not alert anyone…”
Xing Conglian made several phone calls, assigning tasks. The investigation would involve Shen Lian’s former teachers, classmates, friends, and neighbors, covering almost all of Shen Lian’s social network from that period.
Ground investigations were time-consuming and resource-intensive work, and Lin Chen was well aware that they might not yield immediate results for the investigation he desired. In this extremely tense situation, Xing Conglian was still willing to listen to him and undertake this task. Setting aside personal feelings, the trust Xing Conglian bestowed upon him was the utmost trust a superior could give to a subordinate. Lin Chen leaned against the car window, contemplating many of Xing Conglian’s strengths, but the most prominent one was undoubtedly his unwavering trust in people. Even when they were complete strangers, Xing Conglian dared to trust Lin Chen’s judgment. The same was true when he sent Mr. Xiao Zhan and spoke to the young man. Perhaps even earlier, Xing Conglian had placed trust in many people he wasn’t familiar with, including Wang Chao.
Therefore, it didn’t take long for Wang Chao to naturally lean against his seatback and proudly say, “A’Chen Gege, I’ve found all the information you requested—over 280 files. Do you want to take a look?”
Lin Chen glanced at the time; not much time had passed since Xing Conglian made the calls.
Xing Conglian seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the number of leads. “Comrade Xiao Wang, how did you manage to find over 280 files? That’s a lot. Your professional skills seem to have declined a bit.”
“A’Chen Gege, you should quickly tell the boss how many cases can be found when investigating regional crime records. This quantity is unpredictable!” Wang Chao retorted.
Lin Chen nodded.
Wang Chao looked at his boss and continued proudly, “Do you want to review them later, or should I show you now? I’ve organized them in chronological order.”
Wang Chao’s face revealed an expectant expression, hoping for praise.
But Xing Conglian remained silent. Lin Chen placed his hand on Xing Conglian’s right arm and gently patted it. “What do you think, Captain Xing?”
Finally, Xing Conglian said, “Wang Chao, have someone retrieve the written case files and bring them to the office. Mobilize some officers to review the files.”
“We still need to review the written case files?” Wang Chao took a deep breath. “Over 280 files—that’s an enormous workload!”
“Well, who found so many cases?” Xing Conglian countered.
Lin Chen said, “It’s necessary. The digital archives from that time might not be complete, and without reviewing the physical case files, we might miss important clues.”
……
Approximately twenty minutes later, they arrived at the police station.
Over 280 case files were brought to the police office. Due to the manhunt for Shen Lian, the police force was already short-staffed. However, Xing Conglian still assembled a team of ten officers at the police station to review the case files.
Xing Conglian pushed open the office door, with Lin Chen and Wang Chao following behind.
Inside the office, apart from the officers who were urgently assigned, there were over a dozen large boxes of case files.
Lin Chen nodded to the officers and got straight to the point. “Today, I’ve called you all here to review some case files. We’ll use a pass-and-screen method. Please form a circle and sit down, maintaining an arm’s distance between each other. If you come across a case file that you find suspicious, place it on your right side. If you think the lead is useless, place it at the back. And so on.”
Xing Conglian solemnly said, “Go and find chairs.”
The ten officers went out one after another and soon returned, seating themselves in a circle according to Lin Chen’s instructions. Wang Chao began distributing the case files. At that moment, one officer spoke up, asking, “What kind of case file would be considered suspicious?”
Lin Chen said, “This search is likely different from the traditional method of finding case files based on leads. We don’t have specific leads; only general keywords. Please identify case files that might be related to these keywords: ‘Shen Lian’, ‘murder’, ‘cruelty’, ‘violence’, ‘drugs’, ‘alcohol’, ‘mental abnormalities’, and so on.”
“Understood. Cases possibly related to mental abnormalities?”
“Not only that, we need to search more meticulously,” Lin Chen said.
Xing Conglian opened the case file in his hand and sternly scanned the faces of each subordinate. “Be serious. We don’t have much time to start over.”
The officers nodded heavily, indicating their understanding.
In the spacious office, the ten or so people sat in a circle, and not a single word was spoken. The silence in the room was palpable. The only sound was the rustling of paper as thick pages were turned, like waves crashing against the shore, endless and infinite.
Lin Chen also sat within the circle, focusing on the case file in his hand. It detailed a violent assault that occurred late at night during that year, in a location near Shen Lian’s residence.
He examined it carefully, from the time the police were dispatched, the responding units, the forensic examination report, and even the chain of evidence. He meticulously filtered every word in the case file with his eyes. Afterwards, he placed the case file behind his chair.
Xing Conglian sat to the right of Lin Chen, and as Lin Chen placed the case file, he caught a glimpse of the case file in Xing Conglian’s hand. It was a burglary that took place on a street where Shen Lian had previously resided. The burglar had the misfortune of entering the home of a retired boxer, with predictable results.
The number of case files on the right side of the chairs kept increasing. The second, third, and more case files were passed along. Lin Chen placed another excluded case file behind his chair and casually picked up a new one from the right side. He opened it—unexpected death, unidentified victim.
Immediately for people who had just returned from a specific settlement in Y City, Yu Jin followed Shu Jun’s request and gathered the remaining inhabitants to a large settlement east of the city. Those who had established underground strongholds in the settlements went into underground shelters.
Settlements had never been an easy crowd to persuade, and no one was willing to listen to Yu Jin’s empty words. It was only when members of the Old Fourth stepped forward that this matter was presented as such—for some unknown reason, several senior cadres from the Old Fourth remained outside the city and showed no intention of returning.
The settlements were close to the erosion zone, and the fog was dense. People across the entire Y City couldn’t see Sigma’s appearance. However, there was one change that was particularly noticeable. The number of mutant beasts that used to roam only near the boundaries of the erosion zone increased, and they frequently harassed the settlements.
Considering that many synthetic humans remained in the settlements, humans had weapons to suppress them. Several cadres from the Old Fourth remained, and the supplies brought by the caravan were sufficient, so the situation had been relatively good. Yu Jin wasn’t too concerned about the future of Y City; he and the others hid in the depths of the fog, hoping for everything to end soon.
Since Sigma approached, communication with Y City had been cut off. As the number of Erosion Swamps increased, the surroundings became increasingly dark and damp, with no trace of sunlight. Without clocks, no one could distinguish between day and night.
Yu Jin borrowed the influence of the Old Fourth and was promoted as the manager of this large temporary settlement. As someone who knew about the relationship between Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen, he had some understanding. Even so, faced with the increasingly dense fog and the groups of mutant beasts, he couldn’t help but have the illusion that “perhaps he had already died and was suffering in hell.”
What was terrifying wasn’t Sigma’s proximity but the complete loss of communication. People outside Y City were trapped on an invisible island, hoarding limited food and waiting for an uncertain outcome.
As usual, Yu Jin led the team on patrol outside the town. Unlike before, the fiercely determined mutant beasts weren’t easily driven away this time. They stubbornly remained in place, unwilling to leave.
The cold and damp wind swept through the fog, carrying an indistinct stench. Yu Jin’s hair instinctively stood on end, and the chilling omen choked his throat. Sure enough, in the next second, countless Corpse Parasites scurried over the land, heading toward the temporary settlement.
Where there were Corpse Parasites, there must be Erosion Swamps following behind.
Did Shu Jun lose? Has Sigma already occupied Y City? Yu Jin’s head buzzed. Seeing the Corpse Parasites getting closer and closer, he abruptly clenched his thigh. “Retreat! Retreat back! Raise the purification wall and don’t charge blindly!”
Several young people who had obtained new weapons were eager to show off their skills, but upon hearing this, they reluctantly withdrew.
Yu Jin didn’t even advance a single step. After the patrol team started the engine of the mudsled, they quickly returned to the temporary settlement and reported the situation to everyone capable of fighting.
“Don’t try to be a hero. We’re not in the city where we can afford to lose a single pill of anti-erosion medicine. Life is the most precious. Unless absolutely necessary, no one should launch an attack on their own.” Yu Jin rambled on, “Self-preservation is the priority. Do you understand?”
This temporary settlement was originally the largest settlement east of the city, and naturally had underground bunkers, but unfortunately, they couldn’t accommodate everyone. Yu Jin and several skilled combat synthetics discussed it and decided that half of the people would enter the underground bunkers, guarded by the synthetics and young humans. The other half would try to reach high-rise buildings, while those with combat abilities would guard the lower floors.
The residents gathered the purifiers they had dismantled in one place. Although they couldn’t compare to military equipment and couldn’t drive away the Corpse Parasites and the Erosion Swamps that followed, they could at least disperse the erosion to some extent.
After several days of rolling fog, it cleared somewhat, revealing a horde of Corpse Parasites moving forward. They covered the ground densely, like a carpet with a peculiar pattern. Behind them was an endless swamp of Erosion Swamps. They slid like slugs, heading straight towards the temporary settlement.
Yu Jin had been working with the synthetic combat team for many years. He rarely ate pork, and the pigs only appeared every few days*. Judging by the scale, this group of Erosion Swamps wasn’t here for “food”; they were clearly being directed by something to come and exterminate humans.
*This is referring to the idiom: Haven’t eaten pork but seen pigs run (没吃过猪肉，也见过猪跑). It refers to one having not experienced or personally participated in something, but still having knowledge or understanding of it through observation or indirect exposure. || In this context, Yu Jin hasn’t fought directly against an Erosion Swamp, but only seen others do it (and now many are right in front of him).
It seemed that Y City was still intact, so Yu Jin breathed a sigh of relief.
If Sigma had already captured Y City, they wouldn’t need to bother much with this group of “inferior specimens”. They had no equipment reserves, let alone military firepower, and they couldn’t sustain themselves for long without food. If they were left alone, after ten days or half a month, they would end up killing themselves.
Since they were specifically targeted, rather than just being eradicated as a threat, this behavior seemed more like a “threat” itself. As for the target of the threat, it was either Zhu Yanchen or Shu Jun.
In that case, things were easier, Yu Jin thought bitterly—they had to hold onto this land; if that deadly couple won, these Erosion Swamps would naturally retreat. If Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen lost… Well, it seemed they didn’t have a choice but to take each day as it came. Only a fool would go out on their own when surrounded by the Corpse Parasites.
“Stay put.” He lowered his voice. “I’ve communicated with the high-ranking members of Old Fourth. This situation is quite normal. Don’t worry. Wait a few days, and they will leave on their own!”
Yu Jin lied fluently.
Most of the settlement residents were unaware of Sigma’s situation or the details of the synthetics’ rebellion; they only knew that there were suddenly many Erosion Swamps surrounding them. As long as the Old Fourth vouched for it, stabilizing the situation temporarily wouldn’t be a problem.
After explaining a few more things, Yu Jin hung up the microphone, picked up his weapon for suppression, and couldn’t describe the feeling in his heart.
…He really didn’t like this kind of choice where there was no other option.
The people guarding the ventilation ducts and those guarding the lower floors became the first wave of victims in the assault.
Most of these people were young residents of the settlement, with only a few synthetics among them. Dealing with the Corpse Parasites was a delicate task. As long as the slightest flaw was revealed, they could crawl into the protective suits and bite through muscles and tendons. Once people lost their mobility, the Corpse Parasite would impersonate their muscles and control them to walk into the Erosion Swamp, drowning them in erosion substance.
The suppression weapons may be effective, but they couldn’t act on their own. Recharging, resting, even a moment of instability, or a seam in a piece of fabric, could lead to irreversible consequences.
Two hours passed, and thirty-four people perished to the Erosion Swamps.
“…Speed up the rotation. No one should stay outside for more than an hour. When outside, mental focus must be highly concentrated,” Yu Jin said, his eyes burning. “Before going out, protective suits must be inspected by at least two people. If we continue like this…”
Continuing like this wasn’t an option. Having walked in the erosion zone for many years, Yu Jin knew better than anyone. Faced with this situation, sacrifices were unavoidable.
“Don’t worry.” Someone from the Old Fourth raised their hand. They wore a regular face mask, and Yu Jin couldn’t tell their “rank”. “I have a suggestion.”
“What?”
“Operating the suppression weapons is straightforward, and for now, we don’t need to attack while guarding our position. I suggest expanding the selection range of defense personnel.”
“…” Yu Jin frowned.
“Not everyone might like this idea. To put it bluntly, it’s not entirely fair and square—I’ll be frank. Young people with combat capabilities are the most valuable fighting resources. Although this situation isn’t unexpected, we don’t have a clear sense of how long we can hold on. Supplies and medications are limited. I hope these people, including synthetic individuals, can be kept until the end.”
The young people not on duty exchanged glances, while the elderly residents in the settlement understood the implications of the cadre’s words. “What? Taking advantage of the situation, you want us, the half-buried ones, to go first?”
The cadre from the Old Fourth remained calm. “Including those who were already seriously ill and beyond treatment,” they said matter-of-factly.
“What are you saying?! The United Government treats us as disposable pawns, and you dare to play this game here?” The pressure was already making people irritable, and upon hearing these words, Yu Jin nearly exploded.
“It’s not compulsory.” The Old Fourth cadre ignored him. “For those who voluntarily come forward, I guarantee it in the name of the Old Fourth—once this storm passes, we’ll bear all the medical expenses for your loved ones. Of course, if no one comes forward, we’ll follow Yu Ge’s plan. I’m a businessman, and I’m not interested in preaching morality and righteousness to you. The previous batch of guards will be back for rest soon, and we still need at least fifty people for this building. Is anyone willing to make this deal?”
“Who’s willing to sacrifice their lives?” Yu Jin gritted his teeth. “Alright, you hurry—”
An old person took trembling steps forward.
“I’ll go in place of my son,” he said calmly. “Even though my son isn’t here… Will this method be extended to other hiding places?”
“Of course.”
“Old man, you—”
“The tumor in my belly is growing as fast as a fist, and I only have a few months left anyway. Xiao Yu, why are you in such a hurry? People are going to die anyway. If us old folks die, we can still earn a few more benefits. Isn’t that good too?”
Yu Jin’s face turned dark like the bottom of a pot. “But this is different…”
“Is it any different from the United Government? You’re splitting hairs here. Listen, I choose to sacrifice myself. Being forced to sacrifice by others is a completely different matter.” The old man waved his hand. “Don’t underestimate me, young one. Back in my day, I did the same job as you. Bring me the weapons. Let me have a look.”
One person stepped forward, quickly followed by a second and a third. Half an hour later, this peculiar group formed a complete formation.
There were elderly people and even young ones with terrifying deformities, and there were a few pale-faced teenagers. They had several things in common: they didn’t have much time left, they were physically capable, and their messages were similar.
“Take care of my family.” They registered their identities and then left behind the names and photos of their loved ones.
Yu Jin remained silent. A few minutes later, he slung his suppression weapon over his back and stood among the rotating team. The cadre from the Old Fourth raised an eyebrow at him through his mask.
“I brought these people, so I need to keep a close eye on them,” Yu Jin said with a grim expression. “They lack experience, and we need someone who understands the situation. I don’t want to hide like a coward.”
Then he took a deep breath. “If everyone survives, you will also be responsible for the expenses of their relatives. Got it?”
“Deal.”
Compared to the large settlement, the situation in the center of Y City was much worse. But the leader had a similar idea.
“I’ll lead the team in the forefront.” Yi Ning put an end to the command group’s argument with a single sentence.
“What did you say?!”
“No one here has combat experience with the Erosion Swamp.” For some reason, Yi Ning’s voice became cold. “Even if we discuss it on paper, I have more experience than any of you.”
“You’re going to your death—”
“Yes.” Yi Ning didn’t deny it. “Otherwise, what else? What can you discuss? …Wake up, there are no more synthetic humans!”
The once noisy command group fell silent, looking at him in confusion.
“This is not a competition for synthetic humans, and we are not spectators. We’re not fighting for some fucking points!”
Yi Ning, who had always been gentle and cultured, cursed for the first time.
“The reality is reality. We are completely helpless against what’s outside, and we don’t even know when Zhu Yanchen will arrive. All I know is that if we keep going like this, the outside soldiers will be drained dry sooner or later!”
“We need to discuss…” The person who tried to refute him lacked confidence. Yi Ning was stating the truth, but no one wanted to admit their own incompetence.
“Discuss? Discuss letting the enemy into the city center? After relying on synths for so long, have you all forgotten the definition of war? …We don’t get to choose the timing, and we can’t leisurely discuss some useless ‘self-preservation plan’. We lack experience, so we must try and pay the price for our laziness of the past two hundred years. No one has a choice; that’s what war is!”
No one spoke. The reality was too distressing. As long as they didn’t admit it, the heavy initiative seemed to still be within their grasp.
Even if it was a nonexistent pride, it could at least provide some peace of mind… However, everyone knew that if they continued like this, they would be no different from ostriches burying their heads in the sand.
Yi Ning didn’t erupt in anger again. He turned around and resolutely stepped out of the tent.
“We are the military,” he said. “Soldiers do not choose to abandon civilians.”
The strange monsters outside and the floating spheres approached closer and closer. Yi Ning took a deep breath and began to give orders—
In the instant his words fell, he could almost see the mountains of corpses and rivers of blood piled up before his eyes. As he looked at the formation waiting for orders, Yi Ning felt a tightness in his chest.
“…I’m sorry.” After giving the command, he said those words last.
The soldiers looked at each other in astonishment.
“We have almost zero experience dealing with the Erosion Swamp.” Yi Ning lowered his head. “I’m sorry, but we can only… keep trying. I can only guarantee that I will command to the best of my abilities and fight alongside all of you.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t promise more than that.”
No one spoke up, no one applauded or cheered. People stood silently for a while, and then, as if they hadn’t seen him, they began to act according to Yi Ning’s instructions. Yi Ning himself shouldered his weapon and joined the front lines.
The monster emerged from the mist, and the city center of Y City was just behind them.
Yi Ning closed his eyes and then opened them again. He firmly grasped his suppression weapon, listening to the real-time reports from the observers while advancing with the rest of the troops.
The mountains of corpses and rivers of blood that were detached from his mind gradually became reality. One soldier after another fell, as quietly as pieces of paper blown to the ground by the wind. The repeated shocks pierced through Yi Ning’s mind, gradually numbing him.
Only two voices remained in his world—the battlefield reports from the observers in his ears and his own hoarse voice giving orders.
How many people had died? He didn’t have time to think about their names. Lives turned into data, churning in his mind. Yi Ning adjusted tactics on the fly, feeling something floating and slowly revealing itself in his mind, like a wisp of bloody smoke.
The battlefield transformed into a sand table, and people became data. The sand table seemed to materialize before him, and fallen soldiers were marked on it. The deaths became guides, and Yi Ning seemed to gradually grasp the rhythm of this war.
Adjust, order, assess the situation, adjust again, order again.
“Team A1, ignite the mudsled and divert the attention of the pursuing floating spheres. Try to make them collide with unmanned mudsleds. Team B3, set up tent cloth and signboards on the vehicles, and clear the other floating spheres! Team B6, follow me, and move forward. Don’t let the group of monsters interfere with Team A1’s operation. Team A2…”
Suddenly, the voice stopped.
“Marshal Zhu…” the observer almost cried out. “Marshal Zhu and the others have returned! Everyone is here! There are no reinforcements from the monsters in the rear…”
“Good.” Yi Ning’s voice was hoarse. “How far are the first group of monsters from the city center? Have we held our ground?”
“We… We’ve held our ground.”
“…Good,” Yi Ning repeated. “Now, Team A3—”
“Take a rest.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice came through the earpiece. “I’ll take command from here.”
“I’ve figured out some tactics. I can still assist you.”
“No.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice remained as cold as ever. “You need treatment, now, immediately.”
“I…” Yi Ning finally shifted his attention away from the sand table in his mind.
He noticed something peculiar in front of him—his left hand held the suppression weapon and continued to fire mechanically. His right arm was a void; only the shoulder that had been blown to a bloody mess remained, accompanied by excruciating pain.
The sense of distance disappeared. Yi Ning tried closing his left eye, and his world plunged into complete darkness.
‘…So, this is it,’ he thought.
“Yes, sir,” he said softly. “We have thirty percent of our forces remaining, and all the vehicles are destroyed. The specific situation will be relayed to you by the observer… I entrust it to you now, Marshal Zhu.”
The world spun around him, and this time, he didn’t need to close his eyes. The world in front of him dimmed once again.
The goose demon, Lord Bai, spun in place and let out two loud honks. It straightened its chest and raised its head. Its bean-like eyes shone with severity as it scanned the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect.
If looks could kill, Yin Ci felt like he had been insulted and cursed for eighteen generations. Shi Jingzhi, who was standing beside him, took a step back, his mood not much better.
Su Si hurriedly pulled out a basin of vegetable leaves, and only then did Lord Bai divert its gaze and start pecking at the food.
“Lord Bai is a goose I found near Yongsheng. It kept following me, so I took care of it casually—it has a keen intuition. As long as I follow its lead, my life is always preserved.”
Yin Ci looked at Su Si stroking the big goose and felt a little complicated.
Here they were, a healer, a diviner, a cook, and a vegetable seller, all gathered. Tomorrow, they would dominate the street corner.
Lord Bai seemed to realize that it had been categorized as “vegetable”, and its sharp gaze swept over. Its gaze wasn’t only focused on Yin Ci. It seemed Shi Jingzhi was also considering something similar.
For the first time, the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect stood united, facing the goose in a silent standoff.
Taking advantage of the situation, Su Si moved Lord Bai’s food bowl, took off the mountain ghost coin from its neck, and casually threw it to Yan Qing.
Yan Qing caught it steadily. “If you wanted to remind me that you came, leaving something behind would have been enough. Why bother taking it away?”
“This thing wards off evil spirits. Besides, if I happen to die nearby, you might be able to identify my remains with it and help bury me.”
Yan Qing frowned when he heard this. “Why say something so unlucky?”
Su Si grimaced, and his eyes faintly drifted towards the master and disciple, showing a bit of concern.
Having walked the lower levels of the martial world for a long time, gullibility was most taboo. Trusting others lightly was the last thing Su Si would do. Yin Ci happened to want to leave the room and observe the situation outside.
Shi Jingzhi acted even faster. He coughed twice. “Since there won’t be any immediate danger, I’ll take A’Ci for a stroll nearby. There’s a river not far from here. Can we catch fish there?”
‘Not good,’ Yin Ci thought. It seemed like his master had some unresolved issues with fish.
Su Si happily said, “Of course, it’s a good idea. We can cook some fish later. How about taking Lord Bai with you?”
Both of them shook their heads resolutely.
“Alright then, it’s not far anyway. Just don’t provoke the villagers.” Su Si scratched his head. “The fishing net is behind the door, so help yourselves.”
Su Si’s residence was on the outskirts of the village, near the river. There weren’t many passersby nearby, making it very peaceful. The river water was clear, revealing the riverbed. The fish in the river had plump bodies, leisurely twisting and sucking the tiny flower petals on the water’s surface.
Shi Jingzhi paid no attention to the fishing net. He took off his shoes and socks, tied up his clothes, and took out his bamboo pole as he walked towards the river. The river flowed slowly, barely reaching his knees.
Yin Ci dragged the fishing net and found a stone by the river to use as a seat.
Looking at the scenery in front of him, it was nothing more than a paradise. However, he had noticed all the way here that there was no shrine or medicinal garden. He didn’t know where the immortals mentioned by Yin Deng lived, or where the elixir came from.
As he was thinking, Shi Jingzhi suddenly inserted the bamboo pole into the water and lifted a fish out. The fish’s tail flicked in the air, splashing numerous sparkling water droplets, with a few landing on Yin Ci’s face.
The fish here lived a comfortable life, with their bellies full and their minds at ease. They were only familiar with gentle nets and had never tasted such bitterness. The fat fish, lifted out of the water, was filled with anger, and its tails floundered like steel whips.
Shi Jingzhi closed his eyes.
He carefully stepped in the water, gracefully evading the fish’s tail. Shi Jingzhi’s movements were extremely restrained, like a gentle breeze, not causing a single splash or disturbing the fish in the water.
Yin Ci raised an eyebrow.
His master not only avoided the fish’s tail but even attempted to dodge the water droplets. It was his first attempt, so Shi Jingzhi’s shoulder was still splashed.
Taking advantage of his master’s distraction, Yin Ci lightly tapped the fish with the bamboo pole, causing it to hover in the air. Only when it stopped struggling did Shi Jingzhi stop practicing and toss the fish to Yin Ci on the shore.
Then another fish came, repeating the process.
Yin Ci quickly understood the technique. Shi Jingzhi had stolen various martial arts before and was now blending and modifying them to create something unique to himself.
To keep both his mind and body focused at the same time was undoubtedly a mentally and physically exhausting task. However, his master seemed tireless, practicing for a whole hour. With each movement, he displayed a hint of a daring and desperate feeling.
Surrounded by beautiful scenery and accompanied by Shi Jingzhi’s handsome face, the scene was pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, Demon Lord Yin’s nature was not cooperative. As the warm breeze blew, he gradually became drowsy. Countless thoughts became muddled and mixed together.
What was Shi Jingzhi desperately trying to achieve? Did he know that his days were numbered? …This man was deep in his thoughts, so perhaps he knew.
His lively master, jumping around and counting the remaining days, was, in a sense, more tormenting than lingering on a sickbed. Yin Ci had witnessed countless talented individuals, unable to fight for their lives, succumbed to despair and madness.
Throughout their journey, this man had remained composed, fearing death. He didn’t seem like someone who had seen through worldly matters, so how could he maintain his sanity?
Yin Ci yawned and hugged the fishing net tightly. Dozens of fat fish were struggling for breath in the net, but there wasn’t much fishy smell. He squinted, basking in the sunlight, feeling light and ethereal, wishing he could lie down on the spot.
Shi Jingzhi was still practicing diligently in the river.
Forget it. It had nothing to do with him. After all, Shi Jingzhi had said when they left the Ghost Tomb that he wouldn’t pry into his personal matters anymore.
Master and disciple were separated by a seemingly nonexistent paper window*, and neither of them would break through it. They would make do with what they had. Shi Jingzhi understood when to advance and retreat, so he probably wouldn’t provoke anyone voluntarily…
*Metaphorically refers to a thin layer that can be poked/pierced through, describing information or secrets that are not well kept or guarded and can be easily exposed.
“Feeling tired?”
Shi Jingzhi appeared out of nowhere, placing a hand on Yin Ci’s forehead and getting extremely close to his face.
His master’s hand was soaked in water which made it slightly cool. Yin Ci lifted his eyelids. “I’m fine.”
“If you’re tired, go to sleep. Master will take care of you.”
Shi Jingzhi smiled again—a smile that wasn’t condescending or deliberately pleasing, but pure and sincere.
Yin Ci felt as if he had been stung by a bee. He instantly became slightly more alert, but a dark restlessness emerged in his heart. Here it was again, that inexplicable sincerity.
He didn’t dislike sincere people, but this smile alone seemed to pierce through him.
Seeing his disciple furrowing his brows, Shi Jingzhi thought it was because Yin Ci was dissatisfied with waiting for so long. He moved his palm upward, taking the opportunity to tidy up Yin Ci’s hair. The gentle spring breeze rustled through, and Yin Ci, half asleep and half awake, had a few wildflower petals stuck in his hair.
That hand gently caressed the top of Yin Ci’s head, naturally sliding down his face, tucking away a few stray hairs behind his ear.
Yin Ci trembled as if struck by lightning, grabbing hold of that wrist.
Fingers brushing through his hair, accompanied by the beautiful scenery beside them, and that sincere smile. He had seen this scene before and suddenly understood the source of his restlessness.
Shi Jingzhi, chasing after a fleeting hope like a bubble with what little life he had left, was no different from himself. However, he had been trapped in a state of unable-to-die for too long, unable to even taste the flavor of hope, only wandering like a walking corpse.
No one could escape from collapse, as long as they had a heart.
Over twenty years ago, at Kushan, Yin Ci was on the verge of losing himself to madness. He had taken refuge in the Juyi Valley, filled with monsters, yet still encountered an outsider—a two- or three-year-old mute child that somehow managed to sneak in.
If it weren’t for that child, Yin Ci would have undoubtedly lost his humanity long ago and turned into a monstrous killer.
Even the mute child would smile with such sincerity. It made sense since an ignorant child wouldn’t know any other way to smile.
But that child would also reach out and slowly touch his hair, from the top of his head to his cheeks, gathering the unruly strands behind his ear.
It was exactly the same.
Yin Ci took care of the mute child for a while, even considering taking the child with him. Although the goodwill of a child couldn’t last, and flowers would always wither, he was better at bidding farewell than anyone else in the world.
But in the end, he couldn’t take the mute child with him.
The mute child died. It was as if it was a slightly bloody twist of fate, forcing him to remain conscious in this world.
The Juyi Valley back then was just as beautiful as a dream.
The familiar scene reappeared, and Yin Ci was once again stung by the fangs of “fate”. He held onto Shi Jingzhi’s wrist tightly, while his mind was muddled as he thought, ‘Yes, this person won’t live much longer either.’
Shi Jingzhi winced in pain. “A’Ci?”
“It’s nothing. I’m just a bit dizzy from being tired.” Yin Ci gradually loosened his grip.
‘If the mute child were still alive, they would be around this age by now,’ he thought absentmindedly.
Ever since Shi Jingzhi made the “unfulfilled” promise, Yin Ci had been waiting for him to betray it. But what would he do if Shi Jingzhi never broke that promise, even until his death?
Now that they were separated by just a layer of paper window, Yin Ci was no longer inclined to continue playing the obedient disciple. Should he give his master a timely “surprise” as a reward?
However, he didn’t have much time to ponder, as a commotion suddenly broke out not far away. A group of villagers blew suonas*, scattering red paper strips in the air, and marched towards the village in a grand procession.
*A traditional double-reeded Chinese musical instrument. It had a distinctively loud and high-pitched sound, and was used frequently in Chinese traditional music ensembles, particularly in those that perform outdoors.
Shi Jingzhi immediately became alert. He lowered his head, lifted the net full of fish, and dragged Yin Ci back into the house.
Upon entering the house, both master and disciple almost thought they had walked into the wrong place.
The floor was covered in neatly folded clothes, some of which had already been washed and were hanging by the window. The table was wiped clean, and the Kushan Sect’s luggage had been organized. Sausages and preserved meat were placed in a basket near the stove.
“No fish allowed inside.” Fortunately, Yan Qing appeared in time, holding a broom as he spoke with a tone carrying a hint of authority. “Otherwise, the house will have a smell that’s hard to get rid of.”
Truly a servant trained by the Taiheng Sect, overly dedicated.
Su Si, on the other hand, was slumped lazily in a chair, with the large goose slumped on top of him. The two of them had turned into interior decorations. Su Si seemed to be in a good mood, apparently having a pleasant chat with Yan Qing.
Seeing the master and disciple return, Su Si straightened up and twirled the meat cleaver in his hand. “You’re guests, so I’ll take care of the fish alone. San Zi told me that Brother Yin is a good cook, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Shi Jingzhi’s expression wasn’t particularly relaxed. “I saw a group of villagers in red outside, but I didn’t see any sedan chairs. What are they doing?”
“Oh, that’s a funeral procession.” Su Si patted Lord Bai a few times. “I’ve only heard people talk about it. This is the first time I’ve encountered it myself.”
“…They dress so festively for a funeral?” Shi Jingzhi furrowed his brows.
“There are many strange things about this village. Take the funerals, for example—when someone dies, the villagers dress and adorn the corpse, then use wooden sticks to prop up the limbs. Then they mix the deceased among the procession and send them off in a grand procession to the forbidden area, allowing the dead to ‘ascend to immortality’.”
Su Si laughed coldly. With his beautiful appearance and the tear mole accentuating it, he seemed somewhat frivolous.
“I was just telling San Zi. Xizhuang has hundreds of people, but I’ve wandered all over this place and haven’t seen anyone from Xizhuang, nor have I found any graves or corpses. If the people of Xizhuang are truly alive, they can only be in the ‘forbidden area’. I’m new here, so I don’t have the qualifications to approach that place. You guys…”
Lord Bai suddenly stretched its neck and let out a loud “honk”, causing Su Si to immediately shut his mouth.
After a moment, there was a knocking sound at the door. Su Si glanced at them and rolled his eyes, then swiftly opened the door.
Yin Deng stood outside, her big eyes spinning around.
“Mom asked me to bring you some outer garments. Uncle Liu has ascended to immortality today, and there will be a banquet tonight. Remember to come.”
Su Si quickly adjusted his expression and smiled warmly. “Uncle Liu has ascended to immortality?”
“Yes. Dad said he was cutting meat at home yesterday and injured his finger.” Yin Deng shook her head like an adult. “He left too early, and Auntie Liu is reluctant to part with him. But there are new guests in the village, so it doesn’t matter.”
Shi Jingzhi was shocked. “…Just from injuring his finger and he’s gone?”
“What do you mean gone? He ascended into an immortal!” Yin Deng tilted her nose.
Shi Jingzhi looked dazed, and Yin Ci somewhat understood his feelings—this girl was talking about a miraculous elixir that could cure all ailments, but if dying counted as ascending to immortality, that elixir might as well be made of paper ashes.
“Is it really just an injured finger?” Shi Jingzhi confirmed again.
Yin Deng had some patience for Shi Jingzhi. “Well, big brother, you’re not considered one of the villagers, so it’s normal that you don’t know.”
“The villagers don’t get sick. But if they suffer an external injury that doesn’t heal within three days, they will ascend to immortality.”
The author has something to say:
Time for Fox Shi to avenge his shame! 1 Shi = dozens of fish, congratulations!
Demonic Lord Yin: Probing the window paper’s edge repeatedly.jpg
————
I see that there are many friends discussing “side CP” in the comments, so let me explain a bit.
Personally, my habit is that if there are clear and complete romantic storylines for the main supporting characters in the text, I will indicate the side couples in the synopsis.
This novel doesn’t have any indication, similar to the previous two books. Yan Qing and Su Si are both traditional growth-type characters. The main focus of their storyline is on personal growth, and there won’t be a romantic storyline in the main text. If there is any romantic development, it will be in the extra chapters. Of course, you are welcome to freely imagine (wink).
Kinky Thoughts:
I would just say… keep this author note in mind for later…
The little girl led the three of them into the mountains, then wandered around in the woods. They didn’t know how many times they had walked in the same place. The disciples of the Kushan Sect followed silently. The snow was thick, making it physically demanding to walk, but the girl lightly stepped on the snow crust as if walking on level ground.
When she got tired, she hopped onto the back of the dog demon and rode it.
“I’m Yin Deng.” The little girl happily hummed a tune. “I’ve brought two good guests this time. Dad and Mom will definitely praise me.”
Yan Qing took a few steps forward. “Apart from the people of Xizhuang, have you seen any other ‘guests’ recently?”
Yin Deng turned around, tilted her head, and thought for a moment. “No, I’m not the only guide. Brother, do you want to find acquaintances? When we arrive at the village, I’ll ask Mom for you.”
Yin Ci, who was not favored by Yin Deng, walked at the back of the group. He observed his surroundings attentively, feeling a slight sense of suffocation in his chest.
There were unfamiliar arrays nearby, techniques he had never seen before. The presence of the arrays was extremely faint, but the oppressive feeling wasn’t weak. Ordinary people who walked here would probably feel uncomfortable or fearful for no reason and instinctively stay away.
The scale of the arrays was terrifying. Yin Ci tried to sense their boundaries but couldn’t find them.
He couldn’t help but glance at Shi Jingzhi a few more times. Although this master was picked up casually, he seemed quite fortunate—within less than a month of knowing each other, Yin Ci had seen many things he had never seen before.
Very fortunate indeed.
Shi Jingzhi had deep inner force and wouldn’t be affected by the arrays. Yan Qing, on the other hand, wasn’t as lucky. After staying in the arrays for too long, he became dizzy and nauseous, vomiting several times in a row, but he didn’t complain.
Yin Ci considered him the benchmark of an “ordinary person”. If Yan Qing vomited three times, he would vomit twice. Shi Jingzhi had an empty expression, seemingly detached from the mortal world, as they continued forward amidst the alternating retching sounds of the two.
The three of them went from sunrise to sunset.
No one questioned the little girl’s words anymore. With this dreadful route, even monkeys living in the mountains wouldn’t be able to traverse it in a hundred and eighty years of sprinting as a group.
They finally stopped in the middle of a dense forest, where a shrine stood.
The shrine wasn’t large, had an ancient style, and was well-maintained, standing out from the surrounding mountains and woods. It looked as if it had been scooped up from the city and forcibly moved here.
There was no plaque hanging, and the main gate was tightly closed.
Yin Deng jumped down from the dog’s back, struggling to tiptoe and knock on the door handle three times.
Shi Jingzhi had somehow reached the back of the group. He exhaled warm breath into his palms and discreetly glanced to the side—a plump sparrow was perched on a branch, bending it under its weight.
He gently shook his head at the sparrow and made a hand gesture. The sparrow tilted its head to look at him, then laboriously flew away.
At that moment, the door slowly opened inward.
The interior was in a dilapidated state, without any candles or even a statue of a deity. The altar was empty, and there was a tattered cloth curtain that hung down.
As soon as the group entered the temple, the door closed on its own.
With a few jumps, the little girl named Yin Deng climbed onto the altar and walked towards the wall behind it. Shi Jingzhi rubbed his eyes—there was a passage there now where the mahogany board had sealed off the altar just a moment ago.
The passage wasn’t long, and warm air rushed in from the other side, making them feel refreshed. Beyond the passage, the view suddenly opened up, and the three members of the Kushan Sect stopped in their tracks.
Yin Deng turned around and waved her short arms with a triumphant expression. “Look, isn’t it beautiful?”
‘No,’ Yin Ci thought. Yan Qing didn’t know, but Shi Jingzhi was probably frozen with fear.
Outside, it was still freezing cold, but here it felt like a warm spring. The sky was crystal clear, without a single cloud or flying snow. Colorful wildflowers covered the ground, and a gentle fragrance floated in the air. The crops in the fields were lush and vibrant, and the rural houses were neat and spacious. The paths in the fields were paved with stones, and everything appeared clean as if it had been washed.
The men and women passing by couldn’t be described as heavenly beauties, but their faces were rosy and attractive.
Looking back, there was no longer a tunnel behind them but a small stone bridge spanning the dry ground. The long tunnel they had just walked through had turned into a short bridge hole in the blink of an eye. On the other side of the bridge, there was an endless expanse of spring scenery.
There was no shrine and no sign of the surrounding mountains and forests.
If they had come in spring or summer, this place would indeed resemble a paradise. But venturing here in the midst of severe cold, it felt more like an illusion.
Having just experienced the “Dream Bubble” in the Ghost Tomb, Shi Jingzhi had suffered enough and was afraid of going through it again. He cautiously kept a straight face, without showing any admiration.
Yin Deng, feeling that she was being ignored, pouted even more. She turned her head and rushed into the arms of a woman behind her. “Mom, Mom, I brought two good guests!”
The woman had a good appearance, with a plump and round figure. She raised her head and smiled at Shi Jingzhi. “Husband, change into some clothes. It’ll be hot in a moment.”
She patted Yin Deng’s head again. “Go find your father and ask him to pick out two sets of clothes.”
Yin Deng cheered and took the dog demon with her, running off without looking back.
“Mian Jie*, these three… two are my friends. Let me take care of them. I’m the only bachelor in my family, so it’s convenient for me.” A voice came from behind the crowd.
*Older sister. Generally a term used to address a woman who’s older/higher rank than you.
The three turned around abruptly.
A young man was sitting on the edge of the stone bridge, with an innocent smile on his face.
He had willow leaf-shaped eyes and a small black mole under his right eye. His features were exquisite and lively, not as detached from ordinary people like the Kushan Sect master and disciple, making people feel close to him just by looking at him.
“A’Si!” Yan Qing let out a rare shout.
A’Si politely bowed to him without saying anything and continued to look at the woman. “Mian Jie, I’ll take them away first.”
Mian Jie smiled and said, “Alright. If the guests can’t fit into your clothes, let me know, and I’ll help you make adjustments.”
“Okay.”
A’Si turned around and led the three of them. Though he smiled along the way, his attitude was lukewarm, and he didn’t respond to any questions. Yan Qing was on the verge of exploding, when they finally arrived at A’Si’s residence.
The room was spacious and clean, large enough to accommodate four people. The furniture inside was simple and rustic, and the wooden surfaces were polished to a shine. However, the bed was messy, clothes were strewn everywhere, and a meat cleaver was even leaning on the table.
A’Si entered the room, closed the door, and cautiously looked around. Making sure there was no one else, he grabbed Yan Qing by the collar, lifting the eight-foot-tall man off the ground by his feet.
“Didn’t I tell you to run away?” The gentleness on his face vanished, leaving only a mix of resentment and frustration. “And this is what you call running away? Running into the thieves’ den? Huh?”
“I was worried about you…” Yan Qing said absentmindedly.
“You idiot! I can fight better than you, and I couldn’t even run away. You came to join me in death? Great, just great…”
A’Si glanced at the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect, smiled politely, then changed his expression, looking stern again.
“So you’ve brought two more unfortunate people with you? They are innocent!”
Shi Jingzhi quickly explained, “Little brother, it’s cold outside, and we were planning to spend the night here. That’s why we arrived late, not because Yan Qing persuaded us. He told us about you yesterday. You’re Su Sigou, right…?”
Little did he know that he was only making matters worse.
“You told them my name is Su Sigou?! You gave me a new name, and now you’re eating it yourself?”
“Su Si, Su Si, please let go first.” Yan Qing spoke in a friendly tone. “Everyone, this is my friend, Su Si. The Si from reckless. When I changed my own surname, I also helped him change his name*.”
*Before, Su Si’s name was [Su Sigou] (苏四狗), with the [si] deriving from four [四]. His current (new) name is [Su Si] (苏肆) with the [si] deriving from wanton/reckless (肆意). Note: Yan Qing did not change Su Si’s surname (just his own).
Only then did Su Si release his grip, and Yan Qing rubbed his neck, feeling relieved.
“You’ve grown stronger than before, even taller than me.” Su Si finally spoke after a long silence as his eyes slightly reddened. “That’s good.”
Yan Qing’s expression softened. “I went to Taiheng. Since you never came, I thought…”
Su Si shook his head and smiled sincerely.
“Let’s not talk about that now. It’s good to see each other. San Zi*, come here and give me a hug.”
*Third Son. It’ll be explained later why he’s called this but think of it as a nickname.
Seeing the two young men reuniting after a long separation and embracing tightly, Shi Jingzhi looked at his disciple with longing. “It’s really nice. I also want such friends.”
Yin Ci broke off a piece of smoked meat and stuffed it into his master’s hand. “We haven’t been separated for a long time. Here Shizun, eat some meat.”
Shi Jingzhi started chewing the meat sadly.
“I apologize for earlier. We were being watched outside, so I couldn’t show too much enthusiasm.” After calming down for a while, Su Si’s emotions finally eased. “And who are these two?”
“Shi Jingzhi of the Kushan Sect. This is my disciple, Yin Ci. Yan Qing is currently following me and serving as a servant in our sect.”
Su Si nodded readily. “Su Si, no family, no sect. I know some self-defense skills.”
“I pretended to like it here and have been staying for nearly half a month without any trouble so far. With the appearances of Sect Master Shi and San Zi, there shouldn’t be any issues for now. However, it’s uncertain for Brother Yin. Now, what I’m about to say is all true, so please stay calm.”
Su Si’s story was humbler than Yan Qing’s.
Ten years ago, he got separated from Yan Qing and ended up in an unfamiliar place. At first, due to his naturally strong grip, he was tricked into doing labor work, and later, because of his appearance, he was bought by a wealthy family as a servant. When the wealthy family was robbed, he joined the group of bandits and spent a few years in a daze. Eventually, the gang dispersed, and Su Si, without any identity, became a beggar on the streets.
In short, he had encountered all sorts of lowly people.
Fortunately, Su Si had learned some butcher skills and had learned to read a few characters under Yan Qing’s insistence. A butcher in Yongsheng was willing to take him in, and that was when he settled down. After saving enough money, he started wandering, and ten years had already passed.
To prove his identity, Su Si pointed to the cleaver inserted in the table. The cleaver shimmered with a cold light, with a rough wooden handle, soaked in blood and oil, emitting a faint smell of pork.
Yin Ci’s gaze paused for a moment. He always felt that the cleaver looked somewhat familiar. However, considering that the cleaver was quite shabby, he withdrew his gaze and continued listening to Su Si’s account.
Su Si chose Xizhuang as his first stop. He decided to return to the village to see if Yan Qing had dug up the coin, but he ended up in a situation exactly like that of the Kushan Sect. When he tried to leave the village, he was intercepted by the people from Yuanxian Village.
Su Si was even more reckless than them. He wasn’t afraid of the dog and directly drew his cleaver, fighting against the white-robed strange people.
“I chopped one of them in the sole of the foot and cut their throat. Their tendons should have snapped, but they continued to move as if nothing happened.” Su Si rubbed his chin. “At that time, I saw something wrapped in a cloth.”
Shi Jingzhi sat up slowly and asked, “Something? “
“Well, it definitely wasn’t a person. Through the gaps in the fabric, I saw fleshy pieces that looked like internal organs… Who has internal organs growing on their feet these days? I chopped it fiercely with my cleaver, but it didn’t even make a sound. Is that normal?” Su Si asked.
“It doesn’t feel pain, and there were so many of them. I knew I had no chance of winning, so I admitted defeat and made one request—to dig up something from San Zi’s house. There was no one else in the village, so they let me go.”
He grabbed a glass of water, drank most of it in one gulp, and cursed a few more vulgar words.
“San Zi might not come back to dig up the money, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I didn’t know how long they would guard the place, so I left a note… and then you! I was captured on the front foot, and you came right after. Haa—”
Su Si slammed his head on the table, creating a loud thud.
Yan Qing had nothing to say and could only pat his back soothingly.
Shi Jingzhi, having been frightened many times, gradually grew accustomed to it. “We came here to hide from people, and everything that happened was purely accidental. It’s fortunate to have someone reliable here.”
Yin Ci remained silent.
Someone reliable? He didn’t think so, and Shi Jingzhi might not have spoken sincerely either.
Along this journey, he did smell the scent of pus and blood from the white-robed individuals… the white-robed monsters. He smelled it, and this fox wouldn’t miss it either. Su Si claimed to have injured one of the white-robed monsters, and it was probably not a lie.
However, the white-robed monsters were capable of easily overpowering Shi Jingzhi. Could Su Si, a butcher, really have had a chance to injure it?
But Su Si’s encounter with Yan Qing didn’t seem fake, and his emotions appeared genuine. Yin Ci decided to observe a little longer.
Yan Qing, on the other hand, seemed to unconditionally trust Su Si, and his focus was elsewhere.
“A’Si, should we discuss it here? Won’t the villagers eavesdrop?”
Su Si slapped his head. “No, no, I have a helper. Come, let me introduce my ally. I owe my survival to it.”
Before anyone could react, Su Si opened the window and stuck his head out. “Lord Bai, Lord Bai—dinner is ready!”
In an instant, a snow-white creature smashed in.
It knocked Su Si to the ground, with its two feet stepping on Su Si’s face, arrogantly surveying the world. Then it flapped its wings and let out a loud honk.
It looked like a goose, but much larger than an ordinary one. Its beak had a particularly plump lump of flesh on top. Unlike a regular goose, it had two antennae-like things on its head, about the length of a human finger, covered in short feathers and drooping softly.
Yin Ci, rarely puzzled, murmured, “A goose?”
“It’s a goose demon.”
Su Si quickly got up.
“If we use it right, it’s stronger than any monster in Yuanxian Village.”
The author has something to say:
Yan Qing is not really the pet (…). The pet in this story officially appears!
It’s a true combat force, Fox Shi, danger.
Demonic Lord Yin announces a no-prize guessing game: Lord Bai =? Shi
This time, Wei Huaqian changed hotels, and the only thing that remained the same was the height and the view outside the window, overlooking the entire city of Haigu.
He took a puff of his cigarette and flicked the ashes into the ashtray. Outside the window, it was dusk, and the surroundings were dim. In the reflection of the floor-to-ceiling window, the wrinkles and scattered white hair on his face were clearly visible.
Wei Huaqian’s gaze occasionally swept over his phone, which lay silent, without making a sound.
“Squeak—”
At the moment when the sun completely set, the door behind him slowly opened. Wei Huaqian’s motion of flicking the cigarette ashes paused for half a second, and his gaze followed the falling black-gray ash, without raising his head. “Shen Mo.”
Shen Mo had changed into a simple and neat shirt, and his hair still carried the moistness of a shower. He casually closed the door and sat opposite Wei Huaqian in a carefree manner. His every move exuded relaxation, and the fabric of his clothes outlined the contours of a youthful body.
“Xiao Wei, it’s been a few days, and you’ve aged even more,” he greeted casually.
The flesh on Wei Huaqian’s face trembled, and he forced a polite smile. “Seems like Shian’s mad dog is quite obedient. Did Shen Xiong* make a mistake?”
*Honorific to address someone who is older or of higher status than you. It shows respect and also familiarity (similar to Ge, but more respectful).
Shen Mo casually picked up a fig and squeezed it slightly. The yellow-white flesh revealed a sweet and bloody core. He took a bite and chewed it for a while. “Yeah, I made a mistake. I happened to run into the people of Shian investigating.”
Wei Huaqian remained silent.
Ignoring him, Shen Mo picked up two more figs and leisurely enjoyed them.
“That world is not reality. Even if Fu Xingchuan personally intervenes, you won’t suffer,” Wei Huaqian said in a low voice. “Or did he really intervene, and you can’t bear to act against the junior you brought up?”
Shen Mo replied, “…Xiao Wei, what are you saying? We’ve known each other for so long. If I had the chance, I’d be the first to kill him.”
“Give me a reason for your mistake.”
“I also want to ask you. I saw quite a lot of things this time.” Shen Mo shook his head. “The people from Shian obtained some powerful memories—I didn’t notice before that there was such a colossal monster hidden in the Valley of Remains. Compared to it, the Evil Spirits are simply small and cute.”
Wei Huaqian’s face turned gloomy, and the cigarette ash grew long. “Monster?”
“Yes, Shian somehow obtained those memories and projected them as illusions using Yellow Millet. Those memories were detailed enough that not even the Great Celestial Master himself has such recollections.”
Shen Mo played with the soft, red-skinned fig in his hand, rolling it around in his palm, as if it were a stale organ.
“Absolutely impossible.” Wei Huaqian stood up, stubbing his cigarette fiercely in the ashtray. “Zhong Yi is already dead. You’ve seen our files. In the end, his body was completely deteriorated. Not to mention preserving memories, he couldn’t even preserve his whole corpse!”
“But no one has ever found his body, right?” Shen Mo shrugged. “I paid close attention, and the seal of the Great Celestial Master is in the Valley of Remains… Well, it should be Haigu judging from the terrain. Most likely, those predecessors changed it because they found the word ‘hai’ in ‘Haigu’ unlucky*. I can’t be mistaken about that.”
*Clarity: The Valley of Remains is [Haigu] (骸谷). The predecessor renamed it to Sea Valley [Haigu] (海谷) as the [hai] (骸) in the Valley of Remains means skeleton/remains, which isn’t auspicious.
“I remember the fluctuation of the demonic energy during that period in the summer. It seemed like a demonic emergence, but when you used the blood sacrifice to attract it, not even a single strand of demonic hair was drawn in. Do you think that maybe…” Shen Mo’s voice trailed off meaningfully.
Upon hearing these words, Wei Huaqian became calm.
“You’ve spent more time ‘over there’, so you might not be familiar with the details. I had people investigate all the suspicious individuals related to the ‘outbreak of Evil Force’.”
Wei Huaqian reclined in his armchair and rubbed his temples. He casually took out a tablet and operated it for a while before pushing it in front of Shen Mo.
“The most suspicious one is this young man. Take a look for yourself.”
Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and wiped the juice off his hand. “Yin Ren? …The surname is interesting. Is he a descendant of the hidden Yin Village?”
He casually flipped through the information on the tablet and grew increasingly silent.
This person’s origins were unknown, making him highly suspicious. However, he passed all of Shian’s medical tests and is currently a non-science staff member of Special Operations Unit 9, rated as a C-level.
Wei Huaqian had intentionally or unintentionally tested Yin Ren and his partner Zhong Chengshuo with the corruption source case but didn’t obtain any substantial evidence of “abnormality”. In the recent attack by Mr. Qiu, Yin Ren’s partner Zhong Chengshuo was shot dead on the spot.
Shen Mo was shocked when he saw the phrase “Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo are in a romantic relationship”.
According to the information obtained from Shian, after Zhong Chengshuo’s death, Yin Ren specially created a flesh puppet to commemorate his lover, and the doll was always by his side.
Shen Mo quickly looked through the photos of Yin Ren. This person had a somewhat sinister appearance that was different from ordinary people’s. However, whether by chance or otherwise, the photos obtained by Wei Huaqian had a certain… element to them.
For example, this person couldn’t move his feet in front of a game experience store. For example, this person held three ice cream cones in both hands simultaneously. For example, this person held a large bucket of fried chicken with gleaming eyes…
Even in group scenes, he could only see photos like “the little couple feeding each other”, “the little couple shopping in a supermarket”, “the little couple wearing toy ears and playing in an amusement park”, and so on.
Shen Mo: “…Tsk.”
Wei Huaqian: “Hmm, he’s got some talent. But besides eating, drinking, and having fun, this person hasn’t done much. In the previous cases involving Unit 9, he didn’t show any special performances either.”
Shen Mo pressed his temple. “I understand. This person has no connection with the Great Celestial Master.”
His gaze lingered on a photo of Yin Ren holding skewers in both hands, imitating the pose of a hero fan. There was no trace of arrogance in those crimson eyes, only pure joy as he looked at Zhong Chengshuo, who was chewing on grilled baby cabbage.
Shen Mo decisively closed the screen.
“Let me think… At this point in time, it should be the ‘Ant Nest’ in Gengsheng Town that had a problem. There might be information about the Great Celestial Master hidden there, which you didn’t find, and it was discovered by the Shian afterward. After all, it’s a thousand-year-old ant nest, and the members of the Sunken Society are skilled at hiding things. You should know that best.”
“Mm,” Wei Huaqian neither confirmed nor denied it.
“That competition organized by Shian a while ago. Did they bring in a shaman named Sang Jie? If I remember correctly, the Shaman faction in Linnan is skilled in the Golden Light Exorcism magic, and they all have Gouluo lineage—Gouluo has its own unique research on ‘Monsters’ and ‘Primordial Elements’.”
Shen Mo tapped on the table with his fingertips.
“Perhaps they discovered something in Gengsheng Town and used the ruse of the competition to invite a descendant of the Gouluo tribe to Haigu. That girl is still in the hospital. You can use her as a breakthrough point.”
When he said these words, Shen Mo dropped his casual demeanor and became unusually serious.
“Wei Huaqian, I don’t know how much new information Shian has obtained. All I know is that after this encounter, their understanding of the Other Side will only grow. You better make early preparations for your ‘sacrifice’ plan.”
“Our time is running out.”
……
In the memory world.
The fire in Huajisi burned throughout the night before it was extinguished. Due to the large number of onlookers, the members of the Shian didn’t sleep all night.
This directly led to Fu Xingchuan thinking he was hallucinating when he saw Yin Ren approaching wearing a “Leader’s Close Confidant with a Great Problem” t-shirt.
However, just by looking at this person’s temperament, Fu Xingchuan could tell at a glance that “Yin Ren” was the genuine master. He saw the man carrying a chubby black rabbit, calmly chewing on vegetable leaves.
The members of Huajisi who were watching took two steps back upon seeing this strange individual.
Fortunately, the elites of Huajisi were well-experienced and remained calm. The metaphysical world was filled with strange individuals, but at least this one had a pleasing face.
Lu Xiaohe was the first to regain control of her expression and clear her throat in a composed manner. “Xiao Yin, what is this rabbit?”
She cast a suspicious glance at the rabbit—unlike the illusory rabbits they had seen before, this black rabbit had a distinct nose and eyes. It looked plump and quite adorable. At the moment, its nose twitched as it steadily consumed the fresh green leaves.
“This is Zhong Chengshuo.” Yin Ren held the rabbit tightly with a touch of sorrow. “This is a long story. In short, he gave me my body back, and I found a new place for him. He… He was created by my own hands, so he doesn’t need a complicated vessel.”
Fu Xingchuan stared deeply at the rabbit, feeling that something was amiss, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint it.
“Actually, I should have chosen a healthier one,” Yin Ren suddenly added, with a somewhat flat tone—flat to the point of familiarity.
Everyone’s gaze instantly turned to Yin Ren.
“Unfortunately, the grass and trees near the Valley of Remains are lush, and all the rabbits were plump.” Yin Ren quickly resumed his original tone, with an imperceptible tension in his voice.
Lu Xiaohe’s expression gradually became puzzled.
“But it’s really too fat.” Just when she thought this irrelevant topic was about to end, Yin Ren spoke up again. The rabbit stopped eating, and its moist black eyes looked at Yin Ren.
“It’s cute when it’s chubby.” This time, Yin Ren’s tone had a touch of determination. “It’s very suitable.”
Lu Xiaohe: “Uh…”
Could it be that the self-sacrifice of the flesh puppet, who “died” once again, had triggered some emotional scar in Yin Ren? She looked around and wisely remained silent.
Inside Yin Ren.
Zhong Chengshuo: [.…..] He watched helplessly as Yin Ren held the “fake Zhong Chengshuo” and kneaded it; a series of ellipses rolled through his mind.
This chubby rabbit was clearly a masterful creation, made by Yin Ren to deceive Shian, bought from the vegetable market. In order to appease its emotions, Yin Ren also bought it the freshest vegetable leaves.
[Yin Ren could have chosen the healthiest one.] He contemplated quietly. [Is there something wrong with the impression I’ve given him?]
Yin Ren cleared his throat loudly, changing the subject. “Anyway, you must have seen the memories I shared. Everyone—what’s going on? Why is there one person missing?”
The young girl from the Lu family, Fu Shangliu, Li Heyan, and that… that solemn-looking dyed dog—everyone had communication earpieces in their ears.
Yin Ren casually glanced at the corner where Yellow Millet was, walked up to “Fu Shangliu”, and had a serious expression. “Fu Xingchuan, who exactly is in trouble?”
Fu Tianyi: “?”
Fu Xingchuan silently opened his mouth and bit Yin Ren’s calf.
……
In the evening, a shimmering light emerged in the underground of Shian.
After nearly two weeks of disappearance, seven figures reappeared on the bed. Fu Xingchuan was the first to struggle and sit up, his movements somewhat awkward and uncoordinated. Li Nian strode forward in large steps, his face looking as gloomy as if he had just experienced a funeral.
“What happened? Why did we lose contact for so long?”
“We made a mistake in judging the nature of the memory world and made several temporary adjustments to the details of our spell, woof.”
Fu Xingchuan murmured, still immersed in Yin Ren’s analogy about the “network”.
During the process of perfecting the spell, Yin Ren explained his speculation about the nature of the memory world in great detail. Suddenly receiving this unprecedented speculation, Fu Xingchuan’s mind hadn’t fully grasped it even after leaving the memory world.
Li Nian: “…”
Li Nian: “What do you mean by ‘we made a mistake in judging the nature of the memory world’?”
“It concerns the Other Side, and it’s not suitable to discuss it here.” Fu Xingchuan lowered his voice and glanced at Yin Ren and the “flesh puppet” still lying on the bed. “Let everyone rest for now, and we’ll arrange another time.”
Li Nian remained silent for an even longer time this time.
“Alright,” he said in a firm tone, “It seems that certain individuals need time to recover mentally.”
He made a gesture, and Shian’s medical team swiftly entered the scene. Huang Jin reached out his hand towards the medical team with a melancholic whimper. Fu Xingchuan finally snapped out of it and cleared his throat.
“This will be a long story,” he said slowly and deliberately. “Remember to set aside enough time and free up the laboratory. By the way, it’s best to arrange for them to stay at the Municipal Hospital to avoid drawing too much attention.”
“I understand.”
Seeing his former partner so serious, Li Nian’s expression held a hint of surprise.
“I will handle it properly.” This time, his response was equally solemn.
When Shian’s Unit 9 returned to Haigu’s Municipal Hospital, it was already late at night.
The damage in the memory world was relatively minor, but everyone was exhausted to the extreme. Except for Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, the others received an intravenous drip and fell asleep immediately. Despite having many things to say, Yin Ren made a great effort to hold back his words.
He could only occasionally touch Zhong Chengshuo, who was lying on the bed next to him. Since having a physical form, that strange sense of repulsion had returned. But to some extent, understanding this guy’s situation made that subconscious repulsion feel amusing.
Zhong Chengshuo contemplated for a moment and nudged towards Yin Ren’s direction, indulging in his poking actions.
“In a while, Fu Xingchuan and the others will definitely ‘summon’ the two of us to solve the real issue. We don’t have much free time until then.”
“Mm,” Zhong Chengshuo softly responded.
In the darkness, Zhong Chengshuo’s body outline appeared solid and handsome. Even now, Yin Ren still couldn’t connect the messy-looking rabbit with the attractive human figure in front of him.
“Do you have any plans?”
Yin Ren stopped poking him and instead reached out, placing his palm against the person’s back.
It was incredibly warm.
“Let’s celebrate properly together,” Zhong Chengshuo muttered with his back turned to Yin Ren. “Stay with you… just be together.”
“Is there anything else?” Yin Ren raised an eyebrow.
“There’s… “
“It’s the end of the month, Zhong Chengshuo.” Yin Ren leaned down; his body a fist’s distance away from Zhong Chengshuo.
He blew into the person’s ear. “It’s your birthday, isn’t it?”
At this moment, in the neighboring building.
“I’m here, I’m here.” Sun Qi’an yawned, forcing herself to stay alert as she sat in front of a hospital bed. “We agreed. Sister will read you a story, so Qianqian, please don’t cry anymore, okay?”
The little girl’s face was pale, her lips turning white. Her thin hand had prominent veins, as she was receiving intravenous therapy.
Sun Qi’an gently stroked her hair and picked up the fairy tale book by the girl’s pillow.
The cover of the fairy tale book was soft and beautiful, clearly a classic fairy tale. Sun Qi’an opened it to a page, and her gaze suddenly became incredibly gentle. When she spoke again, her voice remained the same, but there was an added soothing magic.
Wang Chao didn’t dwell on the three-hour time limit issue. For him, since time was tight, they had to make the most of it, and the logic was simple.
The teenager opened his computer and found that the program was still running. He imported some node files into his tablet and said to Lin Chen, “A’Chen Gege, didn’t you ask me to check some adverse reactions to the drug? Here are some of them.”
Lin Chen took the tablet.
Since the State Food and Drug Administration didn’t notice these cases, it meant that these adverse reactions were still within a reasonable range. After all, any drug would list the possible types of adverse reactions in the instructions. Even some penicillin allergies may include hallucinations, mental abnormalities, and the like. Therefore, it was normal for adverse reactions such as cognitive impairment or emotional mania to occur when treating brain diseases.
Lin Chen looked at all 11 relevant adverse reaction cases as of February 2014, and only one case was severe.
The patient was a 73-year-old woman who was admitted due to a stroke and had organic dementia due to brain atrophy. In January 2012, she had a manic episode, injured medical staff, and accidentally fell from the stairwell.
The forensic autopsy results proved that the elderly woman had diffuse cerebral sulcal widening and cystic expansion in her brain, indicating that organic brain damage caused the mental abnormalities, thus ruling out the hospital’s responsibility.
Looking at the case, Lin Chen saw the prescription for “Cerebralcon” from Zhourui Pharmaceutical.
As always, Wang Chao was thoughtful and also attached the police investigation report to the back of the case.
In the photo, the hospital corridor was stained with blood.
According to the case information, the 73-year-old woman grabbed the nurse’s needle during an infusion, stabbed the nurse, and escaped into the corridor. She used a medical cart to hit two other elderly patients frantically, causing one of them to die on the spot and the other to be declared brain dead after an unsuccessful rescue three days later.
For an elderly person over 70 years old, this was a completely crazy act.
Three lives were lost in this case, and perhaps the victims’ families were still immersed in grief and self-blame and hadn’t yet realized that it wasn’t their fault.
……
Lin Chen put down his tablet and leaned his hand on the car window with an indifferent expression, not sure what he was thinking.
Xing Conglian was clear about why he came up with the idea of a deadline. People like him often treat themselves harsher than others, striving for perfection and accustomed to pushing themselves to the limit and finding a way out in desperate situations.
Xing Conglian stepped on the brake, and the Jeep stopped at the red light.
In a brief moment, Xing Conglian saw Lin Chen quickly glance down. It was a completely subconscious movement. He was looking at the phone in the storage box on the car door and then awkwardly moved his gaze back. He obviously wanted to make a phone call but didn’t do so.
Looking at Lin Chen’s always calm and composed face, Xing Conglian suddenly realized that Lin Chen was different from them. He and Wang Chao didn’t have to worry about their grandfathers mistakenly taking dangerous drugs made by Zhourui, while Lin Chen was probably now dealing with some elderly relatives. He handed his phone over and said, “If you want to make a call, go ahead. Three hours won’t make a difference.”
Lin Chen took the phone, and his fingertips were very cold.
“It’s my teacher.” Lin Chen guessed what Xing Conglian guessed and answered very candidly. “My teacher’s cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems have always been bad. He was hospitalized last year and has probably been taking Zhourui’s medicine all along. This kind of medicine is too widely used.”
He didn’t show any sadness, but Xing Conglian could feel his inner conflict.
Although Lin Chen had had countless teachers since he was a child, only one person—President Su of Yongchuan University—had been referred to as his teacher.
When Lin Chen took the phone, he obviously breathed a sigh of relief. He dialed the number without even looking it up. Looking at Lin Chen’s face as he waited for the phone to connect, Xing Conglian was glad he didn’t stubbornly stick to his principles.
Xing Conglian drove the car forward a bit and stopped on the side of the road near the municipal bureau. Lin Chen held the phone and looked at him for guidance. Xing Conglian waved his hand, indicating that he was waiting for someone.
The phone connected, and Xing Conglian could barely hear President Su’s cheerful voice from the receiver at arm’s length.
“Teacher, it’s me.” Lin Chen’s voice was rarely so relaxed, even with a hint of playfulness toward the elderly.
Xing Conglian remembered the file he had peeked at. When Lin Chen was young, all of his older relatives had already passed away. Now, thinking back, President Su probably acted as both a teacher and a friend to him, fulfilling his desire for elder care.
Xing Conglian’s hand rested on Lin Chen’s delicate neck, waiting for his next words.
“I have encountered a problem.” Lin Chen held the phone calmly and said so.
The old man probably asked something like, “What kind of problem have you encountered?” And then added, “It’s not a problem with your relationship with that captain, right?”
Xing Conglian only heard a general idea and stared at Lin Chen with his eyes wide open. Why are people surnamed Su so astute nowadays?
“That’s not it. We’re together.”
Lin Chen said this casually in a cool voice, causing Xing Conglian’s hand on his neck to tighten a bit. After all, this was him coming out of the closet, so he felt he should give Lin Chen some encouragement, but Xing Conglian was disappointed again.
Elder Su’s voice on the phone became two tones brighter, and Xing Conglian didn’t hear any nervous or worried tone coming out but instead heard a lot of fragmented gossip questions, making him feel at a loss for words.
The old man asked all sorts of questions, and Lin Chen only mentioned trivial matters. This made Xin Conglian mistakenly think that this phone call wasn’t about Lin Chen telling the old man about the medication issue but rather a special report to the elders at home about his love life, and that they were unusually open-minded.
Lin Chen talked on the phone for a while, and Xing Conglian felt as if cold sweat was about to drip down his back, fearing that the old man would suddenly want to talk to him, but it seemed that the old man hadn’t yet reached that level of gossip.
“We’re done talking about your relationship. Now tell me, what’s the matter with you?” the old man suddenly asked.
Xing Conglian looked at Lin Chen and saw him squinting in the distance. He paused, pulled his hand down from his neck, and then clasped Lin Chen’s fingers. “Something big has happened, but I can’t say it.”
“If you can’t say it, why did you call me? You’re going to drive me crazy!” the old man exclaimed.
“It really can’t be said for the time being, Teacher. Just watch the news, and when I can say it, I’ll call you first thing.”
Xing Conglian could feel Lin Chen’s hand trembling lightly, but he was still pretending to speak in a relaxed tone.
“Quick, tell me. What was the life principle I taught you guys when you graduated?”
Lin Chen smiled and answered, “Don’t show off, and surrender when you need to.”
Xing Conglian could no longer laugh.
“That’s right, there’s no savior in this world,” Elder Su comforted.
“But isn’t the meaning of the second half of The Internationale* that one must rely on oneself to be a good person?” Lin Chen countered.
*An international anthem; it has been adopted as the anthem of various anarchist, communist, socialist, democratic socialist, and social democratic movements.
“Hey, hey, how come you’re back-talking your teacher just because you’re in love? Your teacher is getting old,” Elder Su hummed discontentedly. “But you are indeed stronger than many people, so I’d rather entrust my life to you than anyone else.”
The old man’s voice was very relaxed, but Xing Conglian shuddered. Lin Chen hadn’t revealed anything from start to finish, but Elder Su’s words were saying, “I know everything. You can go ahead and do it with confidence.”
Lin Chen was also silent, holding the phone with a straight back, as if he were holding a heavy load.
“Okay.”
“When you have time next time, come home for dinner and bring that person along.”
On the phone, Elder Su said a few more words casually and was about to hang up.
“Teacher!” Lin Chen suddenly spoke up as if waking up from a dream, stopping the old man before he hung up.
“Hmm, is there anything else?”
“I’m sorry,” Lin Chen said, unsure if he said it before or after hanging up the phone.
This casual chat was really idle, like a beautiful conversation between a teacher and a student on a sunny afternoon. However, now it felt heavy.
Lin Chen handed back the phone as a police officer ran over from the distance. Xing Conglian lowered the car window, saluted the officer, and was handed a thick stack of files.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Xing Conglian asked as he closed the car window and started the engine.
“My feelings are no different from those of other family members of patients. They didn’t have the opportunity to give notice in advance, and neither should I.” Lin Chen paused and added, “Most importantly, if I did, my teacher would scold me to death.”
Xing Conglian started the engine and asked, “Then why did you make the call?”
“Because I wanted to hear my teacher say, ‘Go ahead and do it with confidence’.”
Xing Conglian stepped on the accelerator and prepared to send Mr. Xiao Zhan back to the factory. He placed the files he had just received on Lin Chen’s lap. The file bag had “Shen Lian” clearly written on it. Xing Conglian added, “Just do what you’re good at. I’ll take care of everything else.”
……
The Jeep headed toward the outskirts. Fields and factories passed by like flowing water outside the window.
Lin Chen fumbled through the thick stack of materials. He had called his teacher because he realized that he was really not good at this case. He lacked an adequate knowledge base about drugs, couldn’t understand molecular formulas, and was always led by the nose by Shen Lian or Zhourui Pharmaceutical. He didn’t know what kind of impact long-term medication would have on patients, didn’t know Shen Lian’s true intentions, and didn’t know what to do next. Precisely speaking, he just didn’t know.
Fortunately, although people had many areas where they didn’t excel, they also had their own fields to be proud of. Lin Chen opened the file and began to truly understand Shen Lian for the first time.
In her childhood file, the girl had two braids and was smiling with her mouth open, but her eyes were devoid of warmth.
Shen Lian grew up on the most ordinary old street in Hongjing. Lin Chen only remembered that the noodles with pickled vegetables and shredded pork in a shop on that street were particularly good. Apart from that, there was nothing beautiful about it. The low bungalows and slightly cold and narrow streets always seemed to be in the shade, even in the height of summer.
He first flipped through Shen Lian’s childhood academic records. She didn’t choose a prestigious school, and her elementary and junior high school performances were mediocre. According to her old report cards, except for two perfect scores in the first and second grades of elementary school, there was no sign that this girl would have extraordinary intelligence, enough to manipulate a multinational pharmaceutical company more than ten years later.
As Lin Chen flipped through page by page, he suddenly paused.
Xing Conglian turned the car onto a rarely traveled road with an abandoned chemical plant on both sides. Guanghua Chemicals was standing at the end of the road.
“What’s wrong?” Xing Conglian noticed his sudden pause.
“It’s strange. Shen Lian’s grades suddenly improved in the second year of junior high school. In the third grade of junior high, she managed to place first and was admitted to Hongjing No.1 High School.”
“She had an awakening?”
“Shen Lian scored 697 points in the high school entrance exam, ranking 9th in the city. Even Wang Chao’s intelligence level would find it difficult to get this score.”
Wang Chao interjected from the back seat, “A’Chen Gege, you can’t say that!”
“Why not? Xiao Wang from Lao Huang’s family, I remember you didn’t get first in the city in the high school entrance exam either.”
“That’s because I didn’t take the high school entrance exam!” Wang Chao angrily pulled on Mr. Xiao Zhan’s collar. “Are you the same age as Shen Lian? What did you get in the exam that year?”
“I think… I got first place?”
Wang Chao choked for a while and couldn’t speak. Finally, he said, “After we finish this, give me a test paper. I want to prove myself!”
While Wang Chao was making a fuss, no one responded to him in the car because Lin Chen was silent.
Xing Conglian looked over to his side and saw Lin Chen bowing his head slightly, with his fingers resting on the old file paper. A beam of sunlight fell beside his ear, but it didn’t bring any warmth.
“Did something happen to Shen Lian’s parents?” Xing Conglian asked, following the principle that all abnormal psychology may have childhood trauma.
Lin Chen flipped through the file for a while, pulled out the part about Shen Lian’s parents, and then turned to her junior high school years, answering, “Her parents are alive. Her father is a security guard at the Hongjing Department Store, and her mother is an ordinary salesperson at the store. It seems that they are busy with work and their family isn’t wealthy, but they’re not destitute either.”
“Do her parents have criminal records?”
“No, they seem to be honest and hardworking people.”
“Are there any extramarital affairs, child abuse, or childhood trauma?”
“No.”
“So, what caused Shen Lian to be so abnormal?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is this ‘I don’t know’ a good thing or a bad thing?”
“It’s probably not a good thing.” Lin Chen replied.
He Yu doubted if he was experiencing auditory hallucinations, but then he thought it was impossible. He was young and energetic. How could he have a problem that only his master could have?
“Actually, are you talking about family? There’s a big difference between family and lovers!”
Yu Buhui: “…Are you questioning my language skills?”
The two of them stood in the supermarket, holding a bag of potato chips, staring at each other.
The cashier couldn’t bear to watch and was afraid they would start fighting, so she quickly said, “We still have that kind of potato chip. You don’t have to fight over it!”
She personally walked over and took out a new bag, handing it to He Yu.
He Yu reluctantly stopped.
“Today is not April Fool’s Day, right?”
Yu Buhui asked curiously, “Who has time to play with you? If I want to play, it would be with beautiful women.”
He Yu scratched his head. “I still think you’re joking with me! Look at our master. He looks like he’s not interested in worldly matters at all. It’s hard to imagine him being in a romantic relationship. If one day he starts dating you, I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, both of you are swords, and swords attract each other!”
Yu Buhui remained expressionless and picked up his phone. “I will tell Senior Brother exactly what you just said.”
He Yu quickly grabbed his phone and said with a smile, “No, no! I was just joking! Don’t take it so seriously, brother. I was just expressing my shock. How did you know such explosive news? It’s not because the boss told you, right?”
Yu Buhui: “Yes, he did tell me. We were on the plane back from Japan, sitting together. I saw him reading a book, so I took a peek. Turns out, he wasn’t reading a book, but looking at a drawing tucked inside it. The drawing was quite nice, so I asked him who drew it. He said it was Dong Zhi. I said your disciple is quite talented, not only good at vanquishing demons but also at drawing. And guess how he responded to me?”
“I don’t want to guess. Just tell me.” He Yu’s face was numb.
Yu Buhui smiled and said, “He said, not just a disciple. I asked, then what is he? He said, a lover.”
He Yu: …
Yu Buhui: “What’s with that expression? Aren’t you happy that your boss is in love? Oh, are you secretly in love with Dong Zhi?”
He Yu: “I’m in love with your head!”
Yu Buhui: “My head won’t do. It’s too handsome. You won’t have a chance.”
He Yu: “No! Don’t you find it strange? The boss wasn’t like this before. Did you completely get rid of Otowa Yasuhiko? Could it be that his lingering spirit possessed the boss?”
Yu Buhui looked at him as if he were a fool. “Then why would Otowa say that Dong Zhi was his lover when he possessed him? Do you think Otowa loves Dong Zhi?”
He Yu became frustrated. “You’ve confused me!”
Yu Buhui calmly said, “The fact is that Senior Brother and his disciple are together. You’re overthinking it.”
The two of them muttered in the supermarket at the gas station for a while, but they didn’t buy anything. The cashier was getting impatient with their expressions, and Long Shen, on the other end, called He Yu’s phone, unsurprisingly saying they needed to leave and for the two of them to come back quickly.
So the two of them didn’t even buy a bag of potato chips and walked out of the supermarket under the cashier’s almost burning gaze, returning to the car.
Long Shen still sat in his seat with his eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought. Whether it was He Yu’s imagination or not, he felt that Long Shen’s complexion seemed even paler than before. The car continued driving forward. It was a special vehicle dispatched by the Northwestern Branch. Apart from an elderly driver, only the three of them were inside. The car performed well, but the road conditions weren’t great. As the altitude increased, the scenery outside gradually changed. They had seen enough and lost interest. What interested He Yu more was the gossip between Long Shen and Dong Zhi.
At first, he didn’t dare to ask, but after enduring for over ten minutes, he felt as uncomfortable as if he were sitting on pins and needles. Unable to resist any longer, he turned his head and asked, “Boss, there’s something I want to ask you.”
Long Shen didn’t even open his eyes; it was unclear if he was sleeping or not. In the front seat, although Yu Buhui didn’t turn around, his ears perked up noticeably.
He Yu didn’t expect Long Shen to proactively ask him what was on his mind, so he continued, “Do you think the next time I see Dong Zhi, I should call him ‘Madam Long’ or ‘the Deputy Bureau’s husband’?”
Yu Buhui coughed loudly from the front seat, causing a commotion, but Long Shen lazily lifted his eyelid.
“Whatever you want.”
He Yu was shocked. With this attitude, did that mean he was accepting his words?! But with Long Shen’s attitude, he shouldn’t mind others knowing about it, right? He Yu’s eyes turned, and he smiled mischievously. “Boss, don’t blame me for being nosy and gossiping, but it’s just so unexpected. But no matter how you look at it, it’s a good thing. Me and Chaosheng used to worry that you would never marry, ah no, find someone who understands you. But now, it’s perfect. Your disciple is also your wife, killing two birds with one stone. As the representative of Team 2, I sincerely congratulate you on behalf of everyone!”
Before Long Shen could tell him to shut up, He Yu quickly continued inquiring, “How did you two reach this point? Did Dong Zhi pursue you, or did you pursue him?”
Finally, Long Shen opened his eyes and looked at him.
He Yu reflexively moved to the other side of his seat and covered his mouth, pretending to be pitiful.
What audacity! Yu Buhui looked at him disdainfully and took matters into his own hands.
“Boss, we don’t care about those conventional views. We’re genuinely happy for you.”
Long Shen’s complexion softened slightly, and along with that gentle change, He Yu’s anxious and fearful heart calmed down.
“Thank you.”
Upon hearing those words from Long Shen, the flame of gossip in He Yu’s heart began to burn fiercely once again.
“Boss, I guess it was Dong Zhi who pursued you first, right? But how did you agree to it? You weren’t moved, were you? Before that, Li Han’er also had genuine feelings for you, she persisted…”
Long Shen: “Stop talking.”
He Yu: “Huh?”
Long Shen furrowed his brows. “If you keep blabbering, I’ll throw you out of the car and let you walk to Kunlun.”
He Yu: …
Yu Buhui gave him a look that said, “You deserve it.”
Although he was curious himself, asking gossip required the right timing, location, and strategic speaking skills. He Yu’s straightforward and crude way of inquiring, fueled only by gossip, would definitely not yield any results.
The car fell silent again after Long Shen’s words, but He Yu’s attempt at pretending to be calm lasted only three seconds before he broke character. He didn’t dare to ask Long Shen any further, but he couldn’t contain himself. He picked up his phone and started sending messages one by one to the members of Team 2 from his contacts.
The first message was sent to Kan Chaosheng: [Do you know that the boss is together with Dong Zhi?]
Then to Liu Si: [I have some big news for you. The boss is dating Dong Zhi.]
Finally, to Zhong Yuyi: [Lao Zhong! Lao Zhong! Dong Zhi will be our Deputy Bureau’s wife from now on!]
Kan Chaosheng wasn’t required to go to Kunlun Mountain, as the General Administration Bureau still needed someone to stay behind. He was currently in the capital city and received the message first. Kan Chaosheng, who had transformed into a big yellow cat, lazily lounged on He Yu’s desk, swishing his tail back and forth, teasing the white cat under the desk that wanted to pounce on his tail. When the message appeared, the big yellow cat was in the middle of a gaming session, and he only spared a fraction of a second to glance at the message. He deemed it irrelevant to the matter at hand and didn’t know what He Yu was talking about, so he immediately dismissed it as spam and ignored it.
It was only after He Yu sent the messages that he realized something. Kan Chaosheng was already five hundred years old, which was considered immortal in human terms, but for monsters, five hundred years was just the age of understanding things. Kan Chaosheng’s temperament could be described as naive, almost childlike. Telling him about this was a complete mistake. Most likely, he was currently immersed in the game and couldn’t be bothered to discuss it with He Yu.
As for Zhong Yuyi, his reaction time was just too long. It wouldn’t be surprising if he only responded tomorrow.
Apart from these two people, the slightly more normal one in Team 2 was Liu Si. However, he was currently on the return journey with Dong Zhi on a ship, and the signal wasn’t good, so he might not be able to reply immediately.
But He Yu was already burning with a fervor of gossip that he couldn’t extinguish. He wished he could find someone with the same interests to discuss it endlessly, but it wouldn’t be interesting to talk to unfamiliar people. The people on Kunlun Mountain were probably already in a frenzy, so he couldn’t bother them. After thinking for a while, he reluctantly sent a message to Yu Buhui, who was in the same car.
He Yu: [I still feel like I’m dreaming right now.]
Yu Buhui: [I can tell. Your butt has been twisting and turning as if you’re sitting on pins and needles. If Senior Brother hadn’t kicked you out of the car, it would be out of sheer mercy.]
He Yu: …
He secretly glanced at Long Shen, who still had his eyes closed, showing no signs of awareness. He Yu breathed a sigh of relief and continued sending messages to Yu Buhui.
He Yu: [The boss, forget about him being in a romantic relationship. Can you imagine him looking at someone, especially a man, with tender affection? I feel like I’m covered in goosebumps.]
Yu Buhui: [Why are you, a grown man, so interested in your boss’ love life?]
He Yu: [You casually mentioned it earlier just to get me to ask, didn’t you? Don’t think I don’t see through your evil intentions!]
Yu Buhui: [Although I’m also interested, I’m not as excited as you. I can feel from head to toe that you’re radiating ‘I want the whole world to know that Long Shen is dating’ vibes. Be careful not to be scolded by Senior Brother.]
Just as He Yu finished speaking, he heard Long Shen say, “Why do you need to send text messages when you’re sitting right in front and behind each other? Can’t you just talk directly?”
He Yu stiffened, silently cursing Yu Buhui for jinxing it, unaware that Yu Buhui was also cursing him for being a gossipmonger and exposing himself.
“Boss, how did you know that we were exchanging messages?” He Yu forced a smile, not daring to lie.
Long Shen coldly replied, “Because the expressions on your faces and the smiles on your lips are exactly the same.”
He Yu forced a laugh. “We were afraid of disturbing your rest with our conversation!”
Long Shen said, “In this extraordinary time, you can say whatever you want, but don’t go disturbing people outside of Team 2.”
He knew He Yu’s nature for gossip and was certain that he would spread it everywhere.
He Yu hurriedly said, “Understood, I’ll only tell Kan Chaosheng, Zhong Yuyi, and Liu Si!”
Yu Buhui rolled his eyes in the front seat, thinking, ‘Is he stupid? He’s practically confessing.’
As expected, Long Shen glanced at He Yu, and He Yu’s body shivered. He could only reveal a silly smile.
Seeing that Long Shen didn’t show any further annoyance, He Yu couldn’t help but cautiously ask, “Boss, do you really like Dong Zhi? I mean, do you like him as a lover? Just don’t confuse your affection for your disciple with romantic love, cough cough. Of course, I’m not questioning your feelings, but I’m concerned as a friend and brother.”
After coming back to his senses, he began to worry about the two of them.
Dong Zhi was fine. He Yu could tell that Dong Zhi had admired Long Shen from the beginning. There was often no clear boundary between admiration and adoration, and it wasn’t surprising that someone as outstanding as Long Shen would be liked by Dong Zhi. As for a romantic relationship between a master and disciple, it was trivial compared to all the other issues in the world nowadays.
But He Yu couldn’t understand Long Shen’s thoughts. It wasn’t that Long Shen was very deep—on the contrary, He Yu felt that their boss was someone easy to understand. He never shied away from responsibility, and his sense of duty was even stronger than many humans’. He had his own set of principles when it came to ethics and work. From this perspective, Long Shen was pure, righteous, and principled.
The reason why He Yu found him hard to understand was because his way of doing things sometimes differed greatly from the majority. He often had unexpected behavior. Just like now, He Yu couldn’t comprehend Long Shen’s feelings towards Dong Zhi. Was it love or a mix-up of love and familial affection? Perhaps in the eyes of a sword, as long as it was affection, there seemed to be little difference between love for a disciple and love for a partner.
Long Shen tilted his head, propping his forehead with his hand. His complexion seemed a little listless, but he didn’t refuse to have a conversation with He Yu nor did he simply brush it off. Instead, he asked, “What do you think liking someone means?”
He Yu was taken aback and then said, “Um, wanting to see the person every day and being happy when you’re together, I guess.”
It was cruel to ask a single dog like him to answer this question. He Yu felt like crying and getting off the car.
He could only answer after immersing himself in his favorite game and struggling to find an answer.
Long Shen said, “When you’re unsure about which kind of liking it is, would you choose to speak up?”
He Yu thought for a moment and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
If later on, it turned out that what he thought was liking wasn’t really liking, wouldn’t that be awkward?
Yu Buhui let out a contemptuous laugh.
Long Shen said, “Mortals’ lifespans are limited. I can afford to wait, but he can’t.”
Yu Buhui applauded. “Well said! Instead of wasting time on idle speculation, it’s better to cherish what we have now.”
He Yu was unconvinced. “But what if you meet someone you like more in the future and realize that Dong Zhi is just a relationship between master and disciple? How would you handle it then?”
Long Shen shook his head.
Just as He Yu thought he wouldn’t receive an answer, he heard Long Shen say, “No.”
Because he had already given all the little selfishness he had in this lifetime to Dong Zhi. From heaven to earth, there wouldn’t be another person like him.
After not hearing Long Shen continue speaking for a while, He Yu turned his head to look, and the other person had already closed his eyes as if he had fallen asleep.
He pursed his lips and noticed that he had received a new message on his phone.
Yu Buhui: [Pay up.]
They had made a bet in the supermarket earlier. He Yu bet that Long Shen would never voluntarily admit his feelings, while Yu Buhui bet that he would.
Obviously, Yu Buhui won the bet.
He Yu calmly added the other person to his block list and then tucked the phone into his pocket, pretending to sleep.
Yu Buhui: …Just you wait.
The relaxation in the car was just a small interlude. From night to day, and from day to evening, disregarding the driver’s rest breaks, when He Yu grew tired of looking at the scenery outside the window and couldn’t even muster interest in playing games, the car finally came to a stop.
But this wasn’t their final destination. They had stopped because they couldn’t go any further, and they needed to enter the depths of the mountains on foot to reach the Lengele Gorge.
There was a military outpost not far ahead, with soldiers on patrol. Long Shen showed them their credentials, gained permission, and they were able to continue.
Since the incident with the eye’s array, this area had been taken over by the military to prevent adventurers from accidentally entering and to ward off those with ill intentions. The Special Administration Bureau had focused all its efforts on repairing the gap in the eye’s array.
The three of them walked at a brisk pace and reached the Lengele Gorge in less than half a day. Compared to the desert sand outside, this place used to be covered in lush forests, with a spring-like climate all year round. But now, it had been mostly destroyed in the last earthquake. There were dead and withered plants and the remnants of animals along the way. Some had been charred by lightning strikes, while others had their eyes wide open, their bodies preserved but stiff, as if frozen in their final moments before death.
They soon saw familiar faces as they went deeper.
The more they walked, the more people they encountered—practitioners who had come from various places in response to the Special Administration Bureau and the various sects affiliated with the Bureau.
He Yu saw the figures of the elders from Mount Longhu and Maoshan, as well as the living Buddha dressed in a monk robe. He even saw his master, Sect Master Xin, from the Hezao Sect.
The incident this time had caused a great disturbance, and even Che Bai was sacrificed. Unable to seal the gap in the eye’s array, the Special Administration Bureau had no choice but to bring in more powerful individuals to handle the situation.
But as far as He Yu’s gaze could see, he noticed that everyone’s expressions weren’t good. The living Buddha was sitting on the ground, chanting softly, turning the prayer wheel. It didn’t look like he was setting up a formation but rather reciting scriptures for salvation. There were disciples supporting him by his side. He couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
Because halfway through the journey, he had contacted Song Zhicun and heard that with the concerted efforts of everyone, the demonic qi had been suppressed to the maximum extent. It seemed like they were on the verge of success. At that time, he had breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that there was still a chance to salvage the situation.
He Yu found Master Xin and saw that he looked exhausted, even more haggard than Long Shen. He appeared as though he hadn’t slept for days.
“Master, what’s going on? Wasn’t the gap about to be filled?” He Yu asked.
Sect Master Xin sighed. “It has split open again.”
“What?” He Yu was dumbfounded.
Sect Master Xin: “Zong Lao sacrificed himself.”
He Yu’s heart skipped a beat, and the brief relaxation he had during the journey vanished completely. “What happened?”
It was needless to say that, with such a big event, Zong Ling had been here all along. After Che Bai’s sacrifice, Song Zhicun also rushed over. It was he who took charge and gathered practitioners from various sects to assist. None of the three deputy directors were at the bureau, and the current director didn’t handle specific affairs. Zhang Xiankun, the retired former director, was appointed as the temporary acting deputy director to stay in the capital and maintain order. In addition, even Li Rui, Li Ying’s father, had rushed over to help.
After the demise of Che Bai and the Phoenix, the gap in the passage still remained, and the demonic qi continued to spread outward. Zong Ling, with her own strength, had guarded it for three days and nights, barely suppressing the outward flow of demonic qi.
Three days later, reinforcements from all sides arrived. They jointly set up a formation, led by Mount Longhu, Maoshan, the Hezao Sect, and Yuanming Palace, as the first line of defense to temporarily seal the demonic qi. Then three living Buddhas reinforced it as the second line of defense, and finally, Zong Ling personally used the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp to completely seal the abyss and the underworld. Long Shen and the others had traveled a long distance to deliver the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp to Zong Ling.
Originally, everything was going smoothly. Sect Master Xin, along with other figures such as the leader of Mount Longhu, hadn’t slept for three days and nights, tirelessly performing sealing rituals. They had finally managed to suppress the surging demonic qi. However, an unexpected incident occurred at that moment. In the dead of night, the ground of the passage suddenly cracked open, causing a large-scale collapse in the almost blocked gap. The demonic qi gushed out once again.
This time, it was even more severe than the previous eruption. The demonic qi contaminated an area of tens of miles, turning the sky into a hazy gray. It also triggered tremors in the earth and thunderstorms. Under the combined force of lightning and demonic qi, nearly all the animals near the canyon perished. The group was at a loss, and it was only when Zong Ling jumped into the pit alone, using the ancient power of the Four Symbols to barely prevent the further spread of the demonic qi. Sect Master Xin and the others were trying to reinforce the seal from the outside, which eventually led to the current state of calm.
He Yu’s face was filled with disbelief. “Zong Lao is the Four Symbols of ancient times. Is sacrificing oneself the only solution?”
Sect Master Xin replied with a heavy tone, “All beings in heaven and earth have a limited lifespan. Zong Lao’s life is nearing its end, and her divine soul has already been infused into the Four Symbol Star-Setting Lamp. Her power isn’t as strong as before. Besides sacrificing herself to seal the demonic qi, there is no other way.”
While the master and disciple were having their conversation, Long Shen and Yu Buhui had already walked inside. As they entered the valley, they could already sense the intense demonic qi. However, the closer they got to the edge of the pit, the stronger the demonic qi became. It rushed at them like a fierce wind, causing Yu Buhui’s face to pale in fear.
Most of the people present had their qi protecting them, as well as talismans and Buddhist dharma to shield themselves. For the time being, they weren’t in great danger. However, if the demonic qi continued to leak out and the gap continued to expand, not only would the animals in this area be affected, but even ordinary people outside would be in danger. It would truly become the dark world that Otowa Yasuhiko and Songen had anticipated.
Not far away, an area of collapsed ground, about the size of half a football field, appeared in front of them.
With a cursory glance, Yu Buhui noticed the presence of the leader of Mount Longhu and a living Buddha from a Tibetan sect sitting around the collapsed area. These people were all famous figures in the practitioner world, and it wasn’t easy to gather them together. However, they had come from all directions, willing to use their half-lifetime of cultivation to resist this impending catastrophe.
In the center of the collapsed pit, black demonic qi pervaded the surroundings, sometimes dense and sometimes faint. However, the people remained vigilant and didn’t relax their guard. Demonic creatures were cunning and deceptive, and even the demonic qi was adept at misleading people. Often, they would intentionally show weakness, only to launch a counterattack at the opportune moment. With many powerful individuals gathered here and the suppression from Xuanwu’s* power, the demonic qi seemed weak and on the verge of extinction.
*Also known as Zhenwu or Zhenwudadi, is a revered deity in Chinese religion, one of the higher-ranking deities in Taoism. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and capable of great magic.
Long Shen stood on the side, watching as everyone worked hard to set up the formation. He could tell that Zhang Boyuan, the leader of Mount Longhu, and Chi Sang, the Living Buddha, were the leaders of the formation. They were like the two ends of a string, maintaining the balance of the formation. If one of them were to suddenly lose control, the entire formation would collapse.
At that moment, an evil thought suddenly emerged in Long Shen’s mind. Zhang Boyuan was defenseless and no match for him at all. If he were to approach him now, it would only take half a second to kill him. What would the situation be like afterward? If the formation collapsed and the demonic qi, which was barely contained, was completely unleashed, the demonic creatures in the abyss would break free and rampage in the human world. Everyone here would become sacrifices to the demonic creatures.
Many people have had this experience: once a certain thought arises, it takes root like a seed in the ground and cannot be removed.
Long Shen had never experienced this before. He never had uncontrollable thoughts. However, this evil thought came on aggressively and momentarily took over his mind.
He didn’t realize that his expression had become unpredictable, and he had even taken a step forward.
“Director Long!” Song Zhicun’s voice came from behind.
Long Shen’s body trembled imperceptibly, and he closed his eyes for a moment. When he turned around, his expression had returned to normal, showing no signs of anything unusual.
“What’s the situation now? I brought the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp,” he said.
“It’s not looking optimistic.” Song Zhicun’s face turned serious. “After Zong Lao sacrificed herself, most of the demonic qi have been brought under control. Sect Master Zhang, the head of Mount Longhu, and the others are intensifying their formation in an attempt to completely seal the demonic qi. However, there is still a small amount of demonic qi leaking out. If we can’t come up with a better solution, even if we manage to temporarily control the situation, the passage will still collapse completely in a short time, and the gap may become even more severe than it is now.”
In simple terms, no matter how powerful the formation of these cultivators was, it couldn’t compare to the ancient stone monument. Without the stone tablet of the eye, the formation was like a bottle without its stopper. No matter how hard they tried, the new stopper they made would never be as effective as the original. Once the bottle was tilted, the water would continue to seep out. If the water pressure increased, the stopper could be washed away.
“What should we do now?” Long Shen asked.
Song Zhicun sighed and shook his head. “Now is the time when the demonic qi is weakest. I plan to hold an impromptu meeting to gather everyone’s ideas. Maybe we can come up with some solutions.”
Long Shen nodded and handed the box containing the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp to Song Zhicun. “That’s fine. I’ll go rest over there for a bit.”
Song Zhicun knew that Long Shen had rushed back after his confrontation with Otowa Yasuhiko in Japan. Wu Bingtian and the others could stay in Beijing to recover, but Long Shen had no time to rest. Song Zhicun said, “The red tent over there is mine. Go inside and get some rest. I’ll call you when the meeting starts!”
The soldiers, although filled with various doubts, followed Zhu Yanchen’s instructions and dispersed as planned. As expected, the three large Erosion Swamps paid no attention to this small human team. They were like industrial production machinery on an assembly line, ceaselessly spewing out nightmares.
In theory, Zhu Yanchen shouldn’t have personally taken such a risk. He was, after all, the overall commander of this war. If he were to fall here, Zhu Sheng might not be able to handle the situation, let alone Yi Ning.
To be honest, they hadn’t fully recovered from the shock of Zhu Yanchen’s resurrection until now. It was only that the war diluted this chaos. Suddenly receiving such an absurd and ludicrous command, it was impossible not to feel anxious.
Team C, as agreed upon, launched purification grenades at that thing. The old-style purification grenades dented a significant portion of the Erosion Swamps, obstructing their movement and causing them to slowly rotate in the direction of Team C.
At the same time, Zhu Yanchen adjusted his mask, connected his respirator, and activated the suppression device in his hand.
The appearance of this device was a bit strange. Instead of a firearm, it looked more like a peculiar whisk. As the attention of the Erosion Swamps was drawn away by Team C, Zhu Yanchen climbed to a nearby elevated position and jumped down together with the device.
The person in charge of Team C nearly cursed aloud—the Erosion Swamp was particularly viscous, completely different from ordinary liquid. Even without considering the erosion, if something went wrong, they might suffocate inside. They couldn’t make heads or tails of Zhu Yanchen’s actions.
Zhu Yanchen didn’t carry any threatening weapons and didn’t cause any additional destruction. Consequently, the Erosion Swamps remained vigilant against Team C and attempted to incorporate them into the trajectory of their creations. While they clumsily adjusted their bodies, Team C received an extremely faint signal.
This time, they used launchers with greater penetrating power and fired purification grenades at one of the spherical Erosion Swamp.
The purification grenade slammed into the largest Erosion Swamp, bursting open abruptly. The spherical Erosion Swamp, caught off guard, sustained damage to its brain. Immediately, it was unable to spew out countless small spheres and could only barely maintain its external shape.
The signal came again.
Although the human forces didn’t understand the principle behind it, seeing that the attacks were effective and Zhu Yanchen was still alive, they became more decisive in their actions. Several purification grenades were launched consecutively, and the spherical Erosion Swamp finally couldn’t hold its unique form any longer. The viscous Erosion Swamp flowed to the ground, resembling melting ice cream in a dish.
However, even after that portion of the erosion substance had drained away, they still didn’t catch sight of Zhu Yanchen.
Immediately after, a signal appeared inside the next spherical Erosion Swamp. Moving within the Erosion Swamp was no simple task; no one knew where this guy got his stamina from.
Team C followed the same procedure and wounded another one. This time, the Erosion Swamp learned its lesson. The spherical Erosion Swamp, responsible for creating the “horde”, split from the one that received injuries and began acting separately. The injured spherical Erosion Swamp couldn’t produce erosion spheres anymore but managed to preserve its mobility. As for the largest Erosion Swamp that was responsible for creating ground monsters, it remained intact. It had become smarter and began using the injured spherical Erosion Swamp entities as alarm signals, moving quite diligently.
They caught the Erosion Swamps off guard. From the results, both of the troublesome irregular Erosion Swamp spheres disappeared, which meant the pressure on Yi Ning’s side should be significantly reduced.
The problem lay with the final large Erosion Swamp
The two Erosion Swamp spheres weren’t large in size and had regular shapes. However, they had no idea how Zhu Yanchen identified their “vital points” amidst their exaggerated irregular shapes. Moreover, the thing in front of them was just too enormous, and finding its vital point was probably as difficult as fishing out a coin from a swimming pool.
What was worse, the injured Erosion Swamp spheres detached itself from the large Erosion Swamp causing the flow of erosion on its body to suddenly accelerate, as if it intended to drown Zhu Yanchen within its own body.
This time, no signal came out.
The Erosion Swamp spheres hung in the air, and something fell gracefully from its bottom. Zhu Yanchen still held the suppression device in his hand. Judging by the condition of the device, it was nearly broken.
Zhu Yanchen didn’t waste any time. He propped himself up and ran towards the elevated position where Teams A and B were located. Since the Erosion Swamp sphere couldn’t produce spheres anymore, they directly pursued Zhu Yanchen, attempting to eliminate this particularly troublesome bug.
As a result, this pursuit led them directly into the encirclement formed by Teams A and B. Several elite teams had followed Zhu Sheng for many years and had good reaction speed—they didn’t wait for Zhu Yanchen’s orders and launched an indiscriminate concentrated attack against the pursuing Erosion Swamps.
The poor Erosion Swamp spheres might have evaded the first hit, but it couldn’t escape the subsequent attacks. It barely avoided Zhu Yanchen’s comprehensive destruction of its brain, but it couldn’t dodge the relentless bombardment. No matter how powerful its size was, it couldn’t withstand the elite teams’ relentless and indiscriminate assault.
Soon, the Erosion Swamp spheres couldn’t protect their brains anymore. It attempted to abandon its damaged body, struggling to preserve its incomplete brain. Unfortunately, Marshal Zhu was watching closely. The moment the brain was exposed, he commanded the two teams to concentrate their attacks.
Soon, the sentient Erosion Swamp returned to its primitive state—a thin puddle of erosion substance accumulated on the ground.
“Join up with Team C,” Zhu Yanchen decisively ordered, removing his heavily eroded mask and showing no intention of resting.
“As for the remaining one…”
“Their learning ability is not bad. That one remaining won’t fall into the same trap. It’s most likely adjusting its instructions to have its creations take us out first.”
The soldiers were taken aback. The theory of “lurking and then ambushing” was theoretically feasible, but once they were targeted by the enemy’s large army of monsters, the enemy could also turn the tables by overwhelming them in numbers. They had just defeated the enemy through superior numbers, and now they faced the prospect of history repeating itself—it was truly an unpleasant feeling.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you go to your deaths.”
“But…”
“Run,” Zhu Yanchen said concisely. “The newly spawned army of monsters will target us, and there won’t be any reinforcements near Y City. Moreover, this Erosion Swamp has witnessed our attack methods and won’t stay too far from its army of monsters. Take the opportunity to shift the battlefield elsewhere.”
“We have limited weaponry. We can’t keep playing this cat and mouse game forever.” The leader of team A’s voice became sharp as he glanced at the indistinct horde of monsters in the mist. He had considerable courage, but when faced with an unknown enemy, fear was an instinct for most beings.
“Go over there.” Zhu Yanchen pointed to the black wolf that was currently engaged with Sigma.
Shu Jun had never expected that they would have a chance to meet again on the battlefield.
To stabilize the structure of the black wolf, he used almost all of his available abilities. Through “Creation”, he had manufactured lightweight yet hard erosion bones, and the erosion vines filled the interior of the black wolf, replacing its organs and muscles, preventing the giant wolf from collapsing under its own weight. Sigma had also used numerous powers. During their fight, he sensed at least fifty different abilities.
However, not every ability had sufficient offensive capabilities. The majority were used as distractions to divert his attention. Among them, there were only about three abilities that possessed significant destructive power—
“Spiderweb”, “Paralysis”, and “Bite”.
These abilities weren’t complex. The function of “Spiderweb” was quite straightforward—Sigma could construct a large number of erosion threads in a very short time. These threads were extremely sticky, and even though Shu Jun could suppress the erosion substance, once he was touched by this stuff, his movements would be affected to some extent. Sigma was much larger than the black wolf, so he couldn’t afford to be distracted removing the erosion threads all the time.
“Bite” and “Paralysis” were as their names suggested. Sigma combined them together. Giant jaws would appear in the area where Sigma made contact with Shu Jun and desperately consumed the erosion that Shu Jun had gathered. Once bitten by Sigma, Shu Jun could feel the erosion from his wounds becoming chaotic, no longer obedient, making it difficult to quickly restore his body’s structure.
Sigma used “Spiderweb” and “Paralysis” quite diligently. The black wolf was also trapped between the ruins of two high-rise buildings and could hardly move. Shu Jun was afraid that Sigma would bypass him and attack Y City, while Luo Duan was afraid that Shu Jun would turn around and destroy the Erosion Swamps with brains that Sigma had released. The two giant Erosion Swamps were stuck on the outskirts of Y City, entangled with each other, in a deadlock.
In this manner, both sides fought their own battles, and the battlefield was clearly divided. However, just as Shu Jun shook off the threads from his body and prepared for the next assault, Monday, who was behind his true body, suddenly showed a sign of agitation. “Zhu!”
At this level of battle, Monday was almost useless. However, it had the advantage of having the instincts of a small animal—acute perception and a natural sense of smell for special life forms in its surroundings.
Zhu Yanchen was nearby.
Shu Jun was initially taken aback, but then he couldn’t help but smile. In the past, he never imagined that A’Yan would resort to such tricks.
“Did he bring an Erosion Swamp with him?”
“Yes.”
“Sure enough, he must have led the Erosion Swamp to a crucial location. Let me see… The water tower by the left hind leg of the wolf. Let me know when the Erosion Swamp arrives.”
Monday twitched a few times, indicating that it had heard. Sure enough, Zhu Yanchen rode his motorcycle and led the team straight there. They agilely evaded the black wolf’s massive claws and lured the Erosion Swamp towards the water tower.
“Bah! Bah! Bah!”
Monday made three spitting sounds at the maximum volume, deliberately spraying erosion onto Shu Jun’s neck, afraid that he wouldn’t hear it.
Almost in the next second, Shu Jun manipulated the black wolf to take a half-step back. Taking advantage of Sigma’s lack of response, he stepped on the Erosion Swamp that was chasing behind them with one paw.
This step caught the large Erosion Swamp off guard. It was certainly large enough when facing humans, but compared to the black wolf, its size was equivalent to that of a watermelon to a human. When Shu Jun’s paw came down, it struggled to withstand the impact and almost burst open.
Not to mention the simple-minded Erosion Swamp, even Luo Duan was momentarily stunned. Shu Jun and the humans who had just arrived hadn’t communicated at all. It was already difficult enough for him to perceive the Erosion Swamp, let alone precisely step on it with a single paw.
This step nearly flattened the large Erosion Swamp into a donut shape. It desperately mobilized the erosion in its body, trying to move its brain to a safe corner. Zhu Yanchen didn’t miss this opportunity to observe closely. This time, he didn’t need to infiltrate the Erosion Swamp’s interior. He directly indicated the approximate location of its brain.
The human soldiers lived up to their elite title, launching another fierce attack like a storm.
By the time Shu Jun withdrew his paw, the large Erosion Swamp followed the fate of the two Erosion Swamp spheres—it had also reverted to its original form, crawling on the ground like an ordinary Erosion Swamp.
Zhu Yanchen didn’t delay and had no intention of giving Sigma any time to attack them. The moment the large Erosion Swamp was destroyed, he started his motorcycle, made a sharp turn, and led the team back towards Y City.
But before he could get far, something swept over his head. The black wolf’s large tail drooped, and its tail tip lightly brushed against him in dissatisfaction.
At this moment, the soldiers were busy fleeing the scene, running as fast as they could. Zhu Yanchen intentionally landed at the rear, where no one could see, and clumsily but earnestly blew a kiss.
“Thank you.” He removed his mask and mouthed the words.
A strand of erosion struggled and climbed onto his motorcycle, eroding a line of words in the middle of the handlebars—
“You’ve learned to slack off, A’Yan. What happened to being an upright gentleman?”
“To defeat it, I still have two or three independent battle plans. But regardless of which one, I might get seriously injured… You wouldn’t like that.” Zhu Yanchen gently touched the strand of erosion and replied softly.
Even if Shu Jun couldn’t hear it.
“Also, it’s only fair to return the favor. I’ve left you a little gift.” He smiled and added, “You’ll definitely find it.”
Shu Jun indeed discovered the “little gift” from Marshal Zhu. It was lodged in the pad of his wolf paw.
That was a suppression device in the process of activation, about the size of an apple. Shu Jun hadn’t seen this model before, and he estimated that Zhu Yanchen had created it using the power of the command center during the time they were apart.
He quietly used erosion to hook it into the black wolf’s body and took it into his hand.
It was a sophisticated explosive device that resembled a smoke bomb more than a lethal weapon. On the thick metal casing, a short sentence was engraved—
[For short-term and high-efficiency suppression. If the situation becomes extremely critical, please escape.]
“Meddling fool,” Shu Jun laughed and cursed, tossing the explosive device into the weapons bag behind him. Monday also sensed the oppressive feeling from the object and immediately voiced its discontent.
Luo Duan’s face looked grim.
The entire process happened quickly, taking less than half a minute for the human team to complete the process of impact—killing the Erosion Swamp—and retreating. By the time he realized it, Zhu Yanchen’s group had already gone far away. The surroundings were filled with debris, and the terrain was complex, making it difficult for him to find them.
Moreover, Shu Jun was blocking his way ahead.
He felt a sense of anger, tinged with a hint of grievance—even in such circumstances, humans dared to brazenly use Shu Jun. As a member of the synthetic people, Shu Jun had no resistance to such behavior.
Luo Duan clenched his fist, pressing his hand against Sigma.
“According to the Erosion Swamp’s intelligence, you hid the synthetics and the settlement humans east of Y City, wanting to completely avoid this war.”
His voice was amplified by Sigma’s ability, and Shu Jun could hear it clearly.
“The humans over there are aberrations who won’t live much longer, and the synthetics are my kin, so I won’t let Sigma harm them. And I can understand why you cooperate with humans to protect the synthetics from Sigma. We will have a fair fight… I have to admit, that was my thinking until just now.”
Luo Duan’s voice gradually lowered, and he made no effort to conceal the anger in his tone.
“But now, you’re obstructing me, and it’s not just for the sake of your kin, right?” He growled. “Since you’re so fond of humans, then make a proper choice. Transmit the command—tell the mutant beasts and Erosion Swamps east of the city that they can move.”
The author has something to say:
Shu Ge left a huge paw print on the large Erosion Swamp.
Marshal: Shu Jun is a true warrior (?), he must have sensed the explosive device beneath the thick pad.
Well, that explosive device is not even as big as a pea… Shu Ge, the prince of explosives in Marshal Zhu’s eyes* (…
*Clarity: Referring to the fairy tale The Princess and the Pea, where a princess slept on a bed with twenty mattresses and a pea placed at the bottom. In the morning, the princess complained that she had been kept up all night due to something hard in the bed. This made the prince realize that she was a true princess, and the two happily married.
Shu Jun adjusted his movements cautiously, constantly sensing Sigma’s actions. On the surface, it seemed like they had the advantage, but realistically, considering the situation, Sigma hadn’t truly started yet.
Sigma’s lifespan was likely over a hundred years, and its collection abilities were indispensable. Not every ability could be used for combat, but it couldn’t be possible for it to only possess three noteworthy combat skills—Luo Duan certainly still held some hidden cards.
Not to mention the Erosion Swamps with brains acting as the main offensive force, the number of regular Erosion Swamp had already reached hundreds. They were approaching Y City from various directions, trying to find a way to penetrate deeper into the city. The numerous breaches caused by Shu Jun’s previous actions hadn’t been repaired yet, and the Erosion Swamps overflowed the buildings around the city, relentlessly squeezing towards the city center.
Yi Ning couldn’t stop them.
The human forces dispatched outside the city were limited, and they were already giving their all to hold back the three Erosion Swamps with brains. Zhu Yanchen took the most elite soldiers with him, forming a small team. Yi Ning ordered the remaining soldiers to guard the largest breach, tightly holding the new weapons in their hands.
“Marshal Yi, there is more than one breach! Shu Jun damaged dozens of sections of the protective wall a few days ago, and there are still those remaining Erosion Swamps…”
“Guard the most dangerous one,” Yi Ning said hoarsely. “He didn’t bring Xia Liang with him, and Zhu Sheng is also in the city. There must still be defenders inside the city. If we try to intercept everything outside the city, even if our manpower is increased tenfold, it wouldn’t be enough.”
“But—”
“If we don’t divert these Erosion Swamps and let them flood in through the same breach, the people inside won’t be able to handle it.”
When it came to regular Erosion Swamps, as long as purifiers could be utilized, ordinary people could barely handle them with adequate protection. But facing such a large army of monsters in front of them, the chances of regular citizens winning were absolutely zero.
Zhu Yanchen’s team had long disappeared from sight, and seeing their successful advancement, people in their hearts felt a sense of luck to varying degrees—since the weapons in their hands made no difference, as long as they were careful, the things in front of them would be easily dealt with.
However, it was ultimately just wishful thinking.
The creatures made of erosion surged continuously. Yi Ning gritted his teeth and decided to confront the horde in front of him using the methods employed against mutant beasts.
The escort team took the lead, using armored vehicles equipped with suppression weapons to crush the creatures. This method proved effective initially. However, the cooling parts of the vehicles quickly attracted the floating erosion spheres. They swarmed towards the rear of the vehicles, one after another, and exploded. The vehicles themselves were heavy and found it difficult to maneuver agilely to evade these spheres. It was as if a rain of erosion substance fell from above each vehicle, with liquid erosion continuously splattering into the seams of the vehicles’ equipment, rapidly eroding the mechanical structures. The heavy armored vehicles gradually came to a halt in their original positions.
Coming to a stop wasn’t the main concern; the swarming horde enveloped the massive vehicles and began to squeeze into their interiors. Their bodies seemed like they were made of rubbery clay, able to forcefully squeeze through gaps less than an inch wide.
Inside the armored vehicles, a powerful short-range communication system was set up. However, after the vehicles came to a stop, the calm reports gradually turned into panicked shouts, followed by weak moans. By the time three or four creatures squeezed into the vehicles, there was only silence left inside.
They were submerged in the pitch-black Erosion Swamp, eroded and marred, like ships sinking into the depths of the sea.
All eight large armored vehicles were wiped out—the entire process lasting no more than ten minutes. The randomly floating spheres continued to collide with the wreckage of the vehicles, and the splattered erosion substance continued to erode the purifiers of the operators.
In just a short ten minutes, they only managed to slightly delay the advance of the horde of monsters. More spheres floated in from the grayish mist, and the contorted creatures took another step forward, heading towards the city center of Y City.
Yi Ning’s ears rang, and it felt like his heart had jumped into his throat. Having witnessed the battles of synthetic humans too often, he had developed the mistaken impression that the Erosion Swamps weren’t that formidable. They had underestimated what lay before them; in an instant, they had lost eight vehicles and twenty-four soldiers.
This was only the beginning, and the lives of those people disappeared like bubbles.
The human soldiers hadn’t experienced real war in a long time, and seeing the devastation before them, Yi Ning could sense the drop in morale. He racked his brain, trying to come up with a better solution—
“Advance, marksmen! Purify the floating spheres first and set up suppression weapons in place. They will come to us!”
This was also one of the standard tactics, frequently employed by Luo Duan to deal with flying mutant beasts. Yi Ning glanced at the situation and followed suit.
However, the current environment was highly unusual. The range of the suppression weapons was limited, and as the troops advanced as required, aiming and firing in unison, the countless black spheres that filled the sky were reduced to their erosion substance form. However, there were tens of thousands of these spheres, flickering like ghostly flames, continuously approaching from a distance. Relying on the marksmen to eliminate them, it was visibly impossible to clear them all.
Indeed, the speed of the troops’ reactions couldn’t match the speed at which the spheres flew towards them. Many tracking spheres attached themselves to the necks of the marksmen and exploded, taking lives with each blast. Many people tried to retreat and find new cover, but the floating spheres, carried by the airflow, suddenly appeared in their path, once again exploding into a mass of destruction.
The scene was even worse than the armored vehicles being overrun. Living beings were blasted into pieces, their bodies eroded, dying in agony right before their eyes. The vivid red blood flowed into the erosion substance, instantly turning a lifeless gray.
After having climbed to this position all the way, Yi Ning wasn’t on the verge of collapsing because of this. The tragic scene flickered on the screen, and he even held his breath—
It hadn’t been half an hour since Zhu Yanchen left. Judging by the speed of the advancing horde of monsters, in just another half hour, they would break through the escort team and enter Y City directly.
They wouldn’t even be able to buy much time. Sacrifices were coming too quickly, and Yi Ning didn’t dare to directly deploy the main force of the troops into the battlefield.
What should they do?
The monsters continued to advance, unhurriedly traversing the wet mud and bypassing the damaged buildings.
Tap, tap, tap.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with a way to minimize the sacrifices. Did he really have to let these people risk their lives and gamble with their very existence?
Tap, tap, tap.
The escort team maintained the most conservative formation—using the vehicles as cover, placing the suppression weapons externally, and using maximum power for defense, creating an invisible shell. For now, with not many monsters around, this crude method barely managed to hold them off. But the pressure on the frontlines was increasing, and without a better solution, collapse was only a matter of time.
In the temporarily formed command group, no one spoke. Yi Ning had the most theoretical experience among them, but even so, humans had hit a wall from the beginning. Everyone could only look silently at the screens, seemingly hoping for Zhu Yanchen’s mission to succeed and these things to disappear on their own.
“How about… we let some of them in? That way, we can cut them off in the middle, reducing the pressure,” one person dryly suggested. “Zhu Sheng should have more ways to deal with it than we do. Even if it means sacrificing some civilians, I think it would be more reasonable.”
“No, we already have enough ordinary Erosion Swamp entering the city center.” Yi Ning gritted his teeth. “And no one can guarantee that there aren’t any hidden ‘sentient Erosion Swamp’ among the ordinary ones. The pressure in the city center is likely significant; we can’t do it this way.”
Another silence fell over the command group.
“So what should we do then?” The person who had spoken before spoke again, his voice now tinged with fear and anger. “This isn’t peacetime, and it can’t be solved by just chanting slogans. Marshal Yi, if you say it can’t be done, then come up with a solution!”
“Yeah, we can’t defend against so many. If we don’t find a better way, they will overwhelm us in one fell swoop, and the consequences will be even more severe.”
“…That’s true. One can’t bite off more than they can chew. Just letting some of them in, with Zhu Sheng having been in charge for so long, he should be able to handle this situation.”
“And how many should we reduce it to? The fog is too dense; we can’t see the situation on the other side. If we let in that many…”
“No,” Yi Ning rasped, cutting off the conversation.
“What’s wrong, Marshal Yi? Don’t you have a better idea? This is the plan that sacrifices the least.”
“Remember what Zhu Yanchen said? He told us to hold the line. As the overall commander, his decisions must have his reasons.”
“So what? We can’t hold the line, can we? Right and wrong, who doesn’t understand that? It’s easy to talk about what should be done, but it’s only possible if it can be achieved. The armored vehicles and marksmen are our most important forces in this battle, and within the first half-hour, we’re already in such a sorry state—”
“…” Yi Ning’s back was covered in sweat. Time didn’t wait for anyone; they had to adjust their tactics quickly.
His brain cycled through the tactics against the Erosion Swamps that synthetic humans had devised, but no matter which piece of the puzzle he tried, it couldn’t fit into the current situation. In the past, he could adjust and experiment without any burden, but now, even a slight misstep would result in pointless sacrifices and further declining morale.
The ticking of the second hand didn’t stop due to this anxiety, and the number of monsters outside kept increasing. They crowded outside the suppression range, starting to pave a path with corpses—the monsters in the forefront were reduced to erosion substance by the suppression weapons, and the amount of this substance continued to grow, indicating a trend of accumulating into an ordinary Erosion Swamp.
The human blockade couldn’t hold up for too long in the deep Erosion Swamp.
What should they do?
Yi Ning tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.
…He stared at the sand table in front of him, feeling true despair for the first time.
Not far away, Zhu Yanchen’s team was also rushing forward, fighting against the clock.
To deceive the enemy, this small team had only around twenty members. They skirted around the areas with the densest concentration of monsters and charged towards the enemy’s rear. The team he led consisted of elites, so there were no situations where they would drop the ball at critical moments. Just as Zhu Yanchen had expected, the Erosion Swamps behind the monsters were solely focused on charging towards the city, lacking any interest in this small team with its limited numbers. That way, they barely managed to break through one encirclement after another, approaching the vicinity of the Erosion Swamp.
However, when one of the elite team members saw the Erosion Swamp behind the monsters, he nearly fell to the ground.
The thing in front of them was something that no human could handle, no matter how you looked at it.
It was too massive.
The two sentient Erosion Swamp and their creations floated in the air, appearing as gigantic, uncomfortable spheres. Another Erosion Swamp was responsible for keeping them fixed in place. From a distance, they stuck together, resembling eyeballs and brains peeled from human bodies.
Countless small floating spheres oozed out from beneath the two large spheres, while the large Erosion Swamp that intertwined them extended tentacle-like appendages, delving into the ground, allowing humanoid creatures to emerge, struggling to stand up.
The combination of these three Erosion Swamps wasn’t as large as Sigma and Shu Jun battling in the distance, but it was comparable to a four-story building. They were exerting their full effort to create monsters, and the number of monsters surrounding them was terrifying. It would be a challenge to even eliminate them, let alone get close.
Forget about twenty people; even twenty thousand people might not be able to suppress them.
“Team A, equip yourselves with standard suppression machinery and take up positions on the high ground over there. Team B will assist Team A and focus on dispelling enemies approaching from behind” Zhu Yanchen’s voice remained calm. “Team C, throw old-style purification grenades from the twelve o’clock direction later to attract their attention.”
“Diverting their attention is not a problem, but what do we do when the horde rushes up?” Although they were divided into teams, each team consisted of only six or seven people. The person in charge of Team C had a pale face. “I’m talking about those spheres; even if the erosion substance can’t pass through the purification machinery, the explosive force alone is enough to blow us to pieces!”
“They won’t easily change targets.”
“Why not?”
“A lion won’t give up attacking a gazelle because of fleas on its fur. We humans are too few in their eyes to be considered a threat,” Zhu Yanchen instructed decisively. “Those monsters don’t have intelligence; they can only obey the most basic commands. For the Erosion Swamp, adjusting their instructions temporarily just to deal with a few humans would come at too high a cost. As long as we control the level of provocation carefully, they won’t mobilize the horde.”
“T-Then how do we stop it?”
“The next part is crucial,” Zhu Yanchen said in a deep voice. “I will use old-style purification grenades to break through their outer shells and infiltrate the Erosion Swamp. You need to provoke them intelligently, enticing them to change positions and creating an opportunity for me.”
“…The risk is too high. This is not child’s play,” the person in charge of Team C whispered. “That’s an Erosion Swamp; if you fail once, you’ll die.”
“I don’t intend to succeed on the first try.”
Zhu Yanchen smiled.
“Don’t worry, I won’t die until I kill them. As for the reason… I’ll explain it properly once I bring all of you back alive.”
The team members looked at each other and tentatively accepted this seemingly absurd and ridiculous tactic. “When you infiltrate…”
“The Erosion Swamp erodes sophisticated machinery, making it difficult to activate destructive weapons inside. Instead, I will carry a short-range powerful communication device. Once I send a signal, immediately shoot at my location.”
In that moment, when he saw the black wolf, Luo Duan realized that he had fallen into a trap.
With that level of power, it couldn’t be anyone else. Shu Jun had truly joined forces with the humans, and based on their previous actions, their cooperation could even be considered extensive.
For what reason, their lives? Shu Jun was a ruthless person, and he should have been more aware than anyone else of the consequences of collaborating with humans. Luo Duan couldn’t understand it, and all he could feel was a surge of disappointment and hatred.
A traitor who bowed down to humans.
It was too late to turn and run. Since the other side had led them here, they must have been prepared. The best course of action would be to move the battlefield away, at least to the heavily eroded area. However, just as Sigma stopped advancing, a tremendous pressure emerged around them. Gravity seemed to suddenly increase, and Sigma instinctively stayed in place, unable to retreat any further.
The small Erosion Swamps used for investigation had been painstakingly moved to the surroundings, and several new machines were discovered. They were completely different from the previous purification weapons, seemingly controlled remotely, emitting a buzzing sound.
What was worse was that they couldn’t be easily destroyed.
The previous purification weapons were more like emitting noises that annoyed the Erosion Swamp, forcing them to move away. To weaponize them and increase their power to the point of “killing” the erosion substance would severely limit their effectiveness. When faced with a sentient Erosion Swamp, their effectiveness would be quite limited and would require a significant amount of manpower.
But what was in front of them was different—these new machines didn’t “kill” the erosion substance; instead, they efficiently stunned it, causing the Erosion Swamp to lose control over its erosion. For a sentient Erosion Swamp, this was equivalent to advancing into a minefield. Once they touched these things, they would inevitably lose some of their erosion.
Sigma’s brain was deep within its body and wouldn’t be harmed, but it was already quite laborious for it to move forward by grasping the ground with its hands. Surrounded by these things, its hands would instantly melt like hot wax upon contact, making it completely unable to escape this situation. In order to facilitate movement, Sigma had folded its body several times, making it considerably thicker than before. Even if it wanted to expand its body now and escape from Shu Jun, it was impossible.
Every step was carefully calculated by the opposing side.
At this point, instead of contemplating escape, it was better to take action first. Just because they couldn’t move far away didn’t mean Sigma had lost its fighting ability. Even if it was trapped, a wild beast was still a wild beast. As for whether Sigma could leave intact after the battle, Luo Duan didn’t care.
What he wanted was the suffering of the humans, not the victory of the Erosion Swamp. There was no emotional connection between him and Sigma, and Luo Duan was well aware of that.
He stood up straight.
“Attack,” Luo Duan said. “I will help you destroy this city.”
Sigma immediately reacted. While avoiding the black wolf’s bites, it commanded the ordinary Erosion Swamps to rush forward and stick to the black wolf. Even before the humans appeared, Shu Jun had already torn off fifteen to sixteen of Sigma’s arms. Despite Sigma not lacking erosion substance and being able to regenerate its arms, the process would undoubtedly affect its mobility.
The mindless Erosion Swamp rushed forward, attempting to envelop the black wolf and hinder its movements. However, once they touched the black wolf, they quickly became docile, causing the black wolf to grow in size.
To make matters worse, when the black wolf bit down on the base of one of Sigma’s arms, countless vines shot out from the wolf’s body, merging into Sigma’s body and burrowing into the ground. Shu Jun was gradually pinning Sigma in place, and although Sigma tried to regain control over the vines, it was unsuccessful.
This was the ability Sigma had separated earlier to attack Shu Jun.
An alarm bell rang in Luo Duan’s mind. He had previously thought that Shu Jun’s situation was similar to his own, merely merging with an Erosion Swamp, enhancing his abilities, and at most gaining some additional powers. Now it seemed that he had made a fundamental mistake.
Shu Jun not only possessed other abilities, but he could also assimilate Sigma’s abilities. At this point, it could be tentatively concluded that he had an innate talent. However, competing for control over the Erosion Swamps on Sigma’s level was something that the synths couldn’t achieve.
Shu Jun had transformed into a real Erosion Swamp; he wasn’t some mediocre hybrid like himself.
“Stop the ordinary Erosion Swamps’ attack and let them focus on destroying Y City. You and I will deal with Shu Jun using our abilities. Attacking him with Erosion Swamps is useless!”
“Understood.” Sigma’s hand formed a crooked and dejected figure, and its voice sounded muffled.
“We have previously compiled a list, and in this war, you have seven abilities that are most destructive—now, separate the abilities of ‘Kiss’, ‘Crowd’, and ‘Flight’, and create three Erosion Swamps with brains to attack Y City.”
“What about Shu Jun?”
“Shu Jun’s task should be to hold you back; he cannot handle both tasks simultaneously. Given his current condition, those three abilities won’t be effective against him.”
Luo Duan’s explanation had no logical issues, and Sigma fell silent for a moment before promptly following the instructions. Three brains detached from its grape-like neural strand and merged with three clusters of Erosion Swamp. The arms far away from Shu Jun grabbed them and launched them directly towards the outskirts of the city. The surroundings of the city were filled with mindless large Erosion Swamps, and the three brains quickly took control of three Erosion Swamps, transforming themselves into Erosion Swamps with brains, and rushed towards the center of Y City.
As Luo Duan had deduced, the black wolf merely let out a low growl and didn’t release its bite. Shu Jun relentlessly attacked Sigma, seemingly intent on pinning it to the ground.
On the other side, the three large Erosion Swamp hadn’t reached the central area of the city yet when they collided head-on with the human military forces leaving the city center.
Without hesitation, they unleashed their abilities.
The abilities of Kiss, Crowd, and Flight were remnants of the dying desires of unknown individuals. While they sounded beautiful, when transformed into weapons, their appearance became particularly eerie.
The Kiss Erosion Swamp released numerous head-sized spheres into the air, which floated leisurely. Once they collided with obstacles, they would explode violently, splattering erosion with a destructive power comparable to strong acid.
The Flight Erosion Swamp did almost the exact same thing as the Kiss Erosion Swamp—it also released numerous spheres of varying sizes, and the two types mixed together, making it extremely difficult to distinguish between them. This light and floating erosion bomb floated towards the human army and was overwhelmingly “hollow” devoid of any reflection, as if the entire space had been pierced into a honeycomb.
And that wasn’t all.
Such light and floating attacks weren’t the main force. The attacks of the Crowd Erosion Swamp were completely different from its comrades. It absorbed the surrounding erosion and solidified them into distorted human-like figures. These human-shaped figures didn’t move in accordance with human habits. They staggeringly rose from the ground, with twisted joints and four-legged movements, advancing like wild beasts.
Among them, half of the chests faced upward while the other half faced downward. They completely disregarded the actual human joint structure and casually folded their bodies, making one’s stomach churn. For the convenience of attack, their mouth structures were extremely similar to humans, but much larger—these enormous mouths were located on top of their heads, wide open, making the heads of these “humans” appear split in half.
From a distance, they resembled more of a herd of beasts forcibly transformed into humanoid structures. They hid themselves beneath the floating spheres and crawled towards the human military at a steady pace.
When the reconnaissance troops saw the composition of this Erosion Swamp army, they almost lost their breath. The adrenaline for survival had just ignited, but they were almost frozen by this deadly scene.
Fortunately, Zhu Yanchen himself didn’t stay behind to command. He took a quick glance, and his expression remained unchanged. “Release the test subjects.”
Seeing that the commander remained calm, the soldiers could finally breathe again. The team responsible for the test subjects stepped forward and immediately released the test subjects–
It was a small group of live pigs used as a source of meat. They were equipped with various testing instruments and had disruptors covering their eyes. The disruptors made them ignore the crisis in front of them and charge directly towards the horde of monsters.
Although the Erosion Swamps had brains, their intelligence was closer to that of intelligent animals. They wouldn’t actually select their enemies. When they saw living creatures coming towards them, the Erosion Swamps immediately switched to attack mode.
The floating spheres in the air reacted in two ways. Some spheres rushed straight towards the test subjects and exploded, eroding the living pigs into unformed pieces of flesh. The others moved irregularly, colliding and exploding when the charging pigs bumped into them, with destructive power no less than the “tracking spheres”.
As for the humanoid monsters on the ground, their attacks were more straightforward and brutal. They leaped like wild beasts, using their large mouths to bite through the audaciously daring creatures. Then, they regurgitated a large amount of erosion from their mouths, rapidly seeping into the wounds of the test subjects.
Compared to the two types of spheres, their victims died more decently. However, for the human military, this was not good news.
Yi Ning’s heart gradually sank.
Even if they wore thick protective suits, nobody was invincible. Not to mention the erosive nature of the Erosion Swamps themselves, no one had the confidence to withstand a few bites from them.
On the other side, it was clear that they had learned their lesson. The three main bodies of the Erosion Swamp were hidden far away, continuously processing the surrounding erosion and frantically producing these deadly things.
To stop them, it would be necessary to destroy their main bodies, but first, they had to break through this death trap in front of them. However, if they concentrated their attack and neglected defense, allowing these things to enter Y City, they would instantly turn into the most terrifying slaughter weapons.
That black wolf was indeed capable, but at the moment it was busy biting Sigma, unable to support the battlefield on this side. They did bring many new weapons against the Erosion Swamps, but the size of the opposing spheres was too troublesome—
Humans didn’t have superpowers, and their control effects were inferior to synthetics. It was manageable to wield weapons against large Erosion swamps, but those erosion spheres were small in size. Once they attacked from blind spots, soldiers were still at risk of being injured. On the other hand, even if those weapons could revert the erosion substance back to its basic form, it was still dangerous for humans.
Anti-erosion medicine could only ensure that normal breathing and skin contact weren’t affected. If the erosion substance splashed into the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, or large wounds, people would still suffer from erosion diseases.
Regardless of which type was singled out, those three Erosion Swamp could find ways to deal with it. The opposing side, however, decided to combine those three abilities, making their tactics particularly malicious.
Yi Ning reviewed the situation and felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
“The data we received was quite comprehensive. Thank you all for your hard work.” Zhu Yanchen focused on analyzing the data. “The attack patterns of those three Erosion Swamps aren’t complicated.”
Yi Ning couldn’t help but ask, “What do you mean?”
“The ‘tracking spheres’ would lock onto heat sources and engage in contact-based tracking attacks. The ‘floating spheres’ would follow the movements of the tracking spheres and perform irregular motions on their own. They wouldn’t initiate attacks themselves—having them together complicates the situation.”
“The group of monsters on the ground has attack patterns similar to regular packs of ferocious animals. If my speculation is correct, they possess basic tactical capabilities and can create a breakthrough point in our defense. Remember, Sigma isn’t seeking victory. It won’t systematically eliminate the military and then slaughter the people. It only wants to kill. It’s entirely possible for it to bypass us.”
“Given the situation, it seems keen on bypassing us,” Yi Ning said bitterly. “Once time drags on, those things will only increase in numbers. Even if the weapons are effective, we can’t conjure combat personnel out of thin air. Their invasion of the city is only a matter of time.”
“So, you’re already thinking of losing?” Zhu Yanchen turned his face away. His tone lacked much sarcasm, sounding more like a warning.
“It’s just an objective analysis.”
“Split into two teams. I’ll lead one team to assassinate the Erosion Swamps, while the other team will hold the city center during that time.” Marshal Zhu shook his head. “Yi Ning, you take charge of the defense in the city—no need for you to launch an attack. Just operate the heavy ‘Suppression’ weapons to guard the surroundings.”
“Any specific instructions?”
“No, I don’t need your support.” Zhu Yanchen spoke quickly. “I have only one requirement: those things must not set foot in Y City before all of you are dead. Got that?”
“……” Silence fell over the crowd.
“This is war, not a spring outing. Even if we don’t have synthetic humans as shields, you’re all soldiers. Show some dignity!”
“Understood!” the people shouted at the top of their lungs.
“In contrast, our team will quickly eliminate the main bodies of the Erosion Swamp. As long as these things don’t increase, it won’t be difficult to completely eradicate them.”
“But… But what if something happens to you? What should we do then?”
“If something happens to me, Zhu Sheng will take over the command. The current situation is still under my control, so there’s no need to worry. Additionally,” Zhu Yanchen looked towards the massive black wolf not far away, and his voice carried a hint of amusement, “He has never lost, and I won’t be a hindrance either.”
With that, Zhu Yanchen took a deep breath. “Assemble immediately and redistribute the weapons.”
“We’ll depart in fifteen minutes!”
The author has something to say:
Erosion Swamp A, B: Plop, plop, plop blowing bubbles.
