“I have another name. A thousand years ago, Huajisi called me ‘the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi’.”
As soon as Yin Ren finished speaking, everyone at the table turned to look at Fu Xingchuan.
Fu Xingchuan had just finished roasting some pork belly and had his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. He was suddenly washed over by eight pairs of eyes, and he almost choked.
However, with his exceptional mental strength, Fu Xingchuan managed to eat the meat and keep his expression calm.
At this moment, he only needed to show that he knew the truth. Fu Xingchuan didn’t say much; he just used his stainless steel tongs to grab another piece of meat and calmly roast it.
The four people around him were silent.
They seemed frozen, not screaming or questioning, but their gazes all scattered at the same time…
Before Lu Xiaohe entered Shian, “Zhong Yi” was just a supporting character in most folk stories about the supernatural, roughly equivalent to King Yama in ordinary underworld stories—a majestic “powerful ceiling” used primarily to punish evil and promote good before the end of the story. Such characters typically had a high appearance rate but were poorly described.
She still remembered the first time she flipped through the <The Book of Exorcism> written by Zhong Yi.
Under the dim light of the old desk lamp, the old book emitted a peculiar odor of aged paper. It was from the batch printed when Shian was established, and it was now considered a half cultural relic.
An encyclopedia of metaphysics.
Strangely enough, Lu Xiaohe could always tell which cases were provided by Zhong Yi and which were added by later generations. In Zhong Yi’s approach, there was a kind of natural and unpolished “directness”. Compared to the endless theories of the aristocratic families in the metaphysical world, the cases and solutions given by Zhong Yi exuded a strange wildness, completely devoid of the fixed thinking of that era.
‘If Zhong Yi hadn’t pursued research in metaphysics, he might have become a decent scholar,’ Lu Xiaohe thought to herself.
However, in his neither long nor brief life, Zhong Yi had only left with one or two “touchpoints”.
For Ge Tingting, those dense touchpoints faintly connected to form a line…
The young girl still remembered when she first contracted her “deaf-mute” disease, her grandmother took her to seek medical help everywhere. When the hospital couldn’t cure her, the old woman took her to see “diviners” and “half-immortals”.
From her village to a nearby “big village”, the old woman spent all her savings but was unable to cure her granddaughter.
In retrospect, those so-called diviners and half-immortals were all frauds, just eyeing the old woman’s money. Ge Tingting had seen countless flashy “exorcism rituals”, but the most memorable thing for the young girl was the statues of the gods in their homes.
The statues were all similar, depicting a well-built man with a leopard’s head and fierce eyes. The statue’s eyeballs protruded, and the black ink dots of the pupils looked down with a strong sense of oppression.
She knew that it was Zhong Yi.
Because almost every household in the village had his portrait. Among the various matching prints, such as “Door God”, “God of Wealth”, and “Stove God”, her parents pointed to each one and made her recognize them one by one.
“This smiling one is the God of Wealth. He’ll help our family become rich and live a good life… This fierce one is Celestial Master Zhong. He can ward off evil and protect us from bad people…” Her mother pointed to the highly saturated print and teased her daughter with a smile.
‘He’s a god,’ Ge Tingting thought.
So many people believed in him, and every household had his portrait, so he must be a very powerful god.
But this god looked fierce and scary.
That god started from the incomplete print in her house, walked to the altar in the neighboring village, passed by the books in Shian, and finally arrived at the ancient ancestral hall of the Fu family.
It was a rumor that was close at hand.
But for Huang Jin, who had once roamed in the gray area, “Zhong Yi” wasn’t just a rumor close by.
He thought that Yin Ren would confess his identity as an evil, and if possible, this guy would introduce his own kind, so that he could understand and be afraid. There were thousands of evil creatures in the world, and this guy couldn’t possibly be an Evil Spirit, right?
Huang Jin was very confident that he was the calmest person in the room. He firmly believed that the “resurrection” of Zhong Chengshuo was done by the hands of Yin Ren. As long as Yin Ren explained what type of evil he was, he could complete the last puzzle piece in his mind.
From now on, he no longer had to face a life like “100,000 Whys” every day when he got up.
…But the identity that Yin Ren spoke out was a far cry from the concept of an “evil”.
Huang Jin was no stranger to “Zhong Yi”.
In the corner of his basement, there was still an exquisite wooden carving of Zhong Yi. It was his mother’s relic, and all the Nightwalkers’ homes had similar things—compared to Shian, which was well-equipped and had a better guarantee of personal safety, the Nightwalkers were doing blood-licking work. If they weren’t careful, evil beings would kill them.
When his mother went out to sell spirit weapons, she would always offer one or two sweet fruits or rough incense to the Zhong Yi wooden carving at home. She never explained these things to him, but after entering the world of metaphysics, Huang Jin learned about it whether he wanted to or not.
On a rainy night, Huang Jin once drank at a small restaurant. It was three in the morning, and he was the only customer in the shop.
He watched as the boss glanced at the time and took out a Zhong Yi statue from the wooden cabinet, devoutly placing several pieces of sweet cake on it.
“Nightwalker?” Huang Jin finished his drink and tapped the bottom of the bottle on the table.
“You too?” The elderly boss, in his sixties or seventies, smiled. “As soon as you came in, I could tell that the items you’re carrying are pretty good.”
Huang Jin took a glance at the bag full of spirit weapons beside him and snorted.
“Do you also worship that thing?”
Huang Jin usually didn’t like to talk too much with strangers. Perhaps it was because of the alcohol tonight, or perhaps because he was in a daze, he saw his mother’s thin figure bowing respectfully in front of the small statue.
“Praying for peace and good luck. Ordinary people worship Guan Yu and the God of Wealth. We worship Celestial Master Zhong. That’s a good match.”
Hearing Huang Jin’s harsh tone, the old man wasn’t annoyed. He took out half a bottle of white wine and sat down opposite Huang Jin, still looking at the portrait of Zhong Yi.
“There’s a legend in my family that an ancestor was a young disciple of Zhong Yi. He was a great Celestial Master who sealed six Evil Spirits, and our family’s unique skills were all learned from him.”
The old man said this half-jokingly.
“How could anyone seal six Evil Spirits alone?” Huang Jin laughed drunkenly. “There must have been many helpers at that time, and finally he emerged as the hero… Aren’t all those stories of gods and immortals like this throughout history? That Zhong Yi is probably only at the same level as Fu Xingchuan back then, still just a mortal.”
His mother used to worship Zhong Yi every day, but what was her ending?
He had seen too many people carrying spirit weapons with Zhong Yi carved on them, and he had also seen too many tragic endings. This deity had woven a dark web in his life.
It was just finding a place of comfort, seeking peace of mind. If there really were gods and immortals in this world, why could they only encounter evil creatures and suffer, but not encounter gods and ascend to immortality?
Huang Jin opened another bottle of beer for himself.
The old man looked at Huang Jin steadily and suddenly laughed, “You young people…”
He gently put down the small cup filled with white wine.
Ding.
Countless darkness climbed up the walls in an instant. The menus, advertising posters, and payment codes on the wall were all covered, leaving only a flat black without any depth of field. In the next moment, countless eyes of people of different sizes opened in the darkness, no different in size from real human eyes.
Looking only at the positions of those eyes, this blackness looked more like a collection of countless shadowy figures.
Those eyes turned and looked at Huang Jin from all directions in unison.
A group of ghosts.
This was an extremely powerful and never-before-seen method of manipulating ghosts. Although there was no hostility in those gazes, the sense of oppression still collapsed like an avalanche. Huang Jin half sobered up from the alcohol in an instant and quickly sat straight up in his chair.
As long as the old man gave the command, he wouldn’t even have any bone residue left.
However, the old man just smiled at him and tapped his cup. Those ghostly shadows seeped into the walls like water stains and quickly disappeared.
“This is what the Great Celestial Master taught at the time. It is said that he came up with this technique just to teach children how to count.”
Huang Jin: “…”
Indeed, it was convenient to use the eyes of ghosts, which could open and close, to do simple calculations, but this Great Celestial Master’s thought process was really abnormal. Wouldn’t children be traumatized by this?
“My ancestor always made mistakes in their calculations, so they were taught this technique… It’s not something ordinary people can easily come up with. You young people always say that you can’t see the immortals but have forgotten even the most basic supernatural stories.”
The old man shook his glass of white wine, and the baijiu gave off a pungent smell.
Huang Jin: “Please tell me more.”
The old man sighed softly. “When an evil is worshiped by humans, it becomes a household deity. When a monster is bestowed a title by the heavens, it becomes a god. Are the so-called immortals in your mouth really just simple immortals?”
Huang Jin suddenly felt a cold sweat on the back of his head. Even though he was rebellious, he knew that the old man’s words were considered blasphemy among the Nightwalkers.
This was clearly saying that “immortals” were also a type of “evil”.
However, the old man stopped there, taking a sip of his wine and plucking a peanut from Huang Jin’s dish.
“So, that technique from earlier isn’t something an ordinary person can come up with. What a shame. If my ancestor had worked a bit harder, maybe they could have become the second Fu family.”
Huang Jin never imagined that the old man’s blasphemous words from years ago would actually be proven true.
The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi was really an evil.
…And his thought process was really, truly abnormal!
Huang Jin’s face turned pale as he looked at Fu Tianyi. His own mental state was on the verge of collapsing, and he needed someone who was even worse off than him to stabilize it—the Fu family was known for being followers of the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi. They had always worshiped him as a legitimate “god”, and Fu Tianyi had a particularly strong sense of belonging to the Fu family.
Of all the people present, he was probably the most miserable.
As expected, Fu Tianyi was already suffocating. He had turned purple, and his lips were trembling. His gaze shifted from Yin Ren to Fu Xingchuan, who was taking advantage of the opportunity to barbecue.
“I told you that it was at your own risk.” Perhaps out of pity for his collapsing nephew, Fu Xingchuan stuffed a particularly juicy piece of meat into his mouth and spoke in a serious tone. “Tianyi, you insisted on coming here, and I can’t do anything about it.”
Lu Xiaohe was the first to breathe a sigh of relief. “No wonder you asked us to make a wish.”
It seemed like her wish was going to come true.
Ge Tingting pondered for a moment. “Yin Ren is really powerful.”
Fu Tianyi made a bird-like whimpering sound, his eyes moving from the two women to Huang Jin, but in Huang Jin’s eyes, he saw a strange and benevolent expression.
At that moment, he wanted to run away.
“This is, cough, cough, just a prank, right?!” Fu Tianyi forced himself to perk up. “Yin Ge, the Great Celestial Master doesn’t like to be made fun of.”
The more he spoke, the more he felt he was making sense.
“Hahaha, I knew it. Why would he suddenly reveal his identity? There was no need for it!”
Zhong Chengshuo: “But it is necessary.”
He had been feeling a bit at a loss due to being constantly fed food by Yin Ren, but in the past, it had been a small matter that he didn’t care about. At this moment, he felt like he had to do something.
A flesh puppet could speak, so Zhong Chengshuo lowered his voice and explained seriously.
“Because the next task will be facing Shian’s Evil Spirit. He said it so you all can truly feel at ease.”
Fu Tianyi felt a tingling sensation deep in his brain. He felt like the voices around him were getting farther away.
Help!
…….
Shian Campus, underground.
The huge Evil Spirit floating underground was still asleep, but its only conscious part—the black dog—was jumping around in the vast artificial scenery, bringing back sticks to the small owner, played by a robot. Its round eyes were full of brilliance, and its tail was wagging wildly.
But the next moment, its tail suddenly drooped.
Crack. The black dog bit off the stick. It bounded to the small owner in three or four steps, lowered its body, and made a low growling sound in its throat.
After threatening the air for a few minutes, it let out a piercing howl.
The body of the Evil Spirit floating in mid-air visibly twitched a few times.
Fu Tianyi was having a video call with his parents. He had just finished his meal without enjoying the taste.
The Fu family was indeed a prominent family in the world of metaphysics, but the elders never restricted the younger generations’ development—
Fu Tianyi’s father always loved reading since childhood and looked down on the “pretentious*” metaphysical direction. He also had little contact with his younger brother, Fu Xingchuan. After growing up, he passed the national entrance exam to a top university in China and became a well-known lawyer in the industry with a decent income.
*(装神弄鬼) Idiom referring to deceiving people by pretending to have supernatural powers or abilities.
He later met Fu Tianyi’s mother, who was a private enterprise executive. The young couple bought a house and settled down in Yandu. Not to mention getting involved with the world of metaphysics, they didn’t even bother to hire a feng shui master during the decoration of their house.
In Shian’s terms, both of them were the stuff of iron-blood science posts.
Who would have thought that their child would enter his rebellious phase early and insist on going against the elite path that his parents had set for him? Fu Tianyi showed astonishing metaphysical talents since he was a child and happily ran back to the Fu mansion to be with his ancestral family.
“The ancient and mysterious family lineage” had a fatal attraction to children. In elementary school, Fu Tianyi claimed that since he had to attend cram school, it was cooler to have the feeling of commanding wind and rain.
It was hard to say who was more rebellious between the father and son—the former, who was determined to study law.
…How naïve he was. Thinking of his past self, who was so confident in his talents, Fu Tianyi couldn’t help but sigh again and again.
The term “commanding wind and rain” was too peaceful. After experiencing true catastrophic events, Fu Tianyi’s entire body almost radiated with Buddha’s light.
“How did it turn out like this?” Fu Tianyi’s mother clicked her tongue. “Lao Fu, come and see. This child’s eyes are like a dead fish, with no spirit left.”
Fu Tianyi’s father gasped, pushing to the center of the screen. “Yeah, it’s true. Is your brain damage?”
Fu Tianyi: “… I’m fine. I just understand what it means to meet a person beyond others.”
Fu Tianyi’s father was taken aback. “Ah? Tianyi, don’t tell me you don’t want to do it anymore. Your undergraduate degree is too ordinary, and you haven’t taken the postgraduate entrance examination. It’s not easy to find a job if you go out. Of course, you can come back home, but I just feel that young people should at least have a job…”
Fu Tianyi’s mother nodded. “Yes, if you’re still in your thirties and haven’t found a reliable job, it’s okay to depend on your parents.”
Fu Tianyi had nothing to say.
He listened to his parents’ teasing about his future with pain until he saw Dr. Cat scratching at the chicken breast meat on his plate out of the corner of his eye.
“My colleague is here. I’ll talk to you later!” Fu Tianyi pressed his temple and quickly found an excuse to escape.
As soon as Dr. Cat put the steamed chicken into his mouth, he was grabbed by his nape by Fu Tianyi.
“Are you crazy?” He angrily let go of the chicken.
“I still haven’t heard from Second Uncle.” Fu Tianyi asked in a low voice, “Has anything happened on his end?”
“Fu Xingchuan is fine. He’s been talking to Yin Ren about the next mission.” The black cat’s pupils narrowed into two thin slits in the bright hospital room. “I don’t know much more than that. I was kicked out.”
The next mission… Fu Xingchuan saved them from the small-scale Divine Descent with his injured leg, and now he was still single-mindedly thinking about the next mission. Even if he were demoted to the lowest level, his second uncle would still wholeheartedly… Wait, with who?
“Who did you say he was discussing it with? Li Nian?” Fu Tianyi asked in confusion.
“Yin Ren.” The black cat purred smugly. “You know my ability. I wouldn’t mistake a person.”
Fu Tianyi’s head buzzed for a moment. After thinking for a moment, he rummaged through his contacts in Haigu and finally found his target—Liang Shan, who had worked at the police station before and had received him then.
Liang Shan had a special ability, and almost every rookie team in Haigu had gone on missions with him.
[Tianyi3G: Liang Ge, do you have the group chat for special investigation team Unit 9 of Haigu? Add me.]
[The River Flows Eastward: ?]
[Tianyi3G: It’s official business. Both my uncle and I are at the Municipal Hospital.]
Liang Shan was buried in a pile of files created by the small-scale Divine Descent event. Although he didn’t understand what was going on, he still gave Fu Tianyi an invitation to the group. Unit 9 was just a C-level investigation team, and the confidentiality measures weren’t so strict.
Fu Tianyi quickly contacted Fu Xingchuan, and without waiting for his response, he rushed into the group.
[Ear Person: I don’t like that kind of thing. It’s too bloody.]
[Ten Thousand Liang: It’s okay, it depends on the situation. Anyway, if you don’t want to do it, I will do it…]
[Ear Person: Then I’ll give it a try.]
[Milky Way: What’s there to argue about? Let Yin Ren arrange it. Don’t forget the purpose of what we’re doing.]
[Ear Person: Sorry, we should be more serious.]
[Ten Thousand Liang: 😊]
There was indeed a mission! Fu Tianyi’s spirits were lifted.
The small-scale Divine Descent event almost took half of Fu Tianyi’s life, but he had to admit that he had never had such a… shocking mission. In the face of life and death, they worked together, and the sense of accomplishment was much greater than that of routine tasks without surprises.
It made him feel especially “alive”.
Moreover, Fu Tianyi had never had this feeling of “obviously becoming stronger”. Yin Ren forced him to squeeze out his power time and time again, and after the pain of power overdraft, his power was even more abundant, a quarter stronger than before.
The “ancient and mysterious family bloodline” was too childish for him, but the “profound and unfathomable hidden powerhouse” was just right.
[Tianyi3G: Hello everyone, I’m Fu Tianyi. I heard you have a new mission.]
[Tianyi3G: I learned a lot from Senior Yin. Please let me observe with you!]
[Tianyi3G: Auntie Tao was sacrificed, and Meiqiu and I are not fully staffed and need to stay here to assist with the investigation. We won’t be able to participate in formal missions for a while, but it won’t delay real business. Even if Fu Xingchuan doesn’t agree, I will go and talk to him again.]
[Ten Thousand Liang: …]
[Ten Thousand Liang: This is the first time I’ve seen someone so desperate for a free meal. Xiao Ge, you can give the “undercooked meat” you don’t like to him.]
Hmm? Fu Tianyi stopped typing with passion.
[Ten Thousand Liang: This time Yin Ren is treating us to a self-service barbecue. You need to ask for his opinion @Fruit Knife]
[Fruit Knife: It’s fine.]
[Fruit Knife: Fu Xingchuan also said it’s okay, but beware. This is at your own risk.]
……
When he arrived at the all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurant, Fu Tianyi’s eyes were wide open.
The situation back then was just too awkward. If he didn’t participate, the embarrassment would only multiply. Today, he absolutely had to pay the bill first. Fu Tianyi touched his pocket, making sure his phone was fully charged and he had enough balance.
Even if Unit 9 ate up all the inventory in the restaurant today, he should be able to afford it… right?
Fu Tianyi nervously sat in his seat.
Yin Ren raised Yellow Millet, could fight back against that mysterious attacker, and could survive the small-scale Divine Descent. Since he had Fu Xingchuan to back him up, Yin Ren’s position wouldn’t be a problem. As for why this person had infiltrated into Shian Unit 9 out of what kind of mentality… Well, it was normal for masters to have some quirks that ordinary people couldn’t understand.
Fu Tianyi adjusted his posture, raised his head, and then froze like a statue.
At some point, there was another person sitting across from him. Zhong Chengshuo was sitting upright on the other side of the table, staring at him with a pair of black eyes without blinking. The hair on Fu Tianyi’s whole body stood up in an instant—this person was different from Yin Ren. He had seen him die with his own eyes!
Even if Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo had that kind of relationship, this was too…
“Scared?”
Yin Ren’s voice drifted over from the side. He took off his coat and sat next to Zhong Cheng.
“This is a flesh puppet I made. I’m not used to being without him.”
Fu Tianyi looked at the “flesh puppet” with even more distinct facial hair across from him, and his facial muscles twitched for a moment.
It’s normal for masters to have some quirks that ordinary people can’t understand. This… is still normal, right?
With Yin Ren’s arrival, the long table was quickly filled with the addition of three other members of Unit 9 and the limping Fu Xingchuan. Compared to those who came to eat in bright clothing, the scene at this table was particularly bleak. Several people were bandaged and had casts on, so it was a bit like a patient meetup.
Fu Tianyi stood up straight and tried his best to lift the morale of the table.
Unfortunately, except for him, there was only Ge Tingting, who looked reasonable.
The barbecue net was steaming hot, and Yin Ren put a few pieces of grilled corn and lean meat in Zhong Chengshuo’s bowl before speaking. Ge Tingting stared at Zhong Chengshuo with sparkling eyes and a face full of shock that seemed to say, “This is a top grade flesh puppet!”
“Let’s start with the wishes first. Xiao Ge, Xiaohe Jie, it’s all thanks to you all that I was able to find Zhong Ge,” Yin Ren said.
Wishes?
Fu Tianyi became a bit curious and looked at Huang Jin. The latter was stuffing grilled stomach into his mouth and said casually, “I’ve already made one.”
Lu Xiahe pursed her lips. “What did you wish for?”
“It’s pretty much what you thought,” Huang Jin replied cryptically. “Her information will be updated by Shian sooner or later, so you’ll know eventually.”
Lu Xiahe lowered her eyes and solemnly extended both hands, placing the chopsticks flat on the plate.
“Can you cure my mother?” She didn’t look into Yin Ren’s eyes, and her voice lacked the usual loudness. “The method doesn’t have to be scientific. I’m not asking for her to live forever but just to be healthy, happy, and have a normal life span…”
After speaking, she felt ridiculous and stared at the gap in the dish.
“I can,” Yin Ren said, “But we have to wait for a while. Otherwise, it will only attract unnecessary attention to your mother.”
The sniper behind the scenes hadn’t been identified yet, so who knew who was watching them. It was alright for Ding Lizi, who had a healthy foundation, as he could use Shian’s medical equipment as a cover up, but it was a different story for Lu Xiaohe’s mother.
The eyes of Lu Xiaohe turned red instantly. She cleared her throat. “Okay… Thank you. Thank you. I’ll go to the bathroom. You guys eat first.”
While observing Zhong Chengshuo slowly chewing on his food, Ge Tingting said, “I can’t think of a wish, can I get a raincheck?”
Without any surprise, Yin Ren said, “Sure.”
Fu Xingchuan, who just grabbed a piece of meat with his chopsticks, paused and gave Ge Tingting a “even a child can be taught*” look.
*(孺子可教) Idiom used to describe someone who’s intelligent, talented, and receptive to guidance.
Fu Tianyi had already forgotten what chopsticks were. He looked around the table, feeling like he was still in a dream.
How could he grant them their wish? Did his teammate have this function? How come he had never heard of it before?
When Lu Xiaohe came back after touching up her makeup, Yin Ren continued the conversation.
“It’s not convenient to talk about the mission outside. Before we see the mission details, I think it’s necessary to introduce myself—Fu Tianyi is also considered a member of the Fu family, so it’s fine.”
He didn’t need to remind his teammates to keep it a secret—Fu Xingchuan was in the know, Lu Xiaohe’s heart was filled with the hope of curing her mother, and Huang Jin was already scared out of his wits. There was only Ge Tingting, but since she had to use Shian’s equipment for communication, it would be difficult for her to leak things.
As for the process of making a wish, Yin Ren didn’t have any objections.
The music in the restaurant could serve as a hymn, the burning charcoal could replace candles, and his teammates had already offered sacrifices through their actions. Even taking a step back, there was still delicious fresh meat in front of them.
The gap between the present and a thousand years ago wasn’t so big after all. Lord Ghost King sat up straight in a proper manner. Zhong Chengshuo quietly nodded to Yin Ren as he chewed carefully.
“I have another name. A thousand years ago, Huajisi called me ‘the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi’.”
The author has something to say:
Xiao Fu’s father studied law, and Xiao Fu also studied law. This is a family tradition!
I just feel that Xiao Fu is always slow to catch up with the truth, so this WeChat name is quite appropriate.
But those who get this reference probably need to be a certain age* (…
*Clarity: Most likely, the author is hinting at the 3G in Fu Tianyi’s WeChat nickname. 3G is quite outdated now (as of this translation, we’re up to 5G), so it’s considered slow… Just like how Fu Tianyi is behind (slow) others in knowing the truth.
Xiao Zhong: Is this what it feels like not to work? (×
The brain gate was pulled out with a sticky gelatinous substance, silently tilting forward, revealing the darkness behind it.
Even in the pitch-black underground, the arched darkness seemed particularly abrupt.
It was very strange, black to the point of losing depth, like a thin silhouette. But it also made people subconsciously tense, as if there were millions of eyes peering out through that darkness. Whenever the viewer’s gaze shifted slightly, something seemed to flash by in the depths of the darkness, and its presence made people feel uneasy.
The members of the Sunken Society all took a few steps back, whether they believed in metaphysics or not. At this moment, they held their breaths, and their eyes were drawn to the door-shaped darkness.
After an unknown period of time, three faint colors appeared in the darkness.
Standing in the middle was a man who looked to be about thirty years old. His appearance was handsome, but there was a hint of carelessness in his features that made people respect and distance themselves from him. He was well-built and wearing a wet and close-fitting flesh-colored leather jacket, with his hands pulling two naked bodies—a man and a woman—dragging them outward.
Although there was no light in the darkness, the colors on his body were very bright, but the details of his features and clothes were like looking at flowers through mist, with a ridiculous sense of cut-and-paste misalignment.
Shen Mo, the head of Technical Department One.
Oddly enough, at the first sight of him, all the members of Sunken Society were bewildered, as if he were a complete stranger. As the man gradually walked out of the darkness, the leader of those gathered around suddenly came to his senses and hurried forward to greet him.
“Ah, Director Shen! You’re back! Did it go smoothly over there?” The small leader had a terrifying scar on his face, but he tried to smile like a gentle breeze in March.
Shen Mo let go of his hands, and the two unconscious bodies fell to the floor like sacks. The small leader’s eyes slid down, and his smile distorted for a moment.
The man and woman were only recognizable by their body shapes.
They were still breathing, but what was growing on their bodies wasn’t human. Their bodies were arched, their limbs seemed to have been broken off and haphazardly reattached, and even a thigh was twisted under the woman’s shoulder.
Their heads were larger than those of normal people, with facial features growing in a jumble on top. The man’s two eyes had rolled to the back of his head; one was attached against the back of his neck, and the other had become the size of a palm, covering his crown. The two black eyes looked at Shen Mo together, with varying degrees of lethargy in their different-sized eyeballs.
“Take them away for processing,” Shen Mo said lightly.
The small leader held back a shudder and made a gesture. The employees behind him immediately moved forward, wrapping the bodies in packages and carrying them away in a rush.
The naked bodies of the two were moved, exposing skin covered in wounds. Upon closer inspection, they were all records written with a carving knife, like a collection of numbers and letters. As the employees moved, the two bodies hung limply, with sticky flesh threads between them mixed in with the stretcher.
“It’s really troublesome not being able to take dead bodies over to ‘That Side’.”
Shen Mo smiled and opened his arms, and another group of people quickly approached to help him take off the flesh-colored leather jacket.
The jacket looked like a loose coat, but it made a sticky tearing sound when it was peeled off. Shen Mo wasn’t wearing anything underneath, and as the jacket came off, the soft leather inside peeled off, oozing with blood.
“Ah… Ah…” The jacket was finally removed, revealing a human-like mouth at the collar.
“The artificially catalyzed ‘Charon’ is still not very useful, and the reaction is slow.” Shen Mo ignored the moaning jacket and glanced at the man and woman about to be taken away. “They’re not as good as Jiao Lian from Shian and far from Fu Wuya. They can only be used as records.”
The scar-faced little leader smiled and didn’t say a word. He looked down at the ground, afraid to look at Shen Mo’s face.
“Why are you nervous? You’re not qualified to enter even if you wanted to.”
Shen Mo continued to smile and adjusted his suit collar.
“I’ve been gone for a few months. What’s going on in Shian? Tell me about it.”
The little leader didn’t dare to neglect, and took a deep breath. He talked about the failure of the Feng Qi and Ge Tingting case, the failure of Bai Yongji’s recruitment, and the recent “tragic encounter” of the Sunken Society Haigu Branch.
As he spoke, even the scar-faced little leader himself became depressed.
“I was wondering why there was something strange going on in the Other Side. Turns out the interstitial space had a problem… What about the ‘thing’ that broke into the headquarters?”
“They say it’s an internal conflict with our mysterious supplier. You know, they usually don’t tell us too much. This matter definitely has nothing to do with Shian. Fu Xingchuan almost died in this incident, and now the people in Shian are still sniffing around the abandoned space we gave up.”
Shen Mo: “Oh, then it’s not a big deal.”
The little leader gulped and swallowed his saliva, his mouth twitching.
Since July, Sunken Society had been constantly suffering losses. The big boss didn’t care, but even this department head thought it wasn’t “a big deal”—regardless of their positions, they all made wishes to Sunken Society, yet none of them were living the high life.
While normal people’s performances may only be related to year-end bonuses, their performance was tied to their own lives.
But he didn’t dare speak recklessly.
The Technical Department One was the most special department among all the technical departments. Compared with other “Assistant Ministers”, Shen Mo, who didn’t have any special qualifications, was undoubtedly a “Charon”.
As long as he had this precious ability, even if the Sunken Society managed to catch him with evidence in hand, Shen Mo could still walk freely in Sunken Society. Sunken Society had thought of finding another “Charon” to keep Shen Mo’s power in check, but unfortunately, nothing had happened so far.
Shen Mo leisurely put on his socks, then tucked the bloody socks into his leather shoes and casually tapped his toes a few times. After tidying his clothes, Shen Mo ignored the smell of blood on his body and tidied his messy hair.
Clearly, he had been gone for several months without food or water, but he looked more like he had just gone out for a morning stroll and still had some energy left on him.
“Take me to see Wei Huaqian,” Shen Mo said lightly.
“Do you have any new discoveries?”
“Well, kind of. Shian won’t cause trouble for long.” Shen Mo smiled again but didn’t say much.
After getting his phone back, he sent a message to Wei Huaqian that was quite different from what he had just said:
[The search for the Primordial Elementals was fruitless, but I discovered a strange phenomenon related to the Evil Spirit. If we make good use of it, we can ‘ignite’ Shian’s underground Evil Spirit.]
……
Haigu Municipal Hospital.
Ge Tingting opened her eyes drowsily, feeling like her body had been pushed through a meat grinder and hastily pieced back together. Even moving a little made her want to scream, but her throat was so dry that she couldn’t make a sound.
A strange pain was constantly tormenting her, and her head felt swollen. She felt… just like when she was with Feng Qi before. Now Ge Tingting could tell that this symptom was caused by corruption from Evil Force.
She had obviously survived the previous crisis, and her abilities seemed to have been enhanced again. More obscure, incomprehensible, and strange-sounding mutterings occasionally entered her ears.
Ge Tingting frowned, feeling like she had turned into a broken radio.
The little girl struggled to move her body, enduring the pain and barely reaching the small bag at the head of the bed. She took out the headphones that Unit 9 gave her when she started working—Zhong Chengshuo chose them very carefully, with excellent noise reduction performance, specifically to deal with various unclear inhuman ravings.
Thinking of the deceased Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren, Ge Tingting’s action of putting on the headphones froze in mid-air.
She bit her lip, and her eyes slowly turned red.
The metaphysical world was even crueler than she had imagined. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were the most capable people she had ever met, but they still died heroically in just a few months. Indeed, she had to surpass those two people, climb to B-level and A-level, or even higher, to ensure her safety.
She must study hard and work harder.
…If she had studied even more seriously, could she have been more helpful then? Would Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo not have died?
Ge Tingting forgot about the pain in her limbs and slowly curled up her body.
She sniffled, laboriously took out her phone, and opened the Shian workgroup.
[Ear Person: Let’s go to that barbecue restaurant again to commemorate Yin Ge and Zhong Ge. My treat.]
[Ear Person: T-T]
Ge Tingting looked at the avatars of Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo in the group as tears streamed down her face, wetting the screen of her phone. She was in a single room and had never missed Unit 9’s common ward so much before.
[Milky Way: Mm.] Lu Xiaohe replied quickly.
[Ten Thousand Taels: 😊]
[Ear Person: ?]
[Ten Thousand Taels: Nothing. It’s fine. I’ll definitely go. But don’t rush to pay. Someone will cover it later.]
[Fruit Knife: ?]
[Ear Person: ????????????]
Ge Tingting lost her grip and almost dropped her phone—Yin Ren had changed his WeChat avatar, so Ge Tingting almost didn’t recognize him when he replied just now.
Yin Ren’s profile picture changed from a flipped over Ikea shark to an Ikea shark hugging an apple.
Was his account hacked?… It shouldn’t be. Shian’s security measures were very good, and Yin Ren brought his phone into the gap, so there was no possibility of his phone being picked up.
‘Could it be that Yin Ren’s obsession with the human world was too strong that he turned into a ghost?,’ Ge Tingting thought in a daze.
[Fruit Knife: It’s like this. I had a fight with the attacker, and then it died completely, and I passed out. My… um, there was a problem with my communication method, so Fu Xingchuan thought I was dead.]
[Fruit Knife: It was all a misunderstanding. I just got a little hurt.]
[Milky Way: Why didn’t you contact us earlier?!]
[Fruit Knife: I’ve been making a high-precision flesh puppet of Zhong Chengshuo. Sorry.]
The group fell into a long silence.
[Fruit Knife: To ensure that Zhong Chengshuo’s parents don’t notice anything, and also to remember him.]
He typed this sentence especially quickly.
Ge Tingting looked at the words “high-precision flesh puppet” in shock, and her hands trembled a bit. She now knew what it was, but she wasn’t sure if she really knew at all.
Although her life experience was very limited, she had never seen such… a unique way of mourning.
Is it that urgent? She didn’t understand.
[Milky Way: It’s good that everything is fine.]
[One Thousand Taels: Yeah, it’s good that everything is fine. 😊]
[Ear Person: Then let’s go to that barbecue restaurant to commemorate Zhong Ge.]
[Fruit Knife: I’ll treat. By the way, Xiaohe Jie and Xiao Ge, you can start thinking about your wishes.]
Ge Tingting’s hand that was about to type stopped for a moment, and she thought carefully. [Then let Yin Ge pay for this meal.]
[Fruit Knife: ……]
[One Thousand Taels: ??? Think carefully before making a wish!]
[Milky Way: Why are you so excited?]
[One Thousand Taels: You don’t understand…! Being cautious about making wishes is one thing, wasting them is another!]
[Fruit Knife: How about we discuss it when we meet? By the way, I’ll bring Zhong Ge’s flesh puppet, so please don’t mind.]
The group fell silent again.
[Milky Way: It’s okay, we understand.] Lu Xiaohe, who had lightning hand speed, typed this sentence with hesitation.
[Fruit Knife: I’ll also bring Fu Xingchuan, if you don’t mind.]
[Ear Person: ?]
This question mark was the only remaining emotion that Ge Tingting had.
[Fruit Knife: It’s like this. In the previous operation, I believe everyone is very interested in my identity, so I want to talk to everyone in person.]
… Actually, not only that.
Yin Ren put down his phone and looked at Zhong Chengshuo beside him.
He had already found the next mission for Unit 9, which wasn’t very dangerous but could bring achievements—once the competition was settled, they could start on the mission.
The mystery behind Evil Force was accumulating more and more, and they didn’t have time to investigate leisurely. The skill of the sniper was terrifying, and if it weren’t for the loss and grief caused by losing Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren probably wouldn’t have the confidence to fight against the sniper as of now.
They might as well take advantage of the gathering of masters here and go for the most essential and direct clue about this matter.
Themselves as well as the Evil Spirit held in Shian’s underground.
The author has something to say:
Comrade Ge Tingting has serious misunderstandings of the power system in the metaphysical world…
You can do it*, Xiao Ge!
*Jiayou (加油) Ubiquitous Chinese expression of encouragement and support.
————
Sunken Society: It’s okay. We’ll plan a sneak attack on Shian’s Evil Spirit. Haha, they won’t see it coming.
Fu Xingchuan didn’t faint on the spot and instead went to sleep normally last night. To be precise, out of the five people trapped inside the abandoned building, only Fu Xingchuan remained conscious from beginning to end.
Otherwise, the heart of the Corpse Cage wrapped in a dark red shroud would most likely hit the space cracks, old scaffolding, damaged electrical wires… In short, there was a 99% chance that it would get stuck inside the building and not flow out smoothly with the Evil Force.
The rotten heart wrapped in the dark red shroud was quite conspicuous in the translucent stream of Evil Force. Zhou Gong, the “#1 Evil Craftsman” who could also control corpses, noticed this thing in less than five seconds.
Fu Xingchuan strained himself to lift the corpse-retraining spell. The members of Unit 9 and Fu Tianyi all fainted due to the excessively strong Evil Force.
Minister Fu… No, Advisor Fu, supported it for nearly 48 hours, confirming that all reports and samples were completed before falling into a deep sleep on the sickbed.
The high-risk evil, Yellow Millet, was held tightly in his hand like a stress ball that he refused to let go.
The next day, Li Nian arrived at 6 in the morning. Fu Xingchuan, who had slept for most of the day, woke up slowly.
“The situation is special. The participating team will stay in the hospital for recuperation for the time being, Zhou Gong and Qiao Shang will also stay behind. The base built in interstitial space is being cleaned up. Most likely it’s an internal stronghold of Sunken Society, so we’ll be quite busy after.”
Professor Li moved a chair, crossed his legs, and clasped his hands on his knees. He was dressed cleanly, with a shaven, smooth chin, but his eyes were full of exhaustion.
“As for the on-site data and samples, they have been followed up on. From the current research, this incident is very helpful for the study of ‘Evil Spirits’ and ‘the Other Side’.”
When he said the second half of the sentence, there was a bit of brilliance in his eyes.
Minister Fu turned his head on the pillow and grimaced. “Why are you telling me all this? I’m just an innocent advisor—I’ve been up for two days straight!”
Professor Li shot him a piercing glare.
“The person you brought up, Xiang Jiang, is so ‘capable’, that there’s nothing I can do about it.” Li Nian sneered.
“I didn’t die in the accident, so that kid is probably a little disappointed.” Fu Xingchuan finally let go of Yellow Millet in his hand. The latter made a small puff and then quickly slipped under the pillow.
Li Nian pretended not to see this tangible evil.
“Let’s talk about business. You wouldn’t be so bored as to ask me here just to have a chat.”
“Yin Ren sealed himself in the interstitial space. Be careful when you investigate.” Fu Xingchuan turned his head and looked at the ceiling. “I announced to the public that he died.”
Professor Li: “……”
He didn’t answer directly.
Fu Xingchuan chuckled wryly and said, “Lao Li, I guess we’re thinking the same thing.”
Sealing himself off might be a good outcome for everyone when it came to Yin Ren.
“The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi sealed six Evil Spirits. I have never had doubts about this historical event.” Li Nian sat motionless in his chair and lowered his gaze slightly. “Even if it’s possible for one person to subdue countless evil beings, or even if those evil beings were helping him, it’s an exaggeration to say that ants can kill elephants.”
“Zhong Yi is definitely a very powerful evil. According to records, his strength is at least on par with or even greater than the Evil Force.”
“I know what you want to say—regardless of what kind of species Yin Ren is, his danger is no less than the Evil Force.” Fu Xingchuan pointed to Yellow Millet, who was peeking over the pillow, and it quickly scurried back under.
“There is no record of why Huajisi didn’t leave any information about Zhong Yi or why the Great Celestial Master was sealed for a thousand years. To trust an evil after only a few months of contact is too risky.”
Professor Li remained calm and composed.
“The current situation might not be a bad thing—Sunken Society has already reached interstitial space, so it would be nice to have fewer ‘unknown forces’ to worry about.”
“I’m just thinking, he has the ability to seal himself off and even break free, but still… Yin Ren is a very emotional and loyal person. Now I understand why the Fu family admired Zhong Yi so much,” Fu Xingchuan said softly.
“Now that Yin Ren has sealed himself off, and Zhong Chengshuo is dead, we can put the investigation aside for now. As for comforting the family, we’ll just follow Zhong Chengshuo’s own arrangements…”
After their musing, Fu Xingchuan put on a serious expression and intended to discuss important matters with Professor Li. Suddenly, he felt his pillow shake violently, and something shot out from underneath.
A loud bang shortly followed.
The flying Yellow Millet had smashed open half of the door of the isolation ward. Fu Xingchuan frowned and was about to perform a spell, but his gaze froze.
On the other side of the broken door, there was a familiar face.
The “emotional and loyal” Yin Ren was standing outside the door with a smile on his face, but his smile was a bit…no, very stiff. Yellow Millet was sticking to Yin Ren’s chest and making soft, puffing noises.
Fu Xingchuan: “…”
He stiffly turned his head to look at Li Nian, whose eyes widened slightly in rare surprise.
Oh no, it’s not an illusion.
‘Truly you can’t trust an evil being’s words,’ Fu Xingchuan thought blankly. Not to mention sealing himself off, Yin Ren’s skin looked radiant, and his hair was silky smooth—his condition was much better than before.
Fu Xingchuan straightened up solemnly, and he decided to find a serious expression in his head to at least calm the situation down—but as he moved, his angle changed, and he saw another familiar face behind Yin Ren.
Zhong Chengshuo stood expressionlessly behind Yin Ren with his hollow black eyes without focus.
Fu Xingchuan laid down.
Since the appearance of the small Divine Descent, this #1 Ghost General had been working tirelessly, yet his spirit had never been as exhausted as it was now.
Forget it, let’s talk while lying down. Anyway, he couldn’t win in a fight, and he didn’t feel like fooling around anymore. Fu Xingchuan even slowly turned over, leaving his back to Yin Ren outside the door.
Yin Ren: “……”
In the end, it was Li Nian who spoke, but the person he spoke to was Zhong Chengshuo. “What’s your situation?”
Zhong Chengshuo glanced at Yin Ren, maintaining his expressionless state, and responded with a calm, AI-like tone. “I am a flesh puppet created by Yin Ren to take care of the two Zhong elders and help them live out their later years in peace.”
After speaking, he even bowed properly.
Yin Ren quickly switched to a mournful tone and added, “That’s right. Zhong Chengshuo’s sudden departure was too abrupt, and I also wanted to use him to help me cope.”
“You’re saying this is a spirit weapon?” Li Nian frowned, completely ignoring the deep sadness.
As a result, Professor Li waited for a while but didn’t get a response from his partner. Li Nian turned around and saw that Fu Xingchuan was resolutely playing dead, facing away from them.
Without hesitation, Professor Li pinched him.
Fu Xingchuan squirmed in his blanket for a while before saying softly, “It’s hard to investigate these flesh puppets. Naturally the things made by the Great Celestial Master can certainly pass as genuine. If we want to check properly, we need to completely dismantle the flesh puppet.”
‘”Protocol”. Is this word even relevant in this room?,’ Fu Xingchuan thought mournfully.
Whether or not they could dismantle the flesh puppet depended on Yin Ren—to be honest, Fu Xingchuan had no interest in this so-called flesh puppet. With nuclear warhead Yin Ren right in front of them, it wasn’t necessary to worry about whether the warhead had been poisoned or not.
“No need to dismantle it.” Sure enough, Yin Ren quickly spoke up. “I can guarantee that as long as we’re inside Shian, I’ll be with him all the time, and won’t let him wander around on his own.”
Finally, Fu Xingchuan slowly sat up again with an expression that was hard to describe.
“You want to go back to Shian? I’ve already written your death report.” Fu Xingchuan looked melancholy. “It’s not impossible, but at least explain the situation first.”
After living for more than forty years, Fu Xingchuan suddenly felt that his life was really heavy, and he was afraid that even after death, he would have to carry a tombstone made of lead. The Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi was indeed a very emotional and loyal person, but his temperament was a bit too much, making it really difficult to judge.
For example, at this moment, Yin Ren instinctively grabbed the hand of the flesh puppet and held its fingers tightly.
It’s hard to say whether this was pitiful or creepy.
……
Under the abandoned building, Sunken Society Haigu Branch.
The stronghold in the interstitial space was mostly destroyed, and the other half was completely cut off from the original space, hidden in the vast expanse of interstitial spaces. Unless Shian could find a “Charon” who was proficient in breaking open space, they would never be able to dig here.
Shian did have a Charon named “Jiao Lian”, but she had long been disabled and was no longer a threat.
With the loss of the underground corpse vault, the Haigu Branch suffered heavy losses. However, the members coming and going in the stronghold had no worries on their faces. Instead, they showed a subtle excitement—
“Minister Shen has sent a signal!”
The group rushed towards the surface, their faces flushing.
“Quick, inform Boss Wei. Minister Shen is coming back early. He said next week, but he’s coming back early!”
Their destination was the deepest part of the Haigu Branch, almost as deep as the underground corpse vault.
Before the split in the interstitial space, along with the underground corpse vault, these two parts formed a perfect inverted pyramid structure, connected to form two sharp peaks. Now that half of the underground corpse vault was gone, the only thing left was the “brain door”.
The group of people in white coats hurriedly rushed towards the underground. They crossed the equally complex, infinite corridors and reached the deepest part.
There were no doors here; only a vast and empty darkness.
In the darkness, there stood an old-fashioned, dark white “city gate” about three meters high. There were no walls on either side, nor anything behind it, and it was only as thick as a hair.
The team cautiously stopped ten steps away from the gate.
At this distance, they could clearly see the brain-like structure on the city gate—or rather, it was a genuine brain. Hundreds of brains were interconnected, emitting a faint shimmer under the illumination.
The capillaries on their surface were semi-transparent black, and their orange-like convolutions were twisted and distorted.
Under the cover of the black blood vessels, hundreds of brains emitted soft squeezing sounds, twitching and trembling non-stop. Countless soft tubes were inserted into these brains, tangled like a snake, extending in the darkness and leading to machines placed in all directions.
As long as he didn’t turn around, he could treat that voice as an illusion and hold onto the positivity and relief he felt just a few minutes ago.
The terrible evil hadn’t let him go—it patted Huang Jin’s shoulder with one hand, and Yin Ren’s tone became gentler. “I actually wanted to visit you first, but now I don’t have to. Do you know where Fu Xingchuan is?”
Yin Ren’s hand lightly pressed on Huang Jin’s shoulder, and Huang Jin could feel the lingering Evil Force within him being quickly suppressed and drained. The coldness in his organs faded away, replaced by a warm flow like some kind of healing magic.
Thanks. Huang Jin painfully closed his eyes, realizing his full salary sick leave was being shortened again.
He tremblingly leaned on the IV stand, struggling to turn and face Yin Ren.
“I don’t know where Fu Xingchuan is,” Huang Jin said dreamily.
Yin Ren was still dressed in Zhong Chengshuo’s clothes, and his long hair was casually tied back behind his head. The warm sunlight slanted down, neutralizing the eerie atmosphere in Yin Ren’s eyes, giving him a look of classical beauty.
But in Huang Jin’s eyes, the mosaic was still there, appearing a lot calmer than before, without any signs of weakness.
And not far from him, there was another person standing. That person’s footsteps were as light as if they had pads on their feet, and Huang Jin hadn’t noticed them earlier.
The familiar pattern operated, and the familiar edge “diffused” into a fuzzy state. Huang Jin stared blankly at the person, only to see a thought slowly rolling by. “Is today a supermarket member day? I remember beef is 20% off. I can make some fresh beef slices on the weekend.”
People’s thoughts were like fingerprints—similar at first glance but with significant differences in features.
Huang Jin remembered this thought pattern, and this thought pattern belonged to a dead person.
Zhong Chengshuo.
So that’s it. Huang Jin thought peacefully. I’m dreaming. Now everything makes sense!
Thinking of this, even a smile like a stone Buddha statue appeared on his face.
Yin Ren saw through him but didn’t expose him. “Scared you? This is my flesh puppet. I found Zhong Ge… a part of Zhong Ge there.”
Although Yin Ren knew Huang Jin couldn’t see his expression, he still faithfully sprinkled sadness around.
Huang Jin’s eyes were blank.
What are you talking about? A flesh puppet can’t think.
Yin Ren sorrowfully stroked the face of the “flesh puppet”.
And the thoughts of the Zhong Chengshuo-brand “flesh puppet” shifted to “Oh right, Yin Ren likes to eat beef dumplings. We should buy more scallions and ginger when we go back.” and “We can make some extra and give it to the elders.”
“I can only bring him back this way.” Yin Ren lightly touched Zhong Chengshuo’s face. He “put on a forced smile” and said, “His parents are both criminal police officers, and a tangible ‘illusion’ is more reliable. It’s also more comforting.”
Huang Jin: “…” This dream was too weird that he couldn’t understand it.
Comrade Huang Jin stood like a statue in place.
Yin Ren let go of Zhong Chengshuo’s face and took two steps forward, pressing both hands on Huang Jin’s shoulders, adding a little force. “Huang Jin, with your expertise as a spirit smith, this is still qualified to be considered a flesh puppet.”
He spoke very slowly, with an extremely sad tone that made listeners feel heartbroken and brought tears to their eyes.
Huang Jin really did feel like crying.
Yin Ren’s pressure on his shoulder was neither light nor heavy, making him shudder. The pain was so real that Huang Jin couldn’t deceive himself any longer.
The gruesome scene of Zhong Chengshuo’s head being blown off was still vivid in his mind, while the “Zhong Chengshuo” with a complete thought process in front of him was contemplating ten different ways to wrap beef dumplings and his exact division of labor with Yin Ren. This scene was so fragmented that Huang Jin couldn’t comprehend it.
He foolishly stuttered a few “ahs” with empty eyes.
Yin Ren didn’t let go of Huang Jin, and his words became even more solemn and slow. “Do you really have no suggestions for my flesh puppet?”
Huang Jin: “Uh…um…”
“Great. If there are any shortcomings in the future, I’ll come to you for advice first.” Yin Ren forced a smile.
Huang Jin’s eyes were numb as they shifted, and his pupils suddenly shrank.
Wait a minute.
Regardless of what this Zhong Chengshuo was, he was definitely not a flesh puppet. Yin Ren dared to bring him back so brazenly, indicating that this thing was either Zhong Chengshuo himself or a creature that couldn’t be detected like Yin Ren.
Either situation was terrifying. Yin Ren came to find him specifically, probably to give him a heads-up.
Anyway, he was stuck dealing with these two scourges! As a small fry, he shouldn’t get involved in the fights of the gods.
Huang Jin wilted like a dying flower in the scorching sun. “Um, this, ahem, flesh puppet is perfect. I have nothing to add…”
It’s up to you to reveal the truth, Minister Fu. Huang Jin thought to himself.
“Good.”
Yin Ren not only didn’t leave, but his hands tightened even more.
“What about your wish?”
Huang Jin almost blurted out, “Can I never see you guys again?”, but he instinctively closed his mouth.
He couldn’t make wishes casually. If he had to make one, it must be within human capabilities.
Otherwise, he would be “followed” by “certain things”, which may not be a good thing.
…If he wished for wealth and riches right now, perhaps Yin Ren could really figure out a way to make it happen. With the bottomless power of this evil, producing some mystical treasures was probably not a problem.
Thinking about the wish, Huang Jin quickly became focused, and his limbs weren’t as stiff as before.
“Can I really make a wish?” He swallowed his saliva.
“Mm, I found him.” Yin Ren smirked. “We had a deal.”
Fear, numbness, desire, tension… Countless emotions pelted Huang Jin like hail.
He wanted to wish for money—to escape from everything and live a carefree life.
The idea buzzed in his head like a hornet’s nest. As long as he had a lot of wealth, he could spend his life in anonymity and comfort.
“Remember. Be cautious when making a wish,” Yin Ren answered softly. “I will only help you realize it, and I am not responsible for after-sales.”
Huang Jin looked at Yin Ren’s distorted mosaic, and suddenly became a little sober.
No matter how powerful an otherworldly evil was, it couldn’t alter the digits in a bank account. Even if it could, banks had skilled technicians and lawyers who could track the money. And if Huang Jin couldn’t explain where the money came from, he could get into trouble.
No matter whether it was a large amount of gold that Yin Ren offered him or some rare treasures to sell, with the advanced technology of modern times, anyone with a will could trace the whereabouts of the money. Whether he could protect himself when that happened was another question.
Unless the amount wasn’t too large, in the range of several million or tens of millions, at least it wouldn’t alarm those big shots. But if that were the case, this hard-won opportunity would lose its meaning.
Not everyone had the opportunity to make a wish to a “relatively friendly” evil.
Wishes must be made cautiously, and one shouldn’t be too greedy*.
*Beware of a snake’s stomach being too small for its prey (切忌人心不足蛇吞象) Idiom referring to one should not be too greedy or overreach oneself.
Huang Jin bit his nails.
Yin Ren let go of Huang Jin’s shoulder. “If you can’t think of anything, I’ll put it on credit for now and pay it off later.”
“Heal Ding Lizi’s eyesight, without leaving any other effects,” Huang Jin said.
Yin Ren was slightly stunned.
“Are you sure?” he said seriously.
“Yeah.” Huang Jin scratched his head. “I’ve thought about it, and this is the best wish.”
Under the thick mosaic, Yin Ren’s eyes and eyebrows curved, and he clicked his tongue twice. “I see. You rest, I’ll go find Fu Xingchuan myself.”
“Wait!”
Yin Ren had just taken a few steps when Huang Jin called out to him from behind.
Is he regretting it? Yin Ren raised his eyebrows and turned around.
“Don’t tell her that I made the wish. Just say that Shian found a treatment plan,” Huang Jin stared at the floor crack. “And please symbolically charge her some money. Thank you.”
“Huang Jin.”
“What?”
“Did I ever tell you that you might make a big achievement in the future?”
“No, you didn’t!” Huang Jin forgot about going to the toilet and started limping towards the ward. “Ah, what did you say just now? I didn’t hear anything…”
……
“The spatial partitioning is complete. According to the plan, we abandoned half of the base as a transition space and used it as a barrier layer. Theoretically, Shian can’t detect the remaining half. After careful processing, the base can still be used.”
Wei Huaqian returned to the top floor of the luxurious hotel.
He savored the liquid in the wine glass while listening to the incessant report in the communication line.
“The materials in the corpse vault are almost all destroyed, leaving only digital samples. There is no loss in the research data, but if there are to be any sacrificial activities in the future…”
Wei Huaqian moved his finger and cut off the line.
“Has the Minister of Technology returned from his investigation?” Wei Huaqian asked the newly cut line.
“Reporting, no. According to the current progress, Minister Shen and his team will not be able to return until next week.”
“I see.”
“Regarding the loss of sacrificial materials…” the voice on the other end trailed off.
“I’ll figure out a way,” Wei Huaqian replied impatiently and cut off the line again.
The large hotel room suddenly became quiet. The top-level manager of Sunken Society didn’t move, staring at the shaking wine in the glass.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone was knocking on the door. The sound was very light, and the interval was exactly the same.
“Come in,” Wei Huaqian said in a flat tone.
Click.
The soundproof and tightly locked door was pushed open by someone.
The man who came in was wearing a black coat and old-fashioned cloth shoes. He looked around forty, with a bald head. This person should have had a round and cheerful face, but he was so thin that he looked disfigured, matched with two huge bags under his eyes, and his face looked gray and harsh.
The man sat opposite Wei Huaqian, panting heavily, and his throat made a heavy sound of phlegm. Even through the fabric, one could see the sharp corners of his bones, making him seem like a shriveled, dry leaf that could be blown away with just a breath.
“It’s really not easy to see you. After so many years of cooperation, I don’t even know what your organization is called,” the man said.
Wei Huaqian stood up and poured him a glass of wine.
“This is the first time I’ve seen ‘you’. What should I call you?”
“My surname is Le, just call me Lao Le.”
Lao Le wrinkled his face and showed a bitter smile, not saying anything more. Wei Huaqian didn’t know if he didn’t understand his sarcasm or pretended not to understand.
Wei Huaqian’s gaze moved from Lao Le’s gray hair to his dusty cloth shoes.
“You have shown your face, which is considered a gesture of goodwill. Our branch suffered heavy losses this time. We hope that your side can provide some support in terms of sacrificial materials.”
Mr. Le looked at him bitterly. “There was a small Divine Descent in your base, and the remnants left behind are enough to use.”
“That’s the second thing I want to say—with all this commotion, our base’s location has been exposed to Shian. Whatever the minor Divine Descent left behind has fallen into the hands of Shian. Their elites have not been harmed but have gained a large amount of data.”
“I had to divide the territory in half, allowing those hypocrites from Shian to think they found the complete Haigu stronghold. Before we transfer to the backup stronghold, we can only play in the dark like this.”
He paused meaningfully for a moment.
“We couldn’t get the things we needed and instead added a lot of risks. If your side still wants to continue funding the research, you’ll have to show more sincerity.”
Mr. Le sighed loudly, wheezing for a while before turning his cloudy eyes to him. “Your research cannot stop. We can help you find another safe interstitial space, like before. As for the materials…”
He grabbed his hair in distress. “We don’t have much on our hands either. So, for the next six months, we will compensate you with six tons of Evil Force corruption sources—the high-quality type…yes, yes… it’ll be free.”
Wei Huaqian instinctively wanted to raise the price, but at this moment, a subtle sense of satisfaction and happiness rose from the bottom of his heart.
Enough. He made a lot of money. He needed to celebrate this successful negotiation. With six tons of Evil Force corruption sources, he didn’t know how much material he could produce from it. This made him truly happy…
It wasn’t until Mr. Le left coughing that Wei Huaqian realized that this compensation was almost worthless—the other side was willing to provide Evil Force corruption sources just to invest in the human experiments conducted by Sunken Society. The money collected wasn’t much to begin with.
That mysterious organization had only agreed to help them find a new place—but Sunken Society had already prepared a backup stronghold, so this “assistance” wasn’t substantive.
Wei Huaqian’s face turned black like the bottom of a pot.
This negotiation wasn’t even worth being called a negotiation; it was more like a scam. But when Mr. Le spoke, he genuinely felt excited and satisfied from the bottom of his heart.
And when he tried to recall Mr. Le’s face, he could only remember a blank space.
“Damn it.” Wei Huaqian gritted his teeth and cursed.
Forget it. For the sake of their goal, he would endure it.
……
At the same time, in Haigu Municipal Hospital.
After wandering around, Yin Ren finally found Fu Xingchuan’s ward. Fu Xingchuan had a leg injury even before the incident, and unlike Huang Jin, he was someone who knew about Yin Ren’s “self-sealing”.
Yin Ren hesitated for a moment, and the corners of his mouth drooped involuntarily.
“It’s over, it’s over.” The former Great Celestial Master was full of pain. “I gave him such a big melodrama. Even if I know how to explain it, it’s still too embarrassing!”
It’s just like if Romeo announced the death of Juliet, declared he was going to commit suicide, and then went home as if nothing had happened.
He needed to brew his emotions and adjust his state of mind. Moreover, he needed to be careful in his approach. In case Fu Xingchuan was seriously injured and weak, he might startle him…
“Puff—Puffffff—!!!”
As Yin Ren was contemplating, a shrill scream accompanied by a loud bang echoed, and a colorful ball smashed through the door, pouncing straight onto his chest.
Through the broken door, Yin Ren quickly scanned the area and locked eyes with Professor Li Nian along with Fu Xingchuan, who was lying on the bed.
Yin Ren: “……”
Fu Xingchuan and Li Nian: “……”
The “flesh puppet”, Zhong Chengshuo, had a serious face on while quietly taking half a step back.
The author has something to say:
Fu Xingchuan immediately set his new mobile phone ringtone: I don’t believe you asshole, you old rascal*.mp3
*This comes from an internet meme that refers to not believing what someone is saying. It spawned from a clip of a food delivery boy who took a short video and said this sentence, which was later made popular by netizens.
Kinky Thoughts:
You know, a lot of people don’t seem to like Huang Jin, but I feel for him. Poor guy is constantly met with misfortune in life, and he’s the only one (besides Fu Xingchuan) who somewhat knows the truth about Yin Ren (and also Zhong Chengshuo).
As Zhong Youde spoke, Zhong Chengshuo was calmly picking up garlic vegetables stir-fried and chewing them in small bites.
Half of the dishes on the dinner table were missing, and all kinds of aromas were mixed together. There were smiles on the faces of the two elders, as if they were treating it as an amusing little matter.
Yin Ren almost choked on his beer and had to hold back from coughing.
“Did you make a wish?” he asked, pretending everything was normal.
“How could we? We’re both too old to be fooling around like children.”
Cheng Xuehua laughed, making her wrinkles gather as she did. She had cut her hair short and dyed it black to look younger than her actual age.
“It must be that I told him that it was for the birthday boy to make a wish, and we didn’t want to interfere.”
Zhong Chengshuo continued chewing on his vegetables as if it had nothing to do with him.
“Really?” Yin Ren began to suspect something was amiss.
Seeing Yin Ren had a strange reaction, the two elders looked at each other.
“What happened at the time—I went to answer the phone after I finished speaking. Lao Zhong, you didn’t really make a wish, did you?”
“Isn’t this a way to get closer to children?” Zhong Youde was slightly drunk, shaking his head, “Xuehua’er*, you were too stubborn back then, so I was a bit more lax…”
*Adding an [er] (儿) to the end of a name when used as an address is a common way to express endearment towards that person.
Cheng Xuehua clicked her tongue and took the wine bottle away. “After drinking just two sips, you can’t even remember your own name. Cut it out.”
“What did you wish for, uncle?” Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo from the corner of his eyes and asked while still smiling.
Comrade Xiao Zhong was undoubtedly aware of Yin Ren’s gaze. He thought for a moment, then pushed the garlic vegetables in front of Yin Ren.
Zhong Youde was about to answer, but then something seemed to occur to him, and his expression became somewhat gloomy. Seeing her husband’s expression, Cheng Xuehua’s face suddenly became serious. “Lao Zhong, what did you say at that time?”
“It was nothing,” Zhong Youde said, shrugging his neck. “I couldn’t deceive the child. At that time, Xiao Zhong was so insistent, so I said, Dad will make a wish with you. At that time, we couldn’t let go of that case…”
“Zhong Youde!” Cheng Xuehua called out her husband’s full name.
“I, ahem, I just said that, ‘Daddy and Mommy hope to find your sister soon.’ Our son was so young and hadn’t heard about the case, so I just mentioned it briefly.”
Cheng Xuehua opened her mouth but only sighed. “You…”
Zhong Youde scratched his head and handed Cheng Xuehua an egg. “Don’t be mad.”
Yin Ren timely changed the topic. “Uncle and Auntie, shall we stay here tonight? We’ve just finished dinner, so let’s clean up the guest room. We haven’t seen each other for so long, let’s spend some more time together.”
Cheng Xuehua’s displeasure disappeared instantly. “Ah, that sounds good!”
The guest room in the elder couple’s house wasn’t big, with only a bed and a wardrobe, and the bedside table was squeezed into a small gap. When Yin Ren closed the door, it made the space even more cramped.
Zhong Chengshuo sat on the bed with his hands on his knees, innocently looking at Yin Ren. He wasn’t wearing his glasses now, which made him look even more innocent.
“…So you investigated the Divine Descent because of your sister. And you investigated your sister’s case just because your father made a wish on your birthday?” Yin Ren cut to the chase.
“That’s right.”
Without explaining or using ambiguous words, Zhong Chengshuo answered directly. He even seemed to wonder why he was being asked such a simple question, making Yin Ren speechless.
Since elementary school, Zhong Chengshuo had been conducting outrageous investigations. On the one hand, he transformed into “King Yama” and slew evil spirits to accumulate funds, while on the other hand, he was studying the “Divine Descent”, a huge topic that even Shian couldn’t handle. He even took the risk of exposing his own anomalies and joined Shian to gather more intelligence.
And all of this was just because his “sister”, whom he had never met, went missing during the Divine Descent.
This was already ridiculous enough, but it could still be explained by the desire to “repay his foster parents”.
But the reason this person started investigating in the first place was only because of a joke-like wish made by his adoptive father… And all of this investigation still hadn’t stopped to this day, all for the cost of a cake.
Sometimes Yin Ren really couldn’t tell if Zhong Chengshuo was too smart for his own good or if he was really a bit foolish.
When he was the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi, he also listened to all kinds of wishes.
When faced with someone much stronger than themselves, many people liked to make wishes, from small things like stealing chickens from one’s neighbor to grander things like destiny and their future—Yin Ren didn’t know how many wishes he had heard.
And yet, those were just wishes.
As for him, he helped as much as he could, and if he couldn’t, he would tell them straight up. He had too few contacts, and compared to listening to wishes from a higher position, he believed his approach was more like “helping neighbors”. People gave him daily necessities and food, and he sold his strength in return. It was a fair exchange.
This was how he, as a “person”, perceived things. Even if he lived like an Evil Spirit, he was a child born of humans. His physique prevented him from belonging to the human world, but he still yearned for the sights and sounds of the other side.
The problem was, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t care about any of that.
…So where did Zhong Chengshuo’s idea of “fulfilling other people’s wishes” come from?
Yin Ren reached out and cupped Zhong Chengshuo’s face. Zhong Chengshuo blinked and lifted his head to cooperate.
“Why?” Yin Ren’s voice was a bit hoarse.
Zhong Chengshuo clearly understood the question. He smiled very slowly, and his black eyes were still dim.
“Because everyone thinks this way,” he said. “People offer sacrifices to gods, and gods fulfill their wishes.”
Yin Ren’s palm was as cold as ice. “You said before that you didn’t know what you were.”
“That’s right, I don’t know.” Zhong Chengshuo tilted his head slightly and leaned against Yin Ren’s palm. “But this ‘concept’ has been acknowledged by someone before. So even if I do become a human, I still have to keep the promise.”
Someone had acknowledged it before.
In other words, before Zhong Chengshuo’s elementary school days, someone had acknowledged it.
“How long ago was that?” Yin Ren subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
“I don’t know. Actually, I’m quite interested in myself.” There was a hint of anticipation in Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes. “Now we can study each other to our heart’s content, Yin Ren.”
Yin Ren: “……”
Just when he thought he wouldn’t be surprised by any weirder things, Zhong Chengshuo always managed to surprise him.
Perhaps Yin Ren’s expression was too serious that Zhong Chengshuo’s face went from expectant to uncertain, and then to a slight nervousness. He stared at Yin Ren’s face fixedly without blinking.
“I have confirmed that except for being particularly healthy and having good physical fitness, I am no different from an ordinary person.”
Zhong Chengshuo sincerely added, “There’s nothing special about me, and I will bleed if I am injured. I have always guessed that if I were fatally injured at the human level, I would also die.”
Maintaining the posture of holding each other’s faces with both hands, Yin Ren leaned down. His smooth black hair slid down Zhong Chengshuo’s shirt as he spoke, swaying gently.
It was a kiss.
“I understand,” Yin Ren said gloomily. “The secret of the degree of marriage you mentioned refers to the difficulty of obtaining a marriage license, right?”
With his own situation already unclear and coupled with the even more unpredictable Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren was already worried for the people of Shian.
Zhong Chengshuo hesitated for a moment before reaching out his hand, then held Yin Ren’s waist with bated breath and focused attention.
He rested his forehead on Yin Ren’s chest, visibly relaxing his body.
“It seems that this time, we can’t avoid returning to Shian.”
Yin Ren stroked Zhong Chengshuo’s nape, and the soft hair brushed through his fingers.
The level of trouble with the current problem wasn’t something they could solve on their own. Compared to the infinite unknowns in front of them, the mediocre card of the “Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi” should be played out.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
“Xiao Yin, Xiao Zhong, do you want some fruit?” Zhong Youde cautiously greeted them from outside the door. “Dad just peeled some pomegranates, and the seeds are soft.”
“We’re coming!” Yin Ren replied loudly, then turned to see that Zhong Chengshuo had already gone to the closet to look for a nightcap.
The Ghost King couldn’t help but smile.
Oh well, the truth had been exposed. The real body of the sniper appeared, leaving many clues pointing to the Other Side—they had already caught a glimpse of the truth.
Zhong Chengshuo was still Zhong Chengshuo, and life had to go on.
The origin of the Divine Descent and Evil Spirits, the truth of the Other Side, and his mysterious lover. Let them unravel these mysteries one by one.
……
When Huang Jin woke up again, he saw the pale ceiling of the hospital.
His whole body felt like it had been run over by a truck, and every joint in his body creaked when he moved. Huang Jin nervously raised his head—luckily, his limbs were still intact and he hadn’t turned into a mutant or become disabled.
Huang Jin laid heavily back on his pillow.
This was a single-person ward, and his field of vision was filled with lightly colored IV drips. The palm of his hand, which had been cut open during the battle, was wrapped in thick gauze, and it was both painful and itchy. However, based on Huang Jin’s experience with injuries, this was already the result of scientific and metaphysical dual treatment.
They had come into close contact with a high concentration of Evil Force corruption, and just dealing with the contamination had probably exhausted all the efforts of the black seals of Shian. If they had left it alone, not only would his wound not heal, but it might even twist into a mouth.
Huang Jin grinned self-deprecatingly and struggled to recall his recent memories…
He remembered Fu Xingchuan repeatedly using sealing techniques to reinforce the flesh walls, and soon there was no place to apply his own tranquility talismans. He didn’t know what was happening outside, but the flesh walls they were in shook violently.
Although the flesh was relatively soft, it was still very dangerous. Lu Xiaohe came up with a clever idea and had everyone take off their jackets and tear them into strips to tie everyone together.
No one cared about gender differences, and everyone hugged tightly together. Within the spinning and swirling flesh cavity, Huang Jin quickly lost consciousness.
Since he had woken up, things were probably not too bad for the others.
Huang Jin instinctively breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt uneasy about it.
He chewed on the short few seconds of the outbreak of Evil Force, and the miraculous cooperation of the group. If he had been alone in that situation, he would have lost all his bones long ago.
This feeling of having support behind him was a bit exhilarating.
Huang Jin struggled to twist and finally sat up halfway at the head of the bed. Outside the window, it was already bright daylight, and the leaves had been dyed golden-red by autumn.
Maybe he shouldn’t have been so hostile to Shian… Even if they were sometimes excessive, they were the most reliable organization for metaphysicians. Maybe if he accepted this job, set his mind straight, his life would be more comfortable.
After this battle, it showed that his tranquility talismans were truly effective. Maybe he could use this to negotiate a raise?
Lu Xiaohe and Ge Tingting were also good partners. They had formed a bond through life and death, and it would be easy to get along with them in the future.
And… and King Yama was already dead, and according to Fu Xingchuan, Yin Ren, that monster, had also “died”. Although it was sad, without these two big obstacles, their future tasks would definitely be much more normal.
Next, even if the sky fell, it had nothing to do with their small C-level investigation team.
From today on, he would embrace life with optimism, and a peaceful life was ahead!
He had been on the IV drip for too long, and his bladder couldn’t take it anymore. Huang Jin took a few deep breaths and decided to solve the problem himself. He reluctantly got out of bed, propped up the IV pole, and planned to go to the bathroom.
This was Shian’s special campus, and the birds were singing outside. Huang Jin held the IV pole and basked in the sunshine of the corridor. The temperature was just right, and the air was filled with a sense of release.
Footsteps sounded behind him, and they sounded like those of a man.
It was probably a hospital staff member, so Huang Jin didn’t turn around and continued to feel the first ray of sunshine in his new life.
“Huang Jin, are you okay? That’s really great.”
A familiar voice sounded from behind him. The voice was soft and pleasant, and Huang Jin recognized it even if he turned to ashes.
Yin Ren.
Comrade Huang Jin’s face turned pale, and the warmth of the sun just now turned into ice and snow. His whole body was stiff, and he couldn’t move at all.
Although it was a bit immoral to say so, Fu Xingchuan had said it himself—Yin Ren was already dead! How could an evil die once and then become an evil again? What exactly was Yin Ren—some kind of evil matryoshka doll?
Fuck Shian, the world is really going to be destroyed!
The author has something to say:
The three-day period is up, and the Ghost King returns!
Yin Ren posed the question, but unfortunately, it didn’t successfully enter Zhong Chengshuo’s mind.
Unusually, Comrade Xiao Zhong was absent-minded.
The memories of the past three days kept spinning in his head, and Zhong Chengshuo found it hard to describe his feelings.
He had always been cautious, trying to minimize contact with others—just as bad habits could lead to disease and dirtiness, so could contact. Truthfully, Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t sure whether his condition could cause illness in ordinary people or what the consequences might be if they were infected.
All he could do was “raise” himself scientifically. Contact with people was too exhausting.
Perhaps due to his origins, Zhong Chengshuo had never had much sense of affiliation with “humanity”, let alone emotional needs. He knew very little about his physiological condition and had to be careful in every respect when he was in contact with his adoptive parents. Friends were naturally unnecessary, and he would never seek a romantic partner.
He had thought that he wouldn’t have any physiological desires—after all, he hadn’t even seen a member of his own kind.
Zhong Chengshuo had never thought that there would be a “person” who would instinctively make him wary, who was as afraid of the light as he was but attracted him in every way.
A few days ago, he felt more like a child who had never eaten ice cream.
Naturally, if he never tasted it, he wouldn’t crave it.
Sharing secrets with another person, creating secrets. The freshness of this “sharing” hadn’t yet passed, and it was an even greater shock.
‘What’s written in books wasn’t entirely right,’ Zhong Chengshuo thought.
If there was one word to describe the intermittent absurdity of the past, he would choose “safe”.
Even if this was the most dangerous situation of his human life.
Zhong Chengshuo’s fingers slid over the soft bundle of wings, passed over the firm and smooth skin, and finally delved into the fluttering wings. When Yin Ren breathed rapidly, those soft wings would tighten, and some would tremble slightly.
His monster accomplice was also unfamiliar, but extremely proficient in “how to adjust the state”. Yin Ren was still the calm Yin Ren. The Great Celestial Master of a thousand years ago, had never taken his eyes off him.
There was no infatuation or dissipation in those non-human red eyes; only the joy of being lost and found again, and a reassuring nonchalance.
But a strand of black hair always wound around his fingertips and never let go.
Perhaps they had never been so close to another person before. In their violent movements, there was tranquility. All uneasiness was expelled by those biting kisses, while worries faded by the skin sticking together, gradually disappearing without a trace. Zhong Chengshuo’s innate vigilance kept sounding the alarm until he became numb.
The only things left were desire and attachment.
Sensory and psychological stimulation hit at the same time, and Zhong Chengshuo didn’t want it to stop.
Inside the room, a sea of wings surged, and strange limbs that didn’t exist in the world passed over his fingers. Underneath his fingertips, there were slightly darkened, pale red marks. Yin Ren hung his head, and his soft hair scattered on Zhong Chengshuo’s chest.
For an Evil Spirit, his skin was slightly cool, probably specially controlled, and there was no sweat.
There was only Yin Ren’s strong and pleasant scent.
…And mint.
As the wings swayed and shook with the rhythm, Yin Ren involuntarily tightened his waist. He held a piece of mint facial tissue in his hand and had a smile on his face.
“You sweat just like a human.”
In his rapid breathing, the thousand-year-old Ghost King muttered in a low voice.
The slightly cool tissue gently swept up Zhong Chengshuo’s throat, all the way up. Compared to the hot skin, it was as cold as ice, licking away the sweat on his cheek.
The wing cluster on Zhong Chengshuo’s back swayed slightly, teasing and embracing at the same time. At that moment, Yin Ren bent down with difficulty, looking down at him, and that beautiful face was incredibly close.
His crimson eyes emitted a faint light, like wine shining by candlelight.
Zhong Chengshuo felt for the first time that this person’s beauty wasn’t simply attractive to mortals.
It was a shocking impact that belonged to him alone.
The last of the sweat was wiped away, and Yin Ren’s eyes curved with a smile. This time, the thing that brushed past his cheek was Yin Ren’s hand, and although his body trembled, his movements were extremely gentle.
From his cheek to his throat, it returned to the position where Zhong Chengshuo’s head had been severed.
…The weakness was exposed, and the instinct sounded the alarm, but the fierce sense of security surged more and more, almost overwhelming Zhong Chengshuo.
This feeling might be what humans call “happiness”.
Zhong Chengshuo lay on his lover and carefully analyzed his memories.
And whenever he stopped to think like this, Yin Ren would always give him a kiss—whether he was naked or not.
“You were distracted just now.” Yin Ren pointed out seriously. “So do you have confidence in playing an illusion?”
He waved his hand, and a figure exactly like Zhong Chengshuo stood by the sofa. The illusion was dressed neatly, expressionless, and wearing the loose clothes that he often wore.
Zhong Chengshuo: “……”
Zhong Chengshuo looked at Yin Ren in amazement, and his ears were dyed pink again.
“Yes, I remember you very clearly.” Yin Ren didn’t blush at all. “Do you have any objections, Mr. Zhong?”
“I can simulate this state.” Zhong Chengshuo rubbed his ears and turned his gaze to the illusion. “But this is an illusion, right? Once I touch something, I might reveal the truth.”
Yin Ren chuckled, and his eyes crinkled in amusement.
“Do you remember the ‘flesh puppet’ made by Fang Yuanyuan?”
“The fake Fang Yuanyuan that was used to test employees’ adherence to the rules when we joined the company?” It took less than half a second for Zhong Chengshuo to recall. “I remember, it’s a type of spirit weapon. Its breathing and heartbeat are indistinguishable from a living person’s, and even ordinary evil creatures can’t tell the difference.”
It was something that only high-level spirit smiths could create, and as “King Yama” of the Nightwalkers, Zhong Chengshuo had heard of it.
“I am the Great Celestial Master of Huajisi. Even if I’m only a spirit smith, I can still do it. It takes about three days… Well, top-level spirit smiths can make this kind of flesh puppet in three to four days, so that’s about right.”
Looking at the phantom sitting on the sofa, Yin Ren quickly calculated in his mind.
Even though he had been hesitant about the idea of “self-sealing” and felt embarrassed about changing his mind, he still didn’t want to stay outside for too long.
When the Evil Force erupted, he left Yellow Millet outside and made all the necessary preparations. With the symbol array suppressing the area and the incident happening in the hospital, his colleagues wouldn’t be wiped out on the spot.
But corruption was still a possibility.
If those corruption weren’t handled properly, there might be after-effects. Putting aside unfulfilled wishes, at least they were colleagues, and he didn’t want Unit 9 to end up with disabilities.
Even if the worst-case scenario happened and both Fu Xingchuan and Unit 9 were in danger… the world wouldn’t be in chaos. As a force to be reckoned with, he had to be at the forefront of Shian.
……
That night, the two of them, dressed in the same clothes, knocked on the door of the Zhong elders.
The one who answered was Cheng Xuehua, and her expression of surprise turned into delight when she saw her son and his boyfriend at the same time.
“Oh my, why didn’t you give us a heads-up before you came?” Zhong Youde’s voice boomed like a bell. “Your mom and I were just making plain noodles… Wife, bring out the lamb and make some more. There’s still time!”
“No need to trouble yourselves. We can just order takeout.”
Yin Ren squeezed Zhong Chengshuo’s hand tightly when he smelled the familiar scent of smoke.
Looking at the intertwined fingers of the two, Cheng Xuehua smiled and said, “Why order takeout? The oil and ingredients used outside aren’t good, unlike the food made at home. I just tried cooking lamb the other day, and it’s delicious—you two don’t move and just wait to eat!”
The old lady took out a full glass container from the freezer, which looked like it had been prepared carefully for a long time, and the amount of food inside didn’t look like leftovers at all. Even in its frozen state, the tempting aroma of the meat whetted their appetite.
“What’s wrong with you, Xiao Zhong? Your phone has been off for days, and your dad was worried sick!” Cheng Xuehua scolded as she heated up the lamb, throwing a sharp look at Zhong Chengshuo.
“In these past few days, I didn’t have time to prepare my phone.”
The two suspects had colluded with each other, and Zhong Chengshuo gave a straight-forward answer.
“It was our fault that Yin Ren happened to be busy as well.”
Zhong Chengshuo silently took two steps back, partially shielding himself behind Yin Ren. Cheng Xuehua shook her head with a smile and resumed her busywork.
Yin Ren: “…”
Perhaps Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t noticed it, but since stepping into this house, he had become more ordinary than ordinary people.
“We’ve been really busy these past few days, and as soon as we’re free, we came to see you guys. It was Zhong Ge’s idea to give you two a surprise.”
“You have a sweet tongue, but too bad my son’s brain can’t think that far ahead.”
Cheng Xuehua covered the pot with a lid.
“Don’t cover for him next time. You young people are really…”
Yin Ren inwardly smiled bitterly. If he were to be completely honest about his and Zhong Chengshuo’s “real work” in front of the Zhong elders, the old lady might have a heart attack.
But he suddenly realized a benefit—before, he felt a bit guilty facing the Zhong elders, but now that he saw that Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t really human, he didn’t feel guilty anymore as an ancient evil eating young grass*.
*(吃嫩草) Idiom referring to an older person having a romantic relationship with a much younger person (usually it’s a negative connotation implying the older person is taking advantage of the younger one).
Yin Ren happily sat down.
Tonight’s dinner at the Zhong family went from “vegetable and egg noodles” to “braised lamb noodles with garlic stir-fried vegetables and green onion omelet with tofu”, and the small dining table was nearly full of dishes.
The braised lamb was red and shiny, tender, and fragrant. The green onions paired with the chewy hand-pulled noodles emitted a warm aroma that made people’s appetites soar.
“This lamb is especially delicious when freshly stewed,” Cheng Xuehua said, poking at the meat and sighing. “Next time, give us some advance notice.”
“Going back to work tomorrow?” Zhong Youde casually picked up the conversation, handing Yin Ren a bottle of beer. “You’ve been so busy. Hasn’t Shian given you any time off? I heard there was a big incident at the Municipal Hospital.”
“Yeah, we’re going back to work tomorrow.”
Yin Ren paused in opening his beer.
“Uncle, what did you hear?”
“Isn’t Lao Sun’s daughter at the hospital? That girl, Sun Qi’an, works there. You guys met her—she was on duty there recently, and there were a lot of people yelling about ghosts in the hospital. There were also many suspicious-looking people around the hospital, and their abandoned building even collapsed… It was a disaster.”
Zhong Youde took a few sips of beer.
“Fortunately, that building had been abandoned for a long time, and there weren’t any homeless people in the hospital. No one died. Shian has been investigating it, and there were no signs of you two anywhere, so I thought you might be on some secret mission there…”
Yin Ren tightly gripped his beer bottle, his eyes shining slightly. “No one died?”
“We weren’t involved in the hospital operation.” Zhong Chengshuo truthfully added.
“Right, I heard a few people were injured and treated on-site.” Zhong Youde breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s good as long as everyone’s safe… Yin Ren, let’s have a drink together!”
“Xiao Yin, what month is your birthday?” Cheng Xuehua smiled at the “elder and younger” pair. “Xiao Zhong’s is at the end of this month. It’s almost here. If it’s close, why not celebrate together and let Lao Zhong make a double-layer cake?”
“Twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month*.” Yin Ren smiled and looked at Zhong Cheng. “It’s still a bit far away.”
*Basically Chinese New Year’s Eve (which normally varies depending on the lunar calendar).
Zhong Chengshuo hummed lightly.
“Well, that’s a hassle. I’ll have to make two cakes.” Zhong Youde laughed loudly. “Did Zhong Chengshuo never tell you about his childhood? It’s quite interesting.”
This time, Yin Ren became genuinely interested. “His childhood?”
“Yes, my silly son’s first proper birthday party.”
Zhong Youde’s gaze stopped in the air; his face was slightly reddened from alcohol, and a hint of nostalgia appeared on his face.
“At that time, Zhong Chengshuo was so young… We thought, since he had just started first grade, let’s celebrate together and buy him a big cake. I’m ashamed to say that my wife and I hadn’t retired yet, and we hadn’t had much time to spend with him.”
The Ghost King listened with a smile, and a strand of long hair inadvertently draped over Zhong Chengshuo’s sleeve, wrapping around his arm.
“Then what happened?” Yin Ren asked eagerly.
“Then? Then we put candles on the cake and sang ‘Happy Birthday’. Do you know what his first reaction was?”
Zhong Youde chuckled.
“He asked very seriously, ‘Is this fresh milk, oil, sugar, and wheat for me?’ We said yes, and this kid still didn’t stop asking.”
“Then he asked, ‘Are these candles and the song for me too?’ My wife and I were amused and said yes, they’re all for you. Xiao Yin, can you guess how he responded?”
Zhong Youde put down his wine glass and laughed out loud.
“He said, ‘Okay, then you guys can make a wish.'”
The author has something to say:
When writing about Xiao Yin’s return, I suddenly remembered the story I had seen before about an “Indian couple jumping into the river for love, with one person faking the jump and the other knowing how to swim”…
After Xiao Yin and Xiao Zhong’s situation is revealed, I’m afraid it will become:
“Shian couple sealing their love by dying together, with one person faking death and the other not sealing.”
As the rear commander of the Emergency Management Department, Hao Wenzhe was closer to the “frontline” than ever before.
He was crouched in the flowerbed area next to the abandoned building.
This was a place for hospitalized patients to take a walk, with pretty good greenery and a small pavilion in the center. Now, in the misty night filled with evil qi, the once lush green plants had all turned gray and withered, becoming the perfect backdrop for a horror movie.
The pavilion was filled with equipment with screens, emitting countless bright lights that shone through the mist. In the midst of the fog, a person and a cat were nestled among the pile of equipment. Hao Wenzhe’s ten fingers flew in a blur while the cat rested its head on the machinery, with the data on the screen switching as fast as Hao Wenzhe’s fingers.
Thanks to the quick reaction of Shian and the assistance of Fu Xingchuan, the corruption of the Evil Force was all contained within the abandoned building.
Thanks to the sniper who tore open a gap and launched a surprise attack, while investigating the attacker, Shian had put in a lot of effort to improve their defense measures. This technique was still in the experimental stage, but it had to be used. Fortunately, the intensity of the Evil Force was still within a controllable range, and the readings in each area were relatively stable.
“Li Nian, the latest corruption distribution map has been uploaded. I’ve provided the predicted concentration flow, so you can plan accordingly.”
Hao Wenzhe spoke while his hands never stopped moving. There were a dozen hospital overhead views spread out in front of him, each with completely different patterns and labels.
The black cat continued to press its forehead against the computer case, occasionally adjusting the parameters on the map.
“Got it. Zhou Gong, weaken the defense by 17%, and pay attention to the operation of the evil spirits in all directions. Qiao Shang, your ghost soldiers should advance about twenty meters. The Evil Force near the abandoned building must be controlled. You guys know what to do for the rest.”
Li Nian gave the latest instructions within ten seconds.
However, Hao Wenzhe didn’t show a relaxed expression. They all knew that there was only one problem left.
During the second outbreak of the Evil Force, they completely lost contact with Fu Xingchuan and four other C-level investigators.
“This is not a typical Divine Descent.”
Hao Wenzhe muttered irritably.
“Divine Descents are one-time destruction. The Evil Force that erupted just now happened twice, with the second time being deliberately different from a Divine Descent.”
The black cat wagged its tail. “Yes, the first outbreak was completely consistent with the characteristics of a Divine Descent, but the second time was different.”
Hao Wenzhe nodded, his expression not looking too good.
Unusual changes in the data could only be caused by “external interference,” which could affect a Divine Descent—even if it was only a small Divine Descent—to an extent, the degree of danger was self-evident.
“What’s your opinion?” He glanced at the black cat from the corner of his eye.
“Two traces of spatial vibrations. The coordinates are within the gap.”
The tone of Dr. Cat was very confident, and it was unclear whether his confidence came from “the nature of cats” or “reserve knowledge”.
“One time was deeper, the other time was shallower. They must have actively partitioned the interstitial space… To be able to make such arrangements in the interstitial space—it’s most likely Sunken Society.”
Hao Wenzhe sighed.
No wonder they couldn’t find the base of Sunken Society. The interstitial space was like the “inner world” in many works, and unless it was specifically detected, there was basically no chance of finding any trace.
“But Sunken Society doesn’t need to use such radical measures to protect themselves if they can manipulate a Divine Descent. Don’t worry, they won’t be ahead of Shian by so much.”
The black cat twitched his ears.
“The problem is what is behind the Divine Descent. We need more detailed data—what is the probability of survival for those five humans inside?”
Hao Wenzhe didn’t answer.
Based on the concentration of the Evil Force inside the building, the probability of the five surviving was less than 0.01%.
……
The Evil Force swallowed everyone up in a matter of seconds.
Fu Xingchuan used all his strength, and the protective spells around him exploded like a bomb. Ge Tingting retrieved the piece of cloth with sealing magic on it and instinctively wrapped it around Fu Xingchuan. Lu Xiaohe hugged her laptop full of data to her chest, using her body to shield it.
Huang Jin tore open his wound, and his blood soaked the entire tranquility talisman.
A round and chubby yellow dumpling popped out of the coffin, making a reluctant high-pitch puff while sending the Corpse Cage towards Fu Tianyi.
Everything happened in just an instant.
The spell that exploded around Fu Xingchuan briefly pushed back the Evil Force that was about to burst forth. However, as he was protecting the other four, he was bound to be the first to come into contact with the torrent. At the same time, Ge Tingting retrieved the shroud made of the pieces of cloth with sealing magic and placed it in front of Fu Xingchuan.
Countless tranquility talismans simultaneously activated and flew around, rotating inside the protective spells. Under the excess of tranquility talismans, everyone’s heads felt like they were plunged into ice water.
In that icy calmness, even the corruption of the Evil Force weakened slightly.
In Fu Tianyi’s eyes, the Corpse Cage that Yellow Millet pushed forward seemed to fall in slow motion. The ugly corpse was pressing towards him, and Fu Tianyi only thought for half a second.
An unprecedented situation—this wasn’t a game; there was no support, no solution, and one wrong step would lead to a bottomless abyss. He had studied countless difficult cases in Shian, but none of them involved “directly confronting a Divine Descent”.
Countless complicated thoughts receded like the tide, leaving only a few words in his mind: “Do your best and obey destiny.”
Fu Tianyi held his breath. His blood seemed frozen, yet it burned fiercely. He instinctively opened his five fingers and activated the Corpse Cage.
“Hey!” At the same time the Corpse Cage was activated, Fu Tianyi roared.
Fu Xingchuan was the first to react.
He had already activated and was maintaining the shroud, so the rest was easy. Fu Xingchuan threw an “open” command, and the five of them entered the shroud together as one.
Ge Tingting reacted quickly. She twisted her hands, and just before being sucked into the shroud, the shroud accurately wrapped around the surface.
“Hold on!” Fu Xingchuan yelled at Fu Tianyi.
The #1 Ghost General bit his finger, and the blood turned into countless symbols, branded onto the flesh wall at an imperceptible speed.
That was the remaining seal isolation spell on the shroud.
One layer wasn’t enough. Countless blood curses deepened the spell again and again. Fu Xingchuan’s movements became more and more firm and proficient.
He looked once from the outside and remembered it.
Ge Tingting fell to the smelly flesh ground of the Corpse Cage, looking at Fu Xingchuan in a daze. Her face was pale and dirty, looking quite wretched. However, she slowly clenched her hand against the flesh wall, her eyes becoming more determined.
Lu Xiaohe and Huang Jin fell in the same place.
Lu Xiaohe was still protecting her laptop tightly, while Huang Jin stood up with great difficulty. His still bleeding hand inserted the improved tranquility talismans into the blank space like needles.
He looked dazed, and it was hard to tell if he was deeply thinking or just persisting.
The originally dry and dull flesh wall was soon covered with the blood charms of the two people. After a dozen seconds, the flood of Evil Force still didn’t rush in.
Fu Xingchuan used up his blood and started to use a slower but more secure cutting technique. The sealing magic was strengthened again, and the incomplete runes were immediately supplemented and adjusted by him, gradually glowing with a faint golden light.
Without Fu Xingchuan’s help, Fu Tianyi alone supported the operation of the Corse Cage.
Having been squeezed crazily by Yin Ren, he could really hold on at this moment—
At the edge of life and death, a little bit of brilliant light appeared in his eyes.
Outside, the strong Evil Force washed over the broken space and rushed into the gaps in the shroud on the Corpse Cage. The shroud touched the Evil Force and quickly melted and disintegrated, turning into black and red foam.
At the very end, the small, dark-green heart floated up. Its size was small enough to be wrapped in the shroud, and within the shroud, a faint radiance covered the heart. The small amount of Evil Force that had seeped in could only stay outside and couldn’t penetrate it.
The dark red shroud package swayed and was pushed by the flood of Evil Force, drifting towards the outside of the abandoned building.
……
A quiet street.
Yin Ren, who had changed his appearance, carried a suitcase—at this time, he was really afraid some enthusiastic citizens would call the police when they saw a suspicious man carrying an oversized suitcase alone.
Let alone Shian or Zhong Chengshuo, even the 1,000-year-old Ghost King himself couldn’t explain the situation, so it wasn’t really suitable to show his face.
He needed to find a place to rest, and then make plans.
However, they couldn’t afford a real set of clothes together. Hotels that required identification were definitely out of the question, and all-night restaurants and black Internet cafes were too eye-catching. Dog Thing was still playing dead beside him, and they couldn’t just go to a store and swipe their cards blatantly.
They needed… Wait, considering their current condition, it seemed they didn’t need too much food or supplies.
There was actually a place that was both concealed and they could obtain external information.
Yin Ren looked at the old city in front of him, his eyes lighting up. He grabbed his heavy suitcase and darted into a small alley in the old city.
Near Zhong Chengshuo’s secret base, the surveillance was still working diligently.
Yin Ren slipped into the basement, familiarly shutting the door. He leaned against the thick door panel and slid down to the ground.
Squeak.
Zhong Chengshuo opened the zipper of the suitcase from inside and sat up from the suitcase, clicking his joints.
The basement was brightly lit, causing Zhong Chengshuo to narrow his eyes while he silently looked at the familiar room. Everything was still the same; even the hidden door where he stored his diaries had been restored by Yin Ren.
He looked carefully at Yin Ren, who was lying at the door and covered in mystical red gauze, and then stood up a little awkwardly.
In his exhaustion, Yin Ren tried to observe his mysterious lover. Zhong Chengshuo walked to the corner shelf, took out two identical sets of shirts and casual pants, and thoughtfully attached disposable underwear.
Then Zhong Chengshuo took out a can of apple juice from the refrigerator, carefully wiped it with a wet towel, and handed it to Yin Ren with both hands. After completing all this, he took out the remaining wet wipes and tried to clean the dirt on Yin Ren’s skin.
Zhong Chengshuo seemed to be very familiar with this process. Five minutes later, the person who was wiped clean had returned to being Lord Ghost King.
The newly transformed Comrade Xiao Zhong extended his hand, which gave off a pleasant mint fragrance from the wet wipes. The force was just the right amount. The temperature of the other person’s fingers soaked through the wet wipes, giving the feeling like he was being licked.
That instinctive sense of rejection was resurrected, but compared to the last time, it seemed powerless to protest.
“How much… do you know about your own situation?”
After knowing that Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t an ordinary human, all the unnatural details suddenly made sense, such as his lack of emotions like fear, and his strange and isolated personality despite coming from a wholesome family.
After all, anti-social people would pretend to be amiable, but Zhong Chengshuo’s “unable to blend in” was in essence something even more abnormal.
The even more unusual Zhong Chengshuo silently folded the dirty wet wipe and replaced it with a clean one, carefully wiping Yin Ren’s collarbone.
“Previously, I have been investigating the Divine Descents and haven’t started to study myself yet,” Zhong Chengshuo said as he leaned closer, his breath spreading a little. “Until now, I have only confirmed one thing—I’m not affected by the influence of metaphysics, and the principle is no different from that of others.”
The warm, minty breath brushed on Yin Ren’s skin, and the warmth and coolness mixed together, causing a thin layer of goosebumps to form.
“I just happen to not believe in these things,” Zhong Chengshuo explained seriously. “If there is a curse in the cat population that says ‘if you don’t lick your paws three times a day, you will be bitten by a dog’, humans will find it difficult to empathize with it—it’s not a matter of belief or not, it’s more like it has nothing to do with me.”
Indeed, in many cases, being “indifferent” was further than “believing or not”.
Yin Ren took a sip of the apple juice, which had just the right sweetness and carried the unique sweet and sour aroma of apples.
“Is that all?” Yin Ren asked ambiguously after swallowing the juice.
Zhong Chengshuo’s movement stopped.
After a dozen seconds, he raised his head and said, “No… While studying the Divine Descent, I have actually been thinking about the difference between metaphysics and science.”
Yin Ren could hear a rare hint of cautiousness in his tone, like the sensitive nose of a wild beast ready to be touched.
Zhong Chengshuo was trying to open up to him.
Yin Ren remained motionless, and even his breathing became much steadier. “Go ahead.”
“There are two ways in which humans deal with fear,” Zhong Chengshuo said softly. “In the face of unknown fears, some people will explore and take the scientific path. However, humans are limited by time and lifespan. Whether it is the ‘right direction’ or the ‘nature of things’, it requires countless people to work tirelessly to explore. For individuals, this is an almost endless road.”
Although Yin Ren hadn’t been in this era for long, he could still understand these things.
He took another sip of apple juice and made a seemingly relaxed appearance, indicating for Zhong Chengshuo to continue.
“So some people will summarize a whole set of ‘rules’ out of thin air and immediately explain everything. In this way, everything is traceable, and they won’t be driven crazy by the unknown.”
Zhong Chengshuo gently caught a strand of Yin Ren’s hair, watching as it coiled around his finger.
“Actually, these metaphysical systems and beliefs can be seen as a kind of organism. If we take the cognition of ‘believers’ as ‘cells,’ then the ‘biology’ of the metaphysics is a collection of them, making the ‘organism’.”
“The collection will undergo distortions, or modifications based on information transmission, which is their metabolism. Religion is the same. Many doctrines and concepts change with the times, and even worse, the religion itself will disappear for various reasons—this is their death.”
This time, Yin Ren was truly captivated. He held his breath and stared at Zhong Chengshuo intently as he spoke.
Zhong Chengshuo’s tone was gentle, like flowing, warm water.
“So, the characteristics of various legendary evil spirits and demons will have significant cultural and regional differences. Ultimately, these non-scientific phenomena are ‘organisms’ domesticated by different groups of people. They use them to confront the unknown and maintain their mental stability.”
“So?” Yin Ren asked.
“My mind doesn’t need protection,” Zhong Chengshuo replied, looking down. “I’ve never met others like me and have become accustomed to facing the unknown at all times. I’ve never had a sense of ‘safety’, nor have I experienced ‘fear’. So fundamentally, I don’t need those non-scientific explanations.”
Yin Ren leaned against the cold door panel and exhaled slowly. “But you’re learning to be afraid now.”
“Yes, but I’m only afraid of the unknown related to you.”
Zhong Chengshuo clenched the strands of hair between his fingertips, and his tone was tinged with a subtle sense of sadness.
“Because you make me feel ‘safe’ for the first time.”
Yin Ren slowly raised his hand, covering his eyes with his wrist.
For an Evil Spirit, this might be the most absurd thing in the world. After centuries of loneliness, at the end of human fear, it turned out to be such a small basement.
Zhong Chengshuo told him that he made him feel “safe”.
“But my instinct is still repelling you. Do you know that?” Yin Ren still covered his eyes, not hiding the truth. “Including now, my brain is telling me to stay away from you—that we might have a conflict.”
It wasn’t a pretty thing to say, and if it were someone else, Yin Ren might have kept this realization to himself. But at this moment, his mouth seemed to be out of his control, and he had to pour out all the uncertain things.
“Actually, I feel the same way—a peculiar sense of vigilance.”
After finishing saying this, Zhong Chengshuo seemed to realize something and sped up his speech.
“But it won’t hurt us, weaken us, or make us sick. Instinct is instinct, and reasoning is reasoning. We can study together.”
He emphasized the word “together”.
Yin Ren was in the midst of a flood of emotions when he suddenly burst out laughing. His hand no longer covered his eyes, and he gently stroked the side of Zhong Chengshuo’s face. Then his palm slid slowly down to rest on the man’s neck.
Under the warm skin, the veins were pulsing rhythmically deep in the muscles, but the horrific severed neck wound on Zhong Chengshuo’s neck was still churning in his mind.
“You’re afraid I’ll distance myself from you because of my ‘repulsion’?” Yin Ren asked.
“Yes.” Comrade Xiao Zhong always spoke directly, with an unskilled look of concern on his face.
Yin Ren couldn’t help it. His other hand also reached out and pulled Zhong Chengshuo’s face towards him.
What does it matter if his type is unknown?
He himself was a bona fide dangerous being.
Yin Ren’s hands turned into cups as he struggled to approach, stopping his face in front of Zhong Chengshuo’s.
Making sure the other person had no resistance, Yin Ren leaned in for a kiss.
Among the light and refreshing mint scent, there was a slight sweet apple taste. Zhong Chengshuo’s lips were soft and warm, just like before, and this touch made Yin Ren’s eyes slightly sour.
Zhong Chengshuo only hesitated for a moment.
He held the back of Yin Ren’s head and ran his five fingers through his long hair. Zhong Chengshuo leaned forward, almost pinning Yin Ren against the door.
He deepened the kiss.
The panic of almost losing, the future obscured by mist, and that indescribable sense of repulsion. They were like spicy seasoning, making the originally tender kiss taste different.
A not-too-light, not-too-heavy nibble, followed by a slightly painful bite. The temperature around them gradually rose, and the soft and gentle breathing turned into a tidal wave.
Zhong Chengshuo’s kiss carried with it a sense of confusion. Compared to the impulsiveness of hot blood, it was a clearer and more determined desire.
“You…umm…got it a bit wrong…”
In the midst of the sticky and messy kiss, Yin Ren uttered a hint of a smile.
“Instincts are still instincts, and thinking is still thinking… Zhong Chengshuo, the only thing that can suppress instincts are other instincts…”
Yin Ren’s hair slid into Zhong Chengshuo’s collar, and the smooth, hard buttons slipped off the shirt, revealing the warm skin underneath. Zhong Chengshuo’s ears and cheeks turned completely pink, and his palm was pressed against Yin Ren’s shoulder. The place where their skin touched was incredibly tingly, like there was an electric current passing through.
Instinctive repulsion, instinctual desire, or both.
A creepy feeling and burning desire mixed together, like licking on a sharp edge of hard candy, or like being slightly drunk after drinking.
“Can you do it?” Yin Ren bit Zhong Chengshuo’s earlobe, and his wings rolled lightly on the ground.
“A previous case I handled involved it, so I know a bit about it.” Zhong Chengshuo’s cheeks were a little hot, but he still stared straight into Yin Ren’s eyes persistently. “What about you?”
“I’ve read a few books about it before.” Yin Ren didn’t expect Zhong Chengshuo to ask back, and his wings stiffened on the ground.
Zhong Chengshuo randomly picked up one of Yin Ren’s wings and bit it.
Warm and soft—it was still his favorite feeling.
Yin Ren shuddered all over, gasping for breath.
Numbness and stimulation came together as Yin Ren’s hands wrapped around Zhong Chengshuo’s neck. He relaxed his shoulders and ran his fingertips over the back of Zhong Chengshuo’s neck. That repulsion mixed with desire, and that deadly tingle became even more pronounced.
“Come on,” Yin Ren whispered.
A cluster of wings slid over the wall and pressed the light switch, sinking everything into ambiguous darkness.
Zhong Chengshuo didn’t express any opinion on this. His cool nose tip pressed against Yin Ren’s neck, sinking into a subtle contemplative state.
“How long?” A few seconds later, Zhong Chengshuo asked quite seriously.
Yin Ren: “…” Can this be customized? Why is it different from the knowledge he already has?
Forget it.
“Until the repulsion disappears.” Lord Ghost King lazily replied, raising his hand and causing the interrogation chair in the corner to slide aside.
There was no time to fuss about it—there were too many items near the sofa, and it wasn’t easy to move. There was no bed here, but at least the chair was soft, and there were even straps on it to secure the body.
Click.
The chair slid and hit the nearby apple juice bottle. The round bottle rolled along the floor, and the fresh, sweet, and sour smell scent in the air. It hit the pile of clothes not far away—Yin Ren needed to wipe his body just now and hadn’t put on any clothes yet.
Only the “red clothes” surrounded by talismans hung loosely on the ground, and then turned into light spots and disappeared.
……
Yin Ren thought it through very clearly. He was already exhausted and could use this “leisure activity” to restore his physical and mental strength.
Facts proved that he was naïve .
About three days later, Lord Ghost King successfully changed from a state of “not wanting to move a finger” to a state of “not wanting to move a single hair”.
To be honest, despite the exhaustion, it was quite satisfying, Yin Ren thought seriously. In many aspects, Zhong Chengshuo was a genius.
Over the course of three days, all the mixed emotions during their separation were vented. The interrogation chair couldn’t withstand the two monsters and was broken into several pieces. The heavy table in the room fell to one side, and the metal cans on the shelf were disordered.
Numerous terrifying specimens were thrown around in the liquid, and the room looked like it had just experienced a hurricane.
At the moment, Yin Ren was lying on the sofa, with a weak layer of thin wings underneath him. He held Zhong Chengshuo in his arms, as two adults struggled to fill the sofa.
Several apple juice cans were overturned not far away, and a black hair crawled in, tremblingly taking a few sips.
Very good. The relaxed person… No, the relaxed monster had changed from one to two.
Zhong Chengshuo had his eyes closed, breathing steadily, but his heartbeat was still a bit fast, obviously not asleep. There was an inexplicable sense of calm in the air, making them stretch out from the inside out.
Yin Ren couldn’t help but exhale, watching his lover’s soft hair sway in the darkness.
His lover kept his promise; countless hugs, countless stimulation, to the point that their instincts seemed to be completely numb, no longer giving crazy warnings or disturbing their minds. It only left them with “sparks” when their skin touched and nothing more.
“Zhong Chengshuo.”
“Mm…”
“Nothing, I’m just calling you.” Yin Ren squinted his eyes and looked at the dark ceiling.
Zhong Chengshuo moved his body and buried his nose in Yin Ren’s neck. The soft strands of hair tickled Yin Ren. Compared to before, Zhong Chengshuo’s breath had undergone a subtle change, like a perfect, hard shell that opened a crack, revealing the soft soul inside.
“Yin Ren.”
“What’s the matter?”
“What are your plans for the future? We need to consider our next move.”
“…” The joy had passed, and now he had to face reality. Yin Ren sniffled and sighed sadly. “I haven’t figured it out yet.”
He could handle it himself, but if he had to declare to Fu Xingchuan, “I’ve changed my mind and decided to start a new relationship, so I won’t seal myself again for now”, he would feel embarrassed just thinking about it. But that was a solution that would only hurt his own pride.
To be honest, Yin Ren was also worried about his colleagues from Unit 9. He had found Zhong Chengshuo, but he still owed the members of Unit 9 three wishes.
But Zhong Chengshuo absolutely couldn’t show his face.
Not even Yin Ren, a 1,000-year-old ghost, could discern where he came from. If Zhong Chengshuo showed up again, it would be impossible for Shian to let it slide.
The fact was cruel; in front of so many Shian experts, Zhong Chengshuo was shot in the head, so the excuse of “mistaken identity” couldn’t be used.
After the incident, the Fu residence was investigated inside out by Shian, and the remnants of magic from the past few years were dug up and examined. The idea of an “illusion” wouldn’t hold water.
If they said he had been modified, with Comrade Xiao Zhong’s strange physical state, there was no way they could let Shian find any clues. In the worst-case scenario, the two of them would either have to hastily run away* or hold hands and become neighbors with Shian.
*Wipe oil on the sole of one’s feet (么脚底抹油) Colloquialism.
What a hassle.
But if they just dragged it out like this… Cutting off contact, and if the hospital incident continued to be a big deal, with the keenness of Zhong Chengshuo’s parents, they would definitely soon discover the truth. With the old sending the young* twice, it was hard to say if the two elderly people could hold on.
*The white-haired person sending the black-haired person (当白发人送黑发人) Proverb referring to an old person sending off a young person. || In this context, the Zhong elders have to send off not only their daughter but also Zhong Chengshuo while they’re still alive.
…Wait a minute.
Yin Ren slowly turned his head and looked at Zhong Chengshuo’s flawless face. Zhong Chengshuo held his breath and blinked innocently.
“I have a somewhat devious idea.”
Yin Ren rubbed his face and looked away.
“Zhong Chengshuo, do you have confidence in ‘keeping a straight face’?”
Zhong Chengshuo sat up slightly. “?”
“I might need you to, uh, play an illusion for a bit.”
Kinky Thoughts:
Wow. They did it for 3 days, and their first time was on a chair… And they broke it?! Talk about kinky…
For those confused with Zhong Chengshuo’s explanation, basically he’s saying that people fear the unknown, and to ease their fears, they come up with metaphysical ideas. Take for example, the ancient Greeks, who came up with various gods to explain how the world works (i.e. Poseidon, god of the sea, controls the oceans, and when he’s mad, there are storms and floods).
With the change of modern day and improvement in science and technology, we have answered many of those unknowns, but there are things that can never truly be answered, such as what happens after death? This is where many turn to religion/the metaphysics to give them comfort and alleviate their fears (such as that heaven exists).
For Zhong Chengshuo, he doesn’t care about these things (which is probably why the metaphysics have no effect on him)… or rather, he’s indifferent towards them. Without having fear or questioning of the unknown, he didn’t care whether there was an answer or not, and not caring means he doesn’t need to seek out an explanation for them—which is different from just not believing (as in, some people believe in heaven while others think you’ll just pass away and become one with nature).
Anyway, this is a lot more philosophical than I intended. This chapter marks the end of this arc. Arc summary below:
In order to carry out Zhong Chengshuo’s final wishes and get back his body, Yin Ren devised a plan to lure the sniper out. Using the hamster pendant as a locator, Yin Ren found that there was a recently closed gap in the abandoned building of the Municipal Hospital where all the Shian staff that was attacked by the sniper were staying.
Pulling in his members of Unit 9, he planned to open the gap and enter the “Other Side” in order to lure out the sniper and also track where Zhong Chengshuo’s hamster pendant is in order to find his corpse.
Sensing a disturbance in the gap, the sniper decided to attack the one probing it and get rid of them, essentially falling for Yin Ren’s trap.
Meanwhile, Zhong Chengshuo woke up in Sunken Society’s underground corpse vault, confused that he hadn’t died yet. In order to escape, he started breaking off heads from members of Sunken Society. To send out a distress signal, his goal was to locate his hamster pendant and activate it so Yin Ren could find him.
Unfortunately, after he escaped the underground corpse vault, while walking to the relic warehouse where Sunken Society stored items of the dead, he was discovered and brutally attacked by Sunken Society’s security measures.
While Zhong Chengshuo dueled it out with Sunken Society, Yin Ren managed to lure out the sniper. He entered one of the spatial rifts that teleported him into a different “interstitial zone” where he duels it out with the sniper. These “interstitial zones” are part of a different dimension that connects to “the world” through gaps that open from time to time.
Eventually, Yin Ren defeats the sniper. This alerts the other three members, who then send Qi Xin to deal with him. Qi Xin instead eats the remains of the sniper which triggers a small Divine Descent. Luckily, this Divine Descent happened in an interstitial zone and not in the real world, so the damage was minimal.
While Yin Ren fought with the sniper, Lu Xiaohe was able to locate the coordinates of Zhong Chengshuo’s hamster pendant. It seemed that Sunken Society had set up their HQ inside interstitial zones, which is why Shian was never able to find it. With the coordinates found, Yin Ren infiltrated the interstitial zone of Sunken Society’s relic warehouse and was reunited with Zhong Chengshuo’s corpse.
Their reunion was cut short when the flow of Evil Force from the sniper’s death flooded the area, triggering a Divine Descent. Luckily, they managed to escape with their lives, and the Evil Force somehow healed Zhong Chengshuo, fully restoring his body.
Meanwhile, Unit 9 and Fu Xingchuan had to deal with the gap in the abandoned building that was overflowing with Evil Force. A small Divine Descent was triggered, which alerted Shian, who set up heavy defenses around the abandoned building in order to contain it.
In order to escape and survive the Divine Descent, Ge Tingting was able to use her corpse servant abilities to command parts of the sniper’s corpse that had Yin Ren’s seal on it. Using the Corpse Cage, all the members in the abandoned building entered the corpse’s heart that was then wrapped by the corpse seal Ge Tingting managed to “sew” together. The seal was able to withstand the flood of Evil Force, allowing them to escape with their lives.
Having managed to survive the Divine Descent, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo left the interstitial zone and returned to the real world. Unfortunately, Yin Ren told Fu Xingchuan he was going to seal himself up, so they all thought both he and Zhong Chengshuo were dead. Now they have to come up with a believable plan for them to return to Shian that could explain Zhong Chengshuo’s situation.
…Oh, and after being reunited, they banged for three days straight.
——
For those confused about the whole interstitial thing, think of it as a different dimension that connects to the real world. The rifts that Yin Ren opens can basically teleport him anywhere in the world… Imagine it like the rifts created in Dr. Strange where they can just teleport instantly to anywhere in the world, except there’s another dimension as the anchor, and it’s not teleporting from the real world to another place in the real world but rather real world -> other dimension -> real world.
You can think of Sunken Society HQ built like a block chain in the spatial rifts, like so:
[other Sunken Society departments] [underground corpse vault] [relic warehouse]
When Yin Ren invaded the corpse vault and the Divine Descent happened, Sunken Society basically cut off the [underground corpse vault] and [relic warehouse] in order to protect their other departments and prevent Evil Force from leaking in. Since technically they are within their own individual spatial dimensions that are linked, cutting off the link would cut off the connection of the spatial dimension.
Yin Ren’s human form had mostly recovered, but countless translucent wings remained under his hips and knees. He felt completely drained, and all his bones were limp and weak.
However, his physical body was frozen in mid-air, not moving up or down.
He stared fixedly at the newly born Zhong Chengshuo.
The appearance was correct, the smell was correct, and there were no traces of magic around. The other party’s gaze, posture, and subtle facial muscle movements—he had repeatedly chewed on them in his memory countless times.
It was Zhong Chengshuo… It was the Zhong Chengshuo he had separated from.
Wild joy turned into a hammer, hitting the back of Yin Ren’s head fiercely, causing Lord Ghost King’s vision to shake twice. During the battle just now, the question of “how will Zhong Chengshuo recover” was like a lead weight pressing on his chest. While he didn’t think about it, it always weighed heavily in his heart.
Now that the heavy pressure was gone, Yin Ren felt like he was floating.
…Unfortunately, it was only for a moment, and the heat of wild joy turned into coldness.
A form of regeneration that had never been seen before. Yin Ren had exhausted all the knowledge he had accumulated in his life and couldn’t think of any similar magic or evil beings in a similar situation. The strange shape of Zhong Chengshuo’s head returning to its original form was still burned into Yin Ren’s eyes, and he couldn’t explain it at all.
The person in front of him had sunk into a deeper sea of unknowns.
In a daze, Yin Ren suddenly remembered a long time ago.
In an ordinary hotel room, the bathroom was filled with steam. He accidentally broke the door and saw Zhong Chengshuo’s body for the first time.
It was as beautiful and sturdy, with graceful and smooth body lines. There was still the hideous scar, just like back then, and was still entrenched on Zhong Chengshuo’s body.
But other than that, there was nothing else.
The corpse of Zhong Chengshuo just now was unbearable to look at. That body had broken legs, the chest was turned outward, the back was riddled with bullets, and there was nothing above the neck. Not to mention these major injuries, there were countless minor injuries all over Zhong Chengshuo’s body.
But now, they were all gone. Other than losing his glasses, Zhong Chengshuo hadn’t changed in hair length or anything else.
His half-long hair was clean and refreshing, as if it didn’t belong here.
Zhong Chengshuo’s pants were a bit loose and had long been torn to the knee. The fabric on his upper body was even more tattered, with only a piece of scrap left.
Under the fragments of destruction, only the newly grown skin that had just returned and hadn’t had time to be tainted with dust could prove that everything just now wasn’t an illusion.
“Yin Ren,” Zhong Chengshuo called out softly, standing still. His voice was hoarse, as if there were some fine impurities stuck in his throat.
…Given the situation just now, maybe his throat was really clogged with some impurities.
Yin Ren didn’t get up. He weakly supported his upper body, with the red silk robe draped loosely over him and stood still in place. Separated by a faint shadow, a pair of red pupils stared blankly at Zhong Chengshuo.
Around the two of them, darkness and ruins surrounded them, while the sniper’s wreckage was scattered, still decomposing into dense evil qi, making the surroundings even colder.
Yes, Yin Ren had only noticed that Zhong Chengshuo still had “life” when he was rescuing him earlier. At that time, the enemy was lurking around, and Yin Ren didn’t have time to think deeply.
But when he could think, Yin Ren couldn’t concentrate on the reasoning.
In the quiet confrontation, only the details of their previous interaction kept coming up. In front of the darkness, Yin Ren couldn’t help but think back to the moment he first saw Zhong Chengshuo.
It was a rainy summer night when he entered the world—a night of lightning and thunder.
The streetlights were malfunctioning, and the entire street was plunged into darkness. Zhong Chengshuo met him while riding his bicycle and reported to the police seriously. After reporting to the police, Zhong Chengshuo turned on his phone flashlight and shone it on him.
At that time, Yin Ren had just come into contact with the world and hadn’t detected any subtle unnaturalness. Looking back now, that rainy night was enough to make people shudder.
Before using his phone to illuminate him, there was no lighting around Zhong Chengshuo.
And when he realized it, Zhong Chengshuo made an emergency stop. The person had obviously been riding a bike, so the speed wasn’t slow.
Does a normal human really ride a bike quickly on a pitch-black street where you can’t see your fingers?
Yin Ren raised his gaze in confusion, and the electric light on their first encounter in his mind was buried by thick journals one by one.
[I’m fine.]
To explain his healthy body, he ate a reasonable diet.
[I’m fine.]
To explain his good condition, he maintained a regular schedule.
[I’m fine.]
To explain his beautiful figure, he diligently exercised.
[I’m fine.]
In the dark basement, a diary that never stopped recording physiological information such as height and weight was like an observation log of an animal scientist.
Except that the object of observation was “Zhong Chengshuo himself”.
The chaotic memories drifted and ended in a conversation not long ago.
[What exactly are you?] Yin Ren remembered asking this in a panic when he first found Zhong Chengshuo.
[I don’t know.]
Zhong Chengshuo answered like this.
[Now, strictly speaking, I shouldn’t be considered human.]
Now it seemed that this sentence could have a second interpretation.
… Did Zhong Chengshuo undergo some changes after being killed and reborn, or was he never a “normal human” from the beginning, but just didn’t understand his own situation?
But if Zhong Chengshuo isn’t human, what is he?
His body was so broken and there was no trace of evil qi or Evil Force on it. It was as clean as any ordinary person’s.
Exhausted and mentally shattered, Yin Ren sat quietly in place as his mind silently shut down.
“Yin Ren…” Zhong Chengshuo called him for the third time, his voice tinged with a hint of grievance.
He still stayed in place, looking more helpless than avoiding. Zhong Chengshuo’s features were already gentle, and looking down like this made him seem as harmless as an herbivore.
In a daze, Yin Ren gritted his teeth. He reached out a bunch of long hair and quickly formed soft wings at the end. They swooped around Zhong Chengshuo’s ankle and pushed him forward. Zhong Chengshuo didn’t resist and was pushed to the ground, landing safely on the remaining wings like a blanket.
He was lying next to Yin Ren.
“I need a few minutes to calm down.” Amid countless thoughts colliding, Yin Ren spoke with difficulty. “A few minutes to calm down, and then deal with these…”
Zhong Chengshuo turned sideways, hesitated for a moment, and then put his arm gently around Yin Ren’s waist.
Just as if they were in their bedroom at home.
But this time, Yin Ren wasn’t as calm as he was on the soft bed.
In a series of battles, Yin Ren lost a considerable amount of flesh and blood. He was so exhausted that he felt like he would fall apart at a touch. Luckily, the person controlling the sniper’s body didn’t kick him while he was down.
In this state of extreme weakness, through a layer of sealing red cloth, Yin Ren felt the warm palm of Zhong Chengshuo.
A strong sense of rejection.
It wasn’t fear of facing a superior, but a subconscious rejection, like seeing a thorn under a leaf, or smelling a poisonous flower. It was almost instinctual, screaming to stay away or make the other person disappear…
…Disappear my ass.
Yin Ren rolled his eyes in his heart. He also turned sideways and hugged Zhong Chengshuo directly. Lord Ghost King ignored the instinctive jumping and stomping, burying his face in the other’s chest.
The instinctual warning reached its limit, as if a razor was scraping his skin.
But still Yin Ren didn’t move.
Smooth, warm skin, a pleasant smell, and the familiar heartbeat and breathing. His biological instinct told him to stay away, but his heart told him to stay put.
“I know what you’re worried about.”
Yin Ren patted Zhong Chengshuo’s stiff back. It was the first time he had seen him so awkward.
“Considering your unknown condition, I have to reconsider our accomplice relationship…”
The heartbeat under Zhong Chengshuo’s skin suddenly accelerated, like a rabbit frantically stomping its feet, making loud thumps in his ribcage.
“But I really like being in a romantic relationship and don’t want to ruin it at all.”
The “rabbit” in the rib cage slowly curled up and gently moved its body.
“Mm.” Zhong Chengshuo said seriously, “I’m just a little scared.”
Yin Ren didn’t answer. He just moved his weak body and hugged the biggest mystery of his life tightly.
……
Late at night, Qi Xin stayed in the alley without surveillance. The alley was still the same alley, but there was no longer any trace of Qiu Fang.
In the shattered glass, a faint shadow stood.
“You killed Qiu Fang.” The voice of the reflection was very calm, as if discussing the weather.
“That guy was too badly injured. As I said, he’s just a burden.” Qi Xin sat in the old place on the wall. “I just bit Qiu Fang to death. What was that phrase again… Oh, it was to ease his pain.”
If it weren’t for the obvious perfunctory tone in her voice, this might actually be a suitable reason.
The reflection remained silent.
“I used him to fill my stomach and restore my strength and made a small Divine Descent with the remains. It not only solved ‘the thing that hurt us’, but Fu Xingchuan and Shian are nearby, so they can’t escape. See, it’s like killing two birds with one stone.”
Qi Xin continued coldly.
“I made the best use of Mr. Qiu’s waste. You asked me to clean up his mess and said I could do whatever I wanted.”
“I also said that you need to give me an answer about the ‘thing that hurt us’.”
The reflection on the glass responded softly.
On the dirty glass of the alley, it appeared as a nearly black humanoid, with no facial features visible.
Qi Xin lifted the corners of her mouth, revealing a smile that wasn’t quite human. “I don’t know what that thing is, but undoubtedly, I’ve dealt with it. Is there a problem?”
Reflection: “…Dealt with it.”
“The small-scale Divine Descent that erupted in a small area may be lower quality, but it’s enough to destroy the target.”
As the night wind blew, Qi Xin straightened her messy hair. Although the posture of “sitting on the wall” didn’t match her attire, Qi Xin’s legs were neatly folded, as if sitting at a conference round table.
“As for what that thing is, Sunken Society will definitely study the remaining traces. You can ask them.”
The reflection didn’t respond. Qi Xin tilted her head slightly, and the shadow on the glass had somehow returned to normal.
This time, “that one” left early.
“You’re angry,” Qi Xin shook her head, and her strange smile seemed to be welded to her face.
She looked up at the murky night sky.
“I gave you an opportunity.”
She said with a slightly hoarse voice.
“Don’t disappoint me, both of you.”
……
As it turned out, if Ms. Qi Xin could see the status of both of them, she might be disappointed immediately.
Yin Ren sucked in the unidentified substance that Zhong Chengshuo had given him, desperately sealing his own power and struggling to stand up—no matter how strange the situation was, it wasn’t a good idea to stay in a place that belonged to Sunken Society.
Without any interference from enemies, they quickly found the exit of this interstitial space.
So, less than an hour later, there was a swaying figure on the street in the old city.
The person was dressed in rags, had an ordinary face, and was only slightly conspicuous in his dark red attire. He walked stealthily along the roadside, hunching over and dragging a bumpy suitcase.
Yin Ren touched his transformed fake face, feeling sorrowful.
The good news was that they had left the dangerous area.
The bad news was that, as two dead people, they had nowhere to go at the moment.
“The #1 Evil Smith”, Zhou Gong, had a headache like being pricked with needles.
As a superior profession of “Corpse Servant” and “Spirit Smith”, his corpse materials weren’t abundant. Unlike the “#1 Priestess”, Qiao Shang, next to him—the fierce ghosts she summoned were enough to form an army of 100,000 ghost soldiers, whose ghostly bodies swayed and surrounded Haigu Municipal Hospital.
Layer upon layer of isolation seals rose from the ground, and the huge hospital was almost wrapped up like a cabbage core.
Thousands of hidden-type spirit weapons were operating simultaneously, and countless tiny bones were wandering in the underground pipelines. Zhou Gong was responsible for maintaining the concealment of this large-scale operation. He brought his assets to Haigu—and this time it was all of them.
The special investigation teams stationed in Shian at the A-, B-, and C-levels were all mobilized. Unexpectedly, the workload increased dramatically. Despite assigning two A-level investigation teams to Zhou Gong, his power was still constantly draining.
Zhou Gong’s chubby face was covered in sweat, like a steamed white bun.
“Lao Fu’s credit is quite high.”
Zhou Gong gritted his teeth and controlled the spirit weapon.
“He just said one sentence about the ‘aura of Divine Descent’, and the entire Haigu Branch bought it. The provincial-level comprehensive defense plan hasn’t been activated, and the nearby situation is almost the same.”
“The law of numerical changes is consistent with ‘Divine Descent’.”
Qiao Shang stood in the army of fierce ghosts with a gloomy face; her face as pale as one of them. She held an ancient compass in her hand, and countless golden charms floated on it.
The strange compass pointer trembled and rotated, pointing to the only black line on the golden compass, which was facing several blood-red “Evil” characters.
Zhou Gong pretended not to see Qiao Shang’s sulky expression.
“The law of numerical changes is consistent, but the intensity is much weaker, right? The concentration of evil qi here isn’t as high as a Divine Descent!”
Zhou Gong kept complaining, but his movements became more precise. The nesting of the concealment spell grew layer by layer, and the colorless barrier wrapped the hospital even tighter.
At this moment, as long as one wasn’t a cultivator in the industry, no matter how they looked at it from the inside or outside the hospital, this was just an ordinary and quiet night.
Qiao Shang ignored Zhou Gong’s nonsense. She held the compass with one hand and kept pinching spells with the other. Various patterns of golden charms floated in the air, and her army of ghost soldiers patrolled with them. They passed through every corner of the hospital, silently devouring evil qi.
Ghosts and humans rubbed shoulders—
The science posts walked around with detectors, constantly measuring the surrounding data. In their eyes, there was only a strange mist rising in the courtyard, which made people shiver all over.
If they could see the true appearance of the mist, it wouldn’t be as simple as “getting the chills”.
In the east, west, south, and north of the hospital courtyard, there were huge monsters crouching, each the size of the hospital’s main building. They were like town gate beasts that had been transformed into evil creatures, covered with scales like sealing spirit weapons.
Above the head that resembled a human figure, there were eyes and a mouth so large they seemed deformed. They had long necks that hung down, all focused on the direction of the abandoned building.
Strange and blurry waves of Evil Force emanated from the vicinity of the abandoned building. It felt more like a massive shadow lurking beneath a layer of ice, sometimes moving away, sometimes approaching.
The moment it broke through the “ice layer”, a great disaster was inevitable.
It was an unknown fire, and they could only do their best to shrink its area of effect, again and again.
Four giant, monstrous beasts writhed about; their rusty chains swayed gently like willow branches in the darkness. Among the gaps in the chains, the black seal employees of the Shian dressed in casual clothes floated around the evil monsters.
All of them faced outward of the courtyard, with crimson runes overlapping each other, layer by layer. In the shadow’s concealment, these non-scientific posts looked like four-legged spiders, tirelessly working.
The floating runes condensed into a dark red gauze that swayed and twisted above the hospital, constantly changing like an aurora. Wherever the light gauze passed, the space seemed to be filled with glue, creating a wonderful feeling of coagulation.
“This spell is quite fresh and more sophisticated than before.” Zhou Gong tried to change the subject, perhaps to distract himself. The more tired he was, the more he talked.
“…Not long ago, they sent us out to investigate the attackers, while the Haigu Branch secretly conducted research on their own.”
Qiao Shang rolled her eyes, and the ghost soldiers continued to circle inside the hospital. Their route had already taken shape, and they patrolled the courtyard in an orderly manner. The ground was filled with ghostly apparitions, and overhead was a misty veil. Paired with the hospital’s square architecture, the scene was both oppressive and absurd.
Tick. What should have been an uneventful second passed by.
The gently swaying red gauze suddenly began to wildly dance; its movements were bizarre and eerie, as if countless invisible giant snakes were struggling and moving within it. The intensity of the Evil Force doubled in an instant, and its state became extremely unstable.
Qiao Shang’s fierce ghost squad hurriedly changed course. With the abandoned building as the center, they walked quickly in circles, chanting mournful syllables that couldn’t be understood. The surrounding Evil Force was stirred up into a vortex by them and surged back towards the abandoned building.
The Shian black seals unconsciously increased the speed of their rune painting. The stagnant space carried the Evil Force, gathering it near the abandoned building. The gray-white abandoned building was almost wrapped in red runes, and the chaotic, shattered space was entirely covered.
At the four corners of the hospital, the four giant, monstrous beasts slowly retracted their limbs. They opened their giant mouths and emitted a hoarse and unpleasant screech. Sound waves spread out in waves, disturbing the Evil Force near the abandoned building, gradually calming the “ice surface”.
The area near the abandoned building had thus become a metaphysical explosion-proof box. As for whether this box could withstand the incoming unknown Evil Force, even a real ghost wouldn’t know.
Apart from the occasional short exchanges in the channel, the atmosphere was so heavy that it was terrifying.
Zhou Gong couldn’t bear it any longer and involuntarily swallowed a mouthful of saliva. “By the way, if Lao Fu is trapped inside, why hasn’t the leadership from our side of Haigu come out to help?”
“They might be busy with something else.”
Unable to bear it any longer, Qiao Shang snapped. She quickly flicked her fingers, and a powerful ghost bomb flew past Zhou Gong like a fierce ghost, cutting off his pants to just above his knees.
Zhou Gong shut up in annoyance.
Qiao Shang’s guess wasn’t wrong. As the first person in charge of the Haigu branch, Li Nian was indeed busy.
He leaned wearily in the meeting room, facing the expressionless genius ghost master, Xiang Jiang.
“Since Fu Xingchuan is there, I don’t need to go. Headquarters always needs someone to stay,” Xiang Jiang said.
“Fu Xingchuan is sealed near the abnormal outbreak point, and the Evil Force could lose control at any time.” Li Nian drank a cup of strong tea and spun the lid of the thermos cup hard. “This is the first abnormal phenomenon of its kind in 28 years, and the more external help we have, the better.”
Xiang Jiang replied, “The #1 Priestess and the #1 Evil Smith are already there, and our functions overlap.”
Li Nian stared at him in silence for a while.
“Why beat around the bush? Why don’t you just say you don’t want to go.” Li Nian’s tone turned cold.
“Yes, I don’t want to go. My rank is the same as yours now, and your reasons are not sufficient. I have the authority to veto the proposal.”
Li Nian almost laughed out of anger.
Ever since the execution mission, Fu Xingchuan had been paying even closer attention to Xiang Jiang. But Xiang Jiang behaved himself and at least they didn’t notice any unusual contact between him and anyone else. Who knew that when it came to a critical moment, Xiang Jiang would actually defy orders—and in a way that was almost foolish.
When Yellow Millet appeared in Gengsheng Town, this guy disobeyed orders in secret, and now he was doing it again.
Li Nian looked into Xiang Jiang’s murky eyes.
There was no pleasure, fear, or hatred in those eyes, only a firm “this is how it should be” and even a hint of expectation.
What did this “this is how it should be” refer to? It was really hard to say.
Li Nian didn’t say much more. He connected with the front line in front of Xiang Jiang.
“Qiao Shang, our company’s strongest ghost master has other arrangements. The temporary commanding personnel have been cancelled, and from now on, you, me, and Hao Wenzhe will officially take over the command in a team of three.”
The voice on the other end of the phone was extremely noisy, like a crying wind, and Qiao Shang smiled bitterly. “What accurate timing.”
“What happened?”
“Just now, the Evil Force erupted.”
……
Not long ago, Haigu Branch Sunken Society, the exit of the underground corpse vault.
As the Evil Force raged, nearby doors gradually collapsed. Under the endless Evil Force, the living employees of Sunken Society had long since died, and even some had turned into evil creatures on the spot. At this moment, those who were already evil creatures had lost their reason and were screaming as they rushed out of the ruins.
It was just that the madness stopped as soon as they encountered Yin Ren.
The berserk Evil Force that manifested as a translucent blackness, looking extremely turbid, mixed with many black debris. However, in the midst of it, Yin Ren’s figure was still vivid.
The red veil on the thousand-year-old Ghost King’s body opened, revealing two pale and slender arms and a pair of bare feet without any cover. The extremely strong power spread through Yin Ren’s skin without being sealed.
To resist the chaotic and violent Evil Force around him, Yin Ren gradually released his own Evil Force. It repeatedly staggered away from the heavy torrents, like roots that penetrated into the rock formation, and extended them in all directions with difficulty.
In the collision of Evil Forces, Yin Ren desperately compressed his power and barely maintained a small safe zone around him.
The inexplicable Evil Force poured in continuously without any signs of stopping. As a true Evil Spirit, Yin Ren was almost crushed by the Evil Force pressing in from all sides, let alone the fragile facility of Sunken Society.
Just as they rushed out of the elevator shaft, all kinds of science and metaphysical equipment related to Sunken Society burst at once. Blue smoke and explosions intertwined, accompanied by a strong smell of burnt flesh. The surrounding space shook constantly, and there were clear signs of collapse.
The “breaking one’s arm to save one’s life*” technique of Sunken Society was indeed flawless.
*(断臂求生) Idiom referring to extreme measures taken in a desperate situation where sacrificing a part of one’s own body is necessary to ensure survival. Metaphorically, it means making a great sacrifice in order to survive or overcome a challenging situation.
With corpses as the roof and evil entities as the walls, Yin Ren put all his energy into dealing with this Evil Force. The Evil Force was like his shadow, following him everywhere, and the situation was at a stalemate. He had no room for error.
“The sniper is dead, but the pursuit continues. Sunken Society has abandoned this transitional space to protect itself.”
In an opening, Yin Ren summarized the situation succinctly.
A strand of hair was tied to his throat, and the other end was wrapped around the five fingers of Zhong Chengshuo’s hand that was talking to him through vibration.
[There is someone behind the sniper, but the intention to kill is not strong. Sunken Society will direct the space to an outside world to protect itself.]
In the darkness, lines of words appeared rapidly on the bright white screen of the mobile phone.
[Retreating is the best option.]
Yin Ren twitched the corner of his mouth.
Even in such an absurd situation, Zhong Chengshuo’s tone was still frighteningly calm, like analyzing the cost-effectiveness of discounted goods.
Indeed, the attack was lethal at the moment, but there was no killing intent.
The source of the Evil Force was already dead. The damaged corpses formed a torrent and kept attacking them ceaselessly. The person behind the scenes was obviously as powerful as the sniper, but instead of tearing apart the space and killing the two of them, they played this cat-and-mouse game. Everywhere was a dead end, but there was a glimmer of hope left.
If he were alone, he would probably not be able to withstand such a painful and torturous attack. But…
Trapped in the quagmire of Evil Force, Yin Ren tightly grasped the handle of his suitcase.
He had lived in the mountains for hundreds of years. The most ferocious beast attacks didn’t come from dying struggles, but from desperate fights.
Since waking up in this era, he seemed to have never really gone on a “night tour”?
The wings of the Yin Ren pressed Zhong Chengshuo into the suitcase and tightly wrapped around his body. In just a moment, the red veil extended, and the bone bells jingled. The shoddy red veil on Yin Ren’s body completely turned into a heavy red cocoon, and countless bone pieces inscribed with runes emerged from nothingness.
They pierced through the chaotic evil qi and directly hit the surrounding remnants of evil spirits.
That Evil Force was just pure strength.
Yin Ren felt those about-to-collapse evil beings and frantically performed spells.
He also had pure Evil Force, but he also had rationality and skills. If he simply imagined this Evil Force as a mudslide, at this moment, what he should do most…
The near-collapsed evil beings responded obediently to the call of the Ghost King by instinct.
They gathered around Yin Ren with difficulty. The corpses turned into flesh, while the evil spirits turned into tendons. The evil beings turned into armor, enveloping Yin Ren at the center and formed a long-nosed giant beast on the outside.
The next moment, Yin Ren gave up resisting in place. He drove the “giant beast” with all his strength and quickly rushed towards the distance.
Under the infection of the Evil Force, the evil beings were like effervescent tablets soaked in water. Black and red blood bubbles emerged on their bodies and ruptured at a terrifying speed. Just before the armor layer completely collapsed, Yin Ren finally broke free from the Evil Force’s envelope.
At the moment of breaking free, Yin Ren made a sharp turn with himself and the box.
Inside the cocoon wrapped around his body, he used his fingers as a knife to cut off a small handful of hair.
At the same time, the remaining evil beings outside Yin Ren flew away in an instant and were pierced by the constantly elongating hair. Their collapsing bodies attached to the hair gradually turned into a thin fabric-like material, emitting a heavy, deathly aura.
“Go!” Yin Ren shouted.
This opaque “fabric” blocked the corridor and collided with the chasing Evil Force head-on. Like water encountering waterproof fabric, the Evil Force was wrapped in it and couldn’t break through for a while.
Indeed, the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi was best at sealing Evil Spirits.
He could make a soft seal around his body, so naturally, he could make a tougher and more brutal one.
Yin Ren’s ten fingers touched each other, exerting all his strength to control his hair.
Once they left Yin Ren’s body, they wouldn’t drive his body crazy when they came into contact with the Evil Force. However, reducing the impact also meant that these hairs were like half-dead objects, and their abilities were extremely limited.
But Yin Ren only needed them to restore their most basic functions.
The black hair absorbed the scattered Evil Force and grew wildly. And this Evil Force was constantly breaking down into evil qi, which infiltrated and rapidly inflated the nearby remnants of evil spirits.
Grow, weave, grow again, weave again.
Different from the ethereal red gauze that enveloped Yin Ren’s body, the black hair had runes woven into it using the remains of evil creatures as a base, and they wildly extended, making them more firm and powerful.
The “fine cloth” was like a wildly growing skin. The more the Evil Force was wrapped up, the slower its movement became.
It really worked!
Yin Ren’s spirit shook—he crazily squeezed out his own power, continuously cycling through countless spells. More bone fragments scattered from his body, suppressing more evil creatures. Layer upon layer of debris turned into cloth, wrapping the approaching Evil Force more densely and securely.
The black hair shuttled back and forth thousands of times, and the torrential Evil Force finally came to a halt, forming a large bulge in front of Yin Ren.
On the “bag skin” woven from hair and evil creatures, there wasn’t a single crease caused by the bulge.
Yin Ren finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He stretched out his wings a little bit and wearily reached for his suitcase. The box containing Zhong Chengshuo was intact and still heavy. Without any pursuers, Yin Ren believed that he could get some advice from Comrade Xiao Zhong on how to find a way out.
Yin Ren rubbed his waist and was about to untie the “red cocoon” around his body—
Suddenly, the “bag skin” that filled the corridor bulged and moved.
As if a giant face were pressed against the “cloth”, the originally round cloth bulged with huge and indistinct human features. The face moved for a moment, and the muscles on the face shifted with the bag skin.
It was a woman’s face with an exaggerated smile.
This is bad…
Yin Ren’s head had just finished turning this thought when those thick “red cloths”—his strongest seal—were lightly blown open in front of him.
The red cloth exploded into countless pieces of flesh and blood, and the person-shaped mouth made of the Evil Force condensed, fiercely pouncing towards him.
……
At the same time, in the abandoned building.
“Stand behind me and keep your distance!” Fu Xingchuan almost roared.
Inside the gap, a frenzied Evil Force almost spurted out. It collided head-on with Fu Xingchuan’s protective spell, almost piercing through it.
But that was only the beginning.
After the initial rupture, the gap that had not yet closed was like a wound, constantly oozing extremely thick Evil Force. If Fu Xingchuan hadn’t received a message from Yellow Millet in advance and reinforced the seal from the outside, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Fu Xingchuan was surrounded by countless golden spell charms, and his face was also reflected in the golden paper color. At this moment, Fu Xingchuan resembled a person propping up the ruins of a building—he was fully supporting the protection and dared not be distracted. The other four were lying paralyzed under the ruins, trembling in fear.
“As long as I’m alive, you will still have a chance.”
Fang Xingchuan bit his teeth until they bled.
“Hang on, there will be a turning point… Hey, you, dumpling, come on and help us!”
The great evil Yellow Millet groaned. It rolled and crawled into the coffin of the corpse cage and pretended to be dead.
Fu Xingchuan: “……”
It’s not like this thing is passive. It could be considered second in command in terms of strength here. But as expected, evil beings weren’t friendly by nature, and they couldn’t be relied upon. Even if Fu Xingchuan had obtained his “divination” from Fu Wuya and learned of his lifespan, he simply couldn’t hold on like this.
Fu Wuya was only a master, not a deity. The “divination” he had divined wasn’t absolute. Taking a step back, there was also the possibility he would have to live alone for a while.
He had to think of a solution.
Except for Lu Xiaohe, who was a science post, the talents of Fu Tianyi, Ge Tingting, and Huang Jin were all good, but unfortunately, none of them had any experience. Even the weakened version of the Divine Descent wasn’t something newcomers could handle.
However, just resisting the Evil Force had exhausted all of Fu Xingchuan’s strength… He had to think of a solution…
“What is that?” Ge Tingting, who had turned pale, pointed her finger—in view of the limited energy of a certain middle-aged man, after Fu Xingchuan initially closed the gap, he removed the dark magic around her eyes.
Who knew that this girl had the guts to peek into the gap.
Fu Xingchuan subconsciously turned his gaze, seeing dark red fragments floating in the black and gray mixed with Evil Force.
The remains of a monster with a human smell. It was probably the remains of a mutated evil that had turned into mud and been made into this shape… There were also some black threads mixed in it, which were supposed to be woven into a certain pattern but were now broken and unrecognizable.
“Fragments of an evil processed by magic,” Fu Xingchuan said hoarsely.
Ge Tingting’s AI didn’t answer.
She dared not look directly at the gap itself but at the fragments that were constantly surging out. After a few seconds, she took off Shian’s unilateral earphones.
“What’s wrong, Xiao Ge?” Lu Xiaohe still held her laptop tightly. “Did you find something? I can also see those fragments. Are they very special?”
“Those fragments aren’t right.” Ge Tingting’s AI replied in a clear tone. “Those Evil Force are a bit like human corpses. I can hear the unique noise of a corpse, and the noise is particularly sharp near those fragments.”
“Those fragments seem to have a negative effect on them, but I’m not sure.”
She wiped the remaining blood and tears from her face and turned her bloodshot eyes to Huang Jin.
“Huang Jin, you try to see. It’s okay, just look at the corners.”
Since Ge Tingting’s eyes bled when she stared directly at the gap, Huang Jin kept his eyes tightly closed. When he was called upon, he immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
“No, we can’t do anything!” Huang Jin shouted. “Keeping safe is the best help we can offer!”
Ge Tingting didn’t respond.
In the darkness, her originally soft mind became more and more like a diamond. Huang Jin could only see the words “Do what we can” from her… Did this girl have no concept of the severity of the situation?!
However, on second thought, she had just come into contact with the metaphysical world, and what she encountered was Evil Force and cognitive pollution… Thinking about the later cases she encountered, none of them provided her with any “normal” reference standards.
Huang Jin felt somewhat exhausted.
But this time, Ge Tingting didn’t insist on asking him for help. The little girl turned around on her own and reached out to the broken pieces of the corpse.
[These pieces are corpses, and I’m a corpse servant.]
In Huang Jin’s eyes, thoughts as simple as they were terrifying flashed by.
[If the Evil Force rejects these pieces of the corpse, what if I put the pieces back together?]
Ge Tingting struggled to move her fingers.
Unlike ordinary animal bones, these pieces of the corpse were particularly difficult to control, each weighing over a thousand catties. However, this young corpse servant still refused to give up, stubbornly moving them around.
Fu Xingchuan furrowed his brow but didn’t stop her.
After less than half a minute, Ge Tingting was panting heavily in place. Her face was pale, her pupils were shaking non-stop, and her thoughts seemed to have been run through a juicer, with many negative thoughts mixed in.
Huang Jin silently watched Ge Tingting.
Perhaps she was too young and naive, but despite the waves of negative thoughts flowing through her head like water, she had a few ironclad ideas.
[There’s still the cat, Luo Wanxiang and the others I just met, and sister Ding Lizi.]
[I always have something I can do. Even if I fail, the impact will still be reduced a bit.]
Her movements gradually became weak and disorderly, but those pieces of the corpse were really pieced together by her, forming a small piece of corpse cloth.
Fu Xingchuan exclaimed, “The black silk thread embroidered on the corpse pieces has a very strong seal. I can learn it, but it will take some time. Xiao Ge, well done, you can rest now.”
But Ge Tingting didn’t give up.
She persisted in moving the pieces of the corpse, and the corpse cloth she pieced together gradually grew larger. Seeing this person’s trance-like appearance, Huang Jin, who rarely refrained from mocking, just sighed deeply.
He cut his palm with a carving knife, clenched his fist, and let his blood drip onto the modified tranquility talisman.
Ge Tingting and Lu Xiaohe looked at him with surprise.
“I always have something I can do, don’t I?” Huang Jin muttered. “Although it’s just a little calming effect, it’s better than nothing, right?”
Ge Tingting smiled at him and moved the pieces of the corpse again.
Hmm?
The feeling of irritability and ferocity that had just been present had dissipated quite a bit, and the pieces of the corpse in the Evil Force felt lighter now… No, it was more accurate to say that she “had learned how to operate correctly”.
Ge Tingting looked at Huang Jin with some surprise, but this wasn’t the time for idle chatter. She quickly assembled the pieces of the corpse while the feeling was still present.
It wasn’t her imagination.
As the spell on the pieces of the corpse became complete, there were signs that the surrounding Evil Force was being suppressed. She quickly glanced at the gaps where the Evil Force was still flowing and raised her hands…
It transformed into a crooked and distorted adhesive bandage that covered the most severely leaking areas.
As the source weakened, the surrounding Evil Force immediately became thinner, and there was a clear smile on Fu Xingchuan’s face.
“Very good.”
He said, not forgetting to glance at Huang Jin.
“I underestimated you. With this, I can also exert some of my power. You all prepare…”
Before Fu Xingchuan finished speaking, the gap that Ge Tingting had just finished patching suddenly completely collapsed.
The collapse came without warning, and the surging Evil Force burst out, instantly engulfing the five of them.
……
Inside the gap, the transition space.
When the seal exploded, Yin Ren was once again overwhelmed by the Evil Force. Unlike the last time, he was unprepared and had insufficient energy.
Yin Ren quickly constructed a winged ball and only had time to wrap himself and his suitcase behind him.
The Evil Force this time wasn’t as chaotic as before. If the previous attack was like a mudslide chasing behind him, this time the mudslide had turned into an earth dragon and was strategically suppressing him.
The person controlling from behind became serious.
…He took out his strongest sealing technique, but in the end, wasn’t it still like a cat playing with a mouse? All his resistance now seemed a bit ridiculous.
In the tattered winged ball, Yin Ren wiped the dirt from his face and tried to calm his breathing.
No, he couldn’t give up yet. He just had to escape, not win.
The winged ball, which was wrapped into a ball, trembled incessantly, and the invasion of the Evil Force from the outside was extremely painful. Yin Ren gritted his teeth and tried to squeeze out his exhausted thoughts.
Just then, a hand reached out from the suitcase and firmly squeezed the winged ball.
[Yin Ren, please restore yourself to your original form.]
Zhong Chengshuo held tightly onto his phone and turned on the only source of light in the darkness.
[No matter what kind of evil we face, your true form will always be stronger.]
“I can’t do that. It’ll cause sensory chaos!” Yin Ren immediately replied. “I need my normal five senses to properly protect you.”
Indeed, his state of mind was more favorable when fighting a sniper, but at that time he thought Zhong Chengshuo was dead and only saw the sniper running around, ignoring the damage it caused to its surroundings. But now, he had to protect Zhong Chengshuo…
[It’s not necessary. Your sense of touch is enough, leave the rest to me.]
Zhong Chengshuo replied. He lifted himself from the suitcase and hugged the bundle of wings beside him.
[Leave it to me.]
“Okay,” Yin Ren said, closing his eyes.
The next moment, a gray-black ocean poured out.
Compared to that, the Evil Force rushing towards them was like stagnant, turbid water. His sense of touch became somewhat numb, perhaps due to sensory chaos, and his severe pain became dull. With his five senses gone, Yin Ren’s world plunged into nothingness.
The sniper he was chasing had completely died, and there were no living beings around, which was terrifyingly desolate.
Yin Ren’s consciousness drifted away again, leaving only evil spirits and corpses around him. They were wandering in the distance of the battlefield, echoing almost imperceptible ripples.
In the void, those ripples were small and clear, as if they could be touched by reaching out.
…If he tried to seal them in this form again, perhaps the effect would be better, Yin Ren thought in a daze while his thoughts scattered.
It was just a thought, but those evil spirits seemed to have received a death order and gathered here at high speed. As if a layer of gauze before his eyes had been lifted, controlling the evil spirits had never been so easy.
But where was the enemy?
When the sniper was still alive, Yin Ren could track the ripples belonging to the enemy. Now, it was just manipulated wreckage. In the chaos of his five senses, it was difficult for Yin Ren to distinguish the direction of his target.
Suddenly, he felt a tug on a certain part of his body, like a polished claw gently scratching.
A very small and soft pull.
Yin Ren instinctively moved his body, only to collide with a sudden attack of Evil Force.
…Zhong Chengshuo was guiding him.
Although it was unclear how that person did it, there was no doubt that his partner was guiding him in battle.
Just the sense of touch was enough, as it turned out.
There was another gentle tug, and Yin Ren’s body contracted. This time he had no hair, but instead shed large chunks of his body, which were covered in countless runes that merged with the gathering evil spirits.
Compared to hair, the effect of large chunks of flesh was obviously much more powerful.
If this were outside, it would be a serious source of evil qi pollution. Yin Ren’s thoughts raced through his mind, but the anxiety and pressure had disappeared.
The evil spirits that came into contact with Yin Ren’s flesh rapidly swelled again, transforming into a heavy seal. However, this time, the seal didn’t weakly envelop those forces—it turned into sharp blades that sliced the surging Evil Force cleanly.
A gentle pull.
The ocean of wings surged and intertwined with the murky power.
A quiet tug.
The flesh and blood gathered into blades fell, and the dead torrent violently disintegrated. One piece, four pieces, eight pieces—the seal cut them off and then tightly isolated them.
As if sensing something, that power was guided to rampage and destroy, seemingly wanting to damage the space itself. The surging flow of Evil Force caused countless small cracks to appear in the transitional space. If this were in normal circumstances, it would be enough to disrupt any conscious attack.
However, except for Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren had almost given up all external perception.
That person seemed to have become his most agile combat nerve. Yin Ren acted very quickly and without hesitation.
This feeling was very strange. Previously, maintaining human form and fighting felt like a mortal dealing with a natural disaster. Now he had also become a natural disaster, despite being exhausted and unable to see or hear anything.
…But he was very calm.
That person guided him time and time again, and the entangling forces were scattered and separated by the seal. After dispersing, the process of decomposing them into evil qi became faster.
Finally, the murky power stopped moving.
The ocean of wings slumped in place, and the tense nerves suddenly relaxed. Yin Ren almost laid down to recover his human form.
As soon as his five senses returned, Yin Ren was too lazy to deal with the spatial cracks. He looked in the direction where Zhong Chengshuo was. The smile on his face hadn’t had a chance to appear before it froze on his lips.
Zhong Chengshuo was standing two steps away from him.
The man’s chest, neck, and many small wounds were all covered in Evil Force… No, it wasn’t so much that they were covered, as they were absorbed.
They wriggled, transformed, and revealed a newborn’s delicate flesh color at the broken parts.
Inside the wound, the organs were initially the size of a baby but quickly expanded and transformed into adult organs. The head was even stranger—a mixture of baby, adolescent, and adult features blended together on the fleshy ball. They looked like some kind of bizarre computer effect, slowly floating and merging like drops of oil, gradually becoming the facial features that Yin Ren was familiar with.
Those were the facial features of Zhong Chengshuo.
Even at the moment of growth, the head was still tilted—Zhong Chengshuo’s neck hadn’t turned, but his chin was facing his left shoulder.
But the “ordinary” man only fumbled for a moment. He held the head on both sides and lightly twisted it forward.
Crack.
The final wound slowly healed, and Zhong Chengshuo stood quietly in front of Yin Ren, bare-chested.
“Yin Ren.”
He opened his black hole-like eyes and called out softly.
Kinky Translations 