Chapter Sixty-Two: The Arrival of Thick Fog
The passage connecting to the God Realm Prototype closed, the magnificent and brilliant golden glow dissipated, and the valley was once again swallowed by the night.
Lu Yibei used her spiritual awareness to probe the state of Zhong Hui from a distance. After confirming he was still alive, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She had not anticipated that Zhong Hui would make such a bold move as swallowing White Puppy whole. She only wanted to take advantage of the chaos while disrupting Zhang Shuisheng’s ambush plan. If it led to the loss of a high-level spiritual ability user for the Siye Society, that would truly be a grave sin.
With matters here settled, there was nothing left to linger. After confirming Zhong Hui’s condition, she departed the scene without a moment’s hesitation.
At a time like this, if one didn’t hurry to retreat, staying at the scene after a successful robbery would feel incredibly foolish.
Getting caught was secondary; the crucial point was that it was too arrogant and reckless. Some matters were better left at an opportune moment.
Having already captured a significant number of Solar Eclipse Society members, was she really planning to abduct members of the Special Action Team next?
Her form sliced through the air as the mountain wind, tinged with a slight burnt odor, rushed towards her.
In the now tranquil forest, Lu Yibei spread her arms, feeling the wind rushing towards her, her feet light as she swayed about joyfully, reminiscent of the opening theme of the 1986 version of “Journey to the West.”
The coat changed its style and color in a timely manner, masking her spiritual energy fluctuations and blending her figure with the looming tall trees, making it hard to distinguish between the two.
[They appeared right in front of her.]
As she moved forward, a premonition suddenly flashed through Lu Yibei’s mind. She frowned lightly, paused briefly, and gracefully landed on the branch of a large tree.
“Hurry, hurry! The explosion just now was terrifying, we need to rush to support Operative Zhong Hui!”
Just as Lu Yibei used the tree’s canopy to conceal herself, distant shouts resonated. Following the voices, she saw a familiar figure, accompanied by numerous members of the Special Action Team.
Is that Miao Miao Sauce’s foolish friend? Where’s Miao Miao Sauce? Isn’t she with her? Lu Yibei wondered.
In the next moment, without any warning, as if sensing danger approaching, her muscles tensed up in an instant.
Steadying her mind, she noticed Lin Kule, for some reason, casting her gaze in her direction.
In the darkness, their eyes met across a considerable distance.
She spotted me; there’s no way she missed it!
Locking eyes with Lin Kule, Lu Yibei’s body stiffened slightly, her heart rate uncontrollably quickened.
It was as if one couldn’t hide the intent to attack in one’s gaze. When Lin Kule recognized Lu Yibei’s presence, her initial shock turned into a hesitant expression, perfectly revealing her thoughts.
“Lu Yibei,” she said.
What to do? Am I supposed to fight my way through the few members of the Siye Society and the Special Action Team?
The key point was that, as rumored, the area surrounding the Three Gorges Psychiatric Hospital was under a fortified spell group that could summon the powers of the cataclysm-grade urban legend, Kui. Even though the Siye Society had the advantage just now, they hadn’t had the chance to use it. But if I end up clashing with the members of the Siye Society, who can say whether they will utilize it?
That’s a cataclysm-grade urban legend. Even if it has already fallen, I might not be able to withstand its power. The tragedy of the Twin-armed Giant’s power seeping into the body is a prime example.
While Lu Yibei was discreetly pondering this, a conversation from below interrupted her thoughts.
“Lin, what are you looking at? Did you find something?”
“Ah? No, no, I just spaced out for a moment. Just spaced out.”
“Is that so? You need to stay alert at a time like this!”
“Don’t worry; we’ve already laid an elaborate trap. Those bad guys can’t possibly escape! Unless they can fly!”
Lin Kule emphasized the word “fly” intentionally.
In this world, how could there be an A-grade witch-type urban legend that can’t fly?
Even a B-grade witch could ride a broom and drift in the sky!
For the sake of Sister Li, I’ll pretend I didn’t see you; you better take off quickly!
“Lu Yibei caught the underlying meaning of Lin Kule’s words and found herself momentarily speechless.
Meanwhile, a few kilometers away from the Three Gorges Psychiatric Hospital, a uniquely shaped small mountain stood tall.
This small mountain seemed to be sliced by a kn*fe on all sides, almost vertical downward, resembling a pencil driven straight into the riverbank.
At the top of the small mountain, less than ten square meters in area, Zhang Yi, with a battered face, was upside down hanging from a crooked tree, wriggling around like a cicada pupa.
Right in front of him, over a hundred flying birds surrounded Jumeng, listening quietly like primary school students eager to learn.
“Did you all understand what I just said?”
“Chirp chirp… chirp chirp…”
“Tsk! I’ll say it one more time; what you all have to do is very simple.” Jumeng pointed at Zhang Yi and continued, “After I leave, every ten minutes, attack his sensitive spots; every half hour, drop some bird droppings on him.”
“Chirp chirp…”
“Seeing there are still a few dumb birds who don’t understand, Jumeng rubbed her slightly swollen temples, her lips slightly parted as she prepared to repeat herself. Just then, her phone suddenly rang.
Taking out her phone, she answered the call and heard Lu Yibei’s voice.
“Stinky sister, come and pick me up.”
Hearing this, Jumeng rolled her eyes, “You dog! Just walk on your own after finishing up! Why do you need me to come get you? What kind of operation is that?”
“Do you know what your behavior is like? It’s like going out with another man and expecting your jealous boyfriend to come pick you up afterward!”
“I can’t run away; I’m surrounded by Siye Society members, and I don’t want to clash with them,” Lu Yibei explained.
“Ah, I forgot; you can’t fly! Right, Lu Yibei?” Jumeng said, looking at the flock of birds gathered nearby. She chuckled, “One lark said it wants to sing you a special rendition of ‘Superman Can’t Fly,’ titled ‘Calamity Can’t Fly.’ Should I record it for you?”
“Lu Yibei.”
“d*mn it, how absurd!”
A Dragon Slayer Mage even relies on a cat to fly; why can’t a calamity rely on a magpie to fly? —
As a magpie, Jumeng was naturally stubborn, but she actually cared for Lu Yibei a lot.
Five minutes later, above the Kui Gate.
Jumeng flew across the river with Lu Yibei, the red and white mountains gradually disappearing behind them.
Having escaped the control of the Siye Society, Lu Yibei finally relaxed. She seized the opportunity to contact Ji Yunpei, who was already inside the God Realm Prototype.
Harnessing her spirit energy, she established a subtle connection with the paper cicada held by Ji Yunpei, softly calling out, “Ji Yunpei, Ji Yunpei!”
“Miss Lan Yi, I’m here! When will you come over? I—”
Before Ji Yunpei could finish her anxious speech, Lu Yibei interrupted, sensing her urgency and the faint sounds of chaos in the background. “Don’t panic, are those Solar Eclipse Society members getting rowdy as you warned?”
Considering the situation, it was easy to think that many of those Solar Eclipse Society members, usually accustomed to acting recklessly because of their spiritual abilities, were likely to become unruly. Even in a superhero comic, they could easily become second-tier villains.
Among such a group, some were familiar with Ji Yunpei’s father. Regardless of the “Lan Yi” title or the recent explosion, they wouldn’t remain too calm.
Ji Yunpei didn’t expect Lu Yibei to guess her situation so quickly and seemed taken aback before weakly saying, “Although they haven’t caused trouble yet, given the atmosphere, it looks imminent. Miss Lan, what should I do now?”
“Don’t worry; you don’t need to handle it,” Lu Yibei comforted her gently. “Soon, close your eyes. When you reopen them, you’ll find yourself in a place called Mudan Street. Once there, go to a place called Lipstick Tavern and find someone named Qing Ji.”
“Just say Wang Buliu sent you to seek his assistance, and remember to show him a bit of respect; he doesn’t have a good temper.”
“If all else fails, just say you’re Wang Buliu’s fiancée; he’ll definitely help you!”
Is there really anything in this world that even an ancestor can’t handle?
Absolutely not. That old man has plenty of dirty tricks!
Even if those Solar Eclipse Society members are all Zhang Hainan, the ancestor will have them sorted out clearly and make them as obedient as sheep by the time they reunite, Lu Yibei thought.
“Okay, I understand!”
After hearing Ji Yunpei’s agreement, Lu Yibei quickly used her control over the God Realm Prototype to teleport Ji Yunpei to Mudan Street.
While she also wanted to send Ji Yunpei directly to Qing Ji, her mastery over the God Realm Prototype wasn’t particularly adept yet, and she could only manage a general range of teleporting. Achieving precision to a specific location was still a bit out of reach.
Moreover, if someone suddenly appeared by Qing Ji’s side, he might reflexively strike her down and throw her to Wang Ying.
While Lu Yibei was communicating with Ji Yunpei, Jumeng had remained quiet. Once their discussion ended, she finally spoke up, “I suddenly think the God Realm is quite interesting; I kind of want to create one.”
Seeing Lu Yibei managing the God Realm like a hyper-realistic simulation game ignited her desire to play.
With her capabilities and background, building a God Realm was just a matter of desire.
At that time, she could create an “eSports paradise,” invest some effort, slow down the flow of time within the God Realm, and open it to those who usually didn’t have time or only had little time to game, giving them enough time to enjoy games after work and study.
Although strictly speaking, the God Realm could hardly slow down time, it could help them fall into dreams, where time flowed much more easily controlled, saving costs on procuring equipment and legit games.
In that case, just selling tickets would make a fortune!
As Jumeng fantasized about earning enough money this way to counter fate, Lu Yibei mercilessly shattered her illusions.
“I advise against it. If you were to create a God Realm, the 800-mile Peach Spring would probably evaporate overnight. Do you think the Siye Society would let such illegal occupation of state-owned land slide? At that point, the Black Emperor would probably be hunting you down every day.”
If there were anyone in this world who could keep the unruly Jumeng in check, it would likely be Zhang Shuisheng.
If she actually did that, Zhang Shuisheng might really come after her.
“d*mn it! I was just saying.” Jumeng grumbled impatiently, rolling her eyes at Lu Yibei.
Once Jumeng went quiet again, Lu Yibei took out her phone from the God Realm Prototype.
As her fingertips felt the rugged and scratched surface of the old secondary phone’s back, she couldn’t help but reflect.
Previously, her phone had gone to waste due to inexplicable body heat and unexpected battles, forcing her to buy a pile of secondary phones as backups.
Now that she had the God Realm Prototype as a safeguard, shouldn’t it be time to get a brand new flagship device?
Lu Yibei thought to herself, shook her head, pulled her focus back, and directed her attention to the phone.
Just as she unlocked the screen, her expression slightly changed.
As the phone disconnected from the God Realm Prototype, the network signal reconnected, and the screen immediately displayed 99+ unread messages and a dozen missed call notifications.
The old secondary phone became sluggish like a brick, hot to the touch.
Once the phone returned to normal, she opened those notifications and discovered that all the messages were from Lin Nian and the online old pervert, while the calls were all from Lin Nian.
Just by looking at those glaring red notification badges, without even having time to read the message contents, Lu Yibei sensed a rush of dangerous urgency.
Normally, the online old pervert sending her so many messages at once only happened when she asked him for lewd pictures. Moreover, unless it was an emergency, Lin Nian wouldn’t reach out to her via calls.
Subsequently, the content of those messages confirmed her earlier suspicions.
Noticing Lu Yibei’s unusual demeanor, Jumeng pinched her shoulder with her little paw and asked, “What’s wrong? You seem a bit off?”
“Stinky sister, how can the Haze God be so weak?”
“That’s for sure!” Jumeng responded dismissively, her chin slightly raised. “Its power characteristics dictate it isn’t good at direct combat. If we’re talking about battle capabilities, it’s absolutely among the weakest of the calamity-grade.”
“I could take on ten of it!”
“Wait, why are you suddenly talking about this? Your face was off just now; you aren’t about to clash with it, are you? If that’s the case, don’t drag me into it! I have a bunch of people back in Peach Spring!”
Although Jumeng was extremely confident about facing the Haze God in direct combat, if it tried to escape and hid in the shadows, she would struggle to cope.
Seemingly compensating for its lack of combat ability, the Haze God was an expert in corruption and pollution, and according to Jumeng’s knowledge, it was second only to the legendary Pestilence Taijie.
Therefore, if she truly engaged with the Haze God head-on, the likely outcome would see the Haze God fall but all the residents of Peach Spring perishing alongside it.
“I’m not sure if I’ll face it right now,” Lu Yibei paused, organizing her thoughts slightly. “But I can certainly say that I accidentally triggered its premature birth earlier.”
Jumeng’s mouth twitched with a wry smile, remarking, “Beating up a pregnant entity, huh?”
Although she didn’t want the Haze God’s offspring to come into being, as the deity overseeing reproduction and offspring, she held a deep-rooted dislike for the kind of powers Lu Yibei exhibited.
“Um, it’s not like I did it myself,” Lu Yibei tried to explain.
If it came to it, she wouldn’t dare to!
“Did someone incite you to beat up a pregnant entity?” Jumeng rolled her eyes, “You certainly are a decent person!”
“At that moment, who expected the ancestor would be so strong?”
Or maybe Proxy Player Sister stepped in? Who knows? Either way, I was out cold at that time!
I can’t imagine it was Meng Meng who did it!
Lu Yibei thought to herself, casually scanning ahead before quickly returning her gaze.
Departing from the Kui Gate, with Jumeng carrying her, they had flown for some time when the outline of the main urban area of Shancheng came into view.
At this moment, the cityscape in the distance had changed dramatically compared to when they left.
Beneath the thick fog, the bridges, mountains, and undulating buildings all appeared nebulous and indistinct, as if fading away from reality.
As time passed, the fog enveloping the mountain city grew thicker, its color shifting from a pale white to a hint of yellowish-brown, rising layer upon layer from an unseen source, as if an invisible hand were wrapping it in a shroud of decay.
The wind blew from afar, carrying a stinging scent reminiscent of burning plastic or car exhaust, swirling in countless invisible inhalable particles that quickly entered the body through the respiratory system, immediately releasing the faint power of the Haze God lurking within.
At that moment, it felt like countless tiny, barbed hands were scratching her insides, suffocating her.
Above the city, the densest fog was boiling, swirling fervently, sending out tentacle-like cloud whirlwinds in all directions.
Raindrops began to fall thickly from the leaden clouds, passing through the fog and immediately taking on a yellow-brown hue. They continued to descend, like poisonous whips lashing down upon the city and its inhabitants.
And the thick fog that gathered cast shadows on the ground, moving about the city like bloodthirsty malevolent spirits.
In the span of just two to three hours, the entire city transformed into a hunting ground unique to those bizarre creatures without fixed forms or material composition.
Staring toward the main urban area of Shancheng, her eyes experienced intense discomfort within less than ten seconds, burning, stinging, an overwhelming heat surged from her eyes, racing through her veins and spreading throughout her body, as if it were going to scorch her entirely.
Pulling back her gaze, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to center herself. Lu Yibei nudged Jumeng, “Stinky sister, look ahead.”
“Hmm?” Jumeng tilted her shiny little head and looked forward, letting out an exclamation, “What the hell!? That looks like the Haze God’s true body?”
If it hadn’t been for the fact that just over two hours ago, she was still at the center of the mountain city, she would never believe that the city resembling a corpse before her was indeed Shancheng.
“d*mn it! You’re not thinking of stopping it, are you? If you ask me, that kind of family affair is best left alone, and we shouldn’t meddle.”
Watching parents discipline their children may become increasingly amusing, but if one were to intervene, it would only lead to trouble, you know?
She knew Lu Yibei well; in relatively dangerous situations, Lu Yibei would always be the first to flee, and during extreme dangers, she’d still be the quickest to runaway.
The previous time, when they were ambushed in Peach Spring, she had seen it firsthand.
“I understand,” Lu Yibei replied expressionlessly.
Of course, she knew the amusement of watching parents discipline children, as she had often utilized her half-baked advantage as a “child” during parent-teacher meetings to “recruit” the parents of classmates she disliked to enjoy watching them get scolded.
That was so much fun! Until it was her father who ended up scolding her.
In reality, given the choice, she didn’t want to be an enemy of the Haze God!
So far, she had already fought against cataclysm-level enemies, but those adversaries were either already corrupted or had been controlled and desperately wanted to break free, or were only partially awakened—overall, they were incomplete threats at cataclysm-grade.
In contrast, the Haze God was a genuine, living cataclysm-grade urban legend. If it chose to engage in combat, risking its offspring breaking away from its control—or even being devoured—it would certainly be at its pinnacle state in battle.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Lu Yibei said to Jumeng, “Stinky sister, let’s hold off on entering the city for now. You find a spot and let me down first.”
The situation had escalated to a point where it was something she could resolve on her own?
Seeing criminals in action was best met with a call to the police! Especially when one had a “police flower” girlfriend.
Unless absolutely necessary, rushing in unarmed and acting bravely would only get one stabbed multiple times.
Upon hearing Lu Yibei’s words, Jumeng sighed in relief, descending while teasingly saying, “That’s more like it! Let’s stay on the sidelines and watch quietly; it’s so great! Should we order takeout? I want to eat some spicy crayfish; now is the best time for crabs!”
“Let’s discuss it later…” Lu Yibei said expressionlessly. “First, I need to contact the Siye Society members.”
“And the limping girl?”
“And the Black Emperor,” Lu Yibei shot a sideways glance at Jumeng.
Why does she keep bringing up the Black Emperor today? Is it because I teased her about not being able to fly? Such pettiness! Jumeng’s mouth twitched slightly as she quietly stepped aside.
As Lu Yibei indicated, after Jumeng stepped back, she quickly took out the Mourning Gray Owl Badge, infused it with spiritual energy, and reached out to Jiang Li.
However, once, three times, five times—
She had sent several messages to Jiang Li in succession, and normally, Jiang Li should have sensed the tremor of the Mourning Gray Owl Badge and responded by now, but she received no reply.
How could this be? What’s she doing? Is she in danger?
Suddenly, Lu Yibei recalled that Zhang Shuisheng might dispatch high-level spiritual ability users or urban legends to infiltrate the Three Gorges Psychiatric Hospital to abduct Tan Qiuming, which made her heart race. She nearly lost control and turned back to the hospital to confirm Jiang Li’s safety.
However, the sight of the mountain city shrouded in strange fog and her rationality told her that she first needed to relay the abnormal situation in Shancheng, along with the intelligence from the online old pervert and Lin Nian, to the Siye Society.
Suppressing her inner impulse, Lu Yibei took a deep breath, adjusted her emotions, and concentrated on communicating with the paper cicada in Zhang Shuisheng’s possession.
As time passed, the dense fog enveloping the mountain city gradually spread in all directions. Visibility around them fell several levels without realizing it, and the stinging odor grew increasingly potent.
Inhalable particles containing the Haze God’s power entered Lu Yibei’s body with each breath, and she soon felt a sense of dazedness, as if experiencing a hallucination with whispers echoing in her ears.
“Futile.”
“Futile.”
Lu Yibei paused, “Stinky sister, what did you say?”
“What do you mean what?” Jumeng rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve been quiet, okay?”
At that, Lu Yibei turned to look at Jumeng, just as she was about to say something, her eyes widened in surprise.
Unbeknownst to her—likely at some point when the surrounding fog thickened—Jumeng’s entire body emitted a faint pink glow, as if she had been coated with a layer of luminous powder.
Lu Yibei gestured towards Jumeng’s body, “Is this an art performance?”
Jumeng froze for a moment, lifting her hands to examine herself, then noticed the peculiarity.
“Wait a minute—”
As she spoke, her expression suddenly changed. She quickly reached out and waved her hands in the thick fog before looking at them. Her delicate white hands sparkled as if they had been electrified.
Raising her hand to her nose to sniff, she twisted her face as if she had bitten into a lemon, coughing as she directed a panicked shout toward Lu Yibei, “Cough cough, this fog… cough cough, contains the Haze God’s power!
They are alive!”
Alive? Lu Yibei was taken aback, but she quickly regained her composure and began to piece together a hypothesis.
As a calamity-grade urban legend, Jumeng had power that even surpassed the Haze God, which meant the inhalable particles imbued with the Haze God’s powers couldn’t penetrate her body, but merely swirled around her. The clash of the two different powers resulted in that glowing powder-like sheen.
However, what were the whispers in her ears all about?
Were they purely hallucinations? Lu Yibei wondered.
Then, the whispers echoed in her ears once more.
“Futile.”
“Everything is under control.”
“Everything is under control?” Lu Yibei was momentarily stunned. After pondering for a moment, recalling how her attempt to communicate with Zhang Shuisheng’s paper cicada had been abruptly interrupted, she seemed to realize something. She concentrated again and made another attempt.
As expected, the communication broke off again.
After the communication faltered, she pulled out her phone to check. Upon seeing the phone signal bars spasming erratically like a seizure, she turned to Jumeng and said, “Stinky sister, can you give me a call?”
“What’s the point of a call?” Jumeng questioned, puzzled. “Aren’t you right beside me?”
Even while complaining, she took out her phone, dialed Lu Yibei’s number, and immediately the screen flashed “Call Failed.”
“Just as I thought.” Lu Yibei nodded thoughtfully, scanning the thick fog around them murmuring, “These inhalable particles containing the Haze God’s power are interfering with all types of communication?”
Realizing this, Lu Yibei knew the situation could become even more dire, but her emotions lessened.
Perhaps the reason she couldn’t reach Miao Miao Sauce earlier was due to the interference?
In that case, she might not be in danger after all, Lu Yibei thought.
