**Chapter 100: How Much Is Face Worth?**
When Huaxie Yu activated the core of the parasitic urban legend, transformed by the Elders’ Council of the Solar Eclipse Society, the strange power contained within instantly awakened, flowing into the man’s body through their subtle mental connection.
Like a bloodthirsty insect that had been dormant for ages, it sensed the scent of bl**d.
In the next second, on the balcony of Jingyi Apartment Block 4, Room 1001, the balding middle-aged man leaning on the balcony suddenly opened his eyes.
“This…”
Just as a soft gasp escaped his lips, a sharp pain shot through his forehead, as if a thorn had pierced his brain from his brow.
In the next moment, desperate and agonizing screams echoed in his mind, and an unbearable stench filled his nostrils, like a hallucination—he vaguely heard whispers in his ears.
The cold, rigid, inhuman whispers, yet with an indescribable allure, sounded like a melody from heaven, playing a subtle tune that became increasingly captivating, making his heart uncontrollably beat along with the rhythm.
In that instant, the man realized he had fallen into a trap.
“So this is the core of the parasitic urban legend that the Elders completed the transformation on recently? No wonder they managed to perfectly transform it after stealing the powers of the Pink Fluffy Rabbit.”
In the past, whether it was spiritual ability users or urban legends, they all viewed the parasitic urban legend as an ominous and tricky existence, reluctant to come into contact with it. However, the teams under the Elders’ Council cleverly utilized the power characteristics of the Pink Fluffy Rabbit to achieve a ‘deactivation’ treatment on a certain parasitic urban legend’s core, making it remain dormant until specific spiritual energy was injected.
Yes, he had long known that a group of members under the Elders’ Council was utilizing the powers of the Pink Fluffy Rabbit to transform the core of the parasitic urban legend. When the Solar Eclipse Society contacted local groups around the Spring Day Great Society to abduct those affected by the powers of the Pink Fluffy Rabbit, Phoenix had received the news and even snatched a batch from those guys.
However, what Phoenix didn’t know was when the Elders’ transformation research would successfully conclude, and he certainly didn’t expect that the core of the parasitic urban legend, just recently transformed, would be used on the man.
“Could this be considered the first effective control over the parasitic urban legend in history?” the man marveled sincerely, “Pretty impressive!”
“But how did Miss Huaxie obtain this? Was it Luxianbei?”
Thinking back to his earlier contact with Luxianbei, where he sensed the aura of the Elders’ fourth seat, Ying Huo, the man quickly locked in on the source of the parasitic urban legend’s core in Huaxie Yu’s hands as Luxianbei.
Luxianbei must have sensed my presence in Huacheng, contacted the Elders’ Council, which then handed over the core to Huaxie Yu.
That makes sense, doesn’t it?
As he pondered, the parasitic urban legend’s invasion of his consciousness seemed to intensify, causing his facial features to twitch uncontrollably, with expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness appearing involuntarily.
Consciousness is often an ethereal existence, difficult to describe in specific forms. However, for parasitic urban legends, the consciousness of humans or urban legends is their breeding ground.
If the man were to describe it, he would say that consciousness is like a body wrapped in layers of clothing; usually, only the person knows what it looks like, and it is hard to expose it in front of others.
And now, the powers of the parasitic urban legend flowed from Huaxie Yu’s consciousness, penetrating through every possible place, such as the collar, sleeves, pants, etc., drilling beneath the garments, tearing through skin, devouring flesh, and attempting to seize dominance of the body.
They possess a bizarre power, painting a world filled with darkness, panic, and violence, creating shadows in the human heart, as if only by yielding to that power could one escape from that terrifying world.
“The world, isn’t it originally like that?”
The man muttered to himself while holding his forehead, a weary bitter smile appearing on his face.
He had once witnessed a world far more terrifying than what “they” depicted!
A world filled with indifference, panic, alienation, suspicion, distorted vanity, and tumultuous primal desires.
In that world, hard work was sometimes just a means to survive; beauty could k*ll, and ignorance could be an excuse for any action.
Picking up a keyboard could make one supreme.
Therefore, launching an attack on him with this type of parasitic urban legend would almost be impossible to inflict a fatal wound.
It would be like pouring a bottle of strong poison into a corpse; while it could still harm certain organizations, it would be impossible for him to d*e again.
At most, it would be an insult to the corpse!
“It seems the Elders still don’t understand me enough?” The man shook his head, “Is it really necessary to use such a valuable thing on a part-timer?”
“It’s like hiring a luxury assassin team capable of killing the president of M Country, just to k*ll a seasonal worker at a small, obscure company.”
“This puts me, a part-timer, in a difficult position!
As he spoke, he looked down at his hands. On those chubby fingers, ripples were spreading outward.
As those ripples expanded, the touched objects quickly underwent incomprehensible transformations.
The ripples swept over the pots on the balcony, causing a stem of the gladiolus to wriggle rapidly, growing upwards, blooming, and then quickly turning into a durian with sharp spikes.
Inside the room, a woman bound tightly was convulsing violently, the prominence of her throat flickering in and out of view, as dense black hair rapidly sprouted from her lips.
In the living room, a pure white cat leaped up, diving into a fish tank, twisting its body and swimming back and forth like a fish, munching on aquatic plants.
“It’s chaotic, really chaotic!” Looking at these violations of rules, the man felt utterly pained, as if he were a severe obsessive-compulsive disorder patient seeing misaligned tiles on the street.
“d*mn it, what should I do? Elders, this gives me another difficult problem!”
“Hey, this is why I dislike them so much!”
Although the man knew that the transformed core of the parasitic urban legend was far from enough to harm him fundamentally, all he needed to do was sever the subtle connection with Huaxie Yu and completely detach from the borrowed body he was in at the moment; he could easily halt the unknown parasitic urban legend’s invasion.
But now, the principles and bottom lines he had always adhered to had put him in a dilemma.
If he simply left like this, not only would Huaxie Yu d*e on the spot, but the accumulating powers of the parasitic urban legend and spiritual abilities within the borrowed body would also explode the moment they lost their target, spreading in all directions.
Like a toxin that reached a certain level, entering a proliferation phase of a virus.
That would be a terrible disaster.
Indeed, the man had always believed that this world needed to be totally destroyed to allow for rebirth. However, wanting the world to end did not mean he would k*ll innocents indiscriminately.
The former is an unstoppable natural selection, akin to a war chariot rushing forward, where some would be crushed under the wheels according to the rules.
While the latter is simply a form of psychological perversion.
After contemplating for a moment and finding no good plan, the man sighed silently, took out his phone, skillfully entered a series of seemingly random numbers, and pressed the dial key.
He decided to ask the “almighty” Phoenix for help.
As a capable aide left by the previous president, Phoenix had always been adept at dealing with the Elders’ Council in this regard.
Although he had methods to solve the current predicament, perhaps Phoenix would have a better solution.
After several rings, Phoenix’s voice came through on the other end of the line. “Hello, President, you…”
“Bang—!”
He hadn’t finished his sentence when a deafening explosion interrupted him.
The violent explosion temporarily deafened the man, making him hurriedly pull the phone away from his ear. After a moment, he asked, “Phoenix, what’s going on over there? I think I heard an explosion?”
“It’s a small problem, President, no need to worry. It’s just a few Siye Society operatives trying to rescue the children raised by Huazhuang.” Phoenix spoke disdainfully, “Hmph, those who don’t know any better should check what kind of place they are entering!”
The man was silent for a few seconds, nodding calmly, “Indeed, it is a small problem. If it really comes down to it, letting them take the person away is also an option.”
“However, what I am about to tell you might be slightly more serious than your situation.”
Upon hearing this, Phoenix’s tone on the phone instantly turned serious. “Please go ahead, President!”
“It’s somewhat embarrassing.” The man said, “In simple terms, I didn’t expect Yunshen Machine to expend a significant amount of spiritual energy, leaving a protective mark within Huazhuang.”
He hadn’t thought that Lu Ming would leave a protective mark within Huaxie Yu, as that type of special spell, originating from spiritual marks, not only consumed a tremendous amount of spiritual power but also didn’t have great efficacy.
It was a case of doing twice the work for half the effect.
If Lu Ming had left protective marks on all of Luxianbei’s romantic interests, it wouldn’t be difficult to understand why he died at the hands of those A-grade and B-grade spiritual ability users and urban legends.
Once the body has been drained, how can it continue?
“Enduring the backlash from that mark, I accidentally got parasitized by the transformed core of the parasitic urban legend created by the Elders’ Council.” The man continued, “You should have a way to deal with this, right? Didn’t you start researching targeted solutions after receiving news from the spies about the Elders’ Council starting to transform the core of the parasitic urban legend?”
Phoenix, “???”
What the hell? You call this a slight problem?
This kind of news is like a doctor telling you that you have a somewhat serious illness, serious enough to name a disease after you.” President…
“Uh-huh, I’m listening! Go on.” The man nodded.
“You should know that we have been competing with the Elders’ Council for many years, with wins and losses on both sides, sometimes…,” Phoenix said timidly, “Uh, why don’t you just run away?”
It turned out that Phoenix had no better solution this time.
“Alright, I understand.” The man said, “So the targeted solution hasn’t been developed yet, right?”
“If that’s the case, I’ll have to think of something myself.”
“What are your plans?” Phoenix asked cautiously.
“What else can I do?” The man replied casually, “I’ll just have to ask the instigator for help!”
“President, that will…” Phoenix hesitated again.
Due to the slow development process of his research team, the President might have to grovel before the Elders’ men, possibly even paying a significant price, leaving him feeling guilty.
“It’s fine, it’s fine.” The man shrugged, “I’m already used to being given a cold shoulder when asking for favors. How much is face worth? Just bear with it.”
“Phoenix, speaking of which, I still suggest you, when you have time, conceal your spiritual energy fluctuations and work at a small company for a few days; you can learn a lot.”
“President, your teachings are spot on.” Phoenix replied.
“Alright, I’ll hang up then!” The man said, “Also, if the Siye Society wants to rescue someone, if it really comes down to it, just let them go.”
“Those guys are stubborn and single-minded; there’s no need to fight them to the end.”
Even so, the man sometimes admired certain operatives of the Siye Society.
Like this time, rescuing those children raised by Huaxie Yu.
Based on the Siye Society’s usual style, those operatives responsible for executing the mission would risk their lives to save those children.
As for why they would do that…
“It’s our duty. If we don’t fight until the last moment, my Gray Owl Badge will be tarnished!” Once, an operative from the Siye Society said this to the man just before dying.
“I understand!”
On the other side of the city.
On the empty ring highway, Luxianbei sped forward, running towards the Jingyi Apartment Complex.
Just as she rushed off the ramp and into the city, she suddenly felt a strong burning pain from the counterfeit Black Sun Totem on her back.
This meant that the man was nearby!
In an instant, Luxianbei trembled as if struck by lightning, stopping dead in her tracks.
Looking around, her gaze quickly fixed on a figure under the elevated bridge.
It was a disheveled homeless man with a face full of white beard.
At the same moment she noticed the homeless man, he also noticed her presence, slowly stepping out from under the bridge, smiling at her and waving.
“Luxianbei, or perhaps it’s more appropriate to call you Calamity now?”
“I didn’t expect we’d meet again so soon.”
As the homeless man approached, Luxianbei felt the burning sensation on her back intensify to an excruciating degree, as if a flame were fiercely igniting at her back.
Is it the President of the Solar Eclipse Society?!
He appeared neither too early nor too late, but specifically at this moment—what was he planning? Luxianbei thought anxiously.
What made her even more uneasy was that despite her focusing on Lan Yi’s face and having her coat simulate Lan Yi’s spiritual energy fluctuations, that man easily saw through the disguise.
How could such a terrifying man be stationed at the Solar Eclipse Society, and how could she sneak in?
