Chapter Forty-Two: She Didn’t Have Any “Bad” Habits [4K]
“Bang bang bang—!”
“Hello, Mr. Wu, we are community workers conducting a fire safety inspection in cooperation with the relevant department. Please cooperate with us!”
This was Zhong Hui’s third time knocking on the door of the Anti-Cancer Home. After waiting for a moment without any response, he finally lost his patience. Turning around, he glanced at the Special Action Team leader waiting behind him and quickly made a few hand gestures.
The meaning of the gestures was straightforward—evacuate the nearby ordinary people and get ready for battle!
When he arrived, his spiritual sense had detected residual fluctuations of spirit energy in the house, leaving behind traces similar to those of Han Ye Studio. He could say with a hundred percent certainty that there was definitely a terrible presence hidden inside.
With the characteristics of the spirit patterns’ authority, his judgment of spirit energy fluctuations was almost one hundred percent accurate, unless the two sources of spirit energy fluctuations were highly similar in nature.
Although the same urban legend might evolve different authorities leading to closely resembling spirit energy fluctuations, just like all being “Rain Masters,” it could evolve into the two types of authority, Xuanming and Pingyi.
However, the probability of such scenarios occurring was too small. Even if they did, they wouldn’t last long.
Two urban legends or spiritual ability users would sense each other’s existence and, under the influence of their authorities, k*ll each other in a bid to seize the other’s authority, thus completing their own powers.
Devouring the authority of the source of the same urban legend for the enhancement of one’s own authority was far more effective than any complete potion!
After receiving Zhong Hui’s gestures, the Special Action Team leader nodded, immediately turned around, and led the other waiting team members as they jogged away from Unit 7.
Once the Special Action Team had left, Zhong Hui looked at Jiang Li beside him and asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, “If we need to fight later, I’ll be the main attacker, and you will provide support, okay?”
Was he so certain there were people or urban legends inside? Jiang Li slightly furrowed her eyebrows and glanced at the tightly closed door nearby. Although she felt some doubt, she still nodded, saying, “Hmm, okay!”
Seeing Jiang Li agree so readily, Zhong Hui couldn’t help but reflect—how excellent! Could Lin Kule do it?
In fact, among the agents of the Shancheng Siye Society, there were others proficient in combat besides him, but compared to Jiang Li, who had just advanced to A Grade, they were slightly weaker.
Moreover, whenever there were more dangerous urban legend incidents, they always hesitated and could only achieve a 1+1=1.5 effect, rendering them quite useless.
Therefore, if possible, Zhong Hui genuinely wanted to transfer Jiang Li to work under him. Unfortunately, it was entirely unfeasible!
After he had that thought in the morning, as soon as Jiang Li took those materials and went to the Shancheng Central Hospital for investigation, he immediately contacted the inspector of the Southwest area to express his wishes, but then there was no further action!
That damned woman Xing Yuan didn’t hesitate to refuse him, even giving him no specific reason at all.
When he persistently asked Xing Yuan for the reason, all he got was one sentence—”Are you the inspector, or am I the inspector? How about you find a way to deal with the calamity first?”
d*mn it! I haven’t offended that dead woman Xing Yuan, why is she suddenly making things difficult for me?
How strong could the king of urban legends born in a place like Huacheng possibly be?
Isn’t it enough to have a pseudo-cataclysm grade guarding it? Zhong Hui thought, puzzled.
Just as he pondered, the Gray Owl Badge he wore on his chest gently vibrated, receiving a message from the Special Action Team leader.
All the residents of Unit 7 had been evacuated, and the Special Action Team had already set up defensive spell formulas around Unit 7 to prevent the spirit energy fluctuations from battles from leaking out.
After receiving the message, Zhong Hui took two steps back, took a deep breath, and mobilized the spirit energy fluctuations within his body.
In the next moment, all his muscles violently twitched, and a faint sound of a bowstring being pulled taut erupted in the air. A stream of crimson micro-light, like liquid, flowed along the lines of his muscles.
Noticing the subtle changes in Zhong Hui’s body, Jiang Li’s gaze flickered slightly.
Is this body technique?
It’s the first time I’ve seen a high-level spiritual ability user specialized in body techniques!
As the spirit energy fluctuations guided Zhong Hui’s body changes, the commonly seen comic-like scene of muscles bulging and ripping clothes did not appear. Instead, Zhong Hui’s muscles gradually contracted, and he seemed to thin out slightly, with the toughness of his body elevated to a terrifying degree.
Then, he slowly lifted his foot, seemingly ready to side-kick his way in.
At that moment, a faint sound of music suddenly drifted from inside the house.
“Imagine there’s no heaven, it’s easy if you try…”
If you imagine what the world would be like without heaven? If you try to imagine, it’s not hard at all.
“No hell below us, above us only sky.”
No hell, only a blue sky above us.
“d*mn it, what the hell?” Zhong Hui mumbled instinctively.
Jiang Li glanced at him and said lightly, “John Lennon.”
“What the heck?” Zhong Hui asked blankly.
“It’s John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’,” Jiang Li explained, “It’s calling for peace.”
Zhong Hui thought,
Peace? You mean the urban legend inside is trying to tell us that it actually wants to be a good person through a song?
Anyone who believes that has a problem with their brain!
“d*mn it, whether it’s a horned dragon or a velociraptor, I’ll bring it back first!”
Zhong Hui cursed, raised his foot, and kicked.
“Bang—!”
With a loud thud, the entire corridor shook, and white dust fell like rain.
The anti-theft door of the Anti-Cancer Home flew into the room as if it were made of fragile cardboard, shattering into pieces before it even hit the ground.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
After a series of metallic crashing sounds, a warmly decorated living room came into view. On a shelf, an old-fashioned tape recorder was playing music that sounded somewhat distorted.
In the living room, a remarkably handsome man dressed in a meticulously tailored gray-white suit sat facing the door on a single sofa, a faint smile lingering at the corner of his mouth.
Behind him, the glass table was shattered into pieces, and bl**d was mixed with the scattered shards across the floor.
Following the trail of dripping bl**d, one could see the man’s hands hanging naturally at his sides, bl**d slowly dripping down his fingers.
“Drip drip…”
As soon as the bl**d dropped on the floor, countless flesh buds quickly grew from it, dividing and writhing crazily, but soon lost their vitality and decayed, turning into a mass of dark red, resembling damp hair, strange in appearance, much like the “carpets” from Han Ye Studio.
The man calmly said, “You’re here? Finally…”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Li at the door slightly furrowed her brows; she sensed something unusual from the man’s face.
When the man spoke those words, his expression seemed relieved, as if he were a person long tormented by pain who finally had a chance to be free.
He was waiting for us and seemed to feel that being taken away by the Siye Society was a form of liberation?
Why is that? Something feels off!
Thinking of this, Jiang Li opened her mouth to remind, “Wait, don’t make a move, this guy feels off!”
However, by the time her voice rang out, it was already too late.
Almost at the instant she locked her gaze on the man inside, judging that he exuded similar spirit energy fluctuations to those lingering from Han Ye Studio, Zhong Hui took a swift step forward and charged ahead.
As he advanced, a faint yet crazy laughter echoed through the somewhat cramped living room.
“Ha ha ha—!”
A terrifying wave of energy erupted from his robust body.
As the energy surged, a large figure slowly rose from the ground, gathering and forming behind him. Gradually, as if the two were meant to merge as one, it overlapped with his form.
The figure, with a face as large as a basin, leopard-headed and iron-faced, draped in a scarlet robe, had four arms as thick as pillars. In one hand, it held a black sword; in another, it wielded an iron pen; in one more, it grasped shackles and iron chains. Its appearance was grotesque like a nightmare, staring at it instilled feelings of immense authority and dread.
[The Evil Spirit Seed Spirit Pattern: Grand Marshal of the Vengeful Spirits] deployed!
Immediately, Zhong Hui reached out his hands towards the shoulders of the man, who resembled Tan Qiuming while simultaneously, the phantom behind Zhong Hui raised its arm holding the shackles, swinging it as the chains coiled around the man’s body like a giant python.
“Click!”
With a light sound of shackles locking, Zhong Hui’s hands rested on the man’s shoulders, his fingers locking tightly.
“Kid, come with us for a trip?”
“Tan Qiuming nodded calmly, obediently standing up following the upward force of Zhong Hui’s hands.
Jiang Li, watching the scene before her, widened her eyes slightly.
It seemed there were no unexpected incidents; the culprit behind the spiritual energy attack she had been investigating for days was thus controlled.
Is it really over just like this?
Wouldn’t it be a bit too easy?
But then again, catching Tan Qiuming early meant she could find out about her mother’s whereabouts sooner.
Jiang Li thought, with her tense nerves still not having relaxed, a quietly rising spirit energy fluctuation seemed like invisible hands, tightening her nerves several times.
The unsettling spirit energy fluctuations spread, instantly filling the air with a stench of decaying flesh and bl**d. In the next second, the man controlled by Zhong Hui’s hands had his body twitching violently, as if suffering a seizure.
“Ugh…” He emitted a muffled sound, tears, mucus, and saliva uncontrollably pouring out, all mixing with the expression of pain twisting his face, ruthlessly marring the beauty of that refined visage.
“k*ll…”
Seemingly exhausting all his last strength, the man squeezed the words out between his teeth, pleading with Zhong Hui.
He heard the whisper that terrified him, feeling a horrible being trying to control his body, drawing close.
Zhong Hui was momentarily taken aback, not immediately reacting.
He had captured so many spiritual ability users and urban legends but had only heard pleas for mercy; this demand for d*ath was the first of its kind.
In that brief moment of daze, the man’s body suddenly tensed, panic displaying vividly in his eyes as he murmured, “Too late… it’s coming…”
With the last words falling, he went limp, his head drooping, losing consciousness.
Looking at the body in his hands that resembled a pile of mud, Zhong Hui’s lips twitched slightly.
Was this the stunning result?
I thought you were planning to launch some surprise attack!
Zhong Hui inwardly cursed just as a series of faint sneaky sounds interrupted his thoughts.
Like some gas leaking, a hissing sound emerged from the man resembling Tan Qiuming, followed by wisps of grayish-white smoke slowly rising from his body, as if seeping out of his pores.
Seeing this, Jiang Li quickly called out to Zhong Hui, “Senior, be careful!”
With Jiang Li’s warning, Zhong Hui regained his senses, released the grip on the man’s shoulders, and stepped back to create distance.
However, once he loosened his hold, the man’s body did not fall to the ground as expected. Instead, it remained upright, suspended as though being manipulated by invisible strings.
As the grayish-white smoke from his surface increased, a black vortex suddenly emerged behind him, revealing countless twisted pieces of flesh writhing within.
Those flesh pieces grotesquely grew, gradually transforming into a massive Flesh and bl**d Tree, with its crown enveloped in yellow-brown mist that surged ceaselessly, resembling flowers drenched in bl**d, while underneath its sturdy branches, clusters of “fruits” densely gathered!
At the sight of those “fruits,” the members of the Shancheng Siye Society on standby at the door, ready to dissect bodies at any moment, couldn’t help but retch.
Others might not recognize those “fruits,” but he knew full well that those ghastly things were various types of tumors, essentially a living tumor encyclopedia, possibly even more comprehensive than the specialized textbooks.
And at the moment they witnessed those tumors, everyone present seemed to experience a hallucination as whispers echoed in their ears.
“How about staying up all night? After all, you’re a spiritual ability user; once or twice won’t affect your body.”
“Smoking is just for the lungs, isn’t that a crime?”
“The aroma of grilled meat is the most wonderful smell in the world.”
“What can relieve worries? Only drinking! Today, let’s drink three thousand cups…”
A series of whispers seemed to awaken the demons within everyone, leaving them standing still, recalling their memories of indulging in “bad habits,” becoming immersed and momentarily lost.
The only one keeping her composure was Jiang Li, who quickly scanned her colleagues and thought to herself,
What’s going on with them?
Someone like her, disciplined to the point where it felt like her body was wound up, wouldn’t have those “bad” habits that could lead to cancer.
