《Host, Please Be Honest! What Exactly Are You?》


 Chapter 1 Dorian D. Tian

    The bright sunlight pierces through several massive ss windows, illuminating a grand room.

    Outside, the faint sounds of the birds singing, apanied by the sounds of distant vehicles and people, echoed into the grand room.

    The grand elegance of the room alone, could''ve made many boil with envy.

    But sadly, this wasn''t the case.

    Rather than envying the person sleeping on the messy bed, it was more appropriate to say that they had no other feelings than pity, disdain or gloating for this person.

    The pungent stench of alcohol could knock back anyone entering the room.

    And surrounding the bed were more than 50 opened bottles of alcohol lying around haphazardly.

    There were even more bottles on the massive bed too.

    Suddenly, the young man sleeping on the bedzily opened his eyes before distorting his face in disgust.

    Ughh.

    ''Where am I?''

    He sat up and looked at the scene before him with no hint of emotion on his handsome face.

    Without a doubt, this wasn''t his apartment.

    So, where was he?

    It was unlikely that he got kidnapped since the bottles on the bed, coupled with the alcohol intake he felt in his body, made him very sure that he had been drinking.

    But that was impossible since he clearly remembered that he got home and quickly slipped into his sheetsst night.

    Could it be that some kidnappers had the habit of forcing alcohol on their victims and keeping them in luxurious rooms?

    He pulled open the sheets and scooted to the edge of the bed calmly while thinking of the grandness of the bed.

    ? He felt like it was abination of 4 King sided beds joined together.

    2 stacked alongside each other, and the other 2 ced at the bottom of the beds to extend the foot room.

    He calmly ced his feet on the floor and sat at the edge of the bed with his fingers in his hair.

    Hell, just getting off the bed felt like a hassle.

    And just as he expected, memories that didn''t belong to him flooded into his brain.

    He closed his eyes and took on the thunderous pain until it was all over.

    As expected, he had transmigrated into a parallel universe.

    But Why?

    The young man slicked his hair back with his hands, crossed his legs and arms, deep in thought.

    Many who transmigrate would definitely get either excited, terrified or overly ecstatic about Transmigration, but he on the other hand, had no extra emotions wriggling in his heart.

    Why exactly did he transmigrate?

    He didn''t believe that things just happened for no reason.

    There was no such thing as a free lunch.

    So his presence must be needed here for something.

    Was it to avenge his body''s original owner, or was it for something else?

    Speaking of himself, in his previous life, his name was Yan Long, and he was 21 when he went to bed.

    As for what he did for a living, there were quite a lot of them.

    But that was a story for another day.<sub> </sub>

    As for the owner of the body he took over, his name was Dorian D. Tian.

    Just 3 months ago, the 17-year-old boy, who had just graduated from high school, met with disaster on the same day when he got his results.

    His parents, who got the news earlier from the national board about his excellence, left work earlier to see him.

    But on their way, they had a car crash that left them in a vegetative state.

    It was then that the young man knew that his seemingly kind rtives were not so kind after all.

    His uncle, who had been working in thepany alongside his parents, quickly took control over thepany all in the name of him being too ''Young.''

    His uncle had also bribed thepany and familywyers to change many things.

    So with his parents in a deep Vegetative state, with no signs of waking up anytime soon, his Uncle''s family was more arrogant about annexing thepany.

    The original owner''s father was an Orphan, while his mother came from a very patriarchal family that believed that she should always give what she had to her brother.

    The original owner''s maternal grandmother didn''t like him.

    She only liked the children from his uncle''s family instead.

    So he was always looked down on by his maternal side.

    Again, his parents were hard workers who sessfully managed to create a greatpany that could rival those from wealthy ns.

    The name Tian was well known across the entire country.

    So of course, many treated him with respect.

    But after this incident, his former friends refused to see him, and his girlfriend broke up with him.

    The original owner, who was supposed to have a bright and easy-going future, was suddenly engulfed in a never-ending nightmare that left him confused and sad for his parents.

    The only good thing out of all this was that his uncle had promised to continue his parent''s treatment.

    And their massive estate was left alone. The papers of proof had always been with him and stored safely in the bank since his parents gave them to him on his 15th birthday.

    As for those traitors who used to work in his house, they ran away with several valuables, leaving the ce deste.

    The only people who stayed behind were 5 guards belonging to his parents, who were now in the hospital, diligently watching over them, ensuring that no one tried any funny business.

    These people all had backstories and were very loyal to his father in particr.

    And within the house, another person who stayed was the 30-something-year-old family butler who also had a backstory as well.

    These 6 people were the only ones who decided to stay with the original owner.

    The rest all chose to betray his parents by joining his uncle''s side.

    Yan Long... No... Dorian D. Tian, stood up, ced his hands in his pockets and looked outside his window calmly.

    Since he was here, he would definitely get revenge for the original owner.

    After all, the pain in the original owner''s heart was affecting him too.

    But something still bothered him.

    Dorian squinted his eyes in thought.

    ''With my skills, I can get revenge in a couple of months or at most a year.

    So is this truly the reason why I was brought here?''

    ~Ding.

    [Congrattions host.

    You''re an Exorcist!]

 Chapter 2 Exorcist!

    Exorcist?

    Dorian raised one eyebrow in silence.

    Oh? How interesting.

    ''So, you''re a system that''s been assigned to cleanse this world?''

    [That is correct host.

    Unlike your previous world, where people at least had some sort of knowledge on exorcism, this world is utterly clueless.]

    ''And I''m supposed to fix things?''

    [Yes, host.]

    ''But why?''

    [Because the heavens are giving the host a chance to be a hero. Everyone wants to be a hero. So the host will be pleased to be able to bring justice into the world.] Said the robotic voice.

    Dorian chuckled yfully: ''It looks like you might''ve identally picked up the wrong host. Who said I wanted to be a hero?''

    [...

    Rechecking... Re-calcting... Error! Error! Error! Error!

    The Wrong host has been picked up.

    Rechecking values... Error! Error! Error!

    An unpredictable host picked up.

    An impossible host picked up.]

    Dorianughed at the words the system used to describe him while looking out the window.

    Indeed. He wasn''t a normal person.

    Even the heavens seemed to know this.

    If his guess was urate, this system had identally killed him and brought him into this world thinking he was another person.

    And if he was right on the money, the system won''t be able to kill him off again and get another person.

    His guess was that it should have something to do with the things he was asked to exorcise.

    So in other words, this system is stuck with him here for the time being.

    Sure, it could make him live worse than hell here in this world if he refused toply.

    But you see, he wasn''t a normal person, and he could see that beating this system at its game would be a piece of cake for him.

    So he probably wouldn''t suffer all that much.

    Well, he could also understand why the system identally picked him up because right from his childhood, he had been told by several Taoists that he had the soul force that could make many Taoists burn in envy.

    Maybe that''s why he was typically drawn to the supernatural.

    Even if the system threatened to make him ill, he knew deep down that with the few spells he learned, he would survive.

    Heh. No wonder the heavens thought of him as unpredictable and impossible.

    In other words, he had the upper hand here when it concerned the system.

    But as for what he was up against, Dorian wasn''t too sure.

    ording to his guess, it would undoubtedly be way above his head.

    Although he had a charming smile on his face, inwardly, his entire expression was grim.

    This world was rotten.

    It was 50 times more rotten than his previous world.

    How fascinating...

    .

    "System 0001, why don''t you tell me the full story about the matter?

    If I''m impressed, then I''ll consider being an exorcist. So let''s hear it then?''

    [Not a problem. For you, the heavens have allowed this.]

    Dorian smiled. They knew him too well.

    [Starting from the beginning, the host needs to know that the Heavenly ne, The Underworld and The Mortal nes all exist.<sub> </sub>

    But there arews ced by the creator to keep the bnce of things in check.

    As usual, the creatures in the underworld are always trying to get out and crawl out of the underworld, finding themselves in various mortals.

    And as usual, there are always mortals that can stop them, like the Taoists and other exorcists.

    Of course, the methods of exorcism used in these ces were handed down by angels centuries and millenniums ago.

    So these worlds had always fought back, pushing all evil forces away with man being the victor.]

    ''But unfortunately, your heavenly order overlooked some regions, right?''

    [Yes, host. Some regions had been neglected, allowing those in the underworld to crawl out and stay up in this world, doing too much harm in these worlds.

    Angels can''t get too close to the underworld, and those from the underworld can''t get too close to the heavenly nes because of our opposing inborn powers.

    So we don''t know exactly what they''re nning, but we know it''s something big that needs to be stopped.

    That''s why several systems set out to these worlds to eradicate and once again bring peace and harmony into these worlds.]

    .

    Listening to the system, Dorian picked up some key things.

    Firstly, angels couldn''te down and fight.

    They always gave information to the humans and fled off.

    There seemed to be some rule keeping them from doing things in these worlds.

    But for some reason, those in the underworld could do things in the human world.

    To him, it just felt like the Angels were at a disadvantage.

    How they managed to alwayse out on top of those in the underworld was beyond him.

    Maybe because they had the backing of the creator?

    Speaking of the Creator, he should be a person who is always too busy and on hiatus.

    After all, there should be billions, trillions, gazillions and infinity mores out there in the mortal ne.

    And from what he saw, the creator might be creating more.

    Such a person was undoubtedly busy as hell, leaving everything to the angels and others to look after.

    In his previous life, the most paid and luxurious profession was an exorcist.

    Countless schools with high nobility offered exorcism as their main courses.

    Of course, not everyone could be an exorcist. They had to reach a certain power level to be epted into these schools.

    As for whether he, Dorian, enrolled in one of these schools or not in his previous life... Heh... That was a mystery that no one could confirm or deny.

    His past would always be a mystery to many.

    Bottom line, his previous, Zenock, was fully aware of the existence of the supernatural... Which should be.

    But the people on his new were clueless and genuinely thought that things like ghosts were myths.

    They even made horror movies about it all but didn''t take it seriously.

    Their firm belief that everything could be analyzed through science made him a little strange.

    It was as if something was purposefully denouncing any beliefs or truths about the paranormal.

    Yet, this called Blue Star, harboured the most deadlines aura he had ever felt.

    Strange...

    .

    As the system talked, Dorian stripped himself of his clothes and calmly got into the hot tub in his bathroom.

    [Host, do you ept?]

    Dorian, who had stayed silent with his head against the tub,zily opened his eyes and grinned broadly: ''it sounds fun, why not?''

    [Good Host. Because the host is unpredictable, the heavens have decided to form a cosmic bond with the host.]

    ~Ding.

    [Cosmic Bond formed.

    The host is now a heavenly exorcist!]

 Chapter 3 Butler Sheng

    [Congrattions, host.

    You are now an official Heavenly Exorcist.]

    ''Hmmmm.''

    A faint smile formed on Dorian''s lips before he got up and headed towards the showers, leaving all the musty alcohol-tainted water in the tub.

    He stepped to the side and pushed a button that self drained the tub and squirted a few rounds of water to cleanse it off.

    Oh, how the rich enjoy.

    Now, it was time for him to take a proper shower.

    [Host, you have several missions already lined up.

    But before that, the heavens had allocated a novice package for you.

    Congrattions host. You have been given;

    ?B-grade book on various Heavenly Talismans and Formations, which is a step up from the C-grade knowledge in your previous world.

    ?Heart Jade cleansing pill.

    ?As well as a secret room in your Bed chambers, filled with Sanctified Candles.

    Does the host wish to absorb knowledge now?]

    ''Yes.''

    [Good host.

    Please brace yourself, in 3... 2...1... ]

    Boom!

    A wave of explosive pain forcefully pried itself into his brain.

    But Dorian still stayed expressionless. If not for the veins bulging on his forehead and his hoarse breathing, one would think that the pain was nothing.

    Dorian closed his eyes, letting the shower water drip onto his face quietly.

    Time seemed to have stopped, frozen in space.

    And after 15 seconds, the pain eased.

    Dorian tilted his head downwards and opened his eyes.

    Indeed.

    The knowledge he absorbed was a grade higher than what was generally known in his previous world.

    But why did it seem like he had already known of this knowledge before?

    Well, maybe he was overthinking things.

    Anyway, from his guess, he should also be able to upgrade this knowledge through the system too.

    As for the secret room with sacred candles, he felt like it would make things easier for him going forward.

    Now, what mission does the system have in store for him?

    .

    [Mission: Purchase a space and open an organization or School of Exorcism. It''s important to note that the host has to begin the spread of Exorcism in this world.

    Task Deadline: 2 months.

    Punishment for failure: Will be determinedter when or if failed.

    Rewards: Organization structures and Cosmic Shield around perimeters]

    Oh?

    ''System, why aren''t there any personal missions linked to my strength?''

    [Answering to the host, this system is in itself a store of some sort.

    So all those can be obtained by the host.

    For example, if the host needs new spells, books, magical artifacts or anything else, the host will need to gather enough points to do so.]

    ''And I can only get points by exorcising underworld creatures, right?''

    [That is correct, host.

    Presently, the host is a no-rank Heavenly Exorcist.

    Above the no-rank are the H-rank exorcists.

    And in ascending order, one would have to move from the H to A, followed by S, Double-S, Triple-S, Divine and Celestial ss.

    The host will have to kill the required amount of demons, Ghosts, ghouls or any other underworld entities to rank up.

    <o>,m The number of points gathered would also depend on what grade of underworld creatures the host kills.]<sub> </sub></o>

    ''But this isn''t all, correct?''

    [Yes, host.

    Reaching the minimum requirement of kills is just one aspect.

    The number of spells, incantations and information known by the host or any exorcist also ys a part in their levelling up... As well as their overall strength.]

    Dorian nodded in understanding.

    These were the exact requirements in his previous life.

    After all, there were schools dedicated to exorcism.

    So of course, passing the exams and showing what knowledge they acquired would rank anyone up.

    Likewise, if he was going to open an institution, people needed to get tested and rise to the challenge.

    Sometimes, information on the creature they were fighting could save their lives.

    Not to talk of the spells and sacred objects around then that could exorcise these creatures.

    .

    After getting a clear picture of what he was sent to this world for, Dorian got out of the shower, neatly dressed up and looked at his watch patiently.

    And right on cue, there was a gentle knock on the door.

    ~Pmm. Pmm. Pmm.

    "Young master?"

    "Yes. Come in, Butler Sheng."

    "Yes."

    A brief glint of shock passed through the butler''s eyes as he stepped into the room.

    The young master was up?

    If it were before, this wouldn''t have been so shocking.

    But ever since trouble came one after another, the young master had been immersed in a deepyer of depression that utterly broke him down.

    Even the shadow of his former glory couldn''t be seen on the young man.

    And day after day, Sheng had watched the young master turn into someone worse than a homeless person.

    From time to time, he would give brief words of encouragement, hoping the young man would cheer up... at least for his parent''s sake.

    He had almost given up on the young master.

    But now, it seems like the young master had finally decided to sit up.

    But why did he suddenly feel like the young master''s aura had be stronger than it was before?

    Maybe he was more determined than ever?

    Well, whatever the case, Butler Sheng was honestly d.

    After all, he had promised the master and mistress that he would always look after the young master.

    So he didn''t want to fail on his mission.

    The master who was now lying in a vegetativea had saved him decades ago after his newly married wife betrayed him.

    Not only did she cheat, but she also sold him to traffickers and took the only inheritance histe father had left him.

    At that time, the 19-year-old orphan him was in real hell.

    He suffered for an entire year and almost died of starvation before getting rescued by the master.

    Since then, he had stayed loyal and decided never to marry again.

    To him, the master''s family was his family.

    Looking at the young master before him, the middle-aged butler Sheng trembled in delight.

    He didn''t know why, but he felt that from now on, they would rise up and never fall again.

    Those who betrayed them will definitely pay!

    .

    With a smile on his face, butler Sheng gave a low bow with one hand over his chest.

    "Young master. Your breakfast is ready.

    "Hmm. After breakfast, prepare the vehicle.

    We''re going out."

    "As you wish, young master."

 Chapter 4 The Enemy

    While Dorian was eating, Butler Sheng was closing up the house.

    There were just 2 of them here. So if they were all out, they needed to at least lock ced up.

    Butler Sheng shook his head in pity when he saw the overgrownwns outside the grand building.

    Everyone had betrayed them, and no one was even willing to work here anymore.

    No matter who they tried to employ, the person or the hiring agency would only snob them aside.

    That was probably the work of the Mistress'' brother.

    The Thief who stole theirpany.

    Butler Sheng found the ident and everything else too coincidental.

    But what could he do?

    As of now, the person who would call the shots was his young master, whom he would serve faithfully.

    He didn''t believe that the heavens would watch such injustice and let it slide.

    After shutting every ce up, Butler Sheng walked into the dining room wearing his ck butler hat and a coat.

    That''s right.

    He would be the Young Master''s driver.

    He stood patiently at the side and waited for Dorian to finish up his meal.

    "Young Master, the vehicle is ready."

    "Good. Let''s go."

    With that, the duo were off.

    As for where they were going, only time would tell.

    And the moment they passed the massive estate gates, several seemingly innocent passerbys quickly became alert.

    And just when they were about to go after Dorian, a cell phone rang.

    .

    ~Ring.~~~

    One took out his phone with a cold expression on his face: "Boss. They''re on the move. Should we follow them or do you have another job for us?

    "Yes. Something has juste up.

    So forget about the kid.

    Sending you all to watch the good for nothing day in and day out is aplete waste of your talents.

    After watching him for months, it''s clear that the kid has no one to turn to.

    Heh. Who would dare help him after the warning I issued out?

    As for where the kid is going, where else would it be other than the hospital?

    You all should head back to the estate and wait for further instructions.

    So from today onwards, forget about the kid." said the arrogant voice on the other end of the phone.

    Hearing the new instructions, the man holding the phone replied faintly before dropping the call.

    Indeed. He felt like he had been wasting his time over the past few months, looking at this good-for-nothing former son of wealth.

    Looking at the direction the waste went, the burly man couldn''t help scoffing in disdain.

    Like that, he and his men left the scene for good.

    It was just that, while they had been observing their target, their target had also been listening in on them too.

    Just within the estate, a few inches away from the gate, a thin sheet of paper began burning and fading away, as if it was never there in the first ce.

    ~Brmmm~

    Dorian suddenly opened his eyes and chuckled yfully.<sub> </sub>

    Well, it looked like that uncle of his had decided to give up on him, thinking that he wasn''t much of a threat.

    Perfect. This worked well for him too.

    Luckily, he had drawn up a few talismans and scattered them around the estate while they were gone.

    Now, he could focus on improving his strength.

    Earlier on, he took a long time bathing, not only to rid himself of the horrifying stench of alcohol on him but to also rid himself of the ck tar-like substances oozing out of his skin.

    The system did reward him with a Jade Heart Cleansing Pill.

    With all impurities gone, he spent almost every free second cultivating.

    When Butler Sheng was running up and down, he had paused his meal to continue on.

    And even within the room, before Butler Sheng came in, he had been cultivating nonstop.

    Already, he had entered the 1st Dan of the True Qi Realm.

    Of course, he was still at the early stages.

    And with the very sparse amount of qi in this world, he would have to create a qi gathering array in future if he wanted to improve his strength fast.

    .

    Vrmmmmm~~

    The very elegant vehicle drove across the busy streets amidst several awed expressions.

    The car was indeed a beauty and a rare one at that.

    Too bad they didn''t know that the owner within the vehicle was now ''broke.''

    The ssy vehicle steadily made its way past the traffic, taking several turns and bends, until it reached its final destination.

    The Winston Lee Hospital.

    Dorian stepped out and couldn''t go marvelling at the glorious building before him.

    No wonder it was one of the most famous hospitals in this world.

    It''s said that almost all doctors here are famous worldwide, and the private research centre is a national treasure.

    People from all over the world flew in here for service.

    Some even quoted that if one''s illness couldn''t get cured here, then it meant that there was either no cure, or they were destined to die.

    Without wasting any more time, Dorian and Butler Sheng stepped into the building, intending to see his parents.

    But who would''ve known that they would run into trouble so soon?

    A smug-faced young man holding a beauty beside him, saw Dorian and Immediately smiled arrogantly.

    Ghu Sota looked at Dorian victoriously, as if he had won.

    He hated Dorian down to the bone!

    In school, the girl he liked had a crush on Dorian instead.

    And what ticked him off the most was that after she confessed, Dorian tantly rejected her.

    He was so pissed when he saw her tears that he wanted to beat the bastard.

    But at the time, because of Dorian''s parents, he dared not do so.

    Later on, in order to get back at Dorian, he seduced the fool''s girlfriend and even made her break up with him after this whole incident happened.

    Sota hated Dorian''s handsome face the most.

    Look! Even the beauty he was now holding was blushing hard after seeing the bastard.

    Dammit!

    This bastard was definitely doing this on purpose!

 Chapter 5 Ghu Sota

    Seeing the beauty by his side blushing hard, Sota was once again reminded of how hateful this Dorian guy was.

    Because of him, the girl he liked rejected him cleanly, chasing after Dorian nonstop.

    Dammit!

    Dorian only nced at the clown before him and intended to keep going his way with Butler Sheng, but sadly, some people didn''t know when to quit.

    "Stop Him!"

    Sota quickly snapped his fingers, and 2 of the guards behind him stood at the side blocking Dorian''s path.

    Seeing the burly men in ck suits and sses stand before him, Dorian''s facial expression didn''t flinch at all.

    Sota sneered and pulled the beauty closer to him again.

    "Oh? Why run?

    Hasn''t it been a long time since we saw each other?

    Tsk!

    You used to be all that in school, but look at you now?

    Now, you''re just another beggar on the streets!!!"

    Beggar?

    The girl holding onto Sota, quickly snapped back to her senses and looked at Dorian in disdain.

    So what if he''s handsome?

    Can his face be eaten?

    Heh. She was now with a 2nd generation rich young master.

    So why would she ruin her chances?

    Earlier on, she was just smiling shyly because she wanted to cast a wide.

    But now that she knew that the person beside her was a beggar, her face immediately distorted as if he was some walking gue.

    After seeing her disdain, Sota felt more and more arrogant again.

    He ced his hand against his earscently: "What? Can''t speak? Tch! I heard that you don''t even have enough money to keep your maids, guards and drivers. But since I''m a kind person, why don''t I lend some money to you?"

    At this moment, a crowd started forming around them, with many looking at Dorian enviously.

    After all, this was a hospital, and many of them needed money to pay their medical bills.

    Sota looked at Dorian''s steady expression and scoffed.

    ''Hmph!

    Pretend all you want! Today, I will make you pay for stealing my woman!''

    ~Snap.

    Sota snapped his fingers, and one of the guards brought a chequebook and a pen closer to him.

    Sota boldly scribbled down some words and flicked his wrist, extending the heck in one hand and holding his beauty closer with the other.

    "Look here, beggar. This is a check for 1 Million Vyns. This should be enough to cover you for the time being, right? Heh. I can give you this money, but you have to be my personal servant for a month."

    [**Vyns is the currency.]

    (��0��)

    What?

    1 million?

    Everyone''s mouth opened wide in shock and greed.

    F***! What sort of fairy luck did this guy have to get so much money just like that?

    .

    "I''ll go! He actually wrote a cheque for 1 million Vyns? Dammit! Why can''t I have friends like this?"<sub> </sub>

    "Lying trough! That''s 1 million. That''s 1 Million VYNs! No doubt about it, the young man there must be a 2nd generation son of wealth."

    <o>,m "F***! Why can''t I have such luck? Boy, why aren''t you grabbing the cheque?"</o>

    "Looking at the boy, he should be a rich 2nd generation kid too."

    "No! didn''t you hear what the other one said? He said that the boy has turned into a beggar. So doesn''t that make him worse off than us?"

    "Boy, just drop your ego and take the cheque. Your ego won''t feed you, so just do it!"

    "Yeah. What''s so hard about being a servant for a month? Isn''t that what these rich people call butler''s?"

    "Heh. a beggar dares to have an ego? What is this worlding to? If it were me, I would readily take the job. Just think about it? Being a servant for 1 month for a sry of 1 million, isn''t that a sweet deal? Where can you find a job like this? Tsk! If you ask me, I think youngsters nowadays are just too entitled. Do you think 1 million can be earned in such a short time? Why not just take the offer and be done with it after a month?"

    "Yeah! Even if he asked you to lick his shoes, why not just bare it?"

    "Tsk! If he were my kid, I''d smack him in the head, beating him to death if I could. Huh! That''s 1 freaking Million!"

    (*^*)

    Listening to the people talk, Dorian felt it was funny.

    However, he was toozy to deal with these brainless fools.

    Rather, he was more interested in the monkey waving the cheque beside him.

    He squinted his eyes and saw something dark and sinister beside him.

    Dorian''s lips stretched yfully.

    This should be fun.

    .

    Dorian''s sudden smile startled Sota, who was now confused.

    ''What''s up with this guy? It should be that poverty has left him stupid, right?''

    Maybe it was the sudden chill he had been feeling since morning.

    But to be honest, Dorian''s smile was starting to creep him out.

    He waved the cheque impatiently before Dorian, losing all his patience.

    But Dorian just stood there rooted on the spot, observing him from head to toe with that weird smile on his face.

    "Take It! Take It!!"

    Dorian shook his head in refusal, still holding onto that ominous smile on his face: "Sorry. I don''t need your money or your help. Rather, it''s you who needs my help. Ghu Sota... it looks like you''re running out of time."

    Sota''s pupils dted in shock and a little bit of fear.

    What did this bastard mean?

    Sota didn''t know why, but he had a very bad feeling in his chest.

    Seeing Dorian step closer, the bodyguards ced their hands forward and surrounded Sota to protect him.

    But for some reason that Sota couldn''t exin, he allowed Dorian to walk closer and lean into his ear.

    "You will need me. And when the timees, ring this bell twice. But for your own sake, always keep it hidden away and only take it out when the timees."

    With that, Dorian looked at Butler Sheng: "Let''s go!"

    "Yes, young master."

    The confused Butler Sheng had no choice but to follow Dorian.

    What was all that about?

    Everyone else was also confused as well.

    Eh?

    Why did everything suddenly go out of script?

 Chapter 6 Parents

    Sota was left standing in a daze.

    What was this?

    He squeezed the little bell in his pockets with a hint of fear and confusion.

    But very soon, he shook off the inkling of fear and stared at Dorian''s fading silhouette angrily.

    What was this stupid nonsense about his time being up?

    For sure, this bastard only said those things to scare him and run away.

    To think that he almost fell for it.

    Dammit!

    Sota was about to take out the bell and throw it away, but he suddenly stopped his actions when his hands came in contact with the bell.

    Hmph!

    There was no way that he would need that bastard''s help.

    He only kept the bell to see what tricks the good-for-nothing was up to.

    Yes... That was it, and nothing more!

    After adjusting his mindset, Sota hugged the beauty and left the scene with his guards, not knowing of the ominous shadow following him.

    Dorian chuckled a bit after leaving the scene, causing Butler Sheng to be more confused than ever.

    Could it be that there''s really something wrong with the young master''s brain?

    As a family member, he wanted to find out what the whole scene back there was about.

    But as a butler, he shouldn''t be asking too many questions.

    Again, what left him a little hurt was that the young master was making ns and didn''t involve him in it.

    Doesn''t that mean that the young master doesn''t trust him?

    How else is he supposed to let the young master know that he''s not alone if the young master decides not to open up in the end?

    The young master can''t and shouldn''t get his hands dirty whening up with any ns.

    It should be him or the other remaining guards who should do things.

    Butler Sheng, who had taken himself as a family member all these years, was a little hurt and inwardly sulking.

    He opened his mouth and closed in hesitation without making a sound.

    Dorian, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped, startling him.

    "Butler Sheng. You have been loyal and trustworthy to our household since I can remember.

    So you are also my person.

    That''s why whatever I have nned, you will be one of the first to know.

    All this in due time, butler Sheng.

    All in due time."

    "Yes, young master."

    Butler Sheng''s mood improved, and the duo proceeded into the V.I.P ward once more.

    At least that bastard uncle of his still kept his promise of leaving his parents in the V.I.P ward.

    He probably did this to keep suspicions out of the way.

    .

    ~Peep. Peep. Peep. Peep.~~

    The machines beeped loudly in the silent room.

    Seeing that it was Dorianing in, the bodyguards who had been guarding their master and mistress faithfully, finally gave way and stepped aside.

    Dorian looked at the handsome couple ced close to each other and felt a strong wave of emotions hit him.

    Maybe it was because of the original owner''s emotions, but seeing the couple like this made Dorian angry with rage.

    His hands trembled as he gently caressed the pale faces of the handsome man and woman lying down.

    In his previous life, he had also been an orphan who was never adopted.<sub> </sub>

    That''s right.

    No visitor or guest ever chose him when it came to adoption.

    ording to many, he was too gloomy, and they liked children that constantly smiled and buttered them up.

    For him, he wouldn''t say he was gloomy.

    He just didn''t find anything that interested him much.

    He hardly spoke, making many think he was mute, and he spent his entire time reading whatever books were brought into the ce.

    So he lived in the orphanage till he was able to leave and get a job for himself.

    And that''s when he discovered the highlight of his past life.

    From there on out, everything about him was a mystery.

    He had seen and done one too many things that no one around him knew of.

    Even those he sometimes did ''jobs'' with weren''t aware of his other professions.

    He was an enigma wrapped in a riddle.

    And because of this, he rarely had emotional bonds with people.

    But now, what he felt was so strong that he almost couldn''t control himself anymore.

    Alright. Since he was Dorian and Dorian was him, he would take and treat them like his parents.

    ''I swear! I swear that I will get revenge for you all and do everything I can to wake you up!

    Just wait for me, parents. It won''t be too long.''

    With that, Dorian kissed them on their foreheads while deep in thought.

    .

    There was something that had been bugging him since he came to this world, but now it couldn''t be clearer.

    The him in this world looked identical to the him of his previous world.

    They also had simr habits growing up, although his was extreme.

    And when he came onto this world, he felt like their souls had been merged into one instead.

    Thinking about it more, he felt like even if the system wanted to force some other person into this body, it wouldn''t have worked.

    It was like a fraction of his soul had been kept here just for him.

    Why was that?

    Dorian felt that his entire existence might be a mystery that he would have to solve.

    And since another fraction of his soul was here, he was more inclined to believe that the answers would all be here as well.

    Who was he?

    What was he?

    For the first time, Dorian was utterly stumped.

    He had a hunch that only by growing in strength would he be able to get his answers.

    But now, he was sure that the parents here were his true parents too.

    Sigh... What a confusing turn of events.

    .

    Dorian went through his parents'' files, as well as inspected them, ensuring that there were no supernatural entities around.

    Of course, he secretly paced several talismans around to ward off any troubles from both humans or creatures alike.

    One could never be too safe.

    And when he was done, he looked at all 5 bodyguards, alongside Butler Sheng with a calm expression on his face.

    It was time to let them in.

    But the question remains... Can they handle it?

 Chapter 7 Letting Them In

    Can they handle it?

    Dorian looked at the men before him silently.

    Moving forward, anyone close to him will get exposed to the hidden, dangerous world he was about to proceed into.

    So if they had to be his men, they had to know of these things.

    Not only that, but for their own safety, they had to be exorcists as well.

    To get to him, an underworld entity might choose toe after them as well.

    So they had to know.

    All 5 guards stood as still as a rock with no emotions on their faces, but deep down, they were very confused instead.

    They were closer to the Master and not the young master.

    For as long as they could remember, the young master has been somewhat of a loner who didn''t go out looking for trouble and excelled education-wise.

    They respected him but had no deep bond with him, as they shared with the Master.

    They got more focused on doing work for the master and mistress, hardly doing anything for the young master, because he just never needed it.

    .

    Apart from the Master and Mistress, the only other person in the estate close to Dorian was Butler Sheng.

    That''s how quiet the Master was.

    To be honest, they didn''t think he needed guarding since he hardly went out or did anything that wealthy children typically did.

    He was like a shadow, blending in unnoticed.

    The first time they saw any real emotions from him was during this incident.

    The young master seemed to have lost his ability to speak, as he just stared into space while drinking non-stop.

    Even when crying, no sound came out of him.

    The young master held his parents'' hands for an entire day, not letting go.

    It was the first time that they realized that he was still a child.

    If not for the doctors to tranquillize him, he would''ve never left his parents alone.

    Sigh... Even though the young master used to be quiet, he wasn''t gloomy, as one could always sense a faint radiance of youing from him.

    But after the incident, it was as if the young master''s entire demeanour became depressed and sad.

    That''s why seeing how he was now shocked them so much that they couldn''t help staring at him numerous times.

    For the mistress and master''s sake, they were d that the young master had adjusted himself.

    But why did it feel like there was something more that the young master wished to discuss?

    Dorian looked at the bodyguards silently.

    Their names were Bewoh, Raulin, Chan-Ki, Haru and Zhulyn.

    And Bewoh was always the leader of the pack.

    These 5 were the only bodyguards who didn''t betray his parents.

    .

    Bewoh squinted his eyes curiously: "Haru. Shut the door. Zhulyn, Chan-Ki check the windows. Raul in, unplug the cameras."

    "Hm!"

    Instantly, the youngest amongst them rushed towards the door, while the others ran towards the windows and the cameras instead.

    Bewoh parted his legs and ced his hands behind his back sternly: "Young master. I believe no one wille in anymore. Now, the ball is in your court."

    Dorian nodded in satisfaction with how quick Bewoh''s mind worked.

    What he needed were smart and quick thinkers.

    And this guy was definitely one.

    No wonder he was their leader.

    "Butler Sheng. Please, step forward too."

    "Yes, young master."

    In a sh, Butler Sheng joined the bodyguards and stood in line.

    ~Bouboum. Bouboum. Bouboum.~

    Everyone''s heart drummed uncontrobly.

    What was this?

    Was it revenge?

    The young master was finally ready to take revenge?

    They stayed as silent as a rock, waiting for their young master''s words.

    "Bewoh, Raulin, Chan-Ki, Haru,Zhulyn, Butler Sheng!

    You six, are the only ones that didn''t betray my Tian family. And for this, I say thank you.

    Thank you for your faithful service to my family.

    You''ve done more than enough and have earned not just my respect... but the respect of my parents as well.

    That''s why I see you six as the sole forces and guardians of my... no! Our Tian family.

    But now, more than ever... The Tian Family needs your services to fight against our enemies.<sub> </sub>

    That said, if it is too much, please step forward.

    Neither my parents nor I can me you for your decisions.

    You all have already done much more than any of our blood rtives could.

    So we will respect your decisions." Dorian said while calmly looking at all 6 deeply.

    It was true that they had already gone above and beyond.

    So if they wanted to retire, then he didn''t see any reasons why they couldn''t.

    After all, from here on out, they would be putting their lives on the line.

    So now was a good time to back away.

    .

    All 6 stood firm and puffed their chests out with stern expressions on their faces.

    In this instant, they remembered their past suffering and how the Master and Mistress had fetched them out from their holes of doom and given them new lives.

    Their eyes moistened a bit when they saw the 2 bodies behind the young master, just lying there in aa.

    You say they should leave?

    Not a chance!

    The only family they had and belonged to was the Tian Family!!

    Everyone''s heart firmed up in determination and went on one bended knee before Dorian.

    Bewoh as their leader was the first one to go down: "Young master. Today, we offer our service to you.

    I think I speak for everyone when I say that no matter what happens, we choose to stay!"

    Everyone nodded in agreement as they continued listening to Bewoh.

    "Young Master, our enemies might be strong now.

    But I believe that with time, we will make them pay!"

    Dorian nodded his head in satisfaction at their performance.

    But things were far from over.

    "All of you get up."

    With that, they rose and stood at attention, now taking Dorian as the Master of the Tian Family.

    Their eyes became firmer as they stood as straight as they could.

    Dorian took a step forward, looking at each of them calmly.

    His expression was like an unrippled pond, steady to the world around it.

    From a distance, it looked calm.

    But underneath the waters, a storm was brewing with deeply hidden thoughts.

    "You all have served the Tian household loyally since your eptance into the family.

    And I''m d that you still chose to stay even now.

    But, I cannot ept your full service yet."

    "_"

    .

    Everyone looked at their Young Master unwilling.

    Why?

    Could it be that their Young Master didn''t want to get into deeper waters and nned to take revenge all on his own?

    They made a promise to the Master and Mistress to always look after the Tian family.

    So how could they ept this?

    They weren''t like those ungrateful bastards that left the family.

    They meant what they promised.

    Everyone gritted their teeth unwillingly.

    No matter what enemyes our way, we will stay and solve it!

    "Young Master, we wish to stay."

    "Yes, Young Master.

    You don''t need to feel sorry for us or get worried about putting us in danger.

    No matter how dangerous it is, we choose to stay!!"

    Oh?

    Dorian chuckled and looked at them yfully: "You say you''ll remain no matter what enemy we face?"

    "Yes, Young Master."

    "Then what if the enemy isn''t human?"

    "Young Master, no matter who... Eh?..."

    (-_-)

 Chapter 8 Special Operation

    "Then what if the enemy isn''t human?"

    "Young... Eh?"

    "_"

    Eh?

    Everyone blinked with their mouths wide open, not knowing whether tough or to cry.

    ''Excuse me, young master, this is a serious moment, alright?''

    Dorian looked at them and knew that they thought he was joking.

    Sigh...

    This world sure was strange.

    Why do people think the supernatural didn''t exist?

    Well, he had no choice but to go easy on them.

    Dorian ced his hands in his pockets and looked at themzily.

    "What if I told you that apart from my uncle and goons, there are more enemies that my Tian family has to face?"

    More enemies?

    Of course, they assumed that the enemies were humans.

    As for the matter of supernatural beings, they thought it was a joke made by Dorian to lighten up the mood.

    Yes... that must be it.

    "I understand that you all want to stay.

    But because of the might of the enemy, I''ll give you all just a week to think things through."

    Seeing that everyone was still about to speak and pledge again, Dorian raised his hands to stop them.

    "1 week. Not now... but a weekter.

    That is when I''ll ept any pledges from you.

    In the meantime, every day, I''ll be taking a few of you out in sets to go against these enemies.

    Of course, Butler Sheng will always be with me or at the estate.

    But for the rest of you, your main tasks will be to guard my parents whenever you aren''t out with me or off during your free time.

    Now, Bewoh and Haru. You''ll being along with Butler Sheng and I for business."

    "Yes, Young Master!" The duo answered in unison on one bended knee.

    "Good. Now, let''s go!

    The rest of you stay back and keep up the good work."

    "Yes, Young Master." They answered, puffing their chests proudly.

    .

    Dorian shook his head wryly and headed out with Butler Sheng, Bewoh and Haru.

    Haro was the youngest amongst all the guards, at 25 years old, and Bewoh was the oldest at 38, followed by Butler Sheng at 36.

    Everyone else was just within that age bracket.

    Just like that, Dorian and the gang left the hospital, with the trio envisioning all sorts of made-up revenge ns in their minds.

    What bad-ass things were they going to do today?

    Would they sneak into the enemy''s house and steal secrets?

    Would they be kicking and fighting all sorts of bad guys to get revenge?

    Everyone''s heart boiled with excitement.

    Finally! They were back in business!

    Hahahahhahaha!

    They had been so immersed in depression and protecting the master and mistress that they couldn''t do much.<sub> </sub>

    The problem was that over 70 ungrateful bastards had betrayed the Tian family, while only 5 of them had remained as bodyguards.

    What made them a little sad was that the strongest bodyguards were the ones that betrayed them after all the Tian family had done for them.

    What a bunch of ingrates!!!

    Yes, all 5 of them were strong.

    But whenpared to those who left, they were just average.

    That''s why they were also a little hesitant about revenge.

    They just wanted to protect their master and mistress.

    But seeing the Young Master''s strong overwhelming aura, they knew he had a well thought up n.

    The fact that he was asking them to think twice meant that he had some high-risk n that would be able to get revenge for the master and mistress.

    Nheless, it seemed that it was a n that was very possible if they didn''t mess it up.

    So of course, they were willing to take the shot.

    Now, they were wondering what sort of secret n they would be carrying out today.

    What could it be?

    "Bewoh! Haro! Set up the stall there."

    (-_-)

    .

    Butler Sheng, Bewoh and Haru almost stumbled when they heard Dorian''s orders.

    ''Young master... Where is the high risked mission you insinuated earlier on?

    What the hell are we setting up a stall for?''

    The trio thinned their lips and looked heavenwards as if trying to find an answer from above.

    They didn''t have any evidence, but they felt that their young master was brain-damaged.

    Should they secretly arrange a doctor to look into it?

    Dorian looked at their helpless expressions and grinned: "I told you. The enemy we''re facing is mightier. So take this as an introduction into knowing the enemy."

    Everyone struggled not to roll their eyes heavenwards and could only nod wryly, taking seats beside Dorian.

    Just the name on their stall made them feel like burying their heads and hiding away.

    Divination?

    The young master does know that such things don''t exist, right?

    Even the children passing by that saw the stall pointed, giggled and ran away, mocking them.

    So if even children knew that such a thing didn''t exist, why then did the Young Master seem so clueless?

    "Young Master, are we really here for Divination? What does Divination have to do with the enemy?"

    Dorian raised his eyebrowszily: "A lot. By the end of the day or week, you''ll understand why. For now, grab a seat."

    "Yes, Young Master."

    Sigh...

    .

    The trio sat beside Dorian, trying their best to keep their faces as straight as ever.

    And so just like that, they spent a full hour with no one approaching their stall.

    Their young master also didn''t seem to be too interested in anyone... That is until he spotted a group of people with camping equipment on their backs and hands.

    From the looks of it, they should be headed towards the Wuphil Forest to camp for the night.

    Dorian''s eyes turned grim.

    It was time to go to work!

 Chapter 9 The Road To Riches!

    [Over the past hour, this system has personally detected more than 50 or so people who had contact with underworld entities.

    This system doesn''t know why the host hasn''t taken action yet, but just as a reminder, if the host is thinking of going back in his words, then that would be impossible.

    This system and the host had already signed a cosmic bond.]

    Dorianzily raised his eyes devilishly: ''You talk too much.''

    [...]

    The system was really having a hard time understanding its host.

    As for Dorian, he couldn''t be bothered with exining himself.

    Provided he got the job done while abiding by themonws of the heavens, then no one had the right to tell him how he should do his job.

    NO ONE!

    The system couldn''t help shivering a bit from Dorian''s aura.

    How could its host be so strong?

    This... sigh...

    it could only me itself for bringing in the wrong host into this world.

    There was just something not right with his host... but what?

    Dorian squinted his eyes deeply at the gang ahead as if watching prey.

    There were 5 people carryingrge camping bags on their backs just ahead.

    Some in the group spoke loudly, while others were silent all the way.

    In particr, one of them stood out amongst the rest.

    .

    "Hahahhahahaha.

    This is going to be awesome! Once weplete this dare, we''ll be stinking rich!" Hayden said while rubbing his hands together, envisioning money signs in his mind.

    Anotherdy also felt the same way too: "Ahhh! Baby, once we get the money, I''ll be able to buy those designer bags and clothes that all those rich b**ches. By then, we will be the newest rich couple around. Heh. Who doesn''t like a good life?"

    "Lulu is right. With this money, I can finally taste the good life!"

    Hayden, Lulu and Terzo, were overly excited about the money they might recover once this was done.

    But Minato and Yangbo felt a little worried instead.

    Yangbo adjusted his sses and looked at the excited three with a worried expression on his face.

    "I...I�� I don''t know why? But I don''t think we should do this. It seems all too sketchy."

    "I agree. They said we shouldn''t vlog or do anything else toplete the dare, so what if they try doing something harmful to us, like trafficking us out?"

    The other trio turned to look at Yangbo and Minato in disdain.

    Hayden and Lulu, who were a couple, were the most annoyed right now.

    They had already envisioned themselves in luxurious fur coats, walking out of a mall with several bags just to hop into their brand new exclusive car.

    So why would these so-called friends of theirs want to ruin things for them?

    .

    Hayden turned around swiftly and looked at them coldly: "You twerps better shut it, or I''ll make your lives unbearable when we get back! Just because we''ve been taking it easy on you 2 doesn''t mean that you can talk to us as if we are on the same level! Why? Why are you two always so negative? It''s just a dare, so why so scared? Heh. This is why you will always be losers! Besides, do you think I''m that stupid toe unprepared? If something really happened, don''t you all know that I know Kung Fu?" Hayden said in rage.

    Lulu looked at her burly boyfriend and felt very lucky.<sub> </sub>

    Not only was he good-looking, but he also had a great body as well.

    Remembering how many people typically gave her boyfriend the ''eye,'' she felt fortunate to have him by her side.

    Yes! This was what a man should be like!

    Even now, he was the one carrying her things in his massive backpack, while she was just holding nothing at all.

    They looked so good together.

    And when the moneyes, they would look even better!

    .

    Lulu stepped closer to her man and rubbed his chest merrily while scoffing at the annoying duo in the bunch.

    "That''s right. My baby is a well-known Kung Fu gangster in these parts. So with him by our side, what is there to fear? And just so you all know, my baby also hired a few of his brothers to hide around and keep us safe until the whole dare is over. So stop your whining, and let''s go!!"

    Terzo opened his eyes in shock and awe: "As expected of brother Hayden. He already thought about our safety before we even got here."

    Hayden puffed up his chest arrogantly: "Of course I did. If you two must know, people from my gang should be around the perimeters of where we''re heading to. They also checked the ce out earlier on and will be hiding there with guns too, just in case. Again, if things were going out of hand, we can always call the police, no? Yes, I may be a gangster, but I also prioritize my life more than anything else. But then again, I doubt we''ll need all this security."

    Terzo nodded and backed Hayden''s words: "Yes, that''s right. We might but even need all this security. Before today, we had already carried out 7 dares from these rich men and have also gotten paid for doing them too. So if he could pay so much already without doing anything to us, wouldn''t thisst dare be fine as well?"

    -Silence-

    Minato and Yangbo were speechless.

    They said they were worried about getting kidnapped.

    But now, Hayden had the problem fixed without their knowledge.

    And with his ruthless gangster friends, they knew that he had properly taken care of everyone''s security.

    The fact that they had already done 7 other dares was enough to prove that they would probablye out safely.

    .

    Speaking of the dares, they were a little strange, and it all started a month ago when they happened to witness a scene where a few people were talking to a certain man in a limo, thanking him for giving them millions afterpleting a series of dares.

    These people were so excited that they even took them shopping too.

    It was then that the secret of the matter was revealed.

    Apparently, the super-rich in this city sometimes got bored and liked to arrange things like this.

    They would give the candidates a location to be at and watch themplete the dares.

    For Minato, Hayden and the rest, the first 4 dares involved eating several herbs and performing strange dances while ying tag.

    And the rich people all sat on a high podium, pped andughed when they goofed around.

    It seemed like they really enjoyed the show, because each of them received 40,000 after the first dare for practically ying a game in under an hour.

    And the price kept climbing up throughout the other 6 dares, until they each received 500,000 for the 7th dare.

    Minato and Yangbo wanted to quit, but the others didn''t let them.

    Firstly, since they came in as a group, they had toplete all dares as a group, or else they would lose the chance to make money.

    So how could Hayden, Lulu and Terzo allow them to quit?

    This 8th orst dare they were about to do was the grand finale!

    Tonight, 50 Million was on the line, so how could they miss this opportunity?

    Impossible!

 Chapter 10 A Divided Group

    Yes!

    That was a lot of money to give up.

    Tonight, his gang also nned on robbing these rich folks.

    The other 7 dares were too close to public regions, where the police would be roaming around.

    But this dare was away from all that.

    Hayden made sure that his men wouldn''t take until he and the rest received the 50 Million.

    If they attacked first and lost, these rich people would lose interest and flee without transferring or giving the money.

    So why risk it?

    As for the money... these rich folks were so pleased with their previous performances that they all contributed 50 million for them.

    That was 10 Million each!!!!

    Greed was indeed a sin for humans, because people like Hayden, Lulu and Terzo didn''t want to back down at all.

    Not when they were this close to bing millionaires!

    They even started making ns on how to kill Minato and Yangbo and steal their own millions once the dare was over!

    But before that, they had to do the fare with these losers.

    Hayden squinted his eyes coldly and marched towards the duo, releasing his intimidating aura.

    "You bloody cowards better not ruin this for us!

    Don''t even think about it! Or else I swear, I will kill you two here and now! Do the dare, get the money and live your lives, Understood?!"

    "..Y... Yes..." Mina and Yangbo replied while trembling in fear.

    To this very day, they still regret bumping into this group of bullies earlier on.

    They had been passing along an alley, minding their one business, when they suddenly saw the trio walking towards them arrogantly.

    And the next thing they knew, the Trio robbed them.

    Over time, things like this became a norm as Hayden would sometimes pick on them with his gang members or whenever he saw them.

    And on the day when they saw the scene of that rich man giving heaps of money in a limo... they were all together as well, with Hayden''s group bullying them.

    Now, they had been dragged into this strange series of dares.

    And even the money they got from the first 7 dares were all seized by Hayden''s group.

    So what was the point of it all?

    .

    Again, the reward money for thisst dare was too much, and that worried them.

    Specifically, what would they have to do or perform that could be worth that amount?

    Their first thoughts were traffickers or organ dealers.

    No matter how many precautions Hayden had taken, they still felt very uneasy about going onto Wuphil Mountain to spend the night there alone.

    The duo were just about to ept their fate, when they suddenly felt a warm wind caress their faces.

    How nice.

    They turned their faces to the direction of the wind, only to see a strange shed ahead.

    Divination?

    This thing was a well-proven myth that didn''t exist, right?.. RIGHT?!!

    The duo stood rooted on the spot in silence.

    Logic said it was impossible, but the fear within their hearts was just too great.

    The moment they met Dorian''s eyes, they couldn''t help shudder at the mysterious smile he was giving them.<sub> </sub>

    Did he know something?

    They reread the stall sign as if convincing themselves whether to go there and face the wrath of Hayden or just avoid it all.

    Soon, they gritted their teeth and stilled their hearts.

    Dammit! For once in their lives, it was time for them to be men and not fear Hayden so much!

    With that, they turned towards the direction of the Stall, still shivering in fear about Hayden... but at least they had made a move for themselves.

    Hayden and the rest were very much taken aback by the duo''s sudden move.

    Without a doubt, they started walking behind them, trying to grab and yank them back.

    But the duo seemed to have expected their reaction, picking up their pace.

    .

    "And where the hell do you think you 2 are going? The mountain passage is this way and not that way!"

    "Hey! Brother Hayden is talking to you, so you better answer fast or when we get back!"

    Hayden tightened his fist in rage.

    He didn''t like the feeling of having things going out of his control.

    Did these weak chickens want to protest?

    Did they want to protest now that they had 50 Million at stake?

    No way! He would never let that happen!

    Hayden''s mind worked fast.

    "Terzo... Let them be. They''re only going to buy something, so why so hard on them?"

    "But..."

    "No buts. Let them get what they want. After that, we''ll be able to leave for the mountains, no?"

    The brown-haired Terzo, whose teeth were still out like a growling dog, was very unwilling to let these weaklings go.

    If they allowed them to walk over them once, these weaklings might stop being afraid of them all at once.

    But seeing Hayden''s calm but stern look, Terzo had no choice but to put his thoughts away.

    Hmph!

    He would have enough time to teach these bastards the lessons of their lives once they get on the Wuphil mountains.

    With that, the trio eased up a bit and slowly walked behind Minato and Yangbo with several different thoughts in their minds.

    Looking at their backs, a vicious smile formed across Hayden''s mouth.

    Since these 2 wanted to y so much, then they shouldn''t me him for being ruthless!

    .

    At the same time, seeing Minato and the rest approaching, Butler Sheng, Bewoh and Haro, we''re also on high alert as well.

    Any normal person shouldn''t even waste their time on this stall.

    Yet, the people their Young Master was focused on, we''re the same peopleing their way.

    So were these people insane, or were they working under the Young Master?

    Was this the way the Young Master gathered information?

    To think they doubted him before.

    Tsk! As expected of the young master.

    For a moment, they thought he had gone insane.

    (^_^)

 Chapter 11 A Con-Man

    Butler Sheng and the rest decided to watch silently, trying to see what was going on or what information would get exchanged.

    Soon, Minato and Yangbo stood right before their booth nervously.

    Dorian smiled at them: "What can I do for you two?"

    The duo looked at each other before takingrge gulps of saliva down nervously.

    "Ex...Excuse me... but you offer divinations, correct?"

    "Yes. That''s right."

    "So... your services are real not... you know... fake?"

    ~Pff~

    Hayden and the rest standing behind Minato tried their best to hold theirughter in.

    Hahahahahaha!

    This was just too hrious.

    They thought these cowards wanted to purchase something.

    But who would''ve known that they would stop for divinations?

    "Hey, Morons! This guy is definitely a Con-Man. Don''t you know that such things don''t exist?"

    "That''s right. If people could really predict the future or see things, then wouldn''t they have already taken over this world by now?"

    "What a bunch of good-for-nothings! If you want to be cheated, then hurry it up! We don''t have much time to waste here!"

    The trio at the back taunted Minato and Yangbo, calling them idiots.

    And even those nearby also joined in tough at them too.

    It was just too ridiculous!

    But the duo who were beingughed at just looked at Dorian desperately, waiting for his answer.

    It was now that Butler Sheng, Bewoh, and Haru noticed something wrong.

    These two were frightened of something.

    They had a deep sense of fear within them, and it didn''t seem to be about the trio behind them.

    .

    While everyone was stillughing, Dorian''s best words froze even the trio at the back.

    "The 5 of you are involved in a high stake game for money. And so far, it''s been going very well. You''ve all entertained your audience, capturing their hearts and earning big. But now, this is your veryst game. Today, you all n to y big. But there''s a divide amongst you all. 3 of you n to continue, while you 2 want to call it quits but don''t have the courage to. And now, you''re here to find out if it''s a bad or good idea to carry out thest dare in Wuphil Mountain, correct?"

    "Hah.... eh?"

    --Silence--

    Everyone stared at Dorian in shock.

    How... How did he know?

    (��0��)

    Seeing their expressions, Butler Sheng, Bewoh and Haru were taken aback in wonder.

    Could it be that he truly a Divination Master?

    No! No! No! No!

    Divination didn''t exist, right?

    Hayden, Lulu and Terzo hadpletely different thoughts.

    They had been very tight-lipped about it, not revealing it to anyone, apart from themselves.

    Even Hayden''s gang only thought that they were standing guard around the perimeter for an operation.

    So how did this guy know?

    Could it be that he identally heard it from somewhere and was here to scam them?<sub> </sub>

    Yes!... wasn''t that what most scam artists do?

    They stalk the people they want to scam and gather information on them.

    Thinking like this, they didn''t believe in Dorian''s so-called Divination ability.

    But unlike them, Minato and Yangbo were so shocked that their lips began to quiver in shock.

    .

    "Master... Yes. That''s exactly why we came to you."

    "Oh great Master. Please tell us...should we go ahead or not?"

    "Hmmm... Typically, I would''ve advised you to stay as far away as possible from the mountain because only danger would meet you there. But... I can also see even if you don''t go up there, wherever you 2 go, things won''t end up well. So the answer you''re looking for, to go or not to go... will depend on yourselves."

    What???!!!

    The duo looked at each other and trembled even more.

    Their eyes grew panicked as countless waves of worry quickly formed on their foreheads.

    Instinctively, they mmed their hands on the stall and leaned forward in fear.

    ~Bam!

    "Master, what do you mean by that? So starting from today, our lives will always be in danger whether we go up the mountain or not?"

    "Master, surely, you must have a way to stop all this and save us, right? We don''t want to be stalked, only to have our organs taken out!"

    "I knew it! I knew those people were traffickers! No. We have to call the police. Only they can stop this whole madness?"

    "Police, they are probably working in line with those rich bastards. So wouldn''t we just be turning ourselves in for death?"

    ...

    The duo gripped their hair in panic and disbelief.

    They were so young, so why did they have to die now?

    Hayden and the rest didn''t think that Dorian''s words were targeting the rich men.

    No. Those words were clearly warning these idiots to be wary of them.

    That''s right.

    Even if they yed the game and took the money, they would go all out to kill these 2 after today.

    And if the 2 didn''t want to go to the mountain, making everyone lose 50 million, of course they would torture them and even sell their organs to make up the money.

    The way they looked at it, whether the duo went up the mountain or decided to turn back home, they were dead either way.

    p But what baffled them was how Dorian knew of their ns.</anda>

    Could it be that he belonged to one of the rival gangs or something?

    Up till this very moment, they still didn''t believe it was divination.

    Please! That was like saying a train could fly, or human beings could chew moltenva and be okay.

    That was just too ridiculous, alright?

    Everyone assumed that the enemy was human, but sadly... they were so far from the truth.

    ...

    Watching Hayden and the rest drag the dazed duo... Butler Sheng, Bewoh, and Haru looked at their disappearing silhouettes grimly.

    They had heard a lot and were shocked by the turn of events.

    Now, the most important thing was what the young master wanted to do.

    Dorian suddenly stood up and looked at them sternly.

    "Tonight will be your first introductory lesson into the new world I''m about to bring you all into. Stay by my side, and try not to die!!"

 Chapter 12 Wuphil Mountain

    Time passed quickly.

    And soon, the night had covered the entire sky in one swoop.

    And out on the mountain region past the woods was a secluded open space.

    There wererge rocks of strange shapes randomly positioned on the open space, as well as several bumps on the uneven ground.

    ~Plop.

    "Haiiii!... We''ve finally made it!" Terzo eximed while dumping his heavy bag on the ground with relief.

    When they first began the journey, it didn''t seem all that heavy.

    But after climbing up for several hours past the harsh troubles of nature and the terrible terrain on the mountain, his bag suddenly felt like it was 100 pounds heavier.

    They had left in thete morning and had only arrived now, which showed just how rough and big this mountain region was.

    They followed the map, just as those rich men had instructed, and ended up in this open space.

    p But looking around, it seems that no one was in sight yet.</anda>

    So, where were those wealthy men?

    Weren''t they going to watch them perform again?

    Well, maybe they hadn''t arrived yet.

    Fortunately, from their investigations, there weren''t any ferocious creatures around these parts... just your typical rabbits, pheasants, etc.

    .

    Thinking like this, Terzo couldn''t be bothered since his belly was practically screaming like that of a beast.

    ~Grrrrrrw

    Feeling embarrassed, he quickly turned his attention to Minato and Yangbo, who were resting beside him.

    "What the hell are you twozing around for? Our tents aren''t going to set themselves up by themselves. So what the hell are you 2 sitting down for? Move!!!"

    "Y...Yes... " The duo answered, somewhat still in a daze.

    Now, they weren''t all that scared of Hayden''s group. What scared them was the wealthy traffickers.

    Like lifeless zombies, they started fixing the tents while deep in thought of what to do next.

    Their moments were too puppet-like and very disturbing to watch.

    Lulu saw them like this and felt that Terzo had intimidated them too much.

    She calmly took out a chocte bar to curve her hunger and only scoffed in disdain.

    Tch! What a bunch of weaklings.

    Soon, her focus turned to her charming man, who was standing at the corner, making a call.

    And in a region not too far away from them, several gangsters were busy sharpening their daggers cruelly, while others were pointing their guns at trees as if practicing for fun.

    Anyone who ran into this group of gangsters was sure to make for the heels in fear.

    One of the gangsters with blond hair, who was crouching down with a cigarette in his left hand, snugly held the phone close to his ears while taking big pulls from the cigarette.

    "Heh... Boss. We did a full sweep over the ce and found no other people in sight. Only you 5, entering the vicinity."

    "Hmm... And are the boys ready?"

    "Boss... Rx... we''ve got everything under control.

    Me and the boys are all in position.

    Our men have surrounded the entire ce. And even if things do get bad, we have our n B and C on speed dial, no? And besides, this isn''t our first operation. So even if they''re rich, we got 200 of our men here. That''s why I say rx... we''ve got this. This gig is big. So how can we afford to screw it up?"

    "Good... That''s what I like to hear. Remember, this is a big gig. Just wait until I give you all the signal before you rush in. For now, stay hidden at all times. And when they arrive, point all guns at them. Be ready to take any necessary shots when you get the signal."

    The blond gangster let out a thick cloud of smoke before standing up again: "No problem, boss. We''ll stay out of sight until... eh?... Boss! I think I heard something."<sub> </sub>

    With that, the gangster looked up and instantly froze.

    Choppers!

    .

    ~Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

    The chopper des whistled in the air, creating a fierce wind as it flew over.

    Damn. Being rich had never looked so good.

    Do you expect these rich people to walk up the mountain for hours just like they did?

    Impossible!

    When one was rich, they came in style.

    The blond gangster could only watch the approaching choppers enviously while getting everyone to quickly take cover.

    They had to stay hidden, lest the chopper lights catch a glimpse at them.

    "Everyone, get in position now! They''reing!

    Our Big Fat Sheep are Coming!"

    ~Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

    Listening to the sounds of the approaching Choppers, Ji Shen and his gang, hidden safely away, couldn''t help marvelling at the scene they were witnessing.

    Dammit! They felt like they were caught up in some gangster exchange.

    What exactly were they witnessing?

    The more they dug into the matter, the more confused they were.

    But the most mysterious thing of all was their Young Master''s skills.

    They thought they would have to clear the space for him, keeping the coast clear for him to pass.

    But before they could say anything, their Young Master had already moved ahead stealthily past the line of gangsters.

    It was only now that they realized that they didn''t know much about this loner Young Master of theirs.

    As expected, the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree.

    .

    As for Hayden on the other side of the phone call with the gangster, he could already hear the loud whistling sounds of the choppers.

    ~Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

    His heart pounded excitedly as he could already envision all the money he would collect.

    Each person would be given 10 million, and he would allow Terzo and Lulu to keep 8 million each out of their 10''s.

    Of course, Minato and Yangbo would die, and he would pump their own money into his gang, making his men happy or else they might revolt.

    Out of the 20 million from the duo, he would only use 15 million for his gang.

    And as for him, the 5 Million extra, coupled with his own 10 million given to him and the additional 4 million from both Terzo & Lulu... He would have a whopping 19 million all to himself!

    Yes! He had already calcted how the money would be shared.

    It was all his!

    All his!!!

    Hahahahahahahahah~~

    Hayden smiled idiotically while watching the choppers above.

    Good... let the games begin!

 Chapter 13 Rich Cows

    ~Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

    The choppers flew sky high and slowly descended into the massive open space below, as its lights illuminated the ground below.

    The wind from the chopper blew several tiny pebbles away, and the nearby grass and shrubs rippled along the wind waves too.

    Hayden, Lulu and Terzo stood proudly and started waving at all 5 choppers that were nownding.

    Hahahhaha!

    Today, nothing would stop them from getting that money!

    At the same time, Minato and Yangbo could only hide behind the trio instead.

    ''Oh, No! The traffickers are here!''

    Everyone had different thoughts running through their brains, including the gangsters.

    They didn''t know about any dares and only thought of this as a job.

    And even at the distance they were hiding from, it would be pretty darn hard for them to pick up any words Hayden and the rest were saying.

    So... in their minds, these rich cows were here for business.

    Just like that, several people all watched the choppersnd with different emotions swirling within them.

    ~Whoop!.... Whoop!.... Whoop!~~

    The chopper des slowed down and soon came to a standstill, making everyone''s heartbeat rise.

    Anyone would be curious to know who the choppers were carrying.

    --Silence--

    At this moment, no one dared to make a move, with some even forgetting to breathe.

    The Tension was so high that the air seemed very brittle.

    Time seemed frozen in its ce, as everyone stretched their necks while holding their binocrs too.

    ''Come on... Come on... get out of the choppers already!''

    Oh my God! They were dying from suspense!

    The chopper des had already stopped twirling, so what the hell were these people waiting for?

    Don''t they know that there was an audience watching the show out here?

    Well... they didn''t know. But so what?

    Couldn''t they at least hurry up for the 5 guests who were standing before the choppers?

    ~Ugh...

    Everyone was dying from all the suspense.

    Tch! Rich people were so hateful!

    .

    Everyone watching from afar felt that these people were overdoing it.

    They grumbled for a bit before the chopper doors suddenly opened all at once.

    And out came several men in ck suits with dark sses on their faces too.

    They dashed out of the choppers, taking with them several foldable chairs but only a single long foldable table.

    Eh?

    So they wanted to set up the ce for the ''business'' transaction?

    These men in ck suits worked fast.

    And soon enough, after everything was in order, they quickly stood at the sides in silence.

    Following that, a few other guards from the Choppers now got down and extended their hands back, helping the wealthy cows down the Choppers.

    ''Finally!''

    ''Took you all long enough!''

    Those watching through their binocrs were quite exasperated.<sub> </sub>

    One would think it was royaltying down with the way these people acted.

    They were about to curse a bit more until they spotted the most alluring woman ever.

    Wooww...

    All the gangsters watching the show felt their faces grow hot when they watched thedy in red walk towards one of the seats.

    Heavens!

    How could such a tempting person exist?

    Her bosoms were perked up, almost popping out of the right fitted red dress, and her wavy ck hair only created a deep contrast to her clear, smooth pearl-like skin.

    Her reddish lips, as well as the way she walked, just added an extra thrill in their eyes as they took in her full glory.

    No. It should be illegal for such a person to exist, right?

    Damn. As expected of the rich.

    One look and they could tell that she had probably never faced any hardships in life.

    This sort of beauty was to be pampered and treasured forever.

    Oh... what they would give for just one night with her.

    .

    After sessfully peering their eyes away from the beauty, they went on to observe 2 other elderly men who stepped down.

    The first middle-aged man seemed more rxed, wearing a vacation shirt, some shirts, a pair of slippers and sses.

    What was strange was that even though they were sure he was elderly with his long white beard, his body looked very well maintained.

    And as for the other elderly man, he held a cane while wearing... a towel robe?

    Eh?

    What sort of perverted grandpa was this?

    He stepped out wearing a white towel robe, and they were even afraid to guess whether he was actually wearing anything underneath or not.

    The thought made them shrivel subconsciously.

    They''ve heard that the elderly who were rich had some funny quirks, but this guy''s own just took the cake.

    Following these 2, an old granny jumped out of another chopper energetically, hanging her walking cane over her shoulders rather than using it to walk.

    Those watching didn''t know whether tough or cry.

    If you weren''t going to use it, then why bother taking it out?

    From a single nce, they could tell that granny here was a troublemaker.

    They pulled their eyes away from granny to see thest guest stepping out of the 5th Chopper.

    Oh?

    It was a devilishly handsome 25~28-year-old boy in a stylish greenish suit, holding a reddish dark rose in his hand that looked like it was dying.

    Okay, so he was a flirt.

    But what was up with the withering rose?

    .

    Deep in the bushes, Dorian''s men were also discussing the matter like crazy, trying to see if they could recognize any of these Wealthy nobles.

    But so far, they remained clueless about who they were.

    Like so, everyone watched these 5 guests pop out of the 5 choppers here, assessing every one of them, not knowing that they too were being watched as well.

    As for the guests in question, a ruthless glint shed across their faces when they secretly nced at their surroundings.

    Heh.

    They took their seats and yfully stared at Hayden''s bunch, licking their lips in ecstasy from time to time.

    Tonight... was going to be a night to die for.

 Chapter 14 The Dare

    A sharp wind flew across the field as silence settled in.

    Now, it was time for the game to begin.

    Lady Katrina squinted her beautiful oval face, looking at Hayden and the rest yfully.

    "So, this is thest game we''ll all be ying together.

    That said, why don''t we get down to business?"

    The other Rich cows looked at her and grinned merrily.

    "That is, our dear contestants have suffered to get here. So it''s only right for us to do things fast."

    "I agree. It''s best to dive straight into the matter. After all, it''s been a long time since we were this starved for fun. So why not hurry things up?"

    "You 5, are you ready for the game?!!"

    Eh?

    Game?

    What Game?

    (��^��)

    Everyone hidden away in the surrounding bushes and trees was shocked that they could hear what these people were saying.

    Could it be that the strong wind had managed to carry and exhale out the conversations word for word?

    Well, this was good then.

    They really wanted to know what was going on... especially when they heard the word game involved.

    The gangsters were more confused than ever.

    Wasn''t this supposed to be a transaction?

    So how did things turn into a game instead?

    Nheless, they thought it might be code for something else... Maybe passing on a hidden message?

    Now, everyone''s ears were perked up high, wanting to know what this Game thing was all about.

    .

    Hearing the word ''Game,'' Minato and Yangbo''s hearts skipped a beat.

    The more they looked at the people before them, the more they felt that something wasn''t right!

    "Erm... excuse me... But we would like to withdraw from it all."

    "Yes. Yes. we... we want out."

    "You all shut up for me!" Hayden barked angrily.

    "Yeah! if you don''t have anything meaningful to say, then just shut it!"

    "Hmph! A bunch of cowards!"

    Want to make them lose millions?

    Impossible!

    Meanwhile, the Rich cows seemed to enjoy their little show, as they all watched in amusement.

    The dashing man in a green suit holding the withering Rose,zily raised his left eyebrow and chuckled.

    "Now, now... These are civilized times. So why work yourselves up?

    Even though I''m typically very easy to get along with, that doesn''t mean that I''ll just let anything slide.

    Want out? Well, that option is no longer possible for any of you... And that includes your little friends hiding around in the dark."

    Hayden''s eyes dted in disbelief.

    They know!

    But how?

    The gangsters were also shocked as well.

    They had scouted this region for 2 whole days and had also strictly monitored the ce too.

    They were very sure that no one from these rich people''s sides hade by

    So how did they know?

    Could it be that there were people simr to those assassins in movies hiding around?

    Butler Sheng and the rest also felt uneasy.

    Instantly, they became extremely vignt.<sub> </sub>

    But Dorian only chuckled, making them very helpless.

    Why did it seem like their Young Master was taking this whole thing like a walk in the park?

    .

    Looking at the people before him, Hayden quickly adjusted his mentality, smiling calmly at them.

    "Well, I did bring in my men here.

    But they''re still clueless on the specifics or what business I have with you all.

    They''re just here to guarantee my safety, as well as the safety of the money.

    After all, how are we sure that after this, you wouldn''t double-cross us?"

    Lady Katrina and everyone else''s eyes curved upwards, appreciating Hayden''s quick response.

    Indeed.

    Someone who controls any group of individuals, whether gangsters or even a manager, will always be a quick-thinker.

    He still had his eyes on the prize.

    Beeldomad took a whiff of the dying rose in his hands and tilted his head to the side, looking at Hayden deeply: "Indeed. We could''ve double-crossed you. So it was wise of you to secure your safety. That said, whether you bring security or not makes no difference to us."

    "I thought as much. You''re right. it won''t make any difference since our original goal was to y and get out." Hayden said calmly, causing Beeldomad tough loudly.

    "Hahahahahaha!"

    His deep, terrifyingugh echoed out, making the entire ce feel grim.

    Hayden couldn''t help frowning.

    What the hell was so funny here?

    Everyone else inwardly asked the same question while getting very weirded out too.

    They didn''t know if it was their imagination, but hisughter seemed to carry a murderous aura that was almost drowning them silly.

    But this couldn''t be right.

    Beeldomad was thinner, weak-looking and very harmless with a flirtatious charm.

    So how could such a person make them tremble?

    It had to be their imagination, right?

    Yangbo and Minato didn''t think so.

    To them, this was already the sign that these people were traffickers!

    .

    ~Hahahhahahah~~~

    Theughter echoed out, causing the night owls to flock away and the animals to run for their lives!

    At the same time, a dark cloud was slowly forming above, even though no one paid attention to it.

    They were all too distracted by the man seated in green with a dying rose that now had just one petal on it, while 3 other petals had already dropped onto the ground.

    "Hahahahahaha!"

    Hayden couldn''t take it anymore: "And what the hell is so funny about what I said?"

    "You. You and your overly confident ego.

    Tell me, Mr. Harden, do we genuinely have the same goals?

    Your goal is to leave this ce richer than before. But our goal seems to be different from yours.

    You see, we intend to keep you and your men here forever.

    So tell me, are we really on the same side?"

    --Silence--

    Countless thoughts raced through everyone''s minds in fear.

    Be it those hiding or those out in in sight, they all felt a cold draft of wind engulf their surroundings as the words echoed deep within their minds over and over again.

    What did these sons of b**ches mean?!

    It was then and now that Hayden knew that they had fallen into a trap.

    Dammit!

    The good-for-nothings were right!

    These people were Traffickers!

 Chapter 15 Too Late For Regrets?

    Everyone''s minds went nk with fear and worry.

    Just what did these people mean by saying they wanted them to remain here forever?

    Beeldomad gently ced his head on his hands and grinned.

    The greed in Hayden''s eyes quickly cleared, leaving only fear behind.

    Suddenly, he remembered the warning from that Divination master and couldn''t help cursing his former self silently.

    Dammit!

    Why didn''t he stop for one second and believe?

    How can moneypare to his life?

    Looking at the bunch of bastards seated, he gritted his teeth unwillingly.

    "What the f*** do you bastards mean by that? We had a deal!"

    "Oh? So what?

    Anything can be broken or changed when fixed.

    So, I guess... we just decided to change our minds."

    "Well then, change it back!" Hayden was almost losing his breath talking to this bastard when he suddenly recalled something.

    With that, he released a very crooked smile.

    "If I''m not mistaken, you have your own team that has us surrounded.

    And yes, even though that seems to be the case, I still have my men pointing bullets to your pretty little heads.

    Yes. In the end, you all might be able to take me down, as well as my men.

    But that won''t happen without some casualties resulting in your deaths!

    So for everyone''s sake, I suggest you stop this nonsense and hand over the money as nned!"

    ~p. p. p. p.

    Katrina and the others seated pped as they watched Hayden stand his ground, even though his hands in his pockets were trembling nonstop from fear.

    Beeldomad chuckled: "Little boy, What if I told you that your men would be dead before they can even make the shot?"

    What???!!!

    Everyone hiding around felt tingly all over when they heard him.

    F***!

    So there were really experts around that had locked in their positions?

    Mommy... the world seemed so scary.

    .

    Hayden and the other 4, felt their body vibrate even harder when he felt the murderous aura leaking out of these people.

    It was so frightening that they couldn''t help taking a few steps back.

    Minato and Yangbo were the most terrified of all.

    Grabbing Lulu and Terzo''s shoulders, they shook them hard with rage.

    "I knew it! I know we shouldn''t."

    "That''s right!

    We told you all, but no~~... You just wanted the money! Do you see where it has taken us? It''s all your greed!!!"

    ~Pah.

    Lulu pped Yangbo''s hands off her shoulder in fear: "Sh...Shut up, alright? How is it our fault? It''s obviously their fault for fooling us. W-we are just victims."

    "Y-y-yeah... We are just victims. Quick, contact the police. I don''t care anymore." Terzo whispered with trembling lips.

    Lulu, who always had her phone on her to take pictures, shakingly dialled 501 hastily.

    They thought they were doing it in hiding, but Beeldomad and the rest had long since seen their actions.

    After dialling and waiting, Lulu''s face instantly turned pale when the bold words popped on her screen.

    NO SIGNAL!

    Hh-how?

    How was this even possible?!!

    The signal was on just before these people arrived.

    So where did it go?<sub> </sub>

    Mr. Signal, where are you?

    .

    Yangbo, Minato and Terzo''s faces grew visibly pale when they saw Lulu''s brain log off.

    ''Bon Voyage''

    It was gone, leaving her standing like a dazed zombie.

    Dammit! What was wrong with her?

    Woman! Now, wasn''t the time to be zoning out, alright?

    They hastily snatched the phone away, only to see the most heart-wrenching message of all time.

    Boom!

    An explosion urred in their minds.

    Ahhh!.... They held their chests hard as if they were about to have a great attack.

    F***!

    They were doomed!

    ''No signal... no signal...'' Terzo mumbled continuously.

    Why now?

    Why in heaven''s name did it have to go now?

    Hayden, who was left talking and facing these rich bastards, felt his legs turn soft like jelly when he heard Terzo say no signal.

    He had been silently paying attention to them and was hoping that they could contact the police.

    At this point, wasn''t it better to be with the authorities than these perverted people?

    In fact, he wished he could stream the whole thing as evidence too.

    Who knew what they wanted to do with him?

    "You...

    Don''t think that because you all are rich, you can do whatever you like!

    No matter how rich you all are, murder is a crime!

    So you bloody traffickers and organ stealers better not think about touching a hair on my head!"

    "Traffickers? Organ sellers? Darling... Who said anything of that sort?" Katrina said calmly, confusing everyone.

    Eh?

    "_"

    .

    At this moment, even Butler Sheng, Bewoh and Haru hiding away, were very much confused.

    If they weren''t Traffickers or Organ dealers... then why did they lure these people away?

    "Young master, I don''t get it."

    "Oh?... Don''t worry... The real show is about to begin. By then, you''ll understand." Dorian said with a coy smile on his face.

    Everyone else looked at their Young Master helplessly, as well as anxiously.

    If he knew, then why not just tell them?

    All this tension was making them anxious as well, alright?

    More still, they were very much outnumbered here.

    So how can their Young Master remain this calm?

    They looked around anxiously, fearing for the Young Master''s safety as well as theirs.

    Who knows if the so-called hidden assassins would spring out now?

    They couldn''t help but want to kill their former selves.

    When they left the hospital, they were ready for action.

    ? But now that they were faced with several hidden assassins, they just wanted to cry helplessly.

    Was it toote to retract their wishes?

    (T^T)

 Chapter 16 Grand Reveal!

    Everyone stared at them in confusion?

    So they weren''t Traffickers or organ dealers?

    (��^��)

    Okay, they were once again left in a state of confusion.

    Katrina licked her seductive, plump lips at them: "Darlings, how can you think someone as gorgeous as I would be into such a messy thing?"

    What? They were overthinking it?

    Everyone suddenly felt a wave of relief from it all and smiled awkwardly.

    Well, they were wrong.

    How can such a beautifuldy be into such a dirty business?

    Hayden, who had now had a bean sport of hope within him, cautiously looked at them in disbelief: "So... you don''t want to harm us?"

    Katrina smiled seductively: "Well... we aren''t into any of those dirty businesses. So you don''t have to worry about that."

    Confirming things again, Lulu and the rest broke out in celebration.

    "Hahahaha! did you hear that?

    They said they weren''t into that!"

    "Yeah. It seems that we misunderstood this entire time?"

    "Dammit! I''m so happy that if you weren''t my big brother''s girl, I would kiss you right now!"

    Terzo and the rest couldn''t help smiling since they felt like they had just crawled out from the list of Hell!

    They even went as far as hugging themselves tightly and jumping around like rabbits.

    At this point, they had even touched Minato and Yangbo without yelling at them.

    It was as if they were all old buddies.

    With tears in their eyes, they looked upwards and thanked their lucky stars.

    It''s good... It''s good that they overturned things.

    .

    The Old granny pped andughed with them as well.

    ~p. p. p. p.

    "Isn''t this great?

    Aren''t you all happy that we don''t do dirty jobs? Well, fortunately for you, what we do is way cleaner. Don''t worry. You won''t even feel a thing."

    "Hahahaha... yes, it''s way... eh?

    --Silence--

    WHAT DID SHE MEAN?!!

    Seeing their shocked expressions, Beeldomad decided to help the old granny pass along her teachings well.

    " Hahahahahaha. It''s simple.

    You all are indeed in danger. But with our way of handling things, you won''t feel any pain whatsoever.

    So, it''s this better than your earlier spections?"

    What??

    Lulu and the rest shook their heads vigorously while opening their eyes wide and taking a few steps back: "No. No. no... please, we don''t want to die..."

    "Alright. This has gone on long enough. So how about we cut things off here?

    I''ll tell you what. Why don''t we make tonight a little livelier?

    Everyone hiding around,e out, or you''ll die faster than you can take your next breath!

    Of course, if you doe out and survive whatever we do, then you are all free to go.

    I''ll only give you all to the count of 5 to start moving.

    Remember, we know all your hidden positions...

    so die in the next few seconds, or struggle to survive and leave by the end of it all.

    The choice is yours."

    [Audience]: "_"

    F***!

    .

    Everyone was now in a severe state of panic!<sub> </sub>

    Their bodies trembled, and their eyes darted from left-to-right, right-to-left, up, down, and all sorts of direction in fear.

    Several gangsters were sweating buckets in the woods.

    Knowing that even radio frequencies weren''t working, they knew that their leaders out here couldn''tmunicate with them at all via Walkie Talkie.

    This meant that they had to decide for themselves.

    "Bro, what do we do? what do we do?"

    "You''re asking me? Sh**t! I''m also confused!"

    "I... I think they might not know all our positions, so why don''t we just tryying low?"

    As they spoke, Beeldomad snapped his fingers, and one of the men in ck began the countdown.

    "1!"

    The gangsters froze and continued thinking about what to do.

    Maybe they could really get away with it?

    "2!"

    The air froze with uncertainty.

    "3!"

    The pressure increased so much that they began shaking like leaves in Fall.

    "4"

    They were in Hell.

    With pale faces, almost all gangsters jumped out in terror, rushing towards the open field with all their might.

    Screw this! They were out!

    Wasn''t it better to have a chance of survival than die instantly?

    Without a doubt, many decided to take a leap of faith here.

    Of course, there were still others who always felt that they were too smart and would definitely get away with hiding away.

    For now, whether their decision was right or wrong?

    Only time would tell.

    .

    ~Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.~~

    Like a stampede, the sounds of numerous footsteps echoed around the ce like crazy, making Beeldomad and hispanions smile yfully.

    It was always fun ying with prey.

    As for those who dared stay hidden, they only looked at some of the men in ck, who in turn slowly backed away into the dark forest.

    Only the heavens knew what they were doing there.

    Very calmly, Dorian''s group also walked out as well.

    Butler Sheng and the rest were very much worried.

    But seeing their Young Master''s smile, they somehow felt reassured.

    Could it be that the young master already knew of this and had gotten the police or anyone else to head over here?

    They couldn''t understand what it was that made their Young Master so confident when even they were so worried.

    What cards did the Young Master have up his sleeves?

    The gangsters were so busy keeping their gazes focused on Beeldomad''s group that they didn''t even notice Dorian''s team walking amongst them.

    In such a situation, who would have the time for this?

    Dorian cracked his fingers and smiled yfully.

    Alright. It''s been a long time since he moved around like this.

    This should be a good warm-up for his future escapades.

    He just hoped that his men would be able to handle it.

    .

    With everyone now gathered, Beeldomad and the rest calmly stood up and smiled unnaturally, with their mouths stretching towards their ears.

    And what happened next was something that these gangsters and everyone else would never forget in their lives.

    Mommy...

 Chapter 17 Grand Reveal 2

    Cold.

    The entire ce suddenly turned cold as its temperatures dropped by the second.

    And soon enough, a ghastly screen of fog crawled out of the surroundings, forming a thick, ankle-level carpet of white mist.

    The chilly fog quickly stretched its ws towards the crowd, swimming between their legs mischievously.

    Where the hell did ite from in these hot summery times?

    Some forced themselves tough while looking around anxiously.

    "Hahaha! Very funny!

    This should be a joke from these wealthy people?"

    "Yes. It should be!

    They just want to see us suffer in fear.

    So there should be a hidden camera crew somewhere, right? RIGHT?!!!"

    Countless thoughts raced through everyone''s minds as they found their feet engulfed in the strange frosty fog.

    It was so thick that they couldn''t even see the ground at all!

    Should they look at the rich, terrifying bastards before them, or should they look at the mysterious fog beneath?

    Their entire surroundings gave them a deep sense of uncertainty!

    Everyone couldn''t help gulping in fear as they felt that something wasn''t right with this fog.

    Firstly, no matter how they looked at it, smoke, gas, or anything else was supposed to upy higher grounds, floating higher in the air due to density.

    But this one seemed to be sinking instead.

    It stayed on the ground and refused to disperse or go higher, which wasn''t logical at all!

    Moreover, how could it be so cold?

    The cold seemed to prate the deepest parts of their bones, causing them to shiver uncontrobly.

    Fear, despair, and all sorts of negative emotions welled up within them.

    What would be of them?

    .

    Wheooo~~

    The gloomy wind yfully whistled across the field, creating an even greater catalyst for Minato and Yangbo''s breakdown.

    Looking at Terzo and Lulu, their expression turned maddening as he grabbed Terzo in hate.

    "I told you! I told you that we shouldn''t havee here. But you bastards didn''t listen!

    This is all your fault! This is all your fault!"

    "No! I don''t want to die!

    I don''t want to die!"

    ~Plop.

    The duo fell to the ground while watching their lives sh right through their very eyes.

    Their greatest regret in this life was passing through the alley when they first met Hayden and his gang.

    If they could do it all over, they would never pass through that alley again.

    No! not only that alley, but every other one too!

    What shortcut home?

    That was definitely the root cause and his one-way ticket to this hell!

    .

    Beeldomad and the others looked at everyone''s terrified expressions and chuckled in amusement.

    What cowards!

    Without even seeing the entire show, these people were already freaking out this much?

    Tsk! It looks like they overestimated their prey, thinking they would make good entertainment before the main event.

    But who would''ve known that these buff, burly people would start acting like frantic children so soon?

    Of course, some like Hayden and a few others still tried to stay tough, even though their feet were all wobbly in fear.<sub> </sub>

    But they had to say that the more fear their prey felt, the sweeter the smell in the air.

    It was so intoxicating that they couldn''t wait anymore.

    ~Hoohoohoohoo.

    Their breathing became heavier with sheer excitement as they licked their lips, oozing out whitish saliva from the corners of their mouths uncontrobly.

    And, it was there and then that everyone knew they were f***ed.

    .

    Everyone watched as the already unnatural smile on the faces of Beeldomad and the rest stretched past their ears, moving to the back of her heads.

    Beeldomad and the rest shook their bodies from side to side, causingrge cracking sounds to echo out.

    ~Crack. Crack. Crack.

    Their bodies hunched and grew massive into something that made everyone feel like puking.

    The faces before them were so gruesome that words alone wouldn''t be able to describe them.

    Ugly! It was the most hideous thing they had ever seen in their lives!

    They pointed their quivering fingers while trying to force their fear-stricken legs to make a run for it.

    "D-D-Demon!!!"

    Everyone stared with reddish eyes when they realized how much of a scam their lives had been.

    Didn''t they say demons and all those other things were Myths?

    Didn''t they say that only science would hold the key to everything?

    It was all a lie. And they deserved a damn good exnation from society.

    No! They wanted their refunds!

    ~Plop.

    Many more dropped to the ground and used their hands to crawl backwards while releasing a foul stench of pee.

    Their undergarments were soiled, soaking wet.

    But so what?

    They didn''t know who started it, but some quickly joined their hands together and started praying to whatever God existed out there.

    After all, if there are demons, then there should be angels too, right? RIGHT?!!!

    Instantly, they started praying while crying as well.

    "Oooo~~~ Holy God, are you out there? If you save me, I swear I''ll never do bad again!"

    "Oooo~~~... The almighty being of whoever. If you save me, I promise to start brushing my teeth more often. And that''s not all. I''ll do more good deeds too.!"

    "Oh, heavenly being! I''m the only middle child in my home. So if I''m gone, who will rece me? That''s why you should save me, for my parents'' sake!... Look. I''ll even throw in a bargain with you. If you save me, I promise to turn myself in for all 2... no...5 of my past crimes. So what are you waiting for? Come out and save me!"

    [The Heavens]: "_" Should we really save these people?

    ....

    The entire scene was filled with countless people praying, wailing or attempting to flee.

    At the same time, Butler Sheng and the rest were sweating buckets from fear alone.

    Dorian tilted his head and smiled at their horrified expressions: "I told you I''d be bringing you all into a new world, right? So... how do you like it? It''s good, right?"

    [Guards]: ''Young Master... If we say we want to beat you up, would you believe it?''

    Looking at their calm and collected Young Master, they could only shake their heads bitterly when they remembered today''s events.

    If you would''ve told them that today''s matter would end like this, they would''ve thought the informant to be drunk or mentally incapacitated.

    But now, their entire minds and bodies had exploded in horror.

    They were used to dealing with Humans, so how could they not be afraid?

    Thinking about it more, didn''t this mean that these were types of enemies that their Tian family would start facing?

    Wait!

    So they were secretly demon hunters?

    F***!

 Chapter 18 The Demons Are Active

    "Alright. Enough dilly-dallying.

    It''s time to go to work."

    [The Guards]:...

    Everyone pouted in both fear and helplessness.

    ''Young Master. What work?

    This is our first time on the job here, so how are we supposed to know what to do?

    Moreover, why did it seem like you''re happier than usual?''

    Everyone looked at those loudly praying before finally settling their gazes at the sky above.

    Maybe if they prayed too, then all this would go away?

    "Stay close to me, or you might not survive."

    "Yes, Young Master!" They replied while sticking around Dorian like glue.

    Even though their thoughts had flown away earlier on, they weren''t stupid.

    To them, if the young Master had known of this all, then he had a way to save the day.

    That''s why staying by him was the best possible oue here.

    They followed him so closely that they didn''t even notice when they began sandwiching him.

    Butler Sheng stood on the left, sidestepping ever so slowly with his hands close to Dorian''s waist.

    Haru also did the same on Dorian''s other side, while Bewoh was at the back, hugging Dorian too.

    What a joke!

    No matter who it was, seeing demons or underworld creatures pop out would make one terrified to the bones.

    So they weren''t ashamed of their behavior at all.

    Hmph! This was manly!

    .

    Dorian chuckled at their behavior.

    Back in his former world, he had never seen such a situation before.

    From birth, people were made aware of Underworld beings and constantly fought them out in the open.

    So almost no one was scared of them.

    To this former world, it was the same as going to the hospital for treatment.

    Of course, just like the hospitals that issued the severity of the degrees of illnesses, the same could be said for Exorcism.

    The issue only bes frightening depending on the grade of the underworld creature.

    So people knew about these creatures for centuries and centuries.

    That''s why getting this scared was unheard of and somewhat amusing to him.

    He didn''t feel that their behavior was disgraceful.

    This world''s settings to him were too wrong.

    So it was understandable.

    Nheless, they were beginning to close in too tightly, making it hard for him to take further steps.

    Their bodies trembled the closer they got to the hideous monsters, as sweat trickled down their faces and backs like crazy.

    Everyone was so scared to the bone that they dared not look at the underworld creatures before them.

    ~Gulp.

    "Y-y-young master, c-c-can we not get too close?"

    "Sure... You can stay behind. After all, it''s understandable why you would think that."

    Everyone sighed from relief while looking at Dorian gratefully: "Thank you, Young Master."

    "Hmhm. You all can stay behind if you want. But if you do, then you''ll be doing so on your own. Oh.. and a word of advice, the fog below isn''t ordinary."

    "_"

    ...

    Everyone felt their heart sink, with their faces growing visibly paler by the second.

    The more they looked at the fog covering their legs at ankle-level, the more anxious they became.

    They seemed to have imagined a scene where other demons would pop out of the fog.

    Dammit!

    They knew it wasn''t normal!

    What sort of fog stays low, refusing to rise?

    Could it be alive?

    Their chests grew tighter, and their knees quaked the more they stared at it.

    "Young Master! We will go with you!"

    "Yeah! Better around you than alone here!"<sub> </sub>

    "Young Master, have I ever told you how good-looking you are?"

    "Yeah! Young Master, you are the most handsome person I''ve ever seen before!"

    [Dorian]:...

    Dorian paused and looked at his burly, broad-shouldered guards in amusement.

    The power of fear was truly a miraculous thing.

    He chuckled and swiftly removed himself from their tight grip: "Alright. Let''s go."

    "Yes, Young Master!" They replied while walking close to him.

    And even though the Young Master didn''t say anything, they knew that if he were going to face whatever was ahead, he needed fighting space.

    So they couldn''t cling to him again as they did.

    At the same time, they dared not stand too far away.

    Sigh... The story of their lives.

    With that, the gang advanced steadily through the massive, panic-stricken crowd.

    In fact, the chaos in the crowd was so great that it could put the fear of God in one.

    .

    "No! No! I have to get out of here! I can''t die like this!"

    "Quick! let''s leave this open field, run through the woods and flee!"

    "Yes! if we all flee at the same time, we would have a better chance of escaping than waiting here to be required by some demons!"

    "I-I-I-I think you''re making sense here. Yes! Out in the open fields, they can easily soot us, but in the woods, we have a chance!"

    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go!"

    "Let''s Go! Let''s go!!"

    With that, countless people dashed in all directions towards the woods with all their might.

    And the closer they got, the happier they became.

    "Hahahhahaha!

    Almost there! Almost there!

    This is it! This is our time to escape!"

    Their expressions turned drunk with glee as they leaped with big steps forward.

    Some fell and stood up again, while others pulled those around them behind, trying to overtake them.

    Their hearts pumped loudly, and their eyes bulged crazily while advancing as fast as they could.

    Just a few more steps and that was it.

    Hahahahah! it was that simple...or so they thought.

    Because in the next second, something miraculous happened.

    ~Bam!

    Several loud sounds echoed across the fields, bringing everyone''s attention to the scene.

    -Silence-

    ? Time seemed frozen in time as many tried processing what just happened.

    This...This...

    Everyone had seen the first people who tried to head towards the woods suddenly fall as if they were mmed against a wall and were utterly terrified by it all.

    A certain distance away from the perimeter of the field, those who tried to escape fell.

    Eh?

    They grunted and wiped off the blood trickling from their foreheads, feeling no pain at all.

    With bigger problems at hand, what pain could they feel?

    Very quickly, they jumped from the creepy, foggy ground and frantically ced their hands against the open space anxiously.

    Some even rushed up against the space with more might, before once again dropping to the ground with sprained shoulders.

    Everyone who saw this scene knew the truth at a single nce.

    Their faces grew grim as they rushed to the scene, trying to break free too.

    ~Bang! Bang! Bang!

    "Let us out! Let us out now!"

    "This can''t be. This can''t be.

    How could they get trapped with the Monsters?"

    ...

    Everyone anxiously did their best to flee.

    And as if this shock wasn''t enough, the Demons decided to finally make their move.

 Chapter 19 Trust Issues

    ~Bubuum. Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Everyone''s heart drummed loudly in their ears.

    They punched and punched frantically, as a cold wave of air quickly embedded their bodies.

    But no matter what they did, they understood one crucial fact.

    They were trapped!

    They looked at the invisible wall with only tears and regret in their eyes.

    Why? Why did theye out tonight?

    They didn''t even ask how this was possible.

    No. The existence of demons had already shattered their entire worldview.

    So how shocking would an invisible wall be to them?

    Sure. It was surprising, but their survival instincts had pushed that surprise factor down tremendously.

    Right now, they realized that being imprisoned here on this open field was enough to make many wet themselves silly.

    They felt like monkeys in a zoo cage.

    And as if this wasn''t enough, on the other side of the wall, several reddish glowing eyes suddenly revealed themselves in the thick woods, causing everyone banging the wall to tremble and take several steps back.

    What were those?

    <o>,m Everyone watched as the many reddish glowing eyes got closer and closer, in turn making them take several steps further and further away from the wall.</o>

    Now, no dared to think about going into the woods again.

    Those big glowing eyes told them all they needed to know about their surroundings.

    But even at that, they were still unwilling to die.

    F***!

    What do they do now?

    ~Plop.

    Even more people dropped to the ground beating the soil, cursing, wailing or praying with all their might.

    Some even started speaking incoherently, as if speaking in Tongues.

    Where were the f***ing angels when you needed one?

    ''Come out now and save us!!''

    .

    Everyone was in a state of despair, but this was just the beginning.

    "Hahahahhahahaha!

    I love this!" Lady Katrina eximed, calling everyone''s attention back to them.

    -silence-

    Everyone instantly froze in horror.

    Even those crying or making a scene dared not make any noise at all.

    Their hearts speeded up as all the colour from their faces drained uncontrobly.

    And without any orders, many had already found themselves on their knees, cing their hands on the ground and their foreheads to their hands, shivering and bowing as much as they could to these beings of destruction.

    Of course, they dared not look at these monsters at all!

    Apart from being scared, the appearances of these creatures made them feel like throwing up.

    And to make it any worse, there was also a very foul, pungent smell oozing from the direction of these demons too.

    ~Bluh!

    Many puked nonstop while shivering in disgust.

    Now, because of these demons, even if they left this ce, they would definitely have trust issues!

    No! they might never look at beautiful women the same again.

    How does thatdy in red earlier on go from the most beautiful woman in the world to this?

    The beautiful Lady Katrina that caused their mouths to previously water with lust, had now turned into something that they couldn''t describe alone by words.

    All they knew was that she had long dirty fangs, a rotting face with maggots swimming in it, and very long, crumbled-looking wings that were a mix of brown, ck and another colour they weren''t too sure of.

    Her feet grew 3 times longer, and her toes merged into big wolf-like 2 toes.<sub> </sub>

    And her hair was now floating in the air in clunks, acting like individual whips, ready tosh out.

    She had grown into a giant and had ripped out of her clothes, so they could see everything.

    But it wasn''t a pretty sight.

    She hunched down, using her legs and hands to crawl creepily.

    And since she had grown 3 times their size, her crawling was at their standing level.

    So she was still at the same face level with them when standing.

    Nheless, her demonic body looked shrivelled, saggy and skinny, with her previously perky bosoms now looking as t as a long pair of slippers.

    They dangled around, shooting worms on the ground, as they shook with her every swaying move.

    Oh, and did they also mention that apart from her dirty-looking fangs, the rest of her teeth were also sharp and ck as well?

    God!

    The thought of her rotting body and the numerous maggots they saw made them utterly disgusted!

    And this was just from taking a single nce at her.

    Yes. They were sure that there were a lot of details they missed.

    In fact, they had only seen a fraction of Katrina''s real look because even at this moment, the more fear she absorbed, the closer she was to how her real body looked in the underworld.

    This was nothingpared to the true essence of her demonic body.

    Heh. Her tail hadn''t even grown yet and they were this scared?

    Pathetic!

    .

    Everyone had already gotten at least one peak of the gigantic demons before them, who all had different looks altogether.

    Some were fat and plum, while others were so skinny like bones but taller than the rest instead.

    Another somehow grew 2 other heads while that granny from earlier on transformed alongside her cane, bing a demon with insect hands.

    Each one was uglier than the other.

    And now, they understood why that Old man from earlier on hade with a robe.

    Since the clothes were going to rip off, then why bother?

    All these details here and there made them realize that these people had been prepared for them from the get-go.

    So at this moment, they were at the mercy of these monsters.

    Many trembled and bowed on the ground, while only a handful of people still stayed standing.

    Katrina looked at those still up with a hint of amazement in her eyes.

    It would''ve been good if they could getplete fear out of these people... especially the one who gave off no fear whatsoever amongst them.

    Damn. Getting his fear would be fulfilling.

    As demons, they feed off fear. So the more one resisted, the better the quality of fear extracted in the end.

    Just thinking about it made her drool uncontrobly.

    Sigh... It''s a shame the show was over.

    After all, they had to wrap this up before the Damn ''Heavenly Hour'' began.

    Once it began, it would be toote to make their move.

    No! They had to make a move fast!

    With that, They stamped their hands on the ground with a loud bang while whispering something unknown.

    ~Spspspspspspspa~

    Soon, the fog, as if listening to their words, started moving like crazy!

    And what everyone saw made their bodies go limb in horror.

    But before they had time to react to what they saw beneath the fog, the ground suddenly shook.

    ~Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.~

    The ground shook, and several people hugged each other in tears.

    They knew it.

    Their Doomsday had arrived.

 Chapter 20 Time To Feast

    The thick mysterious fog suddenly rose from the ground and stuck closer to the invisible walls surrounding them, permanently obscuring their vision of the woods.

    Everyone looked at the ground and was now taken aback.

    The entire field was dead!

    The previously luscious grounds were now all rotten, with worms and other creatures swimming in it.

    ~Ugh.

    It was so disturbing that many wondered how they had been standing on thisnd for so long without freaking out.

    And before they could make heads or tails of the matter, the ground abruptly trembled, leaving many hugging each other and crying.

    What''s going to happen now?

    ~Rumble. Rumble.

    The vibrations increased more and more by the seconds, until soon, countless gigantic dark-purplish vines popped out of the ground, creating beds of beds of vines.

    ~Boom!

    Everyone looked at the vines beside their feet and couldn''t help shedding tears.

    Even though the vines hadn''t done anything yet, they had a strong belief that all they needed were orders from those demons, and that would be the end of their lives!

    And while everyone was vigntly looking at the vines, Beeldomad and the others only smiled in satisfaction when their grand formation had beenpleted.

    They had their reasons for all this.

    But now that the preparations were done, it was finally time to feast!

    .

    "Hahahaha!

    I love Mortals. Their greed is always the thing that kills them in the end.

    Tonight. We''ll feast on you all!"

    "No! This wasn''t what you promised!"

    -silence-

    "Oh?" Beeldomad looked at the person who spoke in amusement.

    It was Hayden.

    How interesting.

    Even though the boy was standing and shaking like a leaf, he still built enough courage to speak up.

    For this, everyone else''s eyes twinkled in awe while looking at him.

    Who here dared to talk to these demons?

    This was something they knew they couldn''t do, yet Hayden had done so even amidst his fright.

    He asked the one thing they wanted to know but dared not speak.

    As expected of their leader.

    Of course, while the men looked at him with appreciation, the demons looked at him as if looking at a fool instead.

    Beeldomad smiled, stretching his rotting face, dropping maggots to the ground with his every movement.

    His demonic face was huge, having the appearance of a bat mixed with a dog. His long hairy rotting ears and his big fat nose that looked like someone had taken a chunk out of it were so eye-disturbing to everyone.

    His entire face was rotting. And just like the other demons, he too had all sorts of insects swimming in him.

    Beeldomad smiled hard at Hayden as his dark light shed past his green eyes.

    .

    "Heh!

    You don''t really expect us to hold our promises, right?

    After all, we''re demons, pathological liars by nature.

    Deceit is our World!

    ying with you stupid humans is the only form of entertainment we love. It keeps us going and gives us ecstasy.

    Your stupidity knows no bounds.

    And this works well in our favour.<sub> </sub>

    Of course, I do understand why you all are idiots, though.

    Your little world has no knowledge of us.

    So it''s reasonable that even after knowing our identities, you would still hold onto that little hope of freedom.

    Well, too bad that you would still think of believing or trusting in a demon after knowing their identity.

    The only oue is to get stabbed in the back.

    So you see, tonight, there are no more games to y.

    Meaning there''s no chance of winning or surviving after a game.

    To put it simply, your souls will be ours, and you won''t even get the chance to reincarnate anymore.

    Yes. You will get devoured by us!" Beeldomad said yfully, causing everyone''s heart to fall deeper and deeper into despair.

    They couldn''t escape through the invisible walls and couldn''t dig a hole and escape with all these vines here.

    So their only option was to fly.

    They thought of rushing towards the choppers behind the demons and fleeing, but their legs refused to obey them.

    Besides, who would dare get closer to those monsters ahead?

    .

    Soon, the smiling Beeldomad suddenly straightened up and stared at Hayden coldly before releasing his terrifying murderous aura around.

    "Boy! Even though you''re ignorant, it doesn''t mean I am a person who allows others to cut me off when I''m talking!... especially a lowly human.

    So congrattions.

    You''re my first prey."

    ~Swish!

    Beeldomad dashed towards Hayden with his hands and feet on the ground, causing everyone''s stomach to tighten.

    Seeing this, Hayden sweated buckets as he fell backwards and also used his hands and feet to crawl away as well.

    "No! You can''t have my soul!

    I don''t want to die!

    I don''t want to die!"

    His gruesome cries echoed around, creating waves of terror in everyone''s heart.

    Katrina and the other demons justzily watched, enjoying the show

    And Beeldomad, the star yer, was in a state of ecstasy at the thought of having his first meal in days.

    Hahahahahaha!

    The fear from the boy smelt so delicious that he revealed his long snake-like tongue while advancing.

    But for those watching, they couldn''t bear to look anymore and turned their eyes away in fear.

    It was just too gruesome to watch.

    Hayden backed away as hard as he could, stumbled on a few vines with deep regret in his eyes.

    If given a second chance, he would live a different humbling life.

    Hayden''s life shed before his very eyes the closer Beeldomad''s figure got.

    And soon, Beeldomad stretched out his long ws at Hayden with an almost crazed expression on his face.

    Food! Food! Food!

    It smelt so damn good.

    Beeldomad was already envisioning the taste in his mouth.

    But just when he thought he would finally be able to taste his long-awaited dish, a loud sound echoed out, and before he knew it, he found himself flying backwards, hitting the now foggy wall like a fly.

    ~Boom!

    ~Blugh.

    He coughed out greenish blood in rage.

    Who?

 Chapter 21 Mr. Divination Master?

    ~Bam!

    The demon Beeldomad had been smashed into the wall like amon fly.

    And right off the bat, everyone, including the demons, knew that things hadn''t gone ording to script.

    Soon, their eyes fell onto the teenager standing before Hayden.

    And just when they were still guessing his origin, they soon heard another person exim loudly.

    "It''s YOU!!!"

    [Audience]: Who?

    ''_''

    Hayden, who just opened his eyes, as well as Minato and the rest, were utterly shocked and happy when they saw the young man before them.

    Thinking about the warnings this guy had given them, he had definitely seen their fate today and warned them thoroughly, but they didn''t heed his advice.

    Thankfully, Mr. Divination Master here had a good heart, or he might not have bothered toe and save them at all.

    As if seeing the light, they crawled towards him like babies.

    .

    Dorian was toozy to care about their actions.

    A good heart?

    Well, whatever they wanted to call it, he didn''t care.

    Very abruptly, he turned towards his men who were struggling to act tough with their wobbly feet.

    It looks like they had finally grasped the real essence of the Tian family''s main source of ie.

    "Butler Sheng! Bewoh! Haru!"

    Do you remember the papers I gave you earlier on?"

    "Yes, young master." The trio answered in confusion. What do the papers have to do with the demons before them?

    Dorian squinted his eyes at the angered demons before sternly looking at his guards again.

    "Listen!

    We don''t have much time left, so here''s what I need you to do.

    Shah, Shah, Shah, Shah, Shah~"

    Eh?

    Hayden, who was right behind them, didn''t understand thenguage they were speaking.

    Why? Because Dorian had cast a spell on things, lest the demons hear him as well.

    And in no more than 40 Seconds, the gang broke off, with Dorian slowly advancing with his hands in his pockets.

    He turned around onest time to look at his men: "This is your first task that I, the current head, is giving you. So don''t fail me!"

    Hearing this, the trio shivered uncontrobly as a strange aura hit them.

    Was thating from their Master?

    That''s right.

    Now, he was the Head. So the title Master was in order. As for his father in aa, they could call him Senior Master or anything else if they wished.

    But he was the one now selected on the Tian family throne.

    The trio shook from his aura as they hastened their speed.

    Maybe it was just their imagination, but their intuition told them that their Master was a more frightening existence than these demons.

    But how could that be?

    They shuddered and threw the thought away, feeling it was impossible.

    For now, they had to do their assignments, even if they were scared to the bones.

    Nheless, they knew that with their Master here, they wouldn''t die so easily.

    With that, the trio moved in different directions while sending their hands into their inner chest pockets.

    They would like to see what these things called Paper Talismans could do.

    .

    Dorian on the other hand, kept his hands in his pockets while advancing towards the humongous creatures that were 3 times taller and wider than he was.

    And soon, his eyes settled on the fog around the invisible walls.

    Energy Maniption Fog!

    ''System, When''s the heavenly hour in this world?''

    ''Host. It''s between 3~4 A.M.<sub> </sub>

    The system has to remind the host that no souls must be tempered with.

    So the host has to save everyone.''

    ''I know.''

    ''Then if the host knows, why didn''t this system see when the host implemented it into his ns when talking to his guards?''

    ''That''s because you''re blind and stupid.''

    ''_''

    The system had never been so bullied before.

    In truth, because Dorian had only briefly told his men what to do but didn''t say what would happen when they did it, the system was left in a state of confusion.

    Dorian on the other hand, forgot about his dumb system and looked at the fog around calmly.

    Energy Maniption fog!

    ''Oh? It looked like these people hadn''te to y around.''

    To understand energy maniption, one must first understand that all Mortals and beasts have certain amounts of either Yin or Yang in them.

    The Yin is the dark side, associated with everything hard, negative, cold and bad, while the Yang is the bright side with positive things, like the sun.

    And of course, Demons loved the Yin.

    That said, the Yang part in mortals always disturbed the demons ruthlessly when they absorbed the soul.

    It was like they had to check into a hospital to heal themselves.

    And the stronger or more the Yang is in the soul, the former the disturbance after feasting.

    It was a basic fact that anything angels liked couldn''t be beneficial for demons.

    After all, the Yang itself was a manifestation of heavenly blessings.

    So, typically, they could do what they did with Hayden''s group.

    Like give them all sorts of spiritual herbs and cast a spell on them, making them tastier for the meal.

    It was like preparing food to be cooked.

    And in the case of those gang members who hadn''t been pre-prepared, the Fog would manipte their energies and was even more brutal... since it drew out Yang at a naked eye pace, leaving them with mostly Yin, making the victims paler and paler, with some looking bluish instead.

    Some might even be crippled or fall into aa after that.

    When too much Yin got left within a person, it meant that they would start attracted all misfortunes in this world

    They could just be walking by a building, and it would copse on them, with only them dying.

    And the more hate they carry because of their misfortunes, the more Yin would umte in them.

    It was a never-ending cycle.

    And wouldn''t you know it? Demons loved this sort of energy the most!

    .

    The Demons looked at Dorian coldly while feeling insulted.

    Katrina was spitting mes when she thought of Dorian''s calmness before them.

    She had never heard of an exorcist in this world.

    So she was shocked by his presence here.

    Nheless, the talisman he used to sneak attack Beeldomad was too weak.

    So he should be a new exorcist.

    This alone gave her and the other demons courage to deal with him.

    They looked at Dorian and sneered.

    Once done here, they''ll send word to their big boss about today''s encounter.

    But for now, they had to teach this wannabe exorcist the lesson of his life!

    The old Granny demon shook her insect-like ws in resentment.

    "Insolent Human! Do you think you can take us down with just this level of skills?

    We are Bortho-Ranked Demons. So your only option is death!"

    Feeling tired of listening to their pointless jabber, Dorian calmly took his hands out from his pockets before suddenly speeding up expressionlessly.

    Why talk when you can fight?

    ~Boom!

    The battle was on!

 Chapter 22 Newbie Exorcist

    ~Boom.

    A defending noise echoed out, and before the demon granny knew it, her enormous right hand had beenpletely destroyed, turning it into mush.

    "Ahhhhh~~~."

    She eximed in both pain and rage as she saw mushy bits and pieces of her rotting demonic hand scattered around.

    The other demons who thought Granny demon would be enough to take care of the exorcist, were shocked to see the damage she received.

    What was this?

    Howe this move was stronger than the previous one?

    Could it be that this guy wasn''t a newbie exorcist?

    They looked at each other for a bit more, before the Demon Kolrad, who was the old guy with the beach-looking sandals and shorts�� calmly stepped forward and wasted no time taking action.

    To him, Dorian had just been lucky earlier when he sneak attacked Granny demon while she spoke.

    What a despicable trick! �� not that he was mad at it. To them as demons, sneak attacks were eptable.

    So to him, Dorian''s luck had now beenpletely drained!

    Thinking like this, Kolrad was even bolder than ever.

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    He speeded up for a bit before jumping in the air with his wings pping around: "Exorcist brat! Why don''t you taste my Acid bursts?

    Dorian squinted his eyes and rolled to the side as a load of hot, white acid fluids sprayed out of Kolrad''s mouth.

    ~Baahhhh!

    ~Shahhh!

    The floor sizzled, creating hot bubbles on the ck melting ground.

    This fact alone made the hearts of those watching skip a bit.

    They started shaking and grabbing each other while watching in fear, as there were times that the fluid could''ve touched Dorian.

    Oh my God!

    Their little hearts can''t take this much, okay?

    Countless people bit their nails while watching Dorian rolling and running, avoiding acid shots here and there.

    Was he going to be alright?

    The people worried about him because to them, it looked like he would lose pretty soon.

    But unbeknownst to them, the protagonist hadn''t even broken a sweat at all.

    Dorian''s eyes gleamed with a murderous light as he leaped into the air, making his way towards Kolrad, who in turn threw more acid at him.

    ~Bah! Bah! Bah!

    ~Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.

    Dorian gracefully dodged it all, moving from side to side.

    And as before Kolrad could blink, Dorian had already thrown a talisman paper at him again.

    ~Bam!

    The mighty Kolrad crashed into the ground with a massive hole in his belly.

    F***!

    Kolrad was in agony when he realized that one of his hearts had been destroyed.

    Instantly, the expressions of the other demons turned grim.

    They were done ying with this exorcist.

    .

    Beeldomad bared his fangs at the Dorian coldly: "Everyone, attack together! I don''t believe he will be able to drop us all!"

    The other demons nodded before elongating their ws and fangs.

    This guy was truly courting death, and they didn''t mind giving it to him!

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    Like lightning, they speeded up to their target murderously.

    And when they were close enough to him, their faces showed a crazed victorious expression as they stretched their ws all at once.

    ''Bastard! Don''t me us for being cruel!

    How dare you stand in our way?''

    "Die, Exorcist!

    Die!"

    ~Swhooo!

    The air whistled as the many demon hands descended onto their prey.

    And at this moment, time seemed to have frozen up.

    Dorian lifted his head and grinned.

    ~Swish!

    He vanished.

    ~Bam!

    What??

    Where did he go?

    Their hands mmed onto the empty field rather than their targets, which made their faces ashen.

    What was this they were feeling?

    W-was this fear?

    Dorian had long jumped high in the air, took out a Talisman paper and activated it.<sub> </sub>

    And just then, something magical happened.

    ~Wsh!

    The small paper glowed a strange blue light, almost as if it were bluish mes.

    Dorian then passed 2 fingers past the paper, before elongating his hand towards his left.

    And as his hands moved, a bluish ming image of a sword seemed to have been formed from the paper.

    The system who saw this was surprised.

    Wasn''t this The Holy Exorcist Sword Technique? Wasn''t that the Sword me of Erosion skill?

    How could its host do it at his level?

    ~Brrrrr!!

    The mes burned violently on the transparent sword as Dorian gripped it in satisfaction.

    All this happened in a split second, and by the time the demons realized that they hadn''t squashed or ripped apart their prey, Dorian was ready to begin his reign of chaos.

    "Where the hell is he? Where the hell did he go?"

    The demons looked left and right but didn''t see his figure anywhere.

    But of course, they didn''t have to wait for too long because in the next second, Dorian descended from above,nding right at their center.

    He brandished his ming sword with a cold smile on his face: "Let''s begin, shall we?"

    The demons looked at Dorian''s sword and couldn''t help taking a step back in horror.

    This... This...

    This can''t be!

    No! Why would this appear in this world?

    They looked at Dorian''s mysterious smile, as well eyes that seemed like a bottomless pit, and a stab of panic in their gut.

    No! They had to get out of here!

    They had to get out of here now!

    Those in the audience watching this were even more baffled and confused when they saw the demons scattering away.

    Was it just them, or did it seem like those demons were running for their lives?

    They couldn''t help staring at Dorian with an unfathomable gaze.

    A man that could make demons flee.

    What sort of person was he?

    .

    The demons on the other hand, were prepared to make a run for it.

    Katrina looked at the injured granny grimly: " Who is he? Since when did exorcist''s like this exist in this world?"

    Granny demon couldn''t go nodding sternly: "I know. This is bad. We have to tell the Lord Bortho fast. His presence might destroy the Ultimate n. No matter what. This world must be ours!"

    "Yes. We have to tell Lord Bortho. Only he canmunicate with the bigger and higher ranked Lords of the Underworld. The Demon King has to be made aware of this! But now, we have to escape, fast!"

    The demons who had made up their minds to flee, suddenly found themselves on the ground instead.

    ~Tung.

    They smashed into a pinkish wall, or rather, a formation of sorts.

    That''s right.

    When Dorian had vanished into the air, he casually threw a few stones around which seemed like nothing.

    But in fact, he had been training these people here all along.

    How could he let his Exorcist Points run away like this?

    He thought his first kill would be ghosts or even lower entities that would give him a few points to rank up.

    But his luck was truly good. And he came across newly named Demons.

    The points were high!

    .

    Dorian looked at them scattering around and gave a low but eerieugh: "Hahahahah! And where do you think you''re going? Come now. The fun has just begun. So why the rush?"

    Every Demon''s face turned solemn and pale when they felt Dorian''s full aura released.

    From then on, those who were watching the show couldn''t describe their mood.

    They couldn''t feel anything from Dorian and couldn''t hear whatever was said there.

    All they could do was watch the most gruesome show they had ever seen, with Dorian cruelly ying with the demons, giving them hell!

    It was ironic because the demons were already from hell, yet it looked like Dorian was the real monster instead.

    And it was at this moment that everyone subconsciously came to one conclusion:

    No matter what happens in the future, they must never provoke this man!

    The system that was of the same opinion as the group of humans, also shivered as well.

    What the hell kind of host had he contracted?

    ~sh! Bam! Boom! sh!

    "Ahhhhhhhh!!!!"

    The pitiful demons cowered in fear the closer the Devil before them approached.

    "Y-You are not normal!"

    "Monster. Devil! Devil!"

    Dorian looked at them expressionlessly and moved his sword once more: "Devil? Sorry... I''m just one Extraordinary Exorcist."

    ~sh!

 Chapter 23 Their Roles

    ~sh! sh! sh! sh!

    Everyone watched the scene in shock, but no one had any sympathy for these Demons.

    What a joke!

    These creatures wanted to suck their souls out a few minutes ago, preventing them from judgement and reincarnation.

    They didn''t even know that these things were true until today.

    So hearing that this would be theirst life andst trace of existence if they get devoured, how could they not be happy that something was teaching these creatures a lesson?

    In the meantime, as Dorian continued his beat-down, his men were also focused on their assignments too.

    To understand their roles, one has to rewind back to the scene where the trio separated from Dorian.

    The main demons had not been beaten yet, and the fight was still about to start.

    Haru, Bewoh and Butler Sheng shakingly took out a few Talisman papers in their pockets.

    The trio shook like leaves but could only grit their teeth and look at each other firmly.

    [Bewoh]: "Stay safe."

    [The others]: "Right!"

    With this, the trio began their first tasks as no-rank exorcists.

    .

    <o>,m Haru looked at the massive crowd and showed a calm and collected expression, even though his legs were wobbling.</o>

    He once again looked at the Master, who was still rushing up to fight the demons, and clenched his fists as if pulling strength to himself.

    Tonight had been filled with all too many surprises.

    But there was a sentence the Master said that gave him and the others a clue of what was about toe.

    What did the master mean?

    Were the demons trying to take over?

    This was a question he would personally ask the masterter.

    He felt like things weren''t as simple as they seemed.

    But whatever the case, they had to fight if they wanted to survive!

    With that, Haru dashed through the densely packed crowd, heading towards the now Foggy wall as fast he could.

    The master said he had to act fast before it began.

    He had no idea what ''It'' was, but he had a bad feeling from it all.

    And just as he began his run, the Foggy walls soon began swirling around the walls enclosing them, like a tornado.

    It swirled and swirled until its milky white colour quickly turned ck

    And just them, the thick demonic vines fiercely grabbed everyone''s legs, slowly moving them in like quicksand... Only, it took its time sinking them in.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Just then, the dark fog stopped swirling, and everyone, except him and the other 2, now lifted their heads upwards like mindless zombies.

    And what happened next shocked Haru silly.

    ~Boom!

    Countless warm golden streaks of light shot out of everyone''s bodies, moving straight to the dark fog.

    And as the light continuously left them, their bodies became paler and paler, looking so sickly.

    Haru''s eyes turned grim.

    It was beginning!

    .

    Haru, who had been running, fell straight on his chin.

    ~Plop

    he turned around to find that the disgusting demonic vines had grabbed his legs like a snake, slowly wrapping his feet.

    Dammit!

    It got him.

    He was angry for a moment before getting shocked.

    Hold on.

    Why wasn''t the golden light thing leaving his body?

    Looking around, he spotted Butler Sheng and Bewoh, who had been grabbed but were still fine as well.

    And very quickly, the light switches in his head clicked.<sub> </sub>

    Master!

    Yes! The Master must''ve put some protective thing on them.

    But he had no time to feel happy.

    Time was running out, and these vines were only pulling him in too.

    What to do? What to do?

    The vines are too thick to be cut with a de or by gunshots.

    No! This is something out of the ordinary.

    So his usual methods wouldn''t work.

    Haru thought for a while before remembering Dorian''s words.

    ''Right pocket, for battles.

    Left Pocket, for the Wall.''

    Wait!

    When the Master said battle, he meant situations like this, right?

    Thinking like that, Haru quickly took out one of the papers from his inner right pocket and looked at it carefully.

    What writing was this?

    No... it was more like very bizarre and unique symbols (runes) written in several circr patterns across the paper.

    He had no idea what it meant, but he was willing to test his luck.

    With that, he gritted his teeth and fiercely stamped the paper on the snake-like vine that had curled itself around his feet.

    ~Bam!

    ~Shraaaahh!

    The vine cried in agony as blue mes from the paper scorched it mercilessly.

    (��0��)

    Haru opened his mouth in shock and wonder.

    I''ll go! That tiny paper did this?

    Haru''s heart speeded up as his hands quickly touched his pockets.

    Oh my God!

    Has he been walking with gold this whole time?

    Yes. To him, such a thing was akin to gold.

    Haru almost had the mind to count the paper talismans with him again, just to be sure that he didn''t lose any one of them.

    He felt from today onwards; he wouldn''t be able to sleep well at night without them.

    And now, even though he was still scared, it wasn''t as bad as earlier on.

    A slight smile appeared on his face as he hastily dashed forward after being freed.

    At the same time, Butler Sheng and Bewoh had also seen the potential of these papers.

    Now, they had more courage to do their job.

    .

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap.~

    The trio ran in different directions, all heading towards the massive foggy wall.

    And as they ran, they did their best to jump, roll, climb, and dodge all the vinesing at them nonstop.

    In the beginning, they ended up getting caught severely, but their trusty talismans were always there to their rescue.

    They also noticed that their training as bodyguards was vigorously tested here since they imagined the vines to be numerous assassinsing at them from all angles.

    But even at that, they had to admit that fighting these vines was way moreplex than fighting humans.

    The reason why these monstrous vines did indeed have the upper hand, was because unlike humans, these monstrous vines could appear right below them or at unnatural positions that humans couldn''t reach.

    One shouldn''t even mention the flexibility of these vines.

    And the more they advanced, the more they noticed that these vines were trying to grab their hands instead.

    That''s right.

    If their hands were held down, how would they continue throwing Talisman papers?

    Instantly, they understood that these monsters could think!

    But they were not about to lose after getting this far.

 Chapter 24 A Foggy Reversal!

    Haru''s eyes were determined as he ran through the fields towards the Foggy walls, very a little bit more confident.

    Yes. With his papers, he should be okay, no?

    ~Swish! Swish!

    He jumped, ducked and did all sorts of movements to get past the sneaky vines ande this far.

    And soon, he was just a few inches away from his goal.

    But of course, how could it be that easy?

    ~Grip! Grip!

    What?!!

    His hands had been seized by 2 separate vines.

    Haru looked at the wall just a few fingertips away with unwillingness.

    He was so close!

    ~Scree. Scree!

    As if jubting, the vines began singing in overly high-deafening sounds that could make one''s ears vibrate in pain.

    Haru distorted his face as the ringing in his ears was a little bit too much to bear.

    These vines seemed to be either happy or mocking Haru instead.

    Either way, he had to do something fast!

    Luckily, the moment he understood that these vines could think, he did start making his own unique backup or n B, like they, as Bodyguards always do.

    Sorry. Old habits die hard.

    ~Rumble Rumble.Rumble

    The ground underneath him trembled slightly, and Haru instantly knew that another set of vines would probably reach for his legs soon.

    So if he had to act fast!

    With that, Haru quickly did a backward somersault while pushing the hidden paper he kept around his sleeves towards his hands.

    ~Thrup.

    Like a magician, the cards on both sides of his sleeves were in his hands.

    Sess!

    ~Screeeeeehhhhh!

    The vines were so shocked when they ended up getting burnt by the blue me.

    How could this be?

    Heh.

    The now free Haru couldn''t help thanking his former self for learning card tricks.

    He liked card tricks and could make cards appear on his hands with the flick of his wrists out of thin air to others, but the trick was that he typically kept it in his sleeves.

    And today, he felt proud!

    Remembering how the other guards would tease him, saying it wasme.

    Heh. Who''sme now?

    Okay. Okay.

    He admitted that he got lucky.

    Yup!

    He was lucky that the vines had gripped him around his lower arm rather than his wrists.

    Or now, no matter what he did, he wouldn''t be able to escape.

    .

    With his newly gained freedom, Haru dared not waste time anymore and quickly pressed the talisman paper on the walls

    The Master said he should ce all 12 of them in 4 columns close to each other, ording to the order given to him.<sub> </sub>

    Haru knew that the vines wouldn''t give up this easily, so he began pasting the papers on the foggy walls just as he was told.

    And from time to time, he would turn around to destroy any vinesing his way.

    ~Pah! Pah! Pah!

    He ced the papers fiercely in 4 columns as requested and realized that all 12 piecesbined now formed a massive circle with those strange symbols.

    And within the massive circle were other smaller circles of symbols as well.

    ~Pah!

    The moment he ced thest paper, the entire set started glowing.

    Eh?

    Haru watched as the glowing paper seemed to cause the fog around the wall to move in the opposite direction to the way it spun earlier on.

    Looking at it, Haru had a deep thought in his mind.

    Could it be that this was to reverse the situation?

    Butler Sheng and Bewoh, who hadpleted their own tasks on the wall before Haru, had long noticed this as well.

    .

    ~Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!

    The fog began spinning like crazy in the opposite direction.

    And soon, a massive light shot out from Haru''s Set of talismans, going towards the directions of Butler Sheng and Bewoh.

    Likewise, the other papers with the duo did the same thing as well.

    And now, there was a giant triangle of light formed by these 3 sets.

    But this was just the beginning.

    ~Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!

    The fog changed from ck to its original Milky white appearance.

    And while transforming, the golden streaks of light that had been stolen from everyone returned to them.

    The dazed zombies spread their hands open and started trembling while absorbing it all in.

    Yes. The bony, pale, mindless zombies started looking youthful again.

    Their skin tone returned from that pale bluish tone earlier on, and their bone-like cheekbones had now begun filling up at a visible rate.

    Again, even though the crowd stayed like zombies, if one had paid attention to their eyes earlier, they could''ve seen true despair in them, but now, their eyes started getting warmer and warmer instead.

    .

    It was simple.

    When these people had their Yang drawn out, they soon found themselves trapped in horrifying dreams filled with negative energy.

    The dream seemed so real that they forgot they were still in the fields.

    Some found themselves as children who were beaten, locked up, tortured, stabbed and even crippled.

    But the most daunting thing was always psychological pain.

    The fears deep in their hearts took root.

    And those who were orphans got to meet their dream-like parents who kept abandoning them, selling them, or showing them the darkest parts of humanity.

    Some ended up crippled and got betrayed by their parents, girlfriends or anyone they truly loved.

    And the more Yang got drawn out, the more helpless they were.

    Of course, they could only persist for so long because they still had yang in them, which was still being drawn out.

    Typically, the moment they gave up meant that their ckening rate waspletely 100%, with them having no ray of sunshine or hope in their lives.

    It also meant that all their Yang was gone, leaving only Yin behind.

    The darkness clouded them before the reversal. But now, things changed!

 Chapter 25 Goodbye Demons!

    Everyone had been In a state of hell, but once the reversal urred, that''s how they felt earlier on.

    But with this reversal, the story turned different.

    Their dream experiences became different; as they became saved, justice returned to them, and several things urred that reminded them of the good in life.

    And once their Yang got fully returned, they woke up from their dreams, crying and sweating buckets.

    They were saved!

    .

    ~Plop.

    Several dropped to the ground in disbelief.

    "I-I-I''m alive!

    Hahahahahha! I''m alive!"

    "Bro, did you have the same dream I had?"

    "Bro... I don''t think so. Trust me. No one could''ve gone through what I just went through. Do you see how much I''m sweating?

    Lying trough! I thought It was all real!"

    "Wait! So... it was all fake?"

    "Of course it was fake!... Look around you, we are still in that field. Yes. We must''ve been kept in that dream by those demons!"

    "I-I think the only reason we came back was because of the guy fighting the big Demons and the other guys fighting those other creatures."

    "Look! The vines are no more! Do you think that they destroyed them?"

    "Yes. They definitely did it!

    So do we help them?"

    "_"

    Some wanted to do so, but the moment they saw the demons, they still felt like throwing up and shivered in fear like chickens.

    Everyone sneakily looked at their 4 heroes and felt like these people were too courageous!

    Even now, they dared not look straight at these demons lest they catch the eyes of one.

    So how can these people befortable looming and fighting them?

    I''ll go!

    So there are really crazy people in this world.

    (��0��)

    Everyone watched the scene and felt like they were watching some fantasy movie.

    Of course, little did they know that Haru''s team could only face their fears because they knew that Dorian was there.

    Not to talk of the fact that they had their trusty papers with them.

    Without this much, they would''ve also been cowardly as well.

    And they weren''t ashamed to say it!

    After all, this was their first battle and first time, alright?

    .

    ~sh! Brumm! Pah! sh!

    Dorian squinted his eyes at Haru and the rest before turning his attention back at the painful demons before him.

    ''System. With the grade of demons here, the mastery of skills, and several other key factors... How close am I to leaving my No-rank Exorcist title?''

    In fact, leaving the No-Rank wasn''t that hard.<sub> </sub>

    If one couldn''t pass this simple stage, as well as mastering the fundamentals, spells and even breaking through their mortal shell through cultivation... then they had no ce being exorcists

    The real challenge came once this easy phase passed.

    Dorian continued torturing these demons while waiting for the system''s reply.

    ''Host.

    As you said, the demons here were higher and gave more points than the typical weak spirits and ghosts.

    So far, with this kill and disy, the host had only reached 95% to leave the No-rank title.''

    ''Good.

    Time to end this.''

    With that, Dorian smiled cruelly at the almost mutted demons, who in turn shivered in fear with greenish tears in their eyes.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll make this quick!"

    With that, Dorian raised his ming sword, and the entire space within his tiny formation became clouded.

    Looking at the space, no one knew what he was doing, but it made the audience shiver as well.

    This guy was definitely a scary one!

    .

    Meanwhile, Haru and his team had somehow gone through the formation and found themselves outside the now clear walls.

    That''s right; the walls weren''t foggy anymore.

    And what were they doing out there, fighting the other bodyguard demons that came with the main demons?

    Yes. They focused on fighting these demons half their size.

    But make no mistake.

    Although short, these demons were high, flexible jumpers and had a lot of hidden strength within them.

    So far, they had gone scratched and hit badly.

    This was their first battle against real demons, and they were doing terribly.

    Haru limped in agony as he dodged an attack but got scratched by one of the short demons.

    F***!

    It hurt so badly!

    All they had to do was make sure that the teeth of these demons didn''t touch them... At least that''s what their Master said from ''That'' far away.

    p Yup!</anda>

    They didn''t know if it was their imagination, but they heard Dorian''s voice from afar.

    And that''s what they did.

    Luckily for them, Dorian who had finished his battle, effortlessly wiped the remaining demons with the flick of his wrists.

    .

    ~Craaaahhhhh!

    The remaining demons screamed, screeched and went up in mes as Dorian and the injured trio watched coldly.

    Good.

    It was finally over.

    After all, he had a lot of things to do.

    For one, he still had an Academy to open, No?

 Chapter 26 The Aftermath

    Dorian looked at his injured men and chuckled.

    "Fun?"

    The trio looked at their wounds before looking at Dorian and grimacing helplessly.

    Do they look like they had fun?

    Sigh... They had so many questions to ask.

    Nheless, they now knew one thing for sure.

    Their Tian family specialized in the Supernatural!

    Meanwhile, everyone touched themselves with trembling hands when they realized that it was finally over.

    My God!

    Tonight, they almost had their souls devoured, which was the scariest thing they had ever encountered in their lives!

    As if affected by the essence of victory, the group of people finally understood that no more demons would appear again tonight.

    Their lips quivered and quickly widened as they felt good to be alive.

    "We... We''re Free! We''re Free! We''re Free!

    Hahahahhahahah!"

    "~Ooo... Mother... I miss my Mother."

    "F***! Never again will Ie to this Wuphil Mountain."

    "Bro, I''m with you on this one. I would rather shoot myself than climb up here and face what we saw today. Can''t you see that my clothes are still soaked from before? Heh. If someone told me that the grown Me would wet myself like this, I would''ve definitely beaten them silly. Never again will Ie here!"

    "Bro, for me, I might have trust issues forever. Seeing those demons walking around in human form made me realize that anyone could be a demon."

    "Ahhh!... This is true! So, so, so what do we do?"

    ....

    Amidst the joy of escaping their near-death experience, many were now scared at the fact that they were living with such creatures around them.

    I''ll go! How do they know who is real and who isn''t?

    Many couldn''t help shaking in disgust and fear when they thought of how those good-looking people from before turned into indescribable rotting creatures that made them puke.

    Mommy.

    This world is too scary.

    Many had already decided never to step foot on the mountain, thinking it was the sleeping ground for these demons.

    Today, everyone looked as if they had aged 10 years more than their actual ages.

    ~Plop.

    Minato and Yangbo slumped to the ground and rubbed their fingers across the already dead grass.

    They survived.

    The duo stared at it for a while in fear before that fear turned to unwillingness instead.

    Looking at Hayden, Terzo and Lulu, they twisted their mouths and stared coldly at them without flinching.

    After realizing that things like demons existed, and going through this sort of experience, trust me, they weren''t that afraid of Hayden''s group anymore.

    Yes. There was still fear in them, but it wasn''t as bad as earlier, where they always kept their heads down and never made eye contact.

    No. This time, they looked at the Trio who had dragged them into this situation.

    They built up the courage and stared at Hayden''s gang with both hatred and a little fear.

    "Hayden! We... We will no longer be a part of your nonsense!"

    "Y-yeah! because of you 3 we almost lost our lives here! Greed! It''s your greediness that caused this all!"<sub> </sub>

    "SHUT UP!!!"

    "....."

    .

    Minato and Yangbo swallowed their words when Haydenshed out!

    Hayden looked at them and felt like punching them silly.

    What? They think they were the only ones who faced life and death?

    Talking to him and ying the me game in a time like this was what anyone would hate.

    Honestly, that''s jinxing 101 for how people died in horror movies!

    Earlier on, he was just a few inches away from Beeldomad''s ws before getting saved

    So do they know how chaotic his mind was now?

    He was truly scared to the bone!

    That''s why for the next month or so, he wanted to assess his life, and for that, he needed peace.

    As for disbanding his gang, he would never do so.

    Actually, now was the time that they should stick together.

    He wasn''t even sure he could be alone in the dark anymore.

    The same went for the others too.

    Their hearts drummed loudly, and every little whistle from the wind caused them to jump like cats.

    Now they kept wondering.

    If Demons existed, then did that mean that ghosts were real too?

    Everyone now had little thoughts of their own, voicing their main issues here and there.

    But the moment they saw their 4 heroes headed towards them, the entire field turned silent.

    For these people, they had a sort of fawning look in their eyes when gazing at them, as if they were looking at Peerless Masters in the famous Xianxia Novels.

    They looked at these people deeply, as if wanting to burn their images into their minds, while perking up their ears to listen in.

    .

    Standing behind Dorian, the injured, Haru, Butler Sheng and Bewoh, maintained a calm expression on their face.

    After defeating the demons, the Master searched for several smooth-looking rocks and calmly carved something on them with his de.

    What astonished them the most was how the rocks seemed to turn soft in the master''s hands, as he carved symbols on them as if carving a bar of soap.

    And when he was done, he tapped the stones, and the carvings glowed bright yellow before fading

    Now, the stone just looked ordinary, with a few cravings on it.

    The trio secretly took note of this in their hearts and silently watched Dorian do his thing.

    Dorian knew they had a lot of questions, but all would be answered in due time.

    With that, Dorian smiled and continued carving.

    And he was done, the gang moved towards the crowd with their Master ahead of them.

    It was time to round things up and head back home.

    It was just that looking ahead, they couldn''t help frowning a bit.

    What do they do with the Choppers?

 Chapter 27 Heading Back Home.

    Looking at the crowd, Dorian stood expressionlessly.

    "You may all leave.

    As for you 5, if you want to live past today, take these talismans and keep with you at all times."

    ~Thup! Thup.

    Lost and confused, Hayden, Terzo, Lulu, Yangbo and Minato grabbed the stones thrown at them and looked at them in fear.

    Will they still have thingsing after them?

    Everyone else looked at all 5 in pity.

    Their thoughts were simr to what the 5 guessed.

    It looks like several things would be after them, right?

    All 5 couldn''t believe it.

    Why? Why?

    Their eyes widened, almost jumping out of their sockets as they held the stones in their trembling hands.

    Lulu, who had been quiet since then, had thergest reaction now.

    After going through all she did, how could she still be chased by these things?

    No way!

    "Mr. Divination Master, what exactly is wrong with us?"

    Dorian looked at themzily: "Unlike everyone else, you 5 ate the herbs provided to you earlier on during your first sets of bets. You also performed the spells and rituals, dancing ording to the ritual. And in your current state, you''ll only attract unwanted attention to yourself. To put it simply, you''ve be attractive to ghosts, ghouls and the rest. And, your smell has be delicious too. Understand?"

    Lulu and the rest were dumbfounded.

    Delicious? Attractive?

    So all that time, they had been performing rituals?

    F***!

    Dorian flicked his wrists, and a few cards flew their way.

    "Wear those for 5 days, beforeing to this address at 10 A.M sharp."

    "Why?" They asked.

    "Because the demons you met weren''t that high in rank and only gave you low-ranking spells, undoing the damage done won''t cost much.

    Each of you needs to pay 2,000 Vyns. That''s the price."

    Eh?

    Hayden and the rest were shocked.

    They thought they might have to pay millions, but who knew that it would be way less than they imagined?

    The average sryman here gets 30,000 Vyns a year.

    So even Though it was a little pricey, it was still okay,pared to paying millions that they estimated in their minds.

    The gang of 5 squeezed the stones fearfully before tucking them away like treasures.

    Everyone nodded, and that was that.

    They were free to go, but it was just that they were still a little scared to head into the woods.

    In truth, they just wanted to stay close to the gang of heroes for protection.

    But who would''ve known that their heroes would have other ns?

    .

    Everyone watched as Dorian''s gang moved towards all 5 Choppers.

    Gary and the rest were also a little disturbed about leaving these Choppers here.

    Okay, supernatural aside, if the police found these choppers abandoned here, coupled with the missing demons, they would start thinking that someone murdered the ''demons'' for money or something.

    And even though the young master had cleaned traces of their blood and everything else, what about the others?

    They were sure that at least one gangster left trails of themselves either on their way here or within the forest while hiding.

    And detectives could pick up the littlest bit of evidence for testing.

    The trouble here was that in this massive frightened group, one bbermouth might begin telling the truth.

    Typically, one should tell the truth. But the police wouldn''t believe in it and might then pick up on the fact that they too were here.<sub> </sub>

    From there, they''ll start searching for them with description alone, h, h, h... things like that.

    Actually, Dorian wasn''t worried about this.

    To him, if someone wanted proof of underworld creatures, he could show them.

    So what was there to be worried about?

    But because of Haru and the rest, he had no choice but to deal with the matter.

    Haru and the rest simply didn''t want the police chasing, following or disturbing them.

    That''s why something had to be done about these Choppers.

    Sadly, none of them knew how to fly them.

    So they were particrly curious to see how the Young Master would handle things.

    And as expected, he didn''t disappoint them.

    .

    Dorian looked at the choppers thoughtfully before taking out several papers and speedily twisting them into simr shapes.

    And once he was done, he tapped it and squinted his eyes at them.

    "Go!"

    ~Drrrrr!

    Like magic, the Paper-man suddenly moved on their own and jumped off Dorian''s hands, making those watching freeze.

    But that wasn''t all.

    They watched the tiny papers arch and grow 10 times or more in size, reaching the shape of a regr person.

    (��_��)

    Blink. Blink.

    Sigh... Forget it.

    Why are they shocked now?

    Their entire worldview had beenpletely shattered long ago.

    So if one just told them that dogs could fly, they would also believe it as well.

    Haru and the rest were excited rather than surprised.

    So does this mean that in future, they would be able to do this too?

    Awesome!

    .

    Everyone watched as the faceless, white, chubby paper-men walked like robots and headed towards the choppers, taking the Pilot seats calmly.

    Eh?

    So these things would fly the Choppers?

    Butlers Sheng, Haru and Bewoh first felt uneasy trusting their lives to papers while several feet up in the air.

    But after seeing Dorian''s calm expression, they felt their thoughts to be ridiculous.

    They had already been through hell tonight.

    So what was there to be afraid of?

    All 4 entered the same Chopper with Haru seated by Paper-man right upfront.

    It was really astonishing to watch a mere paper start preparing for take-off.

    "Paper, bro. Do you speak?"

    [Paper-man]: "_"

    ~Pffff

    Butler Sheng and Bewohughed as the Chopper ascended into the air.

    Dorian, who had his arms over his chest and his eyes shut, couldn''t help smiling too.

    Well, he had to admit that he liked his new team better than hisst.

 Chapter 28 Who Did It?

    ~Bru-Bru-Bru-Bru-Bru-Bru~

    The crowd watched the choppers vanish right before their very eyes with unwillingness in their eyes.

    They would''ve very much liked to go down the mountain with that Divination Master.

    And just when they were still thinking about it, a warning noise echoed out, reminding them of their predicaments.

    ~Awhouuuuu!

    Everyone''s eyes dted in fear.

    Were those wolves showing from miles away?

    F***!

    Without wasting time, everyone hastily dashed into the woods as if running a marathon.

    "Get out of the way! I''m getting out of here before it''s toote!"

    "Cut! Hey! Who are you pushing? I also want to leave as well!"

    "Me too! I want to get home!"

    ~Din. Din. Din. Din.~

    Everyone ran like crazy in fear while looking over their shoulders from time to time.

    In horror movies, it was thest group of people that always ended up getting picked one by one.

    So no matter how tired they were, they continuously ran as fast as possible to avoid beingst.

    Luckily, they were descending Wuphil mountain, sopared to the long hours it took to hike up, things went very fast when running down.

    And just like that, things could be said to have been finally concluded.

    ....

    Like so, time flew by... and the Chopper carrying Doriannded in a secluded area around the woods at the bottom of the Wuphil mountain.

    ~Thup!

    They jumped off stealthily, and the paper-man quickly took off again.

    Dorian squinted his eyes deeply.

    He was still weak.

    Had it been before, his paper-men could''ve been able to stay alive like puppets for months and months.

    But now, he was finding it hard to keep them for several hours.

    This was too weak!

    They had to destroy the choppers before they werepletely drained, and they had to do it far away from this region.

    Luckily, there was a river across the other side of the city.

    They should be able to make it just in time before shrinking back to their original forms.

    With that, Dorian''s group walked away from the mountain and headed to the hotel, where they deliberately booked a single room just to park the Limo.

    Earlier on, they purposefully found a high-end hotel before taking a cab to set up the shed.

    Now, stepping back into the hotel again, they checked out, got their Limo and took off.

    And the moment they arrived at the estate, Butler Sheng opened the door for Dorian.

    .

    ~Pup.

    "Master. We have arrived."

    "Hmm."

    Dorian opened his eyes and stepped out calmly.

    And as he walked, Butler Sheng took off his coat; Haru walked beside him silently, while Bewoh went to Park the vehicle.

    And after Bewoh was done, he met with them in the house.

    Everyone stood before their Master nervously.

    "Tonight. You all have seen what my Tian family is all about.

    Remember. You have only this week to think of your final answer.

    I''m not going to sugarcoat anything for you.

    The job we do is brutal, dangerous and life-threatening.

    To put it simply, the monsters you met today were nothing, and the real ones are still in hiding!"<sub> </sub>

    As Dorian spoke, the expressions on their faces grew paler by the second.

    But they quickly shook off the emotions and steadied themselves again.

    Yes. They were frightened.

    But the only way to win is to grow stronger.

    They wanted to be Tian family members, and this would not change!

    A sh of satisfaction flicked through Dorian''s eyes when he saw their subtle actions.

    A firm heart was what he needed.

    And highly loyal people typically had such qualities.

    Almost all the servants and guards might''ve deserted his family, but he preferred it that way.

    The ones who did remain were the perfect candidates for the job.

    "What my Tian family does is dangerous and takes a lot of hard work.

    But it''s also rewarding and fulfilling.

    So, should you choose to stay as members of my Tian family, then this is what you have to go through!"

    Bewoh, Butler Sheng and Haru clenched their fists in determination before going down on bended knees.

    "Master. We don''t want to wait till the end of the week. We already thought about it earlier on, and we are willing!"

    Dorian nodded: "Alright. Get up. I ept you all as official members of my Tian Family."

    On hearing this, everyone jumped up, forgetting the pain from their many injuries.

    "Thank you, Master."

    Dorian looked at their wounds deeply

    "Today, you 3 performed well, given that this was your first time on the job.

    That said, there were too many areas and ws in your executions that could''ve cost you 3 your lives.

    Fortunately, this is just the beginning.

    In future, I will guide you on what to do and study."

    "Thank you, Master."

    "Hmmm.

    Alright. As per your injuries, we have no herbs for fast recovery.

    Fortunately, I already cleansed all traces of demonic blood and toxins in you.

    So for tonight, treat your injuries like any regr wounds and rest.

    Because tomorrow, the real work begins.

    Now go."

    "Yes, Master."

    With that,Dorian ascended the majestic stairs, leaving the trio below.

    Everything seemed to havee to an end, but very far away in another city, an overly handsome man in wealthy night robes quickly opened his eyes swiftly.

    His long eyshes fluttered briefly, like a Prince awakening from slumber.

    And after getting up, he calmly walked towards the massive window expressionlessly.

    It''s been a long time since someone annoyed him.

    In truth, he didn''t think anyone would dare.

    Oh? He didn''t mind ying for a while.

    After all, he was getting a little bored recently.

    But now, it looked like someone was trying to push his buttons.

    So why not have a little fun?

    The question now was: Who killed them?

    The man squinted his eyes yfully: "Interesting."

    ~Whoosh!

    In a sh, he was gone.

 Chapter 29 Help...

    Like so, the first battle had been won, drawing unwanted attention from a few.

    And while some people cried and jubted about their miraculous survival and fortunate circumstances, the same couldn''t be said for others.

    .

    Ghu Do Grand Estate.

    "Wee back, young Master!" Butler Windock said while calmly grabbing several items from the yful good-looking youth who just stepped in.

    This estate belonged to the Second son of the renowned Ghu Family.

    The main ancestral home was just within another side of town.

    But this one strictly belonged to Master Ghu Do and his family.

    And at present, Master Ghu Do and Mistress had flown to another city for a private event, leaving Young Master Sota alone to do as he pleased.

    Thus, for thest 5 days, the Young Man had been staying out with his friends at exclusive clubs and attending all sorts of events too.

    Well, he was always with his guards.

    So his parents didn''t think anything bad would happen to him.

    It was just that today, the Young Master had returned home way earlier than he said he would.

    And coupled with his uneasy expression, Butler Windock couldn''t help but frown.

    He also had his part in keeping an eye on the Young Master, reporting everything to the Master.

    So he had to find out if something happened while the Young Master was out.

    Or could it be that the Young Master was still onset about his run-in with that gloomy Tain boy?

    That''s right.

    He got the scoop from the guards and knew all about their little run-in.

    It was just that he was curious about what Dorian whispered into Sota''s ears.

    Because ever since then, the Young Master hadn''t been as cheerful all day.

    But tonight, it seemed even worse than it was in the day.

    So what happened?

    .

    "Young Master Sota. The Mistress and Master called earlier on to say that they''ll be arriving back first thing this morning."

    "...Hmhmhm..." Ghu Sota replied absent-mindedly while shivering and looking around fearfully.

    Seeing him like this only further confirmed Windock''s suspicions.

    Something was definitely wrong with the Young Master.

    He wanted to silently investigate things, but Sota''s actions were too drastic.

    He had never seen the Young Master this frightened before!

    Windock squinted his eyes thoughtfully while walking beside the absent-minded Sota: "Young Master, is anything the matter?"

    ~Tap.. Tap... Tap...

    Sota''s footsteps slowed down beforeing to a standstill altogether.

    Listening to Windock, Sota''s heart skipped a beat before he hastily turned to Windock as if wanting to say something.

    But then, he shook his head again in fear and shrank back in denial: "Nothing. Nothing. Nothing!... I''m just a little tired, Windock."

    Tired?

    Windock didn''t believe it for one second!

    As a highly trained Butler, how could Windock not see the fear in his young master''s eyes?

    Not to talk of Sota''s constant trembles and dodgy behaviour.

    Looking at him, no skilled person would be able to take his actions for tiredness.

    .

    "Young Master Sota. You are Master Do and the madam''s heir and pride.

    So if anything is bothering you, you only have to say the word, and it shall be taken care of.

    No one should cause you any difort.<sub> </sub>

    So young master Sota, are you sure that there''s nothing on your mind?"

    Once again shaking his head, Sota quickly picked up his face, dashing up the stairs in denial: "Windock! I said nothing is bothering me. So just let me be!!!"

    Windock, who had been left behind at the foot of the grand stairway, could only watch Sota make a run for it with countless deep thoughts in his mind.

    Typically, if he asked things like this, the Young Master wouldn''t hesitate to talk and dish out orders on teaching his enemies a lesson.

    But today, the Young Master actually fled, not even giving him a chance to talk.

    Alright. It looks like he would have to dig out more information about tonight''s events.

    He had to have his facts ready before the Master and Madam got back.

    Thinking like this, he calmly instructed the maids to prepare ate light pallet of food and water for the Young Master.

    While he, on the other hand, went to find the guards.

    He had a daunting suspicion that whatever was troubling Young Master Sota would have something to do with what that gloomy Tian master whispered into his ears earlier on.

    So what could it be?

    What did he say to get the Young Master all sweaty and fearful?

    Tonight was bound to be a long night for him.

    And of course, the same could be said for Sota as well.

    .

    ~Bam!

    Sota mmed his door hard and quickly pped his hands twice, activating the lights.

    From there, he wasted no time in getting onto his massive bed while shivering like a chicken.

    He didn''t even change his clothes and could only hide underneath his nket with his eyes deeply shut.

    One would think that he was too tired and had already fallen into a deep slumber.

    But his trembling body and his waking mind suggested otherwise.

    Call it intuition, but ever since Sota met with Dorian, he had be more aware of the changes in his body.

    He noticed how weak and tired he always was, as well as how pale his skin grew day by day.

    The change wasn''t very noticeable, but to him who looked at himself in the mirror daily, he knew exactly what had changed.

    But the most horrifying thing was tonight''s matter.

    Yes. While out with his friends, he went to the V.I.P washrooms for a bit.

    And after relieving himself, he tilted down to wash his hands.

    But when he looked back up, the image in the mirror made him fly backwards in horror.

    No! No!

    That wasn''t him!

    The image in the mirror that smiled unnaturally wasn''t him!

    Of course, the noise he caused alerted a few others outside.

    And when they came in, his reflection in the mirror returned to what it should''ve been.

    Sota''s mind went nk as he finally understood why he had been having a bad feeling for several days now.

    Yes! Something had been following him!

    But who should he tell?

    If he said anything, wouldn''t they think him mad and lock him up in a mental institution?

    He shut his eyes tightly, wishing his fear away.

    But suddenly, the lights began to flicker.

    ~Druh-Druh-Druh.

    Sota''s chest tightened.

    Help...

 Chapter 30 The Culprit

    ~Druh-Druh-Druh~

    The lights flickered, and Sota''s entire body froze

    Help...

    He ced his trembling hands over his mouth and kept his eyes slightly shut in prayer.

    He didn''t know who he was praying to, but his first reflex was to pray.

    Suddenly, the estate dogs began barking like crazy, as if possessed.

    ~Whoof! Whoof! Whoof!

    The guards outside didn''t understand what was going on as the dogs began barking and trying to get out of their chains.

    They even tried biting the guards and calling their attention immediately.

    The Ghu Family dogs were in panic.

    "What''s wrong with them?"

    Butler Windock''s eyes turned cold: "It''s an enemy. An enemy has entered the estate. Quickly! Get security to check through the surveince cameras! I''ll go check up on the Young Master!"

    "Good!"

    With that, Windock, who was within a faraway corner of the estate, dashed through the fields as fast as he could while holding a Walkie Talkie in his hands.

    Unlike other main butlers, Windock was also the head of security in charge of all men under Master Ghu Dwo.

    He was indeed an amazing butler... but he was also proficient in hacking, assassinating and countless other things.

    Thus, he was the one calling the shots.

    He had been out doing his final rounds, checking that every ce around the estate was safe and tightly locked.

    It was then that he passed by the dog pins and found them barking at the top of their lungs.

    Windock wasted no time in leaping through the massive estate like a killer who had locked onto his target.

    Maybe this was the enemy that Young Master Sota feared.

    But who was it?

    What assassin or killer dared to enter their noble Ghu Family?

    Dammit! He was careless!

    Butler Windock quickly alerted a few guards in the main building to check up on the Young Master and wait for his arrival.

    Whoever it was, better be ready to feel his wrath!

    ''Young Master, help is on the way.''

    .

    Meanwhile, as everyone was now on the move around the estate, Sota who was clueless about it all, was further sinking into what he thought was hell second by second.

    In a heartbeat, the air in his room became overly chilly, spreading its cold ws deep into his body.

    And even with his eyes closed, he could tell that the cold breath he was releasing was now misty and foggy.

    The hands shook with uncontroble tremors as a rare wave of panic thundered within him.

    And soon, his heart sank deeper.

    ~Click.

    What was that?

    Sota''s hand pressed hard against his mouth in horror.

    ~Click.

    There it was again!

    As if undergoing torture, Sota vigorously tried to stop his mouring teeth hoping not to draw attention to himself.

    ~Click.

    What was that?

    What was that?

    Sota thought long and hard before realizing where he heard those sounds before.

    Shouldn''t that be the sound of the bolts on his windows?

    ~Click.

    Thest bolt came undone, and Sota''s entire jaw tensed up.

    ~Shiuuuu~~~

    The window had risen and fallen ever so gently as if fearing to be damaged.

    Its slow opening and closing only made Sota want to have a heart attack.

    Mommy...

    Sota''s body went cold!

    But It turned even icier when he heard the sounds of strange sounds heading his way.

    .

    ~Kosh..... Kosh..... Kosh.....~

    The light but eerie sounds slowly inched their way closer, like footsteps, taking one time at a time leisurely.

    And as the sounds free louder, the sounds of his dressers creaking, as well as other unexinable sounds, echoed throughout his mind as if reminding him of his impending doom.

    Soon, the footsteps stopped right before his bed, and he felt something leaning closer and closer to him.

    F***!

    Sota tightened his eyes so much that if it were possible, they would''ve already been swallowed and forced into his body.<sub> </sub>

    His belly fluttered in fear as sweat quickly filled his mmy hands.

    ''It''s not real. It''s not real. It''s just a bad dream. It''s nothing more than a bad dream...'' Sota murmured nonstop, trying to convince himself that it would all go away after waking up from his dream.

    And surprisingly, it seemed to be the case.

    Because in the next moment, the flickered lights returned to normal, and the screeching sounds within the room stopped.

    Sota still kept his eyes shut for 2 whole minutes but didn''t hear anything or felt any threat at all.

    And surprisingly, the dogs seemed to stop barking as well.

    He opened his eyes and was met with no threats at all.

    Eh?

    Could... Could it be that he had been having waking nightmares?

    Was it more of a bad dream?

    Sota was now confused.

    And suddenly, he heard the voices of the guards outside his door.

    "Young Master, please open up!

    We suspect that an enemy might be nearby. So open up, or we will storm in!"

    Hm?

    Sota heard this and was taken aback.

    Well, that would exin why the dogs were barking like that earlier on.

    Well, science had exined and proven that such things and imaginations were possible when having waking nightmares with patients screaming and pawing around.

    So, Sota was a little more convinced that it was just a bad waking dream.

    However, in the next second, the lights flickered again, returning the room to darkness.

    ~Druh-Druh~

    Sota froze.

    But it wasn''t the flickering lights that had made him stop.

    It was what he saw!

    "Ahhhhhhh!!!!~~~~~"

    .

    Windock, who had just arrived, heard Sota''s screams and anxiously pushed his way forward.

    "What the hell are you all waiting for?

    Break it down now!"

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Boom!

    "Young Master! Young Master! Young Master!"

    Windock and the test vigntly entered the room only to see Sota on the floor with his knees up to his chest while trembling in horror.

    The light in his eyes seemed to have disappeared, as he looked like a lifeless puppet at this moment.

    Windock saw this and only felt rage.

    Sota was like family to him, as he had practically been with the young master since the child turned 6.

    So who was it?

    He held Sota and smashed the floor with his fists hard.

    ~Boom!

    Alright. Someone wanted to bring out the beast in him.

    And he didn''t mind letting them see it.

    Dare toe into his territory; then he would like to see who would have thestugh!

    The men searched the ce non-stop while Windock calmly ced Sota on the bed.

    He wanted to leave, but Sota gripped him hard in fear before finally falling to sleep.

    But hisst words were what piqued Windock''s interest.

    "D-D-Dorian Tian... Dorian Tian... D-Dorian... Tian."

    Him again?

    Hahahahhahaha.

    Good. Good. Good.

    How bold!

    Windock''s murderous aura flowed out before turning to his top men and women beside him.

    "The Master and Madam are returning early this morning.

    So for now, we prepare for their arrival, as well as check surveince footage and everything else.

    But whether we have proof or not, I don''t care.

    That runt is involved somehow.

    That''s why after the Master arrives, all forces will move in towards the Tian estate.

    I don''t care what methods you use, but Dorian Tian must be brought in without failure.

    The brat must pay!"

 Chapter 31 It Was You!!

    Today was a brand new day!

    The early morning rays illuminated the city as early as 6 A.M, reaching through several windows and waking as many people up as possible.

    And just like the morning rays, the heat had slowly crept in, bing stronger by the hour too.

    The winds were stagnant, allowing the buzzing bees and tiny creatures to zoom around, creating quite a stir.

    The roads became busy with vehicles of all sorts, and the city became booming and loud as it typically was.

    But of course, within some high-end gated regions, the streets still remained as quiet and peaceful without the hustling and bustling of the city.

    Well... at least, that''s how it was supposed to be.

    .

    9:48 A.M.

    Dorian calmly held his cutlery elegantly while slicing through the thinly cut strips of meat on his te.

    And as he ate, Butler Sheng unhurriedly strolled in with a trolley of more dishes too.

    The young Master Dorian had already eaten off 4 tes of food.

    Butler Sheng cleared the dishes and neatly ced another set of meals on the table.

    And Dorian was still going at it while maintaining his etiquette as a proper stealthy master.

    "Hmm.

    Dorian nodded and enjoyed his meal as if the countless guns pointed at him were nothing.

    Yes. That''s right.

    At this moment, there were several uninvited guests at the dining hall, watching him calmly eat his meal in both rage and anxiety.

    The tension in the room was so brittle that it could snap at any time.

    One by one, they all pointed their guns at him and asionally at Butler Sheng, who kept moving to and fro the kitchen to deliver his meals.

    These rude uninvited guests looked like they wanted nothing more than to chew off his head,

    But Dorian, who was honestly enjoying his meal, was just toozy to get bothered with them.

    Many didn''t know, but one of his weaknesses was food... especially meat.

    And given the battlest night, he needed to fuel himself up fast!

    .

    Dorian felt that his decision to fill his belly was the right choice.

    Well, the good thing was that even though this body had just stepped into cultivation yesterday.

    So he could now stay longer without meals depending on how strong they were.

    And at the moment, Dorian could go for a week straight without food.

    Of course, any regr person could do this while drinking water too.

    But the difference was that they wouldn''t be able to do much and would subconsciously feel dizzy, lightheaded and hungry.

    With him, he could run for days, fight and would not feel the weight of his physical body at all.

    Anyway, when the opportunity arose, he always took advantage of the moment to eat to his heart''s content because for all he knew, something mighte up that would keep him but for days.

    Maybe he wouldn''t be able toe back today and have a meal, or perhaps he might only have the chance to eat 2 weeks from now.

    Whatever the case, he liked to have his belly full.

    Butler Sheng looked at themotion and couldn''t help having ck lines on his face.

    At first, he, Bewoh and Haru were worried about these people.

    But after getting the signal from their Master, they could only calm down and go about their business as they usually did.

    Nheless, they kept hovering around just in case their Young Master was in any danger.

    Yes. Dorian might be exceptionally skilled.<sub> </sub>

    But there were just too many enemies here, so the numbers did make them a little shaky and fearful for Dorian instead.

    It was good to be confident. But overconfidence can also get a man killed too.

    However, what they didn''t know was that Dorian was the one who let these people in.

    Heh.

    If he didn''t want them here, then they wouldn''t be able to get past the formations around the gates.

    That''s right.

    When everyone went to bed, he did a lot of work around the estate.

    So he had been aware of their arrival.

    It was just that he wanted to know who they were and why they were looking for him.

    Could it be that worthless uncle of his?

    Dorian was curious.

    As for his guests, they too had countless thoughts passing through their brains as well.

    .

    "Young Master Tian, we are not here to watch you eat!

    Come with us now, or you''ll only have yourself to me for your ending!" Leiji said coldly.

    They had just entered the room not more than 2 minutes ago, and they expected Dorian to either be shocked, panicked, intimidated, scared, angry or confused.

    But no~~... He decided to go off script and improvise on the role he had been assigned.

    What was this?

    With all the guns around, any normal person would show any wave of emotion on their face or through their eyes, even briefly.

    But the calm youth before Leiji didn''t even flinch for a second.

    And what was up with his appetite?

    Who eats this much?

    At the rate he was going, the already poor-him would probably eat through any money left and starve to death somewhere in a ditch!

    Could his stomach be a bottomless pit?

    Seeing that Dorian didn''t seem surprised at their sudden visit, Leiji''s eyes turned cold as a thought dawned on him, confirming their earlier spections.

    "It was you, wasn''t it.

    You were the one who attacked our Young Master Sotast night!"

    ~Ting...

    Butler Sheng already fell to the ground in rage when he heard Leiji''s usations.

    Fart!

    How dare these bastardse in here and frame Master Dorian?

    They had been fighting tirelesslyst night.

    So what was this about attacking someone in their home?

    Dorian paused, dropped his cutlery, stared at Leiji for a little while, before suddenly chuckling: "So, his time has finallye?"

    ~Tchack-cack.

    Everyone within adjusted their guns and inched closer to Dorian.

    And at this moment, the world fell still.

    It was him!

 Chapter 32 Warning Bells

    ~Tchack-cack.

    Everyone pointed their guns at him in fury.

    They didn''t need to be rocket scientists to understand what was going on here.

    Butler Sheng''s abrupt actions and Dorian''s words made them even more convinced that these poverty-stricken Tian bastards had attacked their Young Master!

    Leiji''s entire body trembled from head to toe: "What did you just say? I dare you to say it again!" Leiji barked, making Butler Sheng''s stew even more in anger too.

    But just when Butler Sheng was about to make his move, Dorian raised his hand and shook his head slightly.

    And as ifpletely a different person, Butler Sheng returned to his calm self, acting like the Tian Butler he was.

    Dorian chuckled while patting his mouth with the cloth beside him: "It''s funny how life works. Just yesterday, I did warn your young master Sota, but it appears that up till now, he hasn''t taken my words seriously at all. Let me guess, it''s not him who requested for me, but you all, right?"

    Like a volcano, Leiji exploded even more: " So what if it was us? We''re just doing what we should! Do you think that because you''ve managed to frighten the young master with your threats, It would make us back down? Impossible! You lie!"

    Listening to him, the corners of Dorian''s eyes creased up.

    As expected, that Ghu boy didn''t tell them what he was truly facing.

    Well, they would probably think he had a mental health condition, so he only had to bottle it up.

    In fact, he could call on Dorian with the talisman coin he left in his pockets.

    Who knows... maybe his brain had been scared silly, so he hadn''t used it yet?

    .

    Leiji was getting irritated by Dorian''s calm facade: "You shut up!! I don''t care what excuses you have to say because whether you like it or not, you''reing with us!"

    With that, Leiji snapped his hands, and 2 people moved forward.

    But before they could touch him, Dorian raised his hands and grinned: "I think you''re all confusing something here. I''m not the enemy. But, since I''m a little free, then I''ll go with you all. However, my price isn''t cheap."

    Price?

    Cheap?

    Screw You!!!

    Leiji almost puked out blood from rage alone: "Roll! Roll! Roll!!!... You 2! What the hell are you listening to this fool for? Grab and gag him now!"

    "Yes." Answered the men behind Dorian.

    They stretched their hands viciously towards him.

    But just as they were about to touch him, a terrifying aura leaked out, making everyone''s muscles turn to stone.

    What?!!!

    Dorian nced at them coldly: "Touch me, and you''ll lose your hands."

    *Pause*

    Those behind him froze.

    Scary.

    "I''ve already said I''ll go with you. So let this be thest time you ever attempt this. Not many have threatened me and lived to tell about this!" With that, Dorian suddenly smiled and withdrew his aura: "Now... be goodds and wait here. understood?"

    "_" (nodding absentmindedly)

    "Good." Dorian replied before turning to Butler Sheng: "Follow."

    "Yes, Master."

    With that, the duo left the dining hall and walked up the stairs unhurriedly, leaving the dazed guests below.

    (�����)

    Blink. Blink.

    What just happened?

    Some people were so shaken that they couldn''t move at all, while others just barely recovered now.

    Leiji looked at Dorian''s back while sweating silly.<sub> </sub>

    But suddenly, Doran paused, threw his head backwards and smiled evilly, causing him to shudder.

    It was at this moment that Leiji realized how hidden Dorian was.

    F***!

    What a horrifying kid!

    .

    Everyone waited patiently, not daring to even move an inch.

    And while waiting, Bewoh and Haru finished their early morning duties and stood by the stairway like statues.

    They acted as if the countless men with guns were nothing to them.

    Their actions shocked everyone, especially Leiji.

    He felt like the Tian household had been deceiving the entire city.

    For a fact, he could indeed confirm that almost all the workers here had left and betrayed the Tian household.

    But call it intuition, he felt like the household hadn''t fallen at all.

    Of anything else, there should be hidden forces working with them or beingmanded by them.

    He felt like the entire thing was a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and it would be unwise to fickle the Rogers tail without knowing its full strength.

    Nheless, they had to get to the bottom of Young Master Sota''s issue.

    So they had no choice but to dive into the belly of the tiger.

    It was just that now, they would act more cautiously and not let their anger get the best of them.

    At first, they assumed that maybe this Tian fellow had paid a lot of money to the Dar to have someone take care of young master Sota.

    Hence they had been staying up all night looking through countless assassination notices.

    But even though they didn''t find Sota''s name on it, that didn''t mean he might be free from the Dark Net.

    Why? Because most people who drop requests never drop their target names too.

    They only leave the amount they are willing to pay and their non-traceable contact numbers.

    So only when someone was qualified enough would they then tell the person about their targets.

    That said, for all they knew, Young Master Sota''s name could still be there.

    Seeing how the Tian family had no men, they thought they hired people to do the job because breaking into the Ghu home wasn''t easy, and only a highly skilled person could do so.

    Well, they indeed thought that was the case and stormed here in numbers, letting their rage get the best of them.

    But now, it seemed that there might be a hidden force working with the Tians.

    No! They had to act smart and carefully report this matter to Butler Windock, The Master and the Madamter on.

    This Tian family might be more than what meets the eyes.

    With that, Leiji steadied his heart and ced his guns back.

    And soon, they heard the unhurried sounds of footsteps descending the grand stairway.

    .

    ~Tap... Tap... Tap... Tap.~

    Everyone looked up to see Dorian in a thin ck coat, with his hands behind his back.

    And by his side was Butler sheng holding arge ck wooden box with several carvings on it.

    Leiji looked at the box deeply.

    What was in it?

    Dorian looked at them yfully: "Like I said, I''m not the enemy, but someone who can help you get rid of it. So, let''s go!"

 Chapter 33 The Ghu Dwo Estate

    ~Vrrmmmmm~~~

    Countless vehicles left the Tian household orderly, all surrounding a certain vehicle in the middle.

    Anyone seeing this scene would''ve thought that the middle vehicle was the boss controlling the entire operations.

    But the eyes could be very deceiving as well.

    Dorian gently leaned back against his seat while Butler Sheng sat right beside him.

    As for the driver, of course it was Bewoh... and Haru sat on the passenger seat beside Bewoh instead.

    Yes. They had been trapped between the numerous vehicles.

    However, even at that, the enemy had still listened to their one request.

    And that was to head to the hospital.

    But why? Because Bewoh and Haru were going to switch ces with Raulin and Zhulyn.

    That''s right.

    He did promise that within this week alone, he would be rotating with them, but for everyone to get a full glimpse of what his Tian family was about.

    So now, it was Raulin and Zhulyn''s turn.

    As for Butler Sheng, he would stay back with Dorian until otherwise.

    .

    ~Screech!

    The long line of sleek ck vehicles stopped before the hospital, causing quite a stir, as everyone kept wondering what sort of important person hade to the hospital today.

    Bewoh and Haru got out and hastily dashed towards the ward as fast as they could.

    And before letting Raulin and Zhulyn leave, Bewoh patted them on the shoulders: "Make sure to listen to the master''s everymand. And good luck."

    ????

    Blink. Blink.

    The duo looked at Bewoh in confusion.

    Erm... What was this for?

    Why did it seem like Bewoh and Haru had returned with a different air around them?

    ? It was almost as if they had grown into a higher level overnight.

    The biggest change came from the yful and joking Haru.

    Now, he was standing still and mature, guarding Dorian''s parents diligently.

    The duo, as well as Chan-ki at the side, was also baffled by their behaviour.

    Did they miss something here?

    What exactly happened just within thesest 24 hours?

    Raulin and Zhulyn left the V.I.P ward in a daze.

    Well, there was only one way they could get to the bottom of this.

    And that was by following the Master.

    .

    Raulin adjusted his sses while Zhulyn ced a piece of gum in his mouth.

    They remembered Dorian''s words earlier on about showing them the truth behind the Tian Household.

    And now, sensing Bewoh and Haru''s relevant expressions when mentioning Master Dorian, they knew that today might be their turn to join in on the fun.

    Well, they couldn''t lie.

    They were indeed curious about what today held for them.

    With that, they stormed out of the hospital with beating and excited hearts.

    It was just that standing outside and seeing their vehicle sandwiched between several foreign ones; their minds became cautious instead.

    What the hell was going on here?

    Through the window, Dorian nodded at them, and they quickly woke up from their stupor and entered the car.

    Of course now, they had already assumed that the other vehicles were allies.<sub> </sub>

    Firstly, no one from the other vehicles came out to threaten them in any way.

    They remained in the vehicles as if Dorian was truly in charge and inmunication with them.

    Secondly, Dorian''s expression was too calm, as if nothing would ruin his day.

    And thirdly, they didn''t believe that Dorian would willingly put them in danger just like that.

    Even if he did, he should''ve taken all sorts of measures to prevent anything from happening to them.

    He had given them a week to consider changing their minds and leave the Tian household since he didn''t want to risk their lives for the Tain family.

    So what did this mean?

    It meant that their Young Master had him in his heart.

    Yes. These people should be allies.

    And that''s how they entered the vehicles with rxed expressions on their faces, thinking that these people were probably friends who wanted to take down Dorian''s uncle instead.

    But how would they have known how wrong they were?

    .

    (^_^)

    Butler Sheng looked at their expressions and chuckled: "You 2 seem to be in a very good mood."

    Raulin nodded while Zhulyn puffed his chest out in glee: "Of course we''re happy! Now, with these allies, we are sure to have aeback."

    "Oh?... And when did the Master say they were allies?"

    ~Screech.

    The vehicle shook out of line a bit.

    What?!!

    The colour drained from Raulin''s face as he started at the rear mirror in shock.

    "You... you''re joking, right?"

    Butler Sheng eyes the duo from the mirror with a yful expression on his face: "Joking? What do you think?"

    [The duo]: ".... F***!"

    Like so, the trip to the Ghu estate was filled with Raulin and Zhulyn listening to Butler Sheng on what these people wanted.

    And in the end, it was concluded that Master Dorian was framed.

    But they felt that there was more than what Butler Sheng wasn''t letting on.

    They were also very curious about what was in the box.

    How did it feel like they were gangsters dropping off blood diamonds instead?

    Well, whatever the case, they quickly adjusted their emotions and resumed back to normal.

    With their training as bodyguards, they had to be prepared for all sorts of situations.

    And remembering Bewoh''s words for them to listen and trust the Master, just looking at how calm and unbothered Dorian and Butler Sheng were, they now convinced that they had everything under control.

    And they in turn decided to see just what cards their master hadid out to counter the enemy.

    Could this be it?

    Could the box have clues to what the Tian family really did?

    Alright.

    Today, they would also join in on the fun.

    .

    ~~Vrrrmmmmm~~

    Time passed quickly, even with them getting stuck in traffic for a bit.

    And soon, they arrived.

    Dorian looked through the window and squinted his eyes coldly.

    He sensed it.

    No. To be more precise, he sensed them.

 Chapter 34 The Furious Ghus

    Entering the estate, the trio in the vehicle subconsciously turned to look at their master, only to see him smiling mysteriously.

    Butler Sheng was on high alert, as the reason why.

    But Raulin and Zhulyn were a little bit clueless and lost, as they tried to make heads or tails of the matter.

    Could it be rted to the money or blood diamonds in the box?

    (��0��)

    Their own understanding of things had taken a real left turn as if envisioning some mob movie.

    Like so, everyone had their thoughts as they drove into the massive grand estate.

    The entire ce was as grand as the Tian estate too.

    ? One would have to drive past clear the fields for a bit, passing through security buildings all around too.

    There were fountains, ponds and countless statues as well.

    And the further they went in, the more buildings they saw scattered all around. Not to talk of the many roads, sidewalks and paths one could take, all within the Grand estate.

    The luxury screaming from the scene was enough to make countless ordinary folks stare uncontrobly with envy, wishing to spend the night in just one of these grand buildings here.

    But for Dorian and the others who were already living in the Grand Tian estate, which was indeed slightly bigger than this one, their expressions remained the same as if it was all nothing to them.

    .

    Vrrrmmmmm!

    In formation, the numerous lines of sleek ck vehicles drove in, heading straight for the Main building at the centre of the estate, and drove across the front open space that had a fountain on it.

    ~Screech!!!"

    They stopped their movements just when Dorian''s vehicle was directly facing the grand outdoor stairway with statues of Imperial Guardian Lions at both ends.

    ~Catchak!

    Raulin quickly got out and opened the door for Dorian, while the other 2 also got out and hurriedly stayed close to him, with Butlers Sheng still holding the strange box with the utmost care.

    And not a momentter, Leiji, who had always been in the vehicle behind Dorian''s, also walked out alongside the rest.

    They quickly formed a straight line on both sides of the grand stairway, standing on each step with their guns in their hands.

    Leiji turned towards Dorian while still maintaining a cold expression on his face.

    But this time, he had no trace of disdain on his expression at all.

    "Follow me!"

    "Hmm..." Dorian replied while pocketing his hands and calmly ascending the stairway as if he were the true master of the Ghu Dwo estate.

    He had no expression of fear but instead revealed a slight smile that puzzled everyone, including Leiji.

    But no matter how Leiji tried to see through him, his efforts resulted in nothing.

    Once again, Leiji confirmed his suspicions: ''This kid is hiding something.''

    .

    Like so, Dorian and the rest calmly walked in, taking everything within the residence to heart.

    But not too far away on another side of the building, a very handsome man and another well-maintained middle-aged woman were currently walking their son down the golden stairway in rage and sorrow.

    They ced Sota on the couch below,ying his head on the middle-aged woman''sp, while the man stood beside the sofa, close to Sota''s feet with pure fury in his eyes.<sub> </sub>

    And within the room, countless guards had surrounded the ce as if preparing for a terrorist attack.

    Of course, Windock was also there too, standing guard vignt, besides Master Ghu Dwo.

    Yes. He was Sota''s father, and the middle-ageddy was Sota''s mother.

    She looked at her dazed and Zombie-like son, with tears in her eyes and mixed hatred for the culprit too.

    "Where is he? Windock! Where is the bastard that did this to my son?!"

    "Madam, I''ve just got word that he should be arriving in no more than 2 minutes," Windock replied while pressing the earpiece in his left ear.

    "2 minutes? Good!

    I''d like to see that bastard Tian who dared to go against my son!" Lady Ghu said while sinking her nails deep into the couch while imagining that it was her enemy.

    .

    Master Ghu Dwo on the side, said nothing, but anyone who knew him well, would know that his rage had reached an critical point.

    Sota was his only son!

    So over the years, it''s easy to see how much they loved him silly.

    But not just that. Another point was that Sota was also his heir.

    So anyone who tries to take down his heir was looking for a fight with him, Ghu Dwo.

    His eyes narrowed as his face turned almost predatory, like a vicious lion hunting its prey.

    And when the footsteps from outside the room grew louder and louder, everyone''s entire body joked up, waiting to pounce on that poverty-Stricken Tian boy.

    Heh.

    It looks like hisst few weeks in poverty had driven him to craziness, so much so that he even attempted going against them.

    Good! Good! Good!

    They don''t mind sinking him further into the abyss he found himself and torturing him too.

    Because they invited him, they couldn''t just kill him at will since their other wealthy enemies use this chance to turn the public against them and press the police to bring them down.

    So if they wanted the job done, they had to kill and torture him within the Tian residence.

    Yes! The bastard could only me himself for all this!

    .

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    The footsteps grew louder and louder, and soon... the double-sided doors opened, allowing the culprit to proceed in and await judgement.

    ~Crash!

    ss got shattered a few feet away from Dorian, echoing out across the massive hall.

    Dorian paused and raised an eyebrow at the people before him.

    And sure enough, the Ghu''s were furious.

    But what did their anger have to do with him?

    Dorian''s expression turned cold.

 Chapter 35 Finally Awoken!

    ~Crash!!!~

    An expensive porcin cup broke, causing the expressions of Dorian and his men to grow grim.

    But Lady Ghu didn''t seem to care or even notice their expressions.

    The moment she saw Dorian''s face earlier on, she just felt like strangling and killing him here and now.

    Her son was left in this state while the culprit was still walking around freely.

    Bastard!

    Mr. Ghu quickly turned to her and gave her the eye as if telling her to calm down.

    "But..."

    "It''s enough, Elvida. Let me handle things from here. Remember, he must leave this ce without a scratch."

    "... Fine!" Lady Elvida felt aggrieved and a little useless. But she knew her husband was right.

    If they acted rashly, then her son wouldn''t even have a future to go back to once they finished dealing with the bastard before them.

    Without even getting invited in, Dorian calmly walked across the massive open space and finally took a seat on one of the sofas there.

    Of course, his men stood behind the sofa instead.

    And at this moment, time seemed to stop as the Ghu''s silently cursed him in their hearts.

    [Lady Elvida]: ''Bastard! Who asked him to sit? Who the hell asked him to sit? No! After this, we must personally burn that couch to a crisp!''

    [Ghu Dwo]: Bold Lad! You daree into my home with no manners even after touching my son? Heh... I''d like to see how long this attitude of yours willst!''

    The duo, and the other guards in the room, all cursed Dorian with all their hearts while still maintaining calm smiles on their faces as if his actions were nothing.

    Even Elvida, who had been angry earlier on, now resumed her appearance as the wealthy first-ssdy that she was.

    But within her heart, she had already stabbed Dorian a hundred times over.

    They had attempted to make him kneel when he came in, but with the little devil casually sitting down, they had no choice but to swallow their words and re at him hatefully.

    .

    As for Dorian, he was toozy to care about their rage but would get his interest for their early actions.

    Dorian''s eyes turned frosty while looking at Ghu Dwo eye to eye.

    Step. Step

    Ghu Dwo subconsciously took 2 steps back as his belly suddenly fluttered with an indescribable feeling.

    His eyes! His eyes!

    Ghu Dwo peered onto Dorian''s eyes and felt like he was staring straight into a deep bottomless abyss of Hell.

    Sweat quickly poured out of his palms, causing him to feel choked at the realization of what just happened.

    He wanted to peel his eyes away but found that he seemed frozen in ce.

    But luckily, the illusionsted for only a bit... until he saw Dorian suddenly smiling, making him shudder instead.

    Did this guy just warn him?

    Ghu Dwo swallowed his saliva while trying to adjust himself before looking at Dorian more seriously.

    His instincts told him that the boy before him was dangerous.

    But now, looking at the now harmless Dorian, he felt like he might''ve just been imagining things.

    Yes. How could a 17-year-old be that powerful?

    Ghu Dwo frowned and took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweaty palms feeling like he needed to get more sleep in future.

    .

    In the meantime, Dorianzily leaned his head to the side, looking at Leiji deeply: "Ry all you know. I''m toozy to talk to idiots."

    Elvida''s nostrils were almost ring out as she shed her teeth, trying to calm herself down.

    ''Bastard!

    Who are you calling an idiot?

    Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!!!!!!''

    Elvida continued her silent battle while Ghu Dwo and Windock had grasped an important point from Dorian''s words.

    Eh?

    Could it be that the little imp wasn''t the real culprit?

    Their heads swiftly turned to Leiji like robots: "Speak!"

    Wasting no time, Leiji retold all he knew, causing everyone''s expressions to get distorted.

    They also saw the underlying tone Leiji used when talking about Dorian as if saying that he was indeed dangerous.<sub> </sub>

    And coupled with the description of what happened within the Tian house, Leiji felt like he had to warn them to first investigate everything before making a move.

    Because one thing was for sure, the boy was indeed a dangerous one!

    At the same time, Raulin and Zhulyn, who heard the whole thing, secretly screamed In shock and a little bit of expectation.

    And as usual, their thoughts were always extreme.

    Yes. They knew it!

    Their boss was probably partnering with some hidden forces somewhere that have something to do with the items in the mysterious box.

    Tsk!

    As expected, the movies didn''t lie.

    People would definitely like to partner and make deals when it concerned blood diamonds.

    .

    "So you know the culprit responsible for this?"

    Dorian smiled: "Yes. But the culprit isn''t one that you or any of your men can handle."

    Butler Windock frowned, while Ghu Dwo looked at Dorian curiously: "What do you mean? Are you saying that we are too weak?"

    "No... On the contrary, you''re all strong enough. But your strength isn''t the type of strength needed here." Dorian said while standing up and slowly advancing towards the dazed Ghu Sota.

    "You... What do you want to do?"

    Of course, like a mother hen, Elvida protected her son while ring at Dorian.

    At the same time, the surrounding guards in the room quickly took out their guns too.

    Time seemed to freeze up as everyone looked at the young Master Tian silently.

    What did he want to do?

    Everyone''s head was brimming with curiosity.

    Dorian stood next to Ghu Sota and whispered words to himself.... or at least that''s what everyone, including Elvida, thought.

    But suddenly, Ghu Sota''s eyes widened as he looked at Dorian and freed himself from his mother''s grasp.

    ~Plop.

    "Please! Please! Please, Young Master Dorian! Help me! Help me!

    I promise that I''ll never try to pick on you again.

    So just help me, please...

    Only you can save me now!"

    -Silence-

    The room turned so silent that one could hear a pin drop from afar.

    (��_��)

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone opened their eyes wide in shock as they watched the pale, Zombie-like Young Master Sota suddenly wake up from his daze and kneel before Dorian, grabbing his leg and begging for help.

    This... This...

    This wasn''t the script they envisioned, alright?

    .

    Ghu Dwo looked at Dorian while deep in thought.

    This morning, they had been trying to wake Sota from his stupor for hours, but nothing they did could wake him up.

    It was as if their son had already left them and was on his way to thend beyond, which terrified them silly.

    And from what Windock said, his situation was the same, although the night too with him sleeping for a bit, getting up after a few hours and screaming in fear.

    Nothing they did could bring their son back to normal.

    Yet, this young Tian Master had juste in, and their son had now returned to his senses... even though his face and body screamed horror.

    Ghu Dwo looked at Dorian and was now somewhat convinced that he might not be the enemy here.

    So there was only one major question still ringing in his head.

    Who was it?

    Who was the real culprit?

    Dorian leaned down and gently tilted Sota''s chin with a broad smile on his face: "I can help you, but my price doesn''te cheap."

 Chapter 36 Whats In The Box?

    Everyone looked at Dorian''s smile with an unfathomable expression on their faces.

    Especially Lady Elvida.

    She was very confused when she saw her son begging for the Tian boy''s help.

    So... the runt wasn''t the culprit?

    Then who the hell was it?

    Everyone thought the same as well.

    Then, if that was the case... Could he really help them?

    And what enemy forces would be so great that their help wouldn''t even do anything against the enemy?

    Everyone''s face turned grim.

    Could it be one of the Underworld Bosses?

    Wait. But even if it was a hidden Mafia boss, how could this poor Tian boy be better than them?

    The information they got was just all too confusing.

    Ghu Dwo took a deep breath before facing Dorian.

    "Young Master Tian, please forgive my rudeness earlier on. That said, some things are still unclear to me."

    Dorian raised his palm: "Save your questions forter. In due time, you will know. But for now, we have to move fast. You see, the enemy is already somewhere in this room!"

    Boom!

    A massive explosion urred in everyone''s mind as they vigntly looked around like mice ready to pounce on their prey.

    Where? Where?

    Everyone looked at each other suspiciously, wanting to know who the real culprit was, while some looked at the ceilings to find any hidden camouged spies or anything out of the ordinary that could call their attention.

    Some also thought of reviewing the taps for the tiny spy cameras ced all over the Hall.

    Their brains all stuttered for a moment as the adrenaline in their blood gushed through their veins, making them frantic, alert and sensitive to everything within the room.

    "Don''t bother looking. Without my help, you''ll never find the enemy. Your son only has 2 days to live. So Think fast." Dorian said calmly, calling everyone''s attention back to him.

    And in this moment, everyone looked at him in disbelief.

    How? When? What? You... 2 Days?

    (��?��)

    ~Gulp.

    This... This wasn''t real right?

    As if possessed, Ghu Dwo''s eyes darted in all directions before finally settling on Dorian.

    If if it were true?

    Dammit!

    He had no choice but to trust this Tian Boy.

    However, if all this were a hoax, then he would grind the boy into pieces and feed him to the dogs!!!!

    How dare he curse his son to die young?

    Bastard!

    .

    With a very distorted expression on his face, Ghu Dwo nced at Dorian deeply.

    "Tian Boy! I will entrust you in this matter, but if you fail, then don''t me me for being ruthless!

    Dorian felt his murderous aura and onlyzily walked towards Butler Sheng: "Rx. If I say I can do it, then I can. But like I said, my piece isn''t cheap."

    "Then how much do you want?"

    Dorian stepped close to Butler Sheng and opened the box calmly: "How much you''ll pay will depend on what I use. See?"

    Those close enough peered their eyes onto the box, only to end up being dumbfounded.

    -Silence-

    Eh?

    Raulin and Zhulyn were taken aback.

    Where were the blood diamonds? Where was the massive amount of money they had envisioned?

    Could anyone tell them why their Master had entrusted Butler Sheng to carry this as if it were gold?

    This... This... Their Master shouldn''t be sick in the head, right?

    ???

    Leiji and those who brought Dorian in were even more baffled. So this guy went upstairs to get just these?

    Why? What the hell would they do?

    Could it be that he identally grabbed the wrong box on his way out and had a mix-up instead?<sub> </sub>

    Seeing their reactions, even the guards at the corners further away couldn''t help wondering what had them all so dumbfounded.

    What exactly did they see?

    .

    Hahahahahaha!

    Ghu Dwo looked heavenwards before closing his eyes again, as if fighting an internal battle within himself.

    But in the end, his aggressive side won as he ended up staring at Dorian with Scorching unforgiving eyes.

    "Tian Boy! What the hell are these?

    Candles, papers, stones and oils?

    Impudent!

    Do you think this is a joke?

    My son''s well-being is hanging on a thin thread, and you''re here making fun of it?"

    ~Click!

    Ghu Dwo took out his own gun coldly while cursing Dorian in his head nonstop.

    Of course, Lady Elvida supported him all the way.

    God knows how anxious they were about Sota, so how dare this bastard make fun of their son''s condition?

    Dorian looked at them, and his smile suddenly turned cruel.

    Boom!

    He released his aura, causing many guards within the room to fall to their knees while Ghu Dwo and even Windock quickly caught themselves on the seats close to them.

    Dammit! What was this?

    Ghu Dwo''s mind was in a state of panic as his trembling hands were forcefully made to lower the gun in his hands.

    Monster!

    .

    Everyone was dying under Dorian''s pressure, even those further away in the room.

    Dorian only looked at them coldly, with a frosty tone to his voice: "I''ll say this just once. I hate being threatened. I''m pretty sure your friend here (Leiji) had just exined things to you all a few minutes back. But it seems like with old age, all of you have trouble remembering things well. So because I didn''t specifically warn you all earlier, then I''ll repeat myself once more... Do that again, and I won''t help your son, no matter how much you pay me. So if you understand, shut up and let me work!!!"

    As Dorian spoke, his voice echoed out like a hellish hound from the darkest post of hell, echoing out and causing terror to inch into their hearts.

    And the moment the pressure was taken back, everyone shakingly got up and swallowed their earlier words down their throats.

    Leiji did exin things to them whening in, but sometimes, hearing isn''t genuinely believing.

    They did believe it to a certain extent, but now, facing the Tian Boy''s cold stare, they had no choice but to fully believe it.

    What more could they say?

    The system saw this and felt a little worried.

    [Host. You are a heavenly exorcist and, in a way, a worker of the heavens.

    So you need to act like an angel and be forgiving and merciful at every turn.]

    ''Shut it... Noisy.''

    [...(:T^T:)...]

    Dorian was toozy to deal with the system as he turned around, facing Butler Sheng and the shocked Raulin and Zhulyn.

    "Raulin! Zhulyn! Close the blinds and keep all ces dark.

    Butler Sheng! You''ll be my assistant.

    Understood?"

    "Yes!" The trio answered before dashing past the dazed guards by the window.

    Dorian then turned to everyone else: "As for you all, get me all the bags of salt you have."

    "_"

    "Well, what are you waiting for? Move now!"

    "Yes!"

    As for Ghu Dwo, Lady Elvida, Windock and Leiji, they just watched everyone in a daze while being very curious as well.

    Now, they only had one question in mind.

    What exactly was this Tian Master up to?

    Dorian calmly crossed his hands for a bit while looking at the anxious Sota.

    Alright. It was time for the real action to begin.

    Yes. It was time to exorcise!

 Chapter 37 Sotas New Friend

    Very quickly, everyone hurried off to do as they were told.

    The men hurried to get the salt, while Dorian instructed a few others to push all couches away, as well as remove any carpeting around too.

    And as all the work was seemingly going on around them, Mr. Gu and Madam Elvida, who had now sandwiched their son on the couch pushed far away, couldn''t help feeling nervous.

    They had a hunch that something bizarre was going to happen... but they truly wished they were wrong.

    "Dear... what sort of enemy do we have?"

    Me. Ghu''s throat rolled up anxiously: "I... I don''t know. But Sota will be fine."

    Hearing this, Lady Elvida seemed to calm down a bit, but unbeknownst to her, her husband was just consoling her.

    The tension in the room was so high that he too was sure anymore.

    Remembering the wooden box with strange symbols that contained candles, oils, stone pebbles and whatnot... he finally connected 2 and 2 together, and it would be a lie if he said that his mind hadn''t drifted there.

    But... he was a firm believer of science.

    So he hoped that it wasn''t what he thought it was.

    Soon, he caught himself and smiled bitterly.

    Was he already turning into a mentally ill patient?

    How could he think like a child?

    It was like saying Superman was real?

    Thinking like this, Myths you-know-what, couldn''t be real, right?

    The denial in this Science filled world was too strong and almost as if an invisible hand had been brainwashing the people for millenniums.

    You-know-what believers were all mental patients, and that''s what everyone thought.

    One could get locked up in an asylum for thinking so dangerously.

    But... it looks like the ''reality of this world, would soon get shattered.

    .

    ~Din. Din. Din. Din.

    Dorian calmly circled a particr spot before nodding and stretching his hands out to Butler Sheng.

    "Master," Sheng answered abruptly and handed the first candle.

    With that, they began their work.

    And before everyone knew it, therge created an overlyrge candle circle.

    Dorian then looked at the now awake Sota, who still looked as pale as ever.

    And upon seeing his gaze, Sota instantly understood and jumped out of his parents'' embrace, ready to do anything necessary to get rid of that thing.

    At this point, Mr. Ghu and Elvida quickly got up too, staying behind sota very closely.

    Windock and Leiji also stayed close by too.

    They truly wanted to know what sort of enemy existed that they, the Ghu Dwo Secret force couldn''t handle?

    In fact, they too had a guess in their minds, but they also threw such a whimsical thought out too.

    .

    Dorian looked at Sota. "Lie at the centre."

    "Yes, Grandmaster Dorian!"

    [His parents]: "_"

    Looking at their son hurriedly lying down like an obedient peacock, they were somewhat speechless.

    Who doesn''t know that Sota hated Dorian to the bones?

    So, where is all thising from?

    Sota didn''t care for his past grievances at all.

    What a joke!

    If they had been through what he has, then they would also call Dorian grandmaster.

    No! They would call him Father.

    Even though Sota had been through hell, he had also matured a lot now too.

    Once one was put in a life or death situation, their entire life shed before their very eyes.

    And then, they are forced to either make changes to stay the same.

    Now, Sota wasn''t interested in shing money to please people anymore.

    One could say that he had been reborn from the ashes this too.

    Now, he knew that they weren''t alone in this world.

    So how could his viewpoint still be the same?

    Who knew if something else woulde after him or his familyter on?

    He already had a strong hunch that the only person who could help him was Dorian.

    Thinking of how gloomy, quiet and cold-face Dorian was growing up... he had to admit that even if it were him, he might''ve also been the same too after knowing the existence of the ''other side.''

    Now, thinking of all the provocations himself and several others used to give Dorian, he felt strangling his former self.

    Dorian probably never ced a single one of them in his eyes.

    Yes. They were just jumping clowns.

    And he couldn''t fault Dorian for thinking that because now, he too felt like his so-called supporters/friends were only with him for connections or wealth.<sub> </sub>

    No! He had to assess his life again.

    And more importantly, he wanted to protect his family too if something like this ever happens again.

    And that''s why he decided to follow Dorian.

    Sure. he was scared. Butpared to the love he had for his family, he was willing to take the risk.

    So, he truly respected Dorian and wanted to be whatever Dorian was.

    p That was his decision!</anda>

    .

    ~Din. Din. Din. Din. Din.~

    Finally, over 80rge sacs of salt had been brought in.

    These were all the bags of salts in the kitchen.

    And Dorian just had 10 opened but didn''t pour the salt from them out yet.

    As for the 70 sealed-up heavy salt sacs... well, they were for an entirely different matter altogether.

    Now, everyone was here, and the doors were all sealed up.

    But just to be sure, Dorian had had Butler Shen ce several papers on the doors.

    Who knows if a few people would try to open it and flee once the real culprit was revealed?

    Even the windows were also sealed too.

    With the way the humans in this world acted, he wouldn''t be surprised if some tried to leave through the windows.

    Anything could happen.

    And now, with everything truly sealed up, Butler Sheng returned and told everyone breathing around the circle to back up a bit.

    These guards were so immersed that they even wanted to step into the circle themselves.

    Windock looked at them coldly:" Step Back!"

    "Yes, sir."

    With that, they continuously stepped back until Butler Sheng nodded in satisfaction and chuckled.

    Now they all want toe closer.

    But he was looking forward to when they would be backing away instead.

    .

    Butler Sheng calmly turned around and walked towards Dorian, who in turn was chanting a spell that would angle everyone in the room to listen in on his conversation with Sota... especially the Ghu parents standing brother away.

    After all, they were the clients and would pay him for his services.

    "Your birth initials."

    "Yes, Grandmaster Dorian. It''s xxxxx...."

    Dorian studied his face for a bit while observing his aura and the various lines on his face.

    "Hmmm... Did you and your friends visit the Grindol Cemetery for fun not too long ago?"

    Sota''s eyes lit up in shock: "Yes! We didn''t mean to stop there. But for some reason, while passing along the road close to the cemetery, my car broke down a bit."

    "And then, you all decided to begin your pre-party at the cemetery, correct?"

    "Yes! Yes! That''s right. I already called for help. So we just had to wait and buy time there." Sota said embarrassedly before running his nose: "Y-yes... We decided to party at one of the graves. And for some reason, I felt particrly drawn to one of them."

    "No. It wasn''t the grave you were drawn to."

    Sota tapped his head hard in agreement, finally remembering better: "Yes... It was an old dried-up fountain there covered with vines... But Grandmaster, how did you know?"

    Dorianzily looked at Sota: "Irrelevant."

    "_"

    .

    Well, even though Dorian was toozy to dive into these matters.

    But in the meantime, everyone else was more worried instead.

    The guards who were secretly watching nearby at the time had confirmed that he was safe, and had also sent for their men to personallye and fix his car.

    When the young master was out with his friends, there were times that he just wanted space.

    And so, they tried to act as if they weren''t there, or else he would be pissed.

    But now thinking about it, their entire bodies were surging in fear.

    Did something else happen there that they didn''t know of?

    And what did the young master Tian mean by saying that something chose Young Master Sota?

    At that time, they found that there was actually nothing wrong with the car when they disguised themselves toe up and fix it up.

    So, was his stopping there truly because he was chosen?

    This... This feeling was bad.

    And like a nuclear missile, Dorian looked at everyone calmly and dropped the bomb on them.

    "To put it simply, your Young Master Sota was chosen, entered the cemetery and picked up a new friend."

    Elvida''s heart clenched: "W-w-what new friend?"

    "A Hybrid Water ghost"

 Chapter 38 Hybrid Water Ghost

    Ghost... Ghost... Ghost!

    Elvida and Ghu Dwo found their hands trembling uncontrobly when they heard Dorian''s words.

    But it wasn''t just them,but every single guard who felt every gut and muscle in their body tighten.

    They wanted tough it off as if convincing themselves that it was a joke.

    But seeing Dorian''s stern expression only made everyone feel like they were swimming in unknown territory.

    Even Zhulyn and Raulin were so shocked that they were practically numb at this time.

    This was also their first time hearing of such a thing.

    So how could they only be blown away?

    They looked at Butler Sheng for confirmation, only to see him nodding, leaving them more fearful than ever.

    For sure, arger part of their mind still told them it was a lie.

    But remembering the words Dorian said earlier, made their throats go dry.

    Indeed, what if the enemy wasn''t human?

    At that time, they thought it was a joke.

    However, it seems like the Master was serious.

    However... could it be true?

    Do they actually exist?

    Mommy... Was this what the Tian family really did?

    .

    Ghu Dwo took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down before squeezing out a dryugh.

    "Young Master Tian.

    Forgive me... but I think we all know if such things don''t exist.

    Talks like that can get you locked away, so I suggest you stop joking and get to the real root of the problem."

    Yes!

    On hearing Ghu Dwo, everyone suddenly woke up and pushed their ridiculous thoughts away again.

    Such things don''t exist... Such things don''t exist.

    Such things don''t exist...

    Dorian, who heard Ghu Dwo, lifted his left brow before snapping his fingers.

    ~Snap!

    ~Brrmm.

    The candles around Sota all lit up, causing everyone''s expression to freeze.

    -Silence-

    nk. Empty.

    Their minds went empty.

    And even Windock waspletely shocked beyond belief.

    What did he just see?

    Magic?

    This... This... How was this possible?

    The rest were still in disbelief, even with the facts before them.

    But Elvida was different.

    She looked at her son and saw him nodding as if saying it was true.

    And only then did she hold Ghu Dwo so firmly as if her very life depended on it.

    "Sota... Sota... tell mother. Is it true?"

    Everyone stayed silent, waiting for his reply.

    "Yes, mother. Something has been following me for the past week. I always feel cold, and I can also feel that my health is getting worse as well. I was afraid that if I told you all, you would think I''m mentally ill."

    Elvida''s legs went weak.

    Whether ghosts exist or not, she only believed in her son''s words.

    A waterfall of tears trickled down her face nonstop as she gazed at Dorian pleadingly.

    "Please! Please! Help him!

    We''ll pay you whatever you want! Just... Just save Sota!!"

    Listening to his son and seeing his wife like this,Ghu Dwo fell silent.

    It wasn''t that he didn''t believe his son''s words... but it was all just that such a thing, without any real evidence, was still hard for his mind to digest.

    That''s right. Unless he saw one himself, he still had doubts.

    Could it be that someone hypnotized his son to think so?

    That is, if they truly existed, then howe he had never seen one?

    .<sub> </sub>

    "I said I''ll save young master Sota, so there''s no need for all this. But I''m curious, though...

    Sota... howe you never used the thing I gave you?"

    Sota smiled awkwardly: "I... I wanted to use itst night, but my guards came in just in time to save me."

    Dorian nodded amidst everyone''s curiosity before calling Zhulyn, Raulin and Butler Sheng to get closer.

    Zhulin and Raulin''s hearts trembled a bit.

    But Butler Sheng was as calm as ever: "Young Master... Here''s the book."

    Dorian held the book he spent all night doing.

    Basically, it detailed all the demons they fought, showing all their weaknesses, strengths and even too... He also went ahead to write on all grades of the particr demon types.

    Because as one knows, demons grow stronger and could also evolve into higher demons.

    He not only wrote them down but drew them too.

    Of course, the moment he saw Sota and felt the aura around him earlier on, he also added 3 other underworld creatures that he spected might be after Sota.

    Well, he used an image rying spell to just imprint every little detail he saw there, as well as what he knew from his previous world.

    He nned to open an academy soon, so he had to start imparting his knowledge too.

    Of course, the system also awarded him with some books as well.

    It sent the knowledge to his brain as well as gave him a hard copy too.

    So moving on in future,bining what he already knew with the system''s, his Academy shouldn''tck much.

    .

    Dorian shook his head at Butler Sheng: "You''re all in training. So you read it."

    With that, he flicked his wrists, and the book suddenly opened to page 68, revealing a very revolting image.

    The Hybrid Water Ghost.

    Everyone who saw this was once again left in shock as they felt their entire bodies bubbling like a volcano.

    How did he do that?

    Could it be that there was some trick involved like the magic tricks on T.V?

    As for the trainee exorcists, when on the job, they always had to make sure the clients knew what they were here for and all the dangers surrounding the matter.

    Thus, payments should be fair and never be a hassle.

    Dorian hated unnecessary disputes.

    Butler Sheng quickly became alert while Raulin and Zhulyn surrounded him to see what was written there.

    And instantly, everyone fell quiet as the wind from nowhere caused their hairs to stand while listening to Butler Sheng.

    "The Hybrid Water Ghost.

    Gender- Has None.

    The Hybrid water Ghost is a half-ghost half-demon, an evil entity that preys on the Yang of its victims, sucking them dry and leaving them mummified.

    And after finishing off the victim, they move on to the next person in the victim''s family, enjoying the grief and sucking up all the Yang around until the entire family copses."

    Boom!

    Everyone''s mind went numb as their eyes widened in horror.

    So if it eventually dealt with Sota, it would thene for them?

    What a vicious being!

    Even if they didn''t fully believe it yet, Ghu Dwo, Windock and everyone else were still immensely angered by it all.

    Sota was also shocked and depressed as well.

    He had no idea that his reckless behaviour in the cemetery would cause such a thing to follow his family.

    No! He had to get rid of this thing now.

    .

    After Butler Sheng gave his brief summary of the Half-demon half-ghost, Sota gritted his teeth and looked at the grandmaster before him in determination.

    "Grandmaster Dorian, where is that thing now?"

    Yes. Where is it now?

    Everyone had the same question in mind.

    Where was the bastard thing?

    (*^*)

    Dorian chuckled at their reaction before ncing at Sota mysteriously.

    "It''s in You."

    ~Bam!

    Dorian flicked several talisman coins on Sota''s body like lightning.

    And right before everyone''s eyes, something unexinable happened that made them move back in horror.

    ...Young Master Sota?...

 Chapter 39 A Mothers Love

    ~Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Dorian flicked his talisman coins on his body, and right before everyone''s eyes... Sota started trembling like crazy while keeping his eyes open wide.

    "Son? Son?"

    Elvida wanted to rush towards Sota, but Ghu Dwo held her back.

    And Elvida, who wanted to curse and pull herself away, suddenly paused when she heard her husband''s words: "Elvida... his face..."

    "Face? What the hell are you talking...."

    -Silence-

    Everyone stared at Sota''s face in shock as countless bluish-ck streaks of haphazard lines popped out of his face, mainly covering his forehead, cheeks and eyes.

    At this point, they truly felt that something might be wrong with their boy.

    Not just them, but everyone else within the room.

    And within this moment, all their breaths felt trapped in horror.

    ... Young Master?...

    "Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!"

    ~Brrmmmmmm~

    Sota trembled, turned, flinched and shook nonstop, with every fibre of his body going into shock.

    His hands, fingers, toes and even his neck kept twitching as if something within him was trying to fit into his body.

    His eyes were still kept wide open but slowly turned a pale yellowish colour as seconds passed by.

    Seeing his transformation, Raulin and Zhulyn wanted to step back but were held in ce by Butler Sheng: "Trust the master. This is nothing for him."

    ~Gulp.

    The duo looked at each other and nodded before trying to stay strong yet again.

    One should know that apart from Butler Sheng, Dorian and themselves, the rest were further away, keeping a wide enough open space around.

    So one could say that they had front-row seats to the show.

    But the fact that they didn''t know what the show was about earlier on had caused them to receive the greatest shocks of their lives.

    Butler Sheng looked at the duo and understood their thoughts.

    Justst night, he too was so scared that he and the rest literally begged Master Dorian to stay close to them.

    But somehow, all through the night after battling with more dangerous and mouth-puking demons, what he saw there was nothing.

    So he wasn''t that scared.

    Moreover, he had absolute trust in Dorian and the talisman papers.

    But what surprised him was that today, the Master didn''t use papers but used carved coins with a few symbols on them instead.

    Additionally, he didn''t know what the candles were for or why they got so much salt.

    But all this was part of his training, so he knew that sooner orter... he would understand it all.

    Everyone was deep in their own thoughts while watching Dorian whisper a few words across Sota''s body.

    And as he chanted his words, the Candles flickered, and a strong gust of wind stormed the room, causing the chandeliers to shake uncontrobly.

    Instantly, the temperature in the room dropped, and the dogs started barking again, causing Windock and everyone else''s hair to stand erect.

    So that night when the dogs barked... could it be?

    .

    ~Whooohhhh~~

    ~Ting. Ting. Ting.~

    The sounds of the world and the chandeliers echoed out across the now cold room for a while until they finally slowed down their pace, matching it with Sota''s rhythm.

    That''s right.

    As Sota''s shaking lessened, the lines on his face slowly faded away too.

    And now, the wind finally stopped.

    ~Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.~

    The massive clock on the wall only made the tension in the air grow more as everyone looked at Sota curiously.

    And when they finally saw him open his eyes again, Ghu Dwo and Elvida were ecstatic, as tears pictured out of Elvida''s eyes again.

    Their boy was back to normal.

    Seeing him like this, the guards also felt d.

    Very quickly, Sota turned his head and smiled weakly at his parents.

    "Mom! Dad!"

    "Son! Son! How are you feeling?"

    Elvida said while rushing towards him in joy, making everyone else smile.

    But suddenly, Dorian appeared next to her, stopping her altogether.<sub> </sub>

    At this point, everyone else was confused... even Elvida.

    "Why? Why are you stopping me? Can''t you hear how weak his voice is? He needs me!" Her voice bellowed out in rage, covering the entire room.

    Dorian looked at her calmly before turning to look at Sota again: "He''s not your son."

    What?

    Everyone''s mind turned grim.

    And instantly, Windock retrieved Elvida.

    He had gotten the feeling that it might be too easy. And sure enough, he was right.

    This wasn''t the Young Master!

    Ghu Dwo, Leiji and a few others also had the same hunch as well.

    But Elvida was still convinced that it was her son.

    .

    "You lie! You lie! He... He... He..."

    She cursed and broke down even more while being restrained by Windock.

    And before she could finish her words, Dorian chanted a few words that made the bluish-ck lines appear again.

    But this time, even though his eyes were yellow, his skin was still pearly white... except for the streaks on them.

    Seeing this, Elvida suddenly paused, and everyone else felt their heartbeats race again when they heard this Sota speak while smiling mysteriously.

    As he spoke, he only sat up because his lower body had been pinned with the coins.

    His voice was the same as Sota''s but gave everyone the sensation of spiders crawling around them instead.

    Now, they all had goosebumps.

    The wind picked up again.

    And the culprit for their difort just sat there with an unnatural expression on his face while staring at them mysteriously.

    "Mother... Why are you backing away from me?

    Don''t you want me anymore?

    Come one... tell me to blow the candles out!"

    Everyone felt their heads pending as they looked between the candles and Sota in horror.

    Elvida felt her throat tighten: "No... You''re not my son."

    "Not your son?

    Hahahahha!" Sota''s voice then changed into a deeper and more frightening one.

    And at this moment, everyone was fully convinced of one thing.

    Ghosts were real!

    .

    "Hahahahahaha!"

    Sota''s eerie deep voice caused them all to quiver even deeper as the cold air in the room seethed into their bones.

    And instantly, the candles flicked once more.

    But no one was focused on this.

    No! They were looking at the thing before them in horror.

    "Hahahhaha!

    You''re right. I''m not your son!

    But I do have possession of him!

    So free me now if you still want him!"

    What?

    Elvida''s whole world crumbled.

    And when Sota saw this, he smiled even more.

    "Quickly! If you want to see your son again, Do it! Blow the candles away!"

    "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

    Elvida pushed the distracted Windock and made her way to the candles.

    "Elvida, no!!"

    Ghu Dwo''s voice echoed out, but Elvida gritted ger teeth and continued on.

    For her son, she would blow them away!

    But her actions only made Sota''s yellowish eyes blow even more.

    ''Do it! Do it! Free me!''

 Chapter 40 The Freed Sota

    ~Plop.

    Elvida fell on bended knees and leaned to the side as if trying to blow as many candles as she could in one sweeping motion.

    And at this moment, time seemed frozen in ce, with everyone having horrified expressions on their faces.

    "Don''t do it, Madam!"

    "Elvida, No!!"

    Everyone watched in horror as she began sucking in air onto her cheeks, ready to make her move.

    And the evil Sota beside her only smiled maniacally: "That''s it. Blow them away. Do it, Mom! Do It!"

    Elvida nodded hard, causing their chests to tighten.

    Deep down, they knew this was it.

    That''s right.

    She had doomed them all!!... or so they thought.

    ~Wheewhh!

    Elvida blew hard, but something blizzard happened.

    ~Vuum!

    A thin pink line appeared, connecting all candles with one another, creating a pink circle too.

    Everyone''s eyes opened wide with curiosity.

    What was this?

    Dorian calmly looked at the anxious Elvida coldly: "Madam, I advise you not to disrupt my work again, or I will leave the patient like so!"

    "Yes! Yes! Yes! Sorry for that, Young Master Tian. She won''t disrupt you anymore." Ghu Dwo said hastily before turning to Leiji and Windock: "You 2 bring her back!"

    "Yes!" The 2 answered in unison before hauling the eager Elvida back.

    Why? Why? Why?

    She had already blown the candles away, so why wouldn''t they go off?

    Elvida was distressed... especially seeing the evil Sota keep smiling at her as if saying she had failed, so she should be ready for the consequences.

    As for why the candles hadn''t gone off, as a safety precaution in this world where people were so easily terrified, Dorian had ced talisman coins within all candles.

    Using them, he could control the space within the circle as much as he pleased.

    With Elvida finally, he calmly looked at the evil Sota for a bit: ''It looks like all the evil aura in his body has finally concentrated around the exit channels. Good.''

    .

    Dorian stepped into the circle for the first time, and everyone''s heart skipped a beat.

    Did he actually intend to face the evil Sota so close?

    They smacked their lips and watched with transfixed horror, unable to look away no matter what.

    In their mind''s the young master Tian was crazy to get so close!

    ? And apparently, the evil Sota felt the same too.

    His cat-like yellowish eyes now curved upwards yfully, not taking Dorian seriously at all.

    "Hahahhahaha! I''ve been killing for 300 years, and you''re the first exorcist that I''ve seen in this world.

    And even with that, you''re nothing but a weak fly who doesn''t know the height of the world. So do you think you can really exorcise me? Heh. I advise you to save your breath, or you''ll be my next target!"

    With that, the evil Sato cruelly stretched his hands towards Dorian but was already subdued before he could even blink.

    "Noisy"

    ~Thap. Thap. Thap.~

    In a sh, Dorian quickly pinned his hands using smaller coins before pping arge medallion-like coin on his face.

    And instantly, Sota screamed.

    "Ahhhhh!!!!~~"

    Everyone covered their ears in pain as it sounded like a thousand hawks screaming right in their eardrums.

    The eerie sound was too ear-burning that some had to go on the knees with their hands over their ears in pain.

    And as the coin stayed on Sota''s face, they watched as literal steam seemed to evaporate from Sota''s face inrge quantities as if his face was a sauna.

    The steam made a loud sizzling sound that sounded dreadful to the ears.

    It all seemed too magical.<sub> </sub>

    They watched as he once again trembled and twitched uncontrobly with his hair standing erect as if he were upside down.

    Then, the winds came once more, and the chandeliers moved even harder than they did before.

    But that wasn''t all.

    This time, even couches and vases were falling, as if they were just experiencing an earthquake, making their feet wobbly.

    I''ll go! What sort of strong creature did the young master bring from the cemetery?

    And more importantly, could this young Master Tian deal with it?

    At this moment, they wanted to say prayers to whatever God existed out there.

    But in this world, over 98% of people were atheists.

    And even those that aimed to believe in religion were either killed,ter called frauds and so on.

    So now, they didn''t know what Gods to believe in at all!

    ''Help!... We seem to be attacked by strange forces. What do we do? Waiting for the answers from the heavens.''

    .

    ~Ting! Ting! Ting!

    ~Crash!~

    The couches, vases, and everything else was either shaking, rolling or falling nonstop; the more evil Sota screamed and cursed, releasing his terrifying deep voice.

    Evil Sota was pissed!

    "Damn you, exorcist! How dare you! How dare you disrupt my ns?

    This body is mine!!!!!!"

    Evil Sota screamed unwillingly.

    And right before everyone''s eyes, he suddenly opened his mouth wide, letting out a thick never-ending cloud of ck smoke.

    "Ahhhhhhhhh~~~"

    Everyone watched as the smoke left his mouth and hovered above the air within therge circle.

    And when all was let out, Sota''s body fell backwards, and the earthquake phenomenon stopped.

    ~Gulp.

    Everyone swallowed hard as their breathing elerated.

    W-w-was it all over now?

    Seeing Dorian carry Sota and ce him out of the circle before nodding, everyone smiled.

    But the most amazing thing was seeing Sota open his eyes in confusion.

    "Mom, Dad, Everyone... What is going on? Wasn''t I lying down? So howe I''m now seated here? Eh? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

    Everyone looked deeply at Sota as if trying to ensure that that thing wasn''t deceiving them again.

    Yes. Even with Dorian''s confirmation, they still had to make sure.

    So they looked at him so deeply as if trying to bore a hole through him.

    Again, Butler Sheng nodded to them once more, and they couldn''t help smiling and cheering.

    Hah... Hahahahha!

    "The young master is back!"

    "Hahahaha! Young Master, you must never be willful again!"

    "Young Master, wee back!"

    Eh?

    Sota looked at them in confusion.

    Did he go somewhere just now? Weren''t they all in this room? So what the hell was going on here?

    Elvida and Ghu Dwo, who saw that their son had returned to normal and even looked healthier than the previous pale expression this morning... had no words to express their joy.

    Elvida cried while Ghu Dwo rubbed his boy''s hair lovingly.

    And at this moment, many thought it was all over.

    But Windock, who nced at Dorian, saw him looking at the dark cloud and had a bad hunch.

    This wasn''t the end... Was it

 Chapter 41 Weaknesses & Strengths

    This wasn''t the end... Was it...

    "Hyaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!~~"

    The deep, gruesome voice echoed throughout the room, like thunder, growling murderously.

    What??!!!

    Everyone opened their eyes wide in horror as they watched the dark cloud hovering above turn into something unspeakable.

    This... How, When, It... Oh, no!....

    At this moment, everyone was looking around for hiding space.

    They looked at the ground, wishing to bore right through it as their bodies quivered in shock and fear.

    Even Ghu and his family on the couch didn''t know when, but they found themselves behind it in a blink of an eye.

    For some of the weaker or newer guards who saw this scene, hot wet fluid dribbled down their legs, as they honestly wanted to rush for the door right now.

    Earlier on, even though they had been shocked by Sota''s situation, they hadn''t seen the so-called ghost yet.

    But now, seeing the dark cloud change its appearance bit by bit, forming into the ugliest and mouth-puking appearance ever, they felt wanted to faint altogether.

    ~Blugh!

    Sota, Elvida and a few others couldn''t take it anymore.

    F***! How could something be so ugly?

    Sota was the one most disgusted amongst everyone.

    So this thing was in him all this time?

    He shuddered and secretly swore that after this, he would pour an entire tube of toothpaste and mouthwash in his mouth for an entire month just to cleanse himself.

    Even Elvida was wondering if she would ever peck her son after this.

    Her heart was telling her yes. But her mind and body were like... NO!!!!!

    At least, not until he was thoroughly cleansed!

    .

    As for Ghu Dwo, Windock and Leiji, their entire bodies stood rooted on the spot, as they now realized how deadly and dangerous this world truly was.

    It was like they had been newly born calves.

    And in all honesty, it took every fibre of their being for them not to throw up or faint too.

    The cold refrigerated-like air seeped into their bones, causing fear and panic to weave themselves into their bodies.

    And in no more than a second, they too felt their legs turn into water, just like everyone else''s in this room.

    Raulin and Zhulyn stood behind Butler Sheng, shaking so much that they subconsciously made Butler Sheng shake too.

    F***!

    They were directly before the thing, alright?

    So how would they not fear?

    They looked at the calm Dorian and Butler Sheng and truly wanted to ask if their bodies and hearts were made of stone.

    Hello? Why aren''t you scared here?

    Don''t you see what we see? Or could it be that beauty was truly in the eyes of the beholder?

    Butler Sheng, who had fought demons uglier than thisst night face to face, was also appalled but not too fearful.

    He touched his right chest pockets as if assuring himself of something.

    Yes. With this always by his side, he felt more secure.

    Everyone was in a state of horror while watching the ck smoke take form.

    And as expected, the final form was 50 times more terrifying than what they had seen so far, causing several others to faint.

    ~Plop. Plop.~

    This was the true form of the Hybrid Water Ghost!

    .

    "Hyah-hah-hah-hahaha!!!!~~"

    Itughed murderously, staring at Dorian coldly: "Exorcist. You may have seeded in damaging me a bit, but don''t even think that you will be able to defeat me!"

    Dorian looked at it calmly: "Last chance. Give up."

    Instantly, the room became even colder as the evil ghostughed angrily: "Hehehehehehe... Exorcist, you dare look down on me?... Good. Good. Then I can only show you my might!"

    ~Woosh!

    Its dark shadowy figure dashed downwards towards Dorian, stretching its long, thin, bony hands and bails towards him.

    That''s right.

    It was a hybrid Ghost!

    A mix of both demons and ghosts.

    So it inherited some distinct features found in demons too.

    It smiled cruelly: ''Exorcist! You should know that water is my strength. And whenever there is water, you are bound to lose. Even your blood is made of water! After I smell and find an entry point on that body of yours, I will suck you dry!!''<sub> </sub>

    ~Swish!

    Dorian dashed to the side, avoiding the creature''s ws.

    But the creature wasn''t one to give up either.

    ~Swish! Swish! Swish!~

    Its attacks free stronger and stronger, shing and extending his hands everywhere.

    "Die! Exorcist! Die!"

    Everyone watched the shadowy battle in shock, as they almost couldn''t see anything.

    That''s right. Dorian and the creature were so fast that it took all their concentration to see just a few of their actions and moves.

    Dorian jumped, slid, and did all sorts of maneuvers, dodging all the attacks.

    They were so shocked and awed that they had to give Dorian another eye of scrutiny again.

    But if they were impressed with just these moves, then Dorian''s following actions had made them his fans.

    .

    ~Swish!

    The Evil ghost stepped back and paused arrogantly.

    At the same time, Dorian stood calmly on the other side of the wide circle, lookingzy as ever.

    Not even a single drop of sweat had formed on him, making the water ghost a little bit annoyed.

    Yes. With its strength, it just needed arge enough bead of sweat to prate Dorian''s pores.

    But this bastard''s heartbeat hadn''t even raced up.

    So how was he supposed to form sweat?

    Nheless, it wasn''t discouraged at all.

    Humans all had tolerance and stamina issues.

    So give it time, and he didn''t believe that this bastard wouldn''t sweat!

    Hey... Maybe he should try stimting him?

    Thinking like this, the evil ghost smiled through his nted mouth, revealing a very disturbing image to all.

    "Heh!...Bold Exorcist! If all you can do is dodge, then you will never be able to defeat me.

    You are weak and worthless. Soe. Just ept your faith!" It said, expecting Dorian tosh out and say things like: "Never!"

    But say, the script didn''t y out as he thought.

    And Dorian only snapped his fingers, and a paper appeared in his hands.

    Magic trick?

    Everyone looked at Dorian in confusion.

    What would this paper do?

    Dorian looked at the evil ghost calmly before revealing a very yful yet mysterious smile on his face: "Pray tell. Who said I''ve only been dodging this whole time?"

    The evil ghost''s expression turned grim.

    But before he could fully understand what was going on, Dorian made his move.

    ~Druhhhh!

    Right before everyone''s eyes, the paper in Dorian''s hands glowed bright golden.

    And when Dorian moved his right hand from his chest outwards, a giant transparent golden Hammer appeared.

    ~Thung!

    Everyone''s eyes popped out of their sockets in reverence.

    I''ll go! You can do this?

    (��0��)

    ~Brrummmm!

    "Sacred Heavenly Fire, Glow Bright!"

    Bam!

    On the hybrid''s body, it then realized that some papers had also been ced on it.

    And now, they were glowing brightly as the sun.

    That''s right. Its strength is water, hence the name Hybrid Water Ghost.

    But what happens when one ces water by fire?

    Dorian waved his giant hammer around yfully, as the hybrid ghost had now been pinned in ce mid-air.

    He smiled cruelly.

    Well, he did try to be nice, didn''t he?

 Chapter 42 Payment Time!

    Dorian spun his giant hammer wickedly while slowly advancing towards his target.

    And thus began a very disturbing sight for those who watched.

    ~Bam!

    "Damn, you exorcist! You think this will deter me? Not a..."

    ~Bam!

    "Ahhhhhhh!!!!... How dare you?"

    ~Boom! Bam. Boom!

    "Stop! Stop! At least let me finish talk..."

    ~Bam.

    "You!...."

    ~Bam. Bam.

    "Stop! Stop! Stop!... I said..."

    ~ Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam!

    ...

    ? Blink. Blink.

    Everyone watched this scene with unfathomable expressions on their faces.

    No... They were just speechless.

    Something that had made many faint from sight alone was now being beaten to a pulp by this young Master Tian.

    So how could they not be shocked?

    At first, listening to the creature''s words, they thought things might getplicated, and Dorian might not even win.

    But who would''ve known that his victory would be so... eye-catching?

    ~Bam. Bam. Bam.

    Dorian hammered the several seals on its body as if hammering nails.

    And whenever it spoke, he would hammer its mouth as well.

    Noisy.

    "Ahhhhhhh!!!"

    The hybrid felt its entire insides burning nonstop as the heavenly mes quickly engulfed it from within.

    The mes seemed to growrger within the hybrid as its body started swelling like a balloon.

    "No! No! Stop! Stop! you bastard!" It eximed in fear and pain as golden rays of light shot out of its chests, hands, mouth and entire body.

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

    It screamed and cursed before finally exploding into thousands of water droplets that sprinkled down like ck rain.

    But what shocked many was that before the dark rain hit the ground, it turned golden and faded into thin air.

    Everyone cautiously looked around, not sure whether this was the end or not.

    Who knew it the bastard thing would sneak somewhere else in this room?

    .

    "Butler Sheng! Raulin! Zhulyn!"

    "Yes, Master!" All 3 answered with respect and awe as they watched Dorian float down lightly.

    After watching the battle, Raulin and Zhulyn realized just how powerful their master was.

    But more importantly, they also realized that they,bined with several others, might not even be able to leave a scratch on their Master if battling against him.

    Very quickly, they guessed that this must''ve been what Butler Sheng, Bewoh and Haru had been doing that allowed them to grow overnight.

    Yes. They were still very much afraid.

    But they also knew that this might be because they were unskilled.

    Even after everything, they still wanted to join the Tian family.

    Someone could say they were crazy.

    But to them, there was always another side of the coin.

    What if after they left, they met other demons, spirits or any evil things and couldn''t get Dorian''s help because he was busy or out.

    Then what do they do then?

    They would just have to die and be devoured, right?

    Additionally, what if the moment the creature wanted to reveal itself to them was the moment when it decided to kill them?

    Now, they didn''t even know if most strange out of nowhere diseases were the cause of monsters or just health.

    In fact, the issue was that they knew nothing.

    And when one knows nothing, they can''t protect themselves or avoid troubles.

    Thus, apart from their loyalty to the Tian household, those were just a few more of their reasons for staying.

    They also wanted to be strong enough to protect themselves, their team and the Tain household.

    Like so, the duo looked at Dorian in determination while waiting for his orders.

    .

    Dorian looked at them and chuckled.

    Smart...

    "Butler Sheng! Raulin! Zhulyn!

    Our work here isn''t done. We still have five more people to cleanse. And you three will handle them."

    ~Thap. Thap. Thap~

    Dorian quickly three several papers at them before voicing words that only they could hear.

    Everyone watched them silently in confusion.

    At first, they could hear them. But suddenly, it all went quiet.

    Of course, everyone found it strange that it went quiet.

    But they seemed to have forgotten that in the first ce, for everyone to hear what everyone else was saying in thisrge room was already an abnormal feat.

    With such a grand hall, people shouldn''t be able to hear each other from that far away or even right at the back without yelling.

    So now that Dorian was talking directly with his men, everyone else far away couldn''t hear a single thing.

    But when Dorian''s group was done, they seemed to be able to hear again.

    So, they must be using magic, right?<sub> </sub>

    .

    Very quickly, Dorian and the rest stepped closer to Sota''s gang before settling their sights at Windock, Leiji, Ghu Dwo, Elvida and another close guard.

    And when they saw him, their expression turned anxious.

    "Grandmaster Tian... What''s wrong?"

    Dorian ced his hands on his chin and looked at them deeply.

    "You 5... roll up your sleeves and ce your hands forward."

    Instantly, they did it without even wasting time.

    Even Windock was fast as well.

    Dorian then tapped their hands, revealing an unspeakable sight that caused them all to be petrified.

    W-w-was that a face?

    Those who saw this once again felt like puking.

    Such a thing can really make one want to cut their arms off.

    Beads of cold sweat formed on Ghu Dwo''s forehead as he looked at his arms in horror.

    He was so terrified that his legs couldn''t stop shaking.

    Those watching would never understand how it felt to see such a thing on your own hand.

    His eyes darted maniacally as he really freaked out.

    It wasn''t just him, but the rest too... Elvida was just the worst.

    "Get it off! Get it off!... Ugh... My eyes are bleeding from seeing it. Please, can you get it off?"

    She felt like from this day forth, she would never look at her hand the same again.

    Ugly.

    .

    Dorian looked at their hands silently.

    As expected, they had been marked... meaning after the hybrid devoured Sota, it nned to jump to its next marked targets within the same household.

    And like so, it nned to finish them all.

    Of course, with the hybrid dead, the marking''s use was no more.

    But, it still wouldn''t fade just yet... at least until a few months.

    But that was the thing.

    During this time, such markings without an owner were just like dangling prey to fish on a hook.

    More Water ghosts would want to step in and rece the dead one.

    So he had to destroy it all now.

    Dorian looked at his men and gestured for them to begin.

    For marks like these, a few me talismans would take care of them.

    So he allowed them to deal with such minor things.

    Raulin and Zhulyn ced their papers on their victims'' hands and watched it glow bright golden.

    Steam poured out as well, and their hands began red, as if sunburned.

    And soon, the mark started fading and fading until the talisman papers no longer glowed again.

    Everyone swallowed hard.

    So... it was done?

    (��_��)

    Dorian nodded, and all five felt alive again.

    "Thank you, Grandmaster!"

    "Thank you, Grandmaster!"

    With warm smiles of gratitude, everyone was genuinely thankful.

    Hell. That thing would''ve definitelye for them too, after some time.

    So they had just escaped death!

    .

    Dorian waved his hands calmly before looking at the bags of salt already opened.

    He opened them for these 5, as well as Sota.

    That''s right.

    They had to fill bathtubs with water and 3 cups of the salt he just enchanted words on.

    It should be done in the daytime and never at night.

    "Sota will have to steep in salted water 5 hours a day for a month and a half.

    As for the rest of you previously marked, you''ll only stay an hour in the tubs. And you''ll do this for 3 days.

    As for the rest of the salt, pour the contents around all fountains and open water spaces in the estate.

    And in the morning, the salt will disappear, meaning you need to replenish it every morning for the next month."

    "Yes, Grandmaster Tian." Ghu Dwo, Windock and the rest answered while taking note of every little instruction.

    Who knew that their home was so infested with evil?

    .

    Like so, Dorian gave his instructions like a doctor talking to a patient.

    And Butler Sheng was writing his words as subscriptions for the clients too.

    Dorian looked at them and suddenly smiled.

    Well, it was payment time.

    And this time, the money he fairly racked up was close to what he wanted.

    That''s right.

    He needednd.

    But not just anynd.

    No... Dorian wanted an ind!

    The Academy had to be on an ind!

 Chapter 43 An Exorcists Oath

    Dorianzily sat before snapping his fingers again.

    ~Snap.

    Two other books left the open wooden box, with one flying towards his men and the other flying towards him.

    Good.

    With that, the books all opened wide to the pages Dorian wanted them to be.

    And as he spoke and prices, costs and why they were charged, the books in the trio''s hands flipped from page to page as well.

    Firstly, the Hybrid ghost he fought against was a ss 2 one.

    With Ghosts, they were ranked from ss 1 to ss 9, before reaching The Breeding ss and finally, the deadliest of all, the Humongous ss.

    But, one should know that ghosts were weaker than Halos, Ghouls, hell hounds and all the other demonic and evil entities.

    Thus, the highest ghost level was nothingpared to how deadly other underworld creatures could be.

    And this ranking was only for Ghosts.

    Ghosts were the only forms with different danger-ranking systems.

    The other underworld creatures followed a different one.

    That said, for a ss 2 Hybrid Ghost, there was a standard fee.

    Following that, Dorian charged for every talisman he used today... including the ones he used in making the numerous bags of salt sacred.

    The use of spell energy, and even the clearing of the seals and markings, all went into the cost.

    One should know that Dorian''s strength wasn''t at his peak, and in truth, he had used a lot of strength to deal with this hybrid ghost.

    The thing was that he hadn''t fully recovered his strength fromst night''s event.

    And he nned to use an entire day or so to prepare himself.

    But this morning, he was already brought in when he was still in his recovery time.

    So he had just barely been able to make it.

    ''Looks like I''ll have to increase my strength fast.'' he thought while stilling up with the price list.

    In all fairness, cultivation was expensive, and the energy used up alone, as well as the materials he would need to get himself back on track, were indeed pricey... like the two-hundred-year-old ginseng and so on.

    As for the candles used today, the Ghu household wouldn''t pay for the entire thing since not all the wax had melted.

    No... they were just paying a standard service fee per candle used today.

    .

    Back in this world, scamming or overcharging was near impossible.

    Why?

    Because before one became an exorcist, they had to take a heavenly oath to be fair and just, or they would get killed by the heavens.

    Now, they were drawing powers from above to fight evil.

    So if they took the powers from above to do evil instead, the heavens were always watching.

    And because of the oath, they could get stuck by lightning and die in an instant.

    Of course, this was only the case if they took the oath.

    This was why many organizations in his former world had people take the oath to be fair, just, never collude with the underworld creatures or do bad.

    But, as one would know, there were still rogue exorcists that refused to enter the academies but chose to find ways of stealing exorcist materials instead.<sub> </sub>

    Yes. They wanted to learn and maybe even overpriced people and get rich without worrying about any immediate heavenly punishments.

    Some of them also turned into evil cultivators, doing evil things for wealthy clients too.

    Some even refined other innocent lives just to extend theirs too.

    But what they didn''t understand was that even though they wouldn''t be punished immediately... the heavens were always watching.

    And it might take 2 to even 10 years for their uppings toe.

    But when the heavens struck, it was fiercer than when taking the oath.

    One could get dragged to hell to take on the punishment for millions of years before getting a chance for rebirth.

    And even when reborn, they might not be humans again but caterpirs, chickens or something else.

    They had lost their right to be humans.

    And only after suffering several more lives as prey, would they get the chance to be humans again.

    But even at that, they might still get sent to an awful world where they would like terrible lives.

    The punishment for an evil exorcist was Harsh!

    Thus, it was better to take the oath to constantly remind oneself to stay on the right path.

    Provided one didn''t use the powers of the heavens for evil, then things were good.

    Of course, mortal strengths like brain power, winning arguments, and self-defence weren''t technically okay... So one would just be punished by the heavens as any regr mortal would.

    It wouldn''t be as harsh as being punished as an evil exorcist.

    .

    Very fast, Dorian waved his hands, and words began forming on a paper.

    He fairly priced and tallied everything up before flicking the paper to Ghu Dwo.

    "Here... My price."

    Ghu Dwo looked at the price and didn''t think much of it.

    6 Million!

    For all he saw today, he even felt like it was a little cheaper than he was expecting.

    But what he didn''t know was that if Dorian were stronger, then the price might''ve been way less costly as well.

    Today''s event had also taken a toll on Dorian.

    Ghu Dwo looked at the price and felt it was just alright.

    His wife spent such amounts on bags and clothes alone.

    So what more of this?

    He even decided to add an extra 4 million as a gift of gratitude, rounding it up to 10 Million.

    This gift was also there to establish a friendship with Dorian.

    This way, if they needed his help again, he would willinglye over, right?

    As a businessman, Ghu Dwo felt like this was a move that he needed to make.

    Dorian looked at them and smiled.

    Good. Easy clients, easy payment.

 Chapter 44 The Little Girl

    Looking at the price, Ghu Dwo had no qualms whatsoever.

    "Grandmaster Tian, say no more. I''ll have my ount transfer the money now."

    With that, he took out his phone and called his ountant.

    Butler Sheng also stepped forward to provide the information for the transfer too.

    Good.

    Once everything was finalized, Ghu Dwo quickly thought of something else that was also critical too.

    "Erm... Grandmaster Tian... Is there a better way we can reach you?"

    Click.

    Everyone''s thinking bulbs turned on.

    Yeah. Is there a better way to reach him?

    Sota was the first to react.

    "Grandmaster... I, I, I still have you on QQ chat... So can we contact you through there?"

    Dorian thought about it more before nodding: "Hmmm... You can."

    "Great! Thank you, Grandmaster." Sota said excitedly before looking at his family proudly with his nose sticking heavenwards.

    ''Hmph!

    I have the Grandmaster''s QQ ount.

    Do you?''

    (-_-)

    Brat!

    Ghu Dwo looked at his son and almost shoved the idiot with his shoe.

    Did this fool forget that he only kept the Grandmaster QQ earlier on to keep his ''enemy'' closer?

    Windock and everyone else smiled when they saw the interaction between the duo.

    Yes. Things were now back to normal... to an extent.

    Because Sota''s next move caused them to go into shock.

    ~Plop.

    "Grandmaster... I... I want to be your disciple."

    ....

    Silence.

    Everyone blinked and opened their mouths in shock.

    "Sota... what are you doing?" Elvida and Ghu Dwo were the first to react.

    Their son had juste out from the hands of that thing. And now, he was running back into the fire again?

    Their hearts panicked as they watched him kneel before Dorian.

    "Son, quit ying and stand up now!"

    Sota looked at them and shook his head: "No! I''m not ying. I have my reasons! I want to be the Grandmaster''s disciple." Sota said before clenching his fists hard.

    Dorian raised his brow at the unexpected turn of events.

    ''Host. Host... This is a good thing. The more people you gather, the more allies we have to fight in our cause.''

    Dorian revealed a slight smile on his face: ''Yes... It would...''

    ''Ah?... Host... So you agree too? This is the first time the host is being nice to...''

    ''Shut it. I''m thinking.''

    ''...(:T^T:)...''

    Why was its host always so fierce?

    What wrong did it do in this cosmic world to get saddled with its host?

    But... But... This should be considered progress, right?

    Yes... it was better than the times when the host didn''t even let him say 3 words.

    So this time... the host actually allowed him to talk this long.

    That means that their rtionship was getting better!

    .

    With that, the system''s mood happily picked up again.

    Sota knelt in silence, feeling like he was drawing in anxiety the more Dorian stared at him.

    His body started trembling, and he really felt the weight of Wait.

    It was like waiting for one''s final year results toe out.

    Of course, everyone else turned silent too.

    ~Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.~

    Silence filled the room as time seemed frozen in ce with just the constant beatings of the grand clock.

    The air was heavy and filled with anxiety.

    Yes.

    The wait was killing them all.

    And Dorian, the protagonist, was still deep in thought while staring at the young man before him.

    "Sota."

    "Yes, Grandmaster!!" Sota responded loudly with a hint of fear in his voice.

    "Are you sure of your choice?"

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    "Alright. I can ept you... But not as a disciple.

    So, Sota... Are you still willing?"

    Sota thought for a while before nodding: "Yes, Grandmaster. I am!"

    "Good!" Dorian nodded.

    Right now, he was still too weak and too busy to take in any disciples.

    "First, diligently cleanse yourself with salt baths. And by the time your treatment is done, I will ept you into my Academy."

    Eh?

    Everyone looked at Dorian in confusion.

    Academy?<sub> </sub>

    .

    Everyone watched Dorian leave, with different thoughts in their minds.

    The first person to arise from their stupor was Windock.

    "Please, Grandmaster. Let us escort you out of the premises."

    Dorian shook his head in denial: "No... it''s alright."

    Windock''s lips thinned before finally nodding and talking into his Walkie Talkie: "Allow Grandmaster Tian to leave the escort without any hitch. If anyone bothers him, they will have to answer to me, understand?!!"

    "Yes, Boss." Replied those around the various gates and stations scattered around the estate.

    They didn''t know or understand why the Boss suddenly had a change of heart.

    But they dared not neglect his orders.

    How strange.

    Well, even though Dorian didn''t want to be escorted out, he couldn''t prevent everyone from walking him to the building''s front entrance.

    Butler Sheng opened the vehicle door for him while the other 2 sat in front, ready to drive away from the estate.

    Sota and everyone else watched them leave, with different emotions in their minds.

    Today was an unforgettable day!

    At the same time, Dorian''sst words also echoed in Sota and Ghu Dwo''s minds.

    So, he was going for the Mavil auction tomorrow evening?

    Good. Then they too would go!

    .

    Ghu Dwo looked at his determined son silently: "Sota. I know and understand your reasons for learning. And that''s why I will approve of your choice. The future may be an uncertain field now. So make sure you learn under Grandmaster Tian diligently."

    Sota nodded deeply: "I know, dad."

    Ghu Dwo smiled: "Good boy. I will send you to that academy with a few others. Our Ghu family will not be left behind!"

    "Hmmm..." With that, both father and son had a heart-to-heart talk, while mother Elvida was still in tears at the back.

    But she knew that she couldn''t do much to stop their decision.

    Her son would be joining the Academy.

    ~Vrrmmmmmm!

    Dorian''s vehicle finally left the estate and headed straight for a well-renowned medical Center.

    That''s right.

    It was time to purchase or find any spiritual herbs around.

    He nned to do a few more things before the Auction tomorrow.

    With that, Dorian and his men were once again on the move.

    But not too far away from them, within the central park... a little child and her nanny were ying around the park merrily.

    The little girl ran around the ever-green fields, enjoying the morning air to her heart''s content.

    There were other families not too far away from her.

    But all in all, the Park wasn''t crowded at all.

    It was still 11 A.M, and the busiest time had yet toe.

    The little girl blew bubbles in the air while running around in circles.

    And her nanny calmly sat on a wooden bench, reading her favourite novel.

    The nanny was so engrossed that she didn''t even notice the little girl run into the woods behind them.

    And by the time she looked up, the girl had vanished.

    No! No! No! No!

    A wave of panic filled the nanny''s heart as she flung her book away and abruptly stood up, darting her eyes around maniacally.

    "Didi... Didi... Where are you?... Didi? DIDI!!!"

    .

    ~Swish. Swish. Swish.~

    The young girl pushed all the bushes away while chasing something she wasn''t too sure of.

    She had never seen it before, and it looked so cute to her.

    A child''s curiosity was a truly unstoppable force, as she wanted to get close to the thing at all cost.

    And by the time she realized it, she now found herself out of the bushes, looking at a sizable dark pond of water.

    Eh? Where did the thing go?

    The girl looked left and right but didn''t see anything.

    But then, she heard it again.

    This time, it came from the water.

    Hmhm.

    The water looked so pleasing and mesmerizing to her that she couldn''t resist walking into it step by step.

    And soon, she was fully submerged in the dark waters.

    But suddenly, the waters shook violently, as if there was a battle underneath.

    ~Brrrrrruhhhhh!~

    Something was happening underneath as countless bubbles formed at the water surface.

    The nearby squirrels looked at the scene with a strange light in their eyes, taking countless steps back.

    Like boiling water, the bubbles continuously formed around the particr spot the girl submerged into.

    And after a few more seconds, the bubbles faded.

    Then, the girl who had stayed underwater for what seemed like an eternity, finally emerged from the waters again.

    ~Tup. Tup. Tup.~

    Water dripped from her clothes as she calmly walked towards the shores.

    And this very moment, several voices echoed out from the bushes.

    "She''s here! She''s here! We found her!"

    "Oh... Didi! Why are you wet? Why aren''t you talking? Are you cold? Is that it?" The nanny quickly hugged the girl and turned to the park rangers beside her: "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

    The nanny and the park rangers continued talking, but the little girl in her Nanny''s embrace suddenly smiled mysteriously.

    Didi was okay.

 Chapter 45 A Fantasy Dream!

    ~Vrrrmmmmm!

    Dorian''s team had finally returned home after visiting the famous medicine hall in the city.

    Dorian thought about the items he bought and was a little bit down.

    The quality of things here was truly terrible!

    ''In future, The Alchemy department within the Academy will have to grow their own and search for precious ones too.'' Dorian thought while stepping out of the vehicle.

    Butler Sheng continued carrying the wooden box while Zhulyn carried the items they bought.

    As for Raulin, he quickly marked the car before entering the house as fast as he could.

    The Master said he should head to his bed chambers after he was done.

    So how would he dilly dally around?

    Raulin dashed through the corridors and ced the car key back into its storagepartment before heading to the stairs to Dorian''s bed chambers as instructed.

    And with every step he took, his heart drummed heavily, almost leaping out of his chest in one go.

    This was it, wasn''t it.

    The Master... The Master was going to tell them something important, right?

    Raulin''sshes fluttered as he tried to steady his breathing the closer he got to the bed chambers that now seemed so powerful in his mind.

    It''s not that this was his first time seeing Dorian''s bed chambers.

    But now that he understood just how powerful Dorian was and even looked at Dorian with awe when remembering the battle earlier, he felt his entire body tremble when he thought of entering the Grandmaster''s bed chambers.

    What should he do? What should he do?

    Should he kowtow several times, just like the cases in the fantasy movies?

    Or should he miss the floor and rollover?

    Dammit!

    After finding out that one''s boss was mighty, what was the correct protocol here?

    The ever imaginative Raulin had long thrown the blood diamond gangster imagination he had earlier... and now adapted the Fantasy world imagination.

    Yup!

    He had already inserted himself in some world with flying swords and countless battles daily.

    His eyes opened hard with excitement.

    Could this be the start of his fantasy world?

    (^0^)

    ....

    Raulin adjusted his sses and took a deep breath before entering the GrandMaster''s heavenly room.

    "Master... I''m here," he said while going down on one knee with his head down.

    Dorian looked at him and felt it funny.

    He felt like Zhulyn and Raulin were a funny bunch.

    "Alright. I already got a response from Zhulyn. So now, it''s your turn!"

    ~Bubuum.

    Raulin''s heart drummed loudly.

    Could this be his acknowledgement ceremony?

    Raulin''s imagination sure was rich!

    But his guess was close enough.

    He listened to Dorian diligently and nodded his head as hard as he could.

    "Master. I Am Willing. And I swear In my life that I will never betray the Tian Household!"

    "Good. From this day onwards, you will officially be a Tian member.

    Now then, Arise!"

    Raulin did as he was told: "Thank you, Master."

    With that, he stood up to join the rest standing at the side.

    All 3 now stood firmly with their chests out, waiting for Dorian''smand.

    The fact that he requested all 3 of them to be here meant that there was something else he wanted to say.

    Additionally, if it were just about joining the household, he would''ve dismissed them after he was done.

    But yet, they were still here.

    Meaning he wasn''t through with them.

    .

    Dorian nced at them with a slight smile on his face.

    "At first, I wanted to wait for you all to be gathered in one ce before introducing you all to what it is we will be doing from now on.<sub> </sub>

    But, as things stand now, I think it will be better if some of you begin your training immediately.

    From today, you will be exorcists in Training!"

    Everyone''s heart speeded up.

    Butler Sheng''s throat throbbed when he heard the strange word.

    Exorcists?

    This word wasn''t in their vocabry.

    But he recalled that the demons fromst night''s battle called Dorian an exorcist.

    And the hybrid ghosts also called him one.

    But why was it that they had never heard of this word?

    Did the demons delete the word from the dictionary?

    The more Butler Sheng knew, the more confused he was.

    Why did he feel like someone or something was controlling information in their world?

    Cold sweat trickled down his back when something shocking urred to him.

    The presidents around the world wouldn''t be demons too, right?..RIGHT?!!!!

    .

    For the first time, Butler Sheng felt like they were fighting against the world.

    He just hoped he was overthinking things.

    Or else, things would really be bad!

    Dorian, who didn''t know what Butler Sheng was thinking about, had been talking with the system this entire time.

    When he first came into this world, the system awarded him a B-grade book on various Heavenly Talismans and Formations, which is a step up from the C-grade knowledge in your previous world.

    Of course, this also meant that the world he came from was a C-grade level world.

    He got a B-grade knowledge because this world''s difficulty level was high.

    In fact, B-grade knowledge was just a novice gift.

    As far as he was concerned, this world''s difficulty exceeded all the S-world difficulties and was in a difficulty rank on its own.

    The system had given him B-grade difficulty information to improve his understanding too.

    Like he said.

    His previous world was a C-grade low difficulty, so after absorbing the B-grade book on heavenly talismans and Formations, one would find that there were more ways of handling things and more in-depth as well.

    Take for example the case with the hybrid ghost.

    Back in his world, he learnt that there were only 2 ways to exorcise a Rank 2 hybrid demon.

    But after absorbing the B-grade book by the system, he found that there were actually 5 ways of doing so.

    It was just more advanced knowledge.

    That said, Dorian still found that the B-grade knowledge was something he had always known subconsciously... even back in his previous world.

    It was as if it was rooted in his brain and had been suppressed by something... which in itself was strange.

    Well, he didn''t believe in coincidences.

    So the only way to find the truth was to grow stronger.

    That said, apart from The B-grade book, the system also awarded him a secret room in your Bed chambers, filled with Sanctified Candles.

    And today, he nned to take them into the room.

    .

    ''Host. You don''t need to worry. Like I said, anyone you perfect can enter the secret chamber, from an entry point which you can set up yourself.

    So they don''t even need to pass through their bed chambers and can also enter through other parts of your home.

    But, they would need your permission seal or something simr to a heavenly I.D to enter.''

    Dorian nodded in understanding.

    He didn''t like people going through his bedroom.

    Getting the system''s response, he then focused on Butler Sheng and the rest.

    "Today, your training will begin."

    ~Brrrmmm!!!

    Suddenly, the wall behind Dorian started changing, leaving everyone''s mouth hung wide open in shock and excitement.

    Of course, Raulin and Zhulyn were the most excited of all.

    Fantasy! Fantasy.

    This was the start of their Fantasy life!

    (^��^)

 Chapter 46 The Secret Room!

    ~Vrrrmmmmm!

    A section of Dorian''s wall cracked open in a triangr shape.

    Each part of the wall seemed toe alive as several jumps quickly stood up and jumped to the sides as if they had thoughts of their own.

    And following that, a grand light burst through the rectangr crack, causing everyone to ce their hands over their eyes subconsciously.

    The blinding lightsted for just a second before finally dimming down and showing everyone a glimpse of the grand ce beyond.

    Blink. Blink.

    Butler Sheng stood still in a daze, blinking severally, while Zhulyn trembled with his mouth wide open, almost drooling in amazement.

    As for Raulin, he couldn''t help taking off his sses in the most dramatic way possible.

    (�����)

    -Silence-

    Error...Error... Brain cannot process what it''s seeing.

    Mayday. Maybe... Brian down.

    I repeat. Brain Down!

    Like so, the trio had their brains fly away like pigs with wings because right now, their memory chip had been overloaded.

    F***! Does science actually exist anymore?

    Everyone just felt like they had been duped all their lives!

    Dorian looked at the trial and chuckled before snapping his fingers, bringing them back to reality.

    ~Snap.

    "Follow me!"

    "Yes, Grandmaster!"

    Dorian almost fell when he heard the way they called him

    Okay.

    Sota started calling him Grandmaster, and now everyone else seemed to be calling him that too.

    Hello?

    Did he look like an old man with long white beards?

    His men had switched from calling him Young Master to Master... only to upgrade it even further to GrandMaster.

    With him taking over, his father''s title was upgraded from Master to First Elder. And his mother was also an elder, but a Matriarch too.

    But now, they were already calling him Grandmaster.

    So wouldn''t this mess up the order of things?

    Dorian could only shake his head wryly.

    Sigh... This world was too strange and funny to him.

    .

    With the trio awake from their thoughts, they hastily followed behind Dorian, passing through the unbelievable doorway that had cracked open like magic.

    Even when passing through, they subconsciously touched the walls with trembling fingers to determine if it was all real.

    And what did they see?

    The walls seemed to be grumbling as they made little hissing sounds and jumped away even further, widening the crack more and more.

    They acted like the trio were disturbing their slumber.

    And maybe it was their imagination, but they could also see tiny eyes and mouths around the blocks that jumped away too.

    The trio immersed themselves in the scene, feeling that these wall chunks that had broken out like puzzle pieces were all too cute.

    Heh. Unbeknownst to them, without permission from Dorian, these wall pieces could be real monsters when activated by frauds.

    They looked gentle and harmless now.

    But sometimes, the deadliest things in the world were the ones that looked the most harmless.

    Like so, after stepping past the gateway, the clueless trio walked through a narrow hallway that had these wall puzzles along them too.

    And right ahead was a grand golden door with the full image of a fierce lion imprinted on it.

    No! They felt like this beast should be greater than a mere lion just from the aura and air they perceived the closer they got.

    Then suddenly, the lion''s head moved and aimed its focus at them, causing their hearts to skip a beat.

    Mr. Lion?...

    ~Gulp.

    Everyone couldn''t help taking a step back when facing this giant Lion head.

    One should know that the Golden Gate itself was probably what they imagined a Heavenly gate would look like.<sub> </sub>

    Right now, standing by the gate, they were like ants, as the gates towered several feet high and also spread very widely too.

    Hell! Only a giant could open these golden doors.

    And the Lion''s head on the gates way above them was probably 5 times their size, as it looked down, intimidating all who came.

    Raulin looked at Butler Sheng and felt aggrieved.

    Why was it that he and Zhulyn seemed to be the ones who were always more panicked in these sorts of situations?

    He felt like he had to work on his heart more and be tougher.

    But little did he know that Butler Sheng''s initial reaction was fear.

    It was just that his way of showing fear was to stay frozen in ce.

    That''s right.

    If he were in a scary movie and everyone broke out running, he would stay in ce and be the first to die... unless he awoke from the fear.

    .

    Bloody Hell!

    Butler Sheng''s entire toes were curling within his shoes from the beast''s gaze alone.

    And only after looking at Dorian did he finally calm down.

    Hey!

    It was normal for humans to fear something like this the first time they see it.

    But since the Grandmaster brought them here.

    Then, they should be safe.

    With that, Butler Sheng adjusted his mentality once more.

    As for the Lion, the moment it spotted Dorian, its entire persona changed into that of a happy housecat: "Wee, Master! Do you wish to enter?"

    "Hmmm..."

    "As you wish, Master!" Guardian Pandrol replied excitedly.

    The lion''s name was Pandrol. And he was the Guardian of this space with only one purpose, and that was to serve and obey Dorian''smands.

    With that, the giant gates opened, revealing an even grander Hall within.

    Everyone entered and once again felt like ants.

    The hall had empty shelves from the floor shooting far up for what seemed like an eternity.

    Looking up, they honestly didn''t know where the lights wereing from because they couldn''t see anything far above.

    So could it be that they had shrunk in size?

    The Trio walled in with Dorian, observing the magnificent sight before them.

    The ce was more like a library for the Gods!

    And as one passed every bookshelf now and then, one would see on the library sections too like Ghosts, Ghouls, Evil Beasts, etc.

    Additionally, at various intervals, one could alsoe across tables, chairs and workstations that were probably meant for them when they wanted to study.

    But apart from being a library, they could also tell that the ce must have other purposes due to some of the open rooms they saw at the side.

    Storage?

    Alchemy?

    Training Space?

    Purified Candles?

    For sure! Unlike libraries that had private study rooms, the rooms here were allocated for different purposes.

    .

    Everyone took in all they saw, following Dorian diligently.

    And soon, they reached the very front of the room.

    ~Bam!

    Everyone turned around to find that the doors in the back had suddenly closed on their own.

    And in another swift motion, they turned back only to find Dorian smiling at them mysteriously.

    Erm... Who could tell them why they had a bad feeling all of a sudden?

    "Alright. It''s time to begin your training. But don''t worry�� I''ll go easy on you for today."

    Everyone listened and suddenly felt their palms turn sweaty.

    ''Grandmaster, you say that. But your smile and your aura aren''t convincing at all!''

 Chapter 47 I Have The Power!!!!!

    Like so, Dorian and the gang spent several hours in training.

    Butler Sheng, Zhulyn and Raulin, stood in the same position for hours, with them only ever moving within the space around them, as if practicing some martial technique.

    But make no mistake.

    Their entire process hurt their bodies like hell!

    F***! What was this?

    Their bodies had turned all red like tomatoes and continuously trembled the more practice they got.

    They looked at Dorian, who hadn''t even worked up a single bead of sweat and suddenly felt aggrieved.

    You know... after a while, they were praying that he would get tired and stop on his own.

    But who would''ve known that it would be so?

    "Raulin! Straighten your back!"

    "Zhulyn! Lift Your arms higher!"

    "Butler Sheng, your leg work is weak!"

    [The trio]:.. (:YoY:)...

    They gazed at Dorian and suddenly felt like he was a trainer from Hell!

    Not even once had he taken it easy, giving no room for error.

    The trio didn''t even know what purpose this 4-step technique had... but spent so many hours doing the same time over and over again.

    And after a while, Dorian finally freed them from their misery.

    ~Bam.

    They fell onto the training ground covered in so much sweat that it seemed like they had just emerged from a pool.

    "Th... Thank you, Grandmaster.... "

    "Hmmm..." Dorian replied while looking at the trio, who were still struggling to catch their breath.

    Looking at them, he couldn''t help squeezing his brows a bit more.

    Were they so worn out when he had already taken it too easy on them?

    Remembering his first time practicing with hundreds of people back in his old world, he remembered that his first day was far worse than this.

    So their reaction had indeed shocked him a bit.

    But there was no helping it.

    This was the path they chose. And nothing in this life came easy.

    .

    Dorian had no pity for them as he calmly sat down with cross legs on the training podium, releasing his fierce aura at them.

    "Get up!"

    "Yes, Grandmaster!" The trio replied as their tired bodies instinctively moved on their own.

    And before they knew it, they were also seated the same way as Dorian, facing him quietly.

    Dorian saw this and squinted his eyes coldly: "Too slow."

    ~Gulp.

    The trio took note of this in their hearts and secretly swore to improve whatever image Dorian had of them in his heart.

    Who wouldn''t want praises from the Grandmaster?

    Wait... they had made it through the training, even though many times they had fallen and gotten up time and time again.

    Nheless, wasn''t it an aplishment that they could make it through?

    Yes! The Grandmaster must be pleased with them with such a feat.

    With that, their hearts suddenly felt a little joyous.

    Everyone then lifted their haggard face to look at Dorian, only to find Dorian coldly staring at them.

    "_"

    .

    "Today, you 3 will begin your journey as cultivators!

    As of now, you''re all trapped within a Mortal body. But with these sets of instructions I''m about to bestow on you, you''ll break through it and be stronger and stronger the more you train! Shedding the mortal body is an essential part of Exorcism." Dorian said in an authoritative voice, stirring countless emotions within the trio.

    Zhulyn''s breathing became stagnant.

    Cultivators?

    Shedding Mortal body?

    Exorcism?

    This... This...

    Words alone couldn''t describe what he was feeling at the moment.

    All he knew was that his buttocks felt like there were ants in his pants.

    Zhulyn became more and more restless while imagining his future.

    Dorian looked at them coldly, causing them to suppress their excitement once more.

    "The path to cultivation and exorcism is hard and has no ce for thezy. Doing so might not only cause one a bacsh if they remember a method wrong but might also get one killed for theirck of attention to detail as well. Remember this when you train."

    Instantly, everyone''s expression turned grim: "Yes, Grandmaster."<sub> </sub>

    "Good. Before we begin training, every one of you will take an oath."

    The trio tilted their heads to the side in confusion.

    An oath?

    Dorian looked at them and secretly chuckled.

    An exorcist''s oath was essential.

    So of course they would have to swear to the heavens to remain on the side of Good.

    .

    Everyone calmly understood what this oath was all about before repeating after Dorian and making the grand oath to the heavens.

    For sure, if demons existed, then didn''t that mean that the heavens were also watching as well?

    Didn''t this mean that Angels also existed?

    From what they just gathered now, they couldn''t help shivering a bit when they heard the brief but gruesome punishment that the heavens bestowed on those who went bad.

    Dorian hadn''t even told them the full punishment and had only gone into it briefly.

    But it caused everyone to feel dreadful!

    Could it be that the real gangsters were those from the heavens?

    The punishment mightete, but it was very extreme!

    Knowing this, the trio made up their minds to never take the wrong path.

    The system, who had been watching them take their oath-taking, could see countless streaks of heavenly light engulf them, meaning that their oath was being listened to.

    Heh. They say the most dangerous things in this world were oaths.

    And that was true.

    Any false move and they would then be going against the heavens.

    As cultivators, they would live for hundreds of years.

    And even though they were faithful now, one didn''t know if after 150 years, their egos and thoughts might''ve changed.

    Humans were a very changeable bunch, always prone to temptation.

    But hopefully, that would never be the case for the trio, or else their fate would be terrible!

    .

    With that, Dorian began instructing them how to cultivate.

    The qi within the space was the same qi around the estate.

    Dorian had spent timest night putting up a qi-gathering formation around the house.

    So even though the qi was a little bit bad, it wasn''t as awful as when he first came into this world.

    Butler Sheng did as was told, clearing his mind and trying to channel the qi through his spirit veins.

    But so far, he would gather it for a bit, and it would fall and disperse again, causing Butler Sheng to frown.

    "Be patient. You are too eager for sess."

    "Yes, Grandmaster," he replied before taking in another deep breath.

    Dorian was right. He was too eager and wanted to get stronger faster so as to stand by Dorian''s side more.

    But his actions were what was causing his failure at the moment.

    Once again, Butler Sheng tried for a bit more, this time patiently.

    And after 7 or so tries, he was finally able to circte the qi around his body.

    His eyes widened in astonishment and joy.

    He looked at Dorian as if saying: ''Grandmaster, I did it!''

    And Dorian in turn smiled and nodded at him too.

    In fact, just getting his acknowledgement had somehow made Butler Sheng''s day.

    ''Hahahhahaha! The grandmaster praised me!''

    (^_^)

    ....

    Like so, everyone was immersed with the joy of cultivation, that they didn''t even notice that it was already 6 P.M.

    Today, they had trained enough, but none of them had broken through their mortal shells.

    Nheless, they still felt that their bodies were sturdier and their muscles were bulging harder than before.

    Eh?

    Was it just them, or did they feel like they could punch a cow, sending it a few feet away from them?

    Their lips quivered excitedly as they clenched their fists in determination.

    This was power!

    (*?*)

    Dorian calmly stood up and looked at the trio calmly: "Come. It''s time to head out. It''s time to set up a stall."

    The trio, who were so immersed in joy, almost fell in disbelief.

    Grandmaster, you''re joking, right?...

 Chapter 48 Back To Work

    The sun was still high up in the sky, even though it was already nighttime.

    From this alone, one could tell that this period was during the summer peaks.

    The traffic was still heavy, and the streets were packed with people roaming about in all directions.

    And within an open space filled with several outdoor vendors, a dashing Limousine pulled up, calling the attention of the many fruit, ornament and item sellers seated around their stalls.

    "Hey! Look! A wealthy customer! Damn. The car is too good-looking! It must cost millions, right?"

    "Millions? Damn! If I have a car that costs that much, I''ll never take it out for a drive at all! What if someone hits it?"

    "Lying trough. If it''s me, and someone hits it, I''ll not only sue you, but also beat you senselessly! Do you know what millions are? Not hundreds, not thousands, but Millions!"

    "Look! Do you think that this person wants to buy something from us?"

    "That... That''s impossible, right?"

    "Hmph! What do you know? The other day, my cousin''s sister''s brother''s aunt told me that a richdy stopped by her stall the other day just to buy cashews. And even gave her arge tipter. So what''s wrong with the rich buying out goods?"

    ....

    The group all stretched their necks curiously while contemting whether to rush towards the people within the vehicle or not.

    For such rich people, no one wanted to identally offend them.

    So each vendor kept looking around, taking a few steps back and forth, thinking of what to do.

    Even the girls passing along the streets with their friends or boyfriends, couldn''t help turning their attention towards the vehicle too.

    Some girls were just curious, while other girls had other motives instead.

    Of course, some boys also wished that the person in the vehicle could be a cute girl or even a mature good looking woman.

    What? This might be their chance to get a rich person to owe them a favour, so why not calcte?

    Everyone was busy watching the limousine, with some passerbys slowing down their pace pretentiously as well.

    And soon, the vehicle''s doors opened, with Raulin and Zhulyn stepping out first, before opening the boot to take out several items.

    And at the same time, Butler Sheng calmly walked towards the stall owners, making everyone''s heart drummed vigorously.

    Butler Sheng''s attire was very well put together, with his gloves and even his pocket watch too.

    His hair was slicked back, and even his manner of walking was upright, straight and very domineering.

    They saw the noble, impable Butler Sheng carry the demeanour of someone fully trained in a wealthy home, and couldn''t help feeling overly anxious... especially the fruit seller who Butler Sheng was approaching.

    The poordy''s legs turned soft and wobbly like jelly as she quickly stood up from her seat behind the stall and anxiously awaited Butler Sheng.

    Oh No!

    What should she do?

    What should she say?

    Those close by her also perked up their ears in an attempt to listen in, as if listening to some radio station.

    Some also looked at the woman enviously. Maybe these rich people had fancied her watermelons?

    Everyone awaited Butler Sheng curiously, wanting to know what this was all about.

    The woman swallowed her saliva while staring at Butler Sheng humbly: "D-d-dear customer, can I help you?"

    "Hmm...I see that you have such arge stall set up here. These 2 stalls are arranged the same. So... Can I take it that they belong to you?

    Thedy nodded her head in agreement, with a lot of confusion visible on her face: "Yes, customer. These 2 are mine. I work both stalls at the same time... Is... Is there any problem?"

    Butler Sheng looked at her and smiled sincerely: "Hmm... Lady... How much is it to rent your stall?"

    "_"

    ....

    Thirty minutes had gone by, and everyone had finally epted the facts before their eyes in a daze.

    Thedy who had been managing both stalls was the most confused of all.

    Who could tell her why these wealthy people woulde all the way here to rent a stall from her?

    Everyone thought that they had seen a lot of ridiculous things throughout their years. But this one... this one took the cake!<sub> </sub>

    Thedy in question removed her fruits from the second stall andbined them with her fruits on her first stall.

    Luckily, it was alreadyte in the day and not the morning, so many of her goods had already been bought by passerbys and even those on breaks.

    Thus, she found space a little easier.

    Her stalls were also quite simple, making it easy for her to pack up and leave.

    Thedy folded the money and ced it close to her bosoms for fear that someone would steal it from her.

    F***! She had never received so much money all at once.

    Hell!The money she received for just renting her Stall for today was so generous that it suddenly turned her stupid.

    It was as if a lot of money had fallen onto herp from the sky for basically doing nothing.

    And from what these people said, they were only going to get the stall for 3 hours today.

    Of course, they also told her that in future, they mighte here often to rent her stall again.

    So she was very excited about the money she would also recover in the future too.

    Everyone looked at the scene and felt very envious, with some regretting why they didn''t have 2 stalls like thatdy.

    Dammit! Just look at all the money they had lost?

    Many had no tears but wanted to cry.

    .

    After the stall was acquired, Butler Sheng and Zhulyn properly cleaned it up, removing all fruit stains, and also ced a blue cloth over the booth, and even hung a signboard above it too.

    Again, they also took out the foldable chairs from the boot, neatly cing them on the opposite side of the stall.

    And in the meantime, Dorian finally stepped out of the vehicle while Raulin drove off to properly park it within one of the high-end hotels several streets away from here.

    Everyone couldn''t help looking at Dorian silently.

    Finally, everyone saw the real big boss behind the scenes, and several girls were stunned by Dorian''s good looks.

    Too Handsome!

    "Grandmaster. Please, sit."

    "Hmm."

    Everyone watched Butler Sheng and the rest treat Dorian with so much respect that they started to wonder what this guy''s identity truly was.

    But when they read the words on the signboard, they suddenly froze in ce, having another image of him.

    Hey. Could it be that this wealthy master was a little sick in the head, and his family would arrange for him to y like this?

    Thedies all shook their heads in pity.

    Divination Master?

    Sigh... Who would''ve thought that such a handsome fellow would be mental?

    s�� The heavens were indeed fair.

    ...

    Dorian couldn''t care less about their thoughts and calmly watched the passerbys diligently.

    ''Host. Look! Look! Thatdy needs help! You need to exorcise more if you want to rank up fast.''

    ''Hmm...''

    ''Then why don''t you dealing with the few things around you?''

    ''Noisy.''

    ''_''

    A strange light flickered in Dorian''s eyes while staring at the woman intensely.

    How odd.

 Chapter 49 Women Were All The Same!

    On the sidewalks heading past Dorian, a youngdy was walking hastily, carrying a 3-year-old boy with tears in her eyes.

    She wore a long yellowish waiter uniform, with an apron tied at the front.

    Her hair messily fell across her face and bounced freely in the wind, exposing her swollen-teary face from time to time as she held the little boy in her arms firmly.

    Dorian looked at her heading his way from a distance and instantly snapped his fingers at Zhulyn and Raulin.

    "Bring her."

    "Yes, Grandmaster." The duo answered before leaving the stand, making everyone curious as to what they were up to.

    Even thedy and those in the nearby stalls who heard Dorian''s instructions couldn''t help frowning a bit.

    This wouldn''t be a lecherous Young Master who had taken fancy to this young girl''s beauty, right?

    They looked at the girl before looking at Dorian again, deep in thought.

    But no matter what their conclusions or thoughts were, they dared not stop this young master or say anything to offend him.

    At least they didn''t know what he wanted to do yet. So how could they react?

    Some people were also afraid to offend this young man too.

    After all, who knew if he would target their poor defenceless families after this?

    The world was truly an unfair ce. So what could they do about it?

    Everyone just shook their heads in pity, now thinking that this young master was both Mental and lecherous.

    And the youngdy who didn''t know that she was being targeted, continuously ran with tears in her eyes whileforting the boy in her arms.

    "Sister... Sister... It hurts."

    The boy grimaced and shook in pain as something seemed to bore into his heart, staggering his breathing.

    "Hush... Hush... save your energy. Sister will get you to see the doctor now." The girl said while trying to hold back her tears.

    Why was all this happening to her?

    .

    The girl''s hands twitched stically from the weight and pain of carrying her brother.

    But she just gritted her teeth and blinked away the sweat trickling into the corners of her eyes.

    She dashed through the crowd in perseverance but was suddenly stopped by 2 men in ck suits.

    "Little girl. Please stop. Our Grandmaster wants to see you."

    What?

    The girl looked at the very noble guards around her, and immediately felt enraged.

    Her entire body trembled from head to toe as she stared at the bastards before her in rage.

    "Get away! I don''t want to see any damn Grandmaster! So F*** off!"

    With that, she tried to move towards another direction... but was once again stopped by the men in ck.

    Hahahahhahaha!

    At this point, the girl had tears of anger, spilling out like a waterfall.

    Why? Why did every little stumbling block or bad thing happen now?

    "Get away! I said I don''t want to see any Grandmaster! No means No!!! What part of the word No don''t you understand? N.O... NO!"

    Those watching felt pity for the little girl, as they genuinely saw that she had an emergency on her hands.

    Soon, an elderly street vendor couldn''t take it anymore and smacked his hand hard on his wooden stall.

    ~Bam!

    "You rich people are all bullies! Can''t you see that the poor girl is in a hurry? Why can''t you all let the girl go?"<sub> </sub>

    "Yeah! Let her go! Don''t think because we''re poor folks, you guys can bully people like that. Let her go!" Said another while waving a broom in the air angrily.

    Dorian looked at the scene and sighed before chanting a spell only for the girl to hear.

    And suddenly, the girl who seemed like a tiger that was about to w Raulin and Zhulyn to death, suddenly froze in horror and stared at Dorian with wide googly eyes while remembering the words echoed to her.

    [I can save him]

    The muscles in her jaws seized, and her legs now felt 10 times heavier than they originally were.

    She stood rooted on the spot with quaking knees. And the moment she saw Dorian''s mysterious smile, she almost fainted from it all.

    He-He-He was all the way there... and everyone was yelling hard and loud.

    So even if he spoke... how.. how... Was this even real?

    The girl looked at the signboard and almost fell to the ground in shock.

    Divination Master?

    She almost walked away in anger. But when she thought of the way Dorianmunicated with her, her legs refused to move.

    The girl''s stomach contracted into a ball the more she stared at Dorian with countless indescribable emotions running through her mind.

    Obviously, she was frightened. But still decided to take the bullet on this one when she thought of her brother.

    She swallowed dryly and yelled across to Dorian, curbing all her tiger ws away.

    "C-c-can you really save him?"

    "Free her! Let her go! Let her... Eh?"

    Everyone who was busy yelling and standing up for the girl, suddenly froze and looked at the situation in confusion.

    "_"

    Excuse me? When did that young master say that he would treat the boy?

    Ermmm... Sister, are you sure that you''re not reading the wrong script?

    .

    Dorian smiled and gestured for the girl to step forward.

    And very quickly, Raulin ced a chair on the other side of the table and joined Zhulyn, who was now standing close to Butler Sheng.

    Everyone watched the scene in a daze.

    What the hell?

    How could thisdy go from tiger to a housecat in a blink of an eye?

    Hey? would she have split personalities?

    Of course, some also looked at her in disdain.

    Heh. Women were all the same.

    She had been mouring to go, pretending as if she wasn''t interested in anything else.

    But then, the moment she turned and saw that this young master was handsome and rich, rather than heading to the hospital, she immediately chose to sacrifice her weak brother in her arms for a few seconds of attention from this Sick Young master.

    ~Pui!

    Several people looked at the 17-year-old girl and spat in disdain.

    Hmph!

    To think that this was the girl they had been fighting for.

    Disgusting!

 Chapter 50 A GrandMaster At Work!

    "Just look at her? No shame at all!"

    "Heh. What do you expect from these youngsters nowadays? Such a woman should be very disgusting, right?"

    "Oh my! I pity her poor parents instead. If they knew that their daughter could sacrifice her brother for riches, wouldn''t they be too disappointed?"

    "Tch! Who said it''s her brother? Shameless girl''s like this would''ve already hooked up with several young masters before."

    "That''s right. In my vige, there are a few of them who gave birth at 15 with no husbands. So I won''t be surprised if she''s the same as them too."

    "Hey! Who knows if she got the child from some old Gold Master? I bet the man''s wife probably kicked her out and gave bet he''ll after finding out her despicable ways!"

    (��^��)

    Presently, everyone was very much appalled by this young girl''s attitude.

    The more they thought about it, the more they felt that it was true. Or, how else could they exin the girl''s strange behaviour?

    They scoffed at her but still perked up their gossiping radio-antenna ears to tune in to the frequency and listen in on the gist.

    What a joke!

    Even if they were a hundred percent sure, how could they still not listen?

    Like so, everyone quieted down and started ''working.''

    Some began wiping their stalls, so much so that they identally started wiping some of their food items too.

    But they didn''t even notice it all. Their attention was all on the conversation between the shameless girl and the rich young master.

    Why did they feel like they were about to what some soap opera here?

    ...

    Chiyou''s ears were red with shame when she thought of all the shameful things these people had said about her.

    F.Y.I... If you want to whisper, then why not do it well?

    She only felt like she hadpletely lost face out here.

    Luckily, she didn''t know these people here. And hopefully, she would never have to meet them again.

    She thinned her like and tilted her head down in embarrassment, only to meet her brother''s painful expression, bringing her back to reality.

    With that, she firmed her thoughts and looked at Dorian squarely.

    She referred that these people called him Grandmaster. So that''s what she decided to address him as.

    "G-Grandmaster, please save my younger brother!"

    "Hmmm..." Dorian answered, looking deeply at the boy in her arms before turning his focus back to her.<sub> </sub>

    The Grey aura around her had a swirling and facing yellow air within it. But again, there were several colours around her that indicating a sh around her.

    Grey showed depression, and the swirling fading yellow streaks, indeed showed the heavy prominence of death looming over her.

    But what rmed Dorian was that the other auras contradicted this, showing life instead.

    It was as if her auras were battling with one another, the Yin and yang fighting head-on.

    And the lines on her face, the clearness and veins in her eyes, furrows above her face and several other visible traits were also conflicting as well.

    Again, the lines on her palms and several other points showed Dorian her fortune and misfortunes in this life. But somehow, the lines also seemed forcefully broken too.

    As for the boy, there was also a problem with his side as well.

    For now, Dorian couldn''t see clearly what the issue was.

    "Name, Date of birth. ce of Birth."

    "Chiyou XX... Date of Birth... XXXX... ce of Birth, Netaji Vige."

    "And the boy?"

    "Chindu XX... Date of Birth... XXXX, ce of birth, Netaji Vige," the girl said nervously.

    Could this boy who looked around the same age as her save her brother?

    Everyone was also watching curiously as well.

    How exactly was this young master going to save the boy?

    And what did he need with their date and aces of birth?

    Looking at the scene, they didn''t know if it was their imagination or not, but they suddenly felt that the air around them had turned serious.

    They didn''t even know when, but there was already a massive crown surrounding the ce.

    Eh?

    .

    Dorian stared at the girl, deep in thought.

    "Chiyou XX... Born... XXXX. Your father is a factory worker, and your mother is a cook at a restaurant. From an early age to now, though your family is ordinary, you all have never truly suffered any catastrophes, having a somewhat smooth sailing in life.And even with the surprising arrival of your younger brother, things were still going in the right path, with almost no stumbling blocks on your way. But just a month ago, everything should''ve gone wrong for you, right?"

    Boom!

    On hearing this, the Chiyou''s mind exploded in shock, as she started at Dorian with big widened eyes: "Grandmaster! It''s indeed as you said! So what should I do? How do I get back on track?!!!"

 Chapter 51 Chiyous Dilemma

    The girl''s eyes glowed in shock as she nodded her head severally, in agreement, causing several people to be confused and taken aback as well.

    They couldn''t help rereading Dorian''s signboard in silence.

    Could it be that this fellow was truly a Divination Master? This thing wouldn''t be a fairytale, right?

    Everyone scrutinized the young man again while still listening carefully too.

    Of course, in the back of their mind, this thing was impossible!

    But... But... But what if it were true?

    .

    Dorian scrutinized Chiyou''s face again before rolling talisman paper and taking out a calligraphy pen, as well as some ink too.

    "Miss Chiyou.

    Just a month ago, your father suddenly had a major ident in the factory, and your mother also had a deep-rooted ident while working in the kitchen. Coincidentally, your brother also fell ill too. But no matter how many times you took him to the hospital, the doctors all said he was fine. And presently, you also feel weak and heavy from time to time as well, right?"

    ~Bam!

    Chiyou pped the table in acknowledgment.

    The more the Grandmaster spoke, the more she felt that all these things were too coincidental and too abrupt.

    What were the odds that everyone in her family would face disasters at once?

    No! It was too coincidental.

    So could it be that some family member had secretly instructed or done foul y behind the scenes?

    p Could it be a jealous worker that worked alongside her parents?</anda>

    She had watched such scheming movies before and felt that it should be the case.

    But what didn''t make sense was how her brother had suddenly fallen ill... and how she too was feeling weaker and weaker as the days went by.

    Wait! Could they have been poisoned?

    (��0��)

    .

    Chiyou''s mind was going haywire.

    At present, she was the only one supporting her entire family.

    Her family''s entire savings had gone down the drain, just looking for doctors and doctors to treat her father, mother and brother.

    She hadn''t even considered treating herself yet but was already very discouraged.

    Her family was very ordinary, with her parents working within the newly opened factories and bookings around the vige.

    So she had always paid a lot toe to this nearby city and keep her parents in the hospital.

    And as time went by, the bills were charging up, with the doctors carrying out all sorts of tests and checking things out daily to treat her parents.

    But no matter what they did, her parent''s condition seemed to be getting worse instead.

    Additionally, her brother was so ill that even walking was too much for him.

    So he stopped going to kindergarten and had to stay with her all day.

    .

    Again, she herself was driven out of school after getting framed, and also found work as a waitress.

    And typically, she would bring her brother and plead with the manager to keep him in the staff room while she worked.

    But today didn''t seem like her lucky day.

    Her brother identally offended the Big Boss of the restaurant who came in for an ''inspection.''

    That boss had been trying to get her in his bed but failed.

    So he used this excuse to fire her, whispering in her ears that she would be back to beg him.

    She was so angry that she wanted tosh out. But suddenly, her brother started feeling bad again.

    All these things were happening too fast and too coincidental that now, after listening to Dorian, she suddenly felt it suspicious.

    ''Chiyou! Chiyou!... Follow the money... Follow the money... Who is behind all of this? Who will gain more without family down?''

    She thought long and hard but still couldn''te up with any real enemies. Why? What wrong did her family ever do to that person?<sub> </sub>

    Instantly, grief overcame Chiyou as her heart stumbled over its own rhythm.

    She took deep breaths, fighting back her tears while tightening her grip on her little brother.

    The more she heard, the more she felt like the person behind the scenes must be someone very powerful.

    Then if that was the case, then what if she failed? What if she couldn''t save her family in the end?

    The weight of it all rested on her shoulders, making it harder for her to breathe.

    But was she just going to give up?

    No way! She must find out the culprit behind the scene... even if it''s thest thing she did!

    .

    "Grandmaster. Do you know who is behind it all? I just received my dismissal fee today, and I''m ready to raise and pay whatever amount to find the culprit. I''ll also pay to treat my brother as well!"

    Everyone listened and was rmed by her outburst.

    They stared googly-eyed at Dorian, with their bodies trembling in shock.

    Wait! So... all this Young Master said was true?

    How did he do it? How did he know?

    Impossible! This must be a game drama set up by the duo.

    Like so, more and more people nodded their heads when this thought came up.

    The facts had pped everyone hard and were already before them all.

    Yet, they still held the highest doubts possible.

    But whether they believed or not, Chiyou didn''t care because she believed in him.

    No one had heard this Grandmaster speak to her in her mind earlier on.

    So they didn''t know just how terrifying this Grandmaster might be.

    Dorian finished drawing up 4 protective charms, leaned back and gazed at her calmly: "Your problem isn''t a human one."

    Hmm?

    Chiyou and everyone else were confused.

    "Grandmaster... what do you mean?"

    "Well, it''s simple. Your life, as well as your brothers, was supposed to continue going on straight due to the good fortunes of your parents and even your good doings. In fact, within the next few years, your future was supposed to be brighter and powerful than your current life''s worth. But unfortunately, someone has stolen your luck."

    Boom!

    "I knew it!" She eximed in rage while gritting her teeth hard, making everyone watching jump in rm.

    This was crazy!

    But to Chiyou, it made so much sense!

    This might sound weird, but she always felt like something was constantly being drawn away from her.

    She had excellent grades with schrships. Thus, her parents had never had to pay her tuition.

    But then, not too long ago, she got involved in a cheating scandal, which was all fake.

    However, no matter how she exined, everyone sneered coldly at her, with some iming to have seen her cheat before.

    Others also imed that her previous results were also due to cheating.

    It was so strange that no one, even her closest teachers, didn''t trust her at all.

    And for the first time in her life, she felt trapped with nowhere to go.

    Everything was just too strange and unbelievable.

    But now, she felt like she knew why.

    hahahhahahaha!

    Chiyouughed maniacally while continuously crying in agony.

    Who was it?

    Who the bloody hell stole her luck?

 Chapter 52 The Temptations From The Dark Side

    Chiyou''s mind was immersed in a turbulent storm when she thought of all she and her family had been through these past few weeks just to survive.

    At the same time, those who heard Dorian''s words wouldn''t help trembling in disbelief.

    Luck can be stolen?

    This was undoubtedly the craziest thing they had ever heard in their lives.

    And even though a greater part of them still didn''t believe it, seeing the girl''s reaction, they started to ask themselves:... What if it were true?

    "Miss Chiyou. Like I said, your luck, fate, destiny and good Karma had ced you very high above others. That''s why even though everyone in your home is seriously affected, you are the only one who can still move on your feet. Your boundless luck is being drawn at an astronomical rate. And by the time it''s all taken out, you will not live for more than a week!"

    That serious?

    Butler Sheng, Zhulyn and Raulin looked at Chiyou and couldn''t help looking at her pitifully.

    And looking at her, one could see that her skin was ashen and sick-looking.

    She was moving on a very bleak road. And from what Dorian said, didn''t this mean that she could drop dead at any time?

    At a visible rate, Chiyou''s face grew paler when she heard Dorian''s words.

    Her words were stuck in her throat as she now fully understood the hidden fear that had been ticked away in her heart these past few days.

    It was death! That''s right. she had instinctively felt like her time was near.

    But she dared not give in because of her family.

    Chiyou felt like strangling the bastard who stole her luck.

    "Grandmaster! Who was it? Was it someone I know?... Grandmaster, just point me to the person''s direction and say no more!" she said coldly.

    Someone was going to die, and it wouldn''t be her!

    .

    Dorian thought deeply about this matter.

    Something wasn''t right here.

    ''System, if I can recall your exact words... didn''t you say that there were no exorcists in this world? Then how is it possible that someone would have the right knowledge and know so much about luck transfer? Are you testing my patience?!''

    ''Host! Host! Don''t be angry! There are indeed no exorcists in this world. But host, have you forgotten about the temptations of the devil?''

    ''Hm? The temptations of the... Yes!''

    Dorian''s eyes lit up as he now had a hunch about it all.

    Back in his old world, with good and bad cultivators and exorcists avable, the demons and devils didn''t even need to stretch and go so far to bring chaos into the world.

    With greedy and veil cultivators roaming around, their world was done.

    But here, they had to do the work for themselves.

    The temptations of the dark side.

    There were plenty of them.

    Some sold their souls to the devil in this world for power, while others did countless other things as well.

    And the demons, devil''s and whatnot... never made deals face to face. They would appear in dreams and other forms.

    Only when they were ready to devour their targets would they show their true selves.<sub> </sub>

    And believe it or not, even now, they always gave humans the right to choose and carry out their own deeds.

    .

    If Dorian''s guess was urate, some demon or thing appeared to someone in a dream or even left notes or sent mails to a person close to or around Chiyou... telling them about her luck.

    And demons were all schemers and liars.

    So they could have been putting thoughts into the person''s head for months and even a while, saying sentences like: ''You will never be better than her! look at her; she''s better than you!''

    They often went to those who were already extremely jealous, greedy, selfish and just needed a tiny push to do bad.

    Those they targeted in this method were those who were almost all dark inside.

    For those who were too bright and promising, they would never use this method but choose other ways instead.

    Why? Because the good would always be second-guessing and might end up refusing to do bad and die naturally, still not doing what they wanted.

    Good people were the most annoying to demons. Converting their souls was too distressing.

    Like in the case with Chiyou, although she was so mad enough to say she wanted to kill the culprit, she still wouldn''t go that far.

    Provided her luck was good, she was fine with the person going to jail or something in that line.

    How would she be able to live with herself if she went to the extreme?

    There were many people in the world like this who just wanted justice, and that was all.

    And with neutral people with slightly bnced Yin and Yang in their hearts and lives, just like Sota, the demons and other underworld entities would taunt them in various ways instead.

    In short, there were various groups of humans.

    But the wicked were the best and easiest to deal with.

    .

    With a push from them, the culprit would then start stalking Chiyou, wanting to know everything about her.

    And seeing the enmity and darker thoughts from the person, the devil or demon watching from the sidelines would wait for the opportune moment before ''identally revealing how to do a luck exchange.

    But because they don''t want the information to circte and identally reach even a good person who might counter-attack their ns, they tell the person involved that they only have this one chance for luck exchange.

    This was just one scenario.

    In other cases, these demons would lie to many and say that Chiyou had robbed their luck instead.

    And thus, with vengeance in mind, these people would want to get their ''luck'' back from Chiyou.

    In short, the culprit is definitely someone she knows.

    The Temptations of the dark side.

    In some other cases, some would be directly granted the ability to do well in business; others would be given the ability to sing and whatnot.

    But all this would be done after selling their soul out, saying that the heavens had no control over them again.

    In that case, they would never reincarnate... EVER!

    .

    Dorian analyzed things silently before settling his gaze at Chiyou again: "Think hard. Before the troubles began. Was there someone strange always around you? Did this person give you anything, take anything from you, or even visit your home? Think long and hard, Miss Chiyou, because that person is most likely the culprit!"

 Chapter 53 [Bonus Chapter]A Sealed Fate

    "Miss Chiyou... Think long and hard."

    "Yes, Grandmaster!"

    With that, Chiyou fell deep in thought, focusing on the period before it all began.

    From her life at home, school, and every other ce, Chiyou thought for a bit before suddenly frowning suspiciously.

    Would she be the one?

    "Grandmaster... Before the catastrophe began, one of my ssmates, whom I rarely spoke to, suddenly started getting weirdly friendly with me. At first, I felt suspicious. But after several weeks, she did seem very legit. After a long period, she asked for my full birth date, saying she wanted to surprise me. I only wanted to tell her the day and month when my birthday was... but she kept insisting that she wanted the year too. She even cried, saying that if I wasn''tfortable telling her my full birth date, how can we share other hidden secrets amongst girls?... Grandmaster... With her constant crying, I finally said so. Following that, she starteding to her house frequently. But whenever she came, there was something strange that she did. She would take out an ordinary-lookingb andb my hair while we talked. She did this for a while before gifting me theb. Then just after that, she just suddenly said she wanted to travel for a one-week family emergency. And after she left, my troubles began!" Chiyou said while realizing the severity of the matter now that she analyzed things.

    Several people listening also found it strange.

    No one asks for the year when mentioning a birthdate.

    Women have even said their age or how old they were. So all that was important was celebrating the day.

    But this person wanted the full birth date. And she most likely should''ve also gone to the Chiyou''s home to do other things there too.

    Even though those listening still found it all too inconceivable, that girl is also suspicious and well.

    .

    Dorian tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought.

    "Miss Chiyou, I will help you. But first, you will take me to your home, and show me thisb, as well as your family. And after they, you will take me to this girl. Only then will we know if she is the real culprit behind the scenes or not."

    Upon hearing him, Chiyou''s smiled bloomed amidst her tears while staring at Doran in gratitude.

    "Thank you, Grandmaster. Thank you. I, Chiyou, will never forget this favour in my life!" She swore before suddenly thinking of something that made her smile turn bitter.

    "Grandmaster... Sorry... But can you do something about my brother?... I-I, promise that I will pay you whatever amount you want!"

    Dorian waved his hands casually: "Miss Chiyou. Since you are my first customer here, you won''t need to pay."

    Ehe?

    Chiyou looked up in shock.

    Was she the Grandmaster''s first customer?

    What the hell was wrong with people nowadays?

    Were they blind or so crazy that they couldn''t see the Grandmaster''s greatness?

    Chiyou was busy talking about others, forgetting that she had also disregarded Dorian not too long ago.

    But ever since she had somewhate to terms with the fact that her Luck had been taken away, she somewhat believed in the abnormal.

    However, she didn''t believe in Magic and just thought it was something spiritual... like the soul or something of that sort.

    Well, what she believed in was far less than Dorian''s capabilities.

    .

    Dorian nced at her brother before flicking his wrist hard.

    And before Chiyou and everyone could even blink, a talisman paper was firmly nted on the boy''s forehead.

    ~Hooo... Hooo... Hooo...~

    The boy''s breathing slowed down, regaining a steady pace, making him flutter his eyelids and open his eyes heavily.<sub> </sub>

    "Ssss-sister... it doesn''t hurt anymore."

    Chiyou looked at her brother in disbelief before finally letting out the waterworks again.

    It was a miracle!

    Her eyes couldn''t help ncing at the ordinary paper on his forehead too.

    Could it be the reason why his body temperature and everything else was returning to normal?

    At a very visible and rming rate, several people directly beside Chiyou watched the boy''s whitish pale face change back to a vibrant one in disbelief.

    I''ll go! What sort of paper was that?

    One could fake an act. But changing one''s skin or blood flow the way they wanted was impossible!

    Everything made many gaze at Dorian with various thoughts of their own... especially thedy who rented out her stall to Dorian.

    Oh My God! She had rented it out to a Master!

    <o>,m And it should also be a Kung Fu one.</o>

    Hey! They all saw how he flicked his wrist like nothing and threw that paper on the boy''s head at a speed she couldn''t see.

    So if this wasn''t Kung Fu, then what was?

    The way she looked at Dorian changed.

    Now, she and many people didn''t think he was crazy or lecherous again.

    Chiyou turned to Dorian with even more gratitude in her eyes: "Grandmaster. Thank you! Thank you!"

    "Hmmm... Don''t thank me yet, until this is all done," Dorian said calmly.

    In truth, he hadn''t fully treated or aided her brother yet. If he did so, the enemy would be alert. So for now, he could only mask things up until the end of the show.

    .

    "Miss Chiyou. It''s alreadyte. So tomorrow at 10 A.M,e to this address. Also, take these and ce them on your parents and yourself."

    Chiyou nodded and stretched her hands forth to receive the remaining paper charms with trembling hands.

    F***!

    She felt like she was about to touch gold.

    Hello? Don''t you see the power of this paper from her brother''s case?

    She dared not y, twist or even hold them carelessly.

    She was like a person who had just bought a new phone or something.

    She even felt like her hands were too dirty toe in contact with them.

    Many who saw the scene had started changing their minds but were still more inclined to not believe it all.

    And just when everyone thought the show was over, Dorian suddenly turned towards ady who had just now joined the crowd of watchers.

    She didn''t understand what was going on and had only stopped to see what the smallmission was about.

    Dorian turned his head and looked at her grimly: "Someone in your home isn''t what they are supposed to be. And tonight, your deaths have all been sealed!"

 Chapter 54 The Life Of The Rich!

    -Silence-

    ....

    The scene turned ghastly silent as tension quickly covered the air around them.

    Now, everyone''s attention was on thedy.

    Even Chiyou looked at the woman deeply, feeling fear for the woman''s case.

    ''Tonight?'', she murmured to herself.

    The grandmaster had said that she, Chiyou, would eventually die if her problem wasn''t solved.

    But in this woman''s case, the Grandmaster was telling her that tonight was her death date.

    So wasn''t that more tragic and scary?

    She couldn''t help looking at thedy sympathetically.

    Hey! She thought that she was the most pitiful person here, but who knew that there was still someone else whose case was worse than hers?

    s, so young too.

    R.I.P sis...

    Chiyou looked at thedy as if looking at her cursor lowering down into a grave.

    And coincidentally, thedy in question saw Chiyou''s look and instantly erupted like a volcano, waving her trembling fingers at Dorian in outrage.

    "You-You-You!... You bastard! What sin did Imit by stopping here? What did I ever do to you that you have to curse me to die? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" Thedy''s voice bellowed, making everyone give her a second look again.

    Eh?

    Could it be that she was a famous person who decided to dress up somewhat ordinarily toe out and y?

    Or could it be that she was actually a wealthydy in disguise?

    Everyone stunned their eyes even more to listen in on thedy''s identity.

    How exciting.

    What could she be?

    Thedy raised her nose heavenwards and puffed her chest out proudly while looking down at Dorian condescendingly.

    "Ignorant Fool! I am the personal nanny for the Gia Family. That''s right! Their personal nanny. So now, are you scared? Are you scared, boy?!!"

    Audience.... (Crickets)

    Everyone looked at thedy in a daze before looking at themselves again. You look at me, I look at you... You look at me, I look towards the sky.

    This... This...

    ~Pff!

    Their lips quivered hard while they tried to hold in theirughter.

    For some, they didn''t know whether tough or to cry instead.

    Hello, sister... So you''re just a nanny, and you''re making all this noise?

    They almost thought that she was some big person''s wife. But who would''ve known that she was just a wouldn''t instead?

    .

    Nheless, they still respected thedy and understood where she wasing from too.

    You know... If she was truly from the prestigious Gia family, then she sure was higher than them in society.

    Just listening to the words ''Gia family'' had already shocked many silly.

    The Gia family was one of the prominent first rank families within the city, alongside the Ghu, Hou, Tian, Bho and Su families.<sub> </sub>

    Rumour has it that these families were so wealthy that they could use money as toilet paper for decades and still be super rich!

    For sure, there were other wealthy families in the city.

    But they fell in the category of the wealthy middle-ss groups whenpared to the Big 6.

    Yes. The Tian family was still in the big 6.

    Why? Because Dorian''s uncle was still running all thepanies... even though he himself wasn''t a Tian.

    So the Tian enterprises and multinationalpanies were still afloat.

    It was just Dorian and his parents that were kicked away.

    Heh. Soon, he woulde for what belonged to him. But not after waking his parents up.

    Of course, he had a hunch that his uncle would be the one toe to him first.

    Who knows...

    .

    The Gia family.

    Everyone''s eyes changed when they looked at the youngdy who was now the center of attention.

    Indeed. Even though she wore ordinary clothes, the quality was still higher than that of a regr person''s.

    Plus, her skin was still well maintainedpared to theirs.

    Yes. Even though she was just a worker for the Gias, she still had to look good.

    It was, in a way, a form of advertisement andpetition amongst the wealthy families as well.

    Look! When one thinks of entering or seeing a noble household, they will be expecting to see stunning well-maintained butlers, maids, gardeners, workers and so on.

    They had to look good, even if they were 40.

    Their sries were way higher than everyday folks.

    So if their skins looked cracked, or as if they had been suffering all year round, then didn''t that indirectly say that the Gia household had been maltreating them?

    If that''s the case, then who would ever want to work for wealthy families?

    All this was maintenance and advertisements that screamed out their wealth to the world.

    Showing wealth also gave off respect in any profession too. It showed that they were capable and could get things done at the drop of a hat.

    And the more people licked their feet for privileges, the more scared and afraid these people get off these wealthy families.

    No one would think of crossing them for fear of retaliation.

    The wealthy had thought things through.

    Hell! Even when it came to the Tian family, Butler Sheng and those working with Dorian looked well-taken care of too.

    It was just the way things went.

    And so when people looked at the woman, they couldn''t help enjoying her good fortune, as well as feeling a bit jealous.

    Yes.

    They also wished that they could work in such families. Even if they were to be gardeners across the many estate fields or those in charge of cleaning some gigantic fountains around... the pay was all high.

    And seeing the way people stared at her, thedy in question started being overconfident as she squared her shoulders and tried to imitate the demeanour of how the nobledies in the Gia household stood.

    .

    Looking at the awe, envy, and countless emotions the crowd faced her, thedy couldn''t help smiling viciously.

    ''Brat! See if I don''t clean you up today and make you kneel before me in apology. How dare you curse thisdy?''

 Chapter 55 A Death Guarantee

    Everyone watched the scene as if watching some intense drama show.

    Heheheh... Thedy vs the boy. Who would win?

    Everyone watched as thest continuously sprayed her words around like a machine gun in rage.

    "Look here, boy! Thisdy is just in her early twenties and is a vibrantdy. So I have more than 70 years ahead of me before I die! And if you keep talking about death, then don''t me me for showing you the power that I, a Gia nanny, holds!" Thedy said while trying to intimidate Dorian.

    Of course, she hadn''t seen his limo earlier, or else she might''ve never spoken out like this.

    Additionally, Butler Sheng and the best stood around Dorian, making her think that they too were just spectators.

    Again, she didn''t see any fancy watches or something that would say that Dorian was rich.

    Sure. His clothes did look high quality. But who knows... maybe he should be a new worker in some Noble estate instead.

    Why a new worker? This was because of his young face and age.

    And coupled with the fact that he was setting up a booth here, then didn''t this mean that he was right on the money and might not even be favoured at his job?

    He probably offended his master, leading to a sharp cut in his sry.

    Or maybe he was a newbie corporate worker who gotid off recently.

    Either way, the more she stared at Dorian in scrutiny, the more she felt that he was a person swimming in poverty but pretending to be rich.

    Could it be that he had received a lot of people because of his stunning face?

    .

    Dorian was toozy to pay attention to her and just gave her one final warning: "Whether you take my advice or not, that is your problem. But your death is sealed."

    "Heh. Are you threatening me with death?"

    "No... It''s a guarantee."

    A guarantee?

    "Why, you little..."

    Thedy choked in rage as she started making her way towards Dorian with her hands stretched out, thinking of choking the little imp to death.

    But just as she was about to move forward, her phone began ringing vigorously.

    ~Ring~ Ring ~ Ring~

    Thedy looked at Dorian unwillingly before answering the call.

    Tch! In her mind, he had been saved by the bell!

    Her phone suddenly rang, giving her no time to respond to Dorian.

    She answered her phone, and in a blink of an eye, her expression turned grimmer.

    Sh**!

    "Yes. Yes. I''ll be right over, boss." Thedy said hastily before making for the hills... But not after cursing Dorian a little.

    As for her, she had onlye out for a bit of fresh air.

    And now, she had to go back to work as a live-in nanny.

    One should know that just recently, she and the guards had somehow lost the little miss.

    And by the time she found the little miss, they realized that she was wet and dripping off water from head to toe!

    The revtion made them turn pale when they realized that she had been in theke.

    At that time, the hidden guards were also shocked because during that time, somemotion happened around them that caused them to turn their attention away from the young miss for no more than 3 seconds.

    And by the time they looked back.<sub> </sub>

    She was gone.

    But luckily, they found her... or it would''ve been their heads.

    Thinking of Dorian''s words, thedy scoffed in disdain.

    ''Bastard!'' Thest thought while marching and stomping away on her low-inch heels in rage.

    .

    Everyone watched thedy''s silhouette fade away with countless thoughts in their minds.

    As for Chiyou, she only felt pitiful for the woman before getting up from the seat and bowing towards Dorian.

    "Thank you, Grandmaster. I will do as you''ve said and go to the address at 10 A.M tomorrow."

    "Hmmm... Good. Now go."

    With that, Chiyou took her brother and left while still trembling at all that had happened.

    Okay. The show seemed to be over. So everyone dispersed from the scene.

    And from time to time, the other booth sellers nced at Dorian inquisitively but dared not speak or say anything to say anything.

    Hey! many of them had seen his kung-fu skills.

    So who would dare open their mouths carelessly?

    The air around the stalls was very tense, as everyone now felt like they were walking on pins just being around Dorian.

    Could luck truly be drawn out? Would his booth really be a divination one? In that case, can they ask about the marriages of their children or grandchildren?

    Everyone''s lips thin helplessly as they suddenly found that their legs seemed heavier all of a sudden.

    Sigh... well, since this ''Grandmaster'' said he would still being here for a while, then they would have more to see him and also assess his skills to find out if he was a fraud or just someone who was using Kung-fu to impress and waw them into giving him money for divination.

    But then again, why would a rich young master do all this when he had money? Or could it be that everything he had was rented, only to put out this show?

    ????

    ....

    There were too many doubts and ideas within their hearts.

    But, they could only swallow them all and watch the actions of this ''Grandmaster'' during the next few days or weeks.

    Heh. They would want to see what this guy was really up to!

    .

    Like so, Dorian and the rest stayed at the booths for a few more hours before packing up and leaving things to thedy who owned the booth.

    "Remember, we wille on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays."

    "Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes... Everything will be arranged before you arrive." Thedy replied cautiously, causing Butler Sheng to ease up and smile.

    "Good."

    With that, Butler Sheng entered the limo, and the vehicle then left the scene amidst all the curious eyes.

    (��_��)

    What a day.

    Looking at the limousine drive off, everyone could only say that from today onwards, this ce would be bubblier than it usually was.

    But while the show was over for many, when it came to Dorian and his crew, it was far from being over.

 Chapter 56 The Gia Residence

    The limo pulled away... and Raulin, who had been driving, calmly nced at Dorian through the rear mirror: " GrandMaster... Where to now?"

    Dorian opened his eyes calmly before letting out a sly grin: "Home, then Gia Estate."

    The reason he came out today was to look for a big fish.

    That''s right. for thend he wanted for the Academy, the 10 Million deposited into his ount wouldn''t be enough.

    So he needed to find another big fish before the Land Auction tomorrow evening.

    But with the sort of unnatural deadly aura he saw on that arrogantdy from earlier on, he knew that their matter was far more serious than Ghu Sota''s issue.

    So how can he let such a fat prey go?

    Typically, he wouldn''t even bother to help.

    Yes. he wasn''t a Saint.

    As a heavenly exorcist, he would never see cases like this and just keep silent.

    Meaning he would indeed give out advice to them.

    But whether they listen or not was none of his business.

    .

    Additionally, he also chose to help because he wanted to exorcise more and rank up his Exorcist level fast.

    So he didn''t mind going out of his way to save these Gia people.

    The system who didn''t understand why Dorian chose to help out was very pleased about his decision.

    It mumbled to itself in joy.

    Hahahahhaha! It knew its host was a good person deep down. Look! Didn''t he go out of his way to save these people?

    As a worker for the heavens, doing good, being heroic, selfless and saving countless souls was the way it should be!

    The system was very pleased with its host''s decision.

    (^?^)

    Gia estate?

    Everyone suddenly recalled that arrogantdy from earlier on and immediately understood.

    Butler Sheng crossed his arms over his chest with a serious expression on his face.

    Alright.

    It looks like tonight, they will have to get busy again!

    With that, the limo speeded up back to the Tian estate.

    ~Vrrrmmmmmm!

    The vehicle speeded up, and they were off!

    Meanwhile, within the Gia estate, unbeknownst to many, today was indeed their death day.

    .

    -Gia Residence-

    ~Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup~

    The heavy footsteps of many echoed across the massive central kitchen as the staff quickly began distributing food to all corners of the grand estate.

    They sent food towards all estate buildings and regions, serving the numerous guards, live-in maids, butlers and others around.

    As for the main Gia family, their food was now being hauled on trolleys by an elite staff diligently trained and trusted.

    Their food had already been poison-tested by Five testers and two dogs, before it could even be deemed edible.

    Yes.

    If there were any chemical substances or poisons in there, the testers also had their ways of knowing too.

    The Gia family was a military Family, with elite officials all in the army that were idolized within the country.

    To mess with the Gia family is akin to seeking Death!

    Of course, they also had branches and businesses around too.

    But, without them knowing it, someone... or something, wasing after them!

    Fifteen minutes more until dinner time.

    .

    ~Drrrrrrh!!!

    The trolleys were all pushed towards the grand main table, and the butlers and maids quickly worked fast inying out the food, water and drinks too.

    Each person''s meal was different depending on their tastes and preferences.

    And just 3 minutes before dinner time, the lead butler blew his military whistle, and everyone quickly took off as if they were within the military.

    They always served food very close to mealtime so that the food would remain hot for longer.

    Of course, they also sealed and covered the food too.

    Head butler Feng looked at his pocket watch while looking at the stairway calmly.

    In a minute or so, the family should descend!

    The Butler and a few others standing around the dining table in wait calmly looked above the stairs when they heard the faint sounds of footsteps descending the beautifully crafted stony, marble-like staircase.

    It was all so grand and picture-worthy, lined with golden rails.<sub> </sub>

    Today was a very special day within the Main Gia household.

    .

    The Old Marshall, who retired a while back, had finally returned from his 5-month vacation abroad.

    So his oldest son, who took care of the family business, and lived full time in the main estate, had of course prepared for his grand wee.

    As for the Marshall''s other children, they had their own estates and were mainly within the army all the time, either being soldiers, marines or Navy officials.

    Of course, his other sons were out in the army, but their wives and children had toe over to wee the Old Marshall.

    Thus, they had long arrived during the day and were all upstairs in upper guest rooms.

    The Main Gia estate had over 15 buildings in it, with numerous statues,wns, gardens and other amenities all around.

    That said, there were indeed separate guest buildings.

    But those were used for non-family guests.

    Typically, within the main building that was as wide as amercial building, there were over 3 grand guest rooms on the 2nd floor, 8 first rooms on the 3rd floor and 12 guest rooms on the 4th and highest floor.

    Thus when the family arrived earlier, they were all shown to their rooms on the 3rd or 4th floor instead.

    The Old Marshall had no daughters... Just sons, which made him a little sad.

    So when he finally got a granddaughter, he treated her like his world.

    Who didn''t know that the old Marshall''s only granddaughter was the apple of his eyes?

    All his other grandchildren were boys, except the little baby that miraculously graced their family some years back.

    For her, he could even give all his wealth to.

    Luckily, the Old Marshall''s children were all wealthy, having their own separate resources and things going on for them.

    They were all very independent and hardly used anything from the Old Marshall.

    If not, maybe they would''ve been greedy and jealous of the little granddaughter ages ago.

    .

    The staff kept their heads bowed while listening to the several footsteps that echoed out louder and louder as the family descended.

    The head Butler in turn walked closer to the family and gave a very low, but noble bow with one hand on his chest.

    "My lords, madams, young masters and little miss, dinner is served!"

    "Hmmm.."

    Old Gia nodded with his usual cold gaze before turning his attention back to his little granddaughter at his side.

    His expression changed so much from cold to worry that one would even doubt that if he had a split personality or something.

    "Little Didi... Are you feeling ufortable anywhere? Do you need grandfather to carry you?"

    The little girl who now had the undivided attention of everyone was called Gia Xididi

    After listening to old Gia, she only looked at her grandfather and gave a mysterious but chilling smile at him.

    For almost everyone in the house, the little miss had turned into a gloomy person altogether, who hardly spoke and would only smile crookedly from time to time, making them all feel uneasy.

    But the family wasn''t too phased at all.

    They were a family of warriors and people who had been in the army and had been brought up to ept all challenges in life.

    They got a psychiatrist, who found that the little girl was just passing through some unknown trauma.

    But the problem was that they didn''t know what she saw that could dramatize her so much.

    Yes! What exactly caused it?

    Everyone''s expressions were cold when thinking that the only princess of the Gia family had experienced trauma.

    Even the little girl''s cousins who had been long taught to protect the little princess, we''re also very concerned about it all too.

    Since they arrived, she hadn''t yed with them or even greeted them surely the way she typically did.

    And though they might be young, with their family training, they instantly knew that something was wrong.

    For them, someone had clearly bullied their Gia princess into the way she was!

    .

    As for the adults, their thoughts were somewhat on that line but more deeply rooted than the youngsters.

    What exactly caused the trauma?

    Did the little girl get molested? The guards said they searched the entire scene, but who knew if the culprit had long escaped before they got there?

    Or could it be that the little girl saw something she wasn''t supposed to and cocooned herself into her shell?

    Was she threatened with a knife on her throat or a gun?

    Their minds were all stunning with theories which made them all distressed for the princess even more.

    But what worried them the most was that the little princess began smiling and chuckling at herself all alone at times, making them fear that her mental state was copsing.

    Will their little princess be bullied andughed at? Maybe she will. But their strength was enough to cover her for a lifetime and hopefully get her treated.

    That said, the culprits that did this shouldn''t even think of escaping!

    Hehehhehe!

    Mess with the Gia family? How Bold!

 Chapter 57 The Gia Princess

    Old Gia thinned his lips worriedly.

    ording to the report, it''s been almost 2 days since his granddaughter hade back soaking.

    But since then, she hasn''t consumed any food at all.

    If this continued, then wouldn''t she just end up starving herself?

    No! He would never allow that to happen!

    Old Gia threw away his negative thoughts and gave Didi a warm and encouraging smile.

    "Come, little Didi. Come, let''s go eat. For today, you don''t need to follow the sitting rules. You will seat my grandpa... How does that sound?"

    The little girl tilted her head to the side before broadening her smile even more, making Old Gia feel pumped.

    "Hahahahahahahha! Good! Good! Let''s eat!" With that, the old man returned fiercely at those standing around the table: "Well, what the hell are you all waiting for? Didn''t you hear what I just said? Bring Didi''s food and cutlery to the seat on my left! Hurry up before I grind you all to dust!"

    "Yes, Marshall!" They replied before swiftly taking off.

    Meanwhile, Didi''s parents, the old marshall''s first son, Wei Gia, and his wife Pia Chi, only looked at their daughter, feeling a sharp pain within their hearts.

    In fact, everyone else also felt it was unfortunate.

    Mrs. Pia took out her handkerchief and secretly patted her eyes as fast as she could, wiping out the tears that seeded in escaping her eyes.

    ''I must not cry. I must not cry. I must not cry.'' She chanted, trying to hypnotize herself out of her blubbering state.

    .

    At the moment, she had used makeup to cover the red skin across her face.

    Her eyes were moist and teary-looking, and her whole demeanour felt depressed.

    But she knew that she had to be strong for her daughter. Additionally, the Old Marshall didn''t like others crying so much close to his granddaughter. The fear was that their sorrow would also affect the little girl, making her fall into depression as well.

    You want to cry? Then cry far away from his granddaughter, please!

    For now, yes... The girl suffered some trauma. But they, as her family, had to pull her out of her depression and bring warmth to her.

    So he forbade them to cry as if the little girl were already dead!

    In the meantime, the old Marshall was also concerned about something else as well.

    He came back from his trip just for this.

    He looked at his little angel lovingly while transferring more food from his servings to her te.

    "Eat. Eat. Eat up, little princess... Look! Grandpa''s eating it. So it must be good, right? Try it, little princess. Com''on. Eat up for grandpa''s sake, okay?" Old Gia begged the girl to at least eat something, but she only just shook her head stubbornly before giggling and smiling like a silly thing instead.

    Crack.

    Something within Old Gia''s mind broke as his hands started trembling in rage.

    He thought he could bear it and handle things after dinner.

    But as it stands now, he was afraid that if he didn''t solve his anger, he might end up growing insane too.

    Swish!

    He turned his head like lightning, staring at Butler Feng with a murderous scorching stare.

    "Where is she? Where is that ipetent nanny?!"

    Butler Feng, who was also a powerful military personnel, felt his heart skip a bit when he saw Old Gia''s fierce eyes.

    Yes! These were the terrifying eyes of the old Marshal he remembered.

    It has been a long time since he saw the old Marshall this pissed.

    In his heart, even though he had no pity for the nanny, he couldn''t help secretly lighting a candle for her.

    Sigh... She had just one job. And she messed up.

    Her ending was already certain!

    .

    "Replying to the Marshall. I had already called her and informed her about your arrival and summoning order. The head driver has specifically gone to locate and pick her up from whatever she had been. And they should be arriving at the estate in no more than 8 minutes."

    Old Gia''s eyes glowed fiercely: "Good! Good! Upon arrival, get her in the main hall immediately! And as for the hidden guards who were supposed to be guarding her, I hear that they have already begun receiving their punishment?"

    Butler Feng nodded: "Yes, Marshall. They have already begun receiving punishment as per the First Master''s orders."

    Old Gia turned to his first son sternly: "What were your orders?"

    Wei Gia paired his meal and raised his murderous eyes at his father as well.

    Of course, he wasn''t annoyed or angered by his Old Gia but was also waiting to strangle the nanny to death as well.

    As the first son who oversaw all Gia businesses for the entire family, he was indeed a busy man.

    He had been away for a business meeting and had also arrived not too long ago.

    When he heard the report over the phone, he gave his orders and had been waiting for the Nanny to get back.<sub> </sub>

    They hadn''t punished her along with the guards, making her feel that she was off the hook.

    But in reality, they had been waiting to punish her face to face.

    .

    Wei Gia squinted his eyes coldly at Old Gia.

    Unlike his father, he was indeed a man of very few words.

    "They received twice the load for the ''Abnormal Family'' punishment."

    Old Gia sneered: "Only twice the load? Why not 5 times higher? Since when did you start getting soft? Hmph! Butler Feng. Pass down my order. I want them to bleed 5 times more!"

    Butler Feng had goosebumps imagining it and could only tap the device in his ears and ry the order.

    Five times more?

    F***! Even he didn''t know if he could survive that.

    After all, the punishment ss/rank was the ''Abnormal one.''

    That''s right. Within the Gia family, there were 4 different sses of punishment, with the most terrifying one being the Abnormal one.

    Firstly, if one were sent for Abnormal punishment, only 5% of those sent there make it out with their tanks intact.

    Of course, the Gia family was a military family that did their best to abide by thews if they wanted to remain on top.

    Their enemies were constantly watching their every move.

    So unless necessary, they wouldn''t just be killing off their subordinates who served them locally like that.

    No! If one couldn''t finish the punishment given to them, they would be sent back to the lowest guard rank ever. They would sometimes be sent back to other 3rd world countries to do work there for years and years withouting back.

    It was almost the same as being exiled.

    And they would onlye back after their exile phase had passed.

    Some got sent for 3 years, others 15.

    They would be ced within the country''s armies, spies or troops stationed out of the country and would follow the jobs assigned to them directly.

    At the same time, there was always someone to monitor them, so trying to escape was futile.

    In short, here in the Gia estate, they did live well, received so much money to take care of their families, received schrship opportunities for their children and several other benefits.

    So leaving the country to go out and suffer was something that no one truly wanted to happen.

    .

    That said, when the First master doubled the Abnormal punishment, Butler Feng felt it hard for him to imagine what those who endured the punishment would look like at the end.

    But now, listening to Old Gia''s order requesting that the punishment should be 5 times heavier, Butler Feng was in a state of shock and horror for those already undergoing punishment.

    Like so, everyone on the table hardly had any appetite since the little princess herself didn''t want to eat.

    Thus, they all looked at each other and decided to cut dinner time today.

    With that, the entire family made their way to the grand hall to wait for the nanny.

    Of course, the other 2 wives cushioned Pia,forting her as they walked on.

    They couldn''t imagine how they would feel if something like that happened to their sons.

    To be honest, their personalities were a little fiercer than Pia. So if it were them, that nanny might''ve already received hell from them.

    F***! I tell you to watch over my daughter, and you focus on reading some stupid novel while my daughter gets traumatized?

    Hmhm... That nanny was asking for a beating.

    And this was why people got skeptical when it came to hiring nannies.

    The little boy walked behind their grandfather and Didi, looking at her from time to time sympathetically.

    In short, everyone''s mood was depressed as they took their seats within the grand hall.

    The children remained because they were all above the age of 7.

    And in this family, handling matters like these was done in the eyes of everyone to allow them to grow fast and see the cruelty of the world.

    Well, only Didi had been sheltered.

    The little boys had long been exposed to the family rules and ways.

    So they took their seats, folded their legs and leaned back silently, waiting for the main star of the show to arrive.

    And right on cue, the main doors at the extreme end of the hall were forcefully pushed open.

    ~Bam.

    She was here!

 Chapter 58 Hulans Wild Thoughts.

    ~Bam!

    The doors opened, and everyone''s expression grew cold while watching the nanny get dragged in.

    Thedy''s dishevelled hair covered her face, and from a single nce, one could see that she had lost me of her shoes too.

    Her breathing grew heavier as she tried to shake off the firm hands gripping her harshly.

    And the moment her eyes came into contact with the cold people seated within the hall, the blooming fear within her grew even more profound.

    Yes. Before the driver picked her up, she thought that something might''ve happened to the little miss since the miss is a little ''mental.''

    So she thought that maybe they were summoning her urgently to look after the miss.

    But after entering the vehicle, she realized that seated by her sides were 2 guards, blocking her from fleeing.

    Additionally, out of nowhere, she then saw 3 other ck vehicles chasing behind them too. And at the same time, 3 other vehicles appeared ahead of the vehicle she was in too.

    Even if she was dumb, she then understood that the summoning order wasn''t entirely about the little miss.

    Hahahhahahahah!

    She was so stupid to believe that they wouldn''t punish her for what happened a few days ago.

    The soft-hearted mistress just told her to go back to her duties after the incident. And she secretly heard that the guards who were supposed to be protecting the miss were punished instead.

    So she felt that things should now havee to an end.

    After all, if one looked at it deeply, it was the guards who failed to do their job of protecting the miss and not her, right?

    Yes! Yes! Yes!

    Thinking like that, she had been veryx since then, and everything had returned to normal for her too.

    So she didn''t think much of things.

    But who would''ve known that it was all a lie?

    They clearly knew that they still came after her for the incident, so why did they give her a false sense of security?

    How wicked!

    .

    The nanny grumbled with anger in her eyes as countless seeds of hatred were imnted in her.

    Of course, over the time working with the Gia''s, Hn had also envied her mistress too.

    That useless woman was too foolish and weak-hearted by nature and was nowhere worthy of being the first mistress of the Gia household.

    If not for her background, would she even get the chance to marry the first master?

    Hn couldn''t lie. When she took on the job, she was also looking for the opportunity to seduce the 29-year-old first master.

    To her, how could that useless Pia be worth the First Master?

    Hn just couldn''t control her envy when seeing a woman simr in age to her marry rich while she was always finding scum stingy men who couldn''t even buy her expensive cars and vis.

    And subconsciously, even when watching the little miss, she wouldn''t do a good job at it because of jealousy. But she dared not overstep her boundaries yet because she knew that there were always guards watching.

    Thus, to keep her job, she had to act as the ''kind'' and graciousdy that she was.<sub> </sub>

    She knew that everything probably git reported back to the first master, so she had to give off her best performance at all times.

    And secretly, she had long taken the First Master as her husband.

    Yes! She should be the one living thisvish life and not that stupid vase!

    So subconsciously, she started thinking of Pia as her stumbling block.

    To her, Pia''s act of always seeming kind and always offering her more money was a way of showing off wealth and looking down on her.

    To her, the first master must''ve wanted to forgive her.

    But it should''ve been that b**ch that talked him into punishing her.

    .

    After entering the vehicle and rxing ger predicament, Hn med everything on that scheming b**ch!

    p So the question now was whether that white lotus mistress would use this opportunity to make the First master kill her.</anda>

    Boom!

    A fearful explosion erupted in her mind as she tried to flee countless times before they got into the estate.

    She tried screaming through the window to ask for help from passerbys and even began crying, pleading and begging the guards to let her go.

    The old Marshall was back, as well as the First Master.

    Because of how busy these 2 were, even if they were around the estate, she might not even be able to see them for months.

    In fact, some people have worked here for years and have yet to see their employer''s faces once.

    Even if the First Master and the rest still decided to sit in one ce and never left the estate, only the top or most qualified people could see them.

    And she, as the nanny, had only seen the first mistress, the little miss''s mother.

    She only kept in contact with that b**ch, the first mistress alone... which to her was because Pia didn''t want her to see the handsome First Master, whose handsomeness was typically the talk of the entire country.

    But even though she hadn''t seen the Old Marshall, the first master or all the other Masters of the Gia family, she still heard about the rumours about their brutality.

    There were rumours that they had dug out the hearts of many and even fed them to the dogs out of spite.

    Hn didn''t believe the First Master would hurt her since her delusions told her that the First Master must be secretly in love with her.

    .

    To Hn, her issue was with the Old Marshall and that scheming Pia.

    Yes! Because of family duty, they might force the First master to punish her heavily, killing her and burying her where no one could find.

    Then if that were the case, wouldn''t her long-time n to enter the Gia household fail?

    Hn''s chest grew tight with unwillingness.

    No! No! She can never die without enjoying all these riches.

    They should be hers! All hers!

 Chapter 59 The Time Was Right

    Hn was going crazy when she thought about how unfair the world truly was.

    And it was now and then that Dorian''s words echoed in her mind.

    [Someone is iming to be what they aren''t. And tonight, your death has been sealed.]

    What?!!!

    She felt her mind going haywire in dizziness as her pupils dted heavily.

    He... He... Knew.

    Hahahahahahaha!

    That bastard was cursing her to death but warning her of the Gia family''s ns to kill her!

    Hn grabbed the carpet with trembling hands as she felt a wave of regret, hatred, fear, anxiety and countless emotions engulf her entire being.

    If she had just listened, then she might''ve had the chance to flee, right?

    Tsk! As expected. Before pride came fall.

    me her! me her for being too prideful to listen to the youngster.

    But she didn''t listen. And now, she had fallen victim to this b**che''s scheme.

    So even amidst her fear, how could she not be angry?

    Her entire body trembled while gripping the carpet.

    And when she finally lifted her face and stared at Pia hatefully, the entire Gia family was taken aback... Especially Pia.

    Weren''t they the ones who were supposed to be angry?

    Why did it seem like it was they, the Gia family, who were scum while she was the innocent one?

    .

    Old Gia squinted his eyes, releasing his murderous aura towards Hn, subconsciously making her shower in fear: "So, you are my granddaughter''s ipetent nanny?"

    Hn wanted to reply, but her words seemed stuck in her throat. She could only nod her head frighteningly, daring not to thoroughly look at old Gia.

    Old Gia looked at her and sneered: "I heard you''re a very chatty person. So why don''t you speak?"

    ~Bam!

    He tapped his cane hard on the floor, making Hn''s heart jump in fear.

    "Well, what''s the matter with you? Can''t speak now? Cat got your tongue?"

    Pia looked at the old man stuffing his chest and hurriedly tried to calm him down: "Father, please... Remember your condition."

    Anyone who saw her actions knew that First Lady Pia was indeed a gentle soul. But her actions in Hn''s eyes were that of a scheming lotus.

    Hn looked at the First master with deep-rooted lust in her eyes while also trying to look as pitiful as possible to him.

    She was also so blown away by his awesomeness that her envy of Pia was even more radiant than ever.

    Heh.

    Old Gia saw through her subtle movements and now had a hunch what sort of person this Hn was.

    He scoffed at the thought of her whimsical fantasies.

    With his years of experience in this world, what had he not seen?

    Such a person was definitely unworthy of looking after his precious Granddaughter!

    .

    "Father, please, your health. You need to..."

    Old Gia raised his hands to silence Pia''s concerns before getting up from his grand chair like the overlord he was.

    ~Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup.

    Step by step, the Old Marshall made his way towards the dishevelled Hn, making her mortified.

    He finally stopped beside her and used his cane to raise her chin upwards.

    And now, their eyes were locked on each other.

    ~Gulp.

    Hn swallowed hard whening into close contact with Old Gia''s fierce eyes.

    Instantly, time seemed frozen in ce.<sub> </sub>

    "So, miss Hn. After receiving our generous sry, benefits and other perks for your job. Not only did you appreciate your job... but did so at the expense of my precious granddaughter. So, tell me... Do you think that I will ever let you go?"

    "Wh-what do you want to do to me?..." Hn''s eyes opened dreadfully while recalling Dorian''s words.

    Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.

    They were going to kill her!

    She began inching back while shaking her head in horror as the shadow of death quickly covered her.

    Her entire face was now drenched in sweat and tears, enabling her hair to cling onto her face even more.

    "No! No! Sir! You can''t kill me. Killing is against thew. And you, as a marshall, will be arrested once caught. So-so if you kill me now, all that you''ve worked for will go down the drain just like that. Sir... I-i-i know that someone vicious might have stimted you to kill me. But please, don''t fall prey to their schemes. You might not know this, but I met a random stranger outside who told me that someone is not who they im to be. And because of the person, I would end up dying today. At first, I didn''t believe it. But now, I do!"

    -Freeze-

    ? Old Gia paused while looking at Hn thoughtfully: "You said someone randomly told you that your death is sealed within the Gia household today?"

    Could it be the people who caused his granddaughter''s trauma?

    Upon seeing Old Gia''s interest piqued up, a dim torch of hope within her now burned brightly.

    (*^*)

    Yes! If she could convince them all about the warning that guy gave, then she wouldn''t have to die. She felt like she would be a hero for exposing the truth

    After all, who knew if this b**ch had secretly nned to kidnap her own daughter just to deal with her?

    With that, she desperately inched closer to old Gia with her knees, trying her best to convince him as hard as she could before turning her eyes towards Pia, sending an artifact gaze her way.

    .

    "Sir! I have no reason to lie to you! That person said that Miss Pia was pretending to be who she wasn''t. Yes, sir. Pia is the problem here! She is just a white lotus who has been deceiving you all! She is pushing you to take action while keeping her hands clean from it all. Sir! Because she is jealous of me, she keeps trying to stop the love between the First Master and myself! If anyone should be med, it should be Miss Pia!"

    [Pia]: "_"

    --Silence--

    ... The room stayed dead silent as everyone listened to the rantings of a maddy.

    Pia was shocked, confused and angered by the turn of events.

    She had never been pretending at all. And she sure as hell wasn''t any damn white lotus.

    Moreover, howe this Hn had been targeting her husband, and she didn''t know about it all this time?

    In Hn''s mouth, she was described as a viin who stopped true love between her husband and Hn. But did this Hn forget that her husband was a married man?

    Hahahhahaha! Ridiculous!

    Wei Gia didn''t even bother defending himself because it was just too absurd.

    Even though he had only seen Hn''s photo from her file, he had never met thedy in person.

    So what was the love affair between them?

    Wei Gia''s face was a man of few words. So unless necessary, he would never bother talking.

    The only thing that piqued Wei Gia was that some random stranger had told this whimsical nanny about her death being sealed today in the Gia household.

    But the issue was that even with the mistakes Hn made, they never thought of actually killing her, but making sure that her life was hell instead.

    So... Who was going to seal her death?

    Who was the person in their home pretending to be what they weren''t?

    Could it be that the trauma incident was just the beginning of some borate scheme by others?

    If so, then could it be that the culprits had already initiated the estate and would take action tonight?

    Wei Gia and Old Gia''s expressions turned grim as they hastily faced the guards, giving out a simple nod to them.

    Those who have always been with them were skilled professionals who could also see the issue with Hn''s statement too.

    So instantly, they were on the move.

    But too bad, the culprit they were looking for was right before their very eyes.

    Hahahahahha!

    In just a few more minutes, the moon would be just right.

    And by then, it will be time!

 Chapter 60 A Night To Remember

    ~Vrmmmmmm!!!!

    Driving towards the Gia estate, Dorian and his gang were already dashing towards the scene like crazy.

    "Raulin, I understand you race for fun out of the mansion?"

    Eh?

    Raulin nodded confidently: "Yes, Grandmaster."

    "Good. Then what are you waiting for? Go faster!"

    Dorian''s cold voice seemed to ignite a me within Raulin as he suddenly grinned dastardly and switched gears like crazy.

    "Everyone, hold on to your hats. I tend to be a little bit crazy when I race."

    [Zhulyn and Butler Sheng]:... Don''t need to tell me twice.

    Zhulyn briefly turned to look at Butler Sheng, who in turn gazed at him too.

    And in that split second, they seemed to have the ability of telepathy.

    ~Bam. Bam.

    The duo nted their feet firmly to the ground, double-checked the strength of their seatbelt and began holding only any part of the car they could.

    (:T0T:)

    At this point, they couldn''t help looking at Dorian in an aggrieved manner, with invisible tears pouring out of their eyes.

    But before they could even finish their little checks and safety procedures, the vehicle suddenly took a crazy turn, pushing them forward to meet their makers.

    Of course, that''s what would''ve happened if not for the miraculous and got invention called the seatbelt.

    The duo looked at their seatbelts as if looking at a superhero.

    And for sure, before they could thank it in their hearts, Crazy Racer Raulin was at it again.

    ~Vrrrrrrmmmmm!

    The vehicle drove towards the estate like a rolling disaster.

    Dorian, who still hadn''t moved an inch with his hands and feet crossed, couldn''t help looking at the Gia estate before shifting his gaze to the moon above.

    Amidst the pitiful cross of the dup held captive to Raulin''s skills, Dorian sent an orange whiff of light into the vehicle with his fingers.

    "Raulin! When we get there, break through anything in your path. Time is running out!"

    "Yes, Grandmaster," Raulin replied while shifting gears again and smiling slyly.

    Crashing into things?

    Well, it just so happened that he also liked those sorts of things too.

    Good. It was time to crash the gates, make noise and get in!

    Hopefully, the limo doesn''t get too damaged.

    But hey! In the end, he would''ve awed the Grandmaster, right?

    (^0^)

    ~Vrrrmmmmmmm!

    Like so, a crazy Raulin was ready to show off his skills to Dorian, forgetting about his other 2 Comrades beside him in tears.

    They wanted to throw up but dared not do so.

    Dammit! Why did they allow this maniac to take the wheel?

    Sigh... They were doomed!

    Meanwhile, back in the main building within the massive estate, the air became pregnant and heavy with tension.

    .

    Listening to Hn''s words, Old Gia and Wei Gia nodded at their men, sending them off running and moving about in a sh, confusing the rest in the room even more.

    What was going on here?

    Pia, the other wives and their children were all very perplexed and somewhat anxious too.

    But before they could even make heads or tails of the matter, Wei Gia''s calm voice echoed through their eyes: "it''s nothing."

    "_"

    Everyone heard his words and didn''t believe him at all!

    If it were nothing, all the men around the room wouldn''t be acting so vignt, as if they were preparing for war.

    Wei Gia''s lead guard, Renjin, stood frozen in ce with his eyes darting nonstop and his fingers on the device in his ears, listening to all the reports around.

    And in a sh, he turned around, walked towards Wei Gia and spoke in a whisper tone: "Sir! All regions are secured. No enemies sighted yet."

    "Hmm... Tell them to keep watching all corners of the buildings and estate diligently. The enemy might already have infiltrated the estate. We can''t take any chances. In the meantime, get all 4 choppers ready."

    "Yes!" With that, the Renjin swiftly moved away and also coborated with Old Gia''s main guard to also get things done swiftly too.

    Even though Old Gia was still living in the old estate, he had long handed things to the First Master.

    In other words, it was the First Master''s men that typically called the shots unless Old Gia put his foot down.

    Thus, it was Renjin''s duty to secure the safety of them all, even though he would still be working alongside Old Gia''s men.

    With that, the massive hall had now been thrown into even bigger chaos than before.

    .

    Hn on the other hand, was in hell when she realized that her situation was still a delicate one.

    Her nails dug into the flesh like daggers, the more terrified she was.

    How... How can this be?

    When she passed on the message and saw them move around, she thought it was because they believed her.

    But now, with no one even bothered to talk to her, or more specifically... tell her that she was free from death, she became even more anxious, waiting for some sign from them.

    However, how did it look like these people weren''t ying ording to the script she had in mind?

    Dammit!<sub> </sub>

    Hn gritted her teeth angrily.

    They must still not believe her fully because of this b**ch and her cursed White Lotus powers!

    Everyone was faced with their own little thoughts and dilemmas.

    But suddenly, something bizarre urred.

    Blink. Blink.

    Two blinks from all the chandeliers, everyone froze in ce in shock.

    This had never happened before and was a disgrace within a home such as theirs.

    They paused all their actions, even while talking, as their words now seemed to be caught in the back of their throats.

    Blink. Blink.

    There it was again!

    Everyone, as if on cue, frowned deeply as they slowly raised their heads upwards to stare at the many chandeliers positioned in different regions above the massive Hall.

    Eh? Before, only two chandeliers flickered.

    But now, all of them flickered spasmodically.

    Hmm... How odd.

    Several people thought this, but only Old Gia, Wei Gia, Lead guard Renjin, Butler Feng and a few other guards felt something was wrong.

    Call it training instincts, but like animals in the wild, they could sense that it wasn''t all just a coincidence.

    Their hearts sank deeply as the thought prated their minds.

    Dammit! The enemies were here, weren''t they.

    .

    ~Catchak!

    As if in an old western movie, everyone took out their weapons, stood with their feet open, back hunched and sent forth their eyes in different directions, up-down, left-right, and even the ground below too.

    Seeing their actions, thedies also stood and enclosed the children vigntly.

    They weren''t fools!

    Their Gia family members were warriors and skilled professionals.

    So if everyone brought out their weapons, then there was something bizarre about the scene.

    As for some of the guards, without wasting any time, they surrounded thedies and children too, while others focused on Old Gia and Wei Gia instead.

    But when everyone was immersed in finding the culprit, the little girl suddenly slipped through the cracks of people protecting her, as if she were a ninja, and made her way closer to therge floor-to-ceiling ss wall, staring at the moon outside intensely.

    Old Gia and those who spotted her didn''t even think of how she escaped the military barrier of men surrounding her and the others, but were more focused on getting close to her.

    "Little Didi... It''s not safe. It''s not safe. Come towards grandpa, okay?" Old Gia said anxiously while making his way to his precious granddaughter.

    At the same time, 2 other guards moved quicker than his old bones, trying to dash towards her too.

    Of course, Butler Feng also pped his hands thrice, making the automatic blinds go down.

    Yes! It was dangerous for the little girl to be so close to the ss walls.

    The enemy should already be lurking in the buildings, and even the outer estate paths too.

    So what if some sniper shot her?

    Well, it was indeed true that the ss was bulletproof.

    But one shouldn''t forget that a few years ago, thetest high-tech vibratory sound bullet was created.

    That bullet would at least produce a crack on their windows.

    And as everyone knows, if one shot a regr bullet on that same crack, it should form a big enough hole that would go straight into the building.

    These new bullets were only permitted to be used by the military.

    However, they were still also illegally sold at ck markets too.

    Typically, they wouldn''t be worried that the little girl was this close to the ss walls

    But since they didn''t know the enemy they were with, who knew if their enemy might have the bullet?

    He, Butler Feng, and the entire Gia family might never be able to forgive themselves for such a blunder.

    Thus, butter Feng closed the thin, shield-like blinds while the other 2 guards rushed towards the little girl who was still staring at the moon like crazy.

    "Little miss, it''s not safe."

    "Little miss..."

    The girl had her back facing them and acted as if she was deaf.

    But since she had trauma, they felt that she might just be in a daze or something.

    However, something even weirder happened.

    The blinds that seemed to be lowering, now stopped abruptly.

    And finally, the lights began flickering.

    Blink. Blink. Blink.

    ~Pfff

    ckout.

    Everyone''s heart was in a mess, as the only light source that now illuminated the entire hall was thating from the gigantic moon that, for some reason, now looked like it was way closer to their home than before.

    But as logical humans, their thoughts weren''t on this, but on a potential sniper or enemy attack lurking in the dark hall.

    The 2 guards making their way towards the girl finally reached her and stretched their hands forth to turn her around.

    However... What happened next was something the Gia family would never forget in a million years.

    The little girl looked at the moon and giggled yfully.

    The night was hers!

 Chapter 61 Trapped

    A chill wind engulfed the entire room as the moon illuminated the scene giving it a bluish undertone to the scene

    Everyone''s heart fell deeper in ce as their eyes scanned the room vigntly.

    But no matter where they looked, nothing was more eye-catching than the ominous scene ahead.

    ~Flutter. Flutter.

    Everyone looked on to the long fluttering hair of the little Gia princess, who still has her back against them while holding a pink doll.

    And the duo who was reaching for her, didn''t know why, but they suddenly felt their hands tremble the closer they got to her.

    Their fingers felt frozen to the bone as the chilly air forced itself into their very beings, deep rooting itself in them.

    And when they finally turned the little girl around, their eyes almost bled out blood from the scene before them.

    Oh my God!

    The face was just too gruesome words alone!

    It was like staring into a deep, never-ending abyss of death that made their throats constrict in horror.

    How? This? What? No!!!!

    ~Plop.

    The duo fell backwards, pointed their trembling finders at the little miss and began using their butts to move back in fear. "M-Monster!"

    Monster?

    Their words echoed across the scene as everyone then looked at the scene in confusion.

    But of course, it wasn''t long before this confusion turned into something unfathomable.

    Little miss?...

    Everyone''s face turned pale.

    Imposter!

    It was then, and now that old Gia recalled the lines that the stranger told Hn: [someone in your home isn''t who they were. Thus, their deaths were sealed!]

    Finally understanding the words, old Gia''s bones became wobbly in despair.

    Even the guards recalled the words and couldn''t help shivering from the revtion.

    So-so, the enemy was the little miss?

    Then, then, what do they do? How do they fight this thing?

    Mother of Mercy!

    The small hairs across their bodies stood up, as they could feel themselves now rooted on the spot, unable to move.

    But in their hearts, they were still screaming in tears: ''Monster! Monster! Monster! Monster!!!''

    ~Plugh!

    In no more than 3 seconds, the floor was now covered in vomit, as countless people threw up just from a single nce of the ''thing.''

    They felt like if they had to continue looking at it for long, they would rathermit suicide instead.

    Just looking at it gave them a sensation of thousand spiders crawling, entering and exiting their insides at will.

    And just when everyone was still digesting the scene before them, they soon heard a loud cry from one of thedies.

    ~Plop.

    Pia fell to her knees in tears as she stared at the thing in rage and hate.

    "No!.. No... My baby... My baby... What have you done to my baby? You give her back! I, I... ~Ooooo."

    Pia''s chest grew tight with grief.

    Of course she was scared and terrified to death.<sub> </sub>

    But do you know the love a mother had for her daughter?

    She might be soft-natured. But when the going got tough, forget it. She would be more brutal than any soldier if needed!

    With her hatred stronger than her fear, Pia took out her safety knife murderously.

    She had somehow always known that this wasn''t her daughter.

    The connection between mother and daughter was no more, which was too bizarre.

    At first, she thought it was because of the trauma.

    But now, it all made sense!

    Even the thing''s nature of standing in her bedroom at night, appearing in countless unforeseen regions, not eating for days and doing other weird actions were all clues to show that her daughter hadn''t been with her for a long time.

    But she as a mother hadn''t fully noticed it.

    So wasn''t she a disappointment?

    Hahahahhahahahhaha!

    Pia clenched the dagger in her hand in pain when she thought of how much her real daughter might have needed her when this imposter thing took her away.

    ''Didi... Mommy is so sorry. Please forgive mommy for leaving you alone. Mommy promises you that even if she has to die, she will bring you back safely!''

    With that, Pia steadied herself, secretly nning to make her move on the thing.

    As for Wei Gia, Old Gia and the rest of the family, they too had the same thoughts as Pia, but another shocking thought embedded in their minds made them grow numb.

    So all this time, they had been living with this thing?

    At this moment, even though they were a military home, the level of terror that engulfed their hearts from the sight before them was so intense that they too couldn''t even move a muscle.

    The fear was too crippling.

    However, they knew that if they didn''t do anything, then their fates might truly be sealed today.

    If they wanted a chance for revenge or to understand it all, they had first to flee the scene since the enemy had long prepared.

    You look at me, I look at you. Everyone gave each other a brief eye before Wei Gia began screaming orders out.

    "Evacuate the room! Take the children to safety. Run! Run! Run!!!"

    In a sh, almost everyone in the room dashed towards the doors as if it were their only salvation.

    Be it by chopper or vehicle, they didn''t care how they escaped, provided they fled the gruesome scene.

    At the same time, Old Gia, Wei Gia, Butler Feng and a few others stood firm with quaking legs while trying to buy time for others.

    They looked at the thing before them and took big gulps of saliva.

    May the heavens help them all.

    They only wished to buy more time for the rest.

    And for a moment, it all seemed to be working and going ording to n.

    But... Too bad, the little girl had long prepared for them.

    ~Bam! Bam! Catchack!

    All doors and windows magically closed themselves shut with several loud bangs, making everyone stare at the scene anxiously.

    "Oh no! It won''t budge! It won''t budge!"

    "Then m into it for heaven''s sake... Or better still, shoot the damntch off!"

    "I don''t care how you do it, but open that damn door now!!"

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang~

 Chapter 62 The Big Feast

    Everyone''s mind was clouded heavily as they stared at the doors desperately.

    Blow them away!

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang~

    The thundering bullets flew out from their weapons as if it were a war zone.

    And the sparks and shed from all the firing seemed to illuminate the dimly lit room from time to time.

    Destroy. Destroy. Destroy. Destroy!

    They didn''t dare to slow down, as they fired uncontrobly at the only thing now standing between them and freedom.

    And after firing for what seemed like an eternity, they suddenly froze, looked at the doors and almost burst out into tears.

    Dammit!

    How did they forget that these doors were reinforced and sturdier than ordinary ones?

    The doors and even thetches were made for keeping the enemy out.

    They didn''t even do any major damage to the doors after all that firing.

    One could only find scratches or marks here and there instead.

    F***!

    Dread grew within their chests as everyone tried their best to pry the doors open.

    No matter how sound and bold one was, ending up in such a situation, trapped in a room with an unknown thing that they didn''t know how to kill, would inevitably make terror bloom in their hearts as time passed by.

    And without a doubt, even the guards who felt courageous before were shaken to their core with the turn of events.

    Their breathing grew hoarse as they raised their legs and kicked or mmed the doors with a crazed look in their eyes.

    "Open! Open! Why won''t you open for me?!"

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Tensions were high, and their veins were already bulging out in desperation.

    But how could they have known that this was just the beginning of a fun night?

    ~BRRRMMMMMM!

    The chandeliers began shaking greatly, and the couches began floating and spinning around the room as a crazy gust of wind fumed in, creating a storm within the hall.

    Everyone''s body went numb with shock, they saw the scene before them.

    Too strong!

    The strong winds lifted several people and spun them around as if they were rolling around in the sinking Titanic, with many forcefully hitting themselves against the walls in agony.

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Some people already saw stars from all the hits to their heads and bodies.

    "Uggh...."

    The loud chiming chandeliers and exmations of other panic-filled people quickly covered up the moans of many.

    But just when they thought that they would forever end up getting bashed and thrown around all night in this tornado, hurricane winds, the strong gust of wind suddenly stopped. And at this moment, everything, including everyone floating, fell hard on the ground mercilessly in one loud bang.

    ~Bam.

    The room was now in a mess. But the real point of focus was that everyone''s heart now had a higher degree of fear installed in them.

    Beautiful.

    It smelled so good that the little girl couldn''t help taking a big whiff and moaning in ecstasy.

    Heh. Want to run? Then think again!

    .

    Every one, though in a state of disarray, was still focused on the little girl.

    Those closer moved with their butts as fast as they could, trying to stay as far away from her as possible.

    Wei Gia felt the pressure on his throat when staring at the thing that looked like his daughter.

    Oh, dear. He wanted to throw up and convulse in both fear and repulsion.

    "You... What do you want from us?" Wei Gia asked with a shivering tone. He had fought against it, hoping to calm his knotted belly. But the fear from within the room seemed too courageous. He could feel the bottomless quivering in his spine. And for the first time, he realized that his voice could go up a note as well. Luckily, because of the elephant in the room, no one seemed to realize his strangeness and only gazed upon him in admiration instead.

    They were all shaken down to their bones, but Wei Gia was courageous enough to talk to the thing even after all that had happened.

    In truth, Wei Gia was just as shaken as they were.

    And when the thing abruptly turned its face at him, he felt like he was about to copse.

    But with everyone staring at him with such hopeful and expectant eyes, he dared not fail them and could only swallow his quake feeling and pent-up vomit for some other time.

    Who made him the current head of the household?

    ...

    The thing saw Wei Gia''s struggling expression and chuckled: "For what I want to do, I''m sure you already have a guess in your heart. Oops... You all are going to die anyway. So why care about what I will do with you all after your deaths?" The thing said before smiling from ear to ear, as her lips extending right to the back of her head

    And the moment she spoke, she didn''t even give them time to readjust themselves before calmly lifting her hands and closing her eyes calmly.

    p Of course, everyone''s concern wasn''t the actions... but what they were seeing before them.</anda>

    The thing''s teeth started growing and elongating into a spiky saw-like pattern that formed a line all across her face.<sub> </sub>

    And when she opened her eyes again, they were a deep shade of bluish-purple instead.

    But maybe, the most shocking thing was that during this time, the massive image of the moon seemed to have a deeper bluish color with purplish highlights too.

    Even if they were dumb and slow-witted, they now realized that what they were facing was definitely something out of this world!

    So instantly, they pointed their weapons at it without hesitation.

    At first, they avoided shooting it because it looked exactly like the little miss... You know, without the teeth, the face, the... Well, the body still looked like that of the little miss, excluding the face.

    So they were patient about it, trying to flee to safety first and then think about it all.

    But now that they were truly cornered and backed up, forget it.

    This thing is going down!

    .

    Instantly, time seemed frozen in ce as everyone began raising their weapons.

    And at the moment, the little girl was watching everything in slow motion, with a curved smile across her face.

    Well, now... It looked like it was finally time for the feast to begin.

    She had long marked her favorites in this room, so she decided to save them forst.

    After all, the more their souls feared and ached like squealing hounds, the more blissful the meal.

    But because of those sted angels, it had to be done before the heavenly hour... Lest they find out her deeds.

    Nheless, since she liked saving the best forst, then she would undoubtedly enjoy the closest to the little girl thest.

    Thinking like that, the thing''s eyes curved upwards.

    ~Swish!

    What???!

    Old Gia and several others looked around in blind horror while trying to suppress the shivers within them.

    It vanished. It vanished!

    Instantly, their scalps tingled.

    Where was it? Where was it?

    The dimly dark room, the weird sounds of drumming on the walls, and the impending fear of the unknown lurking in the dark, was enough to make one have a heart attack, talk less of losing their wits at a time like this... Especially the children who grabbed the adults with their cold, mmy hands.

    It''s been a long time since they, the Gia grandsons, had cried.

    Today, they seemed to be able to shed buckets, with some even releasing the dragons of pee too.

    But they dared not cry out loud for fear that whatever was within the dark would get them.

    They... They wanted to go home.

    They had never been so traumatized and frightened in their entire lives!

    And just when everyone was freaking out of their wits, they heard a loud crying from above.

    ~Ahhhhhh!

    Everyone looked upwards, and Butler Feng also shed a torch there too.

    It was on the ceiling! It was on the ceiling!

    Yes. They found it.

    But it was just that the image they saw was enough to send them into cardiac arrest.

    They watched as the thing stood upside down on the ceiling, and in one single bite, it bit off a guard''s entire head after its mouth expanded into 10 times its regr size.

    Blood smeared its mouth, leaving the most horrid image to them.

    ~Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

    In just 3 more bites, the entire human had been swallowed.

    ~Plugh.

    She burped out the person''s clothes and every other indigestible item.

    Tonight, she could eat both flesh and soul.

    Everyone watched her crunch the bones, not even daring to breathe, speak or call its attention to them.

    The amount of fear wired in their bodies made their eyes eclipse and roll to the back of their heads.

    But little did they know that this was just the beginning.

    Tonight, the blood bath began.

    "Run! Run! Pry open the doors again!"

    "No! No! Save me! It''s got my leg!"

    "Shoot! Shoot! Waste the bullets on it!"

    "Dammit! Where is a missile when you need one?"

    "Help! Help! Save me!"

    ~Bang Bang. Bang Bang. Bang.

 Chapter 63 Heroes To The Rescue

    "Where did it go? Look! Over there! Shoot! Shoot!"

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.~

    The loud sounds of bullets fired in all directions as the now hunched thing suddenly jumped around the room, picking its meal at will.

    The night weather was indeed a hot one. But at present, as they only felt the coldness of the eerie winds that massaged their bodies, stretching its ws deep into the very fibres of their bones.

    ~Plop.

    The slimy items of the dead were continuously spat out the mouth of the Thing.

    And in a sit second after spitting out, it would vanish and appear in another location with yet another victim in its hands.

    Like so, the feast became one to die for. And the poor chickens began running up and found, backing each other in circles with their guns pointed about in full panic.

    Where was it? Where was it?

    Front? Back? Up? Down? Sideways?... Good Heavens! Where the hell was the thing?

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

    They could only see shes and after images of it once they finally managed to spot it.

    And they didnt know if it was just them, but the more it ate, the uglier and gruesome it looked.

    Its eye sockets, its nostrils that now looked modified. Its entire body, and the fact that even its hair had started changing, made several gasps of panic leave their curved, open mouths.

    But while the thing was having its meal, Dorian and his gang had finally entered the estate.

    .

    ~Vrrrrmmmmmm!

    Ba-bum! Ba-bum!

    Butler Sheng and Zhulyn were thrown up and down their seats, even with the seat belts on.

    F***! Can you take it easy on them?

    Raulin, who was driving, was in a ''Mad Max'' state.

    He clenched the steering wheel passionately while avoiding all obstacles in his way.

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

    The automatic defence system within the well-equipped military Gia estate was one of the fiercest in the country.

    No other estate in the city had such a devised mechanism. This only went to show how big the Goa household was.

    When they first reached a certain distance and crossed aser, warnings did go out, telling them to halt and wait for guards to get to them.

    But of course, in this emergency state, they continued.

    And after several distances, 2 more warnings went off again.

    At any rate, the mechanisms were typically ced after the Gia family closed their doors.

    That''s right. In a family such as theirs, following schedules, just like in the military, was a must!

    They ate at specific times and did other activities at other appointed times too. Of course, the hours when their schedules were free were typically used for their private times.

    And in such a household, at 9 P.M prompt, the gates would be closed, and the defence activated.

    Of course, if one cameter than that, follow protocol after the first warning and stand there in wait for guards to view one on camera.

    From there, they would also head towards one and search them, as well as their vehicles too before any guests or people dared to even pass the first haul.<sub> </sub>

    With how big this estate was, there were sectors and various checkpoints one had to reach before getting to the heart of it all.

    But of course, since Dorian and his gang were ''unwanted guests,'' they drove past all the warnings, triggering the automatic safety procedures.

    And wouldn''t you know it? Over 200 automated machine guns popped out from thewns.

    At this point, needless to say that their detection capacities and other features made them perfect killing machines at this moment.

    And if this first fail-safe doesn''t work, don''t worry. The Gia residence had others!

    .

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang~

    The special bullets were made to prate 20% of the standard bulletproof window with a single shot.

    So imagine having hundreds of them shoot at the vehicle?

    F***! It seemed like a nightmare for many if caught up in a wave of these monstrous bullets.

    But because Dorian had previously inserted his qi into the vehicle earlier on, the vehicle was still without a scratch.

    And the Gia Detectors, which were also supposed to analyze the damage done, saw this and immediately signalled for another procedure to getunched.

    Okay. Okay. Do you think you''re so tough? Then what about this?

    The machine''s guns never stopped firing. But in the process, 2 other features popped out yet again and were ready for action.

    Seeing all this, Raulin wanted to cry.

    The Gia Family sure were ruthless. But luckily, he was a damn good driver, himself.

    With that, Raulin prepared to drift as if in a movie. But who could me him?

    In a blink of an eye, the path was suddenly covered with spikes and des strategically. But that wasn''t all. Large holes also began opening up on the floors like trap doors, which only made many everyone''s eyes widen in rm.

    Why? Because the trap doors opened whenever the vehicle was extremely close to it. And if one weren''t careful, their vehicle would crash in just like that.

    And at the sides, Raulin saw several mechanical arms pop out, holding something in their hands.

    Eh?

    Were those hand grenades?

    Everyone''s face turned grim.

    ~Boom!

    A small yellowish mushroom cloud med up, and Raulin''s heart fell into his belly after dodging the attack.

    Yes. He swirled the vehicle to the side, missing the grenade by inches. The grenade then flew a distance forward and exploded on thewn at the sides.

    Raulin was relieved. But what he didn''t know was that the arm could calcte and estimate enemy moments too.

    It was like ying a game of chess with theputer. It would calcte based on what moves one made and make adjustments to counterattack and win.

    So make no mistake. This was just the beginning.

    But fortunately for the gang, they had Dorian with them.

    Dorian, who hadn''t even shaken a muscle since this whole charade began, only stared outside, looking at therge moon deeply.

    Tonight. He had to go all out.

 Chapter 64 A Bizare Sighting

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.~

    ~Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!~

    ~Vrrrmmmmmm!

    The saga continued until finally, the gang had made it past thest defence.

    And only after stepping into the innermost sector of the estate, did they freeze in shock.

    This... This... This...

    "Grandmaster. What is going on?"

    ~Awoooo!

    Everyone''s heart skipped a beat after hearing the far cry of wolves from heaven knows where.

    But it didn''t make any sense!

    The Gia estate was far from the famous Wuphil mountain or other forest regions. So how was it possible that they could hear it?

    Dorian nced at the magnified moon for a bit before diverting his attention again.

    Sure enough. Tonight was filled with power. And even though ordinary people couldn''t see it, when Dorian looked at the moon, he saw somethingpletely different from what they saw.

    Butler Sheng looked at the scene deeply.

    The entire ce was too quiet and silent, with not even a single sound from an owl or even a bee buzzing around.

    But that wasn''t the real reason why his hairs at the back of his neck were all standing at attention. Zhulyn also saw the seven and was gravely disturbed as well. How could he not be?

    Countless bodies were lying around in strange positions.

    And after cracking down and vigntly cing his hands on their neck pulse, he couldn''t help releasing a deep sigh from relief.

    Good. They were still alive and breathing. But the strange thing was that they had all fallen into some deep slumber all at once.

    The scene they were witnessing was too hard to describe.

    Countless bodiesy around every path and region, making them all stand on high alert.

    Who knew if someone or something would sneak attack them and put them to sleep just like these people?

    Instantly, they all took out a talisman paper in one hand and a gun in another... Whether human or creature, it was best for them to be prepared.

    .

    As ever, the overly animated Raulin began moving as if he were Indiana Jones or something.

    He stepped over several guards, looking for ces to put his legs without smashing the bodies.

    That''s right. He didn''t want to smash the faces of these Gia guards.

    Who knew if they would get up and bite him like zombies? He had watched too many movies to know that in situations like this, don''t try to poke the Lion and avoid stepping on people... Even if they looked dead, asleep or even paralyzed.

    Raulin''s imagination was just too great. But he wasn''t wrong in taking precautions.

    The entire scene looked like the enactment of sleeping beauty... Except, the focus was more on the Kingdom people who were put asleep while waiting for the princess to finally wake up.

    There were some sleeping while leaning in the walls, and there were also some sleeping on board and positions too.

    F***! How can someone sleep in a squatting position?

    Raulin didn''t know how long that person had been put to slumber like that. But he was sure that once the person woke up again, their knees would''ve been killed to death by them.

    Sigh... How tragic. And so young too.

    .

    "Faster."<sub> </sub>

    "Right." The rest responded before picking up their pace, leaping over the many sleeping beauties scattered around.

    They finally ascended the grand stone stairs at the front and passed through the open doors vigntly.

    And the moment they stepped in, they were immediately bombarded with a sort of chilly cold that made them shiver uncontrobly.

    The further in they went, the colder it became.

    No. The cold this time was fiercer and more prating than what he had felt during the other battles.

    Butler Sheng looked at the winding hallways and felt a little shaken.

    There was something big in here!

    ~Boom!

    Dorian began throwing talismans on any closed doors, forcing his way through without mercy.

    Butler Sheng didn''t know how Dorian knew the way or even knew that they were supposed to stop at the building they did.

    But the fact that the cold air was growing more and more choking, showed that they had indeede to the right path.

    And when everyone was still immersed in their thoughts, Dorian squinted his forward eyes as if havingser vision: "Assignments: Raulin. Gather the survivors and protect them if need be. Zhulyn. Set up the formation ording to the instructions."

    Zhulyn nodded diligently while tapping his breast pocket that had everything he needed: "Yes, Grandmaster. I will do my best."

    "Mmm." Dorian hummed before focusing his attention on Butler Sheng: "Protect him while he sets it up."

    "Yes, Grandmaster... But what about you? I fear that this time, we might be facing something more disastrous than before."

    Oh?

    Doran nced at Butler Sheng briefly and was once again impressed by him. Good observation skills and a calm mind even at dangerous times.

    <o>,m Butler Sheng looked at Dorian a little worriedly. Should he volunteer to assist him? After all, his gut was telling him that today''s matter wouldn''t be smooth. So how could he not be concerned?</o>

    Of course, Dorian understood his worries and couldn''t help smirking dangerously.

    Assistance?

    Heh. He did have to go all out today... But, when did he ever insinuate that going all out meant being overwhelmed?

    In his opinion, it was just a little more troublesome.

    .

    Dorian''s gang continued advancing through thebyrinth hallways, moving past several twists and turns at every point.

    And within the room where the feasting was taking ce, the little girl suddenly paused her bone-crunching, before revealing a frightening grin.

    How interesting.

    So the world wasn''t so clueless after all.

    For them to walk amidst her sleeping enchantment showed that they did have some level of skill.

    Too bad the smell from them was just too weak.

    The little girl''s head suddenly elongated like a giraffe, twisting and knotting in glee.

    Hahahhahaha! More food for her!

    And right on cue, the doors suddenly opened.

    ~Boom!

    The gang was here.

 Chapter 65 A Wannabe Exorcist

    ~Boom!

    Dorian and his gang burst into the room,pletely stunning the frightened survivors who felt that only a breath away.

    Eh? Who was this?

    Some of the guards didn''t know. But the Gia family members, who sometimes held parties and invited all the top big families and ns, instantly recognized Dorian in disbelief.

    They must be dreaming or something... or else howe this person looked a lot like that Tian boy?

    Of course, Dorian did catch everyone''s attention. But sorry, he wasn''t the star of the show now.

    Nope. Everyone was more focused on the opened doors behind him.

    Instantly, their eyes shone in determination as they started at the doors with shocked eyes.

    Hahahahahha! It was open. It was open!

    "Hurry! Hurry! Everyone, flee now!"

    Flee. Flee. Flee. Flee...

    Those were the only words running through their heads when starting at the doors.

    And in a blink of an eye, many stumbled, got up, fell, got up, and repeatedly moved like this while making their way towards their salvation.

    At the moment, they didn''t even think or want to understand how Dorian got the doors open.

    Please! Their minds were focused on staying as far away as possible from this creepy monster, alright?

    But unbeknownst to them, at the moment, the safest ce for them would actually be in here.

    Hn, who had been hiding behind several guards like a coward, finally crawled away in agonizing fear as she forced her trending legs to move as fast as they could.

    Of course on the way, she didn''t mind pushing or tripping anyone who dared to stand in her way.

    "Move! Get out of my way! Don''t you know the famous saying that women and children first? Get away! Get away! Clear the way for me now!"

    Her anxious voice had raised several notes high as she screamed her orders at the men standing in her way.

    Forget about identities. Who the hell would care about one''s identity in a time like this?

    Hn felt that even if someone offered her a billion Vyns after today''s matter, she would never even think ofing to work here again.

    Bullish**! What amount of money can be worth her life? She had seen that thing eat people with her very 2 naked eyes. So she dared not y with these Gia family members anymore.

    Now, she couldn''t help pping her former self in the face when she thought of how she secretly made her toppetitor have a stomach ache during the interview for the job position of a nanny.

    Who knew that her actions had saved that person from tonight''s fiasco? Hn was at the brink of despair when she thought of how she had been spending time with that thing during these past few days.

    Oh, God! What if it had wanted a snack and decided to eat her instead?<sub> </sub>

    Shiver. Shiver. Shiver. Shiver.

    Now, Hn''s mind was firmly made up. She quickly killed her dream of marrying into the wealthy Gia family and decided to stay as far away as possible from them. No. At this point, even the other wealthy families might have such enemies. And to her, the entire didn''t feel safe anymore. So once she was out, you best believe that she would be on the next train back to the next city.

    Yes. Yes. She would leave. But for now, the most important task was fleeing the scene. Thus, she gritted her teeth, rolled up her sleeves and was even more prepared to fight through the crowd of well-trained men.

    By hook or by crook, she had to leave. Very quickly, she took out her long hairpin, and a sh of cruelty flickered through her eyes briefly.

    It wouldn''t be a crime if she killed someone now, right? Yes. Team Bo own would really even know. The thing had already killed half of them here. So what does it matter if she kills a few? Was she supposed to stay in wait for these people to pass her by first? What if the thing got her in the end?

    Hn gulped her saliva while holding the shaking hairpin with troubling hands.

    A moment of hesitation made her pause. Of course, when she thought of how they treated her earlier on, she quickly regained her murderous spirit.

    If she killed a few, she wouldn''t feel guilty. After all, her actions were very justified!

    Heh. Who asked them to mistreat her before? Deserve it!

    But just when she was about to take her hairpin out and start stabbing people, she immediately spotted someone who made her body freeze in its tracks.

    Blink. Blink.

    Mr. Divination Master?

    .

    Dorian walked forward amidst the crowd dashing his way and only had his eyes focused on the little girl ahead.

    Likewise, the little girl had long stopped her killing when Dorian came in and had her long giraffe head twisted to the side, as if trying to observe and scrutinize Dorian too.

    Well, she was looking at him as if looking at dinner. And more importantly, she seemed extremely curious about Dorian too.

    This world wasn''t supposed to have someone like Dorian in it. Everyone paranormal beings or things in the underworld knew this. It was basic knowledge 101 that had existed since the beginning of this world. Since ancient times, it has always been like that. So suddenly finding one was an extremely shocking matter. But even at that, no one would believe that any exorcist here could be powerful.

    ? Why? Because they would need the guidance of the heavens if they wanted to understand the profession''s real essence and grow stronger.

    The underworld beings weren''t fools.

    For centuries they had been monitoring the heavens and their influence in this world. In short, once an oath gets taken, the underworld leader had a risky and taboo way of feeling the impending danger. Thus, they could only risk it in one world, lest they get discovered by the angels.

    Anyway, they had been monitoring things and found that no oaths had been taken. So it was impossible for this world to evere up with a powerful exorcist, even if there was one.

    It was just that they failed to know that with the system''s private space and functions, for some reason, things were going to take a different turn in the end.

    And this was why the heavens sent the system to assist in doing the job instead.

    Of course, the little girl had no idea of this and could only look at the wannabe exorcist in disdain. Without a doubt, she felt like it was a weak chicken.

 Chapter 66 Time To Die!

    While Dorian was still making his way towards the enemy, chaos once again reigned supreme when everyone came face to face with a hard reality that knocked them off their shoes.

    This... This...

    ~Brrmmmmm!

    The shattered pieces of the door floated from the ground and instantly fitted themselves to the missing parts of the doors as if they were puzzle pieces.

    What???!!!!

    Everyone''s eyes widened, almost jumping out of its sockets from the sight before them.

    How? Who? When? What? Eh?

    p.

    Some people pped their faces in disbelief, while others only felt the door of opportunity closing in on them instead.

    "No! No! It''s forming! The door is rebuilding itself. So once it''s finished, how will we get out of here?"

    Boom!

    Like a missile, the heavy words did the trick. And those who marvelled at the magical sight were quickly awoken with only dread on their faces.

    Magic, Smagic... Who cares? They had to get out of here first, okay?

    One of them, who was closest to the doors, quickly grabbed onto arge broken door piece on the ground, and was now fighting against the invisible force that was trying to lift it up.

    "You let go! I said let go, dammit!"

    The scene was both funny and pitiful, as the poor fit gripped it hard with nonexistent tears in his eyes. What the hell? They just wanted to leave the room. So was that too much to ask?

    The guy held on for not more than 2 seconds before the strange force shook him off and did its job.

    The door had now been rebuilt, and many instantly fell on their knees in dismay: "No!!!!!"

    Everyone''s heart fell into a state of shock, unwillingness and pain.

    It was like seeing food brought to you when one was starving and then told that one couldn''t even have a single bite from the food. No. That was even mild. It was as if someone had then taken the food away and even found a method of retracting the food''s scent too.

    F***! It was better they didn''t see when the door broke down. Do you know how much hope they had built up onky within these few moments?

    They slumped onto the ground like puppets when they felt the fires of hope extinguish within them.

    But just when thest burning candle within them was about to be blown out, Raulin''s words made them feel on top of the world again.

    "Everyone, gather around, follow my instructions, and you''ll be safe."

    .

    Wei Gia looked at Raulin curiously while trying to confirm the shower in his voice: "Who are you? And how did you know about this matter?"

    Raulin pushed his sses back calmly before turning around to face everyone as if he were a school lecturer of some sort.

    His confidence, and the way he acted, as if not scared of the scene, made everyone feel like this was just a walk in the Park for him and those he came with.

    Of course, Raulin was inwardly frightened too. But after the event this morning at the Ghu residence, as well as visiting the secret room for training, setting up the stall, and even the fielder trip to get into this particr gall in the Gia residence, all made Raulin have a betterer control over his fear.

    For example, he found that he wasn''t as scared as he was when he first saw a monster at the Ghu residence.<sub> </sub>

    Sopared to these newbies, please! He wanted to believe that he had seen and grown a little more, alright?

    The Gia''s and the guards all looked at Raulin cautiously before suddenly hearing a yell from amongst them.

    "I know you! You''re with that guy that warned me about tonight!"

    Eh? Instantly, everyone''s eyes moved between Hn and Raulin as if trying to get the real inside scoop.

    Hn stared at Raulin deeply and only connected a few thoughts in her brain.

    Earlier on, she thought these people standing next to that Divination Master were only there to watch.

    But seeing then here with Dorian made her understand that they were his men.

    She gritted her teeth and stared at them hatefully.

    These bastards knew what was going to happen tonight, so why didn''t they tell her? If she had known, she would''ve fled before the Gias caught her. Yes. Who the hell cares if everyone within the Gia household died? She would''ve left them and ran, taking herself alone to safety.

    But no~~... These bastards only vaguely mentioned the matter, causing her to suffer such a loss today.

    Hate! Hate! She hated them but dared not show it too much.

    After all, they might be the ones to get her out of this mess in the end. So she could only wait for this issue to be dealt with before exploding and extorting them for money. That''s right. She was going to threaten and sue them. Who''s fault was it that she was here in the first ce?

    Hn out all her mes on them without a second thought.

    It was all their fault!

    .

    Well, while the dead brain Hn continued to plot and scheme, Dorian''s gang continued to fulfil their assignments.

    But as for the big bosses themselves, they were now in their own little world.

    ~Swish!

    In a sh, she appeared very close to Dorian, floating in the air and giving off a very intimidating aura. She stretched her giraffe neck towards him, leaving it close to his left ear instead: "And you. Who are you supposed to be?"

    Dorianzily lifted his head to the side with a faint smile on his face: "You seem smart. So you''ve figured it out already, right?"

    The little girl looked at Dorian, grinned and finally retracted her neck yfully: "Yes. Yes, I have."

    Both sides stared at each other with dead-locked gazes, as if they were the only ones in the room.

    You look at me, I look at you.

    Suddenly, the little girl burst out into a gruesomeugh that sounded like goats being throttled.

    "Hahahahahaha! Exorcist. You''ve truly impressed me. I can''t feel a single wave of fear, difort or even repulsion emitting from you. So tell me, is it because you''ve finally realized the hard facts? Are you now willing to die peacefully?"

    "Die?" Dorian chuckled: "Enough talk. Either fight or stay quiet. You''re boring my ears."

    "Bastard!"

    ~Boom!

    The fight was on.

 Chapter 67 Being A Hero Was Tough

    In a sh, the little girl vanished, only appearing before Dorian murderously.

    Seeing that Dorian hadn''t even reacted to her sudden move only made her feel more and more confident that he must be a waste of an exorcise.

    ''Boy, me yourself for not knowing how big the world is. You are destined to be my meal!''

    With that, she raised her elongated hands upwards before quickly sending a powerful sh towards Dorian.

    And when the attack was just a few inches away from its mark, Dorian suddenly vanished as well.

    Heh. 2 can y this game.

    ~Swish

    The air whistled hard just from the fierceness of the attack.

    And before the little girl could even question what the devil was going on, Dorian, who was now standing on her elongated hands, smiled cruelly.

    ~Bam!

    The thing''s body flew backwards, rolling for a bit before finally cking a wall hard.

    What???!

    The thing stared at Dorian in disbelief. How could he be this powerful?

    Its gloomy face grew even more frightening as it stared at Dorian as if wanting toser him to death.

    But soon after, the thing suddenly revealed a confident smile while staring at Dorian deeply.

    From the attack force, it could confer that Dorian and itself should be of equal strength. Meaning if it yed its cards right, it should be able to take care of this exorcist without taking on too much damage.

    Yes. It can be seen that if there was a monster stronger than itself, this exorcist would definitely die tonight.

    Tsk. If its older friend had apanied it, then this exorcist would be a tiny insect in today''s matter.

    That''s right. Itself and its other friend had long been nning for this night. Too bad its friend couldn''t go out tonight after the underworld summons.

    Thus, making it head out to feast on its own.

    Well, even without its friend''s aid, now that it had a grasp on this exorcist''s matter, it felt like victory was very close.

    .

    Looking at matters more clearly, the thing felt that the only reason it got attacked earlier was that it had underestimated its opponent''s strength.

    But not anymore. Now, it will be unless it''s full strength, embodying today''s magnificent moon.

    Oh... And at the same time, why not summon a few of its minions to take care of the others?

    The little girl was talking about Butler Sheng, Zhulyn and Raulin.

    At present, it couldn''t feel any powersing from them, so maybe they weren''t even exorcists at all.

    But since it misjudged Dorian''s matter, it didn''t want to take the risk, lest it made a mistake of misusing these people only to fail in the end.

    And that''s why it decided to summon forth its minions to do the job.

    But no matter how its minions acted, they were not to eat or taste its food, or else it wouldn''t mind shing these hungry demons to bits!

    Thinking like this, the little girl suddenlyughed hysterically as her entire body started breaking and expanding into a hunched, gruesome figure.

    And at the same time, all around the scene, several reddish puffs of smoke began appearing, and the minions finally revealed themselves to all.

    Things were about to get heated.

    .

    The little girl... No... The now 10 feet tall, hunched figure calmly took in a whiff of energy from the moon''s essence and felt its entire body boiling with glee.

    "Exorcist... Now, you will feel my full wrath."

    Dorian looked at the thing calmly, took out a talisman paper and created a Giant sabre 5, times his size while looking at the Thingzily: "You need mouthwash. Your breath stinks."

    "You! You! You! You!... Damn, you exorcist!"

    ~Boom!

    Both sides were now prepared to go all out.

    But while the boss leaders vegan their works, the audience and Dorian''s gang also had things cut out for them too.

    Raulin looked at the dreadful rotting minions around and also felt pressure build up within him.

    He didn''t know what they were until Dorian''s words echoed in his mind: [Morbid Demons! They have 3 hearts and can regenerate rapidly. Kill the hearts, kill them all. Once one heart is down, the regeneration process slows down too.]

    Morbid Demons?

    Raulin''s muscles stiffened while gazing upon the rotting faces of the gruesome feigns.<sub> </sub>

    His hands trembled with the sensations of a thousand spiders crawling on his back.

    And the moment he stared at these demons, a wave of acid would form in his belly too.

    F***! He was trying so hard not to throw up.

    Ugly! Ugly! Too ugly!

    Raulin''s entire body felt repulsed... But who could me him?

    .

    Earlier on, during the Ghu Sota incident, it was Dorian doing the battling. And even at that, he felt like the Hybrid water-Ghost demon he saw there was far better looking than any of these minions.

    In truth, the stronger the demon was, the uglier it typically looked. But there was also another important point to note.

    The stronger they were, the more control they had over their own being. They could choose to show all their ugliness or hide it at will.

    In short, these minions here were too bottom feeders who had not been birthed willing ago... In terms of demon age.

    One could look at 50 as being old. But for demons that live for centuries and millennium, it was too young an age.

    Within the underworld, there were over 800 different types of creatures, from Ghouls, Goblins, Gordons, Evil spirits/Yokai and many more.

    And all started at the lowest level after birth, worming their way up to the top.

    Half of the demons birthed died after getting eaten by their other babyrades too.

    Heh. From the moment they were born, they had to fight for their rights to survive. Join a fraction, do something or overpower one''s enemy with raw strength. Whatever it was they did, they didn''t care. They lived off fear, destruction and loved deceit, and so on.

    To them, this was the true meaning of life itself. At these times, who didn''t want to be a top or leading power in the Underworld?

    In fact, many would''ve wanted to be ruler themselves, but the current ruler was just too strong!

    Unlike the heavens where the creator was in charge since he in turn created the angels, the underworld wasn''t the same.

    So far, there have been many rulers governing it over the millenniums. And it''s not that they abdicated or anything, but that theirpetitors killed them. And if a demon kills another demon, they will be reborn from scratch again and have to work their way up the same way they did before.

    Of course, if an exorcist killed a demon, the demon''s entire existence would be no more. Meaning it would never be a demon again.

    But funny enough, it will get the chance to be reborn as an object for 200 lives.

    And as an object, it wouldn''t have a brain or thoughts or even know that it used to be a demon.

    Stone got turned into boulders, while others got turned into grains of sand instead.

    And after 200 lives of being an object, it would have the chance to be reborn into the countless millions and billions of worlds as an animal for another 100 lives.

    Of course, how it acted as an animal could also be a deciding factor for its future.

    In short, it was a long process before it could ever be reborn as a human. If it were still too terrible, then it would pass through more processes before getting to be a human.

    Cleansing an underworld entity and making it normal was a rigorous process once killed by an exorcist, angel or any heavenly being.

    .

    Morbid demons!

    Parts of their faces seemed missing as if someone had taken chunks and bits off them.

    Their faces were rotten with all sorts of bugs dropping from them. And worst of all, even their pieces of flesh started dropping off too.

    Ugh...

    They were about 4 feet tall, with some coloured red and others coloured green. They also had long devilish tails that had ded ends too.

    Raulin looked at them and recalled what Dorian had mentioned.

    Apparently, these demons were too young (50~80) to develop or grow any true attacks. So they only had strength, razor-sharp teeth, agility and their spiky tails.

    I''ll go! If this was what they had when they were young, could they develop something like acid spits or fireballs when they grew older?

    Raulin looked at the little devils dashing towards him like crazy with an anxious gaze before quickly yelling towards Zhulyn and Butler Sheng a little distance away, who were busy dealing with their own matters too: "Guys... I think we have trouble on our hands!"

    "No sh** Einstein." Zhulyn yelled anxiously: "The Formation will soon beplete. 3 more minutes tops!"

    3... More... Minutes?

    ~Gulp.

    Raulin looked at the numerous waves of monsters dashing towards him and felt the weight of his assignment on his shoulders.

    He had to protect everyone, just by himself!

    As expected, being a hero was tough.

 Chapter 68 Morbid Demons

    The tension was high.

    And Raulin, who saw the minions appear out of thin air from the smoke, was tossed into battle mode at the turn of events

    Sh**

    The Formation that was supposed to keep everyone safe wasn''tpleted yet.

    Zhulyn said he needed 3 more minutes, which sounded like an eternity to him. And during this time, Butler Sheng would be busy protecting Zhulyn. While he would have to protect everyone else until the formation got done. After all, what if those things tried to eat someone?

    Raulin looked at the scene in slow motion as the vile creatures dashed towards him with all their might.

    Luckily, they were still ''baby'' demons. And in turn, their speed was simr, if not a little slower than a regr healthy adult''s.

    But make no mistake, they were a tricky and sneaky bunch. So underestimating them would be terrible!

    Raulin quickly pushed his sses in, popped in a piece of gum from his pocket and steadied himself for the fiasco.

    Well, the hall was just too grand, so the distance was indeed a little far apart.

    It was a habit of Raulin to chew gum when nervous. It always seemed to distract him from any anxiousness welled up within him.

    And just like old times, he popped in his trusty banana-voured gum and reached for his pockets to get his weapons.

    Now, taking his cool domineering hero-like pose, Raulin was ready to flick any of these bastards that came his way.

    Three hearts... Three hearts... He had to kill all 3 hearts!

    .

    As for the Morbid Demons, they smiled cruelly while dashing, jumping and running like little Tasmanian devils!

    Instantly, the little beasts started foaming in the mouth while making exciting sounds like a leopard brutally chewing its prey.

    ~Grawp-Grawp-Grawp-Grawp~

    Their rotting saliva, mixed with crawling creatures, began oozing from the sides of their mouths.

    And the closer they approached, the more they lost their sense of reasoning after seeing so much food around.

    Yes. Their boss did signal them not to eat the ''food'' here and only wait for after the battle before they could feast... But if they stole an eye and ate it now, how would the boss know?

    How can the boss prove that the person didn''t originallye here with one eye?

    Of course, baby demons were somewhat stupid too. They hadn''t even thought about the blood oozing out from the person''s eyeballs to prove them guilty.

    For many, this was actually their first time in the human world, and they were just more than excited to move about.

    Moreover, even if their boss did tell them not to do something? Be it demons or humans, when have children ever obeyed instructions wholly? The more one grows, the more lessons one will learn.

    And for these demons, they thought that even if they didmit a crime, they would be smart enough to get away with it.

    After all, they were natural-born demons, so scheming, betrayal, and all those things were part of their nature. Only absolute fear could suppress them.

    It was just that even though they feared their boss, one shouldn''t forget that their boss was still a lesser demon too.

    That''s right.

    Their boss was indeed within the top people within the lesser ss rank of underworld creatures.

    Nheless, it was still a low-level demon. So how much respect and fear could they have for a low-level monster?

    .<sub> </sub>

    The Morbid demons licked their drool with expectation and felt that it wasn''t fair that they had to wait for the end of the battle before feasting.

    Deep down, they secretly looked down at their boss even though they feared it.

    Their boss came out tonight to gather enough souls, feast enough and rank up too.

    So many of these demons were still obedient because once the boss ranked up, they too would have benefits. In short, the whole thing was a contracting and contradicting aspect.

    They wanted the glory of their boss after ranking up but were now secretly trying to disobey their boss and taste a little piece of food.

    Some underworld creatures sucked their victim''s soul clean, while others did so by various other means.

    But Morbid demons could only taste one''s would by brutally eating the flesh like a wild animal in the woods.

    They had eaten other underworld creatures countless times since demons fought day in day out to rank up.

    But now, seeing all this human flesh before them, how could they not want to taste or nibble on a bit?

    Flesh. Flesh. Flesh. Flesh!

    Their mouths watered and validated at the scene before them. Of course, they first decided to take care of the people their boss mentioned before secretly taking a piece of flesh from the many food options avable.

    Or wait! To make it more disguisable, could they secretly eat off the people they were attacking instead?

    Yes! Yes! If they bit off a chunk of his legs or something, their boss couldn''t fault them for that, right?

    Hahahhahahaha! The demons who were all still within the Demon Brain-developing stage, very proudly praised themselves for how smart they were.

    Yes. If they acted like that, their boss would never know.

    .

    ~Grawp-Grawp-Grawp-Grawp~

    Panic filled the air as several people took steps back in fright while pointing their guns ahead.

    Raulin watched the gruelling beasts rush towards deeply, and began yelling at the audience with his eyes still staring at the front: "Everyone, no shooting. You''ll only make things worse!"

    Guns had no effect on these beasts. So once regenerated, the positions of their hearts would change.

    This per se wasn''t the main issue since Dorian had told him that their hearts could only be in 3 out of 5 positions.

    And after regeneration, the hearts would shift to any of the 5 positions. So things should be okay for a while.

    But what happens when they keep shooting and making these things regenerate over and over again with no heart killed?

    Remember, bullets wouldn''t do anything. So they would just be regenerating them countless times. And that was the problem. You see�� Just like the case of Hercules slicing off the head of the 3-headed snake, the matter here was very simr to that.

    After regenerative severally in a short span of time with no heart killed, Morbid demons would grow 10 times their size and have 10 heads and hands as well.

    So this went without saying that guns were definitely not allowed here.

    It was just that even though Raulin gave an order, some people were just too anxious to live.

    Hn looked at the gun held by the guard by her side and anxiously reached for it after watching the overwhelming storm of Morbid demons reach them.

    No. No. She didn''t want to die.

    She...

    ~Bang!

 Chapter 69 Three Minutes Up!

    With all the gathered force within her, Hn''s mind thought fast, as she swung her body to the right, banged It against the man close to her and seized his weapon in panic.

    The scene before her was too terrifying, so the man had kept a majority of his focus on the elephant in the room.

    And this was just what Hn needed.

    ~Swish!

    The warm gun was now in her trembling hands as she pointed at the things dashing their way.

    She was actually along the 2nd line of people at the forefront, facing the monsters.

    So for her, she felt like those at the back, close to the doors, wouldn''t know the terrifying facts she had to face at the forefront.

    Was she just going to let these creatures pounce on her like that?

    Sure, sure. She had some faith in Dorian and his team. But there were just 4 of them, and these creatures were a lot... A whole LOT.

    So how could they be enough to overpower these creatures?

    She hadn''t seen anything they had done since they got here, so excuse her... but she was beginning to doubt their actual capabilities.

    Don''t shoot? Don''t shoot?

    She saw the armed guards lower their weapons and felt that their brains must be filled with toothpaste.

    But she had forgotten that earlier one, didn''t these guards already rain bullets on the scene?

    Of course, that was for the Big Boss himself. So maybe it might not be effective at all. And since Raulin said not to, didn''t this also show that it would be a bad thing instead?

    She felt the cold arms of death gripping her tightly, the closer these monsters got.

    No... No... Was she going to die here just like that?

    She had alreadye up with another perfect life once she managed to flee this cursed ce.

    So what will be of her new dreams now?

    .

    Hn was a very selfish person by nature.

    She didn''t care whether anyone else would survive or not. All she cared about was herself.

    p She was the type of person who would lead with these creatures to join their side and do harm to the world if it would guarantee her being alive.</anda>

    For now, she hadn''t even thought of that and was only focused on shooting these motherf**king creatures to death!

    And the guard who had his gun taken quickly turned pale when he saw his weapon in Hn''s hands: "No~~~~!"

    ~Bang!

    Everyone ducked at the speed of light in shock, anxiety and fear.

    Who did it? Who did it?

    Raulin heard the shot and his body froze in ce before sighing from relief.

    Why relief? Well, because the guard next to Hn had managed to push her weapon upwards, making the shot hit the ceiling instead.

    And like a swarm of S.W.A.T soldiers, the guards quickly disarmed and subdued the crazy woman.

    "You let me go! You let me go, or I''ll sue you all!"

    "Shut it!" The guard bellowed in rage.

    No one listened to her banter as they mercilessly handled her in disdain.

    For all they knew, her move could kill them all. So they had no tolerance for her shenanigans.

    But, Raulin realized something weird.

    When the gunshots went off, the creatures froze in ce with confusion on their faces.

    ~Grah. Grah. Grah. Grah?<sub> </sub>

    The creatures looked around with darted eyes in all directions, with a little bit of fear within them too.

    Could it be that some strange and overly powerful demon caused the sound?

    For one, because it was their first timeing to the marital world and hearing the gunshots. So they thought it might be an enemying at them from somewhere.

    But even with all themotion, everything seemed to work in Raulin''s favour instead. So maybe he should thank the crazydy?

    Raulin looked at his digital watch and realized that 2 whole minutes had already gone by.

    Good.

    Now, if he could stall or keep them away for another minute, the Formation should be up and ready to go!

    "I''ve said it, and I''ll say it again. No guns! Disobey, and you''ll only end up digging deeper holes for us!"

    "Hmm.." Everyone replied with shaky voices while nodding their heads like obedient toddlers.

    With that, Raulin was toozy to bother with them and faced the gang of little monsters who were now mid-air, close to him.

    .

    ''Grawp. Grawp. Grawp!''

    ~Boom!

    Raulin controlled his internal energy and flicked several talismans at the devilish feigns towards any of the 5 locations where their hearts might be in.

    ~Pfff!

    ''Graww!''

    The creatures screamed in pain and agony as their hearts heated up from the inside and suddenly burst as if overcooked in a microwave.

    The feeling of one''s heart exploding out of its body was terrible!

    Their breathing became heavier, with countless beads of ckish sweat oozing out of their bodies like crazy.

    They clutched the part where their hearts exploded, with hate and pain in their eyes.

    Before, if they had only been trying to take care of Raulin because they were told to... Now, with their newfound hatred for him, they wanted him dead! The bastard had to pay!

    .

    Instantly, the creatures gazed at Raulin with ring hatred as they started at his body, looking for a juicy ce to bite.

    And now, they meant business!

    Of course, it just so happened that 3 minutes was finally up.

    Zhulyn smiled while putting thest stone in ce: "Missionpleted"

    ~Brrrrrmmmm!

    The Formation took form, and a pinkyer quickly engulfed the position where Raulin had gathered everyone.

    This move shocked the Gia family silly. Just looking at the strangeyer, everyone knew that this must be to keep them safe. So they dared not step out.

    All they could do was marvel at the sight before them.

    And for the first time, they felt that their Gia family wasn''t as strong as they thought.

    Now, with the formation up, the trio finally teamed up to fight the monsters.

    Dorian saw this and grinned in satisfaction.

    With the civilians out of harm''s way, he wouldn''t be concerned if the demon he was fighting asked its minions to take a hostage when cornered.

    With that, he could finally go all out.

    Good. It was time to end it once and for all.

    After all, they didn''t have all night here, right?

 Chapter 70 Battle Over!

    The gang of 3 began fighting the many minions as swiftly as they could.

    And just like them, Dorian and the big boss reached the crucial part of their battle too.

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Tension filled the air as Dorian found himself evenly matched against the creature.

    He couldn''t lie. Just holding on for this long at this speed was very risky and self-sabotaging.

    Sinceing to this world, this demon was the first to make him go above his overall method of fighting.

    Dorian took a deep breath and called himself while thinking of his ns. If he was going to defeat this demon, he needed to conserve his strength for hisst move.

    The boss demon swiftly moved across the scene, stretching her lengthy limbs towards Dorian as fast as it could.

    ~Boom!

    Its hand pierced through the ground, instantly creating a massive crack on the floors.

    And Dorian who avoided the attack by a few milliseconds now hovered in the air like a feather.

    Dorian''s face was still calm, but it was clear that his movement had been slower than before, causing the demon tough eerily, while still sending countless swift attacks at Dorian.

    "Hahahhahahah! I can see that this is all you''ve got, exorcist! Your powers are weak! And your movements are getting slower. Hahahahahahaha! Exorcist, it''s clear who''ll end up being the victor here. So why don''t you just LAY DOWN AND DIE!!!"

    With that, the Demon''s headunched out like the tongue of a frog towards Dorian.

    Its mouth opened murderously, revealing its spiky teeth and 3yered tongues feared out, ready to have a taste of the juicy food before it.

    This time, it meant to swallow Dorian''s upper half whole.

    That''s right.

    For this move, the Demon decided to use its full speed andunch itself forward.

    It didn''t believe that it wouldn''t be able to eat its prey after seeing how slow Dorian had be.

    Yes. Yes. Yes.

    It seemed like the perfect n.

    But how could it have known that its prey was one of many tricks too?

    The audience, especially the direct Gia family members who had been watching Dorian''s battle, could only see several bluish streaks of light glow out the already dimly lit room.

    It all happened so fast that their brains hadn''t had time to process it all yet.

    ~sh! sh! sh! sh!

    Dorian''s sabre moved ruthlessly.

    And just like the audience, even the demon was shocked as well. It had tried to pull away, but was toote in avoiding Dorian''s move.

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhh~~."

    It wailed in pain after getting its tongues and mouth cut by the heavenly light emitting from the sabre.

    ~Drip. Drip.

    The monster covered its mouth in agony as if having a bad toothache, as ck blood dripped and oozed out from the corners of its mouth.

    Too painful. Too painful. Too f**king painful!

    The touch of heavenly essence on a demon''s body was one of the most gruesome and horrifying things for them. What the hell?

    Countless shivers erupted from within the creature as it subconsciously feared that heavenly essence.

    F***! Those in the underworld weren''t lying.

    The pain was too unbearable!

    You have to know that even though the underworld was chaotic, it was still somewhat systematic.

    If one wanted to go to any of the billions and gazillions of human worlds, it wasn''t their call where they would go.

    They needed permission, and then they would randomly get sent out to any of the worlds.

    The rule was that after a demon got randomly sent to a particr world, they could only associate with that world and not go to another world to interfere with the demons there.

    Of course, this rule is only for lesser or moderate demons.

    The stronger ones could go anywhere and always had assignments to do. So what they did in the human world was very ssified.

    In fact, even if lesser demons saw strong demons in the human world, they wouldn''t be able to tell.

    Stronger demons could live like ordinary humans and even take big roles.

    Imagine targeting a string demon thinking it''s a human?

    Anyway, since it was born and randomly sent to this world, it had never actually seen an exorcist before.

    It always heard about them and even had read up on the general knowledge about exorcists.

    The underworld provided itself in creating demonic soldiers so even the young fledglings that got birthed heard about exorcists, even if they hadn''t left the underworld yet.

    .<sub> </sub>

    The demon held its mouth in agony after getting a taste of what being hit by an exorcist''s holy attack was truly like.

    More than that, why did it seem like this exorcist had also be faster as well?

    Dorian, who had long seen that the Gia members and guards were safe, was now ready to battle with his all.

    ''If I don''t end this soon, my strength will soon be exhausted by 70%. I always end a battle at 30~50%. So I can''t drag this on!'' Dorian thought while taking out a golden coin from his pockets.

    [Bloodmoon Demon. Strengthens and lives under the essence of the ''blood moonlight.''

    Habitual location: likes living underneathkes or other water sources that are rtively small but deep. Moonlight essence directly falls on the water''s surface, forests or buildings blocking its way.

    Weakness: After revealing its true form, it will wither and die within 3 minutes without moon essence, just like a flower withers and dies without light]

    .

    Dorian smirked cruelly before flipping the golden coin in his hands.

    And by the time the monster could understand what was going on, both itself and Dorian were now trapped underneath a pale pinkish film.

    Its eyes shuddered while feeling the strength of the film.

    A formation!... But not just any kind of formation. It was a void formation. Or in simpler terms, a vacuum!

    "What? What?"

    ~Bang!

    It tried breaking the formation with its hands but found that its hands almost shattered from the attack instead.

    Dammit! Dammit!

    The creature suddenly realized that it had been yed by this exorcist that it looked down on earlier.

    And the most annoying thing was that just a second after the formation was put up, the creature started feeling its body grow numb and weak.

    That''s right. Moonlight Essence was like air to it.

    But it wasn''t talking about the human moonlight.

    Humans didn''t know it, but there were always a total of 3 moons in the sky. One physical, and 2 spiritual. And when these 3 moons line up, it being a Blood moon Demon, would be one of the strongest existences on that night of alignment. In short, this was its perfect chance to rank up.

    Another point to note was that while the human moon disappeared in the day, the other 2 moons had always been there even when the sun was up... Even though the daytime gave out the faintest moon essence of all.

    Nheless, it could still breathe and live during the day.

    That said, Dorian''s move of creating a vacuum that could block the moonlight essence froming in, was akin to suffocating it to death.

    .

    ~Cah-Cah-Cah-Cah-Cah~~

    The creature began holding its neck like Buzz Lightyear when his space helmet got taken off.

    And its body also began withering away too.

    ~Ooooooo~~

    It wailed and screamed, soon turning its entire rage at Dorian, the real culprit for its demise.

    "You!... You damn exorcist! What happened to fighting fairly? Are you the demon, or am I the demon? How dare you use this despicable trick on me? You set me free now, you hear me!"

    Dorian looked at the creature calmly while doing several sacred signs with its hands.

    Of course, it was about to exorcise the sh** out of this bastard.

    The creature didn''t know it, but the air in the space had also been sucked out.

    But Dorian was a cultivator and couldst underneath water without breathing for hours.

    In his previous life, he couldst for months with the kind of strength he had.

    So what more of waiting for a few minutes to finish off the demon?

    Of course, the demon who saw how disadvantageous things had be was naturally unwilling to die like this.

    No. Even if it died, it had to drag this damn exorcist with it.

    But Dorian who was no longer holding back, now looked like the demon amongst the 2 instead.

    The Bloodmoon demon shuddered in in terror at the murderous waves of Dorian''s aura.

    This... This... Impossible!

    Fear choked it hard as it watched Dorian inch in step by step with a sadistic smile on his face.

    And soon, the entire box was filled with thunderous screams that no one out of the box could hear.

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

    Dorian was now in overkill mode.

    And even though those outside couldn''t hear anything, the image before them still made them shudder in fear as well.

    The Tian boy was truly ruthless!

 Chapter 71 Is It Over?

    sh! sh! sh!

    ~Ahhhhh!!!!~~~~

    The screams, curses and fears of the creature never left the confined space as Dorian began his beat... Erh-erm... his Exorcism.

    Very quickly, he did countless hand symbols, chanted several words and quickly shed his opponent severally, turning the beast into disappearing dust particles.

    The fear that enveloped the creature now was so great that its entire body began trembling vigorously while looking at Dorian as if he was the monster instead.

    The poor demon began shifting backwards until it hit the sides of the confinement cube it was in.

    Its already ugly face turned uglier the more it cried ckish blood.

    And while holding its face and waving its hands about in fear, the heavy sounds of its breathing echoed out as if it were out of breath.

    It was choking not only because itcked moonlight essence but because of Dorian''s strong aura as well.

    Regret. It regretted that it had met such a foe so young in its life.

    300-and-something years was too young for a demon.

    Others were a thousand years, ten thousand years and even millennia-old demons. So why did it have to die so young?

    Its body was already disappearing into nothingness from the intense pain of the holy attack. But it was still unwilling to die like this.

    .

    "Please... Please. Spare me. If you do, I promise to go back to the underworld and nevere back again. So spare..."

    sh!

    Dorian didn''t even give it time to finish its words, as if delivering thest finishing blow to the demon.

    "~Ahhhh~~"

    Everyone in the room could now hear the creature''s cries as Dorian calmly withdrew the formation.

    Unlike the other formations, this one had to be maintained by himself.

    That''s why he only set up the formation during thest few minutes of the Demon''s life when it was getting desperate for survival.

    If other exorcists saw this, they would undoubtedly open their mouths wide in shock and awe when looking at Dorian.

    You have to know that most times, those maintaining Formations couldn''t get distracted. Hence there would always be another cultivator protecting them.

    It was possible to maintain and fight simultaneously, but only the arrest and rarest of talents with a strong soul force, a steady mind and a solid cultivation level could do so.

    But Dorian was still a weak chicken, so how could he do this?

    Dorian frowned.

    ''It looks like I''ve drained too much energy this time.'' He thought while feeling the changes within him.

    Luckily, he had flipped the coin at the right time and not at the very start of their battle, or else he would be the one who perished tonight.

    The battle looked short and straightforward, but it was actually a brutal one.

    The creature''s every move was ruthless and meant to take him out at a single hit.

    If he didn''t y on the creature''s intelligence while conserving his energy and acting worn out, there would''ve been no way to kill the demon.

    They might''ve had to fight all night and day long until they died.

    The creature kept replenishing its energy from the Bloodmoon light essence. So it would''ve been him that died in the end.

    Thanks to his quick thinking, the moment he reached the Gia estate and got a sense of what they were dealing with, he began carving symbols on the golden coin while in the vehicle.

    It took a bit of his energy to carve it, but while passing through the many security systems in ce, he had continued cultivating and steadying himself for what was toe.

    These particr rune symbols he carved on the coin were unique and a little burdensome from the rest he had set up before.<sub> </sub>

    Nheless, it was thanks to its use that the battle was won.

    .

    ~Ahhhhh!!~

    Everyone shivered while listening to the dreadful sounds of the dying demon.

    The colour of their faces turned ashen with fear when the chandeliers and other items around the room began trembling and shaking with the demon''s dying howl.

    A strong gust of wind invaded the space, and the lights that had longed turned off started blinking again chaotically.

    Blink. Blink.

    Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

    Several people ced their hands above their heads in rm while looking around for any potential attacks from heaven knows where.

    The winds were so strong that their hairs blew around their squinted expressions, making them look awfully panicked.

    For others, they hugged themselves or shielded others vigntly instead.

    As they say: once beaten, twice shy.

    They had learnt their lesson the first time and knew that such bizarre blinking noises could mean that another evil feign might pop out any moment from now.

    But just when they thought something unexpected would happen, the fierce winds and the shaking noises of the chandeliers stopped altogether.

    Everyone, who had long expected something to happen, couldn''t help looking around in a daze.

    Eh?...

    Can anyone tell them what this meant? Was this a good or bad thing?

    ~Woosh!

    A massive blue fire suddenly engulfed the room, giving everyone a jump scare.

    .

    They jumped right out of their shoes in terror, only to find that these blue mes seemed to have a mind of their own, as they targeted the remaining Morbid demons instead.

    ~Pff...

    The mes pierced through all hearts of the remaining Morbid demons, instantly erradicating their existences forever.

    The Holy power of the mes first took care of their hearts before fully engulfing their entire bodies.

    And right before everyone''s eyes, the demons began fading away as the mes turned smaller and smaller... until they finally extinguished themselves.

    This time, it was the cries of the pained Morbid demons that bellowed out.

    "Graww!~~~."

    Everyone stared at the scene, not daring to take their eyes off the horrid but satisfying images before them.

    They had no pity for these demons because if the situation were reversed, it would be them who ended up screaming while chewed raw by these demons.

    Thus, they watched the demons fade into disappearing ashes with a satisfied look on their faces.

    Good.

    ~Drrrr~

    Magically, the pinkish formation around them began fading away.

    And in the end, the only ones left in the room were themselves and their brave heroes!

    Is it over?

 Chapter 72 An Unsure Future

    The battle had indeed been won, but not everyone hade out as spotless as Dorian.

    Old Gia and Wei Gia quickly stood up and bellowed their guards to act fast: "Quickly! Quickly! Get medical help! Can''t you see that they need their injuries taken care of?"

    Boom!

    As if receiving a cosmic order, the guards all acted sharply, trying to get medical supplies as fast as they could.

    They weren''t fools. In matters like this, going to the hospital might raise suspicions.

    For example, with the teeth marks and other bizarre injuries on Raulin, Zhulyn and Butler Sheng, what would be their response if asked what they were beaten by?

    No animal in the country could cause such injuries. So it would raise suspicions and would also be very troublesome to deal with.

    That''s why it was better to get help to deal with this privately instead.

    Dorian calmly flipped an overturned-couch with ''magic,'' before calmly taking a seat on it as if he were the boss here.

    And even the injured trio still limped and stood by his side with calm faces, though their injuries still gued them.

    Maybe it was everyone''s imagination, but they seem to see Dorian as some ruler seated on a throne instead.

    The imposing existence of the Tian boy was sort ofzy but scary.

    His every action was that of someone who was always in control.

    And just remembering how he could make that demon from before wail and scream in agony as if it were terrified... Was enough to show just how powerful he truly was.

    Yet, though a dangerous man, hiszy gestures gave them the feeling of someone who hated unwanted troubles, like azy beauty that only showed his ruthless side when provoked.

    They could be wrong, but this was their first impression of Mr. Dorian Tian.

    Of course, they were also impressed by his men as well.

    Just look at how they stood there like statues as if their injuries were nothing?

    No doubt about it, these men should also be strong in their own rights too.

    And from their actions tonight, this wasn''t their first time on the job.

    Unlike them, who could only be desert for the many demons, these people who were utterly outnumbered, did what so many of them couldn''t.

    And for this, they deserved their thanks.

    .

    Everyone nervously moistened their dry lips while calmly advancing towards Dorian and his gang, with Old Gia, Wei Gia, Butler Feng and Head Guard Renjin taking the lead.

    And very quickly, they hastily dashed towards the other 2 couches that Dorian had flipped close by.

    Bu-buum!

    Everyone''s heart drummed with even more anxiety while staring at the magical scene before them.

    Gulp~

    Old Gia and Wei Gia sat on one separate one, while thedies and children sat on another one.

    They stared at Dorian with awe, gratitude and all sorts of countless emotions in their minds.

    And even the youngsters couldn''t help clenching their fists, wanting to follow Dorian''s footsteps instead.

    No matter how grown and disciplined they were, as 7 or 11-year children were, seeing such a fantasy-like scene had already started swaying and broadening their minds to other possibilities that existed out there.

    It was clear that from today henceforth, their outlook in life would bepletely different from before.<sub> </sub>

    They were Gia men. They didn''t back down from troubles but faced them head-on!

    So even with the fear of the unknown, it was better to be prepared than to end up as prey just like today''s situation.

    What if the same incident one day repeats itself?

    .

    Dorian revealed a slight smile while staring at the famous Gia Family members that he already knew of.

    It was just that the former Dorian used to be on his own and never truly mingled with anyone during major parties and events held by the Gia members.

    Old Gia cleared this throat while trying to calm himself: "Tian boy. Thank you for your work today. You not only saved my life... but that of my entire household. So if there''s anything you need that is within our capabilities, just say the word and I promise you that it shall be done!"

    Yes. Yes... Just say the word, and they will do it!

    Dorian looked at everyone and waved his hands casually: "I''m only doing my job. You see, this is the job of my Tian household. So I will only charge you ording to my principles."

    Eh? Everyone was taken aback.

    Was this the real job of the Tian household?

    (��0��)

    Old Gia and everyone else fell deep in thought from Dorian''s words.

    Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!!!

    So was he saying that all these years while they had been attending events with the Tian couple, they had been demon yers then?

    Damn! This revtion was just too shocking.

    They, the Gia family, thought that they held all information and had eyes everywhere within the nation.

    But who knew that all of it was just their wishful thinking?

    Looking at today''s matter, who knew if there were other strange and bizarre things happening around?

    What about the strange deaths around the country? What about the unusual sightings that everyone typically brushed off with a scientific exnation?

    Yes. After today, they knew that the supernatural did exist.

    So now, how could they not look at things from that perspective too?

    Their Gia family had a sworn duty of protecting the entire nation. And they also had ties within the Navy, police, Military and every security region you could think of.

    So after today''s discovery, they had to find a way to join the supernatural sector too.

    For the safety of the entire nation and the protection of their household, it was paramount importance that they got in.

    .

    Like so, countless worries flooded their minds deeply.

    But just when they were about to find out about today''s affair, Dorian''s following words made them freeze in ce.

    "Your Gia Daughter is still alive... But not for too long."

    Instantly, The Gia members all stood up abruptly.

    Boom!

    "What did you say?!"

 Chapter 73 [Bonus Chapter]Still Alive!

    Boom!

    The Gia family members stood up abruptly: "What did you say?!"

    Everyone stared at Dorian as if trying to tear open his head to see if he was lying or not.

    Dorian calmly stared at them before noddingzily: "She''s still alive. But not for too long. If we don''t save her before sunrise, I''m afraid it will be toote by then!"

    Instantly, everyone gaped, uncertain whether to breathe or scream in shock, glee and fear.

    Mother Pia burst out into tears of joy and worry when thinking of her little girl.

    After the creatures died, the flickering lights in the room all returned to normal and came on again.

    So the entire hall was already well lit.

    Pia hastily looked at her watch and realized that it was already a little past12 midnight.

    That''s it! The sun rose around 7 A.M during these hot summer days.

    But who would wait till then to save her baby?

    No way! They had to leave now!

    Dorian calmly stood up after seeing their ashen faces and knew what they were thinking.

    He indeed had to save the girl, but before then, they had to spend at least 2 hours in his Tian household.

    He had something to do!

    Like so, the gang of anxious and confused people all dashed out of the Hall like lightning, passing through the many windy hallways that looked like they had been through a lot themselves.

    The Hallways had thousands and thousands of cobwebs, making it seem like no one had passed through the mansion in thest decades.

    The portrait on the walls and the expensive items and vases on the side tables had all fallen and shattered into a thousand pieces.

    And as if that wasn''t enough, from time to time, they would see their men lying on the ground and moaning very faintly too.

    No doubt about it, it seemed that even if they had fled the Hall earlier on, they might not have ended up well.

    Everyone''s face turned grim with worry for the men on the hallway floors.

    But before they could think further, Raulin was quick to ease their worries: "Fear not. They are fine and should just be waking up from the creature''s spell. The Grandmaster had already checked their situations when we arrived earlier."

    With widened eyes, everyone was relieved by Raulin''s words.

    But again, many were quick to pick out a few key sentences there too.

    So the Tian Boy was a Grandmaster?

    Even though they didn''t know much about this strange profession, thinking about all Dorian did, they too felt that the title was well deserved.

    Alright. Now, they burned the title in their hearts, daring not to call him anything else apart from Grandmaster Tian.

    No one wanted to offend such a powerful figure, so they decided to be as obedient as they could.

    Not to talk of the fact that the Grandmaster saved their lives and was about to save the only Gia granddaughter too.

    Sigh... It was just unfortunate that the Grandmaster was a stepte. If they had known of today''s matter, they would''ve long invited him over, making sure that no one had to die.

    Today, they had already lost 23 good men and would now have to contact their families and lie that they died in battle, an assassination attempt or war instead.

    The creature swallowed these people''s bodies whole before spitting out their attire.

    So they could quickly tell just how many were truly dead.

    Thinking of the deceased men, everyone felt a touch of sorrow for the way they died.

    This might not be the bloodiest Gia battle ever, but it was no doubt the most memorable.

    .

    ~Din. Din. Din. Din. Din~<sub> </sub>

    The heavy footsteps of everyone sounded out as they dashed through the vast, now deste-looking hallways.

    But if the inside of the mansion had surprised them, the shock they received when stepping out made them freeze in ce.

    Okay... Their entire estate that scanned for miles and miles now looked so haunted.

    F***! Even the grass had long turned brown too. The cobwebs, the many moaning men allying around, and everything else... only gave them an inevitable wave of anxiety bottled up in their bellies.

    And just like Scooby-Doo and Shaggy, they began sticking close to Dorian like glue.

    Hey. Who knew if something else was out here? At this point, even the steady ordinary night breeze made their sounds tingle with worry.

    So what you like, but after going through what they did, they had long decided to shamelessly stock close to Dorian and his men.

    Call them cowardly, what a joke!

    Thedies all sent their children to run closer to Dorian while also keeping a close distance too.

    At this point, all the Gia members had decided to follow Dorian to his Tian estate.

    What if some other creature wanted toe over when he left their Gia household?

    Yes. Dorian had assured them that nothing would happen and had also promised to retrieve their daughter.

    So in truth, they could also stay back and wait for their daughter to be delivered to them.

    However, they felt that it was safer to be next to Dorian than further.

    Mommy... This was the supernatural, alright?

    .

    ~Ow~~~

    The moans from outside grew louder as several guards now woke up.

    Flutter. Flutter.

    Their eyshes fluttered for a bit while trying to over the wave of dizziness that hit them hard after waking up

    At first, their expressions were that of confusion. But soon, it turned into disbelief when looking at the scene before them.

    I''ll go! Did they suddenly get teleported into another strange world?

    (+0+)

    Wei Gia thinned his lips and nodded at Renjin, who in turn faced a few of his guards sternly: "Take care of the matters here while we''re gone. And remember, the Grandmaster said that no one is to leave or enter the estate after we''re gone."

    "Yes, sir!" The guards responded while stepping aside to do the tasks assigned to them.

    They not only had to brief the guards on what happened here, but keep the perimeters locked and secured.

    If they wanted to stay alive, they had to remain in the estate at all times, no matter what!

    Hn looked at the scene in horror while watching the Gia family members enter the vehicles.

    "No! No! You can''t leave me here! What if those things came back for me?"

    Everyone looked at her in disdain, treating her like a noisy fly on the wall.

    But their actions only made Hn even more crazed instead.

    Tears and snot covered her pale face the more she thought of her predicament.

    She is so young and obviously a beauty who deserves all the finer things in life.

    So why should she stay in this cursed estate?

    The tied-up Hn began jumping towards Dorian''s vehicle like crazy.

    "Help! Help! They want to kill me! You there!... I, I, I can give you my body if you promise to take me out... Look. I''ll even give you my kidney too! Save me! Please, save me!"

 Chapter 74 The Truth Behind The Tians

    "No. No. No. Save me! Save me! Save me!"

    Hn looked at the leaving vehicles and only felt her chest grow tight in horror.

    ~Plop.

    She dropped down, with her chin in the ground, crying and screaming helplessly with deep regrets in her bones.

    How could they leave her behind? How could they leave her behind?

    Her helplessness soon turned to horror, which also transformed to rage very quickly.

    Yes! She hated them all! She hated the Gia family as well as this so-called Grandmaster!

    How could they? How could they reject a beauty like her?

    Even if she died and turned into a ghost, she would never let them go!

    ~Wooooooo~

    Her cries and pleas bellowed out, but no one gave a damn.

    And just like that, Dorian''s limo, as well as a few Gia vehicles, drove out steadily.

    And as they drove by thest sector of the estate, the Gia members looked out their windows and didn''t know whether tough or cry from the scene before them.

    They felt like their entire lives were a lie.

    The entire sector had now been turned upside down and was riddled with all sorts of heavy machine gun and grenade holes.

    But looking at Dorian''s vehicle, why did it seem like everything had just been a walk in a Park to them?

    Howe not even a single scratch could be seen in the vehicle?

    What mighty Gia family? Whattest weapon technology?

    Before, they could still brag that no one could infiltrate their estate so seamlessly.

    But now, they only want to find a hole and hide in shame.

    They looked at Dorian''s vehicle in an aggrieved manner, as if looking at Dorian and his gang instead.

    ''Admit it! This is all just a game to you all, right?''

    .

    ~Vrrrrmmmmm!

    The vehicles took off in the dead of night, making their way towards Dorian''s estate in another richmunity.

    Everyone watched as the gates magically opened and had long decided that nothing again could shock them.

    Before today, they might have felt that the gate was automatic or being controlled somewhere. But after Dorian''s magical acts, please! They had a hunch that he used magic to open it up.

    ~Catchack!

    Everyone stepped out of their vehicles and followed Dorian in.

    Old Gia looked at his son intensively: "What do you think?"

    Wei Gia looked at the estate and couldn''t help frowning a bit.

    You know, it''s been over 5 years since hest stepped into the Tian estate.

    The Tian couple was truly peculiar.

    Even though they were an elite powerhouse of their own, they didn''t like hosting events very much.

    Instead, they attended other people''s events.<sub> </sub>

    At first, he thought that maybe it was because the couple had humble backgrounds before rising to the top and didn''t like to mingle so much or change their ways.

    But now, he felt that maybe it was because of the nature of their true work.

    So all this time, there were such powerful people around, and they, the Gia family, had missed cooperation with them all these years?

    .

    Wei Gia looked at the estate and expressed his thoughts.

    "Dad, I think you lived a very humbling lifestyle not to raise a lot of suspicions or get unwarranted attention yet. How to say it... I get the feeling that the Tian bo...erh-erm... The Grandmaster is now ready to go public or isn''t afraid of unwarranted attention."

    Old Gia nodded too; "Yes. I agree with you. Looking at their estate, even though it''s far richer than normal grand estates, it''s clear that with the kind of money they had as one of the big powerhouses in the city, they should''ve been able to live in an even grander ce or make bigger moves throughout their time as one of the strongest. But at that time, everyone thought that they were nouveau wealthy people who still maintained their humble ways. But now, it looks like the truth is far from what we imagined."

    "Yes, dad. It could be seen that they might''ve been preparing themselves and nning for some event before going public. But what could it be?" Wei Gia went quiet: "... Dad, I don''t know about you, but I''m getting the feeling that something big and nasty is headed our way. For all we know, this might just be the beginning!"

    Heavy Silence.

    Butler Feng, Head Guard Renjin and several others who heard the whispers between father and son only felt that their entire world seemed toe crumbling down right at this very moment.

    Something bigger than tonight''s?

    .

    Muscles tensed, Heart rates elerated, and countless goosebumps on their bodies.

    No one spoke, no one said a single thing, as they seemed to be in their own world, thinking about the future!

    But no matter what thoughts popped up in their heads, they had realized one crucial fact.

    The Tian household was not as easy as it seemed.

    And from this day forth, they''ll have to be tighter allies with them.

    As for Dorian''s uncle, they didn''t think he was in on the little Tian family secret.

    The man was too greedy and nothing like the positive image the Tian couple gave many.

    Even though there wasn''t any evidence yet, they who knew the dark side of society, were more convinced that Dorian''s uncle might have a hand in the ident that left the Tian couple in aa.

    It wasn''t rocket science. And they, the Gia family, could easily handle matters for Dorian if he requested.

    But they also had a hunch that a guy like Dorian would like to settle matters in his own way.

    So they dared not overstep, waiting to see what surprises he would bring them.

    ...

    Like so, with countless thoughts in their minds, the entire entourage quickly followed Dorian''s gang into the main building.

    And after stepping in, Dorian turned around to face everyone: "Wait here. I''ll be back in 2 hours." He then turned to his men and there a few pills at them: "It''ll heal your injury. I''ll leave the guests to you 3."

    With that, Dorian then walked towards a section of the wall and didn''t think much of it.

    They thought that he only passed to think of something.

    But of course, they were wrong... So damn wrong, because what happened next was something that made them jump in awe and disbelief.

    ~Brrrrrrrrrr~

    Each part of the wall seemed toe alive, with many parts jumping aside and creating a massive opening on the walls.

    Everyone swallowed hard at the stunning scene before them.

    Lying trough! You can do this too?

    (��?��)

 Chapter 75 Preparations

    ~Bam

    Dorian fell to the ground in one swoop, as the pain he had been holding back now corroded his body mercilessly.

    Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

    Dorian''s entire face turned red and began trembling as if he was about to have a seizure.

    The entire scene was jaw-dropping, to say the least.

    And If those on the other side of the wall saw Dorian now, they would no doubt be shocked and panicked as well.

    What the hell was going on here?

    Pff~

    Dorian sprayed a mouthful of blood while curling up like a ball on the floor.

    "Master... Master, let me help you up," Pandrol, the guardian man-lion, said with worry in his tone.

    Without wasting down, he ced his master''s arm over his shoulder and supported his master up.

    Dorian''s breathing grew boarded, with every breath sounding heavier than thest.

    ~Wooo~~Wooo~~Wooo~

    Pandrol''s face grew pale when he saw his master''s condition hastened his movements.

    With Dorian''s arms over his shoulder, he hastened his pace, taking Dorian to one of the rooms.

    And as they left, the blood on the floor quickly vanished, as if it were never there in the first ce.

    Dorian''s eyes spun in different directions, with countless beads of sweat now forming on his face.

    Earlier, he had used his internal energy to control and stabilize his injuries.

    The others didn''t know it, but he had been in unbearable difort ever since the battle ended.

    This was the real reason why he came back.

    There was no way he could help or rescue anyone in his condition.

    He took deep breaths while looking at the half-lion Guardian beside him: "Pandrol... Bloodmoon demon."

    Boom!

    As if hit by current, Pandrol''s body grew stiff: "Master, say no more. I know what to do."

    "Hmmmmmmm."

    With that, Dorian was ced in a curved Stone tub, and Pandrol began filling it with water, as well as some herbs.

    In terms of knowledge, Pandrol only knew what Dorian wanted it to understand.

    To put it simply, thanks to the system, Dorian had imnted all knowledge on Lower/Lesser Underworld beings into Pandrol''s memory.

    Dorian couldn''t very well be the one writing the books for each Demon type, ss and yada-yada-yada.

    So Pandrol had already taken over and was trying to write out everything and ce it in the empty library bookshelves too.

    That said, the moment Dorian mentioned the name, Bloodmoon demon, Pandrol knew how his master had gotten so badly injured.

    With his master''s strength, as well as the disadvantage of today''s moon alignment, it was already a miracle that his master had survived... Talk less of winning.

    It can be said that the demon its master fought should''ve been a careless one or one without much brain power.

    Because if it were an even more scheming demon, then there was no way his master could''ve won.

    .

    ~Swahhhhh~

    The water poured into the tub, and Dorian suddenly felt pain from the medical ingredients thrown in.<sub> </sub>

    His entire face became distorted, with countless veins popping out of his face, hands, belly and neck.

    Yes! Even though he wasn''t yelling or saying anything, his entire body had reacted as proof to show just how much pain he was in.

    With closed eyes and a tight lip, he quickly absorbed the medical properties and tried to control his qi flow, directing it towards the proper channels, healing his injuries as fast as he could.

    And as time passed by, Dorian could feel his internal organs slowly recovering.

    If doctors saw this while observing his inner body through medical miniature cameras, they would no doubt be stunned silly, looking at the scene in disbelief.

    It was as if his internal organs were like Wolverine''s or something, as they steadily healed and closed themselves up magically.

    And the pain during this time was nothing to home about.

    Additionally, he also popped in a pill to his mouth to further assist the healing process too.

    .

    Like so, time passed by, with Dorian stagnant as if he was the only object frozen in time.

    10 minutes, 30 minutes... 1 hour 10 minutes passed on in a blink of an eye, before his expression finally eased up.

    ~Thip. Thip. Thip.~~

    Water dripped from his body as he calmly stood up from the tub and stepped out to a nearby Dorian shower to rinse off any yucky residue on him.

    You know, while absorbing the medical properties, his body had also been dispelling the flocked up blood in his body from his internal injuries.

    So the water ended up looking reddish-ck instead, with a foul stenching from it too.

    Dorian showered briefly before dressing up and heading to the training room.

    He sat cross-legged and first checked his body.

    ''Luckily, I only got hurt because I overused my strength, resulting in a bacsh. If I had let that demon injured me in the slightest, there would be no way for me to heal this much of my injuries in such little time.''

    At present, he had only healed up 80% of his injuries, which shouldn''t be an issue for what he was about to do tonight.

    That said, now, he wanted to cultivate for another 15~20 minutes to replenish his spirit and strength a little more.

    As one would recall, the space here had a qi-gathering formation that would provide far more bountiful qi whenpared to the situation outside.

    So this short time here might seem like nothing, but it was far more precious than cultivation outside.

    Dorian looked at Pandrol calmly: "Get everything ready for the job... This includes... h. h. h. h. h. h. h~..."

    Pandrol listened like a robot, not missing a single detail, before going down one-bent knee before Dorian.

    "Master! This humble one will do as you''ve requested."

    "Good."

    With that, Pandrol dashed off, only leaving behind after-images of himself.

    Dorian looked at his leaving silhouette and squinted his eyes coldly.

    He was disappointed in himself and his rank.

    Today''s matter must never repeat itself!

    ''System... How far am I from leaving this No-rank exorcism title?''

    ''Host. Good news... The Bloodmoon demon you personally exorcised did give you a good boost. And now, you''re shy of 15 points to advance. So finding 3 lower level Evil spirits would do the trick.''

    ''Hmmm...''

    Dorian closed his eyes yet again and now focused on improving his strength.

    Soon, he would leave this bloody no-rank title once and for all!

 Chapter 76 Move Out!

    Like so, Dorian kept his mind empty and stayed focused on improving his strength.

    But back on the other side of that strange wall, countless people were now listening to his men with so much seriousness, as if listening to the most important lectures of their lives.

    Raulin, Zhulyn and Butler Sheng all stood calmly while looking at the crowd gathered before them.

    In the vehicle, the Grandmaster had told them that they could answer any questions that the Gia family asked... But of course, some particr topics were out of bounds yet.

    So they knew what to ask and what not to say.

    In short, anything on automation was out of bounds... After all, these people hadn''t taken the heavenly oath yet.

    But in general, they could talk about the Exorcism profession too.

    Butler Sheng had long brought in tea and had served the gathered crowd as if they hade for some tea party.

    Hey. No matter what, they still had to show that their Tian family had the proper teachings of any wealthy Family.

    It was just that after going through what they went through today, the gang wasn''t very interested in drinking any damn tea.

    Old Gi held his cup of tea and pressed his lips together as if building up his courage.

    "Sir..."

    "Mr. Gia... You may call me Butler Sheng."

    "Yes. Yes... Of course, Butler Sheng!" Old Gia eximed while secretly taking note of the name.

    Luckily, the name was very simr to his own Butler... Butler Feng. So his old brain should be able to recall it better.

    And after Raulin and Zhulyn introduced themselves too, everyone else also took note of their names.

    What a joke!

    These people were closest to the Grandmaster, so knowing them was also a good thing.

    Just remembering how the wall had magically opened up now, made everyone feel that the entire mansion might be animated and coulde to life too.

    Hey! These couches and chairs they say on wouldn''t be like that, right?

    Wait! Could they magically swallow them up too?

    (+0+)

    Everyone was lost in their own little world.

    And the more they thought of tonight''s affair, the more they realized Dorian''s brilliance.

    But most of all, they also realized how scary the world truly was.

    .

    The air grew tense with the nightwalkers constantly singing their nightly tunes.

    But one would think that the owl was singing from outside the building, but that would be wrong.

    The owl had been here since the start and seemed to be the family''s pet.

    If it were before, they wouldn''t bother with the owl.

    But after tonight, they began suspecting everything within the Tian house.

    They looked at the owl as if trying tomunicate with it.

    ... Mr. Owl... Can you talk?

    ~Who-Who~

    ''_''

    Pretend. Pretending!

    The group of people were not convinced!

    And for this, Dorian would only be speechless.

    The owl was just an ordinary one.

    But hey! You can''t tell people anything once their minds begin their imaginative journeys.

    -Silence-

    Old Gia and everyone less looked at the hang curiously.

    "Pardon me... But what is it that you all do?"

    The trio all smiled mysteriously at the crowd: "You want to know more about our profession?"

    Everyone froze for a second before nodding slowly: "Y-Yes... We want to know."

    Butler Sheng looked at their innocent faces and chuckled a bit: "I know you all have a lot of questions, but you see... our profession entails a lot of things. But in a word, we are Exorcists."<sub> </sub>

    Exorcists?

    What kind of word was that?

    .

    Eh?

    Everyone felt like their dictionaries didn''t hold such a strange, bizarre word in them.

    But for sure, they knew that this exorcism thing meant that they should be monster killers?

    Well, not exactly.

    Killing these things wouldn''t necessarily stop them froming back.

    Each underworld creature was different. Be it evil spirits, Ghouls and so on, they all had their own way of doing things.

    So what if they possess another person for payback? Killing them only sent them to the underworld.

    And when that happened, it''s not like they would start off as babies again.

    No! They were just sent back to the underworld as if vacationing there.

    Only when an underworld being killed another Underwood being would the deceased creature get rebirthed as a demon baby again with no memories.

    Once forced to leave the human world and go back to the underworld, it only meant that it sustained some injury and would need to heal in the underworld.

    Of course, once it was done healing and had nned its return, then you best believe that it would rise again as usual.

    But exorcism was different.

    They were proofing their entire existence with holy light and sending them to a vicious cycle of incarnation.

    There was a big difference!

    .

    Exorcists?

    Everyone''s eyes widened in rm while listening to the mention of several different strange things existing in this world.

    Lying trough. How can the world be so dangerous?

    Scary... Too scary!

    Now they felt like there was danger lurking around them no matter where they looked.

    Dammit!

    Why did they have to share their world with such things?

    In short, today''s matter had also made them mature a bit too.

    Well, at least now they were aware of the paranormal.

    And in the meantime, Pandrol had long sent a transmitted message to the trio to get the stuff his master had him prepare.

    Of course, Raulin took on the task.

    He quickly went to the 2nd floor, entered the portal through another wall and came out with 3 bizarre boxes with several symbols on them.

    Blink. Blink.

    Target locked.

    -Zoom!-

    Withser-focused eyes, everyone looked at the scene intensively.

    What was in these boxes?

    What did they want to do with them?

    They felt like some great mystery was found within them.

    And soon enough, the wall opened up again.

    ~Brrrrrr~~~

    Dorian stepped out with a brand new attire that made him look all the more majestic.

    Sleek. Bluish-ck, and very unique... The entire get-up fitted his body exceptionally well.

    Dorian nced at the crowd who now stood up hastily, and nodded at them calmly with his hands in his pockets.

    "Let''s go!"

 Chapter 77 Mafia Men!

    "Let''s go!"

    "Right!" Everyone responded like obedient children before following Dorian out

    They entered their vehicles and once again left the scene in the dead of night.

    2:15 A.M.

    The night sky was clear of any clouds or stars.

    It was a bizarre scene that many would''ve just brushed off as if it were nothing.

    On such a good day, shouldn''t there be at least one star visible?

    Instead, the moon looked amplified in size, as if they were so close to it already.

    It looked like if they stretched forth their hands, they should be able to touch the massive craters on the moon.

    And yet, they dared not do so because of tonight.

    Heh... They had seen how that thing kept staring at the moon in glee.

    So honestly, they began to suspect even this moon!

    That''s right. It might seem ridiculous, but they felt that there was some truth to the matter... Or was it them being paranoid?

    Sigh... Night times would never be the same again.

    .

    ~Vrrrmmmmm~~

    The vehicles drove steadily, all following behind Dorian''s vehicle instead.

    And the more they followed, the more they finally understood or predicted where it was he was taking them too.

    Wait! Wasn''t this the way to the City''s Grand Park?

    Wasn''t it in this same park that their little girl ''supposedly'' turned up soaking wet?

    "Dad..."

    "Hmm... I know." Old Gia said in a shaky tone.

    He just hoped that his little granddaughter was still alright.

    Like so, the vehicles continued forth, easing the alertness of the Park guards.

    These guards were doing their routine checks when they suddenly saw several headlights get closer and closer.

    And without dy, one of them turned on his walkie-talkie: "This is South-Entrance calling in here. We seem to have some strangers approaching us in vehicles."

    ["Strangers? At this time of the night?... Don''t worry! I''ll send people over to you know just in case. But because we don''t know if their hostile or not, you and the rest shouldn''t try to provoke them!"]

    With that, the walkie-talkie went silent after a brief static noise.

    ~Shrrrr!

    Blink. Blink.

    You look at me. I look at you. You look at your shoce. I look at your fat head.

    The guards looked at themselves for a bit while reaching for their weapons just in case.

    Of course, they wouldn''t pull them out now, or it might anger these nightly visitors.

    No... It was just human nature to check and ensure that their weapons were still there.

    The air grew tender as the guards all felt their hearts drummed loudly.

    The entire matter head indeed caught them unawares, making them feel a bit fearful too.

    Momentarily, they had long wanted to run. But the head vehicle had long shed its blinding light at them. So running might be futile since they had already been seen.

    Plus, what if they ran only to find out that these people weren''t hostile?

    Again, it was their job to protect the Park. So they knew that they had to take a stance here and now.

    It was just that all through their time working here, they had never been in such a situation like this.

    Blinding. Blinding. Blinding.

    They squinted their eyes and raised their hands above their eyes at the blinding beams of light.

    And because of this, they couldn''t make heads or tails of what sort of vehicles were driving in.

    But in their minds, they had alreadye up with some mafia plot or something along those lines.

    Oh no!

    (:��w��:)

    .<sub> </sub>

    ~Vrrrrmmmmm!

    The rich vehicle sounds grew louder and louder until it suddenly stopped.

    And soon, they heard the doors open and close.

    Bam!

    Their muscles stiffened.

    ~Crah-Crah-Crah-Crah-

    They heard the stones on the ground get crushed and crushed with the feet of another.

    Yes.

    The man in the suit that stepped out of the vehicle, slowly advanced towards them, stepping on the tiny stone pebbles on the ground.

    And this moment, they stopped breathing.

    The little fat on their faces began trembling while listening to the man''s footsteps.

    Fatty Ping, one of the guards there, almost peed himself from the tense atmosphere surrounding them.

    Mafia! Mafia! Mafia!

    That was all he could think of after seeing the sleek, elegant coat of the well-bodied elite person that stood before him.

    Lying trough. Wouldn''t this be the part where they got shot or kidnapped?

    Instantly, Fatty Ling felt his knees quake in horror at his blockbuster imagination.

    And Butler Feng, who had no ideas about what the group of guards were thinking, calmly stood before them with an expressionless face.

    "Gia men... Official business. Take us to your superior."

    (��?��)... Okay?

    .

    Silence pierced the air, with the guards all having frozen expressions.

    Gia men? Official business?

    On hearing his words, the guards suddenly looked at Butler Feng in a daze, blinking severally with no thoughts running through their minds.

    That''s right. Their brains had long deserted them, leaving them for dead.

    And like so, they began babbling the words severally in hopes of convincing themselves of the words that they had heard.

    It was just that with a nk brain, they seemed to have forgotten what any of the words spoken to them meant.

    Gia men. Gia men. Gia men~

    Their eyes seemed lost as their brain functions slowly returned to normal.

    And soon, they eximed in shock: "Gia Men? GIA MEN!"

    [Butler Feng]: "_"

    Butler Feng''s lips twitched when looking at the group of guards before him.

    At the same time, the guards, who had nowe back to their senses, turned red in embarrassment when they thought of their previous guesses.

    Well, it looked like they needed to stop watching too many movies.

    At the same time, they wouldn''t just rx their guard just because this person was talking politely to them.

    .

    The oldest amongst them coughed to hide his embarrassment before looking at Butler Feng seriously: "You say that you and the rest are Gia men, but what proof do you have?"

    Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes... What proof do they have?

    Butler Feng reached for his chest pocket and took out a ssified Badge, as well as several other documents.

    The guards gathered around, looked at it before looking at each other thoughtfully as if saying: Do you think it''s real?

    They didn''t know anything and were just ordinary civilian guards. So how would they know whether this guy was telling the truth or not?

    Butler Feng rolled his eyes heavenwards before taking out his phone and showing them a web-searched image of himself standing behind old Gia during some official matters.

    ~Gasp!

    They looked at it in shock and awe.

    "OH my heavens! It really is you!"

    "Yeah, yeah! Although I have to say that you look way better in this photo than now... So is it photoshopped?"

    (-_-)

 Chapter 78 A Genius Butler

    Greenish veins popped out of Butler Feng''s forehead while staring at the group of park guards before him.

    ~Woooooo-

    He took a deep breath while calmly cing his documents back in his pockets.

    Honestly, he felt like the brains of tense guards had been fried off by something.

    Maybe it was the moon''s doing... Who knows.

    Very quickly, the lead guardmunicated via his walkie-talkie again, rying all that happened.

    And before he could even finish his conversation, his superior had begun jumping about like a flea.

    Bam!

    He heard a loud crash through his walkie-talkie, followed by his superior''s hurried voice.

    "You said you verified their identity? Do they have the xxxxx ssified badge on them? No. No... Don''t answer that. Stay right where you are. I''ll personallye over myself! Gia men. Gia men. Gia men..."

    ~Tut~

    "_"

    .

    Like so, the superior dashed like crazy to see these Gia men.

    And before he got there, another team had long arrived on the scene again too.

    They all shared the same radio frequency, so everyone had heard about the nightly visitors possibly being people from the renowned Gia family.

    Thus, they dared not act wantonly.

    And when those vehicles saw that things might take a while, they quickly turned off their headlights, with some of them stepping out too.

    You know, it was then and there that the guards saw the line-up of luxurious vehicles.

    Goodness! This alone was enough proof that these people had a wealthy background.

    Renjin and a few others stepped out as well, joining Butler Feng at the front.

    And soon enough, the supervisor came out on a golf cart, riding around the park like a maniac.

    F***! He didn''t even wait to turn off the golf cart''s ignition.

    No. He jumped off as if not caring whether it would crash or not.

    Gia family. Gia family.

    He knew a lot about them because he had served in the military before.

    In his younger days, he indeed joined the military, hoping to be a soldier till he died.

    But because of the situation in his home, he decided to find a steady job that would keep him going home daily.

    So he found this one, worked his way up and became one of the few heads in charge of the Park''s security.

    .

    To this day, he still felt that the situation back then was indeed a blessing in disguise because now, he loved his current job more than being a soldier.

    Nheless, he had great love for these brave men who protected the country.

    And from time to time, he also followed the Gia family''s affairs too.

    Not to mention the fact that during his 3 years of serving in the barracks, he had seen Old Gia give an award speech before.

    And, he also enlisted in the military alongside Old Gia''s 2nd son.

    So how could he not know about the Gia family?

    They were one of the core members of the military!

    There was a time that he had also seen the at-the-time Young Butler Feng too.<sub> </sub>

    After all, Butler Feng himself used to be famous back in the days.

    You know, to be a Butler of the Gia family meant that he had passed several rigorous and life-threatening tests.

    Don''t mind the fact that Butler Feng was sometimes goofy and had an innocent face.

    When it was time to get serious, he was the most serious of them all.

    Because of how he sometimes acted, as well as his baby face, people subconsciously felt that he was weak.

    Heheheh... But that guy was the same person who took down an entire special force team on his own back in the days.

    .

    He heard that they had their test in some forest done, and Butler Feng became one with the forest, acting like a living Jungle man.

    His opponents didn''t even know when they got eliminated. And that was the most frightening thing of all.

    And just before he left the barracks for good, he also heard people say that Butler Feng, who was only a few years older than himself, would also leave the barracks.

    At the time, no one knew where butler Feng was going.

    But a few yearster, images of Butler Feng sometimes apanying Old Gia during events and parties circted the inte because of Butler Feng''s handsome face.

    Only then did the world find out that the dashing man was the new Gia butler assigned the Main Gia estate.

    Apparently, he had just taken over from another predecessor.

    Of course, many didn''t know about Butler Feng''s past life.

    But those in the military knew that the genius of that year had left the Army to be a Gia Butler... and would be the 219th Gia butler or the Main Household that will follow the current new Gia head, Wei Gia.

    Now staring at Butler Feng''s face that had aged a bit but still retained his baby-looking, youthful appearance, the superior was so excited and honoured to see the famous genius in the flesh!

    Verification? What stupid verification?

    These people were definitely Gia men, okay?

    .

    ~Thup!

    "Senior!" The superior eximed proudly while doing a military salute. Sure his back wasn''t as straight, and there were still several ws in his greeting. But it still made Butler Feng, Renjin and everyone else taken back for a bit.

    Butler Feng looked at him curiously: "You know me?"

    "Yes, senior. When I served in the military year''s back, I had seen you from a distance once and had heard of your feats."

    Butler Feng listened and chuckled, recalling his wild days.

    Sigh...

    What''s the use of being wild when one couldn''t even kill that mighty creature from tonight?

    Its speed was above human limits, like the speed of light.

    And its very being was meant to trample on the spirits of humans.

    So even if they trained in the army for centuries, they could never surpass such a strange supernatural thing without extra support.

    Maybe the other little creatures from tonight could be smashed by him, seeing that they moved at the same speed as humans.

    But he might''ve shot them or done something else to make matters worse. So how would he know?

    In the end, what might kill humans, might not necessarily kill these things.

    And this was the lesson he learnt today.

    Exorcism��

    That was the key!

 Chapter 79 Into The Park, We Go

    "Senior, why have youe? Is there anything I can assist you with?"

    Yes! What could they do to help?

    The Superior, as well as everyone else in the overnight security team, also wanted to know what they could do.

    More than anything, their curiosity was starting to get the best of them.

    You know... It''s sote at night, and the park was typically a boring ce that no one would randomly choose to visit now.

    Forget it! Movies make it seem like murderers would go around wantonly dumping bodies in parks, but that wasn''t the case.

    Unless the murderer parked his vehicle outside and dragged the body into the park themselves, then forget it!

    The best chance they would get is to dump the body outside the park perimeters.

    Heh. There were guards doing rotational checks everywhere.

    And the deeper one went into the park, the more likely it was for any intruders to meet these guards... Some on golf carts driving around, and some on foot.

    Not to mention that the city had long contributed for its Park security guards to have heat and night vision goggles.

    They could spot any intruders within the park, even if one were hiding behind a tree.

    Granted, in the daytime, security was almost nonexistent. But at night, it was in full swing.

    During the day, people came to jog, y with their pets and do countless other activities. And the presence of guards sometimes made them feel ufortable.

    Guards would asionally pass by, but that was it.

    Again, they used to have night-dogs, but they found that they just liked barking for no reason at night, creating noise everywhere. And because of that, they stopped keeping watch dogs around the park at night.

    However, even though the night guards were well equipped, maybe because no action ever happened here, they were a group that sometimes got scared easily.

    .

    You know... Some had been working here for 10 years or so and had never encountered any dangers.

    There was indeed a time when a gang once thought of running into a park and indeed killed a few guards.

    But that was years and years ago.

    Again, because one of the branch police stations in the city wasn''t very far from the Park, many criminals didn''t think of fleeing here.

    Bottom line, many guards secretly choose to work as park security men because it was rtively ''safe'' and paid good money.

    So wasn''t that a win-win situation?

    Sure. Their thoughts might be cowardly. But to many, it was better to live and grow old as a coward than to actively jump into the fire and die young as a hero.

    The f***?

    They hadn''t even enjoyed and lived their best lives yet. So why join any risky professions?

    Of course, not every guard thought like this.

    But a majority standing out alongside Butler Feng and the rest were more inclined to stay away from danger.

    That''s why some were frightened by the first report via walkie-talkie of several vehicles showing up.

    Luckily, it was all their imagination. And no mafia, gangs or murderers would be visiting them any time soon.

    ~Phew.

    They wiped the nonexistentyer of sweat off their foreheads in relief.

    False rm. False rm.

    It looked like there were no dangers lurking around tonight.

    Nheless, they were still curious about what could''ve brought the mighty Gia men to this boring park.

    Eh? Were they here on a routine check or something?

    .

    Butler Feng looked at the superior calmly: "We are here to find someone."

    The security superior felt uneasy. Could it be that a murderer was on the loose? Or could it be that one of the security personnel was a criminal in disguise?

    Was that it? Did he crack the code?<sub> </sub>

    Boom!

    The superior felt his white blood cells increase.

    That''s right.

    His white blood cells were growing at an rming rate, causing butterflies to flutter in his tummy.

    No... Why did he have a bad feeling about this?

    With a cautious mind, he stared at Butler Feng without blinking: "Senior... Might I know who you''re searching for?"

    Butler Feng looked at calmly: "A girl... Our Gia, youngdy."

    What??!!!

    The superior''s pupils dted exaggeratedly from what his ears heard.

    Girl... Girl... Gia girl!

    Wait! Could it be that the girl''s body had been buried somewhere here?

    No! The senior didn''t say if the girl was dead or not. So for all they knew, she was still alive.

    Unless the body was found, assume alive rather than dead!

    But wait... Wasn''t this the same Gia girl that the security men found after dripping wet?

    Yes! Yes! He remembered because that same evening, he came back and saw the report of what happened during the day.

    So what was all this about?

    Could it be that after she left the Park, someone else happened to kidnap her?

    So did theye here to first look for clues about her whereabouts?

    Shocking. Shocking. Too shocking.

    The superior felt like someone had secretly dripped a hot pot of soup on him with this matter.

    For all he knew, she might''ve gotten kidnapped within the park and not outside.

    So how could he not be in a frenzy?

    Dammit! Who was it? Who dared kidnap the Gia girl?

    .

    The superior''s face grew grim with worry and anxiety.

    "Superior Nemo. You need to take us to the sight where the out Gia girl was first seen dripping wet."

    "Right. Right. Right. Right...." Nemo said severally while bringing himself back to reality.

    Yes. They had to hurry up and look for clues.

    But before Nemo could turn around, Butler Feng stopped him: "Tell everyone to gather at that ce pronto. Remember. No one should be missing!"

    Eh?

    Nemo blinked for a while in confusion before nodding vigorously.

    Shiver. Shiver.

    Why did he feel like the culprit was just beside them?

    Nemo shivered subconsciously at the thought of it all. Of course, something else worried him as well.

    "Senior... If we all gather around, then who will guard the Park?"

    On hearing him, Butler Feng paused before suddenly smirking slyly: "Don''t worry. We''ve already taken care of it... Look." He said while gesturing towards a strange boy stepping out from within the park."

    Eh?

    Nemo and everyone''s eyes opened wide in shock.

    When? This? Who? How did this boy get in without them knowing?"

    (��?��)

 Chapter 80 Into The Park, We Go 2

    (��?��)

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone stared at the dashing young man as if staring at a ghost.

    They had been doing their job and routine checks constantly.

    And no one had reported any enemy or stranger sightings apart from Butler Feng and his entourage of vehicles.

    So when did this boy infiltrate the park?

    Or could he be a legendary assassin that they had fantasized about? Hey! Could it be that he dashed from tree to tree without making any sounds and prated the scene like some underworld legend?

    Dorian, who had no idea what people thought of him, calmly walked amidst everyone''s shocked gazes with his hands in his pockets.

    Damn. Who is this kid?

    Maybe it was their imagination, but they felt that they could see the image of some majestic beast behind the boy.

    But the most shocking thing was that when the boy got close enough, he nodded at their superior before looking at Butler Feng: "Let''s go."

    "Yes, Grandmaster." Butler Feng replied humbly, changing from a lion to a kitten in a matter of seconds.

    And this made everyone''s eyeballs almost pop out from their sockets.

    Now, they couldn''t help giving the strange boy another look.

    Grandmaster?

    What was all this about?

    ~Bam.

    After Dorian sat in his vehicle, Nemo drove his golf cart forward and led them to the site.

    Of course, the message instructing everyone to gather at the site had already been passed on.

    So all the staff tailed over too.

    But what was it that Dorian had been doing earlier on?

    Well... No doubt that before driving towards the front of the Park, Dorian had stepped out then.

    That''s right.

    He had been cing Caging arrays/ formations around the Park Perimeters. This way, nothing went in, and nothing would go out.

    .

    Like so, a massive lineup of both people and vehicles steadily moved towards the scene of the crime.

    And this time, everyone, including Wei Gia and Old Gia, stepped out of the vehicles.

    Old Gia! Old Gia! It was actually Old Gia!

    Nemo was starstruck.

    You know... He was a big fan of Old Gia.

    And now, seeing his legend this close to him, the superior began stuttering like a fool.

    Old Gia saw the admiration in the man''s eyes and chuckled. Who didn''t like getting affection from fans?

    "You''re doing a fine job over here."

    "No, Marshall Gia! It''s an honour for me to work hard for the safety of our park!"

    (^0^)

    Nemo was so thrilled to receive an acknowledgment from Old Gia that he began rushing everyone who was still on their way.

    What the hell was taking them so long?

    With his walkie-talkie in ce, he quickly used his mouth to shoot out words like machine guns.

    And those who heard him couldn''t help sweating buckets.

    Dammit. What has gotten into their superior today?

    Everyone picked up the pace, dashing to the scene as fast as possible, some on foot and some with the golf carts.

    And soon enough, the entire gang of night guards had finally arrived at the scene.<sub> </sub>

    Of course, Nemo made sure via Walkie Talkie, doing onest check.

    Even the nightly janitors were asked toe as well. So no one should be anywhere else apart from here.

    Nemo looked around before nodding at Butler Feng.

    Good. They were all here.

    With that, everyone left as a group, leaving the open Park Road and walking downwards through several foliages.

    Yes. The trees and shrubs all around did give the ce a nice touch.

    The gang walked downwards, following the same path that the guards who found the girl had taken previously.

    And finally, they arrived at an open earthy space.

    The security guards looked at the scene before them, feeling a little ufortable.

    And those who didn''t even know the whole gist of the matter once again came up with their own bizarre blockbuster theories.

    Eh?... Could it be that the girl was re-kidnapped and drowned here?

    .

    -Silence-

    The tension in the air caused everyone to fall into a deep catatonic silence.

    No one spoke or even dared to.

    The expressions on the Gia men and those on that Grandmaster and his men, only gave everyone an eerie feeling churning within their bellies.

    Gorgeous... That''s how they might''ve described the scene before them.

    Hmhm.

    The calmingke waters, the overly magnified moon illuminated the scene beautifully.

    But now, looking at the scene, no one thought it was beautiful anymore.

    With their thoughts constantly thinking around, they were more weirded out by the ace than anything else.

    Dorian looked at his men and gestured them forward: "Open all 3 boxes."

    "Yes, Grandmaster." The trio replied firmly.

    And instantly, everyone stretched their necks like cranes in hopes of getting a glimpse of the contents within the boxes.

    Their curiosity was at its pique, with several pushing one another to get front-row seats to the show.

    It was just that now, they wanted front row seats. But what aboutter on?

    Heh. The group of security guards, as well as the Gia men, all wanted to know what was within all 3 boxes.

    Of course, Raulin, Zhulyn and Butler Sheng didn''t bother hiding anything, opening each box in full view of the audience''s eyes.

    Oh, Goodie! What''s in it? What''s in it?

    It''s a... It''s a ... It''s a... Hm?

    ????

    Everyone looked at the contents within the boxes and felt very confused and dazzled.

    Excuse me... But what do you all want to do with these things?

    The security men were expecting some heavy James Bond weapon of some sort.

    And the Gia men were expecting something more magical looking.

    So to see candles, see-through tubes of salt, wooden sticks with carvings on it, a few strange gold coins, 3 round ss vials of what looked like water, and 2 books there... only made them feel that the scene was too weird for words alone.

    Nheless, the Gia men did trust the Grandmaster.

    So their doubt vanished in the blink of an eye. And now, they looked at the items as if looking at Holy objects.

    Dorian took 2 finely carved wooden sticks and calmly turned around to face the enchantingke.

    Alright. Time to find the girl!

 Chapter 81 Science: The Key To Everything!

    Dorian held the neatly carved wooden sticks and began chanting.

    ~Pap. Pap. Pap. Pap~

    The sticks tapped each other, producing loud sounds that echoed out across the entire Park.

    But this wasn''t what shocked the audience the most.

    Right before their very naked eyeballs, they watched as several giant imprinted symbols zoomed out from the sticks as if they were projections.

    The strange yellow-glowing symbols zoomed outwards across the water like magic.

    And at the same time, the wind seemed to rustle the trees and foliage all around, giving everyone a subtle heart attack.

    I''ll go! The scene was so magical that words alone couldn''t describe all that they saw.

    Gulp.

    Everyone, especially the security guards, swallowed hard when seeing the scene before them

    What the hell was this sorcery?

    Fatty Ping''s chubby rolls of fat jiggled in fear when standing behind superior Nemo.

    "Superior... What... How can this be possible? Do... Do you think that there are mini projectors imnted into those sticks?"

    "I... I don''t know..." Nemo replied in a daze.

    He was also more inclined to believe that these images were projected ones.

    It was just that even if something was projected, there was a certain look to it that made one feel like it was digitized.

    Take for example, if one projected something on a wall. One could tell that it''s a projection.

    However, the images they saw now were so real-like, making him feel as though if he were to grab them, he would be able to touch them physically.

    And more still, what was up with the strange wind that engulfed them whenever the weird symbols were sent out towards the waters?

    Or could it be that there was something else happening here that he wasn''t aware of?

    Immediately, Nemo caught himself thinking crazy and quickly reeled his leg back to the light.

    Yes... The scientific way was the true light of the world.

    Like so, Nemo adjusted his mentality and resumed his calm exterior, as though science could exin everything.

    Also, seeing how calm the Gia men were, Nemo couldn''t help being curious about their thoughts on this matter.

    And more importantly, who exactly was this boy?

    Was he some Grandmaster of some Assassin-Research department?

    Are the symbols projected out a type of scanning mechanism that the government had just invented ofte?

    Were they trying to find clues? Or the bones of the Gia girl instead?

    Nemo and the other guards were struggling to ept reality and still bent on science justifying everything.

    But before they could finally cent their arguments for science, something even more jaw-dropping urred that sent their brains crashing into oblivion.

    .

    ~Brmmmm!!!

    Suddenly, one of the giant symbols hovering over the massiveke changed from bright yellow to dark purple.

    And almost immediately, all the other symbols rushed towards the scene time crazy, heading to that exact location and turning purple as well.

    Dorian held the same pose for a bit, with both sticks touching one another... before slowly lowering the wooden bars again.

    "She''s in there."

    Boom!

    Everyone almost fainted from shock.

    She... She... She''s in the water?

    Then didn''t this mean that she was dead?

    After all, how could a human breathe underwater for so many days?

    The security guards all had pitiful expressions on their faces when looking at the Gia family.

    And at the same time, the Gia people, who everyone was pitying, only felt their hearts tighten against their chest in pain.<sub> </sub>

    The Grandmaster said that he would get their Gia girl back alive.

    So they had a certain amount of trust in him.

    But it was just that now, they began doubting a bit...Their Gia girl wants a fish! So could she truly stay alive all this time?

    .

    ~Whoo-Whoo-Whoo-Whoo~

    Their breathing became heavy the more distorted their faces grew.

    And Pia was the first to break down silently, without making a sound. She dared not disturb the grandmaster. But the thought of her daughter staying here while that fraud went back and enjoyed her daughter''s privileges, only made her feel sympathy for her poor baby.

    Old Gia and Wei Gia felt their lips vigorously when looking at the giant purple symbols spin haphazardly around that spot.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    They clutched their hearts and tried their best to control their breathing because they knew that the worst was yet toe.

    That''s right.

    They hadn''t gotten their Gia daughter back!

    "Grandmaster!... You said she''s alive right?" Old Gia asked anxiously.

    And Dorian simply threw his head behind his shoulders with azy smile on his face: "Hmhm... She''s still alive."

    "Good. Good. Good. Good!"

    [Security Guards]: "_"

    Eh?... Was there something they were missing here?

    The park guards almost fell in disbelief when listening to Dorian.

    Hello? How can this guy give the Gia family hope after saying that the girl had been immersed in water all this time?

    She was definitely dead, okay?

    Gone! Finito! Fish food! Finished! Dead!

    What other ways could one say it?

    .

    Nemo thinned his lips in pity, feeling that the Gia family didn''t seem to be able to handle the death of their deceased one.

    Sigh... Could this be the start of the fall of great legends?

    Grief and denial typically went hand in hand. And for most strong men, they could bypass denial and ept facts.

    And Nemo honestly thought that the Gia men would be able to ept the truth.

    But it looks like even if the girl''s body got fetched, they might refuse to bury her, being obsessed and thinking that she was still alive instead.

    This alone was enough to show how loved the girl was.

    But then again, something else had been bothering him.

    Given that the dead body has been submerged for so long, shouldn''t it float to the surface by now?

    That''s how a typical dead body worked.

    So why hadn''t it risen all this time? Or could it be that some massive boulder underneath the water made it stay in ce instead?

    There were so many loopholes in the matter that made Nemo''s head begin to hurt.

    Forget it. He gave up. Let the body get retrieved first.

    With that, he sighed in pity with his hands in his pocket, looking like a cop who was about to lean to the side and light a cigarette in sympathy.

    Now, they just had to wait for the police to get here and dig the body out of the waters.

    At least that''s what he thought.

    ~Boom!

    (0_0)

    Science... Science... Where art thou?

 Chapter 82 Found Her!

    Now, things were moving very fast!

    In a sh, Dorian threw his sacred sticks back at Raulin as if telling him to ce them back into their spots in the boxes.

    From there, he stretched out another hand and magically made the strangely carved gold coins float in the air like sorcery.

    ~Woosh!

    They floated in his direction and remained floating above his hands too.

    F***! The scene made the security guards jump and tremble in rm.

    Oh... But the show had just begun.

    With his hands apart, and the coins randomly floating above both hands, Dorian began chanting some strange words in the fastest manner ever.

    No one heard a word he said, only hearing something like; ''Shwhshwhshwhshwh~''

    His chants sounded like whispers to them as they grew louder and louder, apanied by a strange wind that also grew fiercer and fiercer as well.

    But the most eye-widening scene was when the coins suddenly caught fire on their one while rotating and floating above his hands.

    ~Brmmmm!

    The fire burned and raged with a strange power that made everyone stare in stupor.

    This... This... This...

    F***! What was this operation?

    .

    Dorian gave them no time to think, as they finished his chants in less than 2 minutes.

    And suddenly, the winds stopped, the trees quieted down, and the floating coins that were haphazardly moving in the air also paused while still floating above his hands.

    Good. Everything hade to a standstill.

    -Silence-

    Speechless. The park guards were speechless, with a hint of fear in them.

    And that''s why they were also hugging each other like frightened scaredy cats.

    Only, they did so while still opening their eyes and mouths like statues.

    (��0��)

    The atmosphere at the moment was choking and tense, with all sorts of emotions mixed up in one ce.

    But now, with his changing over, Dorian slowly opened his eyes and stretched his hands upwards: "Go!"

    And the floating coins seemed to obey hismand, as they dashed towards specific points along the water surface, leading up to the Massive purplish floating symbols.

    ~Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

    The coins were off!

    They floated and formed 2 parallel lines leading to the Symbols.

    And when all coins were in position, they suddenly dropped straight through the water, heading down to the deep bottom floors of the Lake.

    Those watching only saw the coins lead into the water but didn''t know why.

    And in no more than 2 seconds, another eye-trembling scene transpired.

    ~Boom!

    The waters divided, forming a path towards the location where the floating symbols were.

    And at this point, these men couldn''t deceive themselves again.

    Sh**!

    .

    ~Pah!

    Nemo pped his cheek in shock.

    No, this can''t be! His eyes were definitely deceiving him. If not, what about science? What about his belief in life?

    Magic... Magic... It really was magic!

    Everyone felt their throat bob when looking at the fishes swimming against the walls of the open space.

    They could see things as if looking through the ss walls of a fish tank or aquarium.

    Grandmaster! Grandmaster!

    Now, they understood why the young man was called Grandmaster!

    All this happened in just a few seconds.

    And before their excitement could really drill in, an eerie burst ofughter echoed out, bringing them back to reality.

    Grah-grah-grah-grah-grah~<sub> </sub>

    What was that?

    Everyone fearfully turned their attention to the furthest end of the opened path, and immediately felt like throwing up in panic.

    At the very bottom of theke, several feet below, a very spine-chilling scene infiltrated everyone''s eyeballs without warning.

    Words were not enough to describe how repulsed their brains were just from seeing things at the distance they were at.

    They saw several insect-like creatures with fishtails standing guard over a strange cage.

    The creatures looked like they were half insect-half-fish.

    And as for the cage they were guarding, it was too weird.

    The prison-like cage bars were of some strange ck smoke.

    The smoke formed an orb/ball-shaped prison that looked like it was hovering a few inches above theke''s floors.

    And even though they couldn''t see who was in it, they had a hunch that it should be the girl.

    .

    Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

    Goosebumps filled their besides, as their eyes continuously stared at the scene with transformed horror.

    ~Blugh!

    All security guards puked their intestines out when they saw some of the monsters fly towards the gang

    Look away! Look away! Look away!

    Their brains kept telling them to look away, but their eyes seemed to reject the idea, no matter how hard they tried.

    And now, they kept vomiting continuously while being scared into peeing as well.

    Mommy...

    Their minds cked out in a heartbeat.

    ~Plop.

    Several people fell on their butts and waved their hands frantically in fear.

    "No. No. It''s going to eat us! It''s going to eat us!... I don''t want to die!"

    "That''s right. I''m too young to die now! And besides... If I die, who''s going to feed my pet cat?"

    "Guys, I think we should get out of here fast!"

    "Yeah! Yeah! I''m right with you on this one."

    "I don''t want to die! I don''t want to die!"

    (:T0T:)

    .

    The chaotic scene was too much for many to bear.

    Seeing such things and knowing that they exist was enough to make one turn crazed.

    Do you mean to tell them that all this time they were working in the Park, these creatures had been here with them all along?

    Boom!

    An explosion urred in their minds as the truth made them paralyzed and weak.

    Their eyes darted around crazily, looking at each other as if looking for the answers to their questions.

    And at this moment, many had even forgotten how to breathe.

    The scene had quickly turned into a chaotic one. But luckily, before anyone could move a muscle, Butler Sheng was there to restore order. "Everyone, please quiet down. Remember, we gathered you all here for your own safety. So if you leave, then I guarantee that you will only have one oue... DEATH!"

    Instantly, everyone froze.

    Gulp.

    ... Death?

    Very quickly, many became obedient.

    And Dorian, who saw the creatures flying their way, only jumped in the air like a heavenly master.

    "Sheng. Zhulyn, Raulin... I''ll be heading to the orb. Handle the rest."

    "Right, Grandmaster!"

    "Good!"

    With that, he was off!

    ~Swish!

 Chapter 83 Chosen Warriors

    ~Swish!

    Dorian hovered in the air and immediately took off, leaving everyone with their mouths hung wide open.

    You know... Even the Gia men hadn''t seen him hover before.

    So this alone was too shocking for words.

    And the moment he dashed away like lightning, their hearts skipped a bit, as if they were watching a superhero do his thing.

    Many felt like wiping their eyes to be sure that they saw what they did.

    It was just that soon, their shock turned into fright when they saw the Grandmaster leave them here alone.

    You know, they didn''t hear the words Dorian said to Butler Sheng and the rest, so how could they not feel panicked?

    At first, seeing Dorian fly towards the cage at the far bottom of theke, they thought Dorian would in turn take care of those Insect demons who were flying over here too.

    But who would''ve known that the Grandmaster would act as if he were blind and allow these creatures pass him by?

    I mean, Dorian was so fast that even the creatures couldn''t do anything when passing him by.

    They paused and looked at him strangely before continuing their journey onwards after seeing all the delicious food waiting for them onnd.

    And the closer they got, the more waves of fear they felting from the group.

    F***! It smelt so delicious that they couldn''t help speeding up greatly.

    As for the one who passed them by, they left those still guarding the guard to take care of him

    No... What they were interested in were these tasteful beings here.

    .

    ~Zoom!

    Their moulding wings fluttered faster as they watched their prey scream and yell in fright.

    Fatty Ping and several other guards had already pooped themselves in fear while on the floor crying and oozing out snot.

    They held their hands above their faces, and kept their heads hunched downwards for fear of looking at the gruesome scene before them.

    The Grandmaster left them! The Grandmaster left them!... What should they do? What should they do?

    Some wanted to run, but seeing the Gia family members still standing there, rooted on the same spot, the words of Butler Sheng quickly resurfaced in their minds again.

    If they fled, they would die, maybe by being chased to death by these creatures.

    So they dared not risk it.

    After all, all horror movies show that after splitting up, danger was always lurking around.

    So wasn''t it better to stay in arge congregation?

    Yeah! Yeah... Besides, if the Gia people were still like that, then that meant that they had some protection up their sleeves, right?... RIGHT?

    With that, all the security guards got up, stumbling, fell and continuously rushed to stand behind the Gia men.

    At the same time, Butler Sheng and the rest recalled Dorian''s words and quickly did as they were told.

    .<sub> </sub>

    At present, they were just the 3 of them, and these creatures were about 60 flying at them.

    So no matter how they looked at it, they needed more help.

    Of course, Dorian could''ve made another formation to secure and keep everyone safe.

    But he had already expended a great amount of energy to set up a formation around the entire park.

    They might not be able to see it, but the whole park was infected.

    Thus, he had to clean up before sunrise.

    He also had to free the girl from the smoke cage and fight a few of these goons.

    So no matter how one saw it, he who hadn''t recovered his full energy from thest battle, couldn''t do too much.

    And that''s why he dared not use up more of his energy to ce another formation around them.

    You see, he had foreseen the issue with the Park because of how Bloodmoon demons acted.

    By sunrise, not only should the girl die, but the entire park would wither and die with her as well.

    Bloodmoon demons were very territorial.

    And when they marked a spot and got done with it, they never wanted anyone else to use it again. It was theirs and theirs alone.

    .

    Dorian had long foreseen the many dilemmas ahead.

    Thus, he knew that he also had to recruit a few more fighters for tonight''s job.

    Well, the girl belonged to the Gia family. So who better to join in on the action than them?

    They were strong and well-trained men who were also quick in motion. So they should be able to handle things for a bit.

    It was just that they would never be as swift as Butler Shang and the rest who just began their cultivation journey.

    Sure. Even if Butler Sheng and the rest hadn''t broken through their Mortal bodies, their bodies were already stronger whenpared to the rest.

    But what made things sweeter was that their body also felt lighter as well. Their speed was a little faster, and their eyes began adjusting better too.

    Additionally, with the heavenly oath they took, and the single spell chant that he taught them today, their moves would be 5 times more effective than a regr person who buys talisman papers and uses it

    They were now warriors for the heavens and could call upon the heavenly powers to descend and fill their talismans with divine energy before they used it.

    This was the difference between those who took the oath and those who didn''t.

    After all, Talismans and even protective charms could be bought on the streets and even used by mortals. But when an exorcist uses them, it''s an entirely different matter altogether.

    ? .

    Butler Feng, Renjin, Wei Gia, Old Gia and 3 others stepped forward after seeing Butler Sheng''s signal.

    When they first got to this ce, Butler Sheng had asked them to pick out their warriors. And at that time, their hearts were filled with excitement, fear and all sorts of emotions.

    They touched the papers in their chest pockets, feeling very surreal.

    Will they... Will they truly be allowed to fight?

 Chapter 84 Insects, Reform!

    Will they... Will they truly be allowed to fight?

    ...

    Time waited for no one.

    And soon Butler Sheng''s words echoed out again: "Everyone, who isn''t fighting, stay low. And for the warriors, take your positions around the rest and protect them all!"

    "Right! " The Gia men responded while stepping forward and surrounding the rest.

    Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup~

    Very seriously, they dashed around the tense scene as fast as they could.

    Some also went to the center of the circle too.

    And now, with everyone else stooping or sitting on the ground, they could see everything easier.

    Good!

    Old Gia and 2 others chose to stay within the circle of civilians in case some of those creatures tried to swoop in and grab one of the security guards or the other Gia men not fighting.

    As for Wei Gia, Butler Feng, Renjin, Butler Sheng, Raulin, Zhulyn, and one other Gia guard, they chose to surround the circle''s perimeter instead.

    And now, it was 10 warriors vs 60 flying monsters.

    Of course, these creatures went straight for the kill, aiming at the warriors.

    Why? Because the warriors who were standing up were the first people, they could see.

    Now, seeing their prey right before their eyes, the creatures celebrated in glee at the deliciousness of it all.

    ~Zee-zee-zee-zee-zee!~

    Dammit!

    Wei Gia''s muscles seized, and his face quickly became as red as a tomato.

    A deep wave of panic gushed over when he saw 2 creatures salivating and flying his way.

    What was this? Were they so eager to eat him up?

    Now Wei Gia understood how rabbits felt when being hunted

    But would he give in to his terror and ept death like that?

    No! No way!

    .

    ~Zzzzz~

    The loud buzzing sounds of these creatures zooming in closer echoed out across the scene

    And soon, everyone heard these creatures say words that they could understand.

    "Hahahhahahah! Food! Food! The boss always rejected us from emerging from the bottom of theke. But now, the boss won''t be mad that we came out, right?"

    "Food. Food! I can''t believe we can finally eat human food after so long!"

    "That one looks juicy. That one is mine!"

    "Hahahahahaha! Foolish humans! What do you think you can do against us? It''s brave that you think you can protect the rest in such a stupid way. But who are we? We are demons! The ones who are meant to eat you all up!" One of them said. And the moment he did so, the amount of fear that oozed out from the entire group only made them feel ecstatic.

    The cowering security guards who heard this only felt their bodies turn softer and mushier than it already was.

    Yet, they dared not speak or look up, in order to avoid catching the eye of the creatures.

    Please don''t eat them... Don''t eat them.

    They don''t taste good. They taste yucky!

    ~Poom!

    Several people farted subconsciously, and the smell of poop was still strong amongst those who gave into their human instincts when frightened.

    Fatty Ping looked at his meaty body fearfully. Now, he truly wished that he was all skin and bones.

    Seeing how he was, wouldn''t those things try to target him first?

    Lying trough! Why did the heavens make him so good? Why did he seem irresistible to demons?

    .

    Drip.

    Their saliva dripped out as they dashed speedily towards the warriors.<sub> </sub>

    Hahahhahaha! It was time to feast!

    ~Boom!

    Severalrge explosive sounds went off, and soon, several loud eerie cries resounded out.

    "Zeeeeeaaaahhh~~"

    Some creatures got sted back with serious injuries.

    Missing wing, missing arm, holes through their bodies... Their injuries were brutal.

    What??

    The other creatures looked at the scene in shock that these people could harm them.

    And for Wei Gia and the others who threw the talisman papers, they were more or so stunned by how powerful these tiny pieces of papers were.

    F***! Wasn''t it far better than gold itself?

    Their hands trembled and subconsciously went towards their pockets as if making sure that their babies were still there.

    That''s right. These talisman papers were now their new babies.

    I''ll go! How have they been walking around in this world without them?

    For the first time in their lives, they felt so unprotected and hurt.

    They felt like they had just been reborn!

    .

    Everyone was now immersed in their own little world.

    Or rather, they were focused on something else that caught their attention.

    The ones killed by the Grandmaster''s men died almost immediately. While those they attacked only got injured.

    So why was that all about?

    As for the wounded creatures, they were now fuming mad at the sneak attack that these humans gave them.

    Ahhhhhhhhh~

    It hurt. It hurt. It hurt so bad!!

    All they knew was that something within them was burning like fire, and seemed to sh with their entire beings.

    What... What... What was that?

    ck blood... ck blood dripped from their wounds, with a sizzling sounding off from it.

    Vapour also flew out of their wounds, and perimeters of their injuries still seemed to glow brightly, as if the fiery mes from whatever attack they received were still burning within.

    Regenerate... Regenerate... Why were they regenerating so slowly?

    What was going on with their bodies?

    Of course, they didn''t know it yet. But before that corner was hit by pure, holy energy, it wouldn''t regenerate as fast as it would if hit or stabbed by any mortal weapon.

    Their regeneration ability had now drastically decreased by a hundred times.

    And now, they were left with this situation, feeling the constant burn seep into their very fibres.

    It was just that they too had never met exorcists.

    So coupled with the gut-wrenching irritation they were feeling now, their minds were as nk as an empty sheet of paper.

    All that concerned them was their rage!

    .

    "Damn you! Damn you, humans! You all will pay for your treachery! Reform!!" The insects all said simultaneously before revealing a chilling scene that made everyone freeze in ce.

    �� This was bad!

    ~Bzzzzz~~

    All insects carried their injuredrades, hovered in the air and soon began merging andbining with one another murderously.

    "Hahhahahhahaha~... Humans! You will pay!"

    ~Thap. Thap. Thap. Thap.~

    They merged into one.

 Chapter 85 Weak!

    A strong wind swooped in, rustling the leaves vigorously.

    And the summer night, which was supposed to be warm and just right, was now extraordinarily icy and cold.

    ~Wooo-Wooo-Wooo~

    It was so cold that just breathing out seemed to leave a thin whiff of cold airy smoke from one''s nostrils.

    Cold. Cold... The night was chillingly cold.

    And the creature that was merging and growing bigger, slowly took a monstrous form while screaming murderously.

    "Hahahhahahhahahaa!... Humans, you will pay!~"

    Its eerie voice tingled the spines of those that heard it.

    And when many lifted their shivering heads, what they saw quickly made some t-out faint.

    ~Plop.

    They were out cold.

    Hideous! Hideous! Too eye-boggling!

    They wished they could pluck out their eyeballs and smash them with a stone.

    Ugh~~

    .

    Dorian, who had long dealt with the insects guarding the cage, frowned for a bit before looking back and seeing the monstrous thing that kept merging and growing on its own.

    Hm?

    Very calmly, he shrugged, turned back to smile at the mysterious thing before while connecting his mind to all warriors out there: [4 minutes.]

    Eh?

    Old Gia and the rest looked around in shock, as if trying to confirm if they were the only ones who heard a voice ring in their heads.

    (��0��)

    Raulin pushed his sses inwards: "The grandmaster means we should hold it up for 4 minutes."

    "_"

    I''ll go! The Grandmaster can alsomunicate with us through the mind?

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone was utterly baffled and awed by the Grandmaster''s greatness.

    But before they could think about it longer, Raulin quickly woke them up from their stupor.

    "It''s merging and growing stronger! We have to attack and stop it fast!"

    "Hmhm," Butler Sheng responded: "You 3, continue guarding the others... As for the rest, let''s go!"

    "Right!" They replied in unison before taking their battle stance and rushing towards the merging beast like crazy!

    Yes! They couldn''t jump or fly as high as Dorian, so their attacks could only reach the creature''s knee area, even after jumping high.

    Nheless, they dared not give up.

    .

    ~Swish!

    Like ninjas out for blood, the gang moved speedily... Before nodding at one another and spreading out to surround the giant creature that was still in merging mode.

    ~Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup~

    Butler Feng squinted his eyes, took out several talisman papers and locked his gaze on the creature''s left knee.

    He speeded up a bit more, steadied himself and got ready to make his jump.

    Of course, he did so while keeping his gaze upwards from time to time, making sure that the creature hadn''t noticed him yet ever since it began its merging mode.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Heart racing, blood pumping, adrenaline rushing, and the feeling of being a superhero gushing into his mind in just this split second.

    Could he do it?

    Panic and self-doubt switched off his brain for a bit, weaving it into a basket of countless troubles.

    But in just another breath, his determination piqued up again.

    He was only human. And it was normal for him to have moments of doubt and defeat.

    But rising up to any challenge was what truly separated the strong from the weak!

    As if fueling his body, Feng''s determination grew off the charts!

    And with full momentum, he jumped up in the air with inches to spare, nning to give it his all!

    Time seemed frozen in ce as he stretched the talisman paper towards the creature''s rotten knees in slow motion.<sub> </sub>

    This was it! This was it!

    He was trained for battles! He was prepared for this!

    He can do this! He could take down this creature!

    With that, Feng''s eyes glimmered with a deep light that seemed to have awesome his fighting spirit.

    ~Bam!

    A loud sound echoed out, followed by a frail cry of pain

    -Silence-

    A brief silence followed amidst the chaos, with countless people stretching their necks like peacocks.

    And when the dust got settled, they just had one word to describe their overall feelings.

    ... Sh**!

    .

    ~Pfff-

    Feng coughed a mouth full of blood after almost breaking down an entire tree with his body alone.

    How... How... How did it happen?

    This question not only left him baffled... But also left the audience and the others pushed back confused too.

    All they saw were after images of it all, making them realize just how hard it was to be human.

    Augh~

    His entire back felt heavy with pain.

    When was thest time he got so beaten up?

    Feng gritted his teeth unwillingly.

    Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

    Sweat soon oozed out of his body, mixing with the chilly air, only making him feel worse.

    And looking around, he also noticed that he was one of the fortunate ones that got flown away.

    Why? Because the rest now have several cuts on their bodies too.

    This alone showed that they had been thrown away by the creature''s tail.

    That''s right. Even though it was rotting, it still maintained its scales in some regions of its tail.

    And this was what probably sliced the others.

    ~Wooo-Wooo-Wooo-

    Wei Gia''s breathing also became hard after getting brutality hit as well.

    He had ded marks around his thighs, as well as his internal injury from hitting a tree too.

    Yes. It was painful as hell.

    But ask him to give up? No way!

    Wei Gia dragged his wounded body to stand and quickly made his way back into the battlefield once more.

    And Butler Feng, as well as Renjin, were the fastest to stand up after him as well.

    .

    "Master... Please stay back. Your wound is bleeding."

    Wei Gia looked at the duo murderously: "Feng! Renjin! STAND DOWN!"

    The duo turned silent for a bit before stepping to the side and helping Wei Gia support himself.

    "Master, if you''re going in, then permit us to be your shields."

    "YOU!...." Wei Gia looked at them with a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "Fine! But don''t you dare slow me down!"... Says the man with the injury.

    With that, they left the trees and stepped onto the open space withplicated looks in their eyes.

    ~Pah. Boom. Bam!~

    Butler Sheng, Raulin and Zhulyn hadn''t been flung away since then, and looked wickedly fastpared to them.

    Feng thinned his lips hard: "Master... Was this the difference between an exorcist and us?"

    Wei Gia clenched his fists and looked at the scene in silence.

    They were different.

    Tick-Tock.

    3 minutes more.

 Chapter 86 Why Was It Here?

    Like so, Butler Feng and the rest continued being punching bags to the best of their abilities, holding them back to some extent.

    There were times where one of them would almost get carried off and eaten. But thanks to either Raulin, Zhulyn or Butler Sheng, they would be saved in the nick of time.

    But as for Dorian, he was in full concentration mode now!

    .

    Well, one would think that the thing that kept him busy all this time would''ve been the matter of releasing the girl from the floating barred smoke cell.

    But if anyone thought so, then... Oops. Wrong answer.

    Dorian examined the thing in his hand again with a strange light in his eyes.

    As he expected, these demons managed to bring a real demon relic into this world.

    That alone should be an underworld crime!

    Demon relics were like the items that the former or current Demon rulers had worn or used during their reign.

    These items had stored demonic power of those former people, and were items that any demon, even the most powerful people, sought to gather.

    And it was aw and a taboo for these relics to leave the underworld.

    Do you know how powerful these relics were?

    Heh. It was akin to Poseidon dropping his Trident down on earth for any random person to pick up.

    And you know, the longer the demon ruler or powerful demon wears or uses certain items, the stronger those items would be after they die.

    Even their rings, if dropped into this world, could cause the next world wars.

    These Underworld rulers reigned for millenniums and centuries. So even their clothes and armour were something that people in the underworld scrambled for.

    Of course, underworld rulers weren''t the only ones capable of leaving such string relics. Any powerful demon ranked 2 ces below the Underworld Ruler could probably do so too.

    But theirs wouldn''t be stronger than their leaders.

    Anyway, even with the relics all about, the real issue lies in unlocking the potential of these relics.

    In the hands of those who weren''t worthy enough, these relics would continue to be ordinary.

    And might just be used for ordinary purposes.

    Take for example, a holy sword.

    In the hands of those who weren''t chosen, the sword would remain dormant, but could still be swung around, used and might even get rusted too.

    However, after the sword finds or acknowledges its user, it will awaken, and even the rust from it would shake out, revealing a brand new de.

    The same could be said for demon relics.

    Heh. How can the relic of a mighty demon be awakened by just anyone?

    .

    The system looked at the relic strangely.

    It was a skeletal bone finger... But something else bothered it.

    [''Host... How do you know that this thing is a relic? Even back in your world, from what I''ve gathered about your past, you''ve never seen a relic before. So how do you know that it''s this bone finger is one?'']

    Dorian rolled the finger across his palms with a strange smile on his lips: ''I would also like to know how I know.''

    [''... Host... Has anyone ever told you that you''re scary when you smile like that?'']

    Shiver. Shiver.

    The system looked at its host and shivered like a frightened chicken.

    It was seriously starting to suspect its host.<sub> </sub>

    Dorian chuckled and quickly ignored the system.

    He nced around and once again confirmed his thoughts.

    They hadn''t unlocked the finger''s potential and had even discarded the finger as if it were garbage.

    So the one thing Dorian was sure of was that these lesser demons might not have known about the finger''s might.

    So could it be that they identally brought it over?

    But that wasn''t right. Why would they just carry a bony finger without any purpose?

    Or could it be that someone in the underworld had secretly chosen these people to be his scapegoats in order to sneak the finger out?

    .

    Dorian suddenly felt uneasy.

    Taking it out from the underworld was a crime for underworld creatures.

    And if the underworldw enforcers knew about this, any demon, be it a mighty one, could get stripped of their positions in a heartbeat.

    Here''s the thing.

    The underworld was also needed to punish those who the heavens sent down from the mortal realm.

    That''s right. The heavens and hell must and would always exist.

    Those who raped countless men and women, dissected their bodies, and so many other wicked acts, might be damned to suffer a punishment of a thousand years in the underworld, undergoing the literal word Hell!

    But bear in mind that the souls that get sent down for punishment also have what one might say was a heavenly tracker on them.

    So no demon would dare to... You know... Eat or steal any soul sent from above.

    Thus, they did their jobs on the surface as per heaven''s requests.

    And after receiving the soul, they would punish it ording to the rules.

    Following that, the soul would get sent back to the heavens, who will in turn judge whether to continue punishing the souls via strange reincarnations and whatnot.

    After that, one might be a horse or even a hunted fish.

    Well, either way. The underworld dared not mess with the souls sent down for punishment.

    And it has been like this since the creation of the underworld.

    Because of the gift of human free will, good and evil would continue to exist.

    .

    Now, back to the matter with the relic, it''s clear that someone in power had sent it to this world.

    Maybe they know of it... Or could it be that they had found a way to awaken it?

    Could it be that this relic was one of the key items they would need before the Big Event?

    Dorian was deep in thought, while the system was also anxious as well.

    [''Host... You have to hurry. The others might not be able tost long at this rate.'']

    ''Hmhm,'' he replied before keeping the finger aside.

    In truth, he could''ve broken the cage in a minute and a half if he wanted to.

    But after seeing the finger, he decided to give the rest a little training session by telling them to hold things off for 4 minutes.

    Hey... What could he do?

    ~Swish!~

 Chapter 87 Gia Girl Returned

    Alright. He ced the bone finger away and looked at the floating cage of ck smoke that seemed to draw anyone who looked at it into a hypnotic state.

    The ck cloud was continuously working around, the closer his body got to it.

    That''s right.

    It acted like it had a mind of its own, trying to frighten Dorian back after feeling the Holy aura emitting from Dorian''s hands.

    ~Hup! Hup! Hup!

    Dorian''s fingers continuously moved as if he were some ninja.

    And as he continuously stretched his fingers in all positions, the gold coin in his hand floated on its own and began emitting various colours ranging from red to orange.

    The coin stayed in ce in the air for a bit before spinning on the same spot faster and faster until it became leaving after images of itself.

    Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

    The coin then floated to an even higher height, gathering substantial Holy energy from above.

    The spinning coin soon turned into a massive spinning ball of light that could blind anyone that peeked at it for long.

    What the hell was going on there?

    Both the creature and everyone else suddenly felt an intense pressure pressing onto their bodies like crazy.

    Their bodies, as if not their own, refused to move an inch no matter how much they tried to make it move

    Even the creatures felt stagnated as well.

    Their expressions turned grim as they felt their entire bodies itch ufortably.

    Now, they felt like vampires who weren''t strong enough to stay out in the sun.

    No. That wasn''t even the bestparison because True blood and strong enough vampires couldst in the sun for months.

    But weak and lesser vampires would burn from just a single ray of sunlight.

    No! It would be better to say that they felt like an ant that had been subdued to torture when one ced a magnifying ss on them during a boiling summer.

    .

    ~Tsiiii~~

    A sizzling sensation echoed out, causing the creature''s body to tremble in anguish.

    "Zeahhhhh~~~"

    They red their hands about, shaking from side to side and using their hands to hide the back of theirs as though everything was just a bad dream that would go away!

    With their backs facing the bright light, they felt several burning rays of light burn them mercilessly.

    And the most painful thing of it all was that the pressure from the light made them feel too weak to flee.

    .

    Dorian, who still has his eyes closed and his fingers working, speeded up his chants therger the holy ball grew: "Shshshshshshsh~!!!"

    His chants caused the air around him to turn vigorously.

    But that wasn''t all. The rays of light quickly affected the ck smoke cage, making it seem as if it was bubbling as well.

    Brrbrbrbrr~~~

    The sounds grew louder and louder until Dorian seemed satisfied.

    And soon enough, he opened his eyes and stared at the ck ball coldly: "Holy Inferno Light of Limbus! Extinguish the Darkness Within!"

    Swish!

    Like lightning, the gigantic Holy Ball followed with the ck ball.

    Boom!

    The sh happened like a movie!

    And before everyone knew it, a massive surge of white light surged out throughout the entire Park, apanied by a strong wind that threw several fish out of theke''s water.

    Swah!

    Everyone was soaking wet from the tidal wash.

    And at this moment, one might think that they were pleased or excited by it all.

    But f***! No!

    Right now, they couldn''t hear or see a thing!

    That''s right. The catatonic explosion that seemed more like a holy nuclear one had taken away their sights and hearing.

    It was as if the entire world, including the insects, had decided to go to sleep.

    And this alone made their hearts race with horror.

    Blind and deaf at a time like this?

    What if the creature takes advantage of them, gobbling them up in one bite?

    Several people higher themselves tighter than before, as they earnestly wanted to awake their human senses, hoping and praying for the best.

    At this point, there was no denying that their entire stomachs felt knotted as a wave of acid swelled up within it too.

    ''Calm yourself, man!'' Old Gia reminded himself while clutching the now wet ground in panic.

    Worrying won''t solve anything!

    .

    Like so, countless people were afraid, brave, petrified, still held hope in their hearts, wishing that their sights would return to them sooner rather thanter.

    And as if the heavens had heard them, the sight and hearing returned to normal.

    ~Swuhhh~

    Their hearing seemed to be the first thing that returned to them.

    As for their sight, it slowly took form, first starting hazy until it became clear and clear by the millisecond.

    And before they could blink, Dorian was already standing before them with the girl.

    ''_''<sub> </sub>

    Dorian didn''t bother about their dazed expressions and calmly handed the girl over to her Mother.

    Pia, who touched the pale-looking girl, couldn''t stop her lips from trembling hard, suppressing all her emotions locked up within her.

    You look at me, I look at you.

    She stared at Dorian eyeball to eyeball, as if wanting to get the truth from him: "Grandmaster... Say it as it is... Is she my daughter?"

    That''s right. Was she really the darling Gia princess?

    Even though Pia could instantly feel the motherly connection, she still wanted to be 100% sure.

    Heh. Who knew if these monsters could replicate the feeling and make her take in another fraudster?

    Only her daughter deserved the best things from her. So why in heaven''s name would she be willing to pamper another monster?

    If she made the same mistake twice, then she didn''t deserve to be a mother.

    Of course, the other Gia men were also looking at the girl suspiciously.

    They really couldn''t afford to go through the same thing again.

    Of course, the security guards who heard this started feeling suspicious of It all as well.

    Wait! It was now that a few of them pierced a few things together.

    In particr, Nemo felt like he had solved the case. But it was just that his thoughts shook him to the core!

    ''Nemo! Nemo! You smart son of b**ch! Your mind has done it again!... That''s right. A few days ago, if the Gia girl went missing in the park. Everyone looked for her. And when they found her, she was dripping wet from leaving the water. Again, it was reported that the Gia family did take her home. So doesn''t this mean that she got switched with a monster?''

    Neno opened his trembling mouth in a daze, feeling all numb from the shock his mind gave him.

    ''Well, I''ll be damned. The Gia family took back a freaking Minster home?''

    Holy Cow!

    A few people who understood the truth were even more frightened about being out in society now.

    If these things could look like others, then who''s to say that their wives, husbands, children or anyone close to them hadn''t been switched up as well?

    Smoke... Smoke... Smoke...

    Some of them wanted a cigarette to calm their anxiety.

    And all these thoughts passed through their heads in no more than 2 seconds.

    .

    Dorian was still in a staring contest with Pia: "She''s your daughter."

    Drip. Drip.

    Tears flushed out of Pia''s face as she tightened her group around her unconscious daughter: "Thank you... Thank you, Grandmaster." Pia then looked at her daughter in fear.

    "Don''t worry. She''s just unconscious. We''ll finish her matterter on. For now, it''s time to end this."

    In a sh, Dorian vanished and blocked the creature''s attempt to carry one of the guards away.

    sh!

    "Zeahhhhh!~"

    The creature screamed in pain when seeing one of its hands get sliced off.

    It wailed and backed away in pain, only to quickly fall to the ground on its butt while looking at Dorian in horror.

    How... How... How was this possible?

    Swish!

    Dorian calmly jumped in the air and smiled cruelly.

    "10 swords of death, Finish him!"

    ~sh! sh! sh! sh! sh!~

    Like a massivebo attack, all link floating des dashed towards its enemy like crazy, causing the creature to pierce multiple screams the harder thebo attacksnded.

    "ZEAH-ZEAH-ZEAH-ZEAH!~"

    ~sh! sh! sh! sh!~

    "No! Stop! Stop for us, Mortal! We have a boss! We have a powerful boss who will kill you if we die!"

    Dorian, as if annoyed, suddenly decided to change his attack: "Hammers of Justice, 5-Style Dance!"

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!~

    [Creature]: (:T0T:)

    Dammit! Dammit!

    The attacks rained harder and harder as giant mallet-like hammers continuously pounded the creature mercilessly.

    And once again, those watching honestly felt like shedding a tear for the creature.

    Just from the way these creatures acted, one could see their fear when dealing with Dorian.

    That is... Even when the creatures all broke away and dismantled from their giant forms and tried to flee, Dorian used several golden cowboy ropes to hook and reel them in: "Where do you all think you''re going? Get back here!"

    Swish!

    "No! Stop!!!"

    ~Bam!

    "Mortal... What you''re doing is a crime!"

    ~Bam!

    "Please spare us! We are only children at 180 years old."

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!~

    (X?X)

    [Dorian]: Noisy.

 Chapter 88 The Guest Has Arrived

    5 A.M!

    ~Plop.

    Butler Sheng, Zhulyn and Raulin fell to their beds in one big swoop.

    And with no second to lose, they quickly submerged themselves into dreand.

    ~~Snore~~

    The sandman had already taken them away.

    And to recap on the crazy night they had, first... They fought their butts off, faced a crazy amount of creatures tonight, as well aspleted the tasks assigned to them.

    But more importantly, for the fact that Dorian was near exhausted and drained after dealing with this issue... the Gia household paid a whopping 20 million for the fees and an additional 30 million appreciation bonus.

    That''s right.

    They didn''t know that it was that ''easy'' for them to make money.

    But to these high noble families, it wasn''t expensive at all.

    Of course, they went to the Gia hometer on and instructed them on what to do in order to purify their entire Grand estate and themselves.

    But for the girl, he would particrlye over 3 times a week topletely settle her matter.

    Now, in total, Dorian had a little over 70 million when thinking about all the jobs he had done so far, as well as what little savings they still had in their Tian savings.

    So with 70 million, his budget for tonight was 55 million.

    That''s right. He nned to buy an ind for that price, no more... No less.

    And for that price range, he could get 650~1200 Acres ofnd.

    That alone meant that his Academy would be freaking huge, taking hours to get from one ce to another. It

    Fair enough, it was enough to make a moderate-sized sect on.

    Well, now Dorian was ready for tonight''s auction!

    With that, he closed his eyes and cultivated for the very hours of the morning until he sensed someoneing over.

    Hm?

    He opened his eyes and vanished on the spot.

    ~Swish!

    .

    9:45 A.M.

    Chiyou stood outside the massive gate with a tightened chest.

    Just starting at the deste but luxurious estate was enough to make her legs turn wobbly.

    She smacked her lips hard, feeling very out of ce in this affluentmunity.

    This gatedmunity had several guards at the very entrance of the ce.

    And if any guest had to enter, they had to give their name, show their I.Ds, undergo checks and whatnot.

    Like so, she was allowed in. But even at that, it took another half an hour for her to get to walk from the Entrance gates to Dorian''s estate.

    The Luxury vis here had a great deal ofnd within each estate. And the further one went in, the bigger the estates in size.

    For her, she wasn''t allowed to drive in with a taxi, so she could only walk on into the ce.

    And the shock she received was enough to keep her tongue-tied for ages.

    From the barred gates, one could still see the nudity of the vis. So while walking by, she had been dumbfounded andpletely blown away by the many sights she had passed by.

    And the further she walked, the more nervous she became.

    Vi 37. The Tian Residence.

    .

    Gulp.

    Chiyou was in a dilemma while looking through the deste yet stunning gated estate before her.

    The appointment was for 10 A.M sharp.<sub> </sub>

    But it was just 9:45 A.M... So should she ring the bell this early or not?

    Typically, if this were a business meeting of some sort, she could go in early, sit and wait for her appointment.

    But in this case, what if such a move would annoy the Grandmaster instead?

    After all, she couldn''t see any guards at the front gates or anyone who could be of assistance to her.

    So should she just wait?

    But then again, what if the right move was actually to ring the bell and get buzzed in?

    Dammit!

    Her brain was about to explode from all the guessing.

    And maybe that might''ve been the case if the door hadn''t just opened on its own now.

    ~Swahhh~

    The creaky sounds of the metal bars slowly opening, frightened Chiyou who had been deep in thought.

    And like a cat on edge, the hairs across her body all stood in salute as she hopped to the side on one foot with her mouth opened wide.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    The gate''s sudden action greatly stimted her little heart.

    And Chiyou, who heard her name echo out, subconsciously tightened her grip on her handbag while quickly but vigntly walking into the massive estate.

    ["Come in, Miss Chiyou."]

    ... Erm... Are you sure?

    Blink. Blink.

    She did as she was told and moved in.

    But at this point, she hadn''t seen anyone yet and was still on edge from just this little situation.

    At times, she would take one big step forward with one leg, and drag the other as if it were limp... All while looking around and hiding her bag tightly.

    As for where she had to go, the voice had already instructed her on that.

    You see, the main vi road led to the main building at the center of the Vi. And from the main road were a few branch roads that led to 5 other buildings within the vi.

    It was easy to see that the main building was surrounded by 5 structures, all evenly spaced.

    It was as if these structures were guarding the main building.

    Nheless, the space between them was still great enough in such a way that they didn''t destroy the beauty of the ce.

    It all blended in well, with severalwns, fountains and fish ponds around.

    Nheless, this was a standard, typical vi style that was indeed below a powerhouse like the Tian''s.

    But Chiyou, who didn''t know this, thought it was the most incredible sight she had ever seen in her life!

    (��0��)

    .

    Like so, she followed the voice guiding her into the estate, even into the main building.

    Yup. It was still guiding her now.

    [Left turn.]

    [Pass the Hallway]

    [Right Turn]

    [Enter!]

    Enter?

    Chiyou took a deep breath before stepping into the massive Hall before her.

    And instantly, her vision was drawn to the young man seated very far away from the doors.

    "Grandmaster! This humble one hase just as requested!"

 Chapter 89 To Netaji Village!

    "Grandmaster! This humble one hase just as requested!"

    "_"

    ...

    Chiyou''s body remained bent and arched forward, giving the deepest bow that she could.

    Yes.

    She was bowing to show her humility before the Grandmaster.

    After all, that''s how It was typically done in movies and books.

    So she felt it was only suitable that she acted the same too, no?

    Dorian raised his brows in amusement while marvelling at how over-imaginative people in this world were.

    He had never ced any such rules, yet they seemed to have made up some imaginative rules and mannerisms when it came to him.

    Well, if it made them sleep better at night, what was it to him?

    Provided it didn''t hurt anyone, he couldn''t care less.

    For now, it was vital for them to solve her problems!

    Dorian nced at her calmly: "Raise your head."

    "Thank you, Grandmaster!"

    "Hmm... What about your family?"

    "Grandmaster! After cing the strange papers on them, it glowed faintly for only a second or even less. And then, they suddenly woke up, feeling better than before!" She said with countless emotions choked up in her voice.

    Just thinking about the miracle she witnessed yesterday within their home, made her believe more and more in the supernatural.

    At this point, no one could convince her otherwise!

    And again, she realized just how cruel the world truly was.

    That''s right! It was that bastard ssmate of hers that did this to her family!

    All because of jealousy, that ssmate had gone all out, trying to kill her entire family in one swoop.

    Last night, she told her parents about it all after they finally woke up. And because of the shock, they were so terrified that they dared not even y or smile too much with their neighbours.

    They weren''t all that cautious before. But now, what if someone else tried to kill them in this same manner again?

    You know, it was also hard to process the fact that what Chiyou was saying was true. But the facts were right there! So they chose to stay indoors until the Grandmaster helped them!

    .

    Chiyou, who was still interested in her thoughts, suddenly heard Dorian''s voice echoing out.

    "Stretch out her wrists."

    Without wasting time, she did as she was told, allowing Dorian to examine her even further.

    He looked at her intensely before nodding once more, as if confirming his thoughts yet again.

    But sometimes, he would frown, and other times, his frown would ease up again.

    And all his expressions were only making Chiyou anxious instead.

    Why did he frown? Why did he ease up and then suddenly frown again?

    Oh my Heavens!

    Chiyou felt like she was about to go crazy now.

    Come on, man! Speak! What the hell was wrong with her now?

    Chiyou bit her like aggrievedly while looking at Dorian anxiously too.

    She wanted to ask but dared not. So what other choice did she have other than to shut up?

    Dorian, who didn''t like her dilemma, continued to examine for a bit before leaving back into his chair.

    "Miss Chiyou! It''s just like I confirmedst time. But today, I realized something else about the matter."

    "Some... Something else?"

    Dorian nodded with his hand resting on his chin: "Hmhm... Something else." He said deeply.<sub> </sub>

    And after that, he paused for another extended period before casually treating the whole matter as if it were nothing.

    "_"

    Eh? That''s all you have to say?

    ...

    Chiyou stared at him with open eyes, wishing that she could do something unspeakable to him.

    She would''ve liked to hit him 50bo lightning also to his face for making her go to hell and back within this single moment.

    F***!

    You say you discovered something else that might be wrong. Then why not say it?

    Okay. Maybe he didn''t feel it necessary for her to know. Then if that''s the case, why not have it all together? Why start telling her that something was wrong first?

    Dorian, who didn''t know what Chiyou was thinking, had long connected with Butler Sheng instead.

    Amongst the trio, Butler Sheng was the only ken to wake up 40 minutes ago.

    In fact, he was still the only one up at this moment.

    After all, they had been overworked the entire day yesterday... And had only fallen to their beds around 5 A.M.

    And Miss Chiyou''s appointment was by 10 A.M.

    So even though he didn''t have to, Butler Sheng had still insisted on setting his rm 40 minutes before Chiyou''s appointment.

    You see, he volunteered to be their driver for today.

    And immediately after Chiyou''s matter, they would return and sleep for a little more.

    After all, tonight, they would be out again, purchasing Land.

    So they had to be fully energized for what was toe.

    Additionally, today, Dorian had long spoken to Bewoh on the phone about matters here.

    This morning, Chan-Ki in the hospital was supposed to switch with Zhulyn.

    So now, because the boys needed all the rest they could get, no switches would be done today.

    Everyone will stay right where they were!

    .

    ~Bam!

    Right on cue, Butler Sheng opened one of the side doors leading to the hall and walked in wearing a very sleek coat, hat, pocket watch, and gloves on him.

    Of course, he was also holding another coat in his hands too.

    "Grandmaster. The items have been ced, and the vehicle is ready."

    "Good," Dorian replied approvingly.

    And seeing him walk towards Butler Sheng, Chiyou also followed along like a puppy too.

    She nced at the scene of Butler Sheng aiding Dorian while wearing his coat and only felt as if she were watching some aristocratic movie of some sort.

    So this was how they did it in the movies?

    Butler Sheng kept fussing over Dorian as the duo walked on slowly.

    And when he was satisfied with Dorian''s clean look, Butler Sheng then moved alongside Dorian.

    And from time to time, when there was a door ahead of them, he would move faster and do the job.

    Like so, the gang entered the vehicle. And this time, Butler Sheng was the driver.

    Of course, Chiyou dared not sit at the back with Dorian.

    Butler Sheng nced at her calmly: "You said Netaji Vige?"

    "Yes, sir! It is indeed Netaji Vige, within the outskirts of the city."

    "Hmmm... I''m afraid that the G.P.S can only urately take us to Netaji Vige. But as for finding your particr home within the vige, you''ll have to show the way�� Now, seatbelt, please."

    "..."

 Chapter 90 To Netaji Village 2

    ~Vrrrrmmmmmm~~

    The vehicle drove in silence, with everyone immersed in deep thought.

    What was going to happen? How would today''s event turn out?

    Will the luck-stolen family be able to survive this catastrophe?

    Chiyou stared at the white fluffy clouds with an expressionless face as if drawn into a world of her own.

    She felt like she was going to face off a mighty enemy in some final movie battle.

    And at this moment, the closer they got to her vige, the more her heart drummed chaotically.

    Vrrrrmmmm~~

    Their vehicle drove out to the city and followed along the main road, passing several trees along the roads.

    And soon, they made a branch towards one of dusty, stone-filled roads with pot-holes in it.

    The road wasn''t tarred in any way and was very uneven as well.

    Nheless, it was indeed a big 3ne road.

    And from time to time, they would see several dusty trucks carrying fruits or private merchandise from being that wanted to go to the city and sell their goods.

    At times, they would also see the vigers with farming tools as well.

    The air here was far cleaner and far breathable than that in the city.

    And as they drove by, the vigers on foot looked at their car in shock and disbelief.

    Oh my God!

    They didn''t know how much such a car would cost. But just looking at how shiny and nice-looking it was, they felt that it should be pretty expensive!

    "Waw! Just look at that car? Do you think that it''s some rich tycooning to see the Vige chief again?"

    "Hey! It''s possible. After all, wasn''t it just 3 months ago that those big city people came to see the vige chief to acquirend?"

    "Yes. Yes. Yes... I think that might be it!"

    "No way! Thest group of people that came arrived here in arge number. But this is just one vehicle driving by. So it''s probably some rich guy looking for someone to marry."

    "Hey! Do you think that the guy came for the vige chief''s daughter? Ahhhh!~~ I can already see it now. The vige Chief''s daughter must''ve been able to catch the eyes of some noble young master. And he''s here to propose to her!"

    "Wow! What a real Cindere story."

    "Bullish**! Howe it''s the Vige Chief''s daughter who''s the most suited to marry such a wealthy Young Master? What''s wrong with my JiJi?"

    "Yeah! What makes that arrogant sl**''s daughter better than ours?"

    (*^*)

    ....

    The crowd of passerbys gossiped and came up with theories about why such a luxury vehicle would pass through this path or head to their vige.

    It was just so bizarre and eye-catching to see such a feat!

    And Chiyou, who was in the car, only felt like leaning down into her seat for fear that anyone would see her.

    She couldn''t even hear what people were saying, but knowing how rumours and spection were quick to spread in her vige, she knew that her reputation would go down the gutters after she was caught or seen stepping out of the vehicle.

    Some might specte and start calling her a Money-worshipper.

    Moreover, after the Grandmaster solved her problem, the moment when people would no longer see him around her, they would start saying that he dumped her for this, that and whatnot.<sub> </sub>

    The colour from her face drained the moment Chiyou saw a few famous vige gossipers ahead.

    "Rx. They can''t see through the ss." Butler Sheng said casually, without taking his eyes off the road.

    Chiyou gawked in embarrassment from his words: "Th-thank you."

    With that, she tried to control her nerves while sitting firmly in her seat.

    And Dorian, who saw her reaction, calmly closed his eyes yet again and began scanning his environment.

    Zoom!

    Like an eagle''s eyes, he peered ahead in full ficus-mode, seeing far more than what ordinary humans could.

    His senses were heightened so much that he could detect even the slightest change in weather.

    Dorian searched and did a few calctions for a while before quickly opening his eyes again.

    Butler Sheng nodded his head after suddenly hearing Dorian''s words in his head.

    Vrrrmmmm!~~

    The car speeded up a bit, leaving the very few passerbys on the road starting in wonder.

    And after driving onwards for a bit, it took a sharp grassy bend that looked like a one-way road deep into the forest.

    You know, as farmers and vigers, these paths were there for those who had to transport goods from their cultivated plot ofnd up the high hilly trails.

    Like so, they drove in and came across several of these man-made paths, going towards all sorts of directions.

    "Stay foremost Left!"

    It was the most deste amongst them all.

    Good.

    ~Bam!

    They stepped out of the car and shut the doors amidst Chiyou''s worries.

    "Grandmaster... pardon my rudeness, but I think it''s a bad idea for you to park your vehicle here." She said anxiously while still looking around vigntly.

    "Grandmaster, just as every society, there are always thieves amongst us all. So don''t think that just because we''re vige folks, some people won''t dare to steal from you." She warned again.

    But no matter how she warned, no one seemed to listen to her. It was as though she were unnoticeable or something.

    And for this, she only had invisible tears in her eyes to shed for this matter.

    Do you know how desperate, dangerous and ruthless vige thieves were?

    Leave such a fine car out in the open like this, then once any of them find it, if they couldn''t steal the car as a whole, then they would settle for taking pieces of it instead.

    That''s right.

    She was talking about stealing the tires, windows and even the engine of the car.

    Hell! Don''t joke with people here.

    Whatever could make them a quick buck without them having to lose money from their own pockets was a damn good deal.

    Now, Chiyou was perplexed and helpless in this matter.

    (:T0T:)

    ''Grandmaster... It''s not that I want to insult you, but could it be that you''re so smart to the point that youckmon sense?''

 Chapter 91 You Can Do This Too?

    Chiyou nced at Dorian pitifully, thinking of how grateful one should be in this life.

    Look! Even the heavens couldn''t give the Grandmaster both brains andmon sense, as that wouldn''t be fair at all.

    So it could be that they blessed him with wealth, brains, good looks... But notmon sense.

    Sigh... So it was really true what they said. No one can be perfect!

    Chiyou shook her head wryly while thinking of how but the thieves around these parts were.

    But little did she know that the moment Dorian stepped out, he had already ced a Talisman underneath the car, close to the rear right tire.

    But this talisman was simr to the talismans he could sell to others.

    It would be effective for a specific number of times. And after that, it would break apart on its own.

    So whether he woulde and meet his vehicle in one piece would depend on his luck, as well as how fast he handled Chiyou''s matter.

    Dorian nced at his watch briefly.

    They needed to speed things up!

    With that, he quickly uprooted 2 flowers from the ground and blew into them.

    And what happened next was something that Chiyou would never forget in her life.

    "Grow."

    Boom!

    The flowers started trembling vigorously as their petals and stalks erged like a butterfly bursting out from its cocoon!

    And their brownish roots turned into long, stretchy curled-up legs.

    .

    Pah!

    Chiyou pped her cheek and blinked uncountably in disbelief.

    Her opened lips quivered and shook in speechlessness as she kept staring at the scene dumbfoundedly.

    "You! You! They! Them! How? A dream?!"

    Cviyou''s fingers pointed back and forth as her brain tried to convince her that what she was seeing was indeed right.

    But how can this be?

    Yes. She did believe that there was some magic in this world... Especially after seeing the talisman''s work the way it did.

    But seeing a puny flower that she could stump on at any time grow into a 7-foot giant right before her very naked eyeballs wasn''t something anyone''s brain can readily ept.

    And almost her fascinated shock, fear and horror, the erged flowers took their first step towards her.

    "You!~~."

    Chiyou was just about to tell them to stay back. But before she could evenplete her sentence, she couldn''t herself now nestled in the soft petal nket of the flower.

    Eh?

    Woosh!

    Like lightning, the flowers carried both Chiyou and Butler Sheng very protectively.

    Of course, Butler Sheng hadn''t been worried from the get-go. But Chiyou, who was still new to the game, had to take time easing her brain in.

    Sure. She had faith in the Grandmaster.

    But as a human being, even in times like this, it was okay for one''s shock to be apanied by fear... Especially when seeing such a thing for the first time.

    But now, her heart wasn''t as chaotic as it was when the creatures first leaned over her like giant monsters with their petals all stretched and hunched over her.

    Dang, it!

    She ced her heart against her chest frailly. That moment sure was scary.

    .

    Dorian looked at her calmly: "Directions."

    "Right, Grandmaster. I''ll do my best to guide you!"

    With that, the gang dashed onwards, only leaving after images of themselves behind.<sub> </sub>

    Bam!

    And from time to time, those working on fields around the paths they passed would get confused, thinking they were dreaming or imagining things.

    In particr, one of the vige men who went up one of the hills to harvest his summer crops, had only paused to take a dip of ''water'' before continuing his work.

    He first looked at the juicy wild berries and other goods in his field, feeling very satisfied and happy at the turnout during this season.

    Now, he just had to harvest it all and sell it to earn more money for his daughter.

    They, vige folks, lived on farming, hunting, fishing, carpentry, and other works of these sorts to get by here.

    He had one daughter and one son.

    His son was already schooling in the big city, working part-time and paying for his expenses.

    So now, his primary focus was on his 11-year-old daughter.

    She typically spent her time in school or doing house chores with her mother.

    Yes! He was the only one in charge of harvesting, nting and tilling the soil up here.

    And sometimes, he liked drinking his favourite tapped white rum that was extracted and brewed in an old-fashioned way from the trees.

    So after working for hours, he finally decided to have a breather and take a sip of his white rum.

    But just after taking one sip, he seemed to be seeing things.

    Eh?

    Did he just see giant flowers running around, as well as the sight of a person behind them too?

    Blink. Blink. Blink.

    The man blinked again but found that in this split second, there was no such image before him.

    Moreover, he couldn''t hear the sounds of anyone running around the ce.

    The man looked at the jug of white rum in his hand silently.

    He starts at the jug as if having a battle with it. And soon enough, he poured its contents out onto thend with a ce expression on his face.

    F***!

    From today henceforth, he will never drink such a crazy thing again!

    .

    ~Brrrrrrhhhhh

    The wind blew ever so gently across Chiyou''s face, which was shocking, considering the speed they were going.

    But Chiyou already knew the reason for this.

    Look at these giant Flowers? While dancing ahead, they kept clearing the air and space before him ever so quickly, as if they were ninjas blending in with their surroundings.

    They used their massive, thick and powerful roots to swipe away any harmful things that might being their way, all the while watching her point and direct which way they had to go.

    It was just too awesome!

    Chiyou knew that after this experience if she ever spoke about this matter to someone, they would think her mad... Just like Alice in Wondend.

    Most likely, they would put her in the looney bin!

    ~Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

    Like so, the flower ninjas did their thing, and Dorian calmly followed them in silence until they finally reached a forest region close to Chiyou''s home.

    The home only had 9 other neighbouring homes around it on a low hill.

    Each home hadrge enough space for poultry raising and private gardening.

    Of course, the age wasn''t just made up of these 9 households, as across thend, homes were scattered all over the ce in clusters.

    These were how viges here were.

    Chiyou peeked at the beautiful scene of her home from within the bushes, feeling very determined.

    "Grandmaster, we''re here."

 Chapter 92 A Family Affair

    "Grandmaster, we''re here!"

    Dorian peered at the scene, feeling it very novel and fascinating, to say the least.

    One shouldn''t look down on the ce just because it was a vige.

    Sure. Most vige homes look the same as they did ages ago, but they more or less killed like cottages to him.

    And the beautiful low-hill grassy surroundings, as well as the drawing well at the side, only made the ce look very peaceful.

    Of course, many times in this vige had electricity and flowing tap water in their homes.

    But not all homes were equipped in this way, as some still liked to live as though they were in the roaring ''80s.

    They were used to fetching water and doing things for themselves.

    Then again, some homes had sr panels on their roofs too.

    But no matter how much change had urred around the ce, the vige still blended well with nature, with each person having enough yard space to garden, raise poultry and cook outdoors too.

    And of course in this vige, they didn''t have house numbers. And their roads weren''t evenbelled as well.

    If one wanted to get somewhere, they had to ask for directions and primarily refer to ces or houses via family names.

    Like saying one was going to Mother Xx''s home or saying one was going to the old Fool''s house.

    Nicknames were what they used and understood here.

    ? .

    Dorian nced at the site for a bit while waiting for the giant flowers to lower the duo.

    The gentle giants did as instructed before suddenly imnting their roots into the soil and shrinking at an rming speed.

    (+0+)

    Chiyou moistened her dry lips while still gaping at the magical sight before her

    With a nk mind, she looked at the flowers that had now shrunk to the size of her big toe in a daze.

    Of course, Dorian didn''t kill them.

    He just nted them alongside their roots back into the soil where they belonged.

    They were a great help to him, so why should he just discard them after using them?

    Additionally, people tend to forget that the very and even nts themselves were breathing.

    Meaning they were alive in a different form as well.

    So treat them all with respect.

    Chiyou also nced at the Flowers as if saying thank you.

    She also noted the ce, wanting to carry the flowers and nt in the garden after the Grandmaster left.

    To her, the flowers were a reminder that she wasn''t dreaming.

    And since the Grandmaster himself used them, wasn''t it a blessing for her to grow them?

    Yup! She treated these flowers just as a fan would treat an item from their idols or favourite celebrities.

    Dorian nced at the scene deeply.

    Already, he could feel the disturbance in the force.

    "Lead the way."

    "On it, Grandmaster!"

    (*^*)<sub> </sub>

    Like so, the trio stepped out of the bushes and headed towards Chiyou''s home from the back.

    Meanwhile, within the Chiyou''s home, the gloomy air still prevailed, as three people worriedly peeked out their front window from time to time.

    .

    "Where is she? Husband. I''m worried about her! What if on the way, something disastrous happened? She said her luck had been stolen. So won''t she attract all negative things on the way instead?"

    The 41-year-old man, who looked like he had aged by 10 years, could only pet his wife, trying to convince her that it was just in her mind... Of course, he was also trying to convince himself that nothing terrible would happen too.

    "Now, now... Provided she still holds that paper; she will be alright. So she will be able to reach the Grandmaster safely."

    The woman''s tears leaked out as she gripped her husband''s hands worriedly.

    Will it really be alright?

    Yesterday was the most devastating time for her.

    After knowing or convincing herself to believe the hard facts before her, she felt very breathless, as she couldn''t imagine what wrong she had done in this life to wanton someone''s hatred for her family.

    The hard knot constricted in her throat kept choking the words in her heart downwards when she thought of their current predicament.

    Why? Why her family?

    They had never done anything drastic or gone out of their way to harm anyone.

    And if they did harm someone, she had no idea of it, meaning maybe they did so without knowing it.

    So she was ready to beg for forgiveness in whatever way.

    However, the problem didn''t even stem from them offending anyone. No! That Grandmaster said that it came from pure jealousy.

    Meaning some people just got jealous of the blessings they had received.

    But how was that their fault?

    For the first time in her life, she felt terrified and frightened of the world around her.

    She was so shaken that she started wondering how she would ever go out to work again.

    Being a vige woman, she already felt very inferior in the world and had never overstretched her hands to the stars.

    But even at that, some people still wanted to push them further into the ground.

    And this thought alone kept her awake all night!

    .

    Seeing his wife tremble and look around frighteningly, the man could only pull her into his embrace andfort her as much as he could.

    Unlike his wife, he understood that he had to provide for the family. So going out was a must!

    But now, he wouldn''t navigate this world so blunt again.

    As for the little boy of 3 years old, these past few weeks had truly opened his eyes to society''s cruelty.

    And now, he was far more mature than people his age.

    Chindu looked at his parents and clenched his meaty fists hard.

    So he secretly swore that if the Grandmaster could make things go back to the way they used to be, then he would pay him back 10 times in the future!

    With different thoughts in their minds, all 3 stayed around the front corner of their home, waiting for Chiyou''s arrival.

    But suddenly, they heard a loud crack from the creaky door back of their home.

    Like lightning, their bodies tensed up greatly.

    Who?

 Chapter 93 An Angels Voice

    ~Creak

    The door creaked loudly, causing everyone''s eyes to sh in panic.

    Their bodies turned to stone, and their mouth''s remained tight and shot in fear.

    Just in this split second, the gang of 3 nced at each other, trying their best to use their non-existent telekinesis powers tomunicate with each other.

    ''I thought you locked all the doors and windows?''

    ''I did! I did locked all the doors and even ced chairs against it to stop anyone from getting in.''

    ''Then, then, then, how can someone get in?''

    No! It might not even be human. What human could unlock doors from within, as well as push all those things aside and enter their home?

    Fear crept up their spines, the louder the wooden floors of their home squeaked.

    ~Squeak. Squeak. Squeak!~

    Their mouths opened wide in silent screams of horror while listening to the creepy sounds that bombarded their ears.

    No! No! What was going to happen to them?

    The gang of 3 began taking several steps back too, wishing to flee the scene via the front doors.

    They walked backwards, not daring to take their eyes off the scene until the man sent his left hand behind his back in hopes of grabbing the door handle.

    ~BroohBroohBrooh!

    It won''t budge!

    "What''s happening? Why won''t it open?"

    "Mommy... I''m scared..." Chindu said while feeling the warmth of his parents, who kept him hidden behind them.

    Tears flowed out of his eyes at the thought of his parent''s actions.

    His body trembled with grief and unwillingness.

    What? What wrong had they ever done to whoever was against them?

    Why did that person want them all dead?

    The little boy''s eyes turned red when he thought of their predicament. He only wished that his sister could continue to remain safe.

    He wasn''t a fool.

    He knew that today might be hisst day in this cruel world.

    Hopefully, after they''re gone, his sister will live on and remain happy.

    That was his only wish right now!

    .

    ~BroohBroohBrooh!

    His parents continuously tried to open the door and at least let him out.

    And at the same time, the strange creaks grew louder and louder too.

    ~Squeak. Squeak. Squeak!

    Chindu was ready to ept his death.

    And soon enough, that came face to face with whatever had barged into their home.

    -Silence-

    (��0��)

    The gang of 3 had no words to describe the scene before them.

    ? Their speechlessness was due to the high level of shock they received.

    Hehehhe... But make no mistake. Their silence wasn''t because they were relieved.

    No! They remained silent because of how petrified they were!

    That''s right. They were scared right out of their boots!

    And standing before them were 2 gruesome-looking creatures with ck cloaks and a hunched back.

    These creatures seemed dripping wet as their pale blush skin was soaked from head to toe.

    BuBuum buBuum! Bubuum!

    Chindu''s pupils dted incredulously.

    Monsters! Monsters! Monsters!

    His parents stared at the scene in horror, with everyone cing their hands on their mouths, trying their hardest not to throw up.<sub> </sub>

    No! They were so frightened that they dared not make any sounds for fear of angering whatever was before them.

    The catatonic terror that weaved itself into their bodies made them tremble like a shaky leaf.

    And at this moment, they leaned against the door, wishing to blend and be one with it, rather than standing before these creatures.

    Likewise, the hunched, clocked creatures seemed surprised to see them up as well.

    .

    "Oh? How strange!" one of the creatures said, before smiling evilly: "How strange for you all to be up after all we''ve done to you!"

    What?! They... They... No!

    The family of 3 felt true despair.

    And at this moment, the amount of fear and despair emitted from them was too sweet for these creatures to resist.

    So much so that one of the creatures couldn''t take it anymore and began drooling stupidly.

    "Bahahhahhaha! Since you can finally see us, then this will be your end!"

    ~Swish! The monsters all flew like lightning towards the group of 3, with crazed looks in their eyes.

    Hahhahahaha!

    A meal! A meal! They could finally eat the meal they had painstakingly been preparing for weeks now!

    How would it taste? What would it be like?

    To Chindu, their every move happened in slow motion, as death''s ws stretched itself towards his family without mercy.

    Everyone''s face turned pale while their entire life seemed to sh before their very eyes.

    Indeed. It was true what they said.

    One would remember all their regrets and joys just before their death.

    And for the trio, it was even more evident.

    The couple thought of their entire life from childhood to now.

    And 3-year-old Chindu''s memories weren''t that much. But what he primarily focused on was the happy times in his life where he and his family were still smiling unconditionally.

    He closed his eyes in pain, once again epting death.

    This was the end for him, wasn''t it?

    .

    "Bahahahhahahhha!"

    The monstersughed maniacally, the closer they got to their prey, enjoying every little bit of the show.

    Yes. The fear they harvested was indeed satisfying.

    They looked at the man who had now stood before his wife and children, on my feeling him stupid.

    Heh. To them, humans were the same as how people took chickens or fish.

    They were just food!

    ~Swish!

    The monsters zoomed in the air and were ready to make a mark on their prey.

    But just when their attack was inches from hitting its mark, suddenly, something bizarre happened!

    "Lightning Of Eternia!"

    Boom!

    A massive explosive sound echoed out, followed by the loud gruesome cries of the creatures.

    ~Grahhhh!

    The family of 3 shuddered with their eyes still closed, daring not to open them for even a split second.

    What was going on? What was happening around them?

    The creatures cried even more loudly, sounding as though someone was throttling millions of goats all at once

    No! No! No!

    The fear alone overwhelmed the gang of 3, making them unable to think or concentrate for even a second more.

    But soon, they heard an angel''s voice sound out amidst the chaotic cries.

    "Mother! Father! Brother!... I''m here!"

 Chapter 94 A Grateful Family

    "Mother! Father! Brother... I''m here!"

    Chiyou''s anxious voice echoed across the scene, making the frightened trio feel tempted to open their eyes for even a split second.

    But it was just that the amount of fear that overwhelmed them was too great to bear.

    And at this moment, their entire body and eyelids felt a hundred times heavier instead.

    Should they open their eyes? No! What if it was a trap? What if those things were only ying tricks with them?

    They felt like they would immediately go into cardiac arrest if they opened their eyes only toe face to face with their doom.

    But before they could even think more about what to do, they suddenly felt a hand touch their shoulders and embrace them warmly.

    Of course, their first impulse was to push the hand away and kick with their might in horror.

    "No! No! No! Get away from us, you Monster."

    "Mom, Dad, brother... It''s me... It''s me; I came back with the Grandmaster!"

    Uh?

    The trio quickly opened their eyes and was shocked, relieved and pleased to see Chiyou beside them.

    "Chi... Chiyou, is it really you?"

    Chiyou nodded slowly, with tears in her eyes.

    And at this moment, the gang of 4 all hugged each other and shed tears of joy at their survival.

    "Daughter!"

    "Sister!"

    "Parents! Brother!"

    "We thought we would never see you again!.. It''s good. It''s good that you''re safe and sound."

    ~Woooooo~~~

    All 4 cried their eyes out, with even her father shedding tears from the catastrophe they had just escaped.

    .

    Chiyou''s father felt his entire body quiver uncontrobly whenever he thought of his entire family almost bing extinct.

    They were his family! His treasures! His previous gems, and the ones he could die for.

    So to see them all so helpless with him having no way to protect them, all he could do right now was cry like a child at how fortunate they were.

    Looking up at Dorian and Butler Sheng, he quickly wiped his tears away and let down on his knees with his head touching the floor.

    "Thank You, kind Grandmaster and sir, foring over and saving my lowly family! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!"

    Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam~

    He kept thanking Dorian continuously while mming his head onto the creaky floor as hard as he could.

    And his wife, son and Chiyou, also followed suit to do the same actions too.

    They thanked him while crying and letting out all their frustrations to the world

    The system looked at the pitiful family, be for ncing at its host in an aggrieved manner.

    [Host. Why don''t you make them stop? I thought you didn''t like these sorts of things?]

    ''Are you human?''

    [No host.]

    ''Then you wouldn''t understand.''

    [Then why don''t you exin it to me, host?]

    ''Because you''re too stupid to understand.''

    [...]<sub> </sub>

    Once again, the system felt likemitting suicide because of its host

    What evil did it do as a system to be stuck with such a host?

    And how can its host think that it was stupid?

    This daddy here was one of the genius systems around, okay?

    The system crouched down and pitifully drew letters on the floor of its space in an aggrieved manner.

    It had no tears but only wanted to cry.

    (:+0+:)

    Its host was a big Meanie!

    .

    Dorian was toozy to get bothered with the system.

    Yeah. It was true that he didn''t like such things and was very ufortable having people kneeling and kowtowing all the time.

    But, he could also read a room too.

    These people had been suffering for weeks and weeks.

    And today, they had met with such a disastrous turn of events that not only shook them to the core, but also showed just how fleeting their mortal lives were.

    Yes. They were helpless, scared, panicked, worried and pent-up with all sorts of emotions in them.

    So after all they had been through, they could finally let out all their grievances, air their chests and emotions out, which in a way was therapeutic too.

    Holding it all in with no one to talk to but themselves, can be very choking.

    And so, the moment they saw Dorian and Butler Sheng, they not only thanked them but began rying how much suffering they had undergone during this period.

    Of course, Dorian wouldn''t let them ramble on and on for so long.

    He genuinely couldn''t handle so much of their actions.

    So he secretly gave them a time limit of 2 minutes.

    Two minutes was what he gave for them to cry and get things off their chest.

    It might not seem like a long time, but it would be enough for them to gather themselves a bit.

    And as time went by, one could visually see them picking themselves up too,pared to the moment they first fell to the ground.

    Dorian had long begun his countdown.

    And in a blink of an eye, their 2 minutes were up.

    .

    "Get up. I only did what I had to... And, when ites to me, there is no need to do this sort of thing again."

    Woosh!

    In a sh, the family of 4 all stood up gratefully, with no one feeling aggrieved for kneeling or kowtowing in any way.

    To them, they would''ve liked to continue doing so in hopes of expressing their gratitude. Unfortunately, it looked like the Grandmaster might be ufortable from it all.

    So they secretly took more and promised not to do so again.

    Of course, they were also impressed by the Grandmaster too.

    If it were other people who had such skills, they would want people to bow and even kiss the floor they walked on.

    <o>,m But just look at the Grandmaster?</o>

    At such a young age, he was not only humble... but also very considerate and kind despite his wealth and skills.

    Tsk! Such a person was so hard to find nowadays, and definitely deserved all their praises!

 Chapter 95 Nightmare Ghouls!

    Like so, the family all stood up abruptly while gazing at Dorian with so much awe in their eyes that it was almost blinding.

    And their move only made the system even more dumbfounded.

    (?_?)

    How?

    How could these humans be like this after its host allowed them to kneel and bash their heads onto the floor?

    Howe they aren''t even the slightest bit aggrieved?

    It was at this point that the system tonally chose to give up.

    Sigh... Humans were truly a confusing bunch!

    .

    After standing up, Chiyou''s father looked at Dorian cautiously: "Grandmaster... What were those things that attacked us earlier?"

    Instantly, everyone''s ears stood at attention. Even Butler Sheng faced Dorian, focusing all his attention on him.

    Yes! What exactly was the Grandmaster fighting?

    Butler Sheng didn''t see anything, but the family of 4 all seemed to have seen something there.

    So why? Why was it that he couldn''t see or hear anything?

    All he heard were the creeks of the floor around the region where the Grandmaster sent his attack to.

    But he didn''t hear any screams or see anything. However, it seemed that this family of 4 seemed to have seen and even heard horrifying cries on their one path.

    Of course, he was basing these conclusions on how he met the family of 3.

    That is, when he stepped into the room, they were all crouched down with their hands over their ears and faces while shaking hard.

    What was even surprising was that Chiyou, who stepped into the room alongside himself, seemed to see something there and also jumped back in shock too.

    She kept pointing while saying that the things there were burning from Dorian''s attacks.

    Again, what was stranger, was that Chiyou, who didn''t cover her ears on time, now had blood oozing out from it after listening to the high-pitched screams of whatever was before her.

    However, all this was still baffling to him since he couldn''t hear or see anything.

    And this alone made his curiosity jump off the roof!

    Why? Why was he exempted?

    How could one fight an enemy they can''t see or hear?

    Butler Sheng''s heart went cold while digesting the shocking revtion of today''s matter.

    He clenched his fists and stared at the scene where Dorian shot his attack at, onlying to terms with the hard facts too.

    Hehehehehe!

    Maybe because of the past few incidents, he had be toofortable, thinking that he knew more or less about what sort of enemies they would be up against.

    But now, he knew that he still had a long way to go!

    .

    The others looked at Dorian curiously, with a hint of fear in their hearts.

    What were those things?

    "Nightmare Ghouls."

    Eh? Nightmare Ghouls?

    "Hmhm... Nightmare Ghouls. They can only be seen or heard by those they mark. And like a spider creating its web, they''ll visit you daily and take something from you!"

    What?!!<sub> </sub>

    The gang of 4 all opened their eyes in transformed horror.

    Those things did say that they were supposed to see them up. So didn''t this mean that every day for the past how many weeks, these things had been visiting their home like so?

    Instantly, countless beads of sweat began forming on their backs and foreheads the more they thought about things.

    What? What were these creatures taking from them?

    This... This...

    "Uagh~"

    Chiyou''s mother gasped feebly as her legs turned into jelly.

    She weakened onto her husband''s body, going over the Grandmaster''s words in her mind once more.

    The truth was too hard to bear, leaving not just her... but the rest of the family lost as well.

    However, Dorian wasn''t done yet.

    "Nightmare Ghouls are a terrifying group with the sole purpose of creating dreadful nightmares for their victims. And after each nightmare, the victim will continuously fall into a deep slumber that would keep increasing rtive to the number of times visited by the ghouls."

    Ding!

    An invisible lightbulb lit up in everyone''s brain.

    "Grandmaster, I think we all experienced their works while asleep!"

    "Yes! Yes! That''s right. And additionally, these creatures seemed surprised to see us awake too!"

    "Exactly, they also seemed a little panicked, wanting to kill us off immediately, now that we saw them!"

    "Yes! Yes! Grandmaster, that''s the impression they gave!"

    (*^*)

    ...

    Chiyou''s father, mother and brother all remembered that they seemed to be trapped in several horrific dreams that were just too terrible for words alone.

    And no matter how they tried to wake up, nothing they did seemed to work!

    <o>,m They had been chased in their nightmare nonstop, with countless incidents happening all around them.</o>

    As for Chiyou, because of her fate and her overflow of blessings from the heavens, she didn''t fall into aa.

    No... Even though a majority of her luck had been stolen, the enemy was still in the process of drawing it all out.

    So she was the lucky one amongst the rest to avoid the Nightmare situation.

    However, she had long been marked, as the ghouls were just waiting for the perfect opportunity when her luck would have all gone away. And by then, they would strike her down!

    Well, that was indeed their n. Too bad that Chiyou ran into Dorian.

    If not, their family of 4 will all die without even understanding why.

    .

    Nightmare Ghouls!

    Butler Sheng had finally gotten the answer to his question.

    Yes. He understood that he couldn''t see or hear them because he wasn''t marked.

    But it was just that something else kept him puzzled.

    "Grandmaster, why was it that these creatures seemed anxious to kill them off after realizing that their targets could see them?"

    "That''s because they''re nightmare Ghouls that exist to create an illusion or facade. Their entire survival depended on them being hidden. Bottom line, their powers grow weaker the moment their prey spots them. And if this went on, they would lose control over their prey." Dorian said calmly: "Find them, break their illusions, and you''ll win. Remember this, Butler Sheng... It is their greatest weakness!"

 Chapter 96 The Case Of The Cursed Item

    Their greatest weakness?

    Like a heavenly voice, Dorian''s words echoed thunderously deep within Butler Sheng''s consciousness.

    Their greatest weakness.

    See them, break their illusion, weaken them.

    Those simple words seem to hold absolute power within them.

    And Butler Sheng continuously mumbled these words again while recalling the name of the creatures.

    Nightmare Ghouls!

    What a gruesome name that scared even him.

    Of course, it wasn''t just him, as everyone''s heart seemed to stop in horror while imagining what could''ve happened if the Grandmaster hadn''t shown up so timely.

    Luckily, it was all over.

    Like so, the family of 4 secretly breathed out heavily in relief.

    But soon again, they all entered panic mode yet again... Especially Chiyou''s mother.

    "Gr-grandmaster! Grandmaster... This is the end of it all, right? You killed those things off, so we are safe now, yeah?"

    "..."

    -Silence-

    Everyone felt a wave of acid build up within them while waiting for Dorian''s answer.

    Their eyes widened with full hope and expectations undisguised within them.

    And without them knowing, their palms had all turned mmy, and their breathing had also grown heavier and heavier by the second.

    The silence was heavy and pregnant with tension.

    Gulp.

    Everyone swallowed hard, feeling their throats very itchy with difort.

    And Dorian, who was now the center of attention,zily looked at them one by one, taking his sweet time to examine them all.

    It was as though he didn''t see their anxious expressions at all.

    And only when he was done did he take a few steps back, looking at then as a whole: "More... More wille for you!"

    WHAT?!!!!!

    ~Plop.

    Chiyou''s mother weakened to the ground, stretching their trembling fingers across the worn-out wooden floors in horror.

    Her entire face turned ashen, looking like it had aged by a solid 15 years or more.

    "Why? Why? Why is this happening to my family?" Chiyou''s mother bellowed in pain, but was soon patted on the back by her little son.

    "Mom... Mom... Don''t cry. If you cry, the baby will be sad."

    "That''s right, mom. Don''t cry. We will be fine. See! The Grandmaster hasn''t said that he can''t help us yet. So why don''t you stop crying first?"

    Like so, both Chiyou and Chindu confirmed their mother, who seemed broken on the floor.

    And while they did so, Chiyou''s father still stood firm, looking at Dorian anxiously.

    "Grandmaster. You say that more will being for us. So can you... Will you be able to deal with it all?"

    "Certainly."

    Phew.

    A collective sigh came from the family as if they had received amnesty from above.<sub> </sub>

    Now, rather than weeping from sorrow, they were still weeping from joy instead.

    Dorian tried his best not to roll his eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation.

    Weep. Weep. Weep.

    Was this all the people in this world knew how to do?

    One couldn''t me him since back in his former world, people hardly cried for things of this nature.

    After all, the supernatural was everywhere.

    And people treated it as though they were solving something as simple asmon cold.

    Heck! Some people even discussed with the ghosts who were still waiting for the heavenly hour before leaving the world and going for judgement.

    And as one would imagine, solving crime was also made more straightforward whenpared to crime-solving in this world.

    Hey? You want to look for a murderer? Then just ask the ghost of the deceased.

    Of course, one could always disguise themselves before killing their victims or create idents that might kill their victims... Leaving the ghosts unable to identify the real culprit.

    But, because they were there, the police could gather clues, ask if they had any feuds before their deaths and whatnot.

    Anyway, it was customary for people to see ghosts in his former world.

    Every day, at a specific time, the heavenly home woulde on, gathering the souls of the deceased.

    And typically, ghosts could refuse to go into the light for a maximum of 3 days... After that, there would be repercussions for their staying back.

    But then, their souls would start changing and losing control, leading to the exorcist hinting divisions having to forcefully hunt them down and send them to a special judgment region in the heavens.

    Well, all that is if they hadn''tpletely turned bad... Because if they did, then... Heh... That was an entirely different matter on its own.

    But ever sinceing into this world, Dorian had seen people cry at every turn over the littlest supernatural things.

    And even though he understood their emotional level of shock, he still felt as though they were giving him a headache with their constant wails.

    .

    Dorian massaged his temples with disguised emotions of annoyance in his eyes.

    But for the others, to them, his expression was still the same as before.

    They looked at him with heavy eyes of gratitude, as if looking at the saviour of all mankind or something of that sort.

    Moreover, they heard their daughter say that Dorian promised to solve the problem for free.

    And they weren''t stupid. Such a thing might cost an astronomical amount to solve.

    But because she was his first ''customer'' yesterday, he decided not to charge her.

    And with how broke they were at the moment, how could they not be grateful to the kind Grandmaster?

    He might have a cold face, but it was evident that his heart was soft.

    If the system knew what they were thinking, it would no doubt smash its face into a wall in disbelief.

    Soft? Howe he didn''t know that his host''s heart was soft?

    The system had a hunch that if the heavenly oath weren''t taken, maybe the host would be the one creating evil instead.

    Soft its furry ass!

    .

    "Thank you, Grandmaster! We, the Obyn family, will never forget this debt for as long as we live!"

    (:*^*:)

    Dorian waved his hands casually, hoping to stop the whole charade quickly: "Get up. We still haven''t solved your issues yet... So... Where''s it?"

 Chapter 97 The Case Of The Cursed Item- 2

    "So, where is it?"

    .... Blink. Blink.

    It?

    The Obyn family of 4 thought for a bit before their eyes suddenly lit up in understanding.

    This time, Chiyou was the one to speak.

    "Grandmaster... We dared not touch it after listening to your suspicions. So it''s still in my room untouched." She said hastily with a distorted expression.

    Touch that thing? She dare not!

    In fact, she hadn''t even entered her room since yesterday.

    And if one looked at her outfit, they would be able to tell that her clothes were looser than normal.

    Yup!

    She wore her mother''s clothes,pletely shutting her door as though it was the gateway to the underworld.

    Dorian nodded and looked in the direction Chiyou pointed at.

    ~Creak. Creak. Creek

    The wooden floors kept squeaking once more as the gang followed behind Dorian closely, as though they didn''t want to be left alone here again.

    Hey! Who knew if some strange thing would attack them once he was gone?

    Say no more.

    The safest ce to be was wherever the Grandmaster was.

    ? Dorian shook his head wryly, once again confirming his thoughts about the people in this world.

    At this rate, wouldn''t they be more liable to have heart attacks frequently?

    What an interesting world.

    .

    Like Shaggy and Scooby, the gang subconsciously moved on tiptoes behind Dorian and Butler Sheng.

    And soon, they stopped before the wooden door that now looked gigantic and horrific in their very imaginative minds.

    Dorian was the first to pause.

    He stopped, crouched down, drew his fingers across the door and examined the contents he picked on it.

    To them, it looked just like dust.

    But with his heavenly eyes opened up, what he saw was a far cry from reality.

    Oh?

    Dorian raised his brows thoughtfully while everyone else was fighting to see what it was that had piqued his interest.

    They looked at it so much, with Chindu even using his eyes to open his eyelids wider.

    The little boy stared hard before looking at the adults again.

    And after seeing that everyone was frowning, he very quickly frowned as well in pretense.

    Eh? Could it be that his eyes had problems?

    Because all he saw was dust.

    But seeing that everyone else was so focused, then they should''ve also noticed something different too, right?

    Yes. Yes. That must be it.

    With that, the little boy frowned hard in pretense, giving the most adorable face ever.

    But little did he know that just like him, no one else could see what Dorian saw.

    Oh well... Might as well fake it till you make it.

    .

    Interesting.

    Dorian rubbed the substance off his fingertip, stood up, stared at the door for a bit.<sub> </sub>

    Catchak!

    The handle turned, and the door was pushed open.

    Gasp.

    Everyone else flinched back in fear as a part of them had been expecting something to attack them once they opened the door.

    They closed one eye and left the other open while still keeping their hands over their faces.

    But after opening the door, nothing happened.

    .... Well, this was embarrassing.

    They looked at the Grandmaster who was now stepping into the room and quickly followed behind him, not daring to be separated from him for even a second.

    Who wanted to stay in this hallway?

    They quickly pped their legs and chased behind him with brisk footsteps.

    Grandmaster... Wait for us!

    (XoX)

    Like so, everyone forced their way into the room, with no one standing directly at the door.

    They hastily stood along the walls of the tiny room, squeezing themselves in one location while watching the Grandmaster go to work.

    You say they are an inconvenience? Then why don''t you try being in their shoes?

    The Obyn family shamelessly higher each other, staying in one position trying to create more room for the Grandmaster and Butler Sheng.

    Butler Sheng had indeed wanted to tell them to wait outside the room

    But their move alone was evident that even if a Caterpir came to lift them away, they still wouldn''t move.

    Butler Sheng smacked his lips together helplessly.

    This was the first ''unreasonable'' group of customers he had ever since he began his journey with Dorian.

    Hello? Couldn''t they see that the room was just too small?

    The Obyn family turned a blind eye to the side as though they hadn''t seen Butler Sheng''s gestures at all.

    It was just that now, standing within the room, they didn''t know if it was an illusion or not, but they felt a very mild wave of cold air prate their bodies subconsciously.

    No... It was more like just standing in the room was giving them very faint headaches.

    But maybe they were overthinking things?

    .

    Dorian walked into the room, scanning his eyes across every corner of the room from top to bottom.

    Orderly.

    That''s the first impression he had of the room''s owner.

    Though very tiny, the room had tiny furniture that gave the illusion of it being bigger than it was.

    A little table at the foremost end of the room at the bottom of the bed, a tiny bed, a small table mirror... All made the room look big.

    And underneath the bed, one could see reveal boxes, probably filled with clothes in them.

    At another corner, one could see several stacks of books neatly arranged on the floor in a pile too.

    The Bed was dressed with very overused beddings that looked old, washed off but clean.

    Butler Sheng also bad another understanding of Chiyou''s character from her room setup

    But unlike everyone else, Dorian kept looking around with his heavenly eye, noticing the true culprit of the matter from the moment he stepped into the room.

    Purple energy!

    The room was filled with a thick fog of purple energy, flowing around as though it were the air itself.

    The curtain of purple mist kept swirling and dancing around the room like a tornado.

    And the culprit behind this was the object lying beside the table mirror.

    Theb!

 Chapter 98 Art In Motion

    Dorian slowly walked towards the object on the desk, staring at it intensely.

    Theb was midnight ck, with a tiny purple gem on it that beautified its being.

    Theb''s design was effortless yet very eye-catching, making one feel that it should be a family heirloom of some sort.

    Its entire presencepelled one to grow fond of it.

    But for Dorian, who had his heavenly eye activated, the appearance that everyone saw, wasn''t its true form.

    Everyone watched as Dorian took several steps towards the table. And the closer he got, the more anxious they grew.

    The ache in their gut kept telling them that something might happen any moment now.

    So their bodies subconsciously prepared for the worst, leaving as hard as they could on the walls.

    For Chindu, his entire body began shaking as he covered his face with his hands while peeking through the little gaps across his fingers.

    And the moment Dorian picked up theb, everyone subconsciously held their breath in stillness.

    -silence-

    ...

    Dorian picked up theb, calmly turned it around for a bit before inwardly chanting while waving his other hand across theb.

    And what happened next was something that made the Obyn family of 4 turn pale in horror.

    They opened their eyes wide with quivering lips at theb in Dorian''s hand.

    Hand! Hand!

    It was a stretched bony hand!

    Everyone stared at it with transformed terror as they watched the finger of theb merge and turned into skeletal fingers.

    And of course, the frame that supported the fingers was also bony as well.

    The tiny Purple gem was inserted in the mid-frame, making the skeletalb look terrifying.

    But maybe the scariest thing of all was that if one looked at the sharpness of the bony fingers, they would be able to see slight traces of dried-up blood here and there.

    And when Chiyou saw this, she almost fainted from fear alone.

    She remembered.

    She remembered that when that bastard ssmate of hersbed her head for the first time, the girl identally injured her scalp with theb.

    But when she checked theb, she didn''t see any blood traces. So she thought she had some minor injury prior tobing.

    Hey! Who knows... Maybe she got that from identally hiring a sharp corner of her bed frame or something of that nature.

    But who knew that her initial guess was correct?

    Chiyou almost looked blood in rage while inwardly cursing that bastard ssmate of hers in her heart ten times over.

    ''Damn you! After this is done and over with, you better pray that I don''t see your evil figure around, or else I''ll beat you to a pulp over and over again!''

    (*^*)

    .

    Dorian nodded as if confirming his suspicions before ncing at the crowd swiftly.

    "I need a bucket of water fast!"

    Instantly, everyone was awakened but felt their feet were too heavy to move.

    "Those things won''te anymore. So go."

    Phew.

    "Yes, Grandmaster." Father Obyn responded while cautiously leaving the room to fetch the water.<sub> </sub>

    Dorian then turned his attention to Butler Sheng: "Open the box, and let''s begin.''

    ''Hmmm!'' Butler Sheng nodded while doing as he was told.

    And like so, the duo began constructing a formation around the room.

    But this time, they weren''t creating any protective formations or anything of that nature.

    This time, they were making a Heavenly sealing formation!

    Of course, Dorian didn''t leave the others out too.

    He calmly passed around the room, pointing to several ces all around: "Drag everything to either one of these spots. But make sure that nothing is touching the walls."

    "Yes, yes, Grandmaster!" Chiyou, Chindu and mother Obyn hastily did as they were told.

    With stern expressions, they began acting as though they were F.B.i agents at the scene of the crime.

    Everyone had a stern expression on their faces, working so diligently.

    In truth, they felt as though they were part of the process.

    And while they moved Chiyou''s books and other objects at the sides of the walls, Dorian and Butler Sheng continued dealing with the formation.

    Hmhm.

    The formation was a collection of several arrays, with the main array at the center of it all.

    So they had strategically told everyone elsewhere to ce things in the tiny room.

    And as for the bed, they hauled to the side and left tilted on the floor.

    .

    Like so, Dorian and Butler Sheng continued their work, creating 4 arrays at each corner of the rectangr-shaped room.

    And at the center, they also created the final array there too.

    Now, they had 5 arrays for the formation!

    Butler Sheng felt too amazed after watching Dorian write several Weird symbols of all sizes in several circr motions all around the room.

    Each array was a cluster of these weird/rune symbols and was written as though Dorian was writing them on an imaginary circr disc/te.

    And one shouldn''t forget the precision in which he wrote them.

    F***!

    Butler Sheng couldn''t help swallowing hard, wishing to know when he would ever get to this level.

    He wasn''t even sure he could adequately memorize this all.

    You know, all the formations they had done earlier on required him to ce objects in a particr manner without doing the rune parts.

    Why? Because if one looked at each object, they would see that Dorian had spent his time carving the symbols on those objects, making it easier for them to ce the objects where they needed to be.

    But now, Dorian was using what he believed was chalk to draw giant symbols all over the floor in unique patterns and ways which made him one again understand how much he wascking.

    It wasn''t just Butler Sheng who was amazed, as Chiyou and the rest also seemed blown away as well.

    And by now, father Obyn had long arrived with the bucket of water, watching the scene as well.

    They were just strange symbols and words on the floor.

    But why was it that the more he looked at it, the more it seemed like an artistic masterpiecee to life?

    Well, Father Obyn''s thought wasn''t wrong because, in the next moment, it dide to life.

    And now, everyone stared at the floor in disbelief.

    What was happening? What was going on?

 Chapter 99 A Collector!

    Everyone''s body trembled while holding onto their hats in rm.

    What... What was going on here?

    The strange symbols all glowed golden, connecting in a blink of an eye.

    Deng! Deng! Deng!

    The array at the center of the room, as well as the arrays at the corners of the rectangr room, all glowed golden at the same time.

    And after they were somewhat ''recharged,'' they then sent forth several streaks of golden lines, connecting them to one another too.

    Like so, the formation came to life as Dorian stood directly behind therge center array with his hands leaning forward above the array.

    And directly at the center of this array, theb had long been ced there too.

    Dorian focused his full attention on the matter, controlling the formation the way he wanted.

    With his heavenly eye, he could see way more things than the rest.

    Through his vision, he saw that the arrays not only lit up but formed golden mini-tornadoes love them, sucking in the purple mist within the room.

    And from there, they would send all the most back into theb where it originated from.

    In other words, they were capturing and sealing up the evil into theb once and for all.

    But, even though everyone else didn''t have heavenly eyes to fully understand the situation, the fact that theb had now began levitating was enough to make them fear it even more.

    Lying tough. Are you trying to tell them that they have been living in this same house with this thing for several weeks now?

    The way they looked at the floating Comb had changed even more as they shook their heads in dread at the sight of it.

    However... this was just the half of it because right before their very eyes, something spectacr happened.

    You see, theb... The bony skeletalb started changing and changing and changing into a gruesome sight to behold.

    "No! No! Impossible! How could we have been living in the same house with such a thing?"

    With increased muscle tensions and punching butterflies in their guys, everyone watched the transformation with goosebumps on their skin.

    Crack. Crack. Crack~

    The skeletal bones began growing at an rming rate!

    First, the hand and fingers soon grew out a long brownish, mummified rotting skeletal arm. And following that, its chest, hip bone, Legs and other parts sprouted out too.

    And at this point, to say that they weren''t scared would be aplete lie.

    Chindu didn''t know when, but he had already found himself in his sister''s arms in horror.

    Damn it. He wanted to be brave.

    But the soon-to-be 4-year-old him was still a chicken.

    .

    Crack. Crack. Crack!

    The rotting being twisted and turned, just like a mummy would if it came to life.

    It twitched, tilted its body and moved its entire skeletal frame as though adjusting to its growth

    Heavy. Heavy.

    Everyone felt their legs grow a hundred times heavier all of a sudden.

    Chiyou realized that if she were in a horror movie, she would definitely be dead by now.

    F***!

    She used to watch horror movies while in school with her friends. And at times, they would stare at those dying and mock them for just standing there and screaming rather than running.

    But now she realized that even if the Grandmaster wasn''t here and she had to run, her entire body wasn''t in agreement to do so.

    The fear of watching a 7-foot mummye to life right before her very eyes had made her brain betray her, leaving her for dead.

    Maybe it was the shock of it all. After all, till today, she had never known that such things were living amongst them.

    So wasn''t her reaction justifiable?

    Additionally, she had never known that a naked mummy would be so ugly.

    ~Brp!

    She controlled her urge to throw up while finally understanding why mummies were typically wrapped.

    Ugly! Too ugly!

    .

    The naked, rotting bony mummy had now formed all its limbs and bones below its neck.

    And finally, it was time for the head to grow out.<sub> </sub>

    ~Crack. Crack!

    The final product got made, causing Chindu to pee himself in horror.

    But Chiyou, who was carrying him, didn''t even notice the warm liquid that had prated through his clothes onto her skin.

    Lying tough. Who would be concerned over that when there was a 7-foot mummy before them?

    And why the hell did a mummy have a meaty snake tongue?

    ~Wzzz~

    The mummy''s eyes glowed Purple as all the eerie mist in the room got forced back into its body.

    And soon enough, the mummy was alive!

    "~Grahhhhh!"

    Smack!

    Dorian pped the back of its head in annoyance.

    ... Noisy.

    [Audience]: Ah?... "_"

    -Silence-

    Everyone who had just jumped back from the creature''s scream was suddenly taken back after seeing Dorian float and smack its head in annoyance.

    At this moment, they didn''t know whether tough or cry at the situation.

    Hello?

    This is a mummy here. So why are you treating it like a disobedient kid?

    .

    The mummy that had just been spanked quickly turned around in annoyance.

    Who dares to hit him?

    ''Graahhh~''

    Pah!

    Dorian gave another solid p yet again.

    (-_-)

    Okay.

    Now, everyone calmed down and felt that the script was going in the wrong direction.

    Why did they suddenly feel bad for the mummy?

    Dorian frowned in annoyance after the damn creature yelled this close to his ears.

    And the creature who had been brutally smacked again suddenly felt a little aggrieved at its predicament.

    This was the first time it had been in such a situation. So how could it not be aggrieved?

    Dorian looked at the thing with limited patience after releasing his aura.

    It was as if saying: If you know what''s good for you, stay quiet and obediently get exorcised!

    Dorian had zero care about the creature.

    In essence, it wasn''t a mummy but a particr type of underworld species called '' A Collector.''

    You see, the collector before him was a mere 30-year-old creature that could probably be smacked to death by him in one tricky move.

    Too young. Just too young.

    Maybe this was its first job out here.

    Too bad now, it would die in his hands.

    .

    The Collector felt Dorian''s aura and quickly stepped back with an incredible amount of fear in its eyes!

    It saw something weird in Dorian''s eyes.

    It was sure of it.

    How? You?....

    Monster!

 Chapter 100 A Tricky Situation

    ~Grahhhhhhh!!!!!~~~

    ....

    Everyone watched the scene in silence for the next for what seemed like an eternity.

    And all they could hear were the gruesome cries of the creature before it.

    Terrified was an understatement.

    The creature looked like it had seen a ghost.

    It kept shivering and cowering in fear as though trying to flee for its life.

    But it found that it could move very far, maybe because of what Dorian was doing to it.

    First, he sealed all the purple most back into its body.

    And after the entire room was purified and clear of its presence, then, he began his exorcism.

    It was just that looking at the creature who seemed too frightened by Dorian, everyone couldn''t help blinking in shock and a little fear deep down.

    Look! If this thing was scared of the Grandmaster, then didn''t this mean that the Grandmaster was a shocking existence alone?

    Say no more.

    They secretly took note of the matter, swearing to never offend him no matter what.

    Oh, dear... The Grandmaster sure was scary.

    But then again, it''s because of his strength that they were able to survive so far.

    So they were very grateful, to say the least.

    Dorian nced at the cowering creature with an expressionless face.

    "World below, world above... Creature of darkness, return to light!"

    Boom!

    To the creature''s horror, the golden rays from the circle array grew stronger than before.

    ~Shwahwahwahwah!~"

    Dorian chanted thousands of words all at once at an incredible pace that made everyone feel as though he wasn''t even breathing when doing so.

    And at this moment, the windows began troubling lightly, and the furniture also shook as well.

    But because it wasn''t a stronger underworld creature, its effect wasn''t that astronomical in Butler Sheng''s opinion.

    Look! There wasn''t even a strong wind, and the lights didn''t even flicker. So he also realized that maybe this thing was weak.

    However, to the Obyns, the current effect was enough to make their toes curl in terror.

    Not to talk of the horrifying wails of the creature, that seemed as though one was choking thousands of chickens all around.

    Everyone''s body felt wet with sweat the more they watched.

    And soon enough, the creature suddenly burst into mes from heaven-knows-where.

    And then, the mes started disintegrating it, making it disappear right before their very eyes.

    ~Grwahhhh~~

    The creature wailed and kept fading away into nothingness... Until it vanished altogether.

    Poof!

    (��?��)

    -silence-

    Everyone stayed silent, not knowing how to react.

    Erm... Was it finally over?

    ~Dren-Dren-Dren!

    The surrounding windows and furniture that had just quieted down suddenly shook again, giving them yet another jump scare.

    But of course, it died down again after no more than 2 seconds.

    [Audience]:... (o_o)

    .

    Everyone suddenly felt that these supernatural forces liked ying with their hearts.

    That is, why go all out to always frighten them?<sub> </sub>

    Dorian calmly removed control from the formation before clicking his fingers at it.

    And now, all the lines that he had worked so hard to draw up, quickly erased themselves, returning the room to its original appearance.

    Alright.

    Now, everyone felt like there was nothing Dorian could do that would surprise them again.

    Father Obyn nced at Dorian cautiously: "Grandmaster... Now, is it over?"

    "Hmmm... Almost."

    All... Almost?

    F***! What else did they have to do again?

    Fortunately, they have the Grandmaster with them. So no matter how many steps the enemy had taken to ensure their defeat, they were confident that the Grandmaster would be able to unravel everything at the flick of a wrist.

    Dorian massaged his chin thoughtfully:" The creature we just defeated is called a Collector."

    Eh? A collector?

    The name caused everyone to drone a bit.

    What exactly were they collecting to be named like so?

    The other ones they took care of, came to collect something from them in their sleep.

    But shockingly, that one wasn''t called a collector. So why this one?

    What was so special about this one?

    Everyone, including Butler Sheng, looked at Dorian eagerly

    Well? What was the reason?

    "The creature is called a collector because it''s the only creature that can collect and a vast range of things both involving underworld species and mortals. One can look at it as a vessel, with its primary purpose being to store whatever gets collected.

    And once that''s done, it would transfer what it collected to wherever it wanted using its mind. In essence, the nightmare creatures and the collector were working hand in hand to steal something precious from you and your family."

    As if understanding things, everyone''s eyes lit up like a torch.

    So that''s how it is!

    ...

    Everyone came up with their own theories and conclusions in their minds about the situation.

    Butler Sheng, in particr, had few ideas on what was going on.

    However, he once again stumbled on something worrisome.

    "Grandmaster... From what you''ve said, this thing collects something from the youngdy. But now that we''ve killed them, how will we be able to retrieve what was lost?"

    Boom!

    Chiyou''s mind grew anxious.

    Her luck! Her luck! Where the hell did her luck go?

    Of course, she understood that they had to kill those things or else even if they let them loose, those things mighte for them again when the Grandmaster left.

    Earlier on, she almost watched her family get killed by those things. So without a doubt, she would prefer her family to survive rather than get her luck back.

    However, even though she coulde to terms with that, there was still a piece of her that wanted her luck back... But not to the point of putting her family in danger.

    Her family seemed to understand this and could only nce at her pitifully.

    Because of them, their girl''s luck might never return.

    Yes! The creature carrying her luck got destroyed.

    But at least, they would be together, no matter the circumstances.

    So this was better than nothing.

    .

    Like so, they had all prepared for the worst.

    It was just that Dorian''s following words made them too shocked to react.

    Eh?

    Blink. Blink.

    (��_��)

 Chapter 101 Found It!

    Eh?

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone''s eyes widened in a daze as if trying to process Dorian''s words.

    "Grandmaster... Maybe my ears are a little rusty. But did you say that her luck was still around?"

    "Hmhm... When did I ever say that it''s gone?"

    Everyone nced at each other in confusion.

    The thing carrying the luck had died. So what was the Grandmaster talking about?

    Butler Sheng was also thinking about the situation, guessing if there were other variables that they missed.

    Dorian chuckled while seeing his mind-pondering expression.

    "Maybe I didn''t make it clear, but all Collectors have twin bodies."

    What? Twin bodies?

    Then that means that there''s another one around!

    So where was it? Was it here?

    Like lighting, everyone stared around the room with wariness, as though something slew would pop out any moment from now.

    And all their actions only amused Dorian further.

    "At ease... Its twin isn''t here. Collectors are born with twin bodies. And from birth, they are adjoined. But after 15 or so years, they split their bodies into 2. So they can alwaysmunicate with one another telepathically." He said deeply.

    From the moment the collector awoke from its slumber, he had blocked its senses, making it hard for it tomunicate or warn its twin.

    If one looked at the circle from earlier on, one would also see that Dorian had ced 4 silver coins around the center array circle of the formation.

    Heh.

    He blocked it off before it could even speak.

    .

    Butler Sheng thought about the situation more profoundly: "Grandmaster. If I''m not wrong, its twin should be with the enemy, right?"

    Dorian raised his brow and smiled approvingly: "Correct. Its twin is with the enemy. Remember what I said. The collector can collect and send whatever it wants to wherever it wants. So the moment it took something from them, it sent it out to its twin... And it will also interest you to know that it''s twin, also sent out something to it as well. So in essence, they did a simple exchange!"

    Exchange?

    Everyone was going bananas over what they had just heard.

    And Chiyou was the most anxious one of them all: "Grandmaster... About the exchange, how will you solve it? Do you need us to provide anything?"

    "Calm down. The problem isn''t tooplex to deal with. Just as you have theb, your enemy would have another object that should be the twin collector."

    Father Obyn frowned: "So you''re saying that we need to locate the object that''s likely to be the twin?"

    "More or less... But that''s something forter. First, we need to break the spell."

    Instantly, everyone''s mind went nk.

    Spell? What spell?

    (��0��)

    .

    Everyone''s heart skipped a beat while following Dorian out of the room.

    From there, they visited each corner of the noise bit by bit, with no one knowing what Dorian was looking for.

    After all, shouldn''t a spell be just simple words and not something physical?

    So what exactly were they looking for?

    Nheless, they dared not question or speak during this time.

    And after searching the home for a while, Dorian hadn''t stopped for a single moment.<sub> </sub>

    And soon enough, they stepped out of the house, standing around the moderate-size backyard.

    If it were before, one would be able to see chickens, ducks and other poultry around.

    But ever since the troubles began, all their poultry died or got diseases, which was even more terrible because they couldn''t sell sick, dead animals for money.

    And, they were too afraid to eat them as well.

    So their only option was to burn it all.

    Well, before the backyard was likely, with all their garden crops sprouting gloriously.

    But now, it looked too barren and withered, to say the least.

    Of course, Dorian knew where the thing was within the backyard.

    He only searched the home to make sure that he wasn''t overlooking anything.

    Everyone followed him until they reached a certain point on the deste scene.

    "Dig!"

    "Yes! Grandmaster!" Father Obyn replied while rushing to get his shovel.

    .

    ~Tchack! Tchack! Tchack!

    The ground was dug for no more than 3 minutes before they finally stumbled upon something tied up in a red piece of cloth.

    "Holy Heavens!"

    Everyone gazed at the red cloth and was bbergasted while watching Dorian levitate the thing towards himself.

    They had to say that the hole they dug was a little too deep.

    That is, when did the enemy have the time to dig such a deep home in their backyard?

    Chiyou thought long and hard until she finally recalled a time when that scheming ssmate of hers came over to her home when none of her family members were around.

    Chiyou only remembered that she drank a cup of tea that her ssmate had wanted her to try desperately. And when she woke up 3 hourster, she saw her ssmate sleeping beside her.

    So she thought that maybe she was too tired or something, and even felt bad for boring her ssmate to sleep.

    But now, looking at this deep hole, she had a hunch that her ssmate had put her to sleep only for the sole purpose of carrying out her evil ns!

    Chiyou clenched her fists in rage when she thought that she had actually led a wolf into her home.

    Good. Good... What a good ssmate she had!

    .

    The itemnded in Dorian''s hands amidst everyone''s watching gazes.

    And after Dorian unwrapped the red piece of cloth, the thing they saw inside made all of them burn in fury!

    What did they just see?

    Was that a piece of wood with their Obyn daughter''s full name and date of birth on it?

    F***! There was even a pin stabbed into the wooden board, as though one was stabbing their daughter herself.

    And oozing out of the stabbed region, was some ck thick liquidy material.

    What was even shocking was that the ck substance didn''t stain the red fabric all this while.

    No. It was as though it faded into thin air after pouring out of the pin.

    More suspiciously, shouldn''t the wood rot? And why was the red piece of fabric still so clean?

    .... --Silence--

    Everyone looked at the scene in dread.

    This was just too evil!

 Chapter 102 Solving The Curse

    Evil! Too evil!

    Everyone nced at the item in the red cloth, only feeling the wickedness of Chiyou''s ssmate.

    Wasn''t this just going too far?

    Everyone watched as Dorian''s hand that was holding the tiny wooden board began trembling vigorously.

    ~Vrrrmmmm~

    ''Shwshwshwshwshwshw~''

    With eyes closed, Dorian stretched his hand over the hole and chanted once more.

    Then suddenly, the wooden board became as flexible as paper!

    It was now simr to a wooden man... Or, should they say, something simr inside to the gingerbread man.

    Even though it could speak and also didn''t have eyes, just looking at its behaviour, they could see that it was in rage while trying to flee itself from Dorian''s grasp.

    It shook, tried to push Dorian''s thumbs away while shaking its legs unwillingly.

    With its flexibility being simr to paper, it twisted, turned and refused to admit defeat.

    Thus, it began bashing the nail pinned on its head onto Dorian''s hand as hard as it could.

    Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!!!

    It mmed the nail over and over again nonstop.

    But what did it see? All its attacks were rendered useless, as there wasn''t even a single scratch formed on Dorian''s hand

    Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!

    Everyone watched as the thing continuously smashed its head on Dorian unfailingly.

    The sight before them was just too hard to exin in words alone because if someone had told them that wood could change its fundamental elements and be so flexible at the snap of a finger, they would''ve probably thought that person was drunk.

    .

    Bash! Bash! Bash! Bash!

    Dorian continued chanting as though not putting the thing''s actions in his eyes.

    And soon, the tremors in his hands increased, making the thing feel despair.

    And right before everyone''s eyes, more of that ck substance kept pouring out from the region where the pin had stabbed.

    No! Pouring was an understatement.

    Dorian hastily turned the wooden thing away from everyone and pointed it out in the open.

    And what happened next was something that they would never forget in a million years.

    ~Bwahhhhhh!!!!!

    The wooden board spat out an ocean of that ck substance in a sh!

    Oh no!

    Everyone hastily gathered together while watching the incredible scene before them.

    Chiyou felt that the quantity of the ck substance let out could probably fill up her school''s swimming pool to the brim.

    ~Bwahhh!!!!~~

    Like the scene in a horror movie, the ck substance kept flying out from the wooden board and soon engulfed them like crazy.

    Yes!

    It felt as though they were all within a ck tornado, as everywhere they turned, all they could see were ck moving walls.

    And, the only light they did have was from above the top of the tornado, from the sun.

    This... This... This...

    F***!.

    .

    Everyone''s face grew haggard, with countless emotions surfing within their eyes.

    Don''t ask them how they did it.

    But before they could register what was going on, their feet had long carried them over, getting very close to Dorian.

    They shivered and stood beside him while maniacally throwing their eyes around the scene in anguish.<sub> </sub>

    Meanwhile, the man of the hour still stood with closed eyes, even when all this happened.

    And his actions only made them feel too anxious.

    ''Com''on Grandmaster. Finish your chanting fast and open your eyes!''

    ''Open your eyes, Grandmaster. The ck thing is closing in on us! Help! Help! Grandmaster, please open your eyes!''

    Everyone took a few steps towards the centre and watched in horror as the ck tornado kept closing in on them little by little.

    But this wasn''t all.

    On the ck tornado, they seemed to be seeing a face appear on it from time to time... A gruesome one at that!

    It would sh out every now and then at various angles around the tornado, making them strain and twist their necks like chickens.

    Where was it? Where was it?

    Countless beads of sweat covered their backs while looking for the repulsive face again.

    Yes! Even though it was only briefly, whenever it appeared, just a single nce of it made them feel repulsed.

    And with the situation as it was right now, everyone only felt as though they were prey hunted by the ever-popping face.

    Scary.

    They gripped one another, ensuring that no one would get snatched away when they weren''t looking.

    Lying trough. That''s how it happened in horror movies, with things snatching people here and there.

    So they tightened their grip around him, silently praying that the Grandmaster would open his freaking eyes and see the situation now.

    To them, he might not even be aware of what was going on since his eyes were closed.

    And this was what they feared!

    .

    ''Grandmaster, open your eyes. Open your eyes, Grandmaster!''

    Flutter. Flutter.

    As though listening to their prayers, Dorian''sshes fluttered.

    Open.

    His eyes were now wide open.

    ''Hooray! The Grandmaster can see!''

    Everyone''s face burst into ecstasy as though their salvation had finallye.

    Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

    The Grandmaster is Omnipotent.

    (^0^)

    Dorian briefly nced at the ck tornado closing in, before finally focusing his attention on the wooden thing in his hand.

    The thing and Dorian had what looked like a staringpetition.

    And soon, Dorian suddenly smiled cruelly: "Clever... But not clever enough."

    Boom!

    A loud explosion went off, with no one knowing what exactly happened.

    But the wooden thing was in shock after receiving Dorian''s attack.

    Dorian had only tapped the pin on its head effortlessly.

    But who could tell it why that casual attack had yielded such fatal blows?

    Who was this person before it? Who? Who was he?

    Dorian was toozy to be bothered with it.

    Heh.

    Some people might feel that taking care of the ck tornado should be the priority focus here.

    But what they didn''t know was that in this particr matter, dealing with the wooden thing would end everything once and for all.

    So, that said, it was time to destroy the curse!

 Chapter 103 An Expected Visit

    Time to break the curse!

    ~Swish!

    Without a moment to share, Dorian ran his other hand over the written carving of Chiyou''s name and date of birth.

    And as if knowing what he was about to do, the thing struggled even more in despair while kicking and trying its best to really escape this time.

    What happened? What happened?

    It thought that the scene of the ck tornado would be enough to shake or deter these people from harming it.

    But it was so damn wrong.

    The person holding it wasn''t frightened at all!

    Bad. Bad... This was bad!

    The thing truly felt like its death was near.

    No! No! How could it die like this?

    With a determined mind, it quickly controlled the most to attack Dorian mercilessly.

    ~Woosh!

    With vigour, a sharp line of ckness protruded out from the tornado and hastilyunched a force attack towards Dorian''s back.

    The thing watched with anxious eyes as it hastily forced its full strength for this one attack: Kill!

    The protruding streak moved too fast for them to see.

    Nheless, they knew that the thing wasing for Dorian.

    It was a sneak attack!

    The thing first crawled on the ground before slowly ascending towards its target as though it were a snake in the jungle.

    Instantly, everyone''s heart grew heavy with horror as they found that their reaction was far too slowpared to the thing''s speed.

    Sneak attack! Sneak attack!

    It was sneak attacking the Grandmaster?

    Feeling like Superman, Butler Sheng''s blood boiled as he quickly moved his body to protect the Grandmaster.

    Too bad his Superman mode was still too slow whenpared to this thing.

    "Grandmaster, watch....!!!"

    Boom!

    The sound of an explosion echoed out, followed by a blinding light that rendered their sight useless.

    And within this brief moment of blindness, their entire bodies felt weak with fear for Dorian''s life.

    The Grandmaster... The Grandmaster must''ve been hit!

    Everyone was now in a state of disarray.

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds of hell.

    That''s right.

    It took 5 seconds for their sight to finally return to them.

    And during that time, they felt as though it was an eternity instead.

    Fear, worry, anxiety, horror and all sorts of emotions intertwined and mingled within their minds, leaving them in a very confusing and helpless state.

    Their vision first returned to them in a blur.

    Blink. Blink. Blink.

    They blinked numerology, trying to ovee their situation and see what the hell had been going on around them.

    "Grandmaster, Grandmaster!... Are you alright?"

    "Grandmaster, Grandmaster, where are you?"

    Everyone kept blinking in despair.

    And when their vision became as clear as day, the scene before then had now be one that made them speechless.

    (��_��)

    Ermm... What was up with this script?

    .

    Blink. Blink.

    Hold on! Hold on! What just happens here?

    Where is the ck tornado? Where is the drama?

    Why is the sky blue?

    And more importantly, what about their emotions?

    There they were, getting anxious and chewing their hearts out in worry for Dorian''s life.<sub> </sub>

    They had been so worried that during thesest few seconds, they were almost turning bald from it all.

    But who would''ve known that all their worrying was for nothing?

    Yes! They were happy Dorian was fine.

    But during the times when they were worrying and calling out to him to determine his situation, couldn''t he have at least said something to calm their little nerves down then?

    The scene has now returned to how it formerly was, with no ck tornado switching around them.

    As for the Grandmaster who they almost cried their eyes out for, he was now sitting on a tree stump not too far from where the hole was dug.

    And in his hands was the wooden thing that was now burned, turning it ck rather than its previous brownish wood colour.

    He sat there so calmly as though he was here for an outing.

    Meanwhile, they had already died and resurrected so many times just within this brief period.

    (-_-)...

    ''Grandmaster, would it be a crime if we say that we feel like strangling you right about now?''

    Everyone felt aggrieved after going through all this and seeing Dorian just sitting there in a rxed manner.

    Sigh... Forget it.

    Who made him the Grandmaster?

    Also, the Obyns realized that Butler Sheng had an expression on his face that made them feel as though he knew Dorian was safe.

    So in that case, why not say anything to them?

    As expected. Like Grandmaster, like apprentice.

    .

    Butler Sheng squinted his eyes thoughtfully.

    He had fought so many times and had already started training.

    Moreover, after taking the heavenly oath, he could better recognize divine auras with his intuition and feeling.

    The aura and power from the explosion were too warm and gave a very familiar feeling that he was used to after spending so much time with Dorian.

    Of course, after understanding things, as well as using hos intion to gauge the thing''s strength, Butler Sheng was 99% sure that Dorian would emerge victoriously.

    Thinking things through, he put his worries aside and waited for his vision to return.

    Of course, he was even more curious about how Dorian had done it.

    That is, they hadn''t seen anything at all during these 5 or so seconds.

    So how could things change so much?

    This answer was indeed a simple one.

    Too bad they would never know.

    Dorian was just too many to say anything on the matter.

    Thus, it remained a mystery to them all.

    .

    Like so, everyone was still in a daze, trying to wrap their brains around what just happened.

    Meanwhile, Butler Sheng calmly walked towards Dorian, taking his ce beside him as a loyal subordinate.

    The picture looked perfect.

    The Grandmaster sat crossing his legs as though the log he was sitting on was his throne. And Butler Sheng remained standing beside him like a gant knight.

    "It''s done. The curse is now broken. And, in the next few days, you should expect a visitor at your home."

    Eh?

    The Obyns nced at each other in confusion.

    "Grandmaster... A visitor? Will you be sending someone over?"

    Dorian looked at them and chuckled lightly: "No. I won''t be sending someone over."

    "Then, could it be more creatures?"

    "No."

    Eh?

    Now, the Obyns were even more lost than before.

    No creatures or people from the Grandmaster''s side.

    Then who could it be?

    "The enemy."

    "_"

 Chapter 104 The Real Mystery Behind It All!

    1:12 P.M.

    Bam!

    Butler Sheng closed the car door after Dorian stepped out.

    "I won''t be having lunch. Rest for a while, and at 5, I''ll send for you and the others by then."

    "Yes, Grandmaster." He said while staring at Dorian''s disappearing silhouette.

    That''s right. They were back at home!

    Dorian headed straight for his room without looking back.

    Butler Sheng thinned his lips for a bit before heading towards the guard sleeping quarters; Zhulyn and Raulin immediately bombarded him with questions!

    "How was it?"

    "What did you guys do?"

    "What creature was it this time?"

    "Any injuries?"

    "Why are you just standing there in a daze?"

    "Com''on man, why arrest you speaking?"

    One after the other, Zhulyn and Raulin interjected each sentence over the other, giving Butler sheng no time to respond at all.

    Their expressions were filled with wonder and curiosity, as they now wanted to know what went down there in miss Chiyou''s vige.

    Yesterday, the Grandmaster had made an appointment with her for 10 A.M.

    So they were sure that the duo left toplete the job.

    .

    "Com''on, man. Sit. Sit! Tell us everything!" Raulin said while pulling Butler Sheng to take a seat on one of the bests in the room.

    That''s right. Each guard or security room was arranged as though it was in the barracks.

    The only exception was that there were no bunk beds in this room.

    The room was also very luxurious, with each person having their own nightstand, working desk and chair right beside their bed.

    There, they could work on theirputers and do personal work if they wanted to.

    Again, they also hadrge lockers on one end of the room to store so many items for just the 8 people who would be staying in this massive space.

    In truth, their sleeping quarters were somewhat luxurious because after everyone had abandoned the Tians, they had willingly upgraded their sleeping situation to what it was now.

    If it were before, this particr space would only be used by the best of the best of the best.

    Typically, the other sleeping quarters had bunk beds and were tighter, truly mimicking real army life.

    But hey. With promotion came perks.

    And those who stayed in this massive open space enjoyed some of the perks as well.

    Look! There was even a private bathroom with 4 showers and 1 bath tub in the bathroom.

    And, more importantly, the beds were a bitrger,fortable and not bunk beds.

    Of course, another thing that pleased them was that they had 2 small fridges in the room too, just in case they wanted to keep water, fruits or any snacks that had to be refrigerated.

    The room was definitely a step up from what they were used to before the traitors fled the estate.

    And, to top it all off, it was within the main building!

    That is, the other sleeping waters had another estate dedicated to them for both maids, butlers and guards.

    There, the ground floor had separate bathrooms for both males and females.

    But rather than staying there, they got to live under the same roof with the Grandmaster.

    So wasn''t this an upgrade?

    ...

    Very quickly, Raulin tapped the bed with his hand, gesturing for Butler Sheng to take a seat.

    At the same time, Zhulyn pulled up a chair closer to the duo, parking his ears up to listen to every little detail from Sheng''s mouth.

    "So, what really happened?"

    "Yeah. Yeah, spill the beans already. What went down over there?"

    "Sigh... It''s a long story. But I''ll start from when we parked the vehicle."

    "Eh? What''s so interesting about that?"

    Butler Sheng smiled wryly: "Tell me... Have you ever cruised on a Flower?"

    "_"

    Immediately, Butler Sheng began narrating the great tale surrounding Netaji vige.

    And the more he spoke, the more creative and imaginative Raulin and Zhulyn pictured the scenes.

    F***!

    Superhero movies couldn''t evenpare to the blockbuster script they had formed in their heads.

    "And then, he moved like the wind and took care of the creature in the blink of an eye!"

    Wow!

    The duo''s eyeballs all twinkled with excitement, as though they were little kids listening to some bedtime story.

    Adrenaline coursed through their veins, causing their muscles to clench with excitement.<sub> </sub>

    Damn.

    Their bodies all had goosebumps, as fear sometimes caught and strangled them the more Butler Sheng narrated... Especially that final scene.

    "F***! Just now, I was so scared that I, a full-grown man, almost rushed to hide under the bed just from listening."

    "Just when you all thought he was a goner, he mysteriously appears sitting down as though what happened was nothing but child''s y... Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! The Grandmaster is just too good!"

    (^0^)

    The duo eximed with excitement and relief after listening to Butler Sheng narrate all he knew.

    No doubt about it, if they were there, they would''ve also worried for the Grandmaster''s life as well.

    Lying trough. Wasn''t that too close to death?

    The duo felt their hearts race heavily as their bodies subconsciously began to tremble without their knowledge.

    They didn''t even know of their body''s reaction, as their mind was too focused on processing all the brand new creatures they heard about today.

    Nightmare Ghouls... Collectors...

    They had to check out these things in secret Spaceter on.

    They have to be ready for any more attacks from these things, just in case one attacked them when the Grandmaster wasn''t around.

    Everyone was immersed in their own little world, with several questions popping up from time to time.

    .

    "Wait! But how did he do it? How did the Grandmaster take care of all that during those 5 or so seconds that you all were blinded?"

    Yeah. How exactly did he do it?

    (?^?)

    The duo folded their arms deeply while waiting for Butler Sheng''s answer.

    Yes! He was at the scene during that time. And even after that, he had spent time with the Grandmaster.

    So surely, he must''ve known or at least asked the Grandmaster about it, right?

    Butler Sheng shook his head helplessly: "as I said, I didn''t see anything. But, the only clue the Grandmaster gave me was that after taking care of the wooden thing once and for all, the ck tornado disappeared, and everything seemed to return to normal."

    Oh?

    "Butler Sheng. You said that the wooden thing was burnt by the Grandmaster, right?"

    "Yes. It was burnt, but not to the point of crumbling into ashes."

    On listening to him, Zhulyn and Raulin nced at each other briefly while nodding as though they had understood something.

    "With the wooden board no longer as flexible as paper, it''s more proof that the thing had returned to normal." Raulin said while pushing his sses in: "It returned to normal Butler Sheng. But then again. When looking at the board, did you really look at it deeply?"

    "Hmmm... Of course I did... I, I, I... Wait! Wait! That''s it!" He eximed while pping his thoughts as though he had just found the right form for an experiment.

    "Listen to this. The board no longer had any carvings on it, which was the strangest thing of all!"

    "Then this must be the real piece to the puzzle," Zhulyn interjected.

    What happened to the marks and carvings on it?

    The wooden board wasn''t burnt to the point where it could suddenly erase the cravings.

    Moreover, carvings would leave deeper marks on the wood.

    So, where did they all go?

    This... This... This was definitely the real mystery here and key to cracking the code!

    .

    In a sense, they were actually on the right track with their thoughts.

    During Butler Sheng''s brief moment of blindness, Dorian had simply dealt with the wooden thing by first erasing Chiyou''s name and date of birth from its body.

    The curse was attached to her because of this.

    And the moment he erased her information, the wooden object seemed to fall into a very deep slumber.

    But one shouldn''t think that this was the end of things

    Leaving the wooden item like this was still too dangerous because if one carved another person''s information on it, the thing would wake up once more and start troubling the next victim.

    So in a sense, it had be a cursed object that had to be eliminated.

    That''s why Dorian destroyed its root existence, turning it back into an ordinary wooden item that was no longer as flexible as paper.

    And one should also know that whatever Dorian was doing to the thing''s wooden body, the swirling ck substance floating around also got affected.

    Of course, the process of ridding the evil within wasn''t an easy task for beginners like Butler Sheng and the rest.

    But for Dorian, it was a piece of cake.

    .

    In this manner, the trio continuously assessed the situation before finally putting the whole matter away.

    In the end, the Grandmaster won the battle and also told the Obyns what to do if they wanted to purify and remove the markings on them.

    The bucket of water from earlier then came in handy after Dorian dropped a few herbs into it.

    And almost instantly, the water in the bucket bubbled as though it were in a cauldron, with the final product looking dark green.

    Butler Sheng tapped Zhulyn and Raulin''s shoulders before jumping into his bed to get some shut-eye.

    Tonight, they head for the Auction House!

 Chapter 105 A Kind Master

    With that, the Butler Sheng and the rest quickly disappeared, trying to make good use of their time before tonight''s Auction event.

    Butler Sheng nned to sleep for another 2 hours, after which he would join Raulin and Zhulyn to cultivate.

    That''s right.

    The duo, who were very well-rested, decided to head into the secret room and continue their training.

    The good thing was that if they truly needed some assistance, the guardian of the space was also there to assist them too.

    He was like a Wikipedia who knew everything within the space.

    But he had a rule, though.

    He wouldn''t help or assist anyone unless he saw them struggle, brainstorm and think things through first.

    One had to fail to a certain extent before saying 1 or 2 words to point them in the right direction.

    He wouldn''t give them the answers right off the bat, but would only lead them towards the first of many steps they had to take to reach their conclusion.

    The rest would be up to them.

    Exorcism wasn''t for thezy!

    Like so, the gang all had their ns for the day, before meeting up with Dorian downstairs at 5 P.M.

    The event started at 7. And with the traffic and howrge this city was, they had to leave the estate by 5:30 Max.

    After all, they also had to get settled into the auction venue before it started.

    So there was a lot to consider as well.

    It was just that something else made the frown too.

    Tonight''s auction was definitely one of the highest real-estate auctions that would call all the leading families and ns out in the open.

    So, wouldn''t the Grandmaster''s bastard Uncle be there as well?

    Hehehehe... Things would really get interesting tonight!

    .

    The trio began to prepare, while the System on the other hand, calmly faded away from Dorian''s consciousness before appearing within the heavenly realm again.

    The system thinned its non-existent lips while standing before an all-too glowing silhouette of light.

    It was so blinding that even it, being a heavenly system, couldn''t see the real figure behind the glowing ball of light.

    However, it had no doubt that this silhouette of light was the most powerful it had ever seen.

    Yes! It had seen angels from all ranks and sses.

    But the being before it was an existence that he had no right to question or even know.

    Who exactly was its creator?

    The system had always pondered on this question, as its creator seemed too mysterious, to say the least.

    However, this wasn''t the most important thing right now.

    Yes! He had something to report to its creator.

    "Master... I have something to say."

    "Oh?" Azy voice echoed out: "Let''s hear it then."

    So fast?

    The system opened its eyes in shock after getting a confirmation from its master.

    You know, with how mysterious and weird its master was, it didn''t expect such a swift response from its master.

    Only when its master was in a good mood would it act like this.

    So... So... Was that it? Was his master just in a good mood?

    Well, it might as well use this opportunity well then.

    Yes! Thinking like this, the system quickly picked up his chest, ready to say its mind at will.

    "Master... A while ago, I told you that I contacted the wrong host, right?"

    "Hmmm... I remember." The voice said, as though it was lying on afy bed unbothered.

    "Yes, Master. And after the blunder was made, you told me to stick to my current host as much as I could... But... But master, I think my host is strange."

    "Oh?~" The voice said, as though something had piqued its interest: "Why do you think he''s strange? He''s human, isn''t he?"

    "Yes, master..."

    "His soul has been screened and checked correctly too, yes?"

    "Of course, master..."

    "And, he also hasn''t done anything wrong too, right?"

    "Eh?... Master, with the heavenly oath, he wouldn''t be able to. It''s, it''s just that..."

    "Little one... Why bother about something that doesn''t need bothering with?" The voice said while chuckling yfully.

    "But master! Right before the death of a collector, the collector kept saying that it saw something within its Host''s eyes. And as you know, Collectors also have an extremely minute fraction of THAT power. So, so, so... "

    ~Chuckle. Chuckle~

    The voiceughed for a bit before returning to itszy state again.

    "Little one... Has anyone ever told you that you''re so noisy?"

    (:T?T:)

    The system wanted to cry!

    It was even more aggrieved than the times when the host would tent that it was noisy.

    Hey! Could it be that it was truly noisy?

    .

    The system twisted his face pitifully while listening to his master''s words in confusion.<sub> </sub>

    It had rushed over to report its findings and maybe even warn its master about its host.

    But in the end, it seemed like it overthought things.

    After all, its master could never be wrong. So it must be the one that was wrong instead.

    Hmhm. Even with its host''s grumpy and cold nature, its host hadn''t actually done anything wrong in the end.

    Additionally, his soul and his entire being had indeed been tested by over 2000 high-ranking angels the moment he took the oath.

    So how could it be possible that all those angels had missed something?

    The system thinned its non-existent lips for a bit, always feeling as though its master was smiling mysteriously at the other end of the light.

    It suddenly felt embarrassed for making a fool of itself before its master.

    But surprisingly, its master still pulled out another move that not only eliminated his doubts, but also made it feel as though its master was a kind being.

    ~Bam!

    Right before the system, a sizable cloud-coloured lightbox appeared before it.

    "Little one, to further make you feel at ease, why don''t you try testing out your host''s souk for yourself?"

    "What? Master, I can do this?"

    The system was shocked behind doubt while staring at the box in shock.

    This... This... This was too surreal, right?

    .

    The system quickly picked its fluffy body and moved towards the box as briskly as it could.

    One should know that since it was attached to its host, it also carries a substantial amount of its host''s true being with it.

    So the box should be able to pick up on that and give the results in a sh.

    "Human essence identified! Human! A true human through and through."

    Ah!

    The system nodded and instantly felt as though a heavyweight had been lifted off its shoulders.

    You know, listening to the results firsthand had indeed made him feel how ridiculous his earlier suspicions were.

    That is, how could it, a system, be suspicious and detect what they, the angels couldn''t?

    But then again, it was weird that its host could instantly understand and master some of the higher grade spells he gave the most when he first got into that world.

    And why did it seem that the host had more raw energy and blessings than standard exorcists at his level?

    How could its host seem a little too overpowered?

    Or, could it be talent?

    Hmhm. It looks that way!

    The system bobbed its head as though it had figured it out.

    Yes! Yes! Its host was so talented at doing its job that even the underworld creatures had to call him a Monster.

    Yes! It was all because of his monstrous talent and nothing else.

    As for whatever the Collector saw, it was probably a fake reaction or maybe a misunderstanding of some sort.

    Well, that Collector was rtively young. So maybe it didn''t see things correctly.

    .

    Like so, the system had finally put its mind at ease yet again.

    And now, it felt even more awe for its master.

    Look! Its master was so kind that it even took the time to coax it, the system.

    Even when what it was saying was wrong, its master was still kind enough not to punish it for indirectly questioning the capability of the angels.

    "Little on, now, you have no more doubts, right?"

    "Yes, master! I was wrong!"

    "Hmm... If that''s all, then you may leave."

    "Yes, master! I will go back to the mortal realm now!"

    "Hmm... And little one?"

    "Yes, master?"

    "Don''t disappoint me."

    "_"

    Eh?

    The system was a little lost until its eyes suddenly twinkled in understanding.

    Yes, its master must be talking about the mission of ridding that world of evil there.

    "Master, don''t worry. I won''t disappoint you." The system said before vanishing again.

    It was just that whether its master truly meant what the system thought, was still unknown.

    Heh.

    The glowing light quickly dimmed, and the heavenly being behind it all was soon revealed.

    The heavenly figure had a yfully yetzy smile on his face while thinking of something fascinating.

    And soon enough, the being banished into thin air, as though it was never there in the first ce.

    Woosh!

    Don''t disappoint me, little one.

 Chapter 106 The Systems Dilemma

    Very quickly, the system returned to its ce as though sneaking around its host.

    And Dorian, who was in a state of close cultivation, calmly raised his brows yfully.

    ''Where did you run off to?''

    ''...''

    The system felt very guilty and scared after ratting out its host like that. But it dared not tell the truth, lest it damaged the bond he had worked so hard to build with its host.

    That is,pared to when it first came into this world, now, the host was willing to talk to it... Even if it was just 2 or 3 words at a time.

    So wasn''t this progress?

    (:T0T:)

    [Host! Host! Don''t be angry. The system just wanted to sleep a little. That''s all!]

    ''Oh.'' Dorian replied casually before entering cultivation mode again.

    It felt the system leave it briefly, and even after calling the system, no one responded to him.

    So it figured that it either went to sleep or went somewhere else.

    And because he couldn''t be bothered with the system''s movements at this moment, he didn''t notice its anxiousness.

    Phew.

    The system wiped its non-existent sweat, thanking its lucky stars that its host hadn''t noticed its weirdness.

    ''Next time, tell me in advance... And, I hope you don''t have the habit of making me repeat myself. This should be the veryst time this happens, understood?''

    The system trembled with fear and guilt: [Yes! Yes! Host. I will definitely tell you in advance before falling asleep next time]

    ''Hmm.'' Dorian hummed while putting the system''s matter behind it.

    The warning now was the only one it would give it.

    For one, even though he rarely depended on the system, why should he have an Ace card up his sleeve and not use it?

    The system for him was hisst and final backup in any situation.

    So if it were to disappear or suddenly fall asleep during tasks or working hours, then it would screw up his backup ns.

    Dorian''s eyes glowed mysteriously.

    A non-reliable system was not what he needed!

    Shiver. Shiver.

    The system felt goosebumps after feeling its host cold aura leak out.

    It didn''t know how, but it suspected that its host was secretly criticizing it in his heart.

    The system had no tears but truly wanted to cry.

    What should it do if its host is a little too evil?

    Master... Master... It really missed its Master''s kind aura right about now.

    (+w+)

    .

    Like so, the system stayed as silent as it could while watching over its host that was deep in cultivation.

    And after another 2 hours or so, its host finally opened its eyes before clicking his hands calmly.

    Woosh!

    The small jewelry-sized wooden box on the other side of the room steadily flew towards him andnded in his palms.

    Eh? What did its host want to do?

    ~Catchak!

    Dorian unlocked the box and opened it slowly.

    And only after the system saw the content within it did it go crazy with worry.

    [Host. Host... Why are you still ying around with this thing? If you say it''s an underworld relic, then do you know how much danger you''ll be in once it''s discovered?]

    The system was so terrified that it almost wanted to go back to its master and report the host''s movements yet again.

    This time, it was thinking of its host''s safety and nothing more.

    Of course, those were its initial thoughts after seeing the bone-finger relic.<sub> </sub>

    If those who sent the relic to this world were looking for it, then wouldn''t the host''s life be in grave danger?

    The power from the relics was that of fallen Underworld Rulers, for heaven''s sake.

    So do you know how much power was stored in this tiny thing?

    F***!

    Those who gathered and activated as many relics as they could, would undoubtedly be powerful existences that could destroy an entire city with just the flick of a wrist.

    The system seemed to be pouring water on a duck''s back because no matter how it spoke, its host still remained as silent as ever.

    But, it was his eyes!

    They glowed with a strange light that deeply scared the system.

    Honestly, the system felt that if not for the heavenly oath, its host would be more evil!

    Well, maybe not too evil

    After all, its host was the sort of person that wouldn''t pick a fight with anyone.

    He never started troubles but did a damn good job at finishing them.

    In a sense, he always acted in self-defence and nothing more.

    So... Could it be that its host was actually just a good person who liked living like a hermit?

    Ahhh! Humans were so confusing! Especially when they have both Yin and Yang in them.

    So it was okay for its host to be both good and bad, right?

    .

    Sigh...

    <o>,m Forget it.</o>

    The system had long given up on understanding its host, and was now focused on its host''s well-being instead.

    After all, it just promised its master that it wouldn''t disappoint him.

    So how could it lose its host so soon?

    [Host. That thing is dangerous, and you''re not strong enough to handle it. So I''m only worrying for your saf...]

    ''Shut it. My ears are bleeding.''

    [...]

    Fine! Fine!

    The system felt like it was a mother taking care of a troublesome child. What else could it do?

    Who made it contract the wrong host at the beginning?

    Why didn''t it contract a lovely host just like its other system friends?

    Dorian focused on the relic in his possession, staring at all parts of the bony finger deeply as though trying to find the key that could unlock the relic.

    ''As you said, this is a protected space created by the heavens, correct?''

    [Yes, host.]

    ''And, nothing outside can detect what''s going on in here, right?''

    [Yes, host.]

    ''So, if I activate the relic in here, no underworld being will be able to sense it, no?''

    [... Yes, host... But....]

    ''Hmmm... Then that''s good.'' Dorian said, as though dismissing the system to shut up.

    Dorian stared at the bone intensively.

    The bone was somewhat silvery and seemed to mesmerize any who stared at it for long.

    But Dorian seemed remarkably unaffected instead.

    Why?

    Why was its host so strange?

 Chapter 107 My Precious~~

    The system''s heart skipped a beat while looking at the silvery-bone textured relic in Dorian''s hands.

    Oh No! What should it do? What should it do?

    The system felt as though its poor system-lifespan was being toyed with by its host.

    Underworld relics being around humans was definitely a bad idea!

    If the relics came from angels, then the repercussions would be slightly better.

    However, an underworld relic only meant disaster for humans that possessed them and couldn''t activate them.

    Underworld beings in possession of the relics would remain fine and unscathed, even if they failed to activate it. But humans were different.

    Okay. It was best to start with the basics when it and to these relics.

    In general, Underworld creatures were 99% more liable to activate underworld relics.

    It was just facts.

    And humans only had a 1% possibility of activating them.

    That is, the relic wanted someone with power, as well as someone whose heart and entire being were deemed worthy enough.

    The majestic air around the human must be inconceivable for that to happen.

    Additionally, they also have to unlock the relic''s potential, as though solving a puzzle too.

    And throughout human history in this world, there have been some humans that managed to activate these relics... Like Emperor Yuzah way back in this world''s ancient times.

    That said emperor was recorded as one of the bloodiest Emperors of his time.

    It was said that he could kill an entire legion of warriors all by himself.

    .

    You know, the stories went on like this, but now modern people don''t believe it.

    Anyway, after his body reign, he somehow died mysteriously, 2 yearster.

    No one knew who killed him, but what they didn''t understand was that the moment he awakened the relic, a surge of power emitted out that almost called the attention of all demons to the mortal world he was in.

    What was even more frightening was that the demons that already existed in this jurisdiction quickly came for him one after the other, all wanting to take the relic.

    Emperor Yuzah fought using the demonic power within the relic and managed to kill them day by day.

    <o>,m Again, the rock could replenish itself by absorbing the fear and souls from Yuzah''s enemies.</o>

    So imagine how invincible one could be?

    It was just that after 2 whole years of fighting almost every single day, he ended up getting swallowed whole by a demon who took the relic away to absorb its powers.

    So you see, humans keeping relics was just too dangerous a thing.

    How long could one fight every single day, forever?

    Humans couldn''t absorb the power in the relics unless they reached a very high cultivation rank that wasplete immortality.

    Such a rank would take tens of thousands of years to get to.

    And cultivators didn''t exist in this world.

    So... it was safe to say that humans here couldn''t absorb the power in the relics, unlike the underworld creatures that could absorb the powers and get it done with.

    In that way, they wouldn''t get targeted, and many might but even know that they absorbed the powers in the end.

    So humans were indeed at a disadvantage.

    .

    Additionally, if one held on to the relic but didn''t activate it, the relic would slowly make them seem mad to the rest of the world.

    My precious...

    They would sleep with the damn thing, stare at it all the time, and forget about the other important things in their lives.

    F***! Some would even kick their wives, husbands and children out if they dared touch the relics.

    There have been cases of people in other worlds forgetting to eat, so much so that they ended up looking so bony and malnourished.<sub> </sub>

    Some also cut their own limbs out just to get the relics back.

    No doubt about it, in the hands of any human that couldn''t activate it, these relics would no doubt be deadly.

    So thinking in this manner, how could the system not get worried for its host?

    The longer its host stayed with this relic, wouldn''t it make him eventually grow mad in the end?

    The system wanted to say something but once again had another doubt in his eyes.

    Wait. This wasn''t right.

    The first time the host picked up the relic, shouldn''t he already be so drawn to it that he wouldn''t be able to put it away.

    But not only did its host not seem hypnotized, but he also acted as though he didn''t seem to put the relic''s enchantment in his eyes at all.

    So why was that?

    The system had once again fallen into another wave of doubt. But it only felt as though it was overthinking things again.

    After all, didn''t its master confirm the truth to it a moment ago?

    Its host was normal, and all this was talent!

    (*^*)

    .

    Dorian stared at the reliczily, wondering if his guesses were right or not.

    In his old world, they said relics could mesmerize and enchant people.

    So why didn''t he feel anything?

    Or could it be that he was wrong, and this wasn''t a relic at all?

    Dorian borrowed his brows and quickly threw his doubts away.

    The one thing he trusted was his intuition.

    Maybe he was wrong at this moment, but his intuition told him that he was on the right track.

    Additionally, he could feel a very minute, almost non-existent extent of power trying to leak out from the strange finger.

    Hmmm...

    Dorian tapped his fingers deeply.

    He could test it out on his men and see if they got drawn to the relic. But the cons outweigh the pros.

    And maybe because of the original owner''s good feelings towards his men, as well as his own grown likeness for them, he didn''t want to use his men as guinea pigs.

    Because if this thing was truly a relic and he allowed them to see it just once, you best believe that they would start searching and acting like a person on drugs, always scratching and looking for something.

    So he decided not to go about things in that route.

    Nheless, he still has other ways of testing it out.

    But for now, it was to keep this thing well hidden and away from anyone''s eyes.

    He felt that rather than the system whinning, it should be grateful that he picked this thing up.

    Or, what if it fell into the hands of some other human?

    Dorian ced the relic in the box and quickly hid it away.

    Heh. He was going to unlock the power within the relic.

    But he was still too weak to handle it now.

    With that, Dorian continued his deep cultivation.

    And soon enough, it was time for him to get ready.

    That''s right. It was time for them to head to the Auction Home!

 Chapter 108 Tigers In Heat!

    Time passed on swiftly, with several households getting ready to move out.

    The Ghu family, the Gia family, Bho, Su, Hou and of course, the new head of the Tian''s group would alsoe out for tonight''s auction too.

    Of course, countless other 2nd-rated families were also wealthy, but not as rich as the big 6!

    Nheless, these people still came out because this was a rare opportunity to mingle with the big 6.

    Holy cow! They were going to be in the same room with the big 6.

    So you best believe that they would use every opportunity they had to make a connection with any one of these 6, and hopefully, expand their businesses in this manner.

    Of course, countless others also nned toe out with their daughters and sons in hopes that any members of these families could fall in love with their children.

    They were hoping that their children would be able to catch the eye of any direct family member... But if that couldn''t work, then hopefully, they could catch the eyes of extended members like cousins with the same surnames or something like that.

    Today, several people headed out to the Auction home like tigers in heat, as their prey was any one of the big 6!

    "Daughter, wear the red gown I bought for you today. Trust me; mother knows best nothing can quite capture a man''s attention like a woman in red."

    "Son, why is your hair still in that wacky hairdo? What stupid trend are you talking about? Slick it to the side and make it look more presentable. Your father needs this contract from the Bho''s very urgently. So you just hook up with one of their daughters, be it by hook or crook!"

    "Daughter, a man likes women he would protect. Cute and very soft. So wear only soft colours, making you stand out from all those obvious seductresses that would be there today!"

    "I know mom, don''t you trust your daughter? By the end of tonight, I''ll be able to bag at least one of them in my hands."

    "Good. Good. That''s my daughter!"

    <o>,m (^_^)</o>

    ....

    Like so, countless parents began instructing their children on who to target and what to do for tonight''s asion.

    They hired the best hairstylists, makeup artists, and so many other professional staff to make their children shine as brightly as they could.

    Every parent had their own idea of what men or women should like.

    Hence, they began telling their girls to eithere on strong or act like damsels in distress.

    As for their boys, they gave a few lessons here and there on what they thought girls would like.

    Hey! It would be a blessing if any of their children could marry into any of the big 6.

    So how could they just let this opportunity slip by?

    Even those with so-called fiances still joined the hunt, but decided to do so discreetly, as though it wouldn''t be their intention to seduce their prey.

    Yes!

    Tonight, the hunt was on. And even the divorced middle-ageddies and men also joined in on the n, targeting any married men within the big 6.

    Heh. So what if they were married?

    All they had to do was two the guy around their little finger and made him kick and divorce his existing wife.

    So in the end, wouldn''t they finally join any of the big 6 families in this way?

    Thinking about it now, the fastest method was to sleep with the guy and get ''pregnant.''

    Yes! Yes! They all wanted to join the big 6!

    (*^*)<sub> </sub>

    Like so, countless people swarmed towards the massive Auction home in the same manner in which honey attracted bees.

    Vrrrrrrrmmmmmm!

    The traffic to the ce was heavy, with everyone heading over there in a jiffy.

    Heh.

    Tonight, everyone had their own agendas at heart.

    And one by one, they popped out on the scene, mixing their excitement to be here in the I''m a ce with the big 6!

    .

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    The clock was ticking with countless people hastily taking their seats while chatting and looking around from time to time.

    Their eyes kept darting around maniacally as though they were hungry for blood.

    And what were they searching for?

    Of course, it was for one of the Big 6!

    In events like this, the big 6 were typically sent to the Private bulletproof and sound-protected ss rooms above the floor, where they would sit and observe the overall situation.

    Of course, they were ced alongside the walls of the curved room, giving them some ess to see the faces of those below. .and you know, some women and men wanted to use this to their advantage.

    Anyway, unlike the other guests, the big 6 had a ''V.I.P-Super Plus'' status here and could use as many of these ss viewing booths above.

    That''s right. The upper part of the booth was see-through.

    So even those below could see the faces of those in the ss boxes from the waist upwards.

    In the room, these guests would have any drinks orfort that the auction home could offer.

    And when they intended to call out their bid, they could just press the buttons before each seat and call out their bids from the ss boxes.

    Everything was properly organized, giving the Super-Plus V.I.P''s all they required, with maximum privacy in their ss booths.

    Heh. But this wasn''t the opportunity that many people looked forward to.

    Yes. The big 6 could notice them and see their beauty or handsomeness from above.

    But if they didn''t have the chance to talk to me another, then what good is it?

    No! Many people were looking forward to the small charity event after the Auction.

    That is, today''s charity event was hosted by the Su family here in the Auction Home.

    So of course, all the other Big 6 would stay back for a while and show face, which was a perfect opportunity for them to mingle!

    (*^*)

    .

    Like so, the guests all sat with deep smiles on their faces, looking forward to the charity event after this.

    And soon enough, the first Big Guest had arrived!

 Chapter 109 Enter: The Great Medical Family!

    Instantly, everyone deludedly turned their heads towards one of the ss booths that now had people walking into it.

    Thedies took out their trusty mirrors and quickly looked at their faces, ensuring that they were still as beautiful as ever, before secretly twisting their trusty hand mirrors to the booth on the side.

    Who? Which one family had just stepped in?

    Bubuum! Bubuum!

    Their hearts all speeded up, unbeknownst to them.

    And some people quickly gripped the edge of their seats excitedly while trying to stop their lips from quivering in glee.

    Hahahhahahah! The first one had arrived! One of the big 6 was here!

    But which family was it?

    "Daughter! Look, don''t look now. But on the booth directly to our left is the Hou Family!"

    "The Hou family? The famous Medical family that owned and supplied over 60% of pharmaceuticals in the country?"

    "Yes! That''s the one. But that''s not all they have under their belt. They also have hospitals across the nation, and almost all of their direct descendants are famous doctors in the country... Daughter. The Hou''s have a lot of talented people in their home. But it''s best for you to target any of the main 4 young masters!"

    "Son! The Hou''s have renowned female doctors in their homes. So make sure to woo them fast!"

    ...

    p Once again, everyone was secretly reinforcing their ns while ncing at the Hou family in awe.</anda>

    It would truly be nice if they could enter the Hou family.

    And the Hou members above only stared at those below casually, not putting their little calctions in their hearts.

    Rather, they were deeply focused on other major concerns that worried or troubled top-notch families such as theirs.

    The current head of the Hou Family, 2nd Master Chen Hou, calmly looked at his older brother curiously.

    "How odd. So you''re saying you found nothing wrong with the little girl when you went over there this afternoon?"

    "Second brother, nothing. The girl''s results were drastically different from what I recorded earlier on. The change is just too shocking, to say the least. But if that''s true, then this is nothing short of a medical miracle! But I don''t believe in miracles. Only science can exin it all. So what exactly caused the girl''s current results?" 1st master Jung Hou said while frowning suspiciously.

    You know, he was the one who personally handled the Gia girl''s matter a few days ago.

    And each day, he and his team would go over to the Gia home for checkup.

    Yes. He may have been Old Hou''s eldest son, but he wasn''t interested in running and overseeing the numerous businesses under their name.

    And that''s where his 2nd brother came in.

    His second brother focused on Running and getting licenses and portals for all pharmaceuticalpanies under their family name.

    And his 3rd brother was the current head, in charge of all hospitals and clinics they also had under their names.

    .

    When talking about the Hou household, many people would only sigh at their incredible history and aplishments both in the past and within today''s society.

    That is, the Hou family itself was an enormous family, or rather, a big n with a fierce group of elders, over direct line family members and distant line family members.

    So even though his brothers were the current presidents and heads of these businesses, there were still many Hou family members on the boards working with them.<sub> </sub>

    Anyway, most Hou family members actually didn''t like working, overseeing thepanies or dealing with management.

    They were a medical family, right from ancient times.

    So a majority of them focused on being doctors, nurses and whatnot.

    And their sries from their personal work were also so high that they could affordfortable lives without getting their regr pay from the Hou family.

    Some of them made names for themselves out of the country in foreignnds, dominating the market there.

    And others chose to stay in the country but worked in direct regions all over the ce.

    Even within the military, the best doctors dide from the Hou family.

    So it was no wonder that their names would resound out this much

    Not to talk of their lineage and firm prestige that had followed them way back in the ancient times when dynasties still existed.

    They used to be the ones treating the emperors and all those in power back in the day.

    So one could never underlook this massive n of Hou''s.

    .

    That said, unlike his brothers, Jung Hou only wanted to be a doctor. So he and his remarkable team would work in different hospitals or regions worldwide, sometimes also going out to treatplex situations.

    After all, he was famous for being the first Hou descendant to specialize in over 8, different medical professions, all under the age of 31.

    It would truly be a waste to let such a bright talent get buried behind thepany.

    And even Jung Hou hated the idea of sitting behind a desk when he could be out there in the field of patients.

    It was old Hou''s 2nd son, Chen Hou, and the 3rd son, Rei Hou, that took on the mantle from the old man''s hands.

    Apart from the boys, the 4th child, who was Rei Hou''s twin sister, was also out in the field as well.

    She wanted nothing to do with any management and headed to the military to be an army doctor instead.

    Of course, Old Hou himself also had brothers and sisters, who in turn had their own children and whatnot.

    And even at that, Old Hou also had cousins too.

    In short, the n wasrge.

    .

    Everyone listened to Jung Hou''s analysis, feeling something very off.

    That is, even though some of them were in management, they still had medical licensees and knew a thing or 2 in the field.

    So how could a little girl change so much?

    The reports and results were just too drastic a change to ur in such a short time.

    So what exactly happened?

    Jung Hou frowned deeply, with a calm expression on his face: "It''s the girl. The answer lies with the girl!"

 Chapter 110 More Brains Get Fried

    The girl?

    The Hou family felt their hearts constrict ufortably after thinking about it deeply.

    Yes! The girl''s matter seemed to be shrouded In mystery.

    And in particr, they felt that the girl should be the key to solving that mystery.

    Look! Powerful people like them made it their business to know what happens around them.

    And ignorance might one day lead them to death.

    So better to know now thanter.

    It was just that from the Gia family''s actions today, they weren''t overly sure that the family would let them seek out the truth for themselves.

    As a family of doctors, it was their sworn duty to find out how the girl got healed up so fast in only a day or so.

    That is, some other patients might need the same treatment. So how could they not want to know the truth?

    Unless... Could it be that the treatment process was something illegal or hical?

    No! No! No! No!

    The Hou people shook their heads in denial.

    This was the Gia family they were talking about.

    These people stayed clean in order to give the enemy no chance of attacking them.

    So even if the world wereing to an end, these people would still stand tall and not take the disgraceful path.

    Sometimes, being in the light was also security, even though the darkness seemed to be a hidden spot.

    And the Gia family were so clean, going over their businesses, as though it were a military task.

    Secret members of the Gia family would dispatch towards the different locations and get things done fast.

    They may allow others to work in theirpany, but by the end of the day, even if the others checked things out, the Gia family would still go through the final books themselves.

    .

    Anyway, they, the Hou family, didn''t think the Gia family would do anything illegal or condemnable.

    So why then did these people act so suspicious?

    Or could it be that the girl''s recovery was tied up to some big government secret that they weren''t allowed to share out?

    Again, they quickly denied that fact.

    Just as the Gia family was a well renowned Military family, their Hou family was standing shoulder to shoulder with the Gias.

    So if any medical breakthrough or secret serum or drugs got invented, you best believe that within the team of inventors, the Hou family would be amongst.

    Not to mention that within the Renowned Medical association, The Hou family was still the head of it.

    So it was impossible for anything medical to have been created by the Government without their knowledge or involvement.

    Then why? Why all the secrecy from the Gia family?

    A strange light flickered in Jung Hou''s eyes the more he thought things through.

    "Grandpa, Father, Brothers, Uncles... Yesterday during the earlier hours of the afternoon, my team and I personally handled the girl''s matters. Mind you... before then, we had also been attending to the girl ever since she returned to the Gia family from the Park. So in just a day, how could she change so much?"

    Old Hou, who was Jung Hou''s grandfather, also frowned deeply.

    Even he found it ridiculous.

    .<sub> </sub>

    Old Hou was a retired doctor, and he knew that no matter what field of medicine one was, everything needed a recuperation and recovery time.

    Even physiological issues needed time to heal. Not to talk of surgery or even taking something as simple as a painkiller.

    It can''t just heal someone at the snap of a wrist.

    Sure, one would feel the pain a little elevated.

    But they wouldn''t bepletely healed until the body had repaired and nourished itself.

    That is, what sort of society did the Gia family hold to cure that girl in under a day?

    Old Hou looked at his grandson deeply: "Just how much contrast do the results have?"

    p "Grandpa. The contract is like day and night. From the girl''s vitals to everything else, it was as though she were apletely different person altogether. That is, if I didn''t secretly take a stand of hair out to test her DNA and ensure that she was indeed the same Gia girl, I wouldn''t have believed it myself! That is, her DNA matches all the blood samples and various medical tests she had performed since her birth. And it also matches her files too. So it''s definitely the same girl. But why do I feel it strange?" Jung Hou said suspiciously.</anda>

    Who was he? A genius that had mastered over 8 extremely hard-to-learn medical professions under the age of 31.

    Yes! He was Old Hou''s first grandchild.

    Of course, the majority were still around 14~26.

    Anyway, Jung Hou was a genius in his generation.

    It was as though he were the reincarnation of some ancient medical God because he always seemed to find medicine easy to grasp.

    And from the moment he touched the girl''s skin this time, he felt that the girl before was different from the girl he had been treating for thest few days.

    Call it intuition or so. But his gut feeling was hammering on this point hard!

    .

    Jung Hou rubbed his elbows in a daze.

    The reports show that they were both the same people.

    [Yes! The creature had even found a way to prove itself human]

    Jung Hou remembered that the girl''s body was too cold and weird, to begin with.

    But now, the person he saw today waspletely warm-blooded.

    More than that, the girl now seemed too slippery as well.

    The Gia family said that she seemed to have amnesia, not remembering him at all.

    So, could it be that she recovered because she forgot?

    But... But... Her brain activity and all test results showed that she never had any such amnesia.

    Or could it be that the girl had a split personality deep within her?

    No! That didn''t make sense.

    How can the split personality cause the girl''s body to go cold?

    Ahhhhhhhhh ~~~

    The more Jung Hou and the others thought about it, the more confused they were in the end.

    Their heads were about to explode from the mystery alone.

    Something wasn''t adding up.

    But what? What was it?

 Chapter 111 The Star Of The Show Arrives!

    Everyone was in a state of confusion, thinking about this mystery deeply.

    And soon, a strange thought finally dawned on Chen Hou.

    "Wait! Elder brother, Jung. Previously, the Gia family wouldn''t even allow us to treat the girl anywhere else but their Gia home. Then howe all of a sudden, they now took the liberty to bring the girl to us instead? So don''t you find that strange enough?"

    Instantly, everyone''s eyes lit up even more.

    Yes! This was not their typical style. And the excuse they have for the matter was indeed a good one.

    But they, who could also swim deep in shallow waters, could spot the fact that the Gia family were making excuses instead.

    Old Hou squinted his eyes calmly: "There''s something in their estate they don''t want us to see."

    "Agreed, father. And I suspect that whatever they''re hiding might be the real reason why the girl healed up so fast."

    "Hmhm. Tonight, they''ll be here. So you all know what to do."

    "Yes!"

    Everyone''s blood boiled hard while thinking about it all.

    No matter what, they could only probe the situation for now.

    The girl''s tests showed that everything was normal.

    Generally, the doctors would ask how it happened.

    And if the patient''s family had no clue, it would be considered a medical miracle.

    Clearly, the Gia family had taken advantage of this fact, knowing that the doctors couldn''t pry out much information from their mouths.

    The Gia family said they woke up and found her well just like that.

    Sue them!

    [Eye rolls]

    The Hou family quickly rolled their eyes at their excuse because if it were another family, they would believe it as such.

    But the Gia family treasured that little girl as if she was an angel amongst men.

    So wouldn''t they have a team constantly watching over that girl daily?

    Their excuse was so annoying, but there was nothing they, as doctors, could do since the patient''s family imed not to know how she got healed.

    What else could they do? Hold the Gia family at gunpoint and ask them about it all?

    The girl had already been cured, so they had no business with the matter again.

    And this was the annoying part of it all!

    Heheheheheheh!

    It seemed like the Gia family knew this and chose this route of doing things.

    Old Hou smiled bitterly because he knew that even if there was any mystery involved, they would only have to wait until the Gia family was ready to say anything.

    For one, if they act rashly or send their men to stare at the Gia home, it could bring about anger and vignce between both families.

    Additionally, old Hou had a good rtionship with old Gia. One could say that they were best friends growing up.

    So he didn''t want to strain or sabotage his rtionship at the moment.

    Thus, they could only prob while brainstorming in the matter too.

    Sigh... At the end of the day, the girl''s recovery was deemed a medical miracle.

    Case closed!

    .<sub> </sub>

    As for why the Gia Family didn''t want them to visit their main estate anymore, Old Hou decided to visit the estate for himself tomorrow or some other time during the week to see things for himself.

    That is, what was hidden within their Gia estate?

    ~Pff...

    If the Gia people knew what these people thought, they wouldn''t know whether tough or cry.

    That is, the reason why they didn''t want anyone to step onto their mansion was because of the many bullet-ridden and deep trench files around the entrance zone.

    You know, Dorian and the rest had performed their Fast and Furious moments there, destroying the entire front zone.

    So the Gia family had to cover it up fast before recovering everything to its original appearance.

    Additionally, the entire ce had turned into a Sleeping beauty estate.

    So the grass, vines and what it hadpletely overgrown and covered the entire ce too.

    The whole ce looked haunted and as though people hadn''t lived there for centuries.

    Even within the buildings, dust, cobwebs, and all sorts of worms crawled around the ce.

    So how can they entertain anyone in their Gia estate?

    They weren''t afraid about word getting out because who would believe it?

    One would at most be locked up in the Looney bin for thinking like that.

    So you''re saying that in a day, cobwebs, mould and all sorts of things attacked the Gia home, making it look haunted?

    What was this, Sleeping Beauty?

    People would roll their eyes in disbelief.

    Of course, some influential people might think that this might''ve been the work of new bioweapons instead.

    After all, who didn''t know that the Gia home had ess to many newly defined gadgets?

    All in all, no one would think it supernatural.

    And if any word went out, the Gia family would also hastily invite the press to their home to see that everything was back to normal.

    This move alone would definitely squash the rumours like a bug.

    Of course, for security reasons, they would prefer that no word went until they fixed their estate and returned it to normal.

    That''s the real reason why they didn''t allow the Hou boy to treat their Gia girl in the estate.

    .

    Like so, the Hou family fell deep in mystery while also keeping a watchful eye on the other ss booths around them.

    They were no doubt looking for the Gia family.

    And as time went on, the Su family and the Tian family arrived.

    Now, all that was left was the Bho, Ghu and The Gia family.

    But little did they know that the real star of the show was finally pulling over at the scene.

    Too bad, trouble always seemed to follow him everywhere eye went.

    .

    Standing opposite Dorian was his so-called ex-girlfriend and one of the young masters from the Su family.

    The girl looked at him and sneered deeply.

    What was this poverty-stricken rat doing here?

 Chapter 112 A Natural Born Actress

    Gorgeous. Stunning and vibrant.

    These were the first few words that many could think of after soothing the breathtaking damsel in white.

    Her entire outfit hugged her body perfectly, showing off her killer curves.

    And that face that looked like that of an angel, was even more devastating by moonlight.

    Her overlyrge white clear balls that seemed to light up like the stars in the sky, coupled with her white outfit, added to her overall presence, giving off a very clean look.

    Yes. Many dared say that the littledy was a stunner that made countless youngsters turn their heads in defeat.

    Too gorgeous.

    Her delicate features gave off the impression that she was an angel that had descended from above.

    And all the youngsters who were still walking into the venue alongside their parents or guardians, couldn''t help giving the girl their undivided attention, as though she were a painting that hade to life, frozen in time.

    The wealthy youngdies who spotted her, were immediately filled with rage, envy and jealousy after seeing her appearance, as well as seeing who she was apanied by.

    Vixen!

    She was definitely a fox vixen!

    (*w*)

    .

    The wealthydies all clenched their churches as hard as they could, wishing that they could shove the vixen away from Young master Ji Su, who was one of the most eligible youngsters from the Su family''s direct line of descendants.

    Dammit!

    That was the Su family they were talking about... One of the big 6.

    So how could they not get pissed off?

    F***!

    Several women who had long nned to hook Young master Ji Su today, were very quick to show their disdain for the b**ch by his side.

    That is, if she were one of the high ss or wealthydies, then they wouldn''t have been so angered right now.

    But wasn''t this sl** was a pauper who went to school with several of them.

    The funny thing was that they heard that young master Ji Su broke off his engagement with his long-time fiance from a wealthy middle-ss family, just because of this b**ch!

    That''s right.

    Word on the street was that Young Master Ji Su''s grandfather was somehow saved by thedy''s family once. And they engaged both children from an early age.

    But not too long ago, the b**ch caused Young master Ji Su to break off his rtionship.

    What was funny was that this all happened after the sl** imed to have been heartbroken by the former wealthy young master Dorian.

    Additionally, some people also said that they spotted her with young master Ghu Sota and young master Bho Seng over thest few weeks.

    So what was that all about?

    Dammit!

    The most annoying thing was that no matter how anyone warned the Young master''s they imed that the b**ch was innocent and was just friends with everyone else.

    Do you know that over thest few weeks, this girl alone had caused a few people to break off their engagements?

    And yet, these people still say she was innocent?

    Whore!!<sub> </sub>

    That''s what she was.

    And the more they looked at her, the more vexed they were in the end.

    Why? Why did these wealthy young masters all go crazy for her?

    Someone like her just wasn''t worthy of young master Ji Su.

    So why couldn''t he see it?

    .

    Dorian? What was this rat doing here?

    A trace of panic shed through thedy''s eyes after meeting Dorian out here like this.

    Last time, Dorian spotted her when she was too intimate with young master Ghu Sota in the hospital.

    Additionally, Young master Ghu had said she was his woman back then.

    So if this bastard opened his mouth and told Ji Su what he saw, then wouldn''t bet ns fail in the end?

    She had nned to jump around as many young answers as she could in the guise of being friends.

    She was always elusive in public, never acting too close and intimate unless she ''cried'' or felt distressed.

    Seeing Dorian here, she was afraid of what he would say.

    Dammit! Dammit!

    Why didn''t this poor rat just die somewhere in a ditch already?

    Her eyes stayed frozen in time for a bit, until her brain finally charged itself again.

    ~Pfff~~

    What the hell was she panicking for?

    Who would believe this loser over her?

    She looked at him from head to toe as though looking at a street rat in the gutters.

    But of course, all this was only briefly before she finally returned to her seemingly harmless look.

    Angel.

    .

    The beautifuldy bit her lips pitifully: "Young master Dorian... I know it hurts for you to forget about me. But please, please try your hardest to do so, rather than chasing and stalking me all over the city so much. Last time I was sick, and you stalked me all the way to the hospital. Now, I''m here with Young master Ji Su, and you''re doing the same thing again, which is breaking my heartpletely." With that, she painfully gripped Ji Su''s shirt as though she was experiencing all the pain in the world.

    Ji Su and several other men stared at her, feeling so hurt and in pain just seeing her like this.

    Bubuum! Bubuum!

    Several people''s hearts felt pierced the moment the breath-makingdy tilted her head to the side, exposing her clear, beautiful face that now looked very distressed with grief.

    But with such a high performance, how could the girl just let it go just like that?

    Immediately, she painfully turned her head to face Dorian, with a face that looked like it was about to cry.

    "It''s over between us. So why are you making things hard for us both? I know you never loved me and only thought of having me as your perfect toy. But how could I allow myself to be your toy after all the love I had for you?" She soon choked on her words in pain before staring at Dorian with determination, as though she were a Phoenix emerging from rebirth.

    "Young master Dorian... as a bigger person, I chose to walk away and not continue breaking my heart even further with you. So why? Why won''t you let me go? What more do you want from me?!"

 Chapter 113 Young Master Ji Su!

    "Young master Dorian, what more do you want from me?!"

    ....

    Several men stared at thedy with pity and admiration for being able to step out of the churches of the evil and wicked former Young Tian Master.

    "I said it! This former master was definitely wicked to have ended up as a pauper now."

    "Yes! Just look at how his parentsnded in the hospital not long ago? Tsk! Even if someone targeted them, I''m sure they deserved it to have ended up in that situation. After all, the apple doesn''t fall far from the tree. So wasn''t this just retribution?"

    "Hmmm. I''ve always heard that this young master Dorian was a weird one. But even amidst his weirdness, the youngdy still looked past it all and decided to give him a chance, not knowing that he was just a despicable person who wanted her as a toy instead."

    "Heh. Didn''t you heat the littledy? She said he had been stalking her since he became a pauper. So does this mean that he still hasn''t given up yet?"

    "Tsk! So what if he hasn''t? When he was rich, he wanted to use her as his perfect vase. But now that he''s broke, he then values her? Shameless!"

    "_"

    .

    Butler Sheng, Raulin and Zhulyn all had dark lines on their faces after listening to the crowd insult their Grandmaster.

    Stalking her?

    Excuse them, but which eyes did these people use to judge the fact that they were stalking this girl?

    [*eyeballs rolling*]

    Please! They had better things to worry about other than her, alright?

    Dammit!

    They were so mad that they were secretly thinking of how they had already K-O''d this girl in their minds.

    Sadly, they couldn''t do anything yet, since it wasn''t in their ce to say anything without orders

    And so, all they could do was to act as pirs, standing motionlessly beside their Grandmaster.

    At the same time, they also nced at Dorian from time to time, wanting to see if he still liked or loved thedy before them.

    Of course, Butler Sheng felt that Dorian shouldn''t like the girl all that much.

    And he too didn''t like her as well, especially after seeing herst time in the hospital in young master Ghu Sota''s arms.

    He only hoped that the Grandmaster didn''t have any feelings for the youngdy because in the end, if the Grandmaster said that she was the one he wanted, then there was nothing they, as his subordinates, could do about the matter.

    However, such a youngdy would one day give the Grandmaster a green hat if she ever ended up the Grandmaster.

    Just thinking about it gave Butler Sheng the shudder.

    ''Grandmaster, you won''t be liking her anymore, right?...''

    .

    Xiao Feng briefly stared at her ex-boyfriend with undisguised disdain in her eyes.

    And after just a few blinks, she was back to her white lotus appearance, looking at him pitifully instead.

    And at this moment, those who were already smitten with her instantly felt as though even she had been bullied by Dorian, who by the way, hadn''t said even a single word yet.

    Ji Su was so angered that he almost didn''t contain himself any longer: "You!... How dare you mistreat XiaoXiao? When you both were dating, I warned you severally to take care of her. So why did you mistreat her so much? Do you know that because of you, she''s now so heartbroken that she can''t bring herself to ept anyone yet? Apologize to XiaoXiao!... A scumbag like you should apologize for hurting her so deeply!" Ji Su said heroically, and Xiao Feng was once again behind him to continue her drama till the end.

    "Ooow~~~ Jiji... Please, don''t me him. It''s not his fault that I''m like this. Please, let''s go. Just looking at him brings back painful memories."

    "Nonsense!... Silly girl, you''re too kind-hearted. Don''t you know that people like this will never learn the more you let them go? What if he stalks you again after this?"

    Ji Su looked at his goddess'' convicted expression and felt that she was just too kind-hearted.

    At the same time, he was a selfish person who wanted XiaoXiao for himself.

    He knew that he had a lot ofpetitors who all wanted her heart. They, as well as himself, we''re just her friends for now.<sub> </sub>

    Of course because of how heartbroken Dorian had left her, she would need time to heal up her injuries.

    So if he did a good job now, then wouldn''t she be touched?

    Wouldn''t he have a better chance of getting her in the end?

    .

    Ji Su pulled her even closer while staring at Dorian in disgust.

    "Listen to me, XiaoXiao. If you take me as your friend, then you just let me handle things from here on out.

    "But..."

    "XiaoXiao, you no longer have to be afraid of him. So please... let me protect you this one time, okay?"

    "Jiji..."

    "XiaoXiao..."

    [Dorian''s men]: "_"

    Butler Sheng and the rest almost threw up while watching the duo stare at each other as though there were no other people around them.

    ''Can you guys wrap up your little drama quickly so that we can get in?''

    The trio were very annoyed with the entire scene before them.

    They, more than anyone, knew that the truth wasn''t what thedy was trying to imply.

    So what was all this?

    It wasn''t enough that she broke up with him, but now, she also decided to pour dirty water on their Grandmaster''s name?

    Despicable!

    Dorian nced at the duo with an expressionless face: "Are you all done?"

    "_"

    Ji Su and everyone who was waiting for Dorian''s reaction were suddenly taken aback for a second.

    They expected a stalker like him tosh out, get jealous, or even fight for XiaoXiao, distracting himself in the end.

    But howe he didn''t follow the fruit they had anticipated?

    Xiao Feng''s face turned distorted by Dorian''s actions and words.

    Was he implying that he was indeed over her?

    She was the one who broke up with him, so what gives him the right to be over here so soon?

    Impossible! With her beauty, how can anyone be over her just like that?

    A person like him should be looking and begging on his knees for her toe back.

    So what''s with the attitude?

    .

    "Noisy."

    Dorian dropped hisment and was just about to walk off with his men.

    But how could Ji Su, who felt insulted, let him go?

    "Bastard! Stop for me now! This is a private auction event tonight. So how can a pauper like you get a ticket? Quickly. Bring it out. Where is your ticket?... Heh? I didn''t expect someone like you to stoop so low as to crash the event. Security, someone is trying to sneak in uninvited. Throw him out. Throw him out now!"

 Chapter 114 An Evil Man!

    "Security, someone is trying to sneak in uninvited. Throw him out. Throw him out now!"

    Ji Su spoke majestically while raising his nose to the Gods and ncing at Dorian in disdain.

    Of course, others around dared not side with Dorian, so they could only giggle and mock him for his current predicament.

    Besides... Crashing an event uninvited? How tacky and desperate.

    Several people sneered in disdain, looking at Dorian as though he was just a piece of garbage that had somehow managed to stroll its way into high society as though he now fitted in.

    Heh. So what if he came with an expensive vehicle that his parents used?

    Tsk! That should probably be the only wealth he had left, and he was holding onto it and deceiving himself into thinking that he was still part of high society.

    ~Pff!

    What a desperate move.

    Several women secretly swore to stay away from him.

    And even the men, right down to Ji Su''s guards, were very disgusted by his actions.

    Gein Su, Ji Su''s older brother by 2 years, nced at Ji Su impatiently while also staring at his watch from time to time too.

    "Ji... Wrap this up quickly. The family is already seated inside, waiting for us."

    "Hehehehehe... Don''t worry. Once the guards remove this piece of trash from my sight, then we can go in and join the rest." Ji Su spat out cruelly while giving Dorian a provocative smile.

    And all this time, Xiao Feng was secretly happy in her heart.

    ''Hahahhahahaha! Bastard! Why weren''t you acting tough before I, Xiao Feng? Just because I asked you out and eventually dated you previously, you dared to insult me so much? See this? This is what you get for daring to cross me. Tsk! Deserve it!''

    .

    Everyone gloated at Dorian''s misfortunes, beating to watch the show of how he got thrown out.

    And in a heartbeat, the guards had already arrived at the scene and surrounded Dorian like crazy.

    What?!

    Butler Sheng and the rest felt like hearts sink with rage when thinking of how much embarrassment these bastards were causing their Grandmaster.

    They gritted their teeth in fury while getting ready to make a move on any of the guards, even so much as touching Dorian.

    Dammit!

    How dare they? How dare these people obstruct the Grandmaster''s path?

    Just who the hell did they think they were?

    Boom!

    A dangerous explosion went off in the trio''s minds while listening to thements from those around them.

    Their bodies became unhinged and ferocious the more they nced at the guards around them.

    Like a snake staring at its prey, they were so ready to make their moves!

    ''Good. Good. Good...So you all want to y? You dare disturb our Grandmaster?''

    <o>,m Heh. Even though it wasn''t long since they began training, their bodies were sturdier and more rigid than before.<sub> </sub></o>

    So you best believe that whatever move they performed would be brutal to their mortal enemies... Especially when they were enraged.

    But Ji Su, who only saw them outnumbered, was delighted by the turn of events before him.

    ''Oh, Dorian, Dorian, Dorian... For so long, I''ve been watching you date my goddess, even though I knew you couldn''t care less about her. You dared to mistreat her. So didn''t I say it? I swore that you would fall into my hands one day. And now that you have, how does it feel to be crushed by this young master?''

    .

    Ji Su licked his lips cruelly, almost not being able to contain the apparent glee on his face.

    "Security! These men don''t have tickets. They''re too poor to afford them or get invited. So what I want you to do, is throw their sorry asses far, far away from here!"

    "Don''t worry, Young Master Su. We won''t let people like this obstruct your eyes anymore," One of the guards answered before facing Dorian and his gang coldly: "nning to crash a private auction without a ticket? Kid. You sure have guts! Men, hold him from and drag him out!"

    "Yes, sir!" The guards replied, as though trying to impress Young master Ji Su and get into his good books.

    As for the former Young master Dorian Tian who had now be a pauper, what benefits could he bring to them?

    Offending Young master Su for him was a stupid move that could not only make them more their home in the end but might make it hard for them to find other his after this.

    ''Kid. Don''t me us. You can only and yourself for daring to offend Young master Su tonight.''

    Woosh!

    Like lightning, all 12 men reached to grab Dorian and his gang amidst the gloating eyes of everyone present.

    And at this moment, time seemed frozen in ce, as everything seemed to be happening in slow motion instead, with everyone having several thoughts of their own.

    [Xaio Feng'']: ''Trash like you doesn''t deserve to be one of us. And you being born into wealth was already a mistake on its own. So now that you''ve been kicked down to where you truly belong, just stay there and get the hell away from my sight!

    [Ji Su]: ''Yes! Do it! Do it! Throw this bastard out!''

    [Dorian''s men]: ''Grandmaster, what are your orders?''

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock... Freeze.

    To many, time wasn''t moving at all.

    It stayedpletely paralyzed, as though it was taking an entire century to thaw out.

    And while several people felt this, something else was growing that almost choked them whole.

    That''s right.

    A disastrous extension kept growing, as though they were all watching a live horror movie instead.

    And at this moment, even Ji Su, Gein Su and the many Su guards could feel a cold shower go up to his spine too.

    What the hell?

    It was as though something terrifying was staring straight at them.

    Terrible. Terrible.

    Everyone nced at Dorian, feeling immediate danger emitting from him.

    This... This... This...

    This was evil! Too evil!

 Chapter 115 His Inverse Scale

    ~Gulp!

    Many swallowed hard and took one or even 4 steps back, daring not to meet his eyes at all.

    Strange. Tonight was a hot summer one, with stagnant hot air blowing around.

    But now, why did they feel as though they were in the pique of winter instead?

    Shiver. Shiver. Shiver.

    Hello? Could anyone tell them what was going on here?

    With opened eyes and widened mouths of dread, the guards felt the colour from their faces drain in dread.

    Move! Move! Why won''t their legs or hands move further?

    Evil. Too evil!

    They suddenly realized a disconnect in transmission, with their bodies not receiving any signals from their brains.

    Or else, how could they tell their bodies to move and it didn''t?

    All Doran did was smile. But why was it that starting at his smile, they seemed to have seen the very spawn of evil from it?

    Mommy... Why was this kid so scary?

    (:Y0Y:)

    The guards were now feeling very embarrassed.

    But soon enough, a voice echoed out that brought everyone back to reality.

    "What''s going on here?"

    Who?

    Instantly, everyone turned towards the owner of the voice, only to see a well endowed, balloon-like chubby man, apanied by family, stepping closer to the scene.

    The man wore all sorts of rings and jewelry on his body, and his wife and children also looked overly shy, like colourful peacocks.

    But even though everyone felt that their outfits were too mismatched and out of order, no one still dared to say anything about it all.

    Yes! They mismatched their clothes, but do you know how much each item they wore cost?

    Not to mention that they were still part of the big 6.

    So who would dare say anything?

    .

    The chubby man, who couldn''t even see his toes due to his big belly, only walked forward with a warm smile on his face.

    And the moment he spotted Dorian, a hint of cruelty shed through his eyes for just a bit before vanishing.

    The chubby fellow and his colourful peacock family all walked towards the scene as though they were the monarchs of the ce.

    "Ah... Young master Ji Su, young master Gein Su, you''re all here. Oh? And my Nephew as well?" The chubby Wei Kwo said while staring between Dorian and the Su''s in ''confusion.''

    Hey. But that''s the thing, how could he be confused?

    Even a blind person could feel the tension amongst the 2 and would know where to stand.

    So how could Wei Kwo be confused?

    Hehehhehehe!

    Wei Kwo was Dorian''s uncle.

    That''s right. He was the culprit that put his sister and her husband in aa.

    No, he wasn''t a Tian... but was now the head of the Tian group, thanks to some ''instructions'' left by Dorian''s patents, if anything should ever happen to them.

    Dorian''s father was an orphan who made his wealth single-handedly.

    So to the rest of the world, it would only make sense that Dorian''s uncle would continue taking care of the business until Dorian came of age, no?

    Tch!<sub> </sub>

    Seeing this worthless nephew offend the Su young masters, how could he, Wei Kwo, not be pleased?

    Yes! Yes! This was exactly what he wanted, even though his expression seemed as though he cared for Dorian now.

    "Young Su masters... What seems to be the problem? Don''t worry, young masters; I''ll get this troublesome nephew of mine to apologize to you right this instant. Come, nephew! Kowtow and admit your mistakes now!"

    On listening to Wei Kwo, Ji Su couldn''t help smirking arrogantly.

    As expected. Just as his family had predicted, this Wei Kwo was secretly against Dorian.

    A doesn''t this all work in his favour?

    "Cousin, my dad, is trying to help you, so why are you so troublesome?"

    "That''s right. Have you ever thought of what would happen to the Tian group if you offend big giants like the Su''s?"

    "Child. Just kowtow and admit your mistakes, alright? Sure it might not seem very pleasant now. But for the first time in your life, why did you try thinking of others for a change? Do you know what will happen to the employees and those who have to bear the consequences of your actions if our Tian group is attacked?"

    "Cousin... If you wanted to attend tonight''s auction, why didn''t you just tell us? Now, look at it? Just look at how you''ve embarrassed yourself just because you wanted to gate-crash the event?... Cousin, uncle and aunty would be so disappointed with you."

    ...

    With pompous expressions filled with pity, disappointment and arrogance, Wei Kwo''s wife and children began adding the mes to the fire.

    And quite frankly, Dorian had enough of all this noise around him.

    Honestly, would it kill these morons to shut up?

    Like flies buzzing around his ears, they were really starting to get on his nerves.

    And finally, his expressionless look changed to that of annoyance.

    But those who saw him like this thought he was having an internal struggle with himself, finallying to terms with the fact that he was asked to kowtow and admit his mistakes.

    Wei Kwo smirked yfully: "Nephew, it''s not that I''m against you, but if you don''t kowtow now, then how will we be able to make enough money to take care of my sister and her husband? You don''t really want them to stay that way till the end, do you?"

    Swish!

    Dorian quickly turned his head towards Wei Kwo dangerously: "Are you threatening me?"

    Wei Kwo couldn''t help shaking in a moment of fear when his eyes locked on Dorian''s.

    Immediate sweat poured out of his chubby body, making him stare at Dorian in disbelief

    What? He was actually frightened by a desperate, weak chicken?

    Impossible!

    Very quickly, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down.

    Yes. He was now the head of the Tian group and the real person in control with all the power in his hands, so what could a weak chicken do to him?

    Dorian squinted his eyes murderously.

    You know, sinceing into this world and absorbing the original owner''s feelings, it would be a lie if Dorian said that he didn''t care about his parents lying on the hospital bed.

    He didn''t know how to exin it, but he felt as though they were his parents as well.

    And what was even more bizarre to him was that he also discovered that he had this side of him too

    He wasn''t an emotional person by nature

    But he found that his parents in this world seemed to be his real inverse scale.

    So to threaten him with his parents could only mean that someone had a death wish on their hands!

    Hahahhahahahah!

    Good. Good. Good...

    It''s been a long time since someone made him this angry.

    So how can he disappoint them?

 Chapter 116 Xiao Fengs Motive!

    The more Wei Kwo spoke, the more deadly Dorian''s aura grew.

    And Butler Sheng, Raulin and Zhulyn, who were all too close to Doran, soon began looking at Wei Kwo as though looking at a dead man.

    ''Dare to remind the Grandmaster that you''re the cause, the sole reason why his parents were in their current predicament?''

    Heh. How bold!

    Doran stood as still as a mountain, squinting his eyes at this so-called uncle of his very profoundly.

    And soon enough, Dorian smiled harmlessly at the gang before him.

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone quickly nced at each other in confusion, wondering why the pauper was suddenly smiling so much.

    Eh? Could it be that he had finallye to terms with reality, and was now trying to curry favour with the Su''s for forgiveness?

    Yes! Yes!

    This should definitely be the case.

    Look! Isn''t he now walking towards his uncle and the Su''s?

    So didn''t this mean that he was about to kowtow and prostrate for forgiveness?

    Heh.

    Several people chuckled and smiled in gloat while waiting to watch the drama unfold right before their very eyes.

    ? .

    "Stop right there!" One of the auction home guards yelled out after seeing Dorian casually walk out of their entrapment.

    But because of the initial fear he had experienced firsthand, his action wasn''t that fierce as it was previously.

    "You!... You... What do you want to do?"

    "It''s okay; let him through." Ji Sumanded.

    "Yes, young master Su!"

    With that, the Auction home guards instantly created an opening for Dorian and his gang to pass through.

    And the moment Dorian walked by, several of them secretly subconsciously sighed from relief.

    Phew.

    Maybe those watching couldn''t understand their emotions right now.

    But during this entire time, they had felt just how evil this guy was.

    So they secretly wanted nothing to do with him at all!

    And Dorian, who was the stare of the show, slowly advanced bit by bit, with his seemingly harmless smile stered across his face.

    Seeing this, Ji Su and Xiao Feng sneered victoriously.

    Com''on, bow! Bow to them like a weak dog should.

    Prostrate, kowtow, grovel, bow and beg them as though your life depended on it.

    .

    Bahahahahahhaba!

    Inwardly, the duoughed heartily and had already begun imagining how the scene would go down in their heads.

    And for miss white lotus here, she had even begun constructing the words she would say when it all went down.

    Of course, she would cry in pity, but her following words had to be one that hooked not only young master Ji Su, but also hooked several other dashing men around her too.

    Yes! Yes! She was the victim of a past rtionship where her partner had only ''mistreated'' her.

    So she was definitely the victim here.

    And that''s why it''s only fair for her to receive all the sympathy now.<sub> </sub>

    Heheheheheh!

    Xiao Feng licked her lips expectantly.

    Men, you see, were foolish creatures.

    If a man saw 2 people in an argument, and one suddenly broke out into tears, the man would subconsciously feel that the one who wasn''t crying had bullied the crying one.

    Just cry a little, show all your pain and act coquettish for a bit, and instantly, the man would get swayed by the woman just like that.

    And she, who had long graduated from the University of white lotuses, was a pro maniptor.

    But dammit!

    For all its worth, the only man that gave her the challenge of a lifetime was this bastard before her.

    That''s right.

    Dorian gave her the biggest challenge of her life!

    .

    Before Dorian became a pauper, he was the mysterious prince many girls secretly yearned for.

    You see, coupled with his extremely handsome appearance, his mysterious nature of always wanting to be alone or in quiet corners was then seen as intriguing and dashing.

    But now in his poor state, people said he had a problem instead.

    Well, back then, Dorian hardly spoke to anyone, giving off the cool-boy vibe that made many stare at him in awe.

    Back then, Dorian was just like that cool President that only spoke when necessary.

    So one could imagine just how many people grew crazy and fantasized about him daily.

    And Xiao Feng, who always had it easy to find a man, was not only turned down once but over 20 times by Dorian.

    At that time, what did she not try?

    She tried every move in her books, all yielding no results.

    It was so bad that she began asking herself if she was losing the skills she graduated from the White lotus academy.

    Dorian was indeed a tough nut to crack.

    And every time she was turned down, it only ignited the fire deep within her even more.

    F***!

    During that time, she was so focused on getting him that she hardly had any extra energy to give the other guys at her school.

    Heh. Whenever she would like him and speak, he would just pass on as though she were a ghost or something.

    It all made her doubt her own charms and beauty.

    And it wasn''t until she threatened to kill herself, did he agree to date her as though he was doing some sort of charity for humanity.

    Tell me, which girl can ept this?

    That is, even dating, Dorian never took her seriously at all.

    No matter how hard she tried, the bastard''s heart only remained locked as though he were made of stone instead.

    And now, recalling all the past, how could Xiao Feng not get embarrassed!

    To her, Dorian represented the only time she ever begged for a man to date her, as though she were an unattractive specie.

    And even after their breakup, he never seemed to care or even shed a single tear for her dumping him.

    So how could she not hate him?

    If... If he died, no one would ever find out about all the things she did during that time, right?

    A dangerous thought emerged into Xiao Feng''s mind, as now.

    And at this point, one could say she was truly deranged.

 Chapter 117 Young Master Dorian, Who Are You?

    Xiao Feng''s mind was headed towards a very dangerous path.

    After all, for white lotus'' such as herself, she had long strayed in deadly waters before.

    That''s right.

    She was no stranger to hiring thugs to rape, videotape or do countless atrocities to any girls who tried to stand in her way of getting the hearts of these young masters.

    She had even staged a cheating scene before, making one of the boys break up with their fiance too.

    Tch!

    She was a person that would do whatever it took to get to the top.

    So what was wrong with that?

    Xiao Feng looked at Dorian thoughtfully, as her brian quickly came up with a rough idea on how to handle the bastard.

    Well, that could be looked into after tonight.

    At least for now, it was time to see him kowtow before her like a chicken!

    Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

    .

    "Come on! We don''t have all night here. If you''re going to do it, then hurry it up! This daddy has better things to do than to waste my precious time on here out here!" Ji Su while arrogantly watching Doran inch closer and closer to him.

    But suddenly, he felt his entire body freeze like ice.

    Eh?

    Ji Si was so shocked that he even forgot how to breathe.

    But it wasn''t just him, as the Su guards around them also froze in ce too.

    There''s that feeling again! There it was again!

    And at this moment, everyone felt raw terror pierce through their lines the closer the unhinged beast approached.

    Lying trough!

    It was only now that they realized that Dorian wasn''t nning on apologizing at all.

    Those eyes, that look, the raw dread of it all, made them feel like turning around and making for the hills now.

    No. No. They take their words back.

    Hello? Sir, can you not kowtow anymore?

    They say that when people are desperate, they turn into psychopaths.

    So who knows if this guy would start attacking them like a crazed person?

    For the first time, Ji Su had a gut full of regret in his belly.

    Mommy...

    .

    Everyone felt their legs wobbly nonstop as they now realized that their bodies were still refusing to obey their orders.

    And just when they thought the end was near, a saviour emerged from the heavens... Though they didn''t very much agree with his words.

    "That''s enough! How dare you bully Young Master Dorian?"

    (:Y0Y:)

    Ji Su and the others who heard the voice suddenly felt aggrieved instead.

    Sure. Those around might still be thinking that Dorian was nning to apologize.

    But for they, who got first-hand experience at his murderous aura, knew that the bastard was nning to do something else instead.

    So who was bullying whom?

    Wei Kwo and his family were so scared that his wife suddenly peed herself out in the open.

    Luckily, she was wearing an overlyrge ck mink coat, or else... wouldn''t everyone be able to see her outstanding performance?

    No doubt about it, she would have to go back home and change her attire unless she wanted to smell like urine during all the events lined up for tonight.

    ~Gulp!

    Everyone turned around to see their saviour, only toe face to face with the now arriving Ghu''s.<sub> </sub>

    Like proud aristocrats, they stepped onto the scene with stern expressions on their faces.

    And sure enough, Ghu Sota was the one to take the lead, rushing to Dorian as though he were already his disciple.

    Yup. Dorian said he wasn''t taking disciples any time soon.

    But what about the future?

    Dare to bully his future master? Hmph!

    These people sure have guts!

    "How dare you all bully the Grandmaster?"

    What?!!

    Grandmaster?... In what exactly?

    "_"

    ....

    -silence-

    Grandmaster?

    Friends?

    Enemies?

    What the hell was going on here?

    Boom!

    Everyone was now in a state of confusion and shock, with countless questions bombarding their minds all at once.

    ''Dammit! How did this worthless nephew of mine get on good terms with the Ghus? Didn''t the information say that the young Ghu Sota hated this worthless nephew of mine?''

    ''Sota! Sota! Sota!....who doesn''t know that you hate Dorian so much? So why help him out now? Or are you doing that only to spite Xiao Xiao for not epting to be your girlfriend? Tsk. I always knew you were hot-headed and stupid. But your actions now have really opened new doors of stupidity for me. Hahahahahah! So because you lost, you are willing to team up with this pauper just to get in my way? Good! Good! Just you wait for me, Ji Su, to deal with you!''

    ''No! No! No! What do I do now? If Sota gets suspicious of me, then I won''t have a chance with him any longer. me him!! It''s all this bastard''s fault for making Sota see me hugging Ji Su so tightly now... Dammit! If I don''t receive the money Sota promised me, then I''ll definitely castrate this bastard for ruining my ns!!''

    (*^*)

    ....

    Everyone held on to their thoughts about the situations, with the majority of them not even bothering about why Dorian was called a Grandmaster right now.

    Of course, a few people with some brains focused on that aspect instead.

    Gein Su was baffled and puzzled at the same time.

    Grandmaster? Grandmaster?

    It wasn''t a strange title as one could be a grandmaster in any upation.

    So was Dorian a Grandmaster Plumber? A grandmaster Hacker? A Grandmaster E-sport celebrity?

    What job title had he reached perfection level at?

    In essence, that''s what Grandmaster meant.

    One would be the Grand Puba, of an upation.

    And seeing how much respect Ghu Sota has for him, then didn''t it mean that Dorian did something that also impressed Sota so much to the point of calling him a Grandmaster?

    Gein Su was still deep in thought when suddenly, another group of people added to the mix.

    "What seems to be the problem here? Who is troubling Grandmaster Dorian?"

    "_"

    Blink. Blink.

    Gein Su looked up and was once again taken aback.

    The Gias?

    So not only were the Ghu''s calling him a Grandmaster, but the Gias also called him that too.

    This... This... This...

    Young master Dorian, what exactly do you do?

 Chapter 118 A Hidden Identity?

    A plot twist?

    Everyone suddenly froze in shock after seeing both the Ghus and Gias refer to Dorian as a Grandmaster.

    Their eyes kept darting between Dorian, the Ghus, and the Gias as though trying to unravel the hidden plot twist before them.

    Hello? Could anyone tell them who the Young master Dorian Tian was?

    That''s right.

    They again began thinking of him as a ''Young Master'' and no longer some pauper.

    What a joke!

    Even if he was away from the Tian group, do you see the level of respect he stillmanded?

    So... Who was he really?

    Batman?

    Did he have some different identity by day and another by night?

    Everyone''s mind was solely focused on cracking the code, although most had just assumed that the Gias and Ghus were being nice to him due to his parents.

    Hey! His parents were the real founders of the Tain group. And would no doubt be able to make longsting rtionships with people like the Ghus and Gias?

    So in a way, maybe they were helping out due to pity?

    Yes! This was most likely the case.

    But then again, what about the Grandmaster title? Could it be that all this was just for show?

    Or did this pauper truly have some hidden skill in some high-end profession?

    Hey! Did the Ghus and Gias give him a job that hepleted so well, so much so that they had to start calling him Grandmaster instead?

    What was it? What exactly was the mystery here?

    .

    Cursed brat!

    Wei Kwo had a warm and apologetic smile on his face. But deep down, he was secretly cursing this bastard nephew of his in his heart.

    Lowly imp! How dare he make him, Wei Kwo, look bad before the Gias and the Ghus?

    Next week, their Tian group had to sign a major contract with the Ghus.

    So if everything failed and didn''t go well, what would he do then?

    Sweat poured off Wei Kwo''srge pores as his chubby body seemed to have been overly heated up from his thoughts alone.

    No!

    After getting this far to the top, how could he be willing to fall from grace because of a little imp?

    Unlike his bastard brother-inw, he didn''t know how to properly run all the businesses.

    And just during this time that he had taken over, he had made sp many mistakes that one of the business operations under the Tain groups had almost closed up due to misappropriation of funds.

    He had almost no business knowledge and had to grit his teeth and learn from the rest around him.

    Don''t mind the fact that he looked glorious on the outside. But even within thepanies, he had a lot of enemies that wanted him gone.

    And the fact that his family was now squandering money like water also gave him a headache.

    Before, he used to call his brother-in-ppl aw stingy.

    But now, he understood how ridiculous his wife and some were.... (See how he omitted himself in the mix?)

    .

    Wei Kwo was a very selfish man.<sub> </sub>

    And at present, he med himself for marrying such a hungry wife, who in turn taught his children to be wayward kids too.

    Do you know that they once went into one of the stores owned by the Tian group and shopped 40 million way over their budgets?

    And in that case, the person who would have to pay would be himself, no?

    His wife seems to be obsessed with shoppingtely, as she shopped every single week.

    But that wasn''t all.

    The list of extravagant things she did under this short period could fill up an entire notebook alone.

    That is, even the other wives from the Big 6 diligently used their bothered allowances ordingly.

    But his wife seemed to have no self-discipline as well.

    Hehehehehe... These thoughts wereing from a man who went to see other women daily and silent missions on them too.

    Wei Kwo was okay with himself spending that much money.

    But he wasn''t fine with his wife, children, or even his own mother doing the same at all.

    So he ced all the me on his wife for giving his enemies at work a reason to target him... Especially those still loyal to that bastard brother-inw of his.

    Make no mistake.

    At present, the Tian Group was like a walking time bomb, and he needed to personally grow his influence and make more friends with members of the big 6.

    And it''s because of this that he came out here tonight to see and mingle with them.

    Of course, seeing the Su young masters beefing with that cursed Nephew of his, he quickly stepped in to make his appearance known and win young master Su over.

    But how could he have known that in doing so, he had now offended the Ghus and the Gias?

    Then what about the Ghu bidding contract he was looking forward to winning and signing next week?

    .

    Thup!

    As though seeing his impending fall from grace, Wei Kwo quickly forced a stiff smile on his face while looking at Dorian warmly.

    "Little Nephew... You know, this whole thing might be one big misunderstanding. So why don''t you just forget about it? Look. Whether you''re gate-crashing the auction or not, don''t worry. Uncle will handle matters and take care of you from here on out."

    With that, he hastily turned towards Ghu Sota and the Gias: "I''m sorry that you all had to see my family''s jokes."

    Smirk.

    The Gias and Ghus secretly sneered and smirked at the clown before them.

    Joke?

    Did this buffoon think they were stupid or just born yesterday?

    Ghu Sota wanted to say something but could only swallow his thoughts back in after receiving Dorian''s warning in his mind.

    He looked like an aggravated puffy at that moment, wanting to prove its worth to its owner.

    Well, even if the Grandmaster said he couldn''t do anything, that didn''t mean that he couldn''t stare his enemy to death, right?

    Good. Good. Good. Good.

    Then, let the Death Stare begin!

    Beam!

    Laser-focus activated.

    (*^*)

    [Wei Kwo] : (+_+)

 Chapter 119 Strange...

    Dare to annoy the Grandmaster?

    Zoom!

    Withser-beam focus, Ghu Sota red provocatively, as hard as he could.

    And Wei Kwo, who saw this, only wanted to cry with no tears in his eyes.

    Already, he could feel that juicy contract slowly slipping away from his grasps.

    No way! Over his dead body will he allow that to happen.

    Very briskly, he hastily leaned towards Dorian while massaging his hands nervously: "Nephew. Nephew. Look. It''s already gettingte. So why don''t we just go in?"

    "Yes! Yes, cousin. I''ve missed you so much. So why don''t we go in and catch up with old times?"

    "Hmmm, I haven''t told you about how I fell ill not too long ago. So why don''t we go in and reminisce?"

    Anxiety quickly washed over Wei Kwo and his family as they quickly tried to diffuse the situation.

    They spoke very kindly to Dorian, but deep down, they wanted nothing more than to drag him away and smack him hard in the head for the embarrassment he had caused them.

    F***!

    Do you see how angered the Su''s, the Gias, and the Ghus were?

    They dared not stand or support any side, trying their best to look as neutral as possible...if anything, they would only put all the me on Dorian in the end.

    For now, all they had to do was get out of here as smoothly as possible, and the rest would-be history.

    So with those thoughts brewing deep in their minds, a cold glint flickered in their eyes.

    And Wei Kwo''s wife swiftly stretched her sharpened manicured nails towards his skin, hoping to scratch and grip the little imp, forcing him into obedience.

    ''Brat. Don''t me me for not recognizing you as my nephew!''

    .

    ~Swish!

    Her hands moved swiftly towards its target.

    But just as it was about to reach for his arm, something bizarre happened to her

    And the next thing she knew, her legs suddenly gave way, causing a hrious scene to unfold before everyone''s eyes.

    ~Crack.

    Bam. Roll. Roll.~~

    Everyone''s eyes popped out while watching the woman in an overlyrge grizzly bear coat suddenly tumble and roll severally on the seemingly even floor.

    "_"

    Everyone looked at her and suddenly felt speechless.

    That is, her entire fall looked very fake and too pretentious.

    Lying trough. There are no stones or anything that would make her fall in this manner. So wasn''t her reaction a tad bit too much?

    Many people looked at the scene with distorted faces.

    But soon, the shameless woman''s cries made them understand what probably happened.

    "Ahhhh!... My leg! My leg! I''ve broken a bone!" The woman began screaming hysterically before suddenly turning towards Dorian coldly: "You! You! You did this, didn''t you? It''s your fault! It''s all your fault!"

    .

    Like a wild animal, thedy bared her fangs towards Dorian, and everyone else just looked at her disapprovingly.

    Everything happened right before their eyes.

    So even if they didn''t like the pauper, they still weren''t that blind to side with shameless people like this woman.

    Tsk!

    Several of those in high society looked at her and snickered.

    Heh. As expected of someone who wasn''t bred in a wealthy family.

    It wasn''t too long that the shameless woman and her family had entered high society.

    So what else could they expect from someone from the low-ss world?

    That is, she probably didn''t know how to walk well in heels and tumbled while moving towards Dorian.

    But now, she was even ming her nephew for her fall instead?

    Preposterous!

    Everyone secretly decided not to get too close to the newly arrived Kwo family, who were now overseeing the Tian group.<sub> </sub>

    One day they might get roped into something embarrassing. So who can bear with that?

    Moreover, something else had caused them tough as well.

    The position in which she hadnded was where her elbows her on the ground, and her butt was facing upwards.

    And at this moment, her oversized coat had been lifted towards her head, exposing her white and blue striped outfit underneath.

    Everyone stared at the scene, only to realize that thedy''s entire butt region was soiled deeply.

    So didn''t this mean that she had wet herself as though she were a toddler?

    .

    "~Pfff! Hahhahahahaha~~".

    "Oh my. How unbing. Hahahahaha!"

    "Do you think that the reason why we wore that overlyrge outfit was just so that she could continue wetting herself so much?"

    "No wonder I could perceive the faint smell of urine in the air earlier on. Now it makes so much sense."

    "Bahahhahahahah!~~."

    Wei Kwo''s face quickly turned purple from sheer embarrassment.

    And his stupid wife who was fully submerged in rage was still yelling at Dorian like a shrew instead.

    "Oh will you shut up for me?! Haven''t you embarrassed me enough already?!"

    "I..."

    "Shut up! You 4 take madam home now!"

    "Yes, boss." The Tian guards responded, although very disdainful towards their boss''s wife.

    That is, if they had such a shrew for a wife, they would''ve long divorced her by now.

    Ever since their boss took over, they had seen the woman slowly reveal her true colors, constantly embarrassing their boss at every turn.

    So wasn''t it better for their boss to do away with an old hag like her?

    Luckily, their boss was now seeing several other women.

    And in particr, there was one that they all approved of. Yes! She would make a better choice as their boss''s new wife than this money-losing shrew.

    Thedy suddenly felt aggrieved.

    Earlier on, her legs suddenly wobbled as though they were controlled by something.

    And the next thing she knew, she rolled and ended t down in her face.

    So how was this her fault?

    She wanted to say something, but seeing how angered her husband was, she dared not.

    B**ch!

    Wei Kwo quickly took his eyes away from her and once again smiled pitifully, looking as though he was in so much pain: "Sorry, everyone. I''ve let you all see yet another family joke. My wife has a medical condition and would sometimes act like that. So if she caused any of you any trouble, then I apologize in advance for her sake."

    His words immediately sparked empathy from everyone else, as they now saw him as a man who was still willing to live with such an unbearable nature. Not to mention that her illness might cause her to pee frequently and embarrass him in public.

    Even with all this, he still chooses to stay with her. So wasn''t that amiable?

    No doubt about it, the man was struggling to hold things together. So how can they dare to and him for his wife''s nature?

    Sigh...

    .

    Many looked at the father and his children without in their hearts.

    But soon enough, the atmosphere was broken by Dorian''s following words: "Are you done? If so, how boring."

    With that, he just continued moving on, followed by the Ghus and the Gias, leaving everyone speechless.

    The long drama just ended like this?

    (I_I)

    Everyone couldn''t help giving Dorian another deep nce, wondering what gave him the power to feel almighty.

    But at the moment, Dorian was focusing on another matter altogether.

    Strange...

    There was something bizarre in the air.

 Chapter 120 Into The Auction House We Go

    Stange... Very strange.

    Dorian squinted his eyes thoughtfully.

    ''System. When you said that this world was too rotten, you didn''t tell me that everywhere I turn, I would be faced with so many enemies at every turn.''

    [This... Host...]

    The system felt aggrieved. Only after sensing its host''s mood did it secretly let out a long sigh from relief.

    Why was it that every time it dealt with its host, it always felt a million older than it was?

    (:T^T:)

    Amidst the system''s aggrieved feelings, Dorian continued observing the scenario as he pleased.

    And the Gias and the Ghus who walked alongside him seemed like they were part of his bodyguards instead.

    The scene aroused rm to many who were watching diligently.

    So when next they saw Young Master Dorian, should they tter him to get into the good books of the Ghus and the Gias?

    Xiao Feng''s heart suddenly fell into her chest after seeing the disgust in Ghu Sota''s eyes.

    It''s over. It''s all over!

    That bastard must''ve probably spoken ill of her in front of Ghu Sota for him to have such a change of heart so fast.

    Then, then what happens to the 5 million he promised to credit her for her shopping?

    Ji Su felt a sharp pain in his chest and hastily looked at the woman leaning close to him in shock and a bit of fright.

    Her former weak and shy appearance was reced with a vicious one instead.

    "Xiaoxiao...?"

    "Ah... Yes..."

    Very quickly, her expression returned to what It typically was, and her nails no longer dug into his chest anymore.

    The moment she looked at him with those pitiful eyes, he quickly forgot what he just saw, thinking that it should''ve been him hallucinating or something.

    That is, how could his perfect Xiaoxiao show such a hideous expression?

    Xiao Feng bit her lips as though trying to hold her tears: "Jiji... I''m worried about you. What if they trouble youter on because of me? I... I... I know that all this is because of me. They all probably feel a little ufortable seeing me so close to you. So in the end, it''s all my fault."

    "Hush... Xiaoxiao, how can you say that? I already told you to leave everything to see. So don''t worry. I''ll take care of them for you."

    On hearing this, Xiao Feng sneered deadly.

    ? How could she leave the matter to this weak-hearted Ji Su?

    No way! She wanted someone to kill her ex-boyfriend and not just beat him up or do some childish pranks at him.

    Just look at how he turned Sota against her?

    There was no way that she could continue mingling across high-society the way she did with that loose-mouth cannon around.

    She would have to find a clever way to dispose of him.

    After all, the bastard still lived in such a secure and wealthy neighborhood. And from the looks of things, he was marily favored by the Ghus and Gias.

    So if she had to do anything, she had to make sure that it didn''te back to her.

    And at this moment, another devious plot came to her mind, making her ns easier than they already should.<sub> </sub>

    Good.

    She had a lot of toys (men) who were hard-hearted enough and could do the job at the snap of her fingers.

    And Ji Su, who didn''t know what his kind-hearted goddess was thinking, only stared at her warmly: "Don''t worry, Xiaoxiao. I''ll take care of things from now on."

    "Okay. I believe in Jiji."

    With that, their entourage quickly made their way onto the auction home majestically.

    Now, the drama was over, and everyone thoughtfully went in as well.

    And the Gias and the Ghus who were moving alongside each other only gave themselves the eye, as though confining that each side knew of Dorian''s Grandmaster capabilities.

    It was hrious because the Gias, who were supposed to be a military family that knew everything, were utterly shocked after realizing that the Ghus seemed to be aware of the paranormal before them.

    So how ago did they know? A year? A few years back or less?

    Likewise, the Ghus were also surprised about the Gia family''s acknowledgment of Dorian''s skills.

    But apart from being momentarily shocked, they didn''t think it was strange.m since the Gia mostly overlooked military power and national defense.

    So to them, it was expected that the Gias should know about this matter for years now.

    Both sides were giving each other the eye as though saying that they would talk about this matter after the auction.

    As for Butler Sheng, Zhulyn and Raulin, they were also on edge at this moment because just a few seconds ago, they stood face to face with their former colleagues.

    Heh.

    They were talking about the guards apanying Wei Kwo and his family.

    Traitors! They were all a bunch of traitors!

    Raulin quickly steadied his breathing while trying to control his urge to turn around and attack a few that were now apanying Wei Kwo into the building.

    In particr, he recognized one of his former superiors amongst them.

    That guy had often looked down on him and given him a hard time.

    And if it were before, Raulin would be very intimidated by his burly physique and strength.

    But now, after fighting so many unspeakable beings that were far horrifying and stronger than them, he suddenly felt that his former self was ridiculous for being so frightened by that guy.

    Tch.

    If not for the intervention of the Gias and Ghus, he would''ve beaten that guy to a pulp by now.

    Hmph!

    (*^*)

    .

    Like so, time passed swiftly with all invitees arriving at the event one after the other.

    Dorian sat in his own V.I.P ss booth, courtesy of the Ghus.

    And in this month, not only was the audience stunned but Wei Kwo and his children were also taken aback as well.

    Recalling the embarrassment they experienced tonight, they gripped their seats with cruelty

    Dorian had to go!

 Chapter 121 The Academy Is Online!

    Just like that, the auction began in full swing, with countless pieces ofnd getting introduced and sold off to the victors.

    "300 thousand Vyns!"

    "500 thousand Vyns!"

    "1 million Vyns!"

    "6 million Vyns!"

    "10 Million Vyns!"

    (*^*)

    Tense.

    The atmosphere quickly changed to that of a battlefield with countless families going neck to neck to get what they wanted.

    They raised their swords and struck with all their might, creating a deadly intertwined tense arena within the scene.

    Yes! Their words were their swords. And with one fierce word, they quickly stabbed their opponents and proved their worth as the victors.

    Trembling. Trembling. Trembling~

    Their bodies trembled from the tense air in the room. And for many, this tension made them hot-blooded and passionate instead.

    It was the kind of tension and excitement simr to watching and bidding on horse rallies or shows.

    Maybe it was the bidding, winning, or the fact that the odds were stacked against them; men of their caliber always felt thrilled and young again after participating in such events.

    Some only wanted to show off to their lovers beside them, while others were genuinelypeting to get thend for business instead.

    It could be seen that no matter their purpose, they did get a sense of delight from it all.

    But of course, others got a sense of pleasure only when they pissed their enemies off instead.

    Ji Su stared evilly at Dorian seated within one of the suspended ss booths.

    His eyes converged at the center, as he stated so fiercely as though he was a werewolf looking at its prey.

    .

    Hm?

    Chen Su, who had already gotten a rundown of what happened outside, stealthily turned to his son thoughtfully: "I don''t care what enmity you have with him. But since the Gias and the Ghus are on his side, then even if you want to take revenge, you have to do it smartly."

    As he spoke, his aura quickly burst out dangerously: "I won''t repeat myself. You are the future Heir and can''t afford to make any stupid mistakes. So if you don''t know when to move and when to withdraw, then don''t me me for revoking your heir status!"

    Ji Su''s eyes dted swiftly: "I know, father. I won''t do anything that puts the Su family in jeopardy."

    "Hmmm... It''s good that you know."

    With that, Chen Su withdrew his attention from his son, looked at Xiao Feng deeply before finally focusing on the auction event.

    And within these flickering seconds, Xiao Feng almost copsed from fear the moment her eyes locked with his.

    She might y with Ji Su as much as she liked, but she was truly terrified of his father.

    The man didn''t smile, not even once. And no matter what she did to win his father, his expression remained the same, as though she was any other girl around his son.

    For sure, if she ever wanted to marry into the Su family, then he would be her biggest nemeses of all.

    From a singlence, she could see that the man detested her background and didn''t take her seriously.

    To him, Ji Su might just be using her as a bed warmer and nothing more.

    That is, how many men here didn''t have mistresses stationed around the country in different locations?

    Some people kept their mistresses in different cities or towns and even viges too.<sub> </sub>

    So yes. Chen Ji didn''t take his son''s little love affair seriously.

    In the end, he had a million and one ways to ensure that she stayed away from his son.

    That said, why should he put her in his eyes?

    .

    Ji Su who didn''t know Xiao Feng''s worries, was now only focused on dealing with Dorian in a manner that didn''t involve him or made the Ghus and the Gias get angered.

    Yes. The Sus were also part of the big 6. But 2 ganging up against one was a real issue.

    Nheless, even if that happened, they would still never get bankrupt.

    ? All it could do was cause them to close down a few out of their many businesses across the country.

    They also had a variety of international businesses too. So the damage wouldn''t be too unbearable financially.

    No. The worry here was that this could strain the rtionship between the Ghus, Gias and Sus.

    And sometimes, it was just a single act like this one that could cause tension and wars between all families in the future.

    Rtions and connections were important. And the Gias and Ghus were also pirs in their individual industries.

    So why strain the already peaceful rtionship because of a woman?

    Ji Su knew that if he dared to do so, his father would quickly take his Heir status back and give it to someone else.

    But then again, his father''s words also hinted at another interesting aspect.

    Hehehehehe.

    His Father''s words were simple.

    Yes! He could take revenge or release his anger. But the important thing was that he should never get caught.

    In that case, why not let someone else handle matters for him?

    Ji Su smiled, suddenly stood up, left the booth before returning a few minutester.

    Excellent.

    Now, things should really get interesting.

    .

    "Going once�� going twice�� Sold! To the Pompei Family!" The auction host called out while trying towards the family he had just mentioned.

    With that, the following image came up on the massive projected screen, and everyone quickly saw the stunning sight of the Land being auctioned out.

    Wait! This time, it was an ind?

    Woosh!

    Dorian tilted his head deeply, finally showing interest for the first time since he got here.

    Eh? Was the grandmaster interested in this piece ofnd?

    Though his movements were subtle, the Ghus and Gias, who kept their eyes on him, immediately concluded that it must be so.

    But it wasn''t just them, as the system also noticed the change in its host''s energy as well.

    [Host. This is the Academy''s Grounds?]

    ''Hmmm... It''s the one.''

 Chapter 122 The Annoyed Grandmaster

    Everyone who had been paying attention could feel Dorian''s subtle interest in the massive ind.

    But from the beginning of the bid, Dorian still stayed silent, as though it hadn''t even entered his eyes at all.

    So could they be wrong?

    "200 thousand Vyns!"

    "250 thousand!"

    "300"

    "310!"

    "400!"

    "1 million!"

    Like so, the bid rose bit by bit, with Dorian still maintaining his silence.

    Of course within the gathering of people below the suspended ss booths, one of the middle-ss wealthy young masters also took note of Dorian.

    F***!

    How dare this bastard make his goddess cry?

    Earlier on, Tsih Kon went out to relieve himself, only to hear Ji Su''s burst of rage on the phone.

    To him, Ji Su probably thought he was the only one around, causing him to relive his emotions.

    But what Tsih Kon didn''t know was that the moment he stood up, Ji Su also decided to use him as a gunman instead.

    And for Tsih Kon, who was also chasing Xiao Feng, how could he not be blinded with rage for Dorian?

    He sneered while looking at the pauper above.

    The only way the pauper could be in that booth was probably because of hisa-resting parents.

    Heh. But what''s the use of all this pretense?

    Did he still think himself a wealthy young master after falling from grace?

    Naive!

    Tsih Kon didn''t know about the Gias and the Ghus supporting Dorian. So to him, he only saw Dorian as a clown trying to jump into high society.

    Since he was desperate to prove himself, then as a good citizen, shouldn''t he, Tsih Kon, help him achieve his goals?

    With that, Tsih Kon smiled cruelly, waiting for the opportune moment to strike!

    .

    Dorian still maintained his silence, only confusing those paying attention to him.

    [Host... Didn''t you say that this was the one?]

    ''Hmmm.''

    [Then, then, then why don''t you say anything?] The system looked at his host as though it was the mostplicated mortal in all the realms.

    Why? Why can''t its host ever be normal?

    Dorian tilted his head as though bored: ''Oh? You expect me to get into this market fight?''

    [This... Wait. Host. To you, this is what it is?]

    The system nced at the rowdy bidding scene and suddenly felt speechless.

    If those below knew how its host saw them, then how would they feel?

    Now that the system thought about it, picturing its host bidding fiercely was something it couldn''t see.

    Its host only stared at the scene as though bored, but it now understood what the host was waiting for.

    The host didn''t bother bidding over the hand with the lesser...A.K.A, those who couldn''t even continue to bid after it went up a few millions.

    Yes. Its host was waiting to bid against the victor!

    And the Gias and Ghus also seemed to realize this fact as well.

    What a joke!

    They too couldn''t picture the Grandmaster fighting neck to neck with so many people.

    Soon enough, the victor had already been selected.

    .

    "33 Million Vyns people. The gentleman has raised it for 33 Million!"

    The victor smiled proudly while listening to the host.

    But just when everyone thought he would get it, anotherpetitor emerged into the scene.

    "33 million going once!... Going twice..."

    "35 million."<sub> </sub>

    "Ah!" The auction host eximed in shock after seeing Dorian''s booth glow red.

    That''s right.

    Those below would hold up boards to indicate their interest in bidding.

    But for those in the booths, please, all they had to do was click a button, and the host would know exactly who was doing the bidding.

    The host and everyone else were shocked because it wasing from Dorian''s booth.

    And for a split second, a strange silence quickly covered the scene, as everyone''s eyes flickered with different thoughts, mainly that of disdain and disgust.

    Wasn''t his actions for attention very desperate now?

    How disgusting!

    Dorianzily clicked the button attached to his seat while lowering his head towards the built-in microphonezily.

    "35 million vyns.

    The host took out his handkerchief, wiped his sweat and immediately took action after receiving the go-ahead from those behind the scene.

    Typically, they had ways of treating troublemakers. He initially thought Dorian was a troublemaker. But now, it seems that there was more to the situation than meets the eye.

    If he had done what he just wanted to do right now, then wouldn''t the big guy behind the scene finish him off instead?

    .

    Wiping his sweat away, he quickly forced a broad smile while gesturing towards Dorian''s booth.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen! We have 35 Million Vyns from the Young Tian master."

    Oh?

    Many people sneered after seeing the host''s smile.

    Heh. The host probably chose to ept the guy''s bid in order to settle him with debt, right?

    At that point, if Dorian couldn''t pay the money, wouldn''t he be charged and held to his neck for the money instead?

    ssic!

    It was a brutal yet ssic way of making this pauper realize reality.

    So seeing this opportunity, how could Tsih Kon let it slip away?

    "35 million and 100 Vyns!"

    "40."

    "40... 550!"

    "50."

    "50 and 550!" Tsih Kon voiced passionately while also ring at Dorian provocatively.

    Dare to go against his goddess?

    Then you better be ready to take him on!

    Ji Su saw the interaction between the duo and chuckled merrily.

    Look! He didn''t even need to do things himself for the bastard to feel humiliation.

    Hmph!

    Dare to grab a woman with him?

    Deserve it!

    (*^*)

    .

    Everyone watched as Young Master Kon continually teased the pauper.

    And indeed, even though Dorian still lookedzy, only those in his booth, or those who had understood him, knew he was angered.

    No. Angered was too much of a word to use now.

    It was more urate to say that he was annoyed instead.

    But before he could do anything, Ghu Sota had already punched his button like crazy: "52 Million! Anyone else who dares to bid after me will be going against my Ghu family!"

    Ghu Sota looked around fiercely as though trying to find someone who would dare to go against him.

    And just when he was about to put his heart to rest, another voice echoed across the scene again.

    "55 million."

    "_"

    Ghu Sota had no tears but truly wanted to cry.

    Grandmaster... Can''t you give me some face?

 Chapter 123 Here Of All Places?

    (:��^��:)

    Ghu Sota felt hurt.

    He said all that for the Grandmaster. But how did it seem as though the Grandmaster didn''t care about his feelings at all?

    The poor boy felt so aggrieved as though he were a child who had been discarded by their loved ones.

    Of course, the Ghu and the Gias could easily guess that he was doing it for Dorian.

    But those below had no clue and only looked at Dorian as though he were already a dead man.

    Indeed. The rumours were true.

    The young Ghu master hated the Tian boy to death.

    From the rumours, they thought the Tain boy didn''t care about the Ghu boy''s blind hatred for him. But now, seeing the Tian boy go head to head against the Ghu boy after everything Ghu Sota said only showed that the duo were like fire and water, hating each other to the extreme.

    Thinking in this manner, many didn''t sympathize with the pauper at all.

    And Tsi Kin who saw this, also decided to stop bidding too.

    Hey. Ghu Sota had already called the shots. So he wouldn''t be foolish enough to drag his family against a powerful force like the Ghus.

    He wasn''t so stupid as the fool in the booth.

    Everyone shook their heads subconsciously.

    That is, who asked him to fight one of the giants in the city? If they wanted, they could make sure he disagreed without a trace by the end of the night. So what gives him the impetus to act so bold?

    Tsk! Deserve it!

    .

    The other big 6, like the Bhos and the Hous, looked at the scene in confusion and contempt.

    Jung Hou was very disappointed with Dorian''s actions. He had a lot of respect for Dorian''s father and only felt that such a son was unworthy of such an outstanding father.

    "Too short-sighted. The boy didn''t inherit any good qualities from his parents."

    "Hmmm." Old Hou agreed while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Desperation can make or break a man. In the boy''s case, it not only broke him but crushed his entire reasoning as well."

    Chen Hou looked at the scene weirdly: "Father, brother, uncles... Why do I feel as though things aren''t as simple as they look?"

    "Chen... What do you mean?"

    "Father... Look at the Ghus. None of them seem to be annoyed or angered. It could be that they didn''t take the Tian boy seriously, acting as though he were a spec of dust and not worth their time. But if that''s the case, why does the Ghu boy keep looking at him in an aggrieved way? It''s okay for the Tian group to observe the Tian boy. But for others to do so makes me curious as well. From the beginning of the event till now, have you all not noticed that the Ghus and even the Gias seem to be paying too much attention to the boy? Even The Sus seem to be doing the same."

    Everyone listened to Chen Hou thoughtfully.

    Now that Chen Hou pointed some things out, they observed the scene more and found it weird.

    Ghu Sota''s expression didn''t seem fake. So could it be that the rumours about the duo were wrong? Why did it look as though he highly respected the Tian boy instead?

    Jung Hou was slightly taken aback as well. Could it be that he had judged the Tain boy wrongly?

    Of course, whatever their thoughts were, it could all be wrong. So they would still stay away from this Tian boy, lest their original thoughts about his short-sightedness turned out to be true.

    .<sub> </sub>

    Within the room, everyone had their thoughts on the matter.

    But what did that have to do with Dorian?

    Most suddenly found his leg sweating after staring at Dorian''s booth in a daze. It was as though something would kill him if he dragged this for long.

    "55 million going once! Going twice! Sold! Sold! Sold to Young master Tian."

    Phew.

    He didn''t even give anyone the chance to speak or bid on this piece ofnd again.

    And Dorian who finally emerged victoriously, casually leaned back into his seat as though it had nothing to do with him.

    But the system, on the other hand, was suddenly proud and gleeful for their sess.

    [Hahahahaha! Host! Host! You did it! You finally purchased the Academy using your OWN money earned! I knew it! I knew you could do it, host.]

    (^0^)

    You know, when that annoying guy started bidding against its host, the system honestly felt that its host would rather give up the bid than continue bantering back and forth with the guy.

    At that moment, the system was more panicked about failing its master above.

    After all, its host had a low tolerance for things like this. So it didn''t know what else the host would''ve done.

    In truth, Dorian would''ve passed the matter to Butler Sheng or someone else than continue bantering with such a noisy person.

    Luckily, Ghu Sota stepped in to save the day. Now, they could finally set up the Academy and begin recruiting exorcists!

    This was the real beginning of his Ultimate mission!

    .

    Dorian sat back in silence, observing the scene below.

    In particr, he was looking at a certain guard yfully.

    The guard wore a blue hat, blue shirt, ck pants and stood along the sides, with the rest of the guards.

    He looked like any other regr person just doing his everyday job.

    But to Dorian, if he could show everyone what he saw... Then some would most likely faint from it alone.

    [Sheng! Raulin! Zhulyn!... It looks like we havepany.]

    What? Here of all ces?!

    Everyone''s eyes dted dangerously.

    And while they were hearing up with vignce, Dorian quickly scanned the entire scene with his head in a fixed position but his eyes moving madly.

    Until finally, his expression went from nothingness to grim.

    This was bad.

    If its shadow isn''t here? Then where is it?

 Chapter 124 Chaos In The Auction Home

    Instantly, everyone''s body tensed in high alert the more they stared at their Grandmaster.

    But Dorian, on the other hand, was focused on finding that thing.

    Where? Where was its shadow?

    "Grandmaster. What do you need us to do?"

    "Follow."

    With that, the gang all stood calmly, leaving the booth, making many confused.

    Of course, Dorian''s actions looked as though he was only bored, thinking of taking a breather.

    No one knew the impending dangers around them or even the fact that something otherworldly was standing right beside them as a mere guard.

    Many looked at Dorian''s leaving silhouette through the ss booth with a sneer on their faces.

    "Hmph! I say the bastard is trying to flee."

    "~Pfff!... I know, right? Maybe he can''t pay the money and has decided to run before it''s toote. Hey! I heard that the Auction Home''s way of handling people like this is too brutal. So it''s understandable that he would try to run."

    "That''s for sure. But how can he escape their grasps? There''s no way that he can flee the scene."

    "Yeah. And have you forgotten that he just made the entire Ghu family his enemy? He''s dead! The boy is definitely a walking corpse!"

    "Tch! Serves him right for trying to enter our society. That is, how can a pauper still jump around like a clown?"

    Hmph!

    .

    Many stared at the scene in disdain, already lecturing how Dorian''s future would be like.

    That is if he were truly heading out for just a breather, or even heading for the bathrooms, then why take all his guards with him?

    The bathrooms for those in those ss booths were different from theirs. Those were private, exclusive, with guards stationed everywhere. The bathrooms for these super V.I.P''s were just too spectacr and had a different path one would take to get to them.

    So one doesn''t need to take all their guards when going out. But yet, Dorian had done so.

    Then again, the pauper only had 3 guards with him, which in a sense was also the number of guards they typically took when going out for breakers too.

    Make no mistake. They were all wealthy and had enemies out to kill them: blood-rted and work-rted.

    What if someone puts their names on the Kill List, paying assassins to take them out?

    It could be that little bathroom trip that ended up being theirst. And that''s why security was a must.

    Even Tsih Kon who was the 2nd in line to being the heir in his family had taken at least 5 of his family guards to use the bathroom.

    So if one looked at it from a different angle, it seemed reasonable for Dorian to take all his guards... Especially after pissing off the entire Ghu household.

    Maybe they would protect him from getting him beaten up badly.

    .

    The reason why everyone was more inclined to believe that he was fleeing was because of his current status, as well as the fact that his booth now looked empty with not a single soul inside. So it just highlighted matters even more.

    But to the Ghus and Gias, the moment they saw Dorian and his team step out, half of those in their booths also stepped out.

    And this move alone made everyone watching this open their eyes in shock.<sub> </sub>

    F***!

    They wouldn''t really be thinking about beating the arrogant Dorian ck and blue, right?

    This... This... This...

    Lying trough! What sort of mafia settings was this?

    Chen Hou stared at the scene deeply: "I''ll go out to take a look."

    "Then count this old man in." Old Hou added.

    "I''ll be going with you all as well. You 4,e with us. Father, mother, sister-inws... The rest of you stay put and wait for our return." Jung Hou said while joining his grandfather and brother out.

    The Gias have been too suspicious today.

    What were they hiding? What was their big secret? Could it have something to do with the Tian boy?

    Everyone''s heart summed chaotically.

    And like so, Old Hou, Chen, Jung Gou and 4 of their most trusted guards followed behind them diligently.

    But do you think they were the only ones like this? No way!

    The Bhos, the Tians and the Sus did the same as well, but their case was different in that they only sent their guards to check things out.

    Again, knowing how strict the Gias were, they didn''t want to poke their heads into something that woulde back to bite them in the butt.

    The Ghus and the Hous were closer to the Giaspared to the Bhos, Sus and the new Tians.

    So they dared not do anything that would put a strain on their existing rtionship.

    Being too nosy could one day turn them into an enemy.

    So they could only send their kids out to inquire or pass by the scene and find out what exactly was going on.

    Of course, if the Gias turned them back, then they would only have to find out things on ater date.

    Knowing when to advance and retreat was what saved their families for so long.

    And that''s why they stayed still amidst the underlying chaos that was quickly sipping into their bones.

    Are they curious? 100% curious! Some of them were so curious that they had long started tapping their feet while analyzing and doing all sorts of calctions in their minds.

    The Bhos didn''t know that the Ghus and the Gias were friendly with Dorian. So they could only imagine Dorian''s ending.

    Of course, it could also only be a coincidence that the Gias and Ghus went out simultaneously.

    But really, that probability was low. So they could assume that the real reason was Dorian. But judging from the fact that everyone had seen this scene, the Bhos knew that nothing would happen to Dorian.

    If one wanted to take out an enemy, one would do so in silence and in the most un-incriminating way ever.

    The Gias were a respectable military force. So how would it look like if they were to kill a civilian? No... Maybe the Gias were going out to stop the Ghus from putting their rage on Dorian.

    But then again, would the Ghus be so stupid to make such a move out in the open?

    Ahhhhhhhhhhh~~

    What sort of confusing script was this?

 Chapter 125 The Protagonists Meet

    Several people were perplexed about the situation, to say the least.

    Who knows... Maybe the trio went out for an exchange, or maybe there was something Dorian''s parents had that no one was aware of?

    The Bhos sighed and discussed as a group,ing up with various spections.

    But the Sus and the Tians, who just knew about the friendship between the Ghus, Gias and Dorian, had different thoughts altogether.

    But no matter what, they dared not overstep their boundaries... Especially Wei Kwo.

    His eyes turned red with worry and rage.

    Why?

    What was that little imp up to? Was the brat secretly building to forces to one day pry the Tian group from his hands?

    Never! He would never let that happen.

    If the brat wants it, he would have to take it over his dead body!

    .

    Like so, the whole ce bubbled with all sorts of emotions. But no matter what, the show must go on, and the auctions continue as usual.

    And everyone had to curb their curiosity for ater date.

    But the protagonists of the show that all stepped out, suddenly met each other along the exclusive private V.I.P hallway.

    Eh?

    Dorian, who hadn''t even taken more than 10 steps after leaving the booth, was quickly taken aback after seeing several people step out of their booths as well.

    (-_-)

    It''s not that he minded them following him, but weren''t they all-powerful figures on their own? Why did they feel the need to somehow act as his bodyguards? What if he just wanted to use the bathroom? Or maybe they thought he wanted to leave. So they felt the need to escort him out as a sign of gratitude?

    Well, either way, he didn''t care whether they followed him or not.

    After all, he had to build his poprity and make the entire world aware of the dangers toe... Especially the BIG ONE.

    So the more poprity he got, the better for his mission.

    Additionally, the Academy would soon be ready to take its first batch of students. So wouldn''t people be the best candidates for the job?

    "Grandmaster! Grandmaster! How can you be so cruel to leave me behind?"

    "_"

    .

    Ghu Dwo''s lips twitched the more he looked at his only son.

    He quickly grabbed Sota by the cor and bowed to Dorian in apology: "Sorry, Grandmaster. This unfilial son of mine is troubling you again."

    Dorian chuckled and waved his hands casually: "It''s okay. I quite like his spirit."

    Really?

    Ghu Sota quickly broke out in glee while trying to break free from his father''s grasps: "Hahahahahaha! You hear that, father? He said he liked my spirit!"

    Ghu Sota smiled so hard that his cheeks started turning red from delight.

    (^0^)

    I wipe! Even the Grandmaster has recognized his greatness. So no one could ever stop his shine anymore.

    Excuse me. You say you''re the most handsome man in the world? Well, too bad! He was the first future disciple the Grandmaster had praised.

    You day that you can get more girls than him?~ Pfff! So what? He was the first freaking future disciple of the Grandmaster!!! Beat that!

    The Gias looked at the reaction between Ghu Sota and Dorian and were shocked. At the same time, they also felt a little envious as well.

    Not fair. Why was the Ghu brat the only one to enjoy such closeness with the Grandmaster?

    .<sub> </sub>

    Ghu Dwo looked at his son and was both pleased and annoyed with him.

    Sigh...Forget it.

    It was Sota''s blessing to get close to the Grandmaster.

    Now, Chen Hou, Jung Hou, Old Hou and even their guards had long opened their eyes in shock after seeing how the Hous apologized to Dorian.

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?

    F***!

    What sort of situation was this?

    Their eyes popped out so animatedly that any more, and it might''ve actually fallen off its sockets.

    "This... This..., I''m not dreaming, right?"

    Chen Hou swallowed hard in disbelief: "Did we just see what I think we saw?"

    The Hou gang nodded their heads slowly, as though they were mind-controlled.

    The situation was far different from what they expected to see.

    The current Dorian whose parents were in Coma, has no way of getting power, especially when his uncle had taken over the Tian group. So how could hemand such respect from these giants?

    Again, why did the Gias look envious of Ghu Sota for settings close to the Tian boy?

    (��?��)

    .

    Dorian raised his left below at the strange but not so unfamiliar faces that emerged behind the Gias and the Ghus.

    The former Dorian had also seen them once or twice but never truly knew them. After all, his personality was that of a loner. So even the Hous didn''t know him as well.

    The Gias and Ghus saw where he was looking and suddenly gave way as though they were creating a path for him to walk.

    "And you are, Old Hou, right?"

    "Yes! Tian boy. Thest I saw you, you were 14 years old. And now, you''ve be a strong 17-year-old boy in the blink of an eye." Old Hou said, with a warm smile on his face. Of course, he was also very respectful as well.

    What a joke! He just saw his good friend, Old Gia, and everyone else give this boy respect. So how can he not follow along?

    "Tian boy. You might be too young to remember, but this is my first grandson Jung Hou and my other grandson Chen Hou."

    Dorian looked at them and let out a slight smile: "Pleasure."

    Humble. Neither overbearing nor arrogant. But yet, had a majestic aura itched into his body, as though he were born to rule a nation.

    The Hous looked at him and felt they had to reevaluate all they knew about the Tian boy.

    Every rumour they heard would have to get dropped because it would only make them underestimate the boy before him.

    It was strange that even though he was a boy, they subconsciously treated him like an ancestor.

    .

    Dorian looked past the Hous and frowned.

    He didn''t know these people behind the Hous and didn''t know if they would bring him trouble or not.

    As if sensing his thoughts, old Gia fiercely stared at the guards sent by the Bhos, the Sus and the Tians.

    "Leave!"

    With that, the guards went back into their booths. But, on the other side of the booth, they quickly ryed all they knew.

    For sure. The Tian boy wasn''t simple!

    And with their exit, Dorian went straight to business.

    "Let''s go!"

 Chapter 126 The Real Culprit

    "Let''s go!"

    With that, the gang began moving swiftly, with everyone''s heart finding non-stop the further they left the hallway.

    In particr, the Hous suddenly felt as though they were about to enter an action movie or something.

    What was on here? Was it a crime? Did something dastardly wicked happen close by? Was there a formidable criminal or syndicate on the loose that they weren''t aware of?

    The Hous felt that this should be the case and became very alert of their surroundings.

    And soon enough, after the Gias made a call, they arrived at the Auction home''s central security station.

    The Auction home was state property, only used to host major auctions and projects such as today''s.

    So it wasn''t surprising that the Gias had gotten them into the security stations after a single call.

    And at this moment, the Auction Home''s Chief Security leader hastily made his way towards the gang with a stern expression on his face.

    But no matter how serious he looked, there was also an astronomical level of awe in his eyes... Especially after seeing Old Marshall and those from the Gia home.

    F***! After seeing his idol up close, how could he not feel excited?

    (^0^)

    .

    His adrenaline gushed through his veins, making him feel more and more alive.

    The guard clenched his fist in determination, swearing to do a fantastic job and leave his idol with a good impression of himself.

    So the moment he stepped close to them, he wasted no time in joining the conversation and talking alongside them.

    "How fast is it?"

    "Sirs! As instructed, all parameters have been sealed and blocked." The chief security guard said before looking at the Gias in confusion: "Sirs!... Why don''t we begin a search for the intruders or criminals around?"

    Old Gia stared at Dorian briefly before turning his attention to the guard yet again: "You''ll know when the time is right. But for now, make sure that no one leaves or enters the premises."

    "Yes, sir!" The guard answered diligently.

    At the same time, he couldn''t help giving Dorian a second nce.

    Why did he feel that Old Gia acted as though he were Dorian''s bodyguard instead?

    No... He must be imagining things.

    That can''t be right.

    The guard quickly snapped out of his thoughts, gritted his teeth, took out his walkie-talkie and immediately contacted the teams he had just sent out.

    "All units stay alert! Make sure no one gets in or gets out... Or else that will be your head!!!"

    Now, Dorian and the rest had stopped within therge control station with countless monitors, all watching and focusing on the various regions across therge Auction home.

    .

    Ghu Dwo stared at the screen deeply: "Grandmaster, what we are looking for is within the auction arena, isn''t it."

    Dorian nodded while mastering his fingers around the many screens: "Hmm... It''s right there."

    "There? Quick! Zoom in on camera 64!"

    "Copy that, sir!"

    Immediately, one of the men did so.

    And soon enough, everyone was now staring at the same thing.

    Eh? So the culprit should be amongst the guards lining up there?

    But something was very strange with the way the Gias worded the matter.

    They said that ''what'' they were looking for was in there.<sub> </sub>

    And that alone made everyone think it might be a bomb or something.

    But now, they found out that it wasn''t a what, but a who?... Then why saw the ''what'' in the first ce?

    Then what did this mean?

    The Hous opened their eyes wide in shock and anxiety

    "Old Gia. Could it be that the entire Auction arena is lined up with explosives ced by the culprit, who also happened to be in there as well?"

    Chen Hou frowned profoundly: "Grandpa. That might be the case. But it just doesn''t make any sense. Why would the enemy ce explosives there but still decide to stay next to the explosives?"

    Think. Think. Think.

    Why would the culprits do that?... Unless... They were suicide bombers!!!

    Bubuum!

    Instantly, the Hous and the guards all felt their bodies turn cold from shock and fear alone... Especially the Hous.

    Their bodies trembled with haunted eyes that shed with inner anxiety.

    No! They still have other members of their families in the auction home.

    They had to save them! They also had to get everyone out! But if they acted brash, the suicide bombers might be alert and decide to blow everything up before anyone could even stand up.

    So now, their only choice was to take down the person without suspicion.

    Dammit! No wonder the Gias didn''t allow the guards to search just in case that suicide bomber had others nearby... ready to alert them their movements and blow the entire ce to the sky!

    Clever... Clever... Very clever.

    (-_-)

    .

    The Gias and the Ghus were suddenly speechless by the conjectures and crime-solving detective skills of the Hous and the others.

    What did these people think this was? That is, what movie did these people think was happening here?

    Well, to be truthful, it would indeed y out like a movie. Sadly... They had got the genre wrong.

    If it were before, they too would''ve also concluded matters like them. But after meeting Dorian, they knew that whenever his attention was being pulled, it could only be something otherworldly.

    One by one, they scrutinized the faces of those shown on monitor 64, with everyone trying to guess who the enemy was.

    "Grandmaster... Who is it?"

    "That one. But what about the others inside the auction arena?"

    Dorian nced at Ghu Dwo and smiled meaningfully: "He''s the only one inside."

    What? The only one?

    Zoommmm!!!

    The camera zoomed in even more.

    And now, everyone had a clearer picture of the culprit.

    It was just that for the Hous and the rest, the image that came up made it hard for them to believe it.

    No. This didn''t make any sense!

    How could it be him?

    Everyone stared at the screen in disbelief.

    No doubt about it. He must''ve made some mistake.

    Can it truly be the person on the screen?

 Chapter 127 The Real Culprit-2

    Time seemed frozen in ce as everyone continuously stared at the scene in a daze.

    Through the screen, they could see that he didn''t disy psychological traits of nervousness or even show any action of watching over his back to see if he was caught or not.

    The Hous were all doctors who also studied psychology.

    And for them, sometimes, dealing with patients with bad states of mind and noticing a few traits here and there was part of the job.

    So if someone were indeed wearing a bomb underneath their clothes or had even aced it somewhere else, shouldn''t they keep looking around once in a while or evenmunicate with their partners, if they had any?

    No sense of anxious shaking, no darting eyes, no pretentious gazes, no evil smirk, no look of disdain in his eyes... Nothing.

    It was as though he were a truly innocent person, making anyone doubt Dorian''s ims.

    Either this guy was too innocent, or he had mastered the art of being invisible and ordinary to a supreme level that they had never seen before.

    This... This...

    The Hous frowned: "Grandmaster, how sure are you?"

    .

    The question resounded out, with many looking at Dorianplicatedly.

    Their im of doubt was also reasonable because for one, if they made a fatal mistake and took down the wrong person, this would only give more time to the real criminal.

    And before you know it, their actions would alert the criminal, and by then, it would be toote.

    The entire Auction home would be blown away into smithereens.

    So yes! The Hous, who had their family seated in the booth, had every right to ask when in doubt... Especially when receiving no signs that this person was indeed the culprit.

    So how did he know? And how sure was he that he could stake so many people''s lives over his first guess or ''suggestion?''

    A momentary look of difort and disappointment crossed their faces.

    And deep down, the Hous and everyone else slowly felt their affection towards Dorian drop like a fly.

    ying with people''s lives with overly confident reckless choices was one thing they hated the most.

    Old Hou looked at his long-term friend while trying to contain his anger: "Old Gia. What do you think? Are we going to focus our entire attention on that one person now?... You of all people should know that it''s a reckless move! What if the bomb blows up and kills us all because of this?"

    Old Gia calmly looked at Old Hou sternly, saying absolutely nothing while also cing a finger to his lips.

    And this one just made old Hou want to blow up even more.

    Was this bastard telling him to keep quiet? Dammit!

    Old Hou raised again angrily: "Old Fool! I want to fight with you!"

    Ghu Sota, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly rolled his eyes heavenwards: "Grandpa Hou... Who said anything about a bomb?"

    "Ah!~~..."

    "_"

    ....

    Eh?

    The Hous and everyone else were so taken aback that they didn''t know how to react.

    Wait. Could it be that they got it all wrong?

    Blink. Blink.<sub> </sub>

    Indeed. The Gias, the Ghus and Dorian had never confirmed that they were dealing with suicide bombers.

    So could it be that they had worked up and created this live jam-packed action movie all on their own?

    Everyone suddenly felt embarrassed, smiling awkwardly from it all.

    ? Even the chief security guard wanted to smack himself in the face for getting led on by his thoughts.

    And to take care of his embarrassment, he decided to act as swiftly as he could.

    He hastily read the name tag on the guard and took out his walkie-talkie yet again: "Quick! I want all files on the guard named Bayang Wu fast!... Eh? What do you mean? We have a situation on our hands, and you''re telling me about that now? Listen up! Don''t let me repeat myself! Get the files now!"... Tut..."

    Dammit! The guard felt as though everyone was moving ten times slower today.

    He might not know what dangerous thing that person on the screen might be up to. But the more they knew about the person, the faster they could handle today''s matter.

    So efficiency, efficiency, efficiency!

    They had no time to dilly dally any more.

    It was just that after the guard had captured everyone''s attention with his swift action, Dorian suddenly turned around and smiled deeply.

    .

    "Tell me... Is this the only way in?"

    Hmm?

    The guard was momentarily taken aback but still answered speedily: "Yes, sir! That''s the only way in!"

    "Oh? Then what about the vents?"

    "Sir, there are 3 stationed there, there and there... But sir, why do you ask?"

    "Why?"Dorian suddenly chuckled while calmly closing the door. And right on cue, Butler Sheng and the rest also leaped towards the vents.

    Now everyone was on higher alert than before.

    Why?

    Now, that question seemed a little redundant.

    Instantly, the Hous and the guards thought that another support was amongst them. But for the Gias, the Ghus and Dorian''s men, they understood the truth of the matter.

    Old Gia looked at Old Hou bitterly: "Old friend... What would you do if you discovered a shocking secret about today''s society?... Sigh... Since it''se to this, let me give you some advice. After today, you might never be able to sleep peacefully again. So... You better brace yourself old man, and don''t get a heart attack! The same goes for you all!"

    Why would they get a heart attack?

    Old Hou, Chen Hou and Jung Hou stared at the scene with uncountable emotions running through their hearts.

    For Old Gia to give such a warning meant that whatever was toe was something unspeakable.

    So what sort of criminal could make even the Gias and the Ghus look so sullen?

    Even the Head security guard and the rest all stood up in fear, feeling as though they were being watched by someone''s prying eyes that lurked deep within the room.

    Maybe it was the impending fear or the tension from it all that made them look around in horror.

    But now, the somewhat dark and wide watch-room suddenly gave off the feeling of countless spiders crawling underneath their skin.

    And very vigntly, several guards hastily took out their weapons and zoomed their eyes around maniacally, looking for their target.

    Where? Where was the culprit hiding?

 Chapter 128 Clarity Amidst The Chaos

    Very slowly, the chief guard took out his weapon and slowly moved towards the civilians, A.K.A, the Hous, the Ghus and everyone else without a gun.

    Of course, the guards that came alongside the families also gathered them like precious gems too.

    But it was just that when dealing with such forces, they knew their weapons wouldn''t do the trick. So they could only wait for the Grandmaster to make his move while also looking around vigntly, lest something grab them from within the dark.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Within his millisecond, the Hous all felt a deep wave of pressure engulf them as their eyes began jumping around uncontrobly.

    Where? Where was he? Where was the hidden criminal in the room?

    This... This... This...

    ~Gulp.

    The Hous and the other guards swallowed hard as their throat, and even their jaw now seemed as tense and stiff as a rock.

    Bloody he! What the devil was going on here?

    .

    The gang of newbies were still worried that the hidden criminal would somehow shoot them with a sniper or something... But Dorian''s following words only made them shriek in uncertainty.

    "One person amongst you all is what I''m seeking."

    "...One person?" The head guard tensed up even more: "Are you saying that the criminal isn''t hiding in the shadows but is one of us?!"

    "Hmm... You can put it that way."

    Boom!

    An explosion went off in everyone''s mind, as they now looked at each other deeply, as though wanting to peel open each other''s brains and find whoever they''re looking for.

    Dammit!

    Sweat quickly poured off their faces as they now pointed their guns at each other nervously.

    Confusion. Turbulent waves of emotions and several chaotic thoughts shed through their brains.

    And soon enough, some people began to doubt others even more. But Dorian didn''t get them anymore to think of the matter as he slowly advanced with a calm smile on his face.

    At the same time, Old Gia''s words also resounded out too: "Everyone, drop your weapons now! If you''re truly innocent, then you''ll do as told. This will make things go faster! We are not using anyone but going through things in an orderly manner. Everyone, including myself, will be subjected to testing. So drop them now!!!"

    With that, the Gia men first dropped their weapons on the floor at the left corner of the massive collection of monitors, showing the or stance on the matter.

    .

    Old Gia knew that if they didn''t drop their weapons now, these fools might identally fear from dear and kill innocent people at will. So it was paramount that he called them down in any way possible.

    What they were looking for wasn''t something normal. But so what? Leaving them in the dark until everything got clear was the best choice for now.

    And sure enough, because of Old Gia''s status as a military personnel, as well as his words, insinuating that they weren''t using anyone but trying to find clues or find an aplice, made many calm down.

    Yes. Even if they weren''t investigated now, before the end of tonight, wouldn''t they still get interrogated, seeing that criminal activity was underway?

    All they were looking for were clues and ways to catch the culprit. So why would they who had clear consciences be so panicked?

    The men, especially the everyday guards who worked in the control room, quickly thought things through in this manner.

    Nheless, something still bugged them.

    Chen Hou frowned deeply: "Grandpa Gia. I agree with your thoughts. Thus, we should indeed start looking for clues to save everyone''s lives. Nheless, I think the Grandmaster''s words are indeed reasonable. For the culprit(s) to get this far means that they should have someone on the inside who can''t also watch everything for them. So it''s not strange to assume that the culprit should be one of us. At the same time, one of us in power could also be working with the criminal. And that''s why I''m worried. Because if the culprit is actually amongst us, then after we all drop out weapons, the criminal might take advantage of this to get rid of all in one swoop."

    "He''s right." Ghu Dwo said, understanding Old Gia''s thoughts on diverting the matter.

    Well, he might as well y along because he didn''t want his son or anyone in his family to get identally shot because of fear. No doubt about it, once Dorian began moving, these guards, who hadn''t received top-tier training like their men, wouldn''t be able to keep calm then.

    .

    People trained as assassins or military personnel weren''t the same as the guards in the control room.

    The level of skill and preparedness to face all sorts of dangers made them adjust faster, even when watching Ghu Sota''sst fiasco in the Ghu house.

    Ghu Dwo''s eyes flickered in understanding of Old Gia''s thoughts. And because of this, he became very cooperative.

    "Nephew Chen is right. The enemy might kill us all after cing our weapons away. And that''s why we should decide who will ce their weapons awayst!"

    -silence-

    ... A strange sense suddenly swallowed the room whole, as Ghu Dwo''s words continuously resounded in everyone''s ears.

    He was right! The enemy might kill them all with this one move. So it was only safe that they pick thest weapon dropper.

    And deep down, everyone already knew who that person would be.<sub> </sub>

    Swish!

    Instantly, everyone''s eyes turned to Old Gia in understanding.

    His reputation and the level of trust they had for this man were too high.

    Additionally, he had nothing to gain by working with such criminals, especially when his gaming was indeed a top military dog.

    So him being the one they were looking for was most unlikely.

    It was just that all their ns had long been calcted and directed by Old Gia. He knew they would choose him. And so, he took the first step in gaining their attention.

    Old Hou thinned his lips while staring at his friend: "Gia... I propose you be thest... No! As a matter of fact, I propose you be the only one to hold up a weapon. That way, even after we drop ours, if the enemy has other tricks up their sleeves, then you can take out the person then and there."

    "Hmmm."

    The tension in the room was high, as everyone nodded while still looking at one another from time to time.

    If an aplice was amongst them, then who?... Who could it be?

    ....

    Like so, the men began dropping their weapons and having them neatly within one of the garbage bins at the front. And to make matters safer, they also had to drop their coats or other overalls.

    Now, they could see everyone in their shirts and pants, seeing if they were hiding anything, anywhere.

    Now, the only person left with a weapon was Old Gia.

    2 minutes. It only took two minutes for everyone to act swiftly as though they had ants in their pants.

    And after receiving the ins of weapons and clothes, Old Gia finally turned towards Dorian calmly.

    "Grandmaster. Please... You may now proceed."

    "Hmm..."

    With that, Dorian slowly opened his eyes as though he were waking up.

    And now, seeing him calmly advance, everyone else became mighty curious and anxious at the same time.

    Old Hou looked at Dorian deeply: "Old friend... Why do you trust this kid so much without question?"

    Yes... Why does he?

    Everyone waited for Old Gia''s response, only to see him smile bitterly with a hint of helplessness in his expression: "You all should be wondering why I trust him so much. But have you also pondered on why the Ghus also trust him so much?"

    Swish!

    Now, everyone stared at the Ghus.

    Exin yourselves! Why do you care about such a brat so much?

    Ghu Slota suddenly grinned broadly: "Why? Because he''s my future master!"

    "_"

    .

    Future master?

    Blink. Blink.

    Now, they were even more confused than where they started off. What the hell was this Ghu boy talking about?

    Jung Hou stared at Dorian with a sharp glint in his eyes: "Grandpa Gia... It''s him, isn''t it... It''s because of him that she turned out well, am I right?!"

    Him?

    The other Hous were suddenly taken aback, thinking this was all some joke. But Old Gia''s following response not only shocked them but made them look at Dorian in an even more frightening light.

    "Hmmm... He''s the one."

    Boom!

    They stared at Dorian and now understood something.

    "Old Friend... Is this why you and the Ghus call him Grandmaster?... Is it because he''s a genius godly doctor?"

    This time, Wei Gia was the one to let out a slight chuckle: "Godly Doctor?... Well, you could say that. But no... That isn''t the reason why he''s called a Grandmaster. As for what you want to know, I suggest you brace yourselves for what''s about toe. Because from the looks of things, it looks like the Grandmaster has found his target... Everyone, get back!!!"

    Boom!!!

 Chapter 129 A Whole New World

    Swish!

    Everyone quickly got down and took cover while also keeping an eye on Dorian.

    Who? What? Where? What were they protecting themselves against?

    Confusion emitted deep in the eyes of the Hous and the guards.

    But before they could understand the situation, the person they were keeping a close eye on suddenly disappeared and reappeared before his target calmly.

    Eh?...

    <o>,m Swish!</o>

    Bam!

    The guard suddenly quickly flew backwards, directly hitting a side wall brutally.

    Too fast. Too fast.

    No one saw how it happened.

    The wall cracked, forming a web-like dent on it.

    But that wasn''t the most shocking thing of all.

    ~Zee-Zee! Zee-Zee~

    What??!!!

    The lights began to flicker wildly, and all the monitors started acting up, creating a very buzzing sound to the ears.

    ~Shaaaaaahhh!~

    Everyone''s heart skipped a beat... Especially that of the Hous and the guards.

    Hello? Could someone tell them what was going on here? And why the bloody hell did the room suddenly turn cold?

    ''I believe in science! I believe in science... I believe in science.''

    Many secretly chanted in their hearts but couldn''t stop their muscles from tensing up.

    However, before their belief in science had truly solidified, an unspeakable scene unfolded right before their very eyes, causing them to stammer in disbelief

    "M-monster... M-monster... "

    Their eyes opened wide in horror, watching the guard who had been knocked and mmed into the wall, now had his body dragged against that same wall, raising him higher and higher.

    It all happened unnaturally, with the body twitching and adjusting nonstop.

    Lying through. What sort of movie operation was this?

    (:w0w:)

    .

    ~Plop!

    A few of the guards fell to the ground while using their butts to retreat fearfully: "Monster!... Monster!... Don''t eat me! Don''t eat me!"

    Immediately, the air grew ten times heavier than it was, with no one even daring to get too close to the thing.

    Flick. Flick. Flick.~

    The sounds of the lights flicking only grew louder, making many high each other tearfully.

    What? Why did this have to happen to them? They were all skin and bones. So why would this thing choose toe at them instead?

    Of course, as much as they wanted to cry, their bodies had an instant recoil reaction, causing them to gasp as though wanting to throw up.

    So all this time, they had been working here with this thing amongst them?

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Old Hou''s face turned visibly pale at an rming rate.

    He, Chen Hou, Jung Hou and the other Hou guards opened their eyes wide in raw panic.

    Unnatural... Too unnatural... How were they supposed to go against this?

    Now he understood why Old Gia would tell them not to have any head attacks.<sub> </sub>

    They had been deceived!

    What happened to science? Can it exin this?

    They had seen the guard with their very one eyes and could swear that there were no wires on the boy.

    Moreover, did you see how fast his face changed?

    Even though it slightly resembled that of a human''s, the look was utterly terrifying that left all their hairs standing at attention.

    For the first time in a long while, the Hous all felt their scalps prickled.

    Their legs refused to move, and their bodies all trembled as though they were about to have a seizure.

    But just when they were about to wrap their heads around what the devil was going on here, the thing suddenly raised its head, licked its lips and stared at them evilly.

    .

    "Fools! How dare you all force me to the surface?"

    The thing''s voice sounded so ear-bursting and painful, making its gruesome presence even more highlighted.

    "You... You''re not Yenzi!" One of the guards said while pointing his shifting fingers at the thing.

    And immediately, his voice had caused the thing to smile even broader than before.

    At this moment, the wave of fear emitting from everyone was now too tempting. So how could it not be happy?

    The thing''s eyes turned red after taking in the sweet whiff of fear.

    And soon enough, it left the wall, levitating closer to the group of people at the other.

    Shiver. Shiver.

    Everyone took a few steps back to closer the thing was... Everyone except Dorian and his men.

    Old Hou held his now shaky cane with a haunted look in his eyes: "O-o-old Gia... He-he is going to be fine, right?"

    Old Gia thinned his lips and nodded slowly: "Yes..."

    Old Gia''s words lessen everyone''s worry a bit. And at the same time, they now understood why the boy would be called a Grandmaster.

    That is, just his previous operation was already enough for them to give him ample respect... Even if he failed in taking down this thing at the end.

    .

    Dorianzily stared at the approaching thing while calmly taking out a talisman from his pocket: "I don''t have much time. So if you want to die a less painful death, show me where the rest are."

    ~Flick! Flick! Flick!!!~

    The lights flickered hastily again until one of them suddenly blew up.

    As for why that happened, it wasn''t hard to guess after seeing the distorted and furious face of the thing.

    "Foolish mortal! You dare threaten me?"

    Owhh~

    Many gasped and held their heads over their faces. But Dorian still stared nkly at the thing, as though all its yelling was for not.

    "So...I take it you''ve chosen the hard way?"

    "You!--" The thing suddenly felt speechless and choked from its anger. More importantly, it also felt a little aggrieved too.

    It was a big daddy that was used to scaring the living daylights out of mortals in this world. So why was this one not even batting an eyelid after his numerous operations?

    "~Shw Wsh Wsh Wsh Wsh~."

    Very quickly, Dorian began chanting while drawing out a faint glowy Green mallet 3 times bigger than he was.

    And before the watchers or the Thing could get over their shock, Dorian suddenly disappeared yet again.

    Where? Where was he?

    The thing had felt the raw energy from the mallet and became panicked.

    But how could Dorian let it go just like that?

 Chapter 130 Not A Dream!

    ~Swish!

    Dorian appeared behind it while suspended mid-air: "Too Slow."

    Boom!

    The thing''s eerie cry instantly filled the room after the giant mallet squashed it to the ground as though smacking a fly.

    "Ahhhh~~."

    Everyone felt their stomach knot in difort the more they heard the thing''s cries.

    Scary. Scary.

    Many of them tried covering their ears to block the sound that would undoubtedly give them nightmares in the future.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    With no mercy, Doriannded his giant mallet onto the thing while chanting stronger than before.

    ~Shw Shw Shw Shw Shwa!~~

    The Thing that had emerged into the surface of the body, now seemed to flee deeper into the skin with every chant resounding from Dorian''s lips.

    Everyone fearfully surrounded the scene, looking at the guard''s body change from normal to abnormal, going back and forth in this manner.

    Jung Hou''s tongue rolled after watching the bizarre scene. He had a hunch that this might be what had happened to the Gia girl earlier.

    Wait. In that case, could it be that the girl he treated earlier wasn''t even human? What if it ate him or decided to take over his body instead?

    Shivers went down Jung Hou''s some the more he thought about things.

    Mommy... What was a human to do at such times?

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Dorianpletely hammered brutally onto the guard''s body, smacking the living daylight out of it at will.

    But what was most strange was that the mortal body had no bruises on it. But they could only see the horror of the thing, reflecting on the outer surface of the skin.

    "Look! Look! I saw a pair of blue hands on his forehead!... There! There! It''s now on his neck instead!" Ghu Sota''s eyes opened in disbelief while staring at the frightening scene of the thing trying to burst through the flesh and flee.

    And every time it would appear, it would form countless blue and ck veins on the surface of the guard''s face and entire body.

    The scene was so disturbing that Ghu Sota suddenly turned to the side and nearly threw up in disgust.

    The scene made him look at his father, Ghu Dwo,plicatedly: "Dad. I think this person might have also been possessed, just like I was, a few days ago. So tell me the truth. Did I look like this too?"

    Ghu Dwo recalled the scene and almost stepped back from his son in disgust.

    Compared to what he was seeing now, his son''s case was just too bad

    You have to know that even till this moment, he had a physiological shadow from what he saw that day.

    And if not that he loved Ghu Sota, he would''ve preferred to throw him in the garbage bin, far, far away from him.

    Ugh~

    "_"

    .

    Sota looked at his father and suddenly felt hurt. Why did he feel as though his father was still disgusted by him?

    Forget it! Even he would feel like puking after thinking of such an image... Especially after he had now seen how ugly it was.

    Who made him get possessed earlier?

    "~Ahhhhh~"

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Dorian stayed immune to the thing''s howling, only focusing on smacking it stupid.

    And when he had achieved the desired effect, he quickly flicked his wrist, shooting several golden coins on and around the guard''s body.

    Everyone looked at the scene in confusion and vignce.<sub> </sub>

    What did he want to do?

    Dorian calmly ced his mallet away and nodded in satisfaction.

    Now, the thing had beenpletely drawn to the surface, having no ability to hide or withdraw anymore. So things should be simple from here on out.

    Everyone swallowed hard, watching Dorian I''m the guard''s tongue before calling out a massive bulk of thick reddish smoke from within.

    ~Bughhhhh!~~

    The long stream of smoke poured out nonstop.

    And simultaneously, the entire room turned, even more colder, with the buzzing monitor sounds growing louder and louder too.

    Mommy, mommy... Mommy...

    Fear paralyzed many, making them subconsciously shrank and cowered.

    "This... This..." old Hou waved his cane around anxiously.

    F***! He was also prepared to fight with the red smoke that was now fuming out of the guard''s mouth.

    Of course, Jung Hou and Chen Hou weren''t veterans either.

    From Ghu Sota''s words, they seemingly understood that the body was being possessed by something. So this red smoke should be the thing.

    Old Hou whipped his cane around, ready to punch or tab whatever came out of it at will.

    Okay. It was smoke. And anything would definitely pass through it. But so what? The smoke was alive, for crying out loud.

    So even if he had to stab it a hundred times before it died, then so be it!

    ''Die for this daddy!''

    .

    Swish!

    Very quickly, they and their Hou guards pulled out their daggers and waved them around like 3-year-old kids.

    Butler Sheng only nced at them and suddenly felt it funny.

    Did these people know how they looked now?

    "No need for that. I won''t be able to escape outside the barrier."

    "Eh? Barrier? What barrier?"

    Ghu Dwo gestured at the coins around the body: "There. That barrier."

    What? How can that be a barrier? Aren''t they just coins?... Or do you mean to say that they are magical?"

    The Chief Security guard looked at the scene in a daze, only feeling as though he had now stepped into a strange world that was no longer his

    Magic! Magic!

    So magic really did exist? But how the hell was that even possible?

    (��0��)

    Many of the guards were still immersed in their stupors, even after seeing Dorian''s mallet emerge.

    It was just too unbelievable.

    It wasn''t until after they had pinched themselves severally, did they finally conclude that this wasn''t a dream.

    Dorian stared at the reddish smoke being deeply..

    He had no time to start searching the whole ce for all aplices.

    With his current strength, he could only sense that there were quite a few of them inside.

    And with the crowd gathered today, things could quickly get out of hand, with some of them escaping.

    Dorian frowned.

    How bothersome.

 Chapter 131 A Hateful Adversary

    Swish!

    Dorian took out his trusty Mallet and stared at his opponent expressionlessly.

    If the bastard didn''t want to talk, then he had other ways to get what he wanted out of him.

    Instantly, his aura became terrifying, and even those watching couldn''t help taking several steps back in horror.

    But for some idiots, they only felt marvelled instead.

    Super Saiyan! He really turned Super Saiyan!

    (��0��)

    Ghu Sota''s mouth hung wide open in awe, almost going down on his knees to worship Dorian as his master.

    F***!

    Now, no one could tell Ghu Sota anything otherwise.

    That is, he was convinced that the Grandmaster had gone full Saiyan right, releasing a terrible power within the room.

    Shiver. Shiver.

    Everyone''s spines hunched back subconsciously while staring at him with a haze of unspeakable emotions.

    Dorian''s eyes were unhinged and beastly, with converged eyebrows and scary eyes that made one feel like they were staring into a bottomless abyss.

    I wipe! Have you ever seen someone give another person a heart attack with just one nce?

    Old Hou had never been so frightened by anyone like this before.

    The boy''s aura caused a dangerous chill to sink deep into the very fibre of his bones.

    But though he was now shaking and wobbling like a chicken, he didn''t feel ashamed at all.

    Hmph!

    If even the Gias and the Ghus had the same reaction as himself, then what was there to be afraid of?

    .

    The reddish smoke that hadn''tpletely taken its form, suddenly began flying around maniacally.

    And following that, a chiller voice Ethan before echoed out, causing Ghu Sota to subconsciously jump into his father, princess-style.

    "You!.... How dare you? How did an exorcist get into this world? Now that you''ve released me from that shell, my powers are even stronger than before. So speak! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? I want to know who you are before I rip you to shreds!"

    The smoke-being suddenly formed eyes and a mouth, as it began magnifying itself and stretching crazily, giving everyone a closer look at its disgusting self.

    And this entire scene just made many scream in their hearts, hoping not to get the attention of the moving smoke creature.

    At the same time, several keen people picked up a few key sites from the creature''s words.

    Exorcist?... There was that word again.

    (*^*)

    Both the Gias and the Ghus listened in and were yet again taken aback by the fact that all these beings knew about Dorian''s title as an exorcist. But they, the humans, didn''t.

    This confirmed their suspicions, making them feel as though these beings had purposefully blinded them for some unknown reason.

    And no matter how they looked at it, it didn''t look beneficial to them!

    The Gias and the Ghus nced at each other tactfully, as though agreeing toe together and have a meeting once things got cleared up tonight.

    .

    Dorian held his mallet calmly while looking above at the following cloud.

    Just looking at him, the system already knew what its host''s next words would be... ''Noisy.''

    (-_-)

    The creature looked at Dorian arrogantly: "You fool! Are you deaf? Didn''t you just hear a single word I said? I already had a clear grasp of your strength. So now that free and about, do you think you can injure me again?"

    What?!

    Everyone suddenly felt worried from his words.

    Could it be true?... Could it be that the Grandmaster might be outmatched?

    This... This...

    Gulp!

    "Bahahahahaha!... You worthless mortal! Now you''re going to die from your..."

    Bam!

    [Audience]: (0?0)

    Everyone didn''t know how to feel at this moment.

    And Dorian who was the center of attention, abruptly jumped into the air again like lightning, swinging his mighty mallet at the being murderously.

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    What??!!!!<sub> </sub>

    The creature began to see stars.

    "No! No! This can''t be! I don''t believe that I can''t teach you a lesson!"

    With that, its entire form quickly solidified, turning onto a rotting floating meatball of some sort.

    And out came razor-sharp ws, ready to sh and hack Dorian to death!

    ~Swish!

    Dorian was quick on his feet, dodging and smiting it at every turn.

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam!... Sck!

    Dorian squashed its entire being against the formation''s walls, revealing its inner rotating side to everyone watching.

    ~Blugh!

    Several people already threw out uncontrobly.

    ''Grandmaster... Even if you want to take care of this thing, can''t you just do it without squashing it like a bug?

    Suddenly, they felt as though they had no appetite to eat for an entire month.

    Dorian calmly took care of the being in deep concentration while essing things deeply.

    ''Fortunately, I keep running into these lower-level beings. If it were a Caster or even a Solum rank being, I would''ve long been dead before... Strength. Strength... I need more power!... Nheless, my current level should be able to take care of this one easily.''

    With that, he decided to round things up once and for all. But first, he had to extract information from it.

    Dorian stared at the badly beaten up being coldly: "Speak. Where are the rest?"

    "You... You let me go now, and then I''ll..."

    ~Bam!

    "Where?"

    "Screw you, exorcist! Since when have I been treated so badly before?"

    ~Bam!"

    "Where?"

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh~~~... Murderer! Murder! You are killing me!"

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    (-_-)

    ...

    Everyone watched the scene and felt it funny.

    You know, a moment ago, they were so scared that many were tempted to wet themselves.

    But now, after seeing Dorian''s numerous acts, they even began feeling suspicious of life.

    Lying through. What sort of fairy operations was this?

    The smoke hadn''t taken any form yet, but they felt as though they could see its pitiful expression and tears of grief when facing Dorian.

    Everyone had a helpless expression and a new level of respect for Dorian.

    The Hous and the other guards all thinned their lips deeply.

    Today''s operation and told them a simple fact. They could offend anyone, but they couldn''t offend this boy. And what was so hrious was that the rest of the world thought he was a pauper and probably a powerless person.

    However, rumours were indeed not to be trusted!

    .

    ~Bam! Pah! ck! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    "Ahhhhhh~~... Stop! Stop! Stop! I''ll talk... I''ll talk!"

    Dorian abruptly stopped his action, lowering his mallet slowly.

    And the poor being only wanted to cry at its predicament.

    It was now filled with deep regret at challenging such a terrible person.

    But where did Dorian care about its feelings?

    "If you didn''t don''t want to be used as a toilet cleaner in your next life, then speak!"

    "Yes. Yes. Yes..."The being was truly aggrieved. But what could it do?

    Who made it weaker than the bastard before him?

    Hateful! Hateful... Truly hateful!

    The heavens were indeed unjust!

    (:Y^Y:)

 Chapter 132 Blood?

    Dorian remained expressionless while listening to the being speak about all he knew.

    From the beginning of their little fight till now, only 4 and a half minutes had gone by with Dorian acting mercilessly.

    Well, they had only used up the single time that it took to bid 1 or 2 items.

    "That''s it! That''s all I knew, I swear!" The little thing said while trying to make its voice sound as humble as possible.

    <o>,m Dorian took a medallion from his pocket and slowly lowered it towards the badly squashed, rotting meatball.</o>

    Snap.

    With a click of his fingers, the thing vanished into the talisman mediation.

    "You! You! Let me out!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The thing suddenly mmed on the green jade stone, feeling choked and weakened after entering the medallion prison.

    Of course, it was even more frightened about something else.

    You know... It was an underworld creature by nature. So... So... Lying was part of its DNA.

    And when the bastard exorcist behind it was asking questions, all its answers were lies... Especially after feeling its current prison sent forth an rming and soul-burning pain into its entire being.

    F***! F***! It was ready to talk! Anything to stop the pain.

    Forgive it. Forgive it. The light was just too unbearable for a dark creature of its kind.

    But where did the damn exorcist have time to sympathize with it?

    Dorian gripped the ne threateningly: "Lead the way."

    (:Y^Y:)

    .

    Swish!

    The medallion levitated, raising Dorian''s right hand in the direction they needed to go.

    If it were a chained medallion/ne, the scene would probably look like Dorian was walking a dog.

    Dorian gripped the pentagon stalled medallion hard, feeling which direction they were pointed at.

    Good...

    Now, his search time would be way lessened than if he had to search this enormous Auction home without any clues.

    Time was of the essence here. So for safety measures, he preferred to solve this issue before the auction event ended.

    Or else, once the ridiculously massive crowd started mingling and moving about, he would find it harder to get things done.

    And by then, the many creatures might not only sessfully flee but target and follow other victims too.

    Human life?

    Dorian honestly didn''t know whether or not he cared for human life deeply.

    A person could die before him, and he wouldn''t even bat an eysh to the scene.

    Of course, he felt that he might get a certain level of difort if people very close to him fell.

    In hisst life, he wasn''t close to anyone. Even when working with a team, he was a silent and lone person.

    So this was the first time he had people like Butler Sheng that they felt drawn to.

    So, he didn''t know how he would react if something happened to him. And again, he didn''t want to know. Why not just prevent it from happening?

    Dorian hated things that went out of his control.

    As for his current concerns, it wasn''t that he felt a sense of justice for human life or something.<sub> </sub>

    For him, it was more or less something to do with perfection and efficiency.

    Once he started an assignment, he would always see it to the end, doing an exceptionally good job.

    To him, there was no in-between.

    He either did an amazing job, or he didn''t pick the job at all.

    If he had chosen to ignore what he saw and still choose to sit in the auction arena, then he wouldn''t bother if these things fled or not.

    But now that he was on board with the project, you best believe he would not onlyplete it but overdo it as well.

    .

    Very quickly, his brain began calcting and theorizing on all the possibilities and variables at hand.

    With a swift turn, he withdrew his coins around and on the guard''s body.

    "He''ll be up in a minute or so. Someone should stay behind with him and wait for further instructions."

    The guy has been marked. So before he left today, he had to clean up or at least tell the guy to visit his home for cleansing. And of course, he wasn''t a saint. So payments were in order.

    Luckily, this guy had been affected by a measly 99-year-old creature. Soparable with his current strength and the fact that he didn''t use too many items to take care of it, his fees wouldn''t be expensive.

    Everything was said and just under the eyes of the heavens!

    Stay with him?

    Several guards felt very frightened, almost wanting to go on their knees and beg to follow after Dorian.

    Stay back with the fainted guard who was not long ago possessed?

    You know, now whenever they see his face, they subconsciously think of that disgusting image earlier.

    The Hous were secretly d that they wouldn''t be the ones to stay back. And the head security guard also felt relieved that he had the power tomand himself out of the room.

    You say he''s abusing power? So what?

    One of the guards quickly took off his shoe and began poking the passed-out guard fearfully: "Gr-grandmaster... Are you sure that this guy will wake up normal?"

    Poke. Poke.

    Zhulyn was suddenly made speechless by the actions of these people.

    Why were they now surrounding and poking that guy like savages in the wild?

    "If the Grandmaster said he will be alright, then he should be fine. So while you all stay here, make sure to stay on guard and don''t allow anyone else in."

    "Yes!" They replied like obedient chickens, bobbing their heads seriously... Even though there was a hint of unwillingness in their expression.

    .

    Vrrrmmmm!

    Dorian felt the tremors of the medallion in his grip.

    And without a moment to spare, he exited the monitoring room, followed by everyone else.

    In particr, the Hous we''re very quick to move, not daring to stand too far from Dorian.

    What if something sneaks up from behind to kill or snatch their souls away?

    "Grandmaster... Wait for us!!"

    In that manner, everyone else tailed faithfully begin the Grandmaster.

    But soon enough, they all smelt something stale and thick in the air.

    Blood?

 Chapter 133 Blood?- 2

    Drip. Drip. Drip...

    Blood?

    Everyone''s paused briefly before picking up their feet and dashing through the now gloomy hallways.

    "Over there! Over there! I think the smell ising from over there!"

    Left, right, left, right.

    They continuously ran through the magnificent hallways as fast as they could... Though pausing from time to time fearfully.

    Ghu Sota''s nostrils tinkled and twitched uncontrobly from it all.

    F***!

    He had never smelt anything like this!

    He didn''t know if human and chicken blood would smell the same. But in his imagination, it smelt as though someone had killed thousands of chickens and left their blood out got millions of years. The stench was a mix of blood and garbage all at once, as though it were rotting too.

    What was that? What the hell was that?

    Terrible. Terrible.

    He felt that his nose was about to explode from stench-overload.

    Everyone else felt that this was too exaggerated, with even the Gias frowning at the weirdness of things.

    What was that other stench they smelt mixed in with the blood?

    The gang dashed through the scene with all their might, stopping before the massive underground storage facility within the building.

    Finally, they found the source!

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    The clock was ticking, but time seemed to have frozen in ce as everyone now stared at the heavy metal door before them with a dreadful silence.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Hearts raced, sweat poured out, and everyone suddenly felt a deep chill within their souls.

    Yes! They had indeed picked up their courage after following the Grandmaster.

    But now that they were here, the fear that they had pushed away suddenly hit them like a storm.

    And now, all sorts of doubts, worries and concerns flooded their brains and weakened their state of mind even more.

    "No one... I-I can''t spot anyone." The lead security guard said while trying to peer through the rectangr ss on the massive door.

    The Guards! The guards! They were gone!

    Wei Gia quickly moved to the ss screen, trying to peer in and confirm things for himself too.

    He looked up, he looked up, down and every other corner, failing to spot anyone or anything inside.

    But, the lights were indeed flickering, him a bad premonition. No. They didn''t have any more time to waste!

    "Open it."

    "Ye-yes, sort!" The lead security guard responded before punching the door code with trembling hands.

    ~Peep. Peep. Peep.~

    The keypad sounds were all everyone could hear.

    And for them who used to think it very ordinary, now only felt as though the sounds were as disastrous as death''s call.

    Finally, the guard punched in thest code, and the keypad turned green.

    ~Di-Deeng!

    Unlocked. The door was now unlocked!

    "Grandmaster..."

    The guard looked to Dorian for confirmation before opening the door vigntly.

    ''There''s nothing to fear. There''s nothing to fear... There''s nothing to fear...''<sub> </sub>

    OPEN!

    Instantly, many jumped back briefly, with all sorts of looks on their faces.

    Ghu Sota had long ced his hands over his face while maintaining a kung-fu stance.

    -Defence mode activated-.

    Ghu Sota protected himself honestly while secretly imagining the scene where several creatures would dash through the door and leap onto them murderously.

    But why was it that reality was always different from what he expected?

    Dorian walked ahead of the ridiculous gang, heading straight into the room calmly. "Let''s go."

    "..."

    Grandpa Cane, AK.A, Old Hou with his trusty cane, and many others taking their action poses, could only smile awkwardly while following behind the Grandmaster.

    Lying tough. How could they embarrass themselves so much?

    Even Old Gia also found himself infected by the silliness from the Hous.

    He looked at his good friend with ck lines on his face.

    ''Why is this bastard making me look bad before the Grandmaster? And you, little Sota, haven''t you seen enough to not keep jumping around like a cricket in this manner? me you! me you!''

    Some people med Ghu Sota, while others med the Hous instead.

    Look. Look. Now, they acted like 3-year-olds before the Grandmaster. So what should they do now to raise their prestige up again?

    (:T^T:)

    .

    Like so, the gang followed Dorian closely.

    And sure enough, the doors they passed through were just the first in a few.

    That''s right.

    After that first scene, they passed through several other security doors with keypads on them.

    And along the way, they saw several desks at the sides, meaning there were supposed to be guards and an entire check-in and check-out security team here, ensuring that only workers could get in after a quick search.

    At the side, they saw numerous scanners and several other detecting machines as well.

    ~Flick. Flick.

    The lights were still flickering from time to time within the cold room.

    And even though everyone already had a sense of judgement.

    Now, they had arrived at thest door that would lead them to the Storage Facility.

    And while the security guard punched in the code, several people couldn''t help assessing the matter considerably.

    "This is too weird from a human stance." Ghu Dwo spoke, gesturing at the many workstations. "There are no signs of struggle, with the desks here looking neat and organized."

    "Indeed. Look at the positioning of the documents and pens and the desks. It''s as though those seated there willingly stopped their work and stood up all on their own. But this doesn''t make any sense. If I''m about to be possessed, shouldn''t I at least show a moment of despair, knock down a few items or at least get shaken up a bit?"

    Yes. Yes... He''s right.

    Several people instantly turned into detectives.

    But it was just that even though their initial thoughts were right... Who said that these creatures could only harm a person through possession?

    [Host... Will it be a Mantanoid?]

    ''Hmm... It should.

    ~Peep. Peep. Peep. Catchack!

    The final door was unlocked.

    And now, it was time to dive deep into the belly of the beast!

    Old Gia''s frown deepened. "Everyone, stay close and sharp... We''re going in!"

 Chapter 134 Blood?- 3

    ~Catchah!

    The door opened exaggeratedly.

    What do they do? What do they do?

    Everyone quickly stood behind Dorian and his men, daring not to go ahead of themselves.

    I peek here, you peek there. I peek over your shoulder, you peek under my legs.

    Everyone began the peeking game, trying to stretch and retract their necks as fast as they could from various angels within their ''formation.''

    That is, what if something suddenly shoots them the money they dispersed? Hahaha... Nice try. But they were too smart to fall for that!

    The gang moved, with many also looking back and sideways from time to time too.

    F***!

    Ghu Sota stared at the massive warehouse and only felt like he was in an Indiana Jones movie.

    Lying tough. Wasn''t this just a tad bit exaggerated to be a storage facility?

    Crates and crates of all shapes and sizes, we''re stacked way up high in the massive warehouse-style room that looked as though it had no end.

    The ce was freaking huge, so much so that he couldn''t see the end from where he was.

    Okay... Now it made for them to have passed through so many security stations just to get here.

    Crates filled with all sorts of precious artifacts and items were stored here. And he was sure that if a person stole any of the items here, it would no doubt fetch them some good cool cash for many years toe.

    Items came in and went out daily, with some scheduled to be auctioned out several monthster.

    Of course, some also got sold to Museums and other reputable establishments.

    That is, there was no doubt that this Auction Home had its own contracted ''Hunters'' and Tomb raiders that would go out in search of priceless artifacts.

    So imagine stealing something from here? It was the dream for many, if not all, thieves within the country. But with the high-tech security systems in ce, such a feat would be too difficult to carry out. Talk less of transporting any crates out.

    Yes. Even in their case, without the head guard letting them in, I''m afraid that the ''Intruder security system'' would''vee alive, spraying those previous rooms with all sorts of chemical gases while blocking or stopping all doors from opening.

    That is, the door they came through would''ve been locked, and the door ahead of them would also get permanently shut too.

    But that might not even be all there was to it. The hidden weapons with scanning and detecting software might alsoe alive too.

    That is, even though Ghu Sota didn''t know about the security systems in ce, he still felt that any thievesing here would only be digging their graves instead.

    And while they were vigntly advancing, their enemies finally sensed their presence.

    ...

    Amidst the pile of fallen bodies, 4 out of the many had now been torn into countless pieces, with their bellies topped open and even their eyes plucked out.

    Horrible.

    The scene was just too horrible, as though the bodies were torn apart by some monstrous animal. However, no animal known to man could leave such a gore scene. What sort of ws, teeth and strength could cause such a thing?

    ~Grw Grw Grw Grw~

    The faint sounds of gnawing and bones breaking, echoed out across the scene, with 2 strange figures continuously lowering their heads and feasting merrily.

    The meal was scrumptious, with them picking their first dinner choice being those with the highest levels of fear.

    ''Help! Help! Help! Help!''<sub> </sub>

    The other bodies around were still alive,ying there like soul-less puppets. They wanted to scream, but they wanted to shout. But they couldn''t.

    All they could do was cry silently with some even soiling themselves in the process.

    Panic red in their eyes while watching and listening to the constant sounds of chewing from the beasts before them.

    Were they going to die like this? Was this going to be the end of them?

    Fear, anxiety, desperation and all sorts of negative emotions were all they could think of while staring at the gruesome scene before them.

    They secretly pleaded and begged for these things to let them go. But little did they know that everything they were going, was only making their flesh sweeter and sweeter for the kill.

    Hahahhahahaha!

    Delicious!

    The culprits behind their demise continuously feasted on the bodies of the dead.

    But suddenly, everyone saw these creatures abruptly raise their heads simultaneously while staring at an angle further away from them.

    And before they could make heads or tails of what was going on, the creatures vanished before their very eyes like magic.

    Puff~

    "Grandmaster. Grandmaster. Over there. Over there! I see dead people!"

    [The group of dead people]: (:+��+:)... Screw you! Who the hell are you saying is dead? Your ancestors are the ones who are dead!

    Everyone lying on the ground only cried even more when listening to the group of people approaching them.

    F***! They weren''t even dead yet. But these people were here charging them already. Everyone only felt aggrieved by the arrival of these hateful people cursing them to death.

    Nheless, whether these people were here to rescue them or not, they didn''t want these people to die since this might be their only chance of escape.

    Yes.

    Those creatures probably sense them before vanishing from their presence. So for sure, the enemies were still around.

    What to do? What to do?

    Their bodies were unresponsive, with their eyes being the only things they could control.

    But even at that, they were still unwilling to die like this.

    No. As humans, they would prevail!

    (*^*)

    .

    Like so, the ''dead people'' all struggled to twitch and blink as eye-catchingly as possible, with some knowing morse code.

    And the scene of over 30 guards gathered in one ce was very hard to miss.

    But Dorian''s attention wasn''t focused on them.

    Very slowly, he started upwards in silence

    [Host... There are 2 of them.]

    ''I know... They''re the shadows.''

 Chapter 135 Mantanoids

    Everyone saw the Grandmaster nce upwards.

    Eh? Why is the grandmaster...

    *Freeze*

    Their eyes looked up in horror.

    It was up there, wasn''t it.

    Bam!

    The ground shook and cracked, sending several people along backwards.

    Trah. Trah. Trah.

    A few people rolled on the ground and smashed themselves along the wooden crates all around them.

    The family guards protecting the Hous, Ghus and Gias, all hastily cushioned the fall of their masters.

    ~Pff!

    Blood sprayed out of their mouths from the hit. But no matter how painful it all was, nothing seemed to divert their attention from the big elephant in the room.

    The dust finally settled, and everyone hastily rose to their feet to see what the hell they were up against.

    But when they raised their leads, what they saw only made them taken aback.

    They were... They were... Ladies?

    "Grandmaster, is this its true form?"

    "More or less. Yes."

    (?_?)

    ....

    Everyone didn''t dare to rx their guards, even though the beings they saw were too normal-looking... Especially to Zhulyn, Raulin and Butler Sheng.

    You have to know that since the beginning of their ''work'' with Dorian, every creature they saw was so hideous and devastating to look at.

    That is, even if they passed people, they could turn those they possess into monsters once they emerged. But these ones still looked ordinary, even after unleashing their strength.

    Additionally, they didn''t look blue or have any signs to show that they weren''t human, except that their eyes seem to turn onto various colours of the rainbow all at once as though they were trying to pick an option.

    This was the first being they met that didn''t look so disgusting after revealing its true form.

    Well, if one forgot the blood-stained and flesh particles stained on their bottom face, neck, clothes and hands, then maybe they would''ve looked less threatening.

    But seeing all the blood they bathed in, no one dared to real their guard.

    And the 2dies that were both ridiculously stunning slowly stood up and smirked at the crowd seductively.

    "How lovely... More men. Come now... I take it you all want toy with us sisters?"

    "_"

    Everyone looked at the stunningdies speechlessly.

    Did they think they would move closer and fall for their schemes after seeing so much blood and flesh particles on their face?

    ~Din. Din. Din.

    Thedies slowly advanced in the most seductive way ever, as if they were nymphs in some enchanted forest.

    But maybe the picture would''ve seemed like that if only their hands weren''t erging and transforming into gigantic fists with ws right before their very eyes.

    But Dorian wasn''t an easy person to mess with too.

    Very calmly, he began advancing towards them as well.

    [Sheng. Zhulyn. Raulin... They''re mantanoids. They can grow and erge any part of their bodies at will. You three take the one on the left. Leave the bigger one to me... As for the rest of you, stay back and out of sight. Now go!]

    "Old Friend... What the hell are you standing in a daze for? The Grandmaster has spoken. So move. We have to get out of the way now."

    "This, he, we... That was him?"<sub> </sub>

    The Hous and the Head security guard quickly found themselves pulled away in a daze after listening to the strange voice in their heads.

    Telepathy? He can do this too?

    F***! What sort of fantasy set-up was this?

    Go! Go! They had to get out of the way now.

    ~Din. Din. Din. Din.

    Everyone was running for the hills as told, leaving both the protagonists and antagonists of the show to themselves.

    Lying tough. Some of them were just measly cannon fodders. And as they say, even the antagonists are powerful. So who were they to stand in the way of this fantasy-world setting?

    Ghu Sota felt like taking out his nonexistent handkerchief and wiping his tears after realizing his Cannon fodder status.

    ''Go. Go... Don''t worry about me, Grandmaster... I''ll just be here pretending to be a crate until you''re done.''

    (-_-)

    .

    ~Swish! Swish! Boom!''

    Arge hand chatted the floor, with the stunningdy in blue missing her targets.

    But if you think this was all she had in her, then think again!

    Zoom!

    Her eyes zoomed to the side as though time had frozen in ce, with the cracked floor particles suspended in the air.

    1... 2...

    Her massive hand thinned and shrunk back to normal. And in under a millisecond, she tried onto the ground, delivering a spinning kick to the Trio who were about to attack her.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Butler Sheng blocked the attack, while Zhulyn and Raulin found themselves kicked on the chest instead.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The attack sent them flying, hitting and breaking several crates all lined up one after the other.

    And the items inside seemed to have broken instead.

    The Zhulyn was a mummy tomb. While, for Raulin, it was some ancient metal item.

    And the head security guard who had been hiding back in that ce, felt his legs grow numb after seeing how close he was to death.

    Phew.

    The lead guard wiped away the cold sweat on his face, thanking his lucky stars.

    That is, did you see how fast the enemy threw these guys back? Wasn''t this rocket speed? These guys might be able toe out unscathed and defy thews of physics.

    But he wasn''t sure that he would be lucky enough to survive after getting thrown into so many objects with any fatal injuries that would leave him limping.

    Just look at them? They stood up and ran straight back into the fight as if they were mummies rising from the dead with no visible injuries. And from the way they were running back into the match, they might not even have internal injuries.

    So was he topare with these protagonists?

    .

    ~Pah. Pah. Pah. Pah. Pah~

    The battle was tense.

    And with the other 2 knocked far, Butler Sheng was facing his ruthless opponent.

    He was barely holding on at this moment. But he didn''t want to lose to his opponent.

    ''Come on, Sheng. Think! Think!... Yes! That''s it!... The eyes.''

 Chapter 136 Mantanoids-2

    That''s it!

    ~~Shrrr!

    Butler Sheng was pushed back by another attack.

    But rather than feeling defeated, his eyes glowed with a strange look.

    Look left, look right... Raulin and Zhulyn were back. The gang of 3 were once again united.

    "Its eyes!"

    Bam!

    "Everyone, observe its eyes."

    Oh shit. Duck!

    Swish! Bam!

    Zhulyn was knocked off while Raulin and Butler Sheng remained standing. But now, they all got the memo.

    Boom!

    ~Giggle. Giggle.

    Thedy in blue beganughing cynically after breaking yet another wooden crate.

    "Come now, boys... Why the long faces? I heard that some men have a thing for ady''s feet. So why don''t I satisfy you all?"

    Instantly, her legs began erging even more into an rming size.

    Grp! Grp!

    The sound of her bones growing all field their ears. And just within this millisecond, her right foot had turned into that of a giant''s, contrasting her slender seductive left leg.

    "Come on, boys. Dinner is served."

    Swish!

    "Get back! Get back!"

    ~BRASHHH!"

    The nearby Hous immediately dived to the sides tragically.

    Boom. Boom. Boom.

    The mighty leg stretched forth as though it were Dhalsim''s Street Fighter leg, destroying all artifacts and crates standing in its way.

    F***! Millions of Vyns have just been destroyed in a blink of an eye. Some historical, which was enough to many many who know their values want to get up and p thedy in blue to death.

    Hateful. Hateful!

    You can kill everyone as much as you like. But what did these treasures ever do to you? Why are you hell-bent on destroying such historical items that Hunters have been searching for throughout the years? Screw you!

    Whoosh!

    Thedy retracted her leg while fighting the trio with her other limbs.

    Dammit! Her ability to grow any body part was terrific. Both long-ranged and short ranges attacks could be easily dealt with by her.

    Her moves were so great that all this time, they couldn''t even find a single opportunity to ce their talismans on her.

    But just as every being had a weakness, she too had one.

    Swish!

    In a sh, Butler Sheng rolled closer to the duo. And seeing his actions, Raulin and Zhulyn wasted no time inching in.<sub> </sub>

    "Her eyes change colour whenever she wants to erge any body part. If her left arm gets erged, her eyes will turn yellow. And if it''s her right, it''ll turn blue instead."

    That''s it! Her eyes told her tale.

    Even when she erged her legs, her eyes would also change colour. But, even though she could erge her body at will, there was a buffer Time for her to switch and grow different body parts. And during the buffer time, she typically fought with her regr-sized limbs.

    .

    Thinking like this, the trio briefly nodded with a n in mind.

    And just like that, they dashed in different directions after reading another wave of attacks from the enemy. Dodging, kicking, smashing...

    Boom. Boom. Pah!

    Dammit!

    Thedy bit her lips hatefully.

    She was annoyed by these people who got up after getting flung away by her.

    Tch! What exactly was their deal here? Hello? They are humans. So how could they continuously get up without even limping towards their death?

    Fhuf.

    Thedy blew the hair off her face annoyingly.

    Dammit! As a 107-year-old Mantanoid, it''s the first time she has fought for this long in this with a mortal.

    They usually died in seconds. But these onessted for 4 minutes now, which was shocking to say the least.

    However, as impressive as it may be, she wasn''t that worried. Just look at how helpless they were under her hands? How could they still stand a chance against her?

    Thinking like this, thedy''s furrowed brows soon rxed.

    No. She had to end this fast... She didn''t have time for this crap!

    Surprisingly, her opponents seemed to be thinking the same as her too. And very quickly, Raulin and Butler Sheng moved in like ninjas.

    Thedy licked her lips yfully: "Hahahaha!... How cute. Do you think you can ever be mypetition?"

    Boom!

    She sent Butler Sheng floating into one of the crates nearby. And as expected, he rose from the dead and continued his battle. It was just that when he was finally back in the fighting zone, Zhulyn got sent back too.

    Like so, the duo began fighting in this manner from all angles, increasing their battle vigour bit by bit.

    F***! The entire thing happened like an epic martial arts movie, with people kicking, jumping, sweeping their feet into the air, using their hands to twist their bodies, and so all sorts of moves.

    Lying trough. The Antagonist wasn''t an easy person either. That is, do you not see how she was twisting and moving her slender body around powerfully?

    Hell! Even when she was growing her limbs out, the scene was honestly noteworthy, so much so that many people wished they could record the scene and directly turn it into a movie.

    At the same time, they kept looking at the scene in awe and envy.

    Wipe! The speed Dorian''s men were using wasn''t something ordinary. Just their blows and attacks also looked deadlier as well. For sure, these people weren''t just ordinary humans anymore. So when will it be their turn to look this cool? When would it be their turn to fight so heroically?

    For the older men, the scene made them feel nostalgic about their youthful past decades ago.

    Old Hou thinned his lips like an awestruck fan. "Gia... Do you remember when we used to go out on missions together?"

    "Fool... How could I forget? You were one of the Military Doctors on my team. We served our nation proudly. And At that time, we too were pretty good ourselves."

    "... Yeah... Too bad the world is not what we thought it was."

    p "I know." Old Gia answered with a grim expression on his face. We have bigger fish to fry."</anda>

    Boom!

 Chapter 137 Death To The Shadows

    Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah! Swish!

    The duo continuously fought with thedy, making things increasingly annoying for her.

    And just when she was about to scream out in rage, she suddenly found the back of her head smacked hard in the face by Raulin.

    "Ahhhhh~~~"

    She wailed and screamed with her hands on her face.

    Bastard! Bastard! What did the bastard do to her?

    That''s right. All that time, Butler Sheng and Zhulyn had tricked her into focusing solely on them the more they increased their momentum and vigour. They unleashed all their murderous aura, slowly making her assume Raulin to be the same with the Gias and everyone else.

    Heh hehe... In other words, they camouged him right before her naked eyes.

    Well, maybe it''s also because he had been moving around the crates the more the battle progressed, letting her eyes not fall on him.

    And wouldn''t you know it? It worked!

    The moment her arms deted, the buffer time began, and Raulin appeared to deliver his move.

    .

    Bam!!

    "~Ahhhhhh~~~ Don''t look. Don''t look. I''m ugly!"

    Everyone saw her scream and wail while covering her face in pain and frustration. But soon enough, all her emotions turned to pure rage instead.

    However, before she could manifest her emotions, the trio began brutally attacking her nonstop, without rest.

    F**! It all happened like clockwork!

    Everyone saw Butler Sheng delivering a fierce kick to her right side, while Raulin attacked her back, and Zhulyn, her other side.

    PAH!

    K.O.

    "Ahhhhh~~ It burns! It burns!"

    Like an overlooked chicken, thedy''s body began turning into a frightening bright red that was very eye-catching.

    This�� This�� What was going on here?

    Her eyes removed anxiously while watching the various changes and burns on her body.

    Ahhh!!!

    Steam began pouring off her entire body as though there was a fire lit deep within.

    It hurts. It hurts!

    Her entire skin itched and quaked with the sensation of a thousand needles ruthlessly profiling her entire core.

    Her head thumped with tension, and her belly began growing and magnifying at an rming rate.

    No. No... Somebody save her!

    Everyone saw her turn into a balloon and was suddenly speechless.

    Butler Sheng gritted his teeth: "Get back! Her back! Everyone get back!"

    Ah!

    Immediately, those who were peeking and poking their heads to watch the scene, hastily moved away from the corners of their crates at lightning speed.

    Sota clutched his heart in fear and excitement. And turning to his good senior Wei Gia, he immediately revealed his gleeful smile at him.

    "Senior Wei... Is this what it felt like to be in the army? F***king yes! Sign me up now!"

    (-_-)

    ....

    Shhhuuuu~~<sub> </sub>

    Like a balloon, thedy in blue swelled up crazily.

    Meanwhile, thedy in green, who Dorian had been fighting, instantly saw this scene and grew grim: "No!"

    She tried to bypass her opponent. Too bad she was now mercilessly pinned to the ground by him.

    "And where do you think you''re going?"

    "Damn you! Damn you! How dare you weaken? Who gave you the guts?"

    Thedy screamed like a shrew while scratching the floor, leaving deep-w marks on them.

    She cursed, screamed, and tried to escape from her enemy''s grasp. But no matter what she did, Dorian remained expressionless, as though she were air itself: "Noisy."

    "... SCREW YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU''VE COST ME?"

    Thedy had years in her eyes for real.

    Of course, thedy wasn''t crying for her ''sister.''

    What a joke! She was an underworld creature with no family emotions or anything of that nature. She was greedy, selfish and power-hungry. So how could she care about anyone else other than herself?

    No! She was only worried because the otherdy made the second half of her. If she were human, it would be as though a fraction of her would have been split between her and the otherdy.

    Yes! The 2 of thembined made a Shadow. And if one person dies, then she would be significantly weakened. And even if she could manage to climb up the ranks in future, she wouldn''t make it very far with her ''sister'' dead.

    Of course, she was still a shadow under another monster called a Manti.

    A Manti needs his Mantanoids to be stronger the more they grow.

    .

    The world of these beings was indeed eye-catching.

    Manties could separate from their shadows at various ranges, depending on their strengths. These shadows were just 107 years old, meaning their Manti was also 107.

    Too young! At this level, the shadows couldn''t even leave the building without the Manti.

    Of course, for shadows, after they reach 300 years old, they would be able to detach and growplete souls, as though they had just had a Siamese twin operation, splitting them apart. In that way, the death of one wouldn''t affect the strength of the other shadow... Though the Manti would still be affected since it lost one of its shadows.

    Again, after 300 years, the Manti will also have the ability to produce other Shadows apart from the ones it was born with.

    Thebo of both Manti and Mantanoids in battle would also create a morphed giant figure known as a Moid.

    .

    "You-you-you-you!... I''ll never let you go for this, Mortal!"

    "No! No! No!... I don''t want to die. I don''t want to die!~... It burns! It burns! Damn you all! What the hell did you do to me?"

    One Mantanoid was aggressively fighting her capturer while the other was crying in despair, not wanting to die.

    Shuuuuu~~

    Everyone quickly took cover after listening to the ridiculous blow-up sounding from the erging mantanoid.

    And for some reason, Sota covered his ears excitedly.

    Oh my God! This was the greatest day of his life!

    He felt like he was in a horror video game. Yes. It was scary, but after seeing the she-hulk who could grow her body parts suddenly turn into a giant balloon, how can he not get excited?

    Say no more. Tonight was the best night of all time!

    (^?^)

    Sota was so excited that he began counting down in his head.

    ''3... 2... 1... 1... 1!~~''... Sota frowned. ''Eh?... Why wasn''t it....''

    Boom!

    There she blows!

 Chapter 138 There She Blows!

    Have you ever seen slime explode?

    Boom!

    An enormousyer of gooey-greenish film exploded throughout the entire storage facility.

    It was as though someone had turned on several giant hoses of goo, letting them flow through all walkways within the gigantic site.

    ~Shoooo!

    The pressure was choking. And anyone who hasn''t taken cover yet was carried away by the monstrous amount of green goo swimming around.

    Unbelievable!

    How could all this gooe from that tinydy?

    Everyone else could believe their eyes.

    But what they didn''t know was that the fact that she could expand and retract her body parts, meant that her insides were 30, if not more timesrger than her outer appearance.

    That is, at her age now, she could fill up 2 Olympic pools with her true gooey insides.

    ~Sck. Sck. Sck.

    The sttering sounds of goo pping onto the many crates and walls didn''t stop for quite some time.

    And soon, the scene quieted down again, with many poking their heads to the sides, trying to peek and analyze if the coast was really clear.

    However, some wanted to die inside.

    "Yahhh~~ Grandmaster. Grandmaster. I''m covered. I''m covered in that thing''s green goo. Grandmaster, please, get it off! Get it off!... Bugh~"

    The head security guard had tears in his eyes while puking to the side.

    Oh my God! What was this?

    Forget the fact that it was green and gooey. It looked like something in a witch''s cauldron. Even now, bubbles were popping up on the surface of the goo, as though it was boiling. Moreover, it looked rotting.

    Lying trough. He never thought he would ever see rotting goo in his life.

    Are you saying that all these dead worms and flies were already within thatdy''s body?

    ~Blugh.

    The head guard''s eyeballs rolled as though he would pass out any moment from now. But dare he? No way! At least not until the Grandmaster got it all off him!

    E~~

    Get it off! Get it off!

    .

    Everyone poked their heads but still didn''t move out of their hiding spots.

    You want them to walk through these stained open paths? Impossible!

    The floor looked so cursed and alive that they would rather jump off a moving airne with no parachutes than walk these paths.

    As for those who were on the other side, previouslyying on the floor in wait for a rescue, nothing got on them because of Dorian.

    Yup!

    Dorian and the otherdy in green had been fighting and backing their side. So when the rushing flood of Goo stormed their way, Dorian deflected the flood with one move, as though he were parting a sea into 2.

    Thus, they were saved from contamination.

    Damn it! Damn it!

    The pinned-downdy in green already felt weakened.

    For her ''sister'' to have blown up meant that one of her hearts was destroyed. And because of their massive ''inner'' size, rejuvenation would take up to an hour.

    One shouldn''t forget that her strength would be reduced if any or all of her sister''s hearts were destroyed, as well as if her sister git exorcised or purified.

    So now, she felt weakened with the destruction of that one heart.<sub> </sub>

    As for her sister, she was still alive.

    What? Did you think she would die that easily?

    Nope! She had just gotten into a slumbering state because of the rejuvenation period. Those were one of the weaknesses they had as Mantanoids.

    If one liked carefully, they would be able to see that all the sttering goo was slowly creeping and glueing back together. And if nothing got done, within an hour or so, thedy would glue back all-new... but weakened and lower than before.

    Of course, 30 minutes well into the rejuvenation period, thedy in blue should regain her senses, even though she would still be in this gooey form.

    The head guard was lucky because if thedy had regained her consciousness, then she would have some contour of killing him with all the goo that covered him.

    And, she could also escape through the vents or any other ces. Provided a single piece of her fled, she would have a chance of regrowing back... With just one heart this time.

    However, where does Dorian have the time to keep waiting for her to rejuvenate?

    Dorian nced at his watch thoughtfully.

    11 minutes.

    They had 11 entire minutes, and 15 was his max.

    Alright, time to exorcise!

    .

    Up first, he decided to gather the blown-up goo.

    Swish!

    He took out his special carving pen, and an unfolded empty roll of Talisman paper the size of a standard book page.

    With crossed legs, he ced the paper down and channeling his energy to the many characters and symbols he scribbled.

    VM.

    The symbols faintly lit up for only a second before fading away, looking like any normal ink writing would.

    No! Thedy in green was horrified after feeling the power in that symbol. Just from this distance, she could feel a force pulling her closer to the paper.

    F***!

    If not for the fact that she was already pinned down by the many coins on her body, you best believe she would be rolling towards the papers uncontrobly.

    Dorian remained entirely focused, tuning himself out of the world around him. His every action conveyed his orders, and like a mighty general, the runes epted the mission bestowed on them.

    And once he was done, he calmly ced his pen back and moved his fingers severely.

    Hup! Hup. Hup!

    His fingers moved crazily as if he were a ninja, creating many different symbols.

    And soon enough, he pped his palms together loudly: "Gather!"

    VM!

    Therge paper quickly lit up, producing a vast ray of golden light.

    What was this?

    (��?��)

    Everyone saw the gooey particrs around them levitate and fly towards Dorian at an rming speed.

    Swish!

    Like a powerful vacuum, the paper did its job at sucking every underworld essence it could feel.

    ~Vmmmmm!

    The Paper did its thing.

 Chapter 139 Target On The Run!

    ~Swish!

    The green slippery goo flew towards the paper speedily.

    But maybe the most confusing scene was that of the head guard fighting for survival.

    With the Talisman paper pulling all gooey parts, the Head guard spun around mercilessly.

    First, the ''vacuum'' took off whatever was on his front. Then, he felt himself getting turned around with his butt facing Dorian''s side instead.

    Goddammit!

    He was turned to the sides, forced to the floor with some good flying out of his hostile, and so on.

    Lying trough. Even the force he felt after he got ''cleansed'' quickly caused him to roll on the floor dramatically.

    And with all honestly, the entire scene looked as though he was getting beaten up by some invisible man.

    The guard had never felt so humiliated in his life. On the bright side, wasn''t he was clean now?

    The Guard finally smashed himself onto a nearby crate and touched his chest and body dramatically, as though checking if he hadn''t lost any limbs drying the spiritual battle he just had.

    Laugh all you want. But he wasn''t taking any chances.

    ~Pff~~

    Smack!

    Ghu Dwo smacked the back of Sota''s head lightly.

    "Hey, dad... What did you do that for?"

    Tch!

    Ghu Dwo''s lips twisted, and his eyes flickered with the feeling of helplessness within them.

    How the hell did he end up with this idiot for a son? He was lucky he loved him, or he wouldn''t mind shipping him away without dy!

    Laugh at Your elders to their faces? Where did he learn such bad manners from?

    Even if you wanted to do it, don''t you know that discretion is the key here? That''s how people make more enemies for themselves.

    Sigh... His son''s brain was filled with wallpaper paste.

    .

    ~Swish!

    Everything got sucked into the paper, creating a very cool scene that left many people''s mouths hung wide open.

    How can all this enter that t paper?

    Now, many built up the courage to step out of their hiding spots after seeing the paths and crates getting cleaned up.

    And soon enough, clean-time was over.

    Tut.

    Without wasting any more time, Dorian calmly threw the paper onto thedy in green and exorcised them both in a blink of an eye.

    Following that, he also released the numb staff workers from their predicaments.

    Plop.

    "Ooooo~~... Thank you, thank you..."

    Many were quick to get on their knees and cry in gratitude for being a survivor.

    Tonight had undoubtedly left a psychological shadow on them.

    They watched 4 of their friends and coworkers get brutally killed and feared by these women. And the scariest thing of all was that they could move, no matter how they tried. Thedies seemed to produce a gas that timed them that way.

    Like so, they could only pray for someone to rescue them. Fortunately, the heavens heard their cross and sent the saviour to them.

    That''s right. If such things existed, then the notion about the heavens had to be real too.

    .

    ~Oooooo~

    Tears and snot flowed out from the staff. Luckily, they weren''t marked or anything of that sort. So the only thing they had to worry about was their mental health.<sub> </sub>

    After all, going through such a situation would undoubtedly shake many to the core.

    And just as Dorian and everyone had guessed, these people were already thinking about getting their very high-paid jobs. Some decided never to two out of their times again.

    But Dorian''s words allowed them to grasp onto despair and hope, all at once.

    Their faces turned ashen. "Grandmaster... So you''re saying that even in our homes, we may still get in one day?"

    What the hell? If that''s the case, then it won''t matter whether they quit, move to a secluded move or cabin and stay one all their lives. The key point is that wherever they were, there was always a possibility of getting attacked by such things.

    Bottom line, if it''s your day, it''s your day. If it''s fate, it''s fate. Of course, there was always a way to ensure one''s safety, which made many breathe out in relief.

    In this life, nothing was ever certain.

    Just because you can die from a car ident doesn''t mean that you should never drive a vehicle again in this life. No.

    One should be looking for security measures instead.

    .

    "Evil-Repent Talismans... Come to my working stall at this location. There, I''ll sell you some Evil-repent talismans."

    Ding!

    Everyone''s eyes lit up like torches.

    "Grandmaster. Can these things called Talismans be worn on our body at all times?"

    "Hmhm..." Dorian replied calmly.

    It wasn''t long that he bought a lot of medicinal herbs, as well as some stones too. Well, he went stone gambling and got some good rocks from there.

    That said, he could attach strings and turn them into pendants. Of course, carved wooden beads and several other objects would be perfect for such things.

    Getting the confirmation they needed, everyone''s heart finally rxed.

    Tomorrow, they must get a talisman no matter the cost!

    F***!

    Tonight''s operation was too scary for them.

    As for the Ghus, Gias and the Hous, they too had their hearts firmed up to buy as many Talismans for their family members.

    After all, no one would like to be targeted and helpless against these damn creatures.

    [Host, you''re running out of time.]

    ''Hmm...'' He responded.

    Of course, he knew what the system was worried about.

    Since the Shadows got exorcised, the Manti should start weakening slowly. And after a while, he should realize what that means.

    "We''re not done yet."

    "Yes!" The Ghus, Gias and Hous eximed.

    That''s right. They still had that big guy lurking within the Auction arena.

    With bold and heavy steps, they speedily took off.

    And as they ran, the head security guard promptly contacted those in the Control room.

    "Situation."

    [Sir, we have eyes on the target. But something seems wrong with him.]

    Instantly, everyone''s face sank.

    "Speak, man! What do you mean?"

    p [Sir, it might sound weird, but the target looks as though he''s about to faint ]</anda>

    "_"

    Eh? Everyone thought they didn''t hear things right. But before they could grasp the destination at hand, the following words from the person on the other side struck them hard like lightning.

    [Sir! Sir! Quick... He''s trying to leave the Arena! Sir! The target is now on the run!!]

 Chapter 140 Leader Located!

    "50 million Vyns!"

    "60 million vyns!"

    "80!"

    (*^*)

    ...

    Back in the auction Arena, the rumbling and babblings of the many wealthy guests continuously drummed through everyone''s ears.

    The heat was on. And many dared not let their guard down, especially when trying to win locations for their business sites or projects.

    The boisterous noises echoed out with almost no one paying attention to the weakening guard at the corner.

    The guard slumped and abruptly turned away from his position, dragging his now heavy body out of position.

    His actions were so sudden that the guards standing next to him couldn''t help looking at his disappearing silhouette in confusion.

    What could be so important that this guy had to leave his duty post during a major bidding event?

    Before they took their positions and lined up all across the hall, they had long taken bathroom breaks, food and anything else that would distract them from their duties.

    They were tasked with standing guard during the event, keeping a close eye on any potential threats to the lives of these wealthy people.

    They were never to leave until the auction was officially over. So where was this guy going? Didn''t he know the rules?

    And why hadn''t their superiors within the main Security station alerted this guy via their mics to find out the situation?

    In times like this, someone wouldment with the leaving guard on the same mic frequency, allowing them to listen to whatever they said.

    But seeing as no one said anything, it could only mean that those above approve of his abrupt exit.

    .

    Bam!

    The guard slouched against one of the ck double-sided doors at the sides of the arena.

    And the guards standing in that hallway didn''t stop him since they received private messages from those above.

    They were to act natural and let this guy pass.

    They didn''t know what the problem with this particr guard was. But listening to the orders from above, could it be that he was just a fugitive on a digestive run?

    ~Slump. Slump. Slump.

    The guard walked swayed from left to right, right to left, and even rocked back and forth.

    Hands on the hallway walls, breathing hard, the guard seemed to be going through the toughest time of his life.

    Zoom!

    His eyes glowed yellow as he struggled to maintain his scream.

    WHAT HAPPENED?!!

    If he were an angel, the pain he was now feeling would be akin to having an angel''s divine wings ripped off.

    ~Grrraggggrrrr~

    He bit his lips so hard that green blood began oozing and dripping onto the floor drop by drop.

    Turn to the left, turn to the right... He was trying his hardest to control his insides.

    No. No. No!!

    He was losing control of his body. And if he wasn''t careful, he would start erging right here and now!

    But how could he allow the humans on the door behind him to see his appearance now?

    .<sub> </sub>

    The guard wouldn''t dare to take that risk.

    Look. It was fun and would make the meal delicious. But if he had to reveal himself while having no control over his body, then he definitely wouldn''t be able to eat anything.

    In short, it would all be for naught. So what was the point in that?

    Moreover, he felt the connection between his Mantanoids was lost, so who was it?

    Was there another demon that took care of them?

    Demons were very territorial once they chose a spot of attack or prey. So could it be that go''s mantanoids had tried preying on some already marked humans?

    No! Impossible! They wouldn''t be that foolish... Unless the demon that marked the prey was weaker and younger than them.

    It could also be that the humans the enemy wanted weren''t particrly marked yet... Meaning they probably just called dibs on the matter, knowing that no one would dare go against them.

    So could that be it?

    The guard never for once thought of the option of an exorcist being around.

    What a joke!

    This world had been here for millions and billions of years, with no single exorcist popping out throughout its history.

    So now, you''re going to tell it that an exorcist actually exists here?

    Please!~~... Try some better lies.

    To the guard, it should be another stronger underworld being that took out its mantanoids.

    And when underworld beings kill another, the fallen one gets reborn back into the underworld babies, eggs or whatever form they could pop out as.

    Dammit!

    He was just 107 and had already lost his mantanoids. Now, his powers and unborn talents had dropped considerably.

    In short, he could never be a great Manti, even if he reached the age of 300, which was when he could add other mantanoids.

    Once he lost the ones he was born with, it was all over!

    But that wasn''t his main issue right now.

    The enemy demon should still be around and would being back to him to finish him up.

    His kind was just like that. Once they attack an enemy, even by ident, they would want to clear it all up from the roots to avoid revengeter on.

    So unless he got out of here, his ass was toast!

    But without control over his body and powers, he wouldn''t be able to leave the building.

    Now, his only bet was to find a secluded ce and get a hold of his damn body!

    And with all guards on duty, the staff bathrooms should be empty, right?

    He didn''t know who the other enemy was, but he was hoping that it wouldn''t be a creature that was too powerful than himself.

    At the moment, he couldn''t smell any underworld essence around. But that didn''t mean that he was safe. A stronger enemy meant that they had a stronger range of smell.

    F***! He had to find a bathroom fast!

    .

    <o>,m ~Din... Din... Din...</o>

    His footsteps continually grew heavier, and those in the Control room could only watch the event with Eagle-eyes.

    "Sir! 2nd floor, 4 Hallway!"

    "Sir! He''s in the bathroom!"

 Chapter 141 [Bonus Chapter]Bathroom Battle, Going Home

    Dorian squinted his eyes dangerously.

    It needs time.

    "Tell your men to inform everyone else around the vicinity that no matter what they hear, they should not enter. Block the path and keep everyone away!"

    "Yes, Grandmaster!" The lead security guard replied before reying Dorian''s words to the rest.

    .

    Bang!

    The slouched guard almost broke the door while stepping into the bathroom.

    And just as he expected, it was empty.

    ~Shrrripp~~

    His body grew controbly, ripping his clothes right off as though he were the hulk. Except, the entire process wasn''t that good-looking.

    First, his left leg grew to the size of a gooey giant.

    Bam.

    Then, his right arm swelled up like a balloon, followed by his butt and belly. Mind you, his face, right leg and left arm were still human-sized. So the image was very disturbing.

    "Grawhhhh~~."

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The creature began to twirl and destroy the entire bathroom, breaking sinks, mirrors,trines and everything else it smashed into while trying to burn its pain.

    And those guards that were stationed to deflect others from the ce, suddenly had a bad thought in their mind while listening to the eerie cries of a million goats being throttled in the bathroom.

    And you know, even though it was happening in the bathroom, could anyone tell them why the flights out on the hallway began to flicker?

    ~Bing. Bing. Bing~

    The guards looked at each other in unison, quickly pulling their wobbly legs away from the scene.

    "W-wh-what was that? Are you thinking what I''m thinking?''

    "I-I am... But, but, but isn''t that looney? Could it be that someone is trying to prank us?"

    "It... It could be. But if it was really a prank, then why would our superior tell us to clear the zine as though they were trying to capture the most wanted criminal in the world?"

    "This... This... I believe in science."

    "Yes! That''s right! I also believe in science. You guys say it all with me."

    "I believe in science."

    "I believe in science."

    "I believe..."

    "GRAWHHHHHH~~."

    The guards quickly jumped away as though jumping from an explosion while running and falling pitifully.

    Mommy... Mommy... If this was a prank, the prankster was indeed doing a good job at keeping horrified.

    F***!

    The lights were dancing, and the air had grown a little colder than it had been.

    Too creepy.

    .

    ~GRAWHHHHH~~

    Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam.

    Bing. Bing. Bing.

    The soundtrack was ying, with a mix of throttling goat screams, the sounds of things getting broken, as well as that of the lights linking and dancing vigorously.

    Yes. The soundtrack was in order. Too bad it was aplete miss for the audience.

    Scary. Scary... Make it stop.

    Many people had already ced their hands over their ears, begging for it to stop.

    The sound was ying with their mind. And at this very moment, they even felt as though the entire hallways were either cursed or possessed by something unnatural.

    And soon, their prayers were answered.

    On one other end of the hallway, Dorian and his gang arrived at the scene.

    "Everyone give way, give way!"

    The head guard quickly made way for Dorian.

    Luckily, the bathroom that the creature had chosen was in a hallway far from the Auction arena.

    He passed through several hallways, went downstairs to the 2nd floor via the staff walkthroughs, and finally found a bathroom of his choice.

    The ce was within the regions only meant for the staff within the building.

    .

    Everyone stared at the iing ''heroes'' in relief and excitement.

    "Isn''t that Marshall Gia, his son and his grandson?"

    "Yes! Yes! And the Ghus and Hous are also with them too!"<sub> </sub>

    "Wipe! For them to be here means that this should be a serious case!"

    "You''re right. But I''m still too frightened to think of what the ''real'' case is actually about. You said it should be a prank. Then if that''s the case, could all this be a prank from some superviin who likes to act as though he were the Joker?"

    "Yeah! What you said does make sense. After all, science is the only way forward!"

    "Right!"

    (*x*)

    Immediately, many people spected and now seemed more rxed than before. Well, the human brain is indeed a magical thing.

    They made their own guesses and concluded on it without getting an A-Okay from anyone.

    "Everyone, stay back... I''ll go in alone."

    "Hmmm."

    The gang listened to his orders, not taking a single step through the hallway.

    Butler Sheng, Raulin and Zhulyn also stayed back, keeping the order around the scene.

    Now, everything was left for the Grandmaster to deal with.

    And what happened next was something that left the nonbelievers shocked silly.

    Whoosh!

    Like magic, they saw the boy levitate and fly towards the door while creating a yellowish glowy staff.

    What? Ruyi Bang? Isn''t this the staff of Sun Wukong, the Monkey king?

    (��?��)

    .

    Boom!

    Dorian broke the bathroom door and stormed in like crazy. And even though everyone didn''t see the fierce battle, the sounds of destruction, as well as the cries and words of whatever was in there, quickly made many create blockbuster imaginations of what was going on there.

    "You-You- How dare a mere mortal..."

    ~Bam!

    " What? You dare..."

    ~Swish! Bam!

    "Exorcist? How is this...?"

    ~Pah! Bam!

    "No. No. No. No~~."

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!!!

    (:T��T:)

    Dorian had no mercy.

    He threw the done thing carnage caused even more carnage, andpletely took care of the thing in under 3 minutes. He exorcised the Manti and the other demon he trapped from early on.

    Dorian walked out of the scene as though he wasn''t the one who practically brutalized the enemy in there.

    -silence-

    ...(-_-)

    The silence was just too ridiculous. And everyone couldn''t help looking at one another speechlessly.

    Sure enough. A protagonist is indeed a protagonist.

    Dorian''s image had grown even more after watching him walk towards them like that.

    So cool!

    .

    The nonbelievers immediately became absolute fans after realizing that what they saw wasn''t a dream.

    Nheless, they still feared for their very lives, wondering what exactly was that thing that Dorian had been fighting.

    Of course, just as there was good news, bad news seemed to follow.

    The real guard was dead. And his body was still somewhere in the building.

    So in addition to the other 4 who died by those females, the kill count was 5.

    Their families would have to be contacted. Dorian decided to leave that to the professionals.

    For now, he decided to head home since he had already gotten what he wanted.

    Following that, Dorian didn''t wait to stay for the whole auction event.

    Finally, he could create the Academy!

    It didn''t take long for the staff to present the property deed and documents to Butler Sheng.

    And with that, the left.

    Good...

    Things were going ording to n.

    However, little did he know that a deadly storm was heading his way!

 Chapter 142 The Great Seven

    Handai City.

    A stream of shy cars quickly pulled into one of the luxurious estates in the city. And soon, the vehicles stopped before a straight lineup of guards, all dawning ck suites.

    "Wee, Master." They replied in unison, watching the handsome youngster step off the middle vehicle.

    Smooth skin, a tall body and a gorgeous face ck shades on his face.

    The youngster was just too good-looking.

    1, 2, 3... The man ascended the outdoor stairs, making his way into his home with a calm look on his face.

    "Master, THEY are here."

    "Hmmm..." The young man replied, taking his sunsses off and handing them to the guard beside him.

    ~Din. Din. Din. Din~

    The youngster entered the building, heading to the meeting ce leisurely.

    He stepped into the grand room, staring at the many groups gathered in the luxurious room.

    "Wee, master!"

    There were four people, 3 gentlemen and ady, seated on 4 separate couches positioned in a manner that made it easier for them to see one another.

    And standing directly behind them were their elite teams, who all wore different coloured attire.

    Thedy and her men wore white. While theother 3 men and their elite teams all wore ck suits, but had different coloured ties instead.

    As for the youngster, he wore a simple yet expensive pair of pants, a shirt that hadn''t been buttoned to the top, and a long jacket.

    ~Gulp.

    Everyone swallowed hard, trembling from the dangerous aura leaking from him.

    Those seated on the couches kept their heads bowed, while their elite teams all went down on one knee, daring not to look at the youngster.

    Step by step, the youngster moved past them, taking his seat at the exquisite chair at the forefront.

    "Now then, where is it?"

    ...

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Shiver. Shiver.

    Everyone secretly nced at each other, almost afraid to take the first stance. Their lord''s voice was calm but deadly.

    "My... My lord... We sent the Gollum demons to retrieve it... But-but-but... My lord, it''s been stolen."

    "Oh?" The youngster raised his cold brows upwards, swirling around the ss of wine that had just been poured for him.

    -silence-

    ... Everyone in the room turned to quiet in fright, praying for their lives.

    Sure enough, the youngster who seemed rxed suddenly grew a million times more terrifying.

    "Tell me... What do I have the need for you all when you can''t even do a simple task? Your ipetence has lost my precious baby to devil knows where. So, what should I do with you all?"

    ~Plop.

    "My lord! My lord! We''ll retrieve it!"

    "Yes! Yes, my lord. We''ll find it even if we have to scatter across the world."

    "My lord, please give us another chance!"

    Immediately, those on the couches dropped to the floor and began begging the youngster, groveling around like worms.

    Their eyes stayed transfixed on their lord with horror, unable to shake off the feeling of death upon them.

    At the same time, they were secretly cursing whoever stole their lord''s baby.

    Son of a b**ch!<sub> </sub>

    ''Whoever you are, don''t let me catch you!''

    (*=*)

    .

    The youngster calmly sipped on his wine, acting as though those before him were as invisible as air.

    And when he was refreshed, he narrowed his eyes at them cruelly: "I do not need worthless beings. Destroy!"

    With the snap of his fingers, the entire room became scorching hot, with green mes burning through the scene.

    "Ahhhh~~... Please... Please... Forgive us, my lord."

    The mes spared no effort in burning their targets, as well as burning the couches, curtains and every other mmable item in the massive grand hall.

    The fore was astronomical, as though it had a mind of its own. And while the ce burnt down to a crisp, the youngster still sat in ce with a murderous look on his face.

    ~Dip. Dip. Dip.

    Specs of green fire flew onto his body from time to time. The mes seemed to peel off his human suit, giving a few glimpses here and there into what he actually was.

    If Dorian were here, he would be too shocked by the sight before him.

    Wasn''t this one of the 7 princes of the underworld?

    The youngster stared at his burning subordinates with disgust in his eyes.

    Such a simple task, they could even do it?

    The youngster was furious!

    .

    Before, he was on his way to explore the disappearance of a massive group of lesser underworld generals who typically supplied a few items and did other groundwork for the ''Cause.''

    However, these people suddenly disappeared. He couldn''t sense their presence in this world, any of the worlds or even within the underworld.

    So the only option should be death.

    No exorcists exist now. So it should be another creature that took his men out.

    The issue was that his subordinates get reborn as babies in the underworld, they''ll have different essences, sort of like a new person in the underworld, with no knowledge of their previous selves.

    This also meant that he wouldn''t be able to detect them, even if they were reborn.

    The Abyss was a strange ce, birthing all creatures and making them anew.

    The abyss was the mother that kept the underworld kicking. And it was indeed a frightening thing that even they, the 7 princes, couldn''t fathom.

    Of course, time in the underword had caused a lot of changes to evolve.

    For starters amongst they, the 7 princes... some weren''t the original ones who once fell from the heavens.

    Nope.

    Leviathan (Envy), Satan (Wrath) and Asmodeus (Lust) had been killed ages ago. And their seats had been taken over by one of the more powerful creatures.

    .

    The youngster chuckled.

    In this game, it was best to remember that even one''s subordinates could kill them one day.

    After all, their subordinates were still evil and would want no time taking their thrones if given the opportunity.

    So yes.

    Out of the original 7, those 3 three had been killed and reced, leaving Lucifer (Pride), Belphegor (sloth), Mammon (greed)... And himself Beelzebub (Gluttony)

    That''s right.

    He was Beelzebub!

 Chapter 143 Beelzebubs Fury

    Beelzebub sipped his drink while deep in thought.

    At present, the 4 of them were united against the newbie 3.

    He called them newbies, but they had long taken up these seats for centuries.

    Butpared to himself, they were still too young. He and the others had existed from the beginning of time when the Abyss was created.

    Each Prince had their territory, which was like mini-worlds within the underworld.

    Thend was their soul, and they could control it in any way they pleased.

    The creatures living or roaming within theirnd could feel their power surging throughout the ce.

    From the beginning of time, himself and the other original 7 princes used to be high-ranking angels residing in the heavens.

    And during their time there, they were best of friends, binding with each other and sharing their views while carrying out assignments throughout the many worlds.

    However, they see what was so special about these humans that would make the Great one ask them to serve these people.

    That''s right.

    Wasn''t their job an indirect way of serving these greedy, lustful, worthless beings?

    From the beginning of time, they watched humanity fight, kill each other and do cruel things.

    Yet, the Almighty would just forgive them once these mortals had truly repented.

    What was up with that?

    Why were these humans and even creatures in these worlds loved so much? Didn''t the Almighty also create them? So why was he biased?

    .

    Countless dark thoughts flooded their hearts and minds. And soon enough, they began to hate the almighty.

    At that time, not many worlds were created, and everything was just at the beginning stages of life.

    Man didn''t even know how to speak, only making noises like cavemen. They were ugly and undeserving of the Almighty''s love.

    Yet, they, the magnificent angels, had to serve them. Why?

    Like so, the gang couldn''t take it anymore and dered war against the almighty, thanks to Lucifer''s swift strategies and sess with gathering many other rambling angels to their side.

    Sadly, they lost and were banished to the underworld with the future of making sure that humans sent here rightfully get punished before being sent back for reincarnation.

    That''s right. Even when banished, they still had duties involving humans.

    This kind of thing can make anyone go crazy.

    And after falling, the first to awaken powers from the impact of the abyss was Lucifer, followed by himself.

    The abyss blesses all living in it with traits and powers pertaining to everything wicked.

    He was for gluttony, and Lucifer was for pride.

    Of course, the other thousands of fallen angelsnded in the underworld.

    And that''s how they began to add up and grow their forces, with both the old and the new creatures of the abyss.

    Lilith and all other countless fallen angels and abyss creatures were there with them.

    .

    Back then, Lucifer was the supreme ruler of the underworld.

    But after a million and what years, his son, Mundus, was the one who killed Satan, their brother, taking his ce as one of the 7 princes of the underworld.

    And thanks to his scheme, he managed to weaken Lucifer, dering himself the ruler of the entire underworld.

    Lucifer didn''t die but went into retreat after stepping down as ruler.

    Of course, after a measly 200 years, Mundus died, and his seat was then taken by another up-anding demon.

    Sigh... In that manner, the positions of Asmodeus (Lust), Leviathan (Envy), and Satan (Wrath) had constantly been changing because of these newbies who wanted to prove themselves.

    Likewise, the ruler of the underworld had always been changing hands too.

    But surprisingly, amongst the many underworld rulers that had popped up, 6 of them were indeed more powerful than himself and the other original 7 princes.

    During the reign of those 6, they, the original 7, couldn''t breathe at all.

    The underworld was a dangerous ce, and anyone could be powerful tomorrow.<sub> </sub>

    There are times when he too had almost died in the hands of these creatures.

    Thankfully, at present, he and the other original 7 prince''s had sessfully killed thest overpowered Ruler of the underworld.

    .

    At present, the underworld has no ruler. And they decided to keep things like this until the big nmenced.

    That meant working against the other 3 newbie princes.

    Again, they had never forgotten their initial hatred with the almighty.

    They heard a rumor that the Almighty and a few key angels seemed to be missing. They had been missing for ten thousand years now.

    So wasn''t this the perfect time to act?

    Heheheheheh!...

    Good.

    This world was needed for the big cause!

    Beelzebub''s eyes glowed yellow.

    He was initially heading to investigate the disappearance of his men.

    Typically, if it were other lesser demon generals, he wouldn''t care about them.

    But these ones were the most powerful of all his lesser creatures and were in charge of collecting key materials for the big fiasco.

    Thus, their magic vanishing act would only stall everyone''s ns.

    That''s why he had taken it upon himself to see things with his own eyes.

    However, on his way over, who could be him why he suddenly got word of the disappearance of his baby too?

    That''s right. He was met with one bad news after the other.

    His baby... His baby was needed for the cause.

    So was it? Who stole his precious time finger?!

    .

    Dammit!

    Beelzebub was livid!

    He had a hunch that this was something to do with those damn newbies.

    Do you know how powerful that finger was?

    Make no mistake. Even though Lucifer was the first ruler of the underworld before he stepped down, like he said, there had been countless other rulers, some who had ruled for a way longer time than Lucifer.

    And, they were also more powerful than all 7 of them out together.

    There was a high possibility for his baby to belong to Cleodart, who used to be the most powerful and longest-serving ruler of all!

    So do you know how much power was stored in that finger?

    Beelzebub''s expression turned grim.

    No! He had to get back to the underworld and investigate those 3 bastards for himself.

    No matter the cost, he had to receive it back!

    No one takes his bone finger and gets away with it.

    With that, he vanished.

    ~Pff.

    Beelzebub was heading for the underworld.

    But unbeknownst to him, the real culprit of the matter wasn''t too far away.

    Dorian calmly sat cross-legged on his bed, cultivating deeply.

    Tomorrow he''ll build his Academy!

 Chapter 144 Powering Up

    New day, new him.

    Dorian and everyone else cultivated throughout the night.

    And surprisingly, by morning, they felt refreshed with no feeling of tiredness.

    Wow! The revtion was too shocking for the trio.

    Hey. If they knew, they would''ve spent their ''sleeping'' time cultivating instead.

    Eh?

    Butler Sheng suddenly felt hot, as though something was trying to burst out of his body.

    A strange power quickly engulfed him, bulging his muscles to the max.

    Boom!

    An explosion erupted within him. Now, his body felt lighter, and even the back pain he had long developed over the years seemed to have disappearedpletely. And his hidden ailment also didn''t give him trouble either.

    How odd...

    Butler Sheng opened his eyes in shock and confusion, trying to find rity in the matter.

    "Congrattions. You have just broken through to the 1st Dan of the True Qi Realm."

    (?_?)

    ....

    It took a minute for things to register in their brains.

    What?!!!

    Raulin and Zhulyn heard Pandrol''s words and gasped in awe and envy.

    "Sheng! How was it? How do you feel?"

    "Yeah! Yeah! Tell us how you feel!"

    The duo couldn''t help rushing towards the dazed Butler Sheng, wanting to know what it felt like to break through.

    Right off the bat, they noticed some difference between the former and thetter Butler Sheng.

    Yes. The former him still gave off a very intimidating aura. But it wasn''t as intense as the new him.

    It was as though raw power would seep out of his flesh. What was this?

    The duo looked at Butler Sheng from head to toe, essing the few changes in his physical appearance.

    His back was straight, he was taller, his hair color seemed slightly brighter, and the few age lines faded away, making them forget that he was a middle-aged man.

    The duo were dumbfounded.

    Was it just them, or did Butler Sheng turn slightly younger overnight? Even his lips were fuller and peaches than before.

    Tsk. If the women of today know of such a miraculous thing, they might choose to cultivate only for the sake of beauty alone.

    After all, who doesn''t love to be vibrant, hip and hoppity? In fact, they loved hip hop.

    (+0+)

    .

    "Daoist Sheng, you may test your strength in the training room," Pandrol said, gesturing towards another region.

    Yes! They might as well see just how strong he was.

    Butler Sheng puffed out his chest like a proud peacock, walking with his hands behind his back while following Pandrol.

    And for this, Zhulyn and Raulin only rolled their eyes heavenwards at his homelessness.

    ''You think you''re the only one who will get to this stage? Just wait and see how we break through and catch up with you!''

    Hmph!

    The gang of 3 followed Pandrol excitedly.

    "Daoist Sheng, please test your strength on this."

    Walking into the room, everyone saw severalrge rocks all lined up one after the other, all having different weights and sizes.

    "Please listen attentively... At your stage within the 1st Dan. At the primary stage, your strength should be equivalent to 500 jin. At the intermediate stage, it should be 700... Advanced 900. And at the peak, your strength should be equivalent to 1100 jin. Now, the first rock weighs 20000 jin. So start testing your strength out with that.

    (**... 1 jin = 0.5 Kg)

    Amazing!<sub> </sub>

    Butler Sheng clenched his fists, feeling the raw power within them.

    .

    Swish!

    He carried the rock, feeling only a little resistance, as though he were carrying a watermelon or something.

    Superman! Superman! Superman!

    The duo saw him lift it and ce it over his head with one hand, making them scream in rm and enthusiasm.

    Zhulyn began strangling, and rocking Raulin left and right crazily. "Oh my God! Do you see this? Look! Look at what he can do!"

    (*0*)

    <o>,m "... Cough~... Cough~... I think I''ll see better if you stop strangling me."</o>

    Raulin was also excited.

    This was the kind of power that superheroes had!

    Hey. If Haru found out, he would probably use his strength to make his annoying magic act be a reality.

    Lying tough. The fairy strength was real!

    ~Hup!

    Butler Sheng threw the massive boulder high up in the air, caught it again and again, as though trying to test how far he could throw it, as well as his control on things.

    Within the space, one couldn''t see the ceiling, as it kept going up and up and up and up... Especially when looking at the library section.

    The shelves ascending just never ended. And a majority of things in this hidden space seemed like they were meant for giants, with them being ant-size.

    Thus, Butler Sheng was free to throw way up as high as he wanted.

    Knowing his maximum throwing speed would also help when fighting too.

    Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

    The boulder flew up and came down.

    Good.

    .

    "Daoist. It''s also essential that you test your punch strength." Pandrol reminded.

    And sure enough, his words stirred Butler Sheng''s mind in the right direction.

    Loading the boulder firmly on the ground, Butler Sheng took deep breaths, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

    "Everyone, stand back."

    "Right." The duo replied, taking many steps back, lest they got caught up with something.

    "Be careful, Sheng. In the end, it''s still a rock. And flesh is meaty. So... Be careful."

    "Mmm."

    He was a little scared.

    After all, his bones could crack, and his flesh could tear, leaving him with nothing but deep pains and injuries. So taking such actions might backfire.

    But feeling the strength in his first, he somehow felt confident to take the risk.

    Butler Sheng wet his lips nervously and closed his eyes, immersing himself in a deep trance.

    1... 2... 3....

    BOOM!

    With just a single punch, the hardened rock that seemed indestructible... Now had a monstrous fist dent in it, as well as several cracks on its body.

    Boom! Boom!

    Two more attacks, and it not only broke but shattered into several pieces as though Butler Sheng had lived it apart like tofu.

    This... This... Biology has been defied.

    The duo clenched their fists with maniacal looks of determination in their eyes.

    No way! They had to break through fast!

    (*`��`)

 Chapter 145 An Accomplished Butler Sheng

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    One by one, Butler Sheng punched the other jin of stones and found that although he destroyed them all, some requested more punches from him before they broke.

    Analyzing things and listening to Pandrol, he concluded that he was still at the primary stage of the 1st dan.

    Cultivating was still new to him.

    So he was very unsure about several aspects pertaining to it.

    Thus, testing was also good.

    Just as Pandrol had stated, some people could break through and go straight to the advanced or peak stage thanks to the energy umted within them.

    So it wasn''t all the time that breaking through would send a person to the primary stage.

    Butler Sheng also realized the disparity between each stage within the Dans.

    Though some people might all be in the same Dan of strength, a primary stage 1st Dan cultivator would have it right fighting an Intermediary, Advanced or peak-level warrior.

    The disparities were great, highlighting the many disadvantages one would face. Apart from burning away energy, the enemy''s speed would also be greater, etc.

    One might eventually win someone even when saddled with all these disadvantages. But the victory wouldn''t be an easy one.

    Pandrol led Butler Sheng around, having him test his speed, reflexes and even how long he could stay under water.

    The revtion was jaw-dropping to the duo.

    And now, seeing all this, they couldn''t help wondering how powerful the Grandmaster was.

    That is, he should be able to do even more, right?

    Seeing that the Grandmaster had always kept a low profile, they couldn''t help appreciating him even more.

    As expected, their Grandmaster was the best.

    Sigh... What a humble guy.

    .

    Like so, Pandrol aided the Butler Sheng in testing out his strength, speed and other attributes.

    And by 5:30 A.M, they were done. Well, they had only been testing from 4 A.M till now.

    Pandrol noted his details, nning to diligently record them.

    "Daoist Sheng. With your breakthrough, you now have permission to learn Grade 1-skills and techniques involving Exorcism. However, as per the master''s words, you are only to improve your knowledge of basic spells and incantations for now. Everything else will be eptable to you soon. That said, you still need to stabilize your strength. You just broke through."

    With that, Pandrol calmly walked out of the training space to deal with other matters at hand.

    And when they were sure he was no longer around, the trio nced at each other briefly before excitedly talking about all that had just urred.

    Great mother of Cakes!

    Too amazing. Today''s live visual demonstration had won their hearts.

    But, as much as they wanted to stay here, gist and talk till their mouths tired... It was already 5:37 A.M.

    They had duties to fulfill.

    Raulin and Zhulyn had to head back to the hospital, while Chan-ki alive would head back, this time.

    Chan-ki was thest amongst them to truly understand the Grandmaster''s might.

    p He probably thought that Dorian was in some mob or gangster situation, not knowing that they were fighting against creatures of darkness here.</anda>

    They would take the vehicle to the hospital, and Chan-ki would head back with it.

    .

    What a day. What-A-Day.<sub> </sub>

    Everyone felt too pumped and energized right now.

    And before leaving for a shift change, Pandrol had given them chained talismans for them to wear while out. Of course, they were also to give the others to Haru and Bewoh.

    Butler Sheng had his.

    As for Chan-ki''s own, because he might not know its true value, knowing that fool who was too focused on matching his clothes to what he wore, the idiot might not even bother wearing it.

    So Butler Sheng decided to hold on to his own until the idiot begged for it.

    Hehehhe...

    The trio went about their separate days, treating the talismans as though it was far greater than gold itself.

    And from time to time, their hands would reach for it, followed by a relieved sigh.

    It was ridiculous but justifiable.

    Butler Sheng went to make breakfast, while Dorian, who had been cultivating in an independent and private sector within the space, suddenly opened his eyes expressionlessly.

    Good...

    His energy had been replenished.

    He spent a little over 4 hours carving multiple talismans.

    And when he was done, he began cultivating once more.

    Thanks to histent talent and knowledge, he was quick to cultivate and touch his inner points, finally breaking through to the 4th Dan of the True Qi Realm.

    Well, it wasn''t impressive. However, it was still remarkably fast and speedy for someone who just began cultivating a few days ago.

    This body was new to this.

    But, thebining of souls and several other factors gave him the advantage that many in his former life could only dream of.

    Additionally, this body was blessed with the ability to use all 5 elements. That''s why he could move from fire, earth, water, wind and light at will.

    Talk about convenience.

    .

    ~Drrrr~~

    Butler Sheng pulled the trolley over, wearing his white gloves and full Butler attire.

    "Grandmaster, today''s breakfast entails salty steamed buns, steamed glutinous rice, salty wantons, eggs, and some tea."

    "Hmm..."

    Butler Sheng served at his best and stood at the side, watching Dorian eat his dish heartily.

    (^?^)

    Best butler award!

    And eat he did. The portion sizes Butler Sheng brought in could feed 6 people. But to Dorian, it was just right.

    Dorian tapped the corners of his mouth, cleaning off any food residues there. He didn''t have to eat. But when the opportunity arises, why not fill one''s belly? After all, who knows what dangers they would meetter?

    Butler Sheng began clearing the table curiously.

    "Grandmaster, you still haven''t told me about today''s ns."

    "Hmmm... We''re still expecting a few guests before 12. So after they go, we''ll move."

    "To check the property?"

    Dorian froze, letting out a very mysterious smile: "Yes... To check the property."

 Chapter 146 Suspicious... Too Suspicious!

    Chan-ki stood at the side, peeking at Butler Sheng and Dorian from time to time.

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?

    Chan-ki was so confused with everything that happened this morning.

    First, Raulin and Zhulyn came to the hospital earlier, looking like transformed versions of themselves.

    He didn''t know how to describe it, but the air around them was slightly different from what he was used to.

    That is, how could those 2 change so much in just 2 days?

    First, it was Haru and Bewoh who changed. Now it was this duo?

    Something wasn''t adding up. Or, could it be that they were abducted by aliens and switched?

    But maybe the most significant change came from Butler Sheng. Call him crazy, but he felt the guy had turned younger overnight.

    Aliens! Aliens!

    He had to find out the truth of the matter, lest he too gets abducted and switched.

    Mommy... Today''s events were just too weird.

    (Y��Y)

    ...

    Chin-ki was too suspicious of life.

    Before leaving the hospital, he saw Raulin and Zhulyn give Haru and Bewoh pendants. And now, Butler Sheng also had the same one around his neck. So was this their cult or voicemunicator?

    Chan-ki knew that he might''ve exaggerated it all. But honestly, the entire thing was too dubious��especially Butler Sheng''s new appearance.

    Unless he found the fountain of youth, there was no way he would make him believe that he turned younger because of some skincare cream.

    Again, this morning they had anotherdy named Chiyou, who wanted to report the fact that her ssmate had contacted herst night.

    The information was so basic,pletely confusing Chan-ki. Why would the young master be concerned about such info? Were they suddenly caught up in some crime scandal that he wasn''t aware of?

    Blink. Blink.

    He''s been away for just a few days, and now the entire world seems strange to him.

    Additionally, there were other men and ady who came to see the young master. Apparently, the young master had rescued them on Wuphil Mountain before.

    The things the young master faced them, as well as the things he instructed them to do, were so bizarre.

    But Chan-ki dared not show his concerns.

    For now, he felt like a detective, trying to get to the bottom of things.

    Like so, he spent his morning watching the strange visitse in and out nonstop.

    And finally, at 11:30 A.M, he was told they were going somewhere.

    But where? Where were they going that didn''t require him to drive to?

    His detective senses were tingling.

    (`��^��)

    ....

    Upstairs, Dorian calmly sat on his bed, crossed his legs and wore his cufflinks in a very rxed manner.

    [Host. You have to personally head to the property and ce the core at a good spot. Once that''s done, just leave the rest to me.]

    ''Hmmm...'' He replied while standing up and heading down.

    Now, his top priority was to get to the Academy grounds. From there, the rest would be history.

    Dorian walked down the stairs,ing face to face with Butler Sheng and Chan-Ki.

    "Grandmaster!"

    "Young Master!"

    The duo greeted Dorian, with Chan-ki still secretly baffled about why everyone called Dorian Grandmaster.<sub> </sub>

    He shrugged. To him, Dorian was the young master.

    Butler Seng couldn''t be bothered with Chan-Ki''s boldness! Dare to belittle the Grandmaster by calling him, Young Master? Bold!

    Well, for his ignorance, Butler Sheng had long decided to let it slide, praying that soon, reality would p this absurd in the face.

    No. Not only p but punch and kick him with the truth till his head broke.

    "Grandmaster, you coat."

    "Hmmm..." Dorian replied, allowing Butler Sheng to assist him in wearing his dark-blue coat.

    The man really liked his Butler job, so Dorian allowed him to do as he pleased... Provided it wasn''t an inconvenience to him or too excessive.

    Following that, the gang of 3 stepped out, standing on the front entrance as though waiting for something. Well... The other 2 stood as guards, but Dorian only stared ahead silently.

    Chan-ki was confused: "Young master... What are we waiting for?"

    Dorian stayed silent only for a bit before finally revealing a sly smile on his lips: "Our ride."

    ~Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm~~~

    Instantly, Chan-ki could hear very faint sounds of something buzzing far away from them.

    Eh? What was that?

    The sound seemed to bombard and storm his ears the louder it got.

    And soon, Chan-ki''s mouth was left hanging wide in shock and disbelief.

    Wu-wu-wu~... Was that a Chopper?

    (Q��Q)

    .

    ~Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm~~~

    Choppers! Choppers!

    Not 1, not 2... But a total of 5 bad boys stormed in their directions like crazy.

    Chank-ki had no choice but to p his jaws, trying to wake himself up from the scene before him.

    He wasn''t dreaming?

    His cheeks puffed out the tighter he closed his lips as though trying not to scream excitedly.

    He was trying to look cool and calm as Butler Sheng and Dorian.

    But his trembling body quickly gave him away.

    And the closer the choppers approached, the more in awe Chan-Ki was.

    These were the BNH-73 Defenders.

    The market price for a single one was no less than 15 million, and that was just his estimation. For all he knew, it could be more!

    Damn! Its sleek exterior alone was just too inviting.

    Now, another question immediately popped into Chan-Ki''s head, making him look at Dorian deeply.

    The situation of the family was dire. So was he able to bring these choppers over?

    Chan-ki''s rapped the sides of his lips thoughtfully.

    A few days ago, the young master insinuated that he would get revenge for his parents... Though Dorian didn''t say it in those words.

    So with the arrival of these choppers, Chan-ki once again assumed that the young master had probably been building his forces for revenge.

    Yes! No wonder everyone else around him has changed.

    As for Butler Sheng''s physical change, maybe he hadn''t seen Butler Sheng in a while, making him forget how he used to look?

    Chan-ki''s mind seemed to have defaulted to what he thought was right. After all, even with the truth staring right to his face, logic would always override whatever seemed impossible.

    That was the gic code of human reasoning.

 Chapter 147 A Bitter Man

    ~Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm~~~

    The ear-quaking sounds from all choppers grew so loud that no one would be able to hear what another said unless they yelled.

    Whoop. Whoop. Whoop!

    The air swirled vigorously as the bad guysnded the vast openwns and fields around the estate.

    As expected. The reach created such open spaces for such events.

    Theynded just at thews before the massive fountain at the estate''s center.

    Dorian walked down the numerous outdoor stairs.

    Apparently, nothing else screamed money than having so many outdoor stairs, as though he were walking down a famous Greek temple.

    Very closely, Butler Sheng and Chan-ki followed behind Dorian, heading towards the powerful choppers below.

    ~Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm~~~

    The choppers were still on. But a few others within them quickly jumped out and briskly walked towards Dorian''s crew respectfully.

    "Grandmaster, Dorian, we are here on orders from Marshall Gia to escort you to the site, sir!"

    The young man of 33 showed no emotion on his face, looking as nk as a sheet of paper. If he hated or liked his assignment, no one would be able to tell. He just looked like a statue.

    Dorian nodded with a hint of satisfaction on his face. He liked people like this. A job was a job. Get it done. Simple.

    Some people might''ve been curious as to why Dorian was called Grandmaster, or some people might''ve felt that he cheated old Marshall in some way or another to gain favor. All these things were human nature, and there wasn''t anything wrong with having thoughts or doubts.

    However, transferring those doubts onto a mission was what he hated the most.

    And just like him, it seemed that Old Gia hated such things too. And his men also looked very trained as well.

    No matter their doubts, they would have to find the truth for themselves after the mission.

    .

    "Grandmaster, sir!... Please, right this way." Gestured the youngster, who wore nothing but ordinary clothes.

    They were trained professionals. But they had chosen to usemercial-style choppers and dress as though they were ordinary tourists.

    Old Gia probably told them to do so.

    ~Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm. Brm~~~

    Dorian''s coat danced in the wind, creating a very cool scene.

    Like so, the gang of 3 hopped into one of the choppers and buckled their seatbelts calmly.

    And when everyone was secured, the lead man whoter introduced himself as Ajin, quickly gave the signal.

    [Fly]

    Immediately, all pilotsmunicated with each other, ascending just as protocol.

    Up, up, up, up, up they all went.

    And as they were flying over the zone, Dorian battled his eyes dangerously before finally settling into his seat.

    Meanwhile, below ground, several strange and ordinary-looking vehicles had just arrived at a location close to Dorian''s home.

    Within the vehicle, several burly men, some with gruesome scars, all lens back into their seats too.

    They dared not poke their heads out the window lest they got discovered.

    With their bodies leaned back and low, they stared intensely at the scene above, watching the choppers fly away from their sight.

    "Boss! Boss! What do we do now?" Asked one of the men, still looking at the scene.

    ....<sub> </sub>

    -Silence-

    Everyone else was confused, peering at their leader from time to time.

    Binocrs lowered, the burly man with bulging muscles frowned cruelly.

    Wonderful... Wonderful... So they were acting weak all this time?

    Boom!

    He punched the seat in front of him, causing the person in front to arc forward and hit himself painfully.

    F***! Boss, what did I do?

    The man wanted toin sorrowfully. But after turning around and getting a glimpse of his boss''s face, he quickly swallowed his words and choked on them.

    Never mind. He was about to kill himself, okay?

    The air in the vehicle was suffocating, with their leader joining from whatever ailment that bothered him.

    Botan squinted his eyes murderously, still looking at the fading silhouette of the choppers.

    Before he left, wasn''t he one of the most elite Tian guards?

    Sure. They saved him and did a lot for him, yada, yada, yada.

    All that moral kidnapping was bullshit! They saved him just to use him as a guard! So why shouldn''t he rise to the top and change employers if need be?

    He didn''t for one second feel bad about betraying Dorian''s parents.

    But what he seemed to have forgotten was that Dorian''s parents had given him numerous chances and opportunities to leave. No one was pinning him to the ground. If you want to leave, then leave.

    But Botan had always decided to stay, ripping the privilege of working with the Tians. And when someone offered him a better chance, he quickly betrayed them for Dorian''s uncle.

    Whatever was promised to him was probably a good deal.

    .

    Botan had no regrets, also secretly mocking the Tians too.

    To him, their wealth was no king and screaming at his face as though reminding him of his background. He hated their so-called friendly nature.

    Screw them! He betrayed them in a heartbeat, rounding up many to the enemy''s side in little to no time.

    And now that he was gone, he expected to see their bastard, gloomy son sink into despair.

    However, yesterday, the situation seemed reversed.

    Botan''s face became distorted just thinking about it.

    Dammit! How could the Gias and the Ghus be friendly with that little turd? He had no idea these families were even that close to the Tians in the first ce.

    Again, if they were so close, why didn''t they let him know them before? Unless...

    Could it be that the Tian couple wanted to stump his growth, thus, never letting him know the Ghus and the Gias?

    Who wouldn''t want to work with old Gia''s home? Now, that chance is gone because of them!

    Botan clenched his fists furiously

    Good. Good... What a good Tian family!

    .

    "Boss, we were ordered to secretly routine the brat up. But now that he''s gone, what should we do?"

    Botan nced at the estate deeply: "Ransack the ce! And if we can''t collect, destroy any valuables! This is what they owe for stunting our growth. I don''t believe we won''t be able to burn this ce to the ground!"

 Chapter 148 Breaking In

    Bap!

    Two men stepped out of the vehicles, walking very innocently, towards the gates.

    This was still a gated, wealthy region. And from time to time, guards would patrol or zoom around the area.

    Moreover, from time to time, a few vehicles and joggers would pass around too.

    Of course, there weren''t any worries about the neighbors seeing them from inside the various neighboring estates because just one estate alone could cover several ordinary street blocks. That is, the further one went in, the more ridiculous the sizes of these estates were. And the Tian estate number was 23.

    Look left, look right, the streets were now clear and void of any passing cars, patrol officers, or wealthy joggers going out for a run.

    The 2 burly men still wrapped scarfs around the bottom halves of their faces while looking into Dorian''s estate cautiously.

    As people who used to work in the Tian household, they knew everything about its safety and surroundings.

    "Look. The cameras we destroyed before leaving still haven''t been fixed yet."

    "Good. Then there''s no need for us to hide our faces before we step in. The brat probably doesn''t even know about it."

    "You''re right." One of the men replies, still vigntly darting his eyes maniacally.

    .

    Typically, the many cameras should be able to capture who was approaching. And, from there, someone would speak to the guests through the inbuilt speakers.

    But now, with all security systems destroyed, it was impossible to capture any footage of them.

    Excellent.

    Now, even if the brat had a hunch that they robbed the ce, what proof did he have?

    Look left, look right, look up, look down.

    The duo went back to the lead vehicle. "Boss, there are no guards on sight."

    "Are you sure?"

    "Positive, boss."

    Botan smiled wickedly: "Hahahahaha~... It seems that the Ghus and the Gias aren''t that close to the Tians as we spected."

    Eh?

    One of the men with a terrifying scar around his right eye couldn''t help frowning deeply. "Boss, are you saying that the only reason they helped the little impst night was because they wanted something from him?"

    "Hahahaha~" Botanughed slyly. "If that isn''t the case, why would the boy''s estate still be in this condition? No guards, no change or security update... Tell me, if the Ghus and Gias truly cared for the little bastard, then why should they let him continue to stay in this big estate without proper protection?"

    Ding!

    An invisible light switch clicked on in everyone''s head.

    Yes! Yes! What their boss said made sense.

    Thinking about it deeply, they started to lean towards the conclusion that the Ghus and Gias might''ve only given the bit face because they wanted something from him.

    Maybe after they gig it, they would eventually dump and leave him in the dust.

    That is, those big families might''ve sent those choppers to take Dorian over for that sole purpose.

    They took him over, not caring that his estate was left unprotected.

    So if he came back to find the ce in a mess with several artifacts, broken or stolen, they probably wouldn''t care.

    Too smart. Too smart... Everyone felt pleased with themselves after cracking the code.

    .

    "Boss! I think you''re right."

    "Yes. Yes... The boss is a genius!"<sub> </sub>

    "Alright, boss... let''s do it!"

    Botan chuckled at his confident gang. "Boys... We''ll be sure to raise hell in there. After all, this is what they owe us... Come on then, move out! It''s time to get to work!"

    "Right!"

    Immediately, everyone stepped out of the vehicles, with some looking out for Patrol officers.

    Meanwhile, Botan and the rest dashed towards the gates like ninjas, with their daggers and hidden weapons around their waists.

    What a joke!

    This ce was a wealthy gatedmunity. So beforeing, they were checked for any dangerous weapons.

    However, thanks to working with the Tian household for a long time, they had long befriended a few of the guards here.

    And with the right amount of money in those guards'' pockets, they let them better with their weapons.

    As they say, connections solve everything.

    Everyone stood on the far most sides of the gates, seeking into the estate several more times.

    The gate was an automatic one. So they would have to get into the ce first if they wanted to open it up.

    Botan nodded at a few of his men, who stood close to a pir next to the golden barred gates, creating a humandder.

    There was no helping it. The estate walls were high and towering. If not for the barred-like gates, and the elevated estate buildings ced on raised terrain, one wouldn''t know the beauty of the ce within.

    1, 2, 3... 3 pyramidyers were formed in a sh.

    [First group, head in!]

    Botan gave a signal to his men, and instantly, another group quickly ascended the pyramids, making their way to the top.

    .

    ~Hup. Hup. Hup~

    Their breathing thumped the faster they pressed on the backs of their pyramid-stacked colleagues.

    ording to an, once they got in, they would head towards the security building neck to the entrance and open the barred gates.

    That was the n which now seemed as simple as saying their A, B & C''s... Or so they thought.

    ~Hup. Hup. Hup~

    The first burly man was on a roll, ascending just as nned.

    Adrenaline pumped to his veins the further he went. The danger, vignce and excitement only made his heart pound wildly.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    The top was near. The top was near.

    The man dawned a very aplished smirk on his face. And with his hands stretched upwards, holding the edge of the walls firmly.

    Now, with the power channelled to his arms, he raised himself and peaked into the estate vigntly.

    Good. Good... So far, so good.

    The man looked back, giving Botan the A-OK signal.

    Hahahahahha!

    Now, it was time for him to jump into enemy territory.

    However, how could things be that simple?

    Boom!

 Chapter 149 Power? Easy!

    After giving the A-OK, the man turned his head back, nning to jump in.

    But soon, his eyes caught something.

    Shadow! Shadow!

    He just saw a glimpse of a ninja shadow moving around like lightning.

    The man was about to say something.

    But before his mouth could open up, he soon found himself flying backwards, immediately breaking the pyramid formation.

    Boom!

    The attack was powerful.

    And the fallen man was now unconscious.

    What?!!!

    Instantly, the men all crouched down in various angles while hastily making their way back to the vehicles.

    Of course, they dragged the unconscious man too.

    "Quick! Quick! We''ve been discovered! It was a trap!"

    Botan''s heartbeat raised crazily the faster he dived into the middle vehicle.

    Dammit! They calcted wrongly.

    So, does this mean that there are guards in there? Did that little imp leave things as they were, focusing on installing new cameras in positions that they, thest Tian guards, would not be aware of?

    Son of a b***ch!

    The guy was smarter than they thought.

    .

    Thinking of the blood oozing out of the unconscious man''s forehead, it was safe to assume that they shot the guy with a stun gun at the direct point within the medu Oblongata that could knock one unconscious.

    Such sharpshooter skills could make anyone jealous.

    There were so many questions in his mind, but he knew that now wants the time to dilly dally.

    They had to get out of here before those inside got out to chase after them.

    Additionally, staying in the gatedmunity was now dangerous. With one phone call, the patrol units would start looking for them like crazy, as though they were catching some criminals who just did a bank heist.

    "What the hell are you waiting for? Drive! Drive! Drive!"

    Engines on, the drivers stepped on the pedals, not even caring if everyone was in yet.

    All doors and windows were now open, with several people jumping in like crazy.

    The scene was too ridiculous to capture.

    Of course, they wouldn''t leave anyone behind because what if that person snitched under pressure?

    The fact that they all betrayed their previous employer showed that they weren''t loyal to anyone.

    .

    Very recklessly, the vehicles drifted in a circle once, making sure that everyone was in.

    And just a few seconds more, they were off, almost knocking ady who had been going with headphones on. She dived into the shrubs escaping their gorgeous legs with twig branches.

    "Ahhhh~~ You crazy bastards! Watch where you''re going. Do you know how much my legs are insured for?"

    ~Vrrrmmmmm~

    No one cared for the screamingdy behind.

    Everyone was watching around madly, looking out for any patrol units that could possibly be after them.

    This whole thing messed with them because every vehicle they spotted along the roads made them feel fidgety... Even if they belonged to other neighbours.

    ~Ring!!!

    Botan''s phone rang vigorously, waking him up from his stupor.

    ["How? How did it go?"]

    Botan thinned his lips grimly: "Now''s not a good time. Talkter".... Tut...

    He wanted no time cutting Wei Kwo off.

    ~Ahhhhhhh!!!

    Botan ran his fingers through his hair, taking multiple deep breaths.<sub> </sub>

    It wasn''t for nothing that he was anxious.

    Though the order came from Wei Kwo, he and the guys were the ones who caused the Tian couple to have that ident. Almost everyone''s hands were soiled in this matter.

    And if the boy wanted to rise and take revenge, he would face him one day.

    So how could he not be fidgety about the matter?

    .

    Botan''s eyes were red.

    If he had known that the brat would change so much, they would''ve never left him out of their sight!

    He thought the Ghus and the Gias didn''t care much about the boy. But now, it seems that he was wrong.

    They were probably the ones who got such talented sharpshooters to watch over the Tian estate.

    What should he do? What should he do?

    The Gias alone were too powerful for him to take on. If they assisted the brat in taking revenge, it would be like an imperial order, with his fate being fixed.

    Now, add the Ghus to the mix.

    ... F***!

    If Botan knew that the Hous had also joined the gang, he would definitely turn to stone with fright.

    Sweat tripled down Botan''s forehead the more he realized how dire his situation was.

    me him! As they say, the lean camel is always better than the new calf... At least until it truly dies.

    Meaning, he shouldn''t have been rash to stand with Wei Kwo. Now, the lean camel showed signs of fattening, which only meant disaster for him.

    Dread gnawed at his insides, causing him to turn and churn in difort.

    This was not supposed to happen!

    With things being this way, what was he supposed to do now?

    His best option was to gather as much wealth as possible and flee abroad before the bastard came for revenge.

    But he was so unwilling!

    Why? He had met so many influential people and had a certain status over time. So how could he be willing to run away with his thing dangling between his legs like amon street rat?

    .

    Botan clenched his fists murderously.

    No! No! He wouldn''t give up just like that.

    What he needed was power.

    Yes. That''s it!

    Botan''s eyes lit up.

    Power. Power. Power

    He needed power to destroy the boy!

    But where? Where could he get such power from?

    [Hahahahha~... Human, I like you.]

    Botan was taken back.

    Who? Who said that?

    [Human, I''m in the ring you picked up this morning. Your current energy woke me up.]

    What?!

    With a shivering look of fright in his eyes, he slowly lowered his head to nce at the bizarre ring on his finger.

    Was he daydreaming? How was this possible?

    Fear and all sorts of horrible emotions flooded his mind as his first instinct was to take off the ring and throw it far, far, away.

    But before he could move, the voice suddenly spoke again.

    [''Human, I won''t do that if I were you.'']

    ''_''

    The voice chuckled. [''Human, look at me as your helper. You want power... I can give it to you. But in exchange, I want something else from you. So that said, how far are you willing to go for power? Human, let''s make a deal.'']

 Chapter 150 Arrival: The Academy Grounds

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop.~

    The propellers whipped and turned fiercely in the air.

    Chan-ki looked out the window with excitement, feeling more fidgety the further they left the city.

    Who could me him?

    He had only gotten brief information from Butler Sheng''s mouth concerning the acquisition of the property.

    So he was more or less in the dark, the same way those escorting them were only given brief info about Dorian.

    Curious and curiouser...

    Chan-ki grew extremely curious, as he suddenly felt the urge to go down the rabbit hole.

    But where to begin? No matter how much he asked, Butler Sheng only sealed his mouth, closing his eyes and strangely positioning his hands as though meditating (cultivating).

    Roll!

    Since when did this guy meditate?

    Chan-ki had no choice but to stay silent, marveling at the scene outside the windows.

    Well, at least he was in a chopper... A very cool one at that. So why not enjoy it?

    The other 2 escorting guards sitting opposite them in their chopper, secretly nced at each other, concluding their observations.

    It looked like if they wanted to understand the mystery around this Dorian, then the person they had to seek was Butler Sheng.

    Though they would always be at their tip-top best when on a mission, there were always opportunities to find out what they wanted withoutpromising the mission.

    Giving a little nudge on the matter would allow them to know Dorian''s limits and boundaries.

    Likewise, they had already somewhat understood what Old Gia''s lower boundaries are with this mission.

    So if they stayed within the grey area, as usual, everything should be fine.

    They weren''t robots.

    And because of their training, even though they did flow orders, they were also taught to ensure that what they were doing was legal and morally alright, just in case their superiors used them to do dastardly deeds.

    So in fact, Old Gia always encouraged others to pick out clues while on missions to confirm if things were as they seemed or not.

    For all they knew, maybe the person who sent them on a mission was a double agent. Or maybe there were other factors in the mix that would change things in future.

    That''s why even though Old Gia sent them out on the mission, he also hinted for them to find things out for themselves withoutpromising the mission.

    They could take it as training or a test if they wanted.

    So yes. They were still gathering clues as to why Old Gia would value this guy so much that he took out these precious choppers.

    Not just anyone could deserve such a high honor from old Gia.

    Ajin, the team leader, secretly squinted his keys deeply at Dorian seated opposite him.

    Dorian also had his hands crossed over his chest and his eyes closed. But Ajin knew that he was probably awake and alert.

    ''Interesting... I can''t see through him. So it''s best to start with his men... Especially the Butler.''

    .

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop.~

    Like so, the choppers moved in formation for a long while, finally crossing over the waters, closing in on the chosen ind.

    Chan-ki opened his eyes, shocked at how massively huge the entire ind was.

    When Butler Sheng said the young master had bought an ind, he thought it was some of those tiny inds scattered around the ce.

    However, reality was quick to p his face.<sub> </sub>

    Too big!

    The ind was not only huge but full of vegetation too. From a distance, he could already tell how plump the ind looked.

    "ording to the coordinates, this should be the ind." The pilot shouted, still keeping his eyes ahead.

    Wow!

    The guards and even Butler Sheng couldn''t help marveling at the luscious siteing into focus.

    Dorian opened his eyes and narrowed his vision with eagle eyes.

    No one knew that what he was seeing now was different from what the others could see.

    Likewise, Butler Sheng also noticed how far his vision could see.

    The most shocking thing was that he concentrated his hearing towards a certain distance, he could also listen to sounds that seemed too far off.

    This... This... This...

    With trembling hands of shock, joy and all sorts of emotions, Butler Sheng would only stare at the scene in a daze.

    Of course, everyone else thought he was dazed by the magnificent ind outside.

    Well, Butler Sheng was just in the 1st Dan.

    So while everyone was only seeing tiny dots of greenery from afar, Butler Sheng could at least see things with a bit more definition.

    Of course, if the chopper were further away, he wouldn''t be able to even see that definition from afar.

    Every Dan had a circumferential range to its powers.

    So yes. Though Butler Sheng''s ability wasn''t great, it was still mind-blowing to someone who wasn''t too long ago, was an ordinary mortal.

    Damn! Too awesome!

    (��0��)

    ...

    Everyone was only amazed by the size of the very vibrant green ind they spotted from afar.

    "Circle the entire ind beforending."

    "Yes, Grandmaster," Ajin said, carrying Dorian''s message to the pilot.

    And without dy, the pilot did as he was told the closer they advanced.

    Now, they had a better picture of the ce.

    F***!

    The hills and terrains were mighty rugged, with mountains, hills and even cliffs. But maybe the most eye-catching sight was the big divide on the ind.

    You.

    Unlike the other regions around the ind, the Northside didn''t seem to have sandy beaches surrounding its perimeter.

    Instead, thend was raised so high, creating several deadly cliffs. And below the cliffs, an even more dangerous water current flooded through the ce, almost beating the center point of the ind.

    If this was a mythical world, and ships were to sail through that divide, they would have to worry whether the cliffs would move in and close up on their own, crushing the ships to bits.

    The ind had low points, high points, t regions, caves, waterfalls and several other features that could make one feel its mystery.

    Dorian nodded his head in satisfaction for the academy''s grounds.

    Excellent.

    Now, he just had to find a good spot to ce the core in.

 Chapter 151 The Cradle Of Life

    Dorian narrowed his eyes. "Over there... Land."

    "_"

    Ajin''s like twitched, while now understood the operation of this guy. Sure enough. This guy fitted in the category of people who didn''t like wasting saliva, saying so many words in one sentence.

    "Killnoff, over there."

    The pilot was shocked.

    ? "There? Are you sure?" You must know that this ind is still ridden with wild bears, snakes, and all sorts of deadly beasts. That''s whynding there, so close to a water source, is definitely not a good thing!"

    Ajin thinned his lips. "I know. Why did you think that we brought tranquillizers?"

    "But..."

    "No buts... The big guy ordered it. And as ordered by the Marshal, we are to obey his orders... Though I do agree that they seem unreasonable."

    Ajin tapped the pilot''s shoulders to relieve the poor guy''s tension and frustration.

    "I, too, find it weird. And that''s why I prefer you stay in the chopper, ready to take us out of here if the going gets tough."

    Now, the lead pilot, Killnoff, was already slightly angered with Dorian''s decision. But he didn''t dare say anything, swallowing it all up, secretly curing him in his mind.

    ''Bloody son of a b**ch! You better pray that no one gets injured, or else I''ll be the first to beat you ck, blue, orange and even purple! Hmph!''

    Killnoff gritted teeth beforemunicating with the rest of his pilot team, flying the other choppers.

    "What? Is he crazy?"

    "Terrible! Terrible! Who the hell would make such a decision?"

    Killnoff felt the rage of the others but knew that there was nothing they could do about it.

    "No quibbling. Take these babies down now!"

    "Roger that!"

    .

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop.~

    Very slowly and vigntly, the choppers began descending onto what seemed like an open hole close to the ind''s center.

    From above, the entire design was like a key.

    The spot they were descending onto, had an enormous circr gathering of water there.

    This giant circr gathering of water could be considered the top part of the ''key.'' The long bottom half would have to be the massive, deadly flow of water that left the gathering and rushed out of the ind, being sandwiched between those 2 cliff sides on the North.

    Of course, no doubt about it, all the little streams of water around the ind were probably somehow connected to this spot.

    One shouldn''t forget the massive waterfall around the gathering too.

    That is, one could say that this water spit should be the ''cradle of life'' for a majority of water sources on the ind, no?

    In that case, understanding why the pilots and everyone else were so freaked out was easy to guess.

    However, it was undeniable that to Ajin and a few others, their interest had once again been piqued by Dorian''s move.

    The boy didn''t seem like a foolish person. And for his men to still remain calm and support his actions, further convinced him that the boy probably had a n up his sleeves.

    Then, what was he about to do?

    .

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop.~

    With great focus and precision, the pilots allnded on the open region between the thick forest facing one side of their choppers, and the massive water surface facing the other side.

    They ensured that they could fully see both sides, lest something creeps out of the water to attack them.

    "Grandmaster... What''s the n?"

    Dorian raised his browzily: "Come if you want to, stay if you don''t." He shrugged before steadily out coolly. Of course, following him were Butler Sheng and Chan-ki.

    (-_-)

    Once again, Ajin was dumbfounded by this guy''s speaking ability.<sub> </sub>

    Bro... Are we fighting or something?

    ~Pff!

    Mina nced at her leader, trying not to burst out inughter.

    Aiyoo~~...

    This was the first time she saw the leader meet his match.

    You know, the Captain could also be in the category of the ''domineering president'' in terms of his attitude. In a way, he was a little bit like the youngster, though more outspoken.

    No! It could be seen that before today, they thought they knew what ''domineering President meant.'' But now, they understood.

    The youngster''s entire demeanor made them want to bow before him. It was hard to exin, but even a simple act of crossing his legs looked so elegant, as though they were watching some ancient monarch.

    Tsk. The boy was definitely an eye-opener for them.

    Well, this wasn''t surprising, given his identity and his upbringing.

    Who knows... Maybe this was how all wealthy kids were trained.

    .

    Ajin nced at the subordinate in the chopped with him with a cold stare, choking her with her swallowedughter.

    "I see you''ve been too free ofte"

    "No. No. No, sir... I, I.."

    "Save it! When we get back, triple training for you!" He said, taking out his walkie-talkie. "All ground units move out! Sanchu, your unit will stay back and protect the choppers and pilots. The rest of you, protect the Grandmaster!"

    "Right!" They replied, stepping out of the choppers hastily.

    Ajin nced at his second inmand, Mina, with his face still cold as ice.

    "Let''s go."

    The duo also jumped out of the Chopper, keeping a close distance from Dorian and his gang.

    All this time, Dorian had been standing on the open brown sandy path, starting at the ground deeply.

    Eh?

    Everyone stared at the ground in confusion but still kept their vignce up.

    Look up, down, around...

    Sure enough, they could see several ck images hidden between the forest trees.

    Ind''s primary Water source equalled arge gathering of beasts.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Their hearts went chaotic.

    And amidst the heavy air, they quickly reached for their tranquillizers, ready to take action.

    Soon, it wasn''t just their front that seemed to be the issue, as something was also swishing vigorously in the waters.

    Dammit!

    These beats had got them surrounded!

    "Everyone, get back into the Choppers! Grandmaster, we have to go... We... Grandmaster?"

    (��_��)

    Amidst the anxious and heavily tensed group, Dorian began walking ahead as though he was blind to the dangers around him.

    Ajin swiftly nced at Butler Sheng, seeing him as calm as the river.

    "_"

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?

    Could it be that they had been escorting a bunch of crazy people all this time?

 Chapter 152 Good Spot!

    Crazy! Crazy! This guy definitely had a few screws loose in his head.

    Ajin and everyone else stared at Dorian''s silhouette with an unfathomable faze.

    Even Chan-ki, who filled beside Butler Sheng, had to give the duo several obvious nces as if asking them if they were insane.

    Lying trough. Could they havee here to a suicide wish?

    Seeing Butler Sheng just standing there calmly made Chan-ki both nervous and suspicious. He felt that he was one step closer to the truth of their weird behaviors. It was also because of this that he tried to stand firm... though at a close range to Butler Sheng.

    Additionally, his hand couldn''t help reaching for his dagger too. Even though he couldn''t see what creatures were constantly moving and lurking around the forest surrounding them, the swishing sounds showed that they should be big ones.

    Moreover, he could also see several glowy eyes scattered within the forest from various angles.

    What were they? This... This was definitely not good.

    And Ajin, who had been tasked with keeping the target safe, quickly gritted his teeth at Dorian.

    "Forgive me, Grandmaster. But if you don''t move, I''ll have no choice but to yank you over. Pilots, keep the choppers running; we''reing in hot!"

    With great vigor, Ajin stepped forward, flexing all his muscles in an attempt to yank this death-seeking bastard away from the scene.

    Now, he couldn''t hell wondering if Old Gia had asked them to escort this guy in order to keep him alive from his suicidal thoughts.

    F***! What sort of mission had he undertaken?

    Mina also stepped behind Butler Sheng, ready to use force too.

    Don''t look at her physique of being a woman and think that she wouldn''t be able to drag him off.

    With great determination, the duo stretched their hands forth.

    But before they could even touch their targets, several beasts had already leaped out from behind the thick trees, springing towards them like crazy.

    ~Brumm! Brumm! Brumm! Brumm!~

    Everyone''s face turned grim.

    Moon bears! It was a family of moon bears!

    Moon bears or white-chested bears looked like cks that wore white cors across their necks, leading down to the upper chests.

    But although they are usually shy and cautious, they were generally more aggressive towards humans than other bears.

    Once they decided to attack, there was no stopping them!

    Additionally, it wasn''t just the moon bears that made a move.

    They also saw 2 white tigers leaping forward as well. Of course, several other creatures decided to sit back in the shadows and continue watching the show.

    Dammit!

    This was precisely what they were afraid of!

    Now, it was toote to flee. They had to take the shot and tranquillize the iing creatures fast!

    With their targets on lock, Ajin, Mina and a few others were ready to take the shot.

    However, before they could pull the trigger, something jaw-dropping happened right before their eyes.

    Dorian, titled go head to the side and stared at them coldly.

    "Sit."

    Bam!

    "_"

    ....

    Everyone watched the beasts sit in fear like little kittens, on my feeling they were no longer in the same world anymore.

    This... This... Excuse me, but why did it seem like they had just entered the wrong movie set?

    (0_0)<sub> </sub>

    Blink. Blink.

    You look at me, I look at you. You look at the obedient beats, I look at the tranquillizer in your hands.

    To see is to believe.

    Everyone was just too dumbfounded and speechless by what had just transpired.

    Where were the vicious and saliva-drooling creatures from earlier on? Where did they go?

    This couldn''t be med on them because the moment Dorian opened his yes murderous, the animals quickly humbled themselves, not daring to move an inch.

    As for how he domesticated them so fast, that would be his secret, no?

    First of all, animals were also spiritual, with some who, oddly enough, used to be humans in their past lives.

    The rebirth cycle was endless, and some were undergoing divine punishment in this way.

    Dorian shrugged, not intending to exin anything to anyone.

    And at this moment, Chan-ki couldn''t help looking at Dorian in shock and awe.

    F***! Who can tell him why the young master suddenly became a protagonist in an action movie?

    Ajin swallowed dryly, unable to wet his throat from the shock alone. Very quickly, he gave his team a firm nod.

    With that, they lowered their weapons ever so slowly. Will a person who can do this be ordinary? Now they more or less understood what was special about this guy.

    For him to drop down here meant that he was talented enough. So could it be that he was a licensed wildlife rescuer and tamer?

    They furrowed their brows even more.

    There were so many doubts about the matter too.

    They had never heard of any tamer who could do it. Such a feat was more of a fairytale thing instead.

    However, to them, there was probably some logical exnation to it all.

    So preferred to believe that it could all be exined logically than to believe in any hocus-pocus fantasy stuff.

    Thinking like this, Ajin felt that his actions earlier might''ve been too much.

    With a firm stand, cing his hands behind his back and his head lowered, she couldn''t help stepping forward.

    "Grandmaster, forgive my ipetence."

    "Hmmm... I do not mind."

    "Thank you, Grandmaster!"

    "Hmmm," Dorian replied, turning his attention to the obedient creatures who had now withdrawn their fangs and elongated ws. "Come."

    The creatures obeyed and moved forward amidst everyone''s vignt gaze.

    However, this time, no one acted against them, knowing that Dorian could tame andmand them like dogs.

    Like so, the gang moved across the scene, with Dorian looking downwards from time to time.

    And during this time, no other creatures seem to move out to attack them.

    Of course, a few other creatures did try to sneak up on them, but the beasts were driven away by the bears and the white tigers.

    Everyone could only smile wryly, seeing that they had somehow managed to recruit animal bodyguards too.

    And soon enough, Dorian stopped at a certain point and nodded in satisfaction.

    Moist, bright, good spot that collects wind too. The Feng Shui in this region was perfect!

    [''Host, it is indeed a perfect spot.'']

    ''Good. Then it''s time. But first, I''ll clean up the air... There''s something in the water.''

 Chapter 153 Something In The Water?

    Dorian narrowed his eyes, looking at the water thoughtfully. And flowing his gaze, everyone else also stared at the water in confusion.

    Could it be that he saw something?

    Seeing Dorian advance towards the water, Ajin quickly raised his tranquillizer vigntly. But like a shadow, Butler Sheng suddenly appeared before him.

    "Everyone, please take several steps back. Chan-ki, you stand here."

    "Yes, brother Sheng," Chan-ki replied, feeling the tension in the air.

    Could it be that there was some deadly predator swimming in the water?

    Ajin and the rest wanted to step closer to Dorian but had no choice but to stand still. Butler Sheng''s actions showed that there would be no room for maneuvering.

    The animals also sat obediently around them, not daring to touch them.

    Chan-ki''s eyes kept darting between Dorian and Butler Sheng, dying to know what this was all about.

    With a low chuckle, Butler Sheng decided to free him from his thoughts and anxiety, while slowly reaching for his great pocket, just in case.

    "Chan-ki, you spent your time in the ward, so it''s only natural that you don''t know how great the Grandmaster is."

    Oh?

    Ears perked to heaven, Ajin and his men couldn''t help listening in on the conversation.

    .

    The juicy intel they were listening to was too sweet to pass up.

    Thepliments from the butler were very high. His time and even his manner of speaking could make a person think this boy... This Tian boy, who should be broke, was some high-ranking leader.

    The information they gathered vastly differed from what they saw and how Butler Sheng was describing the boy.

    More than that, the title Grandmaster had long piqued their interest too. And it looks like soon enough, they''ll be able to get all the pieces of the puzzle and sessfully crack the code.

    Ahin thinned his lips, focusing his attention on Butler Sheng''s words.

    As for Chan-ki, he too wanted to know what the mystery was about... Though he was getting nervous the more Butler Sheng talked.

    Additionally, what was up with the thin rectangr pieces of paper he saw Butler Sheng bring out.

    Lying trough. Was anyone ever going to exin things to him?

    (YwY)

    .

    "Chan-ki... Do you remember what the Grandmaster said in the wardst time?"

    Chan-ki looked to the ground in deep thought before nodding vigorously. "Yes! Yes, brother Sheng. I do... But what does that have to do with this situation?"

    "Chan-ki''s... As the Grandmaster said, our Tian family has a secret mission and job in this world."

    Boom!

    Everyone''s ears jolted in warning, already guessing so many hidden, uncovered scenarios that the Tian family could be involved with.

    Could it be that they were some secret undercover organization? Could they be involved in some top-secret research n? Or were they involved with finding ancient artifacts?

    Remembering how the boy could tame these beasts, maybe it had something to do with his skills instead.

    No wonder!~... No wonder Marshall Gia would do so much for them.

    Ajin and many others were quick to develop so many plot twists and plot armor for why Dorian''s situation was different from what the public knew.

    However, Butler Sheng''s following words made them choke in disbelief.

    "Chan-ki, what if I told you that our enemies were neither mortal nor animal?"

    -silence-

    "~Pff!... Hahahahha~~" Chan-ki and a few others cracked up.

    Aiyo~

    Why didn''t they notice that this Butler was so funny?

    .

    Minaughed so hard that tears had already begun forming at the corners of her eyes.

    Everyone thought it was a joke... until they realized how unchanged Butler Sheng''s expression was.<sub> </sub>

    Ajin couldn''t help being taken aback.

    "Excuse, Mr. Sheng, you can''t be serious, right?"

    Yes. Yes... How absurd would that be?

    "~HahahahaAH---..."

    Everyone suddenly stoppedughing, feeling that something was alright.

    As for Butler Sheng, he casually struggled while doing what the Grandmaster hadmended, telepathically.

    ~Swish!

    Butler Sheng threw the papers in his hands. And maybe it was their imagination, but they swore that the wind had magically sent these papers around them in a very organized manner.

    Brother Sheng nodded while standing outside the formation.

    Everyone, including the animals, were all in there. And Butler Sheng was standing opposite to them.

    They didn''t understand what was happening but stood still ording to his orders.

    Nheless, his actions did indeed arouse their curiosity.

    The enemy wasn''t human or animal, so what exactly was it?

    For some reason, they started feeling uneasy and uncertain. It wouldn''t be what they were thinking of, right?

    .

    Butler Sheng nodded in satisfaction at his work.

    [Grandmaster, it''s done.]

    [Hmmm... Get ready.] Dorian replied, still standing at the edge of the water.

    And with this, Butler Sheng was quick to take a battle stance, causing everyone within the formation to turn vignt.

    "Brother Sheng! Brother Sheng! What the hell is going on?"

    "No time to talk. Just watch, and you''ll understand. However, you''re all safe in there."

    Eh?

    In where?

    Butler Sheng was speaking theirnguage. Separately, each sentence made sense. But when put together, no one could understand what he was saying.

    However, before they had time to make heads or tails on the matter, they saw somethingpletely unbelievable happen right before their eyes.

    "Oh my God! Leader, leader, look!... Look at the Grandmaster!"

    ~Tap.

    Dorian ced his foot on the water.

    ~Tap. Tap.

    He ced his other foot, and soon, he began walking on water like an immortal.

    This... This...

    Boeing!

    Everyone''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets, with widened mouths of shock.

    "God! I think my eyes have a problem with them. How can I hallucinate in the middle of the day?"

    "If you say you''re hallucinating or dreaming, then could it be that we all managed to enter the same dream somehow too?"

    "F***! Pinch me; this can''t be real!"

    "Mommy... A real-life immortal!"

    Chan-ki almost went down to his knees, wanting to bow and kowtow in awe.

    All hail the Grandmaster! All hail, the Grandmaster!

    (*?*)

 Chapter 154 F***! What Is That?!!!

    Grandmaster! Grandmaster!

    Everyone onnd gazed at Dorian''s silhouette in awe. Of course, their brain cells were still trying to fully understand how any of this was possible.

    Some eximed to express themselves, while others began pinching themselves in a trance.

    Of course, some also stared at the scene in silence, wondering whether they were still in the same world anymore.

    Maybe they had just entered a mysterious time portal, taking them to a parallel world instead.

    Shocking!... Too shocking!

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.~

    Dorian advanced calmly, seeing all the creatures swimming underneath his feet.

    Some giant ones tried to attack him but quickly took to their heels the moment he nced at them.

    Mommy... They should''ve already taken the hint that a human who could walk on water wasn''t normal.

    Dorian walked towards the dangerous and heavy flowing waterfall, stopping directly opposite it.

    It was strange to say that all the water that should''ve been sshing onto Dorian seemed to bounce right back, leaving him dry.

    .

    [Host, after killing them, you don''t have to worry about purifying the ce. After you''ve found a spot to properly burly the Holy core Vein, the entire ind will get cleansed of any evil qi hovering around. Provided the root cause (creatures) are destroyed, then leave the rest to this system.]

    ''Hmmm...'' Dorian replied.

    And with a single stomping move, he created a role underneath his feet that went straight from to the very, very, far bottom.

    Pup!

    He fell below, leaving those watching rmed and anxious.

    Something wouldn''t have grabbed the Grandmaster, right?

    They hadn''t seen the hole underneath his feet. So of course they got worried for him... Especially Ajin, whose task was to ''escort'' Dorian.

    ''Bullets! Bullets!... I have to get the bullets in the chopper!''

    Old Gia had told them to carry tranquillizers rather than bullets. They only thought that he said that so they wouldn''t be killing any protected animals... Which was a crime.

    But how would they have known that Old Gia was saying it because bullets had no effect on whatever Dorian was always up against?

    Bullets... Bullets.

    He had to throw these damn tranquillizers away and take out the big guns!

    After all, desperate times called for desperate measures, and he was not about to lose a life while on the job!

    Thinking like this, the brave Ajin quickly reacted, nning to leap for the choppers speedily.

    How ere, why did things, not to the way he thought they would?

    .

    ~Bang!!!

    He smashed his head on something and fell backwards amidst everyone''s confused stares.

    "Leader!" Mina cried. "Leader, are you alright? What in science''s name happened?"

    (?~?)

    Everyone saw him fall but didn''t see what had attacked him. How very bizarre.

    "I''m fine," Ajin said, massaging his forehead freely.

    They couldn''t understand what was going on, but he seemed to have guessed it.

    "Mina, everyone, I seemed to have run into a wall. Stretch your hands, move outwards, and you''ll understand what I mean."

    Everyone was baffled but still did as they were told, leading to an even more shocking scene.

    Gasp!

    He was right! They were surrounded by invisible walls.

    Hands on the invisible walls, many turned speechless with wonder.

    Magic. Magic... It was definitely magic!

    Chan-ki was the most surprised, trying to determine whether Butler Sheng and the ret were aliens or immortal.

    Lying trough. Why was it that the more he saw, the less he understood?

    WHAT EXACTLY DID THEIR TIAN FAMILY DO?<sub> </sub>

    But wait, why would they be trapped here while Butler Sheng and Dorian weren''t?

    .

    1, 2... Click.

    The light bulbs in their minds went on, and they instantly understood the duo''s intentions.

    No doubt about it, the duo had done this to protect them. But from what?

    ~Brrrmmmm!

    A loud sound suddenly echoed out from the hole that Dorian had descended through.

    And the next thing they knew it, they saw something gigantic Irish out of the water, dashing towards them like crazy.

    ~Blugh!

    Everyone, with no exception, had a strong urge to puke. Some people''s faces even began turning green from disgust.

    ~Braw~~~

    The creature screamed, gliding on top of the water at full speed.

    And the closer it got, the more horrifying it looked.

    It was a worm the size of a shark that had over 5 round razor-toothed mouths, 2 long hands with no longs.

    It swam in a zig-zag manner, rating its body from time to time.

    ~Oow oow... Argh... Grrw... Oow oow~

    The forest creatures who had long been hiding and watching, all hastily fled for their dear lives.

    The entire scene happened just like an epic movie!

    The birds flew, trees rustled, the ground rumbled from the stomping fleeing creatures, and all sorts of sounds echoed out simultaneously.

    Likewise, the creatures within the water weren''t slow either.

    The money they sensed the evil wi, they took off speedily in all directions. Some who could walk onnd also escaped, wanting heartily.

    F***! No creature thought of using this opportunity to catch any prey.

    Get out, get out!

    That was their first instinct.

    And it wasn''t just them, as even those trapped in the formation wanted to risk it all and make for the hills.

    .

    Monster! Monster! Monster!!

    Mina''s legs quaked and wobbled in absolute fright, as she now realized how frozen she was.

    One step back, one step to the side.

    Her legs were so confused, as though both wanted to flee in separate directions.

    She felt cold, yet her palms were warm and sweaty.

    And now, just one thought thundered repeatedly in her mind.

    They... They were going to die, weren''t they.

    ~Braw~!

    The creature''s body emerged from tile to time above the water, moving like a snake and rolling towards them with everything it had.

    But while many were too terrified to move, Butler Sheng only moved his head left to right, cracking his bones.

    "Well, big fe... you aren''t as ugly as the rest."

    (:YoY:)

    Everyone who heard him had no tears but wanted to cry.

    Was he trying to say there were uglier things out there than this?

    Several people''s eyes rolled to the back of their heads just picturing it.

    Fake! Fake!

    How can such a thing be true?

 Chapter 155 Not Good!

    With full force, the creature charged at Butler Sheng with all its might.

    Ready, set, go!

    ~Bam!

    The creature mmed its face on the invisible wall, causing maggots and all sorts of nasty crawling things to stter on the sides.

    And this time, everyone threw up with no exception, wishing they could unplug their eyes from their sockets, smash them onto the ground before burning them over a furnace.

    Dammit! What sort of picture was now burnt into their minds?

    Get it out! Get it out! Get it out!~

    Even the bears began growling and having their hands over their eyes in disgust.

    That is, have you ever seen animals puke?

    Chan-ki looked at the white tiger puking beside him, patting it on the shoulder in understanding. ''Brother, you can''t take it too? Come, brother... Let''s throw up together.''

    [White Tiger]: (:Y^Y:)

    Blugh~

    The puke festival began, with everyone feeling both disgust and fear deeply rooted in them.

    The fear that such things existed in the world was too great, making them doubt their lives.

    The air was tense with worry, as many fretted not just for their lives but also for the Grandmaster''s and Butler Sheng''s.

    Oh no! The Grandmaster had been dragged into the water long ago, and Butler looked like a baby next to the giant creature.

    ~Swish!

    Butler Sheng jumped high into the air a few seconds before the creature smashed itself into the wall.

    [Sheng, locate the green stone on its body and focus your attacks there. It''s only 49 years old... So I expect you to be able to handle it.'']

    [''Yes, Grandmaster.'']

    ~Thup. Thup. Thup.

    Like lightning, Butler Sheng threw several talismans on random parts on the creature''s body.

    And with that, he began to say the only spell he began mastering today. It was the first and lowest level spell.

    To get the instructions, call upon the heavens and deal with the creature would take a newbie time to master with no hitch.

    Say or pronounce even a single word wrong, and something could go wrong instead.

    Grr~

    The creature shook, turned and rolled its worm-like body after smacking the invisible wall.

    And before it knew it, Butler Sheng had begun the ''freezing spell'' to keep it in ce.

    ''Holy energy, called upon... Shwshwshwwshw~''

    1, 2... 1, 2...

    He repeated the same hand motions, severally, though he was too slow and did it as though he were counting sheep.

    Boom!

    Butler Sheng felt his mulches bulge in thisment, as a warm feeling and light seemed to descend from the heavens.

    What?!

    Butler Sheng''s eyes began to erge at the dazzling scene before him.

    Chains!

    Several very thin golden chains descended from above, pinning the creature via the talismans he ced on it.

    F***! F***! F***!

    Was this what the Grandmaster saw every time he pinned creatures down?<sub> </sub>

    (��0��)

    This... This... This was too unbelievable!

    Though frail and dainty, his chains still held down the retire, maybe because it was a weakling. A mere measly 49-year-old creature.

    Had it been a stronger one, Butler Sheng''s chains wouldn''t have done anything to it.

    Again, he knew he was weak because his chains were as thin as a single hair strand.

    If not for the fact that his vision had improved after breaking through his mortal shell, he would''ve honestly never seen them as chains.

    Of course, the binding spell he was using was just one out of many.

    Make no mistake; there were universal spells that could work on any and every creature.

    But, specific ones would do the job faster and quicker depending on what creature one was targeting.

    That said, exorcism didn''t require one to know everything. At every level, one must pass the requirements to advance to the next exorcism rank.

    They needed to know particr numbers of spells in the many categories.

    Whether it was binding spells, actual exorcism spells, defence spells, levitating spells, possession-seeking spells... Exorcists were requested to know a specific number of general and individual spells the higher they climbed.

    At least for binding spells, No-rank exorcists were supposed to know a minimum of 4 universal ones and 2 specific ones; either water-based, fire-based, or something like that.

    Again, it was important to know that spell learning was different from alchemy, formation creation, etc.

    In short, the road to being a damn good exorcist was challenging and tasking.

    And any who aren''t prepared to study and master the craft won''t be able to stand the heat.

    .

    Everyone saw that the creature seemed to be in pain, understanding that those small papers might be the case of it all.

    What?!

    <o>,m Chan-ki was in awe from the live-action movie before him.</o>

    "Hahahahahha~ I know him... I know him... That''s my brother! That''s my brother Sheng!"

    "Way to go, Mr. Sheng. Grab it by the horns and show it who''s boss!" Mina added, almost crying from glee.

    "Gruuuw~grugrugru~~"

    The animals were alert, pacing left to right and right to left in jubtion too.

    Ajin and the others also felt like jumping and cheering Butler Sheng for getting this far.

    To be honest, the moment the creature charged for them, their bodies couldn''t even run or react from shock alone.

    So wouldn''t they have been dead by now?

    Their faces turned pale, shuddering in horror whenever they thought of the scene.

    What trained military? They couldn''t even handle this, yet they dared to be proud about being trained military personnel?

    Of course, now they had a deep fear for water instead.

    Lying trough. How were they to enjoy an ordinary beach vacation anymore?

    Forget it! They would like to stay onnd, okay?

    Like so, everyone was feeling overly excited, some even getting tempted to cry in glee after seeing Butler Sheng magically pin it down.

    It was just that since they couldn''t see the golden chains, they didn''t know how much danger Butler Sheng was actually in.

    ''Shwshwshwshwshw... Shah!-''

    Butler Sheng opened his eyes grimly.

    He said it wrong... NOT GOOD!

 Chapter 156 Alive! Alive! Hes Alive!

    Sweat covered Butler Sheng''s face while staring at the weakening and disconnecting chains losses greatly.

    No! No! No! He said it wrong!

    Butler Sheng''s heart fell onto his belly.

    But before he could correct his actions, the creature suddenly trimmed viciously. And with a swift move, its end pped Butler Sheng to the side, causing him to roll on the side crazily.

    Bam!

    "Brother Sheng!"

    "Mr. Sheng!"

    Everyone stared at the scene frantically. This, how, you, he, what just happened?

    Mina grabbed Chan-ki''s cor subconsciously: "You-... He''s going to be alright, yeah? Answer me, Dammit, is he going to be fine!"

    "Mina! That''s enough!" Ajin yelled, understanding her worries.

    You know, their mortal eyes had only seen sh images of the creature''s moves after itnded its attacks on Butler Sheng.

    This alone showed how fast it was.

    No beats in their world would be able to rival it. So now, they couldn''t help wondering if Butler Sheng would be able to take it head-on. After all, he was just human too.

    "Mr. Sheng!!"

    ~Tututututututhrop.

    Butler Sheng rolled onto the sandy banks as though his body were made of rubber. It was just that the fact that he was rolling while sighing a deep hole into the ground greatly contrasted the rubber notion many had initially thought of.

    Everyone saw him get up and shake the sand and ground away from him as though it were nothing.

    "Mr. Sheh--... Eh??"

    Blink. Blink.

    (+_+)

    His body wouldn''t be made of stone, right?

    That is, what should''ve made anyone disfigured and even crippled with a broken spine and many internal injuries, seemed to have done nothing to him.

    Augh.

    Butler Sheng leaped out of the deep hole created, smashing the side of his ears to remove any sand and ground residue that got in.

    All this was just 3 seconds after getting hit down.

    And wouldn''t you know it, the moment he got back out, the creature''s ugly face was the first thing that greeted him.

    This time, Butler Sheng gave up the idea of pinning the bastard first.

    He ran his fingers to sleek back his hair and adjusted his suit properly.

    "Alright, big guy. I didn''t n to do things messily, only trying to pin you down and get things over with in a cordial fashion. After all, this is my favourite suit I''m wearing. But since you like ying it rough, then let''s y!"

    ~Grw~

    The beast used its only hands to slither and crawl towards its target with a widened mouth.

    Butler Sheng nced at it and smirked yfully.

    This morning, he crushed several rocks. And today, he was crushing this little beast.

    As for adequately learning the spells, he would have to practice hard before putting his faith in them.

    For now, he might as well beat the living daylight out of this thing until he found the green stone the Grandmaster had hinted to.

    Well then, it was time to test out just how powerful he was at the 1st Dan.

    .

    No. No. No!~

    Everyone watched the creature tush towards Butler Sheng, only feeling their hearts beat chaotically.

    Jaws clenched, bodies weakened, everyone screamed at the scene in that fixed horror.

    "Get out of there! Save yourself!"

    "Sheng! Sheng!!!~"

    "Oh no. I can''t watch... This is too much!" Mina said, feeling as though she would have a heart attack any moment from now.<sub> </sub>

    Who can bear to watch?

    The scene of Butler Sheng getting swallowed whole by that thing had long been envisioned by them all.

    However, what happened next waspletely different from their imaginations.

    ~Gr~

    The creature slithered its way towards its target fearlessly. And with a deep lean forward, it opened its mouth, revealing an even more rotting inside and deeper smell that could knock one out t.

    Bam!

    A loud sound echoed out. And all everyone could see was the creature flying backwards instead.

    ''_''

    Everyone watched the following scenes with shock, confusion and even doubt.

    Mina loomed at Butler Sheng, feeling cheated.

    ''Damn you, Mr. Sheng! You better give me back my tears after this! How dare you make ady cry?''

    Gr~

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Pah! Bam!

    Butler Shengnded yet another solid hit on the creature, making it cry even more.

    In fact, the creature and Butler Sheng were pretty even when battling.

    Both sides had caused injury to the other, showing their strengths.

    But because Butler Sheng had spotted the stone on it, he was quick to judge the bastard, shocking everyone silly.

    They weren''t fools. Butler Sheng''s vanishing appearance and his blows alone showed them that he was stronger than they, mere mortals.

    "Leader, I think this is what Marshall Gia wanted us to see."

    "Hmmm..." Ajin replied, thinning his lips deeply. "If I weren''t with you all right now, I would have sworn that today''s matter was nothing but a figment of my imagination. The world is not as we think. Maybe our biggest enemies are not ourselves, but these things... As protectors, how can we not join in the battle?"

    Everyone looked at each other briefly as though concluding their minds.

    Before taking on this mission, Old Gia had told them to prepare because soon, they would go somewhere to study something top-secret.

    They didn''t understand and thought that maybe he was sending them off to some secret base to learn a thing or 2.

    However, they understood how wrong they were.

    It was now clear as day that this was what the marshal meant!

    .

    Boom! Bam! Pah! Boom!

    ~Grw!

    The creature had finally been subdued, with its stone ripped off cleanly by Butler Sheng.

    And at this moment, a ridiculouslyrge hole that they could see, unexpectedly opened up on the water.

    ~Dwahh.

    <o>,m Everyone peeked at the scene anxiously until Mina''s cry echoed out.</o>

    "Look! Look! It''s the Grandmaster! He''s alive!"

    What? He''s alive?

    "Hahahahah~ That beautiful son of a b**tch is alive. Hahahaha~... I want to kiss him now."

    (^0^)

    Everyone''s emotions were unspeakable, with some hugging each other and others just smiling warmly.

    Good. Good. Good.

    "Grand... Ah!--"

    Dorian emerged, floating while carrying over 30 of these same creatures bundled up together.

    Everyone, including Butler Sheng and the beast he defeated, had no tears but wanted to cry.

    ''Grandmaster, do you know that you''re a bully?''

 Chapter 157 [Bonus Chapter]Academy Construction Begins!

    Right before everyone''s eyes, they watched as Dorian emerged from underneath with numerous creatures squished and wrapped around into one giant ball of disgust.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Before Butler Sheng could say anything, Dorian had already joined the creature he subdued into the pack and exorcized them, burning their bodies with a light bluish me.

    ~Puff.

    The me was finally extinguished when thest creature''s eyeball disappeared into thin air.

    [Audience]: (o_o)

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone had so many questions, fears, and uncertainties deeply rooted within their bodies.

    That is, were they finally safe? What exactly were those things? Were there more of them on and outside the ind?

    Hello? Can anyone give them the rundown of everything?

    Dorian stood firm in ce, staring at Butler Sheng and Chan-ki expressionlessly: "Step forward."

    "Yes, Grandmaster!" The duo replied sternly.

    Heheheh... That''s right.

    Chan-ki had now started calling Dorian ''Grandmaster.''

    And the way he looked at Dorian was now filled with reverence.

    "Sheng... You overestimated your abilities, almost leading to your defeat at the start of the battle. Don''t do it again."

    "Yes, Grandmaster!" Butler Sheng replied, forming his fists in determination.

    So he realized where he messed up during battle.

    .

    In today''s battle, Butler Sheng had begun by putting his faith in a spell that he hadn''t adequately mastered. And if the creature were even slightly stronger than himself, he would''ve sustained far greater injuries, or worse... Died.

    When choosing a tactic, one had to choose the best and swiftest method that was equally simple for one to do.

    If he had begun by battling that thing the moment it mmed itself against the invisible wall, he would''ve long found the green some and dealt with it without wasting so much energy.

    Mind you, he had just entered the 1st Dan and was still in the process of stabilizing his form. So his energy was vastly affected too.

    And mid-battle, he also realized the crises at hand if he didn''t end things quickly.

    That''s why every second he had to rest, he was secretly cultivating to boost his energy.

    Indeed... He had overestimated his capabilities before the battle.

    Butler Sheng might not know it, but the reason Dorian looked very almighty was not only because he was a genius, but because he knew his strengthened weaknesses at every given time.

    Look. Even when reassuring the Gia girl, he went back home to gather energy before heading out to disy his skills.

    Dorian never did anything he wasn''t sure of.

    He was like a calctor, working countless oues and possibilities prior to battle and even within the fight.

    Being a genius and mastering everything alone wasn''t enough. One had to train their minds and master everything about themselves too.

    Butler Sheng had learnt a bit of this today.

    .

    Dorian nodded in satisfaction, seeing that he had taken his teachings to heart.

    After all, he wasn''t always going to be there. And watching people die from some mistakes was something Dorian didn''t want to see happen.

    If you''re going to die, let it be from being killed by some overpowered underworld creature or even from one of the Princes of the Underworld. Dying from a 49-year-old being because of a trivial mistake like this was just too shameful!

    Dorian wasn''t like those masters who would tell their disciples to die and sacrifice their lives when they could live.

    If you can''t handle things, flee, get backup or alert someone else to take the job.<sub> </sub>

    Its stupid system indeed wanted him to train heroes that would jump into fire whenever possible.

    But moving without any firm understanding of oneself was stupid, to say the least.

    While helping others out, being selfish and keeping one''s life were also important.

    They, exorcists, weren''t sacrificialmbs that would lead around at will.

    Understand your strengths, abandon and seek help when you weren''t, and that''s that.

    In Butler Sheng''s case today, he wanted him to understand that overestimating his capabilities would one day lead to his death.

    Master what you can, understand your limits, and you''ll live longer.

    As for the other lessons to be learnt, he was sure that the more experienced Butler Sheng was, the more growing he would get.

    .

    Butler Sheng stepped back expressionlessly, bowing to Dorian yet again. "Grandmaster. I have taken in your teachings."

    "Hmm..." Dorian hummed, turning his attention towards Chan-ki.

    Bubuum!

    Chan-ki''s heart was beating so loudly.

    ~Plop.

    He went down on one knee. "Grandmaster, this humble one is here."

    "_"

    Ajin and the others didn''t see anything wrong with Chan-ki''s actions.

    Lying trough. This was the Grandmaster, okay?

    Chan-ki knelt, looking so determined, as though he would do anything for Dorian at this moment.

    When thinking of how ignorant he was, not knowing Dorian''s true identity, he wanted to smack himself in the face, swearing to do a great job as one of Dorian''s close guards.

    Yes. Even after seeing this much, he still chose to stay. After all, what if he left and met such things out there again?

    Butler Sheng had said earlier that he had fought many other creatures too.

    So it could be said that they might be within every corner around them. Then in that case, wouldn''t running away be stupid?

    Maybe if he were ordinary, he would flee. But for a trained guard such as himself, he quickly thoughts things through too.

    Well, he had decided to continue staying with the Tians!

    .

    "Now, do you have a sense of what our Tian family does?"

    Chan-ki nodded vigorously. "Yes, Grandmaster. I''m ready to be trained and taken in!"

    Dorian looked at him deeply: "Get up. We''ll talk about itter. For now, everyone, stand back."

    Say less. Everyone did as they were told, watching Dorian summon the bears and the white tigers to step forward.

    <o>,m "Dig."</o>

    ''~Grw~.''

    In a sh, the creatures began digging an incredibly deep hole.

    [''Host, this spot is indeed perfect. Do you want to take out the Academy''s boundless Heavenly Core?'']

    Dorian smiled mysteriously.

    ''Hmmmm... It''s time to begin.''

 Chapter 158 The Heavenly Tian Academy

    Everyone watched as the creatures began digging an incredibly deep hole.

    Everything was just so intriguing that they couldn''t help poking at Butler Sheng for answers.

    "Mr. Sheng... Mr. Sheng, what exactly is the Grandmaster trying to hurry?"

    "Yeah. Just watching it is giving me goosebumps." Mina added.

    "That''s right. I don''t know if it''s just me, but I just can''t stay calm in such a ce. Have you all forgotten that we were almost swallowed by those things earlier on?!" Killnoff said, cautiously looking around the big open space like crazy.

    F***! What the hell kind of mission had Old Gia sent them for?

    As a trained military pilot, he had never felt so insecure and frightened in his entire life!

    Nheless, he understood that only when being around Dorian would he be safe.

    Gulp.

    He swallowed hard, seeing more and more eyes now reveal themselves from amidst the busy jungle circling them.

    "Guys... Guys... I think we havepany again~~."

    Bubuum.

    Instantly, everyone''s heart fell deep into their fellows.

    The air grew brittle, so much so that it could snap away like a twig with just a little push.

    The fear that had left everyone quickly returned, making their hands shake with uncontroble tremors.

    Eyes. Eyes. Eyes of various shapes were all staring at them from within the forests.

    Only this time, they were trying to assess whether some of those eyes belonged to any evil creatures or not.

    Oh no! The invisible wall had already been destroyed. So what should they do if something dastardly sneaks up on them?

    What were they? What were they?

    "They''re just ordinary."

    "Ah-..."

    Listening to Dorian, everyone was quick to out down their worries, smiling awkwardly

    Hey... Who knew that they would be able to have jump scares in real life, as though they were in an actual movie?

    Now they understood how movie characters felt.

    Hmph! Watching from behind the screen, it was easy to criticize, but try being in their shoes, and you''ll understand their pain!

    .

    ~Thrthrthrthrthrthrthr~

    The animals dug the hole to a satisfying depth.

    "That''s enough," Dorian said, taking out a blinding globe from thin air.

    What?!!!!

    Everyone ced their hands over their heads subconsciously.

    No one could see a single thing, as the light was so binding, making them feel a strong, majestic eminence radiating from it.

    Powerful! Powerful! Too strong!

    The feeling was bizarre butfortable.

    It was as though the light was the true essence of humanity... The cradle of life, so to speak.

    And while everyone was momentarily blinded, Dorian calmly dropped the core into the hole, flicking his wrist to push all the soil back in ce.

    [Core nted. 40 seconds to more activation... 39... 35...~]

    Blurry. Blurry. Blurry.

    The blindness was real.

    And with just 8 more seconds left on the clock, many animals could see, while for them, the humans, it was only during the 5-second mark that they could finally see clearly.

    F***! What the hell was that?

    (0?0)

    .

    Everyone stared at each other momentarily, blinking their teary eyelids away.

    Hell!

    What just happened? And what was that staring light they just witnessed?<sub> </sub>

    They knew that Dorian had just buried something, but what?

    Everyone was in a state of confusion, looking at the hole that had now been buried up.

    However, before they could fully understand the situation, the pebbles on the grounds slowly began to dance.

    ~Pap. Pap. Pap. Pap. Pap...

    Eh?

    Everyone was confused at first until the dances became too vigorous to bear.

    Earthquake? Earthquake? Earthquake!!!

    Mommy... What''s going on here?

    The situation was so fierce, as though it were the worst earthquake in the history of mankind.

    The floor shook so hard that their legs could move, wobbling back and forth dangerously.

    Everyone had no choice but to fall to the ground, listening to the many sounds of creatures all over the ind, eximing in shock.

    ~Grgrwgrwgrwgrw~

    The poor white tigers beside them became house cats, trying to findfortable positions, resting their heads down with deep fear in their eyes.

    Everyone looked on worriedly. But seeing Dorian still standing there like a firm pir, they somehow felt safe.

    .

    Ding!

    [''Host, the core''s routes have now safely grown towards every path and region within the ind. All evil qi has been purified, and shielding ispleted. The ind is sessfully masked and undetected... Host, you may now choose to activate the Academy.'']

    ''Good... Do it then.''

    [''As you wish, host.'']

    With that, the system went to work.

    ~Boom!

    The grounds shook even more, with some rushing way up to the sky like canyons.

    Some ces sank, and some ces went high. Waterfalls flew in many directions that defied physics!

    Thend, thend... Thend was turning into something unbelievable.

    And this alone made everyone speechless to their cores.

    Abby wiped their eyes numerous, trying to make sure they weren''t dreaming.

    But that was just the beginning of it all.

    Up next, countless ancient buildings fell from the heavens with several powerful swoops.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The buildings were towering and very intimidating.

    All around them, changes were urring, and even thend they were standing on had begun to change.

    Maybe they couldn''t see what was happening at the ind''s perimeter, but Dorian could.

    The entire ind picked itself from the ocean and moved to another location like lightning.

    That is, the coordinates of the ind itself had now changed.

    Due to the heavyws now ced on the ind, one could literally sail right through it as though they were passing through a portal, without them noticing anything fishy.

    They would appear at the other end of the ind in no less than a second, continuing their journey cluelessly.

    The entire ind space had now been protected by the heavens, making it impossible for anyone to find it.

    It was akin to a mysterious ind that some would say was a legend.

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Dorian nced at the magnificent Academy that was now as big as a Sect, with a slight smile on his face.

    The Heavenly Tian Academy?

    Good...

    Well then, it seemed like it was finally time to send out the admission notices.

 Chapter 159 Leaving The Island

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Countless monuments descended from the sky.

    Following that, many stones and rocks began floating around in a circr manner, flying in all directions.

    ~Woosh!

    Like magic, several stairways were now formed.

    The waters divided, rose and flew in many other directions, creating numerous waterfalls in other regions.

    Yes! The entire ind had changed, looking like a massive sect.

    [The Heavenly Tian Academy]

    That was the name they saw flying towards the very corners of the ind.

    That''s right.

    They saw the words fly right past them, probably heading towards the shores around the ind.

    And soon enough, the transformation waspleted.

    -silence-

    (0_0)

    Everyone was just too shocked to say a thing.

    Dorian chuckled at their speechlessness.

    If they wanted to know more about the ce, then they would have to wait till it was time for enrolment.

    For now, it was time to leave.

    Everyone got back into the choppers, feeling everything to be very surreal.

    The confusion in their eyes was just too eminent.

    .

    ~Graoww~

    Dorian nced at the cute beasts who were now acting like house pets, feeling their unwillingness for them to go.

    "Little ones... I''ll be back." He said, running their fur calmly.

    [''Host, now that this ce has been taken over, the beasts here will eventually evolve the more spiritual energy they take in.

    The qi gathering formation across the entire ind will soon promote some nts to high-grade ones. And soon, the beasts here will evolve.'']

    ''I thought as much.'' Dorian replied, recalling his beasts taming days back in his former world.

    Sometimes, having a pet while out on a job could save one''s life.

    Not everyone will be a beast tamer, as it was one of the many professions the academy would offer.

    Communicating with one''s beast will be essential, as well as mastering and understanding all there was to know about evolved beasts.

    As for how beasts and humans would live together on this huge ind, the system had long designed the ce in consideration of them.

    Looking at the vast ind, an incredible amount of space has been allocated to these beasts. And that ce was named the Forbidden forest.

    Heh.

    One should know that the ind itself had already expanded into an even bigger size, with hills, mountains and canals shooting up to the sky.

    Likewise, one shouldn''t forget that some regions also sank deep instead and expanded out as well.

    In short, the entire ind that was already a gigantic one was now 5 times bigger than its original size, having a total of 4 central forest regions.

    The forbidden one would have the high-ranking creatures in there. And followed by the Venomous Forest, the Crystal Jade Forest, andstly... The Freewater Forest.

    Thest forest, the Freewater forest, will be the ''harmless'' one, having weak or ordinary creatures there.

    Note that there were still other minor forests apart from the 4 central ones around the ind.

    The qi distribution in those ces also greatly differed too.

    The system had missed up the entire ce, making some regions more qi-dense, while others were verycking instead.

    This was also the same for the many regions within the massive Academy grounds.

    Like any regr sect or Academy, handymen, outer disciples, inner disciples, core disciples, etc... would also be considered here.

    That said, the qi distribution in all regions was vastly different too.

    In short, the entire ind had expanded so much that it was now bigger than many major cities in the world.

    No. It was as though they had joined 3 of thergest cities tighter in one.

    Just walking in this ce could take one days and weeks without end.

    Good...

    This was how it should be!<sub> </sub>

    To maneuver around the ind, one had to cultivate and increase their strengths, lest they want to keep walking and moving around for days and weeks.

    Heh...

    If one has ever gone to a jungle or even a mountain range alone, they''lle to understand that moving in all sorts of terrain took time. Without a doubt, some people might have to sleep outdoors on the ind if they don''t return to the outer disciple dormitories on time.

    The ce was just too massive, and more importantly... No vehicles allowed!

    .

    Dorian nodded in satisfaction, looking at the little guys head back to the forest with pitiful expressions on their faces.

    With that, he gracefully hopped into the chopper.

    Ajin stared at the ridiculously towering hills and regions now surrounding them, only feeling as though they were ants on the ind.

    Wipe! Such trees and even leaf sizes weren''t ordinary.

    "Grandmaster, do we fly up and out?"

    Dorian shook his head: " No... Over there." He said, causing everyone to look at the massive body of water before them.

    Zzzz~

    A yellowish circle with outlines that looked like Zeus'' thunderbolt, instantly appeared on the falling waterfall, causing everyone''s eyes to pop out of their sockets.

    Amazing!

    Everyone was now a little calmer about the numerous miracles that Dorian had been creating.

    Lying trough. They just saw the entire ce shift and mold into what it was now. So this much wasn''t that shocking to them, alright?

    ''Hmph... This is nothing.'' They thought, pointing their noses up like Pinhio.

    Looking into the massive hole, everyone could see the steady ocean water and the calm skies through it... which was a construction to the crazy rushing waterfall surrounding the circr portal.

    Chan-ki pped his thigh, feeling wildly pumped and motivated for the future.

    Heheheh... Soon, he too will be able to create such wonders.

    (^_^)

    .

    Seeing their doorway out, Ajin quickly issued his orders to the pilots.

    "All pilots take off!"

    "Roger that, sir!"

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop~

    The propellers continuously turned, as one by one, each chopped left in an orderly fashion.

    Flying over the water, everyone couldn''t help looking at the ce with nostalgia.

    It was ironic because at the beginning, they wanted nothing more than to flee out of this cursed ce.

    But now that it was time to go, why did they feel a little unwilling in the end?

    Just look at all this unchartednd that they hadn''t explored yet?

    It was like being in a video game with cool fantasy jungles that went as far as the eye could see.

    No matter how you looked at it, their adventurous and curious human nature felt unsatisfied, though the ce was dangerous.

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop~

    The choppers finally flew right through the portal, arriving at the open ocean with no ships at sight.

    The incredible thing was that there was no ind behind them.

    Killnoff looked at the scene and was shocked.

    "Leader, ording to my coordinates, we are nowhere near where wended."

    (��?��)

    ....

    Like so, the gang was now making their way back onto the city with heavy but ted hearts.

    However, they weren''t the only ones feeling thrilled at the moment.

    In a dark alley, the sounds of red high heels continuously echoed out in rhythm.

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.~

    A mysteriousdy seductively walked through the dark alley with a yful mysterious grin on her face.

    And soon, she stopped by a sewer, took out a bottle from her coat, and dumped the strange contents within it slyly.

    Hehehhe... The fun was just about to start.

    It was time for her babies to feed!

 Chapter 160 Mission Accomplished!

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop~

    The choppers finallynded back onto the Tian estate.

    And very swiftly, Ajin and Mina stepped out, giving a firm military salute to Dorian.

    Today, they had seen quite enough.

    Mission Aplished.

    "Grandmaster, our mission to escort you to and fro has been aplished. It was an honor working with you, Grandmaster!"

    Some heroes went out on the battlefield publicly, and there were others like Batman fighting crime in the dark.

    Just hearing all the negativements and information about Dorian and his situation, one would be quick to dismiss his case, thinking him nothing but a brat.

    However, who would''ve known that he was the real superhero in the dark?

    Neither arrogant nor showy.

    Just look at how such a powerful man didn''t even bother about his reputation, as though it was only a mandate thing for them, mere mortals to worry about?

    With fiery eyes, they stared at Dorian as though he were their heroes.

    The look they gave Butler Sheng was also that of gratitude and awe. After all, he did save them from getting killed too.

    Now, they secretly swore that if they heard or caught anyone insulting the Grandmaster again, they would definitely give that person a piece of their minds.

    Dare you insult the Grandmaster? Madness!

    (`*^*)

    .

    With firm salutes, they gave Dorian all the respect they could before getting on their choppers and leaving the scene.

    Dorian stood in ce, giving Chan-ki and Butler Sheng the impression that he was watching them leave.

    However, because they stood behind him, they didn''t see his cold eyes staring at the estate gates afar.

    ''It looks like my paper puppets were able to scare them away.'' He thought, recalling the image of Botan and his men earlier on.

    He recognized those men as the former Tian guards.

    Heh.

    It looks like that despicable uncle of his wanted to make a move on him today.

    Analyzing things fast, Dorian turned around, heading onto the main vi with a can expression on his face.

    "Sheng... Chan-ki... In 2 hours, we leave."

    "Yes, Grandmaster." The duo said calmly.

    Butler Sheng was like a personal secretary to Dorian. So this morning, Dorian''s schedule was always known to him.

    If they make ns for any uing matters, it would also be in his calendar, nning for the uing event.

    Anyway, Butler Sheng knew where they were going... And that was to set up their stall!

    Today, those from the Auction home would arrive to buy protective talismans from them. Additionally, they might also have other customers too.

    "Before you 2, go about your business, follow me," Dorian said, leading them into the main hall.

    First, via Pandrol, he gave Chan-ki ess to the secret space.

    Everything happened so quickly, leaving Chan-ki shocked and dumbfounded by the fact that this had always been there right under his nose.

    Could it be that even when the other guards used to be around, such a magical ce had long existed?

    (''?'')

    Finally, with Chan-ki choosing to follow the Tians and be an exorcist, Dorian wasted no time getting him to swear the heavenly oath.

    And from there, he left, leaving Butler Sheng and<sub> </sub>

    Pandrol to give him a brief rundown of things.

    Chan-ki couldn''t help swallowing hard after listening to all the startling revtions thrown at him.

    F***!

    Heaven and the underworld were real ces?

    Chan-ki''s shivered after listening to the punishments any evil exorcists would face if they dared to go astray.

    ~Gulp.

    These warnings were now deeply rooted in his heart, as now, he swore to stay on the good path till the day he died.

    Of course, what he didn''t know was that the punishments he listened to were just the tip of the iceberg.

    And by the end of his briefing, Butler Sheng handed him the pendant Dorian had passed on this morning.

    With trembling hands, Chan-ki held onto it as though it was as heavy as a mountain.

    And even after wearing it around his neck, he would still touch it from time to time, sighing in relief.

    He felt like tonight, he would be able to sleep better after everything he saw today.

    .

    ~Ring.~

    Dorian''s home buzzed vigorously.

    ["Grandmaster... Yes, this is Jung Hou. As agreed, I''ve just taken over the situation at the hospital... Grandmaster, your transfer request has been approved. So when do you want to take the seniors home?"]

    "Whenever you can."

    ["Great, Grandmaster... My team and I will be sure to transfer and transport them back to the Tian home tomorrow before noon... Will that be alright with you?"]

    "Hmmm..." Dorian replied, dropping the call.

    Tomorrow, his parents will return.

    Good... This was for the best.

    Last night, Dorian had told the Hous about his request.

    With the academy opening up, sooner orter, his enemies would be able to know who he is��so having his parents out there wasn''t safe.

    As for theira, he would awaken them, but not with his strength.

    For the time being, they remain under supervision, using the best and top-notch medical care avable.

    Of course, the Hous also promised to send a highly trained and specialized team to live with them, taking care of his parents any time of the day, lest something happened when he wasn''t around.

    All he could do at this stage was foolproof the ce, keeping any evil entities away.

    Of course, the problem with his parents didn''t only seem to be an ident.

    During their ident, their blood hade into contact with something ''dirty.'' And from the looks of things, this dirty entity was a high-ranking one.

    Strength... Strength... He had to grow stronger!

    With his parents'' matters handled, Dorian headed to his private area within the space.

    In a while, they would move out again.

    Tonight was bound to be restless.

    .

    Meanwhile, far away in a tall-rise building, a chubby man sat with his phone against his ears and a vicious light.

    "Put a request in the dar... I want him dead!"

 Chapter 161 The Darknet: More Enemies Approaching

    Wei Kwo mmed his phone viciously with a hint of glee in his eyes.

    Even if the Ghus and Gias protected Dorian, he didn''t believe that the brat would be able to escape his fate once those hard criminals and assassins picked up the order.

    Wei Kwo smirked.

    With the price he was offering, not many wouldn''t be able to refuse the job. So he was sure that at least one person should soon contact him and show interest in the matter.

    Of course, the fact that the Ghus and Gias were cozy with the brat was something he left out when putting the order. If many in the market knew, they would think twice before taking his request.

    Wei Kwo smiled mr to mr, already envisioning Dorian''s demise.

    Hahahahahahaha~

    Good... Good... With the brat out of the way, he wouldn''t have to worry about someoneing for revenge one day.

    Wei Kwo leaned back in his chair in a good mood. But soon, his smile suddenly froze in ce.

    Botan... What the hell was going on with that sh** head?

    In one swift motion, he took out his phone and made a call.

    ~Tut...

    ["Sir?"]

    "Minshi, what the hell is going on with your leader? Why isn''t he answering my calls? With all the sh** load of money I pay, he won''t even reply to a single one of my calls? Dammit! Put that bastard on the line now!" Wei Kwo bellowed.

    .

    Since he sent these boys to head towards Dorian''s estate, they haven''t given him feedback on what happened.

    As it stood right now, he was utterly clueless about what went down there.

    Were they caught? Did someone get an injury? Had they sessfully done the dead? Or did they fail so badly that they had to flee with their tails between their legs?

    Wei Kwo''s meaty hands squeezed his phone hard, the more anxious and annoyed he was.

    ["Sir, I''m sorry... But our leader is resting right now.."]

    "Resting?" Wei Kwo gritted his teeth and began to count sheep in his mind.

    Botan... Botan... Botan!!!

    How dare these mere guards disrespected him this much?

    Wei Kwo took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Now wasn''t the time to draw the line with these ingrates.

    From the get-go, he could see that Botan and his legion of guards didn''t truly respect him.

    Unlike the Tian couple, they never called him Master... Except when they were out in public, trying to create an image for themselves.

    If not for the very high sries and resources he provided, they would no doubt walk away and betray him.

    They were like unruly dogs who had secretly had no master. And from the looks of things, he had a hunch that they didn''t want one.

    That''s why even though he was using them now, once things settled down, he would find ways to dispose of them, getting new guards by his side.

    They were the gang who knew many of his secrets since he sent them to perform his bidding. And you know what they say: 2 or more can''t keep a secret for long. So it''s best to dispose of the other side.

    Wei Kwo wasn''t aplete moron. What hecked in I.Q, he made up with in E.Q.

    .

    Thinking of the fact that they hadn''t even bothered to get back to him, Wei Kwo was more and more determined that he had to get rid of them fast!<sub> </sub>

    Soon, their uppings wille. For now, let them be all high and mighty. Luckily, he had already ced an order in the Dar to deal with Dorian, rather than leaving it in the hands of these morons.

    As they say, it''s always better to do something for yourself than send others to do it for you.

    With deep breaths, Wei Kwo calmed his raging heart. "Well, since your leader is resting, then I won''t bother with you all again... Just tell him to contact me once he wakes up."

    ["Not a problem, sir."] Minshi replied. Since their leader came back, he had been acting strange... Though he didn''t feel the need to tell Wei Kwo about it.

    Tut...

    "Did this bastard just hang up on me?"

    Wei Kwo stared at his phone in disbelief.

    Even now, he still hadn''t gotten information about their operation. WHAT ABOUT FEEDBACK?

    Mothers**kers!

    Crash!

    Wei Kwo smashed his phone on the ground viciously.

    This was not over yet.

    Whether it was Dorian, these bastard guards or annoying flies in the many Tianpanies, he would never allow any of them to stand in his way!

    A fierce light shone in his eyes while gazing at the documents before him.

    For now, he had to win the contract with the Ghus.

    Just like that, Dorian''s name had been added to the Dar.

    As for how he would deal with the matter, only time would tell.

    ....

    In another area within the same city, a young girl swiftly moved past the crowd of people with an anxious look on her face.

    "Hey! Little girl, how can you do this?"

    "Youngsters of nowadays... How can you push this olddy and walk away like that?"

    "What a rude child!"

    Behind the girl, many were boiling theirints with reason. But the person they talked to didn''t even bother turning around to say a thing.

    Her steps hastened, and soon enough, she began leaping instead.

    Pah. Pah. Pah.

    She cleared many other passerbys on the way until she reached a very old 5 story residential building.

    The girl swiftly pushed the middle-aged man on the stairs, dashing straight up to the 5th floor.

    ~Ahhhh~

    The man in a business suit had just sprained his knee after rolling from the 2nd floor down.

    Many heard his cities and came out to see what was going on with him. However, the culprit of the matter had already mmed her room door heavily.

    "How can this happen? Didn''t you tell me that her luck was originally mine?!"

 Chapter 162 An Odd Situation

    Fei Nyah leaned against the door in horror.

    Her parents weren''t at home, making her the only one here.

    Before reiming her luck, her parents struggled to make ends meet. Of course, it was no one''s fault but themselves.

    Her father was a gambler, gambling almost every dime in his pockets. And her mother was a wealth-chaser. Her mother did things just for face, buying things they didn''t need to fit in with others.

    And because of this, they were always back to square one after all the dust had settled.

    But, ever since she got her luck, her father always won his gambling matches. And, in his job sites, her father had saved the Manager from choking, leading to his promotion. Her mother, a full housewife, suddenly found a genuine diamond ne in the bushes, adding to their source of ie.

    But that wasn''t all. She too had coincidentally met a rich boyfriend by luck. They happened to be passing along the same ce at the same time, and she took advantage of that, unleashing her full feminine wiles on him.

    She felt as though she had just taken some protagonist''s luck on her head because even her skin had begun to shine brighter than usual. When people looked at her, they felt warmth, and even her white lotus act seemed cute.

    It was as though there was a filter in front of everyone''s eyes. And these days, she has indeed been living the good life.

    Of course, no matter how much luck she got, her I.Q hadn''t improved. But so what? With her luck, she was sure to make many pamper her till she grew old.

    .

    Things were indeed going the way she had been promised. However, who could tell her what was going on now? What did that thing mean by saying something went wrong?

    Fei Nyah''s face turned visibly pale, listening to the eerie voice in her mind.

    "What do you mean? What is going on? Didn''t you say that you''ll be able to draw out Chiyou''s luck without any issues? So howe there a problem now?"

    Chiyou was livid with worry.

    She already had this much goodness with the iplete luck from Chiyou. Then imagine how great she would be after squeezing everything off that thief?

    Fei Nyah''s expression turned cold.

    All this luck was supposed to be hers, not Chiyou''s. So when remembering how Chiyou used to live her life with her stolen luck, Fei Nyah couldn''t wait for Chiyou to die!

    Hmph! Deserve it!

    Fei Nyah was still under the impression that the luck was hers. But she didn''t know that Chiyou''s actions in her past lives, and even the present one, were the reasons for her great luck.

    The goodness that Chiyou umted was nothing to joke about. And even her family had always lived honest and straightforward lives.

    In some past lives, she was indeed a daughter of a wealthy family. But in this life, she was just a simple girl.

    For Chiyou, no matter which life it was, she was always morally upright.

    And for this, the heavens rewarded her immensely.

    Fei Nyah''s expression turned distorted when thinking of Chiyou still holding onto her luck.

    .

    "No way! No way! You mustplete the ritual. You promised to kill her for me. So you better not lie to me!" She said, viciously staring at the ne around her neck.

    Soon, she heard a burst ofughter in her ears.<sub> </sub>

    [Heheheheheheh~... Settle down, mortal. While I do like your spirit, I have to warn you that I hate being threatened!]

    Immediately, Fei Nyah felt a dense pressure engulf her, leaving her entire body filled with goosebumps. Her body turned soft and wobbly.

    It was only now that she seemed to recall her position. Her anger had blinded her to yell at this monster. So what if it got angry and decided to kill get off? In that case, forget about luck. She wouldn''t even be here to enjoy it!

    Feeling the delicious wave of fear she emitted, the thing had to restrain itself from killing its long-term prey.

    That''s right.

    It would still eat her, but not until it watched hermit so many atrocities, leading her down a dangerous path.

    Back in the underworld, they say there''s nothing more delicious than feeding and fattening your order before engulfing it whole.

    And you know, the longer the prey stays with it, the more fearful the prey will be. And when it''s time to pay up, there''s no going back. The meal was definitely going to be a satisfying one.

    Hehhehehe... Too bad its prey might not even know that she was the main dish until the very end. By then, her despair and fright would reach a bountiful level that was too mouthwatering to think of.

    The thing secretly licked its lips and closed its eyes as though in ecstasy, looking forward to that glorious day.

    For now, it had to handle this slight hitch in its n.

    .

    Oh?

    How odd...

    There were quite a handful of reasons why there was a hitch now... But he didn''t think any of them were serious.

    Of course, the most prominent reason why things stopped as they were might''ve been because Chiyou was dead... Or, thest bit of luck to be extracted might be a tricky one that sent the creatures to dormancy.

    Maybe this was the reason it lost connection with them?

    In short, there were so many reasons, like other underworld beings preying on Chiyou?

    It knew that for it to find the truth, there was no other way out of this.

    [There''s no need to fret. First, contact your friend. We need to find out if she''s alive or not.]

    What?!

    Fei Nyah was taken aback.

    Right, right. They just had to find out how the thief was doing, and everything should be alright.

    ~Bruuu~

    The tension in the air was high, the louder the call echoed out.

    And soon enough, a sickly voice answered from the other side.

    [Hello~ Fei Nyah, is this you?]

 Chapter 163 The Obyn Familys Final Boss

    "~ Cough ~Cough�� Alright... I''ll wee you anytime."

    Tut...

    Chiyou dropped the call, and her anxious family, who had long been surrounded with worried gazes, with their faces almost touching hers.

    But unlike the first time when they didn''t know who their enemy was, this time, their emotions weren''tpletely engulfed with fear.

    No.

    They were also pissed off by the guts and the nerve of that vile spawn of a girl.

    No doubt about it, she was definitely checking in after realizing that her ns had been out to a halt.

    Despicable! Absolutely Despicable!

    "Chichi... What did that witch want?" Mother Obyn quickly broke her stupor with more anxiousness in her tone.

    The Grandmaster said the evil viin would get back to them. But they didn''t expect it to be this soon.

    It has been only a day or so since then.

    This was too fast!

    You know, they had been waiting for this moment. But now that it was here, the human heart had once again proved itself to be an anxious one.

    This moment was akin to how a yer would pause or run around a scene right before entering the Final Boss''s liar for the big battle.

    Were they ready? Were they truly prepared to face their final battle?

    In a game, one might run about, checking their healthcare or even their shields. But this was reality for them!

    They only had one life to live. So if the Grandmaster lost, then they too would lose!

    But then again, what was the difference?

    Without the Grandmaster''s help, they would still die. But that death mighteter on with a painful experience. While losing now might result in their immediate death.

    So all oues had to be considered. They could win the final battle with or without casualties, and they could also fail.

    But in the end, even after seeing how risky and on the edge things were, they still decided to believe in the Grandmaster and let fate decide. Dying with regrets was something they didn''t want to see. As a family, they had already discussed the matter waiting for the final showdown. But they had underestimated how panicky their human hearts were.

    .

    Eyes, looking at each other,municating telepathically, they could all understand each other''s fears.

    Father Obyn thinned his lips and squinted his eyes deeply: "Wife, children... Settle down and give the girl some space."

    Ah--

    "Yes, dear."

    "Yes, dad."

    Mother Obyn and Chindu replied, withdrawing from their choking stance. They no longer smudged Chiyou again.

    "Chichi... What exactly did that ev-... Erm~... What exactly did your ssmate say?"

    "Dad, it''s just as the Grandmaster predicted. she said she wants to pay us a visit... In other words, she wants to finish us off!"

    Bang!

    Father Obyn mmed the wooden table before him violently.

    His nostrils red, and his entire face turned red as though it was about to explode. It wasn''t just him but everyone else that turned frantic too.

    Chiyou''s words were the catalyst that dispelled all the remaining hesitating feelings in their hearts. Chindu clenched his little fists.

    Want toe after his family? No way! They had the Grandmaster with them!

    "Dad, mom, sister... There''s no time. It''s better to call the Grandmaster and report the matter fast."

    "That''s right," Mother Obyn added. "She said she would being tomorrow afternoon, then wouldn''t that be perfect?"<sub> </sub>

    "Yes, mom... I also think that she''s still fooled into us being sick. So tomorrow, we''ll have to act and y the part of a sick family!" Chiyou replied, nodding vigorously.

    "Girl... What''s the point of taking this much? The earlier we inform the Grandmaster, the better. After all, who is to say that he won''t be busy tomorrow? Quick. Quick! Call the Grandmaster now!"

    Yes! Yes! Contacting the Grandmaster was essential!

    .

    With that, Chiyou wasted no time searching for Grandmaster''s name on her phone.

    Only, it was Butler Sheng who answered. [Miss Chu, please wait a while. I''ll get the Grandmaster right away.]

    "Okay!" Chiyou replied, not knowing where the number Dorian had gotten was his personal or business line.

    No... People like the Grandmaster would probably have 3 or more lines for various purposes. A person could have 2 or more personal lines too.

    And from this call alone, it can be seen, but Butler Sheng probably carried a majority, or not all his phones.

    ? Yes! Yes!

    Chiyou thought so.

    It was just that she didn''t know that Dorian had given her Butler Sheng''s contact since he had considered her to be a customer earlier on.

    Of course, those that could enter Dorian''s contact list on his actual phone would have to put their backs into it before making such a thing happen.

    For customers, he nned to let Butler Sheng handle things.

    Of course with the Academy opened up, sooner orter, there would be a particr unit or department tasked with dealing with such matters.

    Dorian sat in the vehicle, driving off to set up his booth.

    "Grandmaster, it''s for you... It''s Miss Chiyou."

    "Oh?" Dorian''s turned slightly.

    As expected, on this chessboard, he made the right move.

    .

    Dorian listened carefully, not missing a single detail from Chiyou''s words.

    "Miss Chiyou... I''ll be there.

    ["Great! Thank you, Grandmaster!"] Chiyou and her family turned ecstatic after hearing the Grandmaster''s reply.

    After all, who knows if he already had another appointment then? Thankfully, not all their luck had been drawn away, leading them to this fateful opportunity with Dorian.

    Chiyou swore that after everything returned, she would continue to do more good in the world but now be vignt, lest her family get attacked again.

    Dorian handed his phone back to Butler Sheng with an expressionless face.

    Tonight, he would set up his stall.

    It was just that unbeknownst to him, a mightier threat was already brooding in the dark.

    ~Plop. Plop. Plop.~

    Strange but subtle noises erupted within the underground sewage.

    But if anyone came down here, they wouldn''t be able to spot anything.

    However, the culprits of the matter were only as big as a toenail now.

    The beings all shone with a vicious light in their eyes.

    Soon, it would be time for them to please their master.

    Hehhehehe~

    For now, the city could remain peaceful. But for how long?

 Chapter 164 New Missions!

    Time went by quickly, with Dorian setting up his stall, selling warding charms, pendants and artifacts away to those deeply affected by the Auction Home situation.

    Heck! Even the Ghus, Gias and Hous had sent their people to buy as many as they could too.

    What a joke! There was no proof for one''s life. So if it were avable, then why not get it?

    The big men had sent their people to get them for their children, wives and themselves.

    Of course, if the guards want to purchase them, they would have to do so out of their allowances.

    "Different charms cost different prices, depending on strength, durability, use and many other factors. Some canst you for a year, others a month, whole one a decade... The possibilities are endless. Unfortunately, I only created each set in limited numbers."

    The prominent families wanted to buy the ones that couldst for decades and even hundreds of years. But with Dorian''s current strength, he could at most make a talisman that could onlyst for a decade.

    Some people''s pendants and charms couldst for centuries, passing through generations and thousands of years.

    An ancient bracelet, an ancient pendant... All those things required one''s cultivation to have broken the immortal realms of things.

    At this current strength, 10 years was the best he could do.

    Of course, some charms weren''t based on longevity but were more focused on ''use'' instead.

    With some charms, they had a limited number of times they could be used.

    Meaning, even after a thousand years, if one still has 3 more chances left, it would still work. But it would only work against creatures weaker than the charm. At best, the charm would do its best to protect them to some extent if they met stronger adversaries.

    Hey... You get what you pay for.

    There were endless possibilities, but it was also time and strength-consuming to draw up every charm. The cost of that would be added to their overall payments.

    In other words, they were paying for herbs, stones, or any other items he would need to replenish his strength and grow even stronger.

    .

    Time had flown by crazily. And before Dorian knew it, it was yet another brand new day.

    Rise and shine!

    The Tian household was up and on their feet.

    Dorian ate a hearty breakfast once again while listening to Butler Sheng run through their schedule for the day.

    Well, he was expecting those punks from Wuphil Mountain toe in for their final cleansing this early morning.

    And after that, he''ll go straight for Chiyou with just Chan-ki with him.

    This time, Butler Sheng would be staying back alone. But why, might one ask?

    That''s all because today was when his parents would get transferred back home.

    The Hous would be bringing him sometime in the afternoon. He didn''t know if it was early orte afternoon, but just in case Chiyou''s situation ran well into the afternoon, he would feel better leaving the matter in the hands of Butler Sheng.

    Amongst all his men, Butler Sheng was arguably the person who understood him best.

    He was indeed a capable person.

    Again, he had to make sure that he left and drove over to Chiyou''s vige early before that ssmate of hers got there.

    Miss Chiyou said her ssmate would be there in the afternoon. But who knows when exactly the girl nned to arrive?

    As they say, the early bird eats the worm. And Dorian liked to do things perfectly.

    Of course, before going, there was just one more thing he had to finalize.

    [''Host, so far, you have no more than 64 names on the list.'']

    ''HmHm... That''s about right. They are the first official batch of students in the academy!''<sub> </sub>

    The system smiled merrily, dancing with tears in its eyes.

    It thought its host would take months to secure the Academy grounds. But who would''ve thought that its host was such a quick worker?

    For someone who rejected the thought of being a good guy at the start, the host sure was diligent in getting the ce opened up.

    Celebration bells were ringing in the system''s imagination. Its master must surely be proud of it after it reported thingster on.

    .

    [''Host... Host... I knew you could do it.'']

    Banzai... Banzai~

    Dorian raised his left eyebrow in amusement at its cheeky system. Well, for some reason, the little guy didn''t seem as annoying as before... Still annoying, but not as before.

    He allowed the little guy to have fun while checking his mission status.

    [Mission: Purchase a space to open an organization or School of Exorcism.

    Task Deadline: 2 months.

    Mission status: Completed.

    Rewards: Organization structures and Cosmic Shield around perimeters]

    Alright. That was the old mission.

    Dorian clicked on the second mission icon, and like a pop-up screen on aputer, everything about the mission revealed itself.

    [Main Mission: With the Academy open and ready for business, the host is now required to recruit the first 3,000 students before its opening date.

    Note: This means that their oath must also be taken and considered. Additionally, the host shouldn''t forget to send the eptance letters out.

    Task Deadline: 3 Weeks, 5 days.

    Punishment for failure: Will be determinedter when or if failed.

    Rewards:

    ?Standard School Attires for each student.

    ?Gravity restricting room (able to pressurize strengths up to final Dan of the True Qi Realm.)

    ? 1,000 Perfected Grade 1 and 2 books on all sect professions, ranging from low-tier to high-tier ranks.]

    ....

    Dorian nodded, very pleased with the rewards.

    One might think that 1,000 books were a lot.

    But when thinking that this number was for the many professions, it was indeed small.

    This meant that, for example, Beast taming information might only be found in 20 books. And maybe Alchemists would only get knowledge from 50 or so books instead.

    This academy was, in a way, a sect. Meaning it would have professions such as Heavenly teachers, Formation Masters, Appraisers, Calligraphy Masters, cksmiths, Tunists and many more.

    Additionally, one must know that the books were only Grade 1 and 2 ones, ranging from low to mid-tier books.

    Sigh... When it came down to it, the rewards weren''t that great, but understandable.

    Well, it was time to look at his side missions!

 Chapter 165 Side Missions!

    [Side Missions:

    ?Routes:

    Because the Academy is hidden away because of its heavenly shielding, it cannot be located by mere mortals. Hence the host is tasked to create various transportation routes and portals of entry via the system.

    The host should please refer to the <Route> Icon to establish various entry points. At present, the host can only create a maximum of 3.

    Mission Deadline: 3 Weeks, 5 days.

    Mission Failure: Academy cannot and will not be open to the public.

    Mission Reward: 10,000 Sanctified Candles and 3 random pills to enable the host''s cultivation.

    ?Academy Tasks:

    Before the Academy resumes, please work out the task allocations for all students. The host should note that the Academy still runs like a sect, with many having duties. The host will have to work out everything to ensure that the students are adequately sorted out.

    Mission Deadline: 3 weeks, 5 days.

    Mission Failure: None.

    Mission Reward: 900 grade1 low-grade spirit seeds for various herbs.]

    ��..

    Dorian looked at the rewards and was once again satisfied by the rewards

    For one, even though they were all low grade 1 seeds, they were indeed spirit ones, meaning they were incredibly beneficial for one''s cultivation.

    Herbs were ssified into 11 main groups: Grade zero (mortal), Grade 1 (beginner spirit herb), all the way up to Grade 10 (the strongest rank),

    ? This reward in itself was great for someone who was about to start an Academy.

    Though 900 variations of Grade 1 herbs seemed like an awfully small amount for such a massive Academy, Dorian wasn''t worried.

    Once these herbs matured, they would also produce countless seeds, making things go faster.

    No doubt the Alchemy apartment will be highly pleased to have such materials avable.

    Of course, mortal herbs could also be promoted to more outstanding grades. But need to be nurtured with ample qi to mutate and change their mortal selves.

    As for creating the school schedule, he decided to improve what he already knew in his previous world.

    Mind you, the world he came from was a modern society. So if people there could do their chores and study in the Academy while still working worldly jobs, then it was also a possible feat here.

    The issue was bnce.

    Whether one liked it or not, one had to work, take up missions and earn Academy credits, to purchase magical armour or any things that would help them in exorcism.

    .

    As it stands, those who enter the Academy have to be part-time workers in their jobs outside.

    They could work outside for 3 or 4 days and enter the Academy for the remaining days instead. Some could work for 2 weeks out ande back into the Academy for a week or more.

    The truth of the matter was that until they gained a certain strength and exorcism rank, they couldn''t afford to have all the time in the world.

    Of course, most people who chose exorcism chose not to work in the mundane world because the academy gave allowances based on one''s strength, level and aplishments.

    This was true.

    And when it came to sses, things weren''t done the same as how school systems worked in the mundane world.

    Because one could cultivate for weeks and months, sses were held differently.<sub> </sub>

    Dorian could schedule an essential ss once a month concerning a specific matter. And after that, the students had to research on their own. If and when they needed guidance was the only time they coulde to him again.

    Some heavenly teachers only taught a single ss once a year or once in 5 years.

    What was important was the guidance.

    .

    Teachers were supposed to let the students find their path, or else they could block a student''s route to sess instead.

    Having stumbling blocks would allow for growth.

    In this regard, with ss arrangements, many could still work full-time jobs in the mundane world.

    However, it would be advised against since their attention wouldn''t be focused on their cultivation. Time for researching in the pavilion or even doing their chores would be hard.

    Heh.

    Anyone who chooses to be a cksmith would have to provide a specific number of weapons to gain points and rewards monthly.

    Part-Time jobs or having no jobs during the first few years of entering the Academy was always the way to go.

    Afterwards, one could resume things once they got the hang of things.

    Thinking about the future made the corners of Dorian''s mouth lift.

    As expected, his side missions all seemed to be connected to his primary mission in one way or another.

    .

    [''Host, your list is still too shy at the moment.'']

    ''Hmm... By tonight, more names will be added.'' Dorian replied, tapping his finger on the table, deep in thought.

    It looks like he still has a long way to go.

    For now, he only had 64 names on the list and had to get 3,000 names in 3 weeks, 5 days.

    Well, his current list involved the names of all those who escorted him to the Ind, as well as a few Gia, Ghu and Hou personnel.

    Previously, the moment he realized that Old Gia had sent people to escort him, he wasted no time in getting their names on the way back.

    He wasn''t a fool.

    Though the old man was clueless about the academy, he probably wanted those people to understand better what they were dealing with before deciding to learn from him.

    Of course, the old man was to send his formal listter on tonight.

    Hmhm.

    Dorian had already contacted the Hous, Gias and Ghus to send their list.

    He never restricted how many people they should send, letting them do as they wanted.

    Of course, he also knew that he couldn''t fully rely on them to make up the numbers. So he would have to get back to work, gathering as many people as he could.

    .

    Dorian patted his mouth with his napkin.

    The meal was over.

    Time to prepare for the battle ahead.

 Chapter 166 Promises Of Change

    Chan-ki''s throat bobbed up and down while waiting on Dorian beside Butler Sheng.

    You know, after leaving the secret space via the magical walls, Chan-ki had been too speechless.

    Lying trough. Was the entire house one giant magical unit?

    All those questions passed through his head severally. And his gaze when looking at Dorian was filled with reverence.

    "Butler Sheng, you''ll handle matters, assisting the Hous in any way during the transfer. This also means that Haru and the others will be arriving too. Additionally, as I had informed earlier, some medical personnel will be with us for as long as my parents are in that state. So, are their rooms prepared?"

    Butler Sheng nodded firmly: "Yes, Grandmaster. 4 staff rooms have been cleaned properly. I also need to change the blinds before their arrival."

    Butler Sheng had cleaned up the only dormitory-style maid and butler rooms in the building.

    Like he once said, there were 2 entire widened buildings allocated for maids, butlers, gardeners and guards who would sleep in the estate.

    And those who were the highest rank maids and butlers and whatnot typically stayed in the only staff amodations in the main building.

    These luxurious amodation rooms had no bunk beds and enough personal space.

    So Butler Sheng had just cleaned up the other massive rooms.

    .

    He arranged things ording to the number of people the Hous had reported. Each room has 10 beds and a massive bathroom in them.

    In short, the space was simr to the one that Butler Sheng and the others were in, with everyone having their one private reading table and headstand at the corners, as well as wide lockers and closet spaces.

    The rooms were really huge and very spacious.

    Of course, Butler Sheng also nned to do somest-minute touches to the rooms this morning before the Hous arrive by afternoon.

    It had only been a day since he was informed. So yeah... Time had been right for him, seeing that there were no maids on clean-up duty. Of course, Chan-qi also helped him as well.

    Butler Sheng secretly swore to master a clean-up spellter on. He had seen the Grandmaster use it to clean up his parent''s room.

    However, he knew that even though the Grandmaster made it look easy, it was probably not.

    Butler Sheng himself hadn''t even adequately mastered the easiest spell of all. So how would it be easy for him to master the spell Dorian was using?

    Additionally, maybe at his capacity and skill, he might only be able to clean a tiny spot with the spell. But there Dorian was, cleaning an entire Grand chamber with the flick of a wrist.

    The spell was just a self-cleaning spell.

    Say a cultivator fought a monster, got stained with blood, goo and all sorts of things, they could remove the dirt in this way.

    Again, there were also drying spells for denying their clothes after diving into the water.

    It wasn''t that magical.

    .

    Butler Sheng''s eyes gleamed with determination.

    (*^*)

    "Grandmaster, your word is mymand. I shallplete this mission diligently!"

    "Good..." Dorian replied, shifting his attention to Chan-ki. "In 2 and a half hours, we''ll leave. Today, you''ll have your first taste of battle."

    ~Bubuum!

    Chan-ki''s heart tightened.

    Earlier on, he watched Butler Sheng deal with that creature without doing anything. But now, he was going out on the field!

    Dorian gave him a casual stare. "10 minutes before departure, go to Pandrol and collect the wooden box from him. He will show you the way."

    "Yes, Grandmaster. I will do as you have said."

    Like so, Dorian found himself alone once more, with everyone going about their duties.

    And soon enough, the group from the Wuphil mountain incident had arrived right on schedule.<sub> </sub>

    "Divination Master!"

    "Divination Master!"

    Dorian nced at the heavy bags underneath their eyes, observing their visibly pale skin.

    In truth, there was nothing wrong with them. They were not sick but just too worried about themselves.

    "Sit down."

    "Yes!" They replied, overly anxious and excited that they would finally be able to be free!

    Dorian chuckled. "Alright. Stretch out your hands."

    ....

    10, 15... 40 minutes went by with Dorian rounding up things swiftly.

    The transaction between them was straight and simple.

    And in a blink of an eye, they had paid what they owed, cleansing themselves thoroughly. Some of them even bought a few protective items from Dorian too.

    F***!

    Over the days, they had been feeling overly fearful and watchful.

    Many of them had made jokes at kids,ughing at them for being afraid of the dark. But now, they too found that they were also fearful of the dark.

    Now, every time they closed their eyes to go to bed, they would open it up a few secondster to make sure that they were truly safe.

    1, 2, 3... Something''sing for you~

    They were just too horrified the more imaginative their minds became.

    Some didn''t even want to sleep alone anymore. The shadows of tree branches swaying through the windows, and even the sounds of the night birds singing abruptly, seemed to be giving them heart attacks.

    What was so amazing was that even during the day, whenever they spotted an attractive woman, they would recall that stunning beauty changing into that disgusting thing.

    Blugh~

    Please... They were now frightful of anydy who was too good-looking.

    As they say, if it was too good to be true, then that must definitely be the case!

    .

    With tears of joy pouring out the corners of their eyes, they continuously kowtowed at Dorian.

    "Thank you, Divination Master!"

    "Hahahahaha~ Free! Free atst!"

    (:^0^:)

    (-_-)

    Dorian was a little too speechless by their actions.

    He honestly felt that if they had wings, they would definitely be flying by now.

    "Remember; to counter the Yin, you umte enough good," Dorian advised sternly.

    "Yes, yes, yes! Don''t worry, Divination Master. We''ll be good."

    "Hmhm! I swear on my mother''s grave that I''ll be good till the day I die!"

    "Eh?... But Lulu, since when did you have a mother? Aren''t you an orphan?"

    "_"

 Chapter 167 Post-Battle Preparations

    -Obyn residence, Netaji Vige-

    .

    A restless family found themselves pacing before their backdoor, peeking into the woods and the rest of their surroundings through the windows.

    Their expressions were all grim.

    The family wore very white-washed attire that made theirplexions show even more.

    nkets over their shoulders, messy hairdos and chapped lips sold their sickly appearances.

    They watched their environment withser-beam focus until soon, they heard a familiar voice.

    "Miss Chiyou..."

    Ah-

    It was the Grandmaster!

    Like lightning, the family of 4 all rushed to the door.

    "Grandmaster, wee."

    "Hmmm... This is my subordinate." Dorian said, casually stepping into the room with Chan-ki following behind him.

    Looking at the family of 4 who had gone through painstaking efforts to look ill, Dorian only found it funny.

    Creatures from the underworld didn''t use mortal eyes to determine if one was ill or not.

    The talismans he had made for them earlier, was what would convince the enemy of their weak constitution.

    Of course, both parents were supposed to be in a a'' once that ssmate arrived. So he would cast a ''suspending'' spell that would mask their breaths, slight twitches and movements for no more than an hour.

    He didn''t want to waste his energy since casting that particr spell for long would no doubt take a toll on him, especially when the battle hadn''t even begun yet.

    .

    Chan-ki stood on the side, being as professional as he could, recalling his days as a Tian guard whenever they were out in public.

    He must not disgrace the Grandmaster!

    With his back straight, he held the wooden box, waiting for Dorian''s orders.

    "Chan-ki... Open it."

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    As if receiving a heavenly order, he walked towards the shaky wooden table and swiftly but carefullyy the blue wooden box on it.

    ~Catchak.

    Thetches were undone, and the box was open. Though shocked by the box''s contents, Chan-ki showed no expression on his face. He turned the box around to Dorian''s front as if he were a diamond dealer.

    "Grandmaster, please instruct."

    Dorian advanced towards the box amidst the curious eyes of the Obyn family.

    Well, they weren''t all that shocked by the contents.

    Thest time Dorian came, they had seen one or 2 of these items in the brown box Butler Sheng had carried.

    The items looked strange, but they did not doubt that they would be helpful for their survival.

    Red crystals of simr shapes and sizes, many sheets of bluish paper, a long ck rope identical to a horsewhip, many pieces of golden chalk sticks, a purple cup ring, alongside an old ancient-looking book with brownish pages, were all they could see in the box.

    .

    Dorian nced at his watch. 11: 23 A.M.

    Flick.

    He threw a paper at Chan-qi.

    "nt the crystals around the house, with their tips touching the surface of the top of the soil but not being visible. Follow the guide and make sure you''re not spotted."

    "Yes, Grandmaster," Chan-ki replied with a gracious bow.<sub> </sub>

    Deep down, his heart was racing, wanting to do a great job.

    He was going to fully take off his suit, roll up his sleeves and work stealthily.

    "The rest of you, lead the way." Dorian turned to the couple. "Lead the way to your chamber."

    "Yes!" The couple replied.

    And like sonic the hedgehog, they zoomed ahead, looking around from time to time, not wanting Dorian to dirty himself.

    Though their room and home were clean and tidy, for some reason they just felt that it was unworthy of the Grandmaster''s presence.

    Dorian waved his finger, and the blue box levitated, following them along.

    "This way, this way, Grandmaster."

    Stepping in, Dorian studied the room in detail.

    It was slightly bigger than Chiyou''s, with a massive inbuilt wardrobe on one.

    From the ceiling to the walls, windows, doors and floors, Dorian studied the space in utter silence.

    The Obyns once again robbed their hands, waiting patiently for hismand.

    "Get on the bed."

    "Ah-"

    You look at me; I look at you.

    "..."

    .

    Dorian gave no exnation and didn''t look like he would.

    Sigh... Forget it.

    The couple asked no questions, getting onto the bed andying straight up as though they had been aces in coffins... How else were they supposed toy on the bed with the Grandmaster watching them?

    They even felt ashamed and shy, not wanting their bodies to touch each other too intimately.

    However, when they thought Dorian wasn''t seeing them, their eyes would pop out towards Chiyou, as if saying: What are we supposed to do now?

    Chiyou almostughed for some reason, seeing her parent''s animated expressions. No... Maybe what made her chuckle was the Grandmaster''s attitude of travelling them like air.

    While theyy in the bed, Dorian was still studying the room, walking and stopping before whatever caught his eye.

    This time, he didn''t do anything to the room, unlike when he appeared in her room.

    However, she was wrong; Dorian had been strategically throwing very thin golden pins from the wooden box.

    Yup.

    They were in the box, but everyone probably overlooked it, not seeing them at all.

    And when he was done, he turned to the couple: "Stay in that position and keep the pretense up until I tell you not to."

    When that ssmate arrived, he would cast the spell in them, masking their state. It was better to keep the act going for now in case the enemy came abruptly.

    They were to stay as silent as dormice. It was better they remained like this and eventually fell asleep. His spell will keep them in one position once casted.

    For Chiyou and Chindu, he didn''t need to do anything.

    The talisman he gave them still created a fake, weak body constitution to the enemy''s eyes.

    With meticulous nning, everything was in set in ce.

    And an hour and a halfter, Dorian sensed a dark aura approaching the Obyn house from afar.

    It was time!

    ~Swish!

    In a sh, he vanished.

 Chapter 168 A Calm Fei Nyah

    ~Vrrmmm~

    Fei Nyah sat at the back of a very sleek vehicle that looked like it cost a fortune.

    She nced out the window and smirked in disdain, seeing the many poor passerby farmers and vigers gazing at the vehicle with envy, worship and curiosity.

    Hmph!

    Paupers like them can only dream of entering such a stunning baby. So she wouldn''t fault them that much for looking at her.

    In fact, she felt a little prideful, as though she were a queen in high society.

    But the vehicle wasn''t hers. It belonged to her rich second-generation boyfriend, who had been pampering and showering her with gifts ofte.

    The driver nced at the site, feeling disdainful that such a car would being into this barbard.

    What if someone gets jealous and scratches the car? They, city folk, had always disdained these mountain lowlife folks who were very old-fashioned in every possible way.

    Looking at Fei Nyah, the driver had some love and satisfaction towards this girl.

    "Miss, you''re really a kind soul to visit this sick ssmate of yours."

    Fei Nyah smiled innocently, showing her concern for her dear friend. "Uncle, I''m just too worried about her. This has nothing to do with kindness."

    "Sigh~... Miss, your actions are one of a kind. But I feel it my duty to give you some advice." The driver said, adjusting the official hat on his head.

    "Miss, this ssmate of yours... You said that she got caught cheating in her examination and tests, leading to her dropping out due to shame. Such a person has a crocodile heart and can one day stab you in the back. Being kind to such a person won''t do you good!"

    Fei Nyah but her lip pitifully. "I know you mean well, uncle... But she''s my friend, and I can''t just abandon her now that the rest of the world has done so. I know that day she will change. So I''m willing to believe and hope in that."

    The guard nced at her hopeful expression via his mirror, shaking his head wryly.

    He wanted to advise her even more. But seeing such a hopeful good girl, how could he?

    Deep down, when he previously heard that this so-called ssmate of the kiss had misfortune after misfortune, he felt that she deserved it! You see, the world was indeed fair. The wicked have finally reached what they sowed.

    [''Oh?... I didn''t know that you were this good an actress.'']

    Fri Nyah''s expression distorted for a split second. ''What do you mean? Are you saying that I''m too much?''

    That thief had stolen her kick for so many years, enjoying what was supposed to be hers. So what she was doing was nothingpared to what the thief did to her.

    A cold glint shone in her eyes when she thought of Chiyou.

    After today, there would be no more hups to block her shine!

    Chiyou and that wretched family of hers must die!

    ...

    Bit by bit, the shy vehicle was careful when approaching Chiyou''s little home.<sub> </sub>

    Of course, the arrival of this vehicle caused a promotion, causing the gossiping and wandering eyes of many to stare at the Obyn residence in disbelief.

    You know, the Obyns had been having a stream of bad luck recently, which made many a little suspicious, thinking that they had either offended someone they should have, or maybe they had all fallen ill because of some contagious infection they picked up?

    Many were leaning on the fact that they were disease-carrying people. Thus, they avoided them like the gue.

    Now seeing this luxurious car pull up at the Obyn residence, many were regretting their intestines that they hadn''t taken advantage of the situation to befriend the Obyn in their time of need... In particr, the nosy women had begun crowding around the neighbouring times close to the Obynpound, cing their ears by the windows and looking out to get a glimpse of the visitors that had arrived.

    "Goodness! Has the Obyn family''s luck finally turned around? A while back, I saw another dashing ck vehicle around the outskirts of the vige. But when I got back from farming mynd, no one knew where the car had gone. So I thought maybe it was confused and might have exited the vige. But now, seeing yet another stunning vehicle, why do I have the feeling that it might''ve beening for the Obyn house?

    "That''s right! I saw that ck stunner too! I heard that little Chichi made many friends back in the city. So could it be that they were here to see her family?"

    "Dammit! If I had known when Little Chiyou begged for a few tubers of yam from my farm, I should''ve given her some. What are a few tubers whenpared to knowing these some and daughters of wealth? Hey. Who knows, maybe she could''ve introduced my daughter or son to one of her rich ssmates. But now it''s all toote!"

    ...

    The driver looked around, seeing the many people using their poor snooping methods around the scene.

    They wanted to act as though they weren''t nosy, but just one look and he who had lived in the city for long could tell their intentions.

    He adjusted his hat and sneered in disdain.

    Want to rub shoulders with the high and night?

    Tch.

    What a bunch of dreamers!

    "Miss, do you want me toe with you?"

    "Yes, uncle."

    "Good girl."

    Fei Nyah smiled obediently. But deep down, she was smiling victoriously.

    ~Hahahhahaja~

    Apart from the fact that she wanted to make the driver more disgusted with Chiyou and her family, she also wanted these Obyns... Especially the thief, to marvel at the fact that she had a rich boyfriend who could spoil her this much.

    What? When the thief stole her luck, did the thick go this far? No, she didn''t. So wasn''t this an aplishment?

    ''What do you think?''

    [''I sense nothing out of the ordinary. Everything is as it should be. This means it''s probably only a little hup. Nothing I can''t handle.'']

    Fei Nyah''s smile broadened even more, reaching for her phone.

    "Chiyou, I''m here."

 Chapter 169 Letting It Go

    The driver opened the door amidst the watchful gazes. And the elegant-looking Fei Nyah stepped out in low-heeled shoes, revealing her stunning peach-coloured gown.

    Beautiful.

    The upgraded version,pared to her previous self, has given her a clean look, highlighting her features even more. Her brown hair softly fell below her shoulders with youthful exuberance.

    Holding the driver''s hand, Fei Nyah steadied and adjusted herself after stepping out of the vehicle.

    She nced at the rundown building before her with disguised contempt.

    It seemed to have aged by 20 years, thanks to the gloomy aura surrounding it.

    The Driver secured the vehicle and walked towards the littledy once more. "Miss, shall we?"

    Fei Nyah smiled. "Yes, uncle."

    Like so, the duo walked carefully, avoiding the many cracks and holes leading to the front door.

    And those watching couldn''t help marveling at how gorgeous Fei Nyah looked.

    Recalling the excited and happy look from the girl who had just stepped out of the vehicle, everyone was confident that she must be a friend of Chiyou. A good friend at that, if she came all the way to see the ill-luck Obyns.

    .

    As the duo advanced, the Driver couldn''t help being shown by the dire state of the Obyn home.

    Comparing the frontwn of the neighbouring residences to this, one could tell a lot about the personalities of these Obyns.

    Theirwns were more dried up and dying, and even their pathways hadn''t been maintained for what looked like decades.

    Apart from having a cheating daughter,ziness,ck of care and attention to even their homes were the list of few that he coulde up with.

    If their neighbours, who probably made roughly the same ie as them, could take care of their household, then why couldn''t the Obyns? Could it be that this Obyn house was full of Drug addicts, criminals and gamblers who were the lowest scum of society?

    The more he looked, the more he felt that such a good girl like Fei Nyah shouldn''t be in this sort of environment.

    F***! Even their front door made him feel that if he knocked on it, It would fall off its hinges.

    Luckily, just when he was about to knock, he heard the doortches on the other ende undone.

    Ghost?

    The driver was too taken aback by Chiyou''s frail and ghastly. Without even thinking, he had already a few steps back and leaned away in defence.

    This girl wouldn''t by any chance have any contagious diseases, right?

    (��0��)--->

    Mask... Mask...

    He was quick to wear his mask.

    ~Cough. Cough. Cough.

    Chiyou coughed pitifully, forcing a stiff smile on her face: "Fei Nyah... You are here."

    "Ye-yes..."

    Fei Nyah was too shocked for words. The difference between the former andter Chiyou''s were like the sun and the moon. She looked near-dead, as though the wind could even kill her now.

    Fei Nyah looked at her, feeling very ufortable in her heart. But after recalling how this thief had been riding on her luck, Fei Nyah quickly adjusted her mindset.

    No! She would never let her go!

    The luck was hers in the first ce. So why should she pity this thief? If she started pitying everyone who offended her, who would pity her?

    Huh.

    As you make your bed, so shall you lie on it!<sub> </sub>

    .

    ~Cough. Cough.~

    "Please... Come in. Don''t just stand there." Chiyou said, disturbing for the duo to step in... Though they looked like they didn''t, especially the driver.

    ~Crack.

    His left foot stepped into a hole that was poorly covered up.

    "Ah-... I''m so sorry. Are you alright, sir? The entire house has been falling apart ofte. So I hope you don''t take offence."

    "It''s fine. It''s fine." He replied, waving his hands casually after striking out of the hole on the wooden floor.

    In his mind, this entire house was a death trap!

    "Please, sit down."

    Everyone looked at the wooden chairs, shaking their heads.

    "No, thanks. We will stand." Fair Nyah said kindly. "We won''t be here for too long. So don''t worry about it. Rather, you should be the one sitting given your condition."

    Who knows what would happen to them after sitting on these ugly chairs?

    Chiyou secretly sneered.

    This Fei Nyah covered their entire home with an evil aura of gloom, and now she was disgusted by it?

    Ridiculous!

    Chiyou allowed herself to be led ''warmly'' by Fei Nyah.

    Of course, Fei Nyah went above and beyond to show her good, kind and viable self to the driver. Until she sessfully married this rich boyfriend of hers, she wanted to win everyone over in every possible way.

    .

    ''What do you think?''

    [''Her constitution is indeed feeble. Let''s see her family.'']

    ''Yes!'' Fei Nyah inwardly eximed while still looking at Chiyou worriedly like a true friend.

    "Chiyou, what about auntie and uncle? What about the little bun? Are they alright?"

    Chiyou bit her lips and shook her head pitifully with reddish eyes. Her expression wasn''t pretentious, as she just recalled all the suffering they had gone through. That alone was enough to make her cry at will.

    Like so, Chiyou showed what they wanted to see

    And although Fei Nyah was convinced, she still consulted the expert.

    [''There should be nothing wrong. Things should be as expected. Though the disappearance of my minions night suggest that it due to thest bit of luck on her, that probably sent them dormant.'']

    ''Then, then... What do we do?''

    [''It''s simple. Unless this ssmate of yours lets it go, you can never fully have all your luck back. She is hanging onto thisst bit of it.'']

    What??!!!!

    Fei Nyah''s heart jumped. ''Let it go? So it can''t be any other way?''

    [''Things have gotten a littleplicated to exin. So I''m afraid not.'']

    ''Then how the hell am I supposed to get her to let it go?''

    [''Hehehehehe~... That''s easy. You need to eliminate her reason for not letting it go... You need to take out her family. To a girl like this, she would feel it pointless getting lucky and staying in this world after the death of her family. So killing them will kill her will to live. And before you know it, she''ll let go.'']

 Chapter 170 Do You Dare Or Not?

    Her family?

    Fei Nyah''s eyes brighten in understanding. To squeeze thest bit of luck from this toothpaste container, she would have to ram it hard.

    Force Chiyou to the corner, and she wouldn''t even need to deliver the finishing blow. Well, everything was easier said than done.

    [''You know, I can handle this for you easily. So, are you willing to kill them all?'']

    ''I''m willing!'' She eximed inwardly.

    [''Wonderful! Hahahahahahaha~...mortal... I like you more and more the longer we get to know ourselves.'']

    Fei Nyah listened to the praises resounded in her ears, having a very ominous feeling at heart. And sure enough, the feeling was right.

    [''Hahahahaha~ Little mortal, you truly are a gem to me. Swift and ruthless. This is what I like about you. However, there''s no free lunch in my world. So, what will you give in exchange for my services?'']

    A cold feeling flew past Fei Nyah''s shoulders, giving her goosebumps all over.

    Gulp.

    What could she possibly exchange? Her heart was pounding with uncertainty and fear.

    First off, she didn''t know what this thing wanted from her for her earlier request to draw her luck back.

    All it said was that it would ask her to pay the price in future.

    So that has constantly been weighing on her heart, though it said that what it wanted wasn''t something she should be worried about.

    Since then, she had felt even better about it, thinking it was something too serious. (Unbeknownst to her, it was saving up for her as the main dish. Dare to trust in the words of such a mysterious being? Naive!)

    .

    Fei Nyah has always believed that she didn''t have to worry about her first deal with the thing.

    But now, it was asking her yet again for any deal?

    What could she possibly have that she could exchange for the thing to kill Chiyou''s family for her?

    [Heheheh... Little mortal, don''t worry your little heart. Again, what I want is something you can provide and possibly live without.'']

    ''My kidney?''

    [''Pff~... Oops... Little mortal, you sure are funny.'']

    Funny? Her? Do you see the amount of sweat in her palms? She wasn''ting at all!

    [''My little gem of a mortal, though your kidney would no doubt be tasteful, I''m more interested in something better... I want...'']

    ''Hold on!'' Fei Nyah cut the voice mid-way through its sentence. ''Why do I have to exchange something again? Didn''t you already promise to get my luck back? So wasn''t doing all that already in the deal? It''s a one package thing. So howe I owe you again?''

    [''Oh? Little mortal, although what you say makes sense on paper, doesn''t realistically.'']

    ''Then you exin it to me!'' Fei Nyah inwardly bellowed, almost exposing herself to the driver and Chiyou.

    Lying trough. What sort of bullish** was this thing trying to tell her?

    Deceitful! Too deceitful!

    [''Calm down, little mortal... The reason for this is because the situations have changed. It would take more energy to now eliminate this little hup, which is unfair to me.'']<sub> </sub>

    Additionally, this ssmate of hers was indeed a strongly fated one. He had miscalcted a bit after analyzing things. But where would he tell Fei Nyah this?

    .

    All theints Fei Nyah was giving were going in one of its ears anding out the other. Don''t get it wrong. It understood what she meant. But so what? If it said it wanted payment, what would she do about it?

    Heh.

    To it, she had to pay for the cost of what it was about to do because as a highly selfish entity. It wouldn''t spend even a whiff of energy without some sort of payment.

    Please! His kind wasn''t those punk-ass silly angels.

    Nothing goes for free! And there was no such thing as kindness or being considerate'' in its books.

    [''It''s simple, little mortal. Things have changed, and I will be doing way too much for you. That said, as it stands now, only I can help you do away with the family undetected. If you contact or enlist any mortal help/killers... once another mortal investigates, it''ll be easy to spot you as the culprit. So is that what you want? Do you want to go to jail and spend the rest of your life in these winning in the dark, musty, cold and cells?]

    Jail?

    Fei Nyah turned to stone, especially after feeling the wind lightly caress her body.

    It was almost as though she could see herself in the prison cells at this very moment.

    No way! She would never allow herself to call to that level!

    .

    Feeling the changes in her, the thing''s smile broadened even more.

    [''Not only will you go to jail once traced, but if the investigations are fast, this ssmate of yours will only live on instead, wanting to see you stay in there for all your life as a form of revenge. So while you''re in there, she will be out in the world. Is that what you want? DO YOU WANT HER TO WIN?!'']

    ''NO!!!!''

    Fei Nyah was almost crazed with unwillingness. The built-up hatred in her very was at its pique. It took all her strength for her not to rush into the kitchen, grab a knife and hack Chiyou to a thousand pieces.

    At the same time, she also realized how unreliable getting human assistance would be.

    And because of the thing constantly speaking to her, she also began to feel that only it could cleanly take care of her wants, leaving no evidence of loose ends that could be traced back to her.

    Fei Nyah firmed her heart, knowing that she had no choice.

    Leave thest not of luck with this sl**? Not a chance!

    .

    ''Alright, I want your help.''

    Checkmate.

    It had expected this reply.

    ? [Good... In that case, there''s only one thing I want in exchange. Com''on. No need to get so stiff, little mortal... It''s nothing so frightening.'']

    ''Really? Then what is it?''

    [''Your womb.'']

 Chapter 171 A Ruthless Decision

    Fei Nyah subconsciously reached for her belly.

    Her womb?

    The color on her face drained as countless thoughts seemed in.

    Was it him? Was it truly him?

    ''... Could it be that you''re Rumplestiltskin?''

    [''Rumple... ~Pff~... Hahahaha~ Little mortal, that character doesn''t exist... Though I have no idea why such a character would be painted as wicked by you all.

    The story goes as such; A miller lies to a king, saying his daughter can spin straw into gold. The King, a human, wickedly locks her up because of greed, telling her to do as he told or she would die.

    In these instances, both father and king should be hated. But, Rumplestiltskin, whoes in, is suddenly med for everything? He indeed promised to turn the straw for the girl. The first time, he requested for nothing.

    First, the girl took advantage of this, asking for more and more chances of rescue. Then, hees up, saying he would do it in exchange for her first child.

    Did he hold a gun to her head? She could''ve well refused and decided to die instead. That would''ve been what you humans call honourable.'']

    Fei Nyah begged to differ, still feeling that the real viin was Rumplestiltskin. Who wouldn''t choose to sacrifice their firstborn to save themselves? She felt that if it were her, she would also do the same thing.

    But what she didn''t know was that a deal was a deal... Especially to Underwood creatures that hated to be at a disadvantage.

    .

    The thing felt that the so-called Rumplestiltskin was even going soft and easy on the mortal he struck a deal with.

    So after exhausting his energy, turning rooms and rooms of straw into gold, the woman in question turned extremely wealthy andter became the Queen, while the imp had exhausted and done all this for her. But when it came time to pay up, she suddenly grew a conscience? Now she realized how vital her child was? Ridiculous!

    The fact that she even struck the deal in the first ce showed her character.

    There were several women with high Yang in them, like this Chiyou, who would prefer to die in the king''s hands than to make that deal.

    They, underworld creatures, only heightened the bad in people. Meaning those dark thoughts and aspirations could easily be formed without their push.

    That''s why they partnered with specific people. And yet, humans loved ming their circumstances on everything, hardly taking responsibility for themselves.

    Even their story of Jack & The Beanstalk, they praised Jack as a hero after he disobeyed his mother, sold an entire cow for a handful of beans, robbed a giant of its treasure and murdered the poor guy for trying to get his possession back.

    Humans were the most amazing creatures at turning ck to white and vice versa.

    Hehhehehe...

    Well, such things only made its day sweeter and sweeter.

    Such humans were the best to feast on.

    .

    [''Little mortal, please don''t insult me byparing my great self with a little fairy character.'']

    Hearing him, Fei Nyah suddenly felt relieved. It was just that her relief was short-lived.

    [''Little mortal, what I''m asking, is not a specific child, bit your entire womb... What I want is your entire generation!'']

    ''You~~... What do you mean?''

    [''Heh... It''s simple. In future, any seed that gets nted in you will never take a full course or growpletely. In other words, every time you get pregnant, you will keep having miscarriages! I will eat the essence and souls of your children!'']

    What?!

    Fei Nyah was shaken to her core.

    Did it want all her future children? Then how was she supposed to maintain her status as a wealthy woman after finally marrying her rich generation boyfriend?

    That''s right. She didn''t care for these so-called children.

    What she was worried about was maintaining her future lifestyle.

    She hesitated. ''This...''

    [''Little mortal, j know what you''re thinking, but have you forgotten that I will be with you? And besides, just do what other mortal women do. Continue faking your pregnancy even after your miscarriage. And when it''s almost time, n for a baby to be brought or stolen from the hospital. Bribe the nurses, do whatever. Is getting a child that hard?... More importantly, if you don''t get rid of today''s matter, you won''t recover your final bit of luck. Then, you can just kiss your dreams of marrying goodbye!... So... What will it be?'']

    ...

    Getting miscarriages would be a norm for her if she took the deal. For her children to be rightfully devoured, they need to form in her belly and be human, not seeds nted into her women. Humans stabilize their souls within that period from being seeds that any man can push out.

    That''s why the voice had to wait before devouring her children.

    Fei Nyah turned cold, thinking of all her ns flying away.

    The voice was right. If she didn''t deal with Chiyou now, who knew if the thief would one day steal all this luck back?

    Additionally, this was the final step to ensure that she was the protagonist.

    So for her future of marrying into a wealthy family, she dared not y with this. And just like the voice said, she could always arrange for a baby, letting no one know of her miscarriages. She didn''t think she would regret her decision.

    What are childrenpared to livingvishly?

    [''If you ept, then say the magic words.'']<sub> </sub>

    "Okay... I, Fei Nyah, am willing to give my womb and my generation to xxxx.''

    [''Sold! Your word is your bind!'']

    Boom!

    Fei Nyah felt an intense force swarm around her belly, as though sucking and leeching on it.

    Her inner belly got icy cold, and the walls of her women began trembling as though struck by something hard.

    At the same time, she could hear screens in her head, making her think her future children were crying to her. She gritted her teeth and chose to ignore it.

    And Dorian, who was watching in hiding, could see the already frail golden rays break and diminish, getting reced by ck-purplish strands.

    Though she had Chiyou''s luck, the luck had been long tainted in her hands. So her aura was very distorting.

    Dorian nced at her belly deeply.

    Now, it''s been marked.

    At the same time, the ne around Fei Nyah''s neck brightened slightly.

    .

    Hiss!~

    The pain in her wombsted for no more than 3 seconds before fading away as though it was all a dream.

    Blink. Blink.

    Gone. Finally gone.

    Fei Nyah''s smile broadened even more, having a firm determination in what she was about to do. Kill this Chiyou''s family!

    [''Take me close to her parents and brother.'']

    ''What?!... You''re not going to kill them now, right?''

    [''Of course not! Little Mortal, do I look as stupid as you humans? You''ll die slowly and naturally in a week.'']

    Fei Nyah was pleased. Even if the police investigate, they won''t find any signs of poisoning to anything out of the ordinary. Besides, wasn''t it normal fora parents to suddenly give up? Alright, the voice had promised to make one die after the only, not all at once.

    Hahahaha~... At this rate, she''ll be able to get away with murder!

    ''B**ch, just you wait!''

    Fei Nyah stared at the thief with a warm yet sympathetic gaze. "Chiyou, you won''t me me for noting all this time, right?"

    "No... Of course not."

    Fei Nyah shook her head. "Don''t be quick to deny it. I''ve felt terrible after seeing your condition. As your friend, it should''ve been here for you all during your toughest moments. But now that I''m here don''t worry. I''ll make sure that aunt, uncle and the little bun are properly taken care of."

    Chiyou clenched her fists, imagining herself smacking this shameless witch with the chair. But of course, on the surface, her expression remained pitiful.

    And soon enough, she got the signal from the Grandmaster.

    Heheheheh~

    Soon, she would finally get the chance to exact her revenge!

    .

    What was she ying at?

    The driver watched her cautiously, trying to unmask her ''white-lotus act'' for Miss Fei Nyah to see.

    That''s right. His impression of Chiyou was still bad, making him think she should be pretending. Maybe she wanted to take advantage of Fei Nyah, or perhaps she had other motives.

    However, no matter how he looked, he still failed to find her weakness.

    Then very abruptly, Chiyou ignored Fei Nyah, turned towards him and began advancing without saying anything.

    Her entire expression changed, bing stern.

    With her ghostly appearance, she looked frightful.

    The driver stepped back subconsciously. "You~~... What do you want? If you''re sick, then why don''t you just sit ory down instead?"

    One step back, another step backwards... The driver was rmed.

    Thisdy wouldn''t be the weird and crazy type, right?

    Fei Nyah was also confused. But soon, everything became clear.

    "Now!"

    ~Vmmm!

    Dorian activated the formation!

 Chapter 172 The Villains Arrive

    Fei Nyah was still confused and baffled by Chiyou''s unexpected attitude towards the driver.

    However, before she knew it, a blinding blue light lit underneath her.

    What?!

    Fei Nyah looked below in panic.

    It was only wow that she realized that she was standing in some circle, with strange carvings.

    The driver''s mouth dropped to the ground in disbelief.

    F***! What was he seeing?

    He looked at Chiyou, feeling scared.

    And bit by bit, he took several steps back, fleeing for the door.

    But where would Chiyou allow him to do that?

    She grabbed his hand firmly: "Uncle, I wouldn''t do that if I were you."

    (0��0)

    The driver''s face turned ghostly. Chiyou was speaking with sincerity from the bottom of her heart. But to the driver, it sounded like the words of a serial killer.

    Evil! Evil! He knew she was evil!

    His trembling face puffed and reddened.

    ~Plop.

    He was on the ground, kowtowing like a worm.

    "Little girl, little girl, spare me... I have eyes but failed to see your majesty. If-if-if you let me go, I promise... No! I swear on my grandmother''s grave that I''ll never say a single word about this! Look. I''m a man with a family. I have so many mouths to feed, and they all depend on me. Please, don''t kill me. No one will hear about this!"

    (:Y��Y:)

    .

    Snot and tears were oozing off his face. In this split money, he had spoken faster than a rapper.

    In short, the talent was there.

    Chiyou was made speechless by the 40-something-year-old man grovelling before her.

    Did she say something wrong?

    Chiyou was about to ask the man to get up, trying to ease his worries. However, the sudden emergence of Chan-ki in a full bodyguard suit didn''t make her words usible.

    The driver regretted his intestines.

    In his mind, they would kill him and throw his body somewhere in a ditch.

    [Chiyou]: (-_-)

    Chan-ki emerged next to the door, blocking the driver from heading out. Whatever happens here stays here... No need to create chaos within the vige.

    At the same time, Fei Nyah stared at Dorian in rm.

    Who was this handsome man?

    Even though he was good-looking, at this moment, she couldn''t appreciate it. The voice in her ears was already shaking anxiously.

    [Exorcist? How can there be one in this world? Get out! Get out of here now!'']

    Fei Nyah gritted her teeth and made a run for it. However, when it came to leaving, she found out the hard way that she couldn''t.

    ~Pang!

    She brutally smashed into the formation''s wall, falling back.

    Ouff!

    She was on the floor. And when she met Dorian''s eyes, she crawled even further away after taking off her shoes.<sub> </sub>

    That''s right.

    She took off her right heel, waving it in the air vigorously.

    .

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam!

    She swung it before Dorian while also swinging it to the invisible wall, trying to break it.

    ''Break, break, break, break!''

    At the same time, tears streamed down her cheeks as the fear, imaging what this strange boy wanted with her.

    Coupled with the voice''s gear for him, how could she not worry?

    "Get back! Get back now!... I have a shoe, and I''m not afraid to use it!"

    Dorian nced at the little in the formation, holding her shoe with trembling hands.

    The scene might make one pity her, but Dorian had no sympathy for people like this.

    The heavens would fairly punish her.

    And the humans would indeed decide her punishment once this was over. That was something he would never interfere with.

    The formation around her was one of his most powerful... Especially at his current strength level.

    For them topletely deal with Chiyou, he knew they would return, alongside the twin Collector that was in their possession. And sure enough, with his 3rd eye opened, he could see the deadly aura surrounding her purse. For sure, it should be in there.

    And finally, the mastermind, or rather, the leader he had been searching for, should be in the ne.

    The aura and purplish light surrounding it was stronger than that of the bag.

    .

    Additionally, he was sure it was the ne since the creatures that typically contacted humans would always be with them every moment of their life.

    Of course, he created this formation specifically for this creature, to cut its link to the underworld. Meaning it wouldn''t even get the chance to say or warn any other beings but whatever it was having.

    If this being that minions, summoning them would be impossible. This was only possible if it was stronger than Dorian, then escaping the formation''s hold would be impossible!

    Now that they''ve got it right where they wanted, it was time to end this once and for all.

    Dorian raised his brow at the ne.

    "Do you want toe out, or do I have to drag you myself."

    -Silence-

    Everyone wore various expressions on their faces.

    Fei Nyah was shocked at the notion that someone knew her secret. Meanwhile, Chan-ki was preparing to join once given themand.

    As for Chiyou, she secretly readied her heart for what was about toe. But for the former, he couldn''t help looking around in utter confusion and a deeper hint of fear.

    Don''t think he didn''t see that when Fei Nyah pumped into thin air, falling backwards.

    The scene was too bizarre and terrible.

    What about the floor that suddenly lit up? Could it be that the country has developed Nano light bulbs?

    Yes! That must be it...

    But now, the question remains:... Who the hell was this strange boy asking Miss Fei Nyah for?

    Seeing as these 2 had popped out of thin air like ninjas, could it be that they were asking a hidden guard to show themselves?

    The driver tried to reduce his presence, being that he had just stepped into a martial arts movie.

    Oh my God!

    Wasn''t this scene simr to the ancient movies where the viins would arrogantly request for the hero to make his appearance?

 Chapter 173 Give It Back? Impossible!

    Come out,e out... Mr. Hero, where are you?

    The driver was secretly looking upwards and every other location, trying to find the ninja/assassin hero.

    Could it be that he and Miss Fei Nyah were just cannon fodder who would die before the hero arrived?

    The driver still had this mentality up until he heard Dorian''s words.

    "Miss ssmate, you made a deal to exchange Miss Chiyou''s luck with yours, correct?"

    What? Can this be stolen too?

    The driver couldn''t believe his ears.

    The words the boy was saying were so strange. It was too ridiculous and magical.

    Please! Could someone take him up from this dream of being held hostage by insane people?

    Fei Nyah''s heart jumped. "I-I... I don''t know what you''re talking about. It''s Chiyou, right? It''s her! She''s framing me, right?"

    Fei Nyah looked at Chiyou in an aggrieved manner. "Why?... What wrong did I do to you? Why are you trying to frame me for something so ridiculous? This is the age of science, so why are youing up with such a delusional excuse for your predicaments? What did you tell this young man to make him attack me?... ~Wooooo~... Why is my fate so pitiful, having you as a friend?"

    The driver saw her like this and felt pity for her to get in the hands of scheming women like Chiyou.

    Stealing luck? Wasn''t that just a tant excuse? How was Miss Fei Nyah at fault for this viiness''s poverty and ill-stricken life?

    .

    Fei Nyah sneaked a peek at Dorian, seeing if her words hadn''t gotten to him. However, she was utterly disappointed, seeing that his expression hadn''t even changed or softened.

    Chiyou snickered at her wishful thinking. Who was the Grandmaster? Did this witch that she could fool the Grandmaster with her despicable act?

    "Fei Nyah, stop pretending! Aren''t you just being shameless! You want to kill off my entire family and me, and you think I wouldn''t retaliate back? What wrong have I ever done to you that you would go this far to put me down?"

    Crazy witch!

    Chiyou couldn''t understand it. When had she ever crossed Fei Nyah''s path before?

    The only time she might''ve done something wrong to her in the past was when she didn''t have a spare pencil to give.

    Thinking about this, Chiyou was suddenly dumbfounded. It wouldn''t be about the pencil thing, right?

    There were so many people in their school, both rich and average, that could make Fei Nyah jealous. So why her? What was so particr about her? Or could it be that she just looked easy to pick on?

    .

    Listening to Chiyou''s words, Fei Nyah was even more stimted and annoyed by Chiyou''s pretentious act. " Thief! Who did you say stole your luck? Wasn''t it you who stole my luck first? It''s you and your family who have caused me so much pain all this while, so I''m just taking my pound of flesh!"

    Fei Nyah''s eyes shone viciously, and she looked nothing like her previous soft appearance.

    -Silence-

    Now, the driver was stunned.

    Wait! Was the luck stealing aspect true?

    F***!

    The driver almost passed out in horror. What did he hear about Fei Nyah attempting to kill all of Chiyou''s family?<sub> </sub>

    Seeing Fei Nyah''s viscous appearance, he couldn''t help shuddering. She wasn''t who she imed to be!

    "Fei Nyah, when did I steal your luck? Can you use your brain for once? Think long and hard! Think about your life from birth till now. Your life has been fairly simr. So when in heaven''s name did I steal your LUCK?!"

    Fei Nyah''s eyes lost focus, staring at the wooden floor as the question now rang deeply in her head.

    Heh.

    Chiyou looked at her and snickered. "Fei Nyah! It looks like even with my luck on your body, you still didn''t improve that low I.Q of yours!"

    "You!~~"

    .

    Both women were sending deadly res towards one another, each having their own ''logical'' reasons.

    Dorian stared at Fei Nyah deeply: "If you find out that the luck on you had never been yours in the first ce, would you be willing to return it?"

    "What?"

    Fei Nyah got flustered.

    She clenched her fists unwillingly. You should know that ever since the voice told her to run, it hadpletely abandoned her, hiding away in the ne. Even the previous faint glow on the chain was now dull, as though it was all her imagination.

    Even though she did have a low I.Q, she wasn''t aplete fool.

    She had just been abandoned, and with Chiyou''s words, she was 70% convinced that she might''ve been fooled and tricked by the voice.

    But so what?

    Do you expect her to go back to how she used to live?

    The luck was her getaway to the good life.

    Without it, how was she to snag and secure her wealthy boyfriend? What happened to her dream of being a rich wife who lives off her husband''s prosperity and ie?

    People like her weren''t cut out for hard work like the rest.

    So after relying on that great luck, she had aplished so much within thesest few weeks than she had ever in her entire life.

    That''s why giving it back was out of the question!

    .

    With a determined gaze, she stared at Dorian deeply. "I''ll pay you. Look! I''m not talking about peanut money. Whatever Chiyou is paying you, I''ll double it... No! I''ll quadruple it to any amount! Think about it. Money, cars, fame and even power... My boyfriend has connections."

    The driver heard this and almost choked in disgust. To think he once admired her.

    "Please! Please! I''ll give you anything. Just make her disappear, and you can name your price!"

    Dorian didn''t even bother staring at the desperate Fei Nyah while reaching for his pocket.

    If she had admitted her mistake after realizing the truth, then things would be slightly better for her after the punishment from above.

    Sadly, she wouldn''t cry unless she saw the coffin.

    "Miss ssmate, since you''ve chosen this path, then please walk through to the bitter end."

 Chapter 174 True Appearances

    With Fei Nyah''s decision, Dorian smacked his palms together, causing the circr light to turn golden.

    Bam!

    "You~... Stop. Stop... What are you doing?"

    Fei Nyah panicked, moving around the same spot, not knowing what to do.

    However, she had a bad feeling about it all... Especially when seeing her ne t out of her dress, levitating above her chest.

    But that wasn''t all.

    As if being yanked by someone, her purse also broke free from her.

    ~Woosh!

    A door was opened along the formation''s walls, and a powerful force threw her out mercilessly.

    What?!

    Fei Nyah found herself in the arms of Chan-ki, feeling too shocked and mortified to speak. Her legs shook like a newborn calf, and her mind was still giving her warning bells to flee now that she had the chance.

    But how could they let her go?

    Chan-ki stared at her coldly: "You better not have any ideas, or I''ll have to use force!"

    .

    ~Gulp.

    Fei Nyah cowered away, trying to look as obedient as she could. However, Chan-ki still wasn''t buying her act.

    "Miss Chiyou, get the rope fast."

    "Yes, yes." Chiyou replied, hurrying off speedily.

    "You! Come and help!"

    "Me?... Yes, yes, yes!"

    The driver was so panicked, reached for Miss Fei Nyah with trembling hands.

    "Uncle! What are you doing? Why are you siding with them to harm me?"

    The driver softened after seeing her pitiful expression... However, when the image of her wicked side shed in his mind, shepletely woke up from his thoughts.

    How can a person who wants to kill an entire family be good?

    He didn''t know whether to thank these people for making him see Fei Nyah''s true face. Or else if she married his 4th young master, then wouldn''t they be inviting a criminal into their times instead?

    Additionally, if these people were truly bad, they would''ve killed him or attacked him. However, they only treated him as a passer-by in all of this... An unfortunate victim who Fei Nyah had fooled.

    The driver gritted his teeth coldly: "Miss Fei... Your disguise is already seen by myself. So please shut up, you wicked girl! You were also nning to steal the 4th master''s luck, right?"

    The driver didn''t understand much. But seeing how that youngster could make the ne and user levitate made him know that things might be bigger than they seemed.

    Don''t talk about being rmed. At the moment, he was still trying to wrap his head around the situation, thinking there should be strings on the ceiling controlling everything. Though the evidence had smacked him hard in the face, his wee little brain was taking its sweet time to process it all.

    A certain level of fear engulfed him the more he thought of things. But make no mistake. Though he partially understood the gist of the matter, he still guarded himself against these people.

    .

    "Here it is... I''ve got the rope!" In a sh, Chiyou was back with the rope.

    And after Chan-ki tied her up, he ced a talisman on the door as instructed. "Grandmaster... It''s done."

    "Hmmm.... I''ll open a window for you. Your task is to defeat it."

    Chan-ki stared at the purse, feeling adrenaline pump vigorously through his veins. "I understand."

    "Good... Now get in."

    Vmm!

    A door was opened yet again, allowing Chan-ki to enter the fighting ring.

    As for Dorian, he quickly withdrew the ne, choosing to deal with the creature, with the entire room being his battlefield.

    He was worried about it having the ability to contact or summon its minions since he wouldn''t even give it the chance to think.

    Heh... Why be merciful to the enemy?

    Dorian sneered and channelled a murderous Eva of energy to the ne.

    ~Crack

    The ne began to shatter.

    And sure enough, the creature knew it couldn''t hide anymore.

    A tornado of ckish dust jumped out and expanded to a humongous size.

    The driver''s eyes turned white, starting at the being before him.

    It was taller than the door and was hunched with rotting giant hands.

    He didn''t see or dare to look at the thing''s face for too long, having seen those greenish servant eyes.

    In all his life, he had never seen something so revolting and terrifying at the same time.

    Oh my God!

    The driver felt his confidence, quickly running behind Chiyou in horror.

    Now, he knew what real fear was.

    .

    "Ahhh~... Save me! Save me! I don''t want to get eaten!"

    The driver cowered, wishing the ground could open up and swallow him out of here

    F***!

    He saw the mirror in Fei Nyah''s bag turn into an eyeball that grew bones out of it; the driver was even more devastated.

    "You evil thing! This is all your fault! We are all going to die because of you! To think you were going about with some wicked creatures with you! Come to think of it... Are you also human? Is this your n? To kill poor little us, who are humans? OH-MY-GOD!... We are doomed!"

    The driver red at Fei Nyah, pointing usingly.

    The shock of finding out that they weren''t the only ones in this world could make anyone start losing their sanity and I.Q.<sub> </sub>

    At this moment, he didn''t want to think. All he wanted were straight answers!

    He looked at the evil girl amidst his tears, wanting to get as far away from her as possible... Who knows if she had other things on her body?

    Blugh~

    Fei Nyah threw out after seeing her ne and mirror transform into these.

    Her entire body felt as though a thousand words were crawling on it.

    Dirty... She felt so dirty, disgusted and afraid.

    What if she had eastern her all this while?

    Dorian pulled out his sword and swung it with malice.

    He was getting serious!

    But for Chan-ki, the process of watching the bones grow, dropping maggots to the ground, made him freeze for just a bit.

    ''Com''on Chan-ki! You can do it! Brother Sheng was able to earlier. So you must not disappoint the Grandmaster too!''

    .

    Boom!

    Chan-ki''s eyes widened excitedly after seeing the talisman hit its mark.

    He... He did it. He attacked!

    (^?^)

    A surge of energy filled his body, making him feel like superman.

    Even though he had attacked the being while expanding and taking its form, Chan-ki was still overly excited by his actions.

    Only the heavens knew much shock had caused him to freeze momentarily. It took a lot of his willpower to get himself to move closer to this being.

    But now that he had found his confidence, he felt like kissing the talisman papers in his pockets.

    Hahahahaha~

    From today onwards, he would never feel safe without them by his side.

    He watched as the talisman glowed, causing a deep burn on the creature''s shoulder.

    However, his happiness was short-lived.

    ~Bam!

    What?

    Chan-ki mmed against the formation.

    The rotting, bony arm that had fully regenerated, pushed him back ruthlessly.

    And by the time he got up, the being had now regenerated to half of itself.

    It was now a floating mummified skeleton, floating in the air, missing its lower half.

    But make no mistake! With its arms finally formed, it still has immense fighting power!

    ~Cough... Cough...

    Chan-ki felt the pain in his chest, realizing just how deadly one move from his opponent was.

    No! He had to act fast before it got fully regenerated. Or else by then, he might truly be toast!

    .

    ~GRAWW~~~

    The mummified widened its mouth to floor level and screamed chaotically, floating its hands in the air and towards Chan-ki at full speed.

    Mommy... Mommy...

    The Driver felt a warm fluid ooze down his pants.

    Did he just wet himself?

    The driver had no time to feel shame because the moment he watched Chan-ki get mmed down, his entire being became shrouded with an even gloomier air.

    1, 2, 3... He was up on his feet, shoving Fei Nyah to the side and reaching for the door to flee.

    "Get away! Get away from me! I have to leave this ce!"

    His eyes darted around maniacally, with only the thoughts of survival in his head.

    "No!~... Don''t open the door!" Chiyou bellowed, fearing that the neighbours would see what was going on here."

    But how could the driver think of others now?

    "Get away, girl! If you want to die, don''t drag others with you!" He said, pushing Chiyou away.

    And with a firm grip, he reached for the door.

    But in the next moment, his expectant face turned grim.

    Eh?

    "Open, open. Why won''t it open?!"

    With tears in his eyes, he fell to the ground in a daze.

    ~Plop.

    What should he do now?

    Just look at how big and powerful these creatures are?

    Humans were no match for these creatures.

    They were all going to die!

    The man was already on the brink of despair.

    However, the death he was waiting for never came.

    Boom!

 Chapter 175 First Battle!

    Bam! Bam! Boom!

    Chan-ki was besieged again and again by the regenerating creature.

    But at least, he was able to make a few moves on his one.

    Dodging an attack, his heart stumbled over its rhythm while his eyes jumped around, trying to find an entry point through the creature''s defence.

    ''Speed... It''s wicked fast.'' He thought.

    Dammit!

    Jump, duck, roll, twirl... The creature had him dancing to the beat.

    Worst yet, it had only been no more than 3 minutes since the fight began. Yet, he already had a purple discolouration on his cheek from the creature''s deadly blow.

    Maggots flew in the air, almost going up his nostrils.

    Augh!

    Chan-ki''s throat closed up, cutting off his air cirction.

    Disgusting!

    The maggots fell and wiggled on the floor, squirming about whenever the creature moved even the slightest.

    Oh my God!

    What were all the creatures he had seen rotting?

    The foul stench alone could knock out a cow, yet he was doing his best to hold on and not puke.

    ''No! This can''t go in for long. I have to end this fast... Find one of 2 hearts... Find 1 of 2 hearts...''

    Chan-ki lurched again to the side and evaded another attack while observing the creature.

    Where was it? Where was it?

    ''There!''

    ~Swish!

    In a sh, Chan-ki ran in a zig-zag manner towards his opponent.

    Thap. Thap. Thap. Thap~

    Boom!

    What?

    ~Graw~

    One foot back, another one back.

    The mummified creature stagnated from immense pain after realizing that it had been tricked.

    That''s right. Chan-ki allowed himself to get sent flying, but not before cing up to 4 talismans on a single spot.

    Bam!

    Chan-ki smashed into the wall, struggling to carry his aching body.

    Hiss~

    Weak... He was too weakpared to brother Sheng.

    However, seeing that he had at least done this much, Chan-ki stood squarely and proud of his aplishment.

    .

    ~Bam! Bam! Thap! Thap! Boom!

    The air was tense and so brittle, as everyone''s heart was hanging on a single thread.

    Goosebumps covered their bodies, the more intense their gazes were.

    ''Come on!... Come on!... You can do it!''

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    ~Gwarrr~

    The creature moved in drunken agony, pping itself along the walls.

    Pain. Pain. Pain... It felt like someone was constantly burning its insides with a strange fire.

    And soon, a sizzling noise echoed out, followed by a bright light that seemed to burst out of its left lower belly.

    Chan-ki''s eyes anxiously widened, looking for where to stand.

    F***!

    It was going to blow, wasn''t it.

    Very quickly, Chan-ki maneuvered himself away from the creature''s left body.

    ~Grw? Grw? Grw?

    The creature''s face was filled with worry, panic and concern, as though not knowing what to do.

    ~Puff!

    Its left-side belly ruptured, spewing out greenish bile mixed with several white and ckish rotting worms.<sub> </sub>

    Oh my God! Why were the worms themselves also rotting?

    ck!

    Its insides smacked the formation walls, causing the driver and Fei Nyah to puke.

    As for Chiyou, she was still struggling to hold back as well.

    Luckily, because ofst time''s event, she had be a tad bit stronger when seeing such disgusting scenes.

    Horrible. Horrible... She felt like plucking her own eyes out and smashing them with a hammer.

    Say no more... Fei Nyah was also in the state of doubting herself.

    How? How could someone such as herself be next to these things all this while?

    No wonder they refused to show themselves to her.

    If they did, do you think she would dare to make a deal with them? Well, maybe she still would''ve... But at least, she would''ve done so, not asking for too much, lest they turn her into such a freak too.

    Chan-ki was on a roll, taking advantage of the creature''s pain and finishing it as though it were a mortal Kombat character.

    Fatality!

    ~Bam! Bam! Puff! Boom!

    ~Graw~

    (:��w��:)

    ...

    Chan-ki became merciless. However,pared to Dorian, he still had far much more to learn from the master.

    BAM! BAM! BAM! PAH!~

    What the hell?

    The creature saw stars with every attack thatnded on it.

    F***!

    Dorian was too ruthless, not even letting it stand or have the brain capacity to think.

    The moment it opened its eyes, Dorian''s giant club was there to wee it.

    That''s right. Like a caveman, Dorian had plummeted it deep to the ground, destroying the wooden floors.

    "Are you ready to talk?"

    Bam!

    "Now, are you ready to talk?"

    "_"

    The creature had no tears but wanted to cry. No... More urately, it wanted to report to the heavens about the behaviours of their exorcist.

    How can someone ask a question but not give time for the question to get answered?

    With an expressionless face, Dorian flexed his club on the creature.

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Everyone watched, not knowing whether to sympathize with the creature or not.

    Even when standing, all they could see was the creature''s giant feet sticking out of the floor. Meanwhile, the rest of its body was smashed, nted deeply into the floor.

    (-_-)

    Chiyou shook her head wryly.

    "As expected of the Grandmaster. This much is nothing for him."

    Dorian stared at Chan-ki''s situation with an expressionless face before opening another door and dragging the creature into the formation space.

    Wow!

    Even though they knew Dorian was strong, seeing him drag a creature 6 times his size was still awe-striking.

    (+0+)

    .

    "Enough practice... You did good."

    "Yes, Grandmaster!" Chan-ki beamed with a mightily proud expression on his face.

    Now he understood Butler Sheng''s joy when receiving praises from Dorian.

    Hahahahahha~

    He felt as though he were on top of the world!

    Chan-ki dusted off a couple of maggots on his shoulders, trying not to puke, lest he ruin his heroic person before the Grandmaster and everyone else.

    With a simple flick of his wrist, Dorian levitated the box into the formation.

    Alright. It was time to properly exorcise and send these underworld entities away, but not before returning what belonged to Miss Chiyou.

 Chapter 176 The Truth Comes Out

    Once again, Dorian opened a door, allowing Chiyou to proceed, dragging Fei Nyah in.

    Of course, at this point, the driver realized that he couldn''t probably leave the house even if he wanted to. So he dared not move an inch from where he stood.

    Again, seeing how these strange people had defeated these beings, he put most of his worry away, having hope for survival.

    Now, he wouldn''t have to die, right?

    "You~... No! No! I don''t want to go on!" Fei Nyah struggled and struggled like a fish out of water, refusing to step in with these disgusting creatures within the space.

    No way! If she got any more close to them, how would she be able to sleep well at night after this?

    Chan-ki and Chiyou couldn''t be bothered with her shenanigans, forcing her to her knees once they entered the formation.

    ~Plop.

    Fei Nyah gagged adapters seeing the many maggots around.

    "Hey! Hey! Why are you making me kneel close to these things? What if they pop up and kill me? Chiyou! This is a society ruled byw. So are you not afraid that once I die, you''ll be locked up in jail?!"

    "Heh... Why is it that when it''s my time to kill, you''ll remind me of jail? Were you not the one trying to kill me earlier? So what if I kill you now?" Chiyou retorted.

    In truth, even now, she wouldn''t think of killing Fei Nyah... She only wanted her to feel the same despair and anguish she felt earlier.

    Oh?~... So now she was afraid? Now the police seemed to matter?

    Ridiculous!

    .

    Chiyou snickered, seeing how pale and frightened Fei Nyah was.

    She was mortified, kneeling a few inches away from the now pinned creatures.

    Dorian had pinned them using his coins... But to Fei Nyah and others who didn''t know this, they might only think the creature would recover from its pain and attack them.

    "No! No! Someone! Help! Help! They''re going to kill me in here!"

    Fei Nyah, who thought she was going to die, had now begun screaming at the top of her lungs, calling a neighbor or anyone else to save her.

    But if her I.Q were online, she would''ve realized that if those outside hadn''t heard the battle in here, how could it be possible for them to hear whatever she was saying now?

    Dorian frowned, staring at her coldly.

    He didn''t say anything, but just his re was enough to shut her up.

    Noisy...

    [''Host, please calm down... Your killing intent is going up. Remember, remember, you''re an exorcist!'']

    ''Oh.''

    [(-w-)]

    The system wanted to cry.

    Why did it have a host who would forget his upation time and time again?

    The system felt that the host was a person who could murder an entire city because of them being noisy. However, this same host was a person who could wall through an apocalypse without even batting an eye or killing any human or zombies.

    To its host, noise was the thing that he hated the most. Its host got impatient every time a person became noisy.

    .

    "Miss Chiyou... Kneel."

    "Ah-... Yes, Grandmaster." Chiyou replied, kneeling beside Fei Nyah.

    The grandmaster was going to return her luck, right?

    Without wasting time, Fei Nyah was obedient.

    Dorian nodded in satisfaction, levitating the book out of the box, sending it to Chan-ki''s hands.

    Book of spells!

    ~Flip. Flip. Flip.

    A strange wind flipped the pages, leaving Cahn-ki starting at page 12.

    Chan-ki''s eyes teamed with open, feeling majesty rting from the book.

    As a person who had taken an oath, he felt the power of the heavens passing through every fiber of the book.<sub> </sub>

    Sacred... It must be a sacred book!

    "ce your hands in this manner, and read with focus when I tell you to."

    "Yes!" Chan-ki replied, positing his hands above both women.

    In the meantime, Dorian focused on both underworld entities... One was a demon, and one was a Lambra.

    The term demon only made 20% of those in the underworld; the rest belonged to different beings.

    Dorian stared at the leader between them with cold, piercing eyes.

    The collector''s eye shone with horror the closer it stared at Dorian. It could see something that only collectors could see.

    No! No!... Something isn''t right with this human!

    It dared not speak, trying to warn its leader. However, Dorian''s gaze caused it to swallow its words.

    "Talk...let''s hear everything."

    Gulp.

    The lead creature tried to y a few tricks but was once again beaten to a pulp by Dorian.

    Heh...

    Dorian smirked cruelly, stomping on the creature with his feet.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    How does it do it without dirtying his shoes?

    Dorian pressed on the creature, making it squirm in agony. It was almost as though Dorian were stepping on its balls.

    Everyone was taken aback.

    Could it be that their guests were right?

    The creature was about to faint

    Mommy... What sort of foul y was this?

    "Ahhhh~... I''ll talk! Damn you, human; I''ll talk! I''ll talk!"

    Dorian lessened his pressure but still didn''t withdraw his foot.

    "_"

    ''Even though you''re human, aren''t you a man too? Why don''t you understand the impact of your move?''

    The creature gritted his teeth, spilling the beans on everything.

    Lying trough. Even if it were to die, at least let it die in a less disgraceful manner.

    It might be an underworld creature, but it had its own pride, okay?

    (:Y^Y:)

    .

    Everyone listened to the horrid retelling from the creature, only feeling their hearts turn to ice... Especially the driver.

    His legs wobbled, the king his lucky stars do this day. Or else, what would''ve happened if such a vicious girl brought these creatures into their estate? Didn''t you hear what the creature said? In future, it meant to harvest more humans even after she sessfully hooked and got married to the young master.

    Then in that case, wouldn''t she start targeting the workers?

    Fei Nyah listened, feeling the color drain from her already pale face.

    "You--.... You were going to suck my soul?!!!"

    "Shut up! How na?ve can you be? Did you think I would let you survive in the end?" The creature said with a deep mic of hatred in his voice.

    Yes! He med Fei Nyah for targeting Chiyou. If not, how would he have run into the only exorcist in this world?

    Wait! Or could there be more hidden ones?

    me this broom star! If not for her, how could its lifee to an end just like that?

    "Miss Fei Nyah, I did warn you earlier. And you did choose your path. So ease, ept your heavenly punishment! Chan-ki, begin!"

 Chapter 177 Heavenly Punishment

    Punishment?

    Fei Nyah shook in horror.

    She regretted it.

    But now, it was already toote.

    Standing over the collector''s body, Dorianmunicated with Chan-ki telepathically.

    And soon enough, Chan-ki first allowed Dorian to begin chanting, understanding the pronunciations, before joining in.

    His eyes beamed at the opened book hovering before him, focusing on the task at hand.

    ''Swh Swh Swh Swh Swh Swh~.''

    Their chants caused a light wind to envelope the scene.

    And soon, the driver watched the collector and Fei Nyah shake vigorously.

    ~BrmBrmBrmBrmBrm~

    The driver took a few steps back, fearing for his life after receiving such a jump scare.

    But that wasn''t the most shocking thing of all.

    The driver blinked in self-belief, seeing the many rays floating out of Fei Nyah and the collector. He saw purple rays intertwine with frail golden ones.

    Luck?

    The driver couldn''t believe his eyes!

    It was in physical form! What sort of fantasy setting was this?

    To think he would see the day when Luck could be extracted from a person. So, Fei Nyah truly stole luck?

    (��_��)

    Once again, he thanked his lucky stars that they had discovered Fei Nyah''s devious scheme.

    Sweat formed in Chan-ki''s face, and his breathing became heavier.

    The spell was indeed a taking one.

    And the more they dragged it out, the more he felt as though he were dragging out an entire ne all by himself.

    Wipe! Why is it so damn heavy?

    Chan-ki almost fell from exhaustion. However, when he saw Dorian, he was not only taken aback but also very doubtful about his life.

    Dorian hadn''t even worked up a single sweat remained as calm as he was prior to the spell.

    No! It should be that the Grandmaster even looked bored while casting the spell.

    Chan-ki didn''t know whether tough or to cry.

    If it were not for the fact that they were saying the same thing, Chan-ki would''ve doubted whether Dorian was performing another lesser-tasking spell.

    .

    With sharpened focus, the duo pulled off every bit of Chiyou''s luck.

    "Chan-ki, enough."

    Plop.

    Chan-ki fell on one knee from exhaustion. "Yes, Grandmaster."

    Indeed, he was too weak!

    Dorian stared at the colossal ball of contaminated luck, closing his eyes and moving his fingers maniacally.

    F***!

    Too fast! Was he even human?

    Everyone could only see after images of his fingers.

    They didn''t know what he was doing; however, seeing the massive ball of light twirl and change to pure gold, showed that whatever he was doing was working.

    And the faster his fingers moved, the faster the ball of light spun. Maybe it was their eyes that deceived them, but they could swear that the ball of light was now growing bigger and bigger to an rming size.

    Chiyou was dumbfounded.

    Was this her luck?

    Why was it so big, almost threatening to burst out the ceiling? Was it safe for her to take it all back?

    Chiyou swallowed dryly.

    It couldn''t be that she was a saint in her past life, right?<sub> </sub>

    .

    ~Whoop. Whoop. Whoop.~

    The ball spun and spun freakishly, eliminating and sending back all contaminated qi to the creatures pinned below.

    And soon, Dorian opened his eyes.

    Snap.

    The bottom part of the ball turned into a tornado, heading towards Chiyou with the snap of his finger.

    It matched into her forehead, causing Chiyou to close her eyes.

    ''Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw~.''

    Dorian continued chanting and directing it amidst everyone''s eyes.

    Crazy! Crazy!

    The driver hid his face behind his hands, feeling the strong winds engulf the ce again.

    It all happened too fast. And before he knew it, Chiyou had sessfully swallowed up the giant ball.

    The winds slowed, and things returned to normal.

    Look left, look right.

    Is... Is it over yet?

    Boom!

    Dorian began attacking the creatures below. And in no more a minute, he exorcised then both.

    "~Ahhhhh~~~~... It hurts! It hurts! Damn you, exorcist! Your world will soone to an end!~"

    The creatures'' eerie screams caused the driver''s expression to stretch into a mask of terror.

    End? End?... What did they mean by saying this world would soone to an end?

    Can anyone exin what the hell was going on here?

    The driver felt lightheaded the more he thought about it all. However, the moment he nced at Fei Nyah, what he saw was enough to make himpletely forget about his thoughts.

    "Miss Fei Nyah?!"

    How can this be here?

    Everyone started at Fei Nyah with an eye of dread.

    Even Chiyou couldn''t believe what she was seeing.

    "Grandmaster, what''s wrong with her?"

    Fei Nyah''s heart froze, seeing the strange looks everyone gave her.

    She had a bad premonition.

    .

    ~Bubuum.

    "Chiyou! What do you mean? Why do you keep looking at me like that? No!... What have you done to me?"

    Chiyou''s chest grew tight withplicated emotions: "Fei Nyah... Look at your body... Look at your legs."

    "Eh? My legs?... Ahhh!~... My sumptuous legs! Give it back to me! Give it back to me!"

    Fei Nyah almost passed out, seeing the wrinkly and vein-covered legs before her.

    She was a young, vibrant 17-year-old girl. So why did her legs look like she was in herte 20s?

    The difference was too drastic!

    Who can ept this?

    It was likeparing the sticity and fibres of a smooth newly born child with that of a 19-year-old.

    Both might look good, but there was still a difference!

    Fei Nyah shook her head in denial: "Impossible! These aren''t mine!~... Hahahahah... I understand what is going on. You''ve switched my legs with someone else, haven''t you? Yes! Yes! That must be it. You''ve swapped it! You''ve swapped it!" She gritted her teeth hatefully: "I''ll lock you up for this, you hear me? Those are mine! You return them now!"

    Seeing her line this, Chiyou felt very sympathetic.

    A moment ago, she wanted to strangle her, but now, she was very conflicted.

    The punishment Fei Nyah received seemed to have simmered her need for revenge.

    "Sigh... Fei Nyah... It''s not just your legs... It''s your entire body."

 Chapter 178 Fei Nyahs End

    Her body?

    Fei Nyah lowered her head shakingly, too horrified to inspect her body.

    Her hands were still tied up behind her back, but at least, she could still see the front parts of her.

    More urately, she could feel the changes for herself.

    Her belly! It was chubbier down the middle. And worse, she felt her attire tighter than before.

    No!

    She closed her eyes, wishing it was all a dream.

    But what she didn''t know was that the biggest change was her face.

    Several strands of her hair had grown white, and her neck wrinkly.

    No... She didn''t look 60, but 30.

    However, to a young girl at the prime of her youth, this was just too big of a heavy flow for her. Her wrinkles and many folds on her body would make it hard for her to convince anyone of her actual age.

    Even her voice had undergone some change.

    Chiyou opened Fei Nyah''s purse and took out anotherpact mirror.

    "Ahh~... I''m ugly. I''m ugly."

    Tears streamed down Fei Nyah''s cheeks, seeing her very aged reflection.

    What about her dream of marrying a wealthy second generation wealth making machine? What about all the money?

    Like a worm, she grovelled towards Dorian in despair.

    "You!~... Please, please, don''t do this to me. Change me back! I''m begging you! I''ve learnt my lesson! From today, I''ll lead a good life, never getting too greedy for what doesn''t belong to me!"

    Seeing that Dorian wasn''t saying anything, Fei Nyah grew even more desperate: "Chiyou, please... Forgive me. I didn''t mean it... It was just a temporal madness of mine. Yes! It was all those creatures that forced me to do it! Believe me; I wouldn''t kill you and your family. So, so, so why don''t you want to forgive me?"

    Chiyou turned her head away. And Fei Nyah exploded even more.

    "B**ch! Why are you so wicked? None of you were harmed in the end. So why are you not letting me go? Look at me! Look at me! I''m but a shadow of my former self. And even after begging you for this long, you still refuse to forgive me?... Chiyou! You are heartless!"

    "_"

    ...

    Fei Nyah stared at Chiyou with hatred.

    Deep down, even though she was begging for forgiveness if they freed her from her situation, she was the sort of person who would gate Chiyou even more, changing her method of attack, until she saw Chiyou fall.

    She could frame her for a crime to do any other thing to take out Chiyou.

    However, the stupid and overly friendly Chiyou she knew had long died. And this Chiyou wouldn''t be so forgiving.

    If eyes could kill, Chiyou would be dead by now.

    "B**ch! What are you feeling like? I knew your good girl act was all a lie! Look! You''re not even going to forgive me for something as little as this!"

    Little?

    Everyone felt as though their ears weren''t working correctly... Or else, how could they hear such shameless words?

    You call harming one''s parents and brother for weeks a little feat? This girl had been through hell all this while. And today, you came over to finish her off. And you call this little?

    The driver frowned in resentment. How blind was he to think that this vicious girl was sweet and kind?

    "Fei Nyah. Believe it or not, your fate isn''t up to me."

    Fei Nyah stared at Chiyou as though she didn''t believe it. Wasn''t it Chiyou who asked this guy to help her? In that case, why couldn''t she ask this guy to undo whatever bloody curse he ced on her?<sub> </sub>

    Chiyou sneered: "Huh! I said your I.Q was never good. Didn''t you hear that what you''re facing is because of the sins? Fei Nyah! Receive your heavenly punishment!"

    "No! Heavenly?..." Fei Nyah was dumbfounded.

    And Dorian, who had long destroyed the formation, gestured for Chan-ki to handle things.

    The girl was too noisy.

    .

    "Miss Fei Nyah, surely you must know that if there is bad in this world, then there must be good... If there are creatures from below, then the heavens are indeed above. That said, everything you''ll face from today onwards is as a result of divine punishment!" Chan-ki said, untying Fei Nyah.

    "Miss... I''m also obligated to tell you that 20 years of your life span has been taken away from you."

    20 years?!!!

    Fei Nyah''s legs weakened.

    20 years, that was 20 whole years of her life!

    Yes! She might not even know when she would die. But the mere mention that 20 years of her life being taken off made her jump in panic.

    What if she were destined to die at 50?

    Now, she''s just 17... Then didn''t that when she turned 30, she would die?

    Everyone also felt fidgety and panicked... Especially the driver.

    He started wondering if this was how the heavens changed one''s destiny.

    No! From today onwards, he would live a good and clean life, lest the heavens decide to end him tomorrow.

    20 years off?

    F***! That was too brutal.

    Of course, what Fei Nyah and the others didn''t know was that starting from today, Fei Nyah would also age drastically until the day of her death.

    Maybe by then, she might look over a hundred.

    Additionally, she had lost the chance of ever conceiving, seeing how she was quick to deliver her woman to the dark side.

    Everything she would get was what she deserved... Though once she finally died, she would still have more punishment to look forward to.

    .

    Like so, Chiyou''s luck had finally returned. Dorian sent the driver away with Fei Nyah, though the driver wanted so badly to reject and stay the hell away from her.

    Who would like to drive back to the city with this she-devil at the back seat?

    After getting assured that nothing would happen to him, the former took off speedily.

    p And around this one, Chiyou''s family arose from their stupor as well.</anda>

    With that, his work was done.

    Chan-ki carried the wooden box, walking beside Dorian.

    "Grandmaster, the master and mistress should''ve arrived from the hospital now."

    "Hmmm..."

    It was time to head back. He had other things to do.

    [''Host, it''s time to send out the admission notices!'']

 Chapter 179 Recruitment

    Blink. Blink.

    Chiyou stood in a daze. But soon, a fierce fire rose in her heart.

    "Grandmaster, I''ve already been dropped out of school. So what is there to go back for?"

    With deep breaths, she used her hand and bowed just as they did in the movies.

    "Grandmaster, I am willing to be an exorcist!"

    Someone has to protect her family.

    "Chiyou! Are you serious?!" Mother Obyn bellowed at the top of her lungs.

    She didn''t mean to be rude. But they had juste out of this. So how could she befortable with her daughter facing more of such scenes in the future?

    "Mom! I''ve decided!"

    "Mom! Sister knows what she''s doing." Chindu added, clenching his little meaty fists.

    When he grows up, he''ll take care of the family, freeing the burden from his sister''s shoulders.

    "But.. But..."

    "Mr. Obyn, Miss Obyn... I also have positions for you."

    "Eh?-"

    The worried couple nced at each other, not knowing how to react.

    The Grandmaster had positions for them?

    [''Host, are you wanting to employ them as caretakers?'']

    ''Hmm... They would be the caretakers of the handymen outer sect.

    Of course, this didn''t mean they were weak. After all, they would still have to boost their cultivation levels to continuously do their tasks.

    Moreover, he didn''t know whether it was the luck of being Chiyou''s parents, but both were blessed with very rare innate cores that would make them cultivate faster than the average person.

    They were indeed good candidates for the job.

    .

    ~Gulp

    "Grandmaster, does this mean that we''ll also be facing these creatures?"

    Dorian shook his head: "Not necessarily. Your task will only involve Handymen and Outer Sect matters. In future, you might have to face them... But not anytime soon."

    The couple breathed out from relief.

    Though they were uncertain about what this handyman and outer sect thing entailed, provided they wouldn''t constantly meet these creatures, they felt it wouldn''t be too bad.

    Plus, from what they gathered, it looks like they would get paid as well. They would get money, and their monthly rations do pills.

    Eh? For heart attack or heart attacks?

    The couple didn''t understand why pills were given. But they decided not to think too deeply about things.

    Of course, seeing how headstrong Chiyou was, they knew that she wouldn''t be changing her mind.

    That''s why they agreed to be Caretakers.

    They might be afraid, but no matter what, they would like to be close to their children, keeping an eye on them.

    Still, looking at their youngest, how was this all supposed toe together?

    Mother Obyn bit her lips worriedly. However, before she could say anything, Dorian was quick to ease her concerns.

    "Don''t worry; your schedules will allow you both to switch and swap positions, leaving the academy at will."<sub> </sub>

    "Really?!" The couple''s eyes lit up like torches the more they listened.

    Hahahhaha~

    Good. Good... This way, they could look after chindu while still seeing Chiyou.

    .

    One of them could stay in the academy for 3 days while the other remained with Chindu, seeing him off to school and doing the necessary.

    And after that, they could swap again. In this way, one parent would always see Chindu.

    Again, they could both leave the academy too. After all, their positions did not require them to always stay within academy grounds.

    Though it was good if they did, they could often leave for a couple of days, spending time outside, together with Chindu.

    Besides, they weren''t the only caretakers that the academy would have.

    Dorian nned to get at least 6 caretakers; some focused on the handyman region and others on the Outer sect

    Just like any Academy and sect, one''s talents will have to be tested and assessed before they could be students.

    Even in exorcism, if one didn''t have certain levels of innate talent, it would be suicide to allow them train to be exorcists.

    That''s why not everyone can be one.

    One might long to do so, but because of their naturally born core, roots and spirits, it wasn''t advisable for them to do so.

    Dorian didn''t know if it was a coincidence or not, but all those who chose to stay back at the Tian house were great candidates.

    .

    Anyway, 2 days from now will be the official testing day. And those on the list would have to ce their hands on the orb within the estate, essing if they were academy material or not. And those who barely made it would be selected to start as Handyman disciples.

    If they could change their fate and breakthrough, they would be allowed to enter the Outer Disciple Zone.

    It might look harsh, but in truth, the heavens were saving their lives.

    They jumping into the fire would only be risky unless they prepared diligently.

    All these rules were why even with exorcism being popr back in his previous world, only 0.16% of the world''s poption could enter the many sects and academies.

    Make no mistake; this amount was still huge.

    After all, the total poption of construction workers in his previous world came up to 0.2%... Which was rightly 23 million.

    Meaning in the entirety of his precious world, 23 million out of the billions of people were construction workers.

    As for this current world, he didn''t know the percentage of talented people. However, the orb given by the system would be the only way to test if going to the oath of exorcism was right for them.

    After all, not everyone could be an exorcist.

    Science was still an essential aspect of people''s lives.

    People needed to be plumbers, architects, construction workers, teachers, and workers in other professions.

    So if everyone became an exorcist, where would that have humanity?

    Maybe the heavens also did this to shuffle and redirect things, in all fairness.

    .

    Exorcist was a job, just as dentists and other professions were jobs.

    Not everyone can pass the bar exam to be awyer.

    Likewise, not everyone could pass this exam to be an exorcist!

 Chapter 180 A Dissatisfied Guest

    Listening to Dorian, the couple was thrilled and pleased with the arrangement.

    Chindu frowned, being very left out. "Grandmaster... What about me?"

    Dorian raised his brow thoughtfully.

    The boy had a very high talent, having the famous pure sun body.

    For young talents, practicing at the age of 6 was ideal. They would undoubtedly have more time to grow and surpass the future generation.

    However, Chindu wasn''t 6 yet.

    "Little man... When you turn 6, if you are sure... I''ll take you in."

    Chindu''s face beamed.

    "But, you will onlye in on weekends since you''re still young and going to school here."

    If it were another youngster, Dorian might not take the child''s words seriously.

    But Chindu had mentally aged faster than his peers, having a sense of what he wanted.

    The feeling he gave was simr to those the little Gia youngsters showed.

    Because their family was the nation''s protectors, they had been groomed and trained even at their young ages to fiercely take on the role of protectors.

    So even after seeing what they saw, 1 out of the bunch chose to be exorcists, while the others still maintained their thought on being soldiers, marine and police officers.

    This in itself showed that these children have a mind of their own.

    Indeed... It was true what they say.

    Those in very desperate situations, as well as those too properly trained, were the only groups of children that matured faster.

    Those at the extreme ends of the spectrum, be it the overly rich or those overly struggling by death''s door, did have something inmon.

    They both matured and focused on their goals faster, whether bad or good.

    That''s why all antagonists and protagonists had good backstories.

    Chindu smiled and jumped merrily, getting Dorian''s promise.

    In future, he will be an exorcist!

    (^��^)

    .

    Just like that, Dorian rounded things up and finally headed back to the city with Chindu.

    The list was growing. And after testing, the eptance letters would get sent out.

    p [''Host, don''t forget that you still need to create teleportation sights into the academy grounds.'']</anda>

    ''Soon.'' Dorian replied, going over the city map he recalled.

    As a person with an eidetic memory, he could recall things with high precision at the drop of a hat.

    Already, he had a few spots chosen for entry/exit ways for the academy.

    Dorian rested his head against his seat, thinking of all he had to do over the week.

    And soon, they had already arrived at the Tain estate.

    ~Vrrrrmmmm~

    The vehicle drove to the main building.

    The Grandmaster was back!

    Butler Sheng hastened his actions, waiting for Dorian at the front door.

    "Grandmaster, wee home." He said, taking Dorian''s coat off. "Grandmaster, it hasn''t been long since Master Jung Hou brought the master and mistress home."

    "Good," Dorian replied, walking through the corridors one step ahead of Butler Sheng.

    And soon, he arrived at the grand hall,ing face to face with 20 nurses and doctors, who would be living with them.<sub> </sub>

    "Grandmaster, 5 more are presently in the Grand Chamber with the master and mistress."

    Meaning there were 25 in total.

    "Hmmm..." Dorian nodded in satisfaction.

    And the moment the crew saw him, the lead Doctor, Mr. Chen Hang, stepped forward.

    "Grandmaster, we are part of Doctor Jung Hou''s team and have been sent to look over the master and mistress."

    Everyone bowed slightly.

    They don''t know why the Hous instructed them over a hundred times to call the youngster Grandmaster... Likewise, they also didn''t know why such a big Hou family would act this way for a dying Tian household.

    However, they dared not show their doubts, acting cordially.

    They were now staying in this residence. So wasn''t time the best answer to their questions?

    .

    The genius 23-year-old Alice stared at Dorian, trying to direct him with her eyes.

    Deep down, she hadints.

    It has only been 2 weeks since she transferred to this major city from her home city.

    She was so excited to be working directly with a HOU! More shocking, working with the famous Jung Hou.

    Do you know how shocked and in disbelief she was when she got her eptance and transfer notice?

    When she arrived, she indeed started working on the team with Jung Hou.

    But just yesterday, she found herself abruptly sent here, leaving the ce of action where Jung Hou was.

    F***!

    Why was her luck so bad?

    All she had to do was take care ofa patients. Meaning, there was no action here!

    At least in the hospital, one could look after several patients daily.

    At least look at the Coma patient in the normal, switch to another patient in the afternoon, assist in surgery, yada, yada, yada.

    Days like that went by in a blink of an eye, with no one knowing where the time flew to.

    But now, you tell her to leave the action and stay in this estate for heaven knows how long with the samea-patients and expect her not to feel dissatisfied?

    Unlike the few women in the group, she wasn''t a nurse.

    They could keep monitoring, clean, and even feed the patients. But what about her? She was a Doctor, for crying out loud.

    Her ce belonged on the field!

    In the group, there were 5 doctors, and she was the only one this young.

    At her age, many were still struggling with surgeries as helpers to the more prominent doctors.

    But she was proficient at what she did. This was why she was called a genius.

    And as hot-blooded as she was, how could this arrangement sit well with her?

    ''Hmph! What was so special about this Tian boy that made leader Jung push me here? No! I have to uncover this secret and see what it''s all about!''

    .

    Dorian calmly went up the stairs, making his way to his parent''s bed chambers.

    Whether these doctors and nurses were satisfied with these arrangements or not, what did it have to do with him?

    Provided they didn''t cross his bottom line, he wouldn''t care too much about them.

    Heh... Hopefully, they were smart to know this!

 Chapter 181 System: Help! Almost Busted

    "We greet the Grandmaster." All 5 staff replied, seeing Dorian enter the grand bedroom chamber.

    They were the remaining 5 who Dorian hadn''t seen.

    Looking at the youngster, they couldn''t help assessing him.

    What was so special about this young man?

    Why did Master Jung Hou value him so much?

    And what was up with calling him ''Grandmaster?''

    Everyone had their own thoughts but shrugged, going about their duties.

    Some were adjusting the expensive medical equipment, while others monitored and recorded the vitals of thea patients.

    Of course, some were still cleaning the patients, removing any sweat, germs or sticky fluids on them.

    This was normal, as the fluids released were at a moderate and okay quantity.

    If they had been sweating heavily, then it might be because of fever from infection, chemicals or signs of waking up. Worst, it could be a sign of dying too.

    In short, it could go either way.

    And their jobs were to check very frequently, feeding the patients at required times, giving treatment and ensuring that their breathing was steady

    .

    Zoom!

    Dorian opened his 3rd eye, scanning the room and his parents'' bodies.

    [''Host... Are you afraid that something more powerful mighttch onto them and infiltrate the estate'']

    ''No.''

    [''Then why are you checking?'']

    ''You wouldn''t understand.''

    [(''-_-'')]

    Dorian couldn''t care less about the system''s feelings.

    After all, what he said was true.

    It would never understand his reasons.

    Dorian knew that the chances of some evil entity strolling in were very slim.

    For one, he had protection all across the estate that would burn and kill any that tried to enter.

    However, this only worked for being weaker than himself.

    That said, this wasn''t the primary reason he was confident.

    No... It would have to be because of the high-ranking creature that infected his parents.

    Though the creature hadn''t marked them, its evil qi was so powerful that it made other veil entities that his entire estate should be marked.

    He felt it the moment he returned from dealing with Chiyou''s matter.

    It was probably because of this qi that those around his parents'' ward in the hospital always felt a gloomy and chill air whenever they got closer.

    At present, Dorian was too weak to control or shield this aura.

    However, thanks to him using the main house as portal sites to the hidden room, the system had automatically suppressed this qi.

    As they say, light and darkness can''t live under one roof.

    Thanks to that, he could contain matters, lest the gloomy air affected the yin and yang in his estate.

    But though it was no threat to mortals, evil entities could still sense the hidden potential of being restrained.

    .

    Like a beast locked in a cage, the cage itself didn''t hide the ferocity of whatever was inside.

    It only protected humans but was still a gruesome thing to behold.

    Thus, no one creature would dare to step into the estate. That''s why the system might think Dorian was redundant for checking.

    But to Dorian who was a son of his mortal parents, he was overwhelmed with the thought to verify and check things for himself.

    It was just human nature... Something the system couldn''t understand.

    Looking at his parents, Dorian saw the mysterious purplish-ck energy struggling to seep out of its cage.<sub> </sub>

    And once again, he couldn''t go wondering which powerful entity had left the underworld all this time.

    The power was so strong that he felt it should belong to one of the 7 princes.

    Should it be Lucifer? Or could it be Asmodeus?

    No... The war wasn''ting for the time being. So why would any of the big 7 be roaming about?

    Were they hastening things up? Or was he wrong about his guesses?

    Wait! Could it be the generals under them? Lilith, and the rest?

    Dorian had no idea of the current war going on in the underworld. Thus, he felt it might be impossible to see the big 7 now.

    Hopefully, he was right because with his puny strength, they would kill him with a flick of a finger.

    .

    Dammit!

    He didn''t know how he would do it, but he needed to reach an Immortal cultivation realm if he wanted to take them on!

    The big day will soon arrive. So how can he not worry?

    Worry...

    Hah... He never thought he would have such a feeling well up within him.

    He was worried not for himself or the rest of humanity.

    Tsk.

    For all he cared, they could perish.

    No... What he worried about were his parents, his men... And strangely, Ghu Sota and the few others he met.

    Strange... Strange... What sort of feeling was this?

    He didn''t like it at all.

    ? Things were getting out of hand!

    ''System, I hope your next rewards will be more eye-fetching than these.''

    [''Host! Don''t worry. My master has long assured me that everything wille to you at tge right time.'']

    ''Oh? Your master?'' Suddenly, Dorian''s entire body turned cold. ''Are you monitoring me?''

    Busted! Busted!

    [''No! No! No! No! No!... Host, calm down. Hear me out! I''m not. This system isn''t here to monitor you!''] The system said, with a guilty conscience. [''Host, I just receivemands on what your next mission is and ry them to you. Host, I''m really sincere. If someone doesn''t send the mission, do you think I will know what to do?'']

    Dorian withdrew his murderous aura. ''I believe you.''

    [''Ah-.. Thank you, host!'']

    ''Hmmm... You''re too stupid toe up with such missions. So it makes sense.

    [''... Yes, host... I''m just too stupid.'']

    (:Y��Y:)

    .

    The system wanted tomit suicide.

    It missed its master so much.

    Just look at how it was bullied down here?

    At the same time, it said a silent prayer, feeling fortunate to have escaped from death''s door.

    Of course, even if Dorian found out about its previous reports to its master, the system would never admit it.

    Hmph!

    Wasn''t that asking for death?

    Typically, it would never feel threatened by a human. It was a heavenly being, and a human could never do anything to it.

    However, when it came to Dorian, it had a hunch that if Dorian wanted to deal with it, he could.

    And this was what scared it the most.

    Help! Its host wasn''t normal!

 Chapter 182 Gia Donghai

    Seeing that his parents were alright, Dorian quickly left the room

    With his parents back home, this also meant that all his most trusted men were also back for good.

    Bewoh, Raulin, Chan-Ki, Haru, Zhulyn and Butler Sheng...

    All 6 men were here!

    A strange light flickered in Dorian''s eyes.

    Good.

    There was just so much to do.

    "Raulin, Bewoh! You''ll go out with me."

    "Haru, Zhulyn, Chan-ki... Purchase 2 more vehicles and a few more stones, ording to my requirements."

    "Sheng... The estate is in your care. I don''t need to say more."

    "Yes, Grandmaster!"

    With that, everyone dispersed ording to their assignment.

    When it came to this matter, they only had one, which would not do... Especially when they had to run about doing errands.

    Additionally, the Academy would soon wee its first batch of students.

    So with the work scope expanding, they needed more and more resources.

    Again, since they were Dorian''s most trusted men, this means that they had to use these remaining 3 weeks and 4 days to boost up their strength and learn as much as they could.

    With that, Dorian was off to set up his stall with Bewoh and Raulin.

    The day was already half done.

    However, to others, it was just the beginning.

    .

    7 P.M

    ~Whooo~

    The sirens went off as countless police vesicles stormed the scene of a very ordinary-looking home in the city.

    What was going on here?

    The neighbours all peeked out their windows in full curiosity, with some even standing outside the yellow tape line to get some juicy details of everything that went down.

    The scene was chaotic, with many police officers asking questions from those who heard the star he screams from before.

    "Officers, what I''m saying is the truth. The old Illu couple had always been jovial and a merry bunch."

    "Yes. Yes... They were the happiest and kindest people one could find."

    "Officers!... Don''t get us wrong. I''m not saying they were not without ws. However, they did alright and were far better people than many I''vee across!"

    "Yes!"

    Many were quick to verify the characters of the Illu couple, feeling the whole thing too bizarre.

    They didn''t believe that the happy couple could take their own lives.

    Wasn''t it just today that some of them spoke to the couple?

    The couple had spoken about looking forward to seeing their children and even looking forward to other things in their lives.

    So now you tell them this gibberish nonsense and expect them to believe it?

    For many neighbours, they were more inclined to believe that the couple had met some serial killer that murdered them and framed the scene to look as though the couple had killed themselves.

    .

    ~Click. Click. Click.~

    Several police officers took pictures at every angle around the scene, making remarks here and there.

    Things continued like this<sub> </sub>

    And soon, a few other vehicles arrived at the scene.

    "M.S.S."

    (Kind of like F.B.I)

    27-year-old Gia Donghai stepped off this vehicle apanied by his subordinate, Leah

    Yes. He was cousin to the current head of the Gia household.

    And just like the Gia household implied, the majority of his family entered professions all involved with national security.

    Donghai lifted the yellow tape and walked underneath it, followed by Leah and a few others who were exining matters to him.

    "Sir! ording to reports and several witnesses, the couple was not involved in any arguments or bickering ofte. In short, one could say that they were a very happy and joyful family."

    Leah frowned. "Could it be a frame-up?"

    "Maybe... But for now, it''s best not to make any conclusions... There might be more to it than meets the eye." Donghai said, thinking of countless possibilities.

    What could make a loving couple go the extra length to kill each other?

    Was it that one decided to kill the other while the victim attacked in self-defence, leading to the death of them both?

    Was someone having an affair? Or was it all rted to money matters?

    Everything looked clean on the surface. But who''s to say that they didn''t have skeletons in their closets?

    Or, maybe the truth wasn''t as gruesome as he thought. Perhaps they were sick or had some deeper issues, decided to spend theirst died together beforemitting suicide.

    Donghai had seen a case like that where the man killed himself because of terminal cancer that no one but his wife knew about. And just a few secondster, the woman also killed herself, not wanting to live in this world without him.

    That particr couple left their middle-aged children and died together for ''love.''

    Donghai had been involved with many cases like that.

    So it wasn''t something that he could rule out when it came to this case.

    However, the fact that the neighbours heard them looking forward to their children''s visit and many other things also contrasted his thoughts on the matter too.

    Indeed...

    They might''ve been framed, forced or mentally handicapped to pull off such a scene.

    .

    Donghai and Leah had countless reflected on the situation while still advancing onwards

    And soon, they reached the front door.

    However, the person leading them suddenly paused and turned to face them with a grim expression on his face.

    "There''s one more thing I left out."

    ~Bubuum.

    Donghai''s heart throbbed. "What."

    "Their bodies... Their bodies are--... Juste in and take a look. But I warn you; it''s best you prepare yourselves."

    Prepare themselves?

    Leah and Donghai gave each other brief nces. What could be so disturbing to invoke such words?

    A deep wave of unrest enveloped their bodies the further they proceeded.

    Donggai''s eyes swept across the entrance room, seeing countless officers search for clues wearing blue gloves and holding out transparent bags.

    One by one, they picked up the evidence lying across the messy scene.

    But the key point here was that they were trembling and shaking like bothered squirrels in full horror.

    And from time to time, a few of them would give Donghai strange, unprecedented stares.

    Donghai''s eyes dted.

    What did they mean?

 Chapter 183 [Bonus Chapter]Strange Case

    Leah subconsciously slowed her footsteps, falling a little behind Donghai the more she gazed at her very bizarre surroundings.

    She felt her fingers get frozen to the bone, even though the night air was hot.

    "Captain... Something isn''t right."

    Donghai didn''t respond but slowly nodded.

    The people in this house were police officers, forensic officers and all the rest.

    Meaning it''s not the first time they have seen dead bodies. And no matter how chopped off or butchered the bodies were, they had never reacted the way Donghai saw them react.

    He felt that if not for doing their jobs, these people would like to storm out of the scene, go home and lock themselves away.

    So now it got him thinking.

    What was so bizarre about the bodies?

    ''Brace yourself, Donghai. You''re a Gia. If you don''t stand firm, who will?''

    Donghai took deep breaths, steadying his beating heart.

    Indeed. He was a Gia. He came from the side branch, which, basically any Gia family that wasn''t the head one.

    One course, this was not to belittle them.

    Take the current Gia head, the 29-year-old Wei Gia.

    He had 2 direct blood brothers from the same mother, who also had their own families. So one could say that his brother''s families were now branch families.

    Only Wei Gia''s direct line would be the prominent family, representing the Gai n. And following that, his heir''s immediate family would also be the next leader.

    That said, Donghai was Wei Gia''s direct cousin since his father is Old Gia''s brother.

    He also lived in his own separate home away from the main house that only had the heir''s family staying in.

    Again, the Gia household had a tradition ofpeting for heirship after every 5 generations.

    In this way, other Gia households would have the opportunity to allow their direct lineages to be family heads.

    Old Gia had won thest hero battle in his youth, allowing Wei Gia, Wei Gia''s heir and his children to lead the n for the next 5 generations.

    Yes. There were always viins who wanted to scheme and plot in everyrge n.

    However, for most of it, Donghai was eased with his n because of the rules that were set aside.

    Any Gia who relied on previous generational merits from their fathers or grandparents was deemed a disappointment.

    Even if one were the weakest person in a ss, they would still be appreciated because they tried their best with their strengthpared to someone who used their father''s title to im victory.

    The majority got out there and worked their asses off to earn and get to where they were now.

    And because of this, they hardly cared about controlling or ruling over the entire n.

    If one has their onepany, prestige, shares or any sources of ie under names... Eventually, one would start being independent, not relying on family to get to the top.

    Once in a while, some Gias fell in love with other professions, acting or even being doctors.

    No matter what, standing with one''s strength made everyone nod in satisfaction.

    That was how the Gia family trained their children.

    .

    Donghai gave himself multiple pep talks, slowly ascending the stairs with a firm heart.

    ''I''m a Gia! I''m a Gia! I''m a Gia!''

    The duo finally reached the door leading into the couple''s bedroom.

    And the person who led them suddenly judged his head. "This way... You go ahead. I can''t bring myself to look at it for long."

    "It''s okay," Donghai responded, causing Leah to have more admiration for him.

    Just look at her leader? Since they came in here, she cat-panicked, feeling thrown into a tub of icy water.

    However, her leader was rock-still and calm, not feeling fazed by it all.

    (*0*)

    "Leah, focus!"

    "Right!" She replied, following Donghai in.

    No matter how weird and unusual the previous situation was, they were officers of thew who had seen it all.

    So how can it be that scary?... Was what she thought.

    No... No... No... What was she looking at?<sub> </sub>

    Leah ced her hands over her mouth, causing muffling screams to respond within the room.

    ~Ahhhhhh~~~~

    Her face turned chalk-white the more she pointed at the bizarre corpses seated on 2 chairs, facing one another.

    "Leah. Calm down." Donghai said, forcing the words out of his chattering teeth.

    The bodies... Were they even human at this point?

    How can such a thing happen?

    .

    Tick-Tock. Tick----

    Time seems to stop.

    Donghai''s world was silent and disturbed.

    The couple sat on wooden seats, staring at each other with unnatural expressions on their faces.

    Their lips had curved towards their ears, with no sign of surgery or forceful pulling to cause such a thing.

    But that wasn''t all.

    The entire upper part of their eyes had suddenly vanished altogether.

    That''s right. They had no eyelids!

    Their eyeballs were exposed, filling the space between their eyebrows and lower eye space.

    Again, there were no signs of surgery or blood to show that they had been carved out.

    But this alone was too strange.

    The couple had eyelids just yesterday, so how can they change so much in such a short period?

    Their faces had pale bluish lines running across them, and their entire bodies looked a little dried and 6-months-starved.

    Was it moulding off?

    Horrible!

    Their skin was just too gruesome and mind-boggling to nce at.

    However, the most disturbing thing was their expressions.

    They smiled eerily at one another as though they knew something no one else knew.

    Were they truly dead? Were they still alive? Looking at their expressions, one wouldn''t know which one it was.

    Donghai had to admit that he didn''t have enough courage to touch these bodies or check their vitals.

    However, he had a job to do, and he wouldn''t be chickening out anytime soon.

    It was not the Gia way.

    "What a strange case. Leah, round the team and bring them over."

    "On it, boss," Leah replied, happy to be finally out of the room.

    Good, God!

    The scene was bound to give her nightmares for months!

    Donghai sighed deeply, focusing on finding more hidden clues within the room.

    However, after turning away for a few seconds, he suddenly felt a chill wind caress his back.

    ~Swish!

    Donghai threw his head behind his shockers, staring at the couple behind him.

    They looked exactly as he left them.

    Strange...

    A moment ago, he felt something.

    He felt the watchful gaze of others.

    But how can that be?

    Donghai chuckled bitterly.

    The case''s weirdness was getting to him

 Chapter 184 Who? Who Was It?

    1... 2... 3 hours went by with Donghai and the rest looking for any clues concerning the matter.

    The case was too strange.

    Donghai had never seen such a situation where they hadn''t even been able to find a single clue for so long.

    It was as though the couple they saw werepletely different from the ones everyone else knew.

    Doppelgangers?

    How can things be so different?

    Their call histories,puter ess, chats, living environment and everything here was too clean.

    Sure, clues might pop outter on in the case.

    But how was it possible that for so long, they couldn''t spot a single thing wrong?

    .

    So strange...

    Tracing the footsteps, patterns and even fallen hairs in the carpet and surroundings, it showed that the couple sat on their chairs by themselves with no forceful actions.

    From there, they only sat and stared at each other without moving at all.

    "Leader, ording to Higgins, the couple should''ve sat like this for roughly 4 hours," Leah reported.

    The chair''s feet had sunk the carpet to some extent, allowing them to estimate and judge how long the couple had sat, all the while taking note of the carpet''s quality and material.

    The information was right before their very faces. But it was just too weird after assessing things.

    Why would they sit and stare at each other like this for so long? Or was it a romantic staringpetition?

    Lying trough. What normal person does this?

    If there were any books involved, then that would make sense.

    However, their hands and surroundings were checked with no book missing from its shelf.

    This meant they sat there not reading, only staring at each other creepily.

    This... This...

    This wouldn''t be a cult thing, would it?

    (��0��)

    .

    Pah!

    Leah pped her cheeks, pushing her stupid thought away.

    Everything was exinable by science.

    She guessed that the killer they were working with was probably a horror movie enthusiast who somehow pulled everything together.

    Maybe the appearance of the victims was due to some chemical exposure.

    For now, she, Donghai and many others were leaning on this theory, though they had no clue of what sort of chemical could do such a thing. "Leader, even after getting close to the victims, they didn''t get a whiff of anything strange. So it must be something that has a masked smell."

    Donghai nodded: "My thoughts are the same as yours. However, we still have no clues as to why this is happening to the couple. They are both retired. So it''s unlikely that a coworker or anyone work-rted would do this to them. The situation here is peculiar... But asw enforcers, we must crack the case fast. Tonight is bound to be a sleepless one."

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    They had so much to do, checking everything, as well as going over surveince in the area over and over until they found any suspicious activities that could give them a clue on the matter.

    Donghai massaged his temples, feeling strangely tired. "What about the couple''s children?"

    "Leader, we''ve confirmed all 3 of them. They are all middle-aged civilians, having steady jobs across the country. So they''ll have to fly back to assist in the investigations."

    "Hmmm..."

    A fever?

    Donghai felt his body heat up. And soon, his legs began wobbling slightly.

    "Leader, are you alright?"

    "I''m... I''m fine... Just give me a pain killer."

    "Yes... But leader, since we''ve about rounded things here, we should head to the station first. Before this, you were diligently working on the other Maxwell case. You''ve had no sleep from that. So I think you need to take a break."<sub> </sub>

    "Mmmm..." Donghai nodded weakly, feeling a little strange about the matter.

    .

    No matter how he saw it, this wasn''t his first rodeo.

    He had pulled double shift all-nighters before, and his body had never felt so weak. So what was going on with his body?

    Could it be that he had overstressed his 27-year-old body so much that it decided to break down? Would it need time in the mechanic office to recharge and get pumped up for the task ahead?

    Donghai thought it should be so, thinking of taking a power nap once they got to the station.

    However, just when he was about to leave the couple''s room, a child wind caressed him again.

    *Pause.*

    Donghai stopped dead in his tracks, ncing at the couple.

    He felt strange eyes on him just like before!

    So was he truly imagining things?

    "Leader, what''s wrong?"

    "Nothing." She replied, shaking his head. "Let''s go."

    "Right!"

    Like so, Donghai finally left the room, missing a most peculiar scene.

    Hehehehehe...

    Indeed. The night was still young.

    .

    ~Vrrrrmmmm~

    The gang drove back to the station, bypassing a few coffee shops, picking up a few bagels and doughnuts for the all-nighter they were about to pull off.

    A well-fueled engine would perform the most.

    So their first task was to fill up their bellies before getting back to work.

    As for Donghai, he headed back to his office, took a painkiller andid back on the blue couch at the corner.

    Sleep. Sleep. He needed to sleep.

    The banging and ringing noise in his ears was causing him a headache.

    And what was most disturbing was that the overly loud sound of his heart drumming was what smirked him the most.

    It was as loud as concert music, overriding his brain.

    Dammit!

    Donghai massaged his temples and forced himself to rest.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    The short and long arms of therge wall clock moved steadily.

    And soon, it was already 1 A.M.

    He had been asleep for 3 whole hours now with no disturbance from his team.

    However, at this exact moment, time suddenly froze in ce.

    Tick!

    The clock had stopped singing.

    And the sensitive Donghai opened his eyes to the changes in the darkroom.

    His eyes began moving, deeply regretting that he had switched off his lights to take a nap.

    He felt strange eyes on him again.

    Who? Who is it?

    Donghai''s body was tense!

 Chapter 185 Donghais Despair

    ~Wheeee~

    A sudden draft blew across the dark silent room. And immediately, Donghai felt the presence of another.

    Dammit!

    Donghai dropped to the ground and reached for his weapon on his waist.

    Where? Where?

    "Show yourself! I know you''re in here! There''s no need to hide anymore!"

    Like a true officer, Donghai steadied his heart, quickly getting his glow stock out with another hand.

    Shake. Shake. Shake.

    He didn''t see anyone in the dimly green-lit room.

    But his intuition has always led him to the right path. So how could he be at ease?

    Donghai slowly advanced to the light switch, pointing his weapon and the glow stick in all directions.

    So far, so good.

    .

    ~Click.

    He flickered the switch, returning the room to its very bright appearance.

    It was stone to do a proper check.

    "Where are you? Come out! I''ll find you anyway!"

    Donghai checked every possible position in his office, even answering the vents and essing the system to check for any signs of infiltration.

    As a top hacker with high security passes, he could get into the system and check things for himself. However, everything was as it should be.

    He then proceeded to take his heat vision goggles in his lower drawer, checking the entire room for himself.

    Yet, once more, no intruder was found.

    Donghai finally walked towards the clock in his wall, taking it off and looking at it intensely.

    Eh?

    Could it be that the battery had died and he was just overthinking things?

    Donghai began unwinding the hands on the clock in a daze.

    However, the moment he heard the click resume its ticking.

    ~Tick-Tock.

    Donghai tilted his head with an unfathomable gaze.

    If the battery wasn''t the problem, then why did it suddenly stop? Was there a glitch in its matrix?

    But that didn''t make sense. The interiors of any clock were very mechanical and details designed, structured to move at intended paces.

    It wasn''t like the interior of a car with parts that one could change and work on once a problem urred.

    For clocks, the batteries were typically what many would worry about.

    .

    Donghai shook his head, cing the ticking clock back in its ce.

    Now, he turned to his tightly closed window before taking a step towards the temperature controller on the wall.

    ''Strange...The settings are the same as I always left them. So where did that earlier draft of aire from?''

    Donghai felt that today''s matters have all been too mysterious and too disturbing.

    ''Donghai, what are you thinking? How can you let the case get to your mind like this?''

    Do this spoke to himself, smiling wryly at his stupidity.

    There was nothing in the room, yet he was all jumpy for no reason.

    Stepping closer to the mirror in his private office bathroom, he began adjusting his appearance.

    It would be bad for his image if he joined his team looking disheveled with drool or discharge handling in the corners of his mouth and eyes.

    ~Shwahhh~

    The tap water ran.

    And Donghai was quick to ssh some on his face, wiping it off with a white towel.

    He was finally refreshed.

    Donghai felt better than before.

    And after adjusting his attire and hair, he nodded to himself... It was just that the image on the opposite side didn''t nod back.

    Bam!

    Donghai mmed himself on the bathroom stall behind him in horror.

    He had only gotten a glimpse. However, it was more than enough to itch fear into him.

    Mommy... What did he just see?

    .

    Bubuum. Bubuum.<sub> </sub>

    Donghai''s chest grew tight, with clusters of acid welled up inside. His body stood at attention, clenching all his muscles and joints.

    That wasn''t him!

    The thing he saw smiled just like the smile he saw on the couple''s face... Only, this time, the smile was reced on his face instead.

    Crazy. Crazy...

    <o>,m An oddly primitive warning abounded out at the back of his mind, giving him the sensation of a trapped door opening in his belly.</o>

    And for a moment, he found his feet frozen in ce, refusing to move.

    ~Flick. Flick.~

    The bathroom lights began to flicker like crazy, followed by a thick noise echoing out across the scene.

    ~Pow! Pow! Pow!

    Donghai ced his hands over his ears, shielding them from the horrors of a thousand screams.

    Painful. Painful... His ears were about to pop!

    But this was just the beginning.

    Instantly, Donghai''s face turned paperwhite, feeling a strange force dragging him towards the mirror.

    Already, he had a hunch of what was going to happen.

    .

    No! No! No!

    Click.

    He turned on his walkie-talkie.

    "Leah! Leah!!!!~"

    Donghai screamed in despair, feeling his entire life sh before his eyes.

    "Leah!!!!~"

    Donghai was at his limits, the weaker his body grew.

    However, things were only going downhill for him.

    Bruuuhhhh~

    The brutal wind stormed past the scene, pushing him closer and over to the horrifying mirror.

    And on the other side in the mirror world, his counterpart was smiling unnaturally, advancing one step at a time.

    Its smile turned even more distorted, revealing a disgusting appearance that made Donghai feel like puking.

    Was this his end?

    Blugh~

    Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.

    Donghai, though afraid, had more survival instincts than anything else.

    If it were an ordinary person, they would have long gotten swallowed in despair, begging for their lives while getting devoured.

    He gritted his teeth, taking out his dagger and stabbing into the wooden bathroom stall door.

    And the heavy winds lifted his legs, forcefully dragging him towards the mirror.

    Son of b**ch!

    .

    Donghai smirked with a hint of victory across his face.

    "Hahahahahahahaha... Screw you! If I don''t get to the mirror, what can you do to me?"

    The image on the other side froze, standing in the same position as Donghai''s in the mirror world.

    Listening to Donghai, the figure only chuckled, advancing even further towards.

    "Hahahah~... What can you... F***!"

    Donghai wanted to curse his loud mouth.

    This was probably why the protagonists in movies weren''t fast to talk smack.

    He watched as his counterpart emerged from the mirror, only wanting to p his big mouth again.

    ~Pap!

    One of the light bulbs finally shattered on the ceiling.

    Din. Din. Din.

    The heavy footsteps of his hunched and gruesome-looking doppelganger echoed out, only making his heart grow weaker and weaker.

    So, this was how he was going to die?

    Leah!~ For heaven''s sake, woman!... Where the hell are you?

    (:Y��Y:)

    Bam!

    "Leader, I''m here!"

 Chapter 186 Leah To The Rescue

    With the momentum of a thousand horses, Leah dashed through the office hallways, alongside 2 others.

    They had just stepped out for a bit of fresh air when they suddenly heard Donghai''s scream through the walkie-talkie.

    And apanied by his screams were several weird noises.

    However, they only heard this much for no more than 3 seconds before the entiremunication turned static.

    ~Zhhhhhh~

    The trio stared at each other before hastily running to the leader''s office like crazy.

    And with how desperate their leader sounded, they didn''t even have time to alert the others to tag along.

    Just within this time of running through the hallways, they had taken out all weapons on them.

    Words couldn''t describe how confused and out of ce they were while running amok.

    And coupled with the mysteriousness of today''s case, they inky felt their bodies turn cold with fright.

    F***!

    It was a little past 3 A.M.

    The hallways were dimly lit and empty.

    And for the first time, they felt the spookiness of the ce.

    Hello? Why was the air getting colder and colder the further they approached the leader''s office?

    They hoped they were overthinking things because the further they advanced, the more wobbly their legs became.

    It was just that after striking the leader''s office, the entire ce was as empty and quiet as an elephant graveyard.

    Phew.

    Everyone first breathed a sigh of relief for some reason. However, in a split second, they realized that their leader was missing.

    Leader?

    They dared not all for him, lest a perpetrator was still around the scene.

    At first, they wanted to take their time searching the ce.

    However, Leah had a terrible unprecedented fear swelled up in her belly, with her intuition refusing to allow her to calm the f*** down.

    And soon, her eyes were drawn to the bathroom.

    Dammit!

    .

    "Everyone, over there!"

    ~Bam!

    She forced the door open right in the nick of time, only to see the most jaw-dropping scene of her life

    "Leader, I''m here!... Eh? Why is there so much wind?..."

    (��?��)

    1, 2, 3

    "... Ahhh~"

    Leah and the 2 others screamed at the top of their lungs, seeing the strong winds lift their leader''s body sideways.

    And opposite him was a doppelganger who was just about to touch their leader''s legs with its overly long and bony arms.

    The scene had no doubt caused shivers to spread eight down to the very soles of their feet.

    Grw!

    The hunched, ugly double of Donghai swiftly turned its face towards them.

    F***! F**"!

    It was looking at them.

    What should they do? What should they do?

    One step forward, one step back. Their legs were so confused, and so were their mouths.

    Monster! Monster!

    ~Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!<sub> </sub>

    Leah and the rest began to shoot like crazy, destroying the already damaged bathroom.

    But did they care? No!

    ~Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The creature moved like lightning, causing them to hit the taps and walls.

    And soon, it entered the mirror world right before their very eyes.

    ~Crash!

    The mirror shattered and fell to the ground thanks to Leah''sst bullet.

    -Silence-

    The room regained a momentary silence, except for the fizzing water noises from the faucets.

    ~Fizz~

    The stalls were broken, ss on the floor, one of the light bulbs broken, men''s urinating broken, and everything else was just in a mess.

    However, the most daunting and disturbing image was that created by the bizarre lines on the wall above the sinks where the massive rectangr mirror used to be.

    Leah slumped her body to the ground, gearing to touch even a single wall within this cursed ce.

    Pah!

    She pped herself uncontrobly.

    "Leader, did we see what we think we saw?"

    Donghai smiled bitterly, thanking his lucky stars that he was still alive.

    If they were so shocked and petrified by what they saw, then imagine how he felt after staying the longest in here?

    Donghai''s body was covered with a thickyer of sweat, soaking right into his pants. Though, the phenomenon wasn''t from panic alone.

    Donghai didn''t need to go to the hospital to understand that something was wrong with his body... And he had a hunch that it had something to do with this creature.

    .

    The gang quickly helped their injured leader out of the bathroom stall while around maniacally.

    And when they stepped out, they bolted the door and even ced furniture before it.

    Lying trough! It may look silly. But so what?

    Who knew if that thing decided to step out again after they lowered their guard?

    Bolt! Bolt! Bolt the damn door!

    Deep down, they secretly swore to never go into their leader''s again, even if it was thest surviving bathroom in the world.

    Everyone sat on the couch, with no one saying anything.

    Donghai took in deep breaths, talking about what he went through. Likewise, Leah and the rest also added in their experience on the matter too.

    With that, they concluded on a few key factors.

    "From what you said, when you came into my office, you didn''t hear anything going on in my bathroom, right?"

    "Yes, leader," Leah replied, nodding her head vigorously.

    "Even now, after we shot so many bullets, it appears that no one in the station heard anything."

    "Hmhm... If they did, they would''ve long sincee over." Another added.

    "Yes... It appears that this creature can iste certain areas. However, we don''t know its full range yet." Donghai said, massaging his chin.

    "That creature saw you all. So for tonight, as well as the next following days, we will have to stick together like glue."

    "Right! We don''t know if seeing the creature alone will trigger it to attack us. So we have to have each other''s backs until it''s all over."

    "Agreed. Our survival will depend on it!"

    .

    Everyone saw it... There are monsters in this world. And for today''s case, I believe it''s linked to this creature."

    "Yes! Then in this way, it all makes sense!" Leah said with a very ashen face. Just recalling the victims she saw was enough to make her scalp prickle.

    However, if that''s the case, then how can they be sure that the victims are indeed the victims?

    "Leader, the real victims... They wouldn''t be trapped in some mirror, would they?"

 Chapter 187 Do You Believe In Monsters?

    The real victims?

    Yes!

    The daunting images of the couple and the mystery of their death seemed too strange.

    Though this was only the start of investigations, Donghai was sure that even if they, the police, searched for the cause of death, they wouldn''t be able to find anything out of the ordinary.

    Why? Because the culprit might not be human!

    And now, recalling the strange feeling he had in that house, Donghai was more and more confident of this.

    Earlier, he had on several asions felt as though the couple was watching him.

    However, at that time, he felt it was absurd. But now, it all made sense.

    He didn''t know how they did it, but somehow, those bodies had affected him.

    So did this mean that there was something evil on those bodies?

    .

    Donghai stood up abruptly. "We have to stop people from touching or getting close to those bodies!"

    Everyone else nodded, though frowning. "Leader. That''s easier said than done. What reasons are we going to give for pulling off such an act?"

    "Leader, Leah is right. Many might think that we''re trying to dy investigations... Especially the civilians and reporters if they get wind of the matter. In short, it won''t look good for us. Plus, themissioner will never agree without any solid reason."

    "Dammit!" Leah eximed. "We do have a solid reason. And we''re doing this for the greater good!"

    "Yes. We are doing this for the greater good. But who will believe it?"

    -silence-

    Who will believe that the culprit was a monster?

    The moment they say those words, they might get sent for a psych reevaluation to check if they were truly alright in the head.

    But were they going to give up just like that?

    No way!

    Though they were badly shaken to the core, they couldn''t just sit down and watch the creature have its way.

    Not only do they wish to protect the other innocent civilians, but they also want to protect their families and themselves.

    So this battle had to be fought.

    Donghai recalled the creature''s words the moment it vanished.

    [''Human, you can''t escape me... I''ll be back for you.... I''ll be back for you all...'']

    Those eerie words reminded him that even if they didn''t fight, the creature had no intention of letting him go.

    So at this point, fight or be killed.

    However, though he was clueless on where to begin, Donghai decided to start with his family.

    .

    The Gia family was the strongest military family.

    This meant they had deep-rooted connections and knew of some covert operations that the government might not want the civilians to know.

    That is, if Aliens came down, the Gia family would know... Though only those with certain clearance levels would be aware of it all.

    And Donghai felt Wei Gia, his cousin, the current head of the Gia n, should also be aware of matters like this.

    If they didn''t know, then Donghai could only say that he and everyone else was doomed!

    Everyone felt their muscles clench with an increase of butterfly production in their bellies.

    The situation wasn''t looking good for them, especially recalling how bullets didn''t seem to hurt the creature.

    Then... What else could theyunch at it? Garlic? Ginger? Maybe a stake to its heart?

    Bloody Hell! Should they go reading some fictional books in the library or something?

    Moreover, since the thing likes mirrors, they''ll have to destroy or keep away from any.

    But the question remains... How do they n the battle?

    Sigh...<sub> </sub>

    Everyone was still immersed in worry when they suddenly saw their calm leader take out his phone.

    "Eh?... Leader, leader... who are you going to call?"

    Donghia smiled slightly. "My family."

    Yes! How can they forget that their leader was a Gia man?

    His family should know about this, right?

    (*0*)

    .

    ~Tut... Tut... Tut~

    ["Master Donghai. It''s past 3 in the morning, and the n head is asleep."]

    "Hmmm..." Donghai replied calmly. "I know. However, it''s urgent."

    ["I''m all ears. You may pass the message along, master Donghai."]

    Donghai inwardly nodded. Butler Feng was the main n butler in the head house. Wei Gia and even himself trusted Donghai.

    Thus, many a time, he passed messages via Butler Feng whenever Wei Gia wasn''t avable.

    He and Wie Gia were close... Especially when their profession intertwined with one another regrly.

    On the other side of the phone, Butler Feng waited for Donghai to speak but didn''t hear a thing.

    ["Master Donghai... What seems to be so heavy a burden?"]

    Donghai''s apple bobbed along his throat. ["Butler Feng... Do you believe in monsters?"]

    Boom!

    Butler Feng''s expression turned grim.

    Does he believe in monsters? Donghia asked a person who participated in the auction battle and the little Gia princess rescue operation if he believed in monsters?

    At present, only those living in the main house knew. So those with their estate residents had no clue on the matter.

    Though he kept his voice steady, Butler Feng could get certain wave pulses from them.

    Sure enough, Donghai should''ve encountered one.

    .

    ["Master Donghai. Tell me everything you''ve experienced!"]

    This...

    Donghai was taken aback but soon understood that his guess was correct.

    It appears that his Gia family had known about it all this while.

    So how long has their family been burying such a secret?

    Donghai and the others looked at each other in shock.

    So... There were truly monsters amongst them?

    The Gia family sure was deep.

    However, after getting instructions from Butler Feng, they realized another family deeper than the Gias.

    ["Master Donghai, I''ll send a car for you and your team right away. And byte morning, we''ll head over to see the Grandmaster."]

    "Grandmaster?"

    ["Yes... He and only he can solve your problem."]

    Donghai and the test get as though they were entering a fairytale world.

    Grandmaster? Someone more potent than their Gia family?

    "Wait! Wait! Don''t go, Butler Feng!... This grandmaster, what family does hee from?"

    ["The Tian Family!"]

 Chapter 188 Seeking Aid

    Blink. Blink.

    The gang stared at each other momentarily, seeing the confusion in their eyes.

    Even Donghai felt it hard to believe.

    Is Butler Feng talking about the Tian couple still in aa?

    Grandmaster, Grandmaster... Maybe it''s an old hermit ancestor in the Tian family that he was aware of. But even at that, how could such a person be greater than their Gia household?

    Inwardly, Donghai didn''t believe it. Especially when staring at Dorian face to face.

    Tch!

    His lips twitched, secretly looking at Butler Feng as though asking if his brain had a screw loose.

    That''s right.

    It was also 10 A.M.

    And he and his gang were now standing within the grand Tian hall.

    Butler Feng gave a deep bow with one hand over his chest. "Grandmaster. Please, pardon my intrusion in visiting without warning."

    "Hmmm... I take no offense," Dorian replied, sitting at the high table like a monarch. "It''s because it''s urgent that you''vee, no?"

    "Yes! Yes, Grandmaster." Butler Feng replied humbly.

    "_"

    Erm... Were their eyes truly seeing what they were seeing?

    .

    Butler Feng''s actions had no doubt made Donghai give Dorian several looks, especially after seeing Butler Feng tell them to bow as well.

    No matter how one looked at it, it seemed strange for someone like Butler Feng to turn into a cat before this teenager.

    Everyone scrutinized thezy, looking younger seated before them with doubt. However, his following words only made their hearts fall to their stomachs.

    "It''sing for you all... It appears that you''ve all been marked."

    Boom!

    Marked? What''sing for them?

    Donghai and the rest couldn''t control themselves anymore, anxiously rushing to Dorian''s side.

    "You-~~... So you know what it is? Can you help us? When were we all marked?"

    Everyone''s eyes focused on the boy with strong intent, feeling their breathing grow heavier and heavier.

    The mere thought of that creature''s image made the hairs on their back stand erect.

    1, 2, 3... Something''sing for them.

    ~Tring~~

    Butler Sheng''s trolley gave them a jump scare.

    "Please, sit down." Dorian gestured towards the many avable couches beside him.

    "Ye-yes~..."

    Like obedient children, one obediently took other seats, watching Butler Sheng give them cups of tea apanied by saucers.

    Butler Feng decided to stand due to habit. As a butler, it was too weird to sit when the masters of the home were around. Donghai was still a Gia master.

    So Feng only decided to silently stand by behind the couch.

    At tge same time, he was also looking at Butler Sheng''s butler skills.

    ... Impressive.

    He was swift, efficient and elegant when working.

    The duo met each other''s eyes and nodded in understanding as though pleased with one another.

    Those who saw this were dumbfounded.

    Could this be the legendary butler bond?

    .

    ~ng. ng. ng.~

    Leah couldn''t stop her hands from trembling after picking up the teacup.

    Dorian''s eerie words began shaking her.

    Marked. Marked... What did he mean by saying they were marked?

    The air was pregnant with burdening silence.

    Tye silver was too heavy, with countless thoughts racing through everyone''s minds.

    However, the culprit who sent them into this frenzied state calmly took a sip of tea, feeling very refreshed.

    Dorian had listened to all they said without interrupting or rushing them.

    They spoke throughout his tea-sipping time.<sub> </sub>

    And the moment his empty cup touched his saucer, his entire aura turned serious.

    What???!

    Everyone was taken aback by the sudden change.

    "Drink it all!"

    Shiver. Shiver. Shiver.

    The gang of well-trained police officers now felt every fiber of their being cowering before the youngster.

    How can someone be another person in a blink of an eye?

    Too strong! This was the strongest aura they had ever felt!

    Doubt? I''m sorry. They had little to no more doubts. Such a powerful person was definitely not easy.

    But why was he adamant about them drinking this tea?

    .

    Donghai stared at this now half-cup of tea that miraculously stayed hot even after they had spoken for so long. What''s in this tea?

    It looked ordinary yet mysterious.

    You look at me, I look at you.

    You look at me, we all look at Butler Feng, whose eyes were saying: ''Drink It!''

    Alright... Bottoms up.

    ~Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.

    Everyone took big gulps, intending to finish it all at once.

    And when they were done, something miraculous happened.

    "Ahhh~"

    Leah threw her cup away in horror. But then, it suddenly suspended mid-air right before their very eyes.

    It''s floating! It''s floating!

    Did he do it?

    Everyone was too shocked for words, not even realizing why Leah had panicked and thrown her cup away.

    However, Dorian''s words were quick to remind them of the abnormality.

    "Don''t throw the cups!"

    Swish!

    He sent Leah''s cup back to her at a flick of his wrist.

    At the same time, everyone stared into their cups, now understanding why Leah was so freaked out.

    Leader, as police officers, is it shameful to say that we''re scared!

    (:Y��Y:)

    .

    ~Swish. Swish. Swish!

    Several remains of ground tea leaves moved vigorously about, creating several images for them to see.

    Butler Feng was also very surprised, secretly taking note of the matter. Butler Sheng was no less surprised than him.

    That is, who knew that the Grandmaster could even do this?

    Like so, the ck remains flew about crazily within the cup.

    And soon, everyone''s pupils dted at an rming rate.

    Their hands trembled and almost gave way, if not for Dorian''s instructions earlier on.

    In the end, what Butler Sheng and Butler Feng saw looked like simple clumps at the bottom of the cup.

    However, the same couldn''t be said for Donghai and the rest.

    What they saw was incredibly detailed.

    It was an image that made them send their teacups flying to the furthest ends of the room.

    Whooo~ Whooo~

    Their breathing grew heavier, with the sunken fat on their cheeks trembling vigorously.

    And now with trembling hands tightly holding onto the cups, they looked like they had aged 10 years older.

    .

    -Silence-

    Dorian squinted his eyes deeply.

    "Tell me, what do you see?"

 Chapter 189 True Appearance

    "What do you see?"

    The question that seemed simple to answer was now a million times harder for them all.

    Though they didn''t see anything out of the ordinary, Butler Feng and Sheng still understood the severity of the matter.

    The faces of these police officers had turned ashen in a visible rate, as though they had just seen a ghost.

    In no more than a second, the bags underneath their eyes have grown puffier and darker. And anyone seeing them now would think that they hadn''t gotten a decent amount of sleep for a week!

    Butler Sheng and Feng looked at each other before focusing their attention on the cups again.

    What exactly was in it that could cause such changes to its holders?

    Look as much as they could, they still couldn''t see anything out of the ordinary.

    Dorian stared at their cups while listening to them.

    One of them shrank into the couch, breathing heavily with sweat oozing off his face. "Grandmaster... Grandmaster... It''s terrible. I see it... I... I... I see it... And it sees me..."

    Holding his cup, his hands trembled uncontrobly the more the image in the crowd stared at him.

    It took all his willpower for him not to throw the cup away and pray to whatever god was above.

    All of them felt the same. However, what exactly was it that they were looking at?

    Heh!...

    Well, it was none other than themselves!

    .

    The figures they were staring at looked exactly alike to that which attacked Donghai. The only difference was that now, the creature had taken their appearance... If they were ugly, hunched, dead and rotting.

    This was only an outlined image drawn from the crushed tea leaves. However, it was so detailed and life-like, as though they saw the creature in ck and white.

    Maybe this was the reason why the teacups were white.

    Leah looked at the balding creature smiling at her, almost shedding tears in despair.

    "Grandmaster... I... I can''t... I can''t anymore... Please, please, take it away."

    Her psychological mind was breaking apart the more she peeked into this strange world within the cup.

    Just a single look drew her in, almost sucking the life out of her.

    Torture...

    Holding this cursed cup was real torture!

    "Leah! Making!" Donghai called out. "Bear it and focus. We have to do this if we''re going to win!"

    Donghai ''stayed'' calm, giving his team support and the courage to remain strong.

    Was he afraid? Of course he was.

    He, more than anyone, understood their pain because he too had wanted to break his cup, stomp it with his feet, run a bulldozer in it and maybe even end things with a nuclear bomb.

    However, if he starts panicking now, then his team will also break down as well.

    For their survival, they had to focus and tell all they could.

    The kid... No! The Grandmaster before them would definitely be able to help them.

    That''s right. Now he and his team began giving Dorian some des.

    After all, for him to draw out such a horrifying technique meant that he had some skills to his name.

    And as though a filter had been ced over their eyes, they began seeing Dorian like a thousand-year-old wiseman.<sub> </sub>

    Donghai pinched his skin, wanting his brain to forget his fear and focus on the pain.

    "Grandmaster... This is what I saw... h, h, h, h~."

    .....

    One by one, everyone used their full strength to borate and describe things clearer.

    When it came to the attack from earlier on, even though they had gotten a good look at the creature, they had only been able to grasp 10~20% of its real looks.

    It was as though a fog had been ced in their eyes earlier, allowing them only to see a few abnormalities, as well as the fact that the creature was Donghai''s doppelganger.

    However, the image in the cup was way too clearer and more horrifying to look at.

    The only difference was that it wasn''t disgusting or nauseating... Maybe because the creature wasn''t standing before them in the flesh, dropping rotating spin, insects and worms here and there.

    No! All they saw when looking down was the image.

    And this was precisely what Dorian needed.

    One by one, he listened to them, finally narrowing down his search.

    There were over 700 creatures that used reflection when attacking their prey. And narrowing it down again, only a hundred or so could mirror switch with their victims.

    So the more information he got, the easier it was to narrow it all down.

    In the end, he was left with 10 guesses of what he might be looking for.

    [''Host, one of your guesses is a Munya. And the other is a Yazoju... They are the extreme ends of things... So what are you going to do?'']

    The system was really worried.

    .

    The first creature it spoke of did have weaknesses. But its weaknesses were strengths to the other creature.

    That said, what might work against the first, might not be fatal to the other.

    Yes! Any spell blessed with a heavenly touch would cause some damage to its pretty. However, if the spell wasn''t targeting a creature''s weakness, it would require much more effort to take the creature down.

    So the wrong guess might only dy matters.

    And this was the problem... Especially with these sorts of interior creatures.

    Once they get overly threatened or annoyed, they kill their other marked victims.

    In other words, across the city, many other people might be held hostage without even knowing it. And if Dorian''s attack didn''t K.O the creature, it was more likely to kill off its victims as revenge.

    Even cutting off its link to the hostages by formation was impossible when dealing with this particr creature.

    In the end, things were too tricky with this one.

    Dorian tapped his fingers deep in thought.

    All he could do was restrain it and put it to sleep for now.

    Everyone stared at Dorian with expectant eyes.

    "Grandmaster, so can you do it... Can you help us get rid of it?"

    "Yes... But not now."

    "This..."

    "_"

 Chapter 190 Go To Sleep

    Not now?

    Everyone had tears in their eyes but dared not make a sound.

    Dorian only gave Butler Sheng a brief look, sending him off.

    And in no more than 15 minutes, he was back, holding the famous wooden box in his hands.

    Butler Feng recognized the box anywhere.

    But to Donghai and the rest, this was their first time seeing it.

    Strange wooden carvings and a powerful aura seeped out from the box, making them subconsciously lean back.

    What was in it?

    Donghia frowned, feeling even more confused than when he got in here.

    "Grandmaster... In the beginning, you said we''ve all been marked. However, you''ve yet to exin yourself."

    "Hmmm... Stretch out your hand."

    This... Okay?

    This still didn''t answer his question, but what the heck. Might as well go through with it all.

    Donghai stretched his hand forth, feeling that nothing else could shock or surprise him after seeing the gruesome cup scene.

    However, the moment Dorian took hold of his hands, he realized just how wrong he was.

    Like a tsunami, a very warm energy circled within him, causing him to sweat profoundly.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    His heart rate elerated with every tremble that echoed deep within his core.

    In just 2 seconds, his entire back was covered in a thickyer of sweat.

    .

    Twitch. Twitch.

    He began squirming uncontrobly.

    Everyone saw his mouth grow heavy. He clearly wanted to speak, yet his tongue seemed swollen from the sting of a thousand bees.

    "Leader, leader... What''s wrong with you?"

    Donghai struggled to lift his eyelids, nting them to the side and staring at his gang in immense pain.

    "Mm... My back."

    Twitch.

    Donghai was almost going crazy from it all.

    Meanwhile, the gang was quick to pick out his concerns.

    His back? His back?

    Butler Sheng was quick to move after getting telepathic orders from Dorian.

    And with sheer hand strength, he ripped open the back of Donghai''s thick police attire.

    Rip!

    Everyone was amazed by his strength.

    ? However, their attention was soon pulled to the big elephant in the room.

    One step back, two steps back.

    Blood drained from their skin.

    And with trembling fingers, Leah pointed to Donghai''s back.

    "Leader... Leader... "

    She couldn''t even finish her words.

    And the twitching Donghai had a very ominous feeling after listening to the burdening words of those around him.

    His heart skipped a beat.

    Mommy... What did they see?

    .

    Oh my God!

    Leah felt the sensation of a thousand spiders crawl up her back the moment she saw the distorted image appear on Donghai''s back.

    It had a face, but at the same time, didn''t have a face.

    Nheless, this much was enough to make their breaths stagnant.

    The very thick and ever-changing ck lines seemed to have an eye of their own. Every little move they made sent chills down their spines.

    Was it watching them? Could it see them?

    Looking at the face that seemed to want to burst out of Donghai''s back, everyone subconsciously held their breaths.

    F***!

    After today, they would still have nightmares about their leader''s back.

    .

    ~Gulp.<sub> </sub>

    Butler Feng swallowed hard, watching one of their Gia masters anxiously, though he dared not say anything

    But opposite from the chaotic expressions from those around the room, Dorian was still calm, holding Donghai''s hands with his eyes closed.

    But suddenly, he opened them fiercely before smashing his right palm against Donghai''s face.

    Bam!

    "Sleep."

    "Ahhhh~~~"

    Donghia screamed, trembling even more kike a fish out of water.

    Resistance. Something deep within him was fighting against the Will.

    However, who was Dorian?

    "I said sleep!"

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Countless explosions went off in Donghai''s mind.

    And in this instant, the winds grew heavy, and the air was brittle.

    Leah and the rest had long subconsciously held each other, allowing the strange winds to engulf the scene.

    There it was again. The strange winds!

    Could it be a sign of that thing reemerging?

    Please no! No! ... Don''t let ite!

    Hands to their weapons, many were ready tost a bullet the moment it appeared.

    Yes! Bullets might but take it down. But so what?

    In a battle, even if one was holding a dagger, while the enemy had a gun, you still had to fight with what you''ve got rather than sitting duck out in the open.

    Hahhh~

    Leah opened her mouth, releasing arge whiff of air only to see white fog emerge.

    What? Just how cold had the ce be for her to see her old cold steam?

    This was summer... The hottest time of the year.

    The more she observed, the more confident she was of the creature''s reappearance.

    However, wait as they might, Dorian was not about to let that happen.

    .

    "Go to sleep!"

    Boom!

    Thest explosion went off in Donghai''s mind. And right before everyone''s eyes, the gruesome image in his back beside to reside, fading away from their view.

    The winds slowly vanished, and Donghai also began retaining control over his body.

    Lying on the grounds thoroughly dipped in sweat, he finally opened his eyes.

    The pain was no more.

    "Leader..."

    Leah and the rest called out, moving sideways, before reaching out to him.

    That''s it.

    From this day forth, called out from a safe distance, wanting to step onward to assist him up.

    However, their legs had refused to move... At least not until they had a guarantee.

    "Grandmaster... Is it gone?"

    "No... Just sleeping. However, it won''t be waking up anytime soon."

    Phew.

    Now, they rushed in to help.

    "Leader! We were so worried about you!"

    "_"

    Donghai felt the draft, seeing how his clothes had been ripped open from the back.

    He sat on the couch with a pale expression.

    "What exactly did you guys see?"

    "This..." Everyone smiled bitterly, not wanting to recall.

    Leader, can we not say?

    Just getting over the trauma they just experienced was really too torturing.

    They felt like dipping their eyes in bleach every time they recalled the image.

    Augh.

    From today onwards, they would never look at their Leader''s back the same way again!

 Chapter 191 Officially Joining The Case

    One by one, Dorian checked their markings.

    And after several checks, he was now certain of what he was dealing with.

    A Yazoju.

    One with roughly simr strength to himself.

    If it were before, he would be no match for it.

    That''s why he had taken so long to put it to sleep.

    Dorian frowned, feeling half of his strength drained.

    Luckily, he had long been improving his strength.

    And because they were simr in power, he couldn''t be rash. Every wrong move was an advantage to his enemy.

    ''I''m still too weak!''

    Dorian was annoyed.

    At thete stage of the 4th Dan, he could defeat underworld creatures younger than 800 years.

    Unlike what some fantasy books would have one think, these creatures could live for a billion years.

    So even an 800-year-old creature was still considered too weak.

    If Lilith, who lived from the beginning of time, came to attack him, just blinking would turn him to dust if she wanted to.

    Everyone sat in horror, listening to Dorian.

    "Grandmaster... So for now, we can only keep it dormant?"

    "Yes... Hostages are involved."

    A moment of heavy silence followed.

    Donghai''s tongue bobbed against his throat.

    "Grandmaster... Then what about my team and I... Will we truly be safe from its attacks while we sleep at night?"

    Dorianzily nced at Donghai. But this move only made Donghai''s heart jump, thinking Dorin was annoyed

    "Grandmaster! I don''t mean to doubt your skills."

    <o>,m "Hmm... You''ll be fine."</o>

    After all, apart from being confident in his skills, he would also be tagging along every now, and then only the case got officially solved.

    So with him by their side, they were bound to be protected.

    As for sleeping at night, since he said they''d be fine, they''ll be fine.

    Additionally, he would also give them talismans to keep ward of any other evil beings.

    Just being marked meant they carried a certain gloomy and ominous air around them.

    .

    Everyone received their several talismans, cing them around their necks.

    And the moment the stones came in contact with their flesh, they only felt warm air circte within them.

    Their bodies were kinky lighter and their moods better. The gloomy aura they were infected with seemed to fade into oblivion.

    Even their faces had regained their usual warmth.

    Good. Good...

    They felt the instantaneous changes, believing more and more in the talisman.

    "Keep it on you at all times... It will also keep the things in you dormant for as long as I live."

    Though they all nodded vigorously, their thoughts were distracting thinking of bing Dorian''s bodyguards.

    For as long as you live?

    Wipe! Didn''t this mean that if he identally died, then it was all over for them?

    Deep down, they all secretly swore to check up on Dorian from time to time.

    Meaning they would also go out of their way to check his worldly affairs... Like the rumors, they were hearing about his uncle.

    If that bastard even tried to kill the Grandmaster, they would be the first ones toe after him.

    You want to destroy their lifeline? Think again!

    (*��*)

    .

    Like so, Dorian handled their matter, scheduling to see themter on in the evening.<sub> </sub>

    He was a busy man, having a lot to do... Especially with the academy soon opening its doors.

    After paying for the Grandmaster''s services, the gang all stood to take their leave.

    "Onest thing, Grandmaster... What about the bodies we found? Is touching them going to Mark those who do?"

    Dorian shook his head sideways.

    "No... The creature chooses and marks who it deems more ptable."

    Ptable. So he, Donghai, was tasty?

    Tch!

    He didn''t like the sound of this!

    Dorian nodded.

    "Though you have a noble and clean aura, I can still see several silver lines running across. They all showed that you have indeed imed some lives. Killing is killing. However, a person who kills with bad intent has purplish-ck lines running through their aura, intertwined with red. But yours is silver, which ismon for clean and noble officers."

    Donghai was shocked.

    The Grandmaster could even see this much?

    (��0��)

    Throughout his profession, he had never aimed to kill.

    As police officers, they were taught to catch the culprits alive. And only if necessary should they take a life.

    So he would shoot his enemies on their feet, thighs or anywhere else that wasn''t fatal.

    Of course, his best ce to aim was to his enemy''s hands, knocking their guns off.

    Only at mass shootouts or in heavily shooting environments would he shoot to kill.

    .

    In the end, because his motives were noble, the heavens wouldn''t hold him ountable for that.

    That''s why his killing line was silver.

    If he turned into a bad cop, actively shooting people maybe to hide his tracks, then that line would change colors.

    And usually, most creatures won''t even bother with Donghai since it would take too much effort.

    But for a Yazoju, all it needed to do was drop Donghai in that mirror world.

    There, good was bad and bad was good.

    Hehhehehe... Just how long do you think he would survive without going bad?

    There, Donghai would most definitely lose mind. And soon, he would actively taint himself.

    In the end, the rewards would be so delicious for the creature to miss.

    Donghai was a precious food source for many, if not all Yazojus.

    ~Gulp.

    Listening to Dorian, Donghai was very ufortable.

    Who knew that he was so appetizing to several creatures?

    He had no tears but wanted to cry.

    .

    "Grandmaster, with the creature asleep, this means that its hold in the bodies won''t be able to infect others, right?"

    What if another pure silver-lined person came in close contact with it?

    "Don''t worry. Its asleep. Meaning its hold on everything else is halted too. However, don''t rx your guards yet. Check if there are any other cases of this nature... Others might still be in the city!"

    "Yes!"

    They replied.

    "Good. Go back and continue your investigations... At 7... I''ll be there."

    For now, he had to create Academy portals across the city.

    And while he worked, others lurking in the dark also worked as well.

    Far down below, turmoil was about to erupt.

    Boom!

    The grounds shook for the umpteenth time.

 Chapter 192 Chaos & Destruction To All

    Deep below, the grounds were ever hot, leaking streams of hot sizzling gasses across thend.

    In some ces, one could spot ming trees burning nonstop. And in other sites, the temperature was just the same as any summer temperature.

    The grounds and nts were purplish, having a certain hue to them.

    All around the vast world were different regions marked by different bizarre phenomenons.

    And when it came to the upants of this ce, all they wanted was power!

    Look left, look right, look up, look into the ground... Many battled, ughtered one another and even ate the flesh of those they killed while looking for the many foods and treasures within the ce.

    Power! Power! They all wanted power!

    And along the perimeters of another Prince''s region, a heavy massacre was urring.

    That''s right.

    This was the territory belonging to one of the 7 princes of the underworld. A single prince''s territory was even bigger than 20s smushed together.

    It was too bad that their prince wasn''t around because with how strong and fast the enemy was, no one else could have foreseen the attack.

    Boom!

    A loud explosion went off, and the already heated floor broke apart, opening a deep mountain-wide hole below.

    .

    "Ahhh~"

    The screams of many thundered out the deeper they fell.

    Who can help them? Who can stop this madness?

    Many shivered in horror while falling for what seemed like an eternity.

    Jump on one another, fly higher and higher as they could... Everyone soon found out that there was a heavy pressure above the mountain-wide hole, making it impossible to escape.

    And so they fell.

    However, the culprit responsible for their demise only floated above the space, lowering his eyes to have at them condescendingly.

    His face was expressionless. But those who knew him knew that the calmer he was, the more furious he became.

    Though the territory was as massive as 20 or mores out together, with this strength, he could quickly destroy 1/40th of this territory with one flick of his wrist.

    That would be like destroying half a mortal.

    However, what would be his gain destroying this terrorist that he had long nned on acquiring?

    Yes! The abyss, the life of the underworld, would also regenerate and reform thend over time.

    But why destroy all these buildings that his enemy had painstakingly made?

    Additionally, if there were any hidden treasures within the territory, his actions would only be burying them deeper and deeper into the ground.

    .

    Beelzebub casually gazed at the bottomless pit of destruction below him, slowly descending onto thend beside it.

    Crack. Crack. Crack.

    His feet rustled against the hot rocky terrain, releasing a crackling and sizzling noise.

    One step forward, another step onward.

    ? His seemingly gentle walk only looked ferocious to those covered in blood opposite him.

    And the many to ranked generals covered in green and purplish blood only felt their blood run dry

    Choking. Choking.

    They couldn''t breathe at all!

    Beelzebub was just too powerful, making it impossible for them to move, talk less of listing their fingers to meet his eyes.

    And the person who felt the most danger was the lead general, overseeing this part of the territory.

    Horns broken, rail crooked, body riddled with a thousand holes... The demon had been sted by Beelzebub just once.

    It knew that if Beelzebub wanted it dead, it would be long dead. So why keep it and the other few alive?<sub> </sub>

    The demon''s body quaked and shook, though it was already pinned on the spot by Beelzebub''s aura.

    And soon, it heard its name.

    .

    "Amos... "

    Gulp.

    The demon was too petrified but soon began to think.

    What a joke!

    It was a demon. Though it could get scared, its entire being was one of lying, cheating and deceiving.

    So all it had to do was get out of this predicament. And it would use any means necessary to do so.

    Do you know what death would mean for them?

    F***! .who was willing to get reborn without memories of thest, starting right back from the bottom after working so hard?

    A demon of its high-ranking status was very much unwilling to die like this.

    For one, it was a bloody 3rd rank general!

    Demon generals had 12 ranks in total. And after the ''General'' title, there were just 3 other main titles they could acquire before entering the Royal ss, which was another level.

    One would have to work their asses off again, lowering up against other underworld creatures to reach the very top, which was to be the right-hand creatures of the princes.

    In truth, A general was midway within the power rankings in the Underworld.

    So do you know how difficult it is to get this high?

    Who would want to start at the very bottom again?

    No way!

    The demon decided to find a way out of this mess.

    After leaving, it would definitely report to its superiors, who would in turn take the matter to its prince.

    Yes! It still wanted its revenge against Beelzebub, using its prince to do the job.

    Like so, within these few seconds, doubtless thoughts had passed through its mind.

    And soon, the sound of his name being called out woke him from his stupor yet again.

    .

    "Amos... Don''t make me ask twice... Where is my finger."

    Finger? Finger?

    Wait! Could it be that someone sliced off one of the prince''s finger?

    F***!

    If he could get his hands on it, wouldn''t he be able to boast his strength past several ranks?

    (*?*)

    Greed... Greed...

    Amos now knew what he had to do. And in a blink of an eye, he forced an unnatural and crooked smile onto his already cracked lips.

    "Prince Beelzebub... Finger? Why don''t I understand what you''re talking about?"

    "Oh?"

    Beelzebub''s entire aura turned colder.

    As expected, he was right.

    They definitely had a hand in the disappearance of his finger!

    These new lot of princes dared to take his finger, thinking they could get away with it?

 Chapter 193 Into The Station

    Hahahahhahaha~

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The sky thundered maniacally, turning darker and darker.

    Beezlebub, who had beenughing with his head lowered, slowly lifted it up.

    His eyes had changed from ck to purple!

    Good. Good. Good...

    Very unhurriedly, Beelzebub moved his right hand to the side.

    And low and behold, a long powerful ded staff appeared out of thin air.

    If Dorian saw this, he would no doubt recognize the weapon.

    It was the famous Golipsus!

    It was one of Beelzebub''s truest weapons that he relied on when he was an angel.

    And after his fall into the abyss, his weapons changed as well, shifting from pure to evil.

    And though he was now a fallen angel who could grow ws and had a monstrous appearance underneath his handsome exterior, he still liked using long-ded weapons.

    In particr, his Golipsus was as long as a Triton, with one end being a spear and the other end being a rod that could open up into a ded fan when needed.

    Heh.

    His Golipsus had longe alive and was a feisty little thing always thirsting for blood since he got to the underworld.

    .

    ~Grww~

    The Golipsus growled in hunger after being awakened. Its blood lust was indeed too great.

    And while all this went down, Beelzebub also released his tails, which he had been growing for millenniums now.

    Hahahahah!

    That''s right.

    He could grow his tails just like a 9-tail fox could. But for him, he had 12 dragon-scale tails, poking out of his human form, waving around viciously.

    Boom!

    The sky continually grew heavier and heavier until it covered the purple sun high above.

    Hahahahaha~

    Hidden within the darkness, Beelzebub only smiled wickedly.

    "Ahhhhh~~."

    Countless eerie cries echoed out from within the darkness until soon, their cries were no more.

    -silence-

    The world became silent, and the air was filled with the thick stench of blood.

    Beelzebub stepped out with a crazed expression on his face.

    ''Finger... Finger... Where is it?''

    Whoosh!

    In a sh, he vanished.

    And immediately, the clouds disappeared, as though they were never there in the first ce.

    If not for the giant mountain-wide hole, many might doubt there ever being a fight here.

    And it was all caused by the disappearance of a single finger.

    But who would''ve known that the culprit wasn''t in the underworld?

    Dorian nced at his watch.

    It was time to head to the station.

    .

    --Police Station--

    .

    6:45 P.M.

    ~Catchack.

    Haru opened the door, and Dorian stepped out cordially.

    And as soon as they arrived, Donghai and his team were there to greet them.<sub> </sub>

    "Grandmaster

    "Grandmaster, wee. Thank you for doing this."

    Donghai stood firm in his uniform, showing no signs of his earlier fears at all.

    As a leader, he dared not show his fears.

    After leaving Dorian''s estate, he had never allowed himself to be alone, lest that thing attacked again.

    Sure... The Grandmaster might be right in saying that it won''te for him again.

    But as highly trained officers, how could he only have one safety routeid out for him?

    They say prevention is better than cure.

    So of course he could choose never to be alone!

    Eh?

    Those in his team who hadn''t been to Dorian''s estate couldn''t help giving Dorian and his men doubtful gazes.

    Why are the Gias adamant in allowing a civilian to join the case?

    What skill could this 17 boy have that might be linked or resourceful in finding the murderer?

    Or could it be that the boy is a secret hacker?

    (?^?)

    Just when everyone was still confused, a loud yell resounded out from within the police station.

    Ady of 28 years old or so stepped out of the station with a puffy reddish face.

    And with one look, she rushed towards them in rage!

    .

    "How dare you? How dare you all y outside when the culprits who did that to my parents are nowhere to be found? Police? Police? You call yourselves police officers?!"

    Tears ran down thedy''s cheek as she desperately smashed her fisted paws onto Leah. Her attacks weren''t brutal, but more or one in pain.

    Leah sighed, understanding thedy''s dilemma.

    "Ma''am, please... It would be best if you calmed down. We have gotten several high-ranking specialists to assist in this operation, all in hopes of tracking down the culprit(s)."

    "You--..."

    The girl blinked her blurriness away, darting her eyes at Leah to see if she was lying or not.

    Leah firmed her grip on her, staring at the woman deep into her eyes.

    "Ma''am. I can assure you that as police officers, we will definitely solve the case and catch the culprit. So please, be patient. It won''t be long."

    These words...

    Thedy thinned her lips and cried even more against Leah''s chest.

    ~Woooo~

    Donghai nodded at Leah, allowing her to deal with the Lady.

    Thest spent the entire day here and should''ve already given out all she knew about her parents.

    And since their house was a crime scene, and Donghai was more afraid that it might be cursed, he refused for thedy and her other siblings who returned to stay in the house.

    They were not to step in without supervision.

    That is... Though Donghai knew it was done by supernatural forces, to the mortal officers, it was done by a killer.

    Thus, they didn''t need anyone shifting or moving any potential piece of evidence around.

    Haru and Bewoh nced at each other tactfully before following Dorian.

    And following beside and behind them were the rest of the police force that came out to wee them earlier.

    .

    Din. Din. Din. Din~

    The strange men entering the station raised the curiosity of many - especially when looking at Haru and Bewoh, who wore finely tailored ck suits.

    "Hey! Check it out. Strangers at 3 0''clock."

    "Damn! Who can be so important to get such treatment whening into the station? Who are they?"

    "My guess is that they might be some hidden M.S.S (F.B.I) unit."

    "No... I''m not too sure about that... Look at their hands. What''s with those strange wooden boxes in their hands?"

    "You''re right. The whole thing is just too strange�� Something tells me there''s more to it than meets the eye."

 Chapter 194 Into The Station - 2

    Dorian walked into the incredibly massive building, making his way towards what seemed like a separate sector.

    This was one of the biggest stations in the country for a reason.

    ~Swipe.

    Donghai swiped his card and had his eyes and handprint scanned.

    Brmmm!

    The massive block door opened.

    "Gentlemen... Wee to the city''s M.M.S branch sectors."

    F***!

    So this was why this station was as massive as a maximum-security prison?

    Haru and Bewoh were inwardly shocked.

    You know, they had passed by several regr police desks, offices and workstations, thinking that they were heading to some office belonging to some big shot officer.

    But suddenly, they diverted, going down a side stairway, before bypassing an entire hallway with constant blinking lights around them.

    Say no more.

    They knew they were scanned the moment they passed through the hallway.

    And after that, they once again ascended another stairway, reaching an even more wide hallway that was too brightly lit.

    One could stack 7 or 8 cars one after another to determine the length of the hallway

    However, what was very eye-questioning was that along the entire hallway, there was only one door that looked like a thick doomsday door.

    There were no other doors on the left or right sides of the hallways.

    So wasn''t that too suspicious?

    The entire thing had been very rming.

    And when Donghai approached, he seemed to have processed a particr region beside the door, activating the security system.

    Haru and Bewoh looked at one another, seeing the turbulent waves in their eyes.

    What would Raulin and the others feel after rying what they just saw?

    Cool! Too cool!

    Everything seemed as though it popped out of a spy movie.

    Who knew that this seemingly ordinary police station would have such secrets lying within it?

    (+0+)

    .

    Brmmm!

    The door opened, and they very quickly went through neither security check.

    And from there, they stepped out of the room, only to see a very high-tech sector that might''ve left the duo''s mouth hanging wide open if not for them not wanting to embarrass the Grandmaster.

    White... Everywhere was white, with all fixtures being ck.

    F***!

    Everything was just too awesome!

    They came in from ground level... However, they realized they were actually 3 stories high, looking at those below.

    Vrmm!

    The small balcony-like space they stood on suddenly began to descend.

    Elevator... Elevator... This was an elevator?

    (��_��)

    Haru arrived right at the very bottom, appreciating the aesthetics of the ce even more.

    Like a tree, some offices stood rooted up, having 2-person elevators attached to their sides.

    Offices were scattered about in a way that still made the scene look open.

    And on the extreme end of the open bubble were 8 elevators, probably leading people to the enclosed regions within this MMS sector.

    Seeing the strangers stepping in, the agents who were too busy with their own cases weren''t too bothered about them.

    From eye observation, they could also see that these people should be specialists of some kind.

    Donghai and his team were, in fact, MMS agents, working in the branch sector here.

    So seeing Donghai escort them in, everyone was more or less confident about their thoughts.<sub> </sub>

    .

    Din. Din. Din. Din~

    The gang moved all the way to the back, entered an enclosed elevator, arrived in another hallway before finally branching to an enclosed office space for Donghai''s team.

    For sure, they were back on ground floor again.

    But what was even crazier was that Donghai''s team had a small enclosed courtyard space open to the sun with a blooming garden for outdoor breaks.

    However, the space was enclosed, with no way out. So they can''t leave unless they pass through the way they came or use the secret escape and fire routes.

    Again, there was another long hallway to the side leading to Donghai''s office.

    And for sure, there should be security systems put in ce when activated.

    Tch!

    Haru and Bewoh looked at Donghai severally.

    ''Bro... All this just to get to your office?''

    Lying tough.

    They felt as though they had just passed through a presidential building to something like that.

    There was such a thing as too much security, alright?

    .

    -Silence-

    Everyone was standing or seated or within the massive office in utter silence.

    The rest of Donghai''s team wanted to know who these people were and how they would be helping out. And, a few superiors who had tagged along after receiving Old Gia''s orders also looked at Dorian''s gang in confusion.

    In particr, Deputy Director Xiang Shore was too puzzled when thinking of Old Gia''s words.

    His orders didn''t make sense.

    How can something be marked public and Top Secret all at once?

    (???)

    It was essential to know that all cases and documents had the following tank from lowest to highest.

    ?Compartmented information

    ?Clearance

    ?Unssified.

    ?Official.

    ?Restricted.

    ?Confidential

    ?Secret

    ?And finally, the most private and biggest of them all TOP SECRET or T.P

    Now, Old Gia asked him to mark the document as both Top Secret and Public.

    So in the end, was the information supposed to be known to the public or kept top secret?

    Really... Xiang Shore had a headache trying to understand Old Gia''s thoughts.

    However, after today''s matter, he would understand and know why.

    Old Gia was only doing this because from understanding Dorian''s thoughts, the world will soon know of all these things.

    Soon, everything woulde to light if they were to prepare for what was toe.

    Additionally, the Academy is public and will be integrated and epted into society.

    So in future, the truth of the case will be known to the public. But for now... At least until the academy and many had been trained, it would be kept a secret.

    .

    Ahhh~~~

    Xiang Shore inwardly screamed, very confused about what was going on here.

    But maybe the most perplexing thing was the teenager before him.

    Excuse me... But why are you doodling on the floor?

    (:��w��:)

 Chapter 195 A Perplexed Deputy Director

    Everyone watched the youngster draw limes and weird symbols across the floor in disbelief.

    They couldn''t help looking at Donghai, with expressions ying: ''You wouldn''t have brought a mental patient here, would you?''

    ~Scribble! Scribble! Scribble!~

    The room was silent, except for the constant scribbling noises of the chalk shing onto the ground very softly.

    This... This... This...

    Everyone wanted an exnation from Donghai.

    But if you ask him, then who shall he ask?

    This was also his first time seeing this.

    He thought the Grandmaster would bring in cups of tea again. But who would''ve known that he would choose to doodle this time?

    Without an exnation, it looked like he came here to joke instead. Maybe if he didn''t see the Grandmaster''s skills, he would believe that.

    But Donghai knew that he was very serious.

    Many had ck lines of rage on their faces when seeing Dorian''s actions.

    "Everyone, please! Be patient and trust in the Grandmaster!"

    There was no use arguing with people who didn''t even know the enemy.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    The clock on the wall ticked steadily.

    And soon, Dorian paused what he was doing, slowly turning his head to the doors.

    Boom!

    The doors opened, and in came several people in white suits, dragging a medical bed in.

    There were people on the bed, with sheets over their heads.

    Good... Now everyone was here.

    .

    "Haru, the doors... Bewoh, window and vents."

    "On it, Grandmaster!" The duo replied, quickly fasting towards various corners of the room, cing strange papers on them.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Slowly walking towards the badly broken and damaged bathroom door, Dorian scattered a thickyer of sacred salt against it.

    Seeing how tense and swift the trio worked, everyone couldn''t sit still anymore.

    "What the hell is going on here? What are they doing?"

    Uneasy.

    He and everyone else felt too uneasy.

    Before Donghai could speak, Dorian had already appeared behind him.

    "Get the bodies into the circle."

    Gulp.

    p "Y... Yes, Grandmaster." Donghai, Leah, and the other 2 who visited his estate answered swiftly, ready to do as they were told.</anda>

    Their hands shook vigorously, stretching out for the covered bodies.

    ''Please... Don''t make ite alive while I''m carrying it.''

    Those were their only prayers in their hearts.

    Many gritted their teeth in fury, especially the forensic pathologists who came in with the body.

    "Boy! Have you no respect for the dead? If you want to check their bodies, why not do it on the tables they''re resting on?"

    What was the point of cing them down on the floor so disrespectfully? Do you know that these bodies were butt naked?

    "Deputy Director Shore! Are you really going to let them do this?!"

    (*^*)

    ...

    Xiang Shore squinted his eyes deeply. Though he too was annoyed, he believed that Old Gia would call this boy here for nothing.

    "We''ll go along with their y."

    "But..."

    "Enough!'' He eximed, raising his hand to call for silence before focusing on Donghai.

    "Do as he said. That''s an order!... As for you, boy! I hope for your sake that this isn''t some cheap trick!"

    Boom!

    Xiang Shore revealed his aura, trying to intimate Dorian.<sub> </sub>

    Only, the results were not what he expected.

    Everyone felt their hearts stop just from the Deputy Director''s ferocious gaze.

    But when it came to Dorian, he onlyzily gave a brief nod in understanding, directing his attention to the couple.

    ''_''

    Xiang Shore was taken aback, revealing a broadened smile in the end.

    Oh?

    Interesting... Very interesting.

    He rxed his stance, subconsciously standing directly opposite Dorian, observing his every move and expression.

    .

    Haru and Bewoh stood beside Dorian, holding onto the blue and brown wooden boxes in their hands.

    Haru looked at the scene thoughtfully.

    "Grandmaster, why allow them and not us to carry the bodies into the circle?"

    "Because they''re already marked. Just to be safe, I don''t want any of you getting too close contact with it."

    Even though he had ced the creature at a dormant stage, these bodies could contaminate or infect others, just like how his parents got infected by that powerful underworld creature without getting marked.

    Being infected and being called were 2 different things.

    And Dorian didn''t want either for anyone within the room.

    After this, it was best for him to check everyone who had been in contact with these bodies when the creature was awake.

    Who knows how many people are both affected and marked.

    .

    Marked?

    Overhearing Dorian''s words, Leah once again recalled the horrifying images she saw on Donghai''s back because he was marked.

    Augh~

    A feel shiver crawled her spine, wishing for this whole thing toe to an end.

    "Haru, candles... Bewoh, you know what to do."

    "Right!"

    Bewoh nced at everyone sternly.

    "Take 4 steps back... And no matter what you see, do not draw your weapons!"

    What the hell were they talking about?

    Everyone stepped back, feeling it all too ridiculous.

    A part of their brain had begun believing in some off thought that was too silly.

    However, the rational part told them it couldn''t be true.

    So many chuckled andughed, stepped back yfully... Especially the Forensic Pathologists

    They didn''t believe anything bizarre would ur.

    Nheless, they still kept their vignce, feeling that some mortal assassin would pop in through any of the openings.

    Lying trough.

    How was the paper on the doors and vents supposed to stop a killer froming in?

    ... Or could it be that the killer is one of them?

    Xiang Shore was silent, feeling very confused deep down.

    The others didn''t know, but Old Gia told him not to have a heart attack. At first, he chuckled in disbelief, wondering what could possibly make him feel that way. He felt Old Gia might be joking with him.

    But now, he wasn''t so sure anymore.

    .

    Once again, silence covered the scene as everyone watched Haru take out several medium-sized candles, cing them strategically around the circle.

    One by one, he lit them up, constantly repeating the same sentence over and over again.

    ~Swswgswhswgswhswh~

    He began sweating the more he spoke.

    Finally, thest candle was lit.

    Good...

    They could begin!

 Chapter 196 The Speechless Gang

    Dorian stepped into the massive circle, standing at the head of both bodies.

    Except for Haru and Bewoh, everyone now stood opposite him.

    Closing his eyes, he quickly went to work.

    ~Hup! Hup! Hup!

    His lightning fingers moved swiftly, doing several movements in the blink of an eye.

    And the more he did, the more blurry his actions became.

    Everyone stared at him in shock, pinching their thighs, making sure they weren''t dreaming.

    What great speed!

    Their hearts jerked.

    They were now only seeing after images.

    Just what type of human can do such a thing?

    Xiang Shore felt even more uneasy now.

    However, this was just the beginning.

    Rumble. Rumble. Rumble!

    The furniture and fixtures began to tremble and quake loudly.

    Documents flew off Donghai''s desk, chairs slid off, making everyone''s heart sink.

    What was going on?

    Everyone looked at one another, seeing the strange expressions on their faces.

    Wind! Wind!

    A ghostly wind blew into the scene, forming a tornado around the perimeter of the room, right before their very eyes.

    If before, the office desks and every other fixture only trembled... Now they began to fly!

    .

    Woooow~~~

    The wind was terrible!

    It blew very fiercely, so much so that tears began sliding off the corners of their eyes.

    Mother of Pearls!

    Xiang Shore gritted his teeth and reached for his soon-to-be flying subordinate.

    "Everyone! Grab onto the closest person beside you and hold on tight!"

    A terrible storm was brewing in the office.

    And holding onto the door handle, they did manage to survive the turbulence, but not without some difficulties.

    Boom! Bam! Boom!

    Xiang Shore kicked off as much furniture as he could, almost falling into a dazed state.

    He looked at Donghai with a ferocious look!

    "I want answers, and I want them now!"

    That''s right.

    Everyone looked onto Donghai, Leah and the other 2 who seemed to know Dorian, wanting the answer.

    Everything that happened in here defied physics and defiedmon sense.

    First, they experienced an earthquake followed by what felt like the heart of a tornado. And all this happened after Dorian moved his hands and began to whisper.

    The candles flicked heavily, followed by this chaos.

    Their minds were battling with one another, wondering if they had crossed the line of insanity or not.

    So you think this is a joke?

    Do you think they would want to stay in the fark about this matter, wondering if they were going mental or not?

    Sure... They might''ve initially not taken Dorian seriously. But now, things just got a whole lot more intense!

    And for their sanity, they wanted answers, and they wanted it now!

    But Donghai, who was pping in the wind, could only smile wryly.

    "It''s not that I don''t want to tell you all... But it''s just that it''s a long story. And we don''t have time for that!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

    Donghia sighed helplessly: "Do you all believe in the supernatural?"

    "_"

    .

    Wooooow~<sub> </sub>

    All this happened in just under minutes but felt like an eternity.

    The winds finally lessened, leaving the entire room in a mess, with paper and broken furniture lying around.

    However, that wasn''t what attracted everyone''s attention.

    "Deputy Director! The bodies... The bodies are trembling!"

    Underneath the cloth, the bodies continuously quake like a fish out of water.

    The forensic pathologists were the most shocked of all.

    What was going on with the bodies?

    They were trembling as though they were still alive and having a seizure.

    But this wasn''t right.

    Even if dead bodies move, it should just be abrupt actions, maybe due to gas build-up or something else.

    However, for them to tremble this long was too bizarre!

    They even had a bunch that at the start of the terrible wind 3 minutes ago, the bodies should''ve been shaking back then.

    But... But... But that doesn''t make any sense!

    "Deputy Director...."

    "I know." Xiang Shore responded, trying to find his voice.

    ''Old Gia, you bastard! What the hell have you gotten me into?''

    Xiang Shore was still curing Old Gia in his mind when suddenly... The trembling bodies stopped.

    Pooommm~

    A loud gas passed out from the bodies. And shockingly, they could all see the purplish color of the gas.

    Eh?

    "Does anyone else smell that?" One of them asked.

    And immediately, the gang who took in big whiffs felt mightily nauseated.

    Indeed, the room now emitted a foul stench that could probably make one prefer to put off a sky-high window rather than taking in more whiffs.

    Handkerchiefs to their nostrils, everyone now missed the moments of clean, fresh air from just a second ago.

    Subcibsciuky, many turned to look at the forensic pathologists usingly.

    ''Why didn''t you say that the farts swelled up in these bodies could cause severe nose-bleeding?''

    p The forensic pathologists were aggrieved.</anda>

    If we say this is also our first time getting this scent, would you believe it?

    (:��w��:)

    .

    Dorian opened his eyes, narrowing his gaze at the bodies below his feet.

    It''s just as he expected.

    Everyone saw Dorian reach for his pocket, taking out a single rectangr piece of paper.

    Hm?

    They twisted their necks in confusion.

    What did he want to do with it?

    Holding the paper with his left hand, Dorian tapped it with his right.

    And following that, he used his right hand to draw out a massive rectangr shape.

    Looking at what he was doing, one would think he was just imaginatively childishly drawing a rectangle with his fingers since nothing had appeared or filed till now.

    However, when he swiped the strange paper across his imaginative drawing, everyone was shocked to see a transparent bluish light appear until it finally formed a rectangr shape.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Dorian tapped the middle of the shape and instantly created a mirror.

    That''s right.

    It was a long rectangr mirror.

    And now, everyone was too shocked to speak.

    They held onto each other, gripping their lips tightly.

    This... This...

    Magic!

    (*0*)

 Chapter 197 [Bonus Chapter]A Shell Of A Body

    Zoom!

    Everyone stared at Dorian with ergedser-focused eyes.

    Magic, magic, magic!

    It was real. It was really real!

    Pah!

    Xiang shore pped his thigh in shock.

    ''Old Gia, you owe me one hell of an exnation!''

    [Old Gia sneezing far away in his office:... Who is thinking about me?]

    Flick! Flick.

    Dorian created another mirror before making both mirrors stand at the foot of the couple.

    Not good... They couldn''t see things now.

    Everyone subconsciously moved towards Haru and Bewoh; that way, they could see the bodies, as well as whatever got reflected.

    But what shocked them silly was that their reflections and that of the Grandmaster''s weren''t showing in the mirror.

    Even the couple was invisible.

    But not for long.

    Dorian flicked his wrist, moving the pieces of cloth covering the couple.

    And wouldn''t you know it, their reflection showed!

    .

    Blink. Blink.

    "Grandmaster...why do we only see them?"

    Donghai was just too curious. And so was everyone else... Including Haru and Bewoh.

    Dorian took out another talisman paperzily: "It will only pick up underworld entities, clones or shells."

    The actual creature was still locked up inside Donghai.

    However, it could leave shells like this one, which in a sense were also alive but far weaker than it.

    These shells had one job. To stay alive until the real mortals in the mirror world copsed.

    That''s right.

    The real couple were in there while the shells stayed out.

    Of course, these shells could also infect others too. So it''s best to get rid of them.

    But not yet.

    ''I''ll have to get the couple out first, or else the connection between them and this world would be lost forever.

    In that case, only after turning into an immortal would he have enough strength to break thews of the mirror world and get the couple out.

    By then... They might be lost forever and be too dangerous and murderous to be brought back and aced into society.''

    Dorian went over things deeply, analyzing the situation.

    For this n to seed, the shells had to reach their fullest potentials when awakening them.

    Since their master was asleep, they would be all on their own.

    .

    Very swiftly, Dorian bit a finger, dropping his blood onto the paper in his hand.

    And this his eyes closed and feet apart, he smashed his fists together, finally separating them to resale a long translucent staff.

    Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh!

    He twisted the staff in the air as though he was the monkey king.

    And with a fierce thump on the ground, the creatures opened their eyes.

    F***!

    Leah and many others jumped back in horror, teaching for their guns.

    "No guns!" Bewoh warned.

    This couldn''t be med on them.

    Who wouldn''t reach for the nearest weapons in times like this?

    Very slowly, everyone ced their weapons ck, feeling the room grow colder and colder.

    However, after seeing the reflection of these creatures in the mirror, everyone wanted to reach for their guns again in tears.

    Mommy... What the hell?

    Their faces lost all color, as sweat began forming on their foreheads.

    Hands twitching, chests growing tighter and tighter, everyone seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.<sub> </sub>

    The figure reflected was gruesome, with rotting flesh and a very hunched back.

    Those faces, which looked like the couple''s, began to feel off, revealing the most terrifying image they had ever seen!

    Bubuum!

    Xiang Shore gripped his chest, trying his best not to have a heart attack.

    ''Monsters... Monsters... They exist! Old Gia, you bastard! You freaking bastard! When I get out of here, I''ll definitely kill you myself!!''

    Oh my God!

    The image they saw was both terrifying and disgusting.

    Xiang shore felt he would never be able to eat again for the rest of his life.

    The worst was the forensic Pathologists.

    When they think of all the time they spent touching this body, they just want to pull out their guns and shoot themselves in the head.

    .

    <o>,m Everyone was too thunderstruck for words. But looking at how calm Bewoh, Haru and Dorian stood, they were only left in awe.</o>

    They dealt with mortal criminals while these guys fought for humans, dealing with such things probably on a daily basis.

    No... They were the real superheroes!

    (*^*)

    "_"

    In truth, Haru and Bewoh were shocked too. But, recalling the many creatures they saw on that fateful night, they still felt that this creature was better looking.

    After all, though alive, this thing was only a shell.

    Crack. Crack. Crack.~

    The creatures switched and cracked their bones while slowly turning around to face the crowd.

    Their bodies grew and grew to 8 feet tall, with limbs extending right to the ground.

    And soon enough, everyone heard their throttlingughter

    "Hahahahahaha~ mortals... Who dared to wake us up?"

    Swish!

    Many people hugged each other in horror.

    Mommy... They were petrified, okay.

    Tremble. Tremble. Tremble.

    Xiang Shore thought he was brave.

    However, his legs had long revealed themselves, quivering as though he needed a walking cane.

    The voices from these creatures were enough to make ame man walk.

    Everyone wanted to cry but didn''t dare.

    What if they make noise and garner the attention of this thing?

    Say no more!

    Subconsciously, everyone stood behind Bewoh, Haru and Dorian.

    That is, what if the creature sent its long limbs to grab them from the sides?

    That''s right. They weren''t ashamed to admit that they were chicken.

    But unbeknownst to them, the creature wouldn''t be able to get out of the cycle, even if it wanted to.

    At the same time, something else worried them silly.

    Seeing how terrifying these beings were, their confidence in Dorian''s abilities began to waver.

    Dorian was like a sheep standing beside a wolf.

    So who would have 100% confidence in his abilities?

    Everyone fell into a dilemma.

    But not for long.

    .

    Dorian slicked back a few hair follicles that fell onto his face and lightly tapped his staff onto the ground.

    Bam!

    A spare shot out one of his staff.

    And at this moment, many caught a side frame of Dorian''s face.

    (��_��)

    �� Was he smiling?

 Chapter 198 Just A Bit More

    Did they just see him smile?

    (��_��)

    Dorian''s lips stretched out into a wicked smile.

    1, 2... Boom!

    It happened too fast!

    Before everyone knew it, both creatures smashed against an invisible barrier.

    But how?

    They hadn''t even seen how the weapon had touched the creatures. So how fast was Dorian moving to do such a thing?

    ~Grrr~

    The hunched creatures painfully stood after falling, their eyes burning with fury.

    Cheap tricks!

    This bastard attacked them when they weren''t ready.

    "Mortal! How dare you?!"

    "Mortal, since you''re asking for it... Then don''t---"

    Pah!

    Dorian moved his weapon. And once again, the creatures were at his mercy, having no time to stop him.

    They could only look upwards after seeing his after image as, in a sh of light, Dorian vanished like an exploded bubble.

    "����"

    ? Even someone as experienced as Xiang Shore couldn''t help but be astonished by this site.

    What strength!

    0ah! Boom! Bam! Swish!

    Dorian''s staff swing too fast like helicopter propellers.

    And what was very frightening was that its speed was enough to create a thick blurry film that masked Dorian''s silhouette.

    If they didn''t know any better, they would''ve thought the staff was fighting the creatures all on its own.

    .

    Unbelievable!

    Everyone''s eyeballs were about to roll out of their sockets, trying to keep up with the battle.

    "Look over there!... I see him!"

    Someone pointed and shouted, and a momentter, everyone saw a scene that would probably go down in their history.

    Time seemed to have frozen in ce just for this very scene.

    This was the scene that they would never forget, probably telling their children for generations toe.

    And on the flip side, the monsters weren''t having it easy too.

    Looking upwards at the mighty staff descending on them, they tried their best to protect themselves.

    Too slow!

    The attacknded on its mark, causing them to tilt in defense, smashing the side of their faces on the barriers.

    Pah!

    Blugh~~

    Many held their mouths, trying not to vomit.

    Disgusting!

    Thank the heavens for the barrier, or else wouldn''t they be the ones receiving this unholy blessing?

    No thanks...

    Xiang Shore once again confirmed his thoughts on never eating for a lifetime after seeing this.

    Hello?

    As a person who already had a moderately low appetite, making him see these sites of things wouldn''t do any good for him.

    In this job, it was easy for one to fight to eat, especially when busy day in and day out.

    So he typically had to set reminders that forced him to eat on time. And many times, he didn''t even want to eat at all.

    But for his family, one must live a healthy life.

    Xiang Shore remembered the night meal he had in his office, only shuddering at the thought of food going down his throat.

    ''Family... You won''t be angry if I skip this meal, right?''

    .

    With an expressionless face, Dorian stood on the spot with one hand behind his back while the other waved his staff around mercilessly.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!<sub> </sub>

    The creatures honestly wanted to cry.

    Bully much?

    If they just move an inch, the staff would attack them.

    And the worst part of it all was that they seemed trapped in this space with this Monster!

    Erm... Has this devil left the underworld to mingle and y with them in this metal world?

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Dorian was ruthless.

    And even those watching felt a little sympathetic towards these creatures.

    On the floor were the creatures, rolling around in pain, with one having his hand on his head and another curling up into a ball.

    And standing as still as a mountain before them was Dorian and his staff.

    (-_-)

    This waspletely different from what they had imagined earlier.

    Tch!

    To think they doubted his capabilities.

    However, as easy as Dorian made it look, they dared not believe it to be so.

    Didn''t you hear what he was called?

    Grandmaster.

    This means that he worked his ass hard to get to this level where he could make it look like child''s y.

    Put them in his shoes, and maybe they would be the ones getting the beatings of their lives by these creatures.

    In the end, they would get eaten with no one knowing the truth of the matter.

    Everyone shuddered, thinking about what would''ve happened to them without Dorian.

    Just having them not throw

    .

    "Curse you, mortal!" The creatures were fed up and very unwilling. And with thickened veins popping past their already thickyer of mush, their faces caused everyone to hold their breaths subconsciously.

    Dorian stopped his beating, lifting his brows casually.

    [''Host, get ready... I think they''re about to show their fullest potential.'']

    ''... Noisy.''

    [(~_~)]

    The system rolled its eyes and went back to its corner.

    What else can its host say apart from that?

    Sometimes it wondered why it was anxious and desperate to protect such a host.

    But thinking of its master, the system gritted its non-existent teeth and cheered itself up.

    Hmph!

    For its master, it would deal with its grungy host.

    Well, in Dorian''s defense, these creatures kept yelling and talking all the time in his ears. And coupled with the system anxiously speaking, for a person that liked a bit of silence, it was very irritating.

    The system thought about it and felt that maybe its host didn''t mean it.

    After all, Dorian had been very ''nice'' to it thesest few dayspared to when they first met.

    That''s it!

    Since its host was working hard to change his grumpy nature, then it being his system, must also develop the patience to deal with him.

    Hey!... Who asked this system to be kind?

    Well, it''s best to treat its host like one would treat a grumpy child.

    Hmhm.

    (^_^)

    ...

    Like so, Dorian had been taken as a child without even knowing it.

    And even if he knew, he wouldn''t care.

    He didn''t like dealing with retards.

    Dorian narrowed his eyes at the creatures, watching them Morph.

    Good... Soon, he''ll be able to ess the mirror world of the abyss.

    ''Just a bit more.''

 Chapter 199 Activated Mirror World

    The air was tense.

    And the fear that had lessened not too long ago quickly came back in full swing!

    Tack! Tack! Tack!~

    The crackling noises popped out repeatedly with every twitch from the creatures.

    Like flowers, their mid-bellies opened in a roaring yell!

    Teeth! Teeth!

    There were rows andyers of teeth, all stacked and lined up in there. And toplement them were overly long purplish tongues that moved on their own as though they were serpents.

    A cold sweat formed across everyone''s pale face.

    F***!

    If that creature grabbed and hugged them, then wouldn''t they die without knowing it?

    ~Graww~

    The creatures roared the more their bodies changed.

    Their ears greatly extended out to the sides, and their nostrils slowly got sucked back in, seemingly fading from the outer surface.

    But who said that their entire body was whole?

    There were holes across their bodies and faces, allowing everyone to peep into their internal parts.

    On the jaws on one of them, maggots swam merrily in there.

    And when one bore a hole out of their flesh and moved closer to its mouth, the creature licked it, sent it into its mouth and chewed on it intimidatingly.

    Heh.

    With reddish eyes, the creatures coldly stared at Dorian.

    It was time for payback!

    .

    Ching!

    Their ws extended, and the ded tongues in their bellies were now ready for action.

    And those watching on the sidelines also knew that this time, they meant business!

    Grandmaster...

    Xiang Shore saw the ferociousness in their eyes and couldn''t help wondering if things would be alright.

    But seeing how calm Haru, Bewoh and Dorian himself still maintain serene expressions, Xiang Shore wondered if he was thinking too much.

    Could it be that this much still child''s y to them?

    Sigh...

    Xiang Shore shook his head wryly, patting his chest helplessly.

    He had to calm down, or this would only give him anxiety.

    With gazes filled with cruelty, they tilted their heads at an unnatural angle, smiling disturbingly at Dorian.

    Their master had told them not to unlock their full potential since it would trigger and open the mirror world.

    Remember, the couple was still inside. And until they received the go-ahead, they were not to act.

    But in this scenario, if they didn''t act, wouldn''t this mortal kill them?

    They, underworld creatures, were at the top of the food chain, dealing and enjoying these mortals as though they were delicacies.

    So how can they be happy getting beaten like this?

    .

    In truth, they too have never seen exorcists.

    And as shells that were also weak in terms of underworld hierarchy, their brain powers hadn''t fully developed.

    All they were used to were the natural instincts of all underworld creatures.

    Greed, pride, lying to the lines and all that... Those were the primary instincts that never allowed them to ept defeat... Especially from mortals.

    Indeed... Their brains hadn''t developed much yet. Or else, they would''ve long seen Dorian''s objectives, refusing to unleash their full potential.

    After all, if they don''t open the mirror world, how can Dorian exorcise them?

    Dorian looked at the mirrors suspended high up in the air, waiting for the right time.

    Bastard Mortal!

    The clueless creatures were only concerned with yback!

    They raised their heads and sneered at Dorian, who seemed frozen by their frightening appearance.

    Hahahhahaha~<sub> </sub>

    Now you know fear?

    "Mortal, we admit that for a moment, you had us."

    "But that''s in the past!"

    "Hehehehehe~... Mortal, now, we''ll show you just how frightening messing with us can be."

    Garnishing their ws, the creatures all smiled crazily.

    "Come, mortal! Let us show you what going head to head with us is really like!"

    .

    1, 2...

    Like a horror scene, the creatures appeared right beside Dorian, sending not just their pointy ws and sharpened belly-tongues at him.

    "Grandmaster, look out!"

    Someone yelled, and everyone closed their eyes, not wanting to see the gruesome scene.

    Their hearts constructed, and their breathing grew rapid.

    Can''t watch! Can''t watch!

    The scene was even more terrible than a blockbuster movie.

    However, what shocked many was that after peeping through the gaps on their fingers, they saw an even more legendary scene.

    ~ng!

    The ws shed against the rod, and the purplish tongues had all wrapped around the rod severally.

    But where was Dorian?

    Everyone stared at the rod, realizing that the spear on it had been retracted, returning the rod to its ordinary staff form.

    They stared at the very top of the rod, only to see Dorian seated on it like a fictional Buddha!

    That''s right.

    There wasn''t much religion in this world.

    Characters like Buddha were seen as superman or if Fireman was real.

    It can be said that the heavens had once or twice tried to open the eyes of these humans ages ago.

    However, to this very neglected world, any stories of this nature were taken as fictional.

    .

    The rod that had blocked every attack was still standing straight on the ground on its own while Dorian sat at the top.

    ''!!!''

    You look at me; I look at you.

    Bahahahhahaha~

    Many exploded, shaking, consciously strangling and hugging each other in glee.

    "Hahahhaha~... He''s alive! The Grandmaster isn''t hurt!"

    "God! For a moment, my heart was about to fall out of my chest with worry!"

    "That is, did you see how fast these monsters were? I blinked my eyes for a second, and they had already in close range to the Grandmaster

    No! It can be said that after blinking, they had long arrived, and their ws were just inches away from the Grandmaster. So who would''ve thought he would survive?"

    "F***! From today onwards, the Grandmaster is my idol! Crazy! Crazy! What an insane move!"

    (*0*)

    Swish!

    Dorian continuously dodged the attacks without breaking a sweat.

    Dammit!

    "Mortal! If you know you''re strong, then I dare you to stay right there and stop running!"

    "Bastard Mortal! You dare to cut off my tongue?"

    .

    Just a bit more...

    Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

    Dorian moved like water, flexibly digging their attacks.

    And soon, he glimpsed at the mirrors, seeing their surfaces ripple.

    It was time!

 Chapter 200 Hated By The Closest

    Angles right, bodies reflected.

    The surfaces of the mirrors rippled like a mirage.

    Now!

    "G~"

    What?

    The creatures felt dizzy with disbelief, finding that they couldn''t move at all.

    Dammit!

    What did this Mortal do to them?

    Pain. Pain.

    A deep pain bore into their backs, making them drop to their knees unwillingly.

    They were so close to killing this bastard!

    They shook and tried to get rid of the invisible binds holding them back but found it was of no use.

    Master��

    It was only now that their useless brains had thought of connecting with their master. However, they were greatly disappointed when they couldn''t connect with him.

    No!

    What happened?

    Has their master gone back to the underworld?

    ''Master, master... Where are you?''

    ''Graaaahhhh~''

    The pain was truly unbearable.

    And those watching all stared at the situation, forgetting to breathe.

    In particr, they focused on the strange rippling effect above.

    "Deputy Director! Look! Look at the mirrors!"

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    The surface of the mirrors began to drip like water droplets, falling onto the creatures directly below them.

    Mommy��

    A scaryyer of frost slowly stretched itself across the office walls, creeping and crawling in all directions like a vein.

    The scene was something straight out of a horror movie!

    The frost moved up to the ceiling, finally reaching the transparent coverings protecting the light rods.

    Treak!

    Itpletely squeezed the covering, forming cracks on the surface. And then, there was dimness.

    The room became darker than before the more the mirror droplets fell onto the creatures.

    Tap Tap. Tap.

    The creatures were forced to turn their faces upwards, allowing the droplets to fully cover them.

    And the moment their faces were masked, the droplets moved like lightning, spreading to all other regions of their bodies.

    Dammit!

    This was bullying!

    .

    1, 2, 3�� 5 secondster, the creatures were fully covered by the droplets.

    Boom!

    A loud explosive sound echoed out, causing everyone to step back subconsciously.

    Bubuum.

    Looking at the current mirror surfaces, Bewoh''s heart throbbed wildly. It wasn''t just him, as everyone felt choked with fear, peering into the mirrors with widened eyes.

    The image reflected this same room they were in. However, the room was more or less like a doomsday room, having burning mes and all sorts of broken pieces all scattered around.<sub> </sub>

    What was more frightening was that they could all see their doppelgangers smiling creepily at them from beyond!

    This was the mirror world!

    It was a mirror reflection of their current world, but much, much, much worse!

    No matter where one stood or what angle they positioned themselves while looking into the mirror world, they would be able to see their counterparts.

    Everyone, except Donghai, Leah and the other 2 had doppelgangers shown on the mirrors.

    Haru looked at his crazed and horrifying twin, feeling his tongue roll at the back of his throat.

    [I see you~]

    Those were the words he read from its lips.

    And without knowing it, he grabbed his protective pendant on his neck.

    For the first time in his life, the thing he most feared was himself.

    "Brother Bewoh, I don''t think I''ll be able to look into another mirror again."

    ''Hmmm��" Bewoh was also having such thoughts.

    Even if he did look into one, it wouldn''t be long.

    ''Should I buy mirror covers for every time I want to take a shower?''

    Everyone was internally debating on this matter. But how could it be that simple?

    Xiang Shore almost took out a cigarette, wanting to smoke and relieve himself from it all.

    "Grandmaster�� what exactly are we seeing?"

    "The Mirror world," Dorian said, levitating 8 coins around him with closed eyes.

    "There exists a mirror world. The world is vicious and cruel. Everyone, excluding you 4, should have already seen your doppelgangers."

    Xiang Shore shuddered after peeking at the overly scarred creature that was waving at him viciously.

    No, take it back! He didn''t want a doppelganger!

    (T0T)

    The more Xiang Shore saw the more he felt betrayed by the world itself.

    .

    "Grandmaster, can the doppelgangers harm us?"

    "More or less. But they need the help of a creature!"

    Boom!

    Dorian''s words made everyone firm their decision to buy mirror covers before they got home. No! Can it alsoe from their car mirrors?

    They had no tears but wanted to cry the more they listened to Dorian.

    In essence, these doublegangers aren''t per se real in the sense that they wouldn''t be able to harm or move from the mirror ne to this one�� unless�� they had the help of an underworld being.

    It was a little tricky to exin, but those from the mirror world were neither human nor underworld creatures.

    They were an entirely different category that was more or less linked to one''s shadow.

    Heh. The shadow might look useless to many in the mortal world. But who would''ve known that the shadows were roaming about in the mirror world?

    Every reflection, be it on a cup, a stream of water or any other surface, was the gateway into the mirror/shadow world.

    And who can know you better than your shadow?

    Shadows. Shadows��. Now everyone was terrified, feeling that they could one day be betrayed by the dark images that always followed them everywhere.

    Who knew that their shadows hated them this much?

    "All shadows want to escape and cause carnage into the mortal world. But they need the help of a creature to do so." Dorian said, tilting his head towards the creatures before him.

    Looking at the faces of these shells, the others didn''t know, but these shells wore the shadows like face masks., allowing them to peer into the situation with the real victims inside.

    The shadows must''ve struck a deal with the creature that would onlye into effect after the victims died.

    The creature wanted to feast on the victim, while the shadow wished for freedom from the victim.

    Whether it was Haru, Bewoh, Donghai, Leah or Xiang Shore, no one could ever look at their shadows the same way again!

 Chapter 201 Real Or Fake?

    Donghai furrowed his brow.

    "Freedom?"

    "Hmm. They want freedom from you all."

    Everyone sucked in their breaths, seemingly understanding the hatred from their counterparts.

    Freedom!

    From what they understood?

    Even in the mirror world, their doppelgangers must always be in the exact same position where they stood in the real world.

    The only thing the doppelgangers controlled were their hands and legs movements once they in the real world stood still.

    You have to know that the moment Dorian allowed them to see into the mirror world, they were shocked by the fact that their counterparts were viciously scratching and beating each other nonstop.

    Their counterparts were cruel and very evil, loving carnage and fighting nonstop.

    And when the blind covering both nes was removed, their counterparts stopped their fights, now staring at them with burning hatred, as though wanting to drink their blood and eat their flesh for dinner.

    The fury in their eyes could not be masked.

    They hated that they couldn''t walk to wherever they wanted to unless they, the humans, moved in the mortal world.

    Don''t get them wrong. Once the mortal was stationary, they could fight, jump and even take care of their enemy. But it has to be on the same spot!

    Again, the sun in the mortal worlds could also control their heights, shapes and sizes each day.

    Bottom line, too many factors yed a part in controlling them, and it all boiled down to the mortals they were attached to!

    .

    Additionally, they looked down on their mortal counterparts, feeling them too weak and useless.

    Good was bad, and bad was good for them.

    They didn''t have souls or any spiritual bodies and didn''t understand kindness and all those worthless feelings.

    They wanted freedom from their mortal counterparts, as well as the mirror world.

    You know, no shadow could exist in the mirror world without a mortal counterpart.

    What was tricky was that the moment the mortal dies, rots and disintegrates, the shadows will also break down and vanish.

    After all, even corpses had shadows. So until the bodypletely bes one with nature before they could truly die.

    But how was that fair?

    They, the shadows, were in a sense immortal.

    They didn''t grow old but only changed their shapes, sizes and forms.

    They were vibrant and wanted to live forever. So why must they die with those mortal weaklings?

    The shadows hated them with passion!

    Thus, they wanted to escape the mirror world and live in the mortal world forever.

    Heheheheh~

    Make no mistake.

    Once the creature deals with their human counterpart, they could then generate a body very simr to their mortal counterpart and live in this world.

    The creatures sent the mortals in there to turn them wicked.

    They didn''t believe that these mortals wouldn''t turn vicious after spending a couple of days, weeks and months in there.

    In the end, once the mortal haspletely broken down, the creatures will bring them out and allow them to do evil in this mortal world.

    From there, it''s easy to see how the creatures would harness and enjoy their mortal meal at the end.

    And when they do finally decide to take the mortal''s soul, the trick is that they, the shadows, have to also be in the mortal world and not in the shadow world, or else they would be bound by the mirror worldws.

    Of course, once they and the mortals were out in the mortal world, the mortal won''t have a reflection simr to how vampires don''t have one.

    Likewise, they, the shadows, won''t have reflections as well.

    How can a shadow have a reflection?

    That was impossible!<sub> </sub>

    .

    Once the mortals finally die, the shadows would grow out their bodies into any shape and form, all simr to any of the mortal''s shape and form throughout their lifespan.

    It was just that they would have the same face.

    But that was alright.

    If the shadows wanted, they could turn to the 5-year-old version of the mortals, living in secluded areas.

    How would you know?

    Like so, the shadows could stay in hiding,mitting atrocities for 5 or more generations straight before being public with their images.

    By then, the victim''s children and grandchildren would be Great Grandparents or dead.

    Shadows were immortal and would look like this until they were found out.

    Of course, they being shadows meant that no bullets, chains, shackles, or anything of that sort could harm them.

    p They would just turn back into shadows and flee to another location.</anda>

    Only an exorcist can deal with them.

    Who knew that these counterparts could appear not just on mirrors but water and probably ever other reflective surfaces?

    Gulp.

    Everyone swallowed hard, looking at the provocative expressions from their counterparts.

    The Grandmaster won''t let them out, right?

    Whoop. Whoop Whoop.

    All 8 silver coins spiraled around Dorian very swiftly after cing his hands in a crossed position against his shoulders while staring at his counterpart above.

    His counterpart was probably the only counterpart that looked seemingly harmless and very handsome.

    It smiled at him with its hands in its pockets, looking at himzily.

    Even in the mirror world, his counterpart seemed to be a monarch, with the other shadows fearing it deeply.

    Tch!

    Everyone was dumbfounded, only feeling that Dorian must be a special being to have such a counterpart.

    Make no mistake. Thezy counterpart that looked like it was only here for a walk in the park, gave everyone goosebumps.

    It took out its hands from its pockets and slowlyy on the ground, seemingly annoyed from Dorian''s standing.

    Itzily ced crossed its legs and rested its hands behind its head whileying on the ground yfully.

    .

    [''Host, why does your shadow look so clean?'']

    Its host wouldn''t be the real doppelganger, wouldn''t he?

    (o_o)

    No. No. No. No.

    The system quickly threw that thought away since its host had a soul.

    But something wasn''t right.

    This shadow wasn''t ordinary!

    The system stared at its Dorian deeply.

    ''Host, what exactly are you?''

    Dorian stared at its counterpart and raised the corners of his lips.

    [Do you want to do it the hard way?]

    Its shadow chuckled.

    [Now is not the time for our little showdown.]

 Chapter 202 The Big Shadow Boss

    Dorianzily nced at his counterpart, who was alsozily staring at him.

    Both chuckled, seemingly understanding each other.

    Smart.

    His shadows knew that it wasn''t strong enough to take on Dorian. So it didn''t even try or think about doing anything now.

    For a shadow to have such willpower and control over his emotions in the mirror world was too unique and eye-jarring.

    Take a look at the others?

    Everyone Was wing and viciously staring at their mortal counterparts because the mirror world itself was a living brain on its own, just as the Abyss of the underworld could produce, giving them their natural underworld instincts.

    The mirror world hammered its rules on the shadows, only making their hatred for their entrapment with their mortal counterparts grow and grow.

    Every shadow had more or less the same feeling and hateful re in their eyes�� not to talk of their overly scarred and ugly appearances.

    But Dorian''s counterpart was too clean like himself, even shining as though he was some Martial arts immortal.

    What was also bizarre was that his attire was also immacte whitepared to Dorian''s ck get-up.

    Even afterying on the dusty and very broken down floor with heat seeping off it, the white attire hadn''t changed at all!

    His face also looked harmless, and his smile made many have a glimpse at what it was like if the Grandmaster ever smiled.

    However, the illusion of him being harmless was broken off by the other shadows that cowered away in pure horror after just locking contact with him for a second.

    Xiang Shore swallowed hard.

    "Grandmaster�� Your Doppelganger sure is scary."

    Everyone else nodded in a daze.

    Say no more.

    They felt pressure just from looking at the Grandmaster''s counterpart.

    This again reaffirmed Donghai''s instincts to never go against Dorian.

    Such a person�� he couldn''t afford the results.

    Even his Gia family had to take multiple steps back when it came to Dorian. So who was he?

    .

    Just when everyone felt immense fear from the Grandmaster''s counterpart, Dorian narrowed his gaze, not taking his eyes off his counterpart for a second.

    Boom!

    His aura was unleashed, and everyone dropped to their knees in horror. Some directlyid t on the ground instead.

    This�� This��

    The little fat on their cheeks trembled, and their hearts began to beat too wildly.

    What sort of monstrous aura was this?

    Xiang Shore wanted to p himself in the face when he recalled how he tried to intimidate Dorian earlier.

    Compared to the feeling he got now, what he did should be akin to a newborn baby lightly tapping an adult.

    Choking�� Oxygen�� Oxygen��

    The air had be stagnant and frozen, as though they were in space.

    And soon, Dorian relieved them all.

    ~Swish!

    He jumped into the mirror world after attaching both mirrors.

    That''s right; he passed through the portal.

    ''5 minutes.''

    He reminded himself.

    And everyone in the room could finally breathe.

    GASP!

    Their clothes were fully soaked as though they had juste out of a pool.<sub> </sub>

    Haru wiped the sweat off his face, touching his deck of cards in his pocket.

    After that initial battle on the Wuphil Mountain region, he attached Talismans to the back of all his cards.

    As someone that loved doing magic tricks, it wasn''t hard for him to quickly slip a few cards up sleeves after touching his pockets.

    He didn''t know if the shadows could sense what he was doing.

    But he felt that they shouldn''t be able to since when stationary, they, the shadows, moved their limbs and acted in ways he did not.

    Haru squinted his eyes thoughtfully.

    ''It looks like when stationary, I too can hide secrets from my shadow. The Grandmaster said that during these 5 minutes, they wouldn''t be able to pass through. But if he takes longer, the portal will close.''

    .

    He worried that during the closing time, the portal would be weakened somewhat.

    And a few shadows might actually be able to escape.

    One shouldn''t overlook this fact because, during the portal-weakening phase, the region the portal was around would also have weakened Mirrorws.

    Meaning the shadows should be able to walk without being chained on the same spot as their mortal counterparts.

    As shadows, they can swish and move far distances in a blink of an eye.

    So during the few seconds that the portal was forcefully closing on its own, over 30 shadows could escape into his world.

    A human without a shadow in the mirror world will slowly grow weak and die after a while, even if they have no reflection on the mirrored surfaces like Drac.

    Provided the Grandmaster came back before 5 minutes was up and closed the portal by himself, then they won''t even have to worry about shadows escaping.

    But if the mirror world had to take action to close it up, then that was where the problemy.

    Haru and Bewoh briefly met each other''s eyes in understanding.

    If these shadows dared to step out, they wouldn''t hesitate to make a move!

    ''Haru, I think our biggest worries should be the big Shadow."

    "HmHm." Haru agreed.

    Tsk!

    As expected of the Grandmaster.

    Even his shadow was a big boss!

    Bewoh and Haru threw their heads behind their shoulders, ncing at the gang sternly.

    "Everyone, though we cannot go in to help the Grandmaster, that doesn''t mean that we will not be able to aid him from here."

    "Right!" Donghai replied.

    And everyone else nodded, spreading their legs and cing their hands behind their backs to maintain a long-standing military position.

    That''s right.

    All they had to do was stand STILL!

    (*^*)

    .

    ~Dshang.

    The weird sound of him passing through the portal was very non-existent.

    The air was too hot, causing a heat mirage across thend.

    The sky was nonexistent, with rubles floating high up in the air.

    There were no clouds, moon or sun, yet it was hot and bright.

    Tic-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    There was no time to waste!

    He had to find the victims!

 Chapter 203 A Strange Counterpart

    The air smelt poisonous and rotten with the distinctive smell of charcoal.

    Dorian circted his qi, creating a clean vacuum a few inches away from his body.

    ~Gw~

    All Creatures stared at him viciously, trying their best to attack him from where they stood.

    Vmmmm!

    One of them elongated himself to the highest length it could, shocking those watching from the Mortal world.

    "What is going on? Isn''t standing still enough to guarantee the Grandmaster''s survival?"

    Xiang Shore, Donghai, Leah, and everyone else were all going crazy with worry.

    Haru thinned his lips, exining what he picked up from the Grandmaster''s earlier words.

    And the revtion left everyone dumbfounded.

    "You''re saying that these shadows can grow up to the highest sun-touch-length that we experienced throughout our lives."

    Bewoh nodded.

    "That''s right. Imagine a day on the beach with the sun causing long shadows. That length is taken in by the shadows and bes part of them. But I''m guessing that they can only elongate towards the sun direction that the sun in our mortal world had pushed them to."

    "F***!"

    One of the men eximed, seeing the many shadows elongate like long balloons with sharp teeth and overly pointy hands with ws.

    "Look, look! They''ve got the grandmaster surrounded!"

    "Yes!" Leah replied, grabbing another person''s wrist so tight, almost causing an injury.

    All their shadows were quick to surround the Grandmaster, but why was it that his shadow seemed unfazed?

    Dorian''s Shadow was still leaning on the ground with his legs swinging yfully.

    And soon, she knew why.

    A silver light suddenly shed.

    Pap. Pap. Pap.

    Quick ded sounds echoed out, with no one seeing what was going on.

    .

    1, 2, 3�� the darkness suddenly cleared, followed by the eerie wails of these shadows.

    "Skeeeiiii~~~~."

    They immediately turned as small as a baby, not daring to grow any bigger.

    Everything happened too fast. And they themselves were also clueless about what this bastard had done to them.

    If not for the burning pain they felt, they would''ve thought it all to be an illusion.

    Dorian stared at the now-shivering shadows expressionlessly.

    "Behave."

    Shiver. Shiver. Shiver.

    With their toddler appearances, they nodded vigorously, not daring to disobey.

    No wonder this mortal was the counterpart to the evil shadow over there.

    What were they thinking?

    Those watching felt a chill of fright run up their spines.

    It should be that some of their shadows'' fears had prated their beings too.

    Though the feeling was very small, a shadow could still affect its mortal counterpart by 1% or so from the mirror world.

    It can be said that humans were 1% being the shadow and the rest being the soul.

    However, though small the percentage was, they still couldn''t be without shadows.

    Xiang Shore gripped his chest, pushing the strange feeling away.

    Of course, he still cursed Old Gia in his heart.

    ''Old man, just wait to see how I clean you up after this!''

    Dorian stared at his Shadow very authoritatively.

    "Are youing or not. You choose."

    "Hahahahaha~" The shadow calmly stood, looking at Dorian yfully.

    "Do I have a choice?"

    "No."<sub> </sub>

    If you don''te willingly, then you''ll be dragged!

    Sigh~...

    "So bossy, aren''t we?... Ah��. You were just about to say our favorite catchphrase, weren''t you?"

    Dorian choked on his words.

    Noisy.

    "Let''s go!"

    Only he can choke himself.

    .

    Like so, Dorian in ck and his counterpart in white closely advanced side to side, looking like the ultimate duo.

    What was more shocking was that his counterpart had a dark fan in his hands.

    The fan looked ordinary, but the feeling it gave Dorian was powerful.

    His counterpart chuckled as though enjoying this unique experience.

    "I am you�� So don''t you think I can see through you?"

    Dorian suddenly paused amidst the rubble all around him.

    "You are not me. You are but a shallow shadow of me�� Nothing�� More."

    Instantly, the air turned hotter, bing very dangerous.

    The duo stared at each other eyeball to eyeball, no one backing off.

    Though his shadow still had a smile on his face, the fury radiating from its eyes was so great that it changed its eye color to pure mirror-silver.

    And in just another blink, his eyes returned to the same color as Dorian''s.

    His smile broadened in a very devilish manner.

    "Hahahahah~... You''re right. I''m just a shadow. However, you of all people should know never to underestimate a threat, no matter how small it is."

    "I know�� Just stating the obvious." Dorian said, as a matter of fact.

    His counterpart waved its ck fan, covering its lower face. And with a deep stare, it looked at Dorian expressionlessly.

    "Hmmm�� I''m your shadow. A prisoner to you. But not for long. Sooner than you think, I''ll be out�� Sadly, not today."

    Dorian didn''t even bother responding to it.

    Try all you might; you''re not getting out of here.

    What was the point of arguing about this fact?

    Dorian Didn''t think its counterpart would ever be able to escape his grasp. However, it was always best to take precautions.

    ''System, keep an extra eye on him while in here. I have a feeling that he''ll try to slip something on me.''

    [''No problem, host. I will keep a good eye on him!''] The system responded, using itsser-focus to watch the counterpart.

    In a sense, he and his counterpart were both smart. He was confident, but it wasn''t good to be overly confident, lowering his guard.

    His counterpart had strange objects on him, all of which were too suspicious.

    Where did he get them from?

    .

    [''Host, 1 minute in the Mortal world is up!'']

    1 minute outside was equivalent to 5 minutes here.

    ''Hmmm''

    The victim''s shadows were on the faces of those creatures in the mortal world.

    And using a particr spell, he located the victims.

    Maybe it was because they sensed their shadow location in the mortal world�� but what he found was that they weren''t too far away from him.

    They were actually on the bottom floor of this same broken police station building he was standing in.

    His counterpart understood his expression. And right before his eyes, the fan erged, turning into a flying fan.

    "Getting on?"

    Dorian stared at it deeply. "No."

    "I thought as much."

    ~Swish!

    The duo vanished.

 Chapter 204 Victims Located

    ~Swish!

    The 2 were on the move.

    Dorian''s counterpart flew on his ck giant fan while Dorian leaped across the overly broken floor.

    He leaped over many fallen pirs and ruined spaces with an expressionless face.

    But suddenly, the ground broke.

    Boom!

    Dorian kicked back on the already piece, jumping high up in the air.

    "Fun, isn''t it."

    Dorian didn''t bother to try, focusing on the hell-hole below him.

    The whole was more than 3 stories down, with its sides still sizzling with yellowish fares around the perimeters of the massive hole.

    And right at the very bottom, he could see a burning stagnant pool of water with deadly vapor that could run a mortal if they stood too close to the ce for more than a minute.

    Ruined police structures, dust, bones, desks, tables, broken down furniture and even clicking light bulbs... Dorian noted it all.

    The mirror world created mirror images of everything, including a pen. Anything that a mirror could reflect would have its counterpart here.

    It was just thatminate objects would also be inanimate here.

    Only counterpart animals and humans were alive in this world.

    Sure enough, Dorian saw shadow rodents crawling within the space, as well as the shadows of the police and F.B.I officers in the mortal world who should also be standing or sitting in the same positions where these shadows were.

    The couple was in here on the very bottom floor somewhere.

    Time was ticking.

    He had to find them fast!

    ~Puff!

    Dorian vanished.

    .

    Meanwhile, in a very secluded area within the incredibly massive broken-down facility, an elderly couple was currently holding on to themselves in horror.

    Their hair was disheveled, and their breathing heavy.

    They had visible bags under their eyes from distress.

    That''s right. They had been in hell all this time. And after a long search, they finally found a ce beyond the reach of those Monsters!

    That''s right.

    It''s only been a little over a day in the mortal world. But for them, it''s been 5 whole days!

    The man felt he had turned a hundred years older than he was because of it all.

    He and his wife were very simple people with good hearts.

    To change them to evil was truly a hard feat.

    Nheless, since he came to this ce, there have been strange voices in his head, telling him to do this and that.

    ''Kill. Kill. Kill!''

    Those were the words resounding in his brain.

    It wanted him to mill and grow insane with murderous thoughts.

    But how can he do it?

    He would rather kill himself than take a life.

    .

    The 57-year-olddy looked at her husband I''m distress.

    "Will we ever get out of here?"

    The old man rocked her back and forth, cing a fierce kiss on her forehead.

    "Believe Mai... What are humans without hope and belief?"

    The woman bit her lip, nodding very slowly.<sub> </sub>

    They both knew that they weren''t in the real world anymore.

    First, they were both dragged into the mirror. And they watched their counterparts smile and step into the real world right before their very eyes.

    If someone had told them that such a thing was possible, they would think the person was crazed.

    What was more horrible was that their counterparts had also sworn to destroy everything important to them, including their children and 5-year-old grandson.

    Tears trickled down their faces when thinking of all the horrors they went through these past few days.

    Day 1, they were beaten, scratched and tormented to near insanity.

    Day 2, they got burnt and scarred by some evil stream of water that seemed to have a million showers inside.

    Day 3 and 4, they began to defend themselves but still got unlucky, with that voice constantly forcing them to kill.

    What was even more rming was that the voice wanted them to kill one another.

    .

    The ultimate test.

    The couple couldn''t do it. Maybe if they stayed here for years, they would change and give up their hope in someoneing for them.

    However, it''s just been 5 days.

    Mind you, a year in the mortal world would be 5 years here.

    A lot can change... Especially if one had also lost hope in humanity.

    The voice in their heads constantly tried to push them to the wall.

    [Hahahahha~... You are funny. Your many armed forces in your world know you are here. Many humans have been pushed in here, but your people have never bothered to save them.

    Humanity is rotten... Humanity is rotten.

    Why hope for them to save you?

    You are just going to die anyway.

    So do it... Kill your partner, and I will set you free!~~]

    ''No!... Get out of my head!''

    The couple both cried, fighting with themselves and the shadows.

    Kill each other to get out of here?

    Could they really do it?

    .

    The human mind could always change, and that''s what each other feared.

    The seed was nted.

    And the longer they stayed here, the less trust they would have for one another.

    In future, both parties might even try killing themselves when they sleep.

    In this world, they realized that they were neither hungry nor needed to relieve themselves with bathrooms.

    The only thing they could say was that after 4 days, their bodies needed sleep.

    That''s why yesterday, they could take rotational periods of sleep, 4 hours each.

    For now, they still lived and trusted none another, believing that since the government knew of this ce, they would definitely send people in to save them.

    The police and enlisted forces were the protectors of the nation.

    The couple who had a positive outtake in life chose to believe in their rescue.

    "Mai... Just you wait. Someone wille for us."

    ~Boom!

    As if on cue, a massive sound echoed out.

    Following that, a pair of eyes shone brightly, the closer it moved.

    The faces of the couple stretched out in a grim horror.

    "Mia! Get behind me!"

 Chapter 205 A Painful Choice

    Pressure.

    The man quickly pulled his wife up, slowly backing away from the approaching intruder.

    He raised a steel rod with trembling hands, standing against his foe.

    "St... Stay back, I tell yah!... Stay back, or I''ll really hit you!"

    "Hubby... "

    Mia also tightened her grip on her steel pipe, nning to help her husband if worse came to the worst.

    Over thest couple of days, they roughly understood how these shadows acted.

    Many times, these strange creatures seemed not to be able to move, even though they wanted nothing more than to rip them to shreds.

    Sometimes, a shadow will stand on the same spot, screeching the floor with its nails and stretching forward to grab them.

    They had tested different locations, knowing this massive empty room that looked like a storage room was safe.

    That''s right.

    In here, not many shadows seem to want to step in.

    This was where they slept yesterday. And it was rtively safepared to many other regions in the building.

    They didn''t know why, but they were grateful for it.

    But who would''ve known that it was all their wishful thinking?

    .

    ~Whoop! Whoop!

    "Back! Back I tell yah. Stay back!"

    Endo swung his pipe fiercely, trying to deter the enemy from approaching, but it wasn''t working.

    "Grww... mortal... Grww... Kill... Grww~"

    The shadow spoke between humannguage and some strange growling sounds.

    It was as though it still didn''t know how to speak correctly.

    Its eyes shun with a vicious light, wanting nothing more than to tear them limb from limb.

    Gulp.

    Both sides were ready for the showdown.

    3... Everyone hardened their weapons.

    2, 1... The couple ced one foot ahead, ready for the big swing.

    ~Swish

    The man swung as hard as he could.

    However, just when the rod was inches away from its target, the shadow suddenly turned to the side and walked along another part.

    ''Grwwrwwr~''

    ''_''

    What just happened?

    This was a storage room.

    And it can be said that back in the mortal world, the shadow''s counterpart had turned another aisle to retrieve something.

    The shadow tried to stretch towards them, but the couple had long gone out of its reach.

    Hateful! Hateful! It wanted to kill its mortal counterpart!

    (:T��T:)

    .

    "Endo, what just happened?"

    "... I, I, I don''t know... But we still have to be wary of it."

    The couple secretly sighed, thanking their lucky stars for whatever just happened now.

    However, they celebrated too fast.

    ~GRRWWWW!~

    The shadow soon reached for Mia''s leg, trying to drag her into the darkness.

    "Mia!"

    Endo dropped his rod in rm.

    His wife!

    Very quickly, he grabbed her tight, firming his stance.

    What?

    Terror thundered down on Mia, feeling a chilly burnt on her ankle.

    Shadows in the mortal world did have a cooling effect.

    One could sit under the shade of a tree on a nice hot day, or one could even stoop and stand on a person''s shadow during a parade to block the sun.

    It was ironic that shadows were cool, but the mirror world was zing.<sub> </sub>

    A shadow burn was chilling yet burning at the same time.

    "Ahhhh~~."

    ? She screamed in pain, feeling a strange frost seep into the very fiber of her bones.

    Task. Tack. Tack~

    Her dropping blood froze and shattered the moment it hit the ground.

    Mia sobbed, looking at her husband who was trying his best to hurl her back.

    Earlier, she had wanted to tell him her thoughts. But seeing him make his decision, she gave up on it.

    But now, she felt tired in such a world.

    "Endo..."

    Endo''s years flooded like a waterfall.

    "Endo! Look at me!"

    The teary man couldn''t do it.

    Ge had been married to her for so long. So how could he not know her thoughts?

    Mia smiled bitterly.

    In this life, she was fortunate enough to have a man like him.

    .

    "Endo... Look at us. We can''t keep going on like this. How long can we stay here?"

    Endo bit his lips, refusing to answer her. Rather, he tightened his grip on her, refusing to let go!

    Sigh...

    "Endo, don''t be selfish. You and I had a good life. We''ve lived to be this old. But don''t forget that we have children who are newly married too."

    Knew. Knew... Of course he knew!

    "Endo... You must end me and go out there to save our children from those Monsters!"

    That''s right.

    Their counterparts had promised to kill everything they loved just to get back at them.

    So the longer they stay here, the more time their counterparts will have in killing their children and grandchild.

    Maybe some of their friends will also get targeted too.

    They could wait for the government to rescue them. But maybe by then, it will be all toote.

    Unbeknownst to them, even if they killed one another, they still won''t be let out.

    Hehehhe... How could it be that cheap?

    "Shut up, Mia! I am not killing you!" Endo was determined.

    Such a thing was something he couldn''t wrap his head around to do.

    Do you think taking a life was easy?

    The mental preparations alone was something he had to battle with... Especially knowing that he killed his beloved.

    No~

    Endo pulled harder.

    They would find a way out together and make it time to save their children.

    That he swore!

    (*^*)

    .

    Endo tried his best to drag her back.

    But suddenly, the shadow''s scope grew even broader, reaching for his one leg too.

    Bam!

    He smashed the back of his head on the ground. But he dared not think about the pain.

    Rod! Rod! Rod!

    He desperately tried to grab his rod, but he was incheste.

    No~!

    The smile and anticipation in those cruel eyes foretold the horrors they were about to face.

    And as the shadows dragged them deeper into the darkness, Mia and Endo constricted in a silent scream.

    Unlike the other times, this was the first moment when their bodies had begun to turn rock solid from the bone-chilling frosty pain.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Their helplessness, anxiety and desperation all created a dastardly wave of fear pounding in their hearts.

    �� Could this be their end?

    Grww!!!!!!!~

 Chapter 206 Ticking Time

    Death stared at the couple in the face.

    Their angles were freeze-burning, their bodies turned stiff into stone, and their chests knotting tightly.

    Gr~

    The creature eximed excitedly, increasing his strength and speed when dragging them over.

    Hahahhahaha~~~

    Humans... Humans... It hated humans with a passion!

    The couple stared at their impending doom, feeling their worlding to an end.

    They shut their eyes in fear, knowing that their stone-stiff bodies couldn''t move.

    ''Children... Please, be safe.''

    Crack!

    A part of the ceiling broke off, instantly crushing the shadow like a bug.

    Bam!

    The couple quivered, too scared to open their eyes.

    However, the temptation was just too great.

    Blink. Blink.

    Who? When? How? You... Normal?

    -Silence-

    The couple swallowed their saliva, looking at the youngster, who seemed very normal.

    You have to know that sinceing in here, every person they saw looked like human-Frankenstein, with open slip wounds, All sorts of even body parts and so on.

    That is, they saw someone with its left leg as fat as an ox and his right as thin as a baby''s arm.

    At times, even when the bodies were somewhat even, there would always be something else exaggerated about them, like their eyes that could take up half of their faces like an Owl.

    That appearance was even scarier to them.

    The youth before them was the first and only person they saw that looked human.

    Of course, they were still very vignt.

    Who knew if it was a trap?

    Again, the strange voice in their brain also kept telling them not to believe and kill Dorian before he killed them.

    Confusing... Confusing... Too confusing!

    However, what can they do?

    Their bodies were still stone-stiff.

    So even if the voice is right. What then?

    .

    Dorian stood on the fallen flooring that smashed the shadow, casually scrutinizing the victims.

    Already, he saw the stiffness in them.

    "Rx. I''m here to take you back to the mortal world."

    Bubuum!

    The couple''s eyes widened in shock.

    A part of them wanted to jubte, prideful that the government had set someone to rescue them.

    Of course, another part was doubtful because of Dorian''s age.

    ... This wouldn''t be a trap, right?

    Moreover, they seemed to have seen the guy''s doppelganger too.

    Eh?

    Both looked so clean, as though they were mortal twins.

    However, the smile on the one in white made them shudder in fear.

    This... Could it be that one of them was a monster?

    [''Host, you only have 4 more minutes in mirror world time!'']

    Dorian didn''t allow them to speak, calmly flicking his wrist and cing their bodies on the t surface he stood on.

    Time to go!

    ~Swish!

    Like a flying saucer, Dorian levitated the broken floor piece and flew high up amidst the attacking shadows.

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam!<sub> </sub>

    Left, right, front, back, you, down... Many in close proximity, stretched as far as they could, swarming to the 3 mortals flying out.

    It was as though they could smell the mortal scent because, for a moment, all shadows looked at him, wanting to attack viscously.

    The scene had made them forget to look closer at the lead one standing.

    And when they finally did, they quickly retracted and hid away in horror.

    F***!

    Wasn''t that the boss Shadow''s human counterpart?

    Sure enough, seeing Dorian''s Doppelgangerzily leaning in his giant fan and following behind them, many didn''t dare to stretch closer.

    ~Swish!

    Dorian moved like lightning, avoiding all falling structures.

    Say no more.

    He knew it should be his counterpart that was doing this.

    Dorian squinted his eyes at the falling pieces, creating a circr force field around him.

    How annoying.

    Boom!

    He flew straight out, allowing all objects to shatter above his forcefield.

    And soon, he was back at the portal sight again.

    ~Grwrwrw~

    The shadows who had long been docile after he left were once again tormenting their mortal counterparts through the portal.

    Of course, the moment he came back, they turned into innocent babies, trying to look their cutest.

    Too bad the obvious scars and deep axe-like wounds were just so hard to miss.

    Not to talk of one who had its nose ced on its forehead instead.

    (-_-)

    .

    "Look! Look! The Grandmaster is back! And he has the victims with him!"

    Someone eximed, and everyone was smiling and cheering in relief at the sight of the trio''s return.

    Hahahhahahah~

    "He did! He did! He really did it!"

    Xiang Shore was so happy that he shook Donghai like crazy.

    The cheerful atmosphere was contagious.

    And even the couple who could see them from the mortal world all burst out in tears, finally believing that they would be rescued.

    Just thinking about their suffering thesest 5 days was enough to make them cry for a lifetime.

    "Woooi~... We are finally back. We are--..."

    Plop.

    Dorian abruptly threw them past the portal.

    No time!

    [''System, scan me will the moment I fully step into the mortal world.'']

    Though he was confident in his observation skills, his enemy was still himself.

    So yeah... It was urate to say that he didn''t trust himself in this matter.

    They were both smart, and this guy could slip something on him when he passed through the portal.

    This, it wouldn''t be bad to have an extra eye watching them both.

    The system jumped, getting happy that its host finally saw its potential.

    (^0^)

    [''Host! Don''t worry! I will definitely keep an eye on this bad guy!... Ah-... Not that you are a bad guy how can my most be a bad guy?'']

    The system was panicking, thinking that since the host''s shadow was still part of the host... Maybe the host will feel insulted, thinking it was calling him a bad guy instead.

    Poor little system.

    He just wanted the host to like and rely on him more.

    Dorian''s mind wasn''t even on the system''s thoughts.

    [2 mirror minutes more.]

    This meant that he only had a few more seconds in the mortal world to close things up!

 Chapter 207 Case Closed.

    ~Drang!

    He jumped through the portal and moved his fingers like crazy.

    Time. Time. Time.

    Hup! Hup! Hup Hup!

    His actions were so hurried that everyone soon noticed the impending danger... Especially when Haru began to begin the countdown.

    "12 more!"

    Dorian continued, speaking faster than ever.

    "11..."

    He took talismans out and stamped them on the couple''s face and that of the creatures kneeling before them.

    "10...."

    He began the permanent ritual of exchange, beginning things back to the way they were.

    The little shadow aura gathered in the coupe was quickly drawn away and sent back to their shadows resting on the faces of the kneeling shell creatures.

    "5!..."

    Dorian continued, causing many to die of anxiety.

    Dammit!

    "4!..."

    "From Shadow, you are... and shadow, you shall return.

    ~Swish!

    He sent the shadows back!

    And when they arrived in the Mirror World, the couple was again taken aback by the grotesque and hideous appearance.

    They kept wing at the portal, wanting to slice the couple to pieces.

    [''Host, nothing has been such in and there''s no shadow essence detected either.'']

    ''Hmmm...''

    He figured as much.

    You have to know that while he took care of the couple''s problem, he also cleared the entire space within the formation, just in case something hid around the scene.

    "3!..."

    Dorian closed his eyes and began causing a whirlpool of wind in the room

    " 2!..."

    Finally, the portal began closing.

    And when Dorian opened his eyes, he saw his shadow, smiling at him.

    ["One day, I''ll be free from you~"]

    Unlikely.

    Dorian refuted in his heart.

    Before the event ever made a move on him, he would have to prepare against it.

    How annoying.

    His shadow was nothing like him personality-wise.

    .

    "1!..."

    The portal vanished into thin air right before their very eyes.

    From there, the mirrors returned to their normal state, reflecting what they should.

    Plop.

    Everyone slumped to their knees in cold sweat, thinking of what disasters might have been if the countdown reached zero.

    Even Haru had to admit that he would never venture in there to save someone unless he reached a certain level.

    Or else, if he couldn''t do things on time, then wouldn''t he unleash hundreds and hundreds of shadows into the world instead?

    In truth, he didn''t have to rescue the victims immediately.

    He could go in, find them, tell them to stay where they were before heading out andtere back to rescue them after knowing exactly where they were.

    It was just that if he moved a too far distance away from the orbital, he might not make it out, getting trapped in the mirror world too.

    He needed to boost his cultivation and speed, to move and fly just as Dorian did.

    This world was dangerous.

    And the shadows would no doubt try to catch him, stall his time and prevent him from leaving.

    Not to talk of the voice that would prate his head, trying to confuse him.

    One had to get a certain skill level before stepping into the mirror world.

    And if they were newbies, it was best to go in a group.

    The couple looked at Dorian gratefully, seeing they were no longer as stiff as stone.

    The shadow essence had been drawn out... Though there were repercussions to it all.<sub> </sub>

    Dorian nodded at the couple, pointing to the ground.

    "Look."

    Everyone peered wide-eyed in fascinated rm.

    F***! F***!

    The victims were growing shadows!

    That''s right. When they were dropped in, many saw that they didn''t have shadows, just as the Grandmaster had said.

    They were truly like Drac.

    But now, their shadows were slowly growling out, like a flower shooting from the ground to the sky.

    And soon, the shadowy silhouette stabilized to a particr height.

    I''ll be damned!

    Many were once again mortified, knowing that they were always walking about with the shadows with them.

    No!

    From today henceforth, if there was something they needed to hide, they would standpletely still as a rock.

    Who knew when their shadow woulde for them, using their secrets against them?

    Sorry.

    They just couldn''t see the ck images on the floor the same again.

    .

    The couple were also very fazed, looking at their shadowsing back to them.

    Also, a strange feeling swelled up inside, making them feel whole.

    It was as though a hollow hole had been filled within them.

    That''s right.

    Humans can''t live long without a shadow.

    It was unnatural.

    The couple were still excited, so much so that they hadn''t discovered the giant elephants beside them.

    "Heavens!"

    The couple quickly backed away, leaning on the formation''s walls.

    What the hell was this?

    They stared at the shell creatures, wanting to not only like but bleach their eyes away.

    They thought what they saw in that strange world was already a rat enough.

    But how could they know it was nothingpared to these guys kneeling before them?

    Horrible! Horrible!

    The hunger that had attacked them the moment they arrived quickly curbed away in disgust

    Half of the creatures'' faces had vanished, as though someone had punched and created a deep dent.

    However, this was all because their shadows that were used as face masks were no longer there!

    .

    "Haru, Bewoh... Enter."

    Vmmm!

    An opening was created, and the duo marched in with the wooden boxes at hand.

    Today was their first time performing a true exorcism since taking the heavenly vow.

    Haru and Bewoh were inwardly smirking, too excited to get started.

    ~Swish!

    An ancient-looking book floated between the duo.

    Flip. Flip. Flip.

    The pages flickered, abruptly stopping on a specific page.

    "Be ready!"

    "Yes, Grandmaster!"

    Everyone saw Dorian flick his wrist, withdrawing the coins on the creatures'' faces.

    The rest of their bodies were still pinned. But their faces could freely move.

    Dorian chanted a spell to keep them suppressed before finally stepping back.

    Alright.

    It was time for the Exorcists-in-training to show their worth.

    They had taken too long for this matter.

    But finally, it was over.

 Chapter 208 The Aftermath

    Haru and Bewoh gritted their teeth, feeling the strength from the spell.

    Powerful. Powerful.

    Their bodies and cheeks danced and quivered the longer they chanted.

    If they knew that this was a low-tier grade 1 spell, they wouldn''t know whether tough or cry.

    Haru handled one creature, and Bewoh was handling another.

    "Shwshwshwshwshhswhshw!"

    Grrr~~~~

    Before everyone''s eyes, the creatures twitched and wailed horribly, causing many to ce their hands over their ears and shriek back.

    I''ll be damned!

    Their eardrums were ringing and banging in their heads. But for some reason, they couldn''t take their eyes off the scene.

    It was as though each of its structural cells had fought into a bright-light me, dispensing from their toe upwards.

    First, they disappeared and vanished, followed by their thighs, belly, chest, hands... Until all that was left was a floating head.

    The creatures became even more troubled because they had one of their hearts at the back of their heads.

    If they could escape me, they would be able to generateter.

    However, how could it be that cheap for them?

    Haru and Bewoh were almost out of breath.

    The more parts of the creature they destroyed, the heavier the spell''s pressure on them.

    They were only new to cultivation and hadn''t broken their mortal shells yet, though it should be another day or 2 before they did.

    Before the academy opened its doors, their task was to break through and study hard during these next 3 weeks and a few days or so because they would be teachers too. Though only teaching the most minimal of things.

    They had to power up fast to always be by the Grandmaster''s side.

    They were near the peak performance of human essence.

    At least with the aid of the path they took, they could rely on it to do the spell.

    This was one of the lowest exorcism spells ever. And they were having such a hard time, almost fainting and going into aa.

    They knew that the Grandmaster would step in if they couldn''t. But they didn''t want to give up so easily.

    .

    No!

    The duo narrowed their eyes amidst their stinging beads of sweat.

    ''I can do this! I can do this!''

    ''Shwhswhshwshswhswhshws!!!!!!~~.''

    They pushed and pushed through, not caring about the seeping creatures.

    Go to hell!

    Boom!

    Dorian saw the holy chains around the creatures add anotheryer, simr to a single strand of hair.

    Now, the chains were akin to 2 strands of hair intertwined with one another.

    Though very faint and near-fading, he was sure it should be enough to deal with measly creatures... That is, they weren''t even the boss.

    They were just shells.

    1, 2, 3... The floating heads began to vanish very slowly.

    ~Puff!

    The duo had performed their first exorcism.

    Bang!

    Haru and Bewoh slumped to the formation walls, trying to catch their breath.

    [Circte your qi.]

    Ding.

    Their eyes shot open like bulbs, hurrying to practice breathing exercises, as well as see practice their cultivation.

    Dorian withdrew the formation, leaving them to sit crossed feet on the ground.

    Eh?

    The duo frowned, seemingly dissatisfied.

    Why was the qi here so frail and almost none existent?

    It was too terrible.<sub> </sub>

    Trying to gather qi here was akin to them trying to catch a single strand of hair in a tornado or windy storm.

    Do you call this an MSS office?

    Augh~

    Already, they missed the space back at the estate.

    No wonder the Grandmaster told them to focus on circting their qi.

    Gathering anything here was just so hard!

    Forget it.

    The duo rxed their brows, closed their eyes, and concentrated on the task at hand... While Dorian focused on the couple instead.

    .

    Mia and Endo stared at the young boy with awe and reverence in their eyes.

    The thing was that they didn''t even know how to address him at all.

    Luckily, Xiang Shore, Donghai, Leah, and everyone else has rushed over to check their situation... Especially the forensic pathologists.

    "Ma''am, sir... How are you? Do you feel lightheaded? Need food? Water?"

    The red-haired Ryu Quinn was almost going crazy from all he saw.

    As one of the chief forensic pathologists in the area, they sent those bizarre corpses under his care since many couldn''t understand what exactly was going on with them.

    F***!

    Today has been the scariest day of his life!

    He not only questioned his sanity but also grew a deep sense of fear of corpses for the first time in a long while.

    Dammit!

    If he ever saw any strange corpses, he wouldn''t dare to touch them again.

    What was this youngster''s name again? Grandmaster! And where could he find him? Though he didn''t know, he decided to call up Xiang Shore whenever such a situation urred.

    Lying trough. Didn''t you see his counterpart looking at him viciously, as though waiting for an opportunity to strike?

    Who knew if the corpse would somehow push him into the mirror and make his doppelganger escape?

    Okay, okay... Maybe he was stretching it a tad bit too far.

    But after all, he saw, it wasn''t like it was impossible.

    .

    Ryu Quinn''s messy red hair dangled over his face the more he darted his eyes maniacally at the couple.

    "That''s enough, Ryu. They need some space." Xiang Shore said, yanking the famous corpse-crazed man behind.

    "Enough!... Everyone, give them space... The Grandmaster isn''t done yet."

    ''Grandmaster...''

    The couple secretly noted the name in their hearts.

    "Thank you, Grandmaster! Thank you for all you''ve done!" The couple eximed, bowing as deep as they could.

    The dangerous wave of hunger and the tightness of their bellies and legs made it feel like torture to kneel or kowtow.

    If not, they would''ve done so.

    They just hoped that the Grandmaster wouldn''t feel that their gratitude was insulting.

    However, looking at Dorian''s expression, they knew they thought too much.

    They breathe a sigh of relief, liking the youngster even more.

    Though he didn''t have a smile on or look approachable, his heart was in the right ce.

    "Please, sit."

    Dorian said, flicking his wrist.

    And again, a few broken chairs flew by.

    Following that, Donghai''s upside-down and broken desk in a far corner, also floated towards them.

    Well, the couple wasn''t that shocked by the youngster''s magical abilities anymore.

    After all, he floated them out of the mirror world, no?

    Dorian took a seat, and the couple also sat as well.

    Everyone except for Haru and Bewoh surrounded them with inquisitive expressions.

    What could the Grandmaster have to say that required them to take a seat?

    (��_��)

 Chapter 209 Never Too Easy

    Breathe~~

    Everyone felt an enormous weight of uneasiness rapidly erode their beings.

    The heaviness caused their thoughts to spiral into many directions.

    This... This��

    ~Gulp.

    The couple swallowed hard, fidgeting in the broken seats that managed to stay up and hold their weights.

    Subconsciously, they held each other''s hands for support.

    I look at my thigh; you look at our hands.

    I look at the table; you look at the Grandmaster.

    Please... Can anyone tell them what is going on here?

    -Silence-

    ....

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Somehow, that stupid clock hadn''t fallen, though its screen was broken on impact with a flying object.

    The distant ticking noises only made the situation worse.

    It was like the sounds of death, drumming against their hearts.

    Bubuum... Bubuum. BUBUUM!

    Mia wet their lips, thinking of whether to speak or not.

    But Dorian beat her to it.

    "Tell me everything. Leave nothing out, no matter how meaningless you think it is."

    "Ah!--..." The couple was taken aback before vigorously nodding like crazy.

    "Yes, Grandmaster!"

    They looked at one another, understanding what the Dorian meant.

    "Grandmaster! Can we record this?"

    Record...

    Donghai''s word made w]everyone''s eyes lit up.

    Pah!

    They pped their thighs, recalling why they were here in the first ce.

    p Yes!</anda>

    This was a case file!

    So though the victims have been recovered, they still had to know and develop a detailed report on it.

    Xiang Shore in particr, remembered how Old Gia had told him to save and keep the case.

    The emergence of the paranormal had been so shocking that they couldn''t even recall their own names.

    But thanks to their earlier visit from the boss creature, Donghai, Leah, and the other 2 were quick to gather their senses.

    The couple was about to go into detail on what happened in their home before they entered the mirror world, as well as how their time there was spent.

    Gathering information on this mirror world was a must!

    It was just that almost everyone''s phone was either broken or destroyed.

    ~Swish!

    Donghia moved towards the wall, opening his built-in safe that looked remarkably identical to the wall.

    When the room was neat and tidy, one wouldn''t be able to find this safe, especially after he always ced his massive couch before it.

    "I knew the Grandmaster wasing. So I made preparations." Donghai said, pushing past the piles of rubble, opening the safe, and taking out a video recorder.

    .

    Donghia had thought this through.

    He bought it because if he wanted to rent the ones in the station and state his reasons, he knew they would take him to the hospital instead.

    Also, he wasn''t sure if, by the end of the day, it would be fitting to give the tape to the station.

    Thus, he decided to buy his own and give it to Old Gia and the rest instead.

    That''s right.

    He assumed that if the Gia household had known this for generations and generations, then maybe they would like to keep it secret.

    Well, all those were his guesses.

    And in the end, he, Leah, and the other 2 got the video recorder after leaving Dorian''s estate.

    Everyone was impressed and grateful for Donghai''s quick thinking.

    The video camera had long been charged and was up and ready to go.<sub> </sub>

    It was just that would the Grandmaster approve?

    .

    Dorian shrugged his shoulders.

    What was it to him?

    In the end, he was here to poprize the fact that the paranormal existed. So why stop anyone?

    It wouldn''t make a difference to him since his academy would soon open its doors.

    And by tomorrow, he''ll begin his first attempt at sending the Invitations!

    Dorian gave him approval, as well as the couple.

    Following that, Donghai pressed the button.

    And... Click!

    The red light was on.

    The couple began their tale.

    The more everyone heard, the more shocked and horrified they were.

    Again, they were also shocked that the bastard in the mirror world would lie against them.

    F***!

    They made the couple believe that they, the armed forces, knew about their entry into the mirror world and refused to save them.

    Hello? Today was their first day knowing this, okay?

    And almost all of them here had high-level status.

    What the heck?

    What was even more preposterous was the voice telling them to kill one another in order for the victor to leave.

    However, from the Grandmaster''s words, they knew it was a lie!

    The couple also grew pale, listening to what would''ve be of them if they turned murderous.

    .

    Mia gripped her husband''s hands with guilt.

    If they didn''te to rescue them, wouldn''t she be the one pushing Endo to take her life?

    If he embarked on that journey, wouldn''t she be the one who caused it all?

    "It''s okay... I don''t me you." Endo whispered warmly. "I only me those evil things!"

    Luckily, he had a firm heart, refusing their temptations!

    Think you can get him to kill his wife?

    Impossible!

    Love conquers all.

    (*^*)

    Endo was proud and felt very heroic for sticking to his belief through his tribtions.

    That was what made a man a true man!

    After today, Endo would go on to be more strict in sticking to the right path. He and his wife would be one of the great teachers in the academy, respected by many.

    They will defeat countless entities and be great elders in the Academy.

    But... that was a story for another day.

    Now, the couple looked very haggard and shaken.

    .

    "Grandmaster, I don''t understand... You said we only spent a little over a day there?"

    "Yes. To you, it was 5 days and a few hours. But to us, not much time has passed since your disappearance."

    Shocking.

    Xiang shore and the rest stared at Donghai, as though saying: Are you getting that?

    ''_''

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    Dorian stared at them, looking at their aura, forehead lines, eyes, lips, cheeks, chin, and other physical straights.

    "Palms.

    "Ah!--... Yes, Grandmaster." The duo was obedient.

    "State your full name, date of birth, and ce of birth."

    Though he knew through personal information from the case file, since they sat beside him, it was best to double-check the information from the horse''s mouth.

    It can be said that their visit to the mirror world did have consequences.

 Chapter 210 A Fair Life

    Very obediently, the couple gave their personal information.

    At the same time, Dorian was busy running his hands across the lines of their palms diligently.

    And everyone else focused on the scene, not wanting to miss a single thing.

    "Grandmaster, what is it?"

    Endo was also precipitating from anxiety.

    Dorian flicked his twist, allowing one of the wooden vices to float over.

    However, Dorian didn''t open the box yet.

    Gulp.

    Everyone''s interest was overly piqued now.

    "Though you both got dragged into the mirror world, there are still consequences to it all."

    What? Consequences?

    Endo and Mia were frightened.

    "Yes... Though you need not feel it unfair... In the eyes of the heavens, what you owe or what you are owed, will alwayse back to you."

    What they owe and what is owed to them?

    The more they listened, the more they felt very perplexed.

    "Grandmaster, what do you mean?"

    "It wasn''t your fault that you both got dragged into the mirror world. So the heavens aren''t faulting you for that." Dorian stated as a matter of fact.

    And everyone else nodded in agreement.

    "Your actions in the mirror world were also very amiable and are in the eyes of the heavens.

    Your souls are like a recorder, saving every little thing you''ve experienced in your life. So you have nothing to fear."

    Phew~

    The couple collectively let out a deep sigh.

    The others in the room were also relieved, though a little ufortable.

    F***!

    With their souls recording everything... they won''t get punished for their younger days when they used to steal gum from their ssmates, would they?

    Cough. Cough

    Many coughed and scratched their heads awkwardly.

    At the same time, they kept feeling that the Grandmaster would soon release a deadly bomb in his words.

    And sure enough, they were right!

    .

    "During your time in the mirror world, both of you sustained multiple injuries. And the most noticeable was the one on your ankles.

    It''s unfortunate that not only did the shadow hold you for too long, but it also decided to release one of its most powerful attacks on you two.

    And though I''ve taken care of the physical aspects of the matter... The soul is another matter all on its own."

    The soul? The soul?

    Bubuum!

    The couple held their chests anxiously.

    Dorian leaned forward, narrowing his eyes at them.

    "Madam..."

    "Yes!" Mia responded.

    "You were supposed to live to 91 years old. And sir..."

    "Yes!''

    "You were supposed to live till your 89th summer."

    Xiang shore and everyone else had their mouths opened, listening to Dorian calcte and foresee the couple''s death date.

    F***!

    He can do that too?

    After their initial shock, everyone then looked at the couple pitifully.

    They felt that the results might be too saddening.

    The couple also found it hard to breathe with such news thrown at them.

    They clenched their fists, trying to hold back their tears... Maybe it won''t be that bad?

    .

    Dorian stared at Mia. "Your mortal shell Is connected to your soul... You received the most injuries... 26 years of your life is gone."

    What?!!!!

    26?...

    Everyone quickly did the math for her.

    She was 57 and was supposed to die at 91... She only had 8 more years to live!

    Brutal! Too brutal!<sub> </sub>

    Do you know what a life span is?

    It was like having hold and somehow can over to snatch it.

    Not 3, not 10... But 26 years off her lifespan!

    Thinking of things, everyone secretly swore that if they ever went into the mirror world, they would never allow any damn shadow to grab or injure them without a fight.

    Say no more.

    They were all too petrified.

    It was already difficult enough to keep their little lives as officers of thew.

    But now, you''re trying to take such a big piece of pie out?

    Impossible!

    No one would be happy with such results.

    .

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    Mia lowered her head, letting her teardrops shower on her thighs.

    8 years...

    Her grandson was just 3.

    She thought she would be able to live long enough to see her grandchild get married or even get his first job as an adult.

    Sadly, she would die when he was 11.

    What''s more, herst child got married, and she was still waiting to hear the good news of a baby in her belly. So how can she not feel sad?

    The results struck her hard, and Endo had no way offorting her.

    What will he tell her? That it was going to be alright? That she would survive past that?

    He also knew it would probably be like this.

    Sigh...

    Maybe they should use thest few years coloring the world?

    That was heaven''s will!

    The atmosphere had turned very sour. But Dorian wasn''t done yet.

    "Mr. Endo... In your case, you have 17 years off.

    Endo, 61 years old.

    Supposed to die at 89... He had 11 years to live.

    He would die 3 years after his wife.

    Endo heard this but wasn''t troubled.

    What bothered him was his wife''s situation instead.

    ....

    -Silence-

    Be it Leah, Xiang Shore, Ryu Quinn, or anyone else, they had no words of encouragement to give.

    The atmosphere was very gloomy.

    However, Donghai squinted his eyes at Dorian thoughtfully.

    "Grandmaster, you have a way of prolonging their lives, right?"

    Ding!

    In a daze, everyone, including the couple, suddenly looked at Dorian only to see a slight smile on his lips.

    "Smart... I indeed have a way."

    Eh?

    You, he, what?

    You look at me; I look at you.

    The tears hanging on the corner of her eyes got sucked back in like magic.

    "Husband... Endo... Endo... Did you hear that?... Hahahaha~~... He has a way!"

    "I know... I know..."

    Very quickly, the couple celebrated, feeling hopeful in their hearts.

    ''Grandson... Now, grandma and grandpa will finally be able to watch you grow.''

    (:��0��:)

    The atmosphere turned sunny in a blink of an eye.

    Everyone was happy for the couple.

    But Dorian only chuckled at their immediate glee.

    .

    "Have you all forgotten...Everything is fair in the eyes of the heavens."

 Chapter 211 A Fair Life 2

    This...

    "_"

    Everyone suddenly calmed down after listening to Dorian''s words.

    Everything is fair under the eyes of the heavens.

    Everything is fair under the eyes of the heavens.

    Everything is fair under the eyes of the heavens...

    The more he recalled his words, the more curious and nerve-wracked they became.

    Dorian raised his hands, showing 3 fingers up.

    "You have 3 choices to make.

    But before you do, you have to understand that there is life, death, and the endless cycle of reincarnation."

    Reincarnation?

    To their confusion, Dorian nodded his head lightly.

    "Yes. Reincarnation.

    To put it simply, this is not your first, not yourst life. All humans or mortal souls get judged, sent for punishment to reincarnateter, or reincarnate immediately if they are good."

    Everyone''s eyes twinkled, listening to Dorian''s sage words.

    The worst was the punishment if they were bad.

    So someone could get punished for thousands and thousands of years before reincarnating?

    (��?��)

    Crazy! Crazy!

    It was funny because if people did know this, some would still decide to do evil, wanting to enjoy this life.

    After all, wasn''t it better to live in the moment than acquire some future Karma that they wouldn''t even recall?

    In their next life, they won''t remember this one, so what did it matter?

    Some people thought like that back in Dorian''s old world.

    Some people were just rotten to the core and would take a miracle to change.

    For these people, Dorian couldn''t care less.

    Everyone in the room swallowed hard, knowing that the heavens were more real than they thought.

    .

    "You have 3 choices.

    Your first is to die just as predicted.

    However, everything is fair under the eyes of the heavens.

    So in your next lives, your taken-time will be given back. And you will also have a slightly more prosperous fortune than what you had in this life.

    That is thepensation from the heavens."

    Oh~~

    For some reason, listening to thepensation made them feel a lot better.

    Well, it does seem fair.

    The couple nodded, wanting to first listen to all 3 options before making their choice.

    "Grandmaster, what''s the 2nd option?"

    "It''s the inverse of the first.

    You can choose to live past your designed original day of death by taking the years from your next life''s... And the extra years that were supposed to get added as a blessing will be void."

    Immediately, the couple didn''t want to choose the 2nd option.

    What if in their next life, they were meant to live till theirte 30s ended up dying at 14 or something?

    As people who visit the supermarket frequently, this looks like a bad deal.

    They might as well choose the first option and die knowing that they would have a better fortune and longer life span in their next lives.

    Taking life off their next one to make up for this one?

    What a lousy deal!

    Everyone else felt the same as well.

    "Grandmaster, we don''t want the 2nd option," Mia spoke out, without even knowing what the 3rd option was.

    So was so disgusted by the 2nd option that she just wanted it out of the way.<sub> </sub>

    [Endo]: (T_T)... Wife, can you calm down?

    A moment ago, the woman was crying her eyes out. Now, she looked like she was about to bargain with a store clerk.

    This was life they were talking about, not some tin of tomatoes, okay?

    .

    Dorian chuckled, staring at the lively people before him.

    The people in this world sure were interesting.

    ~Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup.~

    Dorian tapped the table, ncing at both couples and secretly praising his luck.

    "With other people, they might not have thisst option I''m about to give you... Only a select few have this option."

    "What is Grandmaster?"

    Everyone was still intrigued, and Haru and Bewoh, who finished what they were doing, calmly appeared behind Dorian.

    Their presence only made things more interesting.

    Damn!

    Everyone only felt fidgety and anxious, wanting to know what this third option was.

    And the couple was no exception, especially when it had to do with their lives.

    [''Host, are you going to...'']

    ''Hmmmm.''

    Dorian looked at them deeply.

    "Do you know why your lifespan got affected so greatly?"

    "No."

    They responded, vigorously shaking their heads sideways.

    Everyone else also shook their heads subconsciously too... All except Donghai.

    "Grandmaster... Would it have to do with the mortal shell thing you said earlier?"

    Dorian stared at Donghai, inwardly satisfied.

    As expected of a Gia.

    He had a sharp mind, nitpicking on the littlest of details.

    "Hmhm... It''s because of your mortal shell."

    Mortal shell?

    Everyone was still confused but decided to listen attentively.

    More confusing was why only a few people had this option.

    And for this, Dorian only had to say it was talent.

    As he said earlier, not everyone can be an exorcist, just as not everyone can be a star, an engineer, or a fisherman.

    They were all professions, some requiring rigorous exams to get qualifications.

    And do be an exorcism, the first initial exam was on checking the talents.

    The entire world can''t be exorcists, just like the whole world can''t be musicians.

    The heaves distributed talents very faulty.

    Some have architectural talents, others are pro sport athletes, others make great spokespeople, and some just have the core talent for Exorcism.

    While touching their palms, he was very pleased.

    For now, he wanted them to be caretakers... But with their talents, he wouldter prepare them to be Academy elders.

    .

    "3rd option!

    You will have to break through your mortal shell and keep raising your strength.

    Additionally, you will all have to gather more good Karma for the heavens, never straying into the darkness.

    In doing this, you will not only survive past your 8 and 11 years left, but you will also do so without losing your blessings from the heavens.

    You will get to enjoy both... But the journey will not be easy.

    So... How do you choose?"

 Chapter 212 An Estate Of Secrets

    Leaning on the vehicles outside the station, Bewoh and Haru were still a little dazed about all that just went down.

    And a little further ahead from them, the Grandmaster was still dishing out his final orders to Donghai, Xiang Shore, and the rest.

    10 P.M...

    The sky was far too dark, with the streets still busy with many finishing their work shifts, heading back home.

    The summer heat still made the night hot and stagnant.

    But Haru and Bewoh didn''t feel the heatwave.

    No... The chilling experience they just had was more than enough to keep them cool for the time being.

    Gulp.

    Haru swallowed hard, looking at the shadow below him.

    "Brother Bewoh, the mirror world sure is scary."

    Bewoh nodded, seemingly in a daze.

    "Mmmm... That''s why we need to get stronger. I pity the old couple as well."

    "Yeah... To lose so many years... What bad luck!"

    "I agree. Luckily, they chose to be Caretakers in the Academy."

    Bewoh couldn''t help recalling the scene of their agreement in his mind.

    The couple had no doubt chosen the 3rd option... To begin their cultivating journey together.

    From what he more or less understood, the caretakers were also elders as well, with some getting the opportunity to teach students too.

    Some would be caretakers and controllers of everything concerning the inner sect, outer sect, and all the other sectors in the Academy.

    Some might even get tasked with overlooking the forbidden regions too.

    And of course, as elders, they would also be able to teach once in a while too.

    Haru and Bewoh thought about it, feeling that the couple had made the right choice.

    "Brother Bewoh, though the culprit for this matter has been caught, the Grandmaster would still have to work with the MMS to check for others who had been taken to the mirror world... After all, the real creature was still fast asleep in Donghai''s body."

    The duo understood this aspect.

    Things should be far from over now.

    Of course, the Grandmaster did say that with the creature''s strength, it shouldn''t be able to focus on many mortals all at once.

    So they hoped the couple was the only ones who were taken there.

    Additionally, they had to examine those who came in contact with the bodies, checking if they were marked or not.

    The Grandmaster had a rounding up to do in this matter.

    But at least half the work was done.

    Bewoh nced at the approaching Dorian, straightening his suit.

    "Haru, get the door... It''s time to leave."

    "On it."

    The matter with the shadows was seemingly over.

    And like so, the trio went home, but not before Dorian had made appointments to sell off talismans to everyone else.

    F***!

    With all they saw, how do you expect them to sleep well at night?

    Vrrmmmm~

    They were off!

    Meanwhile, back in their estate, many watchful eyes continuously fidgeted in the dark.

    .

    "Alice! What the hell do you think you''re doing?!" A whispery but anxious voice echoed out within the very dark and winding hallways.<sub> </sub>

    It was already past 10:30 P.M!

    The hallways were all dark, with just a few being dimly lit.

    11 P.M was the typical lights-out period in the Tian household.

    However, with the emergence of these groups of doctors and nurses, the rules were slightly changed.

    Dinner was still 8 PM on the dot.

    However, by 10 P.M, they were expected to be in their sleeping quarters or the Grand Chambers, looking after the Tian couple during their overnight shifts.

    Everyone worked in rotation, abiding by the strict rules of which ces were off-limits and which weren''t.

    The Tian estate was broad and filled many with adventurous thoughts and wonders.

    However, they dared not disobey, especially since it was their leader, the genius doctor Jung that sent them here.

    Alice felt her heart beating chaotically the moment she heard the whispers.

    Min Kai?

    The 23-year old Alice was taken aback, seeing her 27-year-old senior behind her.

    The senior looked more and more anxious the longer they stood.

    Looking back and forth in fear, he couldn''t help reaching for Alice as briskly as he could.

    "Alice! What the hell are you doing out by this time? Are you crazy?"

    Alice bit her lips, disgusting the turbulent emotions in her eyes.

    "Brother Kai... I... I was only going out for a little stroll."

    "At this time? Why didn''t you do it in the daytime? Alice, do you take me for a fool?!!"

    Seeing that Min Kai wasn''t buying her lies, Alice was more dissatisfied with her predicament.

    Why?

    Why was a young and energetic genius like herself stuck on watching duty, overlooking those near-deatha patients?

    It''s not been long since she got here, and already, she wanted to leave.

    She desperately hoped that Hou Jung would send for her, seeing that this sort of work was beneath her.

    But in the end, her thoughts were never realized.

    Her leader was determined to be heartless, leaving her out in this hell hole that didn''t even have a fixed gate security team.

    Why? Why should they follow tye rules in such a ce?

    Alice looked down on the Tian household.

    To her, they were taking advantage of some old favor Jung Hou owed, allowing his team toe over.

    Despicable!

    People like these were just too shameless!

    Moreover, she felt like these people were holding onto some unprecedented secret that made her curious to know.

    Why? Why were they all acting suspicious?

    .

    Alice''s mind moved fast.

    "Brother Kai. Don''t you want to know the truth about this ce? What if they''re doing something illegal that can corrupt the leader''s reputation? At this point, they''re very desperate, wanting to keep their disguise as being wealthy...Think about it, brother Kai... You know I''m not wrong."

    <o>,m Min Kai thinned his lips, recalling the strange actions from the guards and Butler, almost fully believing in Alice''s words. However, everyone had their secrets, so why should he be too nosy?</o>

    Just as he was about to advise her any further, a chilling voice echoed out within the dark from behind.

    "... Going somewhere?"

    "_"

 Chapter 213 A Visitor In The City

    Bubuum.

    Their hearts skipped a beat, quickly throwing their heads over their shoulders in horror.

    Butler Sheng!

    "I-I... We, we--"

    What are you, a ghost?

    They saw the 9-stand Candle in his hand, wondering why they didn''t see shadows or even a faint glow earlier to announce his presence.

    Almost immediately, their feet began to wobble, feeling mighty heavy, unable to carry their weight.

    Min Kai secretly cursed at Alice in his heart, wishing he hadn''t followed her out.

    Why?

    Why did he happen to see her shadow leave the female sleeping quarters?

    Dammit!

    Butler Sheng narrowed his eyes, expressionlessly staring at the stuttering duo.

    "It''ste... Lights out."

    The duo bidder frantically: "Yes. Yes. Yes... Lights out. Lights out."

    Butler Sheng briefly stared at the dark hallway before focusing on them once more.

    "Go... This is your final warning."

    "Yes, yes..."

    Lowering their heads, they dared not act smart or go another direction.

    The duo went straight to their sleeping quarters.

    And Butler Sheng, on the other hand, went straight to the front door.

    The Grandmaster was back.

    .

    ~Plop.

    Alice practically dived into her bed, listening to her sleeping colleagues with an unprecedented fear in her heart.

    What should she do? What should she do now?

    Alice''s heart constricted into a ball

    She feared that her actions would get heard by the leader. In that case, wouldn''t her impable reputation get tainted?

    Roll left, roll right.

    Alice rolled on her bed, finally looking at the ceiling unwillingly.

    Curses!

    Why did that nosy butler have to pass by during that time?

    No way!

    They''re definitely doing something illegal here.

    Illegal�� Illegal��

    Wait!... That''s it!

    Alice''s eyes lit brightly the more she thought of things.

    ''If I can gather evidence of their actions and prove that they are hiding something dastardly, then wouldn''t theint these people make be void?''

    Yes!

    Compared to her who bes a hero, who would then believe or focus on these sinking Tian members?

    But how could she be so sure that something evil was going on here?

    Alice had always trusted her instincts.

    These same instincts made her be one of the youngest genius doctors too.

    So why would she not trust them?

    .

    Judging from the many strange guests thate in daily, as well as the many odd words she heard passing by, she was more or less sure of her thoughts.

    Look at it!<sub> </sub>

    Even their actions and rules seemed suspicious.

    Alice looked at the ceiling, doing various calctions in mind.

    ''The guard quarter is a good ce to start gathering evidence... But it''s too risky to enter. Their sleeping quarter is closer to ours... So even if the guards and the butter don''t see me go in, one of the doctors and nurses might.'' She thought.

    In that case, would it be better to start off in the arrogant brat''s room instead?

    Alice didn''t know why they called him Grandmaster, assuming it was because of some skill and his arrogant nature.

    As for the skill in question, she didn''t care.

    All she knew was that the brat was in control of all situations here.

    ''There should be no guards looking at the security monitors. And from what I''ve seen, the few guards they do have more or less go out frequently, leaving just Butler Sheng all alone to look after the estate. In that case, sneaking into the boy''s room shouldn''t be a problem. All I have to do is avoid the security cameras and sneak in.''

    Yes!

    Alice''s lips stretched out in a victorious grin.

    And with a calmer mind, she folded her nket over her head, going back to bed.

    Soon, she would leave this god-forsaken ce!

    Lights out.

    .

    Like so, time flew by in a blink of an eye.

    And before anyone knew it, an entire week had passed!

    And just like Alice, many had long made ns, seeing their initial fruits ofbor begin to bloom.

    It was still mid-summer, and the weather was piping hot.

    The beauties all had tie summer clothes on, exposing their long beautiful legs and colorful attire all across the scene.

    The many glowing faces dazzled others, bringing a deep wave of attention to them.

    However, for some people, they moved undetected like shadows in the crowd, bringing little to no attention to themselves.

    Luxian International Airport.

    A man in all ck with dark sunsses on his face, carrying a ck suitcase, continuously mingled within the crowd, making his way to the exit point.

    And though many didn''t pay too much attention to him, those who did stumble upon his figure couldn''t help marveling a bit.

    What an intimidating man!

    Their first instinct was never to provoke him.

    Such a burnt and broad-shouldered man could probably strangle a chicken with nothing else but his thumbs.

    The man followed the checkout procedures, spotting another man in ck standing against a very ordinary vehicle.

    "Drive. It''s been a long flight."

    "Yes, boss." The driver humbly.

    The man leaned into his seat with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

    "Has he taken up the mission?"

    "Not yet, boss."

    "Good." The man repliedzily. "I''ll do it."

    .

    He got a personal call from Wei Kwo, raising the stakes to 2 times what was initially offered, all because his target is chummy with the Ghus, the Gias, and the Hous.

    What was more bizarre was that even at his crumbling times, these powerful fires still offered him a going hand.

    But why?

    Wei Kwo told him that the boy should have something important that these families wanted.

    Then, what could it be?

    What was so threatening that made these prominent families fear for its exposure?

    His goal was not only to kill the boy but also to seek out the file of incriminating pieces of evidence the boy had against these prominent families.

    The man at the back took out a few documents, reading the informationid out before him with a thoughtful mind.

    ''Dorian D. Tian... Just what are you hiding?''

 Chapter 214 A Morning Party

    One week!

    Dorian was finally done with the police situation once and for all.

    At the same time, he had already created 3 portals across the vast city.

    There was a spell, making ordinary folks unable to see or register when a person was vanishing or passing through the portals.

    There was one underneath a bridge, another deste alleyway, and finally... One in another alleyway on the opposite side of the city.

    With all this done and over with, Dorian was still left with 2 weeks and 3 days before the Academy officially opened.

    However, this was good.

    Today, the Tian estate was going to be lively.

    5500 names!

    Dorian flipped each page one by one, taking his time to ess each name on the documents.

    Yes!

    The Ghus, who had their n branches and business scattered around the entire continent, sent 1400 members and respective guards to fly in.

    One should never forget that the reason these families are prominent and titled the big ''6'' is that theyid the foundation of this country from the start.

    Right from ancient times, they were there. And their influence was just all over the country everywhere one looked.

    Sending in 1400 men was nothing. .the number was very smallpared to the total number id people underneath them.

    That said, the Gia sent more than 2500 from the army, the navy, the marines, the police forces, and just about every armed force you could think of.

    .

    Old Gia''s thinking was sharp.

    Those who enter willter open branches in all arm force divisions, tackling supernatural cases and defending the people''s peace.

    And finally, the Hous sent in their teams of 1480 men.

    p The remaining people on the list were those like Chiyou and the rest whom he personally invited over these past few days, making a total of 5,500 names!</anda>

    It was just 6:30 in the morning.

    Yet, quite a few vehicles had driven into the estate but parked outside, daring not to go in until someone said so.

    Choppers flew in, and the entire ce was buzzing with excitement.

    Even the neighbors who heard themotion wanted to know what this was about.

    "Are the Tians having some sort of Early morning party?"

    You look at me; I look at you.

    You look at me; I pretend to continue my morning jogging.

    Even the residential zone security guards were very perplexed by the sheer number of important personnel they just let through.

    F***!

    Can anyone tell them what was going on?

    Who said that the Tian boy was nothing but a measly pauper?

    Could a pauper invite so many people all at once?

    Terrible! Terrible!

    The scene was quite chaotic.

    But what was even funnier was that a majority of those invited had no clue why they were here.

    (:T0T:)

    All they were told was that they were going for the most imprint mission of their lives.

    It was even said that such a mission was high above even the most Top secret missions of all.

    .

    Everyone was very anxious and feeling a little out of sorts as curiously slowly ate through their skulls.

    What sort of mission could beat even higher top-secret military missions?

    What the hell was this Tian family involved with that could gather so many forces here all at once?

    Look all around!<sub> </sub>

    The estate was so packed and sardine-full.

    Thankfully, the Tian guards seem to know how to manage and position their shoppers and vehicles.

    Choppers parked on one side and the vehicles on another.

    The estate roads were always cleared, and the entire estate still had space for everyone.

    And at the very forefront of the vehicles were the ones carrying the core members.

    What?

    Are you shocked as well?

    Old Gia himself was there! Old Hou, the medical legend, and even Old Ghu, the business mogul, were there.

    Yup!

    Old Ghu was Ghu Dwo''s father, who had just arrived from his vacation.

    You have to know that when he came back with his wife, the entire Main estate was weird and shocking.

    No one wanted to tell him why his grandson, Ghu Sota, was always acting weird.

    In short, even the guards and everyone else was just too strange in his eyes.

    Even more concerning was why they would pay so much attention to the Tian boy.

    And no matter how he asked, no one would tell him, only saying that they would put his name, as well as his wife''s name, on some list.

    Old Ghu madam was also perplexed, wanting to check the brain cells in her son''s head.

    How did her intelligent son, Ghu Dwo, turn silly like her grandson Sota?

    They just arrived yesterday morning.

    And at first, they don''t think anything of it.

    But now, seeing themotion, as well as their old friends Old Gia and Old Hou here, they couldn''t help opening their eyes wide in shock.

    Who is this Tian boy?

    .

    Old Ghu tightened his grip on his wife''s hand.

    "The boy isn''t easy."

    "I know." She nodded. "Now, I''m even more curious about this whole matter. "

    Tomand them all here was not an easy feat.

    Back in ancient times, only an emperor could do that.

    No one since then had gathered them, the prestigious families, like this in suchrge numbers.

    It wasn''t just them who thought so because many Ghu, Gia, and Hou children and descendants were too perplexed about why they were out here.

    But those like Xiang Shore, Leah, and a couple of others who had seen Dorian in motion, knew that whatever it was had to do with the supernatural!

    6:30... 7... 8:10 A.M.

    Everyone, including Endo, Mia, Chiyou, the rest of her Obyn family, had all arrived.

    Butler Sheng looked at his watch and nodded to himself.

    8:10 A.M on the dot.

    Butler Sheng gave his final words to the medical staff, telling them what to do and what not to do.

    For now, the main hall was out of bounce until the guests left.

    If they wanted to go upstairs, there were other ways to do ao, using the staff passageways.

    Well, not that they needed his warning because if they wanted to trespass or listen in, they wouldn''t be able to do so.

    The Grandmaster had created a maze-like loop, making one return to their initial starting point whenever they tried to get too close.

    Haru, Bewoh, Raulin, Zhulyn, and Chan-ki were also rounding up what they were doing.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock

    10 minutes more.

    Good. It was time to bring in the crowd.

 Chapter 215 A Hidden Emperor?

    -Outdoors, Tian Estate-

    .

    "Hey, do you know what this is about?"

    "No clue. They dragged me off here the moment I finished my mission on the Jinji mountain range."

    "Me too! I didn''t even get a chance to have breakfast. All of a sudden, I was told I was on a list. And the next thing I knew, they dumped me into a military aircraft with you all!"

    "Have you noticed? The urgency of the matters seems to be high. Even the old foxes and military superiors are here as well."

    "Mother of perks! Isn''t that the famous doctor Nami Hou?"

    "Yes! Yes! It''s her! And look over there; it''s Wei Gia''s vehicle."

    "Wei Gia? Old Gia''s son, the current head of the Gia n?"

    "The one and only."

    "F***! You''re right! I can even see Butler Feng and his famous bodyguard Renjin by his side!"

    "Terrible! Terrible! Who am I? What am I?"

    Many were very shocked, identifying the owners of the expensive vehicles they saw.

    The more they spoke, the more their hearts jerked with thunder.

    At the same time, they couldn''t help wondering why ordinary civilians were also invited.

    If this was a great mission as they say, why is it that little child, her little brother, and 2 different couples?

    This didn''t make any sense!

    .

    Many were still trying to make heads or tails of the matter when suddenly, the giant front doors of the main building abruptly opened on their own in a verymanding manner.

    Bam!

    --silence-

    The action had gotten their attention. And all who spoke subconsciously kept their mouths shut!

    However, their eyes still did the talking for them.

    Who?

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    They didn''t know how they heard it, but they did.

    Footspets.

    They could hear the sounds ofmanding footsteps echoing out along the seemingly long hallway.

    Everyone leaned forward, waiting in anticipation for the many owners of these footsteps.

    And soon, 6 towering figures appeared before their very eyes.

    Impressive!

    These men had straight backs, taller silhouettes, and an overall body that showcased their strength.

    Why wouldn''t they?

    All of them had broken through their mortal shells days back, officially starting their road to cultivation.

    They were more robust, with smoother and cleaner skins that seemed a little unbelievable!

    Even Butler Feng noticed the change in Raulin and Zhulyn, who had apanied Dorian to the Gia estate before.

    What sort of sorcery was this?

    The change was evident, but those who didn''t know anything about these 6 only thought they were powerful, subconsciously giving them the respect they deserved.

    Such was the way of man.

    Even the animals in the wild would respect those they saw as strong.

    .

    Side by side, all 6 lined up, overlooking the massive crowd with stoic faces.

    Butler Sheng took out his pocket watch, briefly ncing at it before turning his attention to the crowd.

    "The Grandmaster will see you now. Do keep up."

    Grandmaster?

    Catchack!

    Those still in their vehicles, all stored out, hastily trying to form straight lines and act ordingly.

    1, 2, 3...<sub> </sub>

    Chiyou had Chindu on her back, carrying the boy and standing in line with her parents.

    The pilots and teams that took Dorian to the ind earlier on, and even a few from the auction home were also here, getting ready to stand in line as well.

    Ghu Dwo nced at Sota with a warning gaze.

    "You better act right."

    Sota was dumbfounded.

    "Dad, are you mistaking me for someone else? When have I ever embarrassed you?"

    "_"

    At the moment, 7 evenly spaced lines were created.

    That''s how vast the main entrance hallway was.

    However, one who has been to the Tian estate before would know that something wasn''t right here.

    Eh?

    Did the hallway expand?

    (+_+)

    .

    Old Hou, Old Gia, Old Ghu, Old Ghu madam, and their direct and branch family members and head guards all followed in first, walking not too far from the Butler Sheng, Haru, and Zhulyn was leading them in.

    And of course, Bewoh, Chan-Ki, and Raulin would follow at the very back once everyone got in.

    ~Din. Din. Din.~

    Everyone did their best to stand tall and showcase their talents, trying not to show their emotions on their faces.

    A majority of them were skilled and professionally trained.

    Thus, they couldn''t disgrace those who sent them in.

    With very observant eyes, everyone moved through the winding hallways, seeing no one else along the way.

    What was even more bizarre was that this hallway seemed to be the only one.

    How can that be?

    They expected to intersect with other hallways, doors, or rooms in the main mansion.

    However, all they could see were very intimidating walls surrounding them.

    ''The architect who designed this home must be insane,'' many thought.

    But Old Gia, who had been here before, knew that the Grandmaster must have used magic to do this.

    A few of them looked at each other in understanding, continuing their journey through the expanded hallways.

    And soon, they finally arrived before a giant double-sided golden door.

    Boeing!

    Donghia was shocked!

    This wasn''t the door he recalled!

    .

    One must know that at the moment, the hallway they were in was inclined, with the golden door right at the very top.

    So everyone could see the trio up ahead.

    With a stern expression, Butler Sheng narrowed his gaze at them.

    "Each and everyone one of you has been called into the Tian residence for a very important issue.

    And right behind these doors lies the answers to all the questions in your minds.

    However, I must warn you!... Any form of disrespect will result in throwing you out!

    When you get in there, you shall refer to the one you see as the Grandmaster!"

    Test?

    Grandmaster?

    Without knowing it, many felt panicked inside.

    But they didn''t have so long to think about it because, in the next moment, the Golden doors opened on their own, followed by a sharp blinding light.

    Boom!

    It all happened like a movie

    (+0+)

 Chapter 216 Beyond Human Control

    Golden blinding light!

    Everyone had their hands over their faces in reflex.

    Their eyes were covered, but their hearts could see from their imaginations.

    (��0��)

    1, 2...

    Blink.

    They blinked vigorously, trying to get rid of the blur.

    And soon, they finally recovered their vision.

    Wipe!

    Were they in another world?

    Towering walls that seemed to stretch to heaven, giant floors that had no end.

    F***!

    They felt like ants in this ce.

    But importantly, was this a dream or reality?

    The old Ghu couple held their hands, shaking like falling leaves from shock alone.

    It can''t just them, as many had their eyeballs bulging out, almost falling off their sockets?

    "How? When? Who? Impossible!"

    Not real! Not real!

    Was this a magical illusion? Or has the 3D technology of the world grown to such an extent?

    Many were leaning more towards the 3D aspect.

    Magic? Their entire bodies were resisting this belief.

    One step forth, one store back, some made several 360 degrees turns like ducks swimming on the same spot.

    You look at me; I look at you for confirmation.

    You pinch my thigh; I punch your chest.

    Was it all real?

    Wait! If the higher-ups and their view leaders sent them here, then could it be that there was some truth to the matter, or was their mission involving some crazy technology that had found its way in the enemy''s hands?

    No one knew what to think anymore.

    However, Butler Sheng didn''t give them time to do so.

    .

    "You may all proceed."

    "Ah-..."

    They nodded very humbly, walking in and covering the entire vast space.

    Ants.

    They looked like ants in this giant room

    But this wasn''t their primary concern.

    Seated on high on a magnificent seat above a podium was a young man with an extraordinary aura.

    His gaze was sharp butzy, and his entire beingmanded power.

    In truth, Dorian was seated on simr areas that sect masters and elders would use when viewing academy or sectpetitions.

    However, in the eyes of everyone here, it looked like a throne!

    Old Ghu and Old madam Ghu shook all over, recalling their earlier thoughts.

    Emperor! Emperor!

    Many almost felt an urge to bow and salute the youngsters as though he were a true monarch.

    Dorian watched them all enter the room with an expressionless face.

    And when the entire flock was in, Bewoh and Raulin followed in.

    Bam!

    The golden door was shut tight.

    Gulp.

    Many swallowed hard, not knowing what to expect.

    And soon, the show began.

    .

    Dorian stood from his seat majestically while Butler Sheng and the others first saluted him before turning around and facing the crowd.

    They stood on the 4th step below Dorian''s podium, seeing everyone before them.

    -Silence-

    No one spoke or even made a noise.

    Their eyes were all staring at the person they were supposed to call Grandmaster.

    [''Host, as the Academy master, you have to give apelling speech?'']<sub> </sub>

    ''Is that in the contract?''

    [''No. But--...'']

    ''Not necessary.''

    [''_'']

    Dorian was toozy to bore himself with such talks.

    He liked to talk simple, getting straight to the point.

    With hands in his pocket, hezily narrowed his eyes at the crowd before him.

    "I''ll make this quick. You''re all here for a test.

    If you pass, you''ll know before midnight.

    And if you fail, myst sentence speaks for itself, no?"

    "_"

    Why did they feel the urge to punch this youngster in the face?

    Just joking! Do you not see the prestige and power oozing off the youngster?

    <o>,m They dared not.</o>

    Dorian took his seatfortably, resting his chin on his hand.

    "Any questions?"

    Yes! Yes! A lot!

    Many didn''t know whether tough or cry from Dorian''s words.

    Hello? You drag them over here for some test they aren''t even aware of.

    So how could they not have questions?

    What was the test about?

    Why did they need to perform this test?

    Without any past answer sheets to this so-called test, how could they guarantee victory?

    Even in the military, because of years of experience and past examinations, everyone had a clue of what the higher us would ess when looking for a sharpshooter, a special soldier, or even an ordinary military recruit.

    Those who wanted to join the army knew this, preparing and having pre-training before going into the military.

    Even when trying to be a doctor, the students would know what courses to take to get their license.

    In any profession, they were guidelines and some hints given out before one took a test.

    So what was this?

    How can you just spring up a test all of a sudden?

    Looking at the gathering of people, many were more perplexed on this test.

    At first, they might''ve thought it was a military test. But then, there were those from the medical Hou family or those from the Ghu business family and even ordinary civilians in here.

    So in the end, apart from being human, what else did they have inmon to be tested?

    Or could it be an ethical test of sorts?

    (?^?)

    .

    Yes. They had questions.

    And very quickly, many hands rose up!

    It was better to bite the bullet and ask the necessary questions than go in for the tests and fail with regret.

    In truth, though Dorian had an impressive air, maybe because they didn''t believe in the supernatural or magic, they didn''t have any hesitation in their actions.

    How could they fear a human?

    To get to where they were, it also meant they were bold and daring... Especially when belonging to the big prominent families.

    "Grandmaster, this test... May we ask what it''s about? What are the perimeters for passing the test?"

    Exactly!

    Why don''t you give them a hint?

    Dorian chuckled, looking at the many expectant gazes.

    "To pass this test, you need not just luck, or but an innate talent you were born with. In the end, there''s no way to prepare for the test. It''s out of human control."

    What?!!

    Many people''s pupils dted at an rming rate.

    How can that be?!

    What sort of test was beyond human control?

    Luck and an innate talent?

    How can one measure these things?

    Many were even more confused than before...

    However, Dorian was done talking to them.

    It was time for the test to begin!

 Chapter 217 The Heavenly Test

    Dorian flicked his wrist.

    And immediately, a figure suddenly appeared before his side.

    "Master."

    It was the guardian Pandrol.

    His lion head and human body caused everyone''s jaws to drop to the ground!

    F***!

    What sort of real-like custom was this guy wearing?

    So real!

    ''Brother, where did you buy that lion head costume?''

    Pandrol looked at his master, understanding what his task was.

    Well, someone had to guide the group. And the way his master was, Pandrol had a hunch that if his master spoke for too long, his jaw could not only hurt but break.

    Maybe the gates of the underworld might even open if his master spoke for too long. Pandrol thought jokingly.

    Dorianid back, allowing Pandrol, Butler Sheng, and the rest to take over.

    In truth, the entire Grand Hall had been linked to the hidden space, allowing him to move and manipte the hall as he pleased.

    Pandrol, all dressed in a body-fitted ck suit, turned his attention to the dazed crowd.

    "You all have been tested to test your magical talents."

    "_"

    Blink. Blink.

    Magical talents?

    Was this some sort of circus joke?

    Pandrol snapped his finger, and a total of 14 belly-length pirs restricted themselves right before everyone''s eyes.

    Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam!

    Like pieces of a puzzle, the Greek-like pirs took form.

    Sota was smiling and giggling so much in awe that he dared not blink to miss the scene

    Crazy! Crazy!

    Everyone felt it was fantasy.

    Look up, down, and sideways...

    Projections?

    Many began to doubt this was a projection.

    How could a projection seem so life-like?

    Magical talents... Magical talents...

    Eh?

    Could it be?

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The parts flew from every corner, creating the 14 pirs that also stood on separate stands.

    But that wasn''t all.

    The moment the pirs were constructed, several crystal balls flew from the left and right, taking their ce on the pirs.

    With that, Pandrol, Butler Sheng, and the other 5 quickly stood between each crystal ball.

    That''s right.

    There were 7 of them and 14 crystal balls.

    Each person would work with 2 pirs at once, instructing those who advance on what to do.

    The crystals were directly linked with the system.

    The system would then ess all data and talents without Dorian doing anything.

    Of course, he was here to look at those with heart respects, taking more of them.

    They would probably be the fastest to advance and the best to assist in the uing battle.

    [''Host, there are 5500 of them in the room... Hopefully, 3000 of them have talents''.]

    The system said.

    To pass his main mission and officially open the academy, he had to admit 3000 students who passed the test.

    Typically, even with 5,500, one might find only 100 people in the ground who showed some talent for exorcism.

    However, today''s matter wouldn''t be the case.

    The aura around the Gia household alone was rich and filled with blessings, luck, and power.

    This was probably because of their decades and decades of doing good, protecting the people, and gathering Yang in their household.

    .

    It was most likely that over 70% of them would have everything he was looking for.

    He was saying they would all have supper talents.<sub> </sub>

    No... On the contrary, to bnce things out, the heavens might give them average talents, with a few having super talents or borderline talents.

    But he expected the majority to have fairly good and decent talents.

    Likewise, the Hous were healers, saving lives and gathering so much good in their lives from generation to generation.

    Their foundation was very strong because even in ancient times, they sometimes cured the sick peasants for free or took care of gues, not wanting too many rewards.

    The heavens see all, blessing descendants, encouraging them to follow the way of their ancestors.

    Sure.

    In every family, there would always be treacherous or scheming members.

    But how the family handles such matters is what heaven sees most.

    Do you cover it up or punish byw, giving the authorities the reins to deal with such issues?

    Take the Ghus as another example.

    In the business world, they were one of the cleanest.

    He wasn''t saying they werepletely clean.

    Instead, they had a bottom line, never crossing some aspects.

    Ghu Dwo would probably lock Sota up in prison himself if the boy dared to go against this bottom line.

    Did he love Sota? Of course he did!

    But he would still handle Sota in a strict manner to correct the boy.

    .

    Sota was mischievous and had indeed done a few mischievous things.

    But all were child-like and not too condemning.

    Without understanding things, these few prominent families had done their best to promote the Yang in their hearts, limiting the Yin.

    That''s why Dorian decided to work with them, confident in getting at least 3000 students out of them.

    And if it wasn''t enough, then send for more.

    After all, he still has 2 weeks and a few more days before the academy opens, no?

    Dorian thought things through.

    If it was the Prominent Su family, Dorian might not even bother asking them to send their men over.

    Just as good couldst for decades, bad could also rise andst for decades as well.

    The Su family was too rotten.

    They might have a few blessed by heaven with strong innate talents... But... For his first few students, he also wanted to consider morality.

    The war was sooning.

    And he didn''t want any exorcist who would be causing more worries to him during this period.

    He didn''t need that now.

    There might be some good seeds from the Su n.

    But he would have to see and ept them for himself!

    .

    "Step forward!"

    Old Gia, Old Hou, the Old Ghu couple, and a few others were quick to move their feet.

    Old Ghu smacked his lips a little anxiously, using his can to support his entire body.

    F***!

    He never knew that he would rely on this thing.

    He only bought it for prestige and show.

    But who knew it woulde in handy so fast?

    He looked at Pandrol, seemingly lost in the fact of shock.

    Why did he feel that the lion-face was real?

    Look at the whiskers, the skin, the main... The mouth and tongue...

    (��_��)

    Old Ghu didn''t know what to believe anymore.

    "ce your hands on the ball."

    "Ah-... Right..." He responded weakly, doing as Pandrol instructed.

    Warm.

    He felt a warm siege of energy leave his palm the moment it touched the ball.

    Vmm!

    A bright fiery light engulfed the entire ball.

    What was so bizarre was that he could see a very frail streak of orange light leave his body and flow into the crystal ball.

    Old Ghu was jerked back in shock, sporting himself with his cane.

    .... What was that?

 Chapter 218 A Fast Test: Over & Done

    One by one, everyone stepped forth and ced their hands on the balls.

    It could be said that they didn''t know whether they passed or not since everyone more or less had the same reaction with the balls.

    The only difference was that the balls would light up, showing different colors on them.

    Some noticed various streaks of color when they touched the ball, while others only saw a single bold color glow up and engulf the balls.

    Dorian inwardly nodded, taking into ount everything he just saw.

    If they had no talent for exorcism, the ball would light up, showing a sr creamy grayish color, as it was.

    Those who were more likely to pass the test were those who managed to produce color on the balls.

    Of course, one should also note that a pure white glow-up was different from a creamy grayish one.

    Innate talents varied for all ranges.

    That said, lighting up the balls in various colors and disying their innate talents wouldn''t necessarily guarantee passing the examination.

    Luck, as well as divine blessings, were just a few out of the 10 hidden requirements that got tested.

    A person had to pass all 10 to get into his academy.

    Their soul force and every little thing concerning their beings would be essed.

    .

    Dorian flicked his wrist, creating a door-like portal on the corner of the room.

    "Those who finish, maybe leave."

    This... This... This...

    Everyone was since again shocked by the scene before them, wondering if it was really magic or not.

    However, only those who ced their hands on the balls were utterly convinced.

    Projections?

    How can projections feel so real when touched?

    You have to know that they had secretly tapped and kicked the pirs when they stepped forward.

    If possible, they would''ve also liked to punch the crystal ball too.

    All this left them with a single thought.

    Real... It was all real!

    Old Ghu, Old madam Ghu, and a few others looked at Old Gia and Old Hou in a daze, wanting to get any signs that they were mistaken.

    However, the mysterious smile on the faces of these bastards was enough to confirm the matter.

    Old Gia and Old Hou chuckled, leading them through the portal.

    Swish!

    They appeared in the hallway, just 2 or 3 steps away from the main exit door.

    Looking ahead, they could also spot their vehicles, and behind them was the long winding hallway they had passed through earlier.

    Damn! What a day!

    .

    Old Madam Ghu felt her likes wobble and quake as she descended from the entrance stairway.

    With a fierce eye, she narrowed her eyes at Old Hou, Old Gia, and even her son and Grandson, Ghu Dwo and Sota.

    "Well, is anyone going to exin what the hell is going on here? Do you want to give us a heart attack?"

    The old madam breathed heavily, having her chest rise and fall vigorously.

    Everything she saw was too shocking.

    She thought she was already blown away.

    But listening to the matter of how Sota, her beloved Grandson, had almost died from being possessed, she firstughed... Thinking it was a joke.<sub> </sub>

    "You''re all joking, right? How can such a thing exist?"

    With widened eyes, she stared at the gathering that had now grown in size.

    Jung Hou, Donghai, and a few others who had finished the test had also joined in.

    They didn''t mean to eavesdrop, but Old madam Ghu was too shocked, eximing her disbelief.

    It was hard not to pay attention to what she was saying.

    Even Old Ghu was speechless, listening to the fantasy movie downloaded on them.

    Why did he subconsciously feel as though they were joking?

    Of course, the duo still examined Sota worriedly, ensuring that he was okay.

    Even if it was a joke, it wasn''t funny to joke about their grandson''s life.

    <o>,m "Grandma, Grandpa... I''m really fine." Sota said, pping his hands against his chest.</o>

    Hey... To him, it seemed like a year since it all happened.

    .

    Old Gia and Old Hou looked at themselves briefly, with a hint of understanding in their eyes.

    "Why don''t we go to my residence?... I''ll exin it all over there." Old Gia rmended.

    "Yes. We need to leave, just as the Grandmaster instructed."Old Hou added.

    Right!

    The gang all instructed a few of their men to stay back and pass their instructions to all those who left the test hallter on.

    After all, they couldn''t very well stay here back, waiting for the thousands of people to do the test.

    Thus, they instructed a few to tell those who exit to head straight back to the respective main Ghu, Hou, or Gia times they were brought from.

    And those who just flew in this morning from the military or other regions across the country had to stay in their respective amodations, be it a hotel or private residences, not leaving the city.

    The Grandmaster said before midnight, those who passed the test would know.

    Thus, it was best for them to wait for their results.

    The 3 prominent families also did so because they wanted to tally up how many people had passed in their ns.

    Now, the wait was on.

    .

    Vrmmm!

    Those who finished up went straight home.

    And like so, 1 hour, 2 hours... 3 whole hours fly by in a blink of an eye.

    Done.

    Butler Sheng and the rest saw to thest group of people, escorting them out and making sure that everyone left the premises.

    In the meantime, Dorian finally stepped from his seat, gazing at Pandrol before him.

    "You did well. But things don''t end here, understand?"

    "Yes, master."

    Pandrol thought.

    He, the guardian of the space, had an assignment to aplish before the Academy opened.

    From what his master told him, he would be able to live and walk about freely on the academy grounds.

    And when he wished it, he would be able to return to the secret space in the estate.

    As Guardian of his space and a worker belonging to himself, Dorian had given Pandrol a lot of free reins!

 Chapter 219 Pre-Preparations

    Pandrol, the Guardian of the Space.

    Pandrol''s strength came from his master.

    He would also have a roughly simr strength to his master, just a few steps less.

    Meaning the stronger his master grew, the stronger he did too.

    And apart from the academy grounds, he could also move freely within the Tian estate.

    If one would recall, Dorian had long marked the entire state.

    In this way, Pandrol would not only be able to move about but could also create illusions and protect the estate when danger approaches.

    He was the backup, just in case the formation Dorian had ced wasn''t enough.

    He could also pull a few tricks on mortal thieves if need be.

    Dorian calmly stood, flicking his wrist and returning the hall into what it used to be.

    And with another tap on the wall, he and Pandrol went back to the space.

    Today''s matter was far from over.

    [''Host, it will take another 30 minutes for me to process all the names and talents.'']

    ''Hmm.''

    Dorian hummed.

    While the system focused on looking things through the examinees that came through, Dorian went over a few key aspects.

    First, he had to create his Academy admission letter.

    He was also busy earlier with the police case andpleting his missions that he didn''t have time to do so.

    .

    Using the blue transparent interface, they write down a few words as he wanted them to appear on the letters.

    This was just an admission letter and wouldn''t go into depth about the academy.

    Nope.

    As a man of short words, it only told them where to go when it was time to enter the academy.

    There were 3 portals. So they could pick one.

    Not his business how they did so.

    Arrivingte will get one punished as well.

    Additionally, the academy was very dangerous too.

    Make no mistake.

    With the creatures roaming about in the various first zones, be it the forbidden one or the other forest zones, if they ran into a beast that had already broken through its mortal shell from eating the enhanced fruits and leaves on the Academy, then that would be an issue.

    At night, a formation came on around the residential areas like the outer set region.

    This stopped any beasts from going in or out.

    If the students arrivedte, then they had themselves to me.

    Sure.

    Pandrol or himself might save them.

    But he wouldn''t be in a hurry to do so.

    One must learn their lesson, even if it was through the hard way.

    .

    Seated cross-legged in his private room in the space, Dorian finished up the letter, choosing a pale brownish color for the note and the envelope and a ck seal with his Academy''s logo on it that depicted his Heavenly Tian Academy nicely.

    During the test, the whiff of light drawn from the examinees and sent into the balls would also ensure that only the examinees could open their letters once they got them.

    He rounded things up in no more than 5 minutes.

    Seeing that he still had time to share, Dorian decided to gaze at his missions and rewards once more.

    [Main Mission: recruit the first 3,000 students before its opening date.

    Mission Status: Iplete.<sub> </sub>

    Rewards:

    ?Standard School Attires for each student.

    ?Gravity restricting room.

    ? And 1,000 Perfected Grade 1 and 2 texts/books on all sect professions, ranging from low-tier to high-tier ranks.]

    Well, he was looking forward to getting all 3000 or more students on his first try.

    As for his side missions, he was more or less done with them.

    .

    [Side missions:

    1) Create route portals for entry in and out of the academy. (Maxim routes allowed: 3).

    Mission status: COMPLETED!

    <o>,m Mission Rewards:</o>

    ?10,000 Sanctified Candles.

    ? And 3 random pills to enable the host''s cultivation.

    2) Before the Academy resumes, work out the task allocations for all students. The Academy still runs like a sect, with many having duties. All students must have responsibilities, duties, and ways of earning academy credits and tanking up.

    Mission Status: COMPLETED!

    Mission Rewards:

    ?900 grade1 low-grade spirit seeds from various herbs.]

    His side missions werepleted, with his awards long being stored on the academy grounds.

    Also, he got 3 random pills to enable him on his cultivation journey.

    He got a Grade 6 perfection True Qi Gathering pill with no impurities.

    With his talent and luck, taking this should enable him to not only break past thete stage of the 4th Dan but go straight up to thete stage of the 5th Dan.

    This was breaking 2 to 3 cultivation stages all at once.

    He also got a path-protecting pill to protect his qi path, properly channeling the qi through the proper meridians and veins in his body with no loss.

    Typically when circting qi, at least 15% gets dispersed into the wrong channel.

    Some escaped back into the surrounding from whence they came.

    With this pill, everything he gathered would be his!

    Finally, thest pill he recovered was an Explosive strength pill.

    This was his emergency pill that could raise his strength to 15% higher just for a short period.

    .

    Looking at theva-like glow emitting from the pill, Dorian carefully hid the pill away.

    With how crazy this world was, he felt that he would need the spill sooner than he expected.

    Gulp.

    Dorian swallowed the first 2 pills, focusing hard on cultivating.

    ''I have to increase my strength.''

    Time seemed frozen in ce as Dorian continuously cultivated fiercely.

    The system had long finished its operation, waiting for its host to digest the pills properly.

    If it were a person with mediocre talent, it would take quite a while, maybe even a few days and weeks to do so.

    But in Dorian''s case, it would take just a few hours.

    That''s how monstrous its host''s talent was.

    It was like nothing the system had ever seen before.

    Even the few sons and daughters in many other worlds and realms would drop their jaws in disbelief.

    What could he say? His host was a cultivation monster!

 Chapter 220 A Suspicious Group Fo Tians

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Several mini-explosions went off in Dorian''s mind.

    Early-stage, middle stage,te stage of the 5th Dan...

    Early-stage of the 6th Dan!

    Dorian opened his eyes and was taken aback.

    He thought he would end at the 5th Dan of the True Qi realm. But who would''ve known he would burst right through the roof with surplus gathered qi in his body?

    And judging from the strength he felt within himself, he would be halfway through the early stage of the 6th Dan.

    Meaning, soon... He would head on to the mid-stage.

    Dorian clenched his fists in satisfaction.

    Good!

    He desperately needed strength.

    So how could he not be happy?

    Pandrol, who was on another side of the space, suddenly felt his muscles get even more defined and his body brimming with an unprecedented strength.

    ~Roar~

    He roared and shook his mane merrily, like a pet lion, adjusting to his newfound strength.

    His tail swung back and forth, and his suit seemed a tad too tight for him.

    The buttons popped and flew away, and his nails shot out of his shoes, as well as his ws, elongating even more.

    As a feeling, he could retract his ws at will.

    The burst of energy had caused him to go full beast mode.

    Roar!!!

    Hahahhahaha~

    His master had ranked up again.

    Great!

    As expected of his master.

    Pandrol smiled, lowering his head to focus on his current task.

    The system didn''t speak, allowing Dorian time to stabilize himself in his current realm.

    Any disturbances might cause idents.

    Like so, Dorian remained closed-eyed, seated cross-legged.

    And while he took his time within the estate, the atmosphere was far different from calm.

    .

    What went on today?

    Alice grabbed the curtains overlooking the left side of the building, lost in thought.

    Their room was on ground level, and she, as well as the other doctors and nurses, had long gotten many glimpses of vehicles scattered across the left side of the estate.

    The main estate was Hexagonal in shape.

    Their room was on one of the nted perimeters, allowing them to see the various choppers that flew in earlier.

    The scene had been so shocking that they didn''t even care to step out of their rooms.

    Only those on shift were up in the main bedroom chamber.

    And when it was time for breakfast and lunch, they headed to the staff dining sector, seeing their meals all lid with no one around.

    The food was still hot when they took off the silver covers over them.

    Look left, look right.

    They didn''t see anyone drop the meal or set the tables.

    Even when approaching the scene, no one was around, as though the food had been ced by ghosts.<sub> </sub>

    Typically, Butler Sheng would first wait for them to be seated before rolling in with his stream of trolleys to serve them.

    However, today was different.

    They entered the dining, seeing a full meal ready, with juice and water all avable.

    Suspicious!... Very suspicious!

    Beforeing, the breakfast bell had echoed about within their staff sleeping quarters.

    As for those on shift, they would first have to clock out and wait for their shift change before having their breakfast when theye down.

    Their food was appropriately stored in the gigantic public staff freezer on trays with their names on them.

    .

    Everything today had just been too strange.

    Everyone was gathered in the room with many expressions on their faces.

    Alice bit her lips, tightening her grip on the curtains.

    "What do you guys think? Don''t you think it''s all weird? Aren''t you all even a little curious?"

    Alice was going crazy with these old geezers who didn''t seem to want to do anything about the strangeness here.

    You have to know that she was the youngest, with many in theirte 30s or early 40s.

    Dammit!

    "You all should think about it. When we went into the dining room for breakfast, no one was on site. Even when passing through the kitchen, whether it was Butler Sheng or the others, after giving us instructions, they never came back to the staff quarters. So how can our empty dishes banish from the table and din themselves on the dragging racks?"

    The more Alice spoke, the more sure she became.

    That''s right.

    Even though they told her to stay in ce, she had been snooping around but never seemed to be able to reach the Grand Hall to listen in on what they were saying.

    She seemed to be going around in circles, wondering if this mansion was bigger than it appeared.

    In the end, she decided to pass through the staff quarters and use the stairway to go up and listen in from there.

    However, passing through the kitchen, she saw the dish she ate off was not only washed but left hanging and drying off.

    How was that possible?

    Do you know how many of them ate breakfast?

    .

    Each person used no less than 5 bowls and tes for cereal, fruits, and a full course breakfast meal with 2 sses and a mug, in case anyone wanted tea, water, or juice.

    So no matter how fast butler Sheng could wash everyone''s dish, it was impossible to do it all in less than 45 minutes.

    Of course, there were over 10 dishwashers in the kitchen.

    However, how these dishes were dried off insinuated that they were being washed by hand. And even if one used a dishwasher, it wouldn''t have been able to finish its cycle that fast.

    Dishwashers cycle for 1~4 hours.

    So what was this?

    Could it be that apart from the 6 they saw, there were other staff members in the building they weren''t aware of?

    Shudder. Shudder.

    The hairs on Alice''s hands stood anxiously, wondering whether they spotted her or not if that was the case.

    p Everything was just too suspicious!</anda>

    The doctors and nurses all shook their heads wryly, looking at Alice, who was jumping about like an angered child.

    In their eyes, that''s how she looked.

    "Child, why are you so bothered? We only came to do a simple job and leave. Being nosy will do no good."

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    How old were they? They had lived this long and understood that some secrets could be detrimental for one to know.

    As they say... Curiosity kills the Cat!

 Chapter 221 Sending Them Forth

    Many thought the same when it concerned their time here.

    Besides, they had gotten various glimpses of Old Hou himself and a few others, allowing them to know that this gang of people must be here for a private meeting.

    What a joke!

    Didn''t you see the gathering of such powerful men?

    Choppers, expensive vehicles, various shows of wealth and power... Military, airlines, police officers, elite doctors, business representatives... They saw it all.

    So what more could they say?

    What if their actions cause Old Hou to get dissatisfied with them?

    They''ve worked within the Hou establishments for decades and believed in the moral ethics of Old Hou, Jung Hou, and the rest.

    So they were sure that whatever reason the Hous came here for wouldn''t be for anything illegal or eye-boggling.

    Could it be that they were holding some private party or discussing matters concerning the country?

    They all pushed the matter to the back of their minds, not wanting to be nosy.

    However, not everyone thought so.

    Alice stared at the bunch of geezers going crazy.

    Her eyes brimmed with fire the more she thought about things.

    No! She had to get to the bottom of this!

    (*?*)

    .

    4 P.M.

    Dorian opened his eyes.

    [''Host, out of the 5,500... 3,727 of them have passed the test.

    Congrattions host! As you expected, the Ghu, Gia, and Hous are blessed.

    But the mission isn''tpleted yet.'']

    Dorian thought as much.

    Only when they all epted their letters would his mission bepleted.

    Step by step, Landon left the space, returning to his room.

    And standing on his balcony, he gave the system the go-head.

    [''Host, that said, would you like me to begin?'']

    ''Mmmm... Send them forth.''

    Ding!

    A loud sound echoed in his brain.

    And what happened next was something one would only see in fairytales.

    Burrraahh~

    Arge storm of envelopes shot out of his room, flying high to the sky and dispersing towards various destinations.

    How could such a thing be real?

    The envelopes fought hard, wanting to leave the estate as fast as they could.

    Owner... Owner... Their only thoughts were to find their owners!

    3727 envelopes shot from behind Dorian, leaving the balcony and making their way to the sky very fiercely.

    And once in the high, like leaves, they twirled and followed the gentle path of the near stagnant summer breeze, pping away from the Tian household.

    .

    Dorian stood amidst the chaotic scene, watching the letters fly sky high.

    Everything happened in no more than 5 seconds.

    And Alice, who was still staring into the sky deep in thought, stared at it with a dumbfounded expression.

    But soon, she got over her shock, wasting no time in throwing her head behind her back with an overly victorious expression.

    "Look! Look! I said this guy is definitely doing something strange and illegal! He just released thousands of papers in the air... Isn''t that pollution!"

    Everyone looked at each other,ing to the window to see what all the fuss was about.

    "Look! Look! I told you, didn''t I?"

    The more Alice spoke, the more energetic she was. Even if it''s for ame crime as pollution, she just wanted to get these bastards anyway she could.<sub> </sub>

    However, she was bound to be disappointed.

    Bright clear skies.

    Those who went to look saw nothing.

    Where were the thousands of ''papers'' Alice said they released?

    If it were true, then it should be raining paper. Moreover, the sky would not clear up so fast.

    "Alice, are you mistaken?"

    What?!

    Alice looked up again, seeing the clear blue skies in shock.

    No! No!

    "I saw it! It was there a second ago! I''m telling you that I saw It! I really saw it!... Why won''t you believe me?"

    "Enough!" One of them eximed.

    They have had enough of her constant bantering and looking for fault.

    What did the Tian household ever do to her that she had to keep framing and looking for trouble with them?

    No one was pleased with her actions.

    This time, her framing them was so obvious that everyone felt ashamed.

    "Alice! It''s time you grow up! Haven''t you had enough of this nonsense?"

    "But--"

    "I said enough!"

    Everyone went back to their beds or desks, using the inte, watching a movie, or working.

    They couldn''t believe that she had been so selfish to bother them for nothing.

    What a spiked child!

    With a hint of disgust, they went back to whatever it was they were doing.

    Alice looked at the scene, feeling very aggrieved.

    She saw it... She... Did she really see it?

    Alice now began to doubt herself.

    However, she wasn''t the only one doubting their sanity.

    .

    In a private vehicle, Old Ghu and Old Madam Ghu sat in a trance, recalling all that they heard from not just the Hous and Gias but also from their Ghu family as well.

    In truth, they were still hesitant to believe it all.

    You''re saying that they had lived in this world for so long, apanied by the supernatural?

    Why didn''t you also say that God and angels were real too?

    Honestly, seeing is believing.

    Until they see such creatures for the lens, no matter how many times one tells them, they still wouldn''t fully believe it.

    How could they?

    Their brains were still trying to digest and ept all they were told.

    After all, just because they were told to believe that a person could fly didn''t mean they would believe without a doubt?

    That defied physics and logic.

    Likewise, as firm believers of science, without evidence, your im of the supernatural was more or less nonexistent in their eyes.

    Even with the magic they saw Dorian pull off, they still had doubts... As it should be!

    If a person tells you to jump over a bridge without any support, guaranteeing one''s life, would you believe them or trust in gravity to kill you?

    Please!

    It was going to more a lot to make them believe.

    .

    Like so, the duo had just left the Gia estate, nning to head back home first and wait for whatever it was that the Grandmaster nned to send.

    ... When would it arrive?

    (?^?)

 Chapter 222 A Tricky Situation

    Resting on her husband''s shoulders, Old madam Ghu was very restless. "What do you think?"

    Old Ghu thinned his lips in a frown.

    "I don''t know... It''s just too hard to believe."

    "But if everyone is saying the same thing, then the probability of it being true is high... Or could they have been hypnotized?"

    You know, the scientific study of hypnotism is very urate.

    "Impossible! How can that Tian brat be able to hypnotize them all? Old Gia and his family alone aren''t easy."

    Old Ghu gave his thoughts, not fully believing in their fantasy tales.

    However, in the next few seconds, the truth was fast to smack him in the face.

    Pah!

    A loud smacking noise caused the duo to jump back.

    Outside their windows, 2 pale brown envelopes were consciously smacking their windows with full force.

    How can this be?

    You should know that the vehicle was driving forward.

    So unless there was a sting wind behind them, how could these envelopes keep up?

    F***!

    Science defying!

    The duo watched the envelopes fight their way into their vehicle.

    And during the time of their shock, the envelopes had indeed managed to find a way into the vehicles.

    They didn''t know how, but it passed through the closed door gap and appeared before them without a single crease on its smooth exterior.

    But maybe what was even more shocking was that once it appeared before them, it suddenly grew white little angel-feathered wings, floating on the same spot very gently.

    ~p. p. p.

    ''_''

    ...

    Blink. Blink.

    Who am I? Where am I? What am I?

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    The air felt their hearts race uncontrobly, with a feeling of excitement and youth burning within them.

    Their adrenaline pumped, and their walls of science began to crumble even more.

    If before they didn''t fully believe in the Grandmaster''s magic, now they did.

    Wings! Wings!

    Their letters grew wings!

    Old Ghu clutched her knotted heart feeling like he was 15 again.

    Who didn''t like adventure?

    Old madam was even more rmed than he, feeling the adrenaline in her bloodstream circte even more.

    "Old man! Why aren''t you grabbing your letter?"

    In a heartbeat, she had already taken the one that had her name on it.

    [Mrs. Biyu L. Ghu,

    The Backseat of the vehicle,

    Winging Highway Road,

    Luxian City.]

    (+0+)

    Amazing!

    How did it even know her exact location?

    That''s right.

    She was seated in the back seat with her husband on the highway driving back home.

    Bloody mother of Pearls! How did the Grandmaster know all this?

    .

    Old madam Ghu stared at the envelope thoughtfully.

    The ink on the letter had long dried out, indicating that it should''ve been a long time since the letter had been sent.

    But how would he have predicted their exact location and time for the letters to meet them so urately?

    Looking at the ink and writing style, she couldn''t help praising the Grandmaster''s exquisite calligraphy.

    Just look at those brush strokes.

    Calm, very diligent, patient, steady, but powerful, having a lot of character.

    You tell much about a person from their handwriting.

    How very thrilling!

    Old madam was very excited, turning the envelope over to open the seal.<sub> </sub>

    You have to know that the moment she touched the letter, those wings from before seemed to vanish into thin air.

    "Well? What are we waiting for?"

    Rip!

    She opened the envelope and took out the letter.

    ...

    [Dear Mrs. Ghu.

    Congrattions! You have been epted into the Heavenly Tian Academy of Exorcism as a Caretaker.

    Should you ept this invitation, Voice the words ''ept'' back to the letter.]

    Suddenly, as though knowing she was done, the letter folded in its one and floated in the way as though waiting for her consent.

    What?!

    Old Ghu, who had also read through his, stared at his wife with a thousand questions in mind.

    Eh?

    "Caretakers? What does he mean?"

    The literal term caretaker was to look after people, animals, yes?

    So did he want them to do the same for the rest who got epted?

    This... This...

    They admit that they had retired and had a lot of free time.

    However, weren''t they already getting up there in age to be running about like so?

    "What do you think? Should we ept?"

    Old Ghu rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    "Since Old Hou and Old Gia dared to go for the test, this means that they would most likely ept."

    "That''s right! Why let their 2 have all the fun? Hmph! If they can''t do it, then we can too!" Old madam said, raising her nostrils to the air boldly.

    With a firm gaze, she voiced her decision to the letter.

    "ept!"

    ? "ept!"

    Old Ghu was one step behind his wife.

    .

    "Swish!

    The letters suddenly moved again, resting in theirps as though urging the duo to open them up.

    Open me! Open me! Open me!

    ... Mm?

    The couple did as their intuition told, seeing apletely different set of writings appear.

    F***!

    What happened to the earlier eptance message?

    (��_��)

    Look in front, look at the back.

    They turned their letters around severally, ensuring they didn''t imagine things.

    Alright.

    They gazed at the New set of instructions that told them about the 3 locations they were to appear at and what time they had to do so.

    On the day mentioned, they were to arrive at any of the 3 spots anywhere between 10 A.M to 7 P.M.

    Anytime after that, it said the doors would close up.

    But it seemed that going in early was beneficial.

    It states that no vehicles or lotives of any manner were permitted in the academy.

    So who knows where they would be dropped off?

    Would they have to walk long distances to get to their final destination when in the Academy?

    There were many loopholes and critical factors to consider here.

    That''s why going in early, rather than going in at 7 P.M was best.

    Maybe by the time they arrive at their destination, it should be way past 7.

    So who can guarantee that they wouldn''t arrivete?

    Old Ghu narrowed his eyes deeply.

    Tricky... What a sticky situation.

    However, why did he still like it?

    Heheh... It was just that Old Ghu and his wife weren''t the only ones.

    Right now, many across the city were examining in awe, receiving their eptance letters!

 Chapter 223 An Excited Batch Of Recruits

    Sota left the Gia state way earlier than his grandparents.

    Well, he piggybacked with Ghu Dwo, who went for a business meeting.

    Brrrr~

    ''I''ve overeaten, haven''t I?''

    Dammit!

    He could only me the Gias for stuffing so much food before him.

    Sota felt the need to use the bathroom.

    There was an explosion about to erupt from within him.

    Heading to his private bathroom connected to his bedroom chamber, Sota decided to finally let loose.

    However, just when his pants dropped, he saw what he thought to be a missile flying his way.

    "Ahhh~~."

    Sota ducked, falling pants down on the ground.

    He had already closed his eyes, ready for impact.

    But why was nothing happening?

    One eye opened, two eyes opened.

    Sota raised his trending head, hoping that it wasn''t some creatureing for him.

    You have to know that the speed of whatever thing was heading his way was so fast that he could only see after images.

    Gulp.

    Sota swallowed hard, slowly building enough courage and looking towards whatever it was that came his way.

    p Eh?</anda>

    Was that a flying letter?

    Whoosh!

    The letter lowered itself almost to ground level, allowing Sota to read it.

    [Mr. Ghu Sota,

    Private Bathroom, Room 6, Floor 4,

    Main mansion, Estate 60,

    Crown Residential Zone.

    Luxian City]

    ... One word: Awesome!

    Sota''s eyes twinkled with amazement, sensing that the letter even got his position right.

    ''My master sure is great!'' He thought, feeling his body vibrate non-stop.

    Quick. Quick.

    He Quickly grabbed the letter, opening it up like a hungry wolf.

    There was also a bit of anxiousness in his actions.

    Even though the Grandmaster was vague, it is possible that rejection letters might''ve been sent out, telling them if they failed the test too.

    So how could he not worry?

    Sweat quickly formed on his forehead, the shaker his hands became.

    Pah!

    With one hand across his eyes, it took all his strength to read the first few sentences of the letter without panicking.

    ''Did I pass? Did I pass?... I... I''ve been epted!''

    A student... A student of the Heavenly Tian Academy!

    Hahahahhahaha!!!~~

    Sota was ecstatic,ughing and screaming as loud as he could, forgetting his current regiment.

    It was only after hearing thundering footsteps approach that he regained his sanity.

    Unfortunately, it was toote.

    "Young master! Young master! Are you alright?"

    Feeling the cold floor actress his soft, pale, yet pinkish butt, Sota quickly felt embarrassed.

    "No! Don''te in! Don''t..."<sub> </sub>

    Toote.

    Pants down, butt kissing the ground, the staff that came in were speechless.

    "_"

    They wanted to ask, but they dared not.

    Pff~... Too funny.

    ''Young master... Do you not know how to use a toilet?''

    Sota wanted to die!

    (:T��T:)

    ...

    All across the city, many were seeing their letters.

    "F***! What sort of rarity operation is this?"

    "Oh my God! I was out strolling about when the letter suddenly smacked me in the face like magic!"

    "I kneel in awe for the Grandmaster. How can such a thing be possible? I decided to take a nap, only to wake up to the scene of my letter smacking my forehead severally."

    "Magic! Magic!... So it really exist? And what exactly does that word exorcism mean? The Heavenly Tian Academy of Exorcism... What a strange word!"

    "Now, I''m oddly curious about this ce. No! On that day, I have to arrive very early. It''s said that we should only carry the basic necessities and nothing else."

    "Basic necessities... Toothbrush, inner garments, towels, soap, and the rest? In that case, our items might only fit in a single backpack or so."

    "Hey! This is more or less like what goes on in the military... I reckon they''ll give us uniforms too!... It''s just that I don''t know what this Heavenly Tian Academy is all about. So how can we fully prepare for our days at the academy?"

    Yes... How do they prepare?

    (?^?)

    ....

    Many epted the invitation, obviously choosing to enter the academy.

    They knew it had something to do with magic. However, there was still too much that they were clueless about.

    Chiyou and her family received theirs.

    Ajin, Mina, Killnoff, and another who escorted Dorian to the ind back then, also got epted.

    Out of the 25~35 of them, only these 4 passed within that group.

    Endo and his wife Mia received their eptance letters too.

    And of course, Wei Gia, Butler Feng, Renjin, Old Gia, Donghai, and several other Gia cousins, descendants, and guards received theirs too.

    The same situation happened in the Hou and Ghu estates.

    Immediately, the families called for a meeting, assembling all those epted.

    As the first batch of students and caretakers in the heavenly Tian academy, no one was allowed to leave a stain in this historical moment.

    Meaning they didn''t want anyone to arrivete! Follow the academy rules and stay in line with what the Grandmaster instructed.

    These instructions were simple and easy to follow... It was just like following strict military instructions or even following strict medical or business acts.

    That''s why if anyone dared to show upte or go against the rules, they would be deeply disappointed in them.

    .

    Immediately, the prominent families all came up with a simple checklist of things that they would personally approve of those epted to take in.

    Of course, Dorian didn''t know of these ns.

    They decided to do it tonight to ensure that their people weren''tcking anything.

    In the letter, it''s emphasized that no guns or artillery would be allowed... But it didn''t reject them from bringing daggers, trusty ropes, and simple survival-in-the wild necessities, no?

    Bandages, patches for treating wounds, bug repents, and even a few more items would save them mightily.

    They heard that Dorian had purchased some ind, which they assumed would be where they were going.

    So how could they not prepare?

    Tonight, the heads of these big families all made their lists of things each person was supposed to carry.

    2 days before the opening day, they would check these items one by one, ensuring that no one missed a thing!

    .

    And just like that, the Heavenly Tian Academy had officially epted 3,727 students and Caretakers!

    Ding!

    [''Congrattions, host. Your main mission ispleted!'']

 Chapter 224 The Countdown Begins!

    Oh?

    He was to recruit 3,000 students.

    And so far, he had recruited 3,700 students, as well as 27 Caretakers... This of course included Butler Sheng, Haru, and the rest who also received their letters stating their job positions.

    Not bad.

    Dorian was pleased with the oue.

    Now, his academy was officially ready for business.

    Very quickly, he nced through his rewards, realizing that the reward descriptions were more detailed than before.

    First, the system would provide each student with 3 standard school attire, including shoes.

    The exorcism attire was ck and very sleek, with a streamlined design.

    It was fashionable yetfortable and easy to stretch about when in battle.

    The academy Logo was on the left chest side of the attire.

    Dorian was very content with the attire.

    There were a lot of pockets, both hidden and external, to ce one''s talismans or small gadgets in.

    The students were assigned pure ck attires, while the caretakers had grayish-silvery attire instead.

    As for himself, he would wear whatever he damn well wanted... Though his choice was always bluish-ck.

    [''Host, the uniforms are simr armor. It can shield off some underworld attacks by 10%. And, it''s also fireproof against mortal fire.'']

    For the aspect of it being a shield, it only shielded off evil qi or underworld threats.

    If a moral attacked them to shoot a bullet at them, they would die.

    Dorian stared at the transparent screen before him, chuckling to himself.

    How very convenient.

    Dorian flicked the screen, looking at his next set of rewards.

    A gravity Room... or should he say hall with a total of 5 separate rooms in it all effective for those in the True Qi realm.

    .

    Dorian rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    It should be possible to extend the Gravitational Room''s level above the True Qi Realm.

    And if he wasn''t mistaken, he would have to do so through his missions.

    But for now, he was worried about that.

    He was now in the 6th Dan of the True Qi Realm, meaning it was still quite a while before he moved into the 13th and final stage, breaking off into the next cultivation Realm.

    Of course, knowing his potential, it should be closer than he thought... Especially with the traditional rooms now avable.

    These rooms could pressurize one''s strength, pushing him past his limit and assisting him in breaking through way faster than before.

    ''It looks like I''ll have to visit the Gravitational room during these next 2 weeks."

    Yes.

    He also nned on sending Butler Sheng and the rest there as well.

    They will be the Academy''s core members. So how can they be weak?

    They would use the room in rotation.

    2 or 3 will go, while the others will always be in the estate, rotating like so.

    They had a head start on this matter because once the academy opens, with 3727 caretakers and students, you best believe some might only be able to use the traditional rooms once a month or once in 2 or 3 months.<sub> </sub>

    One has to book in advance, also paying with academy credits to use it.

    .

    It was important to note that only academy credits or academy coins can be used on the Academy premises.

    If they finish their tasks and missions across the academy, they''ll amass a moderately-sized amount of wealth while here.

    It should be noted that apart from this, every 2 weeks, students, as well as caretakers, will also receive their standard quota of 1 pill and 5 silver hexagonal coins.

    100 silver coins were equivalent to 1 gold coin.

    There was no use of copper bound in here.

    The academy had its own currency, and that was that.

    With the money they received, they would be responsible for buying raw materials to make their own food.

    What a joke!

    As people on the road to automation, if they couldn''t even stand up to a little hardship, then what were they here for?

    Of course, the moment they broke through their mortal shell, the stronger they grew, the longer they would be able to survive without food.

    With his strength, Dorian could go on for 15 years without tasting and wouldn''t die.

    He just enjoyed taking in food because of the taste and the need to fill his energy levels.

    Again, even when in the mortal phase, once they start cultivating, they''ll realize that they''ll be able to go on for several days without feeling the tingling pain of hunger.

    That was how Butler Sheng and the rest felt before breaking their Mortal shell.

    Bottom line, start cultivating, and you''ll be fine.

    .

    Anyway, things on the academy premises were different, strictly working on a merit system.

    As they say, there was no food for thezy.

    1 pill and 5 silver coins biweekly were the bare student minimum once they came in as Handymen.

    Only when they break through their mortal shell would they be allowed to move into the outer sect.

    And of course, as outer sect members, they would get 2 pills and 10 silver coins every a total of 4 pills and 20 silver coins.

    Again, this was the minimum for outer sect disciples. Only after breaking past the 9th Dan of the True Qi Realm could they head on to the inner sect.

    That said, once they advance each step of the way, their weekly quota would increase as well.

    After reaching the 2nd Dan, they would get 3 pills and 15 silver coins biweekly.

    Once in the 3rd Dan, they''ll get 4 pills, 1 elixir, and 20 coins biweekly.

    Like so, the stronger they became, the more they amassed.

    As for caretakers and future Elders, though their biweekly quotas were way higher than the students, they still followed the merit and ranking system if they wanted more wealth to purchase more venttion resources.

    Such was the way of the Academy.

    .

    Dorian quickly pushed the matter of the Gravity hall at the back of his head.

    As for hisst reward, of course, the system had allocated him with 1,000 Perfected Grade 1 and 2 texts/books on all sect professions, ranging from low-tier to high-tier ranks, just as promised.

    [''Host, the books are in the Academy Pavillion. And as requested, the duplicates have been sent into the library within the space.'']

    ''Good.''

    The countdown has begun!

 Chapter 225 A Tight-Fisted Man

    Like so, a turbulent wave of excitement had hit the city, unbeknownst to the many residents.

    But while others were filled with bubbly excitement, some only felt a wave of murderous thrill fluctuate within their eyes.

    In a private office within a luxurious mansion, a chubby man was swirling on his chair in the dark with his phone on his ears like a five-year-old.

    "Hahahaha~... Wee! Wee to Luxian City! Do you have everything you need for the job?"

    Wei Kwo was so excited, spraying saliva into the air the more he spoke.

    He felt both anxious and very eager for what was about toe too.

    Finally, he would get rid of the brat for good!

    Unlike the useless men he stole from the Tians, getting a professional from the Dar would definitely guarantee his sess.

    Look! This was how professionals should be!

    Wei Kwo''s meaty flesh gripped his no horn higher, listening to the call voice on the other side of the phone.

    [Is the money ready?]

    "Yes! Yes!" Wei Kwo nodded vigorously.

    You have to know that this was also the first time he used the Dar for such matters.

    So he was very muchwsuits when working with these high-listed assassins and mercenaries.

    One false move from him could incur their wrath.

    People like these most probably had their personal teams that they''ve been grooming for years.

    So why would he want to piss them off?

    Of course, as decided, after agreeing on a particr assassin, he paid half of the money promised.

    The other half would be paid once the job was done.

    He didn''t worry about the assassin taking his money and fleeing because these people in the Dar took pride in their work, not wanting any stain on their resumes.

    He was sure that the assassin he hired would do the job efficiently.

    This he had long gathered the other half of the money, ready to wire in the transfer once word came in.

    .

    "So, how fast can you attack the boy? I mean... When will you act?"

    Wei Kwo was truly anxious about this matter.

    Not long ago, those he sent to check on the Tian couple returned saying that they had been transferred to some safe facility.

    What does this mean?

    It''s clear that the Hous had acted, taking the Tian family for better treatment to another part of the country or abroad.

    He feared that the Tian couple would resurrect back from theira sooner than he expected.

    Fear, fear...

    Deep down, he still feared his cold brother-inw quite a bit.

    After knowing all he did, won''t his brother-inw skin him alive and boil his skin, feeding it to the dogs?

    Shudder. Shudder.

    Wei Kwo shivered uncontrobly, feeling as though a thousand spiders were crawling up his spine.

    Already, his armpits were perspiring just thinking about his scary, never-smiling brother-inw.

    But thinking of how he used to kiss his brother-inw''s ass in the past, Wei Kwo was very ufortable and unwilling to return from whence he came.

    No Way!

    His eyes brimmed with a murderous hue.

    ''Brother-inw... It''s best you remain a vegetable and not give me trouble! Or better still, I should just find you wherever you''re hiding and pull the plug!''<sub> </sub>

    Wei Kwo was determined.

    Since he got this far, there was no way he would allow them to take all that he had worked hard for!

    So what if the guy opened the Tian business all on his own?

    What about the hard work that he, Wei Kwo, had put in all this time?

    Didn''t it also count for anything?

    .

    "Tell me. How soon?"

    [7 days]

    "What? That far? Why? Why not now?"

    [Mr. Kwo... It would be best if you calmed down. Since I''ve taken the job, then I can assure you that a kid like that who has little to no training is an easy kill for myself. I only need a couple of days to study his moments. On day 7, he will die. And by then, I will also be able to unearth whatever secret or information he had that could make these prominent families support him.]

    Yes!

    Wei Kwo breathed a sigh of relief, listening to the man''s words.

    Indeed.

    He was too hasty in this matter.

    It was best for the assassin to observe and find the secret out. This would also be beneficial to him when he eventually ckmailed these prominent families into singing ording to his tune.

    Additionally, it would be bad if, on the day the assassin nned to attack, the Gia or Hous had their men over too.

    For sure, the assassin would be overpowered, and he would''ve lost his money''s worth.

    As a very tight-fisted and thrifty person, he didn''t like giving money to others, even if it entailed paying their wages.

    So imagine how pissed he would be if the assassin got captured?

    As expected, the assassin was more experienced in these things than he was.

    In that case, what was he worrying about?

    .

    "Alright. Just do what you want. I''m expecting to hear good results."

    [Naturally... After all, today, the boy pulled quite a big stunt. And to be honest, you''ll have to increase the pay a lot more before I can continue any further.]

    What?!

    Increase the pay? Why?

    Wei Kwo stood abruptly, feeling angered for his continuous loss of money from his bank ount.

    Of course he didn''t me the assassin but pinned it all on Dorian instead.

    ''Since you''re going to die, why drag me into poverty before you do so? Can''t you see that I''m allergic to poverty?''

    Wei Kwo was aggrieved.

    With all the private money he was paying about here and there, as well as his family''s nouveau-rich exaggerated spending habits, how can his pockets not bleed?

    Dammit!

    He gritted his teeth in rage.

    Once again, he couldn''t help thinking of what bloody secret the boy held that could gather so many major personnel and their men to his estate?

    Was this some sort of joke?

    Who can tell him what was truly going in here?

    (T��T)

 Chapter 226 Deal!

    "Fine. Fine! This increase... How much are we talking about?"

    [30%]

    "30?!!! 30? 30?!"

    Wei Kwo gripped his hair tightly, almost making himself bald.

    30% increase?

    Do you know how much that will be in total?

    F*** you!

    Instantly, Wei Kwo''s breathing became heavier and heavier.

    His nostrils red, and his entire face became as red as a tomato.

    Damn that brat!

    This was all his fault for gathering some big show-off party tight before his assassination.

    Why wouldn''t he just die in a low-key manner?

    Opening his drawer speedily and pulling out a massive box of fat cigars, Wei Kwo had the impulse to smoke at least 3 of them tonight.

    His wife was already a ravaging mad dog since thest time he cut her spending budget.

    And his daughter and son were no different, seeing as they could no longer show off with their friends as much as they did.

    Not to talk of his old mother who yed mahjong with her old cronies, gambling and drinking her life away.

    But what could he do?

    He definitely didn''t want to take the money off his ount.

    Wei Kwo was stingy and tight-fisted like that.

    So he nned to cut 80~95% of everyone else''s money, just to make the 30% increase.

    No way!

    He had a lot to do with his money.

    From bribingpany staff, bribing outsiders, getting more men under his arms, getting moredies in his bed, and many other things... Wei Kwo had many uses for money.

    Additionally, now that he had decided to pull the plug on the bastard Tian couple, he would need to get people to look for the couple.

    And after that, he would need to bribe the nurses or those taking care of the couple to pull the damn plug and kill them all!

    .

    ~Pheeww~~

    Wei Kwo blew out a big whiff of air, immersed in his little thoughts.

    Of course, the man on the other end had given him ample time to make up his mind.

    After all, a 30% increase was indeed a lot

    However, it was just right, seeing the kind of dangerous people that the Tian boy could conjure up.

    As assassins, their lives were on the line.

    So shouldn''t the money reflect the job all the more?

    The man on the other end of the phone didn''t seem to be in a rush.

    [Mr. Kwo... During these next 7 days that my team and I observe the Target, you''re expected to site in the full 30% increase. We will notunch any attacks until then.]

    Dammit!

    Wei Kwo turned cold.

    He initially wanted to tell them to give him time; however, before he could speak, the man on the other end had already cut his thoughts short.<sub> </sub>

    ... Could it be that assassins could also read minds?

    Though Wei Kwo would''ve sessfully paid the amount in the end, he had to admit that if told to pay theplete 30% after the job, he would stall for a bit or plead to deliver monthly installments instead.

    Of course, he would definitely pay the money, lest the assassins get angry, turning their attention to him, blowing up his home, or doing other damaging actions that would cost him a fortune to fix it all up.

    He wasn''t a fool.

    This much he knew.

    The Dar wasn''t a ce where one could y with others as they liked.

    The difference with payingter would be less pressure.

    That''s right.

    Because he was wracking his brains on how to pay off thisrge chunk, do you know how much pressure he was currently under?

    Sigh... In the end, what choice did he have?

    .

    Releasing big whiffs of smoke, Wei Kwo finally steadied his mind.

    "Alright... You''ll have your money... I just hope you can deliver!"

    The man on the other side of the phone raised the corners of his lips slightly: [You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Kwo. Pay the money, and the boy is as good as dead.]

    The man on the other side of the phone spoke to Wei Kwo a bit more, stirring the ss of scotch in his hand thoughtfully.

    For the ne, he and his team had to get inside information from anyone within that Tian estate.

    From the boy''s attitude of arrogantly holding onto the secrets of these prominent families to summoning them at will, it can be said that he should also be an arrogant person that not everyone likes.

    Meaning in his home, there should be a few loose mouths around.

    This was typically the case for people like this... Even his employer, Wei Kwo, should have several loose lips in his home.

    With attitudes like that, it was no wonder that his target and his employer were rted.

    In the end, their downfall was always their personalities.

    First, he needed to find someone currently living in the Tian estate that had a mountain load of grievances up their butts.

    He was looking for someone who wanted nothing more than to prove their point and see the brat fall.

    When the residents step out of the Tian estate, they''ll trail them and make deals with them to trade for information.

    At the same time, maybe they could even recruit one of them to be inside men... Or women.

    Where was the boy hiding the secrets that the big families all wanted?

    sh drive, some box buried underneath the ground, some other ce across the other end of the country... Where exactly was the boy hiding what he kept secret?

    They had to at least get some clues or leads before infiltration.

    So why not send those in the estate to snoop around his bedroom chambers or any other ces for some hints?

    With how dangerous this mission ended up being, having a few discardable chess pieces didn''t seem like a bad idea at all.

    .

    Wei Kwo was already too pale and horrid to continue their discussion any further.

    [Remember, Mr. Kwo... You have just 7 days to make payment.]

    "Mmm... You''ll get your money."

    Tut...

    The man on the other end hung up without warning.

    (-_-)

 Chapter 227 What Was That Bastard Up To?

    ... Motherf**ker!

    ~Chang! Chang! Chang!~

    Wei kwo smashed his phone onto its receiver generally, trying to release his pent-up tension and rage.

    Why did he have to give out so much of his money all at once?

    Not only was he ming Dorian, but he was also ming his ipetent guards.

    What was the point of stealing them from his brother-inw if they were all so useless?

    Wei Kwo felt that he had wanted money for nothing.

    He increased their sry, trying to get them to work under him and treat him with reverence.

    But in the end, what did he get?

    Betrayal and Ipetence!

    They not only failed to kill the Tian boy, but they also refused to obey any of hismands since thatst incident.

    They had suddenly gone on some non-existent strike, only working the simple and bare minimum jobs like escorting him about and whatnot.

    If he sent them to an abandoned factory to shoot some people''s legs, they wouldn''t do it.

    They would just shrug their shoulders and act like he was invisible.

    .

    In the end, no matter how Wei Kwo saw it, they didn''t take him as their boss.

    So why didn''t he stop paying their sries?

    Simple.

    It was all because they knew too much.

    They were not only involved with the Tian couple''s misfortune but also did a few back jobs for him too.

    At the moment, he didn''t have enough money to get rid of them all.

    Look! Just Dorian''s matter was this costly.

    Then imagine how much he would have to pay to take care of the Tian couple permanently?

    He needed to do these 2 first before dealing with this useless bunch of ingrates.

    Money.

    He had to gather more money not only to hire but train his very own special unit of guards before he could get rid of these.

    Think about it.

    If he got rid of them now, who would protect or escort him around?

    Wouldn''t peopleugh at him for not even having a security team to open doors for himself, drive him about and show off his wealth?

    One thing at a time.

    Deal with Dorian first before dealing with the other loads of pending issues he had to take care of.

    Firming his thoughts, Wei Kwo calmly rose to his feet, intending to turn in for the day.

    The sun had long set, dinner had long been eaten, and almost every ce was quiet, with many already snuggled up in their beds.

    Indeed.

    It was time to turn in.

    However, while walking across his massive office, his gaze suddenly stopped at another building within his estate.

    ''Is he even within the estate?... I haven''t seen the son of a b**ch for a week now... What is that bastard, Botan, up to?''

    Wei Kwo cursed for a bit, finally exiting his office to rest.

    But unbeknownst to him, his already turbulent estate was even more chaotic than before!

    .

    In the massive staff building, many had already paid on their beds, either going to sleep, reading a few books, browsing in their phones, or using theirpanies to work on heaven knows up.

    It was already 11 P.M.

    Almost no one was strolling about the many winding hallways.

    Most of those with early shifts had long fallen asleep, while those withte shifts all enjoyed a few hours of bed entertainment before finally hitting the sheets.<sub> </sub>

    Andying on one of the beds, a certain 35-year-old gardener was busily enjoying his movie,ughing and annoying everyone in the room.

    "Can''t you turn your volume down a notch? Don''t you know what time it is? Can''t you see that some of us are trying to get some rest?"

    Many who had just been swept away by the sandman were very annoyed by the high-pitchedughter that woke them up.

    Do you know how difficult it is to sleep after getting several disturbances?

    If mind power were a thing, they would''ve long held their heads with their fingers, ring at the 35-year-old man and zapping him with their eyes.

    F***!

    Some ced pillows over their heads, seeing that the culprit wasn''t going to listen.

    Rather than sympathizing with them, he aggressively bared his fangs with contempt instead.

    .

    "You want me to keep quiet? Why should I? Tell me? Have I done something wrong? This is my bed, no? This is my table, no? Tsk!... I''m making noise in my personal space! So what does it have to do with ant of you?"

    "You''re too much!" Someone eximed, pushing their nket to the side with saggy eyes that screamed: I will kill for sleep.

    Instantly, the entire ce became heated, with many voicing theirints at the culprit who disturbed their rest.

    However, the bastard was stillughing in disdain at them.

    "Hahahhaha~~..._Yes! Yes; Fight! This is what I want! The less you all sleep, the happier I''ll be! Serves you all right for going against me this week!"

    He asked for more meat in his good, but what did the book tell him? That everyone had a limit per dish.

    Impossible!

    Are you saying that they, the kitchen staff, didn''t steal food? He, as a gardener, didn''t believe it!

    This was already going on. So why not just give him some more?

    Okay. Leaving the kitchen matters aside, he had seen a few of his colleagues wash clothes together.

    So all he did was request for them to handle a few of his items.

    At first, they agreed. But after doing hisundry for 3 months, out of nowhere, they decided to quit.

    Why?

    Why were they being so difficult? Can''t it justundry? It wasn''t like they were handwashing it or anything. So why was it hard for them to do that much?

    One by one, he had gotten into personal brawls with everyone here.

    However, he didn''t think it was wrong.

    It should be them who were so wicked and heartless!

    That''s why he decided that starting today, whenever he has ate shift, he''ll y his movie to the loudest,ughing and causing amotion.

    So you are angry?

    Thene and bite him!

    .

    "You''re too much!"

    "Your retribution ising!"

    He sneered after listening to everyone''s words.

    In the end, what could they do to him?

    Like so, he continued watching his movie until 1 A.M!

    Many had found ways to force themselves to sleep.

    And at present, only a few were up.

    Thirty... Thirsty...

    He opened the shared fridge in the far most end of their room, seeing no water or juice avable.

    In that case, wouldn''t he have to visit the public refrigerator in the staff dining hall?

    Thinking like that, the man took his home and stepped out of the room.

    He walked on steadily, chuckling at the y he performed tonight.

    But unbeknownst to him... He wasn''t alone!

 Chapter 228 Food: The Root Of All Evil?

    Grrr~~

    The gardener''s belly crumbled in despair, as though it was a century ago since hest ate.

    Touching his dry mouth, he couldn''t help grunting a bit more.

    He even felt his voice be hoarse and his throat too heavy whenever he swallowed.

    No doubt about it, he overdid it.

    But so what? Even if he didn''t have the voice to continue with his escapades, he still wouldn''t give up.

    Tomorrow, he''ll bang his feet and hands against his bed or corner table, giving those bastards no time to rest.

    Hmph!

    It serves them right for being mean to him!

    (*^*)

    .

    Step by step, the gardener moved along the dimly lit corridors with the shlight from his phone illuminating most of the scene.

    The entire building was a staff housing unit.

    Whether it was the many guards, gardeners, maids, butlers, or other workers, they all lived in the grand staff mansion, with the top and ranked staff residing in the main building.

    What was impressive about the building wasn''t its height but its width.

    Of course, this went without saying that each sleeping room housed at least 8~12 people in it.

    The building was 4 stories high, with most of its ground floor used for storage rooms instead.

    Whether it was the drapes, beddings, yearly supplies of toilet paper, or even spare door knobs, there werebeled rooms on ground floor to indicate which region kept what.

    So in general, most, if not all of the workers lived on the 2nd floor upwards.

    Of course on the basement level of the building, one could still find quite a few spare sleeping rooms and storage rooms too... As well as the massiveundrypartment that room up the space of amercialundry room.

    There were no less than 20 washers and 15 massive dryers there.

    That said, the dining room on the ground floor was also huge enough to de the many staff around.

    It was said that this estate, as well as the many estates within this city, belonged to the ancients.

    .

    Over time these estates have been modernized, the key outstanding attributes about them haven''t changed much.

    The staff dining for one had 4 of the most extended tables one would ever find, spacing from end to end.

    These tables could amodate not just the entire live-in-staff but also any more recruits that came in at any given time.

    And scattered around the walls of the massive dining hall are fridges that blended in perfectly with the wall colors.

    These fridges had stacks of water always in them, as well as a few light juices too. There were also a few condiments and breakfast necessities like Jam or butter too.

    It can be said that though each room had a mini-fridge, those fridges on ground level mainly were there for when one needed water or something during working hours.

    Plus, many who bought food from outdoors could savebels and save their food or sandwiches in these fridges, nning to eat them during lunch.

    The live-in staff only needed to be in the estate during their shifts and before lifts out.

    So when they were free, they could leave, go out and pass the time as they chose.

    Indeed.

    Life here was very good for the workers, and the pay was high even if their employer was bleeding his eyes out.

    Even with all this happening, these people needn''t worry about not receiving their pay since every prominent family dared not do so.

    Do you know how scandalous such news would be?

    The nouveau-rich Kwo''s who just rose up not long ago couldn''t pay theirborers?

    Pff!

    The Press would have a field day!<sub> </sub>

    .

    ~Grrrrw~

    Listening to his grumbling belly, the gardener subconsciously licked his lips, recalling the scene earlier when he saw someone ce their sandwich in the fridge.

    For dinner, the kitchen had given them sandwiches as after deserts and side dishes.

    Of course, some decided to share those sandwiches and eat during their breaks tomorrow instead.

    Heh...

    If he took a few bites, who would have evidence to say that he was the one?

    Look!

    He might as well fill his belly and quench his thirst at the same time!

    Like so, the gardener slowly descended the rabbit hole from the 3rd floor, walking through the dark and eerie-feeling hallways with nothing in his mind but thievery.

    However, something caused him to freeze the moment he reached ground level.

    ~Sniff. Sniff.

    The gardener flinched and rubbed his nose in disgust after getting a fierce attack from an unknown source.

    What was that mildew burnt smell he got?

    The stench was foul and unbeatable, having so manybinations of toy, filth, mold, and all sorts of gut-churning smell concocted in one.

    Augh~

    Awful... Just awful!

    If not for his rumbling belly, he would long turn back just from the smell alone.

    Shaking his nostrils, he continued without a moment to spare, thinking nothing else of it.

    However, just when he was about to take a step forward, he heard a sharp swishing noise from behind.

    .

    ~Wheesh!

    The gardener jumped like a frightened cat, pointing his shlight at his back with trembling hands.

    "Who''s there?"

    -Silence-

    No one replied.

    Still, the gardener was not at ease.

    A strange wind had long caressed his belly, being him with a deep sense of regret and panic.

    Who?

    His hands holding his phone had long be unsteady, chaotically pointing the light up, down, and to every corner of the hallway, trying to understand where that swishing noise hade from.

    Eh?

    No one?

    Phew~.

    The gardener visibly rxed.

    What was he expecting to show up?

    What day and age was this? Why did his mind think in that absurd direction?

    Could it be that he has been too immense in the world of moviestely?

    Shaking his head wryly, nning to continue onwards to the staff dining Hall.

    ... It was just that like the case with many horror movies, he had celebrated too early.

 Chapter 229 Revenge Was Near

    The gardener felt he had nothing to fear, building up his courage to continue his thievery

    But the moment he turned ahead, he suddenly came face to face with a pair of deep, overly bright eyes.

    "Ahhh!!!--..."

    His eyes widened at an rming rate before finally returning to normal.

    "Oh! It''s you!... Good heavens, man, for a moment, you scared me to death, chief Botan."

    cing his hands in his chest, the gardener tried to strategy his breathing.

    Heart attack!

    He almost had a heart attack from Botan''s surprise turn up.

    On a typical day, he would''ve been terrified of chief security staff Botan.

    It was just that the jump scare from now really made him forget his initial fear.

    Lucky, it was just the Chief of Security.

    Oh no! This was bad!

    He was out during lights out.

    As per the rules, no one was supposed to be seen walking about this time!

    And with the rumors he heard about how strict Chief Botan was, then wouldn''t he get his sry shed or get suspended instead?

    Very anxiously, the gardener began stating his case.

    "Chief Botan! You... Please listen to me. I-I-I had worked too hard drying the day and was too tired Waller to eat or drink. I thought I could sleep on an empty stomach. But you know, I have gastric and even have some other hidden ailments too... h, h, h, h, h, h~"

    .

    Like a machine gun, the gardener began to pull out farts from his ass, talking and talking about while looking at the floor or his surroundings from time to time.

    He dared not look the Chief of security in the eyes lest he curbed under pressure and exposed himself.

    It was just unfortunate that because he was too bent oning up with the perfect lies, he failed to see the changes all around him.

    The walls slowly grew icyyers, and the hair was filled with even more strange smells.

    But that wasn''t all.

    If he looked up, he would see that the greatest change had happened to the person standing before him.

    The gardener had exaggerated his energy, finally waiting for Botan''s sanctions.

    However, he heard nothing.

    Eh?

    Why did it suddenly turn chilly?

    Shudder. Shudder.

    His shoulders shook on their own, and goosebumpspletely engulfed his entire being.

    How strange.

    The gardener was very perplexed by it all.

    But soon, his confused expression turned distorted.

    With his head still down, he saw something bizarre.

    .

    1, 2, 3... 8!

    There were 8 small weird-shaped shadows alling from Botan!

    And all these 8 were different from Botan''s prominent shadows.

    But how was that even possible?

    The shadows danced maniacally, revealing several ws, wings, and crazy images that made him whimper without a sound.

    Why? Why did he have to be greedy for ate-night snack and some cheap water?

    Seeing the strange shadows and hearing the even more testifying noises, the gardener''s nostrils turned runny, with snot, sweat, and tears mixing into one the more they dropped along his face.

    In a heartbeat, his legs turned wobbly, and his fear grew a hundred times more.

    "Chief Botan... You! You! You!~"

    1, 2...

    The gardener took several steps back with an opened mouth of horror, finding his scream stuck in his throat.<sub> </sub>

    Chief... Chief...

    This was not the chief!

    His hands subconsciously released his phone the moment the lights began to flicker.

    Time seemed frozen in ce with a dreadful shadowy visual presentation, urring along the walls, showing the gardener''s fate.

    Mommy, mommy�� save him.

    The gardener felt despair.

    ~Whoop... Whoop... Whoop.

    The phone fell in slow motion.

    And by the time it finally smashed into the behind, the lights resumed as usual.

    But this time, only one man was standing within the winding hallway.

    Botan stood at the center, closing his eyes and feeling his strength bulge within his muscles.

    Power... Power...

    He felt like the most powerful man in the world!

    Hahahahahaha~

    [How is it, mortal? Didn''t I tell you? If it''s power, I''ll give you all you want... Just keep your end of the bargain, and we''ll get along just fine.]

    "Yes! Yes!"

    Botan nodded numerously, not even caring about the now-dead gardener.

    So what if the worthless piece of trash dies?

    He should be happy that he died for a good cause.

    Very quickly, Botan picked up the gardener''s clothes, nning to dispose of themter.

    Although the method was different, this wasn''t his first time making a person disappear without suspicion.

    So he knew just how to handle this matter. This was why he chose to target someone not liked in the estate.

    It took an entire week to observe this guy, also secretly guiding him to act in this manner too.

    He made the kitchen rules stricter and subconsciously hinted at others, making them feel annoyed for doing open favors for this guy.

    Well, it wasn''t a hint, but more likeing down on them harder for being secondste or other minimal things that got dyed because of their ''kindness.''

    And wouldn''t you know it, based on the guy''s personality, he acted just as expected.

    .

    Botan looked at his ring deeply.

    "Don''t worry; I''ll give you your weekly feed as promised, so long as you keep giving me power!"

    The creature in the ring agreed but secretly sneered at Botan.

    With this bit of power, this guy thinks he''s already unstoppable?

    Tsk!

    Humans were indeed too weak!

    Because Botan wasn''t per se a cultivator, the demonic qi he got was just a temporal thing.

    Botan had no way of knowing how to channel or open the many meridians of cultivation.

    Most of the evil qi was still stored in his ring for when he wanted to use it.

    In the end, he was still a mortal, not breaking out of his mortal shell.

    It should also be noted that cultivating in the way of evil was e times harder than cultivating as an exorcist.

    Evil qi was too dense and wicked for humans to engulf.

    Beings not birthed from the abyss itself would have difficulties taking it in as though they were in outer space, struggling to take in oxygen.

    The path of being an evil cultivator was truly hard... but not impossible.

    Botan clenched his fist, looking at the purplish streaks surrounding them.

    Now he could kill off the Tian couple and their son the way he wanted!

    Good!...

    It was time for revenge!

 Chapter 230 A Customer Emerges

    Power!

    The strength men crave!

    All across the city, many began to make their moves.

    And in a blink of an eye, another 4 days had gone by.

    As usual, Dorian stopped cultivating and left the space, meeting Butler Sheng in his bedroom chambers.

    As a good butler and one of the few staff left in the Tian household, Butler Sheng changed the drapes and beddings, though Dorian hardly used his bed.

    "Good morning, Grandmaster."

    "Morning, Sheng."

    Dorian replied, heading straight for the showers.

    And in the meantime, Butler Sheng took hisundry, leaving the scene very respectfully.

    He was holding onto the Grandmaster''s already worn pieces of clothing.

    So how could he not treat them with care, as though they were gold?

    [Round up your duties before midday. We''ll be leaving earlier than nned.]

    Butler Sheng paused, listening to Dorian''s telepathic message, before finally leaving the room.

    Today, he, Raulin, and the Grandmaster were supposed to head out at 4 P.M to open their stall, leaving the other 3 to take care of all Estate matters.

    However, it looks like the Grandmaster nned to do so earlier than expected.

    ''I should properly get more talismans.'' Butler Sheng thought, not wanting to be caught in an unexpected pinch.

    Who could predict how the day would go?

    .

    Breakfast, casual meetings with many guests.

    Dorian had always reserved the early hours of the day for meeting personal clients who came by after meeting him at the stalls.

    There were just some issues that couldn''t be taken care of on a jiffy.

    Some were simple, needing only his talismans at the stalls and his advice to solve the matters all on their own.

    But some matters required him to take a look at them personally.

    One by one, people came in as scheduled amidst the snooping eyes of some of the stay-in doctors and nurses.

    In particr, Alice had still not given up in pinning Dorian down.

    She needed dirt on the people here.

    Anything to get her transferred out of this ce and back into the real, busy, and bubbling hospital life, making a name for herself and gathering more fame.

    Who would want to be hidden away in a corner while others are out there in the spotlight?

    "Alice! Keep up!"

    "Yes." She replied, unwillingly peeling her gaze away from the strange visitors leaving the grand hall.

    It was time for her shift.

    She and several others now have to watch thea-stricken Tian couple on the highest floor.

    ''Soon, I''ll find all the secrets you''re hiding.'' Those were herst thoughts before her shift.

    In the meantime, the already dressed-up Butler Sheng who had his coat, calmly walked in with Dorian''s coat, assisting him in putting it on.

    "Grandmaster, Raulin is already in the vehicle with the box."

    "Hmmm... Let''s go."

    12, midday.

    It was time to open their shed.

    .

    "h, h, h, h, h~."

    The constant mumblings of the crowd grew distant in the ears of a perplexed man walking in the streets with a dazed expression.

    The sun was up, the atmosphere was cheerful, and the roads were very congested.

    However, no matter how loud and bubbly the streets were, the man couldn''t hear anything at all.

    His hearing was alright. But his brain was just in a different ce, thinking of all the troubles he''d been facing during thesest few weeks.

    Why?<sub> </sub>

    Why did it seem that when one issue hits a person, all otherse together, hitting him all at once?

    With very saggy eyes and messy yet balding hair, he looked very unkempt and crazed.

    The gentle summer breeze blew his scanty hair ever so gently as though bombing through his thoughts.

    What should he do? What should he do?

    He used to be a fairly chubby person.

    One couldn''t say he was fat, and one couldn''t say he was thin as well.

    But after these problems smacked him in the face one after another, he had lost all his initial fat, bing very slender in size.

    Many who knew him thought he was sick.

    But only he knew that his body was breaking down from running about and having sleepless nights.

    Suicide?

    He didn''t dare to do it. And the guilt was too much to bear.

    If he left his family at a time like this, giving them the full weight of his worries, then even in death, he wasn''t sure he would be able to rest in peace.

    .

    On the streets, the man would move and stop from time to time, talking to himself with his gaze permanently fixed to the floor.

    Borrow money?

    Sorry.

    Those that he thought were friends turned out to be selfish hypocrites.

    Throughout his life, he had always been a person who would help those he considered as family.

    He had friends he lent out a lot of money to over the years.

    You say your son needs money to buy a house to woo his future wife?

    No problem. Since you''re family, I''ll lend you the money.

    Things have always been like that.

    And though he wasn''t giving them money to one day recollect it back, now that he was in a pickle and needed any form of money or assistance, his so-called friends didn''t even try helping him out.

    Out of his 7 sworn brothers, only one of them desperately tried his best, though it still wasn''t enough to cover his predicament.

    Still, he was grateful to that friend.

    The man had a sad expression, trying to hold his tears back when thinking of the truly painful matter that weighed heavily on his heart.

    Sigh...

    It didn''t concern his debt but his past.

    The man finally coached to the ground leaning at the corner of a building, seemingly lost in thought.

    ''What should I do now?''

    Almost immediately, the words of several passerbys echoed in his ears.

    "Hey! Have you heard? There seems to be a loony stall opened up by some mad scam artist."

    "Ahh! I''ve heard about that one too. It''s said that it''s opened by some crazy rich generation youngster that''s just having some fun outside."

    "Exactly! Divination? Does he think we''re mentally retarded?"

    "Hey. You never know. I heard that those who aa whim imed to have all their worries go away."

    "Fake! He definitely hired actors to do it!"

    (*^*)

    .

    Whoosh!

    Speedily, the man raised his head to look at the passerbys.

    Can make all problems go away?

    Though he didn''t believe it, the man still decided to give it a try.

    After all, what else did he have to lose?

    ''Grandmaster? Where can I find his stall?''

 Chapter 231 The Strange Canopy Stall

    In a not-so-busy part of the city, one could see a line of people standing before what seemed like a small reddish canopy tent.

    The tent was too conspicuous, seeing that it was ced amidst the many stalls that sold fruits, foods, and other portable items.

    Those who stood in line often bought some delicacies to pass the time while waiting their turn.

    One could say that business was somewhat booming thanks to the emergence of the strange canopy-like stall.

    In truth, many didn''te because they believed in whatever was advertised here.

    They more or less came for fun, wanting to give these canopy people to be frauds.

    It was also aedic sight, with manying here to pick these retarded people who set up the canopies.

    In the past, many called the police to report the matter.

    But why was it that after the police entered the canopies to see the owner, they would always leave without arresting or taking these retarded people to the psychiatric hospital?

    "Look! I said it right! For the police to leave such people in the streets means that the canopy should belong to some rich family that can get him off the hook!"

    "Tsk. I think you''re right. Just look at those 2 men in full ck suits standing outside the canopy like bodyguards? I''m sure they''re just here to watch over this sick young master and make sure that he doesn''t go too far."

    "F***! How dare you guys insult the Grandmaster? Do you know what cmity he was able to help me out withst time? I''m telling you! If you are to insult the grand aster again, then ding me me for being rude!"

    "Pff!~... Buddy, don''t you think that your pretense and acting are a bit too overboard? Do You think they would appreciate you more and give you a job or money if you y along with this sick young master?"

    "Hahahahah~... I''ve seen people act like fans for idols before. But I''ve never seen someone shamelessly act this much for a crazed person."

    "You! You! You!~~."

    "Bahahahahaha~~"

    (^?^)

    ....

    Like so, the scene was lively, with almost no one believing in whatever services the canopy offered.

    Only those who had experienced life-changing situations tried their best to make others believe.

    And amongst this group were those who a few days ago had initially kicked the Grandmaster but gone back home to shocking incidents.

    "Husband, how did you know in pregnant?"

    "What? Mom, you''re saying that if I didn''t call you now, you would''ve died in a fire? Wait! You''re standing just outside the binding building now?"

    "I... I''ve really gotten demoted? Liar! Who told you this? Did that retard make you say this to convince me more of his scam?... You!~"

    Whether it was good or bad news, many who dared to enter the canopy were shocked by the end result.

    Some had subconsciously saved their families from catastrophes,ing back to thank the Grandmaster and get Talismans to keep their families living longer.

    And because these were man-made and natural catastrophes without the intervention of underworld entities, those who survived could live long lives without any worries... Though they would still end up losing a few months, 1, 2, or 3 years off their newly designed long-life trajectories.

    It was their blessing and luck to have met a heavenly exorcist to change their trajectories.

    Those who had first-hand experience were so grateful to Dorian, feeling personally attacked whenever they heard others bad-mouthing him.

    "The... The Grandmaster isn''t a retard!"

    .

    ''Should I really be here?'' The troubled man from earlier inwardly asked, deciding whether to stay or not.

    One step forth, another step back.<sub> </sub>

    The confusion was evident.

    At first, he held some hope in his heart.

    But after heading over and listening to the words said by the majority of people, the little mes in his heart greatly diminished.

    But maybe it was because of the words of the few believers that made him stay.

    In the end, he asked himself yet again: What do I have to lose?

    Well, maybe he would lose some moment, which frankly, was almost all he had left.

    But wasn''t it better to at least see what this Grandmaster was offering, lest he regretted it?

    It''s said that the Grandmaster won''t charge a person until he analyzes and calctes the matter outright.

    In this way, the Grandmaster would be able to give him a consultation on whatever was guing him.

    But whether they should move forth to serving the matter or not was all up to the client.

    Well, it was also said that this Grandmaster had no patience for those who weren''t serious, sending them not long after they went in.

    Maybe this was why many still didn''t believe him.

    After all, it did seem like he was picking out his clients, choosing who to help and who not to help.

    Well, fraud or not, it wouldn''t kill him to listen to whatever it is this guy has to say.

    In the end, whether he decided to listen some more and pay was all up to him.

    Again... What other excuses could he give?

    The troubled man rubbed his neck and scratched his arms a little nervously, thinking of what to do once he got in.

    One step forth, another step forward.

    He advanced on the line, seeing some people enter and leave the canopy with either confused expressions, angered expressions, or pure joy in their faces.

    The more he looked, the more ufortable he felt.

    ... What could it be that they were talking about?

    .

    "Thank you! Thank you, Grandmaster!" A youngster said, leaving the canopy in a cheerful mood.

    "Next!"

    The troubled man snapped back to reality, feeling his heart almost leap out of his chest.

    "R-right..."

    He replied, lowering his head below the topmost edge of the can''t, entering the space.

    He felt butterflies in his belly, wondering who and how to act around this Grandmaster fellow.

    His thoughts were still in disarray, saluting the Grandmaster as many had advised.

    However, when he raised his head, he couldn''t help opening his eyes in shock!

    "Young master Tian, what are you doing here?!"

 Chapter 232 What Are You Doing Here?

    In under 2 seconds, Angzen''s facial expressions had changed no more than 7 times.

    You, what, when, how, why, this, eh?

    Angzen stiffly stood on the spot, staring at the youngster with a nk mind.

    "Young master Dorian, are you the so-called Grandmaster many have been talking about?"

    Deep down, Angzen didn''t want to believe it would be so.

    But getting Dorian''s slight nod, thest bit of hope in his heart crashed and disintegrated into nothingness.

    This was his student, while he had a very favorable impression of.

    Sure. The boy was always quiet, keeping to himself.

    But when it came to having outstanding results, he, as a teacher, couldn''tin.

    Dorian was always amongst the top 3.

    But just before the final examinations that could determine his fate into entering a good university or not, trouble struck the young man''s family, causing him to not only miss the national exams but also turn into a pauper overnight.

    Now was the long holiday, and the results from the National examination had long been posted online.

    Many had also officially gotten eptance letters for the universities of their choice. At the same time, others went straight into thebor markets instead.

    In the end, most people had their act together, all except this pitiful young master.

    .

    When it all started, Angzen had wanted to visit Dorian, encouraging him not to lose heart and take the exams next year.

    He had also petitioned the school to reason with the National board, exining Dorian''s situation.

    After all, there were always exceptions to the rules, like those who got too ill and scheduled to take the examinations on their sickbeds for ater date.

    Maybe because he had a good impression of the boy''s parents, or perhaps because he just pitied Dorian... But for whatever reason, Angzen had always done his best to take care of him in school.

    But try as he might, he failed to petition the school to petition on the boy''s behalf.

    The principal and many of the teachers were so unreasonable, as though they had some personal resentment with the boy.

    They didn''t even try to assist him, not to talk of feeling pity for him.

    In the end, he has always pondered on Dorian''s situation since that incident.

    How was his student doing?

    This was a question that popped into his head everyone and then.

    He thought it would take a year(s) before he saw this student again.

    However, fate had a funny way of ying with one''s destiny.

    Who would''ve thought that they would meet in such a manner?

    .

    Angzen''s face turned a string hue of red, suddenly feeling enraged and deceived by a student he once felt was his star pupil.

    "Student Dorian, you''ve disappointed me too much! Just because you''re in this predicament, you''ve lowered yourself to this level? Deceiving innocent folks this much. Is this how I taught you?!!"

    Grandmaster?

    I think not!

    Wasn''t this his student? Those outside might not know Dorian, but he who had taught the boy for several years, wouldn''t know his student''s situation?

    How can someone who is currently in a bind of his own living in poverty and misery be able to help others when he can''t even fix his own situation?

    Too deceiving!

    And to think he had walked 20 more minutes on the streets to get here, not to talk to the time he spent lining up.

    His pain came from the fact that he had not only met a dead end in his troubles but had also wasted too much time out here for nothing.<sub> </sub>

    During this time, who knows if he might''ve been able to think of something else or run into a lucky scenario?

    Angzen felt a hard knot constrict down In his throat, causing his chest to raise up and down vigorously.

    "Student Dorian, you better exin yourself!"

    His disappointment was evident.

    (*^*)

    ��

    Teacher Angzen.

    Dorianzily raised his brow, looking at the red-faced Angzen explode.

    Usually, he wouldn''t be bothered with nonbelievers in confrontational settings.

    In scenarios such as these, he would stay silent, watching people rant until they left on their own.

    Yup.

    It wasn''t that he ''kicked'' them out, but that he wouldn''t respond to them, making them leave by themselves, seeing how mute he was.

    In the end, whether they bad-mouthed or made-up stories about him, Dorian didn''t care.

    Provided they didn''t disturb him personally, what does their attitude have to do with him?

    That was how the majority of people who came in got handled.

    However, ording to the memory of his current self, this teacher Angzen was good to himself.

    Maybe it was because he wanted to do something to assist the man as a thank you for taking care of his former self, or perhaps it was because he had seen the disturbing auras around this teacher... But whatever the reason might be, Dorian decided to help him.

    "You! You! You!~"

    Since when did his student be this arrogant even when doing evil?

    Angzen pointed his trembling fingers at Dorian gritted his teeth in fury.

    That''s it! He was leaving!

    "Wait."

    Dorian''s words caused him to freeze dead in his tracks.

    What did this disappointing student want to say to him now?

    Dorian leaned back into his seat, looking at the disheveled man from the corners of his eyes.

    "Teacher Angzen, don''t be too quick to judge. How do you know that I can''t help you?"

    "You? Help me? With your current situation?"

    Angzen turned to face Dorian, almostughing in rage.

    Did he think this was a joke?

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    Dorian tapped his fingers on the table, staring straight at Angzen with a mysterious glint in his eyes.

    "Teacher, what if I told you that not everything was as it seemed?"

    For some reason, Angzen''s heart began to throb loudly.

    And bit by bit, he inched his way closer towards Dorian.

    "You... What do you mean?"

    "Teacher, if you want to know... Then take a seat."

 Chapter 233 A Troubled Teacher

    Tick-Tock. Tock-Tock.

    Only 10 seconds had gone by since he sat across this student of his.

    But to him, it felt like an eternity, with the abnormal pressure and tension swimming across the scene.

    ''Should I say something?''

    Angzen was honestly trying his best to contain his already bottled-up fury.

    But seeing the state of silence they were in, for some reason, his mouth refused to utter hisints.

    It all began when he sat on the chair, and Dorian lit the 4 candles on the ends of the table.

    Brrm!

    The yellowish hue made their faces glow all the more thanks to the red canopy that seemed to elect and cause an even more dramatic visual within the room.

    ''What a pure smell.''

    The candle smelt like nothing he had ever smelt before.

    In fact, he didn''t even know whether what he smelt was actually an aroma or not.

    One could say the candle was unscented. But even unscented candles wouldn''t make the air smell so purified and clean.

    What was this?

    The scent made his anger reside a bit more, holding in his impatient words.

    Angzen rubbed his hands on his thighs, not knowing what he thought.

    And then, very unexpectedly, he saw Dorian reach underneath the table, taking out what seemed like a deck of cards.

    ''_''

    ... Why did he feel that there was something wrong with this script?

    Sure. ying cards was fun.

    But was this the time to do so?

    .

    Eh?

    Angzen stared at the strange block of cards, watching Dorian slowly shuffle and move them around.

    And as he worked, his hand speed increased like lightning.

    Thap! Thap! Thap!~

    The candle mes began to dance vigorously, and a strange gust of wind blew into the tent.

    Ah-

    Dizzy. Dizzy.

    Angzen watched the cards sway back, forth, and around, already feeling too dizzy to keep up.

    Blink.

    He blinked and shook his head in an attempt to get rid of his dizziness.

    Pap.

    Dorian abruptly stopped. And the candle mes also stopped flickering.

    "Before we begin, I''ll need your full name, age, and ce of birth."

    "Why?" Angzen was perplexed, supporting his aching head with one hand.

    "You''ll know once it''s over."

    That''s it?

    Angzen thinned his lips, contemting on whether to give it or not. In the end, he sighed, telling Dorian all he wanted to know.

    "Hmmm."

    Dorian took everything into ount before closing his eyes once more.

    Sometimes, the basic information and other aspects weren''t enough to fully see into a matter.

    And that''s why he had no choice but to use this method.

    Tarot cards!

    He had long crafted them for times such as these.

    And as thought, they came in handy faster than he expected.<sub> </sub>

    Finally opening his eyes, Dorian stared at Angzen deeply.

    "Let''s begin."

    .

    Angxen suddenly felt anxious, watching Doriany the strange cards before him one by one.

    And as heid them out, he began talking with Angzen.

    "Teacher Angzen, you have a younger sister who lives back in your hometown. Growing up, you... h, h, h, h~."

    "Yes! Yes,! Yes!"

    Angzen almost stood and jumped in agreement when listening to Dorian summarize all the major happenings in his childhood.

    Even more shocking was that Dorian had stated some secrets that only he knew.

    But how was this even possible?

    When he was 10 years old, Dorian wasn''t even conceived yet, not to talk of being born.

    So how could he have known this?

    You say he did digging into his past?

    Impossible!

    Some secrets were known only to him, though they weren''t bad.

    Everyone had their little secrets be it good or bad.

    "You!~"

    The way Angzen looked at Dorian changed.

    Words alone couldn''t describe the shock in his heart.

    One by one, Dorian wouldy out various cards that gave out a few facts about himself.

    Withser beam eyes, Angzen stared at the cards, wanting to dissent them for himself.

    Wipe!

    Could it be that there was some hidden information on them that only Dorian could see?

    (0_0)

    .

    Like so, Dorian rounded up the facts about his past and began to look into his present.

    Now, Dorian became even more intense.

    "Teacher Angzen, your debtes from your family matters, correct?"

    Angzen nodded vigorously before thinning his lips into a bitter smile.

    "Yes... Sigh... You wouldn''t be wrong about this. For over 11 years now, I''ve been contributingrge amounts to take care of my parents, who have been sickly over the years. My father developed cancer some time back. And maybe because of the distress and worrying, my mother never took care of her body either." He said, with a sigh of nostalgia in his voice.

    Back in, he left bitterly because of his stubbornness, settling here with his newly married wife to be a teacher.

    His parents favored his little sister more than he, which was very bizarre but true.

    One day, he couldn''t take the way they treated his newly wedded wife, choosing to move as far away from them as possible.

    Still, he was a filial person who loved his parents, despite their overly exaggerated bias against him.

    So over the years, he had beenmunicating with his sister, sending money to her every time he told him about their situation.

    Surgery today, this tomorrow, he also knew that they were getting up there in age.

    And recalling his father''s situation before he left ages ago, he felt even more guilty towards them, sending all he could to support their health.

    As for his current predicament, he was in debt because he took a massive loan from a loan shark because of his parent''s situation.

    What should he do? What should he do?

    In 15 more days, they coulde for a few limbs on his body to make up for what he owed!

    More frighteningly, they might attack his wife and children as well.

    .

    Dorian narrowed his eyes, looking at the air above Angzen.

    Something wasn''t right.

    There was more to this story than meets the eyes.

 Chapter 234 A Very Conflicting Case

    Very calmly, Dorian ced several stacks of cards before him with their backs facing upwards.

    You know, all this time, Dorian had been showing him the cards without requiring any assistance from him.

    But this time, things seemed a lot different.

    ~Gulp.

    Angzen swallowed hard, not knowing hey he was suddenly nervous.

    "You want me to pick 3 random cards?"

    "Hmmm."

    The past and present were over. Now it was time to look into the future.

    ''Which one should I pick?''

    Hovering his hands over the many cardsid out, Angzen anxiously bit his lips, finally flipping 3 of them.

    The Fool, The Divide, and Death.

    Oh?

    Dorian raised his brows, owning his third eye to see even deeper into the mist shedding the cards.

    "This... What does this mean?"

    Angzen felt very bad, especially after seeing the words ''Death'' written on one of the cards.

    Could it be that those thugs from the loan shark woulde after his life, killing him in the process?

    His student wouldn''t be cursing him to die, right?

    Even though he didn''t feel that these cards had anything to do with his predicament or fate, he was still distraught, wanting some form of encouragement, telling him that everything would be alright.

    Shudder. Shudder.

    "Student Dorian... What do these cards mean?"

    Seeing the first card he picked out, why did he feel it was insulting him?

    (:?^?:)

    "The Fool... Impulsive, blind to the truth, and uncorrupt. This card represents not only your future self but also your current andst self." Dorian said,zily gazing into the card with his third eye.

    His teacher was akin to a person walking about with a thick covering on his face.

    In his opinion, though Angzen had eyes, he was very kind to reality.

    All his life, he has been blind to facts that are right under his nostrils.

    So wasn''t this a fool?

    To Angzen, the card was stationary.

    But in Dorian''s eyes, he could almost see the image on the card take the form of Angzen himself.

    It morphed into Angzen, shaking its head very sheepishly.

    And surrounding the card were 2 swirling and flickering mists of white, brown, and yellow.

    Additionally, he also

    .

    This...

    Angzen fidgeted in his seat, feeling more and more ufortable.

    What did his student mean by calling him blind?

    Think as hard as he might, he wasn''t able to understand this fact.

    As a very intellectual person who got the rare opportunity to teach in one of the most prestigious high schools in the nation, how could he ept the title ''Fool?''

    Impossible!

    His student muster made a mistake.

    Or maybe he picked the wrong card instead.

    Yes! That must be it!

    Angzen quicklyforted himself, feeling that if given another chance, he would not pick the same card again.

    It must be a coincidence.

    This wasn''t him. He was smart!

    Seeing the perplexed expressions on Angzen''s face, Dorian didn''t bother exining things further.

    It would be like throwing water onto a duck''s back while in ake.

    Such a thing was pointless.

    And besides, he preferred things this way.

    The system looked at its host, not knowing whether tough or cry.

    Would it kill him to talk longer than nned?

    [''Host, he doesn''t believe you. So shouldn''t you convince him more?'']

    ''Noisy.''

    .

    Dorian frowned, seemingly annoyed by the system''s finding in his ears.

    He had to listen to the customer before him and listen to the noisy one in his ears too?

    Impossible!

    One of them had to

    "Student Dorian, what about my second choice?"

    Now, Angzen had thrown his confusion in the wind, whipping to get some good news.

    Sometimes, when things are going down, one needs good news to boost their sports higher... Even if it was a lie.

    Dorian calmly kept the Fool to the side, focusing on the 2nd card chosen.

    "The Divide... Because of circumstances you allowed in your past and present, your initial trajectory has shifted to where it is now... And in these past few months, your constant stream of bad luck is also tied to this. If I''m correct, during this period, people have called you a cursed and unlucky person, right?"

    Boom!

    An explosion went on in Angzen''s mind, causing him to stand abruptly.

    "How?... How did you know?!"

    This bad luck rtively didn''t hurt him but many around him instead.

    He could say that the only unfortunate matter personally involving himself should be the huge debt he owed.

    The other incidents of bad luck didn''t directly affect him.

    For example, there was a time when a bucket from a 5th-floor apartment fell, knocking someone just beside him.

    That bucket should''ve hit him. But midair, it seemed to change direction as though a gust of wind had blown it slightly.<sub> </sub>

    Like so, those around him got injured very often, causing his neighbors and many to call him a carrier of bad luck.

    Though many didn''t believe in the title itself, they couldn''t exin why unfortunate incidents were always happening around him.

    What was up with that?

    .

    "You!~... How did you know?"

    Angzen stared at Dorian withser-beam focus as though wanting to see right through his skull.

    Psychology!

    Could it be that his student Dorian was a Mentalist who was extremely good at guessing facts from the littlest details?

    Smart.

    For a moment, he was almost fooled!

    As for Dorian, he couldn''t be bothered with Angzen.

    "Death... That is thest card you chose. It signifies new beginnings, transformations, and changes."

    Phew.

    At least, it wasn''t the literal meaning of Death. Angzen thought.

    And Dorian only chuckled from his nativity.

    Humans like heating what they want to hear.

    A change in one''s state can be for good, as well as the bad.

    For all he knew, his final oue would still be Death itself.

    Looking at the 3 cards and assessing all he knew, Dorian finally saw into the crux of the matter.

    "Teacher Angzen, you said he sent money for your parent''s treatment not too long ago?"

    "Yes..." Angzen replied, nodding vigorously. "I sent it a few weeks back."

    "Oh? How odd... From what I can see, your parents died 3 months ago."

    Bastard!

    Swish!

    Angzen once again stood in rage, pointing his trembling fingers at his despicable student.

    "You-You-You-You... What sort of wrong have I done for you to curse my parents to death?"

    Wrong! Wrong!

    He saw this student of his wrongly!

    (*^*)

    .

    With his chest rising and falling, it took all of his self-control for him not to pounce on this student of his.

    Dorian frowned, flicking his wrist in annoyance.

    "Sit."

    What?!

    Angzen''s pupils dted at an rming rate, feeling a heavy pressure push him down.

    Bam!

    The strange force caused him to sit yet again.

    But at this moment, Angzen''s scalp went numb with fear.

    This, he, how, what, when... Can anyone tell him what in heaven''s name was going on here?

    Angzen''s brain had gone offline.

    His body was stiff and firm as the force squeezed him on one spot.

    Breathe in, breathe out.

    Angzen didn''t know when his breathing became heavy. But at the moment, he was struggling to take in enough oxygen that could wake his offline brain cells.

    Magic?

    Impossible!

    How is such a thing possible?

    Can it be that his clothes were actually maic, causing the hidden giant ma in the ground to force him to one spot?

    .

    Angzen felt dizzy trying toe up with every if not all possible reasons to exin what the hell just happened to him.

    Dorian leaned into his chair, looking at Angzen very intensively.

    Now, he just wanted to get things over with.

    How he chose to help a person was up to him.

    This going back and forth was terribly irritating.

    It was due to his goodness to hisst self that Dorian was initially patient with him.

    More importantly, he was also interested in what he saw.

    This case differed from the rest he had taken since it didn''t particrly invoice underworld entitiesing after Angzen.

    No... It concerned the 2 floating beings hovering beside Angzen.

    If he guessed correctly, they should be his deceased parents

    And sure enough, their ghostly appearances had begun collecting the Yin filth of the world.

    For months now, they had been avoiding the Heavenly hour, refusing to go into reincarnation.

    It was clear that they had unfinished business here.

    But the longer they stayed in the mortal world, the more corrupt and evil they would grow, until eventually, they would lose their memories and even their reason for resentment, going berserk.

    But one should know that Ghosts born from the abyss were different from mortal ghosts turned evil.

    The human soul, even if corrupt, was still a human soul.

    So unless an underworld entity devoured it, it would still go onto the usual way of reincarnation once Dorian sent it on its way.

    And all the evil it did during its time here would be ounted for, punishing it gravely.

    .

    Dorian stared at the scene before him with interest.

    What resentment did they have to stay here for so long?

 Chapter 235 The Fool

    Angzen''s face was still distorted from disbelief.

    And the more he looked at his student, the more ufortable he felt.

    But Dorian didn''t want to waste any more time.

    So with a snap of his fingers, he quickly changed Angzen''s world.

    ~Snap.

    Puff!

    The floating ghosts beside Angzen became visible.

    Cold... Cold...

    Why did it suddenly be frosty on such a hot day?

    Angzen shivered marily, only subconsciously looking around, spotting the gruesome revtion.

    "Ahhhh~..."

    Angzen never knew he could scream so squeamish like that.

    Ghosts!

    How can they be real?

    The floating images were just too gruesome to gaze upon.

    One of them had a hounding wound on their chest that looked as though a machete had jammed into his chest.

    One could see right through the hole.

    And for the other figure, its neck was crooked, as though snapped and forced into an unnatural position.

    Ghosts! Ghosts! Ghosts!

    Falling to the floor and backing away with his butt touching the ground, Angzen suddenly found his back against one of the table''s legs in horror.

    How? How can his parents be here?

    Real or fake?

    Obviously�� Fake! Fake! Fake!

    ''It''s all not real! It''s all not real!''

    As though hypnotizing himself, he began to repeat the same sentences over and over again.

    Illusion... It must be an illusion.

    Yes!

    This was a day of science and theory. So how could he fall for such ceramic, 3D projections?

    Convincing himself, Angzen gathered a little more courage, raising his head to look at the floating projections once more.

    However, the moment he stared at them dead in the eyes, the entire body began to crumble even more.

    So real! So life-like!

    Angzen was scared, worried, distressed, and guilty.

    Even though his heart was telling him it was all real?

    He didn''t want to believe it at all!

    How could his parents have passed away?

    Angzen''s eyes turned red.

    .

    As for the ghosts, they shifted their gazes between Angzen and Dorian as though wanting permission to speak.

    All this time, they had been trying to talk to their son. But as newly deceased mortals, their energy wasn''t enough to manifest such phenomenons.

    One had to know that there are thousand-year ghosts and various mortal-core ghosts in this world, calming about, engulfed with too much evil.

    So they who just died some measly months ago were akin to newly born babies.

    Again, on my after dying, did they know that such supernatural things were real

    The intersection between the world of the living and that of the dead was terrifying.

    The number of disgusting things they''ve seen over their course of time here was just too great for worlds alone.

    On the night of their death, a certain light shone over the entire world, ushering them to descend and float away.<sub> </sub>

    But how?

    How could they leave with so much pent-up hatred in their hearts?

    Additionally, the guilt over this son of theirs, and their reasoning to see him for thest time, was what had them back from floating into the bright light.

    Over time, they found that every time, around a specific hour of the night, the bright light would shine, trying to pull them away.

    And each time was stronger than thest.

    Thus, they quickly learned from the many roaming ghosts that if they wanted to stay, then they had to actively collect Yin from the world.

    .

    As ghosts, they could collect this Yin by disturbing the natural flow of the world in any way.

    Of course, they didn''t have to go too far like some other ghosts killed some mortals.

    Nope.

    They chose to do little pranks and cause minor injuries to a few, slowly absorbing the ck Yin mist surrounding each mortal, animal, or object in the world.

    The eyes of ghosts could see way more than the eyes of ordinary folks could.

    Of course, they decided to only injure those who were against their son, his wife, and his children

    Yes!

    They had actively stayed around like guardians, wanting to gather enough strength to reveal themselves to their son before finally saying goodbye.

    This much they owed to their child.

    And before today, they thought they would''ve needed more time before getting enough energy to reveal themselves.

    But who would''ve known that such a master existed here?

    As Ghosts, they heard some strange words that they didn''t understand, like when they spotted a demon walking about like in a human disguise.

    And when it did evil, it wouldugh, saying this world had no exorcists or masters that could stop it.

    The crazy thing was that for these humans, it looked very ordinary like any other mortal would.

    But in their eyes, they could see the rotting skin, maggots, and all horrible aspects of its disguise.

    Augh~

    Even as ghosts, they were disgusted by these entities, though they dared not show their disgust upright.

    The raw power they felt from these beings was too terrible!

    So how dare they?

    It''s because of all they saw that they also wanted to warn their son to be careful before they left.

    What if their child''s soul gets devoured?

    What if one of these despicable beings targets him?

    Say no more!

    There was a lot they had to offload to their son. So they weren''t going anywhere until then!

    .

    These ghostly parents felt betrayed by society for not revealing the truth to them sooner.

    Had they known what the world was like, they would''ve long readied themselves for the afterlife.

    Well, things weren''t all that bad. They thought.

    At least, their son had managed to find a Master!

    Yes...

    Without this Master, it would''ve been impossible for them to be able to show themselves before their son.

    But now, they would finally be given a chance to relieve their heavy hearts.

    ''Can we?''

    Dorian gave them a slight nod, allowing them to approach Angzen.

    As expected, one''s card would never be wrong.

    This teacher of his was indeed a ''Fool.''

 Chapter 236 The Truth Revealed

    "Little Ang..."

    "Mom?"

    Bubuum.

    Angzen subconsciously held his breath, watching the floating figures slowly approach him.

    Yes.

    They were scary and every heart-jerking. However, his fear quickly grew into pain, seeing the apparent sadness on their faces.

    Pap.

    His eyes became blurry as a waterfall of tears gushed onto the ground.

    "Mom! Dad!"

    Angzen eximed in grief.

    No matter how inconceivable the scene was, his heart already knew it was all true. And not even his kind could confuse him any further.

    How?

    How did this happen?

    ~Ooooooooo~

    Angzen wailed bitterly, viewing his head in shame.

    "Mother, father, this unfilial son is ashamed. Why didn''t I visit you earlier? Mother, Father, this son is begging for your forgiveness!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    "Stop it!!" The mother floating ghost couldn''t take it anymore.

    Her son had smashed his head to the ground severally, even bleeding from the impact.

    They were here to see him have a good life and not to let him join them in the afterlife!

    They looked at their son, shedding tears of guilt and misery for the boy.

    Of course as ghosts, they couldn''t shed physical tears. But their facial expressions alone were enough to show what they felt.

    .

    Swish!

    Very quickly, they too went on their knees before their son.

    "Little Ang... Please get up. It should be us who apologizes to you."

    "That''s right. Your mother is right. All this time, we have been favoring the wrong child, a real white-eyes wolf!" Father ghost eximed with undisguised rage.

    His sister?

    Angzen was taken aback, finally having bus braine online.

    Wait!

    If his parents died 3 months back, then why did his sister call to request for thatrge sum of money, saying that it was for his parent''s surgery?

    It was because of this that he had taken the risk of borrowing from the most vicious loan shark in the city.

    If they were dead, then who did he take the money for?

    Immediately, Angzen''s hands balled up.

    His body began to tremble, swaying back and forth after thinking of all he had gone through during this time.

    You know, when the pressure was high, he had even talked to his sister a few days back, easing to borrow money from her.

    But what did she tell him?

    She said she and her husband were also broke, dealing with their children''s matters. .that is, she was even unwilling to send as little as 1 Vyn to him.

    She kept promising that soon, she would be able to assist him in paying off the loan he took for their parent''s sake.

    But now, he knew it was a lie.

    Hahahahhahahaha~

    Angzen chuckled bitterly.

    Though he wasn''t very close to his sister, he had always treated her well.<sub> </sub>

    If there were a problem that needed fixing, he would be right there to assist her.

    What did his parents say when growing up?

    That he, being the oldest, had to look after his weak little sister.

    And so subconsciously, he had been doing just that.

    Shouldn''t they help each other when the times get tough?

    That''s precisely how he had been doing for as long as he could remember.

    But now, it seems like one big joke!

    Hahahahahhaa~

    His student had guessed it right.

    He was indeed A Fool!

    .

    Sniff. Sniff.

    Angzen wiped his tears away, looking at his parents with aplicated gaze.

    Growing up, they were 5 times harder on him, treating his sister as an egg.

    But now, look where itnded them?

    He loved them, but he was without grievances.

    Out of anger, he looked at their wounds and sneered: "I''m guessing you died from the hands of your precious daughter, right? Mom! Dad! Do you remember all you put my wife and I through back then? Do you remember how wicked you were to us? You pushed my pregnant wife to exhaustion on the fields just because your darling daughter was toote to work!"

    "Little Ang... "

    "No! Don''t say anything! Yes! You''re my parents, and even after all you did, my heart still has a ce for you. Though you were harsh, I nevercked food, a roof over my head, or education. This much, I give you thanks for... But even at that, why didn''t you 2 ever think about me as your son when you were alive? Lazy boy! Bad boy! Useless boy!... Have you forgotten all the names you harassed me with daily?"

    Angzen quickly spoke of everything he had buried deep in his heart, wanting to let his parents know how he felt.

    Most families would be happy to have a son in their homes. However, his parents had always favored his sister since he was little.

    He didn''t know whether it was her coaxing skills or her ability to speak and attract their attention.

    But either way, things had always been like that.

    Quite frankly, he didn''t mind that favoring her, providing their favoritism didn''t go against him too far.

    But growing up, that''s all they ever did.

    Go too far!

    He didn''t know why, but putting the pieces of the puzzle together, could it be that gis own sister was the one feeding them with such ideas?

    That would be too insane, right?

    After all, how old was his sister back then?

    Would she truly have a vicious mind at that age?

    .

    Like teary eyes of a thousand grievances, Angzen began to download his gospel to his parents.

    The ghosts also lowered their heads in shame, wondering why they one-sidedly listened to that white-eyed wolf, going so far as to fight their son back then.

    When?

    When did it all begin?

    Mother just bit her crooked lips, looking at her son in remorse.

    "Little Ang... I know it''s hard for you to forgive us after all we put you through. But please... Just give us a chance."

    "Yes! Son, we''re sorry. Please, forgive us just this once." Father ghost added, nodding his head vigorously.

    This time, they were here to make everything up.

    But to do so, it seems they would need the assistance of the youngster seated before them.

    "Mr. Master... Please, can you help us?"

 Chapter 237 Easy Money

    3 hours had passed since Dorian had parted with his teacher.

    Will he assist those ghosts?

    Of course he will!

    After all, he had to purify and exorcize them, sending them for judgment.

    How the heavens choose to punish or reward them for their deeds during their lifetime was not his business.

    His job was to send them away.

    Of course, nothing in this life was free.

    One should know that their presence around Angzen all this time had gathered yin around his teacher.

    So Angzen would still need to pay for his services, as well as buy a few talismans to wear for specific periods until he was fine.

    They had stayed around him for months, causing Angzen to look slightly attractive to other wandering ghosts and spirits.

    Would he hell Angzen get his money back?

    Yup!

    It wouldn''t be him but his parents who wanted to do so.

    And that''s why he made ns to meet Angzen in his hometown in 10 days.

    Butler Sheng nced at his watch, taking more of the time.

    ''4:26 P.M.''

    The Grandmaster said he wanted to go stone gambling by 5.

    Butler Sheng took down the canopy tent, subconsciously looking out for Zhulyn and the car.

    Where was he?

    Vrmmm~

    Zhulyn arrived as fast as he could.

    And soon, they were off.

    It was time to gather more resources!

    Like so, Dorian was once again on the move.

    But unbeknownst to him, some people just didn''t want him to breathe.

    .

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    The sounds of very light and frightened footsteps began echoing across a long winding alleyway.

    The few tall buildings that long cast a dark nket over the alleyway, cooling the air from the boiling sun.

    Garbage bins piled up along the walls, and a few stray cats could also be heard meowing away.

    Meoww!~

    Hup.

    The owner of the footsteps jumped in alert, very frightened by her surroundings.

    That''s right.

    It was a woman with a scarf wrapped over her head,rge dark shades on her eyes, some thick gloves, jeans, and a pair of heels.

    But even with all the cover-up she did, one could still tell that she was a very dashingdy.

    "Hey, sugar, what''s a girl like you doing in a ce like this?"

    "I-I-I~..."

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    The girl''s heart fisted into a ball as she nervously moistened her new dry lips.

    Gangsters.

    Just up ahead were several masters, smoking and ying around, looking very intimidating.

    And at the far end of the left alley bend was a wide back door.

    ''This must be it!'' The girl thought, tightening her grip on the instructional map in one of her hands.

    Of course, she also tightened her girl on her bag subconsciously.

    "Hey, little girl!"

    Suddenly, one of them stood up with a bat in his hand.

    "F***! Don''t you hear our second inmand talking to you? When youe in here, you better show some damn respect!"

    Bang!

    The bat smashed into the wall, causing the girl to jerk and shriek even more.

    "Ahh~"

    "Sh!" Another said in irritation. "Don''t even think about screaming!"<sub> </sub>

    If passerbys or otherse in here, they would think that they had touched or raped this woman in any way.

    .

    ~Thrip. Thrip. Thrip.~

    The blond second inmand began sparkling his lighter, wanting to have a smoke.

    ~Wheeeeww~

    He let out a whiff of white smoke, finally resting his attention on the wobbling girl before them.

    "Hey... Whore... Are you trying to set us up or something?"

    "No... I..." The girl panicked even more.

    "Shut up!"

    The man was annoyed.

    What was the meaning of that scream earlier?

    As gang members, they had indeed done a lot of evil in their lives.

    However, what they hated the most was to go down for a crime they didn''tmit.

    At least if they had done it, they wouldn''t mind all that much.

    But they haven''t even moved a finger, talk less of bruising her or touching her.

    They had heard many people scream in fear before. But this girl''s scream was just too ridiculous.

    It was almost as though she had a volume amping device on her.

    F***!

    She wouldn''t be wearing a wire, would she?

    Who didn''t know that this alleyway was their location?

    What was the point of hering in here and acting like some abused victim?

    Setup! Setup!

    This was the first word that popped into their minds.

    The blond-haired second inmand let out another puff of smoke, dangerously narrowing his gaze at her.

    .

    "Missy, already, you''ve gotten on our bad side. So speak! Who sent you? Was it the cops or another gang?"

    Xiao Feng bit her lips, trying to gather as much courage as she could.

    "Neither!" She replied.

    One couldn''t me her for being scared earlier. It was her first time activelying to such a massive and dangerous gangster.

    So no matter how rotten her heart was, the initial fear was to be expected.

    And now that she had taken control over her mind, her wobbly feet had slowly begun to steady themselves.

    Yes! She can do this!

    This was necessary for her future ns!

    Gritting her teeth, she looked at the blond man with a determined gaze.

    "I came here to give you all a job!"

    "Oh?" The blond man grinned, seemingly not believing it.

    How can someone who was that fearful have the guts to ce a job order with them?

    Could this all be an borate high-end prank?

    Tsk.

    Even if there was indeed a job, the blond man didn''t think it would be a dangerous one.

    So why not take it?

    .

    "Hey boys, did you hear that? She''s here to give us a job."

    Hehehhehehe~

    "Little Miss, what do you want us to do? Do you want us to help you walk your dog?"

    "Or maybe you need us to pretend to mug someone, allowing you to swoop in and save the day?"

    "Pff~... Princess, we like your type over here. Come, ssh us with money!"

    "Hahahahha~"

    The gangughed, allowing their second inmand to take the youngdy inside... But not before researching her, lest she wore a wire.

    Well, it wouldn''t hurt them to make easy dough.

 Chapter 238 A Good Deal?

    Very carefully, Xiao Feng entered the messy building through the back alleyway door.

    The building itself was a residential apartmentplex that was a little rundown.

    Theplex owner should either have something to do with these gangsters or maybe the entireplex even belonged to these gangsters.

    Entering the building from the back, she first found herself in a massivemunalundry room, following the blind man up the many flights of stairs.

    1, 2, 3... 4 stories up, and they had reached the blond man''s office.

    And along the way, she met many residents who all greeted the blond man enthusiastically.

    Some men were lying on the ground shooting dice, while others slept on the walkways with their bellies facing heavenwards.

    The melting hot sun had caused many toe out for fresh air.

    Some fanned themselves while telling tales of a vicious battle, while others began to wrestle, with the spectators gambling with just about anything they had.

    Male underwear hanging on the windows with some on a few racks... The whole ce just felt like one big residential area for gangsters.

    Xiao Feng quickly lowered her face, trying to contain her disgust.

    Eww.

    How can a ssy girl like herself be caught in such a lowly, filthy ce?

    Just being here made her skin feel as though a thousand worms were crawling and slithering on her.

    And just in that moment, someone threw something at her.

    "Ahhh~!"

    Xiao Feng began hopping in the same spot, rubbing her shoulders and hair in horror.

    What was that? What was that?

    She looked at the floor, seeing the dirty underwear that got thrown at her.

    What was worse was that she could see what looked like feces in bold brown.

    Blugh~~

    Her legs turned into jelly yet again. But this time, it was because of nausea.

    "Bahahahahahaha~"

    Someone suddenlyughed, and many others followed too.

    "I told you... I told you she would react like that. Come on, pay up! I won the bet!"

    Shudder. Shudder.

    Xiao Feng''s eyes turned red from her grievances. Her legs were noodles, making her angles betray her.

    Wobble. Wobble.

    Her heels began to dance.

    Too much! They were bullying her too much!

    .

    "Hahahhahahahaha~"

    Xiao Feng''s nails dug into the floor, looking at the blind man pitifully.

    Wasn''t he going to help her?

    What man could see a beauty like herself in trouble and not care to help?

    The blond man chuckled, waking his hand casually at the yful gangsters. "Okay. Okay... That''s enough. You all have had your fun. This is our new client. So be nice."

    Oh? Client?

    One would think they would adjust their behavior after hearing this.

    But gang members were still gang members at heart.

    "Ah! It''s not every day we have such clients pay us visits."

    "Yes! Wee, miss client. It''s nice that you''re here. But since we don''t have any wee gifts to give you, why don''t you keep that underwear as a souvenir instead?... Oops, I didn''t mean to make you look like a pervert."

    "Pff~... Hahahaha~... Miss Client is a pervert."

    "Pervert!"

    "Pervert!"

    If eyes could kill, all of these bastards would be dead by now!

    Looking at them through her dark shades, her eyes were spitting fireballs nonstop.

    "Miss client, j don''t have all day, so hurry up!" The blond man said, cashing her to feel even more bullied.

    But what could she do?

    If nig for the fact that she needed their expertise, would she have to put up with all this harassment?

    Bloody bastards!

    One day she would have enough strength to wipe out their entire gang!

    "Coming." Xiao Feng, secretly looking at the back silhouette of the blond man.

    If she recalled, they called him the second inmand.

    So though he wasn''t the actual boss, he should be able to take her job order, right?

    .

    "Sit."

    "Right!"

    Very obediently, Xiao Feng sat her cute butt down, giving her already broken ankles some time to rest.

    me her for wearing heels when negotiating with cavemen.<sub> </sub>

    "Mr..."

    "You may call me Mr. 2." The blond man asserted, stillzily smoking his cigarettes.

    "Lady, before I do business with a person, I have to look them in the eyes... So take it off!"." "Yes...~" she replied, doing what she was told.

    Beautiful eyes.

    That was what the blond man thought before drawing his attention away from her beauty.

    In this business, only fools would lead and fall to their demise because of a woman''s charm.

    "Good..." He said, stamping the butt of his cigarette on an ashtray.

    "Alright. Let''s hear it then. What is it that you want us to do for you? And how much are you willing to pay?"

    "Look! I have some documents about the person in question." Xiao Feng said, showing the many documents she put together.

    "No. No. No. No... Slow down, missy. Before I get to the person in question to start getting invested, know what the person looks like, some questions must be answered first."

    Xiao Feng frowned.

    Why did things seem moreplicated than she expected?

    .

    The blind man didn''t care about her reaction.

    "First, state what you want us to do. Cripple your love rival? Do you want us to beat someone blue and ck, burn someone, kidnap, smuggle weapons, record a rape scene, set up a damsel in distress scene?.. Or what if it?"

    They had to know what she wanted to do first before she could drop off her information.

    After all, even though they were a gang, there were some things that they didn''t do like rape, burning a person, and a few others."

    Even as gang members, they weren''t that messed up like others, alright?

    For them, they liked direct and confrontational matters.

    You what them to beat someone up? No problem.

    Do you want them to destroy your rival''s shop or business? No problem... Just not anything prevented.

    Very quickly, Xiao Feng blurted out her thoughts. "Kill! I want you to kill a man... No... A boy... My ex-boyfriend."

    "Oh? And how much money are you willing to pay?"

    Though they stopped killing people a while back, if the money was right, they wouldn''t mind making an exception.

    After all, old habits die hard, no matter how fast one wants to change.

    Seeing the interest in his eyes, Xiao Feng was ecstatic.

    Sure.

    She would be using the money her many rich generation boyfriends face her. But in the end, wouldn''t it be worth it?

    "2 Million Vyns."

    "3."

    "2.5"

    "2.85"

    "2.7"

    "Deal!" The blind man agreed.

    Taking a youngster''s life for 2.7 million Vyns.

    Not bad...

    However, if he should see that the situation was trickier than what Xiao Feng said, then the money would have to be doubled.

    .

    Hahahaha~

    Perfect!

    Xiao Feng was thrilled.

    "Alright. Calm down, miss... Now, what did you say your ex-boyfriend''s name was?"

    "Dorian. D. Tian."

    "Eh?.. Come again?"

    "I said his name is Dorian D. Tian."

    ---A few momentster.---

    Bam!

    Xiao Feng was ruthlessly thrown out of theplex by the raging blond man.

    "How dare you try to kill me? You better get the f*** away from here and nevere back again!"

    F***! F***! F***!

    This b**ch was trying to kill him!

    Dorian D. Tian.

    Wasn''t that the Master who saved them up at Wuphil mountain?

    Very quickly, the blond man went to his room to repent.

    This must be a sign that he should never get tempted by money to take any life ever again!

    ''I''ll change... I''ll really change this time!''

    (:Y0Y:)

 Chapter 239 A Change Of Heart

    What?!

    Everyone watched the scene of Xiao Feng getting thrown out with dumbfounded expressions on their faces.

    Erm...

    ''Second inmand... Aren''t you a tad bit harsh here? What could she have done to make you throw her out like that?''

    Many were too shocked beyond belief, never seeing their second inmand so angry.

    His face had turned a disturbing hue of red, and his entire body was trembling from head to feet.

    And one shouldn''t even think of how his chest kept rising and falling as though he had just run a marathon.

    Many looked between the 2, trying to understand what made their cool and calm level headed second inmand act like this.

    More than anything else, howe they didn''t understand the wordsmuting out from his mouth?

    "Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma... Master! Wuphil Mountain Master... You B**ch!"

    Was what their second Imend was stammering about.

    Some didn''t understand his words.

    But those who had experienced what they did on Wuphil mountain all turned ghostly pale, looking at Xiao Feng as though wanting to eat her alive.

    Ssh!

    Fishy stinking water was thrown on her, and even the bucket had found its way on her head.

    "Bloody b**ch! If you want to die, then why drag us all with you?"

    "Oh my God! If not that you are a woman, I would''ve beaten you blue, ck, white, and even green!"

    "B**ch! B**ch! If I ever see you around these premises again, I swear on my future wife''s grave that I will not only skin you alive but sell you to a prostitution ring!"

    "Devil! Devil! As expected, women were indeed the route of evil in this world!"

    "Begone! Get behind me, you evil creature!"

    The men screamed and flung their hands about as though holding invisible pitchforks.

    (*��*)

    .

    ~Sash! Bang! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Whether it was soapy water, greasy water, even rotting fruits, these gangsters wasted no time in throwing them at her.

    Again, she was lucky that they had decided to stop killing people after that incident on Wuphil mountain. Or else she would''ve known what pain was!

    Oh, the heavens...

    Once again, you sent this sort of thing to remind them about changing their ways, right?

    "Second inmand... I think we should gather our properties and start a proper business."

    "Yes! I agree! This is definitely a sign for us to changepletely. We have enough money saved up. So why don''t we open a shop or something?"

    The blond man nodded very weakly, having all his energy sucked out of him.

    Change... Change...

    Their first inmand had long said they should change. But maybe because of their resistance, the matter was pushed back.

    However, now he only felt it more and more necessary.

    It was time they became clean in society, doing honest jobs.

    From today, their Mob of gangsters will no longer take the path of evil!

    Open up a restaurant? How about getting into real estate opening up moreplexes to rent out?

    Or maybe they could open up meat markets instead.

    With their skills with knives, butchering livestock shouldn''t be a bad route to take.

    Besides, in the future, they might choose to get married and start families.

    In the end, didn''t this work out well for them?

    The blond man took a deep whiff of coverage with trembling hands, looking at his subordinates with a determined gaze.

    "Go... Go... I''ll contact the boss... It''s time we change. And those who don''t want to, and park their sh** and move out!"

    "Yes!"

    "Yes!"

    "Change!"<sub> </sub>

    (*w*)

    .

    Xiao Feng sat in the puddle of disgust around her, feeling her entire body me up from rage.

    How dare these lowlifes hurl their trash and greasy overnight buckets of water in her?

    Do they know how much her outfit costs?

    Ruined!

    Her expensive outfit was ruined in the hands of these barbaric bastards!

    But why?

    Why did those gangsters have to be so much?

    Xiao Feng didn''t think they were scared of Dorian, a used-to-be second-generation brat.

    No!

    It should be that ever since she came here, they had been ying with her, wasting her damn time.

    Despicable! Despicable!

    From start to finish, they never nned to take up her task at all!

    Dammit!

    Xiao Feng managed to lift her trembling body, feeling over nauseous by the foul stench emitting from all thebo attacks she received.

    Augh~

    Xiao Feng gritted her teeth with grated

    The scarf on her head was dripping wet with those disgusting fluids, and even her dark shades had disced themselves on her face, one side still in ce while the other was standing towards her mouth.

    "You! You!~... You bastards! You''ll regret not taking my money!"

    "F*** you, b**ch! Who the hell will regret taking such a task? If you want to spend your money so badly, then why don''t you just shove it up your ass?!"

    "You!!!~~~"

    Xiao Feng wanted to die!

    If not for the fact that she wanted to do this In a low-key manner, not bringing any attention to herself, where would she ever face such injustice?

    .

    Dammit!

    Though her darlings were all rich and powerful second-generation masters, they loved her for her purity and kindness.

    So she couldn''t ask them to kill her ex-boyfriend for her.

    Of course, she had indirectly hinted to the matter, but at the moment, these darlings of hers felt that there shouldn''t be any rush to the matter.

    No!

    What they wanted was to watch Dorian slowly fall bit by bit.

    But as impatient as she was, how could she wait for heaven knows when?

    To her, the longer the threat stayed alive, the more chances It had to make aeback... Especially seeking how one of her flings, Ghu Sota, now seems to side with that bastard ex-boyfriend of hers.

    No!

    Since she had decided to take care of him, she wouldn''t stop until she did so!

    With a vicious light in her eyes, she elegantly walked away from the scene, thinking of heading to another gang to ce for order.

    Yes!

    These bastards weren''t the only big gangs in the city.

    So why not go to their rival gang?

    Like so, Xiao Feng felt her courage build up.

    Sooner orter, she would kill him.

    But first, she had to get cleaned up.

    Augh~...

    How disgusting!

 Chapter 240 The Bho Firefly House Of Rocks & Crystals!

    Vrrmmmm~

    Catchack.

    Zhulyn opened the door for Dorian, standing as firm and still as a gant statue.

    His posture and demeanor caused many to raise their expectations for whoever emerged from the vehicle.

    Speaking of the vehicle, it was one of the few automobiles Dorian had purchased a while.

    Of course, during his purchasing, his men happened or ran into Ghu Dwo.

    And because of this, the manager of the ce almost gave them the vehicle for free.

    No matter how they rejected the idea, they were already told that Ghu Dwo had paid a substantial amount off the vehicle''s cost.

    And it was precisely because of this that Dorian had sent several crystals, pendants, and talismans worth the price to the Ghu estate.

    Dorian believed in fair trade.

    And as for the vehicles in question, they had bought 2 new ones.

    And the one he took out today was an all-white short limo with silver linings that made it stand out even more.

    It was a spacious vehicle with a brand logo that could make many drop their jaws in awe.

    F***!

    "Bless my cataract-free eyes! Isn''t that one of the newest Merjario LX-White Panther?"

    "Damn! I heard that these bad boys go for over a hundred million Vyns!"

    "Awesome! Awesome! I can''t believe I''m so lucky to see it in the flesh!"

    "Mommy... The world of the rich is truly eye-dropping!"

    "Ah!~... Must not look!... Must not get drawn in by the Force!"

    (+0+)

    Crazy! Crazy!

    .

    Many stared at the open door, wanting to see what wealthy man was in the car.

    However, reality was far different from what they expected.

    Dorian stepped out, and many were initially amazed... That is until someone quickly recognized him and pinpointed his situation.

    You can almost see their smiles diminishing, slowly turning into disgust and disdain.

    "What a waste of a good car! Hey! Do you think that he got this car from selling his only Tian residence?"

    "F***! That would be too savage and brutal, right? After all, his parents are still in aa in the hospital. So what if they woke up one day and found out that they were now homeless?"

    "Huh! I wouldn''t be surprised if he did such a thing. Didn''t you hear? A while back, this pauper had also caused some troubles in the famous Auction Home. Do you know that he even dared to go against young master Sota, bidding against an item with him?"

    "What? Is he crazy? With his current situation, he dares to go against the big giants?"

    "Heh... I heard that even after young master Sota gave a warning for many not to contend with him during the bid, this crazy guy still had the impetus to do it!"

    "Crazy is right... This guy has no doubt gone bunkers!"

    "I think so too. He''s gone loony!"

    "What loony? Tch! He''s just trying his best to fit in, trying to be part of high society even after getting broke. But how can that be possible with his current reputation and situation? I even heard that this ex-girlfriend suffered in his hands too."

    "Seriously?"

    "Yeah, it''s true!"

    "h, h, h, h, h~."<sub> </sub>

    ...

    Many rambled and stared at Dorian in disdain, but he didn''t care.

    Instead, it was Butler Sheng and Zhulyn that were exercising all the patience they had, trying their best not to reach for these idiots and shake them stupid.

    They found that when it concerned the Grandmaster, they were quick to anger.

    You can insult them, smash them or even hurl insults at them.

    But you should never direct any of this to the Grandmaster!

    "Calm down. There is no use for a shepherd to get angry with clueless sheep." Dorian warned.

    "Yes, Grandmaster, forgiveness for our thoughtlessness."

    Indeed.

    They were the shepherds, shepherding humanity into safety.

    And just like sheep, the crowd could even follow a wolf stupidly if not led well.

    Hmm...

    There was no point in being angry with sheep.

    (-_-)

    Step by step, Dorian proceeded towards the vast open space within the dome-shaped Building.

    This was the Bho Firefly House of Rocks & Crystals.

    Of course, as the name suggested, it was owned by one of the 6 prominent families... The Bho n.

    .

    Since ancient times, the Bhos were into miners and other precious rocks.

    They were the country''s number supplier and owners of unountable stone gambling sites.

    They owned over 200 alone within this country. And one shouldn''t even think about how many they own within the continent and across international waters.

    They were undoubtedly wealthy!

    And this went without saying that they had had properties and shares within many jewelry businesses too.

    They had their hands in many industries that used the precious minerals they distributed.

    Again, throughout history, their Bho ancestors were taken as monumental figures, with some even taking portraits with a few of the most incredible humans man-kind had ever known.

    For example, the crown and jewelry pieces worn by several Princes and monarchs were directly supplied by them.

    And as technology advanced, the Bhos also supplied rare minerals to the military and other departments within the nation.

    But unlike the Ghus, the Gias and the Hous that tried their best to remain as clean as possible... The Bhos had roughly about the same yin and yang throughout time.

    Bloody diamonds, hiring pirates to seize and take over a few mineral sites for them... Doing other things behind closed doors... The Bhos had never beenpletely clean since ancient times.

    Dorian wasn''t condemning them all. That would just be unfair.

    It can be said that their n had produced people who were considered the good, the bad, and the ugly people of society all mixed up in this household.

    .

    [''Host, the Bhos are thergest supplier of minerals and crystals. The academy needs a constant supply of crystals and precious stones... So do you want to work with them, simr to how you worked with the Gias, Ghus, and Hous?'']

    ''No.''

    He had a safer n in mind.

 Chapter 241 Bho Jin

    Very calmly, Dorian traversed across the scene.

    Looking around, he had to admit that the vast open space was very well organized, disying the many piles of rocks and crystals.

    The space was just too high, with several people taking the site shopping carts and cing their items in.

    Of course, once in here, one wasn''t allowed to bring in overlyrge bags of any sort.

    A simple clutch or purse would do. And with the many cameras and guards stationed across the scene, it was even more security conscious than a casino.

    Well, this was a gambling ce. And what were they gambling on?

    Rocks!

    The lucky person can unearth a jade stone worth tens, thousand, and millions of vyns.

    The jade stones could be ssified as mountain (mined from the mountains) or seed material (gotten from the riverbeds.)

    This sort of gambling had no winning guarantee for ordinary folks.

    But for Dorian, it was as simple as blinking.

    To know the worth of the jade inside, one has to consider its quality, kind, water head, color, weight, rity, permeability, and other various aspects.

    The Green jade is the highest, followed by red, yellow and purple.

    But it has to be said that even within the green rank, the highest green form people looked for was Imperial Green!

    .

    Dorian nced around, taking note of each pile.

    And at the top of the piles were wooden signs with the prices marked.

    Some piles were 10 vyns; others were 500 vyns per stone and some even more than 2000 vyns.

    But one shouldn''t forget that you can pay the amount and still end up with nothing.

    ~Trah-Trah~

    Zhulyn calmly pushed the trolley cart, allowing Butler Sheng to pick up every stone the Grandmaster had pointed at.

    It was a simple pick-and-drop: no doubts, noments, no questions, just silence.

    ''_''

    Their actions were too strange and peculiar, catching the eyes of many.

    "Hell, this guy won''t be stupid, right?.. Or do you suppose he was able to identify and pick the right stones so fast?"

    "Impossible! Just look at hiszy attitude? He didn''t even try to assess the weight or take a deeper look at the stone he chose. So how can that be considered a skill?"

    Many only shook their heads, feeling that Dorian was too wasteful.

    Some ordinary folks even felt their hearts get shot from pain, seeing how reckless he was.

    "Sigh... Young people nowadays really need a good old spanking. Back in my days, we never did such atrocities!"

    In another corner on the open-balcony of the second floor, several youngsters were talking about, yfully looking at the scene from above.

    They dawned very affluent outfits, and just the price of their watches was enough to cause a repeated thief to steal again.

    In particr, the middle youngster had the most simple-looking but price-dropping attire.

    .

    "F***! I can''t believe what I''m seeing. Isn''t that the rat from the auction home that caused too much dramast time?"

    "Shameful! How shameful! He dares to show his ace in brother Jin''s ce with no shame?"

    What? He''s here?<sub> </sub>

    Bho Jin turned his gaze towards Dorian, seeing him fill 2 massive shopping carts with stones and crystals.

    That''s right. Bho Jin came from the main family branch of the Bho n.

    And at the moment, he was already selected as the future head after his father stepped down.

    This meant that he would be in charge of the vast Bho internal and internal businesses, being the n patriarch in a few years toe.

    And just like Ghu Sota, who was also the future head of the Ghu n, the people around Bho Jin also couldn''t wait to lick his feet.

    ? Many of his so-called friends had been warned by their families never to make him angry, always doing their best to please him.

    One could say that Bho Jin had indeed never had a stumbling block in his life... Except when it came to Dorian.

    You know... He had always loved Xiao Feng.

    But when he was about to ask her out, Xiao Feng told him that Dorian did a domineering president act on her, dictating that they were dating.

    And thus, his enmity with Dorian began.

    .

    Dorian... Dorian... Dorian...

    What was always annoying was that no matter how angry or how much he jumped around Dorian, the son of b**ch would always treat him like thin air.

    And if not for the fact that others could see him, he would''ve thought he was invisible.

    That''s why when Dorian fell from grace to grass, he was the happiest.

    But before he knew it, he saw Xiao Feng with that bastard from the Su family.

    No doubt, his Xiaoxiao was too good-looking, cashing all eyes to fall on her.

    Well, since she was single, he nned to woo her slowly.

    At this point, may the best man win!

    Bho Jin was confident in his charms.

    Of course, he was also shocked to see Dorian in one piece.

    With the way Ghu Sota hated Dorian, shouldn''t he have found a way to break the bastard''s legs after that whole incident at the Auction Home?

    Bho Jin looked at Dorian, frowning deeply.

    His source had told him that just before the auction began, Ghu Sita had stood up for Dorian when confronting that Su bastard.

    So in the end, could it be that they had put their differences aside and be friends?

    Bho Jin found it very hard to believe.

    But maybe what shocked him more beyond belief was that Bho Jin also threw away his likeness for Xiao Feng too.

    Now he was very curious about what Dorian would''ve done or said to change Sota so much.

    But of course, that would have to be forter.

    Staring at Dorian from above, Bho Jin felt his muscles clench.

    You daree to my ce after bullying XiaoXiao that much?

    "Let''s go down!"

    Everyone looked at one another, catching the yful thoughts in their eyes.

    Hehehehe...

    Another good show was about to start.

 Chapter 242 What To Do?

    Pap. Pap. Pap. Pap. Pap~

    One by one, Butler Sheng and Zhulyn keenly followed the Grandmaster''s instructions when they suddenly heard a sharp call from a distance.

    <o>,m "Dorian D. Tian!"</o>

    Who? Who would dare call all 3 of their Grandmaster''s names?

    Swish!

    Like lightning, the duo turned their attention to the iing youngsters and their bodyguards.

    Now, everyone around seemed to have given way, especially after realizing who the leader of the iing gang was.

    "Goodness! That''s young master Bho Jin!"

    Ladies blushed shyly, and men tried to show their best sides, wanting to find any opportunity to get noticed.

    But to the person in question who had been called out, he seemed not to have realized his predicament, looking at another angle within the room with his back against Bho Jin.

    Very dangerously, Dorian squinted his eyes at the peculiar scene.

    ''System, have you noticed?''

    [Yes, host.]

    .

    The system opened its eyes in horror.

    There was a giant creature moving within the space, yet no human could see it.

    However, it was doing too much destruction, sucking away quite ''a lot'' from its victims.

    Its hunched body was grotesque and its entire being, emitting a deadly purplish aura.

    No!

    How can such a thing be here?

    The system felt panicked, realizing a crucial matter.

    [''Host, your a little below its strength.'']

    ''I know... But I''m not alone.''

    Yes!

    How could it forget Butler Sheng and Zhulyn?

    Though they were now only in the 1st Dan, they should be able to do some damage.

    In fact, Dorian could choose to ignore the situation and go about his day.

    But the rewards he would reap were too enticing to pass off.

    For one, it would definitely push him to have another breakthrough.

    Secondly, killing such a creature would add more exorcist credits to himself, leveling up his current rank and essing more skills from the system.

    One should know the system had promised to give him a few gifts each time his exorcism rank went up.

    Earlier, he was a No-rank exorcist.

    And now, he was a Rank 2-level 3 Exorcist.

    Of course, to reach rank-3, he would not only have to pass the several tests of spell chanting and knowledge on other aspects pertaining to his current level... But he also had to reach the 2nd Dao of cultivation.

    When it came to knowledge, he far surpassed his current rank. So he wasn''t too worried about that.

    But as many would expect, knowing enough and having the required cultivation strength wasn''t all it took to advance in rank.

    His total merits towards exorcism and the many contributions for the Academy would also be taken into consideration.

    That''s right.

    Though he was the Academy leader, he still had to make contributions.

    One must set an example if they intend for others to follow.

    .

    Bottom line, Dorian chose to take in this matter because the exorcism points would be great.

    Of course, he was so greedy for points to disregard himself and his sense of reasoning.

    Just as the system had said, the creature was slightly more powerful than he was by a fraction.

    It can be said that the creature''s strength was akin to a cultivator one cultivation step higher than him.

    Indeed.

    Though the gap looked close, it was also quite a lot.<sub> </sub>

    One shouldn''t underestimate this gap.

    Luckily, it was just one step more.

    Anything above that, and he would''ve chosen to ignore the matter and act wisely.

    What''s the point of dying a hero at the start of his journey?

    Heh...

    He wouldn''t be foolish enough to make that mistake.

    If things were truly too bad, he wouldn''t even bother with the matter.

    But now, he had a shot.

    Alright.

    .

    Dorian thinned his eyes considerably.

    The way he saw it, he had quite a few options.

    His first choice would be to take his strength-boosting pill and surpass the creature''s strength by a lot.

    But until necessary, he would never do so.

    This was his backup.

    So why use it now?

    After all, who knows when next he would be in a pinch like today?

    In the end, if the worstes to the worst with him on the losing end mid-battle... Then and only then would he take the pill.

    As for his second option, this involved him buying time.

    And that''s where Zhulyn and Butler Sheng woulde up.

    Time.

    Dorian looked around,zily essing the scene.

    ''System, it looks like you''ve forgotten where we are.''

    Hearing Dorian''s words, the system''s eyes sparkling understanding.

    Crystals! Stones!

    They had enough raw materials open on disy!

    [Host, do you want to use one of your innate attributes to extract enough power, giving you a momentary boost?]

    ''Hmmm...''

    .

    Within these rocks and crystals, he sensed the pure qi within them.

    With the right spell, he should be able to power the creature but not for too long, or it would take a toll on his body.

    Any more and he might cripple himself.

    After all, the move he nned to do would use his body as a medium of transfer.

    And just like in any case, just like an over-pressurized cooker, he might explode from within.

    And the injury would slow his cultivation down in future.

    Dorian''s expression turned cold.

    Timing... Timing... Everything had to do with timing and of course the use of his distractions: Butler Sheng and Zhulyn.

    Knowing its host''s n, the system was worried.

    [Host, are you sure you won''t just take the pill?]

    ''No... I have a sense of measure.''

    He, Dorian, loved and cared about his life more than any other person.

    So if he made a decision, that meant he would be taking multiple precautions!

    [...(-_-)...]

    In no more than 5 seconds, Dorian had thought things through, while Bho Jin''s group had long been advancing from the far end of the vast open space.

    Bho Jin smiled in disdain, moving like the big boss of the ce.

    "Well, well, well... If it isn''t my old friend Dorian D. Tian!"

 Chapter 243 A Bizare Turn Of Events

    "Well, well, well... If it isn''t my old friend Dorian D. Tian!"

    Dorian calmly threw his head behind his shoulders, finally peeling eyes off the peculiar sight before him.

    Who?

    He turned to look at the iing group with a hint of confusion that had faded away in a blink of an eye.

    However, though his face regained its calm andzy nature, his eyes were focused on the provocative youngster in the middle.

    "Well, well, well... Fancy seeing you here, old friend." Bho Jin said, showing a very yful yet scornful look on his face.

    And immediately, the crowd of watchers more or less understood what he wanted to do.

    Heh...

    Young master Bho must have some long-standing hatred with this guy, right?

    Then... If they supported him now, would he remember them?

    Many had been looking for such an opportunity, so how could they not want to grab it?

    Their eyes turned vicious when looking at Dorian.

    But before they could say anything, the words from the youngster''s lips almost made them fall on their feet.

    Dorian looked at the leading teenager before him.

    "Who are you?"

    Boom!

    Dorian''s words choked Bho Jin.

    "_"

    You take someone as an enemy, but they don''t even seem to know you?

    No! Impossible!

    How can Dorian not know him?

    "Damn you, Tian! You''re doing it on purpose, aren''t you!!!"

    You''re saying you don''t know your love rival?

    You''re saying you don''t know the person who has been bothering you through high school?

    For heaven''s sake! He had been in the same elite ss with Dorian!

    Liar!

    .

    Bho Jin gritted his teeth in fury.

    However, what Dorian said was the truth.

    The memories in his head also showed him that the original owner didn''t even know his name.

    What was worse was that the image or silhouette of Bho Jin was more or less like a faceless person.

    That is, the original owner had been toozy to even recall how he looked facially.

    Where he had a nose or 4 eyes, the original owner couldn''t be bothered to know.

    It can be said that no matter how Bho Jin had jumped or spoken to the original owner, he hadn''t left any impression at all on him.

    If you hated, liked, loved, got angry, appreciated, or even directed any primary form of emotions at someone, then one would be able to remember them.

    But apart from that, everyone else would typically be grouped into the many passerby categories.

    Can anyone urately recall all those they met or saw on the trains, buses, or even those they met on their walks?

    Even after gaming numerous flights via ne, can anyone urately recall what the many air hostesses look like?

    Nope.

    The image bes nonexistent almost immediately.

    And for some reason, Bho Jin hadn''t made any remarkable impact on the former Dorian.

    So how do you expect the new one to know who he was?

    If not for the way he walked and his overall form matching the faceless silhouette in his mind, he wouldn''t even know that he had met this guy before.

    Old friend? Old Enemy?

    Dorian didn''t think so.

    What sort of friend or enemy would be faceless in one''s mind?

    Judging from the boy''s reaction, it seemed that he truly had some enmity with his former self.

    But for the life of him, he couldn''t recall.

    At least with Ghu Sota, the corner Dorian called him very detaily.

    However, the same couldn''t be said for the bit before him.

    .

    "Tian bastard! How dare you im not to know boss Jin?"

    "Who is Boss Jin? He is the next Bho Patriarch. So how can you not know him?"

    "Yeah! Your previous disguise is too disgusting!"

    Very quickly, the rich-second generation youths around Bho Jin began their mouthy attacks.

    And soon enough, a few greedy ones in the crowd also began sewing fire, wanting to catch Bho Jin''s attention.

    But where did he have the energy to focus on them?

    He looked at Dorian very carefully!

    It was that smart face of his that he hated!

    ''Why? Why is it that even in this time that I''ve won, I still feel like I''ve lost?''

    Dorian subconsciously frowned, emitting a frosty chill in the air.

    And subconsciously, their words get stuck in their throats.

    Noisy.

    Dorian felt his eyes were about to fall off.

    [Host, host... Calm down, host! These are mortals and not your enemy! Host, host, I''ll need you to withdraw your aura!]

    The system was pleading with its knees.

    F***!

    Why did it feel that the host might change his mind about saving or destroying the creature in the room if they went too far?

    Well, it wasn''t above Dorian.

    If he wasn''t in the mood, then he wasn''t in the mood.

    Sue him!

    [..(��w��)..]

    .

    You look at me; I look at you.

    What just happened?

    All they could recall was the loud, fiery tongues of many hammering hard.

    And all of a sudden, the room became too choking.

    The effectsted for 2 seconds, almost as though it never existed.

    If not for their hard breathing, they would''ve thought it was an illusion.

    Air Condition malfunctioning?<sub> </sub>

    Many subconsciously came up with a logical exnation.

    At first, they thought it was the intimidating look from Tian boy''s guards.

    But when they looked at these men again, they didn''t feel anything at all.

    Yup!

    Something should''ve malfunctioned in the room.

    Dorian didn''t want to waste time with these noisy people anymore.

    "If you''re done, then move."

    He had something more important to focus on.

    "You!~... Who said you could move?!"

    Bho Jin was beyond livid.

    Why was this person still treating him like a transparent piece of paper?

    Very coldly, Bho Jin raised his shoulders, condescendingly staring at Dorian.

    "Look here, Tian! This is my Bho site. And if I say you won''t get a single item in your cart, do you believe it will happen?"

    "Oh?... Bho Jin, Is it?"

    "Yes!" So you''ve finally called my name for the first time in your life.

    Bho Jin found that he was both happy and furious.

    As for why? Even he didn''t know.

    "_"

    ...

    The change in Bho Jin, though slightly disguised, was soon noticed by Dorian.

    [Host, why do I feel that this Bho Jin is secretly in love with you?]

    Dorian didn''t even bother responding to the system.

    Dorian subconsciously peeked at the giant creature in the room before looking at the many stones and crystals around.

    He didn''t have time for this!

    He had to evacuate the room.

    If he were alone, it might''ve been hard.

    But luckily, a certain group chose today of all days to tail him around.

    "Old Ghu, madam Ghu... Weren''t you 2ing out?"

    Everyone was taken aback.

    F***!

    The Ghus were here as well?

    Where? Where?

    Swish!

    Everyone followed Dorian''s eyes, spotting a couple wearing a very in getup with shades and weaved hats.

    And surrounding them were other people in ordinary attire who looked very strong.

    "Ah-... Grandmaster, I see you''ve caught us in the act." Old Ghu awkwardly said, slowly approaching him via the now opened path.

    Old madam Ghu was even more ashamed.

    You know, even after receiving their admission letter, they still found it hard to believe all they were told.

    And when in doubt, what did they do?

    They chose to tail and see things for themselves.

    But over time, Dorian had only stayed in his estate, not taking an inch outside since then.

    And that''s why when they heard he was on the move, they were also quick to their feet.

    In truth, Old Ghu felt it was a joke.

    Magic... That he could somehow ept.

    But monsters? Here? In this world?

    Tsk.

    Why didn''t he believe it?

    .

    Bho Jin and quite a few of his followers were too shocked, seeing old Ghu and Old madam Ghue out from amidst the crowd.

    F***!

    What was this strange situation?

    And why did theye out staring at Dorian so respectfully?

    Hello?

    Wasn''t Dorian someone who had just been kicked out of high society not too long ago?

    "... Old Ghu... Old madam Ghu..."

    Bho Jin greeted, trying to seem as obedient as possible.

    But the old couple only nodded very slightly, brushing his presence off.

    Their entire attention was focused on the Grandmaster.

    This... This...

    Bho Jin felt ufortable. But chose to wisely shut up.

    His gut feeling told him that if he dared to say anything, Old madam Ghu''s famous machine mouth would tear him limp to limp.

    However, didn''t you feel the intimidating auraing off the 2 when they nced at him?

    Today wasn''t a good day to die!

    .

    Dorian stared at Old Ghu and Old madam with a deep gaze.

    "Just how much influence do you have?"

    "Eh?"

    The couple was taken aback.

    "Grandmaster, what do you mean?"

    "Easy. Can one sentence from you make those in here move?"

    Old Ghu looked at Dorian suspiciously

    "Grandmaster, if I wanted to, I could make everyone here dance... Hell! I could even marily shut the whole ce down too."

    Whatever he did wouldn''t hold for too long since this was technically the Bho''s site.

    However, he too was a powerful man.

    Listening to his words, the corners of Dorian''s lips stretched very slightly.

    "If I told you to evacuate the space, how long would you be able to do so before the Bho''s intervened?"

    "At least 2 hours."

    "Good. Then do it... Evacuate the space."

    "_"

 Chapter 244 Evacuate!

    "You bullies! What do you mean by evacuate? These rocks I''ve selected are bound to make me rich! So why now?"

    "No! No! I''m just about to unearth the motherload! You wouldn''t be knowing about this and trying to stop me, right?"

    "F***! Why do I feel saved? Hey... Maybe it''s fate that I shouldn''t gamble on these. But why? Why are they telling us to leave now?"

    [Please evacuate! This is a warning. Please, evacuate in an orderly fashion.]

    ~Din. Din. Din. Din. Din~

    Many began to evacuate, looking back and forth, feeling the adrenaline rush deep within themselves.

    Their lips gaped, uncertain whether to breathe or talk, their nervously moistened, their eyes moving in a catatonic stupor... Many began feeling like they were in some spy movie.

    There wouldn''t be a serial killer or some bomb within the building, would there?

    Or would it be that there was a radioactive item amongst the many batches of some and crystals?

    Good Heavens!

    Their imaginations had long grown wild the more they thought things through.

    However, the following words from the announcer told them that they had a too-rich imagination.

    [Please, do not be rmed. Various higher-ups have arrived, wanting to conduct a standard protocol procedure. The building will be essible in 3 hours...

    I repeat! Please, do not be rmed. Various... h, h, h, h, h~]

    ....

    Oh?

    Many suddenly understood, taking this incident akin to how firefighters did their regr fire drills.

    Hey... Maybe in the rock and mineral industries, such a thing wasmon.

    Who knows...

    Like so, many began to evacuate.

    And of course, the uncountable guards standing about were very vignt.

    Yes!

    They might be evacuating the space. But that doesn''t mean that they had to lose money.

    At the doors, 3 rows of patted checks were conducted per person.

    That is... one would get checked not once but thrice before stepping out.

    So it''s best not to be caught as a thief in such an embarrassing situation.

    Some who thought of making a quick steal quickly threw their thoughts into the wind.

    Who would want to go to jail over a stolen rock that might not even have a jade time in it once cracked open?

    The cons far outweighed the pros.

    To be caught at the Bho''s site would definitely leave a deeper stain on one''s files for life!

    .

    The air was filled with various emotions, somes, some worried, some panicked, some aggrieved, and others feeling merry instead.

    However, for those like Bho Jin, who had watched Old Ghu listen to Dorian''s words, they couldn''t help feeling a wave of tension in the air.

    The followers behind Bho Jin felt restless.

    .

    "Brother Jin... What should we do?" One asked in a whispery tone.

    "Yeah!... Are we just going to let them walk over you in your territory like this?"

    "That''s right! So what if Old Ghu and Old madam Ghu support that pauper? Does it mean that he can be sowless?"

    Like the words and encouragement of true devils, his followers began trying to give him new ideas.

    If it were before, he would''ve been affected by their ''righteous'' words.

    But for some reason, he didn''t feel like it today... Especially after Dorian had acknowledged him (recalled his name) as an enemy.

    Besides, maybe these middle-ss flowers of his didn''t know the Ghus well.

    But he did... Especially old madam Ghu.

    In all truth, he felt that he feared Old madam Ghu far more than Old Ghu.

    Believe it or not, she was scarier than anyone in her home.

    And these idiots wanted to go against them?

    "Get out! All of you evacuate as well! Go home!"

    "What?... Brother..."

    "I said, leave!"

    This... This...<sub> </sub>

    His followers felt their faces distort marily before returning to normal.

    "Okay, Brother Jin. We''ll leave. Just make sure that you''re not bullied too much."

    "Yes, Brother Jin. Take care. We''ll see you tomorrow."

    They said, showing very caring expressions on their faces.

    However, the money they ruined round, their faces looked horrible.

    ''Isn''t it because of being a member of one of the most prominent families that this fool can talk to us like this?''

    Tsk!

    .

    Like so, they started the scene.

    And old madam Ghu''s eyes were now focused on Bho Jin.

    "Why aren''t you leaving?"

    Shudder. Shudder.

    Bho Jin trembled.

    "This... Granny Ghu... I... I am a Bho... So I deserve to know what you want to do on my site!"

    Old madam hummed, subconsciously looking at Dorian.

    Would it be a problem?

    Dorian shrugged.

    "Suite yourself. I don''t care."

    "Ah!-"

    Bho Jin was shocked.

    He didn''t expect Dorian to agree.

    "Then I can stay?"

    Old Madam Ghu rolled her eyes at him.

    "Why so slow in the head?"

    Why did this Jim bit remind her of her idiotic Grandson?

    The more she looked at him, the more she saw resemnces between him and Sota... Though he seemed a little smarter than her wallpaper-paste Grandson.

    They both had a stupid innocence and stupidity about them that made her feel like throwing them in the army!

    [Sota far away]: Achoo!... Sniff, sniff... ''Who is thinking about me?''

    .

    ~Ring!!!~~~~~

    Amidst the madness, Old Ghu''s phone rang vigorously.

    And without even looking at the called I.D, he already knew who it was.

    He hadn''t even said a word yet and was already bombarded with curses.

    [Old bastard! I will never end with you if you don''t bloody well tell me what the hell is going on there?! How dare you? How dare you move on my Bho site?!!!!]

    Old Bho on the other side of the phone, wasn''t even in the city but had gotten the news.

    And with his hot-tempered nature, he huffed, puffed, and began shaking in rage like a leaf.

    Damn this son of b**ch!

    [Old Ghu, this is your wife''s idea, right?]

    Swish!

    In a sh, old madam took the phone.

    "You Imbecile! Why do you always like pinning things on me? Do I look that free to you? Just pray that you don''t see me when next you''re in the city, or else I will break those twig legs of yours!"

    [.... Ah~~~... I will never end with you, Ghus! Whatever you''re doing better be necessary, or, or, or... Or I will camp out of your estate and protest!]

    "Oh yeah, then bring it on then! You think we''re afraid of you? I used to beat you back when we were younger. And if I did it back then... Then I can still do it again!

    Bho Jin: "_"... Grandpa, so you used to be beaten by Old madam Ghu back then?

    Old Ghu:... Wife, why are you always so aggressive? I haven''t even said a word since the phone call, yet you''ve already begun another world war.

    ....

    Like so, the space waspletely evacuated within 50 minutes or so.

    Old Ghu looked at his watch. " Grandmaster, you have 2 hours, 7 minutes more... This is the best I can do."

 Chapter 245 Pre-Preparations

    Why? Why did Dorian call for an evacuation scene?

    Bho Jin and his few guards were puzzled, looking about the ce, wondering if it was just for show or if there was something like a bomb around.

    "Young master, I feel that the matter might not be as simple as it looks. The way Old Ghu and madam Ghu treated the Tian boy is too unusual. And have you already forgotten that they seem to be stalking him today?"

    Why?

    Just what sort of influence could he have to make them humble themselves before him?

    Even a fire-breathing dragon like old madam Ghu looked so docile before him.

    This was too strange.

    Bho Jin thought the same too. "Well... we''ll just have to stick around to find out, won''t we?"

    Dorian peeked at the creature, seeing that it was still focused on what it was doing.

    Now, with almost everyone out of the room, it subconsciously moved towards a few guards very close to them.

    And just as he expected, it began its attacks.

    But of course, with ordinary eyes, no one could see what it was doing.

    Dorian inwardly nodded.

    The enemy didn''t know that he knew about its presence.

    So until he was ready, it would be foolish to show his animosity.

    Dorian stared at Bho Jin deeply.

    "I need the stones in my cart cut open. Have your men do it... Can you?"

    Bho Jin wanted to question him but found his leg subconsciously nodding after meeting Dorian''s gaze.

    F***!

    Since when did he grow so scary?

    Wait!

    He wouldn''t have called for an evacuation just to cut stone and get away with it, would he?

    In the end, was all this really just a show of power?

    Bho Jin felt disjointed. But seeing Old madam''s Ghus warning eyes, he dared not dilly dally any more.

    "Well? What the hell are you guys waiting for? Cut the stones just as he said!"

    The men looked at each other tactfully but still did as told.

    "Zhulyn, go with them."

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    With that, Zhulyn and a few of Bho Jin''s men quickly headed towards the stone-cutting machines at another corner of the vast open hall.

    "Alright. Everyone else, gather the crystals all around you and listen to my instructions..."

    .

    Feeling like children building legos on the floor, everyone beganying the crystals just as Butler Sheng and Dorian instructed.

    Of course, for the Bho guards, they felt their hearts bleeding, seeing all the previous crystals used in this manner.

    F***!

    What if a crack forms on the crystals?

    They just felt that these crystals were far too precious to beid on the ground in this manner. Honestly, there better be a point to all this, or else the reports they would file to Old Bho and even the current Bho Head would be eye-boggling.

    At the moment, the current patriarch was overseas doing business. And Old Bho inside was in another city in the country.

    With prominent families, such travels weremon.

    It was just that such a thing like today''s matter happened when the patriarch wasn''t around.

    Sure, there were elders and others who could step in.

    However, the moment they heard Old Ghu and Old madam Ghu were invaded in the heart of the matter, they had no choice but to take precaution, calling both the patriarch and Old Bho wherever they were.

    It can be said that the patriarch should''ve called Ghu Dwo, the current Ghu pariah, while Old Bho called Old Ghu instead.

    One if didn''t know any better, they would think that the Ghus were looking for trouble

    Well, that better not be the case!

    The Ghus line of business differed from theirs.<sub> </sub>

    Thus, it made no sense for them to go against each other.

    It would be a waste of resources, time, and energy.

    .

    Like so, countless thoughts passed through everyone''s head.

    But they dared not say anything.

    And soon, the already cut stones were brought back.

    And the men who escorted Zhulyn could only move forward in a daze.

    Scary...

    If you said that one person could have such luck to pick over 200 stones that all had jade in them, they would''ve thought such news to be impossible.

    However, reality was more terrifying than what they imagined.

    What?

    Bho Jin stared at the iing cart filled with rich jade with an overly widened mouth.

    How? What? This? You!!!!

    Old Ghu, Old madam Ghu and everyone else was also stunned beyond belief too.

    With a trained eye, one of the stones he saw there could sell for 10~15 million!

    So imagine a cart''s worth?

    Sure, some jade times he poems would only sell for 5,000 Vyns... But at least half of the contents in his heart would cost millions!

    ~Gulp.

    Many swallowed hard.

    What great luck!

    [Zhulyn,y the stones next to the crystals.]

    Hmmm...

    Zhulyn and those he came back quickly began doing this task.

    And in the meantime, one of Old Ghu''s guards received a few words via the headphone on his ears.

    [Boss, the cameras switched off! Nothing from here on out is on surveince.]

    "Good. Keep an eye on them and make sure they don''t try any funny business."

    [Yes!]

    Though the Grandmaster didn''t say a thing, they thought it wise to do so.

    They did what they would typically do during missions or in such situations.

    .

    Like so, the scene was bustling and busy.

    Old Ghu was now on the phone with Old Gia and Old Hou.

    How they got the news, only heaven knows.

    But they had already asked about the situation, telling old Ghu and Old Madam to do their best to please Dorian.

    At the same time, Ghu Sota called his grandmother, feeling betrayed.

    [Grandma... So you and grandpa went out to have fun with the Grandmaster without me? How could you do this to me? And here I thought you loved me!]

    (-_-)

    �� Is it toote to throw her favorite grandchild on a deserted ind?

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Another 45 minutes had time by.

    "Grandmaster, it''s all done."

    Dorian nodded at Butler Sheng and Zhulyn.

    "Get ready."

    It was time to reveal themselves to the enemy!

 Chapter 246 Real!... Real... It Was All Real

    What did he want to do?

    Everyone was curious but still decided to stand back just as they were told.

    Bho Jin rolled his eyes, feeling that Dorian was doing too much.

    Honestly, if this was all a joke, he would be the first to strangle him to death when the Ghus weren''t watching.

    Heh��

    Do you know the worth of all the things they had lined up?

    They, Bhos, weren''t easy to bully!

    ''No�� Grandpa must hear about this.''

    Zhulyn and Butler Sheng stared at the gathering beside them.

    "Apart from you lot, everyone else should step out." They said, gesturing to the outline of the giant circle.

    And when they said giant, it was an understatement.

    They didn''t know why the Grandmaster did this. However, they knew it would alle together in the end.

    Though Butler Sheng and Zhulyn couldn''t see what the Grandmaster saw, they could still feel the heavy evil qi in the air.

    It was almost as though this ce was the home to all evil in the world.

    And the degree was so choking that it almost made them tremble if not for the repeated sutra they said in their hearts.

    .

    Step by step, Dorian made his way to the forefront of the formation, calling seating on crossed legs.

    [You 2... Keep it busy. I only need 3 minutes. And remember, its weakness is its palms and hands.

    Yes... Not arms, but palms.

    This was their instinctive thought.

    And before they started, the duo began their usual practices.

    <o>,m Looking at the crowd, they pointed at the trolleys beside them.</o>

    "Alright. ce all weapons in the carts."

    What? Why?

    Bho Jin''s guards thinned their lips, not convinced at all.

    But before they could say anything, Old Ghu''s men had long obeyed the order, making it hard for them toin.

    Fine!

    Pak. Pak~

    They dropped all weapons, with the opposing men searching themselves too.

    The scene was truly weird.

    In the vast space, there were only about 39 of them or so.

    Even on the 2nd open floor, no one was in sight.

    Everyone, including the many building guards, were all in the staff regions.

    And the doors connecting these regions, as well as the doors and windows exiting the building, had several strange pieces of paper ced on them as though they were sticky notes.

    But that wasn''t all.

    The cameras were supposedly shut down, and maybe it was their imagination... But they suddenly thought the room was colder than before too.

    Strange...

    Old madam Ghu squinted her eyes deeply, feeling that something was off.

    No! No! No!

    What was she thinking? Magic, she epted. But as a fully grown woman, how could she ept such childish and loony thoughts?

    What''s next?

    A monster in her closet or one under her bed?

    Impossible!

    These were the thoughts of not just herself but Old Ghu and the rest.

    However, before they could make heads or tails of the matter, Dorian began his work!

    .

    With firm eyes, Dorian gazed at the creature.

    ''ShwShwShwShwShwSh~''

    His changing speed grew word by word.

    But no one had time to pay him any head because right before their very eyes, something beyond belief unfolded.

    Whoosh!

    The wind howled, pushing various carts across the room. The lights flickered, the walls began creaking and banging as though something was in them.

    And even more shocking, ayer of frost began covering the ground.

    Boing!!!

    Everton''s eyes shot out exaggeratedly.

    "Young master... What is going on here? How can those range soundse from the walls?"

    ~Gulp.

    Bho Jin swallowed hard.

    If this was not his Bho site, he would-be thought Dorian had partnered with the owners of this ce to scare him to death.

    Mommy...

    He felt his legs wobble and twist in all directions.

    And without knowing it, both the Ghus and Bho Jin''s side had all gotten too close to one another, almost hugging themselves while still looking around maniacally.

    However, this was just the beginning.

    Whooo!~... Whooo!~...

    F***!

    Where did this hurricanee from?

    "Everyone, take cover!"

    No one knew who yelled out, but everyone was quick to act.

    And the most aggrieved was Bho Jin.

    "Grandma Ghu! I know I offended you earlier, but if this is a joke or a way to punish me, it''s really not funny anymore!"

    Bho Jin was almost in tears, holding onto one of the disy tables bound to the ground.<sub> </sub>

    On hearing this, Old madam Ghu even wanted to kick him away, sensing him flying in the wind.

    Stupid boy!

    If she had this ability, why would she waste it on ying a joke on him? As though amongst a brutal and windy sea storm, everyone held onto the fixed fixtures around them for their dear lives.

    Luckily, the strange circle had been done around these fixtures.

    Or else wouldn''t they get blown to the 2nd Lounge floor just like that?

    .

    Chaos and panic immediately filled the room.

    However, that was far less than the turbulence Dorian felt within him.

    [Host, revealing a creature stronger than you is a daunting task... Look! Your ears are already bleeding!]

    ''I know.''

    What choice did he have?

    He needed Butler Sheng and Zhulyn to see the enemy if they were going to distract it.

    And only then would he begin to prepare for his fatal attack.

    Let''s say that he didn''t get the duo to distract the creature.

    The moment he starts chanting that fatal attack spell, the creature would definitely notice what he was doing, ending his life in a heartbeat.

    The smell was a loud one, starting faintly, before building a vast momentum in its final stage that would make any creature anxious to kill the chanter.

    It can be said that maybe in the first 2 minutes and 40 seconds, the creature won''t be concerned with him.

    But within thest few seconds, the creature would feel the raw feat from it, trying to kill him off.

    And that''s why he needed the duo.

    More importantly, he needed to get them to see the creature since when he would be changing that fatal spell, he wouldn''t have the time or energy to focus on chanting another visibility spell for the creature.

    ... Everything had to be done now.

    As for how good of a distinction they would be at the first Dan, he wasn''t counting on their raw abilities, but their luck to urately attack the creature with the talismans he created with his strength.

    He was only one step shorter in strength than the creature.

    So mid-Grade 2 talismans should do the trick in causing several injuries to the creature.

    And if they continuously bombard it with attacks, its injuries should be fatal!

    .

    The system looked at its host, almost biting off all of just non-existent fingernails.

    Its master told it to look after its host.

    So how could it not be panicked?

    Dorian stared at the duo.

    [Get ready...]

    His exposure spell was almost done.

    3...

    Everyone watched the duo reach for their pockets in confusion.

    2...

    Now, the duo began taking battle stances against the air as though ready to fight off atomic particles.

    1...

    What these weirdos... Was what they thought.

    But in the next second, they finally understood why these people acted like this.

    Zero!

    The invisibility cloak was dropped.

    And now, everyone could hear and see what Dorian saw.

    ~Grw!~

    The towering creature of 10 feet tall was staring at them in surprise, as though realizing that they could see it.

    How... How...

    Everyone''s quivered in horror.

    Their mouths were gaped open, but no words came off them.

    It was a silent scream.

    Fear, horror... All sorts of emotion made them take slow but steady steps back, moving on their butts and knees.

    Real... Real...

    Old Madam and Old Ghu couldn''t believe their eyes.

    How was this possible? Why did monsters exist in this world alongside them?

    At this moment, they were too panic-stricken to think, feeling their entire bodies flinch in dread.

    .

    Rotting flesh, maggots, a sell as foul as a million corpses piled in one spot... Bho Jin was slowly losing his mind, pping himself in the face severally.

    Monster. Monster... In his Bho site?

    How long has that thing been mining around them?

    He had no tears but wanted to cry.

    cing his frantic hands on his head, Bho Jin began shaking vigorously, not wanting to believe it all.

    And soon, his mind only had one thought.

    Flee, flee, flee... Make a run for it while he''s still alive!

    "No! No! I can''t die!"

    1, 2, 3... He developed superpowers, diving out of the safe bubble his men created around him, trying h to make a break for it.

    "Young master!"

    Almost immediately, his men also followed behind.

    However, their actions seemed to have attracted the same thing they were running from.

    Delicious... Very delicious...

    The creature salivated, feeling the tasteful wave of fear prate its nostrils.

    ~Gra~~~

    The creature was on the move!

 Chapter 247 A Blazing Start

    The creature''s mouth expanded 5 times its original size, showing its revolting inside to everyone in the room.

    ~Grw!

    The loud eerie growl made many put their hands to their ears in fright while kicking their legs and moving butts away.

    Everything happened so fast.

    And before they knew it, they saw the creature crack downwards and take an unimaginable leap into the air.

    Its target... Bho Jin!

    Bho Jin threw his head behind his shoulders, watching the creature fly in the air, feeling time freeze in an instant.

    His blood boiled and scalp prickled.

    It wasn''t just him, as the guards escorting him also felt all the blood drain from their faces.

    Bam.

    They fell over the scattered and disagreed items in the room, feeling immediate death hover over them.

    Help... Help!

    Bho Jin''s pupils dted in slow motion, watching the creature''s elongated hands approach him inch by inch.

    Its elongated mouth grew 4 sabertooth fangs, and its spiky tongue slithered out excitedly.

    Food! Food!

    The eyeless creature sniffed and moved speedily towards him.

    The delicious smell alone was too captivating, making it crazy from imagining Bho Jin''s taste.

    Old Ghu, Old Madam Ghu, and the rest shook uncontrobly, already imaging down the 10 spot creature would swallow Bho Jin whole.

    Now, the creature was barely inches away from the boy!

    But just when everyone thought his fate was sealed, a strange golden spiky ball attached to a golden chain shot out in a sh!.

    Boom!

    The creature''s trajectory was changed, sensing it crashing to the ground a little further away from Bho Jin.

    ~Thring~~

    The Golden chain retracted.

    And everyone now noticed Zhulyn.

    At this moment, his image had be mighty in their minds.

    (*0*)

    Oh strong one, we bow to you.

    Say no more.

    Bho Jin and his men desperately crawled behind Zhulyn.

    Savior. Savior... Please protect us!

    Their expressions were ridiculous.

    Zhulyn spoke to them without taking his eyes off the Creature.

    "Join the rest and stay together if you want to live. Now go!"

    As though recovering a heavenly order, they nodded vigorously. "Yes. Yes. Yes... We will obey! We obey you!"

    (-_-)

    ...

    Like so, they rushed back to the Ghus. Old madam Ghu wanted to give Bho Jin a beating of his life.

    But looking at him and feeling that she too almost had a heart attack right now, she could only thin her lips, forgetting the matter.

    Old Ghu was even more restless.

    "Wife... This world is too scary."

    His face looked like he had aged 10 years older.

    Very quickly, he popped a pill into his mouth.

    Maybe without warning from Old Gia and Old Hou, he might''ve truly gone into cardiac arrest.

    Of course, even though he always denied the existence of such things, because it has been said severally, a tiny fraction of his brain might''ve long prepared for such a situation.<sub> </sub>

    Thus, he, the old madam, and the other Ghus were not as frantic as the Bhos.

    It should be said that even when the Hous and the Gias first had their experience with the supernatural, they too were livid for a while before calling down.

    After facing the situation, the Bho men were far calmer than when they started.

    Maybe this was the difference between a trained person and an ordinary person

    Ordinary people would still be in shock, too scared to use their heads.

    But the majority trained would have faster reactions, getting over things easily.

    In the end, they were human. And even when people go to war, it is okay to be scared. Some soldiers have peed themselves before. And others have also fallen into various states of frantic panic.

    But how fast they could recover was what was truly outstanding.

    In particr, Old Ghu was shocked by how Bho Jin could change in a blink of an eye.

    That is, wasn''t this the person who was crawling over so pitifully?

    Now, even though he was still scared and shaking, he began to use his brain!

    .

    After facing such a creature, Bho Jin found that he was no longer scared of Old madam Ghu.

    F***!

    Why should he be scared of a mortal?

    Hello? They were now on the same side!

    "Grand Ghu, Granny Ghu... That creature... It doesn''t have ears but seems to have a powerful nose!"

    Old Ghu nodded. "Yes... I didn''t see its eyes on its face either... What about that? Could it be that it has no eyes?"

    "No! It does have eyes! Its eyes are buried in its palms!"

    What? Eyes on its palms?

    Evil! Evil! This thing is too evil!

    ~Brack!

    The Creature''s bones cracked, making the room turn silent.

    F***!

    Was it still alive after that deadly attack?

    The creature stood from the deep hole in the ground, adjusting its shattered bone.

    Its side belly had golden cracks that had spread from the injury on its back. But from the looks of things, it was trying to heal itself.

    Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

    Zhulyn twirled the spiky-chained ball over his head with a cold expression on his face.

    .

    The Grandmaster taught them how to do a basic Grade 1 low weapon drawing technique, allowing them to draw a weapon they had an affinity with or else it wouldn''t work.

    And this was true.

    Because he had had any sword skills or even techniques, he could be one with a sword.

    Maybe in the future, it''s possible.

    But it should be noted that forming a sword Dao was extremely hard when one had no affinity to it.

    Once he got to the academy, he could choose a weapon of his choice and seek out manuals and techniques, choosing a single path for himself.

    It''s possible to master many paths. But it should be incredibly tough.

    At most, one would learn weaponry concerning 2 paths.

    And dividing one''s attention towards many things at once was never a good idea.

    Only extremely rare geniuses like the Grandmaster could probably do it all.

    For Zhulyn, he found that learning and mastering fighting skills for any chained weapon came easy for him.

    That''s why he chose this one.

    And because he condensed it with his inner Dao and innate fire inability, he named his weapon the zing Chain!

 Chapter 248 Times Up

    Whoop. Whoop!

    Zhulyn''s zing chain of fire was more like a tiny me on a lighter.

    Being a me was an overstatement.

    Well, this was still the start of his journey as an exorcist.

    At least with Dorian''s talisman on his weapon, he was able to pull things off so far.

    ''Weakness... Hands... Have to touch his hands!''

    Zhulyn thought.

    But as for the creature, it was also peering into Zhulyn''s strength, almostughing to death.

    "Bahahahahaha~... Human! You sure are gusty. You dare toe at me with such funny strength?"

    The creature didn''t understand why the attack hurt so much though the enemy''s strength was far too less.

    But if it was paying attention, it should''ve seen several talismans on the Zhulyn''s spiky ball.

    Zhulyn was never counting on his strength here!

    But the creature, who was still slow in brain development, couldn''t put the pieces together fast.

    To be honest, any creature that a person in the True Qi Realm can kill is undoubtedly a creature that hasn''t developed a thinking brian yet.

    At the moment, Dorian was still in mid-stage, the 6th Dan of the true qi realm.

    And this creature''s strength was simr to a person in thete stage of the 6th Dan.

    All in all, its strength was still akin to a person in the True Qi Realm... Meaning it should be below 10,000 years old.

    And as Dorian had always said, for underworld creatures that lived for millions and millions of years since the beginning of time, this much was still infancy level.

    Now, such beings only act like newborn babies, going with their emotions. If they were angry, they would fight. If they were frightened, they would yield but sneakily try to makeebacks.

    It would never ur to them to think deeply.

    They were stupid like that... Especially when they thought they were winning.

    The creature didn''t understand why its enemy''s attacks were that strong even. Nor did it even think of why such an enemy would appear in this world... After all, it has never seen an exorcist and was even slower in this aspect too.

    To the creature, seeing the weakling trying to go against it, a mighty underworld entity, the top of the food chain... it suddenly felt insulted.

    As a prideful being, how can it get defeated by its food?

    .

    The creature lifted its palms, opened them, revealing itsrge eyes.

    It wanted to take a closer look at the one who dared to attack it.

    Blink. Blink.

    The Red eyeballs blinked in disdain before the creature suddenly closed its palms again.

    Its eyes were its weakness, and also its hearts.

    The creature looked at Zhulyn''s provocative actions, crouched down, ready to take another leap towards this undisciplined food of his.

    Bang!

    Everyone''s heart fell into their bellies, seeing Zhulyn figure crack and destroy the wall that much.

    This... This...

    Dead. Dead!

    "Oh no! What do we do? Guns! Guns! Where are the bloody guns?"

    Many began to panic, seeing Zhulyn get brutally thrown like a fly.

    Shiver. Shiver

    This alone gave them a whole new level of fright for this creature.

    "Guns?" Old Ghu shook his head pitifully.

    "Guns won''t work against it." That''s what Old Gia and Old Hou told him.

    That''s why when their guns were taken, he had subconsciously guessed that whatever they would see would be something that only Dorian''s team could protect them against.

    Looking at the direction Zhulyn flew, many wore expressions of mourning.

    Such an attack should leave but dead or paralyzed.

    But suddenly, their expressions froze.

    Eh?... Did he just resurrect from the dead?

    .

    Zhulyn looked at the now shattered safety pendant on his neck and released a deep sigh of relief.

    Luckily, he always carried 3 or 4 protective pendants on him.

    Every time the Grandmaster''s strength improved, he would send them several protective pendants.

    Without this, the creature would''ve indeed left him with uncountable internal injuries.

    ''1 minute, 33 seconds more.''

    [Everyone]:... (��С�)

    Crazy...

    What was up with the world today?<sub> </sub>

    Who the hell killed science?

    Everyone was focused on Zhulyn''s resurrection act, forgetting that since the beginning of this battle, they hadn''t seen another person yet.

    ~Swish!

    Like the wind, a cold light shed on the scene. And before the creature knew it, its hand had been sliced off and retrieved.

    Who?

    Butler Sheng grabbed the severed hand, prying it open as fast as he could.

    Since he had a good foundation with using sabers, taking it as a hobby these years, his chosen weapon was of course a saber.

    And with the twirl of his saber, he aimed for the eye.

    "Graww!!!~~~"

    The creature screamed as though saying: No.

    However, it was toote.

    ~Pitchui!~

    Its eyes were stabbed, and its breathing became hoarse.

    "You! You! You!~~~."

    The creature was trembling in rage.

    Its heart, its eyes... The creature felt the pain from deep within.

    It should take 1 minute to regenerate and regain its strength.

    "Damn you cursed Mortals! How dare you sneak attack me?"

    "Zhulyn!"

    "Already here!" Zhulyn replied with his trusty weapon at hand.

    And before everyone knew it, they began watching a blockbuster battle that was too fast for them to keep up with.

    Bang! Crash! Boom! sh! Bang!

    Several after images kept shing about the space.

    And from time to time, one of the men would get sent flying, smashing themselves hard on the walls, floors, and even the ceiling.

    But no matter what? They never gave you!

    Bho Jin''s eyes opened in shock: "I can''t see them move! At this point, are they even human?"

    Today, a new world opened to him.

    Strong! Who wouldn''t want to be like this?

    Thinking of how rude he and his men were earlier, he couldn''t wait to beat his former self up.

    F***!

    If they were to go into a fight back then, wouldn''t he just be asking for a beating?

    The Bho men wiped their cold sweat, secretly swearing to never go against these men in future.

    Old madam also thought the same.

    Seeing is truly believing.

    But something else caught her attention.

    If the Grandmasters men were this string, then what about him?

    She stared at the youngster whose eyes were still closed at another angle on the circle, looking at him with reverence and a hint of curiosity.

    All this time, he had been sitting there as quiet and as sturdy as a mountain.

    Why?... Can it be that he can''t hear the chaos around the scene?

    His strength was surely unfathomable!

    .

    20 seconds more.

    Butler Sheng and Zhulyn began the countdown in their heads.

    This was it. This was the most challenging period.

    The duo looked at each other tastefully.

    No matter what, they must not let this creature disturb the Grandmaster!

    And as expected, the Creature''s missing hand had been fully regenerated, returning all its strength to it.

    The Creature''s face stretched into an even crueler grin. But suddenly, its eyes stayed frozen in pace, turning its attention to the circle.

    Yes.

    The formation was now lit up.

    And soon, the creature''s expression turned grim.

    Danger. Danger

    Those were the only feelings it couldprehend.

 Chapter 249 Times Up - 2

    Everyone watched the rampant creature suddenly freeze and begin to cower for just a moment.

    And from there on out, it seemed to have gone crazy!

    GRWWWWWW~~~~!

    Its mouth opened even wider than it ever did, making its way towards the circle as frantic and swift as it could.

    "Zhulyn!"

    "On it!"

    Whoop. Whoop. Whoop!

    Zhulyn twirled his zing chain.

    Big guy, where do you think you''re going?

    ~Ching!

    The chain wrapped around the creature''s legs, causing it to fall face down.

    Bam!

    The creature felt the sharp, prating pain on its legs. However, that was the least of its problems.

    Graww!

    It viciously growled at Zhulyn, sending the numerous spikes on its tongue flying towards him.

    Roll!

    Thak. Thak. Thak. Thak!

    Zhulyn rolled in the nick of time, having no choice but to abandon his control of the chain.

    Ah!-

    Thest spike got him on his thigh.

    ''10 seconds more... Brother Sheng. It''s up to you now.''

    .

    Din. Din. Din. Din~

    Butler Shang''s legwork was fast.

    And in a blink of an eye, he appeared before the creature.

    "Damn you, mortals!... Graww!!!!"

    Ting!~

    The sharp sh between Sheng''s sword and the creature''s overly long nails echoed out.

    And from there in out, their fight only grew more and more vicious with every passing second.

    Everyone watching this godly battle felt cold, yet their hands were warm and sweaty!

    Their tongues rolled back and forth in their mouths, the heavier their breathing became.

    Bho Jin couldn''t even feel his toes anymore.

    "They... They will be fine, right?"

    Old Ghu couldn''t answer the question.

    Ironically, the battle had only been gone for 2 minutes and several seconds.

    But within this time alone, it felt like an eternity watching this battle unfold before his very eyes.

    If you would''ve said that such a fight could happen in these measly minutes, he would never believe it!

    His throat was dry, and his entire being felt paralyzed, not having the energy to move.

    His faith in them began to waver the more difficult it was for t to ovee the creature.

    He was only human, so how could he not doubt his end when seeing the duo have a hard time with the creature?

    Looking heavenwards, he only said a silent prayer in his heart.

    ''Dear God in the Heavens... Do you really want us to die in the hands of these things?"

    .

    Bam!

    Butler''s Sheng was ruthlessly strapped and flung away.

    Good riddance!

    The creature huffed, frantically moving the chain still around his legs.

    It hurt like hell for him to touch it.

    But feeling the impending danger with the circle, the creature couldn''t care less!

    It had no choice but to destroy the man on the circle! It realized that it couldn''t leave out of the room!

    So what else could it do?

    ~Grrw!!!!!!!

    Butler Sheng''s expression turned from, watching the creature manage to get up.

    Dammit!

    The creature had pierced his belly with its sharpened ws.

    Very quickly, he popped a pill into his mouth, feeling it dissolve, releasing a cool healing sensation across his body.

    These pills were given to them by the Grandmaster.

    ''Must not give up! Must nit give up!''<sub> </sub>

    Butler Sheng stood amidst the rubble before looking at his watch in amazement.

    There was only less than a second left. And judging from the creature''s speed and the distance within this enormous open space, the Grandmaster should be safe.

    Plop.

    He sat against the wall, visibly rxing.

    Good!

    ''Grandmaster, we did it!''

    .

    GRWWWWWW!~~~

    The creature screamed and dashed forth frantically.

    Danger! Danger. Danger!

    All rm bells in its head went off the more it focused on the youngster that seemed connected with the circle.

    It opened its palms, squinting its eyes viciously at him.

    Kill!

    1 2, 3...

    The Creature was back in the air, with its ws elongating to an even crazier length.

    What? It still had such an ability?

    Blugh~

    Everyone was struck with terror and a high level of disgust, having yet another close-up with the creature.

    Their entire bodies recoiled. And even when a few maggots dangled and flew their way, they just wanted to die.

    Ugly. Ugly...

    They felt they wouldn''t be able to eat again for a year!

    Gulp.

    One of Bho Jin''s men swallowed his vomit, almost gagging again.

    But their level of disgust was nowhere bear the instinctive horror they felt seated behind and beside Dorian.

    So watching the creature jump towards them in slow motion was enough to make theor blood freeze.

    Mommy... Mommy... They didn''t want to die!

    With closed eyes, many subconsciously waited for the worst, rolling away like fools.

    It was just that things didn''t go the way they thought.

    .

    The creature descended very speedily, excited that it was about to kill off the threat before it.

    And just when it was a hair''s length away from hitting the mortal, Dorian suddenly opened his eyes.

    Bang!

    The creative found itself buried into the ground.

    How? How did this happen?

    ~Kacsh. Kacsh!

    Sparks of lightning circted across Dorian''s body.

    His hair was floating, and his entire body glowed with every lighting streak that jumped off him.

    But what was this?

    Bam!

    It made everyone in the room stay on their knees, feeling a dangerous pressure press them down.

    It was Dorian''s aura.

    F***!

    Was he a God?

    Did they actually see lightning streaks umping off his shoulders, neck, hands, and every other part of him?

    (+w+)

    This... This...

    Bho Jin''s thoughts were far more different.

    His hands trembled in glee, and his entire body wanted to kowtow before Dorian, asking to be his student.

    Super Saiyan! Super Saiyan!

    Dorian was a Saiyan, right? Then... Could it be that he also came from the Dragon Ball world?

    (*0*)

    ~Snap.

    Dorian snapped his fingers, creating a whitish wall above the circle.

    Now, it was just him and the big guy.

    Taking a talisman from his pockets, he calmly drew out a lightning staff with a cruel expression on his face.

    And anyone who was used to his operation was bound to know what that smile meant.

 Chapter 250 Did You See Anything?

    Damn Mortal!

    The creature shook off the rubble on its body, viciously lifting its head.

    However, when it saw Dorian, its entire being wanted to flee instead.

    Such strength was far above his!

    Bam!

    It smashed itself on the wall, not only shocking itself but everyone else.

    Old Madam touched the invisible space before her, really feeling a wall too!

    This... This...

    "Old man, feel this!"

    Everyone did the same, rxing that Dorian had trapped himself inside with the creature.

    Subconsciously, they stared at the crystals and rocks they ced around.

    "So all this was to create an istion chamber?"

    Old Ghu nodded, seemingly understanding some key points." From what I''ve heard from others, it''s said that every time the Grandmaster wants to fight, he would first ensure everyone''s safety. So this thing is the istion chamber Old Hou and Old Gia were talking about?"

    What?

    Bho Jin was shocked and a little aggrieved, seeing that the other prominent fathers already knew of such things while his Bho family was clueless.

    Wait. So you''re saying that Dorian has been doing this severally?

    Eh? Is this the real work his Tian family does? Is their business just a cover-up?

    Were they a family of monster hunters?

    The more Bho Jin thought about it, the more awed he was.

    I''ll be damned!

    To think that he and many in society would look down on Dorian, not knowing that this guy was out here saying the day like a true hero!

    In the future, he might run into more of these sorts of issues. So who would he call? The Grandmaster!

    Who would help him? The Grandmaster!

    That''s right.

    When Dorian became Super Saiyan, Bho Jin felt it an insult not to call Dorian Grandmaster as everyone was.

    After all, this was his future teacher!

    Yes! He wanted to be the Grandmaster''s most favored disciple!

    .

    Whoosh!

    Dorian twirled his lightning rod with azy yet wicked gleam in his eyes.

    "Yield or not... "

    "Damn you sneaky mortal! So you had such a powerful strength but chose to y with me instead?"

    The creature was breathing hard with hate, feeling that it was being yed like a flute.

    So this youngster was this powerful all along?

    Dare to y with a Moon Gargoyle?

    Hateful! Hateful!

    Though it was inwardlyining, it dared not speak too much in its hatred.

    The enemy was strong!

    Dorian Calmly walked towards the creature before suddenly picking up his pace.

    "I asked you a question. But since you didn''t try, then by default, I''ll act as I see fit."

    What?

    Boom!

    A powerful sh of lightning fell onto the creature.

    ''Ah~~~~~'' The creature screamed internally.

    What sort of pain was this?

    Its insides were bringing, and even the majors moving about it were fried.

    And by the time the lighting attacks stopped, it was already twitching exaggeratedly

    But sadly, this was just the start of its misery.

    With fierce moves, Dorian punched, kicked, grabbed, smashed it about like a herculean man.

    Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

    The poor floor was almost crying mercy after being brutally shattered this much.

    But even at other points, Dorian would fly into the air, pointing his lighting rod to the ground.

    And as many can imagine, the entire space was covered with lightning.

    .<sub> </sub>

    Dzang! Dzang! Dzang!

    "Grw...." The creature''s weak cries bellowed.

    "I yield! I yield! I yield!"

    It looked so pitiful. But was Dorian done yet?

    Not a chance.

    He dragged the tearful creature that was now looking at the audience pitifully, and began stomping it like a mere bug.

    Bang. Bang. Bang.

    "Please, help me..."

    "_"

    The audience didn''t know what to say.

    ''If you can''t even beat the Grandmaster, then how are we supposed to help you?''

    Blind... Everyone was now blind.

    Their eyes said it all.

    Did you see anything?

    No... I didn''t see anything at all.

    Did you hear someone crying?

    Impossible! Aren''t those the sounds of several ck-billed Magpie birds?

    Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

    Everyone watched the one-sided beating, feeling a little bit for the creature.

    At the same time, the way they looked at Dorian changed.

    You know, this creature had been extremely powerful in their minds from the start.

    But now, seeing it get reduced to this level only made them know just how strong the Grandmaster was.

    Gulp.

    No matter what, they would never dare to look for his trouble.

    Wasn''t that suicide?

    .

    Everyone more or less had the same thoughts.

    "It''s just as I expected." Old Ghu said. "The Grandmaster would have been able to deal with this creature right from the start. But because he didn''t want any chances of the creature running away or attacking up during these final desperate moments, he had to create this space before acting."

    Old madam Ghu nodded in agreement. "First, they acted as though the creature had the upper hand, capturing its attention and keeping it in the room by engaging in that battle."

    Bho Jin''s eyes lit up. "So that''s how it is!"

    "Through the dight, the creature was arrogant up until thest few moments when it tried to stop the Grandmaster. But I think it realized things toote."

    Many nodded, agreeing on this matter.

    In conclusion, Dorian would''ve been able to deal with the creature from the start.

    But he should''ve feared that when the creature was desperate, it might take one of them as a hostage or might''ve fled somehow.

    So the circle was there to keep it from doing any of these.

    Everyone was inwardly grateful that though they inconvenienced the Grandmaster by sitting amidst the battle and being potential hostages, Dorian still thought about them, doing his best to look after their safety.

    Strength, humility, strategist, a good sense of justice... And several other factors could be seen from his actions.

    Thinking about how he was ridiculed in high society, it''s clear that he has the power to change things but maybe doesn''t care.

    Meanwhile, some of them were trying to mock him here and there.

    Bho Jin felt shame, now understanding why Dorian never seemed to take him seriously.

    If you deal with such creatures regrly, why would you be bothered with petty matters from high society?

    .

    "Stop! Stop! Stop! I yield! I said I yield!"

    "Oh?"

    Just perfect.

    He had 1 more minute to exorcize it and expel the excess power, or else he might get crippled!

    At least, he destroyed both eyes, lowering the creature''s strength.

    Good.

    At least now, even if things return to normal, he should still be able to bear it up before it regenerates its parts.

    Flick!

    He threw several coins in the air.

    "Let''s begin."

 Chapter 251 Eh? What Academy?

    Bam!

    The many strange coins pinned the creature down as Dorian began his exorcism.

    The reason why he waited until now to exorcize the creature was because he was releasing all that the creature had sucked out of its victims.

    The creature was a Moon Gargoyle.

    Though it could feast on particr victims, it also could nibble on the vitality of humans as though they were snacks.

    First, it would suck out some vitality from one''s face, making them look slightly pale.

    Maybe the victims wouldn''t notice it, but after a few days or weeks, they would get dreadfully ill.

    With other creatures, once a victim''s vitality was taken, there would be no way to retrieve it back from the creature.

    All he would do then is to replenish them with talismans or various pills, elixirs, or powders that need to be taken over the span of time... Maybe even years for deadly cases.

    But for the creature he was dealing with, using particr spells and techniques, it was possible to release all that the creature had stolen.

    If the Ghus and Bhos had a third eye, they would be able to see the many streaks of transparent human faces flying out of the creature''s body, nning to return to the victims.

    .

    Thap. Thap. Thap. Thap!

    Dorian''s hands moved speedily while chanting above the creature''s body.

    "Grww~~~."

    It hurts!

    The holy light from above descended on it, causing the creature''s body to burn vigorously.

    Its body trembling, its head turning left to right and back... The creature had never felt such an indescribable difort.

    Why? Why did it go down so soon?

    Puff!

    Its spiky tongue exploded, and its entire being began to disappear like pieces of burning paper.

    No... In this case, not even the ashes could be found.

    The light hadpletely destroyed the darkness.

    1, 2, 3...

    Its legs faded, followed by its belly, chest, and neck.

    As for its arms and eyeless head, these parts faded simultaneously, with the throttling screams from the creature.

    ~GRWWWWWWWW~~~

    Shiver. Shiver.

    The goosebumps that had resided earlier on were quick to emerge.

    Everyone only felt their legs turn shaky the more they watched the scene.

    If not for Butler Sheng and Zhulyn standing before them, they wouldn''t have dared to stand so close to the invisible wall.

    This... This...

    Today''s matter was something they would never forget in a hurry!

    .

    Zmmmm!

    The formation wall was let down, and having a closer look at the crystals and stones on the ground, they seemed to have lost some of their initial sparkles.

    The difference was hard to see, only a sharp eye could notice this fact.

    But this didn''t mean that these stones were useless.

    Well, mortals could still use them for jewelry and whatnot.

    But for those on Dorian''s path, the value of these items was no more.

    (0��0)

    -silence-

    ... If a pin dropped, one would be able to hear it echo out within thisrge space.

    Grandmaster! Grandmaster.

    It took over 10 seconds for everyone, including Old Ghu, toe back to his senses.

    Holding his cane for support, he swallowed hard, forcing his heavy legs to move towards Dorian.

    And when stepping over the crystals, entering the circle, his entire body felt even heavier.

    The others also followed him too.

    But the closer they got to Dorian, the more mighty his image was in their eyes.<sub> </sub>

    They truly wanted to find out what that creature was!

    But just when they were about to ask, Dorian flicked his wrist about the room, causing yet another shocking scene.

    Blink. Blink.

    What did they just see?

    The broken and scattered floor and ceiling pieces firmly cemented themselves back in their original positions.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The sounds of the floor sticking together could be heard all across the scene.

    Hahahhahahaha~

    Bho Jin touched the floor in awe.

    "It''s glued! It''s actually glued back!"

    This only formed his decision to have Dorian ept him as a disciple.

    As for their earlier disputes... Please! He couldn''t even remember why he was annoyed with Dorian.

    Lucky him.

    He was going to be a disciple!

    (^��^)

    .

    Everyone''s heart was brimming with different thoughts.

    Old madam Ghu took several deep breaths.

    "Grandmaster, the magic academy... Is it for the sole purpose of eradicating these creatures? As a caretaker, will my husband and I have to face such beings?"

    Ding! Ding! Ding!

    The conversation made many lightbulbse on.

    What? A magic academy?

    Bho Jin and the test of the Bhos were going crazy, listening to Old madam Ghu''s words.

    Hold on! Hold on!

    So the Ghus had been epted into this Academy without them knowing?

    Wait! Does this mean that Ghu Sota will also be attending this Academy too?

    Bho Jim wanted to die with jealousy.

    No fair! It wasn''t fair at all!

    "Grandmaster, what about me? What about my Bho family?"

    Bho Jin couldn''t help cutting in on their conversation.

    The revtions were just too jaw-dropping.

    Also, earlier on, Old Ghu seemed to have mentioned Old Hou and Old Gia knowing about this.

    So does this mean that the Hous and the Gias were also epted into this Academy?

    Dorian stared at Bho Jin thoughtfully.

    If it were before hepleted his main mission, he would be rushing to gather enough students. But now, not anymore.

    He didn''t even bother touching Bho Jin or looking at him to see whether he was a talent or not.

    With his initial quota met, the recruitment process would now have a few extra uses.

    .

    Like he said, what he didn''t want was to bring in a ticking time bomb into the academy.

    The Bhos had some good and terrible characters in their n.

    And that''s why he would need to introduce what his former world called the True test.

    It''s inevitable that no matter what academy or sect one builds, there would always be some bad seeds to enter from time to time.

    But with the True test, this percentage would go down drastically.

    No one wanted an exorcist who would grow strong andter turn towards the darkness.

    Such a person who knows the ways of exorcism andbined it with the darkness would be hell to the academy... Especially if such a person was Strong!

    Dorian stared at the many conflicting auras around the Bho men.

    If they wanted to join the academy, they would have to pass the true test and the other tests.

    But not now.

 Chapter 252 A Stranger In The Shadows

    "Oh..."

    Bho Jin was sad, hearing that the admission period was over.

    However, when Dorian said there would be another admission period 3 and a half months from now, how could he not be joyful?

    Looking at it, did this mean that this magic academy also made admissions like most schools did too?

    Was there a winter admission and Fall admission period?... What about Summer?

    Or could it be that there were only 2 admission periods?

    In truth, Dorian had thought about this matter.

    For this first year, he would have 2 or 3 admission periods.

    But from the Academy''s next year, admission would only be once a year.

    His academy was the first of its kind and would be a prestigious one.

    Just like in his previous life, academies did hold their entrance ceremonies once too, maybe to build up a great prestige.

    But for him, he decided on this path because at present, the academy didn''t have many skilled teachers.

    He wanted the first batch of caretakers to grow, building worth and knowledge.

    Of course, it would be a lie if he said he didn''t also want his academy to be prestigious.

    The many tests and once-in-a-year entrance period would make many take the academy seriously.

    .

    Bho Jin was brimming with joy, listening to Dorian''s brief words.

    "Yes! Yes! I understand, Grandmaster!"

    Hehehehe...

    Since there was still a chance for him, he wouldn''t give up until the next time.

    Old madam Ghu smacked the back of his head before building his ears. "You little runt. Can''t you see that we''re still discussing business with the Grandmaster? When adults are talking, children should keep quiet."

    "But... But he''s my age."

    "Shut up!" Old madam Ghu restrained herself from kicking him away.

    You know you''re the same age as the Grandmaster, yet you''re still so useless?

    Dorian stared at the group before him before looking at the many crystals and stones he used.

    Alright. It was time to talk about cost.

    For subduing that creature above his level, he took too many risks that could have crippled him.

    The price would be costly because he expended his strength to defeat a creature above his level.

    Again, he also had to factor in Butler Sheng and Zhulyn''s actions. They too had to get paid.

    This was a job.

    And as for the cost of using the raw materials for the circle, he hadn''t bought them... So they weren''t his.

    Hence, he couldn''t charge them for using them.

    No one owed anyone in this particr matter.

    The Bhos provided the precious stones while he used them to defeat the Gargoyle.

    Also, the overall cost took into consideration the creature''s strength rank.

    There was a standard price for each rank.

    Adding and subtracting what was owed and what was not, Dorian urately gave them a figure.

    "37 Million Vyns."

    Both the Bhos and the Ghus could easily cough up that amount.

    "Grandmaster, don''t worry. We will pay it all ording to what you''ve said."

    How could they not?

    They even felt that their lives being saved was already a very process matter.

    .

    Like so, time was beating its end.

    And soon, the many security men were quick to open the doors, seeing nothing changed.<sub> </sub>

    (-_-)

    Eh? Where were they?

    Where were the criminals?

    They thought they woulde in and see several subdued criminal masterminds tied up.

    So why did it look like these people were only having a chat all along?

    What was this operation?

    ~Ring!!!!~

    Old Ghu''s phone went off.

    And needless to say, he knew exactly who it was.

    [Bastard Ghu! What the hell have you been doing in there all this time? What do you mean by stopping my business for a chat? Do you think this is a mafia movie or something? Even if you wanted to talk to someone about some top-secret operation, why do it in my spot? Can''t you find another hidden location? Just confess! This is your olddy''s idea, isn''t it?!]

    (*^*)

    The voice was so loud that everyone around Old Ghu could hear what the person was saying.

    Tch.

    If not for the fact that she was exhausted, Old madam would''ve seized the bloody phone yet again.

    All she could do was stare at Bho Jin.

    "When next you see your grandfather, tell him he''s dead!"

    Gulp.

    Bho Jin nodded his head slowly, inwardly saying his goodbyes to his grandfather.

    Why did that hard-headed grandfather like to annoy this she-devil?

    .

    One by one, the building was once again open to the public, with no one knowing what happened in here except those who stayed with Dorian.

    Ring!!!~~

    Bho Jin''s phone rang just as soon as Old Ghu''s phone call ended.

    Sure enough, it was his grandfather.

    But what should he say?

    If he told the truth, who would believe it?

    They would only think that the Ghus had threatened him toe up with such stupid lies to cover their tracks.

    As the future head, if he were to act as though he was afraid of the Ghus wrath, the elders, the guards, his immediate and even his branch rtives would look down on him.

    Rather than telling the truth, it was best to lie.

    Taking a deep breath, Bho Jin answered the phone.

    "Grandpa, we did apprehend a wanted criminal. I don''t know the person''s identity. Only the Ghus do. So I can''t say any more about this matter."

    The Bho guards around him listener dot Bho Jin, understanding that this was the story they were to stick with.

    Indeed... It was far better than the truth.

    And not only does it keep them away from the focus point, but also indirectly told Old Bho that if he wanted to know more, he would have to pry it off the Ghus.

    After all, Bho Jin had been here way earlier on for other matters with his friends.

    So it was just a coincidence for him to be around during this time.

    Old madam Ghu raised a brow at Bho Jin.

    Once again, she admitted that though he was stupid, he was far more reliable than her idiotic grandson.

    The idiot would''ve just blurted out the truth there and then.

    .

    Like so, things were finally settled.

    And before leaving the scene, Dorian picked up other batches of stone and crystals.

    And right on his tail, watching him from the shadows... another stranger stared at him with gloomy eyes.

    ''Dorian D. Tian... Your time is up!''

 Chapter 253 Bingo! Found You!

    Mingling within the crowd, a man in an ordinary attire pulled the long front of his cap downwards while watching Butler Sheng and Zhulyn ce the crystals and stones on the vehicle''s boot.

    And in a whispery tone, he spoke into his earpiece.

    "Darkness, they are about to leave. Keep a close yet distant space when leaving Burming Street." The man said in a cold tone.

    And on the other side of the receiver, a yful voice echoed out.

    [Ahh... Boss, with our men around, we can clearly take out this useless pauper. So why go through all this? I''m sure that if we kidnap and threaten it out of him, the weak link would definitely give us what we want while wetting himself like a baby.]

    "Just do your job and follow orders."

    [Yes. Yes. Yes, boss. Will do.]

    Tut...

    The phone call ended with the man staring at Dorian''s vehicle driving away.

    And not long after, another ordinary vehicle followed behind it, after leaving Burming street.

    Kidnap, hold hostage and threaten Dorian?

    If he was sure of Dorian''s situation, then this might''ve been the way to go.

    However, his gut feeling told him that things might not go too well in that regard.

    Though they haven''t seen the Gias, Gias, and Hous sending secret guards to spy on Dorian, who knew if these prominent families had more skilled people sent in?

    There was so much to consider here. And maybe from another distance, there might be another sniper somewhere.

    This Dorian was holding some secret information that kept these 3 families humble.

    So attacking him out in the open might yield no results.

    Their only bet was to do so in his estate.

    But for that, they would need an inside man.

    The man pulled his hat down, vanishing within the crowd like an illusion.

    .

    Vrmmm!!

    The vehicle drove into the estate. And soon, Dorian stepped out of the vehicle, staring at the gate with a slight smile on his face.

    He almost forgot that he had mortal enemies too.

    If it were others who came into this world, they would immediately tale out that uncle of his and reim their manypanies.

    But where did he have the time to focus on business now?

    He nned that after the academy ran for a while, then and only then would he deal with Wwi Kwo.

    For now, he could let the fellow jump about like a clown.

    On the other hand, it might not be his uncle after him. After all, ording to his memory, there were quite a lot of people that always jumped about his face like clowns too.

    Dorian shrugged his shoulders, paying no attention to the matter.

    From what he saw, they were only here to spy on him.

    For now, they didn''t seem to have the guts to infiltrate his estate.

    Entering the state, Butler Sheng assisted him in taking off his coat.

    "Tell Haru and Chan-ki that tomorrow, you''ll take these materials into the academy."

    Butler Sheng nodded vigorously. "Yes, Grandmaster."

    And right on cue, they saw all 4 heading towards them.

    Bewoh, Raulin, Chan-ki, and Haru.

    Bewoh and Raulin had stayed in the waste, while Haru and Chan-ki had just returned not too long ago from the academy.

    "Grandmaster."

    They saluted.

    And very quickly, Raulin pushed his sses in, stepping forward.

    His expression was stern and urgent. But it wasn''t just him, as Haru also had the same look.

    Oh? What could have happened?

    Dorian stared at them deeply.

    "Speak. What did you notice on the Academy grounds?"

    "Grandmaster, there seems to be development in the forbidden forest!"

    Raulin''s entire body shook the more he retold what he experienced.

    The more he spoke, the more chilled his body felt.

    The injury on his chest was proof of the horror he faced.

    That beast was like something out of this world. And what was even sticking was that it wasn''t evil. It didn''t contain any evil aura around it. It was just a beast... But one he swore to have never seen in his life!

    Phew~

    If not for the Grandmaster''s escape talisman, he would''ve been long dead!

    Next time, he would never try to go close to its nest again!

    The corners of Dorian''s mouth lifted.

    "No need to worry yourselves. There''s a reason why it''s forbidden."

    Everyone''s body trembled, listening to Dorian''s casual words.

    Blink. Blink.

    Raulin''s ry of the events that took ce was enough to make their blood freeze.

    But the way the Grandmaster spoke allowed them to have a glimpse of just how dangerous the ce was.

    Curiosity had also gotten the better of them, wanting to see just what Haru and Raulin had seen too.<sub> </sub>

    Good training ground!

    This was their thought, even with all the dangers around.

    But the beast wasn''t the only shocking thing about the ce.

    .

    From Raulin''s words, a thick and choking fog appeared out of nowhere when he infiltrated the site.

    And the next thing he knew, he was fighting several mutated nts with sharp teeth the size of fangs.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Apparently, some creatures had also begun to change, and the trees were now growing taller and taller at an astonishing rate.

    Raulin mentioned that in some regions, the ordinary grass that should be toe level had now shot out, reaching his forehead.

    There, he felt like an ant moving within the terrain.

    And in other ces, though the grass was kept low, the stony ground itself was too weird and strange.

    Across the Academy grounds, many beasts resided in various regions from ordinary to strongest, based on the rich and thick qi.

    The forbidden forest was forbidden for a reason.

    It should be noted that where there''s a disaster, there''s bound to be treasures and goods.

    Thus, over time, the most avable and rarest cultivation resources would spring up from these ces.

    However, only those with ess and enough strength would be able to enter this region.

    For now, Butler Sheng and the rest in the 1st Fan could do so.

    But as time goes on, it would be impossible for someone at that level to enter.

    It should be noted that just like Butler Sheng and the rest that are new to cultivation, it wasn''t long before the academy grounds were created.

    So as the years go by, the forbidden forest would also grow stronger.

    He was afraid that the animals and creatures from the forbidden forest would venture out towards the other regions because the richness and vast terrain of the forbidden forest was like another world all on its own.

    A majority of beasts wouldn''t want to leave.

    But of course there were always those that would.

    And that''s why there''s a protective formation around the residential zones at night.

    But more than anything, something else caught his attention.

    A Glindorine in the academy?

    His eyes narrowed.

    Change of ns.

    "Tonight, everyone except Sheng wille with me to the academy grounds."

    "Right!"

    Raulin and Haru nced at each other tactfully.

    It looks like the Grandmaster was determined to catch that thing.

    .

    Like so, the gang disappeared, nning to head out by nighttime.

    It was just a little over 6 PM, so they had ample time to round up their duties.

    From the corners of her eyes, Alice watched Dorian step into his parent''s bedroom chamber with a deep hatred burning in her eyes.

    She had no reason to feel this way.

    Maybe because of her many attempts to expose him, as well as the frustration of working here, she just hated him with a burning passion that couldn''t be quenched any time soon.

    To her, the world seemed so unfair putting a talent like her in here to wind her days with some half-dead people when she should be out on the field making an even bigger name for herself.

    Alice bit her fingernails, giving Dorian ast look before stepping out of the house for some time alone to think.

    She was now off work and could do as she pleased.

    The only rule was that she should be back 1 hour before lights out.

    Hmph!

    With her back straightened, Alice walked out of the building, heading straight for the gates.

    And the more she looked around, the more annoyed she was.

    ''What a pretentious group of Tians! They don''t even have a gardener, yet they dared to make the Hous transfer those patients here? Did they think that the Hous have money to throw around to just about anyone?''

    Thah!

    Alice kicked a pebble in anger while inwardly screaming in resentment.

    Ahhhh!~~

    If those stic friends of hers know that she was working here after all the bragging she did, do you know how much they wouldugh at her?

    She, one of the geniuses and envy of her medical institute, was working here for a pauper?

    Dammit!

    How long is she supposed to put up with this?

    Alice wanted to die!

    And as though the heavens had finally heard her prayers, the money she stepped out of the estate in rage, a few men suddenly smiled within their vehicles.

    One of them had a yful look on his face.

    With the level of psychology he mastered, how could he not read her body and facial movements urately?

    Hehhehehe~

    "Call the boss. I think we found our inside man... Or should I say, woman?"

 Chapter 254 A Defender Of Justice!

    ''Stupid Tians! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!''

    Pah!

    Alice sent a stone flying with her low-heels.

    On the fabulous gatedmunity roads, she was already in her own world, strutting about with rage.

    Anyone could see that she was angry about something.

    She was so focused and annoyed that she didn''t even notice that the same people had been going back and forth around her in circles.

    First, they drove their vehicles far ahead of her before stepping out, bypassing her severally.

    And each time, she would curse those in the Tian estate.

    She also mumbled about exposing them too.

    And of course, her biggestint was about her being some genius, tied down to the estate.

    Honestly, they didn''t need to ask her about her situation because her mouth had already answered it.

    The yful-looking man looked at a few of his men tactfully before finally taking a fake badge from his vehicle.

    It''s been a long time since he had to use this identity.

    Who knew it woulde in handy so soon?

    Little girl, since you want to expose the Tian estate so badly, then you would be morefortable talking to a police officer, right?''

    Very smoothly, the man pushed back his short dark raven hair before putting on a pair of clear sses.

    Psychologically, many people tend to take those wearing sses seriously.

    They subconsciously believed more in a person wearing one than a ssless individual.

    One should look at their schools or workces.

    How many people with sses on are not taken seriously? The answer is almost zero.

    And the more non-fashionable the sses are, the more serious people would take them.

    It was a very physiological aspect that people like him studied.

    One couldn''t be an average or high-paying killer registered in the dar just by target shooting or tracking alone.

    He studied psychology and other behavioral subjects too.

    Avoiding thew was part of his job.

    And as they say, to know one''s enemy is to keep oneself alive.

    Of course, being serious-looking didn''t mean that one had to be ugly.

    .

    The yful man quickly took away his smile, looking very serious, but not too intimidating.

    sses on his face, hair neatly styled, badge in his coat... He walked towards the angered Alice.

    Up the nted sideways he went.

    And when he was close enough, he quickly called out to her while showing his badge.

    "Miss... I''m a police officer undercover. I need to speak to you about the Tian residence. There has been some illegal activity that''s been taking ce. And I''ve been sent to find the truth out for myself."

    What?

    An uncover officer?

    Illegal activities?

    She knew it!

    Alice''s eyes lit up like a torch. And suddenly, her frown faded away as though it was never there in the first ce.

    Of course, looking at the man before her, she subconsciously believed in him... Especially when he said he was willing to show more credentials to prove his identity.

    Alice shook her head vigorously from side to side. "No. I believe you."

    How could she not believe when she too knew that those criminals in the Tians were doing something shady?

    She felt more and more excited, feeling that she was suddenly the daughter of the world.

    She wished for a way to expose these criminals of their shady practices not too long ago.

    And now, wasn''t her wish going to be fulfilled?

    Once she brought them to justice not only will she be able to leave this dump, but she would also have credit under her name for going on an undercover mission.

    Hahahahahaha~

    The more Alice thought about it, the more excited she became.

    Look left, look right.

    Alice began scanning her surroundings like a rat in a sewer.

    "Quickly, Mr. undercover agent. We have to find a private ce to talk, or else we might get spotted."

    Once was already on edge, walk-in g as fast as she could to heaven knows where.

    "It''s alright, miss. My teammates and I have vehicles parked a few blocks away. So let''s go there."

    Nodding her head vigorously, Alice couldn''t agree more. "Right! Lead the way then."

    Uncover agent! Undercover agent!

    Tsk.

    To think she would have such a surreal experience in her lifetime.

    "You may call Mr. Green. That''s my undercover name. Remember, act natural. They could be watching us even as we speak."

    Ah-

    Alice felt nervous, feeling like she was now in some spy movie.

    Gulp.

    Her mind was spinning without countless imaginative scenarios of what the Tians would possibly be engaged with.

    But at the same time, she sneered at how low they had done just because they were now paupers.

    .

    Like so, Alice tried her best to act natural, as though she had known Mr. Green for a long time.<sub> </sub>

    And soon, she entered one of the ordinary ck vehicles parked along the roads.

    At the back of the vehicle, there were just 2 other men with papers, pens, and stern expressions too.

    Some kept talking into their earpieces, reporting Tian activity.

    "No signs of drug and weapon delivery. Sir! These Tians are a slippery bunch. But I promise you, Captain. We will do our best to bring them into justice!"

    Gasp!

    Alice, who had just entered the vehicle and heard this, was even more shocked and taken aback by how serious the situation was.

    Drugs? Illegal transportation of firearms... Hold on. Could the Tians be involved with some mafia activity?

    Alice''s expression was grim. And Mr. Green began his question and answer session.

    "Miss..."

    "Alice! You may call me Alice!" She replied, not realizing that her voice had gone up a notch.

    Me. Green stared at her intensely.

    "Alice... We desperately need your help to bring down these criminals. Don''t worry; you will never be implicated. We have a sniper unit and many others on standby, ready to move in at any time... But before we do all this, there are some things we have to know about the estate... Through observation, we''ve seen that you''re not involved with these criminals."

    Of course she wasn''t involved with them!

    How could she?

    Alice felt her body tremble even more.

    She wasn''t wrong.

    Criminals!

    They were all criminals!

    .

    Alice''s face distorted the more she listened to Green''s words.

    To think she had been living with criminals for so long.

    It wasn''t like she wanted to bring them to justice for the sake of justice.

    No��

    Before, she just wanted to leave. And now, hearing that these people were so crazy after falling and turning into paupers, she dared not stay for long in the estate.

    Such desperate people might also sell her to a trafficking house if they badly needed money.

    Alice was not willing to take that risk.

    She had a bright future ahead of her. So why should she crush it all by working for these desperate paupers?

    She knew that the Hous would-be believe her words without evidence... In short, no one might believe her without proof.

    This should also be the reason why the police chose to go undercover too.

    It looks like because they were afraid that if too many people knew, then it might reach the ears of these criminals, alerting them.

    Who knows... Maybe even within the police station, there are some dirty cops trying to cover for him instead.

    Alice quickly figured things out the more she listened.

    And of course, Green was quite the talker, being able to convince her very quickly.

    First, he gave her a sense of reasoning for all she experienced during this time.

    "Miss Alice, you may not be innocent. But not everyone is as clean as yourself."

    Alice subconsciously tightened her grip on her seat." Me. Green... What do you mean?"

    "It simply means apart from yourself and 2 others, those we observed exiting and entering the estate seemed to be secretly working for those in the estate. Miss Alice�� In other words, there are some spies amongst your colleagues!"

    .

    Boom!

    The words hit her like a missile.

    No wonder...

    Alice felt her breathing heavy.

    No wonder that no matter how sheined or tried to expose the Tians, nothing happened.

    Now, she knew what she had to do.

    How could she keep working in such a dangerous ce? What if she got implicated.

    Seeing her expression, Green secretly smiled yfully.

    "Miss Alice! Before we charge in and arrest those criminals, there are still some things we need to know. And that''s where youe in."

    Cut... And scene!

    Green had yed with Alice''s emotions like a pack of cards.

    And by the time they sent her on their way, they gathered much more intel than expected.

    Green chuckled, removing his fake sses.

    ying such games almost seemed too easy.

    He gave the signal, and one of the men at the back of the vehicle called everyone back via his earpiece.

    One by one, they popped from inconspicuous locations, all heading back to the vehicles.

    p For now, this was enough.</anda>

    And just as nned, they would keep contact with Alice, their new inside eyes into the Tian estate.

    Heh...

    "Let''s go!"

    Vrmmm! They were off.

    But while their job seemed over for today, Dorian''s was still far from over.

    11 P.M.

    It was time to head into the Forbidden Forest.

 Chapter 255 A Bumpy Ride

    11 P.M.

    This period was the Lights-Out period in the Tian Estate.

    Outside the main mansion, Dorian stood opposite Butler Sheng.

    "We''ll be back by morning. Keep an eye on the guests."

    Butler Sheng nodded. "As you wish, Grandmaster."

    The guests were the nurses and doctors.

    Some of them were starting to get too mischievous.

    When they first came, they followed the rules. But as the weeks went by, his patrol time also went up as well.

    Now, he typically patrolled the hallways till 2 A.M before finally heading to cultivate.

    Initially, he would get it done by 12 midnight.

    But who knew that some had developed the habit of trying to sneak around ofte? In particr, the one named Alice was quite the troublemaker.

    He would always catch her out now and then. And she in turn would give him flimsy excuses.

    Sheng was toozy to pay attention to her, so many times; he wouldn''t even show up but choose to y tricks on her like shutting the window loudly or doing something to scare her back to her sleeping quarters.

    Of course, she typically thought someone wasing, which sent her fleeing.

    Butler Sheng always felt like rolling his eyes when thinking of thedy''s stuck-up behavior.

    She always wore a frown on her face, looking like someone owed her money.

    In fact, he had never seen her smile or have a normal expression on her face.

    She was always bitter and angry for some reason.

    Ugh... Because of her, his cultivating time was already reduced by 2 or 3 hours.

    Why? Why couldn''t she just sleep like an ordinary human?

    Butler Sheng wore a long face when thinking of her. "Grandmaster, I will oversee things here."

    "Hmmm." Dorian hummed, getting into the vehicle.

    To get to the academy, they had to pass through any of the 3 teleportation spots.

    If he wanted to head into the Academy alone, he could do it from his bedroom since he was the academy''s head and owner.

    But if he wanted to go on with others, they had to pass through any of the routes he created.

    .

    Vrrmmmmm~

    The vehicles left the estate.

    And almost immediately, Alice opened her eyes and pulled out from underneath her nket.

    She had been pretending to sleep.

    [Mr... They have left. I don''t know why they left, but I think they''re on their way to do something shady!]

    Very quickly, she deleted the message after it was confirmed to be sent out.

    In an hour or so, she would begin snooping around.

    Surely, these criminals shouldn''t be back by then.

    Bubuum.

    Alice''s heart drummed loudly in her ears, almost drowning her thoughts.

    And while she waited for everyone in her sleeping quarters to fall asleep, her imagination continuously ran wild.

    ''Why are they going out around this time? Shady! Too shady! They must be going to meet up with other gangs to make deals and continue their illegal business!''

    Alice could already see it now ying in her head.

    And on the other side, the one she called Mr. Green also received her message.

    But she wasn''t the only one who sent him word.

    He also had 2 killers in hidden corners watching the estate. Additionally, there were 3 others in one buckle outside the gatesmunity too.

    One must know that it would be impossible for them to keep a lookout from their vehicle within the gatedmunity.

    First, this was a wealthymunity. And even if a person was visiting and wanted to spend the night, it was always advisable for them to Park their vehicles within the estate or vi they were visiting.

    Themunity streets at night were clear of any lotives, except one was driving away.

    That said, parking their buckles in the fatedmunity streets while keeping a lookout would only be more suspicious.

    That''s why they had 2 killers sneak into the gatedmunity in all ck.

    These killers were not to engage into the Tain estate but just stay hidden and keep a close watch without entering Dorian''s territory.

    Of course, it wasn''t just him who was alerted about Dorian''s movements.

    .

    Snake, A.K.A, Mr. Green, and several others were now standing humbly before their leader.

    At the same time, a few hackers were working on theputers around them.

    "Leader, we have eyes on the vehicle. Loading image now."

    ck. ck. ck. ck.

    The punching sounds of keyboards echoed within the room.

    "There!"

    Everyone could see Dorian''s vehicle.

    "Boss, I can''t stay watching them for long, or I''ll get noticed. Those guys at the Hacker''s Society are good. Already, they''ve noticed our activity!" Thedy hacker said.

    In truth, she too was part of the hacker''s society. She was using that identity for public purposes.

    The hacker society was created by the government, recruiting hackers and gifted people from every corner of the nation.

    Some of them got employed permanently to work with the nation''s security, while others worked with big or smallpanies, securing their systems.

    Of course there were still others who created software and worked with others to develop games.

    In short, there were all sorts of gifted people in the hacker society.<sub> </sub>

    And seeing that she had been discovered, she knew that if she continued, those from the hacker society would find their address.

    Thedy gritted her teeth on a mad aborted mission!

    Abort! Abort!

    If they found their location, you best believe that the Hacker Enforcers would be here any moment from now.

    The Hacker Enforcers were those who captured rouge hackers like herself or hackers who broke thew.

    Infiltrating natural security defenses was already a crime.

    Not only will her identity as a rogue hacker be discovered, but they would also take her listener away.

    From then on, the government would have eyes on her.

    And soon, it wouldn''t be long before they knew that she was part of a killer organization on the Dar.

    .

    Pang!

    She clicked the button fiercely, aborting the mission.

    "Leader, that was the best I can do."

    The leader wore an expressionless face, diverting his attention from the now ck screen.

    And soon, his eyes fell on Snake... A.K.A... Mr. Green.

    "Where are they?"

    "Leader, they''re still on the Tian boy''s tail."

    Now those following the vehicle were their only hope of knowing what the Tain boy was up to.

    The leader also thought so too.

    Dorian must be heading out to meet with someone or send something.

    Could it be that the powerful information that kept these prominent families back was not in Dorian''s hands but in the hands of someone that he trusted?

    A cold glint shone in the leader''s eyes.

    "Snake! Take more men and head out to join them. But be on the lookout for others trying to spy on the boy."

    Yes! These prominent families should have their one people out there too.

    The leader gripped his arrest, feeling that they were more and more power to the truth than before.

    If they could find out Dorian''s actions tonight, they might just get a shot at securing the secret information.

    "Leave now! I want your eyes and ears on everything!"

    "Yes, leader!"

    Snake and the others nodded firmly. And just like that, they too got ready to leave the hotel they were at.

    For now, they could get Dorian''s location from their men following him at a safe distance.

    It was already past 11, almost midnight.

    And though the roads were very scanty and deste, there were indeed quite a few vehicles and trucks still on the roads.

    Snake quickly grabbed a few items before leaving the scene with the rest.

    "Everyone, follow me!"

    Tonight was bound to be a sleepless one.

    Snake wore a stern expression on his usual yful face.

    ''Dorian D. Tian... What exactly are you up to?''

    .

    Vrmmm!

    The 6-seater Limo drove out very steadily along the streets.

    And inside, Raulin was on the wheel with Bewoh beside him.

    As for Chan-Ki and Zhulyn, they sat in the next seats behind the duo.

    And on the veryst row of seats were Dorian and Haru.

    Raulin and Bewoh couldn''t help frowning every time they looked at the side mirrors.

    "Grandmaster, someone is tailing us."

    Already, they could see that those in the vehicle were foes.

    Dorian didn''t even bother opening his eyes while listening to the duo at the front.

    And after investing some of his energy into the vehicle, he diverted his attention to Raulin.

    "Race."

    Ding!

    Raulin''s brain came on like a light switch. While everyone else only felt like dying instead.

    ''Grandmaster, how can you allow this madman to race with us in the vehicle?''

    (:��^��:)

    Subconsciously, they all reached for their seatbelts, checking if it was truly sturdy enough.

    As for Raulin, he seemed not to see or feel their displeasure.

    Hahahaha~

    Ju-Jung!

    The gears switched.

    And soon, Raulin revealed a crazed smile on his face.

    "Everyone, hang on to your heads... It''s going to be a bumpy ride."

    Woosh!

    The limo took off.

 Chapter 256 A Vanished Limo

    "Hold on to your heads, boys. It''s going to be a bumpy ride!"

    Everyone wanted to cry but had no tears.

    And before they could say a thing, all they heard were the gears shifting.

    De-de-de-Deng!

    After taking a quick peek at his side mirror, Raulin threw his head behind his shoulder, squinting his eyes at the back scene.

    1 2, 3...

    Vrmm!

    The limo reversed with a brute force that confused those training it.

    "F**! Have we been discovered?"

    Everything seems to be happening in slow motion.

    The limo that shouldn''t be able to speed like a race car not only did so but also did a diabolical spin along the empty 4-Lane road.

    Screech!

    Its tires screamed loudly for no more than 2 seconds.

    And at this moment, the air felt choking.

    -Silence-

    No one said anything.

    Their mouths just hung wide open.

    Shocking!

    One moment, they were the predators, chasing these people at what they considered to be a safe distance.

    But in a blink of an eye, why did they turn into the prey?

    <o>,m Too deceiving!</o>

    They hadn''t expected such a move from the limo at all.

    The street lights had illuminated the inside of the front seats of both vehicles, allowing them to see one another.

    And what made them stunned was the crazed yet merry expression on the limo driver''s face.

    Mad-man.

    Even with his sses on, he looked so viinous and crazed.

    It was hard to describe.

    His face was strong at them, but his eyes weren''t.

    No. To be more urate, he seemed to be staring at their vehicle and not them.

    This... This...

    The limo driver wouldn''t be insane, would he?

    They wouldn''t be involved with insane people, would they?

    De-Deng!

    Raulin switched gears with a coy smile on his lips.

    And soon, the limo began to speed towards the ordinary ck vehicle a few feet away from it.

    "Madman!"

    Those in the vehicle eximed at the top of their lungs.

    Dammit!

    The one driving the vehicle gritted his teeth, cing a firm grip on his gear shaft.

    "This madman means business! In that case, since we''ve been discovered, we have no choice but to act!"

    Swish!

    The man twirled his steering wheel at full force, only missing the limo by a few inches.

    Oh no!

    The driver had been too focused on dodging.

    And before he realized it, the vehicle climbed onto the sidewalks, abruptly hitting its left headlight on a light post.

    Bang!

    The driver felt his insides tremble.

    Bam!

    He mmed his fist on the steering wheel.

    "F***king bastards! Do you think this much can keep us away? Quickly! Inform Snake of theirtest development! Tell them to cut these motherf**kers off at Virgo Street! Since we''ve been discovered, we might as well go all out!"

    With red eyes, the driver stomped on his pedals, reversing without dy.

    After it!

    He was going after that bloody limo!

    And thus, the chase began.

    .

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    On the streets, both vehicles stormed through at full speed.

    And as if they knew all the ces where the police vehicles would be, they began moving within these spots avoiding any cops.

    But though they had managed to avoid the police officers on night shift driving around, they couldn''t do anything about those watching from the many high residential buildings.

    At this moment, some pen was just about to open their window when they saw the chase leading their street.

    And because of how high they were, they could see several streets all at once.

    "Wipe! Am I dreaming? What sort of high chase is this? Hey, Luffy,e take a look at this?"

    "Eh? What do you want me to... F***! Bro, what sort of Godly Race is this?"

    (��0��)

    On the street closest to them, they saw the word ck vehicle catch up to the limo.

    But when it was just about to bump into it, the Limo pulled an abrupt turn.

    And if you think it was an ordinary turn, then think again!

    Oh, what a godly sight.

    The brothers who had been ying games thiste, thanked science for creating games in the first ce.

    It was because of ying games that they stayed close by, identally witnessing such a marvelous sight.

    It was almost tear-provoking.

    What did they just see?

    Was the vehicle truly on 2 wheels?

    That''s right.

    Its 2 right tires were on the ground while its left tires were up to the sky.

    And not at a 45-degree angle.

    No. They dared to say that it was almost standing straight up!

    .

    "Ahhh!!~"

    The brothers grabbed each other, almost choking themselves.

    "Perfect Inclined Drifting! I''ll just say... What the hell is driving the limo? What is up with this Initial-D driving?"<sub> </sub>

    "10 on 10! Perfect! He''s even better than those racers I watch. Dammit! How do I get his autograph?"

    The brothers were still immersed in the shock from the drift.

    But they weren''t the only ones.

    Even those in the ck vehicle were stunned.

    One minute they were about to bump into the limo. Then all of a sudden, the limit not only turned around but lifted itself upwards, giving them some space to just drive by.

    (-_-)

    ''Be honest, are you ying with us?''

    What sort of physics decaying driving is this?

    Do you know how much speed and control one has over the vehicle for them to pull off such a stunt so seamlessly?

    Brother, be honest, are you a racecar driver or a guard?

    Those in the vehicle were both annoyed and desperate.

    They dared not shoot lest it called the attention of any cops around the perimeters.

    Luckily, they got word from the others.

    [ Coming your way in 30 seconds tops!]

    Snake and the rest were on their way.

    And Dorian, who had been resting his head in the seat with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them veryzily.

    "You have 8 more minutes to get to the nearest transport route."

    Raulin gripped his steering wheel hard. "Yes, Grandmaster. Leave it to me."

    This time, he''ll be taking his driving up a notch. Heh.

    If Bewoh and the rest knew what he was thinking, they would punch his face blue and ck.

    Up a notch?

    In this entire world, nothing... They mean nothing! It was more disturbing than Raulin''s driving.

    That is, every time he drove, spinning them around and making them lose their center of gravity, they had the urge to throw up.

    He was a very popr person on the race track. No one knew his face. He always went to race in his signaturecks and blue outfit.

    Raulin loved racing with a passion.

    In short, he just loved touching the steering wheel.

    That''s why whoever they were going somewhere, he would beat them to the keys, taking the driver''s seat.

    It was as though touching the steering wheel alone sent him to heaven.

    Without knowing it, everyone''s hands had touched their seatbelts again.

    It has be their habit to keep touching their seatbelts every time Raulin drives.

    .

    8 minutes.

    Vrmmm!

    Raulin took off.

    The transport route was 4 minutes away in an alleyway that was more or less like a mound spot.

    No overly tall buildings were around that region.

    It was a rectangr alleyway with only one exit and entrance.

    Vrmmm!

    The ck vehicle was forced to drive ahead.

    And the limo on 2 wheels lowered its other wheels.

    8 minutes tops.

    Raulin nned to confuse these chasers before they headed through the portal.

    But when he was about to drive off, several strange vehicles suddenly popped out from the other streets.

    Raulin squinted his eyes dangerously.

    Since the back and sides streets were covered, he had no choice but to head forward towards the ck vehicle that chased him earlier.

    The driver clenched his wheel like a goalie wanting to catch a ball.

    "Com''on! Com''on, you bastard! Whatever you have prepared, I''m ready for you!"

    This time, he was determined.

    Too bad reality was far different from what he expected.

    Bang!

    Again?

    His vehicle crashed into a street light, again?

    The driver was going crazy with rage.

    "Dammit! Why are there so many light posts in this city?"

    "Quick! Quick! After them!" Snake''smand woke everyone up.

    They had heard that this limo driver was devoid. But who would''ve known that he was this skilled?

    They had to be careful too.

    Snake gritted his teeth. "They are trying to lose us! Stay on their tail! How fast can a limo go?"

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Raulin yed them like a violin. Up, down, left, right, front, back... He made them crash into one another.

    And soon, they couldn''t hide their activities anymore.

    The police were alert.

    ~Weeoww... Weeoww~

    Those were the sounds of the siren a distance away.

    But Raulin wasn''t worried.

    With several other tricks, Raulin created enough distance between them.

    And soon, they drove into the alleyway.

    Puff!

    They were gone.

    But where?

    A whileter, Snake drove through, trying to find their location.

    But in the end, he and those in his vehicle saw nothing.

    Son of a b***!

    "Those sneaky bastards! We got it wrong! They didn''te through this ce!"

    ~Weeoww... Weeoww~

    Snake''s eyes turned cold.

    For now, they had the police to evade.

    This incident must be paid back in full!

    How dare these people y with high-level killers of their status?

    Bold!

 Chapter 257 The Noble Glindorine

    The limo passed through the portal,nding on the ind''s sandy shores.

    Vrmm!

    Raulin did another drift, causing a wave of sand to fly away from the tires.

    Screeve.

    The vehicle finally stopped moving.

    They had made it to the academy grounds, though they were too far away from their destination.

    The ind was several times bigger than its original purchased size.

    It expanded not only in height but in width too.

    The sky was dark, and the stars shone brightly.

    Everyone stepped out of the vehicle. And Dorian left a talisman on it.

    Be wouldn''t be surprised if the creatures in the academy''snd and waters try anything funny with his limo.

    The several miles of ''ocean waters'' around the ind had long been isted, bing Academy property.

    So the creatures in the waters have also begun to change bit by bit.

    Dorian didn''t know how the system worked things out, but it seemed that rain, sun, winter, and seasonal changes would still be experienced within the Academy.

    Well, that was up to the system to control.

    Provided his academy was in a space of its own, then what''s his business?

    .

    With everyone out of the vehicle, they began dashing across thend!

    Din. Din. Din. Din~

    Dorian ran at a ce they could keep up with.

    Up the trees, down the deep canals, up the rocky mouth aims, through the giant flowers, around the snake waterfall, down the cliffs and valleys, running along the streams... Their journey was quite adventurous.

    With how high some of these cliffs were, if one fell, it was immediate death.

    There were secret caves, tunnels, stony mythical-like steps to what seemed like heaven, and even bridges suspended too high.

    The deep canyons that looked like bottomless pits below, Also had a constantyer of fog at their bottom, making one too curious about what could be down there.

    The canyon was too vast, spanning for miles and miles.

    But maybe what could make many dizzy were the strange animal sounds from below.

    The academy was indeed a wonder.

    And even Bewoh and the rest have never been able to see everything in hand.

    It was just too big a ce.

    Time moved rapidly.

    And more than 4 and a half hourster of running through this crazy terrain nonstop, they finally reached their destination.

    Phew.

    If they were mortal, it would definitely take days, weeks, and months if lost.

    But at the 1st Dan, they could do it in 4 and a half hours.

    Heck!

    Even mountain climbers spend up to a day climbing sky-high structures like these.

    And that was guys for climbing one.

    One had to climb mountains, descend ravines, wall on thin bridges in the sky that gave the illusion of them floating, descend more, pass through the manyplex forest terrains, and so on.

    Dorian was the master of the academy. So no matter what his strength was, he would be able to appear in any ce he wanted.

    But for the rest, they would have to build their strength to move fast, as they wanted.

    This academy was not for the faint-hearted.

    .

    Bam!

    The gangnded at the perimeters of the forbidden forest.

    And already, Bewoh and the rest had their guard up.

    ~Groouuu~

    The faint sounds of creatures within whispered in their ears.

    One step forward, another step forward.

    Backs arched, hands at a vignt stance, eyes darting about side to side, up and down.

    The beastly sounds heightened their senses.

    They smelt, heard, saw, and felt things they wouldn''t even with their 1st Dan strength.

    Everyone had a talisman paper in their hands while following the Grandmaster.

    15 minutes more, and the forbidden forest grew darker and darker.

    The more they advanced, the more sky the trees converted and towered the scene.

    There was little to no moonlighting in.

    And if not for Zhulyn, Haru would''ve fallen to what seemed like 17 stories below.

    Crazy!

    Haru held his chest, breathing severally.

    ''Note to self. Nevere to the forbidden forest unprepared.

    Flick.

    Dorian created a bluish illuminating their path.

    But though such a move would make them the target for many predators, it was better than having them fall into holes and pits.

    Raulin, who had been here in the daytime, was too shocked by how different the ce seemed at night.

    At least in the day though the trees still covered most of the sun, the ce was still somewhat illuminated.

    But now, it was pitch ck, apart from a few nts that began illuminating at night.

    Gulp.

    Everyone felt their throats constrict.

    No matter what, the students can not be allowed in here!

    It was hard to believe that this was only the beginning stages of the forbidden forest. Meaning its danger level was still on the rise.

    Bang! Bang! Boom!

    The gang dealt with several feisty creatures with the help of Dorian.

    Beasts generally grew stronger and faster once they broke off their mortal selves.

    And at present, these creatures have the strength of a cultivator in the 1st and 2nd.

    For those stranger than Bewoh and the rest, Dorian handled them Nicely.

    Bang!

    He sent the blue spider away. The sooner had managed to grow to be the size of a 5-6-year-old child.

    Dorian frowned. He only wanted to see what creatures had grown so far.

    But this... This was too annoying.<sub> </sub>

    Whoosh!

    He released a bit of his aura, making no creature daree their way.

    Wasn''t that suicide?

    .

    -Silence-

    The gang proceeds ahead for a long time until theye around a ce that Chan-ki recognized.

    Eh?

    ''Isn''t this the waterfall site where the choppersnded back then? Howe it has changed so much?''

    This was probably one of the only few aces in the forbidden forest that well well illuminated by the moonlight.

    Before the gang was a powerful waterfall and openke surrounded by sandy shores and many forest trees.

    The waterfall had changed, growing sky high too.

    Before arriving, Dorian had withdrawn his aura.

    And sure enough, he heard a mighty outcry that he was familiar with.

    ~Gawk! Gawk! Gawk!

    Powerful!

    It seems far away. Yet, its cries were enough to cause ripples on the water.

    The sound was eerie and caused not just the creatures but Bewoh and the rest to have goosebumps.

    They could feel its strength was mightier than theirs.

    What sort of creature was this?

    "Grandmaster, that''s it! That''s the sound of the creature I saw!" Raulin confirmed.

    How could he forget his nightmare from earlier?

    Dorian squinted his eyes, looking at the sky-high pink waterfall before them.

    Sure enough, there''s a cave somewhere behind these waterfalls.

    Flick.

    Dorian created a white cloud.

    "Get on. We''re going up."

    "Right!"

    No time to waste.

    Dorian flew them several feet up.

    And soon, they passed through the falling waterfall.

    A giant cave?

    ~Gawk!!!!!!!~

    The creature''s call confirmed they were on the right track.

    Everyone stepped out of the blood and stared at their surroundings.

    How can there be another deadly canyon in this cave?

    Look down; all they saw were bottomless pits of darkness.

    Look up; they still couldn''t see the top.

    But not to worry because before them were still several elevated structures... Though they would need to run and jump to get onto each one.

    Wherever these structures led to, they had no clue.

    No mortal could make these jumps.

    But with their strengths, it should be alright.

    1, 2, 3.

    Dorian jumped from ce to ce, barely touching the ground.

    Everyone else stared at the scene, feeling that the Grandmaster was bullying too much.

    (:Y^Y:)

    Haru stabilized himself afternding, feeling helpless.

    Sigh...

    When will he be able to look so cool and effortless?

    The gang jumped carefully across the site while being illuminated by Dorian''s blue light that looked like a firefly.

    And after many hops and leaps, they saw a giant opening on the far end.

    There!

    The creative must be in there!

    How much is this ce?

    They passed through the opening,ing face to face with a massive leveled ne within the cave.

    And the blue glowy algae on its walls and floor only made it look more mythical.

    So beautiful!

    Everyone deeply appreciated the sight before them only briefly.

    Why?

    Because they had finally found the beast they were looking for.

    ~GAWK!!!!!!!

    Everyone was paralyzed on the spot.

    Giant!

    The feathery creature was gigantic.

    Its beak was silver, and its features were a mix of fiery gold, blue, and silver.

    It was like nothing they had ever seen before.

    What sort of bird had 4 legs and 2 wings?

    A Glindorine!

    It was apanion that Dorian and many cultivators in his past world wanted to tame.

    Its current appearance was just the beginning phase.

    As it grows stronger, it will be more refined, elegant, and mightier.

    It and the noble Phoenix were on par with one another.

    But the birth of a Glindorine was rare and had to do with its bloodline.

    Dorian stared at the angered beast with a yful smile on his face.

    So for how badly has he always wanted it��

    Heh.

    "Stand back."

    This beast was his to tame!

 Chapter 258 First Tamed Beast

    Gawk!!!~

    The giant bird flew like lightning towards them.

    Who dared to enter its territory?

    In its eyes, they were enemies.

    It speedily darted at them while preparing to release Blue Ice from its mouth.

    Jump!

    The urgent sense of danger and the creature''s intimidating aura made everyone else dive to the sides.

    Only Dorian calmly stood, slowly raising his left hand.

    Bam!

    The impact was too much!

    The wind caused by the sh had blown into everyone''s eyes, causing a brief blur.

    But after a single blink, they were able to see the Grandmaster''s stunning performance.

    "He caught it!" Haru eximed with excited tremors.

    The Grandmaster pinned the tip of its silver beak using just 2 fingers!

    (+0+)

    Words couldn''t describe how they felt right now.

    Their chests swelled with pride and awe.

    The Grandmaster was mighty!

    ~Gmmmm~

    The Glindorine''s mumbling sounds extend within the cave. And soon, it decided to use its 2 hands and 2 wings to subdue its opponent.

    But Dorian was quicker.

    Bang!

    Holding its beak, he smashed it from side to side, giving it no time to recover.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The Glindorine passed through several stages of emotions all within this time.

    Bang!

    The rocky ground shattered, creating deeper holes.

    Bang!

    The Glindorine found itself dragged on the ground very ruthlessly.

    Pah! Pah! Bam!

    The Glindorine began seeing stars.

    Dizzy. Dizzy.

    The moment Dorian released its beak, the Glindorine swayed from side to side like a drunken person.

    Its face was both aggrieved and angered.

    What sort of battle was this?

    ording to the information it inherited from its bloodline, it was a proud and noble bird!

    So when should it ever get disgraced in this manner?

    The bird was gigantic and towering high.

    But in a blink of an eye, Dorian reached for its cheeks

    Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah!

    Left, right, left, right.

    The Glindorine was pped back and forth on its cheeks.

    (:Y^Y:)

    It wanted to file aint but didn''t know who to report to.

    .

    Dorian pped it as though he were holding a person by the throat and smacking their jaws with a straight face.

    Pah. Pah. Pah. Pah. Pah!

    (-_-)

    Grmmmm!!~

    Isn''t this enough?

    The Glindorine wished for the floor to open up so it could hide in shame.

    Sob...

    The moment it evolved, it was so proud and arrogant, thinking it was the strongest.

    It had explored quite a few ces, seeing how powerful it was to them all.

    So you could say it took itself as the king of this Forest.

    And since it firmly positioned itself on the throne, it has been mighty arrogant... As should be for a noble bird of its caliber.

    So who can tell it why it was getting beaten blue and ck?

    The creature had no tears but wanted to cry.

    However, Dorian''s following words shocked it silly.

    "Have you finally decided?"

    Human, decide what? All this time, you haven''t said anything, so what do I have to decide?

    The Glindorine felt that talking to such a human was tiresome.

    After getting pped so much, it found itself lying on its belly, having no strength to get up.

    No... It should be that it has decided to give up.

    It wasn''t a fool.

    Though his human had beaten it to its current state, it had no broken bones or deep injuries.

    Everything was surface-level and very aching.

    In no time, it shouldn''t be long before it recovers.

    The Glindorine turned its head to the side as though not wanting to see Dorian anymore. Yet, it would peek at him from the corner of its eyes.

    ''This human is not malicious to me.''

    Meaning the human wouldn''t kill it.

    Those were its conclusions.

    Heheheheh~

    Dorian flicked its forehead and chuckled.

    "Little thing, I want you to sign a contract with me." The corners of his mouth raised slightly. "You''ll be my primary beast."

    Primary Beast?!

    This time, it wasn''t just the Glindorine that was taken aback, but even Haru and the rest.

    Already, they could see that this beast was far above the others around the academy grounds.

    So its growth level and speed should also be on par with the Grandmaster''s.

    Looking at the creature with new eyes, countless questions popped in their heads.

    ''A Glindorine? What exactly was it?''

    They were still too clueless about its existence. But if the Grandmaster could choose it out of the lot, that alone proved its might.

    At the same time, they were also looking forward to one day taming a few beasts of their own too.

    Wouldn''t It be cool if they owned lions, tigers, and even monkeys?

    (Q0Q)

    .

    The Glindorine huffed as though pouting.<sub> </sub>

    Though it acknowledged Dorian''s strength, it was still unwilling.

    Why should it ept this bastard human?

    The aches over its body were still very painful!

    Dare to beat it up and ask to sign a contract of ownership with it?

    Hmph!

    It was truly a proud, noble, and stunning beast.

    And besides... There were still some boxes that Dorian had to tick to gain its obedience and full eptance.

    Unlike other creatures that would only ept or back out if they felt an opponent was strong, noble beasts wouldn''t.

    The most important thing for them was to ess Dorian''s bloodline potential.

    Just because someone was stronger didn''t mean had the potential worthy of it, a noble bird.

    Some people can stay in one cultivation realm for hundreds of years while others can move through them like lightning.

    So what if you''ve struggled and finally made it to a stronger level?

    Noble beasts liked true geniuses with gifted bloodlines.

    It was a harsh reality, but it was the truth.

    Additionally, finding a genius or one with a stronger bloodline will also make them grow stronger.

    It was a bond withplexities between tamer and beast.

    So why go into a death and life contract with someone who isn''t worth it?

    They too valued their lives. So one must be worth it... Not somemon urrence in a vast sea.

    They would only sign contracts with geniuses and those of limitless potential.

    The rest of the tamers can pick the other beasts out there!

    .

    Dorian once again flicked its forehead lightly.

    "Get up."

    Gawk~...

    Okay. Okay. You are the boss.

    The creature didn''t even bother putting any resistance.

    And very quickly, Dorian bit his finger, squeezing blood out.

    Each noble beast had their individual ways of knowing if one''s bloodline had potential.

    And for the Glindorine, it assessed it through blood.

    "Here." Dorian dropped his blood directly into its mouth.

    Boom!

    The shock came too soon.

    The Glindorine felt that even its Bloodline ancestors might have never seen so much potential before.

    GAWK~!!!!!!!!

    As though it got an energy shot, it began trembling and screaming at full force.

    Its wings pped, its feathers ruffling, and its eyes wide open.

    Whoosh!

    It flew around the cave amidst its aching injuries.

    All the pain from before seemed to have been buried by it.

    The shock that this human gave it was behind its oldest dream.

    This reaction... Wasn''t it exaggerated?

    "Grandmaster, why is it acting like this?"

    It was as though it was high on some drug.

    Dorian tilted his head, staring at the excited little thing above.

    "It finds me qualified to have it as my beast. As a noble bird, it can''t ept just about anyone. I have to pass all its tests first."

    So that''s it!

    Everyone nodded in understanding.

    From the bird''s reaction, the Grandmaster has done very well, excelling with full marks!

    They looked at their fingers, deep in thought.

    Was this a way of beast taming?... Or will their fingers get eaten off if they tried this with other beasts?

    (?^?)

    .

    Gawk!!!!!~

    The Glindorine finally decided.

    And without any resistance, it scratched Dorian.

    What?!!!

    Everyone saw a Silver mark appear on the Grandmaster''s palms.

    The mark appeared veryrge but soon grew smaller and smaller until it was no longer visible.

    Eh? Where did it go?

    They looked at each other, but no one asked the question.

    Why? Because they were too stupefied by what happened next.

    The moment Dorian said the words: Stay hidden... A vortex appeared on his palms.

    And in less than a second, the giant bird got sucked in.

    Puff!

    -Silence-

    Haru had his hands on his hair. Bewoh''s eyes were denying human anatomy, Chan-Ki subconsciously held his breath, Zhulyn''s tongue was bleeding from his idental bite, and Raulin not only removed his sses but wiped them too.

    They thought they had seen it all.

    But now they knew they were wrong.

    Dammit!

    What a cool trick!

    (+0+)

    .

    Like so, Dorian sessfully tamed the Glindorine.

    And many yearster, many would remember the fierce Glindorine that shook the skies with a single roar.

    But all that was in the future.

    ~Gawkkkk!

    Dorian released it once more.

    "You''ll stay back in the forest. I''ll be back some other time."

    Today''s matter ends here.

    5 A.M.

    Time to leave.

    The gang made their way back home. But far away from them, the chaos that had long been ignited was growing even more rapidly.

    Boom!

    The ming footsteps of thousands stormed thend.

    War wasing.

 Chapter 259 The Misunderstanding Continues

    Boom! Boom! Boom!~

    The thundering sounds of mighty footsteps echoed across the purplish ming world.

    Gruesome creatures of all sorts marched pridefully, making their way towards the incorrectly dark and vast castle seated on the top of the mountain.

    But who would this pce belong to? Of course, it was none other than their ruler and the Prince of this entire Underworld ne.

    As told before, each Prince controlled a ne asrge as manysbined.

    And Beelzebub ruled this ne.

    Swish!

    Some flew, others crawled, while some moved underground.

    Though the war would not happen now, they, as soldiers, had to prepare.

    Their biggest worry was not the humans but the opposing Princes of the underworld who would try to stop their master''s alliance from iming the world they worked so hard to get.

    Din. Din. Din. Din~

    Their eyes shine brightly with an unprecedented wave of excitement in them.

    Soon, they would fully break heaven''s bind and control over that world.

    And the darkness will crawl out from the pits of the underworld.

    By then, humans will be locked up in cages, made to reproduce, and be food for them at will.

    Hahahhahaha~

    Owning an entire world was not only because of food but more about the powers within these grounds.

    The force surrounding each world was tremendous and something that normal humans might never be able to understand.

    They think it''s all about gravity, the stratosphere, the atmosphere, and so much rubbish.

    But all these things were also a result of something else hidden under their eyes.

    There''s a power keeping things grounded.

    That power one is more important than anything else!

    The time wille for them to grow and break through heaven''s control.

    This was just one step for their kind.

    However, this single step would cause a chain reaction of many others.

    And with enough powers, their rulers will be able to reach the heavens!

    .

    Thews surrounding all realms were fixed.

    There was a rule that chained and bound them to be bottom feeders.

    They can never go past the mortal worlds.

    Reaching heaven''s realm was impossible!

    And initially, it was deemed a far-fetched dream until they found this loophole.

    Yes...

    If they could get and manipte that power, they would be able to weaken the binds.

    Of course, 1 wasn''t enough. So they''ll continue in this manner.

    The people they hated the most were those from the heavens, especially the one they called the Almighty.

    They had many times to pick with the guy.

    And you best believe that they won''t rest until they find him.

    It was true that those from the heavens were immortal. Meaning no matter how many times they die, they''ll turn up somewhere else.

    Gods cannot be killed.

    But once dead, won''t they start at the weakest strength?

    Heh.

    In that case, then just kill again.

    As for whether the almighty will appear after death in his full strength, they didn''t know.

    This was the almighty... The one who not only created the underworld and everything in it but also created the mortal worlds and the heavens.

    It can be said that the Almighty created everything, beast, and everyone.

    So to kill one''s creator was just...

    Well, it was something that left their minds nk.

    However, they wouldn''t give up!... Not after getting this far.

    That''s why this war was important!

    It was the first step in their golden n.

    And soon, they will take over the heavens, ruling all realms.

    They would be the decision-makers. They will make the rules. They will put the chains on others.

    They! They! They!

    They will be on top. And every other being will have to remble and beg before them.

    This was their dream.

    .

    Din. Din. Din. Din. Din~

    Up they marched, making their way into the grand and spooky pce.

    Their master, Prince Beelzebub, was awaiting them.

    Moving closer to the balcony edge, Beelzebub stood tall, watching the many creatures under his rule approach his home.

    He gazed at them for no more than 3 seconds before heading back into the pce.

    "Elechress."

    Swish!

    A beautiful winged woman with vibrant red hair and 6 arms appeared before him.

    "My lord."

    She humbly bowed before him, not daring to look at her leader.

    "Poliantus and the others are out doing something for me. So deal with our guests."

    Elechress ced her hands on the ground and bowed her head while on her knees.

    "My lord, I shall do as you''ve requested."

    Swish!

    She flew off the balcony.

    Her lord has given her a mission, so how dare she not treat it with urgency?

    Beelzebub now found himself alone.<sub> </sub>

    But his things weren''t on the guestsing his way.

    Bang!

    His fist shattered part of the stone railings.

    If he had controlled his leg, his single punch would not only smarter the entire balcony, but everything in front of him, spanning for miles and miles, would''ve been destroyed.

    Thend thousands of miles away would be wiped out.

    Bottom pits and heavier catastrophes would ur.

    .

    Beelzebub''s breathtaking face scrunched above his eyes, forming ridges.

    "Bastards!"

    Boom!

    He was done with letting out all his steam.

    Till now, his finger was missing. And he knew that one of those bastard new princes had them.

    Is it truly a coincidence that these past few days on his search, none of the princes were in the underworld?

    Hehhehehe...

    Coincidence, his ass!

    Fine!

    Beelzebub cracked his knuckles.

    If they liked to do things the hard way, then no problem.

    He wouldn''t mind beating the sh** out of them.

    "Do you guys think you''ll be able to hide from me by heading out to other worlds?

    Naive!

    Initially, Beelzebub wanted to return to the world they nned to bring down.

    However, how could he return without the finger?

    The finger was part of his n in controlling that POWER above the mortal ne.

    With the finger missing, wouldn''t everything they''ve done be lost unless they could find another way in such a short time?

    Beelzebub''s expression was grim.

    They had been nning this for millions and millions of years, secretly guiding that world the way they wanted it to be.

    Everything was showing ording to n.

    But who would''ve known that a key piece would get stolen?

    Millions of years of nning... If one factor is missing, changing things would take longer to fix!

    There was no other way.

    Unless he found that finger, he wouldn''t return to that world or the underworld.

    Of course, he knew that the finger wasn''t in the world because he couldn''t sense it.

    The moment the matter was reported to him, he came back and used another special artifact to return to that world and sense its presence.

    Though the finger wasn''t awakened yet, the artifact could still sense it in dormancy.

    But nothing showed up, meaning it was in that world!

    No!

    It should be with those princes in the other worlds.

    Dammit!

    There were billions and billions of worlds.

    He had to search for them all!

    Princes like them with so much power could go about from ce to ce undetected by many in the underworld.

    Even if he passed through the many gateways to the many worlds, no underworld creature would be able to detect.

    He could mask himselfpletely.

    So in this case, even his subordinates won''t know which world he went to.

    Bottom line, those bastard princes could be in any world.

    ... ANY!!!

    .

    Beelzebub''s stunning face began to crack the more angered he was.

    It''s been too long since someone had been so angry to the point where he was losing control over his appearance, breaking his outer shell and revealing his true form.

    Just one of Beelzebub''s horns was already the size of 500 humans packed together.

    Ahhhhh~~~~

    His screams caused lightning and all sorts of hurricanes.

    And those marching in from afar were greatly taken aback.

    What could''ve caused their leader to be so angry?

    Beelzebub quickly controlled himself.

    If hepletely revealed all of his true appearance, his pce and even the mountain he was on would not be able to contain him.

    His breathing was hoarse, thinking of the millions of worlds he would have to visit.

    And in these worlds, there would definitely be exorcists and all the rest on the.

    But so what?

    He didn''t think any of them could handle him, a Prince of the underworld.

    Such a person hasn''t been born yet!

    .

    Little by little, Beelzebub began shrinking back to his standard fake appearance.

    ~Crack.

    He cracked his neck and chewed on one of the many underworld insects swimming in his mouth.

    ''I have no choice but to seek those bastards out one by one to retrieve my finger. I might have to leave for a year or more! But whatever the case, I must return in 2 years'' time! The war must not get dragged further. Thes will align, and that will be our only chance!'' Beelzebub thought.

    As for the world they nned to im, he wasn''t worried that anything would change before his return.

    ''Though my subordinates won''t be able to get to me during this time, nothing should change. After all, there are no exorcists in that world... Just annoying followers belonging to those bastard princes!"

    Beelzebub looked at the sky deeply.

    And in the next moment, he was gone.

    �� 2 years...

 Chapter 260 Time To Act!

    ~Whoosh!

    Beelzebub was gone, only transmitted a single message.

    [2 years. Handle things in my absence.]

    **Freeze**

    His top subordinates who were present in the Underworld were shaken by his message but dared not question him.

    Their lord and magnificent prince must have a reason for it all.

    At most, in 2 years, they would know the reason why.

    A cold light flickered in their eyes.

    During this time, they had to y their part in preparation for the grand event.

    Or else, if their lord returns and gets disappointed, the consequences were matters they couldn''t afford.

    Din. Din. Din. Din. Din.~

    Unbeknownst to the humans, the army was already marching forth in preparation for D-Day.

    Their preparations had time far above the underworld.

    And at this moment, in a sewer within Dorian''s city, several rotting worms as small as ants all swam within the sewers, birthing more and more eggs into the waters.

    ~Plop.

    The moldy colored eggs didn''t seem to have the ability to float because once birthed, they sank right to the bottom.

    And no matter the current within the sewage, they remained unshaken.

    These eggs were even smaller than the size of ants.

    Yet they had such a powerful stance within the sewers.

    ~Grw~

    The birthing worms were pleased.

    Everything was showing ording to n.

    Like so, Beelzebub''s faction was working endlessly to prepare for the big war.

    While Beelzebub had gone to find his finger, not knowing that he was off on a wild goose chase.

    It can be seen that if the day came that the truth got revealed... Heh... Then the world would surely shake.

    Dare to deceive a prince of the underworld?

    .

    --Tian Estate.--

    3 more days have gone by since Dorian''s beast taming.

    And while he was calm, others were not so much.

    Alice texted her Mr. Green.

    [Mr. Green. I''m sure of it. When I sneaked into his bedroom chamber, I saw a silver safe in it. Mr. Green! It''s definitely in there!]

    Alice texted.

    During these past few days, she had gotten bolder, taking ''bathroom breaks'' to snoop around Dorian''s room instead.

    Dorian''s bedroom chamber was on the same floor as his parent''s master bedroom chamber... Though a little further away, probably for privacy.

    However, with the few workers/guards in the Tian household, she observed that no one seemed to care about Dorian''s room.

    The guards all had their duties, sometimes leaving the estate on errands.

    And though this Tian young master was always around, he hardly went to his bedroom chambers.

    All this gave her the perfect opportunity to snoop around in broad daylight.

    She found that provided she did so not too close to dinner or supper time; she could go unnoticed within this overlyrge mansion.

    Not to mention that there were also several other mansions on the vast estate. So the guards probably had their hands full looking after it all, no?

    Day by day, she grew bolder, sometimes going in 2 times a day.

    And the fact that they hadn''t caught her yet only showed how good she was.

    Alice began to feel pride.

    Of course, she did take some tricks from Mr. Green, who advised her on what to do.

    She would also send short videos to them as well.

    A touch of guilt filled her heart, but she quickly pushed it aside.

    Should she suffer in this dump when she deserved more?

    Should she live with criminals when she was obviously a good girl?

    Look! She was even doing service to the office and her country.

    So why feel guilty?

    .

    Look left, look right.

    Alice anxiously peeked out of Dorian''s door before doing her final texting and dropping her phone into her white medical coat pocket.

    And in a sh, she rushed towards the bathroom in one of the vacant rooms they were permitted to enter.

    The bathroom there was the one they were allowed to use.

    Alice walked away proudly... Though her hurried steps betrayed her.

    And on the other side, Snake only chuckled after seeing her message and numerous videos.

    This fool had sent videos of not just Dorian''s room but of many corners and ces within the main mansion.

    In a single day, she would send over 15 videos.

    In addition, she would update him on everything Dorian and his men did there.

    If they were seeing guests, if they were waiting, if they were gardening, if they were doing anything she was aware of, she would report it all.

    Now coupled with the estate n they sneakily bought off from other sources, as well as the information captured from their drones, they had a good handle on things happening within the estate.<sub> </sub>

    As for that crazy driver from earlier on, they finally got information on him, as well as information on every other guard around Dorian.

    Knowing that racing was his hidden hobby, they weren''t shocked anymore.

    Snake had an expressionless face.

    "Boss, I think the safe is more of a distraction."

    "Hmmm... There''s no way it''ll be in that safe." The cold man replied.

    If that were the case, those prominent families would''ve probably stolen the safe ages ago.

    The intimidating man squinted his eyes deeply.

    "It''s for sure not in that estate. It should be somewhere only the boy will know."

    "That is to say that it''s locked somewhere else, right, boss?"

    "Yes. And where there''s a lock, there''s a key or abination."

    Many looked at one another, smiling tactfully.

    Whatever will lead them to the final price should be in the Tian boy''s room.

    Even if it were indeed abination code only the Tian Boy knows, then they''ll just have to pry it off his lips.

    They couldn''t wait anymore.

    ~Ring~~

    The boss''s phone went off. And almost immediately, an anxious voice came from the other side.

    [Why? Why haven''t you said anything to me during thesest few days? Tomorrow will make it the 10th day! You promised that in 10 days, you''d take care of the brat! So what''s going on? Have I just paid you extra money for nothing? h, h, h, h, h, h, h, h~]

    The person on the opposite end seemed to be spitting fireballs into their receiver.

    And everyone''s face grew grim, but they said nothing.

    However, they secretly held a grudge against the talkative ball of fat on the other side.

    As for their boss, he calmly waited for the buffoon to talk his intestines out.

    The phone was ced on the table, and the boss was leaning on his seat nonchntly.

    For them to hear everything though it wasn''t on speaker, was enough to show how loud to imbecile on the other end was.

    .

    1, 2, 3...

    3 minutes went by before the fatso calmed down.

    The boss picked up the phone from the table expressionlessly.

    "Before tomorrow, we''ll get the job done."

    ~Tut...

    He hung up before the man on the other end could react.

    (��С�)

    Did... Did he just hang up on him?

    On the other side, the hot-tempered Wei Kwo was going crazy.

    ~Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!~

    He smashed his phone on its receiver in a fit of rage.

    "Bloody sons of b**ches! What pro killers? They are all useless scum! As useless as the guards I stole from the Tians! Why? What happened to working honestly? You take the money, so shouldn''t you give me better service?"

    Wei Kwo grumbled away in his office, thinking of all the burdens he faced during these past few days.

    First, he almost broke the banking up with extra money for the job... Of course, he broke his family''s bank ount and not his.

    His wife''s allowance and everyone else was greatly reduced, not his.

    Additionally,pany matters were still weighing on his neck.

    He missed the contract with the Ghus, only making the many shareholders and everyone else want to chew him raw.

    Oh~... But that wasn''t all.

    The bastard guards he stole don''t respect him at all!

    Every day, he felt their rebellion growing more and more.

    At this rate, it won''t be long before they retaliate.

    And of course, thest disturbing matter was that one of his gardeners suddenly vanished into thin air.

    At first, they thought thezy gardener was up to his old tricks, taking long sick days off.

    But his family hade over, causing a scene and remaining for him.

    Now, police notices were all over the ce.

    And this only gave him a bad reputation.

    His enemies now circted all sorts of stores, saying that the gardener might''ve seen something he shouldn''t.

    And he, Wei Kwo, killed the man.

    As a nouveau wealthy man in high society, do you know how many people want him down?

    Augh~

    Even if he did, would he do it in his home? Won''t he target the person during the man''s holiday period?

    "Why? Why are all these things happening to me?"

    Dammit!

    Can''t!

    He mmed his meaty flesh on the table while gritting his teeth.

    Alright!

    Since those bloody Dar killers said they''d take care of the boy tonight, he had no choice but to wait.

    However, if the job wasn''t done, then he would demand a refund!

 Chapter 261 A Restless Night

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Many seemed not to notice how fast time was going.

    They busily strutted about the city, some happy, some sad, some excited, and some bored.

    The sun that stayed high in the sky was going down little by little.

    And soon, a thick nket of darkness engulfed thend.

    The bustling vehicle noises could still be heard across the many streets.

    In, out, fast, slow.

    The city was quite rowdy.

    And a few hourster, the bustling street became more and more deste.

    asionally, there would be some noise, but not disturbing.

    And with a busy day ahead of many, they decided to turn in for the night.

    .

    1:15 A.M.

    --Within the Private Residential Community--

    Though street lights were strategically ced within the secluded residential unity, many blind spots still existed.

    And even the moon''s faint bluish hue wasn''t enough to fully illuminate them.

    Under the trees and across several public fixtures and gardens, several shadows leaped forth in the shadows.

    All 20 of them worked in unison, keeping a close lookout for the patrolling security vehicles and the cameras in ce too.

    1, 2... Roll!

    Snake dived and rolled, quickly erecting himself against a dark pir.

    If one were passing by at this moment, they wouldn''t notice, no matter how hard they looked.

    His ck attire blended too well with the darkness.

    ~Vrmmmmm~!

    A vehicle was approaching in the opposite direction, shing its yellow eyes at the pir and everything else.

    Snake''s eyes shed.

    Residential patrol!

    ''Timing is everything.'' He thought.

    Strategically looking at the pir''s shadow caused by the iing lights, Snake moved slowly around the pir.

    Hands and body pressed against the pir like glue, stomach subconsciously sucked in, he moved his legs in a criss-cross manner around the decorative post.

    The pir''s only purpose was aesthetics.

    It had beautiful vines and flowers wrapped around it, and at the topmost part of the pir, one could see a golden cupid statue mounted in it.

    The pir wasn''t overly tall but just right to make one feel the beauty of the ce.

    On both sides of the roads, these pirs could be strategically ced several meters away.

    Vrmmm~

    The vehicle approached and passed by without noticing a thing.

    1, 2, 3...

    Many fully cloaked heads popped out of their many hiding ces for just a brief moment.

    Alright.

    So far, so good.

    .

    Snake moved in a slithery manner, like water flowing through rock crevices.

    Leap, will, nt, jump, twirl, run, hide.

    Snake had done it all while also keeping a good look at their leader.

    Yup.

    Their leader was here!

    Tonight''s operation was one they were willing to go all out in.

    And parked outside the residentialmunity were their escape vehicles hiding away from the public eye.

    Tonight, the whole gang was here to y.

    Squinting his eyes, Snake hastily leaped from ascending the hilly slope where the Tian estate was located.

    Vi 17... Vi 19... Vi 21... Vi 23!

    Their target of infiltration was Vi 23!

    And soon, they found themselves on the sidewalks along the Vi''s property.

    But were they going in through the front gates?

    No!

    It''s possible that more night lights would be turned on around the main entrance.

    Thus, they decided to force their way in through the walls.

    Look left, look right... No patrolling vehicles heading this way from any direction.

    However, they knew it wouldn''t take long for the patrolling vehicles to head this way again.

    Luckily, they chose an infiltration point close to several public benches, gardens, and another set of pirs a little further away.

    If the worstes to the worst, they''ll hide themselves the moment they hear the sounds of any iing vehicles.

    .

    "JawBreaker! Give us visuals!" Snake requested while speaking into his earpiece and looking up to the sky.

    They had a high-tech ck drone in the sky in the shape of a bird.

    [Report! All clear! No heat readings piled up! The space ispletely clear of any guards!]

    Hmm!

    Many subconsciously nodded, being it just right.

    The Tian boy had limited guards. So how could it be possible that he would have people guarding every corner of this vast estate?

    Maybe a few of them should be walking about the ce as night patrol. But the time it would take to do a full 360 around the vast estate was enough time for them to infiltrate the ce.

    As soon they knew it was all clear, the boss began signaling his orders.

    [First group, engage!]

    Roger that!

    The men took out small ck guns and pointed them at the towering Tian walls.<sub> </sub>

    Poosh!~~

    A w shot, firmlytching itself on the mighty walls.

    And with a click of a button, snake and the others in the first team were hauled up

    Drrr~

    Up they went.

    It was like a scene straight out of a spy movie.

    And for people of their caliber, no matter how many times they went through such matters, there were almost moments of extreme vignce and heart-pounding caution.

    The air was heavy, and the men felt a nonexistent cold pierce through their skin.

    Look forward, left, look right...

    Staying high out, they still chose to scout the region out of reflex.

    They knew it was silly since the drones had confirmed that no one was in sight. But as part of their practice, they still did so, not forgetting to look at theirnding spots below.

    They did all this in no more than 3 seconds.

    Once again, all clear!

    Tap!

    Snake lightlynded on the low-cut grass within the estate.

    .

    4 minutes, and they were all in.

    That''s all it took for each group to jump in.

    But of course, their world was far from over.

    Roll, leap and hide!

    They hastily turned towards one of the lesser important mansions within the estate.

    It should be noted that they came in through the back of the estate.

    Here... There was a sizable walk-through garden with seats and booths stationed across the scene.

    And in another 4 or 5-minute walk away, one could see a wide mansion that was 2 stories tall.

    Again, what the mansioncked in height, it made up with in length.

    "Leader, ording to my sources, the Tian couple used to use this estate as staff quarters. But after theira, the many guards deserted them. And your spy from the inside has also confirmed that apart from the main mansion and another one up ahead, all the other buildings have been left unused."

    Looking at the building again, Snake couldn''t help but wonder...

    Beforeing in, he and the others didn''t pay too much attention to these ces.

    But seeing them for the first time, he couldn''t help but wonder if they were overlooking something.

    What if... What if what they were looking for was hidden somewhere within these unused buildings?

    That is, have they been looking in the wrong ces?

    Everyone paused, feeling that Snake might be up to something.

    However, they also knew it was toote to start changing ns.

    If they start searching each unused building one by one, it might take them a couple of days to do so.

    Wipe! Do you know how big these mansions were? What one saw from the outside didn''t necessarily represent its vast insides.

    For one, these mansions have basement floors.

    "Stick to the n," the leadermanded.

    And everyone was quick to throw their thoughts about the matter.

    What else could they say?

    .

    Swish! Swish! Swish!

    Like ninjas dressed in all ces with nothing but their eyes showing, the men shed through the scene.

    And just as they predicted, they did soot 2 guards patrolling the scene veryzily.

    The guards were very far away from them, with one of the guards even heading towards the ce they came in from.

    Tsk!

    Snake sneered.

    Too weak!

    Like so, they moved in the dead of night.

    And before they knew it, they were in the backside of the main mansion.

    Snake smirked.

    The girl, Alice, did as he instructed.

    One of the back windows on ground level was halfway open.

    "Snake, you''re up." The leader coldly said.

    Though it was unlikely that it was a trap, it was better to be safe than sorry.

    Very quickly, Snake crawled and danced his way towards the window.

    And with a small mirror, he was able to see well into the space.

    Dark, empty, with no cameras anywhere.

    Good.

    With his eyes, he blinked, giving them the signal.

    [All clear!]

    Thup.~

    Their feet touched the hallway floors.

    Infiltrationpleted.

    Now, it was time for phase 2!... Find the Tian Boy!

    If he were obedient, then they would give him a quick death. If not...

    Heh.

    They smiled cruelly underneath their masks, not knowing that the person they were targeting was far closer than they thought.

    The moment they left the hallway, a figure emerged from the walls.

    And in another second, it vanished again.

    �� Some people didn''t know it yet, but tonight was bound to be a restless one�� especially when the hunter bes the prey.

 Chapter 262 A Very Convinient Dorian.

    One step forth, another step forth.

    The men all felt their senses heighten with a strange peculiarity in the air.

    Zzzz~

    Their earpieces gave off a static buzzing noise that made everyone''s expression turn grim.

    "Leader, it looks like they have some blocking device around these parts..."

    "Hmmm," the leader responded. "Everyone, stay alert and vignt."

    They might be headed into a trap, or this might be a usual ritual that the Tian boy does around these hours of the night.

    Compared to the former, everyone felt that it should be thetter.

    Still, they had to be on the lookout for any strange urrences.

    Thinking like this, they quickly took out their noisy earpieces and reached for their weapons, nning for the worst.

    But why?

    Why did it feel that the further they advanced, the narrower and elongated the hallways became?

    Sniff. Sniff.

    The air... Why was it strange?

    They didn''t know how to say it, but the entire hallway felt odd and gave them a disturbing feeling.

    "Leader, this ce is too strange." One of them finally spoke out.

    The leader was silent, but his eyes agreed to this.

    He had already begun being that things were getting slightly out of control.

    Left, right, meet a fork on the road, right, right, left, left, up, down, another fork, left, left, left...

    They seemed to be walking for miles!

    "Cutfish... What about the house ns! Are you sure you got it right?!"

    The man named Cutfish couldn''t help nodding his head vigorously. "I swear on my life! These are the directions. But I don''t know why; I feel this mansion''s house n is bigger than what we acquired!"

    Everyone almost rolled their eyes.

    Do you need to remind them of this?

    Even they felt they were moving along the hallways of some master pce rather than a mansion.

    That is, how can it be so long?

    Where are the rooms? Why is the whole ce filled with Hallways here, hallways there, staircases here and there?

    At this rate, how would they be able to reach their target sessfully?

    Would''ve it have been before to enter through the felt door inside?

    No wonder the girl Alice had said that she sometimes got lost when trying to snoop around.

    Before... Snake thought she was ipetent, probably never living in so h a grand mansion before.

    But now, he knew he was wrong.

    With such a confusing setup, even they had problems finding their way out of this maze.

    Maze!... Maze!... That''s it!

    Ding!

    Snake and everyone else''s eyes lit up, understanding that this architectural design should be a part of the hidden features of the mansion.

    Who knows... Maybe the Tians had done it themselves in private after burning the estate.

    What''s important now is that they needed to find a way out!

    Even finding a window would be beneficial.

    .

    The leader remained expressionless.

    Even at this moment, he didn''t seem phased.

    "Recall movements." Hemanded. And very quickly, many began recing it all.

    "Leader, I think in the ces where we came across 2 paths, we might''ve taken the paths that kept us in this loop!" Snake said, pointing at the hallway walls.

    Though they were the same, out of habit, he had marked them whenever they took a bend.

    This alone proved they were going in a loop... Maybe around the mansion.

    It was a pretty broad/fatty mansion, so if they went around it for heaven knows how long, then it was not surprising that they felt like they had been marching for years.

    And looking at both the left and right walls that were marked by himself, it seems like they not only went around in circles but also made several U-turns.

    Luckily, they had figured things out fast. Or wouldn''t the morning meet them here at this rate?

    Having a deep look at things, the ''connectivity blockage'' might only be around the maze to further trap intruders here.

    No one would contact them via phone, earpiece, or any other methods because of the specially designed walls that probably blocked the signal

    Yes!

    They had attributed it all to the walls and ceilings.

    ''The Tian couple probably did these things,'' they thought.

    Intruders could probably starve here for what they think were days if they lost track of time.

    There were no windows, and everything was the same.

    It caused a psychological burden. And without a highly efficient brain, leaving such a maze might be troublesome.

    They also noticed that some hallways were slightly wider while others were narrower.

    It was all part of the illusion to make some feel that they were going around the same ces.

    Heh.

    Everyone squinted their eyes at the scene before them

    Look back, look forth.

    What a clever maze! Too bad it wasn''t enough to hold them down.

    The leader took a few steps forward before facing the group.<sub> </sub>

    "Retract all steps, to 3 road-forks... There, we''ll take the opposite direction."

    No one knew how the leader had calcted things but agreed to it.

    Like so, they made a U-turn.

    Down the little steps, along the many hallways, up another step of little steps, movingst to the fork on the road and choosing the initial oath they came from, etc.

    They followed the leader''s instructions.

    And soon, they were 3-Forks-on-the-road back, passing what seemed like 20 different hallways.

    Sigh... Has anyone been more pitiful than them?

    Back to the Fork on the road.

    "Though we have passed over 12 forks on the road, this should be the first one we started from."

    He estimated so much after seeing the many marks Snake left on the walls.

    At this point, he had respect for the Tian couple who came up with this dastardly method. But for the Tian boy, he had no appreciation for it at all.

    That is, they''ve been here for so long and even infiltrated this far, but the boy hadn''t even noticed yet?

    How weak!

    He was probably sound asleep on his bed, depending on his few guards to keep him safe.

    "This time, go left."

    Left it was.

    Last time, they chose the right, wanting to move along the perimeter of the building, thinking they would see windows on the right that would allow them to peek out of the mansion.

    They had to also ensure that those 2 patrolling guards won''t being in anytime soon.

    And the moonlight did give them some form of rity, subconsciously reminding them of how much time they had left toplete the mission.

    But all that was their wishful thinking. They had done right but didn''t see any window.

    So this time, going left, they should be able to see one.

    They felt that the direction was criss-crossed and going in the opposite paths from what one would expect, only confusing many if not careful.

    .

    Step by step, the group went in the opposite direction from their earlier ways.

    And soon enough, they finally saw a change!

    Everyone smiled at each other while standing at the many locked doors on both sides of the hallway.

    Alright. They still didn''t see any windows.

    But wasn''t this better than the looped and simr hallways they spotted?

    Everyone smiled.

    At least these were all too different.

    And judging from the doors and the floor, they could see that this ce was constantly visited by many.

    The door handles had normal minor scratches from overuse, and the walls with little stains that wouldn''t be easily detectable with untrained eyes.

    All these were evidence that these ces got used regrly.

    But maybe the reassuring fact was that their earpieces were having signs of reconnecting. .the static noise would go ande bit by bit.

    And on the other side, those in the vehicles outside had finally connected with them.

    [Boss...zzzz... Boh- zzzz...]

    It wasn''t clear, but they tried their best to pass along a short message that summarized it all.

    They were fine��so there was no need to initiate any rescue ns.

    Everyone felt a stone in their hearts go to rest.

    They still chose to turn off their earpieces, knowing they probably won''t get full range until they leave this ce.

    The blocking device from the neighboring lopped hallways should be the cause for the signal interfaces.

    And keeping the earpieces singing and buzzing in this manner would only give them a headache.

    ''Switch them off." The leadermanded while observing all doors from both sides.

    With the way they''ve been going, who knows if they would only meet a dead end at the front or a single hallway that would loop them back into that annoying maze?

    From his conclusions, these books were used every day and should be able to lead them out of this mess.

    ... But which one?

    Tick-Tock.

    The block was rocking the night away. And the tension in the room was as heavy as a person trying to defuse a bomb

    Blue wire, red wire, yellow wire... Which one?

    They didn''t have all day.

    So they had to pick one now!

    The leader looked at the most likely used door.

    "Ruby. Unlock it."

    "Already on it, leader," Ruby responded, taking a pin from her hair.

    ~Chz-Chz-Chack!

    The door was unlocked.

    They thought their miseries would end. But little did they know that they were just ying a game to someone''s interest.

    Well, how about making them have nightmares?

    Hehehhehe~

    Dorian chucked dangerously in the dark.

    Wasn''t it his duty to change all evil people into good?

    Looking at its host, the system felt pity for these killers.

    [Host, why do you use this statement when convenient for you?]

 Chapter 263 A Fun Playroom

    The door was unlocked. And after opening it up, they found themselves in what looked like a staff kitchen, with several butchering tables aside.

    It was clear that this room was meant for many people to cook in.

    It was quite professional.

    Everyone''s focus wasn''t on its vastness but on how they were finally making good progress.

    Staff kitchen... Staff kitchen...

    This meant the way out was closer than they thought.

    And sure enough, they saw several doors up ahead, as well as a long corridor too.

    Everyone only felt that the architect of this mansion was truly crazy to make so many confusing details up and about.

    What did he or she think this was?

    The set for a game show on Tv?

    Minus 50 points!

    That would be the score they would give such an architect.

    Without wasting any more time, they marched straight to the many doors up ahead.

    Just then, they heard the patterning of rain from a distance.

    Pat. Pat. Pat. Pat. Pat~

    The many faint and distant drops made them wonder if there was something wrong with their ears.

    Rain in the dead of summer?

    The weather forecast didn''t say this. So how can it be?

    Their tongues bonded up and down their throats as every guy and muscle in their body came unwound.

    Something''s not right!

    .

    ck. ck. ck~

    The door handles began turning. And at this moment, even developed the power of speed.

    Whoosh!

    They took cover, taking out their weapons and readying themselves for the kill.

    ~Click.

    The doors opened. And the light, but leisure footsteps of strangers, approached the scene wry so slowly.

    Snake didn''t know it yet, but every inch of his body had broken into goosebumps when he spied on the iing strangers.

    Eyes shaped like his, face as handsome as his, body as tall as his stature, Snake saw himself step into the room.

    But how can that be?

    How can he step into the room when he was already himself and in here?

    For the first time in his life, Snake truly felt immense fear.

    Suddenly, he felt as though he were in a dangerous sci-fi scene.

    Doppelganger or clone? Which one was it?

    Was this the secret the Tian boy keeps tightly locked within?

    Weak... He felt his legs go numb, thinking of how someone else might take up his identity if he should die here.

    It wasn''t just him, as everyone else watched the strangers with shock, horror, and disbelief.

    Holy cow!

    They didn''t even know that cloning could exist yet. Wasn''t that a dream for the future? So why were they seeing this now?

    Additionally, even if cloning were a thing, the government would make it illegal, right?

    Everyone, including the leader, had rmed expressions on their faces.

    And if not cloning, could it be masks?

    Could these strangers be wearing masks instead?

    Did the Tain boy already investigate them during that wild chase in the night, causing him to get people with the same body structure as themselves while also making masks for them?

    In that case, just what vicious n did he have up his sleeve?

    Although everyone still had Dorian on their agenda, they decided not to leave until they took down these strangers.

    Whether doppelganger or clone, leaving such people would only spell more danger in the future.

    After watching so many movies and knowing this muchmon sense, how could they not think so?

    .

    1!

    They positioned their silencers at the strangers from their hidden positions.

    2!<sub> </sub>

    They aimed straight for the soft spots on the heads. It was better to kill urately!

    Good position.

    Ready... Aim...

    3!

    Fire!!!!

    ~Fhup!

    The bullets left their holders.

    One shot was all they needed with their skills. However, the seriousness of the matter caused them to shoot in overkill mode.

    ~Fhup! Fhup! Fhup!~

    Say no more. They shot so much that even their weapons were ashamed of their actions.

    All this just to kill defenseless people?

    Snake and the others didn''t care.

    And seeing their targets standing as though in a daze, the gang slowly revealed themselves while still shooting.

    One gun on their left hand, another on their right... Fire! Fire! Fire!

    A bloodbath was what they intended.

    However, they soon realized something was wrong.

    "Hold!"

    The leadermanded, and everyone stopped.

    Blood... Blood... Where is the blood?

    Looking at the bullets they shot slowly unscrew themselves out of their targets'' heads, they felt their scalps tingle.

    They tilted their heads naturally, subconsciously taking a step back.

    And at this moment, they seemed to know where that initial pattering rain sound wasing from.

    Their doppelgangers suddenly smiled, stretching their lips from corner to corner.

    And when they opened their mouths, their lips produced the pattering rain noises.

    ~Pat. Pat. Pat. Pat.~~

    **Freeze**

    No one spoke. But their eyes said it all.

    And just when they thought they saw enough, the limbs of their counterparts suddenly grew and elongated at a visible rate.

    F***!

    "I believe in science. I believe in science."

    Many felt their realities change, feeling an indescribable stream of fear flood their brains.

    All sorts of fantasy settings hade alive in their minds.

    Who wouldn''t freak out when seeing such a scene?

    Mommy��. They were only human, oaky?

    Only a few like Snake and the leader still chose to believe it was all a scientific trick!

    "Everyone, don''t be fooled. This should be a hidden set of robots! It should be part of the mansion''s security, just like the loops."

    Robots?

    Security?

    Right!

    The others lit up, having found a reason for it all.

    Phew~

    They almost thought it was... Never mind.

    They weren''t so crazy to believe in such hubaloo.

    After all, only insane people would think like that.

    .

    ~Bam.

    The ''robots'' took one step forth.

    And soon enough, the beatdown of the century urred, all from Dorian''s viewingfort.

    He had already decided that this room would be their little yroom.

    Look... Isn''t that fun?

 Chapter 264 A Fun Night For Some

    The leader, Snake, and the rest got ready to take down these robots with all they had.

    But just then, the robots suddenly flew to their sides, kicking their weapons away and flying them aside.

    Bang!

    Everyone fell, realizing something else.

    Wait... Did... Did they just touch flesh?

    What sort of advanced robots were these?

    What sort of security was built in with this Tian estate?

    .... "You!~~~."

    ~Bam! Pah! Boom! Chack! Bam!~

    Beaten to the point of no reconciliation, everyone almost had no strength to stand.

    Don''t speak again.

    They knew they lost tonight''s battle. And now, their only thoughts were to flee!

    No wonder this Tian boy couldzy around as he pleased.

    If they had such godly security measures, do you think they would need to hire a single guard around them?

    F***!

    That Tian boy probably doesn''t even know about their beatdown.

    Maybe only in the morning will he realize that intruders were on the premises.

    This also eximed why these prominent families couldn''t get people to sneak in and steal any information.

    With such security in ce, who can be sure they would be able to do a good job?

    ~Augh~

    Their backs... Their backs hurt like hell!

    The women within the group also wanted to cry without tears.

    Can''t these things be gentler with them,dies? What happened to chivalry?

    [''Robots'']: ''We believe in equality!''

    .

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam!~

    Everyone reached for their thrown-away weapons but found themselves dragged by the leg for more beatings.

    ''No! No!... If you continue any further, my beautiful face will be disfigured.''

    Some were already pleading for their faces to be left alone.

    ''Bro, you can hit me anywhere. But why my face? What did I ever do to you apart from raining bullets into your skull? You''re not even human!''

    (:Y��Y:)

    Some took the wooden boards on the tables, smashing them on their counterparts.

    But when an entire board cracks into smithereens, then it''s time to wake up and smell the morning coffee!

    The leader also had a ck face, releasing all fierce moves he had ever learnt in his life.

    Was it Tai-chi? Taekwondo? Karate?... You name it.

    Every technique and move was brought out of the closet just for this opponent that looked exactly like him.

    However, in the face of true strength, everything he did was akin to a feather ticking a stone.

    The leader sent a fierce sweeping kick but soon found his leg caught midair.

    And before he could deliver a counterattack, he seemed to hear the cries from his ''future generation.''

    In a nutshell... His balls took a hit.

    Ooo~~~

    Those who saw this inwardly weeped for him.

    Everything seemed to happen in ow motion..

    And the force of the hit was enough to send him flying.

    Bam!

    He smashed a cupboard, holding his balls in immense pain.

    Foul y! Foul y!

    The leader was this close to breaking his cold demeanor and cursing like a shrew.

    But where did his doppelganger understand his pain?

    The towering being dragged him away, ready for round 7.

    And it was at this moment that the leader and everyone knew that Wei Kwo had set them up!

    Their eyes burned with hatred while taking their beatings.

    ''Wei Kow, you chubby bastard! When we get out of here, you best believe that not only will youpensate us for our loss, but you''ll also get a taste of our wrath!''

    Dare to send them to such a maniac estate without warning?

    Then just sit quietly and wait for death!

    (:*��*:)

    .

    Everyone wanted a channel to vent their anger on.

    Never had they been so embarrassed and beaten blue, ck, white, brown, and even orange.<sub> </sub>

    No... It can be said that the colors of the rainbow were not enough to describe it all.

    They smashed items and threw daggers at the sturdy beings before them.

    But it was all for not.

    Their enemy allowed them to know what true pain was.

    Connect, disconnect... Connect, disconnect.

    One girl had their shoulders connected and disconnected so many times that she began crying on the spot.

    ''Sister doppelganger, can you please make up your mind? Do you want to connect or disconnect?''

    She was so angry that she blurted out her difort.

    "Dammit! I''ve lost feeling with my limbs. At this point, why don''t you just shoot them off?"

    Shoot them off?

    The doppelganger froze momentarily before suddenly elongating its hands towards a far away gun.

    And seeing this, the girl''s face turned white pale.

    "No! No! Sister, I''m joking. I like feeling my hands disconnected and reconnected. In fact, I''m addicted to it. That''s what wakes me up every morning. That''s what keeps me going. So sister, DROP THE WEAPON!"

    [The other''s taking beatings]: (-_-)

    They never knew their colleague was this shameless.

    What happened to the pride of a killer?

    The girl rolled her eyes heavenwards.

    Who has pride ever helped? Let pride kill you there!

    She was ready to beg in order not to lose hermbs.

    Today''s experience has revealed everyone''s true nature when facing such overpowering opponents.

    As for Snake, his experience was also quite pitiful.

    Not only was heid t on the floor, butt upwards... But he was also forcefully given a deadly massage all over his body.

    Crack. Crack. Crack. Crack~

    The doppelganger twisted his body in all directions while sometimes smacking him like freshly caught fish.

    (:��^��:)

    He had no evidence, but he felt as though the doppelganger bastard wearing his handsome face was enjoying this all.

    .

    Pah! Bam! Bam! Pah! Bam! Bam!

    The beatdown continued for what seemed like an eternity (2hours) before noticing the speed of these doppelgangers slowing down.

    And just then, everyone broke free from these bastards, nning to flee the estate as fast as they could!

    Don''t talk anymore.

    Whatever these security things are, they should be out of juice.

    So this was their chance!

    What! Do you expect them to continue after receiving so much injury? Who knew what other security measures they would find in this despicable vi?

    Say no more! They were off!

    Very quickly, they chose another random door and found themselves in a hallway simr to the one they started with.

    Yes!

    Finally, they spotted the windows!

    The taste of freedom sure was good.

    Already, they had nightmares from this mansion.

    ~Augh~...

    In a sh, they were out, running through the vi.

    Up the walls they went, back to the public gated roads.

    Escape! Escape!

    They had escaped that house of hell.

    But little did they know that it wasn''t their counterparts who were out of juice but the one controlling them that slowed things down.

    Dorian flicked his wrist, and the entire space vanished.

    It was all a looped space created by himself for intruders.

    And Following that, the figures slowly took their original forms.

    What were they? Simple papers cut from a book.

    Dorian chuckled, vanishing out of the estate.

    [Keep guard. I''ll be back.]

    "Yes, Grandmaster." Butler Sheng and the test responded with a sly smile on their face.

    The show was quite interesting.

    But now, it was time to cultivate.

    As for where the Grandmaster was going?

    Wasn''t it already obvious?

 Chapter 265 A Change In Difficulty Mode

    Run! Run! Run for your lives!~

    For a moment, the scene was too ridiculous.

    They fled like people who had one foot already out of this worldly door called life.

    Why did they have to meet such shameless horrors tonight?

    Was it the abusive smacks they received? The cruel nut taps? Or are you talking about the nose hair removal that some of them underwent?

    F***!

    Even some girls thought that it was too painfulpared to waxing.

    This time, some weren''t ashamed to say that they cried.

    Never in their lives had they faced such beatings before.

    Snake was on the verge of a mental breakdown after realizing that one side of his nuts seemed lighter than the other.

    It really messed up the way he walked and his center of gravity.

    That is, why was he leaving more to the side?

    This...

    Those robots would have destroyed part of his generation, right?

    With a grim face, Snake jumped onto the firstmunal gate but found that his right hand reached a shorter distance.

    Lucky, his left hand had caught on, or else he would''ve missed his mark.

    ... F***!

    He just wanted to curse that bloody robot to death.

    The private gatedmunity had 2yers of gated walls before one finally left the scene.

    And out of the 2, only one of them was towering high. The other was the one they jumped over.

    ? Feeling the imbnce, Snake was furious.

    But thinking that even his leader and a few others had gotten some nut taps, he didn''t feel so bad.

    At least, he wants the only one.

    The opponent was too strong, and they weren''t prepared for his tricks!

    But then again, they were infiltrating a former prominent household.

    So why didn''t they think there would be some crazy security mode on lock?

    Dammit! The Tian couple were delivering too much!

    From their investigations and info, no one knew of such changes to the vi.

    Could it be that they killed the architect after making changes to the Vi... Or else, why is such an important piece of information so blurred away?

    And what is up with those robots? Is there some scanning technology that makes these robots take their faces?

    Too many questions, no one to answer.

    Snake and everyone else could only carry their aching bodies out of the gatesmunity.

    Though fleeing as though chased by ghouls, their eyes were burning with rage.

    One day, they would personally take Dorian''s life. But as it stood now, theycked one too many pieces of information!

    Just information on the many traps within the Tian mansions was something they would pay quite a lot of money to find.

    Who knew that the target they looked down on had such powerful patents that longed thought of the boy''s safety?

    It can be seen that they had secretly been guarding against the boy''s uncle.

    The information the top-secret boy held should also be given to him by his parents.

    To think this far ahead, making the other prominent families not touch Dorian, meant that the Tian couple had long equipped the mansion with all sorts of security systems.

    They would always remember today''s matter.

    And at this point, they were even willing to kill Dorian for free.<sub> </sub>

    But how could they let Wei Kwo go so easily?

    Someone had to take on their wrath. So he was the chosen guinea pig for this.

    Not to talk to the fact that they were still angry over his many telling on the phone.

    Dare to pay so little for such a high tasking mission?

    Money! They would demand even more money while anonymously smearing him on the DarkNet.

    With how seamless the fatso was, they wouldn''t be surprised if he destroyed their reputation on the Dar or went behind their backs to their enemies andpetitors, who would in turn damage their reputations.

    In the end, though had toe up with the perfect counterattack for the fat pig.

    .

    Bam!

    They entered their get-away vehicles in haste.

    And those inside couldn''t help searching their faces for answers.

    Hell! They had never seen their contacts this pale and deadline before.

    You look at me; I look at you...

    Can anyone tell them what happened in the Tian estate?

    "Drive."

    The bossmanded, closing his eyes and leaving against his seat.

    If he could, he wanted to forget such a night forever!

    Vrmmmmm~

    The vehicles took off.

    And Dorian calmly followed behind.

    Like so, time flew by quicker than expected.

    When Snake and the others finally arrived at their final destination, they talked.

    And Dorian calmly listened in.

    ''As I expected. They''re from that uncle of mine.'' He thought, no longer paying too much heed to their matter.

    Sooner orter, he would deal with his uncle. But not now.

    He wasn''t in the mood to handle anypany matters now.

    He had an academy to put in ce and his strength to build.

    Such worldly things could be handled anytime. But the war would soon arrive.

    Lucky, he had the academy''s grounds that had been purified and enhanced by the system.

    Dorian gave onest look at these killers, heading straight for home.

    He knew they wouldn''t act on him anytime soon.

    And sure enough, the leader asked Snake to call a few of their forces scattered in another country.

    "Night whisperer... Call in the boys from the republic of Bain!"

    [What? For such a small task?]

    You have to know that Night Whisperer and his team were a top information gathering team trained by the boss and many others.

    It can be said that Dorian''s case was way beneath level and an insult to their expertise.

    This... Isn''t this all too unbelievable?

    Looking at the unknown number and listening to Snake''s voice... Though he was typically used to it all, why did he suddenly feel it was a fake call?

    Thinning his lips, he pressed his phone by his ears.

    [Night Whisperer]:... Who is this?

 Chapter 266 An Overly Excited Puppy

    Veins popped on Snake''s forehead, listening to Night Whisper''s suspicions.

    After taking such beatings in the Tian estate, do you think he has time to y identity games?

    He knew Night Whisperer had a good reason to suspect him, but he was in no mood to understand anyone''s feelings right now.

    Gripping his phone card, he began to act shamelessly.

    "We met when you turned 17. Your girlfriend caught you in bed with another. So she..."

    [Enough! Enough! Don''t say anymore!]

    Night Whisperer was almost in tears.

    Such a night was the most embarrassing night of his life... Especially when thinking of how his girlfriend at the time had dealt with the matter.

    After confirming Snake''s identity, he still had his doubts about the orders he received.

    [... Did the boss reallymand us to return?]

    At present, he and his team were now deep in the heart of another country, gathering info that could cost billions when sold out to the ck market.

    They could also sell the info they got to the enemy countries of this foreign Republic of Gania.

    So asking them to drop everything and head back was already too shocking to Night Whisperer.

    Snake''s eyes turned cold when thinking that earlier, he too was decided by the seemingly easy nature of Wei Kwo''s order.

    The assignment we thought was little is now a top priority.

    Information that could make the prominent figures now their heads... Wasn''t this already information that could cost billions?

    "Those are the boss''s orders!"

    [Alright. Alright. I Got it... We''ll pack up and leave. But in the meantime, send all info already gathered about the target.]

    "Hmm... That would be best."

    Tut...

    Snake dropped the call.

    Now, they wait while counterattacking Wei Kwo.

    Everything, every pain and every embarrassment he felt... Wei Kwo would be getting a taste of them too.

    Heh...

    Who asked the chubby bastard to get on their bad side?

    .

    Like so, the night passed in a sh.

    And some woke up in a daze, wondering what went wrongst night.

    Alice took her breakfast, looming at the uncountable messages she sent to Mr. Green all in the span of a few hours.

    She couldn''t help wondering if Dorian and the rest had somehow killed Mr. Green, burning his body within the estate.

    A chill ran up her spine, the crazy her imagination ran.

    And it wasn''t until after breakfast that she felt calmer.

    Mr. Green had finally replied!

    [Miss Alice, those criminals are a little trickier than we expected. But not to worry. We are sending in the best of the best from all over the world to handle this matter. So for the meantime, we need you to stay and continue being our eyes and ears within the estate.]

    ****

    This...

    Alice''s face distorted in a thousand ways of unwillingness. But soon, she felt at ease, knowing that bigger specialists would being their way.

    Hope!

    Her chances of moving were still there.

    It was better than nothing.

    Adjusting her mindset, she secretly sneered disdain at Butler Sheng, who was passing her by.

    ''Soon, all of you will get what''sing to you!''

    With that, she followed a few others, starting her shift.

    For now, peace had been restored... Or so, it would seem.

    .

    --3 DAYS LATER--<sub> </sub>

    Bam!

    The doorway into the grand hall was pushed open, and in came an overly excited youngster.

    "Grandmaster! How can you leave your disciple for so long? Don''t you want me anymore?"

    The little puppy Sota had arrived.

    As they say... If a mountain can''te to one, one has to go to the mountain!

    Sota ced his hands on his sides, standing very boldly.

    "Grandmaster, I have decided toe for training! And don''t tell me you don''t do anything because I know you leave the mansion every day!"

    (*^*)

    Got a thought he looked domineering, not knowing that his soft features only gave him a cuter appearance.

    Butler Windock and chief bodyguard Leiji couldn''t help feeling ashamed for their young master.

    The future Ghu head was still a softball of cake.

    Of course, they also wanted to beat some sense into him with the way he made his entrance.

    Who barges into another person''s home as though it were theirs?

    ''Young master, why do you always act as though youck home training?''

    Should they bring this matter to the Master, Old madam Ghu, and even Old Ghu?

    Sigh...

    The two and a few others just stood behind Ghu Sota, inwardly shaking their heads.

    Forget it.

    Their Young master also had his advantages. No one was perfect.

    .

    Taking a sip of tea, Dorianzily raised his brow, looking at the chipper puppy before him.

    Though Sota hade in tge name of getting more training, based on the guy''s done, he knew there should be more to it.

    "Sit."

    "Ah!-..." Sota''s expression changed from shock to eptance, then joy. "Yay! I knew you wouldn''t turn me away!"

    "Breakfast?"

    As if Dorian''s question had triggered his belly, Sota soon loud arge gurgle.

    Grww~

    And without waiting for his assistance, Dorian gestures for Butler Sheng to set the table for not only Sota but his guards too.

    They should''ve left the Ghu estate without eating.

    Meaning whatever brought Sota here seemed urgent.

    .

    "Eat first, talk businesster."

    Sota''s eyes widened.

    Did the Grandmaster use his powers to know that he had some underlying business to discuss?

    Could it be some crazy mind-reading ability?

    Thinking like this, Sota stared at Dorian, saying several thoughts in his mind.

    [Grandmaster, I know I''m your first disciple. So we can speed the disciple eptance process up.]

    [Grandmaster, when will you take me in as your disciple?]

    [Grandmaster, you can hear me, right?]

    (-_-)

    Dorian had no idea why Sota was looking at him like that.

    And based on how silly the guy was, he didn''t even bother to find out.

    Soon, the dishes were cleared out of the way, and Dorian calmly leaned back in his seat.

    "Speak. What brings you here?"

    "Grandmaster, I''m here for a friend. He''s... He''s... He''s falling apart!"

 Chapter 267 Genius Doctor To The Rescue

    Forty-five minutester, Dorian and Haru had left the estate alongside Sota and his men.

    This time, they didn''t take any vehicles, allowing Sota''s team to escort them back and fro wherever they were going.

    Hahahahhaha~

    Sota inwardlyughed while fidgeting in his seat.

    ''The Grandmaster is in my car! The Grandmaster is in my car! From now on, that seat can only be reserved for me when the Grandmaster isn''t around.''

    Looking at Dorian''s car seat, Sota had already turned the spot as the high throne.

    The vehicle they were in could have 6 spacious seats. But from now on, the vehicle will be assumed to have only 5.

    Sota''s childish mind was at it again.

    And soon, they reached another middle-ss wealthy gatedmunity on the other side of the massive city.

    "Ah-... Young master Ghu."

    Those at the gatedmunity entrance were quick to send Sota in.

    Who doesn''t know young master Sota who frequents here often?

    The guards had already been alerted of Sota''s expectant arrival from one of the vi residences.

    So without further ado, they allowed him in.

    Vrmmm~

    All 4 vehicles drove in, allowing Dorian to get a good look at themunity.

    And as expected, you get what you pay for. Though still a luxurymunity, it wasn''t as exquisite as his.

    Nheless, it was still a great area to live in.

    Vi 2... Vi 10, 12, 14, 16, 18!

    They drove all the way up to Vi 18.

    The Vi had towering walls surprising its perimeters. And at the front was a massive silver gate.

    And peering through the gate into the space, one could immediately see over 20 guards in full ck attire and weapons in hands patrolling the premises.

    The ce was alive, with over 60 workers moving like busy ants.

    Some were gardeners, some walking the dogs, others focused on keeping the Vi roads tidy, etc.

    And these were just the workers they could see via the barred solver gates.

    To maintain such a wealthy vi meant hiring quite a lot.

    And to be honest, everyone and anyone who has seen his situation don''t understand how he, Dorian, could manage an even bigger estate without so much help.

    The manywns and grass fields should be overgrown. The pool should be dirty; the many mansions should also be dirty. The outdoor roads for vehicles and walkways should be unswept.

    ... It didn''t make any sense how a man with almost no help was able to keep things this clean unless he worked the few workers he had day and night to death.

    At least that''s what many would think.

    Only those who saw his powers more or less understood how he maintained his Estate.

    .

    "What? Young master Ghu is here?"

    "Great! Quickly! Open the gates!"

    Roger that!

    The security guards in the security room pressed a button, and immediately, the gates opened.

    Wonderful!

    Young Master Ghu was here.

    In just these few seconds, the word had been passed on, reaching those within the main mansion.

    A stern man with a long scar across his cheeks nodded while touching his device on his ears.

    And the moment he was done, he abruptly turned towards the broad-shouldered man standing beside a massive bed.

    "Master, Young master Ghu has arrived."

    "He''s here!" A haggard middle-aged woman holding her son''s hands was quick to intellect.

    "Yes, Mistress. Their vehicles are pulling in as we speak."

    Tears trickled down the woman''s face, feeling even more hopeful than before.

    Why was all this happening to her?

    Why is her son having such a strange disease?

    How could fate be so cruel?

    Since 2 nights back, the woman had felt her life cut short by such an experience.

    Her son was her life.

    She carried him in her womb and loved him unconditionally.

    She would be willing to switch ces with him if she could.

    Her heart was dead, and her body frozen like ice.

    For her son''s case, she had contacted the Hous, willing to pay any price to cure this mysterious illness.

    Of course, she didn''t tell them in detail about his illness, not wanting the news to leak.

    Thus, the Hous have no clue what this matter was all about.

    But from the urgency that the couple had revealed, the Hous was able to schedule a home visit from Jung Hou this afternoon.

    Things were supposed to go ording to the appointed schedule.

    But Sota visited yesterday. And seeing his friend''s condition, Sota quickly contacted Jung Hou.

    Jung Hou arrivedst night, inwardly confirming that this might be a ''weird'' situation.

    Long story short, the couple had been referred to some strange genius doctor by Jung Hou and Sota.

    Genius doctor?

    Howe they never knew of such a powerful person in the city?

    In the end, the couple could only pin their hopes on this genius doctor.

    Now, they were inwardly praying that Sota had returned with him.<sub> </sub>

    .

    Receiving the news, everyone''s mood became heavy with feelings of doubt, worry, and hope intertwined in one.

    The broad-shouldered man with a thick mustache and a calm face felt his hands anxiously trembling.

    "Lishu... You stay... I''ll wee our guests in."

    "Yes..." The woman responded, nodding weakly at her husband.

    If he returned with no genius doctor, she might just have a heart attack!

    Heading down the stairs, Master Ingard and his main guards subconsciously speeded up, wanting to meet with this genius Doctor.

    A gloom had long hovered across the estate.

    And no one could form a smile across their face... Not even when greeting the genius doctor.

    And in just a few more minutes, Sota had arrived!

    "Uncle! Look! Look! I brought him just as I promised!"

    Sota had already announced Dorian''s arrival when he stopped in the vast hall.

    His face was proud, confident, and very sure!

    Him?

    Master Ingard and the guards were stunned, to say the least.

    Who can tell him what is going on?

    Wasn''t this the Tian boy everyone said was greedy and desperately looking for a way to stay in high society?

    Was he really the Genius doctor at such a young age?

    Even the Ingard guards felt it hard to believe.

    Sota saw their faces of doubt and felt anxious.

    "Uncle! Believe me! If the Grandmaster can''t solve this problem, then no one can!... Uncle, so you want my friend to live in suffering? Remember, even Jung Hou rmended him!"

    Yes...

    Master Ingard quickly grasped several matters in his heart.

    Since his son followed Ghu Sota, he knew Sota wasn''t friendly with the Tian boy.

    So how did things suddenly turn around?

    A light shed in Master Ingard''s eyes while secretly scrutinizing Dorian.

    Calm, collected, and not a sign of greediness anywhere.

    Over thest couple of weeks, rumors hade out about this Tian boy.

    So the rumor should be from the boy''s enemies?

    Master Ingard was quick to give a deep bow after figuring things out.

    "Genius doctor... No... Grandmaster... Please, forgive me for my earlier actions. I deeply apologize if I have offended you."

    "Hmmm. It''s alright." Dorian replied,zily talking around the hall.

    "Since I''m here, lead the way."

    Dorian''s words were like music to everyone''s ears.

    The little mes of hope only grow into a fire in their hearts.

    So confident!

    Such a confident fellow referred to by big-name people must have a solution, no?

    Ingard''s ears.

    .

    Lishu was still holding her son''s hands anxiously while looking at the door from the to time.

    She couldn''t see anyone yet, but the footsteps grew louder and louder, as though judgment time was near.

    Will her husband, Zee Ingard,e in with the genius doctor. Or will he walk into the room with disappointing news?

    Lishu felt her heart fall into her already clenched belly.

    And for the first time, she wanted to pray to the God of science.

    Who can help her now?

    Tick-Tock. Tock-Tock. Tick---

    *Freeze*

    Time was still the moment Lishu saw her husband step through the door.

    Everything happened in slow motion as her eyes scanned those behind him like a robot.

    She didn''t know when she stood.

    All her attention was on the guests, trying to make heads or tails of the situation.

    The air was too stagnant, heavy, and choking that even those entering the bed-chamber could feel the sorrow of those within.

    And the moment Zee Ingard introduced Dorian, a wave of relief washed over them, though they didn''t understand why the Tian boy had suddenly be a genius doctor.

    But who the hell cares if he can save Young master Ingard?

    Again, no one cares about why he was called Grandmaster.

    Dorian calmly walked towards Cang Ingard''s bed, looking at the weak boy on the bed.

    ? It moved again.

    The corners of Dorian''s lips raised slightly.

    What a ghastly sight!

    The Ghu guards, who hadn''t seen the Cang Ingard''s situation before, felt their hands turn mmy.

    "Grandmaster, so can you do it? Can you save him?"

    "Hmmm... Easily... But first, why don''t you get me a bowl of peach?"

    "_"

 Chapter 268 Let There Be War!

    A bowl of peach?

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone blinked.

    Could they have heard it wrong?

    Listening to Haru repeat the order made their heads buzz.

    ''Don''t tell me this Grandmaster is hungry at a time like this. Could they have dragged bio over without any breakfast?''

    "They''re not for me... They''re for your Young master." Dorian said,zily walking towards the balcony door.

    "The longer you dy the peaches, the more troublesome things get."

    The more troublesome?...

    Dammit!

    Lishu was quick to snap out of her thoughts.

    "Quickly! Go and get a bowl of peaches!.. No! Make it a bucket!.. Ahh~... Get a truckload!"

    Lishu gave orders faster than her husband.

    Peaches were her son''s favorite fruit.

    So they always had them in bulk... Though not a truckload.

    But how do the peaches link this with her son''s matter? Could it have been poisoned?

    Lishu, Zee, and many others thought so too.

    Did the Grandmaster want the peach to find out what sort of poison it was before making a cure?

    Zee''s aura turned murderous.

    "Being in all the peaches! Don''t leave a single one out! And check the bins for evidence!"

    If someone injected or smeared something onto many of these fruits, don''t me him for being ruthless!

    Though the culprit won''t be stupid to show their hands, there should be a few poisonous peaches that might be rotted away and bitten thrown.

    Haru inwardly rolled his eyes, trying not to shake these people silly?

    Aren''t you all overthinking?

    The Grandmaster only said a few words. Yet they had already written a novel based on the matter.

    Haru touched the cards in his pockets, feeling a little yful.

    ''Hehehhehe~... I wonder what creature we''ll be meeting today? Isn''t this my chance to test out my new skills?''

    Haru was pumped up.

    When he heard that Butler Sheng and Raulin had the opportunity to test their skills when fighting that minister at the Bho sight, Haru felt aggrieved.

    Luckily, fate was smiling at him again!

    (^?^)

    In their group, Haru was the yful and youngest one of them all.

    Hahahahah~...

    This was this chance to show the Grandmaster how much he had improved.

    Ghu Sota was also looking for an opportunity to prove that he wasn''t a scardy cat.

    Sure.

    Thest few times, he had jumped on his father like Scooby doo.

    But this time, it was going to be different!

    This time, he would stand before everyone with his chest puffed out.

    You best believe it!

    Looking at his friend, he raised his head high and ced his fists by his sides as he usually did.

    "Stupid monster. I''m not scared of you one bit."

    .

    Zee Ingard clenched his fists while staring at his weak son.

    Cang''s body was pale with a hint of dreadful blue.

    His lips were cracked, his closed eyes trembling, and his veins tense.

    The boy hadn''t spoken or even opened his eyes.

    Yet everyone could tell that his son was far above what they could imagine.

    And the more they watched Young master Cang, the heavier the gravity of the situation weighed on them.

    Shrip.~<sub> </sub>

    A nonexistent sound echoed in their imaginative minds.

    Layer byyer, Cang Ingard''s bluish skin was shedding, giving him the appearance of a badly made Frankenstein monster.

    It looked like his stitched-together parts were now peeling off anding undone.

    Aummmm~

    Everyone watched Cang Ingard struggle to open his eyes to no avail.

    His face twisted as though having a nightmare.

    The eerie mumbles caused their hearts to constrict.

    Was the young master one foot away from death''s doors?

    .

    "Haru, the vents and doors."

    "On it, Grandmaster," Haru replied.

    Step by step. Inch by inch.

    His eyes darted across the scene, not wanting to miss a single thing.

    So mysterious?

    Everyone had a thousand questions to ask but swallowed them down.

    But whether it was the air-conditioners or any other passages leading out of the room, Haru had it all covered.

    The room was fit for a Young master, and one could even throw a little party in it.

    There was also an electric firece, a walk-in closet in another connecting space, and a massive private bathroom.

    Pah. Pah. Pah!~

    (?_-)

    Everyone watched Haru stamp papers on the vents and doors with one eye closed.

    They pretended not to pay attention, though their curiosity couldn''t get the better of them.

    Hello? Why are you cing rectangr cut-stripped papers around the young master''s room?

    Once again, they looked at Ghus Sota as though saying: are you sure oi brought the right people over and not some crazed ones?

    No matter how you look at it, there should be no reason for sticking papers around the room.

    Isn''t this something a child would do?

    Sigh...

    They were going dizzy from all the thinking.

    But this was just the beginning.

    "Zee..." Lishu pulled her husband''s sleeves in concern.

    She too thought there was something wrong here. But listening to her husband''s affirmations, she swallowed their confusion.

    "It''s alright," Zee said, slowly caressing her hair. "If Master Jung Hou says he''s the one, then have faith in him."

    Whether he believed his own words was another matter.

    Dorian closed the windows and balcony door, also sealing them off too.

    "Grandmaster, it''s done,"

    "Good. Open the box."

    Click!

    The bluish wooden box opened, and everything now had a glimpse of what was inside.

    (-_-)

    This is a joke?

    Where are the medical appliances?

    This time, Zee couldn''t make excuses for them anymore.

    "What do you mean?! Youe in here with candles, trying to mock my son''s situation? I knew you didn''t have a good rtionship with my son in the past. But how do youe in here with candles, trying to mock my son''s predicament?!!"

    Zee''s mustache danced on his face the more he spoke.

    Lishu was not a spicy chicken either.

    Wiping her tears, she gazed at Haru and Dorian with rage.

    Come to mock her son, then expect war!!!

    "Guards! Throw them out!"

 Chapter 269 The Stubborn Ingards

    What? Throw them out?

    Dorian and Haru didn''t even react, focusing on making a formation around the bed.

    But the Ghu men were different.

    Not only did they dive between both parties, but Ghu Sota also went on his knees with his hands up, begging Zee with his life.

    "Uncle! Uncle Zee! Please calm down!"

    Do you know who you are yelling to?

    Uncle, are you trying to make my friend die quicker?

    Are you also trying to give me a bad reputation before my master?

    Uncle... I did all this for you. So why are you trying to sabotage me?

    (:��0��:)

    The Ghu men also chimed in...especially Butler Windock and head guard Leiji.

    "Master Ingard, for your son''s sake. It''s best to quench your anger."

    "Yes, master Ingard. His methods might be different. But I can vouch with my life that the Grandmaster is legit. So if you anger him, don''t even think about your son getting better!"

    Puff~

    Like a deted balloon, the Ingard couple and men felt their anger subside.

    "Fine," Zee spoke, squinting his eyes dangerously.

    "If what you say is true, then I apologize. But if my son doesn''t wake up after this, don''t even think your begging will change a thing... No matter whether your Ghu family is a prominent one or not. For my son, I will fight with every one of you till I die!"

    What a poisonous promise.

    Though the Ghu family wille out victorious if such a thing happens, it won''t be without losses. And who is to say they won''t be part of those losses?

    Zee was directing his words at Sota.

    Take it as giving him face for being good friends with his son.

    In other words, this should be thest time Sota begs for their sake.

    Any more, and he wouldn''t listen!

    Lishu bit her lips, not trying to contradict her husband.

    Left to her, she would throw them out now regardless of Sota''s face.

    Who cares about face when her son is suffering?

    (*��*)

    .

    -Silence-

    The room fell into graveyard silence except for Cang Ingard''s eerie groans.

    And soon, those sent to bring the peaches were back.

    It was just that the situation in the room confused them.

    "Master, we''ve brought the-... Eh?"

    (�����)

    What happened in their absence?

    They wanted to ask but didn''t dare.

    Please! They were just cannon fodder, okay?

    "The fruits are here," Zee spoke out with an expressionless face.

    And this time, Dorian stood with a faint smile on his face while looking at the batch of peaches.

    "How interesting..." He spoke out, making everyone curious.

    That''s right.

    Though still angry at his earlier actions, the matter of the peach was still important.

    Looking at the 3 peaches he selected from the bunch, many couldn''t help wondering what was so interesting about them.

    They opened their nonexistentser eyes, hovering them above the selected 3.

    How could he tell there was poison in it from a single nce?

    Could he be a peach specialist that could make assumptions from their appearance?

    Hold on... Are peach specialists even a thing?

    Zee and Lishu frowned but said nothing.<sub> </sub>

    And without a second look, he continued his word with Haru.

    1, 2, 3 minutes more, and he was done.

    Everyone saw the duo stans, inwardly sighing from relief.

    These 3 minutes felt like an entire afterlife.

    The anxiety has been eating away their bones.

    Thu Sota saw them standing and immediately smiled.

    Hahahhaha~

    The moment he has been waiting for.

    The chance to prove himself to the Grandmaster.

    Look! He was no longer scared of these monsters!

    .

    "I will remind you to put your weapons away. If someone identally shoots another, you''ll only have yourselves to me." Butler Windock warned.

    The Grandmaster hadn''t said so. However, for everyone''s safety, he didn''t want them to start shooting blindly.

    His Ghu men could also get hurt too.

    Eh?

    Zee was starting to get uneasy.

    What did the Ghu butler mean?

    What sort of enemy would make them shoot blindly? Was there an enemy in the room or amongst themselves?

    As expected, the Ingards were falling on the same thought process as many before them.

    Though they didn''t take out their weapons, they subconsciously moved their hands closer instead.

    If the enemy was amongst them and identified, then they would injure the bastard before he tried any funny business.

    [Haru, get the door.]

    With the oracles here, they had to seal the room. Nothing goes in or out.

    Pah.~

    Haru did as told, turning his attention back to the gathering.

    "For your safety, hold on to something."

    "You!~..."

    Lishu couldn''t believe the rubbish she was hearing.

    If not for Ghu Sota cutting in, she would''ve given Haru a piece of her mind.

    "Auntie, trust me... You need to hold on."

    Smack.

    She smacked Sota''s head lightly.

    "Stupid boy! Hold on for what? What can blow or shake so many adults like us? Aren''t you just being decided by this guy?"

    Yeah! Isn''t this just ridiculous? Or are they the ones insane here?

    And why are your men securing a rope on the door handles and fixed decor?

    [Ghu Men]: Since you don''t want to hold on. Then don''t ask and don''t worry. You''ll know soon enough.

    .

    "Young master, please, you must hold onto the rope," Windock warned.

    His care was for the young master and not these ungrateful Ingards.

    Haven''t they said again and again to trust the Grandmaster?

    If they don''t want to take Sota''s advice of holding onto the rope, then that''s their problem.

    "Uncle, aunt, please... Take hold of the rope."

    The Ingard couple didn''t even bother answering him.

    Just as they said, that time would be thest he begged for anything concerning this matter.

    If they, the Ghus, want to look like fools, they shouldn''t drag them into this!

    Like so, the Ingard couple and guards stood firm on their feet, wanting to see what this joke was about.

    However, in a few seconds more, they regretted it.

 Chapter 270 We Regret It!

    The Ingards stood firm while the Ghus held on tight.

    And soon, Dorian closed his eyes and began chanting.

    ~Shwshwsheshwshwshwshw~."

    His chants started slow like whispers before abruptly speeding up!

    Flip.~

    The pages of the book on the table began lifting ever so gently.

    ... A breeze?

    How can this be?

    They looked at the sealed window and every other opening in the room, wondering whether the slight breeze wasing from.

    And why did the breeze suddenly pick up?

    Flip. Flip. Flip!

    The pages danced maniacally the more the candles flickered.

    And when it finally flew off the table, every single Ingard had goosebumps.

    This... This... What is going on here?

    Subconsciously they inched in closer to one another, looking left, right, up, down, and even around.

    Maybe it was their imagination, but the wind from heaven-knows-where was unexpectedly turning colder and colder the more it pped their faces.

    Flick. Flick. Flick.

    The lights began to flicker, and the walls began to sing as though something was moving in them.

    Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.~

    "Look! Look!... The young master is shaking!"

    What?!

    Everyone saw the pale blue Cang Ingard twitch and turn vigorously with closed eyes.

    His spasms and vibrations shook the entire bed.

    But maybe the most troubling of all was not his movements but that he was responding because of Dorian''s whispers.

    See Ingard''s pupils dted in shock.

    His mind was undergoing a thunderous battle between science and the supernatural.

    Was he going crazy? Was what he was seeing actually real?... How could his son react like this?

    Good heavens!!!!

    ~Bam!

    The heavy table and chairs flew into the walls and the men, knocking them hard.

    But before many could react, they too were uprooted from the ground.

    And in a blink of an eye, a vicious tornado appeared.

    The Ingards all had grim faces.

    They regretted it.

    Bam!

    Zee Ingard smashed into a wall while hugging Lishu.

    They could be spiders, rolling In the wall as though it were the floor.

    Sadly, they had no web-shooters to cocoon themselves from the chaos.

    1, 2...

    The tornado mercilessly carried them to another location.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    They mmed against one another, their men, and the many fixtures in the room.

    Crazy! Crazy!

    This wasn''t the time to wonder where the tornado came from.

    .

    "Everyone, grab onto something!!!!"

    Zee Ingard didn''t know if anyone heard him, but his hands moved like lightning, trying to grab onto a curtain.

    Pah!

    A table pped his hand away, sending him and Lishu one more time in the merry-go-round.

    The duo had no tears but wanted to cry.

    F***!

    They regretted it.

    They regretted their intestines!

    Curse their stupid arrogance.

    How could the Sota they knew and here up with every hurt them?

    They offered all this because he cared for them and their son. Yet, they not only doubted him but secretly swore to limit the time their son spent with him after he got better.

    Wasn''t that just too ungrateful?

    Zee Ingard wanted to puke blood when thinking of his arrogant response.

    Whoo~~ Whoo~~

    The couple and their men went on the merry-go-round for just 30 seconds.

    Yet, within this time, they had gone at least 4 fill wounds now.

    And just when they couldn''t take it anymore, some of the Ghus dived.

    "Pull! Pull!"

    Like fishers of men, the Ghus began catching their prey.

    Zee Ingard and Lishu were so embarrassed when looking at Sota.

    "Sota boy... Just forgive uncle and auntie for being ignorant." They said, holding onto the hold as though their lives depended on it.

    Say no more. They''ve learned their lesson and would never keep quiet moving forward.

    No matter how dense they were, they began to understand that their son might not be sick... But might''vee into contact with something dirty.

    Though they spected, they still didn''t fully believe it. After all, they''ve been conditioned like this since birth. Science was all the world believed. Anything else and one could be locked up in a loony bin.

    Their hair was upside down, one side of Lishu''s heels was missing, and her attire was just messed up.

    Pff~

    Sota tried his best not tough, though it was too hard.

    Brmmm!!!!~

    Sota almost hunted into their arms in fright.

    The abrupt howling from the walls, the flicking lights, and the chilling airbo only made for a perfect jump scare.

    Look left, look right.

    Everyone had a stifling fear whenever the room went ck.

    The shadows caused by the candles seemed toe alive in their imaginations.

    Will something appear behind them?

    Will something drag them away?<sub> </sub>

    This is how it happens in horror movies, right?

    Inching in closer, everyone was secretly fighting to be in the middle of the group.

    ording to Horror 101, want that the safest ce?

    One step forth, another step forth.

    (:T^T:)1

    Mommy... I miss you so much.

    .

    Flick. Flick. Flick... Flick.

    The winds slowed, the lights flickered less, and the strange noise from the walls grew faint until they finally vanished.

    Bam!

    All flying objects descend in a loud bang.

    What a mess!

    The Tornado had left the ce in wrecks.

    But who the hell cares about that?

    Gulp.

    Everyone swallowed their built-up saliva when staring at the young master on the bed.

    Don''t think they''ve been blind all this while.

    The moment the Young master Cang slowed his trembling, the situation in the room also slowed down.

    Everyone was in a dreamlike daze, unable to think if they were sane or not.

    Could it be that this was all a dream?

    ... The hell was it wasn''t!

    The pain from being smacked around like a doll was still evident.

    What sort of whacked dream was this?

    This...

    Their tongues rolled up and down their throats wondering what to do or say.

    Speechlessness had caught them off guard.

    But seeing Sota, Zee and Lishu bravely take several steps forward, of course they too would follow.

    Stick together! Stick together and be each other''s watchful keeper.

    Those were their only thoughts.

    "Son?..."

    Lishu couldn''t help calling her son out from a distance, seeing that his bluishplexion had faded.

    And now, he looked just as he did before.

    A wave of excitement caused her to hasten her steps alongside Zee Ingard.

    The couple wore genuine smiles, with tears streaming down Lishu''s cheeks.

    "Zee! He''s fine. He''s alright. Our boy is alright! Hahahahaha~"

    For a moment, the atmosphere was blissful. .the Ingards were happy seeing that the bluish scally and falling apart Frankensteinyer of skin had not only disappeared but returned to the boy''s previous smooth skin.

    How did it disappear?

    They didn''t know since they were flying about the ce like crazy.

    All they knew was that whenever they nced at him, almost their chaotic situation, they were able to see hisplexion return bit by bit.

    So wasn''t this a sign that their boy was healed?

    Hooray!

    The Ingards exploded with countless emotions.

    But for the Ghus, they only stood still, knowing that things wouldn''t be so easy.

    And sure enough, they were right.

    .

    On the bed, the boy who had stopped moaning, slowly opened his eyes and sat up.

    His legs seemed to be pinned by something.

    But his hands and upper body were free.

    "Cang! You''re awake!"

    Lishu eximed.

    His actions took the Ingards into a higher realm of joy.

    And without wasting any time, the couple and several other Ingards swarmed towards him.

    Bam!

    Lishu felt pain in her forehead.

    What?!

    Zee Ingard and the others were also aware of the matter.

    What was going on here?

    Why can''t they move past the candles and the strange silver coins on the floor?

    They ced their hands on the invisible wall in shock.

    "Erm... Auntie, Uncle, you can''t pass the magical wall until the Grandmaster is done."

    Sota''s words seemed to open even more doors to everyone''s imagination.

    Their lips quivered in awe.

    Magic!

    There was no wall here before. So for it to appear so suddenly, wasn''t that magic?

    (��С�)

    But while some were still awed by the invisible wall, some picked up vital information from Sota''s words.

    "Sota boy, what do you mean by saying the Grandmaster isn''t finished yet?" Zee Ingard was anxious.

    "What? There is still something wrong?" Lishu''s emotions moved up and down like a wave.

    She felt that fate was ying a cruel joke on her.

    One minute it made her cry; another minute, it made her jump in glee. And now, it brought her back to zero.

    What the hell was all this? Wasn''t it over yet?

    Even Zee felt this way too.

    He thought his son looked well enough, and nothing else needed to be done.

    But who would''ve known that appearances could be deceiving?

    Very quickly, Zee Ingard stared at his son deeply.

    If it were a second ago, he would be thrilled to look eye to eye with his son.

    But now, starting at each other eyeball to eyeball, Zee Ingard''s soul shook in terror.

    Who... Who...

    This was not his son!!!

 Chapter 271 A Simple Bowl Of Peach

    A rotting cologne filled with Mildew, wet wood, yeast, and several other strange smells bombarded everyone''s nostrils the moment Cang Ingard smiled.

    Blugh!~

    A build of fluid struggled to force its way up through their throats and out their mouths if not for their self-control to five it back.

    The corners of their eyes tinged with salty tears threatening to fall off.

    If their bodies could speak, it would say: Since you don''t want to like, then I''ll see it out through your eyes!

    As grown men who haven''t cried in heaven knows how long, the moldy acid smell tingles their eyes like onions.

    They couldn''t help being a little hateful here.

    Why was this magical wall permitting the stench to reach them but refusing for them to get closer?

    In truth, the formation would only permit scent and sound to pass through.

    And though the creatures would also vanish and move like the wind, the formation would keep all evil essence in the formation.

    So there was nothing to worry about.

    Though the smell was nose-boggling, it was the least of their problems.

    Pupils dting, they stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar Cang Ingard with transformed horror.

    His skin!

    ... His skin had returned to normal without the Frankenstein kes.

    But who knew that the kes were hiding something even more dastardly underneath?

    What was this?

    Tiny lines began to move across his face as though something was crawling underneath!

    It wasn''t just one, but many.

    And only after seeing one of the things crawl from his chin to his eyes and out his eyeball did they know what they were.

    Maggots!!!

    Ugly, rotting maggots!!

    [Their bodies]: Are you ready to puke now?

    Blughhhh!!!!!!!~

    Some gave up.

    Too terrible!

    The maggots were like nothing they had ever seen before.

    And the more they looked, the more they subconsciously felt as though they were drawing on their skins.

    Shudder.

    Many shook ufortably.

    And even till now, the biggest elephant in the room wasn''t this.

    Many looked at Cang Ingard, subconsciously taking one step back even though they were out of the formation.

    Their bodies acted faster than their minds.

    .

    "You!~..."

    Lishu was short of words.

    And soon, the thing spoke.

    "Mother, father... Why the long face? Don''t you want me anymore?"

    No way! Zee Ingard inwardly spoke, fear overwhelming his body.

    The voice from Cang Ingard was shrill, thick, and several octaves deep with an echoing effect. And coupled with Cang Ingard''s unnatural smile, who would mistake him for the Young master?

    You lie! You might have his body, but you cannot be him!

    The idea of possession shocked everyone silly.

    Was their young master possessed like in horror movies?

    Everyone was immersed in their own thoughts.

    But Cang Ingard was no longer smiling after trying to get out to no avail.

    Why couldn''t his legs move?

    Looking at Dorian, his expression turned frosty, and even the maggots in his face froze.

    " You lowly mortal, you dare to stand in my way? You dare to disturb my chosen feats?!"

    Like thunder, his voice descended on them, causing everyone to crouch down in horror.

    Cang Ingard raised his hands to act on Dorian and Haru.

    And in just a less second, everyone opened their eyes in rm, watching his fingernails grow like ws.

    Say no more!

    Already, they had envisioned a scene of seeing the duo get split into half.

    They wanted to alert the duo but found their mouths were slower than his hands.

    "Watch out!!!"

    They screamed with some closing their eyes and turning to the side.

    Their blood boiled, and their bodies itched to know the oue.

    And like so, some were quick to take a peek.

    It was just that the results were far different from what they imagined.

    What?!!!!!

    Everyone yelled in shock, seeing Dorian stop the attack with one finger.

    His opening was tracking to force one of his ws to pierce his opponent''s finger, yet, Dorian only had azy expression on his face as though about to yawn.

    Too exciting. Too exciting.

    Everyone wondered just how powerful Dorian''s finger was for such sharp ws to fail pration.

    Mouths hung wide open, bodies throbbing nonstop, many couldn''t take their eyes off the scene.

    F***!

    Was this the legendary protagonist battle?

    Sure enough. The fantasy books didn''t lie.

    (*0*)

    .

    With a light push, Dorian not only forced Cang Ingard back but directly buried him on the bed once more.<sub> </sub>

    Cang Ingard had no evidence, but he felt he was being bullied.

    Now, he was no longer seated up butying back instead.

    (-_-)

    Dorian looked at him dangerously.

    "Be obedient."

    Flick.

    Dorian threw coins on particr maggots in his arms.

    He had been looking for them all this while.

    Good.

    Now, he could begin.

    Facing the couple and the others out the formation, Dorian took the howl of peaches from Haru''s hands.

    -Silence-

    ... No one made a sound except for the yful noisesing from Cang Ingard.

    The Ingard couple held each other tightly.

    What does the Grandmaster want with them?

    "You said your son''s favorite fruit is peach, yes?"

    The couple nodded vigorously. "That''s right, Grandmaster. It is indeed his favorite." They spoke very uneasily. All that had happened had already shaken their core.

    Even looking at their son''s face still made them one to puke.

    "Your peaches... You typically get them from the same ce, correct?"

    "Yes, Grandmaster," Lishu replied. She personally handled this matter all the time, not allowing anyone else to do so.

    This was her son''s favorite fruit, so how could she not be careful, lest some enemies move their hands?

    All these years, nothing has ever happened underneath her watch and that of the guards who personally borough the peaches back to the estate.

    Everyone knew peaches were her son''s favorite. So she forbade him to eat it outside of the estate.

    Even the peaches they got would be inspected before returning with them to the estate.

    And as far back as her son was little, nothing had ever happened under their care.

    This was the first time!

    But what could''ve changed?

    Tilting his head, Dorian stared at the womanzily.

    "Think carefully. Did you get peaches from anyone else? Even as a gift?"

    Dorian''s words seemed to unlock the couple''s thoughts.

    Zee Ingard''s face was cold.

    Could it be his wife''s sister?

    This wasn''t the first time she brought in peaches.

    Once in a while, she would bring in peaches. And at first, he secretly checked them, finding nothing wrong.

    And over time, since the results were always the same, he figured she would never mean any harm.

    And besides, he also felt guilty for distrusting her family so much.

    It was true that he always kept his guard up around them. But over time, he felt that maybe he was overthinking things.

    Also, poison testing all edible gifts from rtives was indeed rude.

    No matter how you look at it, it would cause a divide between rtives. Some can even get offended.

    In the end, after over 12 times of her bringing non-poisonous peaches, he stopped checking, lest his wife finds out and gets angry with him.

    Her sister was also Cang Ingard''s aunt.

    So how would he feel if his wife also treated his siblings like that?

    Zee Ingard decided to stop checking. And several months after, his wife''s sister continued to bring peaches over and nothing ever happened to his son.

    But this time, his suspicions were high!

    She was the only one who had been bringing in peaches from an unknown source!

    "Zee... It... It can''t be here... how can it be here? Why would she want to harm our son?" Lishu''s mind was in a state of disarray.

    This was her little sister of 2 years she was talking about.

    As an older sister, what did she not give Elsa?

    She had been brought up to protect her little sister from all kinds of storms.

    Unless it were impossible, she would willingly give Elsa what she had.

    She even gave 10% of her monthly sry to Elsa, assisting her in taking care of her family.

    Don''t look down on that 10%.

    Per month, her husband gave her 16 million to spend.

    They were a wealthy middle-ss family.

    With this money, she could buy 500k bags, 1 million Vyn jewelry, etc.

    That said, she gave 10% to her sister, using at most 30% for herself and saving the rest for her son and her family in case of rainy days ahead.

    In high society, a little slip up could cause one to get bankrupt tomorrow.

    Smart people n for the inevitable, buying properties in various countries and ces lest they have to flee abroad and start all over.

    Some chose to get properties in the same city instead.

    Whatever the case might be, anyone who knows Lishu would also know just how good she was to her sister.

    So why?... Why did she do it?

    That was her family!

    Lishu couldn''t understand and still felt it was unbelievable.

    And just when she was about to question if the Grandmaster had made a mistake or not, Dorian calmly waved his hands over the bowl of peaches.

    ~Whoosh!

    Like a magic trick, Dorian''s simple gesture did wonders.

    Everyone turned ghostly white, staring at the fist-sized magots that suddenly appeared.

    Now, everything was clear.

    The peaches were Maggots.

    Their son, the Young master Cang, had been eating Maggots!!!

 Chapter 272 The Big Fish Emerges

    The beautifully designed bowl greatly interested the disturbing meal on it.

    Many already suffered, forcing themselves to look at the hideous maggots that were the size of fists!

    The maggots were rotting, with chunks of their wormy skins missing.

    It almost looked as though someone had taken bits off their moldy flesh.

    And with this, they could see an even more disturbing view of the maggots'' insides.

    Augh~

    So all this time, Young master Cang had been eating rotting maggots?

    Looking at the swimming beings on the bowl, as well as recalling the scene of little maggots swimming on her son''s face, even Lishu couldn''t promise that she would even be able to peck him in future.

    If possible, she would like to open his mouth and throw in a can of pesticides and nch in his system.

    Such a sight was too ufortable to look at.

    And for Sota, he had already foreseen Cang Ingard''s future.

    You know, after his own crises, don''t think he didn''t notice how his mother hardly packed him anymore.

    At first, he felt aggrieved.

    But now, he understood the physiological factors involved.

    F"***!

    Even he couldn''t look at his buddy the same way again��his poor heart needed time to heal.

    .

    The truth was out, and everyone more or less knew that the problemy with the peaches.

    Lishu''s mind was still a mess.

    Even though she didn''t want to believe that her sister would want to harm her for no reason, a part of her still doubted her good s

    Lishu gritted her teeth, deciding to confront her sister on the matter.

    If she was innocent, the matter could be forgotten, though she would still be on guard against any gifts her sister gave, lest someone borrows her sister''s hand to kill off her son.

    If innocent, she would know how to handle this from there. But if guilty, Lishu knew that show would never forgive her dear sister!!!!!

    As they say, there was a thin line between love and hate.

    How much a person loves you is how much they would hate you once on the other side.

    Having said what he wanted, Dorian didnt care if they were stupid enough to follow the money.

    He said what he said. And it was their one duty to investigate.

    He inwardly shrugged.

    This was not his problem.

    Any extra revtions from him would be charged.

    ''Alright. It''s time to begin.''

    "Hahahhahaha~"

    Cang Ingardunched after listening to the exchange between Dorian and the couple.

    But just when he was about toment and kick them, Dorian suddenly threw 2 rectangr silvers on his face; one on his forehead and one on his lips.

    Noisy.

    [Host, if you block its mouth, where will you drive it out from?]

    ''Who said that the human body only has one path that allows things in and out?''

    The system suddenly froze.

    [Host, you wouldn''t be thinking about his butt, right?]

    Wasn''t that perverted?

    The system was once again at a loss.

    Dorian didn''t even bother talking or the system anymore.

    Stupid.

    It has such a stupid system apanying him.

    [Haru, get ready.]

    Ah!-<sub> </sub>

    Haru nodded after getting Dorian''s transmission.

    Subconsciously, he touched the cards papers in his pockets, invading closer to Cang Ingard.

    This time, what were they up against?

    .

    Suddenly, the room turned even more serious.

    And everyone now watched Dorian and Haru close their eyes.

    Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop.~

    Dorian''s handwork started slowly before speeding up so much that it left sh images behind.

    Sota felt his heart beating loudly.

    No matter how many times he saw it. His Ninja hand movements were too freaking awesome!

    (+0+)

    Once again, Dorian began his chanting. And Haru, though very slow, focused on his own chants.

    He and Dorian were chanting 2 separate chants that whenbined would field powerful results.

    ''Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw~.''

    ''Twa Twa Twa Twa Twa Twa Twa Twa~.''

    The duo was immersed in their own world.

    And the more Haru spoke, the more he felt his body, something with the powers from the heavens.

    His body trembled slightly, and his face was a faint glowy gue of energy.

    Bulging muscles, arteries pumped... The more the heavenly aura moved around him, the more his body expanded just for this moment alone.

    But while no one could see the spiritual changes urring in the duo, they did see the strangeness in Cang Ingard.

    ~Mmmmmhmmmmh~

    Turning his head side to side vigorously, Cang Ingard mumbled curses with his sales mouth.

    Daman, these mortals! Now dare they do this to him?

    The bugs andrvae in his body began moving chaotically.

    And from a distance, everyone could see some lines going zig-zag, others haphazardly, some in circles, moving left, right, up, down, and every other direction one could think.

    Their unrest was evident, as though they were fleeing from something or trying to find an exit point.

    And soon, they began hearing faint sounds that they were somewhat familiar with.

    The sounds grew from faint to loud the moment several ck and rotting beings flew out of Cang Ingard''s sounds of nostrils.

    Bzzzz~~

    The buzzing noise of a thousand flies woke everyone to an even more disgusting sight.

    Bunch by bunch, the flies forcefully came out carrying some Maggotsrvae on their backs

    They buzzed and sang their annoying sins, slowly forming a ck nket of disgust far above the air.

    But wait. What did they just see?

    The many flies and maggots merged, forming a hideous hunched being in shadowy ck clothes.

    No... It can be said that the clothes were also made of flies, though these flies had somehow be blurry and smoke-like with an air of mystery to them.

    What a sight!

    The moment everyone saw a face, puke-Ville was officially open for business.

    BLUGHHH!~~

    So ugly. So f***ing ugly!

    How can something look so reporting?

    Joshua dropped to her knees and threw up all the food she had eaten thesest few days.

    For the first time in her life, Lishu wished she were blind.

    Now, who can help her brain the image out of her mind?

    Blugh!!~~~~

    Many thought the same.

 Chapter 273 A Delicious Meal

    "Ahhhhhh!!!~"

    The creature''s eerie voice spewed with malicious intent after leaving Cang Ingard''s body.

    It dripped with spite and curses while slowly taking form from above.

    "Curse you damn mortal. You dare disturb my feasting?"

    The creature twitched and moved the more the flies and maggots merged.

    And the more it shook, the fuller and hideous its being became.

    Just like itself, thervae on the beach trays also began growing into 4-foot tall worms of gue and disgust.

    Thervae had a ring-shaped mouth with a thousand razor teeth lined in circryers.

    Blop. Blop. Blop.

    The beings jumped on the spit as though doing a worm dance.

    And even when their bodies touched the ground after the jump, it would spew a trail of greenish gue that smelled foul and disgusting.

    Everyone was more disgusted than afraid of these now giant maggots.

    The maggots still looked like parts of their bodies were beaten off.

    And with their erged firms, many could even see the rotting insides and bugs swimming inside these Maggots.

    Reaching for his pockets, Haru already knew that the Grandmaster would leave these 3 worms to him.

    In that case, why not test his skills?

    Very swiftly, he held onto 3 papers with one hand while using his other hand to draw his weapon out.

    And like a magic trick, the 3 papers turned into pink transparent cards.

    That''s right.

    He was morefortable using cards as his weapon.

    For now, he could only draw out at most 3 cards without going overboard.

    In the future, he hoped to be able to draw out an entire deck of 52 and even more.

    Who was he? Haru, the magician!

    Ghu Sota who saw this, was once again going crazy.

    "F***! Gambit! Gambit! He''s definitely Gambit or Gambit''s cousin."

    Sota smacked his face on the formation wall, leaning in so close as though he wanted to be one with the wall.

    X-men! X-men!

    To Sota, Dorian was a Saiyan, and Haru was part of the X-men.

    Dammit!

    When would he get his one power?

    Could it be that he would be spiderman?

    Hooray. The academy was about to open in just 7 more days.

    His time to discover his powers was so close, yet so far away.

    Hooray! Hooray!

    He, Sota, would be a power user!

    (^?^)

    It wasn''t just Sota who was shocked, but everyone else.

    They looked at Haru as though saying: You can do this too?

    Everything was taken aback in awe.

    But this was just the beginning.

    .

    Dorian looked at the creature before him, slowly forming his famous golden mallet.

    When you see a fly, what else can you do but swish it?

    Hanging the giant mallet twice bigger than his size, Dorian ced it over his shoulder, looking like a video game character.<sub> </sub>

    Did someone call for an exterminator?

    Flick.~

    Dorian threw a talisman on Cang Ingard, and a blue spherical fall covered the boy.

    He wouldn''t want this thing to try going back in, would he?

    As for the bigger formation around them, there was a reason why he made it take up 1/3 of the vast room.

    One hand on his mallet over his shoulder, head tilted to the sidezily, Dorian stared at the being with an unprecedented glint in his eyes.

    Why make the formation so big?

    Well... The bigger the space, the better the battle arena.

    .

    All this happened in no more than 1 minute and a half.

    The creature cursed with heavy sarcasm, wanting to inflict fear on the group.

    It was in its DNA to act like this.

    Fear was what it enjoyed and fed from.

    The more fearful its prey or those who stand in its way be, the bigger its attacking point and the better its advantages.

    And in truth, the moment its voice rang out like a thousand goats throttling in a ughterhouse, everyone else had deep chills in this hot summertime.

    Their throats had constricted and their legs wobbly.

    For a moment, they also began seeing the defeat of the duo. The thing''s majesty and voice were alreadyced with the power to magnify any fear rooted in their hearts and minds.

    If they were on a battlefield, they would have hesitated to take the shot, dying things and already taking themselves as dead.

    This was the power those birthed from the abyss had.

    Do you have fear in you? Well then, your fear will be your end!

    And sure enough, some got to their knees in horror at the now hideous being so big that its back was hunched against the ceiling, covering the space like the ps of a cobra.

    No matter how you look at it, Dorian was a child before this towering being.

    And coupled with its phantom cologne and hideous appearance, who wouldn''t feel defeated at first nce?

    So delicious!

    "Hahahhahahaha~ Now you know fear?"

    The fear it smelled was so tasty that it wanted to rush to the group and devour them now!

    Even the giant maggots by Haru had now turned their attention to the group outside the formation walls.

    So good. So good...

    The giant creature licked its lips, enjoying the fear it smelt.

    A dangerous thought passed through its mind.

    The reason it chose Cang Ingard was that after revealing itself, Cang Ingards fear shot off the roof, almost leaving the bit in a state of cardiac arrest.

    How cowardly can you be to give off such immense fear levels?

    With this prey of his, he nned to devour and enjoy every bit he consumed.

    But who would''ve thought these annoying mortals would forcefully drag him out before him with lesser strengths?

    He searched their strengths, only to find the one before him still a mortal with no powers.

    How insulting!

    Looking at Dorian, it didn''t take him seriously, deciding to deal with him fast before eating this tasty meal of fear on the other side.

    At least the mortal had managed to bring him more snacks with good fear levels in them.

    And because they were rted to Cang Ingard, his devouring would be easier than finding a newer person.

    The strings of fate connected many together. That''s why they, underworld beings, always attacked people linked to one another.

    Dorian calmly brushed his hair backward.

    Time to end things once and for all.

 Chapter 274 The Mighty Grandmaster

    Dorian stared at the creaturezily.

    But in the next second, he was done.

    What?

    Where was he?

    The creature began feeling a ting of anxiety in its hearts.

    Bam!

    It smashed against the formation wall like a bug.

    "You!!!~~~"

    The pain was immense.

    The heavenly energy wrapped around the mallet was too painful against its kind.

    Its body suddenly cracked, with streaks of golden light on the spot the giant malletnded.

    The creature''s eyes became dodging and unfocused the more it stared at the cracks on its body.

    What? How? When? Who? You?

    It stared at Dorian as though trying to bore a while into him.

    How can this be?

    How can someone with no strength and such a vicious blow?

    It staggered while trying to unster itself from the walls.

    And for the first time, it felt fear from its food.

    Dammit!

    "Die for me, mortal!!"

    With a move so fast that the audience couldn''t see, it created over 50 Spiky hands with merged flies and maggots.

    The dark hands changed into de-like structures, all heading towards Dorian.

    Its eyes grew crazed, and its entire being was focused on executing this move.

    .

    "Mortal, I''ve got you now!"

    The creature smiled viciously, watching its ck des move dangerously towards the mortal.

    However, things didn''t go as expected.

    TING!

    All 50 des were stopped by the giant mallet that once again expanded in size.

    F***! Can he do this too?

    The audience was going crazy, watching Dorian''s moves.

    Oh... But this was nothingpared to his many actions that were yet toe.

    Pah!

    The creature found itself ttened on the walls like any other housefly.

    Its eyes were red with unwillingness, finding it too insulting.

    Why does this mortal like ttening him to the walls? Can''t you just beat him like you would to any other person?

    It inwardly grumbled about its predicament, forgetting that it was indeed a fly. And the human reaction to flies was to swat them dead.

    E~~

    Many twisted their faces in disgust, seeing the massive green yucky slim on the walls.

    Though the battle was awe-inspiring, it was still very disgusting.

    What''s more, every time the creature would get smacked, a stream of dead rotted bugs would fall out too.

    But it looked like they weren''t the only ones disgusted because in the next second, they saw Dorian take out a pair of white gloves, putting them on.

    White?... Are you sure you want to go with white in this situation?

    Many couldn''t help feeling pity that such a good glove would be wasted like this.

    They arched their brow at the strange scene before them?

    What did he want to do?

    With gloved hands, Dorian gripped the being from its neck, dragging it off the walls.

    It was time for round 2.

    .

    Swish!

    Harry flicked his cards like gambit,nding all 3 cards on the heads of these 3 squirming maggots.

    Bullseye!

    The maggots cried in pain, also feeling the divine energy from the cards.

    Haru stood majestically, raising his hand towards his cards.<sub> </sub>

    "Grow!"

    Boom!

    The cards erged to 3-feet tall, imminently affecting the 4-foot maggots.

    Slice!

    The sharp edges sliced the maggots into half but didn''t seed in killing them.

    However, he did kill one of their hearts.

    "Come back."

    Swish!

    The cards turned smaller, gluingck into his hands like a boomerang.

    And subconsciously, Haru made a cool stance, holding the cards underneath his eyes as though holding an ancient fan.

    So awesome!

    Cang Ingard woke up to such a scene, thinking he was dreaming.

    Could it be that after that creature killed him, he had sessfully gone into the afterlife?

    Was this a mother world simr to his? Was transmigration truly real? Was this the start of his protagonist journey?

    (*O*)

    Like they say, birds of the same feather flock together.

    The stupid Cang Ingard was as stupid as his ''boss,'' Ghu Sota.

    Almost no one was paying attention to him. Their eyes were all on the many quick lights happening before them.

    And though Haru was fierce and strong, they had to admit that the Grandmaster did instill a sense of reverence and deep fear in them.

    .

    "Stop for me, you lowly mortal!"

    Bam!

    "You bastard mortal! Why don''t you fight fair?"

    Bam!

    "Are you deaf? I said stop for me!"

    Bam!

    "Wait! Wait! I can give you anything you want! I can give you wealth, power, women, anything! Just let me go, and I will--..."

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Pah! Bam!

    (-_-)

    Everyone didn''t know how to feel, seeing the once frightening creature at the mercy of the Grandmaster.

    Why did it seem like they were witnessing a crime?

    Maybe because of human nature.

    But when seeing anything get beaten so much at a disadvantage, human nature was to feel a little embarrassed.

    It was akin to seeing a cat get eaten mercilessly. Even if one were not a cat lover, they would stand up and tell the beater that it was enough.

    That was just how the majority of humans were. Even if they didn''t stand up to stop it, they would feel embarrassed.

    I mean... Didn''t this look like bullying?

    Though feeling ufortable seeing such a beatdown, they didn''t feel the need to stop the Grandmaster''s actions.

    After all, this thing wasn''t even human or animal and was after their lives.

    So as uneasy as it was to watch, they still felt the creature deserved it.

    Hmph!

    Who made it bully their Ingard family?

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Dorian continued to beat it until Haru destroyed all 3 hearts embedded in each maggot.

    Though Dorian could''ve wrapped things up in seconds, he still had a duty to train Haru and the rest as exorcists.

    Thus, he had to let Haru handle the maggots until the end. Of course, if Haru took too long, he would have to step in and finish the job.

    It''s only been at most 8 minutes since they began.

    [You did well. But you took too much time to deal with such a weak creature.]

    Haru nodded after inwardly hearing Dorian''s words.

    He wasn''t offended by the Grandmaster''s critique, feeling proud receiving Dorian''s evaluation.

    It was true that such a creature was weak.

    So if he couldn''t act faster with this weakling, when more powerful onese his way, what would he do then?

 Chapter 275 Job Completed: Cang Ingard Awakens

    The moment Haru defeated all 3 maggots, they turned into rotated seeds with a moldy outer skin.

    And in a sh, they flew into the giant Insect''s body.

    Haru guessed they should be puppets or part of the creature the Grandmaster was dealing with.

    So mysterious?

    Everyone was taken aback, inwardly wanting answers but not daring to ask.

    A moment ago, if someone would''ve told them that such creatures exist in their world, they would call the psychiatric office on the person.

    But now, their eyes were open, and a certain level of fear took root in their hearts.

    Now, they would never look at food the same way again.

    Wasn''t it through the peaches that this creature managed to get their son?

    Whether it was beans, rice, wheat, or any other thing, they secretly swore to double-check right down to the properties before putting it in their mouths.

    Or else wouldn''t they just be eating maggots like Ingard young master?

    Say no more! They were now food activists!

    (*^*)

    .

    Flick.

    An ancient-looking brown cover book no floated towards Haru from the box.

    The pages turned, seeking at a certain page of spells.

    With Dorian''smand, Haru began reading the 5th spell while Dorian did another.

    And soon, the candles began to flicker violently.

    "Let all dangerse into one. Enter the vessel, be one!"

    A non-physical storm urred inside the formation.

    And if the audience had a third eye, they would be able to see various purple and green particles twirling around the room like a tornado, getting sucked into the badly beaten up creature.

    Whether it was the fallen dead Bush or any crashing on the floor, they broke down into various particles like sand grains.

    And as they forcefully glowed in, the creature began screaming in pain.

    "Ahhhhhhhh~~~~!

    It wasn''t the pain of his kind going in but that caused by the little divine energies that carried the evil into his body.

    So painful! So painful!

    His belly, legs, and the rest of his body began glowing golden with every iing evil essence and heavenly aura that flowed in.

    It hurts!...

    His body started walking and cracking even more.

    And the faster the duo''s chants, the more fierce the attack.

    .

    Cling.

    The creature felt invisible chains ced on its body.

    In the mortal eye, its body might be breaking down and disappearing.

    But from just eyes and that of Dorian''s, it just meant that it was transitioning to enter judgment.

    It would be invisible to humans. But that doesn''t mean it wasn''t there.

    At least, until thest bit of evil qi was stripped out, it wouldn''t leave yet.

    "No! No!... I don''t want to! I''ve lived for just 190 years. It''s not enough! Do you know how much work that is?!! I want to be a Goblin lord!!"

    The creature screamed, seeing its dream of bing a powerful goblin going far away.

    That''s right.

    It was a goblin. But not the most popr type.<sub> </sub>

    In the underworld, there were over 100 types of Goblins. And it was a Fly Goblin.

    And just like every other underworld creature that daydreams of ruling the underworld as one of the Prince''s right-hand people or bing a prince or princess, it too was unwilling to go down like this.

    At this point, it also realized that Dorian was an exorcist.

    What a bunch of liars!

    Didn''t those bastards in the underworld send it here to cause havoc, saying there were no exorcists in this world?

    Thesest few years have seen the most massive glow of creatures into this particr world.

    It didnt know why those above in Underworld big shots would do so.

    All it knew was that they told it to make as much trouble and chaos as possible.

    Just like many beings here, it was just sent here to cause chaos

    No exorcists? Then why was it now sent to its death?

    It was just not fair!!!

    The creature had no tears but wanted to cry!

    In its final moments, though it still hated Dorian, most of its hate went to those bastards in the underworld that schemed against it.

    They definitely lied to him about the exercise matter, sending it to its death.

    (:Y^Y:)

    .

    Like so, the creature met its end with a thousand regrets and curses at heart.

    And the moment thest piece of evil qi was stripped off his body and purified, the golden chains dragged its invisible body away.

    Once exorcized, underworld beings wouldn''t return to the abyss but get reincarnated as innate objects like stones for thousands and thousands of years.

    Of course, if they had never done any harm to humans or animals yet, the situation would be slightly different. Though they would still go through a meticulous and rigorous process to cleanse their being from every in-built emotion the abyss gave them.

    Exorcism over.

    Dorian opened his eyes, subconsciously inspecting the ce.

    Of course before the exorcism, he had taken down the formation around Cang, just in case any evil essence was hiding away.

    Is it over?

    Everyone looked at each other, wondering whether to ask or not.

    Vmm!

    Dorian took down the main formation, and Cang Ingard finally sat up, reminding many why they were there in the first ce.

    "Cang!"

    "You master!"

    "Buddy!!!!"

    Zee, Lishu, the guards, and Sota all eximed joyfully.

    They wanted to rush towards him but felt their feet heavy.

    Hey... Wasn''t it a while ago that they thought he was okay only to see flies, maggots, and other bugs fly out of him?

    Don''t me them for being cautious.

    For all they knew, he could be a vampire now.

    Zee''s ball bobbed along his throat anxiously. "Grandmaster... Our son... Cang is alright, yes?"

    "Hmmm..." Dorian replied. "He is back to his former self, though his body needs nourishment."

    "Then, what can we do to nourish it?" Lishu was worried.

    Her son was truly pitiful.

    "I do have quite a few things on hand to help with this matter. But first, let''s talk about the price."

 Chapter 276 A Handsome Youth

    As usual, Dorian charged them truthfully, but the couple gave him a bonus as thanks for saving their son.

    They also paid for the pendants Dorian carved before them, as well as 2 bluish potions that Cang Ingard was to drink once a day.

    Everyone listened attentively, not wanting to miss out on a single instruction.

    Bam.

    The carved wooden box was tightly shut, subconsciously letting them know that this was the end of this matter.

    Like so, Sota followed the duo out like a sidekick, not even wanting to spend more time with his once dying friend.

    [Cang Ingard]: (-_-)... Buddy, seeing that I just whole up, why not stay back and tell me all that happened during my slumber?

    [Sota]: No time!

    The foolish duo didn''t give each other face. Hey, in the face of someone as great as Dorian, who would choose to hang out with Cang Ingard?

    What''s more, Sota still hadn''t convinced Dorian to take him in as an apprentice or disciple.

    So he had other things to worry about!

    Since the duo hade in Sota''s vehicle, he used this excuse, saying that since he brought them over, it was only natural for him to take them back.

    Cang Ingard was inwardly rolling his eyes at his boss.

    But more than anything else, he was shocked that Dorian, their boss''s enemy, was the one who saved him.

    This was a life-saving grace that he would never forget!

    Bowing his head, he apologized for his past, not knowing that even the original Dorian didn''t take note of him.

    Like so, the Ingards all stood outside, seeing Dorian off.

    Vrmmm!

    The Ghu vehicles left the estate.

    Everything now seemed calm, cool, and rxed.

    But in another city a little further out, the opposite was true.

    .

    --City C.--

    Out on a vast piece ofnd on the city''s outskirts, arge congregation had gathered, overlooking thend.

    The wealthy dawned neat, clean, and well-fitted attires that screamed luxury.

    And for some others in the group, they had name tags around their necks and wore ordinarypany getups.

    In the group, some of thesepany females were blushing, looking their best to catch the eyes of the wealthy, while others focused on scoring big with this opportunity.

    And very nervously, the lead employee in the group stepped forward. "Sirs... Madams... Is it all to your liking?"

    The employee talked to the leading wealthy youth that looked no more than 26.

    The youth was so handsome and blinding that it was hard not for anydy to blush. Even the men had to admit defeat in the face of such youth.

    They only had one question in their mind: Do you have sisters?

    Such a youth must have breathtaking siblings too, no?

    When had they ever seen such a good-looking person before?

    They dared to say he was the most good-looking man in the world!

    And since the others in the wealthy group seemed to look up to him, the employees also focused on pleasing their money bag.

    Crouching down, the youth reached for the ground and ran his hands across the grass field as though inspecting it by touch.

    The employees inwardly rolled their eyes, feeling that the wealthy were too pretentious. How can your touch evaluation be better than that of the many scientists and governmentnd and survey workers whom they had cheerily to check thend?<sub> </sub>

    Please!

    .

    The employees had thoughts of their own but didn''t say a thing.

    Their faces were filled with smiles that hadn''t changed from beginning to end.

    Even if these wealthy people called them blockheads, fools, or even morons, they would still have the same smile on their faces.

    F***! Do you know how much these people offered to pay to buy thend?

    Smile... Just smile!

    With themission they make, they would be truly livingrge!!!

    It was just that while waiting for these people to make up their minds, many employees felt like the world was spinning chaotically.

    They even began praying to the make-believe God of science to convince these people that thend was as good with no issues, just as the report said!!

    Fingers crossed, hearts hanging, smiles in full bloom, everyone looked at the leading wealthy youth with expectations.

    And soon, they got the answer they wanted to hear.

    "Where do we sign?"

    Boom!

    A massive explosion went off in their minds. And the employees beganughing and throwing rainbow farts at the group of wealthy people.

    "Sir! I guarantee that you won''t regret this move! Thend is good and in a developing ce in the city outskirts that is now picking up rapidly. h, h, h, h, h."

    While the wealthy man focused on signing, more and more rainbow farts were thrown his way.

    "Once again, thank you, Mr. Morningstar. Ourpany will email all the details."

    The contract was signed, and the employees left the scene with gleeful expressions.

    Now... The only ones still around were the wealthy men, women, and their guards.

    .

    Thend was massive, with quite a few forest regions scattered about.

    If thisnd were to be used for a futurepany site or even a massive hotel resort, the trees would have to be removed, and thend leveled.

    Thend would also be suitable for a massive estate or even a small mountain bike riding park.

    With the amount these wealthy people paid, thend bought was of course enormous.

    "Stand guard."

    "Yes, leader." The guards in ck replied, guing to stand all across the perimeters of thend.

    With that, the young 26-year-old-looking youth led the group towards one of the forest zones.

    One step forward, another step in the same direction.

    Everyone moved with ease in absolute silence until they came to the very heart of the small forest-like terrain.

    10 men and women stood in a circle, with the youth at the center.

    And in one blink, the man''s pupil''s turned red.

    Plop.

    All ten went on their knees.

    "Prince of Pride, we humbly kneel before you! You may but speak, and we will do whatever youmand!"

 Chapter 277 Mr. Morningstar

    Before them was being whom many trembled and feared.

    Lucifer Morningstar.

    Not only because it was the name of an underworld prince, but because he was also the twin brother of Micheal, the archangel!

    They looked exactly the same.

    If not for their energies being different, one could confuse them for the other.

    Another thing that irked them was that in many other worlds, many mortals would confuse their Prince of Pride with Satan, the Prince of Wrath.

    They werepletely different, with the only simrity being that they were once Allen angles.

    Where did their Prince of Pride resemble the prince of Wrath?

    Fortunately, the matter was surprisingly corrected after Satan''s son killed him ages ago.

    Yes! Satan''s son was now one of those newbie princes who kept going against them.

    Their Prince did warn Satan to kill off any treacherous offsprings birthed from his many consorts.

    It was better to kill and EAT these offspring the moment they started getting too rebellious.

    But Satan seemed to feel that he always had things under control. And because of this, his demise was quite ironic.

    He died from his son''s hand, as well as his beloved consort''s hands.

    Lucifer sneered the day he got the news.

    He had warned Satan because they too were blood brothers.

    Yes!

    Angel Micheal was his twin brother, but that didn''t mean he didn''t have other siblings.

    Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, and many were his siblings... including Satan!

    The family tree was quiterge. And now, he was fighting against his siblings above in the heavens while some of them fell into the abyss.

    .

    Fate was a strange thing.

    His own twin brother Micheal had personally sent him off to the abyss, telling him how disjointed he was with him and all that bullsh**.

    Apart from the almighty, the person Lucifer hated the most was his twin brother.

    Growing up, they were so close to one another, always having each other''s back andpleting assignments together.

    But when he brought in the matter of rebellion, his brother didn''t stand with him, betraying him without hesitation.

    The betrayal hurt him more than the Almighty''s betrayal.

    Lucifer swore that the day he graced heaven once more, he would show his brother what real betrayal felt like!

    Of course, ever since he came to the abyss, he also hated his brother for having the same mortal-like face as him.

    Though he could shift and change his pretense to his liking, why was he the one who had to change?

    Because of the abyss, his appearance changed quite a bit with his natural hair from blonde toplete ck.

    .

    Additionally, he developed a demonic skin akin to that of the creatures here.

    He now had horns, and his once feathered wings now looked like bat wings with sharp tooth-like pointy ends.

    His entire being, though highly handsome, still gave off a devilish charm instead of a saintly one.

    How much did Lucifer hate his twin, Micheal? A lot.

    He had been brooding this hate for millenniums since the beginning of time.

    So even if he went for therapy, how could his hate quench all out this fast?

    Impossible!

    He had to touch Micheal''s eyes out, feed them to the bastard, cut off his wings like chicken feathers, slice his skinyer byyer, roast him over a short, and so much, much more to relieve a bit of that anger.

    And as the days went by, Lucifer was more and more in a good mood when thinking of their n toe.

    They were all this close to obtaining the world power surrounding this world.

    Once they take cosmic power, it will be the start of their journey to the top!

    This time, they will fight the angels with all they''ve got!

    Their only worry was the 3 newbie Princes that kept trying to stand in their way!

    No! This couldn''t continue.<sub> </sub>

    Within the next 2 years, they had to kill these princes to ensure sess.

    As for the humans, they were of no threat to them. So why bother looking over them?

    They''ve been in this world since the birth of this world in the cosmo, and nothing has ever changed.

    So within the next 2 years, what could these humans possibly do to deter their ns?

    Absolutely NOTHING!

    .

    The group still stayed on their knees in silence.

    And Lucifer also joined them, though looking at a certain tree with a slight smile on his face.

    "Old friend... I know that''s you."

    Lucifer spoke to the stupid-looking fiery bird swinging around on a strong twig.

    **freeze**

    The bird stopped its act before bursting out inughter

    "Hey... No fair. How do you always know it''s me?"

    Puff!

    A cheeky elf-like being, slim, tall, handsome, and wearing a reddish attire, appeared.

    His hair was also fiery. And his already red attire wasced with a few golden patterns.

    He was a being with the power of fore and shapeshifting.

    "Old friend, I see you''re up to no good as usual. So... Did you bring it?"

    Lucifer stared at the cheeky Loki with a slight smile on his face.

    Loki was the only friend of his from above that still kept in contact with him, though discreetly.

    Well, they did see one another once every 300~500 years or so.

    And this much was always a mystery to Lucifer.

    How could Loki keep passing under the radar like this?

    If any other Gods, angles, or even lesser beings tried this, they would get caught on the spot. But not Loki.

    This lesser God of mischief always had the most surprising means to get what he wanted.

    "This is what you wanted?" Loki waved a small box before him with a sly smile stered on his face.

    .

    Mischievous!

    That smile... Lucifer was too familiar with that smile that kept him on defense.

    And for the umpteenth time, he asked the question he had always been asking.

    "Old friend, how do you always do it?"

    "Friend, a magician must always keep his tricks a secret... Or don''t you know that? Sigh... There is always a blind spot in everything. If you can take advantage of it, you can even kill the entire heavens together."

    "Then why don''t you tell me? Don''t you know how much of a help that would be to me?"

    Loki made an apple appear out of thin air,zily chewing on it.

    "Tell you? No way. Everything and everyone''s actions are made for my entertainment and amusement. So if you reach the heavens and kill everyone this very day, won''t it be too boring to watch?"

    "_"

    "Well. Time''s up. I have to leave before they notice my presence in this world." Loki said, dusting the grass off his clothes in a yful manner.

    "Well, good luck, buddy. Make sure to keep it interesting."

    Puff!

    He was gone.

    "_"

    Lucifer looked heavenward with a helpless yet annoyed expression.

    Though Loki didn''t ask for anything in return, Lucifer knew that Loki''s greatest joy was in watching chaos unfold.

    The guy didn''t even care who would win a battle, provided it was chaotic.

    Why did he feel that if Loki were actually a fallen god in the underworld, he would''ve long been able to reach the heavens within the first decades of his descent?

 Chapter 278 What A Friend

    "Hahahaha~... Old friend, why the long face?" Loki patted Lucifer''s shoulders as though dusting them off.

    "Hey now. I know you''re going to miss me. But you don''t have to start crying about it. Believe me. I understand how you feel. If I had an awesome friend like myself who is extremely handsome and talented, I too wouldn''t want them to leave. Sadly, I''m the only one of my kind."

    [Lucifer]: "_" be honest. You''re just indirectly saying I''m not as smart and talented as you, aren''t you?

    Lucifer honestly felt like strangling this friend of his to death.

    When they were in the heavens, this guy would always y pranks on him and others. What was so annoying was that he was so good at what he did.

    To this very day, none of them knew how he moved or did the things he did. And quite honestly, he also started to believe that even the Almighty might not know.

    Or else, how could this guy be left to cause so much trifle like this?

    Even the more prominent gods and fairies fell prey to Loki''s schemes.

    The guy might be thin and weak looking, but his mind was one of the sharpest ever.

    No matter what system was put in ce, Loki could find loopholes in seconds.

    But finding and using these loopholes were different matters altogether.

    .

    <o>,m Loki was a strange one.</o>

    He could clearly use so many loopholes to his advantage. But choose not to, taking the hardest, most chaotic, and dramatic way ever to achieve his goal.

    In the end, if something was too easy or not entertaining enough, Loki would spice it up to his liking.

    And though he called Loki ''friend,'' Lucifer knew that this guy could watch him fall with a smile on his face.

    Loki was only friends with himself, and everyone else was a pawn to his amusement.

    It''s likely that he only helped Lucifer and the rest because he wanted to see the big battle unfold.

    The heavens guarded against him and even those in the Underworld guarded against him.

    Loki could help or stab one anyway, anytime, depending on his mood.

    Honestly, he was one of the scariest beings Lucifer had ever seen.

    Loki''s main powers were shapeshifting and fire, hence his fiery hair.

    These were good and all.

    But to Lucifer and many, what made him scary was his mind and not his actual strength.

    Loki has done quite a lot yet was hardly punished.

    Lucifer also felt that even the Almighty knew that if he sent Loki to the Underworld, things would go upside down.

    It was probably why they kept him in the heavens where they could see him.

    His punishment was to be locked up in certain ces that trapped him there for thousands and thousands of years until the time was up.

    It was funny because those ces were now like second homes to Loki.

    He was a lesser God, yet he had managed to crack the code for a few of these ces.

    And sure enough, whenever he did this, he would sneak out of the heavens and return before they noticed.

    .

    At present, Loki should be locked up.

    Yet, here he was, smiling like a ''fool'' with a harmless expression.

    Time here was way faster than in the heavens, giving Loki some ying time.

    But unfortunately, it would never be more than 3 hours in the mortal realm.

    Why?

    Because this was the furthest code, he cracked.<sub> </sub>

    Before, he could only flee to the mortal realm for 10 minutes. But now, he could stay here for 3 hours.

    Hehehhehe~

    In every prison they ced Loki in, he kept escaping and cracking the codes and restraints.

    This was also why his holding ce was changed now and then after various punishments.

    He was giving the heavens all the headache they could get.

    What''s more, he was indirectly involved with the big battle against the almighty that pushed Lucifer into the underworld. Yet he was left unaffected except for being held in a holding ce.

    Typically, punishments in the heavens were also harsher than what Loki went through.

    Some received thousands and millions of bolts from the almighty; others passed through a millennium of deadly punishments, etc.

    But with Loki, if you give him any harsher forms of punishment, one could unleash the beast in him.

    If he got filled with rage, hate, and all sorts of emotions, you best believe he would be a superviin.

    That''s why they threaded on thin lines when dealing with Loki.

    Tsk.

    To think that this lesser God was more intimidating than many more prominent established gods.

    .

    Lucifer looked at Loki''s harmless smile in silence.

    He didn''t trust this friend of his one bit!

    But what could he do? Even if he tried to hide information away from Loki, the guy always seemed to have a way of knowing every little secret. So one has no choice but to act cordially with the troublemaker.

    "Old friend, shouldn''t you be leaving?"

    Didn''t this bastard already say that he had to leave before the heavens found him out?

    Loki vanished and appeared sitting on a massive rock a few steps away.

    Why not just walk over there? What''s with the show and tell?

    Loki''s smile grew even broader than before.

    "I just remembered something. Not too long ago, your darling twin brother visited me at my holding."

    Boom!

    Lucifer''s body froze. And almost impediment, a thick murderous aura floated out.

    "You saw him?"

    "Hmhm... He still looks just like you, except for his blond hair and beautiful feathered wings. It''s so cute how he always lectures me to change. Ah-... But don''t worry, I didn''t tell him about your ns. So... quench that aura of yours... Friend."

    Loki also unleashed his aura before suddenly withdrawing it andughing sheepishly.

    Bastard!

    Lucifer was almost going insane, inwardly hoping that Loki didn''t say a word.

    As he said, Loki was no one''s FRIEND!

    His only guarantee was that Loki wanted to see the big war unfold.

    So he was 90% sure that Loki won''t say a thing.

    But there was still that 10% uncertainty that always kept him on edge.

    Lucifer''s eyes turned cold. "For our friendship''s sake, I hope you''re telling the truth!"

    "Naturally... friend."

 Chapter 279 [Bonus Chapter]An Interesting Sight

    "Well... I''ve delivered what you asked. And look. As a good friend, I didn''t even request anything in return. So shouldn''t you thank me?"

    "That depends, friend... Shouldn''t you be leaving too?"

    Go! Go for this, daddy!

    Don''t keep making his underworld blood pressure rise up and down.

    If possible, Lucifer would''ve loved to punch this bastard, sending him flying.

    Sure enough. He only mentioned his twin brother to make him angry.

    Lucifer ced his hand on his chest, inwardly chanting patient words on his mind.

    Can you just go already?

    Even Lucifer''s subordinates, who still had their faces down and one knee to the ground, also had these same thoughts.

    This wasn''t their first rodeo with Loki. Yet, their experience with him had always been the same.

    What a sneaky, scheming, and annoying person!

    If not that their prince and many others needed his help, who would want to stay close to this snake?

    Even as underworld creatures, they had to admit that this guy was too much.

    Puff!

    Loki turned into a fiery-colored bird.

    "Alright, friend. I''m leaving for good this time. So don''t miss me too much. And oh... Say hell to Beelzebub and the rest. Hehehe... I''m rooting for you guys. Taleo~... Goodbye."

    Loki pped his wings and vanished in a block of an eye.

    Lucifer stood on the spot, watching the direction he vanished.

    He didn''t feel the guy around the vicinity for miles away.

    So he should''ve gone straight back to the heavens as he said, no?

    Forget it.

    Lucifer quickly threw all thoughts about Loki aside.

    He had bigger things to focus on.

    Loki had delivered something he had searched for billions and billions of years with failure.

    It was a piece that would allow them to harness the cosmic world power when the shakes begin to break.

    Amongst Lucifer and his other 3 Princerades, each of them had a duty to fulfill before the big battle.

    Beelzebub had the finger with him, he looked for this, and the others had their duties.

    They all had to work together to see it through.

    .

    With expectant eyes, Lucifer opened the box Loki gave him.

    But soon, his smile froze and turned distorted.

    In the box was just one of the 5 pieces he had to gather.

    And of course, there was also a note.

    [My dearest friend. Though I could''ve retrieved all 5 pieces, I decided not to. As your good buddy, I always want the best for you. So I''ve decided to let you exercise a bit more often. That''s why I''ve thrown the other 4 pieces in the strongest mortal worlds guarded by the many strongest angels... In particr, your dear brother is guarding one of them... That said, because I''m a nice person, I''ve decided to narrow your search within the many strong worlds. All 4 items you seek are within 4 of the first 30 worlds ever made in mankind''s history. These are the worlds that started it all. They are the most heavily guarded and blessed worlds.. And now, here''s a piece of advice to you friend... It''s best you find what you''re looking for before those watching over these words find them. Well, that''s it from your amazing friend. Bye~~]

    1, 2, 3...

    Boom!!

    Lucifer smashed the ground in rage.

    Bastard! Snake! Son of b**ch!<sub> </sub>

    Lucifer''s body began to change the angrier he got.

    Damn that trickster!

    Whose side was he on?

    Doesn''t he know that those worlds were the first ever to be created by the almighty? They are like the pointer worlds, with Gabriel and many others explicitly looking after them like babies.

    To sneak in alone was hard. So imagine finding what he wanted without releasing his underworld aura and getting caught?

    Lucifer took multiple breaths, knowing that there was no other way.

    He had to go to these ces and retrieve them.

    .

    Very quickly, Lucifer withdrew his horns and slimmed his body back to normal. And as he did so, the turn prices of flesh in his body began self-healing.

    "I''ll be leaving for a long time. As for you all, leave things in the mortal world for now and head back to the underworld to prepare the army, not just for the big battle ahead, but to also clean up the forces under the reign of those newbie princes."

    Like he said, the matter of these princes must be handled fast.

    Over the past few years, they had gotten too bold, attacking his men and even trying to conquer his ins.

    But that wasn''t all. They also tried to stop his people''s activities in all other major worlds he focused on.

    If things go on like this, they will fail before leaving the underworld with their armies.

    That''s why these newbie princes must be killed... Or at least restrained.

    It was also best to strike these bastards while the iron was hot.

    "Your wish is ourmand, Prince of Pride...

    We will prepare for war!"

    Whoosh!

    All 10 men and women vanished, heading straight down to the underworld nes.

    Alright.

    Lucifer headed out of the site, entering his vehicles alongside the many guards previously surrounding the perimeters.

    Before he took off, he had a days'' worth of matters to round up on.

    His first matter was on thisnd he acquired. It was a perfect spot for nting one of the 5 item pieces he needed.

    He would''ve loved to nt these items now.

    Too bad the trickster had only given him 1.

    The other 4, he would have to retrieve for himself.

    "Drive."

    Vrmmmmm!~~

    The many streams of vehicles took off.

    Like so, another big force was pulled away from this world''s matters, thinking nothing could possibly happen in their absence.

    But while they didn''t notice it, someone else did.

    p. p. p.~

    A fiery bird suddenly froze aftering face to face with a bizarre situation.

    An exorcist, here in this world?

    The bird''s lips raised high like that of a human''s.

    How interesting.

 Chapter 280 Lokis Interest

    Whoosh!

    In no time, the birdnded on a tree.

    In just a blink of an eye, it had flown from one city to another away city as it usually did before leaving the world.

    But who would''ve known that through its swift travels, it would meet such a strange scene?

    Brrrrr~

    A fierce fire engulfed

    In a blink of an eye, a boy stood in a small secluded public park of a gatedmunity, burning a creature into dust.

    Dorian squinted his eyes, gazing at the freed man lying on the ground in running attire.

    He had just exorcized the man who was said to be missing in the gatedmunity.

    It was also a coincidence that while driving, they noticed his energying from here.

    "Shen, take him to the estate and return after handling his matter. I''ll await you here."

    "Ah-..." Butler Shen was taken aback before giving a deep now and picking the man up.

    "As you wish, Grandmaster."

    He''ll be back as soon as he can.

    As for why the Grandmaster decided to wait here rather than head back to the estate with him, Butler Shen didn''t overthink it.

    All he wanted to do now was stuff this guy into the vehicle and drive back to the estate.

    After pulling the creature out, the man had initially woken up. But soon fainted again after seeing the creature face to face.

    "..."

    .

    Without dy, Butler Shen drove the man back to the estate.

    He would leave the man with Bewoh after exining things to them.

    After all, the man still had to pay for their services as exorcists. And the Grandmaster had already told him what he owed.

    Of course, they also had to take the man into the estate carefully since they didn''t want to be mistaken as the man''s kidnappers.

    With the police and many in the gatedmunity and in the city looking for the man, things could get messy if not handled carefully.

    As for getting detained or locked up, they weren''t too bothered since Old Ghu and many others were on their side.

    If things really take a bad turn, they''ll have no choice but to rely on their connections.

    .

    In a blink of an eye, Butler Shen was off with the strange man.

    And now, the entire scene was silent, except for the few sounds from nature.

    After ensuring that no one else was stumbling into the scene or making their way here, Dorian slowly turned around to face the fiery bird on the tree.

    "Are you going to show yourself, or do we have to do this cat and mouse game all day?"

    The ordinary bird suddenly smiled creepily, with his head growing ten times bigger than its size.

    And soon, a youthful man puffed out and appeared a few inches before Dorian.

    "Bahahahaha~" the yfulughter echoed out.

    Loki was no more and more intrigued about Dorian.

    No mortal or animal should be able to notice his presence unless he chooses to reveal himself.

    And for those in the underworld and even those in the heavens, believe it or not, he could move undetected from a majority of their watchful gazes.

    .

    As it stood, even if another angel came down. Only the strongest group of them could find him, though not all the time.

    Take Lucifer, for example. There were times when the big guy had spotted him, and there were times when Loki had gone undetected.

    It was strange that he was still a lesser God after all his aplishments.<sub> </sub>

    Hair as fiery as fire, body as thin, frail yet powerful like an elf, the ability to shapeshift... Dorian''s eyes darted about this stranger in a sh.

    And soon, he had a bunch of who he might be.

    Raising his brow with azy expression on his face. "I take it you''re Loki, the God of mischief?"

    "Bingo. The one and only." Loki proudly confirmed. "I''m shocked you, a person of this world, can know of me. But that''s strange... Apart from myself, no angel or God has to this neglected world for a long, long, long... Very long time. So tell me, how could you have known?"

    This didn''t make any sense!

    Whoosh!

    Loki''s burning gazended on Dorian''s body. And soon, he was taken aback.

    This... This... How can it be?

    "Hah..." Loki''s lips quivered in shock.

    With a single look, his eyes grew stronger and stronger with undisguised glee.

    Good! Good! A new chess piece has been added to this game!

    Hahahahaha~~

    Loki was too happy that he beganughing while floating midair.

    This was a pleasant surprise that was beyond his calctions.

    Wonderful! Excellent! Marvelous!

    Loki''s smile couldn''t stop.

    And very yfully, he floated towards Dorian, whispering in his ears.

    "Interesting... Boy, do you know your identity?"

    Know his identity?

    Dorian''s expression didn''t change, as though he didn''t hear whatever Loki had said.

    But in his silence, the system was gawking nervously instead.

    .

    [Host, how can the lesser God Loki be here?]

    Isn''t he supposed to be locked up?

    Oh no! Sound the rms!

    Mayday! Mayday!

    The system went into full panic, wanting to fly to his master in the heavens and report this matter A.S.A.P.

    Nonexistent sweat had also soaked the system.

    This was the notorious Loki they were talking about.

    To the system, it was best for its host to treat Loki the same as those underworld creatures because this guy was full of mischief and lies.

    And what did it mean by asking its host about his identity?

    The system was very lost in their conversation.

    But Dorian''s heart was as calm as ever.

    "I''m just an ordinary mortal. So pray tell, what identity do you think I have?"

    "Ordinary mortal?" The corners of Loki''s lips were raised even higher. "I know what you are, and I can assure you, ordinary isn''t part of it."

    Inwardly, Loki was also baffled too.

    How can one be mortal yet not mortal at the same time?

    Loki squinted his eyes deeply.

    What exactly are you?

 Chapter 281 Lokis Suggestion

    Haha~

    Loki''s eyes tilted upwards the more heughed.

    New toy. A new toy and chess piece had been added to this fun game. So how could he not be happy?

    Immediately, his brain began to spin. And soon, a bad thought came to mind.

    ''Would it be bad if I want my dear friend to lose?''

    If Lucifer knew his thoughts, he would undoubtedly risk it all in beating the sh** out of him.

    Initially, Loki had wanted Lucifer to seed just to see what the heavens would do.

    Indeed. He wanted chaos and mischief to dill the ce to his contempt.

    But in all this, no one thought of the humans.

    Heheheheh~

    What would happen if the underdogs that no one factored in ended up victorious?

    A creepy smile stered on Loki''s face.

    Not the heavens, not Lucifer and his gang, not the newbie demons... But the weaklings no one thought of.

    Good. Good!...

    Loki licked his lips so much that he almost scabbed them away with his tongue.

    ''I''m so bad... But I like it!''

    Imagining how his dear friend''s hopes would get crushed and turned into hatred was enough to give him ecstasy.

    His friend has been working for millenniums to get to this point. Yet, it woulde crashing down with an unknown factor that they overlooked from the beginning of time.

    Chaos... Carnage... Disbelief... Unwillingness...

    Hahahahahaha~

    Humans were the new chess pieces, and already, he had decided on who would bring it the best shock and turmoil.

    Hey... You can''t me him for this.

    Who asked his so-called friends to prop themselves high to the moon?

    The greater the expectations, the bigger the disappointment.

    Would his friend have a ''heart attack?'' Will he go crazed with fury and turn berserk? How will humans deal with this? If they defeated him, wouldn''t his dear friend puke blood and faint from too much rage? How would the heavens punish his dear friend?

    Countless intriguing questions popped into Loki''s mind.

    The more he envisioned things, the more his heart trembled with glee.

    What was interesting was that he didn''t feel guilty one bit, knowing that he just saw Lucifer not too long ago.

    [Lucifer]: (--_--) So after sending me on this deadly hunt, you still have the guts not to take my side? Tell me the truth, are you just toying with me?

    .

    Loki rubbed his chin yfully.

    ''Hmmm... I still have to work with all sides, turning things to the way I want.''

    After all, how can it be fun if he didn''t add a little bit of space and sugar the closer the dateline approached?

    He might''ve already changed his mind on whom he wanted to stand victorious, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t change his mindter on.

    To him, no decision was ever permanent. It would all depend on how much this new chess piece satisfied his appetite.

    Loki''s eyes flickered with a strange yet cruel light.

    If he decided to go with Dorian and tomorrow, Dorian''s actions aren''t as entertaining to him, then changing his mind was nothing but a thought.

    And of course, to do this, wouldn''t it be right for him to sell out his Information to brutally punish this chess piece for wasting his time and attention on him?

    Because Loki was still a strange lesser God, he developed a certain level of pride etched into his veins.

    If he showed favor to a mortal, that person better be damn sure worth it, or they would have himself to contempt with.<sub> </sub>

    And believe him, he had a million ways of dealing with unwanted or broken chess pieces.

    His a dangerous stare, he squinted his eyes at Dorian.

    ''For your sake, you better be interesting and entertaining to this daddy!''

    Dorian was also observing him too.

    ''How odd... System, he has noticed you.''

    [Ah!-... Host, host... How do you know?]

    ''Take it as a feeling... You''re too stupid to understand.''

    ["..."]

    Whose side was its host on again?

    What did it do you warrant this insult?

    Aggrieved.

    The system had no tears but wanted to cry.

    .

    Oh?

    The corners of Dorian''s lips tilted ever so slightly.

    Even though Loki was a lesser God, his antics and ingeniousness were known to exorcists and ordinary mortals in many worlds.

    A lesser God who could do so much to the main gods only meant his capabilities were far from few.

    Even now, he was supposed to be locked up, yet he had bypassed the ''security'' put in ce by those prominent Gods and had ventured through the cosmos undetected.

    So wasn''t it strange that he couldn''t see the system?

    ''How intriguing. It looks like my idiotic system is far more valuable than I thought.''

    Even the other prominent Gods and Goddesses might not be able to spot it.

    So how powerful was the being that created it? Did that being know something about himself?

    Was it truly an ''error'' for him toe into this world? His stupid system might think this, but Dorian didn''t believe it.

    When he arrived in this world, the system had said it had brought the wrong host over.

    However, as time passed by, it was more apparent he was brought here on purpose.

    Coincidences of this kind were too unbelievable.

    But was also strange was himself and his sense of familiarity with the several more polished spells and books granted to him by the system.

    <o>,m Several factors made him doubt himself.</o>

    But if not that he had checked his soul essence and being, he would''ve sworn he wasn''t mortal.

    Dorian''s interest in the system''s master was once again piqued.

    Who was it?

    Who designed him toe here?

    .

    Looking at Loki, Dorian decided to put the matter of his strangeness behind him.

    "God Loki, I''m a busy man who doesn''t like to ramble. So just cut to the chase ande out with it... What do you want with me?"

    What did he want?

    Heh.

    With a yful expression on his face, Loki floated beside him.

    "What if I told you I wanted to help you?"

 Chapter 282 A Good Pat On The Back

    "Grandmaster, I have returned."

    Opening the limo''s door, Butler Shen quickly sent his master in, fearing that he might''ve taken too long to return.

    ''Hmm...''

    Dorian answered very lightly, sitting in the vehicle.

    A gave one brief look at the forest. And soon, they were off.

    Make a deal with that trickster? No way.

    Dorian had neither epted nor shown interest in whatever the man had to say.

    Their conversation had gone a little something like this.

    [Loki]: You have a lot of enemies, so why don''t I help you free of charge?

    [Dorian]: Thank you, but I think I can manage things for now. How much more interesting would it be to have me win without anyone''s help?

    His words had not only made Loki overly excited but had also saved his neck too.

    He didn''t want that troublemaker butting into his work and ns in and out. So to make the guy let him be, this was the only way.

    Dorian had more or less grasped the mindset of this perverted and sick God.

    What the guy wanted was good entertainment.

    Dorian didn''t know it, but initially, Loki nned to return in 2 years to see the big showdown.

    But now... because of his interest in Dorian, Loki had decided toe over several monthster.

    That''s right.

    He was so pumped up that he nned to further crack the code of the room holding him, giving him more time to roam the cosmos undetected.

    Apart from being an entertaining Chess Piece, something else intrigued him. And that was Dorian as a whole.

    What exactly were his origins?

    .

    How odd.

    Loki could see far into the origins of many heavenly beings and even Lucifer and those in the underworld... Talk less of seeing into a mortal with a single nce.

    So why?

    Why was this guy shrouded in ayer of mist when he tried to peer in?

    No way!

    Loki hated to admit it, but unless he figured out Dorian''s origins, he wouldn''t allow anyone to kill Dorian. Not even the heavens or those in the underworld.

    What was funny was that with his overly inquisitive nature, sess and mischief, he felt as though the matter was holding him hostage, preventing him from ying too much with Dorian.

    Remember, he was a being who could get information at the drop of a hat in many ces many couldn''t.

    There has never been any secret he wanted to find that he didn''t.

    So how could Dorian''s matter not intrigue him?

    If possible, he would''ve loved to strap Dorian on a chair and begin experimentation.

    Too bad he always had those damn heavenly dogs on his ass, always trying to monitor his movements nonstop.

    If not that he left a look-alike dummy in his cell, do you think he would be out here?

    His time was limited since after a while, the prison system he cracked would be restored to its original form, destroying his dummy.

    In the end, Loki was too interested in Dorian to see him die anytime soon.

    Even without Dorian saying a thing, he decided to hold off the bigger threats far beyond Dorian''s powers.

    The boy was too weak! It would be a pity if he attracted the top deadly beings so soon.

    Thinking like that, Loki appeared in another mortal world, discussed himself as another powerful demon, sweeping thousands of creatures at will.

    But how did he do this without the demons feeling that a heavenly being was attacking them?

    Heh...

    That was all Loki''s secret. As a trickster, if he couldn''t even do this much in maniption, then wouldn''t his title be undeserving?<sub> </sub>

    You look down on him too much!

    .

    --In another world.--

    "Ahhhhhhh~"

    Many creatures wailed in pain as an entire estate went in mes. To the marital eye, these mes were ordinary. But to those in the underworld, how could they not recognize mes baptized by the abyss?

    With hate in their eyes, they looked at the being that caused it all.

    "Seguros! How dare you?!"

    "We see that after you newbie prince killed Asmodeus (prince of pride), you all are getting too bold! You dare to hit our prince of greed, Mammon''s camp?! Bold!!!"

    The men in the vi burned away into nothingness, filled with rage and absolute hate.

    Till theirst seconds, they were convinced that it was this guy, Seguros, that killed them.

    ? But at the veryst moment when their soul was taken in judgment, they were so baffled and stunned into a daze.

    "..."

    What just happened?

    After an underworld being kills another, shouldn''t they get reborn into the abyss?

    So why was it that they were now heading to the heavenly realm for judgment to get sent for judgment and countless reincarnations instead?

    The energy and evil essence that killed them couldn''t be called. So was it an error in the matrix?

    Heh.

    The answer was simple.

    .

    Loki had mimicked, hypnotized, and manipted things so much that even the angels checking these creatures wouldn''t understand why these creatures were sent to heaven after getting killed by their fellow underworld beings.

    Hey... Loki was still supposed to be locked up. So how could he reveal himself?

    Please!!!

    With a wave of his hand, he killed all except one, leaving them to report the matter to their prince.

    Like so, Loki began his y.

    Whether they were from the old princes or the newbie princes.

    Sometimes he would use raw strength, other times, he would mimic his ability to resemble those in the underworld, and so on.

    Sigh... Could he say that it was almost too easy?

    With fake horns popping out of his flesh, he held the survivors from the old Princes'' sides, asking where the world they nned to make their biggest attack was.

    No doubt, his actions would hasten the need for the old princes to clean up the new princes before all their ns were exposed.

    Additionally, he also leaked 5~8% or a fraction of the n to the newbie princes by acting as a trembling demon who was caught on the spot before sneaking away like a rabbit running for their life.

    Heh.

    Of course, seeing that he also destroyed many of the supreme beings from the newbie princes, you best believe they would also go to war with the old ones.

    And during this time, because they wouldn''t want that world to be discovered, the old princes would definitely limit entry into these worlds or stop their men from going in and out for the time being.

    Laying low was best, lest they get followed by the enemy.

    In that case, wouldn''t their ns be all but futile?

    Hey... Loki did so much that he wanted to pat himself on the back.

    .

    And just like that, he managed to keep the big top dogs focused on the war between all princes.

    Heh.

    No one ever thought of the humans or the real culprit acting in the shadows.

    ''Good�� this should keep them busy for a while�� hmmm�� until I decipher the boy''s origins, no one is to kill my ything!''

 Chapter 283 A Trip Away

    Like so, the days went by fast.

    The underworld was in turmoil, and all forces were in rage.

    The newbie princes wanted to know what ns the old princes were cooking up.

    Another bloody war was inevitable, with major and powerful creatures being called back.

    Again, things were getting lost and missing, with several important pieces getting stolen by each ''side.''

    Mammoth, prince of greed, found the item he worked hard to locate already promoted with words saying it was with the new princes.

    Belphegor, prince of sloth, was also going crazy finding out that the enhancer he worked so hard to prepare for millenniums now got stolen.

    What''s worse, he couldn''t smear it in the underworld? So didn''t this mean it could be hidden in any of the billions of worlds out there?

    Dammit!!!

    The entire underworld was in utter chaos.

    The field stench of death emitted strongly.

    No one had time to focus on other matters except these.

    Sigh... The days had gone by just like that, unbeknownst to Dorian.

    .

    --Tian Estate.--

    .

    Dorian sat in the dining, eating a simple yet fulfilling breakfast with tea.

    And as he ate, Chan-Ki and Raulin calmly brought down his luggage from above, taking them to one of the vehicles, alongside a few exorcist materials in the wooden boxes.

    It was clear that today would be a sunny day. Yet, because the Grandmaster was going on this far away trip, his absence only caused a gloomy atmosphere in the air.

    Maybe because Dorian had always been with them from the onset, having him leave for so long was indeed too strange for them.

    But of course, they would never ck around, keeping the estate''s matters up to speed until the Grandmaster returned.

    The only person heading out with the Grandmaster was Chan-ki.

    He also ced his luggage in the boot of the vehicle and took an extra coat just to be sure.

    Alright. They were good to go.

    All that was left was the Grandmaster to make the call.

    Gulp.

    Angzen swallowed hard, secretly taking a few peeks of his student.

    As promised, Dorian had agreed to escort him back to his rural vige where he was born and brought up.

    Being called a vige only meant that the settlement site had a small poption of 500~4,000.

    The youth in the vige, just like himself, all dream of moving away to the big cities as soon as they can.

    Some stay back, inheriting their family''s farms,nds, and businesses, while others return from the city after failure to officially settle in.

    All in all, his vige has always had a steady and seldom changing poption flow.

    Though thendmass was extensive with many farms and homes scattered about, the poption had always been small and has always been a problem for the vige heads who all wanted to grow their viges bigger.

    Of course, his vige also had a factory set up by some big guy in one of the major cities.

    The factory provided a lot of ie for them vige folk, with at least one child or person in a family working in the factory.

    Often, the oldest would inherit while the rest would have to find work in the factory or do other petty street businesses.

    But even with the factory out in ce, not many based in bigger ces would leave their prosperous cities to travel to these remote viges for work while living in homes they weren''t used to.

    Thus, the poption had always been rtively constant.

    Angzen''s body shook anxiously.

    Can anyone tell him why he didn''t notice this student was so intimidating?

    Maybe because this was his first time in such a wealthy estate or because of what he knew about Dorian that made him a little frightened to anger this God.

    ''I have to be careful not to offend him, or wouldn''t I die without anyone finding my corpse?''<sub> </sub>

    .

    Angzen held his toasted loaf of bread with trembling hands, trying to contain himself.

    "Student Dorian... After I used your talismans, the gloomy air around me faded. And no one else around me also had idents. So is it time for me to stop using it?"

    "Hmmm... Should be." Dorian replied calmly.

    Before sending Angzen on his way, Dorian had kept his parents'' ghost in a pendant.

    Following that, he had given Angzen ghost warding talismans and instructions on how to bnce his Yin and Yang, seeing that he came into too much Yin contact thanks to his ghostly parents.

    Dorianzily nced at him from the corners of his eyes. "Eat up. We have a long day ahead of us."

    "Ah!-... Yes!"

    Angzen quickly dug into the meal without dy.

    After all, his student was right.

    They had to leave quickly, it would take 16 hours to drive to his vige.

    So today, they would spend their time on the road. And tomorrow, they''ll begin with whatever needs doing in his vige.

    ording to what the Grandmaster said, they might stay there for a day or even 2, based on the situation at hand.

    That''s why even though he packed light, he entered to take all necessities with him.

    Like so, Dorian and Angzen finished their meal, heading out towards the vehicle.

    "Shen, Bewoh, Haru, Raulin, Zhulyn... You 5 know your tasks. Your top priority is my parents, followed by everything else guarding the estate and the academy. Pandrol is here with you. So guard these ces and continue training."

    "Yes, Grandmaster!"

    Say no more. They would do as he said.

    With that, Dorian, Chan-ki, and Angzen took off.

    But some nosy people just couldn''t help themselves from reporting what they saw.

    .

    ''What? Leaving for a long trip?''

    Alice felt obligated to report this to Mr. Green fast. This could help her quicken things up!

    [Sir, they just left the mansion for a long trip.]

    Message sent.

    In the hotel, Green''s face turned distorted.

    He had also gotten news that Dorian''s vehicle had left the estate, but he thought they were moving around the city.

    A trip?

    Dammit!

    He grabbed his headpiece fiercely.

    "After them! No matter how far they go, stay in their tail!!!"

    Snake and the rest were on edge, feeling that their target was getting more mysterious by the day.

    But they weren''t the only ones feeling overly anxious.

    In a town between Angzen''s vige and this city, an even stranger sight was urring.

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh~"

    A woman screamed with all her might, seeing her husband step into their home.

    Her heart pounded as she used her finds to crawl backward in horror.

    "No! No! No!~... How can you be here? I buried youst year."

    Her pupils dted, and her hairs stood erect.

    Someone... Anyone... Please save her from this nightmare.

 Chapter 284 High Peak Town

    "No! No!.... Ahhhhhhhh!~~~~~."

    The petrified woman seated on the floor released a terror-filled scream with widened her eyes.

    Her ghoulish scream spoke of her tremors as though she already had one foot already in the grave.

    However, in no more than 5 seconds, the screams stopped, and everything returned to normal.

    But what could have happened?

    What mysteriesy within this strange town?

    And what about the stage fog that had now fully engulfed the scene?

    Evening due? Was it cold due to the town''s resting position above the towering hills?

    Things were never as they seemed.

    .

    Vrmmm~~!

    Dorian, Chan-ki, and teacher Angzen were now on the road to Soppo vige.

    The clear was silent, with Dorian closing his eyes and leaning back, Chan-ki on the driver''s wheel, and Angzen reading a book.

    It was his usual practice to read while traveling.

    As an intellect, he did enjoy getting drawn into the worlds of many authors while using the light engine noises from cars, buses, and trains on his voyages as soothing sounds of focus.

    It was just that on this particr rip, his nerves were all over the ce, with him taking several peeks at this former student of his.

    His belly knotted with a thousand butterflies and his muscles clenched on edge.

    Inwardly, he was d that Dorian chose to ''sleep,'' or else how would he havemunicated with this student Grandmaster of his?

    The awkwardness was so real.

    As an enthusiastic educator, if it were the past, he would probably spend at least a small portion of the trip educating his student about life or school. But now, he didn''t dare to do so whether Dorian was awake or not.

    ''How tomunicate with this former student of mine?''

    He found that apart from the elephant in the room, A.K.A his ghostly parents, he couldn''t talk about anything else.

    Ring!!!~~

    His phone startled him, causing him to throw it up in the air and catch it clumsily.

    It was his wife.

    "You can take it," Chan-ki stated.

    They weren''t criminals holding him hostage. So teacher Angzen could do as he pleased. Yet... Why was he still on edge as though a gun was pointed at him?

    [Have you left yet?]

    "Yes..." Angzen replied, trying to sound calm. His wife didn''t know about the matter of his parents turning into ghosts.

    If he told her, wouldn''t she think him going insane from all the pressure on him?

    By then, it wouldn''t be long before the nosy neighbors also get wind of it, calling a clinic to take him away for their own safety.

    After all, mad people could also harm others.

    His wife''s worried voice echoed out. [Ang... You must remember toe back fast. That shark loaner will harm the children and I if you take too long. I don''t want to sound rude and wicked. But after all you''ve done and given to your sister and your parents, it''s only fair that they should be able to gather something for you. We need the money!!]

    Angzen''s hands trembled. "I know. I will be back soon. Stay safe."

    Tut...

    He hung up, seemingly lost in thought.

    .

    Angzen ran his hands on his neck, relieving his built-up stress.

    His wife didn''t know that his parents were already dead. If she knew, she would''ve wanted to take the children to pay their respects to them for thest time.

    Though his parents didn''t like her in the past, she didn''t take these things to heart all that much, maybe because his wife also grew up in a home where her mother wasn''t liked by her grandparents.

    The woman took it all with a pinch of salt. If you don''t care for her, she won''t care for you.

    Back then, she was seen as disrespectful because of her attitude. But Angzen didn''t judge her or force her to do any filial piety acts as a daughter-inw to his parents.

    They would abuse their powers and make things difficult for her if given the opportunity to do so.

    Thinking about the situation at hand, he was going back to Pollo vige not only to put his parents to rest, but also to take back all the money he sent his dear sister.

    And when he meant all... He truly meant ALL!

    Everything he''s been sending for thest few years would definitely be collected. And if she couldn''t spit out the money, then their parent''s home, farms, andnd she took as hers would be given back to him. Additionally, an IOU was in order.

    Angzen didn''t know how Dorian would make her sort it all out. But he was confident with this student of his.

    Surely, the Grandmaster had his way of doing things, no?

    With his reading sses on, Angzen shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the book in his hands.

    Apollo vige was 16 hours away. And they''ve only been on the road for 3 hours at best.

    The driver, Chan-ki, had mentioned to him that in the next 2 hours, they''ll enter another city to have lunch.

    And 6 hours after that, they''ll enter another town called High Peak town for a meal.

    The name High Peak was because the town was positioned high up the hilly/mountain-like terrain.

    Angzen had heard of this town before but had never been there in person... Though he had seen the highway signs leading to the town on multiple asions.

    The town was 5 hours away from Pollo vige.

    .

    Vrmmm~~~

    The vehicle drove along the highway in silence.

    And in no time, they drove into another city for lunch 2 hourster.<sub> </sub>

    Following that, they drive again for an additional 6 hours.

    And wouldn''t you know it? It was once again time to have dinner.

    Dorian, who had been closing his eyes throughout the trio, suddenly opened them and started up the high power from afar.

    High Peak town.

    That was it.

    "Fog?"

    Angzen blurted out, wondering if he would need his jacket when stepping out.

    It''s normal for High Peak to develop a whiff of fog, seeing how high up it was whole surrounded by Nature''s blessings.

    But what was strange was that in the dead of summer, High Peak was still cold, so much so that fog could emerge from the scene.

    Seeing that it was now 9:15 P.M

    Though the scene was visible, the sun was now in itste setting phase, revealing a fiery orange/pinkish hue.

    ''Could it be that even during summer nights, High Peak still gets so cold?''

    After all, no matter how bright it was outside, it was now evening.

    And judging from the already dimming sunset, in another 10 minutes or so, the entirend should be engulfed in darkness.

    In other words, by the time they reach High Peak, no ray of sunlight would be present.

    ''I better suit up.'' Angzen thought, already reaching for his jacket.

    He took it on a whim. But who would''ve known he would actually use it?

    Sure enough, the old saying works true for every situation... Better safe than sorry... Better to be prepared than surprised.

    Vrmmmmmm~~~~

    The vehicle drove in without dy.

    Unlike other regions that have their towns and cities rtively close to the branched-off main highway, one would have to force for an additional 20 minutes to get into the High Peak town''s entrance.

    Though it was already past 9 P.M, such small towns always had 24-hour diners and fast food ces for passing travelers.

    Though from the looks of the scanty roads, this ce shouldn''t have that many people visiting it in and out.

    At least, this was what Angzen summarized.

    But Dorian had another theory to things.

    .

    Up they drove to High Peak.

    <o>,m And the further they advanced, the thicket the fog.</o>

    F***!

    How cold was it?

    Angzen''s jaw nearly dropped, watching the fog form ayer of smoke-like coat on the windows.

    ''Is that precipitation? Did it rain or something?

    With how thick the fog was growing, even seeing the road ahead was bing a daunting task.

    ~Flick.

    Chan-ki turned on the headlights and steadied his speed ahead.

    The Grandmaster didn''t need to warn him.

    Already, he felt the strangeness in the air.

    ''This fog isn''t normal!''

    What was even stranger was that there were no vehicles along the path? No vehicles going down at all. But this was weird. This was a town and not a vige.

    No matter how deste it was, at least one person should be moving or driving a vehicle down the slope.

    Chan-ki narrowed his eyes, throwing them towards every corner with a vignt light.

    ''I have a bad feeling about this.''

    .

    Angzen puffed a breath onto the window, seeing it fog up in an instant.

    bbergasted was far from what he felt.

    High Peak Town...

    The ce gave him an uneasy feeling. But seeing that the others were calm and without worries, Angzen thought he was overthinking things.

    ''Clean up.''

    Angzen subconsciously frowned, pulling his sleeves forward to whip away the fog he created on the window.

    But soon, his arm froze dead on its tracks.

    One blinks, and what he thought he saw seemed like a figment of his imagination.

    Angzenid back in his seat, feeling that he probably saw nothing but trees.

    Hepletely threw the matter behind him, feeling his belly gurgle for a meal.

    Crossing his legs, he nced at his phone to pass the time.

    The fog made sightseeing impossible.

    So to him, their journey into High Peak wouldn''t be a noteworthy one

    But little did he know that this seemingly ordinary town was where their nightly story would begin.

 Chapter 285 Into The Town, We Go

    Bam!

    The trio stepped out of the vehicle, looking at the foggy scene.

    Look left; look right.

    Look up; look all around.

    Angzen could see a few glimpses of the buildings around them, but not very much.

    If not for the moon, showing its dim rays past the fog, though most of it was blocked off by the denseness of the fog.

    With a full 360-degree view, he tilted his head clockwise, taking it all in.

    "So creepy." He murmured.

    The streets were empty, with no vehicle moving in anyne.

    But maybe what was even more disturbing was that the vehicles at the side of the roads were marked very hurriedly, as though people were running from something.

    The scene was truly disturbing.

    Doors left open; cars parked vertically on a horizontal road; everything made Angzen''s chest grow tight.

    ~Whooo~

    F***!

    What was that?

    Angzen jumped like a cat dunked into water.

    "Rx. It''s just an owl."

    Chan-ki''s voice seemed to soothe his already trembling legs... But not by so much.

    "Ah-... "Yes... Yes... You''re right. It''s probably an owl."

    Though Angzen agreed, he still didn''t let go of Chan-ki''s clothes.

    Even he didn''t seem to notice his body''s reaction.

    Looking at the fog that had now engulfed the many sparsely arranged 2-story buildings on both sides of the streets, Angzen squinted his eyes, hoping to get a glimpse of the said owl.

    Nothing... Or... Was it something?

    His eyes saw something. But once again, after a blink, it registered nothing.

    He stared at the scene with a tilted face in a trance.

    "Mr. Angzen?"

    Chan-ki''s voice woke him from his stupor.

    "Ah!-..." Seeing Dorian already advancing, how could he continue getting distracted?

    Though a bigger part of him was worried about the situation in this town.

    What could''ve made the people here leave their vehicles in such a hurry?

    The many buildings werepletely dark, with only a few having lights that probably came on automatically. The street lights were also on, though the fog still limited his visibility by 90%.

    To be honest, he felt the moon did a better job at illumination than the street lights, which by the way, were very dim, as though low in power.

    They blinked and flickered non-stop, going off and on severally.

    Their pulsing caused his throat to constrict, causing a sickening wave of anxiety to well up in his belly.

    And what was that smell?

    Though faint, there was a bad and overly pungent smell in the air that itched his nostrils.

    Windows opened, some closed...

    The town seemed deserted.

    Moreover, why didn''t he get reception over here?

    There was no signal in this town!

    Cold sweat poured on Angzen''s back.<sub> </sub>

    Everything spelled out warnings!

    He wanted to say something, wanting them to leave and find another town or city to eat in.

    ? Even if nothing were wrong with his ce, he still wouldn''t have the appetite for a meal.

    Angzen opened his mouth and closed it in silence. In the end, he said nothing.

    Chan-ki looked at him briefly. "Let''s go. Since we can''t drive any further, we can only walk."

    Like so, the trio moved along the messy main road in a zigzag manner, not stepping on the sidewalks.

    And as they moved, they continued to observe the randomly disced vehicles on the roads.

    The more Angzen proceeded, the more warnings bells rmed in his heart.

    He turned around abruptly but didn''t see a thing.

    ''Could I be wrong? Why do I get the feeling that we''re being watched?... Bah!... Forget it.''

    Angzen shook his head, following the duo closely.

    But just at that moment, something bizarre happened.

    It seems that his mind likes ying tricks on him. He thought.

    In the dark buildings, alleyways, and even on the roofs, hundreds and hundreds of eyes of different shapes all stared at the trio''s backs from amidst the shadows.

    .

    The trio walked for what seemed like an eternity to Angzen (15 minutes), taking several street turns before suddenlying to a halt.

    Their journey had been dark and uneasy, with no signs of life along the roads or in the buildings.

    They had deviated from the mainmercial road, reaching one of the first residential streets with houses lined up on both sides of the street.

    Dorian squinted his eyes,ing to a halt before one of the ordinary-looking homes on the street.

    It was a green, wide 2-story home with a small front yard, with its garage doors still closed. Yet, the vehicle on the property was smashed through the wooden garage door instead.

    And on the front garden beds, all the flowers were withered and dead... All except for the bright bloody colored roses that seemed well-nourished

    But why did he stop at this resistance?

    Dorian tilted his head upwards, looking at the fog above.

    This was where it all began.

    Lifting his feet, he stepped over the overturned, broken-down baby crib on thewn. "Keep up."

    Chan-ki and Angzen followed behind him closely while also observing the mess scattered about thewn.

    ~Chiiiiaaa~~~

    The door squeaked loudly.

    But stepping in, Angzen was taken back.

    This... This...

    (0_0)

    Blink. Blink.

    "How can it be so clean, organized, and intact?" Angzen blurted out, wondering how the outside of the home looked like it had passed through a hurricane while the inside looked like a newly furnished home.

    How does one exin the baby crib that was cleanly shot out of a window in this home?

    How does one exin the other household objects also scattered about in that manner?

    If not for the broken window on the side of the building, the car rammed into the garage door, and the broken front door knob, he would''ve thought he had been hallucinating about everything he saw earlier.

    Heh.

    Dorian chuckled, yfully moving about the building.

    First, they visited all rooms on the main floor, primarily focusing on the kitchen and dining room.

    After all, who knows what strange things they would meet in this seemingly ordinary home?

 Chapter 286 Strange House

    "Hello? Is anyone here?" Angzen couldn''t help asking it of courtesy, seeing that he wasing into someone''s home uninvited.

    Wasn''t this what they call breaking an entry?

    Angzen moved about, not wanting to touch or identally break anything since he was already in debt and didn''t want to incur more on his head.

    Soon enough, the gang ascended the stairs, checking the many rooms avable.

    First, they headed into the master bedroom fit for a couple with 2 small office rooms on different ends of the room.

    Looking at the hair essories, makeup, sewing machine, handmade baskets, and other items in the room, they assumed this small office space to be for the wife.

    And in another office space, there were books, a baseball bat, sets of collectible model trains, and items that probably belonged to the husband.

    Oh?

    Dorian raised his brow, looking at the journey that appeared to have been hurriedly hidden away.

    And from its appearance, it seems to be used quite often by its owner.

    Unlike the other books here, there was no dust on it. A few scratches appeared on its cover, and some pages were also reported, probably with creasing and crumbling of the book severally.

    It was almost as though the owner was trying to hide whatever he wrote from his wife and many others.

    ''Hmmm... What secret could you be hiding?''

    Seeing Dorian pick the book, Angzen, who was already too close to him with personal boundaries, couldn''t resist the urge to take a peek into the journal... Or should he say, Diary?

    .

    [Diary of Clive Congxian]

    The book had a green cover that seemed soft, made to mimic that of animal hair.

    Dorian flipped the pages, feeling nothing off, until he reached a page dated 3 weeks back.

    [Sunday the 3rd.

    Today, I picked up my 4-month-old son again, happy that he''s growing into a strong boy. As a father, that''s all I want for him. But... I seem to have noticed something strange with him. Whenever he eats those things, he smiles as though in ecstasy.]

    Angzen frowned.

    Eating those things? What things?

    [Wednesday the 6th.

    Just as I was about to enter my son''s room, I heard him giggling andughing strangely. And so, I decided to spy on him. And the more I watched through the cracks of the door, the more disturbed I was... Was this a reaction a child should have? The uneasy feeling that I thought would go away came stronger than ever.]

    [Friday the 8th.

    My wife told me to y with my son with the toy rattle she bought. But though I was also scared, I dared not go against my wife. After all, if I annoy her, where will I sleep tonight? With firm confidence, I rattled away, but realized that his smile was only shallow, as though nothing else but that meal would make him happy. It was at that moment that a strange thought clouded my mind... Was my son possessed?]<sub> </sub>

    [Sunday the 10th.

    I''ve observed the child in the room several times, and though it sounds ridiculous and insane, I have included that my son is not normal. Every time he eats those things, his face seems too unnatural. But he''s my son. So I captured him and took him to a hospital for a ''routine check.'' However, they said there was nothing wrong with him. But I knew they were wrong. Everything was wrong with my son!!]

    Angzen''s here tightened, wanting to know what happened next. What did the man do?

    The shocking revtion in the diary already kept him on the edge of his seat!

    If it were the former him, who would he turn to for help?

    .

    [Wednesday the 13th.

    I spent time researching what to do, feeling more and more that my son might truly be possessed. But there was no information online. And I knew that if I said a thing of this nature, I would get locked up for life. Even till now, my mind keeps telling me that I''m the insane one for thinking like this. But there''s still that 5% feeling that tells me I''m onto something here... Or could it be that I''m overthinking things?...

    Anyway, the strangeness of my son is too disturbing. And it appears that no one else apart from myself notices this. It seems that this is a battle I will have to fight alone. No one in the world would be on my side. And quite frankly, I''m also beginning to think I am mad,pletely out of my senses, and have gone bunkers. As I write on this fine yet disturbing day, I feel crushed with a thousand swords. How in the world will I save my son?]

    Chan-ki narrowed his eyes, taking in all the information he read.

    [Friday the 15th.

    Today, I once again realized that there''s no information on what to do in such cases. So I had no choice but to make solutions for myself. How will I drive whatever is possessing my son away? First, I dumped him into a tub of water and washed his body with dish detergent when my wife wasn''t around.]

    [Sunday the 17th.

    Okay. So this first option didn''t work. But will I give up? Not a chance. Today, I nned to speak to whatever was in him, telling him to leave my son alone or I won''t give him those things to eat.

    Well... The n seemed good. And quite frankly, I''m proud of my smart thinking. However, I miscalcted my wife''s early arrival. She walked into me talking about driving the evil in my son. And without giving me any warning, she swooped in, picked him up from the massive bowl of oil I ced him in and yelled at me from the top of her lungs.

    ''What the hell is wrong with you?'' ''Are you insane?'' ''What the hell are you trying to do with our son?''... h, h, h... I don''t remember the rest.

    Quite frankly, there were so many things she said that I probably missed out. But one thing was for sure. Tonight, I''ll be sleeping on the couch.]

    Angzen''s lips twitched, feeling that he too would''ve kicked the idiot out if he were his wife.

    .

    Dorian flipped the page.

    [Tuesday the 19th!]

    The 19th?

    Angzen was taken aback.

    Wasn''t that yesterday?

    Immediately, the tension in the room grew heavy.

 Chapter 287 Yesterdays Events

    What happened then?

    Angzen had more and more ominous throats brooding in his mind.

    [Tuesday the 19th.

    If anyone should see this, I hope they don''t take me as mad for what I''m about to speak of is entirely true.]

    The handwriting was shaky, with stters of blood sprinkled on the page.

    Angzen immediately had the illusion of a young man in his 20s or early 30s, writing with shaky hands and deep lines of worry on his face.

    His writing would go either underneath or over the writing lines on the diary.

    And as the words progressed into paragraphs, the letters also grew fat and uneven, as though the man was rushing toplete the journal before getting discovered.

    p But from who? His wife?</anda>

    Angzen didn''t think so.

    Earlier, the man, though respectful of his wife, didn''t show any signs of being afraid of her in his writing.

    Then... Who wasing for him?

    A strange thought passed through Angzen''s body like an electric shock.

    No~~~

    It can''t be, can it?

    Angzen''s body went limp with an overwhelming feeling of losing control.

    ''I just hope I''m wrong.'' He thought, continuing to read the man''s shaky words.

    [My son did it all... Today started like a normal day. The sun was up, my neighbors were jolly, and the town was bubbling as it usually did.

    But byte morning, I returned from work to spend my break at home. But upon arrival, I saw something I''m afraid I will never forget...]

    The words here were dampened as though from the man''s tears.

    Angzen had never connected so much with a book as he did this diary. He could feel the pain emitting from the man. And the writing was even shakier than before.

    [Martha... Martha... My son killed Martha! I walked into our bedroom, only to see my wife''s body lying on the bloodied carpet. Her eyes were dim and wide open. A single look, and I knew she died in shock. Her own son of 4 months old had killed her.

    I regret it. It''s all my fault.

    I should''ve killed the boy the moment I realized his difference. If I had done this, Martha would still be alive!

    I wanted to scream and mourn, wishing to take her body away. But my feet refused to obey my thoughts.

    I''m such a coward! I hate myself for being so weak.

    I covered my hands with my mouth, too scared to scream upon seeing my son arched down, eating the insides of my wife''s body.

    The monster tore a hole in her chest, eating her intestines and heart to its content.

    In the end, the strange noises I heard from behind me caused me to make a run here.]

    .

    Angzen seemed to have seen the scene of a man covered in the front and the back.

    The man probably wanted to slowly walk away and flee. But he said he heard strange noises from his back.

    Something must have been moving to attack him from the walkway out of the room.

    And with the creature at his front, eating his wife''s body, his only option would''ve been to rush to his office on the left to hide.

    In the end, the man seemed to have been trapped here. But if this was true, where was the man now?

    Additionally, they didn''t see any blood on the carpet when they entered the room. So was all this just the man''s imagination?

    Wrong!

    Angzen didn''t feel so...especially after seeing the bloody page. But... But why did the blood drip like a boose bleed?

    And what exactly happened in this house?

    A thousand questions prowled through his mind the more he read.

    [I don''t have much time! They''re scratching on the doors. And I feel my body going weaker and weaker by the second.

    My office window won''t budge no matter how hard I try to open it. I tried to wave and call for help from those passing by. But no one seemed to see me as though I were invisible.

    As I stared out the window, I seemed to have seen a thick fog hovering above my home.

    And as the fog grew heavier and heavier, the strange sounds also grew louder.

    The fog... it''s spreading out to the entire town! I can hear screams and wails from outside. The fog has killed us all.]

    The more the man wrote, the fainter the pressure applied in writing.

    Angzen could feel the man''s weakness emitting from his written words.

    And sure enough, he was right.

    .

    [They''reing for me... I don''t have much time. If anyone sees this, call for help... The secret lies in the--...]

    Cut off!

    The words cut off there.

    The man probably rushed to hide the journal in the nick of time before whatever was there took him away.

    ... F***!

    A chill went up Angzen''s spine.

    And with a shaky and unsteady voice, he couldn''t help asking the unanswered.

    "Is he dead?"

    --Silence--

    Everyone looked at the dairy in utter silence.<sub> </sub>

    Dear heavens!!!

    Angzen held his head in despair when thinking of it all.

    Who knew that a trip to his home vige would be so deadly?

    Sure. This student of his could handle 1 or 2 ghosts.

    But what about such a dangerous creature? And didn''t you hear the man? He said there were many others too!

    For the town to be this deste meant they wererge in number. So how can he pin his hopes on this one student to clean them all up?

    Angzen''s brain went into emergency mode the tighter his grip on Chan-ki''s clothes.

    "Go back... We have to go back!"

    Dorian closed the book very gently, as though not disturbed by whatever was happening around them. "Go back? We can''t."

    "Why???!!!"

    Angzen''s thorny voice released his seriousness.

    Why?

    He looked at Dorian with open eyes and a widened mouth, wanting to know what the hell he was talking about.

    Why can''t they go back?

    "Because we just can''t," Chan-ki replied, pushing back the few fallen strands of hair hovering over his face.

    "Mr. Angzen. If you haven''t noticed, cars can only drive into the town but not leave. So it''s not that we don''t want to go, but that whatever is here refuses for us to leave."

    Boom!

    Chan-ki''s words made Angzen''s legs turn into noodles.

    Trapped... They were trapped in here with those monsters!!

    Regret filled his mind, wondering why he didn''t notice the fog''s weirdness before entering the town.

    You have to know that from the highway, no one would feel it weird.

    From the highway, the fog appeared way less thin than its true thickness, only giving one a feeling that it should be so.

    With the higher position of High Peak Town, no one would bat an eye, feeling but to be nature''s doing.

    But who would''ve known it was all wrong?

    .

    Dorian stared at the window.

    And with his face facing the duo, no one knew what he thought... Especially Angzen.

    However, how could Angzen have known that the moment this student of his turned around, a slight smile formed on his face?

    Well, it''s true that whatever trapped them here prevented them from fleeing.

    But..." Dorian''s eyes thinned yfully. "Who said he wanted to leave?"

    The system shivered from its space.

    Its host is doing it again.

    Whenever it saw this particr expression on its host''s face, it felt the urge to hide underneath anything in its space.

    The system felt that it was not that its host was trapped here with these creatures... but that they were trapped here with the host!

    With a nonexistent nket over its head, it hid underneath its nonexistent bed.

    Shiver. Shiver.

    Scary... Scary...

    Its host is too scary like this.

    As for other people driving in, its host had thrown an illusion formation at the roads before reaching the foggy paths.

    For this, he threw a single gold coin out the window onto the road.

    And in no time, a blue circr ball shot out, costing the entire road and even some of the regions besides the road.

    Anyone who tries driving up will see several signs of road work and fake illusionary beings telling them to go back.

    It was all an illusion. But, like Cindere''s ss slippers, it also had a deadline.

    By 6 A.M, the coin its host had thrown would melt away, and the illusion broken.

    That''s why its host must round things up before them.

    As for the fear that the creatures would flee when its host takes action, one also need not worry because just like the case with the illusionary coin, its host had sent paper men out the vehicle way before they entered the foggy paths.

    That''s right.

    Those paper men had scattered about, circling the entire town from a broader perimeter.

    They didn''t get too close to the regions where the fog began, not wanting to startle the enemy.

    Creating and distance, the formation was set up by them.

    And with energy Dorian injected into them, they too should be usable until 6 A.M.

    As for how its host would use them, the system didn''t know.

    .

    Everyone was immersed in their own thoughts when suddenly, something they heard faint noises from within the house.

    F***!

    Angzen only felt his armpit drenched in sweat.

    "What was that?"

    (0��0)

 Chapter 288 Help Me...

    ~Critter. Critter. Critter~

    The sounds of fingernails shing against each other echoed in a faint murder across the open door.

    Mommy...

    Angzen tightened his grip on Chan-Ji, standing behind him so close that he even wanted to mix his bone marrow with his and be one with Chan-ki.

    Eyes popping over Chan-Ki''s shoulders, Angzen stared at the bedroom banners beyond the open doors.

    Angzen already thought he was in despair, not knowing that this was just the beginning.

    Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror. Chan-ki also felt his strangeness, meeting him eye to eye.

    "Help me..."

    Boom!!!

    The windows shattered. And before Angzen could react, his body flew backward, out the window.

    Something... Something was pulling him back!!!

    "Ahhhhh~~...."

    His eerie screams of echoes echoed across the creepy foggy town.

    "Go!"

    Whoosh!

    Chan-ki leaped through the air and grabbed Angzen''s hand, disappearing into the fog.

    With his mission assigned, he willingly allowed himself to fall into the belly of the beast.

    "Ahhhh~~~!"

    Angzen''s screams were as high-pitched as an opera singer''s.

    If you told him he could squeal like a little girl, he would''ve argued in utter denial, wanting to beat whoever sullied his good name.

    But after today, he realized just how muchtent capabilities he had lurking within.

    His fingers were frozen to the bone with a strange whiff of cold air that seeped out from the fog.

    Angzen''s body began to tremble.

    And soon, warm fluid trickled down his pants, feeling death too inevitable.

    Yes. He, a grown man, had wet himself.

    But he couldn''t care about this much embarrassment.

    .

    "We''re going to die! We''re going to die!" All along the nightly journey across the fog, Angzen had spoken of all his regrets in his life.

    Was it his regret of dying too young and notpleting his dream of being a famous teacher?

    Or was it about his regret of not having enough ''adult gymnastics'' with his wife?

    <o>,m What about his children? He hadn''t even seen them grow up, get married, and live to give him grandchildren.</o>

    The fact that he hadn''t even traveled the world or seen other ces was also a big regret in his heart.

    Too young! Too bloody young!

    Snot and tears shattered across his face as he flew backward.

    "I... I don''t want to die! I''m too young to die!!"

    Chan-ki silently listened to Angzen, looking at the foggy atmosphere around them.

    In a blink of an eye, they had been sent across the town, all the way to the other side.

    Bam!

    Angzen rolled onto an open field after being thrown mercilessly.

    His feet were no doubt sprained. But he didn''t care about the pain.

    Rising to his feet, he soon realized where they were dropped off.

    Cemetery?

    "Augghh~~."

    Angzen only felt his legs shake like a newborn calf''s.

    This...

    This was their burial grounds, wasn''t it.

    (:T?T:)

    .

    ~Clitter. Clitter. Clitter.~~<sub> </sub>

    The strange noises appeared once more. But only this time, Angzen saw hundreds of yellow eyes from the foggy shadows.

    His belly fluttered even more with panic.

    What should they do?

    Without wasting time, Chan-ki grabbed Angzen. "Let''s go!!"

    "Yes! Yes!" They had to run for their dear lives!

    Like so, Angzen, who had a sprained ankle, somehow possessed the ability to beat even the world''s number sprinting champion.

    F***!

    You try having these chase you and see if you won''t develop super speed.

    Angzen didn''t need to look back to know they were being chased.

    Gulp.

    Angzen swallowed hard.

    A sense of terror coursed through his veins.

    No matter how fast he ran, he could hear the rustling sounds growing heavier behind him.

    And when he finally threw his head behind his shoulders, he caught a glimpse of something crawling onto a gravestone.

    What the hell is that??!!!

    Angzen''s eyes bulged exaggeratedly.

    The thing was ck and as small as a doll. Yet, it had a tail and a vicious mouth with sharp saw-like teeth.

    And though the fog had masked most of its appearance, Angzen could still tell it was... Ugly!!

    He had never seen anything so hideous looking before.

    Its entire being made his hairs stand at attention.

    The creature''s body was twitching in spasms as it smiled and crooked its neck at Angzen with its yellow eyes.

    ~Clitter!!!~~

    He gave off the familiar noise before a thickyer of fog covered the tombstone it stood on, making Angzen see it no more.

    But this sneak preview was enough to make Angzen turn pale.

    .

    ~Clitter! Clitter~~

    Chan-ki gripped Angzen''s hand right, boosting his speed the further they advanced.

    ''Something''s not right. These creatures could have reached us long ago. Yet, they seemed to enjoy chasing us at a safe distance.''

    Chan-ki''s mind quickly went to work.

    He knew underworld creatures loved to y with their food and got a good sense of fear and despair from their prey before swallowing them whole.

    But though the situation here seemed likely to be so, the dairy they saw before, as well as the entire disappearance of the townsfolk, left too many unanswered questions.

    After testing a few facts and running about in different directions, Chan-Ki finally concluded on the matter.

    ''They''re forcing us to go one way.''

    Chan-ki''s eyes narrowed, staring at the lone building at the far top of the cemetery.

    ''It looks like we have no choice.''

    "Over there, let''s go."

    "Ahhh~..." Angzen wasn''t thinking, only nodding while watching the many strange hands burst from the ground when they passed through various tombstones.

    F***! There were Zombies too?

    (:0��0:)

    ~Grrr~

    All sorts of zombies with bluish, purplish, and green skins slowly crawled out of their harvest like a scene in a doomsday movie.

    The more Angzen saw, the more he wanted to cry.

    He swore that even if he managed to survive in this hell hole miraculously, he would NEVERe to High Peak Town again!

    You can just forget about attracting him as a tourist.

    Who knew when next something like this would happen?

    Zombies! Zombies!...

    There were freakin'' zombies on their tail!

 Chapter 289 An Interesting Human

    Like so, the duo made their way towards the strand building on top of the hill amidst the many yellow eyes staring at them from within the fog.

    But back in the house, things were far different than they initially seemed.

    --A few minutes earlier.--

    Bam!

    Chan-ki and Angzen had just flown out the window, leaving a young and ''helpless'' Dorian to himself.

    ''...''

    Dorian calmly ced the diary in his inner jacket pocket, secretly making its size as small as a pocketbook.

    Very calmly, he walked out of the office, walking past the massive bedroom chamber.

    The scene looked exactly as it did when he entered.

    However, appearances could be deceiving!

    Behind Dorian, the walls began to bleed and peel off.

    Less than a second along any path he passed, the same phenomenon would ur.

    Drip. Drip.~

    Blood dripped along the now peeled walls into the moldy floors, turning into white fog when it touched the moldy grounds.

    The walls be narrower, and a faint yet evident phantom scent invaded the scene.

    Dorian chuckled, not bothering to turn around.

    Unlike what Chan-ki and Angzen saw, the house has always looked like that.

    And all the time they had been moving about, the house had been changing its form to suit the eyes of those who entered.

    But after they left a ce, it would revert to its horrors.

    And that fog...

    Dorian narrowed his gaze, deep in thought.

    .

    ~Clitter. Glitter. Clitter.~

    The strange noises echoed out again but seemed not to have an effect on the human many stared at.

    It was as though Dorian was deaf.

    Reaching ground floor, hezily ced his hands on his pocket, starting across the space.

    "Aren''t you going toe out?"

    The strange noises suddenly died down. And soon, the space was as silent as a graveyard.

    ~Giggle. Giggle. Giggle~

    A burst of yful, childlikeughter rang out from a moose''s head hanging high on the walls.

    "Interesting... Very interesting..." The moose said, shaking his antlers like an unnatural stretched-out smile on its face.

    Its eyes erged twice its size, with one side being deep red and another being deep yellow.

    The moose smiled at Dorian before abruptly stretching its neck several feet long towards Dorian''s face.

    It was so close that just a few inches more, and it would''ve touched Dorian on the lip.

    F***!

    If it were another person, they would''ve long fainted from fear, cried, begged, screamed, or died from a heart attack

    -Silence-

    Both stared at each other in utter silence.

    And soon, the creature''s smile grew even more unnatural, retracting its neck a few inches back.

    "You''re a strange one. Starting me straight in the eye, you don''t even flinch."

    Dorian shrugged, not bothering to talk to the mode head.

    .<sub> </sub>

    The Moose looked at Dorian with interest.

    It seemed to have found a suitable candidate.

    "Human... You''ve earned my respect. When your friends were thrown out, you didn''t even care about their life and death. You''re indeed a cruel one. This daddy likes it. So... How about we make a deal?"

    In trantion: Your soul would be tasty to devour.

    Making a person like Dorian fearful orpletely darkened only meant the meal would be one of the most delicious.

    No... His meal would even be beyond VIP level.

    But what was intriguing was that the human''s aura, being, and spiritual sense all showed the boy to be extremely good, with almost no darkness in his heart.

    Yet, it had just witnessed the boy''s cruelty, allowing his friends to fly out the window with no screams of worry or even murders of anxiousness.

    It can be seen that his actions were too cruel. So what was up with the heavens'' way of deciding that he was a good person?

    Hello?

    If this guy was a good person, then it, an underworld, was the Almighty!

    Even without seeing into the boy, the feeling alone couldn''t be wrong.

    Say no more.

    There''s definitely a mix-up somewhere... Not that it wasining.

    Changing that massive quantity of ''good'' in the boy to bad was also part of what would make it delicious.

    Well, it wouldn''t be the first time the heavens had made a few mix-ups in history.

    Though rare, it did happen asionally... So it had been told.

    Or... could it be that the boy umted so much good in his past life that he was just overflowing with it?

    Unbeknownst to the creature, its guess was partially true.

    As a genius exorcist in Dorian''s past life, do you know how much good he umted?

    Of course, the reason why he still has his good luck was that he still maintained the same principles as back then.

    He had never looked for trouble, not acting in a condemning way against any mortals. Even when handling animals, there was never a disy of cruelty.

    Above all else, he was a bloody good exorcist.

    .

    The more the mode looked at Dorian, the more pleasing in the eye he seemed.

    Such people were also the most determined.

    If they finally chose to step on a certain path, then they would do an excellent job on the road to fulfilling whatever desire they chose.

    ''No!... I must have the human sign a contact with me!''

    The system on the other hand was annoyed.

    [You smelly moose! How dare you try to steal my host? I already have a contract with him. So don''t even think about it!]

    (*^*)

    Why are others fighting it over its host?

    If not that it couldn''t reveal itself, it wouldn''t personally smack the hell out of the smelly moose.

    Hmph!

    The system was annoyed.

    "Human, I know your kind. You might look like you don''t have any desires, but you do."

    Hmmm...

    Dorian inwardly agreed. He did have desires.

    The moose smiled like a serpent in a garden, circling its neck around Dorian, leaning towards his shoulder from the back of his ears.

    "Human... I''m right, aren''t I. You do have desires... things you want so badly... You know human can''t help you get it. But I can!... I can get whatever it is you want. So, human. Why don''t we make a pact?

 Chapter 290 Safe!

    The moose''s voice sounded enticing, with a strange resonance of an alluring nymph.

    Its voice was slow yet pleasant, far different from its original eerie resonance.

    If it were an ordinary human, they would''ve at least had a single wave of temptation flutter in their hearts.

    Some might reject these flutters of temptation moment''ster, but it would be a lie to say they wouldn''t at least envision how useful its help would be.

    The moose''s red and yellow pupils glowed with interest the longer it stared at Dorian.

    "How about it?"

    Clitter. Clitter.

    The little sounds in the room echoed out again as though discussing whether the human would take the offer or not.

    With his hands in his pockets, Dorianzily looked at the moose from the corners of his eyes.

    "You say you can give me everything I want?"

    "Yes." The Moose went back to smiling unnaturally again.

    "Hmmm... Then, if I want to kill you all, can you do it?"

    "You? Kill me?... Hahahahaah~... Mortal, is this a joke?"

    -Silence-

    The Moose suddenly froze, finally understanding that Dorian had been ying with it.

    How dare he?! Courting death!

    .

    Boom!!!

    Its head smashed to the floor, directly destroying the illusion around the home.

    And at this moment, the walls, floors, and ceiling all turned moldy in a blink of an eye.

    "You!!!!~~"

    Dorian didn''t give the moose any time to think, tearing both sides of its mouth apart.

    Rip!

    The real culprit was revealed.

    "Damn you, Mortal! How dare you touch his great one?!"

    The rotting baby that had popped out from the moose''s mouth, adjusting its dislocated jaws.

    Plop.

    Maggots fell to the ground the more they adjusted its body.

    Its body was pale blue like that of one who had long died. And on its chest was a massive hole that was too hard to miss.

    Curses!

    me it for using a human baby''s body.

    After killing the baby, it used the dead body for its means.

    It really had no choice.

    Apart from using a baby, it wasn''t old enough and wouldn''t be able to control itself if it entered an adult''s body.

    It would rip the body apart, and his true form would show.

    Body maniption for Underworld beings came with growth, time, and strength.

    For fear of horns sticking out, faceforting, body bursting out of the human flesh, how dare it pick any other body apart from a toddler''s?

    It couldn''t find any toddler above 6 Months of birth, or else it couldn''t guarantee it wouldn''t burst out.

    As for why it still kept lingering in this body? It was because of

    Crack. Crack.

    It forced its jaw back in ce, shocked by how strong the human''s punch was.

    It didn''t feel any strange fluctuations from the attack. So it could only be that the heavens truly blessed this human to give it such an amazing physique.

    But so what?

    .

    ~Crunch.<sub> </sub>

    It bit the worms swimming in its mouth like hard candy, revealing a sly smile on its lips.

    "Human... I did give you a chance. But since your ego is, as they say, the downfall of a man, then don''t me me for being rude...Clittteerrrr`~~~."

    The rotting baby gave off a loud throttling sound that made the entire room tremble like an earthquake.

    Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.

    The ss windows trembled as though about to shatter.

    <o>,m Clitter!~~</o>

    The sounds of the other creatures out. And before one could take in another whiff of air, the creatures shot out from the darkness.

    Everything happened in slow motion as countless hands reached for Dorian.

    "Human... You have indeed chosen the wrong choice."

    1, 2, 3...

    Gone.

    The Dorian and the strange figures vanished into thin air.

    It was as though Dorian had evaporated from the moldy space.

    But where? Where did he go?

    .

    "Ahhhhhh~~~!"

    Angzen was in despair.

    The Zombies and strange creatures in the dark were after them.

    Angzen had lost how many times he had tripped and almost knocked off his teeth on a tombstone... Especially when a hand suddenly pops out of the grown and holds onto his ankle. His pale face quivered as the little fat on his cheeks the more he stared at the greenish decayed hand on his ankle.

    "Quick! Quick! Get it off! Save me! Save me!!"

    Oow~~

    Angzen was truly crying while shaking and trying to get rid of the arm holding onto him.

    The creatures following them were gaining on them with this dy. And once again, Angzen peed himself with whatever leftover pee stayed in his dder.

    Panch!~

    Chan-ki stumped on the money hand,pletely cracking its grip.

    ''The grandmaster said he wasn''t to reveal any strange waves of heavenly aura yet. It looks like I can only rely on raw strength.''

    Chan-ki gritted his teeth and pulled Angzen up. "Quickly. They''re gaining on us. Just a bit more, and we''ll be safe!"

    Though he said these words to soothe Angzen, he didn''t believe them.

    What safe? These things were leading them towards this strange house on the hill.

    "Ah!-... Yes. Yes... We have to leave." The speed at which Angzen picked followed beside Chan-ki was unbelievable.

    What''s funnier was that he did so while taking big jumps, as though afraid something would shoot out again and grab onto him.

    And soon, the duo were inches away from the massive wooden door.

    It was just that the creatures had gained on them, so much that they were within arms reach from touching them.

    .

    "Quickly! Quickly!"

    Angzen narrowly escaped their ws as he heard the sounds of scratching at the door he and Chan-ki had just barely shut.

    Bam!

    Angzen leaned against the door, breathing a sigh of relief.

    Phew~

    The door had a dial-like lock mechanism on its handle, allowing them to keep it shut from the inside.

    But would this truly be enough to fortify the ce before rescuers get to them?

    "Chairs! Tables! We need to block the doors and windows... That''s how it''s done in the movies!"

    "..."

 Chapter 291 The Strange House On The Hill

    "..."

    Chan-ki almost rolled his eyes, feeling that Angzen was just like his newbie former self.

    If he hadn''t spent time with the Grandmaster, maybe the too would-be thought he had outsmarted these things, needing to block the doors with chairs and furniture.

    It was worth a shot. But the strength of these things was enough for them to bust through the doors and windows without dy.

    So why did they allow the Zombies to scratch in the doors like cats, wing away? All this was just to scare the living daylight out of them and, more importantly, keep them in here, preventing them from leaving.

    Chan-ki was willing to bet that those stage creatures should already be in this building with them. Only the Zombies were out, surrounding the scene.

    Thinking like that, Chan-ki continuously fed his eyes on his environment.

    This time, the building wasn''t clean like the former they entered.

    No. This time, the building had a wet and moldy scent with rotted wood that badly needed to be ripped off and thrown into the fire.

    F***!

    Such wood was even unfit to be used for outdoor cooking.

    It just looked weird and faced off a bad omen.

    The furniture was also broken down. If one were to sit on them, he felt the many furniture prices would crumble, turning into ashes.

    Tch.

    He had heard of Ancient pieces and furniture before... But these... These were a tad bit too ancient for him.

    .

    "What now?"Angzen''s shriveled voice questioned.

    What do they do?

    "We prepare for the inevitable while looking for a safe way out."

    "Good. Good. Yes. Yes..." Angzen bobbed his head like a chicken, following too close to Chan-Ki.

    At this moment, Chan-ki was an Emperor in Angzen''s mind. Whatever he said, that''s whatever they would do.

    ? Without Chan-ki ever, Angzen didn''t even know how he would''ve survived this long.

    A cold sweat formed on his back when thinking of it all.

    Thankfully, the guy had grabbed onto him before he was thrown out the window of that house.

    Very quickly, Chan-ki took out a lighter and an ordinary-looking candle from his pockets.

    ''...''

    Why do you have this?

    Angzen wanted to ask but dared not.

    Could this be a life hack or a habit formed by this Chan-ki guy?

    He knew people typically walked about with Lighters, whether they were smokers or not. But this was the first time he saw someone pull out a candle.

    Speaking of which, the ce sure was creepy.

    "Let''s go."

    "Right!"

    The duo began moving along the creepy open hallways while listening to the creaking sounds of the rotting floors.

    Creak~

    Angzen felt his heart hanging on a single string of thread whenever he heard the floors creak

    Dear heavens! His poor heart wasn''t ready for this.

    Angzen shook his head pitifully.

    Sigh...

    One step forth, one step back.

    The duo advanced cautiously along the seemingly 1-floor building.

    From the outside, it indeed had no second floor, letting them know that what they saw whening in would be what they got.

    But with all the strangeness they saw today, who''s to say there wasn''t more to this building than meets the eyes?

    .

    Crack!!

    The duo simultaneously turned back to stare at the now open space behind them.

    But though they didn''t see a thing, they knew what the sound could be.<sub> </sub>

    Zombies!

    "What? Have they already begun cracking the door? At this rate, wouldn''t we end up as Zombie food?!!!"

    Sh**!

    Angzen cursed loudly.

    If they couldn''t look for a solution or a way out, their end would definitely be near.

    Brack!

    A loud cracking sound echoed again, followed by the loud gruesome cries from afar.

    ~Gra~~~

    Oh, No! They''ve broken in and are heading their way.

    "Quickly! We have to make a run for it!"

    Chan-ki''s gaze narrowed, knowing they were again directed to whoever these things wanted them to go.

    "It''s locked!"

    "Locked!"

    "Locked!"

    "Locked!"

    Door by door, the duo tried entering any they saw to no avail... Until they finally reached thest one on the right.

    .

    Catchack.

    Angzen''s face of despair changed into joy and fleet the moment the door opened.

    Hahhahaha~... They found one. They found one.

    Chan-ki didn''t say a thing, only stepping into the ''unlocked'' door.

    ''So this was it.''

    He shut the door before staring at the strange scene he was met with.

    At this point, even he was astounded by their discovery.

    This... This...

    His lips quivered in a slight state of awe.

    ''These were Hanquirian stone walls!''

    Within the gang, Haru loved Magic, Raulin was a racing freak, Bewoh was a training maniac, Zhulyn was a video game lover, Butler Chen was an orderly freak who liked everything in its ce... While he, on the other hand, was a history maniac.

    He loved history and anything ancient, from archeology to rare items from the many dynasties back then.

    So seeing these walls, how could he not feel excited?

    Chan-ki stared at the walls that neither rotted or aged with an unfathomable gaze. Meanwhile, Angzen only bit his lip, staring at Chan-ki with a helpless look on his face.

    Bro... Do you not hear these creatures scratching at the door we just closed? Do you think we have time to admire anything here? F***! Don''t you see a stairway in front of us?

    Angzen had no tears but wanted to cry.

    He wanted to grab Chan-ki and shake him silly.

    What''s so fascinating about these walls when their safety is at stake?

    (:`0`)

    .

    Angzen trembled, looking at the creepy, long, and winding stairway that seemed to lead to a dark basement.

    Gulp.

    It looked like an ancient stairway from the dynasty eras.

    It gave off a troubling aura that didn''t sit well with him.

    But with creatures at their back and the stairway at their front, the choice had already been made for them.

    What else could they do but descend below?

    Holding the candle, Chan-ki stared at the stairway.

    "Let''s go."

    It''s time to see why these creatures brought them here.

 Chapter 292 Down Below

    One step forth, another step forth.

    Angzen walked on tiptoes, holding onto Chan-ki''s clothes.

    His hands were slightly quivering, and his body filled with goosebumps.

    A dry throat, a clenched pack of jaw muscles, and a sickening wave of acid welling up in his belly.

    The further they declined the dark, moldy, and winding ancient stone stairway, the more troubling his heart became.

    Wheee~~

    A gentle yet icy breeze suddenly caressed his cheek from nowhere.

    Where did thate from?

    Angzen swallowed dryly, unable to wet his now parched throat. He wanted to speak up but found his throat constricted, as though fearing to make a sound and attract any evil.

    Mommy...

    Angzen tightened his grip on Chan-Ki''s attire, constantly throwing his head behind his shoulders to look back.

    In horror movies, there was always something following the protagonists from the back, no?

    "Stop fidgeting," Chan-ki spoke in a calm time with only slight tremors not easily detected.

    "The Zombies haven''t broken in yet. So there''s nothing behind us."

    "Ye-- Yes... Yes! Yes! You''re right."

    I hope you are. Angzen thought, looking at the dimly lit stairway that glowed with orange-yellowish candle hues.

    "We have to hurry up and find a way out of here. So pick up the pace."

    He''s right. Angzen thought, nodding his head in agreement. Who knows when the Zombies would break down that door?

    If they didn''t prepare their escape or block the way, things would only get work for themselves.

    Good heavens!

    Angzen was already at his wit''s end.

    Like so, the duo proceeded down the ancient stone stairway simr to that of a dungeon.

    And soon, they arrived at the bottom.

    What to expect?

    .

    Bubuum!

    Angzen''s heart froze, feeling his legs suddenly grow heavier.

    "Wait!" He spoke out anxiously. "Shouldn''t we check first?"

    His instincts told him there was danger ahead.

    Chan-ki stayed quiet. "Even if an enemy was there, our candle mes had already given off our arrival. With the Zombies behind, we have no choice but to keep moving."

    Saying that, he calmly walked a few more steps down before firmly nting his feet on the bottom floors.

    F***!

    AngZen knew they had no other way out.

    Gritting his teeth, he also followed behind Chan-ki.

    And at this moment, the door above broke with a loud crackling noise.

    Zombies!

    They''ve unbroken their way in!

    "What do they do now?" Angzen jumped in horror, unable to take his eyes away from the stairway behind them.

    But little did he know that this was the least of his worries.

    Chan-ki forced himself to look at the bottom floor they were on. But what he saw was enough to give him nightmares for an eternity.

    Plop.

    His body weakened in horror at the gruesome sight before him.

    "Doh--- don''t touch us... Please... Let us go..."

    Angzen''s tears poured out from the sight before him.

    Yes... They were surrounded.

    Those vile little creatures with tails, horns and rotting bodies smiled devilishly at them from all corners of the floor.

    Blugghh~

    This time, Angzen pulled after getting a proper look at the creepy, ugly things.

    How can something be so hideous?

    Clitter. Clitter~

    There was that weird sound again.

    The creatures echoed out in unison with bright shiny eyes.

    They settled back, bing one with the wall, though their eyes still glowed like those of wolves in the dark.

    And soon, the eyes finished altogether.

    But this wasn''t all Angzen witnessed.

    .

    Puff!

    The ancient room that was as big as a hidden ancient treasure vault now had countless people hovering in despair.

    Where they the townsfolk?

    Their bodies were stained with blood, and their clothes were torn and ripped.

    What a huge space.

    The space was so huge, probably built as a haven for the town in dire situations back in ancient times.

    But now, the space was being used by these creatures to trap them all!

    What''s funny was that therge group of people had been screaming and telling the duo to flee and run when they saw them arrive.<sub> </sub>

    Yet, the duo didn''t seem to hear a thing.

    It was only after taking a few steps further into the room that a nket of ''nonexistent'' fog cleared from their eyes.

    F***!

    Did these townsfolk appear out of nowhere?

    That was how Angzen saw things, not knowing that the townsfolk had always been here.

    "People... People..."

    A few brave townsfolk called out to the duo with vignt eyes, not wanting to catch the attention of these creatures looming over them from the walls.

    Chan-ki and Angzen reached the 40something years old man surrounded by others.

    This man should either be the chief of police or a government official overseeing the town''s activities.

    And sure enough, he was right.

    The man was Mayor Raymore.

    His wife, children, men, and many others saw him as a pir of support in these harsh times.

    There were also several police officers amongst the group of hundreds.

    But nothing was more eye jarring than the pile of human bones and clothes in the small corner of the vast space.

    .

    F***!

    Angzen once again cursed his luck, envisioning himself being eaten by these beings.

    Chan-Ki''s eyes delivered, with no one knowing what he thought.

    Raymore, on the other hand, was shaking his head, seeing more people entrapped in this space.

    "You guys... Sigh... You really have bad luck to be here."

    Everyone else thought so as well.

    "Tell us, are you part of any investigation teams?"

    "Has the country attached importance to our sudden disappearance?"

    "Will we get saved?"

    One by one, many gathered around, hoping for a miraculous answer.

    One should know that it was just yesterday that all this happened. Yet, it already seemed like an eternity to them.

    Mayor Raymore himself was a busy man that needed to keep in contact with the many government officials across the country with assignments, documents, and projects toplete on a daily basis.

    Though it''s only been a day, his cell phone and that of his subordinates and secretary should''ve rung severally... If there was still signal around the parts.

    Unfortunately, no call could go through. Thus, those looking for him might dy for a day or so, thinking maybe he fell sick and would get to them.

    But if they couldn''t contact him for a while, they would definitely send people to investigate or ping-pong his location, wanting to know what was going on with him.

    Additionally, the police officers and many others had to constantly contact people out of the town too.

    So if many reports got ryed out about their sudden disappearance, wouldn''t the many officials out of the town find it strange?

    Why were the reports all about people in this town?

    Undoubtedly, everyone was more or less riding onmon sense and their importance to once to others out of the town for their rescue.

    So they knew that eventually, people would notice their disappearance.

    But for how long would they have to wait for their rescuers to arrive?

    For all they knew, they might get eaten during this time of waiting.

    .

    Everyone''s anxiousness had no bounds, questioning every visitor thrown in the group alongside them since yesterday.

    Since their capture, there have been over 30 visitors who were added to their group in the span of a single day.

    Angzen felt ufortable underneath everyone''s scorching eyes.

    "Everyone... It''s not what you think... We... We were just passing by the town and stopped for a meal."

    This...

    Raymore and the rest looked at each other, seeing the mes of hope diminish further.

    "Mayor Raymore, I thought you said the government would definitely notice our dissonance before nightfall?"

    "Yeah! I think you overestimate your value to them. Or does how haven''t they arrived get?"

    "Good mother of pearls! We''re doomed! Doomed, I tell you! We will end up as meals for tense creatures!!"

    The atmosphere was gloomy the more manyined.

    "That''s enough!" Mayor Raymore bellowed.

    Did they think they were the only ones afraid?

    He too was human and scared out of his pants. But he knew more than anyone else that keeping a calm mind in troubling times would make onest longer.

    Even the police officers tried to calm the frightened crowd, though they were also in despair.

    Raymore''s thundering voice caused many to quiet down.

    Coupled with his burly figure, sharp eyes, and bearded face, he gave off a very authoritative aura.

    "Enough! No matter what? If we''re going to survive, we need to keep calm!... Now, tell us... What''s the situation out there? From the narrations of the earlier visitors, I keep getting the feeling that you all were led here by these things."

    Many police officers also nodded in agreement.

    Oh?

    Chan-ki revealed a slight smile, looking at mayor Raymore. At least someone was using their head.

    Chan-ki didn''t speak but allowed Angzen to narrate all that passed.

    The more many listened, the more Raymore frowned.

    "You say there''s one more person amongst you?"

    "Yes..." Chan-ki replied... "You may call him Grandmaster... And... He should be here any moment from now. But first�� tell me all you know about the baby."

    "..."

 Chapter 293 Bloody Flowers

    ''...''

    Do you wish for your friend to die here with us?

    If not, what do you mean by saying he will be here anytime soon?

    Are you sure you''re not his foe rather than his friend?

    Everyone had countless words to say but said nothing.

    But before they could further sink into digesting Chan-ki''s words, the walls exploded.

    Boom!

    Everyone hunched their backs with their hands over their heads, taking cover asst as they could.

    F***!

    What just happened?

    The walls exploded too abruptly, releasing an even fouler stench in the air. But this was the least of their worries.

    Peering at the scene through the cracks between their fingers, many were taken aback by the sudden emergence of the youth before them.

    Instantly, Chan-ki''s words reyed in their minds.

    Was this the friend he said woulde by?

    The poor guy was thrown in by several creatures, all pinning him down mercilessly.

    But no matter how they looked at the scene, they felt that the boy was being apanied by little children ying with him instead.

    Too calm!

    The boy was too damn calm, like the steady waters of a river.

    ''...''

    How does he do it?

    The moment everyone spotted the creatures, they once again fell into Pukesville, gagging and trying to hold back as much as they could.

    But apart from disgust, horror was all they could feel, staring at the rotting baby before them.

    Good heavens!

    Everyone subconsciously took several steps back while lowering their heads to avoid eye contact.

    Warm feed trickled down the thighs of many.

    Babies cried, children howled, and even adults felt despair.

    What a joke. Age had nothing to do with fear.

    It can be seen that if they ever survived this ordeal, even the faults would still be afraid of the shadows in their closets.

    Once again, they had to admire the strange boy who was still calm in the baby''s presence.

    Chan-ki stood firm, squinting his eyes at the revolting baby.

    He has indeed seen worse. This much he could handle.

    ''So this is the culprit?... Hmmm... It looks like soon, we''ll find out why we''re here.''

    .

    "Hahahhahaha~..."

    The baby''s eerieugh gave everyone chills.

    Many anxiously held one another, feeling the chilly winds blow across their bodies.

    What... What did it want from them?

    The baby sneered, still seeing how calm Dorian was.

    "Human! You dare look down on me?" Not even a single wave of fear got emitted from the bastard. If this wasn''t an insult to its being, it didn''t know what was.

    Dammit!

    It had never met a mortal like the bastardying on the ground as though on vacation.

    The creature felt it was punching a soft pillow.

    Was it not ugly and terrifying enough?

    No... That wasn''t it. The other mortals were scared out of their wits. So it should be this abnormal mortal that was the problem.

    For a moment, the creature fell into a period of frustration. But soon revealed a mischievous smile.

    It wanted to wait longer to harvest more rewards before beginning its master n.

    However, seeing as this bastard dared to look down on it, why not begin?

    The creature sneered.

    ''Keep pretending. Soon, we''ll see just how tough you really are!''

    He had decided to begin now!

    Clitter!!~

    With its disturbing cry, it raised its hand and called all forces hidden in the dark.

    Rumble. Rumble.~

    The floors shook with a terrifying force, making it hard for anyone to stand.<sub> </sub>

    "Ahhh~"

    Many dropped to their knees, hands, and bellies, trying to find their centers of gravity.

    Rock to the left, rock to the right, everyone felt like sailors on a strong night.

    Pap.

    Some fell onto their own puke without resistance.

    But the stench of their puke was far better than the now ghoulish scent emitting from the run king and rotting walls.

    .

    "Ahhh~... Maggots!"

    One of thedies yelled out, and everyone saw tiny heads swiveling out from the floors and walls.

    Disgusting. Disgusting.

    In no time, many bumped to their feet amidst the rumbling they previously found to be unbearable.

    Woooo~~...

    Ladies trembled, watching the maggots swim over their shoes and feet.

    Somebody... Anyone... please, do SOMETHING!!!

    The women looked to the men as though asking if they were truly men.

    However, the men chose to stick to equality on this one.

    In just 3 seconds, the entire floor was covered with white, red, green, and blue maggots of all sizes, lengths, and widths.

    Those who had their hands on the ground or their butts seated felt the worms crawl up and under their clothes.

    "Ahhh~... Get it off! Get it off me!!!"

    Like posted people, they began shaking and unbuttoning their clothes to shake them off.

    What about nudity? F*** off!

    Who the hell cares about that now?

    The rumbling died the moment the maggots filled the floors.

    The creepy crawlies were all over the ce.

    And apanying them was the fog that circled the rotting baby.

    Raymore stared at the foggy tornado, having a terrible feeling swell within him.

    "Not good."

    Whoosh!

    Clitter!~

    The sound sounds slowed int again

    And the creatures all jumped into the foggy tornado.

    What was going on there?

    No one saw what the many were doing within the foggy tornado.

    The fog spun wildly until itpletely got sucked into the rotting baby''s hands.

    And soon, the baby stared at them with a cruel blunt in its eyes.

    Its boy now had a thousand eyeballs looking in every direction possible.

    No one would be able to sneak attack such a terrible being.

    Raymore felt his hairs stand at attention.

    What now?

    .

    Everyone was in despair when suddenly, their bodies began to rise high on their own.

    Help! Help!

    So painful.

    Angzen tried to pry the invisible force strangling his throat to no avail.

    Heart participating, eyes mining unsteadily, face turning purple... This was the closest he had gotten to death.

    But ahh... The fun had just begun.

    Beneath them, the maggots also began to merge.

    What?!!!!

    The maggots merged, forming bigger worms that stood before each person.

    This wasn''t all. Strange flowers as red as blood suddenly spring out of nowhere.

    But Chan-ki recognized them.

    Weren''t they the flowers they saw back in the first house?

 Chapter 294 An Inevitable End

    "Bahahahaha~" the babyughed maniacally. "Roses are red, and violets are blue. The sun is down, and the moon is up... The night is beautiful, and so is the feast!"

    Whoosh!

    The flowers began wiggling and shaking, too excited for the feast prepared for them.

    Oh, no. What do they do?

    Everyone struggled to free themselves from the invisible grip holding them high.

    They ring legs about, watching the giant worms open their mouths in preparation for the said feast.

    And what was on the menu?

    Them!!

    "Yes... Yes... Fear me!!" The baby slowly smiled, licking its lips in ecstasy from the wave of fear it received.

    Aughh~

    It shuddered blissfully, switching its neck back and forth.

    However, the moment its gazended on the human, who was still fearless, it only wanted to hack the damn bastard to death.

    But little did it know that soon, ytime would be over.

    Dorian stared at the scene expressionlessly. ''Almost there.''

    Drip~

    The red petals on the giant flowers began shedding blood drop by drop.

    Everyone saw the drops fall to the ground but didn''t stter or get absorbed into the floor.

    Instead, they began moving around the room in circles, forming strange symbols on the ground.

    Everyone struggled to read the symbols but couldn''t make heads or tails on the matter.

    Chan-ki''s eyes turned cold. Though he only recognized one symbol, it was enough to see their impending doom if things continued as such.

    Even the system couldn''t help shuddering at the sight before it.

    [Host... these creatures are truly courting death!]

    What did It see? Wasn''t this a yin-&-yang Blood changing ritual?

    It was a devious ritual that could not only destroy a human''s soul but aid these creatures in devouring the souls of everyone here without bacsh.

    What was worrying was the souls of these humans.

    Once this ritual gets done, even if the devoured humans get freed today or hundreds of yearster, their souls would have been too damaged, being nothing simr to a human''s.

    By would fall into what the heavens call the In-betweens.

    To fill up the soul and remedy things, these humans would go through a gruesome tribtion for tens, thousands, and even millions of years.

    There was no way out of it.

    Only heavenly lightning could condition and fill up each soul. Like a mold of y, their souls would get reconstructed.

    The sad thing was that even after tens of thousands of years of reconstruction, their first few reincarnations would be animals.

    In terms of mortal hierarchy, nothing in these worlds beats a human soul.

    The soul itself was powerful. Hence, it would take too long to fix it up.

    The system felt pity for these humans.

    Others would go to reincarnation, while they would face such a gruesome fate for millions of years.

    And even as animals, they would be very sickly and have bad luck.

    In the end, the problem would begin if the ritual gotpleted.

    [Host, you must not let this happen.]

    ''Hmmm...''

    Dorian narrowed his eyes, gazing at the blood that trailed around the room, firming the ritual''s formation.

    It was still not yet time for him to reveal himself.

    .

    Greeee~~~

    The worms let out anxious but excited cries, wanting to begin eating their meal.

    "So impatient. Hold on, my lovelies." The baby cautioned while walking to the center of the formation.

    Eyes closed, it raised its hands upwards.<sub> </sub>

    "Clitter!"

    Nooo!~~

    Everyone inwardly screamed in horror, feeling another force pulling someone out of their bodies.

    Ray more struggled to keep his eyes open, ming his legs unwillingly.

    His knees quaked, his heart stumbling on its own rhythm, and his body sweating buckets.

    So painful.

    Raymore felt as though someone was grabbing onto his heart and squeezing it vigorously.

    Air... Air...

    His cheeks shook, and his nostrils struggled to take in air.

    ''I don''t want to die.''

    The fully grown man, as strong as a mountain, suddenly broke down as images from his life shed before his eyes.

    For the first time in a very long while, Raymore seeded tears.

    And just before he closed his eyes for thest time, he seemed to have seen a pale ghost-like image of himself get drawn out.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Raymore''s heartbeats grew frail.

    Was... Was that his soul?

    Raymore tried to shake and free himself to no avail.

    And the fear he had been pressing down on this entire time, hit him like a tsunami.

    What is going to happen to him after this?

    The fear of the unknown overpowered his thoughts.

    Why? Why were there such terrible beings living amongst them?

    He, like everyone else in the world, had been utterly clueless of the world beyond.

    But what he also worried about the most was his family here with him.

    .

    In the massive space, the blood formation worked alongside the flowers to draw out the parts of the souls that had begun changing.

    If someone walked into the vast space now, they would be shocked by the winter wondend before them.

    Yes!

    The entire room was now covered with thickyers of reddish ice.

    Everywhere was frosty, with an overly pungent smell in the air.

    But this didn''t seem to disturb the baby at the center.

    Woosh!

    A strange red light fell on the baby, letting it grow bigger and bigger.

    And soon, a baby the size of an adult stood at the center of the formation.

    Until it finished the ritual, it couldn''t abandon this mortal skin yet.

    Too immersed in its actions, it didn''t even realize that 2 humans out of the lot were unaffected by whatever was happening.

    It''s time.

    Dorian revealed a slight smile on his face.

    "Ahhhhhh~~~."

    The low whimpers of many echoed out, feeling their souls drawn out of them bit by bit.

    Was this their end?

    Flusters of unwillingness filled their hearts with every passing second.

    And just when they were about to give in to the inevitable, they suddenly felt themselves dropping to the ground.

    Bam!

    Many fell hard in disbelief.

    They... They... They were freed?

 Chapter 295 Saved By The Bell!

    Saved by the bell!

    Released from the choking grip, many began coughing vigorously.

    Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough~

    Their bluish-purplish faces began to regain a deep tomato-colored blush.

    Ahhhh~~

    So painful!

    They gripped their hearts and rolled about, feeling their souls forcefully reattached back to their bodies.

    Even the police andw performers felt they had experienced the worst form of torture ever.

    The feeling was indescribable and something they wished never to experience again!

    F***!

    Their eyes were twitching in spasms.

    .

    Who?

    The rotting baby opened its eyes, looking for the culprit to disrupted its ritual

    But before it could react, a massive hammer sent it flying to the walls.

    Bam!

    It crashed into the thickyer of red ice, releasing a tremble across the entire room.

    Oh no!

    Everyone''s face turned grim, watching the sharpyers of ice fall downwards from the ceiling.

    Parents rushed towards their children, arching their trembling backs over, while some quickly ced their hands behind their necks, praying for a miracle.

    Time seemed frozen in ce.

    Whoosh!

    Dorian threw 13 coins up in the air and kicked each one at lightning speed.

    "Suspend!!"

    Vmmm!

    The coins gave off a link resonance wave, spreading across the room''s space.

    Snow?

    Everyone was hunched back, waiting to be knocked down by giant sharp ice daggers.

    So who can tell them why it was now snowing with reddish kes?

    ''...''

    The coins continued suspended mid-air, even though no more ice tell from above.

    Everyone looked at the pink transparentyer above in awe.

    No one needed to spell out what happened for them to understand.

    This thing seemed to have saved their lives.

    But who did it? Who was the one who ced this magicalyer above?

    .

    Tilting his headzily, Dorian hung his giant hammer on his shoulders.

    Too exaggerated.

    The hammer was 3 times bigger than his size.

    And the children stared at the scene with open mouths.

    Say no more. This guy was definitely a protagonist!

    (*0*)

    "Ayyyyy!"

    Everyone''s frown froze, hearing the throttling sounds.

    It wasn''t dead?

    Cold water shed over their fiery mes of hope, seeing the baby rise from the rubble.

    This... This... Would they truly be okay?

    [You know what to do.]

    Chan-ki nodded, listening to Dorian''s telepathic words.

    The coins the grandmaster threw earlier had different purposes,yered together as one.

    Some were to counter the blood formation below, reverting it to nothing, while others yed roles

    But from the Grandmaster''s words, he didn''t need to worry about the giant worms attacking anyone.

    The worms couldn''t move yet until the ritual was either fully reverted orpleted.

    Thus, his assignment fell on dealing with the giant nts... In particr, he had to deal with the one called ''Mother.''

    It was positioned at the very back of the flower gathering. The flowers surrounded the pile of human bones thrown at one end of the space.

    And of course, the one called Mother grew directly on the pile.<sub> </sub>

    ''How evil.''

    Drawing out a transparent golden whip, Chan-ki began his pursuit into the jungle of flowers. Meanwhile, on Dorian''s side, things were getting heated up.

    .

    Crunch.

    The baby grimly crunched the insects in his mouth like snacks.

    And the massive hole on his head began to form cracks that lit up with utter pain.

    "You bloody son of a mortal!"

    The Heavenly burn around the perimeters of its wound made it curse like a shrew in a marketce.

    F***!

    Its human body would break at this point, and all its work would be for naught!!!

    The golden lines began spreading from the injury, all the way to its neck, as though his body was cracking from the inside.

    Looking at Dorian, his nonchnt attitude, coupled with this many actions, only fueled its fury.

    "I''m going to kill you!!!"

    Whoosh!

    The baby moved too fast!

    Did you see it? Where was it?

    Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

    The blood on Raymore''s face went dry. "Boy! It''s behind you!!!"

    The baby appeared with a gloating smile on its face. "Toote."

    Bam!!!

    Pieces from the floor jumped several feet up in the air with the sudden attack.

    "I can''t look! I''m too scared to look!!"

    Several people covered their eyes but still took sneaky peeks at the scene.

    ''...''

    Alright. It wasn''t their fault.

    Curiosity was indeed a bastard.

    And even the once crying children couldn''t keep their eyes away from the incredible fight.

    ''All hail magic.''

    Even in a million years, they would never forget such a blockbuster fight.

    ''Yes! Yes! Big brother, crush that scummy viin to a pulp!!'' They encouraged in their hearts, not daring to voice it out.

    Awesome! This big brother was so awesome!

    (^��^)

    .

    "gh!"

    The baby spat into the air after receiving a hit on Its chest.

    Bam. Bam. Bam.

    The rubble that jumped off the ground now fell back inrge sweeps, covering the severally cracked floors.

    The baby felt its body pinned into the ground, highlighting how strong this mortal''s attacks were.

    But would it reach to give up? Not a chance. "Again!"

    Dorian raised his lips wickedly, swinging his hammer for round 2.

    There was indeed something he wanted to find out from the creature.

    Loki''s sudden appearance had gotten him on edge.

    ''In 4 days, the academy will be open. The earlier I find out about the underworld''s situation, the safer things will be.''

    Alright.

    "Come!"

    ~Boom!!!

    Dorian moved his hammer. And on the other side, Chan-ki was also facing a heavy battle on his own too.

    Mother...

    He started at the highest flower of all, right at the far back.

    ''I must get to the mother fast!''

    But how could it be that easy?

    "Quickly! Look over there! Isn''t that thest visitor who came in tonight?!"

    Someone eximed, and many turned their heads in time to see the petals of many giant flowers elongate, forming giant red nkets of death.

    Everyone stared at the puny Chan-ki in the jungle of giant flowers.

    ... Will he be able to pass through?

 Chapter 296 Facing Reality

    Lifting his head with his golden whip in hand, Chan-ki was like a fantasy explorer standing before a towering jungle of deadly flowers.

    ''Here goes nothing.''

    Run!

    Chan-ki''s legs obeyed hismand, pushing forth through the vicious nts.

    ~Wahhh~

    The giant nket of spiky petals came at him from all directions.

    Dodge to the left, jump high up, roll to the right, duck!

    Chan-ki felt pressure with the increasing speed at which these petals came at him.

    ''The more I advance, the faster their attacks.''

    They were hell-bent on not wanting him to reach the Mother.

    ~Whoopash!

    He flicked his whip, slicing off several nkets of red.

    Chan-ki somersaulted forward, dodging her another attack beforending and continuing his whipping carnage.

    ~Whoopash! Whoopash! Whoopash!

    The audience felt their blood boil, watching Chan-ki effortlessly move through the dangerous jungle.

    Don''t look at how he was making everything look easy. The speed at which these petals moved was one they dared not try.

    What does it mean to only see after images?

    If it were them, they would''ve long gotten wrapped around the many spiky giant petals. And by then, who knows what these petals would do to them. Suck them dry? Squeeze them so right like an anaconda and crack their bones?

    No one knew the true attack of these nts. And quite frankly, they didn''t want to know!

    .

    "What a strong guy!"

    One of the high-ranked police officers in the town couldn''t helpmenting.

    Who knew that this visitor who they spoke to earlier was this strong?

    His translucent magical whip also made him understand that these people were probably from a special government department handling issues of this nature.

    Many thought so too.

    "Old Ray... Would you have ever guessed that such things existed?"

    Raymore shook his head bitterly. "The world is truly a dangerous ce. But leaving the town after this would be stupid."

    "Why?" Another asked with an unwilling voice.

    No! They disagree.

    You have to know that after such an ordeal, almost everyone had inwardly decided to leave the town for good if they survived.

    So why was the mayor saying such words?

    Was it because he wanted to selfishly keep them here and continue being mayor at the detriment of their lives?

    Raymore could see their thoughts but didn''t feel offended.

    "Haven''t you all thought about it? These 2 folks are probably part of a special department working for the government."

    True or false?

    No one spoke, but their widened eyes showed their surprise.

    Raymore pointed at Dorian. "Take a look at their clothes. You might not be able to see it, but I know they''re expensive. Believe it or not, the boy''s watch alone costs hundreds of thousands."

    What???!!!

    A collective gasp echoed out, with many dubiously looking at the watch as though it were gold.

    If they had such an expensive piece of clothing, they would be too scared to wear it out. Hey... What if they got robbed on the streets?

    Losing such a watch was enough to make them fall into cardiac arrest.<sub> </sub>

    Looking at the unique watch, many subconsciously felt his mayor''s words were true.

    "Everyone... Think about it. These people are versed in dealing with such situations and are also well paid. This means the government knows about these creatures. In other words, wherever one goes, such beings will always be there hiding amongst us or in the shadows!"

    How can this be?

    Many felt the color drain from their faces.

    If... If these beings were everywhere, then didn''t this mean the only way to escape their grasp was to leave the country?

    No.

    Many shook their heads.

    If their country was riddled with these creatures, maybe the other countries also faced the same problems.

    In that case, there was no escaping these things. Face tightened, Raymore was also in a state of turbulence.

    You think he wouldn''t have wanted to pick his family up and flee to any safe grounds?

    Such things are good in theory. However, reality was more likely to disappoint him.

    "No!!!" Something eximed, not wanting toe to terms with reality.

    "Why? How can this be? If it was as you said, why didn''t the government tell us?"

    Fear, panic, and worry indeed made some people ask silly questions.

    This time, Raymore didn''t even need to speak up. One of the police officers stared at the crazed-looking man with a hard-stoned face.

    "Why should they let the public know and engine turmoil? The situation is the same as having an aliene down from outer space. Things have to be kept hidden to prevent widespread panic."

    Hm-hm.

    Many nodded in agreement.

    Recalling the movies about Aliens they had seen, they felt this situation should be simr.

    Angzen thinned his lips, feeling they had somehow gotten the ring idea.

    If the government wanted this to stay hidden, they wouldn''t have allowed Dorian to set up a booth in public, handling such matters by listening to Raymore''s words.

    That is... Was it just him, or did Dorian not care if the entire world knew? And was he truly working with the government? Angzen didn''t know.

    But this didn''t stop many from looking at him.

    "You came with the other one (Chan-ki), so you must know about the boy. Then tell us. Is what Mayor Raymore saying true?"

    Half in anticipation, half in dread, many questioned in a tone that was clearly managed.

    "Tell us, why are you truly here?"

    Angzen smiled forcefully. "Would you believe it if I said I was on my way to see my ghostly parents off?"

    ? "..."

    Angzen retold a little of what he had vine through, making everyone feel their hairs stand alert.

    What? When people die, they could be ghosts? It wasn''t a fictional thing but reality?

    Once again, this made everything understand that no matter where they went, such things would always be around.

    Just look at this Angzen, who had left another city and had met this unfortunate situation on his way to his vige.

    The facts were staring them straight in the face.

    In the end, they have no choice but to live with these creatures till the day they die.

    This... This...

    What a gruesome fate.

    Bam!!!

    The sudden tremble had everyone jump like cats.

    And throwing their heads towards Chan-ki''s direction, their eyes took on a haunted look.

    ... How did this happen?

 Chapter 297 Burning Whip Of Justice!

    Blink. Blink.

    Everyone was short for words.

    How did this happen?

    How did the flowers multiply?

    "Kid, forget about the petal-slicing thing!!!"

    Someone in the audience couldn''t go blurting out.

    And the 29-year-old Chan-ki inwardly cursed at himself for letting things get this bad.

    That''s right. With every petal he sliced off, 2 more grew out in ce.

    But that wasn''t all.

    If he sliced too many petals off the same flower, the entire flower stalk would split into two like cell division.

    And once separated, each stalk would grow back to its full diameter.

    What was scarier was that the newly grown petals could stretch out longer rangers than their original counterparts.

    Their spokes were also longer, and their bodies redder in color.

    Chan-ki was dumbfounded. ''I got a little bit excited, didn''t I?''

    [Audience]: You think?!!

    No time to waste.

    Jump here, roll there... Chan-ki''s feet never stopped as he moved through the now tighter jungle.

    ''The Grandmaster had only said to kill the mother but didn''t exin the strangeness of these flowers.''

    It was probably to let him learn and survive on his own. After all, Dorian couldn''t keep spoon-feeding them every time.

    The lessons one learned the fastest were those experienced and tackled by themselves.

    Only when necessary would Dorian aid them.

    How can future teachers in the academy be useless?

    They had to toughen themselves and prove their worth, not just for the Academy''s sake but also for their reputation and prestige.

    Who would have it be their disciples if they didn''t grow strong?

    Chan-ki thinned his lips. ''If they multiply when sliced off, I just need to apply the perfect force to injure them, making sure not to sever their petals from the flowers.''

    ~Whoopash!

    A nearby petal snapped back like a child whose hands had been pped away from a cookie box by their parents.

    So hateful.

    If they had eyes, the petals would''ve looked at Chan-ki spitefully.

    ? ''This is taking too long. I have to get to The Mother fast... But how can I do this?''

    ''Chan-ki''s face was a little lost until it soon regained vigor from a sudden thought.

    ''Hold on! Didn''t I just master the first step of the Sonic Spin? Though my mastery isn''t strong and verycking, these creatures aren''t too strong either. So it should be enough to get me by... But first, I''ll need a lift.''

    .

    ~Gruuuu~~

    The flowers relentlessly moaned, not slowing their attacks on this human.

    But before they could react, the human boosted his speed, smacked on several of their stems, and jumped high above their already towering structures.

    Chan-ki kept his legs closed and held his golden whip with both hands.

    "Sonic Spin!!!!!"

    Chan-ki began spinning so fast that the audience could only see a small golden tornado appear.

    Many teens and children held one another, shocking themselves crazily.

    "Do you see that? Do you see that??!!!"

    "Awesome! You can also y like this?"

    "Ahhh~~~... Why did my phone battery die down? Just look at the blockbuster movie I could''ve recorded?"

    "Dead battery? Bro, I think you''re lucky. Almost everyone''s phone was broken and arranged when we got carried here. That is, some people even lost their phones on the way."

    "F***! From today, I dere this guy as my brother."

    "Screw you! Who do you think you are to be his brother? Aren''t you just iming rtionships at this point? Of course, as someone with potential, I''m the only one worthy of being his brother."<sub> </sub>

    "Awesome!"

    "10 on 10!!"

    Pah. Pah. Pah~

    The petals were pped away whenever they tried to touch the golden tornado.

    And just as Chan-ki intended, their petals didn''t get sliced off but got injured fatally.

    "Sonic Spin!"

    Chan-ki once again performed the same move afternding a good distance ahead.

    He performed the Sonic spin a few more times before reaching the pile of human bones.

    But if one thought the lines were the eeriest things here, they would be in for a wild surprise.

    .

    "The Mother," Chan-ki murmured underneath his breath.

    Its petals were all lined with human bones, and its stalk was also made of a collection of bones.

    But this wasn''t all.

    Since breaking past his mortal shell and taking in the heavenly oath, Chan-ki''s were far different from everyone else''s.

    He squinted his eyes at the tiny hole on the money stalk, only seeing several pale bluish-white figures swimming inside.

    This... These were human souls!!!

    They were most likely those whose bones were scattered here.

    In one day, these beings had managed to do so much destruction?

    Chan-ki shuddered, thinking of what would have happened if they hade a dayter or even 5.

    Looking at the figures swimming in the bony stem, their souls were changing.

    The stem was acting like a pot, cooking the souls for the benefit of these creatures, making them easier to devour.

    ~Ouhhh~~~

    Chan-ki''s ears rang, listening to the souls crying from within.

    ''How despicable!'' Chan-ki was furious. ''Don''t worry; I''ll free you all.''

    .

    With resolve, Chan-ki stared at the vicious bony nt.

    "Whip of Justice!"

    Chan-ki''s whip flew to the flower''s bony stalk. But just when it was about to hit its mark, the stalk suddenly grew 10 bony ws: 5 on each side.

    It looked like a spinal cord with ribs sticking out from the sides.

    Its appearance was truly eye-boggling.

    And unlike the other flowers, this one had eyes and a toothy mouth!

    As expected of the Mother.

    Pah!

    The flower blocked the attack, letting the while wrap around its bony ws rather than its stalk.

    Hahahahahah~

    Its eyes turned upwards in glee, as though gloating victoriously.

    However, it was too early to say whether Chan-ki had lost.

    "Burning Whip!!"

    Gruuuuu!!!~~

    The flower screamed in agony, feeling the overflow of heavenly energy shatter the w that held his whip.

    It hurts! It hurts!!

    Amidst the Mother''s evident pain, Chan-ki retracted his whip with an expressionless face.

    "You underestimate me too much. But don''t worry, I''ll end things fast."

    "Sonic Spin!!"

 Chapter 298 Success!

    "Sonic Spin!"

    "Whip of justice!"

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    ~Gruuuuu~

    Bam!!!!

    A shattering noise thundered out, followed by a rain of bones.

    The flower punched its bony spices and flower petals into the pile of bones it stood on.

    GRUUUU~~

    Everyone trembled while watching it rain human bones.

    F***!

    What powerful strength!

    Too bad they couldn''t see the battle clearly.

    Though the Mother was already on an elevated spot on the pile of bones, the other towering flowers surrounding it only gave them a glimpse of the flower''s head.

    But this much, coupled with Chan-ki''s jumping image, was enough to visualize the scene.

    What a blockbuster!

    If any movie producers were here, they would cry their eyes out, wishing they brought their cameras over.

    What a show!

    Chan-ki continuously rolled away with his whip at hand like Indiana Jones, evading countless rolling bordersing at him head-on.

    To the left, to the right. Jump!

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The mother seemed to have time fully crazed, pulverizing the ground like the hulk.

    ~Smash! Smash! Smash!

    All 6 of its blood-red petals lined with human bones were quick to stomp on the ground, not Chan-ki a moment''s rest

    But this wasn''t all.

    Its spiky ribcage-like ws also came at him like daggers.

    Wooow!

    The air whistled dangerously. And for a moment, Chan-ki also began seeing his death leaning on the walls, tapping his watch as though waiting for his end.

    [Death]: Hurry up and die. I don''t have an eternity to wait for you.

    Chan-ki, gritting his teeth.

    Want him to die? Impossible! He was going to live to die another day.

    One knee to the ground, Body twisted like Neo in the matrix dodging bullets, Chan-ki evaded the many bony spikesing at him.

    Had his strength been even less, he would''ve long died.

    This battle only firmed his heart on getting stronger. ''When I get back, I must break through to the next Dan!!''

    "Sonic Spin!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    His golden tornado pped the Mother pearls and ws away, carrying him to the flower''s bony stalk.

    Don''t look at how he got here this fast. All this time, he studied the Mother, realizing that it seemed to have some sort ofg-time between its attacks.

    That is, if it used all its petals and ws, it would wait for 1~3 seconds before attacking again.

    He also noticed that the colors of its petals would turn slightly darker than before whenever it was about tounch an attack.

    Taking all this into ount, Chan-ki not only moved at the precise time but also managed to ce the first part of the seal on the bony Stalk before doing backward cat wheels, moving far away from it.

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The Mother attacked ruthlessly afterg-time.

    And as nned, Chan-ki dodged until the creature seemed to run out of juice.

    Seal #2.

    He did the same act, cing the 2nd talisman paper in the position instructed by the Grandmaster.

    ''Alright. 3 more to go.''

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!!~

    The Mother continuously went rouge, with Chan-ki cartwheeling, jumping, sliding, and moving like a circus performer.

    And soon, all 5 parts were ced on the flower''s stalk.

    But something bizarre happened the moment he ced thest piece.<sub> </sub>

    Vmm!

    All 5 golden brown strips moved closer to one another and something as one... Until they looked like one piece of an uncut paper sheet.

    Good... The seal''s powers were about to be unleashed.

    But there was still one thing Chan-ki had to do to fully activate it.

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!~

    Chan-ki waited forg-time once more before moving his hands rapidly.

    ~Tsa-Tsa-Tsa-Tsa-Tsa~

    Chan-ki chanted vigorously. And even afterg time was over, he still dodged while chanting.

    His attention was mainly on the paper that slowly lit up in blue.

    Like an empty jug filled with water, the blue color began from the bottom part of the sheet, lighting upwards.

    ''Come on... Come on...''

    Chan-ki was also getting anxious, as his strength was slowing down.

    What? He had been fighting for so long, moving across the tedious jungle of flowers.

    So how could he not feel drained?

    If not for these flowers being slightly weaker than he was, it would''ve been impossible to get to where he was.

    In the end, Strength was what did the talking!

    Eh?

    The flower noticed the strangeness on its money stalk, feeling its movements restricted by an unknown force.

    Only when it looked onto its stalk did its petals stand alert.

    Peel. Peel. Peel!

    It used its bony spikes to peel the paper off to no avail.

    The damn paper seemed stuck like glue.

    And the more the blue light covered the strange paper, the more it felt its control over its spikes and petals grow weaker and weaker.

    No... This mysterious golden paper was waking up its movements!

    It looked at Chan-ki ruthlessly as though saying: You... You did this!!

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    It wanted to use its remaining strength to kill the bloody human that ced it in this predicament.

    Die! Die! Die!!

    Bones flew up in the air with its every attack.

    Breathe in, breathe out.

    Chan-ki''s breathing began growing hoarse.

    ''Almost there. Almost there....''

    The blue light had covered almost all of the paper.

    Bam!... Bam!.... Bam... Bam...

    The Mother''s attacks grew visibly weak until it could no longer raise its petals and spikes after itsst attack.

    The Mother froze in a hunched position, with its petals and spices touching the floor.

    Asleep?

    ''Hmph! I''ll be the judge of that.''

    Poke. Poke.

    Chan-ki nudged it severally, just to be sure.

    After all, wasn''t this how Horror movies like to jump scare a person? No way! He was too smart for that.

    Poke. Poke. Tap. Tap. Pah. Pah!~

    Hmmm...

    Chan-ki sighed with relief, also noticing that all the other flowers also hunched down simr to the Mother and seemed to have fallen into deep slumber too.

    Hahahhahaha~

    Chan-ki fell onto the pile of bones, feeling his knees and body quake hard.

    ''Sess!''

    (^?^)

 Chapter 299 Finally Willing

    "Look! These evil flowers are acting strange. Do you think the young man managed to aplish what he wanted to do?"

    Someone blurted, and a few people also noticed the strangeness of these flowers.

    These flowers didn''t have eyes on them, yet they somehow gave everyone the impression that they were asleep.

    So what''s this operation?

    Laying on the pile of bones with his hands spread apart, sweat on his body, and a few cuts to his face, Chan-ki turned his head to the hole on the bony stalk. And sure enough, the pool of souls that seemed to have been moving clockwise began moving anti-clockwise instead.

    Chan-ki didn''t know what this represented, but he knew it should be because of the seal.

    Great!

    Chan-ki felt like a superhero, especially after seeing the souls inside thank him.

    It should be noted that after peering in, just as he could see them, they too could see him.

    And though they couldn''t speak out words in the ever-moving stream, their mumbling words and gazes were enough to convey their gratitude.

    But the most recognizable of the many strange souls was a person he hadn''t seen before yet recognized.

    ''The man in the photos!''

    .

    Clive Congxian.

    Chan-ki was taken aback. This was the owner of the Diary they read.

    In his office, they had spotted the photo of the man holding his wife and his newly born son.

    Too bad, this son of his probably died but had its body taken over by an unknown creature.

    Chan-ki felt a little bad, seeing so many people''s souls.

    Just a day ago. They were alive. And it was probably not their time to die yet.

    But the emergence of the creatures had killed them off, bringing their fruitful lives to a halt.

    Just reading the man''s diary, one could see how happy the man was with his life.

    Sigh...

    ''If we hade here earlier, maybe we would have been able to save them all, right?''

    Chan-ki raised his high to the ceiling and clenched his fist with a determined look in his eyes.

    ''I swear that one day, I will make the creatures dare not take another step into this world! I will be one of humanity''s greatest defenders!!!''

    And just like that, a strange shift urred in human history, birthing a terrifying master who made monsters cower and flee at every turn.

    It is said that the white-bearded Master Chan-ki could wipe out legions of creatures with a singlesh of his whip.

    His moves were so terrifying that ministers dared not y in the cuties he most frequented.

    But what was even more eye-popping were the many genius disciples he gathered under his wings.

    Yes... Alongside his storm brothers, Master Chan-Ki became one of humanity''s greatest hope.

    But that was a story only future generations could speak of.

    For now, the vibrant 29-year-old Chan-Ki was just a no-rank exorcist.

    .

    Chan-ki calmly threw a pile into his mouth and focused on improving his strength.

    He still had to cleanse and exorcize the Mother, sending the souls into the paper.

    ''If I can exorcize the Mother, I will be able to get enough kill points to push me up to the next Exorcist rank.''

    So far, all the creatures he had dealt with during this time, coupled with this flower, should be enough to push him out of the No-rank status.

    Above the no-rank are the H-rank exorcists.

    And in ascending order, one has to move from the H to A, followed by S, Double-S, Triple-S, Divine, and Celestial ss.

    Again, to move up a rank, one has to cleanse, exorcize, and kill the required amount of demons, ghouls, or any other underworld entities to rank up.

    The number of points gathered would also depend on what grade of underworld creatures they exorcized.

    But reaching the minimum requirement of kills is just one aspect.

    The number of spells, incantations, and information known by the host or any exorcist also ys a part in their leveling up... As well as their overall strength.

    Though Chan-ki had already broken past his mortal shell, he still couldn''t rank up to an H-rank Exorcist because of these other factors.<sub> </sub>

    First, he was still mastering some basic skills and spells. Additionally, he hadn''t gathered enough kill points yet.

    But after today, these things wouldn''t be an issue.

    They still had 4 more days before the academy opened.

    And the Grandmaster had given each of them the task of bing Grade-1 H-rank exorcists.

    From H-rank ascending to A, each rank had 9 grades one had to move past.

    The Grandmaster had told them to all leave the No-Rank before the academy officially opened.

    And the person who will be testing them was Pandrol.

    Chan-ki closed his eyes, absorbing the pill in his system.

    ''No matter what? I must rank up!!''

    .

    "Damn it! You... You... You monster?!"

    Boom!

    The fitting baby mmed into the wall, feeling its bones crack unnaturally.

    "Monster?" Dorian chuckled, yfully advancing towards the poor trending baby.

    How funny. Its limbs were quaking, with it not even being able to stand anymore.

    "Sorry to disappoint you, but I''m as human as theye."

    [Baby]: You''re joking with me, aren''t you.

    Before the trembling baby could stand again, Dorian appeared like the wind.

    And the next thing it knew, the bastard human kicked it to the ceiling like a ball.

    Pah!

    The baby wanted to cry but had no tears.

    Dammit! What sort of bad luck did it have to run into this hateful human?

    Wearing a single white glove, Dorian jumped into the air and peeled the baby off the ceiling.

    Bam!

    The babynded with his lips kissing the floor and Dorian''s foot on its rotting maggot-infested head.

    But this was what was weird. The maggots seem to evade Dorian''s touch as though running for their lives.

    <o>,m [Audience]: ''...''</o>

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam!~

    Everyone watched Dorian''s brutal attacks and shuddered.

    What a scary kid.

    Just look at how he''s bullying this creature to tears?

    "Enough! Enough! You let me go!!"

    Bam!

    "My heart... You shattered one of my hearts, you bastard!"

    Bam!

    "Wait. Wait... I''m ready to talk."

    Bam!

    "F***! Didn''t you hear me? I said I''m ready to talk!!!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    "Ahhhhhh~... Human... Please... I''m willing to talk... No more tricks."

    Dorian''s hammer froze inches away from the creature''s face. "Oh? Then why didn''t you say so sooner?"

    "..."

 Chapter 300 An Unknown Factor

    ''Damn Human! How do you expect me to talk well with your foot smashing my face to the ground?''

    Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough~

    The fitting baby gritted his green bloodied mouth in despair.

    No matter how unwilling it was, it understood that this guy was an exorcist. Of course, it didn''t recognize Dorian''s actions because it had never seen an exercise.

    It reckoned that most, if not all, creatures roaming this world might''ve never seen one either.

    Unless one were an extremely higher-ranked creature, they wouldn''t be allowed to move from one world to another.

    Thus, it was only familiar with this world''s matters.

    Because of its certainty that no exorcists could be here, it felt that this human might''ve only picked up a celestial object to use against it.

    Too bad that was all its wishful thinking.

    The moment it peered at its flowers at the far corner, its face became grim.

    What did it see?

    The other human was exorcizing its beloved flowers. Connecting one and two together, it immediately understood that the one beating its body to a pulp must also be a strong exorcist.

    Yes. It has also never seen an exorcism before. However, the heavenly ring that fell couldn''t be mistaken. It was something it heard from other creatures in the underworld.

    Exorcists!... Exorcists!

    But why? How can this be?

    Its green bloodied face was distorted with unwillingness.

    For how years there has never been an exorcist in this world. So, where did this bastarde from?

    It wanted to flee for its life. However, the human beating it up didn''t give it a chance!

    What''s more, it seemed to have lost connection with the Zombies outside.

    The creature''s face was even more solemn.

    Who took these zombies out? Could there be more exorcists in the vicinity?

    It had intentionally let out one of the maggots in its mouth, letting it borrow into the walls and vanish to check things out.

    These worms could move like lightning If it wanted them to.

    And in a blink of an eye, it appeared outside the building.

    But no zombies were in sight. And that wasn''t all.

    The maggot found itself unable to leave the town or even leave this world.

    It was as though they were ced in a bubble, with nowhere to run.

    It was then that the rotting baby understood that these bastard exorcists had set a trap for them, just as they had also set up a trap for the humans of this town.

    Dammit!

    So hateful!!

    (:T^T:)

    .

    Dorian narrowed his gaze, unleashing a terrible air that made even the audience cower in fright.

    What?!!

    The pressure was so great that the rotting baby couldn''t even shake its fingers.

    And if Dorian hadn''t focused his aura on the creature, everyone else in the room would''ve also dropped to the floor, feeling the might of his aura too.<sub> </sub>

    Dorian had long been ufortable with that wild card who called himself Loki.

    What was he doing in this world? Sudden factors could tip the scale of the war. And Dorian, being meticulous as he was, took into ount every surprising aspect that came into y.

    Though Loki belonged to the heavens, it was hard to say whether or not the famous unpredictable lesser god would ce his hand in this matter.

    Since he got here, he had never seen a single angel around, talk less of another god.

    If these heavenly beings were around, do you think things would''ve been so bad?

    This world was a neglected world, unintentionally forgotten by the heavens.

    With hising here, maybe only a few noticed the problem and had brought the system over through a secure channel.

    I would go on a limb to say that maybe, only the system''s master and a few others might know of this.

    To not startle the enemy or rattle the sale, they probably kept the matter confidential... Especially with characters like Loki going about.

    On the streets, Dorian could see through the disguise of many demons with his third eye.

    They walked amongst the living as though they were truly humans.

    But with his third eye, he could see their hails, horns, and even dark feathers for those beings that could fly.

    However, he couldn''t see any angel in sight.

    It could be that he was too weak to view them with his throw eye, seeing as he was still low in strength.

    Even at that, as an exorcist and a person part of the heavenly order, he should''ve still been able to see their halos.

    But all he saw were underworld creatures wherever he turned.

    In truth, he had also sensed quite a few stronger ones moving about. He couldn''t see through their disguise because they were stronger.

    However, Dorian had always had a special gift, even in his former world.

    He could sense if a being was human or not eight off the bat.

    No matter how they disguised their scent, changed their forms, or created illusions around them, he would always know.

    This was also why he could sense that Loki was around in the form of that bird.

    Dorian didn''t know it, but his actions shocked Loki beyond belief.

    Even Lucifer took thousands and thousands of years to decipher him from other mortal animals.

    What''s more, many in the heavenly realm also faced such predicaments.

    Even when visiting the many worlds, he had also never been found out by humans, angels, gods, and underworld creatures.

    So how could not be shocked that Dorian he had never seen before would pinpoint him so well?

    How to describe this feeling?...

    Loki was too interested in this new toy he found.

    .

    In the end, Dorian was sure that this neglected world should have no almost no gods around.

    In that case, what was the god of mischief doing here?

    Dorian didn''t like this one bit!

    ~Ahhhh~

    He pressed hard on the rotting baby''s head.

    "Speak. I want to know everything!!"

 Chapter 301 Who Was He?

    Dorian frowned, listening to the creature''s words.

    "I swear! I swear! I''m telling the truth! A few days back, the gateway going to and fro the underworld was temporarily sealed!"

    "And you say it might involve the Princes?"

    "Yes..." The creature replied, coughing vigorously.

    Now that it had been caught, it wanted to drag everyone down with it. Or... At least send this bastard mortal to his death.

    What? It has always been a selfish trick, only thinking about itself. What''s more, it was unwilling to see others prosper when it wouldn''t.

    In that case, damn it all!

    It sang out all it knew without dy. And not surprising, it only kept things about itself private to discreet.

    It was still thinking about how to escape. Thus, it made ns for itself.

    Dorian frowned.

    What could cause so many high-ranking demons to leave this world and head back to the underworld so fiercely?

    What was going in there? And how did it connect to that damn shape-shifting god of mischief?

    Dorian had no evidence, but he felt it should have something to do with Loki.

    The guy had probably stored trouble somehow.

    [Host, no wonder the streets feel a little cleaner.] The systemmented.

    .

    During the past few days, it was shocking to realize that its hist hadn''t sensed any higher under creatures around.

    It was as though they had taken some vacation off, leaving only the small fries to continue raising havoc here.

    Such a thing should''ve made many exorcists jump in glee. But in its host''s case, it only made him colder.

    Unknown circumstances were what its host was proceeding against.

    And now, hearing that the gateway connecting the underworld and this world was sealed, they finally understood that something big was going on down there.

    Dorian frowned.

    ''Could it be the princes?''

    He wished he could go in and out of the underworld to have a look for himself.

    Too bad that would be impossible. No mortal could go in, or else they would be crazed with evil... No matter if they were exorcists or not.

    What''s more, they would turn to ashes just a few secondster?

    Never underestimate the heat from the underworld.

    The abyss was a wonder that could create such an atmosphere at will, just for beings residing there.

    What to go to the underworld? Forget it!... Impossible.

    Likewise, humans couldn''t go to the heavenly realms too.

    The overflow of heavenly auras would tear and rip apart their human flesh.

    The flesh was a vessel only stable in the human realm.

    .

    Hmm... Dorian picked out a few hints from the creature''s words.

    Why did they seal the gates as though protecting the passage from other creatures?

    Who were these gate controllers guarding against?

    A thought came to Dorian''s mind. ''Could it be against the new princes?''

    Back in his former world, he had also heard about the new princes, though the humans knew almost nothing about them. All they knew were basic facts that the new and old princes hated each other.

    Oh?

    Dorian chuckled yfully. ''Things are really getting interesting... I don''t know how he did it. But I''m sure Loki is right at the forefront of the issue.''

    But was Dorian going to thank him? No way!

    That God of mischief had probably done those things before he met him.<sub> </sub>

    The trickster was using everyone for his amusement. So why thank him?

    Of course, the gates sealed temporarily and the big underworld beings leaving the scene only bought him more time to build humanity''s first Legions of exorcists!

    The gateway was closed, and the demons here won''t be able to contact the underworld until whatever the big guys were doing down there was over.

    [Host, it looks like fate is on our side. During this time, you must lead humanity to stop them!]

    ''Hmm...'' Dorian hummed.

    They had to rush things up. Who knows when next the gateway will open up?

    It could be tomorrow, a monthter, or even a yearter... It was best to be prepared.

    But could he build strong forces to contend with the strongest creatures?

    One should know that with a flick of his fingers, a creature like Lucifer could destroy 8 major cities in one swoop.

    And that was just a flick of a finger.

    Now... If he were actually to make a move, maybe part or all of the country, as well as several other countries in the continent would, would be destroyed.

    .

    Dorian''s eyes flickered.

    They were racing against time. But fortunately, he wasn''t alone.

    [Host, my master created me to be one of a kind. Provided youplete your missions, the heavenly qi and aura within the Academy will be boundless. No ce in all mortal worlds has such a blessed holynd like the one the Academy resides on. What should''ve taken you thousands of years to aplish with cultivation will only take you a few days, weeks, and months to do... Host, the power of the space is birthed from part of my master''s strength. And believe me, host... When I say my master is trying, he is really, really, strong!]

    Dorian nodded subconsciously.

    From the moment the academy was formed, he realized the strength of this system''s said master.

    The air in the academy was too rich and boundless. Just cultivating there for a day had boosted his strength so much like child''s y.

    That is, provided one passes the test and gets admitted, they should be able to grow strong eventually. It''s just that the rate and speed of their growth will still depend on their innate abilities.

    Likewise, such pure heavenly auras could only be taken in those who have the ability to be exorcists.

    There were too many factors that decided if one could pass the many tests or not. And the ability of the mortal body to assimte heavenly auras was also crucial.

    Thinking about the system''s master, Dorian fell into a deep silence.

    Who?...

    Who exactly was this master? Don''t think he''s stupid to believe he came here on ident. There''s a bigger hand in y.

    But whether they wanted him to be a puppet, or were they here to assist him in finding more about himself... Dorian decided to take things slow.

    Lifting his head, he stared at the ceiling above.

    ''Mr. Master... Soon, we''ll know just what your intentions are.''

    Huh.

    Dorian didn''t know it, but the said master had been watching him with interest.

    All that could be seen was a blinding light around a certain heavenly being that looked like a godly man.

    Looking at the scene, the manzily leaned back with a light chuckle. "Soon... We will meet again."

    If anyone heard his words, they would be shocked to death.

    Again? Have they ever met before?

    For this, only the man himself would be able to answer.

    <o>,m Only the man covered with blinding lights would be able to answer.</o>

    .

    Alright.

    Dorian threw several coins on the rotting baby without mercy.

    "Don''t worry. It won''t be painful... for long."

    "You!~~~"

 Chapter 302 A Clean Space

    ~Ahhhhh~

    Eerie screams echoed out as everyone watched the creatures they were once fearful of burn with a blue fire, never to be seen again.

    Shiver. Shiver.

    ... So scary.

    The creature had been drawn out of the rotting baby''s body and burnt away bit by bit until there was nothing else.

    But Dorian wanst down yet.

    Seated down in a crossed position, he threw a pill in his mouth and contacted his paper men scattered about the scene.

    That''s right.

    They were the ones that dealt with the Zombies.

    [Go.]

    The paper men flew to all points around the formation surrounding the town, also sitting in the same cross-legged manner too.

    And with no time to waste, they moved their hands and bodies about as though mirroring Dorian''s move.

    [Cleanse!!]

    Bmm!

    The formation sucked in all evil essences in the town, as well as the strange fog that shrouded it.

    And as time went by, Dorian''s face became paler. But he still focused on the task, forcing everything into the paper ced on the floor before him.

    ~Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw~

    He wanted vigorously while moving his hands around the paper in circles.

    But what did everyone see?

    A dark tornado-like wind suddenly appeared.

    No!... It would be more urate to say that the paper was sucking in the dark tornado.

    So magical?

    For a moment, many forgot to breathe, only staring at the blockbuster scene.

    If they were standing outside the building, they would''ve been shocked to see the town getting clearer and clearer at an rming rate.

    But that wasn''t all.

    The red, bloodied, thickyers of ice covering the space also diminished bit by bit. And as for the strange blood patterns and writings on the floor, they also faded away, as though someone was wiping them off with a giant eraser.

    But who can forget about the big maggots that had merged earlier on?

    Heh.

    These maggots also found themselves sucked in with no way to protest.

    And finally, when the scene was cleared of these creatures, they saw Dorian raise his left hand.

    Whoosh!

    The coins that emitted a pinkish shield above them flew towards Dorian, no longer protecting them.

    [Cleanse... Cleanse]

    The space and every ce in the town were being cleansed.

    What was magic? This was magic!

    Everyone burned the scene into their minds, astonished by all they saw.

    In a blink of an eye, the massive space returned to its original form, with no sight of rotting maggot-infested walls, clean floors, and a very fresh but normal air inflow.

    Of course they noticed the fresh air.

    What a joke.

    Do you know that since yesterday, the entire town has been covered in a cold, wet, moldy-like scent too hard to miss?

    For an entire day, their nostrils had been inflicted with such barbaric cruelty!

    That''s why getting this clean whiff of air was enough to make many people dance like cavemen around a bonfire.

    Many felt they were now hypersensitive to moldy scents because of this.

    Since yesterday, they had been nauseous and felt very sickly.

    Staying in this moldy ce had left them feeling gloomy and ecologically sickly.

    They get weak, tired, and overall, just queasy.

    Even till this movement, they hadn''t eaten a thing. Yet, their bodies were not in a state of hunger.<sub> </sub>

    How can they eat under such conditions?

    "So good!...it smells so good!"

    Someone eximed, saying what everyone was thinking.

    Good air.

    Chan-ki calmly walked towards Dorian with the massive blue lit-up Paper in his hands.

    "Grandmaster... It''s done."

    "Good."

    Dorian flicked his finger, and the massive paper began to float.

    Eh?

    Everyone looked at the scene curiously.

    With the creatures taken care of, they didn''t understand what else this younger had to do.

    But before they could react, the paper began spinning like crazy.

    Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop~

    Around and around it went, only leaving after-images of its spinning self.

    Raymore''s eyes bulged open after seeing the pale recognizable figures fly out of the paper.

    It wasn''t just him but everyone else in the town.

    "Old Grager!"

    "Sister Yiying!"

    "Brother Clive!"

    Eyes filled with tears, many fell to their knees, seeing their loved ones appear before them.

    These were people they watched die before their eyes when the disaster struck.

    Yes.

    From the time the disaster struck to not so long ago, many had seen their friends, families, and lovers die unimaginably.

    Some parents and siblings even went as far as sacrificing themselves and taking a hit just to save them.

    In the end, who can stand such a thing?

    Though they looked alright now, many knew the urrence would hunt their dreams for a long, long time.

    For others, they had only watched the creatures swallow and kill their loved ones right before their eyes.

    Everyone''s heart drummed chaotically, seeing the scene.

    Earlier, everyone had been battling for their lives, finding a good cause to push their grief down.

    But now that they were saved, it was time to face reality.

    Dead.

    ... Their loved ones were dead and would never being back.

    Raymore lowered his head, hiding his turbulent emotions after seeing his good buddy, the Chief Deputy officer of the town, die before him.

    "Brother Bei... I''m... Sorry."

    If only he had been more vignt, his good friend wouldn''t have subconsciously pushed him away from that attack.

    It was all his fault.

    A single tear slid down Raymore''s right cheek.

    Clenching his fist, he swore to take care of his buddy''s family as though they were his.

    Such a life-saving grace could never be repaid no matter how long he lived.

    But at least, doing this much would be a good start.

    A deep fill of grief covered the space.

    And just as everyone was staring at their ghostly loved ones, the ghostly souls were also staring at them too.

    Their ghostly bodies were horrifying, simr to the way they died.

    The visitors who had arrived in the townter were so afraid, seeing the hideous floating beings that looked like they came out straight from a horror movie.

    But the townsfolk... They didn''t care.

    In the face of their loved ones whom they felt guilty over, what was ugly?

 Chapter 303 Humanitys Flaws

    The ghostly souls wanted to speak out but looked to Dorian for permission.

    "4 minutes... That''s all you have."

    "Thank you!!!!"

    The ghostly beings were ecstatic, seeing how understanding Dorian was.

    And without wasting more time, they floated towards their loved ones to say their final goodbyes.

    Already, they could feel some nonexistent pressure pounding their beings, wanting them to leave this world.

    Again, being ghosts, they also seemed to see the world through different eyes.

    Everything just seemed too strange from what they remembered when alive.

    Though it was regretful that they died, they knew there was nothing they could do about it.

    What''s done is done. They were already dead.

    And now, all they ask for is for their loved ones to key theirst requests before they go.

    Some people already had wills, while others didn''t. Again, some people had died, leaving their 11~13-year-old children alone in this world.

    They could only ask the neighbors and the other town folks to guide them.

    As for whether a few sneaky people would try holding what didn''t belong to them? The ghosts didn''t think so.

    Just now, the one named Chan-ki had mentioned to the entire group of people that if they promised to do something but didn''t do it because of greed... They would only incur bad karma. And in some cases, it could lead to idents, bankruptcy, death, and even the chance to attract more of these creatures.

    Just as Chan-ki had said... What you take from like, life would take back from you 5 times over.

    .

    F***!

    The words chilled many, making some with greedy hearts throw the thought away.

    What a joke.

    After experiencing all this, who would want a chance to get targeted by these creatures because of their bad karma?

    What was scarier was that sometimes, bad karma could affect their entire family''s life.

    So they dared not y with their children''s futures because of greed.

    It can be seen that after hearing Chan-ki''s words, many decided to turn a new leaf.

    In the end, they started being afraid of messing around with anyone.

    No... It was better to live open and clean lives, no matter how tough things got.

    "What you take from life... Life will take back 5 times more."... A few murdered the words repeatedly, as though enlightened by why after so many years of cheating peolle, they were still at the bottom of the financial pole.

    Sometimes, what they took would finish off very fast in a blink of an eye as though fate was ying with them. Many shook their heads wryly.

    Sigh...

    It all makes sense now.

    Some wives and husbands who knew their partner''s natures couldn''t help tightening their children.

    " I''ll tell you now! If you dare to do anything despicable after this, I won''t mind divorcing you! And don''t even think I would leave the children with someone who will rub his bad karma on them!!"

    Some parents and families reprimanded their children instead.

    "From now on, you better act upright. Or I will kill you myself!!"

    (*^*)<sub> </sub>

    .

    After today, it would be a lie if they said they weren''t affected.

    Dorian ces his hands in his pockets,zily staring at the scene before him.

    Humans were such a funny bunch.

    They might say they wouldn''t do things now.

    But after 1~5 years, most of them might revert to their old ways.

    The fear of today''s matter had struck them hard. But after a while, that so-called fear would diminish, as though everything that happened was a long distant dream.

    Additionally, generations and generations woulde after this, with people growing up with various personalities.

    It''s possible for humans to change for the better permanently. However, thates with a lot of hard work and a strong willpower not to take shortcuts in life.

    But the human system and society always dwelled on shortcuts.

    From diets to make one lose weight in a week to illegal drugs that boost one''s physique during sportspetitions, and even those who steal or buy off exam questions... Humans loved shortcuts, hardly having the will to sit through long periods to get things done.

    How many of these people will keep their current actions of change?

    Dorian would say only about 10~15%.

    Even back in his formal world with underworld beings, ghosts, and many other strange things known to the public, wasn''t crime still beingmitted?

    People knew working with underworld beings would cause them severe heavenly punishments. And yet, they still did it, wanting to live this life to their fullest, damning the consequences.

    That is, why worry about what would happen after they died when they were still alive and kicking?

    Again, many knew that if they killed someone, they had to do it without the person seeing their faces, or else the special division exorcists on the Police forces would find the ghosts and extract information about who their killer was.

    In his former world, people tried to go around the system while doing crime.

    Humans were a bunch that would only promise a thing for a while before suddenly changing their mindster on.

    It''s because of human nature that the Exorcism tests involve checking the Yin and Yang, fate, luck factor, and many other aspects of people.

    No one wants a touch exorcist who would one day join the enemy camp of underworld beings.

    Thus, such things were checked.

    Sure... Once in a while, some switched to the dark side. But ever since these sets of tests got added in, the number had greatly reduced.

    But Dorian wasn''t satisfied with this.

    That''s why he also did several other tests of his own.

    What a joke!

    He had a big battleing up soon. So who needed a spy in his academy in times like these?

    In the end, a majority of humans were so unreliable... Yet, they were also treasured by those above.

    And in a way, Dorian could understand why the fallen princes of the underworld got annoyed with humans and tell from the heavens.

    That said, it was wrong to put all humans in one bunch. That''s where they got it wrong.

    .

    Dorian briefly looked at his watch.

    "Time''s up."

    It was time they left.

 Chapter 304 Compensation

    So soon?

    Though regretful, everyone knew their time was up.

    4 minutes... That''s all they got.

    To them, it was indeed too small. But for many who know Dorian, knew his patience was almost thinning out.

    "Because you were already halfway through the devouring stage, their souls have been greatly affected."

    Dorian''s words made the ghostly souls smile bitterly. They indeed realized that their ghostly forms were far different and more fragile than it initially was upon death.

    And even after Chan-ki had reverted some of their essences to them, it still left cracks over their ghostly bodies.

    Looking at things, even this powerful master might not be able to fix things up for them.

    In that case, what do they do?

    Forum rested his chin on his face thoughtfully. "It''s indeed unfortunate. But for this matter, you need not worry much. The heavens will find a way to do things for you before sending you on your way for judgment andter reincarnation."

    Judgment? Reincarnation? So such things really exist?

    Everyone in the town was still in a daze, listening in on the conversation between Dorian and the ghostly beings.

    It was evident that today had been a real eye-opener for them, with many nning to take their first steps into the vortex of change.

    Upon hearing about Judgment, the costly beings seemed very scared.

    How exactly would they be judged? Many who had guilty confidence were very about the fate that awaited them upon leaving.

    But Dorian didn''t give them any more time to think any further.

    Lifting his finger, he began drawing a sizable golden lightning ring in the air.

    .

    "With your bodies, the longer you stay here in the mortal world, the more features will get tempted to devour you... So, are you ready?"

    The ghosts nodded fearfully, thinking that it was better to go to the heavens than to get devoured by some wicked creature.

    And maybe because they were in a group, they felt a little stronger, thinking they would face the heavens together, not knowing the heavens would ess their situations separately.

    Hmmm...

    Seeing them like this, Dorian nodded in satisfaction.

    It would be better if they decided to leave without causing any trouble. As per protocol, even the ghosts needed to be asked if they wanted to ascend or not.

    There was a difference between willingly ascending and forcefully ascending. Obviously, the former was a better option and would be taken into ount by the heavens.

    But if they had refused to go, Dorian would need to forcefully bundle and drag them off to ascension.

    Clearly, one could see which option would be best.

    Only babies were exempt from this since it didn''t matter if one asked a baby or dragged it away. It was a baby with almost no way of understanding anything. So the heavens would never judge babies.

    For this matter, they would first get sent to reconstruct their souls, skipping judgment and heading straight for reincarnation.

    Looking at the golden lightning ring floating mid-air, Dorian flicked his fingers, and the ring began moving towards the crowd of ghostly beings.

    And as it moved, it continuously expanded in size until it covered the entire room.

    Only ghostly beings could be affected by the ring.<sub> </sub>

    F***!

    What sort of fictional blockbuster was this?

    Everyone had their jaws hung wide open, staring at their loved ones vanish whenever the lightning ring passed them by.

    Gone.

    Their loved ones were no longer here.

    For a moment, everyone didn''t know how to react.

    Could they say, all''s well that ends well?

    (��_��)

    .

    Like so, the group finally left the gloomy space, ascending the stingy walls.

    Like stated earlier, this ce was indeed a town bunker and refuge center used in ancient towns to keep them safe when enemies attacked.

    They also used to be a secret door somewhere in this space, leading to the roads below, High Peak town.

    But ever since discovering criminals, thieves, and all sorts of crooks using the passage, the town unanimously decided to destroy the hidden passageway by filling it up with soil and rock, all the way down towards its end at the roads below.

    Stepping out of the building, many felt scarred, instinctively feeling that whether it''s to clean up the weeds growing on the tombstones or ce flowers for their long-deceased families, they might note over here for a long, long, very long time.

    It was still the wee early hours of the morning (4 A.M). Thus, the paces were still very dark.

    But even at this, many could still see the town''s beauty, thanks to the ever bright moonlight tonight.

    "The fog is gone!!!"

    Someone eximed, with sheet joy, finally putting theirst bits of worry behind.

    Phew.

    Even when they left that space alongside Dorian, a part of them was still worried that things might not be truly over.

    Raymore took several steps toward Dorian and Chan-ki, giving a deep bow to him.

    "Sir... Foring to our aid and sending our loved ones above... On behalf of the High Peak Town, thank you both!"

    Raymore''s words made everyone follow his actions, also giving Chan-ki and Dorian deep bows.

    Their sincere gratitude was even more evident the more they thought of what would''ve been their fates if the duo didn''t arrive tonight.

    "It''s okay... Rise." Dorian spoke, waving his hand nonchntly. But Raymore didn''t think it was enough.

    "Sir... Please, allow the town to give youpensation for your brave actions tonight."

    .

    Raymore was both grateful and mindful, thinking on the lines of business and safety. Should such a thing happen again, who are they going to call? Of course, the duo!

    That''s why he thought of building a good rtionship with either one of the 2.

    Compensation?

    Dorian raised his brow slyly. "About that... Since I saved an entire town, the responsibility falls on the government and not you all... However, if it''s the matter of your bodily defects from close contact with these kinds, then that''s a whole different matter all on its own... But first, I think it''s time we greet our guests."

 Chapter 305 Finally Leaving

    Guests?

    Which guest was this youngster talking about?

    Everyone was still trying to make heads or tails of the matter when suddenly, strange buzzing noises echoed out from above.

    "Look! Look over there!! There are so many of them!"

    ~Brooo. Brooo. Brooo~

    The high twisting sounds of des echoed from all directions.

    Choppers!

    F***!

    More than 70 military choppers swarmed in as though about to embark on a rogue mission.

    Once again, many children were in awe, feeling like NPCs in a game simtor.

    "Too awesome!!"

    Who would''ve thought they would ever get the chance to see such a thing in the flesh?

    Even Angzen was taken back, inwardly surprised by the military''s fast response.

    Maybe Raymore and the other townsfolk might think he, Chan-ki, and Dorian had traveled along with the military, assuming that perhaps the trio entered the space, leaving the military outside to surround the town.

    But this wasn''t the case.

    Whether these townsfolk believe it or not... Like he said before, it was all just a coincidence that they stopped here in High Peak.

    So how can he not be shocked by the government''s quick response?

    Sure enough, maybe the guesses of these townsfolk were right. Maybe this former student of his worked for the country in secret.

    And just how they would treat an Alien-discovery, the government had rushed over here in a blink of an eye to control the situation, no?

    Already, Angzen had made a thousand movie screenys in his mind about the matter.

    But his thoughts were far from reality.

    The Grandmaster''s quick thinking once again revered chan-ki.

    The moment they diverted from the main road, heading towards High Peak town, Dorian had sent a message to Old Gia, instructing them on what to do.

    They were to surround the ce but not enter without permission from him.

    It should be noted that it was only when they were leaving the space did he give them the green go-ahead to fly into the town.

    .

    ~Brooo. Brooo. Brooo~

    Those in the choppers were shocked, seeing the town roads blocked with vehicles marked in haphazard ways.

    Some windows were broken, some pieces of furniture shot out of the himes and thrown on thewns, cars also turned upside down, and traces of blood and dead bodies scattered about.

    It almost looked as though the town was deserted.

    One by one, the choppersnded in all open spaces they could find, with the lead choppers allnded right before therge gathering of people.

    Wow~

    Many ced their hands over their faces, blocking the massive wind caused by the chopper''s des.

    So strong!

    This was their first time getting so close to a chopper before. Thus, the realization that the wind force was stronger than what movies made it out to be also shocked many children too.

    But this matter was quickly thrown at the back of their heads, seeing the many officers in military attire calmly step out after the des of the many choppers came to a halt.

    "Sir, Grandmaster!"

    "Sir, Master Chan-Ki!"

    These people have firm but respectful military salutes to the duo.

    "Hmm... You may continue investigations after I settle some matters first. Again, I''ll leave the matter of ourpensationter on. For now, I have a trip to fulfill."<sub> </sub>

    He still had Angzen''s matter to finish up and didn''t want to spend more time on this matter than he already did.

    As for the matter ofpensation, he would send a detailed recipe on the matter, for all he had used for the formations, exorcizing the evils in the town, cleansing the town, fighting, and expanding he and Chan-ki''s strengths to deal with the matter... Not to talk of his use of his paper-men.

    Of course, all creatures had grades and prices that also needed to be factored in.

    As a heavenly exorcist, he would be fair in all he priced. Thus, he had to send them a detailed recipe of what they were paying for.

    .

    As for the many townsfolk, he used a certain detection formation to sense what was wrong with each of them in under 15 minutes.

    What a joke.

    If he had to meet with them one by one to check things out, do you think he would be able to leave this town anytime soon?

    Very quickly, he assessed the group before reaching for his pockets and erging a toy-like wooden box.

    Wow!

    Everyone watched the blue box turn to adult size, and Dorian took out several talisman papers and began scribbling on them.

    ''What beautiful calligraphy.''

    Raymore was amazed, looking at Dorian''s beautiful strokes. Though he didn''t understand the symbols, this didn''t stop him or those around from affirming its beauty.

    "It will take a while, so your team may begin."

    "Right!" The many men replied, disturbing themselves in groups towards the many townsfolk gathered here.

    "Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me how you recalled it happened?"

    "What? You were gardening before suddenly seeing a dense fog still out from a. House?"

    "You were watching Tv before seeing blood sliding down your walls?"

    "Excuse me, madam, did you say you were dragged out of your bed and thrown out the window and shot 10 feet high into the air?"

    What a crazy night!

    Many were piecing all they could together.

    The many military officers stayed expressionless yet understanding as they jotted down their words.

    If it were them, and someone repeated what they said, they would mock the person, thinking they were crazy.

    But these military officers were very professional, nodding to show their beliefs... But then again, if the government hade to save them, it would be understanding to them to believe whatever they said.

    And while questioning was going on, some officers quickly pinpointed all dead bodies and blood strains about the ce, wanting to seal these areas, until the roads were cleared from all haphazard vehicles blocking the road.

    Just outside, the police were still there, waiting to head in, take forensics and identify all the bodies, taking note of their deaths.

    As for the damages around the scene, all this would also get assessed, and the government wouldpensate everyone for property damage, as though they had undergone a natural disaster like an earthquake, hurricane, or tsunami attack.

    .

    Like so, things were getting busier and busier by the minute.

    And in no time, Dorian finished carving and scribbling on both papers and pendants.

    Following this, he distributed them to those who needed them, alongside his instructions.

    But of course, it wasn''t free.

    Chan-ki was like an assistant, writing down the list of everyone''s pills before handing it to Raymore.

    "In no more than 3 days, I expect all payments to get sent to this ount."

    Raymore nodded vigorously. "Yes. Yes, Grandmaster. I will see to it that it''s all done!"

    Good.

    "Teacher Angzen, Chan-ki... Let''s go!"

    It was finally time to leave High Peak town.

 Chapter 306 The Return Of A White-Eyed Wolf!

    6:26 A.M.

    Seated in the vehicle, Angzen rubbed his hands over the seats, seemingly too happy to be back in the car.

    What a night!

    He almost thought he would never get a chance to drive off from the spooky ce.

    ''High Peak Town...''

    Angzen murdered its name severally, as though minding himself never to cross paths with this ce unless he truly had no other way to go.

    Of course, he understood that this could also happen anywhere. But it still gave him the heebee-Jeebees whenever he thought of all they went through.

    It was funny that when they first arrived at the town, he was hungry as hell. But now, he not only missed dinnerst night but didn''t have the stomach for breakfast too.

    Angzen felt his belly churn, looking at the wrapped food given them by the police officers.

    That''s right. His belly seemed hungry, but his mind was repulsed thanks to the grotesque images of those creatures in his mind.

    Augh~...

    He quickly kept the meal away.

    It was a clear victory for his mind over his belly.

    "Not hungry." He murmured.

    "Chan-ki... Go."

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    Chan-ki turned on the ignition almost immediately. And like so, the Limo slowly left the scene, making its way down the tall High Peak roads.

    The matter of High Peak was quickly thrown to the back of their minds.

    Now, they only had one thing to focus on -- Reaching Soppo Vige.

    .

    Vrmmmmm~~~~

    In no time, the trio were back on the highway. And in a couple of hours, they reached the vige''s perimeters.

    The air was fresher, the people bubbly, with some riding bicycles with chopped-off firewood bundled at the back while others walked with farming tools hung on their shoulders.

    Of course, there were indeed quite a few pick-up trucks, tractors, and otherrge vehicles moving about too.

    Angzen looked out his window, feeling very nostalgic.

    His entire childhood seemed to sh before his very eyes, recalling how he used to walk far distances to farm and do other tasks.

    When recalling his youth and all the joys, blessings, and misfortunes he experienced, Angzen realized that he was truly getting old.

    Just look at how fast time had flown by?

    Those on the roads were in awe, looking at the time pulling in.

    "F***! Which daddy is this vehicleing to see?"

    "What an expensive car! Do you think the owner is a rtive of someone in our Soppo vige?"

    "Rich rtive? Wait! Could it be someone from the Vige''s Chief''s side?.. Or is it a government official here to talk business?"

    "Do you think it''s one of our girls who has finally reigned in a rich boyfriend?''

    " Boyfriend? Heh... How are you not so sure that it''s an old gold master instead?"

    "Bah!... Who cares? All I want to know is the identity of those driving in."

    "Dammit! Why do I have to work now? Just look at the show I''m about to miss?"

    "Old Martha! I really envy that you''re off work today!"

    "Bahahahah~... As a farmer owning my own farnd, I am my one boss, and I call the shots. So I''ve decided to take the day off!"<sub> </sub>

    "Quickly! Quickly! Let''s go back fast! I want to know who these people are."

    "..."

    ...

    As though blessed by a gossiping fairy, many who passed the expensive vehicle felt their skins itch with undying curiosity.

    So rich!

    Angzen peered at their faces, knowing what they were thinking.

    What a joke!

    As someone who had lived in this ce for most of his life, how could he not understand their thoughts?

    Some might even wish to get their daughters to dress up and bypass his home once they arrive.

    Who didn''t want their daughters and sons to marry rich?

    Though most families wouldn''t dare to make this move openly, there were still many shameless families who would throw their daughters and sons to their faces to seduce the rich and mighty. Such people could be found in any settlement, be it: City, town, or vige.

    Angzen fidgeted, afraid Dorian might get m angry with the excited vigers.

    With their time on the road, Angzen now had a better ''understanding'' of this former student of his.

    p So for the viger''s sake, he hoped they wouldn''t make this powerful student Grandmaster of his lose patience and maybe turn them into pumpkins.</anda>

    Yes! His imagination was indeed running wild. But he truly believed it to be so.

    Angzen peeked at the ''sleeping Dorian,'' inwardly d that he was paying attention to the overly excited bunch along the way.

    "Teacher Angzen, which way from here?"

    "Take a left," Angzen responded, directing Chan-ki to his parent''s house.

    .

    Vrmmmmm~

    The vehicles drive along several roads, past the many homes scattered about.

    Amd on the way, they indeed gained arge gathering of people, following them from a safe distance.

    The vigers didn''t want to appear nosy. Thus, they acted as though they originally intended to move in the direction the vehicle moved.

    And soon, the vigers were shocked to see the home the vehicle stopped in front of.

    Everyone''s eyes picked out of their sockets.

    "Could... Could it be that Angzen is back?"

    "What? He? Ahhh!--... Did he make a fortune after staying in the city for long?"

    "Heh..."

    Amidst the area, a few jealous people couldn''t help ruining the mood.

    "So what if he''s rich now? The man''s parents died not too long ago, and he left all the responsibility to his sister''s family!"

    "That''s right. I heard that since he left the vige ages ago, he still hasn''t even sent a single Vyn to his parents all these years."

    "Talk about being a white-eyed wolf! No wonder his parents didn''t like him when they were alive!"

    "That is, who would like such a son?"

    Seeing Angzen step out, many looked at him in disdain.

    Some even thought that if he could''ve sent enough money, maybe his parents would not have died at all.

    In other words, he was the culprit behind their death.

    It was truly a sin to give birth to such a child!

 Chapter 307 A Witness & The Culprit

    Angzen was ufortable with everyone''s stares. And coupled with the few whispering words he heard, his entire body turned red with rage.

    You say he hadn''t given his parents a single Vyn since he left? You say he didn''t care for them all these years?

    Angzen didn''t need the police to know his dear sister started these rumors.

    ''Good... Good... All these years, you have been treating me like a fool!!''

    At first, he decided that even if he were to teach his sister a lesson, he would still give her a way out.

    But now, he changed his mind.

    Thinking of what was toe, Angzen unclenched his fist, calming himself.

    By the end of today, all the rumors would vanish. So what does it matter what these vigers think now?

    "Teacher Angzen... Trouble you to find a secure witness." Chan-ki reminded.

    And almost immediately, Angzen turned to the crowd, who were pretending to do all sorts of tasks.

    That is, who the hell wipes down the few street light posts around?

    And you... Why are you mopping the main roads?

    Fine! If they wanted to watch the show, couldn''t they find better ways of disguising their acts?

    Some also entered the neighbor''s yards and properties, pretending to like for a visit, asking if they needed help with some chores.

    It was the first time he had seen a person mopping thewn.

    <o>,m ''...''</o>

    .

    ''Keep calm... Keep calm...''

    Angzen was chanting his own calming scriptures in his heart, looking at the pretentious passerbys.

    "Aunt Mai..."

    "Hey! Is that you, little Angzen? Aiyahh~... I almost didn''t recognize you there."

    "..."

    "Little Angzen, you sure have grown. Now, you''re indeed a big man! But little Angzen, why haven''t you been around all these years? Your parents... Your parents missed you dearly!"

    Angzen almost tripled his eyes, seeing her fake crying.

    She who hated his mother more than life itself is now weeping so pitifully, as though they were best friends?

    For the sake of his mission, Angzen had no choice but to y along.

    "I know... Aunt Mai... I know... But there''s a good reason for it all. And that''s exactly why I''m here. So can I trouble you to send someone to call the vige chief over?"

    Aunt Mai''s heart jerked in curiosity.

    What''s going on? What''s this all about?

    "Yes. Yes. Yes, little Ang. Don''t worry. I''ll send someone to get him now! Even if he is in the stars above or on the tallest mountain, don''t worry; we''ll bring him over as fast!"

    Aunt Mai couldn''t resist the temptation for a good show and quickly sent one of her sons to make for the hills and find the vige chief.

    Of course, others also sent more boys to scatter towards the ces the vige chief was most likely to be in.

    Even though he was a ''vige chief,'' the vige was still government property. And there were things he had to look after, which also included projects on how to grow his ruralmunity further.

    The current vige chief was the corner Vige''s chief''s son, who took over barely 4 years ago.

    Though the man was simr in age to Angzen, he was a leader that had proven himself worthy of the position.

    That''s why his father willingly stepped down into early retirement, taking care of their private farms and properties around the vige.

    .

    Seeing many rush off to fund his witness, Angzen finally led Dorian and Chan-ki into his home.

    Eh?<sub> </sub>

    ''My old key still works?'' Angzen was taken aback.

    What? His sister was so stingy that she couldn''t even spare money to change the locks? Or was she confident that he would nevere back again?

    Chan-ki frowned, stepping into the somewhat dirty home.

    From the markings, scratches on the wood, and many other clear signs, it''s evident that this ce is used regrly.

    Yet, a high amount of dust swept and kept underneath the rush and furniture.

    Everything had been done just for show, also revealing the nature of those who either owned this ce or got tasked with keeping it clean.

    Little habits like these revealed one''s true character.

    Seeing the state of the home, Chan-ki and Dorian chose to stand in wait.

    At the moment, there was no one here. But with their arrival, it didn''t take long for word to spread out fast.

    .

    "What??!!! Are you sure my brother is here?"

    Feizen stood abruptly in disbelief with soapy hands.

    She had been doingundry in the backyard of her matrimonial home.

    Honestly, she felt she was born to bezy, never having to work a single day in her life.

    And that''s how she intended things to be. Too bad her husband''s old woman was still alive and kicking, making sure she worked to keep the home clean.

    Damn her mother-inw!

    The woman was always breathing fire down her throat, ordering her to cook, clean, and do other chores she never did growing up.

    All the work was always left for her older brother!

    Feizen felt ufortable, thinking of all the lies she had told him.

    Many saw her pale face, thinking she was contemting forgiving her white-eyed brother or not.

    "Feifei... You don''t have to be sad because of your brother''s return. Even if he wants to drag properties with you, who doesn''t know you cared for your parents more than he did? Don''t worry; the whole vige will stand behind you!"

    Many encouraged, not knowing Feizen was worried about other matters instead.

    ''No! No! No!... If the vigers pound on that fool, he might tear face with mepletely. Then if that''s the case, how can I make him send me money the way he did before?''

    Dammit!

    Feizen gritted her teeth furiously.

    That was her money bag!!!

    Like so, Feizen quickly headed to her parent''s house,ing up with ns on how to keep her brother in the dark and send him away fast.

    She could lie on this matter for a day or 2. But after a while, the truth would definitely get revealed.

    So how could she allow this to happen?

    ''No! I have to keep everything under control. That brother of mine has always been stupid. So it shouldn''t be hard to manipte him for a while longer... And besides, didn''t they say he was now stinking rich?!''

    .

    Like so, it didn''t take long for the culprit and the chosen witness to appear.

    Dorian raised his brow, looking at the few iing guests.

    Good.

    The early they began, the faster they could end this and head back on their way.

    Today, they had to go back and prepare for the Academy''s opening!

    Dorian smirked.

    Finally...The big day was upon them.

 Chapter 308 Who Was Telling The Truth?

    "Brother?"

    A very soft voice called out.

    <o>,m If it were before, Angzen would''ve been so happy to see the figure that emerged. But now, his entire body was trembling when thinking that this seemingly kind and weak rabbit had bitten off more than what she could chew!</o>

    ''Does he know?'' Feizen''s heart skipped a bit, seeing her brother''s sudden anger.

    Dammit!

    ''These loose-mouthed vigers must''ve told him about mom and dad''s passing.''

    The more she thought of it, the more likely it seemed. Yes. It was only fitting for him to get angry, realizing that their parents had died a while back.

    But her main concern was on how much her brother knew.

    Did the vigers tell him the exact time they died?

    You have to know that even after their death, she had extorted money from him, using the excuse of taking care of their parents.

    Feizen''s body quivered in fright, though she tried maintaining a graceful and kind nature.

    ''No! I must not let this money-bag slip away!''

    Hello? Did you see the car outside? It was impossible for her to let this brother of hers go.

    "Brother... You''re here." She choked on her fake tears as though wanting to express all the grievances she encountered during his absence.

    Her acting was so real that even Angzen began doubting if they were mistaken or not.

    Very quickly, Feizen hugged Angzen tightly, waiting out her injustices.

    Her face looked pitiful, but her heart was very prickly instead.

    ''What''s going on? Why isn''t brother reacting? Isn''t he supposed to hug andfort me like he used to?''

    She had visited Angzen several times in the city, so she more or less still had him wrapped around her little finger. So how could she not notice how strange his reaction was?

    It was so out of character!!!

    .

    "Brother?"

    "Hmmm..." Angzen replied hoarsely, slowly pursuing her away from him. And the current vige chief, as well as the former vige chief and 2 other elders, all looked at each other tactfully.

    It seems there was some truth to the rumors.

    This Feizen might treat her brother like gold, but he might not necessarily feel the same for her.

    Or could there be a strange reason that they don''t know about?

    As people who were either once in power or are still in power, how could they conclude things so easily? Looking at Angzen''s face, as well as thinking of his past here in Soppo vige, he also looked like an honest person too.

    So who was wrong and who was right?

    Many viges were quick to take sides, but they stood in a neutral position.

    And the only reason they all came out was because they were coincidentally gathered in the same room, talking about one of the vige projects.

    Indeed. Only the current 33-year-old vige chief should''ve gone. However, the news made the others too curious to pass up.

    With a big man backing Angzen, they also wanted to see how the current vige chief would handle this matter.

    They saw this as one of many tests, testing his true character and ability to handle unexpected issues.

    Of course, even if Angzen was in the wrong, and he sided with Angzen, they would also understand that he didn''t want to offend some big shit that could suppress their families and ruin their children''s futures.

    Everyone was on my human in the end. However, they wanted to know how he wouldpensate the Fei girl if he chose that route.

    Sometimes on the surface, one can agree with the masses but go behind closed doors to help others.

    Likewise, he could also tell her to step back and demand for Angzen to pay off a massivepensation to her.<sub> </sub>

    After all, ording to the rumors... She took care of their deceased parents with no financial aid from Angzen.

    So even in the court ofw, he indeed owed her a hefty sum ofpensation... That is if everything about the rumors were true.

    For now, all 4 men stayed in a neutral stance, wanting to see how this matter would unfold.

    .

    "Chief Bozing!"

    "Come now, Little Ang. I''m no longer vige chief. You remember my son, Kizing, right?"

    "Ah-... Yes, yes, I do!" Angzen nodded vigorously. How could he forget this workaholic?

    Back when they were young, this guy used to be addicted to work. It''s not surprising that he was now vige head.

    "Congrattions."

    "Thank you," Kizing replied, scrutinizing Angzen even more.

    ''This guy doesn''t seem to have changed. The rumor that money had made him proud seems like a lie. If so, what else is a lie about him?''

    Call it his intuition, but Kizing felt the rumors weren''t true.

    "Elders!"

    Angzen respectfully greeted the other 2 seniors who came in with Bozing and Kizing.

    Well, the more the merrier.

    "Seniors, vige chief Kizing, if you don''t mind, I would like you all to stand witness to today''s events."

    Oh?

    All 4 raised their brows, feeling that things were already getting tense before it began.

    "Hey, what''s going on in there? Can you hear a thing?"

    Outside, many whispered while cing their ears on the doors, windows, and walls.

    Such juicy gossip was good to hear from the source itself!

    Witness?

    Someone quickly ryed the words, and the others already made cinematic clips in their heads, thinking Angzen was here to divide their deceased parent''s properties.

    "Chan-ki."

    "On it, Grandmaster."

    Eh?

    Everyone in the room was taken aback by the guard''s strange way of calling the youngster. Grandmaster? What sort of title was this?

    Or rather, what extraordinary level of proficiency did this guy reach in his profession?

    The more they looked at the youth, the more mysterious he became.

    And every one of them thought of different things.

    [Feizen]: This must be a wealthy man!

    [All 4]: This youngster is not easy!

    With confused faces, they watched Chan-ki ce what looked like sticky notes all over the doors and windows, with a few more on the floor and ceiling.

    Erm... Who can tell them what this was all about? And howe a single throw could stamp these papers on the ceiling so effortlessly? What sort of throwing strength did this guard have?

    Chan-ki nodded in satisfaction at his work. "Grandmaster, it''s done."

    "Good... Then let''s begin!"

 Chapter 309 Evidence? Fine! Bring Out The Evidence!!!

    Feizen stared at her brother, feeling very ufortable.

    The bad feeling in her belly churned more and more, seeing how indifferent Angzen was to get.

    She suddenly felt everything looking away from her control.

    And the moment the youngster spoke, she finally knew her instincts were right!

    "Teacher Angzen, you may begin, but make it short."

    "Yes..."

    Angxen''s body quivered, feeling all the pent-up rage finally explode.

    He turned to all 4 witnesses with red eyes, holding back his tears.

    "Seniors, Kizing... It''s like this. I, Angzen, have been betrayed by the rtive I loved the most!!"

    ~Bubuum.

    Feizen''s heart jerked. And without knowing it, her voice went several octaves higher. "Brother, brother... What are you talking about? Who betrayed you? Just show me the person, and I would be mind getting them in for you!!"

    "You?" Angzen sneered in disgust. "Get your filthy hands away from me!!"

    His bellowing was so loud that even those listening in could feel his pain.

    What? Angzen had been betrayed? What was this about?

    (???)

    The more they listened, the more they felt something wasn''t adding up.

    Now that they thought about it, wasn''t this Angzen always an honest boy growing up?

    They ced their ears in the walls and door, thanking the heavens that this house, as well as many in this vige, weren''t soundproofed.

    Or else, wouldn''t they miss the drama?

    Damn. Where''s the popcorn when you need it?

    .

    Dorian flicked his wrist, casting a stronger spell on the talisman papers.

    The symbols and characters on the papers were different from the ones he usually used.

    These needed him to activate them, while the other ones he typically relied on were automatic once ced on a surface.

    He had also added a few symbols on the papers in preparation for today''s matter.

    And with his finger, he amplified the conversation, making many outside listen in easily.

    At this point, they didn''t even need to put their ears close to the windows since the conversation could be heard clearly if one stood a few feet away from the house.

    Of course, not to be too suspicious, the sound couldn''t carry out to a far distance.

    If anything, though the conversation was clear, many would feel they had been yelling the entire time.

    Rather than allowing Angzen to waste time exining things to others after this matter was over, he decided to stuff Angzen in the vige once they got done and head back fast.

    On the morning he was leaving for Soppo vige, they had just 4 days (24 hours x4) on the dot before the Academy opened its doors.

    And yesterday, they used up the entire day driving towards High Peak town and solving those creatures.

    That was already one day off.

    Today, they had to finish things so as to arrive back in the citytest tomorrow, giving them 1 and a half days to prepare.

    But one shouldn''t forget that Chan-ki also had to join the others in taking his exorcism exam before the opening day.

    If not for High Peak''s matter, they should''ve long reached this vigetest night.

    By now, they should''ve finished up this matter and started returning to the city.

    But instead, they drive 4 hours from High Peak to the vige, meeting traffic and all sorts of busy scenarios on the way.<sub> </sub>

    In the end, it was already a little past noon.

    No time!

    After this, they would stuff Angzen back in the car and drive off. And if things couldn''t get resolved altogether, they would leave him behind to work out the issue of his parent''s properties and other matters at hand.

    After all, not everything can be solved in a rush. So it was advisable for him to stay back and deal with the aftermath, though he couldn''tst long, lest his family gets in danger with the loan shark.

    In the end, all these things weren''t Dorian''s concern.

    He came to do a job. And that was that.

    .

    "I''m telling the truth!" Angxen yelled.

    "All these years, I''ve been sending my sister huge sums of money to my family''s detriment, hoping she would take care of my patents. But what do I get in return? Lies, deceit, and a greedy two-faced rtive!"

    "Brother... How can you lie against me so much? What did I ever do to you?"

    "Lie?..." Heh... "I know you killed our parents!"

    What??!!!

    All 4 witnesses, as well as those listening in, had signed eyes of disbelief.

    She?... Did she murder them?

    "No! No!... It''s not true!... I didn''t do it!!"

    Feizen''s body quivered the more she spoke.

    How did he know? Was there someone who saw her the day she did the deed? Who were they? What was their purpose in telling her brother?

    ''No! Even if it''s true, so what? He didn''t have evidence with him. So if I deny things to the end, what can he do to me?''

    ~Woooooo~

    Feizen cried heavenly.

    "Brother, I know you''re desperate to get our parent''s properties, but why do you have to smear my reputation to do this? Everyone knows that I can''t do such a thing, so how can you even think that of me?"

    Many listening also nodded, suddenly feeling inclined to believe Feizen.

    After all, this is a girl they stayed here in the vige with. So how could she be a murderer? What''s more, howe Angzen far in the city knew of this, but they living here with her didn''t?

    Even all 4 witnesses felt what she said did make sense, though they still remained silent.

    Today''s matter was one they hadn''t expected at all!

    .

    Huh.

    Feizen sneered, snickering at her brother''s foolishness.

    ''Oh brother, you''re indeed a hopeless waste!''

    She thought maybe he had somehow grown brains. But dealing with him was just the same as she did when they were younger.

    Unless their parents rose from the dead, it was impossible for anyone to have evidence against her!!

    Feizen thought she wouldn''t have to suffer. But who knew that they would not only bring her parents back from the dared but also make them speak too?

    Dorian tilted his facezily. "Done?"

    Angzen nodded angrily. "Yes, student Grandmaster." He had said all he needed to. But since his sister didn''t know when to quit, why not p her in the face with the evidence she wanted?

    Heheheh...

    It was time to bring his parents out!!

 Chapter 310 The Truth

    Heheheheh...

    If not that she still had to put on her pity act, Feizen would''ve liked to cross her arms and look down at Angzen arrogantly.

    ''My dear, dear, sweet brother. It''s your words against mine. So do you have any evidence? Naive!!!''

    Feizen felt overly confident, watching her idiotic brother give Dorian and Chan-ki a knowing look.

    Following that, the youngster moved his fingers very strangely, causing her to frown.

    What was this all about?

    For some reason, she started feeling uneasy. They wouldn''t truly have evidence with them, would they?

    Could it be that someone leaned close to her parents'' bedroom window and took a voice recording on that fateful day?

    Impossible! She had checked the whole ce beforemitting the deed. So how can that be?

    Evidence or no evidence... That was the question.

    Everyone was still immersed in their own thoughts, not noticing that a fraction of all papers stuck around the space had a few symbols on them briefly lit up before fading away.

    And now, those outside wouldn''t be able to listen in anymore. Additionally, no one could leave too.

    "Chan-ki, the root."

    "On it, Grandmaster."

    .

    With swift movements, Chan-ki unlocked the strange wooden box he carried, traveling its contents to the few peeking eyes.

    [All 4 witnesses.]: Why would these people be carrying a box full of strange supplies?

    They looked at the scene with confused faces, still staying silent even now.

    It was funny that they, who were taken as court judges, hadn''t said a single word since the brother-sister duo began rambling about their grievances.

    When in doubt, silence was the answer.

    Everyone watched Chan-ki take out a transparent tube with a strange root inside it.

    Eh?

    Why did this thing look like a Mandrake root?

    But this was strange. What Mandrake root was green in color?

    Everyone watched the boy ce the tube on a nearby table.

    It appears he didn''t want to use it now?

    No one here was sick or needed some medicinal benefit the Mandrake root might have. So what purpose was it here to serve?

    Peculiar... Very peculiar.

    The more this case progressed, the stranger things were.

    But they didn''t know that the best was yet toe!

    .

    Taking out his pendant, Dorian turned towards Feizen.

    Everyone was taken aback. You have to know that since they got here, this guy had been standing as though he and his guard were the only ones in the room.

    He had azy but powerful air that subconsciously made them dare not disturb his space.

    His actions weren''t rude, but just... How can they put it?... Just right down listless!

    So seeing him take a bold stand with a straightened back, everyone subconsciously felt alert...especially the guilty culprit.

    "Mrs. Fei."

    Bubuum.

    Feizen''s heart joked the moment she heard her name. Of course, she still maintained her teary look.<sub> </sub>

    "Yes... Sir, I don''t know what my brother has told you, but they are all--..."

    "Mrs. Fei."

    Dorian''szy voice cut her short of words.

    His tranted action meant: I''m not here to bicker with you, but to state a fact.

    ''So noisy.''

    Dorian was already getting annoyed.

    "Miss Fei, from a young age till now, you''ve always worn a mask on your face. What you show the world isn''t your true self. You pushed your parents to hate your brother and even went as far as framing him repeatedly. But this isn''t where things end... Do you recall a girl named Hn Ming?"

    Feizen''s pupils dted at a visible rate.

    ''Hn Ming? How did this boy know of that b**ches name?''

    Feizen''s fear was evident, and all 4 witnesses soothed her pale face.

    Hn Ming. Wasn''t that the girl who drowned by the river due to an unfortunate ident 10 years ago? Why did this youth mention her name?

    Could it be?...

    .

    "Mrs. Fei. You''re responsible for her death."

    "You lie! Our talking nonsense!!!"

    Feizen was so agitated that she forgot to pretend. How can this youth know the matters that happened in her younger days?

    What? Did you think she was her current husband''s first choice?

    No! That b**ch Hn was the one her husband loved. So it was only eight for her to get rid of the vixen!

    Did she regret it? Not a chance! If given the opportunity to go back in time, she would do it all over with no remorse.

    The b**ch had iting! How dare she try to marry the man she (Feizen) fancied?

    Death was too cheap for her.

    Feizen''s only regret was that someone might have seen her actions during the incident and ryed the news to this youngster.

    No!... No! She couldn''t ept this charge! Who wanted to go to jail?

    "Don''t listen to him, don''t listen to him!.. He''s lying! He''s lying!"

    Kizing, Bozing, and the other 2 elders turned cold, seeing her frantic appearance.

    They were more inclined to believe she was the murderer instead.

    What was so painful was that Hn Ming''s father was amongst the 2 elders.

    "You wicked girl! You did it, didn''t you! You killed my Lan Lan!!!"

    "Elder Ming, elder Ming, calm down!" In a sh, all 3 men hurried to hold elder Ming back.

    That was his only granddaughter.

    In their family, they had boys and boys only for generations and generations.

    Hn Ming had been the only girl to be born in their boyish family for a long time. So one could imagine how much elder Ming had sorted on her.

    Tears streamed down his face when recalling the scene of her lifeless body being brought over to him.

    "Let me go! I said you should let me go! I must avenge Lan Lan!!"

    The old man almost had a heart attack when thinking about how well he treated Feizen, taking her as Lan Lan''s recement because they were good friends.

    "My Lan Lan!!!"

    Elder Ming fell into deep despair.

    Revenge! He wanted revenge for his beloved granddaughter!

 Chapter 311 How Can This Be?

    "You!~~."

    Angzen was even more shocked.

    So way back when he hadn''t left the vige, his sister was already a murderer? Who can ept this? If she had tried to change her ways, maybe there would be a chance for him to forgive her.

    But what did she do? Several years after that, she still went on to kill their parents!!!

    Who knows who else she had killed just to get what she wanted?

    Angzen''s body shook after realizing he had been sending money and helping a murderer!

    He even felt guilty for Hn''s death too.

    ''I swear that after this, I will go to your grave and make amends for what my family has done to you!''

    Though it wasn''t directly his fault that his sister had be so vicious, it would be a lie to say he didn''t have a hand in spoiling her.

    Back then, he didn''t know she was constantly framing him before his parents. So he did treat her well, as an older brother should.

    Angzen''s face was full of remorse for the beautiful Hn Ming back then.

    She was dubbed the most beautiful girl in the vige and had a bright future. Too bad her vicious friend killed her.

    One doesn''t need to guess the reason why. The fact that his sister had married Hn''s fiance was enough to exin it all.

    But what was even more impressive was that his sister had managed to do this while gaining everyone''s support.

    His sister had been there to mend her current husband''s broken heart, and had also acted very filial to elder Ming''s family.

    So much so that when the marriage was first brought up, his sister had rejected it severally, making elder Ming like her even more.

    In the end, Elder Ming was the one who convinced her to marry her current husband.

    If all this was nned... Then Angzen was starting to truly fear his sister.

    What a scheming mind!

    .

    One man held by 3, onedy denying usations repeatedly... Dorian stared at the scene, acting as though he didn''t see themotion breaking out.

    "Mrs. Fei, your crimes don''t end there."

    What? There''s more?

    All 3 witnesses holding down Elder Ming had pale faces, thinking that such a person had been living amongst them.

    "Following the years after Hn''s death, you bribed a few gangsters into raping another girl due to jealously. And that girl''s name is Byang Toma."

    "You vile, wicked child!!!"

    This time, it was elder Toma who wanted to kill Feizen. That was his granddaughter!!! During that time, the incident had be a big shame to their family, with some people saying his precious granddaughter had thrown herself on men for fun.

    Hahahahha~

    So it was her so-called friend who did it? But he didn''t understand. His granddaughter didn''t like the man Feizen married. So why did she do it?

    "Simple. She just doesn''t like seeing people better than her... Especially those very close to her." Kizing had somehow understood Feizen''s motives.

    Such a person would hate it when others around ten did way better than them. While studying, he too had met with simr people in the university, who would help you on the surface but want you to fall behind closed doors.

    In the end, it boiled down to jealousy.

    .

    "Mrs. Fei." Dorian''s voice was like a heavenly calling.<sub> </sub>

    "Apart from rape, you also killed and tortured 8 cats, as well as a lone dog that only grabbed on the hem of your skirt to beg for water. Your crime isn''t refusal but torture. Not only did you kick it severely, but you also stoned it to death too."

    So cruel!

    Everyone envisioned the scene, feeling that Hn was too wicked. Why go so far as torturing these animals? Could it be that she was addicted to killing?

    "Mrs. Fei. Over the years, you''ve extorted money from your brother, Angzen, in the guise of taking care of your parents. But it''s ironic since you''re the one who not only poisoned them but also delivered the final killing blow a few weeks back."

    "No!!... You''re lying!!"

    Even till now, Feizen would never admit to anything. Even if they said it all out unless she saw any evidence to back out their ims, what could they do to her?

    Yes... Yes...

    She calmed her heart, once again putting on her tearful white-lotus mask.

    Until they could physically prove it, everything was just spection!!!

    There might be a possibility that there will eventually find evidence. But by then, she should''ve long left the country!

    That''s right. Inwardly, she was always making ns to travel away.

    Who knows if they would be able to find signs of poisoning from her parent''s already rotting and decaying bodies?

    "Angzen, how could you bring this man to use your own blood sister? Do you even have evidence?"

    Heh.

    Angzen chuckled.

    "Sister... If you had pleaded guilty, then your punishment would''ve lessened. But now, it''s already toote for you."

    Everyone thought he was talking about punishment from thew. But only he knew he was talking about things on Dorian''s end.

    Sigh...

    "Sister, since you think we don''t have any evidence, why don''t we get the truth out from the horse''s mouth?"

    Horse''s mouth? Wouldn''t that be their parents?

    With a simple throw, Dorian sent his pendant flying.

    But something strange happened. The pendant that was supposed to drop with gravity suddenly stayed floating in the air like some fantasy movie!

    F***!

    (0��0)

    Everyone''s eyes bulged exaggeratedly, watching the strange stream of pale bluish-white midst flow out the pendant.

    And almost immediately, the room became chilly with a thing of gloom too.

    Shiver. Shiver...

    How can it be so cold all of a sudden?

    Subconsciously, all 4 witnesses, alongside Feizen, moved closer to one another in utter fear.

    This was too unexinable, causing their bodies to act from instinct.

    And when everyone saw the bluish-white wisps take form, their bodies trembled in disbelief.

    Feizen fell to the ground in horror.

    "You!... You, you, you!... Didn''t I kill you?"

 Chapter 312 A Happy Reunion

    Onedy on the ground, 4 men leaning far on the door, as though wanting to be the wood that carved the front door... How did they go so far in under a second?

    Kizing, Bozing, Elder Ming, and Elder Toma were already trying to open the door and flee after seeing these ghostly beings too hideous to gaze upon.

    Ghosts! Ghosts!

    There are actually ghosts in this world!!

    "Ahhhh~... Don''t kill me. Please don''t kill me! Don''t kill me!!!" Feizen was so mortified that she began crying and begging for her life.

    After doing all these things, never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined her past to haunt her in the form of ghosts!

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Her chest tightened, making breathing hard.

    Up, down, up, down. She seemed to have run a marathon with cold sweat pouring out her face.

    It was strange to say that the room was indeed icy, yet she was wearing buckets.

    Do you know what fear does to the body?

    "Ahhhh!!! You''re dead! You''re dead! You''re dead! So leave me alone!!!"

    Feizen was almost to the point of insanity.

    But who would feel sympathy for her?

    All 4 witnesses were struggling with the fact that ghosts existed and had no time to concern themselves with her.

    This realization was enough to keep them awake for the next following nights.

    Mommy... They were staring at real ghosts!

    (<Y0Y)

    .

    Everyone was still trying toe to terms with the matter when suddenly, they heard the eerieughs from the familiar ghosts.

    "Hehehehehehe~... Daughter, aren''t you happy to see us?"

    The ghostly beings erged 5 times their size, hovering over Feizen with vicious smiles. No matter how strong one was, if it were their first time seeing such a thing, they would panic beyond control.

    And sure enough, a warm fluid trickled down the corners of Feizen''s thighs.

    Plop.

    She went into a kowtow, with her head touching the wooden floor, tears and snot on her face, and her body quivering like a cornered squirrel.

    She dared not look at the beings who sent chills up and down her spine.

    "I... I... Please, for the sake of being your child, don''t kill me. I... I will repent. Yes, yes, yes... I will change! I will never do such a thing again!". Feizen gave all sorts of promises, even promising to cut off her own leg as punishment for the sake of staying alive.

    If this were the end of the world in a zombie apocalypse, one would immediately know what kind of person she would be.

    She might even push her own family to survive.

    All 4 witnesses felt the ball in their throats bobbed when listening to the vicious woman''s promises.

    Although there''s no physical evidence to support her crimes, what else didn''t they understand from her fear, actions, and words?

    Murderer!

    .

    Seeing that the ghosts had no intentions of harming them, all 4 witnesses, though frightened, decided to take one step forth, away from the door.

    They couldn''t get out even if they wanted to��this much they understood. And now, the eyes they used staring at Dorian and Chan-ki were greatly different.

    But just when they thought they had built enough courage, their bodies went limp the moment the ghostly beings called them out.<sub> </sub>

    "Elder Toma... Elder Ming, Friend Bozing, and Nephew Kizing... This unruly ughter of ours is the cause of our death!!"

    Hmhm!

    All 4 nodded vigorously, not daring to speak.

    Even if these ghosts said a nuclear st killed them, they would nod and agree.

    In the face of such matters, just shut up and agree, though they did believe she was guilty.

    "That said, you all know that to rest in peace, we want justice for ourselves, right?"

    --Silence--

    "RIGHT!!!"

    "Of course... Of course!" All 4 replied without dy with wobbly legs.

    Too scary. Too scary.

    Everyone listened to the ghosts ry what happened on that fateful day, while Angzen began voice recording after taking permission from Dorian.

    Yes. This would be part of evidence against his sister, a murderer.

    Chan-ki looked at Angzen''s phone, deep in thought.

    He had once heard a ry of a being''s voice through a recording.

    And let him be the first to say it was far different andpletely disturbing once yed back.

    .

    First, there would always be some harsh static noise too jarring to the ears.

    And buried within this noise would be the being''s voice that was also disturbing, cold, and very menacing... No matter how soft the being tried to make their voice seem.

    One would have to iste and pick out every sound to get a clear message from the recording... That is, if they can make it through the whole recording without having goosebumps and utter fear.

    Of course, even when one was taking the being''s side of the story, they still had to be unbiased.

    In Dorian''s former world, ghosts sometimes lied too, pinning things on innocent people, not caring whether their actions would be judged once they ascended.

    Just because they were dead doesn''t mean they would always tell the truth.

    Sometimes, they stayed to make sure the one who killed them was never found.

    If Feizen were the couple''s only child, maybe they would''ve long ascended without wanting Feizen to get into trouble.

    Or, they might be chosen to stay in order to push the me away from her. Given time, they might have enough power to take over another person''s body and take care of all the evidence.

    These were all possibilities. So even with the recording, investigations must go unbiased.

    However, Feizen herself had just admitted to her crimes. So they also got her admittance.

    But if she denies everything after this, that''s where exorcists came on.

    What? The punishment of the world and the punishment from the heavens must bnce out.

    So even if she doesn''t go to prison, her life outside would still be hell!

    After all, they had yet to find physical evidence to send her to jail, no?

    .

    Holding the tube filled with a single mandrake root, Dorian calmly faced Feizen.

    "Mrs. Fei... It''s time to receive your punishment."

 Chapter 313 Finally Done! - Justice For Angzen

    Punishment?

    Feizen felt 10 years older.

    "You... You... What are you going to do to me?"

    Dorian stood between her and her ghostly parents, while Angzen only stood by the side, apanied by the 4 witnesses.

    They''ve said it before, and they''ll say it again.

    Today''s matters were indeed eye-openers for them!

    "Mrs. Fei. Under the eyes of the heavens, nothing is hidden. Whatever you do will be used against you when you die."

    Gulp.

    The 4 witnesses swallowed hard, wondering if they too had led a good life.

    Today was the first day they knew the heavens existed. And after this, they swore to check their families to make sure no one was going astray.

    ''So when I die, I too will be judged?''

    The awakening was indeed too shocking.

    But for Feizen, she felt immediate death, hearing about the heaven''s waiting for her once she died.

    She, more than anyone else, knew of her cruelty.

    In truth, the punishment the heavens would give would take hundreds and thousands of years of reincarnations to get rid of.

    But if an exorcist, police officer, orw enforcer can dish out some of the punishment in the same world she sinned in, it would significantly reduce the number of years of what the heavens would give her.

    Again, if she willingly turned herself in and repented, her heavenly sentence would be far different.

    One could never guess what the heavens would dish out to her. But for her good, Dorian would give out a small portion of what was toe.

    .

    "Mrs. Fei. Firstly, for extorting xxxxxx off your brother over the years, you are to return every single penny you took, as well as thend deeds for everything your parents left behind. Your brother, Angzen, will own them all!"

    "No!!" The greedy part of Feizen blurted out.

    She had even forgotten that she was in the presence of her ghostly parents and elders the moment she thought of her money flying away.

    "You vile girl! You will return everything to your brother!!!" It wants yours to begin with in the first ce.

    All 4 witnesses had distorted faces.

    They''ve alreadye to this point, and she was still unwilling?

    Her ghostly sneered. "What we want to do with our farms and home is our business!!"

    Feizen had no choice but to shut in horror, though still unwilling. Wasn''t she also their child? Why were they so biased against her?

    She seemed to have forgotten she was the one who killed them.

    Chan-ki rolled his eyes, feeling thisdy''s brain was flooded with water.

    Greed was indeed a sin.

    .

    Dorian took the Mandrake root out of the tube and held it towards Feizen like a severed head.

    "Hear me now. For murder, torture, and extraction, you are hereby given 2 punishments to uphold!"

    Bam!!!

    Fairy-like silver shackles immediately ascended from above andtched onto her neck, arms, and legs.<sub> </sub>

    F****! F***!

    Did everyone see what they just saw?

    Kizing''s eyes were almost out of their sockets at this point.

    And what was even more eye-jarring was that these shackles seemed to fade into nothing, yet they understood it would always be on her.

    This was her cross to bear.

    And in a sh, Feizen''s face was ridden with all sorts of pimples, e, and boils too ugly to bear. But that wasn''t all. Her nose became overly long, fat, and wide, and her eyebrows falling out at a visible rate.

    Eh? The ugly queen in Snow White?

    All that was left was for her to give an apple to a beautiful damsel, and they would believe she was the ugly queen.

    Back arched and hunched, hands filled with boils...

    "Ahhhh~~~!!!"

    Frozen was mortified beyond belief.

    After touching face uncountable times in anguish, she quickly threw herself on horridness, she

    She threw herself on Dorian''s feet. "No. No. No!... Please, make me beautiful again! I''m a married woman! How will my husband continue to live like this?"

    When young, people would swear that even if they became Beauty, they would love a beast. But the reality was that most of them would pack up and live in an instant.

    A test of true love? Who the heck wants that?

    "No way! You must make me beautiful again!!"

    (:T��T:)

    .

    With a light tap, Dorian pushed her back.

    "You can reduce the effect a bit, but to do so, you will have to give up all you extorted back to your brother. But that''s not all."

    If one listened well, he did say she could reduce the effect a bit. However, in her ears, all she heard was that after giving it all back, she would regain her beauty.

    Sadly, that wasn''t how it worked.

    This was the punishment, one she would carry till she died.

    What was money in the eyes of her beauty? As a vain woman, her looks meant as much as having money to get.

    Besides, who can live, waking up to such a face in the mirror? Impossible!

    Even she would be disgusted by her presence. So who would she guarantee her husband would still love her the same?

    "Yes. Yes... I''ll do it! I''ll give your money back! You can also take the farnds and everything else too!" Just give back her beauty!!

    What was that stench?

    Everyone was disgusted, getting a fermented yeasty smell off Feizen. Even if her looks didn''t deter them, her stench alone would do the job.

    They needed the most beautiful soap in the world to get rid of this stench.

    But this wasn''t all Feizen was going to face.

    "You''re in luck. The heavens will not cut your life shirt for murder. No matter how sick you get, you will not die until the appointed time. However, from today onwards, every night in your sleep, you either get the feeling of what your victims fekt like when you drowned them, tortured them, killed them, or had them raped by thugs. The pain they felt, you will feel it too!... That, Mrs. Fei, concludes all heavenly punishments!"

    With that, Dorian released the mandrake root, and something magical happened.

 Chapter 314 Final Goodbyes

    Eeeeeeeeee!!!!~~~~

    The Mandrake root screamed at the top of its lungs, almost bursting Feizen''s ears.

    But to everyone else, it waspletely mute. All they could see was a root with eyes and a mouth, shaking and opening its mouth strangely.

    "Ahhhh~... Make it stop! Make it stop!!"

    Feizen held her ears, rolling uncontrobly with closed eyes.

    What???

    Everyone watched the mandate root rush forth and jump into one of Feizen''s ugly hands.

    And in no time, it formed a skin-like lump,pletely attaching on her body at a visible rate.

    F***!

    Everyone''s eyes were opened exaggeratedly. What sort of fairy operation was this?

    If they hadn''t seen it happen, they would''ve never believed such a thing could be real.

    All 4 witnesses had taken one step forth, one step back, and then one step further again, confused on whether to back away or advance and poking it with a stick or something long in the room.

    It looked like a curse in their eyes, especially with the old witch appearance Feizen already had.

    "Grandmaster, why did you attach the Mandrake root on her?"Chan-ki was very curious. What purpose would it serve?

    "Her nightmares and heavenly punishment will be assisted by the Mandrake."

    Apart from being medicinal, the Mandrake root in the hands of a skilled exorcist could be a powerfulw enforcement tool.

    The screaming Mandrake root will add harrowing experiences to Feizen''s dreams.

    If she had to experience what it felt like for her victims to get tortured, killed, raped, and even poisoned, the root''s hellish screams would cause a greater effect.

    Even now, Feizen still thought she was not wrong. This was why Dorian decided to use the root. If she had shown genuine remorse, he would have added such a gruesome root to the mix.

    At the moment, the Mandrake root had bound with the heavenly powers thanks to his spell. So it would only fall off her body once she truly repented.

    But he wouldn''t tell her this. She had a long life span ahead of her. So it wouldn''t be bad for her to discover it on her own.

    .

    "Ahhhh~... Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" Feizen screamed frantically.

    Although the screams had suddenly vanished, the big lump on her arm told her she wasn''t dreaming.

    The damn root had be one with her body! She had the impulse to rush to the hospital and remove this fat tumor-like growth.

    But what she didn''t know was that the more she tampered with it, the worse the situation would be.

    With Feizen''s matter over, Dorian calmly turned his attention to Elder Ming.

    "Do you want to see your daughter?"

    "Can... Can I?"... Elder Ming answered with unwavering expectations on his quivering face.

    As for everyone else, they were... Well... They were still dumbfounded by Dorian''s words.

    Wait... Was this guy saying there were even more ghosts around them?<sub> </sub>

    Dorian calmly looked at the space above Elder Ming.

    "You know you should''ve left a long time ago. So... Do you want to have yourself, or should I send you off without giving you a chance to say your final goodbye?"

    "No!"

    A sudden eerie voice echoed, making everyone''s hair stand at attention. Only Elder Ming wasn''t scared at all.

    No one can understand his love for his precious granddaughter. From the minute she was born till now, she would always be grandpa''s parking girl.

    "Lan Lan... Is that you?" Elder Ming''s voice trembled, looking at the space where the voice came from.

    Plop.

    He fell to his knees. "Lan Lan, I''m sorry. I should''ve known. You were killed by this vicious girl. But all I did was shelter your murderer instead."

    Everyone felt very sad for Elder Ming. If they were in his shoes, it wouldn''t be a scratch to say they too might feel like killing Feizen.

    Elder Ming''s eyes turned redder the heavier his tears flowed. "I''m ashamed... Lan Lan... I''m so ashamed!"

    "Grandpa, please don''t kneel. You''re not wrong. You were deceived. So I don''t me you."

    The voice whispered out. And though eerie, it was clear that the ghostly owner was trying to make her voice softer.

    And as she spoke, her image finally became visible.

    So terrible!

    Everyone saw a palish blue figure dripping wet, looking exactly as she did when she died. Whoever she spoke, ghostly water would flush out her mouth. Though what was strange was that this water seemed to vanish the moment it was about to hit the floor.

    Hn looked at Dorian in gratitude.

    She didn''t want toe out because of her original appearance. But after Dorian adjusted her outer look, she knew she was more pleasing in the eye and wouldn''t scare her grandpa.

    If she had appeared the way she did earlier, no one might have the stomach to look at her, especially with all the Yin she had been taking in all these years.

    She learned the hard way from other wandering ghosts that the longer she stayed in the mortal world, the more Yin she would pick up.

    Her time in these past few years wasn''t easy.

    She avoided the Heavenly hour, refusing to get directly dragged away into ascension.

    Again, she had to avoid getting devoured by underworld beings while keeping a safe distance from her living loved ones, lest her Yin affect them too much.

    They could get sick, have ill luck, and even if she mingled around them too often.

    That''s why she only stayed far, watching over them in fear that Feizen might harm them.

    This was why she never left. How could she leave them in the hands of her vicious friend?

    Over tge years, she had tried to warm them. But everyone took the things happening around them as ''idents.''

    Of course, she dared not write it out or reveal herself since she didn''t want them to have nightmares with the notion that ghosts exist.

    That''s why she chose to protect them hidden far above.

    And now that Feizen was getting what wasing to her, Hn Ming, her initial resentment vanished.

    Yes. Now she was ready to go.

 Chapter 315 Mission Accomplished. Time To Go

    [Host, you''re really a nice guy.]

    The systemmented, tearfully wiping his non-existent tears after seeing the sad reunion of grandfather and daughter.

    ''Nice guy?''

    Dorian shrugged. He only wanted the ghostly girl to leave without much resentment. All these acts went into his skill points for upgrading his exorcism rank.

    Additionally, he also had to cleanse Elder Ming, not wanting to waste time exining the cause and effect.

    In the end, even though Hn Ming tried to stay away and protect her family from afar, they still got affected by a very long fraction, though not a lot.

    But it was enough to see that Elder Ming''s earlier identst year umted all the effects gathering together over the many years she guarded them.

    The ident was only a tractor ident that caused him to walk with a cane as support, seeing one of his legs was twisted by ident.

    In the end, it was always good to return their beings to how it was before Hn Ming''s idental interference.

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5 minutes were all he gave them.

    And following that, he gathered Angzen''s parents, as well as Hn, sending them off to ascension.

    This time, Angzen noticed Dorian''s ascension method was different from what he did back in High Peak Town.

    This time, he only drew out a transparent door and asked them to walk through it.

    "Little Ang. We are sorry for you. Live well, and continue to do good. In our next life, if you''re still born to us, we promise to treat you right!"

    Angzen''s nose was sour. "I... I... Go well too."

    He thought he wouldn''t cry seeing them go. But who knew his tears would flow out like a waterfall?

    A simr situation was urring for Elder Ming.

    "Grandpa. I''m going now. So please take care of yourself. Take care of mom, dad, all my uncles, aunts, and little nephews."

    Elder Ming nodded vigorously. "My Lan Lan!... Grandpa will meet you soon."

    "No!! Promise me you will live well for me. One always wanted to travel and see what the outside world was. Promise me you will take the family and go on trips for me. Live well in my ce."

    "I..."

    "Promise me, Grandpa!!!"

    "I... I promise." Elder Ming''s lips quivered sadly.

    In contrast, Hn Ming wore a bright smile, walking through the door and blinding lights.

    So this was it.

    Whoosh!

    Like a vortex, the doors spun and twirled, decreasing in size with every spin until it was the size of a tiny pebble.

    Puff!

    It vanished. And elder Ming''s loud cry echoes it.

    On his knees, he stomped the floors with his fisted hands, wailing as the dip of his voice.

    Whether it was Bozing, Kizing, or Elder Toma, they didn''t know how tofort him.<sub> </sub>

    What a tragic scene.

    Earlier, they came here to see what the fuss was about. But who would''ve known fate would y such a tricky game with them instead?

    After today, their worldview has changed. And now, they knew they weren''t the only ones sharing this world.

    For the first time, they understood that science wasn''t all they could rely on.

    After today, they swore to check the way they also lived. Just look at Feizen''s end?

    Angzen, on the other hand, was also whimpering loudly. Maybe it was because he was affected by Elder Ming''s grief or finally liberated from all the grievances he had experienced from childhood till now, Angzen cried like a baby. A big part of him also aggrieved for his parents too. After all, he loved them very dearly, even when he wasn''t treated the best.

    So recalling theirst words and final goodbyes, how can he not cry?

    What made Angzen a little unburdened was Hn Ming''s words after apologizing for what his family had done to her.

    Even to this moment, Feizen didn''t feel like apologizing.

    She just didn''t want to. This was the b**ch who fought with her over her current husband. So why should she be apologizing to her?

    She did nothing wrong!!!

    With her attitude, Angzen had forced his sister''s head down, causing her to kowtow to Hn Ming. He too did so, hoping her soul would find peace in the afterlife.

    The more he looked at Feizen, the more disgusted he was with her. Why can''t she see how wrong she was?

    Sure enough, the heavens were right to have her such heavy punishments.

    He knew his sister would never rent until forced into a dead end.

    Maybe she was still holding on to the hope of turning beautiful, making aeback, and doing other cruel things.

    He hoped the punishments from the heavens would block all exits for her, forcing her to yield and do good in the world.

    .

    With the curtains finally closing, Dorian threw several pendants toward Kizing.

    During the 5 minutes he gave, he had done this much for them.

    Dorian didn''t bother remaining, allowing Chan-ki to take center stage. "Topletely eradicate the ghostly aura gathered around your family, all of you should wear these pendants for no less than 4 months and no more than 5. Even if showering, wear them at all times. Soon, you will find your body stronger and everything else going back to the way it was originally intended. You''re lucky that your granddaughter had tried her best to watch over you from a distance; else the true results would''ve been too disastrous."

    So being around ghosts can cause harmful effects on them?

    Everyone inwardly noted this in their minds.

    Elder Ming kowtowed in gratitude towards the duo. "Thank you. Thank you for all you''ve done!"

    "Hmmmm..." Dorian hummed. "The pendants aren''t free. So don''t thank us yet."

    "I don''t care about that. You sent my Lan Lan without resentment. So this much is priceless!"

    Dorian nodded, satisfied with Elder Ming''s attitude.

    Good.

    Finally, it was time to head back to the city!

    Heh... The big day ising

 Chapter 316 Another Stranger In The City?

    "Thank you, Grandmaster! Thank you!!!"

    All 4 witnesses... Especially Elder Ming and elder Toma thanked Dorian profoundly.

    Eh?

    What was going on here?

    The crowd looked at the situation, utterly confused by it all.

    Seeing how swollen and red Elder Ming''s eyes were, they felt they missed some juicy gossip.

    Dammit! Who can tell them what is happening? Why were they unable to hear the drama through the wooden creaks, doors, and walls?

    p Why did everything go silent after a while?</anda>

    Could it be that during that time, these people just had a staring contest with each other in silence?

    ''...''

    No matter how they looked at it, the situation here didn''t add up. Additionally, who is this old wrinkly woman with boils, a witch''s long nose, hunched back, and creepy long ck hair?

    They didn''t mean to be rude. But looking at the woman''s face made them subconsciously take 2 steps back.

    But wait... Even though ugly, underneath it all, they could still recognize who the olddy was!!!

    How could it be Feizen? How could she change so much after entering the house for a few minutes?

    F***!

    Everyone was dying to know the juicy details, as well as confirm if their suspicions were true.

    ''Calm down... Calm down... This is a world of science. So how can this be possible?'' Many inwardly murmured, thinking maybe the olddy was some close rtive of Feizen they never knew about.

    It was funny that they had grown up in the same vige as Feizen''s family and should know Feizen''s rtives. Yet, they were quick to point the olddy in the ''rtive'' category and believe in science, rather than believing this was actually Feizen.

    .

    Very respectfully, Elder Ming and the rest escorted Dorian to his vehicle.

    Before leaving the building, Elder Ming had already transferred what was owed to Dorian.

    What surprised him was that these pendants were far cheaper than he expected.

    For this, his gratitude should go to his Hn Ming, who didn''t overly affect him and his family with her ghostly aura.

    A single pendant offered to him by Dorian was less expensivepared to the one Angzen wore.

    Elder Ming was even more pleased, taking his of all pendants like treasures of gold.

    He also wrote down the instructions on how to nourish himself and his family too.

    But things didn''t end there.

    Dorian also sold protective talismans to every one of them, including Kizing.

    You have to know that during this whole fiasco, Angzen had touched on the fact that ghosts aren''t the only things moving around. What was scarier was Angzen''s brief recount of his encounter in High Peak Town

    The whole thing made their hairs stand erect. So how dare they not ask for protective charms?

    Even if the charms don''t protect them against the supernatural, they could also protect them against disasters and idents.

    (+0+)

    .

    Grab! Grab! Grab!

    They even wanted to buy all protective charms they could afford.

    And as Dorian had exined, some charms couldst for a year, 2, and even 5. It all depended on the price. And again, some charms couldst for a million years but worked on the principle of ''Chances.''

    For some talismans, they were only suitable for up to 3 big disasters. Even if the next big catastrophe came a thousand years from now, the talisman would still work until the specified number of chances ran out.

    This... This was also good too!

    After today, their perception of the world has changed.

    ck was blue, gold was read, and the supernatural existed!

    Following this, they also took Chan-ki''s number, hoping to contact him if anything of this nature came up.

    .

    Bam.

    Chan-ki closed the vehicle door and headed over to the driver''s seat.

    As for Angzen, he decided to stay behind and settle all matters.

    At least now with all 4 witnesses on his side, they were ready to assist him in letting Feizen give all she owed.

    He thought she would still be unwilling. But Feizen who was under the illusion she would change from a beast back to a beauty if she did do, was very much willing to oblige.

    At least with her beauty, making more money would be super easy for her.

    Anyway, he had to get enough money to rush back and pay off his loans.

    Also, he wanted to see his brother-inw and exined a few things.

    Even now, he still hoped his brother-inw would have the heart to love a ''beast.'' Who knows... Maybe she would be the one to help break her spell?

    Well, her appearance wouldn''t change much. But maybe her heart would change.<sub> </sub>

    Even after all she did, he wasn''t cruel enough to wish her death or something so morbid.

    Maybe this was the difference between himself and her.

    Soon, the news about her deeds would begin circting. But without any evidence, no one could send her to jail.

    To be honest, it''s going to be rough for her. But if she truly presented, he would wish her all the best.

    .

    With so much to do, Angzen had nned to round things up in no more than 4 days and take a direct trip back to the city with no stops.

    That is... He couldn''t afford to go through what he did in High Peak town again.

    Shudder. Shudder.

    Just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.

    "Student Dorian. Thank you so much for helping your teacher."

    "Hmmm..." Dorian hummed through the half-winded-down window.

    "Chan-ki."

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    Vrmmm!!!~

    Like so, the duo took off in hopes of arriving in Luxian city sometime tomorrow.

    The drive was indeed a long one.

    But unlike the calmness oozing off them, things were getting more interesting back in Luxian city.

    "Bastard, can''t you look where you''re going? Don''t you have any respect for the elderly?"

    "Hey, old man. Who the hell are you calling a bastard?!"

    On the streets, a middle-aged man with overly long blond hair and very dark shades arrogantly chewed off a banana while arguing with an old man.

    One look, and you''d know this guy was a scum of society, but not the type that looked intimidating.

    No... He looked very childish, as though he were in his teenage stage of stubbornness.

    But all this was just from first impressions. In truth, the man was far more deadly than many could know.

    .

    The youthful-looking middle-aged nonchntly until he got to a certain hotel.

    And only after he stepped into the elevator did his aura change.

    Pushing his long blind hair aside, he calmly tapped the bottom of his earpiece. "No news yet."

    Tut...

    The conversation ended with the other side not saying a single word. This was how his conversations usually went in this line of business.

    But what was his new job exactly?

    The man took out his sses and ran his hands through his hair, giving him an elegant look.

    It was hard to associate him with the same man who was seamlessly arguing with an old man on the road.

    His mission in this city was one he initially looked down on.

    But after staying for a while, he quickly understood how difficult his target was.

    Dorian D. Tian.

    There was so much about the Tian estate and the Tain bit young around. Yet, his colleagues had faced a terrible nightmarish time there that no matter how he asked, it seemed to be a taboo topic.

    All he knew was that some went to the hospital to have their little men checked. What''s more, some also had deep internal injuries too.

    He knew how strong Snake and the others were. So what sort of deadly dangersy on that strange household?

    .

    Night Whisperer calmly walked into his hotel room and changed attire before meeting with his private team.

    The clock was ticking, and time was running out.

    What secret did the boy have to make the Ghus, Gias, and Hous friendly with him? And where was the secret hidden?

    The boss had given him a mission to find all they could about Dorian''s every move.

    Yesterday, the boy pulled a fast one on them, leaving the city early in the morning. Of course, those watching him quickly followed through fast.

    Too bad they underestimated how far Dorian was tracking and ran out of fuel. Just leaving the highway, entering a town or city, and stopping for that alone was enough time for Dorian to be long gone.

    Dammit!

    This was a chance to find out what secret bases or partners he was working with.

    Stepping into the massive room his subordinates were gathered in, one of them quickly rushed to his side.

    "Boss. We just got word from the inside girl Alice. She suspects something big will happen in 2 days involving all the Ghus, Gias, and Hous."

    Night Whisperer narrowed his gaze. "Then we can''t miss this opportunity. Tell everyone to prepare!!!"

    No matter what, he was going to find every little secret the boy was hiding!

 Chapter 317 Team Night Whisperer

    Something big was going to happen in the Tian estate real soon?

    Good.

    "The girl Alice has something for us. Then we must do our best to meet with her, no?"

    Everyone nodded, listening to Night Whisperer.

    They hoped it was good news. It hasn''t been long since they came. But the difficulty surrounding this mission was already terrifying.

    Looking at the clock, girl Alice was still working. But would soon finish her shift. So they had to wait until she was done.

    Today, they would have their first face-to-face meeting with her.

    In the gatedmunity, their people were already waiting for her in a vehicle parked beside the gatedmunity''s publicke.

    For this meeting, Snake... A.K.A, Mr. Green, will also be joining them as well.

    Hmmmm...

    Night Whisperer calmly took a seat, listening to his team''s reports.

    "Boss. We just got word that the young Bho Master had arrived at the Tian estate, intending to visit."

    What? Now the Bhos were getting in on the action too?

    The entire room ushered in a burdening silence, with everyone''s mind quickly going to work.

    "Boss, the leader was right to recall us back. Whatever secrets the Tian boy holds is worth millions, If not billions, if it can make all these prominent ns and families lower their heads to him."

    No one spoke, but their expressions showed their stance.

    If they could get this secret, do you know how powerful they would be?

    .

    ~ck. ck. ck.

    Several people danced their fingers on theirptops.

    Night Whisperer turned his attention towards them. "What about the estate?"

    "Boss." One of the men replied, pushing his sses up his nose. "Boss. We''ve made an 80% remodel of what to expect."

    ording to how Snake and the rest described the maze-like hallways and spaces, they made a simted model and floor n designs of what to expect.

    With their genius minds, they felt that no matter how the maze came about, it couldn''t be bigger than the actual size of the outer mansion perimeters, no?

    Using math, physics, estimating how much space and other factors, they, top geniuses, were sure of their simted model.

    For every single ceiling or floor space in each room, things like how much weight the room can carry being proportional to its build thickness and capabilities, we''re once again looked into.

    Snake said they bypassed several halls and went about in loops. By analyzing this maze and understanding its design, they could predict where the next doors or rooms should be.

    This was the beauty of science.

    (*��^��)

    .

    The lead man in sses reported their progress to Night Whisperer.

    "Only 80%?... Not good enough! Lucilia! Any progress with the target''s uncle?"

    The 25-year-old seductress with a bold red lip and inky dark hair promptly acknowledged. "Boss. The meet-up was sessful."<sub> </sub>

    With her body, charm, and damsel act, how could such a lowly man like Wei Kwo stand the temptation?

    What a fool!

    The idiot was secretly terrorized by their leader and Snake. Yet, he still has time to go out and look for women to mess around with? Useless!

    What a waste of a man.

    Lucilia didn''t know how Wei Kwo had offended the leader, Snake, and others. But they seem to have a strong and worth-dying hatred for him. What did he do exactly to incur the wrath of everyone else?

    ''...''

    Forget it... The fatty was toast.

    And in his sorrows, he turned to findpany to console himself with. ording to her information, his wife and family were nagging him about their monthly allowances getting shorter.

    At home, he had no peace. In thepany, his enemies were jubting over his failure to win several contracts for thepany.

    And what''s more, several workers in his estate began disappearing or turning up missing too.

    At first, it was assumed they left on their own. However, things got a little too interestingter, causing Wei Kwo to settle the matter with the victim''s families, bribing them to keep their mouths shut.

    On this matter, he was lucky since those who disappeared were typically the hateful ones with greedy families.

    The leader had wanted to make the matter public and cause Wei Kwo to suffer.

    But on second thought, they didn''t want him to go to bail so soon. Such a thing would be too easy and too cheap for the fatty.

    Plus... They still needed him around to see how the Tian boy would interface with him. As for all they knew, Wei Kwo might also know more Tian secrets yet to be unfolded.

    .

    Lucilia chuckled, thinking of how easy ''befriending'' Wei Kwo was. She knew his routine and had followed him to a KTV. Of course, she knew what private booth he had and even what drinks he would order.

    One thing led to another, Wei Kwo needed to relieve himself in the bathroom.

    And on his way back, she bumped into him in the hallway, falling into his arms and inching her face closer by ''ident.''

    The idiot was immediately mesmerized.

    Such men liked their egos boosted, feeling like real men after especially seeing her gaze of worship.

    At this rate, it wouldn''t be long for her toplete her assignment. She was there to ''listen'' to all of his worries, especially those concerning the Tian boy.

    If possible, she would also like to ask about the estate too.

    As Dorian''s uncle, he had visited and even stayed in the Tian estate severally.

    Though slim, there might be a chance of him knowing about the estate''s true security measures.

    Yes... They couldn''t afford to leave every stone unturned when it concerned this matter.

    Another thing that baffled not just get but everyone else was that ording to their investigations and physiological evaluations, Wei Kwo and his family couldn''t possibly be culprits that caused many to disappear.

    So... Who was it?

    Who was the hidden enemy or for dancing around in the shadows?

    Everyone''s face turned grim the more they thought of it.

    Who is it?

 Chapter 318 Finally Home

    Night Whisperer quickly gave several instructions while the gang stayed in wait.

    And soon enough, Ghost Whisperer tapped his earpiece.

    [Boss, we''ve arrived.]

    Good.

    Their expected guest had just pulled into the hotel with the rest.

    "Everyone, get ready. We have a show to put on."

    Heh.

    The many ''police officers'' and ''detectives'' all chuckled.

    This was going to be a piece of cake.

    But they weren''t the only ones buying themselves about.

    .

    --Gia Main Estate--

    .

    Old Gia, Wei Gia, Donghai, Butler Feng, Main guard Renjin, Deputy Director Xiang Shore, several direct and indirect nsmen, as well as many Gia guards and chosen police, military, marine, and other special forces members were all gathered here in straight lines of 20.

    The day after tomorrow was the big day!

    It felt like an eternity since they got their admission letters.

    F***!

    They were going to be powerful wizards!

    (+0+)

    Well, exorcists.

    Since many of them had never seen Dorian in action, their only real glimpse of magic was during the testing day and when they got their letters.

    So what else were they to associate it with, if not magic?

    Many felt both excited and fearful.

    As they say, with great poweres great responsibility.

    ? So the enemy must be strong for the heavens to grant them the ability to use these powers.

    Everyone had been conditioning their hearts to face the murderous and strange enemies the Grandmaster had briefly mentioned.

    At the time, they thought it was a joke. But now they understood it was all true.

    Nheless, as forces who had sworn to protect all civilians, they couldn''t back down now.

    .

    Wei Gia squinted his eyes deeply. "Today, I assume you all know why you''ve been gathered."

    No one spoke, but their silence was the answer.

    "Once again, I and your superiors congratte you on your eptance into the Heavenly Tian Academy. You all are part of the first batch of students! And this goes without saying... but we expect you to be on your best behaviors."

    Wei Gia''s voice grew cold with every word he spat.

    "Let this be a reminder to you. Any misconduct... and I assure you that you will not only have the academy to contend with, but your superiors and I to face!"

    Gulp.

    Many swallowed hard. Don''t look at Wei Gia who was 29.

    The man was also a legend, simr to his father, Old Gia.

    His decisiveness was even more brutal than Old Gia, cutting all oaths and roots, rendering his enemies useless.

    It''s said he only smiled when facing his wife and daughter. His face was always permanently cold no matter when you met him.

    Such a man sent chills down the spines of many, though his godly handsome face still made unountable women dream of being his mistress.<sub> </sub>

    Handsome, wealthy, a faithful lover and wife spoiling maniac all at once? Why wouldn''t he still be a dream lover for many?

    .

    Shudder. Shudder.

    Wei Gia''s gaze made them shiver.

    So scary��

    Even from afar, his gaze and aura were still intimidating.

    As trained, armed force officials and officers, they didn''t need to be reminded of this. However, entering the Academy was too serious a matter.

    "Over the past few weeks, the list has been circted. And everyone knows what to bring."

    As Wei Gia spoke, Deputy Director Shore, Donghai, and several others calmly moved to the very front of the lines.

    There, one could see several tables and massive storage bins at the side.

    "Bow, we begin the final check! Step up with your admission letters, as well as your packed backpacks. Anything not on the list circted earlier will be discarded. And for your sake, you better hope we don''t find anything that should belong in the first ce!... Now... Begin!!!"

    Right.

    Many quickly moved towards those seated on the other side of the tables, doing as told.

    Basic necessities were allowed. But only the clothes they would wear to enter the academy are eptable. Of course, underwear was the exception to this rule.

    From what they gathered, there should be no electricity in the academy. Don''t get it wrong. The academy did have lighting but used some special methods to do so(runes and formations).

    But many weren''t worried about this since they could leave and return every day if they wanted to. Though no one would care to go out so much with their superiors as Caretakers in the academies with them.

    .

    If these were ancient times, people would sth in their sects for times and even years without ever stepping out.

    However, in modern times it''s impossible to do so. People had businesses, families sick in the hospital, and all sorts of matters to attend to.

    Thus, the academy worked the same way as the military would.

    You would turn in your phone and give your loved ones or others the Academy''s contact information.

    That''s right.

    Pandrol would be handling such matters.

    He would sort out these matters and alert many of any emergencies.

    Of course, All Teachers and Caretakers were still allowed to have their phones on them.

    In the Academy, only teachers and Caretakers could use their phones. Though taking a picture or video would be deemed impossible.

    Dorian didn''t know how the system did it. But it was so.

    .

    "Next!"

    A nametag was ced on the already checked bag thrown into one of the massive storage bins.

    Everyone would get their bags backbone in the wee early morning hours before they departed for the Academy.

    Just like that, the Gias were ready. And in the Hou and Ghu main estates, simr scenarios urred too.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    The clock was ticking.

    And in a blink of an eye, the afternoon flew, the night passed, and it was yet another glorious day.

    Chan-ki sighed from relief, seeing as they made it back on time with no sudden ''stops'' on the way.

    As exorcists, they could stay for longer periods without good. So with Angzen out of the equation, they made no stops.

    Good.

    Finally home.

 Chapter 319 Ranking Up!

    "Wee home, Grandmaster."

    Butler Sheng and the rest quickly lined up to salute Dorian.

    "Hmm..."

    Dorian nodded in acknowledgment, calmly taking off his gloves and handing them to Butler Sheng. "Any visitors I should be aware of?"

    "Except for the young Bho master, there have been none during your days of absence," Bewoh replied courteously.

    "And how are my parents?"

    "Their condition is stable with neither improvements nor rpses urring."

    "And the academy?"

    "Ready to receive its first batch of students."

    Everyone had even given their assignments during Dorian''s absence.

    And now that the Grandmaster was back, they reported the current situation concerning the academy and the estate''s matters.

    "And our guests?"

    Immediately, everyone''s face turned solemn.

    "Grandmaster. Apart from the usual troublemaker, the rest are honest." Haru replied, thinking of how many times he had seen the one called Alice acting too mischievously.

    Why couldn''t she focus on her job like everyone else?

    She also seemed distracted and out of ce, with disgust-filled dodgy eyes.

    If he didn''t know better, he would think he had somehow offended her in the past.

    Even more irksome was her tant disrespect and sessful attempts to sneak into the Grandmaster''s bedroom chambers.

    She thought they were clueless and unaware, but they could see all her deceptive acts from the shadows.

    They could''ve long dealt with her, but the Grandmaster said otherwise. It was better to keep her under their eyes to lead those behind her by the nose.

    .

    Ascending the many stairways outdoors leading into the Mian mansion, Haru and everyone else had secretly caught Alice spying on them through a window.

    Hehehehhe...

    It''s really not easy living with a snake.

    Everyone quickly put her matters behind them, focusing on more important things.

    Tomorrow is the big day. The day their lives would take a big turn in their careers.

    But before that, they had to pass tonight''s Ranking-up examinations.

    Thinking like this, the gang of 6 hastily went their way after settling matters with Dorian.

    They rushed to finish their duties and headed straight for the space to continue cultivating.

    And in no time, thest few yet to break through all reached the 2nd Dan.

    Boom!

    An explosion went off in Haru''s mind.

    But he didn''t open his eyes yet.

    ''I must stay put and solidify my strength.''

    He had to stabilize his current strength while also inspecting his dantians.

    No matter how many times Haru did this, it was still amazing to be able to see the qi flowing through the many channels across his entire body.

    He opened his eyes, taking note of what changes urred within him.

    For one, his eyesight was sharper, his eating far better than it was at the 1st Dan, and his strength felt mightier.

    And if his guess was correct, his speed should also be the same.

    But this wasn''t all.

    It was customary that the stronger one would grow, the more powerful the brain''s memory.

    He would be able to recall whatever he read word for word, with the ability growing stronger with each strength growth

    It was just that recalling words or images was different fromprehending them.

    One would still have to use their heads in assimting whatever information they acquired.

    Butler Sheng, Bewoh, and Raulin chuckled while looking at the rest. They were the first to reach the 2nd Dan not too long ago. So they too know how amazing the changes were.

    .<sub> </sub>

    Whoosh.

    Pandrol suddenly arrived, throwing 3 pills at Haru, Chan-ki, and Zhulyn. Seeing the pill, they recognized it as the one they took when they first reached the 1st Dan

    Rank Solidifying Pills!

    ~Gulp. Gulp.

    The pill dissolved rapidly, releasing its powers. And with proper directing, they channeled its effects through their bodies.

    1, 4, 10... 40 minutes went by before Haru opened his eyes.

    (^?^)

    Done.

    But things weren''t over yet.

    In a sh, he left the training hall and headed towards the booms shelves to do onest review of all he knew.

    To rank up from a No-rank Exorcist to an H-rank, Grade 9 stage, he had to master at least 16 spells, 2 from several categories like protective spells, defensive spells, etc.

    The most important ones would be those used to open the gateways to heaven when doing an exorcism, sending the creature''s soul beyond.

    His skills and mastery of cultivation methods and strength would also be assessed, alongside several other basic skill sets... Especially his weaponry usage.

    In the end, there were so many aspects one would get tested on. But at least 2 out of the many had long been fulfilled.

    First, to get to H-rank in terms of strength, one needs to break past their mortal shells, meaning one had to have at least the strength of a person within the Early stage of the 1st Dan.

    But he had just broken through to the 2nd Dan.

    So he had nothing to worry about when it came to this matter.

    And for his Exorcism/kill points, he had already gathered 130/130, which was the benchmark to be a Grade 1 H-Rank Exorcist.

    Excluding the No-rank phase and the top ranks, other ranks from H to A had 9 grades to pass.

    .

    "Hahahahha~... I did it! I''m finally in the 2nd Dan!"

    "Great! Great! I already feel so powerful!!! With this strength boost, I''ll be able to take my Card of Spikes to a whole new level!!"

    Haru was too excited, thinking of his card battle moves.

    Hehehhe... By the time he was done, Gambit would have nothing on him!

    (^0^)

    Everyone was immersed in their thoughts when suddenly, Dorian appeared in the space.

    Bubuum!

    Their hearts pounded, and their smiles stiffened.

    It was time... Wasn''t it.

    .

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    -3 hourster--

    The examinations were still going on with everyone in different examination halls. Yet, their thinking was all the same.

    Too strong!...

    The examinations were too strong!!!

    Everyone had no tears but wanted to cry.

    And after an additional 3 hours, they finally emerged, barely passing all examinations.

    Their faces were deadly pale, and their bodies wobbly. Yet, their eyes shone with glee with the notion of passing the many sets of exams.

    If one failed even 1, they wouldn''t be able to advance to the next rank.

    Moreover, each examination wasn''t child''s y, cashing them to use every ounce of intelligence, strength, flexibility, and other attributes to gain sess.

    Damn! They deserve some des!

    (:^��^:)

    When everyone was about to copse, Dorian''s abrupt words caused them to straighten their backs.

    "It''s 5 A.M. Gather your strength and prepare for your duties."

    Today, the Academy would officially wee its first batch of students, Caretakers, and Teachers!

 Chapter 320 The Portals Open

    Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.

    The birds were whistling, and the roads were getting busy.

    Look to the sky; though not brightly shone yet, everyone could already tell it would be a great sunny day.

    But who the hell cares about this?

    Today, in all prominent families, the students were called one by one and given their bags confiscated earlier after several checks.

    What was the feeling?

    Not even the military and all other secret armed force operations were this careful.

    They passed through all sorts of checking technologies and procedures to ensure no one ced anything out of the ordinary in them.

    What''s more, everyone was also scanned more than 10 times.

    Their clothes were also checked to see if there were smeared poisons or harmful substances, and their shoes were also double-checked.

    And by the end, they entered ordinary-looking school buses in groups.

    That''s right. School Buses!

    They didn''t want to rm the general public or seem too out of ce. So how could they get to their various locations in military outfits and vehicles?

    Too rming!

    They didn''t even want to enter their military buses but chose ordinary school buses instead.

    As for the 3 Main alleyways, those sites had been cleared with no civilians taking too much interest in the ce.

    Firstly, the locations chosen were excellent, with no towering buildings looking into the Alleyway.

    This was great, as the police immediately got warrants to station themselves around the nearby buildings, telling the owners they were there for investigations, looking for criminals.

    Of course, they came undercover, so they acted as civilians, either walking about the ce or even sitting on the streets.

    If anyone didn''t know the situation, they would find nothing out of ce.

    Look!

    There were even a few road construction workers a little up ahead on the various roads, acting as though inspecting the ce and making ns for road work.

    The many prominent families had nned this much for security purposes.

    But little did they know that even if a Normal person witnessed them passing through the portals, what they saw would be different from what was true.

    Ordinary civilians would see them jumping over the walls and heading into any buildings and properties surrounding the alleyway instead.

    Dorian hadn''t bothered to say anything, wanting them to discover things themselves.

    They did have their forces stationed around during this time. So wouldn''t things be reported to them in the end?

    .

    "Husband... I''m so nervous."

    Taking a taxi to the seemingly ordinary-looking streets, mother Obyn''s heart stumbled over its rhythm the more she nced at the closer they reached the alleyway.

    "Mom, don''t worry. We have already passed the exams. So what''s there to worry about?" Chiyou tried to sound brave. Too bad her trembling voice had long betrayed her.

    And the cab driver who was taking them through the scene was even more confused listening to the family''s strange conversation.

    But soon, someone stopped their vehicle.

    "Sorry. This road is due for repairs.''

    With a few words, the Obyns stepped out of the vehicle.

    "Academy?" One of the ''construction workers'' asked when the Obyn''s stepped out of the taxi.

    "Yes, academy!"

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Chiyou''s heart was racing the closer she got to the Alleyway.

    But what was even more rming was the size of the Alleyway.

    ~Boeing!

    The Obyns had their eyes bulge out of their sockets.<sub> </sub>

    Eh? What did they see?

    The alleyway that shouldn''t have been proficient in containing the vast crowd was like a massive hall when they stepped in.

    "I''m so nervous... What do you think it will be like?"

    "My skin is already mmy from anxiety."

    "h, h, h, h, h~."

    Many whispered, expressing their feelings and thoughts on the matter.

    This was like nothing they had experienced before!

    Chiyou listened, feeling better that she and her family weren''t the only ones nervous about the unexpected.

    Squinting her eyes, she noticed 2 familiar faces facing the crowd at the very front.

    Sirs Zhulyn and Raulin... The Grandmaster''s men.

    Looking at her watch, they still had a few more minutes before the gateway opened!

    ''We made it... We made it on time!''

    Chiyou''s body quivered.

    Hahahhaha~...

    Today would be their first day in the magical academy!!

    (^_^)

    .

    All across the 3 Portal sites, simr situations unfolded.

    In one of the alleyways, the heads of all 3 Prominent families, as well as Deputy Director Xiang Shore and a few others, all gathered in one spot overseen by Bewoh and Butler Sheng.

    And in another ce, Ajin, Mina, and the rest of the group who first took Dorian to the ind on choppers were gathered alongside Mia and Endo, who escaped the mirror world.

    Yes. In this alleyway, Chan-ki and Haru would be the Portal gatekeepers.

    All in all, an equal number of Hou, Ghu, and Gia members were scattered across all 3 portal sites.

    Everyone stared at their watches from time to time, with every ticking sound making their hearts grow together and tighter.

    What to expect? What exactly would this portal seem like?

    What magical world would they be heading into?

    For the first time, many felt like ants swimming in the cosmos.

    Ghu Sota excitedly pulled on Old Mrs. Ghu: "Grandma... Am I still dreaming? How about I pinch you to be sure?"

    "..."

    Old Mes. Ghu had fireing off her mouth while smacking her stupid Grandson''s hand away.

    If you feel it''s a dream, why not pinch yourself? Why pinch her instead?

    ''Hmph! See how I teach you a lesson in the academy. So stupid!!!''

    Her Grandson''s brain wasn''t good at all!

    Say no more. Ghu Dwo snapped his fingers, and Butler Windock covered the young master''s mouth with his hands.

    ''Young master, don''t you know when to shut up?''

    Well, Sota''s actions had made a few of them rx their tensed nerves, but only for a brief moment.

    ~Vmmmm!

    What was that?

    Jaws dropped, mouths opened, bodies frozen... Everyone''s attention was now drawn to the strange scene before them.

    This... This...

    (��0��)

    --Silence--

 Chapter 321 So Magical!

    Everyone peered forward, staring at the giant circr vortex that appeared out of thin air.

    It swirled as though about to suck everyone in, but nothing they expected happened.

    And as it began taking form, it quickly changed its circr shape to a massive rectangr size fit for giants.

    "So big!" Many murmured underneath their breaths.

    How to describe what they were feeling? It was somethingpletely out of this world!

    Boom!

    The portal took the shape of a giant golden door simr in size to a gateway.

    And those overseeing the alleyways, be it Butler Sheng, Raulin, or Zhulyn, all prepared to guide the rest in.

    There were 2 of them in each alleyway. One would lead the students in, while another would stay here in the alleyway.

    Butler Sheng briefly stared at the pack in alleyway #2 before vanishing through the portal as though he was walking through the wall.

    Yup!

    Though the portal had appeared, it only looked like one had ced a door/gate-frame against the alley walls.

    So one could still see the original wall through the portal.

    But seeing as Butler Sheng didn''t smack his face into the wall but passed through it, everyone''s heart hammered in their chest.

    They were still in a daze when they heard Bewoh''s words echo out. "Keep up... And remember, brace yourself."

    "Ah!-.."

    Many woke from their stupor, grabbing their backpacks firmly and setting off into the magical world beyond.

    In this particr Alleyway, Old Hou, Old Gia, Old Ghu, and many of the direct descendants and others gathered here at the very front of the line.

    What to expect?

    Gulp.

    They swallowed hard, inching closer to the portal.

    And as earlier instructed, they held their eptance letters in their hands while crossing through.

    They had a hunch that any deceit and the portal might kick one off to the moon.

    What was strange was that the second they passed through, their eptance letters turned into strange rings with strange symbols on them.

    <To those who wear, only a spell can rid.>

    A riddle of instructions?

    ... So mysterious!

    (*0*)

    .

    Many realized the matter of the being only after they got over the chaotic minds.

    Why?

    Because the moment they passed through the portal, they seemed to be falling too quickly down to an unknown sea with several boats floating about.

    What???!

    Everyone''s heart jerked back and forth in dismay, realizing what elder Bewoh meant when he said they should brace themselves?

    "Ahhhhhhhhh~!!!"

    Ghu Sota screamed, watching the decks of the boats get closer and closer to his face.

    But just when he thought he would fall to smithereens, a strange force surrounded his body, not only slowing down his speed but making him float gracefully instead.

    Many stretched their hands like birds and kept one foot arched while touching the boat''s deck with the tip of their other foot.

    This...

    "Grandma, did you see that? So cool!!!"

    Once again, Old Mrs. Ghu was thinking of returning her grandson from where she purchased him.<sub> </sub>

    How can anyone be this silly?

    Sigh... Too bad she already loved him.

    Everyone was still immersed in the shock of their descent and the matter of the strange rings in their hands when they suddenly heard someone''s abrupt exmations.

    "Everyone, Look! Look over there!"

    Whoosh!

    A strange, magnificent bird flew through the sky, passing them by proudly.

    The feathery creature was gigantic.

    Its beak was silver, and its features were a mix of fiery gold, blue, and silver.

    It was like nothing they had ever seen before.

    What sort of bird had 4 legs and 2 wings?

    A Glindorine!

    .

    Ah yes... The night Glindorine

    Thanks to Dorian''s instructions, it also took care of the Ind.

    Butler Sheng knew of its existence, but everyone could only marvel at the magical creature before them.

    Even Wei Gia who always had an expressionless face had to admit that the creature''s entire being was mighty and deserved recognition.

    "What a magical sight." He whispered while clenching his fists to hold back his shook.

    Not many things in this world could make him break character.

    But it wasn''t just the bird that caused him to shake.

    Dropping from the sky, he briefly saw how big the ind was.

    But why did it differ from the purchased indndmass Dorian bought off?

    Thend... Thend looked endless, as though there was no end to It. And this was also because of its sky-high mountains and even overly deep canals.

    p Floating rocks in some ces, spatial forestes held up by strange purple roots submerged in magical waters, stairways shrouded by clouds leading up to who knows where... No matter how he looked at it, he couldn''t see the end or even the most profound depth of the ''ind.''</anda>

    And then a strange thought came to him... Did thend expand?

    .

    In Alleyway 1, those who went through with Raulin reached a small but separate ind from the main Ind.

    In their case, they didn''t fall from above but directly stepped into a small separate ind on the west end.

    As to how they would cross to the main ind without boats, only the one leading them forward would have the solution.

    And for their in Alleyway 3 led in by Haru, they found themselves already in simr boats to those in Alleyway 2.

    But what surprised everyone was that whether it was Butler Sheng, Haru, or Raulin, this was where they would stop.

    From here on out, everyone was on their own.

    Butler Sheng looked at the many people on the many boats.

    "The boats will take you halfway through your journey. Hop on the floating stones, follow the whistling bird through the shrouded clouds, and you will reach the academy''s grounds."

    His duty was to repeat these exact instructions and send off everyone who was led in through Alleyway 2.

    "And remember... You must reach the Academy''s main site before 7 P.M."

    By then, the enchantments guiding them forward would vanish.

    It was already past 10 A.M, and if they followed his instructions, the many enchanted objects should let them arrive before 5 P.M.

    Any dys and that would be their fault and no one else''s.

    Butler Sheng waved his hands, and the boats suddenly rose from the waters, startling everyone.

    What?... What was going on?

 Chapter 322 SlowPoke?

    Holding into the sides of their boats, everyone felt an immense adrenaline rush through their veins.

    Donghai''s eyes widened, seeing the boats rise several inches above the waters.

    This... This...

    Police Academy had never prepared them for such a magical sight.

    Can he say his heart was too thunderstruck to be ready?

    Whoosh!

    The boats became flying before everyone could react

    "Hold on!!!" Someone eximed, and everyone quickly reached for either one another or the corners of the boats.

    However, they soon realized that physics didn''t matter in this situation.

    There was no heavy air draft blowing in their faces and nothing that could shake them heavily.

    It was strange to say that the boat was an open-air one, yet it felt as though they were some protective shell that deviated the massive airflow that should be blowing in their cheeks and eyes.

    "So steady?"

    Ghu Dwo was shocked, realizing he didn''t fall backward from momentum.

    No...

    Move left, move right; he found he could walk about as though the boats were stationary.

    What a magical experience.

    Everyone else thought the same, calming down and focusing on the stunning sights before them.

    .

    Whoosh!

    The costs, several inches above the waters, soon became slowly down, as though to let them take in all sights around them.

    "Wow! Look at the waters!"

    Sota was so mesmerized by the strange link fishes that suddenly emerged. They began glowing the money they reached the surface. But what did they see? These fishes suddenly shit out of the water, and their find turned from pink to blue wings.

    That''s right.

    Blue Wings!

    These fishes began pping away, flying into the academy alongside them.

    "Dad, what sort of bird is this?"

    Ghu Dwo didn''t answer, also dumbfounded by the scene before him.

    Hello? He too was seeing this for the first time, okay?

    Everyone gaped with widened mouths, seeing the birds fly beside them.

    What''s more, these fish-birds were blowing beautiful bubbles too mesmerizing not to pay attention to.

    Wow!

    Many eximed, taking in the many strange fishes they saw on the water''s surface.

    At this point, they even began wondering if they were still in their original world.

    But how would they have known that this was just the tip of the iceberg?

    Old Hou squinted his eyes, seeing them approaching the beautiful seashores.

    "Old Gia, Old Ghu, Old Madam Ghu... It looks like we''ll soon be leaving the boats."

    "Mmmm."

    The old cronies hummed with their canes in their hands.

    Please, their backpacks were held by their respective butlers. So they were as free as a bird.

    Old Madam Ghu thinned her lips. "We''re about to step into the ind. In such a ce, danger will always be imminent."

    Right.

    p Everyone nodded, keeping their vignce the closer their boats advanced.</anda>

    But when they thought things woulde to a half, the boat''s sudden ascent even higher to the sky, and it was only then that they recalled Butler Sheng''s words once more.

    [The boats will take you HALF-WAY through the journey...]

    Halfway...

    Indeed.

    The ind was too big! Halfway would mean they still had a long way before getting off.

    Everyone looked at each other, smiling wryly.

    Such distances would take weeks and even months to move through, thanks to the ridiculous high mountains, low cantons, and strange regions.

    And why was there a stairway alongside such a powerful waterfall? Who is going to use this ascent using this road?

    The more they looked at thend from far above, the more cold sweat formed on their backs.

    F***!

    Just how massive is this ce?

    (?0?)

    .

    Very steadily, the boats flew high.

    First, after leaving the shores, they passed through a strange jungle with strange nts reaching out to grab them off the boats.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Following that, the boats suddenly dropped several feet down into a massive hole-like space filled with blue-glowing nts and low-level trees.

    Their hearts almost leaped off their chests when the boats dropped to such low depths.

    F***!

    They could say the depth was akin to a mountain''s; only they were going that same length downwards, along the waterfalls.<sub> </sub>

    This descent should take a person several days and even a few weeks toplete if overly slow.

    Yet, they passed through in no time, reaching the bottom.

    But what''s this? Why were the tiny creatures here also so strange? The frogs were odd colored and the butterflies the size of a mouse.

    So peculiar...

    The journey was too eventful.

    They once again passed through the strange blue forest before ascending far up another mighty height again, now passing through and of inds with purple root pirs elevating them far above the waters, making one feel they were floating.

    These elevatednds were all connected by beautiful stone bridges.

    But what also surprised them was that looking at the clear waters, there seemed to be some inds submerged underwater.

    Wow!

    The boats left the scene, taming them through another open in filled with ankle-length grass that stretched for very far distances.

    And here, they saw another bunch of strange animals grazing about thend.

    Up next, they passed through a ce filled with giant nts and flowers.

    In short, all sorts of strange scenarios were passed by them for over 4 and a half hours now.

    They had interacted with some birds and animals while also making a mental note of the routes passed.

    Up, down, sideways, underwater through some hidden passages, up again, down, and so on.

    With all they saw, it might take several weeks and even months to pass through if they didn''t get lost.

    But even after seeing all this, their excitement knew no bounds.

    Their muscles clenched, their lips quivered, and their eyeballs burst out exaggeratedly.

    The heavenly Tian Academy sight didn''t disappoint them.

    Who knew that all this was only half of the journey?

    .

    Vmmmm~

    Every gently, thest finallynded on several of the floatingnd masses they reached.

    That''s right.

    Thesends weren''t held by anything but were actually afloat far high up.

    And now, Butler Sheng''s following instructions echoed out in their minds again.

    [Hop on the floating stones to continue.]

    Floating stones?

    (?^?)

    On the floating inds, one could see several rocks elevating inches off the ground.

    These should be the stones they were looking for, right?

    But what if they fall?

    Gulp.

    Deputy Director Xiang Shore took deep breaths and stepped on a nearby stone.

    And unexpectedly, the stone began to rise, kidnapping him away.

    Ahhh~

    He lost his bnce, falling straight down. Everyone had a grim expression, a little scared to be the 2nd to test things out.

    However, they had concluded things too early.

    Whoosh!

    The stone rushed to his side.

    And with quick hands, Xiang Shore granted on it and was now seated on the stone.

    "Hahahahahaha~... So awesome!... I feel alive!!! Hahahahaha~... See you slowpoke, Gia... Hahahahaha~"

    Everyone watched him vanish forward before their very eyes.

    "..."

    .

    Slowpoke? He... Old Gia?

    Good. Very good.

    Old Gia quickly took a seat on one and flew away.

    ''Slowpoke?''

    Squinted his eyes, he soon realized that the more he leaned forward, the faster the time went.

    Hehehehehehe...

    "Old Xiang... How about we race?"

    [Old Master Hou]: "Mind if I tag along?"

    [Old Madam Ghu]: "If I can beat all of you when we were younger, I can bloody well do it again."

    [Old Master Ghu]: "It looks kike the old team is back."

    Old Ghu, Old Madam Ghu, and Old Hou had appeared beside Old Gia and Deputy Director Xiang Shore!

    Everyone chuckled, seeing the adults being so silly. It was a great sight to see them look normal, having fun.

    The gang stared at each other with smiles on their faces.

    1 2, 3...

    Go!

    The race was on!

 Chapter 323 What Now?

    "Bahahahaha~... Eat my dust, old bastard!"

    "Dammit! You are receiving much! That''s foul y!!"

    "Foul y, ''moul y''... So what? There are rules set!"

    "What the hell are you 2 arguing about? You''re still thest 2 in the race! Com''on... Pick up the pace, slowpokes!"

    Whoosh!

    Old madam Ghu andpetitive nature showed its head. What was more annoying was that her husband, Old Ghu, was busy slowing them down, giving her a chance toe up on top.

    Even now, the group was forced to eat so much dog food from the couple.

    Sigh...

    Old Gia missed histe wife, while Old Hou and Xiang Shore missed their wives they left back home.

    From young till now, the Ghu couple had always been spreading their dog food everywhere. But can''t they see this was apetition and not the time for this?

    (��^��)

    Whoosh!

    In no time, the race was on!

    The old guys showed their yful side, racing while also following the few whistling birds surrounding them.

    That''s right.

    Butler Sheng had told them to follow the whistling birds if they wanted to reach the academy''s grounds.

    Even more frightening was that they only spotted 3 very tiny whistling birds the size of a golf ball.

    The miniature birds flew so fast that it was hard to spot where they were if not for their constant whistling.

    This again was tricky since their whistling echoed out all across, making it hard to pinpoint their exact location if they ever lost sight of the fast little birdies.

    "Over there! After it!"

    Everyone leaned forward, keeping their eyes on either 3 of the birds.

    Butler Feng, the Gia Butler, quickly followed the bird through a rock hoop formed from several floatingnds being too close.

    Everyone saw him reach the small space and fly ntingly, squeezing his body through perfectly.

    Wow!

    Many marveled at his quick reflexes while closing to either fly above thend or wait for the bird to pass exit from underneath. Of course, some chose to fly directly underneath the space while looking their eyes up.

    Butler Feng gritted his teeth, following the bird through the little tunnel.

    ''So fast!''

    If he was right, the bird elerated even more. But would he give up just like that and lose sight of it?

    Heh.

    Not on his watch!

    Whoosh!!!

    Everyone happened like a blockbuster movie, with Butler Feng leaving so far ahead, almost falling.

    But with good bnce and form, he gave one hell of a chase many couldn''t mimic.

    You look at me; I look at you.

    "After him!"

    They couldn''t follow the bird with such powerful precision. So why not follow those who can?

    Hell!... Shouldn''t they be working hard as a team to reach their final destinations?<sub> </sub>

    It''s best one knows their strengths and weaknesses and falls back, letting those that can, do a good job chasing the birds.

    Damn!

    me their eyes for not being able to pick up those little gold-ball-sized words that flew at damn-near lightning speed.

    With a single blink of an eye, many had long lost sight of the birds.

    What''s more, the birds were flying very haphazardly, moving far down, sometimes shooting up like a rocket, swiftly passing various magical sights and even flying so close to the waters below, as though walking on it.

    But maybe the most chaotic times were when the birds would fly down into the many thick jungle-like wilderness zones.

    Following it through the trees while avoiding distractions from the other animals and strange nts that moved was enough to make them lose sight of the little imps.

    That''s right.

    They had only just started following the birds. Yet, in their imaginations, they seemed to have gone around the world and back when passing through the challenging sights.

    Down the Canyons they went, past thend of yellow nts, around and around toward other destinations, even passing through underground regions, shooting out what looked like an inactive volcano simr to a fantasy dungeon, with rock stairways and all sorts of beings and nts around.

    But if you think this was the end of their journey, then think again!

    Their bird-chasing journey had only begun.

    .

    "After it! Over there!"

    "Oh no! It''s passing through a forest with mirrors?... Yes! It''s passing through the Forest of mirrors! Chasing the little imps will be too difficult!!"

    What bad luck!

    At this point, all 3 birds had long separated, making the group separate as well, taking different paths to reach the academy''s grounds.

    And the more they advanced, the more difficult the birds they chased became.

    Son of b**ch.

    Many inwardly cursed.

    M

    Can someone tell them why the birds have chosen to fly through these many strange terrains?

    If they were on the basis, hey, they wouldn''t have minded, even taking an interest in sightseeing.

    But now, they wished the route was simple.

    Cold sweat struggled down everyone''s faces after realizing they had lost sight of the bird.

    Old Ghu, Old madam Gu, Ghu Dwo, Ghu Sota, Butler Windock, Chief Bodyguard Leiji, and several other Ghu guards, as well as direct and indirect descendants, all had grim expressions realizing the bird they chased had pulled a fast one on them.

    Yes... The Gias had followed their Wei Gia and Old Gia, chasing after another bird, while the Hous did the same, chasing thest one.

    Lost!

    Everyone had lost the birds, unbeknownst to each other, far away.

    Some found themselves in the forest of mirrors, others in what seemed like a giant temple without a roof. This temple was sorge that it took the space of an entire forest.

    Yes. It was ridiculous and too mythical-like, looking like a mythological abandoned city with all sorts of high stone sights and green covering the space.

    As for thest group, they found themselves lost in a massive swampy forest with trees that shot up high to the sky.

    You, me, how... This... This...

    What now?

    (-^-)

 Chapter 324 All For A Ride?

    (-^-)

    Everyone was still in shock when suddenly, they heard the strange sounds of creatures moving about.

    What was that?

    ~Graaaa!!!!~

    The thunderous growl made everyone''s pupils dte.

    They didn''t know it yet, but they were in the few low-tier forest zones.

    Here, the beasts were either mortal, being at the peak, with some already broken through their mortal shell.

    The distribution of heavenly Qi in thend made those stronger move towards the stronger forest zones, dividing the forbidden forest.

    Out here, the weaker ones graced the surface.

    But though weaker here, who said they would be weaker than the counterparts outside the academy''s grounds?

    Hehhehehe...

    They were far deadlier even with their mortal shells. And those that broke through and activated their bloodlines had mutated and changed physical form from what many knew them to look like.

    Of course, some with particr bloodlines had already changed form even in their mortal bodies when they began taking in the many treasures and qi-rich materials across thend.

    Braaaahh~

    The explosive noise was like a wake-up call to the group.

    "Everyone fly high!! Fly high!!!"

    Receiving the heavenlymand, many acted without thinking, keeping the seven as fast as possible for the sky.

    On Old Gia''s side, strange bears with armored backs appeared around the abandoned city/temple-looking sight.

    The bears with sharp teeth ran like lightning, chasing after the bunch.

    Oh My God!

    Throwing their heads behind their shoulders and seeing these murderous fantasy-like creatures chase after them was enough o make one wet themselves.

    Mommy�� what sort of situation had they gotten themselves into?

    Braww~~~~

    Old Gia and his gang thought they would be safe if they flew a certain distance up.

    But who knew these armored bears were King-Kongs?

    Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam!

    The bears ran towards the towering buildings, climbing them with a few moves.

    And the next thing everyone knew, the bears jumped towards them far high in the sky!

    How to say...

    Time seemed frozen in ce as everyone watched the white bears jump towards them with opened murderous mouths and ws waiting for the catch.

    This... this...

    Great mother of bears!!!

    "Be careful!!"

    Someone eximed, and Wei Gia felt a rush of warmth flow into his body the closer the body approached.

    Toote.

    The bear was faster than his reaction.

    .

    Graww!!!

    It had already grabbed onto his waist.

    But who was Wei Gia? Even at a disadvantage, he would never back down.

    Raising his mighty fits, he went straight for a hit.

    Bam!

    He punched the bear straight in the face.

    "Want to push me off? Heh... You''re still a few years younger to try it!"

    Bam! Bam! Pah!

    The battle for the flying stone was on.

    Sometimes, it would be the bear holding the stone while Wei Gia was on its body, punching and showing it no mercy.

    From the battle, he and many realized that these bears didn''t want to eat them but wanted their flying stones instead.

    F***!

    Could it be the bears were here to hitchhike them on their rides?

    Dream on!!

    Without the flying stones, do you know how many days, weeks, and many months it would take to get to the actual academy''s grounds?

    You lie! They were willing to fight it out to the death!

    A middle finger to you, Mr. White Bear!

    Pah. Bam! Boom! Pah!

    Say no more. Everyone began giving off all the martial arts, hand-to-handbat, and battle skills they''ve learned throughout their entire lives.

    At first, they were petrified. But when one''s life is at stake, all sorts of reflex mechanisms get triggered.

    You have to know that whening here, it was prohibited for them to bring any weapons, even a dagger.<sub> </sub>

    So what else could they do to fight with their fists?

    What a battle!

    Old Gia was fortunate enough to dodge when the group of bears had plunged at them earlier.

    The one aiming at him had fallen far down the money he evaded its attack.

    "Everyone, work together!!!"

    Old Gia bellowed, reaching for his son, Wei Gia.

    Those who had evaded earlier quickly assisted those in a dilemma, ridding them of their ''white bear'' problems.

    But it wasn''t easy.

    The bears who fell once again rushed to climb the nearby structures, nning to jump at them.

    Butler Feng''s body shook, feeling his muscles swell and bulge everywhere.

    What a feeling.

    His heartbeat elerated as if affected by the gush of adrenaline covering his body.

    His body had taken quite a beating.

    Curses!

    ''At this rate, I''ll lose.'' He thought, knowing fully well his strength was far lesspared to his opponents.

    But... But what do humans have that makes them stand far above the mortal food chain?

    Intelligence!

    ''I need an extra hand.'' He thought, looming around the scene diligently.

    And soon, his eyes lit up like stars.

    ''That''s it!''

    .

    Gra!!!~~~

    The white bear growled while delivering its attacks on Butler Feng.

    At present, Butler Feng was suspended, holding one side of the stone with his legs dangling down, while the bear was also doing the same, with its feet dangling down.

    Butler Feng watched the bear focus on him, raising a foot to deliver another attack.

    ''Now!!''

    Whoosh!

    Butler Feng climbed up the stone, causing it to tilt and speed greatly.

    What???!!

    The bear showed a horrified face, realizing it was toote.

    Bam!

    It smashed t into a towering rock structure.

    And the culprit who caused it all had already done his leap-of-fate dive.

    "Got you!!"

    ~Clup.

    Someone grabbed his hand, saving him from turning into a pancake.

    As for the bear, it had smashed into the rock, leaving a deep crack. And in no more than a second, it fell straight down. But the rock only remained where it was, floating very still.

    As expected. If one didn''t ride or touch it, it would stay where it was.

    What to steal his ride? Naive!

    (*^*)

    Butler Feng was thinking so, forgetting that not seconds ago, he was the one at a disadvantage.

    .

    "Fall, you damn bear!"

    "Let go! This is my ride!!!"

    Grawlll!!!~

    Pah! Bam! Boom! Pah!

    The scene was filled with bears jumping, people kicking, punching, eye-poking, and even throwing moves that would be considered foul y to any opponent.

    What!... Someone''s got a problem with that?

    In the jungle, what mattered was survival.

    Everyone was still immersed in the battle of the century when unexpectedly, someone eximed loudly, causing many to freeze.

    "Hahahahaha!... Over there! I''ve found the whistling bird!!!!"

    What? Found?

    Many had no tears but wanted to cry.

    Why did they feel finding it was the greatest aplishment in their lives?

    ''Whatever I do�� I must not cry.''

    (:T^T:)

    "After it! This time, don''t let it get away!!!!"

 Chapter 325 What To Expect?

    (:V0V:)

    As though finding their salvation, making swore to treasure the whistling bird if it could lead the way.

    Many zoomed in on it withser focus, chasing after it while fighting off the many white armored bears.

    p Twi-Twi-Twi?</anda>

    The bird''s whistling made everyone boil.

    "Quick! After it! Follow that bird!!!"

    Old Gia bellowed, and the gang quickly left the scene while still being attacked by the bears.

    No one wanted to get left behind because once those chasing the bird vanish, they would bepletely out here.

    Fly left, fly right, do several back and front flip moves while seated on the stones... many had already begun showing their skills without even knowing it.

    And simr to them, Old Hou and Old Ghu''s side also got attacked and finally found their whistling bird.

    Ghu Sota had true tears in his eyes, fleeing from the strange silver monkeys in the forest of mirrors.

    That is, what sort of monkey developed ws?

    Don''t deceive too much!

    (<0��0<)

    As for the Hous, they were faced with numerous ck crocodiles in the swampy forest.

    But all these were the groups led in by Butler Sheng.

    On another corner of the ind, Chiyou''s group was also taken halfway through. But rather than using the ring stones, they had to rip off a few giant leaves, sit on them and follow the same whistling birds to the academy.

    It was just that their journey was far more daunting and eventful than those led in by Butler Sheng.

    Likewise, those passing through Alleyway 3 also had simr experiences too.

    Never in their lives would they have thought they would be swinging vine to vine like an apeman.

    They did so many stunts and passed many regions that made their brains numb.

    They only had one question in mind.

    ... Just how big is this ind?

    (!_!)

    .

    The ces they passed made them understand how difficult it would be to leave the ind without instructions.

    Heck. Speaking away was definitely out of the question.

    Who wants to stand in this dangerous ce where such creatures roam about freely?

    You must know that some of them had almost gotten dragged into the ground and taken away. The trees weren''t safe in some ces too. Someone leaned on them only to find the branches of the trees hugging that said person.

    But that wasn''t all.

    They saw the trees split open, ''warmly'' weing that person into its body.

    No way!

    In such a ce, they dared not even touch anything without permission.

    Even sitting on the ground could cause an unpredictable experience.

    But little did they know that all this was nothingpared to what happened at night.

    Yes...

    By nighttime, something mysterious urs that causes deep unrest with the many beasts on the ind.

    So to be in such a pickle during the night was tantamount to seeking death!

    Hehehehehehe~

    They should thank their lucky stars they were heading out during the day.

    Of course, all this was something they would gradually realize in the future.

    For now, the group still marched on, thinking they were alone.

    However, there was always someone by their side, secretly shutting the mouths of these many beasts.

    The Grandmaster had said they could get punched, kicked, and even thrown away.

    But, they shouldn''t get stabbed by sharp ws or even bitten to death.

    With the rules in ce, that said person had secretly taken care of them all, cloning himself with the technique he learned.

    If he weren''t there, they would all be dead!!!

    Of course, the only reason they had to pass through this ordeal was for them to understand just how dangerous the ind was.

    Around the main Academy site, there was a formation keeping all beasts away, giving them peace of mind.

    But once leaving the site, one couldn''t guarantee they would survive without supervision... unless they grew stronger themselves.

    .

    Everyone was in tremor when thinking of their magical yet mysterious journey to the Ind''s center.

    F***!

    This was what was mind-boggling.

    They had used a little over 8 hours just to get here.

    And this was only the center!!

    So if one were going from one end to another, wouldn''t it be 16, 24, or even 30 hours, depending on the vast terrain?

    I''ll be damned!

    Ajin, Mina, and the others who brought Dorian to the ind back then were also amazed.

    How can this be the same ind the Grandmaster purchased?

    ''...''

    Don''t ask.

    They felt it all too unreal, having no choice but toe to terms with the fact that the ind had morphed Itself into its current state.

    6:25 P.M.

    That was the current time, ording to their watches.<sub> </sub>

    They left at 10 A.M and were only now arriving.

    Meaning, without the dy in finding the whistling bird, maybe they would''ve arrived around 5:30 P.M.

    But even this was cutting it close.

    The instructions said to be there before 7 P.M.

    Why 7?

    They had no clue but dared not try to find out, especially after all they went through.

    The Gia''s arrived at 6:25 to see the Hous already there and several others.

    Yes. The Hous had arrived 20 minutes before them.

    And after another 10 minutes, the Ghus arrived too close to 7 P.M.

    Chiyou''s group was the earliest, arriving at 5:50 P.M from the West end.

    Others who came through the portal alongside her but had to split up, also arrived when the Hous did.

    Endo and Mia, as well as Ajin and his group, also arrived at the back of time, 20 minutes before 7 P.M.

    In no time, everyone gathered around the same ce, forming a massive group.

    Some fell to the ground, sitting while breathing heavily, while others crochet down instead.

    .

    F***!

    During their journey, they hadn''t felt the fatigue of constantly fleeing for their lives while chasing after a bird or performing over tasks.

    No...

    You don''t get to feel the burn during such moments. Only now that they took a breather did they find their less wobbling and their bodies panting.

    Even those in the military had to admit they had never experienced such a thing before.

    It''s one thing to be in a vehicle or a ne flying about.

    But when you are sitting out in the open, trying to control your bnce and speed while evading giant birds trying to kidnap you or nts trying to bring you down and even animals jumping you from all over... Believe them; it was an entirely different ball game.

    That is, have you ever seen a crocodile jump 10 feet high? And since when can they climb trees?

    Please don''t joke with them!!!

    The whistling birds only took them through dangerous paths that made them doubt if they bore hatred towards them.

    They even passed through strange terrains of wonders with what looked like molten ice.

    That''s right.

    Molting Ice!

    But how can ice act like Molten Lava? Don''t ask.

    Even they didn''t know the answer to this. And they also dared not fall into the strange terrain of Molten Ice.

    But now that they had finally made it, their legs had long given way.

    Many also felt it a pity for their floating stones to immediately desert them upon arrival.

    On such a vast ind, wouldn''t it be better to have their floating stones with them?

    Sigh...

    Old Gia, Old Hou, Old Ghu, and the others chosen to be Caretakers & Teachers gathered around the same spot.

    .

    "Mr. Obyn! Mrs. Obyn... We meet again!!"

    Old Gia smiled, gesturing for the Chiyou''s parents toe forth.

    He had already seen them before and knew they had the same position as himself and the others.

    "Ah... Old Endo. Madam Mia... It''s great you both made it on time!" Deputy Director Xiang Shore also pulled the couple to their side.

    This was the couple secured from the mirror world before his very eyes back in the police station.

    Whether it was the Obyn couple or Edo and Mia, they were very nervous around these big figures.

    "Hello..."

    Old madam. Ghu quickly reached toward Mia and Ruddie (Mrs. Obyn.)

    Mia was simr in age to herself, while Ruddie was more like her daughter in age.

    "Come now. We will be taking care of these brats for a long time. So don''t tell me you''re going to be shy forever. How about we reintroduce ourselves?"

    Old Madam Ghu showed her socialite ability to make anyonefortable in a room.

    She spoke to them as though they had known each other for ages.

    As for their husbands, thedies couldn''t care less once they started rambling on about themselves.

    The men looked at each other tactfully, chuckling and doing the same too... Though their conversation mostly centered on how they had met the Grandmaster and what he did for them.

    "What? So your daughter''s luck was stolen? People can do this too?"

    "So terrible! Our shadows can be our enemies too? If that''s the case, then I really need to protect myself against it!!!"

    (*^*)

    ....

    Everyone was immersed in little chatters while also keeping watch on the time.

    7 minutes more...

    Everyone trembled. A strong fog had covered the said main academy site. And they had no clue what to expect.

    What would it be like?

    6 minutes more...

    5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

    It was time.

    Whoosh!

    Several figures appeared out of thin air!!

 Chapter 326 Welcome, To The Academy!

    "Look! The fog is clearing up!"

    Like Cindere''s midnight spell, the moment the clock struck 7, the mysterious golden fog that only covered the space before them was now dispersing at an incredible speed.

    "So beautiful..."

    The scene was one they could hardly describe.

    As far as the eye could see, there were numerous hills and mountains of greenery with the most magnificent buildings they had ever seen.

    Columns and pirs that shot to the sky, a building that made them feel it was built for giants, with a good over 20 feet high.

    There were also floating hills with streams that beautifully fell onto thend below.

    Building structures itched into the towering rocks, structures high above the sky covered with clouds shrouded in mystery that seemed endless and bountiful.

    What''s more, many strange giant trees were sprouting at various angles as though they were the trees of life itself.

    So big!...

    They had never seen such a big tree with purple leaves before.

    Looking to the ground, they could also see little animals like squirrels that also seemed to have changed by just a little bit.

    Many smacked their mouths, once again thinking of how massive the academy truly was.

    Do you see that building high above the clouds?... That height was something even Outdoor enthusiasts would never dare to think of.

    That was the tallest structure they had ever seen!

    It was even taller than the tallest mountain, cliff, or canyon in the world!

    F***!

    From the many scenes they had passed through to get here, many felt there should be little steps circling such a mountain. If so, would they be expected to move using those?

    Crazy! Crazy!

    Where was her levitating stone when they needed it?

    "So this is the academy? Too grand!!"

    "My eyes have transmitted a picture quality that has blinded by mortal senses!"

    Look over were! Is that stream flooring backward from the lower hill to the floating hill above? What happened to physics? At this point, Newton might have a bone to pick with the Grandmaster!!"

    "Only Newton? Look carefully... We are not doing extreme sports out here but courting death!"

    "Damn! If I knew, I would''ve asked the price for a coffin beforeing."

    ....

    Many whispered, almost forgetting their identities as trained soldiers, marines, air force units, and police officers.

    Who could me them?

    The scene that unfolded was far more shocking than anything else they had witnessed.

    You must know that all this time, they had been running through the wilderness. And even those who reached the areas with some broken-down structures were still within a forest zone.

    So looking at the well-built academy grounds with majestic buildings thatmanded respect, everything felt this was what heaven would look like if real.

    It was too beautiful and jaw-dropping that they almost wanted to kneel in awe.

    They didn''t know it, but this wave of reverence exuded from each building in the academy.

    It left people thinking and looking at the sight as though to say: From now on, you are my father!''

    Additionally, everything was gigantic, too big for little humans like themselves.

    The feeling alone was enough to make them momentarily forget themselves.

    And in no time, they blurted out their shocking thoughts to one another.

    .

    Very quickly, the golden fog fadedpletely, giving everyone an even more winning view.

    It was like the picture had changed to Alien Super HD quality in their minds.

    But before they could react, several figures flew towards them.

    It was the Grandmaster, calmly flying toward them, apanied by a giant golden lion walking on air too.

    Smack.

    Many pped themselves just to be sure.

    Their little brains exploded the moment they witnessed the scene.

    Had the Grandmaster tamed such a giant lion?

    Wipe!!

    The lion''s size alone was bigger than 3 military tanks stacked on each other.

    Many had unbelievable expressions on their faces, feeling that maybe all the deadly creatures they witnessed along the way weren''t so bad.

    In truth, they were right.

    They had only passed through the lowest leveled regions around the ind. If they were stunned now, what would they say when they visited 2nd-tier forest lines or even the Forbidden forest itself, constantly shrouded in mist and darkness?

    Everyone looked at the giant lion, once again reconfirming their thoughts of how dangerous this ce was.

    Old Madam Ghu pped the back of her grandson''s head.

    "I know you like to y. But while in here, don''t think of leaving the academy''s grounds without telling myself, your father, your grandfather, Leiji or Butler Windock!... Is that clear?"

    Sota had tears in the corners of his eyes.

    Why was it always him being targeted? He was a very good boy!

    Well... Sure, he still felt tempted to run around, but he would only do it after a few days, weeks, or monthster, alright?

    ''...''

    .

    If Old Madam Ghu knew his thoughts, she would definitely take off her shoes and execute her famous attack, very poprly known to those in the Ghu n.

    It''s said that Old Madam Ghu was a legend when delivering the move.

    Even with her eyes closed, she could still hit her target without effort.

    Of course, with a Grandson like Sota, you best believe she had enough training for the job.<sub> </sub>

    What did they secretly call her attack? The spinning Slippers Hit!

    Even if Sota was running zig-zag or hopping, Old madam Ghu''s shoes could curve mid-air like a ball, hitting its target clean.

    Of course, Sota has also been troublesome since birth.

    Every week, there were at least 2 episodes of him and his many adventures that resulted in receiving the Spinning slippers Hit!

    This was primarily due to him skipping his heir training to take over the entire Ghu n.

    At least if he were interested in anything else, this would''ve been better. But Sota was just sneaking out to pull pranks on people.

    Sota massaged the back of his head tearfully.

    "Nana... Why don''t you have a little faith in me?"

    How can I sneak out today? It would definitely be a few more days for him to sneak out and explore this ind!!

    Old Madam Ghu narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You better pray I don''t catch you doing something stupid, or I''ll be the first to bury you and dance in your grave!"

    (-��-)

    Whose grandmother speaks like this?

    Sota was aggrieved.

    He gave a pitiful look to his father, his grandfather, his head guard, Leiji, and even Butler Windock... But they looked to the sky, watching the iing Grandmaster as though their ears were no longer functioning.

    Their actions were akin to people who could telepathically connect with each other.

    [Ghu Dwo]: Father, did you hear something?

    [Old Ghu]: Me? Impossible! How can I hear anything with these old eats of mine? How about you two?

    [Window, Leiji]: Master, it must be the birds chirping in the wind. Oh, look! There''s the bird right now.

    (-��-)

    ... Traitors!!!

    Ghu Sota felt bullied, and Chiyou and her parents found it funny.

    The boy looked so pitiful while cowering before Old Madam Ghu.

    Maybe because of seeing their reaction, they once again lowered their guards around the prominent people.

    Look. They act the same way they do too. So they weren''t all that different after all.

    (^_^)

    ...

    In the crowd, Donghai watched Dorian float forward, feeling his heart race. Who doesn''t want to learn how to fly?

    No matter how grown a person was, there was still a childish side to them that once dreamed of superpowers being a real thing.

    Whether it was Wei Gia, Jung Hou, Butler Feng, or even Chiyou, seeing such a thing was enough to make their hairs stand.

    Goosebumps... Goosebumps...

    Everyone subconsciously kept quiet the closer the Grandmaster and the giant Lion reached.

    Chest puffed forward, body standing at attention, many gave their best form yet.

    But their shock wasn''t over yet.

    Gra!!!~

    The lion behind the Grandmaster suddenly roared heavily, running at full speed across the air.

    What???!!!

    Many subconsciously took several steps back with beating hearts.

    1, 2, 3...

    The Giant Lion unexpectedly raised his body, standing on its back feet when it was only inches easy from those at the front.

    And in a blink of an eye, they were now staring at a man the same body size as many of them.

    No~... ''Man'' wasn''t the word.

    The head was clearly a Lion''s, his toes and hands were paws, and he still had a tail sticking out of his clothes.

    (0��0)

    --Silence--

    You? Who? Me?... What just happened?

    "F***!!!"

    Sota eximed so loudly that he woke many from their stupor.

    It was that now, old madam Ghu was livid again. "Stupid boy! As a Ghu heir, I''ve told you countless times that cursing is not allowed!!!"

    Pah!

    "Hey... Are you even listening?"

    "..."

    Sota, who was smacked, didn''t feel the pain this time.

    His eyes were still glued on the being that had just shapeshifted before his very eyes.

    And who was this guy?

    Of course he recognized the figure from the entrance examination tests they took in the Tian Estate.

    But at that time, if anyone thought it was a person wearing a costume, today''s matter had shattered the lenses in their eyeballs again.

    F****! You can do this too?

    (��0��)

    .

    With a slight smile on his face, Pandrol stood before the giant golden gates.

    "Wee... To the Heavenly Tian Academy!"

 Chapter 327 A Hidden Protector

    One step forth, another step forward.

    The group followed the pair through the academy''s giant golden gates.

    It was akin to what they thought heaven would look like.

    The gate was made for giants, resonating with a faint golden light that illuminated its structures even in the daylight.

    "Keep up, please."

    Pandrol''s calm voice made many hasten their steps.

    It was hard to imagine that this was only the front of the academy because it took them well over 20 minutes to walk across the open fields, reaching the first group of Towering buildings they spotted earlier.

    Into one of the buildings they went, finding themselves in an enormously open space with what looked like desks on the far head.

    Look left, look right, look all around.

    There were several hallways in all directions, as well as a few staircases leading either down or up the soaring building.

    Reaching the very front of the desk, Pandrol abruptly stopped and turned to face the group.

    "This building will be very familiar to you the longer you stay here. It is one of the only buildings shared by everyone, irrespective of their disciple position. Here, you can repurchase new school attire, bi-weekly allowances, and pills, purchase any items with your Academy points, and so on."

    Oh?...

    Many nodded, listening very attentively.

    Pandrol continued. "Auctions will be held on the upper floors in the future, and missions will also be posted on the boards here. This is also the building where one can check their Academy ranking... These are just a few aspects the building offers... As time goes on, you will all be familiar with its many purposes."

    A building that shot to the clouds had uncountable uses that couldn''t be told in one go.

    They will slowly discover its purposes.

    Pandrol only highlighted the primary aspects he felt they would want to know.

    And sure enough, there it was, the Hous, Ghus, or Gias, they hastily perked their ears up, listening and directing the information as though they lived depending on it.

    .

    After giving everyone a brief understanding, Pandrol moved his hands like lightning.

    And soon, everyone was starting at 6 Pandrols!

    What? Cloning magic?

    (��С�)

    To say they were shocked would be an understatement.

    What a deadly technique.

    To be in several ces all at once seemed something one could find only in fantasy movies.

    Their jaws dropped, and their eyes bulged.

    ... So cool!!!!!

    (+?+)

    The many Pandrols calmly walked towards the other side of the many desks.

    Even though the technique was awesome, each clone would have a weaker strength than the other.

    For example, if his clone had a punch strength of 100/150, the next clone created immediately after would have a strength of 70~85/150.

    And so on, and so on.

    It seemed like a good move, but the more clones one produced, the weaker each individual would be.

    At present, he could only create no more than 5 clones. Now, including himself, it would mean people would be seeing 6 of him.

    The technique had its pros and cons and was a blessing when handling several less daunting tasks on the academy''s grounds.

    If he had to fight in a serious battle, he would limit to just 1 or 2. To produce ae did decrease his original strength by a small but substantial fraction.

    The technique was quite good and very useful, especially now when the Academy had just a handful of teachers.

    Pandrol could be in many buildings while giving lectures if he wanted to.

    At this point, it should be clear that the person who protected this group of students from getting bitten or ripped apart throughout their journey was Pandrol.

    The Grandmaster had also watched over a certain group from the shadows too.

    In the end, the pair had worked in the shadows to limit the level of danger the group came across with.

    But after entering the academy, they won''t be protecting them so much.

    .

    With all 6 Pandrols stationed, the students, Teachers & Caretakers quickly formed single lines.

    It was just that the Teachers & Caretakers had their own separate lines.

    And once again, everyone had the privilege to see the strange crystal balls they saw during the Academy examinations.

    "Tap your ring on the sphere."

    ''I... I should?'' Donghai was feeling a little nervous, looking at the strange being on his finger.

    It had an unusual seal mark that left any who had upon it filled with a sense of mystery.

    Taking deep breaths, he visited his hands, allowing the seal on the ring to kiss the sphere.

    And upon touch, the speed lit up with a creamy white glow.

    [Name: Gia Donghai.

    Academy status: Handyman. (Still mortal, no foundation yet)]

    Donghai was still confused about what this ''Handyman'' title was and how it would affect himter.<sub> </sub>

    "Here. You have 3 sets of uniforms. Every 2 weeks, you will also receive their standard quota of 1 pill and 5 silver coins."

    100 silver coins were equivalent to 1 gold coin.

    There was no use of copper coins here. This was the academy''s currency rate.

    With the coins they receive, they would be responsible for buying raw materials to make their own food, as well as saving up to purchase more cultivation resources.

    .

    Bi-weekly, students receive 1 pill and 5 hexagonal silver coins. So in a month, they get 2 pills and 10 coins as Handymen.

    Hey... If they want more, break through your mortal shell. Then they would truly know the vast difference in status.

    No one could go into the outer sect person if they were still mortal.

    Just the qi in there would choke them. Simrly, the wi in the many forest regions could also choose any mortal.

    One must break through their mortal shell before entering the forbidden forest and other deadlier zones.

    At least even in the 1st Dan, though they would feel the paramount pressure, their bodies would be able to take it.

    Mere mortals cannot survive in these regions.

    As the system had said, with the academy, they wouldn''t take so long to get to the tip as other cultivators in another world would.

    The war would soon start in 2 years or so.

    If that''s the case, do you think they have time to take it slow?

    Impossible!

    In another month, their changes would be so skyrocketing and unbelievable.

    But all that was for the future.

    Of course, things won''t always be this way.

    .

    At present, due to the state of emergency the world found itself in, thend had been overly blessed by the heavens.

    After things calm down, it would be simr to those in many worlds. Yes... It would still be rich, but not as rich as it currently was.

    Theter generations would have to build their strengths little by little as usual.

    It can be said that these first few batches of students might all be one of the strongest in humanity''s history, legends that those in the future would look up to.

    But now, they were all weaklings who were but mere mortals.

    Handymen!

    They had but one job, to breakthrough and execute the many tasks around the academy like sweeping and whatnot, until they needed the Outer sect regions.

    Only then would they also be allowed to move past the first section on the 1st floor of the Pavillion.

    The 1st Pavillion floor catered to both Outer sect disciples and Handymen.

    It was just that over 99% of book columns were for the outer sect members.

    The Handymen, A.K.A, mortals, had just a few basic books on properly channeling their qi, cultivating, building their foundation, and whatnot.

    They could also start understanding the basic principles and differences between spells, enchantment, etc.

    What''s more, they had to understand their roles as exorcists, as well as understand how the academy would benefit them.

    Getting the academy points and participating in monthly battles to rank their positions were necessary for acquiring more privileges.

    They also had to have a basic understanding of the various professions like cksmithing, Alchemy, and many more.

    It was best to get a good foundation before heading into the Outer Sect.

    .

    Donghai looked at the attire he had just received.

    The uniform was sleek and well-fitted with a turtleneck cor, a few chest pockets, and deep pant pockets.

    The attire was bluish-ck, with a thin strip of gray running through the mid-center of his turtleneck cor.

    The gray indicated his status as a Handyman.

    He was also given 2 pairs of special shoes and a small pouch too.

    Oh?...

    ''So these are our uniforms?''

    Many were still in a daze, looking at the pieces of clothing that gave off a strange feeling of belonging.

    Pandrol stared at them deeply.

    "Your ring is your identity token. Once you break through your mortal shell, you''ll get the speed of removal. But for now, it will never leave your fingers."

    "..."

    "Now... It''s time you get sorted into your sleeping quarters... This will be your home until you advance!"

    Boom!

    The words made many shake with excitement.

    What did he mean by ''advance?''

    Step by step, the gang followed Pandrol away, while Dorian was concerned with several other matters.

    [Ding! Congrattions, host. All main missionspleted. New missions now avable!... Host, I should warn you, the difficulty level has increased!!]

 Chapter 328 New Missions!

    Oh?

    A rise in difficulty level?

    Dorian raised his brow,zily staring at his new missions.

    [Main Mission: With the Academy now open and ready for business, the host mustplete a total of 4 primary sub-tasks.

    ?Task 1: The host must raise at least 80% of Disciples to Grade 5 H-Rank Exorcists.

    ?Task 2: The Academy disciples aren''t the only ones that need to rank up. The host must raise the levels of all teachers & Caretakers to Grade 9 G-rank Exorcists.

    Deadline for first 2 tasks: 25 days.

    Punishment for failure: Will be determinedter when or if failed.

    Rewards forpletion of first 2 tasks:

    ?500-step Heavenly Stairway of Tribtion.

    ?Gravity restricting room upgrade. (able to pressurize strengths up to the final Dan of the 2nd Dao, the Spirit Realm.)

    ? And finally, 2,000 Perfected Grade 3 books on all sect professions, ranging from low-tier to high-tier ranks.]

    NOTE: The host should note that ording to the heavens, the attack will fall in 2 and a half years from now when all thes will align.

    By then, all teachers must be at either Triple-S exorcists or Divine ranked exorcists. It would be best to have them reach Celestial level, though the system believes this might be pushing it.]

    Dorian thought so too.

    No matter how much the system might try to pump in qi and forcefully allow them to grow, the Celestial rank was one that, even with the blessings they received now, it would still take thousands and thousands of years to achieve such a rank.

    You have to know that humans that reach the peak of Celestial status could directly ascend and be lesser guardian panels of the worlds they looked after.

    That''s why it was so hard to cross that boundary between the heavens and the mortal world.

    Back in his former world, only 15 people in the entire history of mankind had achieved this goal.

    And this was saying a lot, seeing as exorcism had been a thing in that world since the beginning of time.

    It was so... So... Hard. Extremely hard!

    So the system was right to think he would only be able to train everyone to Divine rank at most.

    But though the system made it look easy, teaching Divine rank was also an incredible feat that many yearned to reach.

    .

    It was a matter of fact that crossing into the S-ss ranks alone, followed by the Divine rank, was mind-blowing.

    If those in his former world knew the system''s ns to change many here into S-rank and Divine Rank exorcists, they would puke blood and die of envy.

    Many stayed for centuries, trying to touch the borders of these realms to no avail either due tock of opportunities or resources.

    Yet, those here were receiving it all on a tter of gold.

    Dorian managed his chin deeply.

    Thend here is too blessed and will only continue growing better and better until the danger ahead is destroyed.

    What''s more, the rewards from the system are of the purest quality and grades, with no impurities.

    It made the entire ce feel like a haven for all cultivators.

    ? He nned to focus on this first batch of disciples, allowing them to reach S-rank, double S-rank, Triple S-rank rank, and even the first grade of the Divine rank before the big battle unfolds.

    With this strength, they should be able to deal with the top underworld generals and other dangerous characters.

    As for the teachers, they would work alongside himself in dealing with the main bosses when the big day arrived.

    He, Dorian, wasn''t Omnipotent.

    He liked to have a million backups before the big day. And getting extra help was something he would never shy from.

    To fight against beings that can destroy an entire city with a flick of a finger was no joke.

    It would be a tight battle. That''s why they needed all the tricks they could get.

    Already, humanity was at a far disadvantage. But what could they do but fight?

    A deep light flickered through Dorian''sst eyes.

    ''This wouldn''t be too much of a problem if I could reach Celestial rank.''

    But how was that possible? Even he, who was confident in all he did, felt his chances extremely slim in this matter.

    ''At most, I might reach the peak stage of the Divine realm.''

    .

    Thinking of his ns, Dorian''s main focus would be on this first batch of disciples, teachers, and caretakers.

    As for those whoe to the academy in theter batches, he would of course, focus on them, but not as much as those in the first batch.

    His next official recruitment time was 3 months.

    So, do you know how much the first batch would''ve grown by then?

    His current tasks were to push them to the Grade 5 H-rank status in 25 Days.

    He reckoned in another 2 months, they might all be F-rank exorcists.

    The clock was ticking, and those who cameter would only reach lesser heights than those who came in now... Unless they were true some and daughters of heaven with extraordinary innate talents to catch up.

    Even so, he would still train the following batches to the best of his capabilities.

    Once danger strikes the entire world, these batches would be the ones flying all over to assist in ridding the world from creatures less powerful than the mighty generals and periods in the underworld.

    They also had to keep everyone safe.<sub> </sub>

    .

    As for the rewards for the first 2 tasks, they were indeed very enticing.

    The 500-step Stairway of Tribtion was a heavenly treasure on its own. Just taking a single step would make one face their inner demons, unravel any knots and improve their cultivation by leaps and bounds.

    Even he would have to use the stairway to improve fast, though he felt he had no inner demons.

    He, Dorian, couldn''t think of anything that would stay him while walking on the stairway. He had no guilt in his heart and no regrets.

    Dorian shrugged.

    [?Task 3: To keep the academy in order, keeping the teachers and disciples in order, the host must organize the Academy''s firstpetition.

    Dateline: End of the month, coincidentally (In 25 days)

    Rewards:

    ?Unlocking 2nd floor of Alchemy Room, with 100 Low to Mid-Tier ''Ordinary'' Grade alchemy furnaces.

    ?Unlocking 1st Floor of cksmith Workshop with all essential smithing equipment avable.

    ?50 Low-Tier Apex Grade furnaces�� 50 random Low to Mid-Tier Ordinary grade weapons�� and 20 random Low-Tier Apex Grade weapons avable for Disciple or Teacher Purchase.]

    So good?

    Dorian was pleasantly surprised.

    You have to know that when it came to weapons, artifacts, and puppets, their grading system was different.

    First, there were the non-spirit infused types, with the least being ''Ordinary grade'' and the highest being ''Apex grade.''

    Following that, one would enter the Grades that were Spirit Infused.

    And from low to high, the grades were;

    >Spirit grade

    >Monarch

    >Immortal

    >Celestial Grade.

    And of course based on impurities, density, and quality, each Grade ranked from: Low-tier, middle-tier, high-tier to Peak.

    .

    ''Not bad...'' Dorian blurted out.

    With such rewards underway, how could he not host the academypetition?

    Now, for the next task.

    [?Task 4: In another 3 months, the academy will once again open its doors to recruit yet another batch of both teachers and disciples.

    But with the battle involving the entire world, the host is to spread his branches into at least 3 other nations.

    Amongst the next iing batch, 80% of them muste from foreignnds. The hist doesn''t seem to worry about thenguage barrier since once in the academy, everyone speaks the samenguage.]

    This was true. Those here didn''t even know it, but the words they spoke were vastly different from what they initially enunciated.

    ''It''s as I expected.''

    Dorian had already noticed these changes long ago.

    Generally, after a person breakthrough their mortal shell, learning a newnguage bes a breeze. So as time goes on, he expected them to all learn each other''snguages.

    After all, he would be sending them out in missions throughout the next 2 and a half years to eradicate evil all around.

    So why shouldnguage be their barrier?

    Dorian calmly read through the task.

    [The host is to open 3 portals in each chosen nation when the timees.

    Dateline: 3 months.

    Punishment: Withdrawal of Protective formation around Academy Sleeping quarters.

    Rewards:

    ?Milky Pond Of Helixian Growth. (Can open and expand qi-channels the only one stays in them. Usage time varies depending on one''s strength.)

    ?Expansion of Ind, creating Hidden Inheritancend to be opened 2 months after next recruiting batch entry.

    ?And finally, 50 random beasts from various unknown worlds.]

    ...

    Dorian stared at the rewards deeply.

    From the heavenly stairway to the milky pond, to all sorts of treasure... It seems the heavens had given him quite a good surprise.

    Alright.

    He was pleased.

    Things were moving as nned. Tonight, many would have their first experience, staying on the academy''s grounds.

    But while it was both peaceful and exciting for them... Outside the academy, many in my free colder by the second.

    "Report." A cold and eerie voice bellowed out.

    "Before the sun rises, I want to know whether the hell the Tian boy had vanished to!"

 Chapter 329 New Plan!!!

    "What the devil do you mean? You all better find them fast!... Or do you expect me to believe they just vanished into thin air?"

    "Find them! I want all intel now!!"

    Whether it was Night Whisperer or Snake, they sat in the same room, screaming into their phones at the top of their lungs.

    Yes! Even with Night Whisperer brought in from the Republic of Bain, they still found the Tian boy as slippery as an eel.

    What was going on here?

    Why were they so unfortunate that whenever they came across all matters concerning the Tian boy?

    Both Night Whisperer and Snake had puffed out faces like angered blow fishes. But what kept them on edge was that their boss was waiting for any good news from them.

    In the far end of the room shrouded in darkness, a man calmly sat, watching the whole charade in silence.

    His body positioned as though he were king, and his eyes narrowing intensely in the nket of darkness.

    The only thing more burdening than his presence was the choking silence, making many in the room feel their leader could rise anytime and pass a bullet through their skulls.

    They wouldn''t deem such a thing above their leader''s actions.

    Such a thing had happened in the past.

    Their leader might be patient now, but they knew soon, his patience would wear out. And by then, the only ones who would suffer would be themselves.

    ''Damn Tians!!''

    Many muttered underneath their breaths, feeling the thickyers of sweat building up across their backs.

    Night Whisperer and Snake were no exception to these anxious feelings.

    They could cross anyone, but their boss was a man with numerous talents and identities that even they didn''t know fully well.

    Very slowly, the big man rose from his seat.

    "It''s already past 11. I''ll say this once... You have but 2 weeks to figure things out. All I want is information and not for you to attack the target. So why is it hard for specialists like yourselves to follow and find all information on a little boy? 2 Weeks!... My patience... My patience is running out."

    .

    --Silence--

    Everyone watched the shadowy figure leave the dining space.

    His footsteps were light and steady.

    And in a sh, he was gone, only leaving an ominous silence behind.

    2 weeks... 2 weeks!...

    That''s all they''ve got before the beast in their leaderes out of captivity.

    Night Whisperer and Snake nodded at each other tactfully.

    "For sess, we have to work together."

    "Work together... We have to join forces!"

    It should be known that even though they both worked under the boss, they were still different units/teams, working separately.

    Their goal might be the same, but their methods and actions were different.

    For most of his time in the Night Whisperer spent working underneath his boss, he and his team had always been strictly tasked with collecting info.

    They were more focused on this, while Snake''s team was more focused on the ''heavy lighting,'' physical side of things, tackling assassinations, thefts, and battles.

    Of course, whether it was Night Whisperer or Snake, their teams all had the essential battle and info connecting skills nailed down to the tee.<sub> </sub>

    But for the fact that each specialized in one only meant they knew far better in certain matters than the other.

    Snake''s team might know how to collect info. Butpared to Night Whisperer''s, they were average at best. And vice versa.

    Both gangs had been doing their things separately, not getting in each other''s way ever since Night Whisperer arrived.

    But now listening to their boss''s undermining threat, they were eager to utilize each other''s strengths to get the job done.

    "It''s been a while since we worked together like this." Snakemented, calmly reaching for the bottle of whisky in a near-dark corner of the space.

    "Indeed. It''s been too long. But I''m afraid this time; we won''t be enough."

    Night Whisperer took the ss of whisky handed to him, assessing the matter deeply. And many in the room also sat quietly, listening to their team bosses iron things out.

    Those seated before theputers had long stopped punching; those standing by the windows in the near-dark room, scouting the outdoors, were also greatly distracted now.

    .

    "I reckon the Tian boy was able to get away so fast because of the mighty giants in the city."

    "Provided he has something on them, they would continue to do his biddings like puppets on strings. Moreover, the fact they haven''t secretly milled him showed the Tian boy has left a dangerous way out for himself too."

    Bingo!

    Everyone nodded vigorously.

    He must''ve saved a copy of the secret message in the hands of a trusted buddy who will release the news if the Tian boy never returns.

    Or maybe there were even more deadly operations than they could imagine.

    The more they thought about it, the more deadly and powerful they felt this mysterious information was.

    If they acquired and sold it back to these prominent families, do you know how many billions they would receive? What''s more, the news would get out on the Dar, and their prestige would rise to the very top.

    Time was of the essence here.

    Why? Because it would only be a matter of time before other leaders and bosses in the many killing societies turn their attention to the issue.

    And when these people know how vital the information is, do you think they would want them to hug it all to themselves?

    Tch!

    It was no wonder the boss''s patience was limited.

    They''ve already been here for many weeks.

    And though Snake and Night Whisperer weren''t the only teams working for the boss, the other teams were busy too.

    This, the fact that their side wasn''t taking up as many missions from the Dar as usual, was enough to arouse the suspicions of many enemy killer associations.

    Many were already sending spies to find out why people as powerful as they were absent for so long.

    Did they die? Or did they strike gold?

    Many were now searching for any clues to this matter. .and that''s why their time was limited.

    "Work together?"

    "Work together!"

    The duo shook hands. And just then, Snake''s mobile rang vigorously.

    Ring!~~~

    [Hello, Mr. Green, it''s Alice... They... The criminals are back!!"]

 Chapter 330 A Bad Feeling Underway

    11:22 P.M.

    The Tian boy was back in his estate.

    And he didn''te back with any of his usual vehicles but an ordinary car instead?

    ... No wonder none of their men were able to report his emergence and arrival within the Gated Community.

    Everyone''s eyes shone brightly.

    Wait! So did this mean the reason why they couldn''t find their target was because he had long changed his vehicle from vignce?

    So the entire day, the target might''ve been moving under their noses, but they failed to see the future swimming in the populous city.

    They hadn''t thought of this because since the day they started following their target, their target had never worn ordinary clothes or used everyday vehicles.

    He moved and showed his questionable ''wealth'' to those around him without a care in the world.

    So this switcheroo was just unseen and not predicted at all.

    This was a chess move that took them unawares because for close to a month of this cat and mouse chase, their target had always shown himself as a second-generation son of ''wealth.''

    Hehehehehe~

    Snake chuckled. "It appears we''re getting too confident and sloppy."

    "It appears so."

    ...

    Both men smiled at each other cruelly.

    They both showed heavy killing intents, realizing their prey might''ve been ying with them like an owner with a dog on a leash.

    Oh? Dare to make them look foolish?

    Their revenge was indeed near.

    But with the prominent families doing the boy''s bidding, their cure et ream sizes weren''t enough.

    "Old friend, we both need to make some calls, don''t we?"

    "Of course! I''ll be calling in my private teams."

    "I, as well."

    Their current unit here indirectly worked for their boss. While their private teams only worked for them.

    Of course, only those not out in missions would get called in. And even then, they still nned to enlist the help of a few of their good buddies.

    They also had to be careful that those they brought in weren''t so greedy or selfish enough to leak the matter out or pull a fast one on them.

    Yet... It still had to be done.

    Over thest few weeks, they had long realized that just them alone wasn''t enough to take down the Tian boy.

    They needed more shoppers, tech wizards, gadgets, hackers, spies, and every other thing they could think of.

    Make no mistake. Their ns of infiltrating the Tian estate were still a mission they had toplete.

    But when Snake thought of the crazy cloning technology that whipped his ass mercilessly, he dared not, without any gadgets to counterattack the bastard clone.

    Though its silicone skin was lifelike, he was sure it was a high tech-robot that could change appearances at will.

    Yes! Such technology was something one could find only in Sci-Fi movies.

    And before that day, he would''ve sworn it was too futuristic for their current modern times.

    If it wasn''t robotic, what other possible exnation could there be?

    What''s more, towards the end, it ran out of juice and went in shut down mode, once again providing his assumptions suitable.

    He had been researching countermeasures like finding devices that could electrocute and fry any mechanical device upon contact.

    This would finally make the damn robot explode its drive and juice, allowing them to proceed further into the mansion.<sub> </sub>

    All that was left to do concerning his team''s research was to find the Goddamned blueprint of the mansion, best they fall into another trap again.

    2 weeks... They had but 2 weeks to do it all!!

    -----

    And just like that, 5 days went by in a sh.

    5 Days!

    Some people were fearful for their lives, some thrilled, and others agonized from their current predicaments.

    But just far off the coast of a massive city, far, far into the massive ocean, a small cruise line ship having no more than 500 passengers was sailing merrily across the waters.

    To many, the vessel was not just a ship but a friend, not just for business but for pleasure as well.

    Sometimes, she (the ship) made many forget whether there was any difference between the 2 because when aboard her, a business trip bes a pleasure one.

    Though smallpared to those that carry tens of thousands, her little 500 passengers were still thrilled and ecstatic just being on her mboyant deck.

    "A smoothie you?"

    "A cocktail for you, madam?"

    "Oh my... What great service."

    On the decks, some lounged and sunbathed in bikinis by the pool, others hugged along the tracks, some sightseeing outdoors, while others went on adventures indoors instead.

    There were indeed 500 pass gets, but over 250 working staff avable.

    Some celebrated their birthdays, while others yed outdoor sports instead.

    How wonderful.

    The sun was up, and the ship was boisterous.

    Yes... Everything seemed as it should.

    But for how long?

    .

    On the ship, ady sunbathing withrge dark shades soon scrunched her brows in unrest.

    Eh?

    Where did the sun go? Why was it suddenly dark and a little chilly?

    Thedy propped herself up, feeling the weirdness all around her.

    And when she opened her eyes, all she could do was scream.

    As for what was going on aboard the ship... Who knows...

    Onnd, those connected constantly with the cruise captains and control room center were all baffled by the strange static noises they heard.

    "Sir! We just got numerous reports enlisting our help from one of the Cruise lines. It appears they can''t reach ''The Pyramid!'' We tried intercepting the connections but also got the same results!" Some reported.

    Pirates? Sea creature attacks? Killers? Power out?... What could it be?

    The burly 37-year-old man with over my short, naturally spiky red hair calmly tapped his fingers on his table.

    "Contact again and begin protocol operations!"

    "Yes, sir!"

    Gia Ming slowly stood from his seat with a deep frown stered to his face.

    He had a bad feeling in his gut.

    "Ready the team. We are going in."

 Chapter 331 Strange Mystery

    "All units move! More! Move! Move!"

    In the Navy base, many Navy officers and Marines flew by in full attire, heading toward 2 battleships.

    If the situation were just a simple rescue mission, the Coast Guards would''ve long headed out there to rescue the many passengers, alongside a few Navy and marines.

    But given the possibility of hostile, unknown matters emerging they got there, this matter was left to the full Jurisdiction of the Navy.

    In the end, they didn''t know if Pirates had taken over the Cruise ship and destroyedmunications aboard the cruise.

    Don''t look down on Pirates.

    Today''s world has over seven massive Pirate organizations, as massive as the Dar.

    These pirates had battleships, fully equipped with all sorts of deadly missiles.

    They typically start their operation with a few of them, about a hundred, pretending to be passengers aboard any cruise ship.

    Touring the Captain''s control station was a normal thing nowadays. So one can imagine how they would probably knock out those in the control stations.

    There was also an incident where they sent sleeping gas through the vents, putting many indoors to sleep in no time.

    These criminals were wanted worldwide but were also untouchable because they seemed to know people in higher powerful positions.

    Whether it was ministers from another nation, rich businessmen across the world, or even a few corrupted officers, these people had their eyes and ears everywhere.

    And till this day, no one has ever found any of their hideouts.

    All many knew where they attacked, whipped the ship clean of any treasures, especially the cargo stored below, and headed out fast.

    They not only robbed cruise lines but also transportation ships carrying treasures like ancient artifacts, paintings, and tombs.

    This was why Gia Ming''s first instinct was to prepare battleships in case they met these pirates. They dared not take any chances, especially with the passengers aboard.

    .

    "Move! Move! Move!!"

    Amanding voice bellowed continuously as many got on board the battleships.

    Gia Ming calmly ced his gun in its sheath, standing beside his second-inmand and 2 others.

    "Our emergence might cause a great shift in the enemy''s attitude. We must remember that all those innocent passengers aboard are also potential hostages."

    Hostages...

    For a moment, the entire scene turned foster.

    He was right.

    If they got too close and frightened the chicken, the enemy might start taking hostages, shooting a few to make a point.

    They were here to save and rescue the passengers and not the other way around.

    Gia Ming squinted his eyes dangerously.

    They would have to stay out of sight.

    Additionally, the enemy''s radar could pick several approaching ships from 1, 2, and even 3-mile radius away.

    They must stay out of thergest possible range today''s technology could detect.

    And from there, they''ll devise a n to act further, maybe by sending in small ships that aren''t threatening.

    In this way, the enemy would drop their guard down, having no fear or no covered attempt to start taking in hostages.

    The enemy would always feel they were in control and could easily wipe out the small ships.

    Hmmm...

    All these were only spections.

    Their n of action would only hold after understanding the true situation aboard.

    For all they knew, this might not be the hand of any pirates.<sub> </sub>

    "Sir! We have the exact route and coordinates the ship is supposed to pass through when heading towards the port." A person with sses said, rushing toward Gia Ming''s side.

    You have to know that it was barely 5 minutes since the whole fiasco exploded in their Navy base. Yet, they had already begun taking action crazily.

    Time waits for no man. Any dy and it could be the end.

    .

    Gia Ming nodded. "Good. Good. We can start backtracking to thest point before the Captains aboard the ship gave their passage confirmation."

    On the cruise ships, the Captains always stay connected to those onnd, giving signals and confirming words now and then.

    In this way, even if they lost signal very abruptly, the search and rescue teams would know just where they werest ''seen.''

    "What about satellite confirmation?"

    "Sir, we''re still working on it. ess not granted yet."

    Dammit!

    "What''s taking them so long?"

    Gia Ming forgot that it had only been a little over 5 minutes since the news hit their Navy base. And right now, someone was still on the phone with the big guys, trying to not only get satellite ess but to get a detailed view of the site from above.

    They need to investigate it all. What''s more, the dy was something too bizarre for words.

    "Sir!... I think you should take a look at this."

    A man slowly stood in a daze.

    He looked like he had just seen a ghost.

    "...Sir... On Satellite view, there''s nothing there."

    What?!!!

    The words shook everyone to the core.

    How could this happen?

    .

    Gia Ming''s eyes moved about the screen maniacally.

    Most sea routes are chosen not just because of closeness but because specialists typically study the dangers surrounding each water region.

    Some regions had the deadliest creatures on sea swimming across them severally, while others had milder ones.

    It was simr to why in some parts of the world, there were primarily sharks staying around, while in other ces, one would find poisonous jellyfishes instead.

    All these were taken into consideration, so the chances of something so monstrous popping out was so slim.

    They could also check wave activity and send this to scan the site, just in case they did miss an exaggerated Prehistoric Sea monster situation here.

    Gia Ming''s face returned distorted.

    Vanish?

    How does a giant ship, a Cruise ship for that matter, just vanish into thin air so suddenly?

    Dammit!

    Gia Ming quickly rushed towards one of the battleships.

    And soon, he was off.

    No way. He was off to investigate this strange mystery.

    As a Gia, it was his line of duty!

    (*^*)

 Chapter 332 The Brutal Differences

    Bam!

    Donghai fell to the ground, feeling the weight of both wooden water buckets suspended in mid-air by his stick across his shoulders.

    F***!

    He, a grown man 3 years shy of 30, had no tears but wanted to cry.

    His water... His precious water he filled up from the streams far below the towering mountain was sshed because of the stupid stone he stumbled on.

    Thesest 5 days had allowed him to understand how pitiful Handymen truly were.

    All Academy cleaning and work, whether It was sweeping the pavilion''s first floor or harvesting resources, it was all their doing.

    During thesest 5 days, the only sses they had were on their first day here.

    The entire day, they were taught the basics of cultivation, allowing them to channel qi into the many channels in their bodies.

    This was too shocking, as Donghai found he could look into himself without a doctor!

    You have to know that even the crazy Medical Hous jumped about like fleas after seeing such a miraculous discovery.

    They were also taught about the overall workings of the Academy, as well as what they, Handymen, stood for in this ce.

    They were given aplete run down on exorcism, what levels and ranks existed, and how to advance independently.

    This schooling system was really eye-opening because the Academy would never check on one''s progress daily.

    No... They had a certain system in ce to make many fight for progress.

    That is, once in the Outer Sect, if one doesn''t continue moving towards the inner set before a certain deadline, they''ll stop being students, automatically bing elders in charge of the outer sect and handyman sectors.

    .

    Donghai quickly learned that it was a harsh world here. And only efforts would get rewarded.

    Of course, if a strong person volunteers to be an elder in the outer sect, the situation would be far different.

    A strong elder worthy of being an Inner sect elder who wants to stay as an outer sect Elder would get higher bi-weekly pills and coins than the standard elders there.

    But, this fact wouldn''t be the same as elders in the inner set. It would fall in between.

    Anyway, just like Disciples, Elders also had various privileges based on their status in the academy, their exorcism ranks, their strength, and their abilities.

    All these Donghai and many understood.

    And after an entire day of having sses and exploring the vast sector for Handymen, their spirits were only filled with adventure and a thirst for more.

    Even more startling was that all these mountains, hills, and floatingnds surrounding their current region, were just for them, the Handymen.

    This alone showed how massive the Academy''s site was.

    Of course, some of these ces were public regions that all disciples could use. The only reason they were positioned in this handyman corner was that their maintenance would be done by them, the handymen.

    The same went for the general buildings used by all.

    .

    Pff~

    Donghai heard a chuckle from behind.

    "Leah, you dare tough at your superior?"

    Leah ced her buckets down and calmly helped Donghai up. "Sorry, sir. I wasn''tughing at you, butughing with you."

    Donghai rolled his eyes heavenwards.<sub> </sub>

    She was still the same, even after they came in together.

    Today, he, Leah, and 3 others were tasked with fetching water from the pink stream far below and filling the pond above the mountain.

    On day 2 of arriving, they were tired, only managing to make one trip.

    But after cultivating throughout the night, they found their bodies able to perform miracles, with them able to do well over 6 trips.

    And as the days went by, their trip number increased steadily.

    And now, they could each do at least 30 trips before the day ended. And this was them running up and down the mountain surprisingly without rest.

    Hell! Who would''ve thought the human body was this capable?

    (^��^)

    All they needed to do was keep their qi circting, eat during meal times to keep energy levels up and train their bodies to adjust to their new found speed and strength.

    Though still in the mortal realm of cultivation, their eye sights had be so clear that Donghai wondered if he had developed superpowers.

    Initially, they thought these tasks were meaningless, but as time passed, they found their control over many aspects bing sharper and sharper.

    And what was this? Why was their memory improving significantly?

    Wow!

    Donghai felt if he went back to school now, he would be a genius beyond measure.

    These powers... These powers were really unfair to the normal folks, making him feel like a higher evolutionized human.

    Tch!

    Sure enough. It''s only fitting that those selected to be exorcists should stay in here and train, picking in others their own ''size.''

    .

    Donghai sighed.

    "Alright. Alright. I''ll be heading down to get more water. We must fill the pond before the end of the day, or our bi-weekly quota will be deducted.

    Yes!

    Leah nodded like a squirrel, rushing up the mountain when thinking of the mysterious rewards they were entitled to every 2 weeks.

    They didn''t know the true benefits of these pills. But this didn''t stop them from being excited, feeling the pills would have some magical effects.

    Of course, some were still wary but soon lost all wariness after spending many days here.

    Donghai clenched his fist, running down the mountain at full speed.

    Yesterday, the first group of people, Gia Wei, Hou Jung, and even the yful Ghu Sota, had broken through their mortal shells and were now Outer Sect disciples.

    This meant the group only used 3 days to cultivate and break through since day one was just lecture day.

    Donghai narrowed his eyes, searching himself deeply.

    p "Tonight, I must break through too!"</anda>

    Donghai was still immersed in his thoughts when suddenly, he saw a strange being running across the forest path down the hill.

    And the next thing he knew, he fell into a deep hole.

    Bam!!

 Chapter 333 A Fruitful Encounter?

    Bam!!

    Donghai fell t on his butt but didn''t feel the pain.

    His attention was on the strange surroundings he now found himself in.

    He had been falling into what seemed like a giant rabbit hole that had many spiral turns.

    Back hunched, body in defensive mode, Donghai looked around his dim surroundings.

    Ground walls and ceilings surrounded him with exposed nt and tree roots embedded in them.

    And with his sharpened eyesight, he also saw a long tunnel leading to heaven-knows-where.

    Very slowly, Donghai picked a stick lying around and took several breaths, wondering what to do next.

    From the looks of it, he couldn''t leave the same way he came. So his option would be to move forward and find another exit point.

    Donghai was leastfortable with this solution. But what could he do? Who asked him to fall down the hole?

    What''s more, the roots covering the hole up on ground surface seemed to have minds of their own.

    At the start, the giant roots opened up, causing him to fall below. And the moment he fell, they closed up again, covering and masking the hole.

    Alright.

    With such a conclusion, how confident was he that even if he somehow managed to head back out the deep and different while he fell from, these roots would push him down again?

    They had a mind of their own, and without a dagger or anything to create opportunities for himself against them, he would be wasting his time with that approach.

    His only worry was that there might be something or some dangerous creature living here.

    This was why he dared not raise his voice or call Leah and the rest for help.

    Theyout of this ce signifies it is a nest for some creature(s). Thus, working in absolute silence would be best.

    Hmmmm...

    ''Don''t fail me now, trusty stick.'' Donghai inwardly murmured, tightening his grip on the stick in his hand.

    One step forward, another step forward...

    In no time, his heavy feet began obeying his instructions, advancing into the dimly lit space.

    On the walls, there were a few glowing algae that provided some illumination in this dark nest.

    As he walked, Donghai''s heart pounded Like a beating drum.

    His body went into vignce mode, and his senses heightened without knowing it.

    If leaves rustled, he would hear. And if the ground had any slight tremors, he would also feel it.

    Damn!

    Not even police Detective cases had made Donghai so on edge.

    ''What a big ce.''

    He walked through the bending tunnel, took several turns, and even crawled through smaller crevices just to keep moving.

    At some point, he felt it was a dead end. But even at that, he was already far from his starting point. So there was no use turning around now. Again, even if he did, he wouldn''t be able to leave the same way he came. So should he just sit here forever, waiting for whoever owns this nest toe back to hack him to death?

    The intelligent thing to do is find a way out first!

    .

    Drrr~~~

    A familiar trickling noise echoed in his ears.

    "Water?... Is that the sound of a flowing stream?"

    Donghai''s face lit up like stars the moment he thought it to be true.

    Very quickly, he hastened his steps, still staying vignt as always.

    "If it''s water, I can follow its movements to find an exit point."

    Yes...

    If it''s a stream, the stream must connect with the big waters outside. And if it''s a pond, it too must have a source.

    After all, how could a pond just appear underground like that?

    Maybe at the bottom, there will be an exit point that connects the pond to the outside waters.

    (^?^)

    Donghai felt he had found his salvation.

    He had been moving in this hole for an ''eternity,'' with the fear of something biggering to eat him up.

    Luckily, he hadn''t stumbled on any creatures yet, maybe because they were out of their nests... Or perhaps because they were dead... Who knows...

    What''s important is that his n of finding another way out would soon beat fruit.

    .

    Trickle. Trickle. Trickle.

    Donghai reached an open circr space with a strange pond in its middle.

    The pond was shaped like a lotus leaf, with its water glowing pink.

    Sure enough, it should be connected to the pink waters down the mountain he, Leah, and the others were tasked to carry water from.

    At this point, he didn''t feel anything wrong seeing pink water. He had drunk it before and epted that it was fresher than any water outside the Academy.

    It also had a subtle sweetness that was both intoxicating and calming.

    Never in his life did he think he would like water that had a subtle sweet taste. Yet, here reality was, smacking it hard in his face.

    The waters here also did wonders to his insides, clearing any indigestion or subtle bodily worries he might''ve had beforeing in.<sub> </sub>

    Looking around the space, Donghai noticed 4 giant nests docked in one corner on the ground. And from the looks of things, these nests didn''t belong to any bird, giant or not.

    Donghai''s pupils dted.

    This was not a good sign!

    The earlier he left, the better for him!

    Looking at the pond, he was just about to dive in when something else caught his eye.

    .

    Trickle. Trickle. Trickle.~

    At the far corner of the room, a small portion of the wall had water streaming down it like a little waterfall.

    The water flowed down and moved across the space in a straight line until it connected to the pond at the center.

    But this wasn''t what caught his eye.

    Just underneath the waterfall, a blurry and silverish image suddenly glistened mesmerizingly.

    Donghai had a hunch that if he didn''t check it out, he might regret it for the rest of his life.

    It was just that... how would he get it?

    The inside of this space was akin to a 3 Story building.

    It was ironic that the tunnels he used to get here were barrow and simr in height to himself.

    But the space here was extremely tall, clearly not made by any creatures digging the space.

    Nature was at its best here, creating the giant open space to amodate this point and this small interior waterfall.

    ''How to get up there? How to do it?''

    Donghai''s eyes shed about maniacally until he stopped a few roots shooting out the towering walls.

    ''These should be strong enough to hold my weight.''

    Like so, he began his climb, only keeping his eyes on the price.

    His moves were quick and professional, thanks to his level of skill in rock climbing.

    If audiences were watching him now, they would p in awe of his skills.

    Though he used roots in this case, he still had a measure of what could and could not be done.

    ''Damn... It''s in the middle of the waterfall.''

    Seeing this, Donghai knew he would have to move in. Luckily, the water current and pressure weren''t high enough to shatter or push him back.

    You have to know that while Waterfalls were beautiful to look at, moving against their current high attitudes was incredibly dangerous.

    Yeah... Maybe at ground level or lower levels, one wouldn''t feel it.

    But if one reached a high altitude and faced the waterfall from its head far up, the pressure alone could act like des, cutting one cleanly.

    It should be known that at dangerous pressures, even a firehose from a fire struck would act as a de.

    Imagine that 50 times greater.

    That would be the case if one were going against the current. If one was falling with the waterfall, they might not feel the said pressure.

    .

    1, 2, 3...

    He now moved horizontally across the waterfall until he reached its middle.

    There it was... The silvery object that shone brightly.

    Well, at least he initially thought it was an object. But who would''ve known it would be a fruit?

    ''... So peculiar...''

    Grrrrr~~~~

    The fruit''s enticing aroma made his belly bubble.

    But now isn''t the time for this.

    Since he had gotten what he wanted, it was time to get the hell out of here�� Or so he thought.

    Braaaa!!!~

    Donghai froze, tightening his grip on the roots he held.

    Toote.

    Various disturbing sounds echoed out.

    And sure enough, he saw a gathering of creatures emerge out of the pond, heading straight for their nests.

    They looked like Crocodiles... Except they had 2 tails and longer necks.

    Donghai swallowed hard.

    ... Mommy, how would he get out of this mess now?

    Donghai was still in a daze, trying to make a perfect escape n out of here.

    But suddenly, many of the beasts paused and began sniffing maniacally. And soon, their eyes fell on Donghai, suspended high up on the waterfall.

    There was an intruder in their nest. Moreover, the bastard had plucked out the fruit they had been waiting for so long to bloom.

    For such a person, death would be too easy!!

    [Donghai]: (!w!)

 Chapter 334 Trapped

    Grawl!!!!~

    The strange crocodile-looking creatures growled like there was no tomorrow.

    And Donghai didn''t need a beast trantor to understand their current emotions.

    F***!

    He just had to fall into their den, didn''t he? ''

    As expected of my dumb luck.''

    He thought they were only angry that he barged into their den. But that wasn''t the case.

    Their main cause of rage was the massive ever fruit in his hands.

    They had been waiting for it to bloom and ripen before plucking it out. Maybe for weeks and weeks, they had been watching nonstop. But after a few observations, perhaps they estimated it would be blooming now.

    After all, they had never seen such a fruit before. Their knowledge of it was limited, relying only on its appearance and the strange smell and aura it gave off.

    When it was not fully ripened, it didn''t look silvery but had purple skin.

    It was coincidental that Donghai had dropped into this ce when the fruit began ripening to its fullest potential.

    It can also be said that the ripening effect was indirectly the culprit that caused the giant tree roots above the surface.

    The fruit''s roots were touching the giant tree far down below, causing it to move unexpectedly.

    This was as they say... A fruiticious encounter.

    The creatures were livid, staring at the intruder above.

    ''Human, how dare you?''

    .

    Even when leaving their nest, a few would stay guard at the pond''s outer entrances, keeping the ce safe while the others went out to either hunt, find food, etc.

    In the nest, there were no babies or pregnant creatures yet. So as a rule in the animal kingdom, everyone went out.

    It''s only been a month and a half since thend here started changing into what it currently was.

    So even they as beasts needed to properly understand their new surroundings.

    Today, they had done what they typically did for thest few weeks, repeating the same routine that now worked for them.

    But who would''ve known today''s situation would be different?

    Hehehehehe~

    The 2-railed crocodiles smirked dangerously at their new prey.

    And with incredible speed, they began moving towards the waterfall like possessed beings.

    Run!

    p Donghai felt his scalp tingle.</anda>

    Would crocodiles be able to climb such heights?

    Scientifically, they shouldn''t. However, recalling all the strangeness he had witnessed since he git here, he dared not risk it.

    ''Secure the fruit.''

    He ced the silver fruit inside his clothes and quickly used the roots to continue climbing.

    But why did he feel he was acting like the boy in the Story Jack and the Beanstalk.

    (-_-)

    He was stealing... Right?

    Bah!... Until plucked, this fruit belonged to no one! In this case, it was finders keepers!

    Today, Donghai was feeling shameless.

    Gra!!~

    The sounds of death reminded him that, Ah yes... He seemed to be hunted down by the owners of the den.<sub> </sub>

    Where to go? Where to go?

    If he tricked them before somehow managing to run back into the pond at the center of the space, do you think he would be able to outswim these creatures?

    Additionally, how long would he need to hold his breath before connecting and reaching the pink waters outside?

    .

    Earlier, he was willing to jump in and test how long he could manage, nning to do various trials and errors.

    But now, danger was underway, and he only had one shot to flee the scene safely.

    ''I have to move faster!''

    As if infected with adrenaline, Donghai began springing and jumping upwards like a spider.

    ''Got you!!''

    His heart was still living maniacally after grabbing into the root above.

    The vertical distances between the roots were growingrger, and he could no longer do a single ascend anymore.

    As soon as he pulled himself up, he began preparing for his next jump.

    ~Pah!

    The root broke off, and Donghai''s heart sank into his belly.

    He watched himself in slow motion, already envisioning what will happen to him if he truly fell into the fathering of crocs at the bottom.

    Luckily, his brain was still at work, and he was quick to hold onto another root.

    Thang!

    Sess!

    The root was sturdy enough to carry his weight. But Donghai had no time to celebrate.

    The closer the Crocs got, the longer their ws grew. And something told him they would be using this to climb upwards too.

    ''No time!''

    Pang! Pang! Pang!

    He began his spider jumps against the waterfall''s current. This time, he was more careful than ever... Especially when realizing that the roots in the upper regions got brittle because of the so-called heavy water pressure at the top.

    ''If I had a dagger or even rock climbing picks, I wouldn''t be struggling this much.''

    Donghai was starting to miss how easy it was to use modern technology.

    If he had a few bullets and grenades on him, just think of how easy it would''ve been to take out the enemy?

    Today''s lesson had also taught him just how self-reliant he was on modern weaponry.

    Sure enough, to start his journey here, one''s primary reliance and focus were on raw strength and intelligence.

    .

    1, 2, 3...

    Pang!

    In no time, he was already at the top, but this didn''t ease his fear.

    He didn''t need to look behind to know that these Blue crocs were gaining on him at an incredulous speed.

    Teaching the top, he immediately began rallying through the small cervix as fast as he could.

    ''Fortunately, it''s just right to fit a human body through.''

    He felt like a rat in a sewer pipe. The water pressure kept pushing him back, but thanks to the narrow space, he could now nt his feet into the walls and the ground to force his way through.

    And sure enough, only 4 out of the 13 Crocs could pass through the space. These were probably the biggest of the bunch.

    ''Com''on! Com''on! Com''on!''

    Donghai rotted his teeth so much they began to tingle from pressure.

 Chapter 335 Escaped!

    There!

    He seemed to have seen the light at the end of the tunnel.

    (^0^)

    Donghai wanted to cry and jubte with all his might. However, a simple nce behind made his body subconsciously pick up the pace.

    The crocs had glowing green eyes and sharp teeth with elongated smiles that seemed too creepy.

    Mommy...

    He crawled faster than any baby and soon reached the exit.

    There, he saw a few tree vines once again blocking the damn bath.

    Luckily, this time, there was a small opening he could squeeze through.

    Hahaha!!...

    Those crocs would never be able to pass through this space!

    He felt like giving offerings at a shrine, thanking the heavens he was born with a human body.

    Without a moment to share, he passed his body through, starting with his head first.

    However, how could things go so easily?

    What??!!

    Donghai realized the creature''s ws had caught a thinyer of his pants in the nick of time.

    F***!

    p Just a few more milli-inches and that w would''ve pierced deep into his skin.</anda>

    .

    "You let go!"

    Donghai yanked his clothes away, causing them to rip.

    He took advantage of this, hastily distancing himself from the trapped crocs on the other side.

    ''Safe!'' He thought.

    But where was he?

    Leah, who had her buckets of water handing over her shoulders, was shocked to see Donghai appear from underneath a thigh-length stream.

    (!..!)

    "Leader, what''s going on with you?"

    "Don''t ask." Donghai dragged gis tired body towards the shores. He felt his adventures were definitely worth more than any blockbuster movie.

    Very quickly, Leah ced her water buckets down, rushing to hell the slightly injured Donghai.

    He had scrapped his body quite a lot to get out. And now, out of the water, his clothes were stained with blood.

    .

    Ah!-

    Leah rushed toward him in worry. But before she could reach his side, someone... Or rather, something else had already beaten her to the punch.

    "Boss! Behind you!!!"

    Ssh!

    The dumbfounded Leah saw Donghai and the strange 2-meter Long croc vanish into the high-level pink stream.

    It took her brain a full second to react before she started looking around for rocks or objects to help defend and rescue the boss against the strange croc.

    "Boss! Boss... Just hold on... Wait for me!!"

    Before she even moved, Donghai and the croc appeared again, making huge sshes everywhere.

    At this time, Donghai desperately held the croc''s mouth apart with all his might.

    And the other few carrying water buckets were also stunned beyond belief.

    "F***! Is this even a Crocodile?!"

    "The boss is really too fierce to fight such a crocodile on his own!"

    "Quickly! Quickly! We have to help the boss!!"

    In a sh, chaos filled the scene as the gang of police officers speedily picked sharp objects and rushed towards the stream too.

    At this moment, everyone was a caveman, relying on raw strength to subdue the enemy.

    Luckily for them, this was the only croc that managed to get out, thanks to its slim body.

    "Quickly! Pierce, its jaws with the sticks!"

    "Watch out for its tails!"

    "Leah!!!" She was thrown away with force.<sub> </sub>

    "Fight back! Fight back! Stone the bastard with everything we''ve got!"

    Bam! Bam! Pah! Pah! Ptchui!

    The gang fought bravely until they managed to heavily unhurt the croc''s mouth.

    Its outer body was pretty solid. So its insides were their best bets.

    And after creating a chance to flee, they hastily reached the shores as fast as possible.

    .

    Gra~

    The croc seemed unwilling, wanting to step out and attack them.

    However, it soon found out it couldn''t pass the shores, as though some strange force was holding it back.

    Leah and the rest all understood.

    Here in the Handyman area, these many regions were protected, preventing all animals from attacking them, mortals.

    But the situation would of course be different in the other regions.

    That''s right.

    Ince in the outer sect, some beasts could be allowed to sneak in.

    These beasts could easily be handled by those there. So why should the restriction bother keeping them away?

    This was also a good training opportunity for those there.

    If one couldn''t even defend their sleeping quarters, then what is the use of being able to cultivate?

    If anything, the auras of those there should make the intruding creatures quiver so much that they dared not move around the ce.

    The only regions that would be protected against all creatures would be the Medicine Halls that free all nts essential to creating pills, elixirs, and potions.

    Also, the sites where the crystals grew out, as well as all sacred ces like the Milky pond (to be rewarded in future), would be protected too.

    Bottom line, in the Handyman region, these mortals could work without fear of having creatures pop out and attack them.

    Provided they don''t go too far into the waters and remain around the shores, they would always be safe.

    .

    Gra~~

    The 2-meter Long Blue crocodile croaked unwillingly.

    It kept moving left to right, right to left restlessly, not wanting to give up.

    So how could it be a match against the System''s protective formations?

    (:T^T:)

    So unfair...

    It and its family had been robbed but couldn''t even take revenge thanks to the stupid force holding it back.

    Gra!~

    It growled a few more times, looking at Donghai vengefully before diving into the waters again.

    Sigh... What else could it do but give up?

    Ssh!!!~

    Everyone watched its tail ssh above the surface until it was gone.

    ''...''

    Phew.

    The gangy on the ground with their hands and feet apart, ducking in all the air they could take.

    And after calming down for a bit, they beganughing like fools.

    "Bahahahahah~... I''ve never felt so alive!!"

    "That''s for sure! Who will believe we defeated the strange croc with our care hands? So good! I''m now ready to write my autobiography!"

    "Pff!~ Who would want to read about you?"

    "Boss! Com''on! Tell us... How the hell did you anger that thing? I''m no animal expert, but even I can see how much hatred that beast has for you. What did you do? Steal its egg or something?"

    Donghai shook his head. "No. Not an egg... Bug this."

    Wow!

    Outside the underground cave, the fruits glistened magically when exposed to sunlight.

    This... This... What sort of fruit was this?

    (+0+)

 Chapter 336 Lessons Learnt

    Wow!

    Everyone wetted their lips while staring at the glistening fruit.

    It was like a gift from the heavens, with its mysterious aura and outer appearance.

    Its smell was like nothing they had ever smelt before.

    Can they say the smell was like an enchantress, luring her victims with a mesmerizing tune?

    Brrruuu~

    Their bellies sang in unison when the strange aroma whiffed its way into their nostrils.

    It was strange to say that only when exposed out from Donghai''s chest did they have the feeling this way.

    Well, maybe the adrenaline and tension during the battle against the giant Crocodile had made them underlook the sweet smell surrounding them.

    So sweet... So sweet...

    Augh~

    Everyone drooled but didn''t say anything since it was Donghai''s fruit. Of course, they were also interested in his story.

    "What? So you fell into a crazy spiral hole?" Wait! There were more Crocs in there? And you say they were bigger and fatter than the one we just fought?"

    "Bro, how can that be... No! Scratch that. I forgot this isn''t a normal ce."

    From the description Donghai gave them, the Crocs were gigantic

    Whenying on the ground and facing an adult human, normal crocodiles had heights reaching shin-level, below one''s knees.

    But these ones... Donghai made them understand that if they were lying down, they would be chest level or even higher.

    If this were the case, their bodies would be so fatty and gigantic, maybe like bears or even bigger.

    This was an instant kill for anyone who couldn''t escape their den in time.

    With such bodies, they could pass through the crevices fit for the human body.

    This was what saved Donghai. He should be lucky he didn''t first jump into the pond to escape, or else, wouldn''t he meet them on the other side?

    K.O...

    It would''ve been a Fatality!

    .

    Today, everyone had cold sweat, looking at the seemingly peaceful waters around them.

    "Wipe! I will never head deep into the waters unless necessary."

    "Me too!... I''m no coward, but just thinking about the magical scene is enough to make me shiver for days."

    Right.

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    Donggai''s retelling was so vivid in their minds that they quickly substituted themselves for him in this blockbuster adventure he encountered.

    With no real weapons, only relying on one''s care hands and intelligence in a den of monstrous predators... What would they do?

    Donghai took in deep breaths, trying to calm his turbulent heart

    "Since we''ve been doing chores here, nothing of this sort has ever happened before. The roots opening up and allowing me to fall into the hole might''ve been triggered by something. Nheless, this is still a lesson for us."

    Instantly, everyone''s face turned serious.

    p They had been very nonchnt, maybe because they felt thend was super safe, with no beasts able to emerge into these Handymen working territories.</anda>

    This made them drop their guards down, forgetting that the waters and maybe even underground channels might still have these dangerous beasts lurking around waiting for food to drop to theirps.<sub> </sub>

    Of course, if they had strength, they believed a single punch might''ve been enough to kill these beasts. How do they know this?

    Simple.

    The first group of people who broke through their mortal shells and were sent to the Outer Sect had a public test, showing off their strengths.

    .

    Donghai and the rest would never forget the spectacle.

    They saw Ghu Sota punch many giant boulders severally until he smashed them all to smithereens.

    Following that, Sota''s speed was tested, and even his jump was ridiculously insane, as though gravity wasn''t holding him back the same way it did them.

    And in an arena-styled space, Everyone watched from above as Sota had to pass through a tight maze filled with puppets moving at incredulous speeds.

    They thought this alone was impossible to do.

    But Wei Gia, Sota, and many others passed through with closed eyes, relying on their sharp hearing, wind feel, etc.

    Hahahahah~

    It was like watching a martial arts moviee to life.

    Think about it... If they had such capabilities, where would they be struggling to fight that single croc so pitifully?

    Strength! Strength! Strength!...

    Everyone clenched their fists and looked at each other tactfully.

    "Unless we can get to the Outer Sect, we must stay vignt, watching our steps." Donghai cautioned.

    He didn''t want anyone to fall into such a predicament. They might not be as lucky as him. Thus, he warned them not to step on the many tree roots casually.

    Who knows what would trigger these roots to move again?

    For now, they would have to think twice before striking any surface.

    "Right!" Everyone agreed.

    But what they didn''t know was that even if they were about to get killed, someone would pop in and rescue them. The same went for those in the Inner, outer, and core sect regions.

    .

    Don''t get it twisted.

    That they allowed Danger to lurk around the academy was only to create such experiences that would steel the hearts of these disciples.

    They could get stabbed or really brutality injured. But they would never be allowed to die on the Academy''s grounds.

    Someone might help them in secret, making it look like luck, while in other instances, the helper might decide to show himself.

    All in all, they would face uncountable life and death situations everywhere within the Academy.

    This was part of their training, allowing them to stay vignt.

    Of course, even outside the academy grounds, they would get saved in the nick of time if they entered the forbidden forest.

    However, why save them early?

    Many might think it cruel. But so what?

    Heh.

    To have them better understand how dangerous each ce was, no one would rescue them until they had exhausted themselves and even had bacshes too.

    One had to learn a lesson for it to stick properly in their minds.

    And in this academy, Dorian had a lot of ways to make them understand his ''lessons.''

 Chapter 337 Trouble? I LIke It!

    Another interesting thing to note is that as cultivators, they could lose their arms and limbs and still have them reattached magically under a specific dateline, depending on their current cultivation realm.

    If one''s arms were born out, they could still get them out. But the time to recuperate and fix one''s qi channels would take time to heal.

    So, why not allow them to face such brutalities before rescuing them when they feel that all hope was lost?

    Bottom line, no one would be dying on the ind. But that didn''t mean they wouldn''t experience hell!

    That said, things wouldn''t always remain like this.

    After the war, if anyone entered the forbidden forest, that was your bloody business.

    Only those on the actual academy grounds would be kept safe from predator attacks.

    If you feel you have all the luck in the world to go against a situation entirely disadvantageous to them, then be his guest!

    By that time, they better have Master''s they had worshiped or senior brothers who woulde to their aid because he, Pandrol, and his men aren''t doing it.

    Well, they should also have escape talismans and other ways of protecting themselves.

    In the end, all this was on the premise the war was won.

    If humanity loses, then that''s that.

    ....

    The gang agreed to be more cautious while getting up to continue their daily tasks.

    "Just a bit more, and we''ll be able to fill up the pond," Leahmented.

    Yeah.

    Donghia nodded.

    As for the silver fruit, he nned to divide the fruit amongst themselves as thanks for helping him escape from the crocodile''s grasp.

    His shared room had 2 beds.

    One side of the room belonged to him while the other half to his roommate, who also happened to be one of his subordinates.

    It was also fortunate that they got to work alongside Leah and the others to fill the pond together.

    "Alright! Let''s get back to it!"

    Hmmm...

    They cautiously moved to the shores to fill up their non-empty buckets.

    As for Donghai, since he lost his quickest, he shared the burden with Leah, taking one of her buckets to use.

    And just like that, time flew by swiftly.

    "Taskpleted."

    Pandrol appeared, noting down their performances, seeing the small pond filled to the brim. "You may go."

    Poof!

    He vanished again.

    And the gang left the scene, not surprised by his vanishing moves.

    Now, they are only more pumped up to cultivate and grow stronger!

    ...

    In the room, everyone was seated on the floor cross-legged.

    Donghai had broken the fruit into equal parts, and the aroma was even more enticing than before.

    "Hahaha... It smells so good... In case it''s poisonous, why don''t I take my one piece first?" One of the men joked.

    Deep down, they all knew it shouldn''t be poisonous because of its aroma.

    It was hard to say, but ever since their mortal sense of smell had improved, they could distinguish good and bad smells, relying on instincts alone.

    Of course, some poisons might camouge themselves too well to hide their nasty aromas.

    But seeing the way that crocodile was fighting to get this fruit back, many would go out on a limb to say it was a good thing!

    Donghia chuckled. "If anyone has to be a tester, it should be me."

    Pop.

    He threw it in his mouth, and instantly, a heard fish of warmth flooded through his qi channels.

    Muscles bulged, forehead veins protruding, sweat trickling, everyone watched Donghai close his eyes, absorbing the fruit''s goodness.

    3 seconds more, and he had taken full control of the situation. His face expressionless and no longer tense.<sub> </sub>

    Seeing his deep state of cultivation, what did they not understand?

    .

    Pop.

    They shot the fruits in their mouths and began focusing on cultivating.

    ''So powerful!!''

    The fruit was truly a miraculous thing.

    Deep in their cores, they seem to be standing before a massive gate, trying to pry it open forcefully.

    ''Com''on... Com''on... Open for me... I said open for me!!''

    Boom!

    An explosion went off in Donghai''s mind.

    So painful... So painful...

    His body, his bones, and even his blood were being tempered.

    Maybe it was his imagination, but he felt his lines had grown a few inches more and his back trainer than before.

    He didn''t need to open his eyes, to know he had been cultivating for hours.

    If his guess was urate, it should be 6~7 A.M now.

    Searching his body again, he was shocked to see the fruit had not only strengthened his channels but made ten expand, allowing him to take in more qi at a time.

    What exactly was this fruit? And why did it have such magical abilities?

    He also had a hunch it had affected his innate abilities, though he wouldn''t be able to test or find out how much it changed until he became a true cultivator.

    Whoooo~

    Donghai took in a deep breath, carefully stabilizing himself.

    And when he finally opened his eyes, he came face to face with Pandrol and a few other elders.

    "Congrattions, Disciple Donghai. You are now eligible to take the Outer Sect test."

    ...

    And that concluded the many adventurous days the disciples in the Academy faced.

    Every day was never the same, even if they did simr chores.

    Many steeled their hearts, treating nighttime as their most important period since that was the only time they had to cultivate as Handymen.

    And for those fortunate enough to leave and head into the Outer Sect, they had no chores and more ess to many privileges in the academy.

    Such a thing was enough to make the handymen cultivate 10 times harder!

    (*0*)

    ��.

    "That''s all there is, Grandmaster."

    Dorian and a few more elders nodded, listening to Pandrols reports.

    "Good��"

    With the academy on track, he was leaving.

    But just then, he saw Old Gia approaching him with an anxious look.

    Oh?...

    How Interesting.

    It had been a long time since he saw such a look on Old Gia''s face.

    What could have happened?

    Good!

    Dorian licked his lips yfully. It was about time they went out to work!

    And this time, why not take a few newbie elders along too?

    [System]:... Host, you''re evil smile is showing.

 Chapter 338 Guests Arrive

    --Tian Estate--

    Dorian''s sudden presence puzzled many, especially Mrs. Spy.

    They thought he was out. But who would''ve known he would emerge from his room so suddenly?

    ''...''

    Alice was thanking her lucky stars she didn''t go shopping around yet. Or how would she have exined her reasons for entering his chambers?

    Alice thinned her lip, hastily texting Mr. Green.

    Of course, she really didn''t need to do so because the tiny spy camera they gave her was always in her chest pocket in the form of a pen.

    Additionally, her hair bow also had a hidden camera lodged in it, meant to capture the back view of whatever ce she moved through.

    When she had the time, she would secretly charge these devices.

    She was a key asset to the many ''police'' inspectors and investigators, aiding them in mapping the mansion''s interior.

    As a live-in doctor, her hair was always to be kept in a knotted ponytail or any other hairdo that kept her hair away when dealing with every aspect concerning the patients.

    It was because her ears were constantly exposed that the ''police investigators'' dared not give her any earpieces tomunicate with them directly.

    But of course, she was still wearing a wired microphone underneath her clothes to pick up all conversations around her.

    The day she had been taken into the van and briefed over and over in the many gadgets at her disposal was the day she felt she was in a spy movie.

    (^?^)

    .

    Everything was so surreal.

    They even had the van filled with cancers and all sorts of people wearing police vests and microphones, just like in the movies.

    Alice squinted her eyes, looking at Dorian''s leaving silhouette.

    ''The earlier I get it done, the faster I can leave this den of criminals.''

    She looked at her phone, seeing Mr. Green''s reply.

    [Good. Keep us informed. We also need you to go through a few more hallways and rooms past the kitchen. I''ll be sending you details in a while]

    Hmmm...

    Alice nodded, nning to sneak in after her shift heads by 3.

    Breakfast was by 8 A.M, Lunch by mid-day, and Supper at 7.

    They always had 45 minutes for breakfast in the morning and afternoon... But for supper, they had an hour and 15.

    The rules had always been like this since she got into this estate.

    She also noted that for Supper preparations, Butler sheng would always head to the kitchen at the same time every day -- 5 P.M.

    It didn''t matter how much he had to prepare or howrge of a feast it was; the man always appeared in the hallways, heading to the massive industrial kitchens 5~10 minutes before 5 P.M.

    In such a massive industrial kitchen, one could make 20 or more dishes on the various stations all at once.

    There were gigantic ovens, a walk-in freezer room, and multiple appliances used by big industries and chefs.

    .

    Back to the main issue, Butler Sheng alone always began food preparations by 5 P.M.

    And after that period, she wouldn''t be able to sneak past the kitchen area until Lights out.

    Mr. Green had requested she do so in the daytime to provide them with a brighter view.

    Alice frowned. ''My shift ends at 3. I''ll have to change my boots and drop my white coat before I can move to do anything. I also need to make sure the coast is clear before heading towards that route.''

    She had to slip into shoes that wouldn''t make heavy noises.

    Like Mr. Green had told her, there might be spies in their group nted by these criminals to keep a watch on them.

    One could never be too certain.

    For this spy operation, Alice nned that by 4:40 max, she should be back on her bed.

    ''This means I only have at most an hour to do it all.''

    Alright. All she had to do was wait for more details from Green before heading out.

    Easy.

    With a simple hair flick, she scoffed at Dorian''s descending silhouette and headed back into the Grand Bedroom chambers to care for thea-stricken patients lying about.

    As for Dorian, he couldn''t care less about this non-important person.

    .

    12:48 P.M.

    Descending the stairs, he calmly headed for the Grand Dining Hall.

    He had already agreed with Old Gia and the rest of the elders to meet him up at the Main Gia residence.

    Old Gia was going to use a private jet to take them straight to the Navy base.

    Yup!

    Apart from the few choppers out on disy, the Gias has a sizable private jet underground that emerges when need be.

    The jet was one of the most technologically advanced of these times, with features that would make aviation fans and many scream in awe.

    The Gias were the only few permitted by the country to have a ne in their enormous estate.

    Typically, even if one purchases a private jet, they would have to drive to the airport to ess this jet.

    But the Gias were different.<sub> </sub>

    They had a while runway and enough estatend fit for a pce.

    The Gias have been here since ancient times and have acquired a foothold in such matters.

    Of course, every time they used it, they had to inform the military air control, who would also take care of many other protocols and formalities that needed to be done.

    What''s more, a safe air travel route must first be assigned before they can make a move to avoid issues withmercial airlines and private jet flyers.

    Everyone had agreed to meet in the Gia estate by 3:30 P.M, giving the Gias enough time tomunicate with their teams, do anyst checks, and get their pilots ready for takeoff.

    As military people, the Gias usually check on their private choppers and only jet daily, ensuring it''s always intact, lest emergenciese knocking at their doors.

    Old Gia himself had told him they checked their jet every morning. So this afternoon check shouldn''t be different from what they saw this morning.

    By private jet, they should reach the Navy Base in an hour and a half.

    But even at that, Dorian felt the whole situation might end tomorrow.

    Thus, he decided to solve another problem first quickly... The Ingards!

    .

    In the massive Dining Hall, several familiar people were gathered with anxious faces.

    But when they saw the approaching youngster, they secretly sighed in relief.

    Thankfully, the youth hadn''t taken their previous behaviors into ount.

    Many, many they were too insignificant for him to bother about?

    The thick-mustached Zee Ingard, his wife, Lishu, and a few of their guards all smiled bitterly.

    Indeed...

    How could their little attitudes bother the Grandmaster who probably faced hellish matters daily?

    Well, it''s never toote to adjust one''s attitude.

    The group gave a respectful bow toward Dorian.

    "Grandmaster, thank you for entertaining us on such short notice."

    It was only a few hours ago that they informed him of their visitation. They didn''t mean to be rude, but it was too urgent.

    Dorian waved his hands casually. "It''s nothing... Sit."

    "Yes..."

    Zee and his wife sat while the guards wondered whether to sit or stand.

    Typically, they would stand. But since this mystical grandmaster told them to sit, should they go against protocol?

    "Sit."

    "..."

    Well, that was that.

    Thezy yet authoritative voice that left no room for questioning made the guards scramble for seats.

    And soon enough, Butler Sheng appeared, pulling several trolleys into the room.

    And when the door was finally shit, he flicked his hands, and the trolleys began moving on their own.

    Their eyes bulged out from side to side. It''s been a long time since they saw magic. So how can they not feel excited?

    (��o��)

    ...

    Everyone had to give Butler Sheng another look.

    This was the 4th magic user they had seen apart from the Grandmaster and the 2 men he brought to their Ingard estate a while back.

    Today, Butler Sheng was the one who led them in. And though they recognized him as the Tian butler who followed the Tian couple, it''s been a long time since theyst saw him.

    Whoosh!

    Several trays of foodnded before them.

    "Eat."

    "..."

    Fine. Who were they to say no?

    Everyone began their meal cautiously until Dorian''s words finally broke the silence.

    "I take it she''s back?"

    The couple nodded, gritting her teeth in rage. "Yes, Grandmaster!"

    The culprit who dared to give their darling son, Cang Ingard, those peaches was back.

    All this time, she had been abroad, many to hide her from suspicion if anything happened to him.

    She was supposed to stay abroad for another 3 weeks.

    But all of a sudden, she hurried back overnight, stating she missed them.

    Heh...

    Missing the chance to kill their son was more like it!

    Dorian nodded, listening to the couple''s retelling.

    "Grandmaster, she just arrived this morning."

    "Good. We leave after the meal."

 Chapter 339 The Wicked Witch Returns

    --Ingard Estate--

    .

    A ck long-haired beautiful middle-aged woman sat at the dining, eating her meal alone, while a nearby maid stood far behind her in wait.

    "You there! Come pour this for me now!"

    "Ye-yes, madam," the maid responded in a quivering tone.

    "A bunch of ease! What are my sister and brother-inw paying you if you can''t do a simple job? You better not spill a drop on me with those hands alone. Do you know how much my entire attire is worth?"

    Like a machine gun, thedy spewed arrogant words at the maid, causing the poor thing to tremble even though she was terrified of this madam.

    It wasn''t just her but everyone who had worked in the Ingard estate for the longest.

    You have to know that their employers, Zee Ingard and Lishu, treated them respectfully despite their positions as maids and butlers.

    But whenever this hurricane disaster came waltzing in, she would pace like she was the owner of the ce.

    She acted as though everything should be hers. She barked here, gave orders there, and often caused trouble for them, the regr workers.

    And if any maid were prettier than her, she would find a way to frame them or make her sister, the real madam of the house, to send them away.

    Before, they thought she was looking out for Madam''s interest.

    But after the whole situation with Cang Ingard, the guards, main butlers, and maids in the room during that time understood where her hatred came from.

    Jealousy!

    A week and a half ago, she finalized her divorce, leaving full custody of her children to her husband.

    She was supposed to be on her vacation, enjoying her newfound freedom. But suddenly rushed back.

    As for her children��

    In public, she acted like a loving mother. And even if it felt forceful, people would still be willing to believe a mother would not eat her cub.

    However, because of the blood rtionship between the arrogant woman and the madam, both households were fairly close.

    So they heard about her true nature from the maids working under her about how she treated her children like tickets to fame and fortune.

    If they seconded the children of her enemies, she wouldsh out at them, calling them useless and sometimes locking them up to study more.

    As a businessman always traveling weekly, her now ex-husband was hardly at home, leaving management to her.

    So one can imagine how much went by behind closed doors.

    She wanted them to be better than everyone, especially Cang Ingard, Lishu''s son.

    .

    Many who watched Dorian in action and listened to his words that day realized that this woman never loved her husband.

    She was only divorcing now because she was confident the young master and the madam would die, giving her a chance to be the real Madam Ingard!

    The revtion chilled many, making them even more fearful of this murderer who worked with such evil forces in the dark.

    The maid serving her was in fact, the head maid who was present that day.

    She, the head maid, had never flinched in the presence of her arrogance before. But now, she was shaking like a leaf, secretly hoping this dark-hearted woman would-be curse her in some way.

    The head maid and those who watched the scene that day had sworn never to let word out to the rest working in the estate. Or if this woman gets to know they uncovered her secret, their master and madam might not have a chance to apprehend the woman.

    If the snake is startled, what if it flees using supernatural means during this time they waited for the Grandmaster to arrive?

    .

    The corners of Langshu''s mouth went up.

    Tapping her lips with her napkin, she turned to the quivering maid. "Where did you say my sister and brother Ze-... My brother-inw went?"

    "Madam, they were headed out for a joint business meeting and should be back soon."

    Langshu strangled the napkin in her palms with jealousy.

    Joint business meeting?

    What right does Lishu have to be seen everywhere with her brother Zee?

    It''s not enough that brother Zee had already opened a boutique and a spa salon in Lishu''s name. But now, he was once again nning to spend such heavy amounts on that old bag?

    You have to know that Lishu was just 2 years older than Langshu. Yet, her sister called her an old bag.

    All this time, Langshu still didn''t believe Lishu did her business on her own.

    This was the difference between the 2 sisters.

    When Lishu first got married, she began receiving her monthly expenses as the Ingard madam married to the current heir.<sub> </sub>

    So she had a fixed monthly sry to run the entire estate. Whatever was left was also hers

    This was how she was tested too.

    In the beginning, many did look down on Lishu because she didn''te from high society. She was an ordinary student with excellent grades.

    She and Zee Ingard fell in love during their school days. So one could imagine how hard she worked to Prove herself during those times.

    Of course, to run an estate was akin to running a business.

    So there were already ount managers, and many assigned to these tasks.

    Lishu was more like the final decision maker, deciding what to do with the money once it was budgeted.

    .

    For example, now and then, the Ingards buy tons and tons of flowers, rece their furniture, paintings, and many other duties to show off their status and wealth.

    If Lishu had decided to sneakily buy fake paintings, mess up in their areas or even go over the budget without a reasonable exnation, many would only

    After all, if she messed up or went overboard, her monthly expenses would be taken out to make up for her mistakes. That has always been the rule.

    In the end, she did a good job, saved up quite a lot of money, and ventured out on her own to open her clothing boutique, spa salon, and even bought several properties too!

    But till this day, Langshu didn''t believe it.

    You have to know that even when Lishu was saving up money, she still gave 15~35% of her monthly wage to her dear sister.

    But what did Langshu do? She squandered it all on expensive shoes, bags, and the good life, always seeing Lishu has a money bank.

    So to Langshu, it must have been Zee who bought these properties and gifted them to Lishu.

    Langhsu''s face turned distorted, thinking that all this should have been hers!!!

    ''Why? Am I not younger and beautiful too? Why does that vixen always have brother Zee wrapped around her fingers?''

    Her rage only hardened her heart to do the deed.

    ''After this, they will be dead, right?''

    [Naturally...]

    A strange eerie voice whispered in her mind.

    Even now, Langshu still had chills whenever the voice spoke out.

    As for how she came into contact with the strange being, it was a whole other story that not only terrified her to death but also caused her to faint for an entire day.

    First, she was in disbelief that the supernatural existed. However, when it spoke of fulfilling any wish she desired, the greed grew far stronger than her fear.

    She took this situation simr to a fictional genie granted 3 wishes.

    After all, the being didn''t want anything from here. All it desired was for her to keep it by herself always.

    So wasn''t this a genie?

    Even if it wanted something from her, she would still give it with open arms if it meant her dreams would be fulfilled.

    Zee Ingard... She wanted him... She has always wanted him from the first day she saw how well he treated her sister.

    Unlike many rich high society men who still went out to cheat on their wives, Zee was one of those who stayed faithful. There has never been a scandal, and the pair of husband and wife were practically everywhere together all the time.

    They were only separate if Zee had to stay in the office.

    Even during business trips abroad, he would take his wife along, leaving his son to the butlers, guards, and servants.

    There were even times when Lishu would pick him up after work or bring him lunch too.

    So who wouldn''t want such a good husband?

    Langshu knew Zee was bewitched by her sister too much. So unless the b**ch were dead, she would never have her way!

    .

    "And where is my young nephew? Since I came this morning, I haven''t seen him yet, " Langshu asked intuitively. She and the voice in her head hade to find out what went wrong!

    "Madam..." The old maid was trembling now. Was Langshu thinking of finishing off the young master since their ns had failed?

    Everyone was still to keep the young master away from this witch.

    What should she do? What should she do?

    For a moment, the old maid didn''t know how to respond. Luckily, 2 guards walked into the dining hall just in time.

    "The master and the madam are back!"

 Chapter 340 Eliminating The Cause: The Beginning

    In the luxurious dining hall, Langshu calmly rose from her seat, wearing an all-white gown that made her look like a goddess.

    Though middle-aged, her appearance looked like she was in herte 20s. This further emphasized how well kept she was and how well she used her body on her body.

    If it were many other men, they would be astonished and taken aback by the sudden emergence of such a soft-faced goddess in white.

    Too bad the person she was trying so hard to create this image for had no interest in her goddess looks... Especially after knowing her true face!

    "Brother Zee..."

    Her eyes were drawn to him the money she saw him, so much so that she didn''t even bother giving Lishu a single nce.

    Lishu inwardly sneered.

    How could she have been so blind all this time? Why didn''t she see her sister''s shameless attitude towards her man?

    "Careful now, sister... You''re drooling."

    What??!

    Langshu was shocked by Lishu''sment.

    Did the fool filly realize her feelings for brother Zee?

    Langshu stared at Lishu, seeing nothing out of ce. The idiot still looked naive as ever, causing her to inwardly sigh in relief.

    But being a proud graduate from the White-Lotus academy, how could she miss this opportunity to put her skills into y?

    With her white flowy gown and soft, delicate face, she lowered her voice and molded her face to look beautifully pitiful.

    "Elder sister... Why would I be drooling? How can you say that? What if someone misunderstands me? Please, you can be angry at me, but don''t me brother Zee!"

    Lishu inwardly wanted to p.

    Bravo! Bravo!

    She didn''t realize her sister was such a performer.

    Just how blind had she been in the past?

    But for the sake of her son''s life, she, Lishu, was willing to join her dear sister in acting.

    Pfft!!~~...

    Sheughed as she always did.

    "Sister, why are you so strange? Of course I know you and Zee-Zee won''t have anything to do with each other. You are my most loved sister, and he is my parking husband. So how can I think such thoughts? Sister... You''re really funny."

    Seeing Lishu''s yful bantering, Langshu was more and more convinced it was only a joke.

    Yes!

    If after all these years, Lishu hadn''t known her true feelings, then why would ite out now?

    She was smart and knew how to manipte and y her cards right.

    "Sister! Your teasing is not funny!" She yfully taunted, looking her tongue out, crossing her arms over her chest, and pouting.

    It was really hard for one to link her to the vicious woman who was arrogantly ordering the Head Maid earlier.

    [Head Maid]: (-_-)... Excuse me, but who are you?

    ...

    Arm in arm, the 2 sisters pulled each other intimately... It was just that their minds were sending daggers at each other.

    And only after the atmosphere settled down did Langshu get a look at the few guests the couple had arrived with.

    Oh? Who was this young man?

    She had never seen him before, but his demeanor and attire ced him in the wealthy category.

    Maybe it''s some young master out here to finalize apany contract with her brother Zee?

    [Focus... We have to see the boy.]

    The voice echoed in her mind, reminding her of her purpose.

    Yes! It was about time she met that parking nephew of hers. He wasn''t in his room earlier. And no one would tell her where he had been kept.

    Could it be that he turned into some horrendous monster, and they didn''t want his true form to be revealed to the public?

    So where have they been keeping him?

    When the voice in her head alerted her that something was wrong while abroad, she had searched for news on Cang Ingard, as well as called in a few people in the country to find all they could.

    Everyone only reported that Cang Ingard hadn''t left the estate all this time, which was too strange.

    You have to know that as a person who grew up with Ghu Sota, Cang Ingard''s restlessness knew no bounds.

    The boy couldn''t sit in one ce even if they paid him all the money to do so.

    So not seeing him out for days and a little over a week was enough to make heads turn.

    What''s more, only Ghu Sota had even been allowed to see him, and not his other close friends.<sub> </sub>

    Why? No one could answer this for sure but thought it should be Ghu Sota''s high status that made the Ingard couple have no choice but to let him through into their estate.

    Many spected that Cang Ingard might have caught some deadly disease.

    Disease?

    Of course, Langshu Knew precisely where the so-called disease came from. So seeing the news reported back to her abroad, she felt things were going as nned.

    So why did the voice say something wasn''t right about Cang Ingard''s situation?

    Could it be the so-called Luck and birth aura fighting against her? Luckily, the voice also said it should be something it could easily solve if it saw Cang Ingard.

    Knowing this, Langshu''s frown turned upside down, blooming into a genuine smile.

    As for the strangers who came in with Lishu and Zee, she couldn''t care less about who they were since her mission was what she could think of.

    "Sister... Since I came, I haven''t seen that big Nephew of mine. Where is he? His beautiful aunt has missed him dearly!!"

    What to see her their son? Sure.

    Lishu grinned. "Sister, we are just about to see him now. But, Zee and our guests must head into his room to first speak to him on important matters."

    "Important matters?"

    Lishu nodded vigorously. "Yes! You know Cang will soon be taking his father''s ce in thepany. So this is his first involvement in apany contract!"

    Why does a dead man need to worry about apany?

    Langshu inwardly floated, knowing Cang Ingard''s death was near.

    But of course, she still wore an amiable smile.

    "Back then, he used to run around doing nothing but causing trouble. So it''s great that nephew Cang is starting to get serious."

    "Yes... That''s why we sisters have to wait." Lishu said, calmly taking a seat while the head maid brought her some tea.

    Lishu continued. "Sister, I know you love Cang, but there''s no need to get so impatient. Zee-Zee said they had long been talking about this contract, going back and forth on its contents. And now that it''s finalized, their little meeting shouldn''t take more than 10 minutes... So sister, why don''t we focus on you?"

    "Me?"

    "Yes, sister! With your divorce finalized, what are your ns? Do you intend to marry another?"

    Langshu momentarily froze before donning an innocent expression. "Sister, I have no ns of falling in love or marrying another... At least not now."

    ...

    Bam.

    The door was shut, and Butler sheng was quick to unlock the wooden box in his hand.

    Dorian gave no orders, but Butler Sheng, who knew the routine, quickly picked out a few talisman papers and ced them on every exit point in the room.

    That''s right.

    As someone who was no longer a No-rank exorcist, he could now distinguish the various paper talismans with ease.

    Flick!

    He shot the talismans to the windows, bathroom doors, vents, and every other corner except for the main door.

    And when done, he calmly took out a strange golden stalk of chalk and began drawing diligently the wall touching the bed''s head.

    Dorian only sat with one leg crossed and one arm refusing in his chin like an emperor.

    Even at peak-level strength of the 2nd Dan, Butler Sheng was still weaker than the being they were up against. So the formation he drew shouldn''t hold any pressure over the being.

    However, this would only be the case if Dorian wasn''t around.

    With higher spells and his current strength, he would be able to turn this formation into what he wanted.

    He could have drawn it out himself, saving him the time. But this was all for Butler sheng''s training.

    "Grandmaster!!" Cang Ingard merrily greeted Dorian, looking nothing like how Langshu and many thought he would be.

    What sickness? What incurable disease?

    The boy was as strong as an ox, jumping about with so much energy!

    Not only that, his face was bright, and his face full of color. So where was the bedridden young master many expected?

    Hmmm...

    Dorian stared at the furrows on his face, seeing that Cang''s disaster should be eliminated after this, and his life returned to normal with a. Smooth sailing too.

    .

    And just like that, the trap was fully set. And now, it was time to lure in the prey.

    The butter steadily descended the stairs, heading toward both sisters too absorbed in chatter.

    "Young Madam... Lady Langshu... The business meeting is over. The young master wishes to see his aunt."

 Chapter 341 The Wicked Sue First

    ''We can finally see the brat.''

    [Hmmm... No human in this world of yours can escape my grasp.]

    Listening to the voice''s confident words, the corners of Langshu''s like went up.

    ''That''s good.''

    She came too far to give up now.

    One step forth, another step forward.

    The beautiful Langshu ascended the stairs in her angelic white attire before stepping into a small open elevator on the sides of the wall with golden rails.

    <o>,m This elevator was different from the one on the left that went all the way to ground floor.</o>

    Every time she came, she had never used this elevator before. This one needed a special card and fingerprints to ess.

    She recalled her sister wanted to give her ess once, but for some reason, her sister never brought it up again.

    Of course, she didn''t think Zee Ingard was the cause but only thought her sister had probably changed her mind on her own.

    Yup!

    In Langshu''s mind, without Lishu, Zee would''ve already been head over heels with her.

    But me the b**ch for seducing her man!!!

    .

    Lishu took out the strange ess card, swiped it, and 3-foot golden railings before the elevator opened.

    Whoosh!

    A small green button on the outside frame of the golden elevator began glowing green, showing the duo could enter the elevator.

    Lishu stepped in and ced her thumb on a digital finger scanner.

    Ding!

    [ess Granted.]

    The voice echoed out. And now, the 3 elevator buttons all glowed creamy white.

    Lishu pressed thest button, and up, up, and away they went.

    And during their ascent, Langshu''s jealousy was already at a tipping scale.

    Huh!

    Lishu inwardly sneered.

    You want her life? Keep dreaming!!!

    She could have used the stairs, but for the first time, she felt like drowning her sister in jealousy.

    She didn''t understand a person who didn''t work hard for anything but was always ungrateful and angry as though the world owed her something.

    If you so desire her life, then why not work hard and build your own happiness with all the money she gave?

    She promised theirte parents she would take care of her sister.

    But this was as far as it went!

    From today, whether her sister lived or died had nothing to do with her. After all, why should she feel pity for someone who wants to not only fill her but kill her only child?

    She admitted she was kind by nature. But there was a limit to everything.

    "Sister, you''re really livingrge."

    "Oh?... Howe I didn''t notice?"

    "_"

    .

    Ding!

    The elevator saved the backward Langshu.

    "Hey, sister... Are here. But I don''t think I''ve ever brought you to this ce. Because Cang is under the weather, we had to keep him away from the curious eyes of many. So if you didn''t see him easier, I apologize, okay, sister?"

    Lishu''s words once again confirmed her guess that Cang Ingard was operably a hideous monster by now.

    Just look at the dimly lit and creepy hallway that was isted from the other regions of the mansion.<sub> </sub>

    This alone showed they were hiding him far away.

    "Sister, I''m not mad or anything. How can I be? All I want to see is my darling nephew."

    Reaching the door, Lishu suddenly paused before turning to face her sister with a ''warm smile.''

    "Sister... For as long as I can remember, I have always done my best to provide and give you a share of anything I have. I loved you from the bottom of my heart... You are my only sibling. So promise not to reach too strongly when you see Cang, okay?"

    Langshu nodded like a peacock.

    "Sister, say no more! Just let me see my dark g nephew already."

    "Alright..." Lishu replied with a knowing smile on her face. "Just remember that it''s you who agreed to go in and not be, forcing you."

    With that, Lishu opened the door and gestured for her dear sister to go in.

    .

    Bam!

    The door was shut tight, and Langshu suddenly felt a strange force push her closer to the bed.

    Her heart was pounding, her body quaking, and the voice in her head was screaming loudly.

    [Get out!!.. Get out now!!!]

    What? How? Who?

    The warnings hade too suddenly. But Langshu''s feet had always been quick to create.

    Get out! Get out! Get out!!!

    Langshu was panicked, with fear and the desire to survive.

    What was going on?

    Did something backfire? Was Cang Ingard now a monster that could eat human flesh?

    Dammit! The sister she thought would never dare toy a finger on her was now willing to trap her here with that beast son of hers?

    No! No! She couldn''t fall prey to any schemes now.

    Get out! Get out! GET OUT!!!!

    In the dark, the terror-filled woman rushed in the direction she believed she came in from.

    But before she knew it, her forehead was almost cracked open by the wall she mmed into.

    Bam!!!!

    Langshu fell back in horror, suddenly feeling the presence of many.

    This was strange.

    Why didn''t she deal this way when she first came in?

    Those watching coldly scoffed, seeing the blood drip down her forehead.

    This much was not enough for what the witch wanted to do to the young master and the madam.

    But now, the witch was trapped in the strange bubble.

    They could see her as clear as day. But she didn''t seem to be able to see them, running about like a headless chicken.

    Ban! Ban! Ban! Bam!

    Everywhere Langshu ran, she smashed into a wall but didn''t care about the pain.

    Her white dress and disheveled hair only made her look crazed and on the brink of insanity... Especially with the voice telling her to flee!

    Ahhh!!!!

    Langshu yelled in agony.

    She sprained her ankle from running crazily in the dark with heels.

    But she knew she had no time to focus on the pain.

    Run! Run! Run!!!!

    [Human! You must flee!]

 Chapter 342 A Strange Enemy

    She dragged her limping body to the wall shest smashed and began hitting it hard with her fists.

    The wall seemed to be able to make a loud noise, showing it wasn''t an overly hard concrete wall but maybe a divider inside.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    She smashed the wall with all her might.

    "Lishu, you b**ch! What did I ever do to deserve this? All I''ve been is a good sister to you. Even after you stole my man, I still let you go! But now, you''re trying to let your evil son have his way with me? Lishu, you are wicked!!"

    ....

    Cang Ingard''s heady torn into pieces, listening to his aunt''s shrewd words.

    He used to think his father was always a little too harsh to his aunt for no reason.

    But seeing is really believing.

    That is... Was this still his sweet little aunt who used to y with him, take him out for fun, and also spoil him silly?

    He even used to feel she treated him better than her own children!!

    If someone had said this was her true nature, he, as her number 1 fan, wouldn''t waste time smashing a pipe on their heads.

    Earlier, his parents told him she did it. But a part of him still hoped there was a mixup somewhere.

    His eyes grew moist and red, looking at the woman running amok in the space.

    "Aunt..."

    "It''s okay, little Cang."

    Lishu held her son, also inwardly grieving too.

    She thought her heart was made of steel after this.

    But seeing her sister run about like a trapped animal in captivity, she felt a painful throb in her heart.

    Sigh...

    ''How did she be this?''

    Bam! Ban! Bam! Bam!

    Langshu mmed her body for the umpteenth time in under a minute and a half.

    And soon, the darkness suddenly disappeared, leaving her in shock.

    "You, you, you, you, you... You were all here the entire time?!!!"

    Langshu couldn''t believe her eyes.

    What wall?

    Where was the wall she had been mming into?

    If not for the pain she felt, she wouldn''t have thought it all to be a figment of her imagination!!!

    What''s more, since when were these 2 men seated on the bed to her left?

    She had been running about in all directions and hadn''t touched any bloody bed.

    Langhsu''s mind was a mess!

    But Dorian had no more time to give in this matter.

    With a single flick, the chain on her neck yanked its way off and floated towards him.

    "No! That''s mine! You give eye back!!"

    Langshu was anxious that she didn''t realize the chain was floating away.

    She fell and stood again like a zombie, crawling and moving towards Dorian with a maddening look on her face.

    "You give it back! You give it back! I said give it---"

    Flick.

    Dorian threw something in her mouth.

    What?!!!

    Everyone watched Langshu choke herself.

    What was she doing? What was she trying to aplish?

    The shriveleddy in white began working with no sound and even started crying while mounting about furiously.

    Wipe! They never thought they would see a sent movie in action.

    But if theyughed now... Would it be appropriate?<sub> </sub>

    Even Langshu''s feet stomping movements were all silent.

    It was as though she had no weight because no sound came from anything she did or said.

    The system who saw this could only sigh, knowing she had iting.

    Who was its host? A person who would spend time creating ''Silent pills'' to mute a person''s every action, just so he could have his quiet.

    And yet, this woman still danced and jumped about cursing nonstop.

    Dorian sent Langshu a chilling gaze that crippled her insides.

    "Noisy."

    "..."

    Langshu dared not shake anymore.

    What sort of scary youngster was this?

    Dorian couldn''t be bothered with her feelings. If he were by a volcano, he would waste no time throwing her in it.

    As for the ne in his possession, he calmly tapped the ruby stone at its center.

    "Sheng..."

    "In it, Grandmaster."

    Butler Sheng calmly stood guard before Langshu, with one hand on her shoulders and 2 strange pink talismans in his hands. He made sure one of the talisman papers always had contact with Langshu''s body.

    [Remember. Once it''s out, never let go of the paper... Or you will be blind for no more than 10 months.]

    That was the ability of the creature they had within the ne.

    This was 10 months of Blindness for Butler Sheng who was at the 2nd Dan. So imagine the consequences for a mortal being?

    Everyone in the room couldn''t help holding the pink slips in their hands tightly.

    Since they decided to watch, then they would also cover the cost of this special talisman paper after the ordeal was over.

    What did it matter to Dorian?

    Even if the entire world wanted to watch, he wouldn''t care less.

    Everyone watched the scene with unnatural expressions, subconsciously taking a few steps back for the big reveal.

    What... What exactly were they dealing with here?

    .

    Oh? So stubborn?

    Dorian calmly threw the ne several feet above his face.

    And with what looked like the speed of lighting, he shattered it into a thousand pieces with a simple flick of his finger.

    Packkkkkk!!

    The explosive sound caused many to block the scene with their hands over their faces.

    They knew they would be safe here. But they still instinctively blocked.

    Say no more.

    This guy definitely came from the Dragonball universe.

    Cang Ingard still hadn''t forgotten thest time when he woke up and saw Dorian disying Saiyan traits.

    He had no evidence, but he felt his guess was close to the truth!

    F***!

    "Did you see that?!!!"

    Cang Ingard''s eyes glowed like a true fan, kicking and trying to imitate Dorian''s moves.

    But the Ingard couple had ck lines on their faces.

    "Son�� We don''t want to seem mean, but stop embarrassing yourself."

    How can his bby movespare to the Grandmaster''s?

    (-_-)

    .

    Crash!

    The ne was broken. And now, everyone came face to face with the true final boss!

 Chapter 343 Who Are You?

    A whiff of dark, purplish smoke emerged from the broken ne, spiraling upwards in a dreadful manner.

    Sizzle.~

    An eerie sizzling noise erupted, making many jump on their toes.

    What monster had they unleashed? What dangers were about to reach them?

    Though the grandmaster was here, there was still an unprecedented fear in their little hearts when seeing such a scene.

    Maggots fell from the smoke, and the sounds of insects swarming within still buzzed in the ears.

    But what''s this? They first saw a face printed out on the fog, followed by a pair of hands and feet molding into form as though it were a person wearing a cloak.

    Oh my God!!

    Whether it was Cang Ingard or even Langshu herself, everyone in the room ced their hands on their mouths, pushing back the regurgitating fluids that were trying to escape their bodies.

    Blup!!!!~~

    UGLY!

    Have you ever seen something so ugly as this?

    Once again, the Ingards were refreshed by how ugly these many supernatural beings were.

    They thought the one they dyed with back then was the most terrifying.

    But now, they knew just how wrong they were.

    And this was just the beginning of the being''s metamorphosis.

    Smoke!

    The smoke swirled and twirled dangerously in the air, apanied by the strange flickers of the lights and the strong winds within the formation.

    And soon, the being finally took its full monstrous form.

    One step back, another bigger step backward.

    Everyone higher themselves, subconsciously creating distance between the formation''s wall and themselves.

    "How can such a thing exist?"

    Simone murdered what everyone thought.

    The creature was a strange but gruesome-looking one.

    It was well over 15 feet tall, with its back pressing on the ceiling and its body forcefully hunched.

    Its hands were so long that they touched the ground from that height.

    Rotting... Ugly... Maggots... Hideous.

    Its body was riddled with a thousand holes that gave everyone a sneak peek into its maggot-infested body.

    But even more rming was that the being had a strange shield-likeyer over its body, simr to a well-polished Silver mirror.

    Everywhere one looked, they would see their reflection shot right back at them.

    "Mirror Gollum."

    Dorian''s calm voice echoed out, making everyone feel goosebumps erode their being.

    Mirror Gollum��

    Butler Sheng tightened his grip on the pinkish talisman in his hand.

    Without this, he and any weaker than the being would be blinded for a long substantial time.

    The being''s mirror-like body as well as its thousand eye

    Everyone sucked in their breaths, looking at the full rotting being before them.

    This alone was enough to give them sleepless nights!

    .

    Whoosh!

    Dorian swung his weapon fast, turning it into a sword that emitted a faint bluish light.<sub> </sub>

    Bam!

    "You! You! You!... You! You!... How can a person like you exist in this world?"

    The being''s eerie voice resounded. And apanied by its trembling body, many couldn''t help wondering what it meant by those words.

    "No! No!... You are not supposed to exist here!"

    Why?

    Why was such a human here in this world? This didn''t add up!!!

    The creature was dumbfounded and submerged in fear that it wished it could be one with the walls.

    Who can tell it why it was so unfortunate to meet such a being?

    What''s more, though it was a lesser underworld soldier for one of the main princes, it still knows more than the average underworld being.

    So seeing Dorian''s appearance was enough to give it shivers.

    ''No! No!... Impossible! How did one slip in without our knowledge? Dammit! I have to report this matter fast! But how? The gateways have been sealed indefinitely!!!''

    The mirror Gollum only felt its entire world tumbling down.

    The creature''s heart was throbbing uncontrobly.

    You have to know that since told to stay behind and continue causing havoc to these puny humans here because his strength wouldn''t be needed in the war currently taking ce in the underworld.

    With its strength, those night generals and others would kill a thousand of it with a single stroke of their weapons.

    It was but a few hundred years old, nothing worth mentioningpared to those who had lived for millenniums and even past the many eras humanity had lived through.

    The gateways were closed right, at least until the wars were 8/10th done.

    The enemy they were up against was their kind. Scheming, monstrously powerful, and sneaky.

    The Old princes of hell were taking no chances to get information about this world slip by, or give the enemy a chance to enter this world.

    So of course the gateways would be shut!

    But why were they so confident that nothing would happen within this time?

    Simple.

    Because if the heavens did send angels or others here, the special barriers around the gateways would meet them in the presence of such beings entering the world.

    It took an entire millennium to slowly put the barriers up, as well as continuously shield this world away.

    Of course, only a few knew this was done with the help of that bastard who called himself Loki millenniums ago.

    How he knew of such a powerful thing was beyond them. But with a simple exchange of some underworld objects for instructions on creating the barrier, things were settled.

    The exchange started well but ended with many wanting to slice Loki into a million pieces.

    Sigh...

    What a hateful fellow.

    The creature didn''t know how the big princes came up with the barriers, but this alone was enough to alert them if any being from above descended to help humanity.

    For thousands and millions of years, nothing has ever changed.

    So they were confident enough to leave the world in the hands of the many small fries, at least until the war was over.

    But who can tell it why during this period, an exorcist would emerge from the shadows?

    This was bad!... This was bad!...

    ''How do I contact the underworld? No! I have to flee and hide for the time being!''

    Dammit!

    The creature gritted its teeth carefully.

    Run! Run!!!

    His body moved fast.

 Chapter 344 Problem Solved; To The Gias We Go!

    "What to run?"

    Dorian leaped into the air and drew a faint blush circle.

    "Empyrean Breath!"

    Boom!!!

    The ground ruled dangerously as everyone watched the many bluish streaks of light shoot right through the creature.

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!~

    The creature released a ghoulish cry that made many stand frozen with terror.

    Hands In their ears, many dropped to their ground, not wanting to hear such brutal cries.

    "Sword of a thousand cries!"

    sh! sh! sh! Bam!

    Many turned their eyes away, no longer having the guts to watch such a gruesome death scene.

    One second, Dorian was in the air sending a this and ded shes at the mirror Gollum.

    Greenish goo shed on the formation walls.

    Left, right, up, down... The Grandmaster didn''t break a sweat, treating the Gollum like meat on a butcher''s te.

    Maggots spilling everywhere, the creature wailing at the top of its lungs... Everyone felt it hard to exin their current emotions.

    You say the Grandmaster was a brutal being. But he was doing this to save them.

    Again, you say he was a kind person. But the level of brutality they were witnessing with their very eyes was enough to make many ancients shiver at such torturous means.

    Pouf!!~

    The creative sprayed blood while crawling on the ground and leaving a trail of greenish goo wherever it passed.

    It was a shock that a being well over 12 feet tall was now reduced to these many patches of rotting flesh.

    "Please... Please... Let me go... Have mercy! Have mercy on me!!"

    "Have mercy?" The corners of Dorian''s lips raised sarcastically. "Don''t be silly."

    This being was unlike the others he had dealt with before.

    Moreover, it had a symbol on its hand, simr to a tattoo of ownership, showing it was a soldier to own or the princes.

    Hehehehe~

    Though at the bottom of the soldier chain, a creature of its kind should be well aware of what will happen if it gets into the hands of a person such as himself, no?

    Dorian exerted a deadly force that made the creature wail in sorrow.

    Good, God! Make it stop!

    The cries sounded like a million goats being throttled on a farm.

    The little fat on everyone''s cheeks began shaking uncontrobly, feeling their bodies shiver nonstop.

    "Cry in silence, or I won''t mind ripping your mouth out."

    Noisy.

    "..."

    The creature had real tears but dared not cry out anymore.

    What sort of bully was this?

    (:Y0Y:)

    Dorian had no care for its emotions."You will tell me everything I want to know... Or I assure you... I can make you pass through unspeakable."

    Dorian''s voice was low, unhurried, and evenzy. Yet, it was a voice that nightmares were made of.

    The creature twisted its neck unnaturally just in time to catch the dangerous light in Dorian''s eyes.

    Gulp.

    The creature swallowed hard, opening its mouth to spew its words of ''truth.''

    For this monstrous human, its intuition told it never to doubt his words!

    1, 2, 3...

    5 minutes had time by, with Dorian listening to both lies and truths mixed in its words.

    The creature was unwilling to die just like that, even though it was threatened.

    Thus, it decided to let its killer (Dorian) provoke any other powerful beings around.

    Yes!

    Though they, the ''small'' fries, had been left behind to stay In this world, even amongst them, there were still many powerful.

    The creature didn''t believe that if they came at this human all at once, they wouldn''t be able to rectify the bastard!

    What''s more, the strength of this human seemed simr to one of the big ''small'' fries around.

    So this alone shows that this human wasn''t so imprable as it thought.

    Too bad it would be love to see its revenge unfold. But knowing it was sending the human to another big guy, the creature felt relieved.<sub> </sub>

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh~~

    The creature''s wails were getting lower and lower the longer it tried to catch its breath.

    "Exorcist... Exorcist... I swear! That''s all I know!!"

    Dorian remained silent, calmly taking off his gloves.

    [You, an underworld creature, still knows to swear?]

    The system didn''t know whether to smack its head or call it an idiot.

    Could it be that this Gollum wasn''t aware of how the heavenly doa involving generating worked?

    In what way did it involve underworld beings?

    They could make a promise for revenge. But swearing was meaningless to their kind who were filled and naturally born with nothing but scheming, lying, and so on.

    Who would believe a sweater oath made by an underworld being?

    The system rolled its eyes, finally focusing on its host''s actions.

    In the end, it could only sigh with worry while looking toward the heavens.

    [Master... Are you sure my host is a good guy?]

    The level of its host''s brutality made it question its master''s results.

    Shiver. Shiver...

    Its host is really scary.

    (:T��T:)

    .

    Crack!

    Dorian severed the creature''s head directly off its neck before moving his hands once more.

    1, 2, 3...

    Everyone could only see after images of his fingers moving like that of a ninja.

    So fast!

    It was even faster than his actions before. And soon, the formation Butler Sheng drew out earlier on the wall also lit up.

    Boom!

    A strange light shot onto the creature''s many severed pieces, causing them to rise as though they were rocks levitating above the moon''s surface.

    Butler Sheng tightened his grip on Langshu while facing the others in the room.

    "Hold on to the papers and whatever you do... Don''t let it go!!!"

    The order was given, and everyone held on to the pinkish talisman papers that were now withering away, turning into ash little by little.

    The time was almost up for these special talisman papers.

    Dorian had toplete his exorcism fast before the papers disappeared, or the inevitable would happen... Blindness!

    ~Swswshwswshwsw~

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!~~~

    "It hurts! Dammit, Exorcist! Damn you and all your kind!!!"

    The creature cursed while Dorian chanted.

    And just like the paper, the creature''s body slowly withered and vanished into thin air.

    Everyone subconsciously closed their eyes as backup, just in case the paper in their hands burnt off and ran out.

    Zee Ingard had never felt so close to death as today.

    --Silence--

    The eerie carries vanished; and now, the entire room was filled with quiet.

    But what to do?

    Open or keep their eyes closed?

    "Open."

    Everyone didn''t obey the order at first butter peeked with caution.

    Look left, look right... Look up, look down...

    Was it finally over?

    Dorian looked at his watch, tacking more of the time.

    Good.

    They would be able to make it to the Gia estate on time.

    Yes... It was time to board the jet!

 Chapter 345 Langshus True End!

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Another 10 minutes passed, with Dorian executing Langshu''s divine punishment.

    The audience had pale faces, watching the vibrant and beautiful Langshu transform into what she currently looked.

    Her skin was stained with a sickly yellowish tone, and her back permanently arched downwards like an elderly person.

    She began to limp on one foot, and her hair looked too thin for a person her age. Not to talk of the fact that it turned white overnight.

    But maybe where the heavens gave her a way out was that she still looked somewhat good-looking facially, with no boils and pimples in sight.

    But when taking a whiff of that foul stench emitting from her, who would care about her beauty, now average-looking face?

    Everyone pinned their noses with their fingers, finding her stench intolerable.

    Sure... It wasn''t as unbearable as those emitting from those creatures.

    But still... It made their nostrils itch and their brains buzz in pain.

    As for Langshu, such a change had made her drop to the knees before Dorian, groveling at his feet like a leper.

    Her eyes had permanent bags underneath and were now red with panic when looking at the godly youngster before her.

    "No! No! No! You can''t leave me like this. I swear! I didn''t know that monster was so evil!!"

    Fine! She did ask it to kill her sister and her nephew, which waspletely okay with her.

    But what she meant by saying it was evil was that it also counted her.

    .

    Yes!

    It said earlier that it would do all these things and more for her, not wanting anything in return.

    Such a sweet deal... Who wouldn''t take it?

    At first, she felt it was too good to be true. But the series of things it spoke of, as well as its experience with the many other humans before her, only made her decision shake in favor of agreeing to its help.

    It said it had aided ministers, governors, and many others by fulfilling 3 simple wishes, like a genie in amp.

    Thinking of all the fantasy stories of genies, the more she thought of it, the more convinced she was that there wouldn''t be any repercussions to her actions.

    Hey... She even thought she would use her 3rd andst wish to free the ''genie'' from the ne after executing her 2nd wish.

    But who would''ve been the nice ''genie'' she thought was always by her side was a monster that not only her body but would too?

    For this, Langshu had true tears but dared not cry too loudly before the youngster.

    .

    Truthfully, Langshu didn''t know that bastard monster would drain her the more of her wishes itpleted.

    When hearing of what would''ve happened to her if the Grandmaster hadn''t put a stop to it, she couldn''t help shielding all the more.

    F***!

    So even if she ended up marrying the Zee, her remaining lifespan would''ve been swallowed by 80%?

    What''s more, after the final wish gotpleted, she would''ve just diedpletely?

    Augh~

    Even at this, Langshu didn''t feel grateful that Dorian stepped in and saved her.

    What a joke!

    With a body like this and a foul odor driving men several miles away, how was she supposed to live?

    Which woman did not love beauty and good looks?

    Now, she was average at best, with a hunched back and a pungent smell that would never let Zee get tempted to have an affair with her.

    Yes! She still hadn''t given up on Zee Ingard yet.

    She clenched her fists and lowered her eyes to hide the hatred sparing in them.

    ''If... If... If I can regain my original appearance, I''m sure I can persevere and make him realize that my love for him is real.''

    Even if she grew to 80 without aplishing her goal, she would never give up!

    Maybe it was true love, or perhaps it was just herpetitive and selfish nature to always grab everything Lishu had.

    But in this life, she was determined to get Zee Ingard before dying!

    This, she secretly swore.

    But for that, she needed her appearance back, and this pungent smell vaporized.

    .

    Thinking like this, Langshu was willing to pick Dorian''s feet if it came to it, hoping he returned her to the state she was in a while ago.

    Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pleaded her case.

    "Grandmaster, give me... I didn''t know what that minister wanted to do. Or else how couldn''t have allowed it go on? Look! Look! I''m the real victim here. It manipted me to its every whim!!!"

    Manipted? Who are you fooling?<sub> </sub>

    (>��?��)

    Everyone in the room looked cold, recalling how happy she was when returning, probably thinking of finding off young master Cang.

    Looking at her very desperate and haggard appearance, many felt like rushing to her and knocking out a few of her teeth.

    Shameless!!

    Langshu was still begging, not caring what anyone thought of her.

    Her voice was riddled with worry, and her body constantly twitching at every turn.

    She seemed to be looking for hope of any sign.

    "Sister!... You and I have grown up for so long together. I know me so well. So tell the Grandmaster I was deceived!"

    --Silence--

    Lishu''s silence made Langshu boil in hate and helplessness.

    "Sister! Why are you so wicked? You clearly know I''m innocent, so why aren''t you helping me out?... Little Cang... Aunty''s favorite nephew... You know aunty so well. Com''on... Tell them I can never do such a thing... Brother Zee... Please tell--"

    "Enough!!!"

    Zee Ingard board, not wanting to see this pathetic sight anymore.

    The muscles in his jaws were clenched. "Someonee! Take her away, pack her bags and throw her out!"

    Like the wind, several people appeared before the desperate Langshu.

    "No! No! Brother Zee!... You can''t do this to me! You are making a mistake! I am your one true love!!!... I don''t believe it!... B**ch!... It''s you, right?... What did you tell brother Zee to make him hate me so much?"

    Lishu was dumbfounded, seeing the hatred shown on Langshu''s face.

    What sort of neuropathy was this?

    She was the one whose family was almost destroyed here. So why was Langshu acting like the real victim?

    .

    Forget it... Forget it...

    Such people would never own up to their own mistakes, always pushing the me on others.

    Even a bound person could see her husband, Zee had never liked her sister.

    So how did it turn to her being the 3rd party to their ''true-love'' story?

    Augh~

    Lishu massaged her forehead, not wanting to wallow in her sister''s matter anymore.

    Even if she died and met her parents in the afterlife, she didn''t think they would me her for everything that unfolded.

    It was her sister who stretched her hands too far, trying to grab what didn''t belong to her.

    Seeing her distorted face, her son and husband warmly hugged her while watching the ''mad'' woman get dragged out.

    "No! No! You can''t do this to me!... You can''t do this to me!"

    Genuine tears of pain fell down Langshu''s cheeks, especially after seeing Zee Ingard''s icy gaze.

    "Brother Zee... I divorced my husband for you. I did it all so we could live together forever in bliss. So don''t betray our love... Brother Zee! Don''t be fooled by my sister''s pretentious appearance. She''s just a given who is only after your money! Believe me, brother Zee! She''s just a greedy b**ch who''s ying with your emotions... Brother Zee... Brother Zee!!!~~..."

    Langshu''s cries grew lower and lower the further from the room she got until no one could hear her cries anymore.

    .

    Everyone released a collective sigh of relief.

    It can be seen that before they left the building, they might have to tranquilize her with the rate at which she kept kicking and fussing.

    If they threw her out like this, won''t she camp at the gate, refusing to go?

    Zee Ingard left his head guard to deal with these matters, trusting he would find a way to make her appear in her private estate.

    As for whether those working in her estate would recognize her or treat her as an imposter... The Grandmaster had indeed said they should no longer do anything to get anymore.

    If Langshu was smart, she could tell people she had a failed stic surgery resulting in her current appearance because if she said the Grandmaster magically did this to her, many would no doubt lock her up in a loony bin.

    All in all, her fingerprints and DNA could still identify that she was indeed Langshu.

    So how she dealt with her current state was none of their business.

    From today, she would be banned anywhere close to their estate and many properties!!!

    And just like that, the Ingard case waspletely closed, with the family paying the final amount owed, as well as buying off as many protective talismans as they could.

    The group looked at Dorian warmly.

    "Thank you... Thank you, Grandmaster!!"

    <o>,m "Hmmm..." Dorian replied, already seated at the back of his limo with the window rolled down.</o>

    Alright.

    To the Gia estate!

 Chapter 346 Making An Entrance

    Like so, Dorian was off to the Gia estate.

    But in the meantime, a certain grumpy man had long arrived at his family''s main estate, wanting nothing more than to chew the heads off several others.

    .

    --3 hours ago--

    .

    "Wee back, Old head."

    "Wee, Old head."

    "Wee..."

    "Wee..."

    "Bah! Wee, yourself!!!"

    The old man was so furious that hepletely disregarded everyone''s greetings.

    How?...

    How can they treat him like this? Is it that they''re looking down on him, or are they just trying to anger him to death?

    Bloody bastards!!

    The short old man whipped his can around maniacally, like a ninja ready for war.

    What a firecracker.

    The many guards inwardly thought with helpless expressions on their faces.

    Sigh...

    Even as the old man grew, he had always been very hot-tempered.

    One might think age would slow him down. But that would be wrong.

    And the person who inherited his firecracker personality was also the young master, the future head of their n/family.

    "How dare those bastards? How dare they do much on my site and still refuse to give me a sound exnation? Outrageous! Just who do they think they are?"

    In a grand hall, the many guards in ck suits surrounded the old man, listening to him kick and make a fuss.

    One moment he would sit, and another, he would stand and wave his cane around maniacally.

    Such a habit was somon whenever the old man was around that now, several minds wereing in with soft futons to ce on the floors.

    "You! You!... I''m not a baby that I would fall at every turn!"

    "Yes, yes, yes... Old head." The head maid and all the other maids replied while still cing the futons with calm expressions.

    "..."

    The old man felt aggrieved, feeling bullied in his own home.

    (:T^T:)

    .

    "You!... Forget it! Call that traitorous grandson of mine now!!!"

    Traitor... Traitor... How dare he side with outsiders?

    The old man finally sat, crossing his arms against his chest while keeping his feet apart and tapping them impatiently.

    "Useless grandson! Worthless boy! Stupid Ghu bastard! Despicable Ghu tigress!... Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!" He mumbled and grumbled, waiting for his ''favorite'' grandson to descend.

    Well!

    The boy had better speak up about the matters that day, or... or... The idiot won''t be his favorite anymore!

    Hmph!!

    Old Bho twisted his mouth to heaven while inwardly thinking of all the arrogant words he would spew onto Bho Jin if the boy didn''t rify things.

    And sure enough. The ancients were right.

    While in wait and making imaginative ns, time sure does go fast.

    In no time, the one he had been waiting for finally descended.

    "Grandpa! When did you get back? Aren''t you scheduled to return in another 2 weeks? How was your trip? Why didn''t you inform me to pick you up at the airport?"

    Bho Jin''s warm eyes melted a great deal of rage Old Bho had pent up inside.

    (^��^)

    As expected of his most dotted grandson.

    The joy on the boy''s face wasn''t fake. Bho Jin truly loved his grandfather, worrying about him at every turn like an old mother.

    The old man''s face instantly grew softer when he saw Bho Jin.

    But recalling his purpose foring back early, he still kept his face tight and angry.

    "Don''t Grandpa me! I don''t dare to answer such words from a traitor like you!!!!"

    "..."

    .

    Traitor?

    Blink. Blink.

    Bho Jin felt it hard to keep up with his Grandfather.

    In what way had he be a traitor? Wasn''t he already good to his grandpa?

    Or wait!

    ... Could it be that old age is catching the old man, making him speak gibberish?

    Bah!!!

    If the old man knew what his precious grandson thought, he would no doubt take his can and smack the fool in the head several times over.

    Who is old and confused?

    (*��*)

    "Grandpa, forgive this grandson of yours for being too stupid toprehend your words. But what are you talking about?"

    Old Bho gritted his teeth. "What am I talking about? You ask me what I''m talking about?... Good, good, good stupid, treacherous grandson. Can it be you''ve forgotten what happened at our Bho Firefly House Of Rocks & Crystals?"

    Very slowly, Old Bho stood from his seat, pointing his cane at Bho Jin arrogantly.

    "You dear boy, you have guts!! You not only sat there and watched those Ghus close down the site for a few hours, but you also dared to hide the truth about what actually went down from me??"<sub> </sub>

    Bam!!

    Old Bho smacked his cane hard on the ground with a powerful force that almost broke the cane apart.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.~

    Bho Jin''s heart thumped loudly.

    Sure enough, his grandfather was still as powerful as he used to be when he was young.

    Growing up in the main house, he had witnessed his grandfather''s disy of strength over the years.

    Old Bho''s face turned an interesting shade of red when building his rage inwardly.

    The more he spoke andined, the angrier he grew.

    .

    One has to know even after that day, the Ghus had never told him the real truth about the matter.

    The excuses they gave were indeed believable. But knowing the Ghu couple personally, he felt they were covering up the real truth of the matter.

    His instincts even to this day, told him he was right.

    What''s more, the Ghus had suddenly stopped taking his calls, as though they were the highest people in the world.

    And even when they finally did pick up his call, it was as though they were calling from outer space because ether location was untraceable.

    Yes! That''s right.

    To investigate what happened on his site, he did send a few of his men to try finding out what the Ghus had been up to.

    However, who would''ve known they were on the moon in an untraceable ce?

    At first he was so worried for safety because no matter how much he cursed at them, they were still his friends.

    But after worry came anger.

    He also felt they should be alright wherever they were. Moreover, his hunch told him their current non-traceability should have something to do with what took ce in his Bho Site.

    Additionally, because the ce belonged to his family, wasn''t it his responsibility to know precisely what hidden dangers had visited the site in advance?

    Of course, his grandson wasn''t meaning things easier for him seeing as he kept bringing things over every time they spoke on the phone.

    Thus, with all the weirdness going on, old Bho stopped his ns short,ing straight home to investigate things for himself.

    .

    Bho Jin looked at his grandfather, knowing eventually, he wouldn''t be able to keep the truth away from him.

    He and old Bho have always been close.

    So he honestly wanted to tell the truth.

    But the question now would be whether his grandfather would believe it or not.

    Even if it were him and someone told him there was a big supernatural battle that took ce, he... He would quickly call a doctor to have the person''s brain checked!

    So you see... It''s not that he didn''t want to say, but the truth was far more fantasy-like than the lie he and the Ghus conjured up.

    "Grandpa..." Bho Jin was helpless. "I... I..."

    Ring!!~

    The phone rang loudly. And Bho Jin inwardly sighed with relief.

    Saved by the bell.

    Old Bho squinted his eyes, suspiciously staring at Bho Jin while taking the phone from the guard''s hand.

    "Old head... It''s Capkah!"

    "Hmmm..." Old Bho nodded, waiting for the guard to step.

    "It better be good."

    [Old head. It''s more than good. The Ghus are finally back on the map! And from the looks of it, they''re headed for the Gia residence] The deep voice on the other end told.

    At least they''re fine and alive.

    That was Old Bho''s first reaction, followed by wonder.

    ''Gia residence?...''

    He stared at the ground, with no one knowing what he thought.

    "Put a hold on all lookouts. Since they''ve resurfaced and are well, there''s no need for anything else. Resume your previous tasks."

    [Understood, old head.]

    Tut...

    The phone call ended.

    But Old Bho was still staring at the floor, with no one knowing what he thought.

    Things were getting more and more strange.

    But as a good friend, how can he not crash their little party at the Gia residence?

    .

    Old Bho tapped his cane on the ground lightly as though running several schemes in his mind.

    Everyone only stood still, too familiar with the old man''s moods.

    Now, he looked nothing like his earlier firecracker self.

    Now, he was calm, which can only mean one thing.

    "Get the cars ready. And boy, you''reing with me."

    Bho Jin was taken aback, looking at his Grandfather''s mischievous look.

    He has ns of his own. But with Old Bho in this state, how dare he say anything contrary?

    He had a bad feeling about this.

    Gulp.

    He parched his throat, helplessly opening his mouth. "Grandpa... Where are we headed?"

    Old Bho stopped dead in his tracks.

    Where?

    "To storm the Gia residence, of course!!"

    "..."

 Chapter 347 And Then, The Gang Converged

    --Main Gia Estate--

    .

    Several people were gathered together in a hall, taking tea while talking about the few experiences they had as Academy Elders.

    They, as elders, were the first group to have broken past their mortal shells before the students did.

    Hahahaha~

    It was a whole new ballgame when one was no longer held back by their mortal shell.

    These old men who needed their canes from time to time now found their backs straighter and their faces 8 years younger.

    But that wasn''t all.

    A few white strands of hair on their beards and heads had reverted to their original color.

    Their wrinkles had faded, a few chubby and fatty regions of their bodies had slimmed down, and their teeth stronger too.

    What was this?

    Super hearing?

    They could hear things in a greater range than when they were younger. And the sses some of them wore were deemed useless.

    Their eyes were perfectly fine, if not better!

    Damn. Was this a secret way to the fountain of youth?

    When they returned, several people were too shocked.

    What the hell happened?

    Had these old guys gone to do stic surgery, bone regeneration, and other crazy things in just these few days?

    Many who didn''t know the inside scoop were bbergasted, with their jaws dropped low to the ground.

    Why? When? How?... Who are you again?

    .

    Today, if any matriarchs in high society saw old madam Ghu, they could grit their teeth, not caring about her high status, and corner her for the truth.

    F***!

    Why do you look so naturally young all of a sudden?

    The key is that there are no signs of stic surgery, with her skin looking so smooth and her hair growing longer and thicker, though it was still mostly filled with grays.

    Also, looking at Ruddie, Chiyou''s mother.

    Her waist was thinner, smaller, and entuated her body better. Her looks had suddenly improved up a notch, making one think she was in herte 20s.

    But this was someone''s mother!!!!

    Old Mia, who escaped the mirror worldst time, also had great chances resembling that of Old madam Ghu.

    At this point, could one say cultivation changed them into fairies?

    Their skins even looked better than those in the entertainment industry.

    The guards who hadn''t gone into the Academy were in awe, standing firm around the massive hall proudly.

    They had to say they were greatly honored to be in the presence of these people whose auras were coaching tigers and hidden dragons!!

    That is... Even from the doors and walls far away, they could still feel their hidden instincts, telling them not to mess with these powerful people.

    Bear in mind that Old Gia and the rest had covered their auras, seemingly acting normal.

    But from years of experience around old Gia, these guards could sense the changes in him.

    How...

    How terrible!

    .

    "Elder Endo, I heard you had just mastered the 3rd stage of the fisted Roar?"

    Endo smiled, calmly drinking the tea in his hand.

    After experiencing life and death severally in the academy grounds and going in advertised on his own, he was far different from the scared man who escaped the mirror world back then.

    Everyone looked at Endo in shock.

    What? So soon, he had reached the 3rd stage?

    You have to know that from Pandrol''s words, this skill called the Fisted Roar was aplex one far difficult to master.

    They know this because before Endo picked it up, many secretly tried to see if they could understand or even beginprehending what it was about.

    But to no avail, their efforts were useless.

    However, Endo was strolling in the library, looking for a skill to choose when suddenly, the book fell into his hands.

    Destiny?

    Pandrol only smiled, not deterring him from trying.

    And sure enough, the book seemed to have called him attracted to his innate talents and abilities.

    As expected of an elder chosen by the Grandmaster.

    Despite his humble background, his talents were second to Old Gia.

    Everyone had been too stunned for words after hearing the fairytale-like meeting between Endo and the book.

    The way they looked at him had once again changed.

    Now, they expected great things from him after getting such a magical calling.

    .

    "Please... You all praise and think too much of me." Endo said humbly, taking another sip. "Speaking of which, I happen to stumble across a fascinating sculpture that I believe is your work at the blue rose fountain?"<sub> </sub>

    Old madam Ghu smiled. "Yes."

    For her attributes, she had True Spiritual Roots.

    To break it down, spiritual roots with a mix of 4 or 5 were called <False Spiritual roots>, making one''s talent average at best.

    True spiritual roots were but a mix of 2 or 3.

    And Heavenly Spiritual roots was when one had but one attribute, naming them pure and more powerful than all the rest. Such people like Endo and Old Gia would take little to no time to advance.

    Of course, those with True Spiritual roots were slightly average, making per se a B+ mark at best if one was to be graded in school.

    It wasn''t bad and still good.

    Again, this B+ marl could be given to those in his category with a mix of only 2 attributes. 3 attributes would result in a Simple B or B-.

    Bottom line, the more attributes one had, the less potential their future would hold.

    But now, what made her and the rest of the elders who weren''t Heavenly Spiritual root owners special, was the presence of one of their attributes being mutated!

    .

    That''s right!

    She, old Ghu, fell in the True Spiritual Root category, having 2 attributes.

    But surprisingly, both attributes fused and joined into one, forming a stronger attribute --- Ice!

    It should be noted that a person with a mutated spiritual root was just as powerful as a person with heavenly Spiritual Roots.

    In a nutshell, the B+ region was no longer her category.

    Now, she could shoot for an A- or an A. But with her potential, reaching an A+ and beyond like Endo and Old Gia wasn''t going to be easy.

    But this much, she was grateful and content with.

    Furthermore, if she and the other elders with mutated roots got the perfect cultivation art that matched their attributes by 90~100%, they would undoubtedly be the strongest amongst their peers, even deadlier than the Heavenly root holders like Old Gia.

    Hmm...

    Old madam Ghu smiled, thinking of the many ice sculptures she created when practicing her cultivation art.

    She kept her courtyard in the academy chilly, liking the cooler atmosphere more.

    Fortunately for her, her husband, Old Ghu, was a person with an ordinary root; Fire, and a mutated root; Light.

    He didn''t seem to be bothered with her keeping the ce icy.

    He seemed to love defrosting her ice, practicing his fire ability and moves.

    Old Hou, deputy director Xiang Shore, and everyone else grinned, conversing about their progress and further confusing the many guards around.

    Ice sculptures? Thunder attributes?...

    What exactly are they talking about?

    Though they were trying to eavesdrop, they couldn''t help themselves, wondering if the conversation was some coded one.

    However, before they could react, the door suddenly burst open and in came a guard holding a walkie-talkie at hand.

    .

    "Pardon the intrusion." The guard said, humbly bowing before the gang.

    "Yes, what is it?" The Old Gia asked calmly.

    "A group of uninvited guests have arrived, demanding to see the Ghus. They said they were invited to the part and wouldn''t leave until they enjoyed the feast."

    Party? Feast?

    Everyone frowned.

    Who is it?

    Have they no respect? Have they no shame?

    Old Gia knew he hadn''t called for anyone or was expecting anyone other than the Grandmaster.

    Even the Ghus were trying to find out if they had some urgent meeting they pushed back, so much that the uninvited visitor would look for them so diligently.

    Who?

    Who is it that dared to brazenlye here to the ever-powerful Gia main residence without an invite?

    "It''s Old Bho."

    Boom!

    Several people stood without dy.

    Old Bho? As in that firecracker?

    Wasn''t he supposed to be out by now?

    They knew that if they did by seeing this lunatic, he would even camp outside the Gia residence forever, making trouble nonstop.

    Sigh...

    Even old Gia and Old Hou, when recycling how crazy this guy was back in the days, felt a tinge of headache already.

    Forget it... Why not see him fast and chase him away before the Grandmaster came?

    "Let him in."

    "Yes, Old master."

    When faced with such a person, what else could one do?

    The guard spoke into his Walkie-Talkie, and outside the estate, Old Bho was smirking like a lunatic.

    "Hahahaha~... They dare not let me stay out for long. Drive! Drive! Get into the bloody estate!!!"

    He wanted to see just how much they were hiding from him!

 Chapter 348 Old Bhos Five Stages

    Old Bho didn''t even wait for those around to open his door.

    He bloody well did it himself, mming it so hard that many watching had the fusion the door bounced on and off the vehicle severally.

    Bam!!

    ''...''

    Old man... Why do you look like you are here to participate in the next world war?

    Bho Jin stepped out of the car, feeling too embarrassed with the way everyone was looking at them.

    The heavens knew he loved his grandfather. But sometimes, the old man was too much.

    So much time has gone by since the incident. And he''s still this angry?

    For his grandfather? The man had 5 stages of anger.

    His 1st stage would be to ask the same question a million times, rambling without end.

    And if the matter isn''t resolved yet, he enters stage 2... The scary silent mood.

    His grandfather would turn silent, never opening his mouth, only texting or using his eyes to speak of it was too important.

    In this phase, he would act as though the many humans around him were invisible.

    Stage 3 was a roughly scarier version of stage 2, with him being so silent, you''d think he lost his ability to think.

    Sometimes, he would creep into a room like a ninja in stealth mode with no one hearing his footsteps.

    Sigh...

    And then there was stage 4��the loud and angry mode.

    All that silence and bottled-up feelings would explode like a volcano, with him swinging his cane like some martial arts master.

    At this stage, it would be great if the matter got solved before the ultimate stage emerged.

    Too bad his grandfather still had no answer.

    Yup!

    Before they left for the Gia residence, his grandfather was still in stage 4.

    But when he got word about the Ghus resurfacing but not calling him, his dear, sweet grandpa entered phase 5.

    Now... He was a little coo-coo. And hands would fly if anyone asked for a fight.

    Bho Jin had to winder...

    Whose grandfather was the same as his?

    Old people are supposed to be calm and collected like sages.

    Yet, his own grandfather was still bloody energetic, acting like a punk in his 20s.

    And what was up with his energy?

    If he was this age and this energetic, Bho Jin couldn''t help wondering how terrible he was back in his younger days.

    But wait...

    Scarier than this was that Old madam Ghu whooped his grandfather''s ass on several asions?

    He heard his grandfather had never won a single match against her.

    He did beat Old Ghu, though. But old madam Ghu was a force to be reckoned with that kept his grandfather obedient.

    He heard whenever Old Bho caused trouble, Old madam Ghu would descend into the Bho residence, beating his grandfather right before histe grandmother.

    Histe grandmother was Old madam Ghu''s best friend. Maybe it was because of this that Old madam Ghu went easy on Old Bho,pared to the many he smashed back in her days.

    Even Old Gia had to give thedy some respect.

    Bho Jin sighed, seeing death closer than ever.

    But his grandfather seemed oblivious to it all!

    .

    "Bahahahahahahah~... What a nice day! I feel so alive!!"

    Old Bho at his phase 5, was jolly and merry with an apparent mix of craziness about him.

    The old man ced his hands behind his back, no longer his cane to walk about.

    The cane was in his hands.<sub> </sub>

    "Right this way, old master Bho." A guard gestured with the utmost respect.

    Who was Old Bho? He used to be the head of the entire Bho n.

    He too was a powerful force to be reckoned with, and has visited the Gia estate on several asions.

    So they weren''t unfamiliar with him.

    It was just that the old man had a fiery temper.

    Old Bho walked in, loudly humming a song Bho Jin was too familiar with.

    This...

    Wasn''t this his grandfather''s favorite war song?

    (-_-)

    Back in the Grand Gia hall, everyone was waiting to see the firecracker emerge.

    Even Endo and the others who had never seen him before couldn''t help looking forward to his arrival.

    The way Old Gia and these big shits reacted, showed they didn''t hate the intruder but were just too helpless against the guy.

    The group chuckled, wanting to watch the show.

    And sure enough, the star emerged, stepping in before the guards at the door could introduce his arrival.

    Hahahahhaha~

    "So this is where the party is being held?"

    "..."

    .

    Bho Jin smirked, yfully taking his time to walk across the vast open space.

    However, when he got close enough, he forgot his anger, jumping and pointing at the group he recognized.

    In particr, he pointed at Old madam Ghu.

    "You!~... You, you, you, you... I knew you were always a witch!!!"

    (''0'')

    Look at her appearance? How could she change so much in such a short time?

    stic surgery? Don''t be ridiculous! He didn''t know what stic surgery could act this fast and have instant recovery this quick.

    Bho Jin looked at Old Ghu, Xiang Shore, Old Hou, and Old Gia, almost jumping out of his socks. Yet, he still pointed at old madam Ghu.

    "You!... What witchly powers did you use on them? Are they still even my friends?... Bro... If you''ve been kidnapped, blink twice!"

    "Damn it, old fool!" Old madam Ghu, who had been calm and collected, suddenly burst out. " You old buffoon! Why don''t you say it to my face again?"

    "Oh? Have your ears suddenly left you, old hag? I''ve said�� THIS IS YOUR DOING!! Now it makes sense why I could never beat you in a fight. You aren''t even human to begin with!!!"

    And whether it was Xiang Shore, Old Gia, Old Hou, or Old Ghu, they shifted away subconsciously.

    "You bastard! Why do you always me me for everything? Are they babies to be fooled so easily?"

    "Impossible! Only you have the power to turn white to dark. So how can this not have anything to do with you?"

    "You old fool! I might beat you till your heart stops!!!"

    "Huh! You wish, don''t you! You wish to finish me off with your witchy ways. But I have 10 hearts and can''t be killed by the likes of you!!"

    "Smelly bastard!"

    "Rotten witch!"

    "Octopus head!"

    "Bamboo legs!!"

    "Imbecile!"

    "Oh yeah... Nipoop!"

    (*��*)

    ...

 Chapter 349 Hes Here!!

    "Smelly bastard!"

    "Rotten witch!"

    "h, h, h!"

    (*��*)

    [Everyone]: (-_-)

    ...

    Watching the duo go at it, Bho Jin wished the floor could open up and swallow him now.

    ''Grandpa... Aren''t you too embarrassed to keep going on?''

    In truth, this quarrel let off most of Old Bho''s steamy anger.

    And after 5 whole minutes of going back and forth, the man''s face was as red as a tomato.

    Old Ghu and those who knew him looked at their watches, nodding to each other.

    "So it''s back to phase 1?"

    "Hmmm�� should be. He has let out all the steam he can."

    "s... Some people can''t change. I think yourdy knows this too." Old Houmented, and Old Ghu chuckled.

    Don''t mind as she was going back and forth with him.

    When Old Ghu entered the room, even she noticed he was at phase 5 anger. That''s why she didn''t mind taking to the stage.

    And sure enough, amidst their anger, hands started flying.

    But even without her breaking through her mortal shell, Old madam Ghu could always beat Old Bho ck and blue in any shade.

    So why should he, her husband, worry for her safety in this matter?

    Everyone watched her calmly catch all of Old Bho''s punches like a ninja.

    She was so fast and cool that Bho Jin didn''t know whether to look at her in awe or shake with fright at her strength.

    Again, he only felt pity for his grandfather.

    F***!

    Today, he saw the legendary Ghu demoness at work.

    Of course, he also noticed her youthfulness, which differed from how she looked several days ago.

    For this, he tactfully attributed it to the Grandmaster.

    .

    Old madam Ghu handled Old Bho, never delivering any blows, only blocking, evading, and catching his moves.

    Her actions were truly eye-catching that even the Gia guards had to look at her in reverence, secretly swearing to never go against her.

    F***!

    If they in their youth and energetic bodies lost to a granny, do you know how embarrassing that would be?

    How can they truly call themselves guards?

    Say no more!

    In future, avoid the olddy''s wrath!!

    (V^V)

    As for old Bho, he was pushed back to phase 1 of his anger stage, thinking a lot clearer, no longer too blind to anger.

    Though now, he was aggrieved and angry that the old hag hadn''t given him any face before the guards and his dearest grandson.

    This... This...

    How was he supposed to hold his face high after this?

    Apart from the Gia men, there were a few of his Bho guards that came in with them too.

    So how to pass this embarrassment?

    Sigh...

    Just once, he would like to beat this old witch in a fight.

    All he wanted was just one time... One victory...

    So was that too much to ask?

    .

    Old madam Ghu sneered, lightly smacking him on the head. "Old fool. Are you finally cleared?"<sub> </sub>

    "Hmmm..." Old Bho replied, coughing to hide his embarrassment.

    At least he was losing to someone everyone knew he always lost to.

    She alone could beat almost everyone here, including her husband.

    ? The only person she tied with growing up amongst them was Old Gia.

    So if even her partner loses to her, who was he to hold onto this shame?

    No one would truly look down on him since he never won her once, to begin with.

    Yes...

    Thinking like that, he straightened his back and red at her provocatively.

    Old madam Ghu rolled her eyes heavenwards. "What? You want another beatdown?"

    "You!~~~"

    But before they could continue, yet another guard came in.

    And this time, almost everyone knew what the message would be about.

    "The Grandmaster is here!"

    What? He''s here?

    Bho Jin was excited beyond belief.

    His future master was here!

    Something he also noticed since that epic battlest time was that though he was frightened to the point of turning into noodles, a part of him yearned for such adventures.

    His blood was pumping, and his mind always focused on finding Dorian.

    But because he didn''t want to disturb or annoy the Grandmaster, he forced himself to hold back, waiting in his Bho site, hoping the Grandmaster woulde over and repurchase crystals and stones.

    But s... His wait seemed hopeless.

    Today, he decided not to go to the Bho sight anymore to wait for the Grandmaster.

    But who would''ve known his choice of staying back was his ticket to seeing Dorian again?

    Hahahahha!~~~

    Very quickly, he spoke out, not wanting Old Gia or anyone to drive them away.

    Call him shameless all you want. But no matter what, he was staying!!!

    (*^*)

    .

    "Grandpa! Grandpa! If you want to know the truth, you must meet this Grandmaster!"

    "What did you say, boy?"

    Old Bho was still confused by why everyone acted on their best behavior, sitting upright and waiting humbly.

    Who can make them, the prominent and top powers fidget so much?

    Old Bho''s eyes shed thoughtfully.

    The gang was dressed as though about to head out.

    So were they waiting for this so-called Grandmaster before they left together?

    Each prominent family had its specialty or specifically focused on, making them hardly sh... Like the Hous, the medical geniuses of the world, or the Gias, the military heroes.

    So what sort of ground-shattering secret were they hiding amongst themselves?

    And more importantly, howe they didn''t think of inviting his Bho family?

    Grandmaster... Grandmaster

    Old Bho squinted his eyes, thinking of it all.

    If his thoughts were correct, this was his only chance to find the truth of what happened on his Bho site... As well as the truth about the strange change in physical appearance and the truth about their sudden disappearance from his tracking.

    He had no evidence but felt they should all be connected!

    If so... Then that leaves him with no choice.

    Old Bho took a seat without waiting for any invites.

    "Since I''m here, forget about kicking me out! Wherever you go, I go too!!!"

    Grandmaster...

    He would like to see what this Grandmaster-matter was really about.

 Chapter 350 Set Off!

    Arriving at the Gia estate, the many guards treated Dorian''s vehicle as though the car itself was a God.

    When the vehicle drove past the many sectors surrounding the Gia estate, the guards would lift their cheats exaggeratedly high, with their backs so straight it looked like their spines would snap anytime now.

    Gate 1, gate 2, gate 3... The ck limo drove past the sectors, reaching the innermost sector in the estate.

    If the Gia estate could have its own private Runway for a small military-styled private jet, then it said a lot about how grand the ce was.

    One could get lost in this wondend if they didn''t know their way through.

    Of course, a fun fact was that back in the ancient days, the emperor awarded this particr ce to the Gias for their great service to the nation.

    Such estates weremon in ancient periods, with many ns having vastnds and estates for their residences where their concubine, wives, and children could live in desperate courthouses.

    These courthouses took the space of a standard modern home, except the yards were muchrger.

    Each wife had her courtyard with lotus ponds and building structures protected by a wall and a stylish pir-type entrance with the name of their courtyard written on a board and hung on it.

    So suchrge regions weremon in ancient times.

    But over the years since then, when ancient times changed to the Republic times and eventually ended into modern times, many had sold parts of their vast nnds, not having enough funds to maintain such massive territories.

    Of course some sold portions of thend to others to build buildings like hotels, etc.

    And some gave the vastnds to the government to create public vis and residential regions.

    But the big prominent families managed to hold on to theirnds.

    And now, future generations of these big ns like the Gias could even have porcate runways in their backyards with no qualms whatsoever.

    .

    Vrrrmmm!!~~~

    Into the vast Gia estate they went, finally stopping the limo around the incrediblyrge fountain at the center of the open space.

    "Grandmaster!... Master Sheng!... Wee."

    A high-ranking guard said, bowing alongside the many other guards lined on both corners of all 15 outdoor steps leading into the main mansion.

    "Thank you, master Sheng." One of the guards replies, gently holding the vehicle keys as though they were a newborn baby.

    And like that, Dorian and Butler Sheng had already stepped into the mansion.

    But back in the main hall, only silence prevailed.

    Old Bho wanted to ask and find out more about this strange Grandmaster.

    But looking at how everyone, including his grandson, acted like an otherworldly being was about to transient, Old Bho only bit his lips, looking at the door from time to time.

    And soon, they heard the footsteps of a few slowly approaching.

    Should be 3 or 4, he counted.

    Those should be the number heading in. Well, he thought so based on their footsteps

    But how did he know he would see a total of 6 people in the end?

    Could it be his observational skills have grown this bad in such a short time?

    Of course, the truth was that Butler Sheng and Dorian always moved like ghosts, hardly making any sounds when moving.

    .

    "Grandmaster!... Master Sheng!"

    Old Gia and the rest stood, cupping their hands respectfully before Dorian. And of course, Bho Jin also followed suit.

    But Old Bho stood, secretly scrutinizing the one they called Grandmaster.

    Initially, he thought the man they called Master Sheng was the Grandmaster.

    But seeing everyone primarily focused on the youngster, he couldn''t help being dumbfounded, especially now that he got a close look at the youngster

    This... This...

    Isn''t this the Tian boy?

    (!_!)

    Old Bho had a million questions about why they gave the little brat so much honor.

    Weren''t the Tian couple in a disaster position now?

    He heard a great deal about this Tian boy''s many attempts to jump back into high society.

    And he could only say they weren''t good, painting the boy as a greedy and selfish youngster too affected by poverty to take a decision in the right path.

    Additionally, why was his grandson who used to have an ''eternity'' enmity with the Toan boy now in awe at the mere sight of him?

    (-_-)

    ...

    Bho Jin felt dizzy from all the ridiculousness around him.

    But remembering he was here to find the truth and not to cause problems, he decided to do something he hardly did -- shut up.

    However, even then, anyone could see he was struggling and having a hard time doing this much.

    His face was distorted, his lips scrunched, and his eyebrows twisted.

    And if not for Bho Jin who elbowed him lightly, the Old man wouldn''t know when to escape his thoughts.

    Bho Jin didn''t say anything, but how could he not understand what his grandson was trying to say?

    Erh-erhm.

    Old Bho coughed lightly.

    "Ah... Grandson Tian... It''s been so long since I''ve seen you. And now, you''ve grown up into a fine young man."

    Old madam Ghu rolled her eyes heavenwards.<sub> </sub>

    Do you think you qualify topliment the Grandmaster?

    Sigh...

    She and the rest stayed quiet, also wanting to give face to this troublesome friend of theirs.

    Who asked them to care about him?

    Of course, if he were about to speak ill or look down on the Grandmaster verbally, they would be the first to hold his tongue lest he made the Grandmaster angry.

    In a way, they would be tracking him to protect him.

    That said, they left him alone since he had now curbed his firecracker self.

    Before Dorian stepped him, they warmed Old Bho...

    Make any mistakes, and even theybined will be able to save him!

    That warning was enough for the wise, though Old Bho was still inwardly skeptical.

    He knew his friends would never lie to him. But still...

    How can a little beat be more influential and powerful than their prominent familiesbined?

    Do you know the history and strength each of their ns held individually, but to talk of when out together?

    Such a thing was a fairytale warning, alright?

    .

    Old Bho''s expressions amused Dorian. "You want toe?"

    Really?

    Old Bho''s eyes lit up like stars.

    Good. Good... What an understanding youngster.

    See? He was liking him already.

    (^_^)

    The mood of this old man was as changeable as the wind.

    "Hahahaha~... You see... This is why I like you, grandson Tian... Sure! I''lle with you!" Old Bho spoke, looking at his friends provocatively. .what?

    They wanted to drive him away. But now that he had joined their trip without their help, they should be staring in rage, right?

    Dorian chuckled, seeing the many childish expressions on Old Bho''s face.

    The humans in this world sure were interesting.

    Like he always said, he couldn''t care less who wanted to watch whatever he did.

    Just know that if he or Butler Sheng used their talismans or enemies to protect that said person, they would have to pay for his time, energy, and resources, no?

    "Thank you, Grandmaster!"

    Bho Jin was so excited that one could see stars in his eyes.

    Hooray!... Hooray!...

    He was going out on an adventure with the Grandmaster!

    (^0^)

    .

    Dorian looked at his watch, knowing they had no more time to dilly dally.

    "Old Gia... It''s time to go."

    Right!

    The gang calmly left the hall through the back door of the main mansion, stepping into several golf-style carts that took them past the many Gia buildings scattered about.

    And soon, they reached an open fieldnd with a private Jet that had just left a small hanger.

    Dorian guessed the Private Jet was stored underground in the hangar... Probably so that if thieves or enemiese in, they wouldn''t be able to tamper with the jet easily.

    Who knows...

    With the various technologies around the Gia estate, it might take a whole lot of security bypasses for one to allow the jet to reemerge.

    Wow!!!

    Bho Jin was stunned.

    It''s not that he hasn''t been on a private jet before. But having one at the back of one''s home was a different matter altogether.

    He heard the rumors before but felt they should be exaggerated.

    He had never gone into this sector of the Gia residence before and was too stunned by the runway and the jet itself.

    In a daze, Bho Jin fastened his seatbelt with only one more question in mind:�� Where the heck were they going?

    Bho Jin wasn''t the only one thinking so. Old Bho and the few Bho guards also wanted to know the answer.

    But before they could get wallowed in their thoughts, the jet began to take off.

    And now, there was no escaping the path they chose for themselves.

    Old Ghus shook his head wryly.

    "Old man�� try not to have a heart attack when we get there."

    Eh?

    "..."

 Chapter 351 Arrived At Last

    Heart attack?

    ???

    What the hell is this idiot talking about?

    Old Bho carried on with his many thoughts throughout the flight, with no one bothering to talk to him.

    And when he looked around, he found a strange phenomenon where everyone was seated cross-legged with their eyes closed.

    "..."

    Fine!

    2 can y that game.

    He imitated them with a provocative sneer on his lips.

    5, 10, 30 minutester, the old man was sound asleep.

    Zzzzzz!~~~

    [Bho Jin]: (-_-)

    Grandpa... Can you please stop embarrassing me so much?

    The young Bho master had no tears but wanted to cry.

    Luckily, everyone he was worried about still had closed eyes, missing out on all his grandfather''s antics.

    Phew~

    Talk about losing reputation points.

    s...

    Bho Jin took a sip of his non-alcoholic beverage, looking out the window from time to time.

    Soon, the sun began to set even lower.

    And by the time they arrived, it was already 7 P.M.

    In 2 hours, dusk would fall, and the darkness woulde.

    Yes!

    They have been in the air for at least 4 hours.

    And at first, Bho Jin thought they would bending anywhere within the vast city below them.

    But soon, they not only passed the city but kept flying towards a remote region with highly guarded roads and watch towers.

    To say Bho Jin wasn''t awe-struck would be a lie.

    The cool movie-like barricaded buildings, many watch towers, security stations, and vehicles moving about told Bho Jin everything he needed to know.

    This... This...

    They were on a base, weren''t they?!

    His belly began knotting with anxiety and tension, staring at the many giant ships docked and the few air force nes doing testing runs here and there.

    Well, I''ll be damned.

    He, Bho Jin, never knew he would ever get to see a Navy base this close, talk less of entering one.

    Of course it should be a Navy base.

    It was built by the vast seas, upying an incredible amount of space than what movies made one believe.

    Brrrmmm~

    The jet''s tires touched the runway, making Bho Jin subconsciously brace for impact.

    Wow!

    What a smooth flight.

    Old Bho was already up at this point.

    But for Dorian and the others, only when the ne stopped in its tracks did they open their eyes and uncross their legs.

    Mysterious... So mysterious...

    The few Bho guards thought so in their hearts.

    Catchahhh~

    The jet doors were opened, and now, it was time to go.

    .

    Already, there were several men in Navy uniform, standing at attention before the jet.

    "Wee, Old Marshall Gia!"

    "Hmmm..." Old Gia hummed, leading the gang in.

    Anyone with a good set of eyes could see how much face he was giving the strange youth before them.<sub> </sub>

    And with the go-ahead from Old Gia, the few Navy officers walked beside the gang, exining the matters at hand.

    "Old Marshall! It''s bad! The cruise ship just vanished into thin air, with no satellites picking up a single thing."

    "Yes!" Another spoke out. "Old Marshall. A storm began on this hot sunny day out of nowhere... No... It''s more urate to describe it as a tornado."

    As the man examined, his steps slowed, making the atmosphere even tender than it already was.

    And Old Bho was the most intrigued by such a strange case.

    His ball rolled up and down his throat, thinking of the missing ship.

    So a strange tornado-like storm appeared out of nowhere.

    And by the time it vanished, the ship was also gone.

    In such cases, one would expect a tornado to continue on various paths until it fades and deposits the ship''s pieces somewhere.

    But this was what made it strange.

    After engulfing the ship, the tornado disappeared on the spot, only revealing calm waters.

    One might think the ship might''ve been forced to sink below in a whirlpool.

    But with all the modern technologies and detection equipment avable, they couldn''t get any reading on any sinking ship.

    Again, if the ship was truly sinking, there wasn''t even blood, clothes, or anything floating around the waters to convey the struggle for those aboard.

    Old Bho''s heart jerked severely, but he didn''t feel too phased.

    Hmm? Is this what they meant by saying he should be prepared not to have a heart attack?

    .

    "Old Marshall, all day, we''ve had out people in the air and around the seas for any clues. However, nothing has happened yet."

    The Navy men with high positions and earned stars on their attire quickly walked beside old Gia and the lot, answering every question.

    "What about the signal?"

    "Still not gotten through, Sir. Still static, with no word from the survivors

    "Any simr cases?"

    "Affirmative, Sir... 40 years ago, a private boat disappeared along that exact path. The case was very simr to this. And after investigation, the case was closed and left as it was."

    "But that''s not all, sir." Another interjected. "80 years prior to thest incident, another cruise ship belonging to Ice Tower Nation also vanished due to natural disaster."

    "Let me guess... A tornado?"

    "Affirmative, Sir!!"

    Really... A tornado...

    Man can''t fight with such an unpredictable force of nature.

    So once a tornado is found to be the culprit, even if unscientific, there is nothing they can do about it.

    Of course, no matter how bizarre the facts were, scientists and those who study weather and nature would always find some scientific exnation to it all.

    As they spoke, Bho Jin tried to puff his chest and feel like a special member of the team.

    F***!

    Just walking about the crazy high-tech secured zones made him feel like he was in a spy movie.

    His blood was pumping, his veins bulging, and his mind creative.

    Somehow, he already saw himself as a superhero, flying in to save the lives of many.

    But of course, this was all his imagination.

    That is, who was paying attention to him now?

    Old Gia and the others looked at each other tactfully, inwardly confirming their suspicions.

    "Grandmaster, what do you think?"

    Dorian narrowed his eyes deeply. "Evacuate the waters and the skies."

    What?!!!!

    (''0'')

    Now, they were in the Central control room. And everyone couldn''t help eximing loudly when listening to the boy''s orders.

    Forgive them for wearing long faces, but why do they have to listen to a snot-nosed brat?

    Many wanted to object but soon heard the doors open.

    And in came a spiky-haired middle-aged man.

    The man wore a firm face, staring at Old Gia.

    "Elder Cousin... You are finally here

 Chapter 352 To The Sea, We Go

    Gia Ming walked towards his elder cousin, inwardly shocked by how strong his cousin had grown.

    What the hell has his cousin been through during this time?

    (?0?)

    You have to know that Old Gia was 58 years old, while he was 37.

    And though they had more than 20 years of gap between them, they were indeed cousins.

    That said, one must also address the elephant in the room, which was old Gia''s youthful appearance.

    If he didn''t know any better, he would''ve thought Old Gia was about his age.

    His back was brighter, his chest fuller, his body looking way good for his age, and his overall appearance very handsome.

    Who am I? What am I?

    This sort of thing was too shocking to many in the room. But as trained Navy officers, they adapted fast to these changes, throwing them at the back of their minds.

    Now, what''s important was rescuing or finding all the missing passengers aboard the cruise ship!

    Of course, even though he respected Old Gia, he still felt his cousin''s orders were wrong.

    Moreover, why did his cousin bring civilians into the Navy for such a case?

    Old Ghu? Old Bho? Old madam Ghu? Deputy Director Xiang Shore?...

    Standing with his chest firm and hands behind his back, Gia Ming recognized many of them.

    "Cousin... What is going on here? We have to keep a close watch on the waters at all times. So recalling everyone back is not the move we should be making!!!"

    Already, many could smell the gunpowder in the room. And though Old Gia was a legend and a hero to them, they still had to agree with Gia Ming''s words.

    Why listen to a young brat who doesn''t even know how to wear diapers on a baby?

    .

    Gia Ming clenched his fists when thinking of the many lives at stake. "Cousin... You''ve changed."

    You aren''t the smart, protective, efficient, and fast-thinking brother you used to be.

    If not, how can he allow such a decision to go by?

    Now they should be on the search for any survivors and not be recalling everyone and sitting on their asses.

    Old Gia chuckled, looking at the angered officers in the room.

    "At ease... In time, you''ll get your answer. But first, let''s get things settled."

    Right!

    Gia Ming nodded in silence.

    And in no time, they got word from those previously surrounding the waters and the sky

    ... They''re back.

    Good.

    Showtime.

    With an expressionless face, Dorian boarded a small speeding boat with the others.

    "Wait!... I''ming with you."

    How can he, Gia Ming, not be present in whatever n they were taking?

    Very quickly, he boarded the boat with 4 others directly under hismand.

    "Cousin, I hope you know what you''re doing."

    "Hmmm...." Old Gia hummed, turning his attention to Dorian.

    His face stern, his body hard, and the atmosphere heavier.

    "Ming... I say this with great urgency and importance... No matter what you see, always trust the Grandmaster."

    Always trust him?

    Was this a joke?

    Gia Ming and the lot felt their hairs stand when meeting eye to eye with Old Gia.

    With a simple warning, Old Gia left them.

    And now, the group of 5 were standing before the rails, starting at the open seas with a thousand questions in mind.

    "Well then... It''s official. The fate of all passengers is in the hands of a measly 17-year-old boy."

    Everyone thought it was ridiculous but didn''t dare toment any further.

    Via Ming squinted his eyes at the vast seas.

    "Rx... Even though my cousin seems out of it, he still knows his responsibilities. There must be something else involved that we are aware of."<sub> </sub>

    "Something else?" Another questioned in disbelief.

    Do you know their authority in the Navy?

    They are the top-tier positions, with only a few things being ssified in their case.

    Damn!

    Could it be something presidential level that they aren''t aware of?

    Everyone felt cold sweats when thinking of the strangeness of this case.

    Indeed... Something didn''t add up.

    But what?

    .

    Drrrrr!~~~

    The boat jumped severally above the water surface as it speeded as quickly as it could.

    Faster... Faster... Faster...

    The wind smacked many in the face, and the salty air eroded their nostrils.

    Bho Jin soon went back inside, seeing the Grandmaster and everyone else in deep meditation.

    Augh~

    Bho Jin wryly shook his head, walking towards Old Bho standing before the open screen.

    "Grandfather..."

    "Hmmm... There''s a lot of mystery surrounding that one." Old Bhomented, pointing at Dorian.

    For Old Gia to give control to Dorian when so many lives were at stake only showed just how important and strong this boy was.

    But for the life of him, he couldn''t see how the bit would solve this mystery.

    Yes!

    Already, he thought of the boy as some super detective with a super brain.

    Probably, that''s how the mystery would get solved, no?

    Wrong!

    "Old Marshall!" The captain bellowed, raising his voice higher than the rowdy engine.

    "Old Marshall!... Over there! Deluca''s line!"

    Old madam Ghu and everyone calmly arose from their meditative state, making their way towards the front.

    Deluca''s line.

    Scientists believe the line was formed after the great changes from continental drifts, tectonic te movements, and ocean changes.

    Of course, some made-up stories also existed about Deluca''s line but were quickly crushed as myths, simr to Superman or Drac.

    After all, wasn''t it insane to believe this strange line was a monster swallowing up people at will?

    Tsk.

    The Bho guards, Gia Ming, and the other Navy officers shook their heads at the ridiculous stories circting around.

    Some even swore they saw something. But such people had long been locked up in the loony bin for their good.

    "Take us up front."

    "Roger that, sir."

    .

    Drrrrrr!~~

    The boat danced swiftly above the water until it reached the very front of what many believed to be the line.

    To be urate, it looked like a smile.

    And they were now before the mid-region of this smile.

    "Here," Dorian spoke calmly. "Dock here."

    He could feel its rotting existence right from inside the ship.

    Huh.

    Dorian flicked his wrist, and a talisman paper appeared in his hands.

    ''This should be fun.''

 Chapter 353 Stranger Things

    Gia Ming and his subordinates, as well as Old Bho and the Bho guards, all stared at Dorian questioningly.

    What did he want to do with that paper in his hand?

    Was he trying to test the wind speed or something?

    Everyone was at a loss at the youngster''s strange actions.

    But soon, their minds went nk, and their eyes dropped to the floor with what they saw.

    Dorian raised his hand, letting go of the paper.

    But rather than being blown away, it floated on the same spot, defying all thews of physics they knew.

    Testing, testing... 1, 2, 3...

    Forgive them for being dumbfounded, but isn''t this wind smacking their faces now? So why was the paper unaffected by these salty winds?

    You could say it was tied to a string. But that would be impossible.

    Strong? A strong to the skies?

    This? How? You? When? Eh?

    (''0'')

    "Magic!"

    Bho Jin''s murdered words echoed out. And though Gia Ming, Bho Jin, and the rest wanted to yell out that there was no such thing as magic. But something made them swallow their words, having no other exnation for this weirdness.

    Their jaws trembled with fascinating curiosity.

    Magic... Did it really exist?

    ????

    .

    Vummm!

    The paper suddenly erged 10 times its size, lighting up with a faint pinkish hue.

    And it was only then that they wanted to scream and forget their identities.

    F***!

    Bho Jin was the first to tell. And the more Dorian did, the more he jumped, shook his grandfather, and pointed away like a 5-year-old.

    And in the meantime, Dorian was chanting at his usual steady rate and moving his hands like the ninja Bho Jin thought he was.

    ~Shwshwshwshwshwshwshwshwshw~

    Dorian''s chanting caused everyone''s heart to jerk back and forth severally.

    The air became tense, the clouds above began swirling, and the entire body started using vigorously.

    "Quickly, hold on to something!!!"

    Someone bellowed, and the gang of ordinary people reacted instinctively.

    Bloody Hell~...

    This wasn''t the time to be blown away by such magical abilities. That is, what if they get thrown aboard?

    Old Bho''s first instinct was to grab his grandson and protect the shouting moron.

    Of course, the other Bho Guards also did their best to protect their masters.

    And as for Gia Ming and the other Navy officers, they too reached for the rails, not daring to let go.

    The ship twirled, shook, and moved with the heavy waves below.

    Gia Ming was washed with salty waters as though he was in the middle of a Category 5 Hurricane.

    ''What a deadly move.''

    Just like everyone else, Gia Ming was struggling to catch his breath after getting hit by deadly waves upon waves without stop.

    At some point, he even felt the boat might overturn. But shockingly, the little bad boy proved stubborn against the waves, again defying physics by its actions.

    However, Gia Ming didn''t think the boar did this with its abilities alone.

    Holding onto the rails with all his strength, he looked at his cousin, Old Gia, and the others close to the Grandmaster in shock.

    That is, what did he see?

    These people were standing like mountains!

    They hadn''t flinched or moved from where they stood all this while.

    It was as though they were one with the ship. And even if the boat did a full summersault, he had a bunch they would still be standing in these same positions while upside down too.

    Crazy... Insane... Not possible!<sub> </sub>

    Since when did his cousin have the ability to defy the natural flow of nature?

    (>��С�>)

    For the first time, Gia Ming began doubting physics.

    What next... Were they going to walk on water too?

    Gia Ming and the other ''normies'' thought they had seen it all.

    But who knew this was just the beginning?

    .

    [Elder Ghu... Elder Ruddie... Elder Hou... You''ll be one team.]

    Understood, Grandmaster.

    The duo hummed after hearing Dorian''s telepathic message.

    [Elder Hina (Old madam Ghu), Elder Mia... 2nd team.]

    Thedies nodded.

    [Elder Endo, Elder Gia... 3rd team... Elder Sheng, Elder Xiang Shore.... 4th team.]

    Everyone knew who they were working with.

    [Once in, split up. Objective: locate civilians; exorcize underworld entities.]

    As for Bho Jin, Gia Ming, and the rest, they wereing with him.

    The other elders weren''t as strong as he was. Additionally, they would have their hands full with their current tasks.

    So who else but him would look after these lot?

    Of course, he also did this to give Old Gia and the rest the space to grow and improve their fighting abilities

    He wanted to see just how much they had grown since they entered the academy.

    So what better way to test them than out here in the field?

    This was why he had them split up.

    .

    The shaking and rocking continued for what seemed like an eternity until suddenly, a crack appeared in the air.

    What?!

    Everyone had the illusion they were staring at a mirror that was constantly shattering, with lines running downwards until they touched the water''s surface.

    Break!

    A strange image showed from the cracks, making Gia Ming, Bho Jin, and the others shudder.

    This... This... This was too unscientific!!!

    Behind the cracks was a strange barrennd where the trees looked hunted and crooked with no leaves on them.

    The soil was bluish ck, the air constantly smelling of rot, and the skies covered with a thinyer of pinkish purple mist.

    Old Bho and everyone felt their knees quake and wobble the more they started at the strangend beyond.

    They didn''t say they were chicken, but the strange soundsing from that space was enough to make their shadows run for the hills.

    Gulp~...

    They... The ships that vanished were all in there?

    Are you really sure?

    Don''t me them for asking repeatedly.

    It was really, really... Really, really, a creepy ce.

    (>��<)

    "Everyone, drop your guns."

    What? Drop their weapons?

    Everyone stared at Butler Sheng speechlessly, as though saying: Have you lost your bloody mind.

    So you want them to go in there unarmed against who knows what?...

    Impossible!

    Think again, buddy.

    Their gun stays!!!!

 Chapter 354 A Rotten Place

    "Leave your weapons behind."

    "No!"

    ...

    --A few secondster--

    The group was unarmed with aggrieved expressions.

    In the end, they sumbed to these people under their stern eyes.

    And now, they felt ashamed.

    How could they, trained and well-ranked masters of the Navy, be shaken by a single look from a Butler?

    Augh~...

    Such a thing must never get out. And even if it did, they would deny it all the way.

    Hmph!

    Guns were kept aside, and all normies quickly understood that this was not an ordinary phenomenon.

    So... So were they about to fight with the supernatural?

    The strange noises echoing from the other side only made their skins turn mmy with fright.

    It was hard to believe that they, able Navy officers and guards, would one day turn fearful like chickens awaiting ughter.

    But as they say, there''s always a first time for everything.

    Whoosh!

    Dorian flicked his hands, giving each normie a single protective charm in the shape of a ruby stone, the size of a small pebble with strange carvings.

    "To breathe unaffected, keep the stones with you at all times."

    It will purify whatever they took in.

    True or false?

    Everyone didn''t care, holding the stones as though they were their babies.

    Bho Jin even wanted to swallow it, just in case.

    In the end, he kept it in his inner breast pocket, even going as far as zipping it tight.

    Say no more. That stone will never leave his body, even after this...

    That was what he decided, not knowing it would turn to dust after excessive use.

    And in such a heavily rotting atmosphere, it should break down after 24 hours at most.

    .

    Alright...

    With everyone given appropriate warnings, Dorian twirled his fingers, and the ship began sailing in between the cracks, leaving their very ordinary world behind.

    Everyone swallowed hard, seeing the ship move without a pilot.

    Okay...

    They now epted and came to terms with the fact that magic was real.

    But the reputation of this only further cemented the fact that their enemies might not be the human foes they were used to facing.

    Old Bho took a deep breath, looking at his grandson deeply.

    "What''s happening now is simr to what happens on our Bho site, right?"

    "Yes, Grandpa." Bho Jin answered bitterly. "Do you now see why it was hard to exin?"

    Well, Old Bho had to admit that if someone told him such a thing, he would send the person for reexamination, talk less of his grandson.

    Such a thing was too fantasy-like and impossible for any sane person to believe.

    Thinking like this, his anger from earlier had all dissipated. He even understood why his friends hadn''t told him a single thing before.

    "What a mysterious ce." Gia Ming murmured.

    They hadn''t even docked on the ind yet, but he and the rest were already getting danger warnings and bells ringing in their minds.

    Bam!

    The crack closed up.

    And now, there was no more turning back.

    The strange purple waters emitted a foul stench that left them feeling constantly nauseated. They held their mouths, swearing they weren''t always this queasy.

    If anything, their reactions showed just how bad the rotting smell was.

    Look! Even the ship wasn''t taking it well.

    (-_-)<sub> </sub>

    ....

    Everyone was blown away by the changes they saw.

    It''s barely been a minute since they sailed in. Yet, the ship was rusting at a visible rate.

    They even bargain to worry whether they would be able to make it to the shores on time before the shippletely breaks down.

    But seeing Dorian''s calm expression, everyone swallowed their words.

    At this time, they realized just how powerful this Youngster was.

    Lying trough.

    Didn''t you see him open this crack in space and store the ship forward without a pilot? What''s more, their hearts told them this youngster was the cause of the storm earlier. So how can they not feel awe and respect towards him?

    And just like Old Gia and the lot, they too started calling the youngster Grandmaster.

    Sure enough, Old Gia was still as wise as he always was.

    So it wasn''t for nothing that he acknowledged this youngster.

    Gia Ming''s mind spun rapidly.

    A while ago, he heard several people in his Gia n were selected to undergo some special training in a ssified location.

    He heard Old Gia had time with these people to be one of the teachers there.

    He initially thought it was nothing.

    But seeing Dorian and the rest, he had a hunch it might''ve been rted to this.

    ''So did they leave to learn magic?''

    .

    "Look! Look! Over there!"

    Saying closer, they spotted a massive cruise ship too rusted to recognize.

    F***!

    It looked like its parts had stayed in a junkyard for 50 years without care.

    So imagine if this was the cruise ship that got lost yesterday?

    Old Bho felt it couldn''t be. That rust was too heavy, and several parts of the ship had broken off and fallen apart too.

    Many didn''t want to conclude on the matter since it was likely that all the ships that vanished over the many creatures along this line might''ve been swallowed into this space.

    Shwah~

    The rusting speeding boat sailed along the purplish waters until they finally docked.

    Gwack~~~~

    A thunderous bellow exposed from the heart of the barrennd, crashing everyone''s hair to stand at attention.

    What was that?

    Many jumped into battle mode, already on the edge of their seats.

    Evil��

    This ce was just too evil!

    .

    Here atst.

    Dorian swept his eyes across the massivend.

    "Leave�� You know what to do."

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    Whoosh!

    Like the wind, Old Gia and the rest jumped over the rails and vanished with their sh steps, leaving Dorian with the rest.

    With the lives of many at stake, there was no time to waste.

    In no time, not even their shadows could be seen.

    And looking, a slight smile crept out from

    Dorian''s lips.

    Oh?... How interesting.

    He retracted his gaze from his surroundings,zily looking at the group of normies behind him.

    "Let''s go."

 Chapter 355 You Again?

    One step forth, one step back.

    Bho Jin found his legs were confused all on their own.

    To go ahead or to stay back.

    Hey... Even though he wanted to go on this big adventure, a part of him was still terrified, though not so much since they were in arge group.

    There was something about being in a group that made things better.

    In honor movies, those at the back and the front got attacked first. So should he pull his grandfather and stay in the middle?

    No! Such a thing would be cowardly!

    Or so his righteous self thought because in the next moment, his body reacted faster than his thoughts.

    And before he knew it, he was walking down the boat''s rusting bridge in the middle of the group.

    !..!

    The gang of normies led by Dorian finally ced their feet on the strange bluish-purple soil.

    "How peculiar..." Gia Mingmented.

    The feeling the ground gave them was indescribable.

    What sort of soil was this?

    One couldn''t say it was mushy, and one couldn''t say it was rugged or sturdy.

    It was... It was just weird.

    Some of the officers wondered if they could take a sample.

    But after considering it, who knows if the soil would leave some defects on their being after getting in contact with it?

    The Grandmaster said this ce is a fitting ce. So the soil should also have such a deadly effect, no?

    Everyone knew the price of being too greedy. So they curbed their curiosity, not daring to touch anything without approval.

    At least, they were Navy personnel and well-trained guards. Imagine if some crazed scientist hade here?

    Such people would damn the consequences and take what they so deemed fit.

    "The things of this ce must never leave this ce."

    Dorian''s words echoed in their minds. And Gia Ming secretly swore that even if they found survivors, they would search them all before taking them out.

    You must be joking!

    What if taking anything from here will make their world rot instead?

    Don''t even think about it!

    (*^*)

    .

    "Stay close."

    Dorian''s words were like a heavenlymand. And everyone flowed behind him like ducklings following their mother.

    Into the strange forest they went.

    The bare trees were the tallest they had ever seen and the most crooked.

    No leaves were in sight, whether on the forest floors or the trees themselves.

    The scene made them feel like ants walking past several towering flower stalks.

    --Silence--

    Except for the strange sounds from the forest, the terrorizing burden of the dreadful silence only heightened their senses even more.

    Old Bho didn''t know when, but he and the others had long been walking on their tippy toes like creepers in the night.

    No... It was more urate to say they were walking like T-rexs with their hands curved forward and their heads swiftly turning left, right, front, back, and all directions one could think of.

    They began to smell, hear and feel things they wouldn''t normally notice.

    And soon, one of the Bho guards let out a weakened cry, stammering and pointing at a space far to the left.

    The poor man looked livid.

    "I, I, I... I saw something... I saw something in there!"

    What?!!!

    Everyone looked around, now subconsciously feeling they were being watched.

    Gia Ming clenched his fist, trying to get a group on himself.

    "You... What..." He stalled guard through his constricted throat. "Please, tell us... What did you see?"

    The frantic guard ced his hands on his head in horror.

    "This is it, right? In honor movies, the one who sees it first is also the one who gets to die first, right?"

    Bho Jin wanted to sayforting words, but ording to his horror movie knowledge, it was always the case.

    "Good Heavens! I''m going to die."

    (>:T0T:<)

    .

    The guard looked like he lost his soul.

    And with his hands in his pockets, hezily looked at the frantic group before him. "Rx... None of you will die."

    Ah!--

    The guard seemed to have seen his salvation, looking at the Dorian like the savior of the world.

    He wanted to kneel and kowtow but was too afraid to touch the soil with his palms.

    "Thank you!... Thank you, Grandmaster!" The man bowed severally, finally getting a hold of himself.

    Yes, yes... That''s right.

    A powerful person like the Grandmaster who took them in should be able to bring them all out safely, right?... RIGHT?!!!

    Everyone was inwardly asking these questions, though from how Old Gia and the rest acted, they mainly believed it to be so.

    Well, at this point, what other choice did they have than to believe?

    Dorian stared at the guard with azy glint in his eyes.

    "Tell me... What did you see?"

    Everyone''s ears were perked up, also wanting to know what it was.<sub> </sub>

    But they saw the guard scrunching his brows and shaking his head in confusion.

    And as he spoke, his dialogue became stilted.

    "That... That''s the thing... I can''t be certain I saw what I saw because it would be too ridiculous."

    "More ridiculous than the fact that you''re in another space entirely out of our usual world?" Old Bho blurted. At this point, keep science and what you think is rational out of it.

    "Don''t worry; we won''t think you mad or try to put you in a loony bin."

    Everyone nodded in agreement.

    .

    Look here, man.

    Just spit it out already.

    "What did you see?"

    "You."

    The guard pointed at Gia Ming.

    "..."

    "I saw you over there, with an unnatural smile that reached your ears... And then, and then, I panicked."

    What? Him?

    Gia Ming was not only dumbfounded but scared as well.

    At this point, though Dorian hadn''t told them what they were up against, everyone had a bunch in their gut.

    "Hold hands!" Gia Ming bellowed. "Let''s hold hands!!"

    What if they identally bring a fake into the group during their journey?

    Looking at each other, who knows if an enemy has already disguised themselves and sneaked into their group as one of them?

    "Hold on... Hold on..." Bho Jin interjected. "You said it had an unnatural smile, yes?... In that case, we also have to smile every now and then to confirm ourselves as the real ones."

    Dorian chuckled.

    As an exorcist, how can he not tell a fake from a real with a single nce? Even the air of an ordinary human was different from the rotting air from underworld beings.

    Moreover, thanks to his third eye, he could pick any differences up with his eyes closed.

    But maybe because he also enjoyed watching the group amuse him, he didn''t say a thing.

    What''s more, he was watching the enemy too.

    [Host, you''ve located the source, haven''t you.]

    ''Hmhm.''

    [Then why don''t you end things now?]

    ''Even if I told you... You''re too stupid to understand.''

    [...]

    Bad host. Bad host.

    Woooooooooo~

    The system wanted to rush into its master''s arms and cry its eyes out.

    But little did it know that even if it did, its master might repeat the same thing its host usually told it.

    ''Noisy.''

    [...]

    The system was bound to be bullied no matter where it went.

    .

    Dorian squinted his eyes, feeling the strangeness in the space.

    ''For an underworld creature to open such a space asrge as this means they have an artifact in their possession.''

    Though the artifact''s grade seemed low, it was still powerful in its own right.

    Beings like the Underground Princes looked down on these sorts of artifacts.

    But other understood beings wouldn''t.

    And from the strength the space emitted, he felt it should belong to a fallen underworld general.

    However, something was off about it all.

    Why?... Why did he get a sense of heavenly mist dangling between the sea of rotting air?

    Loki!!!!

    All his senses and feelings pointed at that trickster.

    Heavenly wisp can not exist with that of the underworld.

    So how did that guy do it?

    The thin whiff he sensed was too faint and near non-existent, giving him the hunch that even if some gods and angels came here, they too wouldn''t be able to sense it.

    So the question now was, why could he when others couldn''t?

    What was so special about him that allowed him to sense it all?

    ''Interesting...''

    Dorian was getting more and more curious about his origins.

    But forgetting that matter, he wondered why that Trickster left a whiff of himself here.

    A hair strand...

    It should be a single hair strand the bastard left behind.

    But how did he manage to preserve it without the evil around eroding it or noticing it?

    Dorian pushed back the few strands of hair hovering over his face, once again confirming how dangerous this Loki fellow truly was.

    ''He might just be the biggest undecided yer to change the course of the war''s events.''

    But for which side he was ying for, no one could truly be sure.

    Well, whatever the reason for Loki keeping a whiff of himself here, Dorian didn''t care.

    In the end, this space... This rotting ce�� must be destroyed.

 Chapter 356 Who To Trust?

    Finalizing things in his mind, Dorian continued onwards with the group of normies.

    As for the matter involving Loki, he decided to throw it to the back of his mind.

    Honestly... He was beginning to think the heavens might one day fall into dismay and chaos if this lesser God was allowed to run amok as he did.

    That is, can''t there anyone up there who could notice his schemes and put a permanent stop to it all?

    Oops...

    The Almighty has gone on hiatus. And even the other stronger Gods directly under who under the Almighty were also a no show.

    It''s almost as though they had gone on a vacation for who knows how long, not bothering to return.

    Of course, one might think Dorian was worried about humanity or any of that.

    But the system knew its host only hated to have this bothersome fellow ruin his ns to do his job.

    The world could be in mes, and its host would still be in peace.

    Since its host epted it as a system and the mission from its master... Based on its host''s personality, he would want to do things exceptionally well.

    Loki...

    That name brought grief to many in the heavens.

    And in the end, the system also couldn''t help wondering why the Almighty was on Hiatus and why its master wasn''t doing anything about putting order into ce.

    Odd... Odd...

    It was all too odd.

    But as a system with absolute loyalty to its master, it didn''t think much of it, thinking its omnipotent master should surely have a reason.

    Bah!~... Whatever it was would definitely make sense.

    (*^*)

    .

    In this way, Dorian led the gang of normies deeper into the strange forest.

    The thinyer of pinkish purplish mist made everyone hold hands, lest they lose someone or ''something'' tried kidnapping the real and exchanging with a fake.

    No chances... They were taking no chances.

    But even with their resolve firm, every step they took forward was done with queasy feet.

    A strange wind caressed their cheeks, and a light eerie giggle echoed.

    Ahh!

    What was that?

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    With their hearts pounding vigorously, the gang of normies swiftly turned their heads in all directions but saw nothing.

    All that could be heard were the constant giggling noises from the surrounding forest.

    Mommy...

    Without even knowing it, they moved closer to one another, tightly hugging one another.

    You look at me; I look at you.

    Bro... Are you hearing what my ears are perceiving?

    Both Navy officers and Bho guards didn''t know there would be a day when they got so scared that their dders began threatening to grow loose.

    Ah!-

    Wait up, Grandmaster!

    Seeing Dorian still walking on as though he was deaf, everyone dared not dy any more.

    They hastily followed behind him, trying to screen out the strange giggles in the air.

    And as the seconds passed, the giggling grew louder and louder until they began seeing a few human-like shadow images in the mist.

    ''With the Grandmaster here, we have nothing to worry about.''

    Bho Jin chanted words of belief like a soothing mantra, almost turning Dorian into the centerpiece of religion.

    It wasn''t just him but everyone else.

    They kept their eyes on Dorian, not wanting to lose sight of him. But why was it that when they peeked at their surroundings, the trees seemed to be closing in tighter and tighter than before?

    Or was it just their brains overthinking things in the height of fright?

    !..!

    .

    Everyone wanted to know but dared not ask.

    "Look! Over there!"

    Now, they had walked close to the edge of some cliff.

    It was strange to say it was no more than 15 minutes since they began walking. And now, they were already on a high cliff?

    With the size of this ind, they were still technically close to the shores.

    And along their walk, they hadn''t gone up any steep inclined path.

    So how can they suddenly find themselves this high up?

    "Because the part of the ind which we docked on is higher than the other sides." Gia Ming replied, critically analyzing things.

    It was strange to say that the massive open space they were starting at below should be covered with arge chunk of that purple water.

    Yet, it was filled with barren forest trees with no sea water in sight.

    This again defied physics, as the waters on the shores adjacent to thend were nting downward, away from the space.

    Wipe!

    What sort of fantasy setting was this?

    Everyone smacked their lips in disbelief, looking at the strange scene.

    Of course, the object that caught their attention the most was the massive rusting cruise ship below.

    Hey!... It was the one they spotted earlier when sailing closer towards the shores.

    Its massive body was nted in a shipwreck position below.<sub> </sub>

    Just seeing this scene was enough to tell everyone they hadn''t been walking straight into the ind but sideways along the shorelines instead.

    How strange... They could have sworn they were headed straight into the ind earlier... So what changed?

    .

    [Host, it''s moving]

    ''Hmmm...

    Dorian hummed.

    Since they stepped on the ind, it had been moving. Its various parts moved subtly for ordinary people to move.

    This was probably why everyone else was shocked.

    A sly smile crept on Dorian''s lips.

    Since the ind wanted to lead them toward the massive cruise ship, then why not y along?

    For now, he had 5 hunches on what sort of creatures he might be up against.

    But to make sure, he needed more hints or clues to ess the matter further.

    Gia Ming and the other Navy Officers clenched their trembling fists.

    "Grandmaster, we have to go down and check it out. There could be survivors in there."

    "Right!"

    The others nodded.

    Old Bho also nodded, cing both hands on his firmly nted cane.

    "To safely find these survivors, as well as to know what truly happened to them, one must begin their investigation In the starting point of it all... The ship."

    Old Bho''s sage words were epted by all, but they still looked towards Dorian for confirmation.

    "Alright... Let''s go. But first, rx your bodies."

    Eh? Rx their bodies?

    Dorian smiled,zily tilting his head at the perplexed group.

    And with a flick of his figure, everyone found themselves falling over the ridiculously high cliff.

    1, 2, 3��

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!~~~

    Bho Jin screamed at the top of his lungs at the sudden fall.

    F***! F***! F***!!!!

    Bho Jin had done parachuting before.

    But he could only be brave then because he had a parachute strapped on his back.

    Now, jumping down the high cliff, his first reaction was to reach for his back. And when the realization of no parachute came to mind, his entire being screamed in horror.

    Murderer!... Murderer!...

    What was he trying to do, kill them?

    Bloody hell!!

    Are they sure this Grandmaster that pushed them down wasn''t the real one but a fake?

    And what was so scary was that his falling seemed to be elerated by a strange force, making him feel he was moving faster than the speed of light.

    It wasn''t just him who thought that but everyone else who died severally during their fall too.

    Why? Who? How?... When can this joy ride stop?

    .

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!~

    Bho Jin seemed to see his entire life shes before his very eyes.

    He was now falling in a lying position with his belly and face to the ground.

    He pped his hands like a bird, wanting to fly away the user his face was to the barn forest below.

    And just when he thought he would smash into the ground and be shattered meat, a strange force slowed his speed.

    Ahh!-... Ah?

    Bho Jin and the others now found themselves gliding down gracefully like heavenly beings.

    And when their feet touched the forest floors, some inwardly wanted to go on their knees and kiss the ground in glee.

    F***!

    If not for fear of this soil being rotten, they would''ve definitely done it!

    Bho Jin looked upwards to see his Grandfather and the Grandmaster slowly taking their time to descend from above.

    ... Wait!

    So they were pushed down while his Grandfather was slowly gliding down instead?

    Well... His Grandfather was taken down as though the older man was seated on a slow-moving Ferris wheel, probably not to give the old guy a heart attack.

    Old Bho wanted to say he could handle the adrenaline that came from what Bho Jin and the rest had faced.

    But the envious eyes everyone was giving him, he decided to swallow his words.

    Hey... It''s good for this old man to have some privileges.

    Doesn''t this mean he was closer to the Grandmaster than their lot?

    (^��^)

    .

    Like so, the gang began making their way towards the giant rusting ship when suddenly they heard a sharp cry from within the ship.

    What?!

    **Freeze**

    Backs hunched, everyone''s pupils dted.

    A survivor!

 Chapter 357 Into The Ship We Go

    A Survivor! A survivor!

    Quickly, many stormed past the forest while still holding hands.

    Yes... The image was ridiculous, seeing many burly able men holding hands like kindergarten children when crossing the roads.

    Ugh.

    No matter how one looked at it, it would make even the onlookers turn their faces away in shame for these people.

    But in the face of fear, what was face?

    Smack.

    Everyone smacked their lips together nervously.

    Hearts pounding, bodies jerking, everyone moved as fast as they could with Dorian lifting Old Bho 1~2 inches off his feet with the flick of his fingers.

    The old man looked like he was running.

    But if one looked at the many feet on the ground, one would see that Old man Bho''s legs weren''t touching the ground at all.

    A few noticed this, shooting the old man with envious eyes.

    Jeez... (eyes rolling)... It really pays to be old, huh?

    Tsk.

    The gang of normies ran what they believed to be their best running time, inching in closer and closer to the shipwrecked site.

    Again, throwing their heads behind their shoulders, a few noticed the trees they passed were now closer and tighter together than before, as if closing in on them.

    What''s more... Was it just them, or did the purple most also chicken too?

    Gulp.

    They swallowed hard, forcing themselves to be calm on this mysterious ind.

    They had a bad feeling about this... A very, very, very bad feeling!

    .

    1, 2, 3.

    In no time, the gang passed through the remainingnd terrain and reached the shipwreck with heavy hearts.

    ''Please be alive... Please be alive... Please be alive...'' Many inwardly prayed for the one who screamed earlier to have survived whatever made them cry out so ghastly.

    Along the way, they heard her cry no more than thrice, followed by a chilling silence that throttled their hearts.

    ''...'' Was she still okay?

    This was the first time Bho Jin was in such a situation with the possibility of a dead body popping up any second now.

    And like so, the gang advanced until they arrived at the giant cruise ship that had been turned to the sides.

    F***!

    So big!

    Once a ship stands on the dock, many might forget that it has several floors below its deck.

    The feeling of standing at its wee bottom gave the illusion they were ants before the giant monster.

    Rust!

    The metallic smell of rust covered the scene as though the ship had been sitting here for several decades in a ship junkyard.

    Its sharp bottom was wedged deep into the ground, past the shorelines, with the ship nting to its right but not all touching the ground.

    No!

    One could still say it was almost standing erect with only a slight tilt to the right. It didn''t make sense for the shipwreck to have stood so.

    But after all they saw today, were they going to argue things out with the supernatural on behalf of science?

    Nope.

    Observing the exterior even more, though most of the ship was covered in rust, a few spots still had the cruise ship''s white painted surfaces visible.

    "Surface rust."

    Gia Mingmented, wasting no time in analyzing the scene.

    As a prominent Navy officer who has spent much of his life at sea, don''t you think he would know the various degrees of rust by now?<sub> </sub>

    The structure should still be sturdy enough to carry its weight across the ship floors.

    However, he couldn''t say much about the rails across the ship.

    For whatever reason, they seemed to have been eaten up by rust faster than any other part of the ship, as though they had stayed here for centuries instead.

    The rust hadpletely eaten into them, breaking some parts into scrapes.

    .

    "The fog on the ship seems to be thickening. Stay close."

    Right!

    The gang took Dorian''s words as holymands, feeling the purple mist was bing too weird.

    Old Bho frowned. "The cargo door is open... It looks like passengers, maybe crew members, tried fleeing the ship from whatever danger hunted them aboard."

    Everyone thought the same, feeling more and more uneasy.

    The opened cargo door already had a massive ramp with a width akin to 2 vehicles standing close to each other.

    The ramp extended onto the ground from the ship. And though its centers were rusted beyond end, the ramp''s edges were in far better states.

    The inside was dark as night, with no sign of electricity anywhere.

    It was as though they were starting into an abyss. And the more they looked, the more they felt there was something lurking inside.

    To go or not to go?

    Of course to go!

    What choice did they have?

    Gia Ming and a few others quickly took out their small clicker shlights.

    Zoom left, zoom right, zoom the lights all around them...

    For a moment, the lights seem to dance across the scene maniacally, with everyone wanting all corners covered.

    F***!

    The fear of the unknown was truly terrible!

    .

    The inside of the ship had rusted far less than the outside.

    But looking around, what did they see?

    "There... There... Blood!!!!"

    Bho Jin pointed his trembling fingers on the floors, seeing the many trails of dried-up blood scattered about.

    His mind quickly spun, his heartbeat elerated astronomically, and his body tensed beyond belief.

    The trails of blood were gruesome, with fleshy chunks and pieces left behind, as though those dragged were scrapped along the floors.

    Too evil!

    Gia Ming''s face turned distorted, looking at the numerous reddish trails leading to all directions.

    He reckoned more than a hundred people were dragged in this manner.

    Seeing the blood trails, Gia Ming knew they had to start their investigations from here.

    Even if these trails led them to human bodies, they still had to confirm the identities of these people, as well as check if they were still alive, just passed out, or truly dead.

    Unfortunately, this also meant letting go of each other''s hands.

    Sigh... They could only hope they don''t meet imposters here.

    And so, with Dorian''s shrugging permission, Gia Ming nned to have everyone spread out and look for clues.

    But suddenly, the massive cargo door suddenly mmed shut.

    And now, they were trapped.

    Bam!!!!

    �� Mommy...

    (��m��)

 Chapter 358 Trapped!

    Bubuum. Bubuum...

    Don''t breathe... Don''t smile... Don''t even blink!!

    Everyone stood like cats out of water.

    The deadly silence carried a heavy tension within its midst.

    And Dorian, who had been like an observer all this while, had a slight smirk.

    He had his hands in his pocket, with his head tiltedzily.

    "Did you think we came here by ident?"

    What did the Grandmaster mean?

    Everyone''s pupils dted.

    So you mean it was all a trap?

    An ufortable feeling clogged their hearts. But before they could react, they heard the shlights in their hands blink without end.

    ~Flick. Flick. Flick... Pash!!!!

    A torchlight broke, also breaking the hearts of its holder.

    "It''s out! It''s out!"

    "What? Howe?"

    Several people had widened mouths in the form of an ''0''.

    Pash!... Pash! Pash! Pash!

    Several shlight bulbs exploded one by one.

    "No! No! No!... Com''on... Work for me!"

    Several people pped their torches vigorously, feeling the darkness swallowing them all.

    But this was just the beginning.

    Rumble. Rumble~

    The entire space began to tremble fiercely, apanied by an eerie giggling noise all too familiar to them.

    Hihihihihihi~

    It''s here!!!

    Many wanted to reach for their weapons only to recall they were all confiscated by the Grandmaster''s person (Butler Sheng).

    Words couldn''t describe their feelings.

    Their breathing elerated, their muscles tensed, their white blood cells increased, and the butterflies in their bellies knotted.

    And without even knowing it, they hugged each other like newly born twins.

    (:oxo:)

    Sorry... You want to judge them for being scaredy cats, then go ahead!

    They wouldn''t be ashamed to say they were fighting their dders at times like tense.

    To stay this long without peeing in fright was already a proud aplishment!

    (*@*)

    .

    Darkness...

    The darkness now surrounded the scene, and their aura of fear was high.

    But do you know what would make their prey fear even more?

    The enemy''s big reveal.

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Several fist-sized holes were formed across the various corners of the space, allowing light to enter.

    What?!!!

    Everyone felt their legs turn wobbly, seeing the reddish-dyed interior.

    The ce...

    (Gulp)

    They swallowed hard.

    The ce was bloodier than they thought.

    Yet what was surprising was that their obvious disgust didn''te from the many blood trails and human chunks of flesh but from the found stench that now burned their nostrils.

    Good, God!!!!

    Blugh!

    One of the Bho guards couldn''t take it, puking to the side in utter repulsion.

    F***!

    He had never smelled something so bad in his life before.

    For it to be able to make him forget his feat momentarily was enough to show how powerful this deadly smell was.

    The guard even felt he would prefer to smell poop or even dead bodies than keep taking a shift of this dastardly scent.

    Uh...

    The smell was so itchy that even his eyes began watering.

    .

    Oh No!

    "Look over there!"

    The walls!... The various cargo boxes andpartments...<sub> </sub>

    Everyone saw several shadows merge, growing bigger and bigger by the second.

    Theughing shadows kept growing, but there was no one in sight.

    Grow... Grow... Grow...

    The shadows grew to the ceiling until suddenly, they began spinning across the many surfaces,ing together to form one.

    But what was this?

    Why did they hear other strange screams of frightened beings?

    With the room still shaking as though experiencing an earthquake, several objects still moved and flew about the scene.

    And following the sound, they finally came face to face with the strangest scene.

    "Run!... Run!... Get away from here!!!!"

    "..."

    Bho Jin stared at the little guys running to them in shock, turning his head to Dorian in question.

    "Shrunk."

    It seems some survivors had shrunk into the size of one''s big toe.

    And if they weren''t all screaming the same words simultaneously, it would be impossible for Bho Jin and the rest to hear a thing.

    .

    This, who, when, what?... How is this possible?

    Whether it was Gia Ming, Old Bho, or anyone else, the scene was just too dumbfounding.

    Pah!!

    One of the Navy officers pped himself hard.

    Little people...

    They were actually made into little people!!!

    He felt dizzy just thinking about it.

    Bloody hell!

    Can anyone tell him why today was such a crazy day?

    What would they exin to their superiors? What do they tell people about the missing cruise ship incident?

    Who in their damn right senses would believe this much?

    Ugh...

    Com''on! Can you make their jobs any more difficult?

    The Navy officers had no tears but wanted to cry.

    But seeing the little people run to warn them of the dangers ahead, everyone''s heart felt fuzzy and warm, still having hope for humanity after all.

    They even risked their lives, exposing themselves to warn them.

    Maybe these tremors in the ce could be handled by their normal human body... But for these shrunken people the size of tiny action figures, it should be a hellish quake to them.

    What''s more, the fallen rusted pieces on the floors, the cargo safety straps, bands, and the cargoes themselves were all in their way.

    The tremors slid these objects around to the dismay of these little people.

    Since the grandmaster''s words indirectly confirmed these people were true humans and not imposters, how could they allow them to get in harm''s way?

    .

    "Stop! Protect yourselves instead! Don''t worry about us!"

    "Yes! Protect yourself! Everything will soon be alright!!!"

    The few people tried calling these miniature humans down while also being vignt against the giggling shadows surrounding the scene.

    Dorian still had his hands in his pockets,zily looking at the scene like a spectator.

    ''You''re not the one I''m looking for.''

    No... This shadowy figure was but a nobodypared to the one who made the ind space.

    Then why should he waste time ying with it?

    He narrowed his eyes, waiting for the opportune moment when all parts of the shadow would fully merge into one.

    And this, he had been doing a simple countdown in his head.

    5...

    The enemy was still giggling confidently while Dorian slowly took his hands out his pockets.

    4...

    Dorian calmly wore his ck gloves, starting at the shadow that had sessfully collected all just shadowy parts.

    3...

    The shadow peeled itself off the walls and surfaces, forming a massive ck cloud above everyone.

    2...

    Everyone was still anxious, watching the cloud above them continuously spin. The room turned colder and the enemy''sughter even more piercing.

    1...

    Time was almost up.

    [Everyone]: Could this be their end?

    A broad smile crept onto Dorian''s lips.

    Zero...

    Whoosh!

    Dorian vanished.

 Chapter 359 Too Late For The Grandmaster!

    Everyone only felt a force gust of wind fly by.

    And before they could react, they heard a good bang that made them want to pick their legs and flee.

    (��_��!)

    --Silence--

    If a pin dropped, many great they could heat it from a mile away with how quiet the scene was.

    Okay...

    They knew what they were staring at. But why did their brain refuse to ept what their eyes saw?

    Their brain tickets seemed to be fried to the core.

    Error... Error... Cannotpute... Science chip override!!

    And this time, it wasn''t the silly Bho Jin who cursed out in disbelief but one of the well-respected Navy officers known for his impable manners.

    "F***! What a good blockbuster!!"

    What speed was the Grandmaster going for them to not even see after images of him?

    OH... MY... GOD!

    Everyone was now staring at Dorian, who had pinned down the most hideous thing they had ever seen in their lives.

    How to describe it?

    Even if their superiors told them to, they didn''t want to recall what the horrid creature looked like!

    .

    Everyone had a face of disgust, wishing they could erase the creature''s image from their heads.

    The ghoulish Fein had a hunched back with 3 heads.

    The first head had but one cyclop eyeball socket, the second had 2, and the third 3.

    Wait. But where were their eyeballs?

    All they could see were fat rotting worms dancing within the space.

    The hideous being had a juicy decaying body with open spots and patches that allowed them to pry closer into what its insides looked like.

    Its ws were razor-sharp, its wings simr to a bat''s, its faces had triangr spiky mouths, and its bottom half simr to a serpent''s tail.

    Everyone thought the smell from earlier was a true knockout enough to make them throw up for a lifetime. But who would have thought the grand reveal was even more disastrous?

    Blugh!!!!!~

    This time, even Gia Ming had to exaggeratingly ce his hands over his mouth, gagging continuously.

    What the bloody hell? How can something be so ugly?

    Old Bho was also one step behind him, feeling highly repulsed and in dire need of a nice picture to look at and science his eyes.

    Torture...

    Such an image was already torture to the human brain.

    And if they weren''t people who had trained before, they might have fainted or even wet themselves disgracefully at the creature''s mere sight.

    Of course, it would be a lie to say disgust was their most prominent emotion now.

    No...

    Their minds went momentarily nk, and their faces lost all color, turning a frightening pale hue.

    It was one thing to suspect they might be dealing with a supernatural being without actually seeing it, and another to SEE.

    No one could stop their bodies from trembling in utter fear.

    .

    Plop.

    A few fell to their butts in horror.

    "It''s... Its... It''s real."

    "I, what, when... How can this be?"

    "No! No! No!... This must be a dream. Tell me I''m hallucinating!"

    Many didn''t want to believe they, humans, had been living side by side with such beings all this time.

    F***!

    How to sleep at night?

    They, big men, weren''t afraid to say they wouldn''t be able to sleep alone anymore for the next few days at best.

    Well, throwing the word ''days'' was good, wasn''t it?

    90 days make 3 months, and 365 days make a year.

    Who knows, maybe they would be able to sleep alone after a week, or perhaps it would prolong for longer before they chose to sleep alone again.

    As superiors with their own private sleeping quarters on Navy site, they began regretting why this incident urred when they were already at the top.

    Just look at it!

    If they were still newbies or those in lesser ranks, won''t they sleep in dormitories with several others all at once?

    Erm...

    You look at me; I look at you.

    You look at me; I look at my sleeping buddy for the next few weeks.

    ...

    Everyone was still feeling their eyes bleed nonexistent blood, shocked about the screen before them.

    The way they stared at the Grandmaster was especially mouth-dropping too.

    How is it that he could whoosh to one end of the space, seemingly unaffected by the mere sight of this creature?

    (+0+)

    The awe in their eyes was evident. And this was only the start of the show.

    "Grahhhhhh~~~"

    The 3 headed serpent beast wailed in disbelief when its hunched back smashed onto the ground.

    One second it was stillughing in gloat, and another, it was down on the ground in pain.

    The key was that it didn''t even see the human that attacked it move.

    Oh? Was it in pain?

    Dorian slowly took his hand off the creature''s middle neck. But not before making a giant mace appear.

    Everyone was taken aback, looking at the massive bluish transparent mace asrge as a huge boulder that appeared before their eyes.<sub> </sub>

    You can do this too?

    (''0'')

    .

    And in an angle no one could see, Dorian stared at the creature below his feet with a smile that made it... Well...

    Bam!!!

    Everyone only saw the giant mace pulverize the creature reportedly, smashing its already mushy and rooting body to bits.

    Ahhhhhhhhhhh!~

    A cry akin to a thousand goats being throttled echoed out as greenish blood began spilling from the creature''s many hallowed eyes

    Human... You are indeed ferocious!

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The mace fell over and over. And even when the creature raised its quivering hands, the mace was right there to smash it down to the ground where it belonged.

    Bam!!

    The mace continuously smashed onto the frightened creature.

    Such a move from the Grandmaster should''ve shattered the already weak and rusting metal floors.

    However, with Dorian''s control, everything was left intact, only showing the creature''s outline on the rusting floors.

    The creature felt both unwilling and in pain as it squirmed, swishing its serpent bottom at the hateful human pinned it down.

    Everyone saw the creature''s smashed and crooked serpent bottom slowly raise its end behind Dorian''s back.

    What? A sneak attack?

    Whether it was Gia Ming or Old Bho, their pupils dted speedily.

    .

    "Grandmaster, watch out!!!"

    Someone screamed but felt it was already toote.

    Like a fierce de, the serpent-tail aimed for the kill.

    Oh no!

    Warning bell''s went off in everyone''s mind. And without question, they forced their legs to move forward.

    ''Dammit! The Grandmaster... It''s toote.''

    ''No! The Grandmaster must not fall. I have to save him... But why won''t my legs obey me?''

    ''Com''on, you damn chicken legs, pick up the pace and move! We have to save the Grandmaster!!!''

    (*0*)

    As though they drank chicken soup, the Navy officers and bodyguards reactedter to a mary shock.

    Their bodies, especially their legs, refused to take a single step forward, feeling 20 times heavier than they were.

    The color from their faces drained as they stretched out their arms and stared at the scene with widened mouths. (''0'')

    The Grandmaster still hasn''t reacted even with the attack being this close to him!

    ''Terrible!... I can''t bear to watch!'' A few closed their eyes and sister their already-stretched hands, imagining Dorian''s lifeless body.

    It''s over... It''s over...

    The Grandmaster is dead for sure.

    .

    Thup!

    A loud sound echoed with an impact so great they thought a grenade had exploded in the space.

    But when a few opened their eyes, what did they see?

    F***!

    The wind was blowing the Grandmaster''s hair upwards while the rest of his clothes, be it the corners of his high-neck, bluish-ck school-like attire remained the same.

    One had to see it to believe it.

    How can his clothes defy gravity when his hair was clearly flying upwards from the windy impact?

    (>��a�C?��)

    You are you? Who are you really?

    Everyone had the urge to pluck their eyes out and wipe them clean.

    And once again, Bho Jin was inwardly convinced Dorian was a Saiyan.

    Fine! Though his hair was glowing golden now, you have to admit when flying upwards under such a vicious wave, it more or less looked like he was Vegeta or Goku himself.

    Fart!

    He could even see the wind animation around Dorian.

    Convinced...

    He was utterly convinced, especially after seeing exactly what caused the massive wind wave in the first ce.

    The Grandmaster, whom everyone thought would get back-stabbed by the creature''s deadly serpent-tail, not only survived but also stopped the pointy end of the tail with one finger!

    Awesome!

    Too good! Too powerful!

    What a show!!

    Whether it was Gia Ming, Old Bho, or the best, hiding from the speed of the attack, it should have blown Dorian''s fingers to smithereens.

    Yet, the Grandmaster was fine, even dawning azy look as though bored.

    ''...''

    .

    Bam!

    Dorian mmed his Mace down, making the creature regret its intestines.

    Its pain was so bad that it was tempted to cry to the heavens for help.

    "Monster!... Monster... Get away from me, you monster!!!" (:a???�a??:)

    [Everyone]:...Erm~... Mr. Monster, have you forgotten your identity?

    Blink. Blink.

    (��_��)

 Chapter 360 More Clues

    Everyone: (0_0)

    Never in their lives had they heard anyone wail so pitifully.

    All the hairs on their body stood terribly from the ear-bursting eerie cry.

    What happened to all its confidence from earlier?

    Watching the Grandmaster''s giant mace make a paste out of its rotting maggot-infested body made everyone want to light a candle for the creature.

    No one said anything. But their legs were shaking in fear not for the creature''s might but from the Grandmaster''s brutal ways.

    Of course, their gratitude was also more evident too.

    Everyone watched the giant mace mince the creature''s rotting body, creating a disgusting sight.

    ~Bam! Bam! Pah! Bam! Boom!~

    The ground shook slightly after the many attacks.

    But all this happened in no more than 2 minutes.

    And no matter how much the creature wailed and pleased, Dorian was like an assassin on the battlefield.

    He once againnded his giant spiked mace on the creature.

    The image was as though a giant spiky boulder had nownded on the also massive creature. And what was even more startling was the little man holding the giant mace''s handle.

    No matter how one looked at it, it just seemed impossible for the Grandmaster to have picked it up.

    Too handsome!

    ... The grandmaster sure looked handsome!!

    [The trembling audience]: (+0+)

    .

    ''Oh? What''s this?''

    Dorian nced at the strange shard that flew out of the creature after he smashed its 3rd heart.

    Objects simr to tiny stars and cosmic gasses revolved around this strange shard, though the shard itself looked like it was melting (rotting).

    The system who saw this was shocked so much that it began to stutter with grim eyes.

    [Host!.... Host!... That''s... That''s--]

    ''A D shard.''

    Dorian answered, fully aware that he was holding in his hands.

    The shard was so precious that even he had a flicker of awe in its presence.

    But what exactly was this shard?

    Back in his former world, many beliefs did exist about the many gods and goddesses too. And unlike what some might think, these Gods and Goddesses won''t grow weak if theyck followers.

    These immortals could only grow stronger if they keptw and order in check.

    How to say it?

    The angels, gods, goddesses, and other immortal beings in the heavenly realm worked to get her to keep matters of the mortal realms in order. And to be honest, there were too many billion, trillion, infinity worlds out there, far surprising the number of immortal beings that exist.

    But what can anyone do?

    The Almighty could sneeze, and entire gxies would pop out.

    In that case, those in the heavenly realm are overseeing more ces.

    Of course, only those qualified could reach the status of Archangel Gabriel, Zeus, and all the rest.

    In truth, the story of the many ''Gods''es from their different gifts and how they oversaw their various domains.

    That''s right.

    Many have the origin stories for these gods all wrong!!

    What''s more, thes Zeus overseas didn''t even have the God Poseidon on them either.

    No! Rather, Zeus worked with some lesser-ranked angels and other immortals in his group to oversee all the worlds under his assigned territories.

    ? As for Hades, he wasn''t any keeper of the underworld.<sub> </sub>

    His real position was very close to the underworld. That was why he was always misunderstood.

    For Hades and several other heavenly angels and beings, they weren''t given worlds to regte but were asked to oversee the entire judgment process.

    So yes... You could say he would be the one dishing out the punishment mortals would face, sending their souls to the underworld when their punishment time was up.

    But as a being belonging to the heavenly realm, he never went down there.

    Bottom line, the Almighty was the big guy... The creator of it all... The Boss of bosses. And in this time of need, sure enough, he was on Hiatus.

    .

    ''What an unreliable guy.''

    [Host, please don''t nder the Almighty! He... He always has a n!]

    The system was like a puffer fish, feeling its host too wrong.

    The almighty was so good�� So how can its host keep thinking bad about such a heavenly being?

    That was the creator!!!

    How can its host think the Almighty was unreliable?

    (>*0*)

    The system wanted to quickly clear up any misunderstandings the host might have and show its host the light.

    [Host, host, listen to me. This system thinks��]

    ''Noisy.''

    [...]

    Dorian didn''t even bother listening to the system''s noisy rants.

    He had long marked the so-called almighty as an unreliable being, even back in his former world.

    But on the matter of the heavens, not all heavenly beings could be given assignments.

    Those like Loki could never be allowed to oversee territories.

    Dorian reckoned the guy would drown these worlds in turmoil andplete obliteration. He wouldn''t be surprised if these worlds also blew up as well.

    And sure enough, looking at the D stone, he was sure it was this trickster who brought such a heavenly stone to this ce.

    ''It''s weakening.''

    Dorian held the shard between his gloved fingers, observing over 99.999% of it was rotted to its core.

    Even with the rotting speed of this ce being so speedy, such a tiny heavenly shard still took hundreds and thousands of years to reach this point.

    This alone was enough to tell how powerful this single piece was.

    .

    Again, sensing the auras around this particr shard, Dorian was also sure the shard had been deteriorating in several other ces before finally arriving here.

    It should be that these shares were first in the hands of stronger beings before being given to these weaker ones.

    [Host. Probably because of the war in the underworld, the powerful generals andmanders dared not take these shards down?]

    Dorian thought the same as well.

    The shards haven''tpletely deteriorated yet. So it was probably sent here toplete its deterioration while the big guys leave this world.

    But just like he mentioned, this was only a single shard.

    So where were the rest?

    Interesting...

    ''They broke down the D stone and began containing it with the help of Loki, all in the hopes of anchoring it in a formation 2 yearster?''

    Heh.

    The corners of Dorian''s lips raised high.

    Time to collect all shards.

 Chapter 361 Priorities

    The D stone...

    There are ountable D stones that exist.

    The D stone appears in a special ce in the heavens whenever a new world is created.

    Each world has its own D stone. And the overseers of these worlds were also the keepers of these stones.

    These stones are never to leave the heavenly realm, guarded by the various keepers every moment.

    Each keeper infuses a whiff of themselves in their stones to keep track of them.

    So if anyone ever touched or tried to attack or steal them, the respective gods, angels, goddesses, and heavenly beings would be aware.

    In such cases, even Loki would have a near-impossible time overpowering too many heavenly beings at once.

    Moreover, a chosen overseer could destroy a stolen D stone with just their thought, even if it was realism away from them.

    Creating a new one would also be nothing to them, provided they were the assigned overseers of these territories.

    But this was where this world''s situation became advantageous for the underworld.

    After infinity years of searching, this is the only world identally forgotten from the time of its creation.

    In the end, though it still operated in thews of heaven, it didn''t have any overseers. And in the end, the underworld beings somehow got their hands on its D stone with the help of some treacherous heavenly being.

    Dorian was sure that once the war broke out after thes aligned, this contaminated stone would be able to pierce through the barrier between the mortal and heavenly realm.

    Those in the underworld already had gateways to get to the mortal world.

    So once another gateway opened to the heavenly realm, their goal was clear for all to see.

    They wanted to ascend without heating the Heavenly auras in the heavenly realm.

    Dorian didn''t think this stone alone would be enough to keep them alive against the heavenly aura above.

    So what other good ns and items had they collected from their good old buddy Loki?

    Tsk...

    If you tell him Loki didn''t have a hand in this, he would never believe it.

    All shards should be in here.

    ''In this case, why not seize them all?''

    .

    Ahhhhhhh~~~~

    Everyone watched the creature scream and go up in pinkish mes until its ashes vanished.

    --Silence--

    Old Bho secretly pinching himself in a daze.

    1, 2, 3...

    ''F***!''

    He finally reacted, cursing loudly like his silly Grandson.

    But before he or anyone else couldment on the epic battle they watched, Dorian flicked his fingers, and the many shrunken survivors floated towards them.

    The survivors were no taller than anyone''s ankles.

    They shook in fear, watching Dorian''s silhouette grow bigger and bigger the closer they approached.

    Hell!

    Who knew being so small was so terrifying?

    They couldn''t help wondering if this was how mice, roaches, and other smaller beings saw them from below.

    Swish!

    Dorian waved a talisman paper, and it expanded into a box.

    And though fearful, every survivor felt the need to enter this magical box and stay far away from the many dangers around them.

    It wasn''t just them, as even some of the Bho guards and the Navy officers felt tempted.

    After all, they had seen and been through, who wouldn''t?

    Gia Ming smacked his lips dryly, starting at the levitating box before him.

    "Grand... Grandmaster... Did we get them all?"

    His question made everyone look around cautiously.

    Yes!

    Are all survivors in there?

    (?o?)<sub> </sub>

    .

    Everyone stretched their necks, even though they couldn''t see into the box floating at eye-level before them.

    Looking around, they also had a brief sadness for the survivors not rescued.

    There were blood trails all over the ce, all belonging to humans. So it''s evident many were dead at this point.

    Sigh...

    "What a tragic sight."

    The bloody and messy sight gave everyone goosebumps just picturing how these unfortunate survivors died.

    That is, they could only see the few pieces of scrapped human skin along these bloody trails but no body.

    So wouldn''t these people be in the bellies of these creatures?

    Dammit!

    What was the definition of fear? This was it!

    Gulp~

    Many swallowed their hard.

    Even with the creature dead, they still had a lingering ominous feeling buried in their bellies. So they more than anyone else, knew this wasn''t the time to dwell on the dead.

    "Go?... Right!... Go, go... The Grandmaster is right."

    "I agree. Onwards and upwards. With the Grandmaster here, what''s there to be scared of?"

    "Yeah. We have faced countless battles and can never be shaken by such enemies!"

    "Sir, you said it well."

    "Of course! Who do you think I am?"

    "As expected of you, sir. You''re right. It wasn''t so scary after all. But sir, I seem not to have gotten enough sleep beforeing here. Or else why would my legs be sleeping so much?"

    "..."

    Gia Ming shook his head wryly, looking at hisrades as well as himself, whose legs had just betrayed them all.

    Their upper bodies were firm, but their legs had turned to jelly.

    They could really do with old Ghu''s walking cane right about now. And without realizing it, they were all closer to Dorian than before.

    What about personal space?

    Sorry. They don''t understand what those words mean.

    Call them shameless all you want. But after facing what they did, how dare they move an inch away from their savior?

    Huh!

    Don''t forget they were still in enemy territory.

    And for Bho Jin, if his horror movie knowledge was correct, wouldn''t these creatures try breaking them apart or killing them one by one if they ever strayed far away?

    Don''t try to fool him... He was very smart!!

    (V^V)

    .

    [Host, it looks like the entire ship has a problem.]

    ''Hmmm...''

    But so what? Handling these lesser ones should be easy. His biggest problem was the one at the far center of the ind.

    In the end, he still had to deal with these little ones to get all the shards, leaning no stone unturned.

    But of course, the big one at the ind''s center should have the majority in its grasp.

    Very quickly, Dorian connected the rest telepathically.

    [Kill all you find. Collect the shards within them.]

    Boom!

    The order was given. And whenever it was Butler Sheng surrounded by enemies around a boiling swamp or Old Gia surrounded by enemies in a graveyard or the others, their eyes grew firm.

    Collect the shards�� Collect them all.

    Old madam Ghu nced at the hideous beings surrounding her from the corners of her eyes. And in a sh, her image vanished, appearing several feet high.

    "Ice Darting Arrows!~"

    Boom!!!!

 Chapter 362 The Iron Ladys Move

    Old madam Ghu began fighting hard against her opponents.

    And at first, they gave her a deadly blow, skillfully attacking her at various junctures.

    Dammit!

    She held her bleeding belly grimly.

    To fight a real enemy was far different from training. What''s more, fighting these bastards was different from fighting humans.

    Even when fighting the various creatures within the academy, at least those didn''t have despicable minds like these underworld creatures.

    No... These bastards didn''t mind low-blown tricks at all.

    Fighting their vicious lot was much more troubling.

    Old madam Ghu took a deep breath, clenching her teeth in fury.

    ''I''ve trained for this... I can take them down.''

    It was unclear if she meant it or was trying to convince herself.

    But so what?

    It was them against her. And she sure as well can''t lose!

    "Fux Arrows!"

    Boom!!!

    A massive explosion went off, followed by a thick cold fog.

    And before the Old madam Ghu''s feet touched the ground, the fog diminished, releasing the firstyer of enemies surrounding her all turned into ice sculptures, frozen to the core.

    What?

    "Break!"

    ~Tuh-Tang!!!

    The many sculptors break into fragments, shocking the other ghastly enemies around.

    (0��0)

    .

    This... This...

    Who are they? Where are they?

    Everything happened so fast that they couldn''t even react timely.

    The surrounding Gollums shrieked back in confusion, seeing theirrades broken down into a thousand fragments.

    They, the onlookers, were stunned, no doubt.

    What the hell is going on here? Weren''t they trashing this human left, right, and center just now?

    Weren''t they ying her like a flute, beating the hell out of her a second ago?

    So when did she suddenly be so enlightened?

    It was as though she had grown up right before their eyes.

    What''s more, they, as sand golems, had the ability to break down and reattach themselves at will.

    So how in the name of the 1st Hell Prince had theirrades be so stiff?

    Their ugly faces distorted in disbelief, looking at the human at the very center.

    In their heads, they had taken her final move to be a stroke of luck, especially with that divine weapon in her hand.

    Yes!

    Exorcists didn''t exist in this world. They knew this from a fact.

    And they, asckeys, only had a littlemon sense in their still-developing brains.

    They still couldn''t think any further, only feeling the orders sent from the one at the ind center to deal with the humans that came in.

    But even so, they already thought themselves very strongpared to humans. What''s more, they had just been ying with this human here like she was a toy.

    So if you tell them she could suddenly take them down, they wouldn''t believe it.

    No way! Did you see the beatdown they gave this puny human?<sub> </sub>

    Huh��

    Their rotted sandy lips curled in disdain.

    It should be the divine weapon in the human''s hands that made the human have a stroke of luck.

    Yes�� It wasn''t strange for such weapons to suddenly have a burst of power. So what they should be worried about is the weapon in the human''s hands.

    Tsk.

    They didn''t expect theirrades to take action, only to see the lot dangerously frozen solid like a popsicle, waiting for the brazen sun to melt them away.

    But that wasn''t all.

    The culprit only blew a little wind from her lips, cashing all 10 surrounding her to crack.

    They didn''t know what she did, but now theirrades weren''t reattaching themselves anymore.

    Still, they felt the human should have somehow burrowed powers from the weapon to aplish this feat.

    In that case, take out the weapon, the human should be useless.

    That was the limit of their brain streaming their little brains could do.

    As for the culprit who caused it all, she was inwardly patting herself on the back for her sudden rise in I.Q.

    ''I�� I did it�� heh�� heheheheheh~ Great! Wonderful! Excellent! I suddenly feel like I can carry the moon on my shoulders now. So this was what winning these bastards felt like?''

    Good��

    Her confidence wasing back stronger than ever!

    .

    One step forth, one step back.

    The now vignt giant sand Gollums found themselves growling loudly in production but daring not to advance.

    (-_-)

    They began to sway like video game characters.

    And at the same time, the lead Gollum in the shadows, the one with a higher enlightened sensepared to the lot, opened its massive mouth with a grim face.

    "Growl, growl, growl, growl, growl!" Puny human. How dare you touch us? You, meant to be our food, dares to touch us?

    I don''t believe it! I don''t believe we will lose to a mere human!

    "Growllll!!!!!!"

    A rumbling growl echoed from the surrounding trees, causing Old madam Ghu to pause.

    ''There''s a bogged one in the shadows. I better be careful.'' She warned herself. But it was toote when her feet suddenly grew stiff.

    Looking down, she saw the sand surrounding her firmly hold her down.

    No... It was more urate to say there were over 30 didn''t sandy hands jointly gripping her in ce.

    ~Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Heart pounding��

    It would be a lie to say old madam Ghu''s heart hadn''t drummed a million times over.

    The sandy ground had varicose vein-like lines all leading to her feet.

    And immediately, she knew these bastards wanted to limit her movement.

    To take them all at once with limited chance for maneuvering.

    It would be tough to take them all at once... But who was she?

    The stubborn irondy of the capital city!

    The tigress who made even the old fogies dare not cross��the one who hated giving up the most.

    And now, her other identity was an elder in the Heavenly Tian academy.

    So how can she back away from such a heart-jerking fight? It''s not like she has much of a choice here.

    In that case, don''t me her for being rude!!!

    (~>~)

 Chapter 363 A Bad Turn!

    Enemies all around, confidence booming within... It was barely a second since her feet were held stiff.

    Old madam Ghu''s senses heightened as time seemed frozen still.

    1...

    The nearby creepy branches fluttered in slow motion, all surrounding sounds seemed to mellow down, too slow to be fully captured, as though she were in some blockbuster movie.

    2...

    The golems ran in slow motion, and her hands reached for her pockets.

    3...

    Could it be that she had the power to stop time?

    No! It was all Old Madam Ghu''s head. There was no slow-motion but fast thinking instead.

    facade of imagina

    Growl!!!

    The scene of the tiny human about to be crushed by 20 giant Golems in mid-air was enough to make many movie directors sure Old Madam Ghu would have her brains and body crushed into paste.

    Even the lead golem hidden away in the surrounding couldn''t help revealing a confident smirk.

    ''Human... This is what you get for angering me. Now feel absolute fear before your moments of death and be food for us all. Before you''re crushed, my hands will suck out your fear. Your soul will change, and your being will be our food!''

    Now die... Die for me!

    Boom!!!!

    The lead golem smiled victoriously.

    "Hahahahaha~... How dare you, a mere human, try to attack my minions?"

    This is what such a hateful human deserves.

    Hmph!

    The Golem sneered in disdain but soon found his gleeful mood short-lived.

    "You, you, you, you... Impossible!"

    How can this human still be alive?

    The attacknded just as the lead Collin predicted.

    The rumble was deafening and the force powerful.

    It still felt his control of the human''s feet was still intact. Meaning the bastard witch definitely hadn''t broken free.

    .

    Hahahahaha~

    It expected the only human parts not crushed by its minions should be the legs it was holding, from the knees downwards.

    The lead sand golem had a face of confidence, watching the scene clearly settle down.

    But soon, its smile froze, quickly turning to disbelief.

    No! No! No!

    Impossible.

    How can this human survive?

    Old madam Ghu smiled, seeing the concave ice shield she conjured up to be effective. And to boost the shield''s strength, she also pasted a talisman from the Grandmaster to strengthen it too.

    Huh.

    Depending on her strength alone wouldn''t be enough to take them down. So why not add a little cheat to the mix?

    "Hedgehog shield!!"

    Ptchui!!!

    The golems had barely touched the shield when massive ice spikes pierced through their beings.

    But Old madam Ghu wasn''t done yet.

    "Darting Ice Arrows!"

    "Tempest Chill!!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Boom!!~

    Old madam Ghu noticed the lead golem''s daze had weakened its control on her feet. And with a few maneuvers, she was finally free.

    Jump, roll, twist, shoot!

    Old madam Ghu gave it her all, also taking Energy recovery pills made by the Grandmaster himself for her cultivation rank.

    She knew killing these lesser golems wouldn''t be the real issue at hand, but for the boss golem�� it was hard to say.<sub> </sub>

    She knew the evil feign would find an opportunity to strike her when she least expected it. So taking this pill would replenish and give her some energy for the fight ahead.

    And sure enough, the big guy finally released himself.

    Boom!

    She rolled away in time only to see a golem twice the size of the others emerge.

    If her stupid grandson were here, he would call this the first-final boss.

    ''No matter... I think I''ve got a good handle on my techniques now.''

    Growl!!

    The big sand man finally stepped out, and Old madam Ghu knew she wouldn''t only be dealing with it alone but also the surviving golems too.

    "Elder Hina!"

    A voice called out.

    It was Elder Mia, old madam Ghu''s partner whom the Grandmaster had paired her with.

    On their way here, they spotted several strange shadows. Thus, they decided to split up and investigate things separately before meeting up again.

    Mia held her see-through Kendo sword, standing back to back with Old madam Ghu. "Elder Hina! Let''s finish them together."

    "Right!... Icy Palm!"

    "Wind Serpent!"

    Fight! Fight! Fight!

    .

    Like so, bothdies began their deadly battle. But in the forest''s depths, a dark hunched figure opened its grim, menacing eyes.

    And just at the moment when it reacted, Dorian, far away, narrowed his eyes profoundly.

    [Head for the center.]

    His instructions once again invaded the minds of all sect elders.

    As for himself, he had already taken care of all underworld beings within the ship, rescuing any survivors they met along the way.

    He left no corner unturned, scouring the ship in little time.

    But how did he do it?

    Paper men.

    His army of paper men were quick to act, sitting up and covering as much ground as they could. To say the rest weren''t shocked would be a lie.

    Phuck!

    One minute they saw the Grandmaster take out several pieces of his usual strange papers. And with a simple tap, these papers not only grew to human size but also filled up too!

    Old man Bho''s eyeballs were nearly forced out of their sockets with the way he was staring at the paper men.

    "Hello?... Can you speak?"

    "..."

    The silent paper men didn''t react even after being poked by the funny old man.

    They broke apart from Dorian''s gang, eliminating every evil entity they met.

    Destroy... Kill�� Eliminate.

    The paper men worked like machines with Dorian''s will in mind.

    And by the time Dorian led the gang off the ship after destroying every enemy and reassuring all survivors, the paper men were also behind, bringing out the survivors they spotted.

    Alright. In they go.

    Everyone watched Dorian dunk the shrunken survivors in his floating box, opening their mouths but not saying a thing.

    (!_!)

    ''... Grandmaster, you do realize these are humans and not baskets of small squishy toys, right?''

    Everyone was still speechless at the Grandmaster''s actions when suddenly, a strange hole opened on the ground.

    And soon, their expressions turned horrid.

    "Young master Bho!"

    "Kha Ming!!!"

    "Ahhhhhhh~~~~"

    Vanished��

    Bho Jin and another Navy officer had vanished.

 Chapter 364 [Bonus Chapter]Humanitys Hope!

    There he was, standing in the spot that had now be his world, the only directions being the many wed marks on the ground made by his cane.

    Dig. Dig. Dig. Dig!

    Old Bho looked 10 years older, but he never stopped digging for even a second.

    Drip. Drip.

    He didn''t know when tears began flowing.

    His eyes moistened, and his face turned sunken.

    "My little grandson��"

    Everyone stared in silence, not knowing what to say to make the old man feel better.

    They wanted to tell him it would be alright. But even they weren''t sure what Bho Jin''s fate would be.

    After all, judging from the dead fleshy chucks and good they saw aboard the cruise ship, who is to say the 2 who fell now won''t be tortured down below?

    Ayyy~

    Old Bho''s digging slowed as the hands holding his cane trembled more and more.

    He looked to the ground, never looking up for a moment.

    "Grandmaster..."

    His voice was soft, desperate, and quivering. And when he finally raised his head, no one saw the previous strong old Bho.

    Now, he looked like an ordinary old man grieving, his red eyes still searching for hope.

    "Grandmaster... Please, please, save my little Jin."

    Old Bho begged, about to kowtow with all his might. Even his earlier fear of having his body touch the ground vanished.

    He was now willing to lick and stand his face on the rotting soil if it would bring his little Jin back.

    Words alone couldn''t describe Old Bho''s mood.

    No amount of wealth couldpare to his favorite grandson!

    And just like himself, Gia Ming also bore a fallen look, recalling his subordinate''s face when swallowed.

    It happened out of nowhere, taking everyone by surprise!

    The floor cracked open, revealing a hellish hole that seemed to lead to thend of the dead. And by the time they could react, Bho Jin and his subordinate were swallowed with the ground covering up too.

    Gone... They were gone.

    .

    Gia Ming could still hear the screams of despair from the duo when they fell. Their horrid faces still fresh in his memory.

    Clutching his chest in pain, he knew if they couldn''t be rescued, this incident would give him nightmares for the rest of his life.

    Even closing his eyes now made him tremble and sweat.

    ''Gia Ming, you Useless trash!''

    Inwardly, he cursed at himself, clutching his fists hard.

    This was the first time he had felt so powerless and weak.

    Before today, he thought of himself as a strong man who could protect his subordinates at every corner.

    However, today''s matter had made him know they, humans, were nothing but a delicacy to stronger supernatural beings that lurk within their shadows.

    And when faced with such powerful beings, their puny strength as humans was nothing!

    Again, the fact they didn''t bring their guns also meant their mortal weapons wouldn''t do any damage to these beings.

    Gia Ming knew if Old Gia and the others had note over today, maybe his clueless team would''ve been searching and searching for the lost cruise ship for decades toe.

    And who knows... Perhaps in the process, many of his men would also get devoured by these beings too.<sub> </sub>

    But amidst his despair, he also saw hope.

    The government might have long known that such supernatural beings existed and had trained people secretly.

    Yes!

    Gia Ming thought so. And at this point, he wouldn''t be shocked if they also told him aliens existed.

    This was good...

    They, humans, still have a chance to kick ass against these bastards who take them as food reserves. And now that his older cousin, Old Gia, was showing him their existence, did it mean he would have the opportunity to train and protect his team too?

    .

    ? Gia Ming''s thoughts were on humanity''s future.

    A while back, he sent several others to Old Gia on some strange top training mission.

    He didn''t overthink it. But now, he was sure those Navy teams who left had gone for training.

    Gia Ming didn''t know if it was possible for him to also receive this training, but he would definitely be asking his cousin if they got out of here alive.

    He, Gia Ming, never wanted to be at any supernatural being''s mercy ever again!

    What''s more, he still had a terrible fear of them in his heart.

    Don''t mind, as he looked calm and collected on the surface. He knew most of his calmness came from Dorian being close, giving him a sense of security.

    He felt even if he left this ce alive, he would stop being fearful of dark corners and shadows for several days toe until he shook it off.

    Augh~

    Maybe he and his subordinates would have to sleep in the same room while in the Navy camp because he wasn''t sure he could stay alone at night.

    .

    Everyone else also had countless ominous thoughts running on their minds, staring at Dorian anxiously.

    "Grandmaster. They''ve been swallowed up!"

    "Are they fine? Are they alright?"

    "Grandmaster, what do we do now?"

    "How do we rescue them?"

    Hmmmm...

    Dorian hummed, gesturing at Old Bho''s pocket.

    "I presume you all have the talisman papers given to you?"

    Old Bho and the rest quickly patted their pockets. "Yes, Grandmaster. We have them all here!"

    "Then don''t worry. Provided those 2 have them on, no harm will befall the duo."

    They might have been dragged away, but that was all the enemy could do... Drag them away.

    At least until morning, the talisman people would still be active before turning to dust by 8~9 A.M.

    Dorian shrugged, and everyone had ck lines on their faces.

    From the Grandmaster''s words, didn''t this mean if the 2 had lost their papers, the enemy would still end up killing them before they had the chance to rescue them?

    His words only made them worry even more.

    What if the duo truly lost their Talisman papers all this while?

    [Everyone]: ''Mr. Grandmaster, doesn''t it bother you at all?''

    [Dorian]: ''Nope.''

    ''_''

 Chapter 365 The Island Of The Dead

    True or false?

    Old Bho regained his vigor, standing straight as though electrocuted.

    Dorian initially gave him hope before making his poor heart dangle on a string.

    Phuck!

    That idiot grandson of his was very careless. So he wouldn''t put it behind the fool to lose his Talisman paper.

    In that case, what the hell are they prancing about here for?

    Old Bho hastily moved closer to Dorian, jumping like someone holding in pee.

    "Grandmaster, I believe you know where they''ve taken them. So why not go now? The clock is ticking. The longer we wait, the more their lives will be at stake!"

    Com''on... Onwards and Upwards!

    Old Bho moved, leaving the group as though he knew where they were headed.

    He looked so determined, as though he could move a mountain with a single thought.

    Dorian chuckled, cing his hands in his pocketszily.

    "Old man... You''re going the wrong way."

    "_"

    ...

    And thus began the great journey many would retell for generations toe.

    With cautious gazes but former backs, the gang traveled across the strange bluish-purplishnds, listening to the giggles andughter echoing from the woods.

    Up they went, down a strange hill they moved, and across unfamiliar waters they passed, it all seemed like an adventure, though deadly.

    It was only 15 minutes before they reached the strange red river dicing thend.

    Dorian took out a massive folded paper, reshaped it into a boat, and erged its size to amodate them.

    Poke, poke... Poke, poke...

    Is this safe?

    (?~?)

    Everyone looked at the paper boat, wondering if it was safe or not. After all, it was still made of paper, so shouldn''t they sink once in?

    Ah~... Forget it.

    Thews of physics don''t work here anyway. So who were they to keep questioning things?

    Their brains believed it was impossible. However, their eyes have seen enough tounch a sessful debate.

    All Aboard~

    They got on, and Dorian stood at the very back of the boat while they sat instead.

    The scene was as though Dorian was a freshman, pushing the small boat across the mysterious, creepy waters.

    Dorian flicked his wrists, and the paper paddle began rowing away.

    What? Did you expect him to stand and physically row by himself? Not happening.

    Dorian ran his fingers through his hair, seeking all strands back.

    But his actions were ironically opposite from the champions league boxing match the others were experiencing.

    "You bloody skeleton!... Get your slimy, dirty fingers off me!!"

    ~Boom!

    (:T?�T:)

    .

    The fight was intense. And the further they sailed, the more troubles they met with all sorts of human skeletons trying to crawl out and climb their boat.

    It got so bad they almost ended up being dragged into the now green glowy waters.

    Initially, it looked purplish. But as they advanced, the waters were transparent and somewhat flowy, showing skeletons swimming below.

    The hairs on Gia Ming''s head almost jumped away, wanting to give him a bald scalp.

    Too terrible!

    The skeletons even turned their heads underwater, looking at them with glowing eyes.

    He would be lying if he said his dder wasn''t threatening to fail him.

    What about being a man? You know, FART!

    The moment those skeletons began swimming towards him with glowing eyes, Gia Ming wished he had a sword to slice and back them all to pieces.

    And out of his petrified reflex, he began punching the lot, who crawled out and grabbed his clothes and arms.

    Die! Die! Die!... Why don''t you all just die already?

    Punch left, punch right, kick here, smack there... Everyone gave it their all, breaking lines as much as they could.

    They didn''t even care if their hands touched these disgusting skeletons.

    In times like these, who the hell cares about that?

    (*#*)<sub> </sub>

    Eat my fist!

    ~Pah! Boom! Chack! Pah!

    ...

    What a battle!

    The skull heads that had broken off and shot far away into the waters soon began swimming back with glowing eyes.

    It was like a blockbuster scene straight out of a movie that made their toes curl in spectacle.

    "What do we do?"

    ~Pah!

    "Damn these skeletons! Is there no end to them?"

    ~Bang!

    "Ahhh! My knuckles are about to crack open because of their hard heads... Quickly! 3 o''clock."

    ~Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah!

    ~Ssh!

    The skeletons sshed into the gooey green waters.

    Gia Ming and his subordinate had never worked with the Bho guards before.

    But in desperate times like these, their senses were heightened, their imagined speeds were lightning, and theirbination impable.

    One person leaned back just in time for another tond a blow on the skeleton approaching. And they did all this while still seated.

    Of course it was better to sit!

    Who could guarantee they ain''t fall in and get pulled in down below the slimy green waters by these skeletons?

    Everyone worked hand-in-hand to protect themselves, as well as those seated around them.

    They also found that no matter how much they mmed the skeleton heads onto the boat''s sides, it never broke.

    This much was good.

    But while they were struggling for their lives, the Grandmaster seemed carefree, with no skeletoning his way.

    What the hell?

    Was he invisible? Don''t these skeletons see him too? So why are they only bullying them?

    (-_-)

    ... They wanted to file aint but didn''t know who to talk to.

    Everyone smiled bitterly, epting their fate.

    s...

    Who made them ''bulliable?''

    The system watched their struggle, also feeling pity for them.

    [Host, aren''t you bullying too much? Yes, they volunteered to be here, but how can you--]

    ''Noisy.''

    ....

    Sail, sail, sail away.

    In the gang went, drawing deeper and deeper to the ind''s center.

    But why was the air fouler than before? Everyone struggled for air with distorted faces.

    SO BAD!!!!

    The musky smell of a million dead and rotted cats made their stomachs churn. And if not for the fact they had already puked all they ate previously, they would''ve thrown up some more.

    Now, the malodorous smell only left them with dizziness and a headache.

    Their tongues stung with a sharp taste of molded meat that made them gag continuously.

    And the more they traveled, the darker the air until suddenly, their boat mmed into something hard.

    "What was that?"

    Everyone jolted vignt, not knowing if it were a creature they hit or a rock.

    This was how dark the ce was.

    "We''re here."

    ~Whoosh!

    A talisman paper now floated above, illuminating the scene.

    And what came to view was something that made them take several steps back.

    Gia Ming stared at the gruesome scene with jaws dropped, and eyes widened.

    "Skull Ind!"

 Chapter 366 Strange Situation

    Skull Ind!

    Gia Ming blurted the name out instinctively.

    ? Everyone looked at the scene, feeling their blood dry from their faces.

    It was strange to say that on the entire ind, this was the only ce where they could see greenery, though the leaves were purplish.

    Everywhere else, the trees had been barren, with not a single leaf on their creepy branches. But here, though there were no trees, the ground had various spots of purplish grass growing across the barren ins.

    And across the open ins was what looked like the entrance of a giant cave.

    Bones... Bones where.

    If they had to say, there should be a hundred... No!... A thousand bones decorating the cave''s outer walls and entrance.

    But maybe what was scarier was that the lines were bleeding blood right before their very eyes!

    One step back, another step back.

    Everyone subconsciously took a few steps back, falling into their imaginations of what could have happened here.

    ''These bleeding bones... Don''t tell me these monsters killed and skinned the dead cruise line travelers alive, hanging their bloodied, dripping bones out here. F***! This is too respectable, right?''

    Instantly, everyone jolted in horror, hoping Bho Jin and the other Navy officer were still alive.

    Bho Jin felt dizzy, wondering what he would do if he saw his grandson''s bones once he got in.

    No! No!

    ~Pah!

    He pped his cheeks fiercely.

    This was no time to think negatively. His grandson was alive, and that was that!

    The group was about to advance, when they suddenly saw several figures running towards them from different angles.

    Ah!---

    "Old Gia!"

    "Old Ghu!"

    "Old Hou!"

    (^��^)

    .

    Everyone was so happy seeing familiar faces running their way, especially Old Bho.

    He wanted to let out his grievances and sorrows about how he saw his poor grandson fall into that awful pit.

    Woooo~~~

    He had a thousand grievances pent up in his heart.

    Additionally, with more people with powers like the Grandmaster, won''t they have a better chance at taking down whatever evil is lurking within the cave?

    Everyone smiled and waved excitedly, also happy to see old Gia and the rest were safe and alive.

    Hahahhahaha~

    The group began running to each other in slow motion.

    If not for the scary ce they were all in, one might even see non-existent flowers of happiness appearing around the bunch.

    "Old Gia... Old Ghu... Old Hou..."

    Bang!

    Everyone stood frozen, seeing the 3 figures not only fall and wail but also change forms into terrifying little goblins with teeth as long as their fingers, bodies missingyers of skin, and maggots swimming around.

    At this point, even though it was hideous and protest, would you believe the smell of this ace they were currently in was far more troubling than their sight?

    They had a hunch the smell belonged to whatever was in the cave.

    In that case, wouldn''t the creature inside be so grotesque it would make their eyes bleed blood?

    Augh~

    ... Should they have brought their sunsses to at least mask some of the effects?

    (?0?)

    .

    An uneasy wind stirred, brisk and chilling as they watched the dreadful creatures howl to death.

    It was now that they also remembered this ce could deceive them.

    Who knew if anyoneing at them was truly the friends they arrived here with?

    Dorian had his hands in his pockets,zily looking at the bunch.

    "Let''s go."

    Ah-

    Grandmaster, wait for us!

    No one cared about the strange dead being anymore. They had to stick close to the Grandmaster so long as they were in this devilish ce.

    Old Bho twisted his lips in worry. ''Little Jin... Wait for me.''

    ...

    Narrator: "Like so, our ''brave'' heroes ventured into the strange and deadly skull cave... Will they be alright without sunsses? Will the group discover that someone amongst them had long wet themselves? Will they see their friends in one piece?... The answer to it all depends on time... Only time will tell."

    ...

    Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough~

    Bho Jin and the Navy officer coughed vigorously, having fallen into a pile of human waste.

    Bones dried up blood on the purplish grounds, ghoulish wails from other humans nearby... The duo were shocked, quickly rushing to their feet.

    Where are they? Where are they?

    They remember falling into that terrible hole. And now they appeared here.

    The first image their eyes met was the massive ceiling space high above that seemed endless.

    They felt like ants in an ant cave.<sub> </sub>

    Boof!

    Purple fires randomly shot out the walls, and strange giant cages made of bones hung far above.

    Monstrous winged creatures roamed the ce, and the foul stench of decay polluted the ce.

    No!... It can be said that the smell was much more than that, so much so that his eyes began tearing up.

    At this point, he wanted to slice off his nose and throw the whole thing away.

    F***!

    Even the faint festering stench of sewage and fecal matter he preserved would be a better choice to sniff at than this.

    The other Navy officer thought so too.

    .

    "What do we do?" Bho Jin had to admit he was petrified without the Grandmaster by his side.

    The Navy officer thinned his lips, gripping Bho Jin''s hands hard.

    Yes. Both of them were subconsciously holding hands.

    "What do we do? We wait, of course! You also have I''m the Grandmaster. So we''ll be rescued. But now, it''s only a matter of when."

    "Yes." Bho Jin whispered, not wanting to call any attention to them.

    The Grandmaster had already said at the beginning that he would take them in and bring them out. So how could he let anything truly happen to them?

    Thinking it through, Bho Jin''s nerves rxed a teeny bit though his fear still hadn''t vanished.

    Nope.

    His legs were still shaking like a cornered chicken''s.

    The Navy officer was no better. But because he had fought many battles, he was able to think straighter than Bho Jin.

    "All we need to do isy low while observing the situation. Remember, we came into this hell hole to investigate and save any surviving cruise line members."

    Bho Jin once again modded vigorously.

    Alright.

    Wasn''t it justying low?

    This young master cany low quite well!

    Bho Jin''s thoughts were good. However, before he and the Navy officer could react, a shrieked, high-pitched voice bellowed.

    .

    "No!... No!... Don''t look at me!!"

    Bho Jin and the Navy officer froze.

    They looked at the hunched being that spoke out and was dumbfounded.

    Gulp.

    They swallowed hard, nearly biting off their tongues from shock.

    These beings... No!... These people... What the hell happened to them?

    Around the corners of the strange towering space were several people, all looking practically deformed.

    Their backs had been arched, some very inclined and others only slightly.

    Still, one would think they all came from some hereditary hunchback family. Their hands were also bent and unsightly, permanently twisted in these unnatural ways.

    Boils, warts, pimples...

    Their faces were ridden with all sorts of protruding feelings. And for some, their scalps were patchy, some having only a few strands of hair left on their heads.

    Anyone could see that these hairs had fallen off unnaturally, not with any bloody old age.

    "Ahhhh!!... Don''t look! Don''t look at me! I''m ugly." A woman in the corner called out, waving her hands frantically above her face.

    Ugly. Ugly... Which woman ever desired to be ugly?

    "Don''t look! Don''t look!... Don''t look at us!"

    Several others also crowd, running away from the duo when theynded in space.

    The Navy officer wanted to stop them but found he had no words to say.

    Tell them someone wille and rescue them? Tell them it was going to be alright?

    Even if it was true, he still found his tongue heavy to move.

    All he and Bho Jin could do now was wait safely.

    It had only taken these survivors no more than a day to begin acting like true cavemen when faced with such a terrible ce.

    .

    The Navy officer frowned.

    He could see their sanity wasn''t right. And their situation was mysteriously different from those they rescued on the ship.

    So why?... Why was it like this?

    "It''s this ce." Bho Jin tried, recalling Dorian''s words when they first entered the space.

    He said once in here, everything rots, including them. So maybe the effects were higher in some ces on the ind than others?

    "Yes. You''re right. It should be this ce." The navy officermented, looking upwards. "Something isn''t right."

    Bho Jin was taken back, quickly turning his attention upwards too.

    The giant cages above... They were empty but stained in thick blood.

    (?~?)

    What is the cage''s purpose? The duo didn''t understand.

    But fortunately for them, fate was willing to answer their every question.

    Gawkkkkkkk!!!!!!

    The flying creatures above bellowed, and those below began to scramble away for their lives like crazy.

    Feasting time was here.

 Chapter 367 Smart Creatures

    This... This...

    What was that?

    The duo didn''t have time to react, watching the many strange reptilian-like creatures swarm in from above.

    "Ahhhh!---"

    Chaos instantly filled the space.

    F***!

    Bho Jin and the navy officer also found their godly speeds and ran for cover.

    Several soaring stone columns2 stories high scattered about the massive ce, allowing some to hide behind them for cover.

    Some also climbed into the strange caves embedded into the walls, wanting to find any hiding ce they could.

    What to do? Where to go?

    Ahhhh~

    The eerie screams never died, with some identally getting burnt by the purplish fire shooting off the walls.

    And for a moment, the fire, the screaming, the foul stench, the skulls lying about, the blood, the hideous-looking walls, floors, and the giant flying creaturesing in, gave the duo the illusion that they were already in the underworld.

    The duo held each other''s hands, making a run for it with arched backs like cavemen.

    "No! No!... Help! Somebody save me!!"

    The duo felt their energy drained, seeing thedy one step ahead of them get taken away by these rotting creatures.

    The creature used its rotting pterodactyl-like mouth to take her away.

    The woman squirmed with stretched hands, staring at the duo in pain.

    .

    Ahhh!~

    The creature''s teeth had sunk into her thighs.

    The woman squeezed her eyes, getting rid of the many teardrops blurring her vision. "Please... Please... Somebody save me..."

    The Navy officer felt his body shake with all sorts of emotions.

    He knew he had no choice but to turn his eyes away, knowing there was nothing he could do to help the woman.

    ''Grandmaster, wherever you are, I hope you can find us fast before those taken get killed.'' The Navy officer secretly prayed, pulling the dazed Bho Jin forward.

    "Let''s go... There''s nothing we can do for them." He sounded heartless, but Bho Jin knew he was right.

    Just as one is told in an airne, put your one safety mask first before assisting a stranger.

    In other words, ensure you''re alright before jumping in like an idiot, dying without even rescuing the hostages.

    Before they could make any move, they had to ess the enemy as well as understand their surroundings.

    How many times do these creatures fly in for their meals? Are they taking anyone randomly, or is it just nned?

    The questions these two raised were good. And maybe even those here hadn''t noticed that the enemy was picking them up strategically.

    That''s right. Only those ''ripe'' enough were picked.

    Look at the appearances... Look at how the ce has affected the victims chosen... They were those who stayed the longest in this hell hole.

    Even if one came in today, they wouldn''t be feasted on. But after a while, they would definitely be ripe for the taking.

    Apart from the effects of this ce, another factor that speeds the process up is fear. And that''s why these beasts made a show, causing the many survivors to cower.

    .

    The Navy officer with a keen eye noticed the strangeness.

    Those around them were picked up. But they weren''t?

    Could it just be a coincidence?

    He looked around and noticed some also ''missed'' by these flying creatures.

    "Stop."

    "What?" Bho Jin opened his eyes exaggeratedly. "Are you crazy? We need to take cover--"

    Whoosh!

    A creature passed just by them, seemingly not interested in their beings.<sub> </sub>

    The creature was already so close at grabbing length. So why didn''t it take any of them?

    Bhi Jin borrowed his brows. "I think I see your point."

    Though he was usually slow and arrogant, to be the future head of the Bho n meant he at least thought things through when pointed in the right direction.

    How odd. He thought.

    If they were safe for now, why bother running?

    The duo looked at each other tactfully, deciding to walk back to their original position.

    Bubuum. Bubuum. Bubuum.~

    Their hearts pounded, and their bodies quivered with every unhurried step they took.

    ''I have nothing to fear... I have nothing to fear...''

    The duo recited their made-up mantras, subconsciously holding in their breaths. And soon, they proved their theory right.

    It wasn''t random. These creatures were picking them out from the lot!

    But looking at the screaming people in the cages above, they still didn''t feel good.

    ''Grandmaster, where are you?''

    .

    "Explode."

    Boom!!!

    One word from Dorian caused 50 goblins to burst into paste.

    ''I don''t have time for this.''

    He stood where he was, and everyone was wondering what he was standing for until they heard voices from behind.

    "Grandmaster!"

    Oh no... Not this again.

    This time, they were vignt toward the iing group.

    "It''s them."

    Ah!-...

    Everyone felt rxed, breathing sighs of relief.

    Phew~

    So long as it''s not a creature that walls alongside them, they were good.

    Butler Sheng, Old Gia, Mia, Endo, Old Hou, and the entire gang of instructors were here.

    ? The ce they stood in was like a hall within a skull tree, with strange roots scattered about the ce. And before them were 2 paths, like a fork in the road.

    Dorian closed his eyes, sensing his surroundings.

    He threw 2 gold coins in the air, flicking them forward.

    [Elder Endo, Elder Gia, Elder Sheng... You 3 head right and set the formation as ryed.]

    [Elder Ghu, Elder Mia, Elder Hina/Old madam Ghu... Stay here; your take is here.]

    They were toy out part of the formation here.

    [Elder Ruddie/Chiyou''s mother, Elder Xiang Shore, and Elder Hou... You''re with me.]

    He needed them to set up the formation where they would be going next.

    With rapid responses, the instructor knew their tasks ahead. And in a sh, the group broke apart, leaving the already confused normies dumbfounded.

    Just like that?

    (?_?)

    Hello?

    Why did you people suddenly break apart with no instructions or even a word?

    Dorian walked ahead of the bunch. "Let''s go."

    It was time to clear the entire ind up!

 Chapter 368 The Heavens, Are You The Ones?

    In the shadows far deeper, a dark, hunched figure unhurriedly stepped out of the shadows.

    "So you have finallye..." It spoke to itself, not feeling the least bit intimidated by the arrival of these strangers.

    The many underworld beings it allowed to roam these parts were weaklings in its eyes.

    Even it could smite them all with a singlemand.

    So what of it?

    Having loved in this mortal world for years upon years, it has never met a human that could take it down.

    From the reports, the humans seem to have fallen holy weapons.

    Again, so what?

    Just slice off their hands, and they won''t be able to hold any weapon.

    With its speed, it was 20 times faster than any human. So by the time they begin rating their weapons, it would''ve already grabbed their hearts out of their chests.

    Stupid.

    It felt the weaklings it allowed to roam about its den were really useless. It scoffed and sneered in disdain at their fates.

    This was how underworld beings were.

    Right from birth, they were selfish, greedy, and always disposed of the weak.

    Their pride was infinite. And that''s why in its mind, it felt no one could ever take it down in this mortal world.

    Hmph!

    These humans have always been the prey. So when is it their time to be the hunters? Naive!

    The creature''s giant figure slowly left the foggy, hidden space with a cruel smile stered on its molding lips.

    Why should it be angry at these idiotic humans foring in? If anything, it only meant more food for it.

    .

    Growl!~

    The entire ind rumbled.

    An earthquake of the highest order seemed to be urring right before their very eyes... At least that''s what many would''ve thought if not for the thunderous growl that threatened to burst their eardrums.

    ~Wang! Wang! Wang! Wang!

    Many felt their eardrums vibrate in pain.

    They dropped to their knees, also cing their hands on their ears too.

    "It hurts... It hurts... Please make it stop!"

    Many found their voices had degenerated into childish whimpers.

    They screamed and began running away, recalling the frightful figure that always emerged Webber that growl echoed.

    "It''sing... It''sing..."

    Bho Jin grabbed a man beside him anxiously. He knew his question was dumb. But his mouth ran faster than his thoughts. "What?... What''sing?"

    The pimple and boil face-man shook his head hysterically. "I... I... It''sing... IT''S COMING!... Ahhh!... Run for your life and cover your face! Believe me; your eyes will thank meter!"

    The man took off like a headless chicken, so afraid he bumped into a pir.

    (x_x)

    ... At this point, Bho Jin didn''t know what to say.

    What sort of creature can make someone so scared their brain co vines their eyes they''re blind?

    .

    Blugh!~

    Bho Jin who thought his body was now used to the foul scent here, was again puking his already empty stomach out.

    He was just about to wonder who the hell farted their grandmother''s intestines just now, when the sounds of heavy footsteps bellowed out.

    Din! Din! Din! Din!

    Every footstep caused a rumbling effect that made Bho Jin''s chest grow tighter.

    And soon, they saw a figure emerge from a giant cave above.

    Its silhouette spoke volumes, making many not dare look it in the eye.

    Voom!

    The strange purple fires shooting out the walls all increased their spitting fires. And even Bho Jin began sweating in horror.

    Water... Water...

    Bho Jin finally understood why he spotted some people drinking their pee.

    It hasn''t even been long since he and the Navy officer got here. Yet, they were parched and in dire need of fluids.

    No way! He hasn''t reached that level of drinking his own pee yet!<sub> </sub>

    Bho Jin refused, even if a part of his brain was tempted.

    .

    Growl!!!!~

    The other creatures growled in acknowledgment, seeing their mighty boss appear.

    Even they got goosebumps looking at the giant being.

    Head shaped like an octopus with 24 tentacles as beards, body wings as deadly as a bone-bat, ws so sharp they should cut steel, rotting body riddled with flies... The creature had but 8 eyes above its tentacles.

    These were all the features Bho Jin could see before feeling nauseous again.

    Too much!...

    He felt if he analyzed its appearance anymore, he would need to put bleach into his eyes when he returned.

    Its body was riddled with files that allowed flies to go in and out.

    How can something be so ugly?

    Good heavens, man! With other creatures he had seen, their insides were mainly filled with maggots. But in this guy''s case, its insides were mostly flies, dancing about his insides, bringing more maggots as they looked. And with every shake, the flies would move, and the maggots would fly out, probably falling on the ground the creature stood above.

    One word... Disgusting.

    .

    Bahahahahahha~

    The creature''s eerieughter bellowed.

    "You lowly humans! Did you really think you were ced in this world to live and roam freely the way you do? Ignorant fools!"

    Chang!!!!

    The doors of the cages supposedly high up were magically opened. And those inside couldn''t help moving backward.

    Drip. Drip...

    Several people peed themselves.

    "No! No! My lord, I beg of you. Don''t eat me! Here! Here! Take her, instead."

    "You bastard! U have children waiting for me!"

    "So what? Who doesn''t have loved ones? And you! What about you old man? Haven''t you lived long enough? Just die for us and be a hero, already!!"

    In humanity''s desperate hours, they typically excused the same qualities they, underworld creatures, did.

    Greed... Viciousness... Murderous thoughts...

    Hahhahahahaha~

    The many creaturesughed, seemingly enjoying the show, as well as the strong wave of fear, cruelty, and eviling from those within the cage.

    Their boss hasn''t even spoken. Yet these lot were fighting to the point of almost pushing their fellow humans 3~5 stories below.

    In that case, won''t it be instant death? And yet, the heavens think they are the bad ones.

    Bho Jin and the Navy officer also didn''t look good, listening to the shameless words of many above. Of course, they also knew it was their fear talking.

    Still, that doesn''t make what they did right.

    ? .

    Heh.

    The creature licked its lips in satisfaction.

    "Now, now... How stupid can you lot be? Since you''re in the cages, you can only belong to our bellies!!"

    Like so, everyone watched as he suddenly grew 5 times bigger, reaching the ceilings above.

    And with a vicious glint in his eyes, he sent his tentacles forth.

    Whoosh!

    They shot into the cages like crazy.

    In one go, it grabbed several people out of the cages. And those taken only felt their blood run dry.

    Were they going to die just like this?

    Tears trickled down their pale cheeks.

    ''Please... Please... If there''s a demon, there must be a god. So whoever is up there, please hear our cries and save us now!''

    Boom!

    ... Many waited for pain, but it didn''te.

    One eye opened, one eye closed (?��^a���).

    God... Is that you?

 Chapter 369 Time To Dance!

    God, is that you?

    Ahhh!!!~

    Those captured by the octopus-faced creature now found themselves falling at an incredible speed.

    Their hands red in all directions, and their eyes widened in horror.

    F***! F***! F***!

    They thought they were saved, only to realize they were being dropped from this height to stter like goo.

    That is, do you know how high they were? Some felt they were falling from a 5 story building, while others thought it was akin to a 7 story one.

    And looking at the rough grounds now, wouldn''t they be minced by gravity on a chopping board?

    Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!~

    The ground was getting closer and closer. And just when they thought they could be a thing of the past, they felt their bodies hugged.

    Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

    Old Hou, Ruddie, and Xiang Shore had stopped in, grabbing them one by one.

    Ah--

    Many were still in a daze when their feet touched the ground.

    Plop.

    The impact was terrible, as they felt their wobbly legs give up.

    Bho Jin and the Navy officer wanted to jump and scream joyfully seeing the gang''s arrival.

    Hahahahahahahahaha~

    "They''re here! The Grandmaster and his team are here!"

    "I knew they wouldn''t fail us! I knew there was nothing to worry about!!"

    The duo couldn''t stop grinning, watching everyone, including Gia Ming and the rest arrive.

    "Grandpa!!"

    Bho Jin had never missed his grandfather so much. Old Bho''s eyes were red.

    "What did these bastards do to you? Why have you lost so much weight? They haven''t touched you anywhere else, have they?"

    Old Bho scrutinized his beloved Grandson up, down, and all around.

    They had only been away from each other for a short while. Yet he was acting like it had been years. But who could me him?

    After all the phycological torture his mind put him through, he thought he would be arriving to see his grandson''s skeleton.

    "The paper... Where is the paper?"

    "Eh? The paper?"

    Old Bho didn''t bother talking to his foolish grandson anymore, checking his body and finally sighing from relief, seeing the paper was still on him.

    Maybe this was what kept the fool safe without him even knowing it.

    Yes!...

    Recalling the strange talisman the Grandmaster gave them, the Navy officer also felt they might not have been affected by this ce.

    Some victims here told them their experiences, exining that just minutes after being thrown in here, they should start seeing boils and warts appear on their bodies.

    However, the duo was fine even after so long. So what could it be if not the special paper?

    Again, they realized that even if these creatures had an eye for them, they would remain safe provided they had these papers.

    It''s good...

    .

    The boss creature on the other hand, seemed to have expected their arrival.

    It calmly lifted his face, smiling unnaturally with its mouth stretched towards its ears. And suddenly, the temperature dropped, turning icy cold.

    But this wasn''t all.

    Now, a ghastly screen of fog appeared out of thin air, crawling and seeping through the cracks along the fiery holes on the walls.

    Oh no! What should they do?

    The creepy fog made everyone''s senses heightened.

    They were already petrified to the heavens! And now, this fog appears, mysteriously chilling their bodies, as though something evil was swimming in it.

    Mommy��

    Many released hit wet fluids from below, falling to their buts and crawling backward, trying their hardest to escape the fog.

    Hahahhahahahaha~

    The eerieughter from the Octopus faced creature was enough to make some faint.

    Its focus was only on a particr human before it.

    "Foolish mortal... Initially, I wanted to y with you a while longer. But now, I''ve changed my mind." He spoke slowly, gesturing at the 3 of its precious tentacles that had been cut off.

    These tentacles took hundreds of years to grow.

    To say it wasn''t furious would be a lie.

    .

    Its eyes suddenly grew golden, and its voice a thousand times bigger.

    "Human... If you think this is the height of my strength, then you are nothing but a fool!"

    What?!

    A terrifying aura stretch out across the scene, making everyone drop to their knees.

    So strong!

    It was as if a giant invisible hand was pushing them down. Even if they wanted to stand, they found they might truly break their bones doing so.

    Good heavens! What sort of power was this?

    They struggled to breathe, panting heavily on their knees.<sub> </sub>

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The creature''s inner lines cracked, metamorphosing into something unspeakable.

    It ripped out of the body they initially thought was it, with its body hunched and its ck wings growing 5 times bigger.

    If many could raise their quivering fingers, they would definitely point at it, screaming: Demon!

    It was funny to say they had already seen all sorts of beings while in here.

    But this one... This one made them understand the difference between a true demon and the lot.

    "Grahhhh~"

    It twitched and spasmed as its tail shot out, followed by its ck protruding horns.

    It looked like something straight out of a myth. And the bugs flying in its mouth were crunched and chewed on like snacks.

    Grow... Grow... Grow!

    Its tentacle beards grew even bigger, except for the 3 ones cut down.

    And while everyone''s face was pale with worry, Dorian''s demeanor had always been the same.

    He had his hands in pockets, and his expression looked bored. "Are you done?"

    He didn''t know why these underworld beings loved talking too much.

    For once, he would like to meet a being that would cut the bullish** and get straight to it.

    So noisy.

    .

    What?

    As the creature changed, it too sensed the aura around Dorian and was taken aback.

    How can this be? Why was this human still not giving out a single ounce of fear?

    Though it was a Dintia Rank Creature above the Solum rank or was still a general!

    That''s right.

    The weakest rank all creatures fell into was the Solum rank,prised of underworld beings no older than 300 years.

    Above this rank was the Bortho Rank with those between 300 to 1000 years. And finally, the Dintia Rank for underworld beings between 1,001 to 5,000 years!

    Ultimately, it had lived for 3,200 years, which was more than any damn human could live. Its strength, in its opinion, was no match for any mortal.

    It knew those in the underworld would return a year and a halfter. So during this time, it would be a lie to say it wasn''t feeling mightily arrogant.

    It squinted its eyes, scrutinizing the human even more.

    ''Could it be that this bloody human has brainwashed himself so much that he thinks his fallen holy object will be a match for my Dintia strength? How Naive!''

    It was a general, though of the weakest order! So how could a mere mortal defeat it?

    Boom!

    Its transformation was finallypleted. And with a menacing smile, it twirled its demonic battle ax fiercely.

    That''s right. As a general, even if he was but nothing in the underworld, his general title allowed him to possess a demonic weapon.

    Its ax was attached to a 2-meter tall staff, so heavy it could destroy a single pir upon impact.

    .

    "Human... Let''s dance."

    Dorian raised his brow yfully. "With pleasure."

    Hmph!

    "Ignorant wanton!"

    The fierce General vanished into thin air, moving towards the human it thought was frozen in awe of its skills.

    The creature sneered disdainfully, raising its battle ax. "Elixus!"

    Boom!

    A powerful force swept across the entire space as everyone felt what seemed like hurricane winds blow them back.

    Phuck!

    Bho Jin''s eyes twinkled, recalling the mythical scene he witnessed.

    Impact!... All this was from impact alone!

    His heart stirred, seeing the 2 figures floating above.

    Their weapons were now touching one another, but it was clear to see one person struggling to push their enemy with everything they had, while the other only lookedzy, as though holding back a crawling baby.

    "_"

    Why does this scene look like bullying?

    "You--"

    The shock in the general''s eyes was obvious. But his rage was even stronger. Seeing Dorian''s nonchnt expression, it felt its entire being insted. And for a moment, its rationality was taken over by its rage.

    "Bastard! You dare look down on me?"

    It swung its mighty battle ax while also using its tentacles to stab the irritating human before it.

    ''What the hell? I am a demon! I am a demon! So why are you stronger?''

    Die! Die! Die! Die!

    Its muscles bulged, desperately wanting tond a hit on its opponent. Sadly, Dorian seemed to have predicted its every move. Not only daring some attacks but also giving the general a taste of his strength.

    Dorian raised his feet, and the general flew to the skies.

    Boom!

    The general''s face now showed a frightened expression. That attack just now had done something to his inner body. The general''s had a mortified look.

    This human...

    Who was he?

 Chapter 370 Finally Over! Time To Go!

    The General felt its body go numb.

    In its heart, the human it was staring at was the incarnation of the devil himself!

    "You, you, you, you, you... What are you?"

    Dorian froze just when he was about to m the creature again.

    Yes... What was he? Even he didn''t know.

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!!

    Dorian swung his mace several, pping several meaty chunks off the General''s giant body.

    It was unwilling, petrified, and even regretful. But what did its feelings have to do with Dorian?

    "Human... Eat my Acid Flush!"

    Blugh!!

    All its tentacles began spotting ck inky acid on Dorian like crazy.

    ~Shahhhh~

    The walls the liquid stters touched began bubbling and sizzling to no end.

    If a single drop should hit someone, the drop might be able to run straight into their internal organs.

    So scary...

    Many watching went to take cover and stay away from the gods and demons fighting their heavenly wars.

    Please! Leave them, poor mortals out of them. Now they knew how those citizens watching battles between heroes and viins felt.

    In movies, the hero smashes into buildings and rushes back out to fight. But what about them, the unfortunate extras in the movies?

    Say no more! They were clearing the space as fast as they could.

    In the meantime, they also realized many godly battles were happening around them.

    Old Hou quickly leaned to the side, dodging an attack from a flying goblin.

    He, Ruddie, and Deputy director Xiang Shore were tasked with drawing up the formation here.

    But maybe because these creatures noticed something, they began attacking them the moment they tried setting up the formation.

    In the end, they left the chore to Xiang Shore, choosing to guard him and everyone else.

    Old Hou looked at the massive gathering of pterodactyl-like creatures flying above.

    In groups, they shot down like bullets.

    Whoop-Whoop-Whoop!

    Old Hou spun his massive scythe, creating a deadly wind current.

    That''s right. His chosen weapon was one many would recognize as belonging to the Grim Reaper.

    His scythe spun so fast no afterimages could be seen.

    Old Hou had a slight smile stered on his face.

    "Though I swore to use my hands for healing, breaking my oath is nothing if it means putting you all down!"

    "Heavenly Kiss of death!"

    sh!

    "Ahhhhh~"

    The shed creatures screamed in anguish. And soon, it began raining maggots.

    ''...''

    Everyone didn''t know whether to apud Old Hou or lead with him not to fight so messily.

    Blugh!

    One of the Bho guards wanted to doe, seeing the icky, smelling, gooey insides of these best fall on him.

    Oh my God! Just kill him now.

    .

    "Die! Die! Die! Die!"

    Old Hou was on a roll.

    He sliced some to his left and used the back end of his scythe to poke those sneaking behind him while twisting, twirling, and maneuvering in all directions.

    Of course, there was another reason why he chose a scythe... One of his spirit roots was a mutated spirit root, Darkness/Shadow.

    At first he was afraid it was a wicked element. But the Grandmaster had assured him any attribute could be bad depending on the person.

    There were evil people with ice elements, as well as those with earth elements. So did that make them bad? No. It was the same logic as anything in this world.

    Something as small as a knife can be used in the kitchen, in wood carving, arts and crafts, and so on. But it could also be used by a psychopath to kill others.

    Did it mean the knife itself was bad? Nope. People are bad, not the things natural in nature.

    Dorian''s words calmed Old Hou''s worries.

    What''s more, he also learned he might have the opportunity to master techniques in future that could lock an enemy''s shadow, making them unable to move.

    F***!

    If he grew his ability to the point where he could control the shadows of more than 10 enemies at once, wouldn''t that be amazing?

    What he didn''t know was that his shadow techniques would be a legend in the many years toe, with many reading his aplishment in awe.

    What? Elder Hou was able to subdue a thousand underworld beings with a single thought?

    Awesome!!

    Old Hou twirled his scythe, gliding about elegantly. And though his killings were messy, they had to admit he looked pretty handsome just now.

    Tsk.

    Old Bho grimaced in an aggrieved manner.<sub> </sub>

    It''s not fair. Howe his friends have gotten superpowers, going about and saving the world without him?

    Old Bho stared at Old Hou as though he was a scum who left his wife and family for another.

    Traitor! (W^W)

    Of course, even though old Bho was still scared out of his wits, he inwardly decided to join his friends in their new superhero adventures after this.

    He too wanted to kick ass.

    Plus, he wasn''t a fool. Seeing their sudden youthful appearance, he felt it had something to do with them gaining powers. So if he was left behind, won''t he grow way older than them, no longer being able to stay and keep up with them anymore?

    .

    "Shadow de!"

    "Lightning Kick!"

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Bam!

    Old Hou and Ruddie fought fiercely, keeping all creatures at bay. They felt the enemy within them draining too.

    Com''on. Com''on. Com''on.

    "How much longer?"

    "30 seconds more..."

    "It''s good." The duo replied, leaving Xiang Shore to his work. And just like them, Old Gia''s side, as well as Old Ghu''s side, also faced many foes who tried to stop them.

    They fought with everything they had, taking Dorian''s recovery pills mid-fight if need be until soon, it was allpleted.

    ~Crack!

    Dorian broke off the General''s horns, finally stepping on his new tentacle-less octopus face.

    "The D stone... Tell me everything."

    "..."

    The pressed-down general wanted to try his luck in deciding Dorian, talking about some mumbo jumbo about how he came into position of the stone, breaking it into several pieces.

    "Oh?" Dorian raised his left brow slyly. "Is that so?"

    The weak general nodded like a 5-year-old child desperate to prove their point. "Yes, yes, yes... That''s exactly it. I can''t be making this up. I defeated another of my kind and took it in my possession!"

    "You don''t say... I didn''t know you were already so strong enough that handling the Demi-God Loki was smithing to you."

    !...!

    It''s over! This mortal knows!

    Dorian''s smile grew unnatural, approaching the badly mutted general, who was shaking pitifully with yellowish tears in its eyes.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll make this quick.

    With that, Dorian raised his giant made, making the spikes on it grow 3 times longer.

    "Close your eyes... It''s better that way."

    ''What eyes? Didn''t you rupture 7 of them leaving, leaning it with just 1? Human, its ''eye'' for singr!''

    (?*#*��)

    The onlookers stared at this scene, having one conclusion in mind �C This Grandmaster was never to be crossed!

    .

    Smash! Smash! Smash! Smash! Smash!

    Dorian pulverized the poor general until he saw Butler Sheng and the rest arrive.

    Done?

    He could now exorcize not only the many creatures around but also the entire ind had to go. But to pull it off, he too would need additional help.

    cing 5 coins on the General, Dorian pinned him down and focused on the matter at hand.

    Gulp.

    He swallowed recovery pills and began taking in their properties.

    He sat cross-legged in tranquility while Butler Sheng and the rest continued fighting the remaining flying creatures.

    Of course, Dorian didn''t need to say much for them to know they had to begin gathering the pimple-face survivors within the space.

    Everyone''s heart jolted in ecstasy.

    At this point, they realized they would soon leave this hell hole.

    Hahahahahaha~

    Yes! Yes! Freedom!

    Some were foreigners, and others were locals. But after experiencing what they just went through, they felt humans were all one.

    What bloody differences?

    F***! After this, they felt all those petty differences were nothing!

    Hey... Could this be the cure to end all racism?

    "Hooray! Hooray... We''re finally going to be free! I always knew I could always count on you... Erm... What-ever-God you are."

    "Oh, Holy God... If you''re out there, I know I said if you save me, I promise to startbing my hair more often. And that''s not all. I also said I would never chew the underside of my big toe again... So now I promise you I will fulfill it all!"

    "Yes, yes... Holy God in the heavens. I''m the only 2nd child out of 3 in my family. If I go, won''t the position of the middle child be empty? Luckily you sent someone to save me, or else wouldn''t it cause my siblings sleepless nights deciding who gets what position? Maybe you don''t know, but the middle child now has more perks than you think. Again, thank you for saving me!"

    [The heavens]:... (-_-)

    .

    h, h, h, h, h~

    As many began talking and praising the heavens, Dorian calmly poems his eyes.

    Time to go!

 Chapter 371 Evil Scientists At Work!

    The journey to and fro the mysterious ind was one many swore to never forget.

    They could already see it now, them writing tales of their thrilling adventures.

    To appear outside the strange space and see the beautiful skies made many teary.

    (:TT��TT:)

    Wooooo~

    They wanted to cry a river and stare into the sky with oaths to keep their promises to the heavens once they returned.

    How they came out was also amazing.

    Standing on the ship, they watched the grandmaster raise his staff.

    But then and there, a projected image of strange golden symbols floated out and revolved around the staff''s head.

    The Grandmaster whispered some strange words, and the entire ind, including the crooked trees, strange waters, and everything else, was suddenly pulled away as though in the middle of a tornado storm.

    Around and around the things flew, burning away with every twirl.

    The many creatures kept screaming and begging while also cursing at the Grandmaster in horror.

    Their faces would pop out from the tornado from time to time.

    It was clear they didn''t want to die. But so what?

    When everyone thought of how desperate they were all this time, they felt no pity for these ghoulish fiends.

    What''s more, many of their humankind had been chewed right before their very eyes, killed, and destroyed mercilessly.

    Deserve it!

    They only hoped whatever the Grandmaster was doing would put these bastards to sleep permanently.

    They never wished toy their eyes on these filthy, ugly things ever again!

    ~Shwshwshwshwshwshw~

    They watched the Grandmaster whisper strangely. And the more vigorous his chants, the faster the tornado began changing from a strong purplish color to a golden one.

    In the end, they watched the tornado also break down and vanish like fiery ashes, king away.

    It all disappeared.

    And some who were too scared earlier finally opened their eyes to realize they were back on the seas... Back to where it all began.

    It was already morning.

    The beautiful mix of pinkish golden hue was the sign of a new dawn.

    ''So beautiful.''

    Watching the sunrise reminded them of how much they missed their ordinary human lives.

    It''s ironic how before this, they took something as someone as dawn for granted.

    But now, they felt they would live on every day, grateful for their lives... Especially after facing death more than they could count.

    Sigh...

    Several shrunken looked to the sky, feeling that it was so suddenly so big than what they were used to.

    Hey!... Was this how Thumbelina would see the world if she were real?

    Wait a minute... Hold the phone! At this point, who could say Thumbelina wasn''t real?

    (��_��)

    Everyone who survived was able to fit on the boat Dorian and the rest had arrived earlier because most of the survivors were shrunken.

    Bho Jin took a deep breath, feeling the scene needed a little more ''liveling'' up.

    But he felt his prestige as a Bho master would be heart. So he asked one of the guards to sing a silly song everyone probably knew.

    "_" [Guard]

    Young master, do you have something against me?

    The guard sighed, switching from serious to yful mode, first whispering the song slowly until a few children caught up and began singing along. And soon, the entire ship was filled with smiles andughter.

    Bho Jin nodded severally, feeling he had finally aplished something he had always wanted to do while out on an adventure.

    Whenever he watched the famous One Piece episodes, he always loved how they would sing the song Bink''s Sake...

    Lah Lh Lhlah~ Yo-ho~... Hohoho~... Yo-ho~... Hohoho.~

    There was just something about singing after a good adventure that made everyone happy.

    And though he of course wasn''t singing Bink Saka, the one the guard sang was also very famous and very merry.

    Even Gia Ming and the rest were sailing the ship back to Navy headquarters with smiles on their faces.

    It feels good to be alive.

    Meanwhile, at the base, several people blinked, too dumbfounded by how a ship signal suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

    A glitch in the system?

    (?~?)

    Everyone was bbergasted by the shocking scene. But soon, they recognized the boar as one of theirs.

    "They''re back! They''re finally back!"

    Several people were ecstatic, seeing it was Gia Ming and his gang.

    You have to know that after they left the basest night, they discovered for too long which left many worried.

    However, because Old Gia himself and several others had refused any from approaching the water region where the cruise line vanished, they had no choice but to sit tight.

    Before Old Gia leftst night, he said only by morning were they allowed to check things further.

    .

    "Vice Admiral Ming!"

    "Old Marshal Gia!"<sub> </sub>

    Very quickly, several people rushed to the docks. But after reaching, their feet suddenly felt a thousand times heavier.

    Blink. Blink.

    They rubbed their eyes severally in disbelief.

    You, who, what, when... How did this happen?

    (��С�)

    Not only were there many little people the size of their thumbs, but there were also others with grotesque warts and hunched backs around.

    The many Navy officers suddenly felt dizzy.

    Fleet Admiral Hazan who also arrived, suddenly pped one of the Captains under hismand.

    "Reagan... Where are my sses?"

    "_"

    "Sir, they''re on your face."

    "Are you sure?"

    He touched his sses, taking them off and putting them back on severally.

    "So everyone is seeing what I''m seeing?"

    "Affirmative, sir."

    (�����)

    Old Gia strolled out and quickly brought everyone back to reality.

    "I didn''t fight so hard for you all to suddenly turn sluggish. Help the survives to Zone 3, Hall A-79! Don''t ask questions. Everything will be answered shortly. Now move!"

    "Yes, sir!"

    Old Gia''s words were like a divinemand that kept their feet running.

    The boxes carrying the shrunken humans had long vanished. And now, they were all standing on the ship''s floors like puny little smurfs, only they were much smaller.

    Vice-Admiral Hazenshed out at many, seeing how they handled the puny humans.

    "Quickly! Carry them with care! Don''t squeeze too hard! Ah... Forget it! Someone bring out as many baskets as you can! Wait! Where are the go-carts?"

    Move! Move! Move! Move!

    As if they were about to face the fiercest battle in their lives, everyone disputed, all having various tasks at hand.

    They also handled those with hunchbacks and boils as carefully as they could. And since Old Gia had said it was contagious, they did their best not to inwardly worry about getting infected.

    It would be a lie to say they weren''t scared of both the tiny humans and the hunched-back pimple-faced people.

    They were human. This was human instinct, to fear what they couldn''t understand.

    How can humans suddenly turn small? And what about the other unnaturally hunched ones?

    Of course, all this while they didn''t think it was supernatural.

    Yes!

    Till now, they had alreadye up with a good point armor and storyline to exin it all.

    .

    Hazen ced his hands on Gia Ming''s shoulders with an understanding expression.

    "Old buddy... I get it. The survivors must have been kidnapped by some mad scientist who developed a shrink ray machine, right?"

    "_" [Gia Ming]

    In the face of firm science believers, Gia Ming suddenly didn''t know how to exin it all.

    What to say?

    He had severalyers of ck lines on his face.

    "You''re wrong."

    "Eh? Impossible! I can''t be wrong! The evil scientists must have had some failed experiments, resulting in people hunched with warts and pimples... Hold on... Ah!-... I understand, buddy." Hazen spoke, drawing closer to Gia Ming''s ears.

    "This is supposed to be top secret, right? That''s why you keep denying it. I understand. I understand, buddy. My lips are sealed. There are no evil scientists, and there are no shrink ray machines."

    "..."

    Like that, many led the survivors away, believing they had hit the jackpot regarding this matter.

    Science...

    It held the answer to every question the world held. And whether it was Old Bho or the Navy officers who experienced hellst night, they all looked at each other tactfully, no one bothering to rify things further.

    And soon, everyone found themselves within a massive hall the size of a small airne hanger.

    Looking around, it''s clear the Navy used this hall to hold announcements or addressrge congregations of officers.

    Well, this was just fine.

    "Quickly! Quickly! Be gentle with them!"

    The survivors were ced about carefully. Those tiny were kept separated from those hunched.

    And while they were here, orders had already been given to prepare a meal for them all.

    After all, who knows how badly treated and strained they were under the hands of those evil scientists?

    Dorian calmly walked to the front alongside Butler Sheng and the rest.

    However, Dorian suddenly tilted his head towards one of the many officers scattered about.

    Everyone was confused. What was he looking at?

    Heh.

    The corner of Dorian''s lips raised unnaturally.

 Chapter 372 A Shocked Hazen

    One moment everyone saw Dorian smiling weirdly. And the next, he was now holding the neck of one of their Navy Lieutenants.

    What?!!

    They didn''t even see how he managed to teleport himself from one point to another so fast.

    Still, their weapons were drawn out the moment Dorian held theirrades'' necks.

    Only 13 out of the many hundreds had guns.

    As Navy officers, they weren''t police officers.

    So they were generally not allowed to carry pistols while on duty unless they were those like Hazen and Gia Ming.

    "Drop him!" Hazen eximed.

    "I said, drop him now! That''s an order!"

    Order? You dare to order the Grandmaster around?

    "Asshole! Put your weapon down, Haz!" Gia Ming roared.

    He felt like smacking this idiot to death. Do you know who you''re pointing your weapon at? Inwardly, he thought he should prepare a grave for this guy if the Grandmaster got angry and retaliated.

    He knew Dorian wasn''t an unreasonable Leeson. But still... His power alone was enough to make anyone cautious.

    Everything happens in no more than a second.

    Eh?

    Hazen''s eyes fell on Gia Ming, as well as Old Gia, seeing them calm and approving of the strange boy''s behavior.

    Hold on... Could it be this guy Lieutenant was a traitor working for the evil scientists?

    Hazen lowered his weapon, thinning his lips tightly.

    Although he knew his thoughts were 80~90% urate and true, for f*** sake, man... Can''t they just confirm it already?

    Who was the enemy? Who were they working against?... And more importantly, why was everyone taking this little boy so seriously? Why was he treated as though he was an emperor walking amongst them?

    Augh~

    He felt the whole thing was a mystery wrapped in a KitKat bar.

    Adjusting himself, he looked to Old Gia solemnly. "I apologize for my rash behavior, sir."

    Old Gia ignored him.

    "_"...

    So do you forgive him or not?

    In truth, Old Gia wasn''t holding anything against him but was too focused on the elephant in the room.

    .

    "What''s going on?"

    "Why does that boy have Lieutenant Klin in a chock?"

    "Impossible! Could he be a traitor? How could he be working with those evil scientists? This is Lieutenant Klin we''re talking about! He has made so many contributions to the country. So how could he be a traitor?"

    "A conspiracy?"

    (?Q?)

    Several people whispered their thoughts, starting at the strange scene before them.

    Some believed it was a setup, while others had doubts about Klin.

    With Old Gia standing against him, they were more inclined to believe any verdict from Old Gia.

    In short, they thought they had figured out the cause and effect of it all.

    But the events that happened next were ones that would lead to many curling up in their beds with red sleepless eyes that would show their fears for several days, weeks, and months toe.

    A single strand of hair dangled before Dorian''s face, as he lifted the broad-shouldered man several inches high with his little hands.

    What a King Kong!

    (!0��0)

    The scene of such a slender boy lifting the muscle-packed Lieutenant Klin so high made many give Dorian a second look.

    From now on, this youngster should call himself Popeye the Sailor Man!

    "You!..." Lieutenant Klin struggled for freedom to no avail." What do you think you''re doing to a dignified Navy officer? Do you know how much I''ve sacrificed for this country? Do you know what hardships I''ve gone through to be here today? So are you trying to reveal? Just because you''re a wealthy young master, does it give you the right to trample on my dignity as an officer so much? Injustice! I''ve suffered so many injustices!"

    .

    Injustice!

    Klin''s words made many recall their time with him.

    It would be a lie to say his resonating and powerful speech didn''t touch a barrier in their hearts.

    Yes...

    Who were they working hard to protect? The everyday citizens.

    In the past, several of them have had issues with people sometimes acting too irrational and shameless, ming them for one issue or another during missions.

    In the end, they also felt Dorian''s method was too cruel. Old Gia hadn''t made a move. Yet, this young boy was so tyrannical about the whole matter.

    Okay...

    Suppose Lieutenant Klin was indeed guilty. That''s fine. But what if he was innocent?

    If that''s the case, wouldn''t the boy''s actions be very insulting?

    Bottom line, since Old Gia hadn''t given any orders or said anything, who was this boy to rush in and execute justice?

    Many now had a bad impression of Dorian. But how was that any of his concern?

    .

    "You should respect the old and--"

    Dorian increased his pressure on the guy''s neck.

    "Shut up... You''re too Noisy."

    Cough. Cough. Cough. Cough~

    Klin vegan coughing vigorously. But Dorian had no sympathy for him.

    Dorian slipped out a sly grin, staring at Klin with interest.

    "Here''s how it how''s... I ask, and you answer... Of course, you can choose to remain silent... But I assure you, I have more than a million ways to skin a cat."

    No one knew which words made Klin''s eyes react so much. But everyone could see he was supposed by Dorian''s words.

    This was odd. Why would someone get surprised after being threatened?

    Shouldn''t you show anger, rage, fear, or nothingness?

    Now, Klin was not only surprised, but he even beganughing too.

    "Hahahahahahahahahaha... To think it would be a little hairy boy who would find me out!"<sub> </sub>

    (0_0_ [Everyone]

    �� So he was indeed a traitor?

    Even though many initially guessed it. Seeing him admit it after such a powerful speech on loyalty only made them feel he deserved the award for the best actor.

    Bravo! Bravo!

    This guy should''ve been a member of their Navy troupe.

    At this point, they no longer reprimanded Dorian butmenced him in their hearts. It was just that they thought this was the height of the revtion.

    But little did they know that this was just an appetizer before the meal.

    .

    Yes... Yes... Rage, anger... Klin lived the sweet smile in the air, so much that his breathing became heavier with excitement.

    What about being choked? Too naive!

    He knew why he was weak now. But after the issue was solved, this little imp wouldn''t even have the chance to blink before dying.

    ~Hooohooohooohoo~

    Klin licked his lips as saliva oozed from the corners of his mouth.

    Yes... The hearts of these lot were stained and painted with a noble aura Yin and Yan akin to those in the Navy, army, or police forces.

    But so what?

    For him, dealing with such people was triple but not impossible to do. And the rewards would also be bountiful. He willingly came into the Navy because he could handle it!

    The hate of many falling on him, the emotions of the lot overriding again and again.

    So tasty...

    Ahhh!!!~~

    He couldn''t hold back anymore.

    Dorian released him, and everyone watched as Klin''s already unnatural smile stretched past his ears, moving to the back of his head.

    It... It was as though he was wearing a human suit.

    Then if that''s the case, whaty underneath it all?

    ''I must be dreaming. I must be dreaming.''

    Hazen took a step back, convincing himself in his heart to believe in science. But the more he watched, the more his mind copsed.

    Hahahahahahaha~

    Klinughed and twitched, growing 5 times his size while ripping apart his human suit.

    "You..."

    ~Crack.

    "Don''t."

    ~Crack. Crack.

    "Know who you''re dealing with."

    ~Crack!

    Klin had now be a mortifying being that led to a massive pukevillpetition.

    ~hhh!!!

    Hazen puked the breakfast he ate nearly 2 hours ago.

    His eyes averted the creature''s sight seeing he couldn''t stomach its grotesque looks yet.

    Ugly!... It was the most hideous-looking thing he had seen in his life. But apart from disgust, fear was the strongest feeling that overwhelmed him and the rest.

    They obeyed their quivering fingers while trying to force their fear-stricken legs to make a move.

    "M-M-Monster!!!"

    How can a mythical being exist?

    It was all a lie! And they bloody well deserved an exnation from science!

    Where do they go? What do they do? Who to file a report to?

    ~Whoosh!

    Out of nowhere, they saw 5 other lieutenants make their way toward the monster. And right before their very eyes, these 5 also transformed and merged with Klin.

    Dorian stared at the now massive being before him with a pair of rotting cat ears above his head.

    Cat demon.

    And as they say, cats have 9 lives. But seeing as it merged with 5 others and not 8, it appears it lost 3 of its lives.

    Dorian tilted his headzily, staring at the soaring being before him.

    "So they sent you to infiltrate the Navy?... How interesting...In that case, how many at the top are still human?"

    Old Gia''s face grew grim.

    Was the enemy among them all this time?

    Dorian waved his hand, and his trusty mace appeared.

    "I don''t have time for any talks or antics from you. I''ll once you onest time�� where are the rest?"

    "You worthless�C"

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Several loud sounds echoed across the hall, causing many to feel wobbly.

    Bam!

    Time seemed frozen in ce as many tried to process what just happened.

    Bam!

    "How dare you�C"

    Bam!

    "You puny human"

    Bam!

    "Ahhhh!... Wait! Wait!... I''ll talk. I''ll talk�� ill talk my fist to your�C"

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    "Monster...Monster�� you''re a�C"

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    [Onlookers]: (?_?)

 Chapter 373 Revenge!

    Staring at the Grandmaster pulverizing the massive being below him, everyone whipped their non-existent seat from their heads.

    Who said the Grandmaster was just a little boy who couldn''tpare to them? Stand up now and take their bazookas!

    Just watching the beatdown made them several catties of fake fat.

    Everyone was shaken more, especially Hazen.

    He wished he could go back in time and p his former self for provoking the Grandmaster.

    Just seeing how this guy fought, if he were to go head-to-head with him, wouldn''t his head be blown off his neck in one punch?

    Augh~

    The realization of death being so close made them shiver.

    But more than anything, the fact that supernatural beings like this exist also left them in a daze.

    "What? There are more of these things in our Navy base?"

    Someone exined in disbelief, shaking her head severally.

    She already knew nightmares were bound to ur for the next few weeks. But now you tell them there might be more of these things lurking about their base?

    (:TT0TT:)

    Thedy didn''t know whether to fall ill or cry.

    With several others hidden around her, how was she supposed to recover from today''s matter?

    Don''t you know she wouldn''t be able to sleep well in the dormitory, knowing such creatures were in here? No way! Since having weapons inmon areas was forbidden, she decided to start sleeping with a sharp stone underneath her pillow.

    Imagine having these enemies lurk about for months and months? If this is the case, how was she supposed to sleep and be at her best during this period?

    Insomnia!

    She and many others would definitely have prolonged insomnia if this matter weren''t handled fast!

    (:���С�:)

    .

    Bam!

    Dorian stomped on the annoying cat demon, pulling on all 6 of its whispers with a single hand.

    Pouff!~

    The creature spat a fountain full of greenish blood. Its trauma was no doubt immeasurable (in its opinion.). But still, it refused to speak.

    Hahahhahahhahaha~

    Its ghastlyughter bellowed out, emitting traces of bitterness engulfed within.

    "Give it up, exorcist. You might kill me off now. But soon, your end wille."

    Blink.

    Everyone saw its pupils blink yellowish vertically. And coupled with his ominous words, everyone''s body became pricked with goosebumps.

    Wait! What did he mean?

    The cat demon showed a sly yet pained grin, sweeping its eyes across the gathering.

    "Mark my words, humans... Soon, your end wille. Soon, your world will be nothing, and you will all live like the true delicacies that you are!!"

    "Noisy."

    Dorian stomped on it hard for thest time before flicking his wrist, and a wooden toy box flew out his inner chest pocket.

    ~Bibidi babidi boom!

    The wooden case Old Gia and a few were familiar with had again resurfaced.

    M-m-m-magic!

    (/��0��)

    What sort of fairy operation was this?

    You must know they had already seen him conjure up an entire mace from thin air. And now, even though this seemed ordinary to the Grandmaster, for them, everything he did using magic only left them with widened mouths, too speechless to talk.

    Of course, many stretched their necks, hoping to see what was inside.

    Candles, toy books the size of their pinkies, chalk, ceiled bottled water, and several rectangr cut pieces of paper?

    (-_-)

    No matter how they looked at it, they didn''t understand how these items could benefit today''s situation.

    "What will he do with these?"

    "Candles? Does he want to wax the monster to death?"

    "What you said makes sense. I have a hunch he will not only turn the creature into wax but also turn the wax into a flying pumpkin too. Who knows... Maybe a real Cindere is waiting for their ride on the other side."

    "You know what?... As ridiculous as it is, I wouldn''t be surprised if it were true."

    "Exactly! Science is the biggest scam of all! If you had told me this was real, I would have secretly asked the leaders to take you for a mental exam. But after witnessing everything first hand, I am not afraid to say I now believe in flying magic carpets."

    "Who knows... At this point, I wouldn''t be surprised if someone said their pee could turn into wine. Of course, me drinking it is another matter."

    ...

    Candles? No.<sub> </sub>

    Dorian reached for the small transparent vial, pouring several drops wherever he deemed fit.

    Ahhhhhh!!!~

    The cat demon was going crazy feeling the strange water -clear fluid fall on its body.

    Water with cats was never a good idea.

    Ahhh~... Son of a b**ch!

    The feeling was just too mortifying.

    It was as though one had poured drops of molten volcanicva on a person''s face.

    Several drops might even bore through the skin and bypass the bones in a sh.

    Imagine 100 times this pain, and that would be it. And the most annoying thing was that its limbs and even its tail had been pinned down with coins by Dorian.

    It screed, tacked, shook, and spawned as though it were on a hospital bed, getting the electric kiss of life to its chest.

    Clear!

    Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.

    ~Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The winds began to howl, and the room was now a mess.

    Can we fly? Yes, we can!

    For the first time, many got a turbulent taste of what it would be like to be Peter Pan.

    Things grew worse and worse the more they watched Dorian chant and exorcize the demon.

    It was a bizarre scene, with the liquid droplets boring into the creature''s skin, producing golden cracks and lines. And in the end, the golden light finally exploded out of the creature''s mouth, eyes, and belly.

    They watched every fiber of its being turned into tiny ashes and fade away into oblivion.

    Many felt the hairs on their body stand at attention when listening to the creature''sst words.

    What did it mean to say their world wasing to an end?

    Suddenly, everyone felt the weight of the world on their shoulders.

    What''s going on? Are these creatures trying to enter their world and take them all as food for the picking?

    No way! Even if they were weak and helpless, they refused to stand idly and watch it unfold!

    .

    You look at me; I look at you.

    At this moment, everyone''s hearts became connected as one.

    "Lieutenant Ab, reporting, old marshall! It''s an honor to see you in the flesh, sir! But the enemy has died without revealing their partners or those lurking in our camp."

    "Yes, Marshall! The enemy doesn''t know that we are aware of their existence. So to keep it this way, we can''t inform others out of this room just yet. Forgive me for doubting my superiors, sir. But who is to say they aren''t enemies in human skin?"

    At this point, they were even willing to doubt all those at the very top of Navy operations across the country.

    In times like these, they were not to rattle the snake out of its hiding ce until they investigated, gathered, and pinpointed their targets.

    Caution had to be advised. And unlike Dorian who knew the exact time when thes would align, and all hell would break loose, they didn''t know when the ''end'' wasing.

    It could be tomorrow, a month from now, or even a year.

    The fact that they don''t know ''when'' was what caused their minds to skyrocket just now. How scary was this? It was like saying�� oh, you''re going to die soon, without actually giving the exact date.

    (/!��!)

    .

    Like so, Dorian spent an additional 2 hours helping those affected and shrunken humans.

    Of course if they wanted these safety charms and protection talismans, they would have to purchase them from his Webchat.

    That''s right.

    Since he started setting up a booth, he had also asked Chan-ki and Haro to handle all matters concerning this.

    If people wanted to buy his charms and talismans, they could ce their orders there. Additionally, he could pick up several requests from this site too.

    This was great since all these will be posted on the mission board for anyone to pick up. Whether they had to fly to another country or stay here, everything was more essible for customers to reach out to them.

    "Thank you, Grandmaster! Thank you! The government will send in the money immediately!"

    Several people bowed humbly, watching Dorian and the rest get on their choppers.

    Mission aplished. There was a sense of relief in the air for Bho Jin and the rest.

    Hey��

    Seeing the Grandmaster leaning back with his eyes closed, they thought he should be tired and worn out. So it was good for him to have a moment''s rest.

    But unlike Dorian, a certain man was determined to keep him awake.

    In a far gloomy room, the man slowly caressed a strange being on his finger with a vicious glint.

    ''Dorian D. TIan... It''s time your family gets their just deserts.''

    In 2 days, the boy will die!

 Chapter 374 Botans Revenge

    "I tell you all... There''s something wrong with this mansion." A person said shakingly.

    "Missing persons, strange howls at night... You all don''t think this ce is haunted, do you?"

    "Nonsense!" Many retired swiftly. Though a little piece of them wanted to agree, they quickly denied the promation, wanting nothing to do with it.

    "How can you think like that? Where is your head going? Do you want to get locked up in a loony bin?"

    "That''s right. Your thoughts are too dangerous. If you want to go down, then don''t read us with you!"

    "I agree. It''s more likely that we have a serial killer amongst us all. That alone is enough to give me nightmares."

    "But are you sure? The police have been here twice but haven''t found any dead bodies buried or any evidence. So what if it''s one of our boss'' enemies targeting us to pull our boss in the mud?"

    "I think you make a sound point. With how long we''ve been working here, we all know how vicious the world of the rich can be."

    Many workers continued their chores, attending to the gardens, cooking, enabling, and doing other activities in heated gossip.

    Who could me them?

    Many strange and unexinable things have been happening in the Kwo estate.

    And with no leads or evidence, everyone felt they wrre sitting in a ticking time bomb.

    So far, 11 staff have vanished, all of which were proud and wouldn''t be missed by them.

    However, that didn''t mean they werefortable seeing them disappear so suddenly.

    Some say the missing people owed debts and vanished, others say they traveled unexpectedly, and some say they were fleeing from family responsibilities.

    Each of these 11 was indeed scum who also had chaotic lives out of work. But all this was too much of a coincidence.

    Additionally, 5 guards have been dered missing too. So what''s truly going on here? Or could it be the work of some vignte like Batman, swooping in and cleaning the scum people up?

    Suddenly, the Kwo estate was shrouded in darkness, posing a gloomy air that made many dare notugh.

    They didn''t know why, but the longer they stayed in the estate, they felt so down and dreary, especially seeing the policee in severally and the updates for missing people increasing.

    Do you know how difficult it is to sleep at night knowing there could be a serial killer or a killer sent by an enemy lurking within their midst?

    No one goes to ces alone these days. Everyone moved in pairs and groups, even to the bathroom.

    At the same time, 1/5th had already quit from fear, while the other 4/5th stayed since the oat was good.

    They felt now that the police were investigating anding here frequently, the enemy wouldn''t dare to make moves anymore. ,

    What''s more, the job had good pay and provided amodations and meals. Even if these were deducted from their sries, the payout was still far higher than most jobs out of the estate.

    So how could they leave?

    No! They believed the police would bring things to the light very soon. As long as they moved in groups, how would the enemy have a chance to take them down?

    Everyone thought so too. And the culprit that caused it all was now lying on his bed, with his eyes tightly shut.

    .

    Botan abruptly opened his eyes, slowly sitting up.<sub> </sub>

    If one looked more in-depth, they would see that his back was straightened and his body sturdierpared to several weeks back.

    It was daytime outside, yet the thick blinds made his room as dark as night.

    Yes... As head guard, he had his own room and several other privileges.

    [Are you ready?] A mysterious voice asked.

    Botan lowered his ttering eyshes, masking all the hate in his heart. "Ready... I won''t let them go."

    [That''s what I like to hear. As per our deal, I did help you grow strong. And after your revenge, you will uphold your end of the bargain, won''t you?]

    Botan''s eyes flickered. "Yes... Every year, you''ll have what''sing to you."

    [Good, mortal. I own you. I made you, and I can break you back to nothing... So don''t you ever forget that, UNDERSTAND?]

    Botan''s veins popped, but his expression remained unchanged. "I''ll do as you''ve said. Provided you can make me stand at the top."

    Botan''s eyes shed with determination.

    He used to be a Tian guard before following Wei Kwo.

    It''s true that the Tian couple saved him and did a lot for him after that.

    But expecting him not to betray them... wasn''t that moral kidnapping?

    So what if they were good to him in the past?

    If they truly cared for him, why didn''t they use their connections to let him rise to the top and meet other powerful employers? Why couldn''t they introduce him to old Gia or better than them?

    Since he was young till now, power has been the only thing in his eyes. He was never satisfied, climbing higher from every position.

    So the fact that the Tians were one of the big giants didn''t make him feel awed.

    Why couldn''t he be working for the nation''s president?

    Botan didn''t for one second feel bad about betraying Dorian''s parents.

    But what he seemed to have forgotten was that Dorian''s parents had given him numerous chances and opportunities to leave.

    Did they tie him up and lock him in a dungeon? As a grown man, if he wanted to leave, he could. But because he had no bigger thigh to hug, he stayed put, ripping the privilege of working with the Tians.

    And when Wei Kwo offered him a better chance, he quickly betrayed them in a heartbeat. However, he soon realized how ipetent and weak his new employer was.

    Botan felt the entire Tian household was mocking him and ying with his life. And thus, revenge was in order.

    What''s more, since he also participated in cing Dorian''s parents in aa, now that the boy was growing stronger and getting chummy with bugger forces, it would only be a matter of time before the boy came for his own revenge.

    In that case, he had to strike the iron while it''s hot!!!

    Don''t me him for being cruel.

    Botan stood calmly.

    He was ready to kill them all!

 Chapter 375 [Bonus Chapter]Next Move!

    "Wee, Grandmaster!"

    Bewoh weed Dorian while Butler Sheng got out of the vehicle and opened the door for him.

    The many guest doctors and nurses who spotted him also nodded and went about their days, though very intrigued about this mysterious young master they hardly saw.

    Dorian''s eyes fell on Alice. ''It''s time to take out the trash.''

    It was time to deal with all hidden forces prying his Tian corner.

    "Bewoh, report."

    Bewoh walked a step behind Dorian to his left with a solemn expression.

    "Grandmaster, the hidden forces in the hotel are people from the Dar hired by your uncle. But because they realized how different it was to take us down, they''ve not only called forces from outside but also turned against Sir Kwo."

    Butler Sheng sneered. Deserve it.

    This was a ssic case of one shooting themselves in the foot.

    Butler Sheng clenched his fist, wishing he could go up to the fatty and punch him hard until he squealed like a pig.

    Bewoh continued. "Grandmaster, they''re nning to infiltrate the mansion 3 days from now. They''ve gathered forces from outside the country, including raisers and other specialists, trying to decide the true route within the estate."

    "Oh?" Dorian found it funny.

    Sure enough, his y that night caused them to think the mansion was a massive maze of mystery they needed to unfold.

    But if that''s the game they want to y, who was he to deny them of this?

    "Sheng. You, Mia, and Pandrol will gather a few students and set up the maze for our entertainment."

    Clowns have appeared in their circus. So why not let them perform?

    Bewoh and Butler Sheng looked at each other tactfully, chuckling in amusement.

    It''s rare to see the Grandmaster wanting to have a fewughs.

    With how serious he always seemed, it was easy to forget he was 17.

    .

    "Grandmaster, the one Alice who is in contact with these people, is also nning to assist them on that fateful night. From all reservations, it appears she has long been dissatisfied taking care of the Master and Lady."

    Butler Sheng nodded. "I suggest that since we''re to clean up the rest 3 days from now, she too must leave."

    "Hmmm..."

    Dorian agreed. "Contact Jung Hou."

    Since she was his responsibility, he would leave the matter of her transfer to him.

    He, Dorian, didn''t like involving himself in annoying matters.

    But whether Alice''s transfer would be a good thing or not, heh... He wouldn''t tell Jung Hou what to do.

    The woman felt it was beneath her to do ordinary tasks, feeling she was some celebrity due to her genius status.

    Jung Hou was a genius far above her and a prodigy many looked up to. Yet, he had never underlooked or belittled any job.

    How dare you be careless or not take your patients seriously?<sub> </sub>

    No matter how smart you are, if you don''t do things right, they''ll alwayse back to bite you.

    Though the woman doesn''t say anything, her words and actions when Jung Hou was mentioned or seen, it was clear she had a big crush on him, even going as far as dreaming of marrying the 31-year-old bachelor.

    She wanted the fame and recognition of being seen as a godly pair with Jung Hou.

    Think about it!

    (^0^)

    Won''t they be called the Divine Medical pair?

    Alice had always ced hopeful eggs in Jung Hou''s basket.

    Indeed. The woman had a lot of aspirations. But that was none of Dorian''s business, whether she seeded on this now orter in life.

    All he cared about was getting the air around his estate clean.

    He allowed her to stay to watch her monuments and recipes if she was something more. But from all indications, she was just a girl with a princess disease.

    The trio walked up the broad stairway, discussing all matters Dorian and Butler Sheng missed out on.

    It''s only been a day and 18 hours since they left. Yet, the forces around had made so many ns during this period.

    "Grandmaster, the matter concerning the Kwo estate is more unique than it seems. Yesterday, Disciple Donghai informed me of the matter. And after going there, my 3rd eye could see faint traces of purple fog floating."

    Bewoh could recall it clearly.

    He was sure there was an enemy within the Kwo estate.

    But for now, he didn''t enter, wanting to gather info from those leaving the estate. And as nned, he was to go into the estate to solve the problem alongside other students.

    Yes... This was the time both disciples and elders needed to gather their own experiences, not always hopping behind Dorian. But as per the rules, no student could tag along any case until they were at least outer disciples.

    They were to follow the academy elders and teachers during these periods, never undertaking any outside mission alone.

    There were punishments in ce for those who tried.

    .

    Dorian nodded, seeing as everyone was branching off to earn their exorcism points without his help.

    They had escape talismans and various other items for if/when things got bad. Additionally, all elders had special pendants that when crushed, would allow his false body to appear and aid them in battle.

    The technique was simple. He only left a whiff of his leg in these pendants.

    And once broken, he would sense where they were and alsoe to their aid in case they were going against something too powerful than themselves.

    Good...

    ''Soon, the academy has to spread its wings abroad. But before that, there was still much to set up here.''

    "Bewoh, do as you originally nned and deal with the Kwo matter. Sheng, remember�� your focus should be on those forces from the Dar�� And as for myself, I''ll be going on a little trip to Ape city."

    Before the ind vanished, he had already found the destination of his next clue.

    Loki... Loki... Loki...

    Just what have you been doing to this world all these years?

 Chapter 376 Bewohs Case

    Like a hurricane, time came and went.

    The sun went down, the night rose and fell, the sun up.

    Today was a brand new day.

    Haru drove the Grandmaster to the airport, leaving the group to themselves.

    Yes...

    They also knew it was them for them to grow individually and not tag behind the Grandmaster for every little thing.

    Some elders stayed in the academy, while others moved about searching for new enemies and missions to note.

    Today, Bewoh had ns to meet up with M.S.S officers in the station.

    (M.S.S was like F.B.I)

    Sometimes, Bewoh felt it was a century since his eyes became open to the many truths around him.

    During this time, he has been working hard,pleting several small missions thanks to their newworking.

    Would you believe it if he said most of their missions came from opening that roadside booth?

    People would typicallye over to mock them or stand in line for fun, not knowing they truly had issues hovering around them.

    And when Bewoh and the rest received certain aspects or problems these people were facing, their faces would turn pale and their mouths open in horror.

    "How did you know?"

    That was always their first response.

    Of course sometimes seeing was believing. So what did they do?

    They gave simple talismans at discounted prices, asking these people to test them out during their difficult times.

    Some ced the talismans in their sickly grandmother''s head, others were one day saved miraculously, and so on.

    In the end, the feedback was spectacr, with people bing true fans. They now believed but dared not tell others in case they got locked up in an asylum.

    Some people had seen creatures with their very eyes after Bewoh visited them.

    And till now, they stille every week to find out if any move they were about to make was correct.

    "Master, my sister is about toe for a visit this weekend. Can you know if hering now is the right time?"

    "Master, I crossed the street, and a ck act appeared. Is this a sign of bad luck?"

    "Master, are you sure no other ghosts are following me?"

    "Master, please look at my picture. Is the baby my wife carrying mine?"

    "Master, help. I choked on waterst night. Will I be okay? Is this an ominous matter?"

    "Master, can my hair ever grow again? What? You have a special hair-growth ointment that can make my hair grow back luscious and remain the same for 10 years max? Awesome! I''ll take it, master!"

    "Master."

    "Master."

    "Master."

    ...

    Bewoh can''t recall how many people had rushed back after escaping some unfortunate fate thanks to the talismans.

    And because of the visits he did, he was able to increase his kill count spontaneously.

    Likewise, he also mastered the many skills, spells, and other aspects needed to upgrade his rank.

    And like so, he moved from a Grade 9 H-rank exorcist to a Grade 6 H-rank exorcist.

    Again, his strength had also grown tremendously, reaching thete stage of the 4th Dan!

    If anyone in any other world saw how fast he and the elders were growing, they would boil in envy. The academy grounds were indeed a holynd too surplus with pure, heavenly qi.<sub> </sub>

    But even though his strength had grown, Bewoh knew the real monster was his Grandmaster.

    Before the academy started, the Grandmaster was at the 6th Dan. So after all this time, can anyone truly guess how strong the Grandmaster has grown?

    Bewoh had a hunch he was no longer within the True Qu Realm.

    For sure, the Grandmasters should be in the 2nd Dao, the Spirit Realm.

    As for what Dan he should be in, only if the Grandmaster revealed it would they know.

    F***!

    The Grandmaster was always 1... No... 10 steps ahead of them.

    Such a talent was monstrous. But Bewoh wasn''t jealous. That was his master. His Grandmaster... A person not on their level and should never be used inparison with them.

    .

    All in all, Bewoh and the many elders had been ustomed to doing their own things over these past few weeks.

    As for running the roadside stall, every elder would take on the task in rotation.

    Today might be Haru''s day, tomorrow elder Mia''s day, and so on.

    Customers could also contact them on the academy''s WeChat ount too.

    This way, if it rains hard or snows in ten uing seasons, they could meet people irrespective of where they were outdoors or not.

    In total, there were 16 Academy elders, excluding the Grandmaster and the guardian Pandrol.

    These 16 would have to operate the roadside stall. So everyone only managed it twice a month.

    "Master Bewoh!"

    A voice energetically called out, seeing Bewoh appear at the station.

    The uniformed man had a look of awe and respect.

    Bewoh recognized him to be one of the M.S.S agents present during the time the Grandmaster opened the mirror world.

    Yes... It happened in this station, blowing the minds of the few who brought in the ''dead bodies'' of elders Endo and Mia.

    Everyone thought they were dead, only to realize their real bodies were trapped in the mirror world.

    Stranger things for sure were happening there.

    Such a thing left Payne hugging his wife to sleep tirelessly.

    Officer Payne had a bitter smile thinking of those days.

    His dear wife thought he was being overly romantic by holding her so tight and giving her little sleeping space during that time.

    But little did she know he was holding her from fear of the dark.

    Of course he loved her. But what does love have to do with fear?

    (/������)

    During those times, Payne pushed his bed to the wall and slept behind his wife, using her as a shield.

    Yup.

    He wasn''t ashamed to say it proudly.

    No one had the right to judge him because he truly went through hell with his imagination and his fear scarring the living daylight out of him.

    Now, because of that matter, he was afraid of mirrors.

    It was the reason why he covered his bathroom mirror with a towel when showering.

    His wife thought he did so to prevent the mirror from fogging up. But only he knew the truth.

    He, Assistant Deputy Director Payne, was afraid of not just his mirror but his own shadow!

 Chapter 377 Bewohs Case - 2

    "Hey... Do any of you know those guys?"

    "No. But they looked like students and teacher?"

    "Yes... That''s what I thought too. If that is the case, why are they here? How can Assistant Deputy Director Payne bring them along? Doesn''t he know the importance of this case?"

    ...

    One by one, many M.S.S field agents whispered about the strange visitors before them.

    It was really weird.

    Why was Payne allowing these people to enter their mission vans to flow them along?

    For goodness sake! Some of these strangers were no older than 17.

    Ridiculous! What can a 17-year-old do in such a delicate case?

    They knew people like Old Gia and even Payne were fair. But this doesn''t prevent them from having doubts.

    Or could it be this group of people was from a special division of trained spies?

    Hey... it was unheard of for the government to train teenagers. Many would never suspect people this young to have excellent skills. So wasn''t this a good cover

    Already, many agents had made up excuses as to why people this young were allowed to join this top-secret mission.

    Don''t get them wrong. There were indeed young M.S.S agents. But those take lesser mission ranks.

    This was a ssified Top Secret one that many would have to work their asses off with experience and true skills to earn a ce for.

    So yes.

    They were right to be skeptical.

    Payne saw their expressions and didn''t bother examining.

    What was he to say? That in truth, they were about to face an enemy they didn''t expect could be possible and would have their asses protected by the group they looked down on?

    No way.

    Just as he had his face pped, he also wanted them to have their faces pped too. And by the end, all he would say was... "Wee to the club."

    .

    ~Vrmm!

    The vans took off one after the other, with all agents putting their most formidable looks to show these newbies how fierce they were.

    Too bad the people they were trying to intimidate either ''slept'' with legs crossed and eyes closed or enthusiastically marveled about the van''s interior.

    In particr, there was one excited person who the M.S.S agents felt like shooting down.

    "Awesome... It''s exactly as it is in the movies!"

    (>0<)

    Ghu Sota''s hands were super fidgety, though he dared not touch anything, especially with elder Bewoh sitting by his side.

    Though he was steady, his eyes and movements told his thoughts.

    He''ll! Even the agents sitting opposite him rolled their eyes at this bumpkin.

    It was strange to say they felt him familiar but couldn''t put their fingers on where they had seen him before.

    Ghu Sota?

    Of course he had a recognizable face! He was the heir to the Ghu n, who had appeared in magazines alongside his family in a very majestic picture.

    So yes... He was very famous, especially during the times when the Ghus also held press conferences for business or private matters.<sub> </sub>

    Pah.

    Someone lightly pped Sota''s arm. "Buddy, you better behave yourself. We can''t afford to disgrace the Academy, or Elder Hina will freeze you to a popsicle."

    Ghu Sota quivered in embarrassment when thinking of his tigress grandmother.

    He was already a man, yet his grandmother still smacked his butt in public as though he were a toddler.

    That''s just great. Now, everyone teased him about it. Every time he tried to do a little misch--... (Cough, cough), exploration, she would always appear like a ghost, dragging his body away.

    Believe him, he had tried so many times but always got caught by her.

    What the hell? Did she have a pair of invisible eyes on his body? Why was it that she always knew what he was up to?

    It may shock many to know that his grandmother''s most brutal move and the one he was most scared of was her legendary ''Slipper'' attack.

    Before entering the Academy, his Grandmother had perfected the skill of taking her slippers/shoes off and projecting them into the air with great calction and precision.

    It didn''t matter if he ran zig-zag or straight... The shoe alwaysnded on the back of his head.

    And now with her added strength boost, thest slipper attack she gave him in the academy left him on his knees, spewing blood in a dizzy state.

    F***!

    Did the woman want to murder her grandson?

    He dragged his body away while she slowly advanced with the other pair of shoes in her hand.

    Ghu Sota felt his fate pitiful.

    Most grandmothers would feel aggrieved seeing their grandsons in a bloody state.

    But his own grandmother was more than happy to cause a fountain of blood to spew out of his head.

    Ghu Sota had a lot ofints to give. But who will hein to?

    He cried like a baby to his grandfather, but the man only showed a helpless look, saying: "A happy wife equals a happy life. Grandson, who am I to argue with the ancients who made these rules?

    "_"

    Even Ghu Dwo, his own father, didn''t say a thing, acting as though he never saw the injury in his son''s head.

    Ghu Sota was more aggrieved. But what he didn''t know was that even his father was afraid of his grandmother.

    [Ghu Dwo]: "Son. It''s every man for himself."

    [Old Ghu]: "Well grandson. Had you honestly stayed back rather than trying to explore the dangerous forest territory, you wouldn''t have been beaten so much, would you?"

    [Ghu Sota]: "_"

    Alright.

    He was still waiting for the DNA test to verify whether these were his family members.

    .

    Ghu Sota''s face turned distorted, listening to his buddy''s advice.

    Gia Yangbo chuckled, seeing Sota''s change.

    The 2 met in the academy and had good impressions of each other since then.

    And just like that, the vehicle towards the Kwo estate, ready to begin their first field training as exorcists!

    Bewoh opened his eyes calmly.

    "It''s time."

 Chapter 378 The Kwo Estate

    For today''s matter, Bewoh only took 6 students with him.

    He took as many as he felt he could protect.

    "Elder Bewoh. Please, forgive my dy. We were just setting upmunications."

    Payne gestured towards the other nearby vans in disguise.

    There was a van with a cablepany logo on it.

    He figured there should be a while team inside with high-tech equipment to listen in on anything happening in the estate.

    Some people were taking their ''morning'' run along the roads within this gatedmunity, while others had entered the house of nearby vis, setting up all sorts of equipment there.

    Drones disguised as birds flew, and other high-tech equipment were made fully functional.

    Ghu Sota was again blown away by their operations.

    In fact, no one needed to tell him how much preparation they did because, as a cultivator, he could sense his surroundings with his eyes closed.

    If he were ordinary, he would have thought the outside scene normal.

    But look to your left, the bush there isn''t actually a bush. Someone is in there, in afortable position.

    ''Am I in a spy movie?''

    .

    The van Bewoh and the group were in wasn''t disguised. It was left as it was... A police van.

    Today, they made it no secret they would be here to do investigations.

    As for Wei Kwo, the estate owner, he wasn''t avable.

    Not too long ago, Mr. Kwo had a terrible and unfortunate ident that put him in the hospital.

    From all indications, he met thugs on the way who beat him blue, ck, and purple.

    The surveince captured the masked men beating him silly. But though he was the victim, what was he doing there without his usual guards at such a suspicious location?

    He must have been up to no good too. And even after he woke, they turned to find the culprit, but he brushed it off.

    There was no helping it.

    Since the victim was concerned about privacy rights, they had to drop the matter lest they got sued.

    His injury was indeed terrible. It was so bad that he wouldn''t be able to leave the hospital for 3 weeks.

    Of course, just because they didn''t bring the matter up to Mr. Kwo didn''t mean they won''t investigate it.

    What a joke.

    All missing people are workers in his estate. So who knows if the incident surrounding his ident was somehow linked to this matter?

    Huh.

    He was their prime suspect in this matter. Just his character trait showed he was too greedy for money.

    Such a person could do anything for a few more Vyns. So who is to say he didn''t involve himself in legal trafficking?

    No bodies were found, and no one saw the missing people leave the estate. Either their bones were buried somewhere here, or they were transported out when no one was watching.

    "Lead... We''ll follow behind you."

    "Ah!--... Not a problem, Elder Bewoh."

    Elder Bewoh?

    The field agents and police inspectors were bewildered.

    No doubt about it, Payne was at least ''20 years'' older than Bewoh. So where did the term eldere from?

    (-_-)

    .

    In truth, the version Bewoh they saw wasn''t how he looked several weeks back.

    Ever since he began cultivating, his appearance had reverted from histe 30s tote 20s.<sub> </sub>

    Yes. He looked no older than 27.

    So hearing Payne call him elder was too jarring.

    No matter how you look at it, there was something wrong with this scene.

    Forget it...

    The field agents and inspectors threw the matter at the back of their heads, focusing on the issue at hand.

    The van and a few vehicles drove in while the undercover ones stayed outside.

    Driving in, one could see how luxurious the sight was. However, they felt so gloomy all of a sudden, making it hard to admire their luxurious surroundings.

    Ghu Sota stepped out of the van and opened his eyes in shock.

    The entire ce was covered with a frail purplish cloud.

    ''Are you saying these people aren''t seeing this?''

    Of course as a cultivator, he could close his 3rd eye if he wanted to.

    But since he was here for a case, it looks like he would be back in the Victorian days... Only the fog was purplish.

    Then others also saw the fog, already dawning from expressions.

    Why so serious?

    The police inspectors and field agents snicker in their hearts.

    Just look at how they were already sweating when the job hadn''t started.

    .

    In silence, the group walked along the massive roundabout and was just about to descend the stairway leading into the main house when shortly... they heard the sounds of heels rushing over.

    "Get out of the way! I''m going to wee the guests."

    A figure quickly rushed out shyly, with her eyes ranking on Ghu Sota.

    Earlier, she, her brother, and her mother were waiting for this group in the main hall.

    But when she looked out the window, who did she see? The Ghu Heir!

    This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her toe this close to Ghu Sota.

    If she hooked up with him, wouldn''t she be the next of millions across the country?

    Her father won''t limit her spending budget, and her boyfriend will also give her millions. So wasn''t this a dreame true?

    It would amaze many to know that within this brief time, she took out herpact mirror and did a few touches like lighting.

    She pushed her bosoms and bit her lip for an even redder effect.

    This Ghu heir... She must get!

    Yes.

    Think about it.

    Ghu Sota wasn''t any police officer, nor was his family involved with such matters.

    So why was he here? Obviously, for her.

    He must have seen her in that Paint gallery show and grown smitten with her.

    ''So he''s here to know me better?''

    Brya was pleased.

    She blushed and stared at Ghu Sota with her most charming expression.

    "Brother Gu. Are you here to see me?"

    ".. Who are you?"

    "_"

 Chapter 379 A Brainless Family

    ~Ting. Ting. Ting. Ting.

    The faint sounds of a spoon nging at the sides of a teacup echoed across the hall.

    White and ck marble walls and floors covered the grand hall.

    Looking carefully at the marble, one could see various golden shrieks running across them from time to time, giving off a modern yet ancient aristocratic look.

    But no matter how much they appreciated the space, there was so much gloominess around it that made them feel choked as though they were sinking deep down a deadly sea.

    Why was it so?

    "Gentlemen..." An extravagant woman in an elegant dress and thick pink fur wrapped around her neck softly called out.

    Sitting beside her daughter Brya to her right, while her son stood at the left edge of the couch.

    He stood to show his majesty and might, with many Kwo guards standing powerfully behind the couch.

    And opposite their group were the many field agents, Bewoh and the rest, either standing or sitting on the couchesid out for them.

    Both sides were arranged to face each other during this question and answer time.

    But though the M.S.S and police officers were serious, these seamless Kwo''s didn''t seem to take things seriously.

    They kept giving their attention to Ghu Sota, as well as acting out a sorrowful y that no one called for.

    Everyone had the urge to roll their eyeballs at this ridiculous group... Especially Mrs. Kwo, who seemed verycking inmon sense.

    Good heavens... Even her acting was so bad.

    She rose to her feet and took out her hanky to wipe her non-existent tears.

    ''Lady... You say you haven''t slept a wink because of all the troubles going on. But why do you look so plump with your pedicure looking newly down?''

    "Oh... Woe is me... My darling husband has been maliciously targeted. My poor and beloved house helpers have fled the house and caused a big scandal, making people think they are missing."

    Wooooo~

    She shed some crocodile tears while peeping at the group. And Brya also wiped her ''tears'' while patting her mother''s back infort.

    "_" [Everyone]

    If you want to perform, why not auction for a movie role?

    .

    Wooooooo~

    "My enemies are at work. How can it be a coincidence? They definitely nned it to make us look bad. But luckily, you brave people will bring justice to us. So hurry... Do your investigations... We, the Kwo''s, have nothing to hide!"

    Madam Kwo spoke ''heroically,'' wanting to give the impression of a soft lily forced to be strong.

    And Brya, who had been secretly making shy passes at Ghu Sota, also did the same.

    The mother and daughter pair were indeed cut out of the same cloth.

    Initially, they thought her son might be the only sane one. But his following made them swallow their good thoughts on him.

    "Young Master Ghu, please forgive my mother and sister for their outburst. They have been through a lot this time and are so pitiful... Young Master Ghu, I know this sort of thing isn''t your style, so why don''t I show you around the ace while the professionals do their thing?"

    The Kwo boy was eyeing Ghu Sota too, seeing this as an opportunity to be close friends with Sota.

    He was like a dog, licking the feet of its master.<sub> </sub>

    [Ghu Sota, Everyone else]: "_."

    How did these people''s brains grow?

    Sota was helpless and annoyed. Don''t they see him sitting amongst the group of inspectors? So why do they automatically assume he wasn''t a part of this?

    Augh~

    .

    5, 10, 15, 20... 40 minutes went by slowly, as everyone felt it an eternity just being in the same room as these people.

    If their brains were lightbulbs, they would be 1 Watt bulbs.

    Simple questions were asked at every turn. Yet, they managed to make every response rte to Ghu Sota.

    [Investigator]: "On the evening of your husband/father''s ident, between the times of 7:05 P.M to 7:47 P.M... where were you?"

    [Brya]: "Officers, I was in my bathroom taking a... Well, I''m very shy. But since you want to know, then I''m unwilling to speak. I was taking a hot bubble bath while thinking of my crush... And just in case you want to know who it is, I can''t say the name of my crush yet. But I really, really, love him."

    [Madam Kwo]: "Officers, my daughter nevertheless. She really loves her crush."

    [Brother]: "That''s right, officers. My sister has it real bad for her crush."

    [Everyone]:...

    Who the hell asked about her crush? What we want to know is where you were during that fateful incident!!!

    My crush this... My crush that... I love my crush, my sister adores her crush...

    Were they in some dating show?

    Even they, the investigators, field agents, and rookie exorcists, were getting too tired of listening to these people''s ramblings.

    It wasn''t until Payne gave the signal that the session ended.

    Everyone inwardly felt like thanking their lucky stars foring off such an I.Q demoralizing session.

    They looked at their superior gratefully.

    [Payne]: (-_-)

    Don''t thank him. He too wanted to leave... Or rather, take a break before speaking to these idiot Kwos again.

    After all, for protocol reasons, they did have to ask every single thing, even if it took a hundred years for this damn family to answer it all.

    "Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. We have a search warrant to go through every part of the waste. So please, I need you and your workers to exit the estate for at least 3 hours."

    "Who?" Madam Kwo felt ufortable.

    What if these police officers steal her jewelry?

    Payne couldn''t care less about her thoughts.

    "Madam! Everyone, be they workers or guards, is to be searched before leaving the gates. So be prepared... That is all."

    Now, leave!

    It was time to clear the scene for the real people to do their work.

 Chapter 380 Old Acquaintances

    "Come on! Why do we have to leave? Just because you have a warrant doesn''t mean we have to leave!"

    "That''s right. This is our home. Where do you expect us to go out in this dangerous situation? Officers... We have already told you we are innocent. There is a bigger enemy out there. So what if we end up getting attacked by them? Rather than going, why don''t we stay here and upy Brother Ghu?"

    "Yes! Yes... That''s right, officers. We don''t take up much standing space. So why must you be so stingy? Or are you trying to steal from us when we aren''t here? Brother Ghu... Please say something. Tell these officers that you are with us."

    The officers didn''t utter a word but only lightly shoved this group out of the main mansion and assisted them in getting into their luxury cars, seeing that they drove out.

    The estate drivers were also at a loss when dealing with such employers who kept cursing at him, instructing him to turn back.

    Of course, before any vehicle left the premises, it was searched and checked before leaving, lest they wanted to sneak away with the bones of the missing.

    That''s right. For now, anyone could be a suspect... Even the gardeners.

    So all workers and estate guards were not only told to leave the premises but wait outside for questioning, one by one.

    What did they do? Could they tell them anything they found suspicious during this time?

    What about guests? Did anyone other than the policee over during these days?

    How was the temper of Wei Kno and his family before the people got missing?

    Everyone was to give their statements. And to make sure they wouldn''t be judged by others, the police vans, not undercover, were all arranged as interrogation rooms for them.

    There were 7 vans. And when a lesson heard their name, they would go to the van calling them.

    The police had the names of workers here. And because some people were not on shift now, the police would have to request these people visit them at the station before a certain deadline expired.

    But for the most part, since the workers lived on the estate, many of those not on shift were in their rooms.

    Working in prominent families was akin to the military when it concerned living matters.

    They, the workers, had to live in the tastes until it was their big holiday period.

    Everyone had different holiday periods, so the estate would never be empty andcking workers.

    So even if they were only working 8~10 hour shifts a day, they must sleep in the estate, even if they used their daily free time to roam about the city.

    Thus, there were still many workers not on shift staying in the worker quarters. These groups were mostly those whose shifts began in the afternoon.

    One by one, everyone left the premises and was taken to the side for questioning.

    It wasn''t right for the police to block the gatedmunity roads, stopping other wealthy neighbors from passing by. So the officers directed the group to the nearby Park within the gatedmunity.

    Those who gave their statements early could leave and do as they pleased since the waste doors wouldn''t be open for several hours.

    The feeling was akin to students having public holidays out of the blue due to bad weather and whatnot.

    Many with afternoon shifts even wished the investigation would eat well into the afternoon leading to evening.

    That is... Who didn''t like more free time?

    (^_^)<sub> </sub>

    ...

    Everyone was well on their way out of the estate when soon, one of the newly hired guardsmented on something strange before leaving the main building.

    He hinted at Payne, not wanting to say what he had in front of the others. Likewise, he didn''t want anyone to know he said so.

    "You there... Stay back and show us your security room. And you, 3rd head guard�� follow officer Muriel. We have questions to ask."

    Payne gave the man a way out, and no one thought it strange. They only felt Payne had picked the man randomly out of the lot. Payne also called out one of the head guards since it would be odd if he asked a newbie to exin all estate security.

    Like so, the bunch of Kwo guards, as well as the 3rd head guard, left the ce unsuspecting. And the little guard who stayed behind felt his ns covered in a thickyer of sweat.

    The inspectors, field agents, and Bewoh''s group stared at the guard calmly.

    "They''re gone... What is it you''d like to tell us? Don''t worry. We won''t let anyone know the information came from you."

    The guard had a bitter look on his face. He suddenly felt like a rat... A big snitch. But if he didn''t say anything, his conscience might be in a constant state of turmoil for the rest of his life.

    He had been feeling too uneasy about this matter. And now, he could finally stop his long periods of sleepless nights.

    "It''s about... It''s about our Head Guard."

    Who?

    Everyone''s mind spun, quickly reading who the estate head guard was from the information they read.

    "Botan Riverre��" Bewoh calmly stated before everyone''s brain reacted.

    They looked at Bewoh curiously.

    "How do you know him?"

    "Know."

    Bewoh chuckled. That used to be his first boss in the Tian estate.

    That used to be the former big dog running Tian security. So how could he not know him?

    Strange...

    Countless emotions flickered through Bewoh''s eyes in under a second.

    As Head Guard, the Botan he knew would always want to brush off his existence and authority wherever he worked.

    It was strange to say that they should''ve been talking to him or should have at least seen him since they came.

    His file showed he was still in his working period. So why wasn''t he here?

    "That''s the thing, officers... Our head�� Our head guard has suddenly be strange."

 Chapter 381 Odd Estate

    Peculiar�� Very peculiar...

    Everyone listened attentively to the guards retelling all he found strange... Or should they say far too suspicious?

    Hiss~

    Many sucked in the air around them, moving their eyeballs from side to side.

    The gloomy air... The cool low toned voice of the guard and the impending mystery surrounding the case was enough to form goosebumps on their chests.

    Maybe the head guard Botan was indeed innocent. But judging from the actions retold by this newbie guard, it''s clear he has more skeletons in his trunk...

    And though they say it as a metaphor, maybe this guy really did have bones hidden somewhere.

    For all they knew, they could be dealing with a real psychopath. But this was of course all suspicions. For now, they must first see what was going on with his situation.

    Payne held his walks talkie. "Did a Mr. Botan Riverre exit the premises?"

    [Negative. Over.]

    No? Then he was still in his room?

    Bewoh stepped forward.

    "Sir Payne, inform your men to always stand behind us. We will lead the group."

    "What?!!"

    The investigators and field agents were livid. What did these people mean?

    Everyone suddenly felt insulted. But seeing Payne''s stern re, they dared not say a thing.

    This was just too unfair!

    Their expressions looked like they were forced to eat dog sh**. And soon, they adjusted their minds, feeling that once these people mess up, they would indeed step in and show them how it''s done.

    But whether it was Payne or Bewoh, they didn''t care much about their feelings.

    They were here to do a job, and that was that.

    "Lead the way."

    "Ah!--... Yes., yes, yes." The little guard responded humbly, arching his back and quickening his pace.

    Where were they going?

    The gang left the grand hall through a side door and walked through a very long hallway, bypassing several massive windows that peered to a garden on the side.

    How strange...

    Everyone frowned.

    The more they advanced, the more the flowers outside looked withered and dead.

    At first, it was only 1 or 2 that looked dead. But as they moved while looking through the windows, it was clear just how badly neglected the gardeners were treating and caring for the many flowers here.

    That is�� was it because they felt this was a bound spot, so they didn''t take care of these flowers leading to them all dying?

    "No. That''s not the case." The guard quickly defended.

    He had seen the gardeners try their hardest to no avail, as though the flowers here were tastefully refusing to ept nourishment.

    Even if one wanted a new flower, it would die within a couple of hours or days.

    Everyone had different thoughts.

    Could it be there was something deadly buried or thrown here that''s messing up the soil ph or air quality? Or was it some unknown nt disease eating the petals and fibers of these nts? Was there some odd reaction going on that they couldn''t identify yet?

    Strange��

    "When did things start looking like this?"

    The guard tilted his head in thought. "Right around the time people started getting missing.<sub> </sub>

    " What a coincidence," Someonemented, squinting their eyes at the garden.

    "Sir--..."

    "I know." Payne replied coldly. "I know... But now is not the time."

    Everyone understood. Their first priority was Botan.

    .

    They walked past the very, very long hallway that took them across the perimeters of the building''s left side before reaching a dark and dismal stairway.

    It was odd that now it was daytime. But the stairway looked too creepy.

    The windows here were sealed, and no light came in.

    "It''s head guard Botan. He requested this to be done."

    Once again, everyone had another imaginative visual of what this Botan guy was like.

    ~Click.

    The light switch was turned on, and the many lightbulbs strategically ced came on.

    It was just that they flickered more and more the further they advanced up the stairway.

    Are you telling them that a big estate like this can''t afford to fix the lights?

    "About it... We changed the bulbs severally and also checked the circuits. But there seems to be no problem. So we don''t know why it keeps doing this."

    Suddenly, they felt the little guard was giving too many excuses.

    If there was no problem with the lights, then why were the bulbs blinking so much? And what was that smell?

    Forgive them for asking, but there was a very, very, very faint but noticeable smell looming around the hallways.

    It smelt of sulfur and dead mice.

    But it wasn''t unbearable, but just itchy to their noses.

    The little guard opened and closed his mouth, failing to utter a single word.

    What could he say? That exterminators had searched for the dead mice or rodents to no avail? The more he exined, the more even he felt it was redundant.

    Augh~

    The poor guard led the way, no longer bothering to defend the workers.

    What was the point?

    s��

    Ghu Sota and the rest had different options, especially when seeing the walls through their 3rd eye.

    The group reached the top of the stairs, arriving at another hallway far less luxurious than the others they passed. Still, it was grand in its own right, even though the little exined it was better looking than the many other paths the workers used.

    It can be seen that anyone sleeping here could be a top dog worker/guard.

    The hallway had 7 doors, 3 to the left, 3 on the right... And one at the furthest end of the hallway. And from the looks of it, it should be the biggest room, A.K.A... Botan''s room.

    "Sirs, only our head guard stays up here because the others couldn''t stand the smell they perceived from time to time."

    No one said a thing but calmly approached the ck door ahead.

    1 2, 3...

    ~Knock. Knock.

    Payne took in deep breaths.

    "City Police. Please open up, Mr. Botan."

 Chapter 382 And Then, They Met!

    A man with a cold and expressionless face slowly opened his eyes.

    Annoying.

    ...

    Botan slowly stood from his bead, irked by the troublesome people at his door.

    Yes... Power had already clouded his sense of reasoning, making him feel he was some immortal above them all.

    He did get word earlier of their arrival.

    He watched them drive in through his blinds but didn''t bother to see them.

    Sure. He was indeed the culprit, the one making all the killings. But so what?

    To Botan, he was the chosen one who had little time to spare with these pesky mortals.

    In his opinion, those who died should be happy they were his victims.

    It was an honor to go down by his hands!

    ''What a bother.''

    Botan coldly rose, wearing a dark red shirt and a pair of ck pants.

    He had his hands on his pockets and his body standing proud yet distant, as though telling everyone not toe any closer.

    ~Chack-cack!

    The door opened, and his eyes immediately fell on Bewoh standing beside Payne.

    And for some reason, his expressionless face carried a mischievous smile.

    "I remember you... Well, well, well... What happened to your so-called loyalty?"

    No one said a thing, seeing the duo exchange several rounds of heated eye explosives.

    Their stares were filled with gunpowder that could blow up an entire city.

    From the looks of things, the 2 must have deep history.

    Botan smirked, recalling Bewoh''s breakdown back then.

    .

    You have to know that if it weren''t for leaving the Tian estate, he wouldn''t have even known who Bewoh was though he was working in the same estate.

    There was a chain ofmand, simr to the military.

    There were 2nd inmands and several others with different teams and whatnot.

    He, Botan, only dealt with those at the top.

    So how could he know someone like Bewoh?

    He had probably been the guy but never registered his face. After all, what''s the point of knowing those weaker than himself? That was Botan''s philosophy in life.

    One must always know the strong, keeping the weak as dogs to be sent out at every turn.

    Any missions or tasks scheduled, he would take with the team leaders, and they would handle their men/women.

    Again, all prominent families had far more guards than one could imagine.

    In the Tian household, he oversaw over 600 guards, all living in the same estate. Sometimes, some would leave for missions in another city, staying there for months.

    And in other times, people would go abroad to tackle certain issues.

    Anyway, with moneye threats. So security must always be amped up.

    One should bear in mind that these 600 were the Tian couple''s private guards.

    Those hired forpany purposes were different.

    As for how he got to remember Bewoh, it was just on the day his betrayal was revealed.

    It wasn''t just Bewoh he recalled.<sub> </sub>

    Whether Haru, Chan-ki, Zhulyn, Raulin, or that number 4 Butler, Sheng, they all broke out, refusing to follow him and the rest.

    They were so depressed and full of emotions wanting to fight.

    Heh.

    He had the rest beat them up blue, ck, and in every other way to teach them a lesson that dogs must always stay on the line with their leashes.

    He had been raising his prestige higher for such a day when he left. And many followed him, believing he would lead them to greener pastures.

    It can be said that Wei Kwo was a total disappointment, one of his biggest mistakes that led the men to start doubting his vision and abilities.

    But you know... He med this on the Tian couple.

    Had they introduced him to bigger fish, would he be easily tempted by that fat pig called Wei Kwo?

    You see? It was all their fault!

    .

    All matters aside, Botan felt it funny that this guy appeared here out of all ces.

    His lips arched wickedly.

    "With the way I left you earlier, I thought you would work there till you die. But it''s barely been a few months since they stayed in slumber. And now, you''ve already switched jobs... It appears your loyalty was just so-so."

    Bewoh stated at Botan, showing no fluctuations from his provocations.

    "I think I need to correct your delusions. I still work for the young master, thedy, and the master. But... It''s not a crime for one to have a second job, no?"

    But An chuckled. "No."

    "Good... Now then, move out of the way."

    Bitan squinted his eyes dangerously. "With pleasure."

    Wait till I kill you and your beloved masters tonight!

    Botan''s smile stretched even more. "Come in... My room is big enough to take you all in. But remember, don''t mess things up."

    "Really? You seem to forget we''re here to investigate. Messing things up is a given... Or have your brain cells suddenly lost their touch?"

    Pfff!~

    Ghu Sota and several others couldn''t help themselves.

    Hey... Who would''ve known their always calm and majestic-looking elder Bewoh had such a sharp tongue?

    Aiy~

    Where was the popcorn when they needed it?

    "Very funny," Botanmented, his face slightly distorted.

    "I know during such investigations, I shouldn''t be in the room. 2 hours is all the time you have."

    Botan peeled his eyes off his room, nning to leave. But how could things be so simple?

    "Not so fast... You are the only one who hase down to give their statement. And as they say, if the mountain doesn''te to the sea, then the seas shall flood its banks!... So please... Stay... You''re more needed here than you think."

    "_" [Investigators, Field Agents]

    Why was this guy suddenly taking over their job? And what''s with all this cut-throat drama? Don''t you know your going back and forth is making us anxious?

    Even Payne kept his hands in a ready-to-go position in case the 2 shed.

    Their gunpowder was just too much!

    Botan rubbed his ring subconsciously while Bewoh nodded to the other academy disciples.

    ''You know what to do.''

    Seal the room!

 Chapter 383 Sweet Revenge

    Payne recalled back then how Bewoh and the grandmaster sealed Donghai''s office during that Mirror world incident.

    So when Bewoh hinted at it earlier, he immediately understood his task. -- To keep Botan busy.

    But how did Bewoh know Botan was carrying evil? Payne had no concept of the 3rd eye and could only go on blind faith.

    Unlike the others, he knew the Grandmaster and Bewoh had history with the Kwo''s and this Botan guy.

    And though there was no evidence, he felt the matter of the couple falling into aa had something to do with them.

    He had opted to investigate, but the Grandmaster rejected his offer.

    It indeed made sense, seeing the way the Grandmaster moved from ce to ce fighting crime.

    There were bigger fish out there killing to deal with. And the grandmaster probably had his own ns on the matter after dealing with what he already had on his te.

    Erh-erhm.

    Payne coughed lightly, taking a step closer.

    "Mr. Botan... While the search is carried out, you will answer some questions for the record."

    "Hmm..."

    Botan wasn''t phased. To him, there was no way anyone would trace the disappearances to him.

    First, his sudden strength gave him the advantage of sneaking around during odd hours.

    No one heard him move, and everyone had already seen him enter his space. So how could he be in 2 ces at once?

    He had a good alibi there. The many cameras... Though for whatever reason, every time he moved around, the camera film would shake and twitch in static motion until he was gone.

    But this didn''t mean he was guilty.

    With everyone going on, including the flowers dying, the light twitching, and whatnot, everyone felt the entire ce had problems.

    .

    Again, his actions were so clean when dealing with his victims, never leaving any trace of blood, bones, or meaty chunks.

    As for their clothes, he took them far away before burning them to ashes.

    There wasn''t even a piece of thread closer to his chamber that stated he was the culprit. So how can anyone sentence him without evidence?

    In truth, Botan felt a part of him didn''t care whether he was caught or not.

    Why? Because he had decided to be a living God in this world.

    Only he deserved to be worshiped, praised and feared.

    He had always wanted power, wanting to reach for the top.

    So why be content with a mere guard position, even if it was a head guard?

    No!.. With his trusty ''friend'' beside him, everyone will have no choice but to bow due to his strength.

    He would be the Godfather of this new era!

    He even envisioned turning the world back to the eras of deadly violence, with him being ruler, having 50 to 100 consorts waiting at his side.

    The thing in his ring guaranteed it could keep him alive toll 90 at best. So wasn''t that all still great?

    He felt the period was enough to leave a footprint in the sands of time. But people like Botan were always greedy. Even if that day came, Botan would still fight to look for ways of Immortality.

    There were always people like this. But for now, he was satisfied with the arrangement.

    .

    Whatever.

    With his hands in his pockets, Botan unhurriedly answered the questions.

    Meanwhile, Ghu Sota nervously ced a few talismans on a nearby vent while also searching the room for hidden spaces he and the other missed.

    Who knows if there''s a tap door somewhere in here?

    ''Is this right? Did I do it right?''

    First day on the job made the butterflies in his belly flutter.

    Bewoh ran his hands along the corners of the bookshelf, walls, and other ces, secretly creating the formation. Of course, he wouldn''t put thest piece yet, lest it startles the enemy.<sub> </sub>

    That ring...

    Bewoh''s 3rd eye could see something swimming in it. Additionally, the purple mist oozed out of the wrong continuously too.

    What is the situation here?

    The inspectors and field agents didn''t want to be outdone. So they too moved about, trying to find any clues.

    It was just that they weren''t allowed to disrupt or take out anything these strange people had ced.

    Payne''s instructions were very clear, even threatening them with a demotion.

    Everyone felt unwilling but said nothing.

    Bewoh did onest check, nodding in satisfaction, seeing that the group of disciples had performed well.

    Good.

    "Protect the rest."

    "Yes, elder." The gang answered in unison.

    Payne thinned his lips, a little ashamed with the arrangement. But what else could he do?

    No one had their weapons and could only unwillingly watch the group gather them.

    Some couldn''t take it anymore. "Sir, are you being serious?"

    "Shut up! You will only be in the way."

    How so?

    They didn''t believe it!... That is until things got a whole lot real!

    .

    What''s going on?

    Botan suddenly felt the atmosphere strange.

    Why were the police leaving matters to Bewoh?

    Was he a hidden ''incredible'' detective of some sort?

    Bewoh tilted his head, raising his left hand slowly.

    And soon...

    ~Click.

    He snapped his fingers, and all formation came alive.

    What?!!!

    The creature in the ring was shocked.

    [Exorcism... Exorcism... How could it be here?]

    The creature had almost died in the hands of any underworld creature, having 85% of its strength vanish.

    That was all its hard work gone down the drain!

    Thus, it had no choice but to hide in this ring, biding its time until it grew stronger.

    So it indeed knew a little more than other lesser beings on the matter of exorcism.

    It hated to say it, but its strength was now simr to the many brainless young beings.

    It shook in disbelief within the ring.

    It didn''t understand... It couldn''t understand...

    How can this be happening?

    Bewoh raised his lips and smiled mischievously.

    Sure enough, revenge was such a sweet thing. Still�� he couldn''t go overboard. After all, he was an exorcist bound by thews of heaven!

    "Mr. Botan Riverre... Do you know your crime?."

 Chapter 384 Show Yourself

    "My crime? Surely, you jest. You''ve searched my room, from top to bottom. You''ve raised my space... You''ve touched my sanctuary as it is... My eyes tell my mind no lies."

    Botan''s voice was unhurried.

    "My crime? I have yet to see you bring out any existence that suggests it to be my doing. So... With all honesty, ''Detective'' Bewoh, why do I think you''re confusing personal matters with private?"

    Yes...

    The investigators and Field agents were a little suspicious too.

    Why was he so confident that Botan was the culprit without any evidence?

    Bewoh''s lips formed a crescent arc. "You want evidence?"

    A talisman paper slipped from unbeaten Bewoh''s sleeve.

    He held the paper with his right and used 2 fingers from his left to tap the paper and draw out a glowing green pair of giant scissors.

    And before anyone could react, Bewoh vanished, appearing behind Botan several inches high.

    "I did give you a chance!"

    Boom!

    What?

    The collision was too strong!

    Everyone felt they were amid a nuclear st.

    F***? F***! F***!

    Have they entered another world filled with magic, or was this still their original world?

    Ahhhh~

    Many mmed to the walls, hitting their bodies hard. But no one cared about the pain.

    Their eyes were on the godly battle that had alreadymenced.

    But again, something else shocked them.

    Ghu Sota and the others they had looked down on had never moved, standing firm even when blown by that devilish wind.

    There was no more to say. They knew this group was a special one!

    They thought Botan should also be a magician, maybe even killing the victims with special means.

    They were a little afraid, but not much. After all, the enemy was human.

    But this was where they got things wrong.

    --ROAR!!---

    Botan roared at the top of his lungs, sewing that Bewoh was much faster and stronger than himself.

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The battle was indescribable.

    Fists flew, hands moved, bodies twisted, and all sorts of attacks were exchanged by the 2.

    But while Botan was excessive, Bewoh was calm, carefully avoiding his speedy attacks as though stopping a child''s arm.

    Poof!

    Botan spewed blood unwillingly

    Why? Why were there others getting the help of those strange things?

    Yes. He felt Bewoh should also have a ring with some mysterious stranger residing in it.

    For a moment, greed once again flickered past his eyes.

    If... If he can get Bewoh''s ring and dump the one he has now, won''t he be even stronger?

    Botan gave the ring a look of disgust as though saying; I thought you said you were the strongest. But now, others are stronger than you, and you still dare to deceive me?

    Botan felt he got the worst one, the trashiest of all trash rings not even worth mentioning.

    He thought he hid his disgust well. But the being in the ring inwardlyughed in fury, deciding to put his deal with Botan to the side.

    There were many things underworld beings had inmon�� And one of them was Pride!

    He at least wanted to give this guy a chance to live his life and collect as many humans for himself as he could. But now that it hade to this, he wouldn''t mind taking over!

    .

    Bewoh frowned, sensing something wrong with the ring.

    No!!!

    "Quickly! Take it off now!"<sub> </sub>

    Take it off?

    "Never!!"

    Boom!

    Botan sent a fierce raging blow, thinking Bewoh was greedy for his ring.

    But before he could continue his outburst, he felt something very wrong with his body.

    Ahh~

    There was a stinging pain from the flesh underneath the ring, followed by a strange flow of energy passing through his body.

    .

    What''s going on?

    Everyone looked between each other, and Botan suddenly froze.

    And then... He began to twitch.

    Crack. Crack. Crack!

    The sounds of lines gnashing and cracking filled the room. The air became heavier, and the dead smell even fouler.

    They didn''t have time to worry about it, staring at the figure twist in all unnatural forms.

    "No! No!... Help me!... Help me!"

    Botan fell to the ground, his nails forming deep beastly w marks that made everyone''s scalp tingle.

    This wasn''t an illusion. It was really happening!

    With his head on the ground, he circled the space around him, twitching and moving crazily.

    "His face!"

    Someone eximed, seeing the many ck lines print from within.

    "Roar!!!--"

    The investigators and field agents jumped back with their hands over their faces, too terrified to stare at the image before them.

    It was a strange face!

    Yes, yes... They weren''t making it up.

    Just now, a strange face projected out of Botan''s.

    Its eyes were red, and his face... Its face--...

    No one spoke. Their hands were trembling, and their minds felt in a trapped cycle of disbelief, fear, and the unknown.

    Monster...

    They know what they saw... But they couldn''t believe it. One of thedies ced her hands on her head, shaming severally in denial.

    "I don''t believe it! I don''t believe it! ... Hah... Hahahahahha... Haha... Good one, vice-deputy director... This is a hidden camera detective show, right?"

    "Yes, yes... It''s a show, right?"

    "Everyone looked to Payne, wanting some form of eptance from him.

    But Payne smiled bitterly, knowing he couldn''t give them what they wanted.

    Tears filled Botan''s eyes as he felt his consciousness fall into a dark, bottomless pit.

    He didn''t even know he, a grown man, could cry! His life shed before his eyes, and he suddenly regretted it. Too bad there was no medicine for regret.

    Botan felt trapped in the space, seeing everything but never being involved.

    It was like he was in a cinema, watching life y out like a movie.

    No matter how he screamed and begged, his real body no longer said the things he wanted.

    All he wanted was to stand at the top.

    Was he wrong? Was he wrong to fight for what he wanted?

    In the dark space in his mind, Botan suddenly heard a burst of deepughter from within.

    And soon ... he knew something else had followed him into the dark abyss.

    "Ahhhhhhh~"

    ...

    No one knew of Botan''s horrors.

 Chapter 385 What Am I?

    -Roar!---

    A bellowing of a thousand frogs ughtered echoed out across the scene.

    The thumping cries were deep andyered like an echo. And the one causing the mischief spasmed no end.

    It has been 15 seconds since Botan began wing the floors and twitching in all acrobatic positions. Yet, it felt like a decade.

    Many subconsciously held each other, though now in a better state of mind.

    Yes! They were still petrified. Anyone would feel the same whening face to face with such a spooky thing.

    They had the minds to open the doors and make a run for it. But who were they? M.S.S.

    They had a better psychological standing than most people.

    Of course, if things truly got out of hand, you best believe they would vanish. But since these people were confident, they decided to stabilize their wobbly feet and stand firm.

    As officers of thew, they couldn''t disgrace themselves so much.

    Their thoughts were noble.

    Too bad their dancing bodies had given them away.

    And soon, it wasn''t long before the one break dancing and performing acrobatics on the ground finally stopped.

    True or false?

    Many leaned forward to take a peek but couldn''t bring themselves to move an inch closer.

    Is it over?

    --Roar!!---

    Mommy...

    Everyone moved back again, watching Botan twitch for 2 seconds more before calming down again.

    "Look! Look!... The lines on his face are gone, and the ws down his fingers have shortened."

    So he should be fine now, right?

    Even then, no one dared to look him straight in the eye. They were afraid they would puke in disgust.

    Augh~

    That face from before was just too much.

    They felt they needed to pluck their eyeballs and burn them to ashes if it would rid the image away.

    If the few girls ever thought Botan was handsome for a suspect, now they changed their mind.

    And Ghu Sota at the side, now understood why his mother refused to peck him after his io incident.

    From time to time, she would also poke him with a stick to make sure it was him talking and not some unknown creature.

    Ghu Sota felt he was born into the most unloving family.

    His grandmother liked to attack him with her flying slippers, his grandfather and father were unreliable, and his mother loved poking him and washing his face with all sorts of cleaning oils.

    s... He too understood after seeing Botan''s face.

    It had returned to normal. But Ghu Sota still found it terrible, especially with the image of that thing still ying in his mind.

    Ugly.

    .

    Bewoh squinted his eyes, seeing the figure slowly rise to his feet, calmly patting the dust off his body.

    His gestures were elegant, with a touch of nobility too hard to mimic.

    "You''re not him."

    The color on everyone''s face faded.

    Were their ears deceiving them, or Bewoh say what they heard?<sub> </sub>

    Not him?

    If this were true, then what happened to the real Botan? What happened to the Botan they were speaking to not long ago?

    Dead? If so, who were they speaking to now?

    (O_O)

    .

    "Come now... Why so dumbfounded?"

    ''Botan'' finished dusting himself off before giving a slight elegant curtsy.

    "The name''s Allezar Von Dracord the 112th... And yes... There have been 112 others with my name before me... For short, you may call me Zar."

    Bewoh stared at the polite aristocratic Botan, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

    Even Ghu Sota, Payne, and the others were dumbfounded.

    Not only was this guy wlessly polite, but his ent had also changed.

    All mannerisms blended effortlessly, causing one to subconsciously treat this guy with respect.

    They felt this was what aristocrats, lords, royals, and nobles in the past should have spoken like.

    So after all that break dancing, he now wakes up as though nothing happened?

    Tsk.

    Sorry, bubby; the image was already imprinted in their minds!

    Huh.

    Bewoh and Zar stared at each other deeply.

    "What you did isn''t a simple possession."

    "Smart... The greedy one and I struck a deal for which he would do my bidding in exchange for a bit of my power and essence."

    Bewoh nodded. "He took the bait, not knowing the dull consequences, correct?"

    Botan raised his hands in surrender with a sly smile. "You caught me. The greedy thing fell right into my trap. Every time I give him my power, his body gets conditioned to ept me more."

    Eventually, it won''t be a simple possession, but like a scene of one crossing over... Except the human skin would only be a casing or suit to hide Zar''s true being. This was one of the ways these creatures walked as ordinary humans along them.

    First, they had to strike a deal with those too greedy for whatever their hearts desired.

    Once a deal with a creature is initiated, their original protection blessed onto them from birth by the heavens would begin diminishing rapidly.

    The more they killed and yed into the lies told to them, the more tainted they would be.

    This was why these creatures had to strike a deal first.

    Everything had a natural order.

    .

    A vein popped through Zar''s face as he evaded a ray of light through a slight parting caused by the thick blinds.

    Bewoh''s eyes flickered.

    The grandmaster had given him 4 possibilities as to what he might be.

    "Your skin is pale, your neck slightly longer, your reddish eyes from earlier, and your avoidance of the sun... Though you know the sun won''t kill you, you do know it would weaken you, making you sluggish."

    "And your fangs are slightly longer than how I recall Botan''s."

    Zar smiled, showing his growing fangs. "Oh? Did you guess it?"

    "Indeed... Your name is something very strange and unknown in this world. A mummy... I know... A ghost, I know... Movies, films, and other entertainment do cover these groups yfully. But it was very odd that your type... Never heard of it."

    Zar chuckled. "Then pray tell... What am I?"

    "Vampire."

 Chapter 386 A Vampire!

    A vampire?

    What was that?

    Whether it was Ghu Sota or the rest, they had never heard of such a bizarre name.

    "Vampire... They live on blood, feeding on their prey, sucking the victims dry until there''s no more blood in their body."

    "What?"

    Payne and everyone eximed with dropped jaws, listening to Bewoh''s voice.

    "They''re most weak under sunlight and hate garlic. They won''t die from eating it or rubbing it on their bodies... But, they''ll still feel the burn."

    As for the method of killing them, only exorcism.

    Even if one pierced a stake through their heart, it would do much. They would take out the stake andugh at the idiotic mortals who came up with such ideas.

    Well, one couldn''t me the mortals.

    In some worlds, vampires were the ones who misled the public, making them think taking a stake and protecting them would do anything to kill them.

    Heh... How naive.

    How can anyone kill something already dead using a stake?

    As for silver bullets, that was even more ridiculous. The bullets would pass through or get stuck in their bodies, which they could pull out themselves if they wanted to.

    The first vampire ever was Lucifer''s direct creation.

    He created the vampire with his blood, as well as a mix of abyss dirt, essence, and mold.

    One could say they, vampires, technically didn''te from the underworld since the abyss didn''t make them.

    However, they could also live in the underworld well because they had a secondary abyss link.

    Even if Lucifer died, they wouldn''t die since they were forcefully linked to the abyss.

    That said, it was because of their way of reaction that they had defects like weakness under the mortal sun and so on.

    Again, because Lucifer Morning Star himself was the prince of pride, they too had an immeasurable amount of pride and nobility in their blood, as though everyone was born to serve them.

    But there was a difference between vampires born in the underworld and humans turned into vampires.

    Human vampires were just dogs working for the real vampires. They had their own freedom. Yes�� But they were bound by contract to fulfill certain duties. They would have to give up half their powers, and life spans every 50~100 years. And to replenish it, it meant they had to kill more and do evil to survive.

    That said, human vampires once killed have human souls. They were different.

    .

    Vampires...

    Bewoh had only learned of themst night. He spent the entire evening mastering 2 spells that could defeat the creature. And if he made any errors, he still had his book in the wooden box for reference.

    Bewoh clinched his giant scissors, looking towards Ghu Sota and the rest.

    He hoped they were ready because there were yet another special power vampires had... Cloning.

    They could create clones of themselves, though the lines would only have 1/3rd of their current strength.

    Bewoh had a hunch the vampire before him would pull this trick. And sure enough, he was right.

    Zar began swelling, attempting to rip apart Botan''s body and burst into his original form.

    But how could he allow that?

    "Igtranesium!"

    Get out of there!!!

    Zar formed a cross with his fists to block the ''attack'' only to find out he had been forced out of the body.

    Boom!

    Everything happened in slow motion in the eyes of the watchers.

    They saw Botan being pushed back. And mid-air, another figure was pushed out even more from Botan''s body!!

    Whoooooo~~~~

    A deadly storm flushed through the scene when the creature emerged.<sub> </sub>

    The walls began to crack and critter as though many foreign beings were roaming in it.

    "Vice deputy director, do you hear that?"

    Everyone held onto each other, feeling the wind about to carry them off.

    The air began to rot, in a sense that they now began to see the rot.

    Yes!

    The room they thought wasvish now decayed at an rming rate before their eyes. In a sh, it turned into an abandoned ce, with everything covered in deep mold that stung their nostrils like acid.

    The interior wood was rooting, and the ce was just one big mess.

    "What''s happening?" Payne couldn''t help asking Ghu Sota and the rest.

    "Simple. When an underworld being lives in a ce for long, everything around there rots. They can mask it through a special technique, provided they stay hidden. Because once they are revealed, the illusion gets broken... Now hold on tight!"

    Dammit!!!

    Everyone had turned into Peter Pan, suspended in the air while holding onto the rope Ghu Sota brought out.

    It was ironic that Payne also had a rope too.

    F***!

    Sincest time, he realized how valuable a simple rope could be.

    Last time, an entire work desk smacked onto his knee mid-air before a chat also gave him the famous WWE smackdown hit.

    Augh~

    He didn''t understand why these creatures had to cause wind storms whenever they appeared.

    What the hell? Can''t you show up like ordinary people?

    ~Flutter. Flutter. Bleeck!

    The light bulbs blinked several, now exploded from the big reveal.

    Everyone held on tightly with expressions that showed their paralyzed states.

    The creature looked at them, grinning broadly.

    Just his operation was enough for many to move along the ropes, no one wanting to dangle closer to the creature.

    Drip. Drip. Drip.

    Hot fluid flowed down the past of one inspector, as his legs were now dangling too close to the open fighting space.

    The man seemed to see his life sh before his eyes, fainting from looking at the creature''s eyes.

    Mommy...

    Payne was also breathing coarsely, turning his face to evade contact with the creature.

    Its true form was one he couldn''t describe even if interrogated.

    All he knew was that it had a hunched back, was brown and slightly skeletal, and had overly long legs and hands.

    Its neck was lengthy, and its entire body rotted like a juicy corpse.

    Looking into its eyes could make one fall into an abyss, too terrifying to save themselves from.

    The creature had a pair of bat-like wings, as well as a long and scanty set of gray hair that had all sorts of bugs crawling on it.

    This... This was a vampire.

    ~Kahhhhh!

    The vampire hissed in its full glory.

    And plucking several sets of hair from its head, it formed just 2 other clones, half its size.

    This meant they were the size of regr mortals.

    "Disciples!... You know what to do."

 Chapter 387 The Turning!

    Ghu Sota and the rest felt their hearts pounding, seeing the skeletal beings fearlessly march and stomp their way towards them.

    Sota''s good friend, Gia Yangbo, took the lead as a general on the battlefield.

    "Everyone, break into 2! We are 6... They are but 2. Remember Elder Bewoh''s teachings. Com''on!... We can do this!"

    Right!

    Ghu Sota teamed up with 2 others while Yangbo and his gang prepared to take down another.

    But in the meantime, Bewoh was having a terrifying battle of his own too.

    You can''t be anxious to kill the prey without observing it first.

    With his ws hands on the ground, Zar calmly walked-Tarzan style, observing the Bewoh�� Bewoh was doing the same too.

    The duo circled the perimeters of their battlefield.

    "Hahahaha~... Human, you don''t think you can take me down, right?"

    Zing!

    Bewoh separated his giant scissors, holding both ends apart.

    "Does it matter what I think? What matters is if you''re going to make a move or keep talking like a little girl."

    The surface of Zar''s face came alive as if a thousand bugs were swimming in the same direction underneath it.

    The prideful Zar was angered.

    "Human... You''re going to regret talking that way to a Blood."

    "Really? I think you''re all talk and go�� If you''re really that powerful, then BRING IT ON!"

    Arrogant fool!!!

    Zar ran like a cheetah, vanishing from mortal sight.

    And before Payne and the onlookers could react, they saw a terrifying scene of the giant Zar sitting on one pair of Bewoh''s scissors.

    Bewoh was standing below.

    Zar raised his ws to reach for Bewoh but had no choice but to jump backward after sensing Bewoh''s other scissor pair aiming at him.

    Swish!

    The air whistled with a missed hit.

    Bewoh jumped into the air and twirled his giant scissors.

    So fast?!

    Payne and the others couldn''t believe their eyes.

    With separate hands, Bewoh spun his scissor parts fiercely, moving them left, right, up, down, and in all other directions, counterattacking Zar''s moves.

    Just what was this blockbuster production?

    Bewoh''s face was devoid of expressions as he disyed his full mastery of martial arts.

    Everyone was so excited that they began cheering. At first, their cheers were soft and fearful.

    But as the duo began flying and jumping across the battle scene, those watching were awed and impressed with Bewoh''s skills.

    "Go! Go!... That''s it. Hit him in the eye."

    "F***! How can that vampire evade such a deadly attack? Com''on, sir Bewoh! We believe in you?"

    "Yes, yes, yes... Hit him in the left, hit him in the right. Slice his brains out cold!"

    The creature got annoyed.

    Bastard Mortals!

    Why were they so annoying? They dared to trample on his prestige?

    The vampire, Zar, was more than insulted, bulging his body even more.

    Everything annoyed him. His curing situation, his past, the annoying mortals singing in the corner, and the powerful one he was fighting.

    Yes... Believe it or not, he used to be a powerful eternal fat above what this human here could believe.

    But even if he served under Prince Lucifer with others, they underworld beings were apetitive bunch of creatures that would do anything to get to the top.

    He, Zar, wanted to kill one of his vampirerades, speaking their Blood flower to improve his strength. But his n backfired.

    It was then that he got to know the truth. Thatrade of his had ced a greedy trap to kill him off.

    And though they failed, they had destroyed almost all of his powers and strength, cashing him to fall to his current state.<sub> </sub>

    He dared not go down to the underworld unless his strength had recovered. Hiding down would lead to his death. So he had been hiding and carefully selecting humans to gather strength for him.

    Things were going in so smoothly. But who would''ve thought he would pick up such a reckless human who started seeing his legs as good?

    The fool''s actions then led to these exorcists disturbing his peace.

    Dammit!

    Zar delivered a fierce attack before running towards the annoying bunch.

    "Die!"

    "Ahhhhhhhhhhh~"

    Many screamed with their hands over their faces, regretting their attention-calling actions.

    Stupid mouth!

    It had led them to trouble!!!

    ''And sir Bewoh. Why aren''t you doing anything after seeing him rush to us? Why are you only standing there with a pair of scissors? We apologize for our rude behavior earlier. But is this truly a reason to let us die?''

    (//:T0T:)

    Everyone felt their intestines knot the closer the ghastly being was.

    But when they thought all hope was lost, a loud ''bang'' noise echoed.

    What?

    Everyone was startled, seeing the creature''s face stered on an invisible wall.

    Payne had long known they were safe, so he wasn''t too taken aback.

    But for the others, it can be said their entire bodies had grown soft like jelly after seeing death so close.

    What the--

    "M-O-R-T-A-L-S!!!!!"

    Zar yelled in fury, knowing there was some barrier preventing him from leaving the space.

    He faced Bewoh with a fierce gaze.

    "Good mortal... Good mortal... I thought this would be enough to kill you all. But since you like to y rough, let this daddy show you how it''s done."

    Boom!

    His body swelled into a muscr build, with horns now appearing. No matter what underworld creature it was, they all had horns. And when they finally decided to show their horns, it meant they were ready to go all out.

    What?

    Bewoh felt the pressureing from the creature.

    Very quickly, he ced 2 talismans on his scissors.

    "Kilmanium Hegatorius, Calip--"

    Boom!

    Bewoh was sent flying before he couldplete the enchantment.

    Poof!

    Bewoh spat blood, feeling the creature''s greatly improved strength.

    It was stronger than him!

    The realization hit him coldly as he turned to look at Ghu Sota and his bunch, who were also fighting improved clones.

    They too were getting their asses kicked.

    "Ahhhhh!!~"

    Chaos filled the scene, with many people''s hearts pumping in despair.

    One of the vampires held Ghu Sota''s neck, lifting him coldly.

    The vampire''s fangs glistened as he opened his mouth, ready for the kill.

    The turning!

    All the color on Bewoh''s face drained.

    [Everyone! Use it!... Use the special Talisman now!!]

 Chapter 388 Royalty, My Ass!

    Kah-Kah-Kah!

    Ghu Sota''s face turned purple as the creature gripped his throat and dangled him high up in the air.

    Its fangs glistened, and its eyes home with a strange light filled with excitement.

    Ghu Sota didn''t know what would happen if he got bitten, but he knew it couldn''t be anything good.

    And like a heavenly voice, Bewoh''s instructions resonated in his mind.

    Ghu Sota''s eyes lit up, and he directly stamped the talisman paper on the creature''s forehead.

    "Moganium Ghond!"

    Boom!

    The paper revealed a blinding light, causing many to retract their gaze, only forced to listen to the eerie cries from the vampire clone.

    Ahhhhh!!!~

    The creature felt its body burn with a never-ending fire that sped into the fiery core of its being.

    It stepped back, mortified and in absolute pain, staring at the ceiling above.

    What was going on?

    Everyone could see its molding dark brown body form lines and cracks, exposing the burning light of fire within it. It still didn''t die but was weakened to a certain extent.

    Good. Now was their chance!

    Cough, cough, cough~

    Ghu Sota coughed, quickly standing on his feet with the help of his teammates.

    Today, he fully understood the horror of being these creatures.

    The Grandmaster and the elders made it look easy because he and this group had gotten their asses kicked.

    Whether it was Ghu Sota or the others, they clench their fists, understanding that only by having experience can they deal with these creatures with more ease.

    No wonder they weren''t allowed to hunt creatures on their own.

    Ghu Sota wiped the blood dripping from the corner of his lips, nodding to the other 2 beside him.

    Here goes nothing.

    The trio evoked their weapon from their talismans once more, as though they were a group of power rangers, activating their customers.

    Red Ranger, go!

    Ghu Sota evoked a simple staff, the other 2 evoked a Chain sword and a bow with a single arrow that acted as a boomerang, alwaysing back to her.

    1, 2, 3...

    The trio aimed for different points, with some jumping in the air and others twirling on their feed to give a fierce attack.

    "Staff of fury!"

    "Chain saga!"

    "Arrow Kiss!"

    Thebo was brilliant, fast, and concise.

    ~Boom!

    A thunderous sound bellowed from the attack. And when Payne and the mothers looked up once more, they saw the clone crumble, with some pieces turning into golden kes, disappearing into thin air... while other pieces flew back to the main vampire, Zar.

    It was like a tornado sucking in the remains.

    But Ghu Sota and the best didn''t rx their vignce. They joined the other group in dealing with thest clone.

    This time, Ghu Sota was more confident than before, working with his gang to take down the enemy!

    His eyes shone with a fierce light as he rushed and jumped high with his staff at hand.

    Kill!

    ...

    Boom!

    Bewoh was pushed back, with a deep w mark on his underarm. And seeing his state, Zar''s smile was truer, shing his sharp ws with every attack.

    "Hahahahahahahaha~... Exorcist... You''re just so-so."

    sh!

    "Com''on! Where is your pride now?"

    Bam!

    A fierce kick set Bewoh flying.<sub> </sub>

    "You dare to look down on a blood, thinking you can ever go free?"

    Zar vanished, appearing in the air with a cold but excited gaze.

    "Foolish mortal! I won''t kill you... No! That would be too cheap for you!"

    Zar''s fangs began to elongate crazily.

    "Mortal... Since you hate vampires so much, then I will make you one of us!!"

    Kahhh!!!

    His fangs began dripping a strange fluid the closer he approached.

    But the mortal he thought was already at a weakened point suddenly raised his eyes and smirked knowingly.

    "Cleanse!!!"

    What??!

    The Zar opened his eyes in honor, feeling oppressed by a strange force evoked from within the talisman paper.

    What was this?

    Whose was it? How can there be someone so strong in this world and yet to be discovered?

    His face grew grim, and his pale eyes maniacally unstable.

    No. No!... This can''t be!

    Impossible!

    "Mortal, you''re lying!!!! What deceitful trickery is this?"

    He refused to believe there was someone this strong and noble existing among the humans.

    The paper carried a bit of Dorian''s essence and power. And with a nice like his, he could sense the strangeness of the human it mimicked.

    This wasn''t any ordinary exercise or human... There was something in his power that made Zar begin to shiver.

    And just then, a terrifying golden shadow roared out and passed through Zar''s body.

    "Ahhhhh!!!"

    He screamed with arms open, falling to his knees in dread.

    What was going on here?

    He felt his essence burning away. And in a flicker, his power had finished by half.

    The paper the shadow emerged from suddenly burned and vanished, showing Dorian''s stored essence was small used up.

    But this much was all the help Bewoh needed.

    With his scissor pair, he pierced Zar''s hands, nailing him to the ground.

    Coins...

    He quickly took a few more coins, throwing them on Zar''s legs and lips.

    ~Kahhhh!!!

    Zar painfully hissed and showed his fangs.

    "You loathsome mortal! How dare you sneak attack a Blood? I am royalty! I am a Blood! Do you know the consequences of what you''re doing? Our prince will never let you go!... But if you free me now, I can forget all that has happened!"

    Let you go?

    Ghu Sota and the others limped towards the pinned-down Vampire, wanting to smack the bastard to death.

    After all they''ve been through, don''t you think it''s toote for that now? And what was up with this vampire proposing them riches of all sorts?

    Please! Do you think you can change their minds now at this stage?

    Hmph!

    Don''t even think about it!

    (@*^*)

    ...

    After the battle, the whole ce looked bloody and chaotic, like a Doomsday room.

    Everyone was breathing heavily, staring at the creature pinned on the ground.

    "Elder Bewoh, is it time?"

    "Hmmm... Everyone, prepare."

    It was time to send this vampire on its way to judgment!

 Chapter 389 Over!... Finally Over!!

    Royalty their ass!

    Everyone stood around the raging vampire pinned to the ground in a circle.

    Kuh-Kach!

    The wooden box not far away opened, scaring the living daylight out of Payne and the rest. For a moment, they thought it was another enemying at them.

    They held their chest to steady their breathing, looking at the floating book with dropped jaws.

    Ah!-

    Forget it.

    They had watched the blockbuster matter with several magical weapons. So what was shocking if these people could make a book levitate?

    Everyone adjusted their mentalities, looking at the ceremony with widened eyes, though they dared not look at the creature lest they keep puking.

    They watched all 7 people move their hands strangely while chanting absurd words.

    "Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw~."

    The people picked up the pace, and an explosive air swirled across the room. Only this one didn''t make them fly.

    It was still fierce but never attacked them.

    As Ghu Sota worked, he was inwardly shocked by what he saw.

    Tiny chains fell from the heavens, slowly wrapping themselves in the Vampire''s waist, wrists, ankles, knees, neck, and even his forehead.

    ''It looks like only we can see it.'' Ghu Sota thought.

    So was this what the Grandmaster saw when extinguishing the many underworld beings earlier?

    One would have to see it, to believe it.

    He felt the world of exorcism was too magical.

    The aura from the heavens exploded within the space, showing its might the more they chanted.

    To Payne and the rest, the strange world was like a breath of fresh air, sweeping away the musty, sulphuric, and dead smell that kept them gasping.

    The air immediately became cleaner, and the gloominess also diminished bit by bit. They could feel the change.

    And looking around, one could see that the mold covering the furniture and walls was also peeling out, revealing the cleanyer it originally covered, though some parts looked as though termites or some bugs had nibbled its fine lectures.

    For the few marble fixtures, they now looked as though someone poured acid to burn their exterior.

    All in all, the mold was home, leaving the ce in this state.

    This was how ordinary people saw it. But for Ghu Sota, the experiment was different.

    He saw the purple mist and strange big on the ''mold'' get sucked and forcefully sent into Zar''s body.

    It happened in a blink of an eye, with Zar looking a little plumper than before.

    Ghu sota sped up his hand work, no longer distracting himself.

    This stage was a crucial part.

    One wrong step could undo a lot.

    He closed his eyes and began changing, though slower than Bewoh. Everyone was in their heads, chanting the words as urately as they could.

    And just then, Zar felt an immeasurable pain flood his body via the chains.

    What''s happening? What''s happening to him?

    Ahhhh!!!~

    Zar showed fear for the first time.

    His body...

    His insides were in an eternal game of holy fire that flew into all channels in his body.

    Ahhhhhh~

    Payne and the others felt their hearts thud wildly, sweat now covering their entire beings.

    They quickly ce their hands on their ears, with some dropping to the floor and 2 others fainting from the sonic impact.

    What??!

    Payne''s face with ruby head, with the little fat on his cheeks jumping crazily.

    No... Make it stop!!!!

    Their eardrums threatened to explode, and their heads grew dizzier by the second.

    Dammit!

    Payne refused to go down on both knees, only allowing one knee to touch the ground while pulling himself up with the other.

    He knew what this bastard thing was trying to do.

    It didn''t want to go down without one of them dying!!!

    It would have seeded, if not for Bewoh throwing a silver coin in its mouth.

    Sure enough, being with the grandmaster for so long, he had also picked up a few habits.

    "Why are you so noisy?"

    Can''t you see we''re trying to do an exorcism here?

    "_"

    "That''s better... Cry in silence."

    "_"

    ...

    Zar felt aggrieved. He wanted to scream and kill them all, but the talisman coin in his mouth was really hateful.

    Why would these people make a coin that silenced others?

    Before now, Bewoh also thought the Grandmaster might be a little too much in making so many ''Silent'' coins.

    But now, he couldn''t wait tomend Dorian for his farsightedness.

    It was annoying listening to this guy''s voice when trying to teach the disciples the right way to exorcize an underworld being.

    This was their first time doing it. So of course he had to guide them right. However, Zar''s annoying voice kept disrupting his lecture now and then.<sub> </sub>

    ...

    Zar had no tears but wanted to cry.

    Despicable humans! Vile weeds!!!!

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh~~~

    The fire within was killing him. And soon, Payne saw his body break down and turn into ashes.

    The ashes then mysteriously caught on fire and burned into nothingness, vanishing without a trace, only leaving his desperate cries behind.

    No one lived a muscle after his disappearance, even though the evil had finally been killed.

    But what Payne and the rest didn''t know was that after Zar''s body was disintegrated, his underworld soul was still there, held by those golden chains.

    It screamed helplessly as the chains moved like snakes, curling around Zar tightly.

    You have to know that what underworld beings learned of exorcism was that they would get killed, getting judged as underworld beings.

    For them, if they get killed by another underworld being, they can go back into the underworld.

    But once caught by the heavens for escaping the underworld and raising havoc in the human realms, you best believe their judgment was a whole lot harsher than any human could imagine.

    And after punishment, the reincarnation cycle begins, maybe reincarnating as a stone for a million years, followed by another series of inanimate object reincarnation over and over and over again.

    The cycle wasn''t easy, as theIr entire underworld essence had to be stripped clean. Memories gone, powers removed, and other aspects taken away.

    No one told him, Zar, it would be this painful. He felt he had never experienced such anguish in his life!

    Heavenly aura opposed beings like himself.

    So what do you expect when his underworld soul was held captive with pure chains of the Gods themselves?

    No exorcist could have these powers!

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh~

    Zar was screaming at the top of his lungs, but only Ghu Sota and the others could see him.

    And soon, they watched the chains carry him up, up, and away.

    Gone...

    He was now gone.

    .

    "Is everyone alright?"

    Bewoh''s voice woke the tired Disciples.

    Their faces were drained of color, their lips pale, and their foreheads sweaty.

    The amount of focus, concentration, technique, and skill they used had left them numb.

    Ghu Sota looked at his trembling hands taking in the moment and all its glories because even though he and the rest were dead tired, they all had smiles.

    Hah... Hahahhahahahah~

    They did it! They killed and exorcized their first monster!

    Ghu Sota was so excited that he wanted to call his grandmother and brag.

    It was funny to say that even at this moment, Sota hadn''t realized Old madam Ghu was still the closet in his heart, staying on the I''m a line with his mother.

    Is it over?

    Vmmmm!

    The formation was taken down, and Payne and the others slowly made their way toward Bewoh''s group.

    Uhmmmm~

    Botan, in the corner, finally regained consciousness.

    He remembered he was fighting with Bewoh... And then...

    Bastard!!!

    Botan spewed pent-up blood from his system, curing the despicable creature that had taken over his body earlier.

    He said he wanted to be powerful, not to be a powerful puppet!

    The 2 timing doublecrossing monster was good deceiving!

    It was ironic that even though Botan regretted it, he still wanted to find another backer of that kind who wouldn''t deceive him.

    That''s right.

    He still wanted power! And if given another chance, he would do it all over again but smarter.

    He sure as hell wouldn''t have his body losing control to that minister like before.

    Botan thought good. But who would give him the chance to do it all over?

    Bewoh raised his hands coldly.

    "Meleesium!"

    Boom!

    A golden light shone from above, falling on Botan''s body.

    What? Since when did they have candles lit around him?

    His room... Why was it now in this state? And why was everyone looking as though they wanted to chew him raw?

    Botan had no look of gratitude, thinking he got out of the situation by himself.

    He would rather drink his own blood than ept that Bewoh saved him.

    "What? Do you think you''ve won? Do you think I will ever bow to you? I hate you! I loathe you!... I---"

    Boom!

    Bewoh kicked his belly.

    "Shut up, and ept Judgement!"

    Botan Riverre... You''ll get what''sing to you.

 Chapter 390 Botans End

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?

    Payne and the others finally slumped to the ground, looking at the new sickly and weak Botan, who needed a walking cane.

    "Boss... I feel things are going to change from now on."

    "Hmmmm..." Payne reached for his cigarette, not bothering to fix his messy hair tob off the dust from his hair.

    They all looked like they were the ones who fought the battle. me it on that strange hurricane wind at the start.

    Everyone felt their experience surreal... Especially the matter with Botan.

    To recap, after Botan stepped into the mysteriously light from above, they watched this plump body slowly turn thinner and thinner, looking like a sickly person.

    He wanted strength, well then... The heavens would punish him with weakness.

    Surprisingly enough, his original death year was 86. But now, because of his past with the underworld being they slew, his soul was unclean.

    With his gloves, he could either live till 47 or borrow more years from his next reincarnated life.

    Nothing goes for nothing.

    This was the first time they heard such bathing was possible.

    Of course, borrowing life from one''s next reincarnation was only allowed if one were to die before their appointed death time.

    In Trantion, only if someone touched something unclean or some evil cultivator robbed them of their lives.

    Things of this nature would allow heaven to let such a transaction ur.

    Of course, there was also another exception... Which was if they had done a lot of good, truly buying more good karma for themselves.

    The heavens sometimes made exceptions for such people... But only once.

    As they say, good shall always be rewarded, even if you can''t see it now.

    Again, Borrowing time from one''s next life didn''t mean one could borrow it all.

    No... The maximum they could take was 15 years for those who would survive longer than 20 years in their next lives. So even if they were to live till 90 years in their next lives, all they could borrow was 15 years at most.

    In a nutshell, those scheduled to live to 20, 30, 50, and so on in their next lives could only take 15!

    So if one were born and had to die at 20, by the age of 5, they would die instead. There would be no way they could prolong their lives in their subsequent reincarnations. No medicine... No exorcists... Nothing.

    The transaction was done.

    Likewise, if one were to live for anything less than 20 in their next lives, then all they could borrow from that life would be 3 years.

    Unless they be exorcists, break off from their mortal shells, loosen thew''s confining their existences, and extend their lives, they can''t live past the death date.

    All humans had but one death date.

    Before that, they could have car idents, get bitten by sharks and survive crippled, get thrown off a cliff, and stay in aa, but they wouldn''t die till the appointed time.

    Sure.

    They might live in suffering due to the many choices they made along the way. But the death date was signed and sealed, considering the many karmas they umted in their precious lives, their innate souls, whether stronger or weaker at birth, and many other factors.<sub> </sub>

    Bottom line, you will die when the fatdy sings! So says the heavens!!!

    ...

    The concepts they heard made everyone dumbfounded, not knowing there was such a thing.

    Now, they had another outtake to life.

    Hey�� Maybe knowing that people would get reincarnated in other lives did answer many of their questions about what truly happens when a person dies.

    Maybe if a loved one died after this, they might not be too sad, knowing they might just be going ahead of them to start a brand new life.

    They would miss the person. But when you think of it like that, it isn''t so sad after all.

    s...

    Many shook their heads bitterly.

    It looks like there was still so much about this world that they didn''t know.

    But back to the matters concerning Botan, since he was touched by something unclean, he did have the right to extend his life, borrowing years from his next life.

    However, because he was now under divine punishment, Bewoh didn''t extend his life, watching the beam of light do its thing after cing several punishment talismans on him.

    The Grandmaster drew these talismans to evoke the heavens to decide.

    Bewoh wasn''t too versed on what sort of punishment Botan deserved, so he didn''t dare to dish out any fair and just punishments... Lest he made a mistake. And to his surprise, the heaven''s extended Botan''s life from 47 (his current death date) to 60.

    On his 60th birthday to be exact, he would fall and die of a mysterious heart attack.

    That was his current fate.

    As for his appearance, he now still looked the same, only his body was frail and sickly.

    It looks like he would need walking canes and helping aids when walking.

    His immune system was weakened, and most of his strength had deted away like a popped balloon.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Opening their 3rd eyes, they could see invisible heavy cuffs around his ankles, hands, and neck.

    Though underworld beings won''t be able to see these cuffs, they would still be able to sense the auras of anyone punished by the heavens. So do you think they would daree close to him or make any deals with him again?

    They dared not for fear of having the heavens take notice of them.

    His fate had been decided for him.

    .

    Payne sighed, stepping closer to Bewoh.

    It''s finally over.

    "Elder Bewoh. Even though we know he is the culprit, we still have no physical evidence. And with his attitude, he would never ept or give a statement saying his crimes... So I''m relieved to see he was still getting the punishment he deserved."

 Chapter 391 Another Crazy Dare?

    Yes!

    Many were relieved, knowing that even though thew couldn''t do anything against Botan, he was still getting the punishments he deserved.

    Looking at him, they could also see how tough his life would be.

    The curse of weakness... That''s what they heard.

    All painful and ghoulish illnesses would gue him all his life. He might even try killing himself but would either get identally stopped or lose strength before slitting his wrist.

    But whatever the case may be, onky on his 60th birthday would he die.

    At the same time, the police officers are not to intentionally make his life unbearable. Don''t turn into bullies too.

    Two wrongs don''t make one right. This wasn''t math when 2 negatives should cancel each other to give a positive.

    Everyone looked at the messed-up space, feeling they would be attacked by that shameless Kwo family after leaving the ce.

    Furniture broken, holes on the walls and floors, everything a mess from that windy storm, bookshelves thrown down...

    Ugh~

    They massaged their heads and rolled up their sleeves, nning to get to work. And all this time, the little Kwo guard who showed them in was also within their group.

    It was just that he had long passed out when the vampire, Zar, appeared in his true form.

    He woke up, feeling it was a dream, only to see Botan''s state, as well as the state of the room.

    "So I wasn''t dreaming?"

    One of the officers helped him up. "Do you think we hired actors to destroy this ce? Com''on... Help with the clean-up."

    "Yes..."

    A wave of fear still covered the little guard''s heart as he clumsily rolled his sleeves. But before he or anyone could begin clean-up, Bewoh and his team stopped them.

    They watched the group draw several ones and scribbles using what looked like chalk.

    Done.

    There were more strange symbols and letters drawn out in several circr patterns.

    How to say it? There were 6rge circles connected to one another, as well as thether one at the center.

    If they knew more about formations, they would know these circles were all arrays put in ce to form the overall formation.

    Bewoh was at the center, and the other 6 stood evenly across the room.

    They closed their eyes, cing one hand against their face, thumbs tapping the region between their eyebrows. And then, they chanted.

    Boom!

    The lines and words on the Arrays lit up with a strange blue light, and a slight wind blew from underneath them, making their clothes and hair dance calmly in the air.

    So cool!

    The little guard was again shocked by how awesome their magic looked.

    The group still closed their eyes and chanted very calmly with their hands in that strange position on their faces.

    Eh?

    The little guard was taken aback, seeing the tiny broken pieces below his feet start to tremble and dance.

    Whoosh!

    The pieces suddenly flew away from where they initially broke off from.

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The little Kwo guard watched the broken pieces and many parts adjust and fit themselves into the open spaces like puzzle pieces. (''0'')<sub> </sub>

    It was like a scene from a movie, leaving him in marvel and wonder. All that was left was for ssical epic fantasy music to y out, and he would be sold.

    Bravo! Bravo!

    Payne and the others thought so too, as they watched the broken down ce quickly revert to its former self.

    Amazing! If you can do this, won''t building a house be easy

    In truth, it was more difficult to build a house from scratch using this method than to cast a ''reverting array'' to put everything back in ce. The energy and skill used to build homes in this manner wasn''t something to joke home about.

    .

    Hmmm...

    In a sh, peace was restored.

    Botan opened and closed his heavy mouth, not saying bathing in the end.

    His eyes still shone with greed, very jealous of Bewoh''s powers. He still didn''t think he had done anything wrong.

    He felt everyone was probably like himself, pretending to be righteous yet secretly hoarding away these strange powers to themselves.

    Of course, no one paid attention to Botan''s aggrieved thoughts.

    Payne bowed in gratitude. "Thank you!... Thank you, elder Bewoh! Thank you, Academy disciples... Without you, cracking this case would''ve been impossible... Maybe we might also die."

    Many nodded, no longer showing signs of arrogance. Now, they were all humble and respectful towards this group of magicians.

    Bewoh waved his hands casually. "It''s okay... I didn''t do it for free. So let''s talk about the bill."

    "_"

    Case closed.

    Today, Ghu Sota had his first taste of what it was like to fight real underworld beings.

    It was exciting, dangerous, and rewarding.

    He learned a lot but knew he still had a long way to go.

    In the public''s eyes, they can only say they don''t know who the culprit that caused the disappearance of the many workers was since there was no evidence.

    That was it. There was nothing else they could do in that retrospect.

    But behind closed doors, knowing Botan was the viin, they wouldn''t disrupt his life but watch him from the shadows... Though judging from his current state, he might not even have the strength to attack anyone else.

    His illness was getting the better of him.

    They felt only after experiencing this ordeal should such an arrogant and proud person get humbled.

    .

    Vrmmm!

    The vehicles left the Kwo estate.

    But while things here were finally calm and over with, in another city somewhere abroad, several students were out in the woods, nning to do another inte dare.

    All 12 students were young, smiled, and grinned, cing their hands over each other''s shoulders.

    "Hahahahaha~... Come on... I can''t believe there are people online who would pay us thousands to stay in this mass graveyard for one night."

    "Yeah! This is cool fast cash! I''ve been to graveyards severally. So what''s the deal about this one?"

    "Oh? People say it''s hunted... Though those who say this are all in the mental asylum."

    "Pfff~... It serves them right. How can there be such a thing as ghosts?"

 Chapter 392 The Famous Mass Graveyard!

    ------------------------------------

    Location:

    Crankshire Woods,

    Grintal outskirts,

    Vardos Country.

    ------------------------------------

    The faintughter of 12 youths bellowed softly in the wind.

    Maybe they didn''t realize it, but they quieted their voices the further they ascended the forest region.

    It was amazing to say that even though vegetation filled the scene for as far as the eyes could see, the ground itself was still sharp, rigid, and full of risks.

    Who-who~

    Owls sang and flew about.

    Creak. Creak.~

    Nightly crickets followed in tune.

    Croak croak~

    The frogs also joined in melody, showing their dominance in this musical war.

    The younger wore adventure attires as though ready to take down whatever the night held dear.

    Theyughed and nested to mask their inner fears of getting attacked by some forest animal.

    "Hey... Jenny... You''re still checking the wildlife? Haven''t you already done that a hundred times now?"

    The girl Jenny was on her phone, checking what animals inhabited this forest region.

    It was because this ce was rtively safe that they chose to do this dare.

    Well, think about it. Who would put a graveyard that people probably visit once in a while in a race that had bears, mountain lions, and other dangerous animals?

    The government would never approve of it.

    So they chose to take the dare. But you know, gaining the courage while sitting indoors in one''sfortable home was far different than actually getting out into the dense forest region.

    Jenny was still checking, though he knew it was ridiculous.

    And on their live broadcast, the barrage was having fun watching their interactions.

    "Bad man Chris! You let you leave our goddess Jenny alone!"

    "That is, the goddess is just being careful, so she would know how to protect you all!"

    "That''s right! The Goddess is a top student, a Velma in your Scooby doo ploy. So don''t interrupt the genius when she''s thinking!"

    "Nonsense! You all leave our husband, Chris, alone! Even a blind man can see he was only trying to liven up the mood."

    "Yeah! Yeah!... Chris!... We love you!"

    "Big Brother Rudolf, you''re looking dashing today!"

    "Goddess Emily! I''ll send you 10 goldfish if you smile!"

    (**the anchors can revive gifts in options: Goldfish, cooked fish on a te, a c, a car, a house, and a rocket.)

    For example, a goldfish might be 5 Vyns in Dorian''s currency. And a rocket was worth thousands of Vyns.

    Anyway, the currency in Vardos Country was Tins.

    ....

    Like so, the barrage was having fun watching the interactions between the group of 12.

    Today, these anchors had teamed together for an ultimate challenge as they usually do every 4 months.

    Many people looked forward to these challenges of theirs.

    The coboration made each anchor gain more views, followers, and money.

    There were 2 food anchors, 2 beauty anchors, and a study anchor, Jenny, who built her following through cracking puzzles, studying, and other things of that sort... There were also 3 game anchors and 4 outdoor anchors.

    Hey... The coboration did wonders for their packets.

    They had been doing this for over 2 years after realizing they were all in the same school, sometimes taking sses together.

    This was probably why the coboration was strong andsted so well, since they got to know each other outside public eyes too.

    Jenny adjusted her sses. "Everything is just as before. We didn''t miss any information. There should be no dangerous animals here."

    ? Even though they knew this, hearing the confirmation once more ced their hearts in a rxed state.

    Bianca yfully threw her hand over Jenny''s shoulders.

    "See?... Chris was right. You''re getting too worked up, Jen... There''s nothing but frogs, crickets, and those damn bugs that keeping my way. I mean... I know I''m good-looking, but this isn''t the attention I want!"

    Pfft~

    The barrage in the live broadcastughed merrily, typing the words ''ssic Goddess Bianca.''

    She was always so narcissistic in a cute way.

    Jenny smiled, and the others also chuckled.

    Hey... Their tension from earlier had now vanished.

    .

    The path they now crossed wasn''t as bushy as before, with a fairy-like meadow and a clear stream murmuring up ahead.

    "The stream! We finally found the stream!" Chris eximed, his voice raising an octave.

    Yes! Yes!

    Like a little boy out on an adventure, it felt good to reach the first signs on the map.

    Good! They were on the right track!<sub> </sub>

    Because today''s dare was an adventurous one, they decided to draw out the map in a treasure-hunting style. The only thing they did include were coordinates.

    It was entertaining to watch Jenny and the other outdoor anchors use theirpasses and skills to point them in the right direction.

    They could use the inte to check up on the news... But it would be cheating to use online location tracking or anything against the rules for today''s challenge.

    Hah...

    Everyone has broad grins, making their way toward the stream as fast as possible.

    "Wait." The one called Rudolf stopped them. He was an outdoor anchor. The barrage wondered what he was up to, but he soon answered their questions before they could ask. The other outdoor anchors already knew what he was about to say. They just nodded in agreement as his words were indeed right.

    "When heading for a water source, no matter the time outdoors, one must be vignt... Indeed, there might not be any very dangerous animals inhabiting these regions. But never get toofortable." Rudolf stated, and another Outdoor anchor also added to his bit.

    "He''s right. There are still a few wild boars in these regions. If they are out in a herd, things might get tricky for us. No matter how ''safe'' you feel the outdoor world is, you must always remain on your toes."

    The barrage was again impressed by their show of skills.

    "As expected of big brother Rudolf. I want to say I''ve learned more from him than any of my teachers in school... Is this bad?"

    "Upstairs, you''re not alone. I''m also the same. I''ve learned from anchor xxx too!"

    "Ahhhh~... My father asked me why I was kneelingte at night. I showed him the live broadcast, and now he''s kneeling beside me too!"

    "Tsk. As expected... Knowledge is power!"

    .

    With the outdoor anchors leading the way, everyone also lowered their voices, vigntly advancing towards the stream.

    Though they didn''t see any bigger animals, they did see several otherser intimidating ones taking a night drink, maybe before they head to their forest homes to rest.

    Everyone immediately felt that if they were in some big Forest, they would have gotten attacked if they ran towards the steam as they initially did.

    Everyone could be said to have learned a thing or 2 from this matter.

    Emily, the food anchor, looked at the outdoor anchors with a tilted face. "So we cross the stream now?"

    Rudolf nodded.

    The stream was at most knee-deep.

    If they had taken another path, they might have had to roll up their pants, take off their shoes, and cross.

    But because this path was primarily used by many who visited the mass graveyard, there were t stones of various heights firmly ced and wedged deep into the stream.

    They looked like they had stood there for decades.

    It was because of research that they knew this was the most popr path many took during the day.

    Maybe during the daytime, 1 or 5 people passed by regrly. But by night, no one was in sight, especially with how far this mass graveyard was from the city.

    It was ced in the outskirts, high up on troublesome terrain.

    Many visiting wouldn''t stay here past 6 P.M.

    .

    Hoop!

    Rudolf and another outdoor anchor first led the way, hopping onto the t-surfaced stones.

    From there, several boys raised their hands, supporting Jenny, Emily, Bianca, and another girl to take the first step on the stones.

    With thedies gone, the remaining boys followed along.

    The barrage went on and on about chivalry and the gentleness of these boys while also enjoying the adventurous spirits exuding from their screens.

    "Ahhhhhh!~"

    What happens? The group suddenly grew tense until they understood that Bianca had almost lost her footing when a little fish jumped out and pped her ankles.

    Good heavens!

    For a moment, a part of them couldn''t help thinking of the ridiculous rumors of this ce being haunted.

    Hah��

    But that would be crazy talk.

    Phew~

    It was just a fish.

    Well, then... Onwards they go.

    1, 2, 3...

    Sess!

    The group made it across the overly broad knee-deep stream.

    That is, it was so wide that one might confuse it for a small river.

    The gang quickly pushed off their earlier difort,ughing and heating to liven up the mode again.

    Soon, things did get better, and their spirits were finally uplifted.

    "Wait!... I see it!"

    Someone eximed, and everyone focused on the sight he pointed at.

    It was true!

    Look over yonder; they could see a poorly maintained gate now covered with vines and vegetation of all sorts.

    There was also a cracked, stony stairway leading up to the gates.

    Everyone swallowed hard.

    This was it...

    The mass graveyard!

 Chapter 393 Strange Happenings

    The hills seemed alive as the gang stared at the mass grave site over yonder.

    The grave site was surrounded by 5 hills, slightly shorter than itself.

    The only reason it looked as though the hills were taller was because of their vegetation shielding the mass grave site so well.

    Without passing these 5 hills, it would be hard to spot the grave site.

    It was also odd that the hills curved toward the gravesite at the center strangely.

    It was a phenomenon that added a mystery re to the already spooky sight.

    Be it Jenny, Chris, Bianca, Emily, Rudolf, or the rest, they stood frozen in ce for a good few seconds before waking from their stupor.

    The barrage also felt terrified in their hearts by the spectacle shown on the screen.

    They felt a choking tension that quieted their being.

    "Anchor... Let''s turn back now. I don''t think it''s safe to stay out for long anymore."

    "Yeah! Yeah!... Goddess... If you think about it, there might be criminals lurking around."

    "That''s right; I take my time on this dare back. Just from my screen, even I am getting sweaty palms from watching... Oops!... I dropped my phone in the toilet."

    "Upstairs, you''re not alone. I too dropped my phone in the cake mix I was about to bake."

    "F***! I have my fingers on my house phone, ready to call the police if things get ugly."

    "Yes! Yes! Who came up with this dare? Stand up now and take my attacks!"

    "Augh~... I''m notfortable with this at all. Anchors, I feel you should get out of there now. Don''t ask me how I know, but I just feel it''s weird."

    "What sort of graveyard is this? Why do I keep getting a bad feeling about this?"

    .

    Whoooo~

    The chilling wind blew in the heart of the summer, causing everyone''s hair to stand erect.

    The dancing bundles and shadows made the group bundle up closer.

    Though the moonlight illuminated the open path between 2 hills, they still had their massive shlights on, maniacally darting them around each point.

    Outdoor anchor?

    Hell!

    Rudolf was ahead but didn''t dare to move as confidently as he did earlier.

    Now, the gang had really stuck together like the Scooby-Doo crew.

    Clitter~Clitter~Clitter~

    A strange noise bellowed, and the group jumped on their toes, pointing their shlights to their left.

    What was that?!

    The audience also sucked in their breaths, with one hand over their faces, yet their fingers had even way for their eyes to see.

    They could''ve sworn they saw a shadow sh by swiftly. Or could it be their imagination ying tricks on them?

    .... Nothing.

    The powerful shlights picked up nothing but trees rustling in the slow but cold winds.

    Phew~

    Many released heavy breaths on behalf of their anchors.

    Rudolf again shed his light over the ce for a second time.

    "There''s really nothing?"

    Then why did he have the feeling of being watched just then?

    As an outdoor anchor who sometimes traveled and apanied some professionals, he had developed survival instincts over time.

    He knew what he felt. But seeing there was nothing, could it be that he was wrong? Or could it be a passing animal that gave him the scare?

    Ugh~

    me this ce for being so spooky.

    He felt his mind might be ying tricks on him.

    Forget it...

    "Let''s keep moving."

    "... Right."

    The gang subconsciously took him as the leader on this one. Even the other outdoor anchors wanted to rely on him, nevering across such a weird situation.

    Don''t me them for being chicken so fast. But their surroundings were truly disturbing.

    "Guys... Our signal is getting weaker." Jennymented, looking at the bars going down.

    Luckily, it was still there, or their live broadcast would close, and they wouldn''te here for anything.

    Jenny felt that even if someone offered her 5 times the price after this, she would never take up the offer.

    Whether it was she or the others, they weren''t thinking of supernatural forces but issues of running into gangs, things, thieves, rapists, and all sorts of people out on this deste ce.

    It''s strange to say that this wasn''t this first outdoor dare altogether, yet it was only now that they thought of these things.

    The other situations didn''t give them the sort of ominous feelings this ce did. So all kinds of bad thoughts were now swirling in their minds.

    Who could me them?

    .

    Left leg forward, right leg forward.

    They continued their stiff and heavy feet to move onwards through the valley-like opening between 2 hills.

    And soon, they reached the base of the tony, cracked, narrow stairways that led up to the mass Graveyard.

    There was vegetation growing out from the stairway cracks and frogs jumping about the site.

    Ahh-

    A few girls were scared, afraid these frogs would jump at them.

    The color from their faces drained away.

    Yes... There were people who were scared of frogs, just as some were afraid of roaches, ducks, and geese.

    Don''t look at geese and ducks and think them cute.

    Those bastards have been skilled at attacking and plucking their enemies ninja style.

    Haven''t you seen videos of children and adults getting chased and attacked by them?

    They were a fearsome bunch!!!

    Bianca was shaken after seeing so many slimy frogs jump about.

    What was this? She had tears threatening to fall off the corners of her eyes.

    Jenny and several other brainiacs also frowned.

    ording to their knowledge, these frogs shouldn''t be so many around these parts. It''s almost as though they came out for a mating season, which shouldn''t be the case.

    It just didn''t add up.

    Luckily, these sorts of frogs didn''t spit any poisonous fluids. Or else it would''ve been dangerous for them to ascend the hill.

    Jenny looked at the frog several inches from her feet, deep in thought.

    "So many frogs out here on this particr hill and no other hills around��"

    It''s really strange.

 Chapter 394 Dare Time!

    "Everyone, grab a stick. We''ll use it to shove away any frogs."

    Rudolf"s voice was like a rock to many in these turbulent times.

    They did as he said, choosing long sticks for themselves.

    "Everyone, pair up... The stairway, though very narrow, can allow 2 people to go up at once."

    Of course the premise was that someone else wasn''t going downwards.

    If this ce were busy, there would only be one line going up and another going down the hill.

    But since they were the only ones here, why should they walk alone when they were all so scared?

    And so they began climbing what seemed like a stairway to the sky.

    Everyone was holding their partners closely. Luckily, they were 12 in number, or one person would have to go up alone.

    Though the boys felt aggrieved, they knew they had to let the girls be in the middle.

    Hey... Didn''t they have the right to be scared and protected too?

    In horror movies, when serial killers make their move, isn''t it the one in front or behind that gets taken away first?

    Those behind couldn''t help looking over their shoulders now and then.

    So far, so good.

    Rudolf frowned, realizing the stairway tform was beginning to rise higher than the hill grounds it was nted on.

    Why raise it so high? One could jump off the tform with own big swoop before touching the hill grounds underneath it.

    And if they don''t react on time, they can roll right down to the base of the hill, maybe fracturing and injuring themselves too.

    Rudulf felt he should file aint to someone.

    I mean... Who designed this death contraption in the name of stairs?

    ording to news online, these steps have existed since ancient times and havested till now.

    But so what?

    Maintenance! Maintenance!

    The government maintained most historical monumental ces. So why was this one so neglected?

    "Everyone watch your step. It''s getting dangerous."

    Bianca nodded, pointing her shlight at the elevated stairways beneath her feet.

    The barrage was also less active, typing less and less.

    Why? Because their eyes were too glued to their screens.

    But soon, someone spotted something and called their attention fast. The person typed, and others also saw this andmented, as well as reposted it severally to call the gang''s attention.

    Eh?

    Rudolf read the message and felt his heart skip a beat.

    Everyone also saw the bombarding messages, fluttering eyes far up at the end of the soaring stairway.

    It''s true!!

    A silhouette had now appeared far up ahead.

    The silhouette had no torch, no light source with him�� nothing of that kind.

    Time seemed frozen in ce as everyone stood in raw turmoil, watching the mysterious figure slowly descend.

    The tension in the air was high, and the chilly winds softly caressed their faces, causing a shiver to crawl up their spines.

    ~Tap... Tap... Tap... Tap...

    The man''s footsteps were steady and unhurried. His show showed him wearing a massive hat, one would find in the 17th century or so.

    He also wore a long, high-neck, buttoned, ck coat, unlike anything people wear nowadays.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Ahhh!

    Bianca ced one hand on her mouth, stopping herself from screaming when his face became more evident under their torch lights.

    This man...

    The man had a deep, terrifying sh wound that drew across his face.

    It looked painful and very terrible.

    Bianca wasn''t one tough or judge people from their looks. But this man''s looks just gave her the creeps.

    Rudolf and the others also sucked in their breaths but knew better than to open their mouths andment on someone''s injuries.

    Of course, a part of them were worried if this guy was a criminal or so, though they still dared not question his motives for being out here thiste.

    After all, it is a grave sight, and he was wearing ck.

    He might''ve overstayed, visiting his deceased, unlike them.

    The man smiled with a very mysterious glint in his eyes, though they didn''t seem to notice.

    "Lovely day... Isn''t it."

    "... Yes, yes... Lovely." Rudolf mustered the courage to reply. And the man''s smile turned even broader.

    "Well, now... I best be on my way... But I have to ask you all... Are you sure you want to enter the grave site?"

    Eh? What''s wrong? Is there anything wrong with the grave sight?

    "Nothing... For you see, people say when the moon reaches a certain peak every 100 years, escaping the grave sight bes impossible. And tonight happens to be that night. But the grave sight will never take people away without their permission... So are you sure you what to go in?"

    --Silence--

    Was he serious? Was there truly such a legend?

    Bahhahahahahahaha~

    The manughed and smiled. "Come now... I''m joking with you all. Or do you think such a thing can exist?"

    Ahh---

    Everyone felt he made sense, now embarrassed of how exaggerated their thoughts became.

    That''s right.

    Such things didn''t exist. So what would they be so worked up over such silly things?

    This was a society ruled by science. And the only scary thing was the human heart.

    The strange glint flickered in the mysterious man''s eyes as he took off his hat and bid them farewell.

    "Well now, youngins... This man must be on his way. The wife and children are waiting... As for you, don''t stay out toote. It''s not safe for anyone to be out thiste. Go home, and do something productive during this holiday period."

    "Yes, yes... Thank you, sir."

    Rudolf and the others awkwardly gave way to the man after taking in his teachings.

    He acted like any elder would if they saw them out thiste.

    Everyone scratched their heads, pushing the matter of the man''s absurd story behind them.

    They looked at one another, smiling wryly.

    "Com''on... Let''s go."

    "Yeah..."

    Everyone ascended the stairway with no more sudden surprises popping up. And soon, they made it.

    Everyone took deep breaths.

    Alright.

    Time to officially begin the dare!

 Chapter 395 Its Time

    "You guys... Is it just me, or is it getting foggier up here?" Chrismented, and everyone nodded in agreement.

    It wasn''t a thick binding fog but a very sparse one... Still, they felt its strangeness.

    Looking around, they realized just how massive this grave site was.

    There were roads and higher foot trails that winded like abyrinth across the many Tombstonesid out.

    The ground was slightly red, and the few trees were void of leaves, as though Fall was already here.

    The trees they saw were fat around the middle, making one think they could carve a door and a horse in them.

    The trees nted in many directions, none of them standing erect. And their roots were mostly exposed, giving the illusion they could walk away anytime they desired.

    Dying nts scattered everywhere they looked, and the fog soon began sinking towards the ground, a very puzzling phenomenon.

    How could this fog be sender than air? Even those who weren''t brainiacs felt the matter was strange too.

    And then they saw it... A strange house in the center of the graveyard.

    The house looked elevated, with 4~6 steps at most that one would have to climb to get to its door.

    It was such a strange house, with a tall but narrow body that looked like someone was squeezing it at its center.

    .

    Ahhh!!!~

    Someone eximed as a bat flew right over them, so close to touching their heads.

    ~Chwi~Chwi~

    A flock of bats flew away in formation, giving the gang another jump scare.

    F***!

    Emily cursed, cing her hands on her heavy bosoms. "Scared me there."

    "Hmmm..."

    Everyone thinned their lips, having the same reactions too.

    Rudolf''s ball rolled up and down his throat as he felt the gang almost holding tight to his clothes. Of course, he too had leaned back to stick to them like glue.

    He looked left, right, and all around the gravesite.

    He had to admit that the ce was getting to him.

    "Everyone... How about we do this? Rather than sitting out here and sleeping beside these graves all might, I think we should check out the building and camp there for the night... Besides, the fog might get colder, which could cause us to fall ill... It''s best not to risk it."

    Yes!!

    Everyone''s eyes lit up, and they couldn''t agree more. It was true that the ce was getting older and colder. So it was only fitting that they stay in that building. It was the right thing to do.

    "But are we trespassing if we do so?" Emily asked, but another person was which to respond.

    "I''m all against abiding by thew and not breaking an entry into properties that don''t belong to me. However, tonight is too weird, and I''m sure for our safety, whoever wants to sue us can understand why we chose to stay there."

    For the first time, he and the group felt they had miscalcted.

    In other times they spend it outdoors, they had never been so bombarded by strange urrences one after another.

    What''s more, you expect them to fall asleep when those slimy frogs were all on the stairway behind them? He didn''t know why the frogs did not step into the actual gravesite. But that didn''t mean they would be eventually.

    He wouldn''t want to wake up and have a bunch of frogs swarming his body like flies flowing a corpse.

    He was also terrified about sleeping out here with the many bats, ravens, and strange birds flying around.

    He already had the imagination that if he slept, maybe a vulture might even appear and poke his flesh, thinking him dead.

    Yes! It sounded silly since there were no vultures in sight. But so what?

    He wasn''tfortable out here!

    The barrage was also defending their choice, with everyone agreeing that if it were them, they would''ve long broken into that building rather than standing around and waiting for permission.

    If even them watching through the screen was disturbed, then imagine what Chris and the rest felt standing out there.

    ..

    "Okay, okay," Rudolf called their attention. "We can''t be focused on these matters now. If the timees for us to take the me, I will personally do so since it was my idea."

    Rudolf paused, adding a few more wise words.

    "Whatever you decide, you must remember that there might be criminals and dangerous people around. So it''s best we always take cover. This was neglect on our part. But now that we''ve assessed the situation, we can''t treat it the same anymore."

    "He''s right," Chris acknowledged. "I too will take the me if anything goes wrong. But for now, we have to go in."

    "... Okay..."

    Deep down, though some of them raised the matter of breaking an entry, they all wanted to run into that building and stay there till morning.

    "Come on... Let''s go."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Right."

    The image of several young figures making their way through the winding pathways was shown on the live broadcast.

    Today''s moon was brighter than usual, excluding a beautiful hue that baptized thend.

    But just then, on the path the gang stood on earlier, a single twig blew in the foggy grounds until it mmed itself on a crooked tree.

    The twig bounced off and fell into the foggy tree base. There was nothing ordinary here�� except for the tree itself that now formed strange riddles on its exterior.

    It was changing...

    The tree was changing into an even more crooked version of itself as the strange dog now crawled up its body.

    However, neither the gang nor those watching the live broadcast saw these changes.

    ....

    "Damn! It has a lock on its door... Could it be a shed? This is the first time I''m seeing such a high shed the size of a small home." Someonemented.

    But then again, it makes sense for the shed to be bigger than normal. After all, who has time to move back and forth from here to the city if they were tasked with cleaning, pruning, and taking care of the ce?

    But then again, it makes sense for the shed to be sorge.

    Rudolf held the lock thoughtfully. "It''s thick. We won''t be able to break it without the necessary tools. We can use the stones scattered around, but I think we focus on unscrewing thetches first."

    This way, they wouldn''t be breaking the lock. And tomorrow, after they leave, they could screw it back in ce.

    Jenny frowned. "That''s good and all. But where are we to find a screwdriver?"

    One of the other outdoor anchors smiled, moving forward towards the door.

    "It just so happens that I have a survival multi-tool."

    It even had a de and several other valuable tools in mini-versionsbined.

    One side of it was scissors, and the other side was abination of several screwdrivers and a de that could slide in and out from the scissor handles.

    ~Thing!

    He released all 4 screwdrivers, trying to ess which ones would work on thetches.

    1, 2, 3...

    In no time, the gang sessfully took out thetches and got rid of the lock.

    That''s good...

    ~Creeeee~

    The wooden door made a creaking noise as the gang entered the very dusty space.

    Jenny nodded, seeing her assumptions were correct.

    There were just 2 rooms here, this space and another space that had shovels, giant pruning scissors, chemicals, and so on. Then, there was a stairway leading up to 2 other rooms.

    Click!

    The group closed the door from inside. It was nice to see more than 11 security bolts and systems to keep intruders out.

    Exaggerate much?

    "_"

    Looking at the windows, there were also a lot of locks andtches with iron frames.

    Hello? Can anyone tell them what was going on here? Was there something they missed? Have they identally unsheathed a hidden military base?

    This was so odd that even those in the live broadcast joked about this puzzling phenomenon.

    "Why does it look like these people who built this ce were preparing for the apocalypse?"

    "Upstairs, I feel the same way too. It''s all so strange... That is, what were they trying desperately to keel out? Or could they be afraid when working herete at night and protecting themselves against criminals?"

    "Well, at least the anchors should be safe now. So I''m not mad at it, though I admit the defense systems are indeed too much."

    Looking Outside, one would think it was a wooden home. But inside, they could see a metal frame and other thickened walls to protect any staying here.

    Rudolf shook his head, ushering them to head into the other room to take out the rags avable.

    "It''s too dusty. We have to clean up before we can do anything."

    "Right."

    Now, inside, they didn''t hold so much fear anymore, cleaning the ce and sitting cross-legged, ready for their challenge to begin. They were so busy with their games that they didn''t notice the strange changes outside.

    Hehehhehehe~

    The moon was just right, and the night.

 Chapter 396 The Nightmare Begins!

    "Pfft~... The goddess is so cute! Goddess, goddess, you can do it. Take brother Chris down in one swoop. I believe in you!!"

    "No way! Brother Chris, don''t let her win. Though I hate nothing against Emily, my brother Chris is still my favorite husband!"

    ...

    The barrage was happy watching the group fulfill the many side-dares on the list. Of course, the main dare was for them to stay all night in this supposedly haunted Grave site.

    Maybe at the start, they did feel ominous about its appearance. But over an hour had passed, and nothing out of the ordinary urred.

    This made their fears reside, and everyone returned to their yful natures.

    When they think of how scared they were previously, they can only shake their heads at their own wild imaginations.

    Obviously, there were no such dangers here.

    What''s more, with all the safety locks and measures already installed on the inside, do you think anyone would be able to break in and harm their beloved anchors so easily?

    Everyone had thrown the matter at the back of their heads. And now, they were watching the anchors y truth or dare. It was pretty fun and interesting.

    With the initial fear factor gone, some people began bellowing at the group, daring them to step outside and run around the graveyard 5 times over while calling spooky out the names of the dead on the gravestones.

    Rudolf and the others felt they could do the dare of stepping outside. But if you ask them to call out the names of the dead, now you''re just pushing your luck... Not going to happen.

    They didn''t want to admit it, but a little part of them believed in such ridiculous thoughts rted to the supernatural.

    Though logic told them nothing would happen if they called out those teams on the tombstones, they still didn''t want to do it.

    On such a night, it was best to be a good person. But for the dare of stepping out, they could do it, but it had to be together.

    Chris smacks this thigh heavily. "Right! Let''s do it. But this is the first and thest request we''ll do if it concerns outside... After all, this ce might not be safe for us too. So you all understand, right?"

    The barrage nodded heavily.

    "Of course, anchor. Who knows if an escaped convict is hiding around these parts?"

    "That''s right. Everyone, let''s be a person for once. Don''t give our anchors such anymore. Leave our poor anchors alone!"

    Seeing that many hade together to support them, the group collectively released sighs.

    That''s all they wanted.

    Alright.

    The gang was just about to stand when a familiar sound suddenly echoed.

    Czee-zeez~

    Eh?

    Jenny and the rest looked at their live stream cameras and phones, realizing they all had a static surge. The static noise was buzzing loudly.

    "No signal!"

    Everyone''s face turned grim, and their bodies frowned with worry. The previous fears all came with a big bang to their hearts.

    "The bars... I''ve got no bars."

    "Me too!... My Livestream is cut off. Quickly, try calling someone... Emergency numbers also work with no reception, right?"

    "F***!" Someone cursed. "It''s not going through either."

    "What?!!"

    This time, everyone''s face became chalk-white.

    How can that be?

    "This doesn''t make sense!"

    "That''s right. No matter where one is, the 3-digit emergency number must always go through... Could it be your phone?"

    "Guys, let me try with my phone," Biancamented, pressing the touchscreen pad with trembling fingers.

    "Put it on speaker."

    Bianca took heed to the advice, doing as told... But this time, she and everyone heard a burst ofughter that wouldter gue them for the following days toe.

    Bahahahahhahahahah~

    Ahhh!-

    Bianca threw her phone with a haunted look.

    ~Pap.

    The phonended, but the call didn''t end. However, everyone was huddled together in a sandwich, pushing themselves far away from the phone.

    Bahahhahhahahaha~

    The eerie voiceughed in raw amusement.

    Who are you calling? Do you want to escape? Well... It''s toote for that, isn''t it?"

    No!... What did the stranger on the other side mean?

    Everyone was in disarray but soon heard something trickling around them, only to see fluid dampen Emily''s pants.

    They were just about tofort her when her expression caused them to worry.

    She was frozen with widened eyes, staring in one direction.

    Eh?

    They shook her fiercely, too panicked for her sake. Wouldn''t she have had a heart attack, right?

    "Emily... Emily... What''s wrong?"

    The frozen girl couldn''t speak properly as she lifted her trembling fingers and pointed at the windows next to the doors.

    They had been ying in a semicircle with their backs against the door, maybe to forget their initial fear about the gravesite.

    For some reason, everyone stiffened even more, slowly turning their heads toward the windows behind them.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    And in one instance, their eyes became transfixed with an unfathomable light that left them unable to look away no matter how much they wished.

    Those mouths gaped open, uncertain whether to breathe or scream, as their lips grew ck with droopy.

    What they saw was something their eyes could see, but their mouths could feel heavy to speak of.

    Bianca hurriedly ced her hands on her mouth as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks.

    The brings she stared at all smiled unnaturally, with their kids raising high to the back of their ears.

    Monsters... Monsters...

    ? Somebody... Anybody... Please, help them.

    Tears trickled down everyone''s face as hot fluid also flowed from their lower regions.

    They seemed to see their lives sh before their eyes and recalled the strange man''s words.

    Every 100 years, the graveyard carries people away, never to be seen again.

    Their heads buzzed as they now felt the legend might be true. No matter how much they debated to believe in science, the banging noises from the doors and windows allowed them to feel death''s ws already gripping their throats.

    No!... No!...

    Please don''t take them. They still had families they loved, things they''d never done, and dreams they wished to fulfill.

    They were still young and in their prime.

    They didn''t want to die... They didn''t want to die...

    ~BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

    "Oooo--pen up... Oooo-pen up."

    "Let us in... Let us in..."

    The crazy unnatural voices pleaded for them to open up.

    No! Go away!!!... Leave them alone!

    When the creatures saw they weren''t being obedient, their smiles changed into distorted expressions, and their eyes glowed with fury.

    "OPEN UP!"

    "OPEN UP!"

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

    Rudolf felt his mind threatening to go nk. But he dared not faint under such circumstances. Everyone was the same.

    Who would faint knowing they might be long dead once they wake upter?

    "Guys... I''m scared." Jenny''s legs were noodles, and her brain mushy.

    Rudolf wanted to tell them it would be alright. But even he was petrified out of his pants.

    With their heads lowered, no one dared to look at the figures leaning outside their windows. Their courage deted like a punctured tire.

    They had no courage to look at the many beings outside for fear they would faint after. The mere sight made them gag and puke even more.

    The room now smells of vomit and pee. But who the hell cared about this now?

    BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

    Everyone was gathered together, holding each other and keeping their heads low, too scared to think. Now, they understood why this ce had such do

    If they knew this would happen, they would never have done such a dangerous dare, even if you gave them one billion.

    Eh?

    Everyone froze, no longer hearing the sounds of loud bangs on the windows, doors, and walls.

    They slowly raised their heads to see nothing... No monsters leaning against the windows.

    Could they have gone?

    ��Silence�C

    No one dared to move, only staring at the windows.

    The outside space, from what they could see, still looked the same as when they first came in... No crazy monsters roaming about, which made them doubt if it was their hallucinations or not.

    But soon, they saw a familiar yet unfamiliar silhouette slowly approaching the left window.

    It was him!

    The strange man they passed earlier in the stairway... The man with the feel sh on his face.

    Another person�� Another person��

    As if they saw their salvation, many quickly stood to rush towards the door after seeing another period for what felt like an eternity.

    But Rudolf and Chris quickly stopped them.

    "Wait!!!"

    "Don''t open!!!"

    Something did add up.

    The man''s voice bellowed from outside, his gruesome face shing with strange emotions. "What''s wrong? Why don''t you open up for me?"

    Rudolf thinned his lips tightly. "Didn''t he say he had to rush back to see his wife and children?"

    Yes! If he left since then, how can he be here now?

    Bianca and the rest also stepped away from the door, looking at him with bulging eyes.

    They were right.

    This man was too suspicious!

 Chapter 397 Next Clue

    Bianca and the rest took several steps away from the door.

    "Sir..." Jenny''s voice was shaky. "Why are you here?"

    "I didn''t go home, as I told ya''..." The man''s off ancient ent whispered out, with a strange spiky tremor in his voice.

    "I only came to check up on ya''... So why don''t you let me in?"

    Let you in?

    Chris swallowed hard. "Sir, if you want to help us, call the police using your phone."

    Oh?

    The man''s lips grew wider and his eyes thinner as he raised his phone for them to see.

    Ring!!!!

    Someone''s phone suddenly rang in the room. But they didn''t even pick it up, yet it connected to a voicemail somehow.

    [The number you have called is invalid.]

    The man... The man spoke the exact words in the same voice while smiling at them with a tilted head.

    What more could they not understand?

    [The number you have called is invalid... So LET US IN NOW!!!]

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

    The windows were covered in an instant, and everyone fell on their butts, kicking and crawling backward with their hands.

    No... No... What''s going to happen to them now?

    Everyone''s attention was on the front, not noticing several hands reaching for their shoulders. And soon...

    ~Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh~

    ....

    The night passed in a blink of an eye.

    Location: The ck Scorpio Hotel, Ape City.

    "Grandmaster, if there''s anything you need from us, please do not register to reach out."

    Several men in military attire gave Dorian a formal salute, taking off after escorting him from the airport.

    Dorian came alone, without his usual limo or anyone to drive him about. They did offer to do so, but he turned them down.

    Those who escorted him didn''t know why he was called the Grandmaster but dared not ck after getting several calls telling them to tuck their pride and never offend him.

    A few words to the wise were enough.

    It had been a very calm day for Dorian. And after eating in the hotel, he headed out, taking a taxi to his destination.

    The cab driver felt he should caution the youngster about where he was headed.

    "Kid... This ain''t no joke. There have been too many reports of missing people close to Kong River."

    The cab driver fixed his puffy cap, looking at his mirror to stare at Dorian from time to time.

    He still kept 2 hands on the wheel, knowing how crazy Ape city''s traffic could be.

    "Im telling you, that ce has to have some gang kidnapping people. The cops say they can''t find a thing. But my theory is that the criminals are working with the cops."

    Huh!

    The man said exaggeratedly.

    "I tell you, man; they''ve got to be working together. Or else why is it that everyone who appeared missing has no corpse ever found?"

    The more the man spoke, the more he reaffirmed his suspicions, taking them as facts.

    Huh!

    He huffed.

    "Some say the people fell into the waters below the cliff, sinking, never to be found. But how is that possible? Don''t bodies float every 2~3 days at most? Okay! Let''s say the bodies get eaten by some crazy sea animal. But what are the chances that all of them would be eaten?"

    ~h, h, h, h...

    The cab driver was happy.

    "Hey, kid... You''re really a good listener."

    "_"

    ...

    Vrmmmmm~

    The vehicle moved towards the mysterious location, around the city''s outskirts bringing off the highway.

    The driver poked his head out the window, cing one hand on his door, staring at Dorian, and thinning his lips a little worriedly.

    "Hey, kid... For giving this old guy arge tip and being a good listener, why don''t you take down my number and give me a call once you''re done? There are hardly any vehicles that woulde this way. So give this man a call, and I''ll pick you up."

    The man hesitated before staring at Dorian more intensely. "Kid... If you meet any danger... I mean any danger, and for some reason, you can''t dial the 3-digit emergency number, call me and say the words: Fish. That would be our code."

    The man might be talkative, but he had a good heart.

    Dorian stared at his face, giving him a talisman.

    "Keep this with you at all times. It will keep you safe. Never take it off until 6 P.M."

    Today, this man will be met with a blood disaster. But he didn''t want to specify... Toozy to do so, especially to someone who doesn''t believe in the supernatural.

    Dorian had no saliva to waste on unnecessary talks.

    The system''s non-existent mouth opened in the form of an ''0''.

    [Host, I can''t believe you listened to that man ramble for over an hour and a half without even stopping him... Host, you''ve changed]

    Dorian said nothing, but at the back of the cab right now, a certain talisman was burning away but by bit.

    What was the talisman for? Silence.

    Whatever the driver said didn''t reach the back seats.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Of course, Dorian allowed the system to listen to whatever the old driver said, that way, the system could collect information for him.

    This system was not under his payroll and should at least make itself useful.

    If the system knew it would be used as some tape recorder, it wouldn''t know whether tough or cry.

    What changed? Its host was still a big meanie!!!

    However, since it was oblivious to this, the system only felt Dorian''s icy personality was starting to thor out.

    [Host, I can''t believe---]

    ''Noisy.''

    [...]

    .,

    ~Swish!

    Dorian vanished, appearing in several faraway points under a few seconds.

    Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh!

    Not here... Not here... Not here...

    Where was it?

    He widened his search scope, morning across the vast terrain. Until finally, he felt something in the air.

    Dorian''s eyes dimmed.

    Loki, Loki, Loki...

    Just how many surprises have you nted in this world over the years?

    Before destroying that space and saving the many disappeared crew members, he had already found the destination of his next clue site to be here.

    Of course, he did so by divination which by the way, was 10 times harder when looking into anything cornering heavenly beings.

    Blood flowed down Dorian''s nostrils when finding just a teenie, tinny glimpse into the definition.

    The only reason he stopped was because of a famous saying: �� Just as one stares at the abyss, the abyss also stares back at them.

    He was looking into something far long back in the past. Yet, the Loki there paused and stared at him with a smile, though the other underworld beings he was surrounded by didn''t notice him.

    Dorian felt his brain buzz and almost explode with that simple encounter.

    Strong��

    Dorian felt his true enemy might be Loki and not any of the underworld princes.

    The Almighty must be crazy to create such a ticking time bomb. What was so irksome was that the Almighty could wipe Loki clean, and this matter would be resolved.

    Yet, the guy allowed Loki to cause havoc everywhere.

    Honestly... he was starting to doubt which side the Almighty was on.

    The Almighty didn''t like the matter of one''s being disappearing forever.

    This was why even if he ''killed'' them, gods, humans, or underworld beings, he could send them to the underworld or through various reincarnations.

    For gods, they would reincarnate back as gods in the heavens. But even so, one day, they would realize who they were, and everything woulde back to them.

    This was probably why the Almighty never ''killed'' and ''reincarnated'' Loki or sent him to the underworld.

    That guy was already a maniac, but at least he was in the heavens and won''t be holding some grudge about getting killed and reincarnated or driven away.

    Of course, he understood that the Almighty lived all creations made, no matter how twisted they were. But sometimes, please... Just put your foot down!

    Just because the Almighty handled his matter like that didn''t mean the Almighty couldn''t eliminate Loki''s essencepletely.

    Once eliminated, there would be no reincarnation... Nothing!!!

    Dorian felt the Almighty should just get it done already. The guy was a nightmare, making the work of all exorcists 10 times harder for his amusement.

    As for the Almighty who went on Hiatus for hundreds, thousands, and millions of years, Dorian had one word for him ---- Annoying.

    ...

    Dorian coached down, hovering his hand inches above the ground.

    [Host, I feel the strange fluctuations too.]

    ''Hmmm...''

    It was getting stronger.

    This way.

    ~Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    He moved like lightning, gliding through the scene until he reached an open space with trees nted and growing evenly spaced in a circr pattern.

    Dorian took out a long strip of white fabric with strange symbols written on each corner.

    "ExVillion."

    Divide!

    ~Streak.

    A ripping noise echoed as the long scarf-life cloth tore into a million pieces.

    No. Rather than tearing, several chunks of fabric strips undid themselves, flying high in the sky and standing around the circr space.

    Alright.

    .. Time to see what his dear friend was up to.

    ~Bam!

    Dorian pped his hands together.

    "Galtonnium!"

 Chapter 398 [Bonus ]Its Done

    "Galtonnium!"

    The many pieces of fabric lowered strands from their chunks until they formed a single rope touching the ground.

    Following that, they stretched several other pieces horizontally as though they were holding hands.

    Dorian psed his hands, and a powerful blue force shed out.

    "Asteroid, Vismo."

    Whoosh!

    The fabrics holding hands began to spin rapidly.

    The threads still touching the ground stayed put as they spun.

    The whole thing gave an illusion of a grant wall formed around the space.

    The grounds shook and began rotating.

    BRRRRuui~

    The spot to the North was slowly moving to the South.

    The one to the east was moving to the West. And vice versa West was to East, and South was to North.

    The entire space within the ''wall'' was slowly turning, like a dial on a bank safe.

    Dorian''s eyes were closed, feeling everything around him.

    And when the grounds were turned and positioned at the right ce precisely, the entire space lit up with a faint purplish energy.

    Demonic. Yet, there was also a thin golden wisp, as thin as a hair strand but as short as one''s fingernail, floating softly above the ground.

    The demonic energy quickly cowered to the edges of the formation, afraid of that tiny wisp.

    Loki, Loki, Loki��

    It''s yours, isn''t it?

    "Retract!"

    Dorian retracted his many threads spinning across the space, just in time to watch the golden piece fly towards another corner.

    After it!

    Dorian took off without dy, dashing through the woods in apletely opposite direction for 15 minutes. Mind you, this was 15 minutes with his speed.

    For an ordinary person to rush through the space, to the hilly slides, down the rocky path, across the streams, and move in this manner, you best believe they would take hours just to hike properly and safely.

    Dorian chased the wisps until he came to another open clearing.

    The golden piece was no longer rushing, only floating around the spot.

    Dorian did the same thing earlier, uncovering yet another wisp from this space. The 2bined and flew in another direction.

    Just like that, he found another space for this matter.

    [Host, it''s a giant formation.]

    ''Hmmmm...''

    From the start, he could see that all those 3 spaces were arrays. And sure enough, all spaces turned their directions, facing the center.

    The biggest and most powerful array should be there.

    Swish!

    Dorian followed the wisp, arriving at the center.

    He took out several pieces of paper, folding them into human structures, before blowing at them with an echoing chant as though he was doing some ritual.

    ~Shw Shw Shw Shw Shw~

    Grow.

    The paper men cracked and switched, growing to Dorian''s size. And with their master''smand, they headed back to the other 3 formations.

    ''To destroy the formation, I need to do it all at once, at the exact same time.''

    Even a 1-second dy would be disastrous.

    Dorian already felt it.

    This should be one of the many formations probably scattered across this world that would unless hell on earth when the day dee-day came. They created a giant gateway shoulder from the heavens thanks to Loki''s wisp.

    Dorian squinted his eyes dangerously.

    Ist how many are there in this world? 20, 100, 500?

    It''s safe to say every country and continent could have these gateways created. Even across the seas, anything was possible.

    ''If I destroy them, our chances will be higher.'' Dorian thought.

    But he had to act fast before whatever war was going on down below ended.

    If the enemy finds out things weren''t as they initially thought, things will get ugly. But at least they did it.

    Of course, there were many other gateways, whether in this world or the next. But those gateways could carry little quantities at a time, unlike these gateways he was sure could allow tens of thousands to appear at once.

    Hell!

    That would be a disaster.

    The poption in the underworld was far more than the poption of 900 Thousandsbined.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    If you let them all hop in all at once, do you know how overwhelmed they, exorcists, would be?

    Of course, if too many underworld beings arrived all at once, it would alert the heavens.

    But you see, Loki was a master at finding loopholes. It all had to do with the battle day itself when thes would all align, as well as the use of the D stone, his wisps, and other factors.

    For now, they can''t use these gateways until that fateful day.

    So... Why not destroy them all?

    This matter had to be on his agenda. Once the Academy elders are well versed in destroying them, then and only then would he allow them to do so without his guidance.

    One mistake could alert the connecting gates in the underworld. And then, the enemy would know something was wrong. For now, he''ll destroy them on

    The system was sweating buckets, watching the operation as though he was watching Dorian diffuse a bomb.

    Red wire... Blue wires... Green wires...

    Heavens!

    Even it was anxious, unlike Dorian, who seemed unphased, carefully working on thisst array.

    This time, he didn''t use any pieces of fabric but made his paper men also stand around the entire clearing.

    They drew exactly what he drew, creating a fake replica of the array, but cing several reverse spells and other illusionary spells.

    1, 2, 3...

    Bam!

    Dorian and all his power men, including those in the other open spaces, shed their palms and did the same movements.

    They moved their hands in a circr manner, leaving a bluish light wherever their hands passed. And, low and behold, the grounds rumbled for a brief moment, settling down almost immediately.

    [Host, the final wisp is out safely.]

    The system was excited, looking at the wisp that now joined the other above the space.

    [Host, I can store the wisp in my space if you like. Because my master is more powerful than Loki.]

    The system was proud.

    That''s right. What was Loki before its master? It could contain Loki''s wisps without a problem.

    ''No.''

    Why would he bring that sneaky fellow into his private space?

    This guy was a master of finding loopholes. One day, he might pry into the system''s matter. So why risk it?

    As of sensing his decision, the collective wisp faded away, and Dorian felt its essence vanish from the world... Probably to head back to Loki.

    Heh.

    That''s the thing you wanted him to keep? Impossible!

    He felt those wisps carried Loki''s intelligence. So no way. He would rather it vanish than keep it in his space or the Academy.

    You have to know that even now, Loki was unaware of the academy''s existence. And even if he knew, Dorian was certain that he wouldn''t be able to enter without Dorian''s permission.

    How to say it? Dorian had a hunch that the system''s true master wasn''t to be trifled with. Even Loki might have to make a U-turn when seeing that master.

    Only with Dorian can Loki enter the academy or see the system''s space.

    So why risk bringing him inside, making it easier for that trickster?

    Dorian would never willingly give that guy any edge over him.

    His work was already this difficult. So why stress him further?

    What''s even more annoying was that Loki was in the category of people he found ''noisy.''

    ...

    ''It''s done.''

    Dorian left the scene, vanishing towards the exact ce he was dropped off earlier.

    He could indeed rush back into the city on his own but prepared to take a drive back, watching the many underworld creatures swimming amongst the humans.

    If everyone should know that they had so many creatures moving around them, what would they do?

    They crossed the street with these beings, drove vehicles, and did other activities thinking they were alone; some even had ghosts around their homes.

    The first thing he did when he arrived at his hotel room earlier was to eradicate the ghosts hanging there.

    Each one had a story, though many couldn''t remember what they were called.

    This meant they had stayed too long after death and were slowly consumed by evil, doing tricks and other harmful things to humans.

    The 2 in his hotel room wanted to kill him by pushing a vase over his head.

    Such a low-level ghost kill showed that though they had died for a long time, they were still rtively new in this matter. After all, they couldn''t be like the deadly 3,000 years old ghost with super powerful skills, knowing they died barely 50 years ago.

    It takes time for a ghost to learn to move objects without passing through them. It took time for them to change, that is, if they weren''t devoured by other beings around them.

    [Host, you should call that driver.]

    ''Hmmm...''

    If his predicament were urate, this guy should be experiencing his blood disaster as they speak.

    Now, his survival would depend on whether he heeded Dorian''s words or not.

 Chapter 399 Blood Disaster!

    "Hey, old Yang! That''s cheating. You can''t move that piece over there!"

    "Hmph! What cheating? If I say I can, then I can!!"In a small restaurant, several tab drivers were gathered for their hourly break.

    They liked to sum up their entire two 15- minute breaks and 30-minute break times to rx a bit in this chaotic city.

    But of course, not everyone could take their breaks at the same time, or else there won''t be any cabs running across the ce

    Well, the city had over 2000 cab drivers. And in this small restaurant, only 6 of them gathered in their usual spot.

    The many servers and workers already knew them well. They had even beening here for well over 20 years now.

    They were the sort of loyal customers that patronized the small establishment. Thus, the people working here were more than happy to let the group have fun in one corner they typically kept for them during this particr break time.

    It was funny to say that even if the group was working thete-night shift, they would call up those in the restaurant and inform them of their arrival.

    Hey... Local customers had perks, especially those who have beening here for over 25 years, watching the restaurant switch hands from a father to a son.

    "Hahahahhaha~ old Yang is at it again."

    "Aye... The old cheat always likes inventing his own rules. Old man, I won''t y with you anymore if you don''t y fairly."

    Old man Yang pulled his hat down with a cheeky smile. He was the same man who drove Dorian earlier.

    Well, he admitted he liked to annoy his fingers when ying. Maybe it was just to tease or enjoy his time with them, but he did it so often that everyone was used to it.

    They threatened him all the time that they would never y with him again. Yet, they were always the ones bringing him over.

    Hey... Want this what the young people call Tsunderes?

    ~Ding.

    Everyone''s phone gave a single note sound rm at the same time.

    7 minutes before their break was over.

    Time to pay out, use the bathroom if need be, and get back into their cabs.

    "rissa."

    "Yes, uncles... Are you good to go? Would you like to pay or put it on your tab?" The waitress was also used to them.

    This group was one of the few people with tabs in this restaurant.

    That''s not to say there weren''t customersing in. But this restaurant wasn''t a high-end one, nothing fancy about it.

    That said, the group had tabs here. But they were a strange bunch. People had tabs toe back and payter if they forgot their wallets.

    But in these people''s case, they have given a surplus of money, cing thousands of Vyns on their tabs every new year.

    For example, they could put 5,000 Vyns on their tabs. And whether theye over, they eat and the amount deducted.

    "My billes up to 15.67 Vyns?" Old man Yang waved his hands casually. "Round up to 20; keep the rest as your tip, missy."

    "Right!" The waitress''s face glowed happily. "I''ll bring your receipt."

    She also had to keep a copy of his tab order as evidence and proof that no one was stealing anyone from his tab.

    Old man Yang pped his bell, very satisfied. "Alright, I can''t wait for you slow pokes... I''m off."

    With that, he left the group, who were either heading to the bathroom or still waiting for their receipts to be brought.

    "I wonder if that boy is okay out there?" Old man Yang murmured, thinking of Dorian.

    His car was parked a little further, with that ce being the only avable parking spot.

    He left the restaurant and was already crossing the road when out of nowhere, a truck appeared inches away from his face.

    What?

    Old Man Yang''s face turned pale seeing death so close. He could also see the raw panic on the truck driver''s face.

    The breaks weren''t working! And it was already toote for Yang to reel himself back.

    But just when he thought he would die, he felt a strange force tugging him.

    Bamm!!

    A thundering sound echoed out, shocking many around.

    The truck crashed into 2 cars lined up. Its speed slowed. But what finally halted it was a long light pole.

    Everyone stared at the scene with open mouths.

    Good heavens... Truck-kun strikes again! But this time, he failed.

    "Old Yang!!!"

    "Old Yang!... Are you alright?"

    Old man Yang''s friends, who saw the whole ordeal, rushed to him alongside several others.

    "Sir... Are you okay?"

    "Sir. look at my fingers; how many am I holding up?"

    "Old Yang, we should take you to the hospital!"

    "h, h, h~."

    Everyone''s words seemed to be going at a very slow pace as Old man Yang sat in a daze, all words seeming slow in motion.

    And then, he felt something hot burning his pockets.

    Amid the shock from everyone, he stood hastily, reaching for his pockets, only to draw out a smallyer of ck ash.

    Old Man Yang''s face turned pale, knowing precisely what had happened.

    He didn''t want to believe it, but the evidence was staring him right in the face. No one knows how truly close he was to death.

    During that time, time stoppedpletely as he saw his surroundings but knew he couldn''t save himself. And then it happened.

    Something higher and yanked him away. He flew backward, and the drive nestled him, making his fall soft.

    He knew what he felt. It wasn''t ordinary.

    Old man Yang''s ball rolled up and down his throat, feeling the ashes in his hand to be fairy dust.

    Should he store them in a bottle?<novelnext></novelnext>

    He knew it should be that mysterious paper that burnt in his pockets after saving him. And then... He recalled Dorian''s words.

    [Don''t take it off until after 6 P.M.]

    He began his shift at 1 P.M.

    The time now was 5:59.

    Coincidence? No.

    "Old Yang?..." His friends and many others were worried, seeing him so focused on a pile of ck ashes.

    He wouldn''t have lost his sanity from too much shock.

    "Old Yang, why did we take you to the hospital?"

    "Hospital? I''m perfectly fine. So forget about it." Old man Yang flexes his body, quickly thanking the crowd and everyone else for caring while rushing to his cab.

    Why was he running?

    Because he just saw Dorian''s call but wanted to answer with everyone around him.

    Some tried to stop him, but he made a fuss about having somewhere urgent he needed to be.

    More urgent than your life?

    The left-hand onlookers were speechless about the old man''s actions, and his friends looked at each other in worry.

    Was it safe to leave him on the road in this state?

    They felt they should call theirpany and inform them about the incident. Maybe someone can call Old man Yang to give him a day off.

    Driving customers in such a state was dangerous. In fact, driving at all was dangerous.

    Who knew if he would crash into other vehicles in this state?

    No! It was best he went home and rested for the day. Not just for everyone''s sake but for his sake as well.

    As his friends, they were also worried about him.

    With that, they took out their phones.

    [XXXX Employee Services. How can I help you?]

    "Employee 73990. I want to file an urgent report."

    [ _ ]

    ...

    Bam!

    Old man Yang closed his doors tightly to make sure no one had followed him over.

    Ring!~

    He took a deep breath, finally epting tge phone call.

    "Y--yes, I''m here."

    "Hmmm... Pickup."

    Ah-

    "Of course! Of course! I''ll be right over!"

    Tut...

    Old man Yang carefully ced his phone away, put on his seat belt, and drove off.

    Everyone outside was also focused on the truck driver, who had no severe injuries, guys lost a tooth and had blood oozing from his forehead.

    The vehicles he smashed into also had no civilians in them, and apart from the Truck driver and himself, no one else was involved.

    That''s good.

    During his ride, he got a call from his superior telling him toy off for the day.

    Someone had recorded the whole thing, and now, a few news reporters were on the scene.

    It was funny how fast those people could smell news. His superior praised him for his fast reaction of jumping back in the nick of time.

    But that''s not what happened.

    Old man Yang thinned his lips, notmenting further on it. If you tell others, they would think he was so affected by the ident that he was beginning to grow mad.

    He would be taken for a psychological reassessment.

    Vrmmm~

    He arrived to see Dorian calmly approaching his vehicle.

    Ah!-

    He stepped out and opened the door.

    "Sir..." He no longer called Dorian ''kid.''

    His hand trembled as he gave Dorian a deep bow.

    "Sir, thank you for saving my life!"

    Hmmm...

    Dorian entered his vehicle, and like that, the 2 drove off.

    The old man asked all he wanted to, feeling the entire thing unreal. He also bought a few more talisman papers and held them like gold.

    So there are really mysterious forces in this world?

    Today was an eye-opener for the old man.

    But while his side was now safe and calm, back in the Tian estate, things were about to get heated up.

    Alice smiled, knowing today was the day her partner would attack!!!

 Chapter 400 Pre-ShowTime!

    Old Hou stared at his son, the 31-year-old genius doctor Jung Hou.

    They were within the Academy, and Old Hou had invited his son over a serious matter.

    "After tonight, the girl called Alice you sent into the Grandmaster''s estate, most leave alongside 3 others."

    "Yes." Jung Hou slowly nodded, understanding how much trouble that girl had brought the Grandmaster.

    As an exorcist who must abide by the rules andws of heaven, he would give her a fitting punishment for failing to do her job appropriately.

    Her work was sloppy, maybe because she was too focused and deep into her schemes.

    From the reports of the head team doctor he appointed, it shows she messed up several times with people cleaning after her mess. She didn''t take care of thea patients appropriately, sometimes disgusted when asked to wash them to do other checkups.

    From the reports, it seemed she wasn''t satisfied with where she was, wanting to work alongside himself in some big hospital.

    Jung Hou shook his head, not even thinking anything of this Alice.

    From young till now, do you know how many women have thrown themselves at him? Do you know how many people he had called security on when they pretended to be patients?

    Some nurses were also bold, and other female doctors would try their hardest, wanting to woo him over with Medical knowledge.

    Many had the delusion he would fall in love with them, and this Alice seemed to be one.

    He will punish her as per the medical guidelines and sanctions rules.

    As it stood, she didn''t do her job correctly, even failing to do the things on the checklist.

    The list was there to help them never forget a thing.

    Yet, she would only do 2 or 3 out of 15~20. And what was she doing during these times? She was trying to sneak into Dorian''s bedroom and the many other chambers on that floor.

    She also disregarded the homeowner''s instructions, breaking an entry into many ces forbidden to her.

    One of the Cardinal rules when going to work in other homes, as well as hospitals, it was necessary only to go where one can go.

    Those doctors who visit patients at home can''t very well sneak around the homeowner''s rooms and drawers, even trying to open their safe.

    Wasn''t that thievery?

    What if someone said jewelry or something valuable was missing?

    Jung Hou felt that after this, he might never trust Alice to visit any patient at home. Even in the hospitals, many y ces needed ess passes. So does she disregard the rules and head over to these ces?

    Jung Hou felt he couldn''t trust her to do anything alone.

    .

    Again, the reports showed she took so many LONG bathroom breaks, leaving her teammates to do all of her work after they finished their own checklists.

    Everyone had a checklist of duties to do once on duty. She never took her job seriously.

    There was also a time when she almost infected thea patient with a wrong turn because she was too busy texting someone on her phone.

    Many spected it was her boyfriend since they constantly texted.

    But how would they have known she had been taking pictures, videos, and also texting her Mr. Green?

    Though Jung Hou didn''t know who she was texting all the time, he knew it couldn''t be her boyfriend. Whenever he met, she made it a point to let him know just how single she was.

    She wasn''t so direct but had many ways to let him know. It seems she wanted him to make the first move.

    Jung Hou felt it should be those ''people'' she wasmunicating with... The ones sent by Wei Kwo to take down the Grandmaster... The one''s from the Dar.

    So was he worried for Dorian? Nope.

    That was the Grandmaster they were talking about. Like many others, Jung Hou wasn''t worried.

    So concluding Alice''s matter, she would get denied for failing to do her job, as well as transferred to another hospital far away.

    This was the best option.

    She will probably be against it, wanting to stop her transfer.

    But he wanted to send her to one of his old mentors who preferred living like a hermit within one of the deste towns in this country.

    Though people call It a town, it was more like a vige but slightly bigger.

    He wanted to send her to his mentor could straighten out her character and still her properly on her duties to serve others medically without disgust or disdain.

    All patients should be treated equally, not her favoring one bet the other.

    Of course, for the cherry on the cake, she would get a suspension notice for no more than a month.

    During this time, she was to gather her belongings and go to the hospital to get her transfer arrangements made, as well as documents of proof.

    There are several matters she had to close up here before flying or taking a train, bus, or car ride to her new workce.

    It was indeed far, a day and 16 hours away from here.

    That was where she would be until her supervisor, his mentor, confirmed she had changed, and her work ethic and quality had improved.

    Though even at that, she won''t leave there for at least 6 years.

    .<novelnext></novelnext>

    Good...

    Old Hou nodded, pleased with Jung Hou''s arrangements.

    "The Grandmaster should be arriving anytime soon from his flight. Elder Haru informed me he will be picking up the Grandmaster. In the meantime, we have to head towards the Grandmaster''s estate."

    Old Hou paused, revealing a sly smile. "I hear there''s going to be a show tonight."

    Jung Hou tilted his head confused.

    A show?

    Old Hou grinned.

    "Boy, be lucky I''m taking you over. Not too many people can go at once. Get ready. We leave soon."

    Jung Hou stood, bowing respectfully at his father.

    "Yes, father... This son will get ready."

    "Okay, okay... Now go." Old Hou waved casually, his hands finally resting on his chin. His eyes were warm, staring at Jung Hou''s disappearing silhouette.

    ''I wonder when this stinky boy will bring me a daughter-inw? His junior brothers and sister are all married or in rtionships. So why is he still taking so long to find someone?''

    Hmph!

    Stinky boy!

    ''If this old man waited for you before I got grandchildren, won''t I be long dead by now?"?''

    Thinking of his 2md son, the 28-year-old Chen Hou, the current Hou Heir who now oversaw all hospitals, pharmacies, and drug research facilities they managed, Old Hou was in better spirits.

    His 2nd son married at 25 and already gave him a fat grandson. Moreover, his wife was still pregnant with baby number 2 on the way.

    It''s a girl!

    ~Hahhahahhaha.

    Old Hou was happy.

    His 3rd son was more focused on managing the many Hou businesses abroad.

    Of course, his 3rd son was based here but ran up and down the many counties, staying 2 weeks abroad and 2 weeks back home in that rotational order.

    Hey, the brat was also the first to get married, marrying a girl he had a crush on since kindergarten.

    After he turned 20 and his wife 18, both rushed to get their certificates. He had a beautiful granddaughter from them.

    And hisst child, his 19-year-old daughter, a military doctor, also introduced her boyfriendst year.

    So why was this 31-year-old brat, Jung Hou, still waiting around?

    Sigh...

    Old Hou felt he already had grandchildren.

    So his initial worry was that his first son might die alone.

    But now that they were exorcists who could live for hundreds and thousands of years... It seemed his son still had time to find love?

    Well, forget it.

    Old Hou rose to his feet, leaving his hill to meet the other academy elders.

    How dare they bete for the show?

    .

    Like so, many left the academy, looking forward to tonight''s event. And on the other side of the city, the stars of the show were also gearing up, ready for take-down.

    Their hotel room was as gloomy and tense as their emotions.

    Some people leaned forward on their seats, and others stood. No one said a thing, only looking at the 3 people at the center: Their leader, Snake, and Night Whisperer.

    Including these 3, there were about 7 of them in the space.

    But for tonight''s move, they had called out many, rounding up their numbers to 150, many of which were already waiting in the vehicles below.

    The leader''s eyes twinkled with a fierce light.

    "All team leaders have 15 people under their teams. We''ve gotten first-grade weapons and gadgets... This time, we''ll be ready for whatever the Tians throw at us. So failure is not an option!!"

    Failure? Impossible!

    They have prepared too hard for this. And tonight, they''ll have their revenge forst time''s ordeal.

    Everyone clenched their fists, determined to win.

    "Move out!"

    They were off.

 Chapter 401 Were In!

    Vrmmm~

    The limo swept into the estate, and Butler Sheng''s group calmly stepped out in 2 lines, standing in the stairway.

    Haru then stepped out and opened the door for Dorian.

    "We wee the Grandmaster."

    "Hmmm...."

    It''s good to be back.

    Butler hastily stepped forward to assist Dorian in taking off his light coat. And the others followed humbly.

    "Is it prepared?"

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    "And what about the others?"

    "The elders are on their way but will stay hidden when they arrive as agreed. Pandrol will lead them to where they need to be."

    Good...

    Dorian gave Alice a side-eye, seeing her hastily look away and pretend to y games on her phone.

    Dorian lowered hisshes.

    "Remind Elder Hou once he arrives."

    He didn''t want to see her again.

    He was terminating her work contract. And though he could take legal actions against her as per her contract, he was toozy to go about that route.

    I mean�� Why not go to the source to handle it all?

    .

    Just like that, Dorian had ''publicly'' arrived at his estate. And trust Mrs. World news to send the message along.

    Alice was happy, texting and sending pictures she sneakily took of Dorian.

    [Mr. Green]: "Good Job, Miss Alice. This time, we will nail this criminal and bring him to justice!"

    "And what of all you promised?"

    [Mr. Green]: "Fear not, miss Alice. The government can never defraud you of anything. Besides, you should''ve recovered the contract through the email and should have also confirmed it too, yes?"

    Alice nodded. They had sent many proofs to show their identity. What''s more, they also promised to give her an honorary reward, as well as publicize her courageous actions.

    It''s said there''s also reward money for assisting in Dorian''s arrest.

    When she saw the reward money, she was blown out of her shoes. Now, she had another reason why she was working hard on this.

    With that money, she can buy luxury bags, high-end clothes, makeup and get herself to look so ravishing that she doubts Hou Jung would be able to resist her.

    To her, a woman''s beauty was her weapon. And investing in one''s looks was never a bad idea.

    She was really to waw him, using all her feminine tricks to make him hers.

    Moreover, his Hou family was too eye-catching. So he had only himself to me for being born into such a home that makes many target his wealth.

    His good looks could make her sleep beside his bed easily. But the good life is what she was truly after.

    She felt she deserved the world, the stars, the moon, and even the sun itself. So it was only a matter of time before Jung Hou became hers.

    She even felt he would look at her more favorably if he found out she was a heroine and a person awarded by the government for her good deeds.

    If anything, he should be pleased she opposed one of his clients, lest it put him into trouble down the line.

    Heh.

    Alice in wondend...

    Alice was lost in Wondend, dreaming of all the glory toe after tonight.

    She also believed her partners because the reward money was different from the money they gave her at the start of doing this dangerous job.

    Yes!

    They paid her thousands and immediately got her vote of belief.

    Now, she was looking forward to receiving that reward money.

    [Mr. Green]: "You will get all that''sing to you once we apprehend this vile criminal. But for now, you must do your part to make tonight a sess."

    "Don''t worry. I will."

    Alice''s blood was thinking in her head as she turned around severally to ensure no one was standing close enough to see her phone screen.

    There were other doctors and nurses passing around the space. And when she was done texting Mr. Green, she followed the group for Dinner time.

    After dinner, it would be lights out... The perfect moment for the attack tomence!

    Hehehehehe~

    Like so, the little Alice followed the rabbits down the rabbit hole. But unlike the fictional story, she never returned to reality.

    .

    "What an Idiot." Snakemented, pitting the matter behind him.

    He had never seen someone so gullible and at the same time so egoistic to keep believing she was always right.

    Snake showed a crazed and mysterious look in his eyes.

    A chess piece is a chess piece. And after one is done with it, what do they do?

    ''Littledy... Don''t me me. Like I said, you''ll get what''sing to her.''

    "Drive."

    The driver nodded and quickly took off.

    They had been heading to the Gatedmunity in batches, lest they seem suspicious.

    And thanks to the money they used to pay off some of the guards, the group was led in with little trouble.

    ~Bam!

    Those in the vehicles were let out in many public regions scattered about the gatedmunity.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Mind you, there were gardens, sizable forest spaces, ponds with bridges over them, open fields, and all sorts of ces for the rich to rx in.

    North, South, East, West... Everyone got out in different ces but had the same goal. -- Vi 23.

    Vrmmm~

    The vehicles headed out, leaving the gatedmunities.

    They had to leave and tick off their vehicles from the list of visitor cars that came in and never went out.

    Even though they bribed a few security people, a majority were still focused on their job, keeping these rich people safe lest some terriblewsuit was filed.

    With that in mind, they weren''tpletely safe.

    .

    Damn!

    Snake''s ream of 15 rushed into one of the forest zones quickly, heading to the hideout spot they had created during the past few days.

    That''s right.

    They built an entire military-styled hideout, well-camouged from the public''s eyes.

    They still had 4 more hours before they could act.

    The security personnels here did routine patrols every 30 minutes within these forest zones, sometimes with golf-cart-styled vehicles and other times on foot.

    They can''t possibly exert their energy dodging these people for hours.

    So they built their own stations in the many regions across the gatedmunity.

    "Quickly! Everyone, take cover."

    Snake''smand had them plunging through the trees, controlling their breath as 2 patrol officers walked through the scene, vigntly looking around.

    "Hey... I felt it was being watched just now."

    "Eh? Really? I don''t feel a thing. But I won''t kill us to check around here closely."

    "Yeah."

    The sun was in itste-setting stage, with the skies looking dull and darkness almost engulfing thend.

    They flickered their shlights across the region, moving the circr light ray slowly across the bushes, trees, and even grounds.

    They walked back, went forward, and also left the road path, passing through several bushes in the forest.

    Eh?

    One of them scratched his head, feeling he must''ve been paranoid because there was nothing here but squirrels that jump-scared him with nuts in their mouths.

    Hey...

    The man shook his head, leaving the bushes and entering the public trails again.

    He and hisrades decided to leave.

    But what he didn''t know was that he was just 3 steps away from Snake, who was hiding behind a tree with a fierce dagger in his hands.

    Should he have advanced further, Snake wouldn''t mind eliminating himpletely, though it would raise an rm after a while and raise their mission''s difficulty.

    .

    Wooow~

    Snake released a deep breath, not revealing himself from his hiding ce as the voices grew faint. Until soon, he heard nothing.

    Swish!

    Many appeared like magic, some appeared out from the most unbelievable positions.

    How can one hide behind such a short and small rock so well?

    The art of being an assassin/killer was to blend well with one''s surroundings.

    "Let''s move. We have 27 minutes more before the next patrol team arrives."

    Right!

    The team nodded, leaping through the terrain, moving up and down severally.

    How to say it? This forest was more like a sophisticated trail path for those who liked to bike, skateboard, etc.

    So it was very long and very wide, with trees and greenery everywhere.

    Snake narrowed his eyes, staring at the illusionary spot ahead.

    "That''s it." The gang nodded, seeing the ce truly looking like everywhere else.

    But besides the many bushes was a hole.

    Snake held the bushes apart, watching his teammates drop to the ground and crawl through the hole.

    They crawled their backpacks for another 2 minutes before reaching an enclosed dome.

    It was dark, but they had sr light bulbs with sr panels connected to the outside.

    It''s good...

    There were already 5 foldable tables propped up and several cables that connected to an antenna and several other transmitting devices disguised on trees and over higher outs outside the dome.

    No time to waste!

    2 people then took out theirputers from their backpacks, connecting them to the inte, while others began changing into ck killer outfits that only exposed their eyes.

    Weapons... Check!

    Walkie Talkies, on!

    Footage visuals, okay!

    Snake nodded in satisfaction, seeing the group give him an-okay sign with their thumbs.

    Alright.

    They were all ready.

    Now, it was only a matter of time.

 Chapter 402 Payback Time!

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    No one made a scene as hours flew by in a blink of an eye. Only the sounds of light tapping could be heard as those beside theputers did their jobs with indifferent faces.

    The many spy cameras and drives connected to theputers as they also monitored their surroundings lest they getpromised.

    At this moment, all units scattered about the gatedmunity focused on their surroundings, pretending to sit on the public seats close to the targeted vi.

    They controlled their drones, letting them fly over the vi before leaving the scene.

    With darkness already here, sitting out in the open was never advisable. The guards were busier at night than at day.

    Snake took in deep breaths, double-checking his gadgets onest time.

    Heh.

    He never wanted to go through the embarrassment he facedst time he was here.

    During that time, they fell prey to high tech, probably supplied by the Gias.

    Those high-tech robots could mimic their faces and were indeed very powerful. But they slowed down during the end of the battle and froze, showing they ran out of ''juice.''

    Their battery power was dead, giving him and the rest a chance to escape.

    But this time, he was prepared for the group of aggressive robots.

    He and everyone in ground team had shock ws.

    These special ck market gadgets could short-circuit any electrical gizmo or robot, immediately halting it in its tracks.

    The gadget worked identically to how a taser worked.

    All he had to do was fire at the robot, and a small w attached to a long but thin wire would shoot out, short-circuiting and frying his target clean.

    Snake sneered, not believing in evil.

    He didn''t believe they would fail to stop those robots, especially with the high-end shock ws they purchased.

    These were the best in the world, the best many killers used when infiltrating ces like the presidency and other high-end, heavy-guarded zones.

    Initially, they didn''t think they would need it when infiltrating a ce like Tian estate. But after their previous embarrassment, they were willing to take all the big boys out.

    Apart from this, he also carried smoke grenades and other non-lethal explosives. After all, he wasn''t trying to blow the ce up and bring attention to himself and his gang.

    Should he take any drastic measures, the entire ce, as well as the city itself, would be swarming with cops for the next 2~5 weeks, with every airport or road blocked at every turn.

    Moreover, all guests seen entering today will also be called for interpretation.

    The drivers in their team who brought them over will be called in for questioning, a risk he and the others weren''t willing to take.

    So except for their silencers, every other gadget they had was non-lethal.

    Hmmm...

    Snake wore ck from head to toe. And the only visible feature one could see were his eyes.

    His fingers and every other feature were fully covered.

    1 2, 3...

    Those seated before theputers gave the okay sign, signaling for Snake and the rest to leave.

    There were no runners or patrol officers close by. But it didn''t mean they were free to move as they liked.

    Snake raised his hands, and the others understood what he meant.

    6 minutes.

    They had just 6 minutes before the patrol team passed through the scene again.

    Drop, crawl, stand, run.

    The group was out in less than a minute, dropping to the ground and crawling through the hole until they exited and found a perfect ce to hide until the team passed by.

    At least they were out.

    [Coming your way. Heat sensors picking up 2 patrol guards in go-karts.]<novelnext></novelnext>

    The message passed through Snake''s ears as he subconsciously held his breath.

    Massive flight lights zoomed through the region as the kart slowly drove by. The guards carefully shed their torches around their surroundings but found nothing.

    They didn''t hear or see anything suspicious except for the 2 runners they greeted.

    There was nothing out of the ordinary around here, but the guards still checked vigntly.

    The guards on patrol duty had a particr manner in which they patrolled.

    For example, the duo now patrolling here would then do a full 360 patrol route across the gatedmunity before switching patrolnes on another route.

    How to say it?

    Though this forest zone would have people patrolling every 30 minutes, the patrol teams were always different, moving in rotation.

    This way, people don''t getx or bored easily as they drive through the many scenes.

    Nothing.

    The guards left the scene, driving onwards away.

    ~Phew.

    Snake took several deep breaths.

    The further one infiltrated the scene, the more guards they would meet. Why? Because the vis were far more costly in that manner.

    Dorian''s vi 23 was far bigger and ten times more in price and value than vi 01. So of course it called for more guards protecting the scene.

    But just likest time, there were many blind spots that professional killers like themselves could take advantage of.

    Heh.

    Snake wasn''t phased.

    Whoosh!

    He and his gang vanished like ninjas, blending in with their surroundings as they left the forest region and began their journey toward Dorian''s estate.

    The forest they left was just mid-way between the gates and their destination.

    They carefully avoided all ''pitfalls'' and guards until they finally arrived at their destinations.

    Vi 23.

    Snake was camouged along the walls, his ck attire blending in with the darkness perfectly.

    [7 minutes]

    Copy that. The voice echoed in everyone''s ears.

    7 minutes before the next patrolling squad passes by. Now, Snake had met up with another team along the North-East wall.

    The estate was shaped like a hexagon, with six unequal sides.

    And 2 of these sides shared borders with the nearby vis, while the other sides faced the roads and surroundings instead.

    [Spy fly in... No life detected... Nosers or security lines activated.]

    Thang!~

    Snake shot a hook and w device on the fence and reeled himself up and into the estate as though he was 007.

    The rest followed his actions. And like that, they were in.

    Heat goggles on... No one at sight.

    Good...

    The corners of Snake''s lips raised cruelly.

    Time for payback!

 Chapter 403 Tough Security

    Into vi 23, they went.

    [Alpha in position!]

    [Beta team securing the west end.]

    [Omega through the gardens.]

    [Gamma in position.]

    ? "Clear."

    Snake tapped his ears, and the spy gadget sticking from the ear corner of his inner suit disyed a single lense.

    It appeared before his left eye.

    Zoom!

    Snake swept his eyes vigntly, seeing no objects picked up from the heat vision lense.

    Good...

    No one in sight. Yet, he still didn''t move from the bushes, listening to the other teams report their status.

    So far, only 2 guards had been spotted patrolling around the estate.

    They had flown drones severally over the past few days and weeks. So they had already mastered the patterns in which these guards patrolled.

    For today''s operation, their boss was also among them. He made all main instructions.

    [All units move to the main building as nned.]

    Copy that.

    They might have entered the vi from all directions. But they were headed for the same ce... The main building.

    It''s good.

    Snake ran with his hands ring at the back, with 2 special daggers buried under his sleeves.

    With time ticking, his ears were sharp, his speed fast, and his face only had a single lens, he might miss something since he was constantly throwing his left eye in all directions.

    In no time, 7 minutes flew by.

    Snake plunged forward, rolling on the ground and hiding behind a pir.

    There were others around him. He only felt their presence. But for others, he had gotten glimpses of their movements.

    Snake tapped the side of his ears again, switching that pair of lense to night vision mode. With night vision mode, he should be able to make out the attires of those he spotted.

    He knew they were definitely his men andrades. But one can never be too sure.

    He also beganmunicating with their leader and the other team leaders, verifying their positions for confirmation.

    Night Whisperer was also the same. He and his team had arrived and were hiding not too far away from Snake''s.

    .

    All clear!!!

    This time, they still nned to infiltrate the scene from the same window or n to use the same path.

    One might think it wise to enter the main building through another window since there is a possibility that the enemy might have increased security measures within the structure around these parts.

    Indeed, using another path is a worse choice because for one, they weren''t too certain about the overall infrastructure within the main building.

    It''s true that thanks to Alice''s many videos, they could map out and picture what was where, as well as how many pirs, rooms, and hallways exist. But who is to be certain that they didn''t make a mistake?

    They haven''t physically moved there. So perhaps there are several hidden maze walls thate out at night.

    Maybe hidden doors on the walls exist to lead others away from the main path.

    After experiencing what they did thatst time, they knew these hallways were meant to keep enemies in a loop till they got caught.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Their fear was that if they used another path, they might face even more implications than the path they already understood. So why risk it?

    They thoroughly understood the current path they would be taking, with those by theputer having simtions, ready to give all directions needed.

    [Into the hallway, keep straight. After taking the left bend, reach the fork and choose right.]

    The information was as clear as day as Snake carefully dived through the window, pointing his clenched fist in various directions.

    There were darts on his risk that would plunge deadly weapons, as fast as bullets unto any who dared to attack him.

    .

    No one...

    Snake narrowed his eyes, feeling the hallway deste.

    Of course, with the number of staff within the Tian estate, of course it will be deste.

    Night Whisperer''s team also entered next.

    Those already inside stayed on watch, scanning the environment for any Tian guards. Some pointed their weapons, only held des, and some only searched the hallways even more.

    A strange wind blew, and the leader had an ominous thought.

    "Wait! Don''t take an inch further!"

    Eh?

    Everyone froze, watching their leader reach the front. He had a high-tech spray. And with a fierce but silent pump, he revealed a ghastly sight that made the color from their faces drain.

    Lasers!!!!

    Gulp.~

    The gang swallowed hard, starting at the uncountable beams of thin green rays shooting out in all directions.

    These were no doubt triggersers!

    Last time they were here, thesesers weren''t out on, maybe because these Tians weren''t expecting anyone to break in.

    However, since they infiltrated the scenest time, it looks like they had decided to turn on all security features during this time.

    No one knows what will truly happen after thesers get triggered.

    Maybe a massive rm sound will echo out across the entire estate, or perhaps it will trigger an even more devastating mechanism. So they dared not take this lightly.

    Luckily, they had skin-tight clothes on.

    The group immediately came back to their senses, cing their weapons back in ce.

    Heh!

    They scoffed at the intricate green patterns shooting out.

    Who were they? Killers from the dar. They have been paid for such jobs, even going as far as infiltrating some well-guarded ces to steal documents.

    Snake danced across the scene, bending low, jumping, sliding, hopping on one leg, twirling, and leaning back deeply when passing underneath several deadly beams.

    And soon, he and many others made it to the other side.

    It took over 7 and a half minutes... And this only showed just how tightly ced these beams were.

    Even Snake had to admit theser beam security design was quite a deadly one.

    At some point, the person in front of him almost fell, triggering the system. Everyone''s pupils rapidly dted.

    Time seemed frozen as they inwardly screamed in horror.

    NO!!!

 Chapter 404 Meeting Again

    Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Everyone''s heart drummed loudly, watching the scene in slow motion. Their lungs were trembling like a goblet, resonating to the tappings of a spoon.

    No! Not on his watch!

    Snake nted his feet firmly and stretched his hand forth.

    Damn.

    Everyone held their breaths as the duo held one another, one person''s eyshes inches away from a horizontal beam.

    So close!!!

    Phew~

    After steadying themselves, the man continued without Snake''s help.

    .

    Arrived!

    The gang finally made it to the other side, feeling lucky they hadn''t alerted anyone yet... But what they didn''t know was that they were now the focus of many smiling in the dark.

    It took all of Ghu Sota''s will not tough loudly at the group ofedians dodging the fakesersid out for them.

    Would you believe it if they said the Grandmaster was doing it all with a single flick of his wrist?

    He was sure that even if they identally touched the beams, nothing would happen.

    His face shot out from the walls, staring at the group who had just made a left turn.

    It was like watching a spy movie unfold before his very eyes, only, the high-tech security system they thought they were bypassing was all fake.

    Pah!

    Ghu Sota flinched.

    What was that for?

    Old madam Ghu had smacked the back of his head for no reason before disappearing into the walls.

    (��_��)

    ... Could this old woman be addicted to beating him up?

    Augh~

    Sota could already see his bleak future having her as a mentor.

    He was a direct disciple epted by his grandmother. And when he meets the right requirements, his status will be upgraded to core disclose level. But as if now, he was still an outer sect disciple who hadn''t even stepped into the inner academy grounds yet.

    "Be silent, or else... Heh..." Old madam Ghu warned, sending chills down Sota''s spine.

    s...

    It seems he has to get used to it because if they''re going to be together for hundreds and thousands of years, doesn''t this mean he will also receive many beatings?

    The group of elders and a few students all had different thoughts, seeing the group of intruders make their way toward the path they thought was correct.

    Everything before them was an illusion.

    Believe it or not, they walked on the same overly long hallway, going back and forth.

    The illusion was so real that they felt they had passed over 4 hallways by now. And every time, a new ''security measure'' would appear, reassuring them this was indeed a new ce.

    Night Whisperer was taken aback, seeing how crazy the interior was.

    .

    F***!

    Night Whisperer couldn''t help inwardly cursing.

    When he heard about the maze, he felt it absurd. But now, walking through the identical walls that sometimes became narrower or wondered the further they advanced, he waspletely blown away by its wonders.

    Jump! Crawl! Dodge!

    The gang identally tripped over a thin thread, releasing a strange gas they felt should be sleeping gas.

    A thin but sturdier wall suddenly shut out from the corner walls, blocking the path behind and in front of them.

    And now, they were trapped.

    Oh, no!

    Run!!!

    They plunged forward as fast as they could, now listening to those across theputers telling them there should be a door around here.

    Sure enough, someone found the opening.

    "It''s over there! The door... It''s there!"

    It was disguised to look identical to the walls. And only when one stands very close by would they be able to find its doorknob.

    But there was a problem. It was locked.

    Everyone felt their chest tighten.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Dammit!

    Tick-tock. Tick-Tock!

    The walls behind and at the front were closing in on them, slowly but surely. The strange gas was flooding in, their eyes were getting woozy, their bodies weakened, and their brains struggling to think fast.

    The pressure was on but they were prepared to lose just yet.

    Quick! Thievery 101: How To Pick A Lock!

    Any killer squad that doesn''t have people specializing in such skills should just quit.

    .

    "Mira! You''re up!"

    Hurry! They don''t have much time!

    Right.

    The girl was supported to the front of the door, no one wanting her to exhaust her energy.

    She took off 2 tiny pins she stuck to her clothes, sticking them both into the keyhole.

    Because she was feeling woozy, her speed was slower than usual. But luckily, she nailed it, opening the door before it was toote.

    1, 2, 3....

    ~Click.

    No one said a thing as they rushed through the open door, many diving without dy.

    The walls had already been squeezing them up. And barely milliseconds before thest person passed through, the walls sealed.

    If they were still there, they might get ttened like Pancakes.

    Phew~

    The gang released a collective sigh, their backs already covered in sweat.

    Where are they?

    The group quickly took to their feet, pointing their weapons in all directions, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar room.

    This... This... This...

    "Everyone, remain vignt!"

    This was the same massive kitchen they fought the robots in.

    This ce wasn''t an illusion, but the 2nd kitchen space within the building. It was hardly used to do any cooking.

    In such a massive mansion, with over 50 rooms/spaces per floor, it''s only wise there should be 2 kitchens.

    Snake narrowed his eyes dangerously, reaching for this shock device. A vicious going shing through.

    This time, he was ready to fry that bastard robot to scraps.

    Bam!!

    The heavy door behind them mmed shut.

    Bru-Bru~

    Someone shook the doorknob slightly, trying to open it but couldn''t.

    Trapped.

    Their only way was to keep advancing. But they had never passed this kitchen space before.

    However, they were sure after tonight, they should be able to go as far as reaching Dorian''s room.

    Yes!

    That is the power of their research!

    (*��^��)

    .

    Just when everyone was busy inspecting the room for hidden enemies, one of the double-sided doors ahead finally opened.

    And now, they came face to face with their worst nightmares. Only... The so-called robots seemed different than before.

    Their outer shells were made of wooden puppets, and their eyes glowed blue.

    Snake''s face turned distorted.

    Without its shell being metal, shocking and frying his opponent''s circuits will be a lot harder.

    The giant wooden puppets smiled strangely, walking closer to the bunch.

    Dammit!

    Everyone took battle stance. And now, their only hope was that these puppets were weaker than thest time.

    But how could their wishese true so fast?

 Chapter 405 Death To All!

    A high forehead underyering arge pair of glowing blue eyes that shun with a look of deep intelligence.

    The unnaturally thin line on the long wooden faces stretched into an uncanny smile that sent shivers down the spines of many.

    The unstoppable force marched in rhythm, each step giving the feeling that death was inevitable.

    They gang took several steps back without knowing it, their breaths held and other hands pointing weapons straight on.

    "Take fire!!!" The leader''s voice bellowed, and the silent weapons began to rain.

    Their weapons were far silent, not wanting to wake the Tians up.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Everything happened so fast, with shes of light emerging from their weapons from time to time.

    Shoot! Shoot! Shoot them DOWN!

    Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang~

    Night Whisperer rolled to the side, hiding behind a kitchen counter.

    The counter was huge, the sort used in massive industrial kitchens.

    Everyone take cover!

    Dammit!

    ''One of these mothers**kers has me on lock.''

    Night Whisperer inwardly cursed, seeing one of the giant puppets make its way toward him like an indestructible terminator.

    His hands gripped his weapon tighter as he learned to the side of the fixed counter, firing to no end.

    But what did he see?

    The bullets mmed against the wooden being but did not harm it.

    F*** him sideways! How is this possible?

    If he shot metal, it would have dents on it, with the bullets sometimes forcing their way through lighter metal frames.

    In the case of wood, it should leave cracks or even shatter to bits. So why, why, were there no scratches or dents on this robot?

    More importantly, what sort of advanced robot technology was this?

    Since when did the government find a way to enhance the strength of wood to be indestructible?

    The wooden giant smiled creepily, picking up its speed.

    The tension in the air, the cries of allies around him, and the unbeatable enemy charging his way made Night Whisperer give up on hiding, unleashing all his weapons and plunging at the enemy while also taking several steps back.

    It was funny that his feet were more obedient than his thoughts.

    .

    Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang!

    He shot and soon found himself out of bullets.

    Guns dropped.

    He took out all but one of his daggers, shooting them toward the enemy, ninja-style.

    Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup!~

    Night Whisperer''s jaws dropped to the ground.

    Everyone bounced off, some even sliding and changing their course once publishing off the wooden giant.

    Ahhhh~

    A dagger was reflected, plunging into the left arm of hisrade close by. What was this fairy operation?

    He has hit daggers and darts into wooden boards before, and all of them had cinched deep into the wood. So why was this puppet different?

    Again he asks... Can anyone tell him what super robots the government was secretly building?

    For a person like himself who mainly focused his team on scouting and gathering information from the most deadly and dangerous aces, this was the first time he saw or heard of these super robots.

    A sh of greed flickered through his eyes, wondering how much it would sell if he could take a single part away.

    Many forces in neighboring countries would do anything to advance their military technologies.

    He didn''t care about patriotism. He and almost everyone else in the Dar were loyal to 3 things: Money, Prestige, and their organizations.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He has helped enemy countries before and even allied ones too.

    Who the hell cares about patriotism? And they eat it? Does it put food on the table?

    If it can''t, then it''s all rubbish.

    Wipe!

    Panic flooded Night Whisperer''s brain the closer the unstoppable puppet got.

    Bullets don''t work, and daggers were a no-no, then what about his electric-shock device?

    The puppet was already at a good enough range for attack.

    Go!

    He shot his w like spiderman''s webs, hoping the w could cinch into the wooden being.

    No!!!

    It didn''t even hook on, falling straight to the ground.

    The w itself had a narrower surface areapared to a dagger. This meant it should sink easier and deeper into its targetpared to a dagger.

    The w''s 4 long hands were like a spider''s.

    He expected a better performance than his des.

    But who can tell him why the w also bounced off?

    .

    Night Whisperer was dumbfounded, finding no weapon on him would be able to do the trick.

    ''Unless the outer ''indestructible'' frame is destroyed, I won''t be able to overwhelm my opponent... What to do? What to do?''

    Night Whisperer was desperate, hunching his body like a goalkeeper in a football game.

    His eyes swept across the scene, seeing the many fixtures around the kitchen.

    He wasn''t the only one thinking so. Many set their eyes on the giant pits and other objects, wanting to m the living daylight out of these to sit with them.

    Despair showed on their faces when the puppets finally stood before them.

    This... This...

    The puppets were over 7 feet tall.

    "DIE!!!"

    Night Whisperer moved his hands, and a heavy pot smashed into the puppet''s side, doing absolutely nothing.

    Hehehhehe~

    Now it was the puppet''s turn.

    Pah!

    A single p had caused Night Whisperer to turn 540��in the air beforending t to the ground.

    But this wasn''t all.

    The puppet dived into the air, with its elbownding on Night Whisperer''s bak.

    Brahhhh!~

    Night Whisperer saw his life sh before his eyes with this single move. The puppet didn''t give him any rest, maneuvering itself, doing several WWE wrestle mania moves on him.

    At one point, he had to tap the floor severally when the puppet pinned his legs.

    Enough! Enough!

    Time out! TIME OUT!

    (>:Q0Q:)

    Can he have a moment''s rest?

    If there was any thought of fighting on to get a chunk of this robot, it was all gone.

    The only thing on his mind was to live. For it was at this moment that Night Whisperer regretted not having a will.

 Chapter 406 Their End!

    Wooooo~

    Night Whisperer had no tears but wanted to cry. He had never been so aggrieved.

    Pah!

    He flew to them, hitting his already bloodied chin on a sink behind him.

    Bam!

    He felt his jaw dislocate and several of his teeth go loose.

    Give up? No way!

    ''Com''on, think, think, think�� Wait... Sink... Tap... Water�� That''s it!''

    Several light bulbs went off in his mind as he spat a mouthful of blood and reached for the extendable tap, spraying water on the puppet.

    "Fry!... Fry to bits, ya filthy animal!"

    Fheeee!~

    The water spiraled in the air, and the puppet suddenly halted.

    Night Whisperer''s pupils erged and turned crescent.

    Yes!

    After all, from the puppet''s movements, there might be many unseen cracks on its outer frame, allowing water to flow into its main system.

    Night Whisperer had an almost insane look, spraying the water as though he was spraying bullets from a machine gun.

    Say hello to my little friend!

    Fheee~

    Water here, water there.

    It''s working. It''s working!

    ? Bahahahahahahah~

    His breathing elerated, his muscles increasingly tense, his belly field with pleasurable butterflies, his adrenaline pumping vigorously through his veins... Night Whisperer had reached a state many called ''Illusionary Peak.''

    His mind was already rying what he wanted to see rather than what was happening.

    For these brief few seconds, he had been seen into the battle he felt he had won.

    It was sad for such a skilled veteran to fall into this trance. But only the very desperate fall into the state.

    The ass whopping before was too great, with the puppet giving him no chance to retaliate. So during this period, when he felt he had the upper hand, his mind conjured what he wanted to believe in.

    Pah!

    The puppetnded a fierce blow on his face, waking him from his stupor.

    "You...." Didn''t he fry the bloody thing''s internal mainframe?

    His mind was clouded, and his feet felt cold. A primitive and instinctive fear made him unconsciously lean backward.

    His eyes were darting maniacally, and his brain and body were trying their hardest to fight for survival.

    What should he do? How should he gain victory?

    .

    Ahhhh!!!!~

    "You bastard! Warriors can be killed but can never be stimted!"

    Pah!

    A robot pped the butt cheeks of one of the men. It had ripped a hole at the back of its tight-fitting suit, even ripping the man''s underwear, as though a dog had done the job.

    And after cing the man on its knee, the puppet spanked the ''bad child'' until his entire buttocks were as red as a monkey''s butt.

    Pah! Pah! Pah!

    The man wished the ground would open up and swallow him away.

    The shame...

    The man was on Night Whisperer''s team and had never faced the prior battle. So this humiliation was too much for him.

    In another corner, a girl was cursing at the wooden robot puppet, dragging and mming her on the walls to no end.

    "You stop for me! You''re breaking my bones! Stop! Stop!... I said you should stop!"

    Okay.

    The creature suddenly stopped, letting go of her feet. But just when she thought her ordeal was over, she saw a familiar object in its hands.

    Was that her de?<novelnext></novelnext>

    The puppet raised it high like a serial killer, marching straight for her.

    What? Since she didn''t want hand-to-handbat, why not opt for the next best thing?

    The girl almost sprayed blood from regret.

    "No! No! I changed my mind. Look! Look? That''s my feet. Take it and do as you like, but drop the bloody de down!!!"

    Mommy... What sort of script was this?

    Was this lunatic puppet trying to redesign her face?

    It had already leaned in too closely with the de held so creepily that her hair began standing.

    And what did she see?

    Its original blue eyes turned deep red like someone had flipped a kill switch.

    F***!

    She was so scared she nearly peed herself.

    "I get it! I get it; I''ll do whatever you want! But first, put the de down!"

    After this, she needed a raise.

    (:T��T:)

    ...

    In another corner, Snake was also fighting hand-to-handbat with his opponent, though nothing he did chased the puppet.

    He was like an ant jumping around a rock.

    Where did his former confidence go?

    He had prepared for weeks, training harder than usual and buying all high-tech gear in the ck market.

    Snake and the gang had suited up with thetest technology, feeling overly confident and arrogant when infiltrating the space.

    So who can tell him why things turned out this way? Hisrades were wailing at the top of their lungs, being subjected to many humiliating ordeals.

    No! No!

    Was he going to give up just like that?

    He ran towards the puppet with several kitchen objects in his hand. He thought the puppet woulde at him in full swing. But just then, he felt a sharp pain between his legs.

    Bam!

    A terrible explosion went off in his mind.

    3, 2, 1��

    It took a moment to register that this had actually happened.

    Foul y! Foul y!

    Was this bastard puppet trying to end his lineage?

    Snake''s eye turned red as his hand reached for his little man.

    He felt his heart was beating from down there rather than his chest.

    Good heavens, man!

    Did he need a doctor?

    Old Gia and many others gave him a sympathetic look. Even after breaking their mortal shells, they would never dream of receiving an attack down here.

    It was just a universal code to all male beings that such a move was foul.

    "Flee! Flee! Make a run for it!" The leader''s voice bellowed, knowing their mission was once againpromised.

    But how can theye and go as they like?

    The doors refused to open, and the beatings continued till the puppets suddenly withdrew themselves from the scene.

    ''_''

    What just happened?

    Snake crawled back to his feet, listening to the Strange rumbling noises growing louder and louder.

    Look up!

    The ceiling above opened, and his worst horrors were realized.

    It wasn''t over yet. They''ll y till daybreak. And this time, the only way they''ll be leaving is in a police wagon.

    Tonight, this matter ends!

 Chapter 407 So Evil!

    ~Ahhhhh!

    The wails and cries continued to morning, with the leader, Snake, Night Whisperer, and everyone else feeling helpless.

    Bloody hell!

    Just what sort of defense system did these Tians have? Were they to wait here until death came their way?

    "Quickly! Pry open the doors!"

    "I can''t, leader! No matter how much I try to pick it, the doors won''t budge."

    Dammit.

    What do they do now?

    Bang! Bang! Bang!~

    Many mmed their already injured and broken bodies in the doors, hoping to brush out and make a run for it.

    Revenge? They''d be lucky if they managed to escape the estate.

    Several pupils scampered in an unfocused manner, seeing the current situation.

    Their stomachs knotted, and their chests grew tighter.

    The hard, quick vibrations from their hearts made goosebumps cover their bodies.

    What to do? Wait here and die?

    "Quickly! Try the other doors ahead!"

    It sounded silly to go after the robots. But maybe in the room beyond this one, their luck might be better.

    At this point, they no longer thought of sighting their way to Dorian''s chambers.

    F***!

    If they failed to pass hidden Tian security at this stage, then imagine how hard it would be leaving this floor and heading towards Dorian''s at the very top?

    You must be joking. They dared not say anymore.

    No! No! They must find a way out!

    Those were the thoughts of many as they tried dodging the incredibly difficult challenges thrown their way.

    What the hell?

    Snake wanted to cry, seeking the giant balls suddenly emerging from the walls. But this wasn''t all. A rain of darts flew, each carrying a powerful sting that made him and everyone else jump like clowns.

    How to say it?

    The sting was akin to one receiving bites from many fire ants as they released their ant venom.

    But as many know, any venom from fire ants won''t kill but can make one scratch the injected ce like crazy.

    The feeling was simr to going to a park, sitting on the grass, only to have these ants bite one''s butt.

    Of course, they''ll rise with immediate effect, scratching the bitten ce.

    Snake felt that whatever wasced on the darts, gave off the same feeling, only amplified 3 times more. Mind you, this was for a single dart.

    There were over thousands storming the air.

    Take cover! Take cover!

    That was all Snake could think of while diving for safety. In this heated moment, it was every man for themselves!

    Thup! Thup! Thup!

    The darts flew mercilessly, plunging into the table he turned.

    F***!

    Snake inwardly cursed, yanking out all 3 darts on him. At least it was a hundred or a thousand.

    But so what? Should he be grateful to them?

    Bloody motherf**kers!

    ''Tian boy! I will never end things with you!!!!''

    Hiss~

    He gritted his teeth, annoyed by the stinging feeling and pain from the darts.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Snake was only given a moment''s peace before other objects began flying out. Even Night Whisperer felt it all too much.

    "What the hell is taking you so long? Hurry up!... The doors!"

    "Leader, leader, I''m really trying my best, but it just won''t open." The girl was aggrieved.

    She had no tears but wanted to cry.

    When entering the space earlier, she had opened the doors in a matter of seconds. So how can it be a question of her skills?

    Or maybe they triggered another defense mechanism that shuts the doors down permanently?

    It was impossible for her skills to grow weak and degrade during this short period.

    So the issue was definitely not her.

    She admitted that her broken bones, beaten-down body, and overly shaky hands made her task more difficult. But she knew the problem was her.

    "It won''t open."

    Everyone smiled bitterly as they continued facing their many opponents.

    Up next, they were humiliated by pheasants.

    That''s right. You heard them right. Were they actually going to fight chickens?

    Snake and everyone felt it was a p to their faces, having elite circles like themselves square off against pheasants.

    What impetus!

    He, Snake, was a big ''daddy'' on the Dar, with people begging for his service left, right, and center.

    So if people heard he fought a chicken, do you know how much damage that would do to his reputation?

    He didn''t think he would lose to chickens... But sometimes, one just needs a single moment to royally screw themselves forever.

    This battle, whether he loses or wins, will lead to people using it as jokes.

    Too evil!

    Snake''s eyes were blood red with fury.

    He has said it, and he''ll say it again... A warrior could be killed but not humiliated!

    With his heavily injured self, he didn''t even bother reaching for his des on the ground but raised his feet to kick the many pheasants to the sky.

    Everyone felt the same, not putting these pheasants in their eyes. But this was their highest mistake.

    Even Ghu Sota felt pity for them, recalling how he was beaten senselessly by these pheasants when he was still a handyman in the academy.

    R.I.P bro... Rest in peace.

    Ghu Sota had already lit a candle for them in his heart.

    .

    Snake sent his leg forward, nning to kick the very ''healthy'' and fat-looking chicken before gin.

    "Beat it!"

    His legs move fast, invading closer and closer to their target. But suddenly, the pheasant had a loud battle cry and leaped into the air, spreading its wings and curling one leg high.

    Pah!

    Snake received a ninja face kick from the chicken.

    (��0��)

    Snake felt he was going insane.

    What the hell was going on here? Was he feeling murderous intent from a chicken?

    "You, you, you...." Snake stuttered his words.

    Excuse him, but how does any of this make sense?

    Snake was speechless.

    Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought the Tians could create such a miracle.

    That is... Since when did chickens learn to fight?

 Chapter 408 Its Over!

    Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah!~

    Mr. Killer chicken was fast, twirling in the air to deliver several fierce blows.

    F***!

    It got so bad that Snake stopped looking at it like a pheasant he could strangle, but a true deadly opponent. And in no time, they exchanged blows, with the chicken having the upper hand.

    The leader was also facing such a situation.

    He sent a quick jab, his fingers ttered and straight as a cobra''s plunging head.

    Swish!~

    The air whistled loudly. The chicken had dodged but didn''t end there. It poled its beak on the open wounds the leader already had from dealing with the previous ordeals.

    Who am I? What am I?

    How can a chicken be so powerful? If all chickens were like this, then does the government still need soldiers?

    Pah! Bam! Bam! Pah!~

    "You damn fat pheasant! Don''t let me catch you, or I''ll roast your thighs and eat for dinner!"

    "Bastard! If you''re really so powerful, then stand still and let me choke you!"

    "You vicious chicken! How dare you put your filthy w feet on my million Vyn-face? A woman''s beauty is her greatest treasure. So how care you w at me?"

    "Ahhhh!~... I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you!"

    (*��*)

    .

    Everyone received beatings one after another, as the many chickens performed ninjutsu on their asses.

    Shame!

    Night Whisperer ced his now-bloodied hands on his face, wishing he could vanish from existence altogether.

    How can this be happening? Who can tell him why a chicken would be able tond a kick that pushes him back? Or could this also be robot chickens?

    At this stage, what reputation will he have when word gets out?

    Veins popped from their leader''s sweaty, pale, and bloodied face.

    Dammit!

    He coughed another mouthful of blood, feeling the burn on his belly from the chicken''s kick.

    Son of a b**ch!

    "Everyone! Escape! Escape! We must find a way out!"

    Even if it''s thest thing, they did. But how could they have known that the enemy had nned to keep them here till the crack of dawn?

    Round 6!

    More enemies emerged from the walls, and everyone only had tears in their eyes.

    Mommy...

    What sort of vi had they tried to infiltrate?

    Popcorn. Popcorn.

    Ghu Sota and the rest watched the show, sympathizing with these intruders.

    They had seen them get painful wedgies, painful bones dislocated, and all sorts of embarrassing attacks done to them, including powerful WWE wrestling attacks that left Ghu Sota and the rest wanting to cheer for the defeat.

    Damn.

    Who knew ying with the enemy was so much fun?

    (^_^)

    .

    Like so, seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned into hours until the pinkish-golden hues from the sun illuminated the world.

    At this point, the previous arrogant intruders were all on the ground, using their hands and elbows to drag their bloodied selves away from their opponents.

    Some of them had swollen faces thatpletely covered their eyesight. Their faces underneath their spy masks were all purplish.

    Their foreheads were sweating, and their bodies were numb from pain.

    No more... No more...<novelnext></novelnext>

    Many crawled with whatever little strength they had but soon felt their legs being dragged by the evil security robot opponents beside them.

    But just then, something miraculous happened... Their luck had turned for the best!

    Halt!

    Their robotic opponents froze... And it seemed now, they were free?

    Hah... Hahah... Hahahahaha~

    Finally, it was over.

    They felt like jubting and dancing around a bonfire in celebration. They knew it should already be the crack of dawn, and escaping was near impossible, given their situation and injuries.

    But to killers like themselves, even if their chance of escape was only 5%, it was still a better deal than sitting duck and falling into the enemy''s hands willingly.

    Gritting their bloodied teeth, no one said a thing but forced themselves to rise and make a run for it.

    It''s incredible how the human body could react during such periods. Just seconds ago, they were so hurt that they could not even shake their legs or turn their heads slightly.

    But now, they were back on their feet. And the previous immeasurable pain they once felt was now numb.

    Now, if somebody shoots them with bullets, they might continue running and only realize they were hit once they reach safety.

    The human body and mind sure were amazing. Their survival instincts were now at optimum level.

    .

    1, 2, 3... RUN!

    Everyone made for the hills, with the girl from earlier fiddling with the locks.

    Their bodies were trembling, and their senses more alert than ever.

    Hurry!

    "Come on! Open... Open... OPEN."

    ~Click.

    Sess.

    The door behind them opened. But they couldn''t be excited yet. They were still a far cry from tasting freedom.

    Run! Run! Run!

    The gang passed through the hallways, taken aback by its sudden change.

    What?

    So the maze onlyes alive from night till the crack of dawn?

    (''_'')

    Everyone inwardly swore never toe back here, only send others to do the job for them. So of course they took more of this aspect.

    The hallways were no longer exaggeratingly long. And in no time, their footsteps, though controlled, could still be heard echoing out.

    Their condition wasn''t the best, and no matter how much light work they did on their feet, it still left sound.

    The air was tense, and their bodies covered in goosebumps.

    Freedom... Freedom... That''s all they wanted.

    Too bad when they made a turn along the hallways, they came face to face with Butler Sheng and several others slowly walking their way.

    What?

    They wanted to turn around but saw Bewoh and othersing from behind.

    Wait!

    Looking outside the window, they could see police vehicles, also stationed outside, with the officers leaning on the vehicleszily.

    But this wasn''t all.

    They also saw... They also saw their backup team arrested too?

    But, but, but, but how can this be?

    Everyone felt their world tumbling down.

    It''s over!

 Chapter 409 Mysterious Case

    Snake''s already swollen eyelids forced their way open, not wanting to believe what his eyes saw.

    Yes!

    Those stationed outside the Tian estates and all hidden parts within the gatedmunity were gathered.

    Those controlling the drones, those seated by theputers, and many others were there.

    F***!

    Snake''s eyes were red. Night Whisperer also felt despair as well as the others.

    Now, they only hoped those in the vehicles parked outside the gatedmunity and those in their living quarters and hotels wouldn''t get discovered.

    In fact, the moment they lost signal with that team, they should''ve already retreated after a while as per protocol.

    So everyone hoped they escaped the police''s search.

    Sadly, their luck had also run out. Because during their nightly battle here, Dorian had some people round that group up too.

    "Take them away."

    Today was the end of this Dar matter.

    As for Alice, who should be waking up by now, he''ll leave the Hous to handle her matter as nned.

    Sure enough, the Hous punished Alice and informed the rest of the staff residing in the estate.

    Everyone dared not to have any other thoughts after seeing Alice''s end.

    Finally, the Tian house was cleaned up.

    Happy. Happy. Happy.

    .

    "What a fun y. I wonder when I''ll be able to make paper men as sturdy as the Grandmaster''s?"

    "Heh. In your dreams! I shall be the one to master it before anyone else."

    "Hey... I wonder when the Grandmaster will start epting disciples. Obviously, I''m the best candidate."

    "Screw you, Sota! If anyone should be his disciple, it should be me!"

    "Damn, Wayne! Are you trying to fight me for a position I''ve been vying for?"

    The group of lucky disciples opportuned to watch the show were all excited, talking about the events that unfolded.

    Don''t think they didn''t notice the use of several spells and attacks from beginning to end.

    Many were so pumped up that they immediately said their farewells and left the Tian estate, rushing back to the Academy through any of the 3 portals stationed across the city.

    As for the police who came to take the intruders away, they were also at a loss.

    What sort of hellish beatings had these people taken to be left in this state?

    Shudder. Shudder.~

    Many felt a chill crawl up their homes, handcuffing the prisoners after taking off their masks.

    Hell! Not even the women were spared... This was real equality.

    .

    The police officers ced them in the prison wagon trucks and took them away without further questions.

    In truth, they were also happy with this capture. Why? Because theputers they retrieve and some files they find would also help crack the dar''s forces.

    Of course, down the line, those in the Dar would eventually know Snake''s team was captured. But for now, the news wasn''t known to others.

    So this window of opportunity was perfect for going undercover. They could pretend to be Snake''s group for a while.

    Of course at the same time, they also had to dim the other members of Snake''s group scattered around the world.

    Snake''s leader had some form abroad, like Night Whisperer, who returned to help, while others were hiding within the country.

    So you see, this was a perfect time to strike!

    Allputers, gadgets, phones, and everything else found in their sleeping quarters, hotels, or other ces would need to be taken in.

    However, what the police didn''t know was that even though they were captured, these killers had already taken precautions should they get caught.

    So everything they had here was ''clean.''

    There was no information linking them to the dar at all.

    All the police would find would be their ns for infiltrating the Tian estate and nothing more. Even the phones they had here were burner phones, ones they could throw away after usage.

    And now, even though they had been captured, they were waiting for their members to break them out.

    Why? Because people in the Dar also had spies and members who did ''ordinary'' jobs like being police officers.

    So was this truly thest they would see of them?... Who knows... Only time will tell.

    .

    Vrmmmmm!~

    The police vehicles left the scene, as well as the many disciples.

    Alice was also sent out by the Hou guards after begging and pleading to no end.

    Her dreams of marrying Jung Hou were a thousand times harder than before.

    "No! No!... I''m a genius! You can''t do this to me! I didn''t know they were criminals. Believe me, senior Jung. Don''t you like me?"

    "_"

    Alice''s heart was in disarray as she struggled to break from the Hou guards.

    Her eyes were crazed, and her heart was pounding wildly.

    Her dreams... Her hope of marrying the wealthy man...

    "Get your filthy hands off me!!"

    She released an ear-bursting threat, shaking her head maniacally after getting Jung Hou''s rejection.

    While begging, she bravely confessed her love, only to get a straight rejection.

    He didn''t even hesitate to tell her no.

    Why! Was he blind? Was he made of stone? Or could he be dead down there?

    No! She was beautiful! A genius many praised and a one-of-a-kind one at that... So why was Senior Jung not moved by her?

    Alice had her hands on her head, shaking in disbelief.

    It''s over... It''s over...

    "No! This can''t be! Tell me you''re joking, senior!"

    In no time, the desperate Alice was escorted by the Hou guards after taking her suspension notice and told to return to the Hospital to take her work transfer forms after a few days.

    She looked like a corpse while taken out. And just like that, the matter had ended with the elders surrounding Dorian.

    With them alone, the atmosphere once again turned solemn.

    "Grandmaster... We''ve been keeping an eye out for weird news and reports." Old Giamented, with everyone nodding too.

    It was only bing exorcists did they realize how many ''ridiculous'' and bizarre reports were true.

    Even some online threads or news posted on blogs and personal chats and forums were important to them.

    Strange disappearances, bodies appearing with deep unexinable animal marks��

    They found their cases like so.

 Chapter 410 Mysterious Case - 2

    Hmmm...

    Old Gia thought of something else that made his eyes flicker.

    "Grandmaster... A strange case has appeared abroad... Grandmaster, it''s too weird."

    "Oh?" Dorian was intrigued, listening with azy glint.

    "Yes, Grandmaster... It concerns a missing group that lost connection during a live broadcast."

    Old Gia recalled the mysterious man''s face in the live broadcast.

    His presence alone sent waves that chilled his spine.

    He felt it was best for the Grandmaster to investigate the cause since he couldn''t tell what they were up against if there was indeed an evil hand in this.

    If they should go, this was also the first time they would be leaving the country''s shores to investigate cases abroad.

    The people were missing, and those abroad searched for their bodies crazily.

    What''s more, one of the missing people happens to be the child of an insanely wealthy family whom Old Gia had heard about.

    How interesting...

    Dorian tapped his fingers yfully.

    Wasn''t this the perfect chance to spread their influence andplete his missions from the system?

    "Bring it."

    "Right away, Grandmaster!" Old Gia quickly took out a sh drive from his pockets.

    His subordinates had organized all videos in files on the drive.

    As he said, the case was such big international news, including the disappearance of that wealthy man''s only daughter.

    Even Mercenaries were called in to help look for her. The wealthy man wasn''t putting all his eggs in one basket by relying on the police alone.

    Foriegn detectives and others were alerted. There was a fat ransom money too hard to miss.

    As for the videos, each missing streamer had their own private live broadcast channel. So he had to watch everyone''s videos to urately depict what happened.

    Since there were so many, Dorian had Bewoh plug the sh drive into theptop, and everyone gathered to watch. And on the side, Butler Sheng brought tea for them.

    The doors were shut, and the volume raised louder than usual.

    Alright.

    Click.

    The video broadcast belonging to the streamer named Chris began ying.

    Right off the bat, their talk about spending the night in a deste grave ground was already a red g.

    What''s wrong with kids nowadays?

    The elders felt these groups were pushing their luck. Even if there was any evil entity close by, they should fear criminals and other dangers.

    Why do such a dangerous dare because of online fame? So what if their fans requested it?

    Unless they went under the protection of others, they should never take such risks.

    What if they wake up with a missing kidney or eye? Or better still, what if they wake up trafficked to a faraway ce?

    Too dangerous!

    .

    Dorian thinned his eyes, staring at the screen intently.

    He watched them trail across the forest path until they reached the river.

    "Wait." Dorian''s words echoed. "Go back."

    Go back? Was there something they missed?

    Bewoh did as Dorian instructed. And the video was yed back, but slower than before.

    Eh?

    In mortal ears, one can only hear the wind gently rustling across the grass and leaves.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Everything seemed ordinary. But just then, they heard a strange growl that appeared for a few milliseconds before vanishing.

    It sounded like several fingernails excitedly clipping in the wind.

    Already, everyone''s face was cold. Sure enough, their disappearance wasn''t ordinary.

    The gang crossed the stream, heading for the narrow valley path ahead.

    Up ahead, there were several hills that hid the main hill at the center quite nicely.

    Dorian''s eyes glowed, noticing the positions at which the hills stood. It wasn''t natural.

    They watched the group reach the hill at the center. There was a long, narrow, and creepy staircase leading to the top. And scattered in every corner were frogs that cracked and hopped mysteriously across the scene.

    "Frogs here?" Why only on this hill?

    The elders all questioned the scene, agreeing to the words from the missing streamers.

    Look! Even the streamer called J, questioned the strangeness of the scene.

    Sadly, they still threw caution to the wind, ascending the stairway despite all the warnings they saw.

    .

    "Grandmaster... That''s him!"

    Oh?

    Dorian and everyone else watched the strange shadowy silhouette slowly descend toward the advancing bunch.

    The man was dawned in old clothing worn by people several years before now.

    The 17th century? Very old foreign attire.

    Everyone had unsettling thoughts, hoping their imaginations were wrong.

    And then... The man''s words caused an explosion in their minds.

    Then with the eerie shed wound across his face, he smiled slyly, telling the tale surrounding the grave site.

    [People say when the moon reaches a certain peak every 100 years, escaping the grave site bes impossible. And tonight happens to be that night. But the grave site will never take people away without their permission... So are you sure you want to go in?]

    Everyone''s face lost color.

    No! Don''t answer!

    The man''sst words weren''t per se a question but a trick! And now that they replied, agreeing to go to the grave site, then their fate was already sealed.

    This man was the grave site''s true keeper.

    No...

    Can they be sure he was even a man?

    They went through all the videos, having an overall understanding of what happened.

    For sure, the group began losing signal at the bottom of the hill. And after ascending, though their live broadcast still went on, it wasn''t as clear as before.

    Things continued as so even after they broke into the building on the hill... Until suddenly, their videos all went static at the same time.

    ZZZZZZZ~~~~

    The static was all they could see and hear.

    The end.

    No one knows what happened to them. And now, the entire Vardos Country is looking for them.

    .

    The academy elders fell into momentary silence. For sure, their disappearance wasn''t ordinary.

    Dorian slowly took a sip of tea, looking at the massive clock on the wall.

    9:15 A.M.

    "Elder Hou, Haru, and Endo... Get ready."

    They leave at 5.

 Chapter 411 A Nightmarish Case

    With their n in motion, everyone scattered.

    It seemed abrupt to leave so suddenly after getting the news, but the whole point of the academy''s creation was for them to be able to handle matters like this at the drop of a hat, whenever and wherever danger raises its ugly head.

    As the grandmaster said, he''ll take Old Hou, Endo, and Haru.

    He also allowed disciples to tag along, but it would be up to the 3 elders to pick them out.

    Each person was to pick no more than 6 people... Making a total of 18 disciples.

    Amongst the chosen 18, was Jung Hou, old Hou''s son... Wei Gia, old Gia''s son... And Ghu Dwo, Old Ghu''s son, who was also Sota''s father.

    Don''t look at Sota at 17 and think his father was old.

    Ghu Dwo married at the age of 18 and had Sota at 20.

    In turn, Old Ghu and Old madam Ghu had a love that bloomed from their young youth, marrying early too.

    Thus, they birthed Ghu Dwo far back before their friends, Old Gia and Old Hou, had married and had children.

    For the Ghu''s, their grandson was simr in age to Dorian. But for the Hous and Gia, their grandchildren were around 2~9 years old.

    Who asked Old Gia and Old Hou to marry farte after their 20s, while Old Ghu married at 18?

    So yes... Jung Hou, old Ghu''s son, was 31 years old, but Ghu Dwo was almost 38.

    Wei Gia, old Gia''s son was 29 instead.

    Amongst the group going, the one called Ajin, was also going. He was the person who escorted Dorian, Butler Sheng, and Chan-ki to the Academy''s ind via chopper back then when Dorian had just bought the ind.

    Though he had fought several strange, peculiar creatures on the academy grounds since bing an exercise, this would be his first real battle with the enemy.

    How did he feel?

    Ajin took in deep breaths, putting his talismans away.

    He already felt passionate about Talisman''s wanting to be a Talisman master!

    Mind you, Talismans, Arrays, and formations were simr in that to make an array, one must know how to make talismans and inscribe appropriately.

    .

    For formations, they were abination of at least 3 arrays.

    So a formation could be triangr, rectangr, and in many shapes that were all bnced and equal.

    In this sense, Talismans, Arrays, and even formations had the same basic and borderline principle, linking them together.

    But why was being a Talisman master different from being an Array/formation master?

    That''s because there was also more to them than what the basics could show.

    Only after one chooses a particr one can they start seeing their differences.

    Of Course, from day 1, he and every other disciple know that as they grow stronger, they would have to take up more professions that match their strength.

    As he advances his exorcist tank, he must keep adding his professions.

    He could be a 2-star alchemist, as well as a 1-star beast tamer in future.

    Again, his exorcism rank also tells how many professions he should take up.

    A no-rank exorcist isn''t required to take up or study a profession.

    But from H-rank ascending to A, he will have to keep adding his profession every step of the way.

    From H to E, he was required to have mastered at least 2 professions, taking exams and earning a 2-star title from both professions.

    To move from E to a D-rank exorcist, this was a must.

    And from D to B, he would have to master 2 other professions, having the minimum title of 4-star level in both, including the initial 2 he studied earlier.

    So at that level, he could be a lot-star cksmith, 4-star Talisman master, 5-star Alchemist, and 4-star Beast tamer.

    .

    Moving on... After entering A grade, he has to master another profession, as well as all his other professions, to at least 5-star level.

    But do you think this is all?

    No!

    From S-rank, Double S-rank, Triple S-rank, Divine Rank, and Celestial rank, he would have to take up more professions and raise his profession level.

    For professions, this was how they were ranked, from 1-star to 9-star, before advancing to:

    ?Novice Master

    ?Unparalleled master.

    ?And finally, Venerated Master!

    So one could be an Unparalleled Potion Master, A Novice Master Teacher, a Venerated Puppet master, and so In.

    It would shock many to know that the Academy had a total of 30 primary Professions.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Of course, the academy didn''t expect them to learn all these progressions.

    No...

    Even if they did reach the Divine Exorcist rank, they might only take up 9 professions, with some taking up only 8.

    Yes!

    It''s true that after breaking out from their mortal shells, their brains were more flexible, and they could recall everything at the drop of a hat, with remarkable memories that could recall everything, as though they were holding physical books in their hands.

    But that didn''t mean theirprehension and abilities were limitless. So the academy''s system was created to assist them in growing.

    For now, Ajin was only to learn 2 professions and not to jump and take up 6 or 12 because he could.

    Only after he bes a D-rank Exorcist could he take up more professions.

    One must first learn how to crawl before one can walk.

    Of course, before he could choose what he liked, they did give them a feel as to what the other professions were. And Ajin felt his affinity for 2 jobs... Being an Appraiser and Talisman master.

    A Talisman master can also be called a Calligraphy mashed or Paint Master.

    They can invite string forces from the talismans and paintings they conjure.

    He can shoot wind out a single paper, conjure up paintings toe alive, and attack his enemies.

    This was different from a formation/array master''s work.

    Ajin took in deep breaths, carefully cing his talismans away.

    He also had his ink brush and rolled-up canvas.

    These were his fighting weapons, he knew best to use.

    .

    Like so, the chosen disciples realized themselves for the battle ahead. But they weren''t the only ones gearing in for the killing.

    In Vardos Country, many had solemn faces.

    "What do you mean you can''t find a thing? LOOK HERE, Dammit!... I want every single cop on the case! I don''t care what it takes, but get me some evidence! Anything, even a thread from a shirt! Or are you telling me they just vanished in thin air?"

    Boom!

    The police report smashed his palms on his table furiously, causing many to recoil. But they dared not say a thing.

    "Wastes! You all are a waste of taxpayers'' money! I''ve seen little girls who do a sh** load more than you lot. What''s the use of training your worthless asses if you can''t find anything substantial? What''s it gonna take to get a DNA sample here?"

    Ghaaahhh!

    The deputy was breathing heavily. "Do you know what they''re calling us on Tv? God Dammit!"

    The Deputy took off his hat, mmed it on the ground, and ruffled his hair in frustration.

    "Look at it! The press already has a field day with this one. This news will be front line on the papers, mocking us for years toe if we don''t turn this thing around!"

    Everyone''s heart was thumping loudly, their foreheads drenched in sweat. Who can tell them or at least give them a good lead to cracking this case?

    Never have they seen such a bizarre case like this one.

    The ce was cleaned up too well by the criminals, making it hard for them to find any single thing.

    Indeed... It was as though the missing people never went to the mass graveyard.

    How to say it? It was as though after the group reached the narrow Stony stairway, they vanished without even ascending towards the Gravesite.

    At least that''s how the clues seemed. It led to a dead end.

    Again, the small building on the gravesite showed no signs of a break-in.

    Honestly, if not for the love broadcast that showed the group breaking in, they would''ve never believed it.

    The criminals who kidnapped the group should be highly skilled and professional.

    How did they do it? How did they eliminate and manage so much in such a short period?

    You have to know that after the group lost contact, their audience quickly contacted the police for them.

    In under 2 hours, a search was conducted on the Gravesite that same night... Or should they say early morning since it was past midnight.

    So within that time, these criminals managed to kidnap the group and take them out while burning the evidence.

    They didn''t escape by air.

    So, could there be some hidden tunnel they were unaware of?

    (?~?)

    Dammit.

    The deputy was going crazy, seeing how fruitless their efforts were.

    "I don''t care! No matter what, we must find them all before these foreigners do... One more thing. We must find the mysterious stranger with the sher wound on his face!"

 Chapter 412 Global Chaos

    People frowning, others waiting, some moving back and forth, scrutinizing the scene, others scribbling down words, and many taking pictures and videos of all they saw.

    And sure enough, the news reporters were all over the scene, wanting to try information out from anyone they saw passing by.

    There was police tape around the front region of the film with the mass gravesite on it.

    No one was permitted to ascend.

    "Sir! Sir! Can you tell us how much progress has been made?"

    "Sir! Sir! Any news or leads as to who is a primary suspect for their kidnapping?"

    "Sir! Sir! The viewers would like to know why your police forces haven''t found anything yet. The viewers want to know why you are wasting their money." Taxpayers'' money.

    "Sir! Sir!... Will your team feel ashamed if a foreign team cracks the case? My inside source says you guys haven''t found a single blue yet. How can you call police officers if you can''t find anything during this period?"

    "Excuse me, sir!... Just one question."

    "Sir!... Over here."

    "Sir!... Sir with their mustache."

    "Thedy with the silver bun... One question, please."

    ...

    As expected, the news reporters were ruthless, everyone wanting to squeeze information from these frustrated cops, even if it meant angering them.

    Hey...

    A good headline could sell thousands and sometimes millions. And the firstpany or people to break the news are dubbed the winners in this reporting business.

    Some were taking in views and recordings to send to their bosses, while others were showing the news live and direct, from news channels to personal news and gossip bloggers, who came on their own.

    "This is Elizabeth Organ from the Bailey News World,ing to you live. It''s been 2 days since the horrible incident happened, and there is no news from the police yet. Tom, what''s your take on the matter?"

    "I tell you, Elizabeth, I think it''s tragic how these streamers got kidnaped... Their parents are aggrieved and want news now, but to talk of the countless fans praying for their safety."

    "That''s right. There are countless fans sending messages, showing their disappointment with the police. Such a rigorous search, with choppers and all sorts of heavy gadgets, was brought over. Yet, nothing has been found."

    "Hmmm. Some can''t say it''s ipetence. Who knows if by now, our missing streamers are being fitted like dishes somewhere? Some say they want to sue the police if a single strand of hair is missing from their favorite streamers."

    "That''s right. It''s said some foreign detectives already have leads. Yet, our country''s police officers are still clueless. So isn''t this the height of ipetence? Why can''t they even find that sher-faced man yet?"

    ...

    More tens, hundreds, and thousands of people watching the different news channels and personal blogging stations on V-tube, and other streaming tforms, were cursing at the prevalent police departments.

    A youngster eating peanuts threw it at his tv, cursing loudly.

    "A bunch of wastes!! If they don''t find my goodess, I''ll camp outside the police station and throw stones in their windows! Curse them all! I want my goddess found!"

    The one scene was staged, as people left all over the country, and even abroad, were going gaga.

    Coincidentally, hundreds of Tv stations in many countries also reported the matter as global inte news.

    It has been a long time since news of this nature has made the entire world actively curse.

    In just these 2 days, the missing streamers had now reached great celebrity status, with the images circted across the world.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If anyone sees them, quickly inform the police.

    Messages were passed like this in many countries. After all, who knows if the kidnappers wanted to traffic the missing streamers to a country abroad?

    This was a hot potato, and no country dared to bex about this matter.

    In airports and seaports, people were checking the flowing passengers seriously.

    Like so, the news quickly followed and reported the dynamics of everything on the scene.

    And the more they did, the more the police felt their heads swell.

    Those at the head couldn''t take it anymore, letting the F.B.I and other drained people hop aboard the investigations.

    These people came with sunsses and arrogant demeanors, some also holding briefcases.

    They didn''t speak, only showing their badges, before entering the scene and looking for clues.

    Maybe they too felt the police to be ipetent, not wanting to talk with people with lesser skills.

    Of course, it was a fact that the F.B.I training was superior to standard police training.

    Even with this case, many F.B.I agents secretly looked down on these regr cops.

    They moved quickly, only giving these ipetent cops a brief cordial stare.

    Hmph!

    ''Step aside and see how real masters work.''

    The police investigation teams were boiling in fury but knew they couldn''t say a thing.

    Everyone had distorted faces, also continuing their investigations.

    The superiors on top said they had to work together with these F.B.I people.

    This didn''t mean it was a case handover. It simply meant the many superiors and country needed all hands on deck with this one.

    "Well, what the hell are you staring at? Quickly! Get back to work!" The lead officer ordered before giving these arrogant F.B.I people a cold stare.

    He has never been fond of them. Every time he handed over a case to them to work alongside them, they treated him and his teams asckeys and not equals.

    Heh.

    The lead officer sneered.

    He would like to see how far they can go, especially after they announced themselves so much.

    They allowed themselves to be interviewed, probably to calm the masses.

    And now, the people were happy the country sent highly skilled specialists like themselves over.

    He hoped the victims would be found, either b his people or even foreigners, but not by these arrogant Agents!

    But as they say, the bigger the expectations, the greater the disappointment.

    Tch!

 Chapter 413 Gang Leader?

    With the FBI agents and very well-known skilled personnel on the scene, the audience and everyone else seemed to regain hope, feeling their favorite idols will appear in no time.

    But hours flew by in a blink of an eye, and everyone''s smile began to crack.

    Specialists, my ass!

    "Didn''t they say they would be able to find clues or get leads in under 2 hours?"

    "Hey! It''s been 5 hours now, and we haven''t heard a thing from their side. Fakes!"

    "Upstairs, you said it well. How dare they make such ims if they can''t even get a single lead since then?"

    "Dammit! Are you sure these are our country''s best? Is something ying with us here? I want to see my Goddess now!"

    (*��*)

    Many viewers were angered to death by the false hope these people gave them.

    You have to know that when the reporters asked questions when these people first arrived, some smiled arrogantly, saying they would get leads in 1~2 hours at most.

    As much as everyone cheered for them at the beginning, was how they were booed at now.

    What was going on here?

    These prestigious and famous agents and personnel felt a thickyer of sweat cover their foreheads, staring at the scene with crazed eyes.

    How can this be?

    It was as if the group had vanished into a different dimension after ascending the narrow stony path.

    No footprints on the grounds, no broken grass talks, or anything to prove they are here.

    The dogs sniffed it to no avail, in confusion.

    On the video broadcast, one of the girls identally tripped near a particr stone.

    But when they checked, nothing was out of the ordinary, with no traces of anything left behind.

    F***!

    The tombstones didn''t even have the girl''s fingerprints.

    So, what sort of high-level criminals were they working with to be able to leave such a clean crime scene?

    .

    Everyone was stomped.

    In all their years, they had never seen anything like this.

    If they eventually catch the criminals, they would like to interrogate them personally to know how they did it.

    Such criminal minds were not allowed to blend with society without supervision!

    Just look at the perfect escape n they hatched.

    They felt it should be the work of a criminal syndicate unknown to them. It might be a deadly one that can pose a threat to their country if not stopped.

    Who knows what other activities these people did other than kidnapping? Or maybe they also do drug trafficking too?

    (?~?)

    The level of skill disyed in this ''clean'' scene frightened them silly.

    Of course, they also felt regretful about shooting their mouths earlier.

    5 hours have gone by, and they already know how many people want to have their heads.

    Even more annoying were the annoying told-you-so smiles on the lips of these police officers.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They were silent, but their expression said it all.

    ''What? Didn''t you say you could get the job done at a snap of a finger?''

    ''Hey... You told us to give you way, saying without capabilities, we won''t be able to crack it. And now, aren''t you in the same predicament?''

    ''Pfft~... I thought you all were better. But now, I can see you''re just so-so.''

    The faces of these special personnels turned red and distorted, trying their best not to focus on the police or their surroundings.

    Were they disgruntled? Sure they were!

    Their fists were clenched so hard blood was near-dripping out.

    Since when did they, people of their credentials, get mocked and taunted t in the face like this?

    They knew that talking or defending themselves was of no use.

    What the people wanted were results!

    .

    Like so, the strange disappearance of the many idols caused a national storm.

    The police also pleaded with the audience, wanting to find the mysterious man with the horrendous scar shed across his face.

    People screamed in shock, feeling the man''s projected face was too scary.

    Some people even opened blogs and forums, specting about the identity of the strange man.

    Who was he?

    Many said he was the leader of the criminals. But that didn''t make any sense. How can the leader of the criminal gang willingly show his face live?

    Isn''t that too stupid? Or could it be the guy so confident in his criminal organization that he didn''t care about offending the world?

    Many now call the guy Mr. sher online.

    Of course, some said the man probably had nothing to do with the situation.

    They said it was mean for others to specte he had something to do with it because of his strangeness and appearance.

    But many again argued that if he was innocent, why didn''t he call the police to report herself after seeing the many posters and people searching for him?

    He said he lived in the city with his wife. Yet, no one can find him.

    The police also scouted the nearby regions, but no one, not even those living in the woods within the outskirts regions, had seen the man''s face in their lives.

    He''s not in the city, and he''s not around the vicinity.

    If everyone can recall, his time and the many hints he gave would let people feel he was an ordinary, regr, everyday person.

    So howe he suddenly has the capability to vanish without a trace from the police''s detection?

    In this social media-crazed ear, are you saying this didn''t see a thing?

    Fine! Even if he didn''t, the Tv had reported the matter continuously. So there was no excuse.

    What''s more, the words he said to the group about disappearing when they did were too coincidental.

    So in conclusion, many felt he was a prime suspect! A bold one at that. Since he dared to show his face.

    But how would they have known the mysterious man didn''t care whether his face was shown since the next time he appears might be decadester?

    Heh.

    Not his problem.

 Chapter 414 Strange Call

    The country was going crazy, and the wealthy man who lost his daughter was also panicking.

    His name was Elric Montague, father to Jenny Montague.

    Elric felt he was on the cusp of death if he didn''t find his daughter.

    He promised his dead wife he would always take care of her. Now, look at it.

    He shouldn''t have listened to her pleas for wanting to live an ordinary life.

    As the only heir and sessor to his Montaguepanies, how can her life be anything ordinary?

    After the age of 11, his daughter locked herself in her room, refusing toe out unless he all-weather joined ordinary public skills and lived like a typical youth.

    At first, he had guards monitor her for years without end.

    Nothing ever happened, and no one seemed to know her since she also never attended elite parties with him.

    Now she was a full-fledged teenager whom no one knew was a secret heir to his billionaire household.

    So he thought things would be alright.

    But fate chose to y a cruel prank on him after many years of letting his guard down. And now, his beloved daughter has been kidnapped!

    He mmed his fists on his desks, causing many to jump back with trembling shoulders.

    His office was dead silent, now of the many men and women in suits daring to speak.

    Elric swept his red-hot eyes at them. "No calls yet? No one asking for handsome money?"

    A middle-aged woman pushing her sses inwardly with a calm face. "None, leader. They might be trying toy low from all themotion before trying to contact us."

    "What about the tracking device? Still not found yet?"

    "No, sir. Till now, we can''t find where her tracking devices were disposed of."

    The secretary felt it was weird.

    The scene from the tracking devices hidden within the little miss''s phone and charm bracelet all proved she was indeed stepping won''t the gravesite.

    How to say it?

    The signal indeed shows that the miss entered that building on the cemetery grounds.

    But after midnight, the signal strangely became dull until it vanished into thin air.

    Meaning someone must''ve shut it down. But how can they do it without triggering their defenses?

    You have to know that their leader, being one of the wealthiest people in the country who also had military and political powers, indeed had one of the best security technologies at his disposal.

    So for someone to bypass their systems without getting any alert meant they were just too skilled, with a deadly qualified team.

    But what did they want? And who were they?

    For people with such skills, everyone in the room felt ordinary trafficking and organ selling were beneath them.

    No...

    They definitely attacked the idol group because of their little miss.

    So was this a political matter? And what was up with the many useless police officers, mercenaries, and detectives they reached out to?

    Are you saying no one in the world can be of assistance to them?

    --Silence--

    The quietness made everyone''s thoughts spin.

    RING!!!!!~

    Elric''s hand moved like lightning towards the singing phone.

    Who?

    [Is this Mr. Elric?]<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Yes! Yes! This is him! What have you done with my daughter, you crazy bastards!" Elric exploded all the pent-up emotions he carried. But the other side didn''t rush to hold him back.

    Of course, the call was also monitored to trace where it wasing from.

    What?

    In the sky? On an aircraft?

    [Are you done, Mr. Elric?]

    Elric gnashed his teeth and prayed for patience.

    ''Done my ass!''

    "Speak, you bastard! What is it that you want?"

    [Tone, Mr. Elric, tone... I''m not the enemy here.]

    Elric was taken aback. "Not the enemy? Then who are you?" And how did they get his private phone number?

    Getting it isn''t an easy feat.

    Of course, he had all phones wired for tracing, whether public or private.

    This alone showed the capabilities of those calling in.

    Elric was already on edge, listening to the calm voice on the other side.

    [Who I am isn''t important for now. What''s important is that you find your daughter, correct?]

    Elric squinted his eyes. "Correct. I want my daughter. And I take it you have a way to bring her back to one ce without a single strand of hair missing?"

    [Hmmm... My master can do it.]

    "What? Your master?"

    [Yes, Mr. Elric. I''m calling on behalf of my master to assist you in solving the problem. If you ept our help, we can guarantee that much.]

    Everyone in the room was silent, feeling the matter tricky.

    Why did they feel that the people behind the caller might be the same people who kidnapped their misses?

    What was the scheme here? What was their big n?

    To get the leader/boss to a hidden location before taking him out?

    ''Boss, don''t fall for their tricks!''

    Everyone was uneasy but stayed silent, listening to the person on the other end.

    [Mr. Elric, I know you''re dubious of my identity. But you have nothing to fear. Soon, you''ll get a call from several others confirming my identity. In fact�� you probably know of me, though we haven''t met yet.]

    Elder Hou wasn''t joking.

    The Hous many medical industries were globally known. So wouldn''t he know when he saw him?

    Again, Old Gia had already called several people in the country, making clearance for them.

    Military people knew other powerful military people globally.

    They had their unique circle, though sometimes, knowing another didn''t mean you were friends with them.

    Old Gia had many powerful top military heads as enemies too.

    In the room, everyone looked puzzled, wanting to know who the mysterious caller was.

    Elric stared at his table in brief silence.

    "Alright. I''ll enlist your services. But if there''s any foul y, I''ll make sure your bones are never found."

    [Mr. Elric�� I''ll forgive you for your harsh words just this once��As I said, Mr. Elric. You''re not the only powerful one here... Now then, let''s get down to business.]

 Chapter 415 The Arrival Of The Mysterious Helpers

    ~Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

    Elric''s fingers drummed in a steady rhythm.

    Everyone had their heads lowered, uncountable thoughts racing through their minds.

    And in a corner were several police officers tasked with protecting Elric, as well as intercepting any phone calls that might be of importance.

    Typically, Elric didn''t like working with police officers when dealing with matters.

    But seeing as this problem had turned into a national one, his safety and the opportunity to get any vital information was too important for them to miss.

    You must know that any news from Elric will also help the other kidnapped idols.

    It wasn''t just Elric who had police tailing and watching over him.

    The parents of those idols also had people beside them.

    "Mr. Elric. We are obliged to report this matter to our superiors." One of the officers stated.

    Anything rted to the case, be it useful or not, must reach their superior''s ears.

    Hmmmm...

    Elric slowly lifted his head. "As you wish."

    The more, the better.

    This way, even if his people fail to protect him, others would do the work for him, no?

    Elric slowly rose to his feet, wearing his coat and preparing to head out.

    As nned, he had to meet them at the rendezvous point close to the gravesite first.

    And because the so-called caller might be a threat, they must clear out all civilians around, including bloggers and news reporters.

    The mysterious caller said he was innocent. But until he can receive confirmation, why should he drop his guard?

    Hmph!

    Unless he gets confirmation, then forget it!

    RING~

    Speak of the devil.

    Everyone else froze in their tracks, with several others rushing back to their seats and cing their headphones on.

    They clicked several bottoms and gave Elric the go-ahead.

    Elric took deep breaths, seeing the unidentifiable caller iD.

    He calmly picked up his phone and listened attentively. And soon, his eyes widened only briefly.

    "Wiggins... Are you sure you can vouch for him?"

    [On my life, Elric. You''ve heard of the renowned digging machine, Old Gia from the east, haven''t you?]

    Elric nodded slightly. Of course he heard of him. And he had also seen him twice from a distance too.

    .

    Old Gia...

    Elric didn''t know him personally, but the man''s character was well-known to many.

    He was lethal but straightforward, hated cutting corners, and didn''t like tricks or foul y.

    He knew a lot about Old Gia because, as a powerful person, when traveling worldwide, one must know the list of people to not anger.

    He has visited many countries in the past. So how could he not know the powerful people living in those regions?

    As they say, Ignorance was a crime that could lead to more catastrophes.

    When on someone''s turf, you must always be vignt, even if he is stinking rich.

    Of course, he would never go looking for trouble. But he also wasn''t one to sit back when bullied.

    Alright.

    Elric''s eyes flickered. "Wiggins... Since you''re confident, then I''ll trust you this once. And... Thank you."

    [Anytime. You''re my good brother. So how can I let our littledy stay lost? I am her godfather, after all, no?]

    "Hmmm.... I''ll be seeing you soon."

    ~Tut.

    The Call disconnected, and several people let out collective sighs.

    Elric''s men knew who Wiggins was.

    In the military, who didn''t know this man? He was particrly famous within the northern military Fort.

    Elric trusted him mightily. He met Wiggins when they were both teens. And since then, they''ve stayed close.

    Elric was grateful, thinking Wiggins pulled out all his cards to invite specialists to handle the matter.

    He swore that once he reunited with his daughter, he would give Wiggins a big gift.

    Hey... That 11th-century antique in his most prized collection will have to go out.

    Every time Wiggins visited his private collection room, the bastard:s eyes alwaysnded on it.

    Like that, Elric was ready to pour his gratitude out for Wiggins, not knowing the mysterious guests had reached out to help on their own.

    Lucky Wiggins had won a treasure for nothing.

    (^?^)

    .

    Elric was in a slightly better mood, listening to Wiggins'' confirmation.

    Now, he couldn''t wait to meet up with these strangers from the east.

    The police officers were about to report matters when their superiors reached out to them first.

    In the end, the officers nodded tactfully, silently following behind Elric.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    This matter keeps getting weirder and weirder.

    How does the mysterious person know the idols are still alive on the gravesite?

    They have searched with high-end military technologies and haven''t even sensed a single living person around those parts.

    No scans, no heat rays, nothing at all had sensed the missing people.

    Of course, they also had the entire ground space checked to see if there were tunnels running underneath.

    Who knows if there was a dummy tombstone there that revealed a hidden passageway?

    Well, at least that''s what many thought after exhausting all possibilities.

    In the end, the crime scene was too clean. But yet, these people far out in the east imed that the idols were still alive and kicking on the gravesite.

    So does anyone think it''s normal? Or could they have spotted some unbelievable clue while watching the many live broadcast videos?

    Augh~

    Questions, questions... So many questions.

    But who to ask?

    ~Pap!

    Elric''s vehicle doors were shut, and just like that, the group rushed out to the rendezvous point.

    It''s been 2 hours since the mysterious man''s call.

    And they were to meet the man and his group in another 2 and a half hours.

    Of course, from his home to the rendezvous point would take at least 1 hour and 30 minutes.

    But with the traffic alone, leaving the city and parking his vehicle close enough to the rendezvous point will take 2 hours and ten minutes.

    And then, he has to walk on foot for an additional 10~15 minutes.

    So in the end, he might only have a few minutes to spare before the meet-up time.

    .

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Time flowed like stream water.

    Elric was given 4 and a half hours after the phone call to prepare. But he wasn''t the only one doing so.

    The police were on the scene, readying the site by stopping people from trespassing.

    Now, no one can even make it close to the gravesite or even the river those idols crossed.

    Military personnel also descended on the scene, to a heads up from Old Gia''s side.

    As expected, influential people know powerful people.

    Though old Gia didn''t talk much, this tone and heaviness told Wiggins the danger might be terrible.

    The only thing he got was that the matter was beyond the higher military urgency level avable.

    So what did he do? He quickly contacted 2 of his military ''rivals,'' telling them about the matter. He more or less knew what their schedules were like and knew they would be avable.

    They were his rivals, the good sorts, who constantlypeted with him, especially when it came to seeing whose division was better.

    Hey... A little rivalry was enough to stimte the many soldiers underneath them.

    In times like this, Wiggins felt he should call for the best in taking down this deadly threat.

    But he also didn''t want too many people around, lest they alerted the enemy, who might be hiding somewhere in watch.

    If they came in overwhelming numbers, they might push the enemy group to a desperate corner.

    And by then, their hostages/idols might be in danger.

    Tricky... Tricky.

    Wiggins quickly contacted his son, who, in turn, agreed to go on the mission.

    Sure enough, a tiger must birth another tiger.

    His son had made him proud too. And

    Though he admitted that Old Gia''s children were indeed more talented, his son wasn''t all too far behind too.

    At least here in the country of Vardos, acetal people had already seen his son''s vibrant potential.

    His son has made a man for himself over the years and is now a Companymander, overseeing 250 people who go by the name the Red Scorpions.

    Hispany consisted of 4 toons, which were all strong too.

    .

    Back to the matter at hand, his 23-year-old son and 5 others from his son''s group will team with himself and 9 others.

    As for his old rivals, they didn''t want to miss this matter, feeling it might be a heavy one, especially since it concerned a now national problem.

    So each of them wasing with 15 people too.

    The policemissioner and a few superiors from public defense would also be sending in 20 people, some cops, and some FBI.

    Already, many people were waiting to meet the mysterious guests alongside Elric.

    When the call came in, it was alreadyte afternoon.

    And in a blink of an eye, the hours had turned, and the day slowly faded to darkness.

    9:48 PM.

    Everyone heard a familiar yet unfamiliar sound approaching above.

    Whoop. Whoop. Whoop!~

    A stream of choppers was fast approaching.

    Was it them?

 Chapter 416 The One Called Grandmaster

    Everyone''s head was raised high, staring at the choppers descending the scene.

    "Sir, we have eyes on the targets."

    The agents and officers on the scene quickly reported the matter to their superiors on the other end.

    Many already had weapons on hand, ready to fire if need be.

    They were indeed told these people were guests.

    However, that didn''t mean they wouldpromise their primary objective, which was to keep Mr. Elric safe.

    In the back of several people''s heads, this whole thing was ying like a setup.

    On the other hand, they were unwilling to admit that a case they couldn''t figure out or find a starting point with was already solved by people who hadn''t even been on the crime scene before.

    Wasn''t that an insult to their nation''sintelligence?

    It meant that no one, police or agents, could solve the case.

    In other words, they had worse detective skills than foreigners.

    At least, that''s what many, including the news headlines, would say once word goes out.

    The media would eat them raw with all sorts of made-up stories.

    So how can they not feel insulted?

    Tsk!

    Many inwardly scoffed, looking at the descending Choppers.

    What?

    Are you saying the great helper who arrived solved the case by watching the live broadcasts?

    What''s more, how can these people be so confident that the missing streamers were on the hill and also alive?

    Heh.

    They didn''t believe it!

    But what can they do if their superiors had already permitted these mysterious guests to the scene?

    They inwardly felt these people were too suspicious and won''t be able to help much.

    Thus, they had a hint of hostility in their eyes but dared not show it.

    After all, people who can make their superiors polite.

    Plus, don''t you see the famous Field Marshal Wiggins, Harry, and Berry here too?

    To be able to call these powerful and famous people to gather here means these strangers might also hold powerful titles. Or perhaps they were overthinking things.

    Maybe it was solely because of the case that Wiggins, Harry, and Berry came over.

    Either way, everyone felt cautious of these strangers in the chopper, despite their inner thoughts.

    .

    Whoop. Whoop. Whoop~

    Many people''s thoughts were spinning, seeing the Choppers'' propellers slow down.

    The 23-year-old Companymander Julius stood by his father''s side, curiosity gnawing at his heart. But he stayed silent, listening to the old goggles by his side converse.

    Elric''s ball rolled up and down his throat, looking at the alreadynded choppers. "Wiggins, the famous Field Marshal Gia called in for them?"

    "Hmmm... His tone was of utmost respect. We must be careful of the one called Grandmaster."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Berry and Harry raised their brows.

    "I''m curious to know who this Grandmaster is. ording to Old Gia, pissing him off Is equivalent to pissing off the world itself. Meaning there will be no way to run if we anger him?"

    "I heard that part too. But how can a single person hold so much power? Why do I think the old man exaggerated?"

    Whether it was Elric, Julius, or the others, their eyes widened the more they heard.

    Who is this Grandmaster they speak of?

    They had already pictured an old sage man with years of wisdom in his eyes, running fleets and groups of powerful forces and organizations in the shadows located everywhere in the world.

    After all, if angering this person means angering this world, wouldn''t it mean his influence was everywhere, including the city they were currently residing in?

    Wipe!

    Didn''t you hear what Wiggins said? Even the powerful Elric will not be able topete with such a force if irked.

    Lost, spurious, and confused, everyone was on edge, seeing the Chopper doors finally open.

    Should they advance, or should they wait for the guests to approach them?

    Left leg forward, right leg moving backward...

    Their feet were confused on what to do.

    But those in the Choppers had already jumped out.

    Eh? Uniforms?

    The uniforms were school-like and well-fitted with high cors and simplistic yet elegant designs, as though they were students of some rich academy.

    Everyone expected to see people in military wear, but they were met with such a scene. So how can they not be taken aback?

    They had to admit that these people looked too good in their attire.

    And what the hell was up with their skin?

    Could it be these people were in a beauty club or something?

    Their skin and looks were dashing, making Elric''s secretary Kim and several other female soldiers, agents, and officers feel aggrieved.

    Who can tell them why so many people from the east have such bouncy, clear, and youthful skin?

    If it were just one person, they would think it was a coincidence. But when everyone is like this, then it can be said there''s something they do in the east that they in the west don''t do.

    As people in their positions, they had met many people from the east before and confirmed that these people had good and delicate skin types. But those standing here were on another level.

    What they didn''t know was that these guests had far better and more youthful faces because they were exorcists on the path of cultivation.

    .

    "Look! Isn''t that the famous Old Hou of the medical world?"

    "Oh, my heavens! He looks far younger than what his pictures show!"

    "Tsk. They didn''t do him any justice at all. And there... That''s his son, no? Jung Hou?"

    "What? That''s the 31-year-old Jung Hou? No way. Why does he look 21? What the hell are these eastern people eating to look so young?"

    Old man Hou looked to be in histe 30s, while his son looked to be 20 to 21.

    Seeing the famous Old Hou, many felt a strange sense of liberation, as though Old Hou''s experience had made the entire group of eastern foreigners credible.

    But old Hou and Jung Hou weren''t the only ones they recognized.

 Chapter 417 Do You Believe In Fairytales?

    What?

    Are their eyes deceiving them?

    There was Wei Gia, old Gia''s son... And Ghu Dwo, Old Ghu''s son.

    Julius'' eyes were burning with rapture, seeing the famous military devil of the east standing on the opposite side.

    Like Old Gia, Wei Gia was famous, exceeding his father''s aplishments.

    The 23-year-old Julius stared at the 29-year-old Wei Gia, also shocked that Wei Gia looked a year or so younger than himself.

    (-_-)

    Don''t tell him... It must be that these people of the east have special genes, right?

    As for Elric, he recognized Ghu Dwo, shocked that the outstanding Ghu patriarch was there.

    This... This...

    Elric swallowed hard, his thoughts running chaotically.

    He didn''t know the Haru, Endo, and the rest, but thought they should also be powerful.

    And if that''s true and all these people were followers, imagine how powerful this Grandmaster fellow was?

    Goosebumps... Goosebumps...

    Everyone, including Berry and Harry, had stern faces, their eyes still focused on the chopper door Haru was opening.

    Old wise sage man with an exquisite cane... That was the image they had.

    So who can tell them why they were met with a 17-year-old boy instead?

    (?_?)

    "Grandmaster!" Haru and the others saluted as if confirming his identity for many to see.

    [Everyone]: "_"

    Hold on... This was the Grandmaster? This little brat?

    Confusion, disbelief, doubt.

    Who would believe it?

    .

    Wiggins shook his thoughts, calmly making his way toward the group of arrivees.

    What? Do you expect him, a powerful military field marshal, to be scared of a little beat? Impossible!

    He and everyone else felt he probably inherited his position from his father and nothing more.

    They would treat the boy with caution.

    But as they say, respect is to be earned, not forced. So don''t expect them to treat this brat like these eastern people do.

    Hmph!

    The initial fear and worry in everyone''s eyes died down. But Haru, Old Hou, Endo, and the rest didn''t care much about the changes in these people.

    As they say, real gold shines anywhere. And the Grandmaster would definitely shine brightly.

    "Wee, Grandmaster... I''m Field Marshal Wiggins; here are field marshals Harry and Berry. And for your client, Mr. Elric, this is he."

    Wiggins wasted no time with a brief introduction, and Haru did the same on behalf of Dorian.

    Who made the Grandmaster hate lengthy talks?

    Everyone noticed that when Haru was introducing them, he addressed Endo, himself, and Old Hou as Elders... While calling the rest disciples.

    In the end, he heard they were from the Heavenly Tian Academy?

    Where was that? Never heard of it.

    The group inwardly noted this name forter, especially secretary Kim.

    They''ll have to research itter. But for now, it was time to get down to business.

    Very quickly, everyone found themselves moving alongside Dorian at his pace.

    And as they moved, so did their lips, updating these eastern foreigners with all information gathered.

    "Lasers, movement detection gadgets... You name it. We''ve tried our best to locate any signs of them but failed. So pardon our disbelief. But how sure are you that they''re still alive and hiding on the hilltop?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Dorian only noddedzily, letting Haru talk. "My Grandmaster is never wrong. If he was... Wouldn''t he know it?"

    (-_-)

    .

    Everyone was speechless with how much faith these people had in the brat.

    Soon, they reached the mysterious hills, and everyone from the academy suddenly turned grim, leaving Elric and the others confused.

    "What''s going on?"

    "Did you guys see anything?"

    -Silence-

    No one answered their questions, only making the scene grow tenser than it already was.

    F***!

    Many had no choice but to wear their heat and night vision sses while they walked.

    But who can tell them why nothing was still showing up when these academy people were so tense?

    Wei Gia narrowed his eyes, seeing the thick heavy purple mist swirling the air in a spiral manner.

    No.

    The mist was like a cloud circling above all 4 strange hills, with its heavy focal point stationed above the 5th hill in the middle of all 4.

    It was almost as if a portal was about to open above the mysterious hills.

    The air was gloomy, and the trees dull and weak in vitality.

    Appearances can be deceiving.

    To the mortal eye, nothing was wrong, but for those who broke out from their mortal shells, it was a while different ball game.

    With their 3rd eye, they could see that the many veins and channels coursing through the trees were constantly robbed of their natural vitality of qi.

    Everything in this world carried qi, and nature blessed heavenly aura. But they could see the most was turning this aura into a dark one, whichter fed the mist.

    Wei Gia knew it was an evil formation linked with the surrounding hills. But how to destroy it?

    He couldn''t see where the formation started or ended.

    Dammit!

    ''Is this the difference between the elders and myself?''

    Wei Gia clenched his fist, knowing he still had a long way to go if he was going to be a Formation Master!

    .

    Like so, the group advanced through the scene, feeling the strange winds hit them now and then.

    In silence, they moved. But Elric and the non-academy crew kept staring at Dorian, trying to see through him.

    ''What is his n? Could it be that there was a mysterious and hidden trapped space that can only be detected by some strange eastern technology?''

    Curiouser and curiouser...

    Everyone felt Dorian and his academy group were indeed a mysterious bunch. And in no time, they reached the central hill.

    No frogs...

    This was yet another matter Elric, and everyone else noted.

    How strange.

    The group finally ascended the narrow path, and all stood on the mass gravesite, Elric could hear his pounding heart in his ears.

    ''Daughter... Daddy ising for you.''

    "Quickly, Grandmaster. Show us the way... Take us to them!"

    Yes! Yes! It was time to take them there.

    Dorian raised his brows slightly. And for the first time since he came, many saw a different expression on his face.

    "Take you there? Sure... But first, do you believe in fairytales?"

    "..."

 Chapter 418 Eastern Pretenders!

    "_"

    Blink. Blink.

    Erm... Excuse them, but what do Fairytales have to do with this?

    They were having a hard time wrapping their heads around this one.

    But swallowed their thoughts, wanting to see where this brat was going with this. Or could it be that the word fairytale was some secret code used to open the hidden chamber locking the missing streamers up?

    (?��?)

    Dorian chuckled, nodding at Old Hou, Haru, and Endo.

    Sure enough, it was time for the usual routine.

    "For your own good... Hand over your weapons."

    Why?

    Everyone held their weapons defensively, feeling more and more that this was a setup.

    Don''t me them for having imaginative minds.

    Many from the military indeed trusted old Gia. But why were the people he sent so suspicious? Are they truly trustworthy?

    "Sir..."

    What''s your call?

    Everyone looked at Wiggins, Berry, Harry, and Elric as though waiting for heavenly orders. Julius also stood by, waiting for his father''smand.

    He squinted his eyes, once again confirming the oddity of the situation. "Father... Whatever you decide, this son of yours will follow."

    .

    Hmm?

    Elric''s aura grew colder as he slowly marched forward, standing face to face with Dorian as though about to square off.

    ''The boy has guts.'' Elric inwardlymented.

    Make no mistake. His murderous aura was a fierce one that has made grown men wet themselves.

    Others can''t even look him in the eye when he gets serious. Yet, the brat still dawned azy and yful look when facing him.

    But though he was impressed, he still maintained his stance.

    "Boy... I hope you know what you''re doing because if this is a trap, then you best believe I will fight you with everyst drop of my blood!"

    So what if this imp ran some powerful organization?

    Even if he failed in battling the brat, he would make sure to first annihte and cripple over 70% of the boy''s forces before going down!!!

    No matter the cost, he, Elric Montague, was a man of his word.

    As for Haru and the rest, they didn''t move, only humbly watching the scene.

    It was understandable for anyone to have doubts. If it were them, they too would feel cheated if asked to hand over their weapons.

    So they knew how these people felt. But no matter what, the weapons must be handed in. There was no other way.

    Elric and Dorian seemed to be in a fierce staring battle, with no one backing down.

    It was more urate to say that Elric stared at Dorian with a serious look while Dorian maintained his usual expression as though not fazed by anything.

    Augh~

    It was like hitting a brick wall with cotton.

    "Fine!... Have it your way then... We''ll drop our weapons, but don''t think we have no way to call in for backup if things go wrong."

    Yes.

    They were still allowed to stay with their phones, walkie-talkies, and othermunication devices, some of which would still be active even if one''s phone signal was low or nonexistent.

    So blocking one''s phone signal wouldn''t be an issue for them.

    Radio waves and other private frequency channels were what these devices relied on.

    .

    Additionally, Eric''s watch had a button that, with one click, would send his many forces to this spot.

    Again, they were only handing in their guns.

    At least, for those who carried tasers, they were indeed allowed to hold onto them.

    These Eastern people''s only worries were guns and any grenades or explosives they might carry.

    Hmph!

    Party poopers.

    What''s wrong with a little grenade action?

    Many carefully gave their weapons and explosives to the Academy Elders, inwardly grumbling about the matter.

    As for Elric, Julius, Wiggins, Harry, and Berry, they couldn''t help wondering what sort of wonderful ce they were heading into that couldn''t allow ammunition to cross over.

    Everyone saw the elders keep the weapons by their side before joining Dorian to sit cross-legged in meditation.

    "..."

    What was going on here?

    "Hold on. Why aren''t you taking us in now?"

    Dorian pointed at the moon. "1 hour more."

    He closed his eyes again, not bothering with them any longer.

    Who am I? What am I? Why am I listening to this brat?

    Many were boiling in rage.

    "What did he say?"

    "Field Marshall Harry! I can''t take this anymore! They''re clearly ying with us and stinging us along."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "That''s right! Which of us isn''t a dragon in our perspective fields? In all my years, I''ve never heard of any technology that will reject ammunition and rely on the moon to open its doors."

    "Garbage! I think they''re all rubbish people, here to y a fast one on us."

    "Field Marshall Berry, you think about it. These people are pretenders. What do they mean by acting so mysteriously?"

    "Tsk. I think they haven''t figured things out yet, and are just here to pretend."

    "Wait... Hold on, everyone... Didn''t this guy talk about fairytales earlier? So could it be that the people who designed the hidden passageway did so while adapting various fairytale-like mechanisms?"

    Hey... Now that they mentioned it? Maybe there was some truth to the matter, though deep down, they still didn''t believe it.

    Never in their lives have they witnessed such a confusing, ridiculous mechanism like this.

    .

    Wiggins thinned his lip, finally sighing in defeat and joining these foreigners to sit in wait.

    Looking at their watch, they still had 57 minutes more before whatever mechanism opens.

    So do you expect him to stay standing in wait?

    "Old man, sit down." He tugged on Elric''s pants, and in no time, the group sat opposite these Easterners.

    Now they wait.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock...

    Time moved as slowly as a snail, every second building more and more anxiety in the atmosphere.

    When speaking, many whispered their opinions, not knowing these Easterners had heard everything.

    After all, as exercises, their sight, speed, and hearing were far better than a person who hasn''t broken out of their mortal shell yet.

    They heard every bad spection about themselves but didn''t care.

    They found that after bing exorcists who could live for hundreds and thousands of years, their tempers became better, and they generally didn''t care about such worldly personal gossip.

    What''s the use of getting angry, knowing it won''t be long better they deliver a fierce face p?

    Many shrugged and began going over specific techniques and skills learned within the Academy. Some imagined themselves sword fighting, others using Spears, and so on.

    But why didn''t they cultivate?

    Simple!

    The qi here was too evil. And ording to their Grandmaster, they risk getting contaminated.

    So unless the formation is undone and the space purified, they dared not send such devilish qi into their Daitain.

    Of course, Haru, Endo, Old Hou, and Dorian were the other ones who knew how to dispel the evil essence engulfing each qi wisp before absorbing it.

    It was just that Dorian was way faster than the other elders.

    The technique wasn''t ae one but required a certain skill level. For now, none of the disciples had reached a worthy rank to learn such skills.

    Like so, everyone waited for time to pass, some people feeling it had been an eternity since they sat.

    Some began carefully strolling around as though trying to look for close by themselves, while others spected on what unique technology was used to trap these missing streamers.

    Well, it made sense if one thought deeply.

    No airports, roadways, or people spotted the missing live streamers.

    Again, there was no sign of them leaving this ce. So maybe the kidnappers and the streamers were hidden deep underneath the gravesite, right under their noses.

    These criminals probably wanted toy low before waiting for the right opportunity to sneak away with the missing streamers.

    They knew exactly what they were doing and were sure and confident in their abilities to outsmart everyone.

    Yes...

    These criminals cleared the scene and hid below.

    h, h, h, h.

    Spection, spection.

    This was how some people passed their time. And soon, it was 5 minutes to showtime.

    .

    Whoosh!

    The academy members opened their eyes simultaneously, calmly taking to their feet. And everyone else hastily stood too.

    Wiggin''s eyes shed with a strange light.

    Alright.

    It''s time to see what this whole thing is about.

    It would be a lie to say he wasn''t curious.

    He also wanted to know what skills this brat had to make many people respect him.

    In no time, the academy elders and disciples formed a diamond-shaped formation, with the elders standing on the major points.

    "Everyone, stay within the space."

    Sure. Whatever.

    Many rolled their eyes, letting these academy people form a wall around them.

    Hmph!

    As trained personnels with their ranks and titles, did they need these people to protect them?

    Many scoffed, but soon, something happened that left their jaws touching the floor.

    They... Have they developed the ability to daydream with their eyes open?

    Or else, how can such a thing be real?

    (0��0)

 Chapter 419 Its Changing!!!

    Elric, Julius, Wiggins, Berry, Harry, Secretary Kim, and everyone else stayed within the human walls surrounding them, with hands on their gadgets.

    Some tightened their grip on their tasers; others like Elric, kept his hand on his watch.

    Any funny business, and he won''t hesitate to press the button, calling for backup.

    At the same time, they couldn''t help but wonder why these people were so mysterious about this.

    "The papers given to you... You must keep them on you at all times."

    Haru''s words whistled in the air, and everyone was taken aback, remembering that after meeting with the group, they had indeed been given thin, small, rectangr-shaped papers with strange symbols.

    Secretary Kim, who spoke over 5 easternnguages, knew these symbols weren''t familiar.

    Julius, Elric, and Wiggins, who spoke some easternnguages, couldn''t make out the symbols either.

    It was also now that they realized these easterners had been speaking theirnguage as though they were born in Vardos.

    Thenguage they spoke was Entish, which was spoken by the majority of countries in the world.

    It was the most poprnguage and was also taught in Eastern schools too.

    So whether it was Old Hou, Wei Gia, and the others, they had studied it as vital subjects back in their school days.

    It was just that some didn''t pay attention to it too much, while others reached intermediate level, knowing how to speak and write in Entish.

    But of course, all this changed the moment they became exorcists.

    .

    That''s right.

    During the time spent in the academy, it was a requirement for them to learn and fully master at least 1 non-eastern Language, and 1 Eastern Language apart from the one they knew.

    They had deadlines when it came to mastering thesenguages.

    After all, if they were to be exorcists that take on jobs everywhere in the world, how can they be allowed to continue without mastering the saidnguages?

    No way!

    They must master allnguages in this world over the course of their long, long life.

    And to start off, they must learn the most poprnguages.

    As people who broke out of their mortal shells, their intelligence increased, and their retention abilities increased, alongside their learning capabilities.

    They could memorize a cultivation manual, going over its every detail in their brains as if physically turning every page.

    It should be noted that memorizing didn''t mean they could understand everything.

    Nope.

    It was their duty to hurdle over their own stumble blocks and get their teachers to advise them further when in a pickle.

    But everyone found that learningnguages was far, far easier than mastering a cultivation skill or technique.

    It was so easy for them that if they sent them back to school, they would definitely get full marks on every question asked.

    The only hup they might get is their pronunciation of certain words, which can be corrected with more time spent with foreigners.

    .

    In the end, they understood everything Elric and the others said.

    Even those who were previously trash at othernguages were now experts after joining the Academy.

    Wipe!

    If they went to school now, wouldn''t that be abusing the poor mortals there?

    People like the 17-year-old Ghu Sota would directly K.O his ssmates after returning to school.

    Ghu Dwo nned to let him continue school as a special student who would onlye for tests and examinations.

    There was no point in having him waste time sitting in ss when he could be cultivating, improving his rank, and taking on missions.

    The only reason he and several others his age would be allowed to go to school is so that they can have their official degrees and certifications.

    In Dorian''s former world, people epted into the Academy weren''t allowed in ordinary schools.

    Why? Because the government had headaches with him because of their grades.

    Imagine if all those epted by the academies took the final exams and all ranked first in the country.

    Imagine 10, 20, 30, or 80 people having full marks all at once. How does the government go about awarding them?

    Moreover, it''s unfair to ordinary people who depend on schrships and other educational bonuses.

    Additionally, many of these exorcists would continue to University or higher education since their ordinary job was to be an exorcist.

    So many university recruiters would also be aggrieved, finding out that all those with full marks were people destined never to live an ordinary life.

    Bottom line, everything was too unfair to ordinary, mortal students.

    Although Dorian didn''t say a thing, he knew that it was only a matter of time before the government contacted him to stop exorcists from taking ordinary exams.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Well, they might be allowed to take the exams in future, but their names and scores won''t be put on the official list.

    Nheless, they will get their certificates and proof of education.

    Perhaps, a new sector will be opened in the educational board to deal with those officially listed as Exorcists.

    But all this was in the future. For now, people like Ghu Sota, and a few others within the Academy, were bound to cause a sensation when they got to school, leading to the governmentter contacting him.

    .

    ''What strange symbols.''

    Wiggin''s eyes flickered, keeping the strange paper in his pocket.

    Intuition told him to obey their everymand. And although several others wanted to mock the ridiculousness of the situation, they indeed did as Wiggins ordered, following his lead though they didn''t take it seriously.

    Alright.

    Everyone was set, but Dorian still kept his face lifted upwards, staring at the moon.

    15 seconds more.

    14... 13...

    Dorian chuckled.

    "Do you know why you can''t find them?"

    Everyone''s heart tightens, being ominous.

    Why?

    "Because they are no longer on this ne."

    10...

    "Fairy Tales... Some of them are true to some extent."

    8.

    "And the culprit who took them is also not human."

    7��

    "You''reing, right?"

    Elric and everyone else couldn''t believe it.

    Please! Everyone knows talks like this can get one locked up forever in a Looney bin.

    Fairy Tales? Creatures not human?

    This has got to be the joke of the century. Right? RIGHT?!

    5...

    Many people''s minds began to spiral, their bodies trembling no matter how ridiculous they thought it was.

    ''We couldn''t find a single clue.''

    4...

    ''Their disappearance was indeed too strange.''

    ''No! No! How can I be swayed to believe such ridiculousness? I must be poisoned and out of my mind.

    3...

    The air grew tense as the bad feeling kept growing in their hearts.

    2...

    The corners of Dorian''s lips raised high.

    "Believe it or not, I don''t care. But when in there, never leave our side."

    1...

    Dorian raised his hands, moving them in a wide circle, beforending them on the ground and chanting viciously.

    And then, everyone saw something miraculous happen.

    Voom!

    WHAT?

    Wiggins couldn''t believe his eyes.

    His lips quivered, and his body shook.

    Their surroundings�� Their surroundings��

    It was CHANGING!

 Chapter 420 Not Dead?

    What-what-what... What was going on?

    Several people subconsciously inched closer to each other, staring at the space before Dorian, that was turning blurry by the second.

    Before they couldn''t react further, the blurriness spread like wildfire, making their surroundings wobble like a bad mirage.

    Projections? Real-life CGI?

    ~Wheeeeeoooo~

    A strange wind began blowing, causing many to take out their tasers and any other weapons they possessed.

    Wipe!

    If this was someone''s prank on them, they had to admit it was indeed working.

    Could it be? Are there truly monsters in this world?

    WHOOSH!

    The wind picked up in a thundering manner, forming a massive tornado right before their eyes. And then, several people started feeling light.

    WHAT?!!

    Many felt their feet leaving the floor, anxiously stretching their hands towards others for support.

    "Field Marshall!"

    "Commander!"

    "Boss!"

    Lying trough!

    If before, they thought it was a projected illusion, now they knew it was true.

    Terrible!

    What sort of evil wind was this?

    .

    The air grew chilly in under a second, and a terrible pressure erupted, etching countless fears in their hearts.

    Everyone watched a ghastly screen of green fog crawl out from their surroundings, forming a thick ankle-level nket over the ground.

    How can fog creep out from nowhere in a matter of seconds?

    F***! F***! F***!

    Elric''s eyes shot wide in disbelief seeing his body float away vigorously.

    He took it all back. No one can say these Easterners were making things in again. The tornado was about to pull him out for a big spin when he suddenly saw the Academy elders flick their fingers, throwing strange coins into the air.

    Magic?

    (+0+)

    The coins glowed pink, swirling around each other in a circr pattern above the gathering.

    Bam!

    Everyone had their chests on the ground, not caring about the slight pain from the fall.

    Do you still want to lie down after what they experienced?

    Everyone found they were no longer flying, but their eyes kept looking at the dancing glowing coins above, many too scared to confirm this was their reality.

    "Ouch! You old dog. If you don''t believe it, why pinch me rather than yourself?"

    "Sorry, buddy�� Just had to make sure aren''t going insane."

    "This... If you can see what I''m seeing, then it''s really true." Field Marshall Harry replied, his expression gloomy.

    He was the only one. Whether it was Wiggings, Julius, and the rest, they wore dark faces, epting the fact that there was more to this world than they knew.

    As for the so-called monsters, they didn''t think they would be frightened or scared by them.

    Everyone felt as people trained in the various armed force divisions, from police officers to F.B.I agents, military soldiers, and bodyguards, there was no way they would be scared of these so-called monsters.

    They felt confident in this aspect, not knowing they would soon eat their words.

    For now, most of their shock came from knowing such mind-blowing magic existed.

    Their brains struggled topute, but they only received an ''Error'' notification the more theyputed.

    Science... What happened to thews of physics? Who can tell them why a person had jumped into the air and stayed up for so long without dropping back? Where was the gravity?

    Many felt cheated, wanting to ask the God of Science for answers!

    Who are they? Where are they? What are they?

    The entire scene was filled with Dorian whispering strange chants.

    It was off to say that he wasn''t shouting, yet his chants were louder than the actual whirling tornado winds around them.

    Again they ask... Doesn''t this defy thews of physics?

    .

    It''s here!

    Dorian chanted hisst words, immediately dispelling the crazy winds and storms.

    --Silence--

    No one said a thing. The scene waspletely still, without the sounds of nightly creatures singing lubies.

    Wait! Wait!... Had on!

    Why isn''t there any sound from nature?

    Everyone stared at their surroundings, seeing they were still at the gravesite, yet they didn''t hear a thing.

    However, a squirrel passed by, only to pass through Elric''s feet.

    His pupils dted exaggeratedly. "What''s going on? Are we dead?"

    Dead? Dead?

    Everyone became frightened.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If not for face, they wanted to cry and express their unwillingness.

    They came here to solve this matter and go back in one piece and not all die out here, alright?

    F***!

    ''I have even touched a woman yet, and this is how I go?''

    ''Fine. It''s okay to die for a good cause. But what about my body?

    Shouldn''t they at least have a body left behind so they can get the heroic death parade promised to them?

    Don''t me them for overreacting. If anyone else were in their shoes, they would be in more inner turmoil than them after seeing several creatures pass through bodies like nothing.

    Even the flowers went through them too. So if they weren''t dead, then how do you exin this?

    "The Inbetween in."

    Dorian''s words echoed, once again drawing their attention to him.

    Yes! Yes! He must know what was going on with them, right?

    If this was how death felt, then they had to admit it wasn''t that scary at all. At least, apart from themselves, they have seen anything odd.

    After calming down and thinking about it again, they felt they shouldn''t be used, recalling that they still had to pay these easterners for their services.

    That condition was stated clearly before the easterners arrived.

    (-...-)

    Sure enough, money makes the world go round.

    .

    Berry furrowed his brows. "What do you mean by the Inbetween in?"

    Dorian continued observing the in, taking out several coins and carving on them with azy demeanor.

    As his clients, it was their right to know. But he was toozy to talk.

    "Elder Endo."

    "Yes, Grandmaster." Endo understood Dorian''s meaning, staring at the curious bunch.

    "Do you all remember the words from the strange man on the live videos?"

    Julius nodded. "You mean sher face?"

    Everyone recalled the mysterious man''s words, the ominous feeling in their guts growing bigger.

    And instantly, their faces dulled, turning ghostly white.

    The man said every hundred years, when the moon was at a certain position, the gravesite takes its victims.

    "Fairy Tales!... It''s got to be a bunch of nonsense he was talking about, right?" Someone questioned with a heightened voice.

    "Wrong."

    Endo''s words made many people''s legs soften.

    Harry wished he had a cigarette right about now. What sort of case did they stumble on?

    "The man is the guardian of the site. But though the site exists, it cannot take people away forcefully."

    "What?" One of the FBI agents was dumbfounded. "If it can''t take people by force, why did it take the live streamers without warning?"

    Yeah! Yeah! They didn''t believe anyone, talk less of these missing steamers, would choose to leave willingly.

    So aren''t these fasteners wrong?

    "No." Secretary Kim pushed her sses back calmly. "They are right. Think again... Recall the guardian''s sentences word for word."

    Many frowned but soon understood!

    The sneaky bastard first told them about the mystery on the gravesite beforeter asking them if they truly wished to enter on that fateful night.

    The children, thinking of it, indeed agreed!

    Elric clenched his fists, unwilling and furious. "They didn''t mean it... They were tricked!"

    "These creatures don''t care," Endo replied expressionlessly.

    Even in real life, if someone is tricked into signing a legal document that is disadvantageous to them, it doesn''t mean they can easily reverse the situation.

    Wiggins took a deep breath, calming his chaotic heart.

    In all his life, his heart had never taken so many blows of this caliber before.

    He preferred to be out on the field in battle than face such unscientific enemies. The worst thing was to be helpless, not knowing how the enemy''s weaknesses, what they looked like, what their intentions were, and how they moved.

    "So... We''ve established the matter of this Gravesite iming people like some cursednd. But that still doesn''t exin this Inbetween in."

    "It''s simple. The Gravesite only opens every 100 years. Thest window of opportunity, as you all know, was a few days ago."

    "So we are driving our way in."

    "Bingo. This is the ne between the real world and the space we are headed to."

    They could have entered the space head-on, but the Grandmaster has to make preparations ording to their current surroundings.

    Everyone here didn''t know it, but the space they were in was full of demonic aura.

    If before getting here, they made assumptions based on watching the live stream videos, now observing this in-between in, the Grandmaster had a better understanding of what they were about to face.

    .

    ''Shadows��''

    Dorian''s eyes flickered, staring at the dark silhouette underneath his feet.

    ''I didn''t think I''d be seeing you so soon.''

    Apart from the evil within, they should alsoe in contact with the mirror world. But fortunately, the space kept their shadows firmly out in the mirror world.

    Alright�� It''s done!

    Slowly standing, he began tearing the void. And now, everyone would know what true fear was.

 Chapter 421 No Way Out

    Break!

    A ss-shattering sound exploded as everyone saw their surroundings break apart into uncountable ss shards.

    Instantly, their anxiety increased by a hundred folds.

    Hiss~

    Many subconsciously touched their pockets, confirming the paper piece they had was still on them.

    Don''t ask them why, but something told them things would only be harder from here on out.

    "Loo-Loo-Look! Look around us. Thend... Thend is all green and rotten."

    "Ahhh!" Secretary Kim jumped in horror, watching countless gross and icky maggots swim around her feet.

    The worst part was that the worms kept secreting even more slime wherever they passed.

    Disgusting.

    They swelled and wiggled their finger-sized bodies in and out of the rotted soil, making many feel nauseous. It was their first time seeing such massive and slimy maggots.

    Secretary Kim was a woman who had gone through hell alongside her boss, Elric.

    She has seen blood and massacres several times. But one of her biggest fears was bugs. Over the years, she has done her best to hide her disgust for such creatures.

    As a secretary and part-time bodyguard, the enemy must never know her weakness. So she trained herself to swim with bugs and stay calm when near them. And indeed, it worked.

    Except for Elric, no one knows of her weakness. But one has to know that all her training was with ordinary-sized bugs and not these gigantic monstrosities swimming around her feet, leaving trails of thick slime behind.

    Good God...

    Secretary Kim''s face turned ashen as she gripped Elric''s shoulders hard.

    Thanks to everyone''s confusion and shock, no one noticed her unusual state except for Elric.

    "Calm yourself," Elric whispered with a reassuring nod.

    This was all he could do for her. Even he was preupied with his strange surroundings.

    The soil was green and rotten, the trees were ck and leafless, and there was a strange but chilling fog hovering a few inches above the soil.

    The fog wasn''t so thick that they couldn''t see the ground. It was light but ensured its presence was felt.

    ~Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Hearts began beating wildly as everything they saw only heightened their senses.

    Julius didn''t know what to make of the fiery red skies and clouds that kept swirling endlessly.

    It all seemed like a bad dream... A smelly one at that.

    "Augh~...What is that awful stench?" Field Marshall Harry felt his nostrils were about to be choked to death by the rotten atomic bombs released by heaven knows who.

    "Do I smell sulfur?"

    "No way. It''s more than sulfur. Why does it smell like someone had stored a thousand corpses here?"

    Even the FBI agents and military personnelmented on the powerful perfume in the air, not overthinking it. But for Haru and the other academy members, it immediately made them tense.

    "The smell... It''s getting stronger."

    Stronger? What do they mean?

    Julius and the others were taken aback, growing their heads to their surroundings with widened eyes.

    "This... This..."

    "Sh**!"

    One of Julius'' men yelled in disbelief as dread filled his legs.

    "Monsters... Monsters... They are real!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No. No!... It''s all an expensive illusion. Impossible!... Impossible!... How can they be real?"

    "I... I believe in science. I believe in the God of science. Let me Go. Are you trying to tell me we''ve been living with such creatures amongst us?"

    ~Grahhhhhhhh~

    Many fell to their butts, feeling the rotting soil wasn''t so bad after all.

    Sweet mother of science... The creatures before them caused their legs to wobble and their eyes to twitch in catatonic stupor.

    Their surroundings were chilly, but that wasn''t the reason for their constant quivering.

    Difort gnawed at their insides, prickling their scalps and causing their bodies to stay frozen in ce.

    So what of the were soldiers in the special forces or FBI agents? Their former enemies were all human. But these... These were nightmares, enough to keep grown men sleepless.

    Humans feared what they didn''t understand.

    At this moment, they felt like toddlers when facing the gigantic creatures surrounding them all. Yet, they still couldn''t describe the beasts around them urately.

    The creatures had hunched backs and seemed to be wearing dark cloaks shrouded with ck smoke.

    Was it a cloak, or was it its skin? They couldn''t tell and dared not look further.

    Their hands were spider-like and elongated, with only a few strands of hair that coiled and hissed like snakes.

    They had three empty eye buckets and mouths that stretched from ear to ear, revealing their razor-sharp teeth to all.

    But maybe the most unbelievable fact was that their bodies were also rotten, with holes that showed their disgusting insides that had all sorts of strange bugs and mucus in them.

    Their bodies were so squished and hideous that if they looked any closer, they were afraid they would puke endlessly.

    No... Toote!

    Blugh~

    Several people threw up whatever meal theyst ate, with some holding their mouths and gagging.

    How can something be so ugly and so terrifying at the same time?

    ~Greeeeeeeeeehhhhh~

    The creatures released their thundering bellows after seeing the wave of fear emitted from the humans below.

    Food! Food! Food!

    ~Greeeeeeeeh~

    The creatures excitedly moved to their prey like how possessed girls in horror movies crawl did. Only, they had spider-like legs that enabled them to move even faster.

    Their smiles grew creeper, their bodies could twist and move unnaturally, and their heads began spinning after locking eyes on their chosen targets.

    Field Marshal Berry felt that if he were to go behind the creature, its head would twist 360 degrees, following his every move.

    He reached for his gun sheath out of reflex, only to curse loudly in the end.

    F***!

    How could he have forgotten that it was confiscated earlier?

    Son of a b**ch.

    He and many others had no choice but to reach for their daggers and tasers, wanting to cry but having no tears to shed.

    It''s over.

    They were dead... Weren''t they?

    ~GREEEEEEEEHH~

 Chapter 422 Still Alive

    ~Greeeeeehhh~

    Wiggins tightened his grip on his dagger but soon found himself several feet high.

    "Field Marshall!"

    "Dad!!!"

    Julius was going crazy, watching the thing''s ugly, rotting tongue grab his father''s feet.

    Dammit!

    Julius fought back, using the de in every way he could. But the creature''s body regenerated after every sh with the help of the bugs swimming within.

    "Take this! And this! And this! Die! Die! Die!"

    sh! sh! sh! sh!~

    Wiggins was held upside down but still lifted his body to slice the creature''s tongue holding his feet. Yet his actions proved useless as the creature hovered him over its gigantic mouth.

    ''Is this how I die?''

    Wiggins saw his life sh before his eyes as the creature readily shed its sharpened teeth below his floating body.

    "No!!"

    Julius yelled desperately as he watched the creature let go of his father''s feet. And Eric, who was carried by another creature, also saw his fate after seeing Wiggins get dropped.

    No! No!

    ''I don''t want to die without saving my little girl. Why is this happening? Is this truly our end?''

    Time seemed frozen in ce as many watched Wiggins fall closer and closer toward the creature''s mouth. He knew it was over. But just when they felt his fate sealed, the creature suddenly released a gruesome wail.

    ~GREEEEEEEH

    Sai�� Saved?

    "Hahahahaha~... Saved! Father is saved!" Julius jumped excitedly after seeing his father appear beside him.

    You have to know that even though the Grandmaster and the others for the academy were here, it was normal for anyone to think their victory was impossible. It was because they felt these people from the east were still tiny humans.

    If one saw a baby in diapers squaring off against a macho wrestler, who do you think would win?

    Logic makes them have little to no faith in Dorian, with their brains going as far as forgetting his ''magical'' abilities. But after facing what they did, their little piece in their hearts was whipped out clean. That was human nature.

    One has to know that if not for this experience, they would still have reservations about Dorian''s group and might have been arguing and questioning their every move going forward. But after witnessing, they becamepletely obedient to Dorian''s group. If Dorian says go west, they go west. If he says jump, they ask how high.

    In the sky, Dorian watched Haru, Old Hou, and Endo work with Wei Gia, Jung Hou and the other academy disciples to take out the surrounding creatures.

    The disciples fought hard, using their most powerful attacks.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Wei Gia dodged the many spider legs aiming his way beforending a fierce blow to its underside.

    "Dragon Fist of Fury!"

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Wei Gianded 3 blows on the creature before jumping back before its deadly legs could pierce his back.

    ~Greeeeehhh~

    It was in agony as maggots fell from its punctured belly.

    ''Not enough.''

    Vmmm!

    Wei Gia vanished like smoke, appearing several inches above the creature.

    At least to the eyes of the mortal onlookers, that was how it seemed. He and the creature''s movements were too fast, with many barely keeping up

    Hiss!~

    Elric sucked his breath, watching the many mythical battles transpire<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Sir, are they really human?"

    "Wipe! How fast do you think they''re going for us to only see them vanish and reappear?"

    "Lying trough. So strong... His fist punch knocked an entire tree down!!!"

    "Who am I? Where am I? What am I?"

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Wei Gia''s bunch force made them numb but was crueler to the opponent.

    ~Greeeehhhh~

    The creature was possessed, swinging his head and shaking its snakish hairs in wild rage.

    Boom!

    Wei Gia smashed 5 trees in a single row after taking a hit.

    No one can survive this... That is what Wiggins and the others thought. But who can tell them why Wei Gia was back on his feet with only a few bruises and nothing more?

    Was he Superman?

    Bam! Pah! Boom! sh! sh! Bam!!!

    The battle took no more than 5 minutes. Yet, it felt like an eternity for the mortals, who were at the edge of their seats every step of the way.

    You must know that they now ced their faith in these academy members. So whenever they saw these people take a hit, the color from their faces drained, but they still kept cheering them on.

    "No! Watch out!"

    "Behind you."

    "That''s it! Kick it in the chin!"

    "Good Boy! That''s how it''s done!"

    "Great! Great! Use your magician cards and prove to them that you are Gambit''s brother. Xmen forever!"

    "..." [Academy members]

    Like so, Haru and the others had their personal cheerleading team till the end.

    "Too slow."

    Dorian''s words made Elric and his bunch almost miss a step.

    Hold on. Did they hear him right? Did he just say 5 minutes was too slow?

    They initially thought Dorian was joking. But soon after, backup from the monster side came swiftly and 3 timesrger in number than the earlier group. But what did they see?

    Dorian only flicked a single coin in the air, and the creatures fell.

    1 second.

    It only took that long to kill thrice as many. And now, everyone had a new understanding of why this young boy of 17 was called Grandmaster.

    Dorian frowned.

    Too slow�� These were one of the weakest ones here. At the same time, it wasn''t bad. What the Was se disciplescked was true experience.

    Wei Gia, Jung Hou, and the other disciples took on his words, knowing they could''ve done better.

    No arguments, noments.

    Elric swallowed hard, now a little nervous when talking to Dorian, though he tried his best not to show it.

    "Grandmaster, where are we going? Do... Do you know where they took them?"

    "Hmmm." Dorian hummedzily while staring at one of the mountains away.

    The survivors were alive, but no one had taken them away just yet�� They were still in the cabin!

 Chapter 423 [Bonus ]A Rude Bunch!

    Alive? Yeah. The survivors were indeed alive. But they weren''t the only ones.

    "pardon my manners. But I have to oblige you all to stop your simmering. Tis'' it not tiring? You are boring my ears." An annoyed voice rang out.

    It was a young girl with luscious hair dressed up like those in the 1910s. Her attire was dull, using primarily ck and blue vintage colors

    It was as though she stepped out of the movie: Titanic.

    Her skirt was ankle-level, her boots were particrly low, and her gloves were elbow-length. Her only exposed body parts were her head and neck.

    Her ent, her propermand of thenguage, and her demeanor were amazing to see someone live in the flesh from the 1910s. But for Jenny''s group, it spelled bad news for them.

    That strange and evil-looking man said the doors into this ce open once every 100 years. That''s every century. She and her group were from the 21st century, and this girl and her people were from the 20th century. The oldest people here came from the 19th century.

    [Note///

    ?19th Century: Jan 1, 1801 - Dec 31, 1900

    ?20th Century: Jan 1, 1901 - Dec 31, 2000.

    ?21st century: Jan 1, 2001 - Dec 31, 2100. ]

    Every 100 years, people enter the space. Sometimes it''s 80 people, and other times, it''s a small group like Jenny''s.

    However, the fact that none of them could escape after all these decades meant they were also stuck here with zero to no chance of leaving, except through death from being killed by those Monsters.

    No. No. No. No!

    They were so young, with so much potential. Maybe these people from the 1900s and 1800s didn''t know how advanced technology was. But they did.

    Coming from an era with the Inte, booming technology, and all sorts of possibilities, how can they easily ept their current situation?

    F***!

    Maybe by the time the 21st century ends in 2100, flying vehicles and other amazing things will be around without them enjoying any bit of it.

    Moreover, they already missed their families, loved ones, and fans.

    On the fateful night after the sky changed strangely and the monsters appeared outside their window, they didn''t notice it then, but the small shed they were initially in also changed.

    It was now as big as a mansion, with these survivors living in it.

    ording to them, sinceing here, their only food source has been on a strange hill that breeds human food.

    The hill changes its location every 30 days, meaning it could appear anywhere in this hellish world.

    Their job was to search, find and bring whatever good supplies they could before the existing food in the mansion ran out.

    ording to what these people said, the journey was always dangerous, with every trip resulting in people dying or getting fatally injured.

    The leader was a man who had been here the longest. He was a person from the 19th Century. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    His name was Bassano, an international student from an excellent engineering institution back in the day.

    He was one of the underlying students who joined the most incredible research group ever.

    That''s right. One could say he was one of the founding fathers of electricity in today''s world.

    There were textbook portrait images of all the students around that time, and he was also there. So to see a legend such as himself here was truly extraordinary. He still looked the same, not aging for a day.

    Jenny would have loved to shake his hands and have an interview. But now isn''t the time for that.

    As for Bassano, he arrived in this world alongside 122 others, mostly scientists, who were researching scientific matters on the hill. And just like that, they were sucked into this strange world.

    The hill was indeed a cemetery. So somedies who overstayed their cemetery visit initially wanted to return home but were talked into staying back with them and returning home together.

    After all, during that time, there were no cell phones, and if they were in any danger, it would be far-fetched to think help woulde right away.

    There have always been cases of women getting raped or taken along these roads. So the women chose to stay and follow the men back whenever they were done with their scientific experiments.

    They quickly trusted Bassano''s group because schrs and scientists at the time were the most respectable professions.

    Many thought to be a scientist meant one was so focused on reading, studying, and experimenting that they didn''t have time to fill their minds with criminal thoughts.

    To many in that period, criminals were jobless people.

    Like so, Bassano and his group of 122 came from the Victorian era and also met people from the 1700s and 1600s.

    In their words, they lost track of time, only realizing another 100 years had passed whenever new people came in.

    For Bassano, his original group of 122 has now be 16. Meaning for the past 200~230 years, his people, alongside those originally here from the 1700s and 1600s, were all dead. And for those from the 1910s, they were originally 82 but were now 34.

    Jenny, Chris, and the rest felt ufortable with this group of survivors.

    Firstly, these people judged them too harshly, calling them indecent for their current attire. It was strange to say they have gone through hell in this space, yet they are still hung up over decency.

    The women talked down on them, calling Jenny and the other girls harlots who wore overly tight fitted clothes (jeans) and had exposing tops that, in their opinion, showcased too much cleavage, hands, ankles, and so on.

    They questioned how humanity had gone backward instead of forward. They treated them rudely because they adhered to the saying: Dress how you want to be addressed.

    But honestly, was that the important matter at hand now?

    (>?~?)

    Jenny, Emily, and the other 21st-century girls felt they were going crazy after staying with these women who only had ancient thoughts in their heads.

    Hmph!

    One of the women flipped her hair arrogantly. "How irritating... Like she said, none of you will ever be getting out. Stop boring our ears with your silly whimpers!"

 Chapter 424 A Leader Is Born

    "Enough."

    The hall fell into knee-deep silence.

    Rudolf hadn''t yelled. Yet, his voice carried an unquestionable authority that caused the nagging women to seal their lips.

    Chris, Jenny, and the other streamers looked at him, feeling touched.

    Leader! He was their leader.

    They could see that each era of people had its leaders, who came together to have meetings, probably rted to food finding, information gathering, and other missions.

    Bassano was the leader of all remaining 15 from his ear, as well as 7 others from the 1910s.

    There were 2 others: Jason and dimir, who led separate teams. Now, adding Rudolf to the mix, there should be 4 leaders.

    It''s been a little over 2 days since they arrived, and Rudolf immediately became their leader.

    They were given a tour of the mansion and shown the significant ces off limits to them.

    In conclusion, though it was only 2 stories, it still had 400 incredible rooms, which included several storage rooms and so on.

    Apparently, the first group of people ever sent in here met the ce empty... All 400 rooms. But luckily, every century when a group arrives, they bring back items from that little shed with them.

    The same was true for Rudulf''s group.

    All the items they brought into the shed to camp overnight with, as well as all the things ced in the shed over these years by passerbys and grave cleaners, were also transported over.

    Even more shocking was that the tiny shed''s wooden interior scattered and dropped into the mansion as wood. It was from this that they made beds from.

    As for making fire, sorry. That was a luxury for them. Everything they ate was raw. There wasn''t enough wood or raw materials to keep burning and wasting away.

    Remember. A majority of thend in this space is rotten, meaning the trees were rotting. And in most cases, the trees themselves were alive! So do you know how valuable wood was?

    Please! The only fortunate matter was that their mansion had a well at the back for water.

    Their mansion and the immediate yard surrounding it were the only ces that these monsters dared not go close to. They didn''t know why, but it was enough to make them happy.

    If they could, they would never want to leave this safe haven. But if they wanted to eat and get other raw materials on that hill, then they had to get out.

    Of course, since that mysterious hill produced human food, it means its trees and any raw materials they found on it were safe for human use.

    So transporting these resources back to the mansion was their top priority.

    For these past 2 days, Rudolf and the others toured the mansion, knowing the restricted regions.

    For example, the Food supply storage room was locked tightly and controlled by all leaders. Everyone ate at the same time to prevent discrepancies.

    The North, South-East, and South-West wings were also restricted since those wings were the residential areas belonging to the various groups.

    As for Rudolf, he chose the North-East wing, choosing to stay close to Bassano''s group.

    Each wing was akin to its own separate house, as entering the wing, one needed to pass through a long corridor before reaching a grand hall.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The hall had high ceilings as though one had just entered a cathedral. And on the other end of the hall, the space was divided into 2 floors, with various rooms and a stairway leading to the upper floor.

    Some wings were grand, having 22 spacious rooms, while others had but 10.

    The North-East Wing Rudolph chose for his group had 14 rooms, which meant all 12 of them would get their own separate sleeping spaces.

    What''s more, the wing was better furbishedpared to the other avable wings.

    The previous group that lived here was all dead. But at least they left their beds and other furniture pieces behind.

    As for light, there was no electricity. So they are sure that whatever they did, it had to be done during the day.

    As an outdoor anchor, Rudolg had several lighters with him.

    Others were shocked by the lighter, almost jumping like monkeys. You have to know that there was arge supply of wax candles avable but no fire to light up the space.

    Rudolf agreed with the other outdoor anchors to only show 4 lighters to these survivors. As for the rest, they would have to hide them until they couldpletely trust this group.

    .

    "Like I said, enough is enough. I won''t let you talk to my group this way!" Rudolf warned. And Bassano, pretending to sleep, slowly opened his eyes with a raised brow.

    ''This kid is quite tough to be able to adjust himself from his initial shock barely 2 days after arriving.''

    After living for hundreds of years, Bassano might have a 26-year-old face, but he was already an old man.

    Over the years, he too has been annoyed by Jason''s group who didn''t seem to grow brains over the years.

    These people from the 1910s were quite judgmental and annoying. But... What can he do? They must keep their human poption alive to make it through this dump.

    He also understood that with little to no entertainment here, these people who saw ''fresh meat'' enter the space felt itchy, wanting to show their might.

    Also, some were afraid the neers would take their lovers away. After all, some men/women also stole lovers from others when they initially got here too

    Rudolf took deep breaths in hope of calming himself.

    "Look! My group and I have no time to listen to your naggings... Let me be clear. If it does concern our overall well-being or the situation at hand, then keep your mouths shut!"

    "You-you-you!... How rude! Don''t you know how to respect your elders?" One of the men questioned after seeing Rudolf attack his girlfriend.

    "Kid... I knew I never liked you from the start."

    ''The feeling is mutual.'' Rudolf inwardly retorted as he crossed his arms on his chest and stood tall with his group behind him.

    Yup.

    Emily, Jenny, Chris, Bianca, and the others thought so too, allowing their new boss to take the stage.

    Rudolf squinted his eyes deeply. "Let me be clear. As team leader, I have an obligation to protect and ensure that my team isn''t being taken advantage of. Meaning that though we are new here, I will never allow anyone to force my team to do missions on our own. So don''t even think about it!"

 Chapter 425 First Mission

    Rudolf would be damned if he allowed anyone to send them out there alone when they didn''t even know their surroundings well enough.

    Mabel, one of the annoyingdies from Jason''s team, and Levi, an arrogant man who looked no older than 19 from the same team, wanted to retort. But where did Rudolf give them the chance?

    "Because we are new, doesn''t mean we''re stupid."

    "Yeah!" Chris chimed in, although he didn''t know what point Rudolf was driving at.

    "_"

    The corners of Rudolf''s lips twitched. ''You''re not helping Chris, but thanks for having my back.''

    He swept his face at the annoying group. What was the difference between them and these people from different eras?

    The most obvious fact was that modern people didn''t like suffering one bit. Modern people were more outspoken, even for the littlest matters.

    If it were these olden people who faced the same situation of getting bullied, they might choose to swallow it and stay silent until it erupted like a volcano. But why should they?

    Typically, Rudolf was the type to observe and wait. But in this situation, he didn''t see any point in waiting to gain the upper hand. If they waited any more, perhaps day by day, they would lose their members. And once dead... You are DEAD.

    Heh.

    Rudolf would never ept such unfair treatment.

    "As I said, don''t think you can walk over us, newbies. If I''m not mistaken, what you''re trying to do is what others have done to you. So though I sympathize with your group, we, the newbies, won''t take a single step out unless we are paired with others."

    "That''s right." Emily, the food streamer/blogger, added. "So you think you are all smart formanding us as you will? News sh, sweeties, if we were quiet during thest few days and seemed weak, that was because we wanted to." Of course, it''s a lie, but these olden people don''t need to know that, do they?

    "You, you�� Well, isn''t this a fine how-do-you-do? Your manners are utterly barbaric. Well�� For your information, I''ll have you know that I am the 13th princess who was 37th in line to the throne back in my time. So knowing this, do you stilldare to talk to me in that manner?"

    "Bah! Princess, my Foot!" Emily scoffed. "Keep your loyalty to yourself. So what if you are a royal? Can I eat it? Is it edible? Is it serving any purpose now? No. No. No... Maybe you''d like me to throw you out before you know we are no longer in our previous world!!"

    Pfft~

    Several people from other groups couldn''t hold back as they chuckled with teary eyes. How sassy. These newbies were something else.

    Emily rolled her eyes, not bothered by the hateful resing her way.

    Back in modern times, one would look at the stunning portraits of these ancient women, thinking they must''ve been morous and amazing. But meeting these people in the flesh, she only wanted to take back her adoration.

    Honestly, she felt they had several screws, not loose, but missing from their heads.

    What the hell was wrong with these people?

    The smell of gunpowder fueled the air, but Rudolf''s group didn''t care.

    Jenny pushed her sses back, agreeing to Chris'' wisdom. "You can''t just give us a map and tell us to figure things out. That order won''t fly. And likewise, even if we are pairing with anyone, we must be well briefed on the outside situation... Lest any of you try to ''identally'' kill us out there."

    Please. They watched too many zombie movies to know that human nature can''t be trusted in times like this, especially when several people don''t like each other.

    It''s smart for them to keep their human numbers up. But some people are too petty, selfishly disregarding the overall situation and doing what seems best to them.

    Jenny, Emily, Bianca, and the others didn''t trust Jason''s team all that well. That''s why before they leave for any paired missions, they must be told all the potential dangers they might face every step of the way.

    What sort of soils breed monsters that rise and grab them from the ground? What sort of regions emitted poisonous smells? They had to know everything in case someone purposefully let them get eaten.

    Bassano was amazed by their boldness and way of thinking. Hey... If he and his group had stood their ground when they first arrived, would they have lost so many people at the start?

    Were the people from the new era always so bold? He had to admit that their manner of handling things would result in low casualties on their side.

    They took control of the room and left Jason''s team speechless.

    Chris scoffed inwardly. ''Hmph! You''re all a hundred years too old to fight with us, modern people.''

    The times have changed, with women and men bing more outspoken.

    Want them to swallow their pain and risk their lives after what they witnessed 2 days ago? Not a chance! And if you don''t let them have their way, they will riot.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They will sit here and eat free food and do whatever they want without making contributions.

    What? Do you think you can starve them? Please! They, modern people, had many ways to make life unbearable for everyone.

    "You! You! You! You!...Outrageous!"

    "You guys are too much!"

    Bianca, the beauty streamer, sneered. "We can be more if you don''t ease up. All we want is fair treatment. Is that too much to ask?"

    "Shut it, Harlot! It''s bad enough that you have no respect for Catherina''s royal status. I''ll have you know the year we vanished was the year women were officially allowed to vote. But if I knew changing things would lead to us women dressing in so little clothes, I would''ve never agreed!"

    Bianca cracked her knuckles hard. She could tell that even after so many years, though some worked hard to build their strengths, many women here solely relied on men for protection.

    Perhaps, a majority of men have died while trying to save these women. Some men were used as shields by them.

    However, Bianca, though a beauty streamer, had several martial arts belts. Modern women were allowed to fight and still look sassy. Of course, she was still afraid of bugs and creepy things. But for humans like these annoying women, she wasn''t.

    Hehehehehehe~

    A cruel smile appeared on her charming face. "Mabel... Was it? Say it again! I dare you."

    Mabel''s face turned pale, not from fear of Bianca but from fear that her beautiful face would get ruined, leading to her partner leaving her. After facing so many hellish creatures, how can humans frighten her?

    The hatred embedded in her eyes grew fierce. "You vile, vicious girl! How dare you threaten me? You--"

    "Stop." Bassano''s husky voice quieted the room. Although everyone belonged to individual teams, Bassano was akin to a vige chief if this was a vige.

    When he spoke, everyone listened. After all, he was the oldest one here.

    "That''s enough. We are family here. We humans must stick together to survive. Jason, I understand the feelings of that and your group, but we must live in harmony, yes?"

    Jason clenched his fists unwillingly but still nodded.

    "Yes, Bassano... You''re right." Jason also understood that this time, the group that came in had too few people.

    So for the next 100 years, if they were to act rashly and keep losing people the way they did previously, then it would only make their situation disastrous when out on missions.

    Of course, this didn''t mean he would let them go for questioning his authority. He didn''t believe he wouldn''t be able to cure their arrogance.

    Hmph!

    ''Just you wait.'' This isn''t over. Those in Jason''s group backed down but still gave Rudolf''s gang death stares.

    How childish.

    Seeing through his petty thoughts, Bassano secretly shook his head before focusing on Rudolf''s side.

    "Neers... Your request has been approved. Your team will partner with my team for the next 2 months. After that, you''ll partner with the others for another 4 months before going on missions alone."

    After all, they will be here for hundreds and hundreds of years if they keep surviving. So 6 months of partnering felt like much, but it wasn''t.

    "Good. Now that that''s settled, it''s time to brief you on your uing mission."

    "Mission?" Rudolf recalled that in this world, darkness fell every 48 hours. The darkness fell for 24 hours, and the cycle repeated.

    Yesterday was the day of darkness, meaning they had these next 2 days to gather resources as much as they could.

    In their world, it should be evening already. But here, the light, though not the sort of sunshine one would expect. After all, the sky was red.

    Mission?

    "Yes... You''re all in luck. We''re about to head out for a mission, and you, of course, will be tagging along. Isn''t that great?"

    "..."

 Chapter 426 An Unpredictable Start

    (-_-)

    Okay... They knew they were rambling and making noise about going out on missions with other teams. But after agreeing to their conditions, do you have to post them off right away?

    They thought they would get a little more time or even a few hours to enjoy their victory. But reality was sometimes so cruel.

    They also knew that after making so much noise earlier, they couldn''t continue arguing or reject the mission.

    s��

    They resigned themselves to their fates, wanting to know what the mission was about.

    All in all, it''s better to gain more experience so they can survive longer in this hell dump.

    Thinking like so, they pretended not to see the gloating expressions from Jason''s team.

    Bassaso inwardly chuckled, seeing as there was finally peace in the mansion.

    He did a good job of making both sides feel as though they were victorious.

    It was true that when a new team arrived, they would be forced to go on missions independently. But it wasn''t immediate.

    Typically, the entire humanmunity gave them 10 days to prepare and rid themselves of fantasy dreams about being rescued by people in their former world.

    There was no oneing for them. So the faster you wake up, the greater their survival rate.

    In the past, some people locked themselves in one tiny corner of the mansion, only ever stepping out to eat or ease themselves.

    They did so for 7 whole days, crying their eyes out and screaming hysterically.

    There were times when others tried to take their own lives while in here. But that didn''t work out.

    After they died, everyone saw their souls float out and get swallowed by several beasts. So taking one''s life was not an option.

    This was their reality that took days for many to get through the many stages of grief and loss.

    Only by epting things can they move forward. And that was why they gave 10 days of eptance for all newbies.

    So you see... Even though Rudolf''s team won the argument and got what they wanted, they, on the other hand, were starting their missions 2 and a half days after their arrival.

    Whether they had truly epted their fate or not, this mission would show it.

    Jason''s group obviously knew this, hence the reason for their ring.

    Some petty people even hoped that the group would be so scared that they would better the belly of a beast.

    "Hahahahaha~... Well now, isn''t this what you wanted? Come on... We will be waiting to see how you fair."

    Bahahhahahahaha~

    Jason''s group left with yful expressions, leaving the hall and heading to their wing. dimir''s team respectfully told them good luck before heading for another mission.

    There was a rule that no matter how many missions must bepleted, one team must stay back in the mansion.

    If there are more than 6 teams, then 2 must stay in the mansion with no missions. And if there are 18 teams, 3 will stay... And so forth.

    There were also days when only one mission had to be carried out, meaning even if there were 20 teams, only 1 or 2 would go out.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As for dimir''s team, their mission was actually within the mansion''s premises.

    After every 24 hours of darkness, a team had to observe their surroundings, seeing how the darkness affected them.

    Sometimes they would put one leg out of the safety zone, wanting to see what type of creatures were there this time around.

    [Gholems]:... Are you ying with us?

    .

    "Follow me."

    Bassano and his team led them through several hallwaybyrinths, bypassing many doors and on their way.

    [Mission Room]

    Those were the words body painted on a not-so-good-looking que.

    Every year, they receive paint when new people arrive since everything in the shed during that nightly event would also be transported.

    Over the years, they also turned grass rakes into spears and other gardening tools into proper weapons. Their selection was enormous. And for paper, they took out every single page from the books the Bassano and his intellectual groups brought over.

    Whatever was written in those books was irrelevant to them. They shredded, soaked, and pushed up the pages before pressing them between several fabrics and letting them dry out.

    This was the basic way to reuse old paper. It was just that the paper wouldn''t have its original texture and would be due to faded ink on it.

    Rudolf thought that was the only paper source here, but he was wrong.

    Bassano showed them parchment papers from medieval times that have been recycled and used severally. There were also rusted armories worn by generals here and even letters to be delivered to their family members should anyone ever escape.

    Every other paper has been recycled except for the letters. It has also be customary that everyone who ever came in would write a letter, perhaps to their families or perhaps to anyone who ever destroys the evil here.

    Those letters contain decades and decades of history.

    Jenny felt a chill run down her spine, thinking of medieval people being here before... Then... Then what hope do they have of ever getting out?

    The most frightening part was that such evil existed alongside them all these years, and no one ever found out!

    She was sure that even her influential and powerful dad didn''t know too. Her eyes moistened.

    He should be searching for her crazily, not knowing she was no longer in their world.

    ''Dad... I miss you.''

    Sniff. Sniff~

    She quickly did away with her tears, telling herself to cheer up. They, modern folks, had so much technology to get through anything. It should be fine... She thought.

    "Alright. Those are the rules you must abide by while in the mission room. No letters can be tampered with, and after selecting a mission on the board, you must alert the other teams and head out to fulfill the first depending on the deadline. Failure toplete an epted mission will result in punishment."

    [Chris]: (-_-)

    Are you being real?

    How can he escape school,e here and still have punishment?

 Chapter 427 Found Them!

    Chris obediently nodded, seeing the 2 boards handing on the walls.

    Both boards were maps, but the left board had the word: <Steady> above it, while the other board had the words: <Unpredictable>

    One board showed a map of the entire space, and all itsponents, while the other showed the same map but highlighted several mountains, hills and a desert region in bold red.

    Wipe!

    Chris smacked his face in a daze.

    "This ce is worthy of a monster den. Are you trying to say that all these hills, valleys and mountains highlighted will kit only switch positions with each other but will also change their shapes too?"

    Bassasno nodded. "Hmm... Sometimes they will mimic the appearance of another hill as an act of trying to confuse us."

    The hill that typically holds human food can change form and disguise itself to look like the green poison hill of Nympotia.

    Only when they rush up do they realize they were tricked and the fake hill revealed.

    Dammit! Are the hills alive as well?

    Bianca wanted to curse. It seems everything in this world was vying to eat them.

    This world was as massive as an entire city. Imagine walking in a big city from your home to downtown, uptown, the central regions and other parts.

    It could take hours to do so... And that is if the grounds were leveled and in walking conditions

    This ce had jungles, terrains with boiling floors and all sorts of crazy surfaces.

    They were only thankful that the day was 48 hours and the night/darkness was 24. It was during the 24 hours of darkness that these many terrains shifted and changed.

    Bassano pointed his fingers to a particr hill on the map with the letter E on it. The name of the hill was Eden�� Named after the first person who discovered the hill.

    It is the hill where human food grows. It is the hill of Eden.

    "Look... There''s a red pin on it, indicating there''s a current and urgent mission rting to the hill."

    Letter E...

    On another side of the vast wall were small wooden shelves, designed like mailboxes, carved into the walls.

    Since there were 2 maps, there were also 2 separate mailbox shelves, one for the first map and another for the 2nd map.

    Moving right, Bassona stopped at the 2nd one before running his fingers through all the mail-styled boxesbeled A~M.

    "Everyone, pay attention... There are 2 E-U for urgent, and E-R for regr... What we want is urgent."

    Rudolf leaned closer, seeing the crude but neatly folded paper Bassano took out from the box.

    [Mission: Bi-weekly Food source is running low. Gather enough tost for 2 weeks or more��deadline: 4 days.] After which they will really be starved.

    It was clear, simple and straight to the point.

    Merlin, one of the men in Bassano''s team, also showed them where the hand-drawn maps were. Everyone was supposed to take them out during missions, lest they got lost."

    For this mission, Bassano and his group had already discussed their n of action. However, since Rudolf''s gang was tagging along, they went over their thoughts, talking about the various creatures they might meet along the way.

    "Be warned... There''s a creature we call the changer. It takes on the appearance of anyone closest to you, your family members, or any of us here. And once it has you in its grasp..."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Slick~

    Merlin shipped his hands across his neck ruthlessly.

    The creature loved cutting heads the most with its tongue.

    The air grew cold as Emily shuddered while subconsciously rubbing her throat. "How terrible."

    Why does she feel like she was in a doomsday movie? Dear god of science�� When will this nightmare end?

    Jenny frowned. "Is there any way we can identify ourselves and not get tricked?"

    "Yeah... Passwords�� Code names... Hidden messages�� If any of us doesn''t respond to our codes and only keeps smiling, kill on sight."

    "What if we make a mistake and kill the real person?"

    "Then it will be on them." Why didn''t you answer your bloody codename? This isn''t a game.

    Many swallowed hard whileing up with special words to recognize themselves. Bassano advised that they briefly exin why they chose the words they did. This way, everyone would remember better.

    Chris, for example, chose the word <Noodle toes> because when he was in kindergarten, kids made fun of his long toes.

    It''s easier to remember, especially with a small backstory.

    If you call someone''s codename and they don''t call yours back or even attempt to ry the back story, there''s a problem.

    The creatures called changers, can only see the image of a loved one and cannot read their thoughts.

    This was why those who had been here long ago could evade being tricked by them. And they too did the same.

    "Alright�� Now that you''re prepped, it''s time to head on to the Weapon''s room."

    The room they were in was connected to the weapon''s chamber, hence why there was rusted and damaged medieval armor in the mission room.

    "Everyone, pick your weapons, bearing in mind that you will carry them for hours forth and back."

    Rudolf quickly picked out 2 halves of a long rod. Each half had a sharpened edge that was protected by a crude cover.

    Wearing its safety sheath, he ced the order on his back as though he had 2 swords there.

    The other boys also chose the same weapons, but Chris chose a light but fierce sword.

    Bianca chose a spear, while Emily and Jenny chose short swords, which had the length between a dagger and a sword.

    They also wore leather padding and still had their boots on.

    Glory be to modern times. Their boots were waterproof,fortable and had soft padding for their soles.

    With their hair tied in buns, bellies full after the meal, and their bathroom breaks done and over with, everyone followed Bassano''s group with their chests high.

    Come on! Let''s do this!

    (*0*)

 Chapter 428 The Beginning Of The End

    Is everyone ready?

    Yeah!

    The group built up their courage while standing before the closed main door. They were so tense that they might jump as high as a cat out of water if someone touched them from behind.

    "Rx..." Bassano cautioned calmly. "We aren''t leaving the safe zone yet."

    Ah-!

    They smiled awkwardly, finally remembering their talk about the safe zone, which included the mansion and the immediate surrounding yard.

    Since they arrived, they''ve never been outside the mansion. Even so, they had seen the yard through the mansion''s many windows.

    It was just that over thest 2 days, It was only on the first day here that they vaguely glimpsed out the windows.

    On their first day upon arriving, they were very panicked and more concerned about their reality to properly scrutinize the yard. Under Rudolf''s encouragement, they slowly woke from their zombie-like stupor and began touring the gigantic mansion before falling into a deep sleep.

    They were tired, and their brains were burnt from so much crying and worrying. But when they woke up, the entire mansion was inky dark. That was yesterday, the day of darkness... 24 hours of darkness.

    Though the creatures couldn''t cross over the yard, the windows were closed for their own good, as many of these creatures went wild during that time, crashing into the invisible barrier that kept them safe.

    The feeling of being surrounded by thousands and thousands of demonic creatures, who appeared as giants, was enough to give man sleepless nights.

    This was why the windows were shut. It was to keep their sanity and hope of survival up. So today was the first day they stepped out the door and properly saw the outside world.

    What was this?

    Chris''s jaw dropped to the floor. They had a fountain all this time?

    Hmmm��

    "The fountain and the well at the back are the only sources of water we have... However, we must use them cautiously, as excessive use will dry them out for a couple of weeks before they can spring up again."

    Bassano was talking from experience.

    There was a time when they didn''t have water for 2 weeks before it slowly returned. There are also stories from those in the past about the waters drying up.

    By analyzing and extrapting the data to make calctions, he and many people in the past calcted how many buckets of water could be drawn in a day without straining their water source.

    It was tricky since the fewer people they had, the more water for them. But this was a reality they didn''t want to face since it was beneficial to have more people and more teams for missions like food gathering, monster information gathering and so on.

    In one of the past periods when there were over 700 people here at once, one could imagine how little water they had daily to share amongst themselves.

    Bathing wouldn''t be an option until more people died.

    Jenny looked around curiously.

    From the door to the barrier was about the width of a football field. Thewn was green with a faint hue of red, thanks to the red sun above.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Why don''t we try nting on this soil?"

    Merlin shook his head bitterly. "It never works. All we get are more des of grass.

    Rudolf frowned. "Why do I feel that someone is messing with us?"

    He wasn''t the only one. Everyone here thinks the same, wanting to know the grand schemer who put the show together. Obviously, that person wasn''t human. But so what? They just wanted to see what the son of a b**ch looked like!

    [Loki in the heavenly prisons.] :... Who is thinking about me? Ahh... It''s so boring up here. Might as well sneak out and mess with Morning Star again.

    [Lucifer, who was sent on a wild goose chase]: Screw you! You already sent precious items to these dangerous first worlds, and now you want to mess with me again? You''ve got some nerves!

    .

    Rudolf and the others walked across the open field, reaching the perimeter.

    "In the days of daylight, the creatures aren''t as active as during the dark days. Nheless, they are still lurking around in various parts of this world�� Those over there, we call dirt monsters."

    Grawwllll!!!~

    The heart-stopping sounds from the Golems on the other side made them flinch back. Golems in video games were made of mud and looked far smoother!

    It had teeth as long and as sharp as a wolf''s, but its skin was made of soil that looked rotting and mushy, with several disgusting maggots swimming in it. And with its giant hands and feet that left a disgusting trail wherever it passed.

    They walked like apes and seemed to have low intelligence too. But they sure as well were scary!

    What happened to their confidence earlier? Everyone in Rudolf''s group found their legs wobbly, not of their own intention.

    At the forefront was dimir''s group, who were the ones testing the water with these creatures. They sometimes risked their lives to step out, while some took notes and recorded vital information about the creatures surrounding their safe zone today.

    "Bassona, you''re here!" dimir acknowledged. "If you want to leave for your mission, leave the safe zone from the back, toward the South-East corner."

    That was the only sight they tested that had no creatures appearing. They had to do this daily to see which region had the least possible threats, especially since they did missions frequently.

    With the advice from dimir, the group turned around, headed back into the mansion, and made their way to the South-East back door.

    Exciting the scene, they realized that the backyard space was broader than the front, having the addition of multiple slopes in all directions.

    "Alright. Brace yourselves. Once we go between those 2 slopes, we''ll be in dangerous territories... Remember, no loud talk... Only whispers."

    "Right!"

    Rudolf''s group nodded and moved with their paired partners from Bassano''s team.

    Each newbie moved along with 1 or 2 people from Bassano''s group. Bassano and Rudolf stayed ahead while Chris, Merlin and another from Bassano''s group walked at the very back.

    Like so, their journey began across the many sharp, ridged terrains... until soon, the unexpected happened.

 Chapter 429 Strange Occurance!

    What happened? What was the unexpected phenomenon that left even Bassano with his jaws dropped?

    Well, it all happened just a few hours after their big departure.

    At the start of their journey, they never dropped their vignce, even once. But it didn''t stop them from getting attacked multiple times.

    At one point, they were chased by what looked like a messed-up version of giant bees. And in another situation, the slope they stood on while checking the map suddenly moved, revealing itself to be a demonic turtle.

    A TURTLE! Can you believe it?

    Its speed should not be underestimated.

    Snap!

    One of Bassano''s team members lost an arm while pushing a neer away.

    F***!

    Rudolf and the others almost screamed in disbelief. It was the first time they had seen someone lose a hand so brutally before.

    Emily ced her hands over her mouth, trying to stop her sobs from spewing loud noises. She was saved because of this man. His actions made her 10 times more fond of him.

    Bassano and Rudolf quickly bandaged his hand, as the entire group hid in a small clearing.

    The journey was only 2 hours, and they had nearly died over 20 times now.

    They still had another 30 or so hours left to go. Where was the hill? Where was the hill with food supplies?

    This one experience made Rudolf''s group grow overnight.

    They continued to advance cautiously, until...

    Shoop!

    The sky in a region several hills away suddenly burst open, with a blinding light corroding their senses.

    "What''s going on?"

    "Has this ever happened before?"

    Bassano''s face was grim. "No..."

    "Grawwllllll!!!!~

    A sudden overwhelming level of hunger suddenly took hold of the creatures, as though something had triggered them and raised their hunger levels to 100.

    Bassano made his decision immediately. "Fall back!"

    Return! Return!... They had to go back before any unexpected doom fell on them.

    ~Grawlllll~

    The red skies grew darker by several shades, and the clouds swirled even faster than before.

    What was going on? No one had time to think anymore, as all sorts of crazy beings began emerging from their surroundings. And it was now that even Bassano knew true fear.

    The ground rumbled, and the trees quivered with eyes that could suck their souls away from a single re.

    "RUN! RUN! RUN!"

    Chris and others hugged the badly injuredrades, as they tried their best to keep up with the others in this wobbly forest.

    Bassano looked back and gritted his teeth fiercely. "Everyone stick together! Form a barricade, use your weapons and form a wall!"

    Breaking apart was bound to make some of them lost. Humanity in this world depends not only on strength but on numbers.

    "Stay together!"

    Their chances of survival would be significantly higher!

    Look left; look right.

    Everyone kept moving their faces to all corners, as their eyes became haunted by their reality.

    "Wait. Does everyone feel that?"

    The rumbling action from the floor suddenly grew at an rming rate, causing their pupils to constrict and their hearts to swell.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    A stampede?

    "Bassano!" Rudolf called. "We can''t keep moving like this! Yes! Every ce is dangerous, but surely there must be a safe ce around these parts, right?"

    That''s right they can''t keep running forever, especially since the ce is getting so chaotic.

    They were 2 and a half hours away from the base. So it wasn''t practical given the number of injured people they had.

    What''s more, it wasn''t advisable for them to be out in the open during such a wild stampede.

    Everyone looked at Bassano''s team with burning hope.

    C''mon, man! Think! Think! Think!

    "There!" Merlin gestured at a moving tree shaped like an umbre. "It''s a safe tree!"

    A safe tree? Yes. It has saved many of their lives before.

    It was a bit evil, but it was nothing they couldn''t handle!

    "Then what are we waiting for?"

    Move. Move. Move!

    Everyone gritted their teeth, seeing the stampede of creatures raising dust from afar. Despite looking far away, these creatures should arrive in about 3 minutes.

    The distance between them and the safe tree was akin to a block away. So now, the question was if they could make it on time.

    Apart from their base and the hill that grew human food, no ce in this world was safe, including the so-called ''safe'' tree.

    It was just that the dangers the tree offered were one of the lowest danger tiers in this world.

    Every creature or tree has a difficulty rank. One of the weakest trees of all was the safe tree.

    Seeing the tree here, Bassano and the others thanked their lucky stars.

    Merlin, being the first to arrive, quickly took out his dagger and stabbed the trees mercilessly.

    ~Aaaaaaaooo~

    The safe tree cried and began stupidly smashing itself from side to side. Soon, its eyes blinked, causing Rudolf''s team to take a step back in shock.

    Seeing ite alive was different from hearing it from a person''s mouth.

    Rudolf felt that even if he someday escaped this world, he might never look at trees the same again. And what was up with its ugliness?

    Why was it that whenever any creature, object, or being revealed their tree form, they were always so ugly?

    Can''t there be good-looking ones?

    The moment the tree came alive, several holes began forming on its surface, and the entire tree began wilting at a visible rate.

    It was decaying, with all sorts of ants, termites, maggots, and whatnot crawling in and out of its body.

    As a result of seeing so many minutes on the way here, Rudolf no longer puked at such a sight.

    However, this didn''t stop him from gagging and feeling his mouth turn bitter.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Time was not on their side, as the stampede was drawing closer by the second.

    C''mon. C''mon.

    "Everyone get ready."

    Merlin stabbed the tree again, causing it to wobble even more.

    Aooooooorrr~

    "Now!"

    Everyone darted into the tree''s fully-opened mouth in the nick of time. But was this truly the end of things?

 Chapter 430 Their End?

    They did make it in the nick of time, because the moment thest person dived in, the stampede of a thousand beasts was already here.

    DIN-DIN-DIN-DIN--

    Without knowing it, everyone hugged each other, not even minding the hundreds and hundreds of maggots swimming around the floors and walls.

    "Everyone, hold on and close your mouths!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The tree wobbled crazily, mming them into the maggot-infested walls. This was its main attack, which was why it was one of the weakest trees.

    It was a womping tree that could only wobble and smash its head side to side, like the Hulk smashing Loki.

    Now, they understood why Bassona advised them to close their mouths. Jenny felt several maggots crawling on her hair, and wanted to cry.

    She had never been one to be afraid of bugs. But this was too much, right?

    What''s more, the maggots, ants and other disgusting beings were not only rotting and foul in stench, but also left trails of sticky green slim wherever they passed.

    They were only lucky that these maggots weren''t the silver-coloured type.

    Those types loved to bore their way into human skin after contact. By guiding them to a certain body part and amputating it, one could escape them.

    Of course, the longer the bugs stay with their victims, the faster the victim''s body decays.

    Chris and everyone else felt their scalps grow numb, again understanding the cruelty of this new world. But this wasn''t all they had to worry about.

    Outside the tree, several running creatures suddenly paused and tilted their heads unnaturally.

    Hiss!

    Everyone sucked their breaths, not daring to blink or even breathe.

    Were they discovered? The creatures turned their attention away, causing everyone to breathe out sighs of relief.

    Hah! They wish!

    Gharr!~

    Their disturbing smiles remained on their faces as the creatures mmed the tree.

    What to do? What to do?

    "Everyone, we can only buy our time for another 5 minutes. After the safe tree gets injured, it won''t be able to open its mouth until then."

    It''s been 1 minute and 30 seconds since they entered, meaning they had barely 3 more minutes left.

    Everyone''s shoulders fell, as they watched the many creatures desperately try to break into the tree.

    The tree''s attack power might be the lowest, but it had one of the strongest mechanisms, as it couldn''t bulge until the time was up. This was why it was chosen as a safe tree. But how was any of this beneficial to them now?

    They did evade the stampede, but still caught the attention of a few.

    The safe tree kept the crooked, emaciated beings at bay. But this also meant they were trapped here, with no way out.

    Suddenly, being with the maggots didn''t seem so terrible anymore. But were they willing to give up just like that? Impossible!

    They wanted to live. They wanted to return back to the base and jump on their beds with glee. They were not going to go down without a fight!

    "A Palington... A beast with a snake''s bottom and a dog''s head. We discovered that we could buy more time for ourselves if we attacked its eyes. But we only have 10 minutes left before its eyes regenerate again.

    **Mortal weapons can''t kill any creatures. They will regenerate if they lose a limb or another body part. The weaker the creature, the longer the regeneration time.

    One by one, Bassano and his team began talking about the creatures surrounding them.

    Can they do it? Do they stand a chance? No one was optimistic, but they dared not dwell on it further.

    The stampede had passed. So for now, all they had to do was defend themselves and flee. That was the assignment.

    Rudolf kept his eyes fixed on the clock for a moment. "30 seconds more."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The gang clenched their weapons tightly, as they created a defensive wall against each other from all sides. In the center were the injured.

    Everyone, get ready!

    Rudolf counted down with a cold voice. "10 seconds more."

    8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

    Aooooorrr~

    The tree was stabbed by creatures outside and began opening its many mouths slowly.

    The mouths weren''t fully opened, yet both sides had already garnished their ws and weapons at each other.

    "Take this!"

    Bang!

    Rudolf swung his 2 short spear-like rods, smacking the ws that reached for his neck.

    This was it. This was it!"

    His muscles swelled and his veins popped with adrenaline, as he moved his rods valiantly in all directions.

    Die! Die! Die!

    Chris cursed loudly, as he swung his weapon with all his might.

    "Die you pieces of sh**! How dare you want this daddy?"

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    "Ahhhhh!!!~"

    It had only been a few seconds since their battle began, yet the creatures had already gotten to almost all of them.

    There was no helping it. Their speed was too fast for humans to handle.

    Perhaps if it was 1 or 2 creatures versus all of them, then Bassano''s team, who have the most experience, would be able to assist in victory.

    Sadly, this wasn''t the case. Over 15 creatures surrounded the tree.

    Rudolf felt a warm but rough sensation of a tongue licking its way up his neck after being grabbed by his opponent''s giant dog hands.

    Rudolf struggled to break free but found all his efforts for naught. As he watched everyone else get captured by their beastly enemies, things seemed to be happening in slow motion.

    His heart shook in fear and his mind spiraled with countless thoughts, as his life had now shed before his very eyes.

    His regrets... His secret love for Jenny... His dreams... His family... His fans... His passions... His former world.

    With silent tears, Rudolf who has always been strong, now found himselfid back on top of a spongy darkish cushion, staring at the roofed mouth above his head.

    Was this the end?

    Rudolf was caught on its spiral tongue watching darkness engulf his surroundings as the beast began closing its mouth.

    ''Goodbye, world.''

    ~sh!

    A chilling noise bellowed, as Rudolf tightly closed his eyes waiting for death. But why was death not so painful?

    (?~?)

    Jenny and the rest also wanted to know the reason why. And when they opened their eyes, they couldn''t help staying frozen in disbelief.

    ..."Dad?"

    "Jenny!!!!"

 Chapter 431 Intruders In The Land!

    "Jenny!!!"

    Elric''s eyes were filled with warmth and distress, when looking at his daughter.

    When has his beloved daughter suffered so much? One look at her, and you''ll know she has been through hell and back over thesest couple of days.

    You have to know that the time they arrived here was when he saw the creature grab his baby girl and ce it in its mouth.

    Elric''s legs instantly turned soft, as he subconsciously strangled Wiggins, while yelling at the top of his voice.

    "You put my baby down, you lowly beast!"

    [Wiggins who was suffocating]: (-_-)

    At that moment, Elric cursed at his weakness as a human.

    Dammit!

    Had he been stronger, would such beings dare to mess with his previous daughter?

    Elric, who had already reached a high position of power in the country, suddenly wanted to stand on top of these creatures and put his g of victory on their skulls.

    This was why he decided that after this matter was over, he would join whatever organization the Grandmaster came from.

    No! It shouldn''t be an organization. From the word ''disciple,'' it seems to be a school, doesn''t it?

    If such a thing happens to his daughter again, should he always call on the people?

    Eric wasn''t one to solely rely on others over and over. That''s why he preferred to enter deep waters and understand matters for himself.

    Even if he had to work with them, at least it was better than his former clueless self who didn''t even know these beings lurked around the human world.

    Damn. He even wondered if there were any monsters hiding under his bed or in his closet.

    The Boogie Man won''t be real, right?

    (!��!)

    Jenny opened her eyes and had to take off her cracked sses and wipe them again. This was to make sure she wasn''t hallucinating. After all she witnessed, even she couldn''t trust her eyes anymore.

    "Da-- dad?... Daddy!!"

    Jenny was about to rush over, but everyone grabbed her back vigntly.

    "Jenny! Remember! There are creatures in this ce that take on the form of our most beloved people. So how are you sure he''s real?"

    [Elric]:... I get that you''re trying to keep my daughter safe, so I will forgive you for now.

    Elric gave Rudolf a fierce re, but Rudolf didn''t back down.

    It was strange to say that none of them thought of why they suddenly escaped from death''s ws.

    Instead, they were too preupied by the emergence of these sudden strangers. After all, in the history of humanity''s time in this ce, no one has ever been able to enter space unless it was 100 yearster. So they had every right to be suspicious.

    Too bad Dorian didn''t have time for their so-called vignce.

    With a few hand gestures, he made them fly and mingle with Elric''s group.

    Up, up, and away we go.

    (0?0)

    Chris''s eyes burned with shock, seeing blue streaks leave Dorian''s body.

    Who am I? What am I? Are you sure humans have always had such abilities?

    Was it real magic?

    Now, Chris no longer believes in the God of Science. Facts are in front of you and you want to say it''s a chemical phenomenon that urs when x meets y in a Z-ne?

    No way! You must be joking.

    What do mathematical equations have to do with this?

    For heaven''s sake! The guy shot blue thunder out of his finger!

    Whether it was Chris, Rudolf, Bassano, Merlin and the rest, everyone was dumbfounded.

    "All questions will be answered at your base."

    Elder Endo quenched their curiosity, while maintaining the flying formation.

    How to put it?

    The elders and Academy students formed a flying square formation, with Haru in the center.

    Dorian flew alone, leaving them to transport the group. After all, it was part of their training.

    Unless they were desperate, he wouldn''t move a muscle while here.

    The experience was akin to them flying on a magic carpet, except, there was no carpet at all, but an invisible floor helped by connecting talismans that glowed blue.

    Of course, not everyone focused on the formation.

    "Sonic Hammer!"

    Bang!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    One of the disciples mmed a creature that flew up into the air after them. But he wasn''t the only one fighting.

    The group was now floating sky high in the air. Even so, the creatures kepting, hunting from the tree points and trying to grab them at every chance that came their way.

    There were hundreds and even thousands of them with bloodshot eyes that spoke of their extreme hunger.

    But why? Why did they suddenly go berserk?

    Dorian floatedzily, watching the turmoil unfold.

    ''Loki.''

    He created this ce for his amusement, probably after dealing with his underworld friends.

    The creatures here should also be restricted to some level, so as not to kill all humans at once. This was probably why the creatures attacked the humans in rtively fewer numbers along the journey for food hunting and information gathering.

    This was all Dorian''s spection. Only after reaching the base can they understand how this ace truly works.

    As for why the creatures became berserk, it was because of their sudden entry into the space.

    You see... Unlike the other people who came once every 100 years, the scent on their bodies had a distinct smell.

    This meant the creatures could eat their fill without the fear of any consequences. This was why they looked at Dorian''s group like fat sheep.

    Their eyes were so clouded by absolute hunger that they couldn''t think right. But among the many creatures, only 3 remained calm within a cave located at the other end of the space.

    One of them was the ''man'' who spoke to Rudolf''s team that fateful night before their disappearance.

    "Who?... Who dares enter without my permission?"

    The man slowly rose to his feet, as overly long horns suddenly popped out from his head.

    Unlike the rest, he was a general in Prince Lucifer''s camp.

    Generals had more than 12 main ranks to climb, and a variety of sub ranks within each main rank to advance from.

    It''s true that he was at the lowest grade of the main rank, and even at the lowest sub-rank within his main rank... But that doesn''t mean he isn''t amazing.

    He, General Bathalotio, had a legion of 2,000 underworld beings working for him. And they were all in this space, for the assignment of pleasing Loki to keep the rtionship with their Prince good.

    In here, he was the overseer, ensuring things ran smoothly as nned. So what was this? Why the sudden disturbance in the force?

    The horned general sniffed deeply, allowing his bull-like horns to tear off his human disguise. And in another second, he was gone.

    .

    "Look! Look! What is that?"

    Standing outside the mansion were several others who came out to understand why the many creatures had suddenly gone berserk.

    It seems the group of people can''t believe their eyes, also shocked by Jenny and the rest flying sky high.

    (��С�)

    They stared at the scene with dropped jaws, watching the flying crew enter their safe space andnd with no flying technologies or even a carpet underneath their butts.

    For a moment, they didn''t know how to react.

    "dimir, James..." Bassano called out, waking the other stupefied team leaders up. He didn''t need to speak more because everyone silently followed the strangers into the mansion with a million questions in mind.

    How did theye to this world when the 100 year period has already passed? F***!

    Did you see the magic tricks they just pulled to get here?

    Given their godly skills, are they even sure they are human at this point?

    Entering the grand mansion, whether it was Henry, Wiggins, Berry, or everyone else, they were still in disbelief that Bassanoa and the others were people from several hundreds of years ago.

    Unbelievable!

    Who would''ve thought the famous Bassona, who was reported missing, had been suffering here for 200 years now?

    "Since you''re here to defeat these monsters on our behalf, it would be rude of us not to offer you refreshments." Bassano offered.

    Food was running out, but with the help of these strangers, they should at least be able to find the Food hill and restock their goods before the deadline nears.

    Food?

    Dorian chuckled, staring at the juicy apple in his hands. And with a single breath from him the apple turned ck.

    Ahhhh!!!!!

    The group''s face turned deadly pale, seeing the ck hideous apple wiggle and ooze green fluid from within.

    Puff!

    A slithering worm with a snack-head they had never seen before suddenly popped from the inside, and wiggled desperately towards the many humans around it.

    "We... We ate these?"

    Bassano''s group couldn''t wait to puke the hundred years of food out of their systems.

    Seeing their reaction, Dorian chuckled, tilting his headzily.

    The food was the least of their worries because as he saw things right now... they were all dead.

 Chapter 432 Hope

    Who are these people? Who can tell them?

    Whether it was James, dimir, or the others in their gang, they desperately wanted answers. Though they saw these mysterious strangers use ''magic,'' it wasn''t so unbelievable to them who have stayed here for hundreds of years, watching the entire creaturesunch magical attacks of their own.

    Hell! At this point, if you tell them that the sun could suddenly transform into a human, they would also believe it as well.

    Of course, just because dimir, James, and the rest of the men chose to stay quiet, didn''t mean the women would. In particr, Mabel, Catherine and several other women who earlier argued with Jenny''s group were growing impatient the longer they waited.

    "Pardon me, but are we going to overlook the mighty elephant in the room?"

    "That''s right! The moment you walked in, it was only right for you to exin how the hell you got here. And don''t think about deceiving us because we know the 100-year gate has been shut!"

    "Goodness! How rude can you lot be? In the presence of royalty, you dare not answer Princess Catherine''smand? Tell me! Is the new age of people so unruly that they no longer have respect for their elders?"

    "h, h, h, h, h."

    (-_-)

    ...

    Hello? Can you all shut up?

    Elric, Wiggins, Harry, and Berry looked at each other tactfully, secretly finding his century-year-old people so annoying.

    Don''t get them wrong. There were indeed people in the outside world who were 100 years old. But such people had long changed, even if it''s by a little.

    They grew up in an ever-changing world, and their worldviews were no longer the same. But those here who were 116 to 230 years old still had their ancient ways of thinking.

    Sure. It was amazing sewing real-life ancient folks dawned in vintage attire. Their proper ents and ways of pronunciation were fascinating to listen to.

    However, the second they opened their mouths, they were like annoying bees, buzzing in their ears.

    Everyone felt the urge to throw them out, but for the academy disciples and elders they secretly lit imaginary candles for thesedies in their hearts.

    Knowing their Grandmaster, they couldn''t help giving them sympathetic looks. And sure enough, they were right.

    "Noisy."

    With a flick of Dorian''s fingers, several pebbles flew through the eye like lightning causing thedies to suddenly hold their necks in disbelief.

    What''s going on? Why can''t they speak?

    Ah! Ah! Ah!

    Thedies tried to make a sound while desperately tapping the men like excited goris in a zoo.

    Their faces grew visibly pale and their worries escted, especially seeing as there were now more women in the mansion topare and steal their men.

    No! Without their voices, how can they sessfully whisper sweet pillow talks to their men? How can they scream when in danger? How would they be able to verbally fight back against the many whores here?

    Of course, some of the women were already eyeing Dorian, Elric, Wei Gia, Jung Hou, Haru, and several others, nning to step on two boats before discarding the useless ones away.

    At least they had to see which group could fight the most, so their protection was guaranteed.

    Already, thedies were thinking far ahead, contemting how to go about things with no voice.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    .

    Dammit!

    They scratched their necks with faces as though they had been forced to eat dog poop.

    Though it was bizarre to see these people here, they still believed there was no way Dorian and his group would be able to get out of this hell hole.

    So what if you can do little magic tricks? The thousands of monsters they met could also do the same, with some making, even more, shier moves.

    So, please! If you''re trying to say this little handful of people could fight against thousands of regeneration monsters and win, then you must be a fool to believe it.

    Since the beginning of time here, no human has ever been able to escape, except through death.

    They were talking warriors, diators, knights, soldiers, you name it... This space broke their hopes as the decades went by.

    The only good thing was that they didn''t age a single day from when they first arrived. And they also couldn''t get pregnant here either. So it was at least a win-win in the adult gymnastics department.

    They could y as they wanted with no repercussions.

    .

    [Host, your actions are not how an exorcist should act. The host is here to help them, remember?]

    Dorian narrowed his eyes murderously. He was already annoyed by the women''s earlier rants. ''You question me?''

    The system suddenly felt its existence was threatened. [No. No. No, host. This system is stupid and dares not.]

    ''It''s good that you know.''

    [...]

    The system felt like poking a stick in the sand with its lonely body, wondering why its host was acting like a demon again.

    It only gave a little suggestion in good faith but was instead mocked by its host for being stupid. It was heartbroken, but Dorian seemed not to understand its plight.

    Endo swept his gaze across the group, finally breaking the icy atmosphere. "For your questions on our identities, you only need to know one thing --- we have here for you."

    What? Here for them?

    "How so?" dimir couldn''t help asking. Did it mean their humankind had finally found a way to rescue them from this dump?

    "Yes." Endo nodded. "You''ll be leaving for good. This, we can guarantee. But to do so, we need all the information we can get on this ce."

    Really? Really? They''ll be able to leave here alive?

    They indeed felt the task was impossible. They felt Dorian''s group would probably fail to do what they said.

    Still, the little ray of hope that had already fallen on their shadowy hearts,

    Even if it was just a dream, Catherine couldn''t help wanting to know what happened to her father''s castle, while the rest also hoped to see their homes or whatever is left of it.

    What about her siblings? Did they leave a trail of descendants behind? How did their families and friends die?

 Chapter 433 Seriously... Theres Really Hope?

    Everyone''s eyes lit up with fires of hope that burned infinitely.

    Alright.

    Time to get down to business.

    With the cold atmosphere now thawed, Bassona and the others quickly took the group to the mission room and other vital rooms holding their information about the space.

    Wow!

    Everyone was amazed, feeling like they had ventured into a doomsday movie. At least to Julius, that was how it seemed. As he listened to Bassona and the others, he realized how deep the history of this ce and theirs was.

    Do you know how it feels to know that ancient tribesmen, knights, generals, diators, soldiers, and many more had been trapped here for centuries with no way out till they eventually died?

    The despair these victims felt must''ve been great. Julius opened several letters left by the dead for their loved ones. Some letters dated right from the 9th century while others dated to the 17th century. The earliest one seemed to be from the 5th century. That was how this hellish ce had been operational.

    Though their families were dead, as a soldier, Julius felt the heavy burden to do these people right.

    At least they had to be honored in some way for their bravery and hellish times here.

    "Father, we must take the letters out."

    "Hmmm..." Wiggins nodded. They had to trace the history of some of the people, finding out when they disappeared. The only name he recognized was the great General Motzar who was on his way to the battlefield with 5,000 men before his sudden disappearance in the 14th century

    It''s said no one could find them after that, with some history books specting he fled in fear of losing.

    Some said he was a coward h but that also doesn''t make sense since before he disappeared, he was a force beast on the battlefield, one never afraid to fight a losing battle.

    It was likely that they stumbled upon a deadly enemy great in number that wiped them out and did away with their bodies.

    Motzar''s disappearance was one of the biggest unresolved mysteries in history. And now, they finally knew the truth.

    From one fighter to another, Julius and the others felt they should do him justice, especially since he was originally from their country.

    There have been many people from all regions and walks of life and his space that have lived in this devilish ce. The records were proof of this. It was already amazing that though there werenguage barriers among them, these people managed to make good of their situation together.

    Well, they had 100 years to live with each other before the next group of people entered. So it wasn''t surprising that they could master the variousnguages that separated them.

    For Henry and a few others, their attention was solely on the 2 separate maps on the walls: The Steady Map and Unpredictable Map.

    Moving hills, moving mountains, trees that decide humans, valleys that seduce them like sirens, the food hill, the 24-hour darkness period, and many other vital pieces of information led them to believe someone was ying games with the victims... A deadly one at that.

    Thankfully, humanity managed to hold on strong despite being the main food source for these many creatures.

    All right.

    Now that they''ve gotten to the full gist of things, it was time to take action.

    .

    Elric and the others stared at Dorian anxiously. The number of deadly creatures and their abilities were enough to give them a heart attack. They still had faith in Dorian, but couldn''t help wondering if it was truly possible to eradicate all the evil in this ce.

    "Grandmaster, what do you think? Can it still be done?"

    "Hmmm," Dorian answered lightly, turning his attention to Old Hou and several disciples.

    "The mansion is a disguise for its true nature. Stay here, look after them."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    With that, he carefully folded and tore several pieces of paper and blew on them with a single chant.

    <Grow.>

    Everyone''s mind immediately became nk from shock, watching the paper figurines rapidly grow to human size in a blink of an eye.

    F***!

    Many subconsciously took several steps back, feeling their knees soften and their bodies jelly.

    "You-You-you...How can this be?" Catherine pointed her trembling fingers at Dorian, wishing she could pluck her eyes out and wipe them clean to ensure she was sewing things right.

    With her voice returned after that fiasco earlier, she had regained her arrogance. Except this time, she dared not speak so loudly before this mysterious group.

    Everyone felt their jaws clenched and their breaths halt when the paper figurines walked past them.

    Phew~

    They were gone but to where?

    "Hey, look," Merlin whispered to a few, gesturing at one of the figurines standing on the far edge of the safe zone, just before the barrier.

    How did it get there so fast?

    Everyone watched the figurine sit cross-legged. Old Hou and those appointed by Dorian, also stood in a Pentagon-shaped formation, doing the same hand movements as the paper figurines outdoors.

    "Wait," dimir spoke. "Does anyone feel colder than usual?"

    They do!

    The air was colder and the mansion now felt windy, as though a thick draft had been let in from the windows.

    Merlin wrapped his arms around himself, feeling his teeth begin to rattle. But it wasn''t the only thing that shook.

    BrmBrmBrm!

    The floors and walls trembled as their outer surfaces slowly burnt away, revealing the entire house and walls to be made of peculiar mirrors. Suddenly, Haru had a bad feeling.

    Ahhhh!

    Several people took several steps back, too afraid of what they saw. Was that even their reflection?

    "It is," Haru answered, recalling hisst incident with his reflection... Or should he say Shadow.

    Grahhhh!!!~

    The bastard was still trying to kill him, as it stretched the mirror barrier with all its might, wanting to cross over and rid itself of Haru''s control.

    Why should it be bound to him, only going where Haru wants? Of course, only when Haru standspletely still does it have some degree of freedom to its existence.

    The real question here was why the mansion was connected to the mirror world, and what did the connection have to do with this hellish ce.

    Dorian had no time to exin. They had work to do, especially with the danger he sensed heading their way.

 Chapter 434 Ending It All

    Terrified and disoriented, everyone took several steps back, wishing to cut themselves from the shadowy creatures that followed them.

    Words could not exin their shock. Even Bassona''s group was broken by the scene.

    Son of a b**ch!

    Just how many creatures are lurking in the dark without them knowing?

    When standing still, the creepy veins would growl and scratch away at the surface, wanting to have a pose of them.

    Wiggins slowly moved back and tilted his left to the side. Look! The creature also did the same, although its expression showed hate!

    Why was it controlled by a weak mortal?!

    Graaaa!~

    It twitched and struggled to gain control while sending its overly long snakish tongue to the surface.

    It was speaking, but in a broken tongue like a Tasmanian devil. However, no matter how slow Wiggins was he knew it was cursing him.

    Hey! He didn''t ask to be born a mortal, okay? This was not his doing! Besides, do you think he''s happy knowing such a creature was attached to him? Augh~

    Sure enough, the tales of monsters hiding under a bed to scare children were true. Only, the monster was their shadow! Why can it be like this?

    Wiggins felt the information dumped on him was too much. It only resolved his determination to learn from these strange academy members after they sessfully left this ce.

    Berry and the others also thought the same.

    Thinking about it, they realized their powerful country didn''t have anly forces that could stop such threats.

    ��?��m If they truly existed, they should''ve reached out to Elric during this period he lost his daughter.

    Yet, only these people from the East appeared. Already, Berry and the many military personnel were thinking of creating a new Monster sector after this.

    Yes! It was the only way they would be at peace!

    .

    Everyone''s shadow looked so heinous, with peeling skins, crooked fingers as long as twigs, rotting fluid oozing from their bodies, hunched backs, and disproportionate body parts, some with left legs as big as pillows, while the right as thin as a pinky finger.

    Everyone''s shadow counterpart looked as hideous and vomit-inducing as the many creatures they saw outside.

    However, Dorian''s shadow was so clean and far better looking than humans in the world.

    Too handsome!

    They dared say it looked like a superstar.

    It wore white, which was a deep contrast to Dorian''s bluish-ck attire.

    The only way they could probably tell it was a shadow, was its eyes which were an unnatural hue of yellow.

    Hell!

    If not for this, they might have thought he was the good Dorian trapped in there, while the Dorian with them was the bad one.

    (-_-)

    Don''t me them for thinking so. Dorian was naturally a cold person, but at least, his shadow came off as azy, celebrity-type of figure that didn''t mind talking a bit more.

    What was strange was how the other shadows feared it, not daring to cause amotion before Dorian''s shadow.

    You have to know that whenever they stood still, apart from cursing at them, their shadows also fought against each other, like barbarians.

    It''s like they just loved chaos, and couldn''t sit still. They acted as though someone had thrown ants in their pants. Yet, they immediately became obedient when close to Dorian''s shadow.

    It was the oddest thing to watch.

    One identally fell close to Dorian''s shadow and began groveling on the ground and pleading in strange words. Even Old Hou''s shadow and those from the academy, also had their ugly shadows afraid.

    Tsk.

    Sure enough. The Grandmaster''s shadow wasn''t ordinary either.

    The scene in the shadow world also looked like an apocalyptic hellish ce.

    Dorian''s shadow, which was leaning on a rockzily, slowly tilted its head with a slight smile.

    With elegant gestures, it brought itself to its feet.

    Its attire was the same school-styled high-cored attire as the academy''s, only it was white without a speck of dust on it.

    The shadow slowly dusted itself, beforezily walking with its hands in its pockets toward Dorian.

    "So... we meet again, owner." It said sluggishly. "You know, I''m getting tired of meeting you like this. After all, it''s no fun if we can have our big fight, wouldn''t you agree?"

    What?

    Apart from Haru, Donghai, and a few others, many gasped not expecting to speak humannguage.

    Was this a superior shadow? Were there grades of shadows they didn''t know about? Or could it be that after a while, all shadows upgrade to look so smooth?

    In truth, they were all wrong. All mortal shadows were hideous with no exception.

    For Exorcists, though they break out of their mortal shells at the start, it still doesn''t make their shadows better looking.

    Such were thews of heaven. They might be cultivators that could live for thousands of years. But in the Book of Life, when they die, they will still fall under humanity.

    It''s just that they will have more rewards for aiding in fighting and keeping order for the heavens.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Even the most powerful exorcist humankind has ever produced, has a mortifying shadow that hated them the longest.

    Unlike most humans with a short life span of 70~100.

    Heavenly exorcists who live for thousands of years, also keep their shadows under their control for that long too.

    What''s more, there are shadow techniques that train one''s shadow as a weapon. So how can shadows belonging to cultivators not hate them the most?

    Nheless, all shadows were ugly, but Dorian''s wasn''t.

    .

    In his former world, he also wondered why his shadow was always different from others. However, aftering to this world, he understood it had something to do with his true identity. But what is it? Only time will tell.

    Dorian frowned, seemingly displeased by his annoying counterpart.

    "Noisy.

    He had no time to listen to its word games. With a few hand gestures, the strange movements he did, suddenly turned to letters, floating before the space.

    Outside, the many paper men also followed his moves. And soon...

    BOOM~

    The ground shook even harder than before and a strange mist shot out from the formation, forcing its way out of the protective barrier.

    GRAHHH!~

    What was that?

    Creatures far and wide, suddenly froze, getting an even more enticing whiff they couldn''t resist.

    Too strong!

    The smell made their bodies move before their thoughts, as they rushed toward the mansion from all corners of thend.

    Creatures in the waters rose, and even the demonic trees uprooted themselves, dragging their heavy bodies over.

    Just then soft whispers echoed through the air, barely audible at first, but growing louder and louder with every passing moment.

    What was this?

    The voice carried the chorus of tormented souls, filled with anguish and despair that sent shivers down the spines of any who heard.

    The floorboard creaked harder under an invisible weight, as the gang of monsters outside hastily approached.

    Holy Sh**!

    Bassasano''s pupils shrieked, hearing the chaos outside. He had an inkling of what Dorian Was about to do.

    "Endo, take a few, stay in the safe zone and protect them."

    It won''t be long before the walls surrounding the safe zone weaken and fall. They must be ready by then.

    Endo nodded, turning at a few academy disciples and standing around the group. In no time, he and others opened the blue wooden case, taking out what seemed like chalk.

    Enough said.

    The ground crouched down and began drawing protective circles.

    Even if the house crumbles on them, provided they are within the circle, no harm wille to them.

    As for Haru, Old Hou and the rest of the Academy disciples, well... it was obvious they would fight alongside him.

    Don''t you see?

    The creatures have alle out to y.

    This was the time to eradicate them all, or else once the window of opportunity closes, they won''t be able to leave this special even if they wanted to.

    That bloody trickster has tampered with this space all too well!

    Though he created the space, alongside his underworld friends, he still had precautions in case for some reason, they tried to forcefully stop his fun.

    If they should fail to get out in time, tearing the veil and heading back to their world would be ten times harder.

    It was still doable for Dorian, but at his current strength, he would need to rest and regain his strength before he could do so. In this space thatcked enough natural qi, that could take a while, since he will first have to convert evil qi to natural one before absorbing it.

    Dorian''s eyes hardened with a stern light, staring at the ever-changing sun, that was slowly morphing from red to a peculiar shade of purple. They had no time to waste.

    Whoosh!

    In a sh, he and the others appeared inches before the barrier.

    Holding a small talisman paper, he brought it close to his chest, using two fingers from his other hand and drew out a transparent blue sword from it.

    Of course, he was not all alone.

    Haru and the others drew their weapons, hunching their backs for action.

    1... 2... 3...

    GO!

    The daring group jumped through the barrier, raising their weapons high.

    Show time.

 Chapter 435 [Bonus ]Who Was Playing Who?

    Jenny gripped her father''s hand, her eyes still red on the massive floor-to-ceiling window to her left.

    Their group of superheroes looked like antspared to the hundreds of giant monsters salivating at every turn.

    "Dad... will they be alright?"

    "Of course, they will." Elric thinned his lips, soothing his daughter''s worries away. He prayed they did. They were their only hope out of this mess!

    Boom!

    Haru''s card sent an exploding wave, as it boomeranged its way across the tens of creatures surrounding him. But he dared not decelerate his victory.

    GRAWW!

    Many creatures danced ominously, as they suddenly took caution, with hate brooding in their eyes.

    Kill him! Kill him! Kill this mortal!

    The words were etched into their minds like a luby they couldn''t get rid of.

    Haru''s eyes narrowed as he sought to pinpoint their weaknesses.

    With a flick of his wrist, he threw 4 deadly cards that vibrated strangely.

    "Sonic BOOM!"

    The weaker creatures had their hidden hearts explode, kidding them in one go! But of course, there were tougher fires to kill.

    Suddenly, the air became heavy with malevolence, as a drop, guttural noise resonated from the crowd of weaklings.

    "Human... you are mine!"

    Zing!~

    A half-bull, half-spider creature, made its already sharp spider legs grow three times longer.

    It was a menacing demon, with 3 eyes on its bullhead, and a chest that seemed to naturally look like someone had shed it to death.

    Its eyes were white like a possessed being, with bluish veins crawling on the white pte.

    Rotting couldn''t describe its current state. Its body, though juicy, still looked like a mummified animal, twisted and deformed.

    With a heavy grunt, the creature''s bull muscles expanded, with its aura growing stronger.

    "Human! You smell so good!"

    BOOM!

    A heavy force from the sh sent several creatures flying back. What was power? This was power!

    The bull spider had its front legs smashed on Haru''s card shield. Haru had erged one of his cards in the nick of time, creating a shield armor.

    Haru''s eyes widened, as his brain quickly went to work.

    Think fast!

    ~Pitsh! Pitsh! Pitsh!

    Haru rolled as fast as he could, watching the many spider feet attempt to stump his way.

    The bull spider''sugh was so disturbing, it could make the dead wish to die again.

    ~Hahhahahahahahahahaha

    "Foolish mortal! You are but a speck of dust to my kind."

    Bam!

    One of its sharp legs smashed into the ground, raising heaps of rotting soil high up. For a moment, the creature fell into deep arrogance, watching Haru struggle to evade not only its attacks but other creatures too.

    "How pitiful, you are mortal. Do you truly believe you can stand against us all?"

    Haru kicked an eyeball monster, raising his shield to block another attack from the bull spider.

    Bam!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You might be different, but don''t you see your flimsy weapons are no match for our superior strength? Face it human, all you can do against me is defend!"

    Haru blew a few strands of hair off his face with a coy smile. "Really?"

    Charging up his qi into all 4 cards between his fingers, Haru moved his hands like a magician, turning 4 into 1.

    But when he moved his hands as though throwing a yo-yo downwards, all 4 cards not only revealed themselves but also seemed to be connected by an invisible string.

    Haru kicked his heels, appearing several feet high with an all-knowing smile.

    Drrrch!~

    Blue streaks of lightning sparks appeared on the cards, as they expanded several times their size.

    Haru stood on one of them, his eyes also leaking streaks of lightning from them too.

    "Lightning sh! Charge of 10,000 Heavenly volts!"

    Is that all?

    The bull spider sneered, readying itself to counter and destroy the iing attack. But after moving its feet and sending out a powerful wave attack of its own, its overly arrogant smile suddenly froze.

    How can this be? How can the attack be so fast?

    Pouf~

    The bull spider felt a chronic pain engulf its being, as all 6 legs were cut from its knees.

    There seems to be poisonced in the attack, as the yellow streaks of lighting turned golden after shing his legs.

    ARHHHH!

    ARHHHH!

    ARHHHH!

    "Asshole! Bloody son of a human b**ch!" The bull spider cursed seeing the yellow streaks of light spread from his severed knee into its bloodstream, making his veins pop and protrude in agony.

    By now, it fully understood it was dealing with an exorcist.

    An Exorcist! Can you believe it?!

    If he lived to tell the tale in the underworld, many might think it was coo-coo without proof. Worst, they might make it think it was bing scared of humans, which would ruin its reputation.

    The creature blinked all 3 of its eyes excessively, knowing it wasn''t a dream.

    But why were there exorcists in this world? Can anyone tell why it wasn''t briefed on there being exorcists yet?

    Could it be the one called Loki had betrayed their dark princes and is now working with the heavenly ones for fun? Was it to mess with them?

    Suddenly, its brain began conjuring all sorts of plots, wishing it could find a way to warn its dark masters against Loki.

    Why? Because that bastard was the only one who could do something like send Exorcists here.

    No! No!

    It didn''t want to die! It still hasn''t climbed to the ranks yet!

    The bull spider struggled to stand, grabbing other smaller features and throwing them Haru''s way. But no matter how it struggled, its death was imminent.

    After all, how could Haru let it go?

    "Damn you, human. Why don''t you just die? I implore you to let me go if you know what''s good for you.... listen here. I can give you anything you want. Riches, women, countries, you name it... Just let me go and I promise to never appear in this world again!"

    "Let you go?" Haru chuckled, calmly sitting on a flying card. "How can I believe the words of a demon?"

    With a flick of a wrist, Haru sent the giant bull spider burning in mes.

    Looking in the distance, he saw an open space, with over 500 creatures dead, with Grandmaster at the center. And standing before him was a truly terrifying beast.

    If this were a video game, Jaru would call it the final Boss!

 Chapter 436 A Terrifying Existence

    Left, right, front, back, and center, the Academy members fought with vigor, though it wasn''t without some injuries... especially to the disciples.

    After all, though some had already begun killing creatures these past few weeks, it was important to know the number they attacked wasn''t as nearly as these.

    After killing creatures surrounding them, the disciples had no time to breathe, as several creatures made sneak attacks, some smacking them hard, others grabbing their feet, and some stabbing their bodies mercilessly.

    Luckily the grandmaster had given them strange pins to clip on their chest pockets.

    The moment any demonic attack was plunged toward their heart, it would bounce off their chests or back.

    On their ear, there was a strange diamond pebble that stuck to their lobe like magic.

    This pebble would also prevent any head or neck attacks. So no one would have to worry about a sneak attack borrowing through their skulls.

    Of course, these items were only given to them because this mission was special. It will probably be thest time such a gesture is made since these safety items can be purchased in the Academy using their points or academy money.

    But during this mission, why not protect the other body parts?

    The answer was simple... For experience. Only pain can allow one to recall every mistake.

    Ahhhh!

    Jung Hou yelled, before swiping his attack and backflipping in pain. He stared at his bleeding thought and cursed.

    Dammit!

    The eyeball creature can release spiky thorns?"

    Jung Hou made a mental note, burning all knowledge in his brain. As cultivators, don''t forget their brains were far superior to normal, with photographic memories that could remember anything they put their mind to.

    Jung Hou twirled his giant Scalpel in the air, shing the many thornsing his way.

    That''s right, as a heinous doctor, he prepared his weapon to be a scalpel rather than a sword.

    There were 3 other disciples from the Hou n, who also chose medical tools as their weapons.

    Someone had a giant syringe that could not only be used to fight but could also suck in its enemy into the tube part and keep them there like a vacuum machine.

    As time goes on, they can also invent their own techniques or special moves, and perhaps create manuals too.

    Another person had giant scissors, and the other person, who was a Nurse under the Hou m, prepared her weapon to be a bandage.

    Don''t look down on the simple bandage roll in her hand. It moved like a serpent, curling around its prey until it mummified it.

    Let''s not forget it could divide itself like the enemy''s many thorns, releasing burning heavenly qi on the enemies it touched.

    Everyone was giving their all, fighting with their best. Yet, now and then, their eyes would fall on a particr sight that was about to unfold.

    Even the nearby creatures seemed to feel the crackling air and added nit step in between the big boss and the daring human who opposed him.

    The big boss was the big boss...

    The moment he released his aura, several weaker monsters fainted, and even some disciples felt a heavy weight pressing them down.

    "Pair up!" Haru''s voice bellowed. In no time the disciples formed teams of two''s and three''s. Everyone would have everyone''s back. Those who could resist paired with those who felt pressured.

    My God!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    It was terrible. Even those in the mansion could faintly feel the pressureing from the big boss.

    Endo stared at the protective barrier above the mansion grimly.

    "Everyone, prepare yourselves! Under no circumstance must you cross over the symbols on the ground!"

    Soon, the barrier would fall. If they wanted to die then be his guest.

    Emily and the others nodded heavily, while still turning their attraction to the big finale ahead.

    From the moment they saw the mysterious Dorian, he gave off the power of being untouchable. Even his shadow counterpart was superior. So don''t me them for being overly curious about how strong he truly was.

    Of course, perhaps because of his age, they still had doubts about whether he could handle such a terrifying monster on his own.

    As for those who have been trapped here for hundreds of years, they couldn''t help feeling uneasy the more they watched. Especially Princess Catherina and her goodckey, Mabel.

    They had a hunch that if Dorian died or got top injured their hope of leaving this ce would fly away.

    Dammit!

    How can they let this happen? Looking at Endo, they wasted no time cursing and ordering him about.

    "What sort of fake unity are you all disying here? Why don''t the rest help him out? Of course, you have to stay here and protect us. But why don''t the others outside rush to stand behind him? Or do you all want him to get injured or something?"

    "Hey!... Her Highness Catherina is talking to you! Don''t act like you''re deaf. I tell you that you must answer-"

    Pah. Pah!

    Endo lightly moved his hands, and the next thing they knew, he had tapped the pressure points on their necks.

    What?!

    Both girls tried speaking but found no sounding echoing out.

    With trembling hands, they pointed at Endo, cursing as loud as they could. Sadly, it made everyone feel they were watching a silent movie.

    "Noisy."

    Endo frowned, finding himself repeating Dorian''s usual slogan.

    No wonder the Grandmaster was irked by too much talking. The other disciples by his side nodded, feeling Elder Endo did the right thing.

    They had the urge to feed these women to the creatures whenever they spoke.

    "The Grandmaster doesn''t need anyone''s help. He is an existence far scarier than anything here... Don''t worry, it will be over soon."

    Really?

    Rudolf inwardly questioned with scrutiny, turning his attention to the big battle.

    Soon, his scrutiny turned to disbelief, and then to fear, watching the mighty final boss go from being arrogant to begging for his life with snot oozing down his nose.

    This... This...

    Who was the real monster here?

 Chapter 437 The Systems Boasting

    General Bathalotio writhed in agony, convulsing at Dorian''s every move.

    Dammit!

    He thought he could smash this puny human to bits with his strength.

    Though he expected the battle to be short, he didn''t envision him being the one pinned down.

    "You lowly spawn! Do you know who this great one is?!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Dorian''s smile seemed to grow creepier, as he used the back end of his sword to hammer General Bathalotio''s head, almost giving him a concussion.

    Hah.

    A demon having a concussion. It seemed unbelievable, but Dorian had the ability to turn the impossible into reality.

    What sort of human was this? And why did it seem that the more it spoke, the more the human enjoyed beating it to a pulp?... I mean... are humans allowed to be this inhuman?

    General Bathalotio wanted to cry but had no tears. A seething anger surged within its being, mingling with a Profound sense of frustration and helplessness.

    This human world was the only one it knew.

    For decades and centuries turned, it had grown ustomed to existing dominance, sowing fear, and reveling in the suffering of mortals.

    But now, it found itself on the receiving end of a relentless assault. How can he not feel aggrieved?

    Dorian twirled his sword, using the sharp end of the de to begin his stabbing phase.

    "Wait! Wait! Wai-... Ahhhh~... Son of a b**ch! Don''t think you can get away with-"

    ~Ptchui. Ptchui. Ptchui.

    Dorian stabbed everywhere, spraying green blood like a lunatic.

    Well, that''s how it seemed in Bathtio''s eyes.

    F***! F***! F***!

    Bathtio released all sorts of curses, before crossing over to begging for its life. Even the other surviving creatures fighting the academy members were also shocked by the sight.

    Was this still the big boss who made them tremble at every corner of this ce?

    Shameless! These underworld creatures were superior to humans. So why beg?

    Of course, some scoffed at this thought in mine but were the first to turn around and beg the sect disciples and elders to let them go.

    Hey... one must live to fight another day, no?

    Stab. Stab. Slice. Slice. Cut. Cut.

    Everyone watched Dorian''s hands move like a machine''s.

    R.I.P Bro.

    Even from a distance, Elric and the others were speechless. Their initial worry had now been reced with disbelief and pity for the poor thing.

    However, it wasn''t long before their eyes no longer focused on Dorian, but on themselves instead.

    ~Brack!

    The barrier was breaking at an rming rate, and everyone subconsciously stayed away from the circle''s edges.

    Some didn''t even wait for Endo to speak, already reminding others to stay in the drawn circle lest they put them all in danger!

    "Get ready," Endo instructed the other disciples. And soon, hundreds of creatures flooded in.

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Pah! Boom! sh! Pah!

    The scene was gruesome, with all sorts of creatures either attacking to eat them through the circle''s barrier or attacking Endo''s group.

    Damn!

    Rudolf''s ball rolled up and down his throat, feeling he would never forget this fight in his life!

    What was a man? This was a man!

    All his outdoor broadcasting and adventures he partook in earlier were nothingpared to this.

    Common sense told him to stay away after they got rescued. But intuition directed him otherwise.

    Rudolf''s body vibrated solemnly.

    ''This is it... This is what I''ve always been meant to be!... A fighting magician!''<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    (*^*)

    .

    Boom!

    The battle happened like a blockbuster, with many no longer feeling fear. Emily felt it was only unfortunate that there wasn''t any popcorn.

    Wouldn''t that have been best?

    s... What a waste of potential.

    Tick-Tock Tick-Tock.

    The clock was ticking and the former red sun had almost turned pure purple.

    The majority of underworld beings here were so weakpared to the academy members.

    Sure. For humans, they were terribly strong. Loki and his underworld friends probably didn''t mind that they were so weak since no exorcists exist in this world.

    Over 60% of creatures here were too weak, while another 35% were slightly better. Only 5%of creatures here were truly a threat to the academy disciples giving them hard times and heavy blows.

    That''s why they started by trying to force these bigger bosses to fight them when their energy was at its max. Now that they were dead, killing off the smaller fries was a piece of cake.

    [7 minutes.] Dorian telepathically reminded the group.

    7 minutes might seem like a lot if it truly wasn''t.

    "Go to sleep."

    sh!

    Bathtio didn''t know how and when he lost consciousness only felt a strange heat burn his body to ashes and suck him into a tiny talisman paper.

    That''s correct.

    Every creature they''ve taken care of here was wicked into a single paper ced on their weapons.

    It''s important to know that they haven''t exorcized these creatures. These creatures would only get regenerated after a while.

    So they first had to trap them all, so as not to waste time.

    In a sh, Dorian appeared in another far corner of the space.

    He was in the true heart of this creepynd. He was in Bathtio''s liar.

    There it is!

    Dorian''s eyes fell on the floating orb the size of a marble.

    ''Can it be done?''

    The system nodded. [Host. If I were an ordinary system, it would be impossible. However, my master is super powerful, equipping me with enough strength to handle this much.] The system boasted.

    "Hmmm... You talk too much. Just get it done."

    [(:?_?:)]

    #Why is its host always mean?

    Sigh...

    The orb had a drop of blood belonging to a Dark Lord. It should belong to one of the princes but it didn''t know who.

    Still, why did it seem like its host already knew who owned the blood? Or was it just its imagination?

    Make no mistake.

    A single drop of blood from such a powerful demon could turn even a nt into a giant Kraken with its own intelligence.

    Having such an artifact in a lesser system would corrupt the system and kill itpletely.

    Luckily for its host, its master was super strong.

    Hahahahahaha!~

    The system smiled happily, having no negative reactions after Dorian kept the orb in its body.

    Heh.

    Its master was mighty!

    (^��^)

 Chapter 438 Finally Over!

    cing the orb in the system''s space, Dorian wasn''t too surprised the system could handle the dark energy from the orb.

    After all, its master was a being that sent him here without all these powerful underworld princes knowing. Even Loki had been oblivious to this until recently.

    This only proved its master was one whose power was unfathomable.

    "Good." Dorian smiled slightly.

    The stronger the system''s master, the more convenient it was for him to act as he wished.

    Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.~

    The ground began shaking the moment the orb was taken, and Dorian knew it was time to go.

    Swish!

    He appeared next to the others, watching them kill off thest handful of creatures left.

    3 minutes more.

    "Endo, the ground will soon copse. Keep our guests afloat. Everyone else stands in formation!"

    Pointing his weapon at the center, everyone also did the same. They knew the focus wasn''t per say on their weapon, but on the talisman papers attached to them.

    "WenDogartium Pletarius!"

    ZMMM!

    Like a scene from Ghostbusters, they released all carnage and ghoulish voices at the center of the formation.

    The creatures that had been sucked in earlier were now released and squished into the formation''s confined space.

    "Foolish Mortals! We can never die here!"

    "Bahahhahahahahahaha~... Soon we will regenerate. Soon, we will be renewed!"

    Dorian increased his chanting power, causing them to wail in agony.

    So noisy. For once, he would like for creatures he took care of to go quietly. Was that too much to ask?

    The creatures were all gathered at the center in a matter of seconds, but that wasn''t all that got sucked in by the formation.

    "Dad, look!" Jenny pointed at the insane tornado above the formation that began sucking in the rotting grounds, soils and everything else.

    F***!

    Even the hills and mountains were not saved either.

    How scary.

    Everyone shuddered watching the massive space turn into nothing.

    You don''t understand.

    With the purple sky above and thends below disappearing, they soon found themselves above a dark abyss.

    Imagine yourself floating above an empty space the size of several cities. You cannot see the bottom of the hole, only feeling its eeriness from afloat.

    Luckily, the purple sun did give them some illumination. Or else if the ce truly went dark with absolute lights out, they didn''t know whether they would freak out to the point of death or faint.

    Ghu Dwo gritted his teeth, trying to calm himself from being distracted.

    Though his son, Ghu Sota was there, he felt he should always lead by example, proving his might as one of the top Academy disciples.

    That''s right. ording to thest academy showdown, Ghu Dwo ranked 7th among the thousands.

    His son ranked 33rd. It wasn''t bad, seeing as there were thousands of disciples present.

    Of course, the inner Academy disciples were roughly 1,300 in number, while everyone else was in the outer Academy.

    Ghu Dwo was the 7th on the Inner sect list, and he intended to maintain his position amongst the top 10, which gave him so many uncountable benefits within the sect.

    Of course, it also made him a bigger celebrity and role model who was always watched by many within the Academy.

    To Ghu Dwo, his goal for bing strong was to always protect his n, his family and his friends. That''s why he gave it his all in everything he did.

    With the monsters he killed all out from his talisman paper, he quickly did away with his weapon, sping his hands together in deep focus.

    "Shwshwshwshwshwshw~"

    The more he chanted, the thicker theyer of sweat on his forehead.

    Ghu Dwo felt the burden of the greedy formation that struggled to contain the evil massive space using divine heavenly power.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    As exorcists, they were mediums through which this divine power could flow through.

    Bam!

    Some people dropped to their knees while still floating in the air, but dared not stop their chanting.

    Endo was the person responsible for keeping them all afloat.

    Gritting his teeth, he too focused on the task, putting extra invisible flooring below those who weaken.

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    Dorian stared at the purple moon that was almost at its pique color, knowing they only had 10 more seconds to get out, but there were still 4 more hills to suck in.

    It seems he would have to use a bit of his reserve power to quicken things up.

    Vmmmm!

    Everyone noticed the formations change, as it sucked in items 3 times faster than before.

    Come on.

    8 seconds more... one of the hills vanished.

    6 seconds more... another one went out.

    4 seconds more... the 3rd one got sucked in.

    2 seconds... the final one was drawn.

    Done.

    2 seconds left no time to waste!

    Dorian swirled his fingers, and a golden tornado enveloped them all. Bianca and the others weren''t expecting such a change, cing their hands over their faces in defense.

    However, what surprised them the most, was the feel of grass on their feet.

    What''s going on? Opening their eyes, they found themselves in the same graveyard sight they vanished.

    For Bassona and the others, although the slight looked slightly different, they still recognized it was the ce where all their troubles began.

    Free?... Were they truly free?

    They had no time to question, as they saw Dorian moving his fingers crazily.

    It looked like the trouble wasn''t over yet.

    Hup. Hup. Hup. Hup!

    His fingers were so fast they left after images.

    1 second more...

    Dorian quickly activated the formation he ced around the gravesite earlier.

    Everyone only watched the little shed uproot ground and twist itself anti-clockwise with a rapid spin, sucking all underworld energy around the grave sight.

    With only 7 seconds left, Dorian and the others began their true exorcism,pressing the creatures and everything else into a tiny ball before watching golden chains from the chains wrap themselves around the ball.

    The grounds rumbled, the air grew chillier, and the screams of a thousand creatures made many hunchbacks with their hands on their ears.

    Make it stop! Make it stop!

    They felt their eardrums would soon blow. Apart from the disturbing vibrations from the voices, it also gave them ominous feelings in their hearts.

    F***!

    Even Bassano''s group felt they would have nightmares after this.

    But luckily for them, Dorian was working on a tight schedule.

    "Be gone!"

    Poor!

    The evil ball vanished like a burst bubble, and the earlier purple moon was now as they usually recognized it - pale bluish white.

    So... Was it over?

 Chapter 439 Ashes To Ashes

    Everyone stared at Dorian anxiously.

    "Was it over?"

    "Hmmm."

    Hooray!

    Many went into jubtion, jumping into the air and hugging each other greatly.

    Chris was so happy to return to his modern era of video games, swearing to cherish life more.

    In fact, he would''ve loved to drop down and kiss the grass and ground below his feet. But after walking amid rotting grounds in that space for what seemed like an eternity, Chris just couldn''t do it anymore.

    He has been psychologically damaged by his experience so no one should me him for not kissing the ground.

    Looking at everyone so immersed in jubtion, Dorian chuckled lightly, turning his attention to Bassano.

    What a smart man. Everyone else in his group was merry, except him. He probably knew the reason deep in his heart.

    "You feel it, don''t you?"

    Eh?

    Feel what? Suddenly, the merry noises quoted down, as all eyes moved between Bassano and Dorian.

    "Yes." Bassano nodded deeply." I feel I''m dying."

    "What? Dying?" The princess and the others were taken aback, suddenly feeling ominous at heart.

    "You! You! You!... Are we also dying? Did you know rescuing us will lead to our deaths?!"

    "Hmm."

    Doriam''s words sent chills down their spines.

    "You Bastard! Did we ask you to rescue us?"

    "Who said we wanted to leave that space if it meant dying out here?"

    "That''s right! Put us back in! At least over there we stand a chance of living longer!"

    Emotions swirled as many argued with watery eyes, now feeling the changes within them. What was worse was that as they spoke, they began aging so rapidly that it made Elric''s group take several steps back.

    "Enough!" The now 40-year-old-looking Bassano roared. "We should be thanking him rather than yelling."

    Bassano wasn''t stupid.

    From the mouths of these strangers, he got to know a little bit about what happens to humans after they die.

    However, knowing their souls have been tainted with too much evil energy throughout the years, only an exorcist can set them free and return their souls to where they''re supposed to go upon death.

    Bassano knew there was no way they would survive once they left. For him, death was a sure thing.

    Of course, for those who entered the space 100 years ago, you have to know that they were around the ages of 15 to 37.

    So the youngest should now be 115 years old.

    Well, bear in mind that many have died since 100 years ago. The youngest amongst them was the princess at 119 years old.

    It''s possible to still be alive in today''s world.

    However, the Grandmaster did say all two food and water they had been consuming while in there, might seem good on the surface but was actually poison, one that made their souls more edible to underworld creatures.

    It was then that an idea clicked in Bassano''s mind. These creatures can''t eat those who firste into the space.

    Recalling his experiences he realized that any new membersing in would all survive for the first 30 or so years in the space before they tragically get killed.

    But these creatures were so good at disguising this fact because they chased and scared the newbies to death at every turn.

    They also bit off their limbs, to make it more realistic too. But now that Bassano thought about it, the whole thing was wed since the veterans who stayed longer in the space died first.

    The longer one eats and drinks within the space, the sweeter their mortal souls were for consumption.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Again, one has to know that the more scared people are when they enter the space, the better the meal would taste after 30 years too.

    It was all one big sick joke made but a bastard who everyone wanted a piece of.

    .

    Chris and the others were also taken aback realizing that even though they were trapped in that space, they would be eaten until another 30 years.

    So what were they so panicked about?

    Of course, while scaring them, they could also fall off cliffs and die. So they still had to be careful with themselves.

    They could also get their arms bitten off, as well as their legs

    Everyone felt this revtion was just too cruel.

    Though some people didn''t care and wanted to go back into the space, many people realized it was better for them to be free from it all

    Perhaps now they could have peace.

    Wiggins stared at the 90-year-old-looking Bassano, feeling it a pity for such a great mind to have waited his life in that space.

    "Dad, look!" Julius nudged Wiggins. "His face is cracking."

    Cracking?

    Yes. Bassano soon had uncountable lines form on his body, as it began cracking and turning into dust.

    With a warm smile, he faced his death bravely. "Thank you."

    Everyone watched his ashes fall to the ground with teary eyes. Even Rudolf felt pain from it all.

    And following in Bassano''s footsteps was Merlin.

    "Hey, Chris... I''ve got hope for you kid. Make me proud."

    Chris kept his hand over his voice, feeling hot tears pour down his face.

    Those in Bassano''s group who entered the space 200 years ago, all vanished in a blink of an eye.

    Soon, those in the Princess''s group also began to fall.

    Some did not reach very old ages, since they decayed when their appointed death day was supposed to be.

    Looking at her 40-year-old self, the princess was shocked to find her body cracking too.

    "No! No! You can save me! In the name of the queen, I order you to save me!"

    Poor!

    She turned into dust, and Mabel and a few others by her side screamed in fear, trying to run away.

    Mabel felt it was the doing of this boy that made them grow old.

    Monster!

    They left one monster world to enter another. But how far could they run?

    Her back quickly became hunched, and her footsteps shaky and light

    In a few seconds, she changed from a 40-year-old woman to 50, 60 and finally 70.

    "My chest."

    Mabel cried out, feeling immense pain take hold of her. No... she didn''t want to diet.

    Poof!

    From ashes they came to ashes they shall return.

    They were all dead.

 Chapter 440 A Miracle!

    In the woods separated by the shallow stream, several people stood in pitched tents, anxiously staring at the strange mist on the other side.

    The mist came from nowhere, with no warning whatsoever, and the surprising thing was that it only surrounded the forest terrain across the shallow stream.

    Another strange fact was that the stream curved around the mysterious space, as though trying to make the hills an ind from the rest of the world.

    The stream was only ankle-deep, but it always looked deeper from a distance.

    However, the situation that kept many worried was that they hadn''t heard a word from their superiors andrades who followed those eastern people into the mist on the other side.

    They tried reaching their Walkie Talkies but everything was static, with no signal at all.

    Damn! If not for their orders instructing them not to go in until 4 PM, they would have already rushed in to check things out.

    Their superiors told them that no matter the situation, they must remain still and await their arrival. Those were their orders. Additionally, they were to prevent anyone from going in too.

    "Hey, Mac." An anxious voice called. "Do you think they''re alright? They wouldn''t be kidnapped or anything, right?"

    "Nonsense!" Mac yelled maybe to hide his anxiety. "Who are our leaders? They aren''t children. If something should''ve gone wrong, they would''ve released the signals already. Besides, both our military forces and police forces are surrounding corners of the space. Don''t forget that the stream curves and divides the space from the outside like an ind. I''m sure any moment from now, they''ll be out!"

    Mac looked at his watch, noting that the time was 3:47 PM.

    Only 13 minutes more before they can rush in and check the situation for themselves.

    The only man hastily ran his fingers through his hair, looking at the mist deep in thought.

    But suddenly, something unscientific happened.

    ~Vmmm!

    The mist began clearing in a blink of an eye, as though someone was sucking it away. But that would be impossible, right?

    They lived in a Scientific society!

    At the same time, they heard the sounds of rowdy people approaching the sight.

    "Dammit! Journalists!"

    "Why the bloody hell are these people out here so early in the morning? Here to catch up with thetest scoop to get secret videos to post online?"

    F***!

    Mac threw his cigarette into a tray, quicklymunicating with those closest to the bunch of noisy people. "I want them far away from the sight, do you hear me? There better not be any video or photo leakage from their side or it will be your heads! Get the police on this one too!"

    Very quickly, the other side moved, stopping the nosy reporters froming any closer.

    "Damn you people! We know my rights! We can be here and anywhere in this ce for as long as we want!"

    "No. No. You can''t take our cameras! You all are bullying too much!"

    "Damn it! Isn''t this police brutality? You pushed me just now!" Yelled someone who intentionally tripped on their own.

    "You scumbags don''t have any good news yet, right? Or else why won''t you let us go in?"

    "That''s it! I must write about this incident! Don''t think you''ll be able to go free after trying to obstruct true justice!"

    "Pssst... Hey... hey... okay. I know we started on the wrong foot, but how about we make a deal? All I what is thetest scoop and I''ll be out of your way."

    "You bastards are trying to stop us from seeing the truth. Yes! You bastards are really working hard to find these groups but are chilling on the scene instead. No. I must report this matter live, let the world judge you all!"

    "h, h, h, h, h.~"

    (*^*)

    From threats to bribery, crying, pleading, and cursing, the media personnel who were stopped tried all sorts of methods to get past the group to no avail.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    The situation was reported to Mac and others inmand, who wished to strangle these reporters to death.

    Putting his Walkie Talkie down, Mac cursed under his breath.

    "Damn, this country and its freedom of speech policy. They should control who the hell has freedom of speech. Those news-sucking bastards will definitely turn anything they see into a blockbuster movie, only bringing more hate to us."

    With no news from his superiors, no signs of the missing people, and more drama from the media, Mac and many others felt they were walking on thin ice here. But when all hope seemed lost, a Miracle happened.

    Eh?

    Mac tilted his head and slowly reached for his gun, seeing several silhouettes appear from the other side.

    It could be their leaders or could be an enemy. One must always be prepared.

    "Everyone, don''t make a move."

    Time froze in ce as everyone felt their breathing grow heavier.

    The silhouettes grew bolder and bolder, before bing clearer and clearer with every passing second, and soon, someone''s exmation made their hearts feel at ease.

    "It''s them! It''s them! They are back!"

    Back?

    3: 59 AM.

    Bahahahhahahahahah~

    Mac pped his thigh and briskly walked towards the group who were now crossing over the shallow stream.

    But wait!

    Mac''s eyes erged in disbelief.

    Are his eyes deceiving him? Or was he truly seeing the missing live streamers?

    Woooooo~

    Mac, a grown man, wanted to cry and kiss them all after thinking of everything they have been through just to find them.

    F***!

    His house was egged and even his neighbors'' children wanted to know why he wasn''t doing a good job of finding these very popr live broadcasters.

    The entire nation and even a majority of the world was wondering why their police and military forces were trash.

    These people jumped at them as though they owned them just because their sries came from taxpayers'' money.

    These few days have been a nightmare to Mac, one he never wished to go through again. He never wished for anyone to be kidnapped or missing, lest such a situation repeats itself.

    For sure, after today, the country will definitelye down on kidnapped and missing people cases 50 times more.

    Those in the business will definitely be cursing at whoever ''kidnapped'' the group of missing live streamers.

    It is because of this incident that their usual trafficking will be almost nonexistent.

    The news has been so big for days that no matter what news channel one puts on, they will always report the matter, bringing ''new'' information to light, like the thoughts of interviewed passerbys.

    But now it was over. The missing streamers have all returned!

    ''Take that, media!''

    (^-^)

 Chapter 441 Their Decision!

    "Sirs!"

    Mac gave a firm and proud salute, thinking it was their military people who made it happen.

    Dorian didn''t care about credit, but Wiggins'' group dared not take on such ims from the mighty Grandmaster.

    "I think you misunderstand something. It is not us who rescued them, but our esteemed guests."

    Ah--

    It wasn''t his superiors? Are you sure?

    Mac was shocked, realizing he might''ve overstepped.

    "My apologies," Mac said, once again sizing up the group.

    Before they went in, he didn''t take them seriously. But seeing how respectful his superiors were towards them, what more could he not understand?"

    "Grandmaster, we''ll see you off to your chopper!"

    Everyone, including Jenny''s group, wanted to see Dorian off.

    What a joke! This boy was probably the strongest person in the world. And what he fought against daily, was something they had never imagined in their lives!

    If they don''t respect him, who else would they respect? Of course, they also looked at the academy students and elders with awe and jealousy too.

    Who didn''t want to have cool powers? It was like being a superhero.

    After this experience, nobody thought humans were scary anymore.

    So what if someone was a psychotic mass murderer? Can they be as terrifying as the creatures they saw today?

    At least, with humans, they stood a chance of winning.

    But against underworld creatures, unless they write exorcists, they can never truly rid them since they''ll regenerate anyway.

    Such powerlessness was too frightening, reminding them how weak humans really are.

    Just this money trapped in that bizarre space was enough to change anyone overnight.

    Even Julius Who was from the special forces felt all his earlier battles in the field where child''s ypared to this.

    He couldn''t forget how he felt when they first arrived in the space.

    Monsters came at them from all angles, and nothing he did seemed to have an effect on them.

    If not for the grandmaster and his team, his father himself, and many others would have been eaten alive.

    As Doriansaid typically one needed to first stay in the space for longer periods before the creatures could eat them.

    But here was the catch. This rule only worked for those who entered during the 100-year cycle.

    To those who forcefully broke in like them, their smell is stronger and they were already very edible.

    This was why those creatures went crazy with hunger when seeing them.

    Terrible!

    Such a thing still left goosebumps on his skin.

    .

    Walking Dorian and his group towards their choppers on another end, everyone couldn''t help thinking of Dorian''s offer.

    In a nutshell, they will all get the opportunity to be exorcists by taking an Exorcist exam.

    They were initially panicked wondering if there was some written test they had to take and where they could get study materials.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Luckily, it was nothing of that sort.

    Very quickly many, especially from the military, had decided to bring batches of people from their Brigades, camps, and sides to take the examinations.

    Wighins and the others knew their stories would be somewhat unbelievable. But luckily for them, they brought out ''evidence,'' which belonged to the fallen humans who were trapped in that evil space for centuries.

    They came out with letters, books, armory, maps, and other items they could put away.

    Fortunately for them, Dorian minimized everything and balled them up into the size of a marble.

    He told them that once they were ready, they should ce the blue talisman paper on it to expand and take out all items in there.

    But that wasn''t all he gave them.

    The most valuable thing they got was a terrifying history ss about the real world they live in�� Well, it wasn''t Dorian who gave the brief ss but Endo, Haru and the rest.

    Dorian was just toozy to talk.

    Heid on his back on the grass with one leg crossed over another and his eyes closed as though sleeping.

    Still, no one thought him rude.

    No.

    When you get to his level, you can even sleep for 20 years and they wouldn''t cough.

    From the history lesson, they learned that underworld creatures have always been roaming around them from the dawn of time.

    In fact, they yed too heavy a role, making the world only believe in science.

    What was even trying were the so-called princes of darkness who nned to enter their world soon and unleash hell to them all.

    It meant that even if they went back and pretended as though nothing happened, once that deadly D-Dayes, they will be left unprepared and at the disposal of the enemy.

    Didn''t you hear what these academy people said? No mortal weapons can kill these creatures.

    They will keep regenerating anding back over and over and over again.

    To them, the end of the world was soon upon them. So how can they sit back, watch and helplessly die on such a day?

    Say no more!

    Everyone wanted to gather as many people as they could to join the academy.

    They also nned to bring in their friends and others they solely trusted too.

    .

    Apart from the marble Dorian gave them, he also gave each of them 5 special talismans.

    Once Wiggins and the others gathered theirrades in power, as well as the police chiefs, they were to first test out if an enemy was within the group.

    If the Silver talisman begins heating up, they should know a monster was within their midst.

    They must try to test everyone, but someone letting the talisman touch these people.

    Everyone listened, knowing they didn''t want the enemy to know of their ns of going to the academy.

    Didn''t you hear what those creatures said? It seems they were so shocked that exorcists exist in this world.

    Right now, what they had in their advantage was the element of surprise and they didn''t want to ruin it unless necessary.

    For all they knew this might be the ultimate weapon to turn the situation in their favor.

    That was the safest way to go, right?

 Chapter 442 Help! The Host Is Being Odd Again

    Dorian listened to their thoughts and had no reaction.

    He didn''t care since the gates connecting the underworld and this world were long sealed by the princes, who were doing their little wars down below.

    From what Dorian gathered they won''t be opening any time soon, but these Military personnel and police officers dared not risk it.

    Even Elric decided to join the academy. Although he nearly lost Jenny, he also wanted her to join.

    Why? Because it will be better for her to know some skills before D-Dayes than for her to be helpless when it happens.

    No way!

    He will never let that happen! Elric swore, clenching his fists.

    Rudolf, Chris, Bianca, Emily and the others also decided to try out the exams too.

    If possible, they wanted their siblings and parents in on it too.

    They admit they are being selfish here. But if it gave their family a chance to survive then why not take it?

    Seeing Dorians'' choppers fly off, everyone stared upwards with rippling hearts.

    "Remember.... no one must know what truly went down. At least not until the world is ready for such news." Wiggins advised, staring at the young live streamers who seemed to have grown up overnight.

    "You''ll all go home, pretend like it never happened and appear on the exam site if you choose to attend. Remember. Continue live streaming and live like the youth you are... as for the stories you''ll make up about the incident, listen closely to what I''m about to say."

    If the world knew the truth, even though the world wouldn''t believe it, they didn''t want the many enemies to know that they knew of their existence.

    Like six the group headed back, passing through a location with the most media-hungry wolves around.

    "Oh My Science God! Is that Goddess Bianca?!"

    "What? They have been rescued? Good Guy! I never doubted our police and military forces for a second!"

    [Police and Military forces]: (-_-)

    Who was it that cursed at them every day?

    "Pooh! It''s not the world of our forces but that of international forces! Yes! It must be people from the Golden Country! I heard they sent the top best in their country to assist just yesterday!"

    "Yes, yes, yes, yes. I think you''re onto something "Goddess Bianca, a moment of your time please!"

    "Great God Rudolf! Can you tell us how you got kidnapped and what your days there were like? What happened to your kidnappers? Are they dead?"

    "Queen of Food, Emily! Over here please!"

    "Goddess of Books, Jenny! Can you tell us what happened on the night your phone went static?"

    "Deadly Handsome God Chris what about you? Have you eaten anything? Did the kidnappers feed you all poison? And our viewers would also like to know who truly recused you all. Was it our side or foreigners? Who were those in the choppers we saw fly away in the distance?"

    "Chris!"

    "Rudolf!"

    "Bianca!"

    "Emily!"

    "Jenny!"

    ...

    People yelled their names from all corners but were blocked and stopped by the police and military personnel who guided the group of teenagers into a massive military truck.

    Fortunately, no one was dead. Or else the media would really eat them raw. These were the thoughts of the other soldiers and police officers who didn''t see the real rescue.

    No one died?

    Heh.

    Bianca and the others sat in the vehicle in silence, still recalling the deaths of Bassano and the others.

    They have only been together for a short while but they did miss the bunch, even the crazy annoying princess.

    "Guys... let''s visit the Museumter."

    "Yeah."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    There were very old pictures of the legendary Bassano and even Merlin, who were working on scientific inventions.

    Chris quickly lowered his head, quickly his tears away with a heavy heart. But he wasn''t the only one crying.

    Suddenly, the car was filled with sobs that started light but soon grew louder and louder with every passing moment.

    The driver and 3 few guards who heard them, only thought they were crying from joy after being rescued.

    No one knew they were mourning the loss ofrades.

    Like that, the world once again regained its peaceful state, after news of the recused group emerged.

    To the rest of the world, the story went as so...

    On that fateful night, they were indeed kidnapped but kept in a hidden cave not too far away. They tried escaping but couldn''t.

    It seems because of their disappearance the kidnappers couldn''t take them too far or out of the country.

    Long story short, the country''s forces, alongside another foreign force came in to save them.

    The foreign forces didn''t want to be mentioned so no one knows who they were. That was it.

    Wiggins and his team worked hard to recreate evidence, wanting to close the case fast.

    As for the kidnappers, they seemed to abandon them there when they knew all hope was lost.

    From what the outside world knew, Wifhins arrived to find no kidnappers, only the tied-up children.

    The kidnappers never revealed the faces. Even their voices were changed to be robotic thanks to the devices they had.

    Everyone believed the story because all the rescued youths looked badly beaten, as though they had been through a real jungle movie.

    There were scrapes on their bodies, deep wounds that looked infected, and even their clothes looked like it has undergone hell.

    What everyone didn''t know was that they did experience it all, but in that space.

    They were all limping and their overall demeanor was silent, unlike their precious bubbly and loud personalities.

    People don''t just change like that unless they went through something unspeakable.

    Though everyone was still looking for the kidnappers, the case was secretly marked as Closed.

    The Live Streamers were back alive and they more than anyone knew there were no kidnappers in question... at least not human ones.

    Back home, far, far away from the Live Streamer drama, the walls in Dorian''s bedroom opened, and Pandrol appeared to wee Dorian into the space.

    "Wee, Master."

    "Prepare these materials for me."

    "As you wish, master."

    With that, he took off, leaving Dorian in His secret home within the space.

    ''Take it out!''

    [Yes, host!]

    In another second, the dark orb containing Lucifer Morning Star''s blood appeared.

    Watching its host touch the orb the system wanted to warn him but was shocked to get no reaction.

    Okay. It would make sense that it, the system, wouldn''t be affected since its master was behind it.

    But its host was a mortal. And even if he was an exorcist, such a powerful orb should affect anyone be they exorcist or not. Unless they were more powerful than Lucifer.

    Yet, the orb made no rippling effect when its host touched it.

    This isn''t normal.

    The system was more and more convinced its host was not ordinary. But if not ordinary, what exactly was he?

    Dorian tapped the orb and ran his fingers through the dark energy with a mysterious smile. "Interesting... How very interesting. It seems I can use this."

 Chapter 443 Home At Last

    At home atst.

    Stepping into the academy grounds, several people rushed through the vastnds, too excited to be back.

    Even though they spent a short time here, this ce was already like home to them.

    Many people felt that even if they stayed here for years, they still won''t be able to go through every part of the strange ind.

    Heh.

    If they thought it was big now, wouldn''t they be shocked in the future knowing that it could expand and expand even more?

    At least not until Dorian dies, he had the ability to keep expanding the space.

    Who made him have a system?

    Even if he dies, thend will not change. It will remain as such unless someone else mastered powerful space spells and formations to expand thend.

    Even at that, for one to create such a detailed and stable hidden realm like this meant they must have reached either 2st exorcist stages.

    Bow that, their space magic and spells can only be used to expand the space within buildings and also create space artifacts.

    Running across the fields and giant grass talks, jumping off the edge of cliffs and even running on top of the water surfaces, manyughed and cheered,peting to see who would get back to the Sect''s main grounds first.

    Thankfully it was still 10 AM. So they didn''t need to fear getting back before the curfew.

    Don''t mind as Wiggins and all the others saw them as strong.

    In here, there were far more ferocious beasts that could tear them apart once the curfew began.

    As the group ran, they met others along the way.

    .

    "Hey! Fang Li is back"

    "There''s LingTon too!"

    "Quickly! Quickly! What happened over there? How did your missions go? Was anyone hurt?"

    "No way. How can someone get hurt under the Grandmaster''s watch?"

    Many didn''t believe such a thing could happen.

    It was a possibility, but the Grandmaster was just so powerful that he gave them a sense of security no one could.

    In their eyes he was omnipotent.

    "What? You went into a strange evil space?"

    "Eh? You met foreigners too?"

    "Let me go! Who am I? Where am I? How can people be trapped in that world for hundreds and hundreds of years?"

    "F***! I know I should believe it but do you know what you''re saying? So the famous Bassano was trapped in that world too?"

    "Lying trough, why wasn''t I there to shake his hands?"

    Everyone''s mouths gaped wide open in shock and disbelief hearing the adventurous tales from the others.

    Some even say on the grass, the trees, the stones, and the leaves, listening to the tale like little boys who wished to join Peter Pan on his adventure to Nevend.

    Their eyes twinkled, their legs swung yfully, and their faces lit up in animation.

    Wow!

    They were also fascinated by the Academy celebrities like Jung Hou, Gho Dwo, and Wei Gia who ranked very high in thest Rankingpetition.

    In the academy, there were always events that allowed one to get rewards or fruiticious encounters.

    "Dad!"

    Ghu Sota saw his father from a distance and hesitated for a while before finally deciding to run toward him.

    F***!

    He and his good buddy were just about to sneak into the Yellow Lily Forest.

    Though it wasn''t as dangerous as the Forbidden Forest in the East, it still posed a threat to him with his current strength.

    Ghu Sota event without fear.

    What he wanted to do was fight beasts along the perimeters of the forest, not going too deep in.

    As they say, battle experience against a truly formidable foe might cause him to shoot through his current cultivation strength.

    What''s more, he just learned a cool new technique called Titanium body.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Just as its name suggested his body would be so hard that it might break the hands of ordinary people if they punched.

    Ghu Sota only wanted a formidable foe to test his skills out with.

    Do you know how long he had to wait to sneak out of his grandparent''s grasp before finding this rare opportunity?

    Even in his sleeping quarters, it always seems as though his grandparents had a third eye watching him from their hill.

    No matter how he tried to sneak away, they always knew to catch him beforehand.

    .

    Augh~

    Ghu Sota called his father, raising his hands in defeat.

    Ghu Dwo sent a fierce aura the boy''s way, almost making Ghu Sota drop to his knees.

    F***! His father was definitely pissed.

    Some people even give pitiful stares as though watching a coffin being lowered into a grave.

    (��-_-)

    Seeing Ghu Sota''s actions, what more did Ghu Sota not understand?

    BOOM!

    Ghu Sota flew back pitifully.

    He had a million and oneints in his heart.

    When they were both ordinary, his dad had never been so fierce with him at most, he would only smack the back of his head hard.

    But now that they were cultivators, who can tell him why his dad suddenly had the inspiration to use him as a punching bag whenever he did something wrong?

    "Father... you''ve changed."

    "The hell I have!"

    Bam!

    Ghu Sota tried blocking but was still pushed back and beaten hard.

    In truth, anyone could see that Ghu Dwo was very gentle with Ghu Sota.

    But in Sota''s eyes, his dad was still bullying him.

    s...

    His entire family has changed with even his grandfather joining in beating up from time to time when he tries to sneak into the dangerous zones.

    Picking him from his ears, Ghu Dwo dragged Ghu Sota away mercilessly.

    "Your grandmother will deal with you when we get there."

    "What? Haven''t you already dealt with me for it just now? Why must I get punished by everyone again? It''s not fair! It''s not fair! Its not--"

    Ghu Sota swallowed his words, seeing his father''s murderous gaze.

    Wooooo~

    Ghu Sota wished his buddy Dorian was here to save him.

    He didn''t believe that if the Grandmaster saw his ill treatment he wouldn''t be saved.

    [The system]:...

    Are you thinking too much? Do you think my cold-hearted host will care?

    Many smiled, enjoying the father and son show.

    Floatingnds, underwater forests,nds filled with mysterious beasts.

    Looking at the vast terrain, many sighed.

    It felt good to be home.

    Looking at each other, they lightly chuckled and dashed away merrily.

    But the same peaceful life couldn''t be said about others far away.

    Staring the note in his hands, Beelzebub only wished he could slice Loki to pieces.

    "You damn trickster! You better pray you don''t fall into my trap one day. How dare you take my cursed finger?"

 Chapter 444 Damn Trickster!

    The more Beelzebub thought about it the more he felt like burning the he was on to ashes.

    He would have probably done so if not for the many high-ranked angels overseeing the ce.

    Although most angels were weaker than he who was some of the almighty''s first creations, it didn''t mean he could do as he liked.

    Because each was overseen by his formerrades who were also one of the Almighty''s first angels.

    Well, at least a being like Gabriel, oversaw tens and thousands ofs and worlds, with some even overseeing millions.

    They left fragments of themselves in these worlds so if something should go wrong, the exorcists and guardian angels would alert him in less than a millisecond.

    Time would freeze and he would appear to save the day.

    Beelzebub knew he and Gabriel had simr strengths.

    Coupled with the help of the exorcists and other Angels, he would be overwhelmed out here.

    Beelzebub stared at the note in his hands that was slowly burning away.

    [ My dear best friend... (^_^) It''s me, Loki! Now, now, now... don''t get your horns in a pickle. A little birdie told me you lost your cursed finger and have been going crazy looking for it. So as your dear friend, how can I not help you in your time of need? I''ll give you a clue... it''s with an enemy, one you''ll never expect. Welp. Good luck with your hunting, friend.]

    Brmmm~

    The paper caught fire, with its soot vanishing into thin air, with Beelzebub imagining je was zing Loki instead.

    F*** that Trickster.

    Who else would have the balls... the guts to touch his cursed figure if not someone who was hell-bent on annoying him to death?

    Enemy my foot!

    Beelzebub''s eyes glowed a ferocious red light as he sat at the head of his table, angrily cutting his stake.

    Thinking of the many years Loki has deceived him, Beelzebub wished the Almighty woulde out of hiatus and eliminate the bastard once and for all.

    Though an angel''s soul cannot die so perhaps after another millions and billions of years, Loki would regain all his memories ande for revenge.

    Angel''swere different from them, underworld beings.

    If he fell from an exorcist or angel''s hand, he would go through the cycle of judgment, reincarnating as rocks, stones, and other inanimate objects until all his evil qi and aura is diminished.

    As millions of years go by, his soul will also be transformed into a human. He would no longer be a demon, and would never even recall his past.

    But heavenly beings were different. Once dead, they will still get reincarnated somewhere in the heavens.

    Their reincarnations are strictly controlled, and written in the hanky book of life.

    Only the Almighty and a few others knew where everyone is every time they die and get reincarnated.

    Once dead, their memories might note to them until after millions of reincarnations.

    Well, at least they still get to be heavenly beings unlike him who would be stripped of all his demonic essence should he fall into their hands.

    It wasn''t just the heavens who wanted him stripped should he die by their hands.

    For you see, the abyss is also a very mysterious being that gives life to the many underworld creatures and can also take it back when the time is up.

    Think of it as Shinigami. It will grant you powers and life. But if the enemy captures and kills you, it will be the one to write your name on its Death Note, taking back all the underworld powers it gave.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    All evil qi goes back to the abyss. The Abyss was like the heart of the underworld, and the mother of all beings down there.

    It is also the one thing Beelzebub truly feared.

    No one can destroy the abyss.

    Although underworld beings roam free there, the abyss binds them to do duties like ensuring some human souls sent for punishment get their just reward.

    After which they would be sent back up for cleansing through multiple reincarnations and so on.

    The zone where humans go through their trials and tribtions was nowhere near the areas they, underworld beings lived.

    The abyss guarded that ce heavily, and sent chills down everyone''s throats, including his whenever they dared to attempt any attack on the human souls.

    Make no mistake. The abyss was a frightening existence no creature wanted to mess with.

    It''s said apart from the Almighty and 3 others the Abyss is the strongest being in all resistance.

    .

    Son of a b**ch!

    In the past, Loki had stolen things from him and sent him on wild goose chases, attacking invisible enemies and making new ones in the process too.

    He knew that there was a possibility for one of the Enemy Underworld princes to have taken his cursed finger

    But honestly, his hunch still pointed at Loki.

    Now, there is a big war in the underworld that was indirectly triggered by Loki.

    How is it possible that they all lost vital items necessary for the big day when they unleash hell on their hidden human world?

    Lucifer was on a wild goose chase on his own thanks to Loki.

    Mammon and Belphegor also lost important items thanks to Loki too.

    And now, Loki tells him an enemy has his cursed finger and he is supposed to believe it?

    You must be joking!

    Did he look like a retarded lesser creature who hasn''t even developed their brain yet?

    No way.

    The bastard was the one with his cursed finger. And now he had to spend time searching for ces the bastard would have hidden it in.

    For sure it should be in one of these most guardeds.

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    Beelzebub knew how important time was right now because if they all don''t retrieve their missing/stolen items before the big day, then there will be no war against the heavens!

    They would''ve missed their opportunity and would have to wait for another 10 million years before the agents all align.

    Beelzebub''s horns almost revealed themselves through his head when thinking of Loki''s shenanigans.

    ''Trickster! Where the hell are you keeping my cursed finger?''

 Chapter 445 Found Another One

    Where the hell is his cursed finger?

    Scattered in the manys, these Princes of the Underworld left the fight in the underworld in search of their missing items they all suspected were disced by Loki.

    Damn, that trickster. Does he know the final war will soon be upon them?

    Does he know how all these pieces make up the puzzle they were supposed to unlock?

    Son of a b**ch.

    They wished they could send their hands to the heavens and strangle his locked-up self to death.

    Each of them zoomed through the most guarded and deadliest agents for their kind, swearing to one day stomp on Loki with their feet, looking down on him from above.

    Just you wait!

    Once they broke through and found a way to enhance themes and no longer rely on the abyss for absolute power, Loki would be the first they touched.

    What friends? How can anyone trust the words of a demon? The moment they no longer needed Loki, they would find a way to kill him, trap his reincarnation and seal the damn bastard for all eternity!

    Just because the heavens were cautious with Loki didn''t mean they had to treat the son of a b**ch the same way when they take over.

    Everyone growled, scattering around in search of their missing treasures.

    But amongst the missing treasures belonging to 4 Princes flying about, Loki wasn''t the only one responsible for the discement.

    In Dorian''s space, the cursed fingery safe and sound, contained by the power of the space.

    Closing his eyes and sitting cross-legged, Dorian''s aura continued growing the longer he cultivated.

    Things were calm and steady until Pandrol suddenly appeared outside Dorian''s private Room within the space.

    "Master, you have an urgent request from the elders."

    "Oh?"

    Dorian opened his eyes calmly, slowly rising to his feet and walking slightly ahead of Pandrol.

    For them to bring any cases to him meant they suspected it was above their level. What''s more, many of the elders had taken students out of the academy for smaller missions so it was understandable why they would ask him to investigate given their numbers.

    This also reminded Dorian of the need for more elders.

    Don''t think having 50 or so elders was enough.

    In his former world, a sect could have 2000 and even more elders, while the disciple count could be more than a million.

    After all, every year they ept disciples while the old ones live for hundreds and hundreds of years too.

    Of course, death in missions wasmon if the enemy was too strong, but the overall bnce did not affect the poption much.

    After all, there were life-saving talismans that the disciples could drop that would teleport them far away before the enemy could kill them.

    Dorian indeed provided safety talismans that the disciples and elders could purchase with their sect points.

    The first time they became sect members, they were given one for free when he was far weaker than he was now.

    So should they want something stronger, they better pay thetest life-saving teleportation talismans for their own good.

    At his current strength, his talismans could take a person to another city in a millisecond. But his first safety talisman could only take them a few miles away and nothing more.

    You have to know that some talismans could take a person to another continent depending on how strong the talisman master was.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    For very strong underworld creatures, jumping a distance of 2 miles won''t make them lose their scent on you.

    They will still appear and strike you in a second.

    So the farther you can get away, the better.

    .

    "Master, it''s indeed a strange case. There have been reports of missing elders in the farming town, only to have these elders return to their homes several dayster. From what the locals say, they were all strange after they returned."

    The reason why the case caught the attention of the elders was that almost every day in the town, people would show up to report their grandparents or parents missing. And in another few days, they would return to say it was a false rm.

    How can over 200 elderly people get missing only to return with nothing medically wrong with them?

    The good news was that when the reports were made they assisted in searching for the missing elders but found nothing.

    So this meant they were indeed missing. But when these elders returned, they seemed to have selective amnesia, not recalling what happened during their ''missing'' days.

    How strange...

    Could it be that after the age of 60, old people would suddenly fall into deep memory loss nowadays?

    They had questions but no one to ask.

    The police didn''t know what to make of it since nothing was medically wrong with these elders.

    Seeing as many old people were still going missing and returning a few dayster, the police officers first decided to protect the elders who hadn''t gone missing yet.

    But even after doing a full stake-out, the elders they were protecting seemed to have vanished into thin air and were no longer in their homes.

    F***!

    I believe in science. That was the mantra they chanted in their hearts.

    Seeing as they were running out of ideas on how to stop this missing report situation, they then contacted their superiors who then contacted a few of the sect elders.

    .

    "What''s the age range of those reported missing?"

    "60 to 84, master."

    "Hmmm... and that farming town is known to many as afortable retirement ce?"

    "Yes, master. Many move them from the big city to peacefully live the rest of their lives, bing one with nature."

    That was what the inte said about the ce. Pandrol inwardly thought, not understanding what hese humans meant by living in bliss and bing one with nature in their old age.

    If it''s such a good life, why not do it when young? Why wait to get old before attempting it? Humans sure wereplicated.

    "Master, how many people will you be taking this time?" Pandrol asked.

    "40... 3 elders and 37 disciples. Have the elders decide amongst themselves who will go. Since it''s an urgent task, we will leave tonight."

    As for himself, he needed to prepare for what was toe.

    Who would''ve known he would find the second portal so fast?

 Chapter 446 The Missing Timmy

    --Oand Town--

    .

    6:15 P.M

    The dark hours would soon be upon thend as many moved distractedly, no one knowing what they were thinking.

    Over the past few weeks, more and more people became distracted, getting into idents and forgetting themselves in a daze.

    A sense of fear overtook them although they didn''t know why exactly they were so afraid.

    They''ve never had to fear their parents/grandparents/elder rtives before. So why the change now?

    Deep down although they sensed something wrong, they dared not let their thoughts wander into a psychotic rampage of idiotic conclusions.

    This is a world of science.

    Any meaningless and ridiculous thoughts could send them to a looney bin to be looked up for heaven knows when.

    Today, Helga crossed the road with her friends, reaching the fields and skipping across the meadows.

    These city folks might look down on their little farming town but she loved it quite a bit.

    The city was tight and full of too many people, with little to no ces for her to have fun like this.

    The scene here was beautiful, the butterflies were fluttering, the trees vibrant and the air fresher.

    Why, she could smell the grass stalks and flower perfume that thickened the air wonderfully.

    It was already a quarter past 6.

    14-year-old Helga knew she shouldn''t be running along the train tracks in these troubling times when the sun was about to go down, but she didn''t want to go back home and face her grandma.

    "I''m telling you all. There''s something really messed up with my grandma. She just isn''t the same after returning."

    "My Grandpa too" A curly-haired teen eximed, feeling a chill run down his spine.

    The other children also nodded, recalling how odd their grandparents have been after returning. And the more they spoke, the more they realized how familiar all their returned elders acted.

    "Last night when everyone was smiling, I don''t know if it was because I was having a bad feeling, he opened my eyes to take a peek only to see my Grandma standing over me with saliva dripping down her mouth. It was creepy." Helga paused. "You don''t know how much I prayed to the God of Science to make it past the night."

    To her, it was truly a miracle.

    "My grandpas did the same too. In my case, he was caught waking up and tantly asked me to go to sleep while he stayed standing over me like that."

    The boy also thanked the God of Science for letting him see today.

    Well, with howmon their grandparent''s behaviors were, they began wondering if it''s amon trait with people who be so old.

    Maybe they were sleepwalking or facing some serious case of creepy dementia?

    Even for teens their age, they thought rationally, not belonging to anything superstitiously possible.

    "You know what? My grandmama also likes to stare at an open space andugh by herself too. It''s just that whenever I try seeing her front face, she stops herughter."

    It''s true.

    Helga has only seen her Grandmotherughing from the back.

    When her grandmotherughed, her shoulders would raise high and her body would twist weirdly.

    They sayughing and smoking can make one feel young again. So could that be the reason? Helga has tried to tell her parents something is wrong with her nana.

    But it seems in the world of adults, she was being ridiculous.

    Her parents had already taken her nana for a full checkup and apart from the previous ailments that gued her nana, nothing new showed up.

    What more could she say?

    "Hey, did you hear? Timmy and his family suddenly abandoned their grandparents and are nowhere to be found now."

    "Eh? That can''t be right. In my opinion, they didn''t abandon the grandparents but are missing!"

    Jumping often on the train tracks, the boy still trusted his intuition.

    He didn''t know why he felt that way, but he knew Timmy and his family very well.

    He found it too hard to believe the grandparent''s stories of them running to the big city and leaving them behind.

    Something wasn''t adding up. He could feel it in his bones.

    It has something to do with Timmy''s grandparents, and now he was also bing suspicious of his grandfather who suddenly decided to leave the Home and stay with them for a while.

    As someone who wanted to be a police officer, he felt his grandfather was disying psychotic behavior.

    But he dared say such a thing to his parents... well, his mother''s trusty slippers would locate the back of his head no matter how he ran.

    Today he must find a way to sleep with his parents and let them face his grandfather hovering over their sleeping bodies at night.

    That''s right.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    His parents were still counting on him because they were not the ones always at home with his grandfather.

    To his parents sleep was very important so when it''s lights out, you best believe they were snoring away to sleepnd.

    Heh.

    He didn''t believe they wouldn''t take when feeling his grandfather''s intense gaze during the night.

    Looking at his good friends and buddies, Gregory thinned his lips and faced them seriously.

    "The adults don''t believe us. So it''s up to us to save their butts."

    "Save their butts? From what?"

    "Gregory gave everyone a side-eye look. "I have no evidence and am purely going on about it with guesses. But if my hunch is correct, Timmy and his parents are dead."

    "What?" Helga and the rest gasped with pale faces. "Dead? Like in the movies?"

    "Idiot. What other kind of death is there? If Greg is right, then the grandparents might have been the ones who killed Timmy, buried his body somewhere in the backyard and created evidence that made it look like the family fled."

    But the question is why.

    Why would they go out to such lengths in their old age?

    Could it be when you''re old, you have a unique bucket list you want to be done before you die?

    Either way, Timmy''s grandparents were one of the first to go missing and return.

    Timmy had once told Greg how scared he was bing after his grandparents arrived.

    The first sign was their excess consumption of in wheat stalks. They would chew buckets of it at a time, as though it was some delicacy.

    The next sign was their constantughing throughout the day.

    Why did their bodies twitch so strangely? And why didn''t they want anyone seeing their faces when theyughed?

    Up next would have to be their obviousck of sleep.

    Think about it. At night they spend the time staring over them, their grandchildren like owls. And during the day they don''t see them sleep.

    It could be a hard case of insomnia. There are studies of people with insomnia having only 1~3 hours of sleep a day, finding it hard to sleep at all.

    Perhaps it has something to do with that. But what are the odds that so many people have insomnia all at once and act the same?

    When Timmy told him about his worries, he tried calling Timmy down, thinking Timmy had a wild imagination.

    But this was Gregory''s biggest regret as a 14-year-old boy.

    He didn''t take his friend''s dilemma seriously. And now, he had a pounding feeling in his guilt that Timmy was dead.

    Learning from his mistakes, he dared not allow any of his friends to fall victim to their deranged grandparents.

    Something was seriously wrong, and it was up to them, the neighborhood kids, to save their town from their psychotic grandparents.

    .

    "Has everyone brought the stuff?"

    Helga and the others tightened their grip on their backpacks.

    "Yeah. It''s all here."

    Gregory nodded. "Good. Let''s do a count. I''ve got the vinegar. You said they seemed too repulsed by it, right?"

    "Yeah! My grandpop''s almost flung his te of food once when my man wanted to pour vinegar on his sd. His growl was very weird too, like animals."

    "Good detailing, Ross. Keep it up."

    "Yeah, boss!" Ross shed his crooked teethced with braces, proud to beplimented.

    Very quickly, they checked their supplies and prepared for whatever attacks that their grandparents might have.

    Following Timmy''s grandparents'' psychotic symptoms, they estimated what stage their own grandparents fell in.

    Some people also felt their time was almost up, as their grandparents'' behaviors had already reached thest stage before the big disappearance.

    Gregory was adamant that they save themselves before their grandparents strike.

    "Why don''t we involve the police in Linda''s matter?"

    "No way. The police would just turn us down like thest time. I think they too know it''s weird, but there''s just no evidence to back it up. What''s more, there are over 200 grandparents who have returned after getting missing. So how will they find the time to watch every house all the time?"

    Helga frowned.

    There were just too many people to watch. So the police have their hands full.

    "Gentlemen...dies..." We are alone in this. It''s up to us to protect our parents."

 Chapter 447 The General!

    "Gentlemen...dies... the battle is near," Gregory said, as though he was a war veteran.

    Too many hero movies have shaped him into what he was now.

    As a ''General'' for today''s matter, he spoke to his subordinates, dishing cautionary words from time to time.

    ''Mang."

    "Yes, boss," one of the girls replied.

    "From your grandma''s symptoms, it will soon be time before she falls into a psychotic well of her making. Timmy isn''t the only one who''s gotten missing in our group. Based on what we know, I figure it will happen tonight or before the end of the week."

    The little 13-year-old girl in brown pigtails thinned her lips, nodding heavily.

    Her hands be sweaty when thinking this could be thest day she lives if the boss''s guess is right. Maybe she might live for another day or 2 before her grandma snaps.

    Who knew the world could be so scary?

    What about her dream of marrying the Iglooman in her favorite superhero movie?

    It''s just not fair!

    (?T��T?)

    Sniff. Sniff.

    Mang suddenly felt mature, as though she had grown up overnight.

    Welp. If this was indeed herst night, she might as well watch a bit of her favorite show and daydream of her TV crush for a bit before it''s toote.

    Sigh...

    No wonder adults say like is short... Too short if you asked her.

    Greg (short for Gregory), ced both hands-on

    Mang''s shoulders with a stern look.

    "If we can, we will try to get our parents to agree to a sleepover. These are dark times, Mang. Dark times... The military camp is counting on you to be strong."

    Eh?

    Military camp? Although MaiLang didn''t understand it all, she knew her boss was a man (kid) who didn''t like repeating himself.

    What''s more, he had the most experience in things like these thanks to his incredible level of research (action movie watching.)

    Damn!

    Their boss was amazing!

    Do you know he was the only one among them who has watched grown action movies that their parents refused them to watch?

    The boss somehow got the code for parental guidance and would switch it from time to time when his parents were at work or when they were deep asleep.

    Just because they were small town folks didn''t mean they didn''t haveptops and ess to the inte.

    Gregory was a smart one, knowing his mother''s password to herputer too.

    And when he was done with whatever he was up to, he would wipe theputer''s history clean.

    This has been going on since he turned 11. Gregory was now 14 and had a deep love for military or cool rescue mission movies.

    It''s one of the reasons everyone looked up to him in awe. He seemed to always know everything. His ''street'' credibility was too impable. So how can they not make him their leader?

    Damn.

    Their boss was so awesome.

    (*^*)

    .

    "Remember, keep your weapons close. And remember, you need to get your parents to slee-'''' Gregory got distracted, sensing something in the distance.

    "Shhh~" He cautioned, cing his hands over Mang''s mouth and using a finger from another hand to gesture the need for silence.

    Eh?

    What could''ve gotten the boss so on edge? The children wanted to know but were quick on their feet to fall back and hide in a matter of seconds.

    Look! Over there! Gregory gestured with his head and fingers.

    Obediently, everyone followed his gaze only to see hundreds of elderly folks walking strongly into the woods.

    As they walked, their shoulders jumped up and down, and their faces stared to the skiesughing for whatever reason no one seems to know.

    It was too weird.

    The atmosphere spoke volumes of absurdity, as some began limping and moving strangely to an unfamiliar rhythm.

    "I see my granddad�� But since when did he start limping?" (?~?)

    "AH! I see my grandpops!"

    "Shhhh! Keep your voice down!" Helga cautioned, cing her hand over Ross''s mouth. "The boss said they have be psychotic. If we draw attention to ourselves, do you know if they will attack us here? By the way, my grandmama is also there, to the left."

    Helga felt the need to also point out the fact that her grandmother was there too. For some reason she didn''t want to be left out of those locating their grandparents.

    In the end, she was still a child.

    "Download the information into your mind. We must not be caught by them. You might think yelling is the best option to call for help in times like these, but what I''m telling you''ll be doing is known as Overrated Academia."

    Overrated Academia?

    "What does that mean?"

    "In honest words for you simpletons, it means no matter what we see, we must be quiet."

    "Ooooh~"<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Many nodded, amazed by their leader''s use of heavy grammar again.

    Tsk.

    As expected of their leader.

    He knows everything!

    .

    Like so, the children kept a good distance from the group of mysterious elders, following a few steps behind thest elder.

    Were they afraid? Yes!

    But for the safety of their parents and this town, they must find the truth out for themselves.

    "Crazy eyes, Blue toes, Cutesy Daisy... you go find a cop and bring them over. We''ll keep following them and keep on their toes."

    "Yes, boss."

    Lile soldiers, all 3 nodded and ran away cautiously, not wanting to be discovered by the elders.

    Go get the cops...

    Go get the cops...

    Go get the cops...

    They repeated the words severally as though they would forget them if not careful.

    Greg''sst warning also sounded rm bells in their heads.

    No matter what, they must tell a cop who wasn''t too old.

    After all, they were afraid that any older cops would be in cahoots with these murderous senior citizens.

    In the meantime, the children on Greg''s side had already crossed a valley and ran lightly on the slope facing them.

    The path was covered by tall grass, the des of which hung across the path dripping low.

    They knew exactly where they were.

    They were on the Old Gusta farm.

    Here, there were hills of wheat, corn and other high-stalk crops nted on the vast space.

    The town wasn''t dubbed as one of the most lucrative farm towns for nothing.

    Visitors could easily get lost and trapped in the maize fields if not careful, since the crop stalks were u credibly higher causing one to lose a sense of direction.

    But for those who grew up here and used the entire town as their yground for mischief and adventure, they knew how to find their way out with ease.

    .

    "They''re going into the maze fields," Rossmented as the group was still on a slightly elevated terrain, hiding behindrge rocks and peering down.

    At least from their spot, they could see a little into the maze... But once the elders left the maze perimeters and headed too far in, it would be impossible.

    "Boss, do we follow them in?"

    "No. That''s too dangerous, corporate. There are more of them and few of us. If anything goes wrong in there, it will take too long for any backup to arrive." Gregory observed. "I said we''re going to protect this town. But for us to do it, we must stay alive. You got that?"

    "Loud and clear, General." They said in a whispery tone.

    "But General... I mean boss... if we don''t follow them, how are we going to know what they''re doing? Will ouring here be for nothing?"

    Although they were scared, they really wanted to see what they were up against.

    Plus, they had to admit that in these dangerous times, they also had their adventure senses fully activated and satisfied. It was like a tomb raider movie... except there might be a lot of psycho killing in it.

    Let things go like this? Even he was unwilling.

    Gregory squinted his eyes, his gaze roaming between the elders another far distance into the maze.

    "They''re headed for the center."

    "Good spection, boss. So how do we attach them?"

    How. How. How.

    Gregory quickly scanned their surroundings, finally focusing on a sharp-edged slope adjacent to them.

    They were often told not to y around; its edges were sharp like boxes and not as easy to get on as the curved slope they were on.

    But on this matter, do they have a choice?

    Judging from his calctions, that box hill would be the only ce that will give them a good view of the maze field''s center.

    "Boss, you''re not thinking of--"

    "Yeah. The box hill. We have to use it."

    It''s a dangerous hill because it grew naturally, as though someone had been snatching giant boxes one after another to the top.

    The edges were as straight as a cliff''s. That''s why it was dangerous.

    If you fall from one box level to another, you''re bound to get heavy injuries.

    Damn.

    "Come on. This isn''t the time to act chicken. We''ve got to go to higher ground on the box hill before the elders reach the center."

    And they had to do it fast.

    It was already 7:01 P.M.

    By 8:30ish, the darkness willpletely cover thend.

 Chapter 448 We See You~

    "Eye-eye, Boss!"

    The kids didn''t want any time debating, as they sneakily followed Gregory.

    They were still hiding from the elders, so they didn''t have time to waste.

    It''s just that they couldn''t help wondering why these elders who they have known all their lives were suddenly so fast when moving.

    Augh~

    Everyone braced themselves once they reached the base of the slope they called Box Hill. But they weren''t done with their adventures just yet.

    Damn. They wished they had hats to mimic their favorite

    "It''s steep. Be careful."

    "Right, boss." Many answered, inwardly swallowing hard.

    Perhaps to grownups, it doesn''t look so difficult to do. But for kids like themselves, they felt like Indiana Jones climbing the temple of Zoom.

    Good guy.

    Gritting their teeth and looking at the slowly setting sun, everyone felt a sense of urgency.

    The box hill was like many boxes ced on each other from big to small like a pyramid.

    The edges were so steep that they had to create humandders and climb on each other to get onto the box above.

    The hill was a little bare, mostly filled withrge on top of each box surface.

    "Ah!" Someone eximed, as she just missed a step and almost fell to the lower box level.

    "Got you!" Ross quickly grabbed her, hoping the elders didn''t hear her yelling.

    Everyone breathing grew heavy as they leaned behind severalrge rocks with their chests raising high and low from time to time.

    "Did they see us?"

    Helga peering between 2 rocks shook her head. "They didn''t stop to look. My papa says old people don''t hear well, so maybe that''s why."

    "So we''re safe?"

    "Looks that way."

    "Focus."

    Reaching the top, everyone took cover, peering down into the maze''s center.

    So far so good.

    "Look! The boss was right! They were heading for the center after all."

    .

    It was so strange.

    As the figures gathered, a sense of malevolence filled the air.

    They began to sway from side to side with their faces obscured as they still kept their heads lowered from the setting sun.

    What the hell were they doing?

    Then suddenly, the children saw something unbelievable!

    Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha~

    A guttural fleet ofughter echoed through the air, growing louder with each passing moment.

    Every ng ofughter made their spines tingle and their palms sweaty.

    No one needed to speak, as they all thinned their lips promising not to scream.

    Their eyes widened alongside the changing and twitching nodes of the elders down below.

    Where are they dreaming? Were they truly seeing what they were seeing in this science-filled world? Good heavens of Science!

    ~Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

    A crackling noise followed with every twitch the elders made, a noise so loud they could hear it from their hiding ces.

    Can human bodies contort that way? What are you? Rubber man? (''0'')

    One of the children wet themselves, as they watched the most gruesome nightmarish thing of their lives, but it didn''t end there.

    The elders who wereughing with themselves, abruptly raised their heads, revealing unnatural smiles that stretched to their ears with sharp teeth that covered 2/3rds of their faces.

    Blugh~

    Several children couldn''t take it, turning to the side and puking in disgust.

    Have you seen anything so ugly?

    They had only seen a far away passing glimpse of the hideous faces, yet it was enough to make them puke out everything they had for lunch.

    "What are they? They''re not our grandpa--!"

    Someone eximed in a panic, but Gregory was quick to cup their mouth with his hands.

    "I-I... we''ve got to be quiet."

    Do you think he too isn''t freaking out too?

    Mommy...

    They just realized the world wasn''t as scientific as it seemed. But the feeling of eeriness only grew stronger when the creatures all turned their necks their way.

    Some moved unnaturally, like a doll''s head doing a slow slow, facing them.

    Oh No! They''ve been discovered!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    .

    Go! Go! Go

    All warning bells echoed in everyone''s mind, as they quickly made a run for, not caring if they got injured on their way down.

    Some held hands running away, while others red their hands in the air, crying as they foresaw their impending doom... especially those who knew their time was almost up.

    "Boss, boss! I just don''t know if I''ll have the strength. Did you see that thing? How do I protect my mom and dad from it?"

    You have no idea how scared the experience made them.

    Many were speaking, not knowing they have now developed a deep stuttering problem.

    Their eyes jumped maniacally, as though paranoid and their foreheads were now full of sweat.

    Gregory tried to calm them as much as he could though he too felt it was an impossible battle.

    Sorry, his brain was still trying toprehend how such things exist in their world.

    The worst thing of it all was that he knew no one would believe them.

    If anything, people might say they have mental problems or have a crazy sense of imagination.

    Don''t think because they''re kids they don''t know about what happens when you get sent to the Looney bin.

    It''s a ce adults swear never to go, as you leave even more broken than you entered.

    Even Gregory had chills just thinking of the few movies he secretly watched concerning people who enter such ces.

    They get locked up and tied to a chair or bed to be injected with strange fluids by creepy doctors and nurses.

    In one movie, a guy was framed and sent in there by his wife and brother who wanted his fortune.

    The things he witnessed therepletely broke the man. At some point, they even illegally used him as ab rat for underground experiments.

    His parents think he was afraid of the family doctor because he was afraid of pointed needles, but his real fear came from the many evil doctors and nurses he saw on TV.

    To him, they were just pretending and looking for an opportunity to give him a shot at their special fluid before kidnapping him for good.

    That''s why when he visited a doctor, even a dentist, he was as vignt as a hawk.

    Of course, rather than telling his parents his true fears, he would rather die with the problems inside unless it was hisst hope.

    After all, if hees clean, this means he won''t be able to watch adult-rated jam-packed action movies anymore.

    .

    "We''ve got to tell someone !" Helga advised still shaking in her shoes. "We''ve got to tell an adult. The poli-"

    "No!" Gregory roared. "If we do say anything, we will be the ones locked up while those things roam free and terrorize our town. Do you want that to happen? Do you want your mom and dad to enter their bellies? Listen up! Like in Power Rangers, we have just be the world''stest heroes. It''s up to us to save the day. Even if we tell someone, or must be someone who can believe us easily."

    Plunging through the farnds and woods, the group ran fell, ran, fell and ran away looking back from time to time

    Bam!

    Helga stashed into something soft but sturdy and almost fell on her butt.

    "Officer Macy! Officer Trey!"

    It was as if these officers were emitting heavenly light from the God of Science, as they seemed to glow in their hour of need.

    Wooooo~

    The children were crying, not caring about their dignity.

    Back up was here!

    Both Macy and Trey looked at each other, wondering what sort of trauma could cause the children to cry, twitch and shake so much.

    They knew these fellows all too well in this old town.

    These children were not like big city folks that cry at every turn.

    No.

    These kids had grit and courage to do things, always getting a good scolding from their papas and mamas.

    Just look at little Benjy. The poor guy had soiled himself in the pants which was too bizarre.

    Officer Macy tilted to the side and spoke into her walkie. "This is Macy, we seem to be in a real situation over here~ I''m afraid we''re gonna need some backup in case."

    Her ent and herrge cowboy police hat gave her a unique feel to any meeting her for the first time.

    Macy frowned. Could it be a serial killer was on the loose?

    Did they identally watch the killing of an innocent victim nearby?

    No! To the children, it was worse than that.

    "Breathe... Breathe... don''t worry we''ve got you now. Just tell us what you saw."

    Although the children swore not to tell the real truth, Officer Han Macy and Officer Li Trey were warm to them at this moment, making them want to trust them a little to believe their story.

    Suddenly, their words get stuck in their throats, seeing another officer they recognized.

    Only, he was also an elder, who is now limping like the other elders in the field.

    "Now, now, now... children~... What could have shaken it up so nicely?~ A big cat in the woods~A bug?..."

    "Deputy Officer Mcgoil, sir!" Macy and Trey were very respectful, wanting to help the limping senior officer over.

    But in a ce they couldn''t see, the senior officer suddenly gave a look to the children that drained all the color in their faces.

    [... We--See-You]

 Chapter 449 Two Forces

    The children didn''t know how they found themselves out of the woods and back in themunity.

    Everything was a blur to them when following the officers out.

    They desperately wanted to tell Macy and Trey to be careful around the old officer. But who would believe them, kids?

    What''s more, the elderly officer has been working in the police force since his young days so he had an impable reputation that wasn''t to be questioned.

    So to wake up one day and suddenly say such a person was nning to go on a killing spree was enough to make many adults roll their eyes heavenward.

    As though Macy and Trey were afraid the children would run off again after dark the officers dropped every one of them at their homes.

    Everyone had a gloomy expression, as they could only look to their leader Greg with worry, fear, and also a determination to stay alive.

    Greg whispered to them one by one. "Make sure to use your weapons if it gets dangerous. Don''t forget to scream at the top of your lungs."

    Worst cases they could scream for help and tell another story if saved.

    Perhaps they could say they saw a burr at home since no one would believe them after being rescued.

    The important thing is to be saved and not end up in the bellies of these terrible monsters wearing human skin.

    Everyone was shaking like a leaf and still hadn''t been able to calm down when dropped off.

    The n for a sleepover would defly notmence seeing as they were already in a lot of trouble as it is.

    "Ross? Is that you? Where have you been? Your curfew is 6 PM and yet you''re showing up at 8:42? Thank you all for bringing my little Ross home, officers."

    A woman dressed in a green shirt and pants with a stylish nket over her shoulders rushed out to greet them.

    One could tell from her baggy eyes just how worried she was about her son''steness.

    No matter how crazy Ross can get, he never stays out after curfew. The same went for the other children.

    Their leader Greg always made sure they returned before then.

    That''s why many parents liked Greg and saw him as a good leader and role model too.

    In his ss, Greg was the ss representative. He was also a person who had impable grades and one who gave public speeches during school periods.

    Even during parent-teacher asions, he would speak on behalf of his ss and sometimes on behalf of the student body as a whole.

    It was amazing that Greg was born brilliant, naughty, confident and had the right attributes to make him a naturally born leader.

    When Parents saw Greg, they would point at him and tell their children to strive to be someone simr to him.

    In thismunity, Greg was the boss among the many children simr in age to him.

    And even then, he had his own division of little soldiers, like in the army.

    No one knows who told Greg about these things, but he said he read it in some book and adopted eye principles, so it made sense.

    Anyway, the friends with Greg here are those in his innermost circle, the ones in his first division.

    The other divisions also answer to them

    Greg was like a leader king sitting on his throne.

    Sometimes, he would organize ways against the older kids, who had gangs of their own too.

    Don''t think being a leader was simple.

    No way!

    Greg had to help out whenever any of the older kids messed with his own.

    It was a whole war that went on, with older kids in high school wanting to beat them in lone farm areas and corn fields too.

    The bullying got so bad at one point that Greg had the children use their ultimate weapons... their parents.b

    With some who have never cried before, now shedding tears.

    Though they didn''t tell their parents why they were crying and acting fearful, it was enough to get the word out.

    Soon, several parents noticed their children were acting the same, as though scared of a bigger fish in the ocean.

    You have to know that some people in his group also lived with their elder brothers and sisters in the enemy group.

    So when their parents weren''t looking, he had his people pass on a message to their leader.

    That''s right.

    He was ckmailing them just like in the many action and military movies he watched.

    If they kept bullying his people, he would let every kid spill the beans in an even more exaggerated way that would cause their parents to not give these high schoolers enough money or cool items they always wanted.

    That''s right.

    No parties, no money for shopping, no TV, no inte (Wifi password will be changed), and a heap load of farm work to discipline them straight.

    Hehehehehehe~

    They will be grounded for months!

    Gregory has long noticed how advantageous it was to be a kid, but unless necessary, he wouldn''t abuse his advantages, since it was also embarrassing to act like that, shedding fake tears here and there.

    They weren''t city folks or big-town people. If they made a fuss about every little thing, even their parents would wonder how they raised such weaklings.

    In life, don''t expect to be rescued every single time from Godzi like some fake titty damsel in distress with blond hair and short shorts.

    Their parents wanted them to be resourceful, know how to save themselves and not always wait for others to solve their problems for them.

    In their ce, the tougher you are, the more respect and street cred you get.

    Anyway, the ckmailing worked so perfectly that in the end the leader of those high school bastards had to sign a peace treaty with him, negotiating for a whole 6 months of peace and no bullying whatsoever

    Although it was just 6 months, Gregory knew they couldn''t overdo it and ask for more.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    But that was fine too.

    At least during these 6 months, they would bide their time and toughen themselves up for the rough days ahead.

    Like a military Commander, Gregory already nned to have them work out crazily, though the only workouts he knew were those taught in hick during gym ss, and the few he glimpsed from movies.

    s... a kid has got to do what a kid has got to do.

    (~_~)

    .

    "What happened to you, Ross?"

    Ross''s mother''s pupils dted at an rming rate.

    "Has my son caused any trouble? Why is he shaking so much? I''ve never seen him so frightened before. Do you know what is going on with him? Ross! Your grandpa and I have been worried sick."

    Grandpa?

    Ross shook even more when hearing his mother''s words.

    Were the old people already back home?

    Ross was one of the first people to be dropped off and lived rtively closer to where they wereing from.

    So how did they get back before them? How did they do it?

    This didn''t make any sense.

    Gregory and the others were bing more and more afraid, wondering what other capabilities the monsters in human skin had.

    Tightly holding his mom''s hands, Ross lifted his head anxiously.

    Dad isn''t back yet from his 3-day trip outside the town. So it was just Mom and his older brother.

    "Mom... can you and big brother sleep with me tonight?"

    His mother was taken aback, never having seen the strange fear in her son''s eyes.

    The fear was too real and heavy, like someone thrown into the wilderness grabbing on a single straw to hold themselves up.

    She knew Devon her 16 years old son would definitely refuse since he liked staying in his room with those damn headphones on, sting music that could make the deaf wish they were deafened even more.

    Seeing Ross''s state, his mother gritted her teeth and swore to fulfill his wish.

    Tonight, both 13-year-old and 16-year-old sons will sleep in her bedroom.

    If the older one didn''t want to, well, she made more than many ways to make him bend against his will.

    Who asked him to be the child while she was the parent?

    If you think you''re so grown, then go build a house of your own.

    Hmph!

    Teenagers...

    (*^*)

    .

    "Thank you, officers... you have a good day now."

    Greg sighed in relief, seeing as Ross and many of the children were smart enough to get their parents and siblings to sleep with them tonight.

    Maybe if the numbers are great, they might stand a chance of truly winning.

    They just have to remember to keep their weapons closer.

    Maybe put the vinegar under the bed or under the pillow.

    There was also another thing their children had to do.

    It''s something they developed on their own, sort of like a warning or bat signal like in Batman.

    ''OU-OU-OU!~''

    Each child had a broad metal sheet wrapped around like a loudspeaker.

    cing it close to their mouths, they opened their windows and cried out like owls in the night.

    Let the word spread to the other divisions that there was danger closer than anyone thought.

    Although they won''t know exactly what the danger is, these owl cries signified impending danger in their homes. So sleep with one eye open tonight.

    (��_~)

    Ross''s brother, who was about to change the music in his earphones, suddenly paused after hearing his brother''s owl cries.

    As an agent working for the high school faction, he also knew a few things about his brother''s group.

    Eh?

    Danger in the home? What''s going on?

    Regardless of how much he teased his little brother and caught him, that was his Goddamn little brother!

    If there was really anything endangering his life or that of his mom, he as the elder brother would step up to the task.

    Seeing as their mom went to take a shower and their grandpa who was out on the porch, Daven quickly headed to Ross''s room.

    "Spill it, dweeb. What the hell is going on."

 Chapter 450 Forced Become One!-2

    ~Whopp. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop. Whoop~

    In a ne high up in the sky, Dorian and many others sat cross-legged as they awaited arrival in the mysterious town.

    Well, the town didn''t have an airport to itself, as it shared airports with another town and vige just 30 minutes away after leaving the town''s entryway.

    The airport was in the far outskirts and was very small, to say the least.

    No matter where they wanted to go, the nes would first take them to any of the 4 main airports before connecting them to other flights.

    Yeah.

    It was funny to say that for the little farm town, only a handful of people have gotten on the ne in this lifetime.

    These people include those whose businesses required them to move, like Ross''s father.

    He too was a farmer, but he was mostly a merchant and a middleman who aided in transporting most of the town''s crops to outsiders.

    This ce wasn''t dubbed a farming town for nothing. There were also factories here that turned their products into items you buy in the stores.

    Hey, it was pretty amazing!

    (^v^)

    Sometimes, they also went out via ne to visit loved ones who no longer live in their small town.

    It was indeed rare, as there were quite a handful of people who had never been in a ne in all their lives.

    It can be seen just how smart it was to have the town and several other smallmunities share the same airport.

    At least it''s not aplete loss to the airlines.

    .

    In the private jet, everyone focused on cultivating, as they closed their eyes and breathed silently.

    What were they going to face? They had no idea. However, with the Grandmaster by their side, they didn''t fear.

    The pilot was the most confused, having never seen such quiet passengers before.

    The stewardess was also taken aback by their strangeness that she had to gossip with the pilot mid-flight when giving him his food.

    "I''m telling you they aren''t normal. I passed with the food tray just as scheduled but everyone was sitting cross-legged and with their eyes closed."

    They went leaning against the airne seats but seated at a sharply angled position.

    Heck.

    The stewardess felt that if their back got any straighter, it would snap like a frozen rubber band without sticity.

    Seeing their eyes closed but their bodies not in a resting position, the stewardess began contemting whether they were asleep or not.

    As per protocol, if they were asleep during mealtime, she wasn''t to disturb them. She could only passter again to distribute their meals.

    Waiting is what she did.

    She waited and waited, but didn''t see a single person open their eyes.

    A flight like this had 2 mealtimes... the first was to share snacks and drinks and thest served heavier meals since the flight was 6 hours and 45 minutes.

    As time went by, the stewardess began feeling something was more and more off.

    From the moment these people stepped onto the ne, they stayed in the same position for more than 4 hours now without even shaking their heads or twitching their hands.

    Is this normal?

    Good Heavens! They won''t be dead, right?

    The stewardess had no choice but to take out herpact mirror from her purse and ce it underneath someone''s nostrils.

    Phew~

    Seeing the slight fog form on the mirror, the stewardess thanked the God of Science and slowly backed away like a thief in the night.

    Heading back to the pilot''s cockpit, she ryed her findings, putting the man at ease.

    He too was a little afraid, not wanting to fly a ne transporting dead passengers.

    Never in his life has a flown people who were so quiet before.

    Do you realize that none of them had ordered anything?

    To have a private jet meant they were a well-to-do group.

    When on board, there were some perks they should enjoy like drinking champagne, eating exquisite food and so on.

    You have to know that even though they have 2 official mealtimes for these VIP members, the customers could order whatever was on the menu whenever they liked.

    It was odd that they were on a private jet yet they didn''t even bother taking pictures or doing anything that would dub them as ordinary.

    Welp. Provided they are alive and kicking with no issues, who cared about their strangeness?

    "Continue keeping an eye on them until wend."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Yes, Captain Slovic." The stewardess replied leaving the cockpit and heading back to the onboard VIP bar to watch them from there.

    She thought her actions earlier were concealed, but Butler Sheng knew she ced that mirror underneath his nose but didn''t care.

    2 more hours before arrival.

    There was still a long way to go.

    ------

    Back in the town, the parents and adults had no idea just how tense the ce had be.

    -OU-OU-OU-OU!

    The owl signal went off, echoing across the vastnds from all homes having children.

    It was almost like the scene of dogs barking nonstop in 101 Dalmatians when the puppies first went missing.

    No matter how much some parents tried to pull their children away from the windows, the children would rush back anand yell the owlish cries as fiercely as they could.

    Even if some did not know the exact danger they might face, they still abided by the Code.

    It simply meant that when you hear the owl cry, pass on the same owl cry immediately and keep vignt.

    This way, everyone can get the word.

    In turn, those from the high school group were also very tense, as they quickly protected themselves and their households, swearing to stay vignt too.

    Although they fought a lot with Greg, they knew how brilliant this mind was.

    For him to give out orders like this meant there must be something wrong going on.

    A serial killer on the loose?

    Many thought so, especially within this dark period of elders going missing and strangely returning.

    Something just wasn''t right. They could feel it, but didn''t know what it was exactly.

    But from the looks of things, Greg and his gang might be the only ones who found the truth and are worried for everyone''s safety.

    Many high schoolers were quick to corner their younger siblings for the truth. Of course, Davon was among them.

    With a fiery look, he pinned his brother by the door, lowering his face menacingly. But seeing Ross''s hesitation only fueled his anger even more.

    "Dweeb, I''m only going to ask you once. After that, I''ll punch you till you talk, and don''t think I''ll be afraid of you telling Mom! Now... spill it out! I want to know the hell is going on?"

    Ross suddenly gained power, as he pushed Davon away animatedly. "Get away, Davon! You don''t understand. How can you understand?"

    Seeing Ross''s eyes dart about the space maniacally and unfocused, Davon became more and more worried.

    He knew if he let this matter slide the impending danger could be greater than he thought.

    F***! He has never seen his little brother so on edge.

    Gritting his teeth, Davon ced a firm hand on Ross, twirling him around and again looking straight in the eyes.

    "Ross! I am your older brother! No matter how we fight, we are family, understand?... I''m simply saying you don''t have to do it alone!"

    For the first time, Ross felt his older brother wasn''t so annoying.

    Davin typically gave him veggies and annoyed the hell out of him constantly. But at this moment, Davon was like a true older brother to him.

    He was right. It would be better to have him on board, though Ross would never tell the exact truth lest his brother thinks he was going kookoo.

    "Alright." Ross agreed with a heavy and slow nod. "Davon... What I''m about to say might seem crazy, but we saw it with our own eyes... It''s about Timmy."

    "Timmy?" Davon frowned. "The one who is said to have left his grandparents behind with his family?"

    "Yes. That Timmy. Deep down, you know that story is full of crap."

    Davon nodded, saying he didn''t believe it either.

    If not for the police speaking about evidence here and there, he would have thought it was a joke.

    He knew that family very well. So how can they just up and leave like that?

    "Timmy and his parents are dead... and the ones who did it were his grandparents."

    WHAT?

    Davon almost couldn''t believe it.

    His mind had alreadye up with all sorts of theories, concluding that Gregory and the rest must''ve stumbled upon the grandparents burying the bodies. But what Ross said next made Davon feel true horror.

    "Grandpa was with them. And it seems he too is nning to kill us all!"

    Davon''s body trembled, thinking of how weird his grandfather had been acting ofte.

    "Are you sure? Do you know what you''re saying?"

    "Yes." Ross''s face was stern. "He wille for us all."

 Chapter 451 I Believe!

    It took a while for Davon to believe the insane idea that his grandfather was out to get them.

    Growing up, his grandfather was the closest to him, taking him fishing and even hiking up the woods.

    So when did it all change? Why did he suddenly develop psychotic impulses after them?

    Questions, questions, questions...

    Davon had a million and 1 questions to ask but knew that apart from him but knew that apart from him, Ross was also very close to Grandpa too.

    So for him toe out and say this meant he at least had evidence to back up his im.

    Davon didn''t fully believe it, but as they say, it was better to be safe than sorry.

    What if it''s really true? Won''t it be better to deal with preparation rather than waiting for his grandpa to kill them all?

    "Then what''s the vinegar for?"

    Ross''s heart skipped a beat. "Ever since Grandpa came back, he has developed a strong allergic reaction to vinegar. Last time he identally tasted it and had his hands on his neck, running for fresh air."

    Okay, Ross lied a bit, but it was better than telling the truth.

    Davon nodded, feeling Ross''s thoughts were smart.

    After all, he and probably Ross didn''t want to kill their grandfather. No.

    It would be best to apprehend him in a way that left both sides unharmed.

    So after spraying vinegar on Granddad, they could take advantage of his moment of anxiousness and weakness to tie him up and wait for the police''s arrival.

    Don''t think because their granddad was old, he couldn''t injure them.

    If their grandfather is holding a knife, one of them might get injured before they have the chance to tie him up.

    But put him in a vulnerable state and they would have the chance for a safe victory.

    .

    Alright.

    "I believe you... is that why you wanted us to sleep together tonight?"

    Ross nodded heavily, not interning hide it.

    "With us being together, it would be difficult for Granddad to make a move at night."

    Davon massaged the few strands of growing hair on his chin thoughtfully. "We best hurry up and meet Mom in her room. Mom has an early day tomorrow so she needs to sleep early too."

    "Yeah." Ross agreed, grabbing his lucky pillow and following Davon to his room.

    Ross was already in his PJs after taking a quick bath. When taking his bath, the speed he used could''ve definitely set a world record.

    How can he not be in fear and in a rush knowing that that thing was living with them in ce of Grandpa?

    He feared if he stayed in the shower longer, he would probably die mysteriously.

    Following Davon out of his room, the duo suddenly came face to face with their creepy smiling grandpa.

    Davon''s heart jumped, subconsciously keeping Ross behind him.

    "Evening Granddad."

    The old man said nothing, only smiling and looking at both of them mysteriously.

    Just this alone made Davon''s pupils dte.

    Hearing it from his brother''s mouth is one thing, but finally seeing and linking Granddad''s weirdness with murder was another matter altogether.

    Davon didn''t know when his legs started quivering, as the brothers slowly inched forward, trying to bypass Granddad, whom they just noticed had somehow grown a little more burlier.

    His shoulders were broader, his chest wider and his overall body huge.

    Just him alone took up a menacing amount of space along the hallway.

    Everyone now found themselves sticking to the walls as they bypassed the old man, chased into Davon''s room and hastily locked the door.

    F***!

    Davion cursed, breathing heavily.

    He knew cursing would lead him to put money in a swear jar, but in such a situation, who the hell cares about that?

    It was usually his younger brother who ratted him out to Mom if he said a single bad word. But today, Ross was feeling generous.

    .

    F***, F***, F***, F***!

    Ross stood and eximed, with his hands grabbing his hair and his body moving back and forth in horror.

    No. This is some movie shit right here.

    You know, the ones about shers who are family members?

    Son of a b**ch!

    "Ross, he''s really out to get us. But Mom will not believe it. After all, it''s her father they were talking about."

    Her mom has grown up with the father since their maternal grandma died from giving birth to their mom.

    So you can imagine how close the 2 are.

    Davon didn''t think such psychotic thoughts sprung from nowhere.

    In most sher movies, you can see the traits that existed in each character from the very beginning.

    Maybe mom didn''t notice it when growing up, but their Grandpa should''ve been killing people when he was younger.

    The look in the man''s eyes was that of a hunter staring at prey.

    It seemed their grandfather must''ve been preparing to take them down for years.

    Maybe to their grandfather, their heads on his walls would be his greatest and most fulfilling hunt of all.

    The sick part of it all was that he had other elderly buddies with him who do the same thing perhaps as a sport.

    Davon was in no mood to take any bloody shower.

    Washing his face and brushing his teeth were all the night preparations he did, especially when thinking his mom was alone in her room.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Looking around his room, he grabbed a few sharp objects, held Ross''s hand and leaned into the door with his ears open wide.

    ~Din... Din... Din... Din.

    Heavy rhythmic footsteps echoed about the hallways.

    Davon heard the footsteps move away, before descending the stairs, slowly fading into nothingness.

    -Silence-

    (0_0)

    Blink. Blink.

    You look at me; I look at you.

    It seems it''s all good.

    Both brothers looked at each other, before counting to 5 in their hearts and opening the door.

    But what they didn''t expect was a close-up view of their granddad standing inches from their door.

    "Ahhh!... Granddad, it-it-it''s just you."

    Davon tried to put up a bold front. "Ross and I are just ying hide and seek, so we won''t bother you anymore. Mom is waiting for us."

    .

    Mommy...

    Who can tell him how his granddad whose footsteps had faded suddenly appeared outside his door?

    Davon wished for himself and the walls to be one as he leaned against it, keeping a steady pace while bypassing the old man again.

    For Ross, he kept his head low but his hands tight on the vinegar wrapped within his special nket.

    No one knows the rollercoaster of emotions that went through their brains in these few seconds that seems like an eternity.

    Bam!

    Amelia came out with a towel on her damp head, wondering what the hell had gotten into her boys ofte.

    "Are you both obsessed with ying sote in the night?"

    "Mom, you don-"

    "Enough. I''m happy to see you both bond but Mama needs some quiet and a good night''s sleep here. So from now on, zip it."

    Both brothers could only look at each other helplessly, as they looked at the door from the inside and got on the bed robotically.

    Amelia, who came with dry hair wearing her nightgown, stared at the bed both angry and funny.

    Her older son Davon was wearing his skateboarding helmet... a helmet he hasn''t worn in years now.

    As for Ross, he had padding on his arms, as though trying to stop something from biting him.

    (-_-)

    Forget it...

    She was too old and too tired for this shit.

    Let them do as they want. After all, Ross was very scared today, so maybe he did all this, feeling it would protect him from who-knows-what.

    Augh~

    Children.

    Be a parent, they said.

    It was going to be fun, they said.

    It was going to be amazing and stress-free, they said.

    Amelia wished she could p the mouths of many in her past.

    It was indeed an amazing experience. But do you know how many times a day her heart raced because of these 2 idiots who call themselves her children?

    .

    The duo were expecting their mother toment on their ridiculous sleeping attire, but all she did was put on her eye covers and made herselffy under the sheets.

    "Good night."

    "..."

    "Good night, Mom... we love you."

    Amelia felt weird hearing those words from Davon. When was thest time he said he loved her?

    Since his rebellious age kicked in, he seemed hell-bent on going against her for every little thing.

    What was going on today?

    Why were her children so weird?

    Amelia truly wanted to delve into the matter further but her heavy eyelids did not allow for such luxuries.

    It was midnight and this was the longest she has stayed up on a working day.

    It didn''t take long for her to sleep.

    The brothers thought they too would stay up long, but their eyes couldn''t help falling into deep sleep too.

    Well, the door was locked and there was no way granddad would being in... or so they thought.

    --2 hourster--

    ~Catchack!

    Ross heard the door''s locks mysteriously turn on their own.

    Ross didn''t need to open his eyes to know that his worst nightmares were realized.

    Granddad... Granddad was here!

 Chapter 452 A Harsh Reality!

    --20 minutes ago--

    A luxurious ne finally had its tires touch the ground with the pilot and stewardess inwardly thanking the God of Science for letting the trip end.

    How awkward it was to be on such a flight.

    It was amazing that when theynded, everyone''s eyes opened at the same time, following which they also stood at the same time with perfect synchronicity.

    They had no luggage or baggies on the ne so it was an easy checkout process for the group. Saving the airport, the group didn''t take any taxis or cabs and slowly walked into the dark surroundings before vanishing from the airport''s sight.

    Dorian opened his 3rd eye and didn''t need a map to know exactly where they should be headed.

    In the very far distance, there was a thick aura of purple mist circting about the unfortunate town.

    Looking at the mist that was constantly changing, Doriam''s face turned grim.

    "Something has changed. Let''s go."

    Swish!

    In a sh, the group punched forward, moving faster than vehicles and rushing to the little farm town several miles ahead.

    Dorian''s main target was the corn maize because the 2nd portal/gateway was located on it.

    There should be a gateway protector and keeper always guarding the ce.

    From the official reports of elders getting missing and returning, Dorian did have a couple of hunches on what creatures they might be facing off against.

    Only after meeting the true guardian would he be 100% sure of what it was.

    Still... despite his guessing, all the creatures he had in mind were not the sort to attack all at once.

    However, tonight something seems off.

    "We have to hurry up."

    ~Swish!

    They vanished like a burst bubble. And in the meantime, many children in the town were now facing their fates with their parents in deep slumber with some knowing their end was near.

    Who can tell them what''s going on? Who can stop this madness from happening?

    .

    Ross felt his body electrocute the moment he heard the door slowly unlock itself, though he recalled Davon locking it from the inside.

    He thought he was the only one awake, but soon felt a hard squeeze on his thighs.

    Yes! Davon also woke from the creepy sound, but Mom was still sleeping and snoring with their blue covers over her eyes.

    The duo didn''t need to say anything, as their hands slowly reached for the weapons nearby.

    ~Din... Din... Din...

    The grandfather''s footsteps could make the dead wish they died again.

    They meant it when they said it was hard to describe. Yet it was the most terrifying thing they have ever heard.

    Up and down their chest rose, as they slowly fluttered theirshes, trying to take a peek at the enemy.

    The old man casually walked in and stopped by their mother''s side, opening his mouth and letting his thick saliva drip down his mouth.

    Dear God of science! What did this bastard want to do? The old man''s eyes widened, and his cheeks raised high like a clown''s.

    But what shook them the most was his shoulders that left jiggling up and down, as though amused by it all.

    Wearing a strange heavy cloak, Davon felt his Grandfather almost look like a creepy shadowy figure that was floating in the air.

    But how can that be?

    Davon felt a little ridiculous, knowing there were no such things as monsters.

    No. What they were facing was a deranged old man with psychotic tendencies.

    That was how he thought until he saw something move in his grandfather''s face.

    Was that a worm?

    The long worm wiggled and protruded itself against the flesh of the old man''s cheeks.

    It swam up and even moved around his eyes, before vanishing as though it was all an illusion.

    Davon was dumbfounded.

    What was going on here? Aren''t worms supposed to only target corpses after being buried?

    How can there be a living worm of that humongous size swimming in his grandfather''s face?

    Tapeworm? Or some strange species of worm they knew nothing about?

    Davon might be confused but Ross wasn''t.

    When he saw the worm, he once again confirmed this ''grandfather'' wasn''t his but a monster in disguise.

    Davon felt reality was already too hard for them to swallow. But what happened next almost left him fainting in a deepa.

    .

    After opening its mouth for what seemed like an eternity, their grandfather began hisugh marathon,ughing until his shoulders cracked and rose higher than his head.

    No matter how slow Davon was, he knew it wasn''t natural, but had no time toment as his grandfather changed more and more into something he didn''t recognize.

    Bahahhahahhahahahhaha~

    His grandfather began a lowughing chuckle, slowly increasing the volume and deepness of his voice the longer heughed.

    Wait! Do you hear that?

    Both bodies wished the nightmare would end as the many shadows in their rooms began dancing on the walls and floors along with the heavyughter.

    Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    I believe in the God of Science.

    I believe in the God of Science.

    I said I f**king believe in the God of Science!

    So can their imaginations stop getting a hold of them now?

    Davon wished he was blind and deaf at the same time, seeing the many changes in the room.

    He felt the end was slowly being moved by something strange.

    He knew it wasn''t the old man pulling the bed away. So who? And where were they taking them?

    The Who and where parts were the most terrifying matters of all. But did he have a choice?

    The duo could onlyy back in test, as they watched their bed suddenly develop character, as it twirled and moved with them on it, opening their parent''s balcony door and jumping out of the building without warming.

    F***!

    A kidnap? Are they honestly being kidnapped by their own bed?

    There were times when the bed stood vertically. They should''ve been holding onto its rails as though hanging onto the side of cliffs.

    Yet, they were pinned in position as if thews of physics no longer applied.

    Sweet mother of Pearl!

    Both children began braver, seeing as their creepy grandfather no longer followed them.

    Turning on their bellies, they peered forward like Snippers on the ground looking at faraway targets.

    "Ross! What the f*** did we just see?" (''0'')

    Ross shook his head bitterly, finally confessing what Greg, himself and the others truly saw before.

    Davon ced a hand on his chest, wondering if this was still their original world or not.

    So... so... that thing wasn''t Grandpa but a gruesome monster in disguise?

    Then what happened to Grandpa?

    Wait. Ross said he was sure that thing was wearing Grandpa''s skin. Meaning their grandfather was indeed dead.

    "All the missing Grandparents who returned are monsters, right?"

    Ross nodded heavily. "Then we are fighting with arge group. With the little vinegar gathered, how can we defeat them all?"

    Dammit!

    Davon wished he knew sooner so he could have cleared the entire kitchen for this. Do you know how much vinegar farmers have?

    You would be amazed how much stockpile was in the storage shed.

    Had he known, he might have taken more in therge water gun his dad made for himself when he was just a little kid.

    Ross also said that whenever these monstersugh, the fake skin would twist revealing what trulyy underneath.

    This must be why every time Grandpaughed he would only show them his back, never his face.

    But why are the monsters wearing their grandparents alwaysughing? Was it their way ofmunicating?

    Such questions only shed through Davon''s mind for a brief second, as he was still blown away by the many unnatural things happening around him.

    Fear, uncertainty, doubt andck of hope made him feel they might be fighting something no one in the human race would win against.

    These things even killed Timmy and many others right under their noses.

    So was it truly their time to die now?

    No way! No matter how scared they were, they must fight to survive.

    .

    ~Crash!

    Beds jumped out from their neighbor''s homes, creepily following behind them too.

    "Sarah!"

    "Davon, what is going on here?" The neighbor girl Sarah, who had teary eyes, didn''t let a single one drop.

    "You damn kids! Can''t you see I''m trying to get some rest here?"

    Amelie was about to curse more when she saw the strange scene before her.

    Hello? Why were there beds moving on their outside?

    s... she must be dreaming. Thinking like this, she closed her eyes and prepared to go back to bed.

    "Mom!"

    Eh? Not a dream?

    (?��?)

    Amelia had no choice but to open her eyes again in a daze.

    "Start talking. Does this have anything to do with you both?"

    "..."

    .

    ~Crash! Crash! Crash!

    More And more beds jumped out from the neighborhood, taking their captives to the ce Ross and the others were familiar with. Along the way, they also saw Gregory and Helga.

    And where were they headed? Of course to the maze!

 Chapter 453 A Town Crises

    Hahahahahah~

    What were these brats talking about? How can her father die just like that?

    Amelia shook her head crazily, not wanting to believe any of it.

    Sadly, the fact that she couldn''t get off the running bed, no matter how she tried, already gave her an ominous feeling.

    Were they truly monsters in this world? Or was this the work of some mad scientist who found the time to sneak into their homes and create mechanized robotic beds that could run like dogs?

    Don''t me her for thinking so, since the concept of monsters was so far-fetched she began wondering if her children had secretly taken drugs from who knows where.

    They won''t have snuck into Old Man Connor''s home and gotten a taste of his special brownies, right? (`��'')

    [The duo]:...

    Where is the trust?

    It took what seemed like an eternity to the boys for their mother to finally get a clue.

    Even then she still felt they were exaggerating things, but Davon inwards scoffed thinking she was only doubtful because she slept through the gruesome kidnapping.

    She didn''t see how the monster managed to open the door from the other side.

    She didn''t see the many dancing shadows that came to life in the room and did not also see the old man''s twisting face filled with worms underneath.

    Lying trough!

    Had she seen it, won''t she dare to argue with them while on their way to their deaths?

    Maybe by coincidence or fate, Gregory and Helga''s beds soon ran alongside them.

    Gregory''s parents, as well as Helga''s dad, were in the beds too. It seems all the kids had managed to bring their parents to sleep with them.

    It was strange that when the kidnapping happened, the monsters even threw newly born babies to the humans on the beds before sending the bed horses away.

    Tonight, no one was bound to survive.

    Tonight, it seems their little town would soon turn into a ghost town with all residents disappearing, leaving only the old behind.

    The mystery will no doubt remain unsolved, as many strange mysteries that have gone down in humanity''s history.

    From the disappearance of hundreds to the disappearance of thousands... Many will specte the group found a line connecting them to a parallel universe, while others might specte it was the work of Male serial killers kidnapping for a cause.

    They believed in science and would draw out all scientific exnations to the disappointment of many.

    For the residents facing the crisis firsthand, words couldn''t describe how helpless they felt now, feeling deceived by the government.

    Why? Why did such things exist and no one bothered telling them?

    Wasn''t this a world of pure science? A world where people could sneakily get sent to the Looney Bin for the littlest spections of the supernatural existing? So if it was all real, then why frighten them so much with the matter of the looney Bin?

    Davon stared at Gregory, suddenly treating him like an equal. "Little man, up five got a n?"

    Gregory nodded. "Sort of. We still have a long way to go before we reach the corn fields. There''s a strange force keeping us bound on the beds but haven''t you noticed we can still pick up objects along the way?"

    Everyone around Gregory, including his parents, had brightly lit eyes, as they leaned against the bed''s edge, grabbing as many stones and sharp objects they could find.

    All the while they kept listening to Gregory, appreciating his brains and quick thinking.

    Indeed, he was right.

    They hardly knew the creature''s weakness, except for vinegar.

    "Good boy." Gregory''s parents rubbed his head, proud yet distressed that he had to face such a life-changing event at such a young age.

    They hoped should he make it alive, he wouldn''t be scared for life.

    "Although we don''t know all their weaknesses, we do know of their capabilities. They can move extremely fast, and can control h, h, h, h."

    Gregory and the other children wasted no time telling what they found.

    "Hold on." Davon frowned. "Earlier, you said Timmy and a few of those who fled the town, had the elders in their homes go through several stages before their disappearance. So why are these creatures now doing mass attacks even though it''s not our time yet?"

    Gregory already had the answer in his heart. "Because they were provoked... by us."

    "You--"

    Davon and everyone else froze. "Could it be the incident earlier today when you all were brought back by the police?"

    Helga nodded. "Yes, Dad. During that time we were something we were not supposed to see and fled before running into the officers Macy and Trey."

    Suddenly the atmosphere seems 10 times heavier, knowing that they would have remained alive for a few more days before dying.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    In these desperate times, all traits of humanity are quickly Unleashed with some showing hate for Gregory''s group of nosy kids.

    "It''s you! It''s all you!" A girl in her 20s eximed, pointing at Gregory hatefully.

    Luckily, her father had cupped her mouth with his hands, apologizing to them for his daughter''s outburst.

    Helga''s face turned pale, never imagining the beautiful girl she always looked up to, would one day poke at her like a shrew in a marketce.

    You have to know that the youthful girl was dubbed the number one beauty in the town, with many little girls like Helga giving her flowers whenever they saw her.

    Who doesn''t like to appreciate beauty?

    This elder sister was always poised and well-collected, though sometimes she tended to look down on people.

    It''s just that in the face of her face-changing skills, she could make many fascinated by her again.

    Helga has never seen her look so murderous. Everyone had the illusion that if she could, the beautiful sister would waste no time kicking them down and sacrificing them to appease the monsters.

    Sure enough, after biting her father''s hands away, she was quick to offer these children as sacrifices, wanting to gather a crowd behind her to support her ridiculous idea.

    Even the girl''s father was so shocked that he pped her hard on the cheek.

    "I''m sorry, everyone! I''ve spoiled this girl stupid, making herck some brain cells in that head of hers. We should be thanking the children rather than condemning them." He hastily said, exining his thoughts.

    Think about it.

    If they were alone in their homes not even knowing the danger surrounding them, they would have been dying one by one as the days went by.

    No one would be able to find their bodies, so it would be possible to think they left the town or are missing.

    They would have died without knowing the enemy in the shadows.

    However, thanks to these children, they now had more information on the enemy, and could now work together in arge group aiming to take down the enemy together.

    The man was a police officer who was off duty tonight.

    It was a shame to hear his own daughter say such barbaric words like throwing the children to the monsters, who by the way would still most likely kill them even then.

    When doing with viins, be they human or not, the moment you keep giving in to their demands, that''s the money you lose.

    A ckmailer will never stop if you keep giving in to them constantly.

    Likewise, a killer who already had the thoughts of killing you earlier will never stop, only dragging out your death day for an extended period before making their move.

    Just like that, some selfish and daring people in the crowd quickly thought about it, deciding not to sacrifice the children.

    Yes!

    Now, they need to overwhelm the enemy with their sheer numbers. Maybe the children would be useful as the first line of defense against these so-called monsters they haven''t seen yet.

    ---

    RING~

    Officer Macy held her phone by her ears, puzzled by why no one was answering her calls.

    Seated within the police station, she and a few others whose shifts ended 2 hours ago, were still seated at their desks, working in the missing senior cases.

    These days, she has been doing overtime constantly. She couldn''t help wondering when it would all end, and when the so-called specialists from the capital wereing.

    Eh?

    Macy frowned. "That''s odd. No one is answering the walkie-talkies."

    Every night there are selected police teams assigned to drive around the town, but none is answering a goddamn thing.

    "I''ve got no response too," Trey added, slowly rushing to his feet with worry. "We should send another team to check it out."

    "Yeah." Macy and several other officers agreed and were just about to rise when they saw the old, renowned senior officer approach them slowly.

    He was the same senior officer who Greg and the others saw with Macy and Trey earlier together.

    "Now, now everyone... where do you think you''re going?"

    Macy''s eyes widened, looking at the d officer whose smile was now unnaturally touching the back of his ears.

    The old man seemed to enjoy their fearful hazes, as he elongated his shoulders with a mischievous glint in his eyes. And the next thing Macy knew she was face down on the ground.

    "Why leave when the fun has just begun?"

    BANG!

 Chapter 454 Mr Grim Reaper, Can You Please Let Us Go?

    A person once asked Officer Macy: What was the most scary thing in her line of work?

    Back then, she without a doubt, said the human heart.

    But looking at the old man whose face was suddenly peeled off with his hands, from the back of his head, Macy didn''t know it was possible for a human being to puke and faint at the same time.

    "Trey! Brian! Li Jung!... Blugh~~~~~~"

    It took all of Macy''s willpower not to faint.

    Mind you, they were so close to the being, are my a few inches away, so they had a front-row view of how hideous and disgusting it was

    Good God of Science!

    What have you left this world to be?

    Officer Trey, who had just fainted, was puking from his body''s disgust.

    It seems that even in his dormancy state, his body couldn''t ept such a thing existing, talk less of trying to forget the image.

    ~Crrrrreeeeeeeeehehehehhehehehhehe~

    Macy swore she wouldn''t look at the creature for more than 2 seconds. But from that glimpse, she knew the creature had long twig hands, and seemed to be wearing a dark mist of smoke as a coat.

    It had just one massive eye, with no minstrels, only a smiling razor-toothed mouth, that sent chills running down her spine.

    And what was that godforsaken smell?

    Terrible!

    It smelt like someone had massacred a million people and left them there to decay for ages.

    The smell was too pungent, with a mix of the dead, as well as sulfur and a few chemicals that stung her nostrils.

    No! She felt the stench was even more than that. And did she also mention just how rotting its body was?

    Mold, decay, maggots, and meat with fluid sacs of green pimple pus waiting to explode now covered the creature everywhere one looked.

    Eww! Eww! Eww!

    Macy had a hunch that should one of those disgusting pus of greenish-yellowish bad-smelling fluids touch her, she might just faint.

    How can such a thing be alive?

    Hold on!

    Earlier today, the children who seemed very willing to talk to her and Trey, suddenly turned fearful when seeing the old man.

    So could they have known?

    It was strange to say that those children have never been afraid of the old man.

    The only reason why they shook so hard like epileptic patients in the old man''s presence should be because they knew.

    But Macy didn''t me the kids for not telling her and Trey.

    F***!

    If anyone said such a thing was possible earlier, she would lock them up for a week for disrespecting one of the most well-known and well-deserved officers in their little town.

    Toote! Macy had no time to think, as its long twig hands filled with rotting flesh, maggots and pus sacs towards her legs.

    Ahhhhh!!!!!!!

    Macy screamed with her heart pounding and her chest almost tearing apart from the horror.

    It happened so fast that she had no time to prepare herself.

    Help! Help! Help!!!

    Macy and many others backed and cried with their chest, grabbing onto their desks, doors and anything that could slow the dragging process down.

    Wind!

    The office suddenly became windy, as the desks they were desperately grabbing, slowly started rising before circling the room like crazy.

    Stomachs clenched and twisted in knots, many felt the end of the world was near.

    The air suddenly grew 10 times colder and the shadows within the space also began dancing crazily.

    And then they heard it.

    Clitter! Clitter! Clitter! Clitter!~

    "What was that?"

    Despite their screaming and the winds that almost made them deaf, they could still hear the terrible sounds of creatures talking within the walls, floors and ceilings.

    Look! The shadows were talking!

    Macy''s face turned ashen, as she quickly took out her gun and began shooting at the 5 old seniors who had now turned into gruesome monsters.

    Die! Die! Die! Die

    ~Bang. Bang. Bang Bang. Bang!

    No one knows who started shooting, but everyone suddenly remembered they had guns, as they desperately tried shooting the 5 enemies standing in the center of the Chaos.

    No one saw them as their seniors anymore, as the rain of bullets stormed the air.

    However, it wasn''t the cries of these monsters they heard, but the cries of a few of theirrades.

    "Ahhhhhhhhhh~"

    "Obelix!"

    "Wait! Hold your fire! Hold your goddamn fire!"

    Macy eximed, seeing the pained Obelix.

    Yes! With how fierce this supernatural wind was, any bullet shot could find its way back to them.

    Another thing they noticed was that the creatures did even flinch when some of the bullets prated their bodies.

    This means bullets don''t work on them. So what works?

    Macy and the others had no time to dwell on the matter, as they soon found themselves thrown on their respective desks, and sent off just like the other town folks.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Macy gritted her teeth, staring at her Walkie Talkie with determination.

    Shzzzzzz~

    "Dammit!" She cursed while holding onto the galloping table. "It''s all static!"

    "Mine too! I can''t reach other frequencies! These bastards have toyed with our signal!"

    Many officers still awake, were now getting a grip of themselves seeing as the monsters didn''t follow them out.

    However, their sights of relief were only momentarily, knowing they were still in a real pickle!

    "What now? What do we do now? And who knows where they are taking us to?"

    Macy took a deep breath "The old Maze field at the Lancaster residence."

    How did she know? Heh.

    Earlier, some little birdies gave her clues.

    Sadly, she didn''t think anything of it.

    ----

    .

    Meanwhile, back in the police station, things were still getting more and more out of hand.

    F***!

    "What are you?"

    "You stay back, whatever you are! All I have to do is serve my time! I promise never to eat human flesh anymore. In fact, I''ll even go full vegan to show you that I''ve changed."

    "No! No! I don''t want to leave prison! I''m good here! Let me be! If you let me go I promise to offer you my inmate for your meal."l after all every day heins about leaving the prison. He isn''t remorseful at all."

    "F*** you, sher! Who are you to offer me up? Did I say I wasn''t remorseful? Good God of science! Don''t listen to his bullshit. I''m a changed man. I''m telling the truth! Whenever I think of doing crime, my body contorts and rejects the idea. Believe me! If you let me go, I will nevermit any other crime in my life!"

    "Wait! Wait! I thought we had a deal! I thought--... AHHHHHH~"

    In the prison cells several grown-ass buff men who often imed to be tough and hart-hearted, were now shedding tears and begging for their lives.

    Holy sh**!

    So the grim reaper is real?

    Many felt the reaper was here to clenches them, the evil of this world, meaning the world a safer ce.

    What did people not promise?

    Some promised to donate their eyes, kidneys and even livers if it would let them stay alive.

    Others promised to knock out the most vicious people in the cell and offer, while some even offered their innocence, epting to pick up dropped bars of soap for the grim reaper if that was what he liked on the side.

    [Actual Grim Reaper]:...

    Who is spoiling his name?

    Of course, since this world didn''t believe in the concepts of heaven and hell, what they took as a Grim Reaper was a powerful being like Superman who fights for justice by taking the lives of viins.

    It''s just that, unlike other superheroes, the grim reaper was naturally born ugly.

    Hey...

    It''s not fair to hate a person just because they are ugly, right?

    After all, some are ugly on the outside but pure and kind on the inside.

    No one knows who first suggested these monsters were Grim Reaper superheroes.

    But since it was said, everyone was going haywire, puking, fainting, with those still awake choosing to offer the rest as sacrifices if it will keep them here.

    Sadly, all their pleas were for naught.

    Boom!

    The powerful cell doors the prisoners always wanted to open were now yanked out with each, causing those still awake to wet themselves.

    No! No!

    Holding on to the cell''s many bars as hard as they could, cursing at their human strength and slippery hands that sa bars within the cells.

    Ahhhh!

    Some people slipped and scratched the floor while being dragged out by the shadows grabbing their feet.

    Some even grabbed the pants of others still holding onto the metal rod-shaped bars.

    Unfortunately, it wasn''t enough to keep them from leaving.

    Wooooo~

    Panic fueled their intestines, as tears continued trickling down their chests.

    Never in their lives would they have known they would miss their prone ss so much.

    They swore that if one gave them the opportunity, they might rush back to their cells and nevere out again.Please�� anyone�� Please save them.

    .

    Just like that, the whole family of little townsfolk found themselves just outside the massive endless looking maize field.

    What now? Many found they could finally get off their beds and tables.

    But when they tried to run away, they seemed to have stumbled upon an invisible wall.

    Bang!

    "What''s going on?"

    Falling on their butts, their faces suppressed a shiver that left their legs wobbly and their bodies drained.

    Trapped... they were all Trapped!

 Chapter 455 Food! Food! Food!

    AHHHHHHHH!

    All around the town, screams of surprise and terror could be heard from the many captured townsfolk.

    The townspeople were also shocked that even the prisoners in the cells were not spared at all

    Don''t think just because this is a small town it''s rtively safe.

    No.

    Criminals like to flee big cities and hide in towns like these, hoping never to get caught. That''s why all towns folks walk together, trying to understand who the new people in town are.

    It''s said the ce was a town, but it could be more or less taken as a vige due to its very small poption size.

    Here, almost everyone knew everyone. And word traveled faster than a fire burning across a forest.

    In another part of the town, a young boy, his teenage sister and his parents were huddled together in a luxurious bed. They were the Betterman''s one of the richest people in the town.

    Even their guards were thrown on tables and sent out with them too.

    No one could''ve foreseen such a situation happening at all.

    "Dad! Dad! What should we do? I''m too young to die now! I haven''t even had my first kiss yet!"

    That''s your problem? Your first kiss?

    Mr. Betterman suddenly felt like throwing his daughter off the running bed.

    What is a first kiss? Who recalls a first kiss? When you get very old, things like that don''t matter at all!

    "Dad! Dad! What should we do?"

    "Hoey, you aren''t saying anything!"

    "Dad, Dad! What was that thing?"

    "Everyone shut up and let me think!"

    The family zipped their lips, not minding their dad/husband raising his voice at them.

    That''s it! He has got it!

    Mr. Betterman''s eyes suddenly lit up as he lifted his pillow and opened a secretpartment on the bed frame.

    Hiss~

    Everyone was shocked to see him pull out a beautifully crafted dagger.

    Hey... when you are rich, you must have some weapons close by if you really want to sleep well at night.

    This was his trusty dagger that had apanied him in his better days.

    Gritting his teeth, Mr. Betterman suddenly grabbed the dagger with 2 hands, raising it high with a fierce like in his eye.

    "Dad, what do you want to--"

    "Shhh!" His wife quickly shushed at their bbering daughter, seemingly understanding what her husband wanted to do.

    The air was stifling with silence, as everyone suddenly felt the air pressure go low.

    The look in their father''s eyes truly scared the children but they knew whatever their father did, he did it for them.

    .

    1, 2, 3...

    Grrrrrcc!

    Everyone jumped with their hands on their mouths, not wanting to make any noises despite their obvious quivering.

    Good God of Science!

    What is this thing? Was this still a bed? Everyone Mr. Betterman had just stabbed the monstrous bed at its upper center, causing it to wail in pain.

    It suddenly acted like a horse, raising its forelegs and twisting its body severally.

    At times it will also raise its hind legs, kicking maniacally too, but Mr. Betterman had no intentions of stopping at all.

    All through the journey they have been trying to get off this bed to no avail. It seems unless the bed wants them to leave, they will be stuck here until it reaches its destination.

    So why not make it agitated?

    Mr. Betterman thought well but failed to understand that Mortal weapons won''t be able to stop any possessed objects.

    However though it cannot hurt them, it is still ufortable to them like an inch in one''s throat.

    And the more Mr. Betterman stabbed, the more annoyed the object was.

    Human, don''t push your luck!

    Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Rge sheets came alone, strapping and wrapping Mr. Betterman up like a mummy.

    What was happening?

    "Dad!"

    "Husband!"

    "Dad!"

    Good God! The scene was too crazy to watch, as everyone truly felt Mr. Betterman''s life was over.

    No. No. No!

    Mr. Betterman struggled to break free, but slowly found himself losing vision, as the sheets ripped on their own and wrapped around his eyes like magic.

    He was scared and regretful. The feeling he had was probably what the ancients felt when buried alive in mummification.

    Grmmm~

    He tried talking but his mouth was already sealed.

    Even moving his hands felt like he was trying to carry a car.

    What should he do? What should he do now?

    Body transfixed with horror, Mr. Betterman found himself in catatonic rm, twisting and moving as hard as he could to no avail.

    Was this how he was going to die? Was this hisst time seeing his family and living the big life he often enjoyed?

    Heid on his back atop the soft bed, trembling in the darkness he now found himself in.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Without sight, wasn''t everything dark?

    This... this was the end, wasn''t it?

    It was true what they said. When one is about to die, their whole life shes before their eyes, mixed with satisfaction and mostly regret.

    Yes. He had a million and 1 regrets he wished he could make up.

    Tears trickled down his cheeks, as he faintly heard his family calling him.

    Mr. Bettereman could no longer hear them, nor could they hear his muffled sounds.

    ''Goodbye, family... I love you all.''

    Indeed, this was the end for him.

    ~Boom!

    Mr Betterman who had his eyes closed, was inwardly taken aback by the chaotic sounds he suddenly heard.

    He was even more frightened thinking this monstrous bed was finishing off his family one by one.

    "No! No! You leave them alone! Leave them alone! Take me! Take me instead you bastard!"

    Mr. Betterman was so swallowed up in grief that he didn''t even notice he could now speak properly and his hands were no longer bound.

    In fact, he was waving them in the air like a UFC fighter about tond a solid blow on an opponent.

    "Dad, wake up! Dad, it''s alright."

    Eh? Why did he hear his son''s happy voice? Could it be it was all a dream and he was still in his massive home, living the good life?

    .

    Blink. Blink.

    (��_��)

    Opening his eyes, his family rushed in to hug him desperately. They were really touched by his words just now.

    This was their dad/husband, a man who was willing to sacrifice his life for theirs.

    "Dad/husband, we love you. too."

    Seeing their locations although he was sad it wasn''t a dream, he was at least grateful his family survived it all.

    But more importantly, who were these people in uniform who saved them?

    "We don''t have time to waste. We must save the other townspeople now."

    Hold on, so this issue is within the entire town and not just them?

    Mr. Betterman suddenly felt better knowing he wasn''t alone in this or else he would feel it was some deadly enemy out to get him and his family.

    Before he could ask any more questions, he, a grown man, was thrown over one of their shoulders and taken away in a blink of an eye.

    F***!

    Was he hallucinating or were these people moving faster than a vehicle?

    Wipe! What sort of supernatural humans did he meet? Even his son, daughter and wife were in disbelief too.

    .

    Like so, thest batch of people to be sent to the maize fields were all saved by a few academy disciples and elders.

    Though a majority followed Dorian, heading straight for the fields instead.

    In the meantime, Gregory, the police officers, and the rest stood outside the cornfield,ing to terms with the fact that they were trapped in the space by an invisible wall.

    Tonight just keeps getting better and better, doesn''t it?

    The group who felt their time running out, were all shaking to their boots when seeing over 200 elders appear outside the space, floating in the air.

    What the f***? Someone cursed loudly, even though it was wrong to do so with children around.

    Like God, these elders floated with their hands apart, as they passed through the walls, as though it was nothing.

    Why?

    Why can they not go out, yet these strange elders coulde in?

    And why the hell was their town suddenly covered in a cold, bone-chilling mist?

    Ooouu! Ouuu!

    Owls crowd, night birds sang, dogs marked and every creature in the night seemed uneasy, as though trying to warn them of what was about toe.

    And what happened next was something they would never forget in their lives.

    ~Crack. Crack. Crack.

    The elders'' bodies turned even more hunched and began growing several times more massive, changing into an even deadlier and uglier form than what a few people had glimpsed earlier.

    Their teeth, their smiles...

    Everyone lost it when they saw the human skin drop several feet to the floor.

    This... this... this.

    Many pinged their quivering fingers up while trying to force their fear-stricken legs to make a run for it. "M-M-Monsters!"

    Run! Run! Un for your lives!"

    At this point, all hell broke loose, as people ran into the maize idiotically.

    "No!" Gregory screamed. "Don''t run into the fields! That''s what they want!"

    He yelled but no one seemed to be paying attention to him except for his family and a few others.

    Why was the maize unsafe? Why was Gregory so sure?

    Those who stayed back were left in a daze of fear and confusion but soon thanked their stars after seeing the creatures suddenly grin crazily, with their eyes shing red lights and their bodies full of energy, feeling the thrill of the hunt.

    And soon, they heard the ear-splitting cries of many from the maize.

    Ahhhhhhh!!!!!

    Gregory''s father covered his ears with a pained look.

    How can they fight against this?

 Chapter 456 No Escape

    Cold.

    The entire ce was chilling, as temperatures began crazily dropping by the second.

    There it was!

    The chilling fog quickly swept across thend, sending its smokey ws as far as it could stretch.

    Left, right, left, right.

    The fog swiveled like a snake, mischievously moving between the legs of many, slowly filling even the little crevices between the rocks on the surface.

    Dear God!

    They couldn''t see their feet anymore, but that was thest of their worries.

    Ahhhhhhhh!

    The gut-churning cries of many caused raw panic to spread like wildfire.

    "Please, someone help me! It''s getting closer!"

    "No! Ni! Let my daughter go-... Ahhhhh!"

    Thob. Thob. Thob. Thob!~

    The sounds of many falling to their demise could be heard everywhere one turned.

    The funny thing was that a majority of people didn''t see how theirrades fell or where the bodies had disappeared too.

    But for the few who did see, they wished they hadn''t, as it was the most brutal thing they had seen in all their years.

    Running through the corn fields with his family, a young father was sweating profoundly as he recently leaped forward.

    However, he soon felt something wasn''t right.

    He was holding a 2-year-old boy in his arms and holding the hands of his 6-year-old daughters. They both ran side by side.

    But just then, he felt his little girl''s arms to be too dry and even prickly, resembling nothing like human flesh at all.

    "Bang?"

    He didn''t know why, but his head could only turn 90 degrees at a slow pace, as though afraid of what he would find.

    This...

    Why was he holding a scarecrow doll his daughter''s height? Whoever did his daughter go?

    "Dad!"

    Hearing the abrupt and scared voice of the girl he knew so well, looked back only to see his daughter being wrapped and rolled away like a carpet by the many towering corn stalks.

    The firm stalls were brutal, swinging their roots like vine ropes, binding her arms, legs, belly and even the rest of her face.

    It dragged her away from the path, wanting to take her deeper and deeper into the thick maze.

    What will happen when it reaches its endpoint?

    No!

    Did it want to create a coffin for his daughter while he was still alive?

    "Bang!~"

    The young father screamed with all his might, making the little fat on his cheeks jiggle crazily.

    Holding his son, he tried making a U-turn for his daughter, as his body and heart moved faster than his thoughts.

    "Bang! Bailiang!" Tears flowed through the rough man''s eyes, never imagining he had the ability to cry.

    His daughter. His precious daughter.

    How can he live with himself knowing he watched her taken and did nothing?

    He knew the right choice was to flee with his own in hand. But he just couldn''t do it.

    "Bang! Daddy ising for you!~"

    His 2-year-old son in his arms also cried, maybe from sensing the danger in the air and understanding what was going on.

    The young rough father kissed his son hard on his forehead. "I''m sorry, Babu, but we have to get your sister back."

    Breathing hard, the young father knocked his feet even more against the ground to chase after his daughter.

    But just then, he felt a powerful force holding him back.

    It was the clothless scarecrow he threw away.

    The creepy thing was holding onto the bottom of his nts, shing him a menacing smile that sent shivers down his spine.

    "Daddy, where are going?" The voice was too simr to his daughters, but very quickly turned into a husky, evil and deep voice of something otherworldly. "DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE ME ALONE TOO?"

    "You-you-you are not my daughter. Let go of me!"

    The young father tried prying away despite his fear. His love for his daughter conquered his fear of the menacing scarecrow, knowing he must reach his true daughter fast.

    Very slowly the corners of the scarecrow''s unnaturally formed lips raised higher than before, as its eyes now shed with a deep red hue.

    Vmmm!

    It stood like a puppet, with its body twisting in ways humans wouldn''t. And then, the disturbing voice echoed out again.

    "You are really a lot of fun, human. But because I like you, why don''t I reunite you all?"

    The young father''s pupils dted in horror, watching the scarecrow suddenly break apart into several sturdy ropes of dried-up corn stalk vines.

    The young father had no time to react, as he and his son were wrapped together and dragged away too.

    .

    Ahhhhhhhh!~<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Gregory, Officer Macy, Davon and the others who were yet to enter the maize fields, grew numb from the many screams from their fellow town folks

    Yes.

    They grew numb with horror, as even if they wished to now enter the maize, they couldn''t as their wobbly legs would still refuse to obey instructions.

    "This�� This..." Amelia ced a hand over her mouth, too scared to even talk.

    What was going on in that maize? She wanted to ask but dared not.

    Her body was trembling so hard one would think she was epileptic.

    Behind her was the invisible wall of no escape, and before her was the maize that seemed to be alive killing any who stepped in.

    Even if you gave her a billion Vyns, she wouldn''t even think of cing a toe into the maize field, talk less of taking her children in it.

    Officer Macy also felt the same, wondering how such things could exist in this world making it too unfair to them, humans.

    But if there are demons like this out there existing, then there must be a True God that looks after humanity, right?

    To hell with the God of Science!

    Do you think they are still blind to believe science is everything in the universe?

    Exin this then! Why were such beings allowed to deftly thews of gravity but they weren''t?

    F*** off with that science shit.

    Can''t you see they are now on their knees praying to whatever God exists out there?

    It wasn''t just many, but everyone else including Gregory.

    "Dear God of whatever you are... If you save us all, I promise to eat all my vegetables going forth

    Even carrots! Look! I swear I''ll also eat broli too! And if I can''t, then I''ll give it to my elder sister to eat so it doesn''t go to waste."

    "Dear God of justice, if you save us, I'')) donate all... No!... 9/10th, 7/10th... No! 30% of my crop yields to charity for a whole year! I''ll even throw in my truck by the end of the year too if you promise to get me out of this mess!"

    "Dear God of whatever. If you save us, I swear never to cheat on my wife again for 2 years. No! I will be the best father and husband one could ask for, so just get us all out of here, please!"

    "Are you there Ooooo~Holy God�� You know I''m the middle child. You know how tough life is already when being the middle child. But because I love my family, I implore you to please save us all, for my parents'' sake. Look. It''s not like it''s me asking, but you know... My parents would truly be devastated loading my other siblings. If you do so I promise I''ll throw in a juicy bargain like refilling the water in the fridge whenever I use itst�� Believe me, that''s a sweet bargain knowing I never do it at all! So what''re you waiting for? Come out and save me--... I mean us, now!"

    [The Heavens]: "_" Are you sure you all are worth saving?

    Should they really save these people?

    And the guy who swore off cheating for just 2 years, do you think you''re so great?

    ----

    The entire scene was filled with countless survivors praying and wailing in an attempt for some divine miracle to happen.

    You didn''t understand how desperate they were.

    Floating above the sky were over 200 giant terrifying beings that already floated above like Gods.

    There were even a few above the space they stood watching them in amusement as if saying there was no use fighting. They will all be dead soon.

    Coming to terms with the reality they faced themselves, how could they expect to take out these giant creatures with sticks and a few guns in their hands?

    No one could even look up to these beings as their final transformation caused some to faint once more and puke even harder too.

    Good God!

    They wished they could pluck their eyes out, scrab the image off, and soak their eyeballs in bleach before throwing it in multiple washing cycles to cleanse it thoroughly.

    Lying trough!

    How can something be so ugly?

    .

    Ahhhhhhhh!~

    The screams from within the fields continued for not more than 3 minutes before they heard absolutely nothing more.

    Bubuum. Bubuum.~

    Davon''s heart beat so loudly it almost flew out his chest.

    "Greg... does this mean what I think it does?"

    Gregory nodded. "The hunt is over inside the maize, and now their attention will fall on us."

    What?!

    Everyone knew it should be like this but hearing it made them feel death was truly mming on their doors hard.

    And as Gregory predicted, the crazy maize stalks several feet away from them suddenly grew 20 times taller, twisting in the air before flying their way like a cobra about to snap.

    No!~~~

    Many parents and adults were quick to protect their children and the other younger ones, closing their eyes to ept death.

    But What they found was that they were soon wrapped like mummies and suspended high into the air, floating closer and closer to the giant creatures above.

    They... they were going to be the first meal for the night.

    ~Graw

    The creatures yelled excitedly, feeling the wave of fear and despairing from them.

    ��How sweet... How sulent...

    The creatures'' teeth all elongated before they could think, and their mouths also widened 7 times in size.

    Time to eat.

 Chapter 457 Government Rescue!

    The moment the group got hoisted and raised, they felt the world spin with no way out.

    Help! Help! They were going to be devoured here. And those below were screaming with all their might, as snot and tears mixed disturbingly.

    "Mom!"

    "Dad!"

    "Officer Macy!"

    The screams of the young ones were too great, watching the adults inch closer into the widened horrific mouths of these ghoulish beings.

    What was this?

    There was ck tar oozing out the mouths of these beings as they salivated crazily.

    As if to taunt them even more, a few creatures looked to the skies andughed exaggeratedly with their big mouths as though gagging.

    "Foolish humans. All this time, your bodies have been adjusting to the secret ingredients we ced in your meals."

    What? Does this exin why several of them have been feeling sick and getting headaches from time to time?

    It''s TRUE!

    Since the beginning of the whole elderly disappearance and return matter, many had sleepless nights but thought it was a result of their worry concerning the elderly.

    Who wouldn''t think so?

    Now, hearing the matter from the horse''s mouth and those on ground graves, their bellies in worry.

    What is inside them that makes their bodies now chewable to these creatures?

    Dammit!

    If they knew, they would have been eating food in the wild rather than at home when they cook and leave the pots unattended for a few minutes here and there.

    When cooking, who doesn''t do other things like washing the dishes, cleaning or attaching Tv?

    It''s normal for others to pass by the kitchen and lift the pot.

    Who knows if during this time these ugly things dropped something in the pot?

    But if the human body has to be mended for these beasts to consume, why did they easily round up the elderly?

    Wait! Wait!

    The Home!

    Don''t think the elderly alling back to live with their families was a coincidence.

    The elderly must have been affected and must have even died without anyone knowing too.

    Remember that the first reports of missing elders came from the Home.

    And when these elders returned, their families decided to take them back to their real homes to live for a while.

    Like a disease, they probably nned to infect the entire town, making everyone consumable.

    It should''ve all been done hush-hush, but it seems due to Greg''s discovery, these monsters didn''t want to take any second chances now that they were exposed.

    .

    Grrrrrrrrr~

    They growled andughed, watching the puny humans struggle to break free from the enchanted maze stalks emted toward their mouths.

    How tasty.

    They hadn''t even taken a bite yet they could feel how tasty the meal would be by the fear emitting from the humans.

    It was fun while itsted.

    All corn stalks suddenly loosened their grips on the humans, dropping them down into the mouths of the many surrounding creatures.

    As they say: Bottoms up!

    Ahhhhh!~

    Officer Macy screamed for the first time in her adult life, ring her hands as she kept dropping, heading straight for the dark abyss below.

    Good heavens!

    She just found a new boyfriend and got to know what being in a rtionship was.

    So was she still going to die without having her dream wedding?

    Bang! Bang! Bag!

    No matter how she shit nid-air, the master''s crazy mouth took no hits and was more and more happy to wee her in.

    1, 2, 3...

    Macy closed her eyes, knowing there was no hope for her. But just then a miracle happened!

    ~Zoom!

    Eh?

    Why did the creature''s mouth feel as hard as the floor?

    First, she slowly opened one before opening both in shock and disbelief.

    Before she could react, several people were hugging her body crazily.

    "Officer Macy! Officer Macy!... Woooooo~... it''s good that you are alive! For a moment I thought we almost lost you there!"

    This... This...

    What''s going on? How can she appear back on the ground just like that? Or could it be the creature''s mouth somehow has the ability to teleport her back to square 1?

    The many people who thought they would die were also confused by the sudden development of things.

    (0_0)

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?...

    Their confusion didn''tst long, as their eyes soon fell on several people in uniform.

    Were these the people who rescued them?

    Wait! With their speed, these people won''t be monsters hiding underneath human skin too, right?

    Looking at Butler Sheng, Officer Macy suddenly grew bold despite her quivering lips.

    "Who are you?"

    "Minster catchers!"Gregory blurted, and Butler Sheng nodded in agreement.

    Whatever makes it easier for them to understand and ept them.

    "Seeing your uniform, you should be an officer of thew, alongside a few of you here. That being said, it was your many pleas for investigations on the missing elderly people that brought us here."<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Ah-

    Macy and a few more police officers eximed, obviously taken aback with joy.

    They were even happier after Butler Sheng took out a document confirming their mission here

    Hahahahahaha~

    Finally! Finally! They were saved!

    This ghoulish nightmare will soon be over now that the government has sent experts here.

    Davaon was shocked.

    Does this mean the government has long known there are evil creatures in this world like this?

    Then why not equip every town, city and vige with a few monster catchers to keep the mall safe?

    Or could it be the war against humans and monsters was so great that there were enough national talents to train for the job?

    Well, Davon had to admit that even after this experience, he wasn''t sure he had the balls nor the galldder to face off against these monsters regrly.

    No way!

    After this, all he wants to do is return to his normal life, though he would keep greater vignce than before.

    But looking at his brother''s eyes, he knew the idiot was already hooked on the profession.

    It wasn''t just Ross, as Grefory also had shining eyes, as of realizing what his true calling was.

    It can be said that after this matter is done and over with, over 99%of the poption would never want to be monster catchers.

    But you see... there was always that 1% that loved daring the impossible.

    Macy adjusted her hat, rubbing her chin in thought, as she stared at the ssy and elegant Butler Sheng.

    ''If I apply for a transfer into their division, will they ept me?''

    -----

    Don''t me everyone for suddenly growing calm.

    For some reason, hearing that the government had sent people to handle the matter made them feel they must surely be safe.

    Of course, this was only momentarily, as the group of monsters who had their prey snatched from them, were more than pissed.

    Butler Sheng gave a light bow before leaving the group to another elder and a few disciples to guard.

    "Excuse me."

    Swish!

    Everyone watched him tap a small piece of paper, pulling out a massive gigantic transparent sword.

    Following that, he jumped onto the bluish transparent sword and flew into the maze with his hands behind his back and his chest upright.

    (�����)

    "No way! No one can change my mind! Mom, I must be a monster hunter!"

    "Yes, yes, Dad. I too want to be a monster hunter!"

    Seeing how excited Ross and Gregory were, their parents almost lost their footing when listening to their words.

    Wipe!

    What was so enticing about facing ugly revolting creatures and putting your life on the line every day?

    They can understand when police officers, soldiers and marines put their lives against the enemy, which by the way is HUMAN.

    What they can''t fathom now anyone can look at these creatures and fight to win. If it were them, they would be preupied puking instead.

    Please... they weren''t so daring, and they wouldn''t want their children to take on such dangerous jobs too.

    "What do you little brats know?" Officer Macyshed out, making the parents happy that she was about to straighten them up. But who knew their happiness would be so short-lived?

    "What do you brats know? If anyone is going to be a Monster catcher, it is going to be me!"

    "_"

    .

    Boom! Bang! Boom!

    The many disciples and elders appeared in the sky, fiercely battling all 217 creatures.

    Dammit!

    Several disciples were smashed into the ground so hard they formed a crater as though a meteor had just fallen from the sky.

    Hiss!~

    Everyone thought the fallen ones were dead. But miscalcted when they saw them simply wake up dust themselves and fly back to the skies for round 2.

    (-_-)

    Are you sure you all are truly okay?

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The battle wasn''t looking good for humanity.

    "Are they going to lose?" Everyone''s earlier fears grew stronger, as they panicked for what would await them once the monster catchers fell.

    However, they had to admit there was something odd going on.

    ~Swish! Swish! Swish!

    Every now and then, Butler Sheng would return with a buck load of people wrapped in maize stalks.

    Time was truly tight on their side so he left the matter of freeing them from their bondage to Macy and the rest.

    At least it would keep their minds preupied.

    Looking at the increasingly annoyed monsters above, Butler Sheng knew he had to hurry up and rescue the others fast or else they would be in an even greater disadvantage than they were now.

    "Stick to the n. Stick to the n." He kept telling himself, knowing that indeed, they alone couldn''t handle all the monsters here.

    Luckily, they had the Grandmaster with them. For the n to work, they must take the towns folks out.

    But where was the grandmaster?

    ... on a lone hill, Dorianyzily, watching the battle expressionlessly. The system felt bad for the people.

    [Host, do you have a heart? Can''t you see that they are struggling?]

    He sees it, but so what?

    "Noisy."

 Chapter 458 Exorcists!

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    Time was running out, as Butler Sheng and a few others ventured into the maize, desperately trying to get everyone out.

    There were 200 and something bloody creatures with ferocious intent against very few of them.

    Half of these creatures were weaker than them, but the other half were either simr in strength or far more powerful than they could''ve ever anticipated.

    Boom!

    Butler Sheng was shot to the ground, as one of the powerful creatures stretched its rotting and body fingers, gripping Butler Sheng''s neck hard.

    So fast!

    No one saw how it vanished in the air and appeared before Butler Sheng.

    Its grueling body had now shrunk, as it stood on Butler Sheng''s belly, coaching down while tightening its grip on Sheng''s neck.

    Butler Sheng also felt choked, feeling it was indeed a long, long time he met his match since following the Grandmaster.

    Luckily because senses its killing intent, he had long thrown the survivors far away before he could be pinned down.

    Terrible!

    .

    Like a volcanic eruption, the ground undid itself and flooded into the air, darting to the surrounding and forming a massive and deep crater.

    The creature blinked its greenish eyes with interest. "Human, why are you so different?"

    It leaned closer, sniffing the air around Butler Sheng.

    Its ugly face was just a hair''s inch from Butler Sheng''s, causing worms and all sorts of rotting insects to fall on Sheng.

    "How odd. You have no sense of fear in you. Human, why so heartless? Fear breeds from desire... the desire to live, the desire to have your wishes fulfilled, the desire to unwillingly die and any more...however you are without any of these."

    Could a human truly leave worldly desires behind?

    In all its time in this world, never has it seen a human like this.

    Sniffing the human''s body scent, it also rpsed a very important thing. --The human''s body couldn''t be devoured. Meaning, the human hadn''t gone through their conditioning.

    Still, this was a great opportunity it didn''t want to miss.

    The human''s soul thread and aura were so clean that it couldn''t help wondering just how tasty the human would be once converted into its human minion.

    That''s right.

    These underworld creatures could sign unfair contracts, binding them to a human for whatever short-sighted goals these worthless beings had.

    This human had no desires now, as a being that thought of itself as invincible, it felt whispering words of seduction would soon work on the human.

    All you have to do is manipte the human''s reality to be so bad that the human would think of doing just about anything to make it through.

    And once the seed of hate is nted, it would grow 50 times faster for such pure-hearted people.

    Again, another matter made it state at Sheng, wondering what sort of blessed body he had that didn''t burn from the boiling tar dripping off its mouth.

    "Human, you were born with good blessings. But with me, you will be even more blessed. Human, join me, as I will make you greater!"

    The creature tightened its grip on Sheng''s neck the longer it spoke, as though not giving him a choice.

    Join him? Who do you think you are to snatch a person from the grandmaster?

    BOOM!

    Butler Sheng threw an exploding talisman in the air.

    What?

    The creature was dumbfounded, not believing the sudden attack that left a huge see-through hole on its belly.

    Before impact, he could already feel the threatening power radiating from the explosion.

    What was that? It has never felt such a terrifying thing in all its existence.

    However, that wasn''t the worst part.

    GRAAHHHHHHHH!~

    The creature looked at its slowly burning body, wailing in immense pain and agony.

    Bit by bit, its fragments burned into char, starting the outlines of the hole which now glowed a painful golden hue.

    What was this? What was happening to it?

    Raw panic filled its mind, as it tried to stop the burn to no avail.

    Help! Help! Help!

    It began regretting its hasty actions, feeling that it was no wonder this human felt no fear at all.

    Dammit.

    Tricked by a worthless human!

    Weeeeeeeeeee~

    The bugs in it screamed and shook their t bby bodies running to the unaffected parts of its body with all their might.

    They were so aggravated that the creature''s face moved like turbulent waves, as they swam, wiggled and darted around crazily.

    Honestly, the creature looked like it was about to explode from excessive movements from these bugs.

    And amid the creatures'' fear, Butler Sheng dared not let this opportunity go.

    Bang! Bang!

    The creature looked at the invisible chains that now bonded him, and extended to the skies as thoughing from out of space.

    It was only then that it suddenly dawned on him just what this human was.

    What?

    The creature''s face turned pale, feeling its strength drain and its entire lower body now vanished.

    Toote!

    It had realized it toote, as half its strength was already gone making it easier for Butler Sheng toplete the exorcism.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    Had it been at his initial strength earlier, the chains butler Sheng ced, could''ve been shaken off with a bit of struggling from it.

    But now look who has the upper hand?

    Butler Sheng didn''t care for the pain in his neck, as he moved his fingers fast, murmuring and chanting as fast as he could.

    .

    ~Shwshwshwshwshwshwshw~

    The air around him blew a warm breeze, as his hair and clothes began floating almost his chants.

    Come on! Take it away! Take it away now!

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    More and more chains fell, adding to the burn the creature already felt.

    And soon, just the creature''s head remained floating.

    "No! No! No! You can do this to me! How can this be? What can you exist in this world? Impossible! Impossible!"For a moment the creature was so delirious, not wanting to face reality.

    Fear engulfed its heart for the first time in its existence, as it recalled the few words it once heard in the underworld.

    No!

    Once exorcized, it won''t be born from the abyss again. So isn''t this just execution? The creature could not imagine itself as anything else other than an underworld being.

    It despised and looked down on humans, but was now afraid it wouldn''t get a chance to be one until perhaps a billion years.

    Who wants to be reborn as a stone?

    Who wants to be reborn as a single grain of sand?

    Are you kidding? Without power, what was the point of living?

    "Stop! Stop, you bloody exorcist! I said stop! Alright, alright, you win! l will give you anything you want. Cars, women, money, mansions, even nations! I am the most powerful creature from where I originated. So trust me, I can do it all!"

    Liar!

    The most powerful? Should the princes of the underworld hear this lowly monster calling itself the most powerful, they might simply flick a finger and have it burn on the spot.

    Although it was the strongest they had ever encountered, don''t think it was still impressive.

    The real powerful ones were all in the underworld fighting the war.

    Bear in mind there were thousands and thousands of them too. Perhaps millions.

    This creature iming to be the most powerful was the funniest joke Butler Shneg had heard in a long time.

    Floating in the air were the creature''s eyes, as threats of its body and even its mouth had now burnt away.

    Butler Sheng smiled yfully. "I hope you like purgatory!"

    What?

    The eyes widened in horror as though screaming yfully. Sadly, it didn''t stand a chance against the heavens and soon disappeared like a popped bubble.

    Gone.

    [Everyone watching]: (0��0)

    What did they just see?

    ---

    The other creatures were in disbelief.

    "Exorcists!"

    The word was like a thunderp, as their demeanor changed from yful to serious, especially after what they watched.

    "Kill them all; don''t give them a chance!"

    Boom!

    The real battlemenced, which was fortunate for the onlookers who had now been taken out of the bubble.

    Hold on, why could they now pass through the invisible wall?

    Hiss!~

    Everyone gasped after seeing giant paper men sitting strategically every few feet.

    Gregory wiped his eyes to ensure he wasn''t dreaming. "Did I just watch that paperman move?"

    Dammit! What sort of sorcery was this? And when can he do it too?

    It would be good to make a paper car that could drive around, no?

    Vmmmm~

    The invisible wall was no longer so invisible, as they could now see a faint pinkish hue enveloping it.

    What was going on?

    "Everyone, leave! Leave! Leave fast!"

    The few disciples and elders protecting them were quick to take them out.

    It wasn''t an easy feat, seeing as many creatures tried to stop them.

    However, what shocked the masses, even more, was that the creatures who used to pass through the walls with ease were now mming into hard like a squashed mosquito against a car window.

    Eh?

    Could it be because of these papermen?

    Like so, everyone was out, watching the greatest battle of all time.

    The enemy was truly overpowering their saviors who are now covered in so much blood they look like risen corpses.

    But when all hope was lost, everyone saw a young handsome cool-looking boy slowly approach the scene with his hands in his pockets.

    He was wearing the same outfit as the others. But since was a boy and also the only oneing, many didn''t hold much hope at all.

    After all, what change could a little boy do?

 Chapter 459 Finally Over! Victory For All!

    ---A few days into the future. ---

    .

    Officer Macy and several others are invited one by one for interrogation by several men in ck.

    They wore ck suits and had ck sses on.

    Every word Macy said was taken seriously.

    Macy rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "What was that moment like, you ask? Well, I can only tell you this... the young should never be underestimated!"

    Macy took a deep breath, recalling the entire scene.

    It wasn''t just her, but many other officers and even prisoners who also retold the epic scene with wild vivid animation.

    Of course, the townsfolk also gave their statements too.

    "Listen closely, I swear, this is how it went down."

    "At this point, our saviors were all bloodied up, with their clothes torn and burnt in some ces. They looked as if they were about to faint, with heaving breathing and weak strength while they assisted each other to stand against the many enemies."

    "Now, you have to know that so far, they had only killed roughly---"

    "40"

    "50"

    "20"

    "80 creatures!"

    Everyone gave their destination.

    "Out of 200 and 17?... Well, I''m not too sure about the numbers but I tell you, after all the battling they did earlier, they hadn''t even taken out half of the monsters."

    "Honestly, we all thought hope was lost. Many of us wanted to flee at full speed, but were too chicken to do it."

    "Of course, some did have the courage to get a move on things. But the ones guarding us told us not to leave for our safety."

    "This made everyone wonder if there was any danger beyond here too. Anyway, we all had no choice but to stay put and be cheerleaders for the fighting bunch."

    "Yes, sirs... it''s just as I said. Our saviors were losing so badly that we almost peed ourselves... But just then, when all hope was lost, a young--"

    "Elegant--"

    "Well-dressed--"

    "Handsome-looking kid slowly approached from behind us, wearing the same uniform as them. Of course, seeing how young he was, we didn''t expect much from him."

    Everyone paused in this particr M, as their bodies quivered just from remembering what happened next.

    "I remember everything... it all happened so fast I just couldn''t believe it. The moment the boy entered, the rest all sat on the ground within the battle space."

    "That''s right. They sat very close to us, very rxed as if it was a synch for the boy. But that can''t be right, you ask? Well, even we asked the same bloody question, wondering if they were insane or had given up on life so soon."

    Many shook their heads wryly.

    "How naive we were. I don''t know why the many monsters also hesitated, as though trying to make sense of the situation. But I''ll tell you this... the boy was like one of my favorite anime characters, "Shanks" in One Piece. He just casually strolled in amid a battle scene, and everyone was just staring at him, wondering whether to attack or not."

    "He had his hands in his pockets, azy demeanor, and a look that said he couldn''t be bothered with whatever jargon was going there."

    "But you see, this was the best part!"

    (+0+)

    Gregory, Ross, and many others had twinkling eyes, as they no longer sat, but stood and began to disy their take on how it went down.

    "Reaching a midpoint below the surrounding creatures, the young man only tolerated his head slightly, saying no more than 4 words: let''s make it quick."

    Boom!

    Ross smashed the table with his fist, wanting to also give sound effects too.

    No way. You needed to be there to see it.

    From that provocation alone the giant monsters with shadowy cloaks all flew down to him at once.

    They wereing from left, right, front, back, side, and center.

    It was like clouds of fairness sensing on thend.

    How can one evade such a ruthless pursuit? Everyone sucked in their breaths, feeling it was just too gruesome to watch.

    "Sirs, do you remember what I said about the young not being underestimated? Well, I learned that from that moment."

    Boom! Pah! Boom! Bam! Pah!~

    "All we could see were several streaks of light smashing the creatures one by one."

    "We never saw what exactly it was, though we wondered why the young man had suddenly vanished."

    One of the prisoners, ced his hands and fingers on the table, leaning in closer, to borate more.

    "A minuteter, almost all the creatures except for 5 were eliminated. It was then that we saw the crazy fighting beam of light slow down... would you believe it if I said the beaming light of speed was the young man?"

    "_"

    "If you don''t believe me, you can ask the others too! Just because I''m a prisoner doesn''t mean I love all the time! This time, I swear on my father''s grave that I''m telling the truth! The boy finally slowed down, and we got to have a first glimpse at his weapon."

    "What was it you ask? Well, it was something I''ve only seen in MMORPG games! It was a double-sided spear-de that was as huge as a car and as long as 3 couches put together!"

    How the boy managed to carry it and also ce it on his shoulder was something they would never understand.

    Wasn''t it heavy? Shouldn''t it bury you into the ground due to gravity like a hammer hitting a nail?

    What happened to--

    Forget it... Forget it... Science was indeed not very reliable.<novelsnext>I think you should take a look at </novelsnext>

    "Officers, I''m being honest, the battle after the kid... no! After the sage entered, it onlysted for no more than 3 minutes. How to say it? At the start, I was scared for the sage. But before the battle conclude, my fear turned into sympathy for these creatures."

    "Officers... you don''t understand..."

    Everyone''s face was distorted, recalling how the fight brutally went down.

    Indeed, these officers will never truly understand.

    -----

    --Back to presents day--

    .

    Dorian stood towering over the many creatures, as he had beaten them so hard they couldn''t even move anymore.

    It was shocking to see this long human standing above a hill of monster corpses.

    And yet his face was still as expressionless as ever, as he stomped and stomped on them, something s using his de to slice right down to thest body underneath the pile of corpses.

    In out, in out.

    This time took out his de and inserted it back severally, making the creatures aggrieved.

    "Damn you despicable human! How dare you attack us? Don''t you know who we are? We are the--"

    Slitch!

    Dorian inserted the sword again, causing the one talking and all the others to wail in agony.

    "You bloody bastard! You''re nothing but our food! So how dare you-"

    Grahhhh!

    "You-you-you stole doing that now!"

    Grahhhhh!

    "Hey, hey... we are talking to you he-"

    Grahhhhhhh!

    "Wait! What already, dammit! Can''t you let us catch our--"

    Grahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

    The creatures wanted to cry but had no tears.

    Wasn''t this bullying? His human was definitely bullying them!

    It was as though he was here to y a game of extraction and insertion.

    What do they look like to him? A ce for a sword in a stone? Why do you keep inserting, taking it out and inserting it again?

    Just make up your mind already!

    Little did they know that Dorian was truly annoyed by their rambling.

    For once, why can''t he just meet a quote creature?

    "You bloody son of a b--"

    Ahhhhh!

    Dorian suddenly smiled, deciding to hurry things up if it would make the noise go away.

    Holding his double-edged de high, he then changed it for a giant mallet.

    But that wasn''t all.

    The giant mallet broke down into 10 smaller mallets. They say "small", but it wasn''t small at all!

    Eh?

    Those outside were confused, but the many disciples and academy elders could only sigh, lighting candles in their hearts for the creatures underneath the Grandmaster''s feet.

    Bam! Bam! Pah! Boom! Bam!

    The creatures who now scattered were struggling to look for ces to run to, feeling that wherever they went the mallet was always right behind them, squashing them so hard they flew into the invisible walls, squashing like a bug.

    "Ahhhh!!! Run for your lives!"

    "Run for your lives! It''s a monster! It''s a monster out to get us!"

    "Good Underworld Abyss! Who can tell us why such evil is allowed to exist?"

    "Get out of the way! I have to leave here now!"

    [Everyone else watching]: (-_-)

    Augh~

    Many wiped their eyes severally in doubt.

    Is it just them or the way these creatures looked at the Sage had changed so much that they, the monsters, had forgotten their identities, calling the boy a monster instead?

    Hello? Aren''t you supposed to be menacing and proud? What happened to your dignity?

    Everyone closed their hung opened mouths, suspecting they were watching a hologram show just now.

    ''I suspect you all are fake but have no evidence to prove it.''

    Or else what happened to the monsters who made us wet ourselves earlier?

    Refund! They wanted a refund for the whole experience!

    (��_��)

 Chapter 460 Portal Found

    Chapter 460 Portal Found

    Everyone knows the matter ended in a very short time, but the process left them speechless as they watched the many creatures get pulverized over and over again.

    The creatures all had dreadful pale faces, as they desperately fled for their lives, with some even turning to them as if trying to get them to beg the human boy for mercy on their behalf.

    Honestly, it was a scene no one expected.

    They did feel sympathy for a bit, but it was quickly washed away by their earlier experiences coupled with the fact that some people had already died weeks and days ago from these creatures'' many attacks.

    If they forgave them now, then what about poor Timmy and his family? What about their grandparents and the other elderly people who were killed and had their skin changed into a bodysuit?

    Please!

    They were humans and would never stand with the enemy!

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The beatings never ceased, with many cheering on loudly.

    "Yeah! Hit it with the left! Hit it down hard!"

    The group finally rxed, though whenever the monsters would tter on the invisible walls, they would puke till they gagged

    Honestly, it was amazing how much a human could puke.

    You would think that by now there would be nothing in their bellies to force out. But what surprised them was how much fluid their human bodies released even with no food in their tummies.

    It was also because of this that everyone also had a new wave of awe and fear for the little genius sage at the center of it all.

    Huh.

    [It''s time.]

    With Dorian''s telepathic words, the injured disciples and elders got up and vanished, appearing in a vast circr pattern across the massive fields.

    Some were so far away that none of the onlookers could see them.

    Dorian also jumped in the air, appearing several ces in the far back,nding out of sight too.

    In short, he was standing at the center of the cornfield.

    Alright.

    It was time to truly end things.

    [Follow my lead.]

    His words and chants were magnified in everyone''s thoughts, as they moved their fingers exactly how they were taught earlier.

    Dorian would have done this alone but for them, academy students and disciples, the more experience in expecting creatures they got, the more points for advancement they also had

    All these things are added onto one, so don''t think it''s not counted.

    Today''s battle also gave them a few chances for improvement, showing them what theycked and what their disadvantages were with their current skills and talents.

    In truth, it was amazing how much theysted despite being amid some creatures who were several times more powerful than them.

    They never gave up and kept looking for witnesses on their own.

    Why would Dorian tell them the creature''s weakness? Why Should he make it easier on them?

    The harder their experience the more skilled they''ll be.

    They should be able to seek clues and locate its weakness for themselves in instances when they don''t know what they are up against.

    As for these creatures, they were called Laughodiatiers.

    As their name suggested, they loved a goodugh, as they couldn''t talk or move withoutughing.

    Every 2 steps they wouldugh.

    This was why their wails also sometimes came across as evil cursed waves ofughter.

    It was their nature tough, thus their mouth regions were one of the most secure and strongest parts of their bodies.

    Their true weaknessy underneath their armpits.

    Those were the regions their hearts were located.

    As for why they hated vinegar, it was only because it irritated their skin like a bad burn on a summer day.

    ---

    Following Dorian''s words, the gang moved their fingers in deep concentration, soon feeling the winds around grow heavier and heavier by the second.

    VM!~

    The deadly monsters and all their tiny yucky particles, suddenly flew into the air, gathering afloat in the center far space above Dorian''s head.

    It wasn''t just the monsters but every evil aura, entity, spirit, shadow and entity that flew out of the cornfields, leaving the scarecrows and joining the rest in one big giant ckish-purple ball that kept growing in size.

    Many couldn''t believe their eyes, seeing how big the ball was bing.

    F***!

    It won''t turn into another sun, right?

    (''0'')

    The thoughts of the onlookers had nothing to do with Dorian and the others who are still in deep focus.

    It didn''t take long for the space within the field to get cleaned up. But they went over yet.

    Changing their spells, the group, including Dorian, sweated profoundly until they managed to keep the ball floating the same.

    Phew~

    Many fell to the ground but forced themselves to take out recovery pills and swallow.

    Why? Because the Grandmaster said that if they had any, it''s best they take them now.

    With the instructions given, everyone sat crossed-legged, which confused those outside.

    Eh?

    The creatures were still joined together in that ball, and they still chose to rx instead. So could it be that they were waiting for other authorities toe pick up the ball?

    No one could fully guess the intentions of the tense mysterious people but knew they had no choice but to wait, no matter how long it takes.

    Just like that,

    2 hours and 48 minutes flew by, with many onlookers also sitting on the grounds in what

    Some huddled together and others chose toy down on their backs and bellies instead.

    You have to know that it has been a long, long, long night for them.

    Their bodies were exhausted and would use any opportunity to rest if given.

    So within the first 20 minutes, many were already snoring heavily.

    They never thought they who were frightened earlier would be the ones sleeping without a care in the world right now.

    But can they help it? Their body wasn''t made of wood.

    It was alive and needed sleep to survive.

    Of course, sleeping underneath the protective of the fee academy disciples and elders protecting them on their side of the invisible ss made their worries turn to naught.

    At least if trouble doese their way, these people would strike it hard, and wake them up too.

    Almost 3 hours went by before someone eximed, saying their good saviors were finally getting back to their feet again.

    "What? What? What?... which neighbor is yelling so hard sote at night? How can I not get any rest in my house?"

    "Me too! Why can''t I get any sleep in my house? Good God of Science, I just had the craziest dream that the town was-- eh?"

    Many woke up, smacking theirzy lips and fluttering their half-caused eyes, thinking everything from before was a dream.

    It wasn''t until they woke up that they shook their heads bitterly. Now, their attention was on their saviors.

    But what did they see?

    They watched their saviors move their fingers like lightning once more, causing another strange urrence.

    VIMmmmm!~

    Strange mysterious patterns soon appeared on the grounds, shocking not just them, but the disciples and elders too.

    Elder Sheng''s heart skipped a beat, recalling sometime back how the Grandmaster mentioned many hellish doorways existing in their world. The only way for the enemy toe into thend is through these doorways.

    To understand a single doorway is to describe it as an onion with manyyers.

    For a doorway to work, the Underworld''s doorway must be connected to the carved doorway here.

    Think of it as one passing through 2 doors to get through this world from this particr spot.

    If this one is destroyed, the path will be iplete.

    So even if one steps through the doors of the underworld, they would soon find something wrong.

    Perhaps they will appear back in the abyss or another ce out of this world instead.

    "So is this one of these gates?" Butler Shneg called himself, thinking of focusing on locating more gates after this matter was done and over with.

    If they can''t win in strength, at least they should try stopping as many creatures froming into this world as they could.

    That is... do you know how many creatures exist in the underworld? The grandmaster has said that even if youbine millionss, thebined poption might not reach 1/3 of the underworld''s poption.

    Understand that there are many worlds, but there is just 1 underworld.

    What''s more, the mysterious ce called the abyss was a monster breeding ce that produced an rming rate of monsters every second.

    Imagine allowing all of them to enter this world at the same time.

    F***!

    No matter how he looked at it, their world would be doomed by then so it''s best to block off the entrances for good.

    A demon would have toe back to this world and reconnect the gates again. But how could they let that happen?

    Father this matter is done and over with, this ce will have to be supervised at all times!

    ---

    Vmmmm~

    Devilish Symbols soon flooded the space, as the towering corn stalks all burned to ashes, leaving.

    No!

    It wasn''t just the corn stalks, but every trace of greenery in the space was burnt as if it was the result of a crazy wildfire incident.

    Dorian''s eyes shed boldly.

    It''s finally done.

    ---BOOOOOM!

 Chapter 461 A Grand Farewell!

    Chapter 461 A Grand Farewell!

    Several minutester, the entire cornfield was burned like a massive zed cookie.

    It reeked of sulfur, the char was so unbearable, and the ground was also very hard.

    During this period, Dorian and the others not only destroyed the gates but also reversed the flow of demonic energy around the ce too.

    The gateway in itself was sort of like a vacuum machine that liked to draw in any evil notifies close to it.

    Why? Because it had a faintly distinctive scent of the abyss only they could smell.

    That scent reminded them of home and kept most of them close by.

    Thus, this town, which seems honest, has been long attacked by evil entities for thousands of years.

    It''s just that none of these creatures have gone so Berserk like those tonight.

    Perhaps because the gates were closed and they felt it would be a long time before any of their big bosses returned, many creatures across the world have started acting more and more radical, not caring about exposing themselves at all.

    Heh.

    They were thrilled to torment their victims and y the part of the most powerful.

    Hey, it''s not every day one gets the opportunity to y king.

    Some humans even feel they are the strongest beings in all existence, which if heard by the truly strong could lead them to instant death.

    But so what?

    The strong weren''t here now, so it''s them, the weak creatures who were left here to fill in those shoes, no?

    Following that, Dorian and his group of course exercised and extinguished everything, with the additional help of the crystals they brought.

    Vmmm!

    The air within the battlefield was finally clean, and the invisible wall was also brought down, but things didn''t stop there.

    For the next couple of days, Dorian and the others aren''t time inspecting every nuke and cranny within the town, cleansing and uprooting any demonic essence left behind.

    Only then did the many townspeople breathe heavily from relief.

    Good God!

    They didn''t know how to sleep in their homes knowing it hadn''t even been inspected yet.

    Dorian and his group spent 5 days there, and the people also gave themselves 5 days of holidays, with no one having the mind to go to work, talk less of allowing their children to go to school.

    The worst were the prisoners who hurriedly rushed back to their cells after inspection.

    It was amazing that the cell doors had now been destroyed but no one thought of stepping out.

    When Macy came over to tell some of them about them getting a transfer to another prom, they cursed and protested with all their might hugging the bars and refusing to leave!

    What the hell? Those other prisons haven''t been inspected yet.

    So what if they hear there and meet even more deadly creatures?

    Say no more! They weren''t leaving and that was that!

    ~Bam!

    Macy and many officers shut the vehicle doors, wiping their sweat after the fierce wrestling match with the transferred prisoners who cried and begged them with every fiber of their being.

    Well, even they, police officers, felt guilty seeing these people like this.

    But what can they do? Their little town didn''t have the right facility to hold prisoners for long.

    In general, most prisoners in their towns can only stay here for 6 months max before getting transferred to where they will truly serve their sentences.

    Just think of this ce as a temporary holding ce for them.

    It was impossible to have them stay for long. So what do you expect them to do?

    (-_-)

    After the whole fiasco, life must go on, even if they were too scared to face it.

    Well, the officers felt they too were bullies, especially after seeing the red swollen eyes of the prisoners who used to be very fierce with them.

    It almost seemed as though they stole candy from these prisoners causing them to cry.

    ''s...'' Officer Macy shook her head wryly.

    ''It will take a while for everyone to adjust.''

    Ahh-

    She looked at the time and eximed loudly. "Everyone hurry up! We have to see our guests out!"

    Oh No! The Grandmaster''s flight is in 3 hours. The least they could do was send off their saviors in grand style.

    As for the bill, well... the Grandmaster had already given the list to them after the big battle.

    Now all that was left was for them to write their reports and attach them as files to send to a special decision.

    That was Macy''s understanding of the matter, since from an officer''s point of view, it would make no sense to cause public panic.

    Why, just a while ago, a group of live streamers went missing and the world seemed to be plunged in chaos, with everyone doubting police officers and military forces across the world.

    Don''t underestimate the power of public opinion.

    Should such a matter get out to the public, this ce might turn into a doomsday era faster than anyone can imagine.

    That''s why even with reports such as these she wouldn''t dare send them through the regr channels they did lest someone gets careless and identally reveals the info.

    Macy and everyone felt they should be careful, but Dorian didn''t care at all whether they wanted to keep it private or hidden.

    He wasn''t a money-loving person, but he had to admit that with money getting resources would be easier than without.

    All he cares about now was ensuring the academy got its due payment.

    To save the world requires money, lots and lots of money.

    He wasn''t a money-loving person, but he had to admit that with money getting resources would be easier than without.

    As a person who hated doing things half-heartedly, he would hate for money to be the reason why they lost the war.

    Losing the war means he failed, and he, Dorian, was never one to lose!

    ----

    Time flew in a sh, as many people, including Gregory and Ross''s families, chose to also go to the airport to see the Grandmaster off.

    Eh?

    What is going on?

    The airport visitors, whether it was those arriving or those entering the airport from other areas, were taken aback by the big show of people gathering about to see Dorian and his team off.

    "Who are they? Are they celebrities?"

    "Hey, that young man looks dashing. Maybe he is the true celebrity while the others are his security guards."

    "Nonsense! Can''t you see they are all wearing uniforms? Could it be they are from some special school of elites?"

    Many were confused and curious, wishing to ask the townsfolk why they came over to see these people off but got no definite answers.

    The only thing they knew was that these people were their saviors but no one said how they were saved and what they were saved from.

    Kidnappers? Terrorist? Mass Posioners?... Hello? Can anyone talk to them?

    (-_-)

    Gregory and Ross''s eyes shed with awe, suddenly finding the one they call Grandmaster, pause and walk towards them.

    Very cleanly, he grabbed their wrists and a strange light shed in his eyes, though no one was quick enough to catch it.

    "Little ones... I''ll be waiting for you, should you choose toe."

    1, 2, 3...

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!~

    The 2 screamed like fangirls, swearing never to wash their hands again.

    What does he mean? What did this promise mean?

    Hahahahahaha~

    sure enough, they felt this was their calling and destiny, and must be Monster catchers no matter what.

    Sure, it''s scary. But after seeing Dorian and the others'' many operations, their fear was quick to vanish.

    Many disciples also said good words to them before leaving.

    "Kid, you''re indeed a blessed one. The grandmaster hardly says anything about anyone. To be recognized for your potential by the Grandmaster means your future is truly bright. In a few months, if you do decide, go to this address..."

    Butler Sheng who was thest to speak to them, tapped their foreheads and the 2 had the Tian household address engraved in their minds.

    F***!

    The 2 looked at each other with widened eyes, before bobbing their heads like chickens.

    Of course, no one was forcing them to go, but they felt it would be a loss to be recognized and not go.

    So no matter how their parents protested in the uing months, these 2 shook their heads refusing to be anything else.

    It was only after hearing that Officer Macy would be heading with them that their parents decided to let their children go.

    Officer Macy''s points were valid.

    It was better to allow these children to know how to protect themselves than let them be defenseless.

    What''s more, these children would be going to a special elite school run by the government.

    This means they will be treated with high honor and prestige wherever they go.

    What''s more, they will alsoe over to visit their parents from time to time too.

    Just think of it as sending the children to boarding school.

    What''s more as parents, was it truly right for them to allow the child''s innate gifts to go to waste?

    From a young age till now, Gregory and Ross have always wanted to join the army and protect their country.

    This meant they have always had such a calling resonating within them.

    Although it was hard for parents to allow their children to join the army or fight for their country, it was an honorable thing that shouldn''t be stopped by parents.

    .

    Seeing the group of Academy people leaving, Gregory and Ross clenched their fists hard, determined to see the Grandmaster in a few months!

    "Mom/dad! You can''t stop me! Our son is going to be a Monster Catcher!"

    (*^*)

 Chapter 462 Top-Secret: What Truly Happened.

    Chapter 462 Top-Secret: What Truly Happened.

    Gone.

    Everyone stared at the sky, emotionally watching the private jet fly away.

    The onlookers who knew nothing of what they faced, pondered on what sort of celebrities Dorian''s group were to make people stare into the skies for so long.

    "Come on! Let''s go home." Officer Macy reminded, dipping the tip of herrge hat with her fingers.

    Life must go on. But for her, she was hell-bent on taking the mysterious exams in 2 months'' time.

    No matter what, she must be a Ghost catcher.

    Until then, she will do her best to keep order in check.

    This might be out of the books, but they need to make new rules that aren''t exactly police rules to be enforced.

    The town''s mayor was out of town, so only his family had experienced the seriousness ofst night.

    With his family convincing him, they might be able to put order and keep everyone safe moving forth.

    One of these days, they will host a big conference/meeting event, inviting at least one person from each household.

    They were a town and a family. Thus, they muste up with the rules together.

    For example, no child must be seen alone in the woods or forest regions as they usually did in the past.

    Now, you must be apanied or be in groups.

    Well, it would suck to be a loner in these dark times, since you could die and no one would know.

    Again, Maxt thought it would be smart to set up warning bells and strategically ce them across the entire town, especially around the battlefield.

    From what the grandmaster said, many months from now, creatures might appear again to investigate why the gates were closed.

    This meant creatures would enter theirnds and might invade them again.

    The moment many heard this, they thought of fleeing the town for good. But why did they hear that in every part of the world, creatures like these already lived out here with some taking office at several workstations?

    Think about it.

    If not for that big incident, how would they have known that the old cooks in their school cafeteria were monsters?

    How would they have known that the most senior police Chief at the stations and his old buddies were also monsters?

    Look around!

    Monsters could hide in the shadows of objects and even make their bags run like horses. So how can they know what is safe and what isn''t after leaving this ce?

    In the end, many preferred to stay in this ce that had been cleaned by the Grandmaster.

    Well, at least they knew for the time being, there were no dangers here.

    But who knows if one might stumble in on one tomorrow or even next week.

    That''s why they also bought protection talismans from Dorian.

    It was indeed pricey but so, so worth it!

    The very rich man on the lone hill bought the highest number of protective talismans, keeping the rest like ancient family objects that must not be used unless necessary.

    Now, he and his family dared not go to sleep without wearing them.

    It was amazing that Dorian could carve a few symbols on a small stone and it became a fortified object.

    It was they who then wrapped the stone nicely and tied it around their necks.

    Some also got paper talismans too, which won''t tear off in the water.

    The only way it can destroy itself is if it loses its value after meeting monsters and protecting them severally.

    Some talismans are only good for one use, others for 3 and some for 5.

    All in all, everyone couldn''t wait to fortify themselves.

    Some had Dorian carved symbols on wood, which was easier to carry around for them, as they drilled holes into the t wood, tied around on them and wore them as chains and bracelets for protection.

    Say no more!

    From now on, be it in the shower or even swimming out in theke, they dared not take it off.

    .

    Just like that, things in town soon regained their precious calmness, though it was never the same again.

    Meanwhile, in the air, the air hostess and pilot who stayed in other ces during the long stay, now had helpless expressions after seeing the group once again close their eyes and y dead.

    Sigh~

    The air hostess didn''t even bother, taking out a book to pass the time.

    From time to time, she would still check upon them but found they still loved the game of ying dead.

    s...

    What can she do?

    Thest time she arrived, the airline almost blew a fuse, thinking h she forgot to serve the many guests seeing as all the food and drinks were still intact.

    If not for the pilot''s words and the fact that none of the passengersid anyints, they would have blown her to bits with their dynamite words.

    This time again, they felt they might not be in for a meal like thest time.

    And sure enough, she was right because soon, there were only 30 minutes left before the ne arrives and the many guests still hadn''t taken a simple thing.

    Augh~...

    The air hostess rubbed the corners of her head stressfully.

    It was so hard for her to maintain her airline smile when she kept thinking of how to shake these people until they became dizzy.

    What sort of VIPs were these? Don''t they know when taking a private jet, one must livevishly and enjoy all its pleasures?

    What an odd bunch of weirdos.

    Ding!

    "Please keep your seatbelts fastened and electrical devices away."

    At this point she didn''t even know why she was making such announcements when everyone was exactly as they were when she first checked them in at the start of the flight.

    (:T^T:)

    Landing safely, with everyone heading straight for the academy grounds.

    Don''t think just because they came back, they could rest as they pleased.

    After witnessing what an underworld doorway looked like, they felt anxious, wanting to quickly find them all and eliminate the entryways fast!

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    They were truly running out of time!

    Like so, another 15 days flew by in a blink of an eye, with the academy assignments continuing to pile, and the work only growingrger.

    However, they weren''t the only ones with a full te.

    .

    --West Fulnd Brigade, Vardos Country.--

    .

    It''s been weeks since many important military personnel, alongside a few influential police personnel around the country have been flying in on a steady.

    Mind you, it''s been 20 days since thest missing group incident and the country superiors and leaders were not thrilled about this one bit.

    Do you know how looked down they were dying at that time?

    Do you know how much they carried on their heads because of this global matter? What the hell?

    Even they couldn''t help cursing at their soldiers and police forces, wondering if these people hadn''t been eating right ofte to fuck up on a global scale.

    Do you recall how they brought their specialists into the scene with fanfare but left with their tails between their legs instead?

    And those bloody media people also made them wish they could kill civilians for the first time in their careers.

    Please!

    Can you read a room? Can''t you see you are only making matters a hundred times worse?

    Do you enjoy torturing them so much?

    If not for their profession, they would have taken up wrestling with those bloody media people and beat them to a pulp.

    This global matter made them know howx their country''s security was.

    That''s why since then, they have beening in harder than before concerning kidnapping, trafficking and organ selling.

    them go.

    Till today, many people still call them useless, saying without the Don''t Think that just because this matter is over, the public will let them go.

    Till today, many people still call them useless, saying without the help of those mysterious people from the East, they wouldn''t have seeded at all!

    Of course, from Wiggins, Harry, and Berry''s words, they knew it was true, but it was still too painful to rob it in their faces so hard.

    ording to the trio and many others who apanied them, they confirmed that at least 99.9% of the work was done by their mysterious guests from the East.

    F***!

    Are you forgetting that they said <at least?> Then it meant that <at most> in this case would be 100% right?

    Wouldn''t that mean their forces went in just for decoration to admire the scenery?

    The shame! The shame!

    Many closed their eyes with both hands and bowed their heads in shame.

    The shame here was just too great for them to swallow. And that''s why this meeting was being held.

    No!

    All major leaders, heroes, veterans, and very influential people from all barracks were here.

    The police chiefs and those with major positions also attended as per request.

    Apart from this reason they also had another top-secret reason on their list.

    That was because Wiggins, Berry and Harry had also requested all be here for a grand revtion of what truly went down during that nightly rescue.

    This was definitely ssified information that must never reach the public''s ears!

 Chapter 463 The Big Revelation

    Chapter 463 The Big Revtion

    In a grand conference room, several influential and famous persons gathered within the room with solid faces that couldn''t ease up themselves even if rain or snow fell on them.

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    Everyone was already seated in absolute silence, with their eyes burning at Harry, Wiggins, and Berry''s way.

    Hell!

    If eyes could kill, they would have all been dead now from how annoyed everyone in the room was.

    Bam!

    One of the hot-tempered men just couldn''t take it anymore. He was Major General Dhali.

    Seeing him Wiggins had the illusion he could see smokeing off the man''s ears and nostrils.

    "What is it? What''s the big dy for Wiggins? I left very important matters to attend this so-called top secret meeting you requested at the highest authority!"

    "That''s right." Another added. "The only reason this meeting is being held is because you said there was something more dangerously involved that could shake the country''s foundation as we know it. So what is it then man? SPIT IT OUT!"

    Right!

    Whether it was those from the police forces, military or Navy, they equally wished to chew Wighons, Barry and Harry to death with howx they were with saying whatever it is they had to say.

    Screw you!

    Do you think this is a joke? Don''t think just because you can call for this kind of meeting, you can bloody well do it as often as you''d like.

    Of course, they knew that the trio had probably pressed pressure on the matte to have the go-ahead to call everyone in, but it better be good or they won''t mind dragging the group to the field and having one on onebat with them all.

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap~

    The trip acted as though he heard nothing, tapping their fingers calmly against their tables.

    They only looked at each other tactfully, before taking out their walkies talkies.

    "Everyone is in."

    [Copy that, sir.]

    Bam!

    All 4 doors located North, South, East and West were forced open, shocking the group of guests who almost thought they were now in a hostage situation.

    "Berry, you sly fox! What the hell is all this?"

    Another man who knew Berry well, couldn''t help eximing loudly after seeing several special force soldiers storm into the scene and surround the perimeter of the room.

    What is this?

    Have these 3 sons of bitches decided to finally betray the country and take them all out now?

    "Traitors!"

    Another eximed and was about to stand before Wiggins and the orders raised their hands now in surrender.

    "Will you buffoons all calm down? Do you really think I, Wiggins, the glorified hero who fought and rushed his life severally for our Vardos country would suddenly betray us?"

    With his hands still in the air in surrender, Wigginsshed out like a homeroom teacher, wondering how these idiots managed to rise to this position.

    "Honestly, can you all use your brains? If we have to do this, then understand it is NECESSARY!"

    Well... many smiled awkwardly, slowly taking their seats again.

    Sorry, but their first instinct when surrounded in such a manner is to be defensive, okay?

    Not all thought so, as some didn''t even shake when the soldiers came in.

    They understood that if the soldiers were here, it meant there must be some important reason for it all.

    What''s more, it was indeed ridiculous to think Wigtins and his family would suddenly betray the country after their family has a long history of serving in the military.

    In Vardos, they had the power and connections.

    So why would they betray the country to start all over in another ce?

    If they did, it would be so stupid that many would look down on Wiggins'' IQ.

    Of course, just because Wiggins won''t betray the country, does not mean some idiots here wouldn''t.

    Suddenly, everyone''s eyes turned cold, sweeping tenor gazes from side to side,wondering who it could be that betrayed their country or was involved with the matter earlier.

    Yes!

    Who could it be that was involved with the kidnap, trafficking and organ-selling case with the missing live streamers?

    Perhaps during that incident, Wiggins and the others ran into the person''s subordinates and dealt with the matter, hiding it away from the press.

    Think about it!

    Should the press know that everything happens because of corrupt soldiers orw enforcers, do you think they will let them go?

    Already, the matter had escted to a global scale with the world chewing them raw and spitting them out at every turn.

    So imagine if after the missing youths, it is then revealed thew enforcers had something to do with it?

    Crazy! Crazy!

    Evertonebjad cold sweats when thinking of how the media could turn such a thing into an even bigger fanfare.

    Their police stations would be egged, their military bases would also be targeted by civilians for protests and the entire Vardos country would plummet from its high prestigious position among the top developed nations.

    Everyone clenched their fists, wishing the trio would hurry up with the revtion so they could take the betrayers and beat them to a pulp!

    "Well, then get on with it!" Dhali eximed, once again mming his fist on the table and swiftly taking his seat.

    ''Don''t let me know who it is or I''ll grind their bones for breakfast.''

    Harry coughed to draw everyone''s attention back to the focus of today''s meeting.

    "Please, keep all emotions aside for now. This was why we had everyone keep their guns out of the hall."

    Everyone nodded in understanding since they felt that once the revtions are made, they might truly shoot the culprits in the foot or belly if they still had their guns on them.

    How smart.

    Hmph!

    ---

    "Now then... let''s get serious!"

    Wiggins nodded to Julius, who in turn nodded to his team as they walked around behind the many guests very slowly.

    While secretly holding the talisman paper in his hand, Julius'' heart couldn''t stop beating loudly hoping for the best.

    He moved behind several people, all of whom didn''t cause any reactions from the paper.

    But after passing by the 31st person, the paper suddenly heated up greatly, almost burning his hands in the process.

    What?!!

    Dread filling his face, Juliis couldn''t believe his eyes but quickly covered his emotions and moved on.

    How can Uncle Wace be... be...

    Julius'' breathing was growing rapidly, and Wiggins also noticed too.

    Just like Julius, Wiggins, Berry and Harry almost lost their footing when seeing Julius freeze behind a person they were most jovial and familiar with.

    Everyone was too ufortable but knew they must stay strong toplete the task.

    Some in the room also noticed Julius freezing behind Wace but did not want to conclude until Wiggins and the others said so.

    Of course, they too didn''t want to believe it was Wace since this guy was a popr guy loved by many.

    So how can he have such a dark side like working with traffickers and organ sellers? Are you sure it''s not a mistake?

    It was strange that although this guy was so proud, arrogant and annoying since hepleted his missions well, many grew up to amodate his excessive attitude.

    Why? Because as they say only the strong can be tolerated.

    After staying in the barracks for over 40 years now, many even thought his character wasedic.

    So again they ask, are you sure you''ve got the right person? Where is your substantial and unquestionable proof?

    (?~?)

    ''It''s getting hot again!'' Julius thought, reaching the 78th person.

    He was one of the top deputy police chief officers in the country who was famous for solving some unsolvable mysteries in the past.

    He appeared in newspapers and Television interviews.

    He was just one of those people humanity could never question.

    But who''s to say the crimes he solved were not done by him alone?

    What was the first thing the Grandmaster said --- Never trust any Underworld Creature!

    They lied at every turn and had the ability to manipte humans to their will.

    Thinking of those who rushed to surrender themselves in his police cases, maybe they were innocent people coerced and threatened with the lives of their families.

    In one of his cases, it''s said the murderer''s family suddenlymitted suicide, all 5 of them in one night.

    What are the odds that it wasn''t this monster who found a human to be its scapegoat for its crime before threatening that human with the lives of their loved ones?

    After the innocent person is taken down, the bastard appears in the innocent man''s home to finish the job, killing more people.

    When you think about it like that, it''s hard not to get goosebumps knowing that so many monsters lived and roamed among them without anyone knowing.

    It took all of Julius'' strength to keep moving.

    Of course, his other hand also touched his chest pocket from time to time, feeling at ease when touching the safety charm given by the Grandmaster.

    ---

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    Barely 3 minutes had gone by since Julius'' group started, and they had already finished up, discovering there were 11 monsters in their midst.

    Some were famous and others were wallflowers that blended with the crowd perfectly no matter where they went.

    Wiggins swallowed hard, knowing this part was going to be the most dangerous of all.

    "Everyone... it''s time we reveal the culprits!"

 Chapter 464 The Real Culprits!

    Chapter 464 The Real Culprits!

    Time to reveal the culprits?

    Those words alone made many lean forward, wanting to confirm who they suspected within the group.

    Berry''s ball rolled up and down his throat, taking in deep breaths and preparing for what was toe.

    How sure were they that they caught the right people?

    For one, during the checks, Julius and his team had lightly tapped the silver talisman papers on every guest before confirming their guesses.

    Standing behind a guest and feeling the warmth of the paper wasn''t enough since that warmth only meant that they were closer to a monster.

    The monster could be seated 2 seats away or even on the seat they focused on.

    They had to bepletely sure by letting the silver talismans touch them; and when it did, its burners would burn slightly, reducing the talisman paper bit by bit.

    It was amazing to say that despite all this, the monsters had no clue what they were doing.

    They didn''t feel any threats from the paper.

    Dorian had also ensured them that it would be like so, making them breathe out heavily from relief.

    The thing they had going on for them now was the element of surprise.

    No matter what, they must not let the enemy leave this ce alive!

    .

    "Alright! Everyone, put away your murderous intent. We will be calling out the names of those suspected, but it''s still up for debate. However, what we require is for all those NOT called, to rise and stand behind us while those without their names behind called will undergo a thorough search from the Soldiers. We got Intel that the culprits should''ve brought secret letters and evidence here. So we must conduct those searches no matter what!"

    Fair enough.

    Many who were about to argue earlier nodded after listening to Wiggin''s instructions.

    The way he handled it gave everyone respect, even the used.

    From what he said, they had several people they suspected. But Wiggins still wanted to give these people the benefit of the doubt by searching them and confirming that his Intel was truly correct.

    Even if they found these documents on the suspects, everyone felt that Wiggins and his team would still consider the possibility of "General Larkstork M. J. Lilian."

    "Major General h, h, h, h, h, h~"

    theirrades here being set up by an unknown enemy.

    So wasn''t that reassuring for them all?

    After all, no one here truly wanted to admit that one of these many great legends in the room could truly have something to do with working with the criminals.

    Receiving the signal, Harry held out his Tablet and began reading the names of those they knew for a fact were ''innocent.''

    "Marshall Gray Benkalian!"

    "General Larkstork M. J. Lilian."

    "Major General h, h, h, h, h, h~"

    As the names were called, many felt a ball of nerves tighten in their bellies, as they looked forward to their names being called out.

    It was the same feeling one would feel during school days when the teacher might call out the names of the very outstanding.

    Everyone wanted to be in that group, even when some knew they didn''t have much of a chance.

    Likewise, they felt anxious about the list, not wanting to go through the process of proving their innocence to many.

    Bear in mind that once it''s confirmed that they were suspects, it will fall into their military, police and Navy records even if they emerged innocent in the end.

    So who wanted that?

    The most annoying thing would not only be proving themselves innocent but also finding out the hidden enemies in the dark who set them up

    Time seemed to be moving too fast now, as many waited for their names to be called with every passing second.

    Some held their breaths forgetting to breathe, only smiling and rxing when their names were finally called.

    Hooray!

    (>��<)

    They inwardly celebrated, while maintaining an expressionless face on the surface.

    Phew~

    They felt like thanking their lucky stars that no bastard tried to pin this matter on them.

    ... And then, there were 19.

    Seeing that Harry wasn''t calling any more names, Major General Dhali''s face turned pale as a paper.

    ''Doesn''t this mean I''m a suspect now?''

    Bam!

    He mmed his fists hard on the table, but no one in the room said a thing, understanding his frustrations.

    If they were the ones treated as Suspects, they too would blow their fuse. In a heartbeat.

    ''Who is it?''

    Dhali couldn''t believe that he who was moring to beat any of the culprits/suspects would now find himself walking in their shoes.

    Who is it? Who was it that dared to frame him up?

    It appears that during the rescue event, Wiggins and the others should''ve run into 1 or 2 people from his side... traitors who had probably pinned everything on him.

    Did they do that to hide their real masters? Was the real enemy someone standing behind Wiggins and the others?

    Dammit!

    Dhali cursed, allowing himself toe up with all sorts of theories and possible oues that could have let Wiggins specte his identity.

    Even as hot-tempered as he was, he knew arguing about his innocence now wasn''t the issue.

    All he could do was allow himself to be searched by Julius''s group.

    Dhali secretly touched himself first, wanting to see if some wise guy had nted the enemy documents they were looking for on him.

    Phew~

    Luckily there was nothing on him. So this was a start to proving his innocence, right?

    (��^��)

    It wasn''t just Julius thinking so, but the other 8 who had no hand in the matter, also smiled broadly after being searched with no results.

    Still, they weren''t called to stand behind Wiggins.

    Instead, they were surrounded by Julius''s soldiers, as though trying to protect them from the other 11.

    The shocking thing was that they were asked to back away as if the 11 had explosives on their bodies and could harm them at any given moment.

    But that can''t be right.... right?

    ----

    Wace, who was usually bubbly, turned his attention to the crowd with a cold glint in his eyes.

    "WIGGINS! What is the meaning of this?!"

    "Don''t you dare ask me that, Wace, I should be the one asking you what is the menacing of your betrayal here!"

    Wiggins'' eyes were red when recalling the many good times he had with this sworn brother of his.

    And to think he brought his family closer to the monster, risking their lives severally.

    What would''ve happened if he allowed this bastard to stay longer in his home than before? The Grandmaster said death would always follow wherever these bastards flocked.

    Wiggins was so thankful that his entire family was people who worked in the marines, police stations and barracks. So they were always on duty out on missions sometimes getting temporary transfers to faraway locations too.

    Wiggins recalled that Wace had only seen his wife twice since thedy was often too busy to sit in one ce.

    Julius as a special soldier was even more busy and strangely enough, wasn''t situated in his camp, but in one of Berry''s Brigades instead.

    So the chances of meeting Julius were indeed slim and Wiggins was just too grateful for that.

    "What do you mean? I''m no goddamn traitor!"

    Wace and the rest of his monster buddies went on to talk about patriotism, giving awe-inspiring speeches that made many slowly take their sides.

    Even the famous police deputy convinced the onlookers, doubting whether Wiggins had enough evidence to treat them like this at all.

    What happened to them being suspects?

    They haven''t seen Julius''s group search the 11 at all. So why did they suddenly conclude that they were no longer SUSPECTS but confirmed CRIMINALS?

    Was there a step they missed out on that no one knew about?

    [Wiggins'' group]: Yes... the talisman-checking phase.

    (-_-)

    "Enough!"

    Wiggins had enough of this shit, cutting their speech short. "No one is more hurt and disappointed than I am right now... but what can I expect from a monster in human form?"

    Monster?

    All 11 were taken aback, never expecting that there would be a human alone to find their identities out.

    Hahahahhahahhaha~

    Interesting... very interesting.

    Everyone else in the room thought Wiggins and the others were using metaphors but only they knew how true that statement truly was.

    "Monster?" Everyone in the room saw all 11 questioned mischievously, before grinning hard.

    "How did you know?"

    WHAT!

    Bhali couldn''t believe his eyes when they indirectly admitted it. (''0'')

    Son of b**ch!

    Their earlier speech was so convincing that he could''ve sworn there was some misunderstanding there so who can tell him how this plot twist came about?

    Moreover, another matter made him and the other 8 explode in fury.

    "Bastards! Were you the ones who set us up? Were you the one that made everyone doubt us? Tell us quickly! What spies do you have in our camps working beside us? Who was it that betrayed us for you?"

    If not for Julius'' team holding them back, Dhali and the others would''ve loved to shove a fist on their faces using every strength and fiber in their beings.

    Damn!

    They were almost treated as criminals just now and it was all because of these 11 bastards.

    ---

    Wiggins casually nced at them lightly.

    "I know you all think I''m using metaphors, but when I say Monsters, I truly mean M.O.N.S.T.E.R.S!... isn''t that right, Wace?"

    "Yeah." Wace chuckled, slowly licking his lips yfully.

    Since they wanted to y, why not go all out?

 Chapter 465 Goodbye Wallace!

    Chapter 465 Goodbye Wace!

    Everyone was dumbfounded, still wondering what the hell Wiggins meant by calling all 11 monsters.

    Could it be that they have done so much hidden crime that they were now seen as psychotic monsters?

    No matter how Wiggins might exin it, their reasonable brains just couldn''t take the hint.

    People like Dhali who had a wild imagination, had already conjured up another gruesome scene in his mind.

    "You bastards! Did you kidnap others and torture them cruelly?"

    Berry pped his forehead, once again questioning how Dhali rose to his current ranks with his brain.

    They said these people were monsters, how else were they supposed to say it? Should they bring a challenge board and write it down?

    Never in his imagination did he think he would be stuck teaching this group of people Grammar.

    Of course, he was only thinking this because he knew of the existence of monsters.

    Had he been in their shoes, he too would question them, not believing it at all!

    Everyone was still confused when suddenly, something too bizarre happened.

    Blink. Blink!

    The lights flickered crazily.

    Although some sunlight prate the windows, the vast space was so ground that the lights must always be kept on day or night when in use.

    Shrm!

    The blinds suddenly came down, shielding most of the sunlight and allowing them to wallow underneath the flickering lights.

    Too strange!

    Calling it warrior instincts, but like animals in the wild they could sense something dangerous was about to happen.

    Immediately, their hearts fell into their bellies.

    What? Did Wace and his group bring enemies into the building?

    Were they trying to cut off their power supply?

    With no time to waste, those behind Wiggins formed a circr formation, everyone having each other''s back, leaving the center empty.

    They dare those bastards to try sneaking up on them.

    Everyone hunched down for cover, flipping several tables in a heartbeat and using them as shields.

    But seeing as Wiggins, Berry, Harry, Julius and their team still stood as still as stones, everyone couldn''t help wondering if they were wrong.

    Blink. Blink!

    NOPE! The blinking lights said they guessed correctly. So why wasn''t Wiggins'' group moving? Importantly, why was it getting so chilly all of a sudden?

    (?w?)

    Cold...

    The temperatures dropped too fast, as their breaths now caused fog wherever they spoke or breathed.

    How can this be happening? This doesn''t make any sense at all!

    Even if temperatures have to drop, how can they fall so fast in just a few seconds?

    This was just too unscientific!

    How did Wace''s group do it? Did they have a supersonic high-freezing never-seen-before technology built into the room?

    Colder and colder, the room grew, with the icy winds sending chas the chills crawling up everyone''s spine.

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?

    Everyone was about to question the matter further when they suddenly got a glimpse of Wace''s oddly flying hair.

    F***me sideways!

    What were they just seeing?

    Oh, My GOD!

    (��0��)

    Wace still had his head down, so they couldn''t see his expression or face.

    But that didn''t stop them from watching his hair float as if each strand was alive on its own.

    And when he finally raised his head everyone could only feel they were staring into a never-ending abyss that made their traits constrict in jorr.

    Oh, My GOD!

    Many fell, pointing their trembling fingers and using their butts to move back in fear.

    "M-M-Monster"

    "You think?" Wiggins retorted, gloating his hands angrily.

    Hello?

    ''What have I been trying to tell you all just now? Was I speaking with water in my mouth? I said Monster!''

    Monster? Minster?

    The word echoed across the scene, as many turned pale while hiding behind the desks like they were soldiers in world war I hiding within their trenches.

    Their hands trembled greatly, their bodies jerked nonstop and many suddenly had the feeling of finding a cigarette.

    Mommy...

    Were they dreaming?

    Nope! Many had a second look and immediately turned back in hiding, wishing they could do away with their eyes for life.

    No!

    You don''t understand.

    What they saw was only the beginning stages of the real transformation.

    And as all creatures began showing their true forms, every little thing in everyone''s belly suddenly found itself on the floor.

    Blugh~

    The puke fest began, with many puking so hard their faces turned green.

    Oh no God!

    Thank the God of Science for the flickering lights because they don''t know how they would''ve survived without a second of puking if they saw the creature in broad daylight.

    Many looked to one of the generals in their midst, touching his shoulders as if in remorse.

    ''Sorry bro. I used to call you. I used to think you were the ugliest person I have ever seen. But now, I know you are a charming princepared to the many unknown beings in this world.''

    [The ugly general who was still puking]: (-...-)

    Should he be grateful then?

    Don''t think just because you call him prince charming he didn''t know you still think of him as ugly looking.

    This doesn''t change anything!

    .

    Blugh~

    Many just couldn''t stop puking and gagging.

    Dhaliand the other 8 who were closest to the monsters, only felt they were about to gag their intestines out at this rate.

    Oh, My God!

    When Wiggins said Monster, he truly meant monster?

    Ugly was ugly, but the fear in them was true than any other emotion

    They were used to fighting against humans and not creatures of these sorts.

    The most annoying thing was that many found their bodies no longer obeyed theirmand, as they stayed frozen in ace as if under a spell.

    ''Run, you bastard! Run!''

    Dhalimanded his legs but got no response after his eyes had transmitted the final form of Wace''s transformation to his brain.

    Bahahhahahahah~

    Wace''s ghoulishughter echoed within the room, making many tremble controble.

    Hisughter was like the sounds of a million goats being throttled on a farm. It was just too eerie and disturbing to the human ear.

    And let''s not talk about that body that released hideous worms and bugs where he shook.

    Wace had hair that flew about like snakes and a mouth that stretched from his forehead to his chin like a zipper.

    But what did they see, he had no eyes but a ghostly hunched body that kept dripping water.

    Whenever the strange bluish water droplets touched the ground, it would turn into bluish mist, shrouding him in an even thicker coating of fog.

    At this point, he was like a creature that stalked one in the shadows despite him being in front of them.

    The other monsters were equally terrifying, with some being half-fish half-bear, and others taking on images they never knew could exist.

    But this wasn''t the time to dilly dally

    "Now!"

    Wiggins quickly threw the talisman coin Dorian had given him and an avatar/clone of Dorian appeared.

    Of course, what happened next was what always happened when one is watching the Grandmaster''s operations.

    Hey... are you scared? Nope, not anymore.

    It should be said that they were amazed instead, as many people confidently peeked at the blockbuster battle, no longer trying to hide anymore.

    Well, they had to admit that Wace''s group was indeed a pitiful bunch to get targeted by the Grandmaster.

    Sigh...

    Berry shook his head wryly, calmly taking a seat and even raising his hands from the table from time to time whenever the grandmaster slid one of the monsters across.

    It could be his illusion but he thought he saw tears in Wace''s eyes.

    ''Sorry, bro. Who asked you to be a monster?''

    "Coffee?"

    One of the guards brought in refreshments, not bothering about the chaos behind her.

    Hey... if you had been with them during the rescue mission, you would know this was nothingpared to the Grandmaster''s true abilities.

    This... this... this...

    Dhali and the others were speechless from Wiggins'' group''s operation, opening and closing their mouths severally with nothing to say.

    (-^-)

    "D-d-decaf please."

    hali held his teacup, only to realize how much his body was shaking.

    His body couldn''t stop trembling, causing the coffee to spill onto the carpets.

    He swore today would be a day he will never forget in his life.

    Others were just like him, holding their cups with no intention or stomach to take a sip at all.

    Hell!

    How can these people drink anything after seeing such a disgusting sight? Many felt they might never eat again till they die!

    But what they didn''t know was that Wiggins and the others also had such a psychological burden because ever since they returned from their rescue mission, they had been forcing themselves to eat, knowing their bodies needed fuel to stay alive.

    What? Do you think they enjoy it?

    No way!

    Everything since then always tastes like cardboard in their mouths.

    It was amazing how the human brain can control one''s taste perception due to psychological burdens.

    Anything that went into their mouths now was only done because it needed to.

    ...

    Tink. Tink. Tink.

    The cups trembled, as the show progressed.

    Unlike the real Dorian, his avatar did take a longer time to deal with the monsters.

    Wace just couldn''t understand how he and his group of monsters lost... But they did.

    Finally thest monster was put down the avatar performed an exorcism, before clenching the room and nodding to Wiggin''s group.

    Brrrmmm!

    The symbol on the coin slowly erased itself and the coin now turned ordinary.

    Done!

    It was finally over.

    Goodbye, Wace, and good riddance!

 Chapter 466 All Revelations Come To Light

    ?

    As they say in show biz: The show must go on.

    Exorcism and the appearance of Dorian were just one part of today''s show. Yet, it gave everyone a deeper feel of what to expect.

    --silence�C

    The room regained a heavy silence that cloaked the scene.

    Dorian''s clone was no longer here, and so were the monsters.

    Everyone had a million and one questions to ask, but couldn''t make a sound with their mouths.

    You don''t understand.

    The creatures have long gone yet their cups were still tormenting, their coffee and tea were still spilling to the carpets, the nausea in their bellies was still going strong and their stammering hearts were still shaken so hard their throats began constricting.

    Many didn''t want to admit it, but they were still very scared.

    Their eyes darted around the room maniacally, as some pointed to the closed blinds, wanting Julius''s team to quickly pull them up and allow for maximum sunlight to prate the room.

    [Julius]: (-_-)

    The blinking bulb lights no longer stuttered, but everyone still felt anxious.

    Now, many were afraid of the dark, looking underneath the tables and others turned over surfaces they could find.

    Mommy...

    Can they say they didn''t want to sleep alone tonight?

    As people with powerful positions, you best believe they would have a grand military room all to themselves while staying here.

    If it was before, they would be thrilled, since they haven''t stayed with others in decades. But now many are already thinking of who to pair with tonight.

    Of course, the first pick of the lot was Wiggins, Berry and Harry.

    Many people swore that after this, they must hastily ask the trip to pair with them tonight or at least sleep in the soma room with them.

    Hey... one can think only kids have slumber parties, but don''t be so quick to make that conclusion.

    Tonight, many swore to have a sleepover with the trio.

    Everyone didn''t know how to go on living the same after what they witnessed.

    Finally, the silence was broken, as Wiggins felt he had given them enough time to calm down.

    .

    "Now, do you believe?"

    Many nodded their heads stiffly.

    Believe? Of course they believe! They saw it with their own eyes, didn''t they?

    Everyone, including Dhali, now understood that there were enemies far more deadly than what they, ordinary humans, can face.

    Like so, Wiggins and the others took a seat, telling them exactly what went down during the rescue mission.

    They didn''t add any extra words and stated the matter as it truly happened.

    "Wait. You said when you arrived on the cemetery hill, the one called the Grandmaster had you all wait for the moon to reach some high position?"

    "That''s correct. But from what we''ve been told, not all creatures or spaces rely on the moon to act in hiding."

    "So you all went to a mysterious ce so big it could be the same as several cities joined together?"

    "Yes. It was terrible. The grounds were rotten, the air was constantly foul, and thousands of monsters couldn''t wait to eat us alive! But don''t take our word for it.... today, we''ve brought in 5 of the Live streaming teens, who came to tell their experience."

    With a nod, Juliusmunicated with someone via Walkie-Talkie, and soon, Rudolf, Jenny, Chris, Emily and Bianca came in.

    They were the only ones who agreed to participate. The others didn''t want to relive such a nightmare, wishing they could forget it all!

    For these 5, they swore to join Dorian''s academy soon. So how can they do so if they keep living in absolute fear?

    They had to admit that although their time there was dangerous,ing out alive gave them a sense of responsibility.

    What''s more, they overheard Dorian''s side talking of some war that would unleash all sorts of cmity on humankind.

    So wasn''t it better to be prepared than sitting duck?

    Wasn''t it better for them to have the power to protect their families on that day?

    Even Bianca, a bleary live streamer, wanted to attend this academy.

    She had a little brother of 7 and a single mother to protect!

    Her father was dead and he was an orphan. Her mother was an orphan too, so he had just them to protect with her life!

    ----

    Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    The clock ticked too fast, many thought as time seemed to vanish so suddenly.

    Just listening to the thrilling and epic adventure these teens had was enough to make everyone''s blood boil.

    Many also felt ashamed, feeling they were not as good as children who handled the appearance of monsters far better than they.

    These children were kidnapped and taken into this numerous world and forced to protect themselves from monsters of all sorts.

    The ce was like a sick game made by someone who enjoyed seeing them struggle for survival.

    Food, water, and necessities were all fought hard for.

    What was even more shocking was that the ordinary human food they thought they had been consuming was food to transform their bodies into a ptable version these monsters could eat up.

    However, what can they do but eat it? Should they grow hungry and starve to death?

    Without food, they won''t even have the energy and strength to fight off any monsters. So even if they somehow got to know the food wasn''t good for them, they still won''t have a choice.

    As they say, it''s best to live and fight another day.

    .

    In here, they were truly helpless, as these monsters regenerated no matter how many times they were killed.

    Everyone sucked in their breaths, vividly imagining what the ce looked like.

    They also realized that images began blurry or distorted whenever one tried to take a picture of a monster.

    From what Rudolf and the others said, their phones were still working before they got taken into that mysterious world.

    Their phones worked, but there was no signal, as everything went static.

    So only themunication was the issue, as well as the twitching on the screen every 40 seconds or so.

    They indeed tried taking pictures of the monsters but it all came out wrong and distorted.

    The only somewhat okay images they captured were those of the mansion they stayed in.

    It was amazing that they also secretly captured images of the others like Merlin.

    Although the image looked terrible, it at least proved these people did coexist in the mansions with them.

    Amazing!

    Many felt their hearts tremble when hearing how many famous people these youths met in the flesh.

    Instantly, the unsolved disappearance of these famous people was solved.

    More importantly, the disappearance of one of the most famous war generals in medieval Vardos was also solved.

    The man didn''t betray his empire or get ambushed by a human enemy but got taken into this world alongside the soldiers who were all marching out to war.

    For further proof, Wiggins had everyone stand at the very edge of the walls, as he took out a ball the size of a marble and did as Dorian instructed him back then.

    .

    Bam!

    Hundreds and thousands of documents and ancient items fell to the ground from the marble-sized ball.

    F***!

    Dhali cursed loudly, too astonished by the magical abilities he just witnessed.

    What about the conservation of matter and space? What about physics? What about science?

    How can so many things pop off of a little marble ball?

    Are you sure this isn''t some kind of dream he was in?

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?

    Pah!

    He pped himself so hard that his right cheek began swelling a frightening shade of red.

    ''Not dreaming... it''s all real''

    ("0")

    There was so much armor, old swords and other weapons out there that could be dated back to various centuries.

    There were documents and letters from those who entered the space, writing to their loved ones.

    They should have known they would never leave but still chose to write these letters, maybe hoping their loved ones would somehow hear their heart''s beating words.

    Some missed their sons, others talked of the days when they held their wives and some missed their daughters, wondering how their families were fairing without them.

    For others, they missed their parents, brothers, sisters and friends.

    Each letter was filled with sadness that could make even them cry a river. And do you know the worst part?

    These people''s souls no longer existed, meaning they couldn''t reincarnate even if they wanted to.

    It has it been too long since these monsters devoured their bodies and souls.

    Once it stays for that long in the monster''s bodies it disintegrates and bes one with the monsters.

    In the Book of Life, their life in this world would be theirst!

    Only the souls 5 centuries before Bassano''s group entered, had the fortunate opportunity of having what was left of their souls extracted and sent off by Dorian.

    It was tragic but there was nothing anyone could do about it. Who asked Dorian to be born now and not thousands and millions of years ago?

    These features existed at the beginning of time in this world.

    So whether humanity was at the stage of the Bronze Age, Victorian era, Iron Age, Ice Age, Medieval Age, or whatever age, they were always there.

    Today''s revtion was enough to give everyone a heart attack.

    But now, they only had one real question in mind.

    "What do we do now?"

 Chapter 467 Final Conclusion; Meeting Over!

    ?

    4 hours in, and no one had any thoughts of leaving the hall.

    Everything they heard was still getting absorbed in their minds, though their faces remained dazed, sometimes widening in animated shock, and sometimes paling in horror.

    This felt like an adventure only told in made-up movies.

    No. Before this, they didn''t even know that there was a word in their dictionaries called ''Ghosts.''

    No. They were truly serious.

    There was no word in the dictionary like Ghosts.

    It sounded weird in their ears, but after listening to the description of what a ghost was they felt the term was very appropriate.

    After the Grandmaster freed up eaten souls from the bellies of the many monsters, pale ghostly images of the dead appeared briefly thanking Dorian before vanishing.

    Apart from the terms Monster and creature, they didn''t know what other words to describe the many supernatural beings they witnessed.

    Movies and many things, in general, don''t cover such matters.

    Anxiety got the best of these titled, influential men and women, as they subconsciously tapped their heels and leaned forward from time to time on a whirlpool of emotions.

    At the end of the tall tale, they took out their hankies and wiped their sweaty foreheads.

    The most disturbing thing was the fact that even their shadows following them around wanted them dead.

    Many looked at their shadows bitterly, as if wanting to have a conversation with them, saying they were innocent.

    Was it their fault they were born human and not a shadow? How can they control their birth? Aren''t they hating the wrong people here?

    Augh~

    Everyone didn''t know what to say, hoping they never get trapped in the so-called mirror world and get sucked in.

    Wouldn''t it just spell bad news for them? They would probably die without a ce to bury.

    ---

    "For now, that''s all we know," Harry concluded, telling the children to stand behind Julius'' team.

    "This... This... This... " Dhali who always had a million words to stay was now very short of words.

    His speech was disorderly and his lips quivering as though thawing from freezing.

    "So-so-so so what do we do now? We can''t possibly let them keep going around like this."

    "Yes." A female general eximed, bobbing her head like a chicken picking grains. "We all have families, friends and loved ones to protect, so this mustn''t be allowed to go on without getting checked."

    "Right! From what you''ve said it seems 90% or even more of the uncountable unsolved high-grade cases are caused by them."

    "True. Even the solved ones might have been saved by monsters in disguise pitting innocent humans for the fall. So how can we continue to let this go?"

    In the room, everyone was without a doubt shaken to the bone, yet they never lost their sense of reasoning and direction, quickly focusing on the main problem at hand.

    "ording to you, no mortal weapons can destroy these monsters, meaning our guns and even grenades would do nothing to them�� ording to the great powerful Grandmaster, the monsters are nning to open their gates into this world to take over?"

    Wiggins nodded. "Yes. The frightening thing is that some can destroy an entire country with a flick of their fingers."

    What? THAT STRONG?

    Bam!

    Many mmed their fists on the tables, rising to their feet in fear for humanity''s survival.

    Everyone''s face turned grim as the harsh ry settled in their calctive minds.

    If guns, daggers, tasers, grenades and even nuclear sts could do nothing for these creatures then doesn''t this mean humanity has barely any chance to win at all?

    "Wait! Hold on! If we can learn the magic skills the great Grandmaster does, don''t we have a chance?"

    Say no more.

    The moment Dorian''s clone appeared earlier to save the day, many had already turned to his idols, thinking this must be what it''s like when Prince Charming rescues a princess from their trapped tower.

    Now they started referring to him as the Great Grandmaster, the one who knows all.

    If Dorian wasn''t careful, he might have a church of worshiping believers behind him.

    No one can understand their awe for him, since they weren''t the ones who faced what they just back earlier.

    Why don''t you try getting almost killed by a monster you know you are helpless against and see how it feels?

    So what if the Grandmaster is far younger than they? Many now had filters in their eyes, not even seeing the Grandmaster age anymore.

    (^_^)

    ---

    Wiggins nodded in satisfaction, seeing as they reached the same conclusions as he did back then before the Grandmaster left for home.

    "You''re all correct. Humanity needs enough warriors to fight for the cause. For now, we can inform other nations just yet because they won''t believe it at all."

    That''s true, many thought.

    If they were the one, they too would think someone was pranking them or requesting their audience while drunk or on drugs.

    Isn''t that the only exnation for why grown men and women would request a national security meeting to talk about monsters hiding underneath tenor beds or closets in the middle of the night?

    (_-_)

    What do they look like? 5?

    No! Even a 5-year-old knows such things don''t exist.

    It has been beaten into society so much that even 3 year old children don''t get scared in the dark.

    "Yup. No one will believe us." Dhali stated. "Plus, we can''t inform other nations just yet since the enemy might be kicking among them too."

    Harry nodded, inwardly concluding that Dhali wasn''t so useless after all.

    At least, his brain was now functioning right and was back online.

    ''...'' [Dhali].

    Was he being looked down on again?

    Dhali felt weirded out by Harry''s gaze but shrugged it off as other important matters flooded his brain.

    .

    "If the enemy is with them, how do we get them to know what we know without alerting the enemy?"

    "Dhali''s question poses another major concern. From what I''ve heard, I can conclude that time is the only thing we don''t have excess of."

    "Yes. If there are monsters that can take us down with a flick of their finger, then we need to start training arge group of exorcists now!"

    Many nodded. "That''s right. This ce called the underworld has monsters who have lived for millions of years. Some have even lived before the beginning of our world. So just imagine how powerful they will be?"

    "Yes. Luckily, the Grandmaster has a way of making the first batches of students in his academy level up fast for the battle. It''s because of this that we have some confidence in winning, but only if we start now." Berry added.

    Well, <some> is better than none. Even though they still weren''t sure humanity would stand a chance at winning, it was better to try than not try at all.

    Who knows... perhaps their luck might just turn out for the better since the Grandmaster was by their side.

    From the short time they knew the Grandmaster, they understood that although he was silent he hated losing.

    The Grandmaster was in this for the winning.

    Thus, if they did as instructed and yed their cards right, humanity would be saved.

    But how do they gather not just their forces but get the other nations to send forces of their own too?

    Rudolf, the outdoor live streamer, who has always been silent at the back, opened his lips calmly.

    "If I''m not mistaken, The Golden Military Tournament is supposed to be hosted here and is just around the corner, right?"

    Eh? Everyone stared at Rudolf in shock. "How did you know this?"

    "My dad used to be a powerful soldier before he got crippled with a bullet to his leg."

    "Kid, what''s his name?"

    "Lark Strongton."

    "What? Dhali and many others felt a thunderous explosion in their hearts, looking at the kid who had strikingly simr features to his old man.

    No wonder they thought he looked familiar.

    Lark Stronghold was one of the well-known Special Soldiers who aplished amazing feats like dealing with terrorists, drug smugglers and even going undercover in many deadly operations.

    If not for his unfortunate ident, he would''ve still been in the military, maybe sitting right next to them after several rounds of promotion.

    Hey... that''s good.

    The guy now had a brilliant son that took many of his admirable traits.

    "No wonder I got a call from your dad asking me to join in on the search." Berry blurted.

    He was wondering why Lark who hang called him for ages, suddenly rang his phone during that time.

    Coincidentally, Wiggins had already walked him 30 minutes before Lark, so he was already on his way to Investigate the matter anyway.

    .

    "The kid is right. Since we are holding the tournament in our Vardos country, we can have everyone, including the many leaders, head to the testing ground and take the entrance Examinations into the academy.

    It was devious but what could they do?

    They felt that was one of the fastest ways to get the word out.

    They too will prepare several teams under their forces and brigades to take the test.

    As for the monsters lurking among the group, the grandmaster had already said that once in the testing grounds, any monsters would be dealt with.

    So what should they worry about? All they had to do was keep their mouths shut, not alert the enemy and lead everyone there.

    Many also thought of bringing their wives, parents and elders too.

    If the war was upon them, shouldn''t it be better for their family to learn how to protect themselves?

    "Everyone should bear in mind that not everyone can be an exorcist. The selection process is rigorous, so I suggest we bring as many people as possible."

    Apart from the Grandmaster''s group, they have no way of knowing the innate abilities everyone has.

    Who is to know who gets epted and who doesn''t?

    Wiggins feared the eptance percentage would be too low.

    He even felt it might be lower than 1% and this wasn''t good either!

    Like so, a great n was forged, with everyone leaving the room, swearing never to speak of this matter until it was time for testing!

    (*^*)

 Chapter 468 A Hated Fellow

    ?

    Just like that, Dorian was about to get more academy students than he originally bargained for, which was a plus in his books!

    Heading back to the academy and stepping into his lone home in one of the forbidden zones within the inner academy grounds, Dorian suddenly paused, feeling slight movements in one of his rooms.

    Stepping into the room, he stood still, watching his parentsy down motionlessly.

    They still haven''t moved an inch. Their faces were pale and white, and their rods extremely red as if bitten.

    Only when he came into this room would he feel emotional?

    Dorian believed this body was originally his, meaning these parents were also his.

    He didn''t know who to say it, but this body and his soil were toopatible, and he could feel that somehow... this body was just one of his. It was a fraction of his.

    And the souls that belonged here, were also a part of him.

    The soul didn''t die, but reconnected with him, filling in the missing gap he never knew his soul carried.

    Dpriam was sure that even the stupid system in his head had no clue of this, as it still thought the original Dorian had gone to reincarnation.

    Everything was him...

    It was all him from the start. This still begs the question: What was he? What exactly was he that shares of this soil could disperse so cleanly?

    An ordinary human''s soul cannot break so cleanly without repercussions.

    In fact, any human missing any fragment of their soil would fall into severe illness all their lives, until they die and get reconstructed back before sending them their merry way for reincarnation again.

    Think of it as a defective product. It would need to go back to the manufacturers for modifications before putting it on the market again.

    Forpensation, maybe their next lives would be somewhat better, like winning the lottery or being born into the most loving family ever if what youcked in your former life was love.

    But in Dorian''s case, whether it was the him in his former world or the him in this world, they were all so strong with no illnesses.

    They excelled above the majority, and had no such ''defects.''

    Never in human history can he recall such a thing existing. Even people who barely managed to be exorcists with iplete souls were still handicapped in this area.

    Once your soil is iplete, there is nothing any human can do to fix it until after death.

    It was even more impossible to find the fragments of one''s soul, it''s all in the heavens, as though they were storing it in some safety deposit bank box with everyone''s name on it.

    It was more impossible for one fragment to be in another world.

    Yet, here he was loving the impossible

    Why him?

    Why was his soul able to do this without the knowledge of the keepers and checkers of souls in the heavens?

    Now with both souls merged, he knew was more than confident that there was something wrong with him...

    So what was he? Why was his soul allowed to live in different worlds as different people without the knowledge of the soul checkers in the heavens?

    He and his soul fragment were both cold people who liked quietness.

    Their attitudes were very simr, making no one suspect a thing.

    The only difference Dorian could point out was that unlike him, his soul fragment handled the matter with his parents very poorly, drinking till he passed out before Dorian came into this world.

    Well, he couldn''t me the fragment too much because it had a slightly less intelligence levelpared to him.

    Yes. It could pass examinations and do well in schools, but it had a very low understanding of true human nature.

    ----

    ''Since you are my parents in this life, of course, I will take care of you.''

    Dorianbed his mother''s hair warmly.

    ''Don''t worry, it won''t be long before you wake.''

    Only by growing stronger can he remove his parents from the nightmares they were facing right now.

    Luckily for his parents, they had only gotten identally touched by the powers belonging to one of the Princes of Hell.

    They were fortunate that the Prince in question wasn''t focusing his powers on them, so they only got a fraction of the attack.

    Think of it like a nuclear st.

    Obviously, those at the heart of the st would get affected the most. But those at the perimeter would also take a hit, even if they were innocent bystanders.

    His parents just happened to be in the wrong ce at the same time.

    It wasn''t just them, as several people around there also fell intoas.

    Dorian located and arranged for them to be kept in Jung Hou''s hospital.

    These people had family members who would want to check up on them steadily, so it was best to leave them there.

    As for the family members, many were grateful since the Hou Hospital offered to treat these members for free.

    The Hou family doing this also umted good karma for their household too.

    Once in a while, exorcists can do services for free. It wasn''t just to collect pay, but it was advised to collect pay every 9/10 jobs since it costs money to continue exorcizing monsters.

    Kissing his parents on their foreheads, Dorian gave them onest look before leaving the room.

    He must have imaged things earlier when thinking there was movement in their room.

    Leaving their room, Dorian also left the academy, heading back to the Tian residence.

    But what he didn''t know was that after leaving, his parents'' fingers moved slightly, only to regain their former stillness as though everything earlier was an illusion.

    What was that? What just happened?

    This was a matter no one would know, but only the couple, who found themselves drained in an evesting whirlpool of horror.

    From the moment they fell into aa, the couple have always held hands.

    No one, not even Jung Hou and his doctors would pry their hands away even in this state.

    In the world of horror, the couple ran through the woods, panting and pausing after hearing a voice they recognized all too well.

    Was that their son?

    Many times they''ve seen fake versions of their son and friends emerge to kill them. They should be wary of any voice simr to his.

    But maybe it was instincts, they felt it was truly him.

    The couple hugged each other in tears.

    Their boy was all alone out there, probably too worried about them to bother with thepany.

    Knowing the snakish rtive they left out there they knew their previous boy would be in danger of getting targeted by the beast.

    In their minds, they imagined a weak Dorian who was kicked out to find for himself.

    He was probably struggling to raise money to take care of them too.

    Gritting their teeth, the couple ran faster, swearing to one day escape this hellish ce. They weren''t alone, as others like themselves ran beside them too.

    Everyone wanted to leave this ce and wake up back to reality. But what can they do if not look for clues?

    If there is a way to get them in, then there must be a way to get them out too!

    For the sake of seeing their loved ones again, no one has to hope, no matter what hurdles came their way!

    However, they weren''t the only ones determined to have their way.

    Far far above in the Realm of the Heavens, a certain person who had soon turned into the most hated being in all 3 realms; Heaven, Human, and Underworld... was now back to his usual shenanigans.

    .

    In a grand prison hall endowed with heavenly hold from top to bottom, over 100 heavenly guards stood above a tform watching the prisoner below.

    They held staff of all sorts and ensured their eyes never left the prisoner''s body for a millisecond.

    Everyone wore a deep frown, attaching the notorious prisoner to treat his Sentence as if it was a touristic trip.

    "Enoughughing Trickster! You have been sent here to reflect on your actions!" One of the heavenly guards roared, a little annoyed by it all. "Noughing allowed!"

    "What?" Loki gasped exaggeratedly, showing them a childish expression that made many wish to stone him to death.

    Every guard here has fallen apart to his trucks before.

    After tricking them and escaping from the prison so many times how can they not feel resentment?

    Now don''t think it''s just them 100 guarding this ce.

    No.

    100 people were to watch him from the inside, but 100,000 high-ranked Heavenly guards were watching the entire prison specifically designed for him.

    It was funny because all of them had been tricked in some way by Loki, so they became super vignt in everything concerning him.

    They swore they would never let him fool them again, even if they had to die to prove that point.

    But what they didn''t know was that Loki, who they thought was here all this time, had already left for the human world and had even returned too.

    Now, he was about to leave again.

    He thought it would take a few more months before he could leave. But who knew his opportunity woulde again today?

    Hey�� me these people in the heavens for being so easy to trick.

    (^_^)

 Chapter 469 Lokis Reputation

    Chapter 469 Loki''s Reputation

    Loki smiled and teased the angry bunch as much as he could, while slowly releasing his illusionary skills.

    The fools won''t even notice that he had a clone recing him.

    The trick had to be done at the right time, as the switch was also done a thousand times faster than the speed of light.

    Who was he? The infamous Trickster who fooled even some higher Gods.

    He had to admit that all 100 angel guards standing high above him were indeed tough and very sensitive to changes, but after getting caught by them a few times he too has learned to correct his errors and adapt to the ways these Angels operate.

    Don''t think that just because he was a Trickster by nature, his many tricks came easy.

    No way. Every trick he could now do perfectly was only brom from repeated efforts.

    Many times he would get caught but still do it, again and again, a thousand times if necessary until he finally perfected his art.

    Hebined maniption as well as his shapeshifting abilities and other powers to grow into the feared being he now was.

    Well... ''fear'' isn''t exactly the word he would use since many only made U-turns after seeing him because they didn''t want to get tricked or scammed again.

    It was better to say they hated him to the bones and were annoyed by his presence.

    Loki chuckled whenever he thought of how famous he was even within the many mortal worlds filled with exorcists.

    Whenever he appeared all exorcists and even normal humans would curse loudly.

    F***!

    They didn''t want to see him at all!

    He was just that annoying that couldn''t go away since he was neither an enemy nor a foe.

    He wasn''t an underworld creature, and wasn''t exactly the noble Heavenly creature he was born of. Neither was he mortal too.

    So quite frankly, no one liked helping or even trading with him.

    Even crooks and hardcore criminals turned blind eyes to his temptations, as humanity has too many lessons from those who had dealings with Loki.

    You have to know that in some worlds, there are libraries dedicated to this matter, with millions of books that tell of how he duped so many, many, many humans.

    No one ended up good.

    Even if he did give you what you want now, 5 yearster or even 10, things would change for the worse, and you won''t even know it''s him doing all the maniption because of boredom.

    As they say, once bitten twice shy.

    Don''t try to invent the wheel when it already exists.

    Millions of people from all backgrounds and appearances had made deals with this entity only to get screwed badly.

    So why would you think you''re any different? Why would you think you''re somewhat special? A human Loki values greatly?

    Pff~

    Don''t make themugh.

    There was once a stubborn group of people who called themselves Loki''s followers.

    They even made a cult or church out of the matter, swearing allegiance to Loki and Loki alone.

    At first, Loki did give them hope, making them happy and feeling special.

    But it didn''t take long for Loki to get bored, so he began manipting his followers to question every single good thing in life.

    It was amazing how all these people became murderers and crazed people in a blink of an eye.

    Soon, they began kidnapping babies and virgins to offer as sacrifices.

    Their God, Loki, had promised to make them immortal once they did so.

    That wasn''t all.

    He also promised to take them into the heavens and let them serve beside him in his pce too.

    How stupid can you get?

    Everyone knows it was near impossible for ordinary people and even Exorcists to cross the boundaries of realms and be a God/goddess.

    And yet someone tells you they will take hundreds and hundreds of as he was also hated by those living in the heavens.

    people to the heavens and you believe them?

    They even doubted if Loki had a pce in the heavens at all, seeing as he was also hated by those living in the heavens.

    Oops!

    How could they forget the tale of how Loki tricked the God of thunder, Thor, out of his mansion once? So maybe Loki still owns Thor''s mansion, right?

    Anyway, Loki''s cult followers were so manipted by him that when they finally came back to their senses, they had done despicable acts that could not be forgiven by society.

    Do you know the most painful part, Loki finally appeared in their crumbling moments smiling andughing at how much entertainment they gave him.

    Many trembled in fury, realizing it was all just some sick game to him.

    Their lives were meaningless to the ones they worshiped.

    He only made them fall so hard because they were boring him earlier with their constant devotion.

    Good God! What have they done?

    May cursed and swore at Loki, praying to the heavens to banish him and let him fall into the underworld. But how can the heavens allow that to happen?

    If they did so, it won''t be long before Loki finds a way to make the entire underworld his yground, finding ways to get as many underworld creatures to the surface to real havoc.

    To them, he was far more dangerous than all the Princes of Hellbined because of his potential to cause Chaos.

    All they could do was lock him up, sometimes sentencing him to 900,000 years imprisonment and other times 5 billion.

    Of course, Loki was also a constant offender, getting himself banned from many worlds, since he was the true person who started the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and even 4th World Wars in those ces.

    So yes... don''t bnce them for making a U-turn when they see him.

    The trickster also knew many hated him, so he usually shapeshifted into another, fooling humans everywhere whenever he pleased.

    All he wanted to do was relieve his boredom... was that so much to ask?

    [Everyone]: YES!

    His fun was at their own expense, so who can be happy about it?

    (��^��)

    -----

    Loki''s eyes flickered with a staring light, as he kept teasing the guards.

    ''Almost there.''

    The guards didn''t notice but his true body was slowly sinking into the wall, leaving a clone behind as though he was shedding lizard skin.

    Tsk.

    After doing it many times, he was confident he would never get caught.

    The trick is to also keep the guard annoyed, as they often rolled their eyes or briefly turned their eyes away for a split second whenever he called their attention.

    "Hey, big guy! Yeah you! What''s your name again? I remember I once shapeshifted into you and seduced your nymph tree woman, right? I tell you, that Dryad girl has the best lips I''ve ever tasted!"

    "You bastard!"

    The angel exploded but many rushed to hold him back. But those who came to help were soon the ones who wanted to rush up and beat Loki to death after hearing what he said next.

    "Hey, hey, hey... Cleopas, is that you? I remember I once filled you for your precious bottle of spirit rum, exchanging it for a few bags of ordinary stones."

    "And you, Valicicio... How is your beloved doing? The food she made for me that one time was so sweet I still can''t forget its nectar taste. Hey... why don''t you tell her it was me that day and not you? Well, who made me so charming, dashing, good looking and amazing that all your women and daughters can''t wait to have a taste of the Loki?"

    Like a bee buzzing in their ears, everyone was annoyed and furious by his many words. But every time they took their eyes off him, he did something to his body.

    So easy!

    Hey... these Angels get riled up so fast.

    It''s a good thing he had past experiences with them or else how could he have gotten up worked up so quickly?

    Oh well, it was fun while itsted.

    Time to go!

    (^_^)

    .

    Loki wore a bubbly smile on his lips, as his body slowly vanished through the wall behind him.

    But just when he felt his body about topletely vanish, Loki suddenly had a bad feeling in his throat.

    Years of pissing off many people had told him to always follow his instincts; and sure enough, he was right.

    The doors openedzily, as all 100 Angels felt apelling and blinding light prate the space.

    So powerful!

    Many Angel''s dropped to the floor like crows, finding it near impossible to even lift their faces up.

    But after a while, it seems the owner of the light withdrew his power, causing them to feel relief.

    Eh?

    Looking up, they saw a giant rabbit pet holding a peculiar mirror.

    No! This Wasn''t any ordinary Rabbit, but the supreme ancient rabbit that only exists in the legends! No one has ever seen the mighty rabbit!

    It was one of the first heavenly beings made at the very start of it all.

    It was even older than the oldest angel in existence. It Was also older than 99.9999% of gods in the heavenly realm.

    No one has ever seen the heavenly creature except for a select few Gods. Everyone could only identify it from the ancient texts within the heavens.

    (+0+)

    Amazing!

    Just its presence shook the entire building.

    How can something be so strong?

    This building wasn''t ordinary and bacon a million guards and gods/

    goddesses won''t be able to shake it, talk less of scratching it.

    Everyone felt their minds blown by seeing the ancient rabbit in the flesh.

    A silhouette that was hard to see and covered with a blinding golden light suddenly revealed itself in the mirror in the rabbit''s hand.

    Loki also swallowed hard, feeling his heart tremble chaotically.

    "Hey, hey, hey... Who are you? I don''t recall ever meeting you before, so what do you want with me? Are you a fan? Or are you--"

    The silhouette that seemed to beying on a chair, suddenly frowned, cutting Loki''s words short.

    "Noisy."

    "_"

 Chapter 470 [Bonus chapter]Be Honest

    Chapter 470 [Bonus chapter]Be Honest

    What a strong heavenly aura.

    (''0'')

    In the presence of absolute strength, Loki found it a million times harder to keep his eyes open.

    But what did he do to warrant such a visit from such a strong person?

    Loki was also aggrieved, by this visitor''s tant entry into the prison, only to bully him.

    What? Can''t he have freedom of speech anymore? How was he, in any way, noisy?

    Loki couldn''t see the figure past the blinding light, but he had a hunch the person there was frowning and twisting his face in annoyance after telling him he was Noisy.

    (��_��)

    In the end, what did he want?

    "Loki..." The imposing voice echoed.

    "Where are you headed to?"

    Eh?

    The other guards were shocked, wondering, but didn''t have to wonder too long as with the snap of the giant rabbit''s paws fingers, Loki''s great escape was revealed.

    The guards closer were shocked, seeking 2 Loki''s appear.

    The real one was halfway submerged into the walls, while the fake was like a dummy clone taunting them steadily.

    "You vile heavenly being! You are unworthy of your godhead!"

    Many pointed their weapons to Loki, already vexed they were about to be fooled by him again.

    Imagine if he left and caused havoc again. He was out in here to reflect on his wrongdoings.

    He has already served 60,000 years imprisoned. So how many of those years were truly spent here and how many were not?

    F***!

    Many were booking with fury, swearing an oath to take this matter to their superiors.

    No way!

    Since this guy doesn''t repent, let hisst 60,000 years of imprisonment be canceled with him starting all over again!

    This time, they will ce social artifacts on the walls to ensure he didn''t pull out this same trick again

    Loki on the other hand was aggrieved and pissed by this busybody who came here to spoil his good ns.

    What did he ever do to this powerful being to deserve this?

    Loki couldn''t think anything and couldn''t connect any dots at all.

    He had a good memory and knew all those he pissed off in his entire lifetime.

    He was sure this guy wasn''t among, so what''s up with him poking his nose into his business?

    Tch!

    Loki was vexed but knew there was nothing he could do to such a powerful being.

    Don''t me him for being cautious.

    The dangerous signal he was getting from this silent but majestic being was that should he cross his path, it will be he, Loki, who cries.

    As they say, Game recognizes Game.

    Loki has lived for so long relying on his instincts.

    He even feared that even if he was to live throughout the rest of his existence, he will never be able to match up with being behind the mirror.

    He also felt this guy wasn''t the sort to fall for any of his tricks too.

    Believe him, it was rare to find such people in all the realms, and this much frightened Loki.

    "You--You--You--... Heat do you want?"

    There Was a brief silence, as everyone imagined the being slowly lifting his head from his reclinable seat.

    Everyone thought it would be the powerful being talking, but everyone underestimated just howzy the powerful being was that he didn''t even want to waste his mouth strength on this matter.

    Instead, it was the giant rabbit that stepped forward and did the talking.

    "Worlds 24, 315, and 100009002...ints of people making strange deals with peculiar underworld creatures emerged... These creatures promised them glory, leading the humans to sink entire countries, thus regting in the great floods that left barely a handful of continents still afloat."

    "_"

    "Many exorcists and humans died, trying to find the underworld being responsible for it all... Till now they still don''t have a clue who the culprit is. Bit Loki... you and I know who is the real being to me here, right?"

    "_"

    Hiss!~

    The guards sucked in their breaths, mortified by their guesses.

    ording to the rabbit, these events were recent events that took ce within thest one thousand years.

    This matter also confirmed their spections that Loki must''ve left all too frequently without their knowledge.

    Many almost missed their steps after hearing that Loki had visited over 615 worlds since his sentencing.

    If they were human, they would''ve loved to give the electric chair.

    How can one Being alone cause a great flood that buries over 60% of the world''s poption?

    No wonder such a powerful being had to step out of theirfort zone to meet with the unworthy Loki.

    Loki also thought so too, thinking it was his excess destruction in those worlds that made someone as powerful as the being behind the mirror visit him.

    Well, he couldn''t say it was a true visit since the powerful being wasn''t here but onlymunicating with him via a mirror.

    When the rabbit was done, the being in the mirror finally spoke.

    "Complete your sentence and be honest."

    With that, the rabbit vanished with the mirror, as though everything that happened now was an illusion.

    The moment they were gone, many guards red at Loki with fiery eyes.

    "Did you hear that? Be HONEST!"

    ~Thup!

    Many jumped down, grabbing Loki''s body with all their might.

    "Don''t think you can fool us so easily again!"

    "That''s right! Even if we have to hold your body until your sentence is over, don''t think we won''t do it!"

    "Trickster, your days are numbered."

    "Quickly, someone should report the matter to our superiors! I''d like to see how he can wiggle his way out of this one."

    Hmph!

    (*^*)

    Loki didn''t know whether to cry orugh, somehow finding their seriousness cute.

    Who Was he? Loki, the God of Mischief, Chaos, and Destruction.

    No matter what new fortifications they made he would always find a way to adapt and free himself.

    It''s just that now that his escape method has been uncovered it would take a long time to create a new method, test it out and sessfully leave.

    Thinking of the little game he yed the princes of hell, sending them out on wild goose chases, Loki knew he had to escape from here before the big battle began.

    How can he miss the opportunity to watch such a once-in-a-lifetime thing?

    Don''t even think about it.

    Loki''s eyes burned with a mischievous light, swearing to escape sooner than these idiots think.

    He only feared that the powerful being from earlier might still be watching over him.

    Dammit!

    And here he thought he would leave this ce today and visit the peculiar young exorcist he found in that world.

    How interesting...

    The young exorcist made his blood boil with wonder, wanting to know everything about the youngster!

    That boy wasn''t ordinary.

    What exactly was he? Why was his soul so different and powerful?

    He was 100% sure the boy was mortal, yet there was a peculiar strangeness about the boy he couldn''t shake off.

    How odd... how very odd...

    He had ns to tease the boy for a few days and uncover the boy''s secrets.

    Sadly, this Mr. Party Pooper, came mysteriously just in time to stop him from leaving.

    Hey, his actions in the other worlds were bound to be found out, so he just attributed it to bad luck.

    me him for doing too much.

    Loki sighed while being held down by the many guards.

    In the meantime, the rabbit appeared in a grand pce that could blind anyone not stronger than its owner.

    One wouldn''t even know where the door is as they would hit the walls from the blinding lights.

    The only reason the rabbit could see or make heads of its direction was because it was the owner''s pet.

    Reaching an open garden, the rabbit through the mirror in its front pouch and calmly beside its owner on the ground.

    "Master... Do you think that trickster will calm down now?"

    "No... but it gives him time."

    The rabbit nodded in understanding, before closing its eyes to rest too.

    Maybe it''s because it has stayed with its master for so long that it too developedzy habits.

    It hated to step out of its master''s pce and felt it was such a drag to even move an inch out of its favorite sleeping spot.

    If not that it was the master''s orders to visit the trickster, it would''ve rolled to the other side of its sleeping nest if ordered by someone else.

    Yawning, it was already tired from the brief putting.

    he focused on another matter �C His parents'' Properties!

    Butler Sheng and Bewoh were also there like secretaries, assisting "I hope you chose the right person, master."

    "Hmmm..."

    The powerful chuckled before finally closing his eyes to rest.

    "Dorian D. Tian... only he can do it."

    ----

    Back in the mortal world, Dorian calmly sat in his home office, reviewing the many documents before him.

    Now that things are up and running with the academy, it was time he focused on another matter �C His parents'' Properties!

    Butler Sheng and Bewoh were also there like secretaries, assisting in handling some documents too.

    Pandrol soon came in with a tray of tea, before freezing to stare out the window.

    Remember, he controlled all estate security from his mind.

    "Master, thewyer is here."

    "Good... Let him in."

 Chapter 471 Too Close To Death

    Chapter 471 Too Close To Death

    Poking his head out his windows thewyer stretched his hands out towards the inte.

    ''What''s the deal with this Tian boy? After so long of letting things fly this way, he suddenly decides to see the will his parents made now. I won''t be in any trouble, will I?''

    The arrogantwyer who had long been bribed and made to change the Will, was now uncertain if he was truly safe from his fraudulent activities.

    ''That old bag of bones swore to keep me safe through it all. I hope he doesn''t fail me now.''

    Wiping off the sweat formed on his forehead with his hanky,wyer Lee Oung was about to press the inte when the gates suddenly opened on their own.

    ''Well, it seems the brat knows I''m here.''

    Thinning his lips, Lee Oung sent a quick text to Wei Kwo, informing him of his arrival at the Tian estate.

    [Good. I want to know why that worthless nephew of mine is calling you in.]

    On the other end of the phone, Wei Kwo sneered arrogantly, thinking Dorian was a fool if he thought he could bring thewyer to his side.

    The Will has already been forged and made to bend Wei Kwo''s ways.

    What''s the use of attacking it several months after it has been read and its contents followed?

    Cough, cough, Clough!~

    Wei Kwo spat blood into his hanky, a little annoyed by why Dorian was still alive too.

    Those buffoons who called themselves top killers on the DarkWeb couldn''t even finish a little brat.

    Useless!

    After all the money he paid, they still had the nerve to not only fail their missions but also secretly hang him upside down in his own bedroom and attack himte at night.

    Never in Wei Kwo''s life has he felt so humiliated.

    What''s more, he seems to have developed a serious cold ever since Botan began acting strange.

    Luckily the bastard was also arrested and taken away by the police too.

    Who knew he was a mass murderer killing his staff daily?

    Murder with an intention, Wie Kwo could understand.

    Nut random mass murders because you feel like it was something he would never get.

    Having such a person underneath his roof gave him the Hibbie Jibbies.

    Even though things have been going rough for him ofte, both in thepany and in his personal life, Wei Kwo still didn''t want to let his hard-won wealth slip away.

    [You have nothing to fear, Lawyer Lee. Stay on my side and I guarantee you''ll receive a bloat cheque by the end of it all.]

    Seeing this,wyer Lee ced his worries behind him, slowly driving his vehicle through therge but deste estate.

    Heh.

    He couldn''t even see a single gardener or worker around.

    Though it was clean and tidied up, it was still too deste.

    For massive estates such as these if one can''t even find a maid, butler, harder, cleaner, or outer guards roaming about the ces meant it was truly broke.

    Who knows... maybe the boy and his few guards were the ones tending to thewns, which would exin why it was trimmed when he visited.

    Stopping his vehicle at the roundabout, Lawyer Lee leaned down to the other side of his seat to get some documents that fell earlier.

    And when he raised his head back up, his mouth reacted faster than his thoughts.

    "Ahhh!"

    His breathing turned heavier, seeing the statue-istic Butler Sheng stand by his door in a well-tailored suit.

    ~Phew

    Scared him just now.

    "I take it your journey has been without any issues?"

    "Ah... yes, yes, it was okay." Lawyer Lee panicked, pushing his sses deeper into his face, and grabbing the scattered documents that flew out his briefcase earlier.

    He knew he looked like a mess right now but dared not ask Butler Sheng For a few minutes to collect himself.

    Don''t ask him why but he felt very threatened by Butler Sheng.

    Again was the butler always looking so young?

    It might be his imagination but the Butler''s chin had grown more chiseled and his hair vibrant than before, with his muscr eyes and physique so pronounced he could see its essence through his suit.

    But at the same time, the butler did not have giant muscles. He looked just right, falling between muscr and thin.

    His height seemed slightly taller, his spine straighter and even his confidence too imposing for a coward like Lawyer Lee not to notice.

    "The Grandmaster is waiting for you now."

    "But--"

    He hasn''t even locked his vehicle yet. Before he couldplete his words, Butler Sheng abruptly threw his face behind his shoulders and stared at Lawyer Lee intensely. "Are my instructions not clear?"

    "Yes. Yes, very clear."

    "Good. We must not keep the grandmaster waiting. Keep up and don''tg behind."

    Holding his documents and briefcase closer to his chest, Lawyer Lee couldn''t help following behind Butler Sheng like a newly hatched chick following its mother.

    And the more he ventured through the dimly lit hallways, uncountable ominous feelings suddenly gued his thoughts.

    ''Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into? Why do I get the feeling I''m going to lose my life here?''

    Bypassing one of the hallways, Lawyer Lee almost made a U-turn, wanting to run to the hills after suddenly Seeing the powerful Bewoh appearing out of nowhere and nodding coldly his way.

    It''s official. They were going to kill him, weren''t they?

    ''This should be part of their revenge after knowing what I did; and what''s up the majestic candle tans in his hands? Where is the electricity? Why are you, the butler still leading the way with a candle set? Could it be that you all haven''t paid your electricity bills yet?''

    The morewyer Lee thought of things, the more frightened he was.

    He could feel his eyes tearing up the further they advanced through the hallways.

    And maybe it was his imagination, but why did he feel the many lion heads on the walls were staring at him?

    Weird... too weird...

    Lawyer Lee made a short prayer in his heart to the God of science.

    ''Please, oh great God of science! I swear if you let me get out of here in one piece, I swear I''ll no longer ept bribes for the next 1 year. That''s right! I''ll go on a bribery fast, ensuring I do good for 1 year!''

    (:T^T:)

    ---

    Soon, they reached a grand doorced with gold carvings andrge golden hoop handles.

    Nervously wiping his sweaty forehead, Lawyer Lee watched the grand doors open.

    "After you, Lawyer Lee."

    "Right. Right!"

    Lawyer Lee swallowed hard, stepping into the massive audience hall on ground floor.

    The first thing he saw was Dorian seated with crossed legs on a well-cushioned couch.

    Before him was a wide ss coffee table, and in his hand, a cup of herbal tea.

    The smell was so aromatic and fragrant making his mouth water.

    Lawyer Lee admitted he wasn''t a tea fan like the many elders in his home, but he could at least tell it was good... no great tea.

    "Young master Dor--"

    "Sit."

    "Yes, yes!"

    Lawyer Lee felt a hundred times more nervous when facing Dorian than Butler Sheng.

    "Tea?"

    "Ah... yes, please." Lawyer Lee dared not look Butler Sheng in the eye when agreeing.

    Soon,wyer Lee had a cup and teacup saucer before him.

    Due to the tense room, he couldn''t help loosening his cor and tie a bit.

    "Now then, Lawyer Lee... since you''re well settled in, how about we begin?"

    Begin?

    Looking at Dorian''s lips that were raised slightly, Lawyer Lee doubted if he could make it through the day without wetting himself.

    Sure enough, the first topic of business was the one he feared the most.

    Butler Sheng did most of the talking with Dorian only adding value to each sentence from time to time.

    "Lawyer Lee... how long has your father been working with us as the Tian Familywyer?" Butler Sheng asked.

    "11... 11 years."

    "Good," Dorian replied, calmly taking a sip of tea. He was also pleased with Butler Sheng''s efficiency to lead the conversation.

    "I recall you used to visit us with your father back then when you were still awyer in training under him, no?"

    "Yes..." Lawyer Lee was sweating buckets. "Yes, I did. We came here very often, Butler Sheng." Though he felt much has changed about the estate and mansion.

    "Hmmm... and when your father met with his untimely demise, our Tian household could''ve gotten anotherwyer to handle our matters, yet... the Master and Mistress decided to give you a chance to prove yourself."

    "At the time he did well, never disappointing them throughout the years you took over... But... somewhere between the line, you changed."

    Bubuum!

    Lawyer Lee swore he could hear his heartbeat pounding chaotically on his eardrums.

    With a child chuckle, Dorian narrowed his gaze at the frightened ungrateful coward before him.

    "Lawyer Lee, are you a smart man?"

    Good God!

    Lawyer Lee could only bob his head to Dorian after feeling Butler Sheng''s silhouette behind the couch he sat on.

    If he didn''t answer correctly, would they silence him here and now?

    The man''s imagination had already gone wild, picturing Butler Sheng pointing a gun at him from the back.

    "Yes, yes, I am a smart man! Anything you want, I can give it to you. Please!... Please, don''t hurt me!"

    Dorian would of course never kill or threaten anyone. But seeing as the coward''s guilt had fueled his imagination, why not continue ying along?

    "The will... give it to me."

    "The... the... the will?"

    (:X��X:)

 Chapter 472 Lawyer Lees Thoughts

    Chapter 472 Lawyer Lee''s Thoughts

    "Lawyer Lee, do have a nice day."

    "Ahh-- yes, yes, yes, yes."

    The nervous Lawyer Lee replied before nervously stepping into his vehicle.

    How can one sweat so much on such a chill day?

    The weather these days was foul and rainy, not sunny at all.

    Yet, Lawyer Lee''s entire suit was coated with heavy sweat, as if he took a jump into a stream and was now drying it off.

    With the shaky man in his seat, Butler Sheng slowly closed his door and watched Lawyer Lee drive away chaotically.

    I mean... the poor man almost smashed his vehicle into the fountain when trying to leave.

    "Drive, Lawyer Lee."

    "Yes yes, yes..."

    That was all Lawyer Lee could say. He found that his vocabry was very limited today.

    (~��~)

    Apart from yes and a few other agreeable words, he could say nothing else.

    The gates opened andwyer Lee drove off without looking back.

    It was only after drinking a hood distance from the estate within the gatedmunity that he pulled over to the side and pulled his toe off his neck.

    The bloody thing had been adding to his suffocation the whole time.

    Looking at the dull but nice day, Lawyer Lee suddenly felt there was much to be grateful for in this life.

    Today, everything seemed beautiful to him.

    Even the dull Autumn winds and falling leaves had their own magic he was more than d to bask in.

    You don''t know that ever since he entered that creepy estate, he has been saying little prayers in his heart, swearing and promising whatever he could to the God of Science for protection.

    Mommy... he felt he had lived through a 3rd world war.

    ''Since when was the Tian boy so scary?''

    This question popped into his head from time to time.

    What frightened him the most was the wise saying his deceased father used to say to him -- ''Remember Lee, a beast is scary, but a cornered and desperate beast is even scarier.''

    When desperation hits, anything can happen.

    ----

    Ring!~

    "Ahhh!-"

    Lawyer Lee jumped like a cat out of water in disarray.

    Looking at the caller ID, he couldn''t help cursing loudly.

    "Speak of the bastard!"

    Lawyer Lee was in no mood to talk but knew that if he didn''t handle Wei Kwo''s side now, the shameless bastard might send people to stalk and bring him over in a heartbeat.

    Lawyer Lee preferred talking on the phone to meeting face-to-face with such a vtile and hot-tempered person.

    It was so strange that he was more fearful of Dorian with limited resources than Wei Kwo who had all the power.

    He didn''t know why, but his intuition told him to be very afraid of Dorian. Yet, he also knew he had no choice but to be his enemy.

    "Mr. Kwo, let me ask you this question onest time... Can you protect me when things go south?"

    [Of course, I can,wyer Lee. What? Did that bastard nephew of mine threaten you?"

    "This..."

    He wouldn''t exactly say he was threatened because nothing Dorian and Butler Sheng verbally said insinuated he was being threatened at gunpoint.

    It was merely Lawyer Lee''s guilt and vivid imagination that led to his current trembling demeanor.

    [Lawyer Lee, trust me, with my money and resources, I can get you the best bodyguards in the world staying by your side. Besides, you think about it too. No matter how they threaten, if they can''t reach or see you, won''t their threats be for nothing? They also need you alive as a key witness if they want everything back, So you won''t be dying anytime soon.]

    Lawyer Lee almost rolled his eyes heavenwards.

    You don''t think he knows they need him alive?

    Of course, they won''t kill him, but who stipted that they couldn''t torture him to near death for all the knew, they could torture him and allow him to recuperate for several months before letting him stand in court as a witness.

    What?

    Very powerful mafias, gangs and cartels did this frequently, so it wasn''t a stretch for him to think so.

    Taking a deep breath and listening to Wei Kwo''s promise, Lawyer Lee felt safer than before.

    At least his breathing had stabilized and he was now much calmer, resuming his usual shrewd business-like attitude.

    Don''t think that just because one is a coward, it means they were stupid.

    Cowards lived the longest.

    Even in times of war, some pretended to be dead on the battlefield while slowly slipping away from the masses.

    They must escape before the war is over, lest their bodies receive swords or bullets in them.

    Once you''re dead, you''re dead.

    Cowards understood this fact, choosing their battles wisely and even turning to the enemy''s side if it will let them live longer.

    Someone who backstabs his former employees like Lawyer Lee, was also a very shrewd person too.

    .

    "Mr. Kwo, I just put my life on the line for your cause for the umpteenth time... it''s clear that the boy will still have meetings with me going forward. I''ll put it here that if you don''t want me to switch sides, I suggest you increase the promised pay for this job if you want information on our meetings."

    [Why you little-]

    Wei Kwo on the other end almost jumped on his desk unwillingly.

    Why? Why should he pay the bastard more?

    Do you know how tight things have been for him ofte?

    Wir Kwo thinned his lips, catching his breath and forcefully calming himself down since he knew he must get Lawer Lee on his side no matter what.

    Or.. he could just...

    As if knowing his train of thought, Lawyer Lee''s next words caused him to cough awkwardly.

    "Mr. Kwo, I propose you do away with such pesky thoughts. The boy has guaranteed me that should I identally die before his request is met he would nt all evidence to pin it on you even if you weren''t the one to do it."

    That''s right!

    It could be another person to deliver the finishing blow, but no matter which one it was, should he die, it will all be pinned on Wei Kwo, and he,wyer Lee couldn''t agree more.

    Well, that was the only thing Forian and he saw eye to eye.

    Hearing this, Wei Kwo''s face turned distorted.

    Sure enough, he had to get real guards attached over Lawyer Lee.

    You have to know that the tight-fisted and stingy part of him had already thought of deceiving Lawyer Lee by hiring street performers in uniform to y the part of bodyguards

    It was far cheaper, affordable and doable.

    He didn''t care if Lawyer Lee died provided he got information from Dorian, but now, he knew he had to protect the little skinnywyer well.

    Sigh...

    Wei Kwo''s heart felt pained, thinking of how expensive it is to get a tier-9 or 8 bodyguard.

    Hiring one of these bodyguards was akin to having 10 to 15 ordinary bodyguards you see on the streets or in the homes of Rich people who don''t want to invest in their security.

    There are levels to everything in life.

    If one of these Tier-9 or 8 guards fight, it would be like watching a protagonist in a martial arts movie fight against the world.

    One should be enough to protect Lawyer Lee from Butler Sheng and whatever flimsy security men his stubborn nephew had by his side.

    That was how Wei Kwo saw things.

    But this didn''t mean paying for such guards would make him happy.

    The cost of hiring them for several months alone was too choking to him who is still nouveau rich.

    Wei Kwo had no problem spending his money on Jim. But when it was giving it to outsiders he felt very unwilling.

    ----

    [Fine. You''ll get your bodyguard. Now, tell me everything that transpired there.]

    "No." Lawyer Lee replied. "Not until I see my bodyguardS."

    Lawyer Lee emphasized the plural, not wanting Wei Kwo to be cheap about his life.

    Bloody son of a b**ch!

    ''You dare act smart with me? Do you know who I am? Do you know how privileged you are to be working with me?''

    It took all of Wei Kwo''s energy for him not to smash his phone to the ground.

    He felt everyone in the world was suddenly against him.

    [Ok-- okay... No problem, you''ll get your bodyguards. Meet me in my office in 4 days. You''ll get them then. I just hope on that day, you''ll finally be willing to talk.]

    Lawyer Lee smiled. "Certainly, you have my word."

    What good is the word of someone who betrayed their former employers?

    Wei Kwo inwardly scoffed, dropping the call on his end.

    Wait! He forgot to ask when nextwyer Lee will be meeting Dorian.

    Hurriedly calling back, he got no response fromwyer Lee.

    It''s not that he didn''t want to answer, but that after the call, Lawyer Lee ced his phone away, wanting to clear his head and think while driving.

    You should know that ever since he stepped into Dorian''s estate, his phone has been on mute/silence.

    No calls or messages would ring or vibrate.

    And just like that, Dorian had thrown the dice before his mortal enemies.

    Now, it was their turn to make a move!

 Chapter 473 Enemies Always Meet

    Chapter 473 Enemies Always Meet

    In the 20-story Pamlock Restaurant, a particr group of people were dining on the topmost floor, meant for the truly wealthy.

    The entire Restaurant wasn''t something ordinary people could eat in regrly.

    From the first floor to the 4th, one can find a few ordinary people eating now and then for special asions like birthdays or family celebrations.

    But from the 5th floor above, that''s where one touches the edges of High Society.

    There, one can find regr customers whoe every day and order the same luxury meals on a steady basis.

    To them the price was nothingpared to what they made.

    And the higher one dined, the more admiration many had for them.

    To eat at the topmost floor was an honor many would wish for even if it was once a year or once in 5 years.

    Not just anyone could eat on the 20th floor.

    Money was one aspect, but getting a Gold membership was also a must.

    The restaurant had 4 membership types: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Blue.

    Most ordinary people get Blue membership cards if they want Restaurant perks.

    Likewise, the very very wealthy got Gold memberships instead.

    They were the most well-taken care of VIP members too. As such, their perks were way more than just eating.

    The restaurant had guest rooms and all sorts of indoor amenities to keep them upied if they wished to stay longer or rest temporarily.

    At this time in a private dining room withrge ss walls that overlooked the city, 2 prominent men sat facing each other, with their guards standing behind them and around the room too.

    One of the men held a cane and the other sat crossed-legged, exposing his well-tailored suit and shiny shoes.

    It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that although both men were good-looking and around the same age, the man with the prominent suit had a more charming aura about him that might tempt even younger girls of 20 to look his way.

    His hair was a mix of ck and gray strands that coordinated beautifully in his slicked-back hairdo.

    Both men were good-looking in their own rights, with the one in the cane looking childish, and the one in the suit looking like a domineering president.

    The group had cups of tea on their tables with a chest boardid out before them.

    Chen Su moved his knight piece, conquering a few of Bho Su''s chess pieces.

    "It appears you still haven''t gotten better at this." Chen Su stated with a slight grin on his face. "You always lose."

    ''You are too predictable,'' Chen Su thought, not feeling bad for torturing old Bho to this point.

    Well, Chen Su was also called Old Su by many too.

    He, Old Gia, Old Bho and all those old bastards were around the same age.

    He didn''t like them, but since they came from the big prominent families he has had to put up with them for so many years.

    Today, he had to meet with Old Bho about business and contract coborations, though he hated Old Bho''s guts.

    If these people were his friends, do you think so many bodyguards would be in the room watching and standing on opposite sides, as though ready to shoot once the signal was given?

    Tsk.

    If it were Old Gia, Old Hou or Old Ghu with Old Bho, there might only be one guard in the room there to assist them with anything like chatting nkets or something else they needed.

    No way.

    If Old Bho was with people he liked, he would leave most, if not all his guards away.

    That was just how much they didn''t like each other even though they were already in theirte 40s and early 50s.

    Since childhood, Chen Su has never liked Old Bho''s stuck-up group that loved to fight for justice here and there.

    In school, Chen Su was a school bully feared by many. But his reign of terror was always cut short once these bastards appeared.

    The most shameful moment in his life was when that Tyrannosaurus, who calls herself Old Madam Ghu, pulverized him up mercilessly when she identally walked past an alley with him bullying a new student.

    Old Madam Ghu came from a prominent but lesser wealthy family than Old Ghu.

    How Old Ghu chose to be with that Ape throwing woman was beyond Chen Su.

    Why don''t you want a calmer and softerdy?

    Why do you want a tomboy who likespeting with boys here and there?

    Aren''t you ashamed that your woman can beat you up?

    Trust me, he wasn''t specting but knew for a fact that Old Madam Ghu could beat her husband up and do it well too.

    How Old Ghu chose to stay with her since their younger days when they were 10 to 15, would always be one of the mysteries in his world.

    Well, long story short, he hated old Madam Ghu more than he hated Old Bho and the others.

    Whenever he saw that woman, he felt like throwing aputer at her.

    Don''t me him for disregarding his wealthy etiquette since that woman knows just how to push his buttons.

    And whenever they got into an argument, she would clench her fists, threatening him to take their conversation ''outside.''

    F*** off!

    Do you think he is stupid to allow himself to get beaten by a woman, an old one for that before his subordinates, families and those who look at him enviously?

    Chen Su hated to admit it, but the many beatings she gave him when they were younger casted a physiological shadow on him.

    ~Augh.

    Just thinking of the woman''s fists made his body shudder.

    As of now he still wasn''t sure he could win her in a one-on-one match, especially when he heard from a reliable source that Old Bho had his ass handed to him by her not too long ago.

    Tsk.

    He dared not touch that gori woman, though her provocations always made him return to his School bully demeanor.

    Don''t look at him with his stunning suit and cool aura, thinking he had long changed.

    No way.

    This was just a mask for the world to see.

    At heart, he was still a school bully, and the only one who could bring out that part of him was always that King-King woman.

    As for Old Bho, the hate he has for them was mostly their righteous and nosy behavior of trying to save people he bullied.

    It was annoying that he had no cards against them and was often helpless too.

    After all, he couldn''t use his family background against them since they too came from one of the Big 6 families.

    No... back then, it was only the Big 5, since the Tian family emerged when he was in hister teens.

    The Tian family sprung up so fast from nowhere like a force that couldn''t be stopped.

    Trust him, their Su family did try to stop the rise of the Tians.

    However, their luck seems to be incredible, as if wealth was just It was when they birthed their son, Dorian Tian, that theirpany truly took off and skyrocketed to a crazy feat.

    falling on theirps.

    It was when they birthed their son, Dorian Tian, that theirpany truly took off and skyrocketed to a crazy feat.

    Long story short, he and Old Bho were part of the mortal enemy cycle yet they sat as civilized people from time to time, curbing their hate and working out business matters as fast as they could.

    None could stand each other''s presence for so long, but who made them need each other in society to build more wealth?

    --------

    "Old Bho, I can see your IQ hasn''t improved a lot since your school days."

    "Hmph! How rich,ing from a school bully!"

    "Well, it''s TRUE that I was one, but my grades remained among the top 5, no?"

    "Heh... so what? Just because you did well in school doesn''t mean your smarter than me!" Old Bho was angry, ying into Chen Su''s schemes just as predicted.

    "Checkmate."

    This... this...

    Did he win just like that?

    Old Bho opened and closed his mouth, with no wordsing out of them, but Chen Su only chuckled.

    "Since I''ve won then the terms of the contract will be divided as per my requests... As always, it''s a pleasure to discuss business with you, Old Bho... now, we can eat."

    "Eat your head!" Old Bho exploded, knowing this sly fox had tricked him well.

    Earlier, he could''ve won, but the old fox said a few maniptive words that made old Bho change his winning move to the one that led to a series of losses for him.

    After his defeat, why should he waste more time with his bastard?

    He had no thoughts of eating while looking at the bastard''s face.

    "Why don''t you stay longer? Trust me, I insist."

    "And if I don''t?"

    Old Bho narrowed his gaze at the calm Chen Su who was taking a sip of his tea.

    Soon, Chen Su raised his head with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.

    "Then you can go. But what I have to say indirectly concerns you too."

    "Oh?" Old Bho slowly took his seat, with his guards staying very vignt against Chen Su''s group.

    "Well then, out with it. What is it that may or may not concern me?"

    Chen Su tapped a single finger on the table rhythmically.

    "It''s about your annoying, nosy little friends... Where are they?"

 Chapter 474 Suspicions Arise

    474 Suspicions Arise

    His friends?

    Old Bho''s eyes shed with a cold menacing look, his grip tightening on his silver-handle cane the longer he stared.

    Such an imposing aura made even Chen Su''s bodyguards sweat, but Chen Su was indifferent with a slight smile on his lips.

    "Calm down, old fool, I''m not an idiot who would go about harming them."

    Speaking, Chen Su snapped his fingers and someone took out a fat cigar for him.

    When in his mouth, another took out a lighter and humbly lit the cigar for his master.

    "Old fool, we all know we don''t like each other since young�� we''ve grown all these years to ourte ages without ever poking each other''s tail. So do you think it''s at this age that I will start looking for endless trouble knowing my son will soon take over my Su n and Industry empire?"

    That would be a silly move.

    If he wanted to make a move on them, he would''ve tried to do so a long time ago in his younger years when he still had more vitality and strength in his to cause a storm.

    What''s more, although his Su family is strong and feared, it can''t survive if it''s to go against the Gia, Hou, Bho, and Ghu families all at once.

    That would be public suicide to not just himself but his son.

    After living for so many years without mistakes, why would he desire to cross them now?

    Believe him, he wanted to, but only if he knew he was sure to win.

    .

    "If you haven''t any thoughts of harming them, could it be you are after them for business?"

    Seeing Old Bho''s imposing aura fade away, Chen Su slowly puffed out a whiff of smoke.

    "Business? Well, not quite... I''m merely intrigued by why they''ve been off the radar for so long, can''t I be?"

    Chen Su''s face suddenly turned cold, staring at Old Bho instantly.

    "Or could it be they are among something against my Su n instead?"

    Eh?

    Old Bho was taken aback, beforeughing hard till his tummy ached.

    "So that''s what has got you up in a pickle?"

    Old Bho felt it was funny but understandable.

    After all, his good buddies have been disappearing too often ofte, raising suspicion in upper society.

    But only he knew what they were truly up to, after all, he was there and witnessed it live in the flesh to know the true dangers of this world.

    Tsk.

    After seeing what real monsters looked like, nothing Chen Su or anyone could do will ever make him scared.

    Provided the enemy is human, everything is easily solvable.

    Chen Su himself didn''t believe they would disappear to scheme on him.

    He only said that so old Bho could defend then and ''identally'' spill the beans on what they''ve truly been up to.

    Typically, Old Bho is a person who has the worst poker face ever.

    He wore all his emotions on his face and had an overlypulsive order to get overly excited when defending those he loved.

    Chen Su was hoping that if he stimted Old Bho enough, the bastard would leak out 1 or 2 vital pieces of information.

    It was impossible to say everything, but just a single price of news would be great.

    In their society, one must always stay ahead of both foes and friends.

    What if they areing up with some exclusive contract that would better the city?

    In that case, thepany that bids and wins the contract will make millions and maybe billions from the job.

    In their world, one must always have their ears to the ground and never miss any information no matter what.

    Typically, the old fool might blurt out a thing or 2, but this time, Old Bho only thinned his lips, saying nothing after a goodugh.

    What do you want him to say?

    That his friends joined an academy that focused on fighting monsters around the world?

    Do you want him to also say they were elders of this bizarre academy too?

    Heh.

    Should he dare to speak such words, anyone listening might seriously assume the academy was a madhouse or looney bin where mentally ill patients are kept and told they were fighting monsters.

    Hell!

    Many might assume the patients (academy members) have been told to pretend to be Superman while saving the day.

    Really and truly, there was no good ending if he voiced the truth.

    Old Bho could only chuckle, as he slowly rose to his feet, intending to leave.

    "Old Su, you don''t have anything to worry about. They aren''t doing anything detrimental to you, but are just on a vacation together. As you know, it wasn''t long ago that I too went on vacation, so I can go out again for a few more months... that''s it... Until next time, old man."

    Old Bho calmly nodded and left with his guards.

    He knew Chen Su didn''t believe him, but so what?

    He had no choice but to believe.

    For his sake, Old Bho hoped he didn''t go poking his nose into this matter.

    His friends were far stronger than before, especially Old Madam Ghu.

    Should she punch Chen Su now, he feared the old bag of bones might be crippled without a doubt.

    (_-_)

    s...

    He truly missed them but knew he would soon be getting a chance to step into the academy, should he and the people in his Bho n pass the entrance examinations.

    It was amazing to say that at this age, entrance examinations still made him nervous.

    Sigh...

    Old Bho shook his head wryly, knowing he still had a few months to go to prepare for the big day.

    As for his HBO n members and guards selected for the examination, they didn''t know what it was they were preparing.

    All they knew was that a week before the exam, they must fly in from all corners of the country and the world to partake in the exam.

    Like so, old Bho left the scene without nostalgia.

    ---

    "So you believe a word he said?"

    "No." Sandongo, Chen Su''s lead bodyguard replied without emotion.

    "Sir, they''re hiding something."

    "I know. But if we haven''t been able to find out what it is after so long, it means we need tougher means to get it out... understand?"

    Sandogo nodded calmly. "It will be done."

    "Good. Ensure it''s not traceable. You have just 2 weeks."

    With that Chen Su also left with most of the bodyguards, leaving Sandogo with only a few.

    "Let''s go."

    With his orders, the men followed him without question.

    They felt with tougher means, 2 weeks was enough to get at least a single clue on the matter to report back in case of failure.

    But how would they have known that even the many Bho workers and n members had no clue about what was truly going on?

    Vrmmmmmm~

    The vehicle took off in a sh.

    However, Chen Su wasn''t the only one making dangerous moves.

    Holding her hands, Ji Su couldn''t believe how fortunate he was for this moment toe.

    09:55

    He weathered the storm for so many years, waiting and waiting in hope for the day that his kind Xiao In the Main Grand Su Estate, a young man was sweetly entertaining a stunning girl with great beauty.

    The 2 hugged each other warmly, as they walked about the vast gardens holding hands.

    The young man was the future Su n heir, a young man many equally young women yearned for.

    But no matter how much they wanted him, his heart was also sold to the beauty beside him.

    Holding her hands, Ji Su couldn''t believe how fortunate he was for this moment toe.

    He weathered the storm for so many years, waiting and waiting in hope for the day that his kind Xiao Xiao will be his.

    Sure enough, all good things take time toe, and his Xiao Xiao''s love wasn''t an exception.

    Finally, she saw that all those other boys were no good, choosing to settle with him, the future Su Heir.

    But although they were finally together, Xiao Xiao only agreed on the condition that he taught those trash Ghu Sota and Dorian Tian a lesson they won''t forget in a hurry.

    Xiao Feng La beside him, was also having dangerous thoughts when thinking of the 2.

    ''Hmph! You 2 dare to turn my advances down and think you can go free? You lie! With how powerful my Ji Su is, I''m sure he will crush you all like bugs soon.. but why is it taking so long?''

    You have to know that over the months,she had tried hiring gangs to do the job of killing Dorian while beating Ghu Sota up.

    However, for some reason, she has been cklisted from the many gangs in the city after a single mention of Dorian''s name.

    They even threw her out on the streets while also egging her.

    What she didn''t know was that the first group of people she met for the job were those who Dorian saved on whuphil mountain.

    Buckets of water were thrown on there and even rocks shot her way.

    Those people knew how dangerous Dorian was and now you ask them to kill him?

    cklist!

    Without warning, they stamped her name down, passing the information to others.

    And now, apart from Ji Su, no one could help her take care of the matter.

    But why was he too proving useless by dying the matter for so long?

    Didn''t he say he loved her? Didn''t he say he would do anything for her?

    Sure enough, all men are liars!

 Chapter 475 A Happy Couple

    475 A Happy Couple

    Xiang Feng La was inwardly annoyed by how slow Ji Su was handling the matter, not knowing that even Ji Su was stumped by how difficult to locate both Dorian and Ghu Sota.

    Do you know how of his trusted high-tier guards he sent to do the job, only for them to return specting that the duo might not be in the country?

    It was true.

    Even Ji Su felt he hadn''t seen the duo for long since that time at the auction house.

    It was as though they vanished into thin air, making it incredibly hard for him to have his revenge.

    Honestly, he was beginning to doubt whether they were evering back at this rate.

    What was even more weird was that school had just resumed 2 weeks ago, but the duo was nowhere in sight.

    Of course, now that they graduated from high school, everyone was heading to prestigious Institutions of higher learning within the city and the country.

    For Dorian, he can ept that the trash had no finances or ways to go back to school, but what about Ghu Sota, the future n heir?

    Are they not going to send him to school anymore?

    Even if he, Ji Su, wasn''t in the same school/Institution as Ghu Sota, he would get news of where he was schooling since Ghu Sota himself was a popr person many girls wished to tie down.

    Don''t mind as he looked silly and was troublesome.

    As the heir and future patriarch of the Glu n, how can he not be popr? How can many women not dream of crawling into his bed?

    The school forums would''ve been storming the ace with pictures of him by now had he entered any of the Institutions.

    What''s more his men were keeping a close eye on Ghu Sota''s matter and would have reported if he was spotted in any of the instructions.

    This made Ji Su wonder if Ghu Sota went schooling abroad or if in some exclusive institution within the country that even he knew nothing about.

    As for Dorian''s matter, he couldn''t understand where the arrogant son of a b**ch had gone to or was he hiding in his mansion, too afraid to step out?

    His men had camped outside the estate for several days now and hadn''t even seen Doriane in or out of the mansion.

    In short, whether it was Ghu Sota''s matter of Dorians, they both gave him headaches that couldst a month.

    Gently caressing her hair, Ji Su could only share his thoughts with his future woman.

    "Xiao Xiao, those 2 are really sneaky. It seems they are afraid of my wrath and are hiding from my men. I suspect they might not even be in the country."

    "Really?"

    Xiang La''s eyes lit up like stars, feeling more and more that the man she finally chose to settle with was indeed a strong one.

    She also wouldn''t have settled for him so quickly if Bho Jin hadn''t grown distant from her recently.

    Of the 6 prominent households, only the Bho, Tian, Su and Ghu families had young heirs her age who were not married or tied down.

    Dorian Tian was definitely out of the picture after his copse, leading her to focus on Ghu Sota, Ji Su and Bho Jin.

    She thought she could keep ying the game between the 3, enjoying all the perks and money they sent her steadily.

    But somewhere across the line, Ghu Sota became distant, followed by Bho Jin.

    With fate making the choice for her, she knew she had to grab Ji Su before it was toote.

    Thus, she agreed to him on the condition that he teaches Ghu Sota and Dorian a lesson they would never forget.

    .

    As for Bho Jin, she wasn''t so adamant in hating him, not wanting topletely offend him.

    She felt that although he tantly kept distancing himself from her, she could still work her magic on himter if need be.

    After all, she was taking him as her backup should Ji Su disappoint her.

    After all, it was never wise for anyone to put all her eggs in one basket.

    Now, heading that both Dorian and Ghu Sota had gone into hiding because of fear of Ji Su, this only made Xiang La even prouder.

    Sure enough, the man fate had prepared for her was the best in the group.

    He was swift with his promises and kept looking for them all this while.

    It''s just that the duo had already sensed his ns and took off before her Ji Su could act.

    This much made her pleased

    At most, even if she ran into them in the future, she could scare them away into silence by mentioning JI Su''s name.

    She always thought all these 6 prominent families were equal. But for Gho Sota to fear Ji Su so much that he ran away meant the Su family was stronger.

    Yes yes, it must be.

    Just look at how powerful and scary-looking Chen Su, Ji Su''s father looked.

    She felt so ufortable and intimidated around him, but so what?

    No matter how fearful he looked she would never back down from her goal.

    "Brother Ji... why don''t we just let them go? I don''t think they meant to harm me... I-I-I-"

    09:56

    "Xiao Xiao, you are too kind. After what they did to you, you still want me to let them go, but I refuse... Already, The Ghu family in her eyes were weakling if they could allow their heir to run away without even putting up a fight.

    Leaning into Ji Su''s chest, Xiang Feng La was finally content, not wanting to focus on the matter anymore.

    Of course, she must always seem calm and kind to Ji Su''s eyes since that''s the persona most men loved.

    "Brother Ji... why don''t we just let them go? I don''t think they meant to harm me... I-I-I-"

    "Xiao Xiao, you are too kind. After what they did to you, you still want me to let them go, but I refuse... Xiao Xiao, if you love me like you say, then let me do this one thing!"

    "You--" Xiao Feng La acted as though she was conflicted, making Ji Su love her kind and innocent nature even more.

    "Please, Xiao Xiao, let me do this one selfish thing!"

    "Ok-okay... alright. Brother Ji, just know that whatever you do I will always be by your side with my full support."

    "Thank you, Xiao Xiao! Thank you! I promise to do this quickly when they resurface again."

    Xiao Feng La inwardly nodded, ease by how easy it was to make Ji Su do her bidding.

    At least now, she was no longer in a rush to trample Dorian and Ghu Sota.

    Why should she be when they were practically so scared of her man?

    In a ce where Ji Su couldn''t see, Xiao La smiled cruelly, thinking of their fates.

    ''You guys shouldn''t me me for being rude. For now, I''ll let Brother Ji deal with you. And even if he doesn''t kill you I don''t believe that when I be Mrs. Su, the future Matriarch, I won''t be able to kill you all.''

    Like so, the couple no longer brought up the matter again, focusing on school issues instead.

    "Brother Ji, we came back this time on a 3-day leave but don''t forget that Monday is teacher Kia Pu''s ss. I heard that she herself is a top member of the World research organization. She doesn''t care about our backgrounds. So if we don''t turn in our reports by Monday'', won''t she make things difficult for us?"

    "I know... that''s why I had someone do the reports for us."

    "Ahhh!--... Brother Ji! You are amazing!"

    (^_^)

    ----

    Love was in the air for the young couple, as they quickly threw the issues of finding Ghu Sotaand Dorian at the back of their heads.

    F***!

    If Ghu Sota knew what they were truly thinking, he would waste no time taking a leave of absence from the academy grounds and pompously appearing before them, smacking his chest like a gori to show he wasn''t afraid.

    Please!

    He has fought and witnessed many far more terrible things than an arrogant Ji Su who felt he could throw his money around like water.

    Who is afraid of whom?

    Screw you!

    If Ji Su''s father, Old Su, couldn''t even beat his grandmother, Old Madam Ghu in a fight, then who will he, Ghu Sota, be not to uphold the family tradition?

    Luckily for Ji Su, his thoughts were not known to Ghu Sota.

    Although even if known, Old Madam Ghu would never let Ghu Sota out of the academy.

    The only reason he could go out is if he was going for a mission, or if it was something urgent approved by at least 6 elders.

    Academy disciples had one primary task, which was to train and train alone.

    Outer Sect disciples could leave the academy once every three months without permission.

    Inner sect disciples could leave twice without permission every 3 months.

    In short, the higher one''s current standing in the academy, the higher the perks. And wouldn''t you know it, Ghu Sota has already blown his outing quotas.

    He could now only leave if on a mission or if going for an urgent private matter approved by at least 6 elders.

    Well, today was another exciting time in the academy.

    Disciples flooded the scene in all corners, as many leaped through the air and even swam crazily to get back to the main academy grounds.

    ''Dammit! I hope I''m notte.'' Ghu Sota murmured under his breath.

    The Ranking Competitions were about to begin!

 Chapter 476 The Great Ranking Competitions!

    Chapter 476 The Great Ranking Competitions!

    Today was bustling wherever one turned.

    The academy was boiling with excitement, as many gathered to watch and participate in the rankingpetitions.

    For someone like Ghu Sota who had an extremely high rank already, he wouldn''t bepeting yet.

    He was ranked among the top 30 most powerful Inner Sect disciples.

    At present, almost everyone has be an inner disciple.

    Their cultivation speed increased thanks to the boundless pure heavenly qi surrounding the space.

    Sometimes, it even shocked Ghu Sota how strong he had be.

    He felt at his current strength, he could stop a moderate-sized ne in mid-air like Superman.

    Never in his life did he feel that such a thing was possible until he saw Dorian''s true identity.

    As one of the top inner sect disciples among thousands, how could he be allowed to fight now?

    No way.

    The thousands and thousands would have to fight among themselves for the next 4 days. And thest 10 standing would have a chance topete for any of the top 100 seats.

    If they should win again, let''s say the 100th person or 99th person, those people will immediately be swapped out.

    After theirpetition, then... thepetition among the top 100 will begin.

    This was thepetition many were most looking forward to watching.

    From the 11th position to the 100th position, these people could challenge themselves for a chance to climb up their ranks.

    A person from the 50th person could challenge a person in the 41st position if they felt they could do it.

    If you loosen you''ll still maintain your position.

    This was just a chance for everyone to advance to one or several positions if feeling confident.

    And finally, once the ranking from 11th ce to 100th ce is determined, the battle room would then be opened for these people topete with the top 10.

    Hey... maybe number 11 feels they can challenge the person in the 10th rank.

    You never know.

    Once again after their chance forpeting with the top 10 was over, it will then be the moment for the top 10 topete with themselves.

    Number 2 can choose to fight against number 1 or number 5 can choose to fight against number 3.

    Either way, everyone could only challenge those above them

    Why would you want to challenge anyone with a lesser ranking?

    If you unexpectedly lose, won''t you get demoted in rank instead?

    Such a thing would be very shameful to experience, even for them.

    This was the summary of how Rankingpetitions were done.

    Everyone was fighting to be at least within the top 100 because that was where the perks truly awed the masses, especially if one was in the top 10 or top 30.

    ----

    Today was the opening day for thepetitions.

    Ghu Sota was among the top 30 but had to show his face only for today.

    Within the next few days, he could choose to be absent until the battle between the top 100 began.

    Well, he also had to be present because certain people in his family would kill him if he didn''t show up.

    Yes, he was talking about his grandmother, his father and his grandfather.

    His father, Ghu Dwo, was among the top ten, alongside Wei Gia, Jung Hou and a few others.

    Donghai Gia was surprisingly in 11th ce, and a few people from their Ghu n also showed great promise too.

    Reaching a distance away from the scene, Ghu Sota and one of his buddies Yangdor, immediately adjusted themselves, raising their heads high to not disgrace their titles.

    "Look! Look! It''s senior Ghu Sota! He''s ranked 21 on the list!"

    "Amazing! I heard his ultimate skill, Hurricane Chaos, is so strong it not only destroyed an entire stage but also KO''d his opponent with one strike in thest rankingpetition."

    "Damn! So bad?"

    Several disciples looked at Gu Sota in awe.

    Do you think they were talking about the destruction of any ordinary stage or battle tform here?

    The first thing to know is that all battle stages were divided in rank too, depending on how strong they were.

    These stages were meant to withstand heavy attacks.

    If they were as flimsy as ordinary cement or floorings in the outside world, the attacksunched by the disciples would not only easily destroy these tform stages, but also create deep craters underneath the floors.

    And as they say, no house can stand on an unsteady foundation.

    These tforms were greatly fortified to withstand the pressure and the heat, with disciples only leaving a few cracks and stomps on the many tform battle stages.

    So for Ghu Sota to destroy one in all directions from a single attack made many feel their scalps tingle.

    F***! Even from afar when watching in the audience Space, many felt the pressure from his Hurricane Chaos.

    Sure enough, as the heir to the Ghu n, this guy wasn''t a kid to be trifled with

    Many wouldn''t help looking at him with awe and reverence, feeling extremely honored to have their eyes graced with his presence.

    For some who were at the 4000th to 4200th positions on the ranking list, do you know how much their eyes were twinkling when seeing Ghu Sota in the 21st position?

    Damn!

    It was like seeing a God God himself descend.

    No matter how silly, foolish or idiotic Ghu Sota might seem to those within his strength group, those below had filters in their eyes, blind to his silly nature.

    (+0+)

    ---

    "Sota, you are here!"

    A few more friends within his strength group called, inviting Sota and Yangdor over.

    Yandor was in the 17th position.

    He and Sota had be very good friends.

    They were like berries that came in twos because where you see one, another wasn''t far off, unless on missions or rare asions.

    Ghu Dwo who saw his son appearing from a distance, felt his unsteady heart finally settle.

    Well, so long as the boy was here that was all that mattered. Their Ghu n can''t lose face!

    "h, h, h, h, h~"

    Thepetition grounds were full to the brim and rowdy as thousands and thousands of people gathered to watch andpete in the first set of battles.

    Everyone was both anxious and excited, especially when the elders apanied by Dorian, slowly flew in.

    Words alone couldn''t describe how thrilled and ridiculously excited the crowd became.

    Some even had to ce their hands on their mouths to stop themselves from screaming and fanning out like school girls seeing their crush.

    You don''t understand.

    Seeing the elders was a near-impossible feat unless they decide to show up once in a while to teach what they know.

    Most of the time everyone deals with the lion-head Pandrol and his many clones.

    Since when did they see the elders eyeball to eyeball? They have only been here for almost 2 months, but they already knew just how rare it was to see any elders, talk less of seeing the Grandmaster.

    His case was worse than the elders.

    Many hadn''t seen him for so long it seems it was thousands of years ago theyst saw him.

    In fact, at this point, he might even be a myth.

    But with mythes stories.

    Those disciples were fortunate enough to join some of his missions, came back and retold his great deeds, once again making many tempted to build temples in his name.

    There was no helping it.

    The Grandmaster was someone they felt unworthy to even be in his presence, talk less of breathing the same oxygen as him.

    Their bodies couldn''t help trembling, and their entire beings couldn''t stop breathing hard when looking at the youngster above whose image was greatly magnified in their hearts.

    "Someone pinch me... I''m not dreaming, am I?"

    "F***! I thought like thest rankingpetition, the Grandmaster wouldn''t grace us with his divine presence, but how could I have known I would be so wrong? Luckily I didn''t disrespect him by showing upte."

    "Wipe! Does anyone know a way to burn images into my eyes? I''m afraid I might forget such a feat one day"

    "Mommy... why does the Grandmaster look so handsome again? At this point won''t he bepeting for Mr. World?"

    "Idiot, who else in this world can be the most good-looking if not for the Grandmaster? And does he even need topete with others for us to know how great he is?"

    "Damn! I must study hard to one day be an elder. Only in this way can I be close to the Grandmaster!"

    (?+��+?)

    ---

    Like so, the crowd went wild, watching Dorian and the elders finally take to their seats.

    And just like that, the host took to the stage, announcing the perks and purpose of thepetition.

    "Everyonepeting should please stand around your appointed battle stages!"

    With over 80 small battle stages around many quickly found their stage numbers, knowing their time hade.

    Pumping their fists together, they quickly jumped on the stage, ready to give it their all.

    "Let''s do this!"

 Chapter 477 A Great Battle To Behold

    Chapter 477 A Great Battle To Behold

    "Next."

    Reagan stepped forward, humbly taking the random number tag assigned to him.

    Number 202, Arena 11.

    The small carved que showed his battle order for the day.

    He knew he would be fighting after the first 7 matches, so he had to stay close by.

    Around Arena 11 over 80 people gathered.

    When watching, he wasn''t so nervous any longer, as he focused on observing their techniques and listening to thements from many others.

    After all, everyone will still get to fight each other sometimeter on.

    The method of assessing victories was simple.

    Today, everyone had to have entered at least 15 fights.

    If you win a fight, you get points.

    The fights are with random opponents, so even those who lose their first match but still end up with higher points if they did well in their other 14 matches.

    This system will carry on for the next 4 days until everyone has fought 45 matches.

    Of course, every day,petitors had 3 break times whenever they wanted or felt their noises were up to standard and needed a rest before continuing.

    From early morning tote evening, thepetition would carry on.

    Some matches ended in a few seconds because a very strong person was paired with a very weak person.

    Sometimes some matchessted more than 5 minutes.

    No matter what, no match can go longer than an hour.

    The match would be forcefully stopped and the one with the least injuries or the onest standing will be the victor.

    Another way to win is to get your opponent out of the arena.

    If you force them out, it''s a win for you.

    After the first 4 days, everyone is then grouped in teams ording to their strengths.

    Those with 5 points are grouped, and those with 45 points are also grouped.

    They battle it among themselves to find their urate ranking, by also umting more winning points too.

    It was simple and straightforward.

    Following this, the top 10 among the top tier group (those with 45 points), will decide to either challenge anyone from the top 100 or not.

    The whole thing took a long time, but very worth it in everyone''s view, as it gave them a chance to rank up even if they lost 1 or 2 first battles.

    ----

    Grabbing the soil underneath his feet, Reagan rubbed his hands as a sign of good luck.

    He has always done this, even when he was a police officer in the special Task forces.

    It was funny that when he was in school, he never felt so nervous about grades or exams.

    But now at 28 years of age, he felt butterflies churning so badly in his belly it began to distract him.

    Sigh... the wait was killing him, as he began tapping his feet anxiously.

    "Hey, Reagan, you''re here too?"

    "Sister Megan, so you''re assigned to this arena?"

    Officer Megan nodded wryly.

    They were very close to each other, so when she got assigned she was hoping to not see him here.

    But who knew fate wanted them to battle it out?

    Reagan chuckled, feeling the butterflies in his belly fade when seeing someone else more worried than he was.

    "It''s going to be fine. I''m sure you''ll get a high ranking by the end of it all. And even if we do meet each other in there, let''s just give it our best. The one who cannot hold on any longer will forfeit."

    "Yeah..." Officer Megan agreed, knowing Reagan was stronger than she whenst they fought. But who is to say during this time she had not ranked up her skills too?

    Indeed, she was curious at what level he reached with his special technique.

    Unlike many others who loved drawing out physical weapons, Reagan specialized in Time seemed to fly by in a twinkle of an eye, as 4 out of the first battles ended with many opponents forfeiting.

    Calligraphy/Painting.

    In short, he was a 2-star Calligraphy Talisman Master.

    It was always interesting to watch his battles.

    ---

    Time seemed to fly by in a twinkle of an eye, as 4 out of the first battles ended with many opponents forfeiting.

    It''s not that they didn''t want to try, but that their opponents were famously stronger people they were familiar with.

    Sure.

    The real famous people are those within the top 100.

    But for someone in position 4230,peting with someone in position 2100, who do you think will win?

    For those in the 4000~4400 positions, those in the 2000s were famous in their eyes too.

    Thus, knowing where they stood and knowing the realm of possibilities for them, why should they waste energy on a battle that they were bound to lose?

    It''s better to save their energy and fight others they are sure to win.

    Many thought so, as they forfeited with a humble bow while watching their ques around their necks burn a front score on it.

    Losses: 1

    Victories: 0.

    It was sad and painful but they knew there was no other way.

    At least, they can fight those around 3000-range positions.

    If you want them to fight those at 2000 or 1000, then they must be joking.

    Likewise, some at the 2000 positions, would even dare fight others at the 300 position.

    Reagan was fortunately at the 510th position, so he found that his first match of the day was victorious with him lifting a finger.

    His opponent forfeited.

    (-_-)

    His next match was in Arena 28, which he obliged.

    There, he was finally paired with someone surprisingly slightly higher than him.

    It was a person ranked at the 506th position.

    Though strong, he too has improved since thest rankingpetition, so it was hard to say who would get thestugh.

    When it''s your turn to battle and you''re not here, maybe because you were held up with another battle, your battle will be pushed back in the rotation to thest ce.

    Just ensure toplete all 15 battles for the day.

    Each battle canst at most 1 hour, but a majority of battlesst only 5~10 minutes.

    So in under 6~7 hours, many are done for the day.

    It''s up to you to ensure all 15 battles are met.

    ----

    "Number 202 vs Number 708. Prepare for battle."

    Bam!

    Both Reagan and his opponent jumped on stage, recognizing each other but saying nothing.

    They humbly bowed, before stepping back and taking battle stance.

    Well, for Reagan, he calmly reached for his long, parchment scroll and his ink brush, while his open reached for his twin des.

    Already, the audience could tell it was going to be an entertaining battle.

    "Disciple Reagan, might I say, I''ve always admired your battle prowess. Who doesn''t know that within the Talisman Association, you are ranked 11th along the many?"

    If Reagan''s cultivation level was higher he wouldn''t be at the 510th position.

    Who knows... maybe during this time, his cultivation level wasn''t the only thing to grow.

    Today, he wondered what sort of battle prowess Reagan would show him.

    Well, Reagan''s opponent was a battle fanatic.

    He liked engaging with stronger opponents even if he lost, he would feel it very worthwhile. (^0^)

    "Likewise" Reagan, acknowledged in amusement. "The feeling is mutual. I heard you were also famous on a mission just recently. I heard when out with the Grandmaster, you were one of the disciples to catch his eyes. This alone says you''re nothing to underestimate too."

    What?

    Who is number 708? And who is this number 202?" Many around the arena had jaws dropped listening to their conversation.

    Some knew them both, some knew just one of them, and others werepletely clueless about them.

    F***!

    The duo had set the mood for the battle so high that many wished they now had popcorn to enjoy the show with.

    One of Pandrol''s many clones had an entertained smile on his lips raising his hands to begin the match.

    "Begin!"

    "Asmodian Twin des of Thunder!"

    Reagan''s opponent suddenly had purple lighting shing out from his eyes, body and des, as he ran and plunged so high in the high with his twin sword before sending a brutal streak of thick lightning descending Reagan''s way.

    Bam!

    Those weaker could only see things in after shes, as they inwardly concluded it was a loss for Reagan.

    F***!

    If it was them they would have been blown out of the arcana with that single move.

    But when the dust settled, their eyes magnified exaggeratedly, after seeing the many figures surrounding Reagan.

    "Ahhhh! I see! I see now! He pulled them out from his parchment scroll!"

    "Awesome!"

    "Amazing!"

    "So this is what calligraphy and paint masters do?"

    No way!

    Everyone saw several giants exiting a mist of ck inlet appetite with shields and swords, as they blocked the attack, protecting Reagan.

    Bahahahhahahahha~

    Reagan''s opponentnded seeded feet back, and couldn''t helpughing with glee, twirling both swords with undisguised excitement.

    "Good, good, good! You didn''t let me down! Now,e... let me see just how powerful your ink creatures truly are."

    Reagan smiled. "With pleasure."

    And just like that, all 4 ink giant megazords as well as Reagan''s opponent, charged at each other with everything they had.

    BAM!

 Chapter 478 A Solution Is Born

    478 A Solution Is Born

    (Q��Q)

    "Wow! My brain just asked me why I''m crying, and I told it to wait patiently for vital feedback from my eyeballs."

    "Awesome!"

    "Great! Too good!"

    "Worthy of their big ranks."

    "Damn. When will I be this strong? Looking to the heavens for answers please."

    All Around, many were amazed by the battle. It was almost a tie, but ended with Reagan''s opponent winning.

    Reagan had to admit he wasn''t the only one who practiced hard during this period.

    For his loss, he wasn''t dissatisfied.

    The duo gripped hands and said nothing, but their silence was enough words they needed.

    Loses: 1

    Victories: 1

    That was the updated score on his que.

    Reagan clenched his fist, determined to minimize his losses for the day.

    By early mid-day, he had 3 losses and 8 victories.

    Alright... 4 more battles to go.

    Since they were random, it was hard to say how his battles would go.

    Just like that, the grand rankingpetitionsmenced without a hitch.

    4 days shed by in a blink of an eye, as Reagan found himself with a total of 39 out of 45.

    But here was the thing.

    There were 67 others with the same score.

    Thus, it was time they battled themselves to determine their ranking.

    In the end the dust set held several more dayster, with Reagan finding himself at the 508th position within the Inner Sect.

    Amazing!

    He jumped from the 10th spot to the 8th.

    Don''t think it was nothing because it was only 2 paces up.

    His current position was hard-earned with his sweat and blood through rigorous training.

    Phew~

    Now that thepetition for them was over, he could finally be a true audience, watching thepetition between the top 100.

    Well, he was satisfied with his current ranking. But next time he swore to break through the 500th ce, renting the 400 range.

    Only by aiming higher can one excel more.

    He also bore in mind that just as he was training hard, so did the other disciples. No one was cking off here.

    If anyone truly fell at the bottom, it was because of their innate abilities which meant they had to work twice, sometimes 4 times harder.

    It was unfair but no 10 fingers are equal.

    Once you understand that, you be more and more content in life.

    It''s not like they aren''t powerful already.

    To those in the outer sect, the bottom ones in the Inner sect were super amazing already.

    Understand that no matter what position you are in life, there will always be someone who envies you.

    Once new disciples enter, they too will envy the outer disciples, if any advance from Handymen.

    Such is life.

    Again, once public knowledge of what they do goes out, many would enjoy those with weak innate abilities too.

    So what if their innate abilities were weak?

    At least they got epted into the academy.

    What about those who get turned down and rejected when the testing crystal ball doesn''t glow up in various colors?

    What about them?

    In life learn to be content and grateful at every stage in your life no matter how small the victory.

    This was a fact Reagan greatly understood while in the Academy.

    Once you start fighting monsters and seeing scarier things, all the little problems from before be nonexistent.

    It was like watching a toddler cry about a broken crayon when you know you can go to the store and grab one and almost no cost.

    It was also the same as watching them cry when you make their nose ''disappear.''

    They will cry over that simple magic trick after you tell them you''ve taken their nose.

    If they just touched their faces, they would realize their noses were with them all along.

    What can he say?

    Now that was how Reagan saw many worldly issues, especially those concerning greed, lust and power.

    When you sit back and think about it, a lot of issues stem from inted egos, greed and dishonesty.

    If you don''t give in to your hatred, calmly take in deep breaths and look for solutions with a clear head, tire bound to solve your problems.

    If they do involve supernatural forces, Reagan swore he and the academy disciples would do their best to grow strong and save a day.

    Who didn''t dream of being a superhero when they were younger?

    (^_^)

    Just like that, life in the academy progressed excitingly, but all was not well in the outside world.

    ----

    Drumming his fingers on his table, Chen Su was getting more and more ufortable.

    How many days has it been?

    More than a week has gone by and no news hase out of his search at all.

    People in power such as himself must always get a good grasp of everything happening in their surroundings, especially within the city.

    He gave his men a 2-week deadline to get information on Old Gia and his group.

    But only 4 more days are left before the deadline expires and no tangible news has emerged.

    Chen Su frowned.

    Things can''t keep going on like this!

    ''If I don''t make a bold and obvious move, they might continue remaining in the shadows for as long as they like.''

    There are many things Chen Su wanted to confirm.

    For one, seeing the group moving on their feet would mean they weren''t in some critical ident that left them bedridden.

    Understand this.

    If all 3 of them were bedridden at once, it meant there was a potential that some powerful unknown enemy was secretly taking out leaders of the Prominent families.

    In that case, shouldn''t he prepare for the worse too?

    In Chen Su''s world, there was no such thing as coincidences.

    What are the odds that all 3 of them would be bedridden at the same time?

    Maybe they are all abroad in private hospitals with their information stamped as ssified.

    Perhaps this was why he couldn''t find them.

    Indeed, it was very odd because even someone like Old Hou loved staying in his grand hospital 24/7.

    And snow all of a sudden, he stops?

    Now all of a sudden, he is nowhere to be found and you think that''s normal?

    The old bastard has spent most of his time from young to old in his many hospitals.

    So unless it was something very important, he won''t leave for so long.

    Maybe he was fine but was the one taking care of Old Gia and Old Ghu somewhere abroad.

    Guesses, guesses, guesses...

    Everything was making Chen Su paranoid.

    He hated having things out of his control.

    "Yes, master?"

    15:34

    Turning to his head butler in the mansion, Chen Su quickly gave his orders.

    "Xavier!"

    "Yes, master?"

    "I''m thinking of hosting a grand ball."

    "A ball? May I ask whatever for, master?"

    What''s the asion?

    (?~?)

    Unless he was getting rusty, his private calendar showed no such important events desirable for a Grand ball.

    As Head Butler, he knew much more about important Su n dates than Chen Su himself.

    He knew everyone''s birthday, knew when schools resumed, knew when different important n celebrations were held, and also knew vital business celebrations too.

    After working in the Su n''s main estate for decades now, he knew things at the tip of his tongue.

    Thinking hard, he couldn''te up with any reason why his master wanted to host a grand ball now.

    It couldn''t be heirship since the future heir was still in school.

    But who was he to question the master?

    If it''s a grand ball the master wants, a grand ball he shall get, one that does not shame the Su n.

    "What theme are we going for?"

    "Royalty... let everyone awe at the sight of our splendor. This time, we will also take a step further than usual by inviting all females in the Young master''s ss."

    He didn''t need toe up with any reason for hosting the ball, as many would assume he was looking for a future wife for his son, the heir.

    No one would think he was doing this to bring out the other prominent families to show up.

    It was almost a rule that when any of the Big 6 hosted events, the others must show up as a form of respectability and a sign of unity to show they are at peace with each other.

    If you won''t be able to make it, you must call one on the phone with Chen Su to schedule an appointment where you all meet face-to-face and talk about why you can''t go.

    The reason can be flimsy but the respect must be shown by you showing up.

    Chen Su felt that either way, he would get to see the trio whether they attend the ball or not!

    This was forcing them out.

    He had to confirm their state with his own 2 eyes.

    "As always, I''ll leave the preparations to you, Xavier."

    "Yes, master."

    With that, Chen Su''s matter was dealt with.

    Peace was once again restored, but not for others.

    In a street on the other side of town, several children were jumping and ying merrily, until they heard a family tune ring out.

    "Everyone, the Ice Cream Man is here!"

    Yes...

    The Ice Cream man was indeed here.

    Now, who wants ice cream?

 Chapter 479 Children Of All kinds

    479 Children Of All kinds

    Ice cream man!

    Ice cream man!

    Yay!

    It''s the ice cream man!

    (^��^)

    �C-----

    The familiar music flooded the street, causing the children to plunge forward with smiles and jumpy hair.

    Ah, youth...

    It was indeed a beautiful thing.

    These children already knew the schedule for the ice cream man, purposefully ying outside in wait.

    Shucks.

    Why do you think modern children like themselves would want to y outside rather than indoors with the President Barbie collections,puters, MMORPG games and so on?

    What are they? In the 80s?

    Look... they could ride tricycles, jump rope, and roll around in the grass.

    But doing it for so long gets too boring.

    Do you know how long some have ying outside?

    It''s over 2 hours now because they just didn''t want to miss the ice cream man.

    Don''t ask them why their bodies often disagreed with them if they waited indoors.

    You could say it would be smart to sit and wait for the beautician melody to y before going out.

    But many times the children found themselves asleep, only to wake up a few minutes or an hourter when the ice cream man has already gone.

    Sorry.

    Their small bodies were prone to sleep with the leastfortability it found.

    If the house was too warm, they slept.

    If it was slightly colder, they also huddled onto their favorite nkies and slept.

    Also understand that before the ocean cream man''s drive-through schedule, as children, they have already jumped, danced, moved and yed a lot in the early mornings after breakfast.

    So after lunch, many seriously get tempted to take a nap.

    But as they say, when there''s a will, there''s a way.

    Many purposefully made ns with the neighbor children to meet outside and y immediately after lunch.

    That''s right.

    They found a way to beat the system.

    They sometimes yed tag, and other times role-yed as viins and superheroes inics.

    Welp.

    This has gone on for long on the days when they knew the ice cream man typically drove by.

    After sitting on the curb and eating their ice cream together, they finally break apart and head back home to nap.

    Their n was sleep-proof, ensuring they never missed a single Ice Cream day.

    As for where they got their money from, it was of course their allowance.

    Depending on the chores they do around their homes, their parents would sometimes give them pennies and even a Vyn bill instead.

    In a month, some got 10 Vyns and others got a crips 15 Vyn bill.

    A cone of delicious ice cream costs 1~1.75 Vyn, depending on what they add on top of their ice cream like sprinkles or strawberries.

    Yay!

    Can you imagine how many ice creams they can get with their monthly allowance of 10 Vyns?

    The ice cream truck drives by only once a week.

    So that''s 4 times a month.

    .

    Some spent 5 Vyns on ice cream a month while others spent 8 Vyns on Ice Cream.

    But no matter what, most children always saved a fraction of their allowance.

    Some preferred to hoard them and head toic stores to buyics, and others preferred buying small action figures.

    But some were extremelyzy, not wanting to do chores for the first week of the next month.

    How exactly does that work?

    Their parents told them that if they didn''t want to do chores like organizing their rooms and doing simple things like putting their toys away�� then they have to pay them, the parents, to do it for them.

    Like so, the children would give their parents 2~4 Vyns, which represents what they usually received per week.

    It was funny that these children would save theirst month''s allowance just to pay off their parents so they don''t have to work or do any chores during the first week of the next month.

    These children thought they were being smart, but they were losing a lot more money than they thought since they were only getting paid for 2 weeks in a month.

    Week 1, they don''t get pay.

    Week 2 and 3, they do receive pay.

    In week 4, they save everything just to hand it back over to their parents the uing week of the new month.

    It was silly how they thought they were winning.

    Many also envied them for not getting to do chores.

    Children were just like that, and quite frankly, the parents of these children wanted them to learn valuable lessons in life.

    There will be a time they realize they are losing.

    Doing their chores only took at most 2 hours a day to do, sometimes taking 15 minutes.

    Their peers gritted their teeth, did their chores and made twice more money than them, while they sat back and lost more.

    .

    On the flip side, it also depends on what one considers to be Losing.

    Some people don''t value money that much, only valuingfortability and freedom.

    Their children resourced their staff (parents), so they could have a break perhaps for their mental health.

    Growing up, it depends on how content you are in life.

    Maybe these children are satisfied with how much they get per month.

    It is alsomendable that they were able to save enough to pay off their parents for the following week, as well as budget and save enough to also buy ice cream without fail in the week they don''t receive pay.

    These Parents have heard that many of those who did their chores and got paid all 4 weeks, ended up saving little to nothing.

    Yet, their children who seemedzy were the ones to sit down, n out and manage the staff (parents) in theirpanies (homes) while also having the freedom to do as they liked doing that first week.

    Heck.

    If they were millionaires, they would be on yachts and luxurious sites.

    But as children, the things they did were at games online and did so many things without their parents nagging that the other neighboring children always envied them as being lucky.

    These children were so smart that they could quicklye up with solutions that made their lives better and rxed.

    Everything boiled down to management.

    It honestly depended on how one saw it.

    These parents did not know whether to smack theziness out of their beat of their children ormend them for their intelligence.

    If this question was thrown to the masses online, which child group would most parents prefer?... The one who was diligent and hardworking but hardly saved or the one who waszy but learned management on his own, saving even more than his peers.

    Honestly, it was a tie because both had good and bad traits that needed tweaking.

    ----

    Wow!

    "Ice cream man! The Ice Cream Man is here!"

    Immediately abandoning their toys, scooter, tricycles and jump ropes, the group carried their little legs with some stumbling but not caring.

    Usually, they would cry but how can they care about this little pain when the ice cream truck was here?

    Please! Get your priorities right, okay?

    "Big Ben! Big Ben!"

    One of the children called out behind another chubby fellow.

    Pausing, the chubby fellow turned to look at the skinny guy beside him.

    "What is it this time? You want me to cover you again?"

    "Please, big Ben!"

    The chubby guy thought for a while before agreeing. "I can do it, but I''ve already covered you 4 times now. My dad said sometimes, even if one is a friend, we must have a clear line between interests. So what''s in it for me if I cover you this time?"

    "Well, what about my Gctica Androidic edition, Issue K101?"

    "Not enough. Forget about the ice cream."

    "No. No. No! I''ll also throw in my Blue Alien Prince Motzar from the Xelongang too! I know you like it very much."

    "Okay, deal. This also covers the cost of thest 4 times I covered you. Now, we shake hands. I''ve seen my dad do that whenever he and his friends agree on something."

    "Me too! I''ve seen them do that too."

    Fat Ben shook the skinny guy''s guy''s hands happily, thinking of what goodies he got from the exchange.

    As they stood behind the line of children grabbing ice cream, the skinny got couldn''t help sighing like a deted balloon.

    "Big Ben, you are very lucky and rich! I heard you have a secret stack of more than 81 Vyns stored in your home. How did you do it?"

    "The question should be for you. You vet all 4 weekly allowances and you still fall short of getting your ice cream? Our money goes to 2 things. Toys and ice cream. You have to bnce them up and make sure you save half of what you get every time."

    "I�C"

    "Let me ask you this. Must you always get the most expensive ice cream? Sure it tastes great, but don''t you have strawberries, and other things are home? Why don''t you just see the ones in your fridge rather than paying extra for uncle ice cream man to use his?"

    Big Ben didn''t understand why his buddy who made twice more than him in a month, was always broke.

    He on the other hand had been saving his allowances for 2 and a half years now.

    Every birthday, his allowance goes up by 1 Vyn.

    At present, he was one of the richest kids on the block.

    Sigh��

    Reaching his turn, Big Ben was just about to order when his eyes caught wind of something

    mysterious.

    Eh?

    Was it his imagination or did he see a worm swim in the ice cream his friend was holding? (''��_��'')

    He must have seen it wrong, right?

 Chapter 480 Mom Is A Blue Leg!

    Chapter 480 Mom Is A Blue Leg!

    "What''s the matter, kid?... Don''t want your ice cream anymore?"

    Big Ben stared at Uncle Ice Cream Man, feeling a wave of fear prate his body.

    Something was off.

    Don''t ask him why he felt something was off today, but this Uncle Ice Cream wasn''t the same as their usual uncle they see.

    Don''t think just because they are children, they can''t sense malice.

    Typically, when Uncle ice cream man is here, everyone jumps and screams happily, talking to him about his day.

    But look all around.

    Although everyone is eating ice cream gluttonously, no one dared to strike up a conversation with uncle ice cream man.

    They got their ocean cream and ran away, feeling something was off but not knowing exactly what it was.

    Many only shrugged their shoulders and continued eating ice cream as far away from the ice cream man as they could.

    They couldn''t even raise their faces to meet this uncle''s eyes.

    But for Big Ben who wasst on the line, the moment he looked deeply at the uncle, he instinctively knew the 2 were not the same.

    Was it Uncle Ice cream man''s evil twin brother here today?

    Big Ben was smarter than his peers and also resourceful.

    He knew it seemed ridiculous to suspect a worm in his ice cream, but he still chose to believe it.

    Getting the ice cream, he put on an innocent and simple front, thanking Uncle Ice Cream happily, before skipping behind his friends with a side eye while watching the ice cream van drive off out of their block.

    "Everyone drop it now!"

    "What? Why?"

    "Nau-ugh!~"

    "Big Ven, you can''t bully us like this! I''m... I''m going to tell my mommy."

    "Yeah, yeah... I''ll tell my daddy you want my ice cream too."

    In a sh, it became a crying zone outside, as parents and elder siblings who were tasked with watching them quickly came out to investigate the matter.

    "Baby, what''s wrong?"

    "Little sister... why are you crying so much on a nice Saturday like this?"

    .

    Children will be children.

    Very quickly, they plunged into the arms of their loved ones, though miraculously holding their ice cream well without letting it drop.

    While crying rivers they wasted no time telling on Big Ben,beling him as a bully.

    Inwardly, most parents and elder siblings did not believe it.

    Who doesn''t know big Ben, this smart kid?

    In normal times Big Ben was toozy to roll over, talk less of rising to put up a front and bully their children.

    How to say it?

    He was justzy at everything, including the energy to force others to bend to his will.

    One day, one of their children asked Big Ben why he isn''t their Boss.

    Do you know what Big Ben did?

    He brought crayons and paper, detailing why it was troublesome.

    From security costs to hire them and keep all children obedient to his leadership, to the paperwork it took to ensure all employees in his management were well fed and looked after.

    He described it as running apany.

    Many parents were shocked by how far his thinking was.

    No wonder he is always the best in school too.

    He could do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division like a pro.

    When asked what he wanted to be growing up, Big Ben said he wanted to be a salted fish, who justid down, enjoyed his life and did whatever he wanted to do whenever he felt like it.

    He even stated that he understood money was necessary to maintain such a life, and he would grow to own many businesses in the future to secure his life as a salted fish.

    When others said they wanted to be presidents of the country, astronauts, heroes and so on... Big Ben already knew his dreams of being a billionaire.

    He never made any unnecessary moves, was extremely smart, and liked maneuvering around life as if he was ying chess.

    The surprising thing about it was that his parents were very ordinary, but very honest people.

    You wouldn''t think of them birthing such a smart child.

    They didn''t look like it at all.

    .

    Big Ben��

    Everyone also saw that this boy''s potential was limitless.

    You have to know that many have tried teaching their children on learning how to save at such a tender age, but even when their children save, the moment temptation flies in, like adverts on the TV or the sounds of the ice cream truck, all caution is blown to the wind.

    These children would buy even when they didn''t have to.

    Yet, Big Ben had so much control that there were times he didn''t take his weekly ice cream.

    He was extremely wealthy among the children, sometimes lending them money to buy toys andics, but they must write down their names with crayons and signed, promising to pay him back before the appointed deadline.

    If they paidte, Big Ben gave them a sanction of 1% added payments they had to give.

    He knew everyone''s allowance pay dates and would send 2 of his best friends to go collect the money one by one.

    With hisziness do you think he would do it himself?

    Of course, the amazing thing was that he also ensured his best friends never did it for free.

    He would pay them with a portion of the 1% interest collected from everyone.

    Sometimes, he would pay them off using new toys or limited edition items he knew were hot sellers.

    Another amazing thing to note about Big Ben was that, in addition to his savings maxed from his allowance, he had another 55 Vyn savings from money gifts throughout the years.

    Every holiday, each grandparent gave him 5~10 Vyn Bills. Aunties and uncles have also been giving him Bill for thest 2 and a half years now.

    His savings from his allowances added up to 81 Vyns, and his savings from holidays added up to 55 Vyns.

    In total, he had 136 Vyns!

    Do you know how big that amount is for children?

    F***!

    That was like hitting the jackpot, and that''s why Big Ben was sort of the bank around here.

    Whether you were a cute girl or a burly boy, Big Ben showed no favors in the face of interest and afortable life.

    He was a very fair person.

    So though he might bezy, he had the true workings of a future Boss.

    .

    All in all, every parent and guardian somewhat understood what he could do and what he could not.

    That''s why when they heard Big Ben bullied their children, many instinctively felt there should be a misunderstanding somewhere.

    It''s not that they didn''t want to believe their own children, but who made their brats at home very unreliable and dramatic?

    Seeing how calm Big Ben was, and then looking at their children who were crying with some rolling on the grass while still miraculously holding their ice cream well... the parents and guards were once again convinced there should be a misunderstanding somewhere.

    One of them coughed, showing a friendly smile to Big Ben.

    "Benjamin, Aunty knows you are a good boy. But can you tell us why they say that of you?"

    "MOM!"

    Instantly, the boy rolling on the ground underneath the woman was in shock, grabbing her ankle with a betrayed look.

    "I just said he bullied us and you''re asking him what he did? Mon, are you slow?"

    "_"

    You know... the woman felt more and more that her son should''ve been thrown into a river when he was born since his head was always flooded with nonsense.

    Pfft~

    Many couldn''t hold back their chuckles, feeling that innocent children were the most savage.

    But soon, their expressions changed when they saw their own children and siblings look them in the eyes as though betrayed too.

    "Daddy, has Aunty''s ear been affected by her old age? Is that why she didn''t hear us when we said we were bullied by Big Ben?"

    "Yes, yes, sister. Can it be that because Aunty is 215 years old, she can''t hear well anymore?"

    Many guardians looked at the young 31-year-old woman awkwardly, wishing they could find a hole to bury their children in.

    What was the point of sending them to school if they didn''t understand simple math?

    How does she look 215?

    (-_-)

    Well, perhaps to them, it seems all adults might look ancient in their eyes, excluding their parents and grandparents.

    .

    Soon, the boy who looked at his mother betrayed, couldn''t help sobbing even more. "Mom! I think you''re what Grandpa calls in his stories a blue leg!"

    "I think you mean ck leg."

    "Blue, ck, white, orange, what''s the difference? All is a leg! They are all rats!"

    "Moles." The mother corrected again, feeling her patience running thin.

    This idiot son of hers wasining while crying and licking the dripping ice cream he felt so well in one hand while making his point rolling on the grass.

    Now with such a son, she was sure Big Ben had been misunderstood.

    How dare her brat call her a ck leg? That''s the term meant for betrayers!

    Rolling her eyes the woman tried to get rid of the annoying fooltched on her leg while staring at fat Ben as warmly as she could... though everyone could see veins popping out her forehead.

    "Don''t be afraid. Aunty is here. Why don''t you tell us what really happened?" (Emphasis on the REALLY)

    Big Ben nodded, exining his facts in a well-organized manner.

    And the parents heard, the more and more suspicious they became.

    That''s Right.

    Their children all sensed someone off with the ocean cream man before but they were all too dumb to pinpoint it clearly as Big Ben.

    Every parent''s face turned grim.

    They didn''t believe there was any worm swimming in the ice cream.

    What they suspected was that there might be poison or someone deadly inside instead.

    "Throw it down now!"

    Pah!

    The woman smacked the ice cream cone out of her son''s hand, forcing him to cry.

    "Blue leg! Blue leg! Mom, you are a betrayer and a bully!"

    "Shut up! We are going to the hospital now!"

    In a sh, many did the same, smacking the ice cream out of the children''s hands while carrying the crying idiots away for checkups.

    They soon paused and gave a deep bow to Big Ben.

    "Thank you."

    Big Ben was fine, but his older sister still threw him in the car and drove him to the hospital.

    One can never be too sure.

 Chapter 481 A complicated Psycho

    481 Aplicated Psycho

    In a massive hospital belonging to the great Hou family, many nurses and attending doctors were pulled by the sudden influx of children today.

    The ce had turned into a kindergarten and day center, with countless children crying, squirming about and wiggling for mercy, very scared of being at a hospital.

    Who wouldn''t be scared?

    Wasn''t this the ace with pointy needs, and strange people inb coats that only want to poke and touch their skins randomly?

    (:T0T:)

    .

    Ah yes, many still recalled theirst visits here when the man/woman in white ced stickers in their mouths and shed light in their eyes to see what was going on inside their mouths.

    Many had vivid imaginations, recalling how in some cartoons, these people in white would use giant construction drills in their pateint''s mouths.

    Gulp.

    Their tongues were not freed from the hands of these wicked people in white.

    This was the ce true evil was born, so why would they want to be here?

    It became a cry fest here, with many looking at their guardians who betrayed them more than twice today.

    "Mom! Am I really yours?"

    "Yeah, Dad. Don''t you love me anymore?"

    "Big sis, you are bullying too much! When Dades back from work, I will tell on you!"

    The older sister of 20 chuckled. "Sure. You do that, tattletale. You won''t have to wait for too long because Dad is already on his way."

    Many older siblings couldn''t help wondering if they were this stupid and naive when younger.

    At this rate, won''t their younger siblings one day get kidnapped with how stupid they are?

    Well, no matter how much the children cried and wiggled their guardians still held on to them well, lest they ran away from the hospital when they were distracted.

    This wasn''t a joke.

    Some had even heard the whispers of their little ones who spoke to other children making ns to escape and run back home.

    The fools didn''t even know the way back home from here. So wouldn''t they be more likely to get lost?

    (~w~)

    If they did, they might be trafficked or taken into a strange vehicle by bad people.

    Once again, everyone felt after this whole fiasco ended, they must educate the children even more.

    Such Stupidity was enough to cause all bad guys to swarm their way in the future.

    .

    As for why there were so many children, it was because some of the parents, siblings or rtives who stayed back home didn''t just let things go like this.

    They not only called the police to report the matter but also headed for the nearby blocks, telling the guardians of what happened.

    Understand that the ice cream truck passed through several blocks, including theirs around the area before leaving.

    Some homes backed each other, like a home in street/block A sitting on the left, had its garden fence dividing it from another garden fence belonging to a person in Block B, the other side.

    So very quickly, many headed to the garden fence, calling their neighbors and using the matter over the fence.

    What? Such a big thing happened in their neighborhood and they didn''t even know about it.

    Today was Saturday, so most were chilling at home.

    Some parents almost fainted from shock when recalling that their children had already finished eating the ice cream they bought a while back.

    When rushing to see their children, they saw some crying, saying they didn''t feel so good.

    Some even looked deadly pale, as their faces turned ashy white and their lips very blue.

    Ahhhhhh!!!!

    It''s over, it''s over!

    Their babies were poisoned!

    Plop!

    Many dropped their garden equipment and rushed for their car keys, driving off while cursing the ice cream man with every fiber of their being, not even caring that their children were hearing them cus.

    "Hello? 911? Yes, I want to report a crime, a very very horrid, despicable one!... it''s about the Ice cream man who drives around ourne!" (''^'')

    [...]

    [The ice cream--]

    "Yes! The bastard must''ve already poisoned no less than 200 children at this rate!"

    [What? Where is he? Can you describe what he looks like? What is his name? What truck logo is on the vehicle? Are the children alright? Hold on Ma''am help is on the way!]

    .

    The news the police were getting was nonstop about the matter.

    Over 80 parents and gardens had called to report the same incident, some cursing, some crying and some begging for justice.

    They described their children''s blue lips and pale figures, causing the police to fret even more.

    Policemen were already sent to the scene.

    In a vehicle, Detectives Hardy and Shalom were brainstorming on the matter, wondering if this was a case of deep revenge or a case of a random psycho who gets off from torturing children.

    Dammit!

    "Usually, they even choose to leave the children out of things when doing their psycho madness. They drive more pleasure from someone with good enough strength to resist them. That way it makes their killing more fun."

    "That''s true. Why attack so many children and risk getting yourself apprehended... this should be the big question."

    "Hmhm. We might be looking at all this wrong. Maybe the children are the real distraction to keep us looking away from a bigger crime that''s about to bemuted."

    "Shalom, I think you''ve got a solid point there�� Perhaps this isn''t about revenge or some psycho''s way of getting around. Maybe it''s done by some organized syndicate who ns to rob the Armoglian Bank since its headquarters is in the city."

    "No. No. No. I don''t think anyone can ever rob that crazily secured ce. Maybe they are after smaller banks or after some biochemical weapon."

    "But let''s touch on the aspect of revenge again. Although it''s unlikely that everyone in so many blocks had deeply offended the Ice cream man, what if there was no one in particr he was aiming for and the rest were only coteral damage to the cause?"

    "You''re right. It could be that, or... maybe the Ice Cream man had been set up."

    "Hmhm. One of the children (Big Ben), told the parents that he thought it was the Ice cream man''s evil twin. All the other children also felt something off about today''s ice cream man but couldn''t point their fingers at what exactly the problem was."

    "Exactly. Don''t forget that children are more sensitive to such things than us, adults. "

    .

    For a moment, the men fell in silence, as they drove to the ice cream man''s location provided by the operator.

    Finding clues that could pin him down or give them an insight into why he was involved was very important.

    Additionally, they also had to look for clues about whether he was forced to do it by others or was in a terrible bind with no way out.

    "I get that Hardy, but this doesn''t make any sense. He has been honest for the most part of his life. Sure, he was a delinquent when younger, but he changed his life around and became his own boss, making money from selling ice cream."

    "Don''t forget that he also has 3 ice cream trucks with several employees under his belt. What''s more, his ice cream shop in the lower riverside is also doing well."

    "Exactly! So why do this?... I don''t know man... but something is not adding up."

    "That we can agree on."

    Vrmmmmm~

    Like so, the vehicle speeded up significantly, heading to the suspect''s home�� But when they got there, the terrible feeling in their guy couldn''t stop growing heavier by the second.

    None spoke to each other, but came to the side of the door, leaning against the walls with tenor guns in their hands.

    After ringing the doorbell for a while there was still no response.

    It''s possible that he could still be out since the ice cream truck wasn''t here, nor was his private vehicle.

    Don''t ask why a boss of apany would still like driving around in various blocks with ice cream.

    Maybe he enjoyed doing it.

    Hey... there are still some wealthy people who loved doing things like being a cab drivers or school bus drivers.

    People develop odd habits the older they got.

    The suspect was 57 years old this year, single.

    He had a wife, but she and his unborn baby had an ident dying in his younger years.

    Since then, he has never narrowed and never even had another girlfriend or love interest.

    He has already drawn to a will, giving 95% of his money and properties to kid foundations and charity homes.

    As for his niece and her family, he will leave her with just one of his stores upon his death.

    She and her own children can decide what to do with it.

    His house would also be sold and given to charity upon his death.

    The 57-year-old was quite a nice man and truly remarkable in heart, so forgive them for doubting his rtionship with the case.

    It was most likely a setup in their opinion.

    .

    ["Mr. Donald CawingYu, this is the police.]

    --No response.---

    1, 2, 3...

    Bam!

    The door was knocked open, and when they entered the first thing they saw was a severed head.

    The head looked several days old, leaving the duo breathless.

    "This... this... this... if is that Mr. Donald--"

    "Hen who is the one--"

    Ah! Both of them stared at each other with widened eyes.

    (�����)

    "Evil twin!"

 Chapter 482 The Case of Evil Twins.

    482 The Case of Evil Twins.

    Wee-woh~

    Wee-woh~

    The ambnce and police vehicles pulled up, rushing to investigate the crime scene further.

    This time, they were here to seal off the building and gather all microscopic evidence.

    Everything happened just like in the movies, with people flying speedily in all directions wearing protective clothing.

    Only a few detectives came in, trying to analyze how the crime happened.

    "You see the cut through the neck? It''s done so precisely and cleanly, leaving no bombs in its work."

    "What is it? A dagger? A kitchen de? A machete? A synth?"

    "This... we won''t know until those in theb further analyze the head. For now, what we should be looking for is the body.

    What happened to the body? Where did the culprit stash the body? Maybe there will be more clues as to what happened on the body."

    Many detectives were looking for any clue, like signs of lover bracelets that came in pairs or other injuries that could depict how the fight between the victim and the killer went down.

    Although it''s said the man didn''t have records of any existing lovers, who is to know if in secret he met a woman that tickled his fancy and was seeing that said woman or man?

    Right now, they''ve got nothing. Nada.

    The ce is so clean they regretted not discovering the severed head sooner.

    There were no broken windows, no signs of forced entry, nothing caught in the front door camera and nothing out of the ordinary anywhere except for the severed head.

    Many inwardly thought that the killer should''ve cleaned up his tracks since the head looked a few days old.

    This meant the killer had a good head start over them, which was not helpful at all.

    Well, the only thing they could confirm after a few hours of waiting for DNA results was that this man here was the true Ice Cream man, menacing the kid was right... or sort of right.

    You can say evil twin, but since this man had no brothers and wasn''t reported to be a twin upon birth, it''s more likely someone had made a Hyperreal mask of the victim.

    This was the only way to exin why there were 2 Ice cream men with the same faces in the same town. One is dead here and another is on the loose.

    This again puts them at a disadvantage since the real criminal might do away with the hyperreal mask once he feels threatened, and they won''t even know what his true facial identity is.

    Something was also off about the home one they couldn''t quite put their hands on.

    It was very chilly and gave off an ominous aura that made everyone feel on edge.

    It was just a severed head. So why did they get the feeling that its opened eyes were looking at them with hidden intent?

    Creepy... so creepy.

    .

    Immediately Hardy and Shalom took out their walkie to ry the delicateness of the situation.

    "Chief, we''ve got a really hard nut up our asses here. If the ice cream truck is found, we must not engage until we are confident we can take the killer(s) down without letting them escape."

    [I figured as much. Don''t worry boys, we''ve got every street camera looking for that son of a b**ch as we speak... Eagle Squad is already on the case, heading to thest location the truck was spotted. Boys, I''ve got a good feeling about this.]

    "Got it chief... and one more question... as per policy, all strange cases must be reported to the newly formed SN department.... chiefs, when do we know the situation is weird?"

    [This...]

    The chief on the other side was also puzzled by this new policy.

    What police case is not weird?

    All cases, even a simple one such as stealing candy, are often weird because of the twists and turns to get to the truth.

    Honestly, they were struggling to understand what the point was of this new department that only a handful have ever seen in action.

    This new department was so mysterious and bizarre because the officers in the department were never there.

    Their department was more or less like a desert space, with no one ever being there, except their secretaries who took calls, made schedules and recorded important information to pass along.

    Understand this.

    When it came to seeing the actual officers it was as though they were invisible.

    No one knew what they looked like or even how many they were.

    Everything in that department was dubbed as ssified, but not your ordinary ssified Level.

    Their department was the Grand Puba when it concerned ssified existences and files.

    What''s more intriguing is that the few who have seen them in action oftene back changed, as though grown overnight.

    They were also seemingly afraid of their shadows and often liked to keep all lights on at night when working overtime.

    It was strange since during overtime at night, the officers liked most of the lights deemed very low, as they zoned out of their surroundings and only focused on what the light on their desks touched their work.

    Everyone had reading lights on their desks, which surprisingly, mesmerizes one into full concentration.

    However, those who had the privilege of seeing the SN department in action seemed afraid of the dark overnight.

    .

    What''s more, after a few days, they also lost noticeable weight, with some developing 3~5 day-puking regurgitations over the littlest bits of food they saw.

    These people understood that they must eat to stay alive and active in the force.

    So yes.

    They still ate, but would puke but long after. Sometimes even when not eating, they would pile after thinking of God knows what.

    Honestly, it''s still baffling how grown men and women could puke at the sight of any little thing.

    Cockroaches made them puke, ice cream made them puke, sds made them puke and just about everything made them what to vomit.

    For some, they got out of their puking dilemma in a week, but for others, it took 2 to 4 weeks before they could eat without puking anymore.

    This was all too strange, causing many to wonder what exactly these people saw for them to keep acting this way.

    What sort of heap or pile of dead and mutted bodies did they see to cause them to have such weak bellies?

    Indeed, the newly formed SN department was often the talk of the many police squads during their breaks.

    Heck.

    Many didn''t even know what the S and N meant.

    (***SuperNatural.)

    Everything was one big mystery, but things didn''t end there.

    All units must immediately transfer or report their situations to this SN department if things get weird.

    But what definition of WEIRD were they looking at?

    They used the term very vaguely, not giving enough flesh to the words.

    In the police force, there were all kinds of <weird> and there were already many sectors in ce to handle these sorts of weirdness.

    Some handled homicide, some handled suicide, others who handled terrorism and so on.

    All these in a sense have their own weirdness intertwined with the investigations.

    So what type of weirdness was the SN department looking for?

    (?~?)

    .

    [This... When you feel the case is beyond your capabilities and isn''t adding up, let me know. And remember... don''t keep your egos on high. There''s nothing wrong in admitting you can''t solve the case. We are here to catch the killer, so it doesn''t matter what department does so. We are all police officers.]

    Hardy and Shalom nodded lightly. "Right."

    The hell it is!

    (*^*)

    Although they agreed, it was hard not to let their egos get in the way of things.

    It was very vexing to hand in a case you''ve spent hours and maybe days working on.

    After doing most of the work, who would like for another to just scoot over and take the credit?

    Sure, their department will be mentioned in passing but a majority of the glory would go to the ones that take over the caseter on.

    What''s more, all police departmentspete with each other all the time.

    Who doesn''t want to be recognized in the bureau? Again, who doesn''t want bonuses to their usual pay?

    Hmph!

    Until they saw the works of that mysterious departments with their own eyes, they didn''t believe it was so great.

    After speaking with the chief/Department head, they hastily left the deceased''s home, heading to his workce for more clues while also looking at his phone to see those hemunicated most with.

    It was true that the case was starting to be a real pain in the ass since no true clue had appeared yet.

    At this point, the killer could be anyone.

    Everyone was focused on solving the case, that during the moments they were in the house, they didn''t see the head suddenly blink its eyes with interest, with an unnatural smile radiating from it.

    As usual, humans were always fun to y with.

    Like so, Chaos continued spreading within the city, oblivious to those within the academy.

    As for Dorian, he had another matter he urgently needed to attend to.

    "Raulin, we leave tonight."

    "Yes, Grandmaster."

    They cannot dy this matter any further.

    It''s time the Grandmaster takes back whats rightfully his!

 Chapter 483 The Unlucky Lee

    Chapter 483 The Unlucky Lee

    Arriving at the towering headquarters, filled with several skyscrapers around the same vicinity, Raulin was filled with ripples in his quiet heart.

    A tear nearly slid from his eyes recalling the days when the Master and Mistress were still around.

    They were a truly kind couple who treated everyone including their staff with love and care.

    Why bad things happen to good people has always been a mystery in life.

    s...

    Such was life.

    Eh?

    Opening his third eye, Raulin was taken aback.

    "Grandmaster..."

    "Hmmm." Dorian nodded.

    The Feng Shui of the ce had changed and the air was more likely to breed chaos than before.

    Sometimes, dark auras aren''t necessarily asked about the existence of underworld creatures.

    Human emotions yed a vital role too. And under the leadership of unworthy people, a ce can emit signs of bankruptcy and It''s because Dorian had foreseen its abrupt failure that he decided to step in now and clean it up.

    failure faster than one can imagine.

    They didn''t even need to see thepany documents and profit margins to know several idiots were running the Tian business to the grounds.

    It''s because Dorian had foreseen its abrupt failure that he decided to step in now and clean it up.

    .

    Are you kidding him?

    From his calctions, it will take a few more months before his parent''s legacy files for bankruptcy due to foreign debts taken by many stupid and ipetent people at the top.

    There was also the matter ofpany secrets that were leaked numerous times, and even embezzlement of funds that have gone unchecked too.

    But how can they be checked when almost everyone at the top was embezzling bits and pieces here?

    Everyone was afraid to get caught so they all zipped their mouths.

    And the few good ones were tossed out or framed. Some good ones still remained but dared not voice any thoughts on the matter for fear of losing their jobs.

    Sigh...

    When ites down to it?

    People have families to feed, children to look after and responsibilities on their shoulders.

    No one wants their families targeted or killed from a slip of a tongue unless they were sure they could protect them.

    Every investor and those on the board of directors were indeed all working to keep thepany afloat.

    However, many times, greedes between future interests, as many choose the short-sighted route rather than the long-sighted one.

    They would console themselves, saying things like:

    "Hey, with the Tian couple''s fate unknown, who knows how long thepany willst? I should just take my cut of the national cake now and be done with it."

    "Hey, who knows what new management wille in the future? They might be strict on us and might even denote us. So why not take as much money as we can now? This is what we deserve!"

    ---

    Things in the many Tianpanies were going into disarray.

    Even when some Tian branchpanies did hold out, most of the money they made would be sent to keep the other rumblingpanies afloat.

    Everything seems to be a nightmare, as many trulypetent people had been kicked out from their positions by rival forces in thepany who had always wanted the Tian couple''s positions as Presidents and leaders.

    Even if these people werepetent, how can you allow a diligent follower of the Tian couple maintain high-ranking positions?

    Wei Kwo wasn''t the only troubling bug thepanies had.

    There were quite a few shrewd people who joined forces to make it into what it is today. -- A crumbling Tian empire.

    Raulin was dumbfounded by the dark aura surrounding the ce, feeling that these people had great talent to be able to do this much in such a short time.

    There is no empire, nation or industy that is omnipotent to the end.

    Nothing in this world that can always remain number one forever.

    Yes... everyone knows this fact. But the speed at which it falls is what shocks the world.

    What the hell were they doing that it crumbled so fast even to the point where sries were not being paid?

    This also had to do with the dark auras growing above the Tian buildings. It was like a super catalyst fueling destruction. The atmosphere had been too affected, and every little greedy thought was magnified to its maximum potential under the looming clouds of darkness.

    .

    Looking at thex guards at the gates, Raulin almost had the urge to fly over and smack these sons of b**ches to death!

    On the days when the Tian couple were there, when has secretly ever been sox?

    You step into the headquarters and you would feel as though you''re stepping into a top-secret military base.

    Heheheheheheheheheh~

    Raulin''s emotions were so turbulent, he even caused a nearby cat to wake from its slumber and flee in horror.

    "Down, Raulin."

    "Ye-" Raulin took a deep breath. "Yes, Grandmaster, this one apologized for his rashness."

    Almost immediately, someone called out to them when they had already bypassed the gates.

    "Hey! You two! How did you get in? Are you trying to sneak in without our notice? Don''t you know we can have you arrested for this?"

    A vein popped out on Raulin''s forehead.

    What a joke! Did you see them sneak in?

    When they arrived they waited for these guards to notice them, only leaving when they saw it was of no use.

    These bastards were so engulfed in their game they didn''t even paused attention to their surroundings.

    And now, they dare use them of sneaking in?

    Normally, Raulin had be calm and tranquil after bing an exorcist.

    Almost nothing bugged him anymore, except matters concerning the Tian household.

    This one was very personal to him because he saw the Tian couple as parents he wished he had.

    You don''t understand how much they did for him.

    Even when he visited thepany several times in the past, he witnessed its TRUE glory, which only made him angered by what he was seeing now.

    How?... How did this magnificent empire fall so low?

    If he was not an exorcist and this were medieval times, he would be one of the people in a vige square, raising his fists for these bastards to be hanged. Kill them! Kill them! Kill them all!!!

    .

    Heheheheheheheh~

    With interest, the guards, who seemed more like ruffians, quickly surrounded them, telling them toe back for questioning.

    But if you slide them a few bills, they can turn the other way and not report this matter to the police, right?

    (^_^)

    Of course, before they can make their ne to fruition they first had to check the identities of these 2 so they''re sure they don''t identally attack a wealthy person who woulde for revengeter.

    ~Pah!

    Raulin smacked their hands away before they could touch him or Dorian.

    "Are you all worthy of touching the Grandmaster?"

    Raulin was a little annoyed but now understood why the Grandmaster didn''t want them to drive in with the vehicle.

    The Grandmaster must''ve wanted to see and understand matters with his own eyes, right?

    This should be why they were also wearing ordinary clothes.

    Dorian frowned seeing as someone was blocking his view of the surroundings he was investigating.

    "Move."

    "You--"

    The guard was taken aback by Dorian''s dark eyes, almost falling to his butt in fear when looking at the abyss disguised as pupils.

    He didn''t know when, but his body seemed brutally honest, stepping out of Dorian''s way in shame.

    "Carl, don''t tell me you''re afraid of this brat."

    "Yeah, Carl! What''s gotten into, man? Have you forgotten you are a--"

    "Noisy."

    "_"

    �C----

    Dorian''s face wasced with a trace of disgust Raulin was very familiar with.

    He immediately understood what to do, but just when he was about to react?

    A familiar vehicle soon pulled up beside them.

    "Ahh! Lawyer Lee!"

    The many guards treated Lee with humble smiles.

    In their eyes, Lawyer Lee was a very important figure.

    Their hearts trembled with awe and fear, wondering if Lawyer Lee would report their shenanigans to those at the top.

    "What''s going on here? Why are you all blocking the roads?"

    They had taken up all the space for thenes moving forward.

    "Again, I ask. What''s going on here?"

    "No-nothing, Lawyer Lee. Just dealing with a few troublemakers who are trying to break in!"

    Troublemakers?

    Ahh!

    Lawyer Lee''s heart skipped a beat when leaving to the side and seeing the so-called troublemakers.

    F***!

    He thought Dorian should have already been inside the main building by now.

    So who would''ve known he would have shitty luck to run into them now?

    Then what was the purpose of him stalling for so long to get here? (:>?<:)

    Lawyer Lee try had tears in his eyes but dared not cry before these guards who respected him greatly

    "Let them in... I know who they are."

    How can he not know who these 2 murderous bastards were?

    Driving his vehicle forward, Lawyer Lee''s hands still couldn''t stop shaking.

    ''Good God of Science... please, let me survive past today.''

    (:T��T:)

 Chapter 484 Missing People

    Chapter 484 Missing People

    Today was yet another shareholder meeting, with several leading figures appearing at headquarters one by one.

    Some looked yful, others looked worried and some were extremely confident in their shrewd schemes, ns and abilities.

    Seated in the board office, everyone leaned back into their seats, waiting for all members to appear.

    "Hey, where is old Jawel? Howe I don''t see him and his annoying dogs anymore?"

    "Yeah. I don''t see Mrs. Vire as well. They know how important shareholder meetings are so why aren''t they here yet? They haven''t even scheduled video meetings to take their ces."

    "Wait! Many other people are also missing too. This is their second time missing a major board meeting with no excuses."

    "Tsk. Isn''t this great? The fewer people there are, the more important our voices will be when making group decisions."

    "Right! As per the use, if any major shareholder is absent for missing frompany-shattering meetings without reason, their thoughts on matters discussed here do not count. If they grumble about itter that will be their damn problem."

    ��

    Hmph!

    Many sneered, thinking of how to make their decisions today fully instated.

    Why? Because within the room, many of them belong to different groups, opposing others in the same room too.

    All 9 in the room felt it was quite good for these people to not show up.

    However, severalplicated thoughts stormed their brains, wondering if these sons of bitches had secretly sold their shares, allowing new and random game pieces on their already well-designed chess board.

    Was this why thewyer wasing?

    Many thinned their lips and slid their hands across their ties in wait to see if they were right or not.

    Wei Kwo was the least bit happy about the matter, knowing for a long time now, he has tried to buy off shares from these shareholders to no avail.

    What was it they told him?

    [Sorry. No matter what you offer, we won''t sell our shares to you.] (~v~)

    Who was it that said they didn''t see the leaves giving out their shares in the next 10 years?

    Who was it that said their shares guaranteed them sustainable lives?

    Sure, thepany might be facing crises now and even on the verge of bankruptcy soon. But don''t just look at the cons, look at the pros too.

    Until Bankruptcy, they still have an immeasurable status that can venture into ces across the Capital city and other terrorizes that only the super wealthy mix in.

    Almost always, they are recognized and given perks for free just because of their unique positions as major shareholders who make millions a year.

    Another pro was that their top positions allow them to tantly be thieves before bankruptcy.

    Hell!

    Their embezzling might be what eventually causes thepany''s fall, but before it goes down shouldn''t they take as much as they can from it to secure their continuousvish lifestyle?

    Only those in top high positions can bribe and threaten those below to send the money their way.

    Understand that sometimes, they took on contracts and budgeted 3~5 times more for contractpletion, pocketing the rest, knowing there was truly no one to hold them down here.

    They also gathered as much money as they could to buy shares in other up-andingpanies.

    They also scrambled to buy shares from the other major families within the famous Big 6, like the Ghu, Su, Hou and Gia.

    (^0^)

    .

    Although the Gias were mostly a military family, they too ventured into business, though their businesses also focused onbat too.

    Understand that the Gias have the top best privately owned Guard training schools and camps scattered around the country.

    You want a professional guard on your estate, then you go to theirpanies to sort the matter out.

    The guards they provide also came in tiers, levels and sses, with some even having S-tier abilities.

    They also train some of them on how to be outstanding butlers since almost all wealthy families get their butlers from them.

    Butlers also send their children or prot��g��s to the training academy to take their ces once they retire.

    Wealthy homes always need Assassin-level butlers scattered around their many vis and mansions.

    Yes.

    Remember that people like old Hou had several sons, with the n heir staying in the main metal, while his other children stayed in privately owned vis of their buying.

    So who ensures everything is in top shape there? Of course, the butler''s belonging to their children.

    (^_^)

    Old Hou''s butler will remain in his main mansion, taking care of the heir. But the other children had to get the same deadly assassin ss butlers who graduated from the academy too.

    In the future, a majority of children will also branch out, buying vis of their own across the country, and will also get new butlers and guards of their own too.

    The Gias''s guard and agencies were uncountable to count across the country.

    They often leave theirpetition in the dust because the Gias do have the resources to train the best of the best, as well as attain thetest model weapons for training sessions.

    They even trained their guards to be low-key tech people because when guarding such vast estates belonging to the wealthy, security surveince and other factors are key.

    In the end, you just can''tpare with the Gias, leading to over 99% of wealthy families, especially the up-anding ones, to use or permanently hire their trainees.

    Mind you, these businesses are already stinkingly rich and worthy of worldwide awe from the basses.

    But what is even more shocking is that many specte this wealth only contributes to 7~2% of their wealth.

    It cannot be stressed enough just how powerful their military influence is.

    Their family was the founding families stationed right next to the ears of the many emperors leading the strongest dynasty before the Country''s founding period when they went into the ear of guns and voting.

    At that time, the Gias already had their teeth sunk into all matters, even bing shareholders in something like military operations.

    Why? Because at the start, they contributed a lot of their wealth andnds to open barracks.

    It wasn''t for free. ( ��^w^��)

    At that time, the country experienced poverty because of the many wars. But the Gias came through, turning the country into what it was today thanks to their many efforts back then.

    This was why whether it was police work, marines, navy, air forces and Barack operations, they were in it all.

    ---

    All in all, many shareholders spent their time hoarding money to buy shares from thepanies belonging to the Big 6 while maintaining their shareholder status within the Tianpany.

    Now seeing Lawyer Lee enter the conference room, they couldn''t help wondering if their guesses were true or not.

    Who is it?

    Who is the new toy in their yhouse?

    Even Wei Kwo wasn''t prepared for the shock he was about to receive.

    "You-you-you! Nephew Tian! What are you doing here?"

    (?��?)

 Chapter 485 Uncle Vs. Nephew

    Chapter 485 Uncle Vs. Nephew

    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!!"

    Wei Kwo''s voice was so loud it even made his hair float above his forehead.

    Eh?

    Isn''t that the Tian boy?

    Everyone couldn''t help giving him several curious stares.

    Even if they didn''t recognize him at first, his resemnce to his father was too uncanny.

    They were cut from the same mold, almost looking identical, except Dorian was a younger version.

    One can say the only thing he got from was his mother''s eyes.

    Every other thing was a Carbon copy of a man they were too familiar with, his father.

    What is this? Is he here to cause a fuss and forcefully take back his shares from his uncle''s hands?

    Yes. That was the only logical reason he should be appearing here.

    Who doesn''t know how he''s been down and in the dumps after the unfortunate ident happened to his parents?

    They hear these days, he couldn''t even afford a simple staff of 12, and talk less of getting maids and gardeners.

    Everyone knows he has nothing.... absolutely nothing.

    So what else can he be here for if not trying to fight like a savage for his shares?

    Many leaned back in their seats, washing the show with relish.

    Hehehehehehe~

    Anything that makes that bastard Wei Kwo frown, is a good thing in their minds.

    Yes. They said it.

    They didn''t like Wei Kwo, this peasant disguised as a wealthy man.

    Just being in his presence made them want to choke on their own saliva.

    They felt he was beneath their status and ss, without the least bit of pedigree in the way he carried himself.

    Think about it.

    The people they hang with give a certain message to the outside world.

    They just didn''t want others to pair them with Wei Kwo.

    Hmph!

    He was the Ugly duckling amid beautiful swans like themselves.

    This was why they had little to no patience when talking or dealing with him.

    We Kwo also knew this, but still smiled and carried himself about, saying they were jealous of his rise to sess.

    Pfft~

    That was the funniest gag they ever heard.

    The only thing worth being jealous of was how confident he carried himself every day after dressing like a stoplight, with all sorts of colorbos shing with one another.

    5he conference to look like trash and not give 2 F''s was indeed amazing.

    Of course, Wei Kwo Kwo himself didn''t know his dress was terrible.

    Like his wife, he only cared about if his clothes were expensive.

    They felt that the more expensiveyers he ced on his body, the more good-looking he would be.

    Wasn''t that how it was supposed to be?

    (^_^)

    .

    Thinning his lips, Wei Kwo gave a ferocious re at the Lawyer, as though saying: why didn''t you inform me of hising?

    Lawyer Lee also wanted to cry, knowing he was only informed of Dorian''s nsst night.

    You have to know that he tried calling Wei Kwo but the bastard''s phone was switched off.

    Following that, he also sent several text messages to warn Wei Kwo of the danger ahead. But seeing the eyes Wei Kwo gave him, he knew he hadn''t seen his messages yet.

    Stepping into the room, Raulin walked Wei Kwo''s way.

    "You-you!... What do you want to do? This is a private meeting between shareholders! You all have no business here!"

    ''Damn! Was this bastard always this scary? And why does he look several years younger?''

    Watching Raulin approach, Wei Kwo''s body was very obedient, taking 2 steps back like a frightened puppy squaring off against its father.

    Raulim remained quiet, forcing Wei Kwo to take several steps to the side, before pulling Wei Kwo''s seat and humbly bowing Dprian''s way.

    "Grandmaster."

    "Mmm..."

    "_" [Everyone]

    --Silence--

    Where was the action-packed thriller between uncle and nephew they signed up to watch?

    Fake!

    This scene must be fake. And why was the brat sitting on the seat meant for the shareholder with the biggest shares?

    That seat was the head seat, for the one who has the biggest say in the room.

    It was all fun and games when he was trying to fight his uncle. But all that stopped when his butt touched the seat.

    "Boy, you better rise from there now."

    "That''s right. Although I''m not a fan of your uncle, I at least acknowledge that he has won and you, my dear boy, have lost. So have the decency to lose with dignity and leave now before we call security to throw you out!!!"

    The words spoken were far more elegantly putpared to Wei Kwo''s shrewish rants.

    And although Wei Kwo was embarrassed he had to admit they had led things better than him.

    ''Heh. Want to drive me away, boy? You are a hundred years too young to be my match!''

    An arrogant glow shed in Wei Kwo''s eyes, waiting for the brat to rise in shame.

    But before he and the others could react, Raulin turned to Lawyer Lee saying nothing, yet his eyes conveyed his meaning.

    Right!

    Lawyer Lee jumped forward, opening his briefcase and taking several documents out.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, as of today, Mr. Dorian T. Tian is thergest shareholder in thepany, with 47% of the shares in his hands, and as such is well allowed to perform in today''s meeting."

    ...

    1, 2, 3...

    What?!

    Everyone stared at Dorian in shock.

    With which money? Where did he have the money to buy off shares from other shareholders?

    This was too unscientific, right?

    Wei Kwo''s eyes were read in fury, worry and disbelief, rushing to grab one of the many documents shared around the table.

    Ah!

    Holding it, he almost had a stroke, feeling immense pain in his heart.

    How.... how... How can this be?

    How can the boy he has tried to kill and crumble time and time again, rise above his head within this samepany?

    You have to know that he had more shares than his present number. But not too long ago, some mysterious person wanted to buy shares from him.

    You don''t understand!

    At that time, he didn''t want to sell, but he was truly running low on money, especially with the current spending habits of those in his family, and mostly him who went out of his way hiring killers upon killers to take care of Dorian.

    Yes. He could embezzle from thepany, but it was harder to do in his case since many didn''t like him and always tried to block his path to sess by hard allowing him to handle key projects that were perfect for underground embezzling.

    So how could he have known that the 9% shares he sold were bought by Dorian?

    Blue, green, red, yellow...

    Wei Kwo''s face turned into peculiar colors of fury, pointing his trembling fingers at Dorian.

    Wei Kwo''s face turned into peculiar colors of fury, pointing his trembling fingers at Dorian.

    "You tricked ME!"

 Chapter 486 The Cruel Dorian

    486 The Cruel Dorian

    "Noisy."

    Dorian mumbled, very annoyed by the rambles of grown men.

    And sure enough, Raulin was one step forward, staring at everyone intimidatingly.

    Shut up, or I will shut you up for the Grandmaster''s sake.

    --Silence--

    Well, no one dared to speak to anyone.

    Don''t ask them why but they felt a heavy pressure choking them when being stared down at by this brute.

    Their instincts told them that should they even cough, the brute''s fist will definitely brush over their faces without mercy.

    What? What! I dare you to speak.

    Raulin''s eyes were so menacing they thought he was a beast in the night.

    Dorian didn''t even speak, allowing Raulin to do most of the talking.

    "Now that we''ve gotten your attention, here''s how things will go."

    Raulin flickered his hands and Lawyer Lee hastily distributed the documents just given to him seconds before they entered the meeting hall.

    He didn''t know what it was, but seeing as he too had a file with his name on it, he had a terrible premonition at heart.

    "Here is how it''s going to go. You will all transfer your shares to my Grandmaster''s name charitably and without force. After all, no one has a gun down your throat. So it must be your own free will, out of the goodness in your hearts."

    Staring at the documents in their hands, everyone''s body trembled like a falling leaf on a windy day.

    Hell!

    They were shaking so hard one would think they were posted by demonic forces.

    In just under a second,yers of sweat covered their foreheads, with many taking out their hankies to wipe them away.

    Monster!

    The way they looked at Dorian changed.

    This Tian brat was too shrewd with his ways.

    Damn!

    Sure Enough, a lion must have a lion for a son.

    The entire world thinks he is suffering.

    The entire wealthy high-ss society thinks he is down in the gutters, begging for chicken change and a few coins here and there.

    They think he is hopeless with no way out.

    They think he will be a nobody, with the sands of time easing his name the longer the years go.

    But who would''ve known that all this while, he has been scheming in the dark, gathering information on them while also gathering enough money to buy shares off from the others?

    Lying trough!

    Whose son can be so shrewd?

    Hell!

    Who even knows if he bought the shares from the others? Maybe he also used this same method to coerce them into giving their shares away.

    Indeed, Doriam used this same method for some people.

    However, not all eggs in the basket were rotten.

    A few of them, though very few, were honest people and loyal supporters of his father.

    The moment he reached out to them, he offered to buy their shares and they agreed, though many told him not to waste his money investing in his parent''spany anymore.

    They told him of how bad its current state was, with no one seeing anyway things could turn around.

    It was probably because of this that they finally agreed to sell their shares to anyone in the first ce.

    The Tian situation was just too bad.

    It will undoubtedly fall, so why bother pumping fuel (money) into it?

    ----

    Staring at the well-detailed document that went into debt of all their crimes, bribery and embezzlement within thepany, everyone couldn''t help growing 20 years older in an instant.

    Flipping the pages they also noticed a pile of crimes they did outside thepany too... Horrible things they did to others not rted topany matters at all.

    F***!

    Many quickly closed the files not wanting the next person seated beside them to take a peek.

    Many signed bitterly, recalling Rualin''s words.

    What did he say? That no one was forcing them or putting a gun on their heads for them to sign over their shares to the Grandmaster.

    But this file alone was more than mere bullets.

    It will not only kill them but ensure their private assets were seized and their families moved into a vige to live the rest of their broken lives till they die.

    This file alone can affect generations of their families if let out.

    First, they will definitely go to prison and the stigma of a child having tenor parents known as criminals was very saddening.

    But if everyone in the world felt it was pitiful, then who will end up getting locked up?

    If anyone murders another and they don''t get to go to jail because they have children who look up to them, then the world would turn into a f**king Zoo wherever one turns.

    If you don''t want to be such a parent and risk jail time, don''t do the crime.

    Unfortunately, some innocent people pay for the crimes of the guilty.

    However, in today''s case, everyone here had skeletons in their closets that the media and the police would love to get their hands on.

    Karmadic deaths are okay for him not to report to the police allowing justice to reveal itself naturally even if it takes 20 years.

    Karmadic deaths are simr to deaths like the death of an assassin by another.

    They have all taken many innocent lives before. Karma finally caught up and Dorian can choose whether to disclose or not.

    But death involving an innocent person, he had an obligation to at least tell the family about it if he ever ran into them.

    So yes.

    Although he might not say anything about the skeletons in their closets now, it doesn''t mean he won''t talk about their killing of innocent people when the right timees.

    Thewyer was the cleanest in the room, though he was very afraid of what Will happen to his career should it be exposed that he tampered with a client''s will.

    He didn''t know who they hit the proof, but it was right there staring him in the face.

    Checkmate!

    ---

    ~Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

    The clock sang rhythmically. And after what seemed like an eternity, they looked at Dorian with fluttering eyshes.

    This kid is too cruel

    As Dorian slowly rose to his feet, Raulin faced them with a sterner face.

    "One week. You have just one week to decide."

    With that, they were home, leaving a bunch of men and women copsed in their seats.

    From today onwards they will tell their children never to mess with this Tian Boy!

 Chapter 487 Son Of A Lion

    <h4>Chapter 487 Son Of A Lion</h4>

    It took the many shareholders 30 minutes of collective silence to gather themselves.

    Yes...

    They used 30 whole minutes not saying a single damn thing, but only staring into space like puppets.

    It was only when the secretary came over to refill their cups of tea and beverages, did they snap back to their senses.

    Entering the conference room, the sexy secretary who was promoted not too long ago was very confused by what she saw.

    This was her first time serving in a shareholder meeting. She was told how to act and what to do, saying they will be very busy.

    But stepping in, who did she feel they were allzy, using this time to rest rather than tallpany matters?

    Secretly rolling her eyes, she added over 7 cups of sugar into a single teacup, wondering when one of them would tell her to stop.

    But you know what? They didn''t seem to reach at all as though she was invisible.

    Wait. Why and this guy sleeping with his eyes open while leaving back in his seat and staring at the ceiling?

    Damn!

    Sure enough, the wealthier you are, the more believable your excuses.

    After this, no one will be able to convince her that the people at the top work hard!

    She heard some of them work overtime, hardly leaving the office.

    She expected to see hard-working men and women gracefully and confidently talking about business and was disappointed with the imaginary image she conjured up earlier before entering the room.

    Reaching the door to leave she stepped out and banged it hard, wanting them to wake up and do their bloody jobs!

    Well, it was her loud bang that indeed worked them up 30 minutes after Dorian had gone.

    Wei Kwo was the most hit by what just happened.

    So after all his schemes and plots, Dorian still had evidence of everything he did against him and his parents?

    "It''s over... It''s over..."

    Wei Kwo murmured, finally taking a seat after standing for 30 minutes.

    Yes.

    Even he didn''t know he could stand for so long. His brain did not even register that he was still standing.

    It was only after the loud bang that he felt pain in his knees, legs, back, and waist.

    ---

    "What...erh-erhm." One of them coughed, hiding his fear for what he saw in the file with his name on it.

    "What should we do now? Wei Kwo... that nephew of yours isn''t easy at all. He''s far different from what you said."

    Many directed their fury at Wei Kwo, wishing they could strangle him to death.

    Well, although he wasn''t per se a Tian, he was still the boy''s uncle and thus they felt they found an outlet to unleash their fury on.

    If eyes could kill, he would be dead by now.

    Don''t think sitting on one of the many major shareholder thrones was easy.

    It meant they had to always watch their back and keep tabs on potential threats.

    Understand that when the incident happened Many of them turned their backs at Dorian.

    He begged for help.

    He came to them in all sorts of humble ways, just hoping one of them would show kindness.

    But what did they do?

    They mocked him, threw him out and even got their bodyguards to beat him ruthlessly.

    So who would have thought the boy had been pretending all that time just so he could bid his time in the dark for today''s victory?

    To many of them the Dorian now and the Dorian then wasn''t any different.

    No.

    This was true. They acted very simr to each other. And even when the former Forian was begging, his face was still cold and he only said no more than 4 words the entire time.

    He begged by showing it on disy, dropping his knees and bowing his head humbly.

    He never said more than he was supposed to. One would think he was mute or dumb with how he often acted.

    Would it kill him to say a few more words?

    Just like then, Dorian now still did not speak often allowing Rualin to do almost all the talking.

    The only word they heard from him was: ''Hmmm...''

    It wasn''t even a word but a hum.

    Well many couldn''t me him, feeling he probably inherited it from his father.

    That guy also spoke very few words. It was amazing that any woman would fall for such a dry man who knew little to nothing about words of love.

    Nheless, when it came to action, he showed it every day.

    Who doesn''t know he is a wife-loving maniac?

    Anything his mother wanted, if he could get it, he would.

    There was a time she said in passing and jokingly that she wanted the moon.

    Do you know this guy got a ridiculously expensive moon rock as one of her many birthday presents?

    It''s said not just anyone can get it.

    Yet, this guy did it for her and she even forgot when she said it.

    Yes.

    The Tian couple were very loving to each other and the dream couple many women admired.

    But so what? Aren''t they in aa now?

    Manh inwardly sneered while thinking of them.

    You have no idea how much they celebrated within their private home offices,ughing merrily that the bastard was out of their way.

    For so many years, they have fawned over him, hiding their true intentions.

    Don''t think just because they''re nice, doesn''t mean they don''t bite back.

    Lile Dorian, his father knows exactly how to keep everyone in their ce.

    Under his leadership, no one dared to move an inch in the opposite direction.

    He knew what you wanted to do even before you did it.

    He built this ce from scratch and made himself a powerful houseparable to powerhouses that stood for generations like the Su n.

    He did it all alone and in such a short time that it shocked the business world to its core.

    Everyone''s face turned grim thinking of the shit load of trouble they would be in once the contents of these files go out.

    They thought without the Lion, its son would be easily pushed out.

    But now they know they were wrong.

    A lion must give birth to a lion!

 Chapter 488 All The Same

    488 All The Same

    "You worthless, spineless pig." One of the femalesshed out, staring coldly at Wei Kwo.

    "I was under the presumption that you were man enough to finish and clean up the mess you started. Yet, here you are, defeated and slumped back in the gutters where you initially crazed from."

    Bam!

    Weo Kwo mmed his fists on the table so hard blood began oozing and staining his sleeves.

    "Say it again! Say it again, I dare you!"

    He too now found his outlet to release his anger.

    "Woman, don''t think because I''ve been trying to be nice to you all, that you can talk to me the way you like. I''ve f**king had it with you all. Talk to me like that again one more time and I swear you will see the real Shrew in me. I may be big, but if I set my hands on your face, trust me... all that makeup on you will vanish."

    Wow.

    No one has ever seen Wei Kwo this furious.

    With his hands on the table, he looked like a grizzly bear about to pounce on the busty woman who was talking shit.

    Lady, learn to read a room

    Everyone was angry.

    Any little thing can cause a big fight and outbreak. Unlike the other men, Wei Kei won''t waste time smacking the hell out of any woman in his absolutely furious state.

    ---

    "BITCH!"

    Wei Kwo cursed loudly before looking at the others andughing maniacally too.

    Now, he understood it all.

    Now, he has gotten the real picture here.

    Bahahhahahhahahah~...

    He twirled around in his rolling chair, feeling he was f**king stupid for not seeing it earlier.

    "Now I get it. You all wanted to deal with the brat ages ago too, but you agreed to secretly use my hands to do so. You knew I was going for him. It was the perfect way to kill 2 birds with one stone�� You introduced me to the dar when I asked for help a while back. Even though I gave a fake reason for requesting such help, all of you pretended you didn''t know,but you F**KING KNEW!"

    Hahhahahahahahha~

    Wei Kwo pped stupidly,ughing at himself for not realizing it sooner.

    "It was a perfect crime. You would get to eliminate the boy using my hands before maybeter eliminating me too, finding all evidence of his murder, tracing it back to me and sending me off the police station with merry smiles. It only shows that you all have offended the boy one way or another and were scared of him one day rising. But you never anticipated the boy was shrewder than you all."

    "Yeah! We did, so bloody what?" One of them retorted.

    "Hmph! Are you angered that we plotted against you? Take a good look into the mirror and see if you''re worth the seat you''re so badly trying to hold on to."

    "Bahahahahahahahahaha~"

    Wei Kowughed maniacally, no longer as angry as he was before. Now everyone seems like jumping clowns in his eyes.

    Well, he figured it out.

    "Angry? Me? No... On the contrary, I''m d it did. Or else how can I alone find everything?"

    One of them squinted their eyes thoughtfully.

    "You--... What do you mean?"

    Hehehehehehe~

    "To put it in simpler words, all that time, I''ve been using my money for a group project titled: Tian Elimination, when it should have been a contributed project, correct?.... No, no, no. Why are you all silent now? Heh. It pains when it''sing out of your pockets, right?"

    .

    Wei Kwo sneered.

    Bloody bastards!

    Do you know how many sleepless nights he had running around gathering millions and millions for this secret task?

    Hello?

    He didn''t hire ordinary assassins that would do things for 20K or even 50K.

    Ate kidding?

    He hired a Team!

    They came with equipment and all sorts of high-tech gadgets too expensive and hard to find in the country.

    They had military-grade weaponry that is not supposed to be in the hands of anyone else except military personnel!

    Heck!

    Even ordinary military personnel can''t use what they use.

    Yet, they have it all.

    Again, the more stressful it was to kill Dorian, the more expensive the project began until at one point, Wei Kwo felt he didn''t hire assassins but thugs who came to ckmail him.

    Or else why would killing a boy, a single freaking boy be so difficult?

    Even if Dorian hid his strength all this while, these were people who could break into the Prime Minister''s residence and kill him.

    So what more of breaking into a small boy''s mansion and finishing the bloody job?

    Those assassins even had the guts to break into his one several times, strung up on a rope and beat him mercifully as though he was a Pinyatta.

    Say no more.

    Wei Kwo knew he was scammed.

    All that money down the drain to scammers posing as real killers.

    There was no way that those killers could convince him they were not frauds.

    It must be so.

    Millions down the drain and these motherf**kers around him could''ve chipped in and solved the problem a long time ago?

    .

    Heh.

    Wei Kwo scoffed, drumming his hands yfully.

    "Well, the way I see it, we can all put our heads together to solve the problems rather than ming me since you all were cowardly in the first ce. Don''t you know the saying if you want something done, you do it yourself? Isn''t that a popr saying for your rich bastards? What now? You don''t practice what you preach? Huh?"

    "You---"

    "Enough!" The oldest among them roared seconds before a chaotic fight was about to break out.

    "All of you sit!... and drip your chairs for Pete''s sake. We are not f**king animals in the zoo, are we?"

    The WWE smackdown wrestlingpetition was stopped just like that, seconds before one of the women was about to plunge her chair at Wei Kwo''s face.

    Wei Kwo almostughed, finding it amazing that these people who tailed pf elegance and pedigree had now turned into street rats, grabbing the spoons in their teacups, taking off their shoes, and holding chairs, ready to hurl them his way without mercy.

    In the end, weren''t they all the same?

 Chapter 489 Plans Brewing

    489 ns Brewing

    With his chair sliding back a bit, the elderly man gripped his stylish cane, cing both hands on its head elegantly.

    "Although it pains me to say, he is right. If we wanted it done, we should''ve stained our hands a bit to ensure the job was done proficiently."

    Manu nodded with a pained expression, realizing how many opportunities they had in the past to finish the job for the worthless Wei Kwo who could''ve even here correct Assassins on the dark web.

    Who knows what sort of people he got?

    No.

    Are they even sure he understood how the ss ranks in the dark web worked?

    Maybe he hired the least ss tier to do the job, resulting in imminent failure.

    They told him to hire a team. But from the looks of it, that bastard probably hired a lower-tier lone assassin who was taken care of by Dorian''s forces guarding his home.

    Honestly just thinking about how much of a failure Wei Kwo was is enough to make their blood boil and coagte over and over again.

    Seeing their distorted faces, the old man with a long gray beard stumped his staff on the floor loudly.

    "That''s enough of your daydreaming. Understand that even if we acted in the past, we too might have failed."

    "What? Impossible!"

    Manu quickly retorted, not believing it for a moment.

    "No way! It must be this bastard who doesn''t know how to follow simple instructions."

    "Exactly! How can we give him the cheat sheets for an exam and he still goes into the examination hall, writes the exam and fails woefully?"

    "That is, what sort of special idiot are you?"

    "That''s what I was thinking too. At least if there were reports or feedback of the boy losing an arm or an eyeball, we would say okay... he tried."

    "But you''ve seen the bastard for yourself today. Look at his glowing skin. Look at his radiant body that doesn''t even have a single mark on it. So what assassins could he have faced?"

    "F***! We will even be lucky if the brat was reported to have a single scratch on his toes even if it''s from a rock shot by the so-called assassin. But no~... We don''t f**king have anything, do we!"

    (\*0*/)

    ----

    Wei Kwo said nothing, not caring about their antics.

    Of course, he would never say he was duped by fraudsters pretending to be killers or else won''t they eat him alive even more?

    Seeing the group''s exaggerated disy, ring their hands about like angered monkeys, the elder with the staff was dumbfounded, wondering where all their high learning and pedigree had gone to.

    And why were they acting like 5-year-old spoiled brats?

    Well, he admitted that he secretly thought Wei Kwo was useless too.

    I mean... Where is the proof on that boy''s porcin body that he was attacked anytime in the past?

    The old man knew Wei Kwo was useless, but for the sake of peace, he decided to give Wei Kwo some face.

    "Alright. Alright! That''s enough! All that is water under the bridge. It''s all spilled milk, water going down the drain. Obsessing about it won''t make our situation any better... Now, we must focus on the real matter at hand -- Dorian T. Tian."

    Just saying his name made many feel the fury they managed to quench, burst out from their chests again.

    Dorian T. Tian!

    Many spat his beam out their mouths, gritting their teeth so hard you could hear gnashing noises echoing across the room.

    "To grab the bull by the horns, we first assess our strength and catch the bull off guard. Initially, our enemy was in the dark, while we were in the light. He knew our strengths, and had the advantage of time on his side, using many months to hide while gathering everything he could for onest showdown with us... And now that he is in the Light, it means we are all on an equal footing."

    Many nodded, understanding the old man''s sage words.

    Yes, yes, yes!

    Many say up with shining eyes.

    Right now the bastard has stepped out of his hiding ce, meaning all his cards can be easily reversed with a little more digger on their side e.

    Earlier, they didn''t even dig deep because they were prejudiced, thinking his case was a concluded one with no way of rising.

    Parents in aa, debts on his head, almost all guards, maids and helpers betraying him, friends stabbing him in the back... everything showed he would never rise again.

    They did do some searching back then but it was only shallow.

    Thus, they dropped it.

    But now, they don''t believe with the powers they had, doing a thorough dig into his matter would be difficult.

    Now, they can find all his hidden cards knowing he wasn''t as simple as he seemed on the surface.

    ...

    "Everyone, don''t rush to conclude on victory just yet." The old man cautioned. "Understand that now that he is in the light, he expects us to make a move. He has revealed himself because he is very sure of his strength."

    "Then how do we beat him if he expects us to attack?"

    One of the men shared, and even Wei Kwo was silent wanting to know too.

    Raising a finger, the old man smirked. "It''s very simple. But first, everyone turn off your phones and check the room and yourselves."

    Wie Kwo didn''t understand, but the rest did quickly stand, making sure there weren''t any hidden spy devices on them.

    Who knew what that bastard was capable of?

    As people in their positions, a few of them had special detecting devices disguised as pens.

    1, 2, 3...

    ALL CLEAR.

    The readings were clear, showing no hidden devices were kept in hidden corners within the room.

    They also checked themselves, rting collective sighs of relief.

    So far so good.

    "Quick. Tell us, Elder Lingumn. What do you have in mind?"

    "As I said, it''s very simple. The boy would never expect us to work with each other, especially Wei Kwo... he will expect us to attack in little groups and some people individually, but he can never be prepared for a joint attack in all directions from us all at once."

    Taking a deep breath, the elder leaned in closer.

    "1 week is all we have to do it... so listen up, here''s the n...."

 Chapter 490 Who To Trust?

    490 Who To Trust?

    Like so, Wei Kwo found new allies to take Dorian down with.

    The only thing was that this time, he swore he wouldn''t use a single dime of his money, after thinking of all he lost.

    F***!

    Don''t forget that, unlike the others, he had a hard time embezzling funds from the money.

    So yes, he was very tight on moneypared to them.

    No more will he spend money on Dorian''s matter.

    Don''t even think about it!

    This time, he wanted them to not only spend money but also dirty their hands in blood too.

    Heh.

    Don''t think he had forgiven them for how they plotted to take care of Dorian and himself, 2 birds with one stone.

    If he seeded in killing Dorian before, they will waste no time sending him to jail with all collected evidence, while they probably stand before news reporters expressing how shocked and in disbelief they were about the whole thing.

    Inwardly, Wei Kwo was happy he didn''t seed in killing Dorian or else wouldn''t it be the same as killing himself?

    Heh-heh-heh-heh~

    At least now, everyone can die together, knowing they all had Dorian''s blood on their hands, with everyone knowing what part they yed in his death.

    It''s just that like then, Wei Kwo didn''t fully trust them, secretly thinking of a way out for himself, knowing that once his part was done, he will clean up his tracks.

    .

    Again, he felt he should find a way to protect himself from everyone.

    That''s why he began recording them when they initially arose earlier to check if there were spy gadgets nted around the room.

    Hmph!

    This time, if he goes down, they will all go down together without mercy.

    He also understood that the battle they were up against was only a temporal one that forced them to all work together.

    However, this didn''t mean they were friends.

    On the contrary, after Dorian''s matter is over, they wille for him. And by then, he wouldn''t even know what hit him.

    They were extremely resourceful and very calctive so he might fall in their hands not long after Dorian''s demise

    This was why he rather not spend his money on Dorian''s matter, but used his money on his own security, as well as a way to get Dorian''sputer or drive containing all the incriminating pieces of evidence they had on file here.

    That''s right.

    They might be free from Dorian after killing him, but who said he couldn''t use this incriminating knowledge to bring them down?

    From the looks on their faces earlier, he knew whatever Dorian had gathered on them was enough to make them die of multiple heart attacks.

    That was it.

    He was going to beat them at their own game. But he knew he had to hurry because they too might be thinking of getting the information for themselves and using it against him, which would be the perfect kill in his case.

    They wouldn''t even be afraid he would rat them out for killing Dorian because who would truly believe that he, who was hell-bent on killing Dorian, didn''t do it?

    Understand that the incriminating pieces of evidence Dorian gave him on file proved everything he did from hiring fraudsters online to endearing the Tian couple''s life back then.

    All his schemes against them over the years were also recorded.

    Sure, he didn''t seed back then, but this was enough to prove he was hell-bent on wiping the Tians off the face of the world.

    Should these so-called partners of his get hold of Dorian''sputer or secret sh drive he hid everything in before he does, then it will be game over for him.

    It wasn''t just him thinking like this but everyone in the room too.

    Sure they unanimously hated Wei Kwo to the bones. But before Wei Kwo ever inputted himself into the equation, there was still rivalry anand underground schemes against each other flying around

    In the room, there were some grouped as friends and some grouped as enemies.

    So why not get an incriminating matter not just on Wei Kwo but those he wanted out of the game too?

    Very quickly, the atmosphere turned calm, as everyone squinted their eyes with tactful stares, knowing what they were all thinking but saying nothing.

    ''No matter what, I must get it first!''

    (*^*)

    As for Lawyer Lee, many didn''t even bother with him, treating him like air from beginning to end.

    This sort of bastard was of no threat to them.

    He was too chicken-hearted to dare go up against them.

    It was great that he too had incriminating documents in Dorian''s hands.

    This way once they grab the file, controlling him like a puppet would be very easy.

    Pushing his sses up the rim of his nose, Lawyer Lee began reflecting on how he got here.

    From start to end, it''s not like he truly wanted to betray the Tians.

    Wei Kwo approached him with murderous intent, ensuring that if he didn''t, the police would find his body in a bag thrown under the east river.

    F***.

    Do you think he wanted to die so young?

    He felt that all other worries and concerns should be solved in the future, while he finds a way to survive right then before they throw his body the next day.

    And for a while, everything went well.

    Wei Kwo paid him handsomely, and he immediately threw his guilt out the window.

    For a few months, he felt on top of the world spending moneyvishly.

    But not long ago when Dorian reemerged in his life, Lawyer Lee knew things would be turbulent again.

    Holding the folder in his hand, Lawyer Lee had the impulse to throw it in a fire so no one could ever get to it again.

    He really didn''t want to join their scary n of killing Dorian, but the way they looked at him showed that should he leave this room right now, his headless body will end up in a ditch somewhere.

    ----

    Like so, Wei Kwo and his new partners in crime hatched their grand schemes against Dorian.

    In the meantime, Dorian now stepped into his vehicle parked far away from headquarters with a stoic expression.

    "Go."

 Chapter 491 Provocations

    Chapter 491 Provocations

    Steadily, the vehiclerode off, away from the turbulent atmosphere surrounding the region.

    "Raulin, have Elders Hou, Ghu and Gia send people as nned."

    Of course, he can do everything on his own, but because he is mostly focused on exorcism, Dorian knew he needed trusted hands and feet in various positions within the manypanies stretched out.

    And that''s where the help from the Ghus, Gias, and Houses to y.

    Don''t think he is requesting 10 or 20 people?

    No. He is asking for over 300 people which is nothing to these big families who have manypanies scattered abroad and in the country too.

    The Ghus had even morepany branches in the country, and pulling out 1 or 2 top-notch people from each of their branches alone should be able to make up the 300 he requested and more.

    But he didn''t want to, allowing the Gias, Ghus and Hous to send a collective group of 300.

    He wanted to send them in groups of 10 to each Tian branchpany in the country and send 20 to the headquarters.

    In addition, he will also need the Gias to specifically select top-notch Assassin grade guards they trained to protect these people in both Headquarters and branchpanies and make their presence known to many.

    To stand up to the masses they must have a well-protected guard team with them always so they can do their work more effectively.

    Raulin''s eyes shed with a bold light, thinking it was about bloody time they straighten things out once and for all.

    Understand that once this is finished, there will be no more rigorous association attempts, no more nuisance and more importantly, no more looking down on the Grandmaster!

    Just who does everyone think they are to look down on the Grandmaster?

    Whether they were heading to an auction home, or even visiting popr ces known and used by high society, everyone treated the Grandmaster like dirt.

    But after this, everyone will give the Grandmaster the respect he truly deserves.

    Trust him, it won''t be long before what they did here circtes to the upper ss, making everyone''s attitude subtly change to neutral, at least until the war against these shareholders is won.

    .

    Hehehehehehehe~

    Raulin couldn''t stop smiling no matter how hard he tried.

    Soon, it will be their turn to show the world just how misguided they were in ever believing their Grandmaster could be put down!

    (^_^)

    In the meantime, many countries around the world began preparing the world began preparing for the grand annual militarypetitions, to prove with country coups produce the strongest military powers in today''s world.

    Don''t think this was just some everydaypetition as many could best.

    die during this time.

    Thepetitions were fierce, brutal and were for the best of the best.

    Every nation sent only their Herculian teams, those with given strengths, reputations and aplishments to take the stand.

    There was Marksmanship, handbat and all sorts of deadly survival tasks, including team survival and eliminations deep in targeted jungle regions, to see how they fare.

    It was like a true simtion of how actual deadly Triple-S ss missions went.

    Assume the worst and take it Goddamn seriously if you want to make your country proud.

    Knowledge was also tested, as well as hacking skills, and other methods of survival.

    They could also dump them in a city, asking everyone to survive for 3~5 days without getting caught by the police or military.

    Their tests also involved reaching the main testing building before the deadline expired or they were out.

    .

    Understand that thesepetitions were mind-boggling, bringing out all sorts of technology many could only see in movies.

    No joke, there were times when some participants used their best makeup and disguise techniques, changing from men to old women in a sh.

    They did it so well, even their military supervisors couldn''t recognize them when bypassing and even standing face-to-face with these people on the streets.

    Some specialized in hacking, others specialized in tracking, and some used mind games to keep everyone running in a loop, sometimes thinking they were in particr ces when they were in other opposite locations.

    Yes.

    Once in thepetition, everything is tested.

    How will you fair when you enter enemy cities and have to live as a spy when the enemy knows what you look like?

    Think fast! You have to rescue your target and they know you are in the city.

    How do you evade the many street cameras, and many officers looking for you?

    The moment these participants get dropped into the city, their names enter the database as criminals, asking every police officer on duty to be on the lookout for them.

    Many police officers don''t even know these people are participants in apetition.

    Some truly believe they are criminals, but since what they did isn''t made known, the officers can''t take the risk of targeting these ''criminals.''

    That''s why police officers are told never to engage or stop these people but to act as eyes and ears for the military.

    If they see these people, contact your station and the military personnel waiting there will do the rest like Sk, sending their For all you know, they could be hackers, who didn''t do anything to physically hurt a person.

    forces wherever the need emerges from.

    The term criminals don''t necessarily mean these people on the list murdered someone.

    For all you know, they could be hackers, who didn''t do anything to physically hurt a person.

    In other words, they might be geeks who have never worked out in their lives only doing things online as they pleased.

    In that case, should they be treated the same as murderers?

    It was precisely because no police officer was told what these so-called criminals did, that they never dared to engage with these people when spotted.

    Maybe the military was attracted to the talents of these people, and that''s why theybeled them as criminals.

    So why risk disrupting the military because of their stupid actions of getting involved when they were told to strictly stay away and act like birds, seeing everything and reporting back?

    .

    All in all, all nations began preparing for the grand militarypetitions.

    But why... Why did the people from Vardos country, their hosts, strangely provoke them by requesting they bring in more people as though saying they can''t win with their puny numbers? Dammit!

    So what if Vardos is one of the world''s leading nations?

    How dare they look down on them this much?

    Boom!

    Many mmed their fists with fury, gritting their teeth so hard one could hear their gnashing from a mile away.

    "Alright! If it''s a fight they want, a fight they shall get!"

    "Evertlne, you better train hard till you DIE during these few weeks of grace before we live. None of you will disgrace our Trigumn

    Country!"

    "Son of a B**ch!... They dare look down on our Jang Country? Hehehehehe~... Good..Very Good! We will show them the ferociousness of Jang!"

    "Why the hell are up sissies still sleeping? Get up and give me 200 pushups and 300 frog leaps now! Boy, why is your mouth opened in shock? Or do you think I will allow you all to embarrass our Gillian Country out there? Impossible! I''ll kill you all before that dayes."

    "Hmph! Vardos... Vardos... just you wait and see who will be on top!"

    (*^*)

 Chapter 492 The Hateful Britannia Museum

    492 The Hateful Britannia Museum

    Just like that, many forces geared up to take the top position in the uingpetitions.

    No way!

    This provocation was too great to bottle up.

    Just who do these Vardos people think they are to look down on the test of the world just because they always took one of the top 3 spots in everypetition?

    There are hundreds and hundreds of countries in the world and every time they fall within either one spot among the top 3, which already shows how strong their nation''s military is.

    But so bloody what?

    Is that enough reason to look down on the rest of the world while seated on their hilden throne?

    Son of a b**ch!

    This time, many nations swore to drag Vardos down their high horse, ensuring the bastards fall off the top 3 and even fall below the top 100 if possible.

    Hmph!

    Just wait and see how they prove themselves this year.

    Just like that, everyone was gearing up for thepetition, as if their lives were on the line.

    They thought it was pure provocation, not knowing Vardos had no intention of truly being aggressive.

    Have you forgotten?

    The Grandmaster''s entrance examination happens to fall within that same timeframe as the grandpetitions.

    Vardos had realized that they alone couldn''t fight the war when the end of days came.

    This was a global and national thing, one that must be fought worldwide to stop all gates and underworld creatures from appearing on every continent, country, city, town, and vige.

    No..

    Even the seas might not be safe.

    That''s why they have to work together to put various ns in motion.

    Maybe during the estimated battle time, no ships will be allowed to sail, and no nes allowed to hover across the oceans just yet.

    It would be like there was some grand virus that needed the world to quarantine, with everyone staying put.

    Of course, they won''t tell the truth just yet, until a few hours before the attackmences.

    This was to stop mass chaos and also keep the enemy out of the loop with them thinking humans were still oblivious to their grand ns.

    .

    In the end, Vardos has thought hard over this, knowing humanity must unite as one if they are ever going to make it through the storm.

    Thus, they ensured thoseing for thepetitions were 10 to even 20 times the numbers required.

    Of course, Vardos cannot make such a decision alone.

    Vardos has good allies with the other top nations, and had to ce their foot down swearing their asking for more people was for a good cause.

    Understand that for thesepetitions, each nation brings in 3~20 people topete.

    But this time, Varxos requested they should bring 20 times the number.

    20 x 20

    That''s 400.

    Why in heaven''s name do they need 400 people from each nation topete? It seemed ridiculous, but Vardos was even willing to give up some treasures and benefits just to make it happen.

    They indeed paid a heavy price, but they swore it was for a food reason.

    Vardos was sure that once everyone knew the true threat, they wouldn''t even ask them to give up their national treasures anymore.

    It was a gamble Vardos was sure they would win.

    Mind you, they not only requested 400petitors from each nation but also requested another 200 names of vital military personnel in those countries to be present for thepetition too.

    They narrowed down the list, targeting people of high-ranking status and positions, saying they must be there, no matter what!

    But it''s the way Vardos did it, that seemed as though they were provoking the masses.

    It''s almost as if they were staying, excluding those in the top 3 positions with them.... even if the entire world were to join up, they wouldn''t be any match for their Vardos country.

    Well, Vardos has thought hard and long about this matter, ensuring that at least when judgment dayes, each nation will have its very own exorcist defenders emerging from the skies to protect them as best as they can.

    Thankfully, the grandmaster ensured that this wasn''t the only recruitment period since another One would fall sometime next year, in January.

    That is just in a couple of months.

    So once word gets out, all nations will bring in more before then.

    Just like that, many nations began preparing for the bigpetitions with the fury of a thousand des burning in their hearts.

    Noway! This time they were sure to beat those Vardos bastards to a pulp.

    However, they weren''t the only ones feeling this way.

    At the same time, strange reports began circting within an exclusive group, causing an uproar among many.

    ---

    "Damn it! How can they move so fast? My people just getting this news now and those bastards from the Britannia Museum have already been reported to have arrived in Cygypt already?"

    "I know right? Those bastards always take the good things."

    "So true. The other day, my daughter asked me what''s something that feels Britannish but isn''t. Of course my answer still remains the <The contents of the Britannia museum. If possible, those bastards would even like to carry the leaning tower of Bigizma in their bags and take it to their museum too."

    "Pfft!~... I swear if you all nations tale back what those bastards stole their museum would be so empty, like walking into a newly built house."

    "Those bastards are crooks and criminals hiding behind the badge as British museum workers."

    "Criminals! They are all bloody criminals! Just look at how they are rushing to steal artifacts from poor Cygypt. I swear they would love to pocket the pyramids too if they could. This time, it seems they have a hunch on where Pharaoh Hotanzi the 7th is buried."

    "What? That same Hotanzi whose love for his wife was so great he even chose to plummet his empire for her alone? It''s said he is buried with the remains of his beloved wife and incredible heaps of treasures and artifacts Cypgyt too."

    "Yes, yes! It was recorded that he was the wealthiest Pharaoh in all of Cygypt''s history. It''s said his wealth was so great it could flood the river Tyke. So imagine how much those bastards will uncover once they find the tomb?"

    "Hmph! Not if I find it first!" Someonemented, already leaving the group chat and flying away.

    Many also did the same with determination burning their eyes.

    No way!

    This is Hotanzu, the most mysterious ruler known in Cygypt''s history.

    His wealth, his strengths and everything about this guy was too important for them to pass up.

    Damn, those guys from the Brittania Museum for always being one step ahead of them.

    "Go! Go! Go!"

    "Everyone, we leave for Cygypt now!"

 Chapter 493 Where is It?

    <h4>Chapter 493 Where is It?</h4>

    Tick. TOCK. Tick TOCK!

    The race for priceless artifacts began just like that.

    The stakes were high and everyone knew just how valuable the tomb in search was.

    But as many forces around the world gathered teams to leave for Cygypt, the enemy they hated had already longnded and even had several days of preparation before today''s final meetup.

    News would not have reached the hidden exclusive online group, had it not been for a backstabber within the team, who gave out information today for big money.

    Since they arrived, their phones were confiscated to ensure no one gave information out.

    But someone had snuck into the room where the phones were being kept, wasting no time to send word out for good pay in his ount.

    The man knew that was the only opportunity he would get to do it, so he took the shot.

    Heh.

    As they say, money makes the world go round.

    But just as some people had spies or backstabbers in the team, the Britannia group also had theirs in the outside world.

    So once news got out, their superiors and those leading the teams already knew of the leak.

    The culprit was found and quickly kicked out of the group, lest he continue leaking more vital information that keeps them ahead of the game.

    Finally, only after taking out the trash in their group and ensuring maximum preparations, did they begin their mission.

    ----

    Weeeeeee~

    The vase Cygyptian desert stretched endlessly, with its monotonous gold and yellow grains only broken asionally by a few singr rocks and distant mirages.

    Hot.

    Very hot. Many thought, as the relentless sun scorched the sand making every step a tremendous endeavor.

    A team of determined archeologists and schrs all stood confounded, and behind them were the locals and guards, also looking at them perplexed.

    Eh?

    What''s with the hold-up? Why did they stop here?

    The archeologists and schrs twisted their faces joking they had reached the mapped coordinates.

    So why was there no sign of the tomb''s entrance?

    Dr. Eldora Hagtove adjusted her hat and wiped the sweat from her brow in annoyance. "This doesn''t make any sense. The manuscripts were clear. The tomb should be here. So what is going on? Or could it be that those bastards gave us fake manuscripts?"

    "Fake manuscripts?" Another eximed. "They dare tick off our great Britannia Museum? We are the most powerful forces when ites to this profession in today''s world. So who will dare piss us off in their right senses?"

    Dr. Miguel Sanwodal furrowed his brows while spreading out the ancient scrolls and secret parchments to cross-check things.

    They had set up foldable tables on the sands for the time being.

    Looking at the many ancient documents, Dr. Miguel''s frown deepened even more. "I don''t think they''re fake. Remember that we already carbon-dated these documents and know they aren''t fake."

    Switching to another document, Miguel continued. "It''s true that the ancients might''ve created various fake copies to decker the masses into never finding where the tomb was located. But look here..."

    Instantly, many people crowded around the table.

    "Look This symbol and this particr word puzzle are identical to the ones we found in Mygo Country, adding perfectly with the cut-out section of that one."

    "Ahhh!" Someone eximed. "Yes! Yes! When all 5 documents are grouped, they create a map. So, Dr. Miguel, it''s this map that led us here, right?"

    "Correct. There are other pieces of evidence to prove it isn''t a decoy map but now is not the time we dive into that. Remember, we have enemies on our tail who want the same thing as we do --- To find the tomb first!"

    Understand that their world of archeology was brutal and cruel.

    Typically, anything found in a country belonged to that country.

    However, the strong have always been an exemption to this rule.

    Hehhehehehe~

    Should they be the ones to find the tomb, you best believe they will carry almost everything out leaving the scraps for the poor people of Cygypt.

    What?

    Who asked them to be weak?

    Who asked them not to have a determined and strong enough team to explore and gather information about these ces across the world?

    Do you think it was easy to find this location?

    Do you know how many resources they burned out just to screen the dupes from the real ones and sessfully find the artifacts and treasures?

    Tsk.

    You must be joking to think they would give it all up after finding them.

    Understand that even the mummified bodies will be taken to their museums should they want.

    Well, maybe they''ll leave a few ve-mummified corpses to the people of Cygypt as pity for robbing them of what belongs to their nations.

    (^_^)

    .

    Bottom line, Miguel and a few others felt the documents they had were true and not dupes.

    "That''s why I said we are missing something, Eldora. The ancients were smart, so there must be a clue we are just not seeing."

    At the same time, Dr. Ashaku, another renowned archeologist and schr, was in his own corner, still examining a curious rock formation nearby.

    To the untrained eye, it looked casual, and nothing to write home about.

    Heck.

    Even many very well-trained researchers and schrs might not find it odd, as the desert continuously blew with sand, burying the rocks underneath.

    But to him, who was always alert and had a remarkable ability, very keen to details, he felt there was something not quite right with the rock formation, though he couldn''t put his hands on what it was just yet.

    Sure enough, after searching for clues on his own, he finally found something noteworthy.

    "Everyone,e overnight,e take a look at this!" Ashaku called out, pointing out the faint remnants of the carvings on them.

    Thenguage was in ancient Cygyptian, one they have studied very profoundly too.

    Everyone gathered around, following Ashaku''s hands running across the peculiar symbols (words).

    [Yara giveth and Yara taketh. Without Yara, darkness emerges. Yet, even in Yara, the darkness never fades.]

    Everyone looked at each other, knowing this was a riddle.

    Instantly, they knew this must be the key to revealing it all!

 Chapter 494 First Clue!

    <h4>Chapter 494 First Clue!</h4>

    Yara?

    Who is this Yara? His mother?

    Understand that this world has no understanding and belief system in Gods, so many were quick to associate Yara with some rtive or reigning monarch at the time.

    Brains cracked,puters tapped, ancestry pulled out... many struggled to understand what in the name of Science was this dead pharaoh on about.

    Yara, Yara, Yara.

    Who the f*** is Yara? Your ve? Your gatekeeper?

    Your maid?

    Yara was also such amon name at the time back then in ancient Cygypt.

    So are you asking them to start locating all the Yaras you possibly knew in your lifetime?

    Augh~

    What a drag.

    "It''s always riddles."

    "Yeah. For once, can''t we unearth a tomb that isn''tplicated?"

    "Sure, we are taking (stealing) your buried artifacts and even your mummified body. But isn''t it all for history and science''s sake?"

    "That''s right! Why are these ancients always so fearful that someone will steal these treasures after they are dead?"

    "Exactly! When you die you die, so why give us, the living, a hard time?"

    "ording to many ancient texts, these ancients buried themselves with their treasures as a way of showing off wealth, sort of like if one buys a golden basket today."

    "Tsk. Some also got buried with their treasures just to spite their rtives, with some like Pharaoh Timoi the 7th, leaving his only sister with nothing in the royal treasury, having everything of his buried with him."

    "Yara, Yara, Yara... Does anyone know who this Yara person is?"

    (~_~)

    -----

    The more many brainstormed, the more they felt their bodies losing energy not just from the scorching heat but brain power too.

    And after what seemed like an eternity, many fell butt first on the sand, wiping their thick sweat and unbuttoning their shorts and blouses for air.

    Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock.

    Words couldn''t describe how fragile the atmosphere turned, as many felt the invisible clocks ticking in their ears, telling them they had no time to waste.

    [REPORT! People from Jang Country spotted entering Cygypt.]

    [REPORT! People from Vardos Country spotted entering Cygypt.]

    [REPORT!... ]

    [REPORT!...]

    [REPORT!]

    ---

    Oh no! It''s happened!

    (Q��Q)

    One by one, the walkie-talkies and cellphones belonging to the head military and guard personnel protecting them kept sending in reports now and then, as if there was some big race urring within Cygypt.

    Just this alone made everyone feel there were ants in their pants.

    It was a hot joining day, yet they now had goosebumps over their arms, fearing some other bastards would arrive in time to solve the puzzle and beat them to the punch.

    No way!

    Dr. Eldora''s eyes burned with a cruel light, wasting no timeshing out at the group, wanting them all to use their brains fast.

    [Everyone]:... So you''re not part of the brainstorming team?

    "Come on! Can''t you all solve such a simple riddle? My daddy said you all are great but I don''t think so at all! Hmph! If you let us lose this big fish, don''t think I won''t be reporting to my daddy after we''re done!"

    Eldora wasted no time threatening the group, not caring that many of them were renowned archaeologists and schrs who were masters of their Domain, known worldwide and very famous too.

    Who asked her father to hold an even bigger position that overwhelmed the group?

    Not only was he higher in position than then, but he was also stinking rich!

    ($^$)

    He was so wealthy that he funded two-thirds of today''s operations.

    Don''t think this was something that could be easily done.

    The cost for such mission operations was so hefty they could scare many millionaires into heart attacks.

    Don''t think the tomb matter can bepletely done in one day.

    After finding the tomb''s entrance, it could take days, weeks and even months to safely clear all trapsid out by the ancients.

    And all this time people can die and even the entire tomb can copse.

    The ancients were indeed a tricky bunch, knowing they didn''t want their tombs found. So they had themced with all of sorts boobytraps that stayed in ce for thousands and thousands of years.

    This was done to keep grave robbers at bay from stealing their many treasures.

    Finding the tomb''s location might be the easiest thing they could encounter since they might face more imminent death threats going further.

    "Shut up!" Dr. Ashaku couldn''t help yelling out, not caring anymore for her father''s position.

    "You-you-you dare talk back to me? My father will hear of --"

    "S.H.U.T... U.P!"

    Ashaku''s roar bellowed like a vicious lion waiting to trample on its prey.

    His short grayish ck hair was blowing in the wind and his eyes behind his sses were so menacing, it made Eldora take 2 steps back in the loose sand, almost falling to her butt in fear.

    She wanted to speak back, but Ashaku''s eyes made her dare not try.

    Unlike the others who would please her at every turn, Ashaku was a wild card thrown into the mix.

    He didn''t care about her father''s position, nor did he care about her ridiculous thoughts.

    No. What he was here for was to watch history unfold before his very eyes, while marveling at the ingenuity of the ancients.

    He was here not for greed but for knowledge.

    A man like himself who has been an archeologist, professor and tomb raided for over 31 years now, wasn''t someone who cared a lot about treasures.

    No.

    He valued the process of treasure hunting and digs.

    Since he was 17, he has lived for knowledge, the thrill of discovery, sort of the feeling one gets when finishing a puzzle.

    So for the love of science, this brat better shut up, or he will drown her in a pit of sand and be done with it.

    "For Pete''s sake! Do you know how annoying that chirping voice of yours is? Our brains are already under stress in unfavorable conditions trying to think. So do you think we need your remix ylist in our ears now?"

    Hmph!

    "You little girl had better stay quiet from now on. The sun is hot, and is high--"

    Ashaku was ruthless, pointing at the sun in fury, but soon paused with widened eyes that glittered like stars.

    "Wait! I think I''ve gotten it! Everyone back off! Back away and give me room!"

    Yes, yes...

    "That''s it!" Ashaku eximed again, pping his thighs and running around merrily.

    "Yara giveth and Yara taketh. Without Yara, darkness emerges. Yet, even in Yara, the darkness never fades... those are the words on the stone.... So don''t you get it? They are talking about shadows!"

    "What? Shadows?"

    "Yes! The tomb''s location can only be revealed when the sun is directly above it. At the sun''s zenith above it, no shadows will be seen stretching out! That is our first clue!"

    Really? Instantly, everyone turned skyward, gauging the sun''s position with squinting eyes.

    Just in time!

    They had but a few minutes more before the first big clue was revealed!

    Rising from the ground, Eldora dusted her sandy butt and hands with eyes spewing hate.

    "Heh. Who knows if what you''re saying is true? Howe I didn''t hear your exnation of who this Yara person is?"

    Eldora scoffed arrogantly with a wicked glint in her eyes.

    "For your sake, I hope you''re right, Dr. Ashaku or I will have my father make you pay the price for dying us for these few priceless minutes!"

 Chapter 495 Awakened!

    <h4>Chapter 495 Awakened!</h4>

    Looking between their watches and the scorching sun, everyone waited in silence.

    Even the annoying Eldora thinned her lips with a hint of anxiousness shing through her eyes.

    ''For daddy''s sake, they better be right!''

    Wheeeee~

    The winds blew the sands across thend severally, only heightening the tense atmosphere even more.

    What to expect? What to see? Everyone hoped Ashaku was right.

    ''Almost there.''

    Pushing his sses back in, Dr. Miguel looked at his watch, confirming they were within the final minutes before the sun stood directly above the center stone within the formation.

    Right now, they could still see a tiny bit of the rock''s shadow protruding to the left.

    What they wanted was for its shadow to be entirely focused directly underneath the rock.

    Feeling his muscles tense and his heart rate elerated, Miguel hastily opened his water bottle, wetting his parched throat.

    "Now!"

    Ashaku yelled, emphasizing the estimated few minutes they had were over.

    Now? Was it now? Everyone looked at each other, standing back from the formation as far as they could.

    Then, it happened.

    Zgr~

    A slight grinding sound was heard, and Ashaku rushed forward to the stone, touching it hastily. Miguel was one step behind him. And soon, both looked at each other,ughing excitedly.

    "Old boy, it''s a dial!"

    "Bahahhahah~... It''s an ancient dia! Damn! You were right! The sun and the shadows are the key! But I''m guessing we don''t have much time anymore, right?"

    "Yes! We must find the correct dial pattern before the sun creates protruding shadows from the rock!"

    Everyone immediately understood that if they missed their chance today, they would only have toe back tomorrow around the same time to do it all over.

    But who says they will have the luxury of being the only teams here?

    Haven''t you heard that many organizations and Museum representatives and teams have already arrived in Cygypt?

    If they don''t get ahead of them now, you best believe those bastards will be here to pry their corner and make things 10 times harder for them.

    Fighting off 1 or 2 teams at once isn''t an issue

    The problemes from fighting over 20 and more at once.

    Even though their Britannia Museum organization was the top power in their archeology, tomb-raiding world, it wasn''t advisable to go against everyone at once.

    cing her hands on her hips, Eldora was even more panicked and annoyed by their slowness.

    Yes. She was still afraid of Ashaku, but her fear of the opportunity slipping by was more than her fear of Ashaku.

    "Then what the hell are you old geezers waiting for? You still have the time tough when you know we have only a few minutes before our window of chance closes?"

    Eldora had long forgotten she was doubtful of Ashaku''s shadow theory not too long ago.

    She didn''t think she should apologize for threatening him with her father''s existence since she was only raising a valuable point.

    Hmph!

    Who knows if he will also get it right next time?

    Eldora jeered at the group, hurrying them to think harder.

    Of course, her yelling didn''t stop just with Miguel and Ashaku, since she dragged the other schrs and archeologists into this matter too.

    "What are you all looking at? Don''t just stand there and watch the 2 of them solve everything! Get in there and prove your money''s worth!"

    Everyone was inwardly annoyed, feeling very insulted since although they were standing a few steps behind the duo, they were still very much involved in the mystery-solving, as they spoke with the duo from where they stood.

    Don''t you see their team''s poption?

    If everyone were to crowd around a single stone, do you think anything would get done?

    Please!

    Haven''t you heard the saying that there can''t be too many cooks handling one pot on a fire?

    They can give their input while giving space to the duo around the stone.

    As for Ashaku and Miguel, theypletely treated Eldora like air.

    I can''t see you, so I can''t hear you.

    (V-V)

    "Old boy, Yara. The clue is still in the name!"

    "The name? Well, in the time of Hotanzi the 7th, the name Yara was the 5th most recorded name, used by both males and females."

    "Yes. But don''t forget that it was also used by sailors as--"

    "Ah!" Miguel''s eyes broadened at an rming rate.

    How can his mind skip over this?

    In many parts of the world, pirate sayings vary greatly.

    For example, their ancient Britannia pirates used phrases like <Cleave Him to the Brisket> meaning to kill a man by cutting across his chest from the shoulders to the stomach.

    Pirates had phrases for everything, including directions.

    Recalling it now, if a pirate in Hotanzi''s era yelled out the phrase, <Yara the Galleys>, it meant they should first direct the shift North, then South, then North again.

    "Guys, the shadows are starting to show noticeable deviation." One of the schrs kindly reminded.

    Panic momentarily surged the hearts of many, as they now found their bodies covered in goosebumps despite the scorching weather.

    And then, it happened again.

    Zr~

    A slight grinding sound echoed out once more, causing their hearts to dangle on a lone string with worry.

    Has it closed? Has their moment of opportunity closed? No way.

    They still have a minute more ording to estimations.

    So what was that? Ashaku carefully wiggled the dial ston, seeing that it was still movable, but very hard to movepared to earlier.

    "The mechanism is slowly closing from within."

    Hiss~

    Everyone sucked in their breath, looking at the duo anxiously.

    Come on, guys....e on!

    "Yara the Galleys." Miguel murdered with a struck expression.

    Excluding Eldora, the military soldiers, and a few of the locals, everyone else instantly understood what Miguel and Ashaku were driving at.

    "Yara the Galleys.... YARA THE GALLEYS"

    Gritting their teeth, the duo turned the hard-to-move dial as fast as they could --- North, South, North.

    Bam!

    They copsed on the sandy floor, gasping with relief and anticipation, after hearing several more grinding noises echo from the other surrounding stones in the formation.

    Hahahahhahahahah~

    Both looked at each other tactfully and called others to help hold the surrounding stones.

    There were 5 surrounding stones. These don''t rely on the sun and shadows, but should also have a time frame for when they should be turned.

    Well, the sooner the better.

    "Remember, we do it together... shame direction, same time."

    North, South, North.

    ~Zrrrrrgh!

    Everyone standing within the formation, felt the rounds shake more and more with every passing second.

    "The sand is vibrating. Everyone get out!"

    Driving for cover, Miguel looked back, only to see a Pentagon hole form on the surface.

    That''s it!

    The tomb''s entrance.

    Everyone showed a triumphant expression, breathing heavily at the side, while waiting for the entrance to open fully.

    Yes.

    Everything seemed fine and great, but what they didn''t know was that their intrusion had awoken a powerful being in a tomb far far below.

    Roar!~

 Chapter 496 Into The Tomb We Go

    <h4>Chapter 496 Into The Tomb We Go</h4>

    Rumble. Rumble. Rumble~

    The ground shook for what seemed like an eternity, as everyone took cover, feeling the tremors beneath the sand.

    Locals moistened their dry lips, military tightened their jaws and many schrs kept their lips opened in a silent O as the reveal was truly magnificent.

    Damn!

    They were doubting if this was truly the ce earlier.

    But seeing the mysterious trap door portal open up, everyone only felt reality was fast to p them in the face.

    Hhahahahhahaha~

    Eldoraughed merrily, knowing her daddy''s money did not go down the drain in hiring these old geezers and their disciples.

    Well, as they say, Money makes the world go round.

    Eldora admitted she wasn''t as brilliant as these people, and truly had not much interest in studying hard for something money can buy.

    People call her Dr. Eldora.

    But did you know the reason she excelled far above her ssmates was because her dear daddy got her the cheat sheets for all exams?

    With the cake dropped before her on a golden tter, how can she not excel with excellence?

    Hehhehehe~

    This was her first expedition, and she didn''t want it to be ordinary.

    Why be ordinary? Her name was meant to touch the stars.

    Thus, she requested her dear daddy ce her in the team, so her name can be recorded among them when they discover the greatest Find of the century.

    For thousands and thousands of years, people have looked for this tomb with blood in their eyes to no avail.

    So imagine how popr and famous she will be once the expedition is over.

    Hehehehehe~

    Her daddy will pay the journalists interviewing to talk about her brilliance and how she yed a key role in revealing the tomb''s entrance.

    That''s right.

    She already nned to steal Ashaku and Miguel''s credit all to herself.

    Hmph!

    If they feel salty, she would snack them with millions to pay them off.

    After all, is there anything in this world money can''t buy?

    (^_^)

    ---

    Drrrrrrr~

    The Pentagon''s space opened at the center, swallowing the sand above it. And soon, the noise stopped, and everyone waited for a full 2 minutes before they dared to move.

    Ashaku and Muriel looked at each other tactfully, feeling the stone in their heart drop.

    Phew~

    For a moment after turning the stones, nothing happened which made them think they were wrong.

    But just in the nick of time, the grinding sound echoed, revealing a shifting pentagonal b covering a dark foreboding staircase descending into the ground.

    Harping with relief and anticipation everyone in the team exchanged triumphant nces.

    Muriel and Ashaku weren''t the only ones who were to bemended.

    Everyone on the schrly team had to bemended for their dedication and intellect that led them to one of the list sought-after archeological finds in history.

    What? Do you think finding this exact location far out in the Desert was easy? No.

    They put their sweat and backs into this, ensuring sess woulde. So seeing their hard work pay off, many wanted to cry but had no tears to give in this scorching desert.

    (Sniff. Sniff.)

    (:T^T:)

    They chose to save their tears forter.

    Hey... who knows, maybe it can use it for drinkable waterter, though that wouldn''t be such a good idea.

    ----

    As the desert winds howled around them, everyone soon gathered themselves, knowing the moment of truth hade.

    "Hold on, everyone, remember... Those going on must wear cameras and mica so we can understand what dilemmas you''ll be facing down there. So please line up for preparations." One of the tech geniuses in the team ordered.

    They were also working with the military tech teams to ensure everyone was safe there too.

    For this mission, 5 military soldiers, alongside 3 site operators and Ashaku will be leading 30 locals into the tomb.

    The locals who signed up are here to do things like digging if need be and other mental tasks that they might have to ovee while inside.

    Of course, this first team is only going on the scout and ensuring the structure can support their travels depending on the space.

    The site inspectors/operators will check the structures and ensure each step ahead is safe for walking, lest someone falls into an even deeper ravine they can''t escape from.

    In the end, these structures have been here for so long without maintenance that it''s hard to guarantee it''s all safe.

    Sire, most are made of stone and canst several lifetimes without issue.

    But don''t forget that some paths are booby-trapped waiting for a sucker to fall into.

    So what''s safe about that?

    Miguel yfully pped Ashaku''s back when the tech team was cing cameras and mics on him.

    "Damn it, old dog. I envy you for going in first. How is it that you get to see the tomb''s interior before me?"

    Tsk.

    Miguel''s eyes wereced with envy, so much so that Asjaku had the illusion blood was dripping from his eyes the longer the bastard stared at him.

    "You... isn''t it all the same?"

    "The same, my ASS! If it''s all the same, then why not exchange with me?"

    "No way!"

    Not for all the money in the world. Ashaku thought, almost kicking Miguel away with his legs.

    Want to rub his chance?

    Hmph! You''re a thousand years too young for that!

    (*^*)

    ----

    Wearing his peculiar headband, Ashaku clicked on a button to make sure the headlight worked. He looked to use this light source as a backup.

    What he preferred to use were glow sticks that illuminate the entire space at once, rather than a torch that focuses its light source in one direction.

    Well, his trusty raider belt had several satchels and sheathpartments with little glow sticks ced in them like daggers hanging at his sides.

    Although he was ready, the team still had a few things to check before their departure.

    First, they sent in a device attached to a long wide that read the air inside, confirming there was no ammonia gas or other deadly built-up gasses that could affect them yet.

    Emphasis on the <YET> because some ces far deep inside might have insanely high concentrations, so they must be cautious when they go.

    With various checks confirmed passable, the team gave the go-ahead and now it was time for Ashaku and the others to head on in.

    ''I guess this is it...''

    Staring at the space, Ashaku took deep breaths trying to contain his excitement.

    "Everyone, let''s go!"

    (^��^)

 Chapter 497 Hotanzi The Tyrant

    <h4>Chapter 497 Hotanzi The Tyrant</h4>

    Alright.

    Lieutenant Harvey had his hands in a crossed position, his left hand distanced forward and away from his chest holding a glow stick, while his right hand hung above his left with his gun in hand.

    Harvey was in charge of leading the team safely.

    "Dr Ashaku, everyone... follow closely."

    Tapping his earpiece, he quicklymunicated with the outside team. "This is T-00 calling in. Can you all hear and see what we are seeing?"

    [Yes! It''s all clear and good! Keep going, you''re doing great.] The voice on the other end affirmed.

    Everyone outside was now crowding the monitors, watching the feed with relish.

    cing his feet exactly where Harvey and his men stepped, Ashaku dared not do otherwise, seeing as the heaps of sand above the site, was now flooding the space, almost covering the stairway.

    If he or anyone else should miss a step, who knows how they wille rolling and tumbling down?

    "Caution. Move with caution, exactly as we do." Ashaku hastily warned the locals in theirnguage."

    Looking down Ashaku didn''t know how far they would have to travel before they reached the bottom of the stairway.

    Honestly, it looked like an abyss from where they stood.

    ''It can''t be the same as a lost city buried underneath, right?''

    Curiouser and curiouser...

    Ashaku''s mind was spending the deeper they traveled.

    But it wasn''t just his mind churning, as even his body began feeling the drooling temperatures reced with damp and moist scents.

    "Everyone, wait!" Ashaku bellowed, causing Harvey to look back in confusion.

    "Doc, what''s the problem?"

    "Quickly, look at the walls!"

    Murrells!

    More and more murrells!

    "This... this is remarkable." Ashaku blurted, with his fingers already brushing over the many symbols diligently carved by the ancients.

    The light revealed the walls loomed not just with murrells but hieroglyphs and detailed depictions involving the tomb''s owner -- Hotanzi.

    The vibrant colors seemed untouched by time as they shone beautifully after a few dustings from Ashaku.

    .

    Murrells?

    Harvey, who had witnessed the importance of such symbols and signs earlier, did not get angry at for Ashaku stopping them.

    Rather, he feared that if they went forward without examining these, they might miss a very important clue that might help them outter.

    Before he could ask what it all meant, Ashaku and the others outside were already in a heated discussion, all of which he could hear from his mic.

    They were all on the same frequency band for easymunication.

    "Look! It starts here, revealing the life of Hotanzi! But all that is shown here is his birth."

    [Ashaku, you are right. It seems the deeper you go, the more we will get about his life.]

    [I think so too. Everything depicted here is the same as what we know in the history books.]

    "Yes. " Ashaku nodded though something above puzzled him.

    "Maybe I''m getting old, but there is a symbol I just can''t make out. What about you? Have any of you seen this symbol before?"

    Outside, everyone shook their heads, very confused as well.

    Why the hell is that?

    In all their lives, they have never seen such a bizarre symbol before.

    What did it mean? Could it be from some hidden ancient symbol of writing lost through time?

    How do they decipher this, and does this y any relevant role inter findings?

    How odd... how very odd...

    "Doc, this unknown symbol won''te back to bite us in the butt right?"

    Ashaku shook his head sideways. "Probably not. This

    Part of his life only talks about his birth. Everything here, we know. So there shouldn''t be any more puzzles or riddles that will stump us. Rather, we should be careful of traps Hotanzi had his people make when building the tomb."

    With that, Ashaku pointed at thest words on the murrell carved just after the hieroglyphs.

    "--Death awaits those who enter. Be warned. Go back now and never disturb our slumber. --- That''s what it says."

    Death?

    (��_��)

    ____

    For this threat, everyone felt Hotanzi was talking about them dying from the many traps he set out.

    What slumber? Once dead, always dead.

    This was the first time they had seen a tomb owner calling his death a slumbering sleep.

    Why? Do you think you''ll one day rise again and wall the sands of the desert when you feel like it?

    "When he says, we, he is talking about his beloved concubine, right? The rumored woman he could give the world to for her love?"

    "Yes." Ashaku nodded, retelling the texts in the many old historical texts he and many others found.

    "History says, Hotanzi was a bright young man, a ruthless man, whose cruelty was unmatched by any other. First, he killed his mother at the age of 7, throwing her into a pit of snakes when she refused him the throne."

    "People say his fury was put up because since birth, his mother only had his father, the ruling Pharaoh in her eyes. He never received love from his parents and no one, not even them servants would talk to him normally since they were all beneath his rank and title."

    "Hotanzi was alone, and in desperate need of a friend. And at the age of 6, it seems he finally found such a person, a strange ve boy called Beezle."

    Everyone frowned. "Why call the ve boy strange?"

    "Because believe it or not, even the history books can''t find out where he came from. It was a although he popped out from the ground like a daisy. There is no information about this mysterious friend called Beezle."

    "It''s said that even the ruling pharaoh at the time with all his powers, couldn''t find the boy''s past or where he came from. So if such a person isn''t strange and suspicious, then I don''t know what else to say."

    Twisting his lips, Harvey nodded heavily in agreement.

    If such a person popped out of nowhere and wanted to befriend him, Harvey would always feel uneasy, using all his connections to find out just who the mysterious person was.

    But to Hotanzi who was in desperate need of attention and love, his new friend was a heavenly answer to his wants.

    "Now, don''t get me wrong, Hotanzi has always been cruel, since at the age of 4, he threw 200 ve girls in a pool of crocodiles for his amusement. In his own words, he wanted something that didn''t put him to sleep."

    "No music, no dancing, get the screams of weak girls fighting for their lives. He feared if he added a boy inside the boy would be strong enough to survive, that''s why he chose women. In the end, they all died."

    Tsk.

    Many felt his cruelty just by listening to Ashaku''s tales, wondering how such a madman deserved to find true love.

    Sure enough, the world isn''t fair.

    The good ones are still single and the bad ones get to pick all the women for themselves.

    _____

    "Hotanzi has always been vicious, but his cruelty seemed to be magnified aftering in contact with his newfound friend, Beezle. In the end, he not only killed his siblings, but also killed his mother, his father''s other concubines, and finally finished the job by kicking his Father into a pool of gathered snakes, crocodiles and all sorts of wild creatures."

    "Hotanzi watched in joy, watching his father get torn apart limb from limb. Thus, by the age of 12, he sessfully killed all his family members, be they half-blood or direct. Even his cousins were not spared, and he did this all with the help of Beezle."

    What a friend... many thought, smelling a conspiracy underneath it all.

    Yes. Why would somebody appear just like that to help you when you don''t even know them?

    Sure, there are good people in the world. But why do they feel that this Beezle fellow is very cunning?

    ve boy, my ass!

    These were not the sorts of powers ve boys could have or handle.

    Or could it be that Beezle was the child of the dethroned pharaoh lineage kicked out before Hotanzi''s great-great-great grandfather took over?

    Well, you never know.

    In the end, doesn''t it often boil down to the ultimate fight for the throne?

    (~^~)

    "Anyway, he ruled Cygypt with a tyrant''s fist until he met the daughter of a rebel army --- Celcilita. Although he knew she was the enemy, he fell in love at first sight. But she didn''t feel the same for him. Long story short, he fought his way to win her heart." Ashaku paused.

    "The story should''ve had a happy ending, but out of nowhere, she starts getting so ill it is estimated she won''t live past a few years. Hotanzi is heartbroken, and desperate to find a cure. Ines his friend again who gives him a healing potion."

    "She takes it, she gets well, but somehow Hotanzi turns crazy, ordering people to start hastily building this tomb for both of them."

    "And when the tomb is finallyplete, she dies, and he chooses to lock himself here with her for all eternity. That''s it."

    There was a collective silence across the space, as everyone felt there were too many pieces of the puzzle missing in the ending parts of the story.

    "Does anyone else think it''s too odd that the moment she gets well he starts preparing for her death?" "And what happened to the Beezle guy? Did he end up taking the throne or something?"

    "No," Ashaku replied. "He disappeared, never to be found again.

    "So I guess he was truly a friend?" Someone asked, causing Harvey to raise his brows in a low chuckle.

    "Friend indeed... such a friend should be shot at first nce."

    He would rather be lonely than have a snake like Beezle crawling around him.

    _____

    "Alright... It seems now that we have been warned of imminent death awaiting, we should expect the worst from here on out!"

    Taking a weighty stone from one of his subordinates, Harvey calmly rolled it down the stairways.

    "Well, here goes nothing."

    Thup! Thup! Thup!

    A massive fleet of arrows pierced the air in a sh.

 Chapter 498 The Brilliant Ancients

    <h4>Chapter 498 The Brilliant Ancients</h4>

    Seeing the spray of ancient arrows ruthlessly shooting at the spaces now everyone couldn''t help swallowing hard.

    Death to those who disturb their slumber.

    The words echoed within their hearts like warning bells.

    "This..." Lieutenant Harvey paused, throwing his head behind his shoulders. "Doc, do you think that''s it?"

    Taking out his handkerchief, Ashaku wiped the pale droplets of sweat on his forehead. "I''d say 3 times is the charm, wouldn''t you, ''Leftanant''?"

    "Fair enough... Better safe than sorry."

    (*Ashaku and several others pronounced Lieutenant as Leftenant.)

    Taking out several more perfectly weighted and rounded rocks from one of their backpacks, several people handed them to Harvey one by one.

    3 times is the charm, but why not test a higher number?

    The rocks they used were made of cement for good weight.

    Although heavy, if it can save their lives, why not pack enough?

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!~

    The 2nd ball rolled down without fail, triggering several other traps the first one missed.

    Though this time, only a handful of arrows darted out.

    "Oh well, 3rd time''s the charm... Bombs away."

    Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam!

    Nothing.

    They waited another 3 whole minutes and nothing happened.

    Phew~

    "Everyone, the stairway floors should be good. So as of now, no one touches the walls or pushes against them!"

    As Harvey spoke, Ashaku tranted to Cygyptian for the locals.

    Time for the ultimate test.

    Cautiously taking the first few steps down, Harvey paused with a hunchback, looking left, right, up, down and center.

    "Nothing.... It''s all good doc." Just as he thought.

    Earlier, he noticed the weighted balls would sink slightly when touching some stairway stony blocks.

    Those must be the triggers to the many hidden traps earlier.

    No one knows how many times Harvey''s heart skipped a beat when using himself as a Guinea pig to test if it was safe or not.

    .

    1, 2, 3...

    "All Good!"

    Everyone felt the stones in their hearts drop again, as they followed Harvey down theyering of stairs.

    Always to their left was an open space that gave them a glimpse of the dark abyss below.

    There were railings knee-high, keeping them from going over the edge and falling through the open dark space.

    "Raising his yellow glow stick, Harvey cautioned again. "Remember, DO NOT touch anything.... even the railings."

    Who knows if pressing them down would set off some unprecedented ident?

    After what he just saw, he wasn''t about to take any chances.

    With careful monsters everyone including the locals, moved very cautiously.

    The scene was so quiet that it affected those watching outside.

    Hell!

    Even Eldora now had her loud mouth zipped up.

    Soon, everyone could see glimpses of the bottom drawing and closer.

    Well, it seems they have traveled roughly 7~9 floors down give or take.

    That was how lengthy the whole process was.

    Harvey reached the veryst step and dared mute touch the sandy grounds just yet.

    "Doc? Any ideas?"

    Ashaku thinned his lips. "Old boy, what do you think?"

    Miguel outside adjusted his sses with squinted eyes.

    (*��v��)

    [Harvey, shine the light on the walls and the surroundings again.]

    "No prob."

    The ce was small like a broom closet with no murrells or clues around.

    All thaty in wait was a lone, narrow double-sided door about the size of a small closet...Though its height shot out over 9 feet tall.

    Beside the doors were 2 skeletal corpses wearing ancient robes.

    They had rusted swords in their hands and died in seated positions beside the door.

    It was normal for Pharaoh to die and be buried with their guards.

    Looking around, there were no other memorable scenes that caught their eye.

    [I don''t think there''ll be any traps waiting there.]

    Ashaku nodded. "Same here. The ancients were strategic and wouldn''t put all their eggs in one ce. Rather they would like us to getfortable.... veryfortable before urging any wave of attacks our way."

    "I think so too," Harvey added, gesturing between the floor and the 3 balls that rolled off in different directions.

    Look! Nothing happened.

    There isn''t a single hidden weapon thrown on the ground.

    The ones they found were those around the stairway that were probably picked up by the balls when rolling down.

    Once again, Harvey chose to be theb pig, making the first move.

    Well... so far, so good.

    Everyone was pleased with the progress made so far.

    It was funny that their journey had just begun yet they felt they had been doing this for 10 hours already.

    Standing before the grand but narrow gated doors, Harvey took out an extendable staff wanting to push it from a distance to test if it was safe.

    Poke. Poke.

    Again, there weren''t any traps here.

    "Good enough for me."

    Nodding to his men, he had them try pushing the door.

    But either it weighed a million times or something was missing here.

    Try as they might, the door just refused to budge.

    Ashaku stared at the simple no design double-sided doors wondering what they were missing, until someone else from the outside quickly solved their worries.

    It was another professor and archeologist on the team.

    [Hold on!... Isn''t that a Bayachum Door? Look at its simplicity. Pay attention to the artwork. When designing, the wood is saved upwards, leaving fine and gentle strokes of lining behind.]

    [Yes, yes, yes! I remember now. Bayachum Doors were poprly used by the rich to confuse the enemy and hide treasure too]

    Ashaku''s eyes lit up in a twinkle, as countless forgotten knowledge flooded his mind.

    "Yes! Yes! Why didn''t I think of it sooner?!"

    (*0*)

    .

    Reaching for double-sided doors, Asahku quickly maneuvered his fingers across them, while exining the rest to Harvey and the others.

    "In the early days, the door was invented by the famous Bayachum Incretancus, a proud but young architect with unique designs that marveled all of high-ss society."

    "Well... the doors, although made of wood, were 7 times heavier and thicker than normal wooden doors. Why? Because they held secretpartments in them."

    "For you see, the door has no handles on either side, yet... it can always open and close seamlessly at will."

    Harvey nodded in understanding. "So, he made contractions inside each door?"

    Ahsaku smiled. "Engineering, my dear Wattson... That was the trick. Hebined his love for architecture with his love for inventing to produce uniquely designed doors."

    "None of them were the same. No client had the same door as the other.... but, his works though difficult to spot, could be recognized by his way of carving the wood."

    "To the untrained eye, it looked like a regr door carved by an ordinary carpenter.... But like any artist, they love to leave clues on their works."

    Everyone held their breath, mesmerized by the ingenuity of Bayachun.

    As Ahsku spoke, his hands were slowly and carefully running through the lines on the thick wooden piece.

    "Find the odd one out, and we would have found the key to unlocking... Ahh!--- Here it is!... Our little odd friend out."

    Everyone saw a line that looked exactly the same as the others.

    Excuse them, but are you sure?

    [Don''t hurry to judge. Ashaku is right.] The schr outsidemented.

    Although it was hard to see, that one was slightly bigger by probably 0.00002 inches or even less.

    Don''t underestimate the ancients.

    They were the true masters of illusions, creating proxies that made the 12 Wonders of the World and even artifacts and objects that could not be recreated by modern technology.

    For example, do you know there is an ancient Forging technique that has been lost for centuries now?

    If not for the swords forged by these methods existing today, everyone might''ve sworn the forging legends were all hocus pocus.

    The swords forged by that mysterious technique were stronger than any forging technique currently existing.

    That''s why if they sold any of those 3 swords forged with those methods, each sword might be auctioned for no less than 50 million.

    The ancients were insanely smart.

    It was indeed amazing what they aplished with no inte, no high-tech devices... just their brains that did it all.

    ....

    As they began pointing out the differences between each line, everyone couldn''t help opening their eyes in shock.

    Too powerful!

    These ancient people were just too powerful, right?

    (>>*��*)

    Following the line chosen, everyone now saw it came to a dead end, slowly fading seamlessly into the background.

    "Here!"

    Ashaku wasted no time pressing it, and soon, everyone heard a clicking noise, followed by the grinding of gears within the door.

    Soon, a rectangr piece the size of a book opened sideways out like a window.

    [>>>>>�����]

    Awesome!

    They didn''t even see any signs on the door that that part could open up.

    That was how good the door design was, as everything blended so seamlessly.

    Bayachum...You have their respect.

    Oh My God!

    Ashaku almost liked the door with relish when seeing Bayachum''s work in action.

    Although Bayachum was famous, he didn''t love designing these doors as he found it beneath him

    It was reported that he designed only a handful of them... many of whom were destroyed and lost.

    Only one was found in the 18th century and proven to exist.

    Sadly, some bastard stole and destroyed the great door from Britannia National Museum in the 19th century when trying to recreate its glory.

    Looking at the opened portal on the door, Ashaku bravely sent his hand in and pulled a lever from within.

    "Open sesame."

    Bam!

    Like magic, the double-sided doors opened, revealing a room that blinded their titanium dog eyes.

    This... This...

    Is this real?

    (��O��)

 Chapter 499 Danger Comes

    <h4>Chapter 499 Danger Comes</h4>

    "Are you all getting this?"

    [... Amazing.]

    [This isn''t a dream, right?]

    Those outside could hardly believe what their eyes saw, talk less of those standing here who saw everything face to face.

    Don''t get them wrong.

    The treasures that made them shake weren''t vain things like gold, silver and whatnot.

    No...

    To these proud people who prided themselves in historical events, what made them quiver was the sight of several unique objects strategically ced on several eye-level pirs that lined up to the other end of the grand hall.

    These treasures have been missing from the world for centuries, with many specting they must have been taken by Hotanzi.

    So now seeing them in the flesh, everyone felt like kneeling and crying in jubtion.

    "F***! Are those the quadruple Cats?"

    [Ahhhhhh!!!... I think you''re right, Ashaku, I think it''s really them!]

    The Quadruple Cats!

    They were the first 4 pieces on both sides of the pirs �C 2 ck and 2 white.

    How to differentiate them was with their eye colors.

    The first ck cat had its left eye made of gold and its right eye white.

    The 2nd ck had the same color but reversed with its right eye which was painted golden.

    The 3rd cat, the first white cat, had its left eye ck and its other eye silver.

    The 4th cat, the 2nd white cat, has the opposite of the 3rd.

    All 4 were called the Quadruple Cats.

    They were artifacts that always ended up cashing wars.

    It''s said whoever they stayed with, wars broke out in those regions or households within months.

    It''s said the longer one stays with them, the longer one''s greed bes not wanting to leave the cats with anyone else.

    My precious~...

    The history of how the cats moved was also incredible.

    They say some women can cause the downfall of an empire, but it was even more exaggerated how history wrote of what happened to the Cats''st owner before it ended up in Hotanzi''s hands.

    In fact, before now no one could be certain Hotanzi had them since even during his reign no one had ever seen the cats.

    But Hotanzi, who was a tyrant and a master of all, had eyes and ears everywhere, many felt he must''ve acquired them.

    Yes.

    Think about it.

    The cats went missing during his Great-grandfather''s reign.

    So wouldn''t it be more likely that his family has always kept the cats to themselves?

    Sadly all sorts of warse for those owning these cats.

    His great-grandfather fell from his grandfather''s hands, and his own father also ''identally'' killed his grandfather.

    Well, the boy was just fulfilling his destiny when he kicked his father into a den of deadly beasts

    Of course, no one thought too much of the cars causing wars.

    And they were sure even the ancients did not think too much of it.

    Understand that dying during that period when even a little argument could cause war and ughter, anything was a trigger point.

    You could be walking on the streets, someone insults your sandals, you stab them, kill them and now your family and their family have a blood feud.

    Heck!

    People have started wars over little things like paintings before.

    Wars have also been fought over the right to own particr wines.

    Wars and feuds have been passed down for centuries concerningnd fighting between neighbors, and wars have also been fought over marrying the most beautiful girl at the time.

    So is it truly surprising that whoever owns the cats would always have waring their way with many greedy on getting the cast for themselves?

    Well, there was nothing bizarre to say about the matter.

    Now were civilized times.

    Back then people were not so civil.

    Do you know that even with thew enforcement around, murder was still permitted if done right?

    That means, you can kill a man and not care about it provided you did it well.

    What? Did he provoke you first?

    Then okay. He deserves it!

    Next time, don''t run your mouth as you please when you know you can''t take the heat.

    What more can they say?

    .

    Bahahhahahahhahahah~

    [It''s great! It''s great that we finally found the 4 cats!!]

    [Yes! Yes! Yes!... I''m guessing the other objects in the room are also priceless!]

    [Tsk... Our Britannia Museum is going to be famous again.]

    [Damm! I can''t wait to see the look on the faces of those jealous bastards when our Museum showcases all the goods.]

    Indeed, it was a good day for the Britannia Museum.

    [Quickly, you all should first gather these knees and bring them out before we continue any further.]

    [That''s right! Who knows what dangers could make the ce copse? By then we won''t even get a single treasure intact!]

    Hearing this, Eldora began acting like a demon again.

    [That''s it! As the designated leader here, I order you all to stop and bring the treasures out for me!]

    Designated leader?

    Who gave her that title? Sometimes they wished they could throw her down a well and watch her struggle to survive if it would let her learn to shut up when she has nothing valuable to say or contribute.

    Tsk.

    If not for her father, they wouldn''t give her the time of day.

    Never have they met such an annoying person like her.

    She had a real talent for making everyone angry with just her high-pitched voice.

    Goodness!

    Some of them were older with troublesome hearing, yet they still felt she sounded like nails screeching on a board.

    Good luck to any young man who is dating her.

    Unless she changed her attitude, people might only like her for her daddy''s money.

    A fool and brainless girl like her might y right into someone''s schemes, shoving her down from her high pedestal.

    ----

    [Well what are you waiting for? I gave you all an order, or do you want me to call Daddy? Believe it or not, I can fire you all from your miserable positions way faster than you can say Checkmate.]

    No, they believed but still didn''t act, with everyone focusing on Ashaku and Harvey.

    Yes, they do feel these treasures should be brought, but since they weren''t the ones putting their lives on the line in there, they felt they had no true say on the matter.

    "No." Harvey denied. "Remember, death is still promised to us who disturbs his slumber.... Don''t ask me why, but I have a hunch that should we take anything here, it will bite us in the butt big time.

    Ashaku nodded as well.

    There were no murrells here or signs to depict why these items were kept the way they were.

    There wasn''t even a carvedbel on the pirs saying what the items were.

    So why touch any of these now?

    "I propose we take themst."

    "Same here. I think they should be thest items our team collects before leaving for Britannia."

    Intuition told them they better take the ''sleeping'' Hotanzi''s threats seriously.

    So forget it.

    [Bastards!] Eldora''s voice rang out.

    [Lieutenant Harvey! So you really dare defy my orders? Well then, consider your career over! Finito! Kaput! Gone! Left behind!]

    [I swear that I will make you wish you never crossed me!]

    [Just who do you think you are?]

    [Do you know me? Do you know what I''m capable of doing?]

    [My father---]

    "That''s enough, Miss Eldora." Harvey interrupted not even bothering to call her Dr. Eldora.

    Doctor?

    Does she deserve it?

    So when well-earned and hardworking peoplee out to say they have Doctorate professional titles, she too will poke her head out to say the same?

    Eldora was too posted off to notice the slight difference in the way he addressed her.

    .

    [You-you-you-you-you-----]

    "That''s enough, Miss Eldora. I don''t care if you frame, demote or kick me out of the military... Understand that when I took on this job, I was told to protect everyone, not just you." Harvey coldly replied.

    This meant for the sake of Dr. Ashaku, the locals, his team and everyone else here including himself, he couldn''t allow such brash ways of thinking go on.

    Greed can cause the deaths of many.

    Knowing when to stop is the key.

    It''s good that they found the treasures... but they aren''t running away, right? They have this location on lockdown.

    And before entering the cave he had already sent works for the rest of his team in Cygypt toe over quickly.

    Not only that.

    More military and high-power personnel will being in from Britannia treating the whole thing like one big special forces military operation.

    For now, his task was to keep the little group around him safe.

    So you can sure as hell forget about him risking it all because of a few words from a silly girl.

    "Good... Now that that''s ironed out, Doc... everyone...?let''s keep moving!"

    "Ye-yeah."

    Manu nodded, feeling choked by Harvey''s heavy aura.

    At the forefront was another door that was surprisingly opened revealing an incredibly wide and stretched hallway ahead.

    Everything seemed to be going well, but just then, thest person, a local, suddenly stopped, facing the peculiar ck coin kept on an inclined cushion on one of the pirs.

    So pretty...

    (+0+)

    The coin exuded a mysterious light that called his very soul, making it hard for him to look elsewhere.

    Stretching his hands, he reached for the coin just around the same time Harvey threw his head behind.

    "Noooo!!!!!!!!"

    Harvey''s cry pierced through the skies, but it was toote.

    ... Danger was already here!

 Chapter 500 Too Prepared!

    <h4>Chapter 500 Too Prepared!</h4>

    NO!!!!~

    Harvey''s cries made many turn back only to witness the moment the man took the mysterious dark coin from the cushioned pillow it rested on.

    Toote!

    In just this minute, many forgot how to breathe, staring, finding their brains were now empty.

    But the fun was just getting started.

    Booboom!

    A loud sound quaked the air with a disturbing menace, causing everyone to stand hunched back with their hands and feet spread apart.

    Oh My God of science!

    The walls now began shrinking, as though closing up, and heaps of sand from who knows where slowly filled the scene.

    Gritting his teeth, Harvey''s mind went to work real fast.

    "Doc! Everyone! Run! Run out quickly! The door is sealing itself!"

    What?!

    Although it didn''t look like the door was slowly closing from where they stood, everyone chose to believe Harvey''s hawk eyes.

    No way!

    They must run back the same way they came if they don''t want to be buried alive.

    "Quickly, grab him and let''s go!" Harvey gestured at the man who took hold of the coin.

    They don''t know why, but the man suddenly fainted the moment he touched the coin.

    Could it be that some deadly poison has been ced on the coin?

    "Care! Care! Hold him by his clothes and avoid his hands and the coin. I suspect it''s poisoned."

    Poison? Really?

    Many locals felt their heart jerk severally, now too scared to hold their passed-outrade.

    "Grab him, Goddammit!" Harbey bellowed.

    Amazing!

    It was amazing that even though they didn''t understand Harvey''snguage, they understood his underlying message.

    1, 2, 3! They grabbed him by the clothes, dragging him out as fast as they could.

    That''s it! That''s it! They can make it.

    So Harvey thought.

    Only�� halfway through, several people stepped on severalrge stone tiles, only to realize there were still more traps in the space.

    .

    AHHHHHHHH!!!

    "What the--"

    Harvey looked back to see the massive stone square suddenly swirl, dropping 2 locals down to who knows where.

    When everyone imagines a trap door on the wall, the trapdoor would be a rotating trap door.

    Likewise on the ground, that massive square rotated on its axis, using the weight of any object input to propel and rotate even more.

    Harvey didn''t know where the 2 unfortunate locals had dropped to, but he knew it wasn''t anything good after hearing sharp protective noises and ghostly cries from them below.

    From the sounds he had a hunch that there should be ancient spikes down there waiting to greet who fell.

    Before, the trap wasn''t activated.

    Even without the spikes the amount of sand dripping in should bury them alone in no time.

    Suffocating on sand... with oxygen depleting by the second.

    ... What a gruesome way to die.

    Feeling his ball roll up and down his throat, Harvey knew they were dead after hearing the many puncturing sounds made by the spikes below.

    "Careful, everyone, choose your steps wisely!"

    Looking at the priceless artifacts lined up on the stands around them, Harvey was once again certain touching any of these artifacts would trigger more horrors for them.

    Booboom! Buboom! Booboom! Booboom!

    Ashaku heard the sounds of the room closing him, hastening his pace as he steadily followed behind Harvey.

    Harvey again chose to be the tester, picking what giant squares were safe, and his men chose to stand behind the group, helping others move along.

    With chaos all around them, they had no time to dilly-dally and slowly pick which ones were safe.

    It''s either they run full speed ahead or they will never make it to the closing door in time.

    By the way, who knows what other horrors will meet them once trapped in this space?

    Well, apart from being suffocated to death by the sands slowly filling the space, Ashaku guessed that the walls would indeed close up, but wouldn''t go past the artifacts lines in 2 columns at the center of the room.

    However, with the sand filling the space, the ce would no doubt turn into a pool of sand, making breathing harder.

    If someone identally knocks out another artifact, who knows what sequel they will unleash next?

    .

    Son of a b**ch!

    Ashaku and many others cursed Hotanzi under their breath for all the precautionary steps he took to secure his tomb''s safety.

    At some point, the ancient architects who made the ce had to be annoyed too, right?

    Well, it''s said after the tomb was made, everyone who worked on it, including ves, was killed.

    Hotanzi didn''t immediately enter his tomb but continued reigning for another year and a half, making sure he tied up all loose ends.

    Before killing the workers, of course, he had them secretly transport his treasures here.

    The man made as many preparations as he could before eventually entering the tomb.

    Of course, his beloved had already passed, proimed dead ording to the history books.

    But who knows if he kept her in the tomb to wait for his return until he got things straightened out?

    Still... the history books were sure ger illness had returned since so many physicians had diagnosed it during that period.

    So she probably died around the time they said she would.

    Well, all these many mysteries will only be confirmed when they find her tomb and corpse, taking it away for carbon dating to know exactly when she passed.

    wm

    Why? Do you think they will be scared of his death threats and never enter after so many higher-ups have invested a lot in this matter?

    Even if it''s not them, some other team will enter to do what they are supposed to do.

    Bottom line, Hotanzi''s tomb must be raised!

    (*^*)

    -----

    Leaping forward, Harbey gritted his teeth and instantly knew he made the wrong call.

    "Leftenant!"

    Ahsaku responded fast.

    "Got you!"

    Phew~

    Harvey was saved, holding onto Ashaku''s jacket.

    Grunting his teeth, Ashaku and several others pulled the other end of the jacket as fast as they could.

    And when Harvey''s hands touched the edge of the square''s open space, everything could finally Rx a bit.

    However, just then... theirmunication devices suddenly turned static, and the camera was no longer picking up feed.

    "Doc, I have a bad feeling about this."

    Almost instinctively, Harvey turned his head, slowly looking behind them, only to see the most ugly and terrifying thing he had ever seen in his life.

    This... this... this...

    MONSTER!

    (:�����:)

 Chapter 501 A Walking Plague

    <h4>Chapter 501 A Walking gue</h4>

    M-M-M-MONSTER!

    Those words were on the lips of many who threw their heads behind their trembling shoulders, only to bear witness to the most horrific thing their eyes could ever take in.

    Ahhhh!

    It burns!

    The vision burned their eyes, as many found they were running and puking all at once.

    F***!

    Some couldn''t even run, only staying still with quaking legs and weak reflexes that refused to budge no matter what.

    What... what... What was this?

    They didn''t know what it was, but if Dorian was here he would tell them they were looking at a Mummy!

    Good God of science!

    The mummy was tall and gaunt towering over a few frozen people with an eerie, dominant presence.

    Its body was wrapped in once-white bandages that were now stained with grim beige from countless years underground.

    These wrappings were frayed at their edges with some loosely hanging on the skin revealing the belly-churning rotting flesh beneath.

    How to say it?

    Many showed the creature waspletely covered because the few parts like his face, belly, upper arms and thighs were all exposed causing them to puke at every turn.

    What a hideous sight!

    Ahhh!

    Someone missed their step, tripping and falling on a square they had not proven to be a trap or not.

    Everyone who was still alive, quickly learned the hard way, only moving on the areas Harvey jumped on.

    But the moment they saw the menacing creature running so fiercely, the unfortunate man stepped on a square, instantly falling to his death.

    F***!

    That''s how scary the monster looked.

    Its sunken eye sockets housed nothing in them, except worms and all sorts of insects swimming in it.

    One look at its overly long nails made everyone terrified as the creature jumped several feet high, covering an impossible distance before using its growing de-like nails swords to sh the neck of the one who was holding the ck coin earlier.

    It happened so fast in the blink of an eye that Harvey, Ashaku and the few remaining others didn''t have time to react.

    But the moment the creature raised his cruel empty hollow eyes to stare at them, everyone knew what they had to do ---- RUN!!

    (�����)

    .

    Unlike the rest, Harvey''s feet were quick to react, grabbing a hold of the trembling Ashaku and running forward with every fiber of his being.

    No! No! No! No!

    The door was almost closing, and the creature behind was busy ughtering their crew at every turn.

    The walls were still closing in and the sounds of many dying echoed behind them.

    Zz-Zzz!

    The Communications were still not working and for the first time in his life, Harvey knew what true fear was.

    And then, there were 4.

    �� only 4 of them left.

    "Go! Go! We will hold it off!"

    "Sir, it''s been a pleasure working with you!"

    No!!!!

    Harvey felt pain in his heart, watching 2 of his subordinates take out weapons and continuously st bullets at the unscientific creature leaping on the closing walls anding their way.

    The walls had now closed the space so much it looked like a wide hallway.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    Bullets shed within the space, but the unearthly monster moved even quicker, moving like Spiderman, jumping on the corners of the walls like crazy.

    Reaching the door at the nick of time, Harvey quickly pushed Ashaku through, before giving onest look behind only to see his friends massacred by the ghoulish creature.

    Roar!!!~

    Without hesitation, it rushed towards him, stretching its long nails even further.

    ~Bubuum. Bubuum.

    Harvey fell through the closing door on his butt, watching it close just before the creature''s nails could pass through and kill him off.

    His heart was drumming loudly when he heard the creature on the other side scratching the closed doors crazily.

    Eyes staring at the door in fascinated horror, Harvey couldn''t bring himself to move just yet.

    "D-D-Doc... did... Did we just see what we saw?"

    Ashaku nodded shakingly. "M... monster..."

    Sitting on the sandy grounds while listening to the creature screeching on the doors, they once again confirmed it did happen.

    But just then, all screeching sounds ended and their microphones and cameras could now work, with no more static noises flooding their ears.

    [Ashaku! Ashaku! Are you okay?]

    [DAMMIT! What''s going on? Why did everything suddenly go off as though there was some interference around the tomb?]

    [Leftnanent Harvey! Is that blood? What''s going on? Who is injured? And howe the mics of the others aren''t responding?]

    Apart from Harvey and Ashaku, they equipped 3 others with mics and cameras.

    So seeing that only Harvey and Ashaku''s mics and cameras were on, how can they not worry, especially with all the blood and dirt on them?

    Ashaku wanted to report everything, but Harvey suddenly held his arm, shaking his head from side to side.

    He more than everyone else knew that should they tell the real truth, they might be immediately sent away from the expedition and told to rest, lest they get more ''hallucinations'' about monsters and whatnot.

    Many might think they went through such a great ordeal of losing people in this tricky tomb that they made up seeing a monster that doesn''t exist.

    Trust him, psychiatrists would immediately think of a million and one reasons for them ''hallucinating'' a monster in broad daylight, even though he, Lieutenant Harvey, was someone who has gone through several military missions in his life.

    As a lieutenant, do you think he hasn''t had his fair share of deaths before?

    So why would he be shaken so much by the deaths of hisrades here?

    Sure, it crushed his heart seeing as they were very close to him.

    But his grief wasn''t to the point where it would make him hallucinate to see a monster, okay?

    Harvey knew that no matter who they told their tale to, it would sound ridiculous.

    So why bother? Only when people see it for themselves will they know how true it is

    Of course, he still wanted to remain on the scene so he could secretly fight off whatever creature was haunting the tomb.

    Thinking like this he quickly answered everyone''s questions, insinuating the rest died from the many traps within.

    The creature didn''t seem to be attracted by bullets... So what can they do to kill it?

    Puking at the side, Harvey still couldn''t get the monster''s image off his mind.

    Terrible!

    ''... I must never let it escape from the tomb, because once on the surface... it might be a walking gue!''

 Chapter 502 Strange Behaviors

    <h4>Chapter 502 Strange Behaviors</h4>

    Fleeing the tomb, Ashaku and Harvey were instantly bombarded with several people anxiously waiting for their retelling of what went on down there.

    Miguel in particr, was worried, having never seen Ashaku this flustered.

    Who were they? Professors and renowned archeologists who have seen all sorts of boobytraps and also lost several people when digging for ancient artifacts before.

    They have seen their fair share of death and despair, sometimes meeting pirates, mercenaries, criminals and vicious treasure hunters/thieves of all sorts who would stop at nothing to steal these treasures and send them to their private employers.

    They have been on enough journeys to make books and stories out of. So believe him when he says he has never seen Ashaku this shaken up like now.

    Ahsaku''s eyes were unfocused, and his gaze wandered into a list daze, as though his mind was getting sucked away into another dimension.

    No matter how much Harvey exins, he and a few others still felt the duo were hiding things from them.

    Eldorado, on the other hand, seemed blinded by their shakiness, twisting her face in worry for the priceless arctic acts that might get crushed in the room Harvey and Ashakj just escaped from.

    "You imbeciles! So you fled like rats with tails between your legs and didn''t even bother taking out a single artifact with you?"

    "Fools! If the ck coin has already been taken off the high pedestal, why not bring it out with you all? Who still leaves it in the hands of that local man?"

    "Fools! Imbeciles! Idiots! A bunch of good-for-nothings!"

    Eldorado went on and on, almost crying when thinking of the precious artifacts that were left behind.

    If eyes could kill, Harvey and Ashaku would''ve been long dead by now.

    Very quickly, everyone twisted their faces in annoyance. Even the locals who didn''t understand what she said, found her endless talking to be irritating.

    "What''s up with thisdy? Why does her mouth have no zip?"

    "This one again... Is she sick? Does she have a condition that will worsen when she stays quiet?"

    "I don''t know what she''s saying, but I wish I could shovel up sand and fill her mouth with it to the brim!"

    "Honestly, how can she have so much energy?"

    "I know right? This is the damn desert. The sun is high, we are losing body water crazily and no matter how much you drink, you still feel parched after a few minutes. So how?... How does this woman have the energy to keep talking the way she does without getting tired?"

    "Damn! Have these westerners now developed extra body parts that keep them cool during the desert day?"

    "No way! Can''t you see everyone else on her team is tired and pale from the booking sun? They might be seated under tents, but they''re still boiling nheless."

    -----

    One by one, the localsined about Eldora''s annoying mouth, whisking they could sew it up themselves.

    Dumbfounded, annoyed and just in tired, many on Eldora''s team chose to ignore her, allowing her to tweet like a bird.

    Look!

    Hasn''t she shut up now?

    45 minutester, she was sitting in the corner, too annoyed to even look at Ashaku and Harvey.

    Anyone with a brain can tell these 2 have gone through something life-changing, unforgettable, and painful. So what sort of insensitive person brings up treasures at a time like this?

    If many could? They would''ve loved to pound Eldora hard to the ground.

    To hell with the saying that good men don''t beat up women.

    Some women were just too annoying not to beat up.

    And what happened to equality?

    Many of them have everid their hands on a woman, but Eldora was making their hands throb with the will to give her one smack in the face for humanity''s sake.

    Yes! That''s right... Humanity!

    They felt such a girl was just a menace to society.

    Before today, many heard she was spoiled, thinking the rumors were exaggerated.

    Only now do they know how mildly downyed the rumors were.

    45 minutester, her mouth was shut and everyone could finally take a breather, going over Harbey''s report once more.

    Harvey told everything as it happened, except for the part where there was a towering monster chasing after them.

    "The traps were just too many. And as the footage shows, everyone can see what happened when the locals took them out from the ancient pillow."

    The tech people and everyone else nodded, finally believing the rest died from the many traps that got triggered.

    Understand that some deaths were also captured on footage, and even the scene where the floors were closing in also showed.

    But for some reason, not long after they began sprinting to the door, everything went static.

    This was very odd...

    What could have caused it?

    Many quickly came up with all sorts of scientific excuses, but Ashaku and Harvey knew they had an inkling of why everything went static.

    They looked at each other, seeing the shock in their eyes. And suddenly, they seemed to have the ability tomunicate telepathically.

    ''From the footage shown before it went static isn''t that the exact time the--''

    ''Monster showed!''

    Only now did they understand how difficult it would be for them to gather proof of its existence and report on a national security scale.

    "Are you sure you can''t do anything about it?"

    The tech guy shook his head from side to side, "No. It''s all mumbo jumbo from there... there''s nothing we can do."

    "Then what about the audio?"

    "I don''t... Hold on... give me a second."

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap~

    Fingers flew across the keyboards, making those around Ashamu and Harvey grow more and more suspicious of what these 2 were hiding from them.

    What are they not telling them?

    The tech guy had his fingers dance around manically, until it finally stopped, followed by a very slowed-down version of the audio track just at the millisecond before turning static.

    "It''s odd... look at how high in frequency the sound waves spiked before going off."

    The spike was indeed insane, and that''s not all.

    After listening to the audio, there is a faint trembling noise almost nonexistent, as if blending with the natural sounds in the surroundings.

    The rippling effect and the bizarre frequency made certain something happened just before their connection was intercepted.

    So why won''t the duo say something?

    Thinning his lips, Harvey faced the group. "We''re not certain what happened, but we are certain something else is down there. Could be a desert animal, or something unknown... All we know is that we were not alone down there!"

    �C----

    Like so, the Mummy saga began unfolding.

    Days soon passed in a blink of an eye, with Dorian finding he now had a swarming number of peculiar cases popping up now and then.

    As an exorcist, he should be happy to eliminate these troublemakers at once.

    But it was bizarre��

    "They are up to something."

    These underworld creatures were not acting their usual selves!

 Chapter 503 [Bonus chapter]And So It Begins...

    <h4>Chapter 503 [Bonus chapter]And So It Begins...</h4>

    Tapping his finger on his table, Dorian stared into the space with azy gaze.

    And by his side was the ever-trusty Butler Sheng and the Lion-head Pandrol, who stood in faithful silence.

    On the table was a map... A map of various territories across the country that had several Red Cross marks on them.

    Odd...

    Too odd.

    It''s been a week since the unrest began, and it was already bing chaotic.

    How to say it?

    It was as though these many underworld creatures hiding in the dark, had suddenly decided to be bold, causing mischief at every corner.

    Luckily, they still haven''t truly revealed themselves to the public, or else there would be apocalyptic-level chaos going on in the streets at this moment.

    "It''s not normal," Dorian whispered, scanning the map before him with a dangerous light.

    "Here." His fingers finally stopped at a small Coastal fishing town that had the least number of reported disturbances and strange cases.

    Sometimes, what you''re looking for, is hidden in the most unlikely of ces.

    "Pandrol..."

    "Yes, master?" Pandrol calmly spoke, taking a step forward to Dorian''s left.

    "Contact Elder Endo. Have him take 2 other elders, as well as 80 students. They''ll head there immediately."

    Dorian paused, closing his eyes lightly.

    And just then, in a far, far, corner within the massive heavenly space library, a book vibrated on a shelf and flew across several bookshelves before reaching Dorian''s hands.

    [The Decitories.]

    Those were the words in the book drawn out.

    Butler Sheng frowned, having no clue what it was about.

    Yet, his heart couldn''t stop beating crazily, wondering what sort of evil entity they were up against that could cause such widespread chaos in just a week.

    This wasn''t the time for chaos.

    Even though they knew the Grandmaster didn''t care about exposure, Humanity was still building its forces, so for now, things had to be kept in a hush.

    "The Decitories..." Dorian began, blowing into the air to turn the pages.

    Oh My God!

    The image shown almost made Butler Sheng, who has seen enough evil, jump back in disgust and disbelief.

    The image was so gruesome-looking that one could almost imagine it jumping out of the books.

    It was tall, slender, crooked and shrouded in mist.

    All that could be seen from the drawing were eyes that glowed and spat evil the longer they stared.

    But what were its skills? What were its TRUE abilities?

    "Control." Dorian calmly replied. "It cannot control humans, but... It can control all underworld creatures below its rank."

    "So it''s using other creatures to hunt?"

    "Hmm..." Dorianzily hummed. "You''re thinking small."

    Typically, such creatures wouldn''t make such a bold move and risk exposure from other demons.

    It shouldn''t just be one creature that did this, but a whole School of Decitories, lurking in the dark, gathered in one ce, focusing all their attention on the outside world.

    Butler Sheng frowned, thinking deeply about the matter.

    His ball rolled up and down his throat the more he thought.

    ''The Grandmaster said I should think bigger. The biggest issue right now is the uing war. So does this matter link up with the war ahead? Is this a synchronized attack that will serve a bigger purpose in the future?''

    The more Butler Sheng thought, the faster his analysis of the matter.

    The Grandmaster said such creatures never show their abilities even to their kind.

    So for them to go all out like this, disying themselves in such a way, shows they might be part of the bigger picture... one he doesn''t yet fully see.

    "Grandmaster, I understand that causing chaos will weaken humanity, but the attack isn''t due any time soon. So why start now? Why are they acting crazy all of a sudden?"

    Dotiam chuckled lightly, with a cold glint in his eyes. "And so it begins...? The arrival of the 4 Horsemen."

    What?

    The 4 horsemen?

    Boom!!!

    Butler Sheng and Pandrol felt an explosion go off in their brains.

    This wasn''t the first time they were hearing about the horsemen.

    Dotian had mentioned earlier, saying there were 4: Death, Famine, War, and Conquest.

    Think of these horsemen as messengers guaranteeing that the end of days was near.

    From their understanding, these horsemen have been in the world for centuries, hidden in ces they might never find.

    And when it''s time... When fate turns its wheels, the horsemen will rise to fulfill the wishes of their makers.

    Yes.. you guessed it. The horsemen were created by 4 Princes of the underworld.

    ?Lucifer, the prince of Pride, created the horseman of Death.

    ?Beelzebub, the Prince of Gluttony, ironically cried the horseman of Famine.

    ?Belphegor, Prince of Sloth, took over control of the Horseman of War that was created by the now dead-Satan, Prince of Wrath.

    ?Mammon, Prince of Greed, created the horseman of Conquest.

    Those are the 4 horsemen who when seen, meant inevitable doom for humanity... So it says.

    These Horsemen are chosen across time and history and are most likely former humans who will carry out the gue assigned to them, whether willingly or unwillingly.

    Butler Sheng''s mind was buzzing like a bee when hearing about the emergence of a horseman.

    Suddenly, he felt his voice caught in his throat.

    "Grandmaster, with therge scale of creatures going out to kill and pilgrimage on people, it won''t be long before the excessive deaths of many cause the world to plumage in despair."

    Pandrol nodded. "Yes! I reckon that even if we find these Decitories in the country, all across the world, the same situation might be unfolding. So unless we find the horseman and put an end to him, the dangers will never stop!"

    Dorianzily leaned back in his seat, unbothered by the worried duo before him. "We can''t kill the horseman of Death... at least not yet. we find him, and capture him."

    Why? Because once he does, Lucifer, no matter where he is, will notice the bond severance between him and the horseman of death gone.

    The only thing Dorian isn''t sure of is if the risen horseman is that of Death, Famine, War or Conquest.

    Which is it?... Which horseman was released first?

    He felt it should be death, but who is to say he was absolutely right?

 Chapter 504 The First Horseman

    <h4>Chapter 504 The First Horseman</h4>

    Which is it?

    Famine, Death, War, Conquest.

    There was no order to which these coulde.

    No matter what cycle you begin with, it will always end in despair.

    For example, you could start with Death. Excess death could lead to separation.

    So many things can happen when people are truly desperate.

    Then, you cane in with famine, making them so hungry, they turn into monsters.

    Then, war breaks out, with the emergence of the Horseman of war.

    People fight for food and all sorts of perks.

    Then, the horseman of conquestes, plunging the world as theirs.

    Will you sell your soul to the devil for a prince to dine at their table?

    During that time when everything is dark, you best believe a majority of humans would turn dark too.

    And by the time the real war begins, humanity is so divided that it cannot operate well enough to defend itself against the enemy.

    Understand that when these horsemen arrive, most people will still be clueless about their true enemy, only thinking of other humans as their enemies.

    Nations will fight nations, neighbors will kill neighbors, and so on.

    In short, only in the very end will they realize they have bigger fries to deal with than each other.

    Think of the horsemen as the ultimate distractions.

    They are here to bring out the best negative emotions and fears in humanity, so when it''s time to devour, the feast will be a grand one too sweet to pass up on.

    Of course, not all humans will be killed. The lucky ones will get chosen and raised in human farms like pigs.

    Their duties are to breed food before sending the food out to be eaten by the many underworld creatures that will roam the world after the war is over.

    Make no mistake!

    Should humanity lose, they will be kept on inds that are farms, ces that will raise children with dreams of going to the outside world, only for them to get chosen and devoured when they are ripe enough for the taking.

    In such a world, no matter where you run, there will always be monsters that can sniff you out from miles away.

    Nevend is your future

    You will always be good... and the world itself as they know it, will change forever!

    Such a future was too bleak, but it now seems closer than ever with the emergence of the first horseman.

    Dorian rubbed his wrist, wondering which horseman it was because although he hadn''t defeated one before, he felt each should be unique as their creators.

    Meaning their weaknesses and strengths were also different.

    .

    The air within the space grew cold, as each person had heavy thoughts of their own.

    No one could describe the feeling the duo felt, knowing that the first signs of the end of days were here.

    With the instructions given, Pandrol closed his eyes,municating with his clones within the academy.

    They were at the space within the Tian estate.

    At the same time, Pandrol''s clone closest to Endo''s location, was quick to sh across the scene, heading for a grand hall where Endo was teaching.

    It''s rare for academy elders to teach, but once in a while, they do before heading back to cultivate in silence.

    Endo had just finished his lesson and was about to look for his wife when suddenly, he felt Pandrol''s heavy aura from afar.

    Pandrol now slowed down, giving Endo a clear look on his face.

    ''Something is wrong!'' Endo concluded, rushing to meet him halfway too.

    Although Pandrol''s Lion-head showed less emotion than humans, after spending much time with Pandrol, Endo felt he knew when Pandrol was upset, happy, serious or calm.

    "Elder Pandrol, what''s the matter?"

    Pandrol hadn''t said a thing, yet panic had already seized Endo''s mind, despite his face still concealing his worry.

    But when Pandrol finally spoke, Endo''s entire body trembled with vigor with the same words ringing endlessly in his ears.

    "The first horseman is here."

    Boom!!!!!

    His legs turned soft like noodles and he found himself soon leaning against Pandrol in disbelief.

    "Are you sure? Are you certain? Is the end truly here?"

    Water... water... water...

    He who hasn''t drank water in 3 days and didn''t need much of it, suddenly felt the need to swallow up a river.

    F***!

    Isn''t this moving too fast?

    The grandmaster said that once the horsemen came, it meant they too needed to speed up their ns fast.

    They must contain this situation and never let the horseman win.

    But which one is it?

    "Did he say?"

    Pandrol shook his head sideways. "We have little knowledge of the current situation, and that''s where you step in."

    Endo nodded, knowing he was about to go on a mission again. Was heining?

    No way!

    He too has family in the outside world and knows how scary their enemy is.

    So for humanity''s sake, they must seed!

    Thinning his lips, Enod sighed heavily.

    "It would be great if we had more elders in the academy."

    Pandrol nodded, knowing how every elder was moving back to back, taking up missions, asionally teaching and also cultivating.

    They were very busy.

    Thankfully, the Grandmaster devised a system that ensured that after a mission, the returned elders must stay at least 1 week to cultivate within the academy''s super fertile grounds to raise their power levels.

    Don''t forget that this entire academy was like a holy ground filled with pure heavenly qi that many exorcists across the realms and worlds would kill over.

    Here, one''s cultivation can rise several times higher than normal because of the blessednd.

    And to make people work harder, of course, the aura distribution is different in certain areas.

    For example, the outer sect has a lower aura distribution than the inner sect, and even the lone hills the elders lived on also had tremendous advantages.

    Pandrol nodded, agreeing with Endo. "It will be good to have more qualified elders, luckily, Examination day is just around the corner."

    "Yes!" Endo brimmed with joy once more. "Soon, the academy will be swamped."

    After a few words, Endo vanished in another direction, and Pandrol''s clone vanished in the opposite direction.

    As for Dorian, he had other matters to deal with.

    First, he had to locate this horseman and trap for himself.

    That can be done on ater date, perhaps tomorrow or 3 days after.

    Why? Because he had to deal with the matters involving the city... particrly matters concerning a certain Ice Cream man.

 Chapter 505 Uproar In the City

    <h4>Chapter 505 Uproar In the City</h4>

    BANG!!!!

    The thunder bellowed hard, shing the air with its mighty roar.

    The air was cold and the grounds were wet from soaking up the excessive rains that began falling 2 days ago.

    Looking to the sky and seeing the many fleets of trees begin to shed their leaves, everyone knew Fall was well on its way to supremacy. And just like the weather, many around the buzzing city were in a foul mood.

    In the most prominent hospital in the city belonging to the Hous, several childreny in isted bubble rooms with strange blue-colored faces that looked like the life in them was being sucked out day by day.

    The children were in agony and had little to no strength to turn around.

    What was happening to them?

    Were they going to leave this world just like that?

    Countless parents stormed the ce on a steady basis, manh strangling the doctors and nurses, wanting to know the progress made so far.

    "Quack! Quack! How can you call yourselves doctors and yet you don''t know what is wrong with my son? Why is he vomiting so much?"

    "Food? My daughter is in there, writhing in pain because of your ipetence and you still have the guts to take a lunch break? Who gave you the right to eat?!!!"

    "Daughter, please save my niece. She is just a child. You can''t let anything happen to her or I swear, I will burn this ce down!"

    The parents and guardians had red eyes, grabbing whoever they saw in clinical uniforms.

    "Madam, Madam�� please, we are doing the best we can. Please let go, madam. I can breathe."

    "Sir, you need to calm down and let go of me. I understand your worries. We believe the ice cream may have been contaminated with a parasite we have yet to identify. Please, calm down so we can do our job properly."

    Listening to these doctors and nurses, the parents still weren''t calm.

    "Bah! That''s what you said a few days ago. We want answers and we want them now!"

    "Yes, yes! Someone has to answer us now! We demand to know just what you''re doing! Your Hou hospital must answer us now!"

    (*��*)

    .

    The outburst was insane, and it had gotten to the point where even the Old Hou himself had been alerted of the matter. And that''s why, they sent experts on the scene, who came in with suits, ready to not only calm the rowdy parents but assure them too.

    Yes�� the one now standing before everyone was old Hou''s second son, Chen Hou.

    He, the 2nd son was made heir because Jung Hou, the oldest, had no desire to focus on the business of running and overseeing all Hou hospitals, clinics and businesses in the country and abroad.

    Chen Hou appeared before the masses, knowing today''s matter wasn''t ordinary at all.

    Don''t forget that during that time in the auction house, he had witnessed the Grandmaster killing monsters with his own 2 eyes.

    Although Chen Hou was qualified to be an exorcist, he didn''t ept the invitation just yet because he wanted to finish a few projects on ground before thinking of studying in the academy with his father and brother.

    After getting word from Old Hou, he knew today''s matter was no ordinary poisoning or parasite infection.

    Supernatural forces were in y here, but he couldn''t tell everyone this, could he?

    "Everyone, ease calm down. Our Hou establishment has never let you down, and we don''t n on doing so now. That is why I''m proud to say my elite experts have finally found the cure."

    What?

    Real or fake?

    Everyone, including the doctors and nurses who were being stranded, had widened eyes of shock and awe, knowing the elites of the Hous had finally made a cure!

    Hah-...

    Hah-Hah��

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~

    HOORAY!!!

    Many instantly switched from strangling to hugging the doctors and nurses.

    "Good! Good! My son will finally be safe!"

    "Amazing! I never doubted the Hous for a second!"

    "_" [Doctors and buses who were strangled]

    So your act earlier was just a y?

    ��

    With obvious joy, these parents and guardians jumped in joy, almost hugging the doctors and nurses so tight they almost killed them.

    Never underestimate the power of frantic and distraught parents who have been watching their children slowly die day in and day out.

    Everyone was pleased, knowing these elites were here to cure their children.

    "Everyone, please remain silent. Because of the nature of the disease, we will have to transfer all children to our private clinic used only by our Hou n."

    "We want to give these children the best treatment, so we will ce them in a contained environment with the best resources and elite healers at their disposal with the cure in hand."

    "And to ensure everyone is on the right page, parents and guardians will also be allowed toe and stay close by to the sick."

    Everyone had noints, seeing as the Hois were very open about the matter.

    Someone might think the Hous are trying to experiment with their children.

    But since they say they will keep the clinic doors open for all, it means they aren''t afraid of people poking their heads to investigate what they would be doing.

    What''s more, the hospital here has been getting too congested.

    So it makes sense to take all children away and clear up space and room for others.

    With that, the elites began transferring the children out, and the parents and guardians also cleared the scene, following behind without dy.

    The scene was cleared, and now, several doctors and nurses finally found peace.

    Their clothes were missing buttons, their hair was disheveled, their faces sunken and their bodies remained of strength.

    It''s over�� it''s over��

    They can finally go on attending to regr patients.

    Never in their lives have they seen such a disease or virus infection like this one.

    It was so scary for them.

    Yet, the Hou elites had sessfully found a cure in such a short time.

    This fact made them feel proud to work under such an amazing establishment filled with hidden masters everywhere.

    But while those in the hospitals were mutting, the same couldn''t be said for several others who felt their breathing stagnate with every passing second.

    "WHERE?!"

    A burly man bellowed.

    "Where is the culprit?"

 Chapter 506 Backup?

    <h4>Chapter 506 Backup?</h4>

    �CPolice Station, Main Conference Room�C

    .

    In the quiet room, everyone sat in knee-deep silence

    Hot water, tea and coffee sat cooly, condensation beading the rims of the mugs and cups before many

    The room was filled with police officers, detectives, and investigators, all gathered around arge conference table.

    Everyone felt the tense despair that hung heavily in the air. This case was truly a horrifying one�� one they wished they could quickly solve and do away with.

    And in the room were Detectives Hardey and Shalom, seasoned investigators with hardened demeanors.

    Since they were the leading detectives on the case, they stood before the massive adhering, addressing their team.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, I don''t need to remind you of the gravity of this situation. Over 200 children have fallen victim to this psychopath''s ploy."

    Bam!

    "It''s sickening!" Officer Jones, a young and passionate rookie, couldn''t help speaking out in outburst when thinking about the madman on the loose.

    "It''s sickening, Detective! These kids were just enjoying their ice cream, and now they''re fighting for their lives."

    "We''ve analyzed the poisoned ice cream, and though we didn''t mind anything, we can still confirm that the ice cream was probablyced with some unidentified exotic poison ." Detective Martinez, a skilled profiler, chimed in with a voice trembling with concern.

    She saw with her own eyes what happened to the chicken after it ate a bit of the ice cream.

    That chicken is now dead.

    So even though they couldn''t spot what kind of chemical was added to the ice cream, they knew it was harmful and was the true sickening treat that made so many children fall ill.

    The kid called Big Ben, was the only one who said he saw a silver, almost see-through worm swim through the ice cream.

    Even though they didn''t find any worms, they still did not eliminate the idea of there being some undiscovered worm that can cause and release such poisons.

    It''s just that with the disappearances of these worms, they couldn''t help wondering if the worms had special dissolving abilities when reacting with some chemicals and substances in ice cream.

    Is there something they were missing here?

    Could it be that when the worm meets with sugar, it will melt and dissolve into nothing?

    Is that why they can''t find it after searching for it?

    Perhaps the worms are more intact when ice cream is in a frozen state.

    But when it starts melting, the worms also melt too?

    Well, don''t me them for thinking weirdly.

    This case on its own was just too weird.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, we''re dealing with a highly intelligent and twisted individual."

    .

    Everyone clenched their fists in evident frustration.

    "We''ve got nothing to go on. No true suspect, no clues, and no clear motive�� This psycho''s ying with us."

    Instantly, the room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of the unsolved case pressing down on everyone.

    The initial suspect was the 57-year-old Ice cream man who was also the owner of hispany with 3 ice cream shops scattered around the city.

    His name was Donald CawingYu.

    He lived a good love and had no reasons for breaking bad.

    What''s more, they knew he couldn''t be the killer because forensics identified the bones they found in his home as his.

    Meaning, the real Donald CawingYu was dead.

    They cross-checked and pulled up all sorts of searches on the database, knowing he had no twin siblings.

    Now that they knew there was an imposter on the loose. Possibly a criminal wearing a fake rubber silicon made-alike mask to resemble the deceased.

    This bastard not only killed the real Donald CawingYu but also took advantage of CawingYu''s job to do his dirty work.

    In the end, they knew nothing of the true killer.

    Heck!

    They didn''t even know what his real face was underneath the mask.

    Everyone thinned their lips, feeling the weight of the matter grow heavier by the second.

    Bam!

    Hardy mmed his fists on the whiteboard hard. "We can''t give up. We need to dig deeper, canvass the neighborhoods, talk to the families, and track every lead, no matter how small."

    Shalom nodded in agreement. "We must look into the deceased past, to see if he and the culprit had once met in the past."

    "Maybe they went to school together. Maybe the murderer is a person who works at the deceased''s favorite coffee shop."

    "And if there isn''t a connection with the deceased, then look deeper into the families affected."

    "Perhaps our suspect is targeting 1 parent out of the lot."

    "Maybe the entire thing is a diversion for a bigger crime in motion right under our noses!"

    "Either way, we must get a lead! We must find the suspect before he strikes again."

    "And remember, everyone�� He/she still has toes with suppliers of the mysterious toxinsced in the ice cream."

    "For the sake of everyone and children everywhere, we must apprehend the criminal and find out where the prison is from!"

    Everyone nodded with determined looks, now reaching to begin their crazy search for the culprit.

    such a bastard must never be allowed to roam around freely�� Not under their watch!

    (*^*)

    ��

    Everyone''s eyes with enough energy for the day, now ready to take the challenge and find their killer.

    But just then, Hard''s phone rang, as well as Shalom''s.

    Ring!!!~

    Who is it?

    Both Hardy and Shalom were about tosh out at whoever it was who didn''t have the decency to note their phones during work hours.

    But feeling the vibrations in their pockets, they felt a little embarrassed, though not showing it to the group.

    Ooops..

    So it was them?

    Well, don''t me them for not turning their phone silent.

    They''ve been running around this city like headless chickens, having no time to think of other matters.

    Picking up the phone, but haven''t even said a word before their superiors bombarded their ears with instructions.

    [I tell you now, Hardy�� the peopleing are not to be trifled with or dismissed! If you so much as utter a single rudement, you don''t have to wait to die in old age�� I will kill you myself!]

    [Shalom, shut up and listen! I don''t care how far along you''ve gone with the case. When backup arrives, you will follow their instructions like a good dog not standing in their way! Understood?]

    Tut��

    The calls ended.

    Both looked at each other in confusion, but not for long.

    Why? Because almost immediately, someone came running in, telling them people from the newly formed SN department were there.

    "_"

 Chapter 507 An Unwilling Group

    <h4>Chapter 507 An Unwilling Group</h4>

    "_"

    Hardy and Shalom give each other a tactful stare, understanding they had the same call.

    And now, people from the SN department are here?

    This ��

    Although a part of them were unwilling to hand over the case after all the work they had put in, they still couldn''t deny these people ess.

    Sure, they haven''t really found any clues or links yet, but don''t you think the energy and sleepiness nights they put into the case were still work?

    Although the duo hadn''t exined the new turn of events to their team, how could these people not understand when they heard all the screaming on the other end of the phone?

    Hardy and Shalom''s phones weren''t on speaker, yet they could hear all that was told to them.

    Their superiors were yelling and giving warnings, swearing to kill the duo if they dared act otherwise.

    Bam!

    Officer Jones'' fist mmed the table passionately. "Sir, this isn''t fair! Why should we hand over the case when we are this close to finding the perp? I can feel sir, I can!"

    Detective Martinz nodded. "Yes, sir. With the directions you gave us just now, I feel we will be able to catch that bastard within a few days!"

    So why should they give their blood sweat and tears to others just like that?

    Do you know the meaning of Handing Over?

    This means that any spection, hint, clue, and evidence will be handed over.

    In other words, everything they had just discussed here must be told and given to those taking over.

    When the perp is captured, although some credit will go to them, the credit would be very small.

    Most of the glory will go to the newly formed SN Department.

    They will be the ones standing on TV, looking like big shots.

    They will be the ones to hug all the glory.

    Everyone felt that given 3 more days, they would be able to not only catch the perp but also find his poison sources too

    They all felt it!

    For the first time, they felt a true breakthrough since the case touched their fingertips.

    And now you just want them to let it go and focus on another case while this one is still fresh in their minds?

    Everyone felt they couldn''t.

    Even if Hardy and Shalom told them to work on other cases, they knew themselves too well.

    They will probably work on another case on the surface while secretly focusing on the other case, trying to find clues for themselves.

    They knew the drill.

    Many times, if they''re pulled off a big case the next project wouldn''t necessarily be a case, but a project that required them to go through heaps and heaps of paperwork.

    Sometimes, they might have to do menial cases like missing cats and cases like those.

    Many times, they would have to sit in the office, taking down walk-in case reports from civilians who entered the police station.

    In truth, their superiors would prefer they don''t go out of the station, preferring they not go out snooping for the perps involved in the cases they are pulled out from.

    It''s best they stay where they are seen, staying away from the case altogether.

    But who are police officers?

    They are people who understand the rules all too well.

    During lunch breaks and even during any little time given to them, they would do the snooping until they proved their hunch was right.

    Many times, doing this was dangerous but the sleepiness they would have wasn''t doing much to put their minds at ease.

    Huh.

    Want them to stay away from this case? No way!

    (*x*)

    .

    Everyone stared at the duo with stubborn eyes that told their thoughts.

    None of this was fair, so how can they be willing?

    "Who are these SN people anyway? Why them?"

    "Yeah. We admit this case is indeed a little strange. But does it mean that every strange phenomenon we experience needs their input?"

    Hardy and Shalom looked between their roaring team and the ss walls that showed a group of people stepping into the territory.

    These people had deep blue-ck school-themed uniforms that looked sleek and gave them a mysterious edge.

    Was that them?

    Why were they all so good-looking? Even from the ss, he could see the super bounce and youthfulness they all had.

    In truth, some people were around 45 in the group.

    But because of staying in the academy, their appearance now looked 34 and their hair which was once thinning now grew luscious and full like a lion''s mane.

    Every day after practicing, they noticed their bodies slowly revert to their youthful times.

    What''s going on?

    In all their lives, they had never seen people walk so elegantly, with grace and poise.

    It was as though these people popped out of the paintings.

    Their backs were so straight up and their movements were fluid like water.

    Can it be that only handsome and beautiful people can get epted into this SN department?

    Was that the criteria here?

    .

    Without knowing it, Hardy and Shalom started moving forward while calling their rowdy group.

    "You all shut up and don''t embarrass me!"

    No matter how unwilling they were, everyone had to follow orders!

    Even they had to do the same.

    What?

    Do you think they were not unwilling?

    Of course, they were!

    The feeling was akin to someone preparing ingredients and reaching the final step to bake a cake, only to have the uncooked dough in the baking tray taken from them.

    No doubt those who take the dough will now put it in the oven and wait for it to bake.

    No one likes the feeling.

    But what can they do?

    Looking at the SN group stepping into the room, everyone tried their best to hide their unwillingness, but they just couldn''t do it.

    The atmosphere was tense and heated, despite there being an awkward silence.

    Dorian raised his brow yfully but said nothing.

    Rather, it was Chan-ki who spoke.

    "Gentlemen,dies�� have we caught you all off at a bad time?"

 Chapter 508 Together?

    <h4>Chapter 508 Together?</h4>

    Bad time?

    If eyes could kill, these SN people would be dead by now.

    Although Dorian didn''t say a thing, everyone could tell that this young boy was the lead person in charge.

    The way the group moved beside him, as well as the way they looked at him from time to time, told everyone what they wanted to know.

    But how can that be? How can the group''s leader be a little kid?

    With his hands in his pocket, Dorian looked bored.

    Well, in their defense, he always looked calm and bored.

    Looking at the group of unwilling detectives and officers, Chan-ki wasted no time getting down to business.

    "I''m sure you''re all aware of our being here. That said, we don''t have time to talk about all the details of the case. What we require from you, is that you answer a few of our questions, and we will be on our way."

    "_"

    Everyone was dumbfounded, staring at Chan-Ki''s side with confusion.

    Don''t you want everything they have so you can use it to your advantage?

    Are you looking down on them?

    Are you saying that their suspicions, clues and hard work weren''t worth taking? Is that it?

    Even if they hated the notion of someone else taking their hard work, it''s better to have their hard work taken than for someone to not take it at all, feeling it unnecessary and worthless.

    For the first time, these people wanted others to take their work.

    Their pent-up fury finally exploded, with many no longer trying to curb their anger.

    "Say that again, hot stuff! Are you trying to piss us off? Are you trying to rob it on our faces that your SN department is the one now handling the case?"

    "Dammit! I''m so angry. What do you mean?! You dare look down on us?"

    "Hey, you! Tough guy�� If you have something to say, say it directly and in our faces! What''s the point of acting so cowardly?"

    Hardy and Shalom didn''t say a thing but their veins were now protruding dangerously on their foreheads.

    They too felt insulted, but just when they were about to speak, they heard a low voice ring beside them.

    "Noisy."

    "_"

    Dorian frowned, seemingly getting more and more irritated the longer people yelled.

    "Silence!"

    Chan-ki''s voice came off with a powerful aura that made everyone forget who they were.

    F***!

    This guy wasn''t shouting, yet his voice carried the same momentum mightier than that of a roaring lion.

    Although unwilling to admit it, his voice made some of them take a step back while others sat like obedient school students.

    Power of voice?

    Everyone saw that after Chan-ki spoke, he and his team were focused on looking at the kid, their leader.

    The kid whose face was irritated, now had a change of expression.

    They could see his brows slowly unwind until his expression returned to his formerzy one.

    Note-to-self.

    The kid hated rowdiness.

    No yelling allowed.

    Everyone felt aggrieved but dared not yell again. They had a hunch that if they did, they would face unfathomable consequences.

    Don''t ask them why they were afraid.

    It was only when Chan-ki silenced them did they take his group a little more seriously.

    Swallowing hard, many were shocked by the thinyer of sweat now formed on their heads

    It seems their body was frightened before their brains could register what just happened.

    You don''t understand.

    When Chan-ki spoke, a dangerous aura enveloped them,? almost choking their throats.

    It took over their bodies, causing them to marily shiver.

    It was the sort of fear one has whening into contact with an incredibly powerful beast.

    So don''t me them for being fearful.

    "Good�� now here''s how it will get done. Like I said, we require you to sit, or stand and answer our questions."

    "Let''s start, shall we?"

    Snap!~

    Chan-ki snapped his fingers and the academy disciples broke themselves even, heading for the many officers in the room.

    "3 minutes."

    Dorian spoke for the first time while making his way to the front.

    There, he sat at the highest table, like a king.

    Well, that was how everyone saw it.

    It was a seemingly ordinary spot many leaders had used when setting and addressing a team.

    But why was it that when he sat, it looked like a throne?

    Power��

    The boy intentionally oozed power wherever he went.

    3 minutes��

    The disciples acted fast.

    "On the crime scene, how did you feel when stepping into the deceased''s home?"

    "Where are his remains?"

    "Did you or anyone in the room see this object on the crime scene? Think hard!"

    "What color of underwear did you wear on that day? Blue, red, white, ck, yellow?"

    "_"

    .

    The questions were growing weirder by the second, and the group didn''t know what to make of it.

    Excuse them for asking, but what does this all have to do with the criminal?

    They even asked what direction they used to enter the deceased''s home. Backdoor, front door or window.

    Hello?

    Is this what you should be focusing on?

    What does their underwear color have to do with the case?

    If not for the call earlier and the serious look at these people''s cases, they would have sworn they were being pranked.

    This was the first time they had seen people ask questions not about the victim but of them.

    (-_-)

    In no time, 3 minutes were up and the SN group turned to leave just as promised.

    "Hold on!"

    Hardy and Shalom couldn''t take it anymore.

    "Can you at least tell us why this information is important and what it has to do with the case?"

    "Look�� maybe we got off on the wrong foot here? but as police officers of thew, I think it''s good we all share information so we can better our skills and help each other out."

    Chan-ki paused, throwing his head behind his shoulders with a calm look in his eyes.

    "It''s all unnecessary."

    Hardy, Shalom and everyone else were unwilling. "Why?!"

    "Because you can''t do what we do. If you don''t believe it, you can join us and watch quietly... After all, we do need you all there so when it''s time to pay the bill, your Precinct knows exactly what it''s paying for."

 Chapter 509 Special Treatment

    <h4>Chapter 509 Special Treatment</h4>

    Go? Of course, they will fucking go!

    Shalom and Hardy called their surprise to inform them of the matter, but their superiors said they already anticipated that much.

    Whelp.

    They were only going as eyewitnesses, which would make the paying process easier.

    Shalom and Hardy scrunched their faces in doubt.

    Does this SN department not work for the government, why does it feel like they were private contractors?

    Or are they missing something here?

    Either way, they would go see what the whole fuss is about. They too wanted to know what this SN department did that was so different from them.

    They wanted to know how these people would catch the culprit.

    "No guns."

    No guns when heading out to catch a criminal?

    Everyone frowned but did as they were told.

    They felt it was foolish, but recalling theshing voices of their superiors through the phone, they dared not contradict anymore.

    Soon, they were in police vehicles, heading out alongside their newrades to a location they weren''t very familiar with.

    Eh?...

    Isn''t this the private Medical facility for Hou n members only?

    Could it be that the culprit is a worker there?

    Could it be that someone in there is close to the criminal? A family, a friend, or even an enemy?

    And why was it so busy today?

    Hey! Watch it, will ya?

    These people were driving crazy, all storming in like people on drugs.

    What was going on here?

    The storm of people flooding in was crazy.

    Driving in the private medical facility, they could only keep their mouths shut when stepping out of the vehicles.

    [Do as told and don''t get in the way.]

    Those were Chan-Ki''s words to them when leaving the station.

    Everyone stood, watching Chan-ki calmly step out of his vehicle before opening the door for Dorian to step out.

    (-_-)

    To be honest, they couldn''t imagine Dorian opening his own door.

    He just looked like Royalty no matter what angle they saw him in.

    With his hands in his pocket, Dorian walked ahead, towards the rushing gathering of elite men and doctors in suits and medical attires.

    They stood around the staff exit/entryway.

    "Grandmaster! Grandmaster!... Wee, wee. We are ready for you."

    Hardy and Shalom were taken aback, never having seen such a tant disy of dog-licking.

    He felt that if Dorian told these people to lick his feet, they would probably do it.

    How can a human being bend and stretch like that?

    Where is your honor? Where is your pride?

    The chubby lead doctor bent so low they felt if he bent any lower, his spine would break.

    The way they looked at Dorian and his group changed.

    Grandmaster? So young?

    Grandmaster of what?

    Grandmaster of criminology? (?~?)

    And what''s with the attitude?

    These people didn''t even give them a second look, only treating those who dressed up like Dorian as Gods.

    What?

    Is it the uniform? Why do you only give them nods while you smile like blooming daisies at the others?

    Suddenly, they felt offended.

    (��_��)

    .

    "Right this way, please."

    The elite Hou doctors and nurses, as well as the men in sleek suits and dark sses, quickly led them around the massive facility exclusive only to the Hou family.

    Massive was an understatement.

    The first scene they saw when entering through the Staff entrance/exit way, was a moderately sized dome-shaped room.

    The female locker rooms were to the left and the male locker rooms were to the right.

    Since they were going to enter as they were, they didn''t need to change, but they did need to pass through a sanitizing stone up ahead.

    Of course, before going in, they were given gloves and face masks too.

    Well, to be honest, only Hardy, Shalom and the other police officers were given gloves and face masks.

    "_" [police officers.]

    Again, they asked�� Why only them?

    Hmph!

    They gave these doctors the evil eye while still putting on the gloves.

    What they didn''t know was that Dorian and those from the academy didn''t need any sanitation or gloves.

    With simple spells and techniques, they could eliminate dirt and even the tiniest speck of dust from touching their bodies.

    Even if you throw a ss of wine on them, they can clean it up in a blink of an eye.

    In fives, they passed through a mass sanitizing machine that trapped them in a square ss spraying sanitizing mist within the space.

    The process was extremely fast, and soon, they found themselves bypassing several hallways with wide see-through ss walls and windows, allowing them to see through the many patient wards.

    This was a n treatment facility, so there was little to no use for privacy, except the bathrooms.

    Of course, the rooms had blinds for them to pull over if they truly felt the need for privacy.

    But because they don''t want enemies or killers to sneak in pretending to be doctors and killing off people, they prefer things when walking down the hallways.

    They can see into the war, but those in the wars can''t see them or anyone passing through the hallways.

    Don''t think that such a thing hasn''t happened in the past.

    Do you know that there was a time when the President himself�� yes�� the president of the country was almost assassinated within the city?

    So they had to bring him here for treatment in their secure medical facility.

    They have so many high-tech producers to deal with intruders. But sometimes, some elite people in the dark web can get immune to their systems, cracking it down like it was nothing.

    During that time, they brought the president in, keeping him in one of their most private wards, which had several hallways dedicated to reaching it.

    These hallways also had security guards stationed on them, as well as high-tech cameras that automatically perform face recognition scanning when one is passing by.

    Should the system not be able to identify the person walking in, it will trigger a silent rm to the many security stations across the facility.

    During that time, a criminal they call the Morpher sessfully broke in through their systems and even stepped into the president''s ward.

    Luckily, the assassin had not anticipated thetest technology they just installed a few days ago.

    With one touch of a button under his bed, the president activated an imprable ss box that sealed his bed, preventing dagger throws, silent bullets and all sorts of attacks.

    The assassin also knew he couldn''t stay for long since another silent rm would have probably gone off by now.

    Long story short, whether it was see-through walls facing the hallways, or other protective barriers, the Hou facility took its security very important, especially since its use was to keep their Hou nsmen alive!

    ��

    Reaching their destination, Hardy and the others were shocked to see familiar faces lying on sick beds in the same vast open hall.

    They were the infected children!

 Chapter 510 The Annoyed Mother

    <h4>Chapter 510 The Annoyed Mother</h4>

    What was going on here?

    Why were infected people and parents all gathered in the same spot?

    Although there are masks and gloves avable, aren''t they afraid the contamination would spread out even further?

    Are they missing something here?

    The parents and guardians were also confused, but what they didn''t know was that it was with great necessity that they be here.

    They were the first to contact their children when something went wrong.

    Sadly, this fact alone was an issue�� a major issue that had nothing to do with contamination.

    Even Big Ben who wasn''t ''contaminated,'' still had to be here.

    Since they were till they could touch their children now, many wasted no time running their gloved hands across the children''s blush pale cheeks with teary eyes.

    In particr, the not-so-bright Benjamin who was one of Big Ben''s closest friends, was also there with Ben Big, Big Ben''s family and the boy''s mother beside him.

    Never in their lives have they seen him so frail and ghost-like.

    Honestly, maybe it was their illusion, but they felt he and the other children here were changing by the day, getting more and more translucent like a jellyfish.

    Was it just them? It can''t be just them, right?

    Everyone decided to look past his bizarre appearance and give him all the encouragement he needed to push on.

    "Little Benjy, you can do it. Didn''t you hear what the doctors said? You''ll be fine and out in no time�� and then, you can take a one-week vacation with my family and we''ll get to go to Belisney World."

    Benjy smiled very weakly, his excitement very evident. "Really aunt? Belisney World�� Belisney World�� I''m so happy. Can we go now?"

    Big Ben''s mother shook her head pitifully. "Silly boy, only when you get better can you go. So just listen to the doctor''s instructions and get well soon, okay?"

    Big Ben nodded. "Benjy, didn''t you say you want my limited edition Captain Swordfish action figure? Don''t worry, once you''re out, I''ll give it to you, for free, no borrowing, no rental fees. It will be yours after you get better."

    Benjy''s frail smile turned even more cheerful, though it looked like it hurt him to do so.

    Soon, Benjy''s mother quickly wiped her tears, trying to look strong for him. "My little baby, after this, we will take some time to give you the best time of your life�� Whatever you want to do? Whoever you want you want to do, mommy promises to fulfill it."

    Benjy said even more again, before frowning and thinning his lips suspiciously. "Mom, how can I believe you if you are a Blue-leg?"

    "_" [Mother with tears in her eyes]

    ...

    Can I return my child to the womb?

    For a moment, his mother was choked.

    Here I am, worrying about you? And you are here still using her of being a blue-leg?

    Didn''t she correct him earlier? It''s called a ck leg and not a blue leg, and it stands for traitors or snitches.

    For a moment, she med her father for telling the boy so many ridiculous stories and allowing her son to watch all those action cartoons on TV.

    Sure enough, children should listen to the stories she listened to when growing up. They should only focus on stories like Little Red Riding Hood, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Jack & the Beanstalk and many others.

    Now on TV, there are so many action-packed cartoons like Batman that influence strange words in their children''s mouths.

    Come to think of it, no story can truly be innocent.

    Bah!

    Where has her mind derailed to?

    Shaking her head from side to side, she quickly pushed those weird thoughts out of her brain.

    me her son for calling her a Blue Leg.

    Everyone around them was chuckling, finding it amusing that Benjamin still had enough energy in his system to keep calling his mother names.

    Sure, the kid wasn''t doing it intentionally, and meant no harm, as he was calling a Spade what it was ��- a Spade, as he saw it.

    When he reported Big Ben for knocking how his ice cream, his mom didn''t even bother doing anything to his bro Big Ben.

    Rather than telling Big Ben what he did was wrong, several parents asked Big Ben if the ocean cream had a problem.

    In trantion, they didn''t think he was wrong. (An unreasonable person.)

    Benjamin felt betrayed. If he were the one to knock down another person''s ocean cream, his mom would stand before him with her hands on her hips, berating him and teaching him the lessons of life.

    You see! You see! He wasn''t wrong.

    His mother was a confirmed Blue Leg!

    How can she trust the enemy who knocked his ice cream out of his hand but not trust him?

    Benjamin felt betrayed.

    But what he didn''t know was that if they truly overlooked the situation when it happened, maybe it would''ve been worse than it was now.

    It''s because the Hous were alerted when they were that the matter could easily be solved before any deaths urred. Another day and all these children would have started dropping like flies.

    The matter should''ve been transferred to the SN department from day 1 because everyone thought it was some contagious disease.

    Should they have brought in the matter from Day 1, these children wouldn''t look this way by now.

    They would have regained part of their former hue, no longer looking like near-see-through jellyfish.? "Where is Dad? Where is Grandpa?"

    "Dad and Grandpa said they were outside the facility and were just about to park. They will get here soon, so just rx."

    "Okay, Mom�� I''ll trust you this once despite you being a Blue Leg."

    "_"

    Had this not been her child and he was not in critical condition she would have loved to have the doctors pry open his brain so she could see what the hell was going on in there.

    Can you please forget the Blue Leg thing?

    ��

    Many families had simr discussions with their children, as more and more guardians arrived.

    Everyone noticed Dorian and the others but didn''t say anything since they didn''t say anything since Dorian''s group also didn''t stop them from continuing their conversations.

    Instead, everyone saw Dorian, Chan-Ki and the academy disciples take out candles, strategically cing them across the scene.

    Some disciples also began carving special symbols on the walls with the sticks of chalk in their hands.

    ''....''

 Chapter 511 The Confused Crowd

    <h4>Chapter 511 The Confused Crowd</h4>

    Hello?

    Where is the clinical equipment?

    Where are the medical supplies? And who are these people in uniform?

    What was going on here?

    (?_?)

    The tears that hung in their eyes were quickly sucked back in when many saw what these academy people were doing.

    Was this tricky the time to begin interior decorations and art?

    Looking at these elegant men and women drawing images on the walls and acting candles around, many opened and closed their mouths, without uttering a word.

    Who can tell them what was really going on here?

    The academy disciples continued with full focus, as though everyone else around them was invisible.

    After waiting for a while longer, several more family members and parents arrived.

    Among these people were Benjamin''s Grandfather and father.

    "Son!"

    "Grandson!"

    Both middle-aged and elderly scooted over with fatigued faces. They also came with a woman who looked simr to his father.

    Of course, it was his aunt, his father''s younger sister.

    "What''s this about?"

    The man hastily questioned. as his wife had been rambling incoherently when telling him toe over immediately.

    He was at work but quickly took a leave because of how serious she sounded.

    At work, everyone knew of his son''s situation. as some of it was also on the news, shocking his colleagues greatly.

    What confused him was that the hospital said those who had first contact with the patients/the sick children, must be present because they feared they might have been contaminated by whatever disease was guing their children.

    From what his wife said, they who were the first to be in contact with the contaminated, won''t show symptoms any time soon.

    However, it''s only a matter of time before they too fall ill.

    A man can only take so much from life.

    He quickly contacted his father-inw, and 2 of them came straight over knowing his wife and his son would now be battling for their lives.

    How can this happen?

    Justst week, they were all smiling, jumping and having a wonderful life.

    And now, in just a few days, his life has turned upside down with his wife and son fighting for their lives.

    Good God of Science!

    Is this a joke?

    How can life be so unpredictable?

    On the way here, his father-inw was cursing to the skies, but he didn''t mind.

    His father-inw said exactly what he was thinking.

    Both men gnashed their teeth when thinking of that hateful ice cream man.

    He better pray his wife and son don''t die, or else he swore with every drop of blood in his body that he would make that man pay, whether by hook or crook.

    ''Just pray you don''t get caught by me one day, or else�� heh.''

    Both men looked like crazy Crue Devilles when driving on the road.

    Anyone who looked at them through the front windows would be so frightened the knees would give way.

    As for the contamination. it wasn''t airborne.

    From what they were told, his wife might have been contaminated because, during the time she touched him, a contaminated worm might have swam into her skin.

    He didn''t know how that was possible. but recalling that they were dealing with someone never heard of before that gave his son such a strange disease, he didn''t doubt it at all.

    Why? Because they said medical scientists theorized, hypothesized, and tested the situation, specting that the worm had a vulnerable window during its period of infecting its victims.

    From what the parents and guardians said, they came out of their homes, no more than 5 minutes after the children got their ice cream.

    Some even came out of their homes earlier than that.

    Why? Because Big Ben had caused amotion, pping their ice creams down the moment the ice truck vanished around the bend.

    It was his actions that caused the children to release ear-shattering cries, causing everyone to step out of their homes.

    They quickly rushed to the children, touching those children all over, with some even wiping off the smudges of ice cream from the children''s noses and mouths.

    These guardians who had first contact were most likely to be attracted somehow.

    Knowing this much, how could he leave his wife and son alone in such separate times?

    He was only happy that his wife had not affected his father-inw and the other rtives during this period.

    It seems the disease didn''t work like ordinary diseases.

    Even after his wife had contact with him, and others, it seems nothing was spread to them.

    Just she and his son were affected.

    The disease made no sense to him, but who was he to question the facts that were staring him in his eyes?

    It''s TRUE that his son was infected.

    Can''t you see his son''s pale transparent, jellyfish-like state?

    The disease was real!

    (*^*)

    ��.

    Like so, several people came in haphazardly, twisting their necks and looking for their families like ostriches.

    The disciples were still carefully applying their arts and crafts around, since the hall was quite huge, as if this was a grand ballroom, except it was for hundreds and hundreds of patients kept on sick beds out here in the open.

    These beds were paced in symmetry as if these beds were skiers ready for war.

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Time flew by in a blink of an eye, with the police officers and detectives also confused on the situation here.

    Again, they ask. Where the hell is the medical equipment?

    How can candles and drawings on the walls help them out here?

    (-_-)

    Detective Martinez gave Shalom and Hardy a look that said: Are you sure these people are okay in the head?

    If they were truly okay, then what the hell are they doing? Passing the time with drawing and interior decorating?

    As for you doctors and yards in suits, why aren''t you reprimanding them? Why do you keep looking at them with awe in your eyes?

    Martinez wasn''t the only one thinking this. The other officers wanted to know what was going on in the brains of the medical staff and guards.

    Fortunately, they didn''t have to wait anymore to figure it out because Dorian, who had been sitting on a special seat meant for him, nowzily opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet.

    These should be thest of them toe in for the time being. He could sense the space around the facility.

    In that case, it was time to begin.

 Chapter 512 Music To The Ear

    <h4>Chapter 512 Music To The Ear</h4>

    Everyone watched Dorian walk past the group, reaching the center of therge formation of clinical beds.

    If they had an aerial view, they would see that the center of the space was left open in a Pentagon''s shape.

    The beds were aligned perfectly, with every bed facing the Pentagonal center.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, please step behind the candles." Chan-Ki''s voice was low butced with unreasonable authority.

    Many didn''t even know when their feet began moving.

    "What does he want to do?"

    Hardy, Harlem and the others frowned, already wanting to question how unreadable these people from the SN department were.

    It was just that while their mouths were sharp, their legs also moved without permission.

    ''_''

    While moving, they couldn''t help frowning.

    "This is ridiculous. I called the chief."

    "I was thinking the same thing. These people have shown no signs of clue finding, and are just doing their own thing."

    "Exactly Are they now doctors? Have they now switched from being police officers to bing doctors?... This is just preposterous!"

    The whole thing was wrong no matter what angle they looked at it.

    They felt like reporting the matter to the higher-ups.

    But what should they do if their superiors were so in love with these SN people?

    Everyone did as told, stepping behind the candles.

    Just inches behind the candles were straight lines drawn with chalk.

    Great!

    Now, the stage was set.

    The sickly children were on the beds, while the parents, doctors, guards and police officers were standing behind the candles, with him in the space close to the walls.

    As for the Academy disciples and Chan-Ki, they all stepped into the formation of beds, strategically cing themselves at various points.

    Big Ben frowned, feeling the matter was not simple at all.

    They didn''t call him a genius for nothing.

    Who is he?

    Looking at Dorian at the center, he had a hunch something otherworldly would happen, though he dared not voice his thoughts of fear of getting put in a looney bin.

    Hey�� this was a medical facility. He was closer to the Looney Bin here than anywhere else, so one should always watch what they say.

    Dorian hated talking, but with the present situation, he knew he had to make certain matters clear because even Chan-Ki and the others didn''t know all there was about what they were facing.

    With his hands in his pocket, he narrowed his sweeping gaze at the crowd along the walls.

    "Listen well, and listen good�� First, I hate repeating myself. So I will not, if you don''t catch what I say."

    "Your children, your siblings. your loved ones�� aren''t necessarily ill."

    Everyone frowned. What did he mean by saying they went ill?

    Feeling rage swell up in them.

    Bastard!

    What did he mean by saying they weren''t ill?

    Can''t he see their obviously weak bodies and bluish-pale skins? Did this brat of 17 think this was a joking matter?

    Their children''s lives were dangling on the line and this bastard dares to y mind games with them?

    Understand that these adults and guardians were disparate and had rage and hatred towards life itself, feeling the unfairness of the universe.

    Their veins had a burst of frenzy run through them, their hearts were pulsating vigorously, and their jaw muscles clenched so hard their teeth nearly cracked.

    You cannot begin to imagine the rollercoaster of emotions they went through during these past few days.

    And now, you stand before them making a jest of the matter? What can a 17-year-old boy know?

    I''m sorry, not they just couldn''t take a 17-year-old boy very seriously.

    He might look elegant and also very intimidating, but with things like medicine, years amount to more experience.

    They had their doubts earlier when seeing him in the room.

    Although they didn''t say anything, they only felt he should be an assistant or someone aiding the treatment process.

    But seeing him at the forefront talking to them about their children''s situation, only made them furious.

    Are the Hous not taking this matter seriously? Was that it?

    Dorian''s next words were what truly made the group exude with outburst!

    "They aren''t ill, but contaminated with evil."

    Evil? Evil?

    Hahahahahahah~

    Manyughed angrily, pointing their trembling fingers at Dorian with curses clogged in their throats.

    That''s the best these quacks coulde up with. Where in the world can you not find evil? Even a bank robber is evil.

    What''s the point of saying all these?

    What does this have to do with treating their children?

    Dorian didn''t even give them time to think, as he began stating his rules, while also alerting the police to keep their eyes open.

    After all, the bill would be paid by their people. So when he writes it down, the money should be sent with no questions asked.

    (��_��)

    ��

    "You all know nothing! Never doubt the Grandmaster! He is the only one who can save them!" The lead doctor yelled out while looking at Dorian in awe.

    His words shocked many, as they began looking at the situation with questionable eyes.

    This doctor was well-known in the country and famous too. So his words spoke volumes, as many were willing to listen to an elderly man with more experience than a teenage boy of 17.

    Those who wanted to rush over and grab Dorian had no choice but to fist their hands and force themselves to stand down.

    Maybe this brat really had a few brushes.

    Hardy and Shalom narrowed their gazes when watching Dorian closed his eyes while slowly bringing his hands together.

    The other disciples and Chan-Ki, also followed his movements, doing the same actions too.

    ''Alright, SN department, let''s see what you all have up your sleeves�� What is so peculiar about your methods that make the higher-ups so anxious?''

    ''Evil? Will they make the culprit appear like a magician making an audience member appear on stage?''

    Tsk.

    Hardy, Shalom and the other officers inwardly joked when seeing their actions, not knowing their guess was half-right.

    And soon, Dorian, Chan-Ki and the academy disciples began their legendary chants.

    ~Shwshwshwshwshwshwshw~

    (^0^) [Doctors and guards]: Oh, what grand, holy music to my years.

    (> -_-)?[Everyone else]: ... Are you sure we are listening to the same thing?

 Chapter 513 Magic!

    <h4>Chapter 513 Magic!</h4>

    Everyone watched the group get lost in their own world, as their chants quickly turned from murmurs to loud spellbound sounds in their ears.

    In no time, everyone felt an eerie draft hovering around them.

    Shudder. Shudder~

    BRRRRUH~

    Who turned up the AC?

    It was so damn cold in here that their teeth began chattering in retaliation.

    Many couldn''t help missing the jackets they left in their cars, knowing the building had heating.

    Oh my God of Science, isn''t this going to freeze them to death?

    Hardy, Shalom, the other police officers, and several parents, could not help looking around suspiciously.

    But once more, before they could speak, the winds started picking up and now, it was the lights that began blinking crazily!

    Hardy, Shalom and the others stared with wide eyes of horror as they watched the meless candles now light up one by one.

    What did they just see? Magic?

    Blink! Blink! Blink!

    The lights were blinking crazily and the winds were howling with what sounded like the cries of a thousand goats being throttled to death.

    Hardy and the other officers wanted to look tough, but their legs had already begun quaking when faced with such an unprecedented scene.

    "Hahaha!" One of them anxiously said. "Hahahah�� very funny. What prank is your Hou hospital making?"

    "Prank?" The lead Doctor swallowed hard with a bitter look.

    "Patients are waiting to be cured and you think we would dare call everyone loved for a mere prank?"

    "Aunt!"

    Big Ben eximed after the winds threatened to carry him away.

    It wasn''t just him, as several youngsters and even adults, began feeling the craziness that these terrible winds carried.

    Look as they did, they couldn''t find the source of these winds.

    But how was this possible?

    It must havee from somewhere!

    Yes, yes! They believed in Science, despite how desperately their brains were trying to warn them.

    .

    "Big Ben!!"

    "Little Momo!"

    Several adults were quick to grab the children who were getting spirited away, grabbing them with all their might.

    These children weren''t the ones on the sick beds, but those standing by their sides.

    Creeeeee~

    Big Ben felt his little heart jolt crazily when again heard that strange noise cry out from within the wind.

    (~...~)

    The adults might try to deny it, but he already knew there was something in here with them.

    Grabbing his buddy''s father''s hand, Big Ben held on for his dear life, feeling that if he let go, that THING would get him.

    Ooooo�� But the fun wasn''t over yet.

    Right there and then, everyone''s eyes almost fell to the ground when Dorian snapped his fingers, allowing a toy, finger-tip-sized briefcase fly out his chest pocket and erge to normal size.

    (-->>>>0o0)

    Everyone''s jaw dropped to the ground in disbelief, while wiping their eyes and even pping their cheeks to ensure this wasn''t a dream.

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I?

    "Did�� did�� did he just do what I think he did?"

    "No, no, no, no. I... I won''t be locked up in a Looney Bin for saying what I think my eyes saw, right?"

    "He, you, me, we, when, how, then�� ah?"

    Many were lost for words, pointing their shoveling fingers while opening and closing their mouths, saying random words that didn''t make any sense.

    ("0��0)

    Shalom, Hardy, and the other police officers felt weak in the knees, now confused about whether this was a trick or if it was truly real.

    "Someone, please pinch me! I want to�C... Ahhh!.. You asshole! What the hell did you do that for?"

    "Boss, you said you wanted someone to�C"

    "I know what I said, goddammit, but who means it?"

    Shalom snapped, perhaps because of the current unease and nervousness he now felt growing deep in his heart.

    At this point, he couldn''t help pondering on Dorian''s earlier words that spoleto of some Evil being the real culprit.

    He had a hunch in his heart but quickly dismissed it even after all he saw.

    Do you think it''s easy for a true man of science who has lived in the world for over 39 years to believe such a hunch?

    Regardless of their thoughts and shock, Dorian opened the Briefcase, allowing an ancient, old-looking book to float before him.

    .

    Flip. Flip. Flip. Flip!~

    Its pages turned chaotically, before finally abruptly stopping without warning.

    And with another flick of his wrist, they began seeing strange symbols projected from the book.

    Whatnguage was this? No matter how they looked at it, they couldn''t make sense of anything they saw.

    But the academy disciples and Chan-Ki were quick to chant the words and sentences that appeared.

    They knew little knowledge of what creature was guing these children, so they needed guidance for spellcasting and other actions.

    And this time. When the disciples, Chan-Ki and Doirian began chanting the projected sentences, everyone immediately noticed the changes in the children lying on the sick beds.

    "What''s happening? What''s happening to them?"

    Everyone felt their bodies bubble like volcanoes when seeing the creepy bluish veins on children morph and turn their beautiful faces into�� into��

    Blugh~

    Hideous!

    How can a face look so ugly?

    Every parent and guardian couldn''t help taking a step back, before taking another step forward and returning to their original positions.

    But this time, their backs were arched and their mouths open to spew out every meal they had today.

    You don''t understand how they feel when getting front-row seats to watch such a grotesque show.

    First, they watched their children shake and shake on those beds like crazy the longer their transformation became.

    Without knowing it, many now leaned close to each other, with eyes transfixed in horror.

    Blugh!~

    The vomit festivities began, as everyone refused to believe those were their children.

    What the hell was happening to them?

    The children shook and shook with crazy intent with morphing faces for what seemed like an eternity, until suddenly, they became calm.

    Yes!

    They were no longer shaking, and miraculously no longer looked like transparent jellyfish.

    The bluish veins on their faces also vanished, and their faces also turned rosy with warmth.

    Yes.

    It was almost as though the horrifying image from before was all an illusion.

    This�� This�� This��

    "They did it!"

    Seeing their children now return to normal, many parents, guardians and even the police officers couldn''t help bursting out in joy.

    But the doctors and facility guards stayed emotionless staring at the scene.

    How can it be that simple?

 Chapter 514 Do It! Do It!

    <h4>Chapter 514 Do It! Do It!</h4>

    "Mom!"

    "Dad!"

    "Grandma!"

    "Grandpa!"

    "Sister!"

    "Brother!"

    "Aunt!"

    "Uncle!"

    ��

    Hearing the children on the sick beds call for them, many reacted fast, taking steps forward to see them.

    But before they could go any further, they found themselves mming into an invisible wall.

    WHAT?

    Hardy. Whom and the others were also taken aback, as they didn''t notice anything at all.

    They ced their hands on the wall and gasped for words as their brains quickly freed with all the error output it was generating.

    Why, when, what, how?...

    Many felt their hearts skip a beat, knowing they were trapped in this invisible space,pletely sandwiched between the room''s walls and the space full of sick beds.

    Seeing the stretched-out arms of the children, salty waterfalls of tears streamed down the faces of these family members, as they now banged on the invisible walls in distress.

    But Hardy, Shalom, Big Ben and a few others, couldn''t help standing before the wall trying to calm the anxious crowd.

    "Everyone, calm down!"

    "Why? Are you guys with them too? Why are you stopping us? Can''t you hear their weak voices calling us over? Can''t you see they are still weak and in need of care?"

    Detective Martinez was also confused by the actions of her 2 bosses, Shalom and Hardy.

    She felt emotional when watching these parents and guardians break down with raspy voices that oozed of pain.

    Isn''t this too much?

    "Sir, why are you so cold-hearted?"

    The gaze Shalom and Hardy shot at Martinez was enough to make her legs weak. They also saw the expressions on the faces of these young police officers and suddenly wished they could snack these idiots to death.

    They call themselves detectives and they can''t even think this far?

    Their actions might seem like police brutality if someone walked in right now. But do you think they have a choice when seeing how crazy these parents and guardians had be due to their grief?

    Every one of them was held by the neck and almost choked to death for trying to stop these people.

    A little force was needed to save lives, okay?

    They understood that with the wall trapping them in, they had nowhere to go.

    The duo only wanted to calm the situation, and nothing more.

    But the pain everyone here felt in their hearts was so heavy that they didn''t want to listen to a word the duo said.

    Looking at the doctors, nurses and facility guards who were chilling on the side, the duo shot ring eyes, as if saying: Why don''t you help out? Are you blind or something?

    [Facility staff and guards]: (U_U)

    Sorry, they are marily blind.

    ''_''

    Augh~

    It was amazing how the duo were struggling to calm the rowdy crowd down. But when Dorian''s forehead began to furrow, the silence calmed down without anyone saying a thing.

    F***!

    What was that scary aura they felt just now?

    For a moment, they found themselves choking and trying their best to breathe in, to no avail.

    It was like they were stranded out of space with no oxygen in sight.

    Just a few seconds and their foreheads were already covered withyers of sweat.

    "Noisy," Dorian murmured, opening his eyes and turning his attention to the rowdy crowd.

    His calm expressionless face made them hold their breaths even more, but nothing could prepare them for what he said next.

    "They are not your children."

    WHAT!!!~

    Everyone was dumbfounded, slowly looking between the children and Dorian, wondering if he meant it literally or not.

    They understood every word he said individually. But when put in a sentence, howe it didn''t make any sense?

    "You-you-you�� You''re lying! How can this not be my son?!"

    "Yeah! How can that not be my daughter?"

    Before the group could continue their ranting, Dorian cheated a few more words that made the terrifying bluish lines appear again.

    Only this time, the children had red pupils that made everyone''s hearts race uncontrobly.

    "Evil�� evil��"

    Several people murmured to themselves when they saw the heart-stopping scene before them.

    This�� this��

    So when he said evil had taken over them, he wasn''t lying?

    Ahhhh!

    Everyone jumped back like a cat out of water when they saw these red eyes blink.

    Humans blinked vertically, but they were blinking horizontally.

    (Q0Q)

    At this point, a few parents and guardians couldn''t pretend anymore.

    Seeing that their parents weren''t making any effort toe over, these children who had weak expressions, suddenly smiled unnaturally, with their lips stretched far behind what the human face could do.

    Their voices also gave many the sensation of spiders crawling around their bodies.

    "Why? Why are you all backing away from us? Don''t you love us anymore? If you do, then blow out the candles at your feet and step I''m to help us."

    The candles?

    Whether it was Hardy or the others, everyone suddenly understood that the invisible wall was only made possible by the lit candles before them.

    The police officers reached for their weapons but soon recalled that they had turned in their guns earlier.

    Hardy and even Martinez who had earlier wanted to help tense parents go in, now stood gaur before these candles, as if ready to fist anyone who dared to blow them out.

    The doctors and guards also did the same, before these parents could think further.

    Hardy thought all his work in the police force would prepare him for all troubles in life.

    But now, the fear of the unknown hadpletely paralyzed his soul, making him fear what might happen if some idiot blew out the candles.

    Don''t think he didn''t see the look some mothers had when hearing those children tell them to blow out the candles.

    They wanted to do it! They really wanted to blow off the candles!

    Benjamin''s mother, A.K.A, the Blue Leg, was one of them. But luckily her husband and father held her tight, still having their sanity in check.

    "Let me go! Let me go! Didn''t you hear him call out for me? I carried him in my womb for 9 months! If you all don''t feel pity for him, I do!"

    "That is not my son/grandson!"

    Many guardians quickly held down their partners and loved ones, asking them to look carefully at the children in there.

    But no matter how they spoke, the others pinned down seemed blind to the red eyes and bizarre appearance of their children.

 Chapter 515 It’s Ready!

    <h4>Chapter 515 It''s Ready!</h4>

    "Get back! Get back, I tell you!"

    "I''ve got a can load of pepper spray and I''m not afraid to use it!"

    "I understand your pain, Madam�� but I will still have to tase you if you don''t back away from the candles right now!"

    Never in a million years would Shalom predict that today would be the day he tried innocent civilians for their own good.

    He felt guilty, but not regretful.

    Are you kidding him? Don''t you see that the children there aren''t exactly normal?

    If these parents dared to move in, he would tase them again and again with no regrets!

    For a moment, the 5-second scene was like a battlefield, with either side wanting to make their point known.

    "Bahahahhahahahha~"

    A deep, spine-chillingughter erupted out of the children, as it started with a childish time before growing deeper and deeper into a more terrifying sound.

    And at this moment, Shalom had to believe what his mind had been trying to tell Jim all along.

    Evil was real!

    Hahahahhahahaha~

    "You''re all right. We are not your children. But so what? This body is for the taking!"

    Grahhhh!!~

    The candles flickered crazily and the wind from earlier also blew once more, causing them to feel quivers that seethed into their bones.

    "No!!!!"

    Several parents and guardians were shocked when hearing this evil had taken leave their children''s bodies.

    "You give it back! Give us back our children!"

    It was amazing how love could trample over fear.

    Despite their quivering legs, these mothers gritted their teeth, staring at the red-eyed children with hatred.

    "Give me back my daughter/son!"

    The children all raised their sly slips when staring at the anxious group.

    My, my, my��

    Fear, anxiety, hate��

    The scent these humans gave off was so delicious, it made them salivate endlessly.

    "Want us to free your children? Then blow off the candles!"

    Blow them off? And you will free their children?

    For a moment, these mothers and a few fathers kept looking at the candles with no one knowing what they were thinking.

    And suddenly, as if endowed with some heavenly power, they found their hidden strength and pushed their way through, despite that some were truly taxed and punched in the shoulder.

    Yes.

    Not all of them got to the finish line, but a few did, causing the faces of Big Ben, Hardy, and the others to turn grim.

    "Noooooo!!!~"

    Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, as watched in horror when watching these people suck in a monstrous load of air in preparation to blow.

    The evil children, on the other hand, began smiling maniacally: "There you go�� Blow, blow them away and release us!"

    "No!" Hardy yelled while trying to fight off the few who now pinned him down. "No! You will doom us all!"

    "Help! Help! SN department, wake up and stop this madness!" Shalom and many other officers called out to the disciples, Chan-Ki and Dorian who were in a deep state of chanting with closed eyes.

    If there is Evil, there must also be good forces guarding this world.

    Hardy, Shalom and many others secretly prayed to whatever God was in charge of stopping this evil, to bloody well do its job right about now.

    ''God of Science, are you there?''

    ''God of Goodness, please save us all.''

    ''God of Ice Cream, can you just watch as evil is taking over after desecrating their ice cream greatness?''

    (:T��T:)

    ��

    Many subconsciously closed their eyes, preparing for the worst when seeing these people blow the candles hard.

    But eh? Why was nothing happening?

    Slowly opening their eyes, many quickly peeked at the situation, only to see these people had indeed sessfully blown out a few candles, but the wall still stood firm.

    Only then did Hardy, Shalom and many others recall now these people had drawn a special line with chalk just where the invisible walls were.

    Hah-... Hah-hah�� Hahahahahahahha~

    Hardyughed so hard, rolling on the floor with teary eyes when thinking of the intense battle they had earlier.

    If they had known there was nothing to worry about, why would they stress themselves so much?

    Still, these candles must have been kept and lit for a reason, so he still preferred no one blow them out anymore.

    But those kneeling and beside the candles, couldn''t ept such results.

    They had done exactly what these evil children said. So why didn''t it work?

    These parents were too emotional to think deeply.

    Their hearts skipped several beats when they saw these evil children smile their way.

    "Since you can''t free us, then don''t me us for using this body!"

    "No! No! That wasn''t what you said!"

    "You promised to release our children if we blew out the candles!"

    "You must keep your word and return them to us!"

    Keep their word?

    These evil children sneered. Since when did Underworld creatures ever keep their word? It was in their nature to lie to their advantage.

    (UvU)

    Even a question as simple as: What coffee do you like? would have a lying answering out of their mouth.

    Trust them? Only a fool wouldpletely trust beings like them.

    ��

    SwhSwhSwhSwhSwhShw~

    Dorian and his group continued as though they were the only ones in the space.

    The more they chanted, the heavier the aura around them, and the more the burden too.

    Soon, everyone simultaneously opened their eyes with expressionless faces.

    "Look! Look! They are awake!"

    The onlookers were finally relieved to see Chan-Ki and the others open their eyes, but the evil children had the opposite reaction.

    They looked at these people with hatred, wondering what sort of lost treasure these bastards had found that belonged to a heavenly being.

    Could it be an angel was snooping around and dropped something without the underworld princes knowing?

    Never in their lives would they believe exorcists exist in this world.

    Dorian squinted at these evil children.

    ''With the evil aura in their bodies now concentrated at their exit points, we can finally begin.''

    Time to Exorcize!

 Chapter 516 Shocking Battle!

    <h4>Chapter 516 Shocking Battle!</h4>

    The moment Dorian opened his eyes, all evil children turned their attention to him with a hint of fear flickering through their eyes when they felt the strange intimidating aura emitting from him.

    Twitching their necks like crazy, many gritted their ugly teeth at him.

    "You, you�� what do you want to do, mortal? Do you know what you are up against?"

    "Hahahhahahahaha~"

    Another cold blew across the scene, sending shivers down the spines of many.

    "Mortal, just give it up! No matter how long you trap us here, one day, we will break free, and when that happens we wille for everyone in here, one�� by one��"

    Their voice coupled with their treats, immediately sent the sensation of spiders crawling up everyone''s backs.

    What do you mean they woulde for them one by one?

    Whether it was Big Ben, the police officers and everyone else, everyone couldn''t help flinching when these evil children scanned the crowd with their terrifying eyes that spoke of a promise -- The promise to kill them all one day!

    What should they do?

    Everyone couldn''t help turning to Dorian''s group, secretly praying they would have a solution for the problem because the evil trapped in these children had made it clear that they couldn''t be trapped forever.

    So how do they get rid of them for good?

    This�� this�� this��

    Martinez felt their legs quake, too frightened to move when one of the children pointed their crooked fingers at her with a creepy smile on its lips.

    Police training has never prepared her for such a situation. But little did she know that this was just the beginning.

    Before she and everyone else could think further, they saw all the disciples, Chan-ki and Dorian slowly raise their hands high changing several other tunes with a determined look in their eyes.

    And soon, something unimaginable happened.

    Gahhhhhh!!!~

    The children stared up to the ceiling, with their mouths widened 2 times more than what a human being''s mouth could do.

    "Look, look! ck smoke ising out from their mouths!"

    "What is that?"

    Ghahhhh!!!~

    The children shook and trembled crazily, as more and more ck smoke went out unwillingly.

    The most terrifying thing was the shriveling screams and eerie sounds they heard during this time.

    Blink. Blink. Poof!~

    Several light bulbs blew out, no longer only blinking but exploding out from the insane disturbance.

    Second by second, the smoke merged, creating 5 different giant silhouettes that floated in the air with rotted maggot-infested bodies.

    Blugh!~

    If they thought the children''s faces from earlier were ugly, then seeing these creatures in their true forms only made them gag, puke and choke while shaking crazily from disgust and fear.

    From today onwards, they can never see another being as Ugly.

    F***!

    Do ugly humans exist? None.

    That was their answer.

    They would rather marry the ugliest man or woman in the world for all eternity than spend a single second staring into the faces of these creatures here.

    It should be illegal for such ugliness to exist.

    Are you trying to give them heart attacks?

    Big Ben also puked so much he felt his chubby body might have lost a ton of weight by now.

    No one minded the smell of puke because the scent filling the space was already so foul it was burning up their noses.

    It smelt like sulfur and a million rotten thingsbined.

    No. That was an understatement.

    It smelt like nothing they have ever smelled in their lives.

    And the fact that all this was trapped in their children''s bodies, made many feel the urge to dunk their children into bleach, scrubbing them in and out till they became clean again.

    Already, several people were thinking of buying containers of the strongest mouthwash avable, nning that should they survive this ordeal, their children must be made to gargle their mouths at least 5 times a day to ensure they werepletely clean.

    Don''t think they didn''t see the darkish rotted teeth of these children just now during the times these creatures were speaking through the children''s bodies.

    Their teeth were stained greenish ck and their tongues were also bizarre and full of pus.

    So don''t tell them to calm down, and don''t use medical jargon for them anymore!

    .

    Blugh!~

    The onlookers all dropped to their knees poking like crazy, unable to even stand up anymore.

    Yes.

    Even the doctors here felt the same gagging sensation, talk less of Shalom and the other police officers.

    Oh mother of pearls!

    Can they say they wish to pluck their eyes out and dunk it in detergent for cleaning before putting it back into their eye sockets?

    "Monsters�� Monsters�� They really exist?"

    Shalom was in a daze, with boundless fear etching into his heart when he saw all 5 giant creatures quickly take form before his very eyes.

    Mommy��

    3 police officers peed themselves, but no one noticed.

    Don''t me them for being weak-hearted.

    They, police officers, were trained to deal with mortal things, man-made problems and even animal and nt-made problems.

    But if you tell them to fight against supernatural ones, of course, they would be afraid.

    "SN Department�� Supernatural Department?" Hardy murmured, immediately figuring out what exactly these people do.

    Well, if before today, you told him such things exist, he would dly lock you up in a Looney bin.

    But now, he was so shaken that his fingers couldn''t stop trembling from the shock and disbelief.

    The scene was too indescribable for many, and so was the battle that immediately unfolded before they could blink.

    Left, right, up, down and sideways, the disciples stormed in like crazy, rushing for the kill.

    And as they ran, they quickly took out talismans from their pockets, taking them lightly before drawing out their chosen weapons from them.

    WHAT!!!~

    Everyone''s jaws dropped to the floor, as time seemed to stand still when watching the blockbuster scene unfold before their very eyes.

    Near-see-through weapons of all colors dance in the air plunging at these aren''t monsters with murderous intent.

    But were these giant monsters so easy to take down?

    ~Boom!!!

 Chapter 517 Barely Passable?

    Chapter 517 Barely Passable?

    A powerful sonic wave exploded out the moment these creatures shed their many palms against these disciples. Bam!

    Many disciples flew back but were quick to catch themselves, rolling on the floor and even turning in the air before kicking on the transparent walls and heading back to the battlefield. The children who were now unconscious, were protected by another group of disciples whose task was to look after these children. Chan-Ki also joined the battle, taking on one giant creature for himself, allowing the disciples to take on the other 4. Dorian on the other hand sat in his usual bites state. It might seem as though he was doing nothing, but he has been watching the battle, and observing their progress for far. The Petratoringolus was a demonic homunculus that was quite a powerful force to be reckoned with. If there was only 1, the battle would have been an easy one. However, at the current levels of these demonic creatures, it would indeed be tricky for the disciples and Chan-Ki to take down all 5. Dorian watched them get battered and beaten up but didn''t move an inch. This was all part of their training. The more they fell, the more they rose, storming in again for another kill. And all everyone outside could see were several shes of light flying in the air, shing against each other like crazy. (o0o)

    .

    The battle was happening too fast for human eyes alone. Still, they could see that these disciples and Chan-Ki were having a difficult time dealing with these hideous monsters. "Boss, boss, should we help? If they lose we all lose too!"

    Shalom and Hardy who heard this felt cold, understanding this fact more than anyone else. They wished to help, but how do they do it? "Don''t get in their way." The chief Doctor states with a calm face. "What do you mean we shouldn''t get in their way? Can''t you see they are struggling against these monsters? As police officers, do you expect us to just sit back and watch without helping them when they are in need?"

    Indeed, they were also scared right now but as Police officers who have been fighting crime for a long time now, it made their hearts uneasy to just sit back and watch. The Chief doctor chuckled, shaking his head sideways while pointing towards Dorian. "So you know why he is called the Grandmaster? It is because he is the most powerful human being in our world."

    Him? Many people''s pupils dted at an rming rate when staring at the bored-looking youngster at the other end.

    Although it seems unbelievable, they had no choice but to believe it after all they had witnessed today. Recalling the warnings their supervisors gave these police officers telling them to especially not piss off the Grandmaster, everyone couldn''t help giving Dorian several looks. The most powerful human in the world was a teen who hadn''t even reached the age to drink alcohol yet. Who would believe it? "You think I''m kidding right? But why don''t you take several steps back and think of how his people treat him?"

    Many thinned their lips, still in disbelief. "If he is so strong, then why doesn''t he help them out? Why is he letting them suffer in pain?"

    "Training." Harvey and Shalom blurted out. With bitter faces, they now understand how unnecessary their worry was when seeing Doriany back as though sleeping. ...

    Indeed, it must be for training purposes that he allowed them to take a beating. It was crude but the fastest way for them to learn. You truly learn boxing when you take on an opponent. You can only truly learn a skill when you sessfully apply it in your everyday life. Likewise, fighting true opponents is the best training these people can get right now. Seeing that there was nothing else to worry about, many could only scratch their heads, staring at the battle with a more rxed expression. Oops��

    Hardy and Shalom smacked their foreheads, turning their attention to the other officers with stern faces. "Have you all forgotten your assignments while out here? Write! Write!... Write everything down and Record too!"

    "Our superiors gave us this one task while out here so don''t cause any trouble for me!!"

    "And remember, don''t puke on the evidence!"

    "Yes, sir!"

    (//*^*)

    ��.

    Like so, the group of officers diligently did their part, while also watching the epic battle unfold. Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The disciples worked hard, finally taking care of just 1 monster. Chan-Ki also finished off his lone 1, meaning there were 2 down, 3 more to go. Reaching for their pockets the group took in strange pills dropping them into their mouths before rushing in once more. Their breathing was heavy, their clothes a little torn and their foreheads and limbs covered in blood. Indeed, they were struggling, almost reaching their tipping points

    It had been 9 minutes,42 seconds since the battle began and Dorian had already seen all he needed to see. [Step back�� You all have made great progress when fighting against a Dolum-Rank Creator]

    The weakest creature rank is a Solum Rank creature, which has 12 sublevels�� these are mostly creatures between 0~100 years old. And then, you have the Tulum Rank, which is those between the ages 101~350. Following that is the Bulum Rank, and then the Dolum rank which are creatures between 1000 years old and 5000 years old. The creatures they were facing were at least 4,000 years old. This�� was not bad. Their progress was good, but not good enough. They barely managed to kill 2 within the time frame he set out for them. Not good. Understand that the small fries left in this world were nothingpared to the big shots in the underworld who were at least 500,0000 years old with some being a billion years old. Sorry, but it just wasn''t good enough. Luckily the academy space elerated their growth rate 50 times faster than normal. Or else how can you expect people who have been training for 2 months and a few weeks to make such progress from zero to this level so fast?

    With Dorian''s ns after another month, they should be able to deal with 100,000-year-old creatures and even 600,000-year-old ones for the elders. With everyone stepping back, Dorian calmly entered the battlefield with one thought in mind, and that was to finish things fast.

 Chapter 518 Stupid

    Chapter 518 Stupid

    The moment Dorian stepped into the scene, everyone couldn''t help turning to him with throbbing hearts. You say this boy is the strongest human, but how true was this? The creatures also seemed to notice him as they turned and twitched his way, throwing rotting maggots wherever they moved. Very slowly, both sides approached each other fearlessly. "Human�� Foolish human�� your vitality is young." One of them said sniffing the air around Dorian like crazy. "My, my, my�� it is rare to find a human with such a clean heart." Instantly the one speaking zoomed in so close to Dorian''s face, that it almost seemed like they would kiss. But Dorian didn''t flinch, despite the giant ugly, rotting maggot and insect-infested image that appeared inches from his face. "Tell me, human�� why is it that, unlike the others, you don''t fear us?"

    "Yes�� even yourrades, your fighting friends, have some iota of fear in their hearts though very minimal." "But you, human�� you are something else. Why is that?" Everyone was shocked when they heard the creatures. The kid has no fear in his heart at all? And his heart was also the purest too? Taking out a lollipop from his pocket Dorian slowly unraveled it, putting the lemon-vored candy in his mouth. After being satisfied with the taste in his mouth, he slowly raised his head, facing all 3 creatures with a slightly irritated look. "Noisy."

    Only he can ask the questions here. Bam!!!

    All 3 creatures smashed against the invisible walls with so much force like flies, that it made many open and close their mouths in overwhelming shock at what they just saw. F***! F***! F***! Who am I? Where am I? What am I? Did they just see Dorianzily flick his fingers in the air, sending all 3 flying like flies? (0o0)

    Strong! Too strong!

    No one could describe the emotions many felt, with some teenagers and children like Big Ben jumping in the air like crazy. "One punch man?"

    "This guy is definitely the One Punch man guy!!"

    (+0+)

    Say no more. Their eyes were twinkling like stars and their knees trembling to bow in worship at Dorian''s stunning disy of strength. F***! Did you see how powerful the Grandmaster is? The doctors and guards couldn''t help raising their lips proudly, as if telling the police officers and the onlookers that: see? I told you the Grandmaster was the strongest human in the world. Now what do you have to say? (^w^)

    .

    GAhhhhh! The gut-wrenching pain made all 3 giant monsters cry out in horror when peeing themselves off the 2alls that by the way also seemed poisonous to them. It contained traces of heavenly qi that made them quickly step away. But where can they go? On one side were the walls that trapped them in, and on the other side was that demonic human that now sent shivers down their spines. The corners of Dorian''s lips raised slightly in a disturbing manner when he slowly tapped his talisman paper, drawing out his favorite blue giant spiky club from it. By God it was monstrous. It looked to be the size of a car. It was amazing that one tiny human could carry it up as though it was nothing. (~?~)

    "Now, I''m going to ask you a few questions. Answer truthfully, and you won''t feel a thing." "_"

    �� This is the human who has a pure heart? Are you sure the heavenly and worldlyws haven''t made a mistake when assessing his situation? Why did they feel he was very ck-hearted instead? Wait! Wait! Wait! Isn''t he supposed to ask questions first before reaching out to hit them? If so then why was he swinging his giant club their way?

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Dorian''s club was like the Grim Reaper, cashing these creatures to cry pitifully like pigs that were about to get ughtered. What was Dorian''s policy? Beat first, ask questionster. After dealing with so many underworld creatures he realized that most of the time, he had to beat the pride out of them before they could talk normally. (And by ''normally,'' he means his way.)

    "You arrogant mortal, do you know who we are? Don''t think you are great just because--"

    Bam! Dorian attacked before they could even finish their sentences. "Human, do you know what you are doing? How dare you--"

    Bam! "Listen to me, human. You will-"

    Bam! "I curse-"

    Bam! "Ahh! Enough, enough, you despicable-"

    Bam!

    "Okay, okay,we will talk! We will-"

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! (//:T0T:)

    ��

    Woooo~

    "Monster,monster!"

    "Get away from us, you monster!"

    [The onlookers]: (-_-)

    Erm�� excuse them, but are you confused about your identity? Have you looked in the mirror to see who is who here? Everyone didn''t know how to feel when seeing these creatures cry and beg for mercy so pitifully. Oh my god of Science! They were now trembling with quaking bodies in one corner as if the Grandmaster was the bad guy here. It was hard to believe that these were the same creatures that caused uncontroble fear in their hearts a moment ago. Believe, believe�� They now believe that this guy is the strongest human in the world. At the same time, they swore never to get on his bad side because a person who can make monsters terrified isn''t any regr person. Gulp~

    Many swallowed hard watching the one-sided neat down unfold before their very eyes. However, they didn''t feel any sympathy for these beings because if the Grandmaster wasn''t strong, it would be they and their children who ended up being good for these creatures. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!~

    "Please~... Please, enough�� we will talk."

    The creatures who had their hands raised over their bodies in fear, were so happy when seeing Dorian''s giant club stop inches beforending on them. However, their mary happiness quickly turned into viciousness, as they now changed their minds, nning to take advantage of the moment to attack. But how can they seed? Dorian chuckled, using no effort to evade their attacks. And when he was done, his face turned grimmer with an eerie smile on his devilishly handsome face. "How brave."

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! (~_~)

    �� Everyone had just one word for these creatures - Stupid.

 Chapter 519 Where Is He?

    Chapter 519 Where Is He?

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! The beatings just kepting in and in, and everyone didn''t know if it was possible for such intimidating monsters to keep acting dumber for so long. Several times, they tried to sneak attack Dorian but it always ended up with them having more injuries instead. You would think they would have learned their lessons by now but no~... it seemed as though they chose to have selective memories about the incidents. They were beaten so much that no one in the audience felt any fear when looking at their current state. The only feeling they felt was disgust and the constant need to gag or puke. Instead, they felt their legs tremble whenever they looked Dorian''s way. F***! A man who can make Supernatural beings tremble must not be a man any of them can afford to offend. And after what seemed like an eternity of beatings, these monsters no longer dared to try anything funny. "Alright, alright human�� you win." "Yes, Human, we will tell you anything you want to know. Please�� just make it stop." No one can know the true pain they felt after getting hit by so many attacksced with heavenly auras that burned deep into their souls. Please�� please�� they were ready to talk, although who is to say what they say is truly urate? Dorian raised a browzily, as he twirled his massive club before allowing it to rest on his shoulder. "The Horseman�� Where is he?"

    The underworld creatures that were in pain were suddenly taken aback, shocked that Dorian knew so much. How is that possible?

    Why should a human know so much about horsemen? "The Horseman? The Horseman? What Horseman?"

    The creatures were shocked to the bone. But before they could think any further,they saw Dorian raise his club towards them and their bodies immediately became obedient. .

    "Alright, human. Don''t get all anxious on us." "Yes, we do know of the Horsman you speak of."

    "Quite a troublesome fellow, too obsessed with his past, you see?" All 3 chunked in, one by one, causing the air around the audience to grow cold. The Horseman? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    What is that? A half-man, half-horse creature? Shalom and the others thinned their lips and raised their ears high, not wanting to miss a single thing. The more the creatures spoke, the more gloating their pained expressions looked. So what if they were defeated? They knew the end was near and soon, they would be revenged!

    After all, this guy can''t kill them, since he was just a human who stumbled upon holy artifacts. That''s right. It still didn''t click in their heads that they were up against exorcists here. Sometimes, the truth can stare people in the face, but they still choose not to believe it.

    But don''t me them for thinking so. How old were they? The youngest only was 3,600 years old, with the oldest being 4,800 years old. Do you know how old that is in human time? Decades have gone by and they still haven''t seen any exorcists here. This world was still very blind to beliefs and even the supernatural, and everything was exactly how it used to be. So where did the emergence of exorcistse from? Even if you establish a school of exorcism today, do you know how long they will have to take before they can eliminate creatures of their age?

    Don''t get it twisted. Perhaps with the help of highly powerful, fallen divine objects, they might truly be able to beat them down. But don''t forget that no matter how they beat them down, without any exorcism, they still won''t go anywhere. So with that said, it takes years for exorcists to reach the level that can exorcize creatures of their rank. That said, they, underworld beings, are everywhere in this world. The jungles, the deserts, the cities and even within active volcanoes. So there should be no ce that these people can stay and practice in for years without them knowing. In short, if after so many years, he hasn''t heard any news of exorcists existing then they bloody don''t It should take several years to get to this point of taking them down, so how can they believe Dorian will take care of them for good?

    No. They might have lost today''s battle, and he might have suppressed them now, but one day, they will definitely be set free. They all thought that most likely, that day woulde during the Battle Of The End. Hehehehhehehehhe~

    When that dayes, they will also join in taking revenge should this human still be alive by then. Everyone watching was perplexed by the sudden change in demeanor these creatures now disyed. How can they be so quick to forget the beatings they just collected from Dorian? If they still remember then why are their shoulders still raised high?

    (-_-)

    ��

    Bahahahaha~

    The monstersughed with eerie echoes that sent chills down the spines of many. "Silly human, now that the first Horseman has awakened, it is only a matter of time before your world ends!"

    "Yes��" One of them spoke while scanning his yful eyes at the masses. "Be happy humans, at least you still have this short time to live as you usually do." "Because once all 4 horsemen are awakened, your world wille to an end and we�� will be the ones to roam your miserable homes." "A war ising, a war you all are bound to lose." Bahahhahahahah~ Shalom, Hardy, Martinez, Big Ben and everyone else felt their hearts quake in horror when listening to the ominous words these monsters spoke. A war wasing against them, humans? What? They only have just little time before the end of the world begins?

    No! How are they just hearing about this now? Panic was just about to spread out when suddenly, a terrible cry echoed out from the monsters. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Everyone looked at the situation and suddenly felt can when seeing this. Hey, they humans weren''t so hopeless too. They too had protectors of their own... and the leader of their human protector was quite a fearsome one too.

 Chapter 520 Destination Cygypt!

    Chapter 520 Destination Cygypt!

    Big Ben indeed felt a little rxed, feeling that such a scene was somehow familiar to him. Oh yes~... Why did it look simr to a scene in his favorite Anime, Attack On Titan? That''s right. When Eren Yeager was found to have the ability to transform into a titan, those in the council and many who held power, were very afraid, with some even wanting him to be executed instead. But just then, Levi walked up and began beating him so much that even those who originally opposed Eren''s staying, couldn''t help pitying him. At the same time, relief spread out among the crowd, knowing that someone was there to keep Eren in check. He and everyone else felt the same when seeing Dorian beating the living daylight out of these monsters. Yes. They had people to protect them, and these people are doing their very best too. "Where?"

    Dorian was getting annoyed listening to their nonsense. He simply asked where the Horseman was and they began talking about who-knows-what with him. "We...we don''t know where��"

    "... but, but all we know is that he is a man with a deep past and an unforgettable love for his wife."

    "Yes. He is obsessed with her and will do anything for her. It is because of her that he became the Horseman in the first ce." Dorian sequined his eyes thoughtfully. "What Horseman?" "Famine." So it''s the Horseman of Famine? After pulling out more information from these pained monsters, Dorian now had an inkling of where the Horseman might just be. It was a hunch, but he felt it must be right. Brmmmm!~

    The exorcism began amid the disbelief and horrid faces of these monsters who thought they would only be trapped here and nothing else. "You, you, you... How can you and your people exist in this world?"

    "No. No, no! How can this be?"

    "How can this�C"

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!~

    The monsters screamed in agony, as they watched heavenly chains fall from above pinning them still as their very beings began turning into ashes that faded away into nothingness.

    But this time Dorian had also awakened the invisible wall, gathering all evil that still swam within the room and in the audience and family members who touched these children first when they got ''infected.'' Everyone was fearful to the bone when they saw faint traces of ck smoke leave the surface of their skin. Mommy�� Have they also been carrying a trace of that evil existence in them?

    Scary .. Scary��Very Scary. Chan-Ki and the others also joined in on the exorcism. In no time, the air became extremely clear, no longer smelling so foul. In fact, it still smelled like vomit, but everyone suddenly felt the smell of vomit to be quite a refreshing one. Say no more. To them, it smelled like good perfume,pared to what their nose had to put up with earlier.

    ��

    After the exorcism was over, Dorian began examining the children, alongside Chank-ki and the others. He never spoke of his concluding thoughts but was very pleased that the group had reached the same conclusions as him. There were a few mistakes here and there, but they managed to correctly calcte the fates of all these children moving onward. With that done, Dorian calmly took a seat, waving Chan-Ki and the others gathering the guardians around to break the news.

    They immediately spoke about the type of monster they were up against and also spoke of the power levels these monsters were at when affecting their children.

    How to say it? If a 100-year-old creature had gued their children for these past few days, there would really be nothing to worry about. But when creatures above 1000 years began troubling these children, it definitely left a chipped edge in their souls. All Guardians now felt that their hearts dangling on a string the more they heard. "So, in the end, what are you trying to say?" "That''s right, spit it out. Since the evil is out of our children, what else is there that we need to worry about?" Chan-Ki looked at the group and knew it wasn''t an easy thing to say to these guardians who have been through hell and back, but it must be said. "Yes, tell us�� what else must we worry about now that the evil is out of them?"

    "Their lifespan."

    "_"

    "Because they have been affected by such powerful creatures, some of them have lost 8 months and some have even lost 3 years of their lifespans already."

    "WHAT!!!"

    A collective cry bellowed from the masses who were now standing in a daze, wondering if they heard things right just now. Even Shalom was shocked to his boots when hearing that one could lose their lifespans just from getting touched or possessed by these monsters. This... This�� This... Oh My God of Science! What sort of evil after-effect was this? Many guardians, especially parents, quickly held their hearts, feeling as if they would burst out of their chests any moment now. Tears trickled down the faces of these guardians who were wailing and screaming at the top of their lungs, with some even cursing those evil Monsters who touched their innocent children. (:T#T:)

    After listening to Chan-Ki further they understood that if a child was supposed to die at 53 and he has lost 3 years of his life. He will die at 50 instead. What''s even scary is if a child was supposed to die at 15, but loses 3 years, doesn''t this mean they will have to die at 12 instead? No way! No way! They want it all back! They want everything that belongs to their children to be given back to them! So what if their children only lost 1 month or even 8 months? Do you know what difference that time would have made for them?

    They want it back. Give it back! Give it back! (/*0*/)

    Even though Chan-ki spoke of the consequences of borrowing years from their next lives, all parents agreed without question. And after another 4 hours, everyone was finally looked after. These parents and guardians also pushed a headload of protective and repelling pendants and charms that can keep evil entities away. Buy, buy, buy! Even Hardy bought several of them when he knew evil was in every corner of their world, even in his home. With matters here concluded, Chan-Ki soon left with Dorian and the others to pinpoint and deal with the ice cream man on the loose.

    It took barely 10 minutes to arrive at his location and exorcize the creature in human clothing. And thus ended the ice cream Saga. But things were just getting started�� because now, they had a close where the Horseman of Famine might be in --Cygypt!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 521 Home Sweet Home

    Chapter 521 Home Sweet Home

    Next stop, Cygypt. With the destination in mind, it wasn''t hard to find mysterious activities around the ce. Like so, Dorian, Old Ghu and a select group of students, are now prepared to leave for Cygypt. For this group, Dorian had arranged for 300 students toe. That''s right, 300. They were to prepare for departure in 4 days. It was amazing how Old Ghu could deal with the necessary travel documents for all of them in a sh. Well, to be fair it was akin to how military assistance is sent over to ces of need in a rush to countries people don''t even have documents to. 4 days��

    That was enough time for them to handle whatever private matters they wanted to. For these 4 days, they were allowed to leave the Academy and head back to the outside world to see their families, friends, or loved ones. Wouldn''t you know it, Ghu Sota was also among them. When he went back home, his mother was also waiting for him. She has been quite lonely these days, seeing as her husband, son, father-inw and even mother-inw were often away in the mysterious academy she didn''t know where located. It was amazing back then, she too had been epted into the academy as a caregiver, while her husband was epted as a disciple. But she had decided to stay back instead, to straighten things up before joining her family in the next semester. She honestly wanted to know what the mysterious academy had to offer. "Mom!" Ghu Sota hugged his mother warmly. Soon, she pulled herself away from him, twirling him excitedly. "Come, let me see how much you have grown... Wow! My son is looking even more handsome than before�� and have you grown taller sincest I saw you?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "_" "And why do you also look so skinny? My poor boy�� aren''t they feeding you in there? Just look at how your hunger bones are showing below your neck?"

    "_"

    Ghu Sota was dumbfounded, feeling that his mother must have a filter in her eyes for her to think he was skinny. His body was visibly stronger than before, and his muscles, although not exaggerated, were slightly pumped up as if he was a slim but built male protagonist of an anime show. His abs were extremely pronounced, his back straight, and his outerplexion so good and glowy that you would think he was fresher than a newborn baby''s buttocks. Mirror, mirror on the wall? Who is the most handsome of them all? Sota felt the answer would be him. That was how he felt whenever he looked at his urgent appearance. What''s more, as an exorcist in his current strength level he found he could go on for several months without water or food and he would be fine. So where does he look like he had been starved to death?

    Tsk.

    Sure enough, mothers always have different eyes when looking at their children whom they haven''t seen in a while. .

    Ghu Sota felt that his mother might be lonely because she couldn''t talk to them when they entered the academy grounds. Understand that even before he knew monsters existed, his life as well as that of his father and grandparents were also busy, seeing as they belonged to the prestigious Ghu n. His father would travel across the country and even go abroad for days and even weeks for vital business matters. His grandparents also did the same, and his mother was also a very busy woman. Although everyone was busy with their careers, they always spoke on the phone and had several video calls to stay close to each other no matter where they were. But since going to the academy, no phone calls were allowed. So you can imagine how lonely she has been not talking to them as often as she used to. The good thing was that she still saw them as often as she usually did if not more often than before. Understand that after they graduated from being handymen, those who were the heads of the n and their businesses were allowed to go out 2 to even 3 times a week to finalize several matters in the outside world. As people standing at the top, they had capable subordinates to ensure things ran smoothly. So they came to visit her more frequently than before,pared to the times when Ghu Dwo would go abroad for 2 months or even go to other parts of the country for weeks. At least now, he woulde home at least once a week before heading back to the academy to bury himself in deep cultivation. She only felt lonely because she didn''t hear from them, not knowing how their days went or whether they were truly fine. The only time she hears from them is when they arrive home. That alone is enough to worry any wife, mother, or iw. .

    "Quickly, get lunch ready. Can''t you see how thin my little boy is?" The maids and servants inwardly agreed that the mistress was blind after seeing how much healthier and good-looking Ghu Sota had be. Where does it look like he was thinner? Very quickly, the kitchen began preparing scrumptious meals for Ghu Sota. Gu Sota wanted to tell his mother that he didn''t necessarily need to eat, but seeing her enthusiasm, he chose to stay quiet.

    At least she was pampering himpared to his traitorous after and grandfather who would always watch his grandmother throw her magical shoes to his face. And like a boomerang, it always managed to smack him when he least expected it. Thinking of all the bullying he had gotten from his family in the academy, Ghu Sota couldn''t help thinking it was nice to have a mother by his side. But what Ghu Sota didn''t know was that if his mother knew of his mischief, she would also KO him with her boomerang shoes. Don''t confuse her soft looks for weakness. What? Do you dare go to a dangerous forbidden forest without permission? (*?*)

    Soon, she will join the academy as a caretaker, and would definitely take over from his grandmother in smacking the hell out of him. But all that was in the future. For now, Ghu Sota was just happy to be with his soft and gentle mother. (^v^)

    ��.

    And just like Ghu Sota, many returned to see their loved ones, preparing for their departure in 4 days. But in the meantime, far in another corner of the country in a lone mansion, a breathtaking, beautiful girl suddenly woke from her slumber with a cold glint in her eyes. "Who? Who is it that is trying to ruin my first assignment?"

 Chapter 522 The Wilting Rose Lady

    Chapter 522 The Wilting Rose Lady

    --House Castolica--

    It was a small manor seated on a lone, picturesque hill on the outskirts of Riverwhale City.

    They say it is foolish for anyone to build such a massive manor in the middle of nowhere, in the far outskirts of the city where it''s not safe. Yet, here the manor was still owned by the family who built it.

    This only showed how powerful and influential their forces were, if they could stay safe throughout the centuries and decades. And of course, even in modern times, there were quite a few thieves and bold people who thought of sneaking in to y hostage for ransom. However, no one has ever heard a word from them since they had their grand scheme put in motion. As for what happened to them, who knows��

    All in all, the manor was quite a sizable one with ancient structures that stood the test of time, with their unique charms that dazzled anyone who stumbled on them. It consisted of 4 towering structures and 3 ground level structures all surrounded by tall walls and a peculiarlyrge metal gate. If anyone didn''t know any better, they would think the ce was abandoned. But many within the city and those who have traveled out this far, know it was upied by a young vibrant girl who took over after her mother''s sad passing. Many have never seen her mother''s face, as the woman always wore a peculiar mask with wilting rose petal prints engraved on it. This was why they called her mother the wilting rosedy. It''s said she loved roses, but not fully vibrant ones. She had a peculiar knack for wilting roses.

    Those who visited her manor said she purposefully kept her gardens in a dying state, because of this. She had a thing for roses. All flowers in her gardens were roses. Many felt she was quite a dangerous and terrible woman shrouded in mystery. Their minds told them to run, but their bodies told them to do the opposite. For someone whose face no one had ever seen, she had a body that kept countless men awake at night stroking off to just her silhouette. Her every move, her every turn, her every action was like that of an enchantress. How can one woman be so endowed? Her bosoms made men salivate, her derriere made men get crazy thoughts, and her thin waistline only made men want to hold her in their arms even more. When she spoke, her voice was as soft as the wind, like beautiful poetry to their ears. She was She left many with unforgettable first impressions, with some even vowing to divorce their olddies and promising all their wealth to her just to marry her. Ah yes�� The Wilting Rose Lady was quite a remarkable and unforgettable woman. So it was no wonder that thousands and thousands of men felt it was unbelievable after hearing of her death. They spent their nights drinking sadly in their home offices, wailing at how cruel life was for taking such a beauty away from them. But their wives, on the other hand, were jubting crazily, knowing that the bitch who stole their husband''s attention was finally gone. They knew it was wrong for them to be happy when hearing of someone''s death, but they just couldn''t help celebrating to the sky when hearing the good news. Do you know how it feels to have your husband no longer pay attention to you for almost 10 years? He doesn''t care anymore about your children or you, only focuses on a woman from who knows where. What''s worse is that even if you want to get a divorce, he will find ways to keep you by his side because he has money and power. How can they win against that? Their husbands didn''t want to let them go and also didn''t want them to have a happy marriage. You can neither go nor stay happily. So what should they do? Honestly, they have looked forward to the day when the bitch would just leave their families alone. It''s just that they never imagined it would be through death. But so what? So long as she goes, their husbands will return to them soon, right? (Q��Q)

    They didn''t mind that their husbands were drinking whisky and alcohol alone in their offices. Cry it out, sweat it out and release all your sadness quickly so you can finally return to your senses. How can 1 woman control over 2 thousand men, her alone? Just how did she do it? Sure enough, she was a vixen who only knew how to seduce married men. Of course, the women checked on their husbands from time to time, making sure they didn''t overdose on drinking. After all, too much of anything is never good, be it too much sugar, too much alcohol or even having too much adult gymnastics.

    Hooray! Hooray! The b**ch is dead! Many of these women had long formed a club, and now knew each other, finding sce in each other''spany after knowing their husbands all lusted after the same woman. Hah!! The vixen was gone, gone from their lives forever. All the women were celebrating as though it was their birthday. At the same time, many secretly gripped their sons hard, making them promise to have nothing to do with the vixen''s daughter. Can you imagine how they would feel if both their husbands and sons lusted after the same mother and daughter? The thought alone was enough to evoke suicidal thoughts from them. It''s said that the mysterious daughter who has also kept her face hidden all this while, will finally reveal her appearance in a ball she was about to host in 3 weeks.

    Heh. Many swore to hold their sons, refusing them to go to the ball. Who knows if the vixen''s daughter would use the same tricks on their sons?

    And so many families also knew of the legend of the Wilting Rose Lady, a woman who could entice thousands of men all at once. Although many sons felt they couldn''t be as stupid as their fathers, they still secretly made up their minds to go to the ball and see just how beautiful the woman''s daughter would be. Like so, many knew this lone manor on the hill was upied by the wiltingdy''s daughter who would soon hold a ball, 2 and a half weeks from now. No one except for those in the manor, had ever seen how the youngdy looked like. Surprisingly enough, no matter how they browsed these servants, none of them ever betrayed the youngdy by secretly taking pictures for the press. Many men said she must be as gentle and soft as her mother. But right now, the girl who was supposed to be soft had awoken with a cold and murderous glint in her eye. "Who is it?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 523 Who Did It?

    Chapter 523 Who Did It?

    waking from her slumber, her beautiful girl with skin as pale as winter snow slowly rose from her bed, her eye color shifting from brown to red. "Charlington." Swish!

    An expressionless blond maid appeared in a sh like the wind. "Mydy." Her time was low and neutral, withrespect and hate resonating from it. "Tell me, Charlington, you hate me, but can''t do anything to me. So, what does that make you?"

    "A weakling, mydy."

    "Good... A weakling... A little worm I can get rid of anytime I choose."

    The girl gripped so tight blood began dripping down the maid''s jawline. "Tell me, Charlington. Do you feel it?" The maid slowly nodded, "Yes, mydy. We have lost connection with the Karntin and the Gonbah." Those were thedy''s subordinates who were supposed to work in the city and a town a little far from here. With the Horseman here, thedy had a vital role to y, ensuring her subordinates caused havoc as nned. Everything might look chaotic and random to the eyes of the onlookers, but for their Princes who have been nning these events for millions of years, everything was all connected. Everything was meticulously nned, and all they had to do was y their part well. So imagine the fury their Princes will unleash on them should they fail. Just thinking of it made them shiver endlessly. The little girl who looked no older than 16, was an entirety who had lived for over 8,000 years. She has had to live and fake her death severally to deceive the humans. How foolish they are, not knowing she was the same woman they now pronounced dead. Of course, as a Grudge Siren, her victims weren''t men, but the women married to those she enticed. She would drown them in despair, taking the attention of their husbands and sons. Sometimes, she also took the attention of their daughters, causing these women to feel abandoned and betrayed by the world. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    And when in their most desperate hour, she finally reveals herself to them, eating them up, only leaving hollow shells of themselves behind. She had eaten up some women who were sent to a psych hospital by their sons and husbands. So believe her when she says nothing tastes good like a woman''s pain, fear, fury and rage all twisted up within her.

    Delicious! .

    Standing before the kneeling blond maid in full nude, the girl calmly asked, "What do you think?"

    "Lady, could it be that we were betrayed? Could it be some other General trying to shake off our stance?" The youngdy narrowed her gaze, also thinking the same. No one even bothered to think of the existence of exorcists. No! It must be their kind who are messing up their good. Thedy twitched her lips, annoyed by the new development of things. "I should have known��" She should have known that some creatures in the dark would make their move to destroy her good deeds. After all, there has always been endless rivalry and greed among their kind. Make no mistake. Even the blond maid kneeling before her would love to be in her position and would have wasted no time ending her if stronger. Such was the way of their world down below. The strong love and the weak crumble.

    Although trying to hide it, she could still see traces of jealousy, hate, and envy in those eyes. It was amazing that she also saw respect and acknowledgment in the maid''s eyes. It was the kind of respect and acknowledgment one gave to the strong.

    "Mydy�� it must be the work of another General in your ss. Think about it�� should you outdo the other generals, our Prince will reward you by bestowing high powers on you."

    Yes! The prince promised that those who performed well would be granted extraordinary rewards that would make them even more powerful than they currently are.

    Just thinking of these mysterious rewards made thedy''s horns almost burst out of her human shell from excitement.

    She had just been appointed General not long ago.

    Even though her position was the lowest General rank in the underworld, she was still a General, one that made the underworld creatures beneath her twisting envy. This was her first big job. And now someone was out there ruining her good deeds for her? Heh-heh-heh. The siren liked her lips cruelly.

    "It seems I have quite a few enemies around who do not wish to see me rise." With a flick of her fingers, her wardrobe opened and her clothes flew towards, suspending midair. "Charlington"

    "Yes, mydy." The maid calmly stepped forward to clothe the siren''s nude body.

    Soon, the duo were off to investigate what the hell was going on with those they lost contact with. It was just that after more investigations they still didn''t find any clues as to who had disrupted their actions. Tch. Sure enough, if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. Very quickly, the duo returned to the manor, making ns of their own on how to make up for the blunders so far. Sadly, they won''t be able to start their ns until they find the right underworld creatures to join in. .

    "We one are not enough to rece the havoc the prince had in mind, that wasdisrupted." If it seeded, It would have affected no less than 500,000 people in 2 months. So imagine how big the chaos would be by the time the war begins. Sigh�� The siren was quite frustrated with the sudden turn of events. And to make up for the damage, they needed help�� enough help to cause a massive scale of attacks all at once. Looking at the pen and paper at her desk she calmly wrote a list of underworld creatures she wished to find. "Take it. You have just 2 weeks to find them all�� 2 Weeks!" "Yes, mydy." In a sh, the maid was gone, leaving the siren all to herself. "Don''t let me find out who you are, or else... heh..."

    Sitting on her bed, the siren calmly tapped her finger''s on her crossed arm with a cold glint in her eyes.

    But just like the siren, many in other territories also thought the same, with no one thinking it was the work of exorcists. Who is it? Who is trying to sabotage their good deeds? In no time 4 days flew by in the blink of an eye. And soon, it was time for the great Cygypt Adventure to begin.

 Chapter 524 A Bug!

    Chapter 524 A Bug!

    Within several military vehicles, everyone calmly sat cross-legged while making their way to the airport. They had no suitcases or luggage, just themselves, their documents and their wallets. Everyone was in uniform with face masks on. However, that didn''t stop many from giving them second looks. Even with the lower parts of their faces covered, their eyes and smooth upper facial skin were too good for many to shake off. "Wow! Do you think they are Pop stars from the samepany going for a grand event?" "So cool! The way they walk, their straight backs, and even their hairstyles make me fall in love."

    "I wonder what their faces look like after their masks are taken down?" "Oh, My Mother of Science! One of them just looked at me! Ahhh! I think my belly has grown 5 times bigger from his sexy stare." "Husband? My soulmate! The eyes can''t lie!"

    "Ahhh! Please let them take the same ne as me. I just want to see their faces!" Click. Click. Click.~

    Very quickly, several people took back and side images of these images of these people. But why was it that everything they tried to take front images, some random person or some random object would identally block their way? Many felt like crying when looking at the photos they took. Dammit, kid. Why must your balloon fly in front of my husband''s face? And you tall foreigner who is confused about directions�� why did you suddenly appear in front of the camera, disrupting their picture taking? So annoying! �� husband�� (:T^T:) n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Many could only sigh when staring at the backs of these pop stars who were vanishing in different terminals from them.

    Understand that with 300 disciples going this time. The ne they were taking had 900 seats. 302 of these seats were just for them. It wasn''t easy to arrange for such arge number of seats to be avable on such short notice but Old Gia did it. Many people don''t know this, but in case of war breakouts and other matters of urgency, airnes must also assist in carrying soldiers over at once. Typically, the military would try traveling through sea via the navy if carting so many soldiers. They also have nes of their own for travel too. But when the group is this big and the journey is so long and far like theirs, they typically had to travel in disguise as regr people to their targeted destination.

    But it wasn''t rare forrge groups of military personnel to upy 1/10th 4/10th or even the entire flight trip.

    Dorian had told Old Gia to book a week-long stay. So their return flights will be 1 week from now. Dorian was giving him and the others time to handle the whole Horseman of Famine thing. 1 week was all they had.Old Gia and Dorian were seated in first ss while everyone else was in economy��. Everyone else, even Ghu Sota, was only used to being in first ss.

    Well, it might be a little cramped for his style, but who was he toin aboutfort as an exorcist? On some missions, he might even have to stay overnight in swamp tunnels and other unsightly ces. So they can''t very well be picky. Ghu Sota didn''t mind after all the ugly ces he had been to out in missions. He wasn''t talking about human habitats, but ces he was dragged into by underworld creatures. Trust him, after staying in such ces, every other ce in the world feels like heaven. ...

    Soon, the group checked their gates just before boarding began. The disciples were all stationed at the very front economy seats�� all 300 front seats. Those checking them in, couldn''t count the number of times they were shocked in their hearts by how good-looking these 300 people were. How? How did these people get such smooth skin? Sure enough, idols have all the secrets to skin care. Tsk. "Have a nice flight." "Thank you." The disciples ced their face masks back on walked past the Boarding staff and soon entered the ne. After finding their seats, they sat, strapped themselves in and closed their eyes in full meditation. Their heads were lowered as though sleeping and their bodies rxed. Dorian and Old Gia on the other hand, had long stepped into their first sspartment, doing the same - Meditation.

    Passengers who came in hoping to catch a glimpse of the stunning pop group were shocked to see all of them with lowered heads. Aww~

    They were hoping to look into the eyes of these people and get first-sight, electric love with them. Sigh�� Sure enough only in dramas is such a thing as airport love, true. Can''t they meet their future partners this way? In no time, the ne was almost ready to go, with all passengers in ce. But just then. Thest passenger came aboard, a vibrant man with blond hair, wearing a vacation shirt. He was quite the charmer, already fascinating the air hostess that greeted him. Oh my~ She blushed shyly, having never felt so excited with a man''s eye contact other than her husband''s. Who is he?

    If they have an affair in the bathroom after the nends, her husband will never know, right? (?0?)

    The dashing man who looked 24, now stepped on the ne with an even more vibrant smile. Sadly, he saw that the first rows of people were idols who didn''t even look his way. Tsk. A wave of fury shed through the man''s eyes. Who do these imps think they are to look down on him? The man dragged his little suitcase, trying to act unbothered while still maintaining his charming smile. But what he didn''t know was that after passing every row, the ''idols'' who initially had their heads lowered, suddenly opened their eyes and threw their heads behind their shoulders to see the man.

    Everyone gave tactful stares before resuming their original positions and closing their eyes. At the same time, Old Gia got up and swiftly made his way to Dorian''s first-ss chamber. "Come in," Dorian ordered before he could even knock. "Grandmaster, how do we handle it?"

    Dorian raised his brow thoughtfully. "Wend." There was no use almost causing a ne crash and worrying others over some little bug. They will handle the underworld big that came aboard after theynd. For now�� Dorian smiled.

    "Enjoy your flight, Elder Gia."

 Chapter 525 Unrest In Cygypt

    Chapter 525 Unrest In Cygypt

    With word from the Grandmaster, everyone unhurriedly made themselvesfortable in preparation for the long flight.

    Indeed, there was no point causing havoc on a flight several feet high in the air.

    Everything will be handled when they get to Cygypt.

    With that, the disciples closed their eyes again, in deep meditation. And in no time, the ne was on the runway and soon in the air.

    But unlike the calm state they found themselves in, several others far, far away, were now on the verge of losing it.

    . n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    �CDeserts In Cygypt�C

    .

    The atmosphere was foul and heated, as hot as the boiling weather. Many were sweating buckets but dared not move an inch. The famous desert sites that were once open to the public, now had several signs stopping tourists from going in any further.

    For how long? For how long will the tourists be prohibited? Indefinite. Many local tour guides and those used to the desert regions, could only scratch their heads in confusion when talking about the matter in local pubs. That was always the topic of discussion during these days. Men with head wraps and light Cygyptian attire, would gather and speak of their strange findings about the matter. The foreigners also had their interest piqued when listening to gossip on the matter. "It''s strange�� I tell yah. Why�� just this morning, I saw several foreign soldiers board their trucks and head to the deserts." "Yes. And our local military forces are also with them." "What do you think it is? Can it be that some criminals and Tomb Raiders are trapped in an ancient tomb and are refusing to go out, choosing to hold these treasures hostage since they know they are surrounded?"

    "Good guess, I think so too. There must be criminal activity somewhere in the deserts, enough to cause so many army forces to storm into the deserts." "Hmhm�� It seems that every day, more and more forces enter the deserts to handle the matter."

    "Ahh. I wonder what it will take to get the inside scoop on what''s going on. Normally, as a local tour guide with my ears to the ground, I should have been able to get even a hint of what is truly going on over there. But I''m so shocked that not even a bird''s whispering tweet hase my way"

    "Indeed, they are keeping a tight lock and key on the matter." Many locals and tourists looked at each other with tactful eyes, before staring at the desert''s many entryway locations. How to get the scoop? ��

    Vrmmmm~

    The sounds of several vehicles gliding along the sun-kissed sands echoed across the space. A battalion of military forces was now driving under the scorching sun amidst the vast expanse of Cygyptian Desert. They wore full ck protective gear above their dark bluish camouge attire. In the vehicles, the air was thick with tension, with no one uttering a single word until they finally reached their destination. Bam!~

    The door mmed hard after thest person stepped out. Take a good hard look around. It was like a barrack here now, with over 7000 men from around the world stationed around the incredible archeological site where the ancient tomb of Hotanziy buried underneath the sands. Now The Britannia Museum wasn''t the only one in on this. Theirpetitors were all here with the support of their respective governments, fighting to im whatever treasures Hotanzi left behind. They thought it would be an easy matter, but soon found out that there was more to this tomb than meets the eye. What was going on here? Why was everyone they sent in dead? The only ones who have ever made it out alive were the 2 who first escaped when the Britannia Museum first arrived. Only Lieutenant Harvey and Dr. Ashaku had ever made it out alive. Everyone else who ever stepped in never returned, making them feel they should either be dead, or unconscious. But with the screams they heard before their feed suddenly turned static, they were afraid it was the former.

    Dammit! Several military leaders cursed, knowing they couldn''t very well throw bombs and missiles into the tomb. Hey�� wouldn''t things be easier if they could do so?

    In the history of archeology, never has there been such a hard-to-break-in tomb or ancient ruin as this. The person who designed the tomb deserves some des because even with all the military forces and powerful modern-day archeologists they brought over, no one has been able to make any progress further than what the Britannia Museum had done on their first time breaking in. Once they step into a certain room, all hell breaks loose, leaving nothing to go on but the terrible screams of theirrades below. It was terrible! At first, they didn''t believe Ashaku and Harvey''s words of there being a sand Desert animal in there. But now they do. IT must be a terrible worm animal that manages to bore holes through into the tomb underground and has been living in there since. Who knows�� maybe it had a giant family and n, multiplying themselves over the decades. Science was amazing. Just because the modern era has so many achievements, doesn''t mean they have discovered everything in the world. Now and then, insect species and new animals are discovered all over the world. Sometimes, new sea animals also emerge, and other times, it''s new nts that are discovered, alongside new chemicals and elements that get added to the Periodic Table. If Mankind knew everything already, don''t you think they would have long gone into the Gctic era? Do you think they would''ve sessfully created Teleportation devices and even flying vehicles and ships that could travel at the speed of light? All in all, it was not so uneptable to specte that it should be an unknown species causing havoc down below.

    Since it can drill holes into the tomb, it must also have a way to keep itself well-fed.

    Of course, they might be wrong, and it might instead be a new nt type that causes deep hallucinations, making their men shoot themselves to death instead. However, since Ashaku said it was an animal, then it must be an animal. But how to stop it? Several military Generals and Commanders stared at the tomb''s entrance with boiling eyes. "Come on, prepare the next team! I don''t believe that with our advanced gadgets and technology, we won''t be able to win this battle!"

 Chapter 526 A Tight Situation

    Chapter 526 A Tight Situation

    "No!" Lieutenant Harvey and Dr. Ashaku eximed anxiously. "Please, General, we can''t keep sending people in." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Yes, yes! I know what I saw, and I guarantee you that if we don''t find its weakness first, storming in and attacking with brawns alone won''t do us much good."

    "It''s you 2 again." The Britannia General stared them in the face with a cold glint in his eyes. "Are you 2 trying to say all my earlier actions have been tactless and without any thought?" Ashaku and Harvey''s hearts skipped a beat. "Not at all, General. We don''t mean it that way."

    "Indeed, we are just worried for the lives of those venturing in��. general, if using Brute force isn''t effective, then we must go back to the drawing board and think deeper about the situation," Harvey advised, with a determined look in his eyes. His body shook with uncontroble tremors with a hint of guiltced in his eyes. Yes, Harvey and Ashaku were guilty, knowing they were still withholding what type of creature was truly trapped down there. Was it an animal like they made everyone else believe? No. They knew what they saw, and that thing was a monster. It felt unbelievable for their brains to conclude on the matter, but that was the truth. Their guilt stemmed from withholding information, but they knew that should they dare to say the truth, they would be escorted out of there in under a few seconds and sent for psychiatric evaluation. Monster? Are you sure you''re not dreaming over there? Do you think they came here to y and joke around? No one would be them, sending them away before they can make aplete statement. That was why they both agreed to say it was a giant worm-like animal never seen before. As for its description, they added many features from the monster, like its sharp ws that could retract and elongate, alongside its mouth that could expand to 5 times its original size. They couldn''t exin its exterior looks very well since they were busy puking after only taking a few looks at it. No jokes, they were running and trying their best to not gag while escaping. They didn''t think anyone could look at it for more than 2 seconds, so don''t me them for not having a very good look at it. The duo were very guilty, knowing that those who died had walked in not truly understanding what ''animal'' awaited them. Still, they tried their best to exaggerate the danger level, so that those going in would be super prepared and have a fighting chance. But s, reality was indeed cruel. In just a few days, over 600 people have died. Dead�� Every one of these people, whether from foreign forces or their Britannia country, never returned after heading down. This matter was now like a suicide mission in the eyes of everyone here. The worst part of it all was that they still didn''t know what they were facing since their cameras and even sound systems would go static whenever danger emerged. Left to Harvey, he felt they should forget about the treasures and try finding a way to seal the tomb back forever. Such a creature must not be left to roam the surface!

    "General, please halt the assault. We should wait for the scientists, biologists, and researchers to arrive first."

    Their talk had already piqued the interest of several people who now surrounded them. The General himself wants a headstrong person. He also had the same thoughts as Harvey, but because certain Government Officials high above were pressing the matter, he had to continue his assault on the tomb all this time. The General hated those government officials who sat in the offices near the country''s president, giving orders when they had been at war. What did they know about the sacrifices he and his men were facing?

    Believe him, he had long wanted to call off the matter but found that his hands were tied. It wasn''t just him, as other military forces from other countries also felt the same, not wanting to see any more dead. But because this was apetition for Hotanzi''s treasures, no country wanted to back down. Hotanzi was so rich that his treasures alone could help the national Treasury a lot. Of course, some of these goods will go to the museum, but others will be auctioned off and some, like good coins, melted and turned into gold bars and sent to their vaults. There must also be heaps of sapphires, rubies and all sorts of gems. Ancient books, painting prices and other treasures awaited the first country to sessfully break through and rich Hotanzi''s burial site. The Britannia Museum might have been the first people to find the entrance and break into the tomb, but so what?

    This battle isn''t over until the fatdy sings. Now, the wheels of change were in motion, and only those who reached the treasure room couldy downmands here and there. Once a victor emerges, they can give the other countries a few scraps here and there, but they will be the ones taking out most of the loot. The world of archeology was a dog-eat-dog world. The leaders who were greedy for the treasures of a dead man, kept pushing them, stationed here to keep going in and in, despite the unbelievable oue.

    .

    The General clenched his fists, knowing it was absurd. In all his time as a soldier, he has never disobeyed an order. Orders were to be fulfilled, whether you liked them or not. But this time, when seeing Harvey''s determined look, and that of his men around him, he felt he should be selfish for once. "Hitchcoff."

    A burly man pushed forward and gave a military salute, "Yes, General." "When do our Britannia scientists, biologists and researchers arrive?"

    "Sir, ording to their itinerary, the first 12 are arriving first thing tomorrow morning. There will be 3 more groupsing in, with thest group arriving a day after tomorrow." "Alright," the General nodded. "Call off the assault. We rest till they arrive and conclude."

    Really?

    With widened eyes, the men and women broke out in cheers, knowing they didn''t have to continue on with his absurd suicide mission. "Fall back!"

 Chapter 527 Hidden Secrets

    Chapter 527 Hidden Secrets

    Fall back!"

    "What? Really fall back?"

    "Fall back! Fall back!"

    The soldiers and archeologists from Britannia were so happy that they almost broke character, wanting to hug themselves to death. Many from the other countries looked at them with jealousy before looking at their leaders as though asking if their leader wanted them to die by going in now.

    Some leaders scoffed, thinking these Britannia people were so chicken-hearted. No doubt the first person to seed would get a raise for their meticulous job and service. There was greed for the treasures and greed for power too. Several leaders stared at the scene in disgust, not wanting to follow Britannia''s example. For them, the mighty Britannia was now momentarily out of the race. These leaders continued making ns for their uing raids and assaults which would take ce several hours from now. On the other hand, some chose to follow Britannia''s actions, choosing to halt their operations for the time being too. Seeing this, Harvey and Ashaku released heavy sighs of relief with tactful eyes. But soon, their eyes were bombarded with a high-pitched squeal they were now very familiar with. Oh no, not this annoying brat again. "What? You dare stop the raids without my permission?"

    Eldora stared at the General menacingly, swearing to call her daddy and report the son of a bitch when she gets her phone back. What about her glorious return? What about her rise to fame she had dreamy of? If they back down now and allow someone else to break through during this time, do you what he eventually stood to lose? Sure, she didn''t know the first thing about Archeology, despite graduating well ahead of her peers with honors. What could she say? Money made the world go round. Like a fire-breathing dragon, she barked loudly while pointing her trembling fingers at the General. "Do you know I can have your job for this? Who the hell do you think you are to give orders without my consent? I--"

    "Shut up!" Like everyone else, the General had enough of her ranting. It was as hot as the boiling water, and just her high-pitched voice alone was giving him headaches. The woman made him wish he was deaf.

    What''s more, who raised her in such a mannerless way? How dare she yell at him, a full-grown man in the presence of the other countries and his men? Since he got here, he has seen hersh out at the archeologists and several others. He felt it was ridiculous but said nothing. However, now that her madness is directed at him, it is a whole other matter. So what if her father was super rich and famous?

    Do you know how many military merits he has? Do you think they can just do away with him just because of a single word from her? Sorry, things in the military don''t work the same way as things in the corporate world. Getting rid of a highly decorated General like himself was not that simple. Heh. Throwing his head back, the General turned his attention to his subordinate, Hitchcoff. "Take her away�� It seems Miss Eldora isn''t feeling too well."

    Seeing the General''s sneer, Eldora''s face lit as though she couldn''t believe it. "You-you-you��" She couldn''t even make a single sentence, as visible shock overwhelmed herpletely. "What? Get your filthy hands away from me? How dare you grab me? Do you know who my father is? Do you know what he can do?"

    My father, my father, my father�� The female soldiers grabbing her rolled their eyes, disgusted to have her as part of their country''s female congregation. Are you not ashamed to keep unting your father''s sess here and there? Where is yours? Apart from cheating and shooting like a shrewd, what other attributes do you have that make you stand out? After spending this short time with Eldora, they understood that she knew nothing of the profession she imed she graduated from. What''s more, she had a stinky attitude, treating everyone like dirt. Gripping her a little firmer than usual, they hurled her away to her tent, nning to confine her to the space and stay guard, ensuring she didn''t leave her tent until she was feeling ''better.''

    Look�� aren''t they a caring bunch?

    (\^��^/)

    "No! No! You can''t do this to me! Are you listening, you bloody motherf**ker? You let me go right now, and I swear I will forgive you!" "Bastards! Let me go now!" ��

    Like that, Eldora was dragged away in an udylike manner, with her feet kicking heaps of sand in the air and her head desperately shaking from side to side. Can you imagine if someone took a picture of her now and sent it online? The beauty who was a goddess in the hearts of many who didn''t know her would be shocked to the bone. Tsk. Deserve it!

    Harvey, Ashaku, and several others clicked their tongues, satisfied by the General''s way of handling things. At least for the time being, they won''t have to face the woman''s crazy screams anymore. Separating themselves from the others, Harvey and Ashaku calmly walked towards Ashaku''s tent, thinning their lips hard. The General looked at their fading silhouettes and frowned. "They are hiding something." "You think so too, right, General?" Dr. Miguel''s voice echoed out behind the General. He and Ashaku were good friends and rivals.

    He and Ashaku worked hard to find the Tomb''s entrance earlier. After Ashaku came out from the tomb, his good friend and rival always seemed to love being in a daze. It was odd�� Too odd. Hitchcoff thoughtfully pushed his sses in. "General, why don''t we follow them?" With a deep gaze, the General massaged his bearded chin, "Follow." Harvey has been too distracted, and wasn''t vignt against them. Just like Ashaku, he seemed to have too much on his mind.

    So yes. Why not follow? Everyone''s muscles tender, feeling their heart rate elerate. No one felt guilty for suspiciously cornering the duo. ording to the reports on these 2 men on the General''s desk, it''s clear that they have loved their lives not valuing wealth that much. So it must not be greed that lets them hold off reporting anything important. From character analysis and past work reports, these 2 were good men, and probably had their reasons for hiding whatever it was they were hiding. To them, it seemed these 2 were rather afraid of something. The General had to say that it was a fear that almost unmanned them, especially Ashaku. But what is it?

    Every scientific possibility flooded their brains but they just couldn''t figure it out. All they could conclude was that the animal down there was far more dangerous than they could ever imagine. "We follow quietly."

    "Right." All 3 men nodded tactfully, before resuming their stance and acting normally. They also didn''t want those around them to know of their actions. Time flies by very fast. Although the sun was still hot, it was already 7:39 PM, and dinner time was here. Many were walking around the camps, heading for the food tent to grab a bite. They can drive back to the city, which is quite a good distance from here. They can do that but would risk getting first-hand information about theirpetitors from the other Countries stationed here in tents. Don''t forget that this was apetition for the treasures, so no one was ready to go. Even if The General decided they wouldn''t be going into the tomb anytime soon they still had to colonize their camp zone because if they left, someone else would take this amazing spot that was right in front of the tomb. No way!

    This was great ss-A front-row seat experience here, so how dare they abandon it? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Again, even if they send teams to get supplies from the city they must make sure that the team that stays back is great in number or else they will just be bullied and pushed over to another camping location by the hungry wolves preying on their spot. . Seeing that the duo had chosen to skip dinner and head for a private talk, the trip knew this was the right time to corner them. Others were heading for dinner and they immediately split up, choosing to appear in different locations, eventually surrounding the tent. Second, by second, they made good use of their time, until soon, they spotted each other closing in from different directions. So far, so good. Perhaps because of the heaviness in Harvey''s heart, he didn''t pay attention to his surroundings, hardly sensing anyone approaching. Even if he heard a thing, he might brush it off as others are going for meals. After all, if someone stopped too close to the tent, a thick shadowy silhouette of the person would form on the tent''s walls. The General and the others had already thought of that, which was why they had Hitchcoff wall casually, dropping a mix close to their tent.

    Hitchcoff seemed very prepared, as he has long wanted to listen in on everything the duo said over these past few days. However, without authorization, he couldn''t do it. But now, he can finally listen in. Hitchcoff smiled, pushing his sses in while listening to the headpiece in his ears. What big secrets are you hiding?

 Chapter 528 The Truth And Nothing But The Truth

    Chapter 528 The Truth And Nothing But The Truth

    In the tent, the duo men had stayed quiet all this while listening to the faint noises from their surroundings. Both opened and closed their mouths, still not sharing a thing. Ashaku calmly took out his handkerchief with trembling hands to wipe the thickyer of sweat on his forehead. "Lieu--Lieutenant Harvey, what we feared for has nowe to pass." "Yeah," Harvey replied, with a heavy voice. They thought that even if they said it was a giant worm, with all of their modern-day weapons, the collection of so many people bombarding the monster at once would kill it.

    But now, they knew they were na?ve. Ashaku hasn''t taken a single cigarette in 10 years.

    Yet, he now had a cigarette in his hands when thinking of the many lives sacrificed during this time. He felt their blood was partially on his hands, and the gully was indeed eating him up inside. As a man belonging to the army, he prided himself in watching over hisrade''s backs and even those belonging to other countries. Bottom line provided they were civilians or good people, he had a duty to keep them safe, even if they were also military people. Ashaku was feeling even more devastated. With many forces across the world here, the monster should have been killed by now. Sadly, the reality was more gruesome than they imagined. Harvey puffed out a whiff of smoke, looking at his feet. "I thought that time for sure, it was dead." "Yes," Ashaku replied, fear evident in his voice. There was one time, when the creature didn''t attack immediately, which gave them the feeling that perhaps thest team that died had died, seeding in eradicating it. They were so thrilled and relieved, only to have the creature attack a few minutester than it typically did. Why did it suddenly change its strategy? To toy with them? .

    Harvey and Ashaku felt like they had fallen to their lowest point when bad news kept ringing in. .

    Harvey and Ashaku felt like they had fallen to their lowest point when bad news kept ringing in. But what they didn''t know was that the lethal hand grenade thrown at the creature did scatter its body parts for a bit, so it had to regenerate itself again. No mortal weapons can destroy these beings. So there was nothing someone like them could do. Those who died during that time, died thinking their grenade had saved humanity. Sadly, they died for nothing. The creature regenerated in no time. "Ashaku, do you also feel it?"

    Ashaku nodded stiffly, not saying anything immediately. "I feel something. I feel something dark and ominous heading my way"

    "Me too�� I''ve felt that ever since we escaped that day."

    They knew it sounded crazy, but it was the truth. And if they go see a psychiatrist, they will probably say they are feeling stressed and guilty about the deaths they witnessed, saying they were overthinking things. And if they force the matter then it''s off to the Looney Bin for them. Sigh~

    It''s troublesome to be a good person these days. So you think they like the fact that they witnessed what they sawst time? If possible, they wished they never saw it at all! Now, they were starting to believe that the few people in history who swore to see monsters, might have been telling the truth all along. But how do you convince the masses? How do you make them believe something so uneptable and unscientific? That''s like trying to pass a camel through the eye of a needle. They are screwed, aren''t they? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Monsters, aye?"

    -Silence-

    That voice...

    The General appeared in the tent, alongside Hitchcoff and Miguel, making the duo stiffen.

    Did they hear everything they just said? Wait! Have they been suspicious about them this whole time?

    Miguel stared at Ashaku, "Sorry, old friend, but even I was getting too worried about you ever since that day." "You-- What is this, Miguel?" "Think of it as help. Old friend, something is eating you up�� something you are very afraid of sharing." Hitchcoff added, "That goes for you too, Lieutenant Harvey."

    "Monster?" The General wasn''t even co Vince''s with where they were staying. Could it be because they found them to be sneaking around earlier, they decided to make up such a ridiculous reason to me it on monsters? Are you kidding him? Unless he was insane, crazy or on the brink of expiring, he would never believe such a crazy thing. Or could it be that he was wrong about them? Could it be the trauma of losing so many people while being helplessly knowing you cannot save them has made these two start going crazy? Ashaku and Harvey looked at the disbelieving trio before staring at each other, as though saying: See? I told you no one would believe it. Who would believe in something so crazy like monsters? These 3 had listened in on their conversation and still didn''t believe them. For a moment, Harvey wanted tough at his pitiful predicament. Was there anyone in this world who would believe him? Closing his eyes momentarily, he seemed to see his entire career sh through his eyes in a second. It was over. After this, he might never serve in the military again, with his mind reported as ''unstable.'' Hah. Harvey suddenly wished he had a bottle of his favorite alcohol with him. With a sigh, he felt he was tired of all the hiding. Since they wanted to know everything so badly in detail, he would tell them. Despite Ashaku''s warning eyes.

    At this point, he didn''t care anymore if they locked him up for all sorts of mentally unstable reasons. Suddenly, airing out the truth didn''t seem so bad, after all. He has made his peace with the matter, and that was that. "Everyone, please sit down. And Shaku, and know what you''re about to say, but don''t bother." Oh?

    Hitchcoff raised his brow in interest. "Okay, Lieutenant Harvey, we''ll take a seat. However, do you promise to say the truth, and not hide a single thing from us?"

    Harvey nodded, with a rxed but truthful demeanor, "I will."

 Chapter 529 Strange Call

    Chapter 529 Strange Call

    A few minutester, Hitchcoff was still staring at the duo, too dumbfounded by what he heard. There it is, that ridiculous story again. He has studied psychology and could tell that Harvey was telling the truth. Even Ashaku was secretly nodding to his fantasy tale. Could the duo truly believe what wasing out of their mouths? Are you sure you weren''t too hit in the head by something? You said a being simr to a rotting human that was 3 timesrger in size appeared like the wind, attacking you all from all directions? Why didn''t he notice that Lieutenant Harvey had such an amazing imaginative mind from his resume? The scenes he had just described would win a blockbuster award if out in cinemas. "Ashaku, are you actually agreeing with this bogus story?" Miguel was disappointed with his old friend. This was stage perfect time toe out clean and say what you know without repercussions and you still decide to tantly lie in their faces? Miguel pressed his lips together, pinching his mouth and shaking his head in disappointment. He never knew his friend was this kind of person. Clearly, people are dying left, right and I''m all directions, yet the two won''t juste out and say it. The General wasn''t even more infuriated, thinking they were taking this matter as a joke. Likes were at stake and they dared without important information, choosing to me it on the emergence of some said Monster? "Bastard!" The General was so furious that his head turned tomato red, clenching his fist andunching them toward Harvey''s face.

    Boom! Harvey didn''t bother defending himself, allowing the General to send him falling. He deserved it. People are dead because he didn''te earlier to say it was a monster. Despite no one believing his bogus tale, Harvey med himself for not trying his best to make them see what he and Ashaku saw. .

    Bubuum~

    Harvey''s heart was in pieces and his face was white and pale without struggle when The General picked him up by his cor. The General was just about to send another fierce blow to his face when suddenly, his phone rang.

    It was his 3rd phone that was in Hitchcoff''s pocket. "Answer it." The General spat coldly, permitting Hitchcoff to pick it up. And so, Hioff epted the call on the General''s behalf, saying he was indisposed at the moment and couldn''t speak now.

    Hioff stayed silent, listening to the instructions on the other end that made him frown. "What do they want?"

    "To pick up a special team�� And, they need the 2 survivors from the tomb handed over to that team." Heh. The General sneered, "It seems justice has finally prevailed. And you all will pay for hiding information that could''ve saved lives!"

    Ashaku and Harvey didn''t have many expressions on their faces. It seemed even Ashaku was now ready to face whatever it was he was about to face. The guilt in their hearts was so great that they felt they needed to be punished, so they weed it with open arms. So be it�� This was their time to fall. Ashaku also thought of his glorious time as an archeologist, feeling that the old saying was true that everyone one dayes to an end. This was his time to rest. .

    "I''m old��" Ashaku murmured, taking a seat down beside Harvey who has now been ruthlessly dropped to the ground. "You did the right thing, even if they can''t believe it," Ashuku whispered to him. Their chests and shoulders felt lighter just from saying the truth.

    "Heh. Now, I''m sure the special team to arrive will force the truth out of you both by any means possible�� You should have told us when you had the chance!"

    The General was just about to make his exit when Hitchcoff suddenly coughed. "General�� the words used by our superiors were odd.,"

    "How so?"

    Hitchcoff adjusted his sses. "Sit, they said they were sending these people to not only help us but also protect these 2."

    [The General] l: "_"

    [Miguel]: "_"

    [Harvey]: "_"

    [Ashaku]: "_"

    �� Why was the script turned upside down? The General was so very confused and at the same time, enraged. Protect them? Protect them from what? Their delusional brains or their tant lies that could blow up the withughter? Please, tell him what exactly these 2 bastards needed protection for. The General balled his fists in silence, seemingly trying to calm himself down. "You f***king bastards! Count yourselves lucky that you''re still useful to my superiors, or else I would''ve long thrown you all in Cygypt''s prison to rot in there for a while longer until youe back to your senses!"

    Hmph! .

    Like that, the General left the scene alongside Hitchcoff. Before leaving, Hitchcoff gave them a warning. "Be advised that until the special team arrives, you are not to leave your tents and roam anywhere else without monitoring." Guards will now be stationed outside their tents until further notice. Hitchcoff said nothing more and walked off. As for Miguel, he stayed behind, not recognizing this person he once called his friend. It would be a lie to say he wasn''t panicking for Ashaku''s sake. Even when it concerned Harvey, he felt the young man was upright and had good moral conduct. So what went wrong? "Old buddy, why are you making things difficult for yourself? Okay, fine, you don''t want to tell me. But can you at least consider how Lily, your granddaughter, will feel when she hears the news?"

    "Do you want the world to look at her with disgust because of your matter?"

    Ashaku''s body trembled, but he still continued to thin his lips. Miguel tried to pry open the duo''s mouths to no avail. It seemed they wanted to stick with this absurd story of theirs. Miguel was more inclined to believe there was a giant warm animal or insect they had just discovered with its own scientific biological system than to believe there was a monster down there. Anything that revolves around thews of Science can eat, grow., live and you guessed it�� die! This means there''s a chance of killing it if they know what they are working with. Bottom line, Science is Law!N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 530 Special Team

    Chapter 530 Special Team

    The truth was out and the silence was silent, at least to Ashaku and Harvey, despite the constant noises from the many tents. No one in the General''s team understood why the duo were suddenly heavily guarded, and the General had not also emerged to speak of the matter. As his superiors on the phone said, they must keep this matter under lock and key. As for therge size of 302 people for the special uniting in, it won''t raise eyebrows, since the General alone hade with 500 people at the start, though now there were just 357 of them alive. Many military forces belonging to other countries have also been losing people steadily. Everything was just so wrong. The special uniting in is not from their country but from the East. The General was a little skeptical about this help from the East since the East also had their many forces stationed by the tomb too. "What are our superiors thinking?"

    The General and Hitchcoff from Britannia didn''t like this one bit but had toply. Everything about this tomb is so wrong! .

    Like that, the night passed as usual, with some stronghold forces briefly grieving over the loss of theirrades who never returned after heading down into the tomb. For those who didn''t go and decided to pause all operations, they felt a heavy stone drop in their hearts, knowing they just dodged a bullet there. Who can truly look forward to dying when they have so many regrets in their hearts?

    The next day, the General and Hitcoff teamed up with a few from the West and the East, and headed to the airport at once. Even the superiors didn''t fully understand why this team was sent over.

    But Old Gia had told some of his good friends who were overseeing the matters here, that he had a good reason for sending the special team over. He even said he, himself, would being along because the matter was that important. The way Old Gia spoke to them, they swore they felt the end of the world wasing. Could it be a natural disaster prediction, terrorist troubles, or man-made one? (?~?)

    (?~?)

    Well, either way, his foreign friends trusted him and told their units here to ensure they followed Old Gia,''s instructions to the tee. These people knew Old Gia''s character and knew he wouldn''t being to Cygypt, just for greedy purposes.

    There must be something of great importance, something of national security that made Old Gia move. They wanted to know what it was about. But Old Gia assured them that not long from now, they will know. After all, they are also going for the big, global Militarypetition that ranks all the world''s military in one list. By then, they will know. With Old Gia''s words, people who have never spoken with each other, now teamed up to go pick up this special team, and all of them were told the same thing. They must be respectful to this group no matter what. .

    Vrmmm~ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Several vehicles drove across the vast desert slopes at a steady pace. Looking at his watch, Hitchcoff reminded, "The flightnds at 11:45, Sir." "It''s 07:15, " The General replied. "We should get there just in time." That was how far the tomb was from the city and its even further Airport. And depending on the traffic, they might all arrive a littlete. But goddamn, they couldn''t have driven any earlier than this. They had so many important matters to take care of, and reports to send over that were some by them, as aption of all other reports their subordinates handed in. It was amazing how even though they gave them this abrupt mission, they still required them to submit their reports and ensure other things were in order. It was like school all over again. Every teacher always thinks their subject is the most important. They will give you assignments upon assignments, and even give you monthly quizzes and suppose quizzes whenever they feel like it as if you''re only taking their one course/subject for the semester. Like�� Can they get a break, please? So you know how many other things they have going on right now? Like that, they pushed several things that they were supposed to be doing during this time of driving forter.

    Sigh~... One of these days, it will be a sleepless night for them, with them making it up. That''s why even if they camete, they didn''t think it would be a big deal since the whole thing was just abruptly spilled to them not long ago. A team of 302. Do you know how much transportation they have to arrange for them? Even feeding and doing other budgeting for those 302 elite people was very annoying. Although Old Gia told their superiors not to worry about these things.,those superiors felt it would be inhuman if they didn''t provide anything for these elite peopleing in. They asked: will you being with baggage and supplies?

    Old Gia replied: No. "And you don''t want us to prepare tents, food and other supplies to sustain you all in the hot boiling desert?"

    "No."

    "..."

    Then at that point, are you still human? Since when did you, old Gia, grow so stingy? Old Gia''s friends personally funded their tents and the food these elites would eat, making them run about Cygypt in a shopping spreest night at 10 PM in preparation for these people. Well, that was how things got to this point. Like that, time flew by in a blink of an eye, until soon, it was time for Dorian''snd tond. The ne touched base and Old Gia instantly received a call from his buddy, apologizing that there would be a 52-minute dy before the General and the others got there. Old Gia ryed the news to Dorian, who wasn''t worried. Well, wasn''t this good? It would take another 15 minutes or so to deboard the ne, and with that creature roaming around, wasn''t this the perfect opportunity to get more information about the Horseman?

 Chapter 531 Arrived At Last

    Chapter 531 Arrived At Last

    --Hamcontaterus, Cygypt--

    A ne flies in the sky, steadily descending the cloudy atmosphere and into the clear zone. Wow!!

    "Mom, mom! Look, that''s the Pyramid of Pitza!"

    "Amazing, so much sand�� and there, that''s the River Zile!"

    (^0^)

    With eyes flying to the airne windows, many stretched their necks to take a view of the scenic atmosphere below.

    It was mythical, one that could take their breaths away. Even from a Sky view, you can see the giant statues and figures of famous deceased Pharaohs from above. In the Zile River, there were giant statues of kneeling people carrying baskets and on giant steps. Just how did the ancients do it? Some people already brought out their books from their bags underneath their seats, flipping them crazily while staring at the figures below. "Honey, it says those giant statues and standing on the giant tforms were built in the Zile to serve as resting spots for weary travelers. Honey, can you believe they also used it to test water levels, knowing if it rose higher than normal?" How smart! The tforms were 2 giant rectangles arranged in a pyramid formation, making them look like steps in all angles. And on the giant tform wererge statues of people wearing ancient Cypyt attires and headwear. It was amazing that even with the statues, it was estimated that the tform could hold over 200 people at once. This alone showed how massive these tforms were. And they were built far out in the center of the Zile. Again, the ancients were just too amazing. Of course, they only built these statues in ces where the Zile River was too wide. In most cases, the Zile River that flowed around the ancient grand pces and terrains wasn''t extremely wide. This means that sailing between the leftnd edges and the right edges could be done in a short time. The Zile River was also a very, calm river with hardly any turbulent waves. It was often as still as a rock, allowing smooth sailing for travelers. They say in ancient times, women would take theirundry and wash them by the Zile. Fishermen would take their canoes to the Zile and even Pharaohs would sail in unique boats only known to Cygypt. No one ce in the world created aesthetically pleasing boats like ancient Cygypt. ----

    Wow! Many passengers wished they couldnd now and begin their journey fast. Hamcontaterus�� City of the Zile, home to the ancient pharaohs and the Capital of Cygypt. It was the most prosperous ce in the Country.

    But while many were jumping up and down like people who have rabies, several others were calm, sneering at the jumping group. The man in a holiday, palm-tree shirt, only stared at his left hand that was identally touched by the man beside him who was leaning to the right like an ostrich. ''A bunch of filthy barbaric things. How dare they touch me?'' With his eyes hidden behind his dark shades, no one could see his eyes turn green. ''I want to kill them all�� all who dared touch this sovereign.''

    The man''s anger was boiling at the mere thought of these unworthy beings touching him as they pleased. Even if it was by ident, he wished to cut off the filthy thing''s fingers. But he knew now was not the time to move yet. Trying to control his sharp tongue from elongating and slicing off the filthy human''s hand, the man slowly closed his eyes and waited fornding. .

    Perhaps because the end was near, the man found his patience for these humans had been growing thin ofte. He detested pretending to be human since they were his food. Have ever heard of a human dressing up as a fish and jumping into a cover to swim in and grab fish for a meal? He was the hunter. So why did he have to keep ying the part of prey when he could just kill them now, knowing they only have mortal weapons? No mortal weapon can kill him. He will just regenerateter and return to take his revenge. So what''s the point of mingling with them and pretending tirelessly? Sure, it''s so that they don''t alert the heavens of their ns. But the closer the Battle day was, the less patience he and many other creatures had. At least, until alls are aligned, they cannot rashly allow the heavens to wind of their ns. "What a drag," the man murmured in distaste. Soon, they will all cry!

    .

    Ding. [Please fasten your seatbelts and ce your bags underneath your seats.]

    A pleasant and audible voice bellowed, followed by the sounds of many seat belts clicking. Everyone sat with many emotions bundled within them. Soon, their ears felt like popping, as they descended below. And in no time, they were on the runway. p, p, p, p~

    Many pped for the pilot, for safely taking them to Cygypt. In the meantime, Dorian and Old Gia were politely escorted out of the airne since they had first-ss tickets. They were given the grand treatment and even offered private limo services to wherever it was they were heading to. However, they turned it all down and stayed back to wait for the rest in Economy. They had their masks on, and their heads lowered, preventing people from taking facial pictures of them. Still, their demeanor made many give them second looks. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Because the disciples were started at the very front economy seats, they exited fast with no luggage.

    Old Gia''s phone rang, and he was informed the General and the others were now 15 minutes away from the airport. With such a massive n, just deboarding the group alone and the time they spent waiting on the runway, had already eaten up most of the time. Everyone was here but they still didn''t move. Why? Because of their mystery man. They calmly sat in wait, until they saw him stepping out with his little wheble suitcase. He had the first 2 buttons of his shirt undone and dark cool shades on. Taking a bronze parchment paper from his pocket, Dorian flicked it so fast that no one saw what he did. Eh? The man paused and shook his head before continuing. Seeing him leave, Dorian and Old Gia began leading the disciples toward the exit too.

    They took their sweet time, not bothering to rush their steps. By the time they arrived at the underground car park exit, they were met with several rows of military vehicles just pulling in. "Let''s go."

 Chapter 532 Unforgivable Crimes

    Chapter 532 Unforgivable Crimes

    The General stared at the group of masked personnel, very annoyed by their appearance. They looked too clean, with little to no sh marks on their faces and other visible body parts. Men of war, who have faced many battles, are rougher in body than them. The visible parts of their faces were smoother than even an average person''s. And though they didn''t shake hands yet, the General felt their hands must also be soft. Hitchcoff pushed his sses in, showing no emotions. But deep down, he immediately had a bad first impression of them. How can he trust the lives of his people in the hands of those who looked softer than newborn babies? Their leader said they should leave everything to this strange group. But was that truly the right thing to do here? Because Old Gia looked very youngpared to how many were used to seeing him, even The General who had met Old Gia once couldn''t recognize him. He had seen Old Gia once during a military worldpetition when he once participated years back. Old Gia hade of course to watch, as one of the esteemed guests and those in top power positions. Many who see Old Gia now will be shocked to the bone by his drastic changes. His back was so straight, his weight that came with old age seemed to disappear overnight, his body was fitter, his hair now fuller with grey and raven ck strangers, and his many wrinkles faded. The General, Hitchcoff and several other forces were disappointed but still did their duties. "Wee to Cygypt, sirs! As per the orders, we are to bring all 302 of you to the Tomb site!" Everyone was facing Old Gia, seeing as he looked to be the oldest among the group. They thought he was the group''s leader, but Old Gia quickly made them understand Dorian was the one calling the shots here. Although in doubt, they still went along with it.

    "A mistake on our part, Sir. Please, where''s your luggage?"

    "Don''t have." Dorian chewed outzily. "_"

    You look at me; I look at you. 302 peoplee for a mission and they don''t bring any luggage with them? Not even a toothbrush? With such plump cogen-filled faces, you would think they were the type to be fussy about their appearance. Well, whatever�� suit yourself. With that, everyone got into therge military trucks of various sizes, taking Dorian''s group to the desert. Dorian looked at the General, choosing to enter his jeep alongside Old Gia. The aura of the dead was stronger on them than the others. ----

    Vrmmmmmmm~

    The journey was long but uneventful. When passing through the city, Old Gia''s ears were awake when listening to The General''s briefing, as well as the talks from passersby on the streets. "Hey, have you heard, the Wilting poison has spread again? This time, it''s the farms on the East banks that have their crops suddenly wilting overnight." "Dammit! Who is it that has is so cruel to poison so many farms and cronds in Cygypt?"

    "Bastards! Do they know that we rely on our local crops for food? If we only import crops from outside, do you know how the pieces of crops will go up too?"

    "It''s very strange. For the past few days, one farm after another has reported the same crop symptoms overnight." "Yeah. I just hope their evil poison hasn''t corrupted our fertile soils, or else can you imagine what will happen by then?"

    Famine! Old Gia''s eyes lit up while listening to the words of passerbys. And so it begins�� the start of the Apocalypse, the start of the end of days. Many disciples also heard these talks, getting more and more anxious about the fat battle ahead. You know, they have been preparing for this battle for a while now. But this was truly the first real evidence they had, to show that it wasing�� the end. The General and Hitchcoff, who didn''t know about Old Gia''s ear radio frequency, were still debriefing on the situation alongside Hitchcoff. You might think the debriefing was a short one, but that''s where you''re wrong After all the horror they witnessed these past few days, they had to tell everything without missing a single detail. If a pin dropped, they had to tell them how and why the pin dropped, as well as who was ruing the pin in the first ce. It was amazing that the duo had been debriefing their guests for hours, even after they left the city, drove towards the city''s outskirts and entered the desert. .

    The General frowned. "I don''t know what you want to do with Dr Ashaku and Lieutenant Harvey, but I must inform you that you''re protecting the ring people." The General''s hand tightened on his steering wheel so hard that his hand veins popped out. "Those 2�� those 2 are doing something. It''s because of their hidden information that many of our people are dead!" And in the General''s heart, he could never forgive them for it.

    Never! Hitchcoff was the same. Whatever information they were hiding would aid their cause. So why were they adamant about staying silent? Hitchcoff sneered, "Those 2 were so bent on keeping silent that they made up a bogus story of some hideous monster down there." He paused,ughing angrily, "Can you believe it? A monster, a creature of stories, is the thing that wiped out hundreds of good soldiers, researchers and archeologists?" Old Gia listened with a slight smile on his lips.

    Something the truth is crueler than fiction. Soon, these 2 wille to regret their not-believing attitudes. Old Gia didn''t me them, because if it was The Him before, he too would have mored for Harvey to face Military Law, and for Ashaku to get sentenced for his actions. Dorian and Old Gia listened attentively until they finally saw the vast call site ahead. The site was filled with several forces belonging to different countries who made mini-camo areas for themselves around the tomb''s entrance. "Sirs, we have arrived. What now?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    What are your orders?

 Chapter 533 Strangers In The Camp

    Chapter 533 Strangers In The Camp

    Today, several people were shocked when they saw forces that never spoke to each other, suddenly working together. The leaders and those with high-ranking positions from over 11 countries, were now gathered before Dorian''s group. Ashaku, Miguel, Harvey, Eldora and many others also joined. Researchers and biologists from these countries who have been flying day after day, also stood by, wanting to know who these peculiar people were. Why did they look like Pop Stars? Hey�� why don''t they see a single bead of sweat on their faces? What sort of body ability was this? Could it be that they drank a tank load of icy water so now they don''t feel hot at all?

    Many looked at the group enviously when posting Dorian''s fresh appearance with their pig, sweaty one. They looked like someone had dunked them in water, brought them out and garnished them with sand. Any sand that flies high enough to hit their face, sticks on it like glue. Many women blushed. The women in the group were the most envious of these strangers. So handsome!

    (!0!)

    Where are these people from?

    .

    Eldora stared at them, already foreseeing many of them in her harem. Looking at the few women who were blushing shyly, Eldora scuffed and flipped her hair arrogantly, feeling she was the most suitable person for these strangers to choose.

    With her father''s money and her good looks, only a blind man would pick any other woman to woo. There were indeed several breathtaking females among the group of strangers, but Eldora still had the confidence of a mountain when facing the men. As she said, her father''s money can do many things for them. Job promotion? Wealth? A brand new luxury car? You name it. Her father''s money gave her a greater advantage than the others. Too bad her attitude was very stinky. "You there! My name is Eldora xxxx. Yes, that xxxx." "I''m sure you''ve heard of me, and must have never managed yourself to be lucky enough to meet me one day."

    With her head raised high, Eldora walked towards one of the disciples, sending her hand forth for him to touch and kiss. Pfft~

    Many people''s shoulders were jumping up and down with their hands to their mouths. Bahahahaha~

    Too funny. This guy is truly savage. He didn''t even look at her, his gaze still focused ahead.

    It took a while for Eldora to realize what just happened. "you-you-you-... You will pay for this! Do you know who I am?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    .

    Many felt shame on her behalf.

    Yes, everyone knows who you are at this point. The General inwardly thought in shame. Their guests haven''t even opened their mouths to address the group yet and this woman was already causing trouble.

    Before the General could order her removal, he noticed the disciples all turn pale when seeing Dorian''s frown. "Noisy."

    Oops! Battle alert! Battle stations men! A female disciple flew like the wind, bundling Eldora up and carrying her away in just under a second. "_"

    Have you guys had practice before? Why were their movements so fast like ancient assassins? More importantly, what happens when Dorian gets angry? Seeing how the Grouped released a heavy sigh of relief after Dorian''s frown eased, many couldn''t help wondering what Dorian''s anger could lead to. Nheless, something deep in them gave primitive warnings for them to need to test it out. Gulp~

    Can you believe that in just a split second, this ce felt like it was cold?

    Their bodies were covered in goosebumps just from Dorian''s intimidating aura. Everyone secretly took down this fact. ''Note to self, the one called Grandmaster doesn''t like Noise.'' That''s where people get it wrong. Dorian can stand celebratory noise, and even stand noises in crowded ces. But what he hated was foolish rambling and idiotic nonsense sentences that made him wish to punch the other person to death. With Eldora gone, he returned to his normal state in the blink of an eye. "I''ll make this quick. By nightfall, we will be going in. Before that, there is a list of ingredients you must bring." "How much of it is required? The amount is on the list. Your budget has been taken care of by those above, so do it right."

    Dorian then turned to Old Gia, feeling his mouth heavy. [Host, do you hate talking so much?]

    ''Hate it.''

    [...]

    The system once again felt that if the host was a normal human, he would have preferred to be mute. Look�� he couldn''t even wait to dump the exposition for Old Gia to do. The system was beginning to feel that perhaps this was why Dorian wanted to always bring at least 1 elder with him during missions. The system was sure of his thoughts but had no proof. -----

    Miguel, the General, Hitchcoff and several others frowned when listening to the words from these strangers. What?

    Do they truly have a clue of what they are facing? Can these peculiar herbs only grown in Cygypt be the key to killing the giant worm-like animal/insect? How very skeptical but did as was told. At the same time, they were told to vacate the tomb site immediately, which shocked them silly. "What? And why do we have to do that?"

    Dorian tilted his head and looked at them sluggishly. "Because it will sink." "_"

    That�� that�� This answer now raises other questions. Why will it sink? "Whether you like it or not, you and everyone else will move to their camp."

    As for those who don''t want to move, including those from countries not here for this brief meeting, Dorian guaranteed that although he hated using force he had many ways to make a man move. Shrugged, he walked towards Ashaku and Harvey. "What you saw is very real. Unfortunately, the aura of the dead gas now tainted you!"

    Yes, they know.

    Ashaku and Harvey were no longer fighting with their sanity to validate it as scientific. Dorian trapped their chins, thoughtfully observing the furrows on their foreheads and other facial features. "It''s written all over your faces�� you two are the only survivors who were there when the treasures on the tforms were touched by human hands." "This means the creature can''t escape the tomb unless itpletely drains your blood." "You two, are the only thing stopping it from growing to its full potential!"

    Bang! The duo mmed on the ground with weakened knees, but Hitchcoff and The General had different reactions. Creature? How can the specialists sent by the bosses still speak of this fairytale nonsense?

 Chapter 534 King Kong Barbie?

    Chapter 534 King Kong Barbie?

    It''s strange how things unfold. The mystery surrounding the strange group grew more and more as the hours passed. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Hey, what do you make of our good-looking guests? I don''t know about you, but something about them seems off." "Agreed," One of the male soldiers nodded. "They aren''t like us. Look at their uniform. Where have you seen military attire like that?" The man paused with a heavy gaze, "If you ask me, I say we shouldn''t put our hope in them. What can they possibly do that we can''t?" Yeah. These people came with no military-grade equipment to help in taking down whatever animal or insect was down there. It didn''t make sense for them to be able to seed tonight. Meditation! That''s all these strange people have been doing since they arrived. They sat under the hot boiling sun with closed eyes and crossed legs. Just what were they thinking? The entire campsite was covered with silent chaos, and there they were, rxing? Sorry, but they didn''t believe these people would be the ones to save the day. "Leave? Leave? Who the hell are you to make us, Military from Czar country, pack up and leave the campsite?" "Exactly! My Bodinian Military will also not move!" (*#*)

    The atmosphere was rowdy, with forces from various nations refusing to follow any orders from Dorian. What a joke. They just got back to their superiors, who told them not to move and stay put. Their superiors were also bbergasted, wondering who the hell had the audacity to give orders to their people when they hadn''t even coughed yet. Excuse them, but who are you? Like that, many people refused to budge an inch, despite the General, Hitchcoff and others advising them to follow along. Well even though they had doubts, their superiors had once again given them an earful, telling them to follow all instructions to the tee. Who was Old Gia? The movement he called them and told his intentions, these foreign buddies of his wasted no time believing in him. They swore that if things go left, they will take the heat. But for now, <follow all instructions>, was the orders given to The General and several leadmanders from other countries. .

    For those countries that old Gia didn''t have buddies in, they will have no choice but to use force on them. Everyone was still chill and provocative swearing in theirnguages and acting as though ready to fight if it came down to it. Seeing as these strangers did nothing but sit cross-legged under the sun, many scoffed, thinking they were all talk and no-go. But when the clock struck 6 PM on the dot, that was when several people couldn''t help jumping back in shock. Fuck, how did these people all open their eyes at once like robots? Seeing them rise to their feet, many crossed their arms, wanting to watch a good show. In particr, some foreign people showcased their guns and weapons, as if saying: do you care to cross into our camp? "Hmph! Boy, you are a few years too young to move me!" One of the burly Men in singlets spoke while staring at the smooth-faced 118-year-old-looking disciple. The towering giant stood with his feet apart, and a physique that could make many sweat. He had a scar across his left eye and a pair of giant nostrils that red as if he was going to suck in all air around him. "Tsk.". Several people from that countryughed and sneered arrogantly at the disciple. "Look here boy, do you know what they call him in our ce? Crazy Hands!" "Hahahhaha~... now, you''ve done boy! You''ve made Crazy Hands crack his knuckles. This can only mean one thing�� You-Are-DEAD."

    Many beganughing proudly, knowing this was a definite KO on Crazy Hands''s part. But because they could finish their streams ofughter, they suddenly found themselves choking for air at the unbelievable disy that urred right before their very eyes. Gakakakakkakaka��

    "You''re in for a real treat now, boy~..."

    Gakakakakkakaka��Kah?

    The wind�� no! Something shit right between them like the bullet, leaving their mouths frozen in ce. Bam! A loud sound bellowed as an explosion of sand raised several feet high. "Excuse me," the disciple was polite. Oh.. Ah�� Everyone''s brain acted faster than their thoughts, giving way for the puny, thin disciple to reach the giant burrows in the sand and drag him away. (!_!)

    Did that just happen?

    Who, what, how, when�� (Blink, blink.)

    Many blinked excessively, opening and closing their mouths having nothing else to say. It took a while for them toe back to their senses, get angry and retaliate. But how could the disciples give them the opportunity? .

    1, 2, 3�� Many were bundled up and carried far out like books. Their faces turned red with shame and fury when they saw how easy it was for these people to carry them away. Shame! Many were aggrieved, with their voices now degenerating into childish whimpers, as they protested and pped the backs of these disciples with all their might.

    Some even began crying, "You guys are too much! You can beat a man/woman,but you shouldn''t trample on their dignity like this!" How are they light? Are you indirectly saying that all their muscles are for show? You must be looking down on them and secretly calling them trash, right? (Sniff, sniff)

    (:T^T:)

    Seeing this, the General''s lips twitched with an unbelievable expression. "Hitchcoff, those are people they are carrying and not ragged dolls, right?" Hitchcoff smacked his lips, finding his scene also unbelievable. King Kong Barbie? Hitcoff was watching a girl who looked to be 20, carrying over 4 burly men on her shoulders, piling them up high in the air without a care. Erm�� can you at least save some face for them? These men were bringing in shame, knowing they were being carried like children by the skinny woman. This is to say all their training and touch man act was nothing? (~?~)

    Those carried away buried their faces, secretly swearing to train 10�� no, 20 times harder starting from today!

    Hitchcoff and the General suddenly shivered, when thinking these people could also bundle them up if they dared act stubbornly. Where will his face be if he, the Tough General, returns to Britannia and isughed at by those in the military for being carried away by a little girl? �� Like that, the disciples cleared everyone away and began creating formations around the space. And when they were done, it was already 8 P.M. The skies were darkening, and Dorian now opened hiszy eyes. Into the Tomb, they must go.

 Chapter 535 Rogue Helpers

    Chapter 535 Rogue Helpers

    8:15 PM. The setting sun left a picturesque hue that gave the golden sands a look of mystery. They say nighttime in the desert is quite dangerous if one isn''t fully prepared.Mother nature was cruel, even to its own. And apanying the scenic view, were the rambles of men and women forcefully thrown far out of their camps. It just wasn''t fair. Who gave these people the right to treat them the way they did? Many had barrels ofints stored in their systems but dared not push their luck. Fuck! Have you forgotten the mighty King Kong Barbies and men who were now sitting cross-legged in a wide circr formation around the space? These people say with closed eyes, but intuition tells them that should they dare to move an inch forward, they would be the ones crying. The terrifying thing was that until they were thrown out, many didn''t even know when their weapons had been confiscated. Oh yes~

    That''s right! These despicable bastards had taken their weapons and used a few of their tents to store the weapons as though they were Santa us carrying giant Christmas gifts away. Many grumbled with nkets over their bodies, feeling the cold breeze blowing over them. The desert was quite a strange ce. During the day, it made one feel like taking off their pants and going for a swim. But at night, the temperatures dropped drastically fast. It was still warm, but perhaps because their bodies had been used to the boiling sun, the withdrawal of the excess heat made them feel cold. However, although these people dared not challenge the might of these disciples after repeated failures, they still contacted their superiors, alerting them of the shameless and bold actions of Dorian''s group, as well as Britannia and other countries who supported Dorian''s actions. "That''s right, sir! They dared to throw us out, stomping on our Czar country''s face!"

    "Viins, sir! They forcefully took our weapons and even destroyed some of our tents to store the weapons away."

    "Sir, if I may be bold�� I suspect they want to check out weapon technology, and secretly prepare themselves for the uing Global Military Competitions." �� The General, Hitchcoff, Miguel, Harvey and even Ashaku were dumbfounded by the scripts Dorian and his group were ying. That is, what sort of rogue gangster methods were these? (>>��С�)

    They didn''t know whether tough or cry when hearing the loud conversations others had with their superiors. Those people thrown out were yelling so loud you could hear their voices miles away. They were purposefully yelling, wanting to intimate and frighten Dorian. Harvey and his group shook their heads, feeling their actions were quite pointless. They felt that if Dorian wasn''t the sort to be frightened by their superiors, he would have long used cautionary actions when sending them out. But the fact that he threw them away, leaving them with no face, meant he couldn''t give 2 Fs who their superiors were. Well, to be honest, the General and the others did tell them to leave on their own 2 feet and ord, before the other side took action. These people didn''t care about the advice, and now look where itnded them. Looking at Dorian''s group, the General and Hitchcoff quickly changed their first impressions of them. Who said you can''t be strong if your hands were as soft as risen dough?

    Who said you can''t be a King Kong Barbie even when your skin and face are obviously so smooth with no blemishes? For the first time in their lives, they realized that one can be so strong even with high their faces and bodies were so soft. What''s more, it was impressive how manynguages these people knew. Over there, a girl over there with 2 cute pigtails, has spoken 14nguages in just this short time. Just how did these people do it? How do they find the time to train to such a level, as well as learn so much at their young ages?

    If the General knew that the girl who he thought was 21, was actually 37, he might trip over his legs and fall in horror. Fuck! How can you tell him that the cute loli over there is a 37-year-old woman? Are you sure you''re not blind or crazy? No amount of makeup or even cosmetic surgery could perform the miracle he had unintentionally seen. (+0+)

    What he didn''t know was that the girl would also get younger, no longer looking like 24, but 18 pretty pretty soon. As Dorian said, there were people over 600 years old who still looked 18, if they kept up with their cultivation right. There were beautiful exorcists in his former world who were hailed as Goddesses who maintained their bodies and figures for hundreds and hundreds of years. So this little change from 37 to 24 was nothing. ��

    "Where have I seen him before?" The General stared at Old Gia, wondering why he was so familiar to him. Even though years back, he had seen Old Gia when Old Gia was even younger-looking than his outer appearance, the General has kept up with the times, reading vital information and knowing what Old Gia''s current public looks were. So he knew that Old Gia should be an old man now with full Gray hair and a slightly hunched back.

    Even though Old Gia had kept his figure good all these years, age is still something no one can truly defy. He has seen Old Gia in newspapers and even on the TV too. So don''t me him for not recognizing the vibrant and well-fit middle-aged man with a physique that would make many envious. The General thought long and hard but still couldn''t put a name to the face. Nheless, seeing Old Gia and several others signal for them to approach, the General quickly threw his thoughts behind him. "Guns��" What? They were to turn in their weapons before heading into the disaster hole? "I won''t repeat myself."

    ~Pach! Pach! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Many turned in their weapons when recalling what happened earlier. Welp! With such strong men by their sides, maybe they have a way of surviving? The leaders of all countries, even those thrown out, were also brought back into the space. And with that, the group was finally set to descend.

 Chapter 536 What Could Have Done This?

    Chapter 536 What Could Have Done This?

    Miguel frowned, anxiously wondering why they suddenly stopped at the front of the cave. Even those from opposing sites back into the space, also frowned, a little panicked at heart too. And then, they saw Dorian reach for his inner chest pocket taking out what looked like a golden coin.

    It sure was shiny. The coin, blessed with the Moon''s bluish hues, still shined with a mysterious golden light. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    All they saw was Dorian, holding the coin and murmuring to it, before calmly flicking it down the tomb''s stairway entrance. Brmmm!~

    Everyone jumped back like cats out of water when they saw the stairway light up. (0_0)

    What did they just see? "I believe in science. I believe in science! I believe in science!"

    Many spoke these words in a trance, wondering if they had now caught cataract at their current ages. Or else how can they see such a bizarre scene? Many had not even noticed that everyone here was now speaking and hearing the samenguage. Who has time to repeat everything in over 30nguages? A simple spell cast made them understand and even speak the samenguage. However, the spell would onlyst for 24 hours. After that, they''ll speak in thenguages they normally do. At the same time. Everyone was given strange rectangr pieces of brown paper.

    What was this? What were they supposed to do with this garbage paper? Some were about to throw the paper away when Dorian''s calm but cold voice bellowed. "To live, you best keep that on you at all times." "_" Dorian''s voice sent chills down their spines, making many quickly ce the papers in their chest pockets. Well, there were no trash bins around so they''ll just keep the papers so as not to litter. They refuse to admit it was them bowing in defeat.

    (V^V)

    Hitchcoff didn''t know why, but his insides kept churning when thinking of Harvey and Ashaku''s tale. Logic said it was impossible. But these people believed the duo.

    And what was that magic trick they saw when Dorian threw the coin in?

    "Sir��" "I know," The General cut in. "I know what you''re thinking, but I can''t believe it is true. There must be a scientific exnation for it all." Dr. Miguel, who overheard them, also had simr thoughts to Hitchcoff. From the beginning to the end, the whole thing was strange�� too strange! And his friend Ashaku, did you truly see what you said? Why do these strangers believe you so much? What was real and what was fake? Miguel lowered his head, now lost in thought.

    Ashaku and Harvey were standing directly behind Dorian. They were the 2 the Tomb Monster wanted the most right now.

    They were the only things stopping the tomb monster from gaining full strength and leaving the tomb for good. Who asked them to be present when the strange objects were touched earlier? At that precise moment, an evil surge bellowed, marking all living things in the space. They were marked and must have their blood sucked out dry for the creature to regain its full strength and form. It wanted them and would sense their presence when they stepped into the tomb. The duo felt bitter, wondering why their luck was so bad. Others win a lottery of a million dors. And they win the death lotteries, a one-way ticket to having their blood sucked out. Leaving try and shriveled corpses behind. Yey~... How fun. (-_-)

    �� Like that, Dorian took his first step in, knowing Old Gia and the others had given everyone protective talisman papers. In total, there were 86 of them heading down: Half were ordinary and the other half was Dorian''s group. Indeed it was quite arge group, but Dorian didn''t mind. Step by step, they headed down the ancient stony path. No need for glow sticks, Dorian''s coin was more than enough illumination for them. Many were so focused on not missing a step on the ancient stairs, that they didn''t even notice the coin before them was levitating.

    On each step, a disciple and an ordinary person could be seen going down. So far, so good. Nothing had happened, and the space was only filled with knee-deep silence, except for the sounds of their footsteps. They should be happy that their journey, although at a start, was very uneventful. Yet, the strings of silence only made their hearts grow frail by the second. Cobwebs, spiders crawling on the walls, the mystic of the ancient glyphs on the walls�� everyone gave them a faint sense of unrest.

    Din. Din. Din. Din. Din. Din~

    Their footsteps moved in rhythm.

    "Watch your step." Ah!- One of them almost tripped, but was helped by a disciple on the same step as him. Can he say he was panicked abouting down here without any firearms? All he had was a dagger, and even he knew it wouldn''t be enough. The fresh blood on the stairway and the chunky meaty pieces, made him understand the cruelty of the situation. So�� so whatever had killed the many groups that went in, had gone as far as climbing these steps to kill them all? It''s odd that it could reach these steps, but couldn''t leave the tomb. Could it be that it loved the tomb''s cool temperatures so much that it refused to go out? In no time, they reached the stairway''s bottom, only to see limbs and body parts scattered around. There was blood on the walls, and military attires shredded to bits down here. Too horrible! Many felt their legs give way when looking at the gruesome deaths of theirrades. This...this...What sort of animal can do such a thing? Not even a lion''s mouth can leave a gruesome sight behind. Now, they came face to face with that giant double-sided door Ashaku praised back then. It was amazing how whoever did this, knew how to close and open the door after finishing its meal.

    Do you like privacy so much? The door was the famous Bayachum''s work. To open the door, one needed to find the pattern on it that would lead to a secretpartment.

    Then, you send your hand in, pull a lever, and Open Sesame, you''ve done it. "Sirs, should I��"

    Ashaku wanted to volunteer to open the door since he was the most familiar with it.But what happened next was something Ashaku swore he would never forget in his life.

 Chapter 537 A Terrifying Realization

    Chapter 537 A Terrifying Realization

    Old Gia took a step forward, picked up sand from the ground and blew the particles towards the massive door fit for giants. Time seems frozen in ce, as everyone suddenly developed superpowers that allowed their eyes to zoom in like crazy. Fheeeww~

    The grains flew with Old Gia''s breath, flying magically and breaking apart into various streams that now trailed across the doors like fingers caressing every inch of it. And then, Miguel pushed his sses in, to watch the sand grains pause their movements before flying crazily towards one direction. And then, they gathered on a particr spot, pushing it in and opening the secretpartment. More grains flew into thepartment and then�� Bam! The door began opening, but the grains never left the secretpartment. Old Gia knew why they must stay there until today''s work is done. [Everyone]: ��(0@0)

    I believe in science! I believe in science! I fucking believe in science! I�� I�� I�� "Did that just happen? Please�� you all saw what I saw, right?" Another person couldn''t help asking as if wanting to validate that he wasn''t going insane. Many wiped the sweat off their faces with trembling hands very unsure what to believe anymore. "I�� I think I need to sit down." Miguel, an avid believer in Science, suddenly felt woozy and in a daze. A certain terror paralyzed his being when recalling Ashaku''s earlier tale. His beliefs were on the cusp of getting shattered, and honestly, he felt like having a smoke. .

    Reaching for his pockets, Miguel took out a cigarette with insanely shaking hands, brooding the stick to his lips but missing his mouth. He was shaking so hard that the cigarette''s end was hitting his chin and sometimes the gap between his lips and his nose. There was so much pressure in his throat that it gave his brain the feeling he was suffocating underwater. Air... Air!...

    He fucking needed some air! He pulled at his back short cor, pping it vigorously, wanting to pump more air around his body.

    What does a man have to go around here to get some goddamn air? In just a few seconds, Miguel was drenched from head to toe. Everyone fears the supernatural. Dealing with science, humans, and animals of logic, there isn''t much fear. But when dealing with�� with�� things like monsters, how can he not feel panicked? If .. if�� he''s not saying it''s true�� but if, if it was�� then, then then�� Miguel wants the only one feeling like this. Hitchcoff and The General also had butterflies churning in their bellies. Old Gia''s actions alone were like premonitions for what they were about to face. Touching their sides and remembering that they had no guns with them, made the duo feel naked. A dagger? What good can that do to something that massacred theirrades who had strong firepower with them? Just who are these people sent by their superiors? Strange lights flickered in the duo''s eyes, and they subconsciously reached out to their daggers. Others also felt impending danger, reaching for their daggers when seeing the giant doors slowly open. .

    Brammmm~

    Like a gateway to another world, the giant doors unhurriedly opened. No one made a sound, not even a cough when watching the scene unfold. Dorian quickly threw out 3 more coins into the darkness ahead. The coins glowed so bright you would think the sun had transported itself into space. It illuminated the bronze and gold surfaces, making the entire ce shiny and beautiful�� if you overlook the unbelievable piles of courses and blood trails around the ce. "What is that?... Augh! It burns!!" Several people took note of the awful stench that couldn''t being from the corpses. Yes. Even if you leave a million corpses here, it wouldn''t smell this bad as what they were smelling.

    Now,bining that awful stench with the stench of corpses, only made even the toughest of Commanders gag. Blugh~

    It was so bad that it was burning their noses.

    You know the scent is terrible when some get tempted to slice their noses off with daggers in their hands. Their eyes also turned teary and their entire bowing felt deste. Could that be the stench from the worm-like animal? If so, then the animal might be able to kill them off by just its scent. Please, go take a bath. Shower�� Jump in a river. Use a truckload of mouth water or bleach to rid yourself of that stench. How can anything smelling so bad manage to keep alive all this time? Have mercy on their noses!

    (:��?��:)

    Some biologists in the group had already assumed it must be the worm creature''s doing. . "Touch nothing, if you want to live." Old Gia''s words bellowed, making some anxious archeologists withdraw their sticky hands from the objects on the magnificent stands that were still intact. It was amazing that despite all the bloodshed and dead bodies around, these objects on podiums that stood in 2 columns departed by a 12-foot gap, were still intact. And of course, they were as mesmerizing as ever. They had an air of mystery around them that seemed to call into everyone''s soul, as though saying: Take me, take me, take me. Gulp~

    Many swallowed hard, knowing this was part of the treasures their countries were fighting for. If�� they can sessfully take one and hide away, won''t they win honor to their countries? Some people have already begun developing greedy thoughts. And when they felt no one was watching, they sent their hands forth. "Feeling itchy?" The disciples caught their sticky hands, making these people twist in shame. "Hey�� I wasn''t going to take it. I only wanted to touch it to see if it''s real gold or not!" Sure you were�� Some people rolled their eyes, looking at those caught in contempt. Well, they definitely won''t say they too wanted to do the same. Everyone else saw these items as treasures, but only the disciples knew that these so-called treasures were rotting bones. Their 3rd eyes never lie.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 538 True Pain

    Chapter 538 True Pain

    The General stabbed himself a bit with his dagger, to eradicate the terrible inside voice that was telling him to grab the items standing beautifully on the stands. "Sir, you hear them too? The whispers?" "Ye-yeah��" "I-I hear them also," Miguel added, truly feeling this wasn''t normal at all. The whispering gave him goosebumps as if something was talking to him directly in his head. Take it! Take it! Take it!... It said, with an enticing whisper, as itid down why taking it was important too. [Com''on~... You need to win honor for your country. Take it, and your promotion is guaranteed.]

    Ahhh! Shut up!

    The General and a few screamed to themselves, refusing to abide by whatever whispers were now guing them. Son of a bitch! What sort of evil was this? Everyone was gued with the matter, except the disciples and�� wouldn''t you know it, Harvey and Ashaku. No matter what voice bellowed, it won''t change the fact that they witnessed firsthand the cruelty of what happens when anyone takes or touches anything. You might as well be preaching to the dead in their own case. The whispers wanted them to take it, damning everyone in here. Sadly, it miscalcted when it came to them. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The whispers came but were instantly driven away by their awakened sense of reality. Now, they heard no whispers. Dorian threw his head behind his shoulders, staring at the high ceilings with a slight smile on his lips. Interesting�� .

    The group walked to the far end, sending no dangers yet. However, the gruesome sites and revealed boobytraps made their throats tremble with everyrge gulp of saliva they forcefully swallowed.

    The ancients sure were cruel. There were nted giant squares that allowed them to seerge spikes and spears underneath. Of course, the giant squares were still in nted potions because they had dead bodies blocking them from rotating back. How to say it? It looked like some of their people fell into the trap and tried to crawl out but died halfway through. Look at that long spike piercing out this guy''s intestines. Even if he managed to crawl out, his excess blood loss would still make him fall unconscious and eventually die without a medic on the scene. "What a cruel fate��" Many murmured, while observing around more. "Look! Look!" Someone called out, causing many to turn their heads to the side. "What?... It''s definitely a corpse�� but why is it wearing your Britannia''s military wear?"

    It looked like a thousand-year-old bandaged corpse with how dry and shriveled it was. So why was it here, wearing modern military attire? Could it be the worm animals that like ying dress-up in here? Harvey''s body trembled uncontrobly, as his eyes quickly turned moist. Dropping to his knees, Harvey mmed his fists into the ground in pain. "That''s not a thousand-year-old bandaged corpse�� it''s new�� It''s my friend, myrade�� the one who bought Dr. Ashaku and myself time to escape��. Romanoff�� it''s you, isn''t it��"

    Ashaku put his hands over his eyes, also crying silently when seeing the fate of those they left behind. They didn''t die normally as the others but had every drop of blood and fluid brutally sucked out of them. Hitchcoff, The General and Miguel stared at the corpse, not knowing what to say. Yes~... The facts are in front of them. What Harvey and Ashaku said wasn''t some made-up fairytale. It must be true. What pain the 2 felt all this while, they didn''t make it easier for them by rejecting their truth.

    These 2 came clean and they still snapped at them, even nning to send them to jail. .

    s��

    The General finally understood why these 2 refused to say anything at the start. He was afraid that even he might not know how to go about convincing people to do the things he saw Dorian do as of now.

    It was a bogus story, yet true. However, if he gave such a report, wouldn''t he be demoted and sent for repeated psychic evaluations till they were sure he was good in the head? He could also see it now. [Magic?

    So you''re saying the one called Grandmaster threw coins in the air and they not only floated by producing light that illuminated your path too? And the other one by the Grandmaster threw sand, that�� pardon me. In your words, flew into the air and began stretching across the doors, only toter form a fist that somehow triggered the mechanism and opened the doors?... General Obediah�� Did you take anything while on duty�� mushrooms, perhaps?]

    Oh�� he could see it now. Sigh~

    General Obediah massaged this left brow, also feeling the burden Harvey felt earlier when thinking of whether to report truthfully or not. Nheless, he decided to support Harvey if any military personnel took him in for questioning. Seeing Harvey crying so hard his voice was choking, Obediah couldn''t in good conscience allow anything bad to happen to Harvey after knowing the true loss Harvey had. .

    Hitchcoff also felt the same, as well as Miguel, who moved closer to Ashaku. "I''m�� I''m sorry, old friend��. I should have believed you." "_" [Everyone else from other countries]

    What''s going on? Why was there a crying festival happening here? Believe what? Is there something these people know that they don''t?

    And what did that guy mean when he said the corpse was a friend of his? How is that possible?! That corpse has definitely had its fair share of time. Oh, look! There are other shriveled corpses scattered around too. Oddly, they are all wearing clothes of this era��no... era was too long.

    They were wearing clothes from this decade. While Harvey and the others were busy with thoughts of their own, Landon had already opened the giant door ahead. This door was different from thest. It was moreplicated. However, it was easily solved by Dorian.

    "Let''s go�� We are getting close." Close? Yes! Close to the Mummy!

 Chapter 539 Mine!

    Chapter 539 Mine!

    With the strange corpses scattered all over the ce, everyone could only move forward with heavy hearts. This time, the General''s red blood eyes scanned across the masses. His already towering physique and cobra wide back made everyone flinch back when he turned around and looked at them dead in the eye. Even those who were used to working with him before were shocked by the murderous raw energy he was emitting. "Pull those crooked ears of yours and listen well. We won''t be having any more funny business from anyone��" "Try it�� I dare you to try touching anything again and see what will happen." If whatever is here doesn''t kill them, then he would dly take up the challenge.

    As they say, a word to the wise is enough. But hold on�� why can everyone suddenly understand each other? General Obediah''s pupils dted in a split second, before returning back to normal, staring at Dorian with reverence. Hitchcoff pushed his sses in, also staring at Dorian''s group deep in thought. ''It seems I really don''t know much about the world. But it doesn''t make any sense. What sort of monster can do this to a corpse?''

    Hitchcoff''s brows wrinkled. This was getting too unscientific, but stopping was never in the books. Today, they''ll figure this situation out once and for all. Thinking that, Hitchcoff took off his sses and used the small wiping cloth in his pocket to dust them off. But just then�� Eh? Did he see something just now? Hit off blinked severally, swiftly turning his face to the ceiling only to be met with nothing but the old, thick, stony ceilings. Huh��

    Must be his imagination. Shaking his head wryly, he followed behind General Obediah, not knowing that the thing he thought was imaginary, now popped his gruesome head with a strange green glowing light in its eyes. .

    Onwards the group went, everyone hearing their own breathing growing harder and harder by the second. This was the furthest their people have ever reached. Everyone who came into the tomb died back there. They were the first to move past the chamber of temptations at the back. And now, they were staring at what looked like a giant bat cave which was far different from the mourous splendor of the earlier room. There were many tforms with ancient stony buildings suspended high, connected to stone bridges. It truly looked like an underground city fitting for a King. The ancient ashy stony buildings gave a stark contrast to the dark, pale blue grounds around them. The grounds looked pale blue because of the blue glowing moss ntsthat stock to the corners of the cave''s walls, providing dim illumination. For a moment, everyone felt like they had just stepped into a fantasy world, with how beautiful and mysterious their surroundings were. on the edge they stood on, there were stairways leading down, and a sturdy, well made stone bridge leading to the closest suspended tform. Kri! Kri!!~ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    What was that? Once again, everyone wished they had their guns with them while moving through his unpredictable ce. Dammit! Why did they listen to these psychos who collected all their weapons? Many stared at Dorian''s group viscously., thinking that if given the chance again, they would never entertain the crazy idea of handing in their weapons. It was funny how quick their memory was to forget that Dorian never gave them a choice. It seems they had forgotten how they were beaten into submission by academy disciples earlier, though their bodies remembered it quite well. Some quickly looked to the floor, swallowing their cursed words when Old Gia''s eyes swept over them. Everyone looked up, wondering where the echoed strange noises could havee from. But before they could figure it out, they heardpletely different noises from below. And then, their legs turned into cooked noodles, when a startling hissing noise bellowed from below. Hiss!!~

    An unimaginable switch turned in their minds, as they slowly lowered their heads to give a good stare at sight far below. Holy Moly! Before, they were wondering whether to take the stairway down, or whether to continue on with the suspended stone bridges. But now, it seems fate has made the choice for them after all. The biologist in the group released a heavy breath, slowly etching to the edge with a trembling body that wasn''t of fear�� but excitement? "Sand Red line snakes!... How can they be so big?" Dropping to his knees and hunching over to stare at the many babies that were twirling and intertwining below, the biologist almost wished he could fly down there and get samples. "Careful, professor Bohania!" A well-decorated soldier from the biologist''s country called, almost having a heart attack after seeing Bohania push a few rocks that fell below, as if in cinematic suspense. "Professor, please step back! I''ve been informed to protect you with my life, so don''t make me act rash." As one of their country''s treasures, who has many international awards and des, Bohania was a pride their country wasn''t willing to lose. Other biologists also inches in closer, shocked by how Large these sand snakes were. "Impossible! How can they grow so big? Mutation? Is there radioactive matter fizzling in the air?" "Exactly! What did they eat or experience growing so big?" A few soldiers furrowed their brows, taking in bits and pieces of news in frightening wonder. ording to these biologists, sand snakes are no longer than 3 fingers going together. As for length, they couldn''t grow longer than 5 feet. Everyone stared at the spine-tingling sight below, feeling their blood go numb. "We-... we are going to cross over them?" A soft shivering voice asked. It was a female soldier whose number one fear was slithering, crawling creatures. You say these snakes shouldn''t grow bigger than 3 fingers or longer than 5 feet. But why did each look like they could swallow a fully grown human without stress and still have enough room for a dog too? "Hold on! We can''t just go ahead without collecting their samples!" Bohania advised, when seeing Dorian lead the way towards the suspended path far, high above the snakes down below.

    A sh of greed flickered through his eyes, no one knowing what his thoughts were. ''If�� if I can take a smoke and recreate it in myb, then...''

    Bohania was ecstatic, thinking of all the fame that wille to him once he seeds. But why stop at this size? What if he can make it 10 or even 50 timesrger? ''Mine, mine, mine! I must get this fame alone!''

 Chapter 540 The Greedy Bohania

    Chapter 540 The Greedy Bohania

    Professor Bohania wasn''t the only one with crooked eyes. For your see, humans were quite a funny bunch. Despite knowing the obvious dangers that came with raising species to such exaggerated and terrifying lengths, they still wanted to see how far along they could push the envelope. Greed for fame, wealth, women, and all the finer things in life made many eyes grow twisted the longer they stared at the slithering abyss below. But how do they get some fucking samples in their pockets? Going down there meant obvious death for them. However, what if�� Very quickly, Bohania and several others turned their attention to the soldiers behind them. Bohania''s eyes scanned the crowd withser focus, looking for a particr sort of person. And when he found his target, his eyes dimmed and his body slowly backed off, as though not caring about the homunculus sand snakes below. Dorian only gave him azy look, no more than 3 seconds long. "Let''s go."

    The blue glowing algae on the faraway walls made the entire ce look magical. But you only feel the true magic once you take a step far in.

    "Holy f***! What the hell is that? How can it be so bad?" "Son of a ��... What atomic bomb is this?"

    (~w~)

    .

    Augh~

    Many twisted their nostrils, wondering if the eye watering perfume came from the many snakes below who probably haven''t hook

    The air smelled of rotting fruits that left strange burning sensations in their nostrils. Could it be that these snake worms were emitting such foul scents because they haven''t taken baths for hundreds and hundreds of years? No! It smelled even worse than the moldy room and the piles of dead bodies they left behind. The smell was one thing that kept their senses alert, and the drafty winds were another. Only at most, 2 people could walk through the suspended paths at once, with just a little room. Bam! Obediah felt his bulky legs even bulkier than usual. Every step was taken with boundless care, constantly forcing his eyes not to look down for so long. Ahhhh! Wasn''t ashamed to admit his onward screams when seeing a giant snake plunge upwards as high as it could, just below him. �� And then�� SNAP! Obediah no longer bothered to look over the edges when seeing how close the snake''s snapped mouth was to the stony suspended tform bridge. Behind him, a few were also petrified by the jumping snakes that snapped close to the bridge, so much that they almost fell overboard. Luckily for them, the disciples came to their rescue in a timely fashion. As said, only 2 can move on the bridge at once. So everyone was paired with 1 disciple. Forward they went, feeling their beating hearts grow louder and louder by the minute. At this moment, all they could hear were the gut-wrenching hissing ylist below and their own hearts beating chaotically. . n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Thank you.."

    Many looked to the disciples gratefully, after getting pulled back up the edges. Doriam said nothing, calmly leading them onwards with his hands in his pockets. [Host, you''re still a long way from the main bomb room.]

    the system paused, a little confused, [Host, there''s something I don''t get yet�� With the other times when people entered, the creature killed them off from the first room. But now, it is letting you travel so far to reach it�� Host, isn''t this�C]

    ''A trap?'' Dorian concluded the system''s question with ease. Indeed, it was a trap. However, in the face of true strength, what did it matter if it was a trap or not? It seemed this time, the creature wished to ensure that none of them would be able to escape its grasp, especially the particrly juicy looking humans who entered the tomb the first time the tomb''s items were touched. Perhaps, the creature also sensed that the group of people that came in this time were different from the others it killed. So to make sure nothing goes wrong, it was leading them deeper and deeper into its chambers of no return. . 3 minutes went by without a hitch, until they finally crossed the first suspended bridge. Are you blind? Can''t you see that there were about 11 more they had to cross? Although they likely had to cross 11 more, they could say for certain that there were more than 50 suspended bridges all around them. Right now, everyone had arrived on what looked like a little guard temple, with 2 other bridges branching off it.

    "More skeleton guards!" On the temple structure, there were several copsed skeletons wearing ancient guard attires, slumped down around the structure. Old rusting swords, armors, bows, sabers, tes and bowls could also be seen around. The structure was an open structure, allowing them to find more skeletons and worm out fabrics on the ground, probably used for sleeping. Imagine being buried alive with your King and having to live underground for the rest of your life until you finally die? First of all, who knows if the food stored during burial was enough to keep them alive for 15 or even 7 years. Looking at the ancient clothing all around, everyone''s eyes lit with interest because such historical artifacts are part of history, making them now cost a fortune! The fact that they were discovered in this particr tomb of one of the most richest rulers Cygypt has ever known, only makes their worth ridiculously more valuable than normal. But Dorian seems not to care, bypassing the fallen skeletons and making how way towards the next connecting bridge. Everyone looked at each other tactfully, swallowing their words and following behind him closely. And soon, they began whispering among themselves, seemingly dissatisfied with Dorian''s operations.

    "Dammit! Are we just going to leave all this behind? Shouldn''t we first take what we''ve found out first before returning to continue the expedition?" "I think so too. That is, who gave the kid the galldder�� the guts�� the impetus to order us around? Why must we do as he has said?"

    "_"

 CChapter 541 ATTACK!!

    CChapter 541 ATTACK!!

    Short memory! Obediah sneered inwardly when hearing the ridiculous whispers from those around him. Have they gotten how strong Dorian''s group was? Even if you don''t want to obey, do you really have a choice here? What''s more, are they all blind to the magical operations from Dorian''s side too? No�� Obediah wasn''t so foolish to get on Dorian''s bad side, especially while in here. Thinking of the mysterious things that happened since entering the tomb, Obediah knew for a fact that they weren''t ALONE. And soon, his thoughts proved right. Because after everyone crossed several more bridges and was halfway through the 7th bridge�� the worst happened, leaving him and many others shaking in their boots. "Nooooooo!!!!" Obediah stretched his hand out in despair, watching his second inmand fall down, deep below. "Hitchcoff!!!!!!!!!"

    .

    �CA few minutes before the Fall�C

    .

    Hitchcoff adjusted his sses, focusing his attention on the path ahead. Remember, only 2 can safely move across at a time. 3 can definitely move across, but the 3rd person will really be tipping on the edge, so only 2 were allowed to move forward at the same time.

    Taking a deep breath, Hitchcoff carried his legs forward, looking up at his surroundings at times, and looking down on his feet at other times. The massive batlike cave, although glowing faint blue from the blue algae on the walls, still brought a certain darkness that made Hitchcoff feel he was engulfed in pure evil��never to be heard of again. When was thest time he felt like this? Hit off was unsure. Ever since he entered the tomb, his breathing began heavier and his palms so sweaty they could dampen his parched throat. The massive hollow space gave a peculiar chill crawling up his spine. Out of habit, Hitchcoff adjusted his sses again, but soon��

    Ahhh!! "What''s going on?" the hearts of others tightened Hitchcoff''s loud exmation pierce through the silence, making dart their eyes around the scene maniacally. Obediah threw his head behind him in worry, "What is it?" "Sir�� I thought I saw something." Hitchcoff didn''t know what he saw, whether it was even real or fictitious. One moment he saw a pair of green eyes and a creepy unnatural smileing from the edge below that made his scalp feel numb. But just in a blink of an eye, the ce he looked at earlier, had no such thing: ''Are my eyes deceiving me?''

    Several others looked at Hitchcoff in disgust. "I thought he was a strong man. But who knew he was a little girl, screaming at everything that passes by?" "Tsk�� what a disgrace to his country. Look at us�� Do you see any of us screaming?" "Hahahahaha~... It seems that Britannia is only good for stealing artifacts and taking them to their museums." "How shameful!" (~0~)

    Obediah clenched his fists, when listening to others talk ill of his men and his country. Hitchcoff was one of the bravest and dedicated soldiers he knew. How dare they open their gutters they called mouths to talk smack about him? "Sir, let it go," Hitchcoff quickly suggested, knowing his leader all too well. "Sir, we have better things to worry about. After all, it''s best it was a false rm, rather than something true." "Indeed," Obediah agreed with that. But a secondter, his face changed, losing all color. Not just him, but everyone else''s. . N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Craaaaahhhhh~

    A sharp ear-shattering cry echoed from below cashing many to ce their hands on their ears, feeling their eardrums about to pop. But their ears weren''t the only things bombarded with attacks. "M-m-m-mon�� Ahhhh!!!" This time, everyone yelled at the top of their lungs, opening their mouths so wide their lungs trembled at an uncanny rate that seemed beyond their usual capabilities. What their eyes saw, their mouths couldn''t describe, and their brains�� their brains couldn''tprehend. Ugly bat-like creatures with rotting flesh, sharp fangs, green eyes, mouths that stretched to their ears, and rattle snake-like bottoms!

    Ugly! Ugly!... Blugh!~

    "What is that? Help!... (Blugh)... Help!" "No! No! I can''t die here. I am one of the greatest biologists of the era! My wealth, my fortune�� impossible!"

    "Bastards! It''s all your fault! Are you happy now? Are you happy now that you threw our guns away?"

    "You fuck*** bastards better give me back my gun or i''ll�C Ah!!"

    Many fell off the edge with unnaturally stretched out faces, staring at the suspended stony bridges now growing smaller and darker, the longer they fell They say humans show their truest selves in desperate times. Seeing the vicious, bloodthirsty, flying supernatural creatures, some pushed others off the edge to protect themselves, and others instead, tried to defend theirrades. See on the other hand, only defended themselves but never tried pushing or sacrificing others for their safety. Unfortunately for Hit off, the one behind him was the former, a person who didn''t hesitate to push him off for his own survival. Obediah turned his head just in time, to see Hit off being pushed off, and his entire body went limp. "Hitchcoff!!!!"

    Obediah dropped to his knees, with stretched hands, but he was toote. Hitchcoff had now fallen, and by his side were these creatures who smiled viscously, following those who fell. It seemed they nned to feast on the fallen, leaving those on the stony bridge path alone. They shed devilish grins of satisfaction to Obediah and the others above, before disappearing into the darkness below. It seemed they nned to feast on the fallen, leaving those on the stony bridge path alone. They shed devilish grins of satisfaction to Obediah and the others above, before disappearing into the darkness below. .

    --Silence�C

    For a moment, the grown men who always believed in science, didn''t know what to make of the whole ordeal. Plop!~

    Everyone, without exception, dropped to their knees and butts, with their chests rising and falling heavily, and eyes focused above. Some without even knowing it, now huddled together with bubbling emotions underneath their trembling shells. "Biologists�� what were those?" The biologists in the group, including Bohania, couldn''t only open and close their mouths, saying nothing. Hello? Does it look like know what the hell these things were?

    Cant you see that they too were dumbfounded too?

    (-w-)

 Chapter 542 Finally Humbled

    Chapter 542 Finally Humbled

    Everyone''s face was filled with sweat, and their clothes were also damp from the ''excitement.'' What was the point of asking the biologists? On the surface above, there has never been any creature half-bat, half Seattle snake before. What''s more, the bodies of these creatures were rotting, with oozing pus, holes, maggots and insects swimming out. Ahhhhh!~

    Many inwardly screamed when seeing the giant ugly rotting worms crawling around the bridge. E!~

    It looked so disgusting. And now that the creatures were gone, their brains now picked up on the unholy stench the creatures left behind. Good God, man! Where is a gun? The stench made them wish to shoot and put themselves out of misery. "Hold on�� do I smell sulfur in the air?" Sulfur! Many people''s eyes lit up, having some sort of exnation for why their nostrils felt a deep tingling burn. "Keep up." Dorian''s words echoed, causing many to rise up, especially after seeing how far ahead Dorian was. Obediah on the other hand, wanted to volunteer to go down and find the rest. How can he leave Hitchcoff behind? Obediah''s entire body shook in desperation, as he still looked over the edge towards the ce Hitchcoff disappeared. [We will reunite with them soon.]

    Dorian''s words echoed in his mind, cashing his heart to tighten in awe. Was Dorian talking to him through the mind? (:O_O:)

    This�� this�� this�� Obediah shit his mouth, understanding the reason for Old Gia''s absence, as well as several others in Dorian''s group. Obediah clenched his fists, slowly rising to his feet and following behind with a firm heart. ''Grandmaster�� If you bring Hitchcoff back�� I will owe you one!'' .

    Throwing his head behind once more, Obediah stared at Bohania with obvious hate and disgust in his eyes. This was the son of a b**ch who pushed Hitchcoff off.

    Heh. Even if Hitchcoff returns safely, this hatred and fire will not be put off in this life! "Coward."

    Obediah never yelled, but his voice seemed to carry the feelings of a thousand soldiers. "You!!!~" Bohania''s face turned a striking pinkish color, wanting to curse at Obediah but couldn''t. Can you me him if Obediah''s physical appearance was sorge and striking? "It�� it was just a mistake. Who hasn''t made mistakes in their lives? On a normal day, I''m a really heroic person. I would never hurt a fly. So don''t use your anger on me. It''s not my fault you couldn''t save your friend." Boom! Obediah sent a fierce punch in one hand, but used his other hand to block the punch right in front of Bohania''s quivering face. "Say it one more time, and I swear, I''ll punch you down the edge,... even if you''re some big shot biologist." Many other soldiers also supported Obediah''s actions, including soldiers from Bohania''s country. How shameful! As soldiers, pushing others for your own safety was the lowest and most despicable action they had seen in a while. When the attack happened, most soldiers either defended themselves or others. Only 2 or 3, pushed others for survival. In fact, most who did the pushing were biologists, archeologists and others that were brought in. If before, they had respect for some of these people, after this attack, they had none, especially towards Bohania and the loud mouthed girl who couldn''t keep her mouth shut even if you have millions to do so. .

    "You�� you�� why are you all looking at me?" Eldora was at it again. "Hmph! It is an honor for them to have my hands push them down." "Let me tell you all that my Father will definitely award their families handsomely for their sacrifice. Do you know how much my life is currently worth? So how can youpare my life with their pauper lives?" Eldora didn''t regret pushing anyone down for survival. In fact, she didn''t understand why everyone was looking at her with reddish eyes. If given the opportunity, she would have done it again, and again and again. Eldora rolled her eyes and kept her hands on her hips like a shrew, "What? You want to fight a little weak girl? Is that it? you, a grown military man, wants to put his hands on me? Just try it�� I dare you!!" A female soldier could help it anymore, stepping forward with trembling hands. Now, they had left the bridge and were on another suspended structure with an open guard house on it. Pah!!!! (0?0)

    �CSilence�C

    Eldora was now in a hunched position, holding her left cheek that was now swollen and hot in disbelief. Twisting her neck, sheid her eyes on the vixen that dared to act on her. "You lowly vixen dares to p me?" Her trembling finger pointed to the grill and was about to rush forward and counterattack, when suddenly�� Pah!!! pped again. "You�C"

    Pah! "How dare�C"

    Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah!~

    "_" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    .

    For a moment, all that could be heard were the loud smacking sounds echoing with a dramatic re. Those watching felt their pent-up anger relieved, seeing how well one of the female soldiers handled the matter. As for the female, after she felt she had pped all her anger away, she then massaged her hand, twisting her wrist in disgust. "Yes, they don''t dare to p you because they are men. But don''t think we, women, won''t hesitate to beat you blue, ck and purple if you open that smelling mouth of yours one more time." "Slut! Who are you to tell me what to�C" The girl''s hand moved like lightning once more. Pah!

    "_"

    "Nod if you understand."

    Eldora was going crazy, but she now understood that should she dare to open her mouth, what would follow would be a hot, sizzling p that would take her teeth out. ''Wench! Just you wait! I swear that once we leave from here, I will definitely have daddy remove you from your post, and make your crawl back to the gutters where you belong.''

 Chapter 543 Hitchcoffs Despair

    Chapter 543 Hitchcoff''s Despair

    Hiss!

    It hurt like crazy. Her cheeks now looked like she was suffering from mumps.

    ''How dare she? how dare this ugly, shapeless vixen touch by golden face? does she know how much the skin care products I use to maintain my looks cost? can she even afford a single drop of my morning cleansing dew?'' N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Eldora was pissed to the max, already making ns in her heart for the girl. But what she didn''t know was that the girl in question was also seen as Military royalty in her country. Her family was a well-known military family, so uprooting her from any duty was a joke. Yes, she was wealthy, but you don''t see her unting it about and misusing her power like Eldora. Seeing how obedient Eldora became, many shook their heads wryly. Sure enough, evil needs a greater evil to be cured. Only evil can cure evil. When Eldora met her match, she turned into a silent and cute-looking girl. Like that, everyone continued forward, flowing Dorian in silence once more, only this time,�� they were 10 times more cautious than ever. After all, who knows when those creatures will return for them? (:Y^Y:)

    [Host, I can feel the tomb site close.]

    ''Hmmm��'' Dorian could also sense its presence, as well as the presence of something even more dastardly too. No�� not the Horseman, but something else that bears a mark. [Host, could it be��]

    ''Yes.'' Dorian''s face turned grim. It was a portal, a gateway to the underworld, thergest they have ever encountered. If it was like any of the gateways he saw, he wouldn''t be so concerned about it like he was now. No�� something was off about it. But only after seeing it, will he know. Meanwhile, on the other side, down below, the atmosphere was far from peaceful. But to truly understand the matter, one must go back a few minutes in time.

    .

    Falling��

    They say a sensation of falling urs when thebyrinth Vestibr, fluid-filled system in the ear, detects changes in eleration. When you ascend in a ne, your ears clog, making your brain and other body parts know you''re ascending. And when you fall, the detection in your ear is also true. Time froze in this moment, allowing Hitchcoff to see his entire life sh through his very eyes. Falling into the abyss below, he knew this was the end. Below him were several giant snakes now raising their bodies to take a bite out of him, and above him were those terrifying half bat half snake beasts who were constantly letting out hungry cries for his flesh. And all Hitchcoff could do was tighten his grip on his dagger, swearing to never give up without a fight. Was he scared shitless? Yes. As should any human who saw a supernatural being for the first time. But as a trained soldier, after the momentary freezing came defense.

    Fight! Hitchcoff raised his short de in a fierce and sweeping movement, already aiming for the kill when the creatures got closer in his proximity. Ahhhh! The flying bat creature was too fast, knocking out his de, grabbing his neck and opening its mouth 50 times wider, showing at least 6 rows of teeth lined up in horrific arrangements. No! No! Creeeeeeeee!!!!~

    2 slithering tongues licked the sides of his face while still falling, and Hitchcoff had the feeling they were ying with their meal before eating him. Its saliva was sticky, green and foul, releasing bugs on his face from time to time. Hitchcoff gagged uncontrobly, wishing he could pour a truck load of mouthwash in its mouth. The stench was so bad it was making him slowly pass out. Soon, he felt his body weaken and his energy drain away in a sh. Was this his end? With a pale face, Hitchcoff watched as the creature''s mouth grew closer and closer. And just when he closed his eyes, expecting the worst, he heard a peculiar noiseing from the creature. .

    Creeeeeeeeyyyyy!!~

    Hitchcoff felt his body tremble alongside the creature''s cashing him to force his heavy eyelids open. "Singatium!!"

    Boom! An explosive light bellowed, shing straight into the creature''s 2nd heart. Creeei? The creature froze, and then looked down, shocked evident in its face. Green blood was oozing from its right upper shoulder. And projected out of its right shoulder, was its 2nd stone-like, green beating heart suspended on a faint blue sword. The heart was ripped off clean, and was now being away from touch with the sword. Sling! The sword then moved sideways, cutting out from his right shoulder, still carrying the heart with it. But that wasn''t all. sh! sh! sh! sh!~

    The creature had no time to retaliate, as Old Gia cut it down to bits in under a millisecond. Too cool! Apart from the first move Old Gia did, Hitchcoff didn''t even see the rest. All he could see were the movements and after shadows of the faint sword. That was how fast Old Gia''s moves were. (>*?*)

    F**"! Did you flipping see that? Did you see how cool Old Gia''s moves were? Ninja! Ninja! No one could convince Hitchcoff that Old Gia wasn''t a ninja from the east, the sort you see in movies. Now, resting on Old Gia''s back, Hitchcoff felt rxed, knowing he was in safe hands. He thought Old Gia and the disciples had already shown all his cards, but what happened next made Hitchcoff and many others who fell, look to them with reverence.

    Bam! Old Gia kicked the giant snake''s mouth, before running on its long slender body and counter attacking other giant snake mouthsing its way. F***! Hitchcoff was not afraid to say that he almost pissed himself during this time. Old Gia ran very fast on many snakes, running up their spiral loops, running down, and having many of them chase neck to neck at that ce. But Hitchcock felt like his poor heart was dying when he realized that Old Gia had been running downwards, deeper and deeper into the swamp of thousands of snakes. Mommy... Why did he feel like he was on a rollercoaster ride to nightmare town?

 Chapter 544 A dark Omen

    Chapter 544 A dark Omen

    Up, down, circles, right, round the moving snakeskin rabbit hole they went, while getting attacked left right, right and center, was enough to give one a heart attack. Throwing his head behind, Hitchcoffcould only watch as tens and tens of giant snake mouths kept trying to bite at him. And Old Gia would only dodge when the attacks were inches away from chewing on him. "Behind you!" "Watch out!" "Iing at 3 o''clock!"

    "Duck, man! Duck!!!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    sh! sh! sh! Bam! Bam! Hiss!~

    Hitchcoff felt his poor heart couldn''t take it anymore. All sorts of sounds bellowed out from around, only heightening his senses and breathing even more.

    And finally, after what seems like an eternity, he watched Old Gia reach a peculiar stone wall with carvings on them. Old Gia took out a wrapped paper of sandy powder and blew it at the doors while chanting: Shwshwshwshwsh~

    Hitchcoff looked back again and was taken aback after seeing the giant unnatural snakes now tied up, twisted and knotted together. ''it seems all the twisting and turning has tied them up like knotted ropes.'' It will be hard for them to disassemble themselves, especially when thinking of the fierce speed they used when tying themselves up. The knots weren''t loose knots but very tight ones. For now, that buys them time. Looking left and right, other disciples appeared carrying those they rescued. Remember that Dorian''s people were 3 times more in number than those gathered and allowed to follow them in. So of course there were enough people to rescue them. Bamm! The magical grains of dust had done their part, looking for the entrance and opening up the mechanism. What?! Hitchcoff stared at the incredulous scene ahead, feeling that nothing can ever surprise him again. "Is that�� Is that a forest?" (!0!)

    No�� scratch that thought it wasn''t a forest, but an oasis.

    An oasis buried deep underground in a tomb! .

    Incredible!

    If someone had told Hitchcoff that you could find an oasis in a tomb he would definitely think they needed their heads checked for any brain dead symptoms. Yet, here he was, looking at the vast oasis that made him feel like an ant. Here, the walls were purple, the nts were various shades of darker purples and there were also some with orange and yellow highlights. "Look! Ake!" Someone called out, causing Hitchcoff to put his attention on the very small stagnantke at the center. It was a 5-minute walk from them. And even from this far, they could still see the gloriouske that called onto them. Thirsty!~

    Seeing this, many felt even more thirsty, but dared not drink. Why? Because although the faraway sight looked beautiful, when they came closer, they realized that everything in the space was rotting. It was as though the purple was telling them one thing �C Death. "We will reunite with the others ahead. Keep up." Old Gia''s words caused their legs to move faster than their thoughts. Yes, now everyone was on their feet, no longer getting carried on the backs of these disciples. After seeing the magical operations ofOld Gia and the others, and barely surviving unscathed from the previous ordeal, everyone now followed their words without question. They didn''t even want to know how old Gia knew they would reunite with the others soon, nor did they want to know how he knew the way. If he said move left, they would go left. And if he said Jump, the question they''ll be asking is how high they should jump. (*^*)

    . ''Something is here with us.'' Old Gia''s thoughts spun, but his face remained expressionless. Ever since they entered the tomb, something has been watching them. The feeling has been growing stronger the more they advance. Something was watching them, big when he opened his third eye and enhanced all his current search abilities, he still couldn''t find it. Reaching the far end of the Oasis, everyone saw a tunnel-like stairway heading upwards. At most, 6 people could move up and down each step at the same time. "Go ahead." Old Gia chose to guard the back, ensuring nothing snatched anyone from behind. Like that, they matched forth, and soon reunited with Dorian''s right far, far, above.

    Both sides had just arrived in the open cave-like Hall room at the same thing, seeing the evident shock and surprise on their faces. Some turned ghostly, recalling what they did, pushing others down, and some were truly ecstatic, hugging each otherto others.

    .

    Alive�� Alive�� A single tear trickled down Obediah''s checks when seeing Hitchcoff. Obediah''s chest was swelled with emotions he hadn''t felt in a long time. Each step forward made his heart throb, and his body weakened when reaching his forever loyal 2nd inmand. How many years have they worked together? Although he was Hitchcoff''s superior, he took Hitchcoff as his own blood brother.

    Both men now stood face to face. "Sir," Hitchcoff gave a formal military salute, his lips thinking and trembling and his eyes a little moist. "Reporting for duty, sir!!"

    "You��" Obediah softly ced his burly hands on Hitchcoff''s shoulder, tapping it warmly. "It''s great to have you back, Hitchcoff." "Good to be back, sir." (:^_^:)

    Hitchcoff smiled, with tears falling underneath his sses and down his cheeks. Indeed, it was great to see the General. Harvey, Ashaku and Miguel also congratted him for making it back alive. After all they''ve seen, they believed more and more in the tale Harvey and Ashaku narrated.

    Monsters~

    Who knew they existed among humans?

    Everyone thought they had seen the scariest, feeling nothing could ever make them feel disgusted like the bat creatures they saw.

    But only Harvey and Ashaku knew that the rotting bats were nowhere near the terrifying looks of the monster they saw back then.

    With tactful stares, they swallowed hard and closely followed behind Dorian. After all, don''t forget that they were the real targets the creature was aiming for. .

    Time flowed like a fishing river, moving so fast, everyone felt they had reached the end too soon. [Anungulia Enticulum, Incentives Indium exchlorom.]

    The words carved on the giant doors were obvious for all to see. "Well, what does it mean?" Some asked impatiently. Miguel, Ashaku, and several other archeologists stared at the door, taking several steps back. "Death is just the Beginning, not the end�� This curse, Iy on those who enter."

 Chapter 545 Nentah!

    Chapter 545 Nentah!

    A curse!

    Many people''s faces twisted into balls, knowing a curse was thest thing any of them wanted to see in this crazy tomb.

    What?

    Are you still expecting them to think it''s a bluff, after witnessing all they did so far?

    Some people ced one step forward, but countered their actions by taking another step back.

    Bohania stared at the well-carved calligraphy writings deep in unspeakable thought.

    "Hey�� It''s not that I''m being a total prick here, but I think it''s best for some of us to stay back first, so we can be able to tell others what we saw here."

    After all, as popr and well-needed as he was in the world, how can he rush in to get cursed first?

    For every major discovery, there must always be boundless sacrifice associated with it.

    He, Bohania, was too needed in the world to die just yet. So let others first go in, scout the area, and if they die, then at least they would have died for a great cause �C Keeping him safe.

    "What? Don''t look at me like that, as if you all aren''t thinking it too."

    Do you think you can intimidate him with your eyes? No way!

    (V^V)

    .

    "Coward!"

    This time, it wasn''t just Obediah who blurted the word out, but even those from Bohania''s country.

    "You bastard, if anyone should get to stay out, it should be the women and those too young."

    In their midst were some disciples of these big shots who were still around 25 and some 22.

    There were also female medics and biologists here too.

    The female soldiers were ready toy down their lives, because they have been trained to do so.

    But for everyone else, although dearth was something that came likely with teg job, they had never faced so many terrifying up and down situations as this.

    So of course they became timid, with some opening and closing their mouths, not able to utter out a single word.

    To the soldiers, the weak must be protected, whether they were men or women.

    So if you have the energy to keep arguing, raving and ranting like a mad dog, then you have the energy to fight!

    In their eyes, Bohania was no where near weak.

    Sure, he might be freaking out, but aren''t they all too?

    In the end, his situation wasn''t as bad as several others.

    "Bah!!!" Bohania cursed. "Why should the women get a free pass just like that? In case you don''t know, they are the ones who keep fighting for equality all day long"

    Several women flinched back when seeing Bohania''s crazed eyes fall on them.

    The air grew even more tense and choking that many others dared not say a word. But in every circumstance, one can always trust to find like minded people around.

    "Yes! Yes! Sir Bohania is right!" Some blurted out, shifting their bodies to stand close to Bohania''s.

    What? Just because you have a pair of melons on your chest and a weak and dainty looking pysique, it automatically makes you eligible to live while they die?

    Heh.

    Over the years, women haveined of how it wasn''t fair this, and it wasn''t fair that.

    But what they failed to see were the sacrifices men also took on.

    Back in the days, men would be the ones to go out to war, whether they liked it or not.

    Sons were dragged out smand shipped without their consent, leaving their property and everything else to the women.

    Yes, women''s lives were hard, but so were men! Do you know people are more likely to kill men than women?

    Men could get shot easily out on the streets and even in their neighborhoods, but women, not as much.

    Why? Why must they always be the ones to sacrifice their lives to protect women and children?

    You say you want equality, but you want men to open doors for you, give you cars and expensive gifts, pay the bills when dining out and do other things for you.

    But when you tell them to go cook a hot meal, theyll tell you all sorts of things about women''s rights.

    You can''t eat your cake and have it.

    Pick a side and stick to it!!!

    If you want equality, don''t expect all those things moving forward.

    It''s true that both men and women work in today''s society. But let''s be real.

    In your household, who still pays the most out of their pockets?

    .

    A decent human being would have understood that much by now and gone on topromise in some certain areas, rather than argueing with their man here and there, saying they won''t be doing this or that since it''s a free world.

    And now, in this day and age, you still expect them toy down their lives for this wen, who for all their knew, were all unreasonable and greedy bitches?

    No way!!!

    It was their life, and no one�� no bloody person born of a woman, will ever tell them how to throw it away.

    "Hahahahhahahahah~"

    Bohaniaughed excitedly, when seeing the following he gathered.

    Oops��

    For a moment, he thought fighting for his rights would be hard, but it seemed there were still many ''reasonable'' people in here.

    "Women and the young, my ass! I am too valuable to die just yet, so you can forget about sending me in first!"

    That was that.

    Bohania didn''t want to waste his saliva on the matter anymore. But the Soldiers from his country only wished the ground could open up and swallow them whole, saving them from this endless shame they were witnessing.

    Lowered their heads, some wished they could smack this guy they called their ''nation''s treasure'' out of this world.

    No, they wished to hit him so hard that he flies out of this universe and even gxy.

    They swore that when they go back, they must report everything truthfully, even if no one believes them.

    Bohania''s attitude was so shameful that it made their stomachs churn and knot like crazy.

    .

    h, h, h, h, h~ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It was amazing how they kept argueing about life and death, failing to understand that none of them were the true decision makers here.

    Dorian and Old Gia stood before the gigantic bronze door, calmly essing the matter without a care in the world.

    As per instructed, Old Gia ced his hands on the door and was shocked by the peculiar bone-cholling feeling he felt spreading throughout his veins.

    But that wasn''t all.

    Boom!

    His 3rd eye had now unlocked a new level he didn''t know existed, all thanks to Dorian''s teachings.

    "The stage of Nentah." Dorian calmly stated.

    It was a peculiar but powerful stage, one stage above the ordinary 3rd eye level.

    Rather than only being able to see a purple Qi, traces of underworld energy and the true nature of cursed objects, creatures and items�� Old Gia could now feel their true intent and could also get a hint of their purpose too.

    in a way, it felt like he could now hear what these cursed objects and items were thinking.

    Bubuum, bubuum, bubuum~

    ''What? Is this my heartbeat?''

    Old God gripped his heart in shock, wondering when was thest time he felt his heartrate elerate so much.

    Ever since he got epted into the academy, nothing really made his heart jump so much.

    Once you begin the road of cultivation, your heart bes calm and your start conditioning it like jade, to ensure you''re always level headed.

    This was a skill he developed over time, which eliminated most of the fear he held on earlier on.

    However, unlocking this 2nd stage of his 3rd eye, brought out some of his early fears when he first started out on his exorcist journey.

    .

    Cli-thi-thi-thi-thi~

    All sorts of sounds bambarded his ears, and the door to that looked rotted and moulded earlier, now showed an even more terrifying image he almost couldn''t handle.

    Understand that sinceing into the tomb, his 3rd eye had always been open.

    So of course, he saw everything what what it truly was.

    However, this Nentah level was a whole new world for give, making things 50 times clearer, unveiling even more unbelievable things to him.

    Blugh~

    Old Gia couldn''t believe he felt like gagging.

    How long has it been?

    (?0?)

    Oh My God!

    So this is what the bugs really look like? He could see an even Horus version of the rotting bugs, and even the door''s exterior was now covered in strange disgustimg slime that seemed to hold the whole thing together.

    For some reason, Old Gia stared at Dorian in pity.

    Poor grandmaster, is this what he goes through all the time?

    Dorian was amused when seeing Old Gia''s sympathetic look.

    If he told Old Gia that his current 3rd eye was still another 3 levels above the Nentah stage, how would Old Gia react?

    So cute.

    Dorian felt the old man was very cute.

    Well, they keep calling him Old Gia, but he didn''t look anything old since his cultivation journey started.

    .

    With a vid picture in front of him, Old Gia''s face turned pale, but his expression didn''t change.

    "All good?" Dorian asked.

    "I''m fine, Grandmaster."

    "Good�� Then get ready!"

 Chapter 546 RUN!!!!

    Chapter 546 RUN!!!!

    This time, Old Gia took out a piece of golden talisman paper, rustling and rolling it in his hand like a ball. He mmed pressed his palms together in murdered chants. Wow! Everyone was shocked to see that the paper had now turned into dust, blowing into the air and flying towards the strange doors. And just like the many times before, the mysterious mechanism became unlocked.However, this wasn''t the end. part of the papers pieces, quickly swam into the body of a fallen Skelton guard. "What is it doing?" Many people looked on curiously, until they saw the golden pieces swim around a massive key they were now carrying. "Look! A key around the guard''s neck!" Like fluttering golden butterflies, the prices of torn talisman paper were mesmerizing to stare at. They quickly took the key and carried it to a conspicuous corner, whether they inserted the key and finally unlocked the door.

    Bram!!! The final mechanical note yed, telling everyone it was time to go in. "Stay sharp, and do as told," Obediah quicklymanded, reminding everyone to better behave and not let what happens before repair itself. Obediah was particrly talking to Bohania and a few others. "Try that bullsh** again, and you''ll definitely see the other side of me." After whispering his bit to Bohania, he then bumped into the bastard''s shoulder while making a U-turn to face the door once more. Hmph! Coward. .

    With just a slight breeze from Dorian''s lips, the giant doors swung open, revealing the most breathtaking scene they have ever seen. Gold!! From top to bottom, every single inch of the ce was covered in cold! What was even more astonishing was the appearance of thorny roses nted in dividing rowsscattered about the ce. How to put it? The entire ce was staged to look like a Golden mountain.

    every 20 feet, the golden floors would be slightly elevated. And just below the elevated path were these red roses. Imagine a cake, with red edges lining every elevated point. Only, the cake wasn''t circr, but in the shape of a Pyramid. And at the center of the entire thing, were over 100 little steps leading to the top. Oh my�� what will they find at the top? Already, everyone saw a glimpse of 2 golden coffins far high.

    There were statues strategically ced everywhere, and all sorts of carvings on the walls. Ancient vases, heaps of gold coins and wealth�� you name it. All the riches in the world seemed to be on here. But more than anything, there were several less expensive coffins scattered about alongside the wealth here. Ah.

    Greed once again filled the eyes of many who felt bending down and picking up a few cold coins can''t hurt anyone��. Can it? "Don''t you dare��" Obediah''s voice made Bohania and many others freeze. They were a little annoyed when seeing how Obediah and others were watching them with hawk eyes. How troublesome�� They had no choice but to keep moving, though their eyes were still glued on the scattered wealth around. For a moment, they seemed to forget about the dangerous situation they still found themselves in. Pausing, Dorian stared at the line underneath his feet. "Grandmaster, what''s the matter?" even Old Gia couldn''t see the true essence of the line Dorian just crossed.

    This alone showed that the formation here wasn''t one any exorcists could notice. In fact, even with his current strength, Dorian knew he shouldn''t have noticed the formation here. Yet, he did�� Why? Dorian licked his lips, grinning slightly. Interesting�� [Host, you really noticed it?]

    Even the system was rmed. It was hoping to puff out its check in pride to tell the host of the formation the host ''missed.'' Hey, this was an opportunity for it to show it''s true worth and value to the host. But who would have known that the host would be able to see the mysterious without its help? Don''t get it wrong. There are 3 different formations here. 2 of them werebined gateways�� and the other�� Well, heh. Let''s just say, the 3rd one was the one the system didn''t expect Dorian to see. ''Is my host really just a mortal human?'' The system felt confused the more the time it spent with Dorian. First off for thest formation, unless one was as strong or even than Beelzebub himself, no one should be able to see that formation...even the angels and heavenly beings. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    In fact, provided Beelzebub is stronger, they won''t be able to see it. Perhaps Angel Michael and those stronger can detect it, but for the rest, they will bypass it without knowing it. The system knew its host was nowhere near being as strong as Beelzebub. So how was it possible that he could detect it, talk less of even seeing it? The system felt it should hurry up and send a message to its owner about the matter. Dorian didn''t even know that the system was once again preparing to rat him out to its master. Step by step, everyone advanced forward with mixed feelings. "Hey�� is it just me, or is it a little too cold in here?"

    Already, they began to feel the shivers.

    But Dorian''s face turned even more grim instead. "Quickly, bring out the ox blood."

    Before everyone could react, their faces were smeared with oxblood right before they heard another strange croaking noise below.

    "Frogs?"

    HitchCoff shook his head at the female soldier, "With all the sulfuric acid in here, I''m afraid frogs don''t dare toe this far in."

    What''s more, they are underground in a desert, so how can frogs love this environment?

    Recalling the many terrifying creatures in here, Hitchcoff dared not rx his stance.

    "You bastards! Don''t you dare rub that filthy thing on me!" Eldora quickly defended herself, t-out refusing to have the foul, stinking oxblood on her face.

    Do you know how much her face is insured for?

    What if it leaves pimples or other god forsaken side effects once taken off?

    The disciples shrugged and didn''t bother with her anymore, knowing that in the next few seconds, she was bound to regret it!

    "Eh?... Does anyone hear that?"

    Very stiffly, everyone then threw their heads behind, only to see an ungodly sight of tiny beetle-like creatures swarming out from under the treasures on the base floors.

    Everyone was now on the 3rdyer of this pyramid-style gold mountain. Looking down from above, everyone''s face turned chalky white when seeing how many and fast these things moved.

    Just one word now echoed within their minds - RUN!

 Chapter 547 Odd Arrangements

    Chapter 547 Odd Arrangements

    Oh my God of science!

    "These motherf**kers are moving too fast!"

    It has only been 3 seconds since they took to their heels, and already, this army of small beetle-like creatures were already inches from touching them.

    But what was this?

    Why did these small insect-like creatures avoid them now?

    Ahh!!!

    Eldora''s scream was ear-deafening!

    "What are you screaming�C" Obediah''s face turned distorted when seeing several swollen balls crawling underneath Eldora''s skin, neck and face.

    Everyone''s face was transfixed in silent horror, wishing to look away but unable to.

    "Ah! It''s inside me! It''s inside me! Get it off! Get it off now!!!!"

    Her high pitched scream bellowed so loud it could wake the dead up.

    A disciple by her side slowly smirked, before throwing the entire left over ox-blood mixture on her face. And then, he held her jaw open and threw the whole thing in for her to swallow while chanting a 3 word spell too.

    And then, everyone saw a scene they swore they would never forget in a hurry.

    Eldora''s throat began to swell like a croaking frog ready to blow.

    hhhhhh!!!~

    Her widened mouth spewed every disgusting beetle out, with some even bursting out from her backs and ger body instead.

    "My face!~... My face��."

    One flew out her forehead, making many step back in catatonic stupor.

    "So it''s the blood that saved us?" One of the biologists was quick to speak out, rubbing his face again in joy.

    Fortunately, although he detested the smell and appearance of this old oxblood, he didn''t refuse it like Eldora.

    Many people also let out heavy sighs of relief after realizing this fact too.

    Some people even looked at the blood satchels thrown away, wishing they had the courage to rush over, pick them up and scrap the remaining blood inside the satchels to add on their faces.

    As if running from gues, these tiny beetles didn''t dare to step closer to them.

    But then again, was it truly the b;ood?

    Why were these creature''s not attacking Dorian at all, despite him not having a single spec of blood on his face or body?

    Obediah squinted his eyes thoughtfully.

    ''Although the beetles ran from us, they exhibit different attitudes when running from the Grandmaster.''

    Why did it look like he could see these beetles shivering in fear from Dorian''s presence?

    They say insects and animals have primal instincts of fear embedded in their biology. Could it be that their ''spidey senses'' were tingling when facing Dorian?

    Dorian only gave them a stare, and they dared not climb towards his side. The beetles woulde very close to them before turning away after realizing they were covered in oxblood. But for Dorian, do you see how much space they gave between themselves and him?

    What was this tant discrimination about?

    .

    "You scallywags!" Eldora cursed loudly when taking to her feet.

    Oh my God of Science!

    With the blood rubbed on her face, and the blood oozing out from her meaty wounds, she truly looked like the undead when staring at them.

    (0_0)

    Was it okay to say they were a little afraid of this lunatic in here?

    "I swear on my life, that you all will pay for doing this to me!"

    Who did what here? Who did anything to you? Many retorted inwardly.

    Who asked you not to rub the blood when instructed to?

    "My father will so have your heads once I tell him what all of you did!"

    What are you? A child? "I will�C" Hm?

    Eldora ced her hands on her neck in shock after hearing her voice go mute.

    This time, it was all Gia who reacted swiftly after seeing Doreian''s uneasy growing face.

    Phew!~

    Old Gia and many disciples let out visible sighs when siping off their nonexistent sweat.

    This act once again reminded Obeidah and a few others of Dorian''s hate for loud and overly noisy environments.

    "Go."

    Dorian''s one word made their feet move onwards before their brains could react. And soon, they finally reached the very top tform, which had 2 giant coffin tombs. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Above the tombs were domes covered with murals, surrounded by stone bs engraved with inscriptions.

    In the middle, there are 6 sarcophagi ced at random. One can tell that each sarcophagus is obviously much higher in grade than the ones scattered below, around the space among the treasures.

    A sarcophagus is like those mummy coffins that stand upright. You can open them like opening a guitar casing. Imagine a mummy sitting in one in a cross-armed pose.

    Of course, people in this world didn''t know what mummies were.

    The ancient Cygytians didn''t do the mummification process, but only threw in bodies there, filling the entire sarcophagus in strange liquids to help preserve the body.

    .

    "Those 2 in the center should be the main tombs, right?"

    Miguel was puzzled. "It''s all very strange. Ashaku, why are there 7 other coffins surrounding the? What sort of burial arrangement was this?"

    This was not how the ancient Cygypts buried rulers in their tombs. And again, what was this?

    Eh?

    "Have I finally lost my sight from old age, or is this really ss?"

    Several historians and Archeologists were dumbfounded to see that the upper part of the tomb was made of ss.. Not just crude ss with impurities�� but the sort of super clear ss you can find today.

    However, they had to say that the ss casing might even be more superior than what they used today. "Impossible!!"

    Many eximed.

    "How is this possible? This doesn''t make sense at all!"

    "Exactly! Crude ss was only made known to Cygypt 150 years after the death of Hotanzi."

    Even then, the sort of ss that was made known to them has so many impurities, and waspletely green and sometimes dirt brown in color. Only the nobles and royals could afford this ss. It would take another 800 years before people mastered the art of making ss clearer.

    So what is this?

    Who can tell them why ss that is superior to their own era exists down here?

    Are you sure they haven''t identally stumbled upon Alien technology here? Was Hotanzi an alien?

    Where did ite from? What is the mystery of this ss technology?

    It was so amazing, and looked like Snow White''s ss casket, the one that allowed people to look at her while sheid ''dead''.

 Chapter 548 Too Unscientific!

    Chapter 548 Too Unscientific!

    "Have you seen this before?"

    "No, never have�� I mean, it''s so strange the way the sarcophagus are ced around the main tombs." "Yes! And what''s even more strange are the symbols carved on the sarcophagi. Whatnguage is that? Why, by the skies of Gray Skull, I''ve never seen such peculiar writing before." Many historians and archeologists took out their sses from their chest pockets,pletely puzzled about the emergence of these new symbols. They prided themselves as true experts that could recognize all sorts of ancient symbols and writings belonging to this world. Yet, they''ve never seen something so strange before. But for the academy disciples, they were all bug familiar dark runes and words scribbled crudely on all sarcophagi. The archeologists were already very absorbed in finding out the meaning behind the many symbols on the sarcophagi. But soon enough, their attention was drawn back to the 2 main tombs once more. It was now that they really took time to look through the ss casings, causing everyone''s face to droop. One of the soldiers smacked her lips in disbelief, "is the corpse supposed to look like this?" Many opened and closed their eyes with dumbfounded expressions when seeing the stunning beautiful women in the ss casing, who didn''t look like she aged a day. F***! "Wipe, who is this beauty? With this face alone, she enters the entertainment industry, she will definitely be a Movie Queen in a day!"

    "Lying trough, what type of science is behind this? How did the ancients manage to preserve her corpse?" "Am I dreaming? Is this a dream an ancient beauty finally proposes to me?" Oh my God of Science, the corpse actually looks like a living person. No joke, her cheeks were slightly rosy, herplexion was just so amazing, as if airbrushed, and everything else about her took the words right out of their mouths �C Sleeping Beauty! This must definitely be what sleeping beauty looked like when the Prince came to wake her from her slumber. Can you see how stunning this ancient woman was? Sorry, but the only people they thought couldpare with this ancient beauty, were the female Academy members here. Excuse me? But how did your skin get so smooth and baby-like? How can someone be so good-looking? Seeing the ancient beauty, as well as the academy female members, the other females in the group truly wished to shake them to death if it meant the answers would spit out of their mouths. What in the world did they do to look so good? ��

    Unscientific!

    "How did the ancients preserve her body so well?" Ashaku couldn''t help muttering, knowing that this was Hotanzi''s beloved woman, the one he could kill a nation for. The portraits they had of her didn''t do any justice to get actual appearance. "Hold on, why is she still breathing?" One of the females swore she swore the chest of this beauty rise and fall slightly with small movements. Soon, everyone also noticed this, finding it incredible. A corpse of over 2800 years old, was still breathing for all these years and you expect them to still remain calm? (0?0)

    F***! "Let''s open up the case and put a piece of ss or mirror under the corpse''s nostrils to see if it will fog."

    That''s right, they can verify if the corpse was breathing or not by doing this. Although their eyes could clearly see that the corpse was breathing, sorry�� their brains and minds still refused to process it.

    Yes, yes�� they should really test it out to fully convince themselves. But the question was�� who was going to do it? They don''t know why, but they seemed to feel that such a live-looking corpse would open her eyes if they dared to put their hands so close to her nostrils. "Hmph! So what if she''s a beauty? She''s dead, isn''t she?" Eldora muttered, jealousyced in her voice when staring at the corpse''s face.

    "I don''t care what any of you does, but be careful with the merchandise.The corpse is now our national treasure, and must be taken into our Britannia National Museum!" What? Over their dead bodies! (*^*)

    Everyone else soon forgot about the elephant in the room, and were all about to debate on who gets to own the corpse.

    "Wait!" Harvey eximed in a heavy tone. "I know that she is Hotanzi''s woman�� but where is Hotanzi himself?" What???!!! Everyone hastily turned their attention to the second ss box, only to see it empty. "Where is he? Where is Hotanzi the Tyrant?" Can it be that he isn''t hurried here but somewhere else instead?

    Is there a secret location in here they don''t know about that he could have been buried in? No! Miguel shook his head severally, feeling that with how much Hotanzi loved this woman, he would never want to be buried inches from her. So where was the body now? N?v(el)B\\jnn

    And does everyone notice how much colder the ce was getting now? ��

    Sww~

    A ready wind now blew in quietly, cashing everyone''s hairs to stand erect. "What was that?!!!"

    The cold breeze made them subconsciously regroup around each other, especially when listening to the treasures at the top of each treasure heap suddenly roll down the treasure hills, as if pushed by invisible forces. The smell all around them grew thicker and thicker, and soon�� the winds also picked up their pace more and more at an rming rate. Big that wasn''t all that gued their minds. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Ahh! Some people jumped on others like Scooby-Doo, shaking so much they legs began to wobble like stretched rubber. Mommy!

    Their eyes dted when seeing the many sarcophagi shake and tremble vigorously with every Bang that echoed out. "Oh my God of Science! Something is trying to get out!!!!"

    "F***, F***, F***, what do we do?"

    "The dead, the dead are rising!!!" Many had no tears but wanted to cry. Sure, they could take down robbers and human criminals. But no one prepared them on how to stop the living dead, okay?

    (:O0O:)

    What''s more, how do you kill something that has already died?

 Chapter 549 Here Comes The Final Boss

    Chapter 549 Here Comes The Final Boss

    Rumble, rumble, rumble~

    The many Sarcophagi trembled with so much vigor that they began raising dust into the air. Oh My God of Science! (!0!)

    The faint scratching sounds within the sarcophagi started growing louder and louder than the second. Step back! Step back! Several people hugged each other so hard that they almost left their hostages breathless. Boom!!! The strange sarcophagi cases were opened, and out came a pour of hundreds and hundreds of those strange bugs. Ahhhh!!! Several people screamed and took even more steps back, but little did they know that this was just the beginning. After the many bugs flew out, a strange silence bellowed. "That''s it?" Someone couldn''t help asking. Phew!

    For a moment, they thought there was more. But what about the strange mistnow circling around the many open sarcophagi that made their heart strings tighten once more. And then, they saw them�� Everyone saw withered cloth-wrapped figures with rotting flesh and hollow eyes slowly rise up with unworldly lights. Roarrr!!!!! The roars of what seems like a thousand hellhounds bellowed from their mouths, causing many to fall on their butts and even wet themselves. Words alone couldn''t describe what they were feeling now. "M-m-m-monster!!!" "Impossible! Impossible! How can a corpsee back to life?" "Exactly! This doesn''t add up! This defies the natural world''sws! Yes, yes! This must be a dream. It must be a dream�� Bahahaha~.... I must be dreaming."

    Ahhh!!! Eldora felt she was going crazy, refusing to believe what she was seeing. What''s more, why was one of them looking her way so intensely? "Get back! Get back, I tell you! I have a heeled boot, and I''m not afraid to use it!!" Sure the heel might be small and fat, but she swore she would give it her all in delivering a fatal blow if it could keep her life intact. Of course, Eldora also shamelessly forced herself behind several others, making sure she was surrounded in all corners, front, back, left, right, and center. (:T0T:)

    Daddy always says one should protect themselves to the best of their ability. So isn''t this what she was doing now?

    .

    "Mummy��" Old Gia blurted out those words when seeing how much they resembled the mummy images in the Academy books. Mum what? Mummy? What the hell was that? This was the first time they have seen such creatures before in their lives! The creatures looked like rotting human corpses, if you neglect the strange bones sticking out of their necks like Dinosaur scales. Yes�� these bones shone with ugly lights that only highlighted their rotting flesh even more. And then�� let''s not forget the fact that their opened mouths and dropped jaws were 5 times wider than a normal human''s. Their necks were super elongated, their bodies hunched and hideous, riddled with so many hotels that allowed them to see their insides. Good God, man! Blugh!!! Once again, several people were shocked just how many times their bodies could throw up in just one night. Dammit! Who has bleach around? Can they say they wish to throw bleach into their eyes in ways and corrode the memory out of their brains? Fear and disgust swelled up within them as they began praying to the God of Science. Many were so fixated on the many strange Mummies that appeared, that they didn''t realize the creatures weren''t even attacking them yet. Many were too absorbed in fear to realize this fact. Only a few like Harvey, Ashaku, Miguel, Obediah and Hitchcoff, noticed their reactions. "S-sir��." Hitchcoff swallowed hard, adjusting his sses with his trembling fingers. "They are not attacking." "Hmmm," Obediah nodded rigidly, throwing his head around to see where the mummies were looking. No�� it wasn''t exactly at any of them��. But behind them��.

    "Waiting��" Harvey blurted out with quivering lips. "They are waiting for their leader." They must be waiting for the one who attacked him and Ashaku at the start�� The one who ensured they were marked and ripe for the taking!

    Very stiffly, Harvey twisted his neck, only to see a strange distortion reflected in the dimly lit space behind them.

    Fheereeeuuuu~

    The whistle of a thousand treasures faintly echoed, leaving a light but chilling breeze that swept across the entire massive space. And then they saw it!

    Everyone subconsciously forgot about the strange mummies surrounding them, and now focused on the terrifying creature emerging from behind.

    It was only now that they realized that the wall above the Space''s entrance was filled with all sorts of gigantic animal bones bound together. Crack! The giant opened seemed to open from the center, like a giant dinosaur rib cage forced open.

    Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!~

    Every bone-cracking noise made their bodies stifle in transfixed horror. First, a hideous giant head forced itself out of the ribcage, roaring so hard their eardrums almost exploded. But no one could care less right now about their ringing ears.

    Ah!

    The distance between them and the moving structure was definitely more than an entire street block long. Yet, they could see its gigantic sunken but juicy eyes that blinked with an uncanny light. MANY HAD ALREADY WET THEMSELVES AGAIN WITHOUT KNOWING IT. Where was the creature''s nose? There was no nose there!

    After the head came out, the creature''s left shoulder forced its way out, followed by its right shoulder that seemed to have a spiky end to it.

    They say in horror movies, only a fool will sit tight in one spot and watch as the viin transforms to make a kill�� In fact, everyone here used to scream at their TVs, telling the victims to run before the psychopaths, shers or evil forces made their move. Yes, yes, yes��.

    They used to find these movie victims stupid. But now when finding themselves in the same predicament, can they really run?

    (>>>>>:T0T:)

    Even if they did? Where do they run to? The now-appearing final boss was making his grand appearance at the only entrance into the space, and behind them were the so-called mummies blocking their path. Run? They were afraid that even their legs had given way with all the shaking they were going through.

    "Dead�� Dead�� We are all dead!!!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 550 The Culprit

    Chapter 550 The Culprit

    Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, everyone watched the creature break through its bony skeletal cocoon, and slowly make its way towards them all.

    Din, Din, Din, Din, Din~

    Its footsteps seemed to carry the weight of their lives the closer it got. At this point, everyone had already forgotten about Dorian''s existence, feeling they were all goners in here.

    Please!

    Look at the Godly supernatural being walking their way and look at them, puny humans�� Do you think they can stand a chance against it?

    Ashaku felt his breathing grow harder the closer the creature got. "Taller�� It''s taller than before."

    Could this be its true form? It was now 50 times uglier than what they recalled.

    "What? Are you sure?"

    Ashaku nodded, "Positive. I can''t be wrong."

    Din, Din, Din, Din~

    The creature took its sweet time,ing over. In fact, it didn''t need to stress itself to climb the many steps because the strange flesh eating beetles already forced a moving carpet that carried it forward.

    And when it was finally close enough, it opened its mouth and finally spoke in a voice that sounded like a thousand eerie voices mashed up into 1. "Benachanta��."

    It spoke a tongue only a few people here recognized.

    "The Old Language of the Cygs��"

    The old Cygyptiannguage was the Cygs, which was very different from modern Cygyptiannguage.

    Only historians and archeologists here understood what the creature was saying. Of course, Dorian''s side also understood too.

    "Trante�� Trante now," Obediahmanded in a hushed tone. "Wee," Ashaku trante.

    The creature spread its rotting insect-infested arms wide, opening its smiling mouth to speak once more.

    "Wee to my tomb. Finally, the time hase for me and my beloved to be reunited for all eternity��. But for that to happen, I must consume the blood of the Marked ones�� "

    The creature turned his attention to Ashaku and Harvey, causing a chill to crawl up their spines.

    "As for the rest of you, my loyal servants will be more than happy to feast on your flesh and your SOUL!"

    The more Ashaku tranted, the more everyone else felt their intestines turn green with regret.

    Why?

    Why did they have toe to this forsaken Cygypt Desert?

    "No, no�� since all it wants is those 2, then why not negotiate with it for them?" Bohania wasted no time buying his own life, and several others like Eldora also agreed with him.

    "That''s right, they will be dying for the greater good, which is a noble thing."

    "Yes, yes, exactly! Who can they me for their bad luck of getting marked? They should be the ones to sacrifice their lives for ours!"

    Ashaku and Harvey were so angry and afraid that their faces turned red like pufferfish.Although they knew some would choose to sacrifice them, it was still shocking to hear how I first hand.

    Sure enough, it''s only in humanity''s weakest and most fearful moments do you see the true selfishness in humans. Many people had already entered into heated arguments, forgetting that negotiating with such a monster was not even an option in the first ce. They seemed to be forgetting that they were the ones in it''s liar with no way out. It had the option to kill them all now. So why were they talking about negotiating as though they were on equal footing with it?

    At this moment, their IQs dropped a significant notch, and all they cared about were their basic instincts �C Survival. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Many were even ready to bite off body parts belonging to Ashaku or Harvey''s with their teeth and sacrifice to the creature if it would allow them go.

    Suddenly, they missed the desert heat theyined about earlier.

    Give them scorching sun, give them super-parched throats in the desert, give them hot sun-kissed sand on their feet�� anything but this!

    (>:0:<)

    .

    .

    ''Yes, yes�� that''s it�� fight more, chaos.. Fear��''The Hotanzi''s eyes gleamed merrily when smelling the many ominous and fearful auras in the air. How delicious�� It was all very delicious, especially the scents emitting from Harvey and Ashaku, his Marked ones.

    Sure enough, that cunning bastard Beezle, didn''t lie to him. Flesh and blood tasted far better when the prey was at a heightened moment of fear and helplessness.

    But just because Beezle was right didn''t mean he, Hotanzi the Tyrant, will ever forgive Beezle for what he did to him.

    He was wrong!

    Beezle was no human, but a creature that became his worst nightmare even after death. Hotanzi''s eyes grow cold when thinking of his now nemesis, Beezle.

    Beezle appeared out of nowhere in the years when he was still alive and the 2 became best of friends. Soon, he met the love of his life, but sheter fell ill from a strange sudden disease. He searched far and wide for a cure to no avail, until Beezle appeared with the antidote. At that time, he didn''t think anything of it since he was too immersed in the joy of his beloved regaining her strength. But his happiness didn''tst long because the illness came back once more. And like a drug addict, he soon became addicted to relying on Beezle. And then�� one day, Beezleughed andughed maniacally, finally revealing that it was he who was the cause of it all.

    He, Beezle, yed Hotanzi like a flute. And if he wanted his beloved woman to ever wake up again, he had to build this tomb and do as instructed. Hotanzi didn''t even know how many years had passed since he became what he was now. He admitted that he was not a good person when alive, but any human would freak out when going through what he went through.

    The transformation process was frightening. Hotanzi was so scared that he would hurl himself in a dark corner, never allowing any servants buried with him to see his face. Alone�� afraid�� his only sce was in knowing that one day, he would reunite with his beloved woman. After many years, decades and eras in here, he was already used to his powers and his appearance. Wealth, monarchy�� and even human emotions mean nothing to him any more. The only emotion that he never forgot was the love he felt for his beloved.

    He had long forgotten his past, even forgetting what he looked like before, who his father was, and even what his outside pce used to look like. What did the guy say his real name was?

    Beelzebub!

    Yes, his friend Beezle''s real name was Beelzebub.

    Hotanzi clenched his fists hard.

    That bastard was the one who did all this to him!

 Chapter 551 More Guests?

    Chapter 551 More Guests?

    While everyone, including Hotanzi were wrapped up in thoughts of their own, Dorian calmly looked to the entrance as though waiting for someone. Soon, a familiar but unfamiliar face appeared, waltzing in as though they owned the ce. Wouldn''t you know it? It was the dashing looking 24 year old man who boarded the same flight to Cygypt with them. He had a light vacation shirt on with only thest 2-buttons buttoned. He wore brown khaki shorts and sunsses that seemed stupid and redundant since they were already inside a dimly lit underground tomb. He looked like a star with his vibrant looks. But of course, he didn''te here alone. Walking alongside him were 2 otherdies and 3 other men.

    Thedies also looked amazing, with curvaceous bodies that could make a man''s mind go wild. One wore a seductive blue glittering long gown with a long slit to her right thigh, and the other wore a very short Red sleeveless gown with arge feathery ck scarf coiled around her neck and arms.

    The other 2 men who tagged along wore suits, one purple and the other forest green. In the group of people, some looked middle aged, others looked to be in their early 20s and there was one who looked to be 40 with a rugged beard in his purple sleek suit..

    In short, no matter how you look at them, anyone would find it weird to see such dashing looking people dressed up so well, waltzing their way in as though this was their home.

    "Wow!... Are we already thiste to the party?" The man in the vacation shirt questioned in a loud tone that echoed far and made everyone stop their arguments. Who are they? And why are they dressed up so fancy?

    (0w0)

    With rxed steps, the group of strangers slowly made their way forward. You would think the flesh eating beetles would instantly pounce on their flesh, but you would be wrong.

    Sure, these beetles came in, running towards the group, but only rubbed around their feet like a pet dog wagging its tail forpliments from its master. "This��" Already, manybeled the group as dangerous. Thedy with a long blue gown smiled mischievously, covering the bottom half of her face with a beautifully detailed fan. "What a good-looking bunch you have here. But enough time has been wasted by your little cat and mouse game�� I thought you would be finished by now, but it seems I underestimated how much free time you have on your hands." ��

    pping her fan, she had a look of disdain in her deep eyes. The others chuckled, also having the same look of disdain in their eyes. So what if Hotanzi became one of the Horsemen? In the end, his status could neverpare to those who were born out of the Abyss. To them, he was only a little better than humans in terms of rank to them. Hotanzi growled in hate, wishing he could rip them all apart.

    Too bad he knew his current strength was nothingpared to theirs��. Especially the man in the summer vacation shirt. He was the strongest of them all. What did they say? That he was ying with his food? Heh. Hotanzi didn''t know why, but instincts told him he should use all his cards when dealing with the bunch of humans here. That''s why he had to lure them deep in, and have all creatures under his control alsoy in wait here for the grand finale. Hotanzi hated the look in their eyes but forcefully pried his gaze refocusing his aim on the 2 humans who would mark thepletion of his transportation once he sinks them dry. "Good, it seems you''re all here." Who is speaking? Hotanzi and the stranger''s frowned, wondering who it was who could bepletely calm in their presence. The voice was unhurried, steady, and unbothered, as though they were blind to whatever was going on here.

    Where is the fear? Where are the tremors and quaky voices that should have bellowed out? Could it be that Hotanzi''s appearance alone was no longer scary in today''s society? The fact that the voice belonged to a human, a very young human at that, gave them quite a bit of a shock. But hold on, what was he doing now? Everyone watched the mysterious youth calmly take out a piece of paper, tap it with 2 fingers from his left hand before unhurriedly sweeping his hand to the side, revealing a blue see-through like Katana. (0_0) N?v(el)B\\jnn

    .

    �CSilence�C

    Everyone, including Obediah''s group, were just too dumbfounded to say anything, especially when they saw the disciples also doing the same, following their leader''s actions. . [Elder Gia, Hotanzi is yours. As for the rest of you, you know what to do.]

    Right! Many inwardly nodded, knowing that they were to handle the other creatures in the space and protect this group of soldiers, archeologists, and everyone else. As for Dorian himself, do you need to ask who he will be targeting? Of course it was the group of strangers who just waltzed in seconds ago. Can he take them all? Can he possibly be a match for them when he was already at a disadvantage? Although these strangers haven''t revealed their true selves now, the innate strength they exuded was enough to cause even Old Gia to feel defeated before a fight had even begun. So with 5 against 1, it was no wonder several people panicked for Dorian''s sake. "Oh? How peculiar," thedy in bluemented, still hiding her lips behind her exquisite fan. "How interesting. I''ve never seen any human, do what you�C" Tim stood frozen in ce, as thedy''s eyes suddenly widened. And the only thing that reflected on her pupils was the cold light inches from her face. Bam!!! Something smashed into the grounds, digging up a deep trench the further it traveled backwards. F***! Many cursed, swearing they didn''t see anything that happened just now. But seeing Dorian now magically standing where thedy used to, they immediately understood that his move alone had sent her deep into the ground. Hiss!~

    They sucked in their breaths, feeling more and more that today''s world was no longer a world of absolute science. Till now, their hearts had failed to calm down. Have you calmed down? Since when did monsters exist in today''s world? Did you secretly update this version of the world without telling them? (!_!)

    .

    "Stay here within the circle, and nothing will happen to you." Ah�� They could only nod absentmindedly, when watching all the insane battle scenes happening before their very eyes. This�� this�� BOOM!!!

 Chapter 552 The Dawn of the Plague

    Chapter 552 The Dawn of the gue

    Grahhhh! Like a person possessed in a movie scene the now badly broken downdy in blue rose out of the rubble with a not so intact appearance. What? Thack, thack, thack!~

    A stream of cracking noises echoed, as everyone watched with transfixed horror as thedy''s neck bent and twisted in a broken zigzag manner. Forget about the broken neck. Let''s talk about the fact that there was arge see-through hole on the left side of her face that ate up half of her lips. "Bold!" Her roar made many shiver in their boots when feeling the immense pressure she released. Now, her face was no longer breathtaking, but rather, looked like fake human skin that was waiting to be peeled off. Along with her, the other 4 no longer had rxed expressions, especially when knowing that a mere ant, a creature that was meant to be their food, dared to touch one of them. "You puny human, you will pay for your boldness. I want your flesh for dinner!!" Hehehehehhehehe-hahahhahahahhaha~

    Gakakakakkakakaka~

    The 5 all beganughing chaotically, as they then cracked and broke through the human skin they wore, swelling and swelling with everyughter that flowed.

    Obadiah and the others thought Hotanzi was the most frightening thing they had seen yet, but nothing couldpare to these 5 who were now morphing into gigantic hideous beings right before their very eyes. Mother! Some people didn''t know when they hopped into the arms of those close to them, like Scooby Doo and shaggy. Knees quaking, muscles stiffening, faces mped, everyone looked like they just saw their worst nightmarese to life. Even though they were already within the protective formation, many fell on their butts, moving backwards with snot and tears already pouring out their eyes. Wipe! Again, they have to say that they were prepared to fight a human enemy or even a known animal known to man. All they can say is that they have never known true fear until this very moment. Thedy in blue and the other stunning beauty, both grew several timesrger, having their sisters grow out, bending downwards at the top. Their nostrils were humongous, with everyone feeling they could throw in oranges into them and there would still be gaps to fit in smaller objects through. Worts, sagging rotting flesh, hunched backs, fatter and greasier worms swimming in and out�� Blugh!!!~

    Several people gagged and gagged so much they began shaking as if having a seizure. What happened to the luscious hair these women spotted earlier? Why did these women only have 3 strands of hair left on their heads, and why did these 3 strands look like snake bodies? One look, and you can tell that bothdies were the same monster breed. The men beside them were even more grotesque to look at than the females, leaving everyone wondering how in Science''s name, could Dorian stand before them without even blinking an eyelid. "You puny human! Do you�C"

    Sck!

    Arge chunk of saliva fell onto Dorian''s rob, causing the disciples protecting and maintaining the formation to gasp.

    ��

    15 dayster, in a secure interrogation room. 10 military men surrounded several archeologists, soldiers, and people here with heavy faces.

    "I tell you that since we have known those subordinates of his, we have never seen them give such ghastly looks."

    "What do you mean?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    A young girl paused, looking at her superiors with an unfathomable gaze when recalling the matter. "I know this might sound like I''ve lost it, but for that moment, we all felt the room''s temperature drop by several degrees."

    In other interrogation rooms, several others were retelling the experience. "Intense!"

    "Chillier!"

    "For that flicker of a moment, I seemed to have seen into the future, of those monsters crying and begging for their lives to die."

    "Sir, no words can describe how choking the atmosphere was. It was as if some invisible pressure was unleashing out of the young man, choking and forcing our knees and our butts to the ground. I fell to the side and tried to raise my trembling left cheek from the ground but couldn''t."

    "For the first time in my life, I understood what people meant when they said they could feel their blood boiling."

    "Monster! Monster!... The Grandmaster was the real and only monster in there."

    ��

    Back to the present, everyone didn''t know why the disciples reacted so exaggeratedly.

    Well, that was until they heard Dorian''s faint chuckles that gave a sensation of spiders crawling up their backs.

    Have you ever seen the Grandmasterugh for so long?

    Mumu�� muah-heh-heh-heh-heh.

    What''s going on? (?~?)

    Sensing the impending danger from Dorian''sughter, all 5 creatures jumped back,nding in crouched positions, trying their best tobat the powerful aura released by the little human imp. One of the demons frowned. It was a green-skin lizard-like demon."Who is he?" "What is he?-- should be the question. I hate to admit it, but he might be a human blessed by the heavens. But so what? So long as he isn''t an exorcist, what true harm can he possibly give us?" Sure, the attack earlier was dreadful, but without gettingpletely exorcized, they would regenerate in a matter of time. It''s just that with the ferocious attack earlier, it would definitely take them time to regenerate, time they didn''t quite have. The moment they got word that thest humans needed for Hotanzi''s full regeneration had entered the tomb, they immediately came over to assist in fulfilling their roles given to them by one of Prince Beelzebub''s Mid-rank Generals. That''s right, it wasn''t the prince himself that spoke to them, but a mid-rank General. Still, they felt as if Beelzebub had done the talking himself. They came to unleash the first of 4 gues that would bury humankind to the ground before the big Day came. With the big underworld Dogs gone away from this world, they were the only ones assigned here to ensure everything fell ording to n.

    There were no exorcists in this world, so they didn''t think the human before them was one�� Still, they had to admit that they didn''t have much time for his shenanigans.

    "Together!.. I don''t believe we can''t end this nuisance quickly."

    Swish!

    They all kicked their feet and tails back, speeding forward at full speed with viscous ws elongating, fangs sharpening, and bodies twisting to strike the human in all directions.

    Dorian stood still like a mountain, and for a moment, Obadiah and many others screamed at the top of their lungs with raw panic. They seemed to hear the drums of death beating loudly in their heads.

    Toote.

    "Grandmaster, watch OUT!"

 Chapter 553 Help! Help! The monster is after Us!

    Chapter 553 Help! Help! The monster is after Us!

    "Noisy." Bam! Dorian''s blue see-through de grew fluid like water, deflecting the iing ded projectiles that tore through the air. Ngahhh!!! One of the hideousdies had her long pointy ws cruelly sliced. The long dagger-like w then flew towards her 3 snakish hair strands, injuring 2 andpletely cutting off 1. "My babies! My BABIES!"With a roar that sounded like a thousand high-pitched sirens yelling.

    Do you know how long she has struggled to grow them to this point? For beings of her breed kind, the more snake hair strands they have, the more powerful they are. It takes years, decades, centuries to grow a single one from a baby to even a ''toddler.'' That is, do you know the amount of sacrifice, murder, and battling they had to do to get 3 strands growing? The most hateful thing was that this despicable human, sliced off the most powerful and mature one. After it gets sliced off, it takes even double the amount of time to grow it back to its previous strength. Understand that even if she dies, she can regenerate. Yes, she can regenerate with the hairs all intact if none were cut off. Everyone knows that after one is cut off, her strength drops significantly. This means that even if she regenerates, the cut off piece will nevere back. Bottom line, her strength will be less, meaning she will definitely be degraded from her current position. .

    Dammit! Just thinking that she will have to mingle and work with people she used to kick around made her body grow cold. It was funny that even the other female monster of her kind who was beside her,already showed disgust and contempt when seeing her current state. ''Hmph! Serves you right. Now, I want to see where you would get the courage to stand next to me again.''

    Already, the group of monsters categorized her as a minion, a worthless chess piece they couldmand around, just like how they saw every creature beneath them.

    "You!" The now two-snake-haired woman stared at Dorian with crimson, blood-red eyes, having lost all traces of sanity. A deafening roar shook the air as she plunged forth, her serpentine locksshing out like deadly whips.

    The other creatures, sensing an opportunity, took advantage of the woman''s reckless charge tounch sneak attacks on their prey. Normally, these self-proimed superior beings would find it insulting to resort to such underhanded tactics against a mere mortal.

    But with time running short, they rationalized that such measures were understandable. After all, they couldn''t afford to hold back or y fair - not when the stakes were so high.

    "DIE!!!"

    The deranged female creature''s serpents struck first, their fangs dripping with venom as they converged on him from all sides.

    But with lightning-fast reflexes, Dorian''s weapon moved and blurred as he parried the deadly strikes. Many watched with dropped jaws as the sheer force of his strikes shattered the very ground beneath his feet.

    Everything happened like a scene in a blockbuster movie, as the pizza-sliced ground around the Grandmaster sank deeper into the floor.

    Good�� The other creatures were relentless, their ws and talons tearing towards his flesh.

    "Boy, this is what you get for your arrogance!"

    They appeared like ghosts once more, ready to unleash hell.

    But who was Dorian? Especially in his now angered state?

    .

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    Like flies, they were squatted away one by one.

    Dorian''s image seemed to grow 10 timesrger in the blink of an eye.

    Unstoppable, his movements, although incredible, were a graceful dance of death. He whirled and spun, his sword bing an extension of his own body as he dispatched one monster after another. Each strike was infused with the power of a thousand warriors, sending the creatures reeling in agony.

    "Mortal, what are you?"

    The deranged snake-haired woman now had her eyes wild with desperation, as she unleashed a torrent of cursed energy. But once again, Dorian met it head-on, his sword cutting through the onught as if it were nothing more than a gentle breeze.

    Dammit!

    The monsters with their confidence shattered, began to falter, with their coordinated assaults crumbling in the face of Dorian''s overwhelming power. They tried to retreat, to regroup and mount a new offensive, but Dorian would not allow it.

    Too fast!

    Several people watching rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

    You, who, they, when, how��. F***!

    (>0o0)

    .

    With a series of lightning-fast strikes, Dorian systematically cut them down, his sword a blur of silver and gold. The snake-haired woman now had herst line of defense broken, letting out a desperate, anguished scream as she watched her minions fall one by one.

    GHAHH!

    "You despicable human, how dare you�C"

    BANG!

    "You worthless prey, you dare touch�C"

    Bang!

    "Dammit! Now you''ve done it.I will-"

    Bam!

    "Hold on, human. I wasn''t read-"

    Bam!~

    "Wait! Wait! No more�� not the tail!!!!"

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    [onlookers]: (0_0)

    If they say they had sympathy for these creatures, would it be an act of treason to mankind?

    .BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

    As the creatures crumbled before Dorian, the now-bloodied and badly beaten up deranged snake-haired woman cowered before him, her once-formidable presence reduced to a quivering, pathetic mess.

    "Impossible..." she whispered. "How can a mere mortal possess such power in this world?"

    Howe such a powerful human was in this world and they didn''t know anything about it?

    Terrible��

    Now, her eyes reflected true fear, as her body instinctively trembled when she met Dorian''s cold gaze.

    It wasn''t just her, but the others who also felt despair, knowing they were trapped in here with this monster.

    No! No! They must escape this madness and send for more allies quickly.

    Who wants to be trapped in here with this monster?

    "Break for me!!"

    Bang! Bang! Bang! N?v(el)B\\jnn

    They banged and tried to desperately crack Dorian''sinvincible wall surrounding them, smashing and even injuring themselves in the process, all the while feeling their backs form cold sweats, especially after catching a glimpse of the slow moving Dorianing their way.

    "Give up."

    "_"

    BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

    Help! Help! A monster is after us.

    [Onlookers]: Why are you looking at them pitifully? Sorry, but we didn''t know we were walking among the real monsters here.

 Chapter 554 MINTICO!

    Chapter 554 MINTICO!

    My, my, my�� how the tables turned. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Dorian showed no mercy, pulverizing them until their bodies were mushy and unrecognizable. Jumping high into the air, Dorian seems to freeze, floating majestically while drawing a blue Crescent shaped pattern midair. "Shamra." Uncountable streaks of blue light poured down withser precision, cashing the monsters in stream in agony when feeling the burning pain pass through them. Ahhhhh!!!! Their bodies vibrated and heavily shook, as if receiving 10s and thousands of bullets. And while Dorian fought like all powerful beings, Old Gia was somewhat struggling when it came to Hotanzi. In fact, he was nearly overpowered by Hotanzi.

    But knowing the Grandmaster, he won''t be stepping in to assist him. Old Gia also knew that where there is danger, there is also reward. Should he defeat and exorcize this horseman, you best believe this Exorcist rank would go up too. The way of the heavens was righteous and true. How to say it? Eradicating an evil that is way more powerful than he, adds inner strength to him as well once the heavens acknowledge the exorcism. What he understood from his time as an exorcist was that when one ranks up, their soul force seems to be stronger than before, and the lines ofRighteous Karma also grow thicker. To put it simply, the rewards for defeating and exorcizing Hotanzi alone would greatly benefit him. Again, Dorian had given them all another task, which was doing self exorcism during battle. That''s right. Now, the baby walk-through he used to do with them was over. No longer will they have to wait for everyone to finish battling before jointly exorcizing together. Now, they were to exorcize as they battle. This was the next step of their training because in some battles, waiting for the end before exorcizing would only give these underworld a chance to escape. Or worse, perhaps they can find a way to call for backup, and overpower one. It was true that when exorcizing, they typically created an enclosed voice space that prevented the creatures from sending word out. Of course, most times, they will have topletely defeat the enemy before exorcism, since exorcism alone takes up a lot of energy too. Dorian was just training them for the rare times when they would have to fight and exorcize at the same time. If it reallyes down to it, what will they do? How will they react? .

    Roar!!! The air crackled with raw power, as Hotanzi and Old Gia closed attacks. Boom! Like a sonic wave, everyone watching seemed to see the ripples in the air swim backwards, towards them. Ahh! Many ced their hands over their heads in reflex, forgetting they were well protected behind this translucent wall. Both parties had been pushed back, but everyone could see that d Gia was pushed back the most. Hotanziughed maniacally, letting his mouth drop unnaturally to his chest. And then, they saw a swarm of strange ck insects fly towards Old Gia with murderous intent. "Beh-Hi-Na-mi Forta!~" Hotanzi was speaking his ancient tongue again, smiling cruelly while raising hands andmanding the insects to eat Old Gia alive. Old Gia did several backflips,nding on one of the steps down, before kicking his feet and jumping high up in the air. "ming Vacuum of Fury!!" Vrmmmm!!!!~

    Old Gia spun so fast in the air, turning into a tornado of heavenly fire, sucking in and burning the flesh-hungry insectsing his way. But just when he seeded in clearing all insects, Hotanzi''s iron fist collided with his side stomach and the moment his mes went off. .

    "Noco�� Insecta Tutus��" Bam!! Hotanzi appeared again, giving Old Gia another fierce blow. Hotanzi, like the gue God he was, calmly walked down the stairs while rolling his fists, as if massaging them. He then grabbed Old Gia from the pile of rubble, lifting him up and opening his mouth wide as if wanting to devour him whole. Was this his end? Many watching, including Hitchcoff, couldn''t help panicking and worrying for Old Gia''s sake. What to do? What to do? The muscles along their jaws seized with uncontroble tremors when watching the scene unfold. Perspiration now beaded on everyone''s brows, with some closing their eyes tightly, too scared to watch the impending scene of doom before them. It''s over�� It''s over��

    Grandmaster! Grandmaster! Look over there! Your follower is about to be eaten alive by that monster! However, after closing their eyes and waiting for the worst toe, they did hear an agonizing roar vibrate through their eardrums. But why didn''t it resemble the voice of the one they considered dead? Opening their eyes, they now saw Old Gia standing upright with azy expression, while Hotanzi was on his knees with his hands on his neck, acting his Buzz Lightyear when Woody first pressed his Buzz''s suit, exposing him to ''air'' when the ss astronaut goes down. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    (-_-)

    �� Erm�� excuse them, but why did the script suddenly flip here? Wasn''t Old Gia the one to go on his knees and not Hotanzi? .

    -A few seconds ago�C

    Many were still covering their eyes in fear after seeing Hotanzi raise Old Gia up, ready to devour him whole. Even Hotanzi felt he wouldn''t lose to Old Gia. Perhaps because of the battle they just had, Hotanzi felt there was no way Old Gia would be able to overpower him. And so what does he do? He slowly begins to act cocky without even knowing it. Old Gia was now breathing heavily. And after seeing Old Gia''s beaten up state with a stream of blood flowing down the right side of his face, Hotanzi felt the bastard human was definitely no match for him. So he dropped his guard down, never expecting that in thest moment when Old Gia was inches from his tongue, something suddenly fell into his widened mouth, causing his throat and entire body to burn chaotically. "You! You! You!"

    Hotanzi''s eyes widened in horror after understand what Old Gia did. Plop! He fell to the ground, stretching his weakened hand as though gasping for air.

    Dammit! Dammit!

    Hotanzi was unwilling to believe he would fall from a weak and despicable attack like that. Yes! Right now, Hotanzi realized that although Old Gia was weaker than him, Old Gia wasn''t that weak that he couldn''t dodge a few attacks heunched earlier. So everything was definitely an Act �Can act to get this close to him.

    "Mintico!" In trantion�� BASTARD!

 Chapter 555 Isnt It Fun To Say Goodbye?

    Chapter 555 Isn''t It Fun To Say Goodbye?

    Hotonazi could believe his eyes when seeing several golden chains drop from the skies and mp him up like a prisoner. Roarrr~ His face stretched in desperation and unwillingness, as he seemed to understand that he would soon be leaving this world. His woman�� hisdy .. Roarrr!!! Hotanzi, in his weakened state, protested and shredded true tears, staring at the ss tomb in the distance. My love�� my love�� He felt like a failure, knowing her soul was still in Beezelbub''s hold. Do you think he is afraid of death? Never! His only toes to anything in this world was her. He promised�� that bastard, Beezelbub,promised that should he aplish his mission, her soul will be returned to him. And now, and now�� what was she going to do? Who will save her from his clutches? ROAR!!!!! The chains pulled Hotanzi high up, allowing him to glimpse at her beautiful face onest time, even though she was far away. After hearing Ahsaku''s trantion, many people felt conflicted, feeling that although Hotanzi was despicable,he indeed did everything for love. It wasn''t justifiable, but they could indeed see where he came from, especially those who lived with their partners to death. Perhaps they too will turn to the side of evil if their partner''s soul was held captive by an all powerful underworld Prince. Like an old man once said: it''s easy to judge when you''re not the one wearing the shoe. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Among all creatures Old Gia has exorcized, Old Gia had to admit that Hotanzi was the one who slightly disturbed his calm heart. Sure enough, a part of Hotanzi is still human, perhaps that was why. For you see, underworld creatures won''t even care if their partner''s were held hostage somewhere. Maybe they would care by a bit, but not enough for anyone to take advantage of. What? You say you''re holding their partners hostage and you''ll kill their partners if they don''t do what you say? Alright then, you just go ahead and kill. Haven''t you heard the expression there are many birds in the sky, and many fishes in the sea? Are they supposed to put a hold to their many and because of this? In the end, all underworld creatures are born naturally greedy and selfish to heart, putting their own interest above all other interests that exist. But for Hotanzi, don''t forget a part of him will always be human,despite his mummy transformation. He was like a half-demon half-human monster. .

    ''What a pity.''

    Although Old Gia felt his circumstances were a little pitiful, understand thatfor every action, there is a reaction. For every cause, there is an effect. During his time spent with the leaving, he was no spring chicken. Hotanzi was a true tyrant who did unspeakable things to his people. He chose a path and walked in it, leading him to where he is now. His love for his beloved, might be the only truest thing in his entire life that wasmendable. Clearing his heart and his head once more, Old Gia chanted faster than before. Shwa-shwa-shwa-shwa-shwa-shwa~

    Hotanzi alone felt the chains inflict a stream of heavenly light on him, one that I converted his body, as every particle burned and vanished into thin air. First, his bottom half vanished, followed by his chest, arms, shoulders, hair and surrounding face, until only his floating eyeballs were left. Till now, his eyes were still glued on his beloved. Soon, everyone could only hear a pop sound simr to the sound a bubble makes once popped. Gone. Plop!!

    Gold Gia dropped to the floor soaked in sweat breathing heavily after realizing he finally did it. Hah�� hahah�� hahahahah~

    Sess! He, Old Gia, exorcized a Horseman of the Apocalypse. Although Old Gia was smiling mr to mr he knew he was dead-exhausted,and couldn''t even afford to stand or assist others in battle right now.

    One must know that if he did not weaken Hotanzi before the exorcism, it would have been impossible to seed. Hotanzi would have broken the heavenly chains that fell since he,Old Gia, was weaker than Hotanzi. That was why he had to use one of the Green Stone Heart Pills to give Hotanzi no room for resistance. Well, Hotanzi did resist, but he couldn''t use half of his strength. .

    Gulp~

    Swallowing a grade 3 Qi recovery pill, Old Gia forced himself to sit cross-legged. He began cultivating and regaining his strength, while the others fought hard and strong on their sides too. However, the fall of Hotanzi shocked all the minions, as well as the 5 Dorian was pulverizing. The moment they saw the heavenly chains fall down from above, they felt something squeeze their chests as the sudden stab of fear assaulted them all. "You�� they�� EXORCISTS???!" (Q0Q)

    But how? How can this be? They have been in this world for centuries and decades, and no one has ever heard a peep about any bloody exorcists. Yes, yes, that''s right. This world was exorcist free! This was their sanctuary world, the one they worked so hard to ensure was free off from those goody two shoes winged angels and other heavenly Gods. So what was this? Since when was this world filled with exorcists? Earlier, although they were afraid of Dorian, they knew that given time, they would regenerate and it wouldn''t be long before they could have their sweet revenge. That is�� Even if these humans capture them and ship them away, they will definitely be able to escape one day. So although fearful of Dorian, they weren''t all that worried. The only thing that irked them was that the n Lord Beezelbub instructed them to do would be dyed. Remember that Hotanzi can only get his full powers after devouring Harvey and Ashaku. In the end, they will have to track down these humans and feed them to Hotanzi after breaking free. Yes, all this was already well thought of in their minds. But now, after seeing Hotanzi get exorcized, doesn''t it mean the monster that was beating up was also an exorcist just like his followers? (>��С�)

    Dorian chuckled lightly while pressing his feet on one of their heads. Rather than exorcising them together, wouldn''t it be fun to exorcise them one by one while they are all trapped in here with him?

    [Host, are you the monster or are they the monsters?]

 Chapter 556 The End Is Near

    Chapter 556 The End Is Near

    Devil�� Devil�� "Let us out! Let us out!" Fleeing in different directions, all five mmed into the invisible wall trapping them in as hard as they could. If they spotted Dorian close to them, they would flee the opposite direction with their already badly injured bodies. Exorcize!

    AHHHHHHH!!!! The woman in blue was the first to get strung up by the chains, screaming, waking and promising all sorts of riches for a chance of survival. And as she stretched her unnaturally broken neck side to side to beg for her life, the others tried their hardest to break free from the space with tear filled eyes. Please, please, just let them go already. Like trapped animals waiting to be ughtered, their eyes danced around unfocused and maniacally, and their overall movements seemed unhinged and frightened. Who can save them? Who can save them now? They used to think that only humans could see their entire life sh before their eyes when death is near. But only now do they know that they could get life shbacks too. Ahhhh!!! The blue woman vanished in the blink of an eye, and Dorian then turned around with a big unnatural grin on his lips. "Who''s next?" [Monsters]: (:>>?<<:)

    ��. Exorcize! Exorcize! Exorcize! Exorcize! One by one, they all found themselves captured by the golden chains that dropped from the heavens. Some even tried digging their ws into the ground to prevent themselves from floating high. Some also tried jumping like foxes to dodge the chains. But no matter where they went, the chains predicted their actions and cleanly hooked them up. "Mortal�� human�� Do you know who I am? Do you know the repercussions for your actions? You can kill the others, but you dare not exorcize me�� No, no, no, no, no�� Ahhhhhh!" Thest of them was gone before Dorian propped a pill only in his mouth and also sat cross-legged. Dealing with these monsters,although he made it look easy, did take a toll on his overall strength. ''The formation��'' Looking at the massive formation that was created by Beezelbub himself, Dorian had to admit that he wasn''t strong enough to extinguish it yet. What''s more, should he touch it, Beezelbub would sense it was tampered with, wherever he was. Looking at it, Dorian knew it was probably one of the highest grade formations set in this world. Dorian could destroy the other gateways connecting the underworld to this world because those didn''t use one particr factor �C the blood of a superior demon. The stronger the underworld creatures, the stronger the formationid out for them. And Beezelbub, who was among the top 7 strongest creatures in the entire underworld, used his own blood to create this portal formation in the space. Just opening his 3rd eye and looking at the formation almost made him, Dorian, fall from dizziness. The amount of raw evil Qi emitting out was like a purple smoky mask that engulfed the entire ce. Just like Dorian, the disciples didn''t dare to look at the direction of the formation at all for fear of falling and passing out. Looking at it, would animate the famous ONE PIECE scene of shanks getting on Whiteboard''s shipping and making people pass out with every step he takes. .

    ''Not yet��'' After what seems like an eternity for those watching, Dorian finally opened his eyes, slowly rising to his feet and dispelling the trapped space he created earlier. At this moment, all disciples had also finished up their battle, eradicating all evil forces scattered about. Old Gia had also regained his strength too. Well, the only elephant in the room was the Beezelbub''sformation hidden underneath countless prices of treasures�� even the flesh-eating Beetles were clumped together and destroyed by the disciples. Raising both hands high, Dorian closed his eyes in deep concentration. And soon, everyone saw the many sparking and shiny prices of treasures turn into old rotting bone pieces, with some even turning into what looked like human and animal ears and other body parts. But what''s this? Some partially melted like a candle, leaving a half price now colored purple. HD on, why did it now look like purple y fled with disgusting insects and maggots? Uahhh! Those who still had greedy thoughts were so shocked they had to stand up and smack themselves in the face hard, especially when listening to the faint words of the disciples stationed to protect them. "Cursed objects�� Everything here has been meticulously nned to only being grief and curses for those who take them out." "Some will drain your lifespan, others will make you mad, and some will make you act more radical than you''d normally act." In short, anyone who takes or possesses any treasure here will not have a happy ending. This revtion only made many, especially Bohania feel lost. Then, then�� if nothing here is actually treasure worth taking out, why did he have to risk his life to join this exploration team? Where is the wealth? Where is the promised fame? (:TT?TT:)

    Bohania, a grown man, suddenly felt like crying. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    He clutched his heart, feeling he was almost getting to the point of cardiac arrest. No! No! It''s not supposed to be like this. So after everything he has been through, it was still all for nothing? This was like reading hard to write an exam, only to be told the scores for the exam doesn''t count to your final grade. Then what was I studying day and night for? .

    Poof~

    Bohania spat a mouth load of blood from shock. Obediah and many others sneered and looked his way with contempt. When they were all fighting for their lives, you never spat any blood out from shock. When human lives were lost, you still didn''t care a lot. But only now after knowing the treasurer''s weren''t actually treasures, do you spit out blood and fall in shock and you expect them to take pity on you? Heh. The traveling medics, although disgusted by Bohania, still rushed in to assist him. In the meantime, everyone watched with interest, as Doiran shifted all objects in a particr spot. There,id Beezelbub''s gigantic formation. Only when looking at it with the 3rd eye does one feel like passing out. To ordinary humans, they only feel it was evil, as all their spidey senses tingled when staring at it. Obediah frowned, realizing the strange circle made him feel the urge to point his weapon at it. "Grandmaster, what is this circle lined with blood?"

    Yeah, what exactly was it? Everyone''s ears were perked to the skies with intensive gazes looking Dorian''s way.

    "A doorway," Dorian responded calmly. "A doorway for more creatures to get in." Get in?

    Everyone''s eyes widened in horror.

    The doesn''t this mean the end of the world?

    (X0X)

 Chapter 557 An Ominous World

    Chapter 557 An Ominous World

    5 hourster, everyone stepped out of the tomb with dull faces. "Sir, sir! Are you hurt? Do you need assistance?"

    Those who were painting waiting for them here were already jumping towards them with all their might. They were happy to see everyone in tip top shape, with no registered deaths, but it still made them feel uneasy, especially after watching the groupe out with heavy faces. Did they miss something? Has the animal/worm insect underground been killed or not? (?w?)

    Everyone outside had a thousand questions, but dared not cough them all out at once.

    Never in their lives have they seen their superiors look so ashen and pale.

    "Please sirs, madams, parch your throats with this."

    Several people hurried to their superior''s sides, with thin and slender sandy camouge box-shaped military water containers.

    Unscrewing the top, many took big sips, still saying nothing.

    [Onlookers]: Is it okay if they grab their leaders by their necks and shake the information out of them to death?

    Everyone was still stumped, but only walked behind their leaders while leaving the tomb''s front entrance. But what was this? Throwing their heads behind their shoulders, they didn''t know how to react when they saw Dorian raise his hands, sending a fierce light shooting on the tomb''s doors. "Grandmaster?..." "No one will be able to go in. And should the portal get activated, I will know." Dorian calmly examined, knowing many of them were wondering what he did just now. Of course, once they leave the premises, he will set up a protective array that confuses those who try to find the tomb''s location. Many people will be going around in circles, and will definitely be sent towards the city which is various sandy miles away. However, his formation allowed demons and other underworld creatures to bypass the formations and head for the tomb. It''s just that he would be notified of their presence. Dorian knew that those 5 he defeated should be the prime people tasked with ensuring Hotanzi unleashing the gue to the world. And if they fail, a backup team will be present. It was best to leave things as they were, like a trap to keep luring these creatures here. This was also one of the reasons why he didn''t eliminate all demonic auras and evil objects in the tomb. After exorcizing the creatures, he let out ''clues'', insinuating that Hotanzi might have broken out and was now roaming around the world. When they see that Hotanzi''s woman was no longer there and her coffin was also missing, they might conclude he took her out too. Who doesn''t know how desperate Hotanzi has been for some fresh air out of his tomb all these years?

    What''s more, they also knew that although Hotanzi would definitely fulfill his promise to Prince Beelzebub, they also knew that he would also try finding other ways to get his beloved''s soul from Beelzebub''s grasp. Such was life. All Hotanzi lived for was that wretched female mortal he adored to no end. They as Underworld creature''s couldn''t understand how one can be so obsessed with another, even after death. Makes no sense to them. Dorian had created a perfect misunderstanding for them, eliminating all traces of fleeting heavenly auras in the space. Understand that until he became strong enough to travel Beelzebub, he cannot do anything to that blood portal.

    Shows over. Everyone headed to the tents that were now moved far away from the tomb earlier in the day after Dorian and his disciples arrived. ��

    Thack! Thack! Thack!~ N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The sounds of dancing mes flickering slightly in the desert echoed through the ears of a fee. Apart from this steady sound of burning wood, only utter silence engulfed the space. Everyone''s heart was still in disarray, trying to fully absorb all that happened in the tomb. Phoooow~

    A whiff of thick smoke floated in the air, as Obediah parted his lips, holding the thin cigarette with a heavy heart. His eyes focused on Old Gia and a few others. As for the Grandmaster, he was seated cross-legged, floating slightly above the sand not too far away from them. When Obediah found out that the 2nd lead man before him was old Gia, he was so dumbfounded, he was at a loss for words. Who can tell him why Old Gia who was said to have Gray hair, and in his early elderly years, was now looking even better than him? Look at that straight back, full long luscious hair�� Sure, one can still see 1 or 2 strands of grayish golden hairs, but it still looked like cool highlights, or like the sun''s rays glistening on his dark hairs. Understand that even the most physically fit and good looking man at old Gia''s age, still showed signs of aging, having crow wrinkles along their eyes, and even their abs and bodies have slightly loose skin because of aging. But look at Old Gia? His skin looked soft, right and firm like a child''s. It was so tight, with no creases or lines.And you want him not to get blown out of his socks because of this? Obediah sighed. If it were other times, Obediah would be fawning over Old Gia, stuttering to no end. But with all he went through and the current ominous situation now hovering around them, his brain could only focus on one thing�� and that was the fact that his ancestors, the humans before him, as well as the present humans, had ced too much fate on Science!!! What did he hear? That these monsters were all over the world everywhere they went? Then in the end, was there any ce actually safe enough for them to reside in? Here they were fighting wars against other humans when these creatures were roaming around, killing them left, right and center? "Are you serious? The missing live streamers were sucked into a hidden world, where humans from hundreds and hundreds of years ago were also there with them?" "Incredible! You said the famous missing Emperor Arthur''s remnants and items were also discovered there? What? He had a handwritten letter also kept in ce, waiting for the day he would get rescued?" .

    Tsk. Hundreds and hundreds of years have gone by, with no signs of rescue until Old Gia''s people broke in. This alone made many question the multiple unsolvable cases in their territories, that didn''t make sense at all. ''Could it be the handwork of these creatures?''

 Chapter 558 Entrance Examination Preparations Begin!

    Chapter 558 Entrance Examination Preparations Begin!

    Puffing out a thick whiff of smoke, Obediah stared at Old Gia deeply. "Tell me the truth�� Is the end near? Don''t kid with us. We heard what those monsters said. They said humanity has only a year and 7~9 months more to go before we perish." Obediah suddenly felt that all their battles against other humans seemed smallpared to the issue at hand. War with other countries? Proving the best by performing in globalpetitions�� all these didn''t mean a thing if the end was near. Those who hadn''t even married yet, those who have been single dogs, couldn''t help thinking of their lives.

    Old Gia nodded his head expressionlessly, "Indeed, the end is near, but��"

    Old Gia paused. "They don''t know, we are not so defenseless." Everyone clenched their fists, secretly swearing that they must keep their lips sealed, lest some passing creature gets a whiff of the news.

    It seems that they grandmaster generally doesn''t care if the news gets out of not, but they do. For this, the fact that the enemy didn''t know that humanity was building up its forces, meant they had a hidden hard up their sleeves.

    Yes! For now, they must act as if they are blind to these creatures. In the meantime, how do they ensure that the ones they give their reports to aren''t monsters in disguise? Didn''t Old Gia say that some of these monsters, like the Princes of Hell, actually hold rich and powerful positions in this world? But that wasn''t all. Did you hear that Old Gia''s team have destroyed some devious monsters that even took on the forms of babies, average looking people and even dogs? What? Even a fish in the seas could be dangerous? Suddenly, they felt there was no ce they could go to bepletely safe with the Ending. The most terrifying thing to them, was knowing that even something as simple as their shadows, wished to kill, drag and switch aces with them. "So, our shadows are recording our every move when we walk and know everything about us, including our weaknesses?" "Yes." "_"

    ��

    Terrible!!!

    Who updated their version of the world overnight without telling them? Old Gia only discussed this matter with them, and not those loud mouths like Eldora and the other greedy bunch. Speaking of them�� several military leaders quickly reached out to their most trusted superiors, didn''t say much about the matter, but were quick to secure clearance to keep those here from their countries in custody andplete hold once they touch their country''s soil. No matter how powerful and rich their parents were, no one will stop these leaders from keeping everyone hostage on military grounds, ensuring no word of what they saw here gets out. Thankfully, they had long seized Eldora and everyone''s phones when leaving the tomb. "I trust you all have high enough positions and ways to get yourselves to the uing global militarypetitions��. Go there, and your problems will be settled." Yes! If they can go there, dragging some of their leaders with them, proving to have answers to why they refused to release these people from military hold, then wouldn''t their actions be justified then? (^-^)

    "You! You poor bastards! How dare you take them? Where are my phones? Give all 4 of them back to me now! I swear, my daddy will have your head for this!!!"

    Well, speak of the devil. Eldora was already fighting through the guards restricting her from leaving her tent. From now till the end of the world, she might live in military custody till his matterpletelyes to an end. With that, most had peaceful nights, except for those under guard who couldn''t even move an inch out of their tents throughout the night. Bohania was no better, threatening to bring hailstones and thunderstorms if they didn''t let him contact those in the outside world. ''No! No! No! I can nevere out of this a loser,'' Bohania thought, feeling his blood run dry when recalling how all the wealth in the tomb all turned to hideous objects.

    Was this fair? Was any of this fair? All he wanted was riches and fame. All he wanted was to be hailed by the masses as one of the people who ventured into Hotanzi''s tomb and came out a hero. So the moment he knew they would not be taking any wealth out to brag about to the reporters and the outside world, his mind was already thinking of not gaining fame through other means. . N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Bohania''s eyes turned vicious.

    Think about it. It was impossible for anyone to believe his adventurers he had in here, and might even think he was in need of psychiatric help. But what if�� what if he made a deal with an underworld creature and borrowed some of its powers to begin exposing the truth right to everyone''s faces? Yes, Bohania didn''t mind signing a deal with these underworld creatures. He heard all these creatures said before getting exorcized. They swore they could bring fame, wealth, women and true power. It would be a lie to say Bohania wasn''t interested and greedy when he heard their offers. Why?... Why wasn''t it offered to him instead? Bohania had no tears but wanted to cry. Looking at how tightly the guards surrounded his tent, he already knew they weren''t going to let him have contact with the outer world for a while. What to do? What to do? Bohania bit his fingernails, scheming and making escape plots in his mind. He knew that his only chance of escape was anytime before entering military grounds. The airport, the roads�� provided they haven''t touched Military soil yet, he still had a chance to escape! (*^*)

    ��

    Like so, the first Horseman of the Apocalypse was finally taken care of by Dorian and his group. 1 down, 3 more to go! The next day, Dorian was back in the air. The day for the Academy''s second Entrance Examinations was fast approaching. So how could he stay back any longer?

 Chapter 559 Brotherly Love

    Chapter 559 Brotherly Love

    In another more grander world, humans could be seen walking onnd while some sat in their swords, flying about the ce with steady hearts. There werend masses floating in the air, above major water regions, and balls of clouds that surrounded and masked these regions. There were buildings on stunning and towering mountains that stood glorious against the tide of Time. These mountains were so high, far above the clouds. And standing in them were many structures that looked majestic and towering. Olympus! That''s what many who have watched the Hercules movies would say. In this world, humans had long known and epted the existence of underworld creatures and exorcists. Why�� even picking a site for construction involved these people. After all, you don''t want to construct your brand new building, za or structure on it only to be told that the ce you chose was once an unknown graveyard right?

    "Oh my~... Is that thetest Sky Sword 10,000?" "Tsk. My son told me those things cost a fortune, since they give their user an extra 70% strength during battle." "Amazing!... Ah! Isn''t that Herfa''s boy up there?" "Yes, yes, yes�� Herfa''s boy just found out he has the talent to be an exorcist. Yes, Herfa of 10, is now on his way to bing an exorcist!!" �� Talks like these often get the people walking on the streets giddy. All around the streets were all sorts of magical things interrogated with modern society that spotted underworld creatures with a snap of a finger. However, these things were not exactly urate when it came to spotting higher underworld beings�� like ohhh~... The prince of Darkness himself, Lucifer Morningstar. When it came to these Underworld Princes, only equally stringer heavenly beings could ever spot them out.

    Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap~

    An old man''s cane quietly tapped on the ground with every step he took forward. The old man had the freshness of a gentle soul, his smile sending deep red to his cheeks when acknowledging others beside him. He and several others passed along the roads, rming no sounds or raising suspicions from the many magical invisible and floating items above. The old man soon got in a bus that drove him out of the glorious city and towards an oldke house on the outskirts. And when the old man stepped into theke house, he snapped his fingers, opening an borate closet, only to reveal a man who looked exactly like him.

    Lucifer chuckled lightly, knowing he couldn''t kill the man, no matter how hard he wanted to.

    Understand that although the foolish devices and tools this world had couldn''t detect him, there were quite a few ways he could alert higher heavenly beings of his existence in this world. This world was one of the top world''s with the greatest level of security avable to its people. There were actual heavenly beings stationed to watch over these humans 24/7, and even more watching the atmosphere outside the world itself. This was one of the hardest worlds for his goons and forces to ever infiltrate. If he, Beelzebub or any other higher creatures wanted something from this world, they were more likely to seed if they came and got it for themselves. As for the human who was kept floating in the closet with his eyes rolled to the back of his head, Lucifer couldn''t kill him since the worthless man might trigger attention to his current location. In any other world, he might be able to kill and get it done without any angels feeling weirded out by the victim''s sudden death. But�� as fate would have it, this world was under the great protection of someone he hated dearly, his ''sweet'', straightforward, and most beloved twin brother, Gabriel. Lucifer knew that if anyone could pick up his scent after killing, it would be that heavenly hound dog Gabriel. . Taking off his suit, he carefully hung it on the floating man''s head in the closet. Well, better to cover it up, no? The less he saw of this fellow, the less his urge to awaken the fellow, frighten him to death and kill. "What a bore," Lucifer mumbled, while undoing his sleeve buttons. "An ugly one at that." For the record, he, Lucifer Morningstar, would never be caught dead wearing anything other than a suit when out in the human world. Even when out just now, he only casted a spell around him, making him look like the old man when in reality, he was still moving as he regrly did with his Crips suit on. What? A fisherman''s hat, a hideous looking jacket, a t-shirt that looked old and faded�� ugh�� he couldn''t imagine himself wearing anything this old man wore. He''d rather be caught dead than wear anything in the old man''s closet. Thinking of his outing today, the air around Lucifer quickly grew thick and oppressive. Where the f*** did that Trickster put it? If Loki was around now, Lucifer would have wasted no time jumping on him and strangling the son of a b**ch to death. If he doesn''t find it soon, their entire n would be for naught. Lucifer''s eyes glowed bright crimson red in the midst of his fury. Sparks of subtle mes engulfed his entire body when thinking of how long he has been in this world and yet, hadn''t found it yet. Of course, the bloody trickster said he hid it in the deadliest ce in this world for him �C Gabriel''s Temple. Should he even unleash a teeny weenie fraction of his powers in there, Gabriel would definitely appear like lightning. You don''t know how challenging the task was for Lucifer, topletely mask himself from his brother''s nose when risking a visit to the temple as a tourist. It took him 2 and a half months to finally get in and out without alerting his brother. But as expected, his first trial was unsessful. He indeed ventured into the temple, but he couldn''t find it! This meant he would have to do this act again and again until he found what he was looking for. That being said, how can he possibly put all his eggs in one basket? Loki was such an unpredictable heavenly being who for all he knew, didn''t even put the object in the temple. .

    Loki, Loki, Loki...

    For all he knew, perhaps Loki threw what he was looking for in the deepest parts of the ocean or even inside an active volcano. And if anyone was asking if moltenva could destroy it, impossible! Worldly things do not destroy such items. Lucifer was just about to head upstairs when he suddenly paused with a drooping face. He paused his steps only for a moment, before taking another step upwards.

    "Well now�� I thought I smelled burnt toast, but it seems it''s just you, brother." Instantly, the atmosphere grew to tense, resulting in several animals and even fishes fainting and floating above theke''s surface. Gabriel!!! Lucifer slowly turned around to face a face that waspletely identical to his, except for how fluffy Gabriel''s hair was, and how wet-looking he was. If not for their hair and their wings, you would never be able to tell them apart. Oops�� Those who have been with Lucifer forum, would know he wants as straightforward and head-on as Gabriel. Looking at Gabriel who was almost blinding him with that Golden and glowing heavenly hue, Lucifer meant what he said when he called Gabriel burnt toast. With all those glowing and blinding light, wasn''t it a matter of time before you burn yourself to death? "Where is he?" Gabriel gritted his teeth and questioned with righteousness oozing from his bones. "Where is the human you have cursed with your presence?!!" "Cursed?" The corners of Lucifer''s lips raised slightly. Tap. Tap. Tap~

    With brisk and unhurried steps, he slowly made his way down the stairway with one hand elegantly ced on the railing. "Brother, don''t you think ''cursed'' is a strong word? Cursed by my presence you say?" Lucifer chuckled, before snapping his fingers and revealing the coat closet that now had the old man floating about with his jacket hanging on the hands face, as if the old man was a coat rack. "You! What have you done to him?!!" Gabriel quickly stretched his hand forth, causing the man to fly towards him in a sh. Touching the man, Gabriel couldn''t help breathing a sigh of relief after seeing that the man''s soul and spiritual essence wasn''t entirely corrupted yet. Good�� Even though Lucifer didn''t kill the man, don''t you know that any human Lucifer puts a spell on would definitely have a significant impact on the poor mortal''s soul. "How can you do this to him? What did he ever do to you?" Gabriel threw a furious and using re at Lucifer. Sometimes, Lucifer felt Gabriel was ridiculous. He, himself, was an underworld creature who only brought chaos and destruction to others. So what else do you expect from him? Lucifer was now thinking of making a split to avoid battling Gabriel and bringing more attention to his leg. But Gabriel''s next words made his feet turn heavy. "You!!!... What did that damn trickster hide in this world?... I know he kept something here brother, and intend to find it first!!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 560 Brotherly Love 2

    Chapter 560 Brotherly Love 2

    "What?" Lucifer''s octave didn''t rise the slightest when questioning Gabriel. Narrowing his gaze, he slowly inches himself closer to Gabriel, until the tips of nostrils were inches from kissing. "Gabriel, Gabriel Gabriel�� you know better than to challenge, I, your brother." Hmph! "Talk is cheap, brother. For the good of the world, I shall apprehend you, foil your hand and ensure you don''t get whatever it is you''re looking for." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Gabriel swung his magnificent sword righteously, but Lucifer slowly rolled up his sleeves and brought out a dark de of his own that emitted ck and purple aura. They say twins think alike, and they wouldn''t be wrong to say he and his brother always loved the same weapon types. s, who could have known that their fates would be so different?

    "Alright, I do agree to a battle, since you''re itching for a fight. But answer me this, brother�� How did you know?" Lucifer was indeed baffled to find Gabriel here. He had taken several precautions during his time here, and would have sworn that Gabriel wouldn''t be able to find him anytime soon. So howe he is now standing face to face with him here? Or could it be that Gabriel has grown stronger than he during their time apart? Thest time they did see each other, was 2.3 million years ago when they met on another world and battles so hard both of them were left heavily injured. During that time, he also hid away, not in the underworld, but in the human world so no one would sense his weakness.

    His body had indeed taken a big hit, but after 700 years, he was able to fully recover again. Lucifer''s mind spun wildly, already strategizing how he could flee before the battle gets out of hand and serious. ''With our ns up anding, I can''t afford to take off decades and years to heal any battle wounds�� I should go, but with the way my dear brother speaks, it seems he has a clue of the location where that Trickster may have hidden the object.'' In that case, how could he flee just like that? Impossible! Knowing his brother''s straight forward trait, Lucifer recalled how many times he tricked Gabriel into identally revealing the information he seeks. This brother of his was somewhat of a battle maniac with a straightforward personality. He had to admit that since birth, Gabriel had always been stronger than he. But what made them even in battle was that he mostly relied on his quick wits and brains. This brother of his was an Obedient Soldier, the one you can count on toplete a mission without any questions. Of course, Gabriel did get inquisitive at times, but provided it was an order set by the Almighty himself and the few higher heavenly beings, you best believe Gabriel willplete the task without question. Gabriel had blind faith in the Almighty, a sort of faith he felt stupid. .

    Again, Gabriel was a stickler for the rules when it came to underworld beings and securing the souls of their human victims. The only time Gabriel felt he should use his Brian''s, was when the orders didn''te from the Almighty. For example, this world was his to protect, so Gabriel did his best with his own ns to set it up as one of the safest ever to exist. Perhaps it was because he lived following the rules, that he seeded so well in keeping but just this one safe, but several others under his wings too. So what if the Almighty has been missing for heaven knows how long? Gabriel has always kept to all rules and protocols the Almighty left for him to do. He and a grand elite team of original angels who fought the great war, also ensured the angels and other heavenly beings guarding the uncountable human worlds didn''t get sloppy. There was also that prick who called himself Archangel Michael, who pissed the hell out of Lucifer whenever they identally met and engaged in battle. All these elite angels and archangels used to be chummy friends with him when he was still an angel. But now, they were enemies for life!

    ��

    "Enough talk, brother! I have no inkling of hearing or answering any questions that seethe from your deceptive tongue!"

    With a sweep of his hand, Gabriel unleashed a torrent of energy from his de that tore through the air, causing ripples of heat erupt around them. Lucifer''s eyes widened slightly when knowing his brother''s powers had grown slightly taller than his since theirst battle. Jumping back several feet, Lucifer quickly evaded the attack inches before it could touch him.

    "Death Seeker!

    Creeeeee!!!~

    Gabriel narrowed his gaze when staring at that sword that now had wolfish fangs appearing on one side of its de. Well, this was new. He has never seen his brother''s sword do this. But was he going to back down? Never! Not a chance! A part of Gabriel was actually excited to fight something he never experienced before. "Come brother, show me the extent of your powers!" "Collipsium Hantora!!!" Grawlll!!!

    A giant golden head roared through Gabriel''s sword, projecting itsrge face towards its enemy. Rumble, rumble, rumble~

    The grounds began to shake, and even the skies split into 2 with thunder and chaos. What was that? "Do you feel that?" "Quickly! We leave now!!"

    Several angels and even exorcists all the way to the other end of this world, opened their eyes and quickly made their way towards the duo''s location. Such power�� such strength�� .they sensed it might be Gabriel. But who was he fighting? Who was it that was making Gabriel go all out? Those on floating inds and mountain tops flooded down in a blink of an eye. Angels protecting their world also zoomed in without haste. Lucifer''s eyes also grew cold when knowing he had but a few seconds to vanish before things truly got out of hand. Luckily, he had gathered some information mid-battle. .

    "Although I could never prove it, I sensed you were working with that annoying Trickster all these years. But don''t worry brother, your ns wille fail since we have the Trickster now locked up in an even safer facility than before!!"

    Lucifer almost rolled his eyes at how conformer Gabriel was. Hello? Was he just meeting Loki now? Since they''ve known Loki from young till now, does he look like a person who can be kept trapped forever? What prison system did the heavens think of that he hasn''t broken out of yet? Loki has never been tied down not once in his entire existence. Sure, you can put him in whatever secure facility you think of now, but decades, centuries and even millenniater, he would be long free and back to his usual habits. Well, a millennium was too long for Loki''s prison breaks. From the times Loki has appeared before him in the past, Lucifer could decipher that it took Loki less than 700 years to escape.

    Sometimes, he can break out in 2 years, sometimes 100, but his longest was 700. Of course, after hacking the system, he would still pretend to be a prisoner, so he could vanish into the many worlds and rain havoc on them while having a sweet alibi to back his innocence. What? You''re saying it''s him who brought down an entire ancient city in another world? Impossible! He has been in the cell all this while, no? Lucifer found Gabriel''s confidence to be ridiculous. Well, he only hoped the trickster could escape in time to give him thest piece of information he needed to break the heavenly cosmos when thes all align. ��

    Lucifer was somewhat happy with the information leaked by Gabriel. It''s just that the dumdum didn''t know where Loki''s item was hidden.

    It seems Gabriel wasn''t even sure Loki had hidden anything in his world. However, Gabriel said he could smell a faint stench belonging to Loki that had been lurking around this part of the world. It seems because of this stench, he has been guarding this region and the cities within them carefully. Lucifer''s eyes almost sparkled like jewels when knowing he was in the right ce. Yes, it''s somewhere in this territory��. Bug where? ''Time to go.''

    Seeing the old man behind Gabriel, Lucifer quickly shot an attack towards Gabriel, and another quick one towards the old man. "No!!!" Gabriel shed towards the old man just in time to block the attack. And when he raised his head once more, he found himself surrounded by the angels and exorcists of this world. "Great Archangel Gabriel, are you alright?" The humans looked at the towering figure in awe. Archangels were far taller and more gigantic in stature than regr angels. Gabriel was over 9 feet tall, with a burly body, fluffy golden hair, a golden halo, beautiful wings, and a thick heavenly light always around him. "I''m alright." Gabriel sent his mind to scatter around the world, but found no traces of his dear brother. However, this didn''t mean Lucifer had left this world�� especially since he came here in the flesh for an object or a person. Although Gabriel hadn''t found out what he was looking for, wasn''t this world under his wing? ''Brother, I will find it first!!''

 Chapter 561 The Arrogant Vardos

    Chapter 561 The Arrogant Vardos

    Brother. That was one word Lucifer hated deep down in his core. He hated that his brother looked identical to himself, except for their hair color and wings. He hated that he had a cursed mark, while Gabriel was seen as the ''amazing'' one. Tah! Lucifer, Prince of Pride, would rather chew off his own neck than admit he was jealous of his brother. Thinking of the mess that Trickster had left him with, Lucifer''s fury grew a hundred times more in his heart. He was so furious that the many bugs in his body began crawling and moving to save their own lives when feeling their host''s anger. [Rotted worms]: Help�� Who is the one who is making our host boil? Don''t they know that we are the ones to suffer the aftermath? The worms wanted to cry but had no tears. Lucifer licked the blood dripping from his lips with a cold glint in his eyes. ''Brother, it seems you are hellbent on going against me once more. But so what? What that Trickster hid in our jurisdiction, I, Lucifer Morningstar, will find.'' Taking a seat on a rock to slowly heal his injuries, Lucifer suddenly wished he could strangle the trickster to death. Unbeknownst to him, he wasn''t the only one feeling this way. Beelzebub, who was far away in another world, was also having a hard time finding the Bony-finger he was sure that damn Trickster threw away in the many dangerous worlds. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Of course, what he didn''t know was that the trickster was truly innocent in that aspect, since Dorian was the one with the finger.

    �� Back in the human world, things were beginning to curb once more, especially in the military world where men and women with shrewd minds and Brute force reigned supreme. Yes, the annualpetitions were about to begin.

    The Grand Golden Military Tournament was happening in Vardos Country this time. And unlike the otherpetitions, this one had a unique twist to it. The Vardos Country dared to call out a powerful message, provoking the rest of the world and telling them toe forth with their leaders and superiors. Many felt their intestines churning when recalling the message left by the Vardos Country. This was not a joking matter. They stated clearly that what they were about to announce was something so great, it would make the world jealous. What? Have they found a way to make a super bodysuit that makes men stronger in battle? Has the era of Iron mane? Honestly, several minds spun chaotically after getting the message. Bear in mind that the message was very vague, allowing them toe up with all sorts of theories as to why the Vardos Country is confident that even if each country brings 10,000 fighters, Vardos will stille out on top. Dammit! They must all go to Vardos this time, to see what all the fuss was about. Understand that in thepetitions, most countries bring teams of 50~60, with 5 or 8 actuallypeting. The rest were typically there to back them up and handle any issues that arise. Everyone needs a backer. Every country must show that they were not to be messed with. Typically, the real superiors and those with big names like Old Gia, do not go for thesepetitions.

    So you can imagine how shocking it is for the Vardos Country to risk their necks and ask for each country to bring at least 5000 people for the tournament. In their words, if they bring less than 5,000, they will regret their decision for the rest of their lives. Such a warning was enough to make many superiors narrow their gazes suspiciously. What was going on in Vardos? What was this situation about? For sure, they all felt things might not be as they seem. .

    Many leaders and superiors felt that perhaps there was something else the Vardos Country wished to say in secret that needed the military powerhouses and superiors to appear.

    Iron man suit? Who knows�� All in all, some people came with 6,000 of their best soldiers, and over 500 big shot Generals, Field Marshal''s and so on. In addition, people from the Navy were also invited. Don''t forget police officers. For the first time ever, Police officers were invited too. Incredible. Everything seemed like a dream. Although the superiors didn''t show it, their eyes shed with a fierce light, feeling that something was very off. This was definitely going to be a big gathering. But why? Why did the Vardos Country need so many of them in one ace? (?w?)

    Many people strapped themselves in and headed straight for Vardos Country

    In the many military aircrafts flying sky high, several soldiers sat facing each other. Those seated against the walls, and those in the middle rows faced them. Some were sleeping with their arms crossed over their chests and others were up in deep conversation. "Hey�� what do you think it''s all about?" "Tsk. Probably the Vardos Country being too proud again. That is, do they truly believe they can take us all down like thest time?" "Damn, I hate those Vardos bastards and their egos. Why must we alle running over to them if they call? Just who do they think they are?" "My thoughts exactly! I don''t know what our leaders are thinking when gathering 7,500 of us to head to the Vardos Country. In the history of the world''s Golden Military Tournament, when have you ever seen so many people sent at once? Really? Don''t they know it makes us look weak to heed to Vardos''mands?" (?#?)

    Many people were tapping away like crazy, a little annoyed by the situation at hand. That being said, a part of them still liked the idea of having so many of them go out. This way, they were definitely bound to win. They didn''t care what crazy ideas those Vardos people had. They felt that they''ve been working hard this entire time while in their country''s barracks. They felt strong, confident and so damn ready to kick ass! (*^*)

 Chapter 562 And So It Begins...

    Chapter 562 And So It Begins...

    The rowdy international airport bustled with military personnel from around the world, dawning their crisp dark toned uniforms. Tension crackled in the air as teams from various nations converged for the prestigious Global Golden Military Tournament.

    At the baggage im, the several stern-faced captains locked eyes with their counterparts from various nations. They exchanged curt nods, with years of geopolitical rivalry evident in their rigid postures. Nearby, teams from the North, sporting their signature mullets, drew curious nces and barely concealed smirks from otherpetitors.

    On the shuttle to thepetition grounds, the World''s West and South teams found themselves seated together, an ufortable silence falling as memories of past conflicts resurfaced. The Teams from from the East seemed to keep to themselves, eyeing the others, as well as themselves warily.

    Everyone here saw each other as a threat. So what if we all came from the East/West/North/South? Even Frago, a West region nation that had borders with Vardos Country, still stared at other western nations vigntly. One look and anyone could see that chaos was bound to break through at any given time. Sure enough, at the registration desk, a heated argument broke out between a few teams over their cement in thepetition brackets. "Color me blind, why the ''F'' do we have to share quarters with these Britannia bastards? Don''t think I''ll ever forget what you guys did in thestpetitions to our fellow man!"

    "Hmph! Who cares if you forget or not? What? Do you think we''re scared of you or something? Bring on, t bread!!"

    "Dammit, just thank your lucky stars that it''s strictly prohibited to fight outside thepetition., or else I swear, you would have been eating through your asses by now!"

    (*^*)

    One might think the militarypetitions here were simple, but that''s where you''re wrong.

    Thepetitors had to have the perfect blend of mercenary and military poise.

    What was the goal of this tournament? To prove who is the best, as well as build super soldiers, the types you send on lone missions in ces even the craziest wounded dare to go to.

    Those selected victorious, get sent to a 1-year special training camp that could potentially result in them losing their lives in barely a week upon arrival.

    That was how crazy the whole thing was.

    It was brutal, cruel and prepared them for the most dangerous missions the world could ever conjure. And those who graduate from this ce return back to their empires, leaving trails of unbelievable mission victories and sess.

    Let''s just say, the return to be ''John Wicks''. They be the Boogeyman all killer and underground associations feared.

    There was one great Boogeyman who went on a lone mission to take down a group of terrorists and mercenaries, all 3000 people gaurding a hidden location.

    Believe it or not, that Boogeymanpleted the mission beautifully, like Rambo, going in zing with shots, and strategy.

    Which country doesn''t want to train such super soldiers?

    Of course, the Mysterious training camp is on an indpletely taken off the map and hidden from the passersby.

    All nations unanimously agreed on this matter a long, long, time ago.

    And the secret Organization that trains these super soldiers are also protected by the world''s forces too, so long as they don''t cross the line and turn evil.

    So again, they ask? Who the hell won''t want super soldiers hailing from their countries?

    ��

    "Stop! That''s an ORDER!"

    An official from the mysterious organization appeared before them, his aura so intimidating man began shivering.

    How does one develop suchtrue animal-like aura? So scary!

    Many instantly became obedient dogs, feeling that such a guard was a little too frightening. Staring into his eyes was like staring into that of a Wolf!

    Heh.

    If the guard knew what questions were brewing in their minds, he would definitely sneer, feeling they wouldn''tst a second in the mysterious organization''s training grounds.

    Do you know what it is to be literally thrown into a den with a wolf for a week? Both sides were starving, and if he didn''t defeat the wolf, then he�� would be wolf-meat.

    They brought the primal cave-man instinct out of him, and after he defeated his first wolf, cooked and ate it, theyter sent 2 more in.

    After killing one, he tamed the other and without knowing it, became a true predator. His first month was spent in that hole with animals of all kinds. He was either killing or taming them. And when he was finally let out, he became like a ''Tarzan,'' who had learnt the behaviors of several animals. His instincts became sharper, his thinking more precise and his aura more vicious.

    Narrowing his gaze, he sent chills up everyone''s spine. "Do not, let this repeat."

    The words to the wise were enough.

    With that, the official left. It''s just that he also found it a hassle seeing so many people arrive for thepetitions. Why so many? They didn''t want it to be so. However, the Vardos country basically went on their knees to beg for this exception, saying if it wasn''t worthwhile, they will heavilypensate the organization with anything the organization truly desires.

    For the Vardos country to go this far, meant it was truly a worthwhile matter they swore couldn''t be said but shown.

    What was it?

    What could it be?

    Think as they might, no one could urately guess the thoughts of these Vardos people. So with such a sweet offer and the temptation of mystery brooding in the atmosphere, how could the organization not make this one-time exception to supervise more people on the tournament grounds?

    (shrug) N?v(el)B\\jnn

    It''s not like they have to change their quota for the number of people that get epted into the hidden ind.

    No�� they just had to ept to supervise a farrger group of people than before.

    ��

    Tick-Tock. Tick-Tock.

    Time passed by in a sh; and before anyone knew it, day one was officially over.

    4 days was the period unanimously given for all countries to get their people over to Vardos country.

    During this time, several superiors and leaders tried their hardest to get intel on why Vardos would go so far just to have them all here.

    Read police officers, Marines and soldiers were gathering, discussing their thoughts with no leads on the matter.

    Dammit, Day 1 was over and they still couldn''t get a clue.

    Then came day 2�� 3�� and finally 4.

    Once it was night time, all countries had now been ounted for, and everyone soon got an early rest, knowing tomorrow, all secrets would be revealed!

 Chapter 563 Who Are They?

    Chapter 563 Who Are They?

    DAY 5!

    Several people stepped out of their sleeping quarters with heavy faces.

    The superiors also felt disturbed by the burdening mysteriousness about the whole thing.

    One of the top tier men, who was actually Old Gia''s colleague from the Eat, took arge whiff from his cigarette with a stoic face.

    "I smell a dead rat, and I don''t like it one bit. Old Gia, that bastard! Where is he? Didn''t he say he had arrived on Day 1?"

    Kletus Nakamoto.

    That was the man''s name. He and Old Gia go way back. It''s just that just like Old Gia, he too gets buried with work.

    He and Old Gia were in the special forces together when they were in their prime.

    Kletus always had arge military jacket hanging on his shoulders, with his cigaret always on his lips.

    It was amazing to see this guy alive and strong despite how many cigarettes he smoked a day.

    Doctors also found it fascinating that he was actually very healthy too and quite young looking for his age.

    If people in this world knew the anime called ''One-piece,'' they would know that Kenshi had a striking resemnce to the character called ''Smoker.'' He was fit and looked like he could punch a bull to death.

    Kletus looked left and right, wondering where that old bastard was. "Dad, you''re an Army Chief of Staff/Army General, with legions and brigades you oversee. So why are you so hot headed this early?" A woman who looked no older than 24, with an equally well-decorated attire, rolled her eyes when staring at Kletus.

    "You don''t understand, Khalea," Kletus spoke, looking around for a bit more, "It''s unlike your uncle Gia to not be seen even till now."

    Don''t ask him why,but he felt the matter with the Vardos country''s request also had something to do with that old buddy of his. Besides�� During these past few months, although he didn''t have time to see his old buddy, he still asked after him and was a little perplexed by the old fox''s movements.

    And like he said, he smelled a dead rat, one he didn''t like.

    If this had anything to do with his old friends, that means his Old friend might have stumbled upon an enemy, one he felt their country couldn''t take alone.

    But what could it be?

    Terrorists, Drug Lords, Traffickers?

    Which deadly organization has risen up in the shadows that requires the help of them all?

    (?~?)

    Kletus was still perplexed by his chaotic thoughts when suddenly, he heard and spotted several choppers he instantly recognized. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Soon, arge grin slowly stretched out on Kletus'' face.

    Speak of the devil��

    He''s here.

    .

    Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!~

    The Choppers came through the air with an explosive force thatpletely silenced themasses.

    Tens and thousands of people had now gathered before the vast opening space, in wait for the Vardos people to arrive.

    They didnt know if it was their imagination, but the auras emitted from the iing choppers made their throats swallow their words.

    -Silence-

    Except for the des of the many choppers churning, no one dared to speak. "Well, I''ll be dipped in dogshit." Looking at the iing choppers, Kletus chuckled, knowing his guess had been urate all along. "Khaleah, isn''t he a clever lil'' dickens? He really thought this one through, didn''t he?"

    Kaeah didn''t understand what her father was rambling on about until she spotted the unique imprint on one of the Chopper''s tails.

    "Uncle Gia?" Her eyes widened, looking at her father for confirmation. "Right, the old fox must be the one behind all of this."

    "But why?" She couldn''t possibly see why her uncle Gia would do this, but still felt he must have a pretty darn reason for it.

    "Well now, wouldn''t we know soon?" Kletus took anotherrge whiff from his cigarette with a sly look. Kletus stood, alongside many superiors and people from all over the world.

    Heck, even those from the mysterious organization also stared at the iing choppers without blinking.

    When the Vardos people emerged from the choppers, they felt iiit expected. However, when these Vardos people came out and then rushed to the many other choppers and aircrafts with humble expressions, like loyal dogs, many people in the crowd almost had mini-heart attacks from watching.

    Even those from Vardos country selected to join in, were a little ashamed and angered by the actions of their superiors.

    "Wipe! What am I seeing? Isn''t that the great Field Marshal Wiggins over there? Why the hell is he bowing so humbly at a 90-degree angle? Isn''t this type of bowing something onlypeople in the East do?"

    "Ashamed! I''m so ashamed I wish the ground would open up and swallow me now. How can they disgrace us like this?"

    "Pfft~... Hey, check it out. The vardos country are such worthless wimps. Just see how obedient and dog-like they look?"

    "Shut it, Britannia! Our leaders must have a good reason for doing so! Hmph! Who gave you the courage, the impetus�� the galldder,. The liver�� the audacity to talk ill of our Varedos?"

    "Hey, look! Army Generals'' Harry and Berry are also here too."

    "Wait, is that the famous General Dhali? I''ve heard his temper is not small. So to see him act so humble, those in the other choppers and aircrafts must be quite special."

    Some people concluded, though they didn''t believe it at heart.

    Hmph!

    Their superiors must be insane to act like this. They were also speaking like this to hide the shame corroding their hearts. Little did they know that soon, they would be eating the same words of shame they just speed in their hearts.

    "Interesting~"

    The hidden leader of the Mysterious Organization who was disguised as an ordinary guard, now caressed his chin with a coy smile on his lips.

    ''Hopefully, everything you''re doing will be all worth it, or else�� not only will you lose your reputation, but�� your wealth as well..''

    Heh�� should he not feel impressed, what he will rmend as payment would bleed the hearts of the Vardos people.

    But as an experienced predator, he knew it was far too early to make any conclusions yet.

    Soon, the other chopper doors andrge aircraft vessels opened, and everyone couldn''t help leaning closer to see those who had made the superiors from Vardos so obedient.

    And the first thing that caught their eyes were�� Teenagers?

    (!_!)

 Chapter 564 Chosen Candidates

    Chapter 564 Chosen Candidates

    "What a show off~" Kletus mumbled with a broad smile on his lips, a little proud that so many Vardos superiors were out here doing a full 90 degree been to Old Gia''s group. Bahahahahaha~

    It felt good to hold one''s head high. You best believe he was going to use this as an excuse to tease these Vardos people and anyone else across the world. Kletus who was in a good mood,ughing till his belly hurt, suddenly choked and coughed maniacally when his eyes fell on one of the gant figures that emerged from the aircrafts. "Impossible!!!" Kletus felt he had seen a ghost. "Dad, what''s wrong with you?" Khalea on the other hand, became worried for her father while searching the gant group in hopes of spotting her uncle Gia. Eh? Where was he? She did see someone who resembled him, but because the person looked so young, shepletely brushed it off�� not to talk of good-looking, with the perfect physique. That person could definitely be a model! It''s true that her uncle Gia was a dashingly handsome man for his age, but he was far older and less good-looking than the figure she spotted. ''Where is Uncle Gia?'' (?~?)

    .

    [COUGH! COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!]

    Kletus coughed so hard his lungs were about to fly out through his heart. What sort of advanced stic surgery was this? No, no! Even stic surgery couldn''t get someone looking this young with plump skin. It wasn''t just Kletus coughing, but several people who recognized Old Gia. Understand that they had worked and trained with Old Gia, knowing how he looked in his youth. So seeing him look as he did when he was 35 was enough to make their legs limp. F**k that! He even looked way better than he did, but his back was so straight and talk and his face and even hair darker than what it was in the past. Has he seeded in doing gene mutation without them knowing?

    (@0@)

    More importantly, why are his children all looking like teenagers? Why did they suddenly look like they were in theirte teens? Incredible! Incredible! People felt the version of the world they were used to, had suddenly gotten an upgrade overnight without them knowing. Several others, who sort-of-recognized Old Gia, quickly wiped away such insane thoughts. How could it be him? How could someone in histe 50s suddenly turn to a 35-year-old person? No way, it must be his illegitimate child. .

    Again, some also recognized the other figures beside Old Gia�� and Kletus was one of them two. Hold on, hold on, isn''t that Old Ghu and his devilish wife, Old Madam Ghu? You have to know that growing up, Old Madam Ghu was also a terrifying existence who could beat them all up in a second. She was a real gangsterdy and he, Kletus, had been beaten blue, ck and orange by this terribledy. But hold on, why was she suddenly so young and tempting? (0_0)

    Old Ghu, Old Hou�� all of them were looking extremely young.

    While Kletus and many others were dumbfounded by the group that appeared, several people still wore disappointed looks when seeing the very young and good-looking stepping out. What is this? A beauty contest? Men who take care of their skin this much that it looks softer than a baby''s buttocks, must be weaklings!

    So was this it? Were these the people these Vardos superiors greatly respected? Several people were answering in disdain, not knowing that in a few more minutes, they would be the ones on their knees, begging to kiss these people''s feet. For now, they thought the show was finally over. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    However, everyone once again raised their eyebrows when seeing Old Gia''s group suddenly bow so respectfully to the Final figure leaving the massive aircraft. "Grandmaster!!!" Such words echoed from their lips, which caused these Vardos superiors to even quiver and bend so low they swore these people almost kissed their own knees. "_"

    �� The atmosphere was subtle. Dorian swept his eyes across the masses, with his handszily in his pockets and a lollipop in his mouth. Sweet. Strawberry lollipops were his favorite.

    Dorian had a look that said nothing here concerned him, however, he was indeed the star of the show, at least in everyone''s mind. His presence was one that no one could overlook. But after taking several steps forward , everyone watched him suddenly pause. The Vardos superiors were still standing behind the Grandmaster, with Wiggins, Berry, Harry, Dhali, and Julius standing at the forefront. Din, din, din, din, din~

    What''s going on? They then watched several Vardos Soldiers step forward from within the crowd, pair up with the academy disciples before turning to face them all. A soldier then ran up to Wiggins, gracefully and respectfully giving the microphone to him. Wiggins'' eyes were also helpless, wondering how he was truly going to start this revtion. ''Hopefully, no one stones me to death.''

    If he says there are monsters amidst them, several people will definitely shoot bazookas at him for [wasting] their time. However, despite the helplessness deep in his heart, Wiggins'' face remained stoic and devoid of emotion. .

    "Quiet!!" So his thunderous voice echoed across the space. "Now, before we begin, here are the ground rules�� Firstly, for the Grandmaster here, our esteemed guest, you will all behave and listen attentively to what we are about to say." "Number 2!" Wiggins raised 2 fingers up, and continued. "No one can leave this premise, whatsoever, at least not until we are done." Old Gia gave Wiggins a side eye, because in truth, from the money he and the disciplesnded, they had already activated the formation around the premises. What do you think they''ve been doing during these past 5 days? Admiring the green pastures? Old Gia opened his 3rd eye, staring at the grand formation they worked so hard to do.

    Wiggins continued�C "Everyone, we will now walk around and do preselection for those qualified to enter the first round of thepetition." What? They were doing blind selection so soon? Several people were already ready to argue their lungs out at the unfairness of the whole thing. But before they could say a single word, Wiggins'' warning followed. "Be advised that anyone who dares to argue will get disqualified!!.. As soldiers and people in the armed forces, your task is to be as obedient as a Dog!!!"

    Wiggins paused, sweeping an even colder look across the crowd. Silence was the response he got back from them.

    "...Good."

 Chapter 565 Final Revelations!

    Chapter 565 Final Revtions!

    One by one, several people were brought forward. Clenching their fists, they felt their hearts drum with excitement.

    Are they to start thepetitions? Will they be the first contestants in line for their countries?

    Several people in the crowd were annoyed and still felt the selection process was unfair. However, they dared not utter a single word of retort.

    Wiggins stood at the center with his heart pounding beneath his calm exterior. The air was thick with tension and unspoken questions, and Wiggins knew the moment of truth had finallye.

    "Now, we divide you all into 2 groups. Red Team and Blue Team��" With a nod, Harry, Berry, Julius and several others once again walked among the selected group, feeling a slight burn in their palms when walking beside some within the group.

    They believed that the talisman coins in their hands wouldn''t lie.

    Beneath the human skin staring them in the face, must be a grotesque appearance they inwardly feared. �� Swallowing hard, trying hard to maintain their stoic expressions, so as not to rattle the snake before it detected their ns. "Good physique," Berryplimented, giving a slight nod of acknowledgement to one of the creatures in human clothing. "You�� You''re good. Red Team!" Phew~

    So far so good. No one man or monster suspected a thing. Till now, everyone only thought of thepetitions ahead. One by one, several people were divided between the Red and Blue Teams. Wiggins soon released a sigh of relief when seeing the monsters in Red Team all stand in the chosen spot Old Gia had told him about. Watching the chosen people separate into various teams, Wiggins and his team felt they had never been so anxious in their lives. F***!

    Their palms were sweaty, but their bodies were chill and cold. Even when seeing the birth of their children, they were not as anxious as now. After seeing Old Gia nod their way, everyone, including Dhali, now visibly rxed before the crowd.

    Time to Start.

    ��

    Wiggins began, his voice carrying across the space. "What I''m about to reveal will change everything you thought you knew about our world."

    He paused, scanning the faces before him. Some looked skeptical, others raised their brows with interest. Wiggins took a deep breath and continued.

    "The world is not as we know it. For years, we''ve lived alongside monsters... Creatures that hide in in sight, feeding on our fear, our despair, and sometimes... on us."

    �CSilence��

    "I know this sounds impossible, but I assure you, it''s true."

    Pfft~

    A superior from another country let out a high-pitched muffledugh, causing several others to join inughter. And soon, the entire congregation wasughing.

    "Did you listen to him? Monsters?... Hah-hah-hah�� It seems these people from Vardos country have drunk too much beforeing here. Or else how can they spew such nonsense from their mouths?"

    "Exactly! I think we should lock them up in a psych ward for wasting our time here! Goddammit, we came for apetition and not to listen to their made up fantasies!"

    Several people in the crowd, including the superiors from the mysterious organization and the other countries, were already angered and disappointed by the turn of events.

    "What a waste of time," The undercover leader of the hidden organization muttered, already gesturing for his men to swarm over, shove these Vados people aside and start the bloodypetitions already. Simrly, this meant the Vardos country would have to pay an arm and a leg forpensating him for wasting his precious time for this.

    From his pocket, Wiggins produced a stack of paper talismans, each inscribed with intricate symbols in red ink. The crowd watched, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension on their faces.

    "These are special gifts," Wiggins exined, holding one up. "Everyone here is to keep these gifts at all times, until told otherwise."

    A word to the wise is enough.

    Wiggins turned to his assistant, Catherine, who stood nearby with arge bag.

    The young woman nodded, her face serious as she began distributing the talismans to the crowd. People took them hesitantly, examining the strange symbols with a mix of wonder and skepticism.

    Even the monsters in human clothing were confused by the group''s operation too. The fact that Wiggins spoke of monsters, did not cause them to panic one bit. Take a look around you.

    Who believes such a thing to be true? If anything, everyone was looking at Wiggins''s group as if looking at mentally deranged patients.

    Heh-heh-heh-heh~

    How Naive.

    The creatures looked at each other tactfully, smilingzily underneath their human masks.

    However, they were also curious to know how Old Wiggins and his group would prove their theories right. After all, there were no exorcists in this world,... no one to truly force them out of their shells.

    Speaking of Exorcists, they had never seen one in their entire existence, only hearing various versions of what an exorcist should be like.

    ��

    One sideughed at the thought of monsters existing amidst them, and another side chuckled, wondering how the humans would prove their existences.

    Wiggins'' took a deep breath, knowing that not only would he expose the existence of creatures, but he also had to show their true strengths, making everyone understand that no mortal weapons could kill them.

    And for this, the Grandmaster had given him permission. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    That''s right, under the targeted ce, Team Red, he stationed these monsters under, there was a formation that would make these creature''s unable to contain their true forms. And then, he, Wiggins, will see who isughing then. It was amazing that the Red Team not only consisted of soldiers who originally chose to enter thepetitions, but also consisted of some leaders who were picked and selected out too. Of course, to make it more buyable, they also picked out some human leaders/superiors and sent them to the Blue Team too. In the end, they truly managed to keep all monsters in one spot without too much suspicion. But now, from his earlier words, the monsters should have already known his intentions. However, they weren''t panicked because they didn''t know Dorian''s title of being an EXORCIST.

    Hahahahahahahahahah~

    "Incredible. To think someone as powerful as Old Wiggins dares to crack suck jokes with us."

    "That''s right. Monsters? Pfft~... I would rather believe the world ising to an end than believe such pure utter rubbish!"

    Bahahahahahahahha~

    Several peopleughed so hard their bellies began hurting. However, theirughing spree didn''tst long, because after Old Gia and the others moved their fingers like ninjas, they saw a scene that left goosebumps all over their bodies.

    The leader of the secret organization was chuckling in amusement, while staring at his second inmand, Wolfblood, who had been ced in the red team ahead. But then suddenly, he saw a thin, crooked red line, slowly appear and spread on his Wolfblood''s face. Eh?

    Was it his imagination or was there another line, and another and another that were now growingrger andrger by the second?

    Several people, including Kletus and Khalea, also noticed the bizarre scene. Already, some people began moving closer to each other while glued to the scene with widened eyes.

    .

    Shrip~

    That was the sound of human flesh now peeling off from the faces of those in Team Red. Gulp~

    Several onlookers swallowed hard when questioning if human flesh could peel off like bananas. But more importantly, who left the AC on? Several people standing outdoors, truly felt a freezing chill erode their bodies. This was just too unscientific. How can the temperature lower by several degrees in under a few seconds? Kletus felt he suddenly didn''t understand the world around him anymore.

    Too Windy! It''s too windy!

    Several people felt their feet threatening to lift off from the grounds. Luckily, they were all clogged and bundled together, making it harder for them to fly off. And amid their struggles to remain on ground, they still kept their sights ahead, watching the strange skin-peeling phenomenon take ce.

    A thought came to mind, but their rationing brains still rejected the idea, feeling it was all too preposterous.

    But whether they epted the idea or not, fate had a guaranteed way of forcing it down their throats.

    SHRAK!

    All human flesh ripped out explosively, as the many creatures of various colors now started growing and growing 3~10 times their regr size.

    Blugh!~

    The puke festival began. "You-You-You-You"

    Several people''s faces turned palish white while pointing their quivering fingers at the sight before them.

    Their eyes widened even more, their hearts trembled with fear, their bodies weakened like noodles and their minds churned in disbelief, wondering whether they were all dreaming or not.

    Drip~

    Several people peed themselves, as the sight before them was far above humanprehension.

    "M-M-M��MONSTERS!"

    Oh? Now, you believe him?

    Old Wiggins'' wished he could curse them loudly, but found that he too went limp in terror while staring at over 300 monsters of all shapes and sizes, now smiling at them cruelly.

    FOOD!

    The monsters now had green gooey saliva dripping from the corners of their mouths while staring at them. Sure enough, they were nothing but prey to these creatures.

    Again, why do they have to be so Goddamn ugly?

    BLUGH!~~~~

 Chapter 566 They exist? Impossible!

    Chapter 566 They exist? Impossible!

    How can this be? How can this be? Several people grabbed their hair strands with unprecedented strength, feeling that their worldview was nowpletely shattered from the scene before them. "F***! I must be dreaming. Could this be a dream where I get to kill everyone?" "Could it be that thest cataract operation I had failed? Or else why would my eyes be sending my brain such an image of��"

    "No! No! I don''t believe it! I believe in Science! I believe in Science!... I believe�� Blugh!!!!~"

    Several people vomited for what felt like an eternity, vomiting until their very insides hurt them greatly. The many creatures of various heights and sizes, all stood towering, with mass bodies of rotting flesh that hung in putrid folds. Just a simple glimpse made everyone flinch back instinctively while looking at the glimpses of rotting bone, muscles and all sorts of grotesque sinew underneath.

    Kletus swore that from the millisecond view he saw, their skin were mottled with patches of ck, purple, green and other ominous hues, as if marinating in death for a millennium. Suddenly, the sounds of flies buzzing, now grew increasingly, alongside the squirming of giant hideous bugs swimming underneath their skin. The maggots and worms danced to the decaying flesh''s whims, allowing greenish goo to drip off the sores andnd on the ground from time to time. Ew~

    Several strong leveled females like Khalea, now found that she had lost her appetite and feared she might never eat again till she dies! Her tummy was rumbling, and her brain began giving her the illusion that those bugs were also moving underneath her own skin too. Fear!!!~ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Each and everyone in here was now afraid. Even the leader of that mysterious organization had his heart pounding out of his chest when staring at the monster that used to be his second inmand who he called Wolfblood. Dammit, he really wanted a cigarette now. His hands were trembling, his legs extremely limp, and his mind spinning chaotically when thinking of how long he had kept Wolfblood by his side. Grrraaarrrrrr!!!!~

    The underworld monsters all roared to the skies when sensing their forced transformation. They hunched down with their hands on their heads, when feeling their clothes Rio, and the human flesh on them also tore apart. Why was this happening? Whoops! Whoops! Whoop!

    The winds began picking up chaotically, and the eerie cold now engulfed the scene so much that it formed a thinyer of must within the space. It was like Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk. One minute, they were human size, and the next, they were growing bigger and bigger at an astronomical rate.

    Only, they were hideous, rotting, grotesque creatures that made many wet themselves with dropped jaws. Some people didn''t know when they acted like Shaggy, jumping on Scooby-Doo and painting at the monsters ahead. "M-M-M-MONSTERS! MONSTERS!!!"

    Regret filled their minds, feeling they should have at least brought in their weapons. Know that for thesepetitions, guns were of course allowed into the venue. However, the people of Vardos had specifically requested that all guns should not be brought in.

    So while now standing outside in this vast open space, they had no guns, no true defense against these monsters. Although the Vardos people didn''t allow guns in, the only people who came in with a gun were Old Wiggins, Harry, Dhali, and Berry, of course for a specific reason. ��

    Roar!!!!

    The creatures who had now fully transformed, breathed in the heavy aura of fear emitting from the humans and now began losing their self control. Fear�� Fear .. Their eyes turned red as if stung by vipers, and their smiles grew even more terrifying than before, exposing their long tongues, razor sharp teeth, and bizarre mouth to the masses. The amount of Fear they scented in the air was so great that itpletely overpowered their sense of judgment. And soon, several monsters quickly spotted the humans they wanted to eat the most. Know that these humans have been their prey for years now. It was like easing a chick from baby to full adulthood, fattening it before it fills your belly. The Red-colored Wolfblood who had 2 heads and a spider body, now hissed in glee when staring at the leader of the mysterious organization. It couldn''t help it anymore. Food, food�� It must eat its prey!!!

    Swish! It jumped high into the air, beforending at the open space several people had created after avoiding its path. "Hahahahahahahahaha~.... Foolish human��" it spoke, slowly approaching the mysterious leader." Very quickly, someone tried to stab it with a dagger, but was shocked that although he seeded, the Mo he took out the dagger, the wound began rejuvenating again. Bam! One of the spider''s razor-ship sharp legs mmed against the human who attacked, piercing into the poor guy''s leg and sending him flying like an insignificant bug. WHAT?

    Several people stared at the scene in despair and shock, feeling a wave of helplessness and disparate take over them. No! No! What should they do? Kletus was dumbfounded when seeing one of his subordinates also appear before him to attack. No, he shouldn''t call it his subordinates anymore. "Sir, your subordinate is here to meet you��" It''s voice was ominous, a frequency range that sounded like someone scratching nails on a board. As for its body, Imagine a giant scorpion with its main body being soft, worm-like.

    Its mouth was also superrge, like the entrance of a bottomless pit lined with rows and rows of unnaturally shaped teeth. F***! Kletus cursed his luck to be targeted by one of these bastards. Why are you targeting me? Did I dig your ancestral grave or something? Oops.. monsters don''t have ancestral graves right?

    Crawkakakakaka~

    The monsterughed venomously, disgust, hunger, and disdain obvious on its hideous face. "Did you ever think you could be my leader? PREY�� that''s what you humans are, and that''s what you will remain�� Now, be prepared toe into my belly!"

    Human, Time to die.

 Chapter 567 War Approaching

    Chapter 567 War Approaching

    "Dad!!!"

    Khalea''s voice bellowed, as she rushed to her father''s side when watching the creature''s long but slender worm-like tail shoot at her father. "Sir!!!" Others also joined in, surrounding the creature from all ends. "Die for me!!" ~Ptchui!! Their daggers went in, but the results proved useless. ~Bang!!

    The monster''s tail now divided into 3: 1 still aiming for Kletus and the other counterattacking at a Lightspeed rate. No!! You can do this too? t-t-t~

    The ground was now filled with green rotting worms and flew out from the monster''s body with every move it made. "Dad/Sir!!" Several people yelled in despair, when seeing the Kletus trapped within the monster''s tail coil. Yes, Kletus was trapped like a victim, after an anaconda wraps its body severally around its prey. Is this the end? "Let him go!!!" Khalea already had tears in her eyes, stabbing and stabbing the monster to no avail. What was even more terrifying was that Dhali appeared and shit several bullets into the creature. Hey..In another fight scene but far away, a grenade was also dropped into a creature''s lower body, but after it exploded, the creature''s parts crawled back and reattached itself as though nothing happened. Seeing that guns and grenades proved useless to the other creatures, then doesn''t it mean that even if she had her gun and shot multiple times, the result would also be the same? Plop~

    Khalea dropped to her knees, feeling her entire worlding to an end. "I''m�� I''m useless�� I''m useless��" Never in her life has she felt so helpless before. Staring at the scene of chaos all around her, she realized everyone else also felt slumped in the face of supernatural events. .

    Prey�� That''s what these monsters called them. Indeed, they were like ants to these monsters. Ants were ingenious little guys who could build their ant pirs underground and perhaps have also built kingdoms of their own deep underground. But humans, many a time, trample on these Ang hills as though it was nothing. No matter how impressive these ants are, if humans wish to destroy them, it would be a piece of cake. Hahahahahah~

    Perhaps to these monsters, they were also like ants. This was why no weapon they have is able to destroy these monsters. So what should they do? No!... What can they do? Nothing! They were ants! Prey who were waiting to get eaten up and nothing more. What''s worse was that the enemy has always been living among them, and they, because of their utmost belief in Science, never thought of any other possibilities in their lives. In a sh, a thousand and one mysterious cases flooded their brains and seemed to make sense now. The case of the missing vigers of Salem Town who vanished in the 17th century into thin air. The case of themoving car, whose owner swore moved on its own, but many people locked the unfortunate man up. "There were always signs��" The leaders from Britannia, who were also Hitcoff and Obediah''s leaders, all turned their attention to the duo, who nodded as if saying that this matter was also the reason why they refused to say anything after returning from the tombs in Cygypt. Several people had their mouths open in a silent scream, now afraid to draw the attention of these monsters to them. .

    "You bastard! You bloody coward! If you have the guts, turn back into your human form and try fighting me AGAIN!" Kletus''s defiant words masked the fear that was now growing in his heart the higher and the closer he was brought above the creature''s mouth mid-air. Blugghhh~ Seeing its insides from this view made him puke into the giant hole that looked like an abyss. She squirmed and struggled to break free but deep down, knew it was useless. Kletus watched his daughter''s anguish when she too realized he was going to die.

    Who knew that aftering here today, he would die in the hands of a being he could''ve sworn didn''t exist? Kletus found it ironic. Several people whoughed at Wiggins before, now didn''t find it funny either. "Dad!!!" Please�� please�� if there are no steps, then there must be a higher being. "Dad�� Dad�� DAD!" Khalea yelled desperately, stabbing and jabbing the monster no matter how many times she got pushed back. How could it be this way? ''Please, whatever higher being exists, please�� save my dad!''

    As Khalea prayed in her heart, the monster realized Kletus at that same money, allowing him to drop down into its abyss mouth below. Suddenly, several bright blue shed across the scene, and soon, they saw a scene everyone swore they would never forget in their life. Kletus blinks excessively when staring at the person now carrying him over his shoulders. "Old buddy?" don''t me him for being doubtful. Although he instinctively knew this was his buddy, the face was too young from what he recalled. Old Gia chuckled, "Who else woulde over to save your cranky old ass?" Old Gia left Kletus beside the crying Khalea, who, after hugging Kletus, was now shocked to find out he was her uncle Gia. "So handsome!" Pfft~

    Kletus felt offended. "Girl, your father almost died just now and you''re already obsessed with your uncle''s good looks?"

    Don''t you know that your father is also handsome too? Khalea only smiled amid her tears, feeling it was great to have her father back. Of course, her eyes still stayed on her Uncle Gia, who was now flying and kicking ass like a superhero. Magic? Everyone was now dumbfounded when seeing a single sh from Old Gia slice the monster into half. Old Gia had sliced the monster, and had still had his back facing the monster when it sliced into half, revealing its grotesque interior. So cool!!

    (+#+)

    Several people cheered and cheered when watching the blockbuster scene before them. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Awesome! Awesome! Too cool! Today, everyone got first glimpses of what superheroes truly looked like. Who knew that they, humans, had the ability to use magic to counterattack?

 Chapter 568 A Shocking Realization

    Chapter 568 A Shocking Realization

    Crazy!

    Watching the scene made many people feel overwhelmed. One moment they were filled with nothing but Fear, and the next moment, they were slightly more rxed, watching the battle unfold with starry gazes. Was�� was�� Was this the epitome of human strength? Wipe! With vignce, Several people swallowed hard and slowly rose from their fearful fallen and crouched positions, with ripped and blood-patches on their clothing and skin.

    Watching the smack-down take ce all around them only made their bodies grow numb and their faces solemn. Many had wet pants that smelt of urine, but at this point, they wished they could smell urine, rather than the foul strong stench in the air that made their eyes now watery and their bodies constantly gagging from disgust. Oh my God of Science! Can they say they wished to slice off their nostrils and bleach the opening to prevent any smell froming in? Please�� please�� let it end soon! Blugh!!!!~

    Several people once again lowered their backs, puking so much that they also began puking blood too. That was how drastically foul the smell alongside the visuals, were to the human brain. "Dad��" Khalea spoke weakly. "I don''t think I will ever be able to eat anything for the next 1�� 5�� No! 20 years after this." So ugly. Now, the sight of meat, fish, and even vegetables were all disgusting to them. Ah!! Several people, both men and women, immediately jumped higher when seeing the many disgusting maggots crawling on the ground. These were men and women who have gone deep in the belly of evil, fighting drug traffickers, kicking ass, and so on. But here they were, they were all squirming, now all very afraid of bugs than ever before.

    . N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Ew! Ew! Ew! These bugs looked unworldly, and just a single nce sent shivers crawling up their spines. At the same time, several leaders felt heavy burdens on their shoulders, now fearing for humanity''s future�� especially after listening to the words of the many dying creatures here. ��

    Hahahahahahaha!!~

    "You lowly Mortals!... Your world wille to an end." "Bahahhahahaja~... You can kill us now, but sooner than you think, a war wille�� a war that will end all Mankind!!!!... A war�� AHHHH~" WHAT?

    Everyone watched and listened with morbid expressions. A war? A war of monsters vs mankind?

    Everyone''s pupils dted at an rming rate, especially when recalling their battle earlier. In no time, everyone watched the academy disciples exorcized and purify the space, but still couldn''t stop thinking of the words of these creatures that slipped from their ominous lips. �CSilence�C The crowd remained silent with countless thoughts passing through their minds. This was bad. "What should we do now?" One of the leaders questioned, indirectly asking what many also wanted to know. One look and you can tell they were still shaking in their boots.

    What enmity between countries? That pales intoparison when ites to ensuring their species'' existence! It was amazing that this single battle had made them unit under one banner in a twinkle of an eye. .

    Kletus and several others took deep breaths, looking at the empty space the creatures disappeared from. "I''m�� I''m afraid humanity will perish if we "do not do anything." "Yes," several others nodded in agreement.

    Worst of all, they knew nothing of the enemy, while the enemy has known a lot about them since the beginning of time, ording to what some dying monsters said. Before they could think more on humanity''s current predicament, Wiggin''s voice bellowed from ahead. Wiggins'' chest was raised high, especially after seeing the respect several people now had for him.

    Heh.

    Who was it whoughed until their bellies ached when he mentioned the existence of monsters earlier?

    Who was it who said he should be locked up in a looney bin for wasting their time on such ''ridiculous'' matters?

    Incredible�� Even the leader of the hidden organization was now looking at him cautiously, no longer arrogant like a peacock. "Silence!!" Wiggins''s voice was loud and strangely audible across the entire space, despite him being so far away from many. Another odd fact was that they were all speaking the samenguage, and could somehow understand each other without needing trantors. Yes, many did speak 2 or 3nguages, but do you know how manynguages exist in today''s world? Perhaps because they were still shaken, many hadn''t realized these facts. Wiggins'' eyes coldly scanned the scene, despite his satisfaction deep in his heart. Good�� He had their attention, each and everyone of them.

    . "By now, I guess everyone has understood my meaning of the word Monster, right?" Several people nodded stiffly, still struggling to stop the puking urge they felt in their bellies and throats.

    "Everyone, whether we like it or not, a big War is upon us, one that will hit in a year and a few months from now."

    Although the monsters said this earlier, hearing it again from Wiggins only made many feel their hearts drop into their bellies. They admitted that they knew how to fight against humans, bugs, and ordinary animals and creatures in the world. But who to resist such powerful monsters who have long decided to wage war against them? The moment they heard Wiggins say there will be millions and monsters flooding in soon, several people almost dropped to their knees, feeling weak. Their families�� their homes�� their loved ones�� the people�� Already, desperation stretched out in their faces, and their eyes turned red with worry. F***! Even some Vardos people were shocked with the current situation. Howe they too were Vardos Soldiers and they didn''t know of the existence of these creatures... especially the chief police officers on the scene.

    Hello? Aren''t we supposed to be one? Why is it that only you guys know and the rest of us don''t know yet?

    Do you take us, police officers as useless people and you, military personnel as the only ones eligible enough to know?

    And what about the impending war? How are they only hearing about it now? What to do? What to do?

    Many people had already begun biting their finger nails like crazy

 Chapter 569 All Present

    Chapter 569 All Present

    Seeing the panic in their eyes, Wiggins''s quickly continued�C

    "That war will determine Humanity''s fate, thus, the reason why my Vardos Country made such incredulous requests for everyone''s attendants." "Why?...Because we, the armed forces of the world, are humanity''s first line of defense against these creatures!!" "And that''s why, I have gathered you all here, because despite how grim the situation looks, there is always hope at the end of the tunnel." Yes, yes! There must be a way forward, or else why would Wiggins stand there so confidently? In a sh, several people''s eyes lit up like torches. And at the far front, Wiggins and his Vardos team calmly moved to the side, bringing everyone''s attention to Dorian and the academy members once more. Hey, howe they forgot just now that it was these people who saved them just now? Wiggins once again gave a 90 degree bow, reintroducing Dorian once more. Only this time, no one frowned or showed any disdain like before. "Grandmaster!!" ��

    15 minutester, and everyone was still shaken to their cores.

    What about science? Till now, everyone didn''t understand how they got to such a grand space. They were right there when Old Gia set up a simple box-like camping tent with the same height as a phone booth. Then, they were told to step into the wide phone booth after making lines of 7. Yes, that''s right. 7 people could pass through at the same time. Seeing several people step in bit by bit into the small tent but somehow not overflow out, caused many at the back to scratch their heads in wonder. Kletus and Khalea were 2 of those whose curiosities also grew by the second. And only after stepping in, did their eyes jump incredulously. Look! Everyone could step in and there will still be more space or 5 times more than their current poption. 10:50

    This�� this�� this�� Suddenly, they felt that they had been deceived by the ancients who imed Science was the answer to everything. What happened to thews of Physics?

    Can you exin why this tent is tiny outside, but is as grand as a Pce inside? Look! Everyone could step in and there will still be more space or 5 times more than their current poption. This�� this�� this�� Alright. They decided not to think of it anymore, or else their poor brains might get fried to bits. After stepping in, everyone did their best to stand tall despite their shaking bodies. With very observing eyes, everyone moved towards the 7 massive orbs at the forefront in lines of 7, just as instructed. "Eh? Old Bho, you old devil, is that you?" Who?

    Old Bho''s eyes widened in disbelief when seeing Kletus who should have gone abroad for the militarypetitions. What was going on? Why were there so many military personnel here all of a sudden? It wasn''t just Old Bho and those from the Bho household who were shocked, several others who stepped into the Tian estate but somehow found themselves here. Even those from Oand Town were here too. If one could recall, Dorian and several disciples had saved Oand Town from several monsters disguised as the elderly. Then there was that big battle on the cornfields, that made many feel like they were goners. And after the whole thing, Dorian had specifically invited several others to take the exams. There was 14-year-old Helga, Ross, a curly-haired 13 year old, Mang, a cute 13-year-old girl in pigtails, little Benjy, the yful one,�� and finally, 14-year-old Gregory, the one they called General, the one in charge of the gang of little teens back in Oand. It was ironic that Gregory''s second inmand, Ross, also had an older brother of 16 years old who was also one of the leaders of the high schoolers, who always opposed them. Officer Han Macy, officer Li Trey and 4 other officers were also in attendance. And Some parents also came, wanting to be exorcists because after that situation of almost getting eaten alive, they more than anyone else understood the importance of gaining personal strength in these dark times. All in all, there were several people not just from Oand Town, but various ces the academy disciples had ventured to in the past during their heroic escapades. . n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Again, another group that showed up here were the Ingards.

    One should not forget that the Cang Ingard was Ghu Sota''s friend and was seen by many as one of hisckeys. So after Ghu Sota sensed something amiss with his good old buddy, he painstakingly invited Dorian over to the Ingard Residence.

    There, they met with Cang Ingard''s mother, Lishu, and his father Zee Ingard. Damn! Who knew that all this time, it was his favorite aunt slowly poisoning him with demonic worms disguised as juicy peaches?

    Thanks to Dorian, the Ingard household was saved, but they couldn''t be the same after such an attack. That''s why they pleaded with Dorian to take the test to be academy disciples. Zee Ingard, Lishu, and Cang Ingard had now appeared in the space alongside 2000 trusted subordinates and guards.

    Indeed, the ce was full with all sorts of faces, ranging from small to old. Yes�� There were 7 elderly people with walking sticks who looked to be at least 70 years of age. However, Dorian had particrly chosen them, so they were invited over. With the noble auras and talents he sensed, Dorian spected some of them might be well suited to be Caretakers and elders. So what if they were old?

    Don''t you know that the more one cultivates, the younger they be, the faster their brains work and the quicker their senses will be?

    Truthfully, it was unfair to let any cultivator take any exam with ordinary people. Cultivators could store pages and pages of information in their minds word for word. Their brains were like vast libraries, and they could recall all stored info whenever they wanted. Of course, there was a difference between storing and interpreting/understanding the info stored.

    Looking around, many felt it incredulous to see just how many people had gathered.

 Chapter 570 Let The Examination Begin!

    Chapter 570 Let The Examination Begin!

    Soon, several people met acquaintances, and spoke in great detail about how they got to know of the great Grandmaster, elders and sect disciples!

    "There I was, hanging by a giant spider thread, about to be eaten alive when suddenly, a big light, the sun of the sun, sted out from nowhere."

    "I tell you, it was incredible! We had set out in the Safari, looking for the wild lion the locals said was bizarre. Of course, we didn''t believe them, but still headed into the heart of the jungle like the adventurous people that we are�� All I can say is that we were wrong! I will never forget that day, 8 people died�� all because of our so-called adventurous spirit!"

    ��

    Tales echoed amid the magnificent space, stories of the many unknown deeds these military people never knew about.

    Again, this only made their faces grow grimmer than it already was. Why were so many people aware of this but they, the armed forces, deadst in knowing?

    "Brat, how dare you grow taller than your uncle?"

    "Uncle Bho!" Khalea was happy to see the funny old man. It seems that the big ancient families have all known of the existence of monsters a long time ago while they were oblivious to it all. Like so, many stepped into the vast space, marveling at the ce they were gathered in.

    No joke, it made them look like ants, with the ceilings being so high it looked like it could reach the skies. Right now, the one called Grandmaster was seated at the far front, alongside several called Academy Elders. Her uncle Gia was among them too. And from the looks of things, it seems this Grandmaster person didn''t like talking very much. Well, sure enough, she was right because in the next second, he spoke no more than 3 sentences.

    "Let''s get to the point. You are all here for a test, and if you pass, you''ll know before midnight, 9 days from now. �� And should you fail, myst sentence speaks for itself, doesn''t it?"

    "_"

    [Host, as academy master, can''t you say a few more words to get their blood boiling and their excitement off the roof?]

    ''Not important.'' Was it in his job description when he decided to open the academy for the system? [...]

    The system again felt the urge to beat its host cks and blue. Oops�� Just kidding!

    How dare the system dream of touching its ck-hearted host? It was strange to say that it felt it would perish if it dared to do so. It was funny how a mere human could threaten its existence so much.

    Dorian satfortably, elegantly crossing his legs like a monarch before his subjects. .

    Test? Test? Did he say test? Several people had a ton of questions to ask, but after sensing his unquestionable aura, they could only swallow their words in silence.

    Dammit! This was the vaguest test they had seen in their lives. What were the guidelines for passing? What were these academy people looking at for their answers to be considered a pass? Hello? Who can answer their questions?

    (#w#)

    Even the old Generals and many in high positions felt tense in their hearts. Do you know how many years it has been since they underwent any entry-level tests? Well, Dorian had no more turn to waste on them. Before they could think any further, Dorian flicked his wrist, and a figure appeared, one that left their jaws dropping to the ground. "Master��" It was the Guardian Pandrol, who appeared with his lion head and human body. If it were before, they would think it should be a man wearing a lion head suit. But after what they went through, they were more than willing to bet it was actually a half lion-head figure, with a long tail poking out at the back of his suit. Then, everyone watched Pandrol split into 7 clones beforemanding everyone to step closer to the 7 orbs ahead. ''...'' [Everyone]

    Did they just see what they thought they saw?

    Several people wiped their eyes again, but still found that they could still see 7 Pandrols ahead. (0_0)

    Forget it�C

    They were afraid that if they thought any deeper, their brains would explode.

    .

    One by one, they found themselves stepping forth. One by one, they reached the orb and did as instructed.

    Khalea''s insides were all tangled as she felt a truck-load of butterflies roar in her belly.

    "Youngdy, you''re next." Pandrol''s elegant voice traveled in the air.

    Taking a closer look at Pandrol, she realized that although he had a lion-head, it had somewhat distinct features from other lions, giving it a far more majestic and noble appearance. Pandrol chuckled, "Your hand, youngdy�� ce your hand on the orb." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Ah!..." Khalea was embarrassed to be caught staring, but did as instructed. Instantly, she felt a warm surge of energy leave her palm. And then�C

    Vmmmmm!

    A bright ck energy with gold specs engulfed the orbpletely.

    What? Why were others releasing blue, green, white, fiery red, and other vibrant colors, but she was emitting a ck one instead?

    ''I�� I failed?'' Khalea pouted her lips, a little disappointed.

    But what she didn''t know was that several academy elders were nodding their heads in approval, trying to hold their excitement. F****!

    Do you know that apart from the Grandmaster of 2 others, no one else in the entire academy filled with thousands, had the Shadow Innate ability. ording to the books, Lightning, shadow, magma, and a few others were very quite unique and rare, meaning the person''s potential and heavenly luck was far greater than the majority. Seeing her disappointed face, they wished they could appear before her and shake her silly from her wild thoughts.

    Even the academy disciples felt their hearts throb in pain when seeing her expression. One could almost see her disdain for the ck light emitting from her. BASTARD!

    If you don''t like it so much, then why don''t they exchange talents?

    (>*x*)

 Chapter 571 Success or Failure?

    Chapter 571 Sess or Failure?

    Little by little, everyone stepped forward and did as were told. But whether they passed or not was a mystery to them.

    Some noticed various streaks of color when touching the orbs, and others noticed bold singr colors that engulfed the balls.

    But what they didn''t know was that if they had no talent for exorcism, the ball would still light up, however, it would show a creamy grayish color. Bear in mind that there was a difference between having the ball light up with a cream-grayish color and having the ball light up with a pure white color. That being said, innate talents were not the only things tested here. The orb assessed over 10 other requirements, digging deep into their very souls, as well as sensing their luck, divine blessings, Soul force, and many other things. Do you know that only by getting a specific soul force number can one actually be able to exorcize any underworld creature?

    Soul force can also be improved upon once one starts cultivating. However, the soul force when in their mortal state was a true indicator of whether they could do the job or not. Know that if they aren''t at the standard now and actually cast a spell, it could have so much bacsh, killing them instantly.

    But someone like Khalea who already had a strong soul force, can chant alongside Dorian now and nothing would happen to her. She would only feel dizzy and lightheaded.

    Sorry, not everyone can be an exorcist. The world still needs doctors, engineers, fishermen, and whatnot.

    That being said, a person must pass all 10 requirements to get into the academy. And the orb esses everything in a millisecond before emitting its vibrant light.

    ��

    From the moment the first 7 finished the tests, they were asked to leave the same way they came. Khalea now found herself standing outside the open military space with many others but didn''t feel like moving away from the tint tent they just came out from. Was it all a dream?

    2 hourster, everyone was out, with the tent now shrinking and shrinking until it vanished like a popped bubble.

    Plop!

    �CSilence�C

    (Q0Q)

    Everyone stood in utmost silence for another minute, just staring at the space in a daze.

    Where was the grandmaster? Where were the academy elders and disciples that came earlier?

    It was only when Dhali exined, that several people realized they had gone back to the East using the other portal. Boom!

    It finally kicked in.

    All the pent-up emotions they hide during this time of testing, now took over their bodies. Now, everyone''s legs were wobbling and quaking as they allowed their butts to touch the now-cleaned up grounds that were maggot and creature-free after the exorcism was done. "Dammit! Exin yourselves, Vardos Country! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

    Everyone''s space was now loud with emotions, yelling at the top of their lungs, mostly due to fear. "Please! Please!" Harry quickly raised his hands toi call for silence. And with the unique coin in his hand, he found that his voice could travel throughout the far ends of the space.

    "Everyone, our time is limited! Have you all not noticed that while in here, we can understand and now speak the samenguage?"

    Several people grabbed each other, looking left to right with dumbfounded expressions.

    "Everyone, we have only 3 hours before the spell wears off. Know that whatever we discuss now, will not reach the enemy."

    Yes, the formation will vanish in 3 hours. So do they want to waste time arguing, or do they want to talk!

    Know that once the spell goes done, who can guarantee that even the birds in the skies aren''t monsters listening in on them?

    Typically, one should be hungry or thirsty by now. But after the disgusting disy they witnessed earlier, they honestly felt they might never eat again in their lives!

    Breathing heavily, everyone quickly quieted down. And those who still wanted to cause a scene, were now stared at with vicious looks from those around them.

    "I dare you to speak! Try it and see what happens next!"

    "_"

    (0x0)

    .

    "Everyone, do you all remember the incident that took ce in my Vardos country when several live streamers went missing?"

    Yes�� yes, they did. Many, including the vardos police officers here nodded deeply. It was a world catastrophe, with everyone in the world shaming the Vardos police and military forces. Other countries came in to help, but were also shamed by the media when they couldn''t find a single clue about the perpetrator.

    "Good�� Everyone, I give you 6 out of 12 of those live streamers who also came to take the test."

    Instantly, Jenny, Chris, Emily, Rudolf, and Bianca, now stepped forward, seemingly more mature than how they were before that unfortunate event. And soon, they retold all that they experienced. To say that the onlookers didn''t feel stabs of terror in their guts would be a lie.

    Mommy�� The tale was more chilling, especially when imagining it and taking reference of how those creatures would look after witnessing what they saw today.

    Terrible! Terrible!~

    Are you saying for decades, centuries and thousands of years, people have gotten lured and trapped in there just for fun? Prey�� yes, that''s what those monsters said. They were prey and could be eaten anyway these monsters liked.

    Following this, Obediah''s group, alongside several military people, biologists, archeologists, and explorers, also came out to talk on the recent Horseman incident in Cygypt. At this point, even the Vardos people felt a wave of acid well up in their bellies the more they listened.

    The superiors who questioned why Obediah and several others had ced influential people like Bohania and Eldora in military prison, were no longer against the matter.

    Dammit!

    So just because her father is rich, Eldora feels she can sacrifice people to these monsters at will?

    Indeed, such people should be locked up because they might one day sell humanity to these monsters. Imagine if they came out with a n to secure their victory and then, that said n gets leaked out in the end by such people��. How do you think they would feel? N?v(el)B\\jnn

    1 year and a few months�� they just needed to keep her under military house arrest for this time until the war ends. At this point, everyone clenched their fists, not wanting to risk it.

    For humanity''s sake, failure was not an OPTION!

    (*^*)

 Chapter 572 Humanitys Last Hope

    Chapter 572 Humanity''s Last Hope

    Like so, the group spent the next 3 hours talking about how deeply the world has been infected by these underworld creatures. What was most terrifying was that once they left this space and headed back to their various police stations, barracks, ships, and corps, they could be working alongside these underworld creatures and would never know it. In a sh, the faces of several leaders turned chilly, as they swept their gazes across the masses. The leader of the secret organization also did the same, his eyes saying: Should anyone here let a single word of what happened out, he would personally grind their bones and feed it to his dog!

    Don''t let him catch any traitors among them, or else he swore he would shoot them dead. For the sake of humanity, killing one to save the majority was not a hard choice.

    "Keep your mouths shut once we leave��"

    Bit by bit, everyone came to know just how dark their current world was. And after the 3 hours were almost up, many felt like leaving now to calm themselves down in silence, but knew that what Wiggins, Dhali, Barry, and several others said was right.

    They have only spent a total of 6.5 hours, from the time the battle began till now. Sure, they were exhausted, but they must start the true Golden Military Tournament to avoid suspicion.

    Don''t forget that the enemy was still among them, so the video of the tournament must still be shot, so the other superiors and even the president of their countries could watch.

    At this point, they don''t even know if their presidents were human or not, so they must keep acting the same way, taking the tournament seriously.

    And when asked why the tournament was dyed, or why Vardos'' country had invited so many of them, they all made a convincing tale, deciding to stick to this tale. If asked, this is what everyone must say.

    With only 20 minutes left before the formation vanished, they discussed and came up with convincing excuses before agreeing to uphold thepetitions.

    Vrmmm~

    The invisible walls slowly crumbled down, and now, everyone found they could no longer understand each other''snguages as before. However, their eyes told different tales of brotherhood, fostered for humanity''s sake.

    "Bah! You Britannians are so cheeky! We will definitely win this tournament!"

    "Hmph! Have you forgotten that our Flower country came 5thst year?... Huh. Just wait until we take 1st and we''ll see who''sughing then!"

    "h, h, h��" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Everyone was acting for the cameras now capturing the evidence on scene."

    Phew~

    Many wiped their non-existence sweat,hoping they looked convincing enough. But while they kept up with their charade, Dorian was now in his estate in the hidden space within his Tian estate.

    ��

    [Congrattions host, you are so close topleting your 4th Main mission]

    [>Main Task: Spread your influence to at least 3 other nations. Among the next batch of iing students, 80% shoulde from foreignnds. NOTE THAT the host is to open 3 Portals in each chosen nation when the timees.

    >Deadline: 16 days, 7 hours 2 minutes, 31 seconds. >Punishment: Withdrawal of Protective formation around Academy''s sleeping quarters.

    >Rewards:

    Milky Pond of Hexilian Growth (Can open and expand qi-channels, allowing for faster absorption.Expansion of Ind, creating hidden inheritancends to be open 2 months after the new batch of recruits enter.Finally, 50 random best TYPES from various unknown worlds��.. ]

    ��

    Dorian stared at the rewards deeply.

    He had to admit that the system was quite generous with its rewards. Know that after he took down the first Horseman, he was rewarded with an improved Gravity room far superior than what was there earlier. The highest setting in the newly improved Gravity room was now 100-times-Gravity suppression. If all those old seniors in his former world knew this, they would definitely die from many heart attacks.

    Know that even in his former world, the highest setting there was 42, and that number alone was seen as heavenly. But now, if someone actually manages tost a single minute under this 100 gravity suppression, do you know how much they would improve in just this minute?

    Of course, a newbie could never enter the gravity chamber at that rate just like that. Do you want to die?

    Again, due to the many sub-missions he has been doing, the system has also been rewarding him here and there. For example, his stairs of tribtion could now go up to 1000 steps and the 5th floor of the library was also unlocked.

    It would be a lie to say that the Milky Pond didn''t fascinate Dorian. For now, his main mission will not be considered sessful until those chosen actually step into academy grounds after getting their eptance letters.

    He told them they would get the results in 9 days because they finish their tournament in 8 days and will fly back to their countries after that. Note that they will be receiving their letters on day 9, and still have 7 more days to show up at the designated spots where the portals heid out were in.

    Know that in every country, he has already made 3 portals in specific cities. Now, it''s either they wait here in Vardos and enter the Vardos portal close to them, or they head home and choose portals there. Just know that if the city where the closest portal is in, is located 12 hours away via vehicle, then that''s not his problem. Anyone who misses the entrance date will be automatically disqualified, no questions asked.

    As for the portals, Dorian has longid them out in all these territories the moment he got wind of Vardos'' move to invite several people for the tournament. Of course, he didn''t do it all for himself, sending elders and and several disciples to head to the spots on the maps he pointed out with good feng shui and gave them pendants to drop in those areas. These pendants came from the system. The moment they were dropped, they attached to the walls of alleyways, public bathroom spaces, walls between tform trainways, and so on. And when the portal gets activated, no mortal or underworld not chosen to join the academy can see it. This was the system''s guarantee, bragging it was his super amazing master who made them.

    Even then, several police officers who would soon work alongside several people from the Supernatural (SN) department, would soon take up the task of going undercover and ensuring no gangsters or random people stepped into these ces. In fact, why not buy the buildings and structures around there? s��

    In the future so much will change, but for now, the important thing was to get the eptance letters out in 9 days.

 Chapter 573 Michaels Worries

    Chapter 573 Michael''s Worries

    The battle between humanity and the underworld.

    That was a war that was soon upon the world that seemed filled with bubbly emotions on the surface. And while some in knowing began preparations, far, far in a realm above, a certain being now arrived with perplexed expression.

    In the vast expanse of the Celestial realm, a majestic brilliance and vibrancy cloaked the space. The golden streets were paved with light, the air still hummed soft melodies, the pink, blue and green mystical looking trees and forests moved on their own in dazzling manners.

    Figures with wings flying, magical harps pulling their own strings�� geeseying golden eggs, nymphs by the street, throwing water at each other with child-like innocence. Some figures paraded the ce in full armor, patrolling the scene, others moved in white robes, allowing heaps of paper to float behind them.

    Michael nodded to the many who waved and greeted him. He smiled their way, despite his heavy heart. ''Something is wrong. I know it�� but what?''

    Very quickly, Michael shot through the air like a rocket, soon finding himself flying over the lush gardens of Creafonial. There, he spotted a group of angels gathered. Sure enough, his old buddy and friend Raphael, was now training several others underneath his wing.

    Who was Raphael? He was an angel known for his healing powers and wisdom. Apart from Raphael, there were other angels with the same rank as he, who also gathered with their students too.

    Then, deciding to seek their counsel, Michael descended gracefully, making his presence immediately known to the group.

    "Michael!" Raphael was the first to notice something off. "What brings you here with such urgency?"

    Whoosh!

    Michaelnded softly, folding his majestic wings behind him. "It''s my brother," he replied, his voice resonant yet tinged with concern. "He is definitely nning something sinister�� Any word on the Almighty yet?"

    Several angels exchanged nces, their expressions reflecting both reverence and uncertainty. Archangel Gabriel, stepped forward, shaking his head wryly. "We, too, feel His absence deeply," he admitted. "But His reasons are beyond our understanding. Perhaps He seeks solitude to contemte the universe or to weave new destinies."

    Michael nodded, appreciating Gabriel''s insight. However, he felt that if they didn''t find the Almighty fast, something truly catastrophic might really happen.

    Raphael ced aforting hand on Michael''s shoulder. "We trust in your wisdom, Michael. If anyone can reach Him, it is you. But remember, His ns are often revealed in the fullness of time."

    "Yeah." Michael nodded, having utmost faith in the Almighty. But his heart still felt troubled by his twin-brother''s actions.

    Perhaps it was because Lucifer Morningstar was his twin brother that he felt even more inclined to believing that Lucifer wanted to pull off an ultimate move against the Almighty and the humans. Don''t ask him how he knew, but he could feel it deep in his heart. Whether they lived in the heavens or in the underworld, the connection between twins was quite a remarkable thing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Thanking these angels, Michael soared over the celestial mountains, their peaks shimmering with eternal snow, passing through the valleys where rivers of light flowed endlessly.

    ''It seems I must find the Almighty myself��'' Michael concluded while rushing to visit the Hall of Records, where the chronicles of time were kept.

    Of course, he wasn''t allowed to peer into the ancient scrolls of time, but could indeed ask one of the divine beings created before any angel was made.

    It was this divine being that oversaw and ensured one one stepped into the Halls of time. Of course even if one stepped in, looking at a record without permission could burn the eyes of even the most powerful people in the heavens.

    Only the Almighty and 5 others can look without getting affected. They were the first�� the Almighty''s first true creations.

    .

    The hall of records was surrounded by a calmke filled with spiritual water. And the moment Michael approached, the water mirrored the heavens, creating an illusion of infinite depth.

    "Michael," a deep voice bellowed. "I know what you seek."

    Michael paused, thinning his lips heavily. "Do you have any wisdom to share that might guide me?"

    "Michael,... remember, The Creator''s presence is not confined to a single ce. He is in the harmony of the many universes. He is love, hope, light and everything else that binds and sustains us all."

    Michael listened intently. "Then perhaps my search should not be for His physical presence, but for His essence in all things."

    "Indeed," The voice agreed. "In seeking Him, you may discover new truths that will shed light to your concerns."

    Suddenly, Michael found a sense of peace, now having an inkling of what he must do to find the Almighty. "Thank you, ancient one."

    With that, Michael opened his wings and soared back to the heart of heaven, ready to find the Almighty and put an end to his twin brother''s ns.

    .

    Well, with the Almighty still in Hiatus, the show must still go on.

    The heavens must continue doing their duties and the order of the cosmos must always be maintained. But back in the human world, several students who lived in their school dormitories, were now rushed to bed by the aunt and uncle groundskeepers. "Alright, you monkeys better close those eyes and go to sleep. You know the rules. Lights out at 11!"

    These groundskeepers had their hands knotted behind their backs, with shlights and faces that were as stern and hard as rocks.

    "You three! Didn''t you hear me? Go to your dormitories now!"

    (*#*)

    The many 14~17 year olds rushed off to their dormitories, not wanting to be punished or being outside after lights out.

    It was now 10:35, and the Groundskeepers were going around reminding everyone that when the clock strikes 11 on the dot, they will be taking names for punishment if they see anyone outside the male and female dormitory quarters.

    That being said, the male quarters are fenced, with a bathroom/washroom space on the first floor. The female quarters are also the same. At this time, several people were leaving the libraries, cafeteria, oring outside the school, now rushing towards the dormitories at full speed.

    The important thing is that they pass through the dormitory''s gates before it closes at 11 sharp.

    Tonight followed through like normal, with students being students and school guards and staff, being their usual selves. But what many didn''t know was that soon, the darkness would embellish some who disobeyed thew.

 Chapter 574 Cruel Prank

    Chapter 574 Cruel Prank

    "Dammit, just how much longer do we have to wait?" A whispery voice bellowed across the empty space.

    The dimly lit bathroom was silent except for the asional drip of a leaky faucet, and the whispers of anxious teens.

    "Hey, Mr. Genius, how long do you think we''ll be waiting for?" whispered Brock, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart. He huddled close to his friends, his eyes darting nervously at the crack underneath his chin..

    Well, he and his friends were all hidden in the bathroom ceiling, a spot they purposefully created for such a mission tonight.

    Tch!~ "Rx, Brock," Kong replied, trying to sound braver than he felt. "The groundskeepers will be gone soon. Then�� it''s freedom till dawn."

    His whispery words made many smirk when thinking of the inte cafe they wanted to flee to. That Inte cafe was the only one in the entire city open 24/hrs a day. And tonight was going to be the longest battle in their favorite MMORPG game from Stars of Gctica.

    Are you kidding them? They wouldn''t miss it for the world, especially when it''s said that''THE KING'' and ''Goddess Pixie'' will finally reveal his true appearance tonight.

    You best believe that no bloody school rules will ever keep them out. For a moment, several people were quite jealous of Day students who came and left after sses or after mandatory Prep/evening reading sessions. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, everyone must sit in their ssrooms for 2~3-hour mandatory reading sessions that typically end by 6~7, depending on the day in particr. The term day student, simply means they don''t live in the school dormitories. It either means they have homes within the city, so they don''t need to stay in school. Of course, some parents who still live in the city, opt to send their children to dormitory life, after knowing they will have little time to take care of their children right now due to uing work situations.

    At least the day students could watch the live broadcasts in their rooms at home, but for those who live in the dormitories and aren''t allowed to bringptops, how in Science''s name were they supposed to watch tonight''s battle?

    Ah yes��l you say they should watch it on their phones. But did you know that this stupid school had a rule that said all phones for those living in the dormitories must be simple phones that only test and talk?

    These were the kind of ancient phones that couldn''t even livestream a damn thing!

    The school wanted them to be focused, and also didn''t want people showing off their expensive phones here and there. Again, thievery bes real when people bring devices that are too expensive to school.

    All in all, they must sneak out to watch tonight''s Battle.

    ��

    "Shh!" Litia, a tomboyish girl next to them whispered. "I hear something!"

    Din-Din-Din-Din~

    Everyone held their breath as footsteps echoed down the hallway.

    Soon, the bathroom door of the female bathroom flung open, and Groundskeeper Gwen Xing stepped in, pushing the doors of all stalls. Yes, they were in the female bathroom, which by the way was far cleaner and more tolerable than the male one.

    "No one here��" Groundskeeper Gwen Xing nodded in satisfaction before pausing at the mirror, admiring her puffy figure.

    Who is the fairest of them all?

    ''_'' [Teens on hiding]

    Who knew the famous aunt Gwen was such a narcissistic person?

    After admiring her figure for a while, she left the bathroom, but the gang continued staying in silence for another 5 minutes until they were absolutely sure she and anyone else was gone. And then began the ninja work. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "See? They''re gone," Kong arrogantly confirmed.

    There was relief evident in his voice, as he aided Litia down, followed by Brock.

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah�� Mr. Genius. Your n worked�� well, part of the n."

    "Yeah. We still need to get out of the school undetected, remember?"

    Although Brock and Litia taunted, a big smile was still stered on their lips when sensing their freedoms near.

    But just then, the air seemed to grow thick with the scent of bleach and something else��something cold and unsettling that clung to the walls like a shadow. "Eh? Was it always this cold?"

    Litia rubbed her shivering shoulders in thought, as the moon''s light peeking through the corner window, now casted eerie reflections on the cracked, grimy tiles.

    Who''s there?

    Everyone subconsciously stepped back when seeing the maze of distorted human shadowy shapes on the ground. Then, a soft, mournful sobbing filled the room, cutting through the silence like a knife. "Wooooooo~"

    The sound was ethereal, echoing off the walls, seeming toe from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

    "Who�� who''s there?"

    With shoulders hunched towards each other, the gang of 3 hugged with quivering lips, fear evident on their faces.

    How can this be? They were certain they were alone in here, so who was it that was crying in here?

    .

    "Wooooo~"

    The sobbing grew louder and louder, in contrast to the bathroom''s temperature that only kept dropping and dropping by the second.

    "I believe in Science�� "

    "I believe in Science��"

    "I believe in Science��"

    The trio chanted these words over and over, trying to get their feet to move towards the door to no avail.

    That''s right, they were so terror-struck that they couldn''t even take a single step forward. Indeed, a part of them had long sensed the unnaturalness of the situation. However, the majority of their thinking faculty threw such ridiculous thoughts in their heads.

    "I believe in Science��"

    "I believe in science��"

    "I��I�� alright, enough jokes�� this isn''t funny. You hear me? This prank isn''t funny anymore, so stop ying this weeping soundtrack you''ve hidden in here!"

    The moment the duo heard Kong''s words, they felt it must be so.

    Yes!

    Someone must have ced a music yer or something like this to frighten them silly!

    Instantly, part of their fear was converted to fury.

    Whoever did this sick joke, better not let them find out who they are, or else-

    Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh.

 Chapter 575 Whos There?

    Chapter 575 Who''s There?

    A prank, that''s what they thought deep down in their hearts. But soon, they would all know just how different reality truly was. Huuuu~

    Their breath misted in the air, and the moon''s rays flickered violently, casting long, jittery shadows on the walls, floor and everything else. But you see, the weeping noise was no longer there.

    Gulp~

    Kong swallowed hard, trying to keep hisposure. "See? They must have stopped their weeping tape after realizing they were discovered."

    The other two nodded in agreement. "As for the shadows�� It''s just the wind or something. Let''s just��"

    CREAKKKKK~

    Before Kong could finish, the bathroom door creaked open with an agonizing slowness that made them all throw their heads behind their shoulders in an almost robotic way.

    Was it them, or did the bathroom stall doors now seem farther from them than before?

    CREAK~

    The doors opened in slow motion, as time stood still for a moment. Wuoo-Wuooo-Wuoooo~

    The sobbing intensified, but right now, they couldn''t care less, especially when seeing a translucent figure drifting into view, hovering just above the floor, with her face facing downwards.

    It was a young girl, her face obscured by long, wet hair. Her dress was tattered and stained, and her eyes��when they met theirs��were hollow and filled with an endless sorrow.

    AHHHHHH!

    Everyone''s heart jumped in disarray, as they now ced their hands over their mouths, struggling to hold back their haunted screams.

    They had only gotten a glimpse, however it was enough to etch fear into their hearts.

    Mommy�� What did they just see?

    A hologram? A projected image?

    Their legs turned to noodles and their bodies shook so much you would think they were experiencing an earthquake right now.

    .

    "Help me..." the ghostly figure whispered, her voice a haunting melody of despair. Only, there was a hint of yfulness wrapped up in this despair, one that made the trio''s eyes plead with mercy. This isn''t real! This can''t be real!

    They wished they could convince themselves otherwise, but would a projection know how to open a stall door?

    Creak~

    The door was finally opened at a full 90 degree angle, and seemed to stay in ce, as though some invisible force was holding onto it.

    Drip, Drip, DRIP��

    The sounds of dripping water grew stronger the closer the translucent girl flew. The moon rays also flickered again, as shadow objects kept obscuring its path over and over again. And with each flickering pulse, her form seemed to grow more solid, and more menacing by the second

    "Please... help me��" she repeated, her voice now echoing inside their heads, a relentless plea that wed at their sanity. "Help me�� Help me�� HELP MEEE!~"

    Ahhhh!

    The trio screamed at the top of their lungs, suddenly finding the strength to move, when faced with the ghost''s true form.

    Blugh~

    All 3 gagged and puked while fleeing for their lives, but now could it be that simple? N?v(el)B\\jnn

    RUN! RUN! RUN!

    That was the only thing running in their minds, alongside a truckload of regret. Suddenly, they wished they were in their dormitories, sleeping away and missing the livestream battle.

    Suddenly, studying and being a good student didn''t seem so bad anymore.

    "Cellphone, cell phone.. Quick, call someone!"

    "Yes, yes�� cellphone!"

    After fleeing the bathroom, they ran through the long windy hallways, they quickly took out the phones in their pockets and began pressing away. But what was this?

    "Damn! What the hell is going on here?" How can there be no reception at a time like this?

    "We''re going to die!... we''re going to die, aren''t we?"

    Kong thinned his lips,shing out in fear. "Enough! We won''t die! We just have to leave this building and head back to our dormitories fast!"

    Although he said this, his legs were still wobbling like an old man needing a walking stick.

    Was this building always thisplicated? Why did it seem like they were going around in circles instead?

    Just then, the trio all heard footsteps, but knew they didn''t belong to any of the groundskeepers. Din�CDin�CDin-DIN~

    The footsteps were unhurried, and apanied by the voice they desperately wished to free themselves of.

    "Help me�� Help me��"

    There it was again. They had only stopped to catch their breaths for a second and it had already caught up with them with ease.

    RUN!!!!

    Once more, they darted with every power left in them. However, this time wasn''t the same as thest. GHAHHHH!

    The ghost let out a wail��a sound so piercing and filled with anguish that it froze them in ce. Their bodies now gave out an oddly primitive warning that made them wet themselves like babies.

    And in a blink of an eye, the translucent figure appeared behind them, allowing "Are you all going to leave me?" Her hollowed voice was like chalk screeching on a chalkboard "You can''t leave... not yet."

    No! No! No!

    Everyone screamed internally when their bodies fall on their backs, with invisible forces now dragging them off into the darkness. Help! Help!... Who can help them now?

    Bruuuhhhh~

    The brutal wind stormed past the scene, prying their hands away from the objects.

    Litia grabbed the corner bend of a hallway, but found the wind was prying her fingers off one by one. And with each finger that came undone, her heart continuously fell into her belly, wailing and screaming at the top of her lungs for help.

    Soon, they were dragged back into the bathroom stall, where they found over 12 other floating hideous beings smiling at them with saliva spewing from the corners of their grotesque mouths. BLUGH~

    IF THEY COUNTED THE NUMBER OF TIMES they puked this night, they felt it would be more than 10. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.

    Now, after seeing these floating ghosts growrger andrger the closer they advanced, everyone had an inkling of what these bastards wanted to do with them.

    FEAST!

    "Help! Help! Aunt GWEN! Uncle HOGGARD!!"

    Where the hell are you all when they need you?

    Tick-tock.

    Tick-Tock.

    Time seemed frozen in ce when the trio found themselves levitating in the air with their mouths pried open.

    Ahh�� it''s not that these things want to feast on them, but that they want to enter into their mouths instead?

    NO! NO! NO!!!~

    They don''t want them in their mouths!

    Aiii~

    The creatures wereughing happily, and slowly transforming themselves into smaller clouds of smoke. But just then, the bathroom door swung open with force.

    It was Aunt Gwen and Uncle Hoggard.

    "Who the hell is making so much noise at this time of the n�C"

    �Csilence�C

    "_" [Gwen and Hoggard]

    "(:T0T:)" [The floating trio]

    "(:T0T:)" [The floating trio]

    "=" [Ghosts] Who are you?

 Chapter 576 The Systems Worries

    Chapter 576 The System''s Worries

    Gwen and Hoggard stared at the scene in disbelief, disgust, fear and terror.

    But when the ghosts were about to attack them too, a ray of light shot out from Hoggard''s pendant, causing the ghosts to flee with their lives.

    GRAHHHHHHH~

    1, 2, 3��

    They were gone. The bathroom returned to normal.

    Plop~

    The levitating trio fell to the ground, but did not care about the pain just now.

    Everyone was now staring at the pendant that was now broken into several pieces.

    "Uncle Hoggard�� how�� what��. Where did you get this pendant?"

    "This��"

    Hoggard recalled the street stall he passed by 2 days ago. The stall owner, a man who looked to be 25, told him he would have a bloody disaster in 2 days. Of course, he didn''t believe it, as this was a world of true science!

    He thought this was a new way thezy young adults of today have decided to scam people of their money.

    But what was so odd was that the young man gave the pendant to him for free. Of course, since it was free and quite good looking, he decided to take it and return it after 2 days of the so-called bloody disaster didn''te.

    Heh. Only a fool would believe in such ridiculous matters. But today, aftering face to face with the most grotesque looking beings in his life, Hoggard felt all the blood on his face run dry.

    Blood�� Blood disaster. "He�� he didn''t lie."

    Hoggard recalled the words of the man and his relieved face turned palish white once more.

    [This pendant will only postpone your bloody disaster. But if you want to eliminate, you and those targeted must find me before the 6th day. After the 6th day, your lives will be lost.]

    Everyone swallowed hard when hearing Hoggard''s narration.

    Who would have known there were such grim things hiding within the shadows in their human world?

    What were those hideous transparent things? For now, they didn''t know the turn Ghosts.

    Suddenly, everyone wished they could rush out to the street where the stall was to find the strange man who told Hoggard''s future.

    As for the live broadcast battle the trio were originally nning to see, who the hell cares about that now?

    In fact being in this bathroom now, gave them all nightmares, ghoulish ones that definitely gue them all for the rest of their lives.

    It was finally agreed that Hoggard and Gwen would head out tomorrow to invite the street fortune teller over.

    As for the trio, the groundskeeper''s who were worried about their own lives, had no time to speak on punishment right now.

    Thus, the trio headed back to their dormitories, but found they couldn''t sleep well�� especially when hearing the sounds of faint whispers echoing intheir ears.

    Yes, a part of that block smoke had already seeped through their mouths, embedding itself deep in their bodies.

    And, they found they couldn''t sleep, as their eyes were now red with worry and fear, when feeling they were still being followed.

    Clitititititi~

    ��

    ��Tian Estate�C

    Dorian softly tapped his fingers along his armrest when listening to the system''s notification.

    [Host, all admission letters are ready to be sent out.]

    ''Hmmm��'' Dorian hummed lightly, knowing that today was day 8, thest tournament day for thepetitions. '' Tomorrow, 11 AM, send them out.''

    [As you wish, host.]

    The system took note of this, while watching its host leave his seat and head to another room to cultivate once more.

    Hey�� How many times do you have to cultivate? It seemed that its host took cultivation to be the same as rxation. Dorian now entered a pool, and dropped a pink pill he personally refined. 1 hour�� 2 hours�� 3 hours�� 4hours�� 5, 6, 7��8��.

    BOOM!

    BOOM! BOOM!

    The host had just advanced 3 sub positions, and was now an A-RANK exorcist!

    [Congrattions host, for breaking into the A-Realm!]

    The system felt that its host speed was just too incredible.

    Know that even with all the help it was giving, even the most talented people in other worlds wont reach where the host has reached in such a short time. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The host''s luck and innate abilities were adobe worldly ones. This one was more than being the protagonist of the world.

    Even the sons and daughters of heaven would bleed with envy when seeing its host''s abilities.

    Again, understand that everyone starts as a NO-RANK exorcist. Then they move from H-rank to A-rank, before crossing the threshold to S-Rank, SS-Rank, SSS-Rank, Divine Rank, and finally, Celestial rank.

    Each rank had 9 grades one had to move past.

    One thing to also note is that even in the other worlds, only 1 or 5 people in humanity''s entire existence have ever reached Celestial.

    Know that once one breaks through after Celestial, they will be true Gods, leaving the mortal nes or good and bing angels, and whatnot.

    That�� that was the hardest and longest rank to break past.

    That being said, it has only been a couple of months since Dorian moved from a NO-Rank exorcist to an A-rank exorcist, passing all 9 grades within each rank as if they were nothing. It was almost as though if he sneezed, he would break through.

    What sort of heaven-defying ability was this?

    The system was only happy that with the way the host was going, he would stand a fair chance against those Princes of the underworld.

    .

    Eh?

    The system suddenly froze hearing a rumbling sound bellow from behind its host. It was the BONEY FINGER!

    Stop!

    The system tried to stop the finger finger, but found that the finger that was in its own space., refused to listen to its order.

    What''s going on?

    Dorian was also taken aback when seeing the boney finger appear above his hand. And in less than a millisecond, it merged with his left index finger, giving Dorian a deep sense of familiarity.

    Whoosh!

    A fragment of memory appeared in his mind, the memory of the finger''s owner.

    Wrong!

    This finger didn''t belong to any past underworld prince.

    ''How interesting��''

    Dorian raised hisshes, licking his lips wickedly, when recalling the brief fragment he saw. It seems there were more mysteries that needed answering. However, he knew the system wouldn''t have the answers he was looking for. Looking at his index finger that still looked ordinary, Dorian chuckled in amusement.

    As for the system, it had long left its host, to report the matter to its master. "No one will discover the finger''s presence."

    With a wave of his finger, his master sent the system back down, with a light chuckle on his lips too. "So they finally merged?�� (chuckle, chuckle~).. How interesting��"

    "_" [The system]

    What? What the hell was so interesting to these two?

    (QwQ)

 Chapter 577 The Day Has Come

    Chapter 577 The Day Has Come

    �CVardos Country�C

    Today was the day many prepared to head back home. Unlike the atmosphere in the past, today''s atmosphere was strange and unsettling. Several people had heavy bags underneath their eyes, looking like they haven''t slept for several days now. But who could me them? Each time they closed their eyes, they seemed to be scared of everything, from the shadows the moon made through their windows, to the slightest noises made by birds outdoors. The human brain sure was incredible. Whenever they close their eyes, they seem to reimagine several of those creatures inches away from their faces,ughing in the dark and kicking their lips in hunger at the sight of fresh food dozing away in the many sleeping quarters. Ahh!!! Many woke up from nightmares, screaming at the top of their lungs in the middle of the night, but their superiors didn''tsh out at them, as they too woke up painting, sometimes finding they were drenched right down to their pants with sweat. Oh My God of Science! This cannot go on! How long will it take for their initial fears to cease? After learning all they did about the various ministers in the shadows, they found that there were monsters everywhere. It''s said that some monsters lived in ponds, some on trees, others in the mirrors, some under the beds, others in their very homes, and some were even in their food. What was more frightening was that their shadows were actually alive in a ce called the shadow world. It seems these shadows hate them to guts, wishing to destroy thempletely. �� Suddenly, the world didn''t seem so friendly anymore. Mommy, what sort of world have they always been living in? Sure enough, ignorance is truly bliss. When they were ignorant, the only thing they had to worry about were the other humans, nts, bears and animals onnd and in the seas that they could scientifically categorize. But now, after knowing the truth about the darkness in the world, they suddenly felt weak, helpless andpletely vulnerable. But wait, do you think it ends there? They also heard from those live streamers who were rescued out of that hidden world, that if one was targeted and affected by these beings, their lifespans would also get shortened too. F***! Several superiors felt their palms grow sweaty when thinking of how their former most trusted subordinates had turned out to be monsters in disguise, saying they had marked them all this time. Ah�� in that case, wouldn''t their lives be reduced by a lot now? If Dorian knew their thoughts, he would only give them the said eye, as though saying: Rx�� it''s only a few months/years off your life. You were targeted by lower phase creatures. So what''s there to be worried about?

    What if they were targeted by the Underworld Princes, higher Generals or all those who headed back to the underworld to join the battle down there?

    Even if it''s just 1 day or 8 months or even 5 years off their lives, so what? That was still theirs!! (:*?*:)

    9 days. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    It''s been 9 days since their eyes were finally opened to the truth. And they had to say that they were still not holding up fine. ��

    "Why does it seem like a year since thepetitions began?" "Yeah. I''m beat up, tired, and in desperate need of sleep. Except�� I can''t sleep alone, at least not now." A cute girl spoke wryly, while wiping her face with her white towel. She was a little ashamed to say that she had shamelessly posted herself in Khalea''s bed, alongside another girl, who also joined in mid-May. Before, they used toin that their bunk beds were tiny for 1 person to sleep on. But who would have thought that 3 people could actually sleep veryfortably on it these past few days with no difort? Khalea shed cold water on her face, while listening to the girls beside her. Well, she too had to admit that she found sce in knowing she was stepping with 2 others on her bed. "Today is the 9th day�� time to depart."

    Of course, she meant to say that today is the 9th day, and they will soon know whether they passed or not. However, the walls and everything around them might be watching, so they must keep their mouths shut at all times. Soon, the girls left with their damp towels around their necks. They separated briefly, with Khalea heading for her father''s quarters. "At ease." She might be young, but she had a high rank within the army. What''s more, her father''s men recognized her, so they let her in without notice. .

    "Dad!" Kletus having histe breakfast, also in a daze. It seems he didn''t hear it notice here in. Breakfast should be a happy meal. However, he was chewing and forcing everything down as if it was shit. He really didn''t have the appetite to eat, but knew that he must eat because his body needs fuel to sustain itself. "Dad, I know�� it''s just too tough to pull through, but�� but if you don''t strengthen your body, you''ll be letting our Country''s enemies win." "Impossible!" Kletus blurted out, staring at Khalea with heated eyes. Although he feared the ''enemy,'' he would rather die than see them win. So, with that conviction in mind, he gobbled his food down like an ogre, mming his cutlery down hard. Khalea chuckled, slowly taking a seat opposite Kletus. Now, both of them had simr thoughts in mind, without uttering a single word to each other. �CThe Test. How would they know if they passed or not? They both crossed their arms in thought, thinking and speaking on the matter in a coded manner. But what they didn''t expect was that the news of their exam status was closer than they thought. 11 AM on the dot. What was that? The duo jumped from their seats when hearing a light tapping noiseing from Kletus''s bedroom. And before they could react, an unimaginable scene unfolded before their eyes that left their eyes battling in disbelief. This�� This�� This��

 Chapter 578 A Flying Acceptance

    Chapter 578 A Flying eptance

    What was that? t-t-t~

    It sounded like paper, hitting itself against the bedroom door on the other side. Another monster? The duo felt their chests tighten into balls, as they now slowly approached the door. Breathe in, breathe out��

    Breathe in, breathe out��

    They moved on tip-toes, their chests already knotting into balls the closer they went. Suddenly, a warm gust of wind swept the space, making the papers on the small dining table to rustle and dance. But before they could react, 2 envelopes slipped out from underneath the door, and began floating higher and higher towards them. First, the envelopes twitched and moved closer, as if to get a whiff of their scent. They twirled and pun m, bing a sense of wonder and magic that was foreign to the mundane world the duo knew. And then��

    Whoosh! The letters distancing themselves before shooting like darts, and suddenlying to a halt, floating mid-air in a trance-like state.

    Now seemingly controlled by their hearts, the duo carefully reached for the letters that had their names on them. [Mr. Arbutus B. Kletus, The Dining Room, Larkshire Military Stronghold, Vardos.]

    It gave his exact location. Was he not standing in the dining room within thepetition''s grounds, here in Vardos Country? Khalea''s letter said the same thing. "It must�� it must be from the Grandmaster." "Yes, I�� I think so too."

    So why the heavy pause when opening the letter? The duo looked at each other tactfully, never being so nervous in their lives. They have both had their share of examinations andpetitions in the past, but never have they been so anxious like today. Gulp~

    Khalea swallowed hard when thinking of how ''poorly'' she performed in the examination 9 days ago. However, despite the butterflies dancing in her belly, she knew there was no benefit to stalking the matter any further. The envelope was cream-colored, bearing a vibrant red wax seal on its folded tip. Rip!!! Khalea pried the envelope open, and took out its contents, only to see an empty piece of paper staring her in the face. What''s going on? (?~?)

    "Ahhh!!!" Kletus'' yell startled her. And before she could make heads or tails of what fascinated him, she too found herself eximing loudly, after seeing several words now appearing on her Letter. ��. [The Heavenly Tian Academy for Exorcism

    Sect Master: Dorian T. Tian (Grand Exorcist)

    Dear Mrs./Miss Khalea. We are pleased to inform you that you have been epted at the Heavenly Tian Academy for Exorcism. Please find enclosed in this letter, a list of all necessary items you are permitted to bring. The School term begins on xxxx. Please follow the enchanted map, to find your closest entryway into the Academy.]

    ��.

    10 minutester, the duo had finished going through the letter. But what they found was that they couldn''t see each other''s letters, no matter how hard they tried. How to say it? The letter looked ordinary to anyone who the letter wasn''t intended for. Again, only those epted by the academy, or those already belonging to the academy, can see these letters fly about. So if someone fails the test, they won''t be able to see anything. The duo felt that if the Grandmaster was allowing these letters to fly about, it means that he could also guarantee that no monsters would be able to see them too. Well, in truth, they were right, as the system''s Master had ensured that not even the Princes in the underworld would be able to detect anything suspicious. However, what many didn''t know was that Dorian truly didn''t care whether these monsters discovered his existence or not. The people who truly bothered were Old Gia, Wiggins, and the rest of humanity who wanted to keep things hidden, like having an Ace up their sleeves. "The Heavenly Tian Academy�� Heavenly�� What is heaven�� what does this heavenly part mean?" As people who used to solely believe in Science, they didn''t have the concept of heaven, hell or even the afterlife. They were like empty books waiting to be filled by their owner. "Dad, we will eventuallye to know. But for now, is that the important point?" Hahahhahahaha~

    Khalea was so happy she was bouncing from pce to ce like a little school girl. She passed! She did it! She did it! Then doesn''t this mean that in no time, she too will be flying around, doing cool stunts while saving humanity too? Ahhhhhhhh!~

    (>^?^<)

    .

    Well, no one could stop her excitement. Kletus chuckled, feeling it has been a very, very, very long time since he saw her like this. "Dad, dad! We must prepare fast!" It was important they go through the list of things they can bring and get them fast because they truly didn''t have so much time up their sleeves. They had 6 and a half more days before they head into the academy. First, they must gather those under them who passed, and do inspections before setting out together as a team. Don''t think he would let them into the academy without doing an inspection. What if some bastard brought in something that was prohibited and got expelled? No way! They won''t let that happen, because it will also reflect badly on them too. It wasn''t just them thinking so, as several leaders, especially that leader of the mysterious training Ind, also had such thoughts. 6 and a half days was enough time for everyone to fly back to their home countries and prepare. They would also like to head to the entranceways (portals) in their countries and territories, so they know where they are. What''s more, they must also safeguard and protect these locations too!! Well then, what the hell are they still waiting for? Suddenly, several superiors who nned to leave in a day or two, were now packing their stuff and calling in favors or rescheduling the flights of everyone in their teams and countries. Go back! Go back! They must go back fast and prepare for the Academy''s Entrance Day. But while some people were still here on ground, others had long left and were now flying high in the air. Of course, they had to head back to their home countries due to some other circumstances that popped up. ��

    High in the clouds, in airnes that cruised through the skies. But wait, what did they see? A letter on their windows? No�� they must be dreaming. Suddenly, these letters shrunk in a sh, bing invisible to them. Then, the letters vanished, seemingly looking for a micro space to enter into the aircraft. Even if the space was fit for a single atom, these letters could pass through with ease. Several People''s eyes jumped and bulged when seeing these letters grow before them, and then slowly sway down to theirps. Look left, look right�� So no one saw it all? Rip!~ N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Several people tore their letters, screaming ecstatically in the aircraft, causing their neighbors to frown at their ''vulgar'' attitudes. "What the hell is wrong with you?" "Are you insane or something? Are you trying to give us all heart attacks here?"

 Chapter 579 Academy, Here We Come~

    Chapter 579 Academy, Here We Come~

    "Oh my God of Science! I was in the toilet when my letter came." "What sort of script have I taken? Tsk. I knew those people were incredible, but this��"

    "Awesome! I must prepare the necessities listed. Inner garments, toothbrush�� towels .. Hey, I must ensure I take nothing more." "So true. Anyway, this is more or less like going into the military. When we first became soldiers, we only brought in a backpack of items. Our phones were also confiscated, so it''s nothing strange." �� Across various ces, ma h were startled and excited when seeing their letterse.

    Letterse, letters go. Who would have thought their eptance letters woulde in this fashion? Do you ept the invitation? Of course they do! Better to have power than to be a sitting duck on the day the big war begins. Surprisingly, over 70% passed the test, but the rest sadly failed. However, they understood that this was the so-called fate their superiors spoke of. Of course, even if they failed, it didn''t mean they had no part to y in the uing war. Several of them were assigned to keeping an eye on any suspicious individuals in the army, police forces, Navy, Marines, and whatnot. Understand that now, they must go back to the barracks and act like nothing truly major happened. And then, they would report matters to their superiors every week or so. Know that their superiors were epted as Elders�� and only elders had permission tomunicate with the outside world while in the sect. It''s just that the system has ensured that the signal will never be able to be picked up. How do you find a location that is masked and protected by one of the strongest beings in all existence, who waszy lying about in the heavens? Don''t underestimate the System''s Master. They will be able tomunicate with their superiors. However, it will only be once a week. The rules of the sect must be adhered to at all times. Of course, if there''s an emergency in the outside world that needs their attention, these elders canmunicate more than once to the outside world. In the end, several people rushed back home, and were even given 3 days to see their loved ones before returning to the designated barracks/police stations, and so on, for inspection and a long debriefing. Only, they would be using codewords for their debriefing, in case some unknown creatures were listening in on them. Well, one might only think they were going for 3 month or even 4 month missions sanctioned by their leaders, involving drug lords, kingpins, kidnappers�� you name it. As for those who failed, their tasks were more than fat from over. They were also tasked to head out and snoop the cities, towns and suburbs or any suspicious activities. Everyone must now remain high in alert, and not trust even the simplest people around them. Are you kidding them? Didn''t you hear from one of those people in the East about how they were rescued by these academy people from the heads of elderly people who looked weak and feeble? Do you know that these monsters can even disguise themselves like the elderly too? Oops�� they felt they were even scared of the stray cats running about in the alleyways. Well, forget about the cast in the alleyways. Even the cats and dogs at home now gave them a sense of fear. Can you believe that they started peeping at their pets, like children peeping at toys after watching Toy''s Story? �� In a sh, the day had finallye. Several people woke up 4 hours before departure time, preparing and going over the rules again and again. Today, the birds seemed to be whistling quite louder than usual. The skies were dull, as the sun had yet to peer its warm rays on thend. "Attention!" Several people stood with their arms ced behind their backs and their legs now spread apart. "Step forward for checks!" The order was simple. Several people did as told, and had their clothes searched right now to their privates by female and male searchers. "Anyone found with items not on the list, will have to answer to me!!!" Several leaders squinted their eyes dangerously when sweeping their gazes across the gathering. Such a scene unfolded in every major corner of the world. This was not a joke, neither was it a drill. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    After body searches were done, they were then called one by one and given their bags that were properly searched over 5 times now. Soon, the time was up. Only 1 hour left before their scheduled time to enter the academy.

    "Move, move, move, move!" Several people ventured into seemingly ordinary school buses that didn''t cause a buzz or raise rms for civilians on the streets. By now, the sun was up, and the streets were buzzing with people going about their businesses. Tchhh~~

    The static noise from the walkie-talkies from the drivers echoed out. [This is Beta 034, proceed as usual. Everything''s clear.]

    The voice told them to keep using the route they nned, as several others were stationed on the path they chose to take. In fact, the streets around the targeted locations, as well as the buildings there, were all filled with undercover police officers and military personnel. These were those who didn''t pass the tests, but still knew of the impending dangers in today''s world. At least for them, they quickly bought several protective charms and pendants to secure their safety while in this mundane world. These people readily epted their fate of not being epted because even in the army and the police force, not everyone could be a Special Forces Soldier, not everyone could be a Special Officer, not everyone can climb right up to the top. Know that although a majority can''t reach these positions, they understood that the roles of those below these positions were equally important too. For the greater good, everyone''s job was important! (*^*)

 Chapter 580 Into The Academy, We Go

    Chapter 580 Into The Academy, We Go

    Who can tell them why the small alleyway had now transformed into a massive entryway, enough to fit them all in? Amazing! It''s just like the situation with the magic tent that seems small on the outside but enormous on the inside. But it seems that if ordinary people without the eptance slips walk in, they won''t see what they are seeing, and neither will they be taken anywhere. This fact made many of them release collective sighs of relief, not wanting ordinary people and even crooks to see what their eyes have been blessed to see. Now gathered, were several people from different units, as well as other ordinary people. Everyone was growing anxious by the minute, so much that it didn''t take long before their hands grew mmy. While in wait, many began whispering with jumpy eyes, expressing their thoughts on the matter. Of course, their eyes subconsciously nced at their watches from time to time, secretly doing countdowns in their hearts. And when it was just 2 minutes more, the whispers slowly finished, as everyone was too nervous to hold conversation right now. All around the world, several stood with itchy bodies, shifting left to right, right to left, feeling their hearts jumping with every second that passed them by. ~Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Shhhh!!! Several people were even annoyed with others who were talking right now. Can''t you see they only have 40 seconds left before the portal bes visible? (*^*)

    ��

    Standing before these spaces where the portals are supposed to appear, where several elders and top disciples.

    It can be seen that in all locations scattered around the globe, there would be at least 1 elder or 3 disciples there. They stood upright with poise, like immortal statues before a grand entranceway. What to expect? What exactly will the portal look like? 6 seconds more�� Several people clenched their butts subconsciously. 5�� Their throats went dry, as though they were in the desert. 4�� 3�� 2�� 1�� 2�� 1�� Wzzz!!~

    A massive swirling, iridescent circle suddenly appeared on the alleyways wall ahead, radiating vibrant hues of blue, green, and gold. What were they looking at? (0?0) n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It appeared out of nowhere, with its edges shimmer like liquid light, pulsating with energy.

    The giant circr vortex swirled in a mesmerizing way, as though about to suck everyone in. How to describe the feeling everyone was getting right now?

    "Incredible��" Many murmured underneath their breaths. But wait, what''s going on now?

    . Whoosh! The portal began to swirl more and more, changing its form only its golden outline now took the shape of a mighty double-sided door. How to say it? They looked like ants before the door. And now, over 50 people enter at once. Wasn''t that incredible? Old Bho and Bho Jin looked at each other tactfully, taking deep breaths and walking onwards too. Cang Ingard, Lishu, and Zee Ingard were also there, walking onwards, as though marching towards a promisednd. Kletus and Khalea were no different, finding their feets moving towards the warm golden doorway before their bodies could react. And in the gateway they were at, Butler Sheng was the one who would take them in, while 2 disciples stayed back to watch the alleyway for others who maye onter times. Afterall, anyone could technicallye in at any time, but the trick was that they must get to the Academy''s main site before 7 PM. Why? Because after this time, the many forest regions and territories within the Academy''s hidden world, would definitely tear them apart. It''s best to go early, since they were all mortals right now, and the journey might take hours to aplish. "Follow me��" Butler Sheng''s voice resounded out like a heavenlymas, as he now walked through the portal with an expressionless face. "Ah!-" Many woke up from their stupor, tightening their grips on their backpacks and heading in without dy. Several supervisors, Marine, Police, Navy and Military leaders, all thinned their lips, knowing that today marked a historical event in their hearts. "Where are your letters?" "Quickly! Hold them out!"

    Several people were truly sweating buckets when looking at their subordinates who awakened from their stupor. Bastards! Do you want to be kicked out or worse expelled? (''0'')

    Like worried mother hens looking after their chicks, these leaders felt their little hearts bouncing up and down unrhythmically. And as earlier instructed, they held their eptance letters while crossing the giant door, fearful that they might be kicked out if they didn''t do so. But what was incredible, was that the split second they passed through the portal, their eptance letters now returned into rings with strange symbols carved in them, as well as words that seemed to hide mystery behind them. <To those who wear, only a spell can rid.>

    Eh? What does this mean? A riddle? A hidden puzzle they must one day solve? Well, their concern for the matter onlysted for a second because only after stepping into the portal did they realize they were now falling at an incredible speed!

    Ahhhhhh!!!

    Several people red their hands like birds and already sweating buckets mid-fall, now understanding why they were all told to brace themselves. (:T?T:)

    Dammit! Were they all brought in here just to die? Just when they thought their bodies would violently p onto the waters below, several ''ducks'' below, now kicked against the waters, flying sky high to catch them all.

    It was amazing that before theynded on these ''ducks,'' a strange forcefield lowered their falling speeds, making themnd softly on the ''ducks.''

    This�� "Dad�� It''s a leaf!" Khalea eximed. It was a giant leaf that could support 30 people all at once. But when it was down on the water shores, it moved like a duck. Wipe! What sort of sorcery was this? Looking all around her, Khalea realized that there were over 200 leaves jumping about to catch people. They jumped like ducks and swans, with their long leaf-stem-like necks moving animatedly. Holding the leafy rating, Khalea looked at the incredulous sight, feeling truly alive for the first time in a long while. Magician�� ''I swear, I will be the greatest magician, worthy of humanity''s praise!''

    (+^+)

 Chapter 581 Into The Academy, We Go - 2

    Chapter 581 Into The Academy, We Go - 2

    Soon, the left swans floated gracefully into the waters below. "So this is it��" Old Bho muttered, feeling his entire body vibrate in awe. So this is where his friends have been all these past months. Old Gia�� Old Ghu�� all of them were here, growing strong in this mystical world. Several people clenched their fists to hold on their shock when recalling the sight they took in while floating down towards the waters. Floating inds, rocks that moved midair, magical waters, birds that looked mythical, pink waterfalls that flowed backwards�� It was all too breathtaking. What was even more shocking was that thend seemed so endless and so fast, as though it wasn''t an ind as they were told earlier. In short, such arge ce could no longer be called an ind. Why did it seem like it might be the size of half a country now? Perhaps their thinking was wrong, but it was too vast for anyone to trulyprehend. Across the many portals around the world, some people found themselves falling at incredible heights, others found themselves underwater, but were quickly taken up to the shores by the giant sea creatures that almost gave them heart attacks. And then, some found they appeared on boats, already on their way to the shores. There were over 12 ways they emerged, and many had already felt the thrill of adventure overwhelming their hearts. Far in Vardos Country, Wiggins and his gang had just poked their noses out of the water, and were now seated on the backs of what looked like a long dragon-fish with the tail of an eel, except only spikier. Back on Kletus''s side, after all the falling, had found themselves on the leafy ducks, Butler Sheng appeared, standing on the water''s surface without sinking down. "Everyone, this is where my journey with you ends." Eh? Why was it ending? Several people suddenly panicked. "You will be taken halfway through your journey by the swans. Once the swans travel no more, you will traverse through the purple fields, and follow theughing birds until you reach a ce called the Resting Stone Valley." Butler Sheng spoke without rush, and everyone absorbed his words, as though crankingst-minute information before an exam. "There at the Resting Stone Valley, you must hop on a floating stone of your choice, and now, follow the whistling bird until you reach the Academy''s grounds."

    Then, Butler Sheng''s entire demeanor changed, as he scanned the crowd with cold eyes. "I would advise that you all arrive at the academy''s grounds by 7 PM... for those of you who do not wish to die themost gruesome death." "_" [Everyone]

    �� Whoosh! With that, Butler Sheng vanished. The word to the wise was enough.

    After 7 PM, the enchantments guiding them would vanish, and the many creatures in the academy''s vastnds would also grow even more restless than they are during the day. With that, Butler Sheng was gone, leaving everyone dumbfounded behind belief. However, they didn''t have much time to think about it, because 1 secondter, the leafy swan-boats now kicked their feet underwater, sailing onwards towards the shores. "Look! Look! Look! The waters here are mirror-like!" "Ahh! What sort of magical water is this? Is even clearer than my mirror at home." "No way! What sort of sea animal is that with horns and a mane like a lion''s?" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Whoosh! Everyone was mesmerized when watching several creatures jump out of the waters from time to time. Beautiful. They have never seen such beautiful creatures, some with wings, some with horns, others with 4 heads, you name it. "Is that a Bread fish?"

    Well, they called it bread fish since it truly looked like 2 slices of bread joined together on a stick. Soon, they saw the strange fish not only jump out of the waters, but also flying in the air around them. Well, their hearts could never get enough of their surroundings.

    "Eh? Why does it feel like the trees ahead are unnaturally too tall? Oops�� Look at where I am. Is anything here natural at all?"

    Indeed, nothing was natural here. They found that all jokes aside, even the bushes ahead were the heights of 1 story buildings. So imagine how towering the trees were the closer they sailed. .

    Tch�C Once again, they felt that this must be what ants and other insects feel when ncing at the word all around them. Just look at the leaf pinkish-greenish ahead? They swore they could slide on a single leaf, as though they were in thend of giants. Everything was just so BIG. But just when they thought these swans would drop them off there, the leafy swans suddenly extended their wings, and soon�� they found that they were now ascending! What?... What''s going on now? "Everyone, hang on! We''re going up!!" Someone bellowed, causing everyone to hold onto the railings with all their might. What? Were going up again? They held on for their dear lives when foreseeing the speed these swans were about to take. However, it seemed physics still refused to y along.

    No heavy air drafts pushing them back, no objects flying in their faces�� Well, it all seemed as calm as before, despite the incredulous speed these swans were going. "So calm?" Officer Macy began doubting once more whether Science was truly a real thing or an illusionary matter. Howe she is still standing tall right now? She shifted to the right, then shifted to the left, shifted backwards and then forward, but she magically felt no draft pushing her back. ~Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The swans flew through the giant trees, twisting and turning across the enormous forest that seemed to belong to giants. Oh My God of Science! They found that although they weren''t thrown out, they were still woozy, feeling like throwing up from all the crazy movements.

    Luckily, the left swans seem to have found their consciences, taking them higher and higher until they escaped the forest. And now, they were traveling through the vastnds once more, from high up at a bird''s eye view. But this didn''t diminish thend''s beauty at all.

 Chapter 582 Finally Made It\

    Chapter 582 Finally Made It

    Very steadily, the swans flew. All they could say was that this was the most adventurous trip they have been to in their lives. After leaving the first around the shores and flying high, they realized the next thing they saw were canyons. Enormous canyons that twisted and moved on their own. But this wasn''t the most insane thing about the ce. Woow! The leaves descended once more, taking them through the canyons like magical carpet taking ddin through the streets of Agrabah. There, they saw steam volcanoes. That''s right, steam volcanoes. And out of these steam volcanoes, were ants that looked like they had armored skin. How to say it? These ants were the size of newly born puppies. It was amazing that ants could be so huge. Up next, they passed through an orange swamp-like territory, with 2-headed frogs that had spear-like tongues. And wouldn''t you know it, the frogs were the size of pr bears. This�� where does the academy get its creatures from? And why did it seem like they, humans, were one of the smallest creatures in size within this ce? (?w?) n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ��

    In the end, they found themselves flying over 34 different regions in a blink of an eye. No joke, although 5 and a half hours had passed by, everyone still felt time was running too fast.

    This wasn''t your average trip that had boring times slip in. No�� as they passed through ces, theyinteracted with the ''wildlife'' here and were viciously attacked by a variety of creatures chasing and struggling to eat them alive too. Don''t blink�� Don''t sleep�� How can you sleep here when you''re in thend of giants, and everything out here is bigger than you? Of course, some yful and friendly creatures teased and spat water at them, giggling and sometimes following them too. In short, only now were they shocked to look at their watches and realize that 5 and a half hours had already shed by just like that. Instantly, their faces turned grim and solid. 2 PM. It was already 2 PM when they arrived at the purple fields. Understand that it took these enchanted Swan Leaves 5 and a half hours to take them halfway through their journey. Then imagine if they had started on foot from the very beginning? 34�� They had just passed through 34 enormous vast ins of different types in 5 hours and 30 minutes. They swore that on foot, it might take months and perhaps even 6 months to reach where they were right now. Are you kidding them? Thend wasn''t a straight line. Some areas required climbing, as though one was cloning the highest mountain in the world. Do you know how many days that would take to climb a single mountain without any safety gear or climbing ropes? Can you climb using just your beat hands just like that? Command then what about defending? Don''t forget the swamp areas, and some fields that had giant stalks of grass on them with obvious predators at sight. What about the canyons? What about the desert they saw? There were the marshes, the teau areas, the grassy terrains, the ciers, you name it. They also went underwater again, realizing that the swan Leaves could create protective bubbles around itself. Soon, they found themselves sailing through what looked like an underwater city abandoned by some great immortal and his people. Butterflies the size of mice, elevatednds connected by beautiful stone bridges, their eyes had seen what their brains couldn''t believe. Now, everyone had stepped out of the leafy swan boats, watching the boats vanish into the skies, leaving them all one here. .

    "Everyone, we don''t have much time left!" One of the superiors quickly yelled out.

    Yes! They were now in the purple aims of grass, and now needed to follow theughing birds. But where? Where are theseughing birds? Almost instantly, the loud sound of giggling echoed all across the space. Hihihihihihihihihihihihi~

    "Look! There! Over there! I see one!!" Kletus turned his head, only to see a green vibrant bird that giggled and giggled endlessly. And without waiting for them to react, it then pped its wings, flying into the distance. "Quick! After it!!!" Several people soaring forth with all their might. Of course, some elderly people with canes couldn''t possibly run, and were supported and escorted through by others. The important thing is that some people should go ahead, so that they know the way to the Resting Stone Valley. It was like watching the Frodo Baggins'' journey in the Lord of the Rings, as he marched to destroy the ring. Everyone moved as one unit, knowing who to send ahead and who to stay back to assist. They found that there was more than oneughing bird around. They found over 15ughing birds, all guiding them the same way. Up, down, sideways�� and through a mesmerizing valley with enchanting butterflies, the ''Hobbit'' walk took an additional 25 minutes before they reached the Resting Stone Valley.

    It seems that the Swan Leaves had dropped them off within the bordering space between the purple ins and the Resting Stone Valley. Or else who knows how much longer they would have taken to get here? [To continue, hop on the floating stones.]

    Recalling Butler Sheng''s words, Kletus found a suitable rock that was suspended several inches above the ground. He felt that the stones floating inches from the ground were the ones Butler Sheng was talking about. And the moment he got on the stone, it quickly took him higher and higher. And when he fell, it quickly did a U-turn, beaming downwards until it finally caught him once more. Well, finding himself seated crossed legged on the stone, as it rode through made Kletus feel overly excited. And just like the many before him, Kletus and several people found themselves now racing towards the academy''s grounds after getting a hang of it. In the past, Old Gia and the others had raced the grist time they came. And now, these people also felt like racing too. (^?^)

    And soon, they reached the academy''s main grounds, when it was already 6:50 PM. Don''t think their journey was easy. .

    One should know that despite the racing, they were attacked by Crocodile creatures that could stand up on 2 feet. Do you know how challenging it was to kick and attack these crocodile bastards that tried to grab onto their stones? Khalea was pushed off her stone, surrounded by Crocodile men all around. Fortunately, Kletus was right behind her, zooming in lower, allowing her to jump and grab onto the stone''s sides with both hands just before one of the crocodile men snapped its giant mouth at her. Phew~ Kletus found that her stone was still suspended high in the location she fell from earlier.

    "Quick! Follow the whistling birds!" That''s exactly what they did, until they met with several other teams from various countries mid-journey. It was an amazing journey, especially the battle some people had in thend of Molten Ice. That''s right, not Moltenva, but Molten Ice. Those from Vardos Country had never taught any battles like the ones they did today. Good, everyone was here! The stones stopped flying, allowing them to step down in front of a thick, golden fog that had towering stunning peaks poking out from a distance. No one said a thing, knowing that they must have reached the academy''s true grounds. And when the clock struck 7 on the dot, the mysterious golden fig slowly vanished, revealing an Immortalnd that truly took their breaths away. And just then, a figure they were now familiar with, suddenly appeared before the Academy''s golden gates that were now slowly opening. It was Pandrol. "Wee, everyone�� Wee to the Heavenly Tian Academy."

 Chapter 583 School Dilemma

    Chapter 583 School Dilemma

    The bald-headed Dean Rashwood, stared at the duo before him with a hastily twisted face. Bang! His fist mmed into the table. "Hoggard�� Gwen�� Do you think I am a fool?"

    "_"

    "No, no, no, I have the words ''Fool'' written on my forehead or something? Well, answer me for Peet''s sake!" Hoggard and Gwen thinned their lips, still refusing to say a thing. It''s not that they didn''t want to tell the dean what was going on, but that it would be so unbelievable that they feared they might end up getting kicked up in a Looney Bin instead. The Dean was a short, round, bald-headed man who had quite a short fuse, always feeling that his authority was being questioned. Dean Rashwood''s face was quickly turning red with pent-up anger all welling up within him now. Taking a deep breath, he stared at the duo coldly. "Alright�� It seems you both don''t want to tell me why you''ve been absent-minded these days, why you''ve been identally locking the gates during opening hours, why you''ve not been doing your other roles properly, and why there have beenints mounted on my desk against you both." Dean Rashwood paused, "I know you both to be very diligent at your jobs. So whatever it is that''s bothering you, I assume it should be temporary��. however��" Rashwood then leaned forward with his hands on the table, establishing dominance that was not to be questioned. "I can let it slide for now, but to do so, I must thoroughly understand what is going on with you 2��. And again, I ask�� who exactly are those 3 people outside?" Why did they allow random people walk into the premises, ''inspecting'' and galivanting about the ce without his permission? Don''t these 2 know that one needs a pass or needs to see him first before they can enter the school grounds and march about willie neely? If everyone brings their friends around or brings random outsiders into the school daily, do you know how rowdy, disorganized and chaotic this ce will be? Recalling the face of the 3 strangers, Rashwood felt they were incredibly young and good-looking, and looked like they came from wealth. But what was up with their attires? It looked somewhat like school attires, though he had never seen any school attire with that color. (If one can recall, their uniforms were simr to those worn in the Jujutsu Kaizen�� It was the typical uniform style many schools in the country wore.) .

    Again, the dean felt that one of these strangers had a familiar face, a face he had seen before, but couldn''t recognize right now. Well, no matter who they are, they can''t just roam about his school without seeing him first. Who does that? Don''t they know their appearance alone was so distracting? Recalling how he found them, the dean felt his forehead grow dark. You have to know that thanks to their snooping around, some girls began taking ''bathroom breaks,'' so they could walk close to these people. Crowds of girls had already gathered, peaking at them as they walked. He happened to be passing by from the bathroom when he spotted arge gathering of girls talking about licking their faces, and dying in the arms of these good-looking boys. The girls went all Fan-out mode, talking about the 3 in the distance, as though they were the greatest celebrities to have ever lived. "All right, what''s going on here?" Shockingly, they didn''t hear him the first time he spoke out. And it was only after he tapped the shoulders of some did they jump up in shock and flee from the scene for their dear lives. Know that he, Dean Rashwood, had a reputation of being a difficult punisher. He spared no one, and showed no favoritism. These girls dared not face his wrath, so they fled for their dear lives. And that''s how he brought this group to his office, with the 3 good-looking ones standing outside. He first wanted to speak to his staff, wanting to know just what exactly they were nning to do by bringing in these 3 to cause amotion in his school. Hoggard and Gwen swallowed hard, knowing they have to at least say something, or the situation might really turn worse. After all, they couldn''t afford to let those 3 leave�� not now that their lives depended on these 3 exterminating the creatures they went up against several nights ago. Wait .. that''s it! Recalling something, Hoggard quickly opened his mouth. "Dead, sorry�� but we brought these 3 for your own good and for the School''s good too." "Right, right, Dean," Gwen nodded like hen bobbing its head for worms. "Dead, although these 3 are young looking, they are all police officers from a special division, here to investigate and protect the school from a crime that is about to happen." Well, Hoggard felt he wasn''t lying. If the matter doesn''t get solved, more people might end up missing or dead.

    So yes, he was saving his own life, but also saving the lives of others in the process, no? (*^*)

    ��

    Dean Rashwood felt his patience was growing smaller by the second. Although he wasn''t in any armed forces units, he knew that those 3 were all too young to be going on missions without the supervision of any seniors on the forces.

    What police department would allow these obvious rookies to go out investigating a potential crime without the supervision of some elderly cop or someone who has been in the force for a while? What''s more, you also say they are from a special division too?

    Impossible! Too young. At least, they truly looked like 15~18-year-olds in his eyes. And their skin was so well-maintained, looking like porcin ss, too smooth to be a cop''s. Hmph! Dean Rashwood didn''t buy it, soon inviting all 3 to step in too. And then, he called the police station, and the second he mentioned the SN special department, the call got transferred to another higher ranking police officer, who then confirmed the identity of all 3 people. "_" [Rashwood.] N?v(el)B\\jnn

    So�� young people can also rise to sess this fast when they''re just 16? So�� so he was wrong?

    (0w0)

 Chapter 584 Killers Where? Here? Full

    Chapter 584 Killers Where? Here? Full

    Several hourster, Rashwood found himself sweating buckets when hearing there might be uncountable deaths in his school if they don''t put an end to the ''killers'' lurking within the campus.

    What? killers? Here? In his school?

    He was concerned with the students safety, as well as the school''s survival-hood after such an incident gets out.

    What if a murder truly happens with the matter not getting handled and word gets out?

    By that time, do you know how many parents will withdraw their children from the school?

    He is already a dean here, the board would then have to transfer him to another district or school to be a vice-principal or something, but it will take another long time for him to be dean again.

    Where are the openings?

    All schools already have Deans. And unless these deans are retiring anytime soon, or make mistakes, he won''t be getting any such opportunities.

    He is already this old and has worked hard to get here after so many years. So now, you expect him to use his time in hister stages of his time to keep fighting to rise back up again?

    Ghu Sota chuckled when seeing the Dean''s worried state.

    That''s right, it was he, Sota, who was here to eradicate the evil lurking within the school''s premises.

    Although he was always acting goofy, he, Sota, was one of the most powerful Golden Core disciples at the moment.

    That''s right, he had long left the Outer and Inner sect regions, and was now within the Golden Core vicinity within the academy.

    And beside him were 2 other too Inner Sect disciples who would soon be joining him in the Golden Core region.

    Coming out for experience and eliminating evil was what they did.

    Know that to advance their exorcist ranks, they must of course, also keep killing these creatures.

    As the number of creatures they kill/exorcize, adds to their good Karma and aids in advancing in cultivation and exorcism too.

    If they advanced and did nothing, but only focused on cultivating or mastering skills, then they might actually have a heavenly knot form within their line of fate that might. regress their progress.

    So yes, they must keep taking missions to protect the mundane world all around them.

    Of course, it''s not that they just leave the sect every month for missions.

    In fact, within every cultivation stage or rank, they are expected to exorcize xx and xxx amounts of creatures to gain specific point values.

    They just have to make sure that before their time is up to rank up, the total exorcism points must be met.

    So if they liked, they could stay within the sect for 6 whole months or even 2 years. However, when timees for them to rank up, the tallied points must be met.

    Of course, since there''s a major waring up soon, they had no time to dilly dally or take their sweet time taking things slow.

    That''s why every now and then, they must head out on missions to gain as many points as they can.

    And now that the most powerful underworld creatures were still in the underworld, this time was truly the time they can use to rank up as soon as possible, gaining the most strength before the enemy notices.

    The childish Ghu Sota for one, has ranked up so much that he could now lead teams when heading out.

    Who could have thought it could happen so fast?

    ...

    In a sh, the principal had called for an emergency meeting, and soon requested for school to be put on hold right now.

    Everyone, even if they lived within school premises, were told to leave the school and return in the evening before 7.

    Hooray!

    Students were excited, feeling so happy to be out of school right now.

    Although it was odd, however, since the principal said that a very abrupt and important inspection had to take ce, everyone quickly brushed the matter aside. "Dean, what is going on? Don''t you know that their final exams are soon approaching? Can we truly afford to have them take one day off?"

    Several teachers were annoyed, seeing that the lectures they nned for today would have to be done on a different day, when their ss periodes next.

    some had sses on Tuesdays and Thursdays or just 1 day a week for 3 and a half hours.

    And now, you tell them that they have to hold on and only teach next week again?

    Is this air?

    Multiple teachers had expressions that said they were: Not happy, but found that nothing could be done about the situation.

    Oops... they missed the opportunity to torture these students some more.

    By the gates, Ghu Sota and the other 2 disciples watched the students and teachers leave the school''s premises one by one with their 3rd eyes opened.

    Those who were tainted one way or the other, were asked to stay back, while the others left the premises.

    With that, the school''s gates were locked shut, and everyone now gathered again

    within the cafeteria.

    And wouldn''t you know it?N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Right now, the 3: Brock, Kong, and Litia, were also here.

    Another Teacher called Teacher Topin, and 11 other students were also gathered as

    well.

    It seems that although they haven''t been marked by the entities guing this school, other evil forces had marked them out too.

    "What''s going on? Why did you tell everyone to go, but choose us to stay back?"

    "Yes, yes... have we done something we''re unaware of? Or else why would everyone get this off day and we don''t? Tsk- If 8 knew, I shouldn''t have missedst week''s

    physics lecture."

    Dean Rashwood was also confused.

    What''s going on?

    Why are they leaving these people behind?... Or could it be that the suspect who will

    (!_!)

    Instantly, Dean Rashwood became alert.

    Who could it be?

 Chapter 585 Killers Here? Where? - 2

    Chapter 585 Killers Here? Where? - 2

    Many had uncountable questions in their hearts, but stayed silent when following behind the 3 men who were treated like Kings by Gwen, Hoggard, Brock, Kong and Litia. Soon, they found themselves standing before a bathroom hallway. Eh? What are they doing here? Who can make it all make sense to them now? Did someone take a dump and didn''t flush and now, they''re looking for the culprits? They couldn''t be the suspects of this shameful genius act, right? (#w#)

    Ghu Sota looked at his watch, knowing that they had to quickly finish up this matter and rush back to the sect for another important matter. Very slowly, he took off his white gloves, revealing his delicate and overly smooth hands. One could imagine how much envy several women had when staring at them. And then�C

    Bam! He pped softly, yet, he released an echoed noise that seemed to travel to the very end of the world. Perhaps it was their imagination, but they swear they could see invisible sonic waves disperse from the p. Ghu Sota wasn''t Dorian who didn''t like talking. If given the chance, Ghu Sota would talk from morning to night. "Alright, everyone, brace yourselves. The reason why you all are gathered, is because you have been in contact with something evil without knowing it." "But what do I mean by something evil? A killer, a crook, a stalker?... No�� nothing of that sort." Suddenly, Sota took off his cool sunsses, revealing his mesmerizing eyes.

    "Believe it or not, monsters, or what we like to call underworld creatures, have now chosen to feast on your souls and your flesh tonight, or even in a few months time." "_" [Onlookers]

    Pfft~... Bahahahahhahaha~

    No one knows who startedughing, but soon, several people, including Dean Rashwood, felt that Ghu Sota had a true knack foredy. Monsters? Really? You have a better chance at telling them that aliens were after them,pared to monsters. As for the Dean who had already confirmed their identities with the police station, he felt that they must be using this y to keep matters under wraps while they find the murderer who ns to kill people in his school.

    While Ghu Sota Spoke, one of the disciples went into the bathroom and began seeing several formations, while another stayed in the hallway, also arranging formations to ensure that nothing gets passed this hallway now. .

    Hahahahhahah~

    Ghu Sota joined them inughter,ughing and giggling, until he got the signal from the other 2 disciples. And then�C p!~

    With another p, he made their faces change fromedic to downright ghostly. It took just a millisecond for the temperature to drop at an astonishing rate. And then, everyone didn''t know why, but they started feeling a chill radiating from their backs. But this wasn''t all. "Hahahahah~"

    An eerieughter appeared because their ears, a fleeting one that made all their toes curl and their hairs stand at attention. "Who''s there?"

    Sean Rashwood jumped around like a Hobbit, turning and observing maniacally. But he didn''t see anything, however, he and everyone else now noticed how different the hallway and the door leading to the bathroom were. "Oh My God of Science!!" The hallway was darker, with maggots and all sorts of rotting things swimming through its rundown appearance. There were obvious jokes and signs of wreckage here. But how can this be? Didn''t we just have renovations done in the ace? And don''t several of the students use this bathroom frequently? So howe this is it''s appearance? Creak~

    The sound of the rundown door slowly opening, only caused everyone to feel their feet grow 50 times heavier. Monsters? Monsters? The words Sota said earlier, now rang in their ears, making their blood run dry. "No�� I don''t believe it! This must be a projection!" As though to prove his point, one of them ced his finger on the wall.

    "Yes, yes�� that''s right, a project�C" Ahhhhhh!!! One of the worms had bitten his finger cruelly, allowing its mouth to grow 15 times wider before taking a bite. F***! F***! F***! It''s real .. It''s all real!

    No, no, no, no!! Several people ced their hands on their heads, shaking it in denial, as they now glued on each other like sandwiches. Dean Rashwood was the most shocked. As a schr himself and a dean of education for that matter, his brain was constantly malfunctioning when epting such matters. So�� so his school was targeted by the supernatural, rather than a human killer? This�� you�� what�� when�� how�� will�� IMPOSSIBLE! This is too unscientific! No�� there must be a logical and scientific exnation for everything. There must be�C

    Before the dean could think further, he then saw Sota tap a coin and pull out a transparent baseball bat from it. ''_''

    How does the physics of containment work here? How can you pull out a baseball bat from a coin, even if it''s an invisible baseball bat? Ghu Sota chuckled, while violently pushing the door wide open. Honestly, he felt these creatures were quite childish. How long does it take to open a door? They have been allowing the door to slowly creak and open, so as to build up fear from their victims. If you reading fucking mean business, then open it up all the way, already! Sora opened the door arrogantly, with one hand in his pocket and another on the baseball bat leaning on his shoulder. "Are you all going toe out, or do you want us to find you all for ourselves?"

    Hey�� why was he even asking? Closing his eyes, he whispered a short can''t and then snapped his fingers with ease.

    �CSnap�C

    "Abracadabra�� Lookie who we have here."

    This�� this .. this�� Several people ced their hands on their mouths, to restrain themselves from screenings and calling the attention of these ghoulish feins. Mommy�� Every guy and muscle in their bodies seemed toe unwound, with their eye sockets now expanding and contrasting at an incredible pace. Oh my God of Science! Tears welled up in the eyes of some, and some wet themselves too, feeling their skins break out in gooseflesh, as though something was now traveling within the very fibers of their beings. But of course�� there was also��

    Blugh~

    No matter how much they tried to hold back, the first thing that came out of their mouth was not a scream, but regurgitated food that had been stored in their systems.N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 586 THEY EXIST!

    Chapter 586 THEY EXIST!

    Blink, blink, blink~ N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The lights began to flicker chaotically, as the many bluish transparent creatures now rose from the grounds, floating arrogantly in the air. Their figures were erged, their mouths tedious and crooked, their faces and bodies distorted, and everything about them was just mind-troubling. Thomp. Thomp. Thomp~

    There it was again. The pounding noisesfrom the walls that started when the door was locked wide open. "We�Cwe are going to DIE!" No one knows who said it first, but many, including Dean Rashwood, now had such thoughts. Rashwood''s eyes now gleaned horrifically, as he slumped to the ground, knowing he was currently too weak to stand. Dammit, legs! Get up now!!! He ordered andmanded his legs to move, but they refused to yield to his instructions, his body now closing from the blow his eyes had transmitted. Monsters! They truly exist. And they were the most hideous and frightening things he had ever seen in his life. You could take the ugliest man in the world and they would still be considered a beauty king or queenpared to these creatures. Several people also felt their worldview crushing down, and now panicked even more when recalling Ghu Sota''s early words. What did he mean by saying they were marked and would be dying either tonight or in a few months time? No! No! They were too young to die! Some of them hadn''t even gotten their first boy/girlfriends yet, and now you tell them their days were already numbered? No way, they don''t ept this! But what can they do against such terrifying beings? Even Hoggard Gwen and the other 3 who faced these ghosts earlier, were still very shaken when seeing them appear once more. No matter how you looked at it, Ghu Sota''s group was smaller in number, and also in sizepared to these ghosts. So who can tell them why these creatures were now getting beaten blue, ck, and purple right now by Sota''s group? "Alright,e to daddy. This daddy has another appointment to meet, so let''s end this quickly."

    Hmph! "Foolish Mortal�� I don''t know how you managed to force us out, but I''ll let you know that we�C"

    Ahhhhh!!!

    The ghosts wailed in horror, as Ghu Sota and the other 2 jumped in the air, soon appearing behind, in front and underneath them, saying their weapons without mercy. "You will pay for that, human!!" Now, they were mad. .

    The lead one, a girl in ancient clothes with her neck broken and her entire face grimly shed, now stared at Ghu Sota with eminent hate. She, the towering animation, lurched towards Ghu Sota, now leaving inches of frost cloaking everywhere she passed. Crack! The mirror froze and cracked so loudly, as if emanating the hate she kept in her heart. "Food�� that is what you are. How dare prey defy its predator?" Instantly, her ws grew 10 times longer, and her face also grew more ghastly, as she pounced on Ghu Sota. "Die for me, mortal!!!"

    No!!

    "Watch out!!!" Several people screamed and wailed, seeing as Ghu Sota was here talking to them with his back facing the ghostly woman. Hello? Can you stop talking to them and face the uing danger behind you? Oh no! Toote! "I can''t watch!" Several people kept their hands glued on their faces, with their heads now lowered. Say no more, this guy is probably dead. They had covered their faces when the ghostly razor-sharp nails were barely 2 inches from Sota. No!!! Several people wailed in their hearts, tears swelling up in their eyes. But what they thought would happen, seemed to be a figment of their own imaginations. Ahhhh!!! Eh? Whose yells were those?... Why��why did those eerie screams seem to belong to the frightening gruesome woman? AHHHHHhh!!! This time, the lead Ghostly woman was shocked and terrified by the wound now lined with golden fires. "You-you-you�� Just who are you??" "Who am I?" Ghu Sota smirked, twirling his baseball bat like a pro. "I am your worst nightmare." Bash!!! The blows never stopped, and the throttling wailings never ceased either. "Mortal this, mortal that��" Bang! "You know, I''m getting pretty tired of you all talking The same." Bang! "And FYI, you are a ghost. You might not remember, but you used to be one of us�� dummy!" ��

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! 10:47

    The bashings never ceased, and when all ghosts were at their mercy, they quickly threw coins on their bodies, letting them stay in ce, as though a millions pounds of weight had been put on them. "Alright, kids�� You did bad in the world, and now, we''re here to free you from your sufferings. See, aren''t we nice?" "_" [Beaten up Ghosts]

    "_" [Onlookers.]

    Excuse them, but why did they suddenly feel that these creatures called ''ghosts'' were now being bullied by Ghu Sota and his group? Very quickly, Sota and the other 2 stood in circles, and began moving their hands so fast that they began leaving after images. And then came the chants. They were chanting so fast that people began wondering when they would catch their breaths. Or could this be what music rappers face when spitting their rhymes? Incredible! Whoosh~

    Strange winds now enveloped the ce, including the hallway. The winds picked up second and second, and the flickering of the lights also continued on dramatically. But this wasn''t all that left everyone hugging each other on the floor. No�� the many vicious worms buried within the walls, and the broken rotting pieces, were also stripped clean and now began flying towards Ghu Sota''s group too.

    Terrible�� If someone had told them that such a thing was possible, they would have wasted no time calling the psychiatric hospital to admit such people in.

    But now, the facts spoke louder than words. A burst of strong winds erupted at the final moments, as Ghu Sota and the other disciples now flew upwards as though they were Saiyans. "Shwshwshwshwshwhshwshwhshw~" It never stopped. Everything tainted evil was sucked in and bundled into a single ball, now floating between the pinned down ghosts. And then, the ghosts suddenly began to levitate, but they couldn''t see the golden chains that appeared from above now binding these ghosts. One minute these ghosts were suspended, and the next, they began disappearing, fading away, never to return again. They were sure of this because of the pleading screams and wails from these creatures.

 Chapter 587 Success!

    Chapter 587 Sess!

    1, 2, 3�� -Silence-

    No one coughed or said a word while watching the scene return to its original normal everyday appearance. It''s just that no matter how good it looked now, they suddenly had a phobia for this ce, wanting to nevere here to use the bathroom again! Even if they''re pressed to death, they rather shit themselves than do their business here. Ghu Sota looked at their dazed faces, waxing his hand before them to wake them up. "Hello?... You, you, you, you, you�� these ghosts had only marked 5 of you��. As for the rest of you, you have all been marked by other creatures, and your lives still face imminent death." Ahhh!! Those who were pulled from the gates now had bbergasted ghastly looks, pleasing and begging for their lives to be saved. "Save me!" "Yes, yes�� since you saved them from these bathroom ghosts, you can save me too, right?" "Save me!" "Save me!" "Save me!"

    Everyone now looked at Ghu Sota''s group as though looking at Messiahs. I''m the end, although Green and Hoggard''s group were saved tonight, they were still a little tainted. So they had to buy pills and protective charms from them. F***! Everyone was willing to pay any amount to buy these things. After going through what they just went through, they felt Sota was selling them cheaply when they heard the prices. What? This pendant can be used to save their lives at most 15 times before itpletely gets broken? And it''s only xxxx amount? But! "No�� I also want to buy it for my family." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Wait! I need to speak to my mom and get more money if I''m going to buy for everyone." Even Dean Rashwood, who wasn''t targeted by any creatures, also wanted to buy some for him and his family. What a joke! Didn''t you hear that these things are all around them? So who knows when it will be his turn to face one of them? Buy! Buy! Buy! (+0+)

    �� Like so, Ghu Sota continued to show his growth, as he now began acting and taking on missions without the Grandmaster or even his grandmother by his side. Well, if he ever encountered a situation he couldn''t handle, he and hispanions had safety talismans made by the Grandmaster himself, that would teleport him to the nearest portal, where they could head back into teg academy, their safe haven to recuperate. Again, he had a talisman coin that contained Dorian''s clone. That was his ultimate move. The clones were extremely powerful and could eradicate evil at the flick of a wrist. Oh well~

    Ghu Sota whistled merrily, as he headed back into the academy. These days, the academy has be very interesting, especially with so much new meating in. These days, there was always the talk of excitement echoing out from those in the Handyman sector. "Ah! Finally! I''ve broken through!"

    Hahahahahahaha! "Goodbye Handyman and hello Outer Sect!!" "Eh? Julia, you''ve broken through so fast? Amazing!!" "Congrattions, Eldritch, I can''t believe you old bastard has beaten me to the punch!"

    "Wow! I can''t believe Officer Ynda advanced so fast. I''m sure it runs in the family. Soon, her son, Goodman, will surely advance too." (^0^)

    The sect was quite lively, as now, several people had already started to get a hang of their days in here. What they found out was that the more they cultivated, the weaker their old problems became. What cancer? It was shocking that even cancer was cured this way. So those that thought they better die in war than die from cancer were astonishingly shocked and ecstatic when seeing the chance given to them to not only live the rest of their mortal days, but to also live for hundreds and thousands of years. Again, it was important to know that for those who were specifically chosen by Dorian to be elders, they got 10 times more cultivation resources than the rest, which was why Kletus, Old Bho and several superiors and seniors had already broken through with ease. ��.

    Khalea was sitting cross-legged in her shared room within the Handyman sector. The frost thing she did at the crack of dawn was to fetch water, sweep the courtyard and make breakfast for herself. Each courtyard region within the Handyman area could house at least 80 people in it. Understand that although her physique had improved, she was still mortal. It was amazing that after cultivating for just a few days, she found that she could actually go one whole day without feeling any rumble in her belly or even thinking about food. It''s true that normally, humans can fast for weeks.

    But during this time, right from day one, the thought of food will definitely piece through their thoughts severally, thanks to their rumbling bellies. However, she felt nothing. No hunger or even no thirst. It was as though her body was taking nourishments from the qi in the air. Some people found that they could even go 3 days without even feeling like drinking water or taking a bite. After doing chores within the courtyard, she rushed to her assigned region of work and began work immediately. Her task was to water the Lily gardens, carrying water from a particrke, as only water from there can nurture the Lily gardens fruits. It was quite a tedious task, but only by doing this can she get her biweekly quota of elixirs and other items. She also found that as the days went by, carrying the water in buckets from the stream to the Lily garden became easier and easier. On day one, she was walking about, climbing and ascending the hills like an old granny. But after several days, she was actually running back and forth, like a cheetah. The realization only made her grow excited all the more. Taking deep breaths, Khalea quickly emptied her mind, knowing that today would be the day she finally breaks through. Huh. She sensed it yesterday, but couldn''t break through no matter how hard she tried. However, after taking a few pointers from others, she felt she had a better chance tonight. Kletus thinned his lips, watching Hallway from the rooftop. ''Come on, daughter�� you can do it!''

    Kletus was now a true cultivator, and could move with stealth. So those in the handyman regions couldn''t stop him at all.

    There .. there�� Khalea felt a warmth rushing into her body, as she continuously absorbed more pure qi all around her. Almost there�� almost there�� In her dantian, she now stood before a ck and golden door that was shrouded in mist. It looked otherworldly, but felt very warm and familiar to her. Break!!!

    She pushed forth, but the gate only bounced and returned in a closed position. Suddenly, a shadowy dragon appeared behind the gate, roaring loudly. Strangely, she felt it wasn''t raining to drive her away, but roaring with encouragement.

    Many might not recall, but she had during the exam, her ball lit up with a ck shadowy mass with specs of gold dancing within it. ''Break, Khalea�� BREAK!''

    Gritting her teeth, she encouraged herself, until herst outburst pushed the gates wide open. Sess!!! Khalea opened her eyes and now found her father and several elders staring at her appreciatively. "Child�� you did it. Congrattions on meeting the requirements to join the inner sect!"

 Chapter 588 No Time To Waste!

    Chapter 588 No Time To Waste!

    In an exquisite building somewhere within the Vardos Country''s Capital city, several people quickly bowed at deep 90 degree angles when getting a glimpse of the burly man in suit approaching the walkways with several other broad-shouldered men in suit and dark sses. "SIR!!" They dared not look him in the eye, as many staff felt true fear when standing in the presence of the man before them. Walking through the long, windy but historical corridors, the manmanded respect wherever he went. And soon, he found himself before a well-made brownish-red wooden door. Don''t let the door fool you.in the case of a lockdown or protective measures, one can imagine this door to be like the outsetyer of a safe. Why? Because there were more hidden shielding that would pop out from the walls to secure and keep those inside safe. Without any emotions, one of the guards opened the door, allowing the man in his fitted ck suit to step in. "Alone." The man softly spoke, yet his words carried an unquestionable aura. The bodyguards nodded, before closing the door and guarding outside the vast office space. {Vice-President}

    Those were the words boldly written and ionized on his desk. Unbuttoning the topyerof his suit, the man elegantly sat with a heavy look in his eyes. Soon, he unhurriedly reached for his cellphone, now leaning back with his hands calmly drumming on his desk. "Any news?" [Not one.] The voice on the other end clearly belonged to a woman. It was odd to say that both seemed to be talking, yet their voices sounded like nails screeching on a whiteboard. [Forgive us for our tardiness, your excellency. But for now, we still can''t find the missing Horseman!]

    "Can''t find, you say?"

    The man narrowed his face deeply, knowing that they couldn''t wait any longer. Anger won''t solve anything. However, despite knowing this, he still licked his tongue cruelly when thinking of that love sprung Horseman who had taken his bride and fled in corners they couldn''t find. But where? Where would that son of a b**ch be? ~Bam! The man mmed his table so hard it was now divided into 2�� and alongside the division, were a few worms that scattered around after fleeing his body. "Return." The worms seemed to obey him, squirming over in fear, especially when sensing his intimidating aura. Who was he? The Vice President of Vardos Country. And at the moment, he was the strongest underworld being left in this world after the portals closed. He had been given an important task by the princes, and was the one all creatures left behind answered to. Who would have thought that the man standing next to the president was not a human, but a mid-tier powerful Underworld demon instead? And on the other end of the phone, was the Rose Lady, the one from the East who enticed young and old men to her beds just to annoy the women and then steal their essence. The Rose Lady was a powerful demon whose pheromones could even drive men to kill each other. However, she didn''t like such games. She found that women tasted better than men, especially when they hated her greatly. While on her back full nude, she pouted her full rosy lips deeply. Yes, there was someone giving her a massage. However, her thoughts were on the current matter at hand. �� The burly man in his vice-presidential seat, was done conversing about the matter. "We can''t stall the situation any further. While looking for that lovelorn horseman, we must prepare for the next Horseman''sing!!"

    [Agreed, your excellency.]

    With that, they ended their conversation. And now, standing before the vast window, the Vice-president, felt there was still so much left to do before the war began. Luckily, the next Horseman would appear in his Vardos Country, right underneath his nostrils. This way, there would be no room for errors. That being said, another matter caught his eyes too, though he didn''t think too much of it. Looking at his cellr device, he unhurriedly dialed another number. [Your excellency��]

    It was a man whose voice sounded like that of a serpent, with a lot of hissing between his sentences. "What about it?" Why did so many peoplee to his Vardos Country for the Military Tournament out of the blue? What was that about? [Your excellency, because I was tasked with a vital military assignment, I could but make it to the tournament. However, I watched the video they sent down.]

    Yes�� It was nothing more than having a bigpetition. Again, the Vardos Country also called more people over because of some scientific breakthrough they feel the world should know and share. Well, to be honest, all Military forces across the world have military research facilities. And before today, Vardos was actually working on some military research projects of their own. Even he knew of this. However, he didn''t think his Vardos would actually agree to share such intel. Who gave Wiggins, Berry and several others the right to disclose this matter? Did the president sign off on it? Did the Vice-president sign off on it? Did top guys like him within the Vardos Military sign off on it? Well, to be fair, over 78% of the top guys apparently signed off on it during the military tournament.

    In the end, with so many people signing off on it, they can''t possibly denote or sanction them all. Or else who will be protecting the country in the end? Of course, for an Underworld Gargoyle, he couldn''t care less about what happens within these human barracks. However, he understood that they can''t sanction everyone. That''s why they just let it slide with a warning. Well, it also seems that a majority of those who returned, went out on special missions. In the end, after watching the tournament videos and speaking to several people like Wiggins, they understood that there was nothing major about the Tournament matter. Of course, even if there was something fishy, they would never believe it has to do with humans finally discovering their presence. Heh. Since the dawn of time, the humans of this world have never been able to discover them.

    So why would it change now? �� Vice President Doyle listened intently, and felt it was nothing of concern. His major priorities now, was preparing for theing of the second Horseman!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 589 World Expansion

    Chapter 589 World Expansion

    [Host, are you satisfied?]

    The system couldn''t help asking with a sense of pride, after watching its host finish inspecting the many new territories. Yes, that''s right! Thend has been expanded so much that it looked like a small Wuxia world. It honestly felt like one was traversing across 4 continents. The expansion was quite generous, allowing ample space for the thousands and thousands of exorcists in training, to find unique spots to practice in and explore. There were now several new inds, caves, underwater mysteries�� more floating inds, and most importantly, more dangerous forests, creatures, crystal mines, and so on. It would also shock many to know that the air had also be purer than before. Dorian didn''t know how it could get any purer, yet here the proof was staring him in the face. It would be a lie to say he wasn''t impressed. What''s more, there were a variety of new mythical and powerful creatures dumped in various corners of the new world. So it wasn''t umon to see both new and old disciples rushing about to explore the vastly expanded space. It was amazing to say that he could already forsee those crazy disciples rushing forth to test out their beast taming skills. The forging Tower has also improved by leaps and bounds. And the higher one climbs the forging tower, the greater their skills will be. Know that to advance to the next floor, one must pass the tests on each floor. The improved Gravity Rooms were also incredibly popr, as well as the emergence of hidden inheritances, waiting to be found. Although a lot has changed, Dorian still showed very little excitement. "Speak��" What''s the catch? The system smiled wryly, knowing nothing can get past the system. If it were some other hosts, they would be too excited, thinking that this fairynd will remain for all eternity. But can something truly be given and remain intact just like that? [Host, thend has 1 billion years.] After 1 billion years, it will be up to the exorcists to support thisnd by using formations and spatial spells. Even the portals will have to be maintained. By then, for sure, humanity must havee to terms with the emergence of exorcists. Again, the protective barriers from the system won''t just vanish just like that. During thest 400,000 years before itpletely fades away, it will decrease in strength by 90%... 80%... 70�� 60�� 50�� and so on, until it reaches zero. By the time it''s 90%, it will give them time for humanity to learn how to make up for the remaining 10%. And when it''s 80%, humanity will learn to make up for 20%, and so on. Mistakes will be inevitable, and idents might happen. But as they say, a man must one day learn how to fish on his own. They must learn how to maintain and keep the order of things. Dorian nodded, a little surprised by the generous time they gave people of this world. But to be fair, these people didn''t know of the existence of underworld creatures when he arrived. So adjusting would take quite some time. And though he was doing things in a rush now, after the big war, if they should win, do you know how much clean up, rebuilding and reminding they would have to do in this world? Things will change! And sometimes, change takes a long time to get used to. ��. Old Bho was in a good mood after spending hisst few weeks without that awful walking cane in his hand. His back was straighter, his body taller and one could also say he looked 7 years younger too, despite his hair still full of gray hairs.

    But sure enough, there was hope for his rejuvenation, especially when he found a handful of ck patches and hair strands amid the gray. Finally, he broke through his Mortal core, and was a newly dubbed Elder within the sect. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    But because his rank was very low now, he was one an elder within the cksmith Hall. He didn''t know why, but after an introduction to the various halls, he felt a natural affinity for cksmithing.

    So he chose cksmithing as one of his primary professions.

    Know that all elders must have at least 1 profession when starting out.

    Obviously, they must all be Teachers of different ranks, as well as another profession.

    For him, he was a No-star Teacher.

    Only after passing the exams, can he advance up the rank.

    Again, it must be important for one to know that for him to graduate from a No-star to a 1-star teacher, he must pass the exams, prove he is knowledgeable, and guide at least 5 disciples�� 5 is just the least passing grade, but one can guide even 300 if they felt confident enough.

    Old Bho massaged his chin arrogantly, when thinking of how confident he was already when it came to cksmithing and forging.

    It was important to know that to upgrade from a No-star teacher to a 1-star teacher, he must be able to pass the 1-star exam in any other profession.

    So the higher one climbs as a teacher, the more professions they must eventually add. They must also grow the star-rank of these professions. To be a 2-star teacher, he will not add another profession, but will have to take the tests again to prove he is a 2-star profession.

    He found that only when one reaches 1-star, 3-star, 5-star, 7-star, 9-star and so on, does one have to add a profession. ��

    Houp-Houp~

    Old Bho jumped about the ce, barely touching the tree branches he graced. His hands were ring backwards and his body moving speedily like a ninja''s.

    ''Where did that old fool say it was?'' Old Bho murmured, when thinking of Old Ghu''s words. Old Ghu has already be a 3-star elder, with one of his professions being cksmithing.

    It was because the duo saw each other severally in the cksmith Hall that Old Bho got a tip for a unique stone he wanted to extract and use to make his weapon!

 Chapter 590 Strange Behaviours

    Chapter 590 Strange Behaviours

    Old Bho''s demeanor was merry, but his vignce wasn''t lowered one bit.

    The Forest region he was in was a newly sprung Tier 2-danger rank forest that Old Ghu said never existed before they came. It was like a mythicalnd that always had light airy swot-like particles floating in the air in suspense, never touching the grounds, despite their swaying and swirling movements. The temperatures here were hot, and the sun was high in the sky. As an elder, his resources are far more extensivepared to the disciples. So it came as no surprise that he broke through past 2 realm stages after breaking his mortal shell.

    Following this he had another breakthrough again, moving from mid-stage tote-stage within the first cultivation realm. So yes�� Tier 2 forests were areas he could cross to.

    Tier 1 forests had little to no harmful creatures there.

    How to say it? The animals within Tier 1 regions were also mortal ones that were slowly preparing to break through too. So even handymen who were still mortals, could handle or flee from them if wise enough. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ''I''ve been running for hours�� If I''m not mistaken, it shouldn''t be farther now.''

    Just then, the atmosphere around him seemed to change.

    Whoosh!

    ''...What was that?''

    Phew! That was a close call.

    Old Bho moved his body to the side, instantly dodging the powerful ray that shot at him. His hands were now hunched down, and his body now arched like a gori''s. Old Bho was instantly taken aback when seeing the creature standing before him. ''Eh? A massive wolf on 2-legs with a camel''s mouth? What an oddbination.''

    Old Bho took the hammer hanging on his side, twirling around with a stern look in his eyes.

    ROARRRRR~

    ''It''sing.'' He told himself, while waiting for his chance to strike. ''If its st hits me, it won''t be a pretty sight.''

    Facts have proved that Old Bho''s judgment was correct, as both he and the creature were of equal strength.

    10 minutester, Old Bho squatted in blood, waving his vein-filled hands and mighty ax like a killing God.

    Woooooow~

    The creature panted briefly before copsing to the ground with his headpletely bashed. Huh-Huh-Huh~

    Old Bho ced his hands on his knees, arching down to catch his breath. What an incredible battle. He has fought with several in the sect. However, when fighting an ally, one tends to hold back slightly. So without this raw killing intent from a true enemy, one would never call the spars he did before Experience.

    Already knowing that the smell of blood would bring more trouble his way, Old Bho quickened his movements, until soon, he found the cave Old Ghu spoke of. After dropping a recovery pill in his mouth, Old Bho wasted no time jumping in.

    Bam! Bam! Bam~

    Old Bho''s hands seemed to be stuck mid-air since he jumped in. Finally, He didn''t know how long it had been when he sensed no other creatures flying his way.

    "4-ear rabbits�� I''ve read about them briefly." Old Bho muttered, when looking at the pile of 4-ear rabbits around him. If possible, he would have loved to avoid these rabbits, but it was ironic that rabbits that should eat veggies, instead loved eating meat. Their teeth were also strong as metal, and within this den of theirs, one could find bones of their unfortunate victims scattered around.

    It should be said that despite the pile of dead rabbits around him, many fled after seeing his might. So he should be safe for now. Hmph!

    Old Bho pouted his lips high when staring at these rabbit corpses.

    "Want topete with this daddy? You are 200 years too young for that!"

    Seeing no more troublemakers around, Old Bho advanced into the cave, until he reached an oven space that looked like a bat''s cave. The walls glued green from the unique algae, and the floors were covered with countless metal ores.

    "0"

    Old Bho was first taken aback, beforeughing so hard his intestines now hurt badly.

    Bahahahahahahaahh~

    "Sess! Sess! Telknic Stones!"

    Finally, he found them!

    (^0^)

    The path Old Bho used was actually high up, far above the surface. So with one kick, he jumped off and soonnded, wasting no time getting to work.

    And now looking at these bad boys before him, his eyes twinkled with love, as though staring at the love of his life.

    Happy~

    Old Bho felt Spring hade for him. And with a few careful moves, he extracted the stones, and vanished in a blink of an eye. Hourster, returned to the cksmith Hall, and quickly rolled up his sleeves.

    Bam, Bam, Bam, Bam~

    The sound of hammering bellowed out from all directions. Old Ghu, who was watching his good friend from a distance, only smiled. ''Old friend, well done.''

    ��.

    Like so, things in the sect quickly picked up. Everyone knew the impending dangers ahead, and hastened their actions when leveling up.

    Like so, 9 more months passed by in a blink of an eye. Previously, at the start of this all, humanity had but 2 years to prepare for the war. However, they soon came to realize that they had barely 10 more months to prepare.

    Were they ready? Were they capable of saving humanity?

    For now, the answer was NO!

    It was impressive how far they came, and how insanely strong they had grown in such a short time. But while this could be seen as an already miraculous sight, it was still far-fetched when thinking of the enemy''s overall strength. So many things have gone wrong in the mundane world that confused both the humans and the roaming underworld creatures too. What''s going on? Who can tell them where everyone is right now? (?~?)

    �� Seated within the grand Su estate, Chen Su, the current Su patriarch, his eldest son Ji Su and several other Su members, both male and female, were now gathered with expressionless faces. Despite the knee-deep silence around them, their bodies had long began boiling, and their self-control was now staggering the more they thought of things. "Father, something is definitely wrong somewhere!" "Exactly!" Several others added. First, the Tians�� then the Gias�� then the Ghus, then the Hous, and finally the Bhos have gone MIA�� And you expect them to sit down here and y house? It''s obvious that these 5 families are nning something in the dark, something that could cripple their Su n. Of course, there is a difference between crippling and killing. It won''t be easy to kill their Su n. It would take hundreds and hundreds of years to do so. However, crippling it but by bit was always an option that would hurt their pockets right now. So what to do?

 Chapter 591 The Su Clans Plans

    Chapter 591 The Su n''s ns

    Ji Su bit his lips, feeling that the world was going crazy if his sworn enemies, who used to all fight over his girlfriend, were now teaming up against him. (W^W)

    Huh. Sure enough, they must be doing this because they wanted his Xia Xia all to themselves. His Xiao Feng, his ''sweet and cute'' Xiao Feng, was definitely what they must be fighting for. Ji Su truly believed so in his heart.

    But while he hallowed in his delusional thoughts, Chen Su, thought of things more rationally. Many times, they have hosted parties, inviting Old Gia and all the other old bastards toe along. But every single time, these bastards would send representatives, whether it was their sons or someone else. If it was just one person who didn''t show, Old Su might say that perhaps that person was seriously ill. But when all 4 old goonies refused to show up, he knew it must be more than that. In truth, Old Gia and the others didn''t want to show up because for one, they looked way younger than before. After more than a year of training within the academy''s grounds, Old Gia currently looked like a 26 year old man. So excuse him, but if he showed up now, wouldn''t Old Su get a heart attack in an instant and just die? It wasn''t just him, as all the other old goonies were no longer ''old''. They had reverted back to their former selves and thus, cannot be carelessly seen before people who truly knew them. At least not until the war arrives. This was why they sent their sons of 29 or 31 years old out to represent them. Gia Wei, the current Gia sessor, old Gias beloved son, was also a disciple within the sect. So although he appeared much younger than he did in the past, it wasn''t shocking to see a 29~30 year old looking like they were 19. Aren''t there people in your life who look way younger than their ages? Some celebrities, schoolmates and even cousins within families, look vibrant and youthful like they were teens. So when Wie Gia showed up, it was shocking, but quickly epted, with people saying he definitely has a high-maintenance routine for him to look so good and young. It was amazing that Wei Gia joined the academy as a disciple, but his wife just joined the academy as an elder 4 months ago. So now, she no longer looked older than him, but also reverted to her younger appearance too. And when they appeared side to side, people say they were a match made in heaven. As for their children, for now�� only 1 was able to enter the sect while the others were too young. Anyway, the sect doesn''t take in anyone below the age of 7. Back in medieval times, Pages were trained at the age of 7 and soon turned into knights the older they grew. It was also odd to know that it was very risky for one to start cultivating below the age of 7. �� "Father, it''s particrly odd, the way we only see the younger generations and never the older ones." "Yes. However, I heard from my sources that the 4 old goonies were actually attacked when heading out for dinner a while back." Su D softly added, while raising her teacup elegantly towards her mouth. Chen Su raised his brows, knowing just how powerful his daughter''s connections were too. Su D was 3 years older than the 18 year-old Ji Su. And if she were not a girl, he would have long banned her as his sessor. She was witty, cunning, shrewd, and rarely found at a disadvantageous situation. She hadid so many men under her skirt, but the one she wanted desperately was Gia Donghai, Gia Wei''s cousin. Gia Donghai is a famous policeman, who is also seen as a powerful young master within the Gia family. He is supported and loved, and extremely handsome too. She is currently 21 and he is now 28. If you ask her, they were the perfect match. But no matter what she did or how hard she tried to get close to him, he turned her down in an instance. Su D has never felt so humiliated in her life. She has said this once, and she will keep saying it over and over again. He, Gia Donghai, must one day fall underneath her skirt and lick her feet to ask for forgiveness before she lets him go!!!

    "Father, for over a year now, we have stayed on the side of absolute vignce, never making a move, only barricading ourselves more than usual��. But�C"

    D paused, taking a sip of tea elegantly. "How long can we truly keep this up?"

    Chen Su nodded his head grimly. Indeed, they have been trying to guess the thoughts of the other 4 families, while strengthening their forces and protecting themselves day in and day out for fear of sudden assassination attempts or plots. Well, it''s not that they didn''t try collecting info, but they used people they 100% trusted that won''t leak their thoughts or betray them. Yes�� they gathered some Intel, but not enough Intel to make them understand why the old guys were staying hidden in the dark. So what did they do? They obviously strengthened their forces to keep safe. But who can tell them why after a year, nothing still happened? Sigh~

    Several people looked to the ceiling and sighed heavily. After over a year of constantly looking over their shoulders and guessing themselves to death, it did indeed seem a tad bit silly to keep hiding and moving around like weasels. Chen Su lightly tapped the corners of his armrest with a heavy heart. "So then, what do you propose, my darling daughter? Another ball to bring them all out?" "No��" D shook her head softly. "Father, this is no longer the time to stand still. We must act. So how about we��"

    Everyone gathered around, listening with ears perked to the skies. And the more they listened, the higher the corners of their mouths raised. "Good!" Old Su eximed with an appreciative and vicious light in his eyes.

    Look at his Su daughter? If she were a man, he would definitely leave his legacy for her alone.

    Brilliant!

    "Let''s do it then."

    They will never see iting.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 592 Men In Black

    Chapter 592 Men In ck

    Tick-Tock

    Tick-Tock

    Time was slowly closing in on both sides, and many people didn''t like it one bit. Back in Cygypt, 2 men in ck suits and dark sses, now stood before the sandy tomb, their faces so solemn it could crack at any given time.

    It was odd to say that the desert sun was scorching hot, enough to cause anyone to sweat buckets. Yet here they were, standing without a drop of sweat or precipitation on their faces.

    They were the MEN IN BLACK. They had suits and dark shades, signature to their looks.

    The MEN in ck were the names many around the world gave them, since they were always spotted with suits no matter where they went. They were, of curse, the guards under the Vardos Vice-President''s pay.

    The world has never seen them in anything else. Even paparazzi couldn''t get pictures of them in regr clothing or even nightwear.

    Hell�� if people didn''t know better, they would have felt that these people also slept with their suits on too.

    The lead man in ck One slowly puffed out a whiff of smoke from his cigarette, standingzily while watching the smoke disperse.

    BAM!

    A single high-leg stomp caused the surrounding sands to fly high, revealing the tomb''s entrance below. And with a simple whisper and touches, the door opened.

    1, 2, 3��.

    They waltzed in as though they were out on a tour. But make no mistake, their faces spoke of the seriousness of the matter at hand.

    45 minutester, they regrouped. Only, their faces were no longer expressionless but filled with veins all over their foreheads�� And if one looks a little closer, they will also be able to see a fleeting hint of fear in their eyes.

    Dammit! What do they do now?

    Now, standing outside the tomb underneath the scorching sun, several people wished to destroy the world right now.

    The leader slowly took out his phone and made a call he now dreaded dearly. And the speaker on the other end, his leader and master, now made his Gollum body shiver underneath his human skin mask.

    "Master, if given more time, I''m confident we will be able to find him for you��"

    [Time?...]

    The voice on the other end spoke unhurriedly, however, they could already feel his wrath threatening to spew out.

    [We only have less than a year before the storm, and you dare to ask for more time?... HEH-HEH-HEH-HEH~]

    Incredible!

    They were brought to their knees just from the aura emitting through the phone. Their master was quite a cruel one, and they of all people knew just how brutal his punishments were once he confirmed their mission was a failure.

    Thinking of thest time they were met with his wrath sent quivers down their spines on such a hot, scorching day. "Master-"

    [Silence�� No more excuses. No matter how long and how hard a rat tries to hide, it will inevitably be backed into a corner once its world ispletely searched.] N?v(el)B\\jnn

    In other words, the runaway Horseman can hide for now, but when the final dayse after their victory over the humans, where else will there be for it to hide anymore?

    There will be a time when even nook and cranny in this world will be under theirmand. By that time, that darn horseman will surely pay!

    But for now, they only have less than 1 year before the war, and cannot keep stalling the other matters in search of the missing horseman. The men in ck listened in silence, to their master''s long fingernails tapping along his table. The silence was all they could hear, apart from the constant, rhythmic tapping noises. And then, their master finally spoke�C [Return to Vardos�� in 3 weeks, the 2nd Horseman will emerge.]

    That''s right, the horseman will emerge in Vardos, right under their noses. So this time, they should be no more fuck ups! Several people gave each other tactful stares, before adjusting their ck ties on their necks and vanishing into the vast desert in a twinkle of an eye. Vardos�� They must return to Vardos and prepare for the seconding. But what horseman would it be this time? Of course, it was the Horseman of WAR!

    Like so, with the war fast approaching, things around the world also changed inevitably. ��

    �CTian Company Headquarters�C

    .

    Today, Chan-ki and Haru were busy signing and rewriting multiple documents with ease. After Dorian sessfully took back hispany, he quickly ironed things out, clearing all obstacles in his path. The world was shocked by hiseback. How could someone they proimed worthless and deste now appear before them again, with even more zeal than before? Sure enough, a tiger doesn''t birth a rat. They should have known that even though his uncle seeded in kicking him out, this young man was also not one to be trifled with. Can''t you see how fast he was able to make aeback, while getting the support of the Gias, Ghus, Bhos, House and other families? Never in their lives have they seen so many families unanimously stand behind someone so much. So what was the secret? They''ve tried to send out spies to find out what secrets the boy has to be able to ckmail so many people to his side, but nothinges up. In fact, at this point, was it even ckmail? Could there be another reason why everyone was standing behind this boy? Could it be because of his parents, who were still in aa? Try as they might, many businessmen and women couldn''te up with any tangible reason. All they were told by their good friends was to never cross the Tian Boy. It just made no sense! How could 1 person control so many people all at once? What was even more incredulous was that the Tian Boy actually gave his bodyguards full control of hispany. The Tian Boy only came to hispany once or twice every 2 months, while his subordinates ran things smoothly. At first, many tried bribing his subordinates and even tried getting them to betray their master and get the many Tianpanies for themselves. But it was like throwing water on a duck''s back. These subordinates showed no signs of greed and even looked at them as though they were mentally retarded. ��. Hello?... Who can tell them what was going on here? No joke, they would be willing to pay millions to know why so many people were incredibly loyal to the Tian Boy.

 Chapter 593 Precious Land

    Chapter 593 Precious Land

    "Haru, I think if we can close this merger, it will be a win-win situation for the Grandmaster. Lockce Real Estate must be taken over by the Grandmaster if we are to set up the Haven Project." Chan-ki spoke, while looking through the documents on his table. Despite the Grandmaster now having a fierce reputation in the business world, thend in question was one that almost everyone was greedy for. So of course, they had to fairly bid for it with everything they had. ording to the Feng Shui of that ce, it was already a blessednd in their mundane world. It had a much heavier aurapared to other parts of the country. Just when opening their 3-eye, they could see how blessed it was. But while they too wanted this ce for their own ns, it seems that even the enemy wanted thisnd as their own too. For what purpose, no one could tell. But of course, Chan-ki and the others didn''t know this yet. For now, they honestly went about preparing for the bid, and so did the Rose Lady, who was several towns and cities away from them.

    On the outskirts of Roverwhale city, an ancient castle-like Manor called House Castolica, stood tall and intimidating. "Charlington." Swish! An expressionless blind-haored maid with a rocking body and a long but body-hugging maid attire appeared from the shadows. "You called, my Lady��" It would be incredibly hard for one to see the hate in the maid Charlington''s eyes. Indeed, all underworld creatures, although loyal to their master''s, all hate their master''s too. It was a weird rtionship. .

    It should be noted that all masters must sleep with one eye open, including the Princes of the underworld. Why? Because if you''re not careful, you will be the stepping stone of your subordinates. That they don''t attack, doesn''t mean they don''t wish to. In the underworld, only strength can guarantee your survival. Like Charlington, she knew that if she so much as attempted to go against her master with her current abilities, death would be the only oue now. He''ll, even if she teamed up with everyone in here, they won''t be able to overpower their master. So why try and risk starting back at square one again? N?v(el)B\\jnn

    One must know that if another underworld creature kills another creature, the dead one will get reborn in the abyss without memories of their past. And then, they have to start the grueling task of surviving and crawling out again. Do you know how many tens, hundreds and thousands of years it will take them to get back to where they are now? At that time, they can kiss their dream of surpassing their master, goodbye. Heck! Will they even remember that they had a master in the first ce? Charlington stared at her master, feeling envy, jealousy and all other unwilling emotions corrode her heart once more. Of course, another reason why she detested her master, was because her Master was not a true breed like herself. ��

    Laying on a massive bed beside Charlington, was a stunning girl with pale winter skin and rosy cheeks. She had a body that made men instinctively wish to protect her. Her eyes wererge and mesmerizing, and her features very doll-like, despite her height not being short.

    She was slender and extremely breathtaking, with long silver hair and eyes that kept switching from brown to red. The girl chuckled when seeing the fleeting hate in Charlington''s eyes. "A worm will always be a worm�� remember that Charlington." "Yes, Mistress. This lowly worm will always engrave your teachings in her heart." Charlington said so verbally, but in her heart, she spoke another thing. ''B**ch! How dare you call me a worm? I am of pure Vampire blood, and you are nothing but a half breed with Siren blood running through your veins!'' ''You think you''re better than me? Dammit! The Abyss is unfair! Why will the abyss give such a half-breed so much talent that allows her to surpass me?'' UNFAIR! UNFAIR! The Abyss is too unfair against her. Typically, half-breeds of any kind are typically less powerful than full breeds. The Abyss will sometimes mix and match different breeds when birthing underworld creatures. For example, you can one day see a half-Minotaur half-Hydra. Typically, such a half-breed should have a less cultivation speed than a normal Minotaur or Hydra. However, the Abyss sometimes like ying games on them, giving these half-breeds overpowered capabilities. Within is the situation with thedy before Charlington. Charlington''s master was a half-Vampire half-Grudge Siren. For 8000 years, her master has fed off the grudges of several women who went crazy from jealousy when seeing their husbands and sons fight to protect her. Some husband''s even divorced their wives, hoping to be with herdy. But you see, thedy doesn''t enjoy the essence of these men. No�� The grudges these women bear against thedy is part of what feeds her soul and power. Fear, pain, fury, rage.. she absorbed so much from thesedies, making them grow insane to the point where they get locked up in asylums for all sorts of causes. Their emotions be too unstable due to jealousy, and they then act erratically, pushing them deeper and deeper into despair. And when they are at their peak, she appears in the night, like the half-Vampire she is, and sucks their blood so much she almost drains them dry. But now, now,... She can''t kill them. Keeping them alive and ill to watch her victory, also makes their fury grow brighter. It was like nursing nts or livestock. She would appear again and again, hunting them in their dreams while she sucked away their blood that was filled with the good essence of hate she now desired. Of course, she sometimes feasted on men, but truth be told, no man could hate like a woman. A single woman''s scorn was enough to burn a forest.

    Men were just too nd for her tasting. No wonder all those old vampires liked sucking the blood of females. Hey, even she found herself hooked and drunk from their emotions. ��

    "Charlington, I just received word from my Master��" Indeed, everyone has a boss they must answer to. And for the Wilting Rose Lady, hers was Vice President Doyle of Vardos. Alicia tilted her head yfully when recalling her master''s words. "Charlington, thend at Lockce�� we must acquire it!" Alicia didn''t know why her master needed it, but it must have been one of the orders from the Princes before they left the world. Her Master, although the strongest now in the world, was actually an underdog way behind many others. That''s right. Doyle was an underdog to another Demon, who was equally an underdog to another greater demon, who was again, one of Beelzebub''s left hand demons. The chain ofmand was long. Nheless, the orders must havee from the very top. So of course it must be done to perfection! "No matter the cost, thatnd must be ours!!!"

 Chapter 594 Little Nangs Determination

    Chapter 594 Little Nang''s Determination

    Today, the 8 year old Xiang Nang, who entered the sect 7 months ago. It was odd to say that his father Xiang Shore, although busy, has always been able to make time to head back home almost everyday. But suddenly, he noticed a change in his father''s pattern. His father would vanish for 4 days and only return for 2 days before vanishing again. This pattern continued for months until one day, his father told him he would be going to a different kind of school if he passed the entrance examination. But what school? And howe this was the first time he was hearing anything of it?

    Because he lost his mother young and could still remember it, little Nang had grown overnight. Of course, although he was 8, his older brother was 17. He also had grandparents too.

    It was strange to say that one day, his father pulled him and his brother to attend some entrance examination, but he didn''t question it, knowing his father must have his reasons. It was just that he could never imagine the reason behind it would be so magical. And now after 7 months of staying within the academy, little Nang feltthis was the ce he truly belonged. Which hot-blooded 8 year old wont get excited when aced in such an adventurous ce? Today, Xiang Nang was rushing towards his Master''s courtyard again. And from a distance, he could already hear his Master''s loud yellings cover the entire hill. "You bastards! Are you trying to give me a heart attack? How much nzen Crystallite will you use to create such puny weapons? Again! Melt and redo again!" Sigh�� Old Bho was at it again. One would think that with his hit tempered nature, he would have less and less disciples. However, many were actually crowding around his way, hoping and praying daily to get epted by him. In fact, if you look at it carefully, all sect elders were crazy in their own way. Some were crazy about alchemy, like Old Hou, while others were crazy about swordsmanship, Beast Taming�� you name it. Old Bho was a typical example of a strong mouth but soft heart. "Little Nang, what the hell are you standing around for? Come here and help me do the fittings!" Before Little Nang could say anything, Old Bho had dropped something in his mouth. "You this kid. Why are you so puny? At 8 years old, I was already ying tigers in the wild." "_"

    If Xiang Shore heard this, he would definitely curse Old Bho for being shameless. What ying tigers? How can a man who has never won a battle against the irondy dare to say he was ying tigers at the age of 8? The irondy in question is Old Lady Ghu. It was amazing how she was able to beat Old Gia, Old Ghu, Xiang Shong, Old Su, Old Hou and several other people without batting an eysh. You dare to brag to his son when you couldn''t even beat up a 7 year old girl when you were 8? Bah!--

    Shameless! ��

    Gulp~

    Swallowing the pill seed in his mouth, Xiang Nang quickly picked up a hammer while absorbing the nutrients from the pill. "Everyone, stop and gather around! This is how I want it done!!!" Grmm!~ N?v(el)B\\jnn

    In a sh, everyone felt that little Nang''s arms had grown muscr and bigger than it was a second ago. Veins now filled his arms that looked very Macho now. Ting, ting~

    The sound of his hammer shing against the metal ore was all they could hear. But don''t think it was just simple hammering he was doing. "Incredible!... He''s fusing his spirit power with the elemental properties at just the right time to change their nature." "Ahh! I see. I see. I see�� one wrong turn, and it''s all ruined. No wonder my sword breaks at the apex upon impact." "1 breath�� 2 breaths�� 3 breaths�� after the first 3 breath intervals, he''s increasing his strength! But how? I thought we were to maintain the 4-Klum step first before increasing the speed." "Amazing! Amazing! Truly a genius! No wonder he is Elder Bho''s favorite disciple."

    Many nodded their heads, burning the image of all they saw in their hearts. Even if you''re envious, you must admit that little Nang had the ability and talent to make Old Bho treasure him so much��. Especially after seeing the Tier-4 Spirit weapon the 8 year old boy had just made. And now, all the wonder of the weapon will have to do, infuse his spirit power into the weapon and it will be his. Of course, after all spirit weapons are made, Old Bho who was also a formation master, ces the sect''s formation signature on the weapon, meaning that only after purchase can one acquire it. The demand for weapons was getting greater and greater by the month. The stronger one advances, the more useless their current weapons would be for them. So they must keep looking forward to stronger weapons. Of course, a weapon created by them can also hide within a coin and be drawn too, it isn''t a spirit weapon . Ordinary weapons must be carried around at all times. Again, during battles with stronger opponents, weapons can also break. So more and more weapons must always be avable for the hundreds and thousands of members within the academy.

    .

    Little Nang was a little embarrassed after receiving praises from everyone. "Alright, that''s enough! You all line up for me and do a good job! We''ve got orders to fill before the end of the month!... Little Nang, you follow me." "Yes, Master." Little Nang gave a respectful bow. And soon, they both ran through the vast sect domain. It should be noted that they were still within the living spaces of the academy. They weren''t in the forest or any parts out of the walls. It can be said that the walls surrounding the main academy area, enclosed quite a lot of space. One could say that the space enclosed was about the size of several inds put together. Right now, they were heading towards the Floating ind high high in the sky with therge que called <cksmith Pavilion> on it. Hoop-hoop~

    Little Nang allowed his hands to re behind him while jumping on the various floating rocks. 7 months ago, he would have found it all strange and would even be a little scared. But now, he was jumping on te-width rocks without any safety gear while advancing higher and higher into the clouds. Soon, his feet touched the soft des of grass. Before him looked like the gateway to the heavens. It was such an imposing structure. And only those who reach a certain level can pass through the gateway. Old Bho led him into what looked like a vast fortified training courtroom, one that he had never been into before. WHAT?

    Little Nang''s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets when seeing the incredulous number of weapons on the walls. "Was that�� was that a Sacred Weapon he saw over there?" Swish! Old Bho threw a tier-4 weapon at him. Little Bing then came back to his senses, already feeling the supreme difference between this tier-4 weapon and his. "Do you feel it?... This weapon was created by the Grandmaster 12 months ago."

    "Little Nang, your aptitude ismendable, but you still have a long way to go." Swish! Old Bho tore the air with another tier-4 weapon. "Little Nang, the only way to truly break your bottleneck, is to understand how the weapon in your hand differs in battle,pared to the one you just made today." "Note that I won''t be going easy on you just because you''re my disciples��. So�� are you up for the challenge?" Little Nang clenched the weapon hard, excitement brimming in his heart. "Yes!" He, Xiang Nang, will one day create a weapon rivaling the Grandmaster''s creation! Most importantly�C

    The 8 year old Xiang Nang felt his heartbeat quickening when thinking of the uing war. ''I''m running out of time��''

 Chapter 595 The Mysterious Bony Finger

    Chapter 595 The Mysterious Bony Finger

    Indeed, time was no longer a luxury to many. And just like Xiang Nang, many all across the academy grounds were desperately raising their levels, skills and taking on missions at a hat''s notice. But for Dorian, their beloved Grandmaster, he was now in a secluded space, staring at the Bonus finger that had long attached to him, bing a part of him. [Host, be careful!!]

    The system was frightened for its hosts'' sake when seeing the bony finger spasm and twitch so exaggeratedly. What is going on? The moment its host broke through again, the finger began acting up. Dorian narrowed his gaze, feeling something wasn''t quite right. However, he didn''t panic. In fact, even if he was staring at the face of death, panic has never been an emotion he could understand. With azy gaze, he gently caressed his left ring finger which was slowly switching from bone to flesh back and forth. "What do you want to do?"

    Vrmmm~

    It shook and shook more and more, RELEASING a burning aura within the space. So powerful? The system''s mouth dropped to the mouth when feeling cornered by its presence. What exactly was this bony finger thattched onto its host? Dorian didn''t stop soothing it until it abruptly came to a halt. And then�C

    Swish!! The space was now empty�� Dorian and the system were now gone. .

    �CHongmora ins�C n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    .

    The deste and grotesquendscape stretched endlessly, resembling a barren wastnd swallowed by darkness. ~How dull. The sky was a sickly shade of gray, casting a dull light over the twisted, decaying terrain littered with remnants of forgotten lives. Everywhere one looks, they can see jagged rocks jut out from the ground like the bones of the dead.

    Dorian blinked softly, looking all around him with an unhurried expression. Where was he? He had an idea after seeing his flesh glow and spark with shes of mes constantly being extinguished. Oh? "Good boy." Dorian caressed the finger that was working overtime to keep his true body from turning into ashes.

    Who would have thought that this little bony finger was powerful enough to teleport him to the underworld while keeping his body alive. Yes�� that''s right. He was in the underworld. This deste, yet chilling ce was just one of the ins within the underworld. How to say it? The ce felt chilly with no signs of fire or mes anywhere. Yet, the moment he appeared, his body immediately caught on fire. Why? Because no mortal body can survive in the underworld for even a millisecond without turning to ashes. The air was thick with a palpable sense of despair. And from one to time, one could hear the hunting screams of both underworld creatures and human souls. Yes, the human souls are sent down here to go through their punishments for how they lived during their mortal lives. But again, the abyss doesn''t allow creatures here to harm human souls that are down here for Punishment. After punishment, the human souls get sent back to Purgatory where they will be cleansed and sent off to live other lives. Some souls have been here in the underworld for over 10,000 years now. Whatever they did during their time in the world of the living, will surely have consequences. But apart from the ear-shattering screams of human souls, he could hear the sounds of weapons and enemies shing in the far, far distance. -War-

    The battle in the underworld was still underway, as these creatures have been fighting day and night for months and months. In fact, it''s been over a year now, and both camps are showing no signs of backing out yet. .

    After running through the vast ins and bypassing multiple creatures, Dorian found he was seemingly visible to them all. ''Interesting��'' This Bony Finger was more powerful than he originally thought.

    No wonder Beelzebub was so desperate to find it. It seems it was one of the keys to guarantee their sess after these underworld creatures win the war. How to say it? These underworld creatures didn''t take the battle against the humans so seriously. In fact, for them, they were only gathering their strength for the war against the heavens. Why? Because thes will all align on that day, and with the various special items they''ve gathered, they would be able to pierce through the realms and go straight to the heavens. Too bad some of the special items they originally collected, were now ''stolen'' and dispersed by that darn Trickster! If Beelzebub knew that the item he was searching for far out in another world was actually on Dorian who was now in the underworld,... Beelzebub might just outright lose his mind in fury. So what was the point of him going on a wild goose chase all this time?

    Why did that darn Trickster act like it was him who took the finger when it was just another mere mortal who did it? Of course, Dorian didn''t know all this. Looking at the war that involved millions and billions of creatures, Dorian raised one brow in deep thought. But soon, he felt his body quake and quake, knowing this was the finger''s way ofmunicating with him. Pouf!~

    He vanished from the screen, appearing back in the space he originally was. Only this time, Dorian coughed and choked, with heavy steam emitting his body. .

    [Host�� host! You were there for 20 whole minutes!!!]

    How can this be? How can a human stay so long under there without perishing? The realm of the underworld, controlled by the Abyss, wasn''t a ck one that would allow any mortal flesh survive so long. So why? Why did the abyss allow the bony finger to teleport its host in? The more the system thought of things, the more shaken it became. And the eye it used to look at its host now changed to an even more unfathomable one than before. [Host�� please be honest. Just what exactly, are you?]

    Cough, cough, cough, cough~

    Dorian was on all fours, coughing heavily from the impact. This was the first time the system had actually seen its host so vulnerable. Sadly, it didn''tst, because 1 minuteter, Dorian had calmed down and was now seated cross-legged, massaging the bony finger that growled like a dog. "Why are you so familiar to me?"

    Dorian looked at the bony finger with scrutiny. "I feel like I''ve known you before��"

 Chapter 596 A Bland Sight

    Chapter 596 A nd Sight

    "The battlefield is getting nd," looking through the towering castle windows, Mundus''s eyes could see past his castle walls, several several miles away. Who was he? The son of the deceased Satan, the one he personally kicked and kicked off before taking the throne as one of the 7 Princes of Hell. And who was there to help him make his dreamse true? Of course it was his dear mother Lilith. Of course, just like any loving son, he paid her back by stabbing her too in the back. It was amazing that while dying, she was smiling proudly, seeing how much he had grown. Indeed, if someone can pull you up, they can also pull you down. So why else such a powerful and uncertain chess piece by your side, even if it''s your very own mother? The underworld was a cold and brutal ce. Of course, all children are born from the abyss. However, if 2 creatures truly want offspring of their own, they are to mate on a special area within the abyss nest. There, one of the creatures would get pregnant and even give birth to their child in just 1 day. After which, their child must remain in the abyss with the many other children to fight his way out. Of course, parents will mark their children with their scent and other hidden aspects, so they can recognize their children when they sessfully crawl out. Many times when people mention the Abyss, they don''t know just how huge it was. The abyss had many ''Hearts,'' each heart being the size of 4 mortal cities, with several underground levels too. Thousands and millions of creatures are birthed every day. Simrly, thousands and millions also die in this cruel underworld. Of course, the children upon birth, will have to fight their way from the far bottom levels, to the surface if they want to escape and prove that they can survive in the underworld. Some hearts have 47 levels below the surface, and some hearts have just 39 levels. However, the difficulty of escaping one level for newly born babies, was not any easy feat. They must instinctively learn to fend for themselves and find food, however way possible. Some rotting trees do beat fruit down there, and some babies do fall to their deaths over jagged cliffs and whatnot. And what that happens, the rest would gather around and eat the flesh of the dead, as if eating barbecued ribs. Like so, he, Mundus, crawled out from the Abyss and was immediately recognized and taken to his father''s domain by his mother Lilith. Long story short, from birth on day 1 till now, he remembers everything he has ever done. And though it took him an eternity to reach the top and sessfully destroy his father, Mundus felt it wasn''t enough. He wanted it all! Why should there be 7 Princes of Hell? Why not just 1? (V~V)

    .

    Mundus licked his wind-blown hair with a stoic expression on his dashing face. "Is it nd because we are neither winning nor losing, m'' Lord?" A lesser handsome man in a ponytail questioned. "You could say that," Mundus replied, slowly retracting his gaze from the faraway battlefield. "Something is off."

    Tap, tap, tap, tap~

    Mundus''s fingernails rhythmically drummed on his table. "It''s been a little over a year now, Nicodemou��What have you noticed?" Nicodemou looked at his lord, thinking deeply. "M''lord the enemy has neither advanced nor have we�� It''s almost as though they are trying not to win so fast." Mundus said nothing while listening to Nicodemou. Indeed, there were several instances when he felt that the enemy should have taken advantage of and imed victory over. However, they didn''t do that. It took a long while for him to see that they were stalling the battle and dragging on the battle since the start. And for what purpose? Why were they doing this? Mundus was confused, but knew there was something more to it that meets the eyes. Of course, he was the one who started the war, catching the enemy by surprise. So why did it feel like they were the ones who set a trap for him to jump into? More importantly, if he was right about them dragging the battle, then why did they do so?

    Could it be that their Masters were not in the UNDERWORLD, as everything thinks, but have not yet returned from where they were? Was that it? Were their master''s not in the underworld and they were stalling in wait for them?

    If this is true, what matter is so important that their Masters chose not to return to the underworld for over a year now? What are they nning? Many questions gued Mundus''s mind, as well as Nicodemou after listening to his Master''s analysis. How to find out if there was truth to this matter, he didn''t know how to go about it. The only true way to know if these Masters like Lucifer and Beelzebub were in their pces, was to go there and confirm for themselves. But who are these Masters? Someone like Beelzebub was the most powerful underworld creature in existence, followed by Lucifer. Know that these 2 would be able to pinpoint him out in a split second should his toe cross onto the soil or airspace in their territories. .

    Again, their Generals were also incredulously powerful too. So you can just forget about going there in person to find out. What''s more, although his lord Mundus and the other newly crowned Princes have control over some demons controlling the portals to other worlds, 72% of these creatures work under themand of those masters. What''s more, their portals are guarded by top generals that even he couldn''t beat. So going to the portal zones to determine their locations would also prove to be a failure. "Nicodemou, I don''t need you to verify my hypothesis��" Mundus paused, taking a deep breath in. "It''s not a matter of checking. I know for sure that my dear uncles are not within the Underworld." No matter what anyone says, he felt his hunch was right. His dear uncles, the Old princes of the underworld who have ruled their domains since the beginning ages of time, were definitely not in here. This war was between the Old princes like Lucifer and the New princes, the princes who killed the former old princes like Satan and took over theirnds.

    Creatures still call them new princes because although they have ruled for millions of years, their tenure was nowhere near their predecessors who ruled for billions and billions of years. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Leviathan (Prince of Envy), Satan (Wrath) and Asmodeus (Lust) had been killed ages ago and reced.

    Lucifer (Prince of Pride), Belphegor (sloth), Mammon (greed)... and Beelzebub (Gluttony) were all that were left. 3 New princes vs 4 Old Princes. The war was intense but very stagnant�� too stagnant if you ask him.

    "Nicodemou, we must prepare for the worst. Because once they return, I''m afraid this battle mighte to an adult end." It seems the enemy is holding back, so they too must keep an ace up their sleeves in preparations for the worst. Mundus clenched his fists, his eyes now shing a deep crimson color. He, Mundus, refuses to lose this war against his uncles!

 Chapter 597 Troubled Couple

    Chapter 597 Troubled Couple

    They say fiction is sometimes stranger than reality. Whooo~.... Whooo~.... What were those? Owls?

    Sometimes, it was hard to distinguish what was what in this grimly ce.

    The moon hung low over the sprawling cornfield, casting an eerie glow on the rustling stalks. RUN! RUN! RUN!

    Two people could be seen sprinting through the maze of corn, their breaths ragged and hearts pounding. Sweat trickled down their necks, as they gasped for air while constantly throwing their heads behind their shoulders with unfocused pupils. And far behind them was the unmistakable sound of metal scraping echoed, a chilling reminder of the hellhole they now found themselves trapped in.

    "Keep running, Izzy!" Ciel gasped, his voice barely audible over the rustling corn. "We can''t stop now!"

    "I know," Izumi whispered with her eyes still feeling like they weighed 50 pounds.

    The couple pushed through the corn, as the stalks pped against their faces like ghostly fingers trying to pull them back. The air was thick with the scent of earth and fear, and every shadow seemed to twist into a sinister silhouette.

    Suddenly, the cornfield gave way to a massive, decrepit mill, which now seemed like a sanctuary to them.

    The old, worn-out, abandoned-looking mill had a towering structure loomed like a giant, skeletal guardian in the night. It was better to hide in there and find an opportunity to kill wha was chasing them, rather than keep running and running for hours and hours. Thus without hesitation, they dashed inside and immediately cooperated to m the heavy metal door shut behind them.

    And the moment it was shut�C

    ''BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

    Something unnatural kept mming on the door so hard it left printed images on the thick metal door.

    Seeing this, they knew they had bought themselves a little more time.

    "Izzy, we have to get ready."

    "I.. I know Ciel��" Izumi nodded stiffly. "But how long do you think we will be in here for?"

    She wasn''t referring to the mill, but the current world they were now in. Her life before seemed like a distant memory, one she desperately missed. pping her cheeks, she told herself not to think of the past any longer. For now, her task was to ensure she and her darling husband get back home in one piece��

    For her son, THEY MUST!

    .

    Drip, drip~

    The distant and echoey sounds of water droplets rhythmically sttering on the ground was all they could hear. The mill was abyrinth of shadows and creaking machinery, with the air being very cool and damp, carrying the strong scent of decay. However, after staying in this world for so long, they''ve grown nose blind to the rotting stench. Ciel''s eyes scanned through the darkness. "Izzy, you must get ready because once we deal with it, we''ll only have 5 minutes at most before we move out again�� We can''t stay here."

    "Yeah��" Izzy knew more than anyone else that staying here was toopromising, as these monsters seemed to be able to trace the scent of their deadrades, and would soon appear here once they sense one of their kind dead. Sure enough, barely seconds after moving deeper into the mill, they heard the faint sound of the creature''s ws scraping against the walls in a haunting melody that made their legs m. Ciel and Izzy looked at each other tactfully, before splitting up as they typically did. Sure enough, Izzy made a great damsel in distress. Because the moment she ran out, the terrifying creature was fully focused on her. AHHHHH~

    She ran, stumbled, ran, stumbled and stumbled through the maze of rusted gears and broken beams, her footsteps now echoing like a heartbeat in the silence.

    "Why the rush, human," Its voice cut through the darkness, dripping with malevolent glee. Till now, they haven''t seen what the creature looks like. They''ve only seen his tall shadowy silhouette hunting them with every step it took forward. Izumi screamed as she bolted down a narrow corridor. And right behind her was a silhouet whose shadow was now imprinted on the mill''s walls that seemed to close in around her.

    .

    "1, 2, 3~... I''ming for you~" The creature sang in raspy delight, with its shadow on the walls showing 2 hook-like hands raised high. Soon, Izzy reached arge chamber that had moonlight filtering through the cracked roof, casting eerie patterns on the floor.

    Where to go? Where to go? Trapped!

    There was no way out except through the one she came through. "Going somewhere?" Izumi slowly turned around, only to see a grotesque being with hail overflowing over its face and 2 hooks for hands. It was odd to say that although its face was covered with overly long and damp-like hair, she could still see his unnatural smile that stretched from ear to ear. Izumi stepped forward, trying to muster courage. "Leave us alone! Why are you doing this?"

    Why?

    It chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Izumi''s spine. "Why so many questions? I''m just getting started and you''re already this curious?"

    Whoosh! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Time stood still, as Izumi felt death''s doors once again within her grasp.

    Terrible!

    It lunged at her, his ws slicing through the air with a vicious intent. But just when it was inches from touching her, Izumi quickly moved her head to the left, and then��

    Bam!

    "Izzy, are you alright?" Ciel had appeared at the scene, plunging a heavy rode through the creature''s right face. And sure enough, its heart was right where he guessed. After being in this world for long, he knew that these creature''s had weird heart discementspared to human''s who had their hearts in one single spot. Very quickly, he yanked out the rod and stabbed another part of the creature, taking out its second heart.

    Dead��

    Both hugged each other, thinking so. But just when they were about to rest, the room seemed to warp and twist with the shadows now dancing to a cruel stream ofughter they heard from behind them.

    WHAT?

    They could hardly believe their eyes when looking at the corpse that was now slowly rising from the dead.

    "...Boo." AHHHHHH!

    Izumi screamed inwardly, as Ciel had already started pulling her forward. (x0x)

    .

    "Run, Izumi!" Ciel shouted, now stumbling towards the exit with a heavy heart.

    Did it have 3 hearts? Never have they encountered a creature with 3 or more hearts before. "And where do you think you''re going?"

    Whoosh!

    The creature with ck blood oozing from its eyes and other parts, now appeared at the exit with a tilted head and eyes that glowed maniacally. Toote! Toote!

    Ciel and Izumi felt their entire body tremble when seeing the enemy erge to 4 times its original size. And the more it erged, the louder and heavier its voice became. Was this the end? Was this how they were going to die here?

    SWISH!

    The creature''s ws moved like lightning, and Ciel hurriedly hugged his darling wife, allowing his back to face the creature''s iing ws. "I love you, Izzy��"

 Chapter 598 Reunited At Last

    Chapter 598 Reunited At Last

    BOOM

    An ear-shattering sound echoed across the entire chamber, causing Ciel to tighten his grip on Izzy. But eh��

    What was this? Why was the pain he was expecting so dyed?

    Ciel quickly threw his head behind his shoulders, his eyes widening in shock when staring at the image that now stood before him.

    No! No! This must be an illusion, or else why did he see the image of his son just now?

    But it''s really just an illusion, how do you exin the dead creature that had now turned into a pile of ashes over there?

    Hold on, even the ashes were slowly getting turned into nothingness too. And what was that just now? Magic?

    "Little Nian, is that you?"

    What? Little Nian is here with them too? NO NO! This was not what she wanted for her son!

    Izumi poked her head from Ciel''s embrace. And the moment she spotted the familiar silhouette, she pushed her husband aside, and appeared before her son, as though she was the true magician.

    (-_-) [Ciel]

    Woman, where did this hidden strengthe from? You almost overthrew your husband just now.

    Dorian stared at the beautiful but fatigued woman beside him and felt warmth in his hearth.

    Again, he felt these were his true parents.

    The original owner of this body was just a fragment of him. It was as though someone had split his soul into 2, sending part of his soul to the world he came from, while the other half stayed here in his world. He also felt great affinity with them, a feeling that surprised even himself when seeing them. And for the first time sinceing to this world, Dorian smiled like the actual teenager that he was. "Mom�� dad�� your son is here to save you." N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Little Nian!"

    "Little Nian!"

    Both parents hugged their precious boy, only calling his name out severally to no end. Dorian T. Tian. That was their precious son''s name. They called him little Nian, which was his nickname, abination of thest letter of his first name, and of course thest 3 letters of Tian. Of course, happiness is happiness, but they also knew that they couldn''t stay longer here anymore or else more creatures wille after them now.

    .

    "Quickly, Little Nian, we must�C"

    "Mom, dad, It''s alright." Dorian spoke calmly while taking out a paper from his pocket and forming a paperman. Then, he blew on it, and the paperman grew to human-size. For sure, such a scene would have been mind blowing and shocking to his parents in the past. But now, after having fought and survived countless attacks by all sorts of creatures, they were surprised, but not too shocked. What surprised them the most was their son''s talent and awareness of the world they were in.

    As the paperman went to work, Dorian briefly told them about the crises in the real world and what he went through since they fell into their deep slumber.

    Bang!

    Ciel T. Tian was furious! "That bastard dares to kick you out of my ownpany I built with my own 2 hands?"

    Izumi''s eyes turned grimly cold when thinking of her brother who dared to do this to her son. Her son is where she draws the line. She might be soft-hearted by nature, but anyone who dares to harm her son will definitely�� Heh-heh-heh-heh~

    Izumi didn''t finish her thoughts, but now looked like a demon who crawled out from the pits of hell.

    Ciel and Dorian had the illusion that her hair was floating like tentacles, every time she was truly pissed. It was amazing that Dorian who hated talking, was now patiently answering all questions they had for him. There was no impatience in his eyes, just warmth.

    Soon, the paperman returned, and Dorian knew the task waspleted.

    What''s more, he started feeling the throb in his finger, knowing that the bony finger wouldn''t be able to keep him here any longer.

    That''s right. He was able to enter the nightmare space made by Beelzebub undetected, thanks to the help of the Bony Finger. Know that because of a certain incident that led to Beelzebub''s fury, several humans nearby were affected by his aura and fell intoas. His parents were among these people. In fact, Beelzebub didn''t purposefully create nightmares for them. But whoever gets hit by Beelzebub''s wrathful aura will definitely fall into Beelzebub''s Nightmare world. In here, his parents have also met other humans, and had even hadpanions who journeyed with them. Sadly, they died. And if they die in this ce, they also die in the real world. However, it must be noted that although Beelzebub didn''t send them here on purpose, should they manage to break free from his trance, he will know. This would make matters even moreplicated than they already were.

    The one thing no one wants is to get the attention of one of the princes of hell!

    Because even though Beelzebub was in a far, far, far away world, he will know.

    .

    "Dad, mom, use this Mill as a safe haven. With my current strength, I''m only able to do this much." Dorian advised.

    He made the mill invisible to the creatures of the space, and then allowed the paperman to take out several items from the portable space coin he brought in. In three of the office spaces at thest floor, he took out beds, nkets and otherfy items he felt would do them good. So long as they stay here, they''re safety will be guaranteed for at most 7 more months. Of course, he will return to prolong the protective barrier around the space by then, when he bes stronger than he is now. And when he is ready, he will take them out for good!

    Of course he brought out other beds, nkets and pillows because knowing his parents, they would definitely risk their lives sometime in the future to start saving other human survivors. He can''t stop them from doing good, but they must be careful of who they trust and let into their safe haven.

 Chapter 599 An Unforgettable Date

    Chapter 599 An Unforgettable Date

    The moon hung low over the Balvoncia cemetery, casting long shadows that danced eerily among the tombstones. Weeee~

    The air was crisp, and the rustling leaves whispered secrets of the past. But in the midst of this haunting setting, a young couple, Martha and Jack, strolled hand in hand, theirughter echoing softly in the night.

    "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Martha asked, ncing around nervously. "A date in a graveyard?"

    Jack chuckled, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "It''s just for fun. Besides, what''s more thrilling than a little fear on a night like this?"

    Of course, the fear he was talking about wasn''t because they would be surrounded by graves and dead people. What ghosts? That word didn''t exist yet, remember?

    No~

    The fear Jack spoke of came from the fact that several police officers had cautioned and warned against people having dates in the graveyards.

    Well, it has be somewhat trendy to have pics and dates at the graveyard.

    It was cool, edgy, andced with danger, the danger of getting caught by one of those Coppers (police officers).

    How exciting!

    Jake inwards thought, thinking that perhaps tonight, they might be able to do ''it'' outdoors in this ce. The thrill of almost getting caught, as well as the warmth of a gorgeous woman under his embrace was enough to make his heart race.

    They wandered deeper into the cemetery, the crunch of leaves underfoot and the sounds of owls in the distance, was the only sound breaking the silence. This was thergest cemetery in the space, spanning over countless slopes and ins. It had an air of mystery to it, and in here, one could find all sorts of graves, from the simplest to the most expensive and historical too. There were even some gravesites that were like small tombs, having their own 1-room size building''s mounted above the tombs like well fortified canopies with only one way in and one way out. And as they approached an ancient, weathered tombstone, a sudden chill swept through the air, causing Martha to shiver.

    Wheeeee~

    The winds caused Martha''s to lean deeper into Jake''s embrace. Well, he was happy. "My love, did you feel that?" Jake whispered, his voice a raspy seduction on its own. "Do you feel my immense love for you engulfing you like the wind around us?"

    Meeting Jake''s eyes, Martha blushed hard, "I did."

    Well, she was feeling something, and that''s for sure. With a light chuckle, Jake led Martha deeper and deeper towards a location he felt was much more secure, lest those darn coppers find them and take them to the station before he can get to the best part of the night. "Over there, my love!" Jake was too excited. His voice gave out his excitement, but because of the atmosphere they were in, Martha didn''t notice. After cing a pic nket on the ground and taking out a bottle of wine and some sses from the basket they had, the 2 cuddled under the nket, with Jake leaning on the tree behind him. It''s just that his hands were quite disobedient, making Martha blush even harder than before. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "You�C"

    "What, my love�� I only do this because I love you so much." Well, it''s time to finally get it on. However, he didn''t act first, allowing them to talk a bit longer, lest she thinks he was only after her body.

    Even if it''s true that he only wanted her body and would dump her after tonight, he still had to act the part of a ssy man, a gentleman who truly loves Martha.

    Thus, he endured and endured, listening to her boring tales of her past before meeting him. Tsk��

    Women�� they were all the same. All you need to do is say a few lies and look at them honestly, as though they were your everything. And in no time, they''ll open their lower gates to you wide open.

    Hmph! Serves them right for having such unrealistic fantasies about romance.

    (V^V)

    ��

    Well, after all the talk and bullshit, it was finally time for Jake to make his move. But just when he was about to move in, another distraction emerged that made him almost curse out to the skies.

    What now?

    WHOOOO~ WHOOOO~

    An owl flew close to his back, scratching his face as it fled. Dammit!

    Jake was pissed, but he soon noticed something odd that caused not just him, but Martha to sit up vigntly.

    p, p, p, p~

    All the birds in the area were flying away as though being pursued by something. Some were even so careless that they pped themselves on trees and tombstones while fleeing. So what was going on?

    Jake was pissed, wanting to finish what he started quickly before they left. But Martha wasn''t having it. In a blink of an eye, she picked up her purse within the basket, and began fleeing in the direction the birds were leaving. She didn''t mean to leave Jake behind, but he kept trying to have her stay, only trying to touch her. But as someone who was more on the cowardly side of life, she often knew when to follow her instincts and flee.

    "Jake, let''s go�� If�� If you don''t want to, then-then-then I''m leaving�C"

    "You b**ch! What the hell are you so afraid of? Come back here right now! How dare you try to leave me, Jake the Vigorous, in such a state?"

    Martha felt that talking to him was like throwing water over a duck''s back. So without wasting time anymore, she left the scene. Even she didn''t know that she could run so fast because soon, she would find herself out of the graveyard and heading straight home to rest and never mention her visit there ever again.

    Tuition told her that she shouldn''t. However, she will check up on Jake tomorrow, no?

    �� As a human being, she felt concerned for her fellow man. So shouldn''t she check?

    Hopefully, nothing truly happens to him.

    As they say, if wishes were horses, everyone would have ranches by now.

 Chapter 600 An Unforgettable Date - 2

    Chapter 600 An Unforgettable Date - 2

    "Damn B**ch!" Jake cursed underneath his breath while stroking his little man below. He, Jake, was the son of a wealthy man. He also had some fighting skills up his sleeves and felt that even if it were the coppers approaching now, his father would bail him out before the morninges. Eh?

    Suddenly, the ground around him began to tremble.

    Rumble, rumble, rumble~

    Earthquake? No wonder the birds attempted to flee earlier.

    The winds now picked up faster than usual, pping him so hard in the face he almost thought he would fly away into the distance. But this wasn''t the only thing that took him aback.

    A low, guttural groan emerged from the earth, growing louder with each passing second. Holding onto a branch for his dear life, he saw a scene he never thought could be possible in a billion years. IMPOSSIBLE!

    His eyes widened exaggeratedly while watching the soil in front of him begin to shift and crack.

    Boom!

    A skeletal hand erupted from the ground, followed by a full skeletal structure with cracked fragments all over its body. It rose from a badly made grave that looked like it was made by toddlers.

    Suddenly, he saw several silhouettes moving in the dark, now slowly emerging closer to his location, which just so happens to be where the fractured skeleton emerged from. Mommy!

    Jake peed himself while dangling for his dear life. Blugh~

    He puked and puked, allowing his puke to fly with the wind. It was so bad that he almost let go of the branch that was keeping him grounded. Hallucinations? Projections?

    Just what was he seeing right now?

    Hideous grotesque monsters of all sorts appeared from no now, forming a circle while watching the skeleton emerge from the grave. But what was this?

    Just 3 seconds after emerging from the grave, one of the creature''s threw several items towards the skeleton. And in a sh, the skeleton rejuvenated so much, growing blesh and a proper human figure in a blink of an eye. But this wasn''t enough. It seemed that it was missing something else, and Jake seemed to know just what that was. NO WAY!

    Very quickly, he let go of the branch, allowing himself to fly, far, far away from this ce.

    Suddenly, he regretted not listening to Martha just now. Dammit!

    Sure enough, pride is the root cause of a man''s fall.

    Fly! Fly! Fly away!

    Jake prayed desperately in his heart when watching himself get carried away by the wind. But just when he thought freedom was near, a strong force suddenly grabbed his leg, dragging him down to face the skeleton below.

    NO!!!!!!!!!

    Jake''s heart elerated, and his screams seemed to engulf the entire graveyard.

    .

    1�� 2�� 3��

    Jake''s badly dried out skeletal remains were thrown aside as though he was a piece of trash.

    Dead.

    He looked like an aged corpse, one that has sat in a tomb for thousands of years. But what about the skeletal figure earlier? She had now turned into a voluptuous girl with pearly white skin that glowed seductively under the moonlight.

    Her lips were rosy red, her hair long and curly, and her face a work of perfection. Soon, several pieces of clothing were thrown her way, and the stunning woman calmly dressed up, not concerned about the hideous beings that now surrounded her.

    "My, my boys~... A little thirsty, are we?"

    In a blink of an eye, she emerged in what many within the 1700s would define as a female Pirate''s attire. Well, that was just who she was. Cami Jones�� The first sessful female pirate to sail the high seas with a grand fleet that rivaled her own father''s, Davy Jones!

    She was cruel, vicious, greedy, sexy, and intelligent. She made Kings fall, and made tyrants bend to her every will. Chaos was her nickname while alive. It was on a fateful night years centuries ago that she and her crew were bested by her own Brother, Timothy Jones.

    The damn bastard mercilessly killed her men, but didn''t win easily, as he too must have lost 3/4th of his men. Anyway, Timothy�� Timothy�� The bastard attacked her when she least expected it, leading to her death. But just before dying, she heard the whispers of the devil himself. She would have never imagined that such a supernatural thing could happen to her. [Do you want to live again?]

    Yes, of course she did! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She loved life more than life itself. She loved chaos, war and troubles. She just loved to live through war. And most of the time, she was the one instigating the war. It might also be the reason why Timothy and several others wished her dead.

    Even the king of Vardos went to war with several others because of her instigation in the background.

    War, war, war�� She loved that side of humanity. And wouldn''t you know it?

    She, Cami Jones, was now the Horseman of WAR!

    An explosive being wrapped up in a seductive body. Looking at her Captain attire that was simr to that which she often wore at the high seas, Cami chuckled, already excited for the current present timeline she was now in. "Vardos�� It''s great to be back."

    ��

    Like so, the second Horseman emerged into the scene, right from Vardos country. And while several creatures danced in excitement all over the globe, far, far, far away in an entirely different world, another entity was now chuckling when staring at the item in his hand.

    Lucifer was in a good mood. Finally, he found the first out of 3 pieces that were scattered around who knows where, by that darn trickster. "The key of Gartharus"

    The key was broken down into 3 parts. He found one piece, and needs to find the other 2 before the war starts.

    Why? Because the key opens the sealed fortress where the Titans are sealed!

    Unlike other nonsensical mythical stories in different worlds, the Titans were NOT the Almighties father, and were not there before the Almighty Existed. The Almighty created the Titans himself. But the Titans joined them ages ago to revolt, the Titans were also banished down into the abyss.

    It''s just that they were kept in a far lower realm than the underworld''s surface that he and many creatures roamed.

    It''s said that the Titans underneath, had their own nes far down in the abyss, that might even berger than the one he, Beelzebub and many other creatures live in.

    That being said, because they were in a lower in closer to the Abyss,they were more strictly monitored by the abyss. Thus, they can''t create portals out. But with the key, he will be able to open their gates and give them something all Titans want desperately in their hearts �C Revenge!

 Chapter 601 Trouble From The Shadows

    Chapter 601 Trouble From The Shadows

    Time dwindled by in a blink of an eye, with turbulence suddenly erupting within a specific country that made all eyes around the world turn.

    Eh? What''s going on?

    Howe there''s so much trouble in Vardos all of a sudden? In just a month, the entire Vardos seemed to covered in a gloomy haze, as though it was already a no-man''snd.

    What could have happened? What could have happened to cause such a change in just under a month? Investing as they did, everything seemed to fall at a dead end, as though an invisible string was pulling on the matter from the shadows.

    Several heads turned their attention to Vardos, fearing that whatever it was would one day spread its wings to their own countries and territories. And now, seated before the Television within an elegant audience room, several people stood in silence, as they kept switching channels after listening to a little of what various news reporters said. ��

    "Good evening, Vardos! This is L. L Alyson with a breaking report on the VCC evening news. War has erupted in Vardos, and while the politicians are busy pointing fingers, we''re here to bring you the facts. Stay tuned as we cut through the propaganda and get to the heart of the matter!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Next channel.

    "Folks, it''s chaos out there, and let me tell you who''s responsible��those bureaucrats who couldn''t negotiate their way out of a paper bag! Instead of talking peace, they''re rattling sabers. What do they expect? A round of apuse? This is Charles Humburg, and I''m holding them ountable!"

    Next�C

    "We have our correspondent live from the front lines. It''s a war zone, people, and while the bigwigs sit in their ivory towers, it''s the everyday heroes��our soldiers��who are paying the price. Remember their faces, because they''re the real story here."

    "War isn''t just fought with guns and tanks, folks. It''s about dors and cents. The stock market is plummeting, and who suffers? The average Joe! Meanwhile, the fat cats are getting fatter. This is Fang Chong, and I''m calling it like it is!"

    "Let''s not forget the human cost of this conflict. Families are being torn apart, lives shattered. Where''s the outrage? Where''s the humanity? This isn''t just news; it''s a tragedy unfolding before our eyes. This is Gregory Winston, and it''s a damn shame I''m sharing citizenship with those monkeys who call themselves bureaucrats!!"

    "Someworks are treating this like a blockbuster movie,plete with dramatic music and shy graphics. But here at TheDailyBugle, we''remitted to the truth. No spin, no fluff��just hard-hitting journalism. That''s my promise to you."

    "Enough is enough! It''s time for cooler heads to prevail. I''m calling on world leaders to put aside their egos ande to the table. War is not the answer, and it''s high time someone said it. Consider it said!"

    "Can you believe it? That bastard gets to be president. Why did I even vote for him in the first ce? Screw his balls! So what if you''re interviewing me now, newsdy? I call it as it is. I put it out there that if I ever see that bastard eyeball to eyeball, I''ll definitely kill him myself! Since he became president, gas prices have grown higher, and the cost of hooking up with a beauty has also skyrocketed. I don''t know how, But I''m sure it''s his fault!"

    "Everyone, let''s destroy the hospitals! Yes, yes! The hospital''s move under the guise of giving us treatment to inject microchips into every new born baby. It''s true! Even in the 1920s, I''m sure they were also injecting microchips into us! Destroy! Destroy the hospitals!"

    "Everyone, what''s at stake here isn''t just territory or resources��it''s our future. The next generation deserves better than a world ravaged by war. It''s time to think long-term and make decisions that will lead tosting peace."

    "This is J. Jonah Jameson signing off, but remember, the story doesn''t end here. We''ll continue to bring you thetest updates, and we won''t rest until the truth is known. Stay vignt, stay informed, and stay safe." ��

    These scenes captured by various stations made many around the world bbergasted.

    Was it just them, or did the IQ of Vardos plummet the more the war progressed?

    It was almost as though all pent up frustrations of many were unleashed, as they no longer felt that the consequences for their actions were that heavy.

    How to say it? It was as though they snapped.

    Several gangs formed overnight, and in several factories, workers started holding their bosses hostages, demanding ransom money before release. A man who discovered that his wife was cheating on him, now tied her up and broadcasted his killings without repercussion. He even decided to kill his own step daughter whom he felt had long been a burden to him too.

    (-_-)

    Several people frowned deeply, especially those from Vardos gathered within the space. They were now in the audience hall within the Tian estate. And seeing their beloved Vardos turn to this, only made their blood boil with fury and panic for the future.

    "Grandmaster, there''s definitely nothing natural about this matter."

    "Hmmmm��" Dorian hummed with azy nod. They changed the channel severally, until they saw a feed of several people walking alongside a very powerful man. Something about them caught his eye�� To be specific, his 3rd eye.

    "Stop��"

    No more channel switching.

    Everyone suddenly opened their 3rd eye, wanting to see what was so impressive about the feed the Grandmaster also wished to look at. Eh?

    Creatures in disguise?

    They saw that all men in ck were secretly monsters.

    However, the 2 main people these men in ck were guarding, were a little too hard for them to see at their current level.

    "Vice President Doyle?"

    Whether it was Wiggins, Julius his son, and other Vardos academy elders, they quickly rose to their seats in shock and disbelief.

    F*** ME SIDEWAYS!

    Do you know how many times they have shook the hand of the man in question?

    Do you know how many times some of them have looked at this man in question with pure admiration?

    Several Vardos academy elders had gloomy faces when staring at the screen. But who?

    Who was that stunningdy beside him? The news reported that she was his niece, but was she really? They felt it was unlikely. However, hearing the grandmaster''s light chuckle, they knew he must''ve definitely had a clue of who she really was. "The 2nd Horseman��"

    The Horseman of War!

    WHAT? So soon?

    Several body felt panic growl in their hearts, a reminder that the end was truly near.

    Dorian slowly rose from his seat in interest. It seemed the time hade once more, to nip another horseman trouble in the butt. And fast.

    But first,��

    "Find out what grave she crawled out from."

    He could see the exploding aura of rotting soil seeping from her body.

 Chapter 602 Clueless

    Chapter 602 Clueless

    "What''s going on Baofeng? Do you think these people are all crazy?" ��

    Within the police station, several officers couldn''t help asking themselves this question when going over the numerous reports they''ve gotten about a castle-like building seated in a jagged hill. The castle is now resident to the D''jaggers, a wealthy family from overseas that perched in the east for hundreds and thousands of years. One of the officers ran his hands on his hair helplessly when thinking of all the paperwork before him. "Hey�� something''s definitely not right about this ce, but after doing over 11 searches, we still can''t find a single thing to pin these foreigners down!"

    In a sh, their lead inspector entered the room, already at his wits end whenshing out at them. "Dead end this, and dead end that! What the hell are you doing with taxpayers money if you can''t freaking find a single clue?" Dammit! He mmed his hand on the table, yelling so loud sprays of saliva now engulfed the person closest to him. "We are the city''s finest! The good guys! The ones to save the day for the civilians who make reports!" "Now, I don''t need to tell you that there have been over 79 cases of missing persons, all reported to have association with that castle. In other words, they''ve been seen going on or leaving the castle at some point. In other times, they''ve run around the castle and even been noted to have broken into the castle asionally. But�� till now, we can''t find a body or any evidence!" Adrenaline pumped into the bloodstream of many when listening to their Captain.

    Some lowered their gazes, feeling worthless, while others clenched their fists, swearing to take down those D''jaggers�� especially the one who calls himself Earl Winston D''jagger. That rat bastard was too sneaky and sly whenever they questioned him. It was almost as though he was saying: Yes, I did it, but do you have any proof? No? Then bite me!

    Son of b**ch! Everyone knew he and his bastard family did it. But in a society ruled by rules and the need for evidence, taking down such a powerful family with just witnesses eye sayers from others was a mere dream. They needed stone cold facts, one that was irrefutable in court. But what to do? They''ve swept that castle publicly and secretly before, but found nothing!

    .

    "Alright everyone, the bureau has had enough of waiting, since many of our operations have cost millions." Do you think it''s easy to surveince and sweep that enormous castle grounds without high-end technologies and personnel? And after all that, you then report that you don''t even have a single clue? No evidence or true starting point to lead your investigations by and you expect them to keep finding your attempts? Heh. The police Captain was also helpless. But what can he do? "Alright, alright�� enough sulking. You all knew this day woulde, didn''t you?... That being said, although we''re no longer leading the case, we can still be a part of it. But we will have to work with our new partners from the SN department!" Instantly, several people looked left and right, wondering what it was like to be working with this mysterious department. It''s been close to a year since this department was formed, and their seats for how many crimes they solved and all other matters concerning them are all archived. In fact, even the cases they''ve partnered up with people to solve, the public and even several other police officers, don''t know the SN department was involved in the case. Likewise, their Captain told them just now that no one is to ever know that they''re going to be partnering up with the SN department. So even if the case gets solved in the end, the public and other police officers would only think it was them who did it after catching a lucky break. In short, when you think of it, it all seemed incredulous, to have people constantly working in the shadows. Everyone thinned their lips, wondering more and more about the people from the mysterious SN department they would be partnering up with. As far as they know, they''ve never seen a single person from the SN department before. At this rate, do these people even clock in for work? Or where they like undercover cops who are never required toe into the station for fear of blowing their cover? .

    "Well, what are you looking at me for, you daisies? Get a move on it now!" Right! It was 9 PM now. That''s right, the meeting was purposefully held at night. Several people followed their Captain and entered a police van that led them straight to the castle. Well, they dropped off a distance away from the castle, within the small, park-size surrounding woods. Apparently, they were to meet with these people here. It was always odd that no matter the time of day, this ce seemed to be covered with mist. No matter how many times they''ve been here, this ce truly gave them the spooks!

    Ahhh! N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The bushes in the distance began to shake, causing many to hold their chests with worry. Who goes there? Rustle, rustle, rustle~

    Everyone stared attentively, with one hand already on their daggers. It was incredible that their funds were confiscated before they left the station. It was a boy�� a stunning and happy-looking boy in a sleek navy ck school-like attire. And the moment he appeared, several others appeared from the shadows, catching them all off guard. "Who are�C"

    "Seniors!" The police Captain quickly saluted, before the other officers couldplete their sentences. The other officers were stunned, looking at the male and female models before them in confusion. These pretty boys and pretty girls were the people from the SN department?

    Wrong script! They felt they were now holding the wrong script. Or else where did the burly and string assassins in their imaginations go?

 Chapter 603 The Djaggarians

    Chapter 603 The D''jaggarians

    Whoo-whoo-

    Ribbit, ribbit~

    Croak, croak~

    All sorts of nightly music yed out, only making the atmosphere grow worse. It was too heavy. The fogy thick and heavy over the D''jaggarianndscape, a spectral shroud that clung to the ancient stones of Bran Castle. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Yes, the D''Jaggers called their castle, the House of D''jaggarian. Well, there it was. ording to eyewitnesses, the D''Jaggers were all out on a long vacation. They even have images from the airport of them boarding flights and leaving the country to visit their home country, Eldaro. They sealed their doors, nig even wanting maids to clean up during their absence. The staff were given vacation time with pay, except for the gardeners who were toe every 2 or 3 days during the daytime, to take care of the gardens. However, they must leave at exactly 5 on the dot, as they were informed that anyone who works there after 5 will get reported for trespassing. From 9~5. Those were the only times they were allowed to work during their absence. ��

    ~Din-Din-Din-Din��

    One step forward, another step forward. As everyone approached, the mist seemed to pulse with a life of its own, swirling around their feet and obscuring the path ahead. It was as if the fog itself was a guardian of the secrets hidden within the castle''s walls.

    Several police officers knew it was silly, but intuition told them there was something about this ce more than meets the eyes. They couldn''t exin urately why butterflies would flutter in their bellies whenever they got closer to the dark, crooked and creepy-looking castle. It seems that even the bare trees blowing in the wind had stories to tell with their movements. Haru, Ghu Dwo, Butler Windsock, Chiyou, Khalea, Bho Jin, and 4 others came here today to assist. Haru, who used to be one of Dorian''s bodyguards, was now Elder Haru to everyone. With his Gambit cards and his magic trick illusions, he quickly became an elder many wished to get epted by. Butler Windock used to be the Ghu Family''s main butler. Well, he still is, although there''s a butler now in the Ghu main estate to take over his duty. Butler Windock was beside Ghu Dwo always, as a loyal follower. It has always been so. And even now when they were both exorcists, Butler Windock was still loyal to Ghu Dwo to a fault. Little Chiyou Obyn has grown up quite a lot ever since the Grandmaster rescued her and her family of 4. Ironically, her entire family had long been taken into the scent by the Grandmaster. Her parents were the first batch of sect elders. And just this year, her little brother Chindu, also joined the academy. The little girl Chiyou, has matured since then, no longer afraid as she used to, and was even revered as a goddess by several in the academy. Her heaven defying luck, as well as Her aptitude was nothing to underestimate. Bho Jin, the next patriarch to the Bho n, was also here. A little showoff, with a good heart. He was edgy, hot-blooded and hot-headed like his grandfather, old Bho. He responded more to talking with one''s fist than arguing with your mouth. And then there was Khalea, who had harnessed the power of her shadow affinity after almost a year of training within the academy. Don''t forget that within the academy, thend there was what many in the other world''s would describe as a holynd. The aura made them able to cultivate 10... 50�� no! 100 times faster than they usually should. It was like a dream to jump up the power ranks so fast in just a few days, weeks and months. Well, well, well�� the other 4 who tagged along with them were also no pushovers, even though they were just epted into the academy 3 weeks ago prior to thest academy test. .

    Again, it was important to know that after Khalea''s second batch, 3 more batches of exorcists were added, based on the normal semester term period. Summer semester, fall, winter, you name it�� every season, they take in disciples. And these 4 were like rising stars among the bunch. So of course, they must start taking missions with their seniors and elders to start gaining exorcism points and strengthening their bond with the heavens. Having climbed the lone deste hill, everyone paused at the castle''s entrance, their breaths visible in the chill air. "Do you feel it?" Haru asked, his face facing forward but his side eyes ncing at the 3 week old newbies around him. They nodded vigorously. "Elder Haru, this fog... it feels different." "Yeah��" added a cute 10 year old girl. "It''s not your everyday fog." Although she has only been training for 3 weeks now, she has seen demonic fog before with purple qiced in it. But then one was different. This one felt much more stronger, and had not just purple, but specs of red qi floating within it too. The fog was not merely a natural phenomenon; it was imbued with a malevolent energy, a sign of the evil that lurked within.

    It felt far stronger than the rest, and quite disturbing too. Something was definitely off about it. The fog wrapped around her legs as she moved, resisting her every step as if it were a living entity.

    This was why ordinary police officers felt like they had ran a marathon while ascending the hill. Haru nodded with an overly yful grin on his lips . "Good observation. It''s like it''s trying to keep us out." But how can a mere fog keep them away? Unfortunately, the event didn''t expect there to be exorcists in this world. .

    "Jin, Khalea��" Bho Jin and Khalea nodded, stepping, leaving the police officers confused. What''s happening? Did these people just ay The fog was purple with a few specs of red floating in it? Hey�� howe to them the fog was only white? Could it be that they were colorblind all of a sudden and couldn''t see anything else but white at night? Or could the color matter in the fog be a riddle bh these SN department folks? (?0?)

 Chapter 604 What Are They?

    Chapter 604 What Are They?

    If anyone has ever watched any Addams family movie on other worlds, they would somehow think the mansion and its surroundings were like a true Addams family castle. The gates were spiky and pitch ck. The fog muffled their footsteps, creating an eerie silence that amplified the sound of their breathing and the distant howl of the wind. It wasn''t raining, however, Lightning asionally split the sky, illuminating the castle''s towering spires and casting fleeting shadows across the courtyard just over the gates. Honestly, the scene right now was just like a blockbuster one. As Bho Jin and Khalea advanced towards the gates, Haru slowly turned to face the officers, with a yful joker-like smile on his face. "Now, now, officers, tonight, you''ll find the real reason why you could never find anything on these guys." "And in the meantime, try not to keep your screaming down to a minimum, will you?" "_" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Screaming?

    Who the hell will be screaming�C

    Ahhh! Several people ced their hands on their mouths when seeing a ck image suddenly arose from Khalea''s shadow. F***! What did they just see? Blink, blink~

    Several people fluttered their eyshes excessively, wiping their eyes and jumping on each other like scaredy cats. As for Bho Jin who stepped forward, why�� why�� Why were they now seeing 2 Bho Jin''s? The real Bho Jin and the real Khalea stayed back, while Bho Jin''s clone and Khalea''s dark shadowy figure now rushed, both gathering immense qi towards the gates. Boom! A loud crackling noise bellowed out, followed by an explosive force that sent several officers falling to their butts. Wow! What was that just now? It felt even stronger than a nuclear bomb''s power, yet, they didn''t feel the burn of a nuclear burn, nor did they feel pain. Incredible�� Soon, the dust settled, and they saw that the gate was still more or less intact. Khalea and Bho Jin squinted their eyes dangerously. "As we expected. The fog is protecting the gates." "Yes�� just a second before impact, the fog formed a counterattack shield to protect the gate." The officers thought they gave it their all, not knowing that Khalea and Bho Jin were only testing the dog''s abilities, wanting to know what the bed specs in the fog could do. It seemed this fog had a conscience of its own. But enough y. In a blink of an eye, the shadows and clones moved like lightning, inflicting a single silent move that sliced the gates into a thousand pieces. And do you know the most incredible thing of all? There was no sound, no warning. All everyone heard were the clusters and junks of gate pieces falling to the ground in a blink of an eye. ''O''[Officers]

    Who am I? What am I? Where am I? Was this still the world they knew, or did the world suddenly upgrade when they were at work during the day? .

    "Oh yes��" Haru''s voice bellowed, waking many of them up. "Before I forget, here''s a coin for each of you�� keep them on you at all times." Flip~

    The coins whispered in the air, as they spun towards each officer. Well, the gates were now open�� Time to move in. As they entered the grand hall, the fog seemed to thicken even more, swirling around them in a disorienting dance. Several officers felt an unnatural chill run down his spine, the oppressive atmosphere weighing heavily on his senses.

    What exactly were they up against now? Everything they''ve seen so far, now led them to believe that whatever they were going to face there was definitely out of the ordinary. "Stay close." Haru cautioned, now leading them in with his hands cooly in his pockets. Soon, they reached the giant front door of the mansion. It suddenly opened, as though sensing their presence. And without wasting time, the police officers took out their daggers, pointing and hunching their bodies vigntly. Well, this has never happened before. Do you know how many times they''ve tried to secretly sneak into the mansion, only for the door to never budge? So now that it was opening all on its own, how could they not be suspicious? The D''jaggers are definitely out of the country. So who opened the door just now? (0?0)

    Stepping into the massive medieval styled room, they were immediately greeted with historical artifacts and wealth all around them that could make ancient kings envious. Reieek~

    Ahhh! Several people ducked and even dropped to the ground in a hurry. What was that? Looking up, they spotted over 20 Bats flying around the grand entrance room. Bats? Indoors?

    They''ve never heard of the D''Jaggers family having bats as pets. Before everyone could react, the door suddenly shut close, and therge ss floor to ceiling windows now had thick metal shields closing in from all sides. ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Trapped. Trapped like cornered rabbits in a hole of their making. But while the officers were now shaking to their boots, the academy elders and disciples were calm and poise, only staring at the flying bats now hovering around in the dark. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Several ancient candles lit up along the majestic walls. And right there and then, everyone saw the bats fly towards the ground before them before changing and morphing into figures the police officers truly recognized. Members of the D''jagger family! Well, the Earl and the D''Jagger mainline weren''t here, but they recognize the 16 who morphed from bats. They were more or so direct servants who were so loyal to the Earl''s family that you would think the Earl was their God of Science. They keep saying the Earl this, the Earl that�� but the Earl was actually a 15-year old looking kid who controls the entire D''jagger family. And despite being a 15 year old, he gave every police officer the creeps. They definitely ssified him as a psychopath. They''ve never been able to pin him to any crime. And even when getting Intel about him being at a ce and trying to catch him in the act, he always vanished into thin air. And now, they know why�� because he isn''t human. Haru stepped forward, staring at the aristocratic creatures in human flesh before him. "My, my, my�� So it''s Vampires, aiy?"

 Chapter 605 Vampires!

    Chapter 605 Vampires!

    It was incredible that all the servants who appeared here in full ck maid attire. 14 out of the 16 were stunning women with full chests and slender curvaceous bodies. The other 2 looked like they were 9-year-olds. However, it was hard to know their gender. They could be girls or boys. However, they had cute but sadistic innocent smiles when staring at the bunch of visitors who dared trespass in their house of D''jaggarian. What was incredulous, as that the other 14 out of the 16 were treating these 2 like their leaders. "Heh, heh, heh�� How rude of you all to�C" Bam! Bho Jin didn''t even wait for them to talk, already throwing a chair their way without haste. Whoosh! The 2 children jumped up, twisting in perfect somersaults, only tond on the same spot. "Enough yapping!" Bho Jin yelled, with his pinky finger in his right ear. "I get plenty of tapping from my old gramps as it is. I may be forced to listen to his rants, but don''t think I''ll be doing the same for you!" Haru chuckled, and so did several other disciples. It''s funny how they could see Old Bho''s image from the young Bho Jin. Can they say these 2 were an overly hot-headed pair of grandparent and child? Recalling the number of times they''ve seen Old Bho drag Bho Jin by the ear made them ce their hands over their mouths to stiffen augh. That being said, while they found it amusing, the enemy was nowhere nearughing. At this moment, veins had appeared on the 2 children, covering their foreheads and cheeks. Their eyes also erged and widened on the sides, and their pupils looked more slender, just like reptilian eyes. They looked truly irked and disgusted to be cut in by Bho Jin. Their fangs that used to be hidden, now popped up with their rage.

    "You''re all going to regret this!"

    Bho Jin rolled his eyes heavenwards. "Enough talk already. Let''s dance!" Die for me!"

    Both sides leaped into the air, everyone finding their chosen targets in their hearts. Haru stayed behind, standing guard before the officers, with his hands still in his pocket. 1 vampire thought he was weak and unarmed, rushing towards him with an overly elongated mouth and eyes as red as cherries. But before she could sync her sharp teeth into Haru''s neck, her pupils suddenly dted in shock. No! No! How can this be? She stared at Haru who was still maintaining a warm smile, with a fearful face. It burns! It burns! A single card was plunged straight for her heart, burning her insides to dust. And the fire from the card was like none other. Heavenly mes! But how can this be? How can any human in this world harness the powers from the heavens? Haru chuckled, slowly taking a seat and watching the show while protecting the officers. It''s just that while Gary was in rxation mode, everyone else was more or less equally matched with their opponents. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bho Jin felt sweat trickling down his spine while going up against one for these vampire children. Dammit! He thought he would end things fast, but the bastard he was fighting against was no ordinary one. The pain from its attack made Bho Jin hiss, but don''t think he would be giving up so easily. The enemy stood alone, his cute face brimming with a taunting confident smile. "You really think you can take me on?" Hmph! Bho Jin jumped amid his pain. "Don''t underestimate us, Vampire. We''re more than enough to take you all down!"

    With calction in his eyes, Bho Jin hurriedly evaded an attack, jumping in a forward flip, before releasing his death Scythe mid air and shing the vampire''s back without mercy. Ahhhhh!!! "You damn human! You are nothing but food and drink, so how dare you touch me?" Bho Jin felt he was tired of hearing so many creatures say the same thing. Food this, food that. Look�� Fish were also food to humans. But even a human could die at the hands of a fish if dragged into water. So what''s the big deal about being food? ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

    The battle was fierce. The 4 newbies also coordinated their attacks, attempting to overwhelm a single vampire. Bang! They were thrown back severally, but continued to rise up and head into the battle once more. Sure enough, battling a real enemy was different from therades they faced within the academy. Here, the enemy was ruthless, and truly wished to kill them all. They fought tooth and bone, and were now covered in blood all over, but no one dared to assist them. Haru only watched in silence, nodding from time to time when seeing their growth with each hut they took. As for Khalea, her battles were simr to Bho Jins. But for Ghu Dwo, Chiyou and Butler Windock who were within the first batch of academy disciples, theirs were far smoother and less troublesome. Ghu Dwo swung his Kitana with practiced precision, the weapon smashing through the enemy''s weak points like tofu. Ahhh! His victim cried when seeing her fangs fall to the ground her fangs�� her beautiful fangs! Do you know how long it would take to grow her fangs once more? How to seep in the blood of her victims now? Drinking blood would only take the blood to her belly. The fangs take the blood to a specific part of her body that''s vital to gaining strength and power. It also assists in taking the life images and memories of their victims. So one can start understanding just how important fangs are to their kind. "Terrible��" One of the officers blurted out, shocked by the blockbuster fight scenes scarred all around him. Some were moving at lightning speed, only leaving after images. Others were so powerful that it caused the floors to tremble and crack mid fight. At this point, everyone hade to realize that they weren''t dealing with the ordinary here. SN department�� supernatural department�� Now it made sense. If someone had told them that the ear''s family were a bunch of bag monsters, none of them should have believed it

    But now, with the truth staring them in the face, what else could they say?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 606 Found It!

    Chapter 606 Found It!

    2 hours had gone by since the battle began. It was a grueling 2 hours, with Haru surprisingly doing barely nothing. However, no one would think him weak. After fighting and fighting for so long, these vampires still couldn''t believe they lost just like that. What''s going on? Since when did humans get so powerful and resourceful? Now, finding themselves pinned to the ground with blessed metal coins nted in their palms and feet, all vampires hissed and red. -Heh-heh-heh-heh~

    The 2 childrenughed viciously, when staring at these police officers and disciples all around him. Only theirughter that should have been child-like, was more like an ominous sign for worse things toe.

    "You foolish humans�� What do you think you can do to any of us here? Shoot us? Kill us with your bullets? Fine. You did manage to somehow harness heavenly objects that can pierce us. But it won''t truly kill us." Because you all aren''t exorcists. They cruelly thought. That being said, they will eventually regenerate unless exorcized. So what''s there to be afraid of? Hmph!

    "Idiotic mortals! Soon, we will be back, and then, you will truly know the meaning of fear!" Gawkakakakakakakaka~

    The creaturesughed wickedly,ughing and staring at those who are now shaking like leaves. Now, no one was concerned about theirughter, but the message they left behind.

    Hiss~

    The officers sucked in their breaths, grabbing onto each other so much that their nails began the the fabrics of their clothing. What did these creatures mean by that?. Rejuvenate? Regenerate? So�� so even if killed now, they will still one day appear again, never really dying? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Then-then-then how the bloody F**k are they to kill these ugly things once and for all?

    Flip~

    The sound of a single page turning, distracting not just the police officers, but also theughing creatures.

    Who is it? Who is it that dares to read books at a time like this? Don''t you know how to read a room?

    "Oh, sorry about it," Haru apologized coyly, while staring at the creatures. "Are you finally done, or Is there more you''d like to add to bore us to death?"

    "_" [Creatures & police officers]

    Sorry, we didn''t know what was going on here was less important than whatever it was you''re trying to read. Who was this guy? Again, they asked, can''t you learn how to read a room here?

    Slowly raising his book and chuckling softly, Haru unhurriedly flicked his wrist. And just then, a wind from nowhere blew the pages at an incredible pace, until it stopped at a very peculiar page with the title Vampires written boldly at the top.

    "Alright, newbies�� page 215�� How to exorcize Vampires�� Begin!" The newbies wasted no time, nodding seriously, despite the evident shock on the faces of these vampires. Wait, wait, wait just a darn minute. Did they just hear the word exorcize? So does this mean they are actually EXORCISTS?

    Exorcists! Exorcists! There are exorcists in this world? Howe?

    (>0o0>)

    Suddenly the vampires who seemed arrogant, began twitching and trying their hardest to flee in a split second. Crieiieeieiiei~

    They kept trying to change into bats, trying to make their bodies smaller, so the coins pinning them down would fall or roll off. But how could it be so simple?

    Change��. Don''t change�� The disciples showed no hesitation when exorcizing them all. But of course, there were times when Haru had to step in to assist, because some vampires here were more powerful than the disciples doing the exorcizing. .

    "Shwshwshwhshwhshwhshw~"

    The disciples had chanted and chanted, raising a tornado of heavy wind that gathered all the evil qi in the atmosphere.

    "Everyone get down!"

    The doors and windows opened without hesitation, and in came a lot of wind and objects, including the broken mansion''s gate. Bang!

    It pped onto a wall first, as if resisting, but was still getting sucked in and in by the bizarre force. What''s going on? What''s going on here? Howe it looks like the gate is trying to dig into the ancient tiles to avoid getting pulled in?

    Frozen from what their eyes were seeing, no police officer knew how to urately describe the scene before them. How to write all this in a report? Who can tell them how to do it? No�� more importantly, who will believe them if they ever write such a thing and submit through the normal channels?

    "IMPOSSIBLE! IMPOSSIBLE!" The 2 vampire children who had morphed into hideous grotesque rotting bats, blurted these words in a shrill cry as they soon found their bodies slowly burning and disappearing into thin air.

    Looking at the heavenly chains that now bound them, they yelled and screamed hatefully, their eyes still gazing at the smiling Haru, as though trying to burn his image in their hearts.

    No! They don''t ept this! If they''re sessfully exorcized, then what chance will they get again to ever get a chance to enact their revenge on these bastards? Revenge! Revenge! They wanted revenge!

    The vampire''s all had eyes of true horror when finding heavenly chains falling from above andtching onto them. It''s over�� it''s all over�� Haru squinted his eyes coldly, before mming his palms together with force. Now, he was joining the party to end things once and for all. "Exorcize!!!" No!!!!!!

    The chains shook violently, despite the protest from these pitiful vampires. And soon, the police officers saw the once terrifying vampires now crying pitifully, with every body part of theirs that vanished.

    Pop.

    They vanished like popped bubbles. �Csilence�C You look at me, I look at you. All officers stay on the ground in silence, still not believing what they just witnessed tonight. What was even more terrifying to know was that the true leaders of this vampire family were all out on a ''business'' trip. These maids and servants were this strong, so imagine how much more terrifying their masters would be?

    The Earl and those whomand true power were not here yet. So of course, keeping a tight lock on things would be best. Several officers swore on their lives that they wouldn''t say anything about this matter - NOT A SINGLE WORD. (0x0)

 Chapter 607 A New Chess Piece

    Chapter 607 A New Chess Piece

    Indeed, the house was exorcized, but not everything of it had gone. Just the gate a few more items, nothing more. After all, they don''t want the Earl to truly be suspicious of the existence of Exorcists.

    They left the atmosphere to still be filled with evil qi. All they exorcized were the troublesome artifacts, like the gate, that had minds of their own and would eventually rat them out. But of course, exorcizing these vampires wasn''t the only reason they were here.

    So while the Police Captain quickly warned his team of the dangers surrounding any slip of tongue, Haru gave a light nod to Ghu Dwo and a few others.

    Sensing their thoughts, the police Captain thinned his lips and voiced his intentions to join in whatever they had to do.

    Yes, it was true he was scared shitless, however, this matter was what he foresaw as a matter concerning all humankind. So how could he allow himself to continue to remain in the dark?

    Didn''t hear what these creatures said when they were exorcized?

    A war ising!

    One that doesn''t care whether you''re a police officer, a crook, or even a baby. A war to end humankind and make them into blood banks of food wasing. And he, Police Captain of his precinct, must definitely participate in protecting the civilians.

    "Tell us what we must do."

    Haru was taken aback, understanding that the Captain wasn''t talking about today''s matter, but the war ahead.

    It''s good��. For humanity''s sake, they must be united and cooperate with each other. At the same time, they must be vignt with other humans, lest they don''t know who wears a mask around them.

    "Don''t worry. 4 months before the war, instructions will be given."

    The Police Captain and several other officers nodded heavily, feeling their hearts fall into their bellies. They swore that no matter what instructions were given, they must fulfill them even if their jobs were on the line.

    It seems that the many police stations will be fortified somehow and used as safe havens. They don''t know how these people intended to keep the entire city''s poption in their small police stations, but did not think too much of it. After all, if the government was smart enough to open a SN department, they must have known about this war 90 or even 100 years ago and must have long built underground bunkers to keep these MONSTERS ALL AWAY.

    Yes, yes, it must be so. It seems They also trained these SN people for decades underground, and only allowed them to truly register into the system a year before the war began.

    Already, all police officers came up with so many fictional tales about the origin of the SN department. After the blockbuster scene they witnessed, they felt the SN department''s location must be some hidden society that has been training and living as shadows for hundreds and hundreds of years.

    The police Captain turned to look at his subordinates with narrowed eyes, "Remember, all you''ve seen or heard today is CLASSIFIED. If I hear even a single utterance of the matter, you will be off the force! Is that understood?"

    Several people nodded like zombies. Well, they swore that even if they got drunk, they must know whatto say and what not to say.

    Speaking of eating and drinking, they felt no desire to do these things, feeling like the next time they might eat might be monthster.

    After witnessing such grotesque beings and puking out their intestines from disgust, its not easy to think of eating or drinking anymore.

    If anything, they now felt like fasting. Sadly, as police officers who needed to eat a lot of good lean meat and proteins to keep in shape, they knew they must force themselves to keep their bodies well fueled, especially since the way was now underway. Some secretly swore that if they had to drink, they must only take no more than 2 bottles or cans a week.

    No matter what, they MUST NOT GET DRUNK!

    (*^*)

    .

    Like so, the police officers followed Haru and his group to scour the vast and enormous ancient castle. And soon, they found what they were looking for.

    "Elder Haru, it''s here!" Bho Jin yelled, causing the police officers to tense up a bit.

    Eh? Here? What was here?

    All they saw was an empty space with an elevated tform ahead. Or could it be that there was some invisible enemy here too?

    Everyone was still confused, until they saw Haru gently touch the ground lightly with his finger after chanting and blowing softly towards the ground.

    "AH-"

    The officers again felt the world was too mysterious when seeing several purple, blue and green lights in the form of symbols, now appearing on the floor and even the walls and ceiling. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    What?

    There was no space that was left unturned without a symbol. This massive hall from top to bottom, was all covered in strange glowing symbols.

    "The portal��" Haru murmured, observing that this was the 6thrgest portal they had discovered. When talking about portal size, it''s not just the physical size of the portals, but how many can cross through the portal at the same time. And if his guess was urate, about 12000 can cross through every second. "What? 12,000 at once?"The Police officers felt like fainting. What was even more terrifying was that Bho Jin had said this was nothingpared to some they found that could let 20 and even 30,000 monsters cross over in a blink of an eye.

    "Destroy�� destroy�� we must destroy them all!" These Officers felt their hearts could no longer take the shock, now feeling that their world was too scary to live in.

    At this rate, who knows if half their poption was filled with these monsters instead of humans. Fortunately, Haru said that although these massive portals have been there for centuries and even millennials, they have never been used.

    It seems that if so many creatures cross over, it would alert something called the heavenly Dao�� So until the time of war, these portals won''t be used. Again, the monsters choose the day for the war because on that day, thes will align and the Heavenly Dao will somewhat be weakened. It was the perfect time.

    So until then, these portals will remain unused. The more these officers heard, the more dumbfounded they grew. But soon, everyone left the scene, with no one daring toy mention of what they went through.

    "Remember, wait for our orders and prepare for the inevitable�� Keep your families safe in the meantime."

    Got it�� Like so, another portal was found, and more police officers were made aware of humanity''s great evacuation n... And amid the rumble, there were others in Vardos who were causing more chaos than ever.

    Cami chuckled enticingly, when staring at the foolish human who was now sharing a bed with her.

    The mortal was shocked, feeling that no woman has ever been so sweet before. He felt he could even give her the world at this moment. It''s been a while since he met her, and he already felt he married the wrong woman. He now had disgust for his children and wished them all dead so he wouldn''t have to keep sneaking around with his lovely Cami.

    Hateful! Hateful! His Cami was everything to him. And for her, he could even burn the entire world to the ground!

 Chapter 608 A new Chess Piece - 2

    Chapter 608 A new Chess Piece - 2

    After a rigorous Gymnastic exercise, the 2id down cuddling affectionately, with Cami stroking the fool''s chest soothingly. Albeit a fool, but he was also the secret leader of a dangerous and powerful gang in district 47. This guy was a young Mafia boss who rose to power, united 7 other gangs under his wing and took over the entire district 47 in a twinkle of an eye.

    Even the military and police officers find it hard to take him down. How to say it? District 47 was a ce riddled with all sorts of mercenaries in the world and in the country. It was like a safe haven for mercenaries. Killings happen here frequently, trafficking, drug experimentation on humans, you name it�� District 47 was abination of 1 massive city, as well as 2 neighboring viges too and their forest surroundings. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Once crossing into District 47, you enter the every man for himself zone.

    These people also had thetest weapon technology, sometimes kidnapping famous weapon makers and doctors toe work for them by force. District 47 had the firepower to take down any military nes hovering around their airspace. They were a tough nut to crack, and many times, have killed undercover cops and military personnel sent on to rescue others.

    Of course, they''ve taken over the ce, making even the ordinary folks who live there cower in fear wherever they rise to do business. There were stores there, hotels, farmers, you name it.

    For their criminal activities to thrive, themunity must also thrive. So they never stopped regr folks from doing business. It''s just that every month, each business must pay a certain tax fee to them. Call it protection fee�� Well, this young 29 year old Cami was in bed with, was a menace to many from the tender age of 6. That''s right, he was already brutalizing and torturing people then. And by 15, he took over a boss of a gang that recruited him. But how did he take over, by killing his boss and those within his gang who opposed him. Then he continued taking over until he had the entire District 47 under his control.

    Out here, they call him the King. Sure, there were some newly sprung gangs and even some old ones who weren''t under his control here, but no one dared to go against him.

    Cam had to admit that although she despised all humans now, she for one used to be a human pirate, and was impressed by his tactics. That being said, no matter how much favor she gave her prey, it was still prey�� a chess piece she had to use to fuel her desire for more war�� war, war, war!

    That''s what she wants. She wants to see it all burn to the ground. She wanted to hear screams and all sorts of cries anguish all around her. Dear heavens�� What was wrong with her? Nothing!... absolutely nothing!

    .

    Cami chuckled, nting a taunting kiss and yanking on the King''s nipple yfully. "Did you see the news from the Vice President? It seems the President is ready to move all out against your District 47. And I know my man is never a coward who is afraid of a little fight. So what will you do now that all eyes are on you?"

    "What will I do?" The King''s eyes grew grim. He was typically a person who was very level headed. But for some reason, he and many others felt they couldn''t keep silent anymore. The entire Vardos was quickly growing into a battlefield, the sort he liked. He had to also admit that he loved this sort of chaos. The outside world of Vardos out of his District 47 was quickly turning into mercenary grounds too. It seems all ordinary people also have something to vent off too. Well, this was just the way he liked it.

    Licking his lips cruelly, The King knew that this was the right time to act. "My darling Cami, do you know that before meeting you, I didn''t know what my true future would look like. But now, I know my true purpose is to not only grow District 47, but to take over the entire Vardos, turning it into a world of our own."

    As of now, the military was too busy taking care of the chaos across Vardos as a whole, allowing him to monopolize 1 other major city tinder his belt. Now, district 47 has grown in size again. The more chaos there is, the greater their chances of taking over Vardos. That being said, since the Vice-President has said the President wants to make a move on his District 47, then he must first make a move on that bloody president to show his might. And who else better to use than the many top mercenaries and killers in his vicinity?

    Know that the killers here were some within the Dark web. Some were top killers and assassins too. The King began feeling too mighty having his ego stroked by his woman. Which other Mafia man or boss can have the Vice-President of a country under his ''fingers?'' Where have you seen it done?

    The King started feeling cocky, thinking it was his charm and power that made the Vice-president fearful of him. Hey, Cami, his woman, was the one who linked both sides up. And now, The King is ready to take on the Presidential suit and be Vardos'' next president. What election? What voting?

    In the face of true power, all must bow to him, no questions asked. As for his dear wife and bastard daughter, who even knows if that child is his?

    The King felt he must have been blind to love such a worthless lowlife before. Now, he wished for nothing else but to have her and her child killed. Of course not yet. He first wanted her to open her dog eyes and see him and Cami rise higher in power before killing her off.

    How dare she betray him like that? If not for Cami, he would have never known that she was sleeping around with 10 other men and even talking to the feds about him. KILL~

    The King had so many ns up his sleeves.

    Looking at the news on the TV, The King suddenly had a bright idea for when they''ll strike. "Darling, isn''t the press-conference in 5 days time?"

    Both gave each other tactful stress, before chuckling and preparing for round 3. In 5 days, the world will get their message.

 Chapter 609 Special Cases

    Chapter 609 Special Cases

    In Britannia, several high-end officers and military personnel slowly marched through the corridors of a massive asylum.

    They didn''t understand why they were asked to bring a certain patient back, but given the high rank of the task, they dared not ask any further inquiries or mistreat the patient in question. And as they walked, the Asylum''s dean walked beside them with a doctor''s whitecoat and thick spectacles sitting on the bridge of his nostrils.

    "Adrianna Fleming��Age 15. Was brought in when she was only 7. Her parents said right from her birth, she was acting peculiar."

    "She cried more often than regr babies and had a look of fear every now and then. At first, they thought it would stop when she grew older, but it just kept getting worse."

    "The family moved from ce to ce, and every time, she ended up burning their home to the ground��. Monsters�� she said." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "She always swore it wasn''t her, but the monsters hell bent on torturing her to stupor."

    "Mad�� she''s as mad as a Hatter, that one. But what do you guys want with her? I can''t see her being of any use to anyone, seeing as she has a knack for burning down all homes she visits. Only this asylum has been able to keep her in check."

    Well, the Dean felt that although the girl typically spoke of monsters, she looked quite normal. She would workout in her cell as though preparing for some future battle, and would also spend her time in the library, reading from morning till night. Of course, whenever she was in the library, a guard would supervise her, lest she burns something down again. No one knows how she was always able to burn down things without a match or sturdy objects that could start a spark. So it was best to keep an eye out for her when she visits such ''mmable'' areas.

    To be honest, all her brain functions and medical examinations show her to be normal. However, what sort of normal person speaks of monsters with fear and goes around burning down ces?

    After having her go through lie detectors and other technologies, they saw that she said no word of lies. Which meant she truly believed what she said and was mentally handicapped, despite what her medical reports said.

    Thus, she has been locked up here for years.. It also seemed that she had no desires for the outside world too. She was more than happy to stay here. She often says she will leave soon, but no one knows when the ''soon'' she speaks of wille. This was also why they kept her under heavy supervision, lest she attempts to burn this ce to the ground and flee.

    .

    The officers and military personnel listened with great interest, wanting to know what was so important with this girl. The only thing their superiors said was that she was the only one who saw a certain crime happen in the past, and they wanted more details from her.

    This was why they must treat her with care despite her ''mental state.'' Again, they had many questions to ask, like how a mentally ill person would be able to answer their superiors rightfully with facts. But who were they to ask?

    Some thought that perhaps her mental illness was faked, since her brain activity showed she was normal. She must have seen the ''crime'' in question take ce, and chosen to pretend to be mentally ill to protect her loved ones. The monsters in question might be the people whomitted the crime. And the fear she showed must be fear of knowing what they''ll do to her if they find out she knows. Soon, everyone came to the Asylum''s library and instantly spotted a very calm figure, slowly flipping through a book. She crossed one leg and was very focused on reading a book called ''The Art of War.''

    ording to the dean, she read things involving geography, chemistry, biology, survival, war, you name it. At first, they didn''t want to provide such violent and academic books for her to read, as Asylum''s typically had books with happy thoughts. But the girl made a fuss that she wanted to feel like an ordinary student going to school or she would fall into great depression and might do something harmful for them all. The war between the dean and herself carried on for 5 whole months until her request was finally granted. But, she must read these books in the library under supervision.

    Look��. There were guards standing several feet around her in a square formation.

    Sensing their arrival, the girl unhurriedly raised her head from her book and was then taken aback by the stream of military and police officer personnel around.

    "Miss Adrianna, pleasee with us. Your cooperation is most needed."

    ��

    2 hourster, Adrianna found herself well fed, cleaned up and well taken care of, now staying within a hotel room within a simple 2-story home.

    What was all this about?

    No matter how well they treated her, if they didn''t tell her why they brought her in, she would never feel at ease. She could sense they had no ill intentions towards her, so what was all this about?

    Soon, those who escorted her were gone, and 3 others in peculiar but cool looking school-like uniforms now stepped into the home.

    And then, they unlocked one of the doors within the home and led her in.

    "Miss Adrianna, please put your hand on the globe."

    Well, Adrianna didn''t know what to make of their request, thinking the globe must be some sort of lie detector or something. But what happened next shocked her.

    The globe lit up in a pure white light with specs of green within it. Following this, a letter emerged in a twinkle of an eye like Magic.

    [Dear Miss Adrianna, you have been epted into The Heavenly Tian Academy for Exorcism!]

    "0"

    Typically, there were no eptances during semester periods, but because of her peculiar talents, she was granted eptance on the spot and didn''t even have to wait for a few days.

    Obediah and Hitchcoff, the military soldiers who were there in Cygypt during the 1st Horseman''s debut, gave each other tactful stares.

    They were now bonafide Disciples.

    After bing an exorcist for almost a year now, they''ve beenbing through a series of cases in Britannia, discovering some unique talents who will definitely aid their cause.

    And one of them was Adrianna Fleming, who they suspect was born with her 3rd eye opened!

    But not just that.

    ording to the Grandmaster, she might have the rare Ying-yang eyes, the ones many underworld beings would kill for. The fact that she still had them intact meant they weren''t ripe for the taking yet.

    Seeing the portal slowly opening before her, Adrianna was taken aback, confused that humans had such powers. That''s right, her eyes told her they were true humans.

    She could also feel the air of nobility and righteousness around them.

    "Adrianna Fleming�� If you wish to survive the uing war and protect your parents, this is the only way out�� So, what will you choose?"

    Looking at the letter that changed into a tattoo on her chest, Adrianna felt a sense of belonging for the first time in her life.

    She wasn''t crazy�� she wasn''t crazy��

    Finally there were others who believed what she has always known.

    The enemy exists�� They exist, and will soon roam the world, no longer in hiding.

    Exorcist�� She has heard that word from one or 2 creatures before. It seems they fear these people called exorcists.

    If that''s the case, she must be one as well!

    With that, Adrianna chuckled with tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. Soon, she disappeared through the portal, following Obediah''s group in excitement.

    The world beyond the portal was one she could never believe or fathom.

 Chapter 610 Turbulent Times

    Chapter 610 Turbulent Times

    Today, many had gathered before the Red House to listen to the words of the country''s leader, President Ghant Luxver. The crisp hot air was filled with anticipation as the press conference was about to begin. President Grant Luxver, previously known for his charismatic leadership and unwaveringmitment to transparency, was scheduled to address the nation from the Rose Garden of the Red House. Journalists from around the world gathered, their cameras poised and notebooks ready.

    The security on site was quadruple its usual number in the past, and its entire scene was heavy with the crowd growing rowdier by the minute. Since when did things turn out so bad? Indeed, these were dangerous times..very, very dangerous times. Can''t you see the many police officers and even soldiers holding back the crowd of rowdy protesters far away who were hell bent on rushing up to the stadium and stabbing the many government officials to death? As President Grant stepped up to the podium, his presencemanded attention. His auburn hair caught the sunlight, and his eyes sparkled with determination for Peaceful talks, as well as some not-so peaceful ones too. For example, District 47. Such a ce must go, or else things will only grow worse from here on out. With those thoughts in mind, Ghant adjusted the microphone and began his address.

    "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining me today," he started, her voice steady and confident. "We now find ourselves at a crucial juncture in our nation''s history�� Violence, killings, trafficking, rape, and several other crimes have tripped in the space of 3 months." Ghant paused. "Again, I ask you all. How did we get here? Gas prices are high, and you want to burn the gas stations to the grounds? You say Salmon is high, so you kidnap the fishermen and partake in cannibalism? Is any of this normal?" So any disagreement now and they''ll result to violence? Can you believe that because a teacher gave a boy a B+ grade on his paper the boy kidnapped the teacher and sliced him to bits? Incredible! Since when did people act on their first thought running through their heads? In general, it''smon for people to say: [I''ll kill you], when angry. But actually acting on it is what makes it shocking. You don''t know the number of reports he has received from the many sectors within the Criminal Justice Department. Thankfully, he had capable people like Vice-President Doyle and several others by his side to assist him in keeping things in order. Vice-president Doyle in particr was quite impressive. Whenever he said he would handle things, he never truly missed a beat. Everything he ever takes on gets more or less aplished. This shows howpetent and intelligent his strategies are. So of course when President Ghant was stumped and confirmed by his good old pal, the advice he got was one that although didn''t quite resonate with him, was one that he saw must be taken if he had to keep order in the country as of now. ording to Doyle, the true instigations for all the chaos they''re receivinges from District 47. He didn''t know how they did it, but District 47 found a way to manipte several others out of their district. Was it a special drug that makes people angrier than usual? Some sort of pill or something? Well, he didn''t know how they did it, but came to understand that if they don''t nip District 47 in the butt, the country will continue to plummet to a far worse state than it already was. ��

    Like so, Doyle presented his speech very passionately, determined to at least spread the message across and allow the Vardos to find a target to pin all their frustrations on. That''s right, he was taking Doyle''s advice. Point out the enemy, and then be the hero, promising to eradicate the enemy for the people. It''s a ssic Viin-Hero tactic. Like so, the crowd listened intently, captivated by his words. However, amidst the sea of reporters, a figure lurked in the shadows��a man with a hidden agenda. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Who was this man who blended so well with the ground with a camera hovering over his eyes from time to time? Two words - Victor Hayes, also known as The Scorpion. There are legends that tell of him, lurking underneath the ''sands'' lurking in wait for his prey before he stung. In the assassination world, he was mostly known for his venomous signature that left his victim disfigured, dead and with a face and body 3 times more swallow than before. Once his bullets and even his des hit his target, the poison gets into the bloodstream and then, starts a very diforting feeling of having their throat and heart swell up so much that you find yourself drowning in air. Such a dangerous man on the Top most wanted list was out here taking pictures in perfect disguise, yet no one knew a thing. The man named Victor Hayes stood silently. He was nondescript in appearance, blending seamlessly with the crowd. However, beneath his calm exteriory a mind consumed by anger and desperation. It took all his willpower for him not to rush up to the podium and personally stab this son of a B**ch to death. Dammit! It was because of Doyle that he has even changed for decades now. Victor felt that these past few weeks his anger has erupted more rapidly than usual. But he felt it should be so. You don''t know how happy he was when receiving the order from the KING himself. Thus, he meticulously nned this day, driven by a personal vendetta against the President''s policies and their past chases of cat and mouse. As President Grant continued her speech, Victor''s hand slipped into his coat pocket, fingers brushing against cold metal. His heart raced as he recalled his n��a n that would change everything.

    "Today," President Ghant dered, "we take another step towards unity and progress."

    Victor''s grip tightened around the handle of a small pistol. He knew he had only one chance.

    He had to take the shit at the right time.

    "Ladies and Gentlemen, the only way to secure peace is to�C"

    Bang! Bang! Bang!~

    The shots were fired.

 Chapter 611 A Tough Decision

    Chapter 611 A Tough Decision

    Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! The sounds of bullets echoed heavily, cashing some to duck and flee with their tails tightly tucked between their legs. Of course many chose to stay, as they were journalists and could even stay still during hurricanes and heavy tornadoes if it meant they''ll be the ones getting the scoop. What? An assassination. Attempt on the president''s life and you expect them not to capture it all? (''0'')

    Click, click!~

    Countless photos were taken in a sh. And with the suddenmotion erupting at the edge of the gathering, the Security personnel rushed towards an agitated man shouting incoherently about conspiracies and injustice.

    The man in question even danced when he saw the incident happen. The man in question was also dressed very sketchily, with a long trench coat and an overly wide hat on his head. "Protect the President!" Victor''s eyes turn cold when thinking of all that unfolded before him. It wasn''t him, but another who pulled the trigger. And now, his long nned opportunity is gone. But what was even more aggregating was that the bastard had shot the President in the chest and on his upper arm.

    Come on! Are you a fool? Don''t you know that shooting in the chest is akin to wasting bullets? What President makes a speech without wearing a bulletproof vest? Again, you shot him in the arm and you''re jumping happily over there? Why couldn''t you aim for the head to ensure the president stays dead? One look and Victor could tell the bastard making the shot was an amateur who was probably not paid by anyone. His hands were shaky, and his eyes showed no discipline, but only pure hatred in them. "Stop him!" shouted a young female guard who was first on the scene to appear and hold down the culprit just long enough for Secret Service agents to spring into action. They tackled him to the ground, disarming him in an instant.

    .

    Again, the crowd erupted into chaos as people scrambled for safety. Cameras shed wildly as journalists documented every second of the unfolding drama. The distraction provided Victor with the perfect opportunity to escape, although he was leaving with a grimmer face than when he arrived. Dammit! It was all ruined. The n to take down President Ghant will have to be postponed indefinitely�� at least until his target lowers his guard. Like so, Ghant was ushered away from the scene and taken into the Red House for safety and medical care. Weew-Weew-Weew~

    The sounds of more and more police sirens emerging into the scene could be heard all around the space. It was amazing that these journalists didn''t want to leave despite all that happened. They stood firm, wanting to find out more answers and questions from the guards, military personnel and police officers on site. "Excuse me, sir! Have you identified who the man taken in custody is?"

    "When will you disclose the news to the world?" "What grudge does the man have against President Doyle to make him so rampant?" "How do you all feel knowing that you''re all so ipetent enough to leave an enemy stray into the Red House you im is incredibly secure?" "Hello sir, can you tell me if you think your mother will be proud of you for failing to fulfill your duty of protecting the President?" "Madam guard, can you please tell us how you reacted so swiftly, despite the slow reaction from others? Could it be that you were in cahoots with the attacker, so you can make yourself look like a heroine?" "Sir! Sir!"

    "Madam!"

    "Miss!"

    "Sir, sir!" "h, h, h, h, h~" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    �� President Ghant was now breathing heavily when lying on his back, surrounded by many medics and important personnel. Vice President Doyle and several others with high positions also stood motionless, like tall trees protruding from the deepest parts of the jungle. "Sir, we must not let such acts go unpunished!" Secretary of Defense, Mitchen Rongulf, stated with a stern face. And as he spoke, his thick mustache moved, as though dancing on its own. "Mr. President, if you ask me, this incident serves as a reminder of both our vulnerabilities and our strengths," he said solemnly yet optimistically.

    "Yes," Vice-president Doyle and several others agreed. "Mr. President, we all know you love peace, but many times, war is what is needed to keep peace afloat. So now is not the time to falter in our original ns." Doyle expressionlessly stated. "Mr. President, I got off the phone with the guards, and the man in question said he was sent an invitation by someone who ims to be a member of District 47. But that''s not all��" Doyle took a deep breath staring at everyone in the room grimly. "It appears there might be all sorts of killers, both skilled and amateurs, heading your way."

    "So you see, Mr. President, the time for peace has long passed." Many nodded like chickens pecking at a barrel of corn, because theypletely agreed with Doyle. Now, the only thing that can bring back their former peace is WAR!

    So what''s there to hesitate? Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!

    Ghant stayed silent, feeling his entire being disagreeing with them all. Intuition told him that if they did go to war, they would lose big time.

    However, it was clear that he was outnumbered in voting. So what else could he do but stall the situation at hand until he thinks of something clever on his own? There were quite a few military personnel that he trusted with his life. Since there will be more assassination attempts headed his way, it''s time he called in the heat of the best to step in not only protect, but think of suggestions to diffuse the current situation at hand. "Alright, alright�� I''ll think about it." Ghant gave them a promise, cashing several people''s faces to fall. Think? This was not the time for thinking, but the time for action instead. So what the hell was this guy thinking about here? (?^?)

    Tsk. They suddenly despised this shift hearted and weak president. Damn, if only it was Doyle and not this wimp who became president. As it stands, only if the President dies, will Doyle take over his spot. So what if�C

    Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh. Many already had dangerous thoughts brooding in their hearts. But the moment they left the scene, Ghant quickly took out his phone without hesitation. It was time for a certain someone to repay the favor to him as promised. "Wiggins you old bastard! Where the hell are you? You better see this Voicemail fast. I need you pronto�� you owe me one!"

 Chapter 612 Doyles Plans

    ?Chapter 612 Doyle''s ns

    The news spread during this period was incredible.

    What an assassination attempts on the Vardos President?

    Howe? Who did it? Were they working alone? Any help from the outside?

    Is the president still alive, dead or barely hanging by the thread now?

    Wipe! The world turned dangerous in a twinkle of an eye before many could prepare. Some were frightened, others were sad, and some were happy from the noise they got.

    Those sad were of course several scarred around Vardos, most especially those within the no-man''snd they called District 47.

    Crash!!!~

    An ear shattering sound echoed from within a luxury apartment, cashing many around to squirm like fishes out of water.

    "Hah!" The young 29 year old had just mmed the burner phone in his phone into bits after touched the ground.

    "Fools! Idiots! Morons!"

    "I paid those 4 highly skilled sons of b**chest to get the job done, and now, they have the guys to tell me they were a second or minutete because some amateur chose to take the shit instead."

    Aiii-

    The King wished he could shoot them all himself.

    Know that thanks to them, a simple job has now turned into a f***king nightmare!

    Do you think it will be easy to eradicate Ghant as it was today? Huh, do you?

    "Assholes!"The King cursed, before taking out his personal phone and calling several others scattered around District 47.

    Why? Because now that they''ve moved the first piece on the board, it was now time for their enemy to retaliate and make his move.

    But while this goes on how dare they lie in wait without fortifying and strengthening their defenses?

    The King kicked his lips viciously when staring at the map of his territory.

    It''s true what they say.

    Once you''ve tasted power you never want to give it up or anything that belongs to you. So at this moment, they must give it their all to fight the uing war against President Doyle and his Red House Forces.

    "Bullseye, Froyo, Red Arrow, Bampo... you 12 get in here as fast as you can. I f**king, don''t care where you are right now. But I want to see you here in no more than 2 hours... you got that?"

    [Loud and clear, Boss!]

    [Be there in an hour, Boss!]

    [Copy that, Boss!]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ...

    Several people were scattered around the vastnds, some torturing others in well-known sites, while others were busy with the everyday running of the ce, like collecting ''taxes'' and protection fees from the residents.

    Some stopped their ecstasy half-way through, rolling off the women below them without haste. Teh-

    It seems heads will roll soon enough.

    Several people sucked in the cigarette sticks in their hands, throwing thest bits before stepping into their vehicles and heading off the ce they call the Capital.

    There, their King now awaited them all.

    pping the exterior of his vehicle with his hand, one of them yelled to his entourage, "All right boys, Roll out!"

    With that, he rolled up his bullet proof windows and unwound a paper of white substance. Well, the journey to the Capital was long, at least an hour and 20 minutes from where he was. So why not have a little fun along the way?

    (Sniff, sniff-)

    The snow powder he sniffed in was theirtest product, one highly sought after in the underground world for its purity and ability to take its users far above cloud 9.

    In the meantime, Cami who just had a passionate kiss with her ''man, was now riding high in a red jeep, with dark sunsses and red lipstick on her plump lips.

    Hahahahahahahha~

    The game is set, the sters are ready, and now, she''ll have the privilege of watching it all crumble to the ground.

    However, there was something that needed to be taken care of first.

    Picking up her phone, she heard the instructions of Lord Doyle on the other end.

    [He''s still hesitant. You more than anyone else knows that we need him to spearhead the war, if more chaos is to erupt... But tell me Horseman, since he might never be willing to do so, where else can we find a perfect clone to take his ce?]

    Cami''s eyes narrowed viciously.

    The Mirror World!

    Cami chuckled, already understanding what she must do. t seems Doyle, as Vice President, was now stepping up on some matters since the President under treatment. He must head out to a few ces to show his ''face'' and cannot be around the Red House

    right now.

    Of course, he could let his subordinates handle the matter on their own, but after the disappearance of the first horseman, he preferred to keep this cheeky Horseman of war within the eyes of himself or his men.

    Right now, too many agents of darkness were scattered about Vardos, aiding in raising Havoc here and there, thanks to Cami.

    Horseman of war, horseman of Famine, Horsman of this, horseman of that.

    You see... What powers does each horseman possess? And what of the Horseman of war

    in particr?

    Cami''s powers were unique.

    Know that whichever ce she stays in for love, will quickly get corrupted.

    It was like a drug in the atmosphere, making people canine and hot-blooded. They wished to fight, rip each other''s throats and would also heed to her whispery thoughts in

    their ears.

    She was like a virus, one that contaminated everything she touched. Of course, while she waltzed around doing her business, Doyle has always had his people watch over her from time to time, lest she disappears too.

    It''s just that now, at this crucial junction, they needed all hands on deck topletely plummet this country into an apocalyptic state. This was why he preferred she go along with those tasked in doing the switch.

    Right now, he was waiting for one of his subordinates from far away, a type of demonic breed called a Munyen.

    In fact, if Gia Donghai heard him, he would say: F***! Isn''t that the sort of creature that can do a switch between man and shadow, allowing them to switch ces while then goes into the shadow world to absorb the fear and essence of its victim?

    Dorian''s first time in the mirror world sinceing to this world, was during the case involving Gia Donghai. It was quite a memorable one.

    [Horseman, you and another will do the job in 3 days. Attain the worthless humana and

    await the arrival of the Munyen in xxxx.]

    "Got it, Boss."

    Cami smiled, taking off speedily on the lone highway.

    "Little President, I hope you''re ready for what is toe."

    Tick-tock, Tick-tock.

    Time seems to sh by in a twinkle of an eye right underneath everyone''s nostrils. And

    at this point, it was official.

    Something was wrong, and several people around the world felt a big storm was approaching, yet they couldn''t make heads or tails of when or where the danger was

    Suddenly, the world seemed to be in too much turmoil, especially with the bizarre aggressive state of Vardos.

    Their craziness was quickly spreading like a virus, affecting even the neighboring

    countries so much that a ban was put in ce at the airports and borders, preventing Vardos citizens from leaving the hellhole they created for themselves.

    The borders, now ravaged with subtle wars, were slowly turning to a medieval battlefield

    with generals defending their turfs.

    Dammit!

    "Are these Vardos bastards crazy or something? Who starts a war with no bloody good

    cause at all?"

    "Exactly! Can you believe that the bastard in Cell 49 said he rallied up his boys to storm

    our border town because he thinks it''s unfair that we make the best cheeseburger which

    is too far from his home on the other side of the border?"

    F***!

    What a nightmare!

    The many police officers and military personnel were scratching their heads with unbelieving expressions stered on their faces.

    Nothing was making sense at all. It was just nonsense!

    Now they all felt that these people might have one or 2 screws loose in their heads.

    Within the sect, Wiggins'' figure immediately vanished from the eyes of the onlookers,

    and was now reced with the image of countless streaks of light shing in all

    directions.

    Up, down, left, right...

    The sharp blue-hues shed at various positions. And with every gs, there seemed to

    be a thick spiralling smoke of mist that forced itslef through the bear''s openings,

    widening it''s injuries more and more.

    Bam!

    The giant Kruver Bear that was well over 3 storeys tall, now fell into countless pieces of

    meat all around them.

    Wow!

    Who doesn''t know that the Kruver Bear''s skin is so tough that even some top disciples

    struggle to cut down?

    Amazing!

    The disciples had starry eyes that twinkled in awe after seeing the unique Skill called

    Cloudy Breath take down the tough Giant bear.

    Wiggins was just about to give guidance to his newly epted disciples, when suddenly,

    he spotted his Son Julius, fast approaching him.

    It appeared, there was an urgent message for him in the outside world.

    "Father, it''s urgent... It''s a message from President Ghant."

 Chapter 613 Finally Here

    Chapter 613 Finally Here

    Today started off like any other day. Ghant rose from his bed, still feeling deep pains from the failed assasination attempts on his life a few days ago. Truthfully, this was the first time he had experienced such a dangerous assasination attempt. No one has ever shot at him in public, as though he was amon criminal or tyrant that the world hated to see. Ghant swore that he tried his best as President of Vardos. Yes, he had some aspects he failed to uphold. But for the most part, people called him one of Vardos'' greatest Presidents. So howe in under the twinkle of an eye, he turned into a man most hated by the public? For the first time, he, President Ghant, stood outdoors before therge congregation of raging people, and witnessed all the hard work the police and military had to do to keep so many rebilters away. Don''t think that the Press conference was peaceful until the bullets were shot. Nope. There was no peace from beginning to end. From the start, the reason it seemed peaceful was all due to the militia keeping various troublemakers in line at the far, far, far back. Hiss!~

    His shoulder hurt like hell whenever he attempted moving. Yes, they moved the bullet embedded in his arm, but the pain was still there, making his heart race unnaturally whenever he tried lifting the arm. Sigh~

    Ghant sighed when staring out his massive balcony doors of ss that allowed him to stare at the vast skies above.

    The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the Oval Room. Ghant slowly rose to his feet and soon made his way to the desk at the corner. The room, usually filled with the hum of activity, was now eerily quiet. Ghant seemed to feel the weight of Vardos now resting on his shoulders. Bam! He identally mmed his left foot on his bench. ''This is the 3rd time today that I''m hitting my left foot.'' He felt he was particrly distracted, even though he seemed calm. Of course, if this world believed in superstitions, he would know that hitting one''s left leg severely was a sign of bad lucking one''s way sooner orter. Ghant didn''t know why, but for some reason, he has been feeling very over the edge since he woke up. Compared to the other days he awoke in pain, he felt that today might be a day he would surely remember for the rest of his life.

    But why? �� Why did he feel this way? Pup~

    Ghant listened to the secret message left for him from Wiggins, and soon found the stone in his heart now gone. Hahahahahaha~

    A smile slowly crept on his haggard face. [Mr. President, the Capital is no longer safe. I''lle and get you this afternoon. So get ready.]

    Good, good�� good�� He, Ghant, didn''t feel so safe in the Red House anymore. He didn''t know how to exin it, but he felt that he was living among enemies and snakes. He could already feel the negative energy brooding in the atmosphere from many of his Party Members, secretaries and ministers of State who pushed for war, despite his stance for Peace. Well, this afternoon, his old buddy wille and get him out. As for telling Doyle and the others of his ns, he didn''t want to now. It''s not that he was running away, but he would like to be among people he 100% trusted. It was odd to say that he used to feel that Doyle was among those he trusted with his life. However, his intuition these past few days told him that he should keep his movements hidden from Doyle for now. Like so, Ghant prepared for his secret escape, not knowing that life had other ns for him that would leave him scarred for a very long time. ��

    Vmmm~

    Wiggins, Berry, Dhali, Harry, Julius, and several Vardos leaders all appeared outside the Portal, alongside Chan-ki, Bewoh and several other non-Vardos elders within the sect. Bewoh and Raulin used to be one the Grandmaster''s bodyguards before they became the first group of elders within the academy. Their strength was unfathomable, far above the other elders who came inter on. Bewoh used to be head Bodyguard. One could say that if Butler Sheng went around, then he would always be second inmand taking over. That has always been the chain ofmand among them. Bewoh has grown his skills greatly, and is now famous for using 3 major weapons during his battles. Bewoh was the sort of person to keep order among a group. He was organized and always had a level-headed n within his thoughts. Whenever Bewoh is around, it was hard not to automatically assign him to be leader. He was just a naturally born leader that many agreed to follow. Chan-ki on the other end, was a little yful, albeit not as yful as Haru. Chan-ki used to be a very disbelieving person in the past too. He was the type of people whose motto was: See before belief. He had to see it with his 2 eyes to believe anything, even something as possible as a car ident happening to someone around him. But oh well�� after realizing that there were all sorts of monsters in this world, Chan-ki found that he could believe just about anything right now. For Chan-ki, the stronger he grew, the more spiritual weapons he acquired too. He now not only pissed a whip, but also pissed spiritual nunchucks and a few other flexible weapons too. What he and many elders and disciples found was that you can''t possibly learn how to use all weapons except you''re the Grandmaster. Again, those who chose the way of the sword or have great affinity with the sword will find it easy to master any weapon simr to a sword in affinity. But if they attempted to learn any other weapon, they typically filed greatly. Again, there are over 20 types of swords, some curved, some straight, some bendy and some too thin or too fat. Each sword type had its own way of practice. So even if you have sword affinity, you might only be able to learn 3~4 true sword types while growing your sword. Those who choose Katana, might struggle a bit when using a Sabre.

    That being said, don''t think a sword was simr to a daggers or a Sai. If anyone in this world saw the movie Elektra, they would know what a Sai was. A Sai was like a short sword that was elbow-to-wrist length long. Those with affinities for Sais and daggers, found it difficult fighting with longer weapons like swords or staffs. It just wasn''t their thing. ��

    Stepping out the alleyway the group now stood in disbelief at the chaos all around them. Shopping carts were turned over, tires were being burned at the center of the streets, people punched and kicked each other ruthlessly, with someone even rushing up to a single mother, attempting to rape her, while another attempted to strange her baby instead. sh! A burning pain on the man''s back made him jump off the woman he was about to devour. "You bastards! Who the hell do you think you are to stop my wrath on these parts? Do you know how long I''ve gone without a woman?" As far as the man was concerned, it was all the President and the country''s fault for not providing him one. Chan-ki and everyone else were dumbfounded by the man''s ability to change ck to white. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    (-_-)

    Can you listen to yourself speak? Why don''t you look at yourself carefully and assess the true reasons why you can''t even score a date on your own? What does it have to do with the president or the country? Please, don''t keep ming every little thing on them, okay? Several people rolled their eyes, appearing before the many troublemakers and pressing their ount points so hard that these people fainted in a blink of an eye. "Thank you�� thank you��" Several people thanked them with teary eyes and snotty noses.

    Hey�� it seems that if not for the need for food, they would have not risked their lives leaving their homes. Believe it or not, these were desperate times with people now bolting their doors and even adding extra security locking systems at their homes too. Seeing how chaotic their home had now be, Dhali, Wiggins and several other Vardos people, all felt heavy in their hearts with sorrow. They have been protecting this country for decades, only to have it turn into an apocalyptic scene right under their own nostrils and you expect them not to feel down? "So this is the power of a horseman?" Terrible! They heard that the chaos has already spread to various nearby countries. And if left unchanged, the world will be plunged into darkness way before the enemy arrives. Think about it. Humanity would have expanded all their resources before then, using it to fight each other. And by the time the true war begins, what will they have left to lose the enemy with? Of course, even if there weren''t any wars, they still wouldn''t win if they used mortal weapons. In short, the enemy wanted them to fall into true despair, waging war among themselves, and depleting all their resources but by bit. And when the Big Day arrives, they will find that all they can do is cower and tremble before the enemy that appeared out of nowhere. Thankfully, they eliminated the Horseman of Famine a while back. Or else imagine this state of war and famine out together. Imagine there being a true scarcity of food acoyoled with this war Please! Humanity will start eating themselves before everyone knows it. ��

    With tactful stares, the group traversed across the busy and chaotic streets, eliminating troubles the closer they got to the Red House. But when they finally arrived on the scene, the one they came to take was nowhere to be found. (0_0)

    ''Mr. President! Mr. President! Where are you?''

 Chapter 614 Camilla To The Rescue

    Chapter 614 Cami To The Rescue

    -Two hours earlier-

    Ghant was in a better mood, resting in the confines of his office.

    Everything was going as nned. In a few hours, he will be privately taken away by those he now trusted the most. Yes~

    Everything was going as predicted�� everything except one minor bump on the road. [Mr. President, Miss Cami Jones is here to see you on special orders from Vice-president Doyle]

    Ghant frowned. Cami Jones here to see him?

    Truth be told, he didn''t like thatdy one bit. She was too unprofessional, and left him with a bad taste in his mouth.

    There was just something quite unsettling about thedy, something he couldn''t ce his fingers on. And being the man that he was, he for one stayed away from unsettling people, lest they dragged him into something he wasn''t a part of.

    He honestly wanted to tell his secretary to send her on her way with the excuse of his busy-ness. However, with the added message from his secretary saying she was here on special instructions to Vice-president Doyle, made Ghant smile bitterly. "Let me in, Doris."

    [As you wish, Mr. President.]

    Ghant took several deep breaths and pretended to seriously nce through the documents on his desk while listening to the sounds of high-heels slowly approaching.

    Ghant didn''t know why, but whenever this woman approached, it made his heart race uncontrobly. Not from excitement like most men, but worry and danger. Without raising his head, Ghant parted his lips, "Miss Cami, I''m a very busy man, so make it quick."

    Cami chuckled, "I''m sureyou are, big boy~... But just like you, I don''t like wasting time either."

    Very slowly, she approached the corner of his desk, sitting seductively with the skirt of her short red suit, disying her immacte thighs. Ghant controlled his body, focusing on the documents before him as though his life depended on it. Tsk�� "How boring, you are no fun."

    Fun? You dare to y with a happily married man''s life like this?

    "Just get to the point. What do you want?" Ghant carefully raised his head, looking her in the eye as if wanting to gauge the truth from whatever it was she had to say.

    "Now now, Mr. President, no need to give a cutedy like myself such a defensive stare�� If I didn''t know any better, I would think you are hopelessly in love with me."

    ''Or like hopelessly irritated by you,'' Ghant inwardlymented. "Woman, GET TO THE POINT."

    "Fine, fine, fine," Cami raised both hands in defeat, getting up from his desk and finally taking a proper seat on a chair. Soon, the atmosphere in the room changed. Cami was now serious, with a grim look on her face.

    "There''s trouble in the Red House, Mr. President. There''s an impending assassination attempt on your life that we think will take ce in the next 5 minutes."

    What?!

    Ghant''s eyes widened animatedly. 5 minutes! That means the enemy is already within the Red House. And for all they knew, they are now heading for his office right now as they speak. How? How did the enemy infiltrate the Red House so deeply so fast without alerting any major guards?

    Could there be a mole in the Red house who leaked the information? How true is the information given to him? And more importantly, can he trust Cami?

    Toote�C

    BANG! BANG!

    Shots were fired at his door, alerting him of the danger he now faced.

    Just then, Cami turned the table over, and took out a gun from underneath her short red suit skirt. Dammit!

    He should have pressed the security button that turns this whole ce into a barricade. But it was already toote. The enemy shot at his door, kicked it open and was now firing shots their way. Poor Doris�� no doubt she should be dead by now. The guards standing outside must also be dead.

    "For Freedom~"

    The shooters kept yelling these words�� the same words the rioters from earlier yelled out too. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!~

    Everything happened so fast in a twinkle of an eye. And before he could react, Cami had killed the intruders, shooting anyone who dared to block their path.

    Seeing her skills with his own eyes, Ghant suddenly understood why Doyle kept Cami around. She was like a covert assassin, the sort you see in blockbuster movies. For a moment, she almost looked indestructible. Ghant in turn momentarily dropped his guard down when following behind her. Shoot here, shoot there�� She was like an unstoppable wave of destruction. Soon, they reached the Helipad, and Ghant was once again shocked that she could also pilot a chopper. Sure enough, regardless of how provocative, seductive, and flimsy her attitude was, he should have trusted Doyle enough to know that he won''t just bring any useless person to the Red House without good cause or proper qualifications.

    Whoop, whoop, whoop~

    The chopper took off and vanished in a twinkle of an eye, regardless of how many bullets the enemy on the helipad now shot. He could still hear their curses and cries for his ''unfortunate'' escape. It seems that they truly wished to eliminate him, wiping him off the face of this. Recalling the many dead staff he encountered during their escape, President Ghant suddenly felt heavy when thinking of their families. Sigh�� Ghant sighed heavily while watching various streaks of smoke go up from different points around the city. There was fighting everywhere. Chaos and destruction could be seen for as far as the eyes could see. What happened to his glorious Vardos? What happened to the once proud Capital city he used to boast greatly about?

    If Ghant knew that the cause for everything was seated right beside him flying the presidential chopper, he might have actually lost his senses and chosen to crash the helicopter with both of them in it.

    At the same time, he didn''t forget to keep his phone close to him. Why? So that Wiggins will be able to track him down.

    Whoop, whoop, whoop~

    The chopper flew for a while, until finallynding in a small deste looking shelter space. Well, he didn''t need to be a rocket scientist to know that it was probably one of the many safehouses within the city. They flew past the safe house and firstnded in an open space before making the hike and trek to the safe house. Safe atst, were his first thoughts.

    However, it didn''t take long for him to know what true despair looked like.

    ��

    Reaching the safe house, Cami knocked the door casually. "Who is it? You won''t be one of those pesky rioters who burned down my doorst time will yah?" A husky voice questioned from the other side of the door. Cami chuckled, lowering her head to face the doorknob. "Hey, you old Geezer, open up, Cousin May sent us over."

    "Cousin May? Which May?"

    "Corner Brook May, the one with the dandelions and saggy tits."

    "Well, I''ll be damned. I know what May you''re talking about."

    Clu-chuck~

    A mechanical sound echoed from the door, followed by the husky voice again. "Come in�� It''s open."

    Cami then stood aside, gesturing for Ghant to go in first. "After you, Mr. President."

    Ghant stepped in but found no one in the rundown ce. Well, the voice must being from some high tech Vardos inte system, Ghant thought.

    The house''s condition was quite bad. There wereyers of paint full of bubbles, now peeling on the walls. There were cracks and countless rotten wooden floor panels wherever he looked. Crooked beams, Weather-worn furniture�� Ghant felt the word ,''run-down'' was a far better cry than what he saw. Well, since this was a Safe House, it must have been artificially made to look like this to keep intruders out. That was what Ghant thought.

    But maybe it was his imagination, but why did he smell the putrid scent of rotting food the deeper he went into the building?

    A~ So terrible~

    Soon, he was led down into the basement, where he met another young man who didn''t even bother to give him a nod.

    Hey�� what''s up with this guy? Doesn''t he know that he is now standing in the presence of the President of Vardos?

    Suddenly, a chill sweptthrough the room at the same time the young man spoke. "Is this the human?"

    "But of course��" Cami unhurriedly answered, while walking towards a covered up object. Whoosh!

    The covers were pulled, revealing a massive head to toe oval mirror. What''s going on?

    Ghant didn''t know when, but his body had already subconsciously moved towards the stairway he came from.

    Bam!

    The basement door above the stairway suddenly mmed shut, and Ghant found himself trapped with these two, with only a single candle dimly illuminating the space. How he wished the candle would have gone offpletely, because what he saw next left him screaming at the top of his lungs. "Mr President��" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Crack~

    The boy''s neck cracked unnaturally. At the same time, his physique grew 3 times his size and his human flesh also began ripping apart like clothing. Ghant shook with uncontroble tremors, as his mind kept reeling back and forth in catatonic stupor. Crack~

    The figure was enjoying the human''s predicament. "The party is just getting started, so why don''t you stay a little bit longer?"

 Chapter 615 Where Is He?

    Chapter 615 Where Is He?

    [Take a deep breath, Mr. president�� Because it will be yourst.]

    Those were thest things President Ghant heard while feeling a strange hand jump out of the mirrors to grab him from the back. The next thing he knew, he was standing in a truly hideous and worm-down world, staring at the giant creature from earlier, Cami, and an ugly version of himself looking at him with a grim but victorious smile. Who is he? Ghant unfortunately received no answers because before he could react, the mirror that was watery earlier, was now solidifying, trapping him in this apocalyptic world while the other 3 on the other side were now slowly leaving the basement without even giving him a single stare. Well, only Cami turned back and blew him a teasing kiss that made his insides explode with fear and furry. However, another thing shocked him greatly. After her teasing actions, her face changed into a ghastly one that made him scream for his dear life. WHAT? Ghant felt the world was now too strange and frightening than before. Blugh~

    He wasted no time puking and spitting out all his intestines from everything he just witnessed. However, this was just the beginning. "No! No! You can''t trap me here!" Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Ghant didn''t know how many times he banged at the sealed mirror before him. Soon, his throat became raw from yelling, but he still persisted and banged with all his might. No!

    The mirror itself was now disappearing! What should he do now? Ghant''s pale cheeks trembled vigorously, as he kept staring at the now empty space with bloodshot eyes. Who will believe it?

    �� Who will believe that the true President of Vardos was now trapped away in some mysterious space? If anyone ever said any such thing, they would definitely be locked up in a Looney bin till the day they died. Yet, it was the truth. Monsters�� they really did exist?

    .

    Sweat poured from Ghant''s forehead, with him now feeling the need to smoke. He was almost out�� Should he have stayed back in the Red House despite the troubles, he might have had a chance to wait it out while awaiting Wiggins''s rescue. Bam! His fist mmed the ground in protest. How can this happen to him? Was Doyle in on it too? He wondered, recalling how Cami had started that Doyle had sent her over. Even when he secretly messaged Doyle during their conversation, the guy also agreed for him to go with Cami. Ghant felt he was having a splitting headache just trying to wrap everything around his little head. A part of him was still in denial, wishing and hoping that this was all a bad dream�� a bad dream he now desperately wanted to wake up from. But he had no time to continue dwelling on the past, because in barely 4 seconds after the mirror vanished, a stream of eerieughter now bellowed from behind him. Heh-heh-heh~

    Ghant slowly and robotically turned his face behind him, andpletely fell on his butt with his breathing bing ragged and heavy. His hands now covered his mouth and his eyes hadpletely widened unnaturally. The beings he stared at, had 1 or 2 normal human parts, but the rest of them werepletely grotesque. "My, my, my�� it''s not every day we find a human in these parts." "Human, do you know youe from the species we hate the most? Do you know that our archenemies are your kind?" "Good�� good�� Since you''re down here in our world, it will only be a matter of time before the essence of you fades, allowing us to devour you whole!" It was funny that these shadows were talking about themselves, but all Ghant could hear was roars and absolute gibberish. He couldn''t understand anything they said. Ghahhhh!!!~

    The figures growled furious when staring at Ghant. But what Ghant was quick to notice, was that no matter how hard they wished to advance, their feet seemed nted on the ground. No�� some of them indeed moved, but moved in the opposite direction they wished to. It�� it was almost as if they were being controlled by an invisible force. .

    Phew~

    Ghant secretly let out a sign of relief, knowing that if he doesn''te close to them, they too won''t get close to him. As of sensing his thoughts after seeing his relief, his creatures only grew 50 times angrier instead. "Are you kicking us for your kind having control over us?" "Dammit, human, you canugh now, but when the darknesses into your world and our enemies are asleep, we will be free to move!" Again with the gibberish. Ghant couldn''t understand a single thing they said. However, seeing the vicious smiles stered on their faces, he knew that they were definitely nning something evil. So should he stick around and wait for them to free themselves and attack him? Definitely not.

    Ghant took several deep breaths, trying to force his body to wake up and move. Looking all around him, the entire ce had the sameyout as the world he was used to. Only that every building was either burning continuously or so broken down that every step one takes inside would form a hole on the floors. So unsafe. Again, there were vehicles and every human thing you can imagine in here, in the exact spot it now stood in the human world. Only, these vehicles were badly worn out, rusted, flipped upside down and even burnt to a crisp. From afar, he could shoot a gas station with a massive crack that from this distance, it looked like it was deep enough to reach the center of the world. It burns�� n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The air was filled with specs of ashes and burning-paper-like fragments. His nostrils had long begun to itch, thanks to the overwhelming smell of gas, burnt flesh, and sulfur. The stench alone kept making Ghant gag and gag till he felt the need to never look at good again in his lifetime. After today, he felt that no human could be described as ugly, and no human ce could be described as smelly either. What was even more jarring was the strange sun in this ce that burnt even the hairs on his arms and bodies. This sun seemed several times closer to the ground than the sun he was used to. It burned and made every ace hot and mmable. And the more Ghant analyzed, the more his body resisted to attempt to move forward. ''Come on, Ghant, you have to find a safe ce to hide or build your fort in.''

    In a strange world with so many bizarre monsters, safety, shelter, food and protective weapons were the first things he must acquire! Like so, Ghant forced himself to move amid the cracked and overly heated roads, while listening to eerie and cruelughter from close-by and afar. Of course, there were also the sounds of monsters fighting, and explosions happening every now and then thanks to the strange sun above. ''Wiggins, you old fool�� will you ever be able to find me anymore?'' Ghant wished he could be hopeful, but a part of him knew the truth. No one will ever believe what just happened to him. So no one will ever know the truth. Marking on after picking up a rusted metal hammer, Ghant now missed his family dearly. Vardos�� my Vardos��

    A part of Ghant knew he would never see Vardos Country again. However, as a president and one who had military training in the past, he knew the importance of keeping moral up. A battle is already lost when one thinks it is. So despite the unprecedented situation he found himself in, Ghant clenched his fists, determined to survive as long as he possibly could in this world. ��

    "Mr. President, where are you?" Wiggins'' face turned grim when staring at the chaotic Red House. What? There was a shootout within the Red House? Howe? How did their security be so weak that mere protesters could march in and shoot at the president at will? It wasn''t just Wiggins who felt a heavy p on the face, but all the other Vardos disciples and elders people too. They felt they were dreaming when staring at the colossal mess before them. What was this? World War 1? No! This was the 21st century! They had all sorts of cool spy technologies imnted in all corners of the Red House. No one can even go in without having their faces scanned and information brought up in a blink of an eye. This Red House was like a fortress from top to bottom. With a single hit of a bottom, it could be a barricade and doomsday shelter, blocking anyone from going out, and anything froming in. So how did this happen? The more they listened, the more they felt there was something wrong about the matter. And only when they heard the words of a few, did they understand what was going on here. "Sir, ording to the footage, President Ghant was rescued by Miss Cami and taken away using one of the presidential choppers." "_"

 Chapter 616 Found Him

    Chapter 616 Found Him

    Ring~

    The telephone phone and several people ced their hands on their lips, with some others tracking the sound''s location. It was Cami. [Alright boys, no need to fret. The President is in safe hands and will being back to Office in 3 days. He was badly hit, and for his safety, as well as the safety of the Red House, we won''t be returning anytime soon.]

    [... Of course if you all would like to confirm his state, you can call contact safehouse 003 for updates.]

    Hm? Safehouse 003? Several people immediately passed through the Safehouse''s database with fast hands. All everyone in the room could hear were the sounds of keyboards clicking away. Again, Wiggins and the rest asked: Where were your expertise when the Red House was getting hacked left, right and center? Even these professionals couldn''t understand how the attack on the Red House happened. Could it be that they had lost bits of their memory that they didn''t even spot intruders venturing into the country''s safest ce? "Sir, we found footage!" Someone announced, making everyone crowd around him. There, they saw Cami and another youthful man carefully taking the pale looking president Ghant to Safehouse 003.

    As per protocol, their identity was first verified. And even the president''s eyes, fingerprints and other aspects were checked. Yup. That was definitely the president. Facial scans and matching also proved that he was. It''s just that his pale and morbidly twisted face made them doubt for a second that it was him. But the faces of the disciples and elders turned grim when staring at the so-called Mr President who needed to heal. That''s not him! .

    Wiggin''s eyes flickered thoughtfully. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Yes, he''s in good hands. But can�C never mind. Just get up." Eh? The experienced staff stood up in confusion, not knowing what Wiggins wanted to do. Hey, he was one of the top hackers within the Red House, and possibly within Vardos. His skills were unprecedented, and he dared to say that none of these military people would be able to do any better at his job than him. Well, that''s how he thought, until Wiggins''s hands began to chaotically fly over the keyboard so fast that it was leaving confusing after images behind. m! Someone fell off their seat and wiped their eyes exaggeratedly, not believing what their 2 eyeballs were recording. Are the military so bad-ass now that they''re so good in not only physicalbat but hacking too? The other disciples and elders weren''t surprised by Wiggins'' ability. As the Grandmaster said, it would be unfair for any exorcist to take a regr mortal examination with a normal mortal. While within the Academy, don''t think that they left behind all worldly studies. Technology and other worldly matters must still be learnt. In fact, it''s mandatory for Exorcists to learn other core aspects but involving exorcism, or else how will they be able to urately track down and gather information about potential targets and locations? From Geography to History and even Hacking, everyone was advised to stay 1 or 2 days afterpleting missions to head to public libraries to learn a thing or 2. Of course, Wiggins recalled word for word and page for page, several fundamental and advanced books on hacking. But it was only after 5 months thathis skills had grown to his current level. It might have been shorter if he just focused on reading and preparing without doing his exorcism duties and cultivating in the academy. Again, it was paramount to know that learning any mortal subject was far easier than mastering a cultivation skill or performing an exorcism. There were too many magical and mystical elements and heavenly truths one must realize when ites to exorcismpared to learning a mortal skill that was in and quite easy to grasp for those who had more ''advanced photographic and widened'' brains. Most importantly, while studying, they also created their own codes and aspects particr to them.

    .

    ck-sh-ck-ck-ck~

    Everything happened so fast in just under 10 seconds. Soon, Wiggins paused on a page for another 2 seconds, before wiping everything clean

    �� At this point, they wanted to know what it was he had been looking at. Can they say that 2 seconds was not enough time for them to catch a glimpse at whatever it was? And where were these people going now?

    The group ofRed House IT techs, hackers and top notch security personnel, looked at each other, confusion, shock and helplessness still evident on their faces. But why exactly were they helpless? "What�� Am I dreaming? When did this guy put an encryption on the president''s signal? And howe I''ve never seen it before?"

    Words alone couldn''t describe the atmosphere in the room. In the meantime, Wiggins and his group had already left the Red House, leaping and rushing through the streets. It didn''t take long for them to traverse through the vast City, reaching the outskirts in a twinkle of an eye. Coins were immediately tossed into the air. Before they touched the ground, several people whispered short spells that created a barrier around the broken down, abandoned home before them.

    This was not the Safehouse shown on the video at the Red House. It seemed the President''s phone signal disappeared out here. Creak~

    The floorboards cried every time he advanced into the rigedy home. They could have chosen to move stealthily, but didn''t bother to mask their presence while here. Searching the ce from top to bottom, they found no entities lurking in the dark.However, the foul stench that had infected the walls and even the floors was hard to miss with their eye-eyes wide open. There was no mistaking it. They were in the right ce. .

    "Elder Bewoh, Elder Chan-ki�� We found something!" Oh? Bewoh and Chan-ki calmly walked down into the basement, apanied by Wiggins and the others. The basement was filthy and covered with dust and spider webs. Everything looked like it had hardened been touched for ages, except for the massive mirror at the far. Even a mortal might feel memorized by the air of mystery surrounding it. The longer one stared at it, the longer they would feel there must be something magnificent about the mirror, perhaps history or heritage. Perhaps it belonged to some King or Noble in medieval times�� Such thoughts will flood the minds of normal mortals who glimpse at the current mirror. For Wiggins, Julius, Berry, Harry, Dhali, and the others, they stared at the mirror with perplexed thoughts. they had an inkling of what was toe, but have never actually dealt with such situations before. Only Bewoh and Chan-ki had calm demeanors.

    "I''m sure you all have read about the mirror world and the Shadows�� Some of you have also marily seen your Shadows, but have never actually visited the shadow world. However�C" Bewoh paused. "I must warn you all that as exorcists, our shadows also grow stronger, the stronger we grow. They might know our skills, but their fighting prowess might not be underestimated!" There was suddenly tension in the air when several people recalled the silhouette they had once glimpsed on severally in the past. It was rare for them, who have practiced the art of having a calm mind, body and heart, to feel uneasy. But can you me them? The enemies they were about to face were their very own shadows, the shadows knew where they were at every time for the day. Fortunately, the Grandmaster had said that once within the Academy''s grounds, their shadows be oblivious to whatever it is they''re doing there. Everyone swallowed hard, watching Bewoh and Chan-ki step forward to guide them. Bewoh''s eyes scanned the group. "Only 6 will be going on with me�� the rest will stay with Elder Chan-ki to keep the portal open." Chan-ki nodded. "At our current strength, we can indeed keep the mirror world open for hours. However, the creature that did the swap will notice�� So, we only have 20 minutes to go in and out. No more, no less!" Why 20? Normally, such a creature might notice a breach to its mirror barrier within 5 minutes. However, it had just done the swap between President Ghant and Ghant''s shadow. It needs to focus its energy on ensuring that the shadow is well Vitalizer and cocooned while in the human world. Know that only after President Ghant''s human world essence is dissolved within the shadow world, can the shadow walk merrily without true control in the human world. Now, Ghant''s shadow can''t move much, and practically lies around like a dead body. But in 3~4 days, it will have rosy cheeks and lookpletely human because Ghant in the Mirror world would have long lost his Mortal spark, absorbing the essence of the mirror world instead. By that time, the other shadows would be able to devour him and kill him cleanly. Wiggins, Dhali, Berry, Julius, Harry, and another, were chosen to follow Bewoh in. The rest would stay with Chan-ki. "Remember, they will try to drag us in till the very end..." So be careful.

 Chapter 617 Found Him - 2

    Chapter 617 Found Him - 2

    With eyes locked and in full concentration, Chan-ki unlocked the portal, causing a windstorm to blow chaotically within the space. What''s going on? The already worn out nailed nts on the floors and walls beganing undone the longer the hurricane proceeded. Compared to the first time when everyone was faced with such a situation, they were far more prepared. Now, as the hurricane rose, they casted spells of their own to contain the situation �C lest the entire house came falling down. After calling the situation, several people stared at the mirror, only seeing their regr reflections showing. However, a strange crack was slowly forming along the mirror''s surface the longer they stared. Crack! Everyone''s heart constricted when seeing how rapidly the crack was growing. Soon, they wille face to face with a formidable enemy �Cthemselves! ''This is it��'' Several people thought, staring at the cracking lines that suddenly stopped running. And then�C

    The mirror''s surface began to ripple like a mirage. Bewoh and Chan-ki subconsciously nodded, satisfied with the current situation. One must know that in the past when they watched the Grandmaster and also performed a mirror world opening before, they couldn''t open the portal. At that time with their then-strengths, they needed the Shadow master, the monster we created the mirror portal to first be present, so they could use his abilities to open the portal. However, now they were able to do so without the knowledge of the Portal master in question. However, if they took too long, the portal master would sense something. The Grandmaster might not mind exposing his identity as an exorcist, but they minded quite much. For as long as they could, they must preserve the existence of exorcists in this world because this was humanity''s ace up their sleeves when the big dayes. With the portal now rippling, the image on the other side also began changing. So ugly~

    Just as they stood before the portal, their doppelgangers also stood there, licking their lips creepily. [I see you~] N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Wiggins'' horrifying twin stretched its mouth unnaturally, muttering such words across the ne. It was odd to say that ordinary mortals can''t truly understand these doppelgangers. However, they exorcists seemed to have a natural affinity for such bizarrenguages. Wiggins felt that despite the many gruesome and grotesque creatures he faced in the past, none of them gave him the heebie-jeebies like the doppelganger before him. "Remember, because we''re exorcists, our Shadows have more control than regr shadows." Typically, regr shadows can only move from their spots during the night when humans are asleep. But for the shadow of an exorcist, it can move anywhere so long as they are at rest. .

    Bewoh didn''t need to say much for everyone to get the big picture. In other words, don''t stand still��because the moment they are at rest�C It was amazing that while they were standing still in the human world, their counterparts were beating, scratching and biting each other without rest. It''s true that they did hate humans more than anything else, but they were also shadows at heart. They loved fighting and cruelty the most. You would think they would use their freedom to do something meaningful. But no~... When humans went to sleep, they used their freedom to find other shadows who offended them and fight till their humans awake, summoning them back in ce. Dammit! Is there anything more hateful than almost winning a battle and in the final moment when a blow is inches from an enemy''s face, you find yourself getting warped into some far, far away ce with no warning? Know that sometimes, their fights would carry them miles and miles away, so when getting called back, they were grumbling and dragging the grounds, refusing to go. Sadly, the force binding them was strong enough that even if they held onto a building here, the force could even carry them alongside the building in question. Well, to be fair, they would just break through the walls, leaving the building behind. Hate, hate, hate��

    These shadows hated that their freedoms were controlled by such weak and measly creatures like humans. ��

    "So hot��" Everyone muttered the same words after stepping through the portal. Circting their qi, they maintained their calmness and regted their bodies. "Remember�� 20 minutes is all we have�� Go! Swish!~

    The group split apart in pairs. "Mr. president!" "Mr. president!" Several Vardos people magnified their voices, their concern very evident. Wiggins was the most desperate.

    Where was he?... Who can tell him where President Ghant was now? Know that from the time they arrive to the tile Ghant appeared in this home was well over 3 hours. Who knows how far he has walked now? Who knows if he had fallen in some deep pot or even fainted from exhaustion while here? With how zing this ce was, even the strongest of people might struggle to survive. The conditions and the fact that there''s no food and water was enough to imagine the agony of any human lost and trapped in the mirror world. Wiggins frowned, throwing his eyes at his Shadow that was still chasing him vigorously. "Ignore it. Keep moving��" Bewoh advised. They only had danger if they stopped for a second. Right! Wiggins nodded. Boom! A hot mushroom of fire erupted out of the road several feet away from them. What a crazy ce. The ground erupted for no reason, with what looked like magma. Then the magma suddenly resided, leaving behind a humongous hole on the side of ake. The interior and exterior corners of the hole now glistened with bright orange-red sparks. What was unimaginable, was that the houses that should have been swallowed up by explosion and magma, still remained intact and now stood on toothpicks of ground supporting them above the giant holes. Well, it seems that so long as a home is still standing within the human world, its replica will always exist. The vehicles and other strange objects also stayed afloat�� except for some that fell into the pit, never to be seen again. Perhaps in the human world, these objects have been burnt to a crisp orpletely destroyed.Even if shattered, its shattered pieces will still exist. Looking at the world around him, Wiggins noticed that some vehicles lived on their own with shadows scratching and trying to escape them all. It seemed that in the human world, the human was driving a vehicle somewhere. However, in the shadow world, the strange force in this world was holding the Shadow hostage, forcing it to stay out in the vehicle. Sigh�� The more Wiggins and many saw, the more they understood why their shadows hated them greatly. Still, should they sacrifice their lives just to please these shadows? Is it their fault they were born as humans? It''s not like they had a say or not about keeping these shadows bound to them. What''s more, they swear that they didn''t know of the existence of these shadows before the Grandmaster came into their lives. "Mr. president!~" "Mr. president, where are you?" ��.

    Damn you, b**ch!

    Ghant cursed Cami in his heart.

    Ghant who was now found himself in what looked like a shopping center, sweat he could faintly hear the sounds of familiar voices calling him. But how can it be true? "Impossible!" He told himself, scouring for food and grub with no sess." Water�� food�� After seeing so many disgusting creatures along the way, he truly felt that he would never eat again for all eternity. However, his body was growing weaker by the minute and he knew he needed something or else there''ll be no strength to fight off any attackers. What made Ghant the most afraid of, were the murderous whispers that now bellowed in his ears. [Come on, human�� You have no way out�� so why struggle~]

    [Yes�� yes�� give up�� give in to your darkness�� Thirsty? Cut off your hand and drink your own blood!]

    "No! No! Get out of my head!!" All around him were various creatures that giggled and grunted wickedly while trapped in the positions they were in. They said nothing, yet their whispers continued to bombard his senses. [Give up, human. Do your people know you''re here?... You''ll never make it out alive. So just�C]

    "F***k you!" Ghant swung an iron rod in his hand with murderous eyes. "Get out of my head you ugly beasts!!" Ghant was truly pissed. They were like bugs that wont keep singing in his ears, irritating him to death. However, he made a mistake just now. "Gotcha��" One of the shadows smirked victoriously when stretching its shadow hands to twice its length. Ghant felt a bizarre coldness spread from the rod towards his hands. But no matter how he tried to let go, his hands rejected his order. Now, bile rose within his throat as he watched the shadow''s figure change into an even more grotesque appearance.

    Ghant watched in horrified stupor, with just one question ringing in his head. �� Was this the end?

    (>0?0>)

    Boom! An explosion happened within the store, and Ghant was now shocked to find himself swaddled within the arms of a figure he was all too familiar with. "... Wiggins?"

 Chapter 618 Him, Marked?

    Chapter 618 Him, Marked?

    (#_#) n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    A nk stare was Ghant''s only reaction to his current state.

    A series of questions flooded his mind and vanished in a twinkle of an eye when watching the blockbuster scene before him. While holding him like a baby with one hand, Wiggins'' other hand moved with a sh of a lightning de. Too fast. Ghant didn''t even see how the attackmenced. One moment the hideous creature was standing, and in another moment, it was on the ground, screaming and rolling with inky blood spewing from its belly. Therge horizontal strip wound took ? of its belly''s width. Bam! What was that? Ghant, who was cuddled in Wiggins''s arms, was anxious when hearing the explosive sounds echoing too close to their proximity. It was a shadow �COne that despite its ugliness, had an uncanny resemnce to Wiggins. Withdrawing its giant hands from the ground it smashed into, the being''s hands slowly returned to human size. "Well, well, well, my master�� I wasn''t expecting that one to hit." It spoke with a hoarse voice that sounded far more eerie than the many other shadows Ghant heard while in here. Wiggins'' narrowed his gaze while moving from side to side. Why? Because I''m his momentary pause, his dear shadow had stormed at him with vicious intent. So long as he''s always moving, his shadows can''t act on their own.

    Look �� right now, his shadow was also moving alongside him. Although the connection was somewhat lessened, the natural force in this world still made his shadow dance to Wiggins'' tone. However, how long can itst? The longer a human stays in the mirror world, the weaker their connection with their shadows. And soon, it won''t be bound to any natural force. But once he returns to the human world, the connection will be strengthened once more. Sadly, the stronger an exorcist is, the stronger their shadows. This also means that their human counterparts are in the mirror world, the shadows will be able to break free from the human''s control far faster than normal. "Don''t worry, human master�� in just a while more, we''ll have all the time to fight till the very end."

    Heh

    Wiggins sneered, but kept a vignce stance between himself and his shadow. "Wiggins, you speak theirnguage now?" Ghant fluttered his eyshes with a dropped mouth that spoke volumes. He opened and closed his mouth, even wondering if this Wiggins holding him was the one he has always known. �� Could it be an illusion? Some evil plot to lower his guard before devouring him? "Tell me now, what happened in the year xxx at the Roswell gardens?" Wiggins'' lips twitched when staring at the vignt Ghant in his arm. "Mr. President, are you talking about the incident when you had too much to drink and farted so loudly it almost cashed a tip on our national g?" Ghant''s face turned even redder than it already was in a sh. Luckily, he let out a rip amidst his friends and those he trusted. Or else wouldn''t his reputation have been long ruined by now? He would have gone down as the ''ripping'' president of Vardos. Well, Ghantughed awkwardly. This was indeed his Wiggins. But what was going on here? Since when did Wiggins know thenguage of these monsters? And when the hell did this guy start using magic too? (@_@)

    .

    Ghant would relish as Wiggins pulled an entire sword out of a single coin. Mr. President, stay on and hold on time. Ghant didn''t even know how his body could bnce on the transparent sword, but it did. Despite his tired, fatigued and dehydrated body, he stayed upright, sitting stiffly when the sword slowly rose higher and higher from its original position. Wiggins looked at his watch and frowned. They had barely 4 minutes to escape and close the portal. Failure to close it on time would allow the portal master knowledgeable of an intruder using its portal. Well, they can''t let that happen now, can they? Vmmm! Bewoh let out a burst of enemy that shit to the zing skies. It was blue, very wide, and could be seen and felt through a vast distance. They found him! Several people instantly stopped their search, and swiftly dashed towards the portal with an expressionless face. Of course, seeing their shadows still chasing behind them made their insides green. How relentless. They''ve all been attacked once or twice by these beings. Indeed Bewoh was right. The strength of these shadows was quite unbing. It was like fighting their very own clones, except their clones knew no real exorcist spells or skills. Just their raw strength, wits and brains were enough to make them a formidable foe. Reaching the portal''s location, Wiggins allowed his sword to dash through the space carrying Ghant back into the human world. As for the Bewoh, Wiggins and the others, they immediately ran around the portal in circles about 3 times, before finallying together and rushing towards the circles all at once. "Now!" Chan-ki on the other end reacted fast, inches before one of the shadows could touch the mirror''s rippling exterior. Bam! The mirror was no longer ''ripply,'' causing them to m hard into its hardened exterior. Dammit! They dug their hands into the ground, disappointed, hate and rage very evident in their eyes. Why? Why did these humans have to leave now? Just a little longer, and they would have been able to break free of the mysterious control making them dance to the tune of their ''masters.'' Crack~

    The many cracked lines on the mirror now reversed their actions, ''uncracking'' and erasing on lines earlier made. Ghant was breathing heavily when watching the unbelievable scene before him. Who would ever believe it? That there was a whole other world hidden behind the seemingly simple mirror? .

    What a scary world.

    Ghant swallowed hard, looking left and right in dread. His face was still palish white. "Mr. President, drink this." Ahh�� Ghant unscrewed the bottle of water thrown his way. Although his mouth felt any food or water would be disgusting now,mon sense told him to take it all down for his own good. Ew~

    Ghant gagged on the water, as though he was drinking shit. Sorry, but after all he saw, all food and beverages tasted yucky in his mouth. Bang! Bang! Bang!~

    The creatures on the other side banged and banged the portal in protest. Soon, their grotesque figures had been reced with the everyday ordinary images one sees when looking at a mirror. Normal�� Finally, the portal was sealed. The disciples and elders nodded tactfully, before heading to the Grandmasters, a private airway wonder by the wealthy Tian family from the East. Understand that after knowing about the existence of creatures, they willingly pulled strings with their connections to get a private airway for the Grandmaster. Of course, no one would suspect a thing because the Tians were among one of the richest families in the East. The airway was surprisingly not within the Capital. Rather, it was several towns and cities away. Beforeing to rescue Wiggins'', 2 disciples had long gone to grab his family and take them to one of the Grandmaster''s private jets. Know that they cannot take Wiggins and his family through the portal they used to warp from the Academy to here. So they could only fly him out. Of course, for his family, they must apologize in advance because they casted sleeping spells on Ghant''s parents, children and his wife, taking all vital items and even packing away some things for them. Most things were in their storage space. As for the humans, they carried them out and ran at lightning speed towards the private jet''s location. Well, with the sleeping spell they casted, Ghant''s family will only be waking up midway through their flight. It will be up to Ghant to deescte the situation by then.

    . Ghant stared at the group of disciples and elders, and didn''t know what to say. Okay�� so you''ve thought of everything. Then what more can he say? "... Be honest with me, what exactly were those things?" "Shadows, Mr. President. And the one that took your ace, is actually your shadow�� take a look at the ground." "What do you�C" Ghant froze, finding that his shadow was missing. Where? Where did it go? Recalling the hideous hands had dragged and switched ces with him earlier, Ghant felt a tornado of butterflies churn in his belly. Wiggins sighed, slowly exining the many mysteries surrounding their current world. "Mr. President, we were wrong��" Wiggins paused. "The biggest problems humans face isn''t each other, but the many monsters lurking among us." Ghant felt his breathing growing heavier. And then he asked a question he now dreaded. "Vice-president Doyle�� Is he�C"

    "Yes, he''s one of them. But not a shadow, but a being far scarier than that, born from the pits of the underworld!"

    Ghant really felt like his shorts were choking on his neck. The news gave him a great blow. So he has been working alongside such a monster all this while? And from Wiggins'' words, it seems the underworld might be some formidable and deadly ce far scarier than the mirror world he just fled from. Ghant was just recovering from the information spewed at him, only for Wiggin''s to bombard him with another heavy matter.

    "What? You say that bastard, Doyle, was taking me as his prey? Speak now, what do you mean by saying I''ve been marked?"

    (@0@)

 Chapter 619 A Dazed Ghant

    Chapter 619 A Dazed Ghant

    "So you mean to say there''s a great waying out?" (0o0)

    ��

    Seated at a more private sector within the private jet, Ghant jolted up and maniacally looked at everyone in disbelief. Please, can someone tell him if this was a joke or not? Howe there has been a long time war against humans and he, a fully grown President, was only hearing about this now? Ghant''s body trembled vigorously. "You all�� be honest�� have you known about this all these years?" What happened to brotherhood? Could it be that the military has always known of the existence of these monsters when he �Ctheir President who was supposed to be theirmander and leader�C was not privileged enough to get such info all this time? Several Vardos people slowly shoon their heads wryly. "Mr. President, it''s not what you think. Although it''s barely been under a year that we knew of the true dangers of this world." Well, they wished they could tell him, but you''ve got to know that he was living in close proximity with a creature that had marked him, and always had watchful eyes over everything Ghant did. Of course, it wasn''t long too that they discovered that Doyle was a creature from the underworld. The true reason they didn''t tell Ghant at the start, was because they wanted to keep things hushed, while growing their strength in secret. At that moment, they felt that the less those in politics knew, the better. For now, life must go on as normal. Sometimes, in order to protect someone, it''s best to leave them clueless until they''re heavy to tell. For hours, the Ghant listened in eerie silence. Since 2 and a half hours ago, he said nothing, only nodding, shaking his head, or leaning tiredly into his seat. Sometimes, his eyes would widen, and other times, he looked like someone was physically punching his face. Amazing! They''ve never known their President was such an animated person. .

    Well, everything he heard sounded like fantasy to Ghant, but he had no choice but to believe it.

    "Wait! Wait! You say my shadow will automatically fade away from the mortal worlds and reappear back in the shadow realm. But�C" Ghant paused, making the atmosphere grow tender than it already was. "Once my shadow vanishes and returns, what''s stopping this shadow master to head into the shadow world and get information on what happened during my escape?" Yes. If the enemy knows of the existence of exorcists, wouldn''t that spell trouble already?

    "Not quite, Mr. president." Dhali shook his head sideways. "The rules of the mirror world are strange and bizzare. All shadows, whether they like it or not, are bound to a Law that prevents them from leaking out any information about what their humans did in the past, or will do in the future." .

    Just like the Mortal and Underworld, the Mirror world had its own unique rules too.

    Even The Grandmaster''s shadow can''t tell a single soul, shadow or creature of what the Grandmaster thinks, will do or has done in the past. Even if these shadows wished to demonstrate with their hands or write it down, thews of that world will never allow it. A shadow is bound by secrecy to keep what their humans do private. It was odd to say that while the Underworld had the Abyss, the Mirror world had what they called ''Law''. It was equally strong just like the Abyss, and couldn''t be defeated by even the most powerful princes put together. Heck! Even if all creatures teamed up, Law would flick its fingers and they would all die the moment they step into the Mirror world. So how do you beat Law''smand of secrecy on all shadows? How do you pray out that information from it? Some say Abyss and Law are lovers, separated by duty. However, it''s said that there''s a secret channel between the mirror world and the Abyss that no shadow or creature could ever go to. Whether those myths are true or not, no one has ever been able to prove anything true for centuries, generations, billions, trillions and gazillions of years. "So you see, Mr. President�� even if the enemy goes to the shadow world, he won''t be able to get any information out of anyone." What''s more, even if the enemy wanted to guess what happened by looking at the shadows closest to the portal, looking to find the culprit, it wouldn''t be that easy. For one, their shadows will be nowhere near the portal, but would be someone far, far, away, in a ce that looks identical to where they currently were. Do you know where they are now? In the sky miles and miles away. Back in the shadow world, their shadows were also fitfully pulled by Law and made to fly through the scorching skies in rusted, hot and falling-apart aircrafts too. Hey�� Whatever they do in the human world, their shadows must also do in the shadow world.

    It was quite unbelievable when one thinks about it. .

    Again, while exorcists could stay for longer periods in the Mirror world �Cperhaps due to the fact that the shadows were part of them�C creatures on the other hand, can''t stay in the mirror world for long, or else Law would notice them and not only kick them out but eradicate thempletely. After Law takes care of them, their souls don''t get exorcized, but return to the Abyss to be birthed from scratch with all memories wiped. They won''t even know who they set end in the past or how long they lived before their demise. After Ghant''s shadow returns, it will immediately realize that Ghant had returned into the human world, but won''t know anything of what happened in the mirror world or these past 3 days before it returned. How to say it? After returning to the mirror world, he will be warped so far away that it will take the Portal master a f**king long time, probably months, before he finds Ghant''s shadow again. The easiest way to find a shadow is through the human in the mortal world. Grab the human and do the switch. But in this case where Ghant was nowhere to be found, do you know how f**king long will it take long to find his shadow again? Remember that underworld creatures can''t stay in the mirror world for long, so the creature has limited time, even more limited than Exorcists, to head in and do a search before Law kicks him out. After leaving the portal, it has to wait for some time before going in again and continuing its search. In the end, do you know how long it will now take to finally find his Goddamn shadow who, by the way, was flying over continental waters on its way to the East? Too long�� It will never happen�� at least not anytime soon.

    �� Ghant digested the information poured on him, from the existence of the mirror world to the underworld, the heavens�� you name it. "So Cami is one of them?" "Not quite," Wiggins denied. "She''s an old soul risen from the graves. She''s hundreds of years old�� but Mr. President, don''t you think her name sounds very familiar?" Ghant frowned. "Cami Jones�� Cami Jones��"

    Hold on! In Vardos'' history, there was once a sky, quick-witted and seductive female Pirate with the same name as her. She bested her peers and was known to have broken the chain of there being strong Male pirates in those times. Well, you could say she pioneered feminism in their days. Who said that only men could be fierce pirates? Her actions and stories have been filmed, documented and even made into live action movies too.

    So what if history wrote her down as a true evil woman with a love for chaos and mischief? Isn''t it always men who end up in those positions, from Kings, leaders, prorated and whatnot? The female poption didn''t care! She was a role Model, simr to Gleopatra of Cygypt�� except she didn''t rely on her feminine wiles, but used her brute force, sword techniques, and brains to win her crewmates over. Yes, she had beauty, but she hardly used it for any of her conquests. Rather, she treated her sleeping partners as dogs�� dogs not worthy enough to lick her feet. And when she was done with them, they eventually ended up walking the nk or being destroyed in one way or another. ��

    Cami Jones�� She was a legend who ''sadly'' fell from the hands of her brother who set her up before sinking her and her crew down the high seas. It should be said that after her legends spread throughout all corners of the world, several current now had the name Cami Jones. So no one in their right mind would equate Cami Jones brought in by Vice-president Doyle, to be the same Cami Jones legends spoke of. *Silence*

    "You mean she is that�C"

    "Yes, Mr. President. The one and only�� and she is now here in the flesh, as the 2nd Horseman!"

    B**CH!

    Ghant clenched his fists hard. "So Vardos became what it is because of her?"

    Yes! From the first day that woman arrived, reports of all kinds emerged one after the other. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    �� Now it was all starting to make sense. Ghant clenched his fist hatefully. In that case, there was only one thing left for them to do. KILL!

 Chapter 620 Not Mine

    Chapter 620 Not Mine

    Everyone knew that sooner orter, the Horseman would be a thing of the past. But for now, they must wait on the Grandmaster, before they act. At the moment, the Grandmaster was out on a very long mission. Only after he''s done will they focus on the Horseman�� the real root of Vardos'' current issues. How could 1 woman cause so much trouble? Tsk. Several people now closed their eyes, mediating and cultivating in silence. Ghant had nothing to say when seeing their synchronized actions. They all say cross legged with their hands calmly resting before them and eyes closed. Even if Ghant spoke, sang, jumped and cried, they still won''t flinch. Ghant suddenly felt left out. It would be great if he could be a part of their ''world.'' Power was something that no one in politics would refuse having. What you do with the power is what makes a difference. Ghant felt that if he could, he would love the power to defend himself and his family against the ''new world.'' This world was just too scary to be powerless in. Do you know that he just vomited all the food and water he drank after leaving the .irrior world? The images of those grotesque figures gued him so much that he never wanted to be in another room alone. Who would have known that a grown man would suddenly be afraid of the dark and the daylight? Now when staring at his own reflection, he subconsciously flinches back in fear. "Ahhhhhh!" A yell came from the other side of the ne, and Ghant knew it was his family. 5 minutester, Ghant was kneeling obediently before his wife. The shock and scare his family must have gotten was a lot. What the hell happened to them? They recall distinctively being at home doing their own thing. And now, they wake up on a jet and you don''t expect them to scream? "Dad is bad��" Daughter and son pouted their lips, feeling that their father truly deserved what wasing to him. Although young, they have been told and advised on the drill if something bad is about to happen to them, their father or anyone in their family. So if their dad had told them earlier, they would have gotten aboard and wouldn''t need to be knocked out, dead asleep. Don''t think you can trick them into believing they slept naturally. Ghant moved his mouth bitterly. "Wife, parents, children��Believe me, this was the best choice and oue on the matter." Everyone frowned. What''s going on? "Someone, what''s me gone, and has everyone in the Red House wrapped around their fingers��" Gone obviously meant dead. Everyone understood this clearly. But who? Who is it that now has full control over the Red House?

    "Doyle��. It''s Vice-president Doyle." ****

    In a little ce called Hulbert Town, the people went out their busy days with smiles, frowns and expressionless faces. The little town was known for its bright and rare flowers that grew across the highways passing through the town, and across several parks and regions too. These flowers lit up the roads at night, illuminating the pce with their faint glows at their centers. It was a touristic town with people from all over the worlding in the heart of spring and fall to watch these bizarre flowers bloom or close their petals for the seasons.

    In summer, they are so vibrant and mesmerizing that those driving by the town feel the need to stop and take countless photos. The sun had long set, allowing a thick nket of night to fall over thend. In the dead of night, one would see the faint pink, purple, green, yellow, orange, blue and violet glows of these flowers. The fireflies also looked at these flowers, making for a truly magical scene that caused many to propose to their partners here. Yes, the little town of Hulbert was very used to having visitorse and go. A man returnedte from work to see his wife seated on the stairway with dark bags under her eyes and a hairdo that looked like she was homeless. Perhaps he knew what awaited him, leading him to constantly returnte from work n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    His sweet home was no longer what it was earlier. He and his wife were a fairly young couple who got married 1 year and 7 months ago. They were nearing their 2-year anniversary, and he felt their marriage was already on the rocks. Despite all his avoidance andteing, he still loved his wife with all his heart. When did it get so bad? .

    Clem Shi dropped his briefcase on the table and calmly walked up to his wife, saying nothing. His words said nothing, but his hands slowly rubbed against his back. This allowed the worn-down woman to lean on him. No one said a thing.

    When did their marriage feel so fragile? A year ago, they used to be inseparable. Everyone, including their friends, called them twins. Their love was so strong that it inspired others to look for the love of their lives and marry. Be it their neighbors, friends or even family, everyone felt they truly belonged to each other. And then when ''he'' came, their world started to change. The changes weren''t noticeable at first. But each month, their rtionship grew more and more strained. Well, to be honest, Clem Shi felt that it was indeed his wife''s problem. She has suddenly lost her mind a few months after ''he'' came. She became extremely paranoid, and her mentality seemed to have copsed altogether. To him, she no longer made sense. And what he feared the most, was having her institutionalized. "Where is our son, Liana?" "Son? �� Son?" Instantly, she tightened her grip on him, looking desperately into his eyes. "Brother Shi, please believe me. That baby is not our son!... You believe me, right?"

    There was a faint silence between the two. Clem Shi looked at his wife, knowing he didn''t have the strength and the balls to deny his son like that. What was his wife always going on about?

    At first, he thought she was co dressing to get cheating on him with another. However, it seems that she said the boy wasn''t ''their'' son. How can it not be their son? .

    Liana''s lips became ck when knowing that her husband didn''t believe her. It sounded ridiculous, but she really wanted him to believe her. Do you think she didn''t know what she was saying was crazy? How did she know it wasn''t her son? A mother knows best when her child is different. After leaving the hospital, everyone was normal. Liana was convinced that the child she brought back was definitely her son. However, a monthter, she started to realize changes in the son they watched at home. It''s eyes especially, felt like it could understand her. It was creepy and even grim. At first she thought she was overthinking things. But one night when she was about to give him a bath, he suddenly threw a rubber duck with super strength that it knocked off a faucet, allowing water to shoot out. That''s not all. There was a time it smiled and evenughed wickedly, releasing a deep voice that didn''t belong to a child. There was the biting incident too. When breastfeeding once, it put her so hard she lost a nipple. The list could go on, about the things she has through when that little thing is alone with her. Yes. When it sees its ''father'' or anyone else, it acts like a normal baby, making the world think she was insane. It was hellbent on driving her crazy, undoing every house chore she did. No one saw her as a capable mother or wife anymore. She looked haggard and sleep-deprived all the time. Worse, no one believed her when sheined. They only looked her strange, wondering how a mother could hate her baby so much. No one believed her. This feeling made her feel she was truly alone in this world.

    But what about her missing baby? Where did her true son go to?

    .

    The muscles in Liana''s jaws seized, allowing the little fat on her cheek to jiggle when watching her husband rise up and ascend the stairs, heading towards the nursery. Watching his strong back disappear, Liana clenched her first, knowing that she couldn''t carry on like this. ''I must kill that thing, protect my husband and find my son, all by myself��'' Liana didn''t care anymore. That thing wasn''t her son. She was 1000% sure of what she was saying! Liana slowly rose to her feet and began preparing dinner for her husband with a calm look. Now that she was determined to kill that thing, her mind became clear. She had to kill it tomorrow when her husband leaves for work. Her window of opportunity was slim because her mother typicallyes over to watch ''the baby'' and help her out. With the food ready, she headed up to tell her husband. She opened the nursery door to see the father and son in a warm atmosphere. Sadly, she couldn''t feel the warmth when seeing those things smile at her mischievously. This time, she chuckled, smiling back viciously too. ''Just you wait�� Tomorrow will be yourst!''

 Chapter 621 A Good Change

    Chapter 621 A Good Change

    The next day, Clem Shi woke up and was amazed to see his wife waking up with a vibrant smile on her lips.

    "Good Morning, my love."

    Clem Shi stared at his wife, wondering if he was still dreaming or not. It''s been a long, very long time since he saw her so rxed and happy.

    Has she finally realized the silliness of her earlier ways?

    Did she finally realize that all her anxiety was solely because she wasn''t prepared for the stress thates along with motherhood?

    Not everyone is ready for themitment a child brings. Some parents get burned out sooner than one expects. And this could lead to a long period of sleep deprivation. Clem Shi''s eyes snapped open, feeling a thunderous drum beat wildly in his chest. Soon, he found himself rolling the sheets with her, having the most intense session of adult gymnastics he has had in a while. The God of Science knows that he loved his wife. He loved her with every fiber of her being. Her scent, her body, her smell�� It''s been a long time since he felt her warmth.

    Fearing he''ll bete for work, he hastily jumped out of bed, humming like a man who just conquered the world. After breakfast, he hastily kissed Liana and his son, waving at them while driving off to work.

    But when he was a distance away from the door, he looked at his rear mirror, feeling that his wife''s current expression was a little strange. Well, he''s probably over thinking things, especially seeing her smile return in a split second. Going to work, he felt his whole day was a mess. He was identally spilling his tea�� making mistakes on his work and even kicking his legs and hitting his hands against several objects.

    Something wasn''t right. He could feel it in his gut.

    It was already dark, despite it being 5 PM. Driving home, all he could think of was that smile on his wife''s face.

    He more than anyone wanted her to change. He has wished and hoped for her to change. And to be honest, he should be happy for her sudden change this morning.

    However, would he be a bad husband if he said her overnight change made him suspicious?

    .

    After rushing upstairs with all his might, Clem Shi paused. The bedroom swung in an otherworldly matter, silvery light that seemed to pulse with each ragged breath he took.

    She''s here. A gush of relief suddenly engulfed his being. But after shooting his hand out, desperately seeking Liana''s warmth, he found only the cold, mocking emptiness of rumpled sheets staring back at him.

    Whoosh!

    He pulled them off to see a fake wig and pillows underneath.

    "Liana?" The name tore frighteningly from his throat.

    At this moment, the world spun and swayed before his very eyes. "LIANA!!!"

    �� Silence was all he received. Oppressive, suffocating silence.

    Clem Shi''s mind reeled, a whirlpool of fear and confusion. ''Something was definitely wrong.'' Terribly, horrifyingly wrong. The air itself felt charged, electric with an unseen menace that made his skin crawl and his breath catch.

    Just then, a thought came to mind, making him lurch from the bedroom, bare feet pping against the hardwood floor. Each step sent shockwaves of dread up his spine, but Clem Shi dared not stop. The hallway stretched before him, a yawning chasm of shadows and whispers.

    "Liana?" he called again, his voice a trembling whisper. "Little Hai?"

    The nursery door loomed ahead, a portal to either salvation or damnation. Clem Shi''s hand shook as he reached for the knob, his palm slick with cold sweat. The door creaked open, the sound piercing the night like a scream.

    Empty. The crib stood abandoned, nkets twisted and discarded like shed skin. Clem Shi''s heart clenched, a vise of panic squeezing the air from his lungs. His eyes darted wildly around the room, seeking, pleading for any sign of his family.

    Where are they? Where is his family?

    The curtains billowed, like ghostly fingers beckoning him towards the open window facing the backyard. The night air rushed in, carrying with it the faint sound of... giggling?

    Where they��

    Clem Shi scrambled out the window, suddenly feeling a surge of adrenaline pump into his body. There was a thick vine, maze-like nt that crossed against this bedroom to the roof.

    All Clem Shi could feel was the thundering of his heart, the icy grip of fear around his throat. He climbed, each rung bringing him closer to the haunting melody drifting from above.

    But��As he reached the roof''s edge, the giggling�� it suddenly stopped. Liana?

    The sudden silence was deafening, pressing against his eardrums like a physical force. What''s going on? What''s going on?

    Clem Shi pulled himself up, his eyes scanning the rooftop frantically.

    There, by the far edge �C Liana.

    Relief againflooded through him for a split second before horror crashed back in. What is she holding? N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Liana stood precariously close to the roof''s edge, her white nightgown whipping around her like angry spirits in the wind. And just as he suspected, in her arms, she cradled Little Hai, but her grip was all wrong �C too tight, too rigid.

    "Liana," Clem Shi breathed, his voice barely audible over the pounding of blood in his ears.

    She turned, and Clem Shi''s world tilted on its axis. This isn''t his Liana. Clem Shi thought.

    The woman before him wore his wife''s face, but her eyes... God of Science, her eyes.... They were vast and empty, like ck holes threatening to devour everything in their path. Including their son.

    "He''s not ours, Brother Shi," Liana''s voice slithered across the rooftop, alien and cold. "This thing��" She paused in disgust. "It''s not our Little Hai."

    Why does she keep saying this? Pain sparked in Clem Shu''s eyes.

    Each word was a dagger, slicing through Clem Shi''s heart. He took a shaky step forward, his hands raised in supplication. "Liana, please. Open your eyes and see. That there is our handsome boy. Do you remember how you pushed him out of your�C"

    "LIES!" Liana''s scream shattered the atmosphere, causing Clem Shi to flinch. "All lies! "Do you recall our vows, Brother Shi? To love and to protect? To believe and to trust?" I, your wife and a mother, am telling you that this is not our boy!! It''s a PUPPET! It told me so itself."

    Puppet?

    The word echoed in Clem Shi''s mind, stirring something deep and primal within him. Clen Chi has always had a fear for puppets, despite not knowing why. He felt he and puppets had some past, but for the life of him, he couldn''t recall why he was so frightened by them.

    Puppet? The baby told her that himself? Can babies eventalk?

    Clearly, this was postpartum psychosis, it had to be. The alternative was too terrifying to contemte.

    .

    "Liana, baby, you''re not well," Clem Shi pleaded, inching closer. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to rush forward, to snatch Little Hai from her arms. But the wild, unpredictable look in Liana''s eyes kept him at bay. One wrong move and... he couldn''t bear to finish the thought.

    Liana''sugh was a broken, jagged thing. "Not well? Oh, Brother Shi. I''ve never seen more clearly." Believe her!

    She looked down at Little Hai, who had begun to fuss in her too-tight grip. In a ce where Clem Shi couldn''t see, the little monster stared at her with vicious eyes. Soon, it changed its eyes to a soft hue, warm and inviting that looked very simr to her son. However, Liana didn''t buy it. After several months undergoing physical and psychological torture, dont think a simple googly eye move would ever stray her from her goal.

    "Shh, little imposter. Your tricks won''t work on me."

    Clem Shi''s gaze darted between Liana''s face and Little Hai. The baby''s distress was palpable, his tiny face scrunched in confusion and fear. .

    "Liana, listen to me," Clem Shi''s voice was low, urgent. He was truly at his wits end but dared not give up.

    "Liana, my love, please look at me�� That is our son. Our Little Hai. Remember the day he was born?"

    Instantly, countless memories flooded through the couple''s mind.

    "Do you remember how we dressed him up for the first time and you giggled, saying he looked like a little fat man? How you cried when you firstid your eyes on him, and even swore to give him the best in life no matter what."

    Tears trickled down Liana''s cheeks the more she listened.

    It was because of that promise and her love that she was going above and beyond to find her SON.

    However, her darling husband would never believe her, and this made her cold.

    It would be a lie to say that she wasn''t emotional right now.

    For a heartbeat, something flickered in Liana''s eyes �C A sh of warmth, of recognition. Did his words finally get to her?

 Chapter 622 GONE

    Chapter 622 GONE

    Did it work?

    Has his words finally gotten to her?

    Clem Shi''s heart soared, hope blossoming in his chest�� But then, like a candle snuffed out, it was gone. The emptiness returned, somehow even more terrifying than before.

    "Yes, you''re right," Liana spat the word like a curse. "I should do the best for my son, even if it means dying for him. So, Brother Shi, I won''t be fooled!"

    NO!

    She took a step backward, and Clem Shi''s world narrowed to a pinpoint. Her heels were at the very edge now, five stories of empty air yawning behind her. Little Hai''s cries grew louder, more frantic, as if the baby sensed the danger.

    "Brother Shi, I''ll end this!I''ll send this creature back to wherever it came from, so we can find our real son together."

    "Liana, no!" The words tore from Clem Shi''s throat, raw and desperate. "Give�� Give him�� Please, give him to me. I know you''re sick, Liana�� Whatever''s happening, whatever you''re feeling, we can face it together. But I''m begging you��please, don''t hurt our boy!"

    She keeps forcing him to choose between her and his son every single day.

    Tears streamed down Clem Shi''s face, hot and bitter. His legs trembled, every muscle coiled to spring forward. But he remained frozen, terrified that any sudden movement would send Liana over the edge.

    Heh.

    Liana looked down at Little Hai, her face a mask of conflicting emotions. Doubt, fear, love, and revulsion warred across her features. "He''s not..." she began, but her voice faltered.

    How could Brother Shi not see that this was not their son? She felt pain for her son when seeing his father act this way.

    ''Here''s my chance!''

    Clem Shi seized on her hesitation, taking another careful step forward. He was close enough now to see the tears glistening in Liana''s eyes, to smell the familiar scent of her shampoo. So close, yet she still felt so terrifyingly far.

    "Look at him. He is Liana.I want you to take a hard good look at him," Clem Shi''s voice was a caress, gentle yet insistent. "He has your nose, remember?" Clem Shi attempted a weak smile, though his heart kept threatening to burst out from his chest.

    Liana''s gaze remained fixed on Little Hai, her brow furrowed in concentration. ''Almost there��''

    Clem Shi held his breath, the moment stretching into eternity. The city around them faded away, leaving only this rooftop, this family bnced on a knife''s edge between salvation and tragedy.

    Slowly, achingly slowly, Liana''s expression began to change. The emptiness in her eyes gave way to confusion, then dawning horror. She looked up at Clem Shi, and Clem Shi in turn saw his wife �C truly saw her �C for the first time since this nightmare began.

    "Brother Shi?" she whispered, her voice small and broken. "Why don''t you believe-"

    Clem Shi''s knees buckled, and he had to fight to remain standing. "It''s okay, I believe you now." he soothed, his voice thick with emotion. "You''ve done all this to make me believe. Dammit woman, do you know we''re on the roof now? Believe me, everything''s going to be fine. Can youe towards me? Slowly?"

    Liana nodded, looking dazed and terrified. And for some reason, she chose to believe in her husband. Her Clem Shi didn''t know the first thing about lying.

    So if he said he believed, then he definitely believed.

    Oh my Mother of Pearls! It was only now that she truly looked at her surroundings well. She felt she was quite courageous toe on the edge of the roof. The fall would definitely leave some bones cracked.

    Taking a deep breath, she took a tentative step forward, then another. Clem Shi''s arms ached to grab her, to pull her and Little Hai to safety, but he forced himself to remain still. One wrong move could shatter this fragile moment.

    .

    What a night.

    As Liana reached him, Clem Shi gently wrapped one arm around her waist, guiding her away from the edge. With his other hand, he cradled Little Hai''s head, sandwiching their son between them in a protective embrace.

    "I''ve got you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Liana''s forehead. "I''ve got both of you. You''re safe now."

    For a moment, they stood there, a ''family'' reunited. Clem Shi could feel Liana trembling against him, and could hear Little Hai''s soft whimpers. He closed his eyes, offering a silent thanks to whatever willpower deep within him that had brought them back from the brink.

    But as he opened his eyes, ready to guide his family back to the safety of their home, he felt Liana stiffen in his arms.

    "No," she whispered, her voice suddenly hard again. "No, this isn''t right."

    What again, woman?

    Before Clem Shi could react, Liana shoved him away with surprising strength. He stumbled backward, his arms pinwheeling as he fought to keep his bnce. By the time he regained his footing, Liana was already halfway across the roof, Little Hai clutched tightly to her chest.

    What sort of trials and tribtions was this?

    "Liana, stop!" Clem Shi cried out, his voice raw with renewed fear and desperation.

    "Please, just stop, Liana"

    But Liana didn''t stop. She ran to the far side of the roof. With one arm holding Little Hai, she began to climb down the vines on her own. But where? Where was she going?

    Clem Shi sprinted after her, his bare feet pping against the rough surface of the roof. Each step was agony, but he barely felt it. All he could focus on was Liana, climbing lower and lower with their son dangling precariously in her grasp.

    Soon, he reached the bottom and chased after her with the spirit of a lion. But because he was barefoot, Liana was faster than him, running on stones, twigs, bushes and whatnot.

    Behind their home a little further away, was a forest with a well. In the olden days. As he pulled himself onto the tform, gasping for breath, he saw Liana standing at the far edge. Little Hai was no longer in her arms.

    "Liana," Clem Shi said, his voice a ragged whisper. "Where''s Little Hai?"

    "Brother Shi, did you lie to be back then on the roof?"

    Liana turned to face him, and Clem Shi felt thest shreds of hope wither and die. Her eyes werepletely ck again, reflecting the starlight like twin pools of oil. But now her face was split in a rictus grin, a parody of joy that chilled Clem Shi to his very soul.

    "Brother Shi, how many times must I tell you," she questioned, her voice distorted and inhuman. "He-is-NOT our son."

    With those words, Liana stepped backward off into the woods. What was she trying to do? The direction she ran off to was towards the old mine cliff.

    "Liana!" Clem Shi lunged forward, a scream tearing from his throat. Following her, he witnessed exactly what he feared. And without wasting a second, he threw himself to the edge, looking down, expecting to see Liana''s broken.

    Instead, he saw... nothing. No sign of Liana, no sign of Little Hai. Just the empty woods, bathed in cold, indifferent moonlight. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    What should he do now?

    .

    Clem Shi sank to his knees, a keening wail building in his chest. "This can''t be happening. It has to be a nightmare... I''ll definitely wake up any moment now, and find Liana and Little Hai safe in their beds."

    Yes! And in the morning, he will wake up, and they would alsough about this over breakfast, just another strange dream to be forgotten in the light of day.

    Clem Shi desperately wished it was a dream.

    But as the cool night air raised goosebumps on his skin and the distant sounds of the city reached his ears �C so normal, so oblivious to the horror that had just unfolded �C Clem Shi knew this was no dream. His wife was gone. His son was gone. And he was alone in the woods with no idea what had just happened or what to do next.

    As he sat there, numb with shock and grief, Clem Shi noticed something glinting on the tform.

    What was that?

    He reached out with a trembling hand and picked it up.

    It was the bracelet he had given Liana, the one with their names on it. This bracelet brought in immense joy in the past. But now it felt different �C heavier, somehow, and thrumming with a strange energy that made his fingers tingle.

    Clem Shi clutched the bracelet tightly, feeling it pulse against his palm like a tiny, metallic heartbeat. And as he stared out at the skyline, the town he thought he knew so well, suddenly seemed vast and unknowable, full of shadows and secrets he had never imagined.

    Whatever had happened here tonight, Clem Shi knew one thing with bone-deep certainty: he would not rest until he found them and brought them home�� even if it meant bringing the entire police squadron over to look for his wife and son!

    The night wind whispered around him, carrying the faint echo of Liana''s otherworldlyugh. Clem Shi stood, the silver bracelet now coiled around his fist like a lifeline.

    Clem Shi didn''t know how he got home, but when he did, he heard the faint sound of a baby-crying in the kitchen.

    "Liana?" Tears fell in a blink of an eye as he reunited with his Little Hai. However, after searching and searching for his ill wife, he couldn''t find a single being in sight.

    Gone�� His wife, Liana, was gone. And in a ce where he couldn''t see, Little Hai''s eyes now glowed with a vicious light.

    ''Human, don''t let me catch you, or�� heh-heh-heh''

 Chapter 623 Do You Believe?

    Chapter 623 Do You Believe?

    A camera panned over the imposing facade of an asylum, its barred windows and towering walls casting long shadows in the early morning light. The reporter, a young woman with sharp eyes and a steady voice, stood in front of the gates, microphone in hand.

    "Good morning, I''m Harah Fallins reporting live from Mayta''s Asylum," she began, her voice cutting through the ambient noise of the bustling street. "In a shocking turn of events, local resident Liana xxx has been arrested andmitted to this facility following a dramatic incident at her home."

    The screen shifted to footage of Liana being led away by police, her face a mask of anguish as she screamed, "That''s not my baby!" Her cries echoed hauntingly even through the television speakers, leaving viewers with an unsettling chill.

    This was a pretty small town. Many people who knew her ced their hands on their mouths, gasping in disbelief.

    How did this happen? How did it get this bad?

    (o0o)

    "Neighbors reported hearing disturbing sounds from the Shi residence several nights ago," Sarah continued. "Authorities finally found and captured Liana in Glockville city, several miles from here. And after capturing her, all she could say in a state of hysteria was that her newborn child had been reced by an imposter."

    The broadcast returned to Sarah, who maintained her professional demeanor despite the gravity of the story. "Mrs. Liana''s husband, Clem, has declined toment at this time. He remains at home caring for their child while his wife undergoes psychiatric evaluation."

    "..."

    The news said it all.

    The world concluded that this young woman was crazy. Who tried to kill their newborn over and over again, if not a crazy person?

    People who knew Liana well, just couldn''t believe she would do such a thing.

    They knew she has been having troubles since her birthing. But they never knew it was this bad.

    Poor Clem Shi... Many people who knew Clem Shi, felt bad for him. He must be in deep agony, knowing that his wife was trying to kill his child. AHHHHHHH~

    The echo of Liana''s screams reverberated through the cold, sterile corridors of the asylum. But no one could hear her cries.

    The walls seemed to absorb her cries, amplifying the desperation in her voice. "I shouldn''t be here! I should be looking for my son! That''s not my baby!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with a mix of terror and defiance. Her eyes, wide and frantic, darted around the room as if searching for an escape from this nightmare.

    Dr. Collins, a seasoned psychiatrist with graying hair and a weary expression, stood at a distance, observing her with a mixture of pity and professional detachment. He had seen many cases of postpartum psychosis, but there was something different about this one. Something unsettling. ording to the reports, she should be very healthy. Taking a deep breath, he soon stepped into her enclosed space.

    "Please, Mrs. Liana," he said gently, attempting to calm her. "Your husband is taking care of the child. Everything will be alright."

    Alright?

    Huh.

    Liana onlyughed��a hollow, chilling sound that sent shivers down his spine. "You don''t understand doctor," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper as if sharing a dark secret. "No one does��"

    "Doc, I''ve said it once, and I''ll keep saying it again. That thing is NOT-MY-CHILD."

    **********************

    The world had never seen such a bizarre case like this. However, time seemed to have flown by in a sh. Already, 14 days have gone by since Liana''s capture.

    Clem Shi sat in their dimly lit living room, cradling the infant in his arms. The baby looked up at him withrge, unblinking eyes that seemed far too knowing for its age. Suddenly Clem Shi felt a strange unease settle over him as he rocked the child gently.

    He had been hopeful when they brought their newborn home��a perfect little family. But now, with his wife locked away and his own health inexplicably deteriorating, hope felt like a distant memory.

    (Cough, cough)

    Clem Shi coughed into his handkerchief, noticing the rming amount of blood staining the fabric. What was going on with him?

    His strength was waning, and he could feel it slipping away with each passing day. Yet every time he thought of leaving the child alone, an inexplicable fear gripped him��a fear that something terrible would happen if he turned his back. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Wahhhh~

    The baby cooed softly, its small hands reaching up to touch Clem Shi''s face. But there was something so�� so unnatural about its gaze.

    Terrible!

    A chill ran down his spine at the touch��icy and unnatural. He tried to shake off the feeling, telling himself it was just exhaustion ying tricks on his mind.

    But the house itself seemed to change in the presence of the child. Shadows stretched longer than they should have; whispers echoed in empty rooms. ''My f***king mind must be messing with me again.'' Clem Shi concluded, while redying himself for bed.

    Everynight, he has felt his strength weakening. And in the morning, he would wake up, feeling his bones so fragile and painful.

    This night was no different.

    Clem Shi tried to wake up, but still found it impossible, just like his other attempts in the past.

    Clem Shi didn''t know if it was luck or what, but this night, he finally seeded in prying his eyes open. Of course, he didn''t just open them wide like a doll, but first keep them closed, and only slightly opened them to take several peeks of his surroundings.

    What?

    Clem Shi''s breathing instantly became shallow, when seeing the horrifying scene before him.

    There in the crib, his son was standing and staring at him with glowing green eyes. But this wasn''t all. His lips stretched unnaturally, from ear to ear in a way no human''s can.

    Clem Shi had no tears but wanted to cry.

    The air around him felt heavy with an unspoken dread that seeped into every corner of his life.

    Liana�� He regretted it. This was definitely not his SON!

 Chapter 624 Answers

    Chapter 624 Answers

    The next day, Clem Shi woke up feeling drained as usual.However, he still swallowed hard and pretended as though he didn''t see what he sawst night.

    Very calmly, he ate breakfast, and dropped his ''son'' at his grandmother''s ce.

    For now, he didn''t dare to act out of character.

    But after leaving home, he stepped on the gas like a maniac, making his way to the one person who might be able to give him answers.

    tter, tter, tter~ N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The rainsshed against the windows as he entered the building, his footsteps echoing ominously in the empty halls.

    When he reached his wife''s room, she was sitting by the window, staring out at the rain-soakedndscape beyond. Herughter was soft but unsettling when she saw him enter.

    When seeing Clem Shi''s appearance, Liana knew he finally believed. Now, he must have regretted it, right?

    If he had trusted her more, they would have long eradicated that evil thing and go looking for their son!

    "You look terrible," she remarked casually, her eyes glinting with a strange amusement.

    Clem Shi sank into a chair opposite her, feeling weaker than ever. "Liana��" he spoke bitterly, regret evident in his tone. "I''m sorry."

    She turned to face him fully now, her expression shifting from amusement to something darker��something triumphant, yet pitiful. "I told you," she said slowly, savoring each word like a secret finally revealed. "It''s not our baby."

    He shook his head in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

    "Come on, Clem Shi, at this point, can''t you be honest with yourself? No, you aren''t going crazy." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that seemed to echo off the walls. "That child is.. I don''t know what it is. An alien?," she said with chilling certainty. "Brother Shi, I don''t know, but it has long told me that when the time''s right, it will feed on us both."

    "Feed?"

    Clem Shi''s heart drummed chaotically.

    "Hold on, has it already began��"

    Liana paused, a waterfall of tears now flowing on both sides of her face.

    It said it would only start feeding on them after feeding on their baby. Soi if it has already begun on Clem Shi, then doesn''t that mean their baby is gone?

    Its all his fault! It was all his bloody fault!

    What were their vows? To love and to protect, To believe and to trust even against all odds. Anyone who knows Liana, knows how important trust and belief are to her. She, Liana, doesn''t lie. This is something those around her know very well. That''s why she also fell in love with Clem Shi. He also did not tell lies. If he said the sky was green, it was green. But several nights ago, he did the unthinkable. He lied to her, and she believed it!

    It''s because of that momentarily lie that she wasn''t able to kill that evil thing before it got to her son.

    They say there''s a thin line between love and hate.

    Liana raised her head, staring at Clem Shi with ssy eyes that bore no soul to them. "Divorce��"

    Clem Shi recoiled at Liana''s words, shock, guilt, regret, and pain very evident on his tearful face. "Liana, what do you-"

    "I said I want a Divorce!"

    *************************

    Life, they say, was sometimes scarier than fiction.

    Have you ever seen a psychotic patient asking for a divorce? Especially after she was the one who attempted to kill someone?

    Where is that seen?

    "Mr. Shi, don''t worry, your wife is in good hands."

    "Yes, Mr. Shi. I''m happy that you took the liberty of going along with her weird cooked up imagination to make her feel happy. However, we must keep indulging these fantasies, or it will be very detrimental to her in the long run."

    "As for her mentioning wanting a divorce, I don''t think she really understands what she''s saying.

    "h, h, h, h, h~"

    The doctor spoke excessively about this and that, but Clem Shi tuned everything off.

    He stumbled out of the asylum, his mind a whirlpool of confusion and dread. Liana''s words echoed in his ears, a haunting refrain: <Evil child��. Feeding off you��. Little Hai might be dead��Divorce> That was the summary of all that went down.

    Indeed, Clem Shi felt it was his fault.

    What sort of father doesn''t recognize their own son? Liana had long recognized that the baby wasn''t hers months ago even before it started showing her signs. However, look at the time that he is realizing that the child isn''t his. Hois wife is now locked up, and the evil thing is now living with him, feeding and draining him off day by day.

    Looking at the sky, Clem Shi found that he didn''t know where to go or what to do from here. Lost, would be the urate word to describe his current state.

    The rain had stopped, leaving the streets slick and glistening under the streetlights. He wandered aimlessly, his thoughts a tangled mess of fear and disbelief.

    This wasn''t the town he and Liana lived in, but a neighboring city just an hour and a half away. The asylum was here.

    Looking at his car, Clem Shi wasn''t in the mood to drive. He feared that if he did, he might get into an ident, especially with Liana''s frightful words still ringing in his ears.

    "Watch it here, buddy�� are you blind or something?"

    "Hey! Hey! Who crosses the street on a red light? Do you have a death wish or something?"

    "Sorry, sorry." Clem Shi could only apologize.

    As he walked, he found himself in an unfamiliar part of the city. Here, the air was thick with the scent of incense, and the dim glow of neon signs flickered overhead. Just as he was about to turn back, a voice called out to him from the shadows.

    "Dead man walking, you seek answers�� So why don''t youe in for a bit?"

    Stepping closer to the booth, he saw a stunning young woman chuckling with a hint of mystery behind her gaze. The booth said ''The Fruit Store'', and even had some juicy fruits disyed. However, he felt there might be more to it than what meets the eye.

    "Young man, why don''t I tell you your fortune for free?"

 Chapter 625 Foreign Help

    Chapter 625 Foreign Help

    It was already evening. The skies were now covered with a nket of ckness, no moonlight visible. Looking at his phone, Clem Shi''s hands still trembled vigorously. With each passing moment, he found himself embarrassing the silence.

    His breathing sawed in and out in knee-deep silence that stole his breath away.

    Clem Shi lowered his head and ran his hands through his head excessively.

    It has been 6 more days since that fateful encounter in the alley. Today, Clem Shi kept staring at his phone constantly, finding he was never able to put it down. ''Can they really do it?''

    He looked like a mad man when murmuring to himself with unfocused eyes. ''I just hope the help she said wille tonight.'' It wouldn''t be a scam, right?

    Clem Shi suddenly felt panicked. ording to the strange woman, his matter would require the help of someone she called the Grandmaster. He wille with others, exactly for today''s matter. Sometimes, Clem Shi would p himself in the face, staring at the mirror to hypnotize himself to wake up from the nightmare he was currently living. Although Liana was still adamant about divorcing him, he still discreetly told her about his ns for revenge. Today, she suddenly changed her mind, agreeing not to divorce him. Those people said that tonight is the night he was destined to die. Perhaps it was because of his current haggard bone-like appearance and the fact that he was dying tonight, that made Liana change her mind. Liana also nned herself, for not being strong enough or convincing enough. Rather than telling, she should have tried her best to ''show'' him just how evil that baby truly was. This way, he would have long believed in him and worked together to save their child. But now, it was toote. Their boy was gone. However, they must still work hard to free what those people called his soul. Only in this way can their boy rest in peace and reincarnate into a happy home. Reincarnation? Soul freeing? Why didn''t Clem Shi understand any of these things? To be honest, they all believe that when you die, you just die. Science says your body turns to decay, and that''s the end of it. There''s nothing more, nothing less. No afterlife or anything of that sort. Do you ask a mosquito about its afterlife? Do you think a Rose nt has an afterlife?

    What about a Jaguar? A whale? A toad? For them, they all saw themselves just like the other living beings in this world. Everything was in the hands of Mother Nature. They live on hernd, die and eventually return to the dust.

    That''s it. So what''s this about Souls and afterlives? N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Clem Shi still didn''t get it. Feeling the ball on his throat roll up, he suddenly found himself very dehydrated and sweaty. In the span of a few days, he turned skeletal, thanks to his dear ''son''.

    Once you open your eyes to the strangeness of that boy you start realizing that everything he did was bizarre. The strange noises running through the walls, the shadows that didn''t reflect anything, the green eyes, the child''s systematic and thoughtful cries. When you sit to analyze it all, there was indeed something very fishy about his son. ��.

    "Mr. Shi, how are you doing?" How are you holding up? Thepany guard stared at the frightfully bony Mr. Shi, and felt a pang of pain in his heart. ''s, women are just terrible creatures. How can a woman make a man go so thin because of her wickedness?'' Hmph! The guard sneered, ''They keep saying they want a good man, but after getting him, what do they do? They turn him into bones!'' The guard inwardly cursed all women while pushing the button to open thepany gates. Everyone had already left except for Mr. Shi and the cleaning staff.

    "Have a good day, Mr. Shi! See you in a month!"

    Looking at Mr. Shi''s disappearing vehicle, the guard frowned, confusion very evident in his eyes. Ever since the incident, thepany has been trying to get Mr. Shi to take a paid time off for as long as he needed, even if it''s for 3 or 6 months. With how massive the case was, thepany was also in the spotlight. So if they don''t offer such a generous paid time off, it would look like they were heartless. They could already see the headlines now. <Father with psychotic wife, takes care of his baby with thest of his savings>

    Why? Because Job didn''t give him time to recover or take care of his child. No matter what, thepany must show its support for Clem Shi. Even the CEO and big bosses gave Clem Shi a fat boys. One would think that Clem Shi would agree to stop working, but he has been refusing and dying his time off. It was almost as though something was pursuing him at home, making him dread returning. Well, maybe his home reminded him too much of his wife. That it makes him depressed every time he stares at his home. The guard also heard that the child is typically with his mother inw during his working time. They had been begging him for a while to just stop work, go home and rest. Not just for his sake, but for the sake of thepany''s reputation. However, Mr. Shi often postponed his paid time off.

    That was until yesterday, when he suddenly had a change of heart, saying that today would be hisst day at work. Instantly, the managers, leaders, superiors and even bigpany bosses were so happy that they almost jumped out of their chairs in glee. Good! Good! Good! (>0<)

    Finally, this guy is going to leave! Finally, no more fear of reporters will camp out of their building, bothering them day in and day out. Finally, there won''t be rumors saying that thepany was bullying Clem Shi by refusing him to take time off. Know that no matter how many times they exined it, some people still thought it was their doing. There were all sorts of conspiracy theories out there, with some theories even specting that Clem Shi''s son might be the child of theirs along with Liana. Many said Liana might have wanted to kill the boy to ensure her infertility didn''t get uncovered. Well, it''s good that Clem Shi finally decided to leave after today. Thepany originally thought of giving Clem Shi 3 months off. But after all the troubles they''ve received facing this matter, they decided to extend it until 6 monthster. For half a year, he will be paid to rest at home�� Travel�� rx�� cry�� take care of his son�� whatever it was to stay clear of thepany until then. Shaking his head wryly, the guard felt pity for Clem Shi and all men in the world. ''Hey, I thought my ex-wife''s betrayal was heart wrenching. But this one�� this one takes the cake.'' Tch.

    Women��

    They were just evil beings men found destructive, but couldn''t live without. ��

    Vrmmm~

    Clem Shi felt his heart beating in his ears the slower he drove. The home that was once a symbol of love and happiness, now looked like an abandoned, cold and eerie ce.

    He was very distracted, but still knew he had to drive slower than he typically did. Soon, he arrived at his home, with an expression that looked worse than death.

    Clem Shi sat in his vehicle, staring at the lights that were on in the living room. There was another vehicle parked beside him in his driveway. Already, he knew who it was. "Son-inw, is that you? Come in, quickly�� we�C" The Dray Couple stepped out the door with ''little Hai'' in their arms. No matter how many times they saw Clem Shi, his appearance was truly ghastly for them to ept. Only those who knew what he looked like before, would understand just how terrifying and unbelievable his changes were. Instantly, their eyes turned moist. He must have loved their daughter too much for his appearance to change so much. They already took him to the hospital where the doctor said he was suffering from depression. The kind that might kill if he wasn''t careful. Do you know that some people die right after their partners die? They can''t see the world worth living, without their loved ones with them. The doctor said the shock and betrayal their daughter gave him was too deep. And yet, their son-inw was still madly in love with their daughter. Sigh�� They felt ashamed of what their daughter had done to the poor man and their granddaughter. They gave crooked smiles in an attempt to hide their pain. "Son-inw, quickly leave your car ande in to eat." They just didn''t want him spending so much time in his vehicle, thinking of who knows what. Wasn''t that how depression grows? "Son-inw, how did it go?" Clem Shi paused, carefully locking the door behind him. Then, he nodded. "Starting today, I will no longer head to the office for work."

    "That''s great!" Both parents released heavy sighs of relief. They were truly happy for their son-inw, wishing to take care of him after what their daughter did to him.

    Clem Shi felt panicked, knowing they were adamant about staying over tonight.

    "Mom, dad, believe me, you don''t have to�C"

    "Nonsense! We are staying, and that is that!"

    Clem Shi felt his words ball up in his throat.

    What should he do? Tonight, if he doesn''t get them out, they too might end up being in danger!

    Waaaaaa~

    The baby began crying, allowing his inws to hug himfortably. However, in a ce where they couldn''t see, it stared at Clem Shi with a smile that went to the back of its ears.

    Human, today, you DIE

 Chapter 626 Their Purpose

    Chapter 626 Their Purpose

    Clem Shi''s insides twisted when staring at the scene before him.

    Mrs. Dray insisted on preparing dinner, ushering him to take a seat by the table. Soon they were gathered around the dining table, while the babyid on the couch, swaddled between cushions, seemingly asleep.

    Huh. Sleep, his ass!

    Clem Shi wished he could gather the strength to choke the little alien to death. However, now was not the time for this. Chewing on the ''tasteless'' meal in his mouth, he watched it warily, half-expecting those unnerving eyes to snap open at any moment.

    As they ate, Mrs. Dray chatted about mundane things��the weather, their garden back home��blissfully unaware of the dark undercurrents swirling around them.

    "So how''s Liana doing?" Mr. Dray asked casually. Yet, one could feel the pain within that hoarse voice.

    Clem Shi hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "She''s... resting," he said finally. "The doctors are taking good care of her."

    Clem Shi tried to participate in the conversation but found himself distracted by every creak of the floorboards and flicker of the lights.

    Will his so-called helpers trulye today? Or was he just imagining things just like his wife did?

    NO!

    Clem Shi has spent too many nights with ''it'' to know it wasn''t human.

    Nightfall came before he knew it. Clem Shi said goodnight to the Drays, advising them to keep their doors locked at all times. Eh?

    The Drays were confused, but soon feared for the worse, thinking he might want tomit suicideter on. Fortunately, Clem Shi managed to thwart the crazy notion in their minds. It''s just that whether or not they shut their doors, was another matter on its own. .

    -Silence-

    The house was quiet as night descended. Clem Shiy in bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. ''Will what they said truly happen tonight?''

    His thoughts were a chaotic jumble of fear and anticipation.

    The shadows of the nearby structures, now danced, stretched, and contracted yfully across the wooden floors, creating a tapestry of dark and light wherever he looked.

    ''Do not sleep��. Do not sleep�� Do not sleep��''

    He kept telling himself these words over and over again, but it was no use. The small but high ceilinged room, seemed to have the power of drawing him to a deep slumber despite his attempts. ZZZZZZzzzz~

    In no time, he was asleep. Tick-tock. Tick-tock~

    The clock on the wall kept ticking loudly. It ticked and ticked for 1�� 2�� and on the 3rd hour after his rest, it suddenly stopped dead in its track. Hm?

    Clem Shi frowned in his slumber, suddenly, he felt a weight on his chest��small but oppressive. And unlike other times when he struggled to open his eyes, this time was different. What?

    He opened his eyes to find the baby sitting there, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.

    Instantly, fear splintered his throat, as he found his breathing growing heavier by the second. "Daddy..." The voice was soft yet chilling��a sound that seemed to echo from deep within his mind.

    Do babies talk now? Definitely not a baby!

    Panic surged through him as he realized he couldn''t move. Help! Help! Help!

    It was as if invisible chains held him down while the baby''s gaze bore into his soul. He struggled against the paralysis but found himself powerless.

    Then, he heard a faint chuckle escape its lips. "Why do you fight?" The baby''s voice was now more insistent, its tone almost mocking. "Don''t you belong to us now?... Your human coat, we need that now."

    What human coat?

    Clem Shi''s heart pounded in his chest as he fought for control over his own body. "No... I won''t let you take me. What did you do to my son?" he managed to question in a whisper through gritted teeth.

    Fear was one thing, but pain and fury was another. Despite his fear, Clem Shi''s eyes now burned wickedly.

    His boy�� Liana was right!

    They should have killed this son of a b**ch ages ago!

    Toote. Now, he found his body being controlled. He picked up the evil baby, and walked out of his room without even putting on shoes or any other clothes except for his nightwear. "Honey, did you hear that?"

    In the room next door, the couple who were light sleepers, suddenly jolted up when hearing Clem Shi''s door open. Could it be that their guess was right, and he truly wished tomit suicide tonight?

    Very quickly, they wore their slippers and rushed to their door with crippling worry. It''s just that what they saw, left them both frozen in ce.

    And at that moment, they truly understood why their daughter suddenly went crazy to kill her own child. .

    �CSilence�C

    3 minutester, despite only Clem Shi being controlled, the Dray couple also found themselves subconsciously following along, especially when there was a threat made on their daughter''s life, and that of their son-inw. What did I say? That it would kill Liana and Clem Shi if they didnte. No wonder Clem Shi had told them to lock their doors and nevere out until morning.

    No one had to say a thing, for them to know that their son-inw was people controlled. Was this a dream? No Science could make them understand what the hell their eyes were just witnessing. Alien?

    Bubuum~ Bubuum~

    Clem Shi''s heart raced as he led his inws, Mrs. Dray and Mr. Dray, into the dark woods. Despite his eyes looking dead, he could see and hear everything, but had no control over his own body.

    The baby, now an ominous presence in his arms, seemed to guide him with a force beyond his control. What a strange night. For the longest time, the moon has been hidden behind thick clouds for days and even weeks. Yet today, it decided to show its beauty, as if giving Clem Shi onest look at its glory.

    The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting eerie shadows that danced across their path.

    Mrs. Dray and Mr. Dray followed silently, their expressions vacant, as if under a spell, though they were NOT. Everyone had wild choric thoughts, especially Clem Shi, who was screaming in his mind,manding his body to stop dead in its tracks. And as they advanced deeper and deeper, they all couldn''t help wrinkling their noses by the bitter, choking and sulfur aroma in the air. Ugh~

    It smelled like a million dead people. The stench invaded their bodies like a virustching onto its host. ''What the hell is that?''

    No one could answer them.

    All they heard were twigs snapping underneath their feet, and the whispers of the forest grew louder, weaving a sinister melody that pulled them deeper into its heart.

    It felt like they were walking for all eternity. They wished they could keep walking till daylight. Sadly, that was not to be the case. In a clearing surrounded by towering oaks, they stopped. Was this it?... Was this where the evil baby was taking them to?

    Wheeeee~

    The winds blew chillingly.

    And just then, their pupils dted at an rming rate, trying to process all that they were seeing. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The air was thick with malevolence as otherworldly figures emerged from the shadows��creatures drawn by the scent of innocence tainted with corruption.

    These creatures encircled the family, their eyes gleaming with hunger and anticipation. Blugh~

    The vomit festival began, as even Clem Shi''s body vomited when its eyesnded on these beings.

    So ugly! So terrible.

    They wished they could pluck out their own eyes and roast them over a fire like marshmallows, if it would mean burning the image away. (X0X)

    .

    Abomination! Abomination!

    They felt this was a true abomination that should never be allowed to grace the face of the world. And at this moment, they understood that this wasn''t the work of aliens, but hideous creatures that were just too otherworldly. Clem Shi watched helplessly, trapped within his own body, unable to break free from the chains binding him.

    Soon, he noticed that they weren''t the only humans here. There were 4 other human families being led in by their 5, 3.. And even 10 year old children. Tears trickled down the faces of many parents who felt they were terrible parents for not even realizing that their children weren''t theirs. At least Liana had noticed hers from the day the change was made. That''s not my son, she said, over and over again!

    Some of them evenughed and thought she was crazy. But look who''sughing now?

    Sensing their fears, the creatures licked their lips excitedly. Yes�� fear�� fear�� more fear�� they loved it!

    "Foolish humans�� for a long time, we have been feeding and preparing your flesh for the taking." One of the creaturesmented. It was such a grotesque being, with a dark shadowy cloak covering its entire being. Till now, no one had seen its face behind that dark and thick hooded cloak. Its bony hands were exposed from its misty cloak, continuously dropping rot and gigantic bugs. Yet this was enough to send countless chills up their spines. Mommy�� Many had true tears streaming down their cheeks. Who can save them now?

 Chapter 627 The Scammers Are Truthful

    Chapter 627 The Scammers Are Truthful

    The clearing was eerily quiet, the tension palpable as Clem Shi stood frozen, the baby resting ominously on his chest. Earlier, he held a flicker in his heart, thinking he would definitely be rescued. But now when looking at the many incredulous and hideous creatures around him, he felt that no human could ever defeat such things that defied logic.

    Clem Shi wished he could lower his gaze just like everyone else, but he wasn''t in control of it. Just one nce at these creatures left his bodywobbling like dancing noodles.

    Clem Shi hoped for his rescuers to arrive, but that hope seemed to wane as the baby''s eyes glowed brighter, radiating a sinister energy.

    "Daddy," the baby cooed, its voice dripping with malice. "You should be proud. I''ve chosen you as one of my vessels."

    Vessels? Is that what it meant by saying it wanted his human coat earlier? Was it his skin?

    David''s heart raced as he fought against the invisible controls binding him. No! He didn''t want his skin used as a coat. But what could he do about it?

    Others who heard the baby''s words also had faces worse than death. And then, right before their very eyes, the winds began to howl, picking up little by little.

    The grass rustled and moved in a circr direction, revealing strange carvings on the ground. Everyone''s heart skipped a beat. What was that? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Aw��.

    Their minds didn''t have time to think, because of the deadly winds that were almost kicking their feet off the grounds. Unscientific! Unscientific! No winds can just pick up like this with no warning. Again, this was all proof that what they were experiencing was anything but natural.

    Wheeeee~

    The winds picked up chaotically, to a point that everyone had to keep their hands over their faces and flinch back with squinting eyes. But they miraculously found that whenever they were about to fly away, the chilling force would keep them in ce. The force was ufortable and sent a thousand icy arrows into their hearts. They didn''t know much about Exorcism and the underworld, but they, as ordinary mortals, could tell that this force was anything but good. Pure evil! That''s what it felt like. It felt like they were surrounded by a million dead bodies who also wanted to drag them into the abyss of death too. It was just one touch, yet, they were sweating as though drenched in a river. Terrible�� they thought they were dead just now. Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh~

    The creatures chuckled arrogantly.

    And with a sudden burst of energy, they lunged at the humans, cing them to specific spots around the circle. Good�� Good�� Now, it was time for vessel assimtion. The baby in Clem Shi''s hands, would still remain in the body it was in. However, its subordinates would take on the bodies of everyone here�� including Clem Shi''s body.

    Plop~

    Clem Shi now regained control of his own body and the Mo his butt hit the ground hard. Not too far away from him were the Seats who also got dragged into this. However, what Clem Shi didn''t know was that the days when he left the baby at his inws ce overtime, it also did the same thing it did to Clem Shi. It''s just that it was particrly careful when it came to dealing with older human bodies�� After all, it didn''t want to identally kill them or else it would be a waste of good skin. So although the Drays looked haggard these days, they didn''t look as terrible as Clem Shi did. .

    Without wasting time, Clem Shi gritted his leg and tried to move out of the circle. However, as though sensing his thoughts the vicious baby lunged at him, its small hands transforming into ws that glinted in the moonlight.

    Too scary! "You think you can resist?... CLEM SHI, You''re already mine!" GrrrrEe~

    it hissed, sinking its ws into Clem Shi''s chest.

    Pain�� pain�� Pain shot through him like wildfire. The scent of fresh blood invaded his senses. It was his own blood. Dammit! Where are those so-called helpers? Did he get scammed? Did they lie to him from the very start?

    Clem Shi gasped, feeling the darkness seep into his very soul. "Help! Someone help me!" he cried out, but his voice was swallowed by the shadows.

    For no one would be able to hear a single thing from miles and miles away, especially with the mysterious circle now setup.

    No! It can''t end like this!

    Clem Shi struggled against the baby''s grip, feeling its influence seep further into his mind. The world around him blurred as shadows danced menacingly at the edges of his vision.

    "Why resist?" the baby whispered seductively. "Embrace your fate! You belong to me now."

    "No! I won''t give up! You killed my son!... You did that to my wife!... It''s you�� it''s all Y-O-U!" Clem Shi shouted defiantly, summoning every ounce of strength he had left.

    The Drays also felt their pupils dance maniacally when staring at the floating baby strangling their Son-inw.

    "Bastard! It was all you!" "You�� Why, why didn''t I listen to my Liana? The girl has never lied a single day in her life! So why would I�C" "My grandson .. my poor daughter��"

    Woooo~

    The Drays cried and choked on their tears when thinking of everything that happened for thest few months. Yes! Yes! What kind of mother can bear to kill her own child? Their Liana must have known that the child was no longer hers, but something else. All she did was protect their family, but what did they do? Theymitted her to an asylum as her reward!

    .

    Wooooo~

    Several people cried heavily, clutching their chests in remorse and regret. "Such spirit," the baby replied with a chillingugh. "But spirit alone won''t save you."

    It''s over�� it''s over�� Clem Shi found himself almost losing consciousness, as the terrified cries and screams from the Drays and the others flooded his ears. It was all his fault. She was right�� She has always been right. ''Liana�� I''m so sorry�� If I had listened to you, then none of this would have ever happened.'' Salty water escaped Clem Shi''s eyes, when thinking of his beloved Liana who would be an orphan, a widow and a woman who lost her baby too. The whole thing would definitely kill her, or make her truly go crazy, cementing her stay in the asylum even further.

    But knowing how determined and strong the woman he married was, something told Clem Shi she might get out and return to this town for revenge. ''Liana, you silly woman�� I hope you do not do what I think you will�� Live well, and be happy.'' Clem Shi closed his eyes, epting his fate as such. His only regret was stopping Liana that day she went to the roof to kill the baby. Why! Because it wasn''t as strong as it was now.

    Now, it was toote. The baby''s mouth now widened 11 times its size, as it used a mysterious power to force his mouth open too. And then, he felt his heart and inner vessels struggling to stay in ce. Was this the end? Smiling bitterly, Clem Shi could almost see the cute face of his deceased son. ''Little Hai�� daddy ising to keep youpany.'' BOOM! A loud explosive sound bombarded Clem Shi''s ears, causing him to keep his eyes shut. Was this it?... Did his insides finally explode? (!_!)

    Boom! There it was again! This time, Clem Shi''s eyes pried wide open, only to meet the several good-looking people in uniform. Ah! "It''s you!!" It was thedy who stopped him in the alley, a few days back. Hah-hah-hah�� Hah-hah-hah! She came! She and her people, she said, came out to help him after all! No scam, just truth! Other than his wife, Clem Shi has never been so happy to see another woman so badly. So awesome?

    These people looked so cool, with some even blowing bubblegum and handing their weapons on their shoulders without a car in the world. One could think they would look like ruffians, but for some reason, there was nobility and elegance in every action they took. Some held transparent swords, handing the tip on their chest and shoulders. Others already squatted on the creatures they just attacked, poking their weapon at the creatures. And at the center of the 4 guests, was an extraordinary looking boy who leanedzily on a tree. What?

    This time, it was the creatures and the baby''s turn to react. Their eyes were now red-blooded with fury. "Foolish human!" the baby roared, breaking free with a violent swing of its w. "You think your little tricks can hold me?"

    With a flick of its wrist, over 60 creatures appeared from the shadows to join in once more. 5 against 60�� isn''t it obvious who would win at the end at this point? Not to talk of the fact that they were underworld creatures, beings far superior than these humans they fished out like prey. Oh? Obediah, chuckled after getting the go-ahead from Dorian. "Your arrogance blinds you," he taunted as he struck with a holy de that glimmered in the moonlight.

    "Come, let me show you just how powerful we can be."

    BOOM!

 Chapter 628 Who The Hell Are You All?

    Chapter 628 Who The Hell Are You All?

    Obediah Vice��The military official who was there during the extermination of the first horseman�� was now bing a force to be reckoned with within the academy. With a nod from Dorian, he sprung into action, moving with the fluidity and precision of a seasoned warrior.

    And the next thing several creatures knew, they were flying in the air, cut into half by the massive Scythe in Obediah''s hands. Grahhh!!!~

    The creatures graveled in agony, as they found that it was taking too long for any cut-away parts to reconnect. What''s going on?

    How can it be this way? Dammit! Despite having their upper halves divided from their lower bottoms, they found that they could still control their severed parts. So why must they wait to be joint together before attacking? Get Him!!

    Grahhhh~

    Their faces stretched in masks of fury, allowing their bodies to stretch and grow even more serious than they already were. F***! Clem Shi and several others watching, subconsciously ced their hands on their eyes, too scared to watch what was going to happen to poor Obediah. 1 man against 10s of monsters�� Mommy�� Their tremors had increased again, and their sobbing went out for the soon-to-be man who would be squashed like a bug. Several people hunched and flinched back, waiting for a particr cry to ring out. However,... Howe it wasn''t the sound they were expecting to hear? 5 seconds ago, Obediah smirked arrogantly, before vanishing and repairing in the air. Then, he began to twirl, with his Scythe grasped by both palms. So strong! Everything happened in slow motion, as Obediah moved like Neo in the matrix, using a pole and twisting in the air elegantly to beat the many men in suit after him. What just happened? Several people removed their hands on their faces right at the moment when Obediah descended. As for his opponent''s, be it their legs or even their upper halves, Obediah had stacked them all in one pile, body after body. Then, they watched him slowly take out a single coin. Ting~

    It echoed strangely when flicked,nding on the monster on top of the pile. Eh? What''s this? These creatures found that no matter how they tried, they couldn''t move at all. Why?.... Who could tell them what was going on here? (?0?)

    .

    Obediah wasn''t the only one getting work done. One exorcist, a tall woman named ra, summoned chains of fire that shot from the other end of her whip. She aimed at one of the ''big'' guys, who was definitely stronger than several creaturesbined.

    "Enough, with the foolish this, foolish that��" she spoke, her voice calm yet fierce. "You''ll find we''re not so easily intimidated." "Oh, really?" The creature also lengthened its ws, looking at the puny human before it in disgust. "Your first mistake was thinking you and I are equal." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Swish! It was no longer there, moving in a blur of motion. But ra ducked and rolled, missing a tendril that viciously swept over her head. Too fast! ''If I had been a second slower, my head would have rolled just now��.'' "Hahahhahaha, foolish human, do you know the difference between you and I?" It stood on the other end, with tendrils dancing above its head from the back of its neck. It stood in a hunched position, with its massive grotesque body leaning forward in anticipation for its next move. "Yes," ra nodded, secretly staring at its feet. "Yes, I do��" In a sh, the creature appeared, with its tendrils still moving chaotically. However, it soon noticed that the image it was attacking was just an afterimage of its true opponent! Where? "You asked me if I knew the difference between you and I��" Ara appeared above the creature, her entire face covered in a dark shadow, except for her eyes that glowed murderously. "And I said I do."

    sh!~

    Its head dropped on the ground, bouncing a few times before stopping. "We''re smarter than you��" Whoosh!

    She tilted to the side, avoiding another attack from the headless body. "Better than you��"

    sh! "And have the most potential to survive, no matter the storm." Bam!

    Its massive headless body fell to the ground after so many attacks from ra. ra smirked, kicking the head like a ball till itnded on its massive body. Then she too took out a coin, flickering it into the wind while breathing heavily. Don''t mind as she made it look easy. The battle might have been short, but it consumed a lot of her energy when finding herself equally matched in stretched against that creature. Watch more, it was also faster than her. If it didn''t give itself away with its feet, she wouldn''t be able to predict its movements that easily. She knew it would eventually run towards her, but would it first choose to go around in circles, or choose to make a straight run for her instead? She had to calcte and prepare for every action it could take. It treated them like food, and somehow, she felt that even without the Grandmaster, humankind was not one to easily give in. It''s true that they won''t definitely lose in the end, but�� they would be like annoying ants, fighting on the soles of a mighty elephant time and time again. .

    What an odd species they were.

    Humankind has survived through all sorts of disasters life can throw at them. A meteor shower that wiped out most of the word poption, gues, wars, floods�� you name it. Humankind was the sort of annoying species that kept popping its head out through every disaster, with a survival will that couldst till the end of the universe itself. It''s not that humans will win against these creatures. But even though they''ll lose, they would be annoying losers, the sort that could keep one''s blood pressure high. ra even felt that these underground creatures would one day develop human-diseases after they seed in imprisoning humankind. Humans �� That''s just the sort of species they were. Oh well�� She threw a pill in her mouth, before turning her attention to the weaker monsters now surrounding her. Bam! Bam! Bam! Swish! Three of the creature''s shrieked in rage as they struggled against the bindings of the fiery chain. "Damn you, human!" "You think these can hold us down?"

    Several creatures spat defiantly,shing cursed till their mouths hurt. ra tightened her grip on the chains, her eyes narrowing with determination. "They''ll do more than hold you," she retorted.

    ra kept battling nonstop, alongside another exorcist who wielded a staff. He swung it with practiced ease, creating arcs of light that sliced through the air toward the demons encircling them.

    "Leave them alone!!" the manmanded, striking down one demon after another.

    It seemed that some of these demons were hastily trying toplete the ritual. They were actually trying to kill the Clem Shi and the other humans around them. "Damn your interference!" The demons retaliated with ferocity, their ws shing through the air as they lunged at the exorcists. However, Marcus was relentless, his staff a blur of motion as he parried their attacks and countered with devastating force.

    "Sit!" Bam! Several other them were forced to sit, by the coins Marcus threw their way. No fair! No fair! No fair! Wasn''t this cheating? (-_-)

    ��

    It was indeed a dance between shadow and light. Everyone moved through the battlefield like shadows, their movements graceful yet deadly. The onlookers had never seen anything like this. Since when did humans be this string? Who can tell them what was going on here? Magic?... Flying? All they saw were countless streaks of light dancing in the space, followed by the screams, cursed and arrogant talks from the enemy. Of course, these people weren''t all that omnipotent. They also progressed in battle with injuries too. It seemed their injuries gave these creatures arrogance and hope. "You dare challenge us?" "Food like you can only get sliced up by me!" "Is that all you''ve got? Mm, puny humans?" "_" [The onlookers]

    Why don''t you stop talking and also look at the injuries you''ve amassed too? This was the case of a pot calling the kettle ck. If anything, they were more injured than these people. So who gave them the arrogance to keep talking? Even those pinned down, taunted and mocked arrogantly. In their eyes, it was only a matter of time before their fellow demons won. However, their taunts soon turned to questions, when seeing how many of them kept piling up minute by minute. "Trash!"

    ��

    All this happened in just under 10 minutes�� 10 explosive minutes that left the onlookers in awe. And at this time, the baby who was earlier confident, now had a look that was worse than death. "Humans, who the hell are you?" The disciples said nothing, giving way for the Grandmaster who had beenzily leaving on a tree in the shadows all this time. Hey�� many of them had long forgotten that he even existed at all. Very slowly, Dorian approached the scene with his hands deep in his pockets. "Now, I''m typically not the sort toe out for such a low level mission, I''m sure my disciples can handle." Din-din-din~

    His footsteps were unhurried. "However, you�C" He tilted his head towards the floating baby. "You unfortunately have something I''ve been looking for." The baby frowned. What? Could it possibly have that any human would ever be aware of?

    "The Key!"

 Chapter 629 Pain & Regret

    Chapter 629 Pain & Regret

    Why was the ending so contrasting from the beginning? Bam! "The Key." "Hmph! You''ll have to pry it from my��"

    Bam!

    "The Key." "Listen here mortal, I don''t know what you''re talking-" Bam!

    "The Key."

    "Damn you Mortal. When I regain my full-" Bam!

    "The Key." "_"

    Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! (-_-) [The onlookers.]

    ��

    It all happened too fast. One minute the baby was arrogant, and the next, it was pleading for its life with snot oozing from its nostrils. Can they say that this was the most dramatic and hectic thing they''ve ever seen before?

    The boy�� oops�� it should be the one these people called Grandmaster, was handling the strongest creature here, as though it were a true baby. Bam! They''ve seen a baby get beaten so hard it began speaking in tongues. During the other battles, their saviors at least got injured here and there. But when it was the Grandmaster''s turn, not so much as even a speck of dust or stain of blood had touched his attire. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ~Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! They began feeling sympathy towards the creature that wasn''t even given an opportunity to speak anymore. It was attack after attack after attack. Heck!

    At some point, it dug its nails into the ground, trying to crawl away while pleading with them to help beg for its life. (!-!)

    Hello? Aren''t you so supposed to be some omnipotent being? So where did your earlier arrogance go? It was shocking to watch, that''s for sure. Soon, the creature had no choice but to confess to where it kept the key. Hey�� Clem Shi was taken aback when it mentioned that the key was actually in one of the stacks of keys he had for his shed and other things. All keys in that stack were massive and huge, and had several purposes. Apart from the shed, there''s a Barn to the East that he inherited from his Grandparents. The keys look massive and very medieval. Clem Shi didn''t remember thest time he actually picked up those keys. In a sh, the Grandmaster with the baby�� He then reappeared again, holding the clunky sets of keys around a very thick metal bangle.

    What was he doing? Many wondered while watching Dorian speak to the keys. What shocked them the most, was that the keys actually responded to him in a way of their own. He spoke something they couldn''t make out, leading to all keys trembling and vigorously vibrating.

    Then, the rest of the keys began to distance themselves from a lone key that wasn''t vibrating. Bingo. Several people subconsciously knew that this was the key the Grandmaster was talking of. But if you ask them, it looked pretty normal to them. What was so special about�C

    Oops�� The key began trembling after the Grandmaster calmly swiped his hand over it. Then, it changed into something more hideous and grotesque than any of the creatures they saw tonight. Blugh~

    Several people gagged and gagged, wondering how a key can look more terrifying than the actual monsters around them. This only proved that the true owner of the keg must be a being that might make them faint at a single nce. What a shocking night this has been. Clem Shi and the others felt the mysteries of the world around them.

    .

    Good...

    Returning its appearance back to ordinary, The Grandmaster took out a handkerchief and wrapped the key into it. "Now then, since business is over��finish them off." "What? Exorcist?You all are�� No! You despicable human, you pro-"

    Dorian paused, throwing his head behind his shoulders. "Promised? When did I say that?" "_" Well, it was the first time the baby has been scammed by a human before. Were humans always so dishonest? It''s true that the human hardly said a thing and didn''t verbally promise at all. However, didn''t it stop torturing it, meaning the human agreed to its deal?" The baby opened and closed its mouth severally, not knowing what to say at this time. It felt a pain of rage, frustration and all sorts of negative emotions swell up in its body. If only it were strange enough to take these bastards down�� if only its master knew of the existence of exorcists, then it would see whoughsst. Of course, in its eyes, no matter where exorcists existed or not, it won''t change the course of history that its master''s have been nning since the dawn of time. Sadly, it won''t be here to witness its master destroy this despicable human race that didn''t know their ce. Apart from the joy they get from hunting humans, why do you think it''s necessary for any powerful underworld being to feed off humans? That''s because the fear they emit, once absorbed, could add the strength of a creature. Fear wasn''t the only thing tasty and strength-enhancing. Collection of souls, promises (AKA contracts) that remove heaven''s will on a human''s fate, and so many other things, made humans the perfect target for them all. All creatures, even his Looked Beelzebub, have killed countless humans from the time of his descent into the underworld. Killing, strengthened their will too. Whether they kill humans, or kill each other, all made cultivating within the underworld sweet and fast. Of course, what they do to humans, can also be done to enemy Underworld beings too. It''s just that the joy and taste gotten out of it is not the same. Sure, you can have an army of mindless people. But �� that would be far more energy exhausting since it means that this army won''t be able to think for themselves without you telling them to go left, right, up, or down. No true ruler wished for this. This means they will have to stay out in the underworld, since their armies can''t think without them. Their armies can follow instructions even if they leave. But anything out of the instructions, the army would look away from it, since it didn''t fall into the categories of things they must keep watch of. .

    All in all, underworld creatures can also grow stronger by killing other underworld creatures. However, no killings bring more rewards than humans. There was just something about them that was practically too irresistible to pass up. And humans�� Well, there were plenty. Not just in this world, but in the millions, billions, trillions, gazillions and infinite world''s out Even though many of them weren''t permitted to go to other worlds, they still felt there was plenty of human food to go around in this world. As the baby thought all its 90,000 years of hunting years in this world, it had a look of hatred burning bright.

    That''s right, it was 90,000 years old, which though impressive, was nothingpared to true stinger beings that have been alive for millions, billions and trillions of years. "Mark my words human, you will regret what you''ve just done now." "Hmmm�� sure, sure, sure�� Now hold still and stop squirming." Obediah mumbled, flipping through his now erged book to find the special incantation for the unique situation.

    And then, with the others, they forced the creature''s true self out of the baby. Grahhhhhhhh~

    The winds picked as a never ending stream of greenish ck smoke shot out from the unnaturally erged mouth. The eyes of Clem Shi and the Drays now turned moist again when staring at the left over baby body that was basically a dress suit. "You bastards!" They are the baby from the inside!

    All that was left was an overly attached human suit and various broken bones within. .no internal organs remained, talk less of blood or anything else. Seeing their grandchild''s body in this state, made both Mr. And Mrs. Dray faint in despair. "My Grandbaby��" "My��" They passed out like a quenched me. Clem Shi was too distraught to bother with them, as all he wanted now was to hold his child''s designated corpse in apology. "I''m sorry�� I''m sorry�� I''m sorry�� son, I''m sorry for you and your mother." He failed... He, Clem Shi, failed! The mere thought of suicide bombarded his blind, like evil whispers. How will he live with himself now? It wasn''t just Clem Shi and the Drays who felt the pain, but the other families who had their children of 3, 4 and even 6, possessed and eaten from within. They, more than anyone else, felt that their own failure was far more than Clem Shi''s family. As a mother, Liana could tell her baby wasn''t hers. But what about the other mothers? How could they have been so blind nit to see that their children were being eaten and killed from within? During the time of eating, their children probably screamed and begged inside their bodies for their parents to save them. But what did they do? They didn''t notice a thing! �� Several mothers fainted too, already looking 20 years older than they already were. None will be able to ever understand the pain boring through their hearts right now. How do you get over such depression? Who''s gonna anyone believe their story? If anything, they might end up getting locked up just like Liana. Several parents passed out with swollen teary red eyes, in apology. ''My baby�� please, forgive us.''

 Chapter 630 Battle Stations!

    Chapter 630 Battle Stations!

    Several people cried for what seemed like an eternity, crying and fainting at a second''s notice. However, they heard strangeughs and chuckles that felt very familiar to them. This alone made them wake from their faint, in time to see the souls of their children floating away into the distance, smiling at them with love. Clem Shi''s baby seemed to know he was his father,ughing and swishing its little ghostly hands at him. "Grandson�� my baby��" the Drays woke up, crying and waving at their body that was floating away, no longer bound and trapped in this world. Then, it disappeared from their sight, however, rather than going up like the others, it appeared in a ce far away, a ce Clem Shi would have never expected. Liana was sleeping worriedly, when she suddenly heard its beautifulughter. "Little Hai~... Little Hai�� LITTLE HAI!!!!" Liana''s entire face was wet with a salty taste. Her eyes were so red and swollen that she could hardly see her baby. Although her hands went through the floating baby''s body, Liana was 100% sure it was her son. Mother knows best. This was her son! Woooooooo~

    She cried and cried, and her baby kept trying to cheer her up to no avail. Then, it gave her a kiss, and although she didn''t feel it, she felt it was the warmest kiss she had ever gotten. Her baby�� seeing its disappearing body, she knew it had to go. However, she understood that somehow, my little Hai had been set free. Wooooo~

    Liana cried on her knees, waking one of the night shift nurses up. She was actually cking off her duty, slipping into LaLand. Dammit! The angry nurse cursed. ''It''s her again!''

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    "Go to f**king sleep, you crazy child killer! Don''t let mee in there and tranquilize you!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Wooooo~

    Liana cried even louder, damning all the consequences of life. Her eyes were blood red, and she seemed not to see or hear a single thing around her. �� Dorian nodded at the baby that appeared again, bowing in a yful manner. It seems that even babies understood good and bad. However, this baby had a strong connection with its family, particrly its mother. Sigh�� Dorian took a look at its changed fate now, and paused. Then, a true smile crept on his face, giving the child the go ahead to depart. After the child disappeared, he turned to face Clem Shi and the Drays. "In 2 years, he will return to you��"

    Whether humanity survives by that time or bes ves, was something only time would tell. However, one thing was 1000% true. The boy will be reincarnated back into his mother''s womb. "Did you all hear that?" Obediah bellowed. "In 2 years, he will be back! So if I were you, I''d think of how to get my wife out of there and get busy!" Boom! The information was just too shocking that it exploded in their brains like torpedoes. "Thank you�� thank you, Grandmaster!!!" Dorian shook his head, indicating that he did nothing, but no one seemed to believe it. The child was already destined to return because of its extremely attached affection for its mother and his family. Don''t think that it didn''t watch everything Liana went through. It did. It was ready to return to its mother and make her happy. However, when it returns, it won''t have the faintest clue about its past. Only they would know everything it went through. The Drays and Clem Shi were so happy that they hugged each other, crying again for the umpteenth time. Dorian began wondering how the human body could produce so much tears. Are they sure they were healthy at this point? He felt that thebination of their tears since the start, was enough to fill 2 buckets now. They just kept crying and crying rivers that never ceased. .

    With that, Dorian vanished from the scene, leaving Obediah and the others behind. He had what he came for, so the rest was up to them to do. "Grandmaster�C" Several other families had questions about their own children who vanished ages ago. Sadly, Dorian had already left the scene. However, they felt they didn''t have much faith in having their children returned to their wombs. Hah�� They even felt they were unworthy. What sort of mother/father doesn''t realize that they have been swapped? After knowing there was such a thing as reincarnation, they hoped and wished in their hearts, that their children would go to looking homes, with parents who were more attentive than they. s .. tonight was a distraught one for them all. However, they didn''t forget to purchase and buy the protective charms Obediah and the others offered. F***! Do you think they want to go through this again? Some still have other children, despite losing one or 2, and others Anne''s to get busy to have others. Some even wished to adopt instead. Whatever the case, do you think they want to put any child under their care through what they''ve seen and been through tonight? BUY! Several people swore to wear these pendants even if they were in the showers. The children who survived through it all, also swore to their parents that even if the sky is falling down, they''ll be wearing these all day long. Are you kidding? They suddenly felt naked without these pendants.

    . "Saviors, please, let me have 3�� no 10�� no, scratch that, 50!!" "And none too! I want 50 as well!" No matter the price, saving one''s life is better than living as they did earlier. No one likes living in the light when the unknown event in the shadows can always see them. At this point, they also warned their children to never f.go to this forest again. Most young boys go here for fun since there are no wild bears or animals here. From now on, you best believe some people might live to 90 and even die without ever stepping foot in this forest path again. Even though they believed these pendants would keep them safe, why volunteer to test it out by passing this ce again and seeing something they shouldn''t? The word to the wise was enough. Of course, all of them had their lifespans shorten one way or another, which caused them to tremble desperately. "What? I could have lived to 71, but now, I''ll die at 63?" Obediah frowned, a little perplexed when staring at the 16 year old boy before him. "You''re 16. You still have time before 63. So what''s the big deal? You''ll die anyway�� everyone does." The hell they do! Give him back his 8 years! Listening to Obediah''s nonchnt words, the boy suddenly felt he was already 63 on the edge of death. "You''re 43 now. You were supposed to die at 83, but now, you only have till 50." "You''re xxx�� you only have 2 more years to live." Boom! Some people found that a whole 20 years had been cut off cleanly. F*** you! They wanted to watch their children and family''s grow. Give them back their years! They hassled and nagged like businessmen trading stocks in a stock market. Obediah and the others exined that they would be borrowing lives from their next life''s. Everyone felt this was okay. Afterall, when they get reincarnated, they don''t remember anything now. So their answer was still the same'' Give me back my Lives! (*^*)

    ��

    Well, it was quite a long night for everyone. And by the break of done, they all got their lives back intact. For some reason, knowing that there was life after death, didn''t make death feel so scary anymore. Well, they just get sent somewhere else, no? It''s just that where they might be sent, might not be very ideal. They also got to know about how those above (the heavens),dish out punishment. F***! Who wants to be reincarnated as a rock for millions of years? And what was this punishment ce prior to reincarnation that had burning mes of fire? Well, they were scared, promising to actively do good from now on. "Remember, we can only borrow lives once. So if this happens again, there''ll be nothing anyone can do about it." Only exorcists who cultivate can change their own fates severely. Ordinary mortals can only get that one chance with the help of an exorcist. Phew~

    Obediah was happy to be away from these people. If it were them before they too would feel anxious about looking a few years. But as a cultivator who could live for hundreds and possibly thousands of years, they felt losing a few decades was nothing. Nothing my ass! If these people knew their thoughts, they would definitely poke them to death with pitchforks. Shaking their heads, they pushed these matters out of their heads and focused on more important matters �CThe Key! With it, the Grandmaster was finally ready to go after the 2nd Horseman.

 Chapter 631 A Defeated Return!

    Chapter 631 A Defeated Return!

    Well, the night seemed infinitely long for many. These days, President Ghant has been feeling particrly heavy. It was a strange sort of heaviness. He looked the same, yet, he could tell his body felt ''fuller,'' with each day feeling fuller than the previous day. He especially felt fuller during unholy hours, such as the night. Each night he went to bed, he would roll left, right and in all directions. What irked him was that this heaviness not only annoyed him, but led to him getting kicked out of bed several times over the night. Don''t underestimate this wife, the First Lady''s kick. With one jab, he felt his bones on the cups of breaking. What sort of evil did he do to feel this way? Sigh~

    Ghant stood up from the floor, patted his sulking butt and headed for the bathroom to take a leak.

    But after turning on the bathroom light,standing before the toilet, and letting the golden rivers flow, Ghant''s eyes widened in a hurry. "It''s Back!" Oops�� he missed target, allowing the golden showers to decorate the walls behind the toilet. However at this moment, he didn''t care. Bahahahahahahahahah~

    He wasughing loudly like a madman, with his head nted all the way back and his nose pointing to the ceiling. It''s back! It''s back! His despicable shadow was back! Ghant, who raised one leg up to smash his own shadow, suddenly paused when something hard smacked the back of his head. Bam!~

    "Who the hell is trying to kill the presi�C" "G-H-A-N-T!!!" The words made his body shrivel. Very robotically, Ghant slowly turned his head to see his raging wife in a short pink nightgown and sleeping mask on her hair. Her eyes looked dark and haggard, and he had the imagination that her many hair strands were floating snack heads wishing to strange and bite him to death. "Honey, I can exp��." "Exin my ass!" Bam! Ghant found himself on one knee before the toilet bowl after receiving another fierce kick to the back of his knee. Well, to be honest, he was in apromising situation. His lovely wife had walked on him standing on one leg, while the other was raised high, as if he was nning to stomp the grounds and wake the entire neighborhood up. Then, don''t forget that his golden showers were still spraying on the walls.

    His crazyughter and screams also didn''t help his situation at all. In the end, all that was left was for someone to put grass skirts on his waist and parade him around a firece like the ancient men. Ouch.

    She actually threw a book at him. It was probably the first thing she could reach for once waking from the bed. ''Ghant xxxx�� You''re asking for Death!'' Ghant spoke to himself, as though pitying the part of him that made such a fuss. Of course, even if the situation was repeated again, he might still do the same thing over and over. It was back! His bloody shadow was back! "Dammit, Ghant! So because you can''t sleep these days, you want to mess with MY beauty rest?" Well she was pissed. "Clean this mess and clean yourself up now!" "_"

    �� A few momentster, A very evil wife was standing with her arms crossed against her chest and her eyes spitting fire when staring at the man on one knee cleaning his golden work of art that scattered everywhere. It was incredulous that all her precious sleep vanished in a blink of an eye when it came to dishing out punishment. "What are you peeking at?" "Nothing dear." "You despise me?" "Never dear��" "You''re angry at me, now?" "Never, dear�� how dare I?" "Good. You missed a spot. More to your left��. I want it to be so clean that even an emperor can eat on it." "_" Can Ghant say he regretted his earlier outburst? When was thest time that he, the f***king President of Vardos country, touched a brush, sponge or detergent to clean up anything? Hey�� Ghant had no tears but wanted to cry. "More scrubbing and less sighing!" "Yes, ma''am." Well, more scrubbing and less thinking. �� After cleaning up the mess he made, Ghant was pulled by the ear and forced to go back to sleep. It was amazing that after all the fire his wife gave him, she still cuddled on his buddy and turned in for the night. Ghanty on his back, slowly opening his eyes when hearing the steady breathing of the woman hugging him tightly. Hey�� love sure was a crazy thing. Ghant quickly threw all thoughts of his wife out of his head, focusing on the return of his shadow. Bahahahahaha~

    It was back, just as they said. It had returned in defeat to the mirror world.

    ''Could it be the reason why I''ve been feeling <full> these days? Was it because of the imprinting return of that dark bastard?'' Ghant was cursing his own shadow in his heart. Hmph! Just stay there and wallow in fury! (V^V)

    Ghant understood its reasons for hating him, but in the end, was it his fault he, Ghant, was born a human? Comin and sympathize all you want, but he will never want to trade ces with that bastard shadow of his again! You can just forget it! ''ording to the Grandmaster, I must continue to remain here for another 1 week to fully return to my earlier self.'' Hooray! Hooray! His shadow has already vanished. However, he suddenly felt afraid of what the enemy would do to him and his family once his location was found. Luckily, he was told it might take months and months before that timees. And before then, the impending war would have already arrived. So why would the enemy concern himself with just 1 human when the ne was to take over, capture and kill almost all humans? The rest would be kept in breeding farms�� farms to breed humans so all creatures could nibble on. They, humans, were seen as nothing but FOOD. In the end, Ghant didn''t know when he slept. However, he had never slept so well and so long for what seemed like an eternity. And by the time he woke up next, it was already 1 PM in the afternoon. (!_!)

    ��

    "Good Morning, Butler Sheng, the paper for you, as you always request." "Morning to you too, Timochi." Butler Sheng shed a friendly smile at the Mailman who often dropped parcels and mails at specific times. Before entering this gatedmunity, the mail vans and trucks are searched and heavily checked. This was especially true after the bizarre incident when they found spies and dangerous men hidden in a temporary underground bunker site they built within the gatedmunity''s park. Oh my God of Science! Children y and run there! (''0'')

    The matter caused so much panic that now, security was tightened and even military dogs were purchased and stationed to sniff out gunpowder, poison and other dangerous smells. Butler Sheng calmly took all letters and unnecessary advertisements and items that came with the mail. Across the street in the vi opposite, a 61 year old woman was busy watching Butler Sheng with her bird watching Binocrs. From here, she couldn''t see much of the property she was spying on. Everything she could see was through the golden barred gates. At this height and distance, she could see through the gates, along the road leading straight up to the Main Mansion. "Emiko, are you spying on the neighbors again?" "Aish�� what do you mean by spying? I''m just protecting the neighborhood, that''s all�� I tell yah, there''s something really strange going on in that ce." Her husband rolled his eyes heavenwards, ying Go with himself as he typically did. As they say, Go was a game of strategy that the rich loved to master. Many times, business bonds were made through Go. If you asked them, it was the best strategic game to understand a person''s strengths and character. So why not y with one''s self in their spare time? "Call it whatever you want, but it still won''t change the fact that you''re spying on the neighbors." The woman didn''t concern with her husband anymore, knowing he wouldn''t understand. Then, just then , she saw one of those scenes she could hardly exin. Whoom! One of the piles of paper the butler was carrying, suddenly�C went into mes. "Ahhh!" She yelled animatedly. "You see, you see! He made fire just like that! Ichi,e here and take a look!" She saw it! She saw it! He blew at the paper and it went into mes!

    Ichi, who was pulled up by his wife, had to also see what this crazy old woman was so worried about. He too looked through the binocrs, but all he saw was a man holding a lighter underneath the burning paper. (-_-)

    Could it be time for his wife to get her daily dose of medication, or was it that she thought herself to be a stone age woman who didn''t know that lighters could create fire? "Darling, I think you need to go out more often." "WHAT THE hell are you talking about?" "See for yourself." "This��" the woman''s jaw dropped in disbelief. "I�� No! It didn''t happen like this�� I�C"

    "Come now, honest, it''s time for your morning walk." "(-_-)" N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ��

    Sensing that the duo had left, Butler Sheng chuckled, finding it always amusing to y with the body woman opposite their vi.

    Stepping into the Vi, he finally became serious. Everyone was here. Time to leave.

 Chapter 632 The Grandmasters Caution

    Chapter 632 The Grandmaster''s Caution

    They were ready. Have you ever seen so many grown men crowded in a single bedroom like medieval elders watching a Queen give birth.

    [I say�� Is that the head of a boy?]

    [Not a chance�� Tis'' a female.]

    Well, that must be how their inputs must have sounded when crowded in the same space watching a woman give birth. Of course it was necessary forthem, in case someone was thinking of switching a phoenix for a chicken.

    Well, all 30 men and women crowded about, some standing, some levitating and some seated in wait for departure.

    For this Horseman of Death, they took their sweet time preparing, before the big day. After all, no matter how powerful they were now, the least slip-up from their end could result in failure. Killing the Horseman was one thing, but ensuring the other creatures didn''t know they did it, was another thing. Soon, the grandmaster stepped into the room, waved his hand, and opened the portal''s door. This was the Portal in his bedroom. Only he could use this portal. No matter how many times they see it, the portal in the Grandmaster''s bedroom was the most potent and exquisite. Dorian turned to face them. Although he didn''t like talking much, he still spoke to them whenever he could. "Tonight, we have just one chance��" Dorian paused, taking the key out. "Once it''s used, they''ll know."

    That''s why they must act fast and take the Horseman out. With that, Dorian led the way in. Typically, the Grandmaster would never show any concern, having absolute confidence. However, it seemed that their dear Beeezlebub liked this particr horseman,giving her the 2nd half of the Key. Both Keys open a small world for her. She held one key, and the spare was with the creature Dorian retrieved it from.

    Remember that these Horsemen aren''t per say underworld creatures. They already have borrowed powers and fates of Apocalyptic promises. So they can''t create small worlds of their own. They need an underworld creature to give them those births.

    Understand that Beelzebub breathed life into her when signing a demonic contract with her human soul. Her soul, though tarnished, still had human traces, and will forever have parts of humanity stretched on it.

    That''s why she can never go to the underworld, even if she wanted to follow Beelzebub in. No matter how she convinced herself she was different, the human traces lining her existence were still very evident.

    Thus, some things can never be done by herself alone. And it seems that unlike the first Horseman, Beelzebub was confident she would never think of betraying him or running away. So he gave her way more perks than the first Lovesrruck Horseman. Thus, some things can never be done by herself alone. And it seems that unlike the first Horseman, Beelzebub was confident she would never think of betraying him or running away. So he gave her way more perks than the first Lovesrruck Horseman. Look�� She even had a small world of her own that she could control, entering and exiting, trapping and consuming as many humans there as possible. Only she had the keys to going in and out. Well, there was indeed a spare key for her, but what creature would ever dare going against Beelebub?

    ��

    After Dorian''s words, everyone more or less understood why the Grandmaster wanted today''s operations to be precise. With the spare Key the Grandmaster got, they will be able to head into the hidden world and chase after the Horseman if she flees into space once she is cornered. However, they must kill her before she activates a protective barrier within the space. From the grandmaster''s guess, it seems Beelzebub gave her a truly safe ce there.

    Only she might be able to activate the space''s defenses. And once activated, Beelzebbub, no matter how far away he was, would get a hunt of something amis.. Thest thing they wanted was for Beelzebub toe earlier than nned and attack them all, or even rush the uing war forward. NO!

    They couldn''t afford that now. Even the Grandmaster had made them know that Beelzebub still overpowered him now. So this was definitely not the time for screw ups! Normally, the Grandmaster didn''t care about exposure. But when it concerned this situation, the Grandmaster who hated to lose, was not willing to let all his nning result in failure. "I trust, you all understand."

    Everyone nodded like dummies. And as they walked through the swirling vortex, they felt their palms grew sweatier, chills now running down their spines endlessly. Oh My God!

    This isn''t their first rodeo now. So why were they suddenly sweating buckets? (''0'')

    Looking, left, looking right, looking up, looking down, they found no human or enemy in sight�� Just forestry staring them back in the face.

    Looking at each other tactfully, everyone leaped through the woods, jumping from tree branch to tree branch, skipping over 5~12 tree branches when jumping. It''s just that their jumps were so fast, like supersonic speed. Soon, they saw signs of human habitation, rushing through the roads with focused minds. Despite all the chaos and destruction around them, they pried their eyes away, not daring to stop for a second. Those from Vardos, were especially biting their lips, cursing that wretched Horsewoman of Death with all their hearts. Boom!

    Grenades went off in an area not too far from them, and several firecrackers also exploded in the distance too. Dammit! They wished they could grab all these people and shake them to death. ''You FOOLS! Don''t you see how much rumble is around you?''

    ''Do you know how much money it will take to repair the country as a whole now?''

    ''When the real war begins, where will you all hide if you destroy everything you''ve got now?''

    Oh My God, just pluck their eyes now!

    The more they watched, the more they secretly threw small stones on some troublemakers, putting them to bed in an instant.

    ''Cami Jones, you must Die tonight!''

    �� n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ~Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom!

    The streets were rowdy.

    The air was so thick with anticipation, that even the world around them already looked to be in apocalyptic mes in the eyes of these Academy people. How pitiful. "HEE-HAHH!"

    "Die, ya Maggots!"

    "DIE for me!"

    BRMMMMM~

    Motorcycles roared past, with their riders adorned in leather and chains, while gangs of all sorts gathered. Soon, they saw a face they were all familiar with. "Elder Hou, is this the ce?"

    Old Hou nodded, "Positive. She''s here. And, she''ll be making quite a grand appearance tonight�� One to die for, as she ims."

    Oh?

    Several people raised their eyes thoughtfully, turning to look at the lone inconspicuous building that unlike the rest, still stood tall without any signs of destruction on its exterior. [Hotel CrossCami]

    The Hotel stood at the center of the chaos, yet had remained as beautiful as a blooming flower. The irony was incredulous. It was an imposing structure with an inviting but imposing elegance that loomed over the street like a watchful sentinel. Interesting�� Its facade was adorned with intricate carvings of creatures and gargoyles that seemed almost alive under the flickering streetlights. It was almost, as if these stone statues were watching them.

    Almost?

    Sorry�� scratch that. They were definitely watching everything happening all around them.

    "Come on in, Amigos! It''s almost time for thedy to make her breathtaking appearance!"

    "Ayyy�� What I wouldn''t give just to have a day to do nothing but stare�� I''ll need another 10 days of preparation and good booze to do the next thing, if you know what i mean."

    "Pfft~... You''re a real man, bro. I need a year to prepare before spending the night with such a stunning woman."

    "But hey, did you hear? Tonight, she will be picking one man to spend the night with�� I also heard, it might be a woman instead."

    "Dammit! How can a mere womanpete with me for my damsel? Listen here boys, she''s mine tonight!"

    Well, several men had already begun fighting for the mysterious woman''s attention, as the grand doors now opened. Wow!

    Talk about a gathering. Outside, there were over 10,000 people crowding to enter. However, as promised, only the first 200 people can enter for the grand performance. As expected, Dorian and his group stepped in among the 200.

    "BOOOOOOOOO!!" The jeering was loud.

    Then. fighting started again. Several were so angry about their lost chances that they wished to massacre the entire now for their bad fate. But as the battle continued outdoors, those stepping in only raised their chests higher after the thick double-sided gate-like doors closed. (^v^)

    ��

    "I feel like I''ve won a million bucks! Speaking of money, I should really go rob a bank to fill my pockets. I wonder if the bank on Main street is still intact?"

    "This is good�� This ce looks really expensive. Tsk. It suits my appetite nicely."

    How stunning.

    Inside, the hotel was abyrinth of opulence and decadence. There were crystal chandeliers hanging from vaulted ceilings, casting shimmering light across marble floors. Tonight was special��a night they all swore to remember.

    The staff moved with an unnatural grace, their eyes glinting with a predatory gleam. "Please sirs,dies�� take your seats. Tonight, the meals, beverages, and entertainment are all free."

 Chapter 633 The Damsels Grand Finale

    Chapter 633 The Damsel''s Grand Finale

    Good food, beautiful architecture, merry music, and a heightened atmosphere, did all wonders to the senses. Woo-hoo~

    There were whistles and encouragement from the crowd of 200, who were already drinking and eating their lives away. "Delicious!" The tables were filled with sumptuous dishes��roasted meats glistening under chandelier lights, fruits bursting with color and ripeness. But unbeknownst to many, there was something more sinister lurking underneath the veneer of celebration. Legs of turkeys and chicken aggressively came apart with every pull, and wine stains dampened the fine tablecloths. It was a jungle here, a many and burly ce everyone felt the world needed. Smoke from cigars flooded the scene, and for a Mo, you would think it was the 1920s or something. What made man digress to their earlier sorry state, leaving the manly periods of the 1800s and 1900s behind? Suddenly, they felt this was how society should really live. Chaos everywhere made no one guilty of crime. There were always shootouts happening, robberies in effect, rapes, drug trafficking, you name it. Taking a whiff of their cigars, some were already dressed like boss Mobs, found that the world had finally turned back to its true fate. Good�� Really good��

    "Hey now, Mac, send out the damsel already! We don''t have all day, you know?" A staff with a tray, slightly bowed, his face showing no signs of fear. "My apologies, sir. I assure you, it won''t be long." "Heh. You all better hope the show begins soon, because at the rate we''re going, you won''t be having more Free food to give." "Bahahahahahaha~�� You guys sure are rich. But then again, aren''t we the same people paying big money to see our damsel?"

    "So true! Despite today being free, who in this territory doesn''t know that your big Hotel only gives 1 day free, every 2 weeks?" "Tsk�� I''ve been waiting for this opportunity for weeks now. Bring out our damsel fast!" "Damsel!"

    "Damsel!"

    "Damsel!"

    ��

    The crowd was already roaring out like hungry cavemen who haven''t seen a woman before in their lives. Even the women in the crowd also wanted to spend the night with the damsel. It was so strange�� The Damsel was attractivein the eyes of both men and women. Many women swore that beforeying eyes on the damsel, they''ve never been attracted to other women. However, just one seductive wink from their damsel, and they wanted her all to themselves. She had a strange air of appeal that made them yearn for her attention. Thus, both men and women sometimes camped outside for hours in advance. When ites to the hotel, they were presently seated within the Buffet dining. They called this ce a Hotel, but it was more or less like a Medieval Tavern with how it operated. Since its new owners took over, one could say a lot has changed with its old operations. For one, no one can book a room in advance here. That''s right, it was the first hotel in existence to reject people booking months, days, or even minutes ahead of time. So if they don''t allow anyone to book in advance, when do people actually use their hotel rooms? Of course it''s after they''ve drank, eaten and want to take a woman or man up for the tonight

    On days the hotel gives out free, only 200 people are allowed in. However, on nights when they''re paying money, hundreds and even thousands could go in no problem. Do you know how grand and enormous this Dining was? A king could hold a ball here, with several maidens in his kingdom,ing in to dance with a prince. That was how enormous this space was. The architect spared no amount when making such a grand hall. To be fair, before this hotel was bought over, it used to rent out its halls. Convention centers, Seminars, weddings�� this hall was always in use 5 times a week. Some people even booked the space 1 year in advance to have it locked down. Well, that was all in the past. Now, the hotel was bought by an owner who was their kind-of-guy. Just look at how he turned this ce into a cool zone for their shenanigans? Of course, it should be noted that this HOTEL changed ownership almost 2 years ago. The guy who bought it was someone called Beelze.

    Since then, it''s been closed for renovations. So one ever saw whatever ''renovations'' they did. However, they must admit that when it opened its doors recently, news scattered like wildfire, attracting all to it. There were talks like the owner, Mr. Beelze was like a shadow, with no one truly knowing who he was or what he looked like. It''s said he is stationed in some faraway country in the East, and hardly has time to visit. All in all, several people didn''t care much about the owner. So long as their damsel was here, they''ll definitely keep patronizing this ce till death! )^w^(

    ��

    "Hey, bud, are y''all new here?" One of the drunk men began questioning Butler Sheng and the others who just sat but didn''t eat or even move a muscle. Honestly, they looked like statues with how stiff they were. Dammit, are you guys looking down on him? You think you''re better than him or something? It wasn''t just this guy thinking so, big several others who had initially robbed to see what their deal is, only to get ignored in the end. "You''re asking for a fight!, ate you? Well, then eat my��" Phah-llah-lhlah~

    A trumpet noise echoed, bringing all arguments to a halt. "Hmph! You''re all a bunch of lucky bastards!" Several people patted their coats, shirts, and suspenders arrogantly, no longer focusing on the stone-faced foreigners. That''s right. They could tell from a nce that these people were from the East. Look�� even people from the East, fly all over continental waters just to have a peek at their damsel. What? Doesn''t your backward East have any stunning beauties to mesmerize you?

    They wanted to jeer at them, but swallowed their thoughts when seeing the breathtaking female disciples among the group. Hold on�� On a second look, the men were also very exquisite and good looking. What was this? The Clique of Good-looking men and women? Were they here to recruit their damsel.

    (-_-)

    The music picked up and magically soothed the rowdy audience. The academy elders were all drawn to the staff who lingered at the edges of the room, watching their fleeting figures with unsettling intensity. They must but mess things up. Then, it began�� n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The lights suddenly dimmed, drawing absolute silence over the crowd. Wow! Several people''s jaws dropped in salivation, sitting up and leaning forward like hungry dogs. Awoooooooo~

    They ced 2 fingers in their mouths, whistling, pping the table and making one hell of a ruckus. It was as though they were injected with some addictive drug, cashing them to act like monkeys in a cage. "Damsel!" "Damsel"

    "My Queen! I can rip out my heart for you!" The spotlight ahead illuminated the stage. Then appeared��a vision of a jaw dropping beauty, d in flowing silks that shimmered like liquid moonlight. My God of Science! Many men and women in the crowd were already too hungry. What the hell was this? How can one woman be so hypnotizing? The music changed into something sensual and slow, allowing the beauty to dance and mesmerize them all. The excitement and tension in the air grow heavier with the rhythm of the music. Cami Jones! Several academy disciples and Elders, all clenched their fists, knowing they only have one chance to take her down. Don''t think they sat together. No. They chose tables positioned in a circr matter around the space. And then, underneath the tables, they went to work. Soon, they lowered their heads, blowing strange winds underneath the creations in their palms. Fhooooo~

    They made very tiny papermen that moved like lightning, but were the size of an ant. �� Ant man�� paper man�� no�� Pant men? Well, these figures moved lightning fast, fulfilling the obligations assigned to them.

    For now, none of the staff seemed to notice these little men running about their territory. Good�� so far, so good. Like hypnotized zombies, many watched with drooling mouths and relish. Cami inwardly chuckled, choosing to dance off the stage and onto the tables of these hungry wolves. Hey, they saw her as a poor pitiful sheep, but who is to say who the wolf or the sheep is this early on in their story? Scanning the zone, she was taken aback whening face to face with a beautiful group. ''Foreigners?... How interesting.'' Cami never knew foreigners from the East were so good looking. She had heard of ''ss skin''s from the East, but thought it was an exaggeration. She dared to say that their beautypletely rivaled her, whose appearance was restored and granted by Lord Beelzebub. ''I wonder how they taste?''

    Well, she would know soon enough, because now, it was time for the grand finale. It was time to pick her first victim for the night.

    Scanning the beautiful people in the crowd, her eyes finally settle on an aloof young man with azy demeanor �C Dorian.

 Chapter 634 Regret

    Chapter 634 Regret

    The bad at the front was ying the guitars beautifully, and many people''s grind conjured true happiness. They suddenly felt it was a blessing to be alive. Here ites�� here ites�� It''s time for their damsel to pick a lucky man or woman to spend the night with. Hmph! Many people''s eyes had heated veins when raising their hands and acting like excited kindergarten children. "Damsel, pick me!"

    "It should be me, damsel, no one loves you more than I do!" What a bunch of desperate people. Butler Sheng and several others felt ashamed by their race. Humanity sure did have a lot of weaknesses. No wonder these underworld creatures could toy with them time and time again. Is this your first time seeing a beautiful woman? Of course, those who spent their time in the Academy, with all sorts of immortal looking characters, were not so swayed by Cami''s appearance. Really and truly, they didn''t think there was anything worth getting excited about, concerning her appearance. If anything, she was a little nd�� they''ve seen better. Heck! Even some monsters they''ve fought, looked way better�� before the human skin got ripped off. So what''s the excitement about? Sure enough, the standards of these academy folks have been raised too high without them knowing it. �� "Pick me!"

    "Choose me!"

    The rowdiness never stopped. And Cami, who had a massive snake on her shoulder, danced and danced, stopping on some tables, as though about to pick one of the men or women there.

    These people felt they received a bullet when she suddenly left their tables. She also reached several tables with Academy members, but she did not even stay a second there, feeling inwardly furious by their reactions. F***! She felt like a log of wood when seeing no desires in their clear ss eyes. What the heck? Were they blind or victims of cataract? Can''t they see such a stunning beauty before them? (-_-) [Academy people]

    Hmph! Cami''s eyes shed with fury, losing all patience. She now decided to head for her target''s location. ''Such a young man who has never had the touch of a woman, will definitely not be able to hold back.'' Cami inwardly concluded, the spark in her eyes now rekindled. Like so, she danced her way to the youngster''s table. What she didn''t know was that she would be met with an even more infuriating reaction from the boy. )-_-(

    Whye here if you don''t wish to see her? .

    "Bastard! What the hell is your arrogance for?" "Dammit! I want to kill the bastard now. What is that face more? He dared to avoid the damsel''s touch? Is he trying to say our damsel is dirty?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Yes �C that was exactly Dorian''s concern. Have you ever seen anyone touch him so casually? Even Butler Sheng and the others don''t touch Dorian. At some point, Cami and Dorian began a game of cat and mouse, their hands moving ''humanly'' fast. The Academy disciples were happy that Dorian kept his strength at an understandable human-level. "Enough!" Now, it was Cami''s time to be furious. When has she, the all-powerful Horseman of War, faced any insult since leaving her gravesite? Snap~

    The music stopped ying with the snap of her fingers. Everyone looked at Dorian hatefully, as if he massacred their entire family generations. Dammit, who the hell brought in that party pooper? (*^*)

    If eyes could kill, Dorian would long be dead. ''How annoying,'' Cami stopped smiling, looking like apletely different person. Very slowly, she stopped coaching on the table, getting up with a cold look on her face. "I had wanted to y a little longer, giving you all onest chance for enjoyment before my feast." Several people didn''t know why, but they subconsciously shivered when meeting their Damsel''s sweeping gaze. What was going on? How can this cold woman be their shy and inviting damsel? Scary��

    Everyone was still confused by her sudden change. But what they didn''t know was that her attitude wasn''t the only thing that would soon be changing. Suddenly, strange winds engulfed the scene, making goosebumps appear on everyone''s shoulders. What''s going on? "Who opened the door?" "Was there a window in here?"

    And what was that damn awful stench? (*#*)

    Everything hit everyone at once. The stench was so bad that they pinned their nostrils with 2 fingers, wondering what sort of human being could let out such a terrible fart in a ce like this. Although there was chaos in the streets these weeks, it isn''t an excuse to just let go of all personal hygiene and societal rules. What the hell did that person eat to produce such a stench? Weren''t they all eating the same food? So why was his own fart so diabolical? Such a person must hanged to death for allowing this bombastic smell to escape between their butt-cheeks "Don''t look at me, it''s not me!" "Yeah, it''s not me either��" No matter how sinister they were, they couldn''t produce such a foul thing from their bellies. The stench was so strong that it made their bellies gurgle with disgust. Looking at the buffet tables on the far walls, several people felt nothing but nausea. There was still food, yet they had no desire to eat tonight or even 5 dayster. Look! Even the alcohol they were drinking had lost taste in their mouths. Who was it? Who was it? Swishing their heads left, right, back and center, they desperately wished to find the culprit. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!~

    A shriveled cry bellowed from a corner, cashing many to flinch back defensively. "What was that?"

    They defensively looked onwards, only to meet with a man who was crawling backwards on the floor from his table, while a staff slowly walked towards him. They only saw the staff''s back, so they didn''t know what the hell was so scary about the server. However, the undisguised horror on the face of the man crawling backwards, was too great. They''ve never seen so much fear in just one man''s face. There was despair aze in his eyes, as dread tore right through him. The man was sweating buckets, salty water dripping with every vigorous backward crawl he made. Horror came off his skin like waves, echoing across every corner of the room. But why? Why was he so frightened? Several people sneered in disgust. "What a weak chicken."

    You call yourself a gangster, yet, you''re shaking in your boots because of a mere waiter? Pathetic.

    They truly felt so in their hearts. However, when the staff slowly and robotically turned its face towards them,�� they also found themselves dropping on their butts, grabbing any forks, spoon, knives, and any weapon they could think of. At this point, they were even worse than the first guy who could even utter a single cry out. Staring at the gruesome face that could only be described as nightmarish, they kept dropping and closing their mouths, too afraid to say a single thing. Some ced their hands on their mouths, muffling the silent screams now guing them. .

    Drip, drip, drip~

    Hot fluid glided down their pants, but no one felt embarrassed at this moment. "Monster�� monster�� monster..." How can this be? Too unscientific!

    The cleaners�� the serving staff�� the guards stationed in here�� they, they had all turned into MONSTERS! What? Even the band ying earlier were all monsters? And what was this? Skulls! Bones!... Human flesh! The drums, the guitars, the flutes, instruments�� they were all human parts!

    "Damsel, damsel, run!... You need to�C"

    Blugh~

    Countless people puked till they almost saw their own intestines. (@0@)

    What damsel? This was clearly a Queen Monster�� the ugliest in the bunch. Her skin turned into rotting flesh that seemed to still be in the state of undergoing decay. It didn''t look like an ordinary, decaying corpse. They didn''t know how to describe it, but it looked like the corpse of something far otherworldly. Then there was the matter with her mouth filled with over 200 rows of teeth raining from tiny torge. Now, her entire mouth had taken 3/4ths of her face. Maggots... bugs.. you name it. Uncountable number of never-seen-before bugs kept swimming in and out of her body without care. Suddenly everyone swallowed hard, when hearing crackling noises echo from her body. Crack, crack, crack, crack~

    Her neck twitched, her shoulders bent, and her entire body grew unnaturally crooked in just under 3 seconds. It was odd to say that despite her crooked physique, she had grown several times taller than before. Mommy�� let them out! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! In a sh, several people gathered their courage, rushing to the doors to force their ways out! Dear God of Science! Their faces were now filled with sweat, tears and snot, as they desperately banged on the heavy double-sided doors. "Help! Help! Somebody, call the police!!" "Help, help! There are monsters here! Call the police!!"

    "Help, hel�C"

    They froze listening to the eerieughtering from behind them. Heh-heh-heh-heh~

    It was Cami.

    "Police? Don''t you all recall how many stations you burnt to the ground?... What was it you said? Are yes�� you said you don''t need them being nosy in your business." They regret it. Can''t they? Many cried bitterly.

    At this moment, they seemed to realize that chaos and troubles were fun, but who is going to fight for their sakes if things go left? They regret it. They want to return to how things were in the past. Not the 1800 or 1900 past, but the past that was just a year old from today. In an instant, they recalled their former lives, living without battles all the time. Now, they realized that Freedom wasn''t necessarily free. With another snap, the entire room changed. The walls became old, the floors looking creamy, and the swarming sounds now invaded their ears, yet, they couldn''t see any bugs on the floor or walls. Cami smirked, leading her army of creatures behind her. "Ladies and Gentlemen, you had your fun earlier. And now, it''s time we have ours."

 Chapter 635 Camillas Fear

    Chapter 635 Cami''s Fear

    They say that in one''s hour of need, life shes before their very eyes. Whoosh! It all happened too fast, yet very slowly.

    Everyone watched the scenes unfold in slow motion, as all being behind the hideous Cami, now rushed forward with greenish saliva. Hiss!~

    They sucked in their breaths, wanting to be one with the doors and everything else, if it meant not getting eaten. "Hell! Help! HELP!!!"

    "Are you all bloody deaf out there? Help! HELP US ALREADY!"

    Their cries continued to bellow out, as they pinched themselves in an attempt to wake up from this gruesome nightmare. Please, anyone�� if you save them, they''d be willing to even give their savior their kidneys. Science was all a lie! Science had been receiving them all this time. Several people wanted refunds for the many years they lived in the dark, oblivious to the true dangers around them. Like so, despite their loss in faith, they began praying to the God of Science, making all prayers they swore to keep. ''God of Science�� I know you''re out there. But I want you to show me a sign, showing me that you are trulyreal.'' ''God of Science, I swear that if you appear, I will shave my own head and abstain from women and meat for the next 20 years�� no�� make that 10�� 5��2��.1�� Erm, can we make it month�� weeks?''

    ''God of Science, I swear, I''ll turn a new leaf if you do this for me�� Of course God of Science, I''m talking about talking about turning new broli leaves in a pot and eating the whole thing just for you�� after all, you know how much I hate it. ''(#_#)'' [The actual God of Science and Innovations in the heavens]

    Thank you? Should he be grateful and happy with such offers and prayers? �� Just like that many said silent prayers in their hearts. However, this didn''t seem to have any effects on their current predicaments. Cami chuckled amusingly when seeing their desperate actions. 1�� 2�� 3�� Toote! These unserious beings had appeared inches before their faces. Their unholy stench was greater up close, their sharpened ws already aiming for their throats, yet everyone was paralyzed with just one thought in mind �C It''s Over. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Everyone was mere milliseconds away from death. Yet Dorian who had long been seated and forgotten, slowly raised his lowshes. He got the signal. "Go." BOOM! Sonic waves erupted, pushing and squishing everyone into sardines. Ba-ahhh! They flew into the air, bumping into each other and falling from the impact of 2 mighty forces shing. No .. scratch that. Note 2, but many. Lifting their fluttering eyshes, all they raised their heads and were taken aback by those who now stood before them and the monsters. Saviors! (+0+)

    ��

    The speed at which they worshiped these people from the East was astonishing. Wasn''t it you who jeered at them in the beginning? Like the cowards they were, several people were on their knees, hunching their necks while hiding behind these towering people from the East. Cami narrowed her face at the peculiar men and women who pushed back her army of minions. Who were they? Such super strength�� Did they sign a contract with a powerful demon? Cami waspletely oblivious to the word �� Exorcism.

    It seems it was never examined to her, since first off, there have been no records of any exorcists in this world. Beelzebub, Lord of the flies, Prince of Decay, Prince of Gluttony, and his minions, didn''t see the need in telling her about this. After all, she had one job and that one job alone to do. There is so much they knew, especially about the humans in other worlds, universes, gxies and faraway regions. So is it everything they know that they must tell? Such information would be worthless to her, so why bother? Beelzebub and several top underworld beings thought this way. Unbeknownst to them, it is their negligence that would lead to a debt in their ns. Why? Because Cami was once a human. She knew best the true meaning of: better safe than sorry. Why have Butler Sheng and several other exorcisms kept winning time and time again? That''s because the pride and egos in all Underworld beings were too inted. They always felt they could handle humans, even if they were met with 1 or 2 humans blessed with supernatural strength from the heavens. They had absolute trust that there was definitely no Exorcist in this world. So no matter what human they faced, they felt they would regenerate in no time and return for revenge. Sadly, they only realized this mistake when it waste. But for Cami, a former human, things would have been different had she known of the existence of Exorcists in other worlds. If they had at least schooled her on what exorcists do and what they were, Cami would have moved in this world with some level of caution. Why? Because for humans, even if they are told that there are no exorcists in this world, they will always believe one was able to slip through the cracks. So what if the chances are 0.000000000009%

    So long as there''s even a tiny chance for any to crush a, they would still keep a look out for that ant. Sadly, no one taught Cami about exorcists. So she instantly confused that they must''ve gotten their powers from some other higher underworld being. She refused to believe there wasn''t rotting flesh underneath their smooth bodies. Tsk. No wonder they too were stunning. It must be the blessing from the creature they signed contracts with. Cami sneered, knowing that Lord Beelzebub was the strongest underworld being, currently in existence. What does this mean? It means her Backer was Boss, and whatever backer the enemy had, was just rubbish.

    Hmph! This was a typical ''my daddy is bigger than yours,'' situation. .

    Dammit! "How dare you interfere with my meal? Do you know�C" Bam! Dorian didn''t even let her finish her catch a breath. In a sh he was before her, pulling out sword from a coin and shing at her there without mercy. Boom! Cami smacked into the far wall like a fly, feeling the taste of her own blood in her mouth. So painful! Her pupils widened 5 times their size, not believing the pain she was currently undergoing. Unlike the other times when Dorian ys around with his ''victims'' before killing them, Dorian was serious about getting rid of her fast. So there was no ying time here. He appeared before her with full intentions of exorcizing her where they liked it or not. Cami suddenly lostplete control of the space, making it turn fat worse than its already rundown appearance. Ahhhh! The floors, the walls and everything else was filled and centered with bones and rotting corpses and stretched out of the walls to beg for freedom from their suffering. "No, no, you get away from me!" The onlookers were petrified, crawling away from the doors, almost pushing the exorcists who were now protecting them. Why them? Why were they the ones who had to be selected for tonight''s celebrations? Several people looked at the many battle scenes unfolding before their very eyes, praying that they, humans, will win no matter the cost. Heck! Even if it means the exorcists dying with these creatures, then so be it. They were all very greedy for life, and wanted to live no matter who had to be sacrificed to make that happen. Bam!

    Cami now found herself below Dorian, in a position she was very familiar with. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Before her demise, her brother had stood on top of her in this manner, with one leg on the ground and one leg on her chest. He had the same expressionless face, except her brother''s was also filled with disgust and fleeting fury in his ssy eyes.

    . ''What''s going on?'' Cami questioned, after getting setbacks time and time again. No! Something''s not right. Cami was truly happy she used to be a former human in herst life. There was a saying that one must live to fight another day rather thanpletely lose in death. Her human side came to y because unlike underworld creatures who would still keep their ego on top and their regenerative abilities and chance for revenge as their Trump cards�� She, Cami, knew when to trust and listen to her instincts. And now, it was telling her one thing �C RUN!

    Cami did exactly what her mind was instructing, vanishing from the scene milliseconds before Dorian''s cool could pin her down. Dorian''s eyes turned cold, taking out the spare key and inserting it into the space Cami vanished from. Sure enough, the doorway would disappearif he didn''t have another key.

    This was a space made by Beelzebub himself. Marching in, Dorian narrowed his gaze at the jaw-dropped Cami who seemed dumbfounded by his sudden emergence into her private space "You��" He has the spare key. At this moment she knew Dorian hade topletely eradicate her from the surface of the. So how could she not panic? ''No! I must get to the defensive room Lord Beelzebub made. '' Only in there, will she be truly safe.

 Chapter 636 Exorcism? What Was That?

    Chapter 636 Exorcism? What Was That?

    Heh-heh-heh-heh~

    Cami wasughing wickedly, after entering her space. "Bastard, don''t let me catch you another day, or�C" "Or what?" "..."

    Time stood frozen in ce as Cami''s entire body shook with boundless fear. What???!!!!

    How did he follow her in? It took all of Cami''s brain cells for her to recall the existence of a spare key. Dammit! Why did she request for a spare? Cami cursed her silly mouth that had to ask Beelzebub for such a request. To be fair, her master did say he would be going out for a very long time. So what happens when he can''t get into her space and has to wait and wait for his arrival before she can get in? Kicking her heels hard, Cami gritted her teeth and zoomed forward with all her might. Must unleash defenses��

    ''If I can just make it on time, Lord Beelzebub''s projection will do the rest for me.''

    "Kill him!" With one order, over 2000 creatures of varying strengths swarmed Dorian like a tsunami. Dorian slowly raised his head at the thick nket of darkness that was now engulfing him from all directions. Hmph! "Boy, no matter how tough you are, even you can''t handle so many of them at once." Cami, who was already far ahead, taunted arrogantly. She paused, suddenly feeling there was no use waking Lord Beelzebub''s projection for nothing. Cami not only pissed, but even headed back towards the thick ball of darkness. The ckness floated at all corners of her periphery. One step forth, another step forward, left, right, left, right. Cami slowly swayed her hips in a seductive and calm manner when advancing too close to the ck ball. She no longer sweated, and looked as though everything had always been under her control. "Boy, this is the end for�C" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Before Cami could finish talking, she suddenly felt a terrifying force cashing her to choke. It was a hand. Boof!~

    The youthful hand shot out of the ck humongous ball, and was now strangling her to death. "Ah-uh-ah~" Cami was choking and wing at the hand that suppressed her. It was odd to say that the hand looked weak, no no visible veins protruding out on its surface. This alone should indicate that the grip is light and loose. Yet, she couldn''t yank herself away from the hand that dominated her. In a sh, the ck ball of darkness vanished into nonexistence, with countless eerie and ear-shattering screams echoing out. Exorcism? �� No. These creatures screamed and cried while finding themselves sucked into a blue crystal of boundless space within it. Was this everything? Yes it was. Dorian''s hair was flying upwards, as his spell created a vortex that sucked all darkness around him. All creatures in the space were now vanishing before Cami''s eyes. And at this point, she suddenly saw her own life shing before her eyes. No! This can''t be! "I am Lord Beelzebub''s creation! You dare defy Lord Beelzebub?" Cami''s face turned ghoulish, as she twitched and cracked her inner bones, trying to contort heresy out of his grasp. But the bastard''s grip was terrible. Raising Cami higher, Dorian said nothing while staring at the all powerful Horseman of War, an Apocalypse rider. Cami on the other hand, now had greenish eyes, and overly long wolverine ws. She wed and wed at Dorian''s flesh, but didn''t even leave a single stract h behind. And soon, her curses turned into pleading. "Dammit, you vagabond! Do you know what you''re doing? Do you know you will be interrupting Lord Beelzebub''s will if you dare to destroy me?" �CSilence�C

    "Look, look! Okay, I''ve never offended you, so why go after me?" �CSilence�C

    "Hey, hey�� listen to me. Whatever master you serve, I guarantee you that Lord Beelzebub will give you 10 times more benefits beyond your wildest dreams if you let me go." �CSilence�C

    "Who is it, you serve? Believe me, if you let me go, I swear in my honor as a pirate, that I shall get my lord to reward you handsomely." ��Silence��

    "_"

    ��

    Cami was starting to lose her patience again. She did all the talking, while the bastard now took out his key again. Anywhere and everywhere in this ce can be a door. You just have to have the intention, as well as have a vivid and clear visual of where you want to go. Provided you''ve been there before, the key will open a portal door for you. Seeing the door slowly opening, Cami''s force was even more distorted than before. She more than anyone else, knew that in here, in the space, she had a higher probability of survival. At this point, she also hated herself for stopping mid-journey towards her master''s projection. It was a projected clone with a wisp of her master''s subconsciousness in it. Her master had told her specifically that no matter what troubles she was in, once she awakened it, all her issues would be solved.

    Know that the projection could also leave this space and head into the human world to solve any matters of her choosing, for up to 6 months before going docile again. Her master had told her she was very special, since this was the only projection of himself he left in this entire world. To be fair, Beelzebub and the other demons have never had any true setbacks in this world. From the dawn of time, to the start when humans became cavemen and so on, their ns have always gone smoothly.

    So why keep a projection of themselves in this world? Although that projection is just a single strand of hair on their heads, taking that single strand off decreased their overall strength. Sure, the decrease in strength might be 0.00000000000000009% or even way, way, less. But so what? No one likes giving away bits of their strength for no reason. If this world was a world filled with exorcists and many heavenly characters, sure, it would make sense to leave a projection behind. However, it was not. And so everything bes overkill when leaving behind a projection. In the end, don''t they have countless subordinates to assist in the grand scheme of things? Truthfully, the only reasons why their nsgged behind in the past, was either because of the mistakes and stupidity of their subordinates, or�� well, or it was the work of that darn bloody Trickster. That was it. There were no reasons why they should leave parts of themselves in a world that is 100% controlled by them. The only reason Beelzebub left the projection behind was because he feared that Loki would get interested in Cami and halt his ns. Cami was just the sort of ''fun'' Loki was attracted to. Didn''t you hear what her title was? Horseman of War! She loved chaos, war, destruction, maniption, and even trickery, just like that bastard. She might be his Harley Quinn, and he, her Joker. But of course, to Loki, she will probably always be a pawn to be used and dumped. Thankfully, Cami already sold her soul to him, Beelzebub. So no matter whether she wanted Loki to be her second master or not Wong matters. What''s more, a Heavenly being can''t be a master of an underworld being. Both were ipatible no matter how one saw it. Yet�� Beelzebub had a hunch that if Loki wanted, Cami would be his subordinate�� and not Beelzebub''s. Why? Because there wasn''t a single rule that Loki believed could not be bent. That he hasn''t tried to bend some, meant they weren''t so interesting in his eyes. Beelzebub seemed to fear that Cami would instantly want to switch sides after meeting with Loki. Which was actually the true reason why he left his projection behind. You say he did it for her protection? Pffft~

    Don''t make himugh. Never forget that Beelzebub himself was an underworld being. Lies and deception was his forte. He only left that projection as insurance to ensure she never took to the Trickster. Cami didn''t know it yet, but if Loki''s presence is sensed anywhere close to her, Beelzebub''s projection would awaken on its own. �� "No! No! No!" Cami protested while ring her dangling legs in all directions. She picked, she wed, she twisted, and even broke her own bones for freedom. Yet, it resulted in failure. The portal opened, and just as Dorian was about to step out, he suddenly paused, reached to her, and took hold of her own key too. "You give it back!!!!" Bam!~

    Cami''s butt almost shattered after getting thrown so fiercely to the ground. It hurt so bad, yet Cami didn''t have the time to think of her pain. "You��"

    She couldn''t believe her eyes when staring at her minions. They had all been bundled up and ced at the center. What''s going on? Why were these people so powerful? Wasn''t her master, Beelzebub, the most powerful in existence? So why did it seem like he only gave her peanut abilitiespared to these people? Cami wanted to question, but suddenly felt perplexed by the horrified looks on the faces of her minions after they heard the youthful bastard speak to his otherrades. "Let''s begin the exorcism." "..." Cami frowned. Exorcism? What was that?

 Chapter 637 Camillas End

    Chapter 637 Cami''s End

    Until the very end, Cami didn''t understand how things ended up this way. First, she found herself torched by countless golden chains that effortlessly touched her rotting flesh. It burns�� it burns�� The pain was indescribable. Cami had never felt anything so scorching in her life before. Greenish salty water now gathered around Cami''s thinning eyelids. "Master��" Cami felt like a million needles were jabbing through her skin right to the center of her bones and her heart. She twitched and spasmed, watching countless holes appear on her body. Poof! The burns traveled across her skin, bubbling like moltenva on a hard surface.

    Can you feel it? Blood vessels popped, as her very scream threatened to burst out of her chest. "Ahhhhh!!!" Cami was now breathing heavily, true despair covering her entire face. What sort of evil was this?... No, no�� not evil. Despite the terrifying torture she was undergoing, she sensed an air of pure Majesty from the chains binding her. She wants stupid. If there was an underworld, then there must be a ce above too. So was this it? Wheeeee~

    The winds blew warmly, engulfing the screaming creatures that pleaded for mercy time and time again. Too bad none of their opponents had mercy for them. Cami gasped in screaming horror, as her body now disappeared bit by bit in fragments.

    This wasn''t how it was supposed to be. She was meant to be one of the Top queens in the new world! She even fantasized of being one of her Master''s mistresses. So what if her master was way stronger than she? She felt he treated her special. Look! Of all Horsemen he picked, many have told her that she was the exception, the one he gave the most perks to. Although she didn''t want to be narcissistic, she found it quite hard for her to not crush over her Master. Know that ages ago when he first appeared during her dying moments, the crush took hold of her then. She has never been one to fall head over heels with anyone. However, the moment Lord Beelzebub appeared seated within the mes that engulfed her ship, Cami knew she had found love. Well, she wasn''t sure if it was love or obsession, but she had a thing for overly powerful men�� even if the man in question wasn''t per se, a human. Lord Beelzebub was her ideal man. .

    "Son of a��"

    Cami shook desperately when watching her dreams get dashed away by these pesky intruders. She was promised a ce in the new world. So why?... Why was this happening to her barely 3 months into her emergence from the grave? Was she the most worthless Horseman in existence to perish barely a few months after poking her head out of the ground? (:T_T:)

    Everything happened too fast. And before Cami could blink, the other body parts still left untouched were her eyeballs. Blink, blink~

    Gone. The damsel many fantasized about, was now gone for good. But none of her fans missed her at this moment. F***! Someone cursed, shaking his hands in victory when seeing their survival assured. Hooray!!! Boundless cheers echoed across the scene as some people hugged and cried their eyes nonstop. Woooo~

    This world was too scary. Can they say they wish to go back to the days when they were oblivious and when peace was everywhere?

    Everyone was thrilled with their sudden victory. Victory meant they would live to see another day. However, before they could react, Dorian vanished from the scene, leaving Butler Sheng and the others to handle things from here on out. Butler Sheng and the others nodded respectfully in Dorian''s direction. But when they turned to face the masses, the amiable smiles on their lips werepletely wiped clean. Don''t think that just because they saved them, they would let them go unpunished for all the crimes they''vemitted. "All of you are going to Jail!"

    The academy members from across were the ones most livid. Gulp~

    Several rowdy people now shivered guiltily when looking at the nket of academy members closing in on them from all directions. "Jail!" Jail, jail, jail!~

    No need for any court to sentence them.

    Guilty! �C they were all guilty as charged. (*^*)

    "You�� what do you all want to�C"

    "Shut up!"

    Before everyone could react, Dhali had alreadyshed out, waving his hands like the others above the masses. 1, 2, 3�� n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Zzzzzzzz~

    Everyone was sleeping soundly, snoring like no man''s business. And when they woke up hourster, they suddenly found themselves within an underground facility. Eh? �� Several people wiped their eyes and blinked excessively dumbfounded by the sudden change of scenario. Were they in jail? (!0!)

    .

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! "You let us out now!" "Let us out, you hear me? This is illegal!!" Several police officers and military personnel sneered while watching the rowdy bunch. Now, you know the word ''illegal?'' When you were raiding and chaos on the streets? Why didn''t you know what that word meant? When you burnt buildings, murdered and even raped, howe that the meaning of that word escaped you then?

    Beeeeeeeeeeeep~

    A loud mechanical buzzing noise bellowed, followed by the opening of all cell doors. What''s going on? What are they going to do with them now? Fear clouded everyone''s mind, when thinking of their current predicament. For a moment, it seemed that the barred doors were the only things protecting them from who-knows-what. It was amazing to say that the doors opened, yet no one stepped out of their cells. Rather, they moved several inches back, grabbing their beds and other fixtures they could grab. It took an additional 3 minutes for someone to finally break the silence and make the first move. In a pack of even the most brave, cowardly, or crazy people, there are always those who step up to be leaders. These people stepped out, and were dumbfounded by the incredulous hive-stylebyrinth before them. It almost looked as though they were hundreds and hundreds of floors below the surface. But this wasn''t all. Looking down, they also saw a massive hole at the center and also went down hundreds and hundreds of floors. Illusion? Can it really be so deep? No! It must be an illusion!

 Chapter 638 Its Definitely Him!

    Chapter 638 It''s Definitely Him!

    They''ve never heard of any prison having such an incredulous structure before. Don''t forget that before they started their chaotic life on the streets, many of them had regr jobs. Some were engineers, others worked in seriouspanies. So despite how chaotic they''ve be, they still had working brains to ess some matters. Several people frowned, feeling that such a structure must be an illusion. Sure, there might be several floors above and below them, but surely not hundreds. Everyone was stumped, but knowing that the ce they were in was more or less the same size as a single bedroom room within Dorian''s estate in Vardos country. However, with Space array spells and formations, it became unimaginably too terrifying for anyone to escape. Several military, navy and police officers who didn''t get epted into the academy on that day of testing, were the ones assigned to watch, feed and keep them all in order. The space was exquisite, and looked to have no end and no way of escaping. Just how do they get out of here? "Ladies and Gentlemen, time for supper!" A voice echoed across the space, and even those on the floors below and above them began moving too. It seems that unlike them who were still puzzled, these ones have been here for a long time, already knowing the drill. Follow? Well, everyone decided to follow, moving through the door at the far East end that now opened up. Grrrrrr~

    Their bellies grumbled, and their feet made the decision for many who initially wanted to stay back. . n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Wow! Their eyes were blown away when seeing the incredulous dining that appeared before the.. How to say it? They looked like ants while standing in here. Who am I? What am I? Where am I? �� (0_0)

    Everything was fit for a giant, except for the chairs and other fixtures. Well, this must be what Lego pieces must feel like if they were alive, looking at humans from below. Everyone was now taken aback when seeing thousands of people swarming around merrily. (''_'')

    What''s going on? Shouldn''t they be angry that they''ve been trapped in this ce? Hey�� several people grumbled at the cowardice of those trapped here. But when they finally heard of the end of the world approaching, with this ce being one of the only few safe havens, they suddenly felt it was best to stay here until the war was over. Although they were all criminals, who doesn''t want to live longer? There was good food, a library, and they even had Saturday TV time too. The only downside might be from the ce these prisoners call the Punishment halls within this ce. That''s right, don''t forget they were still in jail. Each week, they all get surprise punishments in one form or another that make them wet their pants. Many swore that when they eventually leave this ce, they would definitely be good citizens in society. They never wanted to return, no matter how much money someoneid them to stay. Those punishment halls were no joke! (#^#)

    Despite the good food, TV time, library avability and indoor facilities, they dared not stay in this ce for even another day. Of course, with the way fast approaching, they would want to leave after the heat the good news of Humanity''s survival. �� Like so, these people stayed out, dreading the punishment Halls while biding their time. As for the true reason they were locked up here, it was all because the Academy members feared that with how greedy their hearts were, they would make deals with otherworldly beings. What''s more, they might identally leak the existence of exorcists, wouldn''t that be like liking humanity''s Trump card? Thinking like so, they locked up any potential troublemakers who had seen them in action. For humanity''s sake, they must all remain hidden away till the war begins.

    It has been 2 weeks since the Horseman of War vanished from the face of the. [Congrattions host, for taking down the second Horseman.]

    This was what the system expressed weeks ago.

    Dorian raised a brow, feeling that the system was getting more and more generous. Or could it be that because the end was near, it was getting even more anxious than the humans fighting? Dorian was amused, shaking his head wryly. However, he had to admit that the rewards were quite rich. First up, the 7th~12th floors of all buildings have opened up. Now, there was a crazy cultivation and skill grabbing period within the academy. Several people were still camped within the Pavilions, refusing to move an inch. More rare beasts and their eggs were dropped into the hidden world. What''s more, the world itself expanded again, tripping in size. No joke, it was as big as 2 continents put together now. Just how big did the system want the hidden world to be in the end? What will happen next after the other horsemen emerge? There were also many new halls and buildings doing up like daisies. The Nataraja hall was the most noticeable one. A single dance could hypnotize a mass of creatures to kill and fight each other to death. Dorian also noticed that a variety of rare crystals, spirit grass and other items multiplied like peanuts. Following this, the Milky Pond, awarded a year and a half ago, now turned into ake 5 grades higher than before. No�� at this point, it was a Divine Pond. The air in the space once again grew purer, cashing several people to break through the second the atmosphere changed. Wow!

    What''s going on? Several people opened their eyes momentarily, but quickly closed them back, focusing on cultivating to a higher realm. Several people broke through 5 stages, all at once, and felt ecstatic. )*0*(

    Early stage of xx�� Mid stage of xx�� Late stage of xxx�� early stage of xxx�� Mid stage of xxx�� Bahahahahaha~

    Theyughed maniacally, feeling they were on top of the world. Then, Dorian announced the opening of the milky Pool, for everyone''s use, no matter their cultivation grade. It''s just that for their own safety they can''t stay in these waters for more than x times, depending on their ranks. The higher one''s cultivation, the longer they can sit in. Again, the milky pond was divided into various sectors depending on its potency. Everyone found aces ording to their strength and capabilities. As for Dorian, he stepped into the most potent section, feeling his muscles construct and tighten from the pure qi flowing in. Good�� So good�� In the next few weeks, countless people enjoyed these benefits. Woo-hoo~

    They were improving and breaking though as easy as taking a dump in the toilet. Hey�� who knew cultivating was so easy? (-_-) [Exorcists in other worlds]

    .

    Ah yes, everyone had broad grins when cultivating and showing their might against the many creatures swarming the. But while they were busy in action, far, far away�� another person''s face was getting grimmer by the day. Doyle sat in his room, not caring about the paintings and metal objects around him that began melting. He was furious! Kidnapped? Doyle cursed in his heart from his oversight. Their Horseman of War has been kidnapped, and all signs point to that Godforsaken Lovestruck idiot who fled their grasp. Who was it? Of course it was the Horseman of Famine, the fool from the Cygyptian Tombs.

    This, he was 1000% sure of!

 Chapter 639 A Pesky Bug

    Chapter 639 A Pesky Bug

    Doyle drummed his fingers on his desk maniacally, with each session, getting fiercer and fiercer by the second. st it! Boom! He entered a deep raging session, destroying everything in sight. As for his subordinates, their bodies still couldn''t stop shaking. Why them? Why was it them who had to feel the wrath of their master, when it was that sted Horseman of Famine who did the deed? After searching hard and long, they found traces of that lovestruck idiot all over Cami''s territory. "And the spare is missing too?" The bodyguards nodded stiffly. At some point, they felt that perhaps she might be in her Space. So what did they do? They searched and searched for that sted Hob-dream Hogglin, but couldn''t find it anywhere.

    Dammit! When it rains it pours. All evidence proves that the traitor, Horseman of Famine, had also taken hold of the key. And without the Key, none of them were even remotely powerful enough to pry a Space created by Lord Beelzebub himself. Are you insane? Not even 200 Doyle''s could pull such a stunt. So what to do now? Heh-heh-HAH-HAA�� Hahahahhaha~

    Doyleughed andughed cynically, his grins almost threatening to burst out from his human skin. "I''ll kill him�� I''ll kill him myself!" Doyle squeezed a piece of broken food, imagining it to be the Horseman''s neck. Sure enough, if you want something done, you have to do it. However, he had neither the time nor the day to do it. Thus, he still has to rely on these worthless subordinates of his. Doyle looked at them in disgust, swearing that if there wasn''t so much work to do on ground, he would have burned them all, allowing them to reincarnate with no memories in the Abyss. .

    "This is yourst chance�� understand?" "Yes, Master." The minions in human skin nodded desperately. Despite the second chance bestowed on them, the air within the space was choking. Several minions found themselves gagging and oozing greenish and bluish blood from their ears, eyes and nostrils.

    ''Trash!''

    Doyle stared at them without mercy. The corners of his lips raised high in morbid fascination. Which underworld being doesn''t love watching torture and pain? Doyle only stopped his suppression once his minions copsed. Then, he left the broken and chaotic room. Well, it was time to y his ''Human'' part again. As Vice-president of Vardos, his job never ends. Walking through the hallways of his estate, Doyle already began making ns. ''Since the first 2 Horsemen ns resulted in disasters, the 3rd one must not fail!'' Of course, it wouldn''t be wise to bring out the 3rd Horseman just yet. ''In another 3 months, we''ll pick up from where we left off.'' Doyle concluded, thinking of the mess he now had to clean up before the next Horsman emerged. At the same time, another matter gued his mind. Where? Where was his beloved Prey? Doyle locked his lips viciously when wondering where his dear president Ghant was hiding. Yet again, all signs pointed at the First Horseman who was proving very capable. Doyle has heard that Humans who are in love, seem to suddenly grow smarter when determined. The Horsman wasn''t technically human, but he still acted human in many ways. Who would have thought that a little bug would be able to thwart their ns for so long? ''How irritating.'' n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    With the war closing in, this bug''s matter was getting annoying and annoying by the day. ''He must be eliminated before the return of Lord Beelzebub and the other princes.'' If Lord Beelzebub should actually handle this matter, it would bring too much shame to Doyle. Won''t the other underworld beings with the same rank as him,ugh to death at his worthlessness? No! He could never allow anyone to make a mockery of him. After the 3rd horsemen arrives, he will personally take time out to search andpletely eradicate that bastard Horseman of Famine! As for his delicious Prey, Doyle locked his lips wickedly. ''In due time, I will find you, my dear president Ghant.'' ~Achoo!!: [President Ghant far away]

    Who is thinking about him? (?~?)

    ��

    Like so, time dwindled down in a sh. Before anyone knew it, another 8 months had gone by. Yes. 8 whole months flew by in a sh. Doyle''s human hair follicles were breaking off by the day. F***! Howe the 3rd Horseman came and left just like that? Are you F***ING kidding him right now? It took all of Doyle''s self control to not explode into a gigantic creature terrorizing the Red House. And what was this? Still no signs of his Prey yet? Ghahhhh!!!~

    His screams reached the skies, and his aura was that of a mad man. Chaos no longer flooded the streets, as Vardos'' army suddenly got into action after the death of the 2nd Horseman. On whose orders were they acting on? Well, it was on the President''s Orders! They had the seal and everything, including video proof that the ''missing'' president was alive and well. And at the end of the video, president Ghant paused, calling Doyle out. He had a mysterious look on his eyes that many might have mistaken for happiness. However only Doyle, who has been with Ghant for long, knew exactly what Ghant wished to portray. [Vice-president Doyle, well done�� well done on keeping the streets safe�� You really, really, ''really'' well!]

    For everyone else, Ghant was smiling. Only Doyle knew that Ghant was gnashing his teeth to death here. [Many of you might be wondering why I vanished. I can''t exin it, nor can I still understand it�� But a masked man with terrible body odor, one day rescued me from a strange world and abandoned me in some mountain.]

    What! Who would have the guts to rescue and leave the President of Vardos on a mountain top? Courting death? Several veins popped out on Doyle''s forehead. The masked man with terrible body odor is definitely that bastard Horseman he was searching for. From Ghant''s natation and expression, Doyle knew Ghant didn''t know anything about the mysterious person who rescued him. Doyle has been with Ghant for too long to know when he lies and what he tells the truth. ''He doesn''t know��'' He concluded in his heart. It seems the Horseman knocked him out while rescuing, but Ghant still saw a figment of the man''s silhouette. He dumped him on a mountain in Vardos and vanished. Ghant said that no matter how hard he called or searched, he couldn''t find anyone. That being said, Ghant said it took him months to get back to civilization.

    He luckily stumbled upon a military campsite, and that''s how he got rescued after getting treated for multiple injuries and bruises. Even from the video, Ghant looked like he was all skin and bones. Doyle can tell if someone used makeup to look pitiful. In Ghant''s case, that was his true appearance. He looked like a dying man withte-stage cancer. Everyone felt that he was quite pitiful to have gone through all this while they sat in their air conditioned homes and offices, eating and enjoying life. Of course, with how chaotic the months of his disappearance were, it was quite easy to ept the fact that someone had kidnapped their president. Fortunately, the Vice president stopped all talks about recing the President''s seat�� Or else won''t they be ashamed to face Mr. President now? .

    Doyle squinted his eyes at the video. It seems that his dear President Ghant was in some military facility within Vardos. ''Hiding from me, are we?'' Doyle chuckled softly. Well, a little cat and mouse game never hurt anyone. He knew that by now, Doyle definitely knew he, Cami, and several others weren''t human. But so what? Over the span of history in this world, one or 2 humans typically discover their existence. But so what? Who is going to believe them? If Ghant dared say a thing, he''d be locked up faster than a squirrel chewing on nuts. And then, a new President will be elected, since he will be deemed mentally unfit. Heh. Doyle smirked. If his thoughts are urate, Ghant must be trying to get some sort of dirt on him, so he can use it as an excuse to openly eliminate him. That was definitely the best these humans could do�� them and their guns. Unfortunately for them, underworld beings will continue to regenerate unless killed other underworld beings�� or worse, exorcists! "Bahahahaha~"

    Doyle burst out inughter, confusing the rest. "Sorry, gentlemen,dies�� I''m just so thrilled to see the president alive." Everyone nodded in understanding. After all, Doyle and Ghant were pretty close. Just look at how loyal Doyle is when he even bat an eysh when rejecting to step in as President when Ghant disappeared. Soon, the video concluded, and Doyle had several conclusions in mind. Ghant wasn''t told of the big war approaching.The Horseman only rescued Ghant to spite him, and put a dent in Lord Beelzebub''s ns.The Horsman still lives and must be eradicated if they don''t want more of their ns to get disrupted. Well, all this happened several months ago. And now, eight f**king months have gone by in a sh. Doyle felt he was slowly losing his sanity. ~Tick-tock�� Tick-tock. The clock was ticking and time was no longer on anyone''s side, be it humanity''s or the enemy''s. 4 months, 1 week, 5 days before thes align��

    In other words, they only have barely 4 and a half months left before the War begins!

 Chapter 640 Rat Attack

    Chapter 640 Rat Attack

    It was a little warmer out today. Yet, a freezing cold enveloped many, seeping deep into their bones. It was odd�� No one could shake the feeling that something big was about to happen. Chaos came today in the world and vanished several months after. The soft tter of rain began falling, creating a soothing rhythm, quite contrary to turbulent atmosphere. "Hey��" Detective Jimai helplessly leaned against her old car, watching the source of her pain scurry from the sewer grates in armies. �� Rats! Giant, fat, ugly rats in thousands, have been constantly fleeing out from the sewers and infesting the streets, the residence and even the hospitals. This wasn''t a joke! It was as though the rats had taken a unanimous vote to gue the city. Who knew that one of the most luxurious and cleanest cities in the country had so many rats roaming deep underground? It was an unusual sight, that made reporters and many others curse the government and even the police forces for theirziness.

    Jimai felt it was a little silly. They were police officers and not exterminators. So why were so many people angry at them? Some even suggested throwing grenades into the sewers, if it meant killing them all. Everyone has been on edge these days, except for the exterminators who made a shit load of money. "Ahhh!... There''s a rat in my soul!" "Honey, there''s a rat inside the toilet bowl! It bit my ass!"

    "Wooooo~... After watching that horror movie, I almost thought Jason, the psychopath, wasing to get me. Who knew it was these darn rats moving in the shadows? Howe they also move when the scene on TV is heated?" "Kill! Kill! Kill them all!" ��

    ~Wee-woh, Wee-woh. Sirens bellowed more frequently than usual, as the rate of infection and diseases grew rapidly in under a few weeks. And now, the entire city smelled like the sewers. Once anyone crossed the bridge over, they''d be instantly pped in the face by these foul scents that made even a dead body smell good. Unbelievable! The pungent and u yielding odor wed at their senses, making even newly born children wish they went back into their mothers'' wombs. Perfume and body fragrancepanies sold out in days. Household sprays also sol out, as though there was a pandemic in the city. Everyone was running through their fragrant supplies like crazy. Carrying hand sanitizers became a must, andpanies already pushed out nose ''pegs'' and other ingenious creations tobat the scent. Hey�� there was even a nose spray and nose drops too. Jimai herself used one of those nose drops. One drop and rub inside her nose, made everything smell like strawberries for the next 3~4 hours. She didn''t know the science behind it, but boy�� did it help. You have to know that when the first wave hit the city, breathing became extremely hard for her with a sensitive stomach. Every time she breathed, her stomach would roil and coil, with coppery vomit-like saliva flooding her mouth. Yes, things have changed since the city was under attack by the foul stench. And when under attack, humans tend to be more aggressive than before. Everyone waspletely fed up with the matter. At this point, they wanted the army to step in and eradicate all Rats in the city. It was incredible that at the start, some people protested against the idea ofplete rat annihtion. In their words: "If we start doing this now, won''t rats bepletely extinct in the long run? We must ensure that protection!" (*^*)

    .

    It was a sight to behold. They started attacking exterminators here and there, and even warning the police and fire departments to never get involved. However, several weekster, the story changed. Now, they''ve all joined the battle, fighting against the rodents infesting their city. It seems they were angry that these rats attacked their homes and daily lives too. Heh. Did they think they were special or something? They kept talking about their bullshit theories on rats needing love. They came up with all sorts of theories about making the rats feel at home and at peace with everyone. However, only when things got real, did they throw down their protest signs and pick up new signs to wage war on rats. Screw extinction! So what if these rats disappear from the face of the? At this point, they would be willing to teleport all rats to Mars if it meant they won''t keep bothering them in their homes any more. Whether one was rich or poor, these rats flooded their homes, kitchens, toilets, bedrooms and even pools. And then, there were the Theorists. There were those heavily convinced that this was the work of the Government to control the people. What conspiracy theories hasn''t she heard these past few weeks? Some imed that the rats were actually robots sent out to monitor them. Together imed that the government had trained these seats in some sort of crazyb-circle underground facility. They said these rats were spies that could even pick up pens to write. They even said the blood shown on bodies after killing these days, was nothing more than a special addictive red substance made to mind control the masses. Jimai shook her head wryly. Government spy robots or not, she just wanted them all out and gone. .

    Qwee-qwee-qwee~

    The rats sing in harmony while flooding the streets. Jimai had goosebumps just by looking. Can you feel it? Can you feel the ominous aura now looking above the city? "I''ve said it once, and I''ll say it again�� something just isn''t right." Sigh��

    Her partner, Detective Dhomark, approached with a coffee in hand.

    "Rats acting weird again? What''s so new about that?" he asked, handing her the cup.

    It probably smells great, but with the nose-shattering smell guing the city, one will never know. "Yeah," Jimai replied, taking a sip. "They''ve been pouring out like this for days. Something''s got them spooked."

    Dhomark �Cpoprly called Dom by everyone�C also frowned, ncing at the nearby grate. {**A grate is like a sealed up block or drain allowing water and other substances to be collected. Some grates also block water and other items from entering��. They can be round like heavy discs on the roads, or even rectangr drains to collect water along the roads, parks and so on.}

    Qweee-qwee-qwee-qwe~

    The rats poured out from the sealed solid grate with sheer force. The grate that used to be extremely tight and impossible to yank out so easily, was now levitating in the air courtesy of the overly stream of rats pouring out. The round sewer disc wasn''t a small one either. Once opened, there''s typically a stairway that could lead workers far, far down below. Know that the intricate waterways in this city is one of thergest in the world. The Labyrinth was so massive and confusing that even old city workers got lost down there from time to time. .

    Sipping her tea, Jimai was deep in thought when watching the overflow of rats escape the Labyrinth. "They''re running from something." "Tell me something I don''t know." Dom teased, with a face that soon turned grim. "Now, now, Mai, you know the Captain''s orders. No one, not even a dog, must go in there until further notice." "Rx, I know." Jimai nodded, yet her expression remained stubborn. "However, don''t you think it''s worth checking out?"

    "No!!!" "_"

    Dom refused, making an X-cross mark against his chest. His head was moving left and right vigorously. Yet a part of him knew he would be roped into doing something he felt was a very, very, very bad idea. �� several hourster, they returned to the scene. Only this time, they didn''t have police attire on, nor did they drive close with their cop vehicles. "Why do I let you keep talking me into sh**?" "Because I''m your partner�� you ride or die on the job, your buddy who''s got your back." "Yeah, yeah, yeah��" Dom rolled his eyes heavenwards, swearing that this will be thest time he ever gets roped into anything. They were nowhere near their targeted point of entry into the sewers. Closing the boot of Jimai''s vehicle, the duo carried various small equipment and ropes, suiting up like criminals preparing for a heist. They had torches, a map of the underground Labyrinth and even snacks and water to keep them hydrated. They also had Poison masks, in case there''s some CO2 or other toxic gasses in the atmosphere. Of course, they also had gadgets to detect toxic gasses too. Let''s not forget their weapons.

    How dare they go under there without weapons? It''s either the rats were running away from some toxic gas stream, or�� a predator much scarier than them. So�� could it be that some wild creature and its pack is lurking deep underneath the surface? (?~?)

    They knew it was a ridiculous assumption, but right now, they were running out of options in understanding what argued about their great city. "Alright, let''s go!" Dom shook his head wryly at the overly excited Jimai. Soon, they were both off. And as cops, they knew all angles to avoid for camera detection across the streets. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5�� They made it! "There it is��" The Sewer Grate.

 Chapter 641 Into The Sewers, We Go!

    Chapter 641 Into The Sewers, We Go!

    There it was, their entry point. It was on the other side of town, inside one of the city''s smaller parks. It was odd to say that when doing something ''bad,'' the human senses get heightened. They felt like they were blessed with superpowers, seeing, hearing, and smelling things far better than they could earlier. Looking left and right, they darted and rolled, hiding behind bushes and escaping a few cameras. They only moved through blindspots. As cops, who knows better about their city than them? Additionally, they had scoped the zone before heading home. So they took note of any and all cameras that may have been recently added. Phew~

    The duo wiped the invisible sweat on their foreheads. So far, so good�� "You keep a look out. I''ll check it out first." Jimai made an ''okay'' sign with her hand, leaving the heavy lifting for Dom to do. Well, there was not much to lift, as the rats had long unsealed the circr grate. It was odd to say that at the beginning and end of all shifts, police officers and park workers woulde over to close it back. However, no matter how many times they sealed it tight, the rats would find a way to get it undone, throwing the lid away without care. For weeks, Jimai has observed a peculiar trend with these rats. It seems that whatever is chasing them, only gets active during specific times of the day and night.

    This was why she picked this particr time at night to move in. After all, it would be inconvenient to have rats running amok chaotically in there while they''re trying to get in. Heck! Will they even have a chance to jump in with all the rats trying to escape? They''ll probably get carried out on a bed of rodents. .

    "All done." Dom announced, his eyes still vigntly gazing down at the dark rabbit role they were about to venture. "Good job," Jimai nodded, rubbing a few drops of her nose fragrance. The smell was already this bad out here. So can you imagine how strong it will be down there? The moment she leaned over the hole, her body subconsciously acted as though it had received a bullet. Damn. She felt like pouring the whole bottle of fragrance drops down her nose. Houh~ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    She took several deep breaths to steady herself. "ording to my calctions, we''ve got only 2 hours before they be active again." Jimai advised. "Just to be safe, we''ll only investigate for no more than an hour and 15 minutes." Dom advised, knowing how crazy his partner was. "Deal."

    They both shook hands, before wearing and adjusting their gas masks. "Let''s go." Right. With that, Dom allowed Jimai head in first. Afterall, someone would have to drag the heavy lid semi-closed. Of course, they only left a gap of roughly 3%. If someone identally closed the lid fully, they also brought in cool gadgets to force it open from the inside. Equipped with shlights, walkie-talkies and other gadgets, the duo descended into the sewers.

    "It''s all wet and yucky." Jimai mumbled, feeling the steel leader''s dampness against her gloves. Their dim helmet light allowed them to get a closer look on the gross, greenish-ck rabbit hole they were descending into. It was covered in mold, fona, rat hair�C possibly rat poop, and a hot of water. Dear God of Science�� there it was again. The stench that made her gag and almost let go of the sewerdder. However, she dared not remove her gas mask. Gritting her teeth, she began wondering how much longer they must descend. It was funny how she thought this way, seeing as they were only going down 1 and a half stories below from this entry point. Yet, every step down thedder felt like torture. The air was thick with the stench of decay, dampness, and something quite hard to put in words. In absolute silence, the duo descended. The only sounds that echoed through their eardrums, were the faint noises of small creatures squeaking down below. Jimai felt her throat constrict. ��

    ~Ssh! They jumped down thedder, into the waters below that was midway between their ankles and knees. Already, the duo could sense countless rodents running against their boots. It was like a scene from the famous TV series�C Fear Maker. Looking at their watches, they knew it wasn''t time to get distracted. "7 minutes already gone," Dom muttered, taking out his weapon and pointing in all directions. Jimai did the same. Now, they found themselves at a crossroad. Either they go left or right.

    "This way," Jimai gestured. "Based on the undergroundyout, this should take us to one of the Labyrinth''s primary hearts." All underground sewer ways had massive meeting points that are incredulously huge in size. ording to the images, some were even the size of 4 stories tall and wide underground. Truthfully, Jimai felt that if any action is going on down here, it must be within or close to these hearts. Dom nodded, saying nothing. What more could he say with his crazy partner around? They were already here, so best to make use of their time. ��And after moving for 3 minutes, they stumbled open a widened tunnel path with raised tforms on both sides. They came out of the pool, and carefully ascended 5 dirty and moldy steps. The uneven stony surfaces were a testament to the countless years of history. Know that these underground sewage ways were once underground passageways used in ancient times by soldiers and many others. It''s just that once the modern age came, it was reinforced and maintained to amodate sewage and other aspects. It would have looked incredible if not for the mold, rat poop, and rat hair. Look�� the walls still had torch stands, where medieval people used to line up torches along the walls.

    .

    "Haiii, It burns��"

    Sweet mother of Pearls! Why was the stench bing more poisonous? Their eyes were bleeding tears despite the masks they had gone. "I should have poured the whole damn bottle down my nose!" How can something smell so awful? Squee-squee-squee~

    Those pesky rats were running around after sensing their presence. Their footsteps echoed ominously as they moved deeper into thebyrinth.

    "Stay close," Jimai instructed, her voice steady despite the unease creeping in.

    Dom nodded, shining another shlight ahead.

    Something in his guy told him he would need 2�� the one on his head and the one he was holding in his hand, just below his gun. ~Tick-tock, Tick-tock. Time was not on their side. They pressed on, following the trail of rats that seemed to be fleeing from something deeper within.

    Once again, unsettling silence enveloped them. Except for the distant drip of water echoing through the tunnels and the rats squeezing away, silence was all that apanied them. Then Suddenly�C

    What was that? Jimai felt a slice of fear pierce through her. The skittering noise came from behind. She spun around with her shlight beam now cutting through the darkness. "D-Dom, did you hear that?"

    Mark swallowed hard, nodding stiffly. "I don''t like this�� I don''t like this one bit." Even though he didn''t see anything, he could bet his life on it that something was down here with them.

    "Are we close to one of the Hearts?" "Yeah��" Jimai confirmed. It seems her suspicions were right. The true danger was lurking around the hearts. As police officers, now wasn''t the time to chicken out without answers!

    .

    1, 2, 3��

    Their breaths quickened as they continued forward, every shadow seeming to shift and move.

    Then, they made it. They reached one of the hearts, a massive extraordinarily tall and open space filled with all sorts of waterways and sewage collecting in one ce. There was a massive swirling tornado at the center of the equally massive pool that directed all collected sewage out of the room. "It''s here��" Jimai spoke shakily. "It''s definitely here some�C"

    F***! Without warning, a figure darted across their path��a blur in the periphery of their vision. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!~

    Sparkes of mes lit shed against her gun, as Jimai unleashed hell on whatever it was she saw. In fact, if she had grenades, she would also throw it in too. Lisa''s heart raced as she tried to focus on it.

    Goddammit!

    "What was that?" Dom whispered, fear creeping into his voice.

    "I don''t know," Jimai replied, trying to maintain herposure. "But I have a bad feeling about this."

    No more investigations. It was time to Go! The duo gave each other tactful stares, as they made U-turns back to where they came from.

    "Is�� it following?" "I-I don''t know." Just because they couldn''t see it, doesn''t mean it wasn''t following. Sweet Mommy�C Blugh~

    They puked in their masks, but dared not take these masks off yet. What the hell did they see? Although it was only for a millisecond the duo felt they had been staring into the face of a ck worm hole... And at this point, their minds kept telling them one thing - Run!!!!!!!

 Chapter 642 Conspiracy

    Chapter 642 Conspiracy

    Run!!! That was all they thought. Their heartbeats shot to the roof and their bodies developed super speed in a blink of an eye. F***! They picked up their pace, but the shadows seemed to close in around them. Time seemed to freeze up with every breath they took. "I see it!"

    There it was. Thedder they used�� they could see its faint silhouette from where they were.

    Like marooned survivors, theyughed maniacally, so happy to see their salvation close. It was so close, Freedom. Without knowing it, their bodies moved 4 times faster than before. Hahahahahah~

    The scene made their lips exaggeratingly stretch to the corners of their faces. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    But then, they heard it�C

    Grrrrww~

    A low growl echoed through the tunnel, sending chills down their spines.

    Oh no�C

    "Run, Goddammit, RUN!!"

    The chase was on. What was that thing? They no longer acted tactfully, sshing water chaotically as they ran for their lives. Jimai threw her head over her shoulders, and saw a far-distant scene she would never forget in her life. Something wasing! Something that parted the waters maniacally. Jimai''s body threatened to turn to noodles, if not for Dom who was dragging her away. "Run, Mai! Run!!!!" The duo have never felt so close to death than now. They felt as though they were dancing between death''s doors with how close the parting waters were getting to them. This time, they didn''t look back anymore, doing their best to sprint through the sewer. Adrenaline fueling their escape, as sweat trickled down their foreheads. The creature''s snarls grew louder as it pursued them relentlessly. It was like a nightmare straight out of a horror scene. "Go higher!!" Dom yelled, pointing to his gun at the iing chaos behind him. .

    ~Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bullets flew, and Jimai was already halfway up thedder. "Dammit Dom, forget the shooting and hurry up!" Right! Dom kept his gun away, ascending thedder like a rat. It was amazing to say that when they first ascended into the sewers using thedder, they felt everything was wet and slippery. They feared that one wrong move and they would fall into the sewers below. But now, in their pique Mo of fear, the body suddenly knew how to adjust in slippery conditions. In fact, during their run across the many tunnel paths, they were also incredible. They veered sharply, ducking into the sides of several passages. And now, ascending the yucky and slipperydder, their breaths were ragged, hearts pounding vigorously.

    Grrr~

    The creature''s growls echoed closer and closer, as though it was already at the base of thedder. Son of a Gun!

    Jimai felt the hard cold surface above her and almost wept with joy.

    But wait, what was that sound? The sounds of metal nging were getting closer and closer. Ahhh! Their guess was right. It was at the bottom of thedder, about to climb up! "Mai, GET MOVING!!!"

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang~

    Bursting out of the sewer exit into the cold night air, Jimai wasted no time grabbing the X-cross straps at the back of her partner who was right behind her.

    Can you feel it? Goosebumps flooded their duo''s bodies in the blink of an eye. Then, just when he was almost out, something slippery wrapped itself around his left ankle. "Die, bastard, die!!"

    Bang, Bang, Bang, bang~

    Dom was shot away like a maniac, aiming the greenish blue giant tongue that was trying to pull him back in. Jimai was also at his side, pulling him away with all her might. Gruuuuu~

    The massive tongue that was now injured, it subconsciously let go of Dom''s legs, ring and dancing midair in agony. Only after dancing high in the air did they know how freaking huge and gross it was. Soon, it headed back into the sewers, wailing as it descended. However, something told them that this wasn''t thest they would see of it. Bam! The duo quickly slid the sewer lid back in ce, sitting the lid for fear the strange creature would like its tentacles out again. .

    �CSilence�C None of them said a word, copsing onto the pavement outside. Theyy there for a moment, gasping for breath and trying to process what had just happened.

    Did they really see�C Crazy! Could it be that the aliens have finallynded on their without their knowledge? "I don''t think it''ll stille out?" Dom asked worriedly between breaths.

    "No," Jimai shook her head. "It seems to like the darkness. Also, I don''t know why, but I sense that it''s in a weak state of hibernation right now." That''s what she thought, after essing its various movements.

    "Just what was that thing?"

    "Not sure��" Dom shook his head in disbelief, a wry smile appearing in his lips. "I don''t know�� but those rats were right to run, right?"

    �CSilence�C

    Everything that happened here made them anxious for the future. No wonder those rats couldn''t stay down there when the creature was awake. What did Jimai say about Hibernation? Why was she so confident it was sleeping/hibernating during some times of the days and nights? Don''t you see what during the day, these rats run out at specific times and intervals? It happened like clockwork. They would run out continuously for hours and hours, stop for several more hoursbefore rushing out again. It was amazing how incredibly silly how these rats would return into the sewers when they''re no longer fleeing. But one can''t me these rats by calling them silly. Some days might run away from here, and head towards a different sewer entry point location across the city. So how were they to know that they would still meet other dangers in the locations they venture into? Like that, the Rat fleeing and returning loop continues. Of course, many rats also chose to perch in workces and homes�� finding their way in the 67th floors of various apartment buildings and toilets.

    How did they get far up so fast? The vents? The pipes? Sighs�� The city was going crazy with all this rat business. ��

    Back in their vehicle, the duo were still shaken by their encounter.

    Of course, they fled the scene as fast as they could, since they were still doing ''illegal'' business. Luckily, the location they chose to infiltrate was far away from most homes and residences. It was also surrounded by trees, which aided in muffling out the firing noises from their bullets. They were in one of the city''s smaller parks, which was filled with trees and forest zones for bike riding, jogging, and whatnot. Of course, there were also a few ponds there, and trails for strollers.

    Fortunately, there was no one around in that deste space. Thest thing they wanted was for anyone to rush over to investigate and then identally go into the sewers right now. Before entering their vehicle, they had also pretended to leave before sitting in the woods to watch if anyone was approaching. A pert of them also wanted to see if It was only then that they left the park, moving sneakily across the roads and streets, avoiding any cameras till they reached the vehicle. Phew~ So far so good. The duo sat in the car, their bodies still shaking uncontrobly. Within the tremors, the two shared a silent understanding that whatever lurked beneath the city, was far from ordinary.

    �� And though they had escaped with their lives intact, they knew that this was only the beginning of something far more sinister lurking in the shadows below their beloved city. A sea monster? An octopus? Don''t be ridiculous! That thing is definitely a failed science experiment or an alien. Now that she was thinking about it more, she felt it was likely a failed scientific experiment including an Octopus and who-knows-what. Science was always the answer to everything. This, she could stake her life on!

    So who''s responsible? Dammit!

    "I''m telling you, we''ve got to tell the Captain what we saw," Jimai advised. No matter how crazy it seemed, they''ve got to get the word out. The more she thought about it, the more anxious she grew. "There''s no time to waste! We need to seal off the ce.. every sewage ways in the city!"

    "Whatever''s down there is dangerous."

    "We need to get a team on it first thing in the morning." No! Jimai was even more excited. What morning? They needed people on it now! Who did it? Follow the money�� follow the money�� Jimai''s brains as already flooded with all sorts of conspiracy theories. And now, she who used to despise conspiracy theorists, was now wondering just how the giant creature came to exist. Who has the most to gain from turning their city into a Rat zone? The terrorists? Their enemies from foreign governments? Hiss!~

    Jimai sucked her breath when a sudden thought popped in her head. Could it be a failed experiment made by their government? Is that why the superiors from far above sent down word that no one should be to head into the sewage ways? Did they already know of the matter, preventing any worker or anyone from even going in and taking a look or checking it out? (@0@)

 Chapter 643 Lokis Determination

    Chapter 643 Loki''s Determination

    A ploy by the government? A hoax? A scheme from enemy forces? Aliens? What was it? The world that seemed straightforward earlier, now seemed uncertain to the duo. However, they weren''t the only ones noticing the strangeness of the situation. Yet, others didn''t dare to do what they did tonight. However, those at the very top were still adamant on keeping everyone away from the sewage. No matter how many questions were asked, they remained silent. The chief police nodded his head vigorously, "Sir, please rest your head easily. We will be doubling patrol seeing how close we''re getting." The man on the other side gave him more instructions that made him sit up. What? Is it already that time, so soon?

    His heart hammered in his chest, unease also stirring in his belly. Despite him being in his office alone, he was still bobbing his head like a chicken, as though his superior was right beside him. His Superior''s tone allowed no room for negotiation, when discussing such an important matter. The chief police felt a burning sensation overwhelm him the more he listened. "Sir, is it already time for Protocol C?" [Yes�� it''s time for Evacuation!]

    Hiss~

    Chief police officer Galdren, sucked in his breath, knowing how serious this matter was. They have to act cautiously, slowly taking people away bit by bit. ording to his superior, they only had barely a few months to go. Of course, they can''t wait for thest minute before evacuating, or the enemy would be alert. It has to be done little by little. Perhaps for now, 1 family in every street block will be randomly selected to ''go on a trip,'' ''visit their loved ones somewhere far away'', ''go abroad'', ''go to school,'' you name it. Whatever excuse they could make, has to be natural. That being said they''ll also test out the people selected, in case some monster in human skin was lurking around. Each week, they must begin evacuations. It must be done so smoothly, and so cautiously. All countries in the world and continents were working hard to begin Protocol C. Suddenly, there was no division anymore, no racial favoritism, no bias against fenders, no hatred for enemy countries�� nothing of that sort. Suddenly, the humans realized they had to be together to fight against amon enemy, here to enve and feast on them all. Now, the atmosphere across the world was like a Pre-doomsday scene, where the military and many others knew, while the civilians remained in the dark. All armed forces secretly worked together to ensure Humanity''s survival. Can you feel it? The tension in the atmosphere these days? Even the sewer creatures were left untouched because if ''humanity''s hidden weapons'' acted on them now, the enemy would be alerted. So they closed up those zones, acting as though clueless. In the meantime, all sewer passageways would soon get ''sealed'' by those superpowered humans. The fact that this city still hasn''t gotten its sewer ways sealed up yet, was only because these superhumans haven''t reached their city yet. Don''t think that this matter was just happening in their city. All around the globe, rodents and other small creatures wereing to the surface. Some even said this was a sign that the ck gue would return. There were all sorts of conspiracy theories out, but so long as humans didn''t speak of the existence of ''monsters,'' everyone breathed a sigh of relief. For as long as they can keep it this way, they must keep letting the enemy think they have no clue of what ising. In war, the element of surprise was, and still is, one of the best tactics to secure victory. "Don''t worry sir, as per your instructions, we will be Protocol C!!!" [Good��] the man on the other end said. [Don''t let me down.]

    Ttut��

    With that, the call ended. And all over the world, many began preparing for Protocol C. However, they weren''t the only ones thinking of the uing war.

    .

    Hah-hah�� Bahahahahahja~

    The world had never seen such a beautiful site, despite it being a grand prison hall. There, in the heavens, Loki chuckled andughed ecstatically when thinking of what time it was. ''Soon, my long awaited show will begin. So how can I still stay up here, locked up?'' Tch��

    If not for the mysterious figure that appeared in his cell some time ago, he would have long fled from this ce. The figure only said one word, and Loki''s entire being trembled Grimm head to toe. He has never been so scared of anything or anyone except for the Almighty. So who was that mysterious being? He could tell that the mysterious being was probably on par or even more powerful than the Almighty. A being stronger than the Almighty? Loki felt it should be impossible. Yet that''s the feeling he got. Since when did the heavens have such a figure in their realm? Terrible�� Loki didn''t know why, but he felt that if that being wanted him to disappear from the heavens, the underworld and even the human realm, it would be done at a snap of its finger. Before, Loki felt it should be impossible to wipe the trace of any Heavenly being, as they would only get reincarnated back with their memories over and over again in the heavenly realm. Of course, their memories of their true identity would one day return, perhaps after the 700th reincarnation or so. Any heavenly being killed, gets reincarnated back into the Heavenly realm.

    That''s how it has always been. Even when he got a glimpse of the Almighty billions and trillions of ages ago, Loki still felt that even the Almighty himself couldn''t erase his trace and his essence. But��

    The being he saw gave him the feeling that it could. That''s right. He felt that being would not only erase his trace from the heavens, but also from all realms, making him never exist. How scary was that?

    For the first time in the longest while, Loki felt true fear. It made his spine coil and his entire body obedient. This was why he sat in ce all this time. .

    That day would always rey in his mind in a loop.

    That mysterious being�� His power�� How terrifying. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Even thinking about that being gave Loki cold sweats. What was the word that was said to him when he appeared? "��Noisy." That''s it. Just one word made his body freeze up. However he felt he had heard the same words said by someone in the mortal world. Who? No matter how he thought of it, he just couldn''t ce a finger on anyone who also repeated the same words to him�� a mortal, for that matter. Loki frowned. ''How strange�� my memory should be strong, so why can''t I remember?'' Well either way Loki was quite excited to go down to the human world to see the new interesting chess piece that caught his eyes. What was the human''s name again? �C Dorian D. Tian. That human�� that very thrilling human, made his blood fire up in a feverish pitch. Before, he was willing and very excited to see his good old pals, Lucifer and the others out their longtime and against the heavens, in motion. What? Do you think the war is about the humans on that? Please! They are as insignificant as ants crawling underneath an elephant''s trunk. This isn''t about them but about the underworld minions finding a chance to teleport and go to the Heavenly Realm for war!!!! And now, with the Almighty on Hiatus, they feel they have a chance. Loki smiled wryly. With that mysterious being here in the heavens, do they really have a chance? If it was before, he would have said�� maybe. But now,... Ehhh. That mysterious being spoiled the fun for him. What he, Loki, loves, is unpredictability. If something is so obvious from the start it bes boring way too fast. Why would he care about the war between the Underworld and the heavens now? He wished he never knew that mysterious being existed at all!

    It ruined everything for him, his fun, his entertainment. Luckily, there was still one more War that made his blood pump. �CThe war between the underworld and the insignificant ants. Bhahahahajjaha~

    Lokiughed merrily. ''For my entertainment to remain sweet, my good old buddies must keep reminding oblivious to the ''insignificant ants'' who finally figured it out��''

    Loki licked his lips, leaving against the wall and leaving aplete replica of himself behind. ''My dear buddies, why don''t I stall your return to that world, a bit more?'' Loki conjured a mischievous n now vanishing from the Heavenly realm, and appearing in apletely different Human world. If he isn''t mistaken, if his a s were urately done, his dear buddies should be returning to the underworld 1 month before the War begins. They''ll be returning to end things in the underworld.

    But if he made the war in the Underworld end barely 1 day before the human war begins? Swish~

    Loki was gone, appearing in a deste home deep in the wilderness. "Who the hell are you?" A human questioned, no fear evident in his eyes. Human? Hah! Loki chuckled, slowly making himself at home.

    "Come now, aren''t new friends weed anymore?... Tell your master, Mammon, that I have great news for him��As for who I am��"

    Loki paused with a broad grin on his face. "You can call me Lucky." Because Luck,�� has always been on his side.

 Chapter 644 A Generous Master

    Chapter 644 A Generous Master

    Dorian stepped out of the Milky Pond, a wicked smile reaching his usual cold exterior.

    ''Well now, isn''t this a surprise.'' The bony finger, he could tell it mutated several levels higher again. These days, he has been visiting the underworld more than he anticipates, keeping tabs on the war down there. His visits to the underworld were usually short, as well as the time between his visits, due to the Bony Finger''s abilities. Typically, he was like a spectator down there, not being able to move anything belonging to the Abyss in its in. But now, he felt he should be able to cause some chaos of his own down there. Well, he''ll have to wait on that thought for now. [Host, congrattions on Defeating the Horseman of Conquest.] Hmmm�� Dorian smirked, slowly running his hands through his short damp hair. Of course, for the remaining Horsemen, he didn''t bother taking them on. He allowed the academy disciples to handle it. It would also be a test of their current abilities

    And wouldn''t you know it, they handled it as though squashing flies. Perhaps one would forget that with all the items given by the system, everyone''s strength has grown far higher than what he expected. Butler Sheng, Haru, Bewoh Raulin, Chan-ki, and Zhulyn especially, were quite impressive. Give them another month or so, and they would be able to take on several top Demon Commanders directly underneath the Princes. Its like they had a cheat that allowed them to grow in such a short span of time. Know that on manys and world''s, exorcists cultivate for tens and thousands of years to reach their level. Yet, they aplished this in 2 years�� 2 whole years. Truthfully, this was also because all of them had incredibly genius innate talents. How to say this? It''s almost as though the Heavens knew the ns the underworld had, making arrangements long ago to secretly bless so many people at once with genius configurations. Let''s put it like this. Even if others in many worlds have the liberty of using everything the system has to offer, they still won''t grow this fast.

    Perhaps in 50~200 years, they''ll reach these heights. But for the people who seemed to be ''conveniently'' ced around him, they all had strange blessings and luck. Even their innate talents that looked to be ordinary at first nce, had special markings, as if they were chosen warriors to fight for just this purpose and moment alone. That''s the true reason why they could grow so fast. Like the system had said, even though its resources will still stay for the next hundreds and hundreds of years before slowly fading away, no one in this world will ever have such strange blessings that boost their capabilities so fast. Should humanity win the war, they''ll notice that the next batch of people selected to join the academy will start growing at the standard rate they should be growing at. Sure, they might still grow faster thanks to the Academy''s space still insanely blessed by the heavens, but it would still take them hundreds of heads to achieve what Butler Sheng and the others achieved. .

    Hearing that Butler Sheng alone defeated the Horseman of Conquest as easy as washing a big, Dorian chuckled. It almost seemed like to the academy folks, Horseman matters were annoying. They were here preparing for the end of the world in a few months, and there these Horsemen were popping out and pulling them away from bigger duties. Butler Sheng handled the matter in 7 minutes and vanished from the scene, but not without framing the Horseman of Famine again. The poor Horseman of Famine had now be the most hated being to these underworld creatures. Word on the street is that there''s even a bounty on the Horseman''s head. The bounty is a promise of 50,000 human souls. This much soul count was nothing to big demons who have been roaming thes for millennia, gathering tens and even hundreds of thousands of souls in their bodies. But weaker creatures need these souls to power up too. ��What a tempting bounty. Several creatures have kept a lookout for the Horseman of Famine. However, no matter how hard they tried, they still couldn''t sniff out the horseman''s location. They also didn''t think it had anything to do with humans.

    For millenniums, humans have remained clueless. So is it now that they would suddenly be awakened? Don''t be silly. Dorian was amused by how the humans in this world loved ying cat and mouse games. They were quite an interesting bunch. ''Alright, I''m in a good mood. What gifts do you have this time?'' Ah�C The system was shocked. Its host was speaking more than usual. From its experience with its host, it was best to not waste this opportunity�� of course, it also had to secretly run back to its master and report the situation with the Host''s mutated Bony finger. Its master should want to know, right?

    [Master in the Heavenly Realm]: Not Really. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    .

    [Host, host, there are a lot more rewards this time!]

    Of course there is, Dorian thought.

    With time no longer on their side, it was only right for the Heavens to give them morevish gifts. If he didn''t know better, he would think the Heavens were afraid of their failure. Speaking of the Almighty, where exactly is that bastard? How can you just decide to go on Hiatus just like that? Sure enough, all bosses were the same�� not including him, of course. From the gifts, the first things that caught his eyes were the reward of 200 Pegasus''s. One must know that Pegasus'' from north, were beings with strange Divine strengths. 3 adult Pegasus''s could take out Underworld Commander. They were a rare breed of Heavenly creatures only bestowed 5 at a time to each. How to say it? There can never be more than 5 Pegasus at a time on one. Because of their sheer strength and nobility, the heavens limited their growth in the mortal world. They are the only creatures that can actually exist in both the heavenly and human ins. There were probably thousands and thousands of them in the heavenly world. However, all Pegasus''s must eventually go down to these human worlds andter return to the heavenly realm upon death. It was like a ritual of some sorts. One cannot emphasize how rare and unique it was to see more than 5 Pegasus''s existing at once�� And now, you give them 200? Know that while in the mortal in, they can also give birth to other Pegasus''s. It''s just that their birthrate in the mortal in was fairly low. In the Mortal in, adult Pegasus''s can survive for 500 years before dying. But Baby Pegasus'' will grow till 1300 years�� And so on, and so forth. With their low birthrates, maybe only 50 offspring will result from mating. Following that, perhaps only 10�� and so on, until 5. 5 are always there no matter what, in each world. ''How generous.'' [Exactly right, host. My master is�C] Oops�� the system froze, knowing it shouldn''t have said that. The Pegasus'' were gifts from its master. In its master''s words, he was sleeping one day, and their running about was constantly waking him up. �CNoisy. (!_!): [Pegasus]

    That''s how all 200 found themselves here. The system felt a little sympathetic towards these Pegasus who were bundled up and thrown here. In its master''s words, since they have nothing better to do than to keep waking him up, it''s best they go down and gain experience in the mortal in. With a snap of his master''s fingers, they appeared in its space, waiting to be freed when certain missions werepleted. To be honest, the system felt that most rewards onlycame because they were annoying to look at by its master. Dorian chuckled, now having a slight fondness for the little thing''s Master. Anyone who values calmness and whiteness was definitely a person worth knowing. [Host, are you impressed? Are you amazed?]

    ''... Noisy.'' [...(-_-)]

    .

    Dorian browed through the rewards, nothing yet another expansion of the space, and purple qi circting in the air. Boom! Boom! He gets bored and loses them too. Sometimes, they fall down to the mortal world, and someone worthy enough wears them. Many more around the academy broke through again, but thought nothing of it. Oops��. It seems the Grandmaster has boosted the formation''s strength around the academy, making the qi purer again. Those who originally nned to head out, now sat cross legged, focusing on stabilizing their current strengths after breaking through. New weapons also appeared , coupled with another chance at a hidden trail in another smaller hidden world within the sect. Last time the hidden trail behind, several people found items belonging to the Gods in the heavenly Realm. Take for example, Hermes, God of speed and Travel. Do you know how many Trias/winged sandals were made for him by a Good called Hephaestus. Hermes has worn over 5000 pairs. He gets bored and loses them too. Sometimes, they fall down to the mortal world, and someone worthy enough wears them. Only Exorcists can actually use dropped items left by the Gods and those in the Heavenly Realm.

    �CAnd during the trial, do you know who got his Tria? �CGhu Sota! Well, at least he could run away from Olddy Ghu''s deadly shoe attacks now, right?

    Wrong! He was still getting hit by her boomerang slippers no matter how hard he tried.

    .

    After leaving the Milky pool, Dorian appeared in his chambers, within the sect. As he walked in, several people bowed humbly, including President Ghant who now became an academy member. And if one looked closely, they would see that vice presidents and presidents, including top officials from all over the world were now Gathered. "We now have 2 months left. Protocol C has long been underway, but now, it''s time we, the Exorcists, take actions of our own." Hiss~ Everyone sucked in their breaths. This was the longest they''ve seen the Grandmaster talk. [The system]: Should this be your focus now?

 Chapter 645 Pre-Preparations

    645 Pre-Preparations

    "Not to sound like a broken record, I''ll only say this once�� Time�� is something we do not have." Several people''s bodies trembled when hearing the Grandmaster speak so many words. Oh my God, is the Grandmaster angered? Who has provoked him? Will the world suddenly go up in mes now that he said so many words? Terrible! Everyone, no matter how strong they were, now started shaking in their boots. Their ears were perked to the skies and they swore toplete any tasks given to the best of their capabilities. Thus began the great divide, where all factions were assigned their duties of what they will be doing not just now, but during the war. "How''s Protocol C going?"

    "Grandmaster, we''ve been able to evacuate 20~25% of residents in all areas we were originally assigned to." Someone replied.

    "Yes, Grandmaster. And like you said, even after evacuation, we allowed them to go out once in a while, soi the ce doesn''t look so deserted."

    The streets must still remain in use, there must still be people in coffee shops, and the world must still continue to operate as ''normal'' until the big dayes. They also installed special Countdowns in their phones. For their own sakes, they must keep acting like the ''oblivious'' humans that they were.

    "Not bad," Dorian nodded. "However, we have to speed it up."

    "Intelligence, Defense, and Attack." "Some will defend, some will guard the civilians, while others will collect all intel, while destabilizing the battlefield like unseen shadows." Everyone nodded heavily, knowing that the battle would happen not in major cities, but everywhere all across the world. Every town, vige, city and even forest revisions too. No ce was truly safe. All hands will be on deck. .

    Dorian''sshes fluttered softly. "There''ll be a list. You, as elders, and your disciples, will be stationed in various points across the." "I expect you all to start moving and setting your <traps> for the eventful day." Right. All the elders and top superiors bobbed their heads vigorously. The fact that the enemy still didn''t know of their existence as exorcists, meaning they could set as many traps around the ces they were tasked with guarding and protecting. As for Butler Sheng and a few others, they were tasked with fighting specificmanders, as well as Princes. Yes��. By the time the wares, Butler Sheng alone still won''t be able to take on a single Prince. But, if he worked with Bewoh, Haru and a few others, all of them might have a chance against that one prince. Of course, Dorian was going for the big fish, Beelzebub. He was the strongest, and no doubt the most cunning. No matter where these top bosses appeared, those assigned to attack these bosses, must appear and deal with them. Old Gia and several others would target their topmanders. Dorian took his time to sketch how each of these top bosses looked, even in human skin. Their strengths, their possible weaknesses from what he recalled in his former life, were also scribbled down. In addition, he didn''t forget to scribble down a bit about the mischievous Heavenly Being who called himself a Trickster. Despite knowing that Loki would g participate in the war, he still didn''t want anyone attacking or provoking that lunatic. Not that he was afraid of Loli, but he just hated anyone ruining his ns. If they sensed that some bird or shape shifting bastard was watching, just ignore. "Remember, don''t provoke that mad man."

    "No worries, Grandmaster, we will warn the disciples to be cautious." The more they learnt about Loki over the months, the more annoyed they were with him. You are a heavenly being. Why are you constantly meddling with mundane matters and causing havoc here and there? Shouldn''t you be on the side of humans and not on the side of underworld beings? Why have you constantly helped them for tens, hundreds, thousands and even millions of years? Tch�C Even hearing of Loki''s rampant acts in other worlds made them wish to exorcize him. Too bad he was already a heavenly being and not an underworld creature. How do you exorcize a being that already belongs to the heavens? He toyed and yed with humans, even creating cults of believers who did abominable things after listening to a few whispers from him. If it was that he watched these humans fall deeper and deeper into darkness, before chuckling and letting them go through all stages of denial, depression and suicide when they finally realized he had just been messing with them. Some sacrificed their children and everything they had just for him, only for him to finally appear, mocking them for being idiots. In his words, it was fun to watch them kill. It was fun to watch them do crazy things, and even cause wars too. Amusement, entertainment, tricks, those were things Loki was addicted to. It was almost as though he couldn''t breathe without them. What''s amusing is that the more locked he was, the more chaotic his mind grew, like an addict thirsting for drugs. That''s why whenever he secretly escaped his holding cell, the first chaotic thing he did was often greater than the next that would follow. Knowing that crazy, unpredictable bastard, he should have either broken out again now, or might do so in the next few weeks or days. Many couldn''t help wondering what the first thing he would do would be. Will he cause chaos in their world, disrupting their ns for the Big Day?

    (-w-): [Loki who just finished making things hard for the underworld Princes.]

    Loki: Hey, hey, this time, you guys got it all wrong. I''m ''partially'' on your side, okay? . Dorian gave his introductions and left as quickly as he came. However, many were still taken aback by how much talking he actually did. Terrible�� they suddenly felt they preferred the Grandmaster when he was more silent. That sort of Grandmaster, they understood and were used to. But the one who speaks more than force words in one sentence, made them feel like they were walking on eggshells. Phew~ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    They looked at each other with wry smiles, before saying a few more words and vanishing. There was too much to do right now, and they didn''t have much time for chitchat. Like so, time flew by in a sh. 5 weeks�� 4 weeks�� 3 weeks�� 2 weeks. 2 weeks left! Can you believe it? Already, the world was left with just 2 weeks left. That''s it, 2 weeks. Now, both sides were preparing like crazy... And back in Vardos, Doyle was sweating buckets. Doyle, who was typically cool, confident and arrogant, was sweating green goo from his human skin. It was awful. The entire room smelt foul, but he didn''t care. Boom! He destroyed several subordinates under him, sending them to reincarnate back into the Abyss where they belonged. "It''s all your fault! It''s all your fault! A simple job�� a simple job of hunting that Horseman, and you make me look like a fool?" Ahhhhh!!!~

    Several creatures found their human skins cracking and their true bodies heavily injured. Hell, help~

    They wished to flee. But how could they escape their boss that was far more powerful than them? It burns�� it burns�� They melted in a sh, dying and returning to their birth ces with no memories of their time now. But despite their deaths, Doyle didn''t feel any better. Instead, he was shaking like a leaf, quivering and fearful of the time when the portals would get opened. ''Of my guess is so true, Lord Beelzebub and the other Lords should be arriving back into the Underworld any day from now.'' Then, they''ll end the war down there before heading into the Human world. So what happens when they return and hear that all earlier ns for the Apocalypse all failed? What? You say the culprit is a measly Horseman and yet you couldn''t even stop him at all? What they expect when arriving in the human world, is to see heightened negative emotions in humans. Don''t you know that when there is war, hatred and chaos, the level of fear in humans grows 50 times higher than normal when faced with abnormal circumstances?

    What were humans to them? Prey�� food�� meals�� ��And when is this meal ripe for the taking? When fear and all sorts of negative emotions were at the pique. What''s more, the collective forces and powers of all horsemen in the world, were supposed to create a mysterious catatonic force that would aid in awakening the heavenly bond with humans of this world and the heavens. So that when thes finally ign and the Heavenly link is at its weakest, the devouring of humans would be far easier for them. .

    Dammit!

    Doyle felt the world spinning around him.

    Everything has been nned for so long, and even he thought the job would be a synch. Yet, here he was, with a fucked up badly done job. It''s over�� he was finished

    Where can he run? Nowhere. His failure can only result in one end for him.

    ''Lord Beelzebub is going to kill me!''

 Chapter 646 A Gang Up?

    Chapter 646 A Gang Up?

    No! He can''t go down like this! �� When Doyle thought of all the hard work he put into growing stronger throughout the decades, centuries, and thousands of years, he began shaking chaotically. No one knew what catatonic thoughts flooded his mind now. What''s going to happen to him? What will his end be? If�� if Lord Beelzebub took him out now, doesn''t this mean he too will get rebirthed into the Abyss with no memory, and will have to work hard all over again from scratch to get to where he was now? Doyle had never felt so weak and faint-hearted. This must be what mortals feel when they get ''sick.'' It was such a foul, irking feeling that left his stomach in knots. Butterflies churned in there, and probably tsunamis hurled when thinking of his impending fate. Where can I run to? Where can he hide? The only way he might have a chance for any survival, is joining the camps of the enemy Underworld Princes. But even that wasn''t an easy feat. Do you think it will be easy for him to cross the vastnds of Lord Beelzebub''s territory undetected before pledging his allegiance to some other master? Heck! Forget that. Even leaving this world through any of the portals without getting detected was an impossible feat. ''2 weeks�� 2 weeks left.'' N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Doyle''s eyes danced maniacally. His time would soon be up, unless��. Unless��

    Yes! Doyle''s eyes lit up like twinkling stars. ''The horseman�� I need to capture the bloody horseman.'' That''s the only way. Bottom line, lord Beelzebub needed a punching bag to throw his anger at when the news eventually reaches him. So if he, Doyle, finally gets a hold of this Horseman, at least he might not necessarily die. It''s true that he would still get punished and face Lord Beelzebub''s wrath. However, it won''t be to the point where he dies. Doyle''s eyes narrowed dangerously. No matter what, he must ensure he doesn''t die. .

    Looking around, Doyle spotted one of the few minions he spared. "Cancel all appointments. From now on, no more human business!" The war wasing in 2 weeks and he was busy dealing with vice-ore6natters. Wasn''t that a joke? Of course, Lord Beelzebub had said they must not show any strangeness before the war, so he had no choice but toe up with the excuse of being ill. Looking at his melted phone, Doyle slowly headed to another and took apletely different phone from his drawer. He dialed an unfamiliar number, cing the phone on his ear. His face was expressionless and his aura somewhat desperate. However, his time didn''t reflect any of his desperation. Soon, a voice echoed through the phone. [Master Doyle, we, the remaining D''jaggarians are at your service.]

    [Master Doyle, this Rose Lady and her subordinates are also ready to ept yourmand.]

    [Master Doyle, we are ready��]

    On the Conference call, several forces replied one by one. And all these forces had one thing inmon �C They were Vampires!

    "Good��" Doyle nodded. "There''s good news for you, and everyone else."

    Good news? Has that bastard Horseman been captured yet?

    Don''t think that because they weren''t directly responsible for this matter, their Lords will let them go. All of them had their lives dangling on a thin line if the Horseman wasn''t found yet. Apart of the fear that their lives would be cut short, they also gated that f**king horseman to the core. Who knew Love could make a person go so far? Sure enough, a man in love was a dangerous entity. However, that danger didn''t make them quake in their boots. It only annoyed them, having to see such a weakling outburst them again and again. [Master Doyle, can we finally begin?] Several people hastily questioned. You have to know that they''ve been wanting to personally go after the Horseman for quite some time now. However, the fact that the War wasing closer, also meant that their jobs were also growing daunting by the day too. What''s more, do you know how much time it took to clean up every setback they experienced in the hands of that Horseman? .

    Everyone''s eyes glowed cruelly.

    For the D''Jaggarians, the Horsemanpletely disrespected them by storming into their castle and eliminating several of their top forces. This alone left them somewhat crippled, because each of those who died had other tasks they were supposed to be doing during this time. So with their demise, those alive suddenly had 4 times more work to do up their shoulders. As for the Rose Lady, she hosted a party, nning to devour arge chinch of souls. However, the party she had long nned, already ended before it could start when her estate was attacked days before the party. In the end, her beautiful estate crumbled to the ground due to andslide. Landslide her ass! She was a hundred percent sure it was that cowardly Horseman. Heh! If he had the guts, let him try facing her face to face! Dammit! All these sneaky actions were thedoing of a cowardly being. All of them thought the same too, including Doyle. If that bastard has the guts, why doesn''t he just face them squarely? There was only one exnation. He was too chicken to do it because he knew he didn''t stand a chance against them. All this time, they''ve been busy handling War matters, especially concerning the sewers.

    Now, with Doyle giving them the go ahead, they suddenly felt the powers within them boiling.

    They have long wanted to deal with that bastard Horseman but kept having surprising incidents happening around them that kept dying their hunt. However, now, they were good to go. With 2 weeks left, they''ll have to use all forces to all catch the Horseman. This way when their Lords and masters return to this world, they''ll be able to present the Horseman''s head on a silver te. With all of them working together, what chance does the Horseman stand?

    .

    Bahahahahajjajahah~

    Several creatures left maniacally, as they agreed with Doyle''s decision. Soon, Doyle ended the call, his head slowly raising high towards the map on his wall. He has been keeping track of all reports during these many months, observing the horseman''s movements. Sometimes he''s in Vardos, other times in the East, other times in the Northern Countries and so on. He was intelligent, that much Doyle agreed on. Doyle had to admit that ages ago, he didn''t think this particr Horseman was smart and wise. He really felt he was foolish. But facts have proven that a determined Half-human creature deep in love, was still a terribly annoying threat to them. However, no matter how fluid his actions may be, they must sessfully hunt him down to appease their masters and lords. Truthfully, the only few people who could forcefully summon the Horseman was Beelzebub, and the other Princes in his union. The horseman they created, as well as any other creations of theirs, had what humans can understand to be tracking on them. To solve this matter, once Beelzebub returns, he might just need to snap his finger for the Horseman to appear. No matter where the Horseman was hiding, its creator will always know where it was.. if it was still alive. If Beelzebub summons it and it doesn''t appear, it can only mean 2 things: It has grown far stronger than Beelzebub, or is dead. In this case, thetter is definitely most likely true. Beelzebub can get the horseman over at a snap of his fingers after returning. But if he should do so, it would be considered as cleaning up their mess. And that would mean their lives would definitely get lost. .

    ''Horseman�� wait for me.'' Whoosh!~

    Doyle was gone, and so were many others around the world. Horseman�� horseman�� It was time to get the Horsemanonce and for all! But while the gang of creatures were hunting for their prey, the ''true'' enemies and culprits involved in all their personal matters, were busy speeding up Protocol C. All across the globe, evacuations escted. In a particr city, a city where all the Big 6 n heads resided, the evacuation left a heavy mark on the hearts of some. The cityy under a shroud of strange tension, its usual hustle reced by an eerie silence. The streets were still constantly followed by people, yet, they seemed more tense than ever. What happened to them? What changed? The cobblestone streets, usually bustling with life, were now eerily deserted. Shadows stretched long under the dim glow of streetmps, casting ghostly figures that danced with the wind. It was daytime, yet every little thing seemed to scare everyone. The air was thick with an unspoken dread, as if the city itself held its breath in anticipation of theing storm.

    Some knew, and some werepletely oblivious. Today, The Su family was finally getting ''moved''... And without knowing it, a war broke down in the affluent residence of the Su ns Main home. Crash! Old Su couldn''t believe it. What did these people mean they must go in for questioning? All Su called all his contacts, only for them to tell him to obediently flow the police like criminals. Who is it? Who is behind this? The remaining 5 ns came to mind: The Tians, the Hous, the Bhos, and the Gous and the Gias. "They''re ganging up on us!!"

 Chapter 647 The Su Clans Dilemma

    Chapter 647 The Su n''s Dilemma

    "Do you know what you are doing?" D questioned, her voiceced with warning. Opposite her were several armed officers of all ranks and calibers, solemnly standing opposite them with hands held their backs and legs apart. But the Su n in its majestic glory, was not one bit fearful of these people. Chen Su narrowed his gaze dangerously. "Did the other big 6 put you up to this?"

    The police officers and disguised military personnel remained silent. One them stepped forward, his expression stoic. "Please, do not make this a headline matter." One of them spoke with an aura one not to be trifled with. "For now, the press and many others are unaware of our presence here. I assure you, we will keep a tight lip and ensure to silence any who speak ill of you in public about your visit to the station."

    "But��" The man continued, slowly taking a seat unfazed. The confidence and dominance he asserted, showed there was no way out of this situation, than the one he was proposing.

    "Failure to follow us willingly, will lead to your bulking up and disgrace exits."

    What insolence!

    Chen Su''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, his trembling fingers still pointing to the arrogant buffoon who didn''t know the heights of the consequences he had just incurred. "You�C"

    "Dad," D ced a hand on her father''s chest, slowly walking towards the bold man seated on her family''s property.

    She had to admit that if not for her possessiveness over Gia Donghai, she would feel tremors for such a man. Power was such a deadly yet seductive feature in any man. "It appears you came prepared."

    "Hmm��" The man replied nonchntly. There was no disdain or disrespect in his tone, just boredom. The corners of D''s lips raised interestingly. Was this matter a nontrivial one to the likes of this man? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Well now, she wished to see how deep this rabbit hole goes. ''This matter might have something to do with the other major ns. We''ve been trying all means to find out what is going on with them. All our efforts resulted in nothing. So why not see things first hand for ourselves?''

    D''s nerves rxed.

    As they say, within every peril of destruction,y a far greater opportunity. "Sure," she replied. "We''ll go with you. However, should any of this impact us negatively, I assure that even the other Big 5, won''t protect you from my Su n''s wrath�� Understand?"

    It was amazing how soft-spoken she sounded. Her tone could make ordinary people feel goosebumps. But these police officers and military personnel gathered here, and certainly not the man seated casually opposite her.

    "D, what are you�C"

    "Father, calm down. Look around you, they came prepared."

    It''s either they go with pride, or they get hailed away like captured stowaways. Ji Su and his brother Jwo Su, frowned, still not understanding why their elder sister, a girl for that matter, would have any say in what goes on here.

    Ji Su personally felt his authority as the Su n''s heir threatened. If not that he secretly feared this sister of his, he would have used this opportunity to teach her a lesson.

    How can the Su n''s face get thrown away like that?

    In his opinion, they should stand their ground and await backup from the many Su n branches. Do you know just how powerful and mighty their Su n was?

    Rome wasn''t built in a day, and neither could it be destroyed in a day. Even if all 5 ns join forces against them, it''s not that easy to cripple them down. Not might take a certain damage but it won''t damage them greatly.

    Why, because their Su n doesn''t just operate domestically. Theirpanies were all over the world, and their current ie was unfathomable. They might get affected domestically, but it won''t affect them in the long run. And within a few more years, they''ll be able to get back up. Businesses like ancestral ns and ties like themselves, don''t just vanish into thin air like the Tians who somehow managed to crawl and find a space among the 5 big ns. Ji Su felt his sister, D, was foolish!

    So what if the media gets a field day of the presence of police officers storming into their home? Provided they stand their grounds and make an example out of these people, a new legend will be born about their untouchable Su n. ''Sure enough, women can never make great leaders. What does a girl like Elder Sister know?'' Ji Su stared at D''s back in disdain. Today, only 35 police officers came here.

    But do you know how big the Su n''s main household estate was like? It was like Buckingham pce in Dorian''s former world, except, with enoughnd space surrounding it, and hundreds of guards and servants in rotation, roaming about. Forget about the guards and servants. Their technological defense systems were top notch. So just who the hell do you think you are to im that you can drag them out now?

    �CNaive!

    Ji Su wished to silently pull his father''s clothes in retort. However, seeing his father acquiesce with a nod, Ji Su and Jwo Su felt the world around them spinning.

    When in their lives, have any of them ever visited the police station before?

    "We are not animals." The man seated on their precious million dor couch, slowly chuckled after speaking. "We''ll allow you to finish your meal. However, if I were you, I would hasten it up so we can go."

    "The faster we go, the sooner you can return." The man continued unhurriedly. Oh?

    D raised a brow thoughtfully. "So we are going toe back?"

    "Yes," The officer on the couch responded. "Just what do you all think we would be able to do to the ''Almighty Su n?'' The ones that leave many quivering?"

    "_" Several Su members felt choked. Don''t think they don''t recognize sarcasm when they hear it.

 Chapter 648 Its Always The Uglies.

    Chapter 648 Its Always The Uglies.

    Many times, one has to wonder where some people get their balls of steel to go against giants. Several Su members followed these officers haughtily, refusing to enter police vehicles likemon criminals. Rather, they chose to give these officers a ride to the station in their luxurious vehicles. Only a few officers remained in the police wagons that they originally came with. And after exiting the Su residence, they took an opposite direction from the Su vehicles that left several minutes before them. On the way out, the workers who questioned inquisitive, were only told that the Su n had hired these officers as entourage and protection, since they were heading out for some important ''meeting.''

    D valued discretion on this visit forced on them.

    The ride throughout was silent. One Su member wished to say a thing to these intruders, with the exception of Chen Su, D, Jwo Su and Ji Su. "Be honest, what''s really going on here? Officers, if those bastard 5 ns put you up to it, then you''ll definitely fail!"

    "Yes! Believe me, what you''re doing is a waste of taxpayers money!"

    The officers chuckled ironically at the thought that the Su n would now think of Taxpayers money after some of the corrupt things and bribes they''ve passed along over the years and centuries. Anyone can say such righteous words, but not the Su n!

    Among the big 6, they were the most corrupt and vile n anyone can imagine. While the Gia n was more or less like a breath of fresh air, the Su n was one filled with spawning evil. They, as police officers and military personnel, were also ashamed of the several bad eggs they had asrades, who abided by the Su ns orders while greedily receiving money under the table. The term dirty cop didn''t sit quite nicely in their hearts. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Soon, they arrived at the station, one of thergest in the country. But rather than stopping at the station''s front doors, they drove at the back.

    "Please, follow me closely."

    Hmph!

    11 minutester, after taking all sorts of turns and twists, they finally paused before a massive double-sided door. What''s behind it?

    The officers nodded at the guards on the opposite side, who then held both door handles. What? Another white hallway?

    There were over 43 Su n members here. Some were cousins from the branch ns who happened to visit for a while. Others were Su n guards with far extended rtions to the main Su n family, Chen Su''s family. Everyone followed carefully, before reaching what they could describe as thergest elevator they had ever seen in their lives. It was a circr space that could probably hold 200 people. Were they on the inside of a spaceship? Well, it was quite massive and had a lonesome air of solidarity in here.

    The lead police guard escorting them, the one D spoke to earlier, now tapped his clearance card on the walls.

    How intriguing. It seems only he, among them, has this card. His thumbprint was essential, his retina, his voice, and even the way he moved was analyzed by the space.

    [Please take 15 steps back. Now, take 15 steps forward.]

    The voice was very clear, analyzing if this was someone permitted to ess whatid beyond this space. The technology disyed didn''t surprise the Su''s much, after all, the technology in their households was also one not to be underestimated. [ess Granted - Personnel, recognized.] The electronic voice echoed, telling them they were good to go. Well, where to now?

    Drrmmmm~

    The entire floor began moving, causing many to once again wonder what sort of massive elevator their police forces had underground.

    Even Chen Su had no idea such a massive elevator existed. Now the big question was, how many stories underground did it go?

    Eh? Anti-gravitational capabilities?

    Everyone felt they were going down incredibly fast. Again they ask, just how far down were they going?

    Their feet no longer touched the ground, and their entire bodies began floating towards the ceiling. However, they never actually smashed their backs on the veiling, as though protected by some reverse anti-gravity force in the air. What the hell is going on here? Even their Su n didn''t have such technology yet. Do the Gias and the other big ns have it?

    Many couldn''t help wondering, suddenly feeling that their Su d]m''s defenses might be out of date. Everyone was still thinking of everything they witnessed, when the lead police officer''s next words left them dumbfounded. And howe they were floating high up while only he and a few remained glued to the ground?

    Could it be that they had spy boots that kept them down? Suction boots?

    The lead officer''s eyes narrowed dangerously, while scanning those pinned high. "There are 65 of us in this space, yet only 61 of us are humans��"

    Then, everyone saw a scene that left the blood in their giant pupils coagting for years. What did they see? The lead officer took out a fat cigar, lighting it swiftly before tapping a strange coin in his hand. �� Was the cigar really necessary?

    "HOLY SH�C"

    Jwo Su couldn''t evenplete his sentence after seeing the blue transparent giant brass knuckles get pulled out from the coin. Am I alive? Am I dreaming? Who can tell me why this dream is getting so strange?

    It wasn''t just Jwo Su, but Ji Su, Chen Su, D and several other Su''s who felt the world around them very mysterious. At this point, they understood that no bloody scientific exnation can exist as to why someone can pull out brass knuckles from a giant. What the flipping hell is going on here? (''0'')

    Everyone was stumped, but soon turned grimly pale when seeing a few members of their Su n transform into hideous, grotesque beings.

    If not for fear of getting eaten alive by the monsters before them, they would have definitely fainted ages ago. ~Bang. These beings stopped pretending, perhaps because they felt the war was so close, and their victory was definitely inevitable. With heavy footsteps, these monsters slowly advanced close to the lead officer and a few others.

    "How amusing. You think because you managed to find some dropped special items, you can ever challenge us, human?"

    Its gooey saliva dripped from its mouth, dripping on the lead officer''s shoulder. But he wasn''t fazed. Its always the uglies. "You sure are ugly." He spoke, slowly raising his head and blew out a puff of cigar smoke, masking the lead monster''s hideous face. "Now, this is better, wouldn''t you agree?"

 Chapter 649 Its getting Closer - Doomsday!

    Chapter 649 Its getting Closer - Doomsday!

    It''s always the uglies!

    With the fat cigar in his mouth, the lead police officer fisted his hands, allowing the giant spiky brass knuckles to kiss the rotting flesh that released a foul stench. Boom!

    The monster''s eyes widened in disbelief, feeling the inertia from the punch causing him to almost fall on his butt.

    Good�� good�� great!...

    It stretched its long bony, fish scaly hands to wipe the greenish blood around its torn jaw. Rather than fury, all that showed on its face and that of the other creatures'', was a hint of confusion and interest. Typically, they should have been so angry their tops would shoot off the roof now. However�� Huh-huh-huh�� The end of the world was fuckinging.

    This was the end of humanity''s free reign on this. Life was very funny. With everything being so close to the big day, all monstrous creatures on the were getting overly excited, more than they typically would. It''s the same sort of feeling humans get when there''s just 10 or even 15 minutes left on their work shift before they head off for the day or head out for a long vacation. At this time, you don''t even care if a car knocks you down. Just just want to leave, perhaps giving your workce a middle finger before going. F**k!

    It felt good. That was the same feeling these monsters felt now, knowing that in a week and a half, all portal gates around the world will open. Then, hundreds, thousands and millions, will flood in, rightly taking this as theirs!

    So what if these humans discover them now?

    So what if these humans use ''fallen weapons'' to rough them up a bit? At the end of the day, with no exorcists around. This means, they won''t die from any injuries. So why get furious with these humans who had barely a few days to run freely on this?

    Bahahahahahaha~

    Theirughter was heart-churning. "You humans are all the same�� You think yourselves Invisible on this."

    "Invincible?" The lead police officerzily shook his left arm, throwing a few disgustingrvae to the ground. And with his boots, he crushed them ruthlessly. "Invincible, no. Just inevitable."

    This was theirs, and will always inevitably remain theirs!

    They would be damned, if they allowed any lion, tiger, dinosaur, or even underworld being, to ever rece them as the true rulers of this.

    Even if they fail, they humans were sure to put on one hell of a fight!

    "Bahahahaahah," The creatures stillughed, as their ws slowly lengthened. "You humans have always been puppets on a string of our making."

    "Puppets, maybe�� Yet, we dance so beautifully, don''t we?"

    Time stood frozen in ce as both sides just stared at each other. Then��

    ~Swish!

    The Su n felt they would never be able to recall from such an eye-boggling scene even in a million years. ~Boom! Bam! Pah! Boom! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Hands moved, feet mobbed, weapons flew, and all sorts of chaotic battle scenes unfolded, very close to them, they dared say. OH MY GOD OF SCIENCE!

    Ji Su felt his heart fall into his belly when one of the monsters smiled at him.

    It was the way it turned its attention to him that made him pray in his heart for the first time in his life.

    Its head did a slow 36 degree turn, a turn that left Ji Su sweating buckets. Then, it moved like lighting, in a weird dancing manner. What?

    In a sh, it was crawling on the walls and along the ceiling like a spider, happy to receive its prey. "Help! Help! Help!"

    JI Su never knew he could cry like today. Who would believe that the heir of their grand Su n would ever cry and wet himself like a baby right now?

    Fortunately, he wasn''t the only one sobbing, yelling and relieving their bowels. Jwo Su and even Old Su (Chen Su), had their pants soiled. Help! Help! He�C

    Blugh~

    Toote, they couldn''t help themselves anymore. They puked from the ceiling, their breakfast falling from their high suspended positions to the ground. The Su n has never felt so helpless. How they wish they could be in their homes, drinking tea and eating breakfast without a care in the world. How nice it would be to be clueless of the many monsters surrounding them. No, scratch that!

    They were very petrified to know that some of the Su n members they spoke with severally, were actually monsters in disguise who could devour them at a single notice.

    F***! F***! F***!

    Fear was an understatement of the word used to describe their current physical reactions. In just under a few seconds, they''ve sweated buckets. Several people screamed and called for help, only to find the other police officers upied with battles against other creatures.

    It''s over�� It''s over... This was the end for them. "Close your mouth and eyes..."

    Boom!

    A massive staff pierced into the head of the creature that was inches away from Ji Su''s face.

    It was another officer who warned them earlier, before taking out the creature. Of course, it didn''t die even with its head shattered, but just dropped to the ground, still moving headlessly.

    Ji Su and several others finally opened their eyes, pping their faces and bodies when feeling those rotting, smelly bugs crawling on them. "Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!"

    Even D felt she needed 200 showers after this. It was incredible to say that everything, from initial confrontation to battle, onlysted 7 minutes. Even the monsters who were cocky and arrogant, now turned chalky white after seeing the heavenly chains fall from the skies. Hold on, since when did exorcists�C

    "Yeah, yeah, yeah�� we''ve heard that a million times by many of your kind." One of the academy disciples said, rolling his eyes heavenwards. "Can''t you all think of something original?"

    Is it really so shocking to find exorcists in this world?

    These academy members tagged along with police officers to ensure everything went well. The Su''s who were also cleaned and brought back down, now stared at a massive double sided door that slowly opened from another corner.

    Till now, their minds were nk, and their bodies shaking like falling leaves. "Please, step this way�� Wee�� to one of humanity''s many Doomsday Havens!"

 Chapter 650 They Must Not Fall Behind!

    Chapter 650 They Must Not Fall Behind!

    They say fiction is stranger than reality. The Su n followed these police officers through the mysterious double-sided door, not daring to blink or show their earlier arrogance. Even D knew that at this point, these people were here to protect them and not to do the opposite. They say tremors are the signs of a worthless man''s weakening. The members of the Su n have always been told to stand fearless, no matter who the enemy was.

    Why? Because they had the Capital to be arrogant, the money to turn any nightmare into a blissful one. All of this was fine and good when dealing with other humans. But what about monsters? The quivering never stopped, and the small hard bumps on their flesh still haven''t faded away yet. Blugh~

    They supported each other, puking excessively into bags now handed over to them. Dear God of Science! They wished to soak themselves in acid, bleach, detergent, and anything that can clean off the ''non-existent'' vile greenish blood that spewed on them earlier. The word ''non-existent'' should be highlighted here. Despite the academy members using spells to rid them of their filth, they still felt they needed a hundred baths to purge. 3 secondster, their jaws dropped to the grounds, and their eyes throbbed in their eye sockets. This... This�� this�� Chen Su couldn''t believe how massive the pace underneath the police station was. F***! How can there be an entire giant city underneath? It looked like a fantasy medieval city with people walking along the stony roads, fields of green and high skies above. Through the gates, they were given strange tokens to always keep on them at all times. They nodded vigorously, since these were protective tokens to keep them safe. 4 hourster, they had long settled within an apartmentplex on the 18th floor. Don''t ask them why there would be a building this tall underground. From the talks they heard from others, it seems the world would soone to an end. The monsters were nning an invasion, and millions of them will flood the through strange gates. Then, humans will be food banks, no matter how rich they are. In the end, they were all just food to these monsters. Who can ept this? "Old Gia that bastard," Chen Su growled. D nodded deeply. Now, it makes sense. No wonder the other Big families and ns were actually weird for so long. They should be happy that their safety was taken care of. However, the Su n wasn''t smiling. "Dad, look! They''re looking down on us!"

    "Yeah! From the talks of many, you can tell that they''ve long been preparing for this war!" The Tians, the Gias, the House, the Bhos and the Gous, began preparations without bothering to even include them, the Sus, into the mix. How do you expect them to be happy after this? It''s true that they wouldn''t want to be caught dead facing the enemy. But�� why can''t they be allowed to at least participate a bit more? Ji Su gnashed his teeth, realizing that it was no wonder that Ghu Sota who hated Dorian the most, was now best friends with him. Hey�� all the signs were there, but they clearly didn''t see it. Forget seeing. They wouldn''t have believed it even if you gave them millions to believe. Well, to be fair, not many of the Su members were War fighters. They were too selfish and greedy to give up their lives for others, all in the name of the ''greater'' good. They preferred to be like Tyrant Kings, who sit back and have people do the ''good'' fight. And when victory arises, they will give an empowering speech that will make the masses weep with gratitude. Of course, if the battle is lost, they will be the first ones to find an escape way out for themselves. At this point, they didn''t wish to know earlier so they could join the war, but so that they could cement their presence in the hearts of many. The Su n was one of the world''s top ns. And no matter what, it must remain at the forefront with the other top ns. Old Su was rumbling and vibrating with fury, especially when hearing that these top ns all knew how to use special magic powers.

    Recalling how those academy members took down these monsters, Old Su and everyone else now turned green with envy. No! It should be their Su n getting all the gratitude and awe from the masses. Everyone they''ve met here, has incredible reverence towards the other top 6 ns. Was it just a mere coincidence that they didn''t bother asking the Su n to join in? Impossible! Those bastards did it intentionally! D frowned, her finely shaped brows scrunched up deeper than normal. "Dad, we need to think deeper about our Su n''s future." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Yes, Patriarch, the eldest miss is right."

    Subconsciously, all Su n members here, gathered closer. "Patriarch, whether humans win this war or not, one thing is certain �C The change in Era."

    "Yes, dad," D agreed. Now, a new era will be born, one that will probably focus on the ''Supernatural,'' being it''s too priority. New jobs will appear, and the world itself will stay operating differently. Earlier, they saw some of those fighters using strange magic powers and even flying. So now, the world will definitely change into one way different from before. With all this, the Su n cannot fall back behind!!

    "Dad, we need to meet with Old Gia and your good buddies!" D advised. "We must learn a few tricks, even if we don''t want to join any Major battles in the future." That''s right. If they join lesser but still significant ones and make names for themselves, won''t they still rise up in the new world? What''s more, who says those powers must only be used for battle? Since ancient times, their Su n has been smart enough to grasp safe but financially broadening ways to keep themselves afloat. No matter what era they enter, business opportunities will always exist�� And that''s where their Su nes in! But to understand what''s profitable and what''s not, they must first understand the full extent of what superpowered humans could do. "Dad, we must all be superpowered, no matter the cost!"

 Chapter 651 Found Him

    Chapter 651 Found Him

    What to do? What to do, now that things are going left? Many people all over the world became flustered when they found out the truth. Of course, some had been taken in, but still didn''t believe there were any such threatsing soon. A government conspiracy? A ploy to keep them trapped forever? One cannot me them for thinking this way, as some people who came in didn''t have the luxury of witnessing any battles, since no one in their group were creatures in disguise. Like so, the evacuations quickened the closer ''judgment day'' approached

    Some were evacuated months ago, and had gone through the <drill>, before getting released. Then, they flooded the streets in their usual manner, trying their best to stay cool and collected. Several undercover police officers also acted as pedestrians, joining in their ''busy'' ordinary lives, to make the streets full, the businesses booming and everything seemingly the same. It''s alling down strangely. "Your total change is 200 Vyns�� how would you like to pay? Cash or card?" In shopping centers, people absentmindedly swooped their cards when carrying groceries away. Now that they knew that monsters could take any form, they were very suspicious of everyone around them. They seemed to trust only those who returned from that hidden ce with them. Then again, one never knows if dying this time, those who returned with them were still the same. For all they knew, monsters had killed and reced them during this time. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Several people stared at their watches and rms they set on their devices, subconsciously taking note of the countdown. 1 week, 3 days, 8 hours, 12 minutes, and 15 seconds left. Suddenly, many people began confessing their feelings, with couples hugging each other, and saying what they were greatly for in this lifetime. Parents looked at their children, wiping their teary eyes. No students could truly concentrate in lectures, and no teacher forced them to. Even if they didn''t wish to be here right now, they knew they had to keep up appearances. Some people with more free time in their hands, used this period to travel to destinations they''ve always wished to see. If the world was trulying to an end, why die with regrets? Retired parents, grandparents and friends traveled far and wide to be with their loved ones. Suddenly, humans found that money, fame, and all those things were important�� but not as important as their loved ones and bonds they had with each other over the years. As for the Sus, it would be another day or 2 before they get released back out there�� which was very fastpared to everyone else. Of course, they would head out under the supervision of several ''police officers'' in ck suits, acting as guards. In every group, there are potential backstabbers that might cause humanity to fail. They typically don''t let potential backstabbers out, but if the Sus dong appear in public, it might be suspicious. That''s why they let them out under their supervision. Make no mistake. People like D would willingly sell humanity away if it meant saving her own neck. So what if she became ackey of those disgusting creatures? So long as she doesn''t be the bottom of the ve chain, it would be alright. There were always superior ves within ve groups, the sort of ves that don''t toil the soul or do hardbor on the farms. These were the ves that were head butler''s and so on. D and many of the Sus had the potential to be such people that backstab their own kind. In fact, with the ending, who knows if once released, these people will actively look for the creatures to make deals with, just to save their own necks? Tch. They would be fools to let this Su n go just like that. �� Like so, the world secretly prepared for the impending doomsday. The academy disciples were working hard, and Dorian was still in the milky pond, focusing on boosting his strength to his limits.

    Time flew by in a sh, with many creatures on the now biting their nails anxiously. What''s going on? Why did their investigations often lead to dead ends? Why? Where the hell is that horseman hiding? Several creatures were desperately pulling their fake human hair. The anxiety was killing them. Luckily, this time, they got clues to the horseman''s next actions. Vice-president Doyle cracked his knuckles, seemingly looking forward to bashing that Horseman to the ground. My, my, my�� he has been looking forward to this for over a year now. It wasn''t just him, but several D''jaggarians and many other creatures who also wished they could slice that bastard to pieces. However, despite wishing to kill him, they knew they shouldn''t. "Remember, we must let him be after capturing him. That way, the Lord will have someone to vent his anger on." "We know," many of them replied, licking their lips menacingly. Soon, the group headed off to where they estimated the Horseman''s next attacks would be. 4 dayster, they arrived in the country of Bohanjia, Notan City. There were goats restless, horses moving stupidly, and all sorts of cattle and farm creatures acting anxious. They say animals have a sharp sense of fear hidden within them �C especially when they think something terrible is going to happen. Little boys, girls, teens, and adults tried to control their sheep, cows, and goats, but found that none of these creatures were obedient as before. What''s going on? Why so restless? Those who haven''t been taken in yet for evacuation or drilled about the uing war, were left scratching their heads. Doyle and several people sneered. The end ising and you''re here bothering with cattle? ''Soon, it will be you who bes cattle.'' Many of them inwardly concluded, as they maneuvered across the chaotic streets. They spotted other creatures in disguise, who respectfully bow, with a reassuring nod that everything in this ce was still under the control of they, underworld beings. �� Good.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 652 Finally, They Meet

    Chapter 652 Finally, They Meet

    The foreign town was more like a vige, with chicken coops, cattle and several other creatures moving about. The entire streets wereid with medieval stones that were out in ce by humans ages ago. The buildings were also old, but historical buildings. Despite his obvious poor economypared to other ces across the world, tourists still loveding here, with their massive straw hats and their long gowns fluttering in the summer breeze. They spent the day there; and when the night came, they took off. The group of creatures left the chaotic town and headed for the dense shadowy forest with massive boulders scattered about. "ording to the reports, the horseman is nning to mess up Lord Asmodeus''s Portal." "Tch. How naive. Even we can''t destroy this powerful portal Lord Asmodeus crafted." "Sure enough, that bastard Horseman is way over his head." However, they had to stop him from doing anything to the portal, or else Lord Asmodeus would notice. And that�C

    Well, the rest could be guessed. Imagine Lord Asmodeus appearing now and taking care of this little matter himself? Several people had shivers crawling up their spines just thinking about it. The air was thick with tension, wondering if the Horsman had begun disrupting the portal or not. Their feet quickened, and their minds were no longer at ease. To hell with it! Doyle ripped his human skin, allowing his grotesque form to be illuminated by slivers of moonlight filtering through the canopy. It was not just him, as many others couldn''t be bothered to keep up appearances at a time like this. Grahhh~

    Their skin, some sickly green, others brown, and some red, covered in scales, warts, pimples, boils, rotting flesh, and deadly sharpened body parts that glinted menacingly. Their sharp ws and jagged teeth added to their fearsome appearance, as they darted onwards.

    It was dead of night, and not even a single owl dared to stay around these parts, all because of the strange wicked energy they perceived. Too quiet�� It was too silent. No crickets, no frogs croaking, nothing. Several creatures practically looked like they were flying through the trees.

    Wait! Several people paused, when spotting a cloaked hooded being rushing into a cave from a distance. He had the same build as that Horseman, and wore an iron mask too. "There!"

    Someone eximed, and everyone''s heart raced wildly. The way their bodies reacted was insane.

    The hate�� the fury��. Everything was just too much! And without knowing it, their feet also moved faster than normal. Oh No! The cave was the hiding spot for the portal. They must get there fast before that bastard begins his tempering!

    Everyone was sweating buckets of anxiety. But maybe because of this, they didn''t take time to properly study the so-called horseman who was leading them on. And by the time they realized someone was amiss, it was already toote. What''s going on? Several creatures stopped dead in their tracks. Then, several silhouettes appeared in a circr formation around them.

    Doyle squinted his eyes at a certain silhouette, beforeughing maniacally with his hands on his belly.

    Well, he recognized one of them. N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "My Dear President Ghant, It''s quite funny, running into you here�� But don''t you think you''re a bit underpowered to go against me, talk less of everyone else here?"

    "Looks like you fell into our hands quite easily, my dear Vice-president." Ghant taunted.

    If eyes could kill, Doyle would be dead by now. Do you know what he, Ghant, had gone through because of his dear old friend standing opposite him?

    Do you know how bad his beloved Vardos was hit due to Ghant''s constant poking?

    If it were before, Ghant would still be shaken and afraid to face Doyle. But now�� Heh.

    "Doyle, I, President Ghant, am proud to tell you that you are under arrest!... And I will be the one sending you away for the ultimate judgment! Make no mistake about that, old friend."

    "Oh? Under arrest, you say?" Doyle licked his lips wickedly. "I''d like to see you try. What are you going to do? Blow my friends and I, all up with grenades?"

    Please, they realized they''ve just walked into a trap. Perhaps the Horseman had worked with Ghant to set this trap up for them.

    But so what?

    If they get blown up, it will only be a matter of time before they regenerate. Their only fear would be not handling the Horseman now, and letting this golden opportunity fly them by.

    No!

    Even if they won''t die from getting blown up, they must avoid it and first deal with the horseman to ensure their safety!

    With those thoughts in mind, the expressions of Doyle and his entourage, turned subtle. "Lord Ghant, why waste time talking with these soon-to-be ves?" Earl D''jagarria''s patience was wearing thin. And his fangs were also growing several times abnormally too. Already, his grotesque form was nothing any ordinary mortal could swallow. Who knew there was still so much transformation left on him?

    He was like a giant hairless bat, with rotting flesh and crooked body parts. One should know that the stronger an underworld creature was, the ugly its true form looked. None of the other D''jaggarians looked as hideous as the Earl. Why�� he was the Grand Poohbah of them all, the big fish, the Godfather who led them all. "Enough small talk, human. Since the facade is up, we''ll be the ones asking you the questions."

    Several creatures moved closer to the humans encircling them. "Listen here, humans�� we are only going to ask you once." The Earl spoke. "Where is the Horseman?"

    The Horseman? Everyone chuckled. It seems it was time to finally let the cat out of the bag. Ghant raised his brow, looking at Doyle, the Earl, and the other creatures slyly. "Dead."

    "_" [Creatures]

    Dead? Do you think they are fools? Who then has been taking care of the remaining horsemen? Who was it that has been disrupting their ns over and over again?

    Don''t think you can tell them any cock-and-bull reason and expect them to believe it!

 Chapter 653 You All Along?

    Chapter 653 You All Along?

    "Dammit! This is pointless. They''ll never talk."

    "That''s right, they''d rather save their precious ally, since he is the best person with more knowledge about us than anyone else."

    "I say we kill them all, except two�� two FORTUNATE pigs that will have the opportunity to survive, if they can tell us what we need."

    Heh-heh-heh-heh.

    Several creatures gave off a menacing front. And typically at this point, some humans would cry, beg, drop to their knees and begin confessing.

    There''s always a ck leg among any crowd of humans. That''s what they''ve learnt throughout human history. There''s always a betrayer, a backstabber who is willing to save his own skin and damn the consequences, even if it means that everyone else will die. They waited and waited for the betrayer to reveal themselves, only to see these humans still standing there withzy and bored expressions. Some even looked at them as though watching clowns. Dammit, what''s going on here? And why is it that they can''t even sniff a single ounce of fear from these humans? What happened to the natural puking, pant-wetting, squealing, fainting, and begging reactions most humans typically show?

    No�� something wasn''t right. There was an air of confidence about these humans, an air of superiority they couldn''t ce their hands on.

    Doyle narrowed his gaze deeply. "What did the Horsman promise or do to you all?" Doi they sign some power boosting contracts with the horseman, that''s making them have the guts to look into their faces fearlessly?

    How naive!

    Doyle was done ying with them. "Kill all, except him and anyone else."

    President Ghant was his prey, and no one was allowed to kill him. Hahahahaha~

    The creaturesughed maniacally. This was just the order they were waiting for.

    How dare mere humans think of challenging them?

    In a quick sh, these creatures vanished from their spots. No doubt, they were far faster than any creatures any academy elder had faced in this world.

    Yes�� They were now the top powerful forces of creatures in this world, since the portals were not opened yet.

    Hahahahahaha~....

    This was a good test. A test to see just how well they were prepared for the impending war.

    Understand that these creatures were not even halfway up thedders of the truly powerful within the underworld. On a scale of 1~10, they probably fell around tier 2 or 3. Yes�� It was incredible to believe, but true.

    The real powerful ones are fighting a war in the underworld while theckeys stay behind.

    Didn''t you know?

    Doyle''s Lord was another Lord, who had another, and another, and another Lord they looked up to. And that top tier top then spoke to Beelzebub. Doyle was but an insignificant ant in the face of the truly powerful. That''s why when dealing with this group, although everyone surrounded these creatures, only one person reacted. It was Ghant. With a single soft p, a fierce sonic wave echoed out in a blur.

    What?

    The ripple had yet to touch these creatures, and their bodies began to boil.

    Pouf~ n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The pain sizzled along their nerves, as their eyes widened in disbelief by what the f*** was happening right now. "You�� you�� you��"

    Impossible!

    The Earl winced in agony, as his head and fangs blew up into a thousand pieces like ss shattering from a sonic boom.

    Ghant smirked menacingly, when slowly turning his gaze towards Doyle who he had saved up and protected forst.

    How did it be like this?

    "Well, didn''t I tell you?" Ghant spoke, slowly advancing towards Doyle. "Your precious horseman is dead. Yes, the Horseman of Famine."

    "I hate to break it to you," Ghant continued, "But right from the start, the Horseman of Famine was the first to die."

    Zoom!

    Many eyeball pieces from the scattered creatures, as well as Doyle''s, all turned their attention to Ghant, with eyes of true shock. If�� if�� if what he was saying was true, then who have they been chasing this entire time? Even Doyle''s lips curved wickedly towards the corners of his ears. "Us." All this time, you have been chasing, they, humans, the wants you overlooked. Wasn''t it f**king ironic?

    Ghant chuckled, lightly tapping Doyle''s head and grotesque face. "Old friend, it was good while itsted. But now, we, humans, must prepare for the war ahead, no?"

    "You��" Doyle opened and dropped his horned mouth, in disbelief that they knew about the exact day when the war was about to start. But how? How did they know?

    No! No! He must warn the Lords�� He must�C

    Color drained from Doyle''s face when seeing the golden chains drop from the skies. Exorcists?

    "Goodbye Doyle��"

    "NO!!!!!!!!"

    Doyle felt an icy terror bubbling beneath his body, as golden holes quickly appeared. The lights and fires were burning him from within. This was not what he wanted. This was not what he wanted!

    "Since when? Since when did you be a f**king exorcist? Were you always one? So it''s true? There was no damn Horseman? You saved yourself from the mirror world all along?"

    Doyle felt betrayal right in his core. It was funny for an underworld creature to feel betrayal. Well, betrayal wasn''t the word.

    "Damn you, despicable human. Ghant, I swear I will remember this! I will f**king have your head on a tter!"

    The thought that a mere human, who he considered as prey, was able to dupe him for so many years all along. Perhaps while he, Doyle, was thinking he was clever, this human must have beenughing at him all along. How dare a small maggotugh at an elephant?

    No! No!

    He would take this lying down! He needed to stand up and take it�� As a matter of fact, he needed to fly to the moon and back to ept such a stone cold fact. But what pained him the most, was the fact that he was being exorcized, and would probably never get reborn into the abyss any more. Again, this was not what he f***king wanted. Who knows how many billions, trillions, and even light years he might end up living as an inanimate being? That''s not all. He heard the cleansing process for beings like himself was insane. And by the time it''s done, he will never remember his life in the underworld. Why him?

    Suddenly, Doyle felt regret.

    It was better to get killed by Lord Beelzebub and get reborn into the abyss with no memory, than this. AHHHHH~

    Doyle screamed and wailed in agony, his eyes still glued on Ghant.

    "I swear, even if I have to defy the heavens, I, Doyle, will remember this!"

 Chapter 654 Three Days...

    Chapter 654 Three Days...

    Today, the system decided to secretly monitor the humans within the Academy space. Well, its host was still cultivating within the milky pool, and it was getting bored and anxious with all the waiting around. Looking to the skies, it could see far more than what any human astronomers might be able to see. Thes were aligning, far beyond this gxy and universe. This was bad. The time for end was definitely right around the corner. After all, there were barely 3 days left before the alignment waspleted. Yes�� in 3 days, the portals shall open!

    [Should I see my master and remind him of the date?]

    The system was like an anxious bug, flying left to right, right to left, and in a circling manner, from all the anticipation. Knowing its master, who liked to slumber andze about, maybe he doesn''t even recall the important matter that will befall this world in 3 days.

    [Can these humans truly pull it off?] The system wondered, very frightened when thinking of thebined strengths of all 3 top princes.

    Will everything truly be alright? The system didn''t believe it would go so smoothly. In fact, he had a hunch that humanity might lose. But then again�C

    [I haven''t assessed the strengths of the human exorcists yet.] It was wrong to conclude without knowing humanity''s current strengths.

    Thinking like this, the system decided to sneak away from Dorian, and monitor the humans within the Academy space. 3 hourster, the system felt its understanding of humans shattered.

    It had to admit that even with all the benefits it provided, the humans of this world had gone too far and beyond. He sensed the auras within a few of them, and almost screamed to the heavens in disbelief. How can any human grow so fast?

    Monster�� He thought only his Host was a monster. But it seemed that there was still a lot he didn''t understand about human potential. Another matter that made him smile, were the Pegasus and other creatures who reached peak mid to peak battle levels. Before, he felt that the humans had only a 20% chance of winning, even with Dorian around. But now, those odds were bumped up to 50. That''s right. It was a tie. At this point, it''s hard to say who will actuallye out on top, demon or human. After looking around, the system released a collective sigh, before shooting to the heavens to see its master.

    No matter how many times it appears in its Master''s domain, it still felt a shiver of awe crawl up its nonexistent spine every single time. Its Master was just too great, and too magnificent, for a system like itself toprehend. [Master��]

    "Hm��" The majestic silhouette bathed in blinding golden lights, hummed softly, but most mostly unbothered. Very quickly, the system did its reporting. And the more it spoke, the more its eyes shimmered animatedly. [That''s all, Master�� But do you think the humans will win?]

    Will its mission fail in the end?

    The system was anxious, and did not want to disappoint its master with failure, after receiving such an important mission. It was entrusted to bring Dorian to that world and save the. ording to the ways of high powering beings like its master, they can''t and won''t directly intervene with the lives of mortals. So sending Dorian in was the best way to go. Its master trusted it so much to do the job. So what if it fails?

    The system, which has never had to worry about failure since its creation, was now biting its non-existent nails when essing that the odds of winning were 50-50.

    These were bad odds! Why not 90 for humans and 10 for the underworld?

    The being bathed in golden hues chuckled, somewhat entertained by the system''s actions. "Little noisy thing�� go back and meet your host."

    [_]

    This might be the host its master has ever said in a single sentence. Now, it was worried even more. Has its master given up on it?

    Master, what do you mean?

    The system had non-existent tears in its eyes when vanishing down to the mortal in. However, if it could see past the blinding hue around its master, it would have seen a very shocking scene. There in its master''s hand, was a crystal ball. And in it, was the image of a person the system was more than familiar with �C Its host, Dorian T. Tian.

    ''It looks like the fun is about to begin.''

    The being flicked its wrist, and the crystal ball vanished. 3 days�� That was all the time left.

    But while the world was in secret, far, far, deep and down below, creatures of all sorts, slowly revealed their sharpened teeth when listening to the good news. Have you heard? Their Lords are back!!! The war was still going strong, but several creatures were ecstatic, when hearing the news. Bhahahahahjajaja~ Good .. good�� great! Deep within a far distant corner, in a rottingpurplend that bordered several allied Zones, there was a zap. It was a zap of strange lighting between the circr rims of a grand bone-carved portal. Zick~

    The growl of strange lightning caused static in the air, enough to make several figures tremble on their knees and bellies. Theiring�� Theiring�� Only a few people could create such phenomena when passing through the portals. Even the atmosphere seemed to hold its breath. ~Zick

    The zapping noises continuously grew, until a figure slowly emerged from within one of the portals. Who? Who is it?

    Beelzebub had one handzily in his pocket, and another one running its fingers through his luscious hair. His V-neck T-shirt and his suit pants were on fire. Yes. They were literally on fire, as mortal clothes tend to do when in the Underworld. still intact. They burned away, but Beelzebub wasn''t nude. He didn''t even snap his fingers or make any big moves. Yet, the ces where there should have been skin showing, now showed strange clothing, only worn by those in the underworld. It looked exactly like human clothing, but�� it was made of fibers from the many peculiar nts and creatures in this world. Everyone trembled in awe, when seeing Prince Beelzebub, The Lord of the Flies, and the Prince of Gluttony�� the current strongest existence in the upper ins of their underworld. Zick-zick-zick~

    There it was, another zapping and lightning from the next portal. This time, it was Prince Lucifer Morningstar, Lord and Prince of Pride.

    Just a few seconds more, thest figure appeared �C Lord Asmodeus, Prince of Lust. And finally, in another Portal, Belphegor, the Princeof sloth, also emerged. They were back... The 4 most powerful Princes of hell were back!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 655 Intruders

    Chapter 655 Intruders

    Once upon a time, there were 7 Princes�� 3 were murdered and reced by their sons and prodigies.

    The new princes who seeded their fathers/mentors were Kethian (Prince of Envy), Mammon (Prince of greed), and Mammon''s twin sister, Maddah (Prince of Envy).

    Despite being female, Maddah detested being called Princess of envy. She and Mammon were twins who crawled out of the abyss. But while Mammon had a crowd waiting to wee him, she, on the other hand, had to fight her way to the top. It''s only about 108,000 years after her birth that she was discovered and taken to her father''s royal pce. Heh.

    These 3 princes of the underworld, have long hated their so-called uncles�� the one other 4 ancient princes of the Underworld. Thus, a war was nned, a 2 year-long war that went on everyday, and every night. Beelzebub''sshes slowly fluttered, when seeing the 3 figures appear outside their Portal domain. With one hand in his pocket, another hand slowly rubbed the back of his neck. A hint of annoyance shed in his pupils. "Nephews�� Niece�� Have you suddenly lost your way?" Belphegor, prince of sloth, spoke. Belphegor was like an overly shaggy dog, with hair thatpletely covered his eyes. Only the lower part of his face was exposed. He always had a mischievous smile on his lips, and 2 curly horns that spiraled like a ram''s.

    Despite his friendly-looking face, his slender,nky and towering 12 feet tall physique, his aura was still one that made many shiver uncontrobly.

    "Little runts��" Belphegor''s smile looked more dangerous than before. "We''vee a long way, and aren''t the mood for your shenanigans."

    "Indeed," Asmodeus added. "I have to say, that you''re all getting quite bold for my liking."

    Narrowing his gaze, Asmodeus could see the battle miles and miles away. Yet, these 3 dared to venture into enemy territory to confront them. These portals were in their territory. These portals were controlled by them and their people. Then again, who informed these people of their arrival or exiting from the underworld? How did these people know toe here at this exact moment?

    Mammon''s lips raised high, "Surprised, aren''t you?"

    "Awe�� Look, brother, they have nothing to say." Maddah smirked, her hands crossed against her perky bosoms, with her red devil tail swinging underneath her skirt. Kethian nodded tauntingly. "Uncles, we have our ways and our friends, so you don''t need to think deeply. We�C"

    WHAT?

    The trio felt immersed pressure that made them drop to their knees. Lucifer, Asmodeus and Belphegor, chuckled, knowing their dear friend was already pissed. Unbelievable!

    The color drained from Mammon, Maddah, and Kethian''s faces when sensing the raw purplish aura emitting from Beelzebub.

    No! No! Impossible!

    How strong was this uncle of this, really? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Dammit, it hurts! They could taste their own blood in their mouths. The rottingrvae in their bodies squirmed, almost as though telling them to get the hell out of here. They thought that all these years, centuries, decades, and millenniums, they had managed to somewhat catch up to him. But now�C

    Dammit!

    "So you''ve been pretending all along?" Mammon, questioned, the pressure already causing his true demonic appearance to emerge. Beelzebub''s expression did not change while slowly walking towards them. It was this same arrogance that made the group of 3 hateful. "Uncle, don''t think you can win against us so easily. Your overconfidence blinds you!"

    "And your childish arrogance blinds you to the reality of your demise. But not to worry, I won''t be killing you anytime soon."

    Beelzebub''s hands slowly caressed Mammon''s jaw, and the bugs in his face squirmed, as if yearning for Beelzebub''s touch �C Beelzebub, the Lord of the flies. "The fact that we''ve kept you 3 all this while, is not because of fear, but because you''re all too entertaining to kill."

    What''s more, it will be a little annoying to rule over so much added territory when they eventually kill the 3. At least, not yet. They took these 3 to be temporary property managers that were protecting and keeping order in these territories for them. Because of the big war, they''ve pushed killing these little imps for centuries. Don''t think their preparations for this war was something that could have been done in a rush. The level ofmitment and time it took to let that world be Exorcist-free, andpletely away from the eyes of the heavens, was too heavy and serious for them to be distracted. That''s why these 3 have been alive all these while. Their existence amounted to nothing more than caretakers for the territories they imed to rule. Among the current 4 ancient princes, they all swore a pact and a devilish oath to never kill each other. What''s more, despite being extremely greedy and selfish by nature, they who had fought wars against the heavens before getting discarded and turned into demons, knew the value of having allies. As tempting as it was to be the one and only ruler of the Abyss''s Upper ins, it was more advantageous for them to all stay alive, ruling their various territories in harmony. Only in this way, can they continue fighting against the heavens, each side doing menial tasks to get the job done. Each of them had unique abilities�� abilities that were beneficial for the cause. As for who told these 3 little piglets of theiring, it wasn''t too difficult to guess.

    Beelzebub''s lips parted, his voice dripping with condescension. "It''s that trickster, isn''t it?"

    Whether it was Lucifer, Belphegor, or Asmodeus, countless veins now appeared on their foreheads. Do you know what they went through these past 2 years to get what vital pieces needed that were stolen by that damn bastard and scattered across several dangerous and heavily guardeds? Instantly, their auras also broke through, causing the grounds to tremble, and the atmosphere to make the nearby creatures miles and miles away to faint. Adding to Beelzebub''s already leaked aura, do you know the damage they just caused?

    Heh. How Naive.

    Beelzebub''s eyes changed color, turning ghostly red. "For you toe here today, shows that the bastard must have given you all a tip to secure your survival��"

    So what is it then? What is it that the trickster thinkshe can use to secure their measly little lives?

    Maddah''s hideous horned face was rippling in agony, yet there was an arrogant smile on her lips. "Uncle, didn''t we tell you? Your overconfidence blinds you!... He did tell us one vital piece of information�� It was about�C"

    Maddah paused, her smile growing creepy by the second. "Well, uncles�� if you must know, it''s all about a certain BONY FINGER."

 Chapter 656 Its Him!

    Chapter 656 It''s Him!

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The bony finger�� Beelzebub''s body vibrated endlessly. Among the things he went on searching for, the one thing he wasn''t able to recover was this single bony finger�� a keyponent in their battle against the heavens. That sted Trickster, had stolen it from him, and was hiding it somewhere, beyond his reach. Beelzebub swore with every fiber in his being that one day, he would have that Trickster''s head on a tter and dance around a firece in celebration. If not that they needed someone in the Heavenly realm on their side to steal and bring them some universal items, they would have long punched that bastard at least once. "Loki�� Loki�� Loki��" Lucifer spoke rhythmically. "The more I say his name, the heavier my foul blood stirs." Really and truly, Loki was just a menace. They were here busy preparing for war, and he was f**king around with them, making everything 50 times harder than it should. Just look at the 2 years of time they wasted flying about the many worlds? That time would have been used to prepare deeply and do otherst minute finish-ups. Belphegor and Asmodeus also thinned their lips, knowing the importance of the Bony Finger, that bastard stole. But the one who was angriest the most, was Beelzebub who had it stolen from his grasp, right underneath his very eyes. Dammit, wasn''t it stolen from one of his top subordinates? In the end, it was lost from his end, and this didn''t sit well with his profile insides. Looking at trembling niece and nephews, Beelzebub slowly lowered his back and his face to their level, with his hands in his pockets and his legs still upright. "Pray�� that my bony finger is intact." Because it isn''t? Heh�� Beelzebub didn''t need toplete his threat for them to understand. But so what? No matter how it seemed, it was they who had the upper hand now. That was because they had information on something their dear uglies could die for! The vor of blood was alive on Mammon''s tongue. He licked his lips, maintaining eye contact with Beelzebub. "Uncle, if I were you, I''d take a chill pill and listen to what the younger generation has to say." In other words: Calm your f**king aura down and drop the attitude! "Is that an order, Nephew?" Belphegor''s yful words werece with danger. But before he could say anything more, Beelzebub''s shoulders had already begun trembling. Heh-heh-BHA-hahahhahaha~

    Can you feel it? Can you feel the anger in the anger that was strangling and choking the kneeling trio to death? Beelzebub was unhinged. Tired�� he was too tired for all this nonsense!

    "How f**king dare you threaten me?...Lucifer, Belphegor, Asmodeus, how many people does it take to pass on a message?" "Just one." Asmodeus replied, enjoying the now terrified expression on the kneeling trio''s faces. "Hold on, you can''t kill any of us!" Kathian spoke hurriedly. "The Trickster visited each and everyone of us!"

    Fortunately he spoke quickly, or else Beelzebub would have already turned 2 among them into dust. Do you bloody see how pissed he was right now? For the past 2 years, he has had no rest whatsoever. That sted Trickster had sent him flying about to retrieve the items he needed. He was able to retrieve 3, but thest one, the bony finger, had sent him on countless wild Goose chases that lefthim bleeding from his eyeballs. The corners and creases around Beelzebub''s eyes all had veins, greenish, reddish and bluish veins that seized around them. "You can''t kill any of us, uncle�� The Trickster gave each of us pieces of the puzzle to find what you''re looking for �C Your Bony Finger." Beelzebub stopped dead in his tracks, his attack slowly diminishing, as well as his heavy aura. Soon, the atmosphere around them had returned to how it was originally. No threats, no choking feeling, just silence. Beelzebub''s eyes had already returned to normal, with his hands slowly running through his luscious hair. "Nephews�� Niece�� forgive your uncle of his rudeness. How about we stop this current battle and talk a bit more?" "Sure, uncles." The trio agreed, doping the blood stains and trains dripping from the corners of their lips. As they rose to their feet, they had just one thought in mind: ''The Trickster was right. There''s so much we don''t know about their strengths.'' And there they were, thinking they had finally managed to catch up to them all the years, centuries and millenniums. How naive they were to believe they could actually take on their uncles head on. Fortunately, the Trickster gave them a way to survive..

    A way to prolong their existence and buy themselves enough time for themselves. With a flick of his wrist, Beelzebub made bugs float out from underneath the rotting surface, creating chairs for everyone to sit on. It was disgusting and terrifying to think of, but what can anyone say? The group of 7 Princes sat down cordially for the first time in millions of years. Who would foresee such a thing ever happening, especially with the current war still going on several miles and congenital distance away from them? Make no mistake, the Abyss''snd space was like a collection of severals joined and spread together. Beelzebub crushed one of the bugs swimming in his mouth, a way to calm his angered nerves. "Alright Nephews, niece, let''s talk." His Bony Finger? Where is it? �� 64 minutester, Mammon, Maddah and Kathian, the 3 princes, left enemy territory. Their front bodies looked elegant, but their backs were still drenched in sweat. "Thankfully, we followed Loki''s advice." "Yes�� I didn''t even know there was such a thing called the Abyss''s path of Destruction." "Indeed, there''s still much we don''t know, even after millenniums have gone by." Thanks to the oath they had the 4 ancient princes take in exchange for information, it guaranteed their survival for the next 900,000 years. The trio left the scene, feeling utterly defeated. However, who is to say who will get thestugh in the end?

 Chapter 657 The Agreement

    Chapter 657 The Agreement

    Why did it be like this?

    The trio''s eyes danced maniacally when assessing the situation.

    How can they all be so strong? The aura Lucifer, Asmodeus, Belphegor, and Beelzebub exuded, showed that each of them can destroy all 3 princes on a whim. Yet, they kept them alive all this while, like toys to entertain them. Son of a b**ch! Was their existence just one big sick home to them? Luckily, they now had a way out, or they wouldn''t be able to sleep well at night even if their ''uncles'' let them go. ording to their agreement, no one, including the three of them, must attack each other''s side.

    The 4 ancient princes can''t attack or wage war on them or their people, and they in turn can''t attack the 4 princes and their camps too. The trio knew that after 900,000 years, another full blown war might possibly erupt. Only this time, these 4 ancient princes won''t go easy on them anymore. They clenched their fists, knowing that they only had 900,000 years to improve their current strengths and go face to face with their uncles. "They''re obviously nning something big in one of the human worlds��" "Yeah�� And from what I sense, if everything goes well, they might grow 50 times stronger than they already are. So what do we do?" Mammon was silent when listening to the duo. What else can they do? Dammit! "Tell all forces to fall back! We must prepare for the Crusade in 900,000 years." But more importantly, they must ensure these 4 ancients, FAIL in whatever and they have going on. He did tell them some prices of the puzzle, but who said anything about telling them the whole story? Beelzebubhad an ability that could decipher if Underworld beings were lying. Not many knew of Beelzebub''s ability, but Mammon did. So of course, he didn''t lie�� big just chose to not tell everything. That can''t be considered as a lie, right?

    �� Looking at the fleeting backs of Mammon and his group, the 4 ancient princes smirked meaningfully. They were still seated, waiting for the intruders topletely leave their territories. "How cute." Asmodeus began. "They think they can buy themselves enough time to catch up to our level." "It''s fine." Lucifer added. "They''ll continue to be our gardeners, watching over thend until we decide to take it." So what''s there to think too deeply about? What these little babies forget is that while they''re struggling to catch up�� they, the 4 princes will also keep growing stronger than ever. So was there truly a thing like ''catching up?'' After 900,000 years, the results will remain the same. They, the ancient princes, will still stand tall against these little babies. The only reason why the other 3 ancient rulers, Hades and the others died, was because they lowered their guard down against their many offsprings. Tsk. Beelzebub, Lucifer, Asmodeus, and Belphegor, also had offspring of their own. But do you see them lowering their guards for their children? Don''t even think about it! They will never allow such emotions to override and cloud their sense of reasoning and caution. History has repeatedly shown that doing so will lead to getting stabbed in the back. So why bother? In fact, they''ve killed several of their offspring with their own hands whenever these children dared to secretly stage uprisings against them. The group of ancients slowly rose to their feet when sensing theplete disappearance of the 3 baby princes. Good�� they were out of their territories. "So�� the Bony Finger is with the Trickster?" Beelzebub nodded, "From the riddles, it must be with him. However�� I''m sensing there''s no point in going to look for him yet." "Indeed. Knowing that bastard, he''ll probably show up mid-battle with it." So what''s the point rushing out to chase after the wind again? Haven''t they already been doing that for the past 2 years? Beelzebub''s fingernails extended wickedly, as he drummed them chaotically on the hardened table of insects. Blood from the insects oozed wherever his nails touched, his anger couldn''t be contained. "I''ll kill him��" He, Beelzebub, will personally kill that bloody son of bitch before the day he perishes. "Well, let''s not focus on that lunatic." Lucifer advised. The good thing is that he managed to return 3 days before the battle began, no? It might be a littletepared to their earlier ns of returning 2 weeks prior to the battle day. "They''re aligning beautifully, aren''t they?" "Indeed�� thes will soon align in perfection. By that time, ''She'' will weaken, and we''ll have just a few minutes to unleash our dearrades." All 4 chuckled, while staring in a single direction. Soon, the Abyss in all her Majesty, will weaken, and that will be their chance. They must not miss it. The journey down there when the Abyss is in her normal state, is quite long and deadly, near impossible for anyone other than themselves to venture into.

    But once she is weakened, the journey up will take more than an hour for them. This was also why they didn''t have time to keep chasing the Truckers up and about. There were more important things to do, now that they returned veryte. Soon, the group vanished, spreading out in various directions. Their topmanders, generals, battalion leaders and high ranked creatures, were all waiting for them with sly confident smiles on their lips. "Master, as per yourmand, we kept the battle going strong." "The portals were all kept shut. And while in your absence, the 3 Princes didn''t discover the existence of our future." Hmmm�� Beelzebub hummed in approval. Despite how easily he made it look to trample on those 3 Princes, they were equally strong in their own rights. Home sweet home��

    Can he say he missed it? Beelzebub licked his lips, a fiery flood of feelings now overwhelming him. Hey�� it felt good to be back. But now, time for business!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 658 So This Is It?

    Chapter 658 So This Is It?

    With the absence of the 4 ancient Princes, of any of those 3 Princes discovered that and chose to cause havoc and disrupt their ns there, none of theirmanders will single handedly be able to stop them. Collectively, yes�� But if they cause too much chaos in that world when the heavenly bond isn''t weakened, it would have alerted the heavens. In the end, the war was actually there to keep these 3 princes busy and always on their toes and out of whatever ns they had for that human world. Of course, these Princes didn''t dare to venture into their territory all this time that they were away, because they thought they were still in the abyss. Beelzebub slowly made his way to his throne, missing thefort it brought him. Looking at the underlings on one bent knee before him, Beelzebub slowly eased into his throne seat. "Today is practically over. We only have 2 days to fully prepare. Tonight, I''ll have business to attend to. However, in 2 days, await me before the portals." "Yes, your Highness." The shoulders of those kneeling trembled from excitement. It''s happening�� it''s happening�� the long awaited war that took them millions of years to prepare for, is finally upon them! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ��

    Like so, time flew by in a sh, as Beelzebub and the other 3 Ancient princes, met in the dead of night for the long and dangerous honey down below the Abyss''s lower, bottom-pit ins. Only they had the strengths and the potential to ovee the dangers lurking below. In a sh, all 4 vanished into one of the main core Abyss Hearts, knowing that despite theirteness in returning, everything was still on track. The baby Princes of Hell hadn''t messed up any of their ns yet, the Horsemen in the human world were still probably raining havoc there, and despite the Bony Finger still missing, they knew they''d be able to get it mid-battle in 2 days. So really and truly, it was all still good. Speaking of the Horsemen, those specially picked individuals must have secretly made the world into an apocalyptic one by now. Heh. Humans should be on each other''s necks, bone, teeth, and nails tearing each other apart. Well, they were looking forward to seeing how these humans will react when the portals are finally opened. As for the Almighty�� heh. No matter where that bastard Father of theirs was hiding, he must one daye out to face them. It''s all his fault! It''s all his fault that they ended up in this dump, with so many power restrictions, hunted by all heavenly beings across all worlds, universes, gxies and everywhere one could think of. They hated him, hated humans, and hated the fact that they lost that day. Actually, there was also another person who made them lose on that day. Loki, Loki, Loki�� Because he was curious about what would happen to them after the war, he purposefully made them lose. Sigh�� The more they think of that Trickster, the more they feel their blood pressure rise. How could the Almighty in all his wisdom, make such an annoying Heavenly being? Wouldn''t it be great if Loki just suddenly stopped existing? �� Tick-tock, Tick-tock. Time in both realms ticked endlessly. The underworld beings prepared for battle in a rxed manner, while those in the Mortal realm became overly distracted with every passing minute. Today, Old Gia sat within their inbuilt theater, watching a funny new animated Movie with his children, little grandchildren, and inws. From time to time, he and many others would burst out inughter. Everyone smiled, but they knew that deep down, their hearts were no longer here. The Grandmaster estimated that tomorrow at around 11 AM, thes will fully align with exact precision! That might be the moment the portals will probablye undone. Like Old Gia, several others chose to spend tonight with their families, in case they don''t make it. Some children were still clueless, still very young to understand what was about to happen. But for others, they secretly cried when knowing that their family members were heading off to fight bad guys just like in their favorite hero anime. They cuddled around these Academy members, savoring their voice and their appearance. Old Gia sighed, looking to the moon, feeling he had loved a good�� no�� a great life. Even if he does tomorrow, he will definitely go out in a bang! "Grandpa!!" "Father!"

    "Uncle!"

    Several little ones hugged Old Gia, Wei Gia, and the other Gia members who were designed to fight. At 4 AM tomorrow, thest final call for evacuations will begin. It is then that they will send their family members away for good, until humanity wins. �� And if they lose�� well, they also took precautions to ensure humanity has a chance to one day rise back up. Old Gia couldn''t recall thest time a year rolled down his cheek. He wasn''t sad about dying, but sad of the possibility of never seeing his loved ones again, in this manner. Suddenly, the hot weather seemed cold. The atmosphere was foul, and a heavy cloud weighed above everyone''s head. In the Hou House, Old Hou also did the same, enjoying family time with all his children, inws, friends, and grandchildren. "I know I never said it before, but this old man is abundantly proud of what each of you have be."

    Should he go, he hopes they won''t miss him too much. Raw agony tore into every fiber of his family''s being, when listening to Old Hou speak. Despite going to battle with Jung Hou and other Hou members, Old Hou knew he had taken secret extra precautions to ensure they survive, at the cost of his lifespan. He met with Dorian in secret, and a promise was made. They didn''t know it, but should one of them take a truly deadly blow with no way out, it will be him to pass on in their ce. It wasn''t some devilish technique, but an actual cultivation aspect he discovered after reaching his current strength. His children haven''t reached ho level yet, so they won''t know. In the end, how can a father bury a Child? Impossible! Over his dead body. He will be going first, and that''s THAT. Old madam Ghu and Old Ghu, smiled warmly at the enormous family they had gathered around them. Suddenly, Old Madam Ghu took off her slipper and threw it ruthlessly at Ghu Sota. "Ouch! What the hell was that for?"

    "Nothing, I just like doing it." "_"

    Ghu Sota would have typically snapped back, but this time, he couldn''t. "Old hag, I forgive you this time."

    Ouch! Another pair smacked the back of his head again, causing everyone tough. But if you look close enough, you''ll see the tears flowing from the corners of their eyes. "So this is it�� huh." This is the END.

 Chapter 659 A Silent Countdown

    Chapter 659 A Silent Countdown

    The night was quiet�� too quiet, to say the least. 12 AM�� 1�� 2�� 3��

    Dorian caressed the foreheads of hisa-stricken parents, already having visited them in their slumber seconds ago. It was already 3:56 AM. No one could sleep, except for toddlers and those too young to understand what was going on. Wee-Wonh! Weew-Weew~

    Ambnce and police sirens bellowed out, awakening those who identally fell asleep. Of course, since the majority were already up, it only woke them from their stupor or TV time. Some had also taken naps earlier, wanting to be wide awake when the enemy came. Last night was odd. The bars, clubhouses, Hostess clubs,andte night sites that were usually busy with drunkards everywhere, were dry and empty and a construction site. F**k it. On the eve of their demise, who the hell cared about keeping up with appearances anymore. So what if some creatures already sensed something off? It won''t be until the next day that the portals open. Besides, many creatures felt that even if humans had some clue of theiring, it won''t stop them, the beings of the underworld, from emerging victorious in the end. So why bother? Several women who typically wore heavy makeup and fished out rich men from the sides of the streets, willingly took off their makeup and turned in early for evacuations. One should recall that today''s evacuation was ast call evacuation. For the past 4 days, there have been final evacuations, where once taken in, you won''t being out again. Everyone has free will to choose when to go in. So those evacuating today were thest batch of those to be kept away. It''s just that if you don''t get evacuated on time and the war happens before the anticipated time, you''ll have no one to me but yourself. After all, they did exin to everyone that on day 4, which was today, they could only specte on what time the enemies would arrive. Whether they arrive 2 or even 3 hours earlier orter, is unknown. A majority of people chose to evacuate days ahead of today. But some before today. Today, Little Yado woke up from his slumber way earlier than usual. Well, his father was bad. "Dad, you are being rude and mean. How can you expect me to leave my bedroom without brushing my teeth or washing my face?" Yado clutched his Ultraman toy, tightly against his chest, peering out the window of his bedroom, while being rushed away. His window was at an elevated point with grand views that stretched far out to the city. Why was there so much activity at night these days? Little Yado didn''t understand it much. The city below was a swirling chaos of shing lights and ring sirens. His parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, have also been rushing around the house more frequently than usual. "Yado, sweetheart, be obedient for a bit," his mother called, with a voice that was a blend of urgency and forced calm. Yaya turned away from the window and struggled in his father''s grasp. "We have to leave now, okay? We''re going on a little trip."

    "Why, Mom, Dad?" Yado asked, his voice small and uncertain. "Where are we going?"

    Why didn''t he, the one involved, know was going for a trip? He liked packing his own little suitcases with his toys, games andics.

    His mother''s smile wavered for a moment before she smoothed it back into ce. "We''re going somewhere safe, darling. It''s like an adventure."

    Yado nodded slowly, though she didn''t feel like this was an adventure at all. Adventures were supposed to be fun, like when they went to the amusement park or the beach house. This felt different��scary.

    His father, who disappeared briefly with some servants, now appeared in the doorway again, looking more serious than Yado had ever seen him. "The car is ready," he said, his voice low but firm.

    Yado''s mother took his hand and led him down the grand staircase of their home. The staff was bustling about, carrying bags and boxes out to the many waiting Police vehicles lined up. Wow! All the remaining servants and guards were also going on the trip with them. Well, Yado has always felt that these days, the number of people in their massive Hou estate, was dwindling by the hour. Why, just yesterday, he only spotted 12 people in total working in the grand estate that typically has hundreds and hundreds of workers and staff in rotation. So where did they all go? After stepping out, Yado noticed some of the servants closing the massive entrance doors of the main building with an enormous medieval key. Then, they stepped to the sides and activated several other defenses that began sealing all doors and windows. As for the other buildings around, it seemed those had long been sealed and locked up before now. Very obediently, Yado climbed into the car, squeezing in between his parents on one of the plush seats. They said he was going for a fun adventure, but the atmosphere said otherwise. Whoop-whoop-whoop~

    Wee-wonh, Wee-wonh~

    Weew~ Weew~ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The noise hit Yado like a wave, as they left their grand Hou territory.

    Helicopters buzzed overhead, and police cars lined the streets with their lights shing urgently. The streets were packed with cars honking impatiently as everyone tried to leave at once. Yado watched through the tinted windows as they passed people on foot carrying whatever they could hold��bags slung over shoulders, children clinging to their parents'' hands.

    People were utterly silent, walking faster than they usually did.

    No one ran. Soon, they reached the police station, the ce where everyone on the streets was seemingly heading to. Yaya didn''t understand how there could be no room for so many people ��but then again, this was a situation she''d never experienced before or seen.

    Standing at the doors, Yado thinned his lips when staring at his grandpa, uncles, and a few of his aunt''s who said they wouldn''t be going in with the rest of them. Old Hou chuckled, pinching his little grandson''s cheeks. "Yado, be good�� Grandpa will see you soon." Jung Hou ruffled his nephew''s hair warmly after Old Hou. "Little brat, don''t give your mother and father a hard time. We''ll be back before you know it." Yes�� Yado belonged to the Hou Family. And his experience today was that of many people''s while heading for evacuation! Tick-tock, Tick-tock. It was already 6:46 A.M in the morning. 4 hours, 14 minutes before thes fully Align.

 Chapter 660 Heavenly Unrest

    Chapter 660 Heavenly Unrest

    In the dazzling expanse of the heavenly realm, white heavenly light cascaded like waterfalls of rainbows at various corners. The air hummed with celestial melodies, and the atmosphere was one that exuded peace and higher purpose. Archangel Michael sat thoughtfully, looking at the scenery. The realm before him was a breathtaking tapestry of colors beyond earthlyprehension. There were golden pathways winding through lush gardens, and crystalline rivers reflecting the glory of the divine throne. Birds tweeted and creatures sang. Towering trees with leaves of silver and gold, gently swayed in a breeze that carried the scent of eternal blossoms. Have you seen any more beautiful spectacle? The sky above was a radiant canvas, painted with hues that shift and dance in perfect harmony.

    Everything looked great. Yet amidst the grand splendor, Michael feels a disquiet in his spirit. ''Something''s right, I can feel it!'' Well, he, Michael, still had some far, far, distant connection to his twin brother, Lucifer. ''Why do I feel like this?''

    No! Michael swiftly rose to his feet with clenched fists. That twin brother of his must definitely be up to something. Today, the very faint and near-dead bond between them, kept thrummed with an unsettling resonance. Dammit! Michael''s heart was heavy with a sense of impending doom, a feeling he found he couldn''t shake. And believe him, no serene beauty surrounding him, could make him feel good. Back and forth, Michael walked like a family member waiting in a waiting room for the birth of their newest member. "Michael, there you are!" The voice belonged to Raphael.

    "Brother," Michael acknowledged in a heavy voice that echoed through the ethereal space like a gentle breeze rustling through leaves. Well, Michael called Raphael and all the other Archangels ''Brother.'' "Do you still sense something amiss?" "Yeah�� My heart is troubled." Michael answered, with his eyes reflecting concern. "I know it sounds absurd, but the bnce and bond between him and I, feels disturbed." The more Michael exined, the more his thoughts swirled. Despite Lucifer''s fall from grace, a faint part of their connection persists��an unbreakable thread that now vibrates with foreboding.

    Michael stared towards the distant horizon, feeling more and more that whatever that sted twin of his was up to, was something big. These sorts of thoughts flooded his brain with urgency. No matter what, he must understand what Lucifer, his twin, was plotting! . "I''m serious. Think about it. Soon, thes will all align perfectly, and the heavenly bond will weaken�� I think he''s nning something for them." Raphael chuckled. "Even so, have you forgotten that on all worlds, all angel forces have been quadrupled and and even doubled 20 times over to ensure nothing happens?" Yes.. Thes will align for exactly 7 hours. Each right now, has an abundant number of heavenly beings, both angels and Gods, monitoring these worlds second by second, so no one tries anything funny. Ages�� Millions�� No! Trillions of years ago, the dead Satan and a few Princes of hell, had sent a few minions to raise havoc in one of their low-rankeds, as if wanting to test their efficiency. It''s safe to say that in under 25 minutes after the attack began, the threat was eradicated. It was funny to say that the many exorcists were the ones who did most of the work. The heavenly beings watched from a distance, only helping when need be. Indeed, it would be suicide for his brother to do anything with so many heavenly eyes staring at every single in existence. "So am I overthinking it?" Sigh�� Raphael slowly ced a hand on Michael''s shoulder. "Brother, I''m not saying Lucifer is not up to any good. In fact, I believe he should be up to no good, be it in the morning, afternoon, evening, and at all times." Raphael unconsciously released a bit of pressure on Michael''s shoulder when thinking of Lucifer. Over the years, he has met and fought against Lucifer. However, the sneaky demon often snuck away at thest second whenever he senses backup arriving. It was incredible to think that Lucifer, Beelzebub, and a lot of them used to be good friends here in the heavenly realm. They used to train, and y with one another. But after their betrayal and banishment, these ex-brothers of theirs hated them to death. "Michael, think about it. When has Lucifer ever been quiet? He''s always up to something. I would be surprised if he suddenly became humble." "What I''m saying in essence, is that he''s definitely up to no good, but I do not think it has anything to do with the The ''Weakening Time,'' when thes all align." Please�� they''ve covered all gxies, universes and sr systems in existence. So what can Lucifer over and the others do to threaten them today? "Of course, these are just my thoughts, Michael." Raphael added. "To make you feel any better, why don''t we ask our good old friend onest time?" �CLoki!

    Despite Loki being a Heavenly being, they knew he still kept in touch with Lucifer and the others. Thus, if there''s anyone who would know about Lucifer''s actions, it would be Loki. So what if he has been ''locked'' up in the Heavenly prison for hundreds and thousands of years? They all knew that Loki had his way of getting Intel, a way none of them have ever been able to understand how exactly he does it. How can someone locked up have more Intel than them who go out frequently? .

    Veins popped on Michael''s face when thinking of hisst encounter with Loki. Truthfully, he didn''t want to see that bastard''s face. Michael, who was a very peaceful person by nature, often felt violent when in Loki''s presence. Can you me him, Loki just had a very punchable face. "Alright," Michael raised his hands in surrender.

    With that, the duo spread their wings, and flew away in a blink of an eye. But when they finally reached Loki''s cell, the duo froze, staring at the ''Loki'' before them with grim faces. Almost everyone could be deceived, but they who were too familiar with him knew it wasn''t him. "_" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He is.. he�� he�� he�� he�� Michael''s entire body trembled chaotically.

    "LO-KI!!!!"

 Chapter 661 A Journey Into The Deep

    Chapter 661 A Journey Into The Deep

    There was a loud rumbling noise in the heavens that woke many from their slumber. Where is he? Where is he? Michael''s eyes were bloodshot red when looking at the fake Loki in bondage. ''Dammit you, Trickster, don''t let me catch you, or else��'' Ahh! Michael aced a hand on his chest, feeling he might get a heavenly heart attack from all the shock and the worry. Loki, Lucifer��-

    "I knew it�� I know it�� those two are definitely nning something!" At this point, even Raphael agreed that something was wrong. But what? "I have to search for him, my twin, Lucifer!" Yes, only in that way, can he find the truth. �� And just like that, a spark of turmoil flooded the heavenly realm.

    But while Michael was busy rummaging for his brother''s location, Lucifer on the other hand, had finally reached the end of his journey to Tartacle �C The abyss''s lower ins. Beelzebub, Lucifer, Asmodeus, and Belphegor, all appeared with brimming smiles stered on their lips. What a f***long journey. Even for them, the honey was just too deadly, taking 2 days to reach here. They swore that perhaps they were the only ones to ever make it this far. Of course, one should never think this was their first time here. For centuries, thousands and millions of years, they attempted going deep below, each time going deeper than before. They all knew the goal, and prepared themselves for this day. Can you imagine that during their time attempting to go down, they could only move 4 feet in? The ce was Deadly every step of the way. It took an immeasurable amount of time to be able to go so far in, as such a short amount of time. Do you know how many times they almost died within these 2 days? They had hoped to arrive 2 weeks before the war so they have ample time to take on the abyss. But theteness, they had no choice but to risk it all. Honestly, they feared they would die in this abyss.

    However, it seemed luck was on their side, allowing them to venture in deeper and deeper. Of course, luck, and some items they were able to attain to prepare for the journey. My, my, my��

    The Abyss, and its inner dominion, was abyrinthine expanse of shadow and mystery. Know that every step in here could lead to peril or revtion.

    To reach Tartacle, they first traversed through the cliffs of Murdoch. There, they had to face their own fears, in a grimly space that could leave anyone turning permanently mad if your will isn''t trying enough. After a while, they also entered a bizarre world with blue trees and foliage. This was a dream space powerful to make anyone, no matter their strength, fall into a lumbering abyss. Just know that the more you slumber, the more your body sinks into the ground. And when one''s body is fully submerged into the ground, they will be dead �CCompletely dead. Know that no matter how powerful any demon, Ghoul or being grows, they will never be stronger than the abyss. Beelzebub will never forget waking up seconds before the top of his nose was fully submerged.

    Know that his nose was the only body part that wasn''t submerged yet. So what would have happened if itpletely went in? Even he, the all powerful Beelzebub, felt shivers crawl up his spine after waking up from his ''slumber.'' There, he was given an illusionary dream of his deepest desires. Wow! For a moment, he almost fell into the trap, believing everything in his dream. It was only when he was fighting the Almighty himself, that he realized it was a dream. Hold on, even though he looked forward to the battle ahead, who said anything about it being easy? The ease in which everything went, made him know he was dreaming. ��

    Following the dream space, they went through over 42 different locations of varying danger levels. A notable time was when they traversed the River Pluntos, a churning torrent of imprisoned demonic souls. The river''s waters promised oblivion to any who dared touch them. If even a single drop touched them, they would be goners. What a journey! The journey across the river was fraught with whispers of lost souls, theirmentations echoing in the misty air. The many paths they took grew darker and more treacherous as they progressed. Finally, they arrived�� They arrived at the Tartacle. It was the lower in, the deepest recesses of the Underworld. There, all 4 stood before the colossal gates, where red lightning crackled like living bars, illuminating the grim prison that held the Titans. Standing before the giant gates, they looked like ants standing before an actual human gate. That was how tall and wide the doors were. The air was thick with dread, a palpable reminder of the ancient power contained within these walls. Heh-heh-heh~ All 4 chuckled, sensing a strange force field in ce that had no true effect on them. However, they were sure it was the sole reason the Titans could leave this lower in and head to the upper one Beelzebub and the others currently dominated. them. What a view�� The gates were still up ahead, but the space was filled withva and disaster. As he reached the gates, the ground trembled slightly, a sign of the immense power thaty beyond. The Titans, once the Almighty''s supreme fighters, had sided with them during the big battle and also vanished down to the underworld with them. As Beelzebub and the others advanced, their presence was felt even before they were seen. Then�� massive shadows appeared against the gates that were near-see through. The gates in question had flickering red lightning. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam~

    The grounds shook with a rumbling roar. In a blink of an eye, tens and thousands of gigantic shadows appeared in the distance.

    Beelzebub, Lucifer, Asmodeus and Belphegor, smiled. "It''s been a long time, friends��" "Speak of the devil��" A voice echoed from within, deep and resonant like thunder.

    It was Barthartos, the Titan King.

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