Chapter 21: That Guy, He's Here!
Game interface, task dispatch module.
After several days of cleansing, with Black Blade's diligent work, the safety index of the area where Fang You lived had risen by 80%.
Only two red-marked points remained.
One could imagine that once there were more Apostles of Fate at his home, it might not take long before Baijiang City could be rated as the safest city in the country, and even the world.
Of those two red points, one was a one-star Mysterious Evil.
The other, representing the Serpent Mother, had moved several hundred meters compared to yesterday, and seemed to be getting faster and more active.
"Mysterious Evil: Serpent Mother (Two-star)" [Emergency]
The task was marked with the red word 'Emergency'.
The situation was indeed urgent.
He had no idea what the situation was there now, whether it was being cleansed or just surrounded.
He didn't know and had no way of finding out.
He had thought about whether to go and have a look, to observe the situation, but considering the unclear circumstances and his own half-baked abilities, it would be a loss if he fell into danger.
It was better to sit back and provide Black Blade with super long-distance technical support.
Choice, two-star Mysterious Evil task.
Dispatch!
Countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7, …
…
At the same time, on Wildgrass Street.
The morning sun was rising, and the sky was still covered with clouds, with just a bit of light shining on each investigator's face, including Director Zhou, who had also donned a black coat and had personally come to the scene.
Determination was written on everyone's face.
In front of them was terror, an abyss.
Were they afraid? The vast majority of investigators were frightened, how could they not be!
But could they shrink back?
Could they bear to live the rest of their lives in disgrace?
No.
If not, then go.
If it were a one-way trip, then at least… there would still be people who remembered their names.
"Three hundred meters to the target Mysterious Evil."
"Clear the weak Mysterious Evils in the surrounding area."
"Fire the Revealing Shot."
"Advance steadily."
Director Zhou gave orders with steadiness and measure.
Special Class Investigator Bai Xue stood by, her snow-white long hair fluttering in the wind.
Pure white.
This was a side effect of her Awakening.
Embracing the mysteries of Awakening often resulted in some side effects, not excluding having horns on heads or tumors on necks.
All she had were hair turned white and eyes so eerie she had to wear sunglasses.
These changes were already few compared to other Special Class Investigators.
Her Awakened Ability was also concentrated in her eyes.
Her eerie gaze swept over the empty street in front of her, reflecting not just the huge outline wrapped in black fog, but also the cute little things crawling out from the bloated abdomen of a giant Mysterious Evil.
So many of them!
Bai Xue stepped forward, twirled her long spear, and plunged it hard, exploding the life energy concentrated upon it.
In her vision, she outlined the faint gray contours of the small creatures, no bigger than a backpack, bursting like balloons.
Pop them with a stab and it felt delightful.
She would then pop all these little cuties one by one!
A strange smile curled up on Bai Xue's face.
However, Director Zhou stopped her, somewhat helplessly, "Miss Bai Xue, you should save some strength, we need your power more to deal with that big guy."
"All right."
Bai Xue reluctantly retracted her spear; popping balloons was such fun.
But indeed, she needed to conserve her life energy.
Bai Xue just watched as the investigators from Baijiang City Bureau, holding Buddha Beads or talismans, rushed to the places emitting green smoke, sticking, throwing, smashing.
Upon contact, a faint white light would sometimes emerge, and in the world unseen by regular people, the faces of the small Mysterious Evils twisted, their bodies stretching like noodles under force, then shattering into pieces.
And with that, they dissipated.
The investigators went on removing the Mysterious Evils, while Buddha Beads occasionally ran out of power and snapped, or talismans became wrinkled.
The new will be implemented at this time.
The consumption is substantial, but now is not the time to be concerned about the pain.
Bai Xue, however, had walked a bit further away. She didn't like this kind of power, or perhaps it's fair to say that all special-class investigators felt the same.
It's not like the Mysterious Evil, which would be harmed by this power, but it causes a deep-seated loathing in one's heart.
She stepped back, looking toward the distant, enormous black silhouette.
Sweeping along the way.
Lesser Mysterious Evils were being cleansed, but there was no joy on the investigators' faces.
Only pressure!
Increasingly heavy pressure!
Especially as the cleansing progressed and they got closer to the distant dreadful shadow, the pressure looming in their hearts grew even heavier.
Sharp howls were echoing in their ears.
The scene before their eyes gradually overlapped.
The heart was beating, reason was slipping away, and a face seemed to wear a smile that was not a smile, a cry that was not a cry.
Thump—
An investigator struck his own heart heavily, curling up, collapsing onto the ground.
Even though adorned with Buddha Beads and various necklaces and bracelets, they couldn't withstand the influence of this terrifying Mysterious Evil—investigators had never been this close before!
They couldn't bear it any longer!
"Retreat! Those who can't bear it, back off!"
In the unseen world below,
The black fog was thicker here, the Serpent Mother's body twisting and turning, suddenly several gashes let out screeching noises.
"Roar—"
Rings of sound waves spread out, pairs of eyeballs oscillating up and down, fixing on distant figures.
Boom—
The black fog suddenly became even denser. The Serpent Mother's huge and bloated lower body suddenly sprouted numerous legs, extending out rapidly, lying on both sides like a centipede.
It became incredibly agile, swiftly crawling forward.
It…
"It's evolving!"
Bai Xue advanced, gun in hand, confronting the enormous figure; her white hair fluttering, her long gun poked repeatedly into the black silhouette.
She struck it, but…
Only a small splash emerged.
The black fog swirling around the Serpent Mother was pierced, creating small holes.
Well, it breached the defenses, akin to scraping off scales.
At this moment, accompanied by a howling, the shadow of the serpent dramatically lengthened and lashed out, shooting out more than ten meters.
Invisible to the naked eye,
Hidden deep beneath reality,
Yet the sound of thrashing thunderously caused stones on Yew Road to scatter; in the unseen world below, dust and stones flew about, and the ground cracked open where it was struck.
The investigators had long since collapsed all over the ground.
The only ones still standing were Bai Xue and Jiang Tingqiu, with Director Zhou being somewhat capable as he squatted, lighting a lamp!
A lamp lit before Buddha!
The flickering light seemed to dispel the darkness, the hoarse screeching in their ears faded, and the dreadful shadow in the distance paused, hovering around, seemingly fearful of the lamp.
It was working!
Indeed, a decades-old lamp lighting was more...
"Roar—!"
The air burst forth, shattering eardrums.
In the unseen world below, the terrifying creature popped two of its eyes, but the lamp before Buddha in front of Director Zhou also went out as a result.
The light went out.
Along with it, the hope that had just ignited in him.
Indeed, they were still unable to cope with it.
It was only possible to resort to a method of last resort.
Director Zhou struggled to his feet but caught sight of a figure approaching from a distance.
Clothed in black.
Wearing a masked face.
The blade was already unsheathed.