Intelligent Specters

One hour later, the Special Bureau left Haicheng.

They made no attempt to hide their departure, and a photo of Su Wen's severed head quickly appeared online.

【The Haicheng supernatural organization, the Senluo Association, has committed countless atrocities. The Special Bureau has taken action and wiped them out. All three supernatural beings and two hundred and seventeen armed militants have been completely eliminated!】

Boosted by official channels, the post went viral instantly. It was accompanied by a video showing over two hundred men shooting themselves.

Their goal was to use this to deter lawless supernatural beings.

They wanted to make it clear: do not think that just because you have awakened abilities, no one can bring you to justice.

In a villa in Xichang, Liu Zhian stared at his phone.

Looking at the post on his screen, his eyes grew dark. This Senluo Association was utterly useless. They got wiped out by just a random person sent by the other side. It seems I overvalued you new-generation supernaturals.

He tapped his left hand against the armrest of the sofa. This also proved that the Special Bureau possessed formidable strength.

The stronger his opponents appeared, the more annoyed he felt as the future Patriarch.

Moreover, since the Elder was currently at a critical juncture, they could not easily make a move.

Meanwhile, in Fengcheng.

Compared to major cities like Yangcheng and Haicheng, this was merely a small, remote inland city with a population of barely seven to eight hundred thousand.

Beneath Fengcheng, a tunnel seven to eight meters high and wide had been excavated at some unknown point.

The surface of the tunnel was coated in a grey substance, creating a solidified effect similar to concrete.

Overhead, fist-sized insects clung silently to the ceiling, the white light emitting from their abdomens illuminating the path.

“How interesting. You managed to dig out such a massive underground tunnel without making a sound,” Liu Qi said as he and Cao Liang walked through. Liu Qi had his hands in his pockets, an arrogant look on his face.

“Hehe, we are merely huddling together for warmth so we can evolve to become stronger. After all, we do not possess the immense power of the Liu family to protect ourselves.” Ahead of them, a two-meter-tall Specter with a black insectoid exoskeleton spoke.

An old man's face was visible on its back as it led them deeper inside.

Cao Liang remained silent, keeping his guard up at all times.

Since arriving here, they had already spotted dozens of Specters and Evil Spirits.

This number was terrifyingly high. Even major cities did not have this many.

However, the intelligence of the monsters here was clearly more than a notch higher than those in other places.

After they demonstrated their strength, this insectoid Specter had appeared to initiate a preliminary dialogue. Upon learning their identities, it had guided the two toward their base.

After walking through the underground passage for a full half-hour, a vast subterranean cavern opened up before them.

“Go, Kala Monster! Beat it down!”

“Flying Big Head, don't lose! I bet ten days' worth of rations on you, damn it!”

The moment they stepped into the space, a clamor of noise washed over them. The cavern before them was easily a thousand meters wide and a hundred meters high.

On the surrounding walls of the cavern were numerous tunnel entrances leading in all directions, with bizarre monsters roaring from within them.

On the ground below, a two-meter-tall humanoid Specter with five arms was locked in combat with a five-meter-wide black head.

Craters exploded across the ground. Finally, the black head suddenly opened its mouth, spraying countless black spikes that riddled the humanoid Specter.

Liu Qi scanned the surrounding craters, raising an eyebrow. So many? It seems humans aren't the only ones developing. These damn things are evolving quickly too.

There were at least a thousand Specters and faintly visible Evil Spirits around. If this many were unleashed outside, they could easily slaughter an entire city.

“Why are there humans here?” a Specter spoke up from somewhere. Instantly, all the monsters turned their gaze toward Liu Qi and Cao Liang.

The hostility in their eyes was barely concealed.

A three-meter-tall Specter, pieced together from over a dozen heads, suddenly jumped down from above.

Landing on the ground, it sneered at Liu Qi and Cao Liang. “It seems food has delivered itself to my doorstep. In that case, don't mind if I do!”

The sound of rattling chains echoed. Before the lunging Specter could bite down, its body was instantly bound by black chains extending from the void.

Behind Liu Qi, Cao Liang extended his left hand, a section of black chain appearing in his grip.

With a slight squeeze of his hand, the Specter was crushed into fragments by the chains before it could even react.

Liu Qi glanced around at the Specters, who were starting to grow restless.

A cruel grin spread across his face. “What are you trash looking at? No matter how many of you there are, you're still nothing but garbage!”

These words instantly provoked all the surrounding monsters.

“Human, what did you say?!”

“You're courting death!” Shrill voices rang out from all sides. Just as the Specters were about to attack—

The insectoid Specter bellowed, “These are guests from above! What do you think you are doing?!”

At those words, the agitated crowd of Specters instantly fell silent.

“Please, follow me,” the insectoid Specter said. It led the two across the central clearing toward a tunnel entrance ahead.

After continuing deeper for a few minutes, another underground cavern, far more spacious than the previous one, appeared before Liu Qi and Cao Liang.

There were even simple houses constructed of stone here.

In the midst of these houses stood a three-meter-tall stone throne.

A five-meter-tall, ash-white humanoid Specter sat upon it, a gaping hole piercing straight through its chest.

Across its body, thick white bony growths slithered erratically like snakes along its muscles. Its ash-white head stared silently at them, its eyes replaced by two hollow black sockets.

Liu Qi and Cao Liang frowned upon seeing this Specter. They exchanged a glance; despite its terrifying appearance, the creature felt like an empty shell to their senses, completely devoid of any reaction.

“Guests from the Liu family, I brought you here because I believe we can make a deal,” a calm voice sounded.

Beside the stone throne stood a woman in a white dress, the left half of her face showing bare bone.

Shifting his gaze from the five-meter-tall monster to the woman, Liu Qi asked curiously, “A deal? What kind of deal? If it's humans you want, with your numbers, I doubt many cities could withstand your onslaught.”

“I want items that can increase spiritual power,” the skeletal-faced woman said flatly.

It browsed the internet as well. Upon learning of the Liu family's arrival, it had conceived this idea.

After all, judging by the clips available online, it deduced that Liu Wen likely specialized in spiritual abilities.

Liu Qi looked at it, puzzled. “And what do you intend to trade in return? We aren't lacking in human resources.”

The skeletal-faced woman waved her hand backward. Immediately, a multi-legged Specter carrying a chest scurried over to Liu Qi.

Curious, Liu Qi opened the chest, revealing dozens of ash-white, ten-centimeter-long fingers.

At the same time, a faint, peculiar fragrance drifted into his nostrils, carrying an instinctual suggestion that consuming these would bring him immense benefits.