Yue Shi’s expression turned somewhat peculiar.
He noticed that while the small animals seemed to be scurrying in chaos, their movements actually followed a clear, directional path.
They were desperately fleeing toward the higher floors of the hotel, using the stairs, ventilation ducts, and any other available route.
The frenzied men were hot on their heels.
Just then, a sharp swishing sound echoed from the stairwell, sounding like some kind of viscous liquid being sprayed and rapidly solidifying at high speed.
This was followed by the shouting and wailing of men.
Yue Shi looked toward the sound and saw a figure standing at the corner of the stairs leading up.
It was a woman dressed in an Investigation Bureau uniform, her posture upright and her aura steady.
Huge white spider webs covered the stairs and walls in front of her.
Many men and small animals were firmly stuck to the webs, unable to escape no matter how they struggled. They could only writhe, cry, or curse in vain.
Clearly, she was a transcendent. Her ability had successfully blocked the passage, containing the chaos to the lower floors.
Among the men stuck to the webs, some were roaring in anger while others were sobbing uncontrollably, as if they had lost the most important thing in their lives. They rambled incoherently:
“It’s gone! It’s all gone!”
“Let me go! I have to go up! It’s right up there!”
After temporarily restraining all the maddened men, the female transcendent breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she notice Yue Shi standing at his room door.
Her gaze first focused on Yue Shi’s face before instinctively scanning his entire body. Her eyes held a hint of scrutiny, as if she wanted to ask something but found it awkward to bring up.
Yue Shi broke the silence first, identifying himself. “I’m Yue Shi, a transcendent investigator from the Amber City Investigation Bureau. I’m in Chijing City on business. What’s happening here?”
The woman snapped out of it, reining in her visible emotions. She said seriously, “I am Su Jinglu, an investigator from this city. I’m responsible for handling this emergency.”
Su? From the Su family?
Life really is full of surprises.
Su Jinglu looked at Yue Shi, her eyes still filled with a trace of uncertainty as she cautiously double-checked, “Do you really not feel any discomfort? Does your body feel off in any way?”
Her question was loaded, and her gaze drifted subconsciously.
Yue Shi remained unfazed and shook his head. “No. I’m fine.”
He brought the conversation back to the matter at hand. “You haven’t told me yet—what exactly is going on here?”
Su Jinglu looked a bit embarrassed but explained anyway, “It’s a specific supernatural incident. The victims are all male.”
She pointed upward. “We’ve preliminarily identified the source. It’s on the rooftop of this hotel.”
Yue Shi’s heart stirred, and he volunteered, “Do you need help? I may not be a local investigator, but as a transcendent, it’s my responsibility to assist when encountering a supernatural incident.”
He wanted to find an opportunity to get close to this woman named Su to test her relationship with the Su family, that transcendent clan. He could also take the chance to gather more intelligence on Chijing City and the Glory Association.
Su Jinglu didn’t agree immediately. Instead, she checked for a third time, her tone exceptionally serious: “Are you absolutely sure you’re completely unaffected? This is very important.”
Her concern didn't seem fake.
Yue Shi’s eyes flickered slightly. He reached into his inner coat pocket, pulled out the Honest Pipe, and lied, “I have a defensive supernatural object that passively resists mental contamination and curses. Was there a large-scale curse dispersal just now? I didn’t feel a thing.”
He waved the old wooden pipe in his hand before tucking it back into his inner pocket. The pipe wasn't particularly large, and his coat laid flat against it without any visible bulge.
Su Jinglu studied him closely and finally seemed to believe his story. She let out a sigh of relief. “That’s great. Having another unaffected combatant to help will significantly increase our chances of successfully containing the supernatural creature.”
“The thing on the rooftop is a bit tricky. Follow me.” She turned around and gestured for Yue Shi to follow.
The stairwell was covered in massive spider webs, requiring careful maneuvering to avoid them.
Yue Shi followed silently behind Su Jinglu, his gaze fixed on her back.
A very faint golden vertical mark quietly surfaced between his brows.
In his Insight vision, several lines of text appeared over Su Jinglu.
Yue Shi only looked at the portion related to her supernatural abilities.
【Jorōgumo】
【Spider Sense: Perception is greatly enhanced, providing warnings against malice or killing intent directed at oneself, or the direction of incoming attacks.】
【Binding Silk Web: Releases unique supernatural spider silk that can be controlled at will to weave webs and bind targets.】
【Paralytic Venom: Generates a special toxin that can be injected into a target through spider silk or direct contact, paralyzing their entire body and stripping them of their ability to move.】
Rate on N.U.
