Late at night in Chijing City, the wind and snow continued unabated.
An invisible figure wove through the gaps between the towering skyscrapers.
“Are you really in such a rush that you can’t even wait a moment? I thought you’d at least wait until tomorrow to make your move.”
Ghost’s voice rang out through the phone, tinged with a hint of mockery.
“You just arrived in Chijing City this afternoon, encountered a massive supernatural incident, then set a trap to murder an investigator, and now you’re out making trouble again in the middle of the night. Your energy levels are truly impressive.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” Yue Shi replied, his voice sounding somewhat cold and hard amidst the wind and snow.
“Delay breeds trouble. We must race against time and strike them with a heavy blow before anyone has a chance to react. If we wait until everyone else has finished setting their boards before we try to find a way to counterattack, it’ll be too late.”
“So you chose to pay a midnight visit to the director of the Chijing City Investigation Bureau and strike the person at the very top?” Ghost said cryptically.
Yue Shi nodded, his gaze fixed on a mansion in the distance. “The Chijing City Investigation Bureau is closely linked to the Glory Association; they seem to have a deep level of cooperation. Lab 0 is also near this city. Many core secrets and decisions inevitably go through this director. He is the fastest point for an intelligence breakthrough and likely the most critical node.”
“Fine, you always have your reasons.” Ghost was also gearing up, ready for action.
Meanwhile, in the home of Jiang Yaoshan, the director of the Chijing City Investigation Bureau.
With a succession of major incidents occurring in Chijing City today, Jiang Yaoshan had naturally been swamped with work.
It wasn't until late at night that he finally dragged his exhausted body home from work.
His wife and son had long since fallen asleep, and the mansion was silent. He didn't disturb his family, heading straight into his second-floor study to handle some urgent documents.
The lights in the study remained on late into the night.
Jiang Yaoshan rubbed his aching temples. Just then, a faint “click” came from the direction of the living room, sounding like the front door being unlocked from the inside.
Jiang Yaoshan paused, his brow furrowing. No one in his family should be going out at this hour.
An intruder?
But wait, why would an intruder open the door from the inside?
As the director of the Chijing City Investigation Bureau, Jiang Yaoshan was a formidable transcendent who had weathered countless storms.
After a brief moment of surprise, he didn't feel panic; instead, he felt a surge of vigilance and a sense of offended rage.
Whether it was human or supernatural, anyone who dared to cause trouble in the home of the Bureau's director was simply seeking death!
Jiang Yaoshan set down his documents and stood up quietly, gathering his strength as he prepared to investigate.
He gripped the study door handle and pushed it open gently.
The moment he took a step forward, the scene before his eyes suddenly distorted and shifted!
It was no longer his living room with its sofas and potted plants, but a dimly lit place of nothingness!
Beneath his feet was a grey plane that was neither solid nor ethereal, stretching to the horizon. All around him was a chaotic shimmer, devoid of any landmarks.
Jiang Yaoshan’s heart jolted. He immediately turned around, only to find that the study door had vanished, replaced by the same heart-stopping void!
“Another space?” Jiang Yaoshan realized instantly that he had been ambushed. His enemy possessed a rare spatial ability.
His vigilance rose to its peak as his aura erupted. Within his palms, blinding lightning flared, crackling with explosive pops.
Holding his breath, the lightning swirled around him, forming a protective layer.
At the same time, his gaze swept across the space, trying to find a trace of the enemy or a flaw in the domain.
However, one minute passed, then two... then ten.
The surroundings remained deathly silent. Aside from his own breathing and the buzzing of the lightning, there was no movement.
No attack, no sound, and no one appeared to speak with him.
The opponent's goal seemed to be nothing more than trapping him.
Jiang Yaoshan began to move, walking cautiously in various directions.
But no matter which way he went, the scenery remained identical, as if he were walking in place.
Time passed, yet it also felt as if it hadn't, losing all meaning.
This absolute silence and unknown pressure were more unnerving than a direct attack.
Jiang Yaoshan forced himself to stay calm and continued to explore.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally touched the boundary of this space.
It was an invisible, resilient barrier that prevented him from advancing further. Beyond the barrier lay a chaotic sight that was difficult to describe in human language.
But none of that mattered.
What mattered was that he noticed something that made his scalp crawl.
This finite space was shrinking at a steady rate!
It was only a subtle sensation at first, but as time passed, he could clearly feel it, confirming the terrifying truth.
The space was indeed constantly contracting!
“How is this possible?” Jiang Yaoshan found it hard to believe.
Spatial abilities were rare to begin with, but one capable of creating such a stable and actively shrinking extra-dimensional space was practically unheard of!
He tried to blast the spatial barrier with lightning, but the violent bolts of electricity struck the barrier and dissipated into nothingness, failing to even create a ripple, let alone shake it in the slightest.
Fear, like a venomous snake, slowly slithered up his spine.
Since becoming the director of the Chijing City Investigation Bureau, he hadn't felt this emotion in a very long time.
The space was getting smaller and smaller, which meant he might eventually be crushed into a mass of bloody pulp!
From his initial vigilant exploration to the confusion upon discovering the boundary, and finally to the shock of confirming the space was shrinking, Jiang Yaoshan’s mindset gradually shifted.
He began to release lightning more frequently and violently, trying to break his cage.
The flashes of lightning caused the dim space to flicker, but it was all in vain.
Sweat soaked his back, and his breathing grew ragged.
Feeling the invisible spatial barrier inching closer, the slow but inescapable pressure of impending death nearly suffocated him.
He could already imagine how gruesome his death would be!
“No, let me out!” Jiang Yaoshan finally lost his composure and roared.
The lightning spiraled out of control, pouring out frantically in all directions.
Until finally, his strength spent, he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
Despair slowly began to drown him.
He was a powerful director of the Investigation Bureau who could practically rule this city with a single hand.
He had never imagined he would die in such a pathetic way, right at the entrance to his own study.
“Fuck! Who the hell are you? At least say something!”
“Tell me what you want!”
There was still no response.
In the real world at that moment, Yue Shi was sitting brazenly in Jiang Yaoshan’s study, rapidly flipping through paper documents he had found in a hidden compartment.
Ghost, meanwhile, was hacking into the study’s computer, encrypted hard drives, and the interface connected to the Chijing City Investigation Bureau’s internal network.
The two of them chatted in low voices while searching for valuable intelligence.
Yue Shi casually tossed aside a document regarding financial transactions with the Glory Association and scoffed:
“Even though they’re both directors of an Investigation Bureau, this Director Jiang isn't even in the same league as Director Tang.”
Yue Shi hadn't seen Tang Zhuhe fight in person, but the pressure she radiated was no joke. Especially whenever he tried to use Insight to observe her, his Anticipation would scream a warning, showing him that the future one second later was extremely perilous.
But this Director Jiang had fallen into the trap with ease, becoming a turtle in a jar.
Jiang Yaoshan’s ability wasn't actually weak. 【Thunder and Lightning Command】: Wielding the power of thunder, allowing for the free manipulation of electricity. Lightning possessed immense destructive power, speed, and a countering effect against targets with sinister attributes. It could even resonate with natural lightning to call down heavenly thunder.
He was a stat monster, possessing a sense of pure, violent beauty.
Unfortunately for him, he had encountered Yue Shi and had to face a multitude of supernatural power mechanisms.
Ghost responded, “Your abilities are too underhanded; they're impossible to guard against. An ordinary person is no match for you. I used to wonder why you were so arrogant, but now I get it—it’s because you have so many trump cards.”
“But when do you plan to finish off Jiang Yaoshan? Do you intend to just let him suffocate in there?”
Yue Shi gave a sinister smile. “No rush. Let him enjoy it in there for a while longer. Once his mind has completely broken, his strength is spent, and he’s fallen into the deepest despair, I’ll deliver the final blow. It saves time and effort.”
“Besides, we still need time to squeeze every bit of value out of this place.”
The rustling of flipping pages continued in the study.
A moment later, Ghost spoke up again. “I’ve found something very interesting over here.”
“What is it?” Yue Shi asked without looking up.
“See for yourself.” As Ghost spoke, he manipulated the computer screen on the desk to light up, pulling up a file marked as an “Internal Disciplinary Archive.”
“I think I’ve found the reason why Chijing City has no civilian transcendent organizations and almost no wild transcendents.”
Yue Shi looked up at the screen. It was a record that resembled a case summary:
Chijing City’s “Iron Fist Civil Mutual Aid Association” was reported for suspected illegal gathering and endangering public safety. Upon verification, all primary members were arrested and subsequently executed following a trial.
Transcendent Student Zhang: Shortly after awakening his ability, he used it to rob and murder a civilian. He was executed after being caught.
The “Grey Rat” transcendent squad from the Chaos Zone accepted a commission from the Bureau to handle the B-rank supernatural incident “Weeping Gallery.” After the incident was resolved, the Bureau discovered that the squad members had engaged in a lethal brawl within the city and violently resisted arrest when summoned. Ultimately, the entire squad was executed.
There was a long list of similar records below.
Yue Shi couldn't help but show a mocking expression. “This stuff looks way too fake. They’re playing the saint while being a sinner.”
“It is indeed fake,” Ghost confirmed. The image on the screen switched, showing data fragments that had been restored after deep deletion.
“I recovered some of the original records and communication traces. Chijing City used to have some civilian transcendent organizations. These groups did indeed do some shady things, but none of it warranted the death penalty.
“Usually, the Chijing City Investigation Bureau would find an excuse to wipe out the entire organization. The ordinary members would be locked up for a while and then released. As for the transcendents, they would be framed for various capital crimes.”
“As for those lone wolf transcendents, it was even simpler. They’d just find any random reason to detain them, and they’d vanish without a trace.”
Ghost’s voice became increasingly playful as he continued, “There’s even better ones. Some time ago, a supernatural creature codenamed “Bone-Born Flower” appeared in Chijing City. Its lethality wasn't high, but it was extremely difficult to deal with, and conventional means couldn't clear it.”
“At the time, there was a wandering transcendent from the Chaos Zone whose ability happened to counter this creature. The Bureau invited him here with great sincerity and even arranged for him to stay overnight after the problem was solved.”
“The next day, a female corpse was found in his bed, with a perfect chain of evidence. Consequently, this wandering transcendent faced the ‘just’ punishment of the Chijing City Investigation Bureau.”
“Can you guess where these ‘executed’ transcendents actually went?”
Yue Shi didn't answer; the answer was obvious. He curled his lip and asked, “If I stay here for a couple more days, will I suddenly become a criminal with ironclad evidence against me too?”
Ghost giggled, showing no mercy. “You don't need anyone to frame you; you’re already a bona fide criminal.”
Yue Shi was about to retort when he suddenly sensed a change within the extra-dimensional space.
The space had already shrunk to the size of a bathroom stall.
Jiang Yaoshan looked utterly defeated. All sorts of negative emotions, combined with his constant struggling, had drained most of his stamina.
His eyes were vacant and anxious, and his dignity as the director of the Investigation Bureau was gone. At this moment, he was merely a prisoner awaiting judgment.
“It’s time.” Yue Shi’s lips curled upward.
Inside the space, Jiang Yaoshan suddenly heard a low voice ring in his ear.
“Death!”
Just a single word.
A brief spark of light returned to Jiang Yaoshan’s eyes, only to freeze instantly. Lightning flickered around him, as if he were trying to summon his power to resist the instant death curse.
“Death!”
“Death!”
“Death!”
The lightning surrounding Jiang Yaoshan flickered out amidst Yue Shi’s repeated, soul-claiming calls.
His body remained intact, without a single scar, yet his life force had completely vanished.
A dignified director of the Chijing City Investigation Bureau had died so pathetically at the entrance of his own study.
Yue Shi waved his hand to dispel the extra-dimensional space. Jiang Yaoshan’s corpse appeared out of thin air on the carpet at the study’s entrance, his face still bearing a look of despair and bewilderment.
Yue Shi walked over to the corpse and placed a hand gently on the head, a suction force emanating from his palm.
Ghost didn't know what he was doing and was about to ask when Yue Shi spoke, “Hey, can you possess a body that just died?”
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