The curly-haired man lost his tongue because Yue Shi found him too noisy.
However, his tongue wasn't cut off with a sharp blade; instead, Yue Shi had picked up a pair of large, rusted iron pliers from the ground, clamped them onto the man’s tongue, and ripped it out by force.
Bloody tears welled in his eyes. Only at this moment did he truly empathize with those experimental subjects, for he had finally experienced firsthand what it meant to wish for death.
The resentment coiled in Yue Shi’s heart dissipated slightly, but... it was like a nail driven into wood; even if the nail was pulled out, the scar wouldn't disappear—it would only continue to rot.
The kind side of his humanity had been worn away completely, leaving only a pitch-black, chaotic malice that continued to churn.
The curly-haired man endured various other tortures, including eye gouging, dismemberment, and vivisection, until half the skin on his body had been peeled away. Only then did he draw his final breath and truly die.
Yue Shi took a deep breath. Looking at the mangled corpse on the ground and smelling the metallic scent of blood in the air, he couldn't help but feel a rush of satisfaction following his revenge.
As expected, with something like hatred, only by retaliating a thousandfold could one find true release.
Things like "accepting apologies and compensation," "forgiving enemies and letting go," or "releasing hatred to reconcile with oneself and others" were nothing more than helpless compromises forced by circumstance.
The curly-haired man was just a minor player. That old bastard Su Yuanhe and everyone else connected to Lab 0—Yue Shi would find them all one by one and... send them to hell, every last one of them!
...
Yue Shi called Ling Xun, briefly explained the situation, and told him to come to the abandoned warehouse to handle the aftermath.
Then, Yue Shi hurried back to Bai Qingyu’s home.
He hadn't killed many supernatural creatures lately, so he hadn't gained any new abilities.
The curly-haired man he just killed was likely a transcendent, but the black stone tablet hadn't reacted at all. It seemed his ability essentially required killing supernatural creatures to devour and upgrade; killing transcendents didn't work.
In the pocket of Yue Shi’s jacket sat a specially made test tube. If nothing was amiss, the liquid inside was the so-called 【Potential Potion】.
This thing was likely a research product of Lab 0. They would absolutely be capable of giving it directly to humans despite its severe side effects. They were certainly the type to do such a thing.
As for the purpose of creating the 【Potential Potion】?
It certainly wasn't for anything good!
Yue Shi felt that perhaps he could find a good use for the 【Potential Potion】 in his possession.
At that moment, he recalled the curly-haired man’s words.
The man had said that something rare and interesting might draw Su Yuanhe out, and that when Su Yuanhe appeared in an open area, his protection would be at its weakest.
Yue Shi didn't quite believe it; it was likely the man had been trying to mislead him.
The strength of defensive forces was only relative. If he mistakenly believed Su Yuanhe would be easy to deal with just because he was in an open area and recklessly took action, the final result would likely be his own death.
Fortunately, Yue Shi was cautious. Moreover, he had a clear path to growth; there was no need to rush or take unnecessary risks. He could grow stronger steadily and surely; there was no need for haste.
Shortly after, Yue Shi retraced his steps and arrived at Bai Qingyu’s address.
People were coming and going in the hallway, and a cordon had been set up nearby; members of the Investigation Bureau were processing the scene.
Yue Shi quickened his pace. An investigator recognized him immediately and, with a respectful yet nervous expression, personally lifted the cordon to let him through.
Yue Shi entered the living room. Severed limbs and congealed blood splattered across the floor met his eyes, while an investigator nearby was diligently taking photos and notes.
Yue Shi asked, “There was originally a man’s corpse here and a woman with no limbs. Were they both taken by the Investigation Bureau?”
“Y-yes,” an investigator taking fingerprints replied tremulously.
Yue Shi asked again, “Did Ling Xun send you? What is he doing now?”
The investigator answered, “Section Chief Ling is currently dealing with a supernatural creature capable of spreading mental contamination. It was indeed he who notified us to process this crime scene. The contaminated investigators have been transferred to the isolation center, and the suspect, Bai, has been sent to the hospital.”
Yue Shi nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave.
After he left, the investigators in the room all breathed a sigh of relief. Facing a ruthless person who could carve a delicate beauty into a limbless stump made them extremely nervous.
Just as Yue Shi reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw a familiar figure walking toward him—it was Ling Xun.
It was already the middle of the night. Ling Xun’s clothes were somewhat disheveled, his hair was a mess, and he looked exhausted.
Upon seeing Yue Shi, Ling Xun questioned him in detail again about what had happened at the abandoned warehouse.
Yue Shi recounted the events carefully, editing out certain details. While he didn't reveal that he was an experimental subject, he didn't hide anything else, including Pei Yue hiring help to attack him, the suspect’s likely use of the 【Potential Potion】, and the fact that the forces behind Tulip Security Company were suspected to be linked to the 【Glory Association】...
The more Ling Xun listened, the deeper his brow furrowed. “This matter involves so much; it’s truly a headache. I will report this truthfully to the director and let him make the final decision.”
Yue Shi nodded, offering no objection. Instead, he asked, “Since I’ve officially joined the Investigation Bureau and that bullshit undercover mission has lost its meaning, I can start working at the Bureau normally tomorrow, right?”
Ling Xun gave him a deep look and nodded slowly. “That’s right. Report to the Bureau tomorrow.”
“Good. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head out.”
Yue Shi waved his hand and bid Ling Xun farewell.
Ling Xun watched Yue Shi’s receding back, his brow wrinkled like a Shar-Pei’s. “Troubled times indeed... ”
By the time Yue Shi returned home, it was nearly four in the morning.
He took a bottle of orange soda from the fridge, opened it with a "psst," and chugged it down. The sweet, cool sensation spread through his body from the inside out, dispelling much of his fatigue.
Afterward, he packed the 【Potential Potion】 from his pocket into a biscuit tin and placed it in a corner of the neighboring balcony, alongside the ring of keys he had brought back from Qingshan Sanatorium.
Having done that, he glanced at his room. This shabby little rental had become a wreck due to the fighting; even the front door and the bedroom door were broken. A thief wouldn't even need to pick a lock to get in.
But Yue Shi didn't mind making do for one night. He summoned a raven from the shadows to keep watch, and after a quick wash, he returned to the bedroom and lay down to rest.
Too much had happened that day, and he was exhausted. There was plenty waiting for him tomorrow: his former colleague Zhong Mo wanted to see him, he had to report to the Investigation Bureau, and he ideally needed to find some time to look for a new place to move...
Rate on N.U.
