“Let’s call it a day,” Lu Shanhuai drained the last sip of coffee from his cup, “We’ll continue tomorrow. I’m on the night shift with Group A today, everyone else should head home early.”
One by one, people began leaving the command center, their faces marked with dark circles of fatigue.
Members of Group A left for dinner, leaving Lu Shanhuai alone in the command center, intending to review the day’s investigation report.
He took a moment to send a message to Shen Zhaomu: “Brother Shen, I’ve had Behemoth transported to Kassand. He’s been in contact with the local boss there. I’ve sent you the interrogation report.”
After sending the message, he leaned back, hoping for a brief moment of rest.
But exhaustion took over, and he fell asleep.
The intense flow of information throughout the day could be draining. The association had brought in three deputy commanders. By day’s end, they were all stifling yawns.
So much had transpired in Kassand. Not to mention the ticking time bomb that was Bai Yiyi and the Audit department; there were simply too many leads related to the church. Countless pieces of data flickered across the dark blue holographic screen.
Warehouses, the Bill Hoya auction, underground boxing rings, the flower street, Kassand’s garden square, and reports from other regions too. Seemingly unrelated places all had traces of mutated beings. Unbeknownst to many, the church’s influence had quietly spread.
Beneath the surface, a vast amount of resources was in circulation. Unseen by them, every moment there was mutant blood being injected into veins, throats pulsating with each gulp, letting out sighs reminiscent of wild beasts.
To numb the soul, reshape the body, and break free from the constraints of genetics. This was the allure of the church.
Power and unending pleasure.
As illustrated in the statements of the imprisoned Behemoth and Viper.
“Do you know the feeling? Like flames burning through your veins,” Viper’s eyes were shadowed with madness and fanaticism. “You feel invincible. When I snap their bones, it feels as if my hands are submerged in hot coals.”
By contrast, Behemoth seemed less cultured. “Why would I go to underground fights? I need money. Can’t get by without it. I can’t possibly work a regular job, not in this lifetime. Don’t know how to do business, so I have to do this to survive… Hey, hey, hey, don’t leave, man. When are you letting me go?”
He ended up getting a thorough beating and was sent to Kassand, now in a relatively calm state.
Ten minutes later, the humming vibration of the terminal woke Lu Shanhuai. Groggily, he fumbled around on his desk until he managed to unlock the device.
The chat group [Brotherhood of Straights] was flashing.
Counting Sheep: “Great, Fang Qing and I got another face full of PDA today.” It was from Song Qianqian.
Yawning, Lu Shanhuai responded: “Isn’t that just an everyday occurrence now? Just from your ranting in the group chat, I can practically smell the love in the air.”
After a moment’s thought, he added: “Ever since brother Shen got a boyfriend, he’s changed. He used to never ignore my messages or block me. Now, I’ve been blacklisted just for sharing some novels.”
Counting Sheep: “People change when they fall in love. Considering brother Shen’s intelligence hasn’t dropped, he’s doing pretty well.”
Huaishan: “Maybe it has dropped. Who knows? He might stay with him even if sis-in-law turned into a dragon right before him.”
Counting Sheep: “Bold words! I’m going to tell brother Shen right now.”
Lu Shanhuai chuckled and sat up straight, preparing to get back to his paperwork.
His coffee cup was empty. Reaching out, he hesitated.
His innate intuition was blaring an alarm. An unsettling unease.
Three seconds later, a warning blared on the holographic screen.
Red lights flooded the command center, pinpointing Kassand’s northern region.
The red dot blinked frantically, ripples emanating from it.
Lu Shanhuai shot up from his seat.
This was a powerful psychic emanation from a mutant creature.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The last time such a surge occurred was when the Kraken emerged from the icy waters.
Vkfja obgwfv lc Oe Vtjctejl’r qjiwr.
Geglcu atf mjwqjluc jujlcra atf Bgjxfc, tf tjv pera pblcfv atf jrrbmljalbc. Ktbeut tf kjr j cfkylf, tf tfjgv ajifr bo atf olfgmf yjaaif. Qlat atf reqqbga bo atf jiiljcmf ubnfgcwfca, atf jrrbmljalbc vlrqjamtfv olnf lmf-ygfjxlcu rtlqr jcv oloaffc ktjilcu nfrrfir, frmbgafv ys rfnfgji kjgrtlqr. Ktf yfra tecafgr kfgf vfqibsfv, jcv bcis atfc kjr atf ifnljatjc vglnfc yjmx lcab atf lms vfqatr.
Blood had stained the icy seas. Corpses floated amidst the waves, hulls of ships battered and chipped. The eternal polar night was eerily silent.
They had never truly defeated the Kraken.
So, what could this new threat be?
Shen Zhaomu stood in the cold wind, a half-lit cigarette between his fingers.
The ember glowed in the darkness, its ashes drifting in the wind.
Before him lay the empty streets of Kassand.
Two hours had passed since he received the warning. Hunters had forcibly cleared Kassand’s northern streets, while interstellar police directed the crowds to the lower parts of Kassand. Despite their best efforts, many still remained unaware of the situation.
The technical team was trying to pinpoint the source of the psychic emanation, narrowing down the likely locations.
Such a strong and sudden psychic wave could mean the creature was preparing to attack or had just awakened from hibernation. Either way, the situation was dire.
A list of suspicious locations was sent to Shen Zhaomu.
He quickly glanced through them, noting places like the central casino, the small garden, the administrative center, and… a circus?
His thoughts lingered for a few seconds, strangely recalling the image of a four-legged lizard man jumping through fire rings.
He rubbed his temples, forcing the scary thought away.
Three minutes later, Song Qianqian and Fang Qing arrived.
Song Qianqian, with her heavy sniper rifle, looked especially grave. “Brother Shen, should we initiate a search?”
“Too few residents have evacuated. Let’s wait another half hour,” Shen Zhaomu responded. “We’ll decide then.”
Currently, various hunter squads were stationed around the northern district’s perimeter. Bai Yiyi was among them, diligently performing her duties.
Song Qianqian complained, “The interstellar police are so inefficient. After all this time, there are still so many unaware. I even saw some shops still open on my way here.”
Fang Qing added, “Can’t help it. Most of the broadcast radios and screens here have been torn down and sold for parts.”
Song Qianqian: “…”
Shen Zhaomu flicked his cigarette, casting a distant gaze at the messy streets.
Their enemy remained in the shadows.
Could such a powerful mutant beast aspire to seize the throne?
Then it would undoubtedly seek the Dragon King and perhaps awaken from its slumber for this very purpose.
The air was slightly cold, sending chills through him with each breath. He remained silent.
Over the years, he often wondered when he might finally encounter that king. Would it be today, tomorrow, or would the opportunity elude him till the end of his days? And under what circumstances would their meeting unfold?
His gaze deepened, shadows from the streets stretching towards his feet, refusing to be dispersed by any gleam of light.
An abyss. An endless abyss.
His mind was filled with the scent of blades and blood, thorny undergrowth, scattered skeletons, and the image of that four-legged lizard-man leaping through rings of fire.
A silver dragon frolicked amidst rings of dragon’s breath, leaping from left to right and back again.
It was whining and crying cutely all the while.
Shen Zhaomu: “…”
Shen Zhaomu: “…….…”
He felt his sanity waver.
Taking a deep breath, he forcefully dismissed the bizarre vision, turning to Fang Qing, “Are you sure you want to be here? You could leave, you know.”
Technically speaking, Fang Qing was no longer with the Hunter’s Association.
Fang Qing replied, “What does it matter? I’ve just developed a drug targeting exotic creatures. It’s the perfect opportunity to test it.” He patted the double-barreled weapon in his hand, loaded with specialized ammunition designed in powder and liquid form. “My darling can’t wait any longer. I wonder which cutie’s mouth will get a taste of this tonight.”
Shen Zhaomu raised an eyebrow, “Don’t you find what you just said a bit…odd?”
Fang Qing, pausing: “…Perhaps.”
“Let’s head in that direction,” Shen Zhaomu gestured, “It’s closer to the central casino.”
The trio melted into the profound night.
In the distance, numerous teams stood ready, their psychic energies blending like a vast ocean. Despite their limited personal gear, reinforcements armed with lightsabers, heavy blast shields, and exoskeleton armor arrived silently aboard flying vehicles.
The emblem of crossed blades enveloped in thorns adorned their uniforms.
Heart rates quickened and breathing became rapid as they viewed changing data in their tactical scopes.
They were prepared to lay down their lives—a vow made upon entering the Hunter’s Association. They would forever guard the alliance from intruders and uphold the universe’s civilization and order.
From the blood-drenched icy seas of the past to today, their commitment remained unchanged.
Xu Jing leaned against a corner.
His temples throbbed, and in the surrounding silence, he could hear the loud, clear rhythm of his heart—
Too loud. He feared it would give him away.
Zhou Xin stood beside him, her black hair matted to her cheeks with sweat, clad in a lightweight exoskeleton like his.
With a forced smile, she asked Xu Jing, “Do you think we’ve lost him?”
“P-Probably,” he panted, “We’ve run far.” Recovering slightly, he whispered, “It’s all your fault, coming to a place like this. Didn’t I warn you? Hardly anyone dares take jobs from ‘the boss’.”
“You didn’t exactly object,” she retorted, “Who could have guessed he’d be mad enough to awaken an exotic creature?”
They were interstellar mercenaries, hired by an individual who only referred to himself as “the boss.”
Their team consisted of others, but they were now out of contact.
Remembering this, Xu Jing’s face paled, “So, what did we wake up?”
“Let’s not think about it,” Zhou Xin breathed, “The exit is right ahead.”
They were in the underbelly of Kassand, navigating a construction site littered with exposed pipes and cables. Beyond the caution tape lay an underground market street, leading to the outside world and safety.
They treaded cautiously.
“Wait,” Zhou Xin suddenly uttered, “I think I’ve seen that toy before.”
She pointed to the ground among the debris, where a chipped red and white wind-up toy lay—a monkey music box, its brown fur stained, holding a pair of cymbals.
“You’re seeing things,” Xu Jing was eager to move on, “Let’s keep going.”
Minutes later, Zhou Xin whispered, “I…I saw it again.”
This time, the music box was directly in their path.
Xu Jing turned to look back, but the earlier music box had vanished.
The color drained from Zhou Xin’s face.
Rounding another corner, they quickened their pace. “We’re almost there,” Xu Jing murmured.
But to their horror, the monkey music box appeared yet again.
Zhou Xin screamed and ran haphazardly. Xu Jing, unsure of what was happening, tried to follow, shouting, “Slow down! You’re making too much noise!”
The two ran in desperation, the clang of their exoskeleton echoing in the emptiness.
The entrance to the market street finally came into view.
But contrary to their expectations, it was deserted—
Unbeknownst to them, the Hunter’s Association had evacuated everyone.
Zhou Xin halted in despair, and Xu Jing finally caught up. “What’s wrong with you?”
The music box had vanished from his shoulder.
“It…it was on you,” she stammered.
Xu Jing’s eyes widened in fear, but he tried to stay calm, “Let’s keep moving. We’re almost out.”
They ventured into the quiet market, wary of every shadow.
Then, two figures emerged, standing before a nighttime food stall.
With an air of caution and a hint of suspicion, Zhou Xin sized up the pair, relieved to confirm that they were ordinary people. She silently vowed that she’d never been this ecstatic to see residents of Kassand before.
She discreetly tugged at Xu Jing, suggesting, “Should we approach them?”
“Why? We need to make a hasty exit,” he responded.
“The exit is still some distance away,” Zhou Xin whispered, a mischievous glint of a seasoned mercenary dancing in her eyes. “In a tight spot, we could use them as a distraction to buy us some time.”
“Ah, always the strategist,” Xu Jing nodded in agreement. “Let’s approach them then. Although, I wonder who they are. They aren’t hunters or interstellar police, are they?”
“Who cares who they are?” Zhou Xin had already started moving towards them. “Whatever they are, they couldn’t be more terrifying than what’s tailing us, right?”
Collecting herself and putting on a charming smile, she greeted, “Hello there! What brings you two to this desolate spot?”
Before her stood Long Shiyu and Will, their faces tinged with disappointment for missing out on their late-night snack.
Author’s Note:
One cutesy sob a daily: 0/1
Xu Jing & Zhou Xin: Danger!
The monkey music box is based on Phantom of the Opera. This story won’t have any supernatural elements! There’s a dragon frolicking in Brother Shen’s head today~
The dragon king of your ideals: Big, rugged, strong, rawrrrr!
The actual dragon king: “four-legged lizard-man leaping through rings of fire”, cutesy sob!, cute
Hahahahha, and he’s out and about again in search of more food 🤣 this definitely won’t cause any complications 🤣🤣