In the spacious warehouse, Wen Wen sat reclined in a rocking chair, eyes closed, with a black alarm clock placed on the floor beside him.
Originally, this warehouse had been used to temporarily store toilet paper. But recently, the citizens of Shenchuan City had gone mad, hoarding toilet paper like their lives depended on it, leaving the warehouse empty.
One by one, the voters were brought in by bats, yet Wen Wen didn’t spare them a glance.
He had seen them all before—there was nothing new about them to pique his interest.
The woman in the bathrobe blushed slightly as she stole glances at Wen Wen. *So vampires really are this handsome… Will something happen between us later?*
*Hmm…*
When his eyes were closed, no one could tell they were a little small.
The intensity of her gaze made Wen Wen crack an eyelid to look at her. His fingers twitched a few times before he settled back into his relaxed state.
He *was* curious about whether she wore anything under that bathrobe. But with so many people around, he couldn’t bring himself to check.
To these voters, Wen Wen was an enigma.
Clad in a black trench coat, a gun holster faintly visible at his waist, he exuded an indescribable aura of cold intensity. Most importantly—some of them had seen him *yesterday*.
So despite their burning questions, no one dared to ask him what was happening.
Because they strongly suspected *he* was the one who had brought them here.
And their suspicions were *correct*.
Tao Qingqing worked efficiently. Before 11 p.m., she had delivered all **twenty-one** individuals to the warehouse.
Why twenty-one? Because Wen Wen had released **Cai Wenshang** back into the group.
By observing who the resentment targeted first, he could deduce its pattern of behavior.
If Cai Wenshang remained unharmed, it would mean disrupting the order could hinder the resentment’s progress. Finding the **last voter** would solve the problem.
But if Cai Wenshang died first… well, Wen Wen would have to consider other methods.
Once everyone was gathered, Wen Wen remained silent. A swarm of small bats flew behind him, coalescing into Tao Qingqing’s form as she began massaging his shoulders.
At first, the voters were tense. But when they realized Wen Wen and Tao Qingqing paid them no mind, they tried to escape.
The moment they attempted to flee, bats blocked their path, and an oppressive terror filled the warehouse.
***"You… are doomed to die!"***
The sudden declaration made all twenty-one voters—including Cai Wenshang—shudder.
Wen Wen pressed the alarm clock, smiling faintly. *"Sorry, that was just my alarm."*
Relief washed over them—until Wen Wen added, *"But in five minutes, it’ll be midnight. And any of you could die at any moment…"*
Dead silence.
The voters turned pale. They had known death was possible when they saw the black marks on their hands. But hearing it from Wen Wen’s lips struck like a hammer blow.
*"I’ll teach you some ways to save yourselves. But if those methods fail, I won’t intervene. Because saving you would mean condemning others to die sooner."*
The voters erupted in protest:
*"We’re right here! Of course you should save us first!"*
*"How do you know others will die if we live—"*
Tao Qingqing’s body flared with crimson energy, instantly silencing them.
*"Shut up. You don’t get to negotiate."*
Wen Wen patted her hand, signaling her to stand down.
*"Your deaths will likely look like accidents. That’s why I’ve gathered you in this empty warehouse—there’s nothing here to kill you by ‘accident.’ And I doubt the resentment can drop a meteor on your heads."*
*"Also, later, all of you will kneel and apologize—loudly. Your apologies are for the people you’ve hurt with your irresponsible words online. The more heartfelt, the better. If necessary, self-harm as penance."*
*"If you refuse… I’ll give you a ‘surprise.’"*
The apology method had been suggested by another demon hunter. At its core, the real threat was the **resentment**. Resolve that, and the calamity would dissipate.
But dissolving such resentment wouldn’t be easy. Wen Wen was only testing a theory.
As the clock struck midnight, Wen Wen’s eyes snapped open, fixed on the voters. They exchanged nervous glances—only **Cai Wenshang** dropped to his knees immediately, the others still confused.
So Wen Wen pulled out a submachine gun and fired a burst into the empty space.
*"Five seconds. Anyone still standing—"*
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
All twenty-one voters hit the floor.
Cai Wenshang knelt the most properly, loudly chanting apologies. The others, though reluctant, followed suit under the threat of Wen Wen’s gun.
Then Wen Wen stepped back, vanishing into the shadows of the warehouse corner.
The voters’ apologies grew louder, their emotions intensifying.
Earlier, Wen Wen had slipped a small **bone tablet** into Cai Wenshang’s clothes. Etched with a tiny array, it amplified his emotional influence on the others.
The design wasn’t complex—just an inspired creation after studying the massive rune.
But the ability to tailor an array for a specific need marked a leap from theory to practical application.
From today onward, the runic knowledge Wen Wen had painstakingly studied could be *used*, not just memorized.
Amid the chaos, a shadowy hourglass materialized in the air.
Then a monster—covered in faces—appeared in the warehouse.
It was **Ning Zhewan**, the creature who had escaped Wen Wen earlier.
He scuttled rapidly between the twenty-one voters. At the sight of him, their legs gave out, and their apologies turned desperate.
But the more Ning Zhewan moved, the more uncertain he became.
He wasn’t *just* a monster driven by resentment. Seeing this scene stirred something in him.
*They’re all apologizing. They know they were wrong. They just liked to spout nonsense online—they might not have truly participated in the violence. Do they really deserve to die?*
*"As I thought… You’re not as resolute as you pretend."*
Wen Wen reappeared beside Ning Zhewan, holding a cup of steaming milk tea.