“Hey, hey, wait up, Xiao Bai. You’re supposed to be the best at counter-reconnaissance. Did you get spotted?”
Meng Qinghuan couldn't quite believe it. Not only Bai Cha, but he himself also possessed top-tier counter-reconnaissance skills. How could neither of them have noticed anything?
“Let’s think differently. Perhaps our observers aren’t people, or these cameras,” Bai Cha shrugged, her gaze already fixed on the massive, abandoned hospital that served as the haunted house.
“Although we have research divisions, our research direction is completely different from that of the Guangming faction. It’s hard to say what exactly they’ve dug up,” Bai Cha pressed her communicator, a hint of annoyance in her tone.
The Neutral faction was the nation’s brain, the Yingzi faction was the nation’s weapon. Even if they had research divisions, it was for weapons, enhancing human endurance, and improving human physical functions – essentially, creating warriors.
The Guangming faction, however, was the nation’s eyes. Whether it was cameras, public welfare facilities, or even cars, spaceships, healing capsules, and time capsules, they were all controlled by the Guangming faction. No matter how capable Bai Cha was, she wouldn't pit her weaknesses against someone else’s strengths.
However, what did bring Bai Cha some comfort were the reaction speeds of Yun He and Cang Liu. While she didn’t know what Yun He had done, ensuring the communicator wasn’t damaged was undoubtedly the correct choice. And Cang Liu throwing the communicator into the middle of the road was also leaving a significant trace, allowing people to detect something was wrong more quickly.
They were rookies, but they’d done well.
“Alright Qinghuan, I have to go. I’ll likely be out of contact from now on,” Bai Cha said with a smile. “As my designated successor, don’t rely on me too much.”
“Got it, got it~” Meng Qinghuan stretched lazily and mumbled.
“Lucifer, stay within one meter to my right and don’t leave my side,” Bai Cha instructed.
Lucifer nodded, bowed slightly, executing a perfect gentleman’s bow, and replied with a gentle voice, “Yes, my master.”
The environment was dark and damp. Even for a haunted house, this level of humidity and darkness was excessive. Not only was the path underfoot obscured, but even extending a hand couldn’t pierce the gloom. Bai Cha and Lucifer made no attempt to hide the sound of their footsteps as they walked unhurriedly down the wide corridor.
For a haunted house, the facilities here were remarkably complete: patient rooms, graveyards, abandoned classrooms, rusty elevators… all sorts of dark places were contained within this single building. Bai Cha was visiting a haunted house for the first time.
“Is this a haunted house?” Bai Cha asked, looking around curiously as she walked. “I don’t see any ghosts they talked about. I remember this place is usually where players come for thrills.”
“Yes, Master. These dark places are rumored to have supernatural ghost stories. Combined with the dark environment, it can instill fear and terror in ordinary people,” Lucifer explained patiently. “Although it’s common for us, it’s frightening enough for ordinary people. Many people want to experience it.”
“Is feeling fear interesting?” Bai Cha tapped her chin, pondering for a long time. “Experiencing the feeling of being scared?”
She had trained herself in terrifying environments since childhood. Why didn’t she find any thrill or pleasure in feeling scared?
“We cannot be compared to ordinary people, my Master,” Lucifer said with a helpless smile. “We could genuinely die, while they know they won’t die, so they come seeking amusement.”
“Uh…” Bai Cha blinked, feeling like she understood a little.
Suddenly, Bai Cha stopped, her expression darkening as she looked around.
“So impatient,” Bai Cha snorted coldly.
A gust of wind swept through, and a dark figure lunged towards Bai Cha like a sharp sword. However, when it was still a meter away, a strong palm grabbed its neck.
Or rather, what seemed to be its neck. This dark figure could hardly be called human. It had a human shape but was like a swamp, flaccid and boneless.
It was more like a giant blob of snot.
Bai Cha wrinkled her nose in disgust, clearly repulsed. Lucifer’s expression also soured, and he immediately conjured a fire, burning the flaccid entity to ashes.
“It doesn’t seem to be human. Would Long Huo have something so disgusting?” Bai Cha clicked her tongue twice in disgust. “I’ll handle the next one.”
“Yes, Master.” Lucifer stepped back two paces, paused, and then couldn't help but remind her, “As far as I know, at least among the Evil Dragons, none possess such abilities.”
This peculiar and exceptionally dark ability was something Lucifer had no recollection of among Evil Dragons, let alone normal dragons. If such a disgusting skill truly existed, its reputation would have spread far and wide by now.
At least, Lucifer would rather be besieged by those Holy Ancestor Dragons than fight this viscous, phlegm-like creature.
Indeed, there was more than one dark figure. As the first one was incinerated by Lucifer, another figure rapidly approached from Bai Cha’s left. It was still that strange shape, but this time it at least resembled a human form.
Bai Cha took out a dagger and lightly pricked her finger. A drop of bright red blood immediately appeared, hovering at her fingertip. Bai Cha stepped back half a pace, aimed, and flicked her finger at the dark figure’s head-like area.
“Chain Destruction,” Bai Cha murmured softly.
As Bai Cha’s energy circulated, the blood drop began to glow brilliantly. In an instant, it pierced through the head of the sticky, dark figure. Faintly, a muffled groan could be heard from a nearby corner.
In the dark corner, Bei Yinxing clutched her head, feeling as if a steel needle had just stabbed it. Her throat constricted, but her endurance had always been excellent. She only gasped twice, not making a sound.
“So tenacious.”
The indifferent voice was pleasant to the ear, but to Bei Yinxing, it conveyed an unprecedented level of terror. Her vision blurred slightly. She reached up to wipe her eyes, only to find blood. She was actually bleeding from all seven orifices.
What terrified Bei Yinxing even more was the slender, icy hand on her shoulder. Just one hand was enough to paralyze her.
“Hmm? A reinforced body?” Bai Cha asked in surprise, squeezing the shoulder of this long-haired woman. “It doesn’t seem like conventional reinforcement. Is it some personal method?”
This woman appeared to be no older than twenty. Her muscle density was comparable to that of a special forces soldier who trained rigorously every day. By touch, she might even be stronger. However, the energy resonance from beneath her muscles was abnormal, unstable, and filled with strangeness.
It was somewhat similar to her own power.
“Impossible! How did you find me!” Bei Yinxing exclaimed in shock, looking at the girl so close to her. “No, how are you so fast!”
She and Bai Cha were dozens of meters apart in this corridor. How could Bai Cha have appeared behind her the instant she made a sound?
“Don’t be so surprised. If you’re like this, it’ll make me anticipate that the rest will be boring. After all, in the face of absolute power, all impossibilities become possible,” Bai Cha said with a light laugh, exerting a little more force with her arm, pressing the woman in her grasp to the ground.
“You know this person, don’t you?” Bai Cha deactivated the protection mode on the tablet, revealing two screens that appeared before Bei Yinxing. “One is called Nan Youli, and the other is Xi Yayan. And you, what’s your name?”
The images on the screen were ultra-clear. Every drop of blood, every wound, every exposed piece of flesh could be seen clearly. The contorted faces, the horrifying injuries, and the limbs bent at grotesque angles were all exposed before Bei Yinxing.
“Bastard! You bastard! How could you do this! You—Youli! Xi Yayan!” Bei Yinxing’s eyes blazed with fury, struggling desperately, but Bai Cha had a foot on her back, rendering her powerless.
“Oh? So you actually care about your companions? That makes things easier,” Bai Cha’s voice was low, a playful smile appearing on her lips. She lightly tapped the screen above. “If you don’t want to hear your companions scream, how about answering my questions?”
“Are you even human! Bastard! You…” Bei Yinxing tried to curse further, but Bai Cha directly slammed her head down. The sharp pain in her jaw felt like a fracture. The intense impact between her teeth made her vision swim.
“Shhh—You’re a bit too noisy for a captive,” Bai Cha said with a smile, pointing to the screen on the left. Her voice was laced with teasing and melody. “How about we start with an entomology lesson first?”
“Cockroaches bite, for example, they bite human skin, hair, and other parts. The softer ones are particularly favored by cockroaches. Cockroaches contain a large number of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. If you are bitten by a cockroach, you are likely to have an allergic reaction, and in severe cases, it can induce asthma,” Bai Cha said, pointing to Nan Youli on the left screen, who was barely clinging to life.
Standing beside Nan Youli was a sickly-looking young man with vacant eyes. His naturally curly wool hair framed his face, making him appear frail and docile.
“Let me introduce you. This is Xiang Nan from the Xiang family. As a subordinate of Tu Guangshao, I’m sure you’ve heard of Xiang Nan’s name,” Bai Cha sighed. “Would you prefer her to be gnawed by cockroaches or to answer my questions? Choose one.”
“Don’t, don’t touch Youli! If you have the guts, come at me!” Bei Yinxing roared.
“I’m well aware of my own limitations. I never overestimate myself. How could I have the guts? I’m just a frail woman,” Bai Cha asked with a smile, posing her first question. “Let’s start with your name and any superiors or companions you might have.”
A frail woman? Could a frail woman do these things? Bei Yinxing was truly enraged, but looking at the half-dead Nan Youli and Xi Yayan, she finally trembled and spoke, “I… my name is Bei Yinxing. I have another companion named Dong Zhengxun, he’s a male. Our masters are Tu Guangshao and Tu Guangrao. We were just following orders. I’ve told you everything, now release them!”
“Tsk, whether you’re done or not isn’t for you to decide, missy,” Bai Cha said, shaking her head. The dim light on the screen cast an unusually sinister shadow on Bai Cha’s face. The gentler Bai Cha’s smile became, the more terrified Bei Yinxing felt. She couldn’t understand how someone could smile so gently when faced with such terrifying and cruel acts.
“Are you Dragon Knights? Your powers seem different from Dragon Knights,” Bai Cha continued to ask. “Oh, right, a reminder, I’ll be verifying all your answers. If there are any discrepancies, you and your companions will suffer together.”
“This is unfair victory! You’re a scumbag!” Bei Yinxing roared furiously. “Is your heart black? How can you be so cruel? If you have the guts, kill me.”
Unfair victory? I don’t see you breaking free from me, do you? Bai Cha found it amusing.
Bei Yinxing’s angry curses only made Bai Cha calmer, and her amusement grew. She tried to provoke Bai Cha to find a flaw, but Bai Cha always appeared leisurely, her smile growing increasingly evident.
“Yes, black. You’re just realizing that now?” Bai Cha actually burst into laughter this time. She leaned down and stroked Bei Yinxing’s face, seemingly in a good mood. “How can you think of me as a righteous character? Little Bei, I’m a villain. Of course, my heart is black.
Those who play mind games have dirty hearts, and those who use dark methods are scumbags. The darkness in this world is a dirty game, and I am a dirty player.”