How could Ou Xiangrong show up at Songhai University? And together with Xu Yingying?
How did he dare appear at Songhai University when he was actively wanted by the official organization? Was it confidence born of skill, or was he out of his mind?
Tensing all over, Zhang Yuanqing stopped in his tracks and said to his classmates, "You guys head up first. I need to make a call."
*Call in reinforcements first.*
Walking to the curb, he pulled out his phone and dialed Li Dongze's number.
"Sorry, the number you dialed is turned off."
An automated voice informed him that the phone was powered down.
He then dialed Guan Ya's mobile, but it was turned off as well.
*In a meeting? Deploying an operation? Or lying in ambush near Songhai University right now?* Various guesses flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind.
If it was the latter, there would be nothing for him to do. But if they were unreachable because of a meeting, Ou Xiangrong, as a wanted criminal, wouldn't linger at Songhai University for long. Missing this chance would be a terrible waste.
At that thought, Zhang Yuanqing opened his contacts and dialed Wang Tai's number.
Thanks to his social habits, he had saved Wang Tai's phone number as well, even though this good brother was taciturn, disliked communicating, and always wore a micro-expression screaming "piss off and leave me alone" whenever anyone struck up a conversation.
"What is it?" Wang Tai's listless voice came through the speaker.
"I saw Ou Xiangrong—the murderer who killed Zhao Yingjun. You know about that case, right?"
"Yeah. But why are you contacting me? You should contact the Decurion." Wang Tai's tone was as calm as ever.
*Shouldn't you say something like "Holy shit, badass"? You're way too calm!*
Grumbling internally, Zhang Yuanqing said, "I can't get in touch with the Decurion or the veteran lady driver."
"Who's the veteran lady driver?"
"Not the point." Zhang Yuanqing gave a brief rundown of the situation and asked, "Can you contact Spirit Realm walkers from other squads?"
"I can." Wang Tai clicked away on his keyboard with a clatter, saying, "I pulled up the case file on Zhao Yingjun. He kept many female college students as mistresses, and one of them is from your school, named Xu Yingying. Based on what you reported, I guess he wants to find a breakthrough via the women in Zhao Yingjun's life."
*So Xu Yingying's sugar daddy was Zhao Yingjun. No wonder peacekeepers came looking for her yesterday...* Understanding dawned upon Zhang Yuanqing.
Wang Tai continued, "Ou Xiangrong, Level 3 Bewitching Demon, bearing evil power. He was heavily injured in yesterday's encirclement, and his danger level has dropped significantly, but he is still not someone you can contend with.
"I analyzed the situation for you. The proper course of action is to keep an eye on him and wait for official reinforcements. You can use your Night Walk skill to harass him moderately, but don't engage in a protracted fight, or you'll die a miserable death."
*He might be bad at socializing, but he's quite dependable when getting things done.* Pretending to look at the surrounding scenery, Zhang Yuanqing trailed Ou Xiangrong and Xu Yingying from a distance, using the flow of pedestrians as cover.
"I couldn't reach the Decurion or Sister Guan Ya. Are they deployed near Songhai University?" Zhang Yuanqing asked expectantly.
"No. Xu Yingying is just an ordinary college girl; she has no value. This Ou Xiangrong... his mental state is already somewhat abnormal," Wang Tai said. "That female classmate of yours is dead meat."
Given Ou Xiangrong's cruelty, he would definitely leave no survivors.
Just then, Zhang Yuanqing saw Ou Xiangrong "embracing" Xu Yingying as they entered the multi-purpose building's underground parking garage.
The two descended along the steep ramp and vanished from sight.
"They've gone into the garage. Gotta go. Notify members of the other squads as soon as possible."
Without waiting for a reply, Zhang Yuanqing hung up.
This area was secluded. He could no longer use pedestrians as a shield; following them into the underground garage would definitely get him noticed.
Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds, took off his backpack, and tossed it into the roadside greenbelt. Then, channeling the Lunar force within his body, an illusory black mist burst forth with a soft bang, forcibly erasing his figure.
Having activated Night Walk, he sprinted into the underground parking garage.
With the red dancing shoes and his Night Walk skill, even if he couldn't beat Ou Xiangrong, escaping would be no problem.
So it was worth the risk.
Even though Xu Yingying was a materialistic, snobbish woman, she was a living human being nonetheless.
Where it lay within his power, Zhang Yuanqing wouldn't stand by and let someone die. Besides, with a lunatic like Ou Xiangrong, the sooner he was dealt with, the sooner everyone could have peace.
He didn't need to deliberately muffle his footsteps, because the Night Walk state concealed any sounds he made and even masked his body heat.
Just as he dashed into the underground parking garage, he heard Xu Yingying's trembling, tearful voice:
"I—I don't know where the thing you're looking for is! I only stayed with Zhao Yingjun for his money! He gave me twenty thousand a month, so I became his girlfriend—"
*Tw-twenty thousand? My salary before becoming a regular employee is only twenty thousand a month! Your money is way too easy to earn...*
Zhang Yuanqing looked toward the sound. Beside the rear of a black sedan, up against the wall, Xu Yingying stood pressed against the concrete in terror, while Ou Xiangrong stood at her side holding a knife.
"Don't tell me you don't know. Don't tell me you don't know..."
Ou Xiangrong's eyes were ferocious as he growled with neurotic intensity.
"I'll give you one last chance. Did Zhao Yingjun ever disclose any information about the Holy Grail or the roster to you?"
"I... I really don't know what you're talking about..." Xu Yingying's eyes were rimmed in red, large teardrops rolling down her cheeks.
Ou Xiangrong fell silent for a few seconds, a weary sigh echoing through the underground garage.
A scarlet light ignited in his pupils. The expression beneath his face mask turned warped and manic, tinged with neurotic madness, as he muttered, "I gave you a chance, but you proved useless. I gave you a chance, but you proved useless..."
Ou Xiangrong's calloused hand clamped around Xu Yingying's fair neck, and his thick, muscular arm hoisted her off the ground. Her face instantly flushed crimson, then deepened to purple, her legs flailing frantically, the whites of her eyes rolling up.
A grin of sadistic delight spread across Ou Xiangrong's face. He brought up the tip of his blade and pressed it against her chest.
Just as he was about to drive the blade into her heart, the Bewitching Demon's instincts suddenly transmitted a signal of grave danger, making the fine hairs on the back of his hand stand on end.
There was no one nearby, nor was there any movement or abnormality.
Yet he felt a chill deep in his soul. An unpredictable danger was closing in, enveloping him.
*A Spirit Realm walker!*
Rich in combat experience, Ou Xiangrong immediately realized he was under attack by a Spirit Realm walker. Gripping Xu Yingying's neck, guided purely by instinct, he hurled her violently behind him.
Thud! Xu Yingying crashed heavily to the ground, rolled several meters, and passed out cold.
Seeing that the assailant made no move to save the woman, Ou Xiangrong took rapid steps backward, slashing forward with his yanagiba at the same time.
The sharp blade carved a brilliant arc of white light through the air. A sharp clink rang out from the empty space before him, sending blinding sparks flying.
He had struck the enemy's weapon.
Relying on the tactile feedback of the clash, Ou Xiangrong determined the enemy's position. The muscles in his legs bulged instantly, and like a coiled spring, he bent his knees and launched into a flying knee strike.
With a dull thud, Ou Xiangrong felt a solid impact against his knees, accompanied by a muffled grunt from the ambusher.
Immediately after, a figure flew out of thin air—a young college student dressed in sweatpants and a baseball jacket, with handsome features and a sunny demeanor, clutching a half-arm-length brass pestle in his hand.
"A Night Wanderer?"
In an instant, Ou Xiangrong understood. He understood why last night's raid had arrived so swiftly.
He understood who had triggered that encirclement that had nearly cost him his life.
His unstable mental state exacerbated by injury, vicious hatred flashed through his eyes, igniting intense bloodlust and a craving for revenge against this Night Wanderer before him.
Gripping the yanagiba, Ou Xiangrong leaped into the air. His immense leaping power carried him over a dozen meters as he pounced ferociously toward the student still rolling across the floor.
His fierce aura was like that of a human tyrannosaur.
Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing nearly yelled, *Sorry to bother you! Spare my life, hero!*
He didn't attempt to scramble up; instead, he rode his momentum and continued to roll, simultaneously channeling the Lunar force to enter Night Walk once more.
As he rolled, he vanished abruptly from Ou Xiangrong's sight. The Bewitching Demon lost his target.
Having dodged the lethal pounce, Zhang Yuanqing, still invisible, hunched low and sprinted toward a white car on the left, slumping against a tire and panting heavily.
That flying knee earlier had nearly stopped his heart.
*Damn, that hurt...*
The pain in his chest turned his face pale, every breath sending a sharp sting through his ribs. Fortunately, a Night Wanderer possessed immense vitality and substantial self-healing ability; an injury of this degree would subside quickly.
Even so, from that brief clash, Zhang Yuanqing recognized the vast chasm between their strengths.
This Bewitching Demon possessed sharp intuition, rich combat experience, and terrifying physical might; he clearly belonged to a close-combat class.
Right then, he heard a heavy thump as Ou Xiangrong leaped onto the roof of a black sedan several meters away.
Ou Xiangrong's ruthless gaze swept across the underground garage, his voice cold and menacing:
"A Night Wanderer from the Taiyi Sect shouldn't be in Songhai. Are you a Night Wanderer of the Five Elements Alliance?
"Hmph. A mere Level 1 Night Wanderer dares ambush me? Let me think... a Level 1 Night Walk skill grants invisibility for no more than twenty seconds. How long can you hide?"
Ou Xiangrong was certain the opponent was a Level 1 Night Wanderer. Had he been Level 2, Ou Xiangrong wouldn't have gained the upper hand so easily in that brief exchange.
And if he were Level 3, Ou Xiangrong would be the one fleeing right now.
Heavily wounded and weakened, he stood no chance against a Night Wanderer of the same level; Night Wanderers, just like Bewitching Demons, were a top-tier profession.
*Twenty seconds? You flatter me way too much. I only have ten seconds at best...* Crouched beside the car tire, Zhang Yuanqing held his breath.
*This guy is ridiculously strong, and he hasn't even used any Bewitching Demon skills yet. Let me think about what a Bewitching Demon can do...*
He recalled the intelligence on Bewitching Demons from the official forum.
At the Transcendent stage, this evil profession possessed formidable close-quarters combat prowess. After killing someone, they would enter a berserk state, elevating their combat capability to another level.
Furthermore, once a battle began, a Bewitching Demon could mark their opponent through special means; even if the prey escaped, they would pursue relentlessly without giving up.
Finally, there was their core Transcendent ability—Bewitchment!
Bewitchment was an active mind-control skill. Combined with overwhelming close-quarters combat prowess, it was virtually unstoppable.
At that moment, the ten seconds expired, and his silhouette re-emerged into view.
In the very next instant, a howling wind tore through the air right beside his ear. Zhang Yuanqing's heart seized. Knowing that Ou Xiangrong's attack had arrived, he didn't even dare look; he dived forward, rolled across the floor, and vanished into invisibility once again.
Crash!
The side of the white car was kicked in with a deep dent by a whip kick, setting off a shrill, piercing alarm.
Ou Xiangrong's eyes swept coldly over the surroundings. Maintaining his guard, he tried to provoke his opponent with words:
"Judging by your looks, you're a student at Songhai University, aren't you? Don't you know that for Spirit Realm walkers, exposing your identity means bringing disaster upon your family? Now that I know you're a student, I can spend some time tracking you down slowly, kill you, and then wipe out your entire family."
Having said this, Ou Xiangrong tightened his grip on the yanagiba, silently counting down in his head as he waited for the rookie to reappear or attack.
*Madman...* Zhang Yuanqing's heart sank.
Although he knew the other man was attempting to provoke him, he couldn't deny that he was genuinely angered—and deeply wary.
Hidden behind the rear of another car, Zhang Yuanqing's mind raced as he deliberated on a battle plan.
*This guy's instincts are terrifying. If I can't land an instant kill, I shouldn't risk another sneak attack. But I can't stay hidden forever either. My stamina can only support two more uses of Night Walk at most, after which I'll have no choice but to flee, and official backup can't possibly arrive so quickly.*
*If I let him get away, Grandma and the rest of my family will be in grave danger.*
*As for the Bewitching Demon's three skills—Berserk, Mark, and Bewitchment: the first doesn't matter unless he kills someone. As for the second, I've most likely already been marked, but Night Walk can block his senses.*
*What I truly need to fear is his close-quarters combat ability and that Bewitchment skill. Ah, if only it were nighttime right now...*
As thoughts flickered through his mind, Zhang Yuanqing forged a plan.
He would let the red dancing shoes serve as the main offensive force while its useless master assisted from the sidelines, waiting for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack.
This happened to be a good chance to test the combat capability of this rule-based item.
Thud! Ou Xiangrong leaped onto another car roof, looking down across the underground garage from his vantage point.
Counting down the seconds as he waited for his foe to slip out of the Night Walk state, he suddenly heard an eerie tapping sound behind him.
The sudden sound of steps echoed through the vacant garage, sending a jolt through even the seasoned Ou Xiangrong. By conditioned reflex, he spun around with knife in hand, dropping into a defensive stance.
Then, he saw the source of the uncanny tapping.
It was a brand-new pair of Western-style red dancing shoes. Three meters away, in the quiet, cavernous space, they rose and fell, as if an invisible person were wearing them and marking time in place.
The eerie, ghastly scene would have made an ordinary person's legs turn to jelly and scream in terror.
*A supernatural item?*
The moment Ou Xiangrong laid eyes on the red dancing shoes, a prompt appeared in his line of sight:
[Would you like to dance with me? If so, please march in place.]
Chapter 29