Retaliation

A face condensed from bloody mist hovered above the bowl's rim, wispy and undulating. It asked, "How did you come to know him?" Human Blood Bun immediately recounted in full detail to President Gu King how he had crossed paths with Kou Beiyue, delivered food alongside him, and brought him to the summit. "Yesterday, while he went inside a building to deliver takeout, I slipped a tracker onto his electric scooter. I've already pinpointed his hiding spot—it's on the outskirts of Jinshan City, a place called Wuhen Hotel." After finishing, Human Blood Bun offered his own take. "Beiyue... No, since Kou Beiyue works for Yuanshi Tianzun, his true purpose in getting close to me might be targeting you, President." The misty bloody face replied in a measured cadence, "Yuanshi Tianzun is not yet qualified to challenge me. If he intended to find me through you, you wouldn't be able to contact me right now." Human Blood Bun prostrated himself on the floor. "That is precisely what your subordinate could not figure out. As for how Kou Beiyue should be handled, I await your decision, President." The bloody face pondered for a few seconds before asking, "What is Kou Beiyue's disposition and character like?" Though he didn't understand why the President cared about the moral fiber of a nobody, Human Blood Bun still answered without hesitation, "He likes to brag, is overly naive, not particularly sharp, and lacks worldly experience. He resembles a Fire Master more than a Bewitching Demon. He's combative, but neither bloodthirsty nor cruel; I haven't seen him kill anyone so far. Hanging out with him is straightforward and actually quite relaxing." The bloody face let out a soft scoff, impossible to tell whether it was mocking or teasing. "You seem quite fond of him." Human Blood Bun jolted in fright, hastily pledging his loyalty. "Your subordinate is utterly loyal to you, President! If you want Kou Beiyue dead, I will take men over to slaughter him today!" This time, the bloody face's tone turned into genuine mockery. "Marching to your death is more like it. I know whose man Kou Beiyue is now. It's hardly surprising that someone under him would associate with the orthodox classes." *His man? Does the President mean Kou Beiyue has another backer behind him?* The President didn't elaborate, and Human Blood Bun didn't dare pry. He asked, "Then... how should Kou Beiyue be dealt with? Should I continue pretending to play along with him?" The bloody face drifted and swirled gently, seemingly in thought, before speaking slowly, "Lust of the Soldier Master sect ran rampant with women in Songhai, and the Five Elements Alliance raided his base. Lust Divine General values lust above his own life and has a vindictive streak. He will never swallow this humiliation; he is bound to retaliate against the Five Elements Alliance. We might as well add fuel to the fire and leak the news of Kou Beiyue hiding at Wuhen Hotel in Jinshan City to Lust Divine General." *Everyone knows now that Kou Beiyue is Yuanshi Tianzun's lackey. The President's move is driving a tiger to devour a wolf—pitting Lust Divine General against Yuanshi Tianzun... If Lust wants revenge on the Songhai branch, targeting Yuanshi Tianzun is undoubtedly the best choice. After all, that fellow is the branch's prized gem—important enough, yet unlike Fu Qingyang, not impossibly invincible. Wait, no. Kou Beiyue has someone else behind him. The President is shooting three birds with one stone! It's hard to tell whether the President wants Yuanshi Tianzun dead, or Lust Divine General dead...* *** Songhai suburbs, Tengyun Villas. A white sedan drove smoothly into the villa community, cruising along the main road for a moment before turning left onto a side lane, finally pulling into a villa with a courtyard. The car stopped, its engine cut, and two men stepped out of the luxury vehicle worth a million yuan: a portly middle-aged man in a sharp suit and leather shoes, and a sharp-eyed young man wearing a flat cap and a face mask. Carrying assorted bags of supplies, the pair locked the doors and went inside. After putting away the daily provisions, the chubby middle-aged man remained downstairs while the youth in the cap ascended the staircase to the second floor and knocked on the master bedroom door. "Enter!" A voice laced with gloom came from within. The youth pushed open the door. The master bedroom was vast, featuring an adjoining parlor furnished with a wine cabinet, a coffee table, a television, and other amenities. On the sofa facing the television, an emaciated, dark-skinned middle-aged man in a silk bathrobe, his hairy legs bare, was engrossed in the news. It was none other than Lust Divine General. Snuggled beside him was an alluring young woman, her eyes languid with affection and her cheeks flushed rosy, looking as though she had just received his favors. Lust Divine General patted her cheek and said, "Go downstairs to your husband." The young woman stood up submissively. "Yes, Master!" She walked out of the bedroom with an awkward, stiff gait. Watching her leave, Lust Divine General stood, strolled over to the window, and gazed out toward a distant villa. "Those living here are all wealthy businessmen with plenty of pretty women. Just now, while doing the deed by the window, I spotted a rather attractive one in that building over there. We'll move in there tomorrow." The youth in the cap hesitated, then quietly reminded him, "Divine General, it is better to stay put right now. The Five Elements Alliance is scouring all of Songhai for us. The less commotion we cause, the safer we will be." Lust Divine General flew into a sudden rage and barked, "But I need women! The more the better! You know full well one woman cannot satisfy me!" Lust Divine General harbored an intense fixation on women, which went beyond mere carnal acts to an obsessive demand for quantity. He required beautiful women around him constantly. He did not necessarily need to bed them at every moment, but there had to be many of them. Otherwise, there was no soothing the desires swelling day and night within him—it was far more a psychological craving than a physical one. The youth bowed his head at once, not daring to speak. Lust Divine General took a deep breath, his tone softening. "What intel did you gather?" The youth reported in a low voice, "I heard the one who took over your case is Fu Qingyang. He was originally in charge of Kangyang District, and after promoting to Elder, he was reassigned to the patrol team, though he currently remains in Kangyang District. The authorities have posted a bounty on you across all the major black markets in Songhai: five million yuan for any credible lead, regardless of faction. I don't even dare contact the free classes in other organizations now. In addition, the Songhai branch has entered level-one combat readiness." Lust Divine General's expression darkened. "Level-one combat readiness? Does that brat Fu Qingyang intend to fight me to the bitter end?" The Soldier Master sect held sway over the Northwest. Having once nearly been killed by Heavenly King Demonic Eye, Lust Divine General had kept his distance from the sect's headquarters, operating mainly in the North, where he frequently clashed with orthodox walkers from various northern branches. Although he had always been a wanted man, for the most part both sides traded blows without anything conclusive coming of it. The official spirit walkers couldn't eliminate him, and he wasn't foolish enough to flaunt himself every day, maintaining a delicate balance. Yet the Songhai branch's approach differed completely from the North's. They projected an unyielding stance, dead set on fighting to the finish with zero compromise. That meant he either had to lie low or withdraw from Songhai altogether. Songhai was a flourishing metropolis teeming with beauties, and Lust Divine General had no desire to leave. Hearing this news naturally infuriated him. "Divine General, it appears a metropolis like Songhai will not compromise. What do we do next?" the youth asked. Lust Divine General said, "Those southern scoundrels have had it too easy. They probably don't understand what a Divine General is, or what a Saint is." The relationship between the orthodox and free factions was such that at the low to mid levels, evil classes were like sewer rats, dodging the authorities at every turn. But at high levels, the free classes had no fear of the orthodox; in fact, the Dominators of the orthodox faction went out of their way to avoid crossing the free faction. As a level-6 Bewitching Demon at the peak of the Saint stage, Lust Divine General was a regional powerhouse and a bona fide high-tier figure wherever he went. "Ever since the President of the Spirit Society's Southern District Branch perished twenty-one years ago, Gu King and Deceitful Eye Judge have been locked in endless infighting competing for the presidency, weakening the free faction across the southeastern coast," sneered Lust Divine General. "The orthodox walkers of the Songhai branch have lived in leisure for so many years that they actually think they're hot stuff... This Divine General will teach them what fear is!" The youth, lacking such arrogance, said with concern, "However, Heavenly King Demonic Eye met his downfall right here in Songhai." Lust Divine General scoffed, "Don't compare me to that fool Demonic Eye. First of all, my level isn't high enough to warrant the six Elders of Songhai agonizing and scheming on pins and needles. Second, if Demonic Eye had lowered his moral baseline instead of playing the hypocritical saint, at least half the Songhai Elders would have died trying to capture him." The youth replied at once, "You're right! There's one more piece of intel..." "Speak!" Lust Divine General ordered. "Your subordinate learned from someone under Gu King that Kou Beiyue, the one on the Human Bounty List, is hiding in Jinshan City. His address is Wuhen Hotel, on the outskirts of Jinshan City," the youth said. "He's Yuanshi Tianzun's lapdog!" Lust Divine General had zero interest in someone like Kou Beiyue, but he certainly recognized the name "Wuhen Hotel." The breathtaking beauty he yearned for day and night was at Wuhen Hotel in Jinshan City. Lust Divine General had sent someone to tail her. After the 615 Summit ended, he had immediately approached Blood Swallow, offering two Saint-quality props to invite her into hunting down Xiao Yuan. Yet he had been rejected once more. That vicious, venomous woman actually showed unbelievable tolerance toward a former subordinate. "Kou Beiyue is also at Wuhen Hotel, and he is Yuanshi Tianzun's lackey. That means Xiao Yuan and Yuanshi Tianzun definitely know each other. This is indeed a good lead..." Thinking of that white lotus—peerless in beauty and figure, rising unsullied from the mire—Lust Divine General felt a surge of lust rush through his lower abdomen, leaving his mouth dry. He drew a deep breath, barely suppressing his urges, and said, "Leave Jinshan City aside for now. I have a plan. Gather a few free-class walkers for me. I'm going to have a little fun with the Songhai branch." *** Having concluded a day of plainclothes searching, Zhang Yuanqing returned to Fujia Bay in a commercial van beneath a magnificent golden-red sunset, accompanied by Guan Ya, Li Dongze, Jiang Jingwei, Qingteng, and the others. The group climbed the double staircase to the second-floor conference room. Fu Qingyang, dressed in a white suit, had already been seated at the end of the long conference table for quite some time. The solid-wood table was laden with steaming hot food—dinner prepared for everyone by Elder Fu. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Please sit," Fu Qingyang said with a stern expression. "I called you back for a brief meeting. I have just compiled all available records on Lust Divine General and drawn up a psychological profile." With that, he picked up a remote control and turned on the projector. Dense case studies appeared on the white screen. "These are materials sent over from the northern branches. In just one day, they compiled most of the records on Lust Divine General from his Transcendent days to the Saint stage. It seems our northern colleagues eagerly anticipate us keeping Lust in Songhai for good." As Fu Qingyang spoke, everyone turned their eyes to the screen and read carefully. The contents recorded Lust Divine General's deeds, including but not limited to his battles, crimes, and props. Looking at his subordinates engrossed in the materials, Fu Qingyang continued, "Lust Divine General's cravings for women have escalated beyond his control. One or two women cannot satisfy his desires. Looking across the intelligence from each time his hideouts were compromised, each location harbored more than ten female victims. He will not hold out for long; he will inevitably strike again. Furthermore, we must tighten surveillance over certain specialized venues to prevent him from hiding there." Jiang Jingwei raised her hand. "Elder Fu, do specialized venues mean women's restrooms?" Fu Qingyang paused. "Why on earth would you think of women's restrooms?" Zhang Yuanqing asked in astonishment. "Because there are lots of women there, and they all have to pull their pants down," Jiang Jingwei said, feeling her deduction made complete sense. "Can you think again? Where else are there lots of women who also have to take their clothes off?" Zhang Yuanqing gently guided the innocent girl. "A bathhouse?" Fu Qingyang coughed, cutting off their banter in the nick of time. "The exact venue is unimportant. Jingwei, this is not within your scope of responsibilities." The young Elder continued, "Aside from lust, the two most prominent traits of Lust Divine General's character are arrogance and vindictiveness. My assessment is that in the near future, he will likely carry out acts of retaliation against the Five Elements Alliance. Starting today, team members below captain rank will work from home and only assemble for operations. Qingteng, Bailong, Guan Ya, you three will temporarily move into Fujia Bay. As long as Lust Divine General dares to kill an official walker, I have ways to track him down." *As long as he dares to kill an official walker, Fu Qingyang is certain he can find him? Where does my future brother-in-law get such confidence? Is it that secret prop he hinted at earlier?* Zhang Yuanqing's thoughts raced. Fu Qingyang clicked the remote and said, "Understanding an enemy's capabilities is the best way to anticipate how they kill. These are the class names and skills for a Bewitching Demon across the three stages from Transcendent to Dominator. Take a look. The information here must not be leaked." Zhang Yuanqing and his colleagues turned their attention to the screen. "Bewitching Demon: Active Skills—Eye of Bewitchment, Mark; Passive Skills—Berserk, Combat, Armor Penetration. "Mist Lord: Active Skill—Death Mist (Note: The Mist Lord can teleport short distances within the area enveloped by the mist and determine enemy locations based on disturbances in the mist. At level 6, their physical body can mistify, ignoring physical attacks); Passive Skill—Bronze Skin and Iron Bones. "Ancient God of War: Active Skill—Three Heads and Eight Arms (Note: Taken literally, three heads watch in six directions, six ears listen in all directions, and eight arms each wield a divine weapon; peerless in group combat); Passive Skill—Bewitching Demonic Sigil (Note: An enhanced version of the Eye of Bewitchment; any spirit walker below the Dominator stage who looks directly upon the sigil will suffer at least a nervous breakdown, or at worst total madness)." This was the first time Zhang Yuanqing had gained a comprehensive, detailed understanding of the Bewitching Demon class—even though he was already quite familiar with them. After reading through these skill descriptions, only one thought crossed Zhang Yuanqing's mind: *A master of war!* The Bewitching Demon class seemed born specifically for warfare: bloodthirsty and berserk, sustaining themselves through slaughter, never tiring, while close combat and Bronze Skin and Iron Bones ensured they could rampage freely across the battlefield. The thick mist, Three Heads and Eight Arms, and the Bewitching Demonic Sigil were lethal tools for fighting against overwhelming odds; the more enemies there were, the greater advantage they could leverage. No wonder the Dominator-stage title was "Ancient God of War." Back in antiquity, plunging into an army of ten thousand and tearing through it seven times would be child's play, taking on an entire military single-handedly. Thinking about it this way, Heavenly King Demonic Eye was truly terrifying. If Zhang Yuanqing ever crossed paths with him in the future, prostrating in surrender might actually be a viable ploy. *Mhm, after clearing the killing trial, my clearance is on par with a Deacon's, granting me access to detailed records of all domestic spirit walker classes from Transcendent to Saint. I should find an opportunity to read up on them...* Zhang Yuanqing decided silently. Just as they were speaking, a knock came at the conference room door. A bunny girl pushed the door open, holding out a phone, and murmured, "Young Master, a call!" Fu Qingyang took the phone, held it to his ear, and as he listened, his already emotionless face quickly frosted over.