Return! Plunge Back into Midnight, Begin the Hunt!

The shimmering points of light fell into the Sea of Ignorance like meteors, causing the entire sea to churn and boil. Beside "Light," another character appeared whose meaning roughly translated to "Soothe." To soothe the soul and fortify the mind. Understanding its function, Bai Zhou nodded in satisfaction. This was precisely what he needed most right now! In the world of the occult, the mind was truly the most fragile thing of all. Bai Zhou had suffered setbacks on this front before. He even suspected that every Extraordinary was potentially a mental patient. The more powerful an Extraordinary was, the more neurotic they tended to become. "The stronger they are, the crazier they get; the crazier they get, the more dangerous they become—" "Walking beside the abyss, this is the sorrowful path every mystic must tread." —Such had been Miss Crow's exact words. Most importantly— Bai Zhou figured that it might be used in conjunction with the Cursebound Colossus to negate some of the transformation's side effects. *Rustle—* Speaking of the Cursebound Colossus, a sound reached his ears right at that moment. The Book of the Dead flipped open of its own accord. It was nurturing a new transformation for *The Thousand-Faced Moon*. Without a doubt, it pertained to Ale. Every experience leaves behind an impression. What is held in the heart will surely find an echo! For Bai Zhou, who walked through the forbidden realm of the living and the depths of the Ruins Realm—he came, he saw, he experienced. He clearly had far more opportunities to generate "transformations"! And these "transformations" were themselves a record and remembrance of the departed for Bai Zhou. —Thinking this, Bai Zhou glanced at the pages flipping rapidly in the book. An unusually hazy dark silhouette caught his eye. What would General Ale's "second form" look like? It wouldn't turn into a skull, would it? Please don't let it be that! That would feel far too grotesque— The forbidden tome seemed to require a bit more time to fully nurture this new "transformation," but having already gained the Cursebound Colossus, Bai Zhou was in no rush. Around him, the rain of light overhead gradually dispersed. Bai Zhou looked up at the sky. The blood moon still hung high. Everything returned to tranquil silence. —The legend of the Undead General had finally receded into the past. Perhaps one day, when Bai Zhou returned to the mortal world on the surface of Blue Star, he might inadvertently come across an ambiguous story, a myth, or an allegory in some book. Perhaps the prototype of that tale would trace back to Ale. This cowardly fraud, this madman who clung to the dream of being a general even in death—he had borne far more expectations and lingering regrets than any genuinely commissioned general ever had. Responsibility was truly a wondrous thing. It could turn a swindler into a general, and turn ordinary parents into superhumans. "..." Reflecting on this, Bai Zhou took inventory of his gains from this trip: The extraordinary cavalry saber Ale had scavenged all those years ago—and the butcher's blade that had ultimately laid him to rest. Gleaming brightly, it rested in Bai Zhou's hand. Ripples flowed across the blade like running water, while a purple-gold halo shimmered along the edge, breathing as though it possessed life of its own. The moment he picked it up, Bai Zhou had felt an inexplicable sensation— Was this saber craving spirituality? So, Bai Zhou attempted to channel spirituality into it. *Buzz—!* The effect was immediate. The gem at the hilt instantly trembled, spilling forth mysterious wisps of purple vapor! The vapor acted like blade-aura, extending and contracting at will, razor-sharp, accompanied by faint, indistinct whispers when approached. —Even though this purple-gold extraordinary cavalry saber had performed quite embarrassingly when hacking at "Ale," that didn't mean it wasn't powerful! Most importantly, a saber was a true blade! It wasn't a bench leg, nor was it a fire poker—it was an actual blade! And that wasn't all. Bai Zhou took out the token General Ale had tossed him, rubbing his fingertips over the heavy, peculiar metal. The familiar emblem—crossed swords before a shield—was branded onto its surface. "If you ever get the chance, visit the Sun Temple in Sky City." "Back in our day, every fledgling Adventurer could find their path forward there!" Bai Zhou recalled Ale's words and roughly understood his meaning. This token seemed to share a connection with that inverted metropolis in the sky; activating it would trigger that link—and open a way to ascend into the heavens. It sounded quite similar to the Zhuluoji Pass. The catch, however— was that activating this hunk of metal required a staggering hundred units of spirituality at once! Bai Zhou had only tested it briefly, and upon gauging the token's demand, he decisively gave up. Out of his league—cut your losses immediately! Even as a Destined whose spirituality was twice that of his peers, he would be sucked completely dry! Fortunately, the token's special material allowed channeled spirituality to accumulate within it, even if it would take time. Looking up with a tinge of regret, Bai Zhou gazed at the inverted megalopolis bristling with towers and crumbling ruins. Everywhere his eyes fell were shattered spires. He wondered which one was the "Sun Temple." Adventurers, the path forward— If Bai Zhou guessed correctly, it held what he had been searching for all along: the subsequent inheritance of the Adventurer pathway! Finally—found you! Starting from Adjutant Han and through these recent events, he vaguely sensed that he was just one step away from becoming a Rank 2 Adventurer. Yet now, the problem of advancing along the pathway's subsequent ranks was placed squarely before him— Unfortunately, the path ahead was currently impassable. He would have to return another time. Stowing the token away with a hint of regret, Bai Zhou composed his expression. Raising his wrist, he checked his watch. After being busy here for so long, it was nearly 36:00. Yet from all this turmoil, he had undergone an earth-shattering transformation—"Cursebound Colossus, Light-Shadow Harmony, extraordinary cavalry saber—" Bai Zhou muttered softly, mentally taking inventory. Blades, guns, and a transformation. "I shouldn't... be lacking anything anymore!" His palm tightened around the hilt of the cavalry saber, tracing a light arc in the air. As spirituality surged into it, purple vapors burst forth, coiling around the blade and the back of Bai Zhou's hand. "Time to head back," he said. He hadn't forgotten his reason for coming. Swordbearers? Rank 3 Extraordinaries? An inescapable dragnet? "Not bad." Bai Zhou nodded and stroked his chin, mimicking Crow's appraisal. "But that's all it is—not bad." Then get ready to plunge back into midnight— —and begin the hunt! *** Tinghai, a rainy night. South City suburbs, before the uncompleted building. "Check over there and see what's going on!" "Sir!" Amid the heavy downpour, sharp shouts echoed as boots splashed hastily back and forth through the puddles. Drenched like drowned rats, the scavengers shivered violently. Having no idea which lord of hell they had offended, they felt as though all the bad luck from eight lifetimes had dumped on them at once. *Thud, thud, thud.* Combat boots stomped heavily through water puddles. Two armed soldiers, fierce as wolves and tigers, charged straight toward the thicket to investigate under orders. Just then, the bushes spoke, giving both men a fright. "Looking for something? Need a hand?" Had the bushes turned into a spirit?! Startled, the two soldiers jolted and snapped into defensive stances. Raising their rifles to aim, they signaled back to their squad. In the distance, others noticed the commotion and began shouting to muster— Without another word, one of the soldiers decisively pulled the trigger at the shrubs. *Bang! Bang, bang!* Gunfire shattered the rainy night, turning the faces of the scavengers behind them pale with fright. Yet the sprayed bushes only shed broken leaves and twigs in a mangled mess. Aside from that, there was nothing unusual. *Snap.* Just then, the sound of footsteps stepping on a branch rang out. "Who's there!" The muzzles whipped around. Under the high-strung gaze of the two soldiers— an umbrella-bearing youth stepped slowly out from the shadows behind a nearby tree. "At this hour, who else could it be?" the newcomer countered. The early morning rain drummed incessantly against the jet-black canopy of the umbrella, pattering rhythmically. Right then, a dazzling streak of lightning slashed across the night sky, instantly sprawling through the cloud layer to illuminate the face beneath the umbrella—identical to the one on the wanted poster. "You know, treating the scavengers like this makes me feel like a jinx." "Bringing trouble wherever I go." Under the umbrella, Bai Zhou seemed genuinely troubled by the thought. "And another thing—" Bai Zhou pulled out the wanted poster he had confiscated earlier, holding it up open beside his cheek for a side-by-side comparison. He tilted his head slightly, his tone laden with perplexity: "Could this really be me?" "I had plenty of ID photos taken at the base. Why did they have to use this hideous poker face?" "Is it supposed to look menacing?" "Just looking at the photo, his hairline is noticeably higher than mine!" An unforgivable offense! Utterly inexcusable! Therefore, in conclusion. Bai Zhou glanced at the investigators and Swordbearers gathering in the distance— before letting his gaze settle back in front of him. Amid the rolling thunder closely following the lightning, the trench-coated youth holding the umbrella kept a straight face and spoke solemnly in a deliberate tone: "I really need to get you guys under control—seriously."