Chapter 158: If you’re scared, just clap your hands.

Chapter 158: If you're scared, just clap your hands.

Chi Shen, like a sharp sword, pierced into the massive wave. Everywhere he went, the ash-gray miasma was split in two by his blade, cleaved in half and surging towards the walls on either side.

The basement level was originally commercial shops, part of the mall's food street. At this moment, the doors were shut. The area was deserted, with the black miasma latching onto the surrounding walls and furniture, quickly frosting them in a layer of white.

In the center of the food street, a figure stood in an uncanny pose within the resting area. His body resembled a liquid. While maintaining a humanoid shape, it wobbled, its edges seemingly flowing with every movement.

Amidst the thick gray-black miasma, his features were obscured, only a dark silhouette visible. This wave of miasma originated from this shadowy figure.

Chi Shen cleaved through the miasma, charging directly at this distorted silhouette with urgency!

The blade of his Mo Dao traced a sharp arc. Its luminance, a profound black, appeared even darker than the shadow. Racing towards its target, the silhouette was instantly bisected!

"Heehee."

Before the severed top half could fall, a slit suddenly appeared where the shadow's head should be, revealing a crimson smiling face.

From the waist, where it was severed, fine black threads emerged, preventing the upper half from falling. It dangled from the lower half as if it might drop at any moment.

In the next instant, a dark blade-light shot out from the break in the silhouette, replicating Chi Shen's strike!

Without dodging, Chi Shen raised his other hand to catch his blade-light. It fractured like glass in his grip and vanished without a trace.

This sharp darkness didn't even leave a mark on his hand.

He knew he could effortlessly counter his own strike.

This was a specter with the ability to replicate and regenerate. Normally, Chi Shen would be intrigued, even considering capturing it for study.

However...

With a swing of his Mo Dao, like a meat grinder in action, the shadowy figure was instantaneously shattered, becoming like a liquid whirlpool. It then exploded violently, the miasma dissipating throughout the basement level.

The time from Chi Shen's attack to the dispersion of the miasma was mere seconds, so swift that Gui Lian only managed to turn his head and missed everything.

The miasma, which Chi Shen had just bifurcated, flowed past Liu Yue Zhen and Gui Lian, bringing with it a chilling wind. For a regular human, this coldness could cause frostbite. But Liu Yue Zhen, made of paper, suffered no real harm. Still, the clash of ethereal energies made her unsteady, blowing her backwards.

It was then that she felt her paper hand wettened. Glancing down, her hand was stained red. She was touching a bleeding individual.

The person had already passed away; otherwise, she wouldn't have needed physical contact to sense him. After all, as a specter, she was highly sensitive to the living's yang energy.

She looked up in bewilderment, searching for Chi Shen, only to find that he had vanished, leaving the entire basement level eerily empty.

"Someone's coming!" Gui Lian exclaimed, quickly hiding inside his hat, only to peek out with two curious eyes.

Footsteps echoed nearby.

A man in a black trench coat jumped down directly from the second floor, quickly spotting Liu Yue Zhen seated on the ground. A frown creased his forehead as he began to rummage inside his coat.

Gui Lian urgently warned, "It's someone from the Special Security Agency! Run!"

"Hold on."

A deep, authoritative voice resounded.

From the shadows of the basement corridor, another man stepped forward. Despite the chilling weather, he was dressed in a suit and shirt, sporting glasses. His refined appearance seemed entirely out of place given the current situation.

Adjusting his glasses from behind the shadows, the man introduced, "My name is Ji Xing Chen, registered with the Special Security Agency. I'm here to clarify the situation."

A block away, inside the Tengfei Building, Chi Shen pocketed his phone and leisurely walked towards the elevator.

A group rushed out of the elevator lobby, making Chi Shen's contrary motion quite conspicuous.

But no one seemed to bother with him right now. At most, they gave him a puzzled glance. However, someone familiar quickly recognized him, exclaiming, "Chi Shen! There's been an earthquake and you're taking the elevator?"

Chi Shen turned to find the art designer he had arranged to meet with today to discuss BOSS details.

"I'll be late. Running upstairs will cost me," remarked Chi Shen.

The art designer said, "I'm telling you, there's an earthquake!"

Chi Shen retorted, "An earthquake won't stop work."

The art designer: "..."

Chi Shen inquired, "Where's the draft you promised to show me?"

Pulling out a tablet with one hand, the art designer caught up, saying, "It's all drafted. Pick one, and I'll refine it. The concept you mentioned, making him look harmless but dangerous, I thought maybe drawing him smaller would be better. Also, I'd like more details on his skill portrayal. Like when he jumps, how does he jump? Both legs or just one? Is one leg higher or are they even? I feel making him jump like Mario might seem more harmless..."

Before the art designer could finish, the elevator dinged its arrival. Chi Shen checked the time: 8:59 am.

It was another beautiful morning without being late.

The art designer paused, taken aback, "Wait, how did I get up here? Wasn't there an earthquake? Why isn't the building shaking, and why is everyone still working?"

The receptionist glanced at him, "It was just a sinkhole, not an earthquake. An official announcement has already been made. It was a construction mishap, no fatalities, just a few minor injuries."

The art designer queried, "An announcement so soon? Didn't the firefighters just arrive?"

"It happened in the city center. They probably wanted to avoid panic, so they released it quickly," the receptionist replied.

——

Downstairs.

No more than twenty minutes after the incident, Li Shu'an rushed to the scene, directing the rescue efforts.

The official bulletin stated no fatalities and a few minor injuries among the general public.

The real truth: One agent from the Special Security Agency was killed, one critically injured, and three others had minor injuries.

However, the details regarding the Special Security Agency were conveniently omitted from the announcement, given the agency's secretive nature.

Firefighters used debris as cover to remove the body and the severely injured. Li Shu'an looked at the corpse in the vehicle. Its face was unrecognizable, primarily injured by falling rocks, but beneath those injuries were bite marks. These marks, resembling human teeth, were two to three times larger than a human mouth.

At that moment, an agent approached Li Shu'an, "Uncle Li, a call for you."

Li Shu'an shifted his gaze from the corpse and took the phone.

A middle-aged voice, tinged with amusement, resonated, "Unfortunate that you found one, and it only cost you one agent."

Li Shu'an's expression darkened, "Do you realize what you're doing?"

"What am I doing? I merely wish to live. As for you, are you aware of your actions? Gambling with the lives of the people in the harbor city?" the voice sighed, "The Special Security Agency was founded to eradicate spirits and protect the people. You all are so self-righteous. I've kept out, and I'm the selfish one? Since you've destroyed one of the ghosts I've placed, I'll add a condition. Besides wanting Chi Shen to meet me alone, I also want an item from the Li family."

"What do you want?" Li Shu'an's grip on the phone tightened, his hand trembling, yet his voice remained steady.

The voice promptly replied, "Your birth details and a sample of your blood. Delivered by you personally."

Li Shu'an remained silent.

The voice chuckled, "What's the matter? Lost your nerve?"

Li Shu'an: "I can come, but Chi Shen cannot."

"Don't forget, I first wanted Chi Shen. Who are you in all of this? This is merely punishment for you disrupting my plans. If you ruin another, I'll add another condition. Do you really think that the number of arrangements I've made in the harbor city is limited to what I've told you? Remember, bring Chi Shen with you."

Just then, a young male voice intervened, "If you're so keen on meeting Chi Shen, why not do it yourself? Are you scared?"

Silence enveloped the line for two seconds before it was abruptly hung up, leaving only a dial tone.