STG 23
Chapter 23: Ghost-Faced King
“Xiao Qi, has your teacher left already?”
After seeing Zhao Kongcheng off, Auntie hurried out from the kitchen. “Ah, why didn’t you ask him to stay for dinner? This child…”
Lin Qiye shook his head. “He had something to attend to. He wouldn’t have stayed.”
“What did your teacher say?”
“Nothing much. He just came to ask about my eyes for some sports test.”
“Teacher Zhao is such a good man, coming all the way to a student’s home to check. Oh, before you came back, he even helped me wash vegetables in the kitchen. He looks all rough and tough, but who knew he’d be so meticulous with chores?”
Auntie wiped her hands on her apron, turned off the noisy range hood, and said to Lin Qiye:
“Dinner’s almost ready. Call your brother to eat.”
“Okay.”
A short while later, the family of three sat neatly around the table, which was laden with seven delicious dishes—each one mouthwatering!
“Tomato and egg stir-fry, chicken soup, dry-fried green beans… and sweet and sour pork ribs?!” Yang Jin swallowed hard as he looked at the feast. “Mom, how long has it been since we’ve had such a spread?”
“Xiao Qi’s eyes are healed! This is a bigger celebration than New Year’s—of course we should go all out!” Auntie said matter-of-factly.
Lin Qiye glanced down at Xiao Heilai, who was wagging his tail furiously, and chuckled.
“Looks like Xiao Heilai’s in for a treat tonight too.”
“Lucky little thing,” Auntie laughed, raising her teacup. “To Xiao Qi’s recovery—cheers!”
“Cheers!”
“Cheers!!”
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Under the dim clouds, the last traces of twilight had vanished, as if the world had been draped in a black veil.
Rain swayed in the wind.
Lights glittered in the distance over the city.
In this aging residential district, a figure cloaked in a dark red mantle sprinted through the downpour, a large case in hand.
Raindrops slid down Zhao Kongcheng’s face. Though it was summer rain, it carried an inexplicable chill.
“Are you sure the Ghostface King is heading this way?” Zhao Kongcheng frowned.
From his earpiece, Wu Xiangnan’s voice crackled:
“Unconfirmed. Ten minutes ago, our search team found traces of the Ghostface King’s blood in the nearby sewer network. Based on its movement pattern, its destination could only be either that old residential area… or downtown.”
“Two possible targets?”
“Correct.”
“So we split into two teams?”
“Theoretically, yes. But downtown has a massive population. We can’t evacuate people easily. If the Ghostface King appears there, not only will there be heavy casualties, but it’ll also cause panic. So we’ve deployed most of our forces there.”
“And the old residential area? If the Ghostface King shows up here, these people will be in danger too!”
“The residential area has fewer residents, more spread out. Easier to evacuate. And…”
“And even if the Ghostface King comes here, the losses won’t be as severe, right?” Zhao Kongcheng’s voice carried a hint of anger. “These are living people too!”
“Lao Zhao, calm down!” Wu Xiangnan’s tone turned grave. “I never said we’re abandoning the residential area. Hongying is already leading a team there. Your mission is to evacuate the residents—fast.
“And if the Ghostface King does show up, do not engage directly. You can’t handle it. If necessary, deploy the [Boundless Void] to trap it.”
Zhao Kongcheng’s clenched fists slowly relaxed. He exhaled.
“Understood.”
Though resentful, he knew this was the right call.
If the Ghostface King reached downtown, with its dense crowds, it could easily hide in some dark corner, kill a few people to recover, and cause mass panic if exposed.
So no matter how many people were sent downtown, it would never be enough.
The old residential area, with its sparse population, would buy time even if the Ghostface King arrived. Exposure was unlikely.
Under these circumstances, Wu Xiangnan sending people here at all was already fair.
Now, Zhao Kongcheng had to evacuate the residents—fast.
This was a race against time!
Zhao Kongcheng darted through the rain, moving astonishingly quickly. Droplets struck the case in his hand, bursting into crystalline splashes.
Ahead, through the misty downpour, that familiar little house grew clearer.
Just minutes ago, he’d walked out of it.
His heart twisted. By now, that family should be eating dinner, right? He remembered the sweet and sour ribs, the tomato and eggs, the dry-fried green beans…
Hell, he’d even washed those beans himself.
Damn it. He’d just played the cool guy in front of that kid, saying stuff like “leave protecting the world to us”—and now he had to go back, knock on their door, and tell them to run for their lives…
How humiliating was that?
But pride wasn’t the priority now.
Zhao Kongcheng charged forward—when suddenly, a nauseating stench flooded his nostrils!
His pupils shrank. He skidded to a halt!!
The relentless drumming of rain filled his ears. Slowly, cautiously, he turned his head, eyes wide, scanning every detail.
Then his gaze locked onto a manhole cover nearby.
The stench grew stronger.
Zhao Kongcheng’s grip on the case tightened. He took a deep breath, bent slightly, and set the case down.
He knew exactly what that smell meant.
“Report. Watcher Zhao Kongcheng has located the Ghostface King in the old residential area…” His voice was eerily calm as he activated his earpiece.
As he spoke, he pressed a button on the case.
Click!
The case sprang open, revealing three pristine signboards neatly arranged inside.
Zhao Kongcheng hoisted them up, planted one on the spot, then sprinted to another location!
Almost instantly, Wu Xiangnan’s voice crackled back:
“Received! I’ve mobilized all Night Watch agents to the residential area. Hongying’s team is en route—ETA ten minutes!
“Ten minutes, Lao Zhao! Deploy the [Boundless Void] and stall it!”
As he placed the second signboard, Zhao Kongcheng dashed toward the third point of the triangle, sighing.
“Xiangnan, the [Boundless Void] is for concealing battles, not trapping targets. It won’t hold the Ghostface King for ten minutes.”
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle…
Rainwater streamed toward the manhole cover—then suddenly, the cover trembled violently. The water that had been draining into it now bubbled up like a boiling spring, gushing outward!
“Regardless, do not engage the Ghostface King directly!” Wu Xiangnan’s voice grew urgent. “Lao Zhao, the residential area is vast. Even if it emerges, the Ghostface King won’t necessarily cause immediate casualties.
“Ten minutes—even if it kills a few people, it won’t recover much strength!
“Civilian casualties from ‘Mysteries’ happen every minute. We’re not gods. We can’t prevent every death. Losing a core agent over an injured Ghostface King isn’t worth it!
“Lao Zhao! Lao Zhao! Do you copy?!”
BOOM—!
The manhole cover shot into the air like a cannonball. From the dark sewer, a grotesque arm clawed out, followed by a monstrous figure several times larger than the Ghostface Men from before!
Zhao Kongcheng watched calmly as he set down the final signboard, bit his fingertip, and smeared a streak of blood across its surface.
“Xiangnan… do you remember the oath we swore?”
His eyes stayed fixed on the Ghostface King as he crouched slightly, his peripheral vision catching that small, shabby house in the distance.
“If darkness descends,
I shall stand before countless…”
This time, there were no countless behind me.
But…
Behind me…
Is that kid’s entire world.
He clasped his hands together.
An invisible shroud enveloped the tiny triangle.
“Forbidden Ruin—[Boundless Void]!”
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