Apocalypse Forecast

Amid the violent shaking, it seemed as if explosives had detonated above them.

They could hear, in the distance, the relentless sound of gunfire, as if someone was continuously attacking this place. The vibrations and roars kept rising from the underground space.

Huai Shi and Liu DongLi exchanged glances, recalling that unexplored fork in the road, and ran at full speed towards the upper level.

When they reached the end of that ascending passageway, they only saw a floor littered with dead bodies.

It appeared this was the actual gathering place for the operators of the Sacrifice Stage. The spacious office was lavishly decorated, but now the magnificent columns and walls covered with bas-reliefs were splattered with blood.

One after another, corpses lay on the ground, their faces still etched with confusion, despair, and even obsequious smiles that had not yet faded.

Gunfire kept resounding from the inner layer.

The massacre was in progress.

As they burst into the inner room, they saw King Ocean kneeling behind a desk, begging for mercy, and a towering figure standing in front of the desk.

Below the cuffs of a thick coat were two hands covered in scales.

And a pair of pitch-black Curved Knives.

Blood kept dripping from the sharp edges of the Curved Knives, tracing a crimson path on the ground, extending step by step toward King Ocean.

"You dare kill me? The Lord will not let you go!"

King Ocean was cornered, his face deathly pale. "I am the spokesperson of the Lord! You dare? If I die, you all will pay the price! You definitely will!"

He frantically waved the dagger in his hand, but it was of no use. The knife-wielder stepped forward, slicing through the obstacles in front of him into pieces, the Curved Knives wailing as they descended towards King Ocean's skull.

Liu DongLi drew his gun.

Huai Shi had never imagined Liu DongLi's Gunplay was so good; he actually managed to hit the blade in mid-air. Following that, the remaining five bullets all struck the back of the figure's head.

Unfortunately, after piercing through the clothes and scales, they could no longer breach the mutated skull.

The knife-wielder staggered. The descending blade landed between King Ocean's legs, causing him to let out a short, piercing scream as tears and snot streamed from his eyes and nose, scared out of him.

"Save me! Save me!"

As if seeing a savior, he looked towards the two who had rushed in, hoarsely shouting, "Save me! I have money! I have tens of millions! I'll give you whatever you want!"

Without him needing to say more, how could Huai Shi stand by and watch the last person who knew the inside story be silenced before his very eyes?

Huai Shi decisively pulled out his pistol, aimed at the knife-wielder who was turning his head, and repeatedly pulled the trigger.

Amidst the roaring gunfire, sparks burst from the muzzle, carrying bullets heated to a red glow, flying toward the face of the knife-wielder, now so mutated it was beyond human recognition.

On that face, covered with scales and resembling a Crying Snake, there was no nose—only two small holes. Dark green lips failed to conceal sharp Teeth. What was most chilling, however, were its golden vertical pupils.

It was hard to say whether the face more closely resembled a Lizard or a Snake.

These were the eerie characteristics of a cold-blooded animal, chilling one to the bone.

Just as Huai Shi raised his pistol, the Curved Knife in its hand was already lifted, shielding its face. The pitch-black Curved Knife, like a Shield, deflected all the bullets.

Then, the Curved Knife in its right hand hacked towards Liu DongLi, who was charging at it.

But the Curved Knife blocking its face hadn't had a chance to change direction when it heard a whoosh by its ear, like a Sharp Axe. Peppa, who was seven steps away, was already upon it, his Sacrificial Knife swinging horizontally towards its neck!

So fast!

Its golden vertical pupils rapidly contracted. The Curved Knife shielding its eyes clashed with the Sacrificial Knife, but then it felt as if it had struck an Axe. Its defensive posture was instantly shattered by the terrible inertia.

Irresistible!

In that moment, Huai Shi saw the Snake-man wielding the knife suddenly tilt to the side.

It was as if it had slipped.

But then, the air seemed to turn into a thick substance, an undercurrent surging as the Snake-man's arms stirred it, causing Huai Shi to stagger. Next, he saw the Snake-man take flight.

No, it was more accurate to say it was swimming through the Sea, as the air around it instantly transformed into an almost liquid state. It broke free from the bonds of gravity, soaring through an unseen Sea of Air.

This was its Soul Ability!

In an instant, it slipped through the pincer attack from Huai Shi and Liu DongLi. Then, gracefully circling in mid-air, its hands wielding the Curved Knives parted the liquid air, slashing down at the two who were struggling to adapt to such conditions.

Liu DongLi clumsily parried, but Huai Shi threw a plastic bag with a swift motion. The bag shattered under the slice of the blade, and the Apocalypse within, under the influence of the Hand of Confinement, was rapidly ignited.

In an instant, the unseen Sea of Air was tainted black by the Apocalypse, and violent coughing erupted. But Huai Shi did not stop; he plunged straight into it.

Liu DongLi was dumbstruck.

When did this little brother of mine become so headstrong?

But in a split second, he heard the sharp, piercing hiss of a snake echoing within the darkness; the crimson Sacrificial Knife penetrated the black Sea of Air, emerging from the other side.

Blood flowed along the blade's edge.

In an instant, the Sea of Air exploded, and the hulking Snake-man fell to the ground, its left arm bearing a horrific gash, nearly completely severed by the Sacrificial Knife.

Amidst the sharp clash of blades, Huai Shi's face was expressionless as he suddenly lifted his foot and stomped down.

BOOM!

The Snake-man that had landed shook abruptly. The Curved Knife in its right hand was repelled by Huai Shi's Sacrificial Knife. The youth wearing the Peppa mask, standing on its chest, lifted the Sacrificial Knife and thrust it down with force!

Execution!

CRASH!

Just at that moment, from a tear in the Snake-man's coat over its chest, an arm suddenly lashed out, hand clutching a Curved Knife, stubbornly blocking the fatal thrust.

Even as that hand was lacerated into a pulp by the blade's axe-like force.

A third hand?

And then, a fourth!

From the torn opening, a fourth arm hidden behind the Snake-man's back extended, gripping a sawed-off shotgun. It aimed at Huai Shi's face and pulled the trigger!

But the young man moved even faster, arching backward in an instant, evading the sudden assassination attempt.

Liu DongLi saw everything clearly.

Not only had two additional arms suddenly appeared on the Snake-man, but wisps of gray smoke were also rising from the young man's body in that instant.

That was the Apocalypse, erupting from its seal. It danced like flames, radiating a tangible Power of agony all around, enveloping the entire inner chamber in an irresistible despair.

Underneath the mask, the pair of pitch-black eyes had, at some point, turned blood-red.

Like burning fire.

The gaunt young man had already transformed into an Evil Ghost of the mountains...

What kind of Stigma was this?

Nothing like it existed within the Genealogies Liu DongLi knew of; even at the Mercury Stage, it was enough to unsettle one's heart.

But he no longer had time to ponder. He instinctively lunged forward, intending to rip off its mask, trying to force the four-armed Snake-man to look at his face. Then, he felt something wrap around his legs.

It was a tail. A long, serpentine tail.

No, I should say… Liu DongLi finally remembered. The Stigma on that creature wasn't some Snake-man; it was the Second Stage·Gold from the Brahmin Genealogy of India—Naga!

The four-armed characteristic must be a variant that spread to Myanmar!

Then, he was thrown aside.

In the last instant, he tossed the Short Knife in his hand, attempting to delay the counterattacking Naga. But then he saw one of the Naga's arms drop a Curved Knife as another hand pulled a Flash Bomb from its coat and threw it at them.

The next moment, blinding light engulfed them.

Huai Shi quickly retreated, swinging his Sacrificial Knife forward in a slash.

It felt as though he hadn't cut anything, yet also as if he had struck something.

Then, they heard a gunshot.

Amid severe dizziness and nausea, Huai Shi bent down and took out another pack of Apocalypse, tossing it on the ground—the black fog swallowed everything. This move seemed to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of the situation, but by the time they recovered from the intense dizziness, the Naga was no longer in sight.

It had already fled.

Leaving behind King Ocean in a pool of blood on the ground.

His throat and chest had been cut open by a Sharp Blade. Blood gushed out, and he could no longer speak.

Huai Shi rushed over, reaching to check his pulse, but quickly withdrew his fingers.

There's no saving him.

A dark green sheen emerged on the wound; the blade was also poisoned. No, if it were the Poisonous Dragon Naga, wouldn't it be stranger if it wasn't poisoned?

Liu DongLi took one look then stopped wasting time, hurriedly searching through everything, looking for any valuable documents. Huai Shi lifted King Ocean from the ground, struggling to pry his eyes open.

"Wake up! You still have time! Who killed you!" He took out a ring from his pocket. "Who killed them! Who made you hide here! Speak up! King Ocean!"

King Ocean struggled frantically, like a fish out of water, his hands desperately clawing, trying to grasp the fleeting chance at life. He left bloody prints on Huai Shi's collar and tore off Huai Shi's mask.

When he saw Huai Shi's face, he froze, his gaze quickly turning bitter and venomous.

"You... It's all you... Your... fault..."

His lips moved, spitting out blood, but soon, they curled into a mocking smile. "We will all... die... soon..."

He suddenly stopped struggling and grabbed a nearby dagger.

Stabbing it toward his own heart.

CRACK!

Crimson blood spurted out, landing on Huai Shi's stunned face.

Fires began to spread.

Amidst the violent shaking, it seemed like the upper levels had exploded once again; the lower levels were about to collapse.

Huai Shi sighed and slowly laid King Ocean down.

He put away the ring.

「The rest of the events were unremarkable.」

Liu DongLi led him out of the transfer warehouse before the Special Affairs Department's main force arrived, even driving him home.

Seeing his absentminded appearance, Cowherd couldn't help shaking his head. "I know you have a lot of questions. Rest well tonight. You can come to the detective's place to find me tomorrow."

Huai Shi nodded, got out of the car, and watched him drive away.

When he got home and pushed open the living room door, he saw Raven waiting there.

"You seem to need someone to talk to, huh?"

The black Flying Bird perched on the whistling kettle, asking, "Coffee? Tea?"