The cultivation master

The train from the capital whistled as it traversed the mountainous route. Despite the blizzard and freezing conditions, it continued steadily and calmly. Occasionally, it let out a loud whistle, breaking through the howling wind; and although the windows were frozen from the outside, the compartments were warm and comfortable inside.

When the iron bell rang, four attendants in pressed uniforms came forward, offering tea to the passengers in the compartments. However, compartment number four had ordered not only tea but also some cake, cream, and toast.

A little later, when the orders arrived, a man in a suit, about forty years old with delicate glasses, opened the door. He glanced at his pocket watch and said, "Well, I guess it was worth the expense."

He took the orders and closed the door. But what caught attention was not the aristocratic behavior of the man but his companion in the compartment. This man also wore a pressed suit, and his graying hair was visible under the brim of his top hat. He had a black cane and his eyes were covered with a white bandage. A red tie above his gray vest bulged, and he had a gentle smile on his lips.

When the dessert table was brought into the compartment, the train let out a loud whistle. A cloud of steam rose above its black roof and disappeared into the blizzard.

"Surely, this is too much for two stomachs," the blind man shook his head and said.

The man with glasses, wiping the cream from around his mouth, said, "And it's also a long journey for a blind man, sir."

The blind man leaned on his cane, the metal handle shaped like an eagle's head glinting in the dim light of the compartment.

"Surely, when I heard from the central office about collaborating with the famous detective…" he continued.

"You expected a more… complete man?" the blind man interrupted.

The thin man with glasses sipped his tea and hastily corrected himself, "I was merely referring to the surprising nature of the matter."

"Ah, yes; the element of surprise…" the blind man smiled and said.

"I usually work alone, but due to the paperwork and formalities, I had to bring an assistant this time… I hope we don't disappoint each other, Mr. Zhao Dong…"

"Of course, sir, I'm sure we'll understand each other well during this journey. However, for better understanding, I think it's best to be honest with each other. Since I received the letter, I've been wondering why the central government brought in a private detective to investigate the possible movements of the Zombie Alliance."

"Oh…? You know, Mr. Zhao; most people don't pay attention to what they say, but from this carelessness, many secrets are revealed." "Words are powerful, sir. A few wrong words can cost many lives. Most wars initially were nothing more than foolish rhetoric." The man with glasses was taken aback, very slowly put down his tea cup, and tried to maintain his composure. In a louder voice, tinged with anxiety, he said, "What do you mean by that, sir? I feel like I've said something I shouldn't have while trying to show my honesty."

The blind man, as if reading his mind, laughed and continued in a gentle tone, "Ha ha ha, it's nothing!"

"Ah! So you were joking! I've always known that distinguished people have unique temperaments, but this is the first time I've experienced it myself."

"Oh, I suppose that's true." He turned towards the compartment door and smiled.

"I guess it's not just distinguished people who have unique habits." Then he struck his cane on the ground; suddenly, silence fell everywhere, Zhao Dong was paralyzed, and the cream cake fell from his hand. The blind man stood up and whispered in Zhao Dong's ear, "I think it would have been better if you hadn't gotten to the main point so soon…"

The sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway outside.

"So it was the tea, huh? A classic method…" he muttered.

Then he glanced at the white cups on the table and continued, "Why don't they have any creativity?!"

And when four armed men surrounded the compartment, he loosened his tie and put on a broad smile.

"Oh…? Right on time…" The train continued on its way.

As the four armed men stood outside the compartment, he said from behind the closed door, "Most people realize their foolishness when they feel the breath of death on the back of their necks. However, even at that moment, instead of regretting their actions, they look for a hole to escape like a mouse; isn't it ironic?"

Then, as he erased his domain, he said, "Kill them!"

Suddenly, Zhao Dong attacked the armed men and killed them all in one move.

The blind man, putting on leather gloves, said to Zhao Dong, "The party has started, Jia, you can stop pretending."

Suddenly, Zhao Dong's appearance changed, all his excess fat disappeared, and he took on a new face.

From within the fat, bespectacled man emerged a twenty-year-old girl with short black hair, wearing gray clothes and holding a short sword.

"If you knew they were trying to infiltrate the train by assassinating Zhao Dong, why didn't you stop them?!" Jia said indifferently.

"If they realized the plan had failed, they would have gone back into hiding, so I had to give them the illusion of victory to catch them at the right moment."

He looked at the bodies on the ground and covered his nose with a white handkerchief.

"I believe I emphasized leaving one of them alive."

Jia pointed to a half-dead man and said, "Of course, Mr. Sargon, as agreed, one of them is still alive."

Sargon gently tapped the man's stomach with the end of his cane. When he heard a faint sound, he said to Jia, "Take him into the compartment, we'll extract his memories…"

Extracting memories was not something that happened often. Since after this process, the person lost their identity and went insane, it was only used in special circumstances.

In fact, using the "memory extraction" method was no different from executing the person.

This method was one of the forbidden spells that only certain individuals could use.

Memories had a deep connection with the soul, and extracting them required severing this connection and destabilizing the soul. When the soul became unstable, it sacrificed everything to regain stability; and all the person's energy and lifespan were spent to stabilize the soul, but the soulless identity was trapped in absolute void and ensnared by "corruption."

Therefore, using this technique required special expertise in the science of structures and the path of wisdom.

Sargon left the compartment after an hour. The smell of blood was everywhere. Jia came out shortly after him. The entire compartment was stained red.

Sargon thought to himself:

"So a newly born zombie was immediately killed by the Heavenly Kings; shortly after, another zombie was seen in Red Mountain trying to evolve by absorbing thoughts. Now the reactionary Murim Alliance wants to use this zombie as a new trump card… but the question that arises is, where does the Zombie Alliance stand in this equation?"

"I guess Zhao Dong's main target wasn't me or anyone else. The reactionary Murim Alliance wants to reach that zombie. I don't know why or for what purpose they're after it, but we must find the zombie before they do…"