"BLAH BLAH BLAH..."
Huai Shi shook his head and interrupted impatiently, "Although I've watched few movies, I at least know that villains with a bit of class tend to say things like that. But in reality, their new world is a complete mess."
"I know what you're trying to do, but you're destined to fail."
Qi Yuan's head twisted nearly one hundred eighty degrees to face Huai Shi, his expression calm. "You can't stop anything, even if you kill me. The Lord's Metamorphosis has passed the critical moment and can awaken from the embryo of the Mirror World at any time."
"That's someone else's problem to worry about. I actually don't care much."
Huai Shi waved his hand and asked seriously, "I only have one question—you've been colluding with the Savior Association for a while now, haven't you?"
"Not long, Huai Shi, nor short," Qi Yuan said calmly. "Perhaps, you wish to question your faith?"
"What you actually believe in doesn't matter much to me, but the situation is a bit different now."
Huai Shi scratched his head and showed a sincere smile. "Last time you dragged me to play at the gospel class, that old fellow promised to pay me forty bucks. I haven't seen a dime, and I can't even find the man."
As he spoke, he rubbed his fingers together and asked seriously, "So, after all this time, shouldn't you settle the principal and interest with me?"
Although he was smiling, the pupils of his eyes held a steely cold light, devoid of any mirth.
"Don't worry, I don't want much," Huai Shi said. "Your life and your dog's life will suffice."
Qi Yuan didn't speak. Only a hint of crimson emerged in his eyes as he slowly raised a finger, striking an invisible flute note in the air, calling forth the monsters that lurked in darkness.
The message was clear.
"Is that so? Then it's truly regrettable."
Huai Shi sighed, his hands unfolding to summon a thunder-lit Axe and sword, carefully imbuing them with lightning.
"Just as you said, this is not a personal grudge—"
He slowly raised his head, staring at Qi Yuan, who was surrounded by a blood-hued throng, and smirked. "It's merely a wage recovery activity."
The Axe and sword clashed; lightning and sparks erupted amid shrill sounds.
In that instant, the youth shed the guise of humanity, revealing the visage of a fire-dwelling Evil Ghost as the Apocalypse Fog rose!
BANG!
The Thunder Light Axe Blade collided with the blood wrapped around Qi Yuan, emitting the roar of tidal waves.
"If that's all you've got, it's useless," Qi Yuan suddenly sneered. "Fine, let Father keep you company and play properly."
In that instant, the ceiling shattered, and something heavy shrieked its way through.
A foul wind howled behind Huai Shi.
Before he could react, two hands grasped his shoulders. They yanked him up and slammed him onto the floor. Before Huai Shi could recover from the dizziness, a vicious gust of wind struck the back of his head. He instinctively rolled over, only to see a filthy foot stomp where his head had just been. The floor tiles shattered, and flying debris scratched his face.
He froze for a moment, then fiercely kicked his feet. Sliding backward by pushing off the creature's face, he tumbled and scrambled up. He stared at his attacker's face in disbelief.
Qi Wen!
That monstrosity indeed had a face identical to Qi Wen's. However, the rest of it was completely different. It was spider-like, with limbs haphazardly inserted into a torso stitched from corpse pieces. It looked like a lump of mud when still, and like a crazed, head-bearing sludge when it moved.
An abominable sight.
This is taking 'father and son into battle' too far!
"Huai Shi…" Drool dripped from Qi Wen's head as he stared intently at the stunned youth, screaming frantically, "Huai Shi! Huai Shi! Huai Shi!"
It scrambled towards him on all fours!
"Stop calling me so damn familiarly!"
Huai Shi drew his sword to counter, blocking a sweeping spider-like leg. Sparks flew as he stumbled backward.
As Qi Yuan watched the chaotic fight, a hint of a sneer touched his lips.
But before the smile could fully form, the ceiling above him split open again with a straight fissure. From it, a chilling blade of light shot out, pierced through layers of blood, and aimed straight for Qi Yuan's neck.
With the ceiling's destruction, a dreadful Prajna Mask emerged from the darkness, offering Qi Yuan a cold, sinister smile.
A clear female voice rang out.
"—I, Li Jian Amber, shall claim your head!"
In the midst of the battle, Huai Shi turned back in shock, his expression changing instantly.
Damn it, someone's trying to steal my kill!
How many people did this bastard Qi Yuan owe wages to!
***
"Li Jian Amber?"
As he struggled to drag the iron box, Liu DongLi even took a moment to glance at the Social Security Bureau's support roster and was momentarily stunned when he stumbled upon a name from Yingzhou.
"The Li Jian family of the Hua Clan? It's rare to see them at the Social Security Bureau instead of Deer's Sing Hall, isn't it?"
He sighed, retracted his gaze from his wristwatch, and looked up to see a woman sitting on the platform.
She sat as calmly and relaxed as if on her own sofa, nonchalantly wiping blood off her gun. Thick, viscous blood dripped from her skirt, making it impossible to tell if it was hers or someone else's. It was Ai Qing.
He was stunned. His face instinctively showed a trademark professional smile, which then stiffened slightly.