Damn it, at this time of night… Couldn’t that damn Qiongqi ever take a day shift? Doesn’t it know that sleep is crucial for a child’s growth and development? What if it ends up stunting the growth of my tailbone…
Today has been one disaster after another—my takeout got stolen during the day, and now I have to shout for Qiongqi because of that takeout, waking it up in the middle of the night to fight.
“Qilin, don’t be so anxious… don’t keep jumping. I know you’re worried, but if you keep jumping, you’ll wake everyone in the building. If Qiongqi catches wind and escapes, then we’re screwed.”
Only then did Little Qilin quiet down.
But its eyes were still full of urgency.
“Hmm… let me think…” I checked the medicines and talismans in my Storage Ring.
After confirming that all the necessary items for battle were fully stocked, I finally set off with satisfaction.
I slipped out from under Kelulu’s tentacle arms, changed into fresh clothes, and headed to the meeting point.
“Is everyone here?”
“One, two, three, four… The four ward deans plus Xiao Luo Xian. All accounted for.” White Tiger Mentor’s voice boomed.
Dealing with a legendary evil spirit isn’t like fighting a boss monster; it’s not about sheer numbers or trying to grind Qiongqi to death.
Participants with weak wills might even be manipulated by Qiongqi, becoming a liability.
Therefore, only the highest-level combatants need to show up.
“According to tracking intelligence, Qiongqi’s lair is in an Abandoned Building on the city outskirts. The Azure Dragon is drafting the initial battle plan now.”
“Qiongqi’s ability is to manipulate minds. Its own combat strength is no greater than that of a normal wild beast—just a slightly larger tiger. So what we have to watch out for isn’t Qiongqi itself… but the others near its lair.”
Azure Dragon Mentor opened his watch and projected a map of the Abandoned Building. “This is the terrain of Qiongqi’s lair. The overall structure looks like a normal residential complex, but the buildings are only half-completed—no rooftops, no windows or exterior walls, and made from poor-quality materials. In other words… this is a Dangerous Building.”
“An Abandoned Building? No, a Dangerous Building? Which damn company did this?” White Tiger Mentor cursed angrily.
“The Dangerous Building isn’t the main issue. The key is that such a structure is a perfect place for an ambush. You never know which wall might hide a Master.”
“I understand.” Vermilion Bird Mentor nodded. “I’ll keep Life Detection active.”
“Hmm… other than that, there’s nothing else to say for now. Time is tight. Let’s move out and try to finish before dawn. I have class tomorrow.” Azure Dragon Mentor said.
Vermilion Bird Mentor grabbed me by the collar and lifted me onto her Qingluan.
Qingluan? I remember Little Luan Teacher’s spiritual beast was also a Qingluan, and that isn’t a common spirit.
I heard similar spiritual beasts are genetically related. Could it be…
“Wait, you won’t be fighting. Your task is to use the Power of Kirin to dispel Qiongqi’s abilities and protect yourself.”
“All right, all right.” I’m all for playing it easy!
As the vanguard scout, Vermilion Bird Mentor and I were the first to arrive at Qiongqi’s lair.
Landing on the adjacent block, I looked toward the building.
The structure was riddled with holes, its walls bristling with exposed, jagged rebar, like a war-torn ruin.
But amidst this ruin, a few kerosene lamps still burned.
Under one lamp sat a student studying late into the night.
She knelt cross-legged in a room without exterior walls, the cold wind flipping through her pages.
She pressed the pages down and continued memorizing vocabulary.
Just half a meter from where she sat was a drop so high it would pulverize anyone who fell.
Beside her, a middle-aged woman carried a pot of ginger soup warmed over a gas cylinder and set it on the girl’s desk.
“Autumn has come, drink this or you’ll catch a cold.”
“Mm…” The girl’s attention was on her books, and she picked up the bowl without realizing it was hot, drinking it all in one gulp.
In a neighboring room a few walls away, another lamp was still lit.
An older man sat at a desk, bloodshot eyes glued to his screen, typing furiously.
Suddenly, a phone rang and interrupted him. He glanced at the caller ID and reluctantly answered.
“Almost done! Please wait a bit longer!”
“No, boss! This isn’t even my job! Why are you docking my pay?!”
“Ah no no, I know I was wrong! I’ll do it! I want to do it!”
“I promise, I’ll finish the files before tomorrow morning. I’ve already been working overtime for half a year straight. I just couldn’t hold on anymore and took a short nap… Sorry, sorry, I swear I’ll get it done on time!”
“The overtime pay… Oh no, you heard wrong. I never mentioned overtime pay! Contributing to the company is what we should do, haha… Boss, please get some rest. It’s late. Good night, boss! Sweet dreams! Good night!”
He hung up.
He sat there blankly for a few seconds.
Then he glanced around the drafty, half-finished room.
Looked at the yellowed Contract of Sale and the Bank Loan Collection Notice in the drawer.
He sighed, lifted his head, and stared back at the screen.
His fingers flew over the keyboard again.
Suddenly, I forgot what I came here for.
What I was seeing was definitely not an illusion, yet it was more painful than any illusion.
I almost wished it were Qiongqi’s trick—an illusion.
Then this would be a simple brave hero versus demon king mission; defeat the demon king and everything would be fine.
“Are they Qiongqi’s guards?” I asked Vermilion Bird Mentor.
She nodded.
Yes, if Qiongqi lived inside the building, they couldn’t possibly be unaware.
“If they block us, do we have to kill them?”
Vermilion Bird Mentor nodded again.
The mission to eliminate Qiongqi is top priority. Even if sacrifices are necessary… it must be done.
Then let’s get started.
The Qingluan spread its wings, and we charged directly from a half-empty room into the Dangerous Building.
The moment our feet touched this ruinous structure, a sudden roar echoed inside the building!
“That’s Qiongqi’s howl! It’s signaling!”
At the sound of Qiongqi’s alarm, every household in the building sprang into action!
They didn’t have any powerful battle spirits but grabbed whatever was at hand—kitchen knives, scissors, fruit knives—and flooded the corridors.
As they moved, the entire building began shedding dust and debris, threatening to collapse.
“Damn… why are there so many residents in an Abandoned Building?”
Vermilion Bird Mentor and I found ourselves surrounded by awakened residents.
“This is our home,” a little girl said, holding an English book in one hand and a knife in the other, glaring at us. “We paid the down payment with the first half of our lives and crushed the rest feeding the loans to buy this building. If we don’t stay here, where else can we go? Prison?”
“…”
The crowd slowly closed in.
“There will be someone to solve your problems. Now step aside—our target is Qiongqi,” Vermilion Bird Mentor said coldly.
“No, you won’t solve anything,” the girl shook her head. “Only Qiongqi Lord can.”
These people were loyal to Qiongqi… Could they be hosts to the Soul Fragment of Qiongqi?
No.
They weren’t. There was no trace of Qiongqi’s Soul Fragment on them.
Soul Fragments only lodge in evildoers who have a criminal heart.
But they weren’t criminals; they weren’t evil.
Yet now.
They swore to defend Qiongqi to the death.