Chapter 248 - 247: An Enemy from the Sky?
Chapter 248: Chapter 247: An Enemy from the Sky?
’It can fly?!’
’And it left a trace of its aura that survived a night of torrential rain. That shows just how powerful the visitor was!’
Wu Chen watched the wisp of aura drift into the sky until it vanished into the distance. His pupils trembled, and his brow twitched involuntarily.
At the same time, a question rose in his mind:
’Can someone in the Dragon Transformation Realm fly?’
’Definitely not.’
’His master had told him back in the ruins of the Celestial Star Sect that the Dragon Transformation Realm was just another metamorphosis of the physical body, making it stronger.’
’You’re still a long way from being able to walk on air.’
’So, is the enemy an existence stronger than the Dragon Transformation Realm?’
’I’m not even invincible under the heavens yet, and now an enemy has appeared from the sky?!’
For a moment, Wu Chen’s mind was a chaotic mess.
"What’s wrong? Did you find something?"
Sun Yuting noticed the slight shift in Wu Chen’s mood and nudged him lightly with her elbow, asking in a hushed voice.
"Nothing."
Wu Chen looked at the haggard face that had drawn close to his and decided not to reveal what he knew just yet.
After all, if the enemy was truly as powerful as he imagined, they probably couldn’t take it down even if they summoned everyone from the Cangwu City Demon Suppression Bureau. It would be pointless, aside from making Sun Yuting worry.
’Wait, if I think about it carefully, maybe it’s not what I’m imagining.’
Wu Chen first forced himself to calm down. He began to analyze the information he had to determine if he was overestimating the enemy’s strength.
’If it really has the ability to walk on air, on top of a realm of power beyond imagination, would it even need to go through the trouble of planting a mark?’
As he thought this, his reasoning suddenly cleared, and he immediately dismissed the idea.
’Of course not.’
’It’s completely unnecessary!’
Previously, Wu Chen had assumed the mastermind’s actions meant its power level was roughly on par with the Captains of the Demon Suppression Bureau. That was why it had so many reservations and didn’t dare to act recklessly or go on a killing spree.
But if it was strong enough to walk on air, would it still need to be so troublesome?
’It could just devour and refine its victims directly! With the ability to fly, it could have devoured everyone around Cold Rain City clean. When people from the Demon Suppression Bureau arrived, it could just flee without a second thought. Who could possibly catch it? What would there be to worry about?’
’It doesn’t have an ounce of a true expert’s pride.’
’Which means it isn’t strong at all.’
’It just happens to be able to fly.’
Wu Chen’s gaze was profound. As he pieced together the various clues, he formed a judgment of the enemy’s strength, and a rough picture of what it was began to take shape.
’A demon!’
’A demon with wings!’
’It’s a demon, nine times out of ten!’
Wu Chen refused to believe that a powerful expert from the Human Race who followed the Demon Path, and one who could fly at that, would go through all that trouble in one night just for a single meal.
"Don’t worry, I’m here."
Wu Chen looked at the girl, whose eyes were filled with worry because of his reluctance to explain, and patted her shoulder to reassure her.
"I know you are!"
Sun Yuting pulled Wu Chen aside and whispered, "You don’t have to tell me what you found. Just tell me—should we send a message to Cangwu City?"
She was truly worried.
Wu Chen was speechless for a moment.
To be blunt, he knew the enemy was likely from the Demon Race and that its strength wasn’t insurmountable. The problem was, he didn’t know how many such demons were in Cold Rain City, whether there were more powerful beings backing them, or just how many enemies were lurking in the shadows. None of that was clear yet.
Even if he called in a hundred Demon Suppression Guards, if it ended in a total wipeout, that was a consequence Wu Chen was unwilling to bear, especially not at the cost of other people’s lives.
"Things haven’t reached that point yet. In the current situation, it’s actually more convenient for the two of us to act alone. There’s no need to notify the Cangwu City Demon Suppression Bureau," Wu Chen said.
No matter what happened next, whether the enemy was impossibly strong or not, the worst-case scenario was simply that they couldn’t win. In that case, he’d grab the girl and run, then find a chance to come back and finish the job.
Wu Chen was quite confident in his ability to escape with her. Striking back later would be a piece of cake.
If he called in a large number of Demon Suppression Guards and they engaged with the hidden enemy, the only path left would be a fight to the death.
At that point, whether to fight or retreat would no longer be his decision to make.
"Alright, I’ll listen to you, of course!"
Sun Yuting forced a smile onto her pale face. Since Wu Chen had said so, she naturally chose to trust him.
After their brief conversation, the two of them walked over to the anxious-looking Master Liu.
"You two, have you found any clues?"
Seeing Wu Chen and Sun Yuting approach, Master Liu’s nervousness eased slightly. He repeatedly clasped his hands in respect, showing none of the airs of a wealthy family head.
"Master Liu, to be perfectly honest."
Wu Chen shook his head. "The culprit’s Divine Abilities are vast, and with the cover of the rainy night, not many traces were left behind. Even the two of us are powerless to do more."
Master Liu’s face went pale. "Is that so..."
Wu Chen smiled. "However, Master Liu, you need not worry. We will stay here for a day to prevent the culprit from returning to harm anyone else."
Upon hearing this, a flicker of emotion finally crossed Master Liu’s pale face. "That would be wonderful! I’ll have a thousand taels of silver prepared for you, Young Master. I hope you can stay for a few more days!"
Wu Chen gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
But to be honest, a thousand taels of silver meant nothing to him. As for staying a few more days, that was definitely out of the question.
This was mainly because Wu Chen felt the culprits might not show up again, making it a waste of time to stay here.
...
’But... will it really not show up?’
After having a meal at Master Liu’s estate and returning to their room to rest, Wu Chen stood before Sun Yuting, carefully examining the faint red mark between her eyebrows.
’A mark planted in the body of someone in the Blood Coagulation Realm... The enemy must be able to sense Sun Yuting’s realm, so I don’t believe it would give her up so easily.’
He reached out a finger and gently caressed the spot between her eyebrows.
Her skin was flawless and smooth to the touch, but the faint red mark seemed to be embedded within it. Wu Chen couldn’t help but press a little harder.
"Ngh~"
Sun Yuting felt a strange sensation spread from the point between her eyebrows, traveling up to the roots of her hair and down to the soles of her feet, reaching every part of her body.
It felt like being bitten by a venomous insect, a tingling numbness spreading through her.
She couldn’t help but squeeze her thighs together slightly. A heat flared in her lower abdomen, and a soft hum escaped her nose.
Wu Chen looked confused. "What is it? Did the culprit show up? Is the mark reacting?"
"..."
Sun Yuting shot the young man a reproachful glance with her misty eyes but said nothing.
Only then did Wu Chen awkwardly withdraw his hand and change the subject.
"Tonight, I’ll be watching your every move. If the culprit comes again and activates the mark to summon you, don’t resist too much. When the time comes, I’ll go with you."
"Mm, I know."
Sun Yuting nodded lightly. Despite having the mark on her, she felt inexplicably at ease in Wu Chen’s presence.
She touched a fingertip to the spot between her brows and said worriedly, "With this mark, I definitely won’t be able to help you when you face the enemy."
"You have to be careful. If you can’t handle it, don’t worry about me."
As she finished, she looked at Wu Chen with a firm gaze, her words clearly not just for show.
"Bullshit..."
Wu Chen shook his head and sat down at the desk in the room. "Go on and get some sleep. It’s your turn to take the bed today."
Watching the young man who had so heartlessly dismissed her words before slumping over the desk to rest, Sun Yuting rolled her eyes speechlessly and grumbled to herself:
’...It’s already come to this, and he still has to draw such a clear line between us!’
...
Before they knew it, the light inside the room gradually dimmed.
The great moon hung high in the sky, and the stars shone brightly.
Figures darted through Water Town, their torches forming a long, fiery dragon.
These were the night patrol Guards arranged by several of the town’s wealthy families, who feared the culprits would return.
After all, with over forty people vanishing in a single night, anyone would be terrified and unable to rest easy.
But as time ticked by, minute by minute, the night was half over, and no one had noticed anything unusual.
What they didn’t know was that at this very moment, outside the town, near an old locust tree ten li to the south...
a massive figure descended from the sky. It appeared first as a speck of black light before transforming into a huge, dark shadow that landed silently.
The ten-foot-tall figure made no sound as it touched the ground.
Only its fanged mouth exhaled a searing breath.
WHOOSH!—
The brightly lit town was reflected in the massive figure’s eyes. Within its greedy pupils, the desire for slaughter was surging:
"To think I’d run into someone from the Blood Coagulation Realm! This King is simply drooling with anticipation!"