Chapter 311: I Want to Organize a Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts

As master and familiar, Dusk Maiden and Ms. Rabbit knew each other too well. Almost every special ability granted by their haunting powers, along with the various details and habits in battle, were thoroughly understood by the other.

Thus, after a brief probing, their fight gradually evolved into a brutal clash of psychic energy and a bloodthirsty melee.

Ms. Rabbit raised her axe blade and swung it furiously at the graceful figure ahead.

Following the piercing shriek of the air being torn apart, the sound of shattering steel erupted.

Under the astonishing brute force of the psychic energy-enhanced attack, Dusk Maiden flew backward, her legs smashing through the hard asphalt, carving out two trenches on the ground, and “bang!” she crashed into a roadside fire hydrant.

A fierce jet of water gushed from the shattered hydrant, splashing onto a nearby electrical box, causing dazzling sparks and acrid smoke to spew out wildly.

With a loud explosion, the long street and the large buildings on either side plunged into complete darkness.

This was the last scene Lu Yibei witnessed of Ms. Rabbit and Dusk Maiden’s battle.

Rather than waiting for them to determine a victor and seizing the opportunity, she had more important matters to attend to.

For instance, evacuating the “army” of little Hauntings gathered for the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts from the apartment.

They were too weak, trembling in fear under the suppression of Ms. Rabbit and Dusk Maiden’s psychic energy fluctuations, unable to run far, and hiding in the corners of the long street.

If left unattended, they might very well become a crystalline core entity of a haunting under the residual impact of their battle.

Additionally, after evacuating the little Hauntings, Meng needed to hide quickly to avoid being hunted or captured by The Midnight Watchers Society when they tracked the psychic energy fluctuations.

The Midnight Watchers Society of Hua City, though seemingly unreliable and lacking talent on ordinary days, would certainly not fail to notice such a commotion.

At this moment, An Qing, the main operator on night duty, was likely already on her way with the special task force’s tough guys and a series of weapons against hauntings.

Nowadays, if anyone gathers for a fight, the police officer can absolutely arrive at the scene within twenty minutes. Although The Midnight Watchers Society has an additional step of psychic energy fluctuation detection, they wouldn’t be much slower.

By then, An Qing would exert her forceful suppression, and the special task force would unleash a barrage of Alchemy shells, which might not kill a Class A Haunting on the spot, but would certainly be overwhelming.

Ten minutes later.

Inside the rundown office of the Hua City Folk Culture Administration Bureau.

After evacuating the little Hauntings gathered on Mudan Street, Lu Yibei confirmed with Meng multiple times that she was safely hidden in the depths of the Xingfu Community’s underground space, away from the prying eyes of The Midnight Watchers Society. Only then did he leave the Dream, waking up on the hard single bed, gasping for breath.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard the booming voice of Qi Dong coming from the direction of the special task force’s preparation area outside the window.

“Hurry up, bring all the gear, get the armored vehicles ready, and load them with the highest-grade spell formation solidification rounds!”

“Damn it, it’s been almost two years since we’ve seen Class A Hauntings fighting each other in Hua City. Tonight, I’m going all out!”

Following the direction of the voice, Lu Yibei saw Qi Dong braving the cold in just a vest and a stab-proof vest, holding a grenade launcher in one hand and a 7.62mm rotary machine gun slung over his back, rushing past the window like a Terminator, looking quite fierce.

“……”

This… is indeed the style of the special task force!

But, using such high-powered weapons in the city, is that really okay? Lu Yibei wondered, and then another question piqued his curiosity.

The level of destruction caused by Hauntings like the Dusk Maiden and Ms. Rabbit, even if restrained, could severely damage an entire street.

But that could still be explained away with excuses like an electrical box explosion, gas pipeline leaks, or an earthquake.

If the intensity and scale of the Haunting battles were any greater, how would The Midnight Watchers Society handle it to completely erase the impact?

As Lu Yibei pondered one thought after another, the noise outside gradually faded, and the large courtyard of the Hua City Folk Culture Administration Bureau fell silent once more.

Driving from Mudan Street to the vicinity of Xingfu Community would take no more than ten minutes. As Lu Yibei had anticipated, The Midnight Watchers Society would arrive at the scene of the Dusk Maiden and Ms. Rabbit’s battle within twenty minutes.

“Good thing I ran fast!” Lu Yibei muttered to himself.

He was secretly relieved that he had infiltrated The Midnight Watchers Society, understanding its operations better than ordinary Hauntings. Otherwise, he would have been caught on the spot and thrown into Yunkang Psychiatric Hospital just for being an onlooker who didn’t retreat in time, which would have been too unjust.

In the dead of night, inside a warehouse filled with discarded computer parts, several monitors glowed eerily.

Under the cold light, a chubby little white bug extended its long tail, with several USB interfaces at the end, connected to the running servers.

In front of it, on one of the screens, messages in the haunting chat group scrolled continuously.

Online Pervert 0: “In recent days, after consecutive attacks, we’ve collected thirty-two psychic artifacts, nine core entities, including but not limited to Jiao Lizard poison sacs, Night Bat fangs, Copper Vein Elderwood, Moon Ash, and various alchemical materials, as well as forty-four chips with unknown usage, totaling a face value of one hundred ninety-six…”

“……”

Once the harvest statistics were completed, it lifted the group mute and posted a message.

Void: “Take a look at this, footage I just received from a camera near Xingfu Community. It’s quite interesting. [Video]”

The video content started with the Dusk Maiden and Ms. Rabbit locking eyes. Soon, another Haunting dressed like a green-clothed opera performer appeared, exchanged a few words with the Dusk Maiden and Ms. Rabbit, and quickly, the two began to fight fiercely, leaving only ghostly figures flitting across the screen.

Before long, under the influence of strong psychic energy fluctuations, the video feed was interrupted for an extended period. When the image returned, only a scene of post-battle devastation remained on the deserted street.

The asphalt road was riddled with cracks and potholes, and large sections of the boundary walls alongside the street had collapsed. A damaged fire hydrant spurted water, mingling with the blood on the ground to quickly freeze in the cold air.

Void: “Looking at this, The Midnight Watchers Society will probably have to concoct some news about a pipeline explosion tomorrow. Our group member, Wang Buliuxing, really is impressive!”

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “Boss, did you say Wang Buliuxing? But she wasn’t in the footage at all!”

Online Pervert 0: “Isn’t the haunting from Xingfu Community one of Wang Buliuxing’s familiars? If she appeared, doesn’t that mean Wang Buliuxing was involved? Why are you being so naive?”

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “[Angry cat emoji]”

Void: “Indeed, her familiar appeared, so I think it’s highly likely that the dispute between the two hauntings was instigated by her through her familiars.”

She wasn’t even present at the scene, yet she easily stirred up conflict…

Such a terrifying woman!

Could this ability be related to her haunting power? I’m suddenly very curious about what kind of haunting she really is! thought Void to himself.

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “@Customer Service Girl Did you see that? Did you see? You were asking me earlier what kind of person would be bored enough to make up all sorts of reports?”

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “It’s this kind of person! It’s not that my attitude and approach are the problem, she’s the problem!”

Void: “@One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat Xiaoqi, since you’re so close with Wang Buliuxing, you should continue the negotiations with her later.”

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “[Confused cat emoji] Boss, didn’t she already refuse to continue gathering information about Gou Meng? Hasn’t the mission been temporarily halted? Why do we still need to negotiate with her?”

Void: “It’s not like that. Our relationship with Wang Buliuxing is a mutually beneficial partnership, which is essential for a lasting cooperation.”

Void: “If she finds out we’ve been using her reputation to reap benefits amidst the chaos and have made quite a few enemies for her without giving her a share, our partnership is bound to break.”

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “Boss, are you worried about her tactics of causing division, fearing that she holds grudges?”

Void: “A bit [bitter smile]. Such a capricious and powerful haunting naturally deserves some respect under normal circumstances.”

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “……”

Seeing her boss openly admit his fears about Wang Buliuxing, Meow Xiaoqi was momentarily at a loss for words.

Void: “But I’m not making this decision out of fear. Hua City is about to plunge into chaos. Continuing to mimic her and attack the Dusk Maiden’s stronghold would not only yield psychic artifacts but also put you all in danger. It’s just not worth the risk, is it?”

One Hundred and Two-Thirds Cat: “Got it. So, boss, how much of those items should we send to her to make it fair?”

Void: “Take them all, let her pick half herself.”

……

At that time, within a villa on the outskirts of Hua City.

Upon seeing Void’s response, Meow Xiaoqi’s fur on her ears bristled, and she widened her eyes. With one hand, she vigorously patted the shoulder of the man beside her, while the other hand pointed at the screen.

“Ah-Se, look, look! Has the boss caught a virus or been infected with a Trojan?”

Old Pervert glanced at Meow Xiaoqi and said irritably, “What nonsense are you talking about? The boss is the most formidable virus in the world, the craftiest Trojan, and the most infuriating malware.”

“Have you forgotten how he dealt with someone who bullied his favorite virtual idol? I still remember how he drove that guy insane, wiping his SAN value to zero. It was quite the sight.”

“That makes sense…”

Meow Xiaoqi frowned, then a greedy expression appeared on her face as she muttered, “But it feels like a waste to give Wang Buliuxing so many benefits for nothing!”

“Whether we give them or not isn’t certain yet!” Old Pervert said, pouting his lips. As he spoke, he pointed at the computer screen in front of Meow Xiaoqi.

Following Old Pervert’s direction, Meow Xiaoqi looked at the screen.

Void: “However, Xiaoqi, wait until the chaos in Hua City ends before you deliver the items to Wang Buliuxing.”

After reading Void’s response, Old Pervert nodded thoughtfully, then saw Meow Xiaoqi type “Why?” in the chat box. Before she could send it, he patted her shoulder.

“No need to ask. The boss means that if she dies in the chaos, those items will serve as a sacrifice. If she survives, they will be a congratulatory gift for the coronation of the new King of Hauntings in Hua City.”

He paused, then added, “On the other hand, delivering them now would be like admitting that we are the ones mimicking her and causing trouble in Hua City, wouldn’t it?”

Meanwhile, in a long street near the back entrance of Xingfu Community.

What was once a secluded yet tidy street, now lay in utter ruin, with seven or eight bodies draped in black robes, their heads nowhere to be found, scattered amidst the rubble and dirt.

Various colors of blood mixed together, emitting a foul smell.

The battle between Ms. Rabbit and the Dusk Maiden was nearing its end.

With a loud explosion, Ms. Rabbit fell from the sky, crashing into the ground. Her white dress was nearly completely torn, exposing her pale skin covered in fierce scars.

She was ultimately a move short.

Although her psychic energy fluctuation had reached a level capable of contending with the Dusk Maiden.

As a familiar, even though her actions were no longer controlled by the Dusk Maiden, the mark of a familiar acted like an invisible shackle, impossible to fully erase.

And it was those subtle influences that accumulated during the battle, ultimately leading to her defeat.

At the end of the street, the Dusk Maiden, holding a long blade that had turned serrated from the intense battle, walked forward with a mocking smile on her lips.

“Little Bunny, the thought of having to kill you myself really breaks my heart. You were once my favorite familiar, so rest assured, I won’t kill you that quickly.”

The thought of the Dusk Maiden’s cruel methods of tormenting familiars tightened Ms. Rabbit’s chest, but a resolute expression soon appeared in her eyes.

“Hmph! You’d better kill me now, or I’ll never let you go if I get the chance.”

“Chance?” The Dusk Maiden chuckled coldly. “Once you’re back under my control, you won’t have any more chances-unless a miracle happens.”

“Whoosh-!”

As her words fell, the sound of a cannon firing tore through the air at the end of the street. She spun around just in time to see the Alchemy cannonball, launched from Qi Dong’s grenade launcher, streaking towards her with a blazing tail, growing larger in her sight and rapidly approaching.

A long blade flashed like lightning, and in a flicker, it carved an arc of light in front of the Dusk Maiden. The blade collided with the cannonball, causing the air to violently shake, and the blade turned glowing red.

Then, the Alchemy cannonball, comparable in power to a precision spell formation, exploded with a thunderous roar. Flames and copper shards struck the crimson shield that the Dusk Maiden had conjured before her, rapidly spreading cracks across it.

Just then, behind her, Ms. Rabbit’s mocking words suddenly rang out.

“See, don’t miracles exist? And it’s even a 60mm caliber kind of miracle.”

Hearing Ms. Rabbit’s voice, the Dusk Maiden’s pupils shrank, and she spun around just in time to see a flash of cold light slash down, “Pfft!” leaving a ghastly wound on her body.

The wound, tearing from her collarbone downward, almost took her right arm with it.

Then, an inhuman scream filled the street, imbued with a breath of fury.

In a dazzling glow, the surrounding scene shattered like broken mirrors, opening up fissures. In a moment of dizzying disorientation, everything seemed like an illusion and disappeared, taking the Dusk Maiden’s figure with it.

“Damn it! She got away!”

Ms. Rabbit cursed harshly, having failed to kill her own master. Her gaze grew more solemn as she looked towards the special task force members gathering on the street ahead and An Qing approaching.

Just then, a gust of wind passed behind her, and a white figure flashed by. She felt herself suddenly lifted by the waist and rapidly carried towards a dark cluster of buildings in the distance.

As they soared through the air, huge bone wings unfolded behind Shu E like a round shield. The scalpel and cannonball that followed rained down like hail.

“Boom-Boom-Boom-!”

The bone wings held up for only a few seconds before disintegrating into dust under a barrage of explosions.

Although most of the attacks from the special task force and An Qing were absorbed by the bone wings, a few rusted scalpels and flying copper shards hit Shu E’s body, embedding into his flesh and causing him to shudder violently.

Enduring the intense pain, he clenched his teeth and, using the blast wave, increased his speed to the extreme, his figure flickering and vanishing into the night.

Amidst the howling wind, Ms. Rabbit looked up at Shu E’s pale face and the blood that wouldn’t stop spilling from his mouth, dazedly asking, “Why… why did you save me?”

“In any situation, the safety of the test subject must be ensured. That’s a direct order from the Council of Elders,” Shu E said with a faint smile. “You still have two more experiments to go through. I have to make sure you survive to return.”

Ms. Rabbit, “…What the hell was I expecting?”

In the quiet halls of The Midnight Watchers Society in Hua City, Lu Yibei lay on his single bed, staring at Bai Kai’s number in his phone contacts. He hesitated for a long time before finally dialing.

Though the power leveling expert had told him that dealing with the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts orchestrated by the Dusk Maiden, and the potential massive threat lurking behind it, would rely solely on his own strength, he still felt it was necessary to inform Shui-Ge.

Individual strength has its limits, and considering what he was about to undertake, he realized he might need some help.

If he couldn’t trust Shui-Ge to provide assistance, then there was truly no one else he could rely on.

“Hello! Is that Yibei?” Bai Kai’s voice came through after a few rings. It was rare for Lu Yibei to call him, and he sounded genuinely surprised.

“It’s me,” Lu Yibei replied. “Shui-Ge, what are you up to right now? Do you have time to meet? I have something urgent I need to consult with you about.”

“Consult…” Bai Kai sensed the seriousness in Lu Yibei’s tone. After a brief pause, he asked, “Where should we meet?”

“How about the entrance of Mudan Street?”

“Alright!” Bai Kai agreed immediately. “I’m at work right now, give me three minutes, I’ll be right there.”

Following that, Lu Yibei heard a sound over the phone, like a hand slapping a fleshy backside.

A sharp, crisp “smack!” was followed by a moan that could make anyone blush.

“Hurry up, make it quick!” Bai Kai’s voice faintly instructed someone.

Lu Yibei, “…”

Listening to the indecent sounds over the phone, he suddenly doubted whether three minutes would be enough.

Five minutes later.

Lu Yibei stood at the entrance of Mudan Street. The ancient town lay peacefully under the night sky, as if in a deep slumber. In the distance, a glint of silver light appeared on the empty road, quickly approaching him.

The silver light faded, revealing Bai Kai, disheveled, standing before him. “I’m here, Yibei. What’s up? Just tell me!”

Lu Yibei forced his gaze away from the kiss marks on Bai Kai’s neck, looking him straight in the eye. With a serious tone, he asked, “Shui-Ge, if I wanted to do something against the rules of The Midnight Watchers Society, would you help me?”

“Of course!” Bai Kai laughed, responding without hesitation. “Besides, what kind of trouble could you get into? Pocketing the monthly supplies, misappropriating Jiang Li’s activity funds, or maybe taking a couple of psychic artifacts from the warehouse for fun?”

“I’m telling you, those are minor issues. Even if it were something more serious, it wouldn’t be…”

“I want to organize a Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts,” Lu Yibei suddenly interrupted.

Bai Kai, “?!!”