Chapter 329: That Thing Can’t Explode!

Lu Yibei didn’t deny Xing Yuan’s words. Instead, she stared coldly at the massive figure stirring up the storm ahead, her voice icy, “Indeed, it’s me.”

“You dare to invade, abduct my familiars, and threaten to flood Hua City? Are you challenging me?”

With those words, she unleashed her psychic energy fluctuation fully, as if in defiance.

The air seemed to ignite, rapidly heating up, as scorching waves radiated outward from her. The rain summoned by the River God clashed with Lu Yibei’s psychic energy, instantly transforming into a thick mist of steam.

The humidity was astonishingly high, and everything visible was shrouded in a hazy white film.

Within the dense fog, Lu Yibei discreetly used some psychic energy to dry the sweat from her palms.

Handling this situation was unfamiliar to her, causing a bit of anxiety. She thought to herself, not expecting too much, just not running away was already commendable.

In truth, if there were a less violent way to drive away the River God, Lu Yibei, after comparing their strengths, realized the River God had a five to ten percent chance of winning in a fierce battle, which was quite risky.

Moreover, earlier on the large ship, when Lu Yibei was preparing to leave with Du Sixian, she encountered Gui Hua, who had come looking for her.

From Gui Hua, she learned that if the River God died, the women in red on the ship would also perish…

Lu Yibei pondered, her gaze drifting to the women in red gathered on the deck, enveloped in water bubbles, asleep, and she frowned slightly.

Ten minutes ago.

The large ship was ablaze.

This fire was incredibly strange, not only igniting the ship that shared origins with the River God but also remaining unaffected by water.

Even though the Water Ogres and warriors on the ship, along with the women in red, immediately began firefighting efforts upon discovering the flames, controlling the spread of the fire proved difficult.

As the fire slithered like a venomous snake, infiltrating every corner, the temperature inside the ship soon rose to terrifying levels, and the complex interior was filled with toxic smoke.

Gui Hua, a respected elder on the ship, after evacuating the women in red to the relatively safe deck, counted heads carefully and immediately realized something was wrong.

Almost all the women in red were present, except for Bei.

Where could she have gone at such a time?

While pondering, she grabbed a hysterical woman passing by and asked, “Have you seen Bei?”

“Woo woo, Madam Gui Hua, my room is all burned, and… and…”

To these women in red, the large ship, and even that lavishly decorated room that never saw daylight, had become their entire world.

They had thought that under the River God’s protection, though lonely, they were safe. Who would have imagined this world could collapse?

“I asked if you’ve seen Bei!?”

“I, I don’t know…”

Upon hearing this, Gui Hua’s heart tightened.

Oh no! I told Bei to wait for me earlier; could she still be there waiting? That silly girl, why doesn’t she know how to adapt? No wonder she’s been here so long and still hasn’t figured out the ship’s rules.

Gui Hua thought anxiously, pulling aside a woman in red and instructing, “Keep an eye here; I’m going to check over there!”

With that, she moved her stiff legs and hurried towards the cabin, which was about to be engulfed by flames.

Meanwhile, inside the cabin.

Amidst the roar of explosions, a figure leapt from the smoke-filled sleeping quarters, cradling a sleeping girl. As she landed steadily on the third-floor corridor, her blood-red clothes transformed instantly into a magnificent green-clothed attire.

Before anyone could catch a glimpse of her face, the dazzling flames, accompanied by thick smoke, rushed in. In that critical moment, she vanished from sight, reappearing in the smoke-filled hallway.

Lu Yibei, carrying Du Sixian, swiftly navigated through the ship’s interior, following the path Gui Hua had led her through earlier, heading outside. Just then, a voice echoed from the other end of the winding corridor.

“Bei! Bei, where are you?”

“Bei, come out quickly! Let’s get to the deck… cough, cough!”

Lu Yibei recognized Gui Hua’s voice, her steps faltering slightly. She glanced in the direction of the voice, then gritted her teeth and continued forward resolutely.

Risking her familiars for someone she’d only met once would be foolish!

She thought, but hadn’t gone far when she heard a loud crash from the corridor where Gui Hua was, as if something had collapsed in the flames.

The high-temperature black smoke, mixed with dark dust and a foul odor, suddenly surged out from the corridor.

…

Inside the corridor, smoke was so thick that one couldn’t see their hand in front of their face.

The walls on both sides of a section of the corridor had collapsed in the fire, cutting off the passage and blocking Gui Hua’s way. With the heat wave bearing down, she found herself trapped, unable to move forward or retreat.

“Cough, cough-!”

The toxic smoke filled Gui Hua’s nose and mouth, triggering violent coughing that felt like it would expel her lungs.

Ninety percent of the River God’s flesh was hidden beneath the ship’s shell, fused with it. When ignited by Lu Yibei’s flames, the flesh couldn’t escape and turned into toxic dust with a faint psychic energy.

Even the Water Ogres, warriors, and women in red on the ship, who had long been nourished by the River God’s psychic energy and had developed some resistance, struggled to withstand it.

Soon, Gui Hua’s consciousness began to blur under the dual assault of heat and poison.

“Am I going to die? This…” Gui Hua murmured, “It’s fine… it’s fine…”

As she muttered to herself, she suddenly heard faint footsteps approaching from one side of the corridor.

Following a low metallic hum, the sealed wall on one side exploded open.

Countless fragments sparkled like fireflies, and a figure, swift as lightning, dashed in. In a flash, Gui Hua vanished from the corridor.

Gui Hua vaguely heard someone muttering, “Yeah, I’m a damn fool!”

Gui Hua, “…”

The wind howled past her ears as Lu Yibei, with Gui Hua under her left arm and Du Sixian under her right, dashed through the ship’s cabin, a Broken Sword clenched between her teeth.

As a few breaths of relatively fresh air brushed against her face, Gui Hua gradually regained her senses. Realizing she was being whisked away from danger, she blinked in surprise and looked up, only to see a familiar face.

“…”

It was Bei. How could she… Upon recognizing Lu Yibei’s profile, Gui Hua was startled, and then her gaze inadvertently swept over Du Sixian, bringing a sudden clarity to her mind.

So Bei wasn’t one of the ship’s crew; she was here to rescue the new girl. No wonder she didn’t know any of the rules.

Realizing this, Gui Hua made no move, closing her eyes again and letting Lu Yibei carry her out of the cabin until…

In the brief moment Lu Yibei had returned to save Gui Hua, the path Gui Hua had previously led her through was already consumed by flames. She had to find another way out.

As she navigated the winding corridors, a fork in the road appeared ahead, leaving her momentarily undecided. Gui Hua’s voice drifted into her ears.

“Don’t take that path. That’s where the Water Ogres and warriors gather. Go left, and… I’ll guide you.”

Hearing Gui Hua suddenly speak, Lu Yibei paused, frowning.

Seeing her hesitation, Gui Hua added, “I won’t harm you. I’ve been awake for a while, haven’t I been silent all this way?”

Lu Yibei, “…”

After a brief silence, she bit her lip and followed the path Gui Hua indicated.

A minute later.

A loud explosion erupted from the stern of the ship. Lu Yibei slashed through the obstructing door and burst onto the deck.

The cold wind, heavy with moisture, slapped her face. Lu Yibei exhaled in relief, about to turn back and pick up Gui Hua, whom she had set down when breaking the door. But Gui Hua took a step back.

Seeing this, Lu Yibei frowned in confusion, “Madam Gui Hua, come on! The ship’s in chaos now; why not take this chance to escape? Don’t you want to leave the ship?”

“I used to, but not anymore.” Gui Hua shook her head. “Bei, you should go!”

“I appreciate your kindness, but I’m not like you. I can’t leave this ship anymore. If I do, I’ll…”

“Die?”

“…”

Gui Hua said nothing, standing there with her hands neatly folded in front of her abdomen, her dull eyes fixed on Lu Yibei. Her bright red and green clothes and expressionless, pale face made her look like a lifeless paper figure or statue.

Understanding something, Lu Yibei glanced at Gui Hua one last time, tightened her hold on the still-sleeping Du Sixian, and leapt off the stern deck.

Watching Lu Yibei’s figure disappear from view, Gui Hua sighed silently, murmuring, “So envious…”

Once, she too had dreamed of someone rescuing her from the River God’s ship, just like Lu Yibei had saved Du Sixian, like the stories that circulated in the village about the River God.

But she waited and waited, three years, five years, ten years, a hundred years…

Until her beauty faded, her cheeks turned pale, and the person who could take her away never appeared. She found herself unable to leave the ship anymore…

On the riverbank, a momentary silence fell.

“….”

The River God gazed at Lu Yibei, hesitant to make any rash moves. Although it could sense that, in terms of psychic energy fluctuation, Lu Yibei wasn’t significantly stronger, it could also feel the natural suppression from her power.

With the addition of two capable psychics and the boost from the Ley Line Energy, any misstep could make retreat difficult.

King of Hauntings, Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, deity…

The River God pondered Xing Yuan’s words repeatedly, its thoughts finally settling on the term “deity.”

Nowadays, where are the true deities? Even the renowned figure in Taoyuan is said to only wield about ninety percent of their power.

So, could they be like me, merely borrowing the name of a deity to bluff?

Even though she can ignite my entity, the relationship between drought and river is mutually restraining. If her power is insufficient, it’s still uncertain who is stronger. If that’s the case, showing weakness now…

As the River God was lost in thought, Lu Yibei suddenly shouted, interrupting its musings.

“The same question, I don’t want to ask a third time. Answer me! Are you challenging me?”

“Boom-!”

Almost simultaneously, a series of explosions echoed from afar.

The River God paused, looking towards the source of the sound. Along the winding riverbank, thunderous booms erupted, flames blazing fiercely, like a raging fire dragon, rolling its body and charging forward.

In the scorching wind, a dry, searing airflow slammed into the ground of Baiyan Village, the intense heat dispelling the pervasive mist, creating a vast area of completely restored transparency where the heat wave struck.

“Gulp-!”

The River God subtly moved its throat, a hint of panic flashing in its eyes. “You, what is this…”

What is this? It’s just setting off everything I’ve touched along the way. Lu Yibei thought to herself, secretly crafting a lie, when suddenly a shout came from Xing Yuan’s direction.

“It’s here! As far as the eye can see, all is scorched earth. Is this the power of Calamity? It’s terrifying!”

“Luckily, Calamity cooperates closely with The Midnight Watchers Society. If we were enemies, the consequences would be unimaginable!”

Lu Yibei, “….”

What do you mean, as far as the eye can see, all is scorched earth? I didn’t even know I had such an ability.

I just wanted to intimidate a bit, Godmother(used here as Chinese “Ganma”: a non-biological mother figure), why are you putting on a show?

But… who isn’t a drama queen sometimes?

After a brief reflection, Lu Yibei refocused, looking at Xing Yuan and speaking in a deep voice, “Xing Yuan, revealing the secret of my power like this seems a bit inappropriate, doesn’t it?”

As she spoke, a wave of heat surged, rushing towards Xing Yuan.

“Uh…” Xing Yuan let out a muffled groan, her brows furrowed in a semblance of pain, then bowed slightly to Lu Yibei. “Apologies, Lady Calamity. Witnessing your divine powers firsthand was overwhelming. I hope you’ll forgive my excitement.”

“Hmph!” Lu Yibei scoffed, retracting her psychic energy fluctuation, her chin slightly raised. “Fine, just this once. Don’t let it happen again!”

The River God glanced at Xing Yuan, then at Lu Yibei, his gaze filled with uncertainty. After all, the psychic energy fluctuation from those consecutive explosions was genuinely terrifying.

Could it be… she truly possesses the power of the Drought God?

Wait! Thinking back, when Plague Taisui caused chaos earlier, I could barely protect myself in a corner, yet she managed to seize victory in the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts. Perhaps…

The River God had thrived in the waters surrounding Hua City for centuries, relying not on sheer combat prowess. There had been hauntings stronger than him around Hua City, and what happened to them?

The wise adapt to circumstances.

Saying the right words to the right people at the right time was the key to his survival over the centuries.

So, taking a moment to assess the current situation was crucial.

In the distance.

Bai Kai withdrew his gaze from Lu Yibei, furrowing his brows as he approached the loudly exclaiming Xing Yuan. He nudged her shoulder with his elbow, lowering his voice to ask, “Yuan, how do you know she has that kind of power?”

“Is it from the latest, unpublished investigation data?”

Bai Kai could only think of one way Xing Yuan might have obtained information about Lu Yibei.

Of course, it could be that Lu Yibei herself told Xing Yuan, but Bai Kai felt a pang of jealousy at the mere thought, so he dismissed it.

If Yibei really had such power, how could she only tell her and not me? I refuse to believe it! Hmph! Bai Kai thought sourly.

Xing Yuan glanced at Bai Kai and whispered back, “No, I made it up.”

Bai Kai froze for a moment, then urgently said, “Made it up? If the River God realizes he’s been deceived, wouldn’t he…”

If the River God discovered the deception, he might go berserk on the spot.

“Relax,” Xing Yuan reassured. “The River God is clearly intimidated now. As long as she can display a bit more power to keep him in fear, we’re good.”

“You don’t want us to clash with the River God and affect the surroundings, right?”

“Besides, we’re here too. If things go south, we’ll step in immediately.”

With that, Xing Yuan looked at Lu Yibei, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Actually, regarding Lu Yibei’s abilities, she wasn’t entirely making it up. It was one of the possibilities listed in an anonymous tip-off letter.

But…

Who wrote that anonymous letter? It seemed like they wanted to harm Lu Yibei.

Luckily, I saw it first and removed a lot of alarmist content.

Otherwise, if it were submitted as is and seen by those old folks, she might be in danger. Xing Yuan thought to herself.

Watching Xing Yuan’s profile, Bai Kai reluctantly nodded, his muscles tensing as he gripped the sword in his hand, ready for battle, like a sword about to be drawn.

In the midst of this, Xing Yuan suddenly raised her voice again, “Lady Calamity, I think it’s pointless to waste words with this fellow.”

“You’ve already shown great mercy by giving Him so much time to think. Continuing like this might damage Your dignity!”

“In my opinion, dealing with such a stubborn fool requires the harshest measures. Rest assured, I will handle the aftermath and it won’t affect You.”

Above in the sky.

The River God, already hesitant, was startled by Xing Yuan’s words and immediately regretted not having acted with full force earlier to finish her off.

It was already a critical situation, hard to decide, and then someone had to fan the flames. Who could stand it?

Hearing Xing Yuan’s words, Lu Yibei couldn’t help but chuckle silently.

She had never been particularly fond of this Inspector Xing, but now, she suddenly found herself seeing eye to eye with her future Godmother a bit.

The feeling of having someone to play along was just too great!

Luckily, she hadn’t detonated all the palm prints when she left the big ship.

Hmm, showing a third of one’s strength and keeping back two-thirds, isn’t that just basic?

Lu Yibei thought to herself and gave Xing Yuan a cold glance, “Are you teaching me how to handle things?”

Xing Yuan was taken aback, lowering her head meekly, “I wouldn’t dare!”

“Hmph!” Lu Yibei snorted coldly and withdrew her gaze, looking towards the River God and murmured, “Although her words were somewhat offensive, upon reflection, they seem to make some sense…”

“So, let’s begin!”

Begin? Begin what?! Panic surged through the River God’s heart. Just as He was about to speak, He saw Lu Yibei’s gaze land on the ship’s gunwale, and suddenly her brow furrowed. He then felt a searing pain through His body.

Following that, before the River God could recover, Lu Yibei’s gaze slowly moved to the other side of the gunwale.

Thus, a series of palm prints exploded, and the high-temperature blisters fiercely churned within the huge water sphere enveloping the ship.

Then.

The moment Lu Yibei’s gaze landed on the ship’s mast, the River God could no longer contain His panic and cried out, “Wait, wait, let’s talk this over, sit down and have a good talk!”

That thing can’t be blown up! It just can’t!