Chapter 120 - 119: The World-Devouring Shadow (Part 1)

Chapter 120: Chapter 119: The World-Devouring Shadow (Part 1)

"The most difficult thing for people, really, is their inability to truly know themselves. They often can’t distinguish good from bad, which indirectly leads to their deaths. Speaking of which, if that friend of mine were half as clever as you, I wouldn’t have had to kill him."

Mr. Men praised him in a dead-serious tone, without a hint of artificiality.

It seemed he genuinely believed He Xiaotian was a clever person.

The man’s face flushed. ’Are you sure you don’t mean cowardly?’

’And to make cowardice sound so fresh and refined... No wonder you’ve lived for hundreds of years and still haven’t kicked the bucket. You’re practically a role model for the cowardly, a sage of self-preservation.’

’Also, should I be modest right now?’

’Or should I risk asking why exactly you chopped up your friend?’

"A small correction: I am more than a century old. Also, I personally do not enjoy speaking of him often. You understand, it is an incredibly sad affair. After all, he was my only good friend."

"..."

’I almost forgot. This gentleman has the ability to read minds.’

’Seriously, have I gotten that cocky?’

"Remember, survive until dawn. I’ll give you a piece of advice: if you can muster even a fraction of the cruelty you showed those four freaks, I believe you will pass my test with ease."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mr. Men turned and pushed open the mysterious door that had been standing behind him.

He stepped inside and gently closed the door.

"?!"

’If I remember correctly, when you came out before, you pushed it open from the inside.’

’So why are you pushing it to go back in?’

But his confusion quickly vanished.

The slightly bizarre door suddenly opened a crack again.

He Xiaotian thought Mr. Men had forgotten to mention something.

But the reality was not what he’d imagined.

From the crack in the door, an endless darkness surged out!

That might sound awkward, but it was the truth.

It was a color thicker than the night itself, like a drop of ink falling into a clear spring.

He Xiaotian didn’t hesitate. He turned and ran!

When facing the unknown, running was clearly the best option.

Who knew how strange this stuff was?

What if touching it was fatal?

As the darkness poured from the crack, the door, carved with intricate and profound patterns, vanished without a trace in an instant.

"What is that stuff?"

The business owners along both sides of the street, from the small inns to the fast-food joints, every last one of them stared dumbfounded at the spreading darkness.

BANG!

Terrified, they instantly lost any desire to spectate. They slammed their doors and windows shut, cowering and trembling in the corners.

As for the man who’d been blasted out of the second floor of Hotel 404, a kind-hearted shop owner rescued him, dragging him into his small store.

Why was he dragged?

Because, I’m sorry to say, the man was just too fat.

A princess carry was out of the question. The shopkeeper simply wasn’t strong enough.

Although he’d taken a nasty fall, his thick layers of fat provided excellent cushioning.

The endless darkness washed over all of Huayang Road like a tide.

Strangely, wherever there was light, the darkness would keep a wide berth.

He Xiaotian was no exception. Although his speed was boosted by numerous Qinggong techniques, he was unfortunately no match for this black substance.

The only good news was that he was a human torch.

As long as his Inner Strength wasn’t depleted, the azure flames would burn continuously, sustaining a sphere of light with a three-zhang radius.

Over two hundred years’ worth of Inner Strength was no joke.

Lasting one night would be no problem.

"This is seriously bizarre."

He Xiaotian stood at the edge of Huayang Road, a grim expression on his face.

He could feel that he was separated from the outside world by only a single layer.

But that layer was like an impassable chasm before him.

The entire street seemed to have been sealed off.

An invisible force blocked his path.

Even when he smashed his thousand-jin warhammer against it, backed by his fifty-thousand-jin of strength, he could only make the barrier tremble.

Moreover, a repulsive force accompanied the impact, sending him flying back.

The force of the rebound made his Qi and Blood roil. If it weren’t for his powerful physique, he might have been forced to spit up a mouthful of old blood.

’This Mr. Men... just how terrifying is he?’

Just a moment ago, he had personally witnessed a stray cat being swallowed by the darkness.

Aided by his 20 points in Spirit, 20 in Insight, and 20 in Perception...

...He Xiaotian could clearly sense the stray cat’s life vanish without a trace in that instant.

Then, the darkness, like stomach acid, dissolved and reassembled the cat’s corpse.

That’s right, reassembled.

A creature with glowing green eyes and a body covered in twisted, bizarre bone spurs was born.

’If a human were devoured and reassembled, what would they turn into?’

’I absolutely cannot let my flames go out. Otherwise, I might fall into the trap today and become one of those monstrosities.’

The city’s Cleaner squad stared at the black membrane blocking their vehicles, their faces as dark as charcoal.

Department 037 tried calling back the person who reported the incident, but the call couldn’t be connected.

Everyone inside the street was trapped, cut off from the rest of the world.

The troops stationed in Shanghai quickly assembled, mobilizing soldiers and heavy weaponry to rush to the scene.

「Cleaner Headquarters, Conference Room.」

The spectacled vice minister’s left arm was in a cast and a sling around his neck. His head was even more comical, completely wrapped in a layer of bandages with only his two eyes showing.

He first pushed up his custom-made glasses, then spoke in a grim tone.

"Comrades, we have a situation."

In reality, he was on the verge of a breakdown.

Ever since the battle at Shanghai Medical University, where he’d been brutally thrashed by the Food King.

If the minister hadn’t arrived in time, his subordinates would probably be burning joss paper for him at a crossroads by now.

And of all the times for this to happen, it just had to pop up right after the Minister left Shanghai to suppress a powerful special case in another region.

’They’re really trying to make my life difficult, aren’t they?’

"This black membrane appeared out of nowhere and has enveloped all of Huayang Road. All communication methods are useless; we can’t contact anyone inside. Captain Lei and Captain Su have already tried attacking it with their abilities, but it was like tossing a stone into the ocean.

Modern military units are on their way now, but of course, we must also be prepared for conventional weapons to be useless."

As the vice minister spoke, he felt a deep sense of unease, to be honest.

They risked their lives every day—patrolling, fighting, cultivating—not just for themselves, but for their country and its people.

But the results weren’t great. Evil spirits were on the rise, and the strength of these strange phenomena was growing ever more formidable.

Most of the civilian Awakened couldn’t control their restless hearts and were constantly stirring up trouble for no reason.

To say they were physically and mentally exhausted was an understatement.

Especially after the defensive battle at the Medical University, the Cleaners, whose strength had been severely battered, felt increasingly overwhelmed.

And now this major incident had to happen. If it weren’t for his sense of duty, he would have smashed his glasses to pieces long ago and retired to a cushy job in the logistics department!!