Chapter 273: The Dawn of a New Era

---By all common sense, demons are born from the negative emotions of mortals, and their natures are mostly chaotic and disorderly.

Yet this soul hidden beneath a human exterior displayed an unnerving elegance and cunning, completely defying the chaotic instincts of a demon, and instead sending a chill straight to the bone.

This demon of unknown true name had laid out schemes and contingencies that were truly difficult to see through in their entirety.

But the next moment, the other party suddenly changed the subject: "However... are you really that confident?"

Upon hearing this, the researcher set down his pen, pushed up the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, and once again revealed a gentle, elegant smile.

"You're referring to Mr. Wu Nuo and the Wind Capital Sixth Division?"

As he spoke, the researcher's black shadow cast upon the corridor floor suddenly began to ripple with an eerie distortion.

It was as if some living thing was stretching its body at the edge of the shadows, trying to spread its existence outward and contaminate everything around it.

He said softly: "That is Wind Capital's publicly acknowledged strongest of the contemporary era, brilliant beyond compare. To put it in your Secret State's terms, perhaps he is this era's Child of Destiny, a protagonist-like existence."

"And the foundations of the Wind Capital Sixth Division are by no means inferior to any established power, otherwise they could not bear the responsibility of suppressing Wind Capital."

"To exist in the same era as them is truly a delightful blessing."

The other party asked with interest: "Since you know his weight, why are you so blatantly pointing all the clues here?"

"To lure him over, do you really have the confidence to deal with him?"

"Deal with Mr. Wu Nuo?"

The researcher let out a low chuckle, his smile still refined and gentle, warm like a spring breeze. "Who knows, perhaps we aren't enemies at all."

"The world is like a game of chess, heaven and earth unfathomable, laughing at all heroes... until the final piece falls, who can predict the outcome?"

"I've simply sent out the invitation. Whether Mr. Wu is willing to grace us with his presence is entirely his own freedom."

He paused, his gaze drifting toward the deepest part of the corridor, his tone carrying a gentle sigh: "Wind Capital has always been special since ancient times."

"And now, the restrictions of this world are already loosening. All that's needed is a spark, a [Ritual]."

He looked toward the deepest part of the corridor.

There stood a massive transparent cylinder, with ripples of curse power converging from all directions, flickering bright and dim, as if supplying energy to something floating within it.

Yet what was immersed inside was not any living being, nor any bizarre organism.

They were two slender [Memory Devices].

One was emerald green, the other blue-black.

His gold-rimmed glasses reflected the pair of memory devices, and he revealed an eager smile.

"I look forward to witnessing, together with a figure like him, the... magnificent dawn of a new era that we both anticipate."

...

A moment later, the place returned to the quiet of a research laboratory.

After another long while, from a tightly sealed transparent box beside the corridor, a pitiful sigh suddenly emerged.

"I'm doomed, meh..."

A strange little creature suddenly stirred, no longer playing dead, and opened its big, watery eyes.

"Bad luck, bad luck, bad luck... falling into that guy's hands, I probably won't get out of here in this lifetime, meh..."

It looked like an exquisitely crafted plush doll, with long ears comparable to a rabbit's, yet dragging a fox-like tail, its entire body covered in soft, purple-white fur, like a harmless fairy from a fairy tale. At this moment, its eyes were filled with panic and a desperate will to survive.

"Forget about finding a suitable girl to sign a contract with, I'm going to be eaten by that terrifying guy, meh! It totally treats me as emergency rations, meh!"

It said sorrowfully: "Just what kind of world is this place anyway, meh!"

---

Perhaps from the perspective of those in the know, Wind Capital was already seething with undercurrents, carrying the ominous feeling of a storm about to break.

All sorts of open and covert clashes were emerging one after another, as if something important was about to happen.

However, in reality, even though supernatural-related public security cases had been cropping up frequently lately, these topics still felt quite distant to ordinary people.

After all, in Wind Capital, an international metropolis with a population of tens of millions, full of vitality, where all sorts of strange things happened every day, all of this didn't seem all that eye-catching.

At most, it became casual dinner-table conversation for ordinary folks, nothing more than things like "aging gas pipeline explosions" or "urban legends."

For the vast majority of people, the supernatural was still something they had never even imagined.

Ordinary citizens continued their daily routines as usual.

Just like the massive windmill in the city center, still spinning in the seemingly never-ending wind, unaffected by anything.

And in this somewhat peculiar atmosphere of contradiction...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

---

Seven o'clock in the evening.

West District, Wind Capital.

In a high-rise building located in the central business district.

The "Blue Pearl" restaurant.

The floor indicator directly opposite the elevator suddenly began to change, catching the attention of the waiter at the entrance.

Because this was a special express elevator that didn't stop at intermediate floors.

Which meant... a guest had arrived.

The next moment, the number on the display jumped to seven.

With a ding, the elevator doors slowly opened.

Xia Yao walked out.

She wore light makeup tonight, looking as if she had stepped straight out of an oil painting. She was dressed in a black velvet dress, the hem ending three centimeters above the knee, just enough to reveal a glimpse of her fair thigh, with straight, slender calves below, and black high heels.

The neckline of the dress was square, with a small cutout panel just below her collarbone, tantalizingly hinted at but not overly revealing, perfectly drawing attention to the ice-blue gemstone pendant resting on her chest.

The gem's facets were clear and deep, as large as a thumb, with a color more dreamlike than the finest tourmaline, breathtakingly beautiful, almost capable of drawing one's gaze into its depths.

Even the waiter at the entrance couldn't help but marvel inwardly the moment he saw the gemstone.

---If that's real... then its price would probably be an astronomical figure beyond his imagination.

However, his professional composure allowed him to snap back to reality without missing a beat, and he smiled.

"Miss Xia, good evening. Your reserved table for two is ready."

"Mm."

The black-haired girl nodded, her voice cool and clear, her gaze pausing on him with polite distance before quickly sliding away, like a white swan surveying its territory.

"Please, follow me."

The waiter gestured with his hand to lead the way, his peripheral vision inevitably sweeping behind Xia Yao, glancing at her companion.