Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Good Advice Cannot Persuade the Doomed; Great Mercy Cannot Save the Self-Destructive
He waited for a long time, but no more kappa came to get themselves killed.
The mastermind behind the scenes probably knew He Xiaotian wasn’t to be trifled with and chose to give up.
’What a pity. They’re all walking Experience Points.’
He had planned to kill a few tonight to rack up some Experience Points.
But after only two of them, the mastermind lost their nerve.
Pah!
Fortunately, there were also the members of the special task force investigating the missing persons case.
After all, he couldn’t put all his eggs in one basket.
Tomorrow morning, he could go back to his cousin’s house and probe for information, or just keep a close eye on them. He’d find the monsters’ lair one way or another.
The previous missing persons cases were so baffling precisely because not a single trace was left at the crime scenes.
He didn’t know why these strange kappa creatures had suddenly shown up to abduct people, completely lacking the perfect cautiousness of before.
But if even a total newbie like him could find a heap of clues, it would be a real disappointment if the police and Zhao Lei’s team couldn’t follow the trail.
[Experience Points: 600
Functions: Scan
Martial Arts: Fire-refined Golden Body - 0/6000 (Peak Proficiency: Perfect Top Grade Sea-Boiling... Expand↓), Iron Sand Palm - 0/500+ (Mastered: ...Expand↓)]
He focused his Spirit and with a mental tap, allocated the points to Iron Sand Palm.
The 500/500 instantly blurred, and a sharp pain shot through his palms.
The "Mastered" status changed to "Peak Proficiency," and the description changed as well.
[Experience Points: 100
Functions: Scan
Martial Arts: Fire-refined Golden Body - 0/6000 (Peak Proficiency: Perfect Top Grade Sea-Boiling... Expand↓), Iron Sand Palm - 0/1000+ (Peak Proficiency: Strength greatly increased, possessing the power of two bulls.
Your palms are like tempered steel, impervious to blades, immune to all poisons, and indestructible. First Form—Iron Bull Pushes the Mountain: A palm strike like a charging bull, delivering immense force. The power, concentrated like the tip of a horn, can shatter earth and crack stone, destroying all in its path.
Second Form—Iron Palm Splits Gold: Your palm edge chops sharper than a steel blade, and your fingertips stab with the force of a drill, able to pierce a five-inch-thick steel plate. Third Form—Iron Arm Bronze Wall: A continuous flurry of powerful palm strikes creates an impregnable defense, like a fortified wall. The palm force projects a wall of air that crushes enemies, tearing muscles and shattering bones. It is supreme in both offense and defense.)]
His strength increased by that of one bull, his palms were now like tempered steel, the description added the words "immune to all poisons," and he had learned a new palm form.
Not bad!
He pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was already 2:30 AM.
Just then, the screen flashed, and a forum notification popped up.
[Next-Door Wang is now live. Would you like to watch?]
’Are streamers these days all this dedicated?’
’Still streaming at 2:30 in the morning. Aren’t you afraid of suddenly dropping dead?’
Bored and with nothing better to do, he clicked on it.
"All you new folks, smash that follow button! Today, your boy Wang is streaming a thief hunt. My wife and kids just went to visit her parents a few days ago, and I’ve called over two of my buddies. The three of us are gonna team up and scare the hell out of this clueless punk."
A pot-bellied man in his forties was shouting at his phone screen.
Beside him stood two burly men.
’No wonder he called two friends. With his physique, he’d be gasping for air after running for a minute. What kind of thief was he planning on catching?’
"Let me tell you guys, late last night, I was in my bedroom when I heard a noise in the living room. It sounded like someone was pacing. I was so scared I was shaking in my boots. Then, I don’t know what was going on in the building next door, but there was this huge BOOM. Nearly scared the piss out of me.
The person outside must have gotten spooked too, because they took off. I worked up the nerve to crack the door open and vaguely saw a short little guy. But this thief has no class; they left water stains and some kind of weird slime all over my living room floor.
I’m guessing it’s some homeless person with a congenital disability, abandoned by their parents to grow up on the streets. Nothing was stolen, so I figured I wouldn’t call the police and would just stream it for you guys tonight."
He Xiaotian listened to Wang’s explanation and rolled his eyes.
’What an imagination. You’ve already filled in his entire life story.’
’People these days... he won’t even call the police, all for the sake of getting views.’
’Instead, he’s planning to get his friends together and live-stream the whole thing under the guise of catching a thief.’
’Wouldn’t a normal person be at least a little alarmed by the sight of slime?’
Seeing the string of gift notifications on the screen, He Xiaotian knew the middle-aged man had succeeded.
’But have you ever considered...’
’...that thing might not be human?’
At this thought, He Xiaotian sighed.
Then he quickly logged into an alt account, entered the stream, and started typing in the chat.
"Streamer, run! And call the police right away! That’s not a thief, it’s a kappa!"
In a stream with over a thousand viewers, his comment was quickly drowned in the flood of messages.
"Haha, look at this guy spreading superstitions. A kappa? Bro, do you even know what a kappa is? You telling me you’ve actually seen one?"
Then a bunch of people jumped on the bandwagon, spamming his message to mock him.
When He Xiaotian saw this, he just thought, ’Alright, then.’
’Good advice can’t save a damn fool, and even the greatest compassion is wasted on those determined to destroy themselves.’
’If you insist on courting death, there’s nothing I can do.’
SPLAT! SPLAT!
"It’s here, it’s here! Sounds like it’s headed for my bedroom. Folks, today you’re going to see just how I, Wang, catch a thief," Next-Door Wang whispered, pressing his face to the door.
It looked like he was getting ready to ambush whatever was outside.
He Xiaotian could only shake his head at this display of idiocy. If it were just a petty thief in the living room, the ambush would naturally work.
’But how could a legendary monster like a kappa possibly be frightened by you?’
CREAK!
"AHHHHHHH!!!"
Next-Door Wang threw the door open and let out a scream.
The viewers in the chat thought he was just trying to scare the thief.
Only He Xiaotian could tell that the guy was screaming in terror.
Then, a monster appeared on the screen. It had sharp, round eyes, a protruding beak-like nose, four sharp fangs on its upper and lower jaw, and hair that shimmered with an eerie blue light.
THUD!
The phone fell to the floor. All the viewers could see was Wang seemingly being dragged away.
"Help! Help!"
The voice grew fainter until it disappeared completely.
’Serves you right for courting death and mocking me.’
’Karma’s a bitch, isn’t it?’
’I even gave you a warning, since we’re both from Z County. Sigh.’
He Xiaotian wasn’t a savior. Besides, who knew where this Wang guy even lived?
Besides, he’d been on watch all night and was feeling a bit tired.
He turned off his phone, ready to go back to his room and sleep.
"Help! Help!"
???
’I already warned the streamer, told him to run and call the police immediately.’
’My conscience shouldn’t be bothering me so much that I’m still hearing his cries for help, right?’
Wait, that sound seemed to be coming from outside the building.
He Xiaotian grabbed his Big Hammer with both hands and peeked over the balcony.
He saw a short figure, less than a meter tall, carrying a pot-bellied man on its shoulder as it sped away.
He never would have thought that the guy called Next-Door Wang actually lived in the Pearl Garden residential complex too.
The huge boom that had nearly scared the piss out of Wang and frightened away the kappa must have been the sound of him killing the first kappa with his hammer last night.
Without much hesitation, He Xiaotian leaped from the balcony and silently followed.
’Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not going to save him.’
’I’m just tailing it to find the lair of whatever is controlling these kappa.’
’Might as well finish today’s business today. It’s not like I’m planning to storm their headquarters.’
’As for the pot-bellied man’s life?’
’Get real. If I make a move, I’ll expose myself and have to face the mastermind directly.’
’I haven’t figured out the full strength of this organization yet. How can I just rush in recklessly?’
’What if I can’t win?’
’Wouldn’t I be throwing my life away?’
’It wouldn’t matter if I died, but what would my parents do then?’
’Making them bury their own son?’
’Besides, I already warned Next-Door Wang during the stream.’
’He didn’t listen, so who’s to blame but himself?’
’I’m just a college student who wants to protect his family, not some savior with a halo of holy light.’
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