Chapter 102: Chapter 93: 4-24: Fallen Soul Sword (2)
On the other side, Guan Fei stopped wolfing down his food. His lips twitched, and he shoveled the rest of his meal into his wide-open mouth before wiping his cheek and hurrying after them.
He caught up, walking to Chu Bamboo’s other side, and urgently cut in where Ning Linglong had left off. "When an incident like this occurs, all Captain’s Office members in the vicinity must gather at all costs! We have to contain the situation in the shortest time possible... The maximum time allowed is two hours. We can’t let the number of witnesses double, and we have to wipe their memories!"
In the car.
The electric car sped along, but the atmosphere inside the cabin was grim and silent.
Chu Bamboo saw Li Kang’s expression growing darker. After a moment’s thought, he deliberately adopted a lighter tone. "Based on what you said, it won’t just be our Third District Captain’s Office heading over, right? So there’s no need to panic too much. And where exactly is this happening?"
"Heh, don’t bother trying to comfort me. When something this big happens, the chance of casualties is just too high." A flicker of grief crossed Li Kang’s eyes. His lips moved silently for a moment before he finally gritted his teeth. "Ah Zhu, you’re an Honored Guest Elder, and with your power... You’re also the director of the shantytown renovation project! You shouldn’t have come... No, Vice Ning, why do you keep doing such stupid things?"
Ning Linglong: "...Huh?!"
"Wait. When we get close to the scene, pull over for a second. Wall Announcements, be ready." After speaking to the driver, Li Kang turned back to Chu Bamboo. "When we stop, you’re getting out."
"Don’t worry, I can protect myself," Chu Bamboo said calmly, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest by the window. He suddenly added, "You’ve been changing the subject this whole time... Let me guess. The location of the incident has something to do with me, doesn’t it?"
"Did something happen at the union again? Or in the shantytown district?"
Chu Bamboo knew Li Kang too well.
Li Kang’s lips tightened, his expression contorting for a moment.
"Minmin... Fine. I’m sure you and Minmin already discussed this for ’my safety,’ and I bet she’d support you." Chu Bamboo paused to think. "In that case, I’ll just have a word with Auntie. I’ll tell her how I could have reduced your risk by going with you... but you insisted on kicking me out..."
"I was wrong!" Li Kang caved instantly, his words rushing out. "I can tell you the location! But you have to promise you’ll leave when we get there... Fine, you don’t have to answer. Just let me have this little bit of peace of mind!"
"The incident is at..." Li Kang fumbled with his tablet. The screen was dark, but it was still blaring a piercing alarm. He gave Chu Bamboo a silent, resigned look and sighed. "The God Worship Church in the Third District."
Li Kang knew that Chu Bamboo had just recently visited the Third District church. That was why he hadn’t wanted to mention it...
Chu Bamboo’s expression remained unchanged, but the hand stroking the armrest froze.
...
At this very moment, the Third District church was nothing but a ruin.
Many of the surrounding buildings were also damaged. Windows were shattered, walls had mostly collapsed, and plaster had been ripped away.
The air was thick with the smoke of explosions. Flames still licked at the debris, and the putrid stench of burning flesh drifted on the wind. From beneath the rubble came the terrified, sorrowful cries for help...
On the streets, many people knelt in terror, kowtowing ceaselessly. Others, their faces twisted with a fanatical zeal, chanted things like, "God has revealed himself!" and "May God protect us!" as they prostrated themselves.
At a turn at the end of the ruined street.
"They’re insane. They’re all fucking insane," the Second District’s Vice Captain Hai muttered. He stared at the figure standing atop the church ruins in the distance, his expression as grim as it could be.
"Took you long enough," Captain Qi Heng said, slowly turning his head to look at Li Kang’s group as they got out of their car. He scoffed. "A Third District incident, and you still manage to show up after us. I’ll be sure to file a detailed report about this with headquarters."
Li Kang’s expression darkened, but he didn’t argue. Late was late. Making excuses—that they just happened to be at a team dinner, that the Third District church was right on the border with the Second District—would be pointless.
Chu Bamboo gazed into the distance, an unreadable expression on his face. The figure on the church ruins was, of course, Zhang Hai.
But this Zhang Hai was completely different from the one he knew. He was shrouded in a faint Light Gauze, his face as cold and numb as a machine. From his back, white wings unfurled, beating gently...
Just like an Angel.
And also like...
’The him from the ruined timeline!’ Chu Bamboo thought.
’What happened? You were perfectly fine this morning! We even discussed your Cultivation Technique!’
’Wait, this has to be a contamination issue, right?’
’Son of a bitch. There’s no way you were about to go critical and didn’t feel a thing, right? Don’t you have any damn clue whether your contamination levels are off the charts? Are you kidding me?!’
"I’ve already sent patrolmen to lock down the area," Qi Heng said coolly. He held out his palm. "Vice Hai! The situation is critical. Let’s just use *that*."
Hai Yun respectfully handed over a longsword, which was sealed in its scabbard. Seeing his deferential manner now, you would never guess he had been plotting to backstab Qi Heng with Li Kang just earlier.
"Now, all we have to do is kill this charlatan! Heh heh. I’ve heard for a while that the higher-ups aren’t fond of this flock of holy rollers," Qi Heng’s grin stretched wider. "And now they’ve just handed us the perfect excuse, haven’t they?"
"...A Forbidden Artifact! 4-24!" Li Kang stared at the sword, his expression shifting rapidly. He looked at Qi Heng in shock, his lips moving. "The Fallen Soul Sword!"
Chu Bamboo: "...?"
’Four...’
’Does that mean... the Fourth Realm?’
A storm of shock crashed through Chu Bamboo’s mind.
The next instant.
