The moment countless searchlights shone, the converged light gradually formed a blurry human figure made of light. It wasn’t dazzling, but as the halo around its face flowed, the face itself became a vortex of light.
A low voice emanated from within, “Mr. Eight, please present your mark.”
Xia Feng lifted his hood. As a beam of faint light shot from the light figure, he removed his mask, and a dark purple flower imprint instantly appeared between his eyebrows. This was the Purple Hyacinth Crest imprinted on his spirit body. He could also copy it, but this current mark was assisted by the Holy Department. With Uncle Wei’s help, the Holy Department possessed a lot of information about the Lister family and their replication methods.
“Mr. Eight, due to the extraordinary times, Lord Earl has ordered stricter scrutiny. Therefore, we must trouble you to remove your spirit artifact outer layer to reveal your true form and display your Calamity Force aura,” the light figure said calmly, bowing slightly.
Xia Feng’s expression turned gloomy with a hint of displeasure. However, after a pause, he dispelled the illusory outer layer of the Vermilion Bird Demonic Armor, transforming into a short, old man. Simultaneously, a faint Calamity Force aura emanated from him.
The light figure scanned him and nodded. Its swirling face then turned towards Mushroom, “And who is this?”
“Can’t you see? It’s Li Hongdou!” Xia Feng grinned. “I don’t know what your Six-Tails Sect was doing. A whole bunch of you went to capture Li Hongdou but failed, and I just happened to catch her.”
The light figure checked Li Hongdou’s identity and easily confirmed it was her true form. The alloy gate ahead parted. The light figure bowed and then dispersed along with the dimming spotlights.
Xia Feng re-applied his illusory outer layer and exchanged a glance with Mushroom as they slowly walked inside. Pingshan Hospital had been reduced to ruins, but in just one day, layers of thick rock walls and metal doors had been reconstructed.
“Haha~ Old Ba, you’re awesome! You go out and kill a couple of noobs and come back with spoils!” A black-robed figure wearing a black mask with a blood-red ‘7’ on a black background jumped down from a high wall, his voice jovial. “As expected of the new member the boss has high hopes for, you’re too strong!”
Xia Feng glanced at the approaching figure. According to the information provided by the Holy Department, this person should be Serial Number Seven, One-Line Connection.
“It seems Lord Earl’s subordinates are truly incompetent,” Xia Feng said, casually lifting Mushroom by the collar. “Let’s go. The Earl is probably impatient to receive this little fellow.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Under the dim corridor lights, Xia Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly as he carried Mushroom like a chick, walking at a leisurely pace, half a step behind the Seven-Masked Man. According to intelligence, this Seven-Masked Man had no spirit artifacts but gained Calamity Solution abilities after becoming a Calamity Eater.
Calamity Solution, in essence, refers to the abilities gained by Calamity Eaters whose souls tend to stabilize, after merging with a fetal Nightmare Beast with the help of certain Nightmare Gods. The difference between Calamity Solution and Spirit Unsealing lies in the fact that users of Calamity Solution must offer sacrifices to the Nightmare God, or they will suffer a backlash from the ability, leading to immediate death.
In simpler terms, Calamity Solvers are all errand boys for the Nightmare Gods, and the kind who would die if they didn’t work 24/7, facing the risk of sudden death at any moment. And Seven’s Calamity Solution ability is called One-Line Connection. After establishing a contract with a target and creating a shared line, he can share physical damage, pain, pleasure, and other sensations with the target. The more pain and damage he endures, the stronger his Physique becomes. However, the target must willingly agree to the establishment of the shared line; One-Line Connection cannot arbitrarily select targets to force a connection.
This ability sounded quite powerful, but its limitations were too great. Who would willingly become such a sucker? If a Goddess possessed this ability, she might be able to trick a few simps into sharing both suffering and pleasure.
“By the way, Old Ba,” the Seven-Masked Man said incessantly as they walked, “how was it last time?”
“Hmm? Last time?” Xia Feng’s voice held a hint of confusion, but his heart tightened. If this guy started asking about hidden memories, it would be difficult for him to bluff his way through.
“Tsk~ You’re still playing dumb with me. It was my wife,” the Seven-Masked Man’s jovial voice turned displeased, his tone dropping slightly as he leaned in mysteriously. “How was my wife? Do you want to try again?”
“….?” Xia Feng: (=°Д°=)
As expected, these cultists were all unique individuals with very niche and perverse hobbies. He could only say, “Truly worthy of Seven, One-Line Connection. He can share anything.”
Xia Feng pondered for a moment and gave a slightly dismissive answer, “Average.”
“Pfft~” The Seven-Masked Man felt displeased and somewhat angered. But then, considering Old Ba’s physical condition, he found it amusing and sneered, “Old Ba, it seems your physical condition is getting worse. No wonder you felt average.”
“My wife’s figure, I don’t believe you felt nothing!”
Xia Feng chose not to engage with this “Green Grassland Enthusiast.” The Mushroom he was holding also bit her lower lip, her face red with suppressed laughter.
“Old Ba, you need to exercise restraint,” the Green-Hat Seven continued to chatter.
*Restrain my ass,* Xia Feng thought to himself.
Just then, as the three of them arrived at a door, an displeased and deep voice from within was heard, “Has Zhao Jie not returned yet?”
“President Zhao located the whereabouts of the Cat-faced Person, but by the time he arrived at the vicinity of Wisdom Tree Serial Number 004, no one was there. President Zhao is still tracking them.”
“This incompetent fool!” The Earl was clearly displeased that Zhao Jie couldn’t even capture a single person.
“However, Lord Earl, the realistic dreamscape you requested has been constructed. Once Li Hongdou is captured, all she needs to do is witness Xia Feng’s dying state within the dreamscape. I believe she will then sincerely agree to recognize the Princess Consort as her mother.” Hearing this, Xia Feng and Mushroom, who were outside the door, were slightly startled. Lister’s methods were truly endless.
“Knock, knock, knock!” The Seven-Masked Man pushed the door open.
Those inside looked up, revealing expressions of surprise. The scene that met Xia Feng’s eyes was a blue glass coffin sealing an incredibly beautiful fox-like fairy. A blindfolded woman in a red dress, with the same face, stood with her bare white feet, her slender neck tilted back, gazing at the long coffin.
As the scene registered, Xia Feng’s pupils involuntarily dilated, his heart beat a little faster, and a strange feeling washed over him. He frowned, sensing something was not right, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint the feeling. He surmised it was because the Princess Consort was too beautiful. He had felt amazed the last time he saw her true appearance, and it was normal to feel some abnormality in his heart. However, this feeling inexplicably reminded him of a dream he had the night before the Earl’s birthday banquet.
That dream… Xia Feng’s brows furrowed even tighter.
