Chapter Forty-Three: Wang Hui in Peril!

"Hmph." After a moment of gravity, Fan Tianxing's face broke into a smile.

According to what Ji Ruyan had just said, that foreign doll slaughtered the spirit tamers and Taoists of Tianjing City to seize it, then came to Ling City, first causing a stir at a local high school to attract attention, failing that, possessed a human to participate in a horror art exhibition, and later helped a female ghost in a hotel kill their bureau’s combatants.

But… however you look at it, this doesn’t seem like something an anomalous creature could accomplish, does it?

“This creature is truly intriguing,” Fan Tianxing mused, finding the whole affair increasingly amusing, and couldn’t help but smile.

“We’ve already investigated Ruan Miao. She’s definitely a native of Huaxia. Should we issue a wanted notice for this Ruan Miao?” Ji Ruyan ventured cautiously.

“No need. If that doll is truly so clever, what good would a wanted notice do? It would only alert her,” Fan Tianxing stroked his chin, then continued, “Better to let her be for now. Just keep an eye out, and perhaps she’ll slip up eventually.”

“Our top priority now is clearing Tianjing City and dealing with the anomalous creatures in Ling City.”

Ji Ruyan nodded. “What should we do?”

“All the combatants originally stationed in Ling City will be sent to Tianjing City. Ling City will be handled by me and my own people.”

“What!” Everyone was once again stunned by his bold decision.

He was actually sending all combatants—over a dozen B-levels, a few lost but plenty remaining, plus heaps of C, D, and E-levels. Ling City had over a hundred spirit tamers, and he was sending them all to Tianjing City at once?

“What? Is anyone going to object?” Fan Tianxing swept his gaze around the group.

Everyone was startled—who would dare contradict the boss now?

“If there are no objections, it’s settled. Within a month, I don’t want Tianjing City to remain sealed.”

He sighed afterward, “The higher-ups were originally preparing to use nuclear weapons. You’d better handle this.”

Everyone drew a sharp breath—nuclear weapons? Even Sakura Country and White Flag Country had been overtaken by anomalous creatures, and no one had suggested using such things, given their devastating power.

Once everything was assigned, everyone left the conference room, and Fan Tianxing took his team to the director’s office. He eased into the chair, gazing at the ceiling.

“All right, go patrol Ling City. The followers of the Evil King and Poison Queen have started stirring again. If you encounter them, deal with them directly.”

The spirit tamers nodded and quickly vanished.

...

Meanwhile, Feng Tianlin was feeling troubled by the lack of events in Ling City.

“A city this big, and not even a single event?”

They were staying in a hotel room much better than before. Ruan Miao was propped up with a face mask, idly playing on her phone in bed.

Hearing Feng Tianlin’s complaint, she answered absentmindedly, “What can I do? The authorities in Ling City have been acting weird lately, banning all large gatherings and horror movies. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

Feng Tianlin shook his head helplessly. “Ha, they’re probably fed up with the anomalous creatures, trying to block the birth of horror emotions.”

But such measures were doomed to fail; after all, humans love to scare themselves.

Just then, both Feng Tianlin and Ruan Miao froze—their pupils contracting sharply, as if stunned.

When they came to, Ruan Miao was dazed. “You probably won’t believe me, but I just felt that someone very close to me is about to die, though I don’t know who.”

Feng Tianlin glanced at her, resigned. “It’s someone like you—a human subordinate of mine. He’s in danger. We need to hurry.”

Indeed, that sensation was a signal from the Nightmare Mark pleading for help, a feeling Feng Tianlin recognized instinctively. He hadn’t expected the Nightmare Mark to have this function.

With that said, Ruan Miao didn’t ask further. Her instincts told her this person was close to her, and she didn’t want them to die.

She gathered Feng Tianlin and the other anomalous creatures, went downstairs, hailed a taxi, and set out.

Recently, there was a hot topic at Ling City Second High—a magical pine tree in the school yard.

The tree was said to have been there since the school’s founding, at least a century old, unusually thick and nothing like any ordinary pine. Rumor had it that if someone carved a name onto the tree, that person would vanish entirely. The story spread rapidly, and soon, over a dozen people disappeared because of it.

Having handled the doll and the little girl in red, Wang Hui—the school’s solitary Taoist and now very much in demand—was naturally asked to deal with this.

At first, he refused. The tree’s aura was powerful, stronger than his own, and exceedingly strange—nothing like a typical anomalous creature. Since Feng Tianlin gave him the Nightmare Mark, he’d lost the desire to kill other creatures.

Until Hu Haiyan sought him out.

...

“Senior, you were so cool in the girls’ dorm last time. Help us again, please?” Hu Haiyan wheedled beside him.

Wang Hui’s face darkened; cool? She had no idea how ragged he’d been.

“I said no, and I mean it. I’m not bored, you know?” He waved her off, impatient.

Hu Haiyan’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Senior, you’re not… incapable, are you? Surely not?”

Wang Hui realized he was being looked down on by a girl, and that was intolerable.

“Who says I’m incapable? If I can’t do it, my master can. Do you know who he is? He’s a B-level Taoist. If he takes action—”

His words were cut off by Hu Haiyan. “Then call your master, whatever his name is.”

Wang Hui knew that if he refused again, he’d truly be scorned. So, helplessly, he nodded. “Fine, I’ll talk to my master.”

“Haha, I knew you wouldn’t ignore this!” Hu Haiyan wore a triumphant smile, patting Wang Hui’s shoulder.

Wang Hui was speechless.

So after school that day, he went to his Taoist temple to find his master, Daoist Qingyang.

He’d brought two bottles of good wine, and when he saw his master, he put on a filial face. “Hehe, Master, I came to see you.”

Daoist Qingyang, dressed in dark blue robes with two wisps of beard at his lips, glanced at his only disciple. “Speak. What do you want?”

His disciple rarely visited, usually only on weekends. It wasn’t the weekend yet, and he’d brought wine—clearly, something was up.

Wang Hui saw his little trick exposed and wasn’t embarrassed. He slowly set the wine next to his master. “Master, there’s an anomalous creature at our school with a strong aura. I can’t handle it.”

“So that’s it. I thought you’d gotten into trouble. For a cultivator, vanquishing monsters and suppressing evil is our duty. If you can’t manage it, I’ll step in for you.”