Chapter 62
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Chapter 62: Title
The Special Bureau had deployed virtually all available personnel. Even Ghost in Red, a ghost cultivator, was no exception, though she’d always resisted meddling in human realm affairs.
Yet Bai Ye’s connection to the Special Bureau—and his status as a spiritual pattern bearer—left Ghost in Red no choice but to intervene should his life be at risk. This rationale led the Bureau to strategically assign both to the same city.
Zhongxia boasted countless landscapes of ethereal beauty. Most had been transformed into scenic sites, save for untamed wilderness deemed unfit for tourism. Many such wonders nestled within urban centers themselves. Qiantang City, famed for both its tourism and Spiritual Energy density, ranked among Zhongxia’s most potent hubs.
“What species of Demonic Beast is this?”
“Resembles a cat, albeit significantly larger.” Ghost in Red narrowed her eyes at the creature whose cultivation surpassed hers—likely mid-tier one or higher.
“Dispose of you first, then find Bai Ye.” A bronze bell materialized in her palm, hurled toward the beast.
The obsidian feline—1.7 meters at the shoulder, over two with its tail—instinctively fled rather than attacking. Feline agility combined with single-minded focus on escape made it swift. The bewildered creature couldn’t fathom why this ghost pursued it, nor why human cultivators cooperated with the ghost clan.
Darting through clustered buildings, the black cat veered toward areas where other Demonic Beasts had descended, attempting to redirect its pursuer’s attention.
Ghost in Red halted mid-chase when a weasel-shaped Demonic Beast seized a child. Priorities shifted: this harmful predator demanded immediate action, unlike the nonviolent feline.
Could she truly abandon the chase? No time for deliberation—she pivoted toward the weasel’s vanishing path.
Behind a structure, a trash bin stirred. An adult-sized black cat emerged, exhaling as the crimson specter retreated. It sought cultivation in the human realm, not conflict with those frenzied human cultivators who favored mob tactics over honorable duels favored by spirit cultivators.
Victory being impossible, solitude became imperative. The cat bounded onto alley walls, flowing like shadow toward urban fringes where dilapidated houses huddled beneath skyscrapers’ scorn.
*
In Hanzhou City’s five-story apartment, Zhang Ye scanned silent streets where only night wind whispered. His phone’s signal had died with the vanishing sky-cracks. Where the fallen Demonic Beasts lurked, he dreaded to imagine.
Pre-blackout bulletins warned of unprecedented beast numbers. When celestial rifts multiplied, the military had seized urban control. “When will this end?” Dawn once meant resolution—now, uncertainty gnawed.
Downtown, Special Bureau teams struggled despite fervent efforts. Beyond hulking targets, smaller Demonic Beasts infiltrated the metropolis.
Nationwide reports now flew via paper cranes—an Analysis Department analyst’s contingency plan activated mere weeks after proposal.
Beneath streets, sewer labyrinths hid rat-like Demonic Beasts, each quadruple normal size, demonic energy rippling their fur.
Dawn broke. Sunlight pierced last night’s gloom as signals flickered back to life across cities, like hesitant fireflies after a storm.
"The spatial fluctuations last night were excessively intense, disrupting the magnetic field and cutting off communications,"
"All cities have eliminated most Demonic Beasts through overnight operations, though some fled to suburban areas. Total casualties are still being tallied…"
"Our intelligence reports indicate anomalies among some Demonic Beasts… Additionally, the scientific team previously missing in Shennongjia made contact this morning. Division 5 has dispatched retrieval personnel."
Lin Jing projected several photographs while explaining, "Our analysis suggests these ‘Demonic Beasts’ might actually be spirit cultivators."
The images revealed extraordinary specimens: a two-meter ebony feline, a three-meter-tall lagomorph, a meter-long goshawk, and an enormous pallid fish desiccating on dry land.
"Our team rescued that fish from a construction site," Cui Ming interjected, clearing his throat. "Had we arrived moments later…"
"Communication established?" Yan Hua rapped the conference table.
"Confirmed. The subject revealed numerous spirit cultivators infiltrated the Demonic Beast exodus from the Mountain and Sea Realm. Exact numbers remain unclear."
"What’s the dragon race’s status?"
Tang Tong replied with a bemused expression, "Their coastal presence terrifies both Demonic Beasts and spirit cultivators into submission. Our retrieval teams reported unprecedented compliance."
The unspoken contrast hung heavy – while cities resorted to swords like Ji Lang’s, even the dragon race’s youngest prince Ao Lan subdued threats through mere presence.
Lin Jing added, "As upper-tier spirit cultivators, the dragon race’s natural dominance over lower species has been empirically verified."
"Eastern seas remain calm, but other maritime zones report intrusions by aquatic Demonic Beasts and spirit cultivators…"
"Prioritize locating all spirit cultivators. Offer coexistence to cooperative entities. Apply force against hostile elements."
"Accelerate production of demonic energy detectors. We must expose all hidden threats."
"Maintain current deployment of extraordinary individuals and Practitioners for perimeter security." Yan Hua concluded the briefing.
…
Perched within the World Tree’s branches, Ye Linlang compiled her analytical report. The Analysis Department’s mandate spanned global affairs – victory demanded comprehensive understanding. Her current focus on spirit cultivators felt particularly ironic given her divine status.
The casualty figures from the Mountain and Sea Realm incident flickered on her auxiliary screen, their ascent slowed though not ceased.
Moral equations haunted her thoughts: Trading lives as arithmetic? Heavenly justice recognized no mortal hierarchies. Without the underworld’s balance, she mused, her spreadsheets of mortality would render her an executioner sans blade.
She willed the Special Bureau to uncover last night’s buried dangers, yet celestial constraints bound her to observer status.
"This West Lake serpent intrigues me," she murmured, arching an eyebrow at reports of a benign snake demon. "Benevolent spirit cultivators warrant special consideration."
Heavenly favor clearly tilted toward humanity in this epoch. Those aligning with mortal interests might yet earn cosmic grace – adopted children of the universe world could thrive through alliance, though overreach invited celestial censure.
Her amusement resurged at a black cat’s antics: "A spirit cultivator masquerading as stray? These beings exhibit startling… creativity."
The anticipated assault from demon lords never materialized – their restraint defied expectations. Even as their creator, she found their human realm antics perplexingly absurd.
…
West Lake’s usual bustle had diminished to occasional locals braving Demonic Beast warnings. Beneath its tranquil surface, sudden thermal turbulence stirred.
In Zhenyue Palace’s meditation chamber, Li Canghai’s swordsmanship trance fractured inexplicably.
Subaqueous temperatures soared, rousing the lake’s slumbering leviathan. The white snake thrashed upward, vapor condensing into nimbus as it breached – a crystalline downpour cooling its scorched scales.
Obsidian eyes narrowed at the depths. Serpentine grudges ran deep – no spirit cultivator forgets unwarranted scalding.
Innate shapeshifting granted by spirit lineage meant little without tier three cultivation and surviving the Transformation Lightning Tribulation.
"Merely refining my Horizontal Bone provoked this?" The coiled serpent hissed, surveying fleeing spectators. Emergency calls to the Special Bureau already echoed along the shore.
Wisdom dictated retreat – mortal curiosity rarely outweighed self-preservation.
