After Lin Shan's remark, Qian Xue stopped messing around, and the two continued their stroll along the riverbank.
The scenery at Jiangliu Lakefront was beautiful, with ripples shimmering across the surface of the lake.
In the distance, the city's lights reflected on the lake, like a city floating on water.
A mechanical ship was docked on the lake, filled with singing and dancing, occasionally accompanied by the laughter of women.
The two knew exactly what kind of place that was.
"They've been inside for two hours now, could they have perished inside? Hmph, men." Qian Xue rolled her eyes.
Baiyu and his friend arrived at the Jiangliu Lakefront and went straight onto the Dream Ship.
And they haven't come out since.
Behaving just like those men who get lost in the revels of the Dream Ship.
"They're probably waiting for someone. Didn't the information you received say they were meeting someone for a transaction?" Lin Shan was continually focused on that transaction.
Though she didn't doubt Baiyu.
She was still curious about what the transaction entailed.
The Dream Ship was a melting pot.
Female sub-humans, customers, bouncers, gambling dens, and an underground black market.
All these mixed together to turn the mechanical ship ahead into a behemoth of a gray zone, a den of indulgence.
"Excuse me, ladies."
At this time.
A warm yet slightly aged voice sounded behind the two women.
Qian Xue jumped in shock.
This man had approached without her sensing him, like a ghost.
Turning around.
A wrinkled face came into view.
It was a man who appeared to be around fifty years old.
His hair was silver, with classic Omi Imperial features of blue eyes and a high nose bridge, radiating a gentle demeanor, easily endearing himself to others.
But Qian Xue and Lin Shan were extremely wary.
This person was highly suspicious.
Lin Shan, already an Extraordinary of Sequence Eight, still hadn't noticed his approach, indicating only one thing...
"Ladies, it's already late; aren't you planning to go back and rest?
Being an investigator tasks you with complex duties, and if you don't get proper rest, it becomes tough to handle work during the day."
Bruce maintained his usual smile.
He wasn't surprised to see investigators here.
With his resources, it wasn't hard to look into the Anomaly Bureau's staff in Linjiang City.
If the investigators didn't show up, that would be strange to him.
"To be safe, why not invite the investigators over here?
Given the intelligence on the other side, they must have guessed that my real goal is for the Anomaly Bureau to seize the Demon Paper.
So, they informed the investigators of the situation.
Whether or not they believe, they'd come tonight for verification anyway.
As expected, he's not ordinary, wanting me to first clash with the Anomaly Bureau.
Win or lose, it's advantageous to him.
Messing up my plans and arrangements further.
These two investigators will also revisit the Demon Paper incident, rendering my task utterly unsuccessful."
Bruce's mind was racing.
Soon.
He sensed the opponent's powerful strategizing ability.
In this game, despite holding an overwhelming strength advantage, he couldn't gain the upper hand.
The most disadvantageous point.
His enemy was in the dark, while he was exposed; he held no initiative but to be led by the nose.
These two investigators likely are the enemy's first move against him, and he had no choice but to engage.
"In the first three Extraordinary incidents, with the Abyssal Ascetic Association's help, I perfectly escaped suspicion, getting the Demon Paper locked in Hades Prison.
But this time, even if I retrieve the fourth Demon Paper, there's a high risk of exposure.
The Anomaly Bureau will be on alert!
If they separate the Demon Paper's storage, the plan is entirely thwarted.
What a bother.
Did that brat almost piece together our plan?
Continuing to be led by the nose, I'm bound to lose.
Therefore.
The only choice is to break the stalemate using extreme measures."
Killing intent boiled within Bruce.
Even the smallest misstep had led to a massive headache for him.
This kind of cunning.
Regardless of the person's identity, cannot be left alive.
Otherwise, it'll certainly become a disastrous hindrance to his plan.
First, force the opponent out, turn defense into offense, starting with these two investigators!
The area was already set up with isolation-type sealing objects; today, he had no intention of letting anyone walk out alive from the isolated range.
"Who are you?"
Qian Xue suspiciously eyed the old man before her, the natural charm she emitted slowly dissipating, replaced by a piercing coldness.
"An Extraordinary Power affecting the mind? This has little effect on me; my mind has long been immune to all toxins."
Bruce shook his head, blue eyes reflecting nostalgia:
"My name is Bruce. As for identity, at most, I was once a Martial Artist.
As I aged, my Blood Qi kept diminishing, so I can't recall that peak feeling of youth.
But recently, I found a way to regain my peak.
Even if the method requires some deaths and making deals with certain mysterious beings.
But…
Isn't our cultivation and struggle for powerful strength?"
Rip!
Qian Xue was caught off guard as a withered hand grasped her neck, lifting her off the ground.
The same move, the same sensation!
Qian Xue remembered when Baiyu lifted her like this before, her fragile soul suffering a massive blow again.
Is it because she's short that she can be picked up anytime!
Can they not give some respect to short people?
Is being 1.5 meters tall their fault? It's a genetic issue, a genetic issue, damn it!
She hasn't even finished developing!
With a face full of fury, Qian Xue found herself unable to resist.
Because she was merely an Extraordinary.
The strength of an Extraordinary lies in their strange and varied abilities, hard to guard against, but once unable to harm the enemy…
Then, apart from having supernatural powers in her physique acting as a punching bag, she had no other power.
Crunch!
Another tear.
A hideous wound stretched across Qian Xue's neck, blood gushing out instantly.
Lin Shan attacked at this moment.
A hazy halo circled her right arm, small tadpole-like black patterns covering it entirely.
"Executioner·Broken Skin!"
She fiercely aimed for Bruce's chest, slashing through his suit and skin instantly, creating a bloody gash.
But within the wound was something chilling, causing her and Qian Xue's hearts to skip a beat.
Bruce's chest housed no organs, just crimson pulsating flesh.
Horrifying and bloody.
Could contact with the eerie have turned his body into this grotesque state?
"Sorry to frighten you beautiful ladies."
Bruce gently brushed the dust off his khaki suit, the flesh on his chest writhing back together, "You're simply too puny to appreciate its beauty.
Extraordinary?
Heh, without Blood Qi to support, they're nothing more than bigger grasshoppers.
People always believe that the Extraordinary stand high above, crushing the Martial Dao.
Today, I'll show you how terrifying a true Martial Artist is. The path of Martial Dao is the right one!"
Bruce flicked his cane lightly, his figure moving ghostly towards the two women, delivering a hand chop imbued with intense Blood Qi!
Bam.
Qian Xue's body hurled like a broken kite, flying over ten meters away.
Her landing was followed by her vomiting a large mouthful of blood, losing all mobility.
The wound on her neck healed rapidly but couldn't keep up with the damage rate.
An Extraordinary's body differs from ordinary people, usually boasting potent Recovery Power, but the gap between them and this man was too huge.
"An Extraordinary yet to awaken true power, pitifully weak."
"And you, being responsible for the investigation in East District, should at least have an Extraordinary Level of Sequence Eight?"
Bruce savored the long-lost exhilaration of battle.
The keen, vivid sensation of truly being alive widened his gentlemanly smile: "I'm actually Sequence Eight too, but the gap between us is like heaven and earth. So, I suggest you give up the futile resistance to end things here without more pain..."
"Nonsense."
Lin Shan's eyes gradually turned blood-red, her right arm enveloped in black patterns emanating dangerously dark light: "Strong forces from all sides will arrive shortly; you will die today!"