The Eldritch Files

”Red Sea Studio’s mission is indeed to investigate the kidnapping case from ten years ago, but our true goal is to find out why the Seven Days of Divine Descent failed. Many people in Qinggang are already looking into that, including Abyssal Studio.”

”Many people have already investigated you and cleared you of any suspicion.”

”But Mr. Moses analyzed all the data and concluded that the cause of the failure lies with you. That’s why he arranged this meeting. He also gave an order: if, after you meet with this woman, it’s confirmed you have no connection to the failure of the Seven Days of Divine Descent, then...”

”...we are to recruit you into Red Sea Studio!”

”...”

She paused here before adding, ”He also gave an order to spare your life if at all possible.”

”So, don’t make things difficult for us. Now that you’ve survived, just go back to your room and wait for Mr. Moses’s orders.”

”That’s a shame...”

Han Su was feeling utterly lazy at the moment. He had no desire to comment on Li Moxi’s paranoid methods or his personal arrogance. Facing the Red Sea Studio member’s complicated expression, he simply shook his head and said, ”Actually, I quite like your studio’s style.”

”It’s just a shame we’re not on the same mission.”

”...”

He knew Abyssal Studio would be arriving soon, so he didn’t waste any more breath.

His gaze swept over the countless gun barrels and stern faces. He gently raised his left hand and said, ”Well then, let’s get this show on the road.”

”CLICK-CLACK-CLICK...”

Innumerable guns were raised, and the atmosphere became incredibly tense.

Everyone stared nervously at Han Su. They couldn’t let him leave, but they didn’t dare open fire on him either.

But they failed to notice that a thick fog had, at some point, begun to slowly fill the hall of the abandoned laboratory.

”BEEP—”

Suddenly, a piercing beep rang out. It was so abrupt it was startling.

The next moment, dazzling headlights cut through the thick fog like swords, beaming from behind them.

The eerie lights sent an intense wave of danger through them.

An instant later, a violent gust of wind swept through, accompanied by the sound of the ceiling being ripped to shreds. A massive, wild truck charged in from behind them, instantly mowing down a group of people.

The truck was so tall that it tore through the ceiling, and a torrent of dust, debris, broken light fixtures, and wires rained down from above.

The area instantly descended into chaos. The armed personnel were sent flying before they could even react, much less fire their weapons. When they turned to look at the massive truck rampaging through the fog and confusion, they were completely stunned.

For most of them, this was the most baffling and terrifying moment of their lives:

’How are you supposed to accept a gladiatorial challenge from a grotesque truck in such a confined space?’

”Stop him!”

But amidst the chaos, the Red Sea Studio members barked low commands and quickly moved through the fog, closing in on Han Su.

Even as the wild truck careened through the chaos, they expertly dodged it. Clearly well-trained, they closed in on Han Su from all sides. They split into formations—six members formed a hexagonal perimeter behind him, cutting off any chance of escape amidst the turmoil.

Three more, weapons in hand, advanced from the front, their eyes scanning for him.

The members of Red Sea Studio were indeed highly skilled.

In terms of individual skill, they were likely on par with Qinggang’s senior Investigators like Red Windbreaker, Night Wind, and Green Hat—second only to Drunkard.

Even with the Ghost Truck rampaging through the fog-filled, abandoned base, they had managed to lock onto Han Su’s position immediately, ensuring he couldn’t use the chaos to escape.

What they didn’t expect, however, was that Han Su simply met their gazes and slowly raised his hand.

On the back of his left hand, the Cross Copper Scar materialized. Han Su whispered the password: ”Twenty-Seven Lives, all must be paid for in blood!”

「Qinggang City, Dingxiang Mansion.」

The Living Copper Puppet stood silently in the center of the grand hall, tall and imposing.

But as copper-colored blood began to flow and the Copper Will resonated, the Ruby Glasses on the statue’s serpentine head flared with an eerie red light. The next moment, the massive Copper Armor Statue took a great stride and charged out of the hall.

RUMBLE!

It crashed through wall after wall and crushed a car parked on the side of the road.

Like a steel monster rampaging through the bustling city, it charged in a straight line from Dingxiang Mansion directly toward the abandoned laboratory.

Its speed was terrifying, constantly accelerating as if it were drawing a straight copper line across Qinggang City.

Through the clouds of dust, the female students of Dingxiang Mansion stared with terrified, vacant eyes:

”The Divine Weapon has been activated...”

”The Heir... Is he no longer hiding his identity?”

Inside the Qinggang Council Hall, the old man from Dingxiang Mansion, who had been listening silently to the Xu Family’s statements, suddenly felt a connection. The exquisite copper ring at the base of his cane began to resonate. He slowly opened his ancient eyes, a hint of excitement in them.

...

...

Meanwhile, back at the abandoned laboratory, the Red Sea Studio members exchanged glances as they faced the lone-standing Han Su, and came to a decision.

They didn’t dare to waste any more time. With a low shout, one of them leaped high, striking for Han Su’s forehead as if to forcibly ”shut him down.”

But Han Su, who had already heard something approaching, didn’t dodge or evade. He just watched with cold eyes.

BOOM!

Just as the man’s palm was about to touch Han Su’s forehead, a deep rumble roared from beneath their feet. The ground shook, and they all struggled to keep their balance.

The attacker felt a sudden, intense sense of danger. He whipped around just in time to see the wall beside him explode as a towering figure, glowing with an eerie red light, charged through.

It sent shattered bricks and tiles flying as it moved, its aura powerful and mysterious. It had not only burst into the laboratory with lightning speed but had also instantly broken through Red Sea Studio’s hexagonal perimeter. It came to a halt before Han Su, then spun around, its copper arm lashing out with a WHOOSH.

Before the mid-air security agent could even form a thought, his chest was pierced through, and he was lifted into the air.

It all happened in a flash, leaving everyone else in the room completely unable to react.

”Kill them all.”

Han Su, still feeling listless, wasted no words and gave the cold command.

’I’ve already revealed the power of the Copper Will to the people at the Abyssal Laboratory, and they’ve already identified me as the Copper Inheritor. In that case, there’s no need to hide the Living Copper Puppet anymore. This is a good chance to see if it can really destroy half of Qinggang.’

The Copper Armor Statue placed a hand on its chest and bowed to Han Su. When it straightened up, the eyes on its serpentine head were blood-red, and its cold killing intent paralyzed everyone in the room.

The next moment, a tag-team assault by the Copper Armor Statue and the Ghost Truck began amidst the ruins.

But Han Su had no heart to watch the ensuing chaos and screams. The pressure of the tall, thin woman’s imminent arrival made him lose all interest in such a minor skirmish.

He simply walked, step by step, to a sofa against the wall. He brushed off the concrete debris, sat down, and while waiting for the Copper Armor Statue and the Ghost Truck to clear the room, he began contacting Wei Lan.

”The true culprit behind the kidnapping case is about to arrive in Qinggang.”

”So soon?”

Hearing Han Su’s message, Wei Lan, who was in the middle of a secret meeting, sighed softly. ”I thought we’d get to fight a few mini-bosses first, give ourselves a little more time to level up!”

His words resonated with Han Su, who replied with a wry smile, ”I was thinking the same thing.”

”Unfortunately, it seems our enemy has no intention of playing such a polite game with us...”

He thought of the tall, thin woman—theoretically his mother, but terrifyingly cruel and cold. He paused for a moment before saying in a low voice, ”To this day, they don’t even see us as opponents. It’s like a mother swatting her own son—completely natural to them.”

Wei Lan had been feeling the pressure too, but seeing the suppressed tone in Han Su’s voice, she actually laughed. ”Well, maybe when facing a war, winning or losing isn’t the most important thing. Maybe it’s the courage to face it in the first place?”

’Miss Wei Lan really buys into all that inspirational talk, huh...’

”Don’t put so much pressure on yourself!”

As he thought this, Wei Lan’s voice came through again. ”You’ve been through enough, running around and working so hard in the past.”

”Besides, what we’re facing now is something we were always meant to face together, right?”

”I’m in a meeting that’s getting more and more interesting by the second. Maybe we’re not so alone in Qinggang after all, you know?”