The Eldritch Files

A fine, gentle Spiritual Power emanated from every person. Reflected by various mirrors, it connected into a single web, like a great network protecting the entire district beneath its mirrored surface.

By becoming the Empress of Qinggang, not only did Wei Lan’s own power rise to a new level, but she also gained the authority to command the retired Empresses.

In the last thirty years, Qinggang had seen ten Empresses step down. All but those over fifty years of age had now followed her here.

Almost nothing needed to be said. The moment the Empress appeared, the City Slaughter Sacrifice had no choice but to halt its advance.

...

’If everyone can be sacrificed, then why not me?’

On his side, Li Moxi fought a desperate, solitary battle, yet he hadn’t retreated a single step.

With his sharp perception, he had likely realized the awkwardness of his own situation. He was a distinguished Independent Investigator, one with an outstanding combat record even among his peers.

Yet when facing a powerful enemy, not a single person was willing to come and help him.

This might have been a disheartening situation, but it only made Li Moxi more ferocious. He stubbornly held his ground alone, defending the line.

The price, however, was a body covered in wounds. Even his Crimson power was faintly showing signs of spinning out of control.

Seeing the enemy press forward once more, he let out a low sigh. Without leaving any last words for the world, he charged ahead, ready to die.

But he never expected a sudden gust of wind to sweep past him. A figure in a prison uniform with a shaved head shot past him, charging toward the monstrous City Slaughter Sacrifice. His movements were impossibly bizarre as he slammed directly into the creature.

”You...”

Li Moxi’s heart pounded in his chest. He was overcome with a wave of emotion, a feeling of being moved that he had never experienced before.

...

...

”Qinggang is really pulling out all the stops this time...”

The tall, thin woman, pinned down by the power of reality in front of Abyssal Studio, let out a low sigh.

The grip of the Copper Armor Statue, Han Su’s electric baton, the bullets from Song Chushi’s gun, the corrosion of the Sands of Time and copper rust.

Countless forces pressed in on her, almost completely obscuring her figure, yet her expression remained unchanged.

She could feel the power of reality from Qinggang still surging toward her, layer upon layer. Every second, a weight equivalent to a Spiritual Level of tens of thousands pressed down on her. She also sensed that the City Slaughter Sacrifice was being held back by some of Qinggang’s hidden forces and was unable to provide support.

This was, it seemed, an unexpected and highly unfavorable situation.

So, she looked up at Han Su and Song Chushi, who stood shoulder to shoulder, and frowned slightly.

”After putting on this tough act for so long, is this all you’ve prepared for me?”

Han Su’s heart skipped a beat, and Song Chushi pursed his lips.

”But it’s not enough...”

As she spoke in a low voice, she slightly raised her palm. Han Su immediately raised his left hand and clenched it into a tight fist.

The Living Copper Puppet sensed his command. Its arms constricted, and immense metallic force threatened to crush her bones.

But it was impossible to see what she did. The woman, who seemed to be completely suppressed by the power of reality, suddenly flipped a hand upward. The angle was both tricky and ingenious, and she slipped her hand into a gap between the metal components of the Copper Armor Statue.

The next moment, her hand moved with nimble grace, a blur of motion like a butterfly flitting through flowers. With a series of CRACKLES and SNAPS, the Copper Armor Statue instantly fell apart, its pieces scattering across the ground.

She had dismantled the Copper Armor Statue with just one hand. She straightened up slightly.

Song Chushi gritted his teeth and stretched out his hand to summon them again. Instantly, more ciphertext chains shot out, piercing through one building after another as they converged on the scene.

His Stealing of power from the third reality-defense line was rapidly approaching the critical limit.

”Still bothering with such pointless gestures...”

But in the face of this earth-shaking power, the tall, thin woman simply shook her head slowly. ”Don’t you know? The Pale Factory is in my hands.”

”I was only chatting with you to wait for the factory to arrive.”

The next moment, she suddenly crouched down and pressed her palm to the ground.

Her Spiritual Power began its Penetration, instantly outlining a massive Ciphertext Array in a thirty-meter radius around her.

Immediately after, immense pressure seemed to build in the air overhead as endless dark clouds gathered oppressively.

And within those dark clouds, the faint but shocking outline of something like a great vessel could be seen flying in the sky.

The next moment, the great vessel in the sky suddenly opened numerous transport channels. A dense shower of countless dark, rain-like objects fell rapidly, pounding the ground, buildings, and vehicles with sickening thuds. They were clumps of Pale flesh.

As soon as this flesh hit the ground, it began to writhe, rapidly growing organs, skeletons, and muscle.

They weren’t empty shells like Pseudo-humans, but real people, possessing a human structure. They could even generate Spiritual Power, just like a person.

Some of the flesh, as it fused together, enveloped the female assistants Song Chushi had just killed. It rapidly repaired their brains, and they rose to their feet once more, their faces cold and impassive.

Like an army falling from the sky, they instantly surrounded Han Su and Song Chushi.

And the army’s numbers were still growing.

Their numbers increased rapidly, by the hundreds and thousands, as if summoned by ciphertext. With every new addition, the oppressive pressure bearing down on the area weakened.

”You can use Stealing on the Spiritual Power of Qinggang’s thirty million people, but I have enough flesh to bear the Spiritual Level of all thirty million of them.”

The tall, thin woman walked forward slowly. The wooden-faced, humanoid weapons silently parted to make a path for her. Her expression was serene as her gaze shifted from Song Chushi to Han Su. She spoke softly, ”My child, you shouldn’t have come looking for a fight to the death with me.”

”I taught you when you were little that resisting an angry adult is meaningless.”

”What you should have done, before you even knew I was coming, was run away without a second thought...”

”...But now, it’s too late.”