I Am Your Natural Enemy

Chapter 16 - 16 Background

At 6:10, before Wen Yan could see any sunlight, he saw mottled marks beginning to appear on the walls.

Patches of light, varying in size and slowly spreading, radiated out to every place his eyes could reach.

When he saw one of those light patches spread to a lamp and the lamp suddenly lit up, he finally understood—where the light spots had spread was the regular inpatient building of the hospital; the places still unlit were still inside the domain.

Feng Dongmei, who had been struggling for hours, stopped struggling at this point, and what remained of the thin black mist recoiled, re-entering Feng Dongmei’s body.

She stood in place, her figure and face twisted, one bloodshot eye fixed viciously on Wen Yan. Tiny holes began to appear all over her, and wherever the holes spread, everything simply vanished.

Her eyes were filled with unconcealed malice and hatred, but her sanity had completely returned to normal.

”Kid, you’d better watch yourself when you walk at night from now on. I’m waiting for the day you die a horrible death. It won’t be long now, ha...hahaha...”

”Heh, tui...”

Wen Yan couldn’t be bothered to say anything else to Feng Dongmei, not even curious about why she’d turned out like this; even if he asked, it’d be pointless.

Ever since Feng Dongmei had set her sights on him, wanting to squash him like some disposable, the matter had been destined not to end well.

He was Wen Yan, sure, easy to talk to, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hit back.

Feng Dongmei no longer said anything, just stared at Wen Yan with hatred, her body, like the domain itself, began to dissipate bit by bit, starting from local spots.

In the bright patches that restored the environment to a normal hospital, people started appearing too—Feng Yao looking ready for war, and one field agent after another, fully equipped. Outside the main doors, there was also a dharma altar, and a Taoist holding a wooden sword standing behind it.

Everyone was in battle mode, the air still carrying the scorched smell of fire and the crackling of static electricity.

They watched as Feng Dongmei, suppressed, slowly faded away, and Wen Yan, his back to the door, sat Golden Blade Steed-style between three benches, arms stretched out on the backs of the seats on either side.

Feng Yao quickly came over to Wen Yan, sighing in relief when she saw his eyes open.

”You alright?”

Wen Yan leaned against the chair, eyes bloodshot, face worn out.

”Will I get reimbursed for the Siyang Spleen Strengthening Soup?”

”You will.”

”What about my work uniform?”

”Everything will be reimbursed.”

”That’s good. So, final confirmation—is she completely finished, or is this just normal sunrise vanishing?”

”Based on my analysis, this domain is centered around her. Every day she patrols all the floors. Not only is it a rule, but she’s compelled to do it.

That’s also how she maintained the domain itself, strengthening the domain’s power and the power of the rules here. Now, they’re tied together; collapse comes for both.

Just as we expected, when the foundation of existence collapses, the rules begin to crumble, and the domain can’t survive. Destruction is inevitable.

This is a disappearance more thorough than physical extermination.

She’s done for—even a Daluo Golden Immortal couldn’t save her now.”

”Good. I never realized summer nights could be so cold.”

Wen Yan stood up, stretched a bit, drank the hot water Feng Yao gave him, draped on an army green coat, then sat back down, holding his cup and quietly watching Feng Dongmei.

It wasn’t until he saw Feng Dongmei, trapped in the center of the lobby, scream venomous curses and finally dissipate, the black mist inside sealed away by the equipment disappearing with her, that he got to his feet.

”Were you all planning for a full-force assault earlier?”

”We tried storming it all night, yesterday night. We’d just found a local ritual expert from Wei State—not from Scorching Sun Department, we paid him privately—but the domain’s defenses were even tougher than we’d thought. We couldn’t break through at all, and we didn’t dare use stronger weapons.”

Wen Yan glanced back and saw the Taoist, looking very professional, probably pleased that this gig turned out easy.

”Can he transcend the soul? Oh, right, is that even a real thing?”

”Yeah, of course. He usually earns a living doing rituals.”

”Well, since he’s here, might as well have him do a transcendence ritual.”

”...”

Wen Yan headed to the second floor. On arrival, he saw that in the dim corridor, people were emerging from various patient rooms—some in hospital gowns, some in regular clothes, some still in white coats, obviously staff.

But without exception, their faces showed relief.

They saw Wen Yan and bowed to him from a distance, showing gratitude, then each walked to the window, and when the light spots appeared, they stepped into them one by one and disappeared.

Wen Yan made his way to the floor where the little nurse with the tooth decay had been. When he got there, the light spots had already spread halfway across.

He approached the nurse’s station—the little nurse was hiding under the counter, in a shadow where no light had reached.

Wen Yan waved at her.

”I knew you hadn’t left yet.”

”I don’t want to just leave like this.” The little nurse with the tooth decay answered gloomily from beneath the counter.

”Do you want to go back and take a look?”

”It’s probably pointless even if I go back...” The little nurse sounded deflated. After saying that, she asked softly, ”Can I really go back and see?”

”Wait here, I’ll ask a professional.”

Wen Yan glanced around. The traces of the domain had faded almost completely. He waited for the elevator to come up and, after confirming it was functioning normally, finally dared to get in.

Downstairs, Feng Yao was already leading the Scorching Sun Department in sweeping up, everyone carrying instruments to re-scan the entire building.

At the entrance to the inpatient building, the Taoist in a yellow robe, holding a wooden sword, looked solemn as he chanted something in a dialect Wen Yan couldn’t understand.

Wen Yan hesitated, then, instead of interrupting, pulled Feng Yao aside.

”Let me ask—there were a lot of souls that disappeared in this domain. Wang Xin doesn’t want to leave yet, she wants to go home and check in. Is that okay?”

”Why wouldn’t it be? From your description, she’s definitely not an evil ghost. Just going back for a look is fine, but she can’t linger too long.”

”Is there a reason for that?”

”In a regular environment, if you hang around too long, your emotions will eventually fluctuate, something will go wrong sooner or later. Without protection from the proper rites, both memories and feelings fade with time. In the end, instinct takes over—they drain people’s yang energy and it becomes inevitable someone will get hurt.”

”So where do they end up in the end?”

”How the hell should I know? I’ve never died before,” Feng Yao replied righteously.

”???”

Wen Yan was stunned. Damn, so that’s an answer? So just what are these transcendence rituals for, then?

”If you want to help that little nurse, ask him.” Feng Yao pointed toward the Taoist chanting behind the altar. ”His surname’s Zhang, people call him Old Xi—he’s best at this stuff.”

In the distance, Zhang Laoxi’s eyes and ears were on full alert. When he saw Wen Yan coming, he showed off a flourish with his sword, ceased chanting, and said to the younger ones behind him,

”You guys keep reciting the ’Supreme Salvation Scripture’.”

He put away his magic sword, voluntarily stepped down from the altar, and greeted Wen Yan as he walked out of the inpatient building.

”Hello, Taoist priest.”

”No, no, I wouldn’t dare. I haven’t received proper teaching, not qualified to be called a priest. Just freelancing, making a living doing rituals.”

Zhang Laoxi was exceedingly polite—he’d already asked around.

The one in the domain was Wen Yan, not just a specially-appointed field agent for the Scorching Sun Department, but a full-time worker at the Virtue City Funeral House. With just those two credentials, he wouldn’t dare be dismissive.

Besides, he’d heard that the new Scorching Sun Department minister in Nanwu County, upon taking office, went straight to Virtue City, took Wen Yan with him to investigate a major case, and got poisoned together.

Last night, Wen Yan went into the domain alone, survived the night, and at dawn, Zhang had personally seen him sitting Golden Blade Steed-style with his back to the door as the domain faded and the fierce ghost inside was completely suppressed and dissolved piece by piece.

Doesn’t matter how he pulled it off—with that presence and that achievement, Zhang wouldn’t dare get cocky.

No major sect behind him, no formal credential, he was only here because the local Scorching Sun Department was desperate for help. Otherwise, they’d never have invited him.

Zhang Laoxi was all politeness. When he heard Wen Yan’s question, he immediately produced a jade pendant and handed it over.

”This is simple. Here’s a jade pendant I’ve prepared—have her go inside it. It also nourishes the soul body and keeps the spirit platform intact.”

”But this...”

”It’s nothing special, just ordinary white jade. If you keep being polite, I’ll be too embarrassed to stay here.”

”Thanks then.”

”Keep in touch. If there’s ever anything, just call me.” Zhang Laoxi handed Wen Yan his business card—they exchanged numbers and added each other on Feixin.

After watching Wen Yan head back into the building, Zhang Laoxi looked around at the completely unbothered Scorching Sun Department members, and couldn’t help but be a little jealous.

Damn, having connections is great. You can even openly keep a girl ghost on hand.