I Am Your Natural Enemy

The vehicles had been driving for half an hour when traffic started to jam up ahead. The big trucks pulled over to the side, and quite a few drivers were lingering by the roadside.

Seeing the situation, the driver simply turned off the engine and got out, heading to a restaurant nearby to eat—there was no way he’d be moving anytime soon.

The Taoist sitting in the back of the truck suddenly opened his eyes, his eyelids twitching slightly.

His expression grew grim as he took out a Silver Mirror Compass, dripped a drop of fresh blood onto it, and watched as the needle spun madly. He let out a silent sigh.

So fast—when did he get spotted?

Without hesitation, he jumped out of the truck, landing on the ground.

He shook out his Taoist robe, stomped hard on the ground three times, formed a spell seal with his fingers, and drew a rune on the dirt. Then, moving like a wraith, shoulders unmoving and legs blurring with speed, he dashed like the wind into the roadside forest.

Soon after, a private car passing by here—no one knew why—crashed into a large truck parked by the roadside.

In an instant, the whole road was completely blocked off.

This national highway was already congested, and now with the car blocking the way, traffic would be backed up for kilometers within minutes.

The Taoist sprinted off into the forest, escaping at full speed.

Meanwhile, the Scorching Sun Department Field Agents who had been trailing him from afar noticed the problem, immediately reported in, then pulled a drone from the trunk and sent it up.

Once that drone climbed a hundred meters above, it was nearly impossible to spot, and made almost no noise.

Several drones launched, and soon enough, they located the Taoist racing wildly through the woods.

The Taoist stopped beneath a tree, lifted his head through a gap in the canopy, and his expression darkened further.

There weren’t many experts in the Scorching Sun Department, but when it came to clandestine operations, it was hard to keep anything from their eyes. Once you’d been discovered, getting away became nearly impossible.

The Taoist tried all kinds of tricks, flitting through the wilds, but drones still hovered nearby, always in sight.

After several attempts, he gave up completely, pouring on speed to his very limit, sprinting to the river, then diving headfirst into the water, vanishing from the surface.

The news shot back with lightning speed, and Cai Qidong watched the video with cold eyes, especially the clip of the Taoist, with just a gesture on the road, causing an accident and blocking the way.

In the aftermath, within thirty meters of the spot, in just those few moments, three people had already been injured by ”accidents.”

Just then, Lord Zhu called.

”Someone is spreading news about Wen Yan. Got that?”

”Hm? Who?”

”Somebody. And a Ghost. I couldn’t trace the person—it’s a Taoist, your problem. As for the Ghost, that’s none of your business.”

With that, Lord Zhu hung up.

After hanging up, Lord Zhu powered off the phone and popped out the battery.

He turned his head to look at a Fierce Ghost bound beside him.

”You’re not a bad kid—just a bit stupid.

I have no idea how you idiots let yourselves be conned like this.

But let me tell you straight: I owe someone in the Forbidden Grounds a huge favor.

We’re on very good terms.

I don’t care what your damn reason is—don’t give me crap about personal grudges.

Not that I look down on you, but you think you’re worthy of having a grudge with my buddy?

If you lot had a beef with the Great Killer Star of the Forbidden Grounds, I could believe it.

We’ve seen each other before, so I won’t go all the way this time. I’m giving you two choices.

Either I harden my heart, let all your sins fall on me, and I kill you.

Or, you start over, abandon your old identity, and go on living.

You pick.”

The Fierce Ghost, still thick with murderous aura, hesitated a long while, his expression shifting.

The grinning young man nearby came over and peeled the talisman off his mouth.

”You’ve got your chance—choose. You’ve known me long enough to know, unless I really have to, or someone’s stepped way out of line, I rarely go for the kill.”

Lord Zhu added one last word of advice.

The Fierce Ghost glanced at the empty execution frame nearby—there was already a Ghost utterly dissipated there.

He sighed and nodded.

”I’ll leave it to you, Lord Zhu.”

”Alright.”

Lord Zhu reached out his hand, palm open.

”Your name.”

The moment the other spoke his name, three characters flew from his body into Lord Zhu’s hand.

The Fierce Ghost’s eyes suddenly went vacant.

Lord Zhu opened his palm, stared at the name in his hand, and sighed softly.

”I knew your great-grandfather back in the day—you’re putting me in a tough spot, you know.

If you really had a grudge, I wouldn’t stop you. If you want to die, go on.

No grudge? Then why get involved in this mess?

Just because one of the dead Evil Ghosts was someone you knew?

Dumb as hell.

What’s the point?

Forget it, I’ll keep this for you. From now on, you’ll stay here with me.”

Lord Zhu took away the name. The grinning young man next to him chimed in flatteringly,

”Prince, you’re still just too kind. These Ghosts really should’ve been dispatched.”

”Get outta here, what’re you poking around for? Anyone else?”

”These are all we’ve found so far. There might still be others lurking.”

”If fate’s run its course, I can’t save them, no point worrying.”

Elsewhere, Cai Qidong realized someone seemed to have set their sights north of Virtue City, and immediately moved to mobilize people.

He glanced at his phone—the end of the month was still far off—and let out a disappointed sigh.

All he could do was start calling for reinforcements.

Then he notified Fuyu Mountain, telling them to send word to Wen Yan.

At the same time, in the Netherworld, Wen Yan had arrived at the banks of the Styx River.

The other bullet was sealed by the Scorching Sun Department. Supposedly, even fifty meters underwater, it could stay watertight for ten years.