I Return From Hell

Chapter 19: Chapter 17: Spirit Servant Candidate

’Zheng Chao isn’t in the city. He’s gone to another province on business.’

Xia Yu immediately gave up on him.

The third Mist Event would occur at 9:18 AM the day after tomorrow.

In the meantime, she also had to deal with the students bullying her brother.

There wasn’t enough time.

Her only choice was to set her sights on Wang Quanzhi!

「The next day.」

Xia Yu found Wang Quanzhi and tailed him. That evening, her opportunity came: Wang Quanzhi went to a deserted area to smoke, a place that just so happened to have no security cameras.

She felt for the brocade box in her pocket and started to approach him.

But a moment later, she froze and quickly retreated into the shadows.

’Isn’t that the other suspect from the police station? His name... his name is Li Xiang.’

A familiar figure appeared, striding toward Wang Quanzhi.

Instantly on alert, Xia Yu’s eyes narrowed. She carefully scanned her surroundings. Seeing no other suspicious individuals or vehicles, she finally focused her attention back on Wang Quanzhi and Li Xiang.

The two seemed to have a good relationship. They chatted and laughed while puffing away on their cigarettes. After a while, they headed to a restaurant for drinks.

Xia Yu had already told her brother she’d be working overtime and would be back late. She continued her hunt, taking a seat at an adjacent table. She ordered four dishes and set out two pairs of chopsticks and bowls, pretending to wait for someone.

As the minutes ticked by, her demeanor grew increasingly anxious. She fiddled with her phone, sighed, and muttered complaints, perfectly playing the part of someone who’d been stood up.

In reality, she was just chatting with a second account she owned.

Wang Quanzhi glanced at Xia Yu a few times, completely taken in by her acting. His mind wasn’t on her anyway. If it hadn’t been for her perfect figure and remarkable aura, even with the mask and hat, he wouldn’t have given her a second look.

After plying Li Xiang with alcohol until he was dead drunk and barely conscious, he casually asked, ”A few days ago, I heard the Route 333 bus you were on had some trouble. Is that true?”

Xia Yu’s eyes sharpened.

「About ten minutes later.」

As Li Xiang violently retched into a trash can, Wang Quanzhi frowned and muttered to himself, ’So it’s not him? Looks like I have to move on to the next target. The next one is...’

’Zhou Fan?’

Zhou Fan. He was the other suspect from the first Mist Event. The night she was interrogated, he had actually approached her to say hello and ask for her contact information.

Xia Yu paid her bill and left without a second thought, completely abandoning Wang Quanzhi as a target.

He was, in all likelihood, a police informant.

Even if there was only a sliver of a chance that he was, she wasn’t willing to take the risk.

’By now, members of the special incident investigation team have probably arrived. If I get on their radar, it’ll be a huge pain.’

Drawing on experiences from her past life, Xia Yu had long ago set a firm rule for herself: until she was strong enough, and before the Apocalypse truly began, she would never, under any circumstances, cooperate with the government.

Reborn into this life, she had to be cautious and plan every single move.

There was no room for the slightest mistake.

Otherwise, forget revenge; she wouldn’t even be able to survive!

’My reckless approach to Wang Quanzhi has likely put me in Zhao Guohui’s sights, and it probably made him even more suspicious of me.’

Xia Yu felt a pang of frustration.

’My luck is just the worst,’ she thought. ’Of two targets, one left town, and the other is a police informant.’

Who should she choose next?

She wracked her brain, but to no avail.

After all, Spiritual Ability Users and exceptionally talented Spiritual Transformers were just too rare.

’If all else fails, I’ll just choose a Mutant as my Spirit Servant!’

This was her backup plan.

A fast-maturing Mutant could be a huge help to her in the future. They didn’t fear pain or death, and if the Mutant had been wealthy before its transformation, even better.

Even if they weren’t, it didn’t matter. With a Mutant’s skills, how hard could it be to make money?

Xia Yu began to sift through her memories, quickly narrowing her list down to a few potential candidates.

「The next day.」

The moment Xia Tian left the house, Xia Yu, already fully equipped, immediately followed.

According to her memories, a high school student was supposed to beat up her brother at the school gate this morning.

In her past life, this incident landed her brother in the hospital for a long time. His health worsened, his grades slipped, and he even lost his guaranteed spot for university admission. Although the other student was expelled, the damage to her brother had already been done.

In this life, she absolutely would not let that happen again. Moreover, she was going to teach that high schooler a harsh lesson.

As usual, Xia Tian took the bus and arrived at the school gate.

At that moment, he was the only one at the entrance. He always liked to cut it close, so he was used to this and not the least bit flustered.

Just as he was about to head inside, Xie Shaokun, who had been waiting for a long time in the small grove of trees to the side, started to rush out.

”Don’t move.”

A woman’s voice sounded from behind him.

He froze solid. It wasn’t because of the voice, but because of the sharp point pressed against his back, right over his heart.

”You’d dare kill me?”

Xie Shaokun scoffed. ”Get lost. I don’t hit women, so don’t make me.”

Always aggressive and hot-blooded, he wasn’t afraid of death in the slightest.

”You don’t hit women?”

”That’s a good habit to have.”

Xia Yu said coolly, ”On account of that, I’ll go a little easier on you.”

At her words, Xie Shaokun’s eyes went cold. He took a quick half-step forward and swung a fist behind him.

It had to be said, the kid had some skills.

First, the move was swift and unexpected.

Second, despite swinging blind, the punch was aimed right at Xia Yu’s face!

He’d even thought of the line he would deliver next: ’Woman, I forgot to tell you. I don’t hit women, but if you force my hand, I’ll only strike the part you care about most—your face.’

And yet, the next moment...

CRACK.

A sudden, sharp pain struck the back of his right knee, sending his punch wide.

His vision swam.

Xie Shaokun felt someone grab his hair, and a moment later, he was violently and swiftly slammed to the ground.

A vicious gleam flashed in his eyes.

When had Xie Shaokun ever been overpowered by a woman like this? He immediately reached for the switchblade in his pocket.

Hmm?

’Where’s my knife?’

”What are you looking for?”

”Is it this?”

Xia Yu dangled the switchblade from her fingers.

Xie Shaokun’s heart skipped a beat. ’So that’s what she was pressing against my back earlier?’

’When did she take the switchblade?’

’Wait!’

’When did she even get so close to me?’

The realization was terrifying.

”Hel—”

He decided to swallow his pride and had just started to shout.

THUMP.

The tip of Xia Yu’s shoe connected with the back of his head, and he fainted on the spot.

After a quick glance around to confirm no one had noticed the commotion, Xia Yu prepared to leave. The kid had picked a good spot—secluded enough for her to avoid any unwanted trouble.

But in the next moment, a memory surfaced in her mind:

It was three years after the Apocalypse began. Sanctuary No. 9 was under siege by an army of Mutants, allied with clans from several Different Dimension Spaces. Even after mobilizing every Spiritual Ability User and Spiritual Transformer in the sanctuary, their situation was still dire.

At the time, all the major sanctuaries across the nation were under extreme pressure, and the central command could only provide support in the form of long-range Weapons.

Zhao Guohui issued a call to arms to the surrounding survivor teams and small settlements, promising generous rewards.

And yet, few answered the call for aid.

Just as the sanctuary was on the verge of being overrun, a team of over a hundred people charged onto the scene in modified Hummers and other off-road vehicles, driving with wild abandon.

Any Mutant or member of the Alien Clans hit by the modified vehicles was either killed or grievously injured.

This caught everyone—no, every living creature—by surprise.

Even more shocking to every creature present, the team’s captain—Xie Shaokun—had somehow managed to disguise himself as a Mutant, get close to the leader of the Mutant army, and succeed in a surprise attack. He killed the leader, completely turning the tide of the battle.

It was later discovered that Xie Shaokun’s superpower was ’Enhancement.’ It could be used on anything, including living creatures, and he wasn’t limited to a single target at a time.

It was a truly powerful superpower.

On top of that, his natural physical talent was considered mid-tier.

Zhao Guohui thought very highly of him and tried his utmost to recruit him, but unfortunately, Xie Shaokun was proud and ungovernable, unwilling to bend the knee to anyone.

’They really look that much alike?’