Chapter 51 – Who’s hunting whom

Translator: Xena

Hearing this, both of them looked over.

The newcomer’s expression was extremely complicated. He probably had never expected Jian Xie to appear here.

It was Fu Huanyu.

Ever since Jian Xie won their card game, the two of them rarely had any contact.

The reason they met last time was simply because he needed the energy testing equipment from the [Logistics Department]. If it weren’t for Fu Huanyu’s sudden appearance here, Jian Xie would have almost forgotten about this guy who owed him 100 million. His presence was indeed quite negligible.

“……”

“The autumn recruitment ended so soon?” He glanced at the two people and frowned. “Even if this situation is urgent, surely they wouldn’t be looking for new hires?” 

Wu Qinghe froze for a moment.

He knew this person but never imagined that he also knew Jian Xie and could speak to him in such a familiar tone.

“Forget it. Knowing won’t do me any good.” Fu Huanyu gave up asking further questions and said, “I’d better not ask for trouble.” 

He reached into his pocket, took out a card, and handed it to Jian Xie. “Good thing I ran into you here, saves that jerk Cheng Li from having to run errands… Here’s the money I have for now. I’ll pay the rest back after I make it through today.” 

Jian Xie paused. “Don’t tell anyone you’ve seen me.” 

“……Alright.”

After saying that, Fu Huanyu gave Jian Xie a long, lingering look before heading toward the entrance of the auction house and stepping through the revolving door.

Jian Xie lowered his head and looked at the bank card in his hand.

I flipped it over casually and discovered a piece of white tape stuck to the back of the card, with a string of numbers scrawled on it in ballpoint pen.

Must be the password.

“Isn’t he a C-level investigator?” Jian Xie put the bank card away and turned to Wu Qinghe. “Didn’t you just say that only those above B-level are qualified to be here?” 

Wu Qinghe touched his nose.

“Well…” He looked conflicted, and a little guilty. “Technically, anyone who isn’t afraid of death can come. The pay is really high after all.”

Jian Xie: “…”

So all that stuff you said earlier were just excuses and you were mainly after money, is that right?

He used to think that he was too focused on making money, but now it seemed that Wu Qinghe was the one truly obsessed with money.

……

After entering the auction house, Jian Xie’s eyes quickly scanned the surroundings.

From the outside of the building, one could never guess that the interior is so high, as if reaching straight to the sky. Fully transparent elevators flanked both sides. Some guests took seats directly on the first floor, while others were escorted by suited attendants to the second or third floors. It was obvious from the private rooms that there was a big difference in status.

Because it was still early, only a few people had arrived.

The luxurious chandelier hung high above, radiating an aloof and cool elegance. Its silver glow cast occasional flashes of diamond-like brilliance across the warm yellow light of the hall.

Wu Qinghe disappeared quickly in the crowd like a fish swimming into water.

It seemed that bringing Jian Xie here had fulfilled his mission.

Their paths don’t cross, and if necessary, it’s best for the two of them not to reveal their connection in plain sight.

“……”

Jian Xie observed other people’s behavior without any emotion.

Perhaps it was due to his innate charisma and strikingly handsome features that no one questioned his suspicious behavior of standing aside after entering the door. Instead, they merely cast occasional admiring glances his way, speculating that he must be some rarely seen young master from a distinguished family.

[Where should I stay?] He pondered. [Wu Qinghe made it very clear. There’s a good chance someone else will come to take it.]

The first floor might be more convenient, but he wasn’t sure how famous he was in the other world. It was likely that he would be recognized right away.

And if it was upstairs…

He had just observed and found that there were no stairs here. If any unexpected situation happened, he would have to take the elevator down.

【Go to the third floor.】

He felt his shoulders being nudged forward as a lazy voice sounded beside his ear,【Listen to me, be good.】

“Third floor…”

Hearing this, Jian Xie frowned and momentarily forgot to correct the other person’s choice of words.¹So I searched a bit and found out that usually, the first floor is for ordinary folks, second floor is for members, and third floor is for VIP guests. As for why Jiang Xie wanted to correct his way of speaking, it might be arrogant (rich speaking) or because it might be an innuendo.

…Fine.

Although Qin Zhuo always appeared nonchalant and indifferent to everything, It has never done anything to harm Jian Xie.

With that thought, he turned left and collided head-on with the person inside the elevator.

The moment the other person saw Jian Xie’s face clearly, their eyes widened instantly, and they stammered incoherently. “It’s… y-you’re here too?! but they said your family background…but…”  

Jian Xie raised his eyes and found that the person in front of him looked quite familiar.

“……”

Isn’t this his classmate, the English class representative?

Seeing that he didn’t even acknowledge him and merely nodded in passing, Wei Chengxu immediately realized that he probably didn’t even bother to remember his name, causing a wave of sorrow to wash over him.

The final subject was English, which was also his strong suit.

After Jian Xie handed in his exam paper, he gritted his teeth and handed in his paper as well. He wanted to talk to Jian Xie alone about what happened to him that day. He wanted an explanation at the very least. However, when he followed Jian Xie outside, Jian Xie had already disappeared from the campus.

If his family had not come to pick him up, he would probably have just stood there at the school gate.

But Jian Xie actually came here?

One has to know that to be here, they must be either wealthy or of noble birth. Wei Chengxu’s family background, which he was so proud of, was not even worth mentioning here. His earlier arrogance toward Jian Xie stemmed from rumors he’d heard about his family’s financial struggles, and that stolen watch…

“Chengxu, do you know each other?” His father beside him asked, “Is he your friend?” 

Jian Xie looked indifferent and ignored this typical attempt at a conversation.

A hint of displeasure suddenly flashed across Father Wei’s eyes.

However, the next moment, he saw this impolite young man step forward and press the button for the third floor.

Seeing this, the scolding he had prepared in his heart got stuck in his throat, and all the airs he had put on disappeared without a trace. He was even somewhat relieved that he hadn’t spoken it out loud.

…Third floor?

It was general knowledge that the private rooms here were charged by the hour. The third floor… Being able to go to the third floor would be a privilege reserved only for the absolute elite!

Wei Chengxu knew this too. He couldn’t help but swallow his saliva and glance at Jian Xie. “Yeah… I know him. We’re classmates.” 

We are just classmates.

He didn’t know him at all. He didn’t even know Jian Xie’s true strength, yet he dared to antagonize him.

If he had felt fear and dread toward this peer before because Jian Xie had saved him from the monster, his feelings were even more complicated now.

The father and son got off the elevator on the second floor.

After taking a few steps, Father Wei immediately ordered, “No matter what your past interactions were, from today on, you must establish a good relationship with him.” 

Hearing this, Wei Chengxu lowered his head and muttered softly, “That’s only if a certain someone bothers to pay me any mind..” 

The other ignored him before, let alone now…

Unaware of the conversation unfolding outside the elevator, Jian Xie took in all the scenes in the lobby on the first floor to gauge whether there were any strange guests.

However, just as he was about to look away, a figure in a cheap suit slipped in through the doorway and was furtively darting around. It was only because of his handsome features that he was not directly carried out by skeptically eyeing security guard.

Jian Xie: “…”

Damn it, it’s Cheng Li.

——Why did he keep running into people he knew all the way here? Is the world really that small?

Is he really going to jump off the third floor in front of all his acquaintances with his social media account activated, fighting monsters and investigators for loot?!

That’s right, he’d already prepared himself mentally to grab the auction items.

From the moment he learned that monsters and investigators would sneak into the auction, he had already prepared himself for the fact that this was no ordinary auction.

Others might mistakenly think that that item was a container, but it meant something comepletely different to Jian Xie. If Qin Zhuo wanted to possess a body, this was a necessary material, so Jian Xie was determined to get this auction item, even at the risk of exposing himself.

【I’m very grateful.】 Black mist suddenly emerged from behind him and dozens of tentacles wrapped around Jian Xie’s wrist, making it hard not to think that “It” did this on purpose. 【I can’t wait to meet you with my own clone.】

Jian Xie: “…”

Who on earth taught him to act like this?

Cheng Li sensed a gaze directed at him from above and raised his head from the lobby on the first floor to look at the transparent elevator.

Seeing this, Jian Xie immediately turned away to avoid meeting the other person’s gaze.

Just then, the elevator reached the third floor. Jian Xie breathed a sigh of relief and walked out immediately.

As the figure in the elevator disappeared, Cheng Li paused, and a hint of doubt appearing in his eyes.

Was it an illusion?

Why do I feel like that the person just now was Jian Xie?

Jian Xie stepped out of the elevator into the hallway and randomly selected the room closest to the elevator. As soon as he stepped inside, he noticed the monitor on the door flash a red light. Service personnel would likely arrive at his room shortly. 

The interior decoration was lavish and opulent.

However, Jian Xie only glanced at it andbefore withdrawing his gaze, his attention instead drawn to the booklet on the table.

A ball of wild flames on the cover instantly caught his eye at first glance.

Amidst the piled-up stumps of limbs, blazing flames encircled the base like tentacles. A blurred form flickered within the fire, making it hard to discern whether it was a victim undergoing execution by fire or the arsonist himself. The figure’s body structure was neither human nor inhuman, giving people an indescribable sense of dread.

Even though it was just a photograph, the fire of hell seemed to have appeared right before his eyes.

“This is your likeness.”

Jian Xie stepped forward, reached out and picked it up. His fair skin was stained by the firelight, making him appear exceptionally beautiful.

This was the first time he had seen Qin Zhuo portrayed by someone else.

Though it was merely a wooden carving, it still struck him as something novel, and he found himself looking at it several times.

“Is this your true form?”

【…Not really. But it’s more faithful to the original than I expected.】 

Qin Zhuo’s voice betrayed no emotion, and he simply said enigmatically, “No wonder it caught my attention back then.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jian Xie felt the light in the entire room gradually vanishing, unraveling like strands of silk being pulled out of a cocoon. Without lowering his head, he could sense an unknown black liquid surging up beneath his shoes like a tide, spreading across the visible ground.

At the same time, black mist gradually consumed the ground, just as it had when It and Jian Xie first met.

【Just in case.】 Qin Zhuo said lazily, 【I don’t want anyone to ruin it.】

It possessed an overwhelming sense of entitlement toward everything that belongs to It.

Even when uttered in a casual tone, such threats carry undeniable chill that made one shudder at the certainty of their fulfillment.

As the darkness spread, Qin Zhuo appeared in the space and sat on the sofa behind him, crossing his legs in a lazy, almost arrogant manner.

Jian Xie’s expression changed slightly.

After a moment, he walked forward, and when he scanned the entire hall, he immediately understood what It had done.

There were already quite a few guests downstairs, but no one noticed what happened—

Black liquid dripped down the walls, slowly eroding and gradually engulfing the entire auction venue, leaving only the entrance intact.

This was Qin Zhuo’s predation field.

But it was clearly far more sophisticated than any monster he had ever encountered.

As a result, no one noticed the abnormality—not even the investigators and hidden monsters—except for Jian Xie, who shared It’s body and indirectly shared his vision.

At the same time, a familiar scene unfolded.

As each person entered, their name and identity appeared above their head just like in a game with perspective. No matter how convincingly someone disguised themselves, a single glance from Jian Xie revealed their true nature. Whether human or other creature, any attempt at concealment vanished completely before him.

He didn’t know if it was intentional, but the monsters all had a small red dot on their heads, making them more eye-catching.

“…” Well, that’s quite thoughtful.

Although Qin Zhuo rarely mentioned what he had done for Jian Xie, the indulgent attitude he revealed in the details were all too natural.

As for enabling identity verification, Jian Xie was not incapable of doing so.

Qin Zhuo’s unreserved manner indeed gave a certain someone the subtle feeling that he was about to be spoiled…

Jian Xie collected his thoughts, glanced around the hall, and roughly determined the number of people who had appeared.

However, just as Jian Xie was about to open the manual in his hand to take a look, the lights overhead suddenly went out, plunging the entire area into darkness.

A buzz of murmurs from the guests filled the air, and many were overcome with panic. They did not expect to encounter a power outage at such an event.

For a moment, all that could be heard were the screams echoing through the hall and the hurried footsteps of staff moving about. Occasionally, a light would come on, but it was just a cell phone flashlight. The entire space became chaotic, and anxiety was spreading in everyone’s hearts.

What happened?

A faint, sweet fragrance drifted through the air.

Jian Xie frowned. This was not spice, but rather, the distinct smell of blood .

Just when everyone was on edge, a column of light suddenly pierced through the darkness and shot straight toward a single spot. Instantly, it illuminated the exhibit housed within the glass wall on the highest platform. The overly prominent light effortlessly drew everyone’s gaze

The flames within the glass walls burned distinctly, yet they produced an eerily cold and chilling visual effect, causing a collective gasp of astonishment.

Realizing that this might be an effect deliberately created by the auction house, everyone subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

Many who had rushed to the doorway turned back and returned to their original spots, whispering among themselves, “I thought it was something else, turns out, it’s just a lights out.” 

“Did they start early? It’s not even seven o’clock yet.” 

“Yeah, I thought something had happened…”

Why was it so sudden and scary?

——They should trust their guts.

From the elevated vantage point on the third floor, Jian Xie could clearly see that after the lights came back on, countless tentacles and rolling eyeballs have slowly emerged from the darkness. Their sticky ribs jutted out, crowding the entire space, while those ordinary people with an inspiration value of D could not perceive what was happening.

When all the lights came on again, they were noticeably much dimmer than before. Although it was still the previous warm yellow, it now carried a distinctly chilly atmosphere.

Not only that, the entire hall suddenly felt crowded and narrow.

The air grew thick with tension. Seats that had been empty moments before were now filled with guests who hadn’t been there earlier, all staring intently at the collection on display.

Their expressions were one of awe and fascination.

Seeing this, the attendant guarding the door couldn’t help but reveal a confused expression, scratching his nose.

So many guests have arrived? When did this happen…?

Jian Xie squinted his eyes. In his field of vision, the dense cluster of red dots in the hall nearly blinded him, making it impossible to make out any normal people.

After a pause, he quickly passed over the red dots, searching for a familiar figure.

Cheng Li was hiding behind a pillar, his shirt soaked through with sweat. A tiny communication device flickered faintly in his hair as he seemed to be saying something. Fu Huanyu was right beside him, looking around vigilantly. Although his face was expressionless, he could not hide the anxiety between his brows as he whispered a few words to Cheng Li from time to time.

Didn’t know they would finally reconcile.

Because the distance was too far, he had no way of knowing what conversation took place between the two.

“I want to know what they’re talking about.” Jian Xie turned his head and cast his gaze towards the evil god on the sofa, “Is it okay?” 

【All you need to do is ask. 】

“…” Jian Xie.

He has almost become immune to it, though he doesn’t know when he would be able to remain completely unmoved and keep a straight face.

Qin Zhuo raised his eyelids and casually said,【They’re saying the monsters appeared early and are clearly organized. Someone from the Bureau must have leaked the full plan. Even if they contacted others now, they won’t be able to get in. The only ones left are the twenty or so investigators who have already arrived at the auction.】

[Now, the outside of the venue is also full of C and D-level monsters, surrounding the entire venue.】

…Wu Qinghe?

【Not it.】 Qin Zhuo seemed to know what he was thinking and a hint of coldness flashed across It’s face. 【It wouldn’t dare.】

As long as there was the slightest possibility of Jian Xie coming to harm, Wu Qinghe would not dare act. After all, he was the only reason why it had survived until now and had not been fed to Jian Xie by Qin Zhuo.

A fence-sitter must learn to read the room and know who was whose minefield.

“This place has been sealed off by monsters. Are they trying to hunt us down?”

Looks like this was why other investigators couldn’t get in.

As expected, monsters within their predation field truly hold the upper hand over investigators. Once fully activated, investigators would struggle to find a way to forcefully break through.

【Perhaps.】

Qin Zhuo stretched, picked up the plate of fresh fruit on the table, and walked towards Jian Xie who was standing in front of the window.

If other monsters witnessed him actually performing this near-feeding act on a human, they might just get a taste of what it feels like to lose SAN as an investigator.

“——”

An extremely subtle sound suddenly rang in his ear. Had it not been for Jian Xie’s symbiotic connection with the evil god, he would have almost ignored it.

He looked towards the source of the sound.

The entrance, deliberately left open by the black liquid, had vanished into the darkness without a trace!

【But now,】Qin Zhuo reached out and tucked Jian Xie’s hair behind his ear, speaking lazily, 【We’re the ones hunting them down.】

• 1
  So I searched a bit and found out that usually, the first floor is for ordinary folks, second floor is for members, and third floor is for VIP guests. As for why Jiang Xie wanted to correct his way of speaking, it might be arrogant (rich speaking) or because it might be an innuendo. ↩︎