Invincibility starts when I see the BOSS health bar.

Chapter 1040 Appearance
Old Chen pointed to the miniature communicator still hanging on his earlobe, "Almost simultaneously, within a second or two after the call was confirmed and we said goodbye, before the signal was completely cut off, the four of us, at four different patrol points on the east, south, west, and north sides of the hotel, saw the countdown above our heads!"

He pointed to the top of his head, his face turning even paler, as if he were reliving the horror of that moment.

Fang Yu nodded. This high degree of synchronization in time was a very crucial and undeniable clue.

“Take me to the four specific locations where you were at that time, so I can see them in person.”

Upon hearing this, the four immediately turned their gazes to General Manager Wang and Minister Chen, seeking permission. After receiving a barely perceptible nod of approval from the latter, they nodded hurriedly with a sigh of relief and took the initiative to lead the way.

The first area we arrived at was the circular parking lot outside the hotel's main entrance.

The area is open and has a smooth asphalt road surface, where many expensive luxury cars are parked.

Just a few dozen meters ahead of the green belt near the edge of the parking lot, there is a winding river flowing through the hotel's scenic area, its surface shimmering under the night lights and ground lamps, the water appearing calm and deep.

The young security team leader in charge of this eastern area pointed out the exact location where he was standing on patrol, under a street lamp near the river.

Fang Yu stood still, his gaze sweeping slowly across the surroundings like the most sophisticated scanner.

Smooth road surface, quietly parked vehicles, neatly trimmed ornamental shrubs, a river flowing in the distance, and slightly damp air...

Everything looked perfectly normal, befitting the appearance of a high-end resort hotel.

He tried to sense and probe for any possible residual information, but the result was only a "blank".

It was excessively clean here, with no obvious traces of any supernatural power.

He then inquired in detail about the young security team leader's specific physical sensations at the time, whether he had smelled any unusual odors, heard any strange sounds, or come into contact with anything strange. The young man shook his head blankly, indicating that everything was normal except that the string of light and shadow numbers that would determine his life or death had appeared in front of him without warning.

Got nothing.

Fang Yu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Then, following the directions, everyone arrived at the north side of the hotel.

Here, the view suddenly opens up, revealing a huge, beautifully designed infinity pool.

Illuminated by lights embedded in the pool bottom, the pool water presents an alluring, crystal-clear azure blue. The surface is as calm as a mirror, reflecting the sparse stars in the night sky and the outline of the hotel building, creating a tranquil and luxurious atmosphere.

The security team leader with the scar on his face was in charge of the northern area. He pointed out the path he had taken while patrolling along the edge of the pool.

Looking at the vast pool of water shimmering faintly in the night, Fang Yu frowned even more deeply. He turned to President Wang, who was beside him, and asked directly, "President Wang, is the water in this pool completely changed every day?"

Mr. Wang seemed to have anticipated this question and immediately gave a fluent answer.

"Mr. Fang, you may not know this, but one of our hotel's biggest selling points is its proximity to the city's most famous 'Hundred-Mile Waterfall'."

"The water quality of the waterfall and pool has been tested and certified multiple times by national authoritative institutions. It is rich in various beneficial minerals and trace elements, fully meeting and even exceeding the highest standards for direct drinking!"

"There is a long-standing folk belief that drinking or bathing in this water has miraculous effects on longevity and nourishing the body and mind. All the domestic and drinking water in our hotel, including the water in this swimming pool, is drawn directly from the source of Baili Waterfall through an independent, top-standard piping system, and undergoes triple precision filtration and ultraviolet sterilization before use."

"Especially this swimming pool, which uses a 24-hour uninterrupted circulation and filtration system to ensure that the water quality is always kept at its cleanest and freshest, with absolutely no hygiene risks!"

His tone was tinged with obvious pride.

He seemed to catch the fleeting doubt in Fang Yu's eyes, and added, trying to dispel Fang Yu's guess: "I can roughly guess what Mr. Fang is thinking, whether you suspect the problem lies with the water source? But I can guarantee with my life that my men, including him, are all safe."

He pointed to the scarred security team leader, "They all strictly followed the rules and absolutely did not jump into the pool to directly contact the water! So, it's unlikely that the infection was caused by direct contact with the water."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yu's lips twitched slightly, revealing a faint smile with an indescribable meaning, as if to say that one cannot understand ice when encountering a summer insect: "President Wang, your guarantee is based on your understanding of common sense. However, there are many methods that far exceed your current scientific knowledge and common sense. You have not seen them with your own eyes or experienced them personally, so it is normal that you cannot imagine their existence and operation."

He remained silent.

For example, the strange curse on myself is so bizarre that it's incomprehensible.

The bizarre, insidious, and incomprehensible supernatural powers and curses in the world of "Seeking the Demon" are almost all unreasonable and devastating blows to ordinary people on Earth who are still living in a relatively "ordinary" technological age.

Since the real apocalypse has not yet fully arrived, they take all sorts of "impossible" and "unbelievable" things for granted.

When that day truly arrives, and the barriers between the worlds are further broken down, and the two worlds merge and collide at a deeper level, they will truly witness what a real hell on earth is that subverts all physical laws and moral ethics!

Suppressing his thoughts, Fang Yu had them continue leading the way to the location where the other two had encountered trouble.

The third person was inside the hotel, in a high-class restroom located in the annex and intended for internal use.

He was washing his hands with running water at the sink, making him the only person who clearly had direct contact with the liquid coming from the faucet.

Although General Manager Wang emphasized that the water also came from Baili Waterfall and had passed through the hotel's internal filtration system, the fourth person was patrolling a relatively secluded path on the west side of the hotel used by employees. There was no obvious water source in his vicinity, but less than two meters away from his feet, a round, rusty cast iron sewer cover, like a silent scar, was embedded in the road surface.

Fang Yu closed his eyes and considered the four locations scattered in different directions, along with their key elements.

"River", "swimming pool", "washing hands", "sewer".

These pieces of information quickly connect and form a mental image.

A direction based on "water" and "underground pipe network system," though still somewhat vague, is gradually becoming clearer.

He decided to risk exploring further in this direction.

But before taking action, there is one crucial question that must be answered.

He turned to Brother Qi, his tone unusually grave: "Brother Qi, can you confirm this? Is everyone in the entire hotel area, including all staff, guests, and even patrol personnel like them... without exception, experiencing a countdown timer above their heads?"

Qi Ge's expression instantly turned even more grave. He nodded heavily, his voice hoarse: "We've conducted preliminary statistics and inquiries as quickly as possible... the results are devastating. Without exception, everyone within the hotel complex, regardless of their identity or prior contact with the outside world, has been flagged. As for me..."

He gave a bitter smile. "I was handling some things outside when I received an urgent message and drove back to the hotel. My car had just entered the parking lot in front of the hotel and hadn't even come to a complete stop when... I found out that I had also been infected."

This means that the area of ​​this "marker" may be slightly larger than the building itself.

"Where exactly is Baili Waterfall located?" Fang Yu immediately pressed, his eyes sharp as knives.

Without hesitation, Brother Qi pointed to the silhouette of the majestic and dark mountain behind the hotel's main building, which appeared imposing in the thick night.

"At the summit of that mountain, there is a very large natural pool, with a waterfall cascading down from a higher cliff into it. Part of the pool's water forms several distinct streams flowing down the mountain, nourishing the local ecosystem. However, according to some geological survey data and ancient legends, there is also a complex underground river system at the bottom of the pool. It is said that... these underground rivers are interconnected, possibly leading to more distant places, and even... eventually flowing into the sea..."

Before he could finish speaking, everyone present, including Brother Qi, Minister Chen, President Wang, and the four security guards who were standing nearby, felt a blur before their eyes!
The moment Fang Yu received confirmation of the exact location, without even waiting for Brother Qi to finish describing the underground river, he was shot out as if by an invisible giant bow, or as if he had broken free from the shackles of gravity. With a "whoosh," he tore through the air, leaving behind a faint, almost imperceptible afterimage!

Under the horrified gazes of everyone, whose pupils suddenly contracted and dilated, Fang Yu's figure rose abruptly from the ground in a way that completely defied the laws of physics!

That wasn't a simple jump; it was more like a short-range, frenzied flight!

His body traced a low, swift parabola, ignoring the long, rugged distance from the foot of the mountain to the summit, a distance that would take ordinary people several hours to climb. Like a human cannonball, he shot straight toward the dark, distant mountain peak!

His speed exceeded the limits of retinal detection; his figure rapidly shrank in the thick darkness of the night, transforming from a human shape into a blurry dot in just two or three breaths. Finally, like a nail, he firmly and precisely nailed himself to a predetermined spot on a distant mountaintop, disappearing from everyone's sight.

quiet!
Deathly silence!

Parking lot, poolside, path... everyone who came out with them, whether it was the well-informed Minister Chen, the wealthy President Wang, the well-trained security personnel, or even Brother Qi who was mentally prepared, all stood frozen in place as if they had been collectively petrified.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment. The rustling of leaves in the evening breeze and the faint background noise of the city in the distance all disappeared, or rather, were automatically filtered out by the brain.

In everyone's sensory world, there was only the empty air where Fang Yu had just stood, and the dark mountain in the distance that seemed unchanging since time immemorial, but now appeared exceptionally different because of that earth-shattering leap.

Mr. Wang's mouth was agape, his jaw almost dislocated, and his usually calculating eyes were wide open, filled with extreme shock, bewilderment, and a sense of chaos as if his worldview had been completely shattered and then rebuilt.

The expensive custom-made cigar in his hand had long since fallen onto the priceless carpet, burning a small, blackened hole and emitting an unpleasant smell, yet he remained completely oblivious. "He...he...he just...jumped...jumped up there?!"

He finally managed to squeeze out a distorted sound from deep in his throat, so sharp it didn't sound like himself.

Minister Chen's usually composed and calm expression completely crumbled at this moment, revealing an undisguised shock as overwhelming as a tsunami.

His lips trembled slightly, his eyes behind his glasses flickered intensely, and countless fragments of information that had previously been considered top secret files or absurd rumors flashed through his mind, but now they all seemed to have corresponding annotations.

His hands, held at his sides, had knuckles that were white from gripping them so tightly.

This can no longer be described as "a person with extraordinary abilities," this is... extraordinary!
It is an existence that transcends the existing physical rules!
His mind raced at an unprecedented pace, contemplating the earth-shattering implications of this and the potential disruptive impact on the existing order.

Although Brother Qi had the deepest understanding of Fang Yu's inhuman abilities and had witnessed his incredible powers many times, seeing such a direct, violent, and unconventional "performance" still made his heart pound wildly, as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

He felt more of a mix of relief and lingering fear, glad that he had made the right bet. At the same time, his confidence in Fang Yu's ability to resolve this strange crisis became as firm as a rock.

He saw the undisguised shock and almost overflowing heat in the eyes of President Wang and Minister Chen. He understood perfectly, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he said in a deep voice with a complex tone, "Mr. Fang... his world is different from ours. His methods are far beyond our comprehension. Now, all we can do is wait and unconditionally believe in him."

The four security guards, whose countdown timers were almost over, stared in disbelief, as if their souls had left their bodies.

Immediately, an unprecedented surge of ecstasy and hope, almost bursting from their chests, ignited in their eyes!
If they had doubts about Fang Yu's abilities before, it was more of an instinctive reaction to grasp at a straw when they were in dire straits. But now, they have witnessed a "miracle" with their own eyes!
The figure that instantly broke through spatial limitations and soared to the mountain peak was no longer a mortal in their eyes, but a god who had descended to the mortal world and held the power of life and death!

Or rather, it is a "monster" capable of fighting against that invisible "curse"! The desire to survive has never been so strong and real!

(End of this chapter)