Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 597 Erasure
The cell phone's sharp ringtone shattered the silence of the small room, displaying a jumbled, unrecognizable number on the screen.

The clock struck midnight, seemingly out of nowhere.

Li Zhongren looked at the flashing screen, and without hesitation, pressed the answer button and brought the phone to his ear.

There was no human voice as expected, not even any electrical noise.

What came through the receiver was a deeper, emptier sob, like the wind passing through a canyon of bare bones, or like the eerie echo of countless people's desperate cries on the verge of death, stretched and distorted.

The sound penetrated directly into the eardrums, stirring up the deepest fears within.

Almost at the same instant the call was connected.

"Fuck!"

The television, which was clearly not connected to any signal cable and whose power cord was only loosely plugged into the socket, suddenly lit up!
There was no snow, no noise.

The screen showed a deep, dilapidated well, its walls covered with slippery moss and cracks, and its bottom shrouded in thick, impenetrable darkness.

The hollow wail seemed to be clearly coming from the depths of the well, its volume suddenly amplified, filling the entire room.

Immediately afterwards, a pale, swollen hand with dirt stuck under its fingernails suddenly grabbed the inner edge of the dry well!

Then, there was another one.

A figure wearing a long white dress, with wet black hair obscuring her face, began to slowly and haltingly climb out of the well in an extremely ergonomic and contorted posture.

Its movements were stiff and malicious; with each upward movement, the temperature in the room seemed to drop a little, and its wails became even sharper and more piercing.

It climbed out of the well and towards the outside of the "screen," that is, the real world.

The television screen seemed to turn into a pool of viscous water, and the upper body of the white-clad, black-haired evil spirit easily "peeked out," instantly filling the air with a damp, cold, muddy, and rotten smell.

Its head was lowered, and its long black hair writhed as if it were alive, about to completely emerge.
Li Zhongren watched quietly as this scene, which was enough to drive an ordinary person to the brink of mental collapse, strangely without feeling much fear in his heart.

He even had the leisure to carefully examine the details of the evil spirit's pale skin and its contorted movements.

"Having a trump card in hand really makes me feel less panicked."

He pondered to himself, feeling a sense of novelty.

Most human fears stem from the unknown and the inability to resist. When you know you can flip the table and end it all at any moment, horror movies become a somewhat clumsy stage play, and you are now the audience holding the remote control.

Just as the evil spirit's head was about to completely emerge from the television screen, its wet black hair almost touching the air of the real world.

"Crossing!"

Li Zhongren silently recited the command and activated the cheat without hesitation.

He deliberately chose this moment to see what would happen if this “ongoing” supernatural phenomenon were forcibly dragged into a world with strict physical laws.
Is it an interruption? An annihilation? Or... some other, more peculiar reaction?
"brush!"

The world changes silently, yet with extreme brutality.

The cold, foul-smelling air was instantly replaced by warm air from the air conditioner, which carried a faint aroma of fragrance.

The dim, dilapidated room, with only a television screen as the sole source of light, suddenly became bright, clean, and spacious!
The hard bed beneath me has been transformed into a soft and comfortable Simmons bed, the rough walls into walls covered with elegant wallpaper, and the broken table into a sleek wooden desk.

The view outside the window is no longer the oppressive night of District 11, but a normal city scene with bright sunshine and bustling traffic!

He instantly jumped from a horror movie set to a rather nice-looking business hotel room!
In the very center of the room, there was a television set undergoing a strange transformation.
The scene was beyond Li Zhongren's expectations.

The twisted evil spirit that had half crawled off the screen did not materialize and get stuck there as he had expected, nor did it lose all its supernatural powers and become a comical doll.

The moment the world transition was complete, it was as if the most skilled special effects artist had used the cleanest frame cuts. The head that was about to fully emerge, covered by black hair, along with its already protruding upper body, simply vanished into thin air!

It wasn't a gradual fading, nor a collapse and disintegration; it was like being erased from the face of reality by an absolute "eraser," without warning, cleanly and decisively!

It was as if it had never existed.

Only that secondhand ultra-thin LCD TV remained, sitting on the table.

The screen also changed; the image of the dry well and the unsettling wails vanished simultaneously.

Because it wasn't connected to any power source in this world, the screen only went black for a moment. Then, due to the tiny amount of residual power inside, it flickered a few weak, meaningless spots of light before going completely out, turning into an ordinary black glass.

The room was so quiet that only the faint sound of the central air conditioning and the faint noise of the city outside the window could be heard.

Li Zhongren's pupils contracted slightly; the result was even more thorough and bizarre than he had imagined.

The laws of parallel worlds reject "distortion" in such an absolute sense of "non-existence".
But he didn't have time to think it through.

Energy is being consumed rapidly!
He sprang up from the soft bed, grabbed the old-fashioned gasoline chainsaw leaning against the bed, skillfully opened the damper, and pulled the starter rope!

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

The ear-piercing roar of the engine instantly shattered the tranquility of the hotel room, and the smell of gasoline filled the air, mixing with the scent of high-end fragrances to create an extremely strange combination.

The chilling murderous aura contrasted absurdly with the warm and inviting environment.

Without hesitation, Li Zhongren gripped the chainsaw with both hands and chopped it down hard at the television set, which was now perfectly normal!
"Zzzzzzz~~~Snap!!!"

The high-speed rotating chain first tore through the plastic casing, sending debris flying!

Next came the internal circuit boards and components, which were easily shredded and tossed about like paper by the metal chain, scattering sporadic sparks!
The LCD screen shattered upon contact, breaking into countless tiny particles that scattered in all directions!
The light guide plate, the backlight module, and all the structures disintegrated under the violent physical force.

Li Zhongren's eyes were icy cold, his arm as steady as a rock, manipulating the chainsaw as if performing a precise surgical operation, except that the purpose of this operation was purely destruction.

He split the television in half, then sliced ​​it horizontally and vertically, making sure no part was larger than a fist.

Wood chips, plastic scraps, glass shards, twisted metal parts... were scattered all over the ground.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Just then, there was a loud knock on the door, and an angry yet somewhat nervous male voice came from outside.

"Sir! Sir! What's happening in the room? We hear a loud noise! ​​Please open the door immediately!"

They are hotel staff.

The sudden, loud, and destructive noise clearly attracted attention.

Li Zhongren ignored him and even quickened his pace.

He must ensure complete destruction and return to the main world before his energy runs out.

With a final blow, he completely pulverized the core of the television wreckage. Sensing that his energy was about to run out, he immediately stopped the chainsaw.

"return."

The world has shifted again.

The roar of the engine, the flying debris, the pervasive smell of gasoline, the bright sunlight outside the window, and the urgent knocking on the door—all of it vanished in an instant.

The cold, dark, and dilapidated little house enveloped him once again.

Only the cold chainsaw in my hand, which had suddenly fallen silent, and the pile of television set in front of me, cut into pieces as if gnawed by a giant beast, proved that what had just happened was not an illusion.

The room was deathly silent.

The phone screen had already gone dark.

The chilling wails also completely disappeared.

The room was filled with a faint smell of burning and gasoline, mixed with the original musty smell, creating an indescribable odor.

Li Zhongren's gaze first fell on the pile of television set wreckage that had been completely dismantled by a chainsaw.

"Success?"

It still needs final confirmation.

On a whim, he took the cold hunter's badge out of his pocket.

On the surface of the badge, the slowly rotating metal vortex still emits a faint glow.

He remembered the association staff's explanation that the badge could not only communicate and receive missions, but also had a basic function—detecting the concentration of distortion power in the surrounding environment.

He stared intently at the badge.

The center of the vortex was deep and dark. At this moment, starting from that center point, a faint, almost imperceptible pale green light was spreading outwards very slowly, like a drop of ink in clear water. However, the range was very small, only a light green ring appeared in the central area of ​​the vortex, far from illuminating the entire vortex.

This is completely different from the scene described in the mission description where the evil spirits might cause "the vortex to light up completely or even overload". "The concentration is very low, but it does exist."

Li Zhongren muttered to himself, comparing the concentration diagrams shown to him by the association members in his mind.

"This means that the remaining distortion has been completely dissipated from the 'active state,' leaving only some unsourced, dissipated energy. Success."

The moment he made his judgment, the pile of television wreckage suddenly changed!
The fragments moved and coalesced silently, as if an invisible hand was forcibly kneading them together.

Plastic, metal, glass shards—all materials were twisted, deformed, and compressed under a strange force, emitting subtle "crackling" sounds.

In just a few seconds, a pile of trash disappeared, replaced by an irregularly shaped, multifaceted crystal about the size of a thumbnail, lying quietly in the center of the floor.

Its entire body is a murky dark color, with black smoke slowly flowing inside, occasionally flashing a glimmer of unsettling scarlet.

Li Zhongren squatted down and carefully picked up the crystal with his fingers.

The instant your fingertips touch!
"Ho!"

A very brief, piercing scream filled with endless resentment and pain seemed to explode directly in the depths of his mind!

At the same time, a blurry, distorted white figure flashed past his eyes. It was still wearing that soaking wet white dress and was still crawling, but its neck was bare.

That head seemed to be permanently left in a world where it shouldn't exist.

The illusion vanished instantly, leaving only the incredibly real, icy touch of the crystal at my fingertips.

Looking at the crystal formed from the headless evil spirit, Li Zhongren's speculation about its power became clearer and more resolute.

“Pure, uncontained supernatural phenomena or energy would be instantly ‘erased’ in the real world, like the upper body of that evil spirit. But if this twisting force has a ‘physical shell,’ such as this television or that chainsaw that moves on its own, then the shell can ‘protect’ its internal twisting properties to a certain extent, preventing it from immediately collapsing and disappearing in the real world.”

"This means that my ability is a natural counter to some strange creatures that rely on direct attacks from energy or spirit bodies! But for those twisted things that have physical bodies or are attached to powerful entities, I still need to destroy their 'shell' first."

This was crucial, pointing the way for his future hunting strategies.

He did not absorb the crystal immediately.

He was well aware of the Hunter Association's rules: any Twisted Crystals obtained during a mission belonged to the hunter. This was an incentive and the foundation for a hunter's rapid growth and strength.

However, the association has the right of first refusal to purchase items in order to prevent anything too dangerous or unusual from entering the market and causing chaos.

Submitting proof of task completion usually requires submitting core credentials, such as this crystal, for verification. After verification, the item will be returned to him.

Without further hesitation, Li Zhongren brought the badge close to the crystal.

"buzz"

The swirling green light on the badge's surface shone slightly, seemingly resonating with the crystal. He gently pressed the crystal onto the badge's surface and submitted the task using his mind.

[Task ID C-117-11: 'Clearing the Midnight Curse' confirmed complete.]

[Analyzing information on distorted crystal residue... Match successful.]

[Rewards: 100,000 Credits and 1 Grade A Resource Voucher have been deposited into your account.]

A cold, impersonal message flashed across the screen projected by the badge.

mission completed!

The next moment, Li Zhongren immediately activated the cheat.

The twisted crystal in his palm lost its color at a visible speed. The black smoke and scarlet hue flowing inside were forcibly drawn out, turning into a cold and chilling energy stream that surged into his body. In just a moment, the crystal turned into a small clump of gray powder that slipped through his fingers.

His "energy" reserve bar on the plug-in interface suddenly jumped up significantly, even more than when it was at full capacity!

"A-level evil spirits are indeed very nourishing."

Li Zhongren nodded in satisfaction.

With ample energy, credits, and precious A-grade resource vouchers in hand, it's time to spend some money to make up for my biggest weakness: my fragile body.

He activated the badge again, opening the Hunter Association's internal shop.

A dazzling list of goods instantly popped up on the screen, with extremely detailed categories, including weapons, armor, potions, runes, knowledge, and special services—everything imaginable. There were also detailed filtering and search functions on the side.

Just browsing casually, Li Zhongren felt a chill run down his spine.

The items in the shop range from individual energy cannons capable of blasting down small fortresses to composite inner armor strong enough to withstand high-intensity corrosion, from optical camouflage cloaks that grant temporary invisibility to healing syringes that can quickly heal non-fatal wounds, and even unknown artifacts labeled "unearthed from ancient ruins." The Hunter Association's resources and strength are evident.

Credits and resource vouchers are the hard currency here.

However, Li Zhongren had a clear goal and did not try to confuse others with superficial schemes.

First, improve your survival skills, especially your reaction speed, to avoid being shot in the back.

Second, improve basic defenses, at least to avoid being easily taken out by stray bullets or low-level monsters.

Third, a weapon that is reliable enough to be used in the real world and can effectively destroy the "shell".

He quickly sifted through the various powerful items, but many were either outrageously expensive or had stringent usage conditions.

Ultimately, his gaze was firmly drawn to two things.

The first item was a medicine stored in a special metal test tube; the liquid had a strange, ever-changing silvery-gray color.

[Product Name]: Moonshadow Spider Nerve Extract (Defective/High Risk)
[Effect Description]: After taking the drug, it will gradually modify the user's physical body and nervous system, eventually granting the user a very low probability of precognitive ability, "spider-sense," which allows them to sense direct and fatal dangers about 3 seconds in advance. The accuracy and lead time of perception vary from person to person.

[Risk Warning]: This potion is a product of failed twisted alchemy and contains extremely unstable twisted properties of the Moonshadow Spider. After ingestion, the user has a very high probability of undergoing irreversible physical mutation, eventually transforming into a mindless Moonshadow Spider Demon. Please choose carefully!

[Exchange Requirements]: 1 Grade A Resource Voucher
[Note]: It was once priced at S-level, but no one dared to try it. It has been reduced to A-level all the way down, and it no longer requires credits. The ability is genuine, but it's a gamble with a high probability. Be careful! Be careful!

"Spider-sense? Predicting danger in advance?"

Li Zhongren's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't this Spider-Man? This ability was practically tailor-made for him! His biggest weakness was his slow reaction time, making him vulnerable to sneak attacks.

But the terrifying risks that deterred most people did not seem to be insurmountable for him.

"Alienation is caused by the loss of control over the distorted properties. If I were to take it in the real world, the laws of the real world would naturally reject and suppress this 'distorted' alienation process!"

He recalled the conclusions of the experiment he had just witnessed.

"As long as the 'distortion' of this potion is internal and doesn't immediately turn me into a monster's shell, it's very likely that it will be greatly suppressed by the rules of the real world, or even have its alienation effect 'smoothed out,' leaving only a relatively mild physical and nervous enhancement and perception boost?"

The thought made his breathing slightly rapid.

Use real-world rules to exploit bugs and mitigate side effects!

This Class A coupon that no one dares to touch might be his greatest opportunity!

The second item was a chainsaw with an even more grotesque design, full of industrial violence and aesthetics.

[Product Name]: Bloodthirsty Chainsaw
[Effect Description]:
1. Robust: The main body is forged by fusing high-strength alloy with twisted biological skeleton, making it corrosion-resistant, high-temperature resistant, and impact-resistant.

2. Self-repair: After being damaged, it can repair itself by absorbing blood.

3. Power: Built-in twisting spring mechanism, which can autonomously absorb twisting power, requires no additional fuel, and can operate continuously at high intensity.

[Exchange Requirements]: 100,000 Credits

[Note]: A reliable partner, a demolition tool, and an executioner's favorite, but it's a bit noisy.

Li Zhongren looked at the chainsaw, his expression turning somewhat strange, and finally he couldn't help but sigh.

"Well, it seems I'm really destined to be with chainsaws for life. My previous life ended with a chainsaw, I used a chainsaw I bought to kill evil spirits, and now I have to spend a lot of money to buy an officially certified 'bloodthirsty chainsaw.' Is this thing going to be my destined weapon?"

Despite his helplessness, the properties of this chainsaw perfectly met his needs.

Extremely robust, self-repairing, and fuel-free, it is an excellent tool for destroying the "shell".

"Exchange A-grade resource vouchers for potions, and 100,000 credits for a chainsaw, just right."

Without hesitation, Li Zhongren immediately chose to exchange.

[Exchange successful! Moonshadow Spider Nerve Extract Potion (Defective/High Risk) has deducted 1 Grade A Resource Voucher]

[Redeem successful! Bloodthirsty Chainsaw (Standard) has been purchased for 100,000 Credits]

The item has been held for you. Please specify the location within 24 hours, and someone will deliver the goods.

(End of this chapter)