Who left their last words here?

Chapter 82 Cooldown Over! Multiple Reactions Following the Explosion

Falling, falling rapidly.

The tunnels on the street rapidly zoomed in, magnifying in view.

At this moment, open your arms.

The specially designed windbreaker features a glider-like wingspan emerging from its ribs.

Lifted up by the wind, the white boat soared high into the sky.

"call--"

A strong wind blew in my ears.

Behind them was a raging fire.

Above us was a pure white full moon.

The feeling of flying against the wind is really great.

—It would have been even better if the aftershocks of the explosion hadn't hit Bai Zhou at that moment, nearly slamming him against the wall of the building across the street.

The surging waves of fire struck the back of the white boat, causing it to lose its way like a bird with broken wings, drifting with the current.

But the tenacious petrel will not easily drift with the tide.

"not good!"

The building across the street rapidly magnified in front of me.

Just as he was about to crash into it.

Bai Zhou ignited a spark of spirituality, suddenly exerting force in his waist and abdomen, his body twisting and turning in mid-air, turning into a stance where his feet pushed off the wall.

"Dengdengdeng!"

After taking eight steps against the wall to dissipate the force, his body began to fall naturally.

The next second, a burst of purple-gold light appeared.

The extraordinary saber was drawn from its sheath at the waist, swirled in the palm, and then stuck into the wall with a backhand.

The weight of the body falling suddenly transferred to both arms, which was enough to strain Bai Zhou's muscles.

Bai Zhou grimaced in pain, but managed to stop himself from falling and was left dangling in mid-air.

At this moment, the white boat, suspended in the air with its adrenaline surging, suddenly had a few images flashing before its eyes like a slideshow:
That's Sister Li arranging four apples on the table in the yard:

"Have you studied? If you have, let me test you... Do you know why apples fall from trees?"

It turned out to be the case.

After swinging around like a swing for a while, Bai Zhou, looking around, spotted the air conditioner unit next door.

"Wow—"

A dark shadow swept through the air, and the white boat swayed towards it.

When the sound of the wind rang in his ears again, he felt like Tarzan swinging on a swing in the jungle.
The city is nothing more than a steel jungle.

Adventurers venture into forests teeming with magical beasts, while adventurer White Boat battles even more ferocious extraordinary beings in this modern, steel jungle.

...Then he began to seriously consider whether slapping his mouth and making strange noises while "swinging" would increase his speed.

From a practical point of view, this does have some effect; at the very least, it can help shift attention and relax a tense mindset.

It also puts a certain sense of pressure on the enemy.

But in the end, Shirazuki abandoned the idea.

Because he's not handsome enough.

"boom!"

With a cold expression, Bai Zhou stomped heavily on the air conditioner unit on the 18th floor of the building.

A dark figure crouched there, illuminated by the firelight.

The trench coat fluttered in the wind, the wind howled, and across the street were burning buildings and billowing smoke, while below were ignorant crowds crying and running.

The blazing firelight, a scene of hell on earth, contrasted sharply with the neon-lit city lights in the distance.

In this situation, this feeling makes one feel as cold as iron, like a heartless, peerless assassin.

Unfortunately, his cool demeanor lasted only two seconds before Bai Zhou grimaced and started swinging his arms.

“It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!”

After the spiritual energy subsided, Bai Zhou belatedly realized that he had strained muscles in his waist, abdomen, and arms.

—After going back, I might even need to hold onto the wall to go to the toilet!

Being hit in the back by a wave of fire, and then flipping over with your waist and abdomen without any leverage... it's no wonder you hurt your back.

Bai Zhou now knows.

As the core of the team that frequently exerts its power, the extraordinary must have a strong back that can withstand hardship.

There's no such thing as a master who's handsome forever—showing off might feel good for a moment, but you'll never know how you'll pay the price afterwards.

Judging from his own experience, Bai Zhou pondered that those cold-faced masters in the story must have been screaming and crying for healing afterward.

Just now, Bai Zhou was actually extremely nervous.

Even now, his heart is still pounding.

What if the paraglider breaks and can't be opened? What if they ambush you in mid-air...?

All sorts of worries.

But all in all, although it was a bit of a mess afterwards...

But Bai Zhou completed his adventure once again.

It landed safely on an air conditioner outdoor unit.

"..."

One last, deep look at the Starry Sky Building, which resembled a furnace burning brightly.

Bai Zhou wondered how much damage those strangely dressed mysterious people could suffer as a result.

Unfortunately, this place is not suitable for lingering.

Without time to continue admiring his masterpiece, Shirashu knew he had to leave immediately.

The flames reached straight to the sky, and in the flickering light, a dark figure rose and fell several times.

Despite the tearing pain from his muscle strain, Bai Zhou, grimacing, vanished in the blink of an eye.

...After fleeing the scene, he found a deserted thicket and crawled into it.

When it reappeared, it was just an inconspicuous little black cat.

After a long and winding journey, they arrived at the meeting place agreed upon with Ya.

Bai Zhou had barely seen the crows and exchanged a few words when a ribbon fell from above his head.

Once the crow felt at ease, it went back to sleep.

"...These coffee beans are really useless, aren't they?"

After tying the black ribbon around his body, Bai Zhou blinked, somewhat puzzled.

Lately, has the crow been sleeping too much?
But the crow seemed to have anticipated this and didn't seem to care much.

Perhaps crows are normally sleepy, but something in the base has affected them, making them energetic even without sleep?
Is this why she keeps eating coffee beans?
Perhaps I should find some time to go back to the base and take a look...

"..."

I randomly picked an air conditioner outdoor unit and squatted down.

Looking at the Yuanmeng Middle School, which was shrouded in darkness and quiet not far away, Bai Zhou, who had transformed into a black cat, fell into deep thought.

After pondering for a long time, the black cat finally let out a soft sigh.

According to Ya's plan, he will be going to this Dream Middle School as a psychology teacher tomorrow.

Crow said that being a psychology teacher is not difficult; all you have to do is give a vague and incomprehensible speech.

But what Bai Zhou is least good at is "talk therapy".

He might indeed have a talent for infuriating people with his very first words.

But when it comes to giving advice or something...

Hopefully, no foolish student will come to him for advice.

Objectively speaking, Bai Zhou was quite worried about himself for leading a perfectly healthy federal flower to climb onto the rooftop.

But in order to investigate the truth, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and force themselves to do it.

Thinking this, Bai Zhou's expression carried a melancholy that shouldn't be present at his age.

That was the reluctance of those about to become laborers.

The cat sighed!

He was muttering to himself.

The sound of pages turning could be heard in my ears.

"Om..."

A faint phantom of nine tails, adorned with nine bells, appeared behind the black cat.

The faint light shone like a sparkling jewel in the moonlight through the now upright green cat eyes.

"This is……"

The Dead Sea Scrolls are being turned.

—The cooldown of [Life-Stealing Cat] has ended!
The secret technique, "Life Stealing," has returned at just the right time.

Bai Zhou was stunned for a moment, then felt happy and let out a long sigh.

"They're back...they're all back!"

Next.

Whatever mysteries await him at Dream Middle School—

Bai Zhou now has the confidence to face any unknown future!

……

The spectacular explosion in the northern district has once again set the entire city of Tinghai ablaze.

This time it wasn't the deserted southern district, but a proper bustling area, filled with office buildings and financial towers of large companies.

Such an explosion has already had a real impact on people's daily lives, with many people being awakened by the blast and participating in discussions online.

Various rumors have emerged regarding the explosion.

Although no one believed it, there were even extremely absurd rumors that claimed that it was actually superpowered people fighting here.

Some people swore they saw a black-clad figure engulfed in flames, running swiftly through the streets, faster than the Spirit of Vengeance on his motorcycle.

But such comments disappeared not long afterward.

In a forgotten corner, this person's account was even deleted.

Faced with the overwhelming public opinion, the authorities quickly took corresponding measures.

News articles debunking the rumors have appeared online:

"Good evening. We have just received an urgent report. About an hour ago, a serious explosion occurred at the Xingchen Building in the northern part of the city. Our reporter Wang Xuan has arrived at the scene and is bringing us the latest news. Wang Xuan, what is the situation on the ground?"

The live news broadcast cut to the scene, where male reporter Wang Xuan appeared with a serious expression, holding a microphone, with a building surrounded by police tape and burning fiercely behind him.

The streets were littered with debris from the explosion, fire trucks and police cars flashed their lights, and people in uniforms were busy at work.

There were also some people dressed in black suits carrying silver boxes, appearing in the most inconspicuous corner of the camera, their expressions both serious and puzzled, as if they were doing something.

Reporter Wang Xuan cleared his throat to confirm the signal was good and began his report:
"Okay, as you can see, the Starry Sky Building behind me is the epicenter of tonight's incident. According to the latest information we have obtained from the police and fire departments, the preliminary assessment is that the cause of the accident was a gas leak in an underground pipeline, which ignited upon contact with an open flame."

"Fortunately, I learned that the building where the accident occurred was an unfinished building that was not in normal operation, so the economic losses and casualties were minimal."

"In addition, the incident occurred late at night, so the number of casualties is currently very limited. All the injured who were passing by have been sent to the hospital for examination as soon as possible, and none of them are in life-threatening condition."

"Our fire department also responded quickly and has brought the situation under control, confirming that there is no risk of a secondary explosion."

"Please rest assured!"

As he spoke, reporter Wang Xuan nodded vigorously.

The live stream chat was filled with people praying with their hands clasped together.

No one objected. The camera panned back to the control room, where the anchor looked at the camera and earnestly reminded the reporter:
"It is worth noting that this is the second similar 'accidental explosion' to occur in the city in recent days."

"Although the specific cause is still under investigation, we would like to remind the public that the recent seasonal transition has brought dry weather and increased the risk of various fires and accidents."

"Please don't panic. Continue with normal work, and always remember to raise your awareness of fire safety! Eliminate potential safety hazards!"

"—In addition, Councillor Yang, who is running for Chief Administrative Officer, is speaking out, asking whether the recent frequent explosions indicate that the city's buildings are aging?"

“Someone should be held accountable for this,” Councilor Yang said, adding that if elected, he would guarantee an inspection and renovation of all buildings in the city…

"—This is the Tinghai News Channel. We will continue to follow this story for you."

The female anchor, with a face that conveyed a sense of peace and prosperity, reassured the audience with her slow and deliberate tone.

The bizarre battles that night, and that incredible "furnace explosion"...

And so it was buried under the mundane, everyday news.

—Like other extraordinary events.

People's ordinary daily lives continue on.

Tomorrow morning, once it's light, it will be another ordinary sunny day.

……

"asshole!"

With a "thud," the major slammed the laptop to the ground.

The news feed on the computer abruptly ended with a shattered black screen.

The daily lives of ordinary people continued in a truly uneventful manner.

But these events will not be easily quelled in the extraordinary world!
The surging undercurrents will eventually turn into waves. Guess whose head these waves will eventually crash on?

In any case, the authorities will soon trace it back to the major!

The existence of the Black Knight could not be exposed, so the major could only say that he had hired a group of armed men to track down Bai Zhou.

But the supervisory team sent by headquarters was eating and drinking inside the base without their knowledge. How can this be explained?
Overwhelmed by all the troubles, the major no longer paid attention to the handsome secretary beside him.

His heart was already completely filled with one name and one figure—

Bai Zhou!

Bai Zhou!

He pursed his lips and gritted his teeth, his breathing unusually heavy.

Looking up, he saw a group of silent black warriors kneeling on the ground in a dense mass.

...but their faces were all exceptionally ferocious.

Each of the Dark Knights was mutilated, with flesh and blood scattered on the ground. Some had half their bodies burned away, while others had their entire faces burned away, revealing metallic-looking skeletons.

But they were still “alive” and felt no pain at all, simply squatting silently in front of the major.

Even their skeletons have been modified with alloys, giving them extraordinary vitality and heat resistance.

Even so, of the fifty Black Knights sent out, only a dozen or so who were lying in wait outside the building survived.

They still look the same.

It's foreseeable that if it were a direct confrontation...

Not to mention the assassins from the art club, even just two or three of these Black Knights would be enough to take down Bai Zhou.

What's more, he mobilized a total of 50 people for this!
—50!
In the end, only these returned.

Not only that.

The art club's star artist, the top painter, is on the verge of death and has been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Another star artist in the art club, the second artist, was seriously injured, with both legs broken.

All of these require the major to pay high medical expenses.

Overnight, the major's losses are estimated to be close to 100 million federal dollars!

My heart was pounding, but thankfully the major was young and had no history of heart disease.

"How could this happen? Why did this happen?!"

The major was roaring, but it sounded more like he was questioning himself.

How could a mere white boat be like his nemesis, causing him to suffer such a setback?

"...Because we let him hide for too long!"

In the corner, a woman with a cane and wearing a painted mask slowly spoke, her voice exceptionally cold.

The comminuted fractures of both legs ignited a murderous intent in this newly minted second artist, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

"Assassinations are supposed to be done by surprise, but he made the building so well-sealed that this is what led to the result."

"I think even if he is Bai Zhou, it must have taken him a considerable amount of time to arrange all this."

"It's because we haven't been able to find him for so long that he had the opportunity to set up the base like this."

The female artist calmly analyzed the situation.

It seems to possess a profound wisdom that says, "I already know everything."

"—But there won't be a next time!"

"He won't have as much time to find locations and arrange ceremonies anymore."

"Moreover, I already have a way to break his ritual..."

"Whether it's a furnace explosion or a full-blown explosion, I have a way to handle it!"

"--What?!"

The major's spirits lifted, and he jumped up from his office chair, leaning forward.

"Is this true?"

The female artist nodded:
"Excellent assassins strive to find their enemies' weaknesses and strike with a single blow."

“I should have realized that this Bai Zhou was not a proper ritual master at all; the pigments he used were all made from local materials.”

“I admire his ingenious ideas and extraordinary talent, and I have never seen a ritual expert like him.”

As she spoke, the female artist gave a cold laugh:
"But in doing so, Bai Zhou gained something he himself was never aware of..."

"A fatal weakness!"

A fatal weakness?
The major's eyes lit up, but he looked at the female painter leaning on her cane with some suspicion. Her cloak was tattered.

Although he believed in the other party's abilities and experience as an assassin, but...

You've been made to look like this, is there really anything we can do?

Why did you go early?
"Please forgive me for keeping the specific methods confidential for now."

However, the female artist simply shook her head.

"But please believe me, so-called masters of magic runes, masters of rituals..."

"The Art Society has already killed countless of these so-called masters."

"Once we find their weaknesses, those who lack real strength will be no different from chicks under our blades!"

The female artist gave a cold laugh, then looked up at the major and asked seriously:
"So, Commander Luo, will you be able to successfully locate Bai Zhou again tomorrow night?"

"It is possible, but..."

The major looked at the compass on the table with some hesitation.

The devastating losses made him begin to doubt himself, or rather, doubt the compass itself.

"Commander Luo, there's no need to worry!"

He raised his hand earnestly to stop the major's pointless sensitivity and suspicion.

The female artist carefully recalled her brief but unforgettable encounter with Bai Zhou:
"Bai Zhou was clearly surprised that we could find his location; he had no idea where we were!"

"—Therefore, he will not make any preparations for tomorrow night's attack, nor will he have time to arrange anything!"

"In fact... I don't want to play cat and mouse with this little guy anymore, because he has successfully angered me."

It wasn't just a fracture in both legs.

The first artist lying in the hospital undergoing emergency treatment, the unlucky guy who didn't have time to jump, was also her boyfriend!

With both old and new grudges combined, the female artist felt it necessary to teach this little guy a lesson, who only knew how to use explosive rituals as his trump card...

What should truly extraordinary individuals rely on to speak for themselves?

"This white boat, I will take care of it—"

The female artist looked up, her long hair, which had been curled by the explosion's flames, cascading down her back.

A painted mask engraved with three sets of crowns was revealed, and the eyes behind the mask were cold and serious.

The flames of revenge burned fiercely within her, just like the Star Tower that had been blown up in her eyes.

“[Sofonisba Anguisola]…”

"To end it with my own hands!"

Upon hearing this, the major was overjoyed.

"Okay, okay -"

He desperately needs a confident person to boost his self-confidence.

If she can really do as she says...

"Bang! Bang bang bang!"

Suddenly, a loud knocking sounded on the office door.

No, it should be described as unrestrained banging on the door.

Along with the banging on the door, there were also loud shouts:
"Open the door! Major Luo! Open the door!"

We know you're inside—

"...?"

Upon hearing this, the major looked somewhat bewildered.

Who would dare to be so disrespectful to him in Branch 36?

He only suffered a setback at Bai Zhou's hands, not that he couldn't lift his knife!
The voice was quite unfamiliar to the major, but the secretary beside him changed his expression.

He's been entertaining a lot of people from headquarters lately, and he recognized the voice as...

"It's that Jewel Witch!"

The secretary's words caused everyone in the office to change color.

The secretary tiptoed to the door, carefully peered through the crack, and suddenly shuddered.

He turned around, and as if he had seen something extremely terrifying, his face turned deathly pale.

"Yes……"

Looking at the major, he said in a trembling voice:

"It's the headquarters' oversight team..."

In the dead of night, the headquarters' supervisory team, instead of sleeping, came to the door.

What could it be for?
They definitely didn't come here to have tea with the major.

That can only be...

Raise an army to bring punishment to justice!

but--

The major's expression changed drastically. He suddenly realized what was happening and immediately looked up at the ace female assassin from the Art Club, who was leaning on her cane, trembling, and looking somewhat bewildered.

Then, he looked at the group of half-human, half-ghost, skeleton-like black warriors kneeling on the ground...

Even though he had seen many storms, the major suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and his vision went black.

The door is blocked.

But what's in front of us...

These fleeting, extravagant scenes are like demons from hell...

Which one is presentable?
—And they're even a supervisory team from headquarters!
(End of this chapter)