Nightmare Despair

Chapter 123 Ceremonies
"Mr. Deathwing, what's wrong with you...?"

When Wang Jibei saw Zhou Kai get up, he thought he was finally going to carry out his mission. But right now, his mind was filled with thoughts of the Golden Centipede Technique.

He quickly changed his tune: "Sir, how about we... discuss the details of dealing with Jin Ju again?"

Jin Ju is the owner of the Jinwu Martial Arts School.

Before Zhou Kai could answer, Wang Linxi's expression changed. He stared at his older brother in astonishment: "Big brother...you?"

What happened to avenging his brother's son?
Is there no rush now?

Wang Jibei turned around and glared at his younger brother, saying frankly, "Linxi, you don't understand me, and you don't understand the importance of second-level martial arts."

"Don't you understand why I insist on Jin Quan learning martial arts and striving to reach the second realm?"

"The second level of martial arts means that our Wang family can mass-produce monsters stronger than level three combat-specialized enhanced humans!"

He clearly knew some inside information about martial arts, but not much; he was just a half-baked expert, which sounded utterly absurd and laughable to Zhou Kai.

However, just as he was gesturing wildly and describing his grand ambitions to his brothers...

Zhou Kai placed his hand on his shoulder gently, like an encouragement from an old friend.

Wang Jibei instinctively shuddered, but having just made a winning trade, his excitement overwhelmed his body's warning signs.

And so, right before Wang Linxi's eyes...

click!
There was a crisp sound.

Zhou Kai clenched his five fingers, and Wang Jibei's shoulder blade collapsed in response. The broken bone fragments popped like popping beans, making a dense, muffled sound through the skin and flesh.

"what?"

The ecstasy on Wang Jibei's face froze.

The excruciating pain took a beat longer to engulf his nerves. He turned his head, his expression contorted, looking at Zhou Kai with terror and bewilderment.

He was completely stunned by what he was seeing.

"what!!!"

"Mr. Deathwing... what are you doing?"

Why did they suddenly attack me?

He is still hypnotizing himself to this day.

Perhaps Mr. Deathwing was used to fighting against masters of the same level and didn't know how fragile a true martial artist was, which is why he accidentally injured himself.

That's understandable, completely understandable.

When I finally make it big, I'll definitely find a way to kill this guy...

Wang Linxi was the first to react.

At this point, anyone who isn't out of their mind should realize what's happening.

"Big Brother!" Wang Linxi roared, "I fucking remember now!"

"Deathwing, Deathwing..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly drew a pistol from his waist, the safety snapped open, and the muzzle pointed at Zhou Kai's forehead.

Wang Linxi gritted his teeth and said, "Have you forgotten? There was a rumor about Deathwing back then. Deathwing was his codename. How could this be Deathwing?"

"We've been tricked by that cripple!"

Wang Linxi's pupils shrank to pinpoints.

Finally, he recognized a familiar outline between those overly cold and aloof brows.

"Damn it... This is... This is Zhou Kai, the one Jin Quan mentioned!"

According to the intelligence obtained by the Wang family, Zhou Kai still looked like he did in his university graduation photo. Although he was good-looking, he had a gloomy and thin appearance.

But what about Zhou Kai right now?
Standing nearly two meters tall, Wang Jibei had to crane his neck to see him.

He was masculine and domineering; when he exerted force, his bulging muscles were almost as thick as a normal person's thigh.

Such a dramatic change in appearance was almost impossible for the Wang brothers, who were meeting him for the first time, to connect.

Even now that Zhou Kai's name has been called out, Wang Linxi is still more guessing than certain until Zhou Kai confirms it.

Seeing the two self-righteous brothers, Zhou Kai lost his patience. Wang Linxi had just pointed his gun when he suddenly felt a blur before his eyes.

Zhou Kai was already standing in front of him. He reached out and grabbed it, and with a snap, the steel pistol was crushed into a pile of fragments.

"Now that my identity has been exposed, I'm not going to keep acting anymore."

The engravings on the chariot were faintly burning, and the essence of cultivation flowed through my mind.

The key lies in one's mindset; believing in one's victory is more important than any actual victory.

If you are indifferent, even if you sweep through the entire Xinhui Industrial Park, you won't achieve many victories.

But if you take it seriously, escaping from or defending against heavily armored knights can both be considered victories.

With unwavering resolve, we will surely defeat the enemy!

win!
Even beating a noob is a win!
As long as I declare it a victory, it is a victory.

If even the golden-haired emperor next door can win without getting numb, then why should I get numb?

Wow...

Zhou Kai released his grip, and the pile of completely deformed parts scattered all over the ground with a clatter, in the horrified gaze of the Wang brothers.

"I just want to be beaten to death by the two of you, or... to have your whole family killed."

"What do you say?"

"Are you willing to fight me... fairly?"

Zhou Kai looked down at the two of them, revealing his clean, white teeth.

Wang Linxi was just an ordinary person. When he was hit by the aura of Zhou Kai's second-tier engraving, his legs went weak and he was exhausted even to stand up.

Wang Jibei's condition wasn't much better either.

His facial muscles twitched, his eyes darting between self-mockery, regret, and despair, until finally only a hoarse murmur remained: "My shoulder is broken, is this... fair?"

"You're questioning me? Very well, that's quite spirited! Commendable courage!"

Zhou Kai, too lazy to listen to any more nonsense, grabbed the two men by the back of their necks like he was picking up chicks and lifted them off the ground.

Before the two could speak,
He had already smashed their heads together violently!

boom!
It wasn't the dull thud of bones hitting bones, but rather the sound of two ripe watermelons colliding and shattering head-on.

Blood and brain matter exploded, splattering all over Zhou Kai's sleeves.

I wonder if, at the moment of the final collision, Wang Jibei regretted not listening to his brother's suggestion to let it go.

Zhou Kai released his grip, letting the two headless corpses fall onto the carpet.

He solemnly hypnotized himself in his mind:

"I, Zhou Kai, despite being weak at the second realm, defied the odds and defeated a strongman at the first realm!"

"This must be a victory!"

After speaking, Zhou Kai stood still, waiting for the familiar subtitles to appear.

Three seconds passed.

Failed.

The solemn and dignified "sense of ceremony" on Zhou Kai's face instantly collapsed, and he reverted to his cold expression.

"Unfortunately, I guess I can't break my own will. I can't convince myself that this victory is pure nonsense. It seems I still have to honestly fight against the strong."

Zhou Kai shook his head, put the blood on his hands into his sample bag, and then headed out of the building.

If Zhou Kai's understanding is correct, a chariot engraver capable of self-hypnosis could simply stand still, stepping on his left foot and spiraling upwards until the victory ceremony brings its final sublimation.

Unfortunately, Zhou Kai can't do all of that... Perhaps he could try learning hypnosis later?

……

Zhou Kai pushed open the door and stepped out of the building; the sunlight outside was just right.

Looking down from this vantage point, no fewer than five black MPVs were driving up the two mountain roads leading to the manor.

These vehicles all have subtle hotel features.

Zhou Kai saw this and showed his approval.

"Although it's the effect of bottled scent, such loyalty and dedication deserve praise."

Without even guessing, everyone knew it was either Hu Yuan or Wei Bao who came to help them clean up the mess.

Straightening his collar, Zhou Kai returned to his car under the puzzled gazes of the manor's security guards and the Wang family members.

Everything that followed was exactly as Zhou Kai had predicted... Just as the car door closed, outside the manor, gunshots, muffled by silencers, rang out.

Wei Bao, whose injuries had mostly healed, took the lead and, with more than 20 "cleaners" from the hotel, cleaned Wangjia Mountain Villa spotless.

……

……

"gentlemen."

Wei Bao's face was still pale. He knocked on the car window and whispered, "Most of them have been dealt with, but there are still some..."

"Clean it up thoroughly, don't leave any clues."

Zhou Kai waved his hand.

He was busy studying Pippen's ceremonies and had no interest in watching how people were being eliminated.

All he wants is a result.

A result without any future problems.

"Yes."

Wei Bao's respect for Zhou Kaizhi was even greater than before; they were kindred spirits, and it was the respect a junior had for a senior.

Just now, Wei Bao saw the bodies of the Wang brothers in the living room, even though he already knew Zhou Kai was strong.

But witnessing the way the two men died still chilled him to the bone.

That was too straightforward.

Zhou Kai killed those two men with just one move. Wang Jibei was also a true veteran of martial arts.

I can definitely kill it myself. But it will definitely take a lot of effort.

But he's such a veteran.

In Zhou Kai's hands, he was no different from his ordinary younger brother. The way he died was exactly the same.

This isn't crushing; it's squeezing an ant to death.

'Perhaps Mr. Zhou achieved mastery of Qi cultivation a long time ago.'

'I knew it. Mr. Zhou held back when he beat me up that day. He's too kind.'

Wei Bao's Adam's apple bobbed, and he gestured with his chin toward the gunman beside him.

Several gunmen slashed their necks with their thumbs, drew their daggers, and walked toward the Wang family's security personnel and relatives who had surrendered their weapons and were crouching in the corner with their heads in their hands.

Worried that his screams would disturb Zhou Kai, Wei Bao carefully closed the car door for him.

He turned around and put on a compassionate expression.

"Can't you read the atmosphere?! Mr. Zhou is kind-hearted and can't bear to hear your screams!"

"They're all howling like piglets... Do I really have to do it myself?"

After being reprimanded by Wei Bao, the last few members of the Wang family looked as if they had seen a ghost.

For a moment, he was no longer afraid of death.

Tears streamed down her face as she screamed hysterically, "Madman, devil..."

……

A few minutes later.

A car sped up, then slammed on the brakes, coming to a stop right in front of Wangjia Mountain Villa.

These were the first-level enhanced individuals trained by Wang Linxi.

Following Wang Linxi's directions, they arrived at Wang Family Manor.

With the West Mountain having been stable for a long time, the Level 1 Enhancement has become a power that surpasses conventional armed forces and ordinary people.

These people are used to throwing their weight around.

The entire Wang family doesn't listen to anyone.

They only listen to two people: Wang Linxi, who pays them to support them, and Wang Jibei, who can beat them to death.

"Damn! Why did you call us brothers to the village in the middle of the day when we're taking a nap?"

"Whatever, it's probably just 'garbage sweeping' again..."

The four hurriedly entered the villa, just in time to witness Wei Bao and the others collecting the bodies.

In an instant, they became agitated and shouted from afar, "Who goes there! How dare you kill someone at Wang Family Manor? Do you have a death wish?"

As they spoke, they each pulled out their weapons and guns, preparing to rush over and deal with Wei Bao first.

However, their harsh words had barely left their mouths when...

Countless red laser dots instantly covered their foreheads, hearts, and throats.

The four of them broke out in a cold sweat, only then realizing what was happening.

There were more than twenty fully armed gunmen all around.

The four of them froze on the spot, not daring to move.

These people had no martial arts training, their fighting skills were mediocre, and their strength was far inferior to Qiu Ping's.

Against ordinary people, wielding a weapon, one could easily take on ten.

But they were powerless against a team of professional assassins armed with fully automatic rifles.

"There are still remnants? They're really causing me trouble."

With a dark expression, Wei Bao put on his spare brass knuckles and walked towards the four men.

The best-quality set was destroyed by Zhou Kai's sword. The spare set, though less advanced, was still sufficient.

Step, step, step.

Wei Bao strolled over leisurely, not even bothering to strike a pose, and with a twist of his waist and hips, he delivered a brutal straight punch.

The leader of the enhanced beings was stunned. This man, who looked weak and frail, had foolishly rushed up to engage in hand-to-hand combat.

No matter what, they are enhanced humans.

So he prepared to defend himself.

Then, click!
The bones were broken, and the hands were bent strangely.

Wei Bao's fist struck him hard across the face without hesitation.

boom!
A cloud of red mist instantly erupted.

"Home appliances should look like home appliances."

Wei Bao spat, his face full of disgust.

A series of muffled thuds.

Several more flurry of punches followed, turning two of the enhanced humans into a bloody pulp. The other two tried to escape, but were riddled with bullets by the gunman.

At this moment, the main force of the Wang family was completely wiped out, leaving not a single tile behind.

That's when.

Zhou Kai's subtitles finally responded.

[Slay the enemy! When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. Great victory! Chariot Mark Experience +1]

【Scars: Chariot II (3/500)】

"At least we've made some progress."

Zhou Kai shrugged.

Although annihilating the royal family was easy and effortless, it was still no small matter. The subconscious and the mark-advancing ritual acknowledged this level of victory.

The key point is that the subtitles gave him absolute certainty that the problem had been eradicated, which was even more satisfying than gaining an experience point.

After the Wang family's affairs were settled, there was nothing else for him to worry about.

Looking down at the blood and silver flakes in his hand that hadn't changed at all, Zhou Kai sighed.

"The problem isn't the silver dust, but rather the 'unintentional enemy blood.'"

Clearly, the blood Zhou Kai obtained from killing the Wang brothers did not meet the requirements.

However, Zhou Kai had already considered the possibility of the ceremony failing, so he wasn't too disappointed. At worst, he could find another opportunity later.

"Sir, it's all done."

Zhou Kai put down the silver dust in his hand.

The next moment, Wei Bao knocked on the car door again, and the window rolled down.

His voice came through: "There are no survivors at Wang Family Manor, and all surveillance data has been physically erased..."

"The body and the cleanup work at the scene will also be completed within five hours. We will stage it as a less bloody mirage, just like we have always done."

Zhou Kai nodded and said, "Well done."

Before Wei Bao could finish speaking, he took out a USB flash drive from his pocket with his hand, which was stained with the blood of a Level 1 Enhanced Human, and said respectfully, "As soon as I regained my mobility, I immediately recorded Tiger Fist and Black Wolf Fist for you."

"This is the main purpose of my trip."

No sooner had he said this than Wei Bao's expression suddenly changed before he could even claim credit.

Buhou.

How could his blood-stained hands reach into Mr. Zhou's back seat?
Wei Bao quickly pulled his hand away, but the action caused the blood on his hand to splatter.

It fell into Zhou Kai's hands, onto the silver residue that had seeped into his own blood.

In an instant, a strange wave rippled out from Zhou Kai's hand.

Zhou Kai was both amused and exasperated.

That's it... done?
Zhou Kai put the mixture, which had turned into a silvery-red suspension, into his personal sample bag.

There are too many people around; it's not suitable to hold a ceremony there. We'll discuss it when we get back.

……

Later, Zhou Kai returned to his hotel room.

In this secluded environment, he finally extracted the murky liquid composed of silver, his own blood, and the enemy's blood.

After a moment's thought, he poured the liquid directly onto the table.

The cool, viscous liquid spread out, and Zhou Kai stretched out his finger, dipped it in the liquid, and began to trace the pattern recorded on the encrypted paper.

Within a moment.

The pattern is drawn.

The ceremony was completed.

After everything was accomplished, the murky silver and red lines began to bubble and rise, as if from a violent chemical reaction, sending up wisps of white smoke.

Before long, the runes that were originally drawn on the table floated up and turned into a cloud of shimmering white mist, with the faint tooth-like structure of tree fern leaves.

The desktop, however, was spotless and completely empty.

"This is……"

Zhou Kai curiously stretched out his finger and touched the cloud.

Perhaps it sensed the presence of the ceremony's organizers.

The next moment, the clouds seemed to come alive, rapidly contracting like startled fish and surging into Zhou Kai's fingertips.

His fingertips turned white instantly. They looked like the finest mutton-fat jade, or like the tender tips of freshly plucked grass.

Zhou Kai recoiled his finger as if he'd been electrocuted, but it was only an instinctive reaction. In reality, he wasn't harmed at all.

On the contrary, they benefited greatly from it!

(End of this chapter)