Nightmare Despair

Chapter 124 Purification

"call……"

Feeling the shimmering white mist, like some kind of living thing, enter his fingertips, flow along the veins of his arm, and finally surge through his entire body, Zhou Kai exhaled a long breath.

The strange power that seeped into his body was like the gentle breeze of Grain Rain or the warm sun of midsummer, cleansing his internal organs and peeling away the cold filth that lingered deep inside.

Zhou Kai couldn't remember the last time he felt such a lightness emanating from his very soul.

"Pippen's ceremonial duties, is that how it is?"

The shimmering white clouds were completely exhausted and extinguished.

The warm current within Zhou Kai's body subsided and could no longer be felt.

But the miraculous effects of this ceremony brought him immense benefits.

The power of the morning light briefly shelters you, and the encroachment of nightmares is being driven away.

The erosion status has been updated; it is currently at 3/9.

The power of Pippen's ceremonial acted on Zhou Kai, with an effect even greater than that of the fireplace at its optimal state... In less than ten seconds, it had removed a significant amount of the corrosive power from Zhou Kai's body.

Savoring the lingering power, Zhou Kai felt an irrepressible longing rise in his heart; he desperately wanted to experience it again.

If we could wipe out the erosion in one go...

At that time, Zhou Kai will return to being a pure person who has been resurrected nine times, and will be able to approach the Willow Man without restraint and obtain the almost bug-like Burning Flame on its body.

It should be noted that the flames cannot cause the slightest harm to those who have not been corrupted.

Once his corruption level reaches zero, he can remove the flame from the wickerman with his bare hands and put it into an oil lamp or even a fireplace.

The moment this tempting idea surfaced, before Zhou Kai could even begin to deduce its meaning, some information related to Pippen's ceremony naturally entered his mind.

The surprise in his eyes quickly cooled, settled, and turned into a clear understanding.

"Does it only work the first time? To continue experiencing this miraculous effect... I need to undergo further advanced rituals?"

Zhou Kai frowned slightly, trying to process the scattered fragments of memory in his mind. Besides the information that dampened his excitement, there were also some recipes for advanced rituals.

[Enhanced Pippon Ritual: Gold pools, silver dust, blood intentionally drawn from the heart, blood unintentionally obtained from the enemy, mixed with Pippon tree sap to create ink, used to draw runes...]

The description was precise and every word was precious, but Zhou Kai knew very well that he couldn't gather the necessary information in the short term.

Putting everything else aside, where are we going to get the sap from the pimply tree, and those brand-new rune patterns?

The former has long been extinct in reality, while the latter... in his memories, is incomplete.

Zhou Kai narrowed his eyes. Theoretically, if he couldn't find the Pippen Tree in the nightmare, he could find another way.

For example, by forcibly adding some ordinary tree ferns, you can obtain a tree fern called the Pippin Tree.

The points required would probably be dozens of times more than adding Gastrodia elata, but given his current efficiency in earning points, he should be able to afford it if he grits his teeth.

As for the new rune pattern...

"If it's not in the remaining encrypted drawings, then hopefully... we can find clues in the later Morning Star Journals."

Zhou Kai kept this in mind.

He rested briefly, calming his somewhat excited mind after the ceremony, and then inserted the USB drive that Wei Bao had given him into the television in front of him.

As for the boxing gym, Du Feng and the others will contact us immediately if anything happens; for the time being, things are calm today.

The clean soil and bricks urgently needed for expanding the nursery have been entrusted to Hu Yuan. That guy has many connections, and they should be delivered before evening.

Ever since.

Zhou Kai had a rare moment of free time before falling asleep tonight, with no chores requiring his personal attention.

This time was perfectly devoted to studying the newly acquired martial arts techniques.

……

"Are you crazy? She just got promoted and then quits? Has this woman lost her mind?"

"Who knows? She was probably poached. But isn't she afraid of non-compete agreements? In our line of work..."

"Who knows? Bonuses are coming up soon. Leaving at this crucial moment would be like working for the company for nothing. I don't know what Zhou Qing was thinking, quitting so hastily..."

Xinhui Pharmaceutical, office area.

The smell of coffee and printer ink mingled together.

Amidst the hushed whispers of her colleagues, a girl with neat short hair, carrying a cardboard box, energetically bid farewell to her colleagues with whom she usually got along.

No one could understand her behavior.

Unless you're headhunted by a top recruiter with three times the salary, quitting at this juncture is no different from tearing up your professional resume.

"...Good riddance, it relieved everyone's stress. That guy was too stubborn."

Occasionally, undisguised rejection and jealousy would reach Zhou Qing's ears, but she would just smile and ignore it.

"Sister Yangyang, Brother Chen Zhi...see you again in the martial arts world."

"Let's go."

Holding the cardboard box, Zhou Qing waved goodbye to her former colleagues who had fought alongside her, and then strode towards the gate of Xinhui Pharmaceutical.

At first her steps were slow, but somehow, the more she walked, the lighter and more brisk her steps became.

She joined Xinhui's management trainee program before even graduating from university, earning a salary that surpassed most of her classmates. After that, her promotion skyrocketed, and she thrived in her branch office…

If all goes well, her college life will be perfect, and her career will be booming and steadily improving.

However, the invasion of the industrial park into a real-life nightmare made Zhou Qing begin to doubt the life she had always believed in.

Surrounded by darkness, she felt timid, panicked, fearful, weak, and powerless.

Whether it was the sinister laughter that lured his colleagues to fall from the high-rise building, the outlines of those monsters in the darkness, or those faces... torn apart by the melting slime.

All of that made Zhou Qing feel that if she took one wrong step, she would be doomed forever.

But...but...

'As I gripped that broken piece of metal pipe, preparing to smash it against the monster... I don't know why...'

Zhou Qing has been asking herself these past few days.

Can I ever go back to that peaceful life of drinking coffee and looking at reports?

Some things, once experienced, are enough to change a person's life.

Sui Die drove and parked the car on the roadside not far away, with the window half rolled down. Zhou Qing temporarily shook off the distracting thoughts in her mind.

"Thank you for picking me up!"

She opened the car door, casually tossing the cardboard box she was carrying into the back seat. The office supplies and mug collided with each other, making a few loud clattering sounds. Zhou Qing got into the passenger seat without a care in the world.

Sui Die's expression remained calm as always, but her gaze lingered on her for a couple more seconds.

"You've resigned, what do you plan to do next?"

"Go work for Xiao Kai?"

“I checked, the property rights of that floor are now entirely under Zhou Kai’s name… Vesta’s little girl, she really has big money.”

Zhou Qing raised her hand to smooth her hair, lost in thought.

Although she usually helps her younger brother and always tells him not to worry about it, now that the roles are reversed, she has to rely on her brother...

Instead, she felt a sense of unease.

This awkwardness made her even more eager to practice martial arts.

She thought of Zhou Kai's completely different appearance now.

Humph.

Zhou Qing snorted and crossed her arms: "I don't know if you've noticed, but Zhou Kai has grown at least twenty centimeters taller in the past month."

"Are the health and fitness effects of ancient martial arts really that exaggerated?"

She exclaimed in disbelief a few times.

Zhou Qing hesitated for a moment, then turned her head and said, "Die, actually... I don't want to work anymore, I never want to again."

"I want to become stronger, to protect my brother, to protect you... or at the very least, to be able to protect myself and not be a burden to you."

Upon hearing this, Sui Die didn't seem to have any particular opinion about Zhou Kai's change. After all, her past identity meant she had come into contact with that world.

In the real martial arts world, such secondary development is extremely rare, but not uncommon.

"Zhou Kai might be exceptionally talented; he's got the makings of martial arts..."

What Sui Die is concerned about now is Zhou Qing's current thoughts.

"Are you hiding something from me? Why are you suddenly concerned about this?" Zhou Qing's expression froze instantly. She avoided Sui Die's gaze, and her voice became hoarse.

"It's nothing, I just feel that compared to a string of numbers in a bank account, health is the most important thing."

Because of the confidentiality agreement, Zhou Qing is still hesitant about whether to tell her closest people about her real experience at the industrial park that day.

But after thinking about it, I decided to forget it.

Some hellish scenes are best experienced once; there's no need to drag others down with you and add unnecessary pressure.

However, Zhou Qing hadn't actually decided where to learn martial arts yet.

Just before resigning, she casually searched on her phone and found that the selection of martial arts schools in Xishan City had suddenly become incredibly diverse.

Just last month, only Falcon Wing Boxing Gym had recruitment information.

But now, the Falcon Wing Boxing School can no longer be found online. Instead, there are five or six other teaching institutions, such as "Crane Stork Martial Arts School" and "White Bird Martial Arts School," all claiming to open in Xishan. They all seem to be quite famous.

This sudden change immediately put Zhou Qing in a difficult position.

Sui Die's gaze lingered on Zhou Qing's face for a moment, then she suddenly said softly, "Martial arts... Qing, if you simply want to become stronger, I have other ways."

"A method that won't affect your appearance."

Zhou Qing immediately became interested: "What is that?"

"Enhanced Human".

Sui Die calmly uttered these three words.

Zhou Qing was taken aback: "Huh? Isn't that an urban legend?"

Enhanced humans, mechanical modifications, prosthetic bodies, even lizardmen...aren't these all just references?

"Mechanically enhanced humans from the Ryan Federation... wait!"

Zhou Qing's expression was filled with shock. She quickly remembered something and stared at Sui Die: "After you retired, didn't you work at the Duyin Group?"

It's worth noting that all the rumors and insider information circulating online basically point to Duin Biotechnology, which originated in the Lyle Federation.

If Zhou Qing remembers correctly, Duyin Group has many branches in the Red Star Federation.

I first met Sui Die at an internal exhibition for pharmaceutical companies; she was standing in the exhibition hall of Duyin Group.

I just don't know why, but recently, after Sui Die stayed with me, she hasn't gone to work anymore.

Sui Die nodded and said, "Yes, if you trust me..."

Zhou Qing pressed her hand to Sui Die's lips almost without hesitation: "I believe in you, and I believe in Xiao Kai. You are all my family."

She lowered her hand, her breathing still a little rapid.

"I'm just... a little shocked. I didn't know that enhanced humans really exist."

"Then... could you tell me in detail?" Zhou Qing's eyes sparkled, clearly filled with curiosity.

Sui Die smiled gently, a smile that carried a hint of mystery.

"Hmph, we'll talk about it when we get home."

……

"Congratulations on becoming a full member."

"Oh, a team-building dinner?"

Li Xiangqian appeared on the second floor of the restaurant, pretending to be nonchalant, and congratulated the four members of the Wumeng group whom he had just met.

Ding San's expression instantly stiffened: "Old Li, I was originally planning to invite you over..."

Li Xiangqian waved his hand dismissively: "It's alright, Third Sister, I understand. But you underestimate me, Old Li."

"Although this incident has been a big blow to me, I won't let it ruin my mood for having a meal with old friends."

After saying that, Li Xiangqian grinned, revealing two rows of teeth stained yellow by cigarette smoke.

"Could you please give me another pair of chopsticks?"

Ding San visibly breathed a sigh of relief; she was really not good at dealing with such awkward social situations.

Fortunately, Li Xiangqian didn't make things difficult for her; he set up a way out for her and then stepped down himself.

"Uncle, sit next to me."

Ye Zi stuck out her butt and shoved the chair next to her back, the chair legs scraping against the tile floor with a screeching sound, making room for Li Xiangqian.

Li Xiangqian calmly sat down, rinsed the bowls and chopsticks with boiling tea, and was just about to start eating the fish head dish when Huang Zhang suddenly asked, "By the way, Officer Li, what a coincidence today!"

Li Xiangqian sighed, "I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, but I'm a person with rather selfish motives..."

After Li Xiangqian finished explaining, everyone finally understood.

It turns out that this restaurant was opened by Li Xiangqian's sister-in-law, who is also Li Jiahao's mother.

Li Xiangqian came here today to discuss with his sister-in-law about finding another job for Li Jiahao.

There was the horrifying nightmare invasion of the industrial park, and the unresolved mirage incident looming large.

With Niu Ancheng's side, so many young people in one team sacrificed themselves.

Li Xiangqian was scared.

But not for himself.

His voice was somewhat deep.

"We can't let this kid follow the same path as my brother... This line of work is still too dangerous right now."

"Oh, it's not easy."

Huang Zhang sighed, a sense of indescribable admiration rising within him for Li Xiangqian.

Despite his selfish motives and fear of danger, this veteran detective never left the front line.

Seeing that the four people were no longer asking questions, Li Xiangqian chuckled, picked up his chopsticks again, and reached into the plate.

"What a fine fish head! Tsk, you guys really don't know how to eat it."

He likes to eat fish, especially the fish head, which is the most tender part of the meat.

Seeing that Wumeng and the other young people were making a mess of a perfectly good plate of chopped chili fish head, he shook his head repeatedly.

However, just as he was about to enjoy his meal...

An angry shout suddenly came from the stairwell not far away.

"Uncle, what exactly happened?!"

"Why are you asking me to change jobs for no reason? What did I do to displease you? I'll change, I'll change, okay?"

"I won't switch! I'm doing a great job, why should I switch!"

After shouting, Li Jiahao, trembling with anger, didn't know what to do. So he rushed downstairs, looking like he was going back to the police station to demand an explanation from his superiors.

After all, in theory, Li Xiangqian was just a veteran criminal investigator at the grassroots level.

Li Xiangqian sighed, forgetting all about sucking on the fish head, and immediately chased after them.

……

After this incident, Ding San, Pu Xiaoge, and Huang Zhang lost their appetite.

Huang Zhang, in particular, although most of what he did did did not play a decisive role, he felt guilty whenever he stopped for too long.

I couldn't eat more than a few bites.

He put down his chopsticks and said, "I'm full... Third Sister, let's get started."

Ding San nodded, and the three of them began to pack their belongings.

Ye Zi was unwilling, and her brows furrowed.

"Don't do that, I finally decided to spend money to treat someone to a meal..."

But it seems these three won't be able to stay.

She had no choice but to grumble and groan as she brought the remaining steaming plate of food to herself.

He muttered, "Fine, fine, if you guys don't eat it, I'll eat it... Wasting food isn't a good habit."

Ding San raised his hand to his forehead, feeling a bit of a headache: "Huang Zhang, don't rush. You and Ye Zi will work together later; another new infected person has been registered..."

Huang Zhang asked, puzzled, "The two of us are going? What about you?"

Ding San seemed unwilling to explain further, only saying, "I have other matters to attend to. Resolve them as soon as possible and come back quickly. We'll find a place to meet up then."

(End of this chapter)