Infinite terror invades all heavens

One hundred kilograms of pure gold was an astonishing fortune, even for a well-informed Admiral Carter. But he merely glanced at it and nodded: "Purity?"

“10N level,” Zheng Zha replied. “It has no impurities and no ‘contamination’ whatsoever.”

Dr. Reid eagerly picked up a gold brick and scanned it with his instrument. A few seconds later, his eyes lit up: "General, it's definitely 'clean'! The energy reading is zero, there's no supernatural residue or other aura!"

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Admiral Carter's eyes, but he didn't show it. Instead, he looked at Zheng Zha and said, "Then, as agreed, we will provide the blueprints and manufacturing methods for the special weapons used in the 'Purification Protocol,' along with three physical samples."

He made a gesture.

Mr. Smith got up and took three metal boxes and a thick document bag from the safe against the wall.

"These three boxes contain 'Holy Light Grenades,' 'Spirit-Binding Net Launchers,' and 'Demon-Piercing Armor-Piercing Rounds,'" Smith explained. "These are all specialized equipment we developed specifically for dealing with supernatural creatures, and they have been tested in real combat."

He opened the first box, inside which were ten silver-white hand grenades neatly arranged, with cross patterns engraved on their surfaces.

"Holy Light Grenade, filled with a blessed mixture of silver powder and holy water, will generate a holy light shockwave with a radius of ten meters when detonated, which is especially effective against spirit targets."

The second box contained a strangely shaped gun with a large muzzle and a cylindrical container attached to the back.

"The Spirit Binding Net Launcher emits a net made of an alloy infused with mutated gold threads, which has an extremely strong binding effect on spirits. The barbs on the net continuously release energy pulses that weaken spirits."

The third box contained three rows of specially made bullets with dark red tips engraved with runes.

"The Demon-Piercing Armor-Piercing Round has a warhead coated with a specially treated silver and holy bronze alloy, and is filled with concentrated holy water. It can penetrate most supernatural energy shields and cause severe damage to the core."

Zheng Zha carefully inspected the three pieces of equipment and nodded: "No problem."

Smith pushed the file bag over again: "Inside are detailed blueprints, manufacturing processes, material ratios, and instructions for use for all the equipment. According to the agreement, you have the right to use it, but you are not allowed to distribute it to any third party."

"Understood." Zheng Zha put away the file bag and the three metal boxes.

The transaction was completed smoothly, and both parties breathed a sigh of relief.

General Carter stood up and extended his hand: "Mr. Zheng, I hope we will have the opportunity to cooperate again."

Zheng Zha shook hands with him and felt that the other's hand was as strong as an iron clamp.

"Maybe," Zheng Zha said noncommittally.

Just as he was about to leave, General Carter suddenly spoke up: "Wait, Mr. Zheng. I have a personal matter to discuss."

Zheng Zha turned around: "Please speak."

"Who...who exactly are you?" General Carter's eyes sharpened like knives. "I used all my authority to search through all known supernatural organizations, secret societies, special forces in various countries, and even some legendary ancient traditions, but there is no record of you."

He paused, his tone deep: "You seem to have appeared out of thin air, possessing technology far ahead of your time, formidable personal strength, and this gold that is unbelievably 'clean'..."

"This world is becoming increasingly dangerous. Supernatural events are occurring frequently, and rule-based monsters are emerging one after another. We need all forces that can unite. If you are willing, we can offer what Xia Kingdom can offer, and even more."

Zheng Zha remained silent for a few seconds.

He remembered Chu Xuan's instructions: to speak and do less.

“We are wanderers,” Zheng Zha finally spoke, his tone calm. “We can’t stay in one place for too long. As for cooperation… let’s talk about it later.”

After saying that, he picked up the suitcase, turned around, and left.

General Carter watched his departing figure with a complex expression.

"General, should we send someone to follow them?" Smith asked in a low voice.

“No need.” General Carter shook his head. “Following these kinds of people will only provoke them. Besides… I have a feeling we’ll meet again soon.”

…………

3 PM, Tokyo city center.

Wang Yi, Zhan Lan, Ling Dian, Zhao Yingkong, Ming Yanwei, Zhang Jie, Li Shuaixi, Qi Tengyi, and three bodyguards, a group of eleven, walked along the somewhat deserted street.

Chu Xuan's task for them was to "search for possible supernatural items," which included old shrines, temples, and even some legendary old buildings throughout Tokyo.

This sounds like finding a needle in a haystack, but in reality, Zhan Lan's mental scan made the task feasible.

Zhan Lan walked in the middle of the group with her eyes closed, a faint silver light flashing between her brows. Her mental energy spread outwards from her like an invisible radar wave, with a radius of five kilometers.

Within this range, no abnormal energy fluctuations, spiritual reactions, or even faint traces of curses can escape her perception.

Over the next few hours, guided by Zhan Lan, the group found several extraordinary items:

In the basement of an old bookstore slated for demolition, Qi Tengyi, relying on his knowledge of folklore, unearthed a yellowed, thread-bound book from a hidden compartment. The book was titled *The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons*, but it contained more than just legends; it also detailed the weaknesses of various demons, methods of dealing with them, and even some simple exorcism techniques. A faint spiritual energy lingered on the pages, clearly indicating it was a notebook left by a cultivator.

Deep within an abandoned factory, Zero used his Observation Haki to sense a buried metal box. Upon digging it out, he found twelve specially crafted kunai inside, engraved with ancient runes, their blades gleaming with a ghostly blue light. After examining them, Zhao Yingkong confirmed that these kunai possessed additional lethality against spirits, and were likely exorcising weapons passed down from a certain ninja school.

Beneath a bridge arch, Ming Yanwei, guided by her intuition, discovered a black stone half-buried in the soil. It was cold to the touch and had naturally formed lightning patterns on its surface. Qi Tengyi recognized it as a rare lightning-struck stone, formed when lightning struck a specific mineral in nature. It contained a faint amount of lightning power and could be used to create lightning-attribute magical artifacts.

In the attic of an old apartment building, Zhang Jie found a dusty suitcase. Inside was a complete set of Onmyoji equipment: a hunting robe embroidered with the Bagua diagram, an eboshi hat, a cypress fan, and dozens of talisman papers with different runes drawn on them.

Great harvest.

But looking at these items, the people did not feel much joy.

Because these extraordinary items are not of a high level, they might be useful against ordinary vengeful spirits, but against a terrifying being like Kayako...

"It's better than nothing," Wang Yi sighed, putting the last item into his pouch.

Zhan Lan rubbed her temples, feeling somewhat tired from maintaining a wide-ranging mental scan for several hours straight: "It's getting late, I should go back."

Everyone nodded and began their return journey.

…………

Five o'clock in the afternoon, inside the safe house.

The four groups of Wang Zongchao, Zheng Zha, Zhu Peng, and Wang Yi returned one after another.

Wang Zongchao brought back three pieces of equipment and important intelligence gifted by the Xia Kingdom; Zheng Zha brought back special weapons and blueprints from the White Eagle; Zhu Peng had completed the preliminary survey and compiled a detailed list of materials for the formation; Wang Yi and the others brought back several extraordinary items, including the "Hyakki Yagyō" (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons), rune kunai, and lightning-struck stones, as well as... a body full of exhaustion.

"A good haul." Chu Xuan counted the spoils and pushed up his glasses. "Although these items are not high-level, they each have their own unique features and can be used as backup methods or research materials."

He looked at Zhu Peng: "I've already arranged for Ling to purchase the materials for the formation, and they should be ready by tomorrow morning. You need to complete the formation setup within three days. Are you confident?"

"As long as the materials are in place, there won't be any problems," Zhu Peng nodded.

"Zheng Zha, is the evening marker shielding ready?"

“Anytime is fine.” Zheng Zha patted his chest.

Chu Xuan's gaze swept over everyone.

"For the next three days, everyone's tasks remain the same. Wang Zongchao will continue to maintain contact with Xia Guo to obtain more support; Zheng Zha needs to go to different places every day to exchange supplies; Zhu Peng will focus on setting up the formation; Wang Yi and Zhan Lan will continue to search for extraordinary items. Starting tomorrow, at midnight, you will stay behind to assist me in completing some preparatory work."

He paused, his tone becoming serious.

"Three days from now will be the time for our final battle against Ju-on."

A brief silence fell over the living room.

Everyone knew that these three days would be the calm before the storm, and after three days, they would face a terrifying curse.

"Understood," Wang Zongchao was the first to speak, his voice steady.

"Damn it!" Zheng Zha grinned, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit. "After holding back for so many days, it's time to settle things once and for all!"

Wang Yi took a deep breath and looked out the window at the Tokyo night view.

"Then, meeting adjourned. Get some rest and prepare for the next three days."

After finishing his sentence, Chu Xuan turned around and returned to his computer to continue his work.

Everyone left the living room and returned to their respective rooms.

As night deepens, Tokyo remains bustling.

Chapter 58 The Newcomer's Actions (Part 1)

The corridor of the safe house was dimly lit late at night.

Zhao Yingkong stood in front of Wang Yi's door, hesitating for a full three minutes.

Unconsciously, his fingertips lightly tapped the door panel, then quickly withdrew.

She took a deep breath, her mind replaying the helplessness she felt when the Ju-on clones attacked: when those eerie black hairs surged out of Lu Renjia's body, she was right nearby, yet she didn't even have time to react; when Ming Yanwei drew the Zishan Bow to kill the Ju-on, she could only hold her dagger and stand guard.

"Too weak..." the girl murmured to herself, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. The faint snoring from Zhang Jie's room at the other end of the corridor only served to emphasize the silence of the place.

Finally, she made up her mind and raised her hand.

Just as my fingertips were about to touch the door panel.

The door opened silently.

Instead of being pulled open from the inside, a translucent hand formed of condensed purple mist emerged from the shadows beneath the door and gently unlocked it.

After completing its action, the hand retreated back into the shadows, as if it had never existed.

Zhao Yingkong's pupils contracted slightly.

Gastly, she was completely unaware of the unusual activity in the shadows.

As the heir to a family of assassins, she possesses an almost instinctive sensitivity to stealth and counter-stealth, yet this ghostly creature managed to open the door right in front of her…

A strong sense of frustration welled up inside her, and she bit her lower lip, but then, this frustration transformed into an even stronger determination.

She was taken aback by what she saw when she pushed open the door.

Wang Yi had most of his body under the table, with only his waist and legs sticking out, and he was twisting back and forth, while Ying...

Ying sat curled up in the chair, her loose black vest making her skin appear even whiter. Her long legs were bent, but her cheeks were unusually red, and her forehead was damp with sweat. She was taking small breaths, and her eyes were misty with tears.

At that moment, Wang Yi's muffled voice came from under the table: "Together?"

Seeing this scene and hearing these words, a string in Zhao Yingkong's mind snapped. A murderous intent flashed in her eyes, and she pointed her fingers like a knife, aiming straight for Wang Yi's nape!

Wang Yi seemed completely unaware, but just as the chop was about to touch his skin, a layer of matte black fluid instantly covered the back of his neck and spine.

"boom!"

With a muffled thud, Zhao Yingkong felt as if her palm had struck a cast iron block. The recoil made her entire arm go numb, and she staggered back half a step.

At the point of impact, fine scales appeared on the surface of the black substance, remarkably similar to the carapace of the Shadow she had seen before. It slowly receded as if alive, shrinking back into the spider mark on the back of Wang Yi's hand.

"Found it!" Wang Yi finally emerged from under the table, holding a dusty chopstick in his hand. He looked up and saw Zhao Yingkong's frozen posture and the lingering hand strike. He paused, then suddenly realized, "Venom's automatic defense... No wonder my neck suddenly itched. Zhao Yingkong, you wouldn't have..."

"I didn't misunderstand!" Zhao Yingkong practically shouted, her voice piercing the silence. She abruptly covered her mouth, her cheeks flushed, her gaze darting frantically towards the corner of the wall. "My hand... my hand just slipped!"

Wang Yi rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "Fine, you say it was a slip of the hand, then it was a slip of the hand." He brushed the dust off his clothes and pointed to several red oil-stained food containers on the table. "So, it's not like they came here in the middle of the night just because they smelled it, right? It's the God's Special Extra Spicy, and Ying is the kind of person who likes to eat even though he's not a big fan."

Ying was gulping down a mouthful of milk when she heard this and coughed, still managing to mumble an explanation: "I... I can eat spicy food..."

Zhao Yingkong forced herself to calm down. She walked to the table and looked at Wang Yi: "I want to become stronger."

"Oh." Wang Yi picked up his chopsticks again and took a slice of lotus root. "Earn reward points to go back to the Main God Space to strengthen. That's how we all did it."

“Too slow.” Zhao Yingkong’s voice held a hint of urgency. “And in this situation… I’m too weak. When Kayako appeared, I wasn’t even as useful as Ming Yanwei, and now I…”

She paused, her voice lowering, "I can't even get close. That black hair... it's almost immune to physical attacks."

Wang Yi put down his chopsticks and finally looked at her seriously: "So you want to find a way to get stronger quickly?"

“Yes.” Zhao Yingkong met his gaze, her eyes filled with undisguised determination. “I have someone I must kill. Before that, I cannot die, and I cannot be this weak.”

The room fell silent for a few seconds. The only sound was Ying sipping her drink.

Wang Yi suddenly laughed, a hint of amusement in his smile: "Zhao Yingkong, you don't actually think I have some kind of secret technique that can 'double your fighting power overnight,' do you?"

“If there’s a price to pay, I can accept it,” Zhao Yingkong said, emphasizing each word. “Any price.”

This statement startled Wang Yi.

Looking at the girl who was only fifteen or sixteen years old, he thought of Zhao Yingkong's fate in the original novel, the "dominant personality" within her, and the messy affairs of the Zhao family...

As if possessed, he blurted out, "Zhao Yingkong, you didn't want to either..."

Halfway through his sentence, Wang Yi slammed on the brakes, nearly biting his tongue. Damn it, why did those cheesy internet memes from his past life have to pop up at a time like this! He coughed violently to cover up his blunder.

Ying tilted her head curiously: "Master, what aren't you thinking about?"

"Nothing, nothing!" Wang Yi quickly waved his hand and said seriously, "What I mean is, right now there is only one person who can help you improve your strength quickly."

"Who?"

Midnight.

Zhao Yingkong was stunned: "Zero Point? Isn't he a sniper? His abilities should all rely on firearms..."

"So do you think it's possible for a newcomer to know the detailed skill set of a veteran?" Wang Yi smiled mysteriously and stood up. "Come on, let me show you. Ying, do you want to come along?"