Also known as the Rich District in Linjiang City.
Most of the area consists of independent villas, with beautiful surroundings where many government institutions are established.
Two members of the law enforcement squad kicked open the front garden gate with brutality.
Allen, wearing a wide divine robe, walked in slowly.
The whole garden was filled with the stench of rotten blood.
The ground was littered with wilted flowers and leaves, with traces of coagulated, dried blood spreading everywhere, as if it had witnessed a grand bloody feast.
"Captain, the entire garden has been searched, the life detector found no living people and no useful information."
"Those martial artists captured last night had all taken poison in advance, and no useful information was extracted during interrogation. The organization on the other side is very tight-knit, there's likely little to gain here."
The law enforcement squad member reported.
Allen's gaze fell on the main building of the villa, an enormous structure exuding an eerie and ominous aura.
"The report from the Anomaly Bureau stated that the Demon Paper is related to the Abyss Master, but it seems the report is a bit off."
"Followers of the Abyss Master wouldn't perform such a blood ritual."
"They would divide and devour people, gaining power like demons consuming their kind, that's what those followers frequently do."
Allen walked to the villa's main entrance, and slowly pushed it open.
The neglected wooden door's hinges emitted a piercing sound.
The crack in the door opened.
A beam of sunlight pierced into the dark hall.
Allen peered through the crack.
The entire hall was designed in Omi Imperial architectural style, inside was resplendent with a crystal chandelier hanging from the circular dome and red carpet with gold edging.
Allen was about to push the door open.
Suddenly, a scarlet eyeball appeared in his view, just separated by the door, less than ten centimeters away.
The eyeball was filled with bloodshot lines, lacking eyelids, clearly showing black and white spots on it.
Confronted with three eyes, Allen's right hand went straight through the wooden door, grabbing a slippery body.
As his Blood Qi shook.
The two wooden doors shattered into fragments, a deformed monster was clamped by Allen's gloved hand at the neck.
That should be its neck.
The monster seemed to be the size of a small human girl.
The entire head was a fish head, an eyeball hung in front of its forehead through membranous flesh.
Its arms had bent into a bizarre arc, like an arthropod, twisting uneasily, covered in strange, densely packed, slippery scales.
Allen muttered deeply.
It seems that this aberration might have been a relative of Bruce before.
But he recklessly contacted the occult, leading to such a tragedy.
The Blood Qi surged out, instantly eradicating the aberration.
"Be careful, split up and search for any useful information, there might still be aberrations hidden."
Upon receiving orders.
A group of enforcers from the Church of the God of Steam and Mechanics entered in succession, starting a vigorous sorting of Bruce's villa.
Allen looked around, slowly walking towards the center of the hall, before an enormous, unknown portrait hanging there.
It depicted a black moon.
Inside the moon, a man pierced all over with swords and blood flowed freely...
On a rooftop of a distant high-rise.
Two figures wrapped in black coats were observing the situation in Bruce Villa through binoculars.
"Bruce's segment utterly failed.
The fourth sheet of Demon Paper hasn't been taken by the Anomaly Bureau to Hades Prison.
Out of five sheets, we had succeeded by eighty percent, but now the plan must change, retrieving the Demon Paper from the church won't be simple."
"No matter what, the plan must be executed. During this time, Linjiang City's main forces will be focused on student exams, which is precisely our opportunity."
"Yes, also solve the kid who's been in contact with the Demon Paper, Bruce failed because of him, handle it cleanly to avoid future problems."
The two conversed one after another, slowly disappearing into the darkness.
"So you mean you were once very powerful, had high status, strong enough to punch a continent into oblivion, and had thousands of devoted followers, the stunning Hamster Goddess?"
One person and one hamster sat around a wooden table.
"Yes, that's right, don't judge me by my current appearance, back then I was quite... Wait, what hamster?!"
"You, a hamster and also beautiful, are you sure your followers weren't aberrant mutations?"
"Couldn't be, hamster?"
Cang Yan trembled slightly, with a large belly, rolling and crawling into the bathroom.
A heart-wrenching scream came from inside.
It timidly rolled out, wriggling on the floor with its stomach: "How could this happen, my earth-shattering Blood Qi is gone, okay, but why have I become a hamster.
My stunning looks, proud body, and icy aura...
Not even a woman anymore."
It seems to have suffered a major blow in hamster life.
Baiyu held back laughter and said: "I'll go to the pet market and see if I can find a companion for you someday.
But given your size, normal hamsters certainly wouldn't handle it.
How about getting a teddy for you?"
"Idiot, I am human! I'm offended!"
"I'm truly sorry then.
Since you can enter and exit the space in my mind, just stay inside when you have nothing to do.
A hamster this big, others might think I'm keeping an Exotic Beast."
"Can't you keep an Exotic Beast?" Cang Yan instinctively showed a surprised expression.
"Raising an Exotic Beast? Got a death wish?"
Baiyu looked at it like it was a fool, shaking his head:
"Indeed, you can't expect intelligence from a hamster.
Martial artists hold high status because they can repel external enemies and slay Exotic Beasts and aberrations."
"Is that so, how come I remember Exotic Beasts aren't much of a threat." Cang Yan counted four fingers on its paw.
Baiyu didn't bother responding, anyway he had confirmed from various angles that this hamster lacked any aggression, much like a husky.
Given his current body's Blood Qi, he probably knocks one out with a punch.
But thinking about the wasted five hundred points, Baiyu felt a pang of heartache.
"Tomorrow is the second mock exam, and then it's the third mock exam in a month, finally leading to the final high-stakes exam."
"Two months left, during this time it's best to elevate all subjects to Level One, and also brew a Prayer Technique apprentice's Magic Elixir, and formally become an Extraordinary."
"Too bad I didn't obtain Bruce's Magic Elixir Recipe after all."
Baiyu took out a sturdy notebook and began planning the learning schedule for the next two months.
Can't fall behind on academic subjects.
Blood Qi training also can't slip.
And the collection of Magic Elixir materials, etc.
Now with everything piling up, Baiyu found himself short on available time.
Completing the Nightmare Task earned him five hundred points, a Spirit Technique, and a Rare Level lottery opportunity.
He hasn't used the lottery chance yet.
Given it's Rare Level.
He feels there might be manipulation in the system's lottery odds, so he plans to accumulate tries.
As for the Spirit Technique "localized enhancement."
It's a Spirit Technique available for those below Tier Seven Martial Artists and Quasi-Martial Artists.
It allows concentrating Blood Qi in certain parts of the body, gaining tremendous power.
A very practical Spirit Technique!
"It's just past midnight, let's check the tasks first."
Baiyu's consciousness entered the top student space.
The task bar showed that three daily tasks had refreshed.
Nightmare difficulty finally changed.
And today happens to be Monday at midnight, refreshing once a week.