Chapter 206: Chapter 206: The Sleeping Witch (Please Subscribe for Monthly Tickets)
Qin Wanyu? The name sounded a bit strange, but as a Priest, Qi Xinzhu had heard many people’s prayers. So, she had encountered all sorts of names, and "Qin Wanyu" wasn’t special enough to particularly concern her. The reason she noticed Qin Wanyu was simple: she found the girl in front of her to be quite beautiful. Youthful and attractive, with a good figure, Qin Wanyu was a rare beauty in a place like the East Ring.
"Not only is Miss Qin’s name unique, but you are also very beautiful!" Qi Xinzhu didn’t know why she complimented Qin Wanyu; it was something she wouldn’t normally do. However, this Qin Wanyu gave her an odd feeling, a feeling that made Qi Xinzhu subconsciously wary.
"Really? It’s not the first time someone has mentioned my name. But when it comes to appearance, I think you’re prettier, Miss Qi. You’re not from the Fourth Ring, are you?" Qin Wanyu, with her back to the window, began to chat casually with Qi Xinzhu.
"Yes, I’m not from the Fourth Ring, but I’ve been here for almost a year now."
"It’s quite a coincidence. I’ve been away from the Fourth Ring for almost a year as well. A year has passed; times have changed, and things are different." As she spoke, a hint of nostalgia flickered in Qin Wanyu’s eyes.
Qi Xinzhu’s strange feeling intensified. Does Qin Wanyu know me?
"Miss Qin Wanyu must be very capable; being able to leave the Fourth Ring is an ability in itself."
"Do you think so? I agree. Well then, I must get to work. Miss Lu Yu, you should rest up. With Miss Qi Xinzhu here, your injury shouldn’t be a major problem. What we need to wait for now is information from the Security Bureau."
"Thank you, Miss Qin."
"I’ve told you, just call me Wanyu or Qin Wanyu; we’re about the same age. Alright, I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t disturb you two any longer!"
"Oh, okay then!"
Following Qin Wanyu’s instructions, Lu Yu obediently lay down on the bed to rest. Then, Qin Wanyu slowly walked to the window and naturally pulled back the curtains. She winked at Gu Fangyi, who was on the opposite rooftop, and flashed a very charming smile. "Although there’s no sun, it’s still better to make the room brighter; it can improve one’s mood."
On the opposite rooftop, Gu Fangyi, who had been watching Lu Yu’s room, finally realized that the nurse was their old classmate, Qin Wanyu.
Qin Wanyu? How is that possible? Wasn’t she dead? And even if she wasn’t, according to what Brother Luo said, she should have turned into an Exotic Species! Gu Fangyi immediately raised his sniper rifle and aimed at Qin Wanyu’s head, but Qin Wanyu seemed unconcerned. She leisurely arranged the curtains and opened the window. Then, she made a gesture of touching her hair towards Gu Fangyi.
Gu Fangyi remembered that Qin Wanyu had been incredibly powerful at the onset of her transformation, even possessing the power of a barrier that had sealed off the entire corridor. From that moment on, she was no longer their classmate but a Humanoid Species, the Sleeping Witch!
In the end, Gu Fangyi didn’t shoot. He didn’t know why he hesitated. However, he had a feeling that even if he did shoot, he likely wouldn’t kill Qin Wanyu. Instead, it might endanger the unprepared Qi Xinzhu and Lu Yu.
After exchanging greetings with Qi Xinzhu and Lu Yu, Qin Wanyu left the room as if nothing was amiss. By then, Gu Fangyi had already lost sight of her. He immediately took out his phone and dialed Qi Xinzhu’s number.
"Hello, Qi Xinzhu!"
"What’s the matter, Gu Fangyi?"
"The woman just now, her name is Qin Wanyu!" Gu Fangyi paused, somewhat at a loss for how to continue.
"How do you know her name is Qin Wanyu? Do you know her?"
"I do know her. And it’s not just me; Brother Luo, Brother Kane, we all know her."
"You all know her? Were you friends from the orphanage, or classmates from school?" Qi Xinzhu had some understanding of the trio’s past. She knew they had grown up together in an orphanage and attended school together, so anyone they all knew must be from one of those two places.
"She was indeed our classmate. But she should have died during the 404 incident. Even if she didn’t die, she should be an Exotic Species by now. The Humanoid Species known as the ’Sleeping Witch’—even Brother Luo’s Wraith Blade was made from her hair."
The Sleeping Witch? Qi Xinzhu immediately sensed something was wrong. She rushed out the door and looked down the hallway, but there was no one there. Qin Wanyu had just casually strolled around in front of her, and she hadn’t suspected a thing. What was her purpose in coming? And what was that medicine she gave Lu Yu?
Qi Xinzhu felt a pang of guilt towards Lu Luo. He had asked her to watch over Lu Yu, and she felt she hadn’t done a good job at all. "Lu Yu, are you feeling any discomfort now?"
Lu Yu also found Qi Xinzhu’s earlier reaction strange, but she wasn’t stupid. She quickly realized that the woman named Qin Wanyu might be problematic. "I don’t feel anything wrong. Sister-in-law, is there a problem with that nurse, Qin Wanyu?"
"That nurse, Qin Wanyu, definitely has a problem, but I can’t confirm what it is yet. However, according to Gu Fangyi, this Qin Wanyu is an Exotic Species." Qi Xinzhu didn’t hide anything from Lu Yu, knowing it would be pointless. Lu Yu had already taken the medicine Qin Wanyu had given her; deliberately concealing the truth now served no purpose. Reminding Lu Yu to be vigilant herself was far more effective than them trying to guard an unsuspecting Lu Yu.
From their brief contact, Qin Wanyu’s purpose seemed to be to visit them and give Lu Yu some medication. Is there something special about Lu Yu herself that warrants Qin Wanyu’s attention? Qi Xinzhu wasn’t Lu Luo; she couldn’t analyze useful information from such limited data.
"Nurse Qin Wanyu is an Exotic Species?" Lu Yu was horrified. "If she’s an Exotic Species, then what did she give me to eat just now? I..." She trailed off, feeling like crying. She didn’t know why she was so unlucky; it seemed like ever since yesterday, everything had been going against her.
Qi Xinzhu quickly patted Lu Yu’s back, comforting her. "You don’t have to worry so much. Just rest well. If you really encounter that person, just call for help loudly. Plus, I’ll always be by your side, I won’t leave you, and Gu Fangyi is nearby on alert."
"Alright, I understand," Lu Yu nodded, but Qin Wanyu’s image kept surfacing in her mind.
"The person who wanted to give me a candle last night, could it have been Qin Wanyu?" Lu Yu was certain that something would happen tonight, and she wondered what exactly the medicine she had just taken was. "Sister-in-law, I’m going to try to induce vomiting, to see if I can throw up the medicine I just took!"
"That’s a good idea. Go ahead and try!"
While Qi Xinzhu was taking care of Lu Yu, Gu Fangyi had already dialed Lu Luo’s phone. "Brother Luo, I saw Qin Wanyu..." He recounted the details to Lu Luo, who remained silent on the other end for a moment.
"Call Brother Kane right now," Lu Luo finally said. "Have him bring some people over to help. This isn’t as simple as it seems; sometimes, numbers can be a very significant advantage."
"Got it!"
To be honest, your sister really struck out having you for a brother! the Observer’s voice echoed in Lu Luo’s mind.
After hanging up, Lu Luo sighed. The Observer has a point. The East Ring was currently short on manpower, and the Hunters couldn’t help at this time. To protect Lu Yu, they could only rely on Circle Studio’s private strategy of using overwhelming numbers.
Yang Liya glanced at the sighing Lu Luo. "What’s up? Is there something going on your end?"
"Indeed there is, but I know my priorities." Lu Luo knew the situation was very bad. If he went back now, he might very well run into Qin Wanyu. However, doing so would be pointless. Without a way to deal with the Netherflame, his return wouldn’t change the course of Lu Yu’s mutation. Am I really supposed to go back, crush Qin Wanyu, then wait for Lu Yu to mutate and finally kill my own sister?
Sorry, but although Lu Luo might be an emotionless eating machine, when it came to killing his sister, he truly couldn’t do it. He wanted to save Lu Yu; nothing else mattered.
"Let’s get started now!" Lu Luo first found a metal rod and, from a distance, used it to touch one of the corpses.
HUM!
A burst of Netherflame shot into the sky, its chilling power making everyone around shudder involuntarily.
"This is..."
"Step back."
The Netherflame rampaged through the air. However, Lu Luo wasn’t particularly afraid and instead moved closer. Netherflame? He has that too, though his is roughly equivalent to a lighter. The Netherflame in front of him, however, is large enough to incinerate a large Exotic Species in minutes.
"Steam, second gear!" Qi He, suffused with a trace of purple, enveloped Lu Luo’s palm as he slowly approached the opposing Netherflame. But at that moment, Ludie interrupted him.
"Lu Luo, if someone needs to risk getting closer, it’s better if I do it." Ludie had spoken very little since yesterday. He would have continued playing dead if he hadn’t been genuinely worried about Lu Luo’s safety.
Lu Luo nodded towards Ludie, acknowledging his kind offer. "It’s fine. I’m confident I can handle this. You all need to back off. The power of Netherflame is something even Qiao Xing might not withstand, so don’t think you’re so great just because you’re Sixth Tier."
Right, Sixth Tier means jack shit... the Observer chimed in.
"Shut up!" Lu Luo retorted.
The faces of the two Sixth Tiers and one Fifth Tier beside him didn’t look too pleased. As if you could handle it, right? Don’t cry for help when you get burned by Netherflame.
Lu Luo slowly placed his palm on the Netherflame. As if drawn by some force, the Netherflame gradually seeped into his hand.
"Your ability is really weird, Lu Luo! What exactly is your relationship with the Nightmare Demon? Are you its illegitimate child?" Yang Liya joked.
Although Yang Liya was teasing, when Lu Luo heard the term ’illegitimate child,’ he subconsciously glanced at Ludie. Ludie touched his nose, lit a cigarette, and pretended not to see anything. What illegitimate child? I don’t understand a word.
Lu Luo paid no attention to Yang Liya. He focused all his attention on absorbing the Netherflame. After the process was complete, the corpse at his feet also dissipated. "It seems physical contact isn’t feasible. There are still twelve corpses left. I need to think of another method."
Lu Luo walked over to another corpse. Under Yang Liya’s watchful eyes, Luo Sen also followed. If something went wrong, Luo Sen could pull Lu Luo away immediately. The two squatted beside the female corpse, and Lu Luo and Luo Sen exchanged glances.
"Don’t talk," Lu Luo said.
Luo Sen was bewildered. I didn’t even say a freaking thing, okay?
Luo Sen couldn’t understand why Lu Luo, who had seemed like a little lamb before him less than a year ago, could now ignore him so completely. It’s infuriating!
"You were thinking, and that distracted me. Plus, if I hadn’t interrupted you just now, you would have started asking me questions," Lu Luo stated.
What a classic case of the villain crying foul first! Ludie and Yang Liya, standing to the side, found this somewhat hard to watch.
"Lu Luo, focus on the case," Yang Liya said sternly.
"Okay!"
"If we can’t touch the bodies, then we can’t conduct a thorough investigation. There are twelve corpses here. So, I want to try and see if there’s a way to draw out the Netherflame," Lu Luo straightforwardly stated his request. Yang Liya understood; it meant he was willing to take a risk.
"What if the corpses with important evidence are burned?"
"Right now, even if the corpses aren’t burned, we can’t get the important evidence you mentioned. So, we have to try."
"Fine, I’ll give you ten chances."
Ten chances? The number far exceeded Lu Luo’s expectations; he had originally thought Yang Liya would allow him to experiment three to five times at most. If it still didn’t work, then these bodies would most likely have to be handled by other Hunter departments.
"Begin!"
Lu Luo once again activated the second gear of his steam state. He used the steam not for fighting, but to gently manipulate and lure the Netherflame, then attract the Nightmare Demon’s Netherflame with his own, and finally filter it out using the Devourer.
Overall, the idea is good, but executing it correctly might be difficult! the Observer commented.
Hey, how do I know if I don’t try? Geniuses are meant to break the norm, Lu Luo thought.
So after trying, Lu Luo could only manage a bitter laugh. He discovered it wasn’t just difficult—it shattered upon contact!
"Damn!" he cursed, somewhat exasperated. Every time a strand of his steam touched one of the female corpses, it would trigger the corpse’s spontaneous combustion, making it impossible to continue the attempt.
Looking at the third spontaneously combusted corpse, Lu Luo’s expression grew stern. This can’t go on, he thought.
Yang Liya, standing beside him, also saw that Lu Luo was clueless. "If you need help, just say the word."
Lu Luo nodded and once again fell into deep thought. He had the Observer and the Fusioner. His energy purity and control precision should be at an extreme level. The Observer would correct any errors in his previous actions; after three consecutive attempts, his movements were free of tremors or flaws. Yet, the attraction still didn’t work. This could only mean it wasn’t an issue with his operation. No, the approach is wrong! Since these female corpses were piled here, it means they were touchable before. They self-ignited upon contact with ordinary objects, which is why I thought of energy encapsulation. But now, they still self-ignite upon contact with other energies. That can only mean one thing: the energy I’m using to envelop them is wrong!
Yang Liya and the others were Hunter squad leaders, after all. Upon hearing Lu Luo’s explanation, they immediately grasped the problem.
"If your assumption is correct," Yang Liya mused, "and this matter has a great deal to do with the Church, then it must have been someone from the Church who transported them here."