Monsters Die When Killed-Chapter 45 - 24: The Innocent and the Monster

A seventh victim has been discovered in Hongcheng’s major 719 serial murder and dismemberment case.

At the latest crime scene by Chigu Beach, the mangled remains were loaded into an ambulance as the newly arrived Patrol took control and cordoned off the area.

Zhang Fucheng looked around at the busy crime scene investigators, his gaze filled with worry.

’There are too many people here; their presence has scattered the Spiritual Qi trail... The trails at the previous crime scenes are already so faint I can’t even tell where they lead anymore.’

He knew it was impossible to keep the Patrol from surveying the scene, just as he couldn’t stop passersby during the day. All in all, Professor Zhang knew the main problem was his own lack of skill. Compounded by the fact that Spiritual Qi had yet to return to the world, it was incredibly difficult for him to unleash his full repertoire of Daoist Magic Techniques.

Based on his examination of the previous victims’ remains and the crime scenes, Zhang Fucheng had roughly determined a few things. The Demon Beast likely did not feed on flesh and blood, it was of the Wood Attribute, it could travel through water, and it was probably quite large—an investigation team from the Patrol had found huge climbing marks on the concrete guardrail by the river. Its body alone had to be at least half a meter wide, much broader than a man’s shoulders.

’A Water Ghost? A Demonized Water Spider? A Fishman?’

Furthermore, none of the victims showed any signs of a struggle, so he couldn’t rule out the possibility that it possessed some kind of Extraordinary Divine Technique.

Frankly, Zhang Fucheng had a deeply unsettling suspicion: the unknown Demon Fiend had likely existed for a long time, living in seclusion. Only recently had it started hunting far and wide, either to advance in power or to nurture its offspring. It was preying on humans with potential, harvesting their Spiritual Power Organs to replenish its own energy or to stockpile for the future.

’If we’re a step too slow, we might find ourselves facing an evolved Demon Fiend, or worse, a Great Demon Fiend with who knows how many Little Demon Fiends.’

And neither of those was a pleasant prospect.

The situation was grim, and there was no time to delay. Once the Patrol investigators had mostly finished their work and left the scene, no longer disturbing the surrounding Spiritual Qi, Zhang Fucheng began to cast his technique.

Just as before, he held up a Talisman and ignited it from thin air with a flash of lightning. Professor Zhang closed his eyes, then opened them again, using the power of the flickering Talisman to activate his Yin Yang Vision and scan the surrounding Spirits.

Due to the insufficient concentration of Spiritual Qi in the area, the Talismanic Technique wasn’t very effective, and his Spiritual Vision was quite blurry. After a moment of careful observation, Zhang Fucheng finally spotted a faint, blurry brown trail on the ground. It emanated a sweet, cloying, and dangerous aura.

’In an era of abundant Spiritual Qi, I wouldn’t have needed a Talisman at all. Any trained Transcendent could use Spiritual Vision. But in the end, the world has not yet opened. What can you do...’

’A Wood Attribute Spirit... heading toward the Gan River... A Wood Spirit Water Ghost? Some other kind of aquatic Monster? Or just a Demon Fiend that happens to be able to survive in water?’

The situation was complex and difficult to analyze. But no matter what, the creature’s power, that dangerous feeling...

After frowning in thought for a moment, Professor Zhang turned to the Patrol officers behind him. "We need a boat—a speedboat! The Demon Fiend is using the water to hide. If we follow its trail, we might find its lair!"

"And make sure you’re armed. I can’t identify this Demon Fiend’s origins, it’s incredibly fast, and its strength may be beyond what we can imagine... Yes, heavy weapons. Request support from the armed Patrol. Just pretend you’re hunting a dinosaur."

Meanwhile, as the professor from Zhengyi Academy and a squad of Patrol officers painstakingly scoured the Ganjiang River for the Demon Fiend’s trail and lair, Su Zhou had already followed an exceptionally clear Spiritual Qi trail right into a sewer.

Hongcheng’s sewer system had long been a source of public complaint. For hundreds of years, any time it rained, parts of the city would flood. It was only in the last few years, after a nationwide overhaul of urban waterway systems that renovated the underground infrastructure of all of Zhengguo’s provincial capitals, that the much-mocked "urban ferrying" phenomenon finally came to an end.

The trail Su Zhou was following led deep into the Fuhe River, disappearing into a sewage interceptor box culvert. Through the water, he could see a large hole in that section of the culvert; apparently, this was how the Evil Demon moved between the sewer system and the open water.

’This is no time to worry about getting dirty.’ Holding his spear shaft, Su Zhou studied the layout of the surrounding sewer lines, then carefully chose a deserted street, pried open a manhole cover, and slipped inside.

The sewer was cold and damp—at least, much colder than the world above in Hongcheng. He jumped straight down the access shaft, and Su Zhou landed softly at the bottom, his feet meeting solid concrete.

It was pitch-black underground. Although Su Zhou had a small flashlight, he didn’t want to spook his quarry. Concentrating for a moment, he activated his Thermal Vision. After a brief delay, the world before him resolved into a scene of processed heat signatures.

’Hmm, I can see the Spiritual Power trail.’

This section of the sewer was, without a doubt, the Evil Demon’s lair. With just a glance, Su Zhou could see a dense web of brown Spiritual Qi trails. They twisted together, even pooling into thick, knot-like clumps that were as obvious as signposts.

The deeper and more distinct the color, the more active the Evil Demon had been in that spot.

Following these Spiritual Qi Groups, Su Zhou moved silently along the concrete walkways bordering the sewer channel. He soon arrived at a junction where sewage and filth from three directions merged before flowing into a distant discharge pipe.

’Strange, why is it surprisingly clean and odorless here?’

Su Zhou had been subconsciously holding his breath since entering the sewer, but even his Body of Perfection couldn’t go without air completely. A moment ago, bracing himself with a grimace, he had taken a breath, only to be surprised by the absence of the typical stench of sewage.