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Chapter 39
🕑 Added 2023-11-23 02:10:01 +0000 UTCWithout a word, Lynne quickly swung down from the beam. He then instantly saw the sealed mouth of the Left Hand, from which four legs—two large, two small—flailed wildly.
[Blood Clad Evil Spirit's Sanity -10]
[Evil Spirit Blood Baby's Sanity -10]
Lynne: "!!!"
"Halt! Halt! They're our own!"
Lynne urgently reached out.
…
A few minutes later, the slimy Blood Clad Evil Spirit and the dazed little sprout sat back-to-back at the threshold, viscous drool dripping from them.
"It felt like... a nightmare..." Blood Clad Evil Spirit murmured in a daze.
"Yada—"
The little sprout (๑＞︶＜)و stretched out its tongue, licking off the slime from its mother's face.
Pulling back his Left Hand, Lynne exclaimed, "Lady, why are you here?"
Blood Clad Evil Spirit forcefully shook off the drool and looked at him intently, saying, "Of course, out of concern for you. You dashed out so hastily during the day and haven't come to find me by night. What if you encounter creatures like last night?"
Lynne was moved.
Indeed, after fighting side-by-side the previous night, their relationship had clearly deepened.
"And... this is..."
Blood-clad Evil Spirit eyed Lynne's left hand warily. Upon seeing the mouth in its palm, her caution intensified.
"Allow me to introduce." Regaining his composure, Lynne smiled and pointed to his left hand, saying, "This is the one that mutated last night and consumed that creature. Since it's my left hand, I've temporarily named it 'Hidari.'"
Awooo—
The Left Hand (*〝▼皿▼) immediately snapped at the finger Lynne used to point at it.
[Left Hand's favorability towards you -1]
[Left Hand's favorability towards you -1]
Blood Clad Evil Spirit was taken aback, saying, "A... a hand?!"
The terrifying scene from last night immediately flashed in her mind—the gruesome sight of the creature being consumed from the inside out. This was beyond her comprehension.
Furthermore, it seemed to have its own consciousness. It looked like his mutation had resulted in a creature that defied all logic. And it also seemed... somewhat uncontrollable.
Blood Clad Evil Spirit stared, dumbfounded, at Lynne struggling with his left hand, which kept gnawing at his right. The entire scene felt absurd.
"Let's not waste time on pleasantries," Lynne managed, keeping his left hand in check, "Tonight won't be peaceful. After the death of the puppet yesterday, its organization will surely send someone to investigate. We're in for another restless night."
Blood Clad Evil Spirit cast a wary glance outside and questioned, "Are you sure it's tonight?"
Lynne replied cautiously, "I have my sources."
And just as they finished their conversation,
Clink—
Clink—
From the mist outside the door, there came consecutive sounds, as if blades were striking the ground.
The two exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.
Lynne quickly swung to perch atop a beam.
Blood-clad Evil Spirit transformed into her true form, hovering by the damaged ceiling like an octopus. Her nails grew longer, and a hint of madness and excitement appeared in her eyes.
The little sprout was dangled near the doorframe by one of her tentacles, curiously observing the Left Hand beside her.
Slurp—
She (๑＞︶＜)و playfully extended her tongue, licking the Left Hand.
[Ding! Evil Spirit Blood Baby's Favorability towards your Left Hand +1]
"Eh?"
The Left Hand seemed puzzled, looking back at the blinking little sprout.
Slurp—
It too tried to return the gesture, licking the little sprout's cheek.
[Ding! Your Left Hand's Favorability towards Evil Spirit Blood Baby +1]
Slurp—
[Ding! Evil Spirit Blood Baby's Favorability towards your Left Hand +1]
Slurp—
[Ding! Your Left Hand's favorability towards Evil Spirit Blood Baby +1]
The two of them seemed to have struck an odd friendship. For a moment, it was as if two kindred spirits with the same strange inclination were gleefully licking each other. Joy among monsters can be so simple sometimes.
Witnessing this bizarre interaction by the doorframe, Lynne whispered in exasperation, "Stop licking! Stop it! Someone's approaching!"
…
And in that moment, beyond the door, shrouded in a nebulous darkness, Three immense figures, each a blend of human and spider, slowly emerged before the entrance.
"Target location confirmed... Initiating scan..."
The leading creature's eye glinted, emitting a subtle crimson light. Its gaze swiftly settled on the vacant store interior.
In a mere heartbeat, Lynne rolled, gun in hand, instantly aiming for the creature's eye.
Bang—
A gunshot rang out.
The demon-hunting bullet tore through the air, landing squarely on the creature's eye socket.
Hiss hisss hisss—
Immediately, a holy force spread throughout the creature's form, electric currents coursing through its entirety.
"No need to hide! They've sent another bio-puppet! Ready for battle!" Lynne's voice thundered.
Having heard the synthesized voice from beyond the door, Lynne realized that the creature possessed scanning capabilities. But since they were already at his doorstep, he'd face them head on!
"Target locked... Identity verified... Maximum threat level... Terminate..."
Almost instantaneously, the three creatures moved. In a blink, their bodies left afterimages as they dashed, their arms morphing to brandish scythe-like mantis blades.
So fast! Before Lynne's eyes, a display of the three creatures appeared:
[Hunter Model 120]
[Level: ???]
[Alignment: None]
[Race: Bio-mechanical Fusion]
[Combat Abilities: Extreme speed and formidable regenerative capabilities!]
[Description: A top-tier hunting tool of the Demonfolk Association, renowned for its agility and speed. It possesses lethal striking power and tracking abilities. Frequently utilized by the Demonfolk Association for hunting tasks. Lacking a soul, it's immune to psychic attacks and mental curses...]
As expected of the Demonfolk Association's creations!
Almost instantly, the three hunters locked onto Lynne, initiating a swift pursuit. And just as one of the hunter's mantis blades was about to slash Lynne's face, a pair of crimson claws intersected its path.
"Leave it to me!"
In a flash, a red silhouette darted across Lynne's vision. Beside him appeared the Blood Clad Evil Spirit in her demonic form. Her half-meter-long razor-sharp nails clashed with a resounding clang against the weapons of the two hunters. Excitement and a hint of madness gleamed in her scarlet eyes.
A horrifying fissure slowly split open from the center of her forehead, revealing the terrifying barbs and tentacles hidden within.
"Heeheeheehee— Leave it to me— I was really— angry yesterday— Heeheehee—"
Her eyes shone with an increasing frenzied excitement, her entire body quivering with anticipation.
Seeing this display, Lynne instantly realized that the Blood Clad Evil Spirit had entered her wild combat mode.
"I'll count on you!" Lynne shouted. Without further ado, he quickly distanced himself. His left arm rapidly retracted with a snap, returning to his side.
"This hunter is ours to handle! Left hand, bite it!" Lynne commanded.
His left hand swiftly elongated, its maw gaping wide in a (〝▼皿▼) expression as it retorted, "You don't need to tell me!"
Like a striking serpent, the left hand lunged fiercely at the hunter.
Boom—
A deafening sound.
The terrifying power of the left hand instantly created a vast crater at the hunter's position. But the hunter's speed was incredible. Almost as the left hand launched its attack, the hunter agilely turned, its body springing upward like a gecko. Its sharp, blade-like spider legs thrust into the walls.
The red glow in its eyes pulsed rapidly.
"Target analysis… Unknown organism… Initiating hunt…"
Vrrrr—
The dual mantis blades in its hands burst forth with sharp electrical sparks. In the next moment, its entire body started to whirl like a bladed cyclone, rushing at an alarming speed toward Lynne.
Zzzz zzzz zzzz—
The cobblestones on the street were sent flying by the terrifying bladed whirlwind.
Without hesitation, Lynne gritted his teeth, rapidly sprouting four tentacles from his body which propelled him backward. Simultaneously, he pulled the trigger with force.
Bang bang bang—
One after another, the demon-hunting bullets rained down upon the fearsome blade storm.
Under the bullets' attached holy damage, the hunter's speed was instantly curbed, showing a significant reduction.
[Ding! Your Firearms Mastery +1]
[Ding! Your Firearms Mastery +1]
"Left hand!" Lynne shouted.
"Leave it to me!"
The left hand swiftly retracted and gaped open its enormous maw. Its long tongue split instantly into two, then four, and in a blink transformed into hundreds of lashing tongues that shot forth like swords towards the blade storm.
Clang—
Clang—
Clang—
The massive sound of metal clashing echoed, accompanied by a myriad of bursting sparks. Those seemingly soft tongues, upon contact with the blades, exhibited a toughness rivaling steel.
…
Hanged Tower.
In a grand hall, an inverted amalgamation of machinery and flesh, a man with ashen skin, draped in a black robe and whose face was covered with intricate mechanical structures, stepped in flanked by guards. His gaze was somber, his voice cold as ice.
"Have we made contact with the three hunters dispatched to Wandering Soul Lane?"
Several attendants in the hall turned, thumping their chests in salute, declaring solemnly, "The signal has been established! Vice-Chairman Mech-Demon, we can assume control of the three hunters at your command."
Mech-Demon indifferently approached the central screen in the hall, demanding, "Project their visual feed. I want firsthand information from Wandering Soul Lane at once!"
The attendants began their swift operations.
A soft red glow emanated from the screen in front of him, interspersed with flickers. Soon, three distinct feeds appeared, displaying the ongoing battle between Lynne, the Blood Clad Evil Spirit, and the hunters.
Mech-Demon's eyes narrowed instantly. His gaze was immediately drawn to the frenzied figure in the feed - the terrifyingly excited, red-clad specter. Her wild movements seemed to completely suppress the two hunters.
"Kill kill kill kill— Heeheeheehee—"
Her deranged laughter combined with her manic dance evoked the imagery of a grand feast of slaughter.
"Blood Clad Evil Spirit?! It's her!"
Mech-Demon's brow furrowed momentarily, his expression turning grave. He recognized this spirit. Especially in the Sinful City, this solitary madwoman was renowned. Because she was a ghoul that killed whimsically, her frenzied excitement in battle, and an unyielding bloodlust, made her a figure many didn't wish to confront.
"It can't be. She alone cannot possibly defeat the Type 3 Blood-Flesh Puppet."
His eyes narrowed in contemplation. Apart from the Demonfolk Association's chairman, he was the direct orchestrator of this internal purge.
Over the past few days, through coercion and incentives, he had killed and absorbed dozens of the elder members who were once the driving force of the Demonfolk Association. And the parts of the colossus, once divided and guarded by them, had mostly been retrieved in these recent hunts. According to the resonance of the colossus fragments, one piece was in Wandering Soul Lane, guarded by Bloodsaw. And the Flesh Puppet from yesterday, he had personally dispatched.
His gaze grew darker. Soon, he shifted his attention to the third hunter's visual feed. And then, he saw the peculiar, gun-wielding youth with the bizarre left hand.
"Could it be... him? A... human?"
His eyes darkened further. Unlikely. At a glance, he discerned that apart from the boy's odd left hand, his true strength seemed lacking. But then, his gaze settled on the demon-hunting revolver in the youth's grasp, and only upon recognizing the weapon did his expression subtly change.
"Demon-hunter's revolver?"
Only now did he give the young human a modicum of consideration. For it was evident to him that the usually solitary Blood Clad Evil Spirit seemed to be siding with him. And this seemingly fragile youth possessed the revolver that the infamous man never parted with. This alone spoke volumes.
"Establish a neural sync with Hunter #3."
Closing his eyes, Mech-Demon forcefully extracted a viscous mechanical interface from the back of his head and plugged it into the flesh interface in the hall.
"Yes, Vice-Chairman!"
"Neural synchronization in progress... Identity verification... Mech-Demon... Highest authority granted..."
"Successful neural source synchronization with Hunter #3... Link initiation—"
Vrrrr—
In an instant, when Mech-Demon reopened his eyes, he was already in control of the body of Hunter #3, his gaze immediately fixated on Lynne, a few dozen meters away.
Almost simultaneously, a system prompt resonated next to Lynne's ear.
[Ding! Warning! Warning! Danger escalating rapidly!]
[Ding! You've triggered an emergency special task: Survive. Task Rewards: Experience x1000, Skull Coin x1000, Special Item x1.]
