Chapter 234 - 232: Fang Can is Cultivating

On the top floor of the Dragon Group's headquarters, Ji Donglai studied the photograph in his hand.

The man in the photo was on a subway. His colorful, striped T-shirt was soaked in blood, and his bloodthirsty smile was utterly menacing.

The surrounding white floor tiles were covered in blood. A dozen or so passengers lay strewn about in pools of their own blood, a veritable scene of carnage.

This was the mastermind of the first serial killing case. After considerable effort, he was apprehended and directly imprisoned by individuals with superpowers.

According to the investigation, just one day prior, this man had been an ordinary, run-of-the-mill corporate drone.

But then he had suddenly gone on a murderous rampage on the subway. Over the course of a day of slaughter, surveillance footage showed him growing stronger with every kill.

By the time authorities reacted and captured him, his Realm had already reached the Profound Gate Seventh Layer, and he had accumulated a body count of over a thousand people.

Afterward, his actions triggered a chain reaction.

Before the news was even officially released, a series of copycat crimes had already broken out across the country.

At least several dozen people were emulating the "Bloodhand Butcher," carrying out their own massacres.

Even for someone like Ji Donglai, for whom ordinary people were insignificant, this level of slaughter was something he could not ignore. He had to intervene and bring order.

As Ji Donglai was examining the photo, an investigator knocked, announced himself, and entered.

With thinly veiled horror on his face, he handed over a file. "Chief, these are the results from using the Subject Identification Technique on the first mastermind of the vicious massacres."

Taking the file, Ji Donglai flipped to the first page.

Name: Bloodhand Fiend

Realm: Transcendent Body

Flesh & Blood Aberration Level: 75.56%

Cultivation Technique: Five Elements Leap Insertion Skill

Martial Arts: Myriad Phenomena Fist

Composition: Flesh Memeplex, Humanoid Wishing Machine, One Soul-Two Bodies, Cancer of Order, Body of Data

...

'One Soul-Two Bodies, Cancer of Order, Body of Data?'

Looking at the final conclusions of the identification technique, Ji Donglai remained silent, knowing the researchers would explain.

"Reporting, Chief. Through interrogation, we've learned that the Bloodhand Fiend can have his soul leave this body. We can confirm that he has a primary physical body hidden elsewhere."

"Our harsh interrogation methods have no effect on them. They seem to be able to fine-tune their body's pain perception, so conventional torture is useless."

"During the interrogation of more than a dozen targets, they used words like 'player,' 'online game,' and 'leveling up.' They also claim there are trillions of people like them, spread across several star systems."

"They threatened that 'low-level native civilization NPCs' like us should surrender as soon as possible and just cultivate countless 'native EXP mobs' for them, the players, to kill."

"We've verified it. They really do possess the ability to grow stronger by killing, just like game characters. As long as they kill people, they get stronger."

"This 'Interstellar Federation' they speak of is likely not a fabrication. To them, our world may just be a game."

"Their bodies in this world are probably like game avatars. Even if they die here, it has no real-world consequences for them."

Listening to the investigator's report, item by item, Ji Donglai felt a headache coming on.

It was truly one disaster after another. 'Live long enough and you'll see everything, I suppose.'

The situation with the Otherworld wasn't even resolved, and now a group of homicidal maniacs calling themselves 'players' had appeared. Is the New Country cursed or something?

"Are you saying that these people in the New Country are just shells, and their real bodies are countless light-years away, or perhaps in another world entirely?"

"Yes, Chief. They said this 'game' is still in a trial phase. In the first official stage, at least 50 million players will be joining."

'Fifty million!!!' Ji Donglai's jaw dropped in disbelief.

Fifty million of these murderous freaks, scattered all over the country... you'd never know where a horde of them might pop up. They could kill and then vanish, completely beyond the reach of the law.

"Yes, but you don't need to be overly concerned."

"According to them, this game also has a two-world setting. Those 50 million people should only be deployed in the Otherworld."

Ji Donglai let out a slight sigh of relief and continued, "Is there a way to identify them?"

"There is, Chief. These players' appearances seem to have been customized. They are either unnaturally beautiful or unnaturally bizarre. You can tell by the condition of their skin."

"Also, their names are usually more than three syllables long. You can basically determine if someone is a player by their name," the researcher said.

'More than three syllables... unnaturally beautiful...' Ji Donglai almost immediately thought of the newly joined superpowered individual, "Shallow Solitude."

'How did I not notice how strange that name was before? Don't tell me she's a player, too.'

After some thought, Ji Donglai decided to leave the superpowered individual alone for the time being.

'After all, she has genuine superpowers, which makes her one of us. It doesn't matter if she's a player, as long as she doesn't turn her blade on our own people.'

"Describe the specific state of this Federation for me again," Ji Donglai said.

"We have very little information at the moment. Those players are immune to physical torture, and mental interrogation might just make them log off and stop playing."

The investigator continued, "All we know is that their Federation spans several surrounding star systems. They don't have beings like superpowered individuals or Martial Artists. The wealthy in the Federation have technology that can even let them achieve immortality by easily swapping bodies."

"A technological society, then? In that case, have Fang Can handle the interrogation. Let's see what effect he has," Ji Donglai decided.

"Yes, Chief."

「...」

Inside the villa, Fang Can sat cross-legged and quiet on the sofa, focusing his entire mind on his sea of consciousness, visualizing a great sun, bit by bit.

With a war against various nations on the horizon, Fang Can planned to cherish this time and raise his power as much as he could.

Beside him, Liu Qingmeng was sprawled out leisurely, holding a tablet and browsing various forms of light entertainment.

As she entertained herself, the girl's slender, fair legs swayed gently. Her smooth, pearl-like toes rested against the oblivious Fang Can's chest, tickling the palm of his outstretched hand bit by bit.

...Perhaps teasing the unaware young man was more entertaining to her than anything on the tablet?

Next to her, Jiang Ning'an, who had been accompanying them in their cultivation, couldn't bear to watch any longer and advised:

"Master, Fang Can is still cultivating. Could you... be a little more gentle?"

"He can't handle this little bit of force? Don't worry. He's in the middle of cultivation right now. He won't react no matter what I do."

Liu Qingmeng paid her no mind. Her crystal-clear toes spread slightly to clasp Fang Can's finger, and her small foot crept further into his lap to feel the young man's warmth.

"Hmph. In his current meditative state, he's just a wooden dummy. He won't resist at all. I can play however I want without affecting him."

As Liu Qingmeng spoke, she looked at Jiang Ning'an with exasperation. "And you? You can't stand to see your sweetheart being toyed with right in front of you. Your heart is restless and impatient."

"As your master, I am training your composure."