Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 26 – Approaching Crisis
“What’s wrong, Miss Luo Yan?”
Qin Wen, walking beside Luo Yan, noticed her furrowed brow, sensing something amiss.
“A familiar aura…”
Luo Yan, her eyes still covered, relied on Qin Wen’s guidance.
She sensed a strange aura emanating from the research facility, but couldn’t pinpoint its location.
Just then, Luo Yan felt a wave of dizziness.
This wasn’t unfamiliar to her, but this time, there were no accompanying visions.
She only vaguely saw a red blur in her mind, a feeling of intense fear.
“Miss Luo Yan!” Oversight Department members, spotting Qin Wen and Luo Yan, rushed towards them. “There’s trouble in the laboratory!”
“Trouble?”
Luo Yan snapped back to her senses, and Qin Wen reacted instantly.
Without hesitation, she grasped Luo Yan’s hand and ran towards the laboratory.
Within three seconds, they reached the laboratory door.
Meanwhile, Hua Qiling lay on the ground, waiting for death.
But, to her surprise, even after three seconds, nothing happened.
Hua Qiling forced her eyes open and saw the unresponsive flesh tentacle beside her arm.
“What… what’s wrong with it…?”
Just then, Luo Yan and Qin Wen arrived.
Precisely twenty seconds, just as Hua Qiling had predicted.
“It’s a Devil’s minion!”
Qin Wen’s expression turned serious, three swords materializing around her.
Luo Yan also sensed the malevolent aura emanating from the flesh on the ground. She hesitated, then slightly opened her eyes.
—The power of “Envy” activated.
Another wave of pure malice surged, piercing the Devil’s minion’s consciousness hidden within the flesh.
Red Butterfly, controlling the flesh from Flower Street, shrieked and quickly severed the mental connection.
However, even with her quick reaction, she couldn’t escape unscathed.
The true power of “Envy” pierced her soul and consciousness. The moment she met Luo Yan’s gaze, Red Butterfly coughed up blood, her mind reeling.
The uncontrolled “Gu Seeds” acted instinctively, its tentacles piercing Hua Qiling’s flesh.
But before it could begin feeding, Qin Wen’s sword struck.
Qin Wen had been hunting this Devil’s minion for months. Although she didn’t understand the principles of “Gu Seeds,” she had ample experience in how to kill them.
Countless sword beams converged, instantly exploding, reducing the flesh to dust.
“It’s… finally over…”
Hua Qiling coughed up black smoke. Although the battle had lasted less than half a minute, it was the closest she had ever come to death.
A meticulously laid trap, the power of a Primordial Demon, the unexpected “Gu Seeds”…
Combined, any ordinary “Ruin” level ability user, even Qin Wen, would have perished.
Hua Qiling’s survival was due not only to her courage and resolve, but also to luck.
Luo Yan, with her ability to neutralize the “Witch of Envy,” Qin Wen, who had been hunting the Devil’s minion, and her own familiarity with the laboratory…
If any of these factors were missing, Hua Qiling would be dead.
However, Hua Qiling’s most severe injury was from the high-voltage current she had unleashed.
If she hadn’t done that, she wouldn’t have been able to buy those precious few seconds.
Even Luo Yan had only sensed the strange aura when she was near the laboratory, instinctively using “Envy” to stop the attack.
This was a truly fortunate outcome.
After dealing with the flesh, Luo Yan quickly helped Hua Qiling up and let her rest in a chair.
“I’m sorry… it was my negligence,” Hua Qiling whispered. “I almost… got the Oversight Department people killed…”
“Don’t worry about that now. I’ll call the medical team,” Luo Yan glanced at the devastated laboratory and sighed. “We were too late.”
She hadn’t expected that a mere thirty seconds could mean the difference between life and death for a “Ruin” level ability user.
“The Witch of Envy’s power…”
Luo Yan took a deep breath. Possessing the same power, she understood how dangerous this incident had been.
Qin Wen, since entering, had kept her eyes closed, carefully sensing the residual demonic power in the laboratory.
“It’s him…” she gritted her teeth. “Over a hundred people have been killed by this thing in the Endless Wasteland and turned into flesh puppets.
“If their life force isn’t completely extinguished, they can instantly heal from any injury… This is his doing!”
After all, these puppets were just shells controlled by “Gu Seeds.” With enough nutrients, they could regenerate endlessly.
“It seems Yan City is in serious trouble this time,” Luo Yan frowned. She had diligently studied the “Disaster Compendium.” “This situation surpasses eighty percent of mega-city crises, and…”
Luo Yan recalled the terrifying red blur she had seen in her vision.
“We should inform Director-General Li Ping immediately,” Hua Qiling said, her face filled with worry. “The enemy… likely obtained something from the Ghost Town ruins…”
Luo Yan nodded in understanding.
The sound of an ambulance could be heard outside. The life of a “Ruin” level ability user was incredibly valuable, warranting the immediate use of a dedicated vehicle.
…
Meanwhile, on Flower Street.
“What… is she…?”
Red Butterfly’s face was pale with terror as she stared at her hands in disbelief.
“No, no, she’s Qin Wen… She’s Qin Wen! Sword Saint Qin Wen, slayer of countless demons…”
In the flesh puppet’s fading vision, Red Butterfly clearly remembered the white-clad woman who had arrived, her eyes closed, three signature swords floating behind her.
Although Red Butterfly had never met Qin Wen face-to-face, the “closed eyes,” “white clothes,” and “floating swords” all matched Qin Wen’s characteristics.
It was definitely her!
But how could this be…?
Red Butterfly clearly saw “Qin Wen” open her eyes slightly—revealing the Lord’s “Eye of Fear, Envy, and Defilement”!
Identical, unmistakable!
Moreover, the malevolent aura emanating from “Qin Wen” was purer, more terrifying.
“Could it be… that Sword Saint Qin Wen has fallen and become the very demon she despises…?”
But Red Butterfly felt no joy, only fear.
Because… the “Sword Saint’s sword” was already incredibly powerful, and combined with the Lord’s power…
And she had been hunting Red Butterfly relentlessly, never giving up.
How could Red Butterfly feel any joy? She was terrified.
She had hoped to use the “Witch of Envy’s” power to gain an advantage, but Qin Wen had also revealed the same power, purer and stronger.
Red Butterfly didn’t doubt “Qin Wen’s” determination to kill her, even if she was also a Devil’s minion.
The relationship between Devil’s minions wasn’t one of mutual support, but of mutual exploitation.
If one’s death could bring significant benefits, the other wouldn’t hesitate to strike, even if they served the same “Primordial Demon.”
Red Butterfly knew this, and her fear deepened.
“No, but… Qin Wen isn’t a Devil’s Apostle yet. She doesn’t have the Lord’s blessing… I still have a chance!”
A ferocious expression appeared on Red Butterfly’s delicate, made-up face. “If I become the Lord’s Apostle first, even if she uses the ‘Sword Saint’s sword,’ she won’t be a match for me!
“Not only that, but the entire Yan City… no, the entire Free Federation, will tremble before the Lord’s descent!”
The thought of this made Red Butterfly tremble with excitement.
“Red Butterfly, it’s your… Oh my, how could you be so careless?”
A heavily made-up older woman entered, looking at the messy room in surprise.
Red Butterfly, struck by Luo Yan’s “Envy” attack, had knocked over things on the table.
“It’s nothing, Mother,” Red Butterfly quickly hid her face behind her wide red sleeve. “Just a few rats, they startled me.”
“Is that so… Oh dear, that won’t do. I’ll have Wu Ma find someone to clean this up,” the older woman, her face caked with foundation, frowned, seemingly scattering white powder with every movement. “We can’t have anything disturbing our star, Miss Red Butterfly.”
“…Thank you, Mother,” Red Butterfly continued to hide her face, and more importantly, the bloodstains on her lips. “Mother, I’ll be ready soon.”
“Good, good… Oh, and Young Master Liu has specifically requested your company in a few days. He’s practically the second-in-command of Flower Street, my dear Red Butterfly, so…”
“I’ll… be waiting.”
“Good, good…” The older woman nodded in satisfaction, beaming.
She backed out of the room, not forgetting to add, “Don’t be too late for the performance. Several young masters from prominent families are waiting. We can’t afford to offend them…”
“Understood, Mother.”
Red Butterfly’s melodious voice rang out, but her expression was now twisted with disgust.
“Well, since the trap failed, this unlucky Young Master Liu will have to do…”
…
After taking the injured Hua Qiling to the hospital, Li Ping finally arrived.
He had read the incident report submitted by Luo Yan and Qin Wen (Luo Yan, having read through the Disaster Response Department’s procedures, knew how to write a report). Upon learning that Hua Qiling had almost died, he immediately set aside his work and rushed to the hospital.
This wasn’t the first time Luo Yan had met Li Ping, but it was the first time Qin Wen met the… Li kid her master had mentioned so often.
Well, calling an elderly man a “kid” was rather disrespectful, but even the simple-minded Qin Wen knew basic manners.
“Elder Li,” Qin Wen bowed respectfully. “My name is Qin Wen.”
“Qin Wen… I’ve heard of your heroic deeds in the Endless Wasteland. The Sword Saint’s sword truly lives up to its reputation,” Li Ping replied, then turned anxiously to Hua Qiling, who was lying in the hospital bed. “Xiao Hua, how are you feeling?”
“I… I should be… fine…”
Hua Qiling, wrapped in bandages from head to toe, said uncertainly.
But this “fine” was clearly an understatement. Hua Qiling couldn’t even use her ability right now.
And because of this, Luo Yan was truly blind, unable to see anything.
Fortunately, Qin Wen had taught her the Sword Saint sect’s breathing technique, and after some frantic practice, Luo Yan could vaguely sense changes in the surrounding aura.
“Just focus on recovering here for now,” Li Ping sighed. “I didn’t expect that right after your sister left, you would encounter… Sigh!”
But this time, it wasn’t Hua Qiling’s recklessness that was to blame. It was a completely unexpected accident.
After reading Luo Yan’s report, Li Ping felt a wave of fear.
It had been so close…
If anything had happened to Hua Qiling, how could he face her deceased father, and how could he face Hua Qingling, who was working tirelessly for Yan City’s future?
“This incident is no small matter… Old Man, it involves a ‘Primordial Demon’…”
Hua Qiling struggled to sit up, but Li Ping gently pushed her back down.
“I’ll handle it, you just focus on recovering,” Li Ping whispered.
“Yes, Hua Qiling, you’re currently completely incapacitated, unable to even use your ability. You’ll just be a burden in battle,” Luo Yan said bluntly, simply stating the facts.
“Leave it to me. I’ve been wanting to kill this damned Devil’s minion for a long time…”
Qin Wen’s voice was filled with sword intent, like a drawn sword.
“Now that I have a lead, I won’t let him escape!”
“The Sword Saint’s sword exists only to slay demons!”
Looking at the passionate Qin Wen, Hua Qiling felt a surge of admiration.
No, don’t misunderstand.
She admired Qin Wen’s ability to say such chuunibyou lines with a straight face…
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