Chapter 116: Alluring Appearance

Chapter 116 An Enticing Demeanor

"A tactic?" Jiang Jingwei’s eyes lit up. She propped her chin in her fingers, striking a deliberate pose.

"Li Dongze is right. We absolutely must devise a tactic. After all, we are an official organization, not some brainless wicked profession. I have an idea."

The wicked professions probably have more brains than you... Though highly inappropriate, the thought crossed everyone's mind simultaneously.

Li Dongze inquired, "You have an idea? Let’s hear it."

Jiang Jingwei proposed, "We charge straight in. Teng Yuan and Yuanshi will spearhead the assault, Guanya will provide suppressive fire, and I will ambush them when opportunity strikes, taking them down one by one."

A magnificent strategy, so magnificent it barely qualified as one... With his maternal aunt heavy on his mind, Zhang Yuanqing urged, "Centurion, let us not waste any more time."

Li Dongze too felt he had been overly naive to actually solicit a tactic from a Fire Master.

He swept his gaze across the gathering and spoke with methodical precision:

"The adversary holds hostages, so a brute-force assault is out of the question. We must deploy a Night Wanderer adept in stealth. Yet for Yuanshi to venture in alone would surely court disaster. Guanya, contact Yuan Ting and have him rush here with the utmost speed."

"Understood!" Guanya retrieved her phone and stepped to the side.

Li Dongze continued:

"A Night Wanderer’s stealth has its limits; even inside the hospital, the surveillance cameras will catch him. Therefore, Wang Tai, prepare to breach the hospital’s security system."

Wang Tai immediately flipped open his laptop, took his seat, and began clacking away furiously at the keyboard.

Li Dongze then turned his attention to Jiang Jingwei and Teng Yuan, saying:

"The rest of us lack stealth capabilities. We shall remain here to draw the attention of Li Xianzhong and the other criminals. I will handle the negotiations with Li Xianzhong to stall for time and divert his focus as much as possible."

Just then, Guanya hung up her phone and murmured, "Captain Yuan says he requires fifteen minutes."

Fifteen minutes... Li Dongze frowned, casting a glance at Zhang Yuanqing. "We will do our best to delay until his arrival. Do not be reckless; you cannot possibly contend with that gang of thugs on your own."

Teng Yuan, Wang Tai, and Jiang Jingwei all shared the same sentiment.

This band of outlaws was targeting Yuanshi, and their sheer arrogance served as both a provocation and a taunt. Given Yuanshi's current level, entering now would mean certain death. It was a disheartening truth, but a truth nonetheless.

Guanya suddenly recalled that Yuanshi’s maternal aunt was an intern doctor at Pingtai Hospital; he had mentioned it during their previous investigation into the spirit servant incident.

No wonder he is in such a frantic rush... Guanya thought to herself.

Seated inside the vehicle, Zhang Yuanqing closed his eyes to rest his mind. He did not dispute Li Dongze’s words, and though he remained obstinate at heart, his colleagues' concerns were entirely valid.

One could not enter blindly, but that did not mean there were no alternative paths.

At that moment, no one noticed a plump, adorable infant spirit nimbly paddling its limbs, crawling toward the hospital and heading straight for the administration building occupied by the criminals.

"I’ll let the little rascal scout the way first to see how my aunt is faring..."

Zhang Yuanqing had his own designs and ideas; it was precisely in moments like these that the utility of a spirit servant shone brightest.

Surveillance could not capture it, and ordinary Spirit Realm Walkers could not sense it, unless the kidnappers happened to count a Night Wanderer or an Illusionist among their ranks.

Yet those two professions were far too rare for such a coincidence to occur. Even if fate proved that cruel, he had no fear of the little rascal being discovered, for this was a hospital.

A hospital teeming with spiritual entities.

...

Minutes ticked away one by one. By the eighth minute, Li Dongze raised his walkie-talkie, pressed the button, and spoke:

"Yuanshi is arriving shortly. It is rush hour and the roads are somewhat congested; give him three more minutes."

He repeated the message three times in succession.

Only then did Li Xianzhong respond, his arrogant voice laced with mockery. "Do not play these stalling tactics with me. One minute, one life—I am a man of my word. You may also try storming the hospital, if you wish to see whether I will blow everyone to kingdom come."

Li Dongze’s expression turned solemn. He lowered the walkie-talkie and looked toward Teng Yuan, whispering:

"Prepare yourself. You will disguise yourself as Yuanshi to enter the hospital and stabilize the kidnappers."

His words just now were not meant for negotiation or delaying, but rather to test the opponent’s disposition.

Centurion Teng Yuan grunted in assent. "Yuanshi, let us swap attire."

His style of dress skewed toward middle-aged tastes. Although Yuanshi Tianzun’s identity details were strictly confidential, he regularly interacted with official Walkers, and rumors that Yuanshi Tianzun was a young man had likely circulated.

Without knowing how much intelligence the enemy possessed, matching the target’s appearance as closely as possible was the safest course of action.

Zhang Yuanqing could only divide a portion of his focus for the moment, swiftly exchanging coats with Teng Yuan and handing over his peaked cap and face mask.

Li Dongze raised the walkie-talkie once more, his voice deep and resonant:

"Li Xianzhong, causing such a disturbance in Songhai—are you doing this for Yuanshi Tianzun?"

Li Xianzhong’s chuckling voice drifted through the static:

"A large-scale killing dungeon is about to open, and I happen to be rather poor. I intend to borrow his head to barter for a few props to amuse myself."

Whether by design or nature, the man’s voice carried a defiant, reckless edge that sounded entirely nonchalant, as though Yuanshi Tianzun were merely a fat sheep awaiting slaughter—a supreme provocation.

To say nothing of Zhang Yuanqing, even Guanya felt a surge of irritation, while the hot-tempered Jiang Jingwei gnashed her teeth, baring her little white fangs.

As expected, they are here for Yuanshi... Li Dongze ceased his useless banter and set down the walkie-talkie.

On the other side, the little rascal crawled rapidly, slipping through walls whenever he encountered them. Soon enough, he breached the first-floor lobby.

Several corpses lay strewn across the lobby floor, thick blood staining the floor tiles crimson. Near the escalators and the information desk, over a hundred ordinary civilians huddled together, some prone, others crouching.

Some whimpered softly, others trembled violently, while some harbored a quiet fury they dared not voice...

Two armed thugs paced through the crowd, scanning their surroundings with vigilance, occasionally groping the younger women with grotesque leers.

There are only two people on the first floor. If I launch a surprise attack, as long as they aren't Earth Monsters, I can kill them instantly...

These fools truly think they have me cornered? Staging such a grand spectacle—if you wish for death, I shall grant it... Suppressing his boiling rage, Zhang Yuanqing guided the little rascal to crawl up to the second floor.

Though still a tiny infant with sparse hair, its speed was by no means sluggish. Upon reaching the second floor, the waiting hall was packed with crouching hostages.

The little rascal did not tarry, proceeding directly up the stairs. The third floor stood empty and deserted, though whether the occupants had been driven down to the second floor or had hidden themselves amidst the chaos remained uncertain.

Finally, the infant spirit reached the fourth floor.

In the waiting hall of the fourth floor, a gaunt, middle-aged man held a firearm in his left hand and a short blade in his right. His cold, fierce eyes swept across the crowd as he barked:

"Heads down and crouch! Anyone who doesn't cooperate gets a bullet through the skull!"

The hostages obediently clasped their heads, trembling with terror, their faces masks of sheer fright.

No aunt. She isn't in the hall... Zhang Yuanqing scanned the medical staff thoroughly but found no sign of his aunt. Suddenly, waves of sharp screams erupted from deep within the obstetrics and gynecology department.

There were two other kidnappers on the fourth floor, and one of them was inside dragging people out.

Zhang Yuanqing's heart sank, and he commanded the little rascal to crawl inward at top speed.

...

Inside the office, listening to the terrified shrieks of her colleagues outside, Dr. Zhao’s face turned deathly pale, her slightly plump frame shaking uncontrollably.

"They... they are coming up..." Dr. Zhao’s face was filled with horror.

Turning her head, she saw that young Jiang was equally pale, yet immensely sharp-witted as she pulled her down to a crouch, saying:

"Let’s hide under the desk."

Doctor Zhao crouched under the desk, feeling a little safer, pricked up her ears to listen to the commotion outside, and said anxiously:

"Why aren't the police here yet? Are we going to be killed? Why aren't the police coming…"

Jiang Yuer whispered, "It's okay, someone will come to save us."

Her calm tone and confident expression, though Doctor Zhao didn't know where Xiao Jiang got her confidence and assurance, did make her feel a bit more at ease.

Just then, the office door was violently kicked open, with a loud "bang". Doctor Zhao trembled with fear, shrinking her body as much as possible and covering her mouth.

The man at the door paused for a few seconds, his voice rough: "Come out, don't make me shoot."

Doctor Zhao turned pale with fear. Suddenly, she felt Xiao Jiang beside her press her shoulder, and then she crawled out from under the desk.

The man at the door was burly, with a crew cut, triangular eyes, and a fierce expression.

Seeing the woman crawling out from under the desk, his rugged face showed obvious surprise, and his triangular eyes immediately lit up as he shouted:

"Old Xu, look what I've found, haha, look what I've found."

"Found your mom giving birth inside?" the bandit outside replied with a curse.

"I found a top-notch chick." The strong man rubbed his crew cut vigorously, his gaze covetous, and said excitedly: "Fuck, this crappy hospital actually has such a hot chick. You stand guard outside, I'm gonna have some fun first."

The woman was wearing a white coat, with a round face and delicate features. At first glance, she was stunning, and the more you looked, the more lovely and beautiful she seemed. Especially the tear mole at the corner of her right eye added a unique charm to her beauty.

"How top-notch?" the lean man outside asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Just fucking top-notch." The strong man was obviously uncultured.

Xiao Jiang… Doctor Zhao felt despair. Who would come to save them? Even if the police stormed in, it would be much later.

She couldn't help but raise her head to look at Xiao Jiang. This usually delicate young girl, her eyes narrowed, had not a trace of fear or panic on her face.

But in the next moment, her attitude suddenly changed. She stepped back in fear, tears welling in her eyes, clutching her chest, looking pitiful, and said in a tearful voice:

"You, don't come near me…"

……

Damn it!

Outside the hospital, in a business vehicle, Zhang Yuanqing saw the scene in the office through Xiaodoubi's vision.

He straightened up and said rapidly: "Squad Leader, my aunt is in danger, move out first! I'll hold out until Yuan Ting arrives."

With that, before Li Dongze and the others could react, he vanished into thin air before their eyes.

In an instant, like a fuse to gunpowder was lit, the atmosphere immediately became tense and serious. Li Dongze waved his hand sharply, signaling Teng Yuan to enter the hospital, and then signaled Wang Tai with his eyes to prepare to hack the surveillance system.

After giving the order, Li Dongze pressed the button on the walkie-talkie and said in a deep voice:

"He's here, he's entered the hospital. Don't harm the hostages."

The walkie-talkie came through with Li Xianzong's lazy voice: "Good! Let him go to the first floor lobby. Don't avoid the surveillance blind spots, or I can't guarantee the hostages' absolute safety."

Ending the call, Li Xianzong in the surveillance room grabbed another walkie-talkie and said:

"The fish has taken the bait, all units be on alert."

The fish has taken the bait, all units be on alert… In the obstetrics and gynecology office, hearing the voice from the walkie-talkie on his chest, he frowned, thought for a few seconds, let out a sneer, and didn't take it seriously.

He was not Li Xianzong's subordinate. He chose to play along with this charade purely to take revenge on society, not to hunt down that so-called Primordial Celestial.

Anyway, he didn't have long to live, might as well let loose before dying.

The strong man tucked his pistol into his waistband, licked his lips, and walked toward Jiang Yuer: "I like your expression just now. You look tempting when you're scared."

At that moment, he suddenly felt a chill on his shoulder, as if a piece of ice was pressed against it.

The strong man instinctively reached for his shoulder but found nothing.

Two seconds later, he lost his sight.

Without any hesitation, the strong man dodged wildly while covering his body with scorching flames, and manipulated the flames to expand, turning them into a wave of fire that swept through the office.

He did this to guard against any possible enemy sneak attack from close range.

Suddenly, the strong man felt a pain in his chest, clearly sensing something tearing through his flesh.

This pain was familiar to him—it was caused by a bullet piercing the body, but he clearly hadn't heard a gunshot.

The pain came again, bullets striking his chest one after another, tearing his heart into shreds.

At this point, the strong man's "blindness" had faded. He stared in shock toward the desk, where stood a young man with dark red burn marks on his face, hands, and chest, holding a large-caliber pistol with a dark red casing.

He stood in front of the female doctor, having blocked the flames for her, and said with a cold gaze:

"I like your expression now. The way you look before you die is also tempting."

……