Fallen Demon Hunter vs. Superpowered Individual 5

Unlike the special ability users I've encountered in the past, I couldn't sense any high-quality soul aura or mana fluctuations from Zhuang Cheng. He seemed like an ordinary person you'd see anywhere.

This level of feedback wasn't enough to conclude that Zhuang Cheng was truly just a normal person. There were always plenty of abnormalities that were good at hiding themselves, and perhaps the power Zhuang Cheng possessed was one of them.

I planned to dispatch my Stand to probe Zhuang Cheng, and at the same time, I had to investigate the Fifteenth Floor room.

Frankly, I didn't believe the cave in the Fifteenth Floor room was an entrance to the future. It was more likely an entrance to some other dimension. Its manifestation was completely different from what a ritual array should theoretically produce; it was likely the result of a ritual array being activated incorrectly.

But even if it was an incorrect activation, it was still an activation. Zhu Shi would deal with the ritual array the next day, and I had to figure out the reason for its activation before then.

Honestly, if I could, I wouldn't even want to tell Zhu Shi about the existence of the ritual array, but I couldn't.

After all, it was Zhu Shi who commissioned me to investigate the Fifteenth Floor room. I also couldn't lie about what I saw and heard, because Zhu Shi could get information from Zhu Changan and Zhuang Cheng. Killing both of them on the spot would only bring trouble upon myself. And as a Luoshan agent, I couldn't not apply to Zhu Shi to handle this abnormality; it would go against my duties and seem very unnatural.

Therefore, after submitting the application, I could only suggest that Zhu Shi delay handling this matter. When she rejected it, I then suggested she send someone else to handle it.

An abnormality like a cave wasn't something Zhu Shi, a "Black Wuchang" specializing in combat, was good at handling. It would be more appropriate to hand it over to a "White Wuchang" who was more skilled in such matters. And if the interfering party were a White Wuchang, I could easily eliminate them while also consuming a high-quality soul.

However, Zhu Shi took the danger of abnormalities too seriously and possessed excessive kindness and a sense of responsibility. She didn't want to hand over any dangers that appeared in her jurisdiction to others. Similar situations had occurred a few times in the past. When I saw her expression, I knew my plan wouldn't work, and I could only give up struggling.

Just in case, to ensure my alibi, I only dispatched my Stand after meeting Zhu Shi at night. When my Stand arrived downstairs from the Fifteenth Floor room, I saw Zhuang Cheng walk out through the senses connected to my Stand.

Clearly, Zhuang Cheng, who was obsessed with abnormalities, was also interested in the Fifteenth Floor room. Now he had walked right into the tiger's mouth. I immediately ordered my Stand to test Zhuang Cheng's skills first. My Stand, having a prior grievance with Zhuang Cheng, couldn't wait to reveal itself.

Because I suspected Zhuang Cheng possessed abnormal powers, I instructed my Stand to proceed with caution. He heeded my advice and cautiously probed Zhuang Cheng. However, he ultimately made the mistake of being reckless. Upon discovering that Zhuang Cheng was a Flame ability user, he eagerly charged forward.

To say my Stand was reckless is an understatement; I hadn't expected Zhuang Cheng to be different from most Flame ability users. He could ignite his opponents with just a glance.

Even after he revealed his power, I still couldn't sense any mana fluctuations from him... No, to be precise, I could feel that his flames possessed quite strong mana fluctuations, but he himself, as the source, showed no such signs.

Mana is a general term. It can refer to the energy necessary to cast spells, or the power of the spells themselves. Even superpowers fall within the definition of spells and mana. Although the sources of mana vary greatly—some from soul power, some from life force, and some even from kinetic energy, thermal energy, electrical energy, etc.—as long as there is power in operation, there will inevitably be fluctuations. It's impossible for there not to be.

Could the source of the flames not be him, but some external object he carried? But even if it were an external object, I should have been able to perceive it as the source when it was activated. Those flames were like water from an unknown source appearing out of nowhere, leaving me baffled.

I could only tentatively accept it as a fact: the world of abnormalities is full of inexplicable things. Perhaps this was also an attribute of Zhuang Cheng as a special ability user. There was nothing else I could do but accept it.

My Stand, having been hit, wanted to escape using Shadow Transfer. I wanted him to continue probing for more information about Zhuang Cheng's abilities, so I forbade him from using Shadow Transfer. But it seemed he was so terrified after being burned that he lost control and fled on foot, ignoring my verbal commands. I was about to forcibly make him turn back and attack Zhuang Cheng when I discovered something new.

Even after leaving Zhuang Cheng's line of sight, the flames continued to harass my Stand. I watched for a while before finally concluding that there seemed to be a spiritual connection between these flames and Zhuang Cheng. Although I didn't know if it could extend his senses, he could still continue to fuel the flames through the connection.

Unfortunately, that was all the information my Stand could gather. After Zhu Shi arrived at the scene, I remotely retrieved the Seed of the Heart to prevent it from falling into Luoshan's hands.

In fact, this information alone was valuable enough. Based on the overwhelming power Zhuang Cheng displayed while defeating my Stand, devouring him would be enough to advance the Seed of the Heart to the next stage.

Not long after, I received new intelligence from Zhu Shi.

Zhuang Cheng had personally entered the cave in the Fifteenth Floor room, and the entrance and exit had unexpectedly disappeared, nearly trapping him to death.

However, he found a way to break free with his own power and survived...

I had experienced similar desperate situations.

Being trapped in what seemed like an inescapable predicament, I could understand that fear, that despair... and the regret as vast as the ocean.

Therefore, I could empathize with Zhuang Cheng's emotions.

Although Zhu Shi lamented Zhuang Cheng's calm attitude towards the abnormality over the phone, it was obvious that unless one was a complete lunatic, no one could remain calm in such a situation. It was the same for me, and the same for Zhuang Cheng. I presumed Zhuang Cheng must have put a lot of effort into managing his panic, and he had to work hard to suppress his lingering fear when recounting his experience to Zhu Shi.

If it were me, I would also want to put on a brave face in front of Zhu Shi. Zhu Shi was a woman of exceptional beauty and figure; it was only natural for men to try to act tough in front of her. If I were ten years younger, I might have pursued Zhu Shi too.

At the same time, I greatly admired Zhuang Cheng. In the past, I couldn't even manage such a superficial pretense.

Moreover, I didn't escape by my own power in the past. Perhaps it was because he had the confidence of overcoming difficulties himself that he could barely maintain his composure. From this perspective, while I admired him, I was also somewhat jealous.

His hidden fears were concealed beneath his composure. Perhaps only I could understand him.

With this thought, I felt an inexplicable sense of closeness towards Zhuang Cheng.

Around midnight, after finishing my surveillance of Zhu Changan, I went to the Fifteenth Floor room again. Although there were agents guarding the vicinity, they were not wary of a colleague like me. I easily entered the room, intending to use the new information provided by Zhuang Cheng to open the cave.

However, I failed again. The array itself had indeed become complete, but opening the cave still required an extremely high degree of luck. The reason Zhuang Cheng succeeded was likely due to some additional factor that even he hadn't discovered. But I no longer had time to explore further, so I had to give up for now.

After Zhu Shi and Zhuang Cheng arrived one after another, I approached as if I had just arrived and took Zhuang Cheng to a derelict construction site near Xianshui University, intending to probe him further for his abilities using the evil spirits there.

Understanding Zhuang Cheng did not mean I wouldn't kill him.

To advance the Seed of the Heart to the next stage, I wouldn't pass up this opportunity.

However, it seemed there were no evil spirits at the abandoned construction site from the start. I had to switch to my backup plan and summon shadow clones to attack Zhuang Cheng myself, observing him use his abilities up close.

Zhu Shi had already written and submitted a report on Zhuang Cheng that evening. While it mentioned his abilities, it only stated, "He's just an ordinary Flame ability user." This was likely to help Zhuang Cheng keep his abilities secret. My exaggerated understanding of his abilities during our conversation on the way was also just a probe.

Even if he asked me why I knew those things, I had prepared excuses beforehand. It seemed Zhu Shi hadn't bragged about it to him, though. What a socially inept girl. All my efforts were in vain.

The only information I truly wanted to obtain was whether Zhuang Cheng had countermeasures against surprise attacks from behind.

Since Zhuang Cheng could ignite opponents with his gaze and possessed such powerful offensive capabilities, a surprise attack from behind was naturally the most logical approach. In the battle between my Stand and Zhuang Cheng, my Stand had attempted a shadow strike from behind, but it was evaded.

I couldn't tell if it was Zhuang Cheng's luck or if he could genuinely sense attacks from behind. Moreover, that shadow strike had to change its attack route mid-flight to avoid Zhuang Cheng's flames, shifting from a rear attack to an attack on his left foot. Perhaps Zhuang Cheng reacted because of this change.

In my combat experience, I detested ambiguous terms like "perhaps." I needed a definitive answer. Therefore, I had one of my clones launch a surprise attack from behind Zhuang Cheng, while I simultaneously attacked that clone with my handgun. The latter was to prevent Zhuang Cheng from questioning why I was just watching if he successfully countered the sneak attack.

It was a successful probe. Zhuang Cheng showed no reaction to the surprise attack from behind, and by saving his life, I increased his trust in me.

I didn't expect him to have hidden his strength in the last battle; his firepower could actually increase to this extent, enough to instantly vaporize my clone.

However, despite such formidable firepower, his weakness remained pitifully short.

The moment the blade cut into his neck, it wouldn't matter if he held a handgun, a cannon, or even a missile; it would all be useless.

So, I took advantage of the moment he turned, letting his guard down.

I manipulated my own arm to partially transform, turning it into a blade in my monstrous form, and severed his head.

After a human is decapitated, their head retains consciousness for a few seconds.

To prevent him from igniting me with his gaze before he died, I swung my blade again, striking his eyes and directly crushing his brain tissue.

The mana fluctuations Zhuang Cheng created while fighting his clone must have attracted Zhu Shi, and she would be arriving soon.

I couldn't stay here long.

I turned around, intending to leave this place immediately.

What I told Zhuang Cheng earlier about "being transferred to another region" wasn't entirely a lie. I had indeed planned to leave Xianshui City after completing my breakthrough.

From now on, I would no longer be Agent Kong, a probe for Luoshan, but the monster Kong Da.

However, after taking just two or three steps, I sensed something was wrong.

Logically, after killing a human, I should be able to feel their soul entering my body. The soul of a superpowered individual, in particular, should feel exceptionally distinct. But now, I felt no sensation of having consumed a soul at all, it was as if...

It was as if Zhuang Cheng wasn't dead yet.

Just then, I felt the air behind me heating up.

A burning sound came from where Zhuang Cheng had fallen, and flames spread out before me.