The Undying Hero

Each tombstone bore only a few large characters: "Wucheng Night Watchmen!"

Yes, without any embellishments, not even names or codenames.

Logically, after death, especially for those who had achieved something, their tombstones would typically be inscribed with the great deeds of their lives.

Nothing, absolutely nothing was carved, or rather... it wasn't necessary!

Their accomplishments needed no inscription; this entire expanse of demon remains and ghost energy was their achievement!

Every small mound outside, every set of remains within a mound, was a medal upon them!

Why bother with redundant recounting? Their glory was peerless!

Lu Yibai, holding the Lion Umbrella, had, at some point, walked to the very center of the circular graveyard, as if standing at the focal point.

He gathered the light points of energy within his body and focused them on his eyes, then surveyed the surroundings.

As expected, each tombstone seemed to be bound by faint golden chains, the other ends of which extended towards the demon remains outside, as if to lock them down firmly.

One chain after another converged, forming vast nets!

And the golden runes on the surrounding walls continuously supplied energy to these tombstones.

The remains of these ancestor Night Watchmen thus perpetually suppressed the demon remains and the residual ghost energy in the vicinity!

Lin Xiaoqi had once crammed Lu Yibai with some common knowledge, such as the difference between demons and monsters that died naturally and those that were killed.

For demons and monsters like Ye Yiyi who had integrated into human society, the Night Watchmen wouldn't do anything to them. But eventually, they too would grow old and die.

This kind of death, where vitality ebbed away, actually left behind ordinary skeletal remains.

However, it was different for those killed midway. Just as Lu Yibai saw now, every set of demon remains still possessed a faint demonic power. Simultaneously, their remains could generate large amounts of ghost energy and Yin energy.

Lingering spirits!

When Lu Yibai was a student, he was the type of smart student teachers favored. Although he always appeared listless and yawned constantly, he was very good at drawing parallels.

Right after Lin Xiaoqi finished explaining this common knowledge, he immediately retorted, "Then what about the Night Watchmen?"

Yes, what about the Night Watchmen, who also possessed extraordinary power?

Were they like ordinary humans, or like demons and monsters?

Lin Xiaoqi blinked, seemingly surprised that Lu Yibai would ask such a question.

After a moment, she replied, "The same as them."

It seemed that Night Watchmen who died unnaturally would also have a portion of their Night Watchman power lingering within their remains.

At the time, Lu Yibai hadn't taken it too seriously.

But now, seeing the rows of graves and tombstones around him with his own eyes, the impact was entirely different.

Didn't this damn well mean that very few of them died naturally?

He could feel surging Night Watchman power here!

It truly was a high-risk profession.

Moreover, to be honest, Night Watchmen were, after all, different from ordinary people. They were the solitary guardians in the darkness.

Lu Yibai had asked Lin Xiaoqi, "Do you feel lonely?"

Lin Xiaoqi, always so carefree, faltered slightly upon hearing the question.

After a moment, she replied in a very nonchalant tone, "Occasionally, I suppose."

Lu Yibai stood still for a while, holding the Lion Umbrella, taking in everything around him.

Looking at the small mounds burying demon remains, feeling the demonic power within them, he said faintly, "Lingering spirits."

But so what?

Weren't they still obediently suppressed here?

Lingering spirits, but heroic souls... also linger!

After bowing once more to the remains of Wucheng's ancestors, Lu Yibai turned and left this grave within a grave.

His mood was complex, with emotions he couldn't quite articulate.

He had never imagined that there was once a group of people who had fought for this city, and even after death, they were still "fighting"!

This grave within a grave had completely redefined Lu Yibai's understanding of the Night Watchmen.

He used to think they were a rather unreliable bunch, and the entire organization felt quite comical.

Thinking about it now, the feeling was somewhat different.

He couldn't help but recall a sentence he had seen online:

[The reason you cannot see the darkness is because someone is blocking it from your sight.]

A group of people who carried heavy burdens for the sake of countless homes alight.

Of course, there might also be some demons who are dedicated to harmonious coexistence between humans and demons.

On the other hand, ghosts and oddities are generally not very coherent. Even powerful ghosts and oddities are mostly just "high-level intellectually challenged."

Fierce ghosts and vengeful ghosts that possess individual consciousness, like the one Lu Yibai encountered at the hospital before, might retain some semblance of awareness initially. However, they would soon completely dissipate.

Many fierce ghosts and vengeful ghosts, when they first come into being, might have a fleeting thought: "Hahaha! I'm alive again!"

A moment later...

"Huh? What was I just thinking?"

A moment later...

"What was I confused about just now?"

A moment later...

"Damn it! I've gone insane!"

A moment later...

"Damn..."

A moment later...

"Crap..."

Finally...

Ghosts and Oddities: "???"

As for something like Ghost煞, a conglomerate of ghost energy and Yin energy, it's a chaotic being formed by the convergence of multiple consciousnesses, so you can't expect it to be very coherent either.

Things without consciousness, beings that live solely on instinct, are generally quite terrifying.

For example, if they're hungry, they'll want to eat, regardless of who it is, even... their own kind!

Therefore, while there might be good demons, ghosts and oddities are basically just asking to be culled.

And if reincarnation truly exists in this world, it would be convenient for them to die early and be reborn sooner.

Within the Night Watchmen organization, there are humans and demons, but so far, there haven't been any reports of ghosts or oddities.

After all, anyone who has played games should know that it's difficult to coordinate with mindless beings.

They'll act recklessly when they should be cautious, and cower when they should be aggressive; it's utterly unsolvable.

After venturing into the "grave within a grave," Lu Yibai became even more certain of this.

After demons die, even if killed, their remains still exist and contain demonic power.

When ghosts and oddities die, they truly turn into a wisp of gas.

Alright, perhaps they were already dead to begin with, but if they are "killed" one more time, they truly become something like a "fart," and a lingering one at that.

In the grave within a grave, the reason why ghost energy and Yin energy are so dense is not only because the remains of demons and monsters are more prone to generating these things, but also because after the Night Watchmen defeat ghosts and oddities, they seal the lingering ghost energy and Yin energy within the tomb.

With this thought, Lu Yibai frowned and looked at the Lion Umbrella in his hand.

Didn't it have one sealed inside?

Although the ghost or oddity within the Lion Umbrella seemed a bit mischievous and even comical, it definitely possessed self-awareness!

This is highly illogical and shouldn't be the case.

It completely contradicts the established settings for your kind of beings; it's like a bug!

While other members of its kind are all affected by the "intelligence-lowering aura," why was it spared?

This thing even gave him a hint just now, telling him that there was something strange beneath the small flat-roofed house...

Lu Yibai quietly looked at the Lion Umbrella in his hand, thinking to himself, "What exactly is sealed inside the Lion Umbrella?"

(ps: Second update.)