Act 3: Attack

Foreword:

Those who intend to do evil will never lack opportunities.

--Horace

"The Spuantong ladybug has a cannibalistic habit." Oscar calmly handed the insect juice drink to Jiang Xueming. "Father, I'm about to put my life in your hands again—although my Soul Power doesn't have much combat ability, it's a glutton."

"Years of tasting various drugs and poisons have given me a wealth of biological knowledge. I want to write a declaration of war to the enemy lurking in the shadows."

As he said this, Oscar deliberately raised his voice and shouted loudly.

"I need to go to the laboratory at the medical station to mix the insect-attracting agent. I know you can hear me, so do you want to come with me?"

"You want my life? You don't, do you?"

Wolf Brother taunted Jody.

"If you do nothing, I'll follow the plan this girl suggested—collect the venom of the pig-headed scorpion and send it to the cafeteria's kitchen."

"I assure you, whether you are Homo sapiens or Blood-giving Monster, whether you eat ordinary food or a concoction added to the diet of a hybrid of monstrous beasts, you will be poisoned—you will become drowsy and exposed to everyone."

Jody, hiding in the crowd, heard everything clearly. He was practically pressed against Wolf Brother, his eyes full of curiosity.

The iron ladder leading to the medical station had twenty-three sections and was a steep and rapid ramp. Jiang Xueming stayed close to Oscar, not daring to leave Wolf Brother's side for even a moment.

After much deliberation, Jodis decided to stick to the original plan: eliminate the strange priest and leave Oscar isolated and helpless.

He had seen many bluffing tricks before, and perhaps Oscar was just making a desperate attempt to intimidate him.

After all, the ability of [Return To Innocence] is truly domineering. As long as the spirit and body remain clean and untainted by any blood, it is difficult for Homo sapiens to comprehend Jody's existence.

He followed Wolf and the priest up the iron ladder. Looking at the treacherous path, he felt it was the perfect ambush location. Then, he kicked the welded joint of the steel beam.

"Die!"

The sudden earthquake roused Oscar, even though he didn't immediately spot the target.

Is there anything there?

"Zhang Congfeng!"

Before Wolf could finish speaking, it seemed as if an "invisible person" swiftly demolished the six foundation piles that connected the ladder to the mountain rock face.

With only two or three seconds to react, Jiang Xueming lost his balance and slipped, clinging desperately to the handrail of the ladder. His body was swept up by the raging, icy wind, the ladder beneath his feet was completely deformed, and his lower body hung between the crevices of the cliff face. His boots kept kicking at the rocks, trying to find a foothold.

Wolf tried to pull the priest back. He was a little flustered, not expecting that the enemy would actually dare to make a move in full view of everyone, and without even causing the slightest psionic surge.

"This guy is a blood donor! He can kick these steel frames apart with just his physical strength!" Oscar tried to grab Zhang Congfeng's clothes, but the clumsy wolf's exaggerated physique made it nearly impossible for him to bend over and stoop in such a narrow staircase.

"This is the angle." Jody, known for his bold yet meticulous approach, used his powerful arms to cling to the cold, rocky cliff face, maintaining a safe distance from Zhang Congfeng, just an arm's length away. "Just enough to reach this guy's heart."

"What a pity, Father."

"You cannot become the vessel for the elixir's power—"

"--Under these circumstances, your continued willingness to work for this VIP only demonstrates your lack of understanding of the situation."

Those who intend to do evil will never lack opportunities.

"If you had half the wickedness of Lady Havana, I might spare your life."

"[Return To Innocence]! This is the last phantom you will see!"

"Break through his heart!"

The moment the spirit manifests, and only for that brief instant, [Return To Innocence] will leave Jody's body. This superpower, which affects others' perception and alters one's own "presence," will lose its effect. Just like the floor sprite can only take one thing from you at a time, when Jody uses his Soul Power to kill Zhang Congfeng, he will reveal his true form.

The chill that hit her face gave Xue Ming goosebumps all over.

The force of the punch sliced through his face like an ice blade, and an eye of wind emerged from the cold, damp air, quickly breaking the sound barrier and producing a deafening explosion!

"Bang!--"

Jody lost his balance, his face filled with surprise and horror. He was hit by a huge recoil force that made his scalp tingle. The feedback from the punch received by his spirit body was not as clear and natural as he had imagined. It was as if the fist of [Return To Innocence] had hit a steel plate!

He clung tightly to the cliff face, narrowly avoiding falling into the deep valley.

The spirit form of [Return To Innocence] is a bright and proud peacock. Its emerald green eye-patterned feathers and strong, agile body repeatedly demonstrate astonishing destructive power and speed to Jody. He is absolutely certain that as long as this punch lands, the priest's heart will definitely stop beating!

But what exactly happened just now?

Why didn't it work?

[Return To Innocence] It could crack the bones of a lapis lazuli wolf with a single punch, but now it's like a defeated rooster, no longer able to be proud!

"He attacked me! Oscar!" Jiang Xueming was still hanging below the cliff, supporting her entire weight with only one hand. "I was terrified."

Oscar only saw a fleeting illusion of a bird-headed, human-bodied creature, lasting for a mere instant. This illusion quickly dissipated with time—like a dream, once awakened, people quickly forget what they saw in the dream, leaving only a vague shadow.

"You're injured, Zhang Congfeng? Hang in there!"

Jiang Xueming didn't say much. He was panting heavily, his face was flushed, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

"I can't hold on much longer... cough... Oscar! Help me out!"

Just one minute after the iron ladder disintegrated, the cafeteria platform was packed with people who could only watch nervously as the VIPs and the priest continued to suffer, unable to offer any help.

Jody finally managed to steady himself. He was at the same height as Zhang Congfeng, in the same awkward position. At this moment, seeing the priest's miserable state of vomiting blood, a familiar sense of security returned to him.

"To withstand a punch from [Return To Innocence]! I must say, your physical constitution is admirable! But Father! That's enough!"

The prey's fatigue boosted Jody's confidence; it was just a matter of one more round and one more punch.

He regained his footing, returning to the ambiguous distance of an arm's length, and once again summoned his soul's power—

"--[Return To Innocence]! Let's put an end to it!"

The peacock, in its full glory, stands tall, arms outstretched, fist raised!

Zhang Congfeng gripped the fist tightly in his palm, and a piercing whistling sound emanated from between his Five Fingers!

"Call"

At such close range, Jody could see clearly that the priest didn't look injured at all. He was adjusting his breathing! His flushed face and weak appearance were all an act. When he pouted and exhaled sharply, there were bright red teeth marks on the tip of his tongue, and the blood was from his own bite!

The next second, Jody felt her body being pulled by an immense force!

The priest's legs were like two giant pythons, clamping tightly around his waist and abdomen! He flipped and tumbled upside down with his spirit and body, using only one arm as a fulcrum, and his powerful core strength carried the two of them up the iron ladder.

By the time Jody regained consciousness and fully realized what was happening, he had already fallen onto the hillside platform of the medical station. Zhang Congfeng's knee was on his head, and two fists the size of cooking pots were raining down on him. The punches did cause considerable damage, but they were not fatal or even crippling.

Xue Ming was furious; he clearly remembered grabbing a stranger—

But as he flipped onto the medical station platform with his target, the guy vanished like a ghost!

There was no tangible sensation in his hands! It was supposed to be a submissive posture with knees pressing against the shoulders and neck, but when he threw a punch, it felt like he was punching a hard, cold stone!

"Where did they go?!"

[Return To Innocence] Returning to Jody's body, the peacock diligently helps the original body, saving Jody's life once again.

Xue Ming's memories grew increasingly hazy; he couldn't even remember how many punches he threw or where they landed! His eyes blazed with rage, and defiantly, he swung his fist again, aiming for the "stone" below his knee.

--Jordy was stunned by the fierce punch; his head was deformed and his eyes were bloodshot. He struggled desperately, but dared not call upon his soul power to help him escape. Once [Return To Innocence] left his body, he would be exposed to the priest, and then he would face certain death!

He could only endure the humiliation, staring incredulously at this "ordinary person" possessing superhuman strength.

"--Why! Why was this guy able to subdue me with brute force alone?"

"Why? Ouch! Ouch!"

Xue Ming's fist slammed into the cold "stone." He relied on his fighting experience to judge the enemy's exact position, completely disregarding what the target below the knee actually was. He couldn't control the precise landing point of his attacks, and even after a dozen or so punches, the effect was minimal. He didn't apply continuous pressure to the same spot, so Jody's injuries weren't severe. This pain caused him to constantly twist his neck and struggle with his limbs, trying to escape from between the priest's legs.

When Oscar climbed to the medical station platform, he asked in a daze.

"Father, why are you hitting the stone?"

Jiang Xueming: "I don't know! I don't know! I just caught a suspicious guy! But he disappeared right under my nose!"

"Really?" Oscar asked doubtfully. "The ladder doesn't seem like it can support our weight."

"No! That's not it," Jiang Xueming said, but his body betrayed him. His body gradually Matsushita, and his fingers, bruised and swollen from repeatedly striking the "rock," were burning with pain. "Why... is this happening?"

"What am I doing?"

Jody finally breathed a sigh of relief. He crawled like a worm that had collapsed to the ground to the water tank on the medical station platform, which was originally used to clean medical equipment.

The Immortals showed no disgust by the filth, immersing his head in the pool, where the icy water brought him back to his senses.

The priest had punched several cracks into his head, and he was just one step away from Gate of Death. With a chance to catch his breath, he could feel the holy blood in his body surging through his limbs and bones with his violent heartbeat, and his skull made a terrifying cracking sound.

"This guy... this guy... can he really see me?"

"Could this guy really kill me with his bare hands?"

His face was deathly pale; he simply couldn't comprehend it.

How could an Immortals like this capsize in a ditch at such a time?

On the precipice, how could this priest unleash such a fierce and soaring fighting spirit? Where did his strength come from? Could his core muscles bring him back to the ground, subdue this body imbued with holy blood, and attempt to perform brain surgery on me with just his fists?

Is what the leader said true?!

Has the spirit of Berloberg found a new master?

"No, no, no, no, why? Why are you still looking at me?!"

At this moment, Jiang Xueming had already turned his head.

"Is there something there, Oscar?" Xue Ming frowned, leaned forward, and headed towards the pool.

Wolf Brother replied, bewildered, "I don't know. There's no one there."

As Jiang Xueming walked, he asked, "You want me to listen to you! You want me to do whatever you say! What's next? What do we do?"

Terrified, Jody fled towards the entrance of the medical station, but Zhang Congfeng lingered, relentlessly pursuing her.

"Why? Why does this guy seem to know I'm here?! Am I really that noticeable? What did he see in his eyes?!"

In the chaos, Jody tried to climb through the window into the medical station, temporarily losing his will to fight. This was not a fair and equal combat environment for him—the enemy was in the open while he was in the shadows, which was his comfort zone.

The moment Jody climbed through the window, she felt a sudden tug at the back of her collar Zhang Congfeng!

He was shivering from the cold, the wind blowing into the gaps in his sweater, and his heart was pounding in his throat! As he rolled into the cramped room of the medical station, Jody glanced back and realized that his clothes were covered in sticky insect juice.

"You beast!"

Jody cursed angrily.

"They actually resorted to such despicable and vile methods to find my trail?!"

Although my memory of Jody is now quite vague --

--When Jiang Xueming made the gesture of killing the enemy with a punch, he smeared the juice of the Spuantong ladybug on Jody's clothes.

This was Oscar's idea. To insects, there is no difference between humanoid creatures and insects. Their brain structure is very simple, and they distinguish other life forms by pheromones or more primitive, lower-level methods—airflow, predator's body temperature, or even bioelectricity.

Humans, as apex predators, could never be overlooked by insects.

Jiang Xueming tore a hungry Spuantong off Jody's down jacket and stared at the ravenous creature with a puzzled expression.

[Return To Innocence] can rewrite the cognition of intelligent life, making people's brains automatically ignore Jody's existence. When the down jacket fell into Xue Ming's hands, he felt as if he was holding a ball of air with a slight warmth.

Gradually, this "air" also loses its weight and temperature.

The Spuantong was greedily sucking up the insect juice in the "air," carrying out its cannibalistic instincts.

Xue Ming threw a few punches at the air, still feeling uneasy, as if the enemy was right in front of him. His arm was covered in bloody wounds from the punches, and he deliberately covered his arm and quickly injected a Universal Elixir into his neck.

Did I hit him?

"I don't know." Oscar hadn't had a chance to get close to Jody, so he didn't have much of an impression of this "non-existent invisible man." "At least one thing is certain: this guy is a blood donation unit. Maybe he's injured, and he'll be hungry. To maintain the balance of the Holy Blood, he'll either eat human flesh or take supplements with the criminals of the War Gang."

At this moment, Jody was only three or four meters away from the two of them.

Upon hearing Oscar's words, he suddenly broke down in his defenses—

"--Are you testing me, Qingjin? You think I'd lower my pride and eat shit with these bastards? I'm going to bite off a piece or two of human flesh right in front of you! And then spit the meat scraps in your face! Too bad you can't hear me, too bad."

"Pfft!"

The belated Pankrasin martial arts left horrific aftereffects on Jody's arm! The damage to his spirit body was transmitted to the nerves in his arm, and sonic explosions began to occur in successive waves inside his brain!

Xue Ming couldn't find a clear target, unable to reach Jody's vital hypothalamus. Without the psychic power of the Steel Heart, these non-fatal injuries were like a steel knife, constantly leaving horrific wounds on Jody's body.

His face erupted with countless red cracks, and blood gushed out from the inside out, resembling pink foam!

The bones heal rapidly, only to be repeatedly subjected to new trauma.

He crawled on the ground in agony, letting out heart-wrenching screams. He was almost driven unconscious by Pankrasin's torment. The shrill cries of seagulls kept echoing in his mind. He forced himself to stay awake, fearing that his soul power would fail and expose his true form.

In his dying moments, Jody finally understood just how terrible the suffering George Joshua had endured was.

"This guy... this guy can use the War King's Pankrasin? Did Berloberg teach him this amazing technique?"

Ten minutes later, Jody's world was completely destroyed, and he hid in a corner, too afraid to speak loudly.

They went out with Oscar and Zhang Congfeng, and returned to the cafeteria platform along the repaired staircase.

He slipped into the crowd, no longer daring to act rashly. He walked to the dining table of the four blood donation units, squatted down next to Andro, tried to blend into the crowd, grabbed a handful of yellow rice soaked in condiments from Andro's bowl, and stuffed it into his Barry.