The Exorcist Who Was Disturbed (Happy New Year ×2)

Chapter 19: The Exorcist Who Was Disturbed (Happy New Year ×2)

The incident involving Jupita 3 had been captured by satellite footage. At the suggestion of certain people, it spread rapidly, continued to make waves throughout TPC, and eventually reached the outside world.

Humanity had defeated a monster even the Ultra Warriors couldn't beat. The event inspired everyone.

It filled people with energy at work and even made recruitment much easier.

It was hailed as a miracle, the light of humanity, but Zhou Hong shared Shinjoh's opinion.

It wasn't a miracle.

A miracle was something out of the ordinary, almost a one-of-a-kind occurrence.

But in this universe, this was simply a manifestation of their will—the conviction born from their own resolve, refined to its utmost limit.

The stars continued to shine, and whatever good or evil was nurtured beneath their light had little to do with Zhou Hong.

The training room of the Rookie Squad's Seventh Unit, reserved for TPC recruits, had been especially lively these past few days.

The leather punching bag creaked under the blows, and the steel chain above it protested under the strain. Then it could protest no longer.

With a heavy thud that seemed to strike at the heart, the chain snapped. The powerful blow sent the bag, chain and all, crashing into the wall.

After letting out a long breath, Zhou Hong picked up the towel beside him and wiped away his sweat. He clenched his powerful fist.

Long hours of training had greatly improved his stamina. Even his breathing had grown steadier. The feeling of being so full of strength put Zhou Hong completely at ease.

"Deputy Captain's getting more and more ridiculous. Hasn't he been punching that thing all day?" Kariya Kohei murmured.

"I don't think his combat ability even falls within the human range anymore."

Zhou Hong heard them talking. "There are still people stronger than me within the human range."

Hibiki Gousuke choked on his saliva and coughed twice, waving his hands as if he couldn't believe it.

If the era and the world were still normal, he could've brought Kurenai Gai or Jugglus Juggler over to show them.

Actually, could those two even still count as human?

Rubbing his chin, Zhou Hong glanced at the sky outside.

There was still some time before sunset, but by the time they reached the place, it should be getting dark.

"By the way, are you guys afraid of ghosts?"

"Cough, cough, cough—ghosts?!" Yumimura Ryo spat out the water she'd been drinking.

The two squad members beside her also looked at Zhou Hong, their hair standing on end.

"Ahong, you mean something like Jupita 3, right?" Hibiki Gousuke remained remarkably calm. He turned and said sternly, "As elite members of TPC, how could you be afraid of ghosts?"

"Ghosts don't even exist, do they?"

Zhou Hong slowly shook his head, and Hibiki Gousuke's voice grew weaker and weaker.

"A real ghost. One that's been around for years." Zhou Hong put on his jacket.

The other members of the Recruit Squad drew in sharp breaths and stared at Zhou Hong in disbelief.

"If you don't believe me, I'll take you to see someone whose combat ability surpasses mine."

"He's dead and turned into a ghost, so his combat ability has declined, but he's still stronger than me."

Zhou Hong silently added, While I'm in human form.

"But then you'll definitely believe me." He had just put on his TPC training uniform when the squad members crowded around him.

"Deputy Captain, we believe you." Yumimura Ryo smiled and looked straight at Zhou Hong, trying to persuade him with her sincerity.

"Yeah, yeah, we believe you."

"I don't think Ahong would lie to us, either." Hibiki Gousuke wore a perfectly serious expression.

"We don't have to go, do we?" Several people chimed in at once.

"I refuse." Zhou Hong rejected them without mercy. "I don't think you'll really believe it unless you see it with your own eyes."

If the ghost is stronger than the deputy captain, why are we going to our deaths?

The squad members, tears streaming down their faces, were hauled onto the transport plane by Grip of Immortality. After it landed at TPC's transfer airport, they were forced into a jeep.

The summer sun kept the evening air somewhat warm, but everyone in the car was chilled to the bone.

"Deputy Captain, are you sure it's okay for us to go there?" Kariya's hand trembled slightly as he held his gun.

"It's no big deal. We'll just die once. In eighteen years, we'll be heroes all over again." The glow from the jeep's navigation system lit Zhou Hong's face, making his grin look especially eerie.

A chill shot up their spines and straight into their heads. Their scalps tingled, making the frightened group even more terrified.

The jeep was already going over a hundred kilometers per hour. The slightly open windows let out a sound like ghostly howling, lowering the temperature in the car even further.

The jeep suddenly fell silent. Zhou Hong sped up even more, and before long, they arrived at Mount Sona.

The hour of twilight was long past. Everyone had calmed down a little, but they still proceeded with caution.

Thick clouds covered the moon, and the dense branches blocked what little light there was. The mountain path was swallowed by deep darkness.

It was like a gaping beast, waiting for its prey to walk straight into the abyss.

"The road ends here. We'll have to walk the rest of the way."

Yumimura Ryo looked back at the road already swallowed by darkness, hunched her shoulders, and hurried after him.

The others exchanged glances, then huddled together and clung close to Zhou Hong.

Under the beam of their searchlights, the moss-covered path wasn't too difficult to walk. They reached their destination before long.

It was a small shrine used for worship. It was hard to make out in the darkness, even with their lights shining on it. The pure white tape marking the perimeter seemed to float against gravity, making the group even more terrified. They wandered around, their guns sweeping in every direction.

They were afraid a ghost might jump out at any moment and give them the fright of their lives.

Zhou Hong stood at the shrine entrance, pressed his hands together, and offered his respects for a while. Then he shot the old, rusted lock off the shrine.

He slowly pushed the door open. The old wooden door creaked.

The first thing he saw was the sword enshrined inside.

"Sorry for the trouble, Ida Iryu," Zhou Hong said, offering an apology with not the slightest hint of sincerity.

He pulled the sword out with one hand, jumped out of the shrine, and quickly put it back. Then he took it out again and put it back once more.

Hey, it's fun.

"Ahong, what are you doing? Performing some kind of ritual?" Though frightened, Hibiki Gousuke still managed to put on a captain's air.

"That's right, young man. If you keep doing that, you're going to make things rather difficult for me."

A distant, unfamiliar voice suddenly rang out through the area.

The group, already as skittish as startled birds, quickly huddled back-to-back, their guns sweeping wildly from side to side.

But they still couldn't see anyone.

"There's no helping it. This is the only way to wake you up, Lord Ida Iryu."