After Wu Heng opened the silver box, he found three blood-red worms inside that looked like specimens.
He recognized the insect at a glance.
It was him 19 days ago,
After navigating the world of ' Tumbbad ' and returning to reality, I noticed something was off about Cai Xueli, the girl from the same apartment building.
Following the other party, while disguised as the strong martial artist Kou Kun called " Kun " in the ruins, he obtained the " Blood-Boiling Worm " from Cai Xueli, a junior sister of his martial arts school.
When he first received this thing, he thought it was useless to him and felt it was a troublesome, useless item, so he threw it back to Cai Xueli.
The metal box in front of us has seven compartments.
Four of the slots are empty, and in the remaining three slots, each contains a bug.
Based on the information he had just seen in the data room on the 8th floor, Wu Heng guessed that the four missing Blood-Boiling Worm were likely used by the four martial artists from Dark Snow Company who had reached the limits of human strength.
It's unclear which Tower Guardian organization produced these red worms; they seem to be quite numerous. However, they weren't important to Wu Heng, so he didn't spend time or effort researching them.
Wu Heng held the box in his hand and turned it around. His gaze focused on the snowflake and thorn carvings in the center of the bottom of the box. He noticed some unnatural marks on the bottom.
So he stretched out his finger and pressed hard on the lines.
The bottom of the box collapsed, and a soft 'crack' sound It Comes from it.
He simply removed the base of the Tosheng insect and then violently broke the box in half.
A few broken pieces of black slag and electronic components fell to the ground.
He discovered a broken circuit board inside a metal interlayer at the bottom of the box, which was likely a tracking device.
After destroying it and throwing it on the ground, Wu Heng took out a wooden box from the Life Box and put the three Blood-Boiling Worm inside.
He then looked at the third item in the safe.
Unlike the previous two items, this one was placed separately on the bottom shelf of the safe, completely wrapped in silk fabric.
Wu Heng untied the package.
Inside, they discovered a silver-yellow, all-metal cube, approximately 15 centimeters tall.
The entire metal piece is cast in one piece, without any gaps or openings.
It looks like a lump of iron.
But just thinking about it, it's obvious that someone of the person's status wouldn't keep ordinary metal in a private room on the 9th floor, let alone hide it in a safe.
Even gold doesn't deserve to be treated like this.
After all, on the table next to them, there were quite a few valuable jade ornaments and gold figurines displayed prominently.
At this time,
Wu Heng discovered several dark blue characters engraved on the back of the cube:
' Xi Zhuo (wolf)'
The first two characters were nothing special, likely the name of an item, but when he saw the third character, 'wolf,' Wu Heng's pupils contracted slightly.
"It's actually this kind of thing!"
Wu Heng carefully placed the metal cube, which he had been holding and spinning freely, on top of the safe and examined it cautiously.
Based on information he had previously gathered in the Shadow Tower's intelligence room regarding Deep Blue Star's bizarre classification of the ' Land of Absurdity ':
Deep Blue Star roughly categorizes the eerie into five levels. "Wolf, Ferocity, Calamity, Disaster, and Wasteland".
As for Cangyue Star and Bright Realm, they have other names.
It is said that the 'Wilderness' level has never appeared before. Even the ' Frostbite ' that ravaged the Anqiluo was only rated as the Calamity level.
But what impressed him most was the very first sentence of that article:
"All classifications of the bizarre are merely vague categorizations based on the catastrophic nature of their manifestations, and are for general reference only."
The words 'fuzzy' and 'roughly'
This already demonstrates the instability of this kind of thing.
And now.
What's placed in front of Wu Heng is likely the first strange creature he'll encounter in the real world.
Wu Heng thought that he would only be able to confront the bizarre reality when he was at least able to travel to the node and enter the passage to the Land of Absurdity.
I never expected to come into contact with them in this way.
'This person actually managed to obtain this sealed, bizarre power!'
Wu Heng secretly admired the other person for actually keeping such a thing by his bedside.
What's the difference between this and someone planting two landmines under their bed and then sleeping in it every day?
"However, the fact that the other party could obtain something like this and dare to keep it at home suggests that they are likely strong enough to deal with this monster," Wu Heng thought to himself.
Wu Zhan is a third-tier psionicist, which is equivalent to a second-tier Tower Guardian.
If the opponent's strength is sufficient to handle the situation, then Wu Heng's strength is naturally beyond question.
"We all share the surname Wu, and all people with the surname Wu are one family. Since we're family, I won't stand on ceremony!"
"Thank you for the gifts, family."
Wu Heng reached out and put the cube-shaped metal object back into the Life Box.
Since something strange is sealed inside, we must use Scarlet Silver. Although the outside is made of ordinary metal, there must be a layer of Scarlet Silver Scarlet Silver, which is quite valuable.
Wu Heng glanced at the empty safe again and sighed, "How ignorant! There's not even a record of what kind of strange thing is inside the metal cube!"
Wu Heng, who was just about to search the room again, inadvertently looked down...
But they found that the silk cloth, which had been folded into two layers to wrap the cube, had fallen to the ground and spread out, revealing the inside.
There was a string of text inside.
Wu Heng picked it up and examined it; it happened to be a record about metal cubes:
[The Mysterious Xichan Has Been Sealed]
Consuming 56 grams of Scarlet Silver.
Xichan: A relatively easy-to-seal monster among the wolf-level creatures; commonly found in the Land of Absurdity.
Appearance: Resembles a white rabbit, with fluffy fur covering the ground. When stared at, it is as docile as a rabbit, timid and cowardly.
When no one is watching, the long hair on its back flips up, revealing a hideous, grotesque face beneath the skin, a creature that eats raw meat and drinks blood.
Once the grotesque face devours a person, its size increases dramatically, it grows limbs, and transforms into a bizarre humanoid form. Its rabbit form will completely disappear, and it will no longer be called Xichan.
Wu Heng then realized what it was.
I've heard that this kind of eeriness, in this Land of Absurdity, is like a rat in reality—a kind of eeriness belonging to the lowest rungs of society.
Even so, we cannot be careless.
This bizarre creature possesses parasitic abilities similar to those of the double-disc trematode and is among those prohibited from being taken out of the Land of Absurdity.
It's unclear how Wu Zhan obtained it.
Because it's not as simple as just devouring humans; when it first devours a human, it will undergo a transformation depending on the strength of the human it consumes.
If what was swallowed was Qin Shaotang, who died on the first floor,
After Xichan transforms into a strange human form, she will possess fire abilities similar to those of a second-tier fire psychic like Qin Shaotang.
However, what Xichan will unleash at that time might be a deadly flame that kills anyone who touches it, and it won't be able to kill you. At most, you can seal it, but even sealing it will consume more Scarlet Silver.
Therefore, although this bizarre phenomenon only offers one chance for transformation and requires the consumption of a complete human individual, it is also extremely dangerous.
However, the Tower Guardian's power is immune to this kind of taking. Even if it is devoured, it is just like an ordinary person and will not cause mutation.
"These gangsters really do like to hoard contraband."
"It seems to be the same whether it's in this life or the next."
Wu Heng could only thank the other party for their contribution in his heart, and he was determined to repay them with his life.
He put away the silk cloth, searched the room, and finding nothing else, piled up buckets of gasoline from inside the room all the way to the elevator entrance.
The smell of gasoline instantly filled the room.
Wu Heng entered the elevator and threw gasoline cans onto each floor in turn, placing an open gasoline can at each elevator entrance.
Then he pressed the numbers 6 and 7 with two fingers at the same time, and the red electronic floor number eventually stopped at the number 6/7 on the display.
The moment the door opened,
A musty smell wafted over, mixed with a pungent odor similar to wheat chaff, and a hint of blood.
Wu Heng felt like he had entered a cowshed.
The layout inside resembles a prison, with four cages with iron bars at the front and solid iron doors at the back.
His footsteps startled everyone in the room, and waves of fear surged towards Wu Heng.
"I'm so hungry~".
"I was wrong, I was really wrong. I work for the company, I've shed blood for the company, please give me another chance!"
"I'm willing to hand over my patent, please let me go!"
Wu Heng calmly walked into the passageway, which was lined with soundproofing material.
From the cells on both sides, some cells emitted cries of pleas for mercy, while others cowered in the corners, silent as if afraid of attracting the attention of anyone who came.
"Bang!"
The iron gate on the right side of the middle section was suddenly kicked hard, and a rough, beast-like roar came from inside:
"Pah! Wu Zhan's dog It Comes. If you've got the guts, come and kill me. You think you can keep your old man locked up like this and take care of him in his old age?"
"If you don't kill me, one day I'll anal you all one by one. Ever seen a beaded club?"
"Hahaha, you cowardly piece of trash."
The outburst of curses caught Wu Heng's attention, and he peered inside through the window in the iron gate.
Inside the cell was a rugged-looking, crew-cut middle-aged man. He was shirtless and stood at least 190 cm tall. Although he had a large frame, he was so hungry that his ribs were showing. He looked like a skilled farmer from an impoverished family in ancient times.
The other person was staring at Wu Heng with bulging, bloodshot eyes.
"Come, kill me!"
His arms, bound by chains on either side of the wall, swung wildly, making the alloy chains clang loudly. His body was covered in wounds, and he seemed fearless of death.
"What's your name?" Wu Heng asked with great interest.
"I am Ren Batian, the ultimate martial artist who killed your Dark Snow Tier 1 psionicists. You're new here, aren't you? You don't even recognize your own father!"
"Hehe~." Wu Heng chuckled, "You're very smart and interesting!"
"But your mind is open to me!"
"Like a book eager to be read, I can feel the fear churning within you, like a raging flood, about to overwhelm your reason."
Wu Heng stood outside the door, feeling the intense fear emanating from the middle-aged man being absorbed by his own Spirit-Touch Power.
He thus saw through the prisoner's disguise.
This seemingly rough and tough man must have a good understanding of Dark Snow Company and be quite intelligent.
The moment the other person saw him pass by, they realized he wasn't from Dark Snow Company, and even guessed that he was Dark Snow Company's enemy or intruder.
So he deliberately mocked and insulted Dark Snow Company, and even revealed his own deeds.
He wanted to attract attention and indirectly prove that he was also an enemy of Dark Snow Company.
Wu Heng's mind raced through the prisoner files he had seen in the data room on the 8th floor. The name Ren Batian and the stories he had told matched those records.
A sound came from inside the cell again:
"Hehe, big brother, you're really amazing. My little tricks are worthless in front of you!"
"But I'm not lying. I truly have a blood feud with Dark Snow Company. Wu Zhan killed my entire family, including my two five-year-old twin daughters. As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend!"
"Since you're already It Comes, just let me go. I can do whatever you want, even take down the people of Dark Snow together!"
Ren Batian, inside the prison, heard Wu Heng's words.
Instantly, his fierce and ruthless expression vanished, replaced by a fawning smile, as he bowed and scraped, pleading like a lapdog.
Wu Heng observed Ren Batian, who seemed to have a knack for changing faces and had a lewd expression.
His keen eyesight allowed him to perceive the deep sorrow and desolation hidden in Ren Batian's eyes when he mentioned 'family'.
This person clearly had the will to die, yet he was still begging for mercy out of fear of death.
It's very likely that what he feared wasn't death itself, but rather the lack of opportunity for revenge, the possibility of dying first while his family's annihilation enemy remained alive and well.
"You're right, the enemy of my enemy is my friend," Wu Heng said calmly.
An axe appeared in his hand, and with a light swing, he broke the chains on the gate valve and reached out to pull open the iron gate valve, which was as thick as an arm.
Ren Batian was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Wu Heng as he walked in, and said in disbelief:
"Brother, are you really going to just let me go like this without checking me again?"
He hadn't expected the other party to believe him just because of two sentences. All the prepared lines were stuck in his throat, making him feel a little uncomfortable.
As Wu Heng chopped the chains on the wall with his axe, he said calmly, "What are you checking? Are you checking if you have beads inlaid in your jewelry?"
Ren Batian felt a tightness in his groin, and his legs clamped together.
Two loud clanging sounds
The iron chains connecting Ren Batian's wrists fell from the wall to the ground.
After being freed from his restraints, Ren Batian didn't jump around excitedly to express his joy. Instead, he stood quietly in place like a child who had made a mistake.
"Here, go and release everyone." Wu Heng handed the axe in his hand to Ren Batian.
Ren Batian instinctively took it, recalling the sound of Wu Heng chopping the iron gate with his axe, and hesitated before saying:
"Brother, won't using this to open the door make too much noise? It might alert Dark Snow's dogs, and one of them is a psychic with super hearing."
"I dared to shout at you just now because the soundproofing here is very strong and can eliminate sound waves. However, the iron door is connected to the wall, and the vibrations and sound transmission cannot be blocked by these soundproofing materials. They will be clearly transmitted to the fifth floor."
Ren Batian explained cautiously.
"How can a dead person hear anything?" Wu Heng said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Ren Batian's pupils constricted instantly. He understood, but couldn't believe it, and asked in a trembling voice:
"Dead man... Big brother, do you mean all those psionicists are dead?"
Wu Heng nodded slightly.
"Then... Wu Zhan?"
"He's not at the company, he's still alive. Besides, I'm not 'Dead Man Brother'."
Upon hearing this, Ren Batian, who was almost moved to tears, suddenly looked disappointed.
Then, thinking of the other psionicists from Dark Snow Company, who were all dead, his eyes filled with hope again.
He thought to himself, ' Dark Snow Company has offended such a big shot this time. It's like Maturin trying to climb a threshold—it's bound to trip and fall sooner or later!'
Wu Heng felt that Ren Batian's changes in expression in just a few seconds were enough to make him a professor in the acting department of a film school.
"Brother, there's one more thing. There are still some underlings from Dark Snow Company who have made mistakes locked up in this prison. We can't release them all."
Are you teaching me how to do things?
"No, no, brother, I'll go right now!"
Ren Batian quickly shut his mouth, carrying an axe in his hand and dragging a two-meter-long iron chain on each wrist, making a 'clanging' sound, as he walked out of the cage and began hacking at the locks of all the cell doors.
His bare-chested appearance made him look like a combination of two characters from a game Wu Heng played in his previous life.
Wu Heng wasn't idle either; he threw a whole bunch of gasoline cans into the aisle.
After Ren Batian released all the prisoners,
His respect for Wu Heng had risen to the level of faith.
During the process of releasing prisoners, he discovered that the Dark Snow employees he mentioned who had been imprisoned for making mistakes had all died in their cells.
These people had ashen faces, ferocious expressions, bulging eyes, slightly open mouths, foaming at the mouth, and their hands stiffened into claw shapes.
It seems he was scared to death.
"So that's how it is! Brother killed those people long ago!"
Ren Batian secretly blamed himself for his ignorance, for not understanding his elder brother's methods.