The Cult Acts Again

Both sides displayed their skills across Jiangbei City. Weapons clashed, true qi collided, vast stretches of ground split apart, and the streets descended into chaos. Jiangbei City's Demon Suppression Bureau headquarters hurriedly mobilized forces to provide support.

But the Sinking Cult's arrangements in Jiangbei City ran deeper than imagined. They used large vehicles to block intersections and fought street battles against the authorities from behind cover.

Mei Ye cut down many minor cultists, but even more emerged from the scene, endless and despair-inducing.

The perfected Vast Blade Art was unstoppable when used against the cultists, but true qi would eventually run out.

Moreover, he was unfamiliar with the Demon Suppression Bureau's unique formations. He could only harvest lives along the perimeter, and without teammates assisting him, his strength quickly ran dry.

[Merit Points +253]

Mei Ye glanced at the panel. His merit points had exceeded 4,000 and were nearing 5,000.

If he could make it back alive today, that would truly be cause for celebration.

Facing the charging black-robed figures, Mei Ye poured his merit points into his cultivation technique. In an instant, true qi surged through his meridians and filled his limbs.

His strength returned, a sharp gleam flashing endlessly in his eyes. His feet shifted beneath him, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived behind the enemy.

Splat!

His long blade parted flesh, and blossoms of blood burst into the air.

The stench of blood filled heaven and earth.

Corpses piled across the streets.

"Act on Heaven's behalf! Slay the evil demons!"

Several cultists spotted Mei Ye. Their brows furrowed as they raised flags and shouted.

Then several brightly colored figures flipped into the air. Grabbing golden loudspeakers, they turned the battlefield into a concert hall as though they had come to announce someone's death.

Clang—!!

The gong's sound struck everyone's eardrums. The Demon Suppression Bureau members grimaced, their ears tingling.

Those musicians performed several more somersaults, leaping before Mei Ye and surrounding him.

Mei Ye had never seen anything so bizarre. What kind of wicked martial art was this?

He viciously thrust his blade toward the musicians' thighs.

But the musicians coordinated perfectly. Their eyes flickered as they blocked the blade and followed Mei Ye's momentum to attack him.

Several weapons swarmed forward, intending to slice Mei Ye in half.

Mei Ye leaned back into a flip, drew his treasured blade, then completed another somersault to open the distance between himself and the musicians.

The musicians immediately hurled their weapons again.

"Man and Weapon as One!"

The musicians controlled their weapons as they closed in on Mei Ye.

Mei Ye leaped up, stepped onto the weapons, borrowed their force, and kicked off toward the musicians. He unleashed a killing move.

The musicians' breathing stalled, and they hurriedly recalled their weapons.

Yet as the weapons flew back, Mei Ye swept past their sides and raised his blade sharply.

Blood sprayed with every slash, and cries of agony rang without end.

In an instant, Mei Ye had cut down those rather unusual musicians.

"Useless trash!"

Several cult leaders looked terrible at the sight.

From atop a high-rise, Epstein took in the battle below and could not help shaking his head with a sigh.

"Compared to the imperial court, we still have a huge gap after all."

Epstein shifted his gaze to the Qing Dynasty Zombie, which had been tightly bound.

Then he looked into the distance, where cultists were fiercely battling the continuous stream of reinforcements.

Wei Wushuang and the other main forces had stained the streets red. The surrounding ground had fractured into countless pieces, glass reflected savage faces, and the walls were smeared with blood.

"The time is about right."

Epstein spoke softly.

He tore away his cloak, revealing a tall and vicious body. With a howl toward the sky, he leaped from the high-rise, powerful winds carrying him downward.

The air pressure suddenly dropped, and everyone's heartbeats accelerated.

The Demon Suppression Bureau members looked up. Epstein hovered above their heads, making their scalps tingle.

Epstein's figure reflected in the cultists' eyes. They all froze, then fled in panic as though escaping something terrifying.

Epstein descended at high speed like a cannonball.

His eyes were incomparably sharp, his clothing flapped violently, and a grin spread across his face.

"Star Shatter!"

Epstein slammed out both fists. The buildings on either side were smashed apart and collapsed like building blocks.

Glass and rubble fell from the high-rises.

The load-bearing pillars were shattered. Without support, the high-rises swayed on the verge of collapse!

From their middles, the massive buildings were carved with horrifying cracks by Epstein, like hideous scars.

The Demon Suppression Bureau members watched the collapsing buildings with their eyes splitting in fury.

The two buildings crashed down, swallowing the street and leaving broken walls and ruins everywhere.

Standing atop the rubble, Epstein looked around as though searching for survivors.

Then the Sinking Cult's followers suddenly appeared and began digging under Epstein's command.

But once they cleared the rubble, Epstein found nothing there.

"..."

Epstein stared at the bloodstains on the ground.

"They got away."

He looked in another direction.

"They can't have gone far. Search for them!"

On a street elsewhere.

Several Demon Suppression Bureau officers carried the Qing Dynasty Zombie and raced forward.

"The cult's elites have all been deployed. This Qing Dynasty Zombie must be extremely important to them. We must protect it!"

A Demon-Suppressing Guard roared. The collapse of the two buildings had buried many of their brothers.

"Keep moving! Join up with the others! We absolutely cannot let the cultists obtain this zombie."

Another Demon-Suppressing Guard spoke while running.

Mei Ye shook his head, dusting off the ash on his hair.

He was not very proficient in the Demon-Suppressing Guards' formations, so he had remained around the outskirts. That gave him time to react and leave the battlefield.

Boom!

Suddenly, several darts shot toward them from behind.

The Demon Suppression Bureau members felt chills down their spines and immediately dodged aside.

A strangely dressed man suddenly appeared before them. He moved as fast as a ghost, and his scarlet eyes made cold sweat stream down everyone's backs.

Clang, clang—!

The Demon Suppression Bureau members instantly drew their blades and charged. Even if they could not win against a powerful enemy, they had to keep fighting!

But Epstein was a seasoned veteran. His fists moved with fierce force, snapping weapons, smashing bones, crushing eyeballs... These Demon-Suppressing Guards were no match for him at all!

Epstein kicked away a man with only one breath left and looked at the Demon-Suppressing Guard carrying the zombie.

"Give me the monster on your back."

Epstein extended a hand in threat.

The remaining men—Mei Ye and Tian Mao—looked grave and said nothing.

"Mei Ye, let's rush him together and fight this evil bastard to the death!"

At that moment, Tian Mao took a deep breath and said in a low voice.

Mei Ye turned his head to look at him, his eyes carrying a trace of suspicion.

Tian Mao took it as acceptance. He gripped his blade, gathered his courage, and shouted.

"Watch closely, Mei Ye. Don't think I'm just some bully. As a protector of Jiangbei City's people, my hatred for evil is no less than yours!"

"Huh?"

Epstein scratched his ear and tilted his head, his expression incredibly strange. "What the hell are you barking about? Don't think being some minor official makes you worth a damn."

"Evil demon, don't get cocky!"

Tian Mao shouted angrily, pointing his blade at Epstein.

"With me here, your plan will never succeed!"

He shouted at Mei Ye again.

"Mei Ye, I'll create an opportunity for you. You must bring this zombie back to headquarters!"

"This..."

His memories were filled with contempt and disgust toward the Tian Mao brothers, but seeing Tian Mao ready to face death without flinching, Mei Ye had to admit that he had misjudged him.

"But you..."

"Don't worry about me!" Tian Mao abruptly cut him off. "Remember, Mei Ye, today I'm sacrificing myself for North River's peace. Don't feel guilty for me."

"..."

Mei Ye was finally moved. Though he had been in this other world for nearly a month, his impression of his colleagues in the Demon Suppression Bureau had been terrible.

But faced with Tian Mao's impassioned resolve, he recognized the complexity of human nature.

Some people might be parasites in the rear, but once they reached the front lines, they were no cowards!

Mei Ye nodded, acknowledging Tian Mao's resolve. "Then go. Use your life to create a chance for me to survive! Your ugly life will end today!"

Tian Mao stumbled, nearly losing his composure.

He steadied himself and gritted his teeth. "That's right, Mei Ye. That's exactly what I mean. You must complete the mission..."

"Oh, I'll just stand here and watch you show off." Epstein was amused. Flashing a row of white teeth, he said with a grin, "Little runt, don't say I didn't give you a chance. If you can't pull off something impressive, I won't be human if I don't beat the shit out of you."

Epstein was, after all, in the Dragon Extreme Realm. Watching those two idiots play this little trick in front of him, he was not worried in the slightest.

"Hmph, cult leader. Just watch my performance!"

Tian Mao snorted coldly, holding his blade at the ready as his aura suddenly surged.

Mei Ye took a step back, his brows furrowed. He clutched the Qing Dynasty Zombie on his back, ready to retreat at any time.

At that moment, Tian Mao turned and gave Mei Ye a look.

"Mei Ye, watch closely..."

Mei Ye nodded and retreated another step.

Tian Mao immediately turned back, took a deep breath, and slashed out. Crimson light illuminated the alley.

Epstein faced the blade qi with disdain in his eyes. "That's it?"

The blade qi exploded before him. Smoke and dust billowed up, obscuring the figures in view.

Tian Mao seized the chance and shouted, "Mei Ye, it's up to you now!"

His footsteps rang out, growing farther and farther away.

It sounded as though he had charged toward Epstein.

Whoosh—

A gust of wind suddenly blew through, scattering the smoke and dust and revealing the two people in the alley.

The alley became perfectly clear.

Epstein stared expressionlessly at Mei Ye across from him.

Mei Ye carried the zombie on his back, his expression somewhat unsightly. Before he could even take a step, Epstein had already locked onto him.

"..."

Mei Ye stiffly looked behind him and saw a figure in a Demon-Suppressing Guard uniform leaving afterimages in the alley as he fled at top speed.

"Your teammate has already run away. Are you still going to stubbornly resist? You only get one life, kid."

Epstein smiled without smiling. He had thought the Demon Suppression Bureau had finally produced a real tough guy.

Who would have thought he was just an actor?

"Give me the zombie on your back, and I won't make things difficult for you."