Critical Point

"Boom"—lightning flashed past outside the hall with a crack, its sudden glare twisting like coiling dragons and writhing snakes, illuminating Heavenly Secret Monster's ferocious, terrifying face.

The faint scholarly air once on his face had now been replaced by undisguised madness, terrifying beyond measure. The dog demon shuddered again in fright, nearly reverting to his true form.

Ignoring the bloody mess within the hall, Heavenly Secret Monster turned to the window and said softly, "This thunder is growing more urgent by the moment."

"It is time to have everyone under our control spread the word that all of this is the Dragon Maiden's fault."

"The locusts are the Dragon Maiden's fault. So is the torrential rain."

Only then did he turn his gaze toward the corner and casually order, "Keep watch here. If other demons come, you know what should be said and what should not, don't you?"

"Oh, right. There seems to be a little bug outside that overheard something. Remember to deal with it too, lest it cause me needless trouble."

Under his gaze alone, the dog demon was nearly scared to death. He nodded as if pounding garlic. "Rest assured, my lord! This little demon will certainly obey!"

The next instant, Heavenly Secret Monster's figure flickered, and he vanished from where he stood.

Looking at the reopened doors and windows, the dog demon swallowed before stepping forward to close them. By the light of an oil lamp, he began clearing away the severed limbs scattered across the floor.

Yet, recalling the little bug Heavenly Secret Monster had mentioned before leaving, the dog demon sniffed and murmured thoughtfully, "A human?"

At that moment, several hundred meters away from the Locust Shrine, a villager in a straw rain cape was fleeing for his life.

This man, Yang Laosan, was