"What if... we blew up this building?"
Wei Leyang suggested,
"Once the building collapses, the Calamity Beast will be buried in the rubble. We can wait down below, and even if he survives, he won't have anywhere to run!"
His words were met with a long silence over the headsets.
Only after a good while did Wu Cheng laugh.
"What kind of horseshit suggestion is that? Blow this place up, and Linhai will be on the news tomorrow. I've even thought up the headline!"
"Shocking!! An unfinished building in Linhai City, suspected to be a tofu-dreg construction project, suddenly collapses in the dead of night! Is this the distortion of human nature or the collapse of morality?!"
"Tell me, what do we do when that hits the news?"
"Well, I don't have any other ideas. If you're so capable, why don't you come up with one?" Wei Leyang said.
"You..." Wu Cheng choked on his words. "Fine, I'll come up with one..."
Wu Cheng curled his lip and began thinking of a way to resolve their current predicament.
The team members flashed through his mind one by one. Wei Leyang had exhausted his Origin Power, so they couldn't count on him; the captain couldn't catch up to this Calamity Beast; and the Calamity Beast kept avoiding Han Ling...
There were also five floors above them where the Calamity Beast could move around, and the beast could hear their movements...
After a long while, Wu Cheng still couldn't think of anything and couldn't help drawing in a soft breath of cold air.
Damn it, wasn't a single one of them any use?
No, that wasn't right. There was still one other person on the team...
Wu Cheng turned to look a short distance away. The floor was poorly lit, making it impossible to make out any features. All he could see was a dark figure standing there quietly, seemingly pondering something.
Wu Cheng stared blankly at Shen Heng's silhouette, then suddenly broke into a helpless laugh.
Why was he looking at Shen Heng? His ability was only F-rank Hearing Enhancement, and he had only just entered the First Tier. Was he actually expecting him to kill the Calamity Beast?
If he could kill this Calamity Beast, Wu Cheng could eat through his nostrils!
"Let's do what Wei Leyang suggested!" Wang Hai's voice suddenly came through the headsets.
"Huh? We're really going to blow up the building?" Wu Cheng asked in shock.
"Yes. We don't have any other options, do we?" Wang Hai replied.
"Then what do we do when it hits the news?"
"It's only the news. That's better than letting this Calamity Beast rampage around outside killing people again!" Wang Hai said.
"But... what if the higher-ups hold us responsible?" Han Ling asked worriedly.
The Supervision Bureau's duties included not only hunting down Calamity Beasts, but also covering up the various incidents that arose during those hunts to avoid causing social unrest.
If a Calamity Beast hunt drew too much public attention, they could be punished even if they ultimately succeeded in killing the beast.
"It's fine. I'll take responsibility. Whatever punishment there is, they can direct it at me!" Wang Hai said.
Han Ling hesitated. Although she was a little worried, she nodded in the end.
Even if there was a punishment afterward, they would shoulder it together...
"Then when do we start? Now?" Wei Leyang asked.
"Yes, now. There's no longer any point in dragging this..."
Before Wang Hai could finish, another voice interrupted him.
"Let's hold on a little longer!" Shen Heng said.
"Can you give me a reason?" Wang Hai asked.
Shen Heng fell silent for a moment, then said, "It's my first official mission. If possible, I'd still like it to have a more satisfactory outcome!"
"But there's no point in carrying on like this. We can't catch this Calamity Beast. Besides, after we blow up the building, we'll still have to clear the rubble, find the beast, and confirm his death. All of that takes time. We don't have that much time to waste here!" Wang Hai frowned slightly.
"Then how about this? Hold on for just a little longer. During that time, you and Wu Cheng can give it everything you've got, Captain. If you still can't catch him in the end, then we blow up the building. Is that all right?" Shen Heng insisted.
Wang Hai had been about to refuse again, but abruptly paused.
From what he knew of Shen Heng, he shouldn't have been this sort of person. Then was it...
As though something had occurred to him, Wang Hai's gaze suddenly steadied. "How much more time do you want?"
Seeing that the captain had caught his meaning, Shen Heng lightly pressed the headset hanging by his ear and replied,
"Twenty minutes. If we still can't catch this Calamity Beast within twenty minutes, then forget it!"
"All right. I'll give you twenty minutes!" Wang Hai agreed.
"Oh, Captain!"
"What is it?"
"I hope you'll give it everything you've got during these twenty minutes!"
Wang Hai looked up at the Calamity Beast ahead, which was nearly at the wall.
Did he want him to do his best to draw its attention... At that thought, the suspicion in his heart grew firmer.
"Don't worry. I'll give it everything I've got during these twenty minutes!"
"Okay!"
"Any other questions?"
Shen Heng shook his head, which felt somewhat groggy from the sound waves harassing him.
"If possible, could I trouble you to update us on the Calamity Beast's position during this time, Captain? I need a little rest!"
"Sure!" Wang Hai agreed without hesitation.
If the Calamity Beast had a large area to move around in, he would have refused, because he might lose track of it.
But now, the Calamity Beast's range was limited to the top five floors. Within that area, keeping them updated on its position wouldn't be a problem!
Listening to their exchange over the headset, Wu Cheng couldn't help sighing inwardly.
Ah, rookies. He couldn't keep going himself, yet he still wanted everyone else to force themselves to hang on!
Somewhat helplessly, he turned toward Shen Heng's position, wanting to take a look at the subject of his lament, only to discover in astonishment that there was no one there anymore.
Huh? Where was he?
Wu Cheng was rather surprised. Shen Heng, who had been standing there earlier, was no longer in that spot.
He turned his head to look around and quickly found Shen Heng on the floor. Shen Heng was walking toward Han Ling.
What was he doing? Telling them to give it their all while he went off to flirt?
Wu Cheng seethed with anger. Just as he was about to speak, Wang Hai's voice came through the headset again.
"Wu Cheng, the wall on the left!"
With no time to think further, Wu Cheng instinctively began doing as Wang Hai instructed.
Meanwhile, Shen Heng walked over to Han Ling.
Han Ling was sitting on a windowsill, swinging her legs in boredom. Seeing Shen Heng approach, she looked over in confusion.
"What is it? Need something?"
"I haven't seen this Calamity Beast yet, right? So I wanted to come over and ask why the otherworld has something like..."
Han Ling looked at Shen Heng rather strangely, because he was holding out his phone as he spoke.
Han Ling instinctively took the phone and looked at the screen.
I have a new plan!
But this Calamity Beast can hear us talking, so we can't say the plan aloud. We'll keep up a normal conversation while I explain the plan to you over the phone!
Also, remember, don't say anything about the plan out loud!
Reading those lines on the phone, Han Ling looked at Shen Heng with shining eyes and nodded vigorously.
Shen Heng took the phone back, typed, and soon handed it over again.
Han Ling immediately took it and looked down.
Shen Heng: Answer me, quick! Do humanoid Calamity Beasts appear in the otherworld too?