The Eldritch Files

’Are the thirteen Encrypted Spells of the Zero Sequence, looked down upon by all, really just a patchwork of chaotic spells that couldn’t be categorized and whose origins couldn’t be traced?’

’Is the Zero Sequence truly the weakest Mysterious Power with the least potential for growth?’

Song Chushi’s move was like lighting a fuse.

As Han Su began to develop a preliminary understanding of Mysterious Power and his own theoretical framework started to take shape, he suddenly thought of the Zero Sequence Spells. While not powerful, their characteristics were distinct and well-defined.

He recalled that Crimson was a power transcending all other anomalies, yet it seemed that within the Zero Sequence, there was also Crimson…

Imperceptibly, the Mysterious World before his eyes had transformed from a vast, complex, bizarre, and chaotic state into one where a hidden logic was now emerging. It was as if a behemoth was revealing its silhouette from within the shadows.

”What the fuck kind of joke is this?”

At that same moment, Song Chushi’s move had also caused the expressions of the Four Heavenly Kings to change drastically, especially Zhao Fantian and Wang Buddha, who still maintained their full consciousness and faculties.

Suppressing the Mysterious Power unleashed by others with superior Spiritual Activity wasn’t unheard of. However, that usually only happened when there was a vast disparity in the combatants’ power levels, or when the Mysterious Power being suppressed was low-level and negligibly weak.

The power gap between the four of them and Song Chushi was definitely not that large. More importantly, their power was Crimson—a forbidden power beyond human comprehension. How could it possibly be suppressed by someone else’s Spiritual Activity?

And yet, that was exactly what had happened.

With just a light point of his finger, Song Chushi had erased the surging Mysterious Power from Zhao Fantian and Wang Buddha, even causing the two to fall directly from mid-air.

But this was just the beginning. Originating from the tip of Song Chushi’s finger, a vast Spiritual Activity formed a massive, bizarre field. Spiritual Power began its Penetration, interweaving and washing over everything in the space before him.

Within the range of that single finger, never mind Zhao and Wang.

Down below, Zhang Chiguo, who had already ripped out Li Moxi’s heart and was about to stuff it into his mouth, was suddenly startled.

If he had been just a little bit faster and bitten into that heart, it would have meant Li Moxi’s death, and also his own complete loss of control.

But as the effect of that pointing finger washed over him, the intense and vicious Crimson power on Zhang Chiguo’s body rapidly receded. His eyes suddenly cleared. He jerked his head down and saw Li Moxi pinned beneath him, his chest wide open and empty.

”Holy shit...”

Zhang Chiguo’s hand trembled violently, and he immediately stuffed Li Moxi’s heart back into him.

He moved so fast that Li Moxi’s eyes rolled back in his head.

Zhang Chiguo looked down at the blood covering his body. A flash of horror crossed his eyes, followed by deep regret:

’What the fuck have I done?’

’I was just about old enough to collect my pension...’

’...’

However, accompanying the regret that flooded his heart was, surprisingly, a sense of lingering excitement…

That felt so good…

Even though that moment of reckless abandon was brief, it was truly more exhilarating than a lifetime of suppression!

Beneath him, Zhang Chiguo had stuffed Li Moxi’s heart back in, but perhaps he’d been a bit too rough when he ripped it out. Too many blood vessels had been severed, and it didn’t seem to be beating. Li Moxi, his face covered in a cold sweat, desperately raised a hand to clutch his heart.

He urgently tried to chant [Devil’s Kiss] to repair the wound.

But at that moment, the influence of Song Chushi’s [All Gone] spell was still active. The surroundings were a void, and the power of the [Devil’s Kiss] couldn’t even reach him!

In despair, Li Moxi realized a terrible truth. He had just been on the verge of being killed by Zhang Chiguo. With great difficulty, Zhang Chiguo had regained his senses and even returned his heart, but he was still going to die.

”You were supposed to die here anyway.”

Just then, Song Chushi noticed the situation over there. With a cold expression, he slowly lowered his raised hand.

Only then did the influence of [All Gone] begin to fade from the area. The wound on Li Moxi’s chest immediately started to heal.

The staggering Zhao Fantian and Wang Buddha also hurriedly activated their Spiritual Power to look within themselves, feeling both relieved and disappointed at the same time.

The Crimson power was still there.

For a moment, they had felt as if Song Chushi had crippled them, as if they had reverted to ordinary people, completely unable to sense the existence of the Crimson power.

Only now did they discover that their Divine Material was still severely tainted by the Crimson power. This meant the Crimson corruption remained, and they could even recover to their previous peak strength.

But it also meant they hadn’t escaped the contamination of the Crimson power. The curse was still there.

The struggle they had endured for four years had to continue.

If they were truly given a moment to think calmly, they would find it impossible to immediately choose between becoming an ordinary person completely untainted by the Crimson power, or being an Independent Investigator with immense power and a lofty status, yet living a precarious existence.

”You... you can choose to kill me...”

Amidst the silence, where everyone was lost in their own thoughts, Li Moxi’s voice rang out, strained.

One hand clutched his heart, letting the power of the Devil’s Kiss mend his wound, while he struggled to his feet and even picked up the pistol by his side.

Zhang Chiguo immediately let out a cold snort. He strode forward, slapped him so hard he staggered, and in the same motion, snatched the pistol from his hand and pointed it at his face.