Chapter 632: Guarding

Boss Lu returned to the bookstore, ready to face Xiao Qianshou.

It was a fight to determine victory or defeat, and even life or death. Boss Lu had made up his mind, but Xiao Qianshou didn't want to fight. He knew the true capabilities of Badou Moke (Boss Lu). With his current strength, Xiao Qianshou had no chance of winning a direct confrontation with Boss Lu. His mission was to lure Boss Lu back to the bookstore, and now that the mission was complete, Xiao Qianshou quickly moved towards the door.

Boss Lu waved his hand, and the bookstore door shut. Over a hundred "lock" characters were written on the door, each transforming into a real lock, sealing the door and windows tightly. Books on the shelves rose into the air, and thousands of characters, like waves, swiftly enveloped Xiao Qianshou. This was a tactic Boss Lu had specifically prepared for Xiao Qianshou. The best way to deal with him was to completely deny him any space to maneuver.

Although Xiao Qianshou was in a disadvantageous position, he remained calm. Since he dared to infiltrate Boss Lu's bookstore, he had naturally come prepared. With a flick of his right hand, he widened his sleeve opening to over two feet in diameter. A whirlwind erupted, sweeping a large number of characters into his sleeve. This was a "Thief Cultivation" technique called "Rivers and Mountains in the Sleeve," originally used to conceal stolen goods. Now, however, it played a crucial role in combat. This was the most challenging aspect of dealing with Patriarch and Grandmaster-level figures: they had thoroughly mastered Daoist techniques and could often produce unexpected responses.

Relying solely on text wouldn't be enough to capture Xiao Qianshou, so Boss Lu changed his approach. He fumbled in his sleeve and produced a short sword, holding it in his right hand and thrusting it directly towards Xiao Qianshou's face. Xiao Qianshou was momentarily stunned. "Zhou Badou, are you resorting to martial arts now?" Boss Lu's movements were excellent; this sword thrust was both fast and accurate. Even a Cloud Martial Cultivator might not have been able to parry it.

The sword itself was impressive; its cold blade was intimidating, and the piercing sound it made as it cut through the air was like the wailing of ghosts and wolves, lingering persistently. Even the well-traveled Xiao Qianshou couldn't help but shiver. However, such a straightforward attack seemed a bit childish when used against a Thief Cultivation Patriarch.

Xiao Qianshou's two fingers trembled as he made a pinching motion, and in a blink, the long sword from Boss Lu's hand was in Xiao Qianshou's. "Zhou Badou, you're a scholar, what are you doing playing with swords with me? This weapon looks good, but it's wasted in your hands. I'll keep it for you..." Before he could finish speaking, the short sword turned into ink, first blackening Xiao Qianshou's palm, then creeping up his wrist, and immediately spreading towards his elbow.

Xiao Qianshou was startled. "Old Zhou, that's not fair! I'm genuinely trying to steal from you, and you're tricking me with fakes!" The sword was fake. Although it appeared to have been drawn from his sleeve, Boss Lu had actually drawn the character "sword" on his palm with his thumb, transforming it into a long sword. The blade's chilling aura was due to Boss Lu carrying the *Collection of Embroidered Frost*, whose three cover characters continuously sprayed frost and snow towards Xiao Qianshou. The piercing sound of air being cut was because two volumes of Boss Lu's work, *Shouts*, were on the bookshelf, constantly yelling at Xiao Qianshou, making him mistakenly believe he heard the sound of the sword cutting through air. The wailing of ghosts and wolves was due to a set of *One Hundred Ghosts* on the adjacent bookshelf. The book contained over a hundred ghosts and several wolf demons, crying and howling, providing background noise for Boss Lu. After this series of maneuvers, an ink sword tricked Xiao Qianshou into believing it was a real sword and stealing it.

Xiao Qianshou's wrist and palm were blackened with ink. In such a situation, there was no need to worry; simply cutting off the hand would resolve the issue. However, Xiao Qianshou was not as he once was. Although he had acquired a few hands recently, their number was very limited. Could he bear to cut off his own hand? If he couldn't bear to cut off his hand, he would die. Xiao Qianshou didn't hesitate for a moment, swinging his blade and severing his right hand. With "Rivers and Mountains in the Sleeve" rendered useless, Xiao Qianshou was once again trapped in a siege of characters. Just as it seemed there was no hope, the door behind him suddenly opened.

Boss Lu was stunned. Despite the intensity of their battle, Xiao Qianshou hadn't forgotten to pick the locks. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of locks on the bookstore door had been effortlessly opened by Xiao Qianshou. "Old Zhou, there will be a day. We'll meet again!" Xiao Qianshou quickly extricated himself from the characters and left the bookstore. Boss Lu didn't pursue him; he wasn't very familiar with the outer state, and there were some matters he needed to sort out.

Besides the magic box, he had also acquired a lot of items from the Hundred Demons Workshop, which needed to be organized. As police sirens wailed continuously, Boss Lu returned to the bookstore and tidied up the scattered books. A police officer came to inquire about the situation. Boss Lu offered a brief explanation and discreetly picked up Xiao Qianshou's severed hand. "There have been some incidents tonight, so please try to stay indoors and avoid going out." The police officer gave a few warnings and then left the bookstore. Boss Lu unfolded a city map and saw many areas blinking with lights, indicating fires. Indeed, there were many incidents that night. Boss Lu closed the bookstore door, deciding not to get involved in the chaos for now.

Various shops gradually closed their doors, and fewer pedestrians were on the street. The barbecue restaurant run by a couple across the street also had no business. The owner stood by the roadside for a moment, then turned to his wife and said, "Let's close up!" His wife was a bit reluctant. "Just a little longer, please. We haven't even earned enough for the rent today." "What's there to wait for? Didn't you hear what they said? Something's happening tonight, and the street's empty!" "What's happening?" "How should I know? Let's just close up quickly. We can set up early tomorrow, and we'll earn it all back then!"

The owner extinguished the fire, and his wife reluctantly packed things up. After lowering the rolling shutter and a quick tidy-up, the couple was about to go to bed when they suddenly heard someone banging on the door outside. The owner shouted, "Who is it? We're closed for the night!" A child's voice came from outside: "Uncle, my dad and I came out to eat, and Mom went to the restroom. A stranger said he'd take me to buy toys, but I didn't want to go with him, so he hit me and dragged me. I finally managed to run away, but I can't find my mom, and he's coming again. I don't know what to do..." The more anxious the child became, the less clear his words were.

"Oh my, it's a trafficker! Child, don't be afraid, come to Uncle here!" Before his wife could ask more questions, the owner had already opened the rolling shutter. As soon as the shutter rose a few dozen centimeters, before the inner glass door even opened, the couple realized that it wasn't a child standing at the door. Judging by the size of the leather shoes alone, they weren't for a child. The person squatted down and smiled at the couple. He was a man in his twenties.

The owner was startled and tried to lower the rolling shutter, but the man rolled forward, crashed through the glass door, and entered the shop. The man chuckled, "Uncle, you're so kind. I'm hungry; could you get me something to eat?" The owner turned around, grabbed a stove poker, and pointed it at the man, shouting, "Get out!" The man maintained his smile. "What's wrong, Uncle? Don't you want to be a good person anymore?" "I told you to get out!" The owner swung the stove poker, striking a pose. Anyone knowledgeable would recognize that his stance was merely a bluff; he wouldn't dare to actually strike. The man opposite him, however, was not easily intimidated. He reached out, snatched the stove poker, and hooked it into the owner's shoulder. The pain was excruciating, and the owner stumbled, collapsing onto the ground.

The man placed his foot on the owner's face and looked back at the owner's wife. The owner's wife was holding her phone, about to call the police, when the man swung the stove poker, piercing her palm. Her phone fell to the ground. With his foot on the owner's head, the man twisted his toes twice, then looked down at the owner and said, "Uncle, I'm still hungry. Can you get me some skewers to eat?" The owner's cheekbones were crushed, and though he tried to struggle up, his head felt nailed to the ground, unable to move.

"You run a barbecue place; if you're not grilling skewers, what are you keeping these sticks for?" The man grabbed a handful of iron skewers and began to nail them into the owner, one after another. Each skewer passed through his body, embedding deeply into the ground. The man chuckled, "Looks like you're still not in pain. You'd be screaming if you were." The owner's eyes were bloodshot, and his body trembled, yet he couldn't utter a sound. His throat felt as if it were choked with sand, unable to swallow or spit. The owner's wife, however, screamed out of fear. The man turned to look at the owner and chuckled, "Uncle, I haven't married yet. Could you lend me your aunt for a while?" The owner wanted to fight desperately, but he was pinned to the ground, unable to move.

The owner's wife tried to run, but the man flicked a skewer, pinning her to the wall. She let out a hoarse shriek. "Why run? Why suffer this pain?" The man pinched the owner's wife's face. "Put more effort into it, scream louder, and draw more people to watch our show! Your business here is sure to boom in the future!" The owner's wife screamed with all her might. The owner trembled uncontrollably.

"The show is about to begin." The man smiled and turned on the barbecue shop's light box. The light box illuminated, but the words "Barbecue" were nowhere to be seen. Boss Lu looked across the street and shook his head. "They say Prolo State is ruthless, but the outer states are even more full of beasts."

Inside the barbecue shop, the man prepared to assault the owner's wife. "How did you write this sign? It doesn't even say 'barbecue.' How do you run a business?" The man touched the owner's wife's face, suddenly feeling warmth in his pants leg. Had he urinated? He had urinated from fear. It was normal for them to urinate from fear, but the man couldn't understand why *he* had. The sensation wasn't right either; urine wasn't usually so sticky. And urine... shouldn't be red.

The man stumbled back a few steps and fell to the ground. A mass of something fell out of his pants leg. It had fallen off! *That* had actually fallen off! Amidst fear and pain, the man screamed loudly, his pants stained bright red. Boss Lu, concerned about excessive blood loss, allowed the character "Burn" to linger on the man's wound for a moment. Scorched smoke rose, and the man continued to whimper.

He didn't know who had cut him or who had burned him. He picked up the detached object from the ground, attempting to flee, but his knees buckled, and he collapsed again. Green smoke rose from his calves; his hamstrings had been cooked. The man reached out, crawling towards the door, but his arms suddenly lost strength, and he collapsed completely. His arm tendons had also been cooked. The character "Burn" circled him repeatedly, and the part that had been severed fell to the ground again. Boss Lu, seeing his pitiful state, didn't let the character "Burn" pass over him again. Instead, he sent the character "Roast" to cook the object thoroughly. Boss Lu's intention was good; the item was perfectly cooked and ready to eat with a little salt and pepper.

But the man had no appetite. He squirmed his way towards the door. The skewers in the owner's body had fallen out, presumably pulled out by someone. The owner slowly rose from the ground and raised the stove poker behind the man. "You, don't you dare..." The man looked back, his body continuously wriggling backward. The skewers in the owner's wife's body had also fallen out, and she was dialing the police.

"There are many people reporting tonight, and I feel there must be a connection behind it," Lightbulb boldly speculated in front of Candied Fruit and Second-in-Command. Candied Fruit rolled her eyes at Lightbulb. "Do you even need to say that? Anyone can see it!" Second-in-Command said, "I think these people belong to the same organization. Tonight's situation is a planned and premeditated operation." Candied Fruit nodded. "Second-in-Command's analysis is more thorough!" Lightbulb frowned. "Sister Candied Fruit, is there a difference between what I said and what Second-in-Command said?" "Can't you hear the difference yourself?" Candied Fruit parked her car outside a residential complex. "Remember the location: Building 6, Apartment 1301. Go up there and get the job done quickly. Try to make it to the next incident. Director Shen said this time, the pacifiers are paid per head!"

The Dark Star Bureau had divided its security team members into dozens of small groups, sharing all case information in their work group. After completing their assigned tasks, each person could assist other groups. Lightbulb sighed, "We wasted all that time on the road. For the next job, we need to choose a good location and aim to reach the scene within half an hour." Second-in-Command was less optimistic. "So far, not a single group has reported success in the chat. These people aren't so easy to deal with; we absolutely cannot underestimate them." The three arrived at Building 6, where the police chief briefed them on the current situation.

"The suspect disguised himself as a lost elderly person, going door-to-door asking for directions. Only the residents of Apartment 1301 opened their door to him. This family consists of six people: two elderly individuals, a couple, and two children. The entire family has been taken hostage by the suspect. The suspect is demanding a ransom of fifty million, along with a helicopter, to allow him to safely leave Yuezhou City." Lightbulb was perplexed. "Has he watched too many police thrillers? A helicopter?" Second-in-Command asked, "What is this suspect's special ability?" The officer replied, "His combat ability is outstanding. He injured several of our officers without using any special weapons." Lightbulb said to Candied Fruit, "Isn't this just a typical Martial Cultivator?" Candied Fruit shook her head. "Don't jump to conclusions. Many civilian dark ability users don't have a clear profession."

They reached the thirteenth floor. Standing in the hallway, Candied Fruit heard voices from inside the apartment. "Have you decided? Who's first?" As soon as the words fell, crying erupted. "Not good! He's going to harm a hostage!" The officer looked at Candied Fruit. Second-in-Command asked, "Have you deployed snipers?" The officer shook his head. "We tried twice. As soon as a sniper got into position, he immediately detected them, and each time he did, the hostages were harmed." Second-in-Command frowned. "This isn't an ordinary fighter; he has the abilities of a Gazer." Lightbulb nodded. "This might be a Gazer Cultivator, or he might possess a Gazer's magical artifact."

The kidnapper's voice came out again: "Hurry up! No time to waste with you!" First, a child's cries could be heard from inside. Then an elderly person's voice shouted, "Don't touch the child! I'll go." The officer was right; the kidnapper was indeed about to harm a hostage. Candied Fruit ordered, "Move now!"

Before setting out, the three of them had already devised their strategy: Lightbulb would enter first to draw the suspect's attention, Second-in-Command would provide cover and ensure the safety of the hostages and Lightbulb, and Candied Fruit would directly use a binding technique to subdue the suspect. Lightbulb slowly approached the room when a ball of fire suddenly burst out from the door. This person also knew Fire Cultivation techniques? Lightbulb was startled and shook his head at Candied Fruit. Fire Cultivation countered Oil Cultivation, so Lightbulb was not suitable to enter first.

The elderly person's screams and the child's cries rang out together. The kidnapper had acted. There was no time to adjust tactics. Second-in-Command made a gesture; he would charge in first. Unlike Martial Cultivators, Fighters like Second-in-Command needed appropriate weapons to engage. In the current combat situation, a gun was undoubtedly the most suitable weapon. Second-in-Command rushed into the room, gun in hand. The kidnapper was an elderly man, around sixty, standing behind a hostage. The hostage was covered in blood, with clear sharp-object wounds on their body. The kidnapper wasn't holding a weapon. Even if he was a Martial Cultivator, what tool did he use to harm the hostage? It couldn't have been his fingernails, could it?

Second-in-Command had no time to think; he immediately opened fire on the suspect. The magazine held twelve rounds. Second-in-Command emptied it, all twelve bullets hitting their target, with three striking the suspect's head. The kidnapper was bleeding from the face, at least proving the bullets had caused him damage. Seizing the opportunity, Candied Fruit threw a fishing net, accurately ensnaring the kidnapper. This was equipment specially modified by the Dark Star Bureau for Candied Fruit, effectively overcoming the problem of Restrainers needing to operate at close range. With the fishing net controlling the suspect, the mission was largely successful.

Lightbulb rushed into the room to assist Second-in-Command in rescuing the hostages. Candied Fruit prepared to draw a fishing net on the suspect to ensure the binding strength. It was difficult for ordinary people to understand Candied Fruit's reasoning: the suspect was already bound by a fishing net, so why draw another one? This related to the characteristics of a Restrainer's techniques. Drawing several net-like intersecting lines on a suspect would create an invisible net, which was the strongest binding technique, called "Conceptual Restraint." In Prolo State, Binders also had a corresponding technique called "Drawing a Cocoon into a Prison." For Candied Fruit, if her drawn net had ten parts of strength, the net made by the Dark Star Bureau had at most three parts. Therefore, for safety, she needed to add another layer of restraint on the suspect.

But before the three could get close to the suspect, he suddenly broke free from the fishing net. He rubbed a ball of fierce flames from his palm, and the flames transformed into a fire dragon, weaving and circling around the three of them. Lightbulb disengaged his technique and quickly retreated. Candied Fruit was also forced outside by the flames. Second-in-Command charged through the flames, reaching the suspect and thrusting his dagger towards the suspect's throat. The suspect's throat bled, and his cheek twitched slightly. With that strike, Second-in-Command had a clear sensation: he had cut the opponent's skin but not the flesh. Beneath the opponent's skin, there seemed to be hidden armor. The suspect swung his arm and slapped Second-in-Command.

What kind of fighting style was this? Second-in-Command dodged the opponent's palm by leaning back, but his cheek was grazed by the opponent's fingernails. It was a severe injury, and his cheek was now split open. It really was with fingernails! Fortunately, the opponent's fighting skill wasn't too refined; otherwise, Second-in-Command would surely have lost his life. The lack of refined skill indicated that this person was likely not a Fighter.

Second-in-Command reloaded his magazine, preparing to fire again, but the suspect swung his palm, chopping towards Second-in-Command's arm. Second-in-Command quickly pulled his hand back, dodging the arm, but his gun barrel was cut off. This time, Second-in-Command finally recognized the opponent's Daoist sect. Blade Cultivator! A Slicer!

Slicers could use surrounding objects, and even parts of their own bodies, to create sharp blades. No wonder he could break free from Candied Fruit's fishing net. The Dark Star Bureau had a Slicer named Geng Congyi, who had previously carried out missions with Li Qi. Second-in-Command had witnessed his combat style and understood the relevant skills of Slicers. Geng Congyi could create sharp blades from a distance and even sever a Craftsman's control over their tools. Could this suspect do the same? He could! He launched a wave of invisible blades from a distance. Second-in-Command, relying on his Fighter's instincts, dodged with all his might but still sustained two cuts.

Fortunately, these two cuts were not in vital areas and didn't significantly affect Second-in-Command. While the two were entangled, Lightbulb and Candied Fruit rushed into the room again. Lightbulb grabbed a hostage, and a sharp blade grazed past him but failed to injure him. Candied Fruit tried to get close again to use a binding technique, but her right arm was cut by a blade, forcing her to retreat from the room once more. Lightbulb sneaked in again and rescued another hostage. The kidnapper threw a fireball at Lightbulb. Second-in-Command rushed forward, spread his jacket, and created a gust of wind, deflecting the fireball and protecting Lightbulb. Lightbulb escaped with the hostage, but Second-in-Command's situation had turned grim. Using his jacket to fan wind, his movements were wide and exposed, making Second-in-Command a living target in front of a Blade Cultivator.

Two sharp blades pierced his abdomen, and one pierced his chest. Second-in-Command risked his life, using his dagger to scratch the suspect's eyes. Lightbulb seized the opportunity to rescue another child and pulled Second-in-Command out of the room. Second-in-Command, covered in blood, collapsed against the wall. Candied Fruit had just requested backup from the Dark Star Bureau and also asked the police to immediately call for an ambulance. The Dark Star Bureau had no available personnel left. Even if they had personnel, they wouldn't arrive in time to provide support.

Three out of six hostages had been rescued; a couple and one child remained unrescued. The kidnapper roared, "You're finished! You've enraged me! I'll burn them to death. I'll burn this little one first!" He rubbed a fireball from his palm and picked up the child from the floor. Lightbulb didn't dare to rush in. Candied Fruit couldn't think of a countermeasure at the moment. Second-in-Command stood up from the wall, pointing towards the room and muttering, "I'll go. Disperse the fire. You save the hostages." His mouth was full of blood, and his words were indistinct. He was covered in blood and could barely stand. Lightbulb grabbed Second-in-Command. "Don't go. Stay here and don't move..." "Guard." Second-in-Command charged into the room without hesitation. Candied Fruit followed him in. Lightbulb gritted his teeth and also rushed in.

The kidnapper clutched the fireball. Lightbulb, not daring to use his technique, dragged the child's father towards the door and ran out. Second-in-Command grabbed the kidnapper's wrist, struggling desperately. Candied Fruit snatched the child and sent him outside. Lightbulb rushed back into the room, grabbed the child's mother, and fled outside. The child's mother's legs turned to jelly, unable to exert any strength. Second-in-Command, having sustained countless cuts, was on the verge of collapsing. Lightbulb activated his technique, sliding out with the child's mother. Candied Fruit rushed in to assist. The kidnapper struck down Second-in-Command with his hand. The fireball was about to transform into a fire dragon but suddenly extinguished in his palm. Li Banfeng was behind him, grabbing the kidnapper's head.

The kidnapper was in great pain, his consciousness blurring, and he couldn't use his techniques for a moment. Walking out of Hualake Park, Li Banfeng received a notification: he had received information on all ongoing cases across the city. He immediately came to this residential complex and flew into the apartment through the window. The kidnapper was still struggling. Li Banfeng twisted his wrist, and a cracking sound came from the kidnapper's skull.

"Candied Fruit, take Second-in-Command to the hospital and escort the hostages out!" Li Banfeng commanded. Candied Fruit quickly picked up Second-in-Command. Li Banfeng looked at the kidnapper and asked, "Who sent you?" The kidnapper remained silent. Li Banfeng increased the pressure on his hand, and the sound of cracking skull bones came again. Unable to bear the pain, the kidnapper struggled to say, "It's us..." Just as he finished the three words, the kidnapper's body exploded on the spot.

There were things he couldn't reveal; Li Banfeng had seen this method before. "All Civilization is Fiction." The people of Xuehua Port could not utter Du Wenming's name. This incident was also related to Du Wenming. It was highly likely that many of these cases were orchestrated by Du Wenming, or by even higher-ranking members of the Hundred Demons Workshop. What was his objective in doing this? Li Banfeng glanced at his phone again. All core members of the Dark Star Bureau had been deployed. Could his target be the Dark Star Bureau building itself?

In the Dark Star Bureau's interrogation room, Geng Shunxi, a core member of the Hundred Demons Workshop, refused to confess. He had long been unable to resist the pressure from the Arbiter's vessel and was on the verge of collapse. Several times he wanted to speak, but after glancing at the interrogation team members, he chose to remain silent. Shen Jingye noticed something. He had everyone else leave the interrogation room and turned off all surveillance equipment. He approached Geng Shunxi and whispered, "Do you have people working inside our bureau?" Geng Shunxi remained silent. Shen Jingye continued, "You're afraid to tell the truth, aren't you? Is it because you fear he'll kill you to silence you?" Geng Shunxi lowered his voice. "Not just me. If the mole among you reveals anything, they'll kill my entire family." "Who are 'they'?" "I can't say. I'll die if I do." "They've used a spell on you, making certain names impossible for you to utter, correct?" Geng Shunxi nodded. "There must be some things you can say. You're a core member; if you can't mention anything, what use are you?" Geng Shunxi was silent for a moment, then said, "Our Hundred Demons Workshop has members all over the world..." Shen Jingye shook his head. "I already know these things. It's just you and me here. Tell me something I don't know. As long as what you say is valuable, I can guarantee your safety." Geng Shunxi lowered his voice and said, "We have controllable EMP weapons." "What are those?" "Weapons that can destroy a large number of communication devices in a short period. We have mastered this technology, and our first target is Yuezhou."