Chapter 179 – Intertwining Malice

Longyao City, a hidden place of darkness.

Within the half-collapsed ruins, the Ruthless Man received a call from his collaborator.

“Xu Qianqian…?”

From the other party’s words, the Ruthless Man finally learned who had been obstructing his ritual, his eyes gleaming with ferocity.

He didn’t know who Xu Qianqian was, nor was he interested.

He only wanted to know how she dared to interfere with his plans and cause him trouble.

“What method did this Xu Qianqian use to obstruct me?”the Ruthless Man asked in a gloomy voice.”

But the so-called collaborator on the other end of the line sounded even more gloomy than the Ruthless Man.

“According to intelligence, witnesses reported fireworks rising near Xu Qianqian’s villa. The timing of the ascent perfectly matches the magnetic field anomaly recorded in the detection department’s report I accessed.”

This person was naturally the high-ranking official in Longyao City who had been collaborating with ‘Sin’, hiring ‘Sin’ to help capture the Phantom Demon Cub.

No, he should now be addressed as the Family Head of the Mo Family, Mo Leng.

Just as Su Ming and others knew, Mo Leng was the collaborator of ‘Sin’. He was also the superior who, after the operation to capture Little Hai’er was disrupted by Su Ming and Xu Qianqian, secretly leaked information to the Xu Family to lure Xu Yanyan’s faction into targeting Xu Qianqian during the Huaming Campaign.

Now, this superior’s voice was extremely gloomy, his expression equally unpleasant.

There was no helping it.

“It seems I’ve been exposed because of this information. Many council members in Longyao City’s upper echelons have already isolated me. Everyone avoids me and keeps their distance—undoubtedly because they’ve learned something.”

Because of this, Mo Leng was in a terrible mood, so bad that he didn’t even want to exchange pleasantries with the Ruthless Man.

Of course, the Ruthless Man didn’t care either.

“Exposed or not, your Mo Family never planned to stay in Longyao City permanently anyway, right?” the Ruthless Man said dismissively.

He knew Mo Leng’s ambitions, knew what he was thinking, and knew what he wanted.

Otherwise, why would he have sought out Mo Leng and specifically provided information about the Phantom Demon Cub’s whereabouts?

It was all to keep Mo Leng hooked, making him provide conveniences.

Now that the goal was almost achieved, Mo Leng’s status in Longyao City was no concern of the Ruthless Man.

As for Mo Leng, his ambitions indeed didn’t lie with Longyao City. Otherwise, why would he assist ‘Sin’ despite knowing they had ulterior motives and having discovered some of their operations?

It was simply because he no longer wanted to remain in Longyao City.

“Once I obtain the Nightmare Species Bloodline and restore my Family’s glory and prestige, what will a mere Longyao City matter then?” Mo Leng didn’t conceal his ambitions.

He wanted to restore the Mo Family’s gradually weakening Bloodline Power to its original state.

He wanted the Mo Family to regain the Legacy of the Nightmare Species Bloodline and return to its Peak.

When that time came, he would lead the Mo Family back to that former land, back to that Base City, that Family, and reclaim everything his clan had lost.

Faced with such prospects, what couldn’t be sacrificed in this “backwater” Longyao City?

The only problem was…”My goal has yet to be achieved. If the higher-ups obtain evidence of my crimes, the Mo Family will be completely finished.” Mo Leng gritted his teeth and said, “So remember your promise—retrieve that Phantom Demon Cub for me.”

“I know,” the Ruthless Man replied coldly. “Once I eliminate all those obstructing me, I’ll dispatch people to help you recapture that Phantom Demon Cub.”

As he spoke, the Ruthless Man inwardly sneered.

That Phantom Demon Cub indeed needed to be retrieved. After all, it was a Phantom Demon with the potential to evolve into a Nightmare Species. Even 『Sin』 would covet such a valuable treasure.

This time, it was necessary for the plan, which was why the Ruthless Man had used the Phantom Demon Cub as bait.

But now that Mo Ling had largely outlived his usefulness, the Ruthless Man had no intention of handing over such a precious treasure.

In the Ruthless Man’s mind, Mo Leng and the Mo Family had always been mere pawns to be used, not partners.

What right did a declining branch of a fallen Family, a weak force without even a single Six-Star Professional, have to negotiate with them as equals?

The Ruthless Man never regarded Mo Leng or the Mo Family with any respect.

“Good,” Mo Leng said, unaware of the Ruthless Man’s thoughts. “Whatever you plan to do, do it quickly. I don’t have much time.”

With the higher-ups of Longyao City already growing suspicious of him, Mo Leng was indeed finding it difficult to maneuver and had no choice but to urge the Ruthless Man to act swiftly and open up new opportunities for him.

“Don’t worry,” the Ruthless Man replied expressionlessly before hanging up.

Dismissing thoughts of Mo Leng, the Ruthless Man narrowed his eyes and muttered menacingly, “Xu Qianqian…”

This person had to be eliminated.

Not only because she had disrupted his ritual, but also because she held the method in her hands.

The Ruthless Man couldn’t afford to have his future rituals interrupted again.

Therefore, whether to eliminate the threat or kill her out of spite, he had to find this Xu Qianqian.

Thus, the Ruthless Man issued orders to his subordinates around him.

“Spread the word: aside from the necessary personnel remaining in the Ruins to search for the whereabouts of the 「Sword」 and 「Blood」, everyone else is to assemble here immediately.”

The Ruthless Man was about to step right into the trap Su Ming had prepared for him.

……

Longyao City, downtown, in a study inside a high-rise building.

At that moment, Mo Leng was setting down the phone, the previous gloom and displeasure on his face replaced by a cold smirk, though his expression remained stern.

“Do you really think I don’t know that 『Sin』 has no intention of keeping their promise?”

That’s right.

Mo Leng didn’t believe the Ruthless Man’s promises at all.

Or rather, he didn’t trust anyone, least of all a group of Underground Professionals who could only hide in the sewers, hunted and attacked by others.

Mo Leng had been keeping an eye on some of 『Sin』’s activities and knew they were secretly preparing something, for which they had even prepared a “big gift” for him.

If it weren’t for the fact that this “big gift” was exactly what Mo Leng needed, why would he bother dealing with these Underground Professionals from the sewers?Everything was for the sake of his own ambition.

“Now that things have come to this, it’s time to reveal the dagger at the end of the map.”

Mo Leng muttered to himself.

“While those shady scum are entangled with the Family forces, I can take the opportunity to capture the Phantom Demon Cub and make my escape.”

It turned out Mo Leng had known from the very beginning about the plan of various Family forces in Longyao City to use Xu Qianqian as bait to lure out the members of 『Sin』 and eliminate them all.

This was perfectly normal.

While others might be unaware of this matter, Mo Leng would receive information about it.

After all, he still had a spy within the Xu Family that he could utilize.

The Xu Family’s schemes might deceive others, but they couldn’t deceive Mo Leng.

Yet Mo Leng had completely withheld this information from the Ruthless Man, instead urging him to walk right into the trap.

This way, while the members of 『Sin』 were battling it out with Longyao City’s major forces, his Mo Family could take the opportunity to shake off the surrounding surveillance and go capture what he truly wanted.

Through his spy’s intelligence, Mo Leng had already learned where that thing was located.

“I hope you can make it back alive to the villa to see the gift I’ve left for you.”

“Young Miss of the Xu Family…”

Mo Leng chuckled coldly as he stood up and walked out of the study.

……

At the same time, in an unknown ruins.

In a long-abandoned corner of the ruins, a figure sat looking rather disheveled and covered in dust, appearing completely wretched.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a young girl.

A girl around seventeen or eighteen years old, yet exuding a mature charm like a peach about to ripen, with a figure more fitting of an older sister that contrasted with her slightly childish face.

Hiding in the corner, the girl’s delicate face was full of exhaustion and dust – an uninitiated observer might mistake her for a pearl covered in dirt.

But the girl paid no attention to her disheveled state, instead showing a determined expression as she carefully regulated her breathing to avoid giving herself away.

After a while, several figures flashed by in front.

“Is she here?”

“Let’s search around.”

“Don’t leave any corner unchecked.”

“Hurry up and find that woman.”

Several Underground Professionals from 『Sin』 spoke anxiously with each other as they conducted a carpet search of the area.

There was even a Sorcerer among them deploying a detection Spirit Art, attempting to scan the surroundings and locate any living beings present.

The girl quickly held her breath while continuing to move her hands without pause, pouring a bottle of alchemical potion into her mouth.

Using the effects of the alchemical potion, the girl concealed all her life energy and quickly burrowed under a pile of rubble, disregarding the filth as she scooped up dirt to cover herself.

Thanks to this hiding method that didn’t shy away from dirt, the Underground Professionals from 『Sin』 clearly weren’t having much success in their search.

“Nothing here.”

“We’ve searched everywhere.”

“Looks like she’s not here.”

“Let’s go, next area.”

The black-clad Underground Professionals quickly departed to continue their pursuit.

Seeing this, the girl who had only left her eyes exposed from the dirt didn’t emerge immediately.

She waited quietly for about three minutes, until she was sure no one was coming back, before struggling to emerge from the pile of dirt and rubble.

“Cough cough…”The prolonged lack of air left the girl coughing and gasping violently.

Yet she forced herself to regain composure as quickly as possible.

Because even the slightest delay would place her in extreme danger.

Remembering her clansmen who had been sent to the Ritual Market as sacrifices, and those who had stayed behind as human shields against the evil Underground Professionals to ensure her escape when disaster struck, grief welled up in the girl’s heart, tears shimmering in her eyes.

She refused to let those tears fall, swallowing them back instead.

In her dazed state, the girl seemed to hear her father’s voice.

“Remember, from now on you are the Wang Family’s only pure-blooded descendant. You must protect yourself at all costs—never let those people succeed.”

“If even you become a sacrifice, the terrifying entity sealed within these Ruins, suppressed beneath this Base City, will break free.”

“Then, not just Longyao City, but the entire modern world would descend into Hell as in ancient times.”

“Go. Take this ‘Sword’ and leave. The farther, the better.”

“Don’t seek revenge for us, understand?”

Her father’s final instructions before her escape remained vivid in her mind.

The grief in her heart only deepened, yet she no longer allowed her eyes to moisten.

“I will survive. I won’t let them succeed, Father,” she murmured, rising to her feet while clutching the object in her arms.

It was a Sword.

A Sword beyond description, shrouded in an aura of darkness and peril.

Within it, an obscure power undulated.

Each pulse seemed to evoke faint lamentations from the world itself—so oppressive, so terrifying.

The girl gazed at the Sword in her hands, sensing the fluctuations of its power.

“If only I could wield this Sword’s power, then I…”

Unusual thoughts surfaced in her mind.

Fortunately, she quickly suppressed them.

For no other reason than her clear understanding: she was incapable of such a feat.

The Sword’s power would never submit to her.

She simply could not wield it.

But…

“Even if I cannot use it, I cannot allow others to either.”

With this resolute determination, she resumed her escape, departing from the place.

Minutes later, a figure materialized as if teleporting.

He stood with closed eyes, quietly sensing his surroundings before moving to a corner, lifting debris to reveal a human-shaped indentation in the earth.

Seeing this, he understood.

“It seems she hid here not long ago.”

The figure was the Black-Clothed Expert dispatched by the Ruthless Man to pursue the “Sword” and the “blood.”

After a brief assessment, he confirmed a direction.

“That way, is it?” the Black-Clothed Expert murmured. “Good. You won’t escape much longer.”

With that, his figure flickered and vanished from the spot.

……

Night fell once more.

Pedestrians on the streets dwindled as usual, vanishing entirely, leaving the roads desolate and silent. Only the streetlights persisted in their work, illuminating the limited area.

For some reason, the atmosphere this night felt peculiarly oppressive.It was just like during the Huaming Campaign, when the entrance to the Spirit Demon Abyss was about to manifest—the heavens and earth were equally oppressive, equally suffocating.

Beneath the night sky, the Xu Family Estate, resembling an autonomous territory, seemed to be the very center of this oppressive atmosphere, continuously emanating something.

Under such circumstances, figures darted over from the distance one after another.

The Ruthless Man lifted his head, gazing at the enormous manor before him.

In his eyes, the flickering ferocity solidified into substance, no longer fading away.

(End of Chapter)