<div> Chapter 60: Chapter 59 Incinerator_1
 Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation 
 Ten seconds later, Huai Shi sat calmly in the gatehouse, extinguished the fire in the stove, and pulled the glittering Sacrificial Knife from the desiccated corpse.
 Little Pony wandered in, clicking his tongue in amazement at Huai Shi’s recent knife skills.
 Meanwhile, Huai Shi scrutinized the passage behind the gatehouse and asked casually, "Old Liu, what’s hidden back here?"
 "Should be their Fasting Circle..." Little Pony replied offhandedly, then jumped up in fright. "Fuck, how did you know it was me?"
 Huai Shi glanced back at him. "I just asked randomly. Besides, among the people I know, there aren’t many as flamboyant as you."
 "Ahem, I was just speaking casually too." Little Pony looked at him innocently. "Who’s Old Liu?"
 "A bald guy."
 "Enough already!"
 The two of them faced each other in the gatehouse for a long time until Liu DongLi helplessly shifted his gaze.
 "Who exactly are you?" Huai Shi asked.
 "As you can see, a Cowherd," Liu DongLi shrugged. "I also hold a few other odds-and-ends positions for the Astronomical Society, like Fourth-Class Security Martial Officer..."
 "Hmm?" Huai Shi was astonished. "What in the world?"
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 </div> "Think of it as a double safeguard designed to bypass regulations."
 Little Pony, in his Cowherd disguise, sat on the chair and sighed. "In some sensitive areas, the Astronomical Society employs a dual-inspector system: one overt and one covert. The former handles disputes, while the latter is responsible for accurate recording and conducting covert investigations when the former is inconvenienced... just as with The Purified People this time.
 "On one hand, I’m Ai Qing’s examiner, responsible for reviewing whether she can justly use the Inspector’s power. On the other hand, I’m also a bodyguard and a heavy hitter. But to avoid the sensitive issue of deploying Sublimators directly, we had to find a workaround. You get me?"
 "So, you’ve gotten yourself into trouble?"
 "Pretty much."
 Liu DongLi sighed. "Anyway, once this is over, I’m truly out of here. To make sure I pass my annual review, you’ll have to pretend you don’t know anything. On my end, I’ll report that you’re naturally strong but know no martial arts—how about we help each other out?"
 Huai Shi eyed him warily. "Will I be silenced if I don’t help?"
 "If you don’t help, you’ll have to return the gift I gave you..."
 "I’ll help, I’ll help!" Huai Shi immediately broke into a smile. "Come on, we’re practically family! No need for such formalities... I’ll even send you a couple more packs of ’Overlord’ later!"
 "..."
 Liu DongLi struggled to suppress the urge to kill this little son of a bitch on the spot.
 "By the way, did Ai Qing pass her exam or not?"
 "She passed in her first year, alright?" Liu DongLi rolled his eyes behind the mask. "If Depth Hell·Metropolis weren’t involved here, I’d have been long gone. Why else would I be suffering like this?"
 "Also, what’s Magic City?"
 "Go ask Ai Qing later! I’ve said more than enough."
 Liu DongLi got up, unwilling to argue anymore. Nothing good had ever happened to him after getting involved with this guy.
 After spending some time dealing with the surveillance, he took out the keys he’d found on the gatekeeper’s clothes and opened the door leading to the back. All he saw was a pile of opened boxes stacked in a corner, and the air was thick with a nauseatingly putrid stench.
 It smelled like rot.
 Upon entering, Huai Shi felt countless dissipated Source Substances converging towards him, causing the bag he once used to carry Apocalypse to bulge almost instantly.
 The despair floating in the air was nearly suffocating.
 The records of death definitely emanated from here; there’s no doubt about it.
 To his surprise, there was no one guarding the place.
 "Why are there so few people?"
 Liu DongLi looked around and said in a muffled voice, "It only proves one thing: they’re planning to retreat... Never mind the peripheral staff outside; the real higher-ups have probably already bolted, right?"
 As he spoke, he walked into the deepest part of the room.
 It was almost like a plaza.
 Wisps of Abyss sediment drifted through the air, exuding a potent toxin that most people could not withstand.
 The ground was engraved with incomprehensible patterns, as if it were the site of a sacrifice; even the Sacrificial Knife in Huai Shi’s arms began to tremble excitedly.
 Huai Shi stepped in. Beyond the central, blood-smeared platform, there were only gigantic mirrors everywhere. Each mirror was as large as a department store entrance, standing in complex, overlapping arrangements throughout the vast plaza.
 But though they were mirrors, they didn’t reflect their images at all, which was incredibly eerie.
 "This is the Fasting Circle."
 Liu DongLi’s voice betrayed no emotion. "It’s The Purified People’s method for raising Border Variants in the Current Circumstances. See those mirrors? They’re actually cages, blessed through a ritual, each leading to a separate Hell known as a Mirror World.
 "They bring Border Variants back from Hell through the mirrors, then raise them in the Mirror Worlds. By feeding them flesh and blood, they eventually obtain Predators that obey their commands... Now, all the cages are empty."
 CRASH!
 A cowering shadow in the corner seemed to have knocked something over. Realizing they were looking in its direction, it turned and staggered, attempting to flee, but Huai Shi promptly pinned it to the ground.
 "Mercy! Mercy!"
 The obese man lay prone on the ground, quivering. "I know nothing! Really! I’m just in charge of stoking the boilers! What they did has nothing to do with me! I want to live too! Spare me, spare me..."
 Around his neck hung several gold chains of different styles. His arms were adorned with various gold or jeweled bracelets, and each of his ten fingers was laden with rings of different colors.
 Despite being festooned with all sorts of jewelry, and even his shoes looking like high-quality custom work, he looked every bit a thief—completely at odds with his expensive adornments.
 Pinned by Huai Shi, he started trembling, and an acrid stench emanated from his crotch; he had wet himself.
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 </div> "I really don’t know anything! I only know how to stoke the boilers! What they do has nothing to do with me! I just want to live! Spare me, spare me..."
 Huai Shi furrowed his brows, about to question him, but then he noticed Liu DongLi tapping his shoulder and pointing forward.
 There was a small door there.
 "Don’t... don’t hurt my family..."
 The fat man’s eyes bulged as he struggled desperately. "If you want someone, come for me! Come for me! They’re innocent! Don’t touch my wife and daughter! I’m begging you, begging you..."
 Liu DongLi said nothing, briskly stepped forward, and kicked with all his might.
 BANG!
 The door was kicked open, revealing a narrow space behind it.
 The first thing they saw was a huge boiler, flames dancing inside. Thick smoke continuously billowed from its chimney, making the air unbearably hot.
 But in the open furnace, amidst the red-hot coals, were several charred lumps that could barely be identified as human limbs, already nearly burnt to ashes.
 As Huai Shi’s gaze shifted, he saw luxury goods, luxury goods, and more luxury goods...
 High-end suits had been cut open to serve as bedsheets. Designer bags were stuffed with pots and pans. Expensive watches, necklaces, and bracelets were strung together and hung on the wall. Wallets were piled high like mountains...
 Only in one corner was there a filthy bed. On it lay an inflatable doll covered in adhesive tape. Beside it were two small Barbie dolls, dressed in exquisitely cute outfits.
 The fat man screamed. Struggling fiercely, he broke free from Huai Shi’s grip, scrambled to his feet, and lunged onto the bed on all fours. He clutched the inflatable doll and the small figures to his chest, wailing, turning back to babble pleas for mercy.
 Huai Shi opened his mouth, wanting to ask something, but no words came.
 Only Liu DongLi stepped forward. He rolled up his sleeves, hauled the fat man up, and questioned him repeatedly, even using his Ability. After a long moment, he let go in frustration, dropping the fat slob to the ground.
 "It’s no use. He’s gone mad."
 Liu DongLi irritably lit a cigarette. "Damn it! Nothing good ever comes from getting involved with these lunatics."
 "Then let’s go. Isn’t there another path?"
 Huai Shi couldn’t bear it any longer and turned to leave. As if guided by some unseen force, his gaze happened to fall upon the fat man’s fingers—specifically, the index finger of his right hand.
 He froze on the spot.
 Liu DongLi, who was walking ahead, noticed Huai Shi hadn’t followed and turned back in confusion. "Let’s go. What’s wrong?"
 "You... go ahead," Huai Shi said after a long silence. "I have something to take care of. I’ll catch up with you later."
 Liu DongLi looked at him, puzzled. He didn’t know what Huai Shi was thinking and wanted to ask, but upon seeing the look in the young man’s eyes, the words wouldn’t come.
 He had never seen such a calm demeanor on Huai Shi’s face before. It was a calm that was unsettling. As if something chilling lurked beneath that shell.
 "I’ll be at the entrance."
 Liu DongLi turned and left.
 In the silence, Huai Shi listened to Liu DongLi’s footsteps recede. Then, he stepped into the furnace room and gently closed the door.
 "That ring..."
 He looked down at the fat man’s right index finger, at the Platinum Ring set with tiny diamonds. "That ring, where did you get it?"
 "I don’t know what you’re talking about..." The wailing madman looked at him blankly, instinctively hiding his right hand behind his back and recoiling. "I found it! I found all of them!"
 BANG!
 His head slammed against the wall, crushing his inflatable ’wife.’ His bloated face was nearly deformed, twisted into a grotesque shape.
 "I’m asking you," Huai Shi lowered his head, looking into his eyes, and asked word by word, "where did you get that ring!"
 From the violent impact, the madman screamed incoherently, "Don’t know, I know nothing... I’m just a boiler stoker! Spare me... spare me..."
 Huai Shi closed his eyes.
 His palm covered the madman’s mouth.
 When he opened them again, his eyes were shot with frantic, bloodshot veins. Then, dark Apocalypse welled up from his palm, pouring into the man’s body.
 One last time, he bent down, staring at the madman’s face. "The ring. Where did you get it!"
 The man’s eyes bulged, tears streamed down his face. His mouth opened as if to scream, but no sound came out. This continued until Huai Shi picked up the two ’daughters’ that had fallen to the floor and, one by one, crushed them to pieces.
 Right before his eyes.
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 </div> "I don’t know! I truly don’t know!"
 The man finally broke down, sobbing inconsolably. "Why did you have to kill them?! Why?! I was just honestly stoking the boiler! Those things... those things... they all said they didn’t want them anymore... I just wanted... I just wanted to give them some presents..."
 Huai Shi released his hand.
𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎 The madman lunged at him like a feral beast, trying to strangle him, but Huai Shi kicked him away. In the end, he collapsed in a corner, clutching the remains of the dolls and sobbing in despair.
 "I’m sorry."
 Huai Shi lowered his eyes. He walked up to the man, seized his hand, brutally yanked the Platinum Ring off, and turned to leave.
 The door closed behind him.
 "Are you okay?" Liu DongLi asked. He was leaning against the wall in the corner, smoking.
 "I’m fine," Huai Shi replied. He looked at the ring in his palm before slipping it into his pocket.
 He added, "Couldn’t be better."
 BOOM!
 In that instant, a violent explosion erupted from the floor above them. The ground trembled, and countless fragments peeled from the ceiling and rained down, smashing the empty mirrors to pieces.</div>
 

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Chapter 60 - 59 Incinerator_1

Chapter 60: Chapter 59 Incinerator_1 Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Ten seconds later, Huai Shi sat calmly in the gatehouse, extinguished the fire in the stove, and pulled the glittering Sacrificial Knife from the desiccated corpse. Little Pony wandered in, clicking his tongue in amazement at Huai Shi’s recent knife skills. Meanwhile, Huai Shi scrutinized the passage behind the gatehouse and asked casually, "Old Liu, what’s hidden back here?" "Should be their Fasting Circle..." Little Pony...

Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 60 - 59 Incinerator_1

Apocalypse Forecast - Chapter 60 - 59 Incinerator_1