The horrifying transformation occurred in an instant.

After a brief moment of stupefaction, the Earth Dragon Leaders, who had split up to retreat, despairingly discovered that their predetermined safe exit had vanished without a trace. They had gone from being the masters of Hell to its captives.

Blood gushed from Zi's nose and mouth. Beneath his robe, an array of bruises and bloodstains surfaced on his withered body—the backlash of the Mystic Ritual.

It cost him more than half his life in an instant.

As he wavered on the brink of unconsciousness, he gasped, "Yin, blow the flute immediately, awaken the Giant Snake—"

The only Teenage Girl among the Earth Dragon Leaders, 'Yin', stood frozen.

Her face was deathly pale.

Looking down, she saw the flute in her hands; it was shattered into pieces, impossible to play.

It was over.

Zi closed his eyes in despair.

In the darkness, the eerie sounds of the cage-like song had ceased at some unknown point, replaced by a mournful tune that seemed to wander before the Sanzu River.

It was as if a lute had been struck.

A raspy yet melodious voice echoed in the dead silence, seeping into their very beings, striking a sorrowful chord in every heart.

"Sad thoughts meet the bitter rain, and the human world sighs in vain."

From the deepest darkness, an ice-cold, emotionless voice reverberated, "No leisure to enjoy the spring scenes, alas, the flowers have already withered..."

"Lament the Gone with the wind, lament the Gone with the wind..."

The desolate, chilling melody echoed around them, gradually constricting, as if etching itself into everyone's lungs, the pressure making it hard for them to breathe.

In the deepest recesses of the roiling darkness, countless crimson eyes lit up, peering down from the Abyss,

waiting for the feast to begin.

And 'Hai', lost in the darkness, finally saw the woman slowly approaching him from the end of the corridor,

a smile on her face.

Huaizhi Sushi materialized before his eyes.

In her raised left hand, five slender fingers plucked at the air as if strumming an invisible lute, producing clear, sharp sounds.

"A song I learned from an old friend. I hope I got it right?" she asked softly, a smile playing on her lips. "Doesn't it fit the atmosphere of the Haunted House quite well?"

The Bare Hand Ninja, his eyes blazing red, said nothing and lunged.

His speed was indescribable.

In an instant, he was upon her.

"—You wretched woman, go to hell!"

His fist, glowing with a dark purple luminescence, shot towards Huai Shi's face. But in the darkness, her body seemed weightless as it floated backward.

She barely dodged the fist brimming with corrosive Power.

Her smile remained unchanged.

"You almost ruined my looks," Lady SuZi said. "Using such despicable and vile tricks on a woman... Did I offend you somehow?"

As her voice spread, a crack appeared on Hai's arm. It extended diagonally from the elbow, circling his arm completely until the ends met.

Then, blood spurted violently.

His arm hit the ground.

Only then did his agonizing scream finally escape.

And amidst the spraying blood, that smiling face was already inches away.

Blade of Resent, cleaving through—this was the last sight Hai beheld.

"Pathetic! Next!"

Huai Shi swung his blade, flicking off the excess blood. Behind him, countless feathers fell in the darkness, covering the corpse. A cold breeze blew, and the fallen feathers scattered into the air, leaving the spot empty.

The endless tide of Ravens swept through the darkness, devouring the Ghosts and Demons released by the Earth Dragon Leaders one by one. As their iron wings passed, they left countless slashing marks.

'Zi' kept vomiting blood.

In his perception, countless points of light were rapidly dimming, as if being consumed one by one by an invisible darkness.

For a long time, the many strange creatures the Earth Dragon Leaders had nurtured for the Encounter the devil had been diminishing at a staggering rate. Even more terrifying was the rapid reduction in the number of Earth Dragon Leader members.

In less than three minutes, a third had already been lost.

Ugly, Hai, Chen, and Shen were no longer responding.

His face was deathly pale, and he panted heavily.

"What is Mao doing!" Zi whispered hoarsely. "It's just an ordinary woman! Hasn't he dealt with her yet? If this continues, the Earth Dragon Leaders might be annihilated!"

"Zhenxi, come with me, quick."

In the chaos of the Haunted House, Zhenxi was pulled along by the hand by Miss Huaizhi, who had caught up to her from the darkness. She ran involuntarily, heading out of the Haunted House through numerous doors and stairways.

"What's going on? Why are we suddenly leaving?" Zhenxi asked, puzzled. "Wasn't the Haunted House fun?"

"Something's happened!"

Huaizhi led the way, holding her hand, and said hurriedly, "This place is no longer safe. Right now, we must first ensure your safety, Zhenxi."

Seemingly perceiving the Teenage Girl's unease, she turned back, revealing a radiant smile. "Don't be afraid, Zhenxi. Whatever happens, I will protect you."

But at that very moment, Zhenxi suddenly stopped.

She shook off his hand.

Miss Huaizhi, walking in front, paused briefly, turned around, and frowned at her. Sensing her guarded look, a flicker of understanding crossed his face.

His voice was no longer a slightly husky, gentle female voice but had transformed into a man's deep tone.

"Really now... What gives? Took you long enough to realize."

Scratching his head in annoyance, he asked coldly, "Did I slip up somewhere?"

"...Well, how should I put it. Although I was happy to hear Miss Huaizhi say she would protect me, Miss Huaizhi—no, SuZi doesn't smile like that, you know."

Zhenxi thought for a moment, then said seriously, "As a hybrid, I'm quite sensitive to other people's emotions and gazes, Mister.

When SuZi smiles, it makes people feel warmth and radiance, putting them at ease. But sometimes, it feels like she herself is lonely. Yet, she's happy as long as she sees others doing well; perhaps that's why she seems so lonely.

But you are different—"

Zhenxi scrutinized the face identical to Miss Huaizhi's, her gaze gradually turning disdainful. "Your smile is too ingratiating, Mister. Like one of those nasty women who use their looks to trick little boys into spending money on them, without a hint of a Beauty's noble aloofness."

At this, she asked curiously, "With such a lack of authenticity, I bet you're quite ugly, aren't you?"

"..."

The imposter, Mao, stood rooted to the spot, his fair face gradually twisting into a snarl, his complexion turning livid.

He lunged, but then saw Zhenxi's shadow suddenly swell. A giant Steel Crow unfurled its wings from within and abruptly counterattacked, its sharp claws raking across his counterfeit face, instantly leaving several ghastly gashes.

The shrill sound of scraping steel erupted.

A sharp blade edge emerged from Mao's palm, slashing towards the Steel Crow's steel wing. Amidst a shower of sparks, the pouncing Steel Crow's movement faltered for a moment, and Mao managed to rush past it, charging towards Zhenxi.

Then, Mao froze.

Because Zhenxi, who he expected to be fleeing in panic, was instead charging at him.

The unarmed Teenage Girl raised her hand, pulled a heavy, dark stick from her somewhat plain bag. With a swift movement, seizing the fleeting chance, she pressed it against his face without hesitation.

She flipped the switch.

Dazzling light exploded.

After illegal modifications, a terrifying current, exceeding normal standards fourfold, burst forth instantly, spreading across his face, which was already scratched and bleeding. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Once, twice, thrice.

Zhenxi aimed for his face, neck, and heart, only pulling the electric baton away when the smell of burning flesh began to spread.

In just over ten seconds, the entire baton was as hot as red-hot iron, clearly short-circuited and useless.

Even a Sublimator, caught off guard by a high-voltage attack, would suffer paralysis, let alone from this illegally modified baton, which had been revamped from the start with the intent to be lethal in one strike.

Zhenxi, panting, lifted her hand to pry her spasming fingers off the baton one by one. She raised her foot, kicked the ruined baton aside, then lowered her head to look down at the face that was gradually changing into a stranger's.

"Mister, hybrid girls never venture out unarmed, you know..."

Mao, like a fish out of water, struggled to open and close his lips, spitting out white foam, his limbs twitching. After his disguised face shattered, a scar-covered face was revealed.

Paired with the women's clothing he wore, it was utterly nauseating.

"As expected, hideous."

The girl's disdain made his dazed eyes become bloodshot.

Mao gnashed his teeth ferociously, panting. Years of brutal training allowed him to quickly regain control over his limbs. In just a few more seconds, he could get up from the ground and teach this little bitch a lesson!

But then, he saw Zhenxi take out an absurdly large and heavy revolver from her pocket.

It was a revolver, with flies engraved on the grip.

"Miss Huaizhi said that Sublimators aren't so easily defeated, so after seizing the opportunity, I have to follow up with safety measures..."

Grasping the pistol's handle with some effort, she pressed it against his knee, looked up, and said somewhat apologetically, "I'm sorry, this is my first time shooting a gun. Could you please not shake so violently?"

BANG!

A loud report!

Mao screamed shrilly.

His knee was unharmed, but the area between his legs rapidly stained a horrific crimson. His body convulsed violently on the ground.

"Ah, I missed. Is this what they call recoil? Amazing!"

Zhenxi exclaimed in surprise, examining the gun in her hand, marveling at how amazing the thing was.

"Mister, please don't move..."

Before lapsing into despairing unconsciousness, Mao only heard the Teenage Girl's final words: "Don't worry, I'll only break your limbs. I won't kill you..."

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Then, in the dead silence, no more sounds could be heard... only a distant, high-pitched wailing, like the Giant Snake's hiss, carried on the air.

The Haunted House trembled violently.