Chapter 130: No Winter Without Hot Springs

“~~~”

The docks were deserted, not even a scavenger in sight. The earthquake had brought the entire port to a standstill, and the wreckage of several ships had been washed ashore by the waves, like the carcasses of stranded whales.

The giant egg stood on the keel of a big ship, flipping through a small picture album wrinkled by water, humming an unknown song, feeling like a captain.

It wielded its claws like a knife and fork, dissecting its prey and sucking out its energy, even the empty skin. Its food piled up in the back of the ship, forming a high black mountain.

That's the ghost killer.

A ghost killer who was pierced and tortured to the point of death.

Over 500 natural disasters were pierced by pale spikes, creating a black mountainscape composed of countless horrific scenes resembling crucifixions. The giant egg occasionally took a slice, humming a song as it inhaled, happily enjoying its meal.

Huaisu and his team's rescue operation went very smoothly, with minimal disruption from lower-level natural disasters. This was the reason. Nearly 90% of the slayers were hunted by the giant egg, which quietly began its hunt amidst the chaos that engulfed the city, beginning and ending as silently as it had begun.

A pierced demon-slayer opened its severely deformed mouth and laughed playfully, "How dazzling, you helpful little fellow! This matter clearly has nothing to do with you."

"It's my thing~" Dome wrote leisurely, "Those people tried so hard, but if they still failed, wouldn't that be too much? Good people should win, evil people should lose, the innocent should live, the perpetrators should be killed, and trash like you should burn in hell. This is how the story should end. I love happy endings the most."

"Well said! I understand! I was a little worried when I saw you sneaking over here. It's really great that you haven't been contaminated by the outside world!"

The slayer let out a high-pitched laugh, the sound of a demonic being completely oblivious to the insults of others, immersed in self-absorption. It lowered its head and gazed towards the dome, then changed the subject: "So, when are you going to come and kill me?"

[(·ω) Will killing this messenger affect your main body? ]

The ghost killer smiled.

[(ˇωˇ)Will defeating it change your plans? ]

The ghost killer smiled broadly in response.

"Then why should I waste my energy~" Dome wrote nonchalantly, "I care more about personal vendettas than public grievances. Destiny is the most important thing after all! Just keep rotting there. One day, I'll definitely kill you."

It stretched out its bony claws and sucked the blood out of the ghost, immediately cutting off the message.

In a small cafe halfway across the city, Vansalar put down his shadow phone, his face full of joy.

"It's the same here and there. Every young person today is so promising! They're much more presentable than they were back then, don't you think, Olek?"

The devil who looked like a little boy was holding a broken iron chain and thinking quietly.

"They cannot possibly break the chain of misfortune," it said.

Vansalar pointed across the table with both hands. "That incredible expression when you think you have an absolute advantage but yours is broken—that's what I want to see!"

"It's not about emotions, it's about character." Olek was unmoved. "Low-level particles can't observe my chains."

"The level of your split soul is only Sephiroth 3 at best. It's not impossible that the fire of ambition, which has also been suppressed to level 3, could burn out its original form."

"Ambition is not worthy of hurting me."

The smooth, sleek cut of the chains betrays the Sword Knight's skill. The Discipline Knight is inherently at odds with the Fantasy Demon, and the symbolism of being the last Knight heightens her status. It makes sense that she could sever the chains by chance... right?

impossible.

While Vansalar touted the possibility of self-deception, Orlek never believed in miracles. Because he held the power over misfortune, he knew the true nature of probability: a demonic game. There must be a reason behind any strange occurrence, someone standing behind these little ones.

"You win the second round." Olek put down the chain. "It's a little different from what I expected. Depending on the situation..."

"I'm going to consider taking action myself."

·

Spring breeze in the hot spring hotel, in the hot pot room.

"Now that we understand the situation, you can rest assured. This city's detective has connections everywhere, so it's not difficult for him to protect you from a little egg." Vander chattered, "But the detective used to be involved in gangs, so if you want his help, you have to pay protection money first..."

"We really have no money!" Gulibo raised his paws and begged for mercy.

[Can your employee handbook be used as protection money?] Shi Zhong pondered seriously.

"Good idea, Bo! I'll tell the editor I lost it on the way..." Gulibo was just thinking about it when he froze. "Too bad I was in such a hurry when I ran out that I forgot to bring the manual!"

You're really lost.

Fander sneered: "Okay, we came thousands of miles to help but can't even earn enough to buy a meal, so you guys just go feed me eggs!"

Chu Hengkong pressed Fander down on the table with one hand and cleared his throat. "Protection money is not necessary. Actually, I need Shi Zhong's help..."

"You, by chance, have had the True Device enter your body, and you possess a courageous and diligent nature. I presume you need me to vent my anger and create a Dragon Tree Calming and Removing Defilement Talisman. Your Lord of Huilong City is meticulous in his work, and I imagine you already had half a blueprint in mind before you arrived."

Shi Zhong wrote with confidence, and Chu Hengkong looked up to him a little more: "Just as you said."

"The Ancient Dragon Tree has been our ally since ancient times. Helping you create the talisman is my duty. However, I haven't sprouted yet, so it will take at least several days to gather enough energy." Shizhong drew a half-drawn plan on the ground. "If Inspector Chu trusts me, please leave the remaining half of the plan with me. This way, we can shorten the time to two days, perhaps making it in time for your life-or-death duel."

Chu Hengkong thought for a moment and said, "Shi Zhong, do you think we've been lucky these past few days?"

【well. 】

"I think with my luck, it will be difficult to catch up." He smiled, "But the sooner the talisman is drawn, the better. Let's do it this way."

Shi Zhong extended two invisible vines and gently touched his back. Chu Hengkong felt a surge of heat emanating from his body, and a chill deepened along his spine. However, Shi Zhong hadn't drained all of his power. A portion of the lingering dragon energy remained locked in his back, more than enough to restrain the Immortal Machine for two days.

Inwardly, he once again raised his opinion of the Stone Seed. There was indeed a reason why the Divine Tree could even become a Daoist path. This move of drawing Qi and extracting the talisman was completely natural, without a trace of worldly influence. Even a high-quality expert could do the same. Giving up combat power in exchange for such a skill was indeed a powerful evolution.

Although the vegetable is indeed a vegetable... but it doesn't seem to be a big deal to call it a vegetable...

Gulibo thanked him profusely and dragged the stone seed to a hut to rest. In the eyes of the little animals, this matter was 100% no problem. Tentacle Brother was so awesome that he offered to help, so there was nothing to be afraid of.

As for Big Tentacle Brother, there were still many problems to be solved. He looked at the last person in the room who was in need, Miss Qingye, who was still trembling.

"Well, that's it." Chu Hengkong coughed twice, "Do you two have any ideas for solving the problem?"

"Hehehe." Qingye said.

"Hehehe." Ji Huaisu said.

Miss Genius Crippled Heart was still in her icy state. Having just finished a hot pot meal, which had warmed her mentally, the physical effect was minimal. Currently, Miss Qingye's skin was a beautiful icy blue, and she was shivering with frost all over her body, acting like a teardrop in desperate need of warmth.

To find warmth, she had no choice but to turn to the nearest heat source, unconsciously clinging to Sister Huaisu's arm to try and keep warm. Ji Huaisu, who had finally thawed a little, felt colder again after being rubbed against her, and she also shivered non-stop. The sight of two beautiful girls, both with good figures and good looks, shivering together was not very friendly to the opposite sex. To avoid suspicion, Chu Hengkong had already started looking at the ceiling.

Fander, who was watching the fun, didn't mind making trouble. He winked and instigated, "Your hot pot strategy was pretty good. The girls are so cold, can you lend us a fire?"

"Just shut up first."

Frozen Beauty No. 1 and No. 2 stared eagerly, their teeth chattering in a frenzy. Chu Hengkong felt his entire body crawl under the gaze, and quickly used the Fire of Ambition to coat his tentacles with flames. With precise control, the flames remained hidden within the tentacles, creating a warm sensation.

The girls stared at the tentacles, their eyes filled with desire. Comrade Killer felt the situation was getting worse. He extended the burning tentacles and distanced himself: "Please keep your distance—"

Ji Huaisu's eyes gleamed, and with the momentum of a tiger pouncing on its prey, she snatched the tentacle away. She hugged it tightly, exhaling repeatedly from the warmth: "Ahh... I'm alive... I feel the warmth deep inside my body..."

"Shut up and stop talking! And stop rubbing!"

"Damn, I've been freezing for half a day! You're not willing to lend me even an arm. Are we really brothers?" Ji Huaisu held on to the fire and waved to Qingye in the corner, "Xiaoye, come here! It's okay, it's okay. Although it looks dirty, it's very comfortable!"

Qing Ye shivered in the corner. She knew how warm the fire was, and she understood the man's good intentions. But that slime... that strange touch... and the strange feeling as it brushed against her skin... After all, for a single girl to actively ask for a man's touch was too...!

However, the chill within her was too intense, and her mind constantly resisted speaking. But Sister Huaisu, who had surrendered to the tentacles early on, seemed genuinely comfortable. Under the combined pressure of cold, temptation, persistence, and relief, the girl's face grew increasingly red, and she finally snapped the strings in her head.

She sat upright with the most basic courtesy, looking at the ground, and spoke in an inaudible voice.

"Could you please warm me with your tentacles..."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became weird.

If you refuse the request of a weak woman in distress, an important quality of being a man will be lost.

But if I agree to your request here... I will lose something important as a human being!

Conscience, instinct and intelligence were fighting fiercely in his brain. The mysterious gaze from Vander intensified the intensity of the struggle. In a thousandth of a second, Chu Hengkong made a decision!

·

“So… so comfortable…”

"Look, if you had done this earlier, you wouldn't have to suffer~"

"I'm not as reckless as Sister Huaisu!"

"Hey~ Now that you're naked, you're worried about it~?"

The knight lady kept moving her hands, her movements like an old man. Not to be outdone, Qing Ye formed her hands into claws and said, "My Flash Finger won't lose!"

"Strike first and gain the upper hand!"

“There’s a flaw!”

"Ah! How dare you do that, little girl!"

"It's your fault that you're too big..."

Silver bell-like laughter wafted through the steam. The rise and fall of lotus leaves created shimmering water. The breath of youth permeated the small backyard, adding an ambiguous warmth to late autumn. Ji Huaisu huddled in the pool, waving across the pond: "No peeking!"

The backyard is separated from the interior of the house by only a paper sliding door. A small hole is drilled in the bottom of the door, and silver tentacles scurry out of the room like snakes, heating the pool water at an extreme distance to create this small hot spring.

Chu Hengkong sat behind the door, concentrating on looking at the map. He could only look at the map now. The small lamp cast the shadows of the girls on the sliding door. When he looked up, he saw their beautiful faces.

Vander, wearing an eye mask, huddled beside him, his tone dejected: "Sometimes I really don't know whether to say you are too normal or too abnormal."

"You can be quiet."

"I can, but, man." Vander took off his blindfold and took a look, "You're holding the map upside down."

“…”

Chu Hengkong turned the map over and took a few deep breaths.

"Fander, do you know what emotional intelligence is?"

"I have no idea."

“Sometimes seeing through things but not speaking them out is a kind of gentleness.”

"I get it, man. I get you now."

Vander was silent for half a minute: "So, are you having an affair with your good brother and the high school girl?"

"I will teach you what emotional intelligence is now."

"Guwaa-!"

(End of this chapter)