Chapter 24: A Monster Descends from the Heavens!

The words that followed from Xu Feng confirmed Tang Zhen’s suspicions.

"I hear the deputy police chief is furious," Xu Feng said, "and he has already started pulling strings to track us down. The municipal police have opened a formal case; it won't be long before they come knocking on your door."

Tang Zhen’s heart sank. He still remembered the incident from the night before. Although he had held back, the force he used was significant, and it appeared the situation had escalated beyond his control.

After a moment of silence, Tang Zhen asked, "If they find me, what do you think the consequences will be?"

"It doesn't look good. Fines and a few years behind bars are inevitable. You’d better run while you still can."

Xu Feng’s words weighed heavily on him. He hadn't expected his momentary loss of control to lead to such ramifications, and it immediately disrupted his original plans. However, his recent experiences had caused him to mature considerably, and he quickly steadied his emotions as various thoughts flashed through his mind.

Hide if possible, evade if necessary—everything must remain secondary to his development in the Otherworld!

With that settled, Tang Zhen made his decision. As soon as Xu Feng finished speaking, Tang Zhen’s reply was brief and direct: "Feng, I need a few more guns—a rifle would be best—and several kilograms of explosives and detonators."

Xu Feng was stunned. He reflexively straightened up, only to bang his head hard against the car ceiling. The sudden, violent movement pushed the woman who had been in a state of ecstasy to her peak; with a soul-stirring moan, she clung tightly to his neck and bit down.

"Damn it, take it easy!" Xu Feng slapped the woman’s plump, fair thigh, leaving a clear red palm print on her skin, which only prompted her to explore his body with even more fervor.

After settling into a comfortable position, Xu Feng roared into the phone, "Tang Zhen, did a wild donkey kick you in the head? Guns and detonators? Don't tell me you're planning a terrorist attack!"

Tang Zhen chuckled. "You give me too much credit, man. I’m just a guy drifting through life, and so far, I haven't met anyone worth risking my neck for. Stop stalling—are you going to help me or not? If not, I’ll find someone else."

Xu Feng scoffed. "Find someone else? Aren't you afraid of ending up in a cell? These things are a piece of cake for me—there isn't much in this area that I can't handle. It seems you’re determined to go down this dark path. I won’t bother trying to talk you out of it anymore; may fate decide your end."

"And stop asking around everywhere," Xu Feng added. "These items are too sensitive. If you get targeted by the wrong people, you’ll really be in deep trouble."

Tang Zhen agreed entirely, which was precisely why he had come to Xu Feng in the first place—as brothers, it was far safer. Just as he was about to ask when he could get the supplies, the other side provided the answer.

"Wait for my call. And make sure you have enough cash ready. We might have to make a trip to the border."

After hanging up, Tang Zhen sat in silence for a moment before picking up his backpack and initiating the teleportation.

As soon as he opened his eyes, Tang Zhen felt that the air in the Loucheng world was filled with an indescribable sense of oppression, with a faint, lingering scent of sulfur drifting through the atmosphere. The wilderness before him was shrouded in darkness, with heavy, leaden clouds hanging low in the sky, as if they might collapse at any moment. The roars of monsters that usually echoed across the wilderness were nowhere to be heard.

If he had to describe his current state, it was as if he were standing at the edge of hell.

"What on earth is happening?" Tang Zhen wondered, scanning his surroundings with vigilance while checking his map, but finding nothing.

***

Just as he was about to set off for the Wanderer’s Town, Tang Zhen suddenly froze. He quickly flattened himself against the ground, holding his breath, his eyes filled with shock.

The wilderness, which appeared calm to the naked eye, looked distorted on his map, as if an invisible pair of giant hands were twisting and pulling the very fabric of space. A moment later, thin black fissures appeared within these ripples, emitting a terrifying aura. At the same time, the smell of sulfur in the air grew increasingly pungent.

Tang Zhen stared unblinkingly at the map as the black cracks grew larger. Vaguely, it seemed as if something was struggling to force its way out from within them.

It was the outline of a building—bizarre, sinister, and exuding an ominous, malevolent presence. Simultaneously, shrill, furious roars echoed from the fissures, making his skin crawl.

As more of the structure emerged, Tang Zhen finally saw its true appearance. It was a strange building covering nearly ten thousand square meters, standing several dozen meters high and divided into nine levels. The exterior of every level was adorned with countless sculptures of bizarre, lifelike, and terrifying creatures. Tang Zhen did not recognize a single one of the creatures represented by these statues. The only thing that struck him as odd was that the building felt dilapidated, as if it were already a ruin.

"Could it be..." A thought flashed through Tang Zhen’s mind, and he focused his observation.

As the building fully broke free from the black fissures, smaller cracks began to appear around it, gradually widening. One by one, figures—some ferocious, some towering, others cold and ghastly—emerged from these fissures, cloaked in that ominous black mist.

Tang Zhen’s breathing grew rapid and his expression grew increasingly grave as he watched these figures emerge. Suddenly, a flash of light swept across the sky, and all the black fissures vanished instantly. The buildings and the figures appeared in the wilderness as if they were photographs slowly developing in a darkroom.

When Tang Zhen could finally see the structures and figures that had appeared out of thin air with his own eyes, he was stunned into silence.

The building continued to radiate a terrifying aura, as if a single glance could snatch a person's soul. The figures surrounding it were countless corpses clad in tattered armor, wielding blades, spears, and halberds, as if they had crawled out of a purgatory battlefield. Their exposed skin was a pale, bruised purple; their armor and weapons were stained with blood and grime, and their blood-red eyes glittered with a predatory malice.

As Tang Zhen observed one of the soldiers carrying a blade and shield, a set of text appeared before his eyes:

[Blade-and-Shield Ghost Soldier, Level 2 Monster. Fears no pain, possesses immense strength. Weakness: Fears burning.]

Looking at the sword-wielding monster next to it, the display read: [Ghost Soldier Sergeant, Level 3 Monster. Fears no pain, possesses immense strength, high speed. Weakness: Fears intense fire.]

Seeing these monsters appear out of thin air, Tang Zhen suddenly understood: this was the bizarre way in which the monsters and "Wild Lou" of this world manifested. He wondered if all other monsters appeared the same way, where they came from, and if they even belonged to this world. The more he thought about it, the more his confusion grew.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump...*

A heavy sound of footsteps echoed, and a giant figure nearly three meters tall emerged from the building. It wore strangely patterned black armor, much of which was shattered, and carried a massive horse-slaying blade even taller than its own body, with black mist coiling around the blade.

Its helmet was caved in on one side, and where there was no armor, black arrows were embedded, most of them broken. The heavy thudding sound came from its war boots striking the ground, revealing its immense weight.

When Tang Zhen turned his gaze toward the giant monster, there was no reaction from his interface. This result made his heart tremble. Anything up to three levels above him would display its info, but this giant monster’s level could not be shown. This meant it was a Lord-level monster, at least Level 6 or higher, possessing special abilities!

If such a monster appeared at the Wanderer’s Town, it would turn the place into a river of blood, as the most powerful leader there was only Level 4.

As Tang Zhen secretly observed the Lord-level monster, it seemed to sense something. Its massive head turned slowly toward his position. Tang Zhen’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly averted his gaze. This terrifying monster had such keen perception; he would have to be much more careful when scouting in the future.

Unfortunately, the monster lord did not seem willing to let go of the source of the observation. It reached out a hand and pointed, uttering a strange syllable. Immediately, several Blade-and-Shield Ghost Soldiers lined up and began marching toward Tang Zhen’s location. At the same time, several archer-monsters began firing volleys toward his hiding spot.

Tang Zhen was shocked and turned to run without hesitation, heading toward the Wanderer’s Town. He had considered teleporting away immediately, but he knew he would simply return to the same spot. Since this place had become a nest for Wild Lou monsters, who knew if he would end up face-to-face with a monster upon his return? His only choice was to flee as far as possible to ensure his safety.

Tang Zhen’s flight immediately drew the attention of the ghost soldiers. Almost all the monsters were startled; the archers drew their bows, and a wave of black arrows rained down, covering a ten-meter radius around him. There was simply no way to dodge.

"Damn it!" Tang Zhen cursed. As the rain of arrows was about to strike him, he instantly initiated his teleportation.

In the blink of an eye, he was back home. He grabbed a large iron wok he had left in the corner—a cooking pot for the farmstead—and held it over his back with both hands. He had originally bought it for Murong Ziyan to cook with, but now it served as the perfect shield against the arrows.

With another flicker, Tang Zhen reappeared in the Loucheng world, looking utterly ridiculous with the large wok strapped to his back.

As expected, the ghost soldiers were still lingering where he had vanished. Seeing him reappear, they roared and charged, brandishing their broken blades. Tang Zhen didn't hesitate; he ran with the wok on his back as the arrows rained down, clanging incessantly against the iron. Some arrows pierced through the wok and struck him, but thanks to his defensive gear and the weakened force of the projectiles, they did not cause significant damage.

Tang Zhen sprinted out of the effective range of the arrows. The wok was ruined, but the ghost soldiers behind him were still in hot pursuit.

Tang Zhen looked back at the monster pursuers, tossed the battered wok aside, and a confident smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Now, it's my turn to show you what I’ve got!"