Today's test was another major failure.

Amidst the chilly wind, the two entered the underground space.

"You worked very efficiently, filling that hole so quickly," Ling Xiuqi said, looking up.

The previously damaged opening has been filled in, and the underground space has returned to complete darkness, so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face.

Turning on their flashlights, the two walked slowly forward, relying on their senses, while also looking around more cautiously.

They saw piles of corpse fragments in the corner, and the buzzing of flies was faint yet carried a powerful presence that was hard to ignore.

The stench of blood grew stronger, and Ling Xiuqi's expression darkened. He asked, "Was it like this last time we came?"

"No way, there wasn't this smell back then, and there weren't any body parts like this around." You Yonghuai looked around and said, "If there were, my flesh and blood magic should have reacted."

"Let's destroy the node quickly, then we'll clean up this place," Ling Xiuqi said, pinching his nose.

The unchanging scenery around them made the two feel physically uncomfortable, and their pace quickened involuntarily.

Before long, they arrived at the location where Ling Xiuqi had encountered the invisible wall last time.

Having prepared himself, Ling Xiuqi did not crash into the invisible wall, but stopped in front of it.

Raising his hand to press against the repulsive force blocking him, Ling Xiuqi warned again, "Be careful, come back immediately if anything goes wrong."

You Yonghuai nodded, holding up his flashlight and continuing forward.

This time, You Yonghuai had no trouble passing through and did not encounter any invisible barriers.

Reaching into his pocket, You Yonghuai grabbed the container given to him by Dai Quan. Just as he was about to take it out, the familiar pair of ten-sided dice appeared before his eyes.

[Crisis Check: A value greater than 90 indicates a successful check]

Test result: 34

[Detection failed! Something seems to be lurking in the darkness?]

"call out--"

Suddenly, a whooshing sound rang out from the darkness before him. Before he could dodge, a sharp arrow pierced through You Yonghuai's shoulder.

You Yonghuai froze, and the flashlight he was holding in his other hand fell to the ground.

"That's strange, you should have only gotten the Memoir of Flesh and Blood, right?"

A voice that sounded like a half-smile came from the darkness, followed by slow, rhythmic footsteps.

After a snap of the fingers, flames ignited on the surrounding walls. The flickering flames were not very bright, but they were enough for the group to see the underground space clearly.

A massive and complex magic array occupied the entire ground, with several pieces of flesh piled up at each of the suspected array nodes.

Despite the pain, You Yonghuai pulled the arrow from his shoulder, frowned, and stared at the person in front of him.

It was a face without any special features, and a very well-proportioned figure, as if everything about it fell within the average range.

The man held a longbow that was entirely black in his hand, and a smile played on his face.

Seeing You Yonghuai forcibly pull out the arrow, the man's pupils contracted slightly. He immediately nocked the arrow, and a strange, dark substance appeared around him, quickly transforming into an arrow on the bow.

"call out--"

The wound, which was still healing, was pierced again, and blood splattered everywhere.

Ling Xiuqi, who was blocked on the outside, watched anxiously. He tried to manipulate the hurricane to help You Yonghuai, but was blocked by the air wall and could only watch the battle anxiously from the outside.

"I was going to ask where you learned your soul magic, but I think I'll pass. It won't cause any trouble anyway."

Walking slowly to You Yonghuai's side, the man released the longbow in his hand, causing it to transform into flowing black matter that bound You Yonghuai.

"I'm sorry you're late, the ceremony is about to begin." The man smiled as he approached You Yonghuai. "However, you still have a chance to witness the moment the gods descend."

"What kind of ritual is this?" Ling Xiuqi asked tentatively, standing outside the magic circle.

"Now that things have come to this, there's no harm in telling you... Rather, please listen to me, because this joy can only be shared now."

The man's smile widened, showing no concern for the secrecy of the matter, and he stated frankly, "This is a ritual we specially prepared to invite the descent of the gods, and I am honored to preside over this ceremony that will surely be etched in history!"

After saying this, the man raised his hands and, like a devout believer, began to chant a spell in a high-spirited voice.

As each syllable fell, the magic circle on the ground slowly lit up, and a dazzling purple light mixed with a terrifying aura burst forth, filling the entire underground space.

"Come, our Lord!"

Amidst the dazzling light, the man's spirited and excited voice rang out, leaving Ling Xiuqi feeling utterly bewildered.

"Do you cult members all share the same brain? All you do is think about summoning evil gods all day long..."

Raising his hand to rub his temples, Ling Xiuqi took a deep breath, and his spiritual energy surged throughout his body.

Since the establishment of the Special Operations Department, they have encountered quite a few cults, and correspondingly, quite a few madmen who want to summon evil gods.

Although the rituals vary, the headquarters naturally has some ways to deal with this relatively common situation.

But the prerequisite is that the members involved in the ritual are willing to give their lives.

"I hope Old Ye can help me get more compensation..." Ling Xiuqi took a deep breath, and just as he was about to do something, his spirituality was stirred.

The light from the magic circle went out.

The ceremony failed to proceed.

"Why!?" The man's ecstatic expression vanished abruptly. The unexpected situation completely threw him into a panic, and he hurriedly began to examine the patterns on his feet.

"The magic circle is fine, so it must be the offering..."

"If you're referring to those students who were pre-selected to become sacrifices, I've already driven them away."

A familiar voice came from the staircase leading to the ground. Although it sounded a little different from usual, the group recognized the voice.

"Dai Quan, do you know what you're doing?" the man said through gritted teeth, his eyes narrowed. "I'm not letting you regain your memories to get in my way."

"But I am first and foremost a teacher, and protecting my students is my duty." Dai Quan walked down the stairs step by step, his voice weak but firm. "What you used as a sacrifice was not the corpses of those students, but the material that the head of moral education used to perform flesh magic—it was just a bunch of monkeys."

"Impossible! I personally planted the curse on those students; they have no way of leaving this school!"

"The campus is a place for students to grow, not a prison that confines them—"

As he spoke, Dai Quan's figure finally emerged from the dimly lit staircase:

That short body was now covered with eerie scarlet eyes.

Blood and tears streamed from every eyeball on his body. Dai Quan curled his pale lips and laughed, "As you can see, those curses have now been transferred to me."