Forge a path to success

It's not as scary as in the movie, but it's ugly.

Chu Hengkong took a step forward, a step that seemed to provoke the ghostly face in the wall. She vanished instantly, leaving only a small, childlike voice echoing on the rooftop: "No...don't...come any closer...!"

A sudden gust of wind swept through the corridor, and amidst the flying dust and wood chips, a black shadow as large as a car roared towards them!

Without a word, Chu Hengkong hurled the broken iron, a fist-sized piece striking the dark figure squarely in the head. Yet, it passed right through it, just as the pebble had pierced the body of the Imaginary Demon. Ordinary attacks were indeed ineffective; the dark figure swept through the corridor in the blink of an eye, opening its massive jaws to tear at the target. The distinctive stench of a beast wafted in with the powerful wind, so intense it was almost suffocating.

The shadowy figure missed its target; Chu Hengkong was prepared. He smashed the window with his elbow and leaped out of the apartment building. In mid-air, his tentacles curled upwards and hooked onto the protruding security bars.

Chu Hengkong dangled from the third-floor window, clinging to his tentacles, awaiting the vengeful spirit's next move. The ominous shadow on the rooftop dissipated, and he silently counted down the seconds in his mind.

1, 2, 3...

boom!

Dust billowed inside the building, the commotion so great that even the security windows were shaken. Three and a half seconds later, the mezzanine between the third and fourth floors suddenly collapsed, and the dark shadow smashed through three floors, falling from the rubble and crashing into the glass window. Chu Hengkong decisively let go and landed on the ground. The glass window was shattered as he landed, and the iron security window was also torn to pieces.

Chu Hengkong retreated a few steps, leaving the apartment building area. A low growl echoed from the dark interior, but no one pursued him. After a while, as if realizing he hadn't intended to enter, the beastly scent faded, but Chu Hengkong could still sense something's gaze. That thing was still watching him, ready to attack again the moment he entered the apartment.

Lu Xing, who was guarding outside, rushed over: "Brother Chu, are you alright?"

"It's pretty weird." Chu Hengkong stretched his arms. "Have the brothers keep their distance. That thing can move even during the day."

Lü Xing's voice trembled: "Shall we start smashing it?"

"No rush..." Chu Hengkong pondered.

This enemy is not easy to deal with. If it were just immune to physical attacks, it would be fine; he could just use a talisman when the opportunity arose. But when he was hanging outside the building, he saw very clearly that the ghostly thing had "crashed" through the roof and "bite" through the glass; it could cause physical damage itself. The evil spirit not only has an illusory body but also possesses superhuman strength. If he doesn't prepare, he might suffer a setback. He should first probe its strength.

Chu Hengkong recalled the little girl's grimacing face and asked, "Have you investigated any missing children cases in the area?"

"We conducted a screening at the end of last year, and one company met the criteria..."

Lu Xing hesitated, then handed over a prepared briefing. Chu Hengkong glanced at it briefly, his brows furrowing: "Closed in just one week?"

"I didn't dare to investigate further," Lü Xing added in a low voice, "We've messed with them."

"Provoking the cat" is a slang term.

Where there are many stories, there are always local slang terms. In Huilong City, the most common terms are "gray sable," "white cat," and "crow." These seemingly harmless creatures actually refer to three powerful forces in the city that are not to be trifled with. The gray sable is the "Spirits' Guild," a cult in the swamp that, once encountered, will ruin one's future; the white cat refers to the "Club" in the central courtyard, the giant that reigns supreme over all gambling, luxury goods, and prostitution businesses in the city; and the crow is the black workshop in the sky, a brutal force of arms dealers who will kill you if you cross them.

During his three-week investigation, Chu Hengkong also learned about the three beasts in the city. He knew that the citizens were so afraid that they dared not call them by name, but he did not expect that even the members of the Resurrection Force would be so wary of them.

Chu Hengkong rolled up the file and tapped Lü Xing, laughing and scolding, "You're a cop now, why are you afraid of criminals?"

“I wasn’t afraid at first,” Lü Xing chuckled. “But after doing it for a while… I started to get scared.”

Chu Hengkong nodded, not making things difficult for him: "Take me to see that family."

They took a shortcut to save time, passing through a market teeming with street vendors. The sky was a dark, oppressive black, with no light filtering through. Vendors used sticks to prop up small lamps for illumination. Smoke drifted in the dim light, and the vendors' shouts sounded faint, like routine. "Lost panacea," "Killing artifact," "Swamp treasure map," "The real secret panacea"... Behind the stalls selling fake medicines and fake artifacts, there were legitimate vendors selling seaweed and frozen chicken and duck. Old missing person posters and wanted notices were pasted on the walls, their faces blurred by the rain.

The missing person's family lived in the Bangxing Building, two blocks away. The building had 16 floors and an elevator, saving Chu Hengkong the trouble of climbing up and down the stairs. The door took a long time to open after knocking. The man was about to yell angrily, but froze when he saw Chu Hengkong's tentacles.

"Sir, are you Detective Chu?" the man asked hopefully.

"Chu Hengkong from the Resurrection Unit." Chu Hengkong nodded. "I'd like to know about your family's situation."

The man's expression immediately changed, like a drowning person seeing a piece of driftwood. He grabbed Chu Hengkong's hand: "Detective, I beg you, please help me! My daughter has been missing for half a year, we can't find her anywhere, I beg you..."

The man was on the verge of collapse when Chu Hengkong patted his hand and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

The man, named Hein Lue, 23, worked the night shift at a hotel four kilometers away. His daughter, Tina, took her mother's surname. His description was incoherent, mostly focusing on his daughter's appearance, but he couldn't pinpoint any specific features. He would then begin recounting how well-behaved and obedient she used to be, before starting to cry. He knew nothing about the details of the day she disappeared; he simply said she "didn't come home after school" and couldn't be found…

Emotional people are often like this; they don't provide much useful information, and you have to rely on your own judgment.

The house had clearly not been properly cleaned in a long time; several unsealed garbage bags were piled up by the door, and dog hair was hidden in the corners and sofa crevices. The daughter's bedroom door was tightly closed, while the man's bedroom door was open, and the wardrobe door was also not closed, with a gaudy purple dress inside covered in dust.

Chu Heng waited for Hai En to finish speaking before asking, "What does your wife do for a living?"

Hein paused for a moment: "...She's a housewife."

Chu Hengkong didn't speak, but looked into his eyes. Under the calm gaze, Hai En retreated. "My wife works as a hostess at the club... actually, it's just pouring drinks for the guests, it doesn't involve anything like that..." His voice was very soft, and any man would feel ashamed saying these words.

"Can I talk to your wife?"

“She passed away… She had an accident in the lower levels last year…” Hein turned his head, “and drowned in the swamp while walking at night.”

There was no reason for the hostesses in the central courtyard to walk the night path on the lower level, and Chu Hengkong knew that even Hai En himself didn't believe these words.

"Please accept my condolences." "..." "What did your pet look like before?" "A black dog...very small, my daughter could hold it..." "Please describe it in more detail." "It was very obedient...my daughter loved it and bought it a leash and a stone collar with her allowance..." "A stone collar?" "It's made of stone, but it's very light." "Where did the dog go?" "It disappeared along with my daughter..."

Chu Hengkong noted down the details: "Do you know about the haunting of Gushui Street?"

"Haunted?" Hein looked back blankly. "Never heard of it... I've never been there..."

What followed was a rather pointless conversation: Had he tried to look for his daughter after she went missing? ... He used his free time to go to Bize to look for his daughter... Because his wife had an accident in Bize, his daughter was probably there too... He would try his best to search, please wait for news... Chu Hengkong stood up.

“Mr. Hein, you know the truth in your heart,” he said before leaving, “He’s been missing for more than half a year, and the chances are slim.”

The rotten plank sank, and the man, devoid of hope, was swallowed by a tide of sorrow. He sat alone, his voice barely audible.

"At least... I want to bury her body with my own hands..."

"I will do my best." Chu Hengkong closed the door and said goodbye.

He walked out of the Bangxing Building, a 16-story building that was extremely cramped and even more humid than two weeks ago. The walls and floors were covered in water droplets, and even standing in the stairwell felt oppressive and suffocating. But the oppressive feeling persisted even after he stepped outside the building. Under the curtain of water, it was dark and gloomy, and the weapons in the sky seemed ready to fall at any moment and chop people into dust.

The sunshine when I first arrived was good luck; this is just the normalcy of Huilong City.

Chu Hengkong took a deep breath and looked up. The street was lined with narrow buildings like the Bangxing Building, crammed together like people bound by chains. Less than 100 meters behind the building was a commercial district filled with casinos and bars. The buildings there were spacious and bright, scantily clad women soliciting customers on the street, and wealthy people walking under colorful signs, creating a lively and decadent scene.

Standing in the narrow alley between the skyscrapers, you can see both the mottled old buildings and the colorful lights of the casinos. Separated by only one street, they seem like two different worlds.

Lu Xing, who was standing guard in front of the building, offered a pack of cigarettes, showing his keen eye: "Would you like one?"

"I've given it up." Chu Hengkong shook his head. "Could you bring me a long spear for exorcising spirits?"

Chapter 16 Demon Dog Child (Part 2)

It was 10:30 p.m. at the apartment entrance.

Chu Hengkong coiled a long spear with his tentacles. The spear was 2.1 meters long, and both the spearhead and shaft were made of refined iron, making it incredibly heavy. In ancient times, spears on the battlefield mostly had wooden or bamboo handles, and a pure iron spear would be too heavy for ordinary people, but it was just right for Chu Hengkong.

The gun wasn't a relic, but it was sufficient. He put on a newly customized leather glove on his right hand, with a perception necklace embedded in the palm and two water bullet stickers on the back of his hand, so that he could easily trigger both relics with a clenched fist, saving him the trouble.

He ate dinner early and walked around in the night to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He always prepared thoroughly before doing anything serious, whether it was killing someone or beating a dog.

As night fell, the atmosphere in the abandoned apartment building completely changed. The dim lights in the stairwell flickered on again, casting eerie shadows in the empty spaces. The evil spirit made no attempt to conceal its hostility, issuing a warning to the man outside. Chu Hengkong completely ignored it all. He strode into the apartment, arrogantly striking the iron door with the barrel of his gun, the banging echoing through the stairwell.

The evil spirit in the building was enraged by the intruder's provocation. It let out a low growl, and a strong wind howled in the darkness.

The doors to all the apartments swung open, and several dark figures, accompanied by the whooshing sound of something cutting through the air, lunged at Chu Hengkong. These were rusty iron weapons and knives. The demon's power truly amplified at night; it could move objects remotely with its eerie abilities without even needing to appear in person. A dozen or so sharp weapons thrust in from all directions, like the demon's fangs, moving faster than ordinary water bullets, while Chu Hengkong possessed only a long spear.

His gun tip twitched.

In a mere instant, without even a sound, all the sharp weapons fell to the ground. The demon's control over objects seemed to have failed; the flying blades suddenly fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. The man with the gun walked leisurely around the fragments. The evil spirit in the shadows was momentarily bewildered; it didn't understand what the man had done. Usually, a barrage of knives would have been enough to make an intruder escape, but this method seemed ineffective against this man.

The evil spirit decided to try a different approach. It dragged a large, heavy cleaver. The cleaver was so thick and heavy that its weight alone could knock a man unconscious, yet under the evil spirit's control, it flew silently, completely hidden in the shadows. It stealthily moved behind Chu Hengkong and slashed at its target's torso!

The cleaver sank into the wall, a circular hole clearly visible in its thick blade. Numerous cracks appeared around the hole, and the cleaver shattered like glass. The evil spirit was completely stunned; this time, it finally understood the reason for its failure. Chu Hengkong's spear tip moved before the cleaver accelerated, and he had already sheathed it when the blade shattered. The evil spirit saw the beginning and the end but not the process; the moment the spear was thrust out seemed to be hidden. Even an illusory spirit leaves a trace, yet a mortal man unleashed an invisible thrust!

Chu Hengkong slowly raised his steel spear, aiming it at the damp wall.

"Only this much speed at night?" He smiled. "Not good enough. Perhaps... your master should take over!"

The moment the last word left his lips, he began to run down the stairwell. The gun flashed across the wall, its tip sparking from the incredible speed. The team members waiting outside immediately covered their ears; they heard an extremely piercing, tooth-grinding noise, like fingernails scratching a blackboard, but a thousand times more shrill. This noise resonated and echoed in the empty stairwell, creating an indescribably terrifying sound. The evil spirit in the shadows roared; it could no longer endure even a moment longer. This sound would be torture even for a human, let alone a dog!

In an instant, all the lights in the apartment shattered, all the doors slammed shut, and shards of glass and sharp blades created a sharp storm that swept through the narrow stairwell. All hiding places in the building were blocked, leaving Chu Hengkong with only two choices: defend or leave. Whichever he chose, the commotion would stop. However, the evil spirit miscalculated again; the noise only subsided for a moment. Chu Hengkong's tentacle slid backward, his right hand gripping the gun, and he roared with power. The cast-iron gun transformed into a club, crashing down into the center of the storm.

"drink!"

The blades reversed, the storm reversed, and the evil spirit's offensive was thwarted! A stronger gust of wind swept through, clearing a path for Chu Hengkong. He continued running, the tip of his spear now aimed at the glass, amplifying the piercing noise.

This is the advantage of using weapons: a wider range, greater force, and more available methods.

“Ouch——!!!”

The barking of dogs in the darkness exploded, shattering windows one after another. Even the team members waiting outside could feel the evil spirit's rage. The evil spirit could no longer restrain itself; it wanted to tear this scoundrel to pieces. Dust and debris swirled towards the stairwell, and under the ghastly green light, a pitch-black beast appeared.

Gray dust formed its body, sharpened wood became its claws and teeth, and its enormous eyes, as large as fists, blazed with blood-red flames of hatred and malice. The demon's appearance had nothing to do with a dog; it was a giant wolf, the kind that only appears in a child's nightmare. It howled and charged forward like a gust of wind, but Chu Hengkong smiled instead. His biggest worry was that the demon would lurk in the shadows, constantly harassing him; revealing its true form would make it easier to deal with.

Chu Hengkong stood still and fired two shots. The spears moved swiftly like two silver flashes, targeting the giant wolf's claws instead of its eyes and throat. The wooden claws were pierced by the spears, but the demon's ethereal form remained unharmed. It leaped high, lunging for Chu Hengkong's head. Its closed teeth barely tore through the air as Chu Hengkong ducked and dodged the attack. He gripped the spear shaft tightly in his right hand, a flash of purple light appearing in his grasp. The spear swept along the ground and then lashed out, shattering the giant wolf's two hind claws.

After the first exchange, the giant wolf landed on the ground before Chu Hengkong could even get up. The giant wolf felt smug; after all, a man with bare hands couldn't harm it in the slightest, only shattering pieces of wood and creating dust. Its form suddenly disintegrated, reappearing behind Chu Hengkong in an instant, its massive jaws snapping down fiercely.

Chu Hengkong sensed the wind behind him and heard the giant wolf's footsteps, but he still didn't stand up, because there was no need to get up at this moment. His half-bent right leg was gathering strength, while his forward-leaning left foot had already quietly retracted. The moment the giant wolf opened its mouth, he suddenly pushed off the ground, his right foot stepping forward, his body spinning to the left, and the spear shaft snapped back with the force of his arm!

The blow pierced the giant wolf's dusty hide and struck something deep within its body. The giant wolf stopped moving instantly as if electrocuted, rolling on the ground and emitting painful howls. Chu Hengkong's attack had actually worked; he had injured the ghost with his iron weapon.

This was a result he had expected, as he had planned for this attack from the very first round of the battle. Breaking the wooden claws was to reduce interference, and stalking and dodging was to close the distance. Earlier, when the giant wolf flew overhead, he activated his perception pendant, which enhanced his vision, allowing him to see through the dust and into the wolf spirit's body.

Deep within that gigantic body lay a stone collar, which he surmised was the key to the evil spirit's mischief.

Countless humans and animals perish unjustly in Huilong City every year, so how could a pet dog become an evil spirit in the building? It must be due to some strange bloodline, or the power of a relic manifesting itself. Now, this crucial relic has been struck by a spear, like a venomous snake being strangled at its vital point. The giant wolf rolled several times in pain, then got up and tried to flee. Chu Hengkong, behind it, calmly flicked out his tentacles, his iron spear catching up to the wolf's body and stabbing the stone collar three more times.

The three blows struck the same spot precisely, completely damaging the stone collar and leaving several cracks on its surface. The giant wolf howled and knelt down. Chu Hengkong stomped the collar into the ground and slowly raised his gun, as if to shatter it completely.

"—Stop hitting Hau!!"

A little girl's cry echoed from the darkness. A strange suction force snatched the collar from her neck, causing Chu Hengkong's spear to miss its mark. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that if he hadn't tried, even a dog would have noticed he was holding back. He turned and slung the iron spear over his shoulder.

Sure enough, the little ghost girl they had seen during the day reappeared. This time she was no longer hiding in the wall, but still timidly huddled in the green light, while the giant wolf howled and lay beside her, as docile as a real pet.

"Sir, please stop hitting us." The little ghost girl pleaded pitifully. "Hao shouldn't have provoked you. Please let us go."

Chu Hengkong felt a headache coming on at that tone. He was never good at dealing with women and children, and this little girl was the worst off. He sighed and abruptly asked, "Is she a good girl?"

The little ghost girl's mouth hung open, not understanding what this meant. She hesitated before speaking, "I, I am..."

"Be a good kid while you're alive, but don't cause trouble for others after you die," Chu Hengkong said coldly. "Huilong City is big. If you don't cause trouble, no one will care about you and your dog. But if you're not well-behaved, someone like me will come to deal with you."

The little ghost girl remained silent and took two steps back. Chu Hengkong softened his tone, trying his best to appear kind and gentle, which was quite difficult for an assassin: "I don't kill children. Give me the collar, behave yourself, and this matter ends here."

“…I won’t give it to her.” The little ghost girl hugged the collar tightly.

Chu Hengkong pressed his temples. The little ghost girl's eyes held a stubbornness like nails stuck in them. This was why he disliked children. Children were always stubborn and single-minded. Once they held on to something and made up their minds, they would never let go, no matter how much you kicked or hit them. They would only pierce you with the nails in their eyes, making the smallest thing seem like they were fighting against the whole world.

Chu Heng made one last effort: "I'm a police officer. If you have any enemies, this police officer can help you kill them..."

"So you're a police officer." The little girl looked down. "Are police officers useful?"

“You weren’t there when my mother was beaten to death, and you weren’t there when they beat me and Hawu… I shouted until my voice was hoarse, but no one came… Now that my parents are dead, the police have finally come to beat my dog…!”

Tears like blood streamed from the little ghost girl's eyes. She stared intently at Chu Hengkong, howling almost in despair: "My whole family is dead! What use are you all here?! Die! All of you die!!!"

A piercing explosion followed the cries, and Chu Hengkong immediately raised his spear. The next instant, a ghastly green power erupted from around the female ghost, and the giant wolf charged forward, its speed more than twice as fast as before!

The wolf's head rammed into the iron spear, feeling an immense impact from the shaft. The force was like a giant hammer, smashing Chu Hengkong directly into the ceiling. In an instant, the mezzanine between the three floors was breached, and Chu Hengkong was slammed from the second floor to the fifth. The impact passed through the iron spear and struck his flesh, causing him to cough up blood.

At the same time, Chu Hengkong felt excruciating pain all over his body. Invisible blows rained down on him. Although there was no one around him, he felt as if he was being beaten by dozens of vengeful ghosts!

Chapter 17 Demon Dog Child (Part 2)

The blunt force trauma continued relentlessly, the pain indescribably intense. The agony threatened to burn his nerves, even radiating deep into his brain. Chu Hengkong gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and spun around, trying to break free from the giant wolf's grasp, but this time he failed. His vision blurred, the scenery fading like a black, viscous soup. He was clearly in mid-air, yet "standing" on the ground. The stench was nauseating, and the air was thick with unpleasant laughter…

In the dead of night, in an alley, a woman with a bloodied head is buried in a pile of garbage bags, while men wielding sticks brutally kick her head. The barking of dogs breaks the silence of the night, tears blur her vision, and the world shakes as if an earthquake has struck.

"Mommy! Mommy!!!"

The barking of dogs. Cursing. Running into the garbage heap. Clutching the pitiful, mangled corpse. Heart-wrenching howls, but no one answers. When they come to their senses, men stand around, their sticks stained with red and white ink.

"What good luck!" the white-browed man grinned maliciously. "It saved me the trouble of searching one by one."

The stick fell, the pain, the sound of bones breaking. So painful. So painful.

"Brother White Eyebrows, are you really going to kill him?" his companion laughed.

"Nonsense! If you say kill her whole family, then of course you kill her whole family!" the white-browed man roared, as fierce as a wild wolf. "Otherwise, what will you do if that gossipy woman doesn't want to sleep with you anymore? Will you go sleep with the guests?! Is that it?!"

"Sleeping for a guest is fine, but accompanying a guest is not..."

"Damn it, this dog bit me!"

"To condemn someone outright, do we really need to teach them this?"

"Hurry up, the kid's still yelling."

They were even laughing and joking; taking a life was as easy for them as throwing away a bag of trash. They felt no guilt or fatigue, only thinking about finishing quickly so they could go back for drinks. The girl being beaten could no longer hear what they were saying; she only felt intense pain all over her body and a burning hatred in her heart.

It hurts so much. It's so painful. Nobody's coming to save me. Hau is dead too. Why don't you all die? Go die! Go die…!

"--roll!"

The roar dispelled the curse, the illusions in the alley dissipated, and the real scene emerged. The talisman inside Chu Hengkong's coat glowed faintly; its power dispelled the illusions, allowing him to see reality clearly.