Demon Sword Immortal

"What kind of shadow? They call it an 'extra shadow,' like two people entering a shaded area together, only to find an extra person when they come out."

"At this time, it is still very docile. As long as it obediently leaves the construction site, it will stay in the same place and watch people leave..."

"But the workers were still scared, so we had no choice but to cancel all night work and just work harder during the day."

"However, the good times didn't last long. After a period of calm, that thing came back."

"It doesn't appear in sunny places, but it will still come out to scare people in dark places, in corners where no light shines—even during the day!"

“We’re at our wits’ end.” Zheng Kang wiped his face. “We’ve asked around… but nothing has worked.”

“It even killed that so-called expert last time.”

Chapter Thirty-Six: Intertwined

Ten minutes later, Bai Xiang sat on the sofa, carefully reviewing the detailed information provided by Zheng Kang.

Because no one was killed or even harmed at first, Jinshui Company did not hire a professional security consultant even though they knew it was a demon pool. They simply posted a notice in the recruitment hall.

Security consultants are very expensive.

Jinshui Company is considered second-rate among all the construction companies on Chilong Road. The fact that several of their construction sites have stopped work has already affected the assessment of them by the gold trading companies and banks. This shows that they are not strong and do not have enough money to hire consultants.

Bai Xiang is looking at a photo.

The photo shows a middle-aged man with black curly hair, wearing a dark blue long robe with cloud patterns. He is holding a wooden sword in one hand and a funeral banner commonly used in funerals in the other. He is standing in the doorway of a bare building, facing the camera.

This man was named Zhao Shuyuan, the very expert Zheng Kang had mentioned who had been "murdered last time."

Zhao Shuyuan, like Bai Xiang, was not affiliated with any security consulting firm and was an individual. However, unlike Bai Xiang, he had dealt with the Demon Pool more than ten times, which was considered extensive experience in the field.

Basically, excluding those scammers, Zhao Shuyuan is the best candidate Jinshui Company could find in the recruitment department.

But he died.

He died a horrible death.

The information describes how he was bewitched by the demon pool after entering at night, and for some reason went mad and started hacking at himself. When he was discovered during the day, there was no intact flesh on his body, including his head; he had practically been chopped into mincemeat.

The Inspectorate also sent people to investigate this matter. At that time, the inspector's judgment was that the cuts on the bone were consistent with the blade of the wooden sword that Zhao Shuyuan was carrying.

In other words, based solely on the evidence, Zhao Shuyuan hacked himself to pieces with his sword.

However, this conclusion was clearly wrong. No one could do such a thing. Even the Inspectorate itself laughed at the time, but they couldn't solve the problem either.

The Inspection and Supervision Department is very busy.

The number of incidents at the Demon Pool after nightfall on Chilong Road far exceeded some people's expectations. After reviewing the data accumulated by Jinshui Company, they concluded that as long as they didn't provoke the thing, no one would die, and then they simply called it a day.

As for how Jinshui Company will appease its employees, how to resolve the significant drop in valuation due to rumors, and even the situation where the houses are built but no one is interested in them because of ghost stories... what does this have to do with the Inspection and Supervision Department?

This is not within Zhang Daoming's jurisdiction.

Ghostly figures...

Bai Xiang muttered the word to himself, squinting at Zhao Shuyuan in the photo, his gaze focused on the shadow behind him.

Because it was an unfinished building, the hallway was not fully furnished. The lights on the first floor could only be turned on from inside. Zhao Shuyuan's position cast his shadow on the wall, which remained completely hidden in the darkness, his outline indistinct.

Bai Xiang wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she always felt that there was another shadow next to that blurry one.

Is that it?

Or is it simply due to the lighting?

Regardless, Bai Xiang decided to accept the commission.

Zheng Kang knew who she was and that she came from the Divine Cry Sword Path. He especially knew that the Bai family had that unfinished building next to the Dao Inquiry Arena; this behavior was tantamount to openly asking for a price.

Bai Xiang is now famous and a favorite of important figures. Shenming Sword Path is definitely going to expand; even a fool knows they want to buy up properties and renovate them themselves.

Therefore, after contacting the company's senior management, Zheng Kang brought the utmost sincerity that Jinshui Company could offer.

If Bai Xiang can help Jinshui Company solve the problem, they can sell that building to the Taoist temple for 1.2 million yuan.

This is indeed a huge financial burden, as it's a seven-story office building, and there were plans to build it even taller. If it can be completed on schedule, given the high prices in the Nanping Road area, the price per square meter could reach over 30,000 yuan, meaning the entire building's value could not possibly be less than 300 million yuan.

It was two-thirds cheaper, and Bai thought it was worth negotiating.

Thinking of this, she took out her Nokia phone, removed the SIM card and put it into the new phone, then used this phone to call Bai Shengju and explain the situation to him in detail.

"Are you sure?"

Bai Shengju was more concerned about Bai Xiang's safety.

Generally speaking, when accepting a quest from the Demon Pool for the first time, it's best to choose one that is almost harmless.

For example, there's a common type of eerie alley called "Turning Back Alley." It refers to a situation where, when people are walking through a long alley late at night, someone might tap them on the shoulder or call their name.

You must not turn back at this moment. If you do, you will become dizzy and faint, and some of your soul and essence will be sucked away by the demon pool.

But it's not fatal; even turning back won't be fatal.

The Ghostly Pool encountered by Jinshui Company has been proven to be capable of killing people, and it even killed a well-known individual expert, making it far more dangerous.

Bai Shengju was worried; he didn't want Bai Xiang to put himself in danger because of money.

"Grandpa, don't worry, I'm not the only one."

Bai Xiang felt there was no need to hide the existence of the Demon Suppression Division from him, so he briefly told him about the invitation he had received.

"The Demon Suppression Division?" Bai Shengju stroked his beard on the other end and said with wide eyes, "That's possible..."

Bai Xiang even let him hear Yu He's voice, which immediately put Bai Shengju at ease. He then reminded them, "Even so, you must still be careful," and then asked, "So you're not going back tonight?"

Bai Xiang nodded: "Yes."

"I'm going to sleep now." Bai Shengju paused. "I'll get up tonight, call me if you need anything."

Grandpa really is...

Bai Xiang frowned—couldn't he let his second uncle do this kind of thing?

"Your second uncle is responsible for so many disciples, he must be exhausted," Bai Shengju said with a smile. "I'm fine, though. I've recovered my health, my back is straight again, and staying up all night is no problem!"

Bai wanted to know, but saying it to him was useless.

Even though Bai Shengju promised to get a good night's sleep, he would still secretly get up in private.

They can't control it.

Nothing.

After hanging up the phone, she and Yu He went back into the office to confirm with Zheng Kang that they would take on the case.

"Great!" Zheng Kang rubbed his hands excitedly. "This... I'll go talk to them right now. By the way, are you planning to go during the day or at night?"

"We'll set off soon," Bai Xiang said.

"So you're going to—"

"The place Zhao Shuyuan went to last time," Bai Xiang added, "and then stayed there until dawn tomorrow."

Zheng Kang's expression changed, and he said sullenly, "Alright... here is the contract, sign it."

This is the procedure.

Once the contract is signed, the two parties have clearly established an employment relationship for the carriages and horses. Bai Xiang can request compensation from the company for any losses she suffers during the commission process, but if she dies, Jinshui Company cannot be blamed.

After signing the contract and reaching an agreement, Bai Xiang and Yu He went downstairs and left.

Zheng Kang escorted them downstairs and even arranged for someone to bring a car to take them to the construction site.

"I hope it works out..."

Standing at the top of the stairs, Zheng Kang wiped the sweat from his brow and heard footsteps.

Turning his head, he saw an acquaintance—Yin Hua, the manager of 'Nanmu Consultants,' who was with a slick-haired man and a fair-skinned, high-nosed foreigner, smiling and extending his right hand to him.

"Manager Yin, what's going on here...?"

After shaking hands with him, Zheng Kang looked behind him with a puzzled expression.

"Oh! Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Li Rongwen, and this is Mr. Seredo. Both of them have come all the way from the Sami Federation."

Partner?

Zheng Kang speculated.

The security consulting industry in Dayu is highly competitive and has a high mortality rate, so some companies choose to expand outwards secretly.

Is Nanmu Company also going global?

"That's how it is." Yin Hua adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses.

“Mr. Seredo is an explorer at ‘The Reef.’ We have some collaborations. This is Mr. Seredo’s first time visiting Dayu, and he wants to experience the unique features of Dayu…”

feature?

A demon pool?

Zheng Kang's expression changed, and he asked, "Manager Yin, do you intend to accept our commission in Nanmu's name?"

Yin Hua quickly nodded: "Exactly!"

Zheng Kang smiled and said, "Then Manager Yin is late."

"Ah...?" Yin Hua and the man named Li Rongwen both changed their expressions. "Could it be...?"

"I was just picked up."

Zheng Kang nodded.

"Unfortunately."

"Manager Yin, please look again."

Chapter Thirty-Seven Encounters

With a bang, the car door slammed shut, and Yin Hua could feel the heavy atmosphere brewing inside the car.

“Mr. Seredo,” Li Rongwen said carefully, “since it’s Fang Xianzhang’s men who have intervened, I think we should refrain from containment for the time being.”

"Fang Xianzhang?" the white man beside him said with an odd accent, "You mean Fang Xiaochun? The governor of Qizhou?"

Li Rongwen quickly nodded: "Yes, that's him."

“I don’t understand.” The white man frowned. “When I came here, I heard that you were determined to change the status quo, break those outdated rules, and embrace a more open civilization and science and technology.”

He paused for a moment, then continued, “But the impression I get of you now is that you are still afraid of authority, afraid of those outdated ideas, and afraid of power.”

“This is not good,” he emphasized. “It does not conform to free will at all.”

“Mr. Seredo,” Li Rongwen finally frowned, “please believe me, this is not out of fear. We are willing to face all the difficulties in the world for our ideals, but this takes time—it is not appropriate to do anything before the overall situation is settled.”

“I believe ‘the other party’ thinks the same way.” The white man remained unmoved, reaching up to straighten his collar.

“You give me the impression that you’re always thinking about ‘the other person,’ which is what I dislike most about you, Li. I think it shouldn’t be us thinking about the other person, but rather the other person thinking about us.”

"If they had a broader perspective, they certainly wouldn't have done anything because of the loss of those two people."

"Then you mean..."

“By bypassing the assigned task, we can complete the containment of the ‘Shadow’ directly.” The white man nodded.

“‘Shadow’ is a very important experimental subject and an indispensable part of the company’s plan. Since I brought it out, I must bring it back, otherwise I will not be able to explain it to the company.”

Li Rongwen wanted to say something more, but 'Ceredo' simply opened one of the car doors and walked across the street by himself.

"The people from the Sami Federation..." Yin Hua, in the driver's seat, finally dared to speak, "aren't they a bit..."

“Arrogant.” Li Rongwen nodded. “They are very arrogant.”

“But they have the right to be arrogant.” Li Rongwen looked up at the sky through the dark car window, his gaze gradually hardening.

This country is beyond saving.

History will prove him right: his choice was not wrong.

Meanwhile, Bai Xiang and Yu He had arrived at the construction site where Zhao Shuyuan had died.

It's not the one located on Nanping Road—which is next to the Taoist temple—but rather in the northern suburbs of Daoshi.

Along the way, Bai Xiang didn't see many people in the northern suburbs. The surrounding buildings were loosely arranged, with no tall buildings in sight, and large areas of barren yellow earth between them.