Raindrops slid past Lin Qiye's hair, dripping down his cheeks. The streets of the Old Town were deserted, with only the streetlights casting a hazy halo through the curtain of rain.
Relying on his Starry Night Dancer ability, he moved between the buildings, each step light and swift. Although the rain blurred his vision, he could still perceive the malevolent aura ahead growing steadily stronger.
'What on earth is this thing?' Lin Qiye paused, panting, feeling the source of that evil moving directly toward his home.
The little bat had flown onto his shoulder by now, huddling into a trembling ball.
"It's too terrifying... scarier than any creature I've ever seen," the bat's thought transmitted, saturated with dread.
Lin Qiye gripped the baseball bat tightly. On his MC Interface, his Health was full, and his Hunger was full. He quickly checked his Inventory; aside from daily necessities, there was no equipment to enhance his combat effectiveness.
"No more time, I hope this works." He gave the baseball bat a shake and continued forward through the rain.
A few minutes earlier, in another area not far from Lin Qiye's house, Zhao Kongcheng was leaning under the eaves of a wall to avoid the rain.
He had just dealt with a few low-level Ghost-Faced monsters. His hands trembled slightly as he pulled out a cigarette, shielding it with his palm to light it. Rain soaked his hair and trickled down his face onto his uniform.
"This damn weather." Zhao Kongcheng shook the water droplets off his shoulders. "Should've brought an umbrella."
He took a deep drag of the cigarette, thinking about how to convince Lin Qiye to join the Night Watchmen. After days of observation, he was certain that the blind high school student was a God-Vassal—especially after that mysterious incident, the energy fluctuations coming from him had become much more pronounced.
"Maybe I should change my strategy tomorrow," he muttered to himself. "They say the real negotiation only starts after the tenth rejection. Kid, you've only rejected me seven times."
Suddenly, an urgent sound interrupted his thoughts. Zhao Kongcheng frowned and tapped his earpiece.
"What is it?"
"Zhao Kongcheng! Emergency!" Wu Xiangnan's voice bled with unconcealed anxiety. "The Ghost-Faced King has escaped the encirclement! He has two possible destinations: the City Center or the Old Town."
"Because the City Center is densely populated and hard to evacuate, we have to stay here. You must immediately evacuate the residents of the Old Town."
Zhao Kongcheng's smile vanished instantly. He snapped his body upright.
"Is the Old Town not important then?"
"I've already sent Hong Ying's team to the Old Town. Estimated arrival is ten minutes!"
"No time to explain! Act now! Remember, you are not its match. If you encounter the Ghost-Faced King, you only need to maneuver and stall until backup arrives!"
The call ended. Zhao Kongcheng's expression shifted drastically as he crushed the cigarette butt. He grabbed the black suitcase he always carried and sprinted down the street, knocking on doors to evacuate residents who hadn't yet fallen asleep.
"Emergency evacuation! Everyone leave the residential area immediately! Dangerous biological entity detected!"
Lin Qiye stopped at an alley entrance not far from his home. The evil aura had become stronger than ever, nearly suffocating him. He hid in the shadows, sensing the movement ahead.
'It's right there.' He gripped the baseball bat, his palms sweating. Even through the rain, he could feel a sense of pure malice tens of times stronger than the Ghost-faced monster he encountered at school.
At the same time, Zhao Kongcheng reached a corner near Lin Qiye's house. He was about to keep moving when he suddenly caught a thick, rancid stench—like rotting corpses mixed with sulfur.
"Damn it, it actually came here!"
He looked around alertly and noticed a sewer manhole cover nearby vibrating abnormally. Muddy water surged from the cracks, mixed with a sort of black slime.
Zhao Kongcheng realized the situation was worse than imagined. He quickly set down his suitcase and opened it; inside were three street signs. Simultaneously, he reported into his headset: "Night Watchman Zhao Kongcheng. Ghost-Faced King spotted!"
"Received!" Wu Xiangnan's voice came through with static. "The main Night Watchman force will arrive within ten minutes! Remember your mission, Zhao Kongcheng. Delay! Do not engage in a head-on battle! You are not its match!"
The manhole cover slammed upward in the next second. The heavy metal disc flipped through the air, carrying sewage and debris, before crashing heavily onto the slick road with a piercing bang that made the ground tremble.
A stench so thick it was nauseating filled the air instantly—a mix of sewer sludge and an unnamable decay that seemed to solidify the surrounding air. Following that, a massive silhouette struggled out of the pitch-black hole, every movement brimming with oppressive power.
It was a monster several meters tall, standing a head higher than a standard one-story building. Its entire body emitted a rot like ancient remains. Viscous black liquid dripped from its twisted limbs, blooming into foul stains in the rain.
A hideous ghost mask was clamped tightly over its head. The lines of the mask were warped, and through the eye holes, a crimson light flickered like burning coals.
The monster scanned its surroundings with a speed that belied its massive frame. The rain lashed against its body but did nothing to thin the suffocating stench. A low, suppressed roar erupted from its throat—a sound unlike any mortal creature, filled with pure malice and tyranny, echoing far through the rainy night.
Zhao Kongcheng moved almost the instant the monster appeared.
He slammed his hands together in front of his chest, fingertips touching, and let out a low shout. With that movement, an invisible energy erupted from him as the center. A translucent blue barrier formed and expanded at a visible rate across the narrow street, enveloping the Ghost-Faced King and a dozens-of-meters radius.
Faint blue light flowed across the surface of the barrier. Rain ripples spread across it but could not penetrate.
Wu Xiangnan heard the sound and said frantically, "Lao Zhao, don't be impulsive! You are not its match! You just need to delay it for a bit!"
Zhao Kongcheng did not retreat a single step. He spoke into the headset, "Captain, do you remember the oath we once took?"
"If the dark night descends, I shall stand before ten thousand people!"
The Ghost-Faced King seemed to sense the restraint. Its masked head snapped toward Zhao Kongcheng. A roar of fury exploded from its throat, making the air hum. Its massive body suddenly surged with force, charging at Zhao Kongcheng with the momentum of a thousand tons.
Lin Qiye, hiding in the shadows of the alley, felt his heart tighten.
At this moment, he realized clearly that Zhao Kongcheng was facing that terrifying, world-destroying existence all alone. That man, who usually acted a bit shiftless but persistently tried to persuade him to join the Night Watchmen, was now using his own body to stand between the monster and the city.