"...Hey? Did that strangely dressed kid notice us?"
The man was of a robust build, his face covered in hideous scars, exuding a fierce aura that commanded respect without anger. His gaze was as sharp as a blade, cold and resolute, locking onto Yunli without warning, causing the surrounding air to freeze instantly.
However, the Man in Black beside him let out a sneer. "Impossible. Setting aside the fact that they can't perceive our presence, they aren't even Ability Users. How could they possibly discover us?"
The Scarred Man thought it made sense after hearing that. He hadn't actually sensed Yunli's gaze, but he felt something was off. So, he stopped paying attention; even if there really was something wrong with her, she was destined to die here anyway. The Scarred Man turned to ask about the main business at hand.
"Mhm, then forget about them. How are the preparations for that thing going?"
"Don't worry. Although the results aren't as good as expected, this experiment has been exceptionally smooth."
The Scarred Man sneered upon hearing this. "Is that so? Then you'd better guarantee there are no problems."
"Of course." The Man in Black wasn't annoyed, simply nodding in response...
Yunli calmly withdrew her gaze. Just as they thought, anyone else wouldn't be able to see them even if they looked toward the rooftop. Even Yunli was no exception. But they had clearly underestimated Yunli and overestimated themselves. Yunli's naked eye indeed couldn't see any trace of them, but she keenly perceived a gaze that wasn't hidden at all, as if something were watching her from the shadows.
'I'm still not as good as Acheron after all. If it were her, she would probably be able to visually confirm their numbers and positions directly.'
When the two of them reached the center of the residential area, Mo Xin suddenly asked, "What should we do next? I'll listen to whatever you say."
Yunli was surprised to hear this, not expecting the girl to trust her so much. And Mo Xin did indeed trust Yunli, but there was also another reason. In the past, every arrangement her sister made was so they could live a stable life. Her sister bore more hardships alone but never spoke of them. Mo Xin was well aware of her sister's sacrifices and never questioned them; she would only take the initiative to help share the burden within her capabilities.
Having lived with her sister for so many years, she also clearly understood a certain principle: to always know one's place and not lightly attempt things beyond one's ability, otherwise, it would be very easy to just get in the way. So now, she wouldn't be so blind as to think she could escape on her own.
At that moment, Yunli took out a stick of candied hawthorn from the bag she was carrying and said while eating, "Mmh... we'll do nothing, or just do whatever."
"Eh? Do nothing?"
"Yeah. I can't determine the number or location of the culprits. Plus, I don't want to cause too much of a stir, and I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone, so the option of an active strike is directly ruled out."
"Oh... wait a minute! You mean all of this is man-made?" Mo Xin's expression turned to shock once she understood. Trusting her was one thing, but how did Yunli know?
"I'm not sure if it's man-made, but there are definitely people hiding in the shadows."
"Then should we stay here, or should we go into the building to take a look?"
"As long as you don't get too far from me, it's fine. But we can go in if you want."
"Then let's go this way. Let's check out my rental apartment." Since Yunli said so, Mo Xin chose a route she was familiar with.
Next, the two of them returned to their starting route once again. On the way, Mo Xin hesitated for a moment before asking the question on her mind. "I wonder, Yunli, do you think they'll show themselves? They won't just trap us here until we die, will they?"
"Probably not... but look at it another way. If this really is a man-made design, and after we accidentally entered, they insist on not letting us leave, then the outcome can only be..."
"Silencing us? But what if they don't show up at all, then we..." Mo Xin's face turned pale; she hadn't expected them to be so unlucky.
However, Yunli wasn't panicked at all, her pace of eating the candied hawthorn not slowing down in the slightest. But to reassure the other girl, she said in a serious tone, "Don't worry, the other side should take the initiative to act soon. You just need to protect yourself."
"Eh? Is that so?" Her tension eased slightly, and she was sensible enough not to ask about the rest.
Yunli was also happy to have some peace and quiet. Currently, Yunli seemed full of openings, but in fact, she was constantly alert to her surroundings. Having said that, Yunli couldn't be entirely sure either. But since the other side had been watching the show for so long, she hadn't spent all that time chatting with Mo Xin for nothing.
Especially the scenes of Mo Xin's low spirits; even Yunli hadn't expected it, but those scenes had likely fallen into their eyes as well. With things as they were, Yunli didn't believe they would still be too afraid to act. After all, as Ability Users, they couldn't possibly be afraid of two "weak women" who had accidentally wandered in, right?
Of course, Yunli had a Plan B. 'If they really piss me off, don't blame me for flipping the table.'
"...We're here! Should we go in?" The two of them arrived at the door of the rental apartment. But just in case, Mo Xin still asked Yunli for instructions. To this, Yunli could only nod helplessly. 'This kid seemed pretty brave, but I didn't expect her to be so cautious now.'
After getting confirmation, the two of them pushed the door open and entered...
Meanwhile, on the other side, the two men from before had also reached the rooftop. In the center of the rooftop, dense runes coiled like venomous snakes, glowing with a cold, eerie green light. This area, in what should have been bright daylight, was as pitch black as if swallowed by night, making even sunlight a luxury phantom.
Most horrifyingly, the surrounding ground was regularly covered with corpses, dripping with blood; their twisted limbs glowed with a strange dark red under the "moonlight." The entire rooftop was like a purgatory, the air thick with a heavy smell of blood. Seeing the corpses strewn before them, there wasn't the slightest stir of emotion on their faces, as if those bodies were merely crushed dead leaves by the roadside, unable to provoke even a ripple of feeling.
The Scarred Man came to the center of the runes and spoke, "Is this enough?"
"Of course not, but there are more than just these few people in this residential area." The Man in Black, looking gloomy all over, gave a terrifying explanation in his hoarse and piercing voice.
After listening, the Scarred Man frowned slightly, looking at the man before him with a bit of surprise. Even he hadn't expected these guys to play so dirty. "You guys really are lunatics. Aren't you afraid of an investigation by the Ability Bureau?"
"Thank you for the compliment. As for the Ability Bureau? Heh, they are nothing before my God. Besides, by the time they find out, it will already be too late." Halfway through his sentence, the Man in Black began to tremble with excitement.
The Scarred Man noticed this, of course, and muttered "lunatic" under his breath. But they were already grasshoppers on the same string; there was no other choice at this point. The Scarred Man got ready and spoke with a vicious expression, "Then let's get ready to start. You'd better hope this succeeds, otherwise, even if I die, I'll drag you down with me."
Facing the Scarred Man's cold and ruthless aura, the Man in Black couldn't help but take two steps back. He then replied calmly, "As you wish, as long as you keep your promise afterward."
"We naturally understand; there's no need for you to remind us." With that, the Man in Black said no more, only murmuring something under his breath. Immediately afterward, the runes on the ground actually began to glow slowly.
A mysterious ritual officially began.