I Went Crazy Killing in the World of Gods and Demons - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Beauty is also their weapon.

Xie Qingling carefully examined Shen Huaizhou’s face.

Fair complexion, jet-black hair, eyes’ resembling a fox’s yet slightly downturned at the corners seductive with a touch of innocence, yet his gaze remained aloof and proud. Then she observed his figure: broad shoulders, narrow waist…

Whether it was the head-to-shoulder ratio or the head-to-body ratio, everything fell within the realm of perfection.

So beautiful, so…

“You must be very strong,” Xie Qingling said.

Shen Huaizhou glanced at her with renewed surprise, his expression shifting to one that seemed to say, “You’ve pleased me.” He appeared quite satisfied with Xie Qingling’s praise, the icy frost on his face gradually melting away.

This was the first time someone had faced Shen Huaizhou and said, “You must be very strong,” instead of “You’re so handsome.”

Shen Huaizhou had grown weary of their mundane aesthetic preferences. Though compliments on his looks still brought him pleasure, he had heard them too often. In comparison, being praised for his strength a recognition that saw beyond appearances was far more gratifying.

He hadn’t expected the newcomer to possess such discernment. Instantly, he regarded her with considerable appreciation.

The three of them sat around the conference table, each engrossed in their tasks.

Although Ling Fang had suggested that the department members bond with Xie Qingling, as adults, their way of fostering camaraderie was simply to occupy the same space while attending to their own affairs.

Xie Qingling was copying the Work Guidelines; Ling Fang occasionally tapped his earpiece, checking in with the field agents outside; Shen Huaizhou stared at his computer screen, absorbed in something unknown.

After about five minutes, Shen Huaizhou looked up from his computer and glanced at Xie Qingling.

Having finished reading Dai Xingyu’s post-mission report, his eyes lit up.

“Department Head, I want to take her on a field assignment,” Shen Huaizhou declared abruptly. “Today.”

At this, the other two paused their activities and looked at him, perplexed.

Ling Fang frowned slightly. “She just arrived. Perhaps”

“She’s strong,” Shen Huaizhou said, casting a glance at Xie Qingling. “There’s no need to coddle newcomers too much.”

“If we want her to grow quickly, field work is a better and faster method than staying behind.”

“After all, our department is severely understaffed, isn’t it?”

Ling Fang silently observed Xie Qingling for a few moments, seeming conflicted.

He wasn’t comfortable sending Xie Qingling on a field assignment alone.

But if she accompanied Shen Huaizhou, he should have the capability to handle any emergencies.

What surprised him was why the aloof and arrogant Shen Huaizhou would voluntarily offer to mentor a newcomer. Initially, Ling Fang had been most concerned about Shen Huaizhou’s inability to get along with new members, hindering their integration.

Considering the practical circumstances, Ling Fang made his decision.

He turned to Xie Qingling. “You decide for yourself.”

“I…” Xie Qingling hesitated. “I’m not sure if I can do it.”

It was only her second day on the job. She hadn’t finished writing her self-criticism, nor had she completed copying the Work Guidelines.

“You can,” Shen Huaizhou stated with unwavering certainty, as if he understood her capabilities better than she did. “Our department doesn’t take in useless people.”

Xie Qingling: “…”

“Fine, I’ll go on the field assignment with you.” Gritting her teeth, Xie Qingling secured Blood Oath to the clasp on her back and threw on a cloak-like jacket. From the outside, it looked like ordinary attire, completely unlike someone carrying a controlled blade.

“Let’s go.”

Exiting the office, Shen Huaizhou tossed Xie Qingling a helmet for her to wear.

He rode his heavy motorcycle, carrying Xie Qingling away.

These motorcycles were standard department issue one per person. Compared to other means of transport, they were faster, more powerful, and more agile.

However, Xie Qingling was new and didn’t know how to ride one, so Shen Huaizhou simply brought her along.

“Where are we going?” Xie Qingling shouted.

The wind roared loudly. At this speed, she felt her voice was nearly swept away by the gusts.

Shen Huaizhou: “The slaughterhouse.”

Having spent considerable time familiarizing herself with work procedures, Xie Qingling already knew what routine field assignments entailed.

Ordinary daily field work was essentially patrol duty.

Typically, patrols were handled by the “Herdsmen,” but Future City only had Dai Xingyu as its sole Herdsman clearly understaffed so Ling Fang had to assign others to participate in this task.

The so-called patrols involved inspecting locations previously marked as sites of Special Events, to prevent recurrences and casualties.

Alternatively, they patrolled other unmarked areas where no Special Events had occurred yet but were statistically prone to such incidents based on probability.

Ghosts and monsters fed on various things, but most were related to human desires, fears, death… and so on.

Once these characteristics were identified, high-risk locations became easier to pinpoint. These designated spots typically became the routine patrol areas for the Special Events handling department.

More dangerous field assignments involved leaving the city for the outskirts.

In rural villages, where residents still preserved certain ancient customs some households even maintained Shrines enshrining certain entities trouble often arose if what was worshipped had malevolent tendencies.

Such missions outside the city required serious gear and carried higher risks.

However, out-of-city assignments were infrequent. Xie Qingling had briefly skimmed through the action archives in the first-floor lobby yesterday Future City had only undertaken two such missions this year.

Perhaps, as Ye Anran said, Special Events were genuinely fewer in Future City.

The slaughterhouse was within the city, so this time, Shen Huaizhou was taking her on a routine patrol. Xie Qingling just didn’t know if any Special Events had occurred here before.

Lost in her thoughts, Shen Huaizhou’s motorcycle halted before a wide iron gate.

Beside the gate, a line of text read: Ping’an Slaughterhouse.

They had arrived.

Xie Qingling dismounted, holding her Book of Observation in hand, Blood Oath strapped to her back, and earpieces in her ears fully geared and clearly on duty.

Removing his helmet, Shen Huaizhou said to Xie Qingling, “Ping’an Slaughterhouse supplies most of the pork for Future City. Tens of thousands of pigs are slaughtered here daily. Though pigs are merely food, they are still living beings. This slaughterhouse has been operating for too long, accumulating killing karma and baleful energy, which has attracted some blood-devouring ghosts and flesh-eating ghosts that feed on such things.”

“In other words, this place has experienced Special Events and is a marked domain,” Shen Huaizhou said.

Xie Qingling nodded to show she understood.

When the slaughterhouse staff saw the two of them, they let them enter without any obstruction. Shen Huaizhou and Xie Qingling passed through unimpeded.

Except for the operational slaughtering chambers which they couldn’t enter, they could move freely throughout other areas.

A strange, unpleasant aura flowed through the air.

Xie Qingling detected a thick bloody smell. Her nostrils filled with this blood scent that had accumulated over years, mixed with the odor of disinfectant – quite unpleasant to smell.

No wonder Special Events occurred here.

Even humans felt somewhat palpitated coming to such a place.

Ghosts and monsters that fed on this would probably revel in it.

Who knew how long it took to cleanse such a large slaughterhouse back then.

Shen Huaizhou walked ahead of Xie Qingling, explaining as they went: “For venues where Special Events have occurred, we establish an ‘anchor point’ after completing cleansing operations. We use it to monitor whether abnormalities exist in this area.”

“So when conducting patrols, we first check the anchor point’s status to determine if any abnormalities have occurred – after all, ordinary Spirit Users cannot directly observe ghost traces with the naked eye.”

Shen Huaizhou brought Xie Qingling to a remote corner of the slaughterhouse.

There, several green vines hung down from the wall, partially covering a stone statue in the corner.

“This is the anchor point we established back then,” Shen Huaizhou said.

Xie Qingling examined it and found it somewhat familiar. “Is this Kṣitigarbha?”

Shen Huaizhou nodded. “This bodhisattva vowed not to achieve Buddhahood until hell is emptied, specializing in eliminating Fierce Ghosts. So when cleansing ghosts within ‘His’ Killing Field, we humans receive slight enhancements. Having His statue here also serves as deterrence to ghosts wanting to cause trouble – some timid ghosts might not dare to commit evil deeds.”

After checking by placing his hand on the Kṣitigarbha statue, Shen Huaizhou found no abnormalities.

“Seems no ghosts have been causing trouble recently,” Shen Huaizhou said. “Kṣitigarbha hasn’t issued any warnings. Today’s field work doesn’t require additional handling. We’ll just do a quick inspection, then we can conclude this patrol.”

Xie Qingling looked at him, hesitating momentarily before asking: “Is that all? Why not directly deploy the Killing Field to check?”

Shen Huaizhou looked at her, his gaze unusually serious. “You know the Kṣitigarbha Killing Field was created by the department head, right?”

“I know,” Xie Qingling nodded.

“Actually, the usage count for each Killing Field of the Earth Treasury King is limited. Unless a special situation is confirmed, I don’t recommend you use it frequently.”

Shen Huaizhou stood up, “In this world, all resources are limited and precious. I hope you understand this point. They are so precious that you cannot imagine to what extent.”

“Since the ‘anchor point’ shows no abnormalities, that means there are no incidents of ghosts harming people. Every occurrence has its signs – if there are none, then there’s no need to force the search.” Shen Huaizhou explained.

Xie Qingling moved her lips, recalling that Ling Fang had once told her the same thing.

She understood the reasoning perfectly well.

However…

“Although the anchor point shows no reaction, but…” Xie Qingling said, “but right in front of us, there’s a ghost blocking our way.”

“…”

Shen Huaizhou’s body stiffened.

He turned to look at Xie Qingling, “What did you say?”

She possesses the “Herdsman” talent?

Come to think of it, since this newcomer appeared, the frequency of her encountering Special Events has been ridiculously high compared to others, second only to Dai Xingyu.

Xie Qingling confirmed again: “Right in front of us, there’s a Foodless Ghost.”

[Tormented by burning hunger, wandering in all directions, a wailing Foodless Ghost blocks your path. The Foodless Ghost, forever accompanied by hunger and pain, has never eaten since birth, never known satiety. Its tongue burns with fire, water dries up before it, food ignites when consumed.]

[It remains hungry year after year, with nothing to eat throughout the seasons. Helpless, the Foodless Ghost begs from you. Kind Psychic, please give it something to eat.]