Chapter 31: Saluk’s Rampage in the Market

“Hey, isn’t that the girl from yesterday?”

Su Wanghai wasn’t entirely certain, given the distance, but Bai Chen’s expression affirmed his suspicions.

“Why is she here?”

Bai Chen pondered the same question, his gaze shifting to Zhou Wanchen, who stood not far off. The man’s back was turned, obscuring his expression.

‘Could Mo Qiu be the one he’s waiting for?’

‘It wouldn’t be impossible for someone with Mo Qiu’s somber disposition to harbor some unspeakable secret.’

‘But *this* kind of secret?’

As this thought crossed his mind, Bai Chen instinctively hunched his shoulders, careful not to be noticed, his eyes now fixed on the young woman.

Upon her appearance, Mo Qiu did not approach Zhou Wanchen’s location. Instead, she made her way to a fish vendor’s stall.

“Little sister, looking to buy something?”

“How much for the tilapia?”

“It’s quite cheap. How about I pick out the plumpest, most tender one for you?”

“I’ll take five.”

“Huh?”

‘She’s buying fish?’

Witnessing this scene, Bai Chen was stunned once more, recalling the events of yesterday. Su Wanghai, standing beside him, was about to call for backup, but Bai Chen stopped him with a raised hand.

“What are you doing?”

“Mo Qiu is just passing by; she’ll leave shortly.”

“How can you be so sure…”

“I guarantee she’s innocent.” A serious glint flashed in Bai Chen’s eyes, causing Su Wanghai to open his mouth several times before finally saying nothing.

Bai Chen understood the unspoken message in his expression: ‘I’ll trust you this once.’

As both men redirected their attention to Zhou Wanchen, the young woman, who had been secretly glancing their way, quickly averted her gaze.

“Little sister, here’s your tilapia.”

“Thank you.”

“Buying so many fish? Do you have guests at home?”

“Yes, esteemed guests.” The young woman nodded, paid her bill, and prepared to leave the market.

Despite it not being peak hour, the market buzzed with noise, its lively atmosphere surpassing even the busiest city streets.

Yet, a figure lurked in the shadows, silently observing this bustling world.

Neither Zhou Wanchen, nor Bai Chen and Su Wanghai, escaped his scrutiny.

‘Why are demon hunters appearing here?’

Ever since Zhou Wanchen had arranged to meet, he had remained vigilant, arriving early but choosing not to reveal himself. Hiding and observing from the side, he had indeed sensed something amiss.

Amidst his confusion, a fiery rage ignited within his heart.

‘This is a trap!’

Zhou Wanchen, a mere pawn, dared to scheme against him. The hidden figure’s killing intent erupted instantly, allowing himself to be consumed by wrath.

‘He had already been considering eliminating him, and now there was no doubt. With two demon hunters thrown into the mix, he might as well cause a grand commotion!’

****

The demon Saluk no longer concealed his aura. As his power gradually unleashed, his seemingly normal human form rapidly swelled.

With a powerful thrust of his legs, Saluk launched himself into an explosive charge, shattering the air as he leapt skyward in a single bound.

Zhou Wanchen, who was pretending to shop for groceries, suddenly felt the sky grow dim. Looking up, he saw a terrifying dark silhouette descending from above.

With a deafening boom, dust billowed, and all the bustling noise transformed into screams as people scattered in panic.

Before the dust could even settle, Saluk’s colossal figure emerged, each step he took on the ground resonating like a muffled drumbeat, rattling Zhou Wanchen’s very heart.

“Sa-Saluk…”

Terrified, Zhou Wanchen stumbled backward, retreating relentlessly, even falling into a fishmonger’s pool, his body reeking of fish.

“W-what are you trying to do? Didn’t we agree to keep a low profile?”

“Low profile?” Saluk scoffed, “You thought I wouldn’t know about your filthy schemes, trying to ambush me when I wasn’t looking?”

“What schemes? What are you talking about?” Zhou Wanchen forced a smile. “Weren’t our collaborations quite pleasant?”

“Indeed, quite pleasant. Now you can die.”

Just as Saluk raised his palm, he heard a commotion from afar and instantly shifted his stance, blocking with his forearm.

A spear of lightning tore through the sky, colliding directly with his forearm. The explosive energy sent Saluk reeling backward, sparks of electricity arcing in every direction.

Zhou Wanchen, still looking utterly bewildered, was yanked out of the pool by Su Wanghai.

“I’ll deal with you later. Let’s go.”

Zhou Wanchen didn’t hesitate, turning and fleeing immediately.

Having rescued the important target, Bai Chen did not immediately rejoin Su Wanghai but instead headed elsewhere.

“Mo Qiu!”

He found the young woman sitting not far away and checked her for injuries.

Saluk’s landing site had been perilously close to her; those nearby had all suffered, either knocked down or wounded by flying debris.

The moment he saw the young woman fall, Bai Chen’s heart clenched fiercely, and he rushed out without a second thought.

Her arm had been grazed by shrapnel, but the injury was minor. Only then did Bai Chen feel relieved.

“Why do you always end up in demon attacks?” Bai Chen muttered under his breath, unable to help himself. “Come on, let’s go. It’s too dangerous here.”

Mo Qiu rose, but did not immediately rush to leave. Instead, her gaze fell upon the ground nearby.

“My fish…”

“This is no time to be thinking about fish; staying alive is what matters.”

Bai Chen’s mouth twitched, and he said in a low, grave voice.

“You go first. I’ll save your fish.”

“Okay.”

Bai Chen was rather surprised by how quickly she was persuaded, but he didn’t dwell on it.

As he checked on other injured individuals, Bai Chen’s mind remained in turmoil. ‘Had I known this would happen, I never should have made that promise to her last night.’

‘Without my words, Mo Qiu wouldn’t have come here, wouldn’t have been hurt.’

Once the last injured person had departed with their companions, Bai Chen took a deep breath, his gaze turning sharp and resolute.

“Aaaaargh!”

The piercing scream that reached his ears made Bai Chen’s heart plummet. He whipped his head around, looking towards the battlefield.

Saluk, who should have been held back by Su Wanghai, had somehow caught up to Zhou Wanchen. A colossal hand directly seized the man’s head, lifting his entire body off the ground.

“No… don’t!”

“Die.”

Just as Saluk was about to crush his skull, he suddenly heard rapidly approaching footsteps. A blue arc of electricity flashed in his peripheral vision, followed by a searing pain in his arm.

Bai Chen, astonished that he hadn’t severed the entire arm, realized the demon’s physical strength far exceeded his expectations.

“You want him so badly? He’s all yours then.”

With those words, Saluk swung his arm, literally flinging Zhou Wanchen away like a basketball.

Bai Chen, who had intended to leap and rescue the man, saw Saluk moving to attack him and was forced to prioritize defense.

Poor Zhou Wanchen was sent flying, crashing into the wall of the market building with a sickening crunch of breaking bones that made one’s scalp tingle.

“Hahahaha, serves him right!”

Saluk’s voice grated on Bai Chen’s heart. Human lives were so fragile before demons. Even his own parents, both seasoned demon hunters, had met with accidents during missions.

Rage surged within him, and he clenched his fists. Demons treated human lives as mere playthings, and for that, they deserved to die.

‘Libelle, this fiend before him—they all deserved to die!’

Having dealt with Zhou Wanchen, Saluk focused his attention on the remaining demon hunters, particularly Bai Chen, who was closest.

Fists larger than his own head rained down relentlessly, forcing Bai Chen into a constant retreat, denying him any chance to counterattack. Each punch left an indentation in the ground; a direct hit would surely kill or cripple him.

“Why are you hiding? Aren’t you angry?”

Capitalizing on Bai Chen’s frantic movements, Saluk suddenly lifted a foot and stomped the ground with immense force. An explosive shockwave, centered on his foot’s impact point, sent Bai Chen flying backward.

Su Wanghai, who had just arrived, saw this and quickly spread his arms, only to be knocked down himself. Both men tumbled awkwardly twice on the ground, grimacing in pain.

“What the hell was that? You nearly killed me!” Su Wanghai complained.

“I was about to ask you why you didn’t protect Zhou Wanchen better.”

“Who knew he could jump dozens of meters high? I was utterly dumbfounded.”

Both men scrambled to their feet, jointly facing Saluk.

‘Was this the person Zhou Wanchen had been waiting for? His strength far surpassed either of theirs; the chances of winning a solo fight were incredibly slim.’

‘If they cooperated, they might just prevail.’

Just as this thought simultaneously arose in their minds, Saluk suddenly crouched, adopting a running posture. The muscles in his legs tensed, every bulging vein a horrifying sight.

Saluk’s body became like a cannonball fired from a barrel; the moment he launched, a tremendous roar erupted, sending shattered stone flying backward.

With every stride, the ground of the market vibrated, trembling like an earthquake beneath his charge.

Bai Chen and Su Wanghai simultaneously gasped.

“Get out of the way, now!”

They were forced to retract their previous thoughts; even combined, they might not be able to defeat this monster.

Saluk plowed headfirst into a wall, and the building collapsed with a roar. Moments later, his figure sprang from the ruins, landing with a heavy thud.

Apart from a dusting of debris, he was completely unharmed. In contrast, Bai Chen and Su Wanghai appeared far more disheveled, seeming utterly minuscule before this behemoth.

****

As the battle raged fiercely, the figure of a young woman quietly appeared on a nearby rooftop.

She sat on the railing, her long, dark blue hair lifted by the currents of wind, her star-pupiled eyes observing the battlefield.

“Hmm, as expected, Bai Chen is still too weak. I didn’t think fighting a Saluk would be so difficult for him.”

Mo Qiu swung her black-stockinged legs, her expression devoid of enthusiasm.

‘What is this scent?’

In her disguised form, her perception of emotions was greatly amplified; the panic Saluk generated was stirring the fear of the populace.

Yet, the most enticing scent emanated from Bai Chen and Su Wanghai.

‘Powerful adversaries bring despair.’

‘If only I could seize this opportunity, capture Bai Chen, and feast on his fear while licking away his cold sweat. How wonderful that would be.’

‘The fear of a hero, a savior—it must be an extraordinary delicacy.’

Mo Qiu suddenly clutched her head, dispelling this craving.

‘No, that’s wrong. What I should be concerned about now is how Bai Chen will overcome this crisis.’

“Bai Chen, this is your first opponent on the path to becoming stronger. Show me how you differ from others.”

His figure was reflected in her brilliant eyes, and a hint of fascination graced the young woman’s expression.