Chapter 25: Predator in the Elevator

Yu Ziyu could confirm one thing very easily.

This guy… was eating.

Like someone who had been hungry for too long, knowing he was about to face a fierce battle, so he was replenishing himself beforehand.

This was why he had remained on the third floor without moving—obviously, many supernatural creatures were kept there, precisely his food.

It was a massive, blood-red mass of energy.

Even more astonishing, it was constantly writhing and expanding.

Gluttony.

It was definitely this utterly tasteless guy.

Yu Ziyu thought with some disgust.

If Jealousy gave him the feeling of a clingy, sticky little dog, barely a little cute, then Gluttony was a messy trash can.

Getting close to him would make people vomit because of his filthy aura.

He ate everything, never refusing, as long as he could digest it into part of his power.

Therefore, he was always eating, constantly growing stronger.

He even dreamed of eating Yu Ziyu, to completely merge with him and never be separated again.

Of course, Yu Ziyu had no interest.

Even though Gluttony voluntarily offered to let him be absorbed, this absolutely did not conceal the revolting thoughts this matter evoked.

He wanted no part in it.

Accompanied by the increasingly shrill alarm, Yu Ziyu could feel Gluttony’s presence strengthening… his power climbing step by step.

Lou Chen quickly walked from the corridor to the stairwell.

He looked down, then soon noticed something strange—the hour and minute hands on the clock were spinning continuously, explosively.

Yu Ziyu followed his gaze, slightly narrowing his eyes, also landing on the bronze clock hanging in the hall.

He had noticed it the first time he entered the Supernatural Management Bureau headquarters.

It hung above the main door, not facing the people entering, but facing those inside the hall.

It indicated it wasn’t just a rusty clock, but some kind of warning.

And the current situation confirmed Yu Ziyu’s thoughts—

It was this clock emitting the piercing scream.

Almost immediately, he noticed that the people walking around in the hall gradually stopped in their tracks.

The person reading the newspaper froze, the operator dumbly held the phone receiver, as if time had frozen.

They all opened their eyes wide, looking up at the giant clock, as if all their attention had been captured.

Those with jackets thrust their hands into their pockets, tightly clutching the fabric.

And those with exposed fingers were trembling without exception.

It was as if a nuclear bomb was about to be dropped above their heads, making their legs too weak to move, only able to mechanically stare at the clock.

No wonder they were so undignified.

Every single one of them could swear this had fundamentally never happened before.

A few days ago, Jealousy had suddenly appeared in the dead of night.

After the clock’s hands frantically swayed, the hour and minute hands had only simultaneously stopped at the number ten.

They had marveled at the powerful ability of a first-floor boss, unable to help feeling fear.

But the current situation was even more terrifying than before.

You had to know, this clock really hadn’t sounded for a very long time, because almost no mutated creature could trigger its alarm.

And now, although the hands were still constantly swaying, signaling an extraordinary descent.

It wasn’t like with Jealousy, repeatedly jumping between 9 and 10 like an indecisive fence-sitter.

Instead, the hour and minute hands kept colliding against each other, virtually torturing themselves.

Obviously… the value measured by this hanging clock could no longer represent the level of the monster making its debut.

Yu Ziyu’s gaze lingered on the dial for a few seconds.

Such noisy sounds made him feel displeased at heart.

So, he narrowed his eyes, a flash of scarlet color passing through his dark pupils.

“Quiet down.”

To someone who could notice the figure upstairs, Yu Ziyu had merely focused his gaze on the clock.

But then, a strange thing happened instantly—the alarm immediately fell silent.

The hour and minute hands tensed up and stopped at a fixed position.

Yu Ziyu’s unexpected intervention caused the hall to plunge from terror into thick silence.

A clear confusion slowly surfaced on the faces of the crowd, the panic not yet faded from their expressions.

They couldn’t understand why the alarm had suddenly stopped, as if the previous noise had just been an illusion.

But the culprit tapped his finger joints and calmly looked away, acting as if nothing had happened.

“What did you just do?”

Lou Chen asked.

Yu Ziyu turned his head and found those brown eyes staring at him unblinkingly, obviously having witnessed everything that happened.

“Did a good deed,” Yu Ziyu responded impassively.

Expecting him to tell the truth was something Lou Chen would have to work hard for in his next life.

At least in this life, it was impossible.

“Whoosh—”

However, as his words just fell, the crowd seemed to finally find their footing in the chaos.

So, they hurriedly rushed towards the exit, as if staying any longer would cost them their lives.

Driven by this terrifying long wail, they pushed and shoved to leave, panicked as they quickly escaped from here.

He even saw someone trip over their own shoelaces and fall to the ground, then hurriedly stand up, grab their briefcase that had fallen, and rush out, completely disregarding their disheveled appearance.

And such people were not a minority, accounting for about one-third of the hall.

The originally somewhat orderly hall instantly became a chaotic mess.

Yu Ziyu curled his lip.

Gluttony wasn’t the strongest boss, but if his group panicked like this when facing him, he couldn’t imagine the possibility of them lasting a single round against other monsters.

And Lou Chen, who should have been restraining these undisciplined subordinates, merely calmly watched them flee to safe places, without issuing any harsh reprimands.

Rather, he didn’t even make a move to stop them.

This was a leader who let things take their course.

He glanced at Lou Chen and asked slowly, “Captain, enjoying the show?”

“They wouldn’t be of any use staying here either.”

Lou Chen’s lip line was tight as he spoke slowly, his profile very cold.

“At least they could be shields,” Yu Ziyu said.

With his obviously mocking words, a strange atmosphere spread between the two.

“Don’t make jokes like that.

It’s not funny.”

Soon, Lou Chen glanced at Yu Ziyu, his tone a bit wary, as if realizing for the first time this cold, evil, and creepy side of him.

“You can’t do that.”

“Do what?”

Yu Ziyu asked with feigned innocence, looking up at him.

“What are you talking about?”

Lou Chen frowned and hummed in response.

Through his reaction, Yu Ziyu discovered he had found a bit of fun, even starting to enjoy it.

Trying to provoke Lou Chen was more interesting than he thought.

When this former partner, whom he didn’t want to see again, was offended, his brown eyes would darken, like layered deepening kaleidoscopes, with captivating colors, making his already handsome face even more radiant.

He thought Lou Chen was pretty funny.

Yu Ziyu had also seen Lou Chen kill in the game for survival.

This person’s blood ran cold, almost comparable to monsters.

As long as he could ensure his control over his own things wouldn’t slip away, he fundamentally didn’t care what means he used.

The last time they separated had been anything but pleasant.

Now, meeting him again under different identities, he could put on this righteous appearance, vowing to protect an seemingly innocent yet suspicious photographer, serve as the captain of the good side’s Supernatural Management Bureau, and shamelessly claim he was looking for his former partner…

Disgusting, truly disgusting.

He could remember Yu Ziyu’s existence as a player, but couldn’t recall what he himself had done.

“Liar,” Yu Ziyu murmured.

Then, he frowned at his own words.

“Don’t be so harsh on others,” Lou Chen said, obviously they were talking about different topics.

Putting aside Lou Chen’s almost burning dark brown eyes, lost in thought, he still maintained an incredible calmness.

And for someone his age to achieve this was truly impressive.

“No wonder you didn’t want to be minister.

I finally understand you now.

This is just a shell.”

“It’s not that exaggerated.

Everyone’s just ordinary people,” Lou Chen said lightly.

Then, his expression turned thoughtful as he slowly spoke, “Although this isn’t the time, before I die, I really want to figure something out…

Have I offended you?”

Although Yu Ziyu always spoke in a way that made people want to shut him up, everyone who saw him for the first time was amazed by his appearance, and accordingly, would soon have all possible illusions destroyed by his arrogant tone.

However, even though his face always wore a look of disdain and contempt, he almost never actively started a conversation with anyone.

Maybe he thought ignoring people was even more superior.

But when facing Lou Chen, he hardly missed any opportunity to mock him.

Several of their conversations had been initiated by Yu Ziyu’s personal attacks, as if seeing Lou Chen suffer made him happy…

There shouldn’t be such deep hatred between them.

“If that’s the case, I apologize.

You can directly point out what I did wrong,” Lou Chen said cautiously.

“I don’t want something I don’t know about to affect our future relationship.”

Maybe it had something to do with the occasion of their first meeting.

After all, a ritual with shredded flesh and black robes obviously wasn’t the kind of place that left a good first impression.

“Sounds so sincere, especially since you don’t even remember when you offended me,” Yu Ziyu said expressionlessly.

“So, you are targeting me,” Lou Chen concluded.

“I’m not targeting you.

How can you think that?”

Yu Ziyu showed surprise. “I thought you knew, I’m simply just roasting you.”

Lou Chen: “…………”

Why did he still hold out hope for what Yu Ziyu would say…

When it came down to it, it was because of the other’s face and the faint sense of fragility he gave off, right?

That appearance was enough to make anyone sprayed with his venom unable to feel angry.

And it was very misleading, causing people to continuously make mistakes because of his looks.

Someone truly evil shouldn’t have such a beautiful face.

His speechless reaction once again brought a pleased smile to Yu Ziyu’s lips.

Of course, it wasn’t a complete loss.

At least Lou Chen now knew that the way to make Yu Ziyu happy quickly was for Lou Chen himself to suffer.

Although he fundamentally didn’t know the principle behind it, he was really considering whether to organize his memories.

First, Yu Ziyu had known him before that.

Although he didn’t remember where he had met him—after all, such a special young man, once seen, wouldn’t be forgotten.

Second, his own attitude towards Yu Ziyu was also very strange.

He never knew when he could so easily develop fondness for someone he hadn’t known long.

The clues were laid out before him.

Lou Chen felt like he had grasped the tail end of some truth.

—That sketchbook, those similar eyes, the person mentioned.

He stared at Yu Ziyu for a while, the gaze almost making the latter frown in aversion, before looking away and falling into thought.

But… no, impossible.

Just like the mismatch he had noticed at the very beginning.

Although they were the same rare pure black eyes, the differences between the two were vast.

Intuition told Lou Chen they were not the same person.

That forgotten, lost former partner hardly spoke.

Unless necessary, he would never make himself the center of attention, preferring no one to notice his existence.

He was very quiet, very cold.

But Yu Ziyu seemed very used to being the center of attention, full of incredible aggression.

When the two astonishing titles of “savior” and “future minister of the Supernatural Management Bureau” landed on him, his reaction wasn’t the ordinary person’s panic, but simply finding it annoying and troublesome.

Obviously, he was tired of being the center of attention.

Although deep down he was very clear they probably weren’t the same person…

But sometimes, the feeling Yu Ziyu gave Lou Chen was just too close.

Even though he couldn’t remember exactly what his former partner was like, because those memories were fragmented, sometimes Yu Ziyu’s silent demeanor perfectly matched those blank memories of his…

Thinking of this, Lou Chen couldn’t help but be stunned for a moment.

Suddenly, Yu Ziyu gave him a cold look: “Have you forgotten what time it is?”

“No.”

Lou Chen was very aware that a behemoth was approaching them.

These conversations and thoughts only took up part of his energy.

He was merely trying to lighten the atmosphere before the danger closed in.

Lou Chen’s hand never slackened from the weapon at his waist, his gaze fixed on the elevator at the end of the corridor.

Yu Ziyu knew he must have some trump card.

He was assessing, calmly finding a way.

After all, as a human, he couldn’t possibly just rush in front of Gluttony and face him directly.

You had to know, humanity’s most precious ability was being good at thinking.

The brain was an organ no one should forget.

If Lou Chen really did that, Yu Ziyu would definitely deem him a fool rushing to his death in his heart.

“It’s here,” Lou Chen said in a low voice.

Finally.

At the same time, the scene in a painting hanging on this floor’s corridor suddenly changed.

Originally, it had been orderly lines like water ripples.

But now, it was as if a child had taken a pen and scribbled chaotically, completely turning into a messy tangle of lines shrouded in mist.

They kept extending, frequently changing, finally pointing to one place——the elevator indicator at the end of the corridor, which was now changing floors.

Lou Chen was looking at it.

Obviously, it seemed to be transmitting some internal information like this.

Yu Ziyu could feel some familiar aura on it; this was an item unique to the Land of Desire Amusement Park.

He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“After today, I’ll tell you how this works,” Lou Chen said, noticing his gaze.

But Yu Ziyu disdainfully interrupted him: “Keep your game items.

Play with them yourselves.”

He didn’t need this little detection gadget.

He could feel for himself what was happening.

Right now, he sensed that the energy mass had somehow stopped fluctuating.

Gluttony had obviously finished eating.

He had no more food to support his continued expansion.

And the elevator…

Yu Ziyu sneered inwardly, sensing that after he had interrupted the aura emitted by the alarm, this guy actually chose to ride the elevator down arrogantly like a human.

Since that was the case, he didn’t need to insincerely let him off the hook.

“…”

“I have good news and bad news.

Which do you want first?”

Yu Ziyu tilted his head and asked.

“Good news,” Lou Chen said without hesitation.

“That guy is Gluttony, so those troublesome monsters you had contained are probably all dead now.”

Although headquarters wasn’t the main containment base, more of a transfer station, the number of monsters on the third floor was still considerable.

They had all been carelessly devoured by a certain S-level descender called “Gluttony”…

No wonder that energy had been fluctuating and rising explosively.

Lou Chen looked like he really wanted to ask something, but he held back, very clear that Yu Ziyu wouldn’t tell him how he knew it was Gluttony.

“Then… the bad news?”

Yu Ziyu turned his face to look at Lou Chen, tapped his fingers on the railing, and said leisurely, “He’s always hungry.”

So he wouldn’t be satisfied.

What the next course of food would be went without saying.

“…Great, Gluttony.”

Lou Chen’s lips moved, his eyes dark.

After a few seconds, he seemed to have finally made up his mind. “Since that’s the case, I also have good news and bad news.”

Yu Ziyu made his choice before Lou Chen could finish speaking: “Bad news.”

Typical pessimist, Lou Chen thought.

“I know how to deal with Gluttony.”

Yu Ziyu snorted.

It seemed this small talk hadn’t caused Lou Chen to lose his mind.

But he wasn’t interested in his plan, because he had his own arrangements.

“Are you sure that’s bad news?”

He glanced at Lou Chen, his meaning unclear.

“Are you joking?

I thought for you, it would be good news.”

“Do you think so?”

Lou Chen smiled at him.

Before Yu Ziyu could react, he quickly smoothed out the smile and said, “The good news is, I’m planning to offer myself up and let Gluttony eat me.

Since you find me so annoying, this should be good news, right?”

For once, Yu Ziyu was momentarily stunned.

Then, he looked at Lou Chen suspiciously: “What are you talking about?”

“Thinking that if I come back alive, you’ll tell me why you’re angry,” Lou Chen said, looking at him with an attitude that was actually a bit nervous.

He finally looked like a young man his age.

“I just don’t really understand why.”

Once again, he actively extended an olive branch.

If this wasn’t an illusion, Yu Ziyu would say that Lou Chen’s eyes held a trace of longing he himself hadn’t noticed.

Just like that arrogant guy from the past.

He wanted to get along well with him—this thought slipped through Yu Ziyu’s mind.

He didn’t even know why he was doing this.

It was too absurd.

“…”

However, Lou Chen was still intently staring at his lips, even ignoring the approaching elevator, as if this answer right now was more important to him than the terrifying events about to happen.

“Obviously, you’re going to be disappointed,” Yu Ziyu said coldly. “This is between me and Gluttony.

You’d better stay out of it.”

No sooner had his words fallen than a black lightning bolt slid flickeringly out of his long windbreaker pocket.

This time, Lou Chen finally saw clearly what he had noticed before but hadn’t had a chance to examine closely——a rare pure-colored venomous snake.

Lou Chen had definitely seen it somewhere before.

Not just a few days ago, maybe even before they met…

The Land of Desire Amusement Park.

It gracefully landed on the smooth floor, making a faint sound.

Then it quickly slid towards Lou Chen.

Before he could drown in his thoughts and realize what was happening, it had already opened its jaws wide and sunk its fangs deeply into his calf.