Chapter 38: A Grim Discovery

“Xiao Bai, where are you going?”

Just as Bai Li reached the door, poised to push it open, Lin Xi suddenly appeared.

“Ah… I was just stepping out to buy something.”

Bai Li feigned a nonchalant demeanor, hoping to prevent Lin Xi from noticing anything amiss.

Her original intention had been to slip out quickly while Lin Xi was showering, then return before she emerged from the bathroom; however, she hadn’t anticipated being discovered so soon.

As for why she hadn’t chosen to wait until Lin Xi was asleep, as she usually did, the primary reason was the inherent risk involved.

Indeed, after her last clandestine outing to ‘teach someone a lesson,’ Lin Xi had already realized she had secretly departed.

At the time, she had gone to great lengths, offering explanations and even resorting to a ‘bitter flesh ploy’ (TL Note: A strategy where one harms oneself to gain sympathy or deceive an opponent) to appease Lin Xi. Thankfully, as a precaution, she had also bought some desserts, which served as both an excuse and an apology.

“Really?”

Lin Xi’s eyes fixed intently on Bai Li, as if trying to discern some hidden secret from her subtle expressions.

“Truly. Have I ever lied to you?”

“No, you haven’t…”

Bai Li’s assertion held true. She had, in fact, never outright deceived Lin Xi; every word she spoke was technically the truth, though she often cleverly skirted or rephrased more crucial details. Lin Xi, too, was well aware that Bai Li would never lie to her.

“Mmm…”

Even so, Lin Xi couldn’t shake the persistent feeling that Bai Li was concealing something from her. Her gaze was akin to that of a wife desperately searching for evidence of an affair.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon. I’ll pass by the dessert shop on my way, so I’ll pick up a few treats. Just wait patiently for me.”

Bai Li gently stroked Lin Xi’s head, much like one would comfort a small kitten, before stepping out of the house.

“…Stupid Xiao Bai, how could those things ever compare to you…”

Lin Xi touched the spot where Bai Li had just caressed her, her cheeks flushing as she murmured softly.

****

“Very well, then. I must go and return swiftly.”

The thought of Lin Xi waiting at home spurred Bai Li to quicken her pace.

Had it not been to ascertain the situation, she would never have wasted precious time or left Lin Xi alone at home. However, the current anomalies had triggered her intuition, signaling that something was gravely wrong, potentially even posing a threat to Lin Xi. It was precisely to avert such a scenario that she had rushed out like this.

On another note, this marked her first personal visit to the Unusual Creatures’ (TL Note: A group of non-human entities with supernatural abilities) organizational base since the Ability Awakening Ceremony had concluded.

“No… no reply.”

Bai Li checked her phone once more, yet the account through which the Unusual Creatures communicated with her remained unresponsive.

Ordinarily, these Unusual Creatures maintained a twenty-four-hour rotating watch over communications, with an average response time of no more than five minutes. This stark lack of response clearly indicated that something was deeply amiss.

The mere thought of time being wasted on such a matter infuriated Bai Li. With a powerful leap combined with a ‘Shunpo’ (TL Note: A high-speed movement technique), she traversed a considerable distance in mere minutes, arriving near the Unusual Creatures’ base.

To avoid attracting undue attention, she deliberately suppressed her speed, ensuring it remained below Mach 1; otherwise, she could have reached her destination in an instant.

As it was night, the already dim alleyways now appeared even gloomier. Flickering lights and faint, unidentifiable noises sent shivers down one’s spine, conjuring the unsettling sensation that someone—or something entirely inhuman—might be watching from the shadows.

For Bai Li, however, none of this was cause for concern. After all, she was, in a sense, the leader here; any ‘Unusual Creatures’ (TL Note: Refers to individuals who are reckless or foolish) who dared to cause trouble would have long since been dealt with by her or disciplined by the Unusual Creatures organization.

Following the alley to the entrance, she noted a significant difference from her last visit: this time, there were no Unusual Creature guards stationed before the entrance.

Moreover, relying on her exceptional senses, Bai Li detected a faint, metallic scent of rust in the vicinity.

For reasons unknown, many Unusual Creatures, despite possessing physiologies distinct from Earth’s native organisms, still had predominantly red blood, whose scent was remarkably similar to that of terrestrial life, as if they shared a common origin.

Regardless, discovering the metallic tang of blood in such a location was highly abnormal, whether it belonged to humans, animals, or even Unusual Creatures.

Without hesitation, Bai Li sprinted toward the subterranean entrance, then launched herself down through the open space of the spiral staircase.

Landing silently and gracefully, with the agility of a cat, Bai Li then lifted her gaze to survey the scene before her.

“This… this is truly a disaster.”

Before Bai Li lay a scene of utter devastation: shattered furniture and ornaments littered the floor, while the walls, ground, and even the ceiling bore numerous terrifying gouges, as if ripped open by the claws of some colossal beast. Bloodstains marred every surface, and the remnants of Unusual Creatures were scattered everywhere.

It was evident that this place had endured a brutal battle, a veritable massacre.

“…Roughly a day ago, neither too soon nor too late.”

After examining the bloodstains, Bai Li deduced that these traces had been left approximately one day prior, indicating that the Unusual Creatures here had been attacked around that time.

As for why it was an attack rather than an internal conflict, Bai Li, having studied relevant knowledge, could broadly infer the situation from the state and scale of the marks. It seemed that after the defeat of a few guards at the entrance, the Unusual Creatures within had swiftly prepared for battle, yet still proved no match for their assailant.

It was crucial to remember that the Unusual Creatures here were generally of E-rank (upper tier) or higher, with some even reaching D-rank (mid tier). Such a formidable fighting force could contend with the Tiangong City Weichangzhe Organization’s (TL Note: A mysterious organization dedicated to maintaining order and investigating supernatural phenomena) branch—even without their C-rank ability users—yet they had still met such a devastating end.

More critically, the battle traces suggested that there had been only one assailant, or at most, no more than five.

All these signs pointed to a powerful, unseen force subtly manipulating events behind this series of anomalies.

“Screech.”

Just as Bai Li was deep in thought, a jarring screech echoed from a corner.

Bai Li did not hesitate; rather, her body reacted before her conscious mind could fully process. The instant she heard the sound, she stomped her foot fiercely, surged toward its source, and unleashed a punch.

Her fist embedded itself deeply into the wall. Being underground, the full force of the blow was almost entirely transferred into the earth, triggering a localized tremor.

“…Ah…”

As the wall crumbled away from Bai Li’s attack, several semi-humanoid Unusual Creatures were revealed behind it. At that moment, they stared blankly, watching the wall shatter like a wafer cookie. Then, their eyes met Bai Li’s crimson pupils, brimming with murderous intent, and they involuntarily collapsed to the ground.

“Who are you…?”

Upon seeing these Unusual Creatures, whose weakness was apparent at a glance, Bai Li felt a surge of confusion, yet she did not lower her guard.

“Lady Bai Li, allow me to explain the situation here.”

Just as Bai Li was preparing to interrogate them, another voice resonated through the space.