Duan Chen nodded and instructed the head nurse, Zhang Yuxiu, "Please take good care of him."
Zhang Yuxiu and a group of nurses nodded solemnly, "Don't worry, leave him to us!"
Tian Qi, seeing Duan Chen about to leave, immediately followed, "Great God Duan Chen, where are you going? Take me with you!"
"Staying by the spirit doll's side is the safest."
Duan Chen rushed alone into the corridor filled with figures in white, heading full speed towards the hospital cafeteria.
A red light suddenly flashed, and Hong Ying appeared, twirling, keeping pace with him.
Duan Chen's heart felt heavy, already sensing that Mi Xue'er was in grave danger.
Unless, a miracle occurred.
Seeing Duan Chen disappear, several nurses sat in the ward, each with their own thoughts. They had treated Qin Ze's wounds and administered a tranquilizer. Qin Ze, frowning, fell into a deep sleep.
"Do you like him?" Ding Ding looked at Tian Qi provocatively, "Let me tell you, he's my prey. You'd better give up early."
"Why? Are you afraid of fair competition?" Tian Qi straightened her back. In terms of beauty, she was second only to Xiao Fang, and she was confident she wouldn't lose to Ding Ding.
"He's not worthy of a woman like you."
"Oh? So you are worthy? Ridiculous. Don't forget what you do, a streetwalker talking about love? Hahahaha..."
Amidst Tian Qi's sarcastic laughter, Ding Ding's expression flickered. Fragments of memory suddenly surged into her mind, and her eyes changed abruptly.
A scale-like translucent plate of armor flickered behind her ear.
"Tian Qi, what are you saying... I'll kill you." A strange light flashed in Ding Ding's eyes.
...
Duan Chen blazed through like lightning, reaching the cafeteria at the fastest possible speed. Outside the building was already a desolate and horrifying scene.
Several people lay strewn about on the flower beds and benches.
Duan Chen flipped them over and saw a bloody hole in each of their chests.
The wounds were brutal, seemingly left by the claws of some wild beast. They were long, tearing out the chest cavity and internal organs, leaving the useless parts behind and only taking the heart.
Duan Chen's face was grim. He was already agitated, and his left eye occasionally throbbed with pain, each time more intense than the last.
At this moment, the cafeteria was shrouded in a mysterious evil aura.
"Husband, it's very dangerous inside," Hong Ying frowned slightly.
"It wouldn't be some evil god or apostle's work again, would it?"
*Clang!*
Duan Chen kicked open the cafeteria's iron door. Hong Ying twirled down, unleashing flames that incinerated the two ghoul-faced monsters blocking the entrance.
*Swish!* A terrifying, demon-like face turned towards him.
Thick fur was adorned with a smile-shaped hair clip that was completely out of place.
*Click-clack--!*
The monster's crooked, sharp teeth gnashed, emitting a strange, grating guttural sound:
"Good, friend, good friend!"
Duan Chen's pupils constricted. He leaped back violently to create distance, simultaneously raising his gun and firing.
*Boom!!*
A huge hole was blasted through the monster's body, but it showed no sign of pain and let out a sinister laugh.
"Hi, we meet again, Brother Duan Chen."
The cold, clear-eyed girl revealed a yandere smile. Her fair face was stained with blood, giving her a broken, twisted beauty.
"It's you, Sun Xiaoxiao." Duan Chen's gaze turned cold.
He wouldn't forget the combination of a monster and a beautiful girl so quickly.
"Wow, that's great, Brother Duan Chen, you still remember me. It's such an honor. I didn't have enough fun last time. I'm not in a hurry today. Let's have some real fun again."
Sun Xiaoxiao waved her small hand in the air, and the monster, Ning Ning, lunged forward like a beast.
A red figure darted out from behind, blocking Duan Chen. It was Hong Ying.
"Get lost!"
*Swish!* Karmic fire descended. Upgraded, Hong Ying's flames could now inflict some damage on the monster.
Seeing Hong Ying create an opening for him, Duan Chen wouldn't waste it. He stepped forward, twisted his waist, and lunged, aiming his gun directly at Sun Xiaoxiao.
Sun Xiaoxiao's cat-like body sprang up and leaped down, incredibly agile, successfully evading Duan Chen's bullets.
"Haha, Brother Duan Chen, your marksmanship is excellent, but that's only against ordinary people. Against people like us, it's still a bit lacking."
Duan Chen wasn't provoked; instead, he smiled faintly.
"Are you sure? Take another look at your current situation."
Sun Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow and glanced around with seductive eyes, suddenly shocked!
She had been unknowingly cornered to the edge of the cafeteria's rooftop.
*Crack*
A pebble slid down from the rooftop. Although the height of the third floor wasn't great, the sudden vertigo made Sun Xiaoxiao falter for a moment.
It turned out Duan Chen had done this intentionally. He had used his bullets to force her into a corner.
Sun Xiaoxiao tidied her disheveled hair and chuckled charmingly, "Brother Duan Chen, you don't think a fall from the third floor can kill me, do you? I'm an esper now, don't underestimate me too much."
Duan Chen shook his head. "Of course, this won't kill you, but it will make you unable to dodge bullets the moment you're in the air. And, haven't you noticed? You've been separated from your summon. If it's a one-on-one fight, how many chances do you think you have?"
Sun Xiaoxiao's smile froze. She clearly realized her situation was much worse than she had imagined.
She blinked and quickly regained her composure. "Ah ha, so I've been outmaneuvered by Brother Duan Chen. Can I beg you not to kill me?"
She gently touched her chest and struck a provocative pose. "If it's Brother Duan Chen, anything is possible~~"
"Heh, I'm not interested in people of the evil gods," Duan Chen sneered.
Sun Xiaoxiao's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh my, oh my? But Lord Ye Yan said you would definitely become one of us, because you carry an indelible evil aura~"
"I like you very much too. If you join us, you'll understand us better, and you'll understand the greatness of the Evil God. With you, Brother Duan Chen, around, tasks will be completed very easily. Then, when the world is reshuffled, we can eliminate those hypocritical and disgusting, yet utterly incompetent and only capable of barking, and welcome a new, perfect world~~ This is also the world you want, right, right~~"
Duan Chen suddenly recalled what Gao Tiankai had said about having an apostle protecting him. Could it be Ye Yan? He had indeed extended an olive branch to him before.
"There will be no perfect world. It's all the evil god's delusion. You're still young and can't distinguish between true and false, but it might not be too late to turn back now."
Sun Xiaoxiao shrugged indifferently. "I don't want to turn back, and I can't turn back anymore. Brother Duan Chen, you don't know how I spent those years. The Evil God gave me the most perfect parents. He is the Kami of my world."
A yandere-like obsession appeared in the girl's eyes. The black number 03 flickered, looking extremely sinister, clearly having become the Evil God's most loyal follower.
Duan Chen subtly flicked his wrist, switching the bullets to tranquilizer rounds. With Sun Xiaoxiao in this state, capturing her for a thorough interrogation might reveal Ye Yan's true identity and lead to clues about the Evil God.
"Brother Duan Chen, you're not thinking of capturing me alive, are you?"
Sun Xiaoxiao took two tentative steps forward and slightly lifted her skirt, revealing plain white cotton underwear.
"Before that, don't you want to do something with me? I'm willing to dedicate myself only to you, Brother Duan Chen."