Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Sea Without Light Part 33

Fang Zhi realized that he couldn’t just continue throwing himself at her.

The first two times he refused to believe she could be such a formidable threat, thinking she had killed him because he wasn’t careful enough. The next two times, he became increasingly cautious, but his efforts to ambush her or get the jump on her failed as she seemed to be a perfect killing machine—any small flaw in her was quickly adjusted and countered.

How could someone like that exist in modern society? Was she a professional assassin? What was her identity in the Second World?

Fang Zhi racked his mind, trying to recall every detail of each time she had killed him.

The first time she killed him, it was in Jinshui City, near his hometown of Tonglin City. He was obsessed with choosing his next sacrifice, prowling through the streets every night for two days, silently searching for prey and even killing one, dragging the body into the sewers. During the daybreak, he would slink into nearby abandoned buildings for rest and hide.

It was a Monday morning, and just as Fang Zhi was resting, the female hunter appeared suddenly, drawing her blade and slashing at him. He tried to fight back but couldn’t even catch the edge of her clothes. Fang Zhi turned to flee, but the woman had teleportation abilities, using shadows to move swiftly, like a cat chasing a mouse behind him, pushing him toward the rooftop. Finally cornered with nowhere to retreat, she kicked his jaw and threw him off the building.

In the Second World, Fang Zhi had awakened extraordinary abilities after drinking the divine blood, gaining an incredible recovery due to the transformation, but even so, his skull could still shatter on impact, leading to instant death if he didn’t regenerate immediately.

The second time she killed Fang Zhi happened a day earlier, on Sunday night.

His extraordinary abilities were at their peak, and he believed no one could kill him—death was impossible for him! He attributed his previous defeat to missteps and believed that if only he were more careful, avoided shadows, and wasn’t being led around, she couldn’t kill him.

Fang Zhi was eager to get revenge, plotting to acquire some suitable weapon. Initially, he wanted to rob the police for a gun, which was too difficult. As an alternative, he stole a huge cleaver from a butcher’s shop. The police were in hot pursuit due to his murder, and increased patrols made it dangerous—being hit by a bullet in the head meant certain death.

On Sunday evening, Fang Zhi disguised himself, went to a convenience store to buy food. An old woman noticed his disguise and recognized him as an escaped criminal, activating the alarm button.

Fang Zhi hastily killed her, grabbed the food, and fled.

Nightmare ensued: not only did the female hunter reside nearby, she came out upon hearing the sirens and pursued Fang Zhi, who found himself without his large cleaver.

Worse yet, at night, the female hunter could fully utilize her powers, using shadows everywhere to her advantage.

She caught up effortlessly and, adopting her usual strategy, used the same “cat-and-mouse” tactics, trapping Fang Zhi again in a nearby construction site.

Every time she moved behind him, she aimed for his vital organs, leaving Fang Zhi in a daze and disoriented.

During the twenty or so slashes from the female hunter, Fang Zhi suddenly realized he was pushed upward to the roof again, where he attempted to counterattack but was struck down by her knife piercing his spine, causing total paralysis.

The third death cycle saw Fang Zhi regaining his composure, analyzing information.

He understood that the female hunter had also gained extraordinary abilities and must be a player, possibly from the Jingchu region, receiving orders to investigate the cult killings. She had killed him twice, showing purposefulness—her goal was to hunt him down, which she had accomplished.

Fang Zhi, filled with hatred, vowed to kill her as a sacrifice to the omnipotent god.

From her last death, he knew her general location, and once he went through a memory recall, he stealthily obtained a meat cleaver and waited near her residence. Using a smaller, more agile cleaver instead of the large one was strategic, for its bulky nature proved impractical.

In a stroke of luck, Fang Zhi successfully observed her at the small hotel where she stayed. As a transient, she resided there, living without an identity card, indicating she was here specifically to track him.

Her cautious behavior extended even when buying supplies, wearing disguises and sunglasses to obscure any recognition. Attempting to spy through a telescope only revealed drawn curtains, leaving no chance for glimpse or opportunity.

Patience and stealth were prerequisites; night posed danger increasing her capabilities, so a direct daytime ambush was planned.

When the time was right, Fang Zhi followed her across a crosswalk, preparing to attack with his hidden knife at the center. However, she quickly dodged and countered, leaving him severely wounded.

“You know me. You know my ability.”

He heard her eerie tone from behind—yet her voice was unfamiliar, calm, clear, and young.

“You seek to kill me. You’ve been following me, monitoring my stay. Why do you need the shadows to attack?”

Fang Zhi, shaken, stood up, realizing there was no escaping her perceptiveness.

He abandoned resistance knowing he could always resurrect.

But his attempt to end his life was thwarted. Her sharpness left him gasping.

This cycle ended with Fang Zhi deciding against confrontation, opting for an explosion plan instead.

Upon reviving, he rushed to set his trap but found her absent. Consumed by vengeance, Fang Zhi ventured to Jinshui City to commit another killing.

A connection with the deity granted a vision revealing her face and location.

She appeared much younger than expected, interacting with another girl in a decorous room. The image revealed her dwelling details.

The revelation came with mental anguish, forcing Fang Zhi to leave his hiding spot, bleeding profusely. He sought answers through prayer yet received none.

Determined to confront her, Fang Zhi prepared a strategy, eventually finding her hiding place. Inevitably, his plan failed once she was confronted. She appeared, traversing through walls, striking him down, forcing him into another death cycle.

Finally, waking on a Friday morning, Fang Zhi understood the limitations of his revivals.

Only with a week’s reset would he have another chance.