Chapter 233

Chapter 233 – The Two Ends of the Scale 14

Kui Xin hastily dealt with the scene, and then ran towards the direction where Yu Hansue had disappeared.

It didn’t take her long to find her. Yu Hansue was crouched by the roadside flower bed; a large pool of blood surrounded her legs, drenching the soil and plants in red, causing them to quickly wither.

Yu Hansue had already killed the Heterogeneous Blooded.

Startled by Kui Xin’s silent appearance beside her, she jumped.

“We need to clean up the scene, those blood can’t be left behind, they will cause normal creatures to mutate,” Kui Xin said in a low, somber voice.

Yu Hansue stood up, looking complex and hesitated before speaking, “Xin Xin, I…”

“Let’s deal with the scene first,” Kui Xin clearly stated. “There are patrol cars at night, we cannot linger too long.”

Yu Hansue swallowed her words and nodded.

Looking around, Kui Xin fetched a green garbage bin from nearby. Across the road was a sanitation station. Kui Xin rushed inside the station through the wall and retrieved two shovels. She handed one to Yu Hansue and they started digging the soil rapidly, moving all the bloodied soil into the bin together.

“How do we handle what’s in the bin?” Yu Hansue asked.

“Use intense heat to burn them or dilute it with a large amount of water,” Kui Xin replied.

“I know there’s a gas station nearby, it’s less than one hundred meters ahead. We can get some gasoline there.” Yu Hansue said. “But, to buy gasoline personally, you would need to present some IDs…”

“Don’t worry, we’ll manage,” Kui Xin said, “You go hide somewhere and wait for me for three minutes.”

Yu Hansue nodded anxiously.

Kui Xin soon vanished at the end of the street, and Yu Hansue hid as instructed.

After three minutes, Kui Xin did not return. Yu Hansue repeatedly checked her phone, growing more anxious by the second. After another two minutes, Kui Xin hurried back with an iron bucket.

Yu Hansue finally heaved a sigh of relief. Before she could say anything, Kui Xin cautiously scanned their surroundings, then opened a spatial vortex and said, “Take the bin in there now.”

Yu Hansue wasted no time, quickly followed the instruction.

When she exited the spatial vortex carrying the bin, she found herself in an entirely different place.

There was no one around. It was filled with small earthen mounds, scattered with bricks and sandstones, seemingly a developing park.

“This place was a construction site, nighttime there’s usually no one around,” Kui Xin explained while opening the bin lid, pouring gasoline inside. She moved away and pointed at the gun Yu Hansue held.

Yu Hansue raised the gun and shot the bin.

The bullet hit the bin, igniting a ball of flame.

The fire burned fiercely, melting the plastic bin, filling the air with a foul, smoky smell that stung one’s eyes.

After most of the fire had burned out, Kui Xin poured more gasoline to keep the flames going longer.

Using a shovel to stir the soil twice, she confirmed the blood was fully combusted before putting down the shovel and burning it alongside.

“Now, let’s hope…” Kui Xin muttered.

“For what?” Yu Hansue turned to look at her.

“That this dead Heterogeneous Blooded isn’t an Anchor Point; otherwise, it might trigger a Dark Realm descent,” Kui Xin answered. “Not many players are qualified to become Anchor Points. Many have died, but only a few locations have experienced Dark Realms coming down.”

“What’s an Anchor Point?” Yu Hansue repeated.

Kui Xin briefly explained. “The Dark Realm in Tonglin City was triggered by a deceased Heterogeneous Blooded. I’m worried that killing them will activate an Anchor Point which may bring about a Dark Realm descent… should the Dark Realm descend in a bustling area, disaster is inevitable.”

Yu Hansue exclaimed in shock, “Shouldn’t I have spared his life?”

“It wouldn’t have made much of a difference… but he would die soon anyway, he couldn’t survive for much longer.” Kui Xin rubbed her temples irritably. “I didn’t expect Depriver 777 to come, he came so quickly.”

“I’m sorry, Xin Xin… If I knew he was your enemy, I wouldn’t have made a deal with him. His arrival here was partly my doing,” Yu Hansue said, holding back tears. “After calling Augus, he promised to help me infiltrate our biological research facility, in exchange for delivering a high-grade Blood Regeneration Heterogeneous Blooded to me… I work in the secret facilities of the Federation… My powers aren’t awakened, but gained from killing test subjects.”

Her right hand, missing three fingers, regrew slowly within her sleeve. Rapid cell division caused intense itching and pain as the new flesh emerged.

Kui Xin softly said, “I understand. In such dangerous environments with so little to rely on, you have to seize every opportunity. You’ve done nothing wrong; no need to apologize. Whatever you might think, I haven’t done anything better.”

Yu Hansue’s expression softened. “Yes.”

She did not inquire about Depriver 233’s identity, nor question what exactly happened during her encounters reported on the forum, or the relationship between the Black Snake and Depriver 233.

“Aren’t you curious about what I’ve done?” Kui Xin asked.

“No, nothing to be curious about.” Yu Hansue glanced at the charred bin and added jokingly, “If you need help hiding something, count me in.”

“Not quite…” Kui Xin replied. “There’re people I’d never kill.”

The fire eventually faded out. Yu Hansue’s phone vibrated.

“Time’s up, my caretaker should be waking soon,” Yu Hansue mentioned. “Why didn’t you let me return to the hospital earlier?”

“Augus has a tracking ability. If he injures an opponent, he marks them. He can sense their location,” Kui Xin answered. “Returning time to unmarked moments might erase the mark, yet I advise against taking risks without knowing the exact mechanics of Extraordinary Abilities.”

Yu Hansue’s expression changed slightly. “Indeed, staying away is safer for everyone’s sake…”

“Don’t worry about the hospital noticing, I’ll help,” Kui Xin reassured. “We’ll stay out tonight and settle the matter once Augus is far from the city. I suspect his sensing range is limited.”

Yu Hansue nodded, “So, how will you determine if Augus leaves?”

“That’s complicated…” Kui Xin admitted.

Yu Hansue understood. “That’s fine, you have a way.”

Augus carried a mobile phone with extensive personal security measures against tracking. But for Kui Xin, capable of Data Manipulation, accessing the device was effortless. With the device powered, she could use it as a loophole to gain control permission, quietly activating GPS tracking.

Coincidentally, when Kui Xin approached Augus, his phone was on and operational.

Despite this, Augus was still in the city, and Kui Xin decided not to act immediately against him.

First, Zero-out had little effect on Augus; it couldn’t seal all abilities. Moreover, his S-rank capability mystified Kui Xin. Secondly, understanding both sides was crucial for optimal engagement; she needed to read his blood and extract information to strategize effectively.

Interactions with Augus revealed inconsistencies with his usual behavior:

1. If his primary reason for arriving in Tonglin was to fight Depriver 233 head-on, any place would work as a battlefield.

2. Despite his S-rank status, his casual murder spree seemed out of character.

These discrepancies led Kui Xin to conclude that Augus’s goal in Tonglin was not purely personal. Most notably, he wasn’t there solely in response to Kui Xin’s invitation.

In Tonglin City besides Depriver 233, what drew Augus? — It was evident it was the Dark Realm above the tobacco factory!

All the agreements and planned confrontations were just incidental tasks he undertook along the way.

“Let’s move. Let’s find a place to rest for a night,” Kui Xin created a spatial vortex. “You go rest, I’ll take care of the hospital issue.”

Yu Hansue nodded. “Alright.”

…

Kui Xin used Hypnotic Sound to control the nurses and doctors, altering their memories.

After her meticulous editing, she completed modifying their memories.

Instead of meeting Yu Hansue immediately, Kui Xin stayed in the room, carefully retrieving the knife she had kept, its tip stained with dried blood.

Suppressing her disgust, she licked the blood with her tongue, invoking the “Spirit of Blood.”

Memories of Depriver 777 surged forth, a jumbled and sticky recollection. Kui Xin delved into it, feeling the emotional impact, calming herself to detach and review the full life of Depriver 777.

Augus had always been different since childhood. Unfortunately, this unique nature extended beyond his intelligence to his personality.

He was born with Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Augus had a loving family — though his parents weren’t rich, they gave him warmth and kindness. His seemingly ordinary household wasn’t so ordinary; his maternal grandfather was imprisoned for murder, creating a rift between his parents and the family.

Augus’s antisocial personality stemmed from his maternal grandfather.

As a young child, when his teacher asked them to observe animals, Augus showed no interest; instead, squeezing and killing animals intrigued him.

An afternoon effort saw Augus strangling all the bunnies in class, prompting the school to call his parents. Upon returning home, despite being beaten, his behaviors escalated.

Growing older, he lured the neighbor’s dog with biscuits, drowning it in the community fountain, then acted indifferent upon returning home. He poisoned several cats by feeding them laced cat food, leaving their bodies at his doorstep.

Distraught, his mother fell from the stairs when seeing the corpses, while Augus watched from afar, finding pleasure in the scene.

Later, Augus caused fatal injuries to a schoolmate in a gang fight, ending up in a youth detention facility after his friends’ help.

After serving his time, Augus’s parents had a new baby. They disavowed him, leaving him to fend for himself. Working jobs in city internet cafes barely kept him going.

Desperate, he illegally acquired a gun and began robbing. He loved games; discovering “Crimson Soil” intrigued him, leading to his interest and eventual involvement.

This game, “Crimson Soil,” transformed Augus’s life, giving him purpose.

He felt destined for the game.