Chapter 184: Fearless
Chapter 184: Fearless
Chen Chuan's tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable force, and everyone present could clearly sense the unwavering power and determination conveyed in his words.
"Hmm..."
Wei Jun's expression turned regretful as he patted the metal railing. "Is that so."
He suddenly chuckled. "Do you know? Shen Zheng died right here, yes, in this very factory. Perhaps you already knew that before coming here, but do you know how he died?"
He paused, his gaze falling on Chen Chuan. "We found Shen Zheng's long-lost younger sister. They had been separated for five years, and it was our good intentions that brought them together here. You might think we threatened him with his sister's life, but no, that's too crude. We just wanted his sister to witness the consequences of going against us, and as for you..."
He snapped his fingers, and at that moment, a series of loud bangs echoed through the factory. The spotlights on the sides all turned off, while the ones in the corners and above lit up, illuminating the entire area.
The surroundings became instantly clear. The walls and floor were covered in intricate patterns, painted with various colors of paint. Within these patterns, countless chaotic lines intertwined, as if drawn with a mixture of crimson blood and sewage sludge.
The lines extended from the walls, crisscrossing towards the ground and above, ultimately converging at the very spot where Chen Chuan was standing!
"Shen Zheng stood right where you are now," Wei Jun's voice reverberated through the vast factory.
The members of the Mutual Aid Society on both sides couldn't help but look on, anticipating what was about to unfold.
These patterns originated from a 'Two-Faced Cult' ritual, more precisely, a ritual to summon a creature called the 'Two-Faced Heart Demon' and enhance its abilities.
Once the ritual was activated, anyone standing on the ritual patterns would be affected. The entire factory floor was covered in these ritual patterns, so anyone stepping inside would be drawn into the ritual. The Heart Demon could be summoned at any time, but the effect was most potent when someone stood on the central pattern.
Jiang Wei's earlier suggestion to mark a path with spotlights and force Chen Chuan to that position was indeed brilliant.
When the Heart Demon possessed a person, it would produce two effects. First, any external attacks would cause no harm, but the pain and suffering would remain. Second, any damage inflicted by the possessed individual's own attacks would ultimately be borne by themselves.
Furthermore, under the influence of the Heart Demon and the external ritual, various imagined scenes of fear and concern would be released within the possessed individual's mind, driving them to attack relentlessly against these illusory enemies.
Shen Zheng was a formidable fighter, but what good did that do? The Mutual Aid Society brought Shen Zheng's long-lost sister back to him, intending to fill his heart with worry and concern, which only fueled his imagination.
Shen Zheng saw his loved ones, friends, mentors, and familiar faces suffering various abuses and attacks, all in need of his rescue.
He could only fight desperately to protect everything he held dear, but the harder he fought, the more he injured himself, for all the harm and damage ultimately fell upon him.
The members of the Mutual Aid Society watched like spectators at a circus, witnessing Shen Zheng's relentless self-inflicted harm. They took turns provoking, taunting, and stimulating Shen Zheng, enjoying the show as he counterattacked, yet they were powerless to stop him. In the end, he was played to his death.
And now, the outcome would be the same.
After a brief wait, someone looked down and noticed that Chen Chuan was standing still, unmoving. "Why isn't he moving? Is there a problem with the ritual?"
"Yeah, why isn't he moving? Is the ritual faulty?"
Wei Jun pondered for a moment, then understood. "This guy probably doesn't have anyone he cares about deeply. Such people are less affected by the internal influence, but no matter. A slight external stimulus will trigger his imagination, and we'll get to watch the show. Who's first?"
"I'll go first!"
Shao Xiaobie shouted, brandishing a steel pipe. Excited, he descended the metal stairs, while the other Mutual Aid Society members watched with interest, though some grumbled about him being the first, calling it a setup.
Wei Jun smiled and raised his voice. "Don't worry, everyone will get their turn. Each will have their chance."
Shao Xiaobie swung the steel pipe in front of Chen Chuan. He first struck at the back, then held the pipe with both hands and mimed a few strikes towards Chen Chuan's head. With a sudden surge of strength, he raised the pipe high, ready to bring it down with force.
But just as he was about to strike, a loud bang erupted from the front, and Shao Xiaobie's head exploded. Blood, flesh, brain matter, and shattered bones sprayed backward, and the headless corpse still held the steel pipe, swaying before falling to the ground with a thud. The pipe clattered and rolled away.
The laughter, the hisses, and the jeers in the arena suddenly ceased.
Chen Chuan slowly raised his hand, placing it on his shoulder, and then his fingers clenched, as if grasping an invisible object. His arm muscles bulged, and he slowly pulled outward.
Even those present could see a nearly transparent monster with two faces being slowly pulled out from his body, following Chen Chuan's movements.
The creature struggled and writhed in his hand, trying to break free, but it was to no avail against his powerful grip. Finally, a faint tearing sound was heard, as if something had been ripped open, and the creature was completely pulled out of his body.
Chen Chuan watched as the monster thrashed and flailed on the ground, its two faces contorting in various expressions of terror and anger. He picked it up and threw it to the ground, stomping on it with his foot. A squishing sound was heard, as if he had crushed a rotten package, and with a snap, it disintegrated into wisps of smoke that drifted away from under his foot.
Before coming here, Chen Chuan had reviewed numerous files and consulted with Lei Jingli, the director. He had a good idea of Shen Zheng's cause of death and had made certain preparations.
Even now, he didn't know what this creature's purpose was, nor did he need to. As long as his second self remained, neither the Serpent Sect's rituals nor their tales would have any effect on him in the short term. He could sense that this creature was tangible, so he directly grasped and extracted its physical form, ensuring that it posed no threat.
The members of the Mutual Aid Society stood frozen, witnessing this entire scene.
Today, they had come here because Wei Jun had promised them a spectacle. They had no doubt about the power of the Serpent Sect's rituals; after all, even Shen Zheng, with all his strength, had succumbed to them. This example proved that this method was reliable and feasible. They were eager to witness the humiliation of someone who refused their goodwill and dared to cross the line. But at this moment, it seemed that something was amiss.
Chen Chuan looked up, his gaze settling on Wei Jun and the members of the Mutual Aid Society. "You thought I was here because you called me, didn't you?"
He smiled.
"Actually, I came here to find you."
At that moment, Wei Jun realized something was wrong. He had harbored a glimmer of hope, but upon hearing Chen Chuan's words, he understood that the ritual had failed.
A surge of fear and anger rose within him, and he desperately backed away, shouting, "Fire! Kill him!"
(End of Chapter)
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