In the blink of an eye, Hong Tu Coc became a blood-soaked slaughterhouse.
The layers of rouge and powder concealing their faces slipped away with every horrifying scream. The delicate beauties surrounding Qin Yan were gone, replaced by a mass of grotesque demons: one stretched out a freakishly long neck as thick as a buffalo's leg, another sprouted eight hairy spider legs, and foul, viscous fluid dripped steadily onto the floor.
"Kill him! Tear that insolent little bastard apart!"
A twisted-faced succubus shrieked and lunged at Qin Yan, its claws sharp as razors, intent on shredding his face.
Qin Yan advanced instead of retreating. Thanks to the [Netherworld Eye], the succubus's movements were as slow as a crawling turtle in his eyes. He tilted his head, narrowly dodging the lunge, while his right hand swung the [Soul-Severing Blade] hard.
Thunk!
The blade, wreathed in black energy, slashed across the succubus's back and split it in two in midair. Black blood and a miserable scream splashed against the wall, painting it with a filthy streak of gore.
[Defeated Succubus (Level 3). Received: 50 Judge Points.]
The system continued cheering inside his mind, but Qin Yan ignored it completely. His focus had reached its absolute limit. The mastermind, Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, was dragging his maimed body toward the rear door, clutching his wounds as he tried to escape. He knew that if he stayed another second, he would truly become a dead soul beneath the blade of the lowly subordinate he had once looked down on.
"Stop right there!"
Qin Yan roared and swung his blade, knocking aside a snake spirit that charged in to block his path. He leaped onto the collapsed rosewood wall and launched straight at Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, like an arrow cleaving through the wind.
Yet before Qin Yan could grab Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander's neck, a massive black shadow suddenly crashed down from the roof beams.
Boom!
A giant demon with a body as sturdy as an iron tower, thick gray flesh like the bark of an ancient tree, and bulging muscles crossed with pounding blue veins slammed into the floor and blocked Qin Yan's path. It was an Ironhide Demon—a type of powerful guardian demon whose body could become impervious to blades and spears at higher levels.
"Human whelp, don't even think about touching my lord!" The Ironhide Demon roared, its voice deep and thunderous, then raised a hand as broad as a palm fan and brought its fist crashing down toward Qin Yan's head.
The surging wind from the blow snuffed out the surrounding candles. Qin Yan didn't dare meet this high-level monster head-on. He hurriedly twisted in midair and leaped three zhang backward.
Smack!
The Ironhide Demon's fist smashed into the wooden floor, violently shaking the entire elegant upper floor and tearing open a large section of it.
Seeing that help had arrived, Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, struggled to his feet and shouted through clenched teeth at the Ironhide Demon, "Kill him! Kill this traitor right now! Even if you have to level all of Hong Tu Coc, do not let him leave here alive!"
The Ironhide Demon growled and pounded its chest, its bloodshot eyes locked onto Qin Yan. It drew a massive iron-spiked club from its waist, a weapon weighing several hundred jin, and stomped forward with heavy clanking steps. Every footfall made the floor tremble violently.
Standing face-to-face with the enormous iron-skinned monster, Qin Yan drew a deep breath. He lowered his head and glanced over the system panel. The Judge Points accumulated from the lesser demons he had just killed had surpassed 800.
It wasn't enough to exchange for high-level weapons, but... it was enough to use the Emergency Support Pack and purchase one more critical strike!
A crazy plan flashed through Qin Yan's mind.
The Ironhide Demon's defenses were far too strong. With his current [Soul-Severing Blade], it would be difficult to cut through the monster's armor-thick flesh in a frontal attack. He needed a chance to lure it into a trap and unleash his strongest firepower.
"Come on, you beast!" Qin Yan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, lowered his center of gravity, gripped the hilt of his black blade with both hands, and deliberately provoked it.
The Ironhide Demon roared furiously and swung its massive spiked club down with enough force to crush Qin Yan into minced meat.
No dodging!
At the exact moment the spiked club came crashing down on his head, Qin Yan used every bit of his footwork and slipped to the side at his absolute limit.
Crash! The club obliterated the spot where he had been standing, carving out a deep crater. But the blow's aftershock still clipped Qin Yan's left shoulder, tearing open the old wound that had just stopped bleeding. Fresh blood gushed out in torrents.
Qin Yan spat out a mouthful of blood, but at the same time, his left hand had already produced a talisman as red as glowing coal—the [Thunderfire Talisman], one of the system's Emergency Support Packs.
Moving with the speed of light, before the Ironhide Demon could pull up its club and change direction, Qin Yan rushed into its chest and slapped the talisman, marked with the characters “Thunder” and “Fire,” onto the center of the monster's unarmored chest.
"Activate!" Qin Yan shouted, kicking off hard to retreat.
BOOM!
A world-shaking explosion erupted. Blue lightning interlaced with flames of karmic fire, bursting violently from the Ironhide Demon's chest. Blinding light illuminated all of Hong Tu Coc.
The enormous monster stiffened. It lowered its head and stared at the massive hole, the size of a basket, blasted through its chest by the power of the Thunderfire Talisman. Its charred organs smoked heavily.
"Grr... grr..." The Ironhide Demon widened its eyes, staggered a few steps, then collapsed onto the floor like a collapsing mountain, completely dead.
[Defeated Ironhide Demon (Level 7) while fighting above your level. Received: 1,000 Judge Points!]
The moment the Ironhide Demon fell, all color drained from Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander's face. He backed up until he reached the edge of the rear door, both legs trembling uncontrollably, his remaining left hand flailing helplessly in panic.
"You... you're a monster... You're not a Black-Clad Envoy!" Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, screamed like a madman.
Qin Yan slowly stepped through the monster's pool of blood and dying embers. Each footfall rang out steadily, heavy as the knock of Death at the door. His black armor was splattered with gore, and the razor-sharp [Soul-Severing Blade] in his hand dripped blood onto the wooden floor one drop at a time.
He stopped three steps from Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, and looked down at the man who had once held the original owner's life in his hands. The corner of his mouth curled into a cold, mocking smile.
"I'm not a monster. I'm here to enforce justice... in the name of the Judge."
"Don't... don't kill me!" Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, sprawled onto his knees, sobbing and repeatedly bowing his head as if worshiping the stars. All the authority of a Nightwalker Bureau Hundred-Household Commander had vanished. "I have money! I know plenty of secrets about the imperial court, and about the Dao Sect behind the High Priest! Spare me, and I can be your dog..."
"Be my dog?" Qin Yan repeated, his eyes cold and sharp as ice. "Sorry. I already have enough dogs at home."
Before Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, could say another word, Qin Yan swung his blade.
Slice!
A streak of black light flashed. Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander's head flew into the air, his eyes wide with hatred and terror before it dropped heavily onto the floor, rolled several times, and came to a stop at the foot of a table.
[Defeated traitor Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander. Outstandingly completed the Life-and-Death Mission: Bloodbath at Hong Tu Coc!] [System reward notification: Received 5,000 Judge Points!] [Received Profound-grade Suppression Weapon: Soul-Locking Bone Chain (Red Soul Lock). Automatically placed in storage space.]
Qin Yan stood tall amid the sea of blood in Hong Tu Coc. The screams outside had ceased. The remaining demons had either been killed or scattered into the darkness in utter terror.
He sheathed his blade and drew a deep breath of air thick with the smell of blood and gunpowder. His first enemy had been dealt with, but he knew full well that Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander's death was only a grain of sand in the desert. The force known as the “High Priest” and the network of demons deeply rooted within the Great Qian court were the true enemies hidden in the fog ahead.
But for now... Qin Yan smiled as he looked at the system panel and the enormous reward he had just received.
The game had only truly begun.