Chapter 46: Archdevil
When Gong Qian first regained consciousness, she had every intention of returning to the battlefield. However, when she tried to sit up, she discovered that she had completely lost sensation in her lower body. Because of that, she obediently accepted Zhang Shou's treatment. Otherwise, she would have already gone off to beat up Deimos.
Just as the three of them were at a complete loss, Gong Qian's phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and immediately picked up the call. "Director!"
The person on the other end, Yu Lie, spoke in a voice thick with concern.
—Little One, are you alright?[1]
Gong Qian quickly replied, "I'm fine, nothing serious. I'm receiving treatment right now and should be able to move around again soon."
Yu Lie reassured her.
—Good, good, good. Then focus on your recovery. Reinforcements will arrive shortly.
Gong Qian asked, "Director, what exactly is that monster?"
Although she knew Zhou Tai possessed a special ability that could unlock the potential of supernatural creatures, that monster had been far too powerful.
—That is Deimos, an upper Dragon-rank Archdevil from the Abyss. If it wasn't summoned here and the encounter was in the Abyss itself, the vast majority of Dragon-rank beings wouldn't stand a chance against it. It seems a foreign force has intervened in this matter.
The trio was stunned. Until moments ago, they had assumed the creature was Zhou Tai. Only now did they realize that their enemy had ceased to be Zhou Tai long ago; it had been Deimos all along.
Gong Qian clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "Damn it!"
She had been granted a drop of the Blood of Pangu because she was the child of a fallen hero. The ones who had killed her father were precisely these foreign forces. That was why what she hated the most were the foreign forces that had infiltrated the country. The Crime Eradication Squad spent most of its time crushing these forces' lackeys and pawns.
Yu Lie spoke again.
—Alright, get some rest. The important thing is that you're safe.
After ending the call, Gong Qian put away her phone. Still seething with frustration, she slammed a fist into the ground. The earth trembled, and a pebble shot past Zhang Shou's cheek, leaving behind a thin bloody cut.
Gong Qian hurriedly apologized. Zhang Shou wiped the blood from his face, swallowed nervously, and forced a smile. "It's fine. I'm tougher than I look. A little scratch like this is nothing."
But that wasn't what he really thought. Whoever ends up marrying this woman is in for a rough time. If she accidentally throws a punch in her sleep, won't that person be meeting his ancestor in no time? Yeah, she's definitely not someone to mess with.
***
Merak swiftly moved toward the outskirts, carrying Mo Ye on her back while lugging Jin Sheng and Gan Jiang in each hand. She was anxious beyond measure. The longer she delayed, the stronger the backlash Dubhe would have to endure. She had to find medical treatment for the trio as quickly as possible before returning to the squad.
Although Gan Jiang and Mo Ye appeared to be more seriously injured, Jin Sheng’s condition was the worst. The main reason was that Jin Sheng's power happened to be fundamentally incompatible with Deimos's. When Deimos lifted the golden lion that Jin Sheng had transformed into, a foreign force had surged into Jin Sheng's body like bolts of lightning. That was why a simple hurl was enough to leave him gravely wounded.
Merak swiftly traversed the mountain paths. Suddenly, she spotted a middle-aged man in military uniform.
Merak's eyes lit up. "Uncle!"
Jin Dajun stepped forward and glanced at the unconscious Jin Sheng in her grasp. He smiled. "Looks like this brat really suffered a heavy loss this time. Merak, take them for treatment. I'll go meet this Archdevil from the Abyss."
Although he was only at upper Tiger rank, this was the Blue Planet. Even if he could not defeat Deimos, he could buy time.
The plan devised by Qilin's headquarters was actually quite simple. Jin Dajun's job was to stall for as long as possible. Once noon arrived the next day, Zhao Yi would be teleported back once more. And it wasn't just him. Several other generals would be transported along with him. They would join forces to kill Deimos.
This was a rare opportunity to slay an Archdevil from the Abyss. If Deimos were killed, every part of its body would be a priceless treasure. Its remains could likely be used to forge numerous pieces of Dragon-rank equipment, while its blood could serve a wide range of research purposes. It could perhaps even help humanity develop entirely new supernatural systems.
Jin Dajun parted ways with Merak and continued forward. He rolled his neck, producing a series of sharp cracks, and clenched and loosened his fists. Although he appeared calm and composed, as though he felt little concern for his son, the fury in his heart was blazing like an inferno.
He let out a low chuckle. "Deimos, huh? Heh."
He removed his military uniform and stored it inside his spatial ring. Next, he took off his shirt, revealing a muscled upper body. Gradually, his skin turned crimson red, his hair burst into flames, and golden light shone from his eyes.
Blazing Vajra Art was a body-tempering technique. When mastered to perfection, it rendered the body as indestructible as a vajra, immune to poisons, impervious to fire and water, and endowed with tremendous strength. Not only had Jin Dajun mastered it, but he had also enhanced his body with a drop of the Blood of Pangu, elevating the Blazing Vajra Art to an even greater height.
With a powerful stomp, he launched himself forward. Transforming into a streak of red light, he sped toward the battlefield.
At the battlefield ahead, although Deimos was unable to move, that was not the case for Zhou Tai No. 9, who was perched upon the devil's shoulder. Unfortunately, one of his feet had become entangled by a golden thread, and he was unable to pull free. He kept tugging, but no matter how much force he used, his foot refused to come loose.
After struggling for quite some time, he stopped. He took out the knife he normally used to cut open his wrists and, in one swift and decisive motion, severed his foot.
Zhou Tai No. 9 sneered at Deimos. "Useless. In the end, I still have to do everything myself."
He swiftly slid down its back to the ground. Landing on one foot, he turned toward Dubhe and the others. The members of the Demon Slaying Squad immediately noticed him, and their expressions changed. They realized the situation had become dire. Keeping Deimos restrained was already pushing them to their limits. Dubhe was even burning his lifespan.
None of them could move. If even one of them stopped supplying spiritual power, Deimos would break free of his restraints within moments. Yet continuing to channel spiritual power meant remaining immobile, which made them little more than lambs awaiting slaughter.
Zhou Tai limped toward them, his voice cold and sinister. "Be afraid. Tremble. Now then... who should I kill first?"
Without even sparing him a glance, Dubhe calmly issued orders. "Phecda. Megrez. Burn your lifespan. Alioth, go deal with him."
Phecda's and Megrez's eyes filled with resolve as they answered in unison, "Yes, Captain!"
Zhou Tai immediately launched himself forward. "You won't get the chance! Just die already!"
Phecda's and Megrez's expressions changed. Even burning their lifespan required a brief window of time.
It's too late!
It's over!
As the members of the Demon Slaying Squad watched Zhou Tai No.9 rapidly close the distance, despair rose in their hearts. However, at that very moment, a streak of red light shot across the sky like a falling meteor from a distance.
A crazed expression spread across Zhou Tai No.9's face, and the muscles in his arm swelled. He was just about to drive his knife into Dubhe and kill him when he felt an overwhelming wave of heat surge from behind him. As he turned his head to look, a brilliant flash of red light filled his vision. An instant later, the immense pressure crushed him to death.
Jin Dajun landed heavily on the ground. With one foot atop what remained of Zhou Tai No. 9's barely recognizable body, he laughed heartily. "Hahaha! Good, good. Looks like I wasn't too late after all. You all, get out of here. Leave the rest to me."
"Yes, sir!"
The members of the Demon Slaying Squad collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Without delay, they hoisted Dubhe onto their shoulders and retreated at full speed.
The moment they withdrew, the golden threads binding Deimos snapped one after another. Freed from its restraints, the devil immediately threw back its head and unleashed a thunderous roar.
1. 小一 (Xiǎo Yī) is a term of endearment. In Chinese culture, prefixing a surname or given name with 小 (Xiǎo), meaning "little" or "young", is a common way for superiors, elders, or close friends to address someone younger. Here, Director Yu Lie uses it as a friendly, familiar way to address Gong Qian. ☜