Chapter 37: Extreme Overload

Skinny felt a surge of panic deep within as he watched this scene. He was absolutely certain that the Fatty who had just appeared was not the Fatty he remembered.

Half an hour later, Du Qing arrived at the interrogation room holding the Demon Suppression Talisman. Seeing only Skinny inside, Du Qing’s expression darkened, and a sense of impending doom washed over him.

"This is bad! Old Zhen, hurry, come back with me!"

At the organization's headquarters, Du Qing immediately noticed the chaotic state of the place upon entering. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. Currently, the organization was shorthanded; Yaoji had been sent away, leaving only himself and the Demon Suppression Talisman. In their rush to capture Fatty and Skinny, they had left the headquarters completely unguarded. Now, they were in serious trouble.

"Old Zhen, check everything immediately! See if anything is missing!"

After a thorough inspection, the Demon Suppression Talisman trotted over, exhaling a long breath. "Boss, something is wrong! The Evil Spirit Pill is gone!"

"The Evil Spirit Pill! It seems trouble is brewing. Old Zhen, go investigate! Find out if that little fatty was the one who took it."

At Xihua Valley, the Dragon King soared into the sky, manifesting the form of a flood dragon. With its massive body, it unleashed a violent torrent of water downward. Within the water, glints of ice crystals flickered. Upon contact with the torrent, the flames were instantly extinguished. In less than half an hour, the fires in Xihua Valley were completely doused.

Once the flames were gone, the beasts of Xihua Valley became restless and began to surge outward. A One-Star Ghost Emperor frowned, feeling a tremor of fear. But before they could charge, the Dragon King unleashed another torrent of water, driving the beasts back.

"Come, follow me to the depths of the valley to meet that entity!"

As the two Ghost Emperors slipped into the valley, Yang Xuan revealed his form, preparing to follow. Before he could move, a familiar figure walked by.

"Fatty?" Yang Xuan wondered, "How did he end up here?"

"Iya, iya, galala..." The Machete-wielding Imp told Yang Xuan that this person was carrying the Evil Spirit Pearl. This information shocked Yang Xuan. Having crossed paths with Fatty several times before, Yang Xuan knew him to be utterly ordinary. Setting aside how he acquired the Pearl, the mere act of carrying it would be an immense burden on Fatty’s mortal body.

"Let’s go, follow him."

Yang Xuan did not move quickly; he deliberately kept his distance to avoid being detected. The valley was far more complex than he had imagined. It was covered in dense jungle with no proper paths, and a single moment of inattention would lead to losing his target. Fortunately, the Machete-wielding Imp was there, capable of tracking Fatty’s scent.

After walking for about half an hour, darkness fell. The Machete-wielding Imp suddenly stopped and pulled Yang Xuan into the tall grass to hide. Shortly after, the sound of voices drifted from nearby.

"So, you support my plan?"

"My lord, we absolutely uphold your decision!"

"Good. If that is the case, it is time for me to emerge from this mountain! However, before we leave, remember to eliminate the little pests outside. I do not like complications!"

Hearing this, Yang Xuan, lying in the grass, felt his heart tighten. Had he been exposed? It seemed unlikely, as he had masked his aura upon entering; how could he have been discovered? Just as he thought this, Fatty’s voice rang out.

"No need to eliminate them; they are our own kind. I am well aware of your plan. Since we are meeting for the first time, I have brought you a gift."

"The Evil Spirit Pill?"

"I never imagined you could get your hands on this thing. It seems the success of our plan is not far off! The Spirit Clan Banner and the Evil Spirit Pill—once these two are gathered, it will be perfect!"

"I have a way to help you obtain the Spirit Clan Banner, but I have a condition," Fatty said, his voice sinister and chilling.

"What condition?"

"The final ritual must be performed by me! If that is not possible, I can always find others to replace you!"

Yang Xuan peered through the grass from afar. The tone of Fatty’s voice was now completely different from before. "Has he been possessed?"

Beyond the mystery of Fatty’s spirit, Yang Xuan had another question. What exactly were they discussing? And if they succeeded, what would be the consequences?

Just as Yang Xuan prepared to move out to investigate further, a drone suddenly appeared in the sky. It flew at high speed, its noise almost negligible. Before it could get any closer, it was struck down by a burst of malevolent energy. A figure then rushed out, heading straight for the entrance of the valley.

At the valley entrance, Yu Mengjia and Qiaoqiao were explaining the scene to their livestream audience. The viewers, witnessing such a novel sight, were captivated. The number of viewers in the stream reached an unprecedented 100,000+.

"Everyone, the place that Mengmeng and I have brought you to today is definitely a first for any outdoor streamer!"

No sooner had Qiaoqiao finished speaking than she tilted her head and collapsed to the ground. Yu Mengjia leaned down to see what was wrong, but the next second, her vision went black, and she fainted as well. With the two women unconscious, the stream cut off. The remaining viewers were bewildered. The stream had been fine, so why did it suddenly shut down? And before it ended, the streamers seemed to have fainted.

[Wish Heaven Had No Cilantro: Everyone, did you see that? Why did it look like Mengmeng and Qiaoqiao fainted?]
[I Am a Sand Sculpture: That's right, I saw it too. Could something have happened?]
[The Truth is Here: Hard to say. How could anything happen in a harmonious society? I bet it's just a stunt by the streamers!]

...

At the entrance of Xihua Valley, after Qiaoqiao and Yu Mengjia had fainted, a figure emerged. Fatty looked at the two women, turned his head, and said to the One-Star Ghost Emperor and the Dragon King, "No matter what, this matter must be kept secret! Before we succeed, not a word can leak to the humans."

"Then what should we do with these two?" The One-Star Ghost Emperor’s eyes glinted with murderous intent as he took a few steps toward them.

Fatty gave a cold, chilling smile and stopped the Ghost Emperor. "Leave these two to me; I have great use for them!"

Nearby, Yang Xuan had heard the entire process clearly. But for now, he did not act rashly. He was determined to uncover the grand secret behind this entire affair. Once the two Ghost Emperors and Fatty had left, Yang Xuan looked toward the cave in the depths of the valley and walked in, accompanied by the Machete-wielding Imp.

"Such an unfamiliar scent! And it's a human's!" A booming voice resonated, accompanied by the stench of blood. At the mouth of the cave, various skeletal remains were scattered about, though their structures were different from those of humans.

Entering the cave, Yang Xuan lit his lighter. Only then did he see, sitting in the deepest part of the cave, a ghost of extreme antiquity.