In his room, Zhang Yong took out his notebook and began writing down his final plan.
"After Sheele's death, there will be a major shift in the system's operation. I need to let events follow their natural course. I've already interfered with the story, and my face has become known, yet I still have no idea about the true enemy."
First, he had to obtain the Wriggles. According to the schedule, he was supposed to go to Doctor Stylish three days from now.
Then, he needed to focus on breaking through quickly so he could absorb Sheele's soul without any problems.
After that, the Esdeath's Three Beasts would appear, and Bulat would die immediately afterward.
"Right. Teigu are remnants of Danger Beasts. I can absorb them... or eat them, and my level will rise quickly. But that would require... Damn, my body isn't tough enough, it isn't a problem If I ate wood or stone... but metal? I've never tried it before."
Then he closed the notebook and placed it under his pillow. "I wonder... will something happen again?"
---
Exactly three days later.
Zhang Yong returned to the abandoned facility in the forest. The humanoid monsters were still scattered around.
"Good, he didn't make the situation look suspicious," Zhang Yong whispered as he disappeared among the trees using the Confusing Ghost Step technique.
After easily bypassing the monsters, he entered through the back opening he had left open during his previous visit.
The interior was brighter this time, with the sounds of machines operating in the background.
"Doctor Stylish, I'm back," Zhang Yong said suddenly, appearing behind the scientist who was busy examining blood samples.
"Ah!" Doctor Stylish jumped from his spot, then realized who the visitor was. His experiment-scarred face shifted from anger to relief. "Zhang Yong! I thought you wouldn't come back!"
"Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Of course! Of course!" Stylish nodded enthusiastically and pointed to a metal box in the corner. "I could only find two because of their rarity, but... you know they're dangerous, right?"
Zhang Yong opened the box to find a creature resembling a larva, but it was already in its cocoon.
Zhang Yong smiled upon seeing it. This worm was something he needed.
"Excellent." Zhang Yong closed the box. "I need something else. A strength-enhancing serum, and also... a metal-dissolving agent, enough to dissolve Teigu."
Doctor Stylish stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That's impossible. Teigu are made of a special metal called Orichalcum, which is extremely rare. Do you think if such a thing existed, the First Emperor would have made them from it?"
Zhang Yong stroked his chin, thinking. Indeed, he had pictured Orichalcum as a rare metal, perhaps slightly rarer than gold, but dissolving it was impossible—for the inhabitants of this world, perhaps, but not for cultivators.
Who was Zhang Yong?
He had fought in countless battles relentlessly, even when he knew the odds were against him. He had carried the banner of the Heavenly Demon and decided to bring ruin to those who opposed him.
Would something like this stop him? Of course not.
Zhang Yong stared at the metal box containing the Wriggles, his eyes sparkling with a glint of challenge.
He closed the box firmly and placed it into his storage. "Doctor, I want something else... I want to obtain a Shingu, preferably one with body-enhancing abilities."
The doctor's gaze suddenly narrowed. "Shingu? I'll see what I can do. I'll have it within a few days. As for the serum..." The doctor turned and opened a safe in the wall, taking out two syringes. "One is the strength-enhancing serum, and the other is a healing serum, just in case. Anything else?"
Zhang Yong took the syringes and calmly placed them into his storage. "Alright. I also want blood... the blood of a thousand people, preferably weak prisoners."
Doctor Stylish's face suddenly turned pale. His wide eyes stared at Zhang Yong as if he had seen a ghost.
"A thousand... a thousand people?" His voice came out hoarse. "Even I wouldn't dare ask for something like that..."
Zhang Yong smiled coldly, his purple eyes reflecting no remorse. "You know why I need it. The blood of the weak carries a unique energy of despair. It's what demons love."
Doctor Stylish's hand trembled as he gripped the lapel of his stained white coat. "That... it's possible. I'll have to go to the torture prisons in the capital."
"You have one week," Zhang Yong said as he turned to leave.
---
Zhang Yong left the hideout, and two days passed quietly.
Zhang Yong quickly broke through to rank 26, and there was a meeting.
The content of the meeting was to deal with some people in the red-light district and to deal with Captain Chibole. The two teams split into two: Tatsumi with Leone, and Mine with Sheele.
Zhang Yong's gaze was sharp throughout the meeting. This was the mission. This was where Sheele would die.
---
Zhang Yong sat on his bed, opened the Wriggles box, and picked up the two. "Even in their cocoons, they look disgusting." Then he raised the two larvae and ate them without chewing. Then, using his spiritual energy, he fixed one in his brain and one in his heart.
"Good, now I'm ready. Let's go take Sheele's soul." Zhang Yong left his room.
Then he leaped and used the Wind path and Phoenix Wings for movement.
Near a lake beside the capital, both Sheele and Mine were facing that girl Seryu with her dog-shaped Teigu, Koro.
As soon as Zhang Yong saw the light of the Imperial Arms from a distance, he located them.
Zhang Yong shot through the forest like the wind, his black Phoenix Wings spreading behind him as he crossed the distance with lightning speed. The purple light of his eyes pierced the darkness, fixed on the direction of the battle taking place in the garden.
Zhang Yong hid in a tree and watched the battle. Seryu's biological Teigu had already entered its rampage mode.
It resembled a dog, but it had two muscular arms, and its name was Koro. Then it roared loudly; its roar alone was enough to stun both Sheele and Mine.
At that moment, Koro's arm stretched out and grabbed Mine roughly.
"Crush her!" Seryu shouted, commanding it.
Koro's grip tightened around Mine's body, then the sound of bones cracking was heard as Mine's arm broke, followed by Mine's pained scream.
Sheele lunged forward, holding her Teigu Imperial Arms scissors, and cut off Koro's arm that was holding Mine.
Zhang Yong shifted his gaze, and a gun barrel appeared in Seryu's mouth. Zhang Yong traced the barrel's path.
It's aimed at her heart! Zhang Yong quickly looked around, picked up a pebble, and threw it rapidly toward Seryu.
The pebble struck Seryu's face, causing the bullet to deviate. It didn't hit her heart, but it certainly struck Sheele's chest.
That moment was more than enough for Koro to pounce on her. In an instant, Sheele's body was torn in two as Koro bit off her upper half.
Mine was shocked and cried out in anguish. She wanted to pick up her weapon, but her arm was too injured to hold it.
Then support began to arrive. A group of soldiers advanced toward the location, and reinforcements were still coming.
With her last remaining strength, a bright light appeared in the place. It was the light of ecstasy!
"Mine, get away from here immediately!" Sheele's weak voice sounded from within Koro's grip.
Mine gritted her teeth, turned around to flee, and cried.
"Koro, hurry up and kill her!" Seryu commanded with what energy she had left.
'Not in my presence' Zhang Yong lunged forward just before the Imperial Arms' light completely vanished.
Thief Path - Wandering Ghost Hand
Instantly, Sheele's half-body appeared in Zhang Yong's arms, and he disappeared quickly among the trees.
There was one last light remaining in Sheele's eyes. "Zhang... Yong?"
He placed Sheele on the ground. "I'm sorry it had to end this way for you, Sheele."
Nevertheless, Sheele shook her head with a smile. "No... I don't mind... Promise me... to take care of Mine... She'll probably... blame herself for what happened..."
Zhang Yong looked with an empty smile. There was one thing in his eyes, and that was admiration. Even as she dies, she still cares about others.
Zhang Yong placed his hand on Sheele's head and absorbed her soul.
[Soul of "Sheele" successfully absorbed. Number of souls absorbed (1/14).]
Good, the mission is done. Zhang Yong turned around and put on his mask.
The sounds of soldiers approached, and Seryu's angry voice shook the ground.
He walked calmly forward toward the soldiers.
"Who are you? Identify yourself!" one of the soldiers shouted at Zhang Yong.
Nine-Layered Eternal Ice Memory - Earth Freeze
With his step, the ground around him froze, trapping the feet of all the soldiers.
He raised his hand toward the discarded Imperial Arms scissors on the ground and pointed at them.
Thief Path - Wandering Ghost Hand
The scissors flew through the air, and Zhang Yong caught them with his arm. A purple light gleamed beneath the mask.
"Doesn't suit me? Do you think I would accept something like that?" Zhang Yong looked arrogantly toward the scissors.
Domination Path - Presence of the King
An overwhelming aura erupted from Zhang Yong's body, and the scissors began to shake violently.
"What... what is this?!" one of the soldiers trembled, his legs unable to move as he watched death approach.
Zhang Yong did not reply. Instead, he raised the Imperial Arms scissors.
"Submit."
Zhang Yong's voice thundered like a roar, and the ground shook beneath his feet. Suddenly, the scissors stopped resisting and began to glow with a dark purple light.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Yong moved like a ghost.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
The soldiers' heads flew through the air one after another, their blood freezing before it touched the ground. There were no screams, no time for terror. Only silent death.
Seryu, who had been watching the scene from behind, trembled like a leaf in a storm. "Koro! Devour this evil one!" However, when she looked at him, he was already trapped in ice like a statue. She looked in terror. "Wh-who are you?!" she screamed in panic.
"I am the Heavenly Demon," Zhang Yong introduced himself as he leaped high into the air and then disappeared.
---
Zhang Yong left the place and looked at the Imperial Arms in his hand.
'This is good. I need to collect these Teigu along with killing them so they can use them when I summon them' Zhang Yong looked at the scissors and smiled.
(There's no need for that, host. When the Garden of Death brings a person back, it brings them back with all their memories, as well as the weapons they used in their life with all their abilities. So there's no need.)
'Still, it will be excellent for personal use. I can't use an Imperial Arms while with Night Raid because it would put me under suspicion, and I can't use it in front of the imperial army, or I'll be exposed as the Heavenly Demon. The best solution would be either to give it to my organization in hopes of finding a suitable person, or I devour it... but destroying something that is said to be able to cut anything in the world might be impossible' Zhang Yong thought as he analyzed.
"You are mine now," Zhang Yong whispered as he tightened his grip on the scissors.
---
On the Night Raid side, the news of Sheele's death fell like a thunderbolt on everyone, especially Tatsumi.
But Zhang Yong was not as interested in that as he was in other things.
He stood atop the capital's clock tower and looked far outside the capital, where a massive bird-like beast had descended outside the city.
He could see clearly and recognized it easily. "Esdeath, she's back, and that means the Jaegers will be formed soon. If I want to know what's happening, I'll have to enter the imperial palace, but with Budo there, it's almost impossible."
Zhang Yong leaped from the top of the clock tower toward the ground.
Darkness Path - Shadow Concealment
As soon as Zhang Yong stood on the tower's shadow, he disappeared completely.
Shadow Concealment allowed him to hide in existing shadows. If he possessed the Soul Bone of his left leg, he would be able to teleport within shadows, making him a true danger.
He moved to the slums and passed through the shadows; no one found him.
Upon entering the place prepared to be the organization's base, he found Zank who was still training the new members.
Zhang Yong scanned them, and unfortunately, there was no suitable individual for the Imperial Arms among them.
'Zank', Zhang Yong spoke through a mental message, not revealing himself to Zank.
Zank, who was standing among a group of new fighters, suddenly stopped. His wide eyes darted around, but he saw nothing.
"My lord?" Zank responded immediately, his voice carrying a hint of fear and respect.
'I have an order for you. In the coming days, on the outskirts of the capital, the former prime minister Shuri will be passing by. I am not asking you to protect him, but I am asking you to take him away from his carriage. Tell him to let the carriage continue on its usual route, and lead him on a different path. There will be three Teigu users aiming to assassinate him. If he cooperates, help him. If he does not, render him unconscious and take him against his will'
After receiving the instructions, Zhang Yong disappeared from the shadows as if he were a ghost. He left Zank standing among the group, his eyes flickering with a hidden understanding as he prepared to carry out the mission.
Meanwhile, Zhang Yong went hunting in the nearby forest until nightfall and broke through to rank 27.