HPDBC Chapter 35 Poisoning
Chapter 35 Poisoning
"Where is he?" Su Yan asked.
Li Shancheng closed his eyes and followed the direction of the distress signal. The signal was weak and intermittent, as if it came from deep underground. The location was... the basement of the Kyoto City Library, but deeper than the previous basement.
"The second basement level of the library, in the direction of the old book stacks." He opened his eyes. "But the signal is very weak. Editor-in-Chief Qin might be trapped."
"We must save him." Jiang Han struggled to stand up, but his body was too weak and he almost fell.
"I'll go," Li Shancheng said. "My camouflage skills are perfect for infiltration."
"But the library is definitely a key area to defend now," Xu Qingqing worried.
"That's why they probably don't expect us to infiltrate again." Li Shancheng had already made his decision. "Moreover, if Editor-in-Chief Qin is still alive, he may possess crucial intelligence. Rescuing him could change the entire course of the battle."
Su Yan thought for a moment: "I agree. But you can't go alone. I'll go with you, and I'll provide support from the outside."
"I'm going too," Xu Qingqing said. "My Golden Eye Technique can see through disguises and traps."
"Then let's start with a three-person team," Su Yan decided. "Let's finish this quickly, rescue the person, and then retreat. No lingering fighting."
Time was of the essence, so they immediately prepared. Li Shancheng changed into a uniform he had taken from a modified body at Hanshan Technology (Su Yan's spoils of war), and Xu Qingqing and Su Yan also disguised themselves accordingly. Cheng Xu provided a copy of the library's latest security layout map—obtained through hacking from Hanshan Technology's internal system.
At 10 p.m., the three arrived at the outskirts of the library. Unlike last time, this time the area around the library was heavily guarded, with at least twenty modified beings patrolling and several energy detectors continuously scanning the area.
"The defenses are three times tighter than last time," Su Yan said in a low voice. "It seems they really have something important hidden here."
Li Shancheng adjusted the energy fluctuations to simulate the characteristics of the Kan position—most of the modified bodies of Hanshan Technology use energy sources from the Kan or Dui positions, making them the easiest to integrate.
"I'll go in first, locate Editor-in-Chief Qin, and then give the signal," he said. "You all stay on the perimeter. If anything happens, proceed with Plan B."
Plan B involves creating large-scale energy fluctuations to attract attention and create an opportunity for evacuation.
Li Shancheng took a deep breath and walked towards the side door of the library. The modified body guard at the door scanned him with an energy scanner, which displayed "Kan Position Modified Body - Number C-17", and the green light was given to let him pass.
Upon entering the building, the atmosphere became even more tense. A guard stood every ten meters along the corridor, and surveillance cameras provided almost complete coverage. Li Shancheng, head down, followed the internal route map provided by Cheng Xu towards the staircase leading to the second basement level.
There were guards in the stairwell, but Li Shancheng had already prepared his explanation: "There are abnormal energy fluctuations in Zone C, and the captain asked me to come down and check."
The guard glanced at the number tag on his chest and waved him through. Cold Mountain Technology's modified creature numbering system is very strict; those starting with C are "reconnaissance types" and have access to most areas.
The second basement level was an old book depository, storing a large number of documents from the last century and even earlier. The lighting was dim, and the air was thick with the smell of decaying paper. Following the distress signal, Li Shancheng passed through rows of tall bookshelves and arrived at a corner at the very back.
In the corner was an inconspicuous iron gate, engraved with intricate runes—not the style of Cold Mountain Technology, but more like an ancient seal commonly used by the Guardians.
Editor-in-Chief Qin is very likely inside.
Li Shancheng inspected the door lock and discovered it was a double seal: the outer layer was an energy lock from Hanshan Technology, and the inner layer was an ancient rune lock. The former was easy to solve; it could be opened using simulated Kan energy. The latter required the correct solution.
He carefully observed the rune structure, and the knowledge of the Book of Light responded automatically. This was a "Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Lock," requiring the activation of nine rune nodes in a specific order. Theoretically, only the setter knew the correct order, but...
"The lineage of Wen Shu guardians is unbroken..." Li Shancheng murmured. Editor-in-Chief Qin was a Wen Shu guardian, and so was he. Perhaps the bloodline itself could provide the answer.
He placed his palm on the runic lock and channeled Wen Shu's silvery-white energy into it. The runes lit up, and the nine nodes flashed in sequence, as if testing his identity. When the energy flowed through all the nodes, the lock clicked open.
Li Shancheng pushed open the door, revealing a small storage room. In the center of the room, Editor-in-Chief Qin was bound to a chair by specially made energy chains, in a semi-conscious state. He looked much thinner, his clothes were tattered, and he had multiple wounds on his body, but he was still alive.
"Editor-in-Chief Qin!" Li Shancheng rushed over to check on his condition.
Editor-in-Chief Qin slowly opened her eyes, and when she saw Li Shancheng, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes: "Shancheng...how come you..."
"We've come to rescue you." Li Shancheng began to unlock the chains. "What happened? How did you get captured?"
"It was a trap..." Editor-in-Chief Qin said weakly, "Su Qing...she knew all along that I would return to Qingyun Lane...she was waiting for me there...I wanted to leave after I detonated the Purple Dragon Wood, but she..."
He suddenly coughed, spitting out black blood clots.
"You've been poisoned?" Li Shancheng's expression changed.
"It's not poison, it's... a curse," Editor-in-Chief Qin said with difficulty. "She used the Seven-Star Measuring Ruler to plant the 'Seven-Star Soul-Chasing Curse' in my body. No matter where I escape to, they can track me down. Moreover... this curse will continuously drain my life force."
Li Shancheng quickly unlocked all the chains and helped Editor-in-Chief Qin up: "Let's leave here first. Old Jiang might be able to break the curse."
"Wait..." Editor-in-Chief Qin grabbed his arm. "There's something I must tell you... During my imprisonment, I overheard some conversations... Hanshan Technology's plan goes beyond just opening the Heavenly Gate..."
"What else?"
"They want to...replace," Editor Qin's voice trailed off, "to replace reality with their 'perfect world'...but not a direct replacement, but...overlapping. Two realities coexist, competing with each other...the winner devouring the loser..."
Li Shancheng didn't understand: "What do you mean?"
"It means..." Editor-in-Chief Qin's eyes began to glaze over, "On the night of the full moon, if you stop them, reality might split... one part will remain as it is, and the other part will become their 'perfect world'... and then the two worlds will... go to war..."
He fell into a coma again before he could finish speaking.
Li Shancheng carried him on his back and quickly left the storage room. But as soon as they stepped outside, the alarm went off—not because he triggered it, but because it came from upstairs.
Su Yan and Xu Qingqing have been discovered!
Without hesitation, Li Shancheng rushed towards the nearest exit along the planned route. But at the end of the corridor, a figure blocked his way.
White robe, golden left eye, Seven Stars Measuring Ruler.
Su Qing.
"You've come, just as I expected." She said expressionlessly, "Qin Yunfeng's curse is not only tracking, but also bait. We knew you would come to save him."
Li Shancheng put down Editor-in-Chief Qin and assumed a fighting stance: "Get out of the way."
"You can't take him away." Su Qing raised the jade ruler. "The curse within him has penetrated deep into his soul. If he leaves this room by more than a hundred meters, the curse will completely erupt, and he will die instantly."
You're lying.
"Let's give it a try." Su Qing stepped aside to make way. "Take him away, out of this corridor. Let's see if he dies."
Li Shancheng hesitated. If it were true...
"But I can give you a choice," Su Qing continued, "Let him go and leave. Or... use the fragments of the relics within you as an exchange. Three fragments for his life."
So that was their real purpose. They wanted the fragments of the relics.
"The fragments aren't on me," Li Shancheng said.
"It's within the Book of Light inside you." Su Qing's golden left eye seemed to see through everything. "The Wen Shu relic has merged with you, but the core fragment can still be separated. Hand over the fragment, and I will lift Qin Yunfeng's curse."
Li Shancheng was caught in a dilemma. Handing over the fragments would strengthen Hanshan Technology, potentially leading to the failure of the Full Moon Night event. Refusing to hand them over would mean the death of Lord Qin.
Just then, Editor-in-Chief Qin suddenly awoke. With his last ounce of strength, he grabbed Li Shancheng's hand: "No... hand over the fragments... I'm old... I don't care about dying... but these fragments of the relics... concern the entire world..."
"But..."
"No buts." Editor-in-Chief Qin's eyes were unusually firm. "Remember your responsibility, Shancheng. The first principle of the guardians: the greater good comes first. Now, put me down and leave this place."
Li Shancheng's eyes welled up with tears, but he knew that Editor-in-Chief Qin was right. Handing over the fragments might kill even more people.
He gently set Editor-in-Chief Qin down, stood up, and faced Su Qing: "I will not hand over the fragment. But I will not abandon him either. I will find a way to break the curse, until then..."
He suddenly attacked, not at Su Qing, but at the ceiling. The combined power of Wen Shu and Kan Wei transformed into a shockwave, shattering the pipes above. Icy water poured down, instantly flooding the corridor.
Taking advantage of the moment when Su Qing was distracted by the water, Li Shancheng carried Editor-in-Chief Qin on his back and rushed towards another passage. He knew that Editor-in-Chief Qin might not last long, but at least he couldn't die here, or die in front of her.
Su Qing's calm voice came from behind: "You can't save him, Li Shancheng. If the curse isn't broken within three days, he will surely die. And the only way to break the curse is in my hands."
Li Shancheng didn't look back. He carried Editor-in-Chief Qin up the stairs to meet up with Su Yan and Xu Qingqing, who had come to meet them. The three of them rushed out of the library in the chaos and disappeared into the night.
Back at the apartment, Editor-in-Chief Qin had already fallen unconscious again. After examining him, Jiang Han's expression was extremely grim: "It is indeed the Seven Star Soul-Chasing Curse, and it has penetrated deep into his heart. Three days... at most three days. If the curse isn't lifted, he will..."
"How do we solve this?" Li Shancheng asked anxiously.
"We need to reverse the operation of the Seven Star Measuring Ruler, or..." Jiang Han hesitated for a moment, "or use the guardians of the seven array eyes to cast spells simultaneously and forcibly remove it. But given the current situation..."
The current situation is as follows: the Kan position is destroyed, the guardian of the Dui position is seriously injured, the Zhen and Gen positions are out of contact, and the Kun position has never responded. Of the seven guardians, at most three and a half can be gathered (Jiang Han counts as half).
Almost impossible.
A despairing silence fell over the room. Editor-in-Chief Qin had sacrificed Qingyun Lane to protect the array's core, and now his life hung by a thread. And they seemed powerless to help.
Just then, Li Shancheng's phone vibrated. It was a message from an unknown number:
"Do you want to save Qin Yunfeng? Bring the fragments of his relics to Shuanglong Bridge before the full moon night to exchange for them. You have two days to consider."
The sender did not sign their name, but everyone knew who it was.
Li Shancheng gripped his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white.