Chapter 40 Blitzkrieg

[8:00 AM.]

[Wuyue City, Green Vine Martial Arts Hall.]

["Beep—! Swipe successful. Spent 60,000 federation coins."]

[As the front desk machine emitted a crisp notification sound, your 'painful-to-spend-but-must-to-get-stronger' expression instantly vanished, replaced by an innocent and expectant look.]

[Clutching the brand-new VIP Black Gold membership card like a high schooler who had never seen the world, you trotted over to Liu Qing, your voice clear and loud:]

["Coach Liu! Coach Liu! I've done it! From today on, I am your student. You must teach me your ultimate moves!"]

[As you spoke, you deliberately performed a slightly clumsy cupped-fist salute. You played the role of a 'rich idiot with more money than sense' to perfection.]

[Several nearby coaches who were resting cast envious yet amused glances, thinking that Liu Qing had really lucked out to encounter such an easy-to-scam rich second generation.]

[Liu Qing looked at you, the corner of her eye twitching slightly.]

[Taking the opportunity while leading you to the locker room to change gear, she lowered her voice and grumbled through gritted teeth, "That face-changing speed of yours... it's a waste you're not an actor. That 'Coach Liu' just now gave me goosebumps."]

["One must commit to the act, Coach Liu."]

[You instantly retracted your foolish expression, your gaze becoming profound. "The paperwork is done, and I've already thought of an excuse for you—take me for 'outdoor field teaching' to sense the natural Qi."]

["The car is at the back door. Let's go."]

[Ten minutes later.]

[An inconspicuous taxi pulled up at the side entrance of Wuyue City First People's Hospital.]

["Remember the plan," you gave a final reminder before getting out. "Don't worry about me. You just need to keep Zhang Dehai occupied for ten minutes. Then, no matter what happens, go straight to the Investigation Bureau."]

["Understood."]

[Liu Qing took a deep breath, adjusted her expression to one of anxiety and humility, and walked quickly toward the inpatient department.]

[As for you, you activated your Breath-Concealment Technique and followed silently behind.]

...

[Yangxin Hospital, Inpatient Department 12th Floor, Director's Office]

[Zhang Dehai was sitting behind his desk, fiddling with an expensive fountain pen.]

[This was an extremely luxurious office, forming a sharp contrast with the noisy and crowded wards outside.]

[Zhang Dehai sat in a large leather executive chair, still fiddling with that expensive fountain pen.]

[He was slightly balding and wore gold-rimmed glasses, looking like a kind and benevolent elder.]

[But behind the lenses, those eyes flickered with the sharp light of greed and calculation.]

["Knock, knock, knock."]

["Come in."]

[Liu Qing pushed the door open, her face wearing a perfect blend of subservience and anxiety. "Doctor Zhang, I'm sorry to bother you. I... I've raised another sum of money. About Yiyi's medicine..."]

["Oh, it's Little Liu."]

[Zhang Dehai slowly set down his pen and pointed to the chair opposite him.]

[He wasn't in a hurry to talk about money; instead, he sized up Liu Qing with the gaze of a cat playing with a mouse.]

["No rush on the money. Yiyi's condition is complex. Relying purely on medication to sustain her isn't a long-term solution after all."]

[He sighed, putting on a compassionate front while sneering inwardly.]

[In truth, this was an unexpected windfall for him.]

[As a mole planted by the Heart-Eroding Cult within the Wuyue City medical System, he was originally only responsible for collecting samples of special blood types.]

[But he hadn't expected to discover a treasure like Liu Yiyi—a latent Wood-element Awakened!]

[That was a top-tier 'vessel' brimming with life force! If sacrificed to God, how much Divine Grace could it be traded for?]

[He hadn't yet reported this to his superiors, the 'Altar Guardian' or that mysterious 'Adjudicator' lord.]

[Because he had selfish motives.]

["The Heart-Eroding Cult is being heavily suppressed by the Federation right now, and resources are scarce."]

["If I offer this pair of sisters up directly, the bulk of the credit will surely be taken by those above. I'd only get the scraps."]

["But if I can control them first and use my medical skills and the cult's secret methods to extract that little girl's life force... I might be able to use it to break through to the Eighth Stage of Qi and Blood, the Ninth Stage, or even... Origin Opening!"]

["Then I will offer them up."]

["By then, I'll be able to wear the black robe, or even the blood robe, and become a high-ranking member of the cult!"]

[At the thought of this, the greed in Zhang Dehai's heart grew like wild weeds.]

[He loved watching these ants struggle in despair, eventually forced to kneel at his feet and beg for their lives.]

["Little Liu," Zhang Dehai stood up, walked around the desk to stand before Liu Qing, his voice becoming somewhat suggestive, "Actually, besides money, there are other ways..."]

[Immersed in his self-woven dream and the pleasure of total control, he failed to notice that the heavy solid wood office door hadn't been completely closed.]

[Even less did he notice a ghost-like figure had already slipped silently into his 'territory'.]

[Just as Zhang Dehai reached out, wanting to pat Liu Qing's shoulder.]

["Whoosh!"]

[An extremely faint sound of breaking air rang out behind his ear.]

[Though his Qi and Blood Seventh Stage was built upon drugs, Zhang Dehai's reactions were not slow.]

[He instinctively sensed danger and was about to turn and shout, "Who is it?!"]

[But the newcomer's speed was too fast! So fast it exceeded his comprehension!]

[A slender, powerful palm, like an iron pincer, instantly clamped onto the Dazhui acupoint at the back of his neck.]

["Bang!"]

[A terrifying spiral force, mixed with the bone-chilling Profound Water Power, instantly surged into his body. Like a bursting dam, it crushed his fragile defenses and precisely severed the signal transmission of his cervical nerves.]

["Ugh..."]

[Zhang Dehai didn't even have time to scream. His eyes rolled back, and his body instantly went limp like a noodle.]

[You caught his slumped body and threw him back into the executive chair.]

["Mr. Li...?!" Liu Qing covered her mouth. Although she was mentally prepared, seeing you instantly take down a cultist with her own eyes still made her heart race.]

["Shh."]

[You made a silencing gesture, but you didn't stop there.]

[You extended your fingers, your fingertips glowing with a faint blue light, and tapped several major death points on Zhang Dehai's body, including the Xinshu, Qi Sea, and Guanyuan.]

[This was the "Meridian Sealing and Qi Severing Hand" you had personally created in the last simulation by combining human anatomical charts with Profound Water energy.]

[The Profound Water Power transformed into countless tiny shackles, completely sealing off his Qi and blood circulation routes and his vocal cord muscles.]

["This... this isn't what we planned?" Liu Qing was a bit flustered.]

["Plans change."]

[You looked coldly at Zhang Dehai, who was slumped in the chair, unconscious but with his energy signature completely locked down.]

["This guy is a cult mole. Who knows if he has some suicidal trump card? Or if he's hiding some alarm on him?"]

["Completely crippling him and sealing his Meridians is the only way to ensure your sister's absolute safety."]

["If he were to get desperate and take your sister hostage, that would be trouble."]

[More importantly, you had to leave ahead of time.]

["It's 11:20 now. Lunch break, so fewer people in the corridors."]

[You checked your watch, your tone brook no argument. "He's a living corpse now; he won't wake up for at least twelve hours. Go to the Investigation Bureau immediately. Remember, be fast!"]

["Yes!" Looking at your calm and composed gaze, the panic in Liu Qing's heart miraculously subsided.]

[She gritted her teeth, grabbed the document bag, and rushed out of the office.]

[You took one last look at Zhang Dehai, faked the scene to look like a 'fainting from overwork' accident, and then vanished from the spot.]

...

[Wuyue City · Alien Cult Investigation Bureau]

[11:40 AM.]

[This was a fortress forged entirely of black alloy, its outer walls covered in defensive runes.]

[There were no noisy crowds in the lobby, only the occasional staff member walking by in deep gray uniforms.]

[The gaze of everyone here was as cold as a knife, and they carried a thick aura of Evil Qi.]

[Liu Qing stood before the reception desk, her legs feeling a bit weak.]

[This invisible murderous aura made even a Qi and Blood Seventh Stage Martial Artist like her find it difficult to breathe.]

["What are you here for? Report crimes to the Public Security Bureau next door. We don't handle civil disputes here."]

[The receptionist behind the counter was a one-eyed man who didn't even look up, his voice as cold and hard as stone.]

["I... I want to report something!"]

[Liu Qing gripped the document bag tightly, her knuckles white, and shouted with all her strength.]

["A real-name report! Regarding the Heart-Eroding Cult!"]

[As soon as the words 'Heart-Eroding Cult' were spoken, the temperature in the deathly silent lobby instantly dropped.]

[Swish! Swish! Swish!]

[Countless cold gazes instantly locked onto Liu Qing.]

[The one-eyed man snapped his head up, a terrifying light erupting from his single eye.]

[He pressed a red button on the desk, then stared fixedly at Liu Qing.]

["Come with me. If you dare to lie, you'll learn the meaning of a fate worse than death."]

[Liu Qing was taken into an interrogation room with metal walls on all sides.]

[Sitting opposite her was not the receptionist, but a Cult Investigator wearing a black trench coat with a silver cross badge on his chest.]

[He had a gaunt face and sinister eyes. He was fiddling with a scalpel made of special material, looking coldly at Liu Qing.]

["Name, place of origin, and the content of your report. Think before you speak. My time is precious, and my blade... is very sharp."]

[Under that terrifying pressure, Liu Qing tremblingly opened the document bag and poured the evidence onto the metal tabletop.]

["Wuyue City Yangxin Hospital doctor... Zhang Dehai... He used evil techniques... Here is the evidence..."]

[The investigator casually picked up the analysis report.]

[At first, his expression carried a hint of disdain.]

[But when he saw the professional description of the 'Life Source Severing Technique' on the report, his pupils suddenly constricted.]

["Bam!"]

[The scalpel was slammed hard into the tabletop, the handle vibrating with a hum.]

[The investigator stood up abruptly, grabbed the test tube containing the sample of Cult Corruption, and sniffed it.]

["It's Cult Corruption! High purity!"]

[The sinister look on his face instantly turned into bloodthirsty excitement. He roared into his headset:]

["Team One, Team Two! Everyone, gear up! Head to Yangxin Hospital immediately!"]

["We've caught a big fish!"]