16: Chapter 16 Supermarket Bloodbath

When Chen Mo returned to the Farmhouse, it was almost dawn.

He parked the pickup truck in the yard, killed the engine, and sat in the driver's seat, looking at the "Infiltrator" potion.

The pale golden liquid swayed gently in the syringe, as if it were alive.

Pupil of the Sequence scanned—

【Item: Rank D potion "Infiltrator"】

【Purity: 98%】

【Effect: Consume to gain temporary invisibility (3 seconds, 30-second cooldown)】

【Side effect: Within 1 hour after consumption, your shadow will act independently and attempt to attack the main body】

【Suggestion: Use in a safe environment, or be prepared to deal with the shadow's attack】

A safe environment.

Chen Mo glanced at the Farmhouse—the Basement had enough space, and the doors and windows were sealed shut, so even if the shadow really attacked, there was room to maneuver.

He pushed open the car door, walked into the Basement, and placed the potion on the workbench.

Then he sat down and watched it.

One hour.

As long as he could hold out for one hour, the side effect would disappear.

But the problem was, how would that shadow—his own shadow—attack him?

He didn't know.

But he had to know.

Because only by enduring the side effect could he truly master this ability.

Chen Mo took a deep breath, picked up the syringe, and stabbed it into his arm.

The moment the liquid was pushed into his veins, the whole world changed.

It wasn't a visual change, but some kind of... sensory change.

He could feel his body becoming lighter, fading, as if it were about to disappear into the air at any moment.

But that wasn't the most important thing.

The most important thing was—

His shadow had come alive.

On the wall of the Basement, the shadow belonging to Chen Mo was slowly standing up.

It detached from the wall, detached from the shadow beneath his feet, and became an independent entity.

A black humanoid figure, exactly the same as Chen Mo.

It looked at him.

Chen Mo looked at it.

Then it rushed over.

Chen Mo dodged to the side, grabbing the cleaver on the workbench as he did so.

The shadow missed, slammed into the wall, then slid down like liquid, re-coalescing into a humanoid shape.

No sound, no breathing, only pure threat.

Chen Mo stared at it.

Pupil of the Sequence scanned—

【Target: Defected Shadow】

【Rank: Equivalent to main body (Rank F Peak)】

【Weakness: The stronger the light, the weaker the shadow】

【Suggestion: Create strong light】

Strong light.

Chen Mo glanced around the Basement—there was only one dim light, not enough.

He turned and rushed up the stairs, pushed open the floor hatch, and returned to the yard.

The sky was already beginning to brighten, there was light, but not enough.

The shadow chased him out.

It stood in the yard, confronting Chen Mo.

Chen Mo looked at it, then looked at the rising sun in the east.

He needed time.

As long as the sun rose completely and the light was strong enough, this shadow would weaken.

But the shadow wouldn't give him time.

It rushed over again.

This time, Chen Mo didn't dodge; instead, he swung the cleaver.

The cleaver cut into the shadow's body, as if cutting into air, without any resistance.

But the part of the shadow that was hit distorted, then returned to its original state.

Physical attacks were ineffective.

Chen Mo retreated, his mind racing.

Physical attacks were ineffective, but light could weaken it.

What could he do now?

Create light.

Chen Mo turned and rushed to the pickup truck, opened the car door, and turned on the high beams.

Two beams of strong light shone on the shadow.

The shadow's movements instantly slowed down, its body began to tremble, and its edges became blurred.

Chen Mo didn't stop; he turned on the fog lights, turn signals, and the roof spotlight—he turned on every light he could.

Four beams of light shone on the shadow simultaneously.

The shadow's body shook violently, then began to shrink, shrinking from a humanoid shape to a black ball the size of a fist.

Chen Mo walked over and picked up the black ball.

It struggled in his palm, but couldn't break free.

【Obtained: Shadow Core】

【Can be used to refine Rank D item "Shadow Guard"】

【Effect: Can summon a shadow Clone, lasts 30 seconds, 1-hour cooldown】

Chen Mo looked at the black ball.

The side effect had become a weapon.

He turned back to the Basement and placed the black ball on the workbench.

Then he sat down and let out a long breath.

One hour.

Fifty minutes left.

He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

Outside the window, the sun had fully risen.

Fifty minutes later, Chen Mo opened his eyes.

The side effect had disappeared.

He stood up, stretched his body, and picked up the now-empty syringe.

Infiltrator.

Now he was a true Infiltrator.

He could turn invisible for three seconds, with a thirty-second cooldown.

Although the time was short, if used at a critical moment, it would be lethal enough.

He threw the syringe into the trash can and walked out of the Basement.

In the yard, the pickup truck's lights were still on.

He turned off the lights, sat in the driver's seat, and started the engine.

Now it was time to find the Old Driver.

Chen Mo stepped on the gas, the pickup truck drove out of the yard and rushed onto the road.

The sunlight shone on the windshield, blinding but warm.

He squinted and looked at the road ahead.

Suddenly, a voice rang out inside the car.

"Congratulations."

Chen Mo turned his head sharply.

In the passenger seat, there was an extra person who hadn't been there before.

An old man.

He looked to be in his sixties, wearing an old military coat, his face full of wrinkles.

He was looking at Chen Mo, smiling.

Chen Mo's right hand instantly gripped the cleaver.

"Don't be nervous," the old man said. "I'm not a Ghost Shadow, I'm human; I wouldn't be able to withstand your hacking."

"How did you get in?"

"When you opened the car door," the old man said. "When you turned off the lights, I was in the back; when you got in the car, I followed you in."

Chen Mo stared at him.

Pupil of the Sequence scanned—the golden lines were very faint; he was human, but there was an aura of fragments on him, many fragments.

"Who are you?"

"Just call me Old Li," the old man said. "Of course, others prefer to call me by another name... Old Driver."

Chen Mo's hand tightened on the cleaver.

This was the legendary Old Driver.

"Don't be in such a hurry to make a move," Old Li said. "I didn't come here to fight you; I came to give you an opportunity."

"What opportunity?"

"Cooperation," Old Li said. "I know what you're looking for—the Source of the Sequence, right?"

Chen Mo didn't speak.

Old Li smiled.

"No need to deny it, everyone wants to find that place, but not everyone can make it in alive." He paused. "I can take you there, but you have to do me a favor."

"What favor?"

"Help me kill something," Old Li said. "A Rank D Ghost Shadow, right in that abandoned supermarket ahead. Kill it, and I'll take you to the Source of the Sequence."

Chen Mo was silent for a few seconds.

"Why pick me?"

"Because you killed the Crying Face Driver," Old Li said. "That thing couldn't be killed by brute force alone; you used your brain, and I need someone with a brain."

Chen Mo looked at him.

In those turbid eyes, there was something he couldn't see through.

"Deal," he said.

Old Li laughed.

"Good. Drive forward, five kilometers and we'll be there."

The pickup truck continued forward.

Five kilometers later, an abandoned supermarket appeared on the side of the road.

Two stories high, the glass doors were all shattered, and it was pitch black inside.

Chen Mo stopped the car and walked toward the supermarket with Old Li.

Pushing open the dilapidated door, inside was a huge space—shelves were toppled, merchandise was scattered everywhere, and a stench of rot filled the air.

Deep inside the supermarket, something was moving.

Chen Mo's Pupil of the Sequence activated instantly.

In his golden vision, a huge silhouette was slowly standing up—

At least three meters tall, covered in black fur, like a mutant bear. But its face was a human face, a twisted, painful human face.

【Target: Rank D Ghost Shadow "Glutton"】

【Status: Hungry】

【Weakness: There is an old wound on its abdomen, left by the Old Driver years ago】

【Threat Assessment: High】

Old Li stood beside Chen Mo and said in a low voice:

"Ten years ago I wounded it, but I didn't kill it. Now it's even stronger. I can't handle it alone."

Chen Mo gripped the cleaver.

"You're responsible for attracting its attention," Old Li said, "I'll find an opportunity to attack its old wound."

Chen Mo nodded.

He took a deep breath, then rushed out.

Glutton discovered him and let out a roar, lunging over.

Chen Mo dodged to the side, simultaneously activating Infiltrator—his body instantly disappeared.

Glutton lunged into empty air, stunned in place.

Three seconds later, Chen Mo appeared behind it and slashed at its knee.

The cleaver cut in, but not deep enough.

Glutton turned around, a huge palm swiping over.

Chen Mo turned invisible again to dodge.

Three seconds, thirty-second cooldown.

He had to precisely calculate the timing of each invisibility.

Old Li was at the other end of the supermarket, circling toward Glutton's flank.

Glutton was enraged by Chen Mo's harassment, wildly waving its arms, smashing one shelf after another.

Chen Mo wove between the shelves, using the terrain to dodge.

As soon as the thirty-second cooldown ended, he immediately turned invisible, circled behind Glutton, and slashed again.

This time he hit the same spot.

Glutton's knee finally couldn't support it, and it fell to one knee.

Now was the time.

Old Li rushed out from the side, holding a sharp metal pipe, and used all his strength to stab it into Glutton's abdomen—at the location of the old wound.

Glutton let out a shrill scream, and black blood gushed out.

But it didn't fall.

It turned its head, staring at Old Li with those crazy eyes, then opened its mouth—

Chen Mo's Prediction vision activated instantly.

Three seconds later, a ball of black mist would spew from Glutton's mouth, swallowing Old Li whole.

He didn't hesitate.

Turned invisible again, rushed over, and blocked in front of Old Li.

The black mist sprayed onto him.

But he was invisible, so the mist's attack hit nothing.

Three seconds later, he became visible, and simultaneously swung his cleaver at Glutton's neck.

The cleaver cut in.

Glutton's body shook violently, then collapsed with a boom.

Golden threads surged from its body into Chen Mo's body.

【Killed Rank D Ghost Shadow "Glutton"】

【Obtained: sequence fragment × 20】

【Current fragments: 109】

【Sequence evolution progress: 58%】

Chen Mo stood where he was, panting heavily.

Old Li walked over and patted his shoulder.

"Well done."

Chen Mo looked at him.

"Now, it's time to keep your promise."

Old Li smiled.

"No rush," he said. "Rest for a bit first; the Source of the Sequence isn't that easy to enter."

He turned and walked toward the supermarket entrance.

Chen Mo followed.

Behind them, Glutton's corpse was slowly disappearing.

Outside, the sky had already gone dark.

Ghost Night had come again.