48: Chapter 48 C-Rank Ghost Hunter

Chen Mo stood in the courtyard, feeling the surging power within his body.

Those golden lines were more than three times thicker than before, flowing through his blood vessels like rivers. Every movement brought a wave of warmth, spreading from his chest to the tips of his limbs.

Eerie Power Burst.

He tried to activate this new ability.

Instantly, those golden lines accelerated their flow, so fast they seemed about to ignite. Power surged from every cell, filling his entire body.

Thirty seconds.

He only had thirty seconds.

But within these thirty seconds, all his attributes would increase by 50%.

Speed increased by half, strength by half, and reaction time by half.

Chen Mo took a deep breath and deactivated the burst state.

Those lines returned to a state of calm.

[Eerie Power Burst used]

[Remaining Cooldown: 23 hours 59 minutes]

It could only be used once.

It should only be used at critical moments.

He turned around and looked at Lin Wei.

"Let's go."

"Where to?"

"Trading Post No. 1," Chen Mo said. "To find someone."

Lin Wei nodded.

The two of them got into the pickup truck and started the engine.

The pickup truck drove out of the courtyard and onto the highway.

An hour later, the lights of the Trading Post appeared in their field of vision.

Chen Mo parked the car in the parking lot and walked into the supermarket with Lin Wei.

There were fewer people in the supermarket than last time.

Old Zhou was still behind the checkout counter. When he saw him enter, his eyes lit up.

"You're here."

Chen Mo nodded.

Old Zhou sized him up carefully.

"You've changed."

Chen Mo didn't say anything.

But in Old Zhou's eyes, something was shifting—first surprise, then realization, and finally a complex... sense of relief.

"C-rank?"

Chen Mo nodded.

Old Zhou was silent for a few seconds.

Then he laughed.

"Good. Good."

He turned around, took a box from under the counter, and placed it on top.

"For you."

Chen Mo opened it.

Inside was a badge.

It was metallic, palm-sized, with a wolf's head engraved on it.

"What's this?"

"An identification mark," Old Zhou said. "Only C-rank Eerie Hunters have them."

He pointed to the characters on the back of the badge.

"This is your serial number—001."

Chen Mo was stunned for a moment.

"001?"

"The first one," Old Zhou said. "You're the first person in the entire region to be promoted to C-rank."

He paused.

"And the youngest."

Chen Mo looked at the badge.

The metal was cold, but held in his palm, it had a strange warmth.

He put the badge away.

"Thanks."

Old Zhou waved his hand.

"Go on. Come back if you need anything."

Chen Mo turned to leave.

Just then, someone entered the supermarket.

It was Iron Bear.

That two-meter-tall bald man, wearing his signature tactical vest, was carrying a large bag. He froze for a moment when he saw Chen Mo.

Then he grinned.

"I was just looking for you."

He put the bag on the floor and opened it.

Inside was full of supplies—fuel, food, medicine, and ammunition.

"The favor I owe you," Iron Bear said. "I'm paying back a part of it first."

Chen Mo looked at the supplies.

There was enough to last him a month.

"Thanks."

Iron Bear waved his hand.

"No need for thanks. You saved me, and I remember that."

He stood up and looked at Chen Mo.

"I heard you've been promoted to C-rank?"

Chen Mo nodded.

A glint flashed in Iron Bear's eyes.

"Want to test it out?"

Chen Mo looked at him.

"How?"

Iron Bear grinned.

"Let's spar."

As he spoke, he took off his jacket, revealing his solid muscles.

"Don't worry, we won't go all out. I just want to test your current strength."

Chen Mo was silent for a second.

Then he nodded.

"Okay."

The two of them walked out of the supermarket and into the parking lot.

People around gathered to watch the excitement.

Lin Wei stood to the side, silent.

Iron Bear took a stance, his fists clenched tight.

"Come on."

Chen Mo didn't move.

He just watched Iron Bear.

Within the ten-second Prediction, Iron Bear's next moves were clearly visible—

He would first throw a left punch as a feint, then follow up with a heavy right punch. If the left punch was blocked, he would use a knee strike.

Chen Mo waited for three seconds.

Iron Bear moved.

Left punch.

Chen Mo sidestepped and dodged.

Right punch.

Chen Mo ducked and dodged it.

Knee strike.

Chen Mo took half a step back.

All three moves missed completely.

Iron Bear was stunned for a moment.

"How did you know what I was going to do?"

Chen Mo didn't say anything.

He took a step forward.

Iron Bear instinctively took a step back.

Someone in the crowd of onlookers let out a cry of surprise.

Iron Bear's face turned a bit red.

He grit his teeth and charged forward again.

This time he was faster.

But Chen Mo was even faster.

He activated Eerie Power Burst.

Within thirty seconds, all his attributes increased by 50%.

Iron Bear's fist looked like it was in slow motion to him.

He sidestepped and dodged.

Then he landed a punch on Iron Bear's ribs.

It wasn't heavy.

But Iron Bear was completely stunned.

Because he hadn't even seen how Chen Mo had attacked.

It was too fast.

Fast as a ghost.

Chen Mo deactivated the burst state.

The thirty seconds weren't up yet, but he had already achieved his goal.

Iron Bear stood there, looking at him.

He looked for a long time.

Then he laughed.

The smile was complex—partly admitting defeat, partly full of admiration.

"That's enough," he said. "I'm convinced."

He turned around, picked up his jacket, and threw it on.

"If you need anything in the future, just say the word."

He left.

The crowd dispersed as well.

Lin Wei walked up to Chen Mo and looked at him.

"You just now..."

"I used a new ability," Chen Mo said.

Lin Wei nodded.

The two of them walked back to the pickup truck.

They got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

In the rearview mirror, the lights of the Trading Post grew more and more distant.

Chen Mo gripped the steering wheel, looking at the road ahead.

No. 001.

The first C-rank in the entire region.

But this was only the beginning.

The Source of the Sequence was still waiting for him.

And the things behind those doors.

The pickup truck traveled along the gray highway.

The road ahead was still very long.

But he knew he could keep going.