35: Sure enough, not a single one can be left alive!

Returning to the Spiritual Energy Bureau, a wave of hunger swept over him.

Chen Nian then remembered that from the morning mission until now, he had barely eaten all day.

Thus, he set off, preparing to head to the internal restaurant of the Spiritual Energy Bureau.

However, as soon as he moved, the surrounding air seemed as if a stone had been thrown into it, instantly rippling with layers of waves.

In the corridor and at the doors of the training rooms, the gazes of the passing Psionicists all converged on him simultaneously.

Those looks were mixed with surprise, inquiry, and undisguised admiration.

"Look, it's him."

A voice rang out, lowered in tone yet unable to hide its excitement.

"Wow, is that the big shot who defeated the Heart-Devouring Old Demon with one punch?"

Instantly, more people stopped in their tracks, their eyes locking onto him like searchlights.

"Holy crap, it really is him!"

"Wait, isn't he that Genius newcomer who got perfect scores on both the combat and survival tests?"

"What? The double-perfect score was him too? My god, this newcomer is way too fierce!"

"So it's him. No wonder he could kill the Heart-Devouring Old Demon. The strong are strong from the very beginning; that saying really is true!"

The sounds of discussion were like a tide, surging from all directions in wave after wave.

Chen Nian, however, turned a deaf ear.

There was no extra expression on his face; his steps were steady and his goal clear as he walked straight toward the restaurant.

To him, these voices were nothing more than background noise.

He just wanted to eat right now.

After a whole day of fermenting, the news of him killing the Heart-Devouring Old Demon had clearly spread throughout the entire Spiritual Energy Bureau and was still continuing to diffuse.

He felt like a big star under a spotlight at this moment; no matter where he went, he would become the absolute focus.

This feeling was quite novel.

Pushing open the heavy glass doors of the restaurant, a rich aroma mixing various foods wafted toward him.

The originally noisy restaurant fell into a momentary silence the second he stepped inside.

Immediately following that was an even more fervent commotion.

"Hello, Big Shot!"

A young man who was getting food saw him, his eyes lighting up as he immediately called out a loud greeting.

"Hello, Senior Chen Nian!"

Several female team members eating at a nearby table also stood up one after another, their faces showing clear reverence.

"Senior, you're back from your mission? Thank you for your hard work!"

Greetings rose and fell one after another, so enthusiastic they were somewhat overwhelming.

Across his previous life and this one, having lived twice, Chen Nian had never received such star-studded treatment.

Of course, it wasn't that he disliked the feeling.

So, he gave a slight nod to everyone as a response.

A simple gesture, yet it instantly ignited the crowd.

"Oh my god, the big shot responded to me! The big shot actually responded to me!"

"Waaa, Senior is such a good person, he doesn't put on airs at all!"

"Powerful strength, a righteous spirit, and yet so approachable—this is a true idol of our Spiritual Energy Bureau!"

"Talented and handsome with an extraordinary bearing, I'm in love!"

Exclamations and praises were endless, but Chen Nian paid them no more mind and walked straight to the self-service food area.

The cafeteria of the Spiritual Energy Bureau could be described as luxurious.

This wasn't a traditional manual food service window, but a whole row of intelligent self-service supply machines gleaming with a metallic luster.

From steaming Chinese dishes to exquisite and delicious Western meals, and even various high-energy specialized nutritional fluids, everything one could imagine was there.

The air was filled with the charred aroma of roasted meat, the sweet scent of cream, and the complex fragrance of various spices mixed together, constantly stimulating the taste buds.

To be honest, in terms of food, the Spiritual Energy Bureau was the best place he had seen in his two lives combined, bar none.

Chen Nian wasn't polite, quickly filling his massive tray with the foods he liked.

A small mountain of roasted meat, several high-calorie pastries, and a large cup of iced energy drink.

He carried the tray and found a relatively quiet corner to sit down.

Just as he was about to start, a familiar voice came from the side, filled with enthusiasm.

"Senior Chen Nian!"

Chen Nian looked up.

What entered his vision was a young face overflowing with excitement and admiration; it was Li Weijie.

Toward this straightforward kid who lacked scheming, Chen Nian's impression was fairly good.

"Hello." He nodded as a greeting.

Li Weijie rubbed his hands together and leaned in somewhat sheepishly.

"Um... Senior, could I have the honor of eating a meal with you?" His tone carried the nervousness and anticipation of someone facing an idol.

Chen Nian had no objections.

"Sit."

Having received permission, Li Weijie immediately pulled out a chair and sat down, looking honored.

Chen Nian picked up his knife and fork, cut off a large piece of roasted meat and stuffed it into his mouth; the rich juices exploded in his oral cavity, instantly dispelling most of his hunger.

As he ate, he looked at Li Weijie and asked directly, "How much do you know about the Corpse Ghost Cult?"

Li Weijie was just about to say something complimentary when he froze upon hearing this.

The excitement on his face faded, replaced by a touch of solemnity.

"Corpse Ghost Cult? Why ask about that all of a sudden?" He lowered his voice, his expression wary. "Did you... run into them?"

A deep worry showed in Li Weijie's eyes: "Those guys are out-and-out lunatics. You must act with extreme caution!"

Chen Nian's chewing motion paused, and he looked up at him. "How are they crazy?"

Li Weijie's expression became somewhat unsightly, as if he were remembering something unpleasant.

"Those guys worship a so-called 'Corpse Ghost God.' They believe corpse ghosts are the most powerful existence, and they are the messengers of the Corpse Ghost God in the human world, responsible for bringing the 'Gospel' to the people."

"The year before last, in Xijiang City, for a so-called 'sacrifice,' they turned the residents of an entire residential area into mindless corpse ghosts that devoured each other. That scene... it was simply Hell on earth."

"Last year, they launched a terrorist attack in Qingnan City, using a forbidden technique to create an 'Undead Plague.' If the big shots from the General Bureau hadn't stepped in in time, half of Qingnan City would have become a dead city."

Li Weijie's voice grew lower and lower, his eyes full of fear.

"They capture living people for evil modification experiments and use the skeletons of infants to refine Magical Artifacts. Every single thing they do challenges the bottom line of humanity; their crimes are too numerous to record!"

Chen Nian listened quietly, putting the food from his plate into his mouth bite by bite.

His expression didn't change much, but the surrounding air seemed to drop a few degrees because of his silence.

Li Weijie took a deep breath and continued, his tone becoming increasingly heavy.

"Moreover, the most terrifying thing about the Corpse Ghost Cult is their vengefulness."

"As long as someone kills a member of their cult, no matter who the opponent is, it will trigger their most extreme and frenzied retaliation."

"They will use all their power to investigate your identity, your family, your friends, and all your social connections."

"Then, using the most cruel methods, they will torture the people around you to death one by one, before finally coming for you, letting you die in endless pain and regret."

"They call it—'The Liquidation of Divine Punishment'."

His voice fell.

*Snap.*

A light sound.

The metal knife and fork in Chen Nian's hands were unconsciously squeezed until they slightly deformed.

He raised his eyes, and in those pitch-black pupils, all the previous calm and indifference vanished without a trace, replaced by a bone-chilling killing intent.

As expected, not a single one of these guys can be left alive!