[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h":3,"chapter-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-55":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Devouring Evil, Exterminating Demons Across All Heavens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2267000,4426,"Chapter 55: Warehouse, Baseball Bat","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-55",55,"\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu heard him say that and suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were an animated story, that most ordinary little shop would surely be the site of something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it would happen just as Fang Jun walked inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu simply got out of the car and followed to see what was going on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun ordered two char siu bao, two glutinous rice bao, and two cups of soy milk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clerk wore a mask; from her eyebrows and eyes, she was a young woman, swiftly packing the bao with tongs while still pitching sales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Today we have freshly squeezed orange juice—each cup comes with two free egg tarts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun nodded: “Then two of those too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything was packed into a plastic bag, and nothing strange happened inside the shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu took his share and smiled strangely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably because the city’s atmosphere was so different from the peaceful serenity of his hometown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be why he associated it with a city straight out of an animated film.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun drove him down a narrow road, and soon they reached the seaside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground was paved with red bricks, there were public benches, stainless steel notice boards, and willows swaying along the shore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting on the bench, you could see the sea directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across several hundred meters of water lay another stretch of residential buildings and warehouses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu sat on the bench, pulled out a char siu bao, and took a bite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The char siu bao was as large as an adult’s palm, with a thick but fluffy crust—biting into it didn’t feel greasy at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun didn’t take a bite first; instead, he tore it open and started eating from the edge of one half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu chewed quickly, subtly opening his mouth wider, and in three or four bites, finished the entire bun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up the glutinous rice bao, and this first bite brought a pleasant surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glutinous rice inside was savory and fresh, with a texture like a large shaomai, yet softer and less greasy than any shaomai he’d ever eaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the savory flavor, he could taste the fragrance of the rice itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu said, “This is better than the char siu bao. Let’s buy a few more for dinner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun said, “Don’t fixate on just one shop—we’re driving around anyway. Eat wherever we end up tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back home, he was used to sticking to two or three favorite shops, but out here, he naturally followed local advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wondered whether Fang Jun, when it came to food, would be as knowledgeable as Meng Shuangjiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu sized him up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, judging by his build, Fang Jun’s expertise in food probably amounted to no more than half of Meng Shuangjiang’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he eats so slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu considered himself a thorough chewer, but by the time he finished and drank his soy milk, Fang Jun had barely finished his first char siu bao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The willows swayed in the wind, opening up his chest and mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu walked back to the car, picked up the plastic box, and strolled toward the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the moment the plastic box reached the shore, the spinning silver needle suddenly reversed half its rotation and locked onto a direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu quickened his pace, strode far to the left, then turned back and walked right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he confirmed—the needle wasn’t pointing at the small boats on the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was pointing at a warehouse across the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun noticed his odd behavior and walked over with the egg tarts and orange juice to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Over there!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun said at once, “Get in the car.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sports car turned a corner, crossed a bridge quickly, and arrived at a low-lying flatland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground had been paved with cement, but it wasn’t level—likely from heavy trucks driving over it, cracking and denting the surface in many places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The warehouse built here looked old.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some shipping containers had flaking blue paint and patches of rust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu held the plastic box to pinpoint the location, found the right warehouse, circled around slightly, and located its entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the warehouse’s iron door handle hung a thick green iron chain, about a thumb’s width, unlocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun walked over; the two exchanged a glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They said nothing, but both raised their guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a lion uses full strength against a rabbit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Wenju’s recorded abilities weren’t impressive, but caution was still wise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun lowered his right hand, flicked his index and middle fingers outward—two playing cards spun like a fan, appearing between his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu stepped forward and pulled open the iron door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to safety regulations, warehouse doors typically open outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, the warehouse was dim. The moment Chu Tianshu pulled the door open, a baseball bat swung down from the darkness, striking straight at his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blur suddenly struck the bat-wielder’s arm from the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a playing card—it was Chu Tianshu’s toe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speed of his kick was like a thick ox-hide slingshot, stretched to its limit, suddenly released.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His left foot kicked and jerked, never touching the ground—his second strike landed squarely on the man’s chest and abdomen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man arched his back and flew backward, the baseball bat still spinning midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu stepped sideways in, reached out with his right hand, and caught the bat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were five men inside the warehouse—all young and strong, each holding a metal baseball bat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s a saying: globally, baseball bats are used to hit heads more often than to hit balls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These bats felt excellent in hand, embodying the beauty of violence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These men’s minds seemed equally filled with violence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their comrade thrown back, the other four still charged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been scattered in different positions, with sacks and wooden crates nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet as they charged, they instantly lined up side by side, showing clear experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four men shoulder to shoulder, four bats swung outward simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this formation, they must have often applied the truth behind “two fists can’t fight four hands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad they picked the wrong target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s bat suddenly slashed through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forearms of all four men were brushed by the bat’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it wasn’t a direct strike but a glancing sweep, it could brush all four arms at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet that smooth, edgeless bat head, merely brushing past, left each forearm as if swept by a spiked board.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each lost a chunk of flesh; blood sprayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid screams, the four baseball bats clattered to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu had already stepped back, letting the bats fall without touching his shoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One step back, then immediately one step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s bat pressed against a man’s throat, his left hand still firmly holding the plastic box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man pressed against the bat fell silent, sweat pouring down from his curly, yellowish hair, his face pale with terror, too frightened to cry out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt his hand had just been swept by a circular saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that “circular saw” had swept his neck, he couldn’t even imagine it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others, clutching their arms and stomachs, gritted their teeth, faces tight with fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu scanned the warehouse, his gaze cold, “Why did you attack me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wasn’t there an old man in this warehouse? Where is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun pulled the iron door wider, letting in a flood of sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thugs all flinched from the light, feeling as if Chu Tianshu stood bathed in blazing radiance, making their scalps tingle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun had held back, watching for more surprises—but now seeing only these five thugs, he frowned and pulled out an identification card, waving it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Special Task Force investigating a case.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun said, “You attacked the consultant we brought in—that’s a serious crime, do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think about who would pay a fortune to get you out of this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun knew well that in these thugs’ minds, the status of peace officers was delicate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior peace officers carried enough deterrent power to intimidate them, yet also provided a degree of protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many things they wouldn’t dare say to other factions’ enforcers, they found easier to speak to peace officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re from the special task force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first one who had been kicked flying got up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s kick hadn’t been meant to kill—he’d used only a long-range striking force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the man was in so much pain he feared his stomach had been ruptured; after a fearful glance at Chu Tianshu, he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re men under Brother Hong from the western yachts. Several of our brothers have served as your informants.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This was all a misunderstanding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun pulled his sunglasses down, looking up at them with rolled eyes, his face revealing an unsettling expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A misunderstanding? You come at us and start swinging—surely you deserve a spell in jail.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Jun said coldly, “First answer our questions: Was there an old man here originally? Why are you guarding this place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Tianshu’s gaze also swept to the face of the man clutching his stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man hurriedly said, “It was Brother Yong—oh, Brother Hong’s younger brother. A few days ago, he was ambushed here by an old man, and several of our brothers ended up in intensive care.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With nothing else to do, we heard about it and came to lie in wait. If we could help Brother Yong get revenge, we’d earn favor with Brother Hong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We don’t know anything else. I—I’ll take you to see Brother Hong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1614,"2026-06-19T20:45:51.976Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","906ce2d5487aeef23001b3c768e44f4882c4e2dba8b17bce9affc8c9a5fabe8d","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-56","devouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-chapter-54",155,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdevouring-evil-exterminating-demons-across-all-h-cover.jpg"]