Chapter 10: 10 Turning Point

10 Turning Point

So this is the power of an Aberration…

Through the connection with Heishanyang, borrowing its "eyes" to observe this world, Li Ang vaguely understood why it had been able to lock onto the Bandaged Woman's position from a distance of two streets.

Within his "Soul Vision," which had a radius of roughly two kilometers, every person's soul possessed a wildly different hue—not the physical colors of red, orange, yellow, or green, but a wondrous chromaticity beyond the reach of the naked eye and the spectrum, perceptible only to the soul.

Those joyful, positive souls appeared in pure, blazing hues, while those gloomy, obsessive flames of emotion appeared murky and dark.

Yet the tall woman before him, wrapped entirely in bandages, possessed a startling "brightness" alongside an incomparably "profound" dark side. Light and shadow were sharply divided, yet at every moment they were madly tearing at each other. Among the gray, hazy souls around her, she could be picked out at a single glance.

Enthusiasm, warmth, kindness, love… The goodwill she had just shown him was not feigned, but the coldness, viciousness, hatred, and madness of her dark side were equally real.

Li Ang truly could not imagine how these nearly completely opposing emotions could forcefully squeeze into the same person's soul without wearing each other down.

……

"Hahaha, kid, scared by my power, huh?"

Seeing Li Ang stand in a daze for quite a while without speaking, and assuming he had been awestruck by obtaining "Soul Vision" for the first time, Heishanyang craned its neck and said arrogantly:

"Although I got killed off once, I used to be a big-shot Greater Demon—one glance from me could stir up the evil thoughts in the hearts of a million living beings! Even if all I've got left now is two horns, it's still not something ordinary trash can compare to!"

"Mm-hmm…"

Nodding along, Li Ang sighed, half-sincerely and half-flatteringly:

"Even setting aside that ability to amplify evil thoughts, just being able to see souls within a two-kilometer range is already extraordinary. With your ability, I'm sure I can find that out-of-control Infected!"

That's right!

Hearing Li Ang's flattery, Heishanyang couldn't help but proudly toss its head back.

Sure, I don't have much in the way of combat power—can't even beat some rube with a pitchfork, almost got pinned down and taken by him—but my ability is definitely practical, especially that full two kilometers of…

"Wait? Your Soul Vision's diameter is two kilometers?"

Hearing this, Li Ang couldn't help but pause briefly, then shook his head:

"No."

Phew! Gave me a scare!

Hearing Li Ang's denial, Heishanyang couldn't help but let out a long breath.

All because of that damned redhead, I'm seriously weakened right now—my vision diameter is barely a little over two kilometers. If this kid also had a two-kilometer vision diameter, wouldn't he almost be catching up to me? Lucky he didn't…

"Two kilometers is the radius of my Soul Vision."

"……"

?!

Hearing Li Ang's words, both Heishanyang and the Bandaged Woman's figures stiffened at once. Especially Heishanyang—the shock and envy on that black face of his was practically spilling over.

Your vision radius is two kilometers? My vision diameter is only a damn two kilometers! Damn it! The ability I lent you, and you actually use it better than me?!

"Hold on."

Glancing at Heishanyang, whose expression was a mix of shock and fury, the Bandaged Woman, who had just been wearing a look of guilt, straightened her face, pointed at Heishanyang, and asked in astonishment:

"You just received its recognition and gained its ability? You can see the colors of other people's souls now too?"

Psh! Like hell I recognize him! Give the ability back right now! I'm taking it back!

Under Heishanyang's glaring stare, brimming with envy, Li Ang nodded and said:

"Yes, for example, your soul is…"

"…black and white…"

"Prove it to me!"

Cutting Li Ang off, the tall Bandaged Woman, whose eyes seemed to burn with scorching flames, gripped Li Ang's shoulders tightly and said excitedly:

"I don't know what my own soul looks like—don't tell me what you saw. Since you've gained that goat's ability, then amplify my evil thoughts and let me feel it!"

"……"

Looking at the Bandaged Woman, whose eyes were blazing with excitement, and feeling the iron-pincers grip on his shoulders, Li Ang's breathing suddenly quickened.

It seems… she has something very urgent she needs to borrow Heishanyang's power for? Then if I use this as a condition, can I get her to…

"I'll help you!"

Seeing through Li Ang's thoughts at once, without him even needing to speak, the Bandaged Woman, who had just sternly refused and declared she absolutely wouldn't take the risk, promised with blazing eyes:

"As long as you prove it to me, and promise to help me one more time afterward, I'll go to the hospital immediately!"

"Deal!"

Not expecting such a dramatic turn of events, Li Ang was overjoyed. He immediately hugged the goat's head tight against his chest, tried to send his will outward, and gently drew upon the dark side of the Bandaged Woman's soul.

Boom!!!

As if a long-suppressed volcano had been completely detonated, countless ferocious black "flames" instantly exploded outward and burned their way back along Li Ang's will.

The Bandaged Woman's gaze also changed in a flash. Within those eyes that had been full of excitement and joy, something sharper than a blade, colder than a glacier, something that made the soul tremble, instantly spread.

Just from meeting her eyes for a single instant, Li Ang felt his breath catch sharply, and for the first time understood what was meant by "killing intent given form."

The way the Bandaged Woman was looking at him now had gone beyond the realm of anger and hatred—she was looking at him like a lump of rotten meat mixed with bone and blood, as if she would pounce the next second and tear him apart completely!

"Sorry…"

Releasing the hands that had been clutching Li Ang's throat, and looking at the handprints that quickly turned from red to dark, the Bandaged Woman apologized with eyes full of guilt:

"I… lost control for a moment… I'm sorry, I'll compensate you—money or anything else, whatever you want."

"No… cough… no… cough cough!"

So… I really almost got strangled to death?

Recovering from that gaze from moments ago, Li Ang, whose throat hurt like death, kept waving his hands while bending over in a dry cough, his eyes full of the relief of having survived a disaster.

Lucky he hadn't dared to use much "force," only gently prodding. If he had stirred up just a little more of the Bandaged Woman's dark side, he might really have been strangled to death on the spot.

"Heh, idiot!"

Watching Hearing Li Ang cough repeatedly, Hearing Heishanyang, who had been silently observing the whole scene, couldn't resist gloating and taunting:

"You can't even redirect the target's malice to someone else? You should just give the ability back to me. A good ability like this being used by you is a complete waste!"

Give the ability "back" to you? You mean the ability you've already lent me can't be taken back on your own?

Having keenly caught the information in Heishanyang's words, Li Ang silently noted this intel in his heart, then with an earnest expression began to ask for guidance:

"Could you teach me how to…"

"No!"

Not even giving him the chance to finish his sentence, Heishanyang, displeased at being outdone by a mere human, snorted:

"Give it up! Our deal ends here!"

"Even if I never get Gao Te to draw me again, even if I get bullied by that red-haired woman every day, even if I get thrown back into the sheep pen in Wiltshire County, I still won't teach you a single thing more!"