Chapter 54: Mutual Harm

"You seem not to know what happened."

Tang Luo gripped the broom with two fingers like an iron clamp, leaving it unable to move an inch, completely still.

What happened?

Li Shufen really wasn't clear about it.

She used the Turtle Breath Technique to put herself into a false death state.

Unless the enemy is so deranged as to enjoy dismembering corpses, drawing and quartering, crushing bones and scattering ashes, that sort of thing.

Normally, a bullet wound or a few stab wounds like that.

Would not be fatal.

At the same time, it's extremely hard to discover that she is actually not dead.

Anyway, Li Shufen's Turtle Breath Technique has never been seen through by anyone.

Whether it's the people of the mission world or gods and demons walking.

However, during the Turtle Breath, she truly is like death, knowing nothing of the outside world.

Even if she dies while in the Turtle Breath, she won't notice.

Very peaceful death.

Turtle Breath is also returning to the west.

Li Shufen is very lucky; using this move she has never made a mistake.

Not only did she survive in the perilous Gods and Demons game.

And she lived quite well.

After all, who would suspect a woman in slippers, house clothes, and an apron entering the mission world, being so carefree and quite enthusiastic?

Especially, that auntie encountered danger and died, turning into a complete corpse.

Even if she met sharp individuals, they wouldn't continue to suspect the corpse.

They would only feel suspicious of themselves.

When they discover Li Shufen's true face, it's naturally too late.

Dead people don't speak, and among gods and demons walking, there is no official 'trade hall'.

It relies entirely on everyone's spontaneous awareness.

Li Shufen's secret is unknown to anyone.

Until now!

"Next time before a sneak attack, first observe the surroundings; being too eager makes you flip over." Tang Luo said, slapping his palm upright in front of his chest.

No skill could be used in time.

Li Shufen widened her eyes, her resentful and unwilling expression completely froze.

On the corpse, no sign of any skill appeared.

She really was impatient, because she didn't know what time it was now.

She only knew that fish-belly white had appeared in the sky, and the light was growing.

If she didn't act quickly, she might not get that little monk's equipment.

At the same time, she was playing a seriously injured lucky survivor; where would she get extra energy to carefully observe the surroundings and judge what happened?

Li Shufen merely glanced hastily, confirming the little monk wasn't dead and that the gun she wanted was still there.

The rather intense battle had already ended.

More detailed circumstances, after killing and looting, there would still be time to make a judgment.

Of course, now Li Shufen has forever lost the chance to judge again.

Salvating Li Shufen likewise gave Tang Luo some merit power.

All exceeded the 'kind driver' who sent them to the terminal.

To be honest, Tang Luo really didn't notice any flaw or clue from Li Shufen.

At most, there was some doubt when she swung the broom for a headshot.

There wasn't much precaution beforehand.

Well——no need to guard against it.

If one really encounters a sneak attack, a backstab or whatever, just counter as before.

Li Shufen's biggest mistake was not failing to observe the surroundings.

In fact, she had observed to some extent.

Her biggest mistake was being overly greedy.

An uncontrollable greedy emotion.

"This should be the equipment."

Tang Luo gripped the broom in his hand.

After a while, a piece of information appeared in his mind——

Cleansing

It looks like an ordinary broom, and indeed it is a broom.

It just needs to be sturdier.

In fact, you can use it to smash stones if your strength is sufficient.

Additional skill:

Skull Crush (Passive)

When striking the head, it will burst forth with extra force.

————The bloodstains have been completely cleaned, as if they had never been stained.

As expected.

This seemingly ordinary broom is truly a piece of equipment.

It also comes with a passive skill named 'Skull-Shattering'.

From the final 'note,' it seems this thing has smashed someone's skull before.

Tang Luo stood up holding the broom.

"Huh, suddenly I've become a sweeping monk?"

He suddenly thought to himself, "Too bad there's no skill that comes with a three-foot qi wall."

The equipment is a monk with a broom.

Isn't this a sweeping monk?

He walked back into the small room, sat down, and placed 'Cleaning' and 'Ominous' before him.

For ordinary God-Demon Walkers, Tang Luo's gains are enough to make them jealous and frenzied.

But……

"I don't have equipment that matches my identity."

Tang Luo again made the remark, "Talking while standing doesn't hurt the waist."

Although he doesn't cling to external things, he can use whatever he gets.

But having equipment that matches his identity is undoubtedly better.

Next time he goes to the mission world, one hand a gun, one hand a broom?

The image of an enlightened high monk is about to be ruined.

Tang Luo really wants to ask the 'Gods and Demons': 'Do you trade in unwanted second-hand equipment?'

The last bit of time passed without incident.

The Feng family members ultimately never showed up, which Tang Luo regretted somewhat.

A barely perceptible beam of light fell down.

This time there was no extra way to return.

Tang Luo vanished without a trace within the beam.

It left behind a messy terminal.

It is the terminal of many lives, but it will not be Tang Luo's.

This mission is much simpler than the first Ripper mission.

Without all the fuss, even if Tang Luo is a true novice, three skilled God-Demon Walkers joining forces might not lose to the final corpse-chaser that appears.

The Feng family's pale-faced man came about because K courted death, forcibly breaking into his 'breeding ground,' and Tang Luo then destroyed his trap, which led to this.

If one simply follows the rules and avoids trouble, the pale-faced man would not be drawn out.

From newcomers to 'veterans,' everyone is courting death.

There are those who jump from vehicles, forcibly break into abandoned houses, 'fellow daoists die not poor daoists,' and those who pretend to be pigs to eat tigers, planning to blackmail companions' equipment.

The casualties are so severe that it undoubtedly proves one thing: those who court death will die.

However, speaking of it, for the first mission, if they had chosen to thoroughly search the church from the start, the situation would have been different.

"Another skill."

Appearing in his own home, Tang Luo glanced at the clock hanging in the living room.

There was no difference from when he went with him to complete the mission.

He didn't even have time to move a second.

Aside from the power of merit, the equipment obtained unexpectedly this time belongs to the regular haul of God-Demon Walkers.

Naturally, it is the skill gained after completing the mission.

Originally Tang Luo wondered whether, because they arrived at the terminal a bit late, it wouldn't count as completing the mission.

Now it seems this mission is still relatively lenient.

To spend a night without strict requirements is 'from six in the evening to six in the morning.'

This time the skill Tang Luo obtained is not an offensive skill like 'Empty Palm.'

It is a defensive skill.

Parry

Invisible force forms a defense, blocking possible incoming attacks.

Level 1: Blocks attacks from directly ahead, lasting two seconds.

Level 2: Blocks attacks from directly ahead and left/right, lasting five seconds.

Level 3: Blocks attacks from all four directions—front, back, left, right—lasting ten seconds.

Cooldown: Level 1 is 2 hours, Level 2 is 1 hour, Level 3 is 30 minutes.

Note: If you've got the guts, come hit me!

Fortunately, the note is just a note, not a required condition to activate the skill.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be 'Parry,' but 'Mockery.'

Two missions.

In the end, there are two skills and two pieces of equipment.

Tang Luo put away the Ominous and Cleaning, changed into home clothes, and happily ordered takeout.

Two days later.

The doorbell rang.

Tang Luo looked through the peephole; outside was a young woman he didn't know.

She was very good-looking, pretty, especially in an OL outfit with black stockings and a tight miniskirt, easily sparking imagination.

At a glance you could tell it was a honey-coated bullet.

Tang Luo calmly opened the door and said, "I'm not selling or buying a house; the lease still has six months left. Leave your business card, and I'll contact you if I need anything."

Pretty or not-so-pretty mid-level young lady.

After Tang Luo became a landlord, he often received calls and had seen quite a few.

Looking back now, it's really nostalgic.

"Um—"

The black-stocking young lady outside froze.

"Why are you so skilled?"

Tang Luo reached out.

The black-stocking young lady stared at Tang Luo's hand—this hand is really nice-looking, fingers clean and slender, lines distinct.

"Business card."

Tang Luo reminded her.

This kind of gaze is common among female spirits in the Journey to the West; moreover, he's quite used to it being blunt.

"Oh."

The black-stocking young lady came to her senses, took out a business card from her bag and said, "I'm not a broker pushing sales."

"Isn't it?" Tang Luo looked at the business card.

It really wasn't a broker's honey-coated bullet; she was a reporter named Qin Menglan.

"Miss Qin, what do you need from me?"

Tang Luo asked.

Qin Menglan looked left and right, lowered her voice and asked, "Do you know about the serial murder case in Xihang City?"

"I don't know." Tang Luo shook his head.

As a law-abiding good citizen, he had promised the police to keep his mouth shut.

"Hehe."

Qin Menglan smiled, a little smug, "Since I could find this place, it proves I've got the information—don't try to fool me."

"Since you already have it, why are you still coming to me?" Tang Luo rebutted, with reason and evidence.

"..."

Qin Menglan fell into thought, then after a moment opened her mouth and asked, "Don't you want to know the truth of the case?"

"It's not the disc fairy killing people, is it?" Tang Luo asked.

Acting master online.

"Don't you know that after the founding of the country, becoming a spirit is forbidden? Where would a disc fairy come from?" Qin Menglan said, equally reasonable.

"Oh, that's just man-made then." Tang Luo said.

"Won't you let me in? I have some questions I want to ask you, and I can also tell you the truth." Qin Menglan said with a smile.

A finger raised to her lips, the feeling of a honey-coated bullet became even more obvious.

But Xuanzang Master is actually the type who would easily fall for it.

If he were that type, he would have been drained dry during the Journey to the West long ago.

"No."

Tang Luo closed the door with a righteous expression.

"What's going on?"

She really is a pure reporter who got hold of some internal information.

"Or perhaps..."

"Tang Luo, open the door!"

Before Tang Luo could figure out a clue.

The door was knocked on, bang bang.

Qin Menglan's voice had strong penetrative power.

"You heartless scoundrel, how could you treat me like this?! I'm pregnant with your child!" What a ruthless woman!

That's really over the top.

Today is Sunday; the neighbors are all lazy at home, resting and recuperating.

If it got out, Xuanzang Master's reputation would be ruined.

How could that be allowed?

We must fight back.

"Open the door, open the door!"

Noticing that some people had already poked their heads out to watch the spectacle, Qin Menglan's acting skills exploded, instantly bringing on a sobbing tone.

The door opened, and Tang Luo grabbed Qin Menglan's little fists.

"You—"

Qin Menglan widened her eyes.

"Don't be stupid! You're my stepmother; we could never be!"

The loud voice made Qin Menglan's small mouth instantly open wide.

"Hmph, young people."

Yeah!

After one second, Qin Menglan reacted, "Yeah, only you and your sister could possibly! We can't! What am I lacking compared to your sister!"

Come on, let's hurt each other!

Anyway, I don't live here.

Sporadic onlookers and eavesdroppers instantly became excited.

Even resting at home you can watch this lively scene, how exciting!