Chapter 333: The Fisherman's Profit

The black hair sphere, about the size of a millstone, halted less than a meter from Jiang Yuan.

The extreme cold aura, like a steel saw, drew a piercing howl through the air.

The collar of Jiang Yuan's combat suit quivered violently, and a fine layer of gooseflesh rose instantly on his skin.

Yet he didn't retreat; his foot planted in the mud‑soaked flesh beneath him, steady as a steel pile welded to the rails.

The Black Water Realm churned wildly, the pitch‑black viscous liquid slamming the ruins' edge and splashing waves taller than a person.

Ling Xinyu, who had been wildly dancing in midair, now froze, her pallid face fixed.

Her twin black voids, shedding blood‑stained tears, stared intently at Jiang Yuan; her long hair fluttered slightly, as if hesitating whether to crush the three people before her.

In Lin Fan, clarity in the left eye and madness in the right eye tugged at each other constantly, making his face twist into a snarling mask.

"What did you say?"

"Save her?"

Jiang Yuan inhaled deeply, his gaze passing over Lin Fan's shoulder toward the towering TV Tower that pierced the heavens.

He took a small step forward, even though the Black Water was already rising close to his ankles.

The soul‑freezing chill crawled up from the soles of his feet, yet he did not stop.

"Lin Fan, I know you."

"One could say we were alike, at least once we were very alike."

"The ultimate purpose of establishing the Federal Weird Investigation Bureau was never to contain the Weird."

"What we aim to do is to utterly end the phenomenon of the Weird."

"If we obtain the Ultimate Wish Machine atop the TV Tower, I will reset this world."

Jiang Yuan's voice echoed across the open Square, carrying an undeniable force.

"Let the Weird never descend, let those murderers never succeed, let Ling Xinyu never endure that desperate afternoon."

"I will return to the past with all memories, and before the tragedy occurs, crush those scums into the earth."

"By then, she will become again the girl reading in the library, not the current Fierce Ghost full of resentment, able to live only in shadows."

"That, is what truly saves her."

"It also saves you."

"And countless people."

"That is also why I joined the Investigation Bureau."

The Square fell into dead silence.

Only the muffled thud of Black Water lapping the ruins echoed.

Lin Fan hesitated, uncertain.

Ling Xinyu's hair strands suddenly softened.

The black hair clusters studded with barbs dissolved in midair, turning into strands of smooth long hair that gently draped over Lin Fan's shoulders.

One strand looped around Lin Fan's cuff and twirled lightly on his wrist.

It was a very gentle gesture.

It was like, when she was alive, shyly pulling his school uniform sleeve by the playground.

He stared at his hand enshrouded in black vapor, the blue flame in his eyes dimming bit by bit.

"Reset the world... can it really be done?"

Lin Fan muttered to himself.

Su Ming clutched his chest, took two steps forward, his complexion still pallid.

"I have mastered the power of spacetime, and roughly understand the underlying logic behind it."

"As long as the energy level is high enough, altering reality is not impossible."

"But the premise is... we must be able to make a wish."

Su Ming's gaze suddenly sharpened, looking into the distance.

"The final red beam is rushing toward us."

Jiang Yuan felt a weight settle in his heart.

Chen Shao.

The guy who had been hiding in the shadows, attempting to create the Monster Eden.

If Chen Shao were given the final chance, this world would become an even larger, blood‑soaked breeding ground.

Jiang Yuan turned his head, staring at Lin Fan.

"The person who will arrive later... he is the real threat. He treats lives like weeds and even enjoys it."

"If he arrives and sees us still squabbling, he will swallow us all without hesitation."

"How about we team up first, and deal with the rest later?"

"At least neither you nor I are villains, right?"

Lin Fan let out a cold snort, and a spark of blue flame flared again in his right eye.

"I'll go along with you for now; I don't want to be left to reap the Fisherman's profit."

"What do you plan?"

A plan flashed rapidly through Jiang Yuan's mind.

"He is certainly trying to pick up a cheap advantage from behind now."

"Since he enjoys being the yellow bird, we'll stage a scene for him, letting that yellow bird crash straight into the net."

Liang Wen's eyes lit up as he listened from the side.

"I'm well versed in this job!"

When it comes to acting and staging, I'm the top‑ranked one in the Investigation Bureau.

Jiang Yuan ignored Liang Wen's self‑praise and looked straight at Su Ming.

Su Ming, cooperate with me and use Space Distortion to create a deep pit.

Lin Fan, put away your Black Water, lower your breath to the minimum, and disguise yourself as severely wounded.

Lin Fan gave Jiang Yuan a deep look, then finally nodded.

Ling Xinyu behind him turned into a wisp of smoke and slipped back into his Shadow.

The Black Water Area that had covered the Square began to recede rapidly like the tide, leaving only a thin layer beneath Lin Fan's feet.

Su Ming planted both hands on the ground, and an invisible wave radiated outward from him.

The already dilapidated cement ground in the middle of the Square, under the frantic kneading of Spatial Force, instantly collapsed three to four meters downward, its edges riddled with snarling cracks.

It looked as if it had been struck head‑on by some immensely strong horizontal force.

Jiang Yuan was not idle either.

He tore open his combat suit, deliberately leaving a deep scar on his left shoulder; Shadow Qi coiled around the wound, appearing wilted.

Lin Fan half‑kneeling at the pit's bottom, gulped breath heavily, his face looking especially pallid under the red glow.

The blue fire in his right eye went out, leaving only a dim gray‑blue.

Just as the few of them each took their positions.

A leisurely round of applause sounded from behind a pile of broken walls at the edge of the Square.

Clap.

Clap.

Clap.

The applause rang sharply in the dead silence of the night.

Chen Shao, dressed in a black fitted coat, walked out with composed steps.

His hair was neatly groomed, and his leather shoes made little noise on the shattered bricks and tiles.

Behind him followed the boy whose mouth had been sewn shut with a black line, Xu An.

Xu An carried the Red Wood Ruler, his bare feet standing on dark‑red flesh, like a lifeless puppet.

Chen Shao halted.

His eyes swept over Lin Fan at the pit's bottom and Jiang Yuan, who was holding his sword not far away.

A hint of restrained smile curved his mouth, his tone steady as if reviewing a stage play.

"The Investigation Bureau's 'Shadow Lord', and this little brother with his gorgeous female companion, you've made quite a lively scene."

"Look at this Square, see how you've torn it apart."

He took a few steps forward, and Xu An followed like a shadow.

"What a spectacular beast‑in‑a‑cage fight, but alas… the winner is me."