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"Buzz..."
The red light on the altar grew brighter, and the police officer's face became paler and paler, his lips already purple.
"Uh uh..."
The young police officer's throat emitted a hoarse sound. His eyes turned white, and finally, his body weakly slumped onto the altar, motionless.
"He's dead..."
A middle-aged police officer reached out to check the fallen officer's breath and pulse, realizing he was no longer breathing.
"Buzz!"
At this moment, the numerous tiny characters and patterns on the altar seemed to come alive, emitting dazzling red light that illuminated the entire tunnel hall.
"Ah ah ah...!!"
The twenty police officers, enveloped in the dazzling red light, screamed in agony.
"Thump-thump-thump..."
Inside the tunnel, Inês and the others heard the screams, their faces drastically changing as they sped up their escape.
"Quick, let's go up!"
Rushing out of the stone archway and onto the elevator at the bottom of the deep pit, they pressed the ascent button, and the elevator slowly began to rise.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."
Faint sounds of air being torn reached them.
Inês and her group of ten were about to reach the surface, sighing with relief, but they didn't notice the danger beneath them.
"Puff puff puff..."
Black lines penetrated the bottom of the elevator, piercing upwards from beneath their feet.
In an instant, the ten people didn't even have time to scream before they were dismembered by countless black lines. Blood splattered, and a rain of blood fell within the deep pit.
At the edge of the deep pit's top, two police officers guarding the pit stared dumbfounded at the scene below.
"Puff puff..."
Dense, soft sounds rang out. The two police officers' bodies were instantly pierced and torn apart by countless black lines.
"What's going on?"
At the construction site, an artifact bureau staff member heard the strange sound and looked curiously.
"Ah~!"
He only had time to let out a scream before his body was swallowed by a black torrent of black lines.
"This, what is this..."
The other police officers on the construction site looked at the black lines, which were like living creatures, constantly weaving and piercing through human bodies in mid-air. Fear rose in their hearts.
"Run!"
However, the moment they turned around, their feet hadn't even landed.
"Puff."
Their bodies were pierced and torn by a large number of black lines that chased them down.
Cabinda Hotel.
Illumi, King Bradley, Ikalshangpe, and Greed were all awake. The selection of special talents had already begun. They were all waiting now, waiting for the first batch of successful test-takers.
"We have a guest."
Illumi suddenly spoke, and the atmosphere in the room instantly quieted. His En (Nen ability, 'Sphere') was always maintained; this was also part of his training. In fact, even without En, he could sense anyone approaching him through his innate abilities. After long periods of meditation and training, his abilities had changed again, allowing him to sense living beings within a certain range. However, it was limited to living beings and emotional beings. Unlike En, he couldn't clearly detect any faint activity within the range.
"Tap tap..."
A moment later, there was a knock on the door. The knock was rhythmic.
"Greed."
Illumi said softly. Greed grimaced unhappily and got up to open the door.
"Creak~"
Greed gripped the doorknob and gently opened the door. A young man dressed as a gentleman appeared before everyone.
"Excuse me, are you King Bradley?"
Ismail wore a false, gentle smile, which made Greed's face instinctively turn ugly.
"However, you don't seem to fit the rumored image."
"It seems, it's the uncle in the white shirt inside."
Ismail smiled, stepping inward, intending to bypass Greed and enter the room.
"Hmm?"
However, Greed stood at the doorway, not yielding an inch. At 1.85 meters tall, Greed was a full head taller than him, looking down at him with a condescending gaze.
"Excuse me, could you please move aside?"
Ismail smiled, but his eyes held a grim expression.
"I'm sorry, I have trouble with my legs."
Greed's lips curled into a sneer, his eyes filled with disdain, adopting a defiant posture.
"Let him in, Greed."
Illumi's deep voice resonated in the room. Greed frowned tightly and unhappily stepped aside. He had originally wanted to grab this arrogant young man and give him a good beating to vent his frustration.
Ismail stepped over the threshold and stood at the doorway, scanning the room's interior.
"Found it."
Soon, his gaze locked onto a coffin in the room and a box on the table in front of King Bradley.
"Ismail, a one-star ruin hunter."
"A third-rate hunter who excavates ruins for fame."
Suddenly, Ikalshangpe's deep and solemn voice rang out from the computer, directly stating the newcomer's name and his evaluation of him.
"Mr. Ismail, are you very concerned about that coffin?"
Illumi and the other three naturally noticed his lingering gaze on the coffin and the box. To ensure that no one could touch that bizarre body, Illumi and the others specifically bought a coffin and carried it with them. Although such behavior seemed very strange to outsiders, it was the safest approach.
"Unauthorized theft of artifacts is a criminal act."
Ismail's face once again donned a smile. He had originally come with a condescending attitude. However, someone among them immediately recognized his identity. At least in terms of intelligence, this team was doing well. And now, it seemed that these people were too calm after knowing his identity.
Furthermore, the person in the computer's evaluation of him bothered him. To be called a "third-rate hunter."
"But, if you can return it."
Ismail stepped towards the coffin, a confident smile on his face.
"I think the local government of Pegroset will, for my sake, let bygones be bygones."
"Slap."
Ismail's footsteps paused. The corner of his eye caught his left shoulder, where a large hand rested.
"I think it's better to kill him. This person doesn't have a good reputation in the circle."
Ikalshangpe's voice sounded again. Ismail's face twitched, and a transparent aura covered his hands. Greed, too, revealed a cruel smile, his eyes glowing red, and his "Strongest Shield" extended upwards from his neck.
"Beep beep..."
Suddenly, a telephone ring interrupted everyone's movements, drawing all their gazes.
"Opportunity!"
A glint flashed in Ismail's eyes. He abruptly turned, his right hand covered in aura, grabbing towards Greed's body.
"Puff..."
With a soft sound, Ismail's right hand easily plunged into Greed's body. A confident smile appeared on his face.
"You're finished. If you don't want to die, then..."
Before he could finish, Greed's five fingers clasped around his throat. With a series of "crack" sounds, his neck limply slumped backward as if a bamboo stick had snapped.
Ismail's mouth opened, and his body fell backward. Before dying, his eyes still held a look of confusion.
Why were there no internal organs in this person's body?
Was he not human?
"I am King Bradley."
At this moment, King Bradley slowly picked up the phone.
"King, the ancient ruins have revived!"
Javier's urgent voice came through the phone.
"Quickly inform..."
Javier's voice abruptly cut off. The phone went "fizz," and the call ended.