Chapter 7: Blood, Sweat, and UV Lights
The VIP lounge of the Blue Moon Nightclub had turned into a nightmare strobe-light disco.
FLASH.
A hideous, skinless monster lunged.
DARKNESS.
Ye Feng rolled over a leather sofa, narrowly avoiding claws that shredded the upholstery.
FLASH.
Ye Feng slashed with his combat knife, cutting a deep line into the monster's shoulder.
"You rat!" Mo Fan shrieked. His voice was gurgling now, as his vocal cords were melting under the intense UV flares. "You ruined my disguise! Do you know how long it took to cultivate that face?!"
The club was in chaos. Civilians were stampeding toward the exits, guided by Dragon Guard agents who had stormed the main floor.
In the VIP section, it was just Ye Feng and the monster.
Mo Fan, despite his weakened state, was still a Qi Condensation cultivator. He raised a hand, and the blood spilled on the floor from the broken glasses levitated.
"Blood Art: Crimson Needles!"
Swish-Swish-Swish!
The blood droplets hardened into crystal spikes and shot toward Ye Feng like bullets.
Ye Feng's pupils constricted. He couldn't dodge them all.
Thunder Step!
His body blurred, turning into a streak of blue static. He zig-zagged through the room.
Thud-Thud-Thud.
Needles pierced the walls, the sofa, and the floor right behind his heels. One grazed his cheek, drawing a line of blood.
"Too slow!" Mo Fan laughed maniacally. He leaped onto the ceiling—sticking to it like a spider—and crawled rapidly toward Ye Feng.
"System!" Ye Feng gritted his teeth. "I need an edge! Is there anything else in this room I can use?!"
[Eye of Truth: Tactical Scan]
[Target: Sprinkler System]
[Status: Disabled by fire safety override.]
[Secret (Blue): The water tank on the roof is mixed with 'Holy Ash' meant to deter spirits (superstitious owner). If activated, the water will be highly corrosive to Demonic Cultivators.]
"Holy water? Seriously?" Ye Feng almost laughed. "Thank you, superstitious owner!"
He looked at the ceiling. Mo Fan was right above him, preparing to drop.
Ye Feng reached into his spatial ring. He didn't pull out a weapon. He pulled out a Flashbang Grenade (stolen from the Dragon Guard armory earlier that day).
"Hey, Ugly!" Ye Feng shouted, looking up.
Mo Fan hissed. "DIE!"
He dropped.
Ye Feng pulled the pin and threw the grenade straight up. Then he dove under a heavy oak table.
BANG!
A blinding white light and a deafening concussion wave exploded in the small room.
"AAAAHHH!" Mo Fan screamed again, his sensitive, skinless eyes burning. He crashed onto the table, shattering it, but Ye Feng had already rolled away.
Ye Feng scrambled to the wall and smashed the red glass box labeled "FIRE ALARM." He didn't just pull the lever; he ripped the mechanism out of the wall.
WHOOSH.
The sprinklers overhead burst to life.
Water rained down. But this wasn't normal water. It was gray and clouded with ash.
As soon as it touched Mo Fan's raw flesh, it sizzled like acid.
"SSSSSS!" Mo Fan writhed on the floor, smoke rising from his body. "It burns! What is this?!"
"Holy Water, courtesy of the house!" Ye Feng shouted.
He saw his chance. Mo Fan was blinded, burned, and weakened.
Ye Feng put away the knife. He needed finishing power.
He drew the Astral Thunder Sword.
"Thunder Sovereign... lend me your power."
Ye Feng channeled 80% of his remaining Qi into the blade. The blue light of the sword illuminated the dark, rainy room.
"Thunder Flash: Execution Style!"
Ye Feng moved. He was a lightning bolt.
He closed the distance instantly. Mo Fan sensed the threat and tried to raise a blood shield, but he was too slow.
SHING.
Ye Feng slashed horizontally.
The blue arc cut through the rain, through the blood shield, and through Mo Fan's neck.
Silence.
Mo Fan's body stiffened. His head slowly slid off his shoulders, his expression frozen in a mix of rage and agony.
The body collapsed into a pile of black sludge.
[Ding!]
[Mission Complete: The Nightclub Nightmare.]
[Target Eliminated: Mo Fan (Qi Condensation Stage 2 - Weakened).]
[Reward: 2000 System Points + Low-Grade Spirit Weapon: 'Blood Weaver Gloves'.]
[Bonus: You have absorbed a trace of the target's Blood Qi. Constitution +5.]
Ye Feng fell to his knees, gasping for air. His Qi reserves were almost empty. His body ached from the Thunder Step backlash.
"Ye Feng!"
The door to the VIP lounge was kicked open. Su Su rushed in, holding a heavy pulse rifle. Commander Lin was right behind her.
They stopped, staring at the scene. The melted furniture, the sizzling black sludge, and Ye Feng kneeling in the 'holy rain', holding a glowing blue sword.
Su Su lowered her gun. Her jaw dropped.
"You... you killed him? A Qi Condensation demon?"
Ye Feng looked up, wiping wet hair from his face. He flashed a tired grin.
"I told you. The owner should fix his sprinklers."
Commander Lin walked over to the pile of sludge. She poked it with her boot.
"Good work," Lin said, rare approval in her eyes. "This was a high-level threat. You just saved dozens of lives."
She looked at the sword in Ye Feng's hand.
"And that sword... I assume you have a permit for a Divine Artifact?" she asked dryly.
"It's a family heirloom," Ye Feng lied without blinking.
"Right," Lin smirked. "Get up, 'Heirloom Holder'. We have to clean this up before the press arrives. And Ye Feng?"
"Yes, Commander?"
"You're getting a promotion. Private First Class."
Ye Feng stood up, his legs wobbling. "Does that come with a raise?"
"500 credits a month."
"Cheapskates," Ye Feng muttered, but he accepted Su Su's help to walk out.
Two Days Later - Su Corporation Tower.
Ye Feng stood in the lobby of the tallest building in River City. It was a monolith of glass and steel, reaching into the clouds.
He wore a new suit—bought with his bonus money. It wasn't Armanî, but it fit well. He looked sharp, dangerous, and confident.
He approached the reception desk.
"I have an appointment with President Su," Ye Feng said.
The receptionist looked him up and down. Unlike the usual snobs, she smiled professionally. "Name?"
"Ye Feng."
"Ah, Mr. Ye. President Su is expecting you on the top floor. Please use the private elevator."
Ye Feng walked to the elevator. Inside, he checked his reflection.
"Time to cash in that favor."
The elevator shot up 80 floors in seconds.
The doors opened into a massive office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire city.
Su Qing sat behind a desk made of black obsidian. She wore a white business suit that contrasted with her cold demeanor. She was writing something, her Qi aura suppressed but palpable.
"You're late," Su Qing said without looking up.
"Traffic," Ye Feng used his standard excuse. He walked in and sat in the chair opposite her without asking.
Su Qing stopped writing. She looked up, her icy blue eyes examining him.
"I heard about the Blue Moon incident," she said. "A mysterious new Dragon Guard agent killed a demon. People say he used lightning."
"River City is full of rumors," Ye Feng smiled.
"Indeed," Su Qing leaned back. "I investigated you, Ye Feng. An orphan. Failed student. Delivery boy. Then suddenly, in three days, you become a martial arts master, an artifacts expert, and a demon slayer. Tell me... who is your master?"
"I am self-taught," Ye Feng said.
"Liar," Su Qing said, but she didn't press it. Everyone had secrets. "Let's talk business. You exposed the Chen family's fraud. The engagement is broken. My family is... relieved, but also in a difficult position. The Chen family has cut off our supply of 'Spirit Herbs'."
She slid a file across the desk.
"We need a new supplier. Or a new source. You seem to have a knack for finding hidden things. Can you help us?"
Ye Feng didn't open the file.
"I can," Ye Feng said. "But my services aren't cheap."
"Name your price."
Ye Feng leaned forward.
"I don't want money."
"Then what?"
"I want access," Ye Feng said. "Access to the Su Family's private library. Specifically, the section on 'Ancient Forbidden Zones'."
Su Qing's eyes narrowed. "That is highly classified. Why do you want that?"
"Because," Ye Feng tapped the armrest. "I know the location of a lost 'Spirit Mine' that the Chen family is secretly trying to excavate. If we get there first... the Su family won't just survive. You will dominate the market."
Su Qing stood up slowly. A Spirit Mine? That was worth billions. Wars were fought over less.
"Are you serious?"
"I never joke about money," Ye Feng said.
Su Qing stared at him. Then, she extended her hand.
"Deal. But I'm coming with you."
Ye Feng took her hand. It was soft, cool, and strong.
"Pack your hiking boots, President Su. We're going to the mountains."
[System Mission Triggered: The Hidden Mine War]
[Objective: Beat the Chen Family to the Spirit Mine.]
[Reward: High-Grade Cultivation Manual + ???]
Ye Feng smiled. The game was escalating. And he was just getting started.