Bai Heng lunged to the cell door, staring at the female prisoner who had completely lost consciousness, disbelief written all over her face.
"Sh—she talked just now, didn't she?!"
"She responded to you—did you hear that? She said 'talk'!"
"That's exactly like the result when Madam Herta used hypnosis! Since when are you this scary? What is that—some kind of 'speak and it comes true' ability?!"
Even the guards traded looks, their eyes full of uncertainty.
This flashy, overly colorful "Pure Beauty Knight" had actually gotten a reaction out of an Annihilation Gang prisoner… by chatting?
Sure, it still ended in failure.
But Wei Qing wasn't discouraged. He'd only just obtained the new skill—he was simply testing it out.
Besides…
That wasn't his real method.
His gaze casually swept the surroundings. In his perception, among these Annihilation Gang inmates, there were still a handful who were genuine Pathstriders of The Destruction.
The Annihilation Gang might not have earned Nanook's regard, but walking a Path doesn't strictly require a direct "approval stamp" from the Aeon.
Otherwise, you couldn't explain how later on the Ever-Flame Mansion would have Pathstriders at all.
So as an Emanator-in-waiting of The Destruction, Wei Qing could still try leveraging Path authority to probe a little deeper.
He didn't answer Bai Heng's astonishment. He simply closed his eyes and let his awareness sink into the vastness of The Destruction.
His consciousness spread quietly, locking onto those faint traces of Destruction within the prison.
Those few Annihilation Gang Pathstriders—what was left of their souls—felt like rags soaked in filthy oil. Inside them churned manic howling and raw pain… yet some stronger external force had forcibly stitched everything together, presenting a dead, quiet facade.
Yeah.
Something was definitely wrong.
Wei Qing's awareness brushed against the most active thread.
A wave of polluted Destruction surged toward him.
And the sensation—
Wei Qing raised a brow.
This didn't feel like a Destruction technique at all.
It felt like The Erudition.
Worse, that Erudition power was actually blocking his perception. For it to do that, the one behind it had to be an Emanator-level existence on the Path of Erudition.
But then something even stranger happened.
The moment that power sensed Wei Qing's presence, it triggered like a condition being met—and opened the permissions to him.
Wei Qing immediately pressed forward with Destruction again.
In that instant, a shattered, chaotic fragment—through a loosened seam—came flooding into his awareness.
It was a woman whose face couldn't be made out. Her concealment was even more advanced than Herta's earlier tricks.
Wei Qing was certain he didn't know her. This was absolutely the first time he'd ever "met" her.
Yet the method was Erudition, the style matched, the ability to block his perception… and with that level of authority—
He already had a guess.
Polka… Kakamond.
The Lord of Silence. Genius Society's Fourth Seat. The strictest "mother" the geniuses ever had.
What was she doing?
Shouldn't this "Ms. Elbow-Elbow-Eyes" be busy elbowing geniuses, or hunting down Zandar's slices? Why come hassle him?
Based on what Wei Qing knew, the Lord of Silence was always on the road of hunting geniuses.
Not out of jealousy. Not for power.
But to extinguish the possibility of chaos.
To keep the universe within Nous' calculations.
And what did that have to do with Wei Qing?
As a modern, science-loving young man, he respected knowledge. He believed knowledge could change destiny.
Wei Qing's awareness darted through the broken stream, trying to seize more useful clues.
This "Lord of Silence" intervention wasn't accidental.
These inmates—stitched together by Erudition, yet deliberately left with a seam—felt like a trap carefully set…
Or an encrypted invitation.
Wei Qing had to admit it: with his current mechanics and stats, calling himself "number one beneath the Aeons" wasn't exactly arrogant.
But there were still beings in this universe who could stand on the same tier—and threaten him.
Like the Destruction Lord Phantylia… no, not her.
Like the Destruction Lord Zephyro—a colleague who was also an Emanator of The Destruction.
Rumor had it some Self-Annihilator once dreamed of Zephyro piercing straight through the "divine body" of the Aeon of Nihility, all by himself.
Wei Qing didn't know whether that was true.
But judging by the rest of Zephyro's record… "Dream-Zephyro" was one of those concept-tier monsters—like a healthy Itachi, or a serious Gilgamesh.
Yeah. In the Destruction Emanator lineup, besides Wei Qing himself, Zephyro was the strongest one.
As for other existences like the Xianzhou Marshal… there was no need to elaborate.
In short—
This "Ms. Elbow-Elbow-Eyes" was someone even current Wei Qing had to treat carefully.
The fragments abruptly cut off. The seam snapped shut, and a sharp repulsive force rebounded—trying to trace and strike the very awareness Wei Qing had extended.
Wei Qing withdrew without changing expression, as if nothing had happened.
He opened his eyes and met Bai Heng's urgent, confused stare.
"Well? Dot-Dao—did you find anything?" she asked immediately.
Bai Heng hadn't sensed any obvious energy fluctuations, but her instincts screamed that something had happened.
Wei Qing kept his face calm and simply shook his head.
"Unfortunately, Miss Bai Heng," he said with a helpless shrug, choosing to conceal the truth, "I'm powerless against their condition."
He gestured toward the woman who had convulsed and fainted.
"Just now, she likely had a purely instinctive reaction to the method I used… but that's all."
"Even your… special way of talking didn't work?" Bai Heng pressed, unwilling to let it go. "Not even a hint? Any… unusual resonance? Any subtle connection?"
Wei Qing's heart stirred.
But his face shifted into an offended, upright indignation. His back straightened slightly, like he'd been slandered.
"Miss Bai Heng, mind your wording," he said righteously, as if deeply wronged. "I pursue the ultimate Pure Beauty of this world—how could I be lumped together with those Annihilation Gang who wallow in ugly destruction?"
Bai Heng blinked, momentarily stunned.
Before she could respond, Wei Qing continued.
"However, while I can't directly pry into their memories, I will remember that disgusting Destruction stench on them."
"If the Luofu trusts me, I can help you catch any other accomplices they've hidden inside the Luofu."
"After all—maintaining peace in a place, purging such ugliness… is also a form of protecting Pure Beauty."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 139)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter171)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter100)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter184)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 168
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 156
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 105
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 185
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 160
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 150
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 76
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 97
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 116
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 75
Uma Musume: I Want All 93
I Can Copy Unique Skills 79
Summoning an Evil God, but the 55
Supernatural Multiverse 75
My Harem Is Indescribable 68
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 70
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 66
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 69
Still playing traditional Honk 49
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 53
What Should I Do After Switchi 42
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 50
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 38
Transmigrated as Sukuna 35
Checking In in Demon Slayer 40
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 55
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