Flames rose, and thick smoke billowed.

Just as Duanmu Huai locked onto his target, the car over there began to catch fire. Witnessing this scene, everyone was dumbfounded, unable to speak, and the old professor was so anxious he was stamping his feet.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, go and save them!"

Upon hearing the professor's words, the actress and others wanted to check on the situation, but Duanmu Huai directly reached out to stop them.

"There's no need, the fire over there is so intense, there's simply no chance anyone survived. Even in the best-case scenario, if someone is alive, they'd be burned by the time we get there."

"You young man, don't you have a bit of empathy!"

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai's reply, the professor was furious, stamping his feet.

"Don't you care at all about their lives?!"

Seeing the professor so angry, the actress and several other staff members felt uneasy. They looked at Duanmu Huai and then at the professor. The latter, after all, was a highly respected professor with a social status, but as Duanmu Huai wouldn't let them move, they weren't just going to act on their own. Although from their standpoint, they too wanted to check on their colleagues' safety...

However, Duanmu Huai was completely unmoved by the professor's accusation.

"I don't care about the fate of the dead, but I do care about the fate of the living."

"What are you talking about?"

The professor glared at Duanmu Huai, while the latter only looked at him calmly.

"It's simple, I'm worried that if I come back and everyone here ends up dead, what then?"

"..............What do you mean by that? Are you worried something might happen to us too?"

"That's hard to say, of course, it could be an accident, or maybe not... but seeing you so eager to divert my attention... I'm intrigued."

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai eyed the professor, clenching his fist.

"What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Eh?"

Hearing Duanmu Huai's words, the actress and others were shocked, looking at the professor in disbelief. Although they weren't sure what exactly was happening, hearing Duanmu Huai's words—the professor wants to kill them?

Why?

"..........."

Upon hearing Duanmu Huai speak, the professor's previously anxious expression suddenly calmed down, he coldly stared at Duanmu Huai, revealing a strange smile.

"I didn't expect someone like you, with such a big physique, to actually have a brain. I was originally planning to get you at the end. Now it seems, I have to change the order."

As he spoke, the professor raised his hand—and in his hand was a handgun.

"Ah------!"

Seeing the gun in the professor's hand, everyone's faces changed dramatically; they never thought this previously amiable-looking professor would carry a gun!

However, compared to everyone else, Duanmu Huai's expression didn't change at all; he looked at the gun as if he was looking at a toy gun.

"You don't intend to deal with me just with that gun, do you?"

"Haha, kid, judging by your demeanor, I knew you were formidable. But there exists something far beyond your imagination, compared to it, everything you rely on is just an illusion!"

Saying this, the professor's originally calm demeanor grew frantic.

"Indeed! All illusions! Humans don't even know their fate! In this world, we are nothing more than ants! Everything we know is just a speck of dust in the endless void! The great, unnamable existence is what we should follow!"

As he spoke, the professor's expression grew more savage.

"Roygel will return! Roygel will eventually return! Humans must sharpen their vision and awaken from the fog of the world! They must see the reality of this world!"

As he continued, the professor aimed the gun at Duanmu Huai, while the actress and the other staff had already darted behind Duanmu Huai in fear.

"Humans need strength, need dominion! We are the flock! We desire the shepherd's command! This is our fate! An inescapable destiny!"

At this moment, the old professor had completely lost his sanity. He was holding a pistol, shouting non-stop. Meanwhile, Duanmu Huai just stood there, staring at him with a sneer.

"However, isn't that thing you claim to guide humans still sealed here? If it were as powerful as you say, then how could it have lost to humans?"

"Ugh... You simply don't understand!"

Faced with Duanmu Huai's taunt, the old professor paused for a moment, but soon, he glared at Duanmu Huai and shouted again.

"You simply don't understand the greatness of those from the void! Ignorance and stupidity have blocked people's vision of exploration; we are no different from blind men now! Pure reliance on strength cannot enable growth in this world. We need to open our eyes and recognize this world. Only then can humans elevate to a higher level..."

"Just relying on this piece of trash that can only pretend to be a god in a dilapidated house?"

Duanmu Huai snorted with disdain. Hearing Duanmu Huai's mockery, the old professor's face turned much colder. He raised his pistol, aimed at Duanmu Huai, took a few steps back, and walked in front of that statue in the hall.

"A brute like you cannot comprehend the mysteries and truths of the universe. And your soul is only fit to become its food———!"

"Boom!"

However, before the old professor could finish his sentence, suddenly, the entire Western-style house began to shake madly. Sensing the vibration, the old professor excitedly raised his hands.

"I heard it! I heard it! Roygel's call! It is about to awaken! It will..."

"Boom—!!"

Before he could finish, the bizarre monster statue behind the old professor suddenly exploded. Simultaneously, the surrounding statues also shattered, and a vortex-like shockwave surged forth, instantly sweeping through the whole house. The old professor, standing right in front of the statue, was the first to be engulfed by this invisible, powerful force. His thin body twisted and deformed like noodles, then was violently torn and twisted, turning into a pile of tattered debris.

At this moment, the actress and several other staff members also fainted on the ground. If Duanmu Huai hadn't shielded them, they might have died in the violent energy vortex. But Duanmu Huai wasn't concerned with them at that moment. He clenched his fists and stared ahead. Under Duanmu Huai's gaze, a twisted, bizarre figure, shimmering with colorful light, slowly emerged from the void.

Its appearance was almost identical to the monster carved in the statue, except its exterior wasn't stone-colored but rather a sticky, decomposing dark brown — disgusting at first sight.

"———————!"

The monster turned its head, locking onto Duanmu Huai's direction. Even though it had no eyes, Duanmu Huai could feel its cold, madness-filled, bloodthirsty greed for souls.

Relying on this thing, and you still expect it to guide humanity? It might as well eat humans for breakfast.

Duanmu Huai silently mocked in his heart, then clenched his fist, stared at the monster in front, and revealed a sinister smile.

"Finally you appear, brat... Prepare to die!"

With Duanmu Huai's roar, the shadows around them surged like waves, coalescing into tentacles as thick as towering trees, fiercely lashing at the monster!

"———————!!"

With Duanmu Huai's action, the ancient aura he had been hiding also emanated, and at this moment, the monster finally realized it wasn't dealing with prey but a hunter! It let out a piercing scream, and an invisible shockwave erupted, blasting towards the tentacles. Meanwhile, the monster leaped toward the depths of the forest.

"Trying to run? Can you run?!"

Duanmu Huai certainly wouldn't give it the chance. The monster had been immaterial before, leaving him helpless. Now that it had transformed into a physical state, Duanmu Huai couldn't let it flee! Mental system enemies are challenging enough, and without a physical form, they're even harder to confront!

Seeing the monster turning to flee, Duanmu Huai couldn't afford to hesitate. He raised his right hand, grasping the air. With Duanmu Huai's gesture, the ground around them convulsed and burst, and black tentacles emerged, tightly wrapping around the monster. The latter obviously hadn't anticipated Duanmu Huai's resolve, and uncareful as it was, it was caught by him. Simultaneously, a tentacle as massive as a centuries-old tree rose high, ready to smash down on the monster!

If this hit lands solidly, then it's dead for sure!

"Hiss—————!"

At this moment, the monster seemed to sense its impending doom, letting out a sharp scream. Immediately, colorful energy flared explosively from it, forcibly pushing back the descending giant tentacle. Not only that, but as the energy poured out, the monster's body also began to thin!

"Oh no!"

Seeing this, Duanmu Huai was shocked. He knew exactly what this creature intended. Clearly, it planned to disperse its power and return to its original form because it realized it couldn't win!

That's not happening!

"Damn it, I didn't want to use this move!"

Seeing the monster's body growing increasingly transparent, Duanmu Huai gritted his teeth and leaped toward the monster. The tentacles formed by the shadows around him followed like thousands of soldiers, charging at the monster with him.

With Duanmu Huai lunging at it, more energy poured from the monster. Seeing this, Duanmu Huai couldn't hesitate any longer. He leaped down, opened his mouth, and bit down forcefully on the monster's sticky body! As Duanmu Huai acted, the surrounding tentacles surged up, completely engulfing the prey in front!

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