Chapter 112: Roast Chicken Feast

Xi Renjie stood alone in a room covered in blood and corpses.

He froze for a moment, then, enduring the pain, quickly ran out the door. In the hazy mist, the figure in red was already so far away that it was almost invisible. Several shadow centipedes rapidly scuttled behind him, shrinking into tiny black dots before vanishing.

Who was he? This question now consumed Xi Renjie. It was a face he had never seen before—indifferent, stern, and seemingly younger than himself. From the attire and the comment, "Even the Enforcers are nothing special," it was clear this person wasn't sent by Aurora City. Could he be from beyond the Aurora Domain? But why did he save him? And how did he lure those centipedes away?

As Xi Renjie pondered, more black blurs darted out from the surrounding rooftops—one, two, three... eleven, twelve... a full thirteen shadow centipedes, ignoring Xi Renjie on the ground, pursued the figure in red from all directions.

Chen Ling looked around, saw no one, and stabbed himself three times in the abdomen. His injuries and pain transformed into power, causing Chen Ling's speed to surge again. This allowed him to barely pull away from the swarming shadow centipedes. Fortunately, the blood from his wounds was almost the same color as his crimson opera robe, making it nearly impossible to distinguish if one didn't look closely.

To ensure he wasn't caught while attracting all nearby shadow centipedes, Chen Ling pushed his speed to its absolute limit.

As the crimson blur swept across the rooftops, a howling wind brushed the edge of the street. Several figures, fleeing in panic, simultaneously halted.

"Did you guys see something just now?""I think so, something red?""How come I didn't see it? Are you seeing things?""Who cares! Running for our lives is what matters!"

As they spoke, about to continue their escape, the thick fog ahead suddenly churned, and countless black shadows rapidly crawled out from within! Seeing the shadow centipedes surging towards them, the group was so terrified they nearly fainted, their legs giving out as they collectively dropped to their knees. Just as they closed their eyes, screaming and preparing for death, the black shadows swept past them, disappearing into the distance.

The group, still shaken, opened their eyes. Before they could grasp what had happened, the shadows beside them violently warped! Several more centipedes crawled out of their own shadows, practically brushing their faces, and hissed as they also pursued the distant figure. In their desperate flight, they had no idea when these creatures had hidden themselves so close.

Similar scenes unfolded on several surrounding streets. The light from the fiercely burning torch was bright enough for shadow centipedes from three nearby streets to spot Chen Ling as he passed. By his conservative estimate, he had attracted over thirty calamities during his run. As for whether there were still calamities left on other streets, Chen Ling couldn't concern himself. He wasn't a god or a savior; saving this many people was already the limit of his abilities.

The crimson blur raced towards the edge of the district. Chen Ling mentally retraced the path he had already rehearsed, quickly spotting a three-to-four-story warehouse in the wilderness. Chen Ling rushed to the warehouse door, unlocked it with a key, and slipped inside.

After a brief silence, countless shadow centipedes arrived in the wilderness, following closely. They circled the warehouse exterior for a moment before swarming through the main door. Inside the warehouse, no lights were on; it was dark and gloomy. The shadows penetrated every corner, searching for traces of Chen Ling, but found nothing. Just as they were about to leave, the heavy door slowly swung shut...

*Whoosh—!*

In the darkness, a faint spark ignited, illuminating half of Chen Ling's smiling face.

All the shadow centipedes crawling inside the warehouse simultaneously turned their heads to look! The light illuminated Chen Ling's face, casting a grain-like reflection in the gasoline and alcohol pooling on the floor beneath him. Countless 'meat chickens' roared and charged at him. Yet, Chen Ling unhurriedly took cooking wine from a plastic bag, unscrewed the cap, and poured it gurgling onto the ground...

"No one can see us here, and no one will disturb us..." In the flickering glow of the flame, Chen Ling's smile grew wider. He licked his lips. "Let's see if you get roasted first... or if I burn to death first?" The lighter in his hand twirled lightly before dropping to the ground.

Audience Anticipation: 5

*Boom—!!*

Raging flames instantly spread across the warehouse like a red carpet, illuminating every corner. Dozens of 'meat chickens' shrieked piercingly under the searing heat, as if they would tear the roof off! Chen Ling's body was also licked by the flames, his skin visibly blackening, yet he seemed oblivious to the pain. With one hand holding ginger and garlic, and the other carrying scallions, he charged into the chaotic swarm of 'meat chickens'!

The entire warehouse transformed into a boiling oil pot. A rich aroma of cooked meat began to spread throughout the space. Amidst this living hell, numerous calamities shrieked in agony, while only the figure in red grew more and more excited!

"Fragrant...""So fragrant!!"

Chen Ling rushed to one of the most evenly roasted 'meat chickens', tore off a leg, bit into a piece of charred scallion, and then savagely tore into the chicken meat. The intoxicating aroma washed over his body!

Audience Anticipation: 1Current Anticipation: 68

Chen Ling's hands were burned beyond recognition, yet it didn't hinder his eating in the slightest. Powered by the vigorous life force from his Blood Robe, he endured the high temperatures, weaving through the roasted chicken horde like an elegant diner at a fiery feast.

Audience Anticipation: 1Audience Anticipation: 1Audience Anticipation...

Pairs of crimson eyes once again materialized behind Chen Ling. They belonged to shadows seated on nothingness, strikingly similar to the shadow centipedes frantically fleeing throughout the warehouse. The only difference was that the shadows behind Chen Ling were human, while the others were insects.

The moment the audience's gazes appeared, the frenziedly writhing shadow centipedes suddenly shuddered. They stared in terror in this direction, their bodies, licked by the fierce flames, ceased all movement. They abandoned all resistance and struggle, quietly curling up amidst the blazing inferno, allowing their bodies to be charred into fragrant, cooked meat...

"So fragrant... so fragrant!!" Chen Ling, moving through the roasted chicken horde, again showed that eerie red glow in his eyes. He laughed as he tore into the motionless meat, his body's surface thoroughly charred by the flames...

With his blackened body and crimson eyes, from a distance, he looked as if he too had become one of the audience members.

Inside the burning warehouse, countless strange, scratching sounds emanated from the orifices of the roasted 'chickens'. They intertwined, as if chanting the honorific name of some entity.

"The Scarlet Sovereign of the Ghost-Mocking Abyss;""The Formless King who Mocks Fate.""The Scarlet Sovereign of the Ghost-Mocking Abyss... The Formless King who Mocks Fate... The Ghost-Mocking Abyss..."