The Zero Sequence Spells were only foundational in the Disaster Management Bureau. Mature Investigators merely used them as supplementary tools, but now, the only thing Han Su could rely on was this spell.
It didn’t matter whether the counterattack power was strong. It was perfect for sneaking around.
The moment his presence was erased, he emerged from behind the pillar that no one was paying attention to, darted forward two steps, and reached out to snatch the box in Wei Lan’s arms.
Inside this secret chamber woven with Mysterious Power, he had forcibly turned himself into a phantom using nothing more than this Zero Sequence Spell No. 1, completely unnoticed by anyone—including Wei Lan, who was focusing all her attention on countering the Crystal Skull Organization members.
However, what he didn’t know was that with the recitation of the Fisherman’s Chant, the Bronze Armor Statue in the corner of the room suddenly trembled slightly. The movement was so faint that no one noticed.
“Hm?”
But Han Su had only taken two steps before noticing something was off.
There was nothing visible around Wei Lan, but as he approached, a faint sound of shattering glass rang out. Only then did Han Su realize that her surroundings were laced with mirror-like fibers, invisible to the naked eye, densely packed like a spiderweb.
She couldn’t see him, but through the subtle fractures in those mirror fibers, she had detected his presence and instantly turned her head to look in his direction.
Just that one glance made Han Su feel his Spiritual Power rapidly depleting, and an overwhelming pressure surged up.At that moment of hesitation, the Crystal Skull Organization members on the other side let out a low growl, chanting spells quickly. One after another, Blurry Shadows crept out from their eyes, roaming throughout the narrow secret chamber.
The air became noticeably “crowded.”
“Crystal Plague?”
Han Su squinted, realizing his opportunity had come.
This ordinary Crystal Plague could wipe a normal person’s mind clean and destroy their will in just a few seconds.
Now unleashed by the members of the Crystal Skull Organization, it became even more dangerous—like flesh-burrowing maggots, swarming en masse, surrounding Wei Lan.
As for Han Su, shielded by Spell No. 01, he was still in the erased state and went unnoticed by the Crystal Plague.
But just as he was about to take a step forward, he saw Wei Lan—trapped within the Crystal Plague—suddenly glance sideways, a mischievous smile curling on her lips, as she pushed the box she had been holding in his direction.
“?”
Han Su didn’t think twice and caught the box.
In that instant, his figure became visible to everyone, causing the Crystal Skull Organization members to freeze for a second:
“There’s another one?”
“……”
Han Su instantly realized he had been tricked.
Wei Lan hadn’t been able to see him, but she sensed him and thus pushed the box his way.
That box had always been the center of everyone’s attention. Now that he caught it, everyone’s focus naturally shifted to him.
As a result, his erased presence became heavier and he was forced to reveal himself.
This was a clever trick based on the underlying logic of Mysterious Power application.
‘This woman set me up?’
Out of the corner of his eye, Han Su saw Wei Lan pause for a moment after forcing him to reveal himself—but then she clearly recognized him and looked amused.
Meanwhile, the previously crowded air rushed toward him. All he could see were Blurry Shadows.
Just like they had surrounded Wei Lan, the Crystal Plague now closed in on him.
“Take it back!”
In that critical moment, Han Su instinctively hurled the box at the Crystal Skull Organization’s Professor and turned to dash toward the entrance.
“You're that much of a coward?”
Wei Lan was visibly stunned, subconsciously taking a few steps toward the box before abruptly stopping and contemplating.
On the other side, the Professor and members of the Crystal Skull Organization kept their eyes locked on the box. There was no way their attention wouldn’t be diverted. When they saw it safely land in the Professor’s hands, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. The Professor opened it with a stern face—
The inside was empty.
At the bottom of the box was a hole, crudely dug out by hand.
Fury instantly spread across his face.
……
Han Su clutched the Mechanical Fragment and ran at full speed.
He had seen how the Crystal Skull Organization members had handled the Mechanical Fragment and knew it was abnormal, so he didn’t dare touch it directly.
First, he reversed his Disaster Management Bureau Low-Sensitivity Fiber Gloves onto his Left Hand, focused his attention there, and activated the power of “Bronze,” applying two layers of insurance before finally gripping the Mechanical Fragment and making his way out.
As he distanced himself from the crowd, he prepared to recite the Fisherman’s Chant again to slip into the shadows.
But unexpectedly, even while holding the Mechanical Fragment through two layers of protection, his Spiritual Power was still being drained at an alarming rate.
The Mechanical Fragment was like a black hole, devouring his Spiritual Power even more furiously.
His Spiritual Power rapidly bottomed out, and he no longer had the strength to recite the Fisherman’s Chant.
A flash of thought struck him, and Han Su suddenly shouted in Wei Lan’s direction, “Boss lady, this job’s a bust! Give them the thing—I'll hold them off outside for you…”
While yelling, he sprinted away.
Wei Lan behind him: “?”
The Crystal Skull Organization members, still seething with rage, suddenly turned all their eyes toward Wei Lan.
They didn’t doubt Han Su’s words. After all, they had just seen Wei Lan pass the box to him, meaning the two were working together. From Han Su’s slightly staggering posture, they could also tell his status was too low—there was no way he could still be carrying the Mechanical Fragment.
……
……
‘Sorry, Miss Wei Lan…’
‘Even though you helped me before, I have to take this Mechanical Fragment…’
‘Besides, with your ability, getting out of this shouldn’t be hard!’
As Han Su thought this, he charged toward the entrance with increasing urgency, feeling much like he did back in the Ancient Castle.
Holding the Mechanical Fragment, he was unable to use any Mysterious Power, including using his Right Eye to see the entrance. But the image from earlier still remained in his memory, so he was essentially running blind on instinct.
For someone used to fleeing in the Ancient Castle, this was child’s play. Relying on memory, he circled around the “Refraction Wall” Wei Lan had set up and entered the entrance tunnel.
But just then, behind him came the sounds of enraged attacks from the Crystal Skull Organization members—followed by a biting, icy laugh from Wei Lan.
Facing the charging Crystal Skull members, she raised both hands and shouted, “Look! Is there anything?”
Her raised hands caused the members to freeze.
Some cast doubtful glances toward Han Su’s escape route. Others eyed Wei Lan’s oversized clothing.
...It wouldn’t be strange if such loose clothing hid a Mechanical Fragment, right?
But among the group, there was one particularly vicious member. Seeing how many people had been injured to retrieve the Mechanical Fragment, only for more people to try and steal it, his fury boiled over. He suddenly pulled out a gun.
Without a second thought, he fired at the smiling, hand-raising Wei Lan.
“Bang!”
In the deafening gunshot echoing through the cramped space, Wei Lan paused, looked down at the spot where she had been shot, and cast a displeased glance at the shooter:
“You’ll never get a girlfriend.”
“……”
The next moment, her body cracked like glass and shattered onto the floor—she vanished.
So realistic, yet it was just a Mirror-like Illusion.
“A gunshot?”
At that same moment, Han Su felt a chill run down his spine.
Even with his mind almost blank, he forced himself to run faster, weaving in an S-pattern.
Guns were still the most terrifying things!
Even now, after mastering several forms of Mysterious Power, he would never dare act arrogantly in front of someone with a gun.
“Don’t fire recklessly. You’ll alert the people outside.”
With the shot fired, not only was Han Su scared, but even the leader of the Crystal Skull Organization changed expression and pressed down on the impulsive subordinate—only to see that the area ahead was already empty.
He closed his eyes and sniffed deeply.
The Crystal Skull infection enhanced one’s Spiritual Activity and sharpened all five senses. Soon, a faint perfume entered his nose. Locking onto the direction, he led his men to encircle it.
“You scumbag. I ruined my face for you, and you’re still screwing me over?”
Up ahead, Han Su was sprinting to the end of the corridor when he heard a voice behind him, gritted through clenched teeth.
“You screwed me over first…”
He was thinking that when he suddenly looked up and saw someone charging toward him.
Good-looking. Well-dressed in a tailored suit. Holding a Mechanical Object in his arms.
A closer look—it was himself?
Before the thought could even form, they collided.
There was a loud crack in the air. His body suddenly lurched forward. When he looked again, the scenery had changed. Crystal Skull Organization members were closing in from the front. Even though he had been running toward the entrance, he now found himself heading into the inner chamber.
Han Su’s nerves went on high alert. It was an indescribable sensation.
He had been charging forward, but his reflection in the Mirror had been charging backward.
In that one collision, his action was reversed. His escape route changed from fleeing to walking into a trap.
Wei Lan’s Mysterious Power—was it really this bizarre?
Before he could think more, he felt his hand tighten—Wei Lan had reached over and snatched the Mechanical Fragment from him.
For Wei Lan, snatching something from Han Su was child’s play.
But she hadn’t expected that Han Su, just then, exhausted all his Spiritual Power and activated a backup battery. A surge of Spiritual Power flooded his body. His Left Hand suddenly grew stronger as he tried to reclaim the Mechanical Fragment while reciting the Fisherman’s Chant.
One person on each side. Both grabbed the Mechanical Fragment. Their Spiritual Power simultaneously poured into it.
In that instant, an unbearably cold breath erupted from deep within the Mechanical Fragment and seeped into their bodies.
Both froze in place.
At their ears, the sound of Mechanical Gear Turning began ticking.
Loud and clear.