"Chen Qing, contact my sister quickly. Something bad might be happening," he said in a low tone.
Chen Qing nodded slightly and dialed the number.
The captains exchanged glances. Though they didn't understand the specifics,
the term "Sixth-order Gu Master" alone was enough to shock them.
When the call was answered, Lu Zijin's languid older-sister voice sounded: "How is it? Did you catch the witness?"
Just as Chen Qing was about to respond, the phone was snatched away.
"Sister, something's happened."
Lu Zicheng bowed his head and said softly, "I found Parasitic Gu at the scene."
He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking loudly.
The terror in his eyes faded, replaced by a piercing, bone-deep killing intent that practically boiled over.
Chen Qing knew what Parasitic Gu meant to him: "Young Master, stay calm."
On the other end of the line, there was a sudden smack.
Lu Zijin seemed to have slammed her desk: "What did you say? Are you sure it's Parasitic Gu?"
Her voice, usually laid-back, suddenly shot up several notches, laced with rare gravity and vigilance.
·
·
The black Mercedes roared to life, speeding away from West Port like a ferocious beast.
Gu Jianlin stepped out from the shadows of a shopfront nearby, watching the captains drive off, relief washing over him.
Everything went well. Without exposing himself, he had both captured the informant and delivered the message.
Just moments ago, he had even logged into the Deep Space Network to check some records.
Gu Jianlin's current Merit Value totaled 25,132 points.
Upon logging in this time, the Deep Space Official Website had unlocked a resource library exclusive to the Omega Sequence.
However, the feature wasn't yet accessible—it seemed the project hadn't officially launched.
Other than that, his permissions had indeed upgraded significantly, allowing him to exchange merit for a wealth of classified information.
For example, intelligence concerning Gu Masters.
He spent 500 merit points, gaining a thorough understanding of this Inheritance Path.
The detailed reports in Deep Space Network listed the advancement sequences and rankings of Gu Masters.
Of course, none of that was truly important.
What mattered most was that, according to official information, Gu Masters were undeniably an ancient path. Though permissible in theory, their existence was deeply restricted.
Anyone who chose the Gu Master path would be strictly forbidden from advancing beyond Extraordinary Level.
If a Gu Master ever attempted to ascend to Superdimensional Level, they would face immediate eradication.
This was the agreed-upon policy among all notable Ascender organizations across Earth.
—Gu Masters must die.
Even in the Dark World, high-level Gu Masters were unwelcome.
And the reason was singular: danger.
Extreme danger.
When Gu Masters advance beyond Superdimensional Level, their rituals become drastically grotesque and bloodthirsty. To reach Holy Land Level, it requires at least the population of a city, sacrificing massive amounts of life force to feed the Gu Worms.
Such monstrous methods have been met with global condemnation.
As a result, no Gu Master has crossed the threshold of Holy Land Level in the past millennium.
Nevertheless, this resistance only fueled rebellious sentiments among Gu Masters.
Eight years ago, a Third-order Gu Master defected from the Ether Association and has evaded elimination ever since.
"Gu Masters..."
Gu Jianlin murmured softly.
"Supreme, you might not comprehend this, but to Ancient Gods, the power of Gu Masters is merely a trivial trick. Yet to the Ascender world, it's undeniably catastrophic. In densely populated urban hubs, Gu Masters see natural breeding grounds for their Gu Worms."
Scholar added respectfully, "To Gu Worms, all humans are nothing but blood food. By consuming immense life force, they evolve with almost no limitations, spreading hatred and fury across the globe. In truth, anyone who chooses the Gu Master path only needs to consider advancing to embrace the purest evil."
Purest evil.
Gu Jianlin indeed thought it was apt. Moments ago, he had witnessed the terrifying might of the Parasitic Gu firsthand.
If this horrid entity were to proliferate in a city, the consequences would be unimaginable.
A catastrophe akin to a nightmarish zombie apocalypse.
He wondered if the Ether Association had any countermeasures in place.
It was then that Gu Jianlin acknowledged the vital role the Ether Association played.
He opened a notebook, typing in a few key phrases.
A high-level Gu Master.
Tied to the Qilin Immortal Palace.
Most likely serves that Primordial.
The Grave Digger Organization—clearly a pawn under their influence.
Likewise, in the depths of the West Port Forbidden Zone, their operatives were stationed.
"Currently, the Yan family has found Lin Yuan, an informant planning to kill me. However, Lin Yuan happens to be under the control of a Gu Master—this can't be a coincidence."
Gu Jianlin paused momentarily and suddenly realized something: "This implies the Yan family might also be under a Gu Master's control."
"Earlier, Lin Yuan tried renting a boat from West Port to escape."
He added, "Most wanted fugitives from the association choose sea routes to flee, don't they?"
Scholar answered softly, "Yes, due to the surveillance from Horus Eye Satellites, normal transportation is unusable. Land routes are also inaccessible, as highways are blockaded. Unless someone risks trekking through mountains, which takes time and effort and still risks exposure, the safest method is via sea."
He further elaborated, "Especially in Peak City, West Port, and Black Cloud City—a pair of Forbidden Zones flanking the coastline. The black market's most lucrative business here is escorting wealthy escapees offshore."
Gu Jianlin's thoughts raced as he tucked his hands into his pockets, turning to gaze at the turbulent sea. "This means the Yan family has no chance of resisting the Ether Association. Their only option for survival is escape."
And the safest way to flee is by sea.
Thus, if the Yan family wants to live, they will inevitably come to West Port.
To ensure the annihilation of the Yan family and unmask the mastermind—the Gu Master—
the optimal strategy is to lie in wait here!
"Who runs the docks at the port?"
Gu Jianlin asked.
Scholar replied respectfully, "Mr. Liu manages them."
Gu Jianlin followed up, "What does it take to work for Mr. Liu?"
Scholar hesitated, then replied, "An identity card."
Gu Jianlin's cold gaze silently fixed on him.
Scholar suddenly understood: "Got it. I'll go get one for you now."
Without another word, he walked into a nearby alley, took out his phone, holding it between his ear and shoulder, rolled up both sleeves to reveal a golden bracelet on one wrist and a gold watch on the other, and unzipped his pants as if preparing to urinate.
At that moment, a haggard-looking middle-aged man from the street approached him casually.
With a flick of his right hand, a switchblade sprang from its hilt, stabbing directly at Scholar's back!
In the stillness of the midday hour, a violent robbery and attempted murder unfolded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
So mundane it resembled picking up a flyer off the sidewalk.
In that instant, Scholar swiftly turned, disarming the man and countering by driving the blade into his throat.
With a sickening squelch, the switchblade lodged itself in the man's neck, causing blood to gush uncontrollably.
The man staggered backward against the wall and collapsed, his eyes dimming—it was unclear whether his expression held pain or relief.
Some children on the street, hearing the commotion, glanced for a moment before running away.
Others—perhaps new arrivals to the Forbidden Zone—didn't even look, heading directly into a nearby bar.
Scholar rifled through the dying man's belongings, eventually finding a black card.
Gu Jianlin observed this scene from a distance, saying nothing.
"In the West Port Forbidden Zone, everyone has one of these—as long as they pass Mr. Liu's certification proving they aren't association spies, they receive this ID card."
Scholar grinned as he walked back, saying, "There's another method, though: taking it by force. Ascenders' world is always this brutal. Civilization may have developed for thousands of years, but greed and savagery have never faded at our core. This world isn't inherently peaceful; the sunlight simply obscures the shadows."
He continued, "Here, life and humanity hold no value… I used to be like that middle-aged man I just killed. The difference is that luck smiled on me—I survived."
Gu Jianlin stayed silent, his mind lingering on those words.
Life and humanity hold no value.