Chapter 240. Ma You’s Confession, Tianshui Sect’s Calamity

How many times can a person die?

This kind of question doesn’t even need asking, the answer will naturally come to mind for everyone. It’s common sense, no one is unaware of it. However, with Fan Jialuo, all common sense is meant to be shattered. He can tell you plainly——he can make you die as many times as he wants, and you can die as many times as he wants.

Under his psychic abilities, Ma You has already experienced death twice, the first time was sudden death from heart disease, the second time was dying of thirst, and this is the third time, and there will be a fourth, a fifth, a sixth……

Fan Jialuo said that Ma You’s hell has 256 levels, so he must endure 256 deaths of extreme pain. This is the sin he committed, and the punishment he deserves.

Ma You had only run a short distance when he collapsed to the ground, clutching his throat and yelling that he was thirsty. Then he felt dizzy, followed by a burning sensation in his stomach, pain in his bladder, and organ failure. He retched repeatedly, his nose bleeding as he writhed and struggled on the ground, finally falling to his death with his cloudy, withered eyes wide open.

With only two seconds to catch his breath, the fourth experience of death descended upon him. He took only two steps before collapsing to his knees, repeating all the previous agony. Two hundred and fifty-six, this number doesn’t sound like much, but if you were to calculate it in terms of the ultimate experience of death, it would be enough to offset two hundred and fifty-six years of agonizing suffering.

Ma You frantically scratched at the ground, trying to slowly move his weak and powerless body out of the room. To escape hell, the first thing he had to do was escape the person who created hell, he had to get as far away from Fan Jialuo as possible.

Soon, his fingernail was torn off due to excessive force, becoming a bloody mess. The pain was no longer just an illusion, but a real imprint on his body.

Every bit of pain he put his victims through has now been paid back to him in full.

He shouted, he cried out for help, he pleaded, he wept…… He pleased the viewers watching on television in the same way the victims had pleased him in the past.

Some people have poor mental fortitude, they turn their heads away after a while, unable to bear watching, and then plead in the live stream: 【Forget it, stop torturing him, it’s inhumane! 】

This comment was met with fierce criticism from netizens as soon as it appeared: 【Talking about humanity with a serial killer like Ma You? Are you out of your mind? Do you know how many people he’s tortured to death using the same methods? So you don’t care because the victims weren’t your own family? Get lost, you sanctimonious hypocrite! 】

The netizen who was criticized went into hiding, while those viewers whose loved ones had died at Ma You’s hands were now staring intently at the television screen, enjoying the scene with unbridled satisfaction. Those who were a little braver, seeing Ma You’s pathetic state, like a dead dog, found their fear of him vanishing without a trace.

He was currently prostrate at Teacher Fan’s feet, as humble as a crawling insect and as weak as an ant. All that talk about turning into a vengeful ghost after death to exact retribution upon the entire world——was he telling a joke?

Viewers who were initially filled with great panic while watching television have now become quite calm. Some were even grumbling to their loved ones, “Aiya dear, we bought so much rice, when will we ever finish it?”

“Let’s not talk about rice for now. What do we do with all this salt in this room?”

“Should we just cancel the direct flight to Hai Province tomorrow morning? With Teacher Fan around, Ma You won’t be able to cause any trouble.”

Yes, everyone began to realize that Ma You was really nothing. With his helpless and extremely pathetic appearance, who would be afraid of him?

Father Zhou stared intently at the television, his tense face gradually contorting into a slightly morbid, gleeful smile. The tragic deaths of his loved ones had afflicted him, if this repressed emotion wasn’t released, he would eventually go insane. But now, those dark emotions were being gradually released through Ma You’s disheveled state, bringing him considerable relief.

But something heavy remained in his heart. He couldn’t explain what it was, but he knew that even if Ma You suffered hundreds or thousands more deaths, this deep-seated ailment would never be cured.

This feeling wasn’t just reflected in him, it also lingered deep within the hearts of many victims’ families. At first, they could watch Ma You struggle on the edge of life and death with a touch of enjoyment, but later they turned their heads away, closed their eyes, and silently shed tears.

This is not the outcome they ultimately wanted, but it is the best explanation the government could give them.

Just when everyone thought the live stream would continue amidst Ma You’s suffering, Fan Jialuo touched Ma You’s shoulder with the tip of his shoe and slowly said, “Do you want to end this suffering?”

Upon hearing this, Ma You, driven nearly mad by the torment, quickly crawled to his feet and cried out urgently, “I want to, I want to, please spare me!”

Fan Jialuo touched Dr. Song’s hand with his slender fingertips, and Song Rui, without asking a single question, said to the policeman standing to the side, “Get him a microphone.” The two had reached a point where they could communicate without words.

A microphone was quickly handed to Ma You, who was limp as a board. He gasped for breath, then barely managed to lift his head to look at Fan Jialuo, his eyes showing a hint of doubt, but more so fear and timidity.

Fan Jialuo raised his chin and commanded, “Repent. If you are sincere enough, I will end your suffering.”

Having survived several horrific near-death experiences, Ma You was no longer the unrepentant man he once was. He eagerly grabbed the microphone, followed Fan Jialuo’s finger to a camera in front of him, and said with tears streaming down his face, “I’m sorry, I know I was wrong! I sincerely apologize to all the victims and their families.”

He glanced cautiously at Fan Jialuo, noticing his expressionless face and cold eyes, seemingly dissatisfied. He put down the microphone and began banging his head against the camera repeatedly. A broken forehead was just a little pain and a bit of blood, how could that compare to the long, agonizing ordeal of death?

He kowtowed countless times before picking up the microphone again, choking back tears, and said, “I don’t want to die anymore, please let me go. I know I was wrong, I didn’t realize locking them in the elevator would be so painful. If I had known, I would never have done it. Please forgive me, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry……”

He hadn’t received much education, and after only a few words of repentance, he ran out of words. So he could only kowtow again and again, repeating the words “I’m sorry” over and over again.

The deceased’s family members, watching on television, breathed a sigh of relief at his limited words. The pent-up emotions they had been holding onto, the feelings they couldn’t let go of, finally dissipated. That was it! What they truly wanted was this, a sincere confession from the perpetrator, an apology or a simple “I’m sorry.”

They don’t need to fill pain with pain, or stop killing with killing, what they want is repentance, relief, and letting go.

At that moment, countless family members of the deceased fainted from crying, and countless bystanders had tears in their eyes.

Father Zhou patted his chest, feeling that the last bit of resentment that had been building up deep in his heart had vanished completely. He stood up without a word, found a hammer, smashed the French windows of the house, and then ran into the kitchen to turn off the gas stove.

Fortunately, he was old and frail and was unable to completely seal the gaps in the doors and windows, otherwise, his family of four would never have seen Ma You repent.

Zhou Hui woke up with a start, rubbing her eyes and calling for her mother. Then her parents hugged her tightly, calling her “baby” over and over again.

The couple held their child and wept bitterly, but they no longer felt depressed, sad, or hopeless. Instead, they released all their negative emotions, and their fear of Ma You completely dissipated with the sound of him repeatedly kowtowing.

In this neighborhood, dozens of people were killed by Ma You. Soon after, cries could be heard from all directions, but they were also filled with relief and a sense of catharsis.

This reaction was positive and entirely within Song Rui’s expectations. Only by opening a crack in everyone’s hearts, allowing them complete release, could their ravaged lives gain a glimmer of hope. This hope could inspire those around them and, in turn, influence the entire city.

Sure enough, shortly after the video was released, many positive voices emerged online.

【I suddenly felt so relieved. 】

【Strange, I don’t find Ma You scary at all anymore! 】

【Everything will be alright! 】

【It was so wonderful to see Ma You repent! To be honest, I felt a huge sense of relief. What I fear and hate most are people who commit heinous crimes but never feel they’ve done anything wrong. 】

Hatred and fear are undoubtedly the two most negative emotions, and if they cannot be completely eliminated, Ma You’s influence on society will persist. But now, as he sincerely repents to everyone, he has transformed from a serial killer into an insignificant death row inmate. One gunshot, and he will be gone forever.

The live stream had gone far enough, so Song Rui waved his hand, signaling the cameraman to turn off the camera.

As the screen completely disappeared, Fan Jialuo’s handsome yet aloof face flashed across the frame, leaving a lasting impression. His Weibo verification has already been changed from ‘Psychic‘ to ‘The Sole Officially Verified Psychic‘ and his follower count soared to 150 million in just over twenty minutes—a number that could absolutely shake the entire entertainment industry.

The hashtags #FanJialuo#, #FanJialuo the fraudster#, #FanJialuo the acting master#, #FanJialuo the pretender#, and other related topics, posts, forums, and supertopics have all been deleted by the official team. Searching for related content will only return the message “No results found”.

After such a catastrophe, who would doubt Fan Jialuo’s abilities? His previously recorded program, 《The World of Extraordinary People》, was once again unearthed and watched by the public, achieving record-breaking ratings.

The director of Lemon TV, who had caused the show to be canceled in his attempt to please Zhang Yang, broke down in tears, sobbing on his desk. He finally realized what a rare opportunity he had lost. If the show had been completed and they had immediately invited Teacher Fan to sign a contract for a second season, Lemon TV would have been a phenomenal success.

Even the most venomous haters wouldn’t dare say a bad word about Fan Jialuo now, unless they wanted to become public enemy number one.

The live broadcast had barely ended when Beijing, which had been on the verge of unrest, stabilized. The Civil Aviation Administration and high-speed rail stations received a massive influx of refund requests, pedestrian and vehicular traffic surged, previously closed shopping malls reopened, and supermarkets hurriedly called logistics stations to request restocking as soon as possible……

Good news kept pouring in from all directions, making Chief Yan beam with joy. Leaders who had previously called to reprimand him were now sending him messages of praise. It was easy to imagine that a perfect handling of this case would lead to a significant promotion for Chief Yan. And the Special Cases Investigation Division of the Chengnan Branch was officially recognized as the primary choice for handling paranormal cases.

The Special Security Department played little role in this crisis and was questioned and criticized by all parties. As a result, the higher authorities revoked all their authority and resources, turning them into a private enterprise.

Chief Yan had already reported Tianshui Sect’s actions to the headquarters, and the Taoist Association would inevitably be condemned. Tianshui Temple, on the other hand, received a notice of illegal construction. The government not only rejected their expansion plan but also ordered them to immediately demolish the existing buildings.

In other words, from this day forward, the capital city will no longer allow the Tianshui Sect to establish strongholds, recruit followers, or enjoy incense offerings. This is just the beginning, because the capital city is a bellwether for all cities, any slight disturbance here will inevitably trigger a chain reaction in the rest. If it refuses the Tianshui Temple’s entry, other cities will follow suit, and before long, the Tianshui Temple will disappear from the secular world forever.

When they received the rectification notice, Chang Sheng, Chang Zhen, and Lin Nian’en were at Longyin Temple with Lin Nianci.

The head priest of Tianshui Temple personally came to deliver the message, his eyes filled with deep fear. The Tianshui Sect was known for its reclusive nature, but voluntary seclusion and passive expulsion were ultimately different. He understood this concept, and Chang Sheng understood it even better. This meant that the Tianshui Sect had been suppressed by the government, a matter of national importance, something a small sect could not contend with.

Is the Tianshui Sect powerful? It is indeed very powerful, practically the leader of the entire Taoist sects. However, compared to a nation, it is merely a pebble in a towering mountain range. The presence or absence of the Tianshui Sect makes no difference to the mountain, nor does it cause the slightest tremor.

Chang Sheng clutched the notice, beads of cold sweat pouring down his face.

The head priest of Tianshui Temple urged anxiously, “Elder, please think of a solution quickly!”

“Wait a minute, let me call Shifu first.” Chang Sheng couldn’t make up his mind, so he had to relay the matter to Taoist Zhi Fei.

Taoist Zhi Fei, who had always looked down on the secular world, sneered, “It’s just the demolition of a Taoist temple, forget it! Our Tianshui Sect has stood for thousands of years without falling, and its profound foundation is beyond the imagination of these mortals.” Although he had not attained enlightenment, he referred to ordinary people as “mortals” at every turn, as if he regarded himself as a high and mighty god.

Chang Sheng, who would never have thought there was anything wrong with this before, felt inexplicably uncomfortable after hearing his words and tone.

But he dared not say a bad word about his master, and only nodded and agreed twice. Just as he was about to hang up the phone, the head priest exclaimed, “Oh no! We have also received a notice of illegal construction at our base in Jinshi!” As soon as he finished speaking, several text messages appeared on the screen, making his eyes widen in fury.

“It’s not just Jinshi, but also Nanshi, Beishi, Dongshi……” The head priest gasped for breath, despairingly saying, “These strongholds have all been listed as illegal buildings by the government. Our Taoist temples in the secular world have all been demolished, they’re gone!”

What does it feel like to be the foremost sect of the Taoist Sects and be completely expelled from the secular world?

Chang Sheng touched his face, feeling a burning pain in his skin.

The once imposing Taoist Master Zhi Fei fell silent, but his heavy breathing betrayed his inner anger and embarrassment.

Just as one problem was about to be solved, another arose. Lin Nian’en rushed in, shouting, “ShiXiong, something terrible has happened! ShiJie has suffered a severe backlash and has vomited blood and fainted!”

Chang Sheng: !!!

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Chapter 239. Ma You Finally Learned What It Means To Be Afraid

Ma You’s hands stiffly and slowly rose, reaching out to Fan Jialuo’s outstretched palms, his head tilting back as if trying to escape. His soul remained, but his body was split into two completely opposite halves.

Not only was he resisting, but Fan Jialuo’s brow was also furrowed, as if he was suppressing some unbearable emotion. When Ma You’s fingertips were about to touch his palm, he couldn’t help but flinch, and then glanced at Dr. Song.

His movements and expressions were subtle, quickly suppressed, but Song Rui, sitting beside him, lowered his head and subtly curled the corners of his lips. This man, under his influence, had even developed a germaphobia, beginning to despise Ma You’s blood-stained hands and tainted soul. He wasn’t like this before. They say one is influenced by one’s company, and they had reached the point of mutual assimilation.

Thinking of this, Song Rui raised his hand to cover his lips to prevent the camera from capturing his joyful expression.

In contrast to him, Fan Jialuo’s brows furrowed more and more. When Ma You’s hands touched his palms, he even exhaled a breath of stale air through his teeth, feeling increasingly disgusted and repulsed.

“The saying ‘Hell is other people’ doesn’t seem to apply to you.” Fan Jialuo held Ma You’s hands and said slowly, “To you, other people are tools for creating happiness, cats and dogs that you can kill at will. You can’t feel the pain from others, nor do you feel remorse for your sins. You yourself are a hell.”

Unable to resist, Ma You quickly calmed down. His stiff body went limp, and he slumped comfortably in the chair, breathing through his nose and a smirk playing on his lips, as if mocking Fan Jialuo’s inexplicable actions and words. He wasn’t even afraid of death, so why would he be afraid of such a small scene? His initial fear was merely a stress response.

Seeing his fearless, unrepentant, and even gleeful arrogance, viewers in front of their televisions felt both anger and hatred, but even more so, fear and helplessness. If a person lacks both empathy and a sense of guilt, he is virtually invincible. Even if he were caught, brought to court, and sentenced to death, he would merely smile dismissively, never uttering a word of apology or repentance.

What can you do when faced with someone like that? You can only swallow your anger, feel miserable, and hate them, enduring the torment of this resentment day and night.

Viewers glued to their television sets were either teary-eyed, cursing, or trembling with fear. Some grabbed whatever they could and slammed it against the wall, while others knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. The pain and fear Ma You had inflicted on them were far from over, in fact, this was only the beginning.

With trembling fingertips, Father Zhou pointed at the grinning demon on the television screen, a curse stuck in his throat, unable to escape. He was already suffocating. Zhou He and his wife were also so enraged that they felt dizzy and weak, their hands pressing tightly against their hearts to prevent them from bursting.

The only person unaffected by Ma You’s cruelty was Fan Jialuo. He lowered his eyelids, refusing to look at the demon-like face, and continued, “Now, I’m going to teach you empathy. I’m going to make you feel the pain and fear of others, and then deeply repent for your sins. Are you ready?”

Ma You raised his eyebrows, curled his lips into a slant, and gave an extremely arrogant look before letting out a sneer from his nose.

Chief Yan, watching this scene through the two way mirror, was so nervous his palms were sweating. If Teacher Fan failed to achieve his stated goal, the impact of this live broadcast on the entire society would be extremely negative. His superiors called one after another, questioning what he was up to, netizens left messages filled with fear, resentment, and helplessness.

It can be said that if Teacher Fan’s move fails, he will be condemned by everyone and face complete disgrace. Even if he captures Ma You and saves the entire capital, this achievement will be wiped out.

A person who always strives for perfection will be criticized for even the slightest blemish, while a villain can be praised for a single, insignificant good deed. The logic of this world has always been this bizarre.

As Chief Yan waited anxiously and the audience remained bewildered, Fan Jialuo slowly transferred the near-death memories contained within the magnetic field into Ma You’s mind. Since Ma You lacked empathy, he would bestow this ability upon him.

One second Ma You was laughing triumphantly, the next he was terrified. Fragments of chaotic memories began to appear in his mind, spinning like a slideshow and playing out vividly.

His eyes gradually bulged out, his cheeks slowly sunken, and he became visibly haggard and worn out. He frequently licked his lips with his tongue, as if he were extremely thirsty.

His change was so obvious that viewers in front of their televisions noticed it immediately.

To better understand the public’s emotional reactions, Chief Yan was watching a live stream on a tablet. Netizens were constantly sending comments on the screen, asking what had happened to Ma You and why he looked so much haggard in an instant.

Just as Song Rui had predicted, the moment Ma You appeared disheveled, even slightly, public sentiment would be greatly appeased. Netizens who had previously been frequently protesting and demanding the government immediately shut down the live stream and television channels were now completely silent, instead urging even the most timid to come and watch. They sensed that Teacher Fan was about to make a big move.

But Fan Jialuo’s actions surprised everyone. He actually released Ma You, took a disinfectant wipe from Dr. Song, and began to slowly wipe his fingertips, his expression serene and his posture relaxed, as if he had already stopped channeling.

Seeing his behavior, the audience couldn’t help but feel very disappointed. The live stream chat was full of questions directed at Fan Jialuo, while Father Zhou pressed his chest and said in a trembling voice, “Why doesn’t he continue channeling? Can’t he deal with Ma You either? Continue, continue!”

Zhou He supported his father’s swaying body while gritting his teeth and watching the screen. He desperately wanted Fan Jialuo to inflict more pain on Ma You, but the other man seemed to have only punished Ma You briefly before letting go. Was that all he could do?

Just as everyone’s discontent was rising rapidly, Ma You suddenly slid down the back of his chair, his knees hitting the ground with a thud. Then he clutched his throat and shouted urgently, “Water,  water, give me water!”

Fan Jialuo picked up a glass of water that was placed beside him, and under Ma You’s extremely eager gaze, drank it all in one gulp.

Ma You’s eyes turned red at the sight, and he cried out in near despair, “Leave me a mouthful! Please, leave me a mouthful!”

Fan Jialuo turned the empty glass upside down, responding to his plea with callous indifference.

Ma You stared intently at the empty glass, from which not a single drop of water could be poured, and let out an angry roar. His madness, his despair, his pleas stunned everyone. The comments in the live stream vanished in an instant, and Father Zhou, who had been so excited he wanted to smash the TV, plopped back down in his seat, greedily watching the utterly disheveled Ma You, a look of pleasure and enjoyment in his eyes.

After a long while, a netizen tentatively posted a comment: 【What just happened? Why did Ma You suddenly demand water and go crazy if he wasn’t given it? 】

【I don’t know! Didn’t Teacher Fan’s channeling already end? 】

In their view, letting go meant the end of the psychic communication, but the reality was the complete opposite of what they had guessed, it was only the beginning.

Fan Jialuo gently placed the water glass back in its original position and said softly, “Move the table away.”

The police officers standing by immediately moved the interrogation table aside, allowing Ma You to face Fan Jialuo directly. From the camera’s perspective, he didn’t appear to collapse from pain, but rather seemed to be kowtowing and begging for mercy from Fan Jialuo. This scene greatly pleased the audience.

The netizen who was just saying he was going to report the live stream suddenly posted a huge, bright red “awesome” word.

Chief Yan glanced at the tablet, then at the shrewd and calculating Teacher Fan. His anxiety finally subsided, and the constant barrage of questioning calls ceased. It’s easy to imagine how many people were watching this unfold with bated breath.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Fan Jialuo slowly spoke, “This is your first hell, and also the dying feeling of the first person you killed.” He tapped his temples with his slender fingertips, his voice as soft as a babbling brook, yet it brought a lingering chill and terror, “She was too old, and died of a sudden heart attack before the feeling of hunger could reach its peak.”

As he spoke, Ma You’s hands, which had been clutching his throat, tightened around his chest. He collapsed completely, curled up on the floor, and began to convulse. Without the table obstructing the view, more than a dozen cameras could clearly and comprehensively capture his agonizing state.

Fan Jialuo closed his eyes slightly and continued to describe, “When the heart disease strikes, you will feel sharp pain in your body, you will be unable to breathe through your mouth and nose, your body will begin to go numb, and your mind will become confused. You know you are about to die, you want to shout for help, but in fact you can’t make a sound at all, you want to crawl out to find someone, but you can’t even move your fingertips, you can only lie on the ground and wait for death alone.”

His every word was confirmed by Ma You’s actions.

Ma You clutched his chest in excruciating pain, large beads of cold sweat beading on his forehead. He cried for help, but no sound came out. His fingertips dug into the floor, but his body remained paralyzed. He rolled his eyes at the ceiling, his face displaying a desperate, lonely, and passively awaiting-death expression of resentment.

One of the cameras filmed a close-up of him, and under the high-definition lens, his numb face, the kind only a dying person would have, brought immense comfort to all the viewers. This cruel and heartless scene received not a single complaint, instead, it garnered overwhelming praise online, with likes skyrocketing to an astonishing number in no time.

Finally, Ma You convulsed violently for a moment, then lay still.

Viewers who hadn’t yet reached their peak of enjoyment instinctively asked: 【That’s it? 】

Fan Jialuo slowly spoke, “Next is your second hell, which comes from the dying feelings of the second victim, Jiang Keke. She was driven to death by thirst by you.”

Ma You, who had been lying motionless, suddenly regained his energy and scrambled to his feet, trying to escape. He finally understood what Fan Jialuo meant by the 256 levels of hell. It was people! It was the painful memories of the victims he had killed! It was death after death!

The first one was already excruciating, what would the others be like? Ma You dared not even think about it! He had never been able to understand the pain of others before, and only now did he finally realize what he had done.

He rushed toward the door, but after taking a step, he suddenly knelt down, gasping for breath.

Fan Jialuo described his feelings in a soft voice, “Doesn’t it feel like your mouth is very dry and your throat is very hot, as if it’s about to burst into flames?”

Ma You clutched his throat, turned to look at Fan Jialuo, his mouth wide open, making a hoarse sound.

Seeing his pained expression, the audience couldn’t help but swallow hard, suddenly gaining a deeper and more intuitive understanding of the phrase “burning with thirst.”

Fan Jialuo said casually, “Don’t worry, this is just the beginning. You’ll feel a little dizzy later, and your skin will become dry from dehydration.”

Ma You’s head began to sway back and forth and side to side, and sure enough, he began to feel dizzy, and his skin became dry at a visible speed.

This amazing scene stunned viewers in front of their televisions and netizens watching the live stream.

Fan Jialuo’s description continues, “Dehydration causes your blood to thicken and stops pumping blood to non-essential organs. The first organ to be abandoned is the stomach and intestines, so you will feel nauseous and want to vomit.”

Ma You knelt down, supporting his body with his hands, his head bowed low, and he made retching sounds repeatedly.

Fan Jialuo closed his eyes and said in a low voice, “After your stomach and intestines, your kidneys will also stop working. Because you can’t produce urine, you will feel a burning pain in your urethra and bladder.”

Ma You curled up on the ground, clutching his lower abdomen, his expression one of unbearable pain. He began to cry for help, pleading for a chance to live like everyone
else he had trapped and died, but the people in the interrogation room simply stood quietly to the side, watching his despair and struggle with indifferent eyes.

He was now reaping the same pain he had inflicted on others. He struggled to turn over and kowtowed repeatedly to Fan Jialuo, his appearance utterly miserable.

Fan Jialuo’s shoe tip pointed at his head, swaying slightly, seemingly nonchalant. When facing such utterly heinous villains, he never harbored even the slightest shred of mercy, the so-called adage——drop the butcher’s knife and instantly attain Buddhahood——was, to him, nothing more than a joke. If even a wretch like Ma You could attain Buddhahood simply by ceasing to kill, then this world would have no reason to continue existing, indeed, the myriad living beings of this world would be nothing more than souls claimed by the Buddha’s very own blade.

He stared at Ma You’s trembling head and said in a low voice, “After your kidneys stop working, your mouth and nose will crack due to dehydration and bleed.”

Ma You reached out and touched it, indeed feeling the thick, fresh blood on the tip of his nose. His expression instantly turned one of utter terror and madness. What on earth was this person? Why could he cast him into hell?

The audience was so stunned by Fan Jialuo’s perfectly synchronized descriptions that they were speechless. It turned out that the hell he spoke of was a series of death memories, the victims’ final experiences, the ultimate pain and despair! He could achieve such a thing with just a brief touch on Ma You, was he truly just a psychic, and not a god?

All eyes were on Fan Jialuo, and he delivered his final pronouncement, “Your brain will shrink due to dehydration, your eyeballs will sunken into their sockets, your consciousness will begin to blur, and your throat will make strange noises, which signify the coming of death.”

As Ma You kowtowed and begged for mercy, he slowly collapsed, revealing his face. His once bulging eyeballs were now sunken deep in their sockets, becoming dry and cloudy. His mouth was wide open, making gurgling sounds, a result of his body automatically secreting mucus due to dehydration. The appearance of such sounds was a sign that the person’s life had come to an end.

Ma You convulsed a few times before finally succumbing to his injuries.

The audience also involuntarily held their breath as he breathed his last.

Just then, Fan Jialuo’s cold voice rang out again, “The third level of hell has begun. Are you ready?”

Ma You suddenly opened his eyes and ran frantically towards the door, using both hands and feet. The fearless, unrepentant, and utterly unemotional man had finally learned to be afraid.

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Chapter 238. Ma You, How Many Levels Of Hell Do You Have?

After leaving the morgue, Fan Jialuo, Song Rui, and Chief Yan returned to the South City Branch, where Ma You was now being held.

“How is he?” Chief Yan asked as he entered the observation room.

“Bent on dying,” Meng Zhong said, pointing at the two-way mirror.

The three looked into the interrogation room next door and saw that Ma You was tightly bound to a chair with a rope, his hands were handcuffed, his feet were weighed down with heavy iron balls and shackles, his upper and lower jaws were propped open by a metal frame, and his mouth was stuffed with cotton. Except for his eyeballs, he could not move any part of his body.

The police tried everything they could to stop him from harming himself.

“It seems he’s gone mad.” Song Rui said coldly.

“Completely insane.” Zhuang Zhen said, pressing down on the pistol strapped to his waist, still shaken, “I tried to intimidate him with the gun, but he took it into his mouth and urged me to pull the trigger.”

Song Rui immediately took a few steps back, keeping a distance from Zhuang Zhen, and asked warily, “Did you disinfect your gun barrel?”

Zhuang Zhen: ……

Meng Zhong: ……

Fan Jialuo turned his head away and silently curled the corners of his lips.

The atmosphere in the observation room suddenly became strange, it wasn’t tense, nor was it relaxed, but everyone’s complexion improved significantly.

Just then, Xiao Li burst in, handed the tablet to Chief Yan, and said urgently, “Chief, look, we’ve lost control of online public opinion. The public is divided into two factions: one is clamoring for Ma You’s execution, and the other is clamoring for his life imprisonment. There are also people spreading fear and selling amulets, talismans, and other superstitious items. Supermarkets are still being emptied by panicked citizens. These are photos from major supermarkets, their inventory is completely depleted, and there’s nowhere to restock. There have been over twenty stampedes alone, and the number of injured is skyrocketing. Vegetables and meat are becoming increasingly expensive, and they’re impossible to buy. If this continues, everyone’s lives will be severely affected.”

Chief Yan took the tablet computer and looked at the news reports from various media outlets with a splitting headache.

Song Rui, however, couldn’t help but rain on his parade, “This is just the beginning. If Ma You isn’t executed, the victims’ families will definitely cause trouble, and public anger and resentment will be hard to quell. If he is executed, all citizens will live in fear and panic, and similar panic buying will continue. Large numbers of people will flee Beijing, and the city’s economic and social structures will be severely disrupted. An even more severe situation is yet to come.”

Chief Yan was flipping through these troubling reports while touching his forehead, when he unexpectedly pulled out a clump of hair. He immediately cursed angrily, “Damn it! If it weren’t for the Tianshui Sect ruining our arrest plan, none of this would have happened!”

“It’s too late to say anything now. Let’s get a news team to interview Ma You.” Song Rui pointed to the person who was tied up across from them.

“Are you sure he won’t say anything inappropriate in front of the camera?” Chief Yan asked hesitantly.

“Him talking nonsense is precisely what I want.” Song Rui said calmly.

Chief Yan was dumbfounded, and Zhuang Zhen and Meng Zhong were also somewhat confused about his tactics.

Fan Jialuo gave Dr. Song a deep look and replied, “The old bait-and-switch? Or more like tearing it down to build it back up?”

Song Rui nodded and said, “Yes, let him be arrogant in front of the camera for a while, making the audience uneasy, then suppress his arrogance and let the audience see for themselves how he becomes a complete mess. Only in this way can everyone’s fear of him be completely eliminated. The pleasure derived from destroying a weak person is nothing compared to destroying a powerful person. The more afraid the audience is of him, the more relaxed and relieved they will feel after seeing him defeated. This is the most effective way to provide psychological guidance.”

After Dr. Song’s explanation, Chief Yan and the others finally understood. That’s right, first exaggerating Ma You’s terrifying image to the extreme, and then completely crushing him at the end, would create an absolutely spectacular impact.

But the question is, can Ma You really be completely defeated? He’s not even afraid of death, so what else could he be afraid of? If this final step fails, Dr. Song’s filming plan will only backfire.

Chief Yan looked at Teacher Fan hesitantly.

Fan Jialuo waved his hand at him, “Go find the news media, I will let Ma You experience firsthand what hell is like.”

Upon hearing Teacher Fan’s words, Chief Yan acted impulsively and immediately rushed out to make arrangements——

Distracted, Zhou He wandered outside for a long time with his equally distracted wife and daughter before returning home. As soon as he opened the door, he saw his father sitting in front of the television, his body stiff, but tears streaming down his face.

“I just called the police station. They still can’t retrieve your mother’s body. They say they’re stitching her up and it’ll take a few more days. She was cut into twenty or thirty pieces, she died so horribly, but the person who killed her won’t even offer an apology.” Suddenly, Father Zhou slammed the remote control he was holding onto the ground, then stood up and smashed everything in sight——tables, chairs, cabinets, kettles……

In the blink of an eye, the house was reduced to ruins.

The greatest pain in the world is not one’s own death, but the passing of one’s dearest loved one. The dead feel nothing. It’s the living who have to endure the endless torture. That heart-wrenching grief of parting, that struggle to let go, only to find oneself involuntarily clenching one’s fists, unable to release the pain no matter how hard one tries, is something that those who have not lived through it can never truly comprehend.

Father Zhou was already somewhat depressed, but the words Ma You said to the media with a smile after his arrest dealt him an even greater blow.

He smashed up what was once a happy and beautiful home, but he himself was on the verge of collapse. He fell to the ground, crying, and asked, “Why are there such people in the world? Is he even human? Why can’t I kill him? Why?”

Zhou He couldn’t answer these questions. Hell is empty, all the devils are here. He couldn’t bear to tell his father that people like Ma You not only exist in the world, but there are many of them. The only difference is that those people don’t have the power to do anything, so they can only be evil in their hearts, while Ma You has the ability to put his evil into action.

Thinking of this, Zhou He couldn’t help but shudder, because he suddenly realized that the world is so vast, who can guarantee that someone like Ma You is just an exception, the only one? What if there are many more people like him hiding in the shadows?

The thought crept into Zhou He’s mind like a ghost, freezing his ability to think. He wanted to help his father up, but his own legs went weak, and he slumped down.

Zhou He’s wife had taken their daughter into the room while her father-in-law was emotionally distraught. After finally getting her daughter to sleep, she ran out to check on him and couldn’t help but tear up. If her husband and father-in-law, who weren’t even survivors of the disaster, were so terrified, how strong could she, a mere survivor, possibly be?

She knelt down and hugged her husband tightly from behind, choking back tears as she said, “Husband, let’s leave this horrible place, I’m scared! Let’s take Huihui and go far away, and never come back, okay?”

“No, your ma hasn’t come home yet!” Father Zhou said resolutely, “I’m going to stay and wait for your ma! I’m going to the police station to put up banners and petition, I’m going to make the government execute Ma You! I’m not afraid even if he becomes a ghost, let him kill me if he dares, at worst I’ll go down to join my wife, and I’ll become a ghost too, let’s see who wins!”

Feeling his wife trembling more and more violently, Zhou He wiped his face and said, forcing back his grief, “Ba, you’re not afraid of death, but what about Huihui? She’s only five years old. Are we going to let her grow up in this terrifying atmosphere?”

The once-strong-willed Father Zhou instantly became dejected, his back visibly hunching over.

“Do you also agree with the court letting him go? If so, wouldn’t your ma have died in vain? Wouldn’t she have nowhere to seek justice? Ma You killed so many people, and in the end, the country still has to feed and care for him, letting him live a comfortable life without illness until old age?” The more Father Zhou spoke, the angrier he became, and he couldn’t help but cry out to the sky, “So many people died in vain? Did your wife suffer in vain? What kind of world is this! God, just kill me already, I don’t want to live anymore!”

He cried so hard he could barely breathe, his throat making cracking sounds as if a huge hole had been punched in his heart.

Zhou He watched in sheer terror, terrified that the old man might fail to catch his breath and follow his mother into the grave. As the family member of a victim, who could possibly bear such an outcome? Yet, even if one could not bear it, what else could be done? To avert an even greater catastrophe, everyone had to compromise!

Thinking of this, an uncontrollable resentment welled up in his heart. He wished that this dark world would be destroyed, so that everyone could die together and that the families of the victims would not have to be sacrificed for the benefit of the majority.

His wife seemed to share his thoughts, whispering in his ear, “Husband, I wish I had been killed like ma. Dying wouldn’t feel like anything, it would just be like closing my eyes and taking a nap. Unlike now, living in such agony! I can’t forget those horrible memories. I tremble at the sight of green, and I dare not close my eyes for a moment, because if I do, I feel like I’m back in that hellish place, unable to escape. I can’t be happy anymore, life is so hard! Husband, if we’re not going to leave, we might as well die together.”

It is clear that the disaster caused her extremely severe psychological trauma, to the point that she cannot recover from it.

Zhou He gripped his wife’s wrist tightly, wanting to say a few words of comfort, but he couldn’t open his mouth. The phrase kept echoing in his mind——Let’s just die together……

The three looked at each other, then stared at the gas stove, their eyes gleaming with resolute determination. They had clearly forgotten that in this room, there was a small life with the right to live, a right they had ruthlessly taken away from it.

Zhou He asked his wife to close the doors and windows, and his father to get tape to seal all the gaps. He then went into the kitchen, turned on the gas stove, and carried his sleeping daughter out.

The family of four sat silently on the sofa, awaiting their impending death. As a faint, unpleasant odor wafted from the kitchen, Ma You’s image suddenly appeared on the television screen.

He was tied to a chair, his mouth gagged so he couldn’t speak. A man with gold-rimmed glasses and an air of extraordinary refinement sat opposite him and slowly said, “I am Song Rui, a police consultant and an expert in criminal psychology. You can call me Dr. Song. I’m here to gather evidence for you. If you honestly confess to the crimes you’ve committed, I guarantee the court will sentence you to death as quickly as possible. If you refuse to confess, we can keep you locked up like this for life.”

Ma You stared at him intently, and even though he couldn’t say a word, his fierce eyes were enough to instill fear in everyone.

Song Rui pointed to the medical staff standing to the side and continued, “You’re probably not well-educated, so you probably don’t know that biting off your tongue won’t kill you immediately. Instead, you’ll bleed and suffocate slowly. This process will take about half an hour to an hour and is extremely painful. We have plenty of time to save you. If you survive, you’ll become mute and lose your freedom. You need to think this through.”

Ma You’s fierce eyes flickered slightly, as if he hesitated.

Song Rui decisively said, “Unlock his gag.”

Several medical staff followed the instructions.

As soon as his jaws were freed, Ma You eagerly said, “What do you want to ask? I’ll tell you everything!”

Song Rui opened his notebook and said calmly, “Let’s start with the first case you committed. If I’m not mistaken, you were still working as a security guard back then?”

Ma You tilted his head back, squinted his eyes, and unconsciously licked his lips, as if savoring the feeling. What would be a terrible memory that others could never forget was as sweet as honey to him.

He remained silent for a long time, and Song Rui, sitting opposite him, waited patiently, while the viewers in front of the television grew increasingly anxious and fearful.

What kind of show is this? Why release this devil to torment everyone? Wouldn’t it be better to just lock him up?

Zhou He and his wife clung tightly to each other, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Father Zhou, his eyes bloodshot, stared at the television screen, wishing he could rush in and fight Ma You to the death. At this moment, perhaps only those who had disregarded their own lives could remain unafraid of him.

He licked his lips until they were red and shiny, as if he had drunk blood, before slowly saying, “Yes, back then I was working as a security guard. I forget which construction site it was, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that woman satisfied me so much, hahaha. She knelt down and kowtowed to me, begging me to let her go, and even said she would give me money. I could scare her half to death with just a breath. You didn’t see what she looked like, hahaha, so pitiful, really so pitiful. Seeing her getting weaker and weaker, a very strange feeling welled up inside me.”

He looked up at the ceiling and described it in an extremely excited tone, “How can I describe the feeling? Let me think, let me really think. Oh right, it’s like taking drugs!”

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, his nostrils flared, and hissed through his slightly parted mouth, looking exactly like someone taking drugs. He said with deep reminiscence, “Her screams, cries, and pleas for mercy excited me more and more, her disheveled, pitiful, and helpless state filled me with uncontrollable joy. I lured everyone away and hid alone in the monitoring room, watching her for a full day and night. Every time she weakened, my heart pounded violently, and in that moment, I finally found the meaning of life!”

Ma You suddenly opened his eyes, staring intently at Song Rui, and howled excitedly, “I live to enjoy the suffering of others. Every nerve in my body trembles because of their pain. Seeing them struggle in despair makes me ecstatic! I’ve never felt so satisfied. It makes me happier than killing hundreds of cats and dogs! Because cats and dogs can only meow and bark, and I can’t understand what they’re saying at all, but those people scream for help, one scream after another, for hours on end, until they cough up blood. That sound is the most beautiful sound in the world. I often fall asleep to that sound, it’s such a wonderful feeling!”

As Ma You spoke, he closed his eyes again, and his originally twisted and ferocious face showed a peaceful expression. However, this peace, coupled with his cruel and crazy words, made people feel even more terrified.

What was he thinking at that moment? He was probably thinking of the victims’ pleas, cries, and screams. He used those sounds of extreme suffering as a lullaby. What was his heart made of? Stone? Steel? Ice?

No, no, no, none of that. He has no heart at all!

Zhou He and his wife, sitting in front of the television, were completely frozen by the terrifying chill. Even Father Zhou, who had been shouting that he would fight Ma You to the death, was now deathly pale and kept his mouth tightly shut. He suddenly realized that Ma You was not someone an ordinary person could kill, and even if he died, he would become something even more terrifying!

When a person is wicked to the extreme, no one will be unafraid of him, and no one will dare to confront him.

Those watching the interview on television froze, overwhelmed by a boundless panic that robbed them of their ability to think and threatened to break their already fragile nerves. At that moment, they began to profoundly doubt the saying “good will always prevail over evil.” Living in such an absurd, terrifying, and bizarre world, what hope was there for ordinary people?

As public panic escalated, Song Rui added fuel to the fire, “So, you won’t apologize to the victims? You don’t think killing them was wrong?”

Ma You rolled his blood-red eyes and sneered, “I’m just enjoying my life. What’s there to apologize for? It’s their honor to die by my hand.”

These words ignited Father Zhou emotions, causing him to suppress his inner fear. He abruptly stood up, intending to smash the television, but due to lack of oxygen, he swayed and fell back onto the sofa. Many others were similarly traumatized, yet none of them could actually do anything to Ma You. If the other party wasn’t afraid of death, who else would he be afraid of?

However, the moment this desperate thought surfaced, tugging at the hearts of the audience, Ma You on the screen displayed an expression of extreme terror. His eyes widened, his pupils contracted violently for a moment, his eyeballs bulged, as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight, and his laughing mouth suddenly shut, letting out a deafening cough.

Song Rui followed his horrified gaze to the doorway and chuckled, “It seems there are still things in this world that can frighten you.”

Under their gazes, Fan Jialuo walked over unhurriedly, sat down slowly in the empty chair, and said calmly, “Untie his ropes and handcuffs.”

The police officers standing by immediately untied Ma You, who was bound hand and foot. However, Ma You, now free, remained frozen in place, looking like a frog being stalked by a venomous snake, too weak to resist.

Song Rui adjusted the position of the desk lamp, letting the stark white light shine directly on Ma You’s face, capturing his fearful, wary, and helpless expression perfectly on camera.

Seeing this scene through the camera lens, the audience, whose fear had reached its limit, seemed to be clinging tightly to a piece of driftwood at the moment of drowning, and couldn’t help but gasp for breath.

Great! Teacher Fan is here!

This thought had saved countless people tormented by fear, and it even allowed Father Zhou, whose heart condition was on the verge of a relapse, to sit up straight, his gaze burning as he stared at the television. He was absolutely certain that Teacher Fan would find a way to deal with this deranged Ma You!

Fan Jialuo asked calmly, “Do you know how many levels there are in hell?”

Ma You subconsciously answered, “18 level.” Coming to his senses, he immediately gritted his teeth and sneered, “You think you can scare me with those theories about hell? Hahaha, I’m not afraid! Someone like me whom even the King of Hell himself wouldn’t dare cross——am I really going to let myself be bluffed by a few empty words from you? In life, I am a god among men, in death, I am a god among ghosts. I am omnipotent! When the time comes, I will tear you limb from limb!”

Fan Jialuo shook his head, keeping the conversation on track, “For others, hell may only have eighteen levels, but for you, hell has two hundred and fifty-six levels.”

Ma You scoffed, “Two hundred and fifty-six levels? How did you figure that out?”

Fan Jialuo stretched out his hands and said calmly, “Put your hands up here, and I’ll show you the hell you’ve created.”

Ma You naturally dared not place his hand in his, but his body wouldn’t obey him. Stared at by those captivating, dark eyes, his mind was completely unable to think.

Viewers sitting in front of their televisions watched this scene with bated breath, having no idea what would happen next, yet inexplicably feeling that Teacher Fan was both sacred and cold.

Those who knew even a little about Fan Jialuo suddenly realized that once Teacher Fan Jialuo adopted this stance, he was serious. He was preparing to perform a psychic reading for Ma You, but what would the reading be about? What exactly did the 256 levels of hell mean?

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Chapter 237. Giving Him A Taste Of His Own Cruel Medicine

The police officers and soldiers escorting Ma You initially intended to draw their service pistols to intimidate him, but upon hearing his declaration of becoming a vengeful ghost and taking revenge on the world, they were all filled with fear and stopped their actions.

The crowd, who had been cheering for Ma You’s capture, now stared at the billboard with pale faces, their expressions of terror as if they had truly seen a ghost.

Zhou He’s wife hugged their daughter tightly, her voice trembling, “Husband, I’m scared! He…… he might really become a ghost!”

Yes, if even someone like Ma You, with power that science can’t explain, can exist, then ghosts must exist too, right? Teacher Fan is an officially recognized psychic, and isn’t what psychics sense precisely these other-dimensional things? He only said there are no gods in the world, but he didn’t say there are no ghosts!

In other words, if Ma You is indeed sentenced to death, who can guarantee that his ghost would be harmless? He was already so deranged while he was alive, what would he be like after death?

The unknown had become the most terrifying nightmare, gripping the hearts of every citizen. They had wanted to witness this man’s most wretched state upon capture, to hear him weep and plead for his crimes. Only then could their fear and anger be completely quelled.

But now, Ma You’s behavior is completely contrary to everyone’s expectations. He has even put forward an even more terrifying theory, spreading the shadow of terror to deeper and farther corners. Once this sense of terror takes root in the subconscious of the masses, it will be almost impossible to eradicate it.

Suspicion breeds ghosts, even if Ma You didn’t ultimately become a vengeful spirit, he had already taken up residence in everyone’s hearts. Living in such an atmosphere every day, who could study properly, work properly, or live properly?

It’s no exaggeration to say that from today onwards, social order in the capital will teeter on the brink of chaos. At the slightest sign of trouble, people will frantically hoard supplies or flee in droves. They will blame all the disasters on the revenge unleashed by Ma You’s ghost.

If this continues, the city will lose its momentum for development, and this influence will gradually spread to other cities, because everyone knows that ghosts can travel freely through space. Perhaps Ma You is in Beijing today and will be in Tianjin tomorrow……

Although he hadn’t read many books, he inadvertently planted the most vicious and terrifying curse in everyone’s heart!

His words were like a nuclear bomb dropped into the deep sea, triggering not only an explosion, but also lurking tides and tsunamis in the deeper depths.

He was probably the first person in history to destroy a city single-handedly.

Viewers glued to their televisions were terrified, flooding the screen with comments demanding that Ma You be allowed to live. The families of those he had killed were filled with grief and helplessness. If they could, they desperately wanted to tear him to pieces with their own hands, yet they feared the even more horrific consequences that might ensue.

When a tragedy occurs, what is most despairing, besides the fact that the perpetrators cannot be brought to justice, is their lack of remorse. They will not stand up and say a word of apology, so the souls of the victims will never find peace, and their families will never be at peace, their hearts gnawed by anger day and night.

Clearly, Ma You now embodies two of these points, he has incited public anger, panic, and hatred, and the court, considering his outrageous declaration, may very well give him a break. Although he has been arrested, he remains like a thorn deeply embedded in everyone’s heart, removing it will hurt, but leaving it in will hurt even more.

Chief Yan never expected Ma You to be so utterly depraved. They say you won’t shed a tear until you see the coffin, but he showed no remorse even then! This interview has already been broadcast live, causing an extremely negative social impact, and how to mitigate that impact has become a difficult problem. Ma You isn’t even afraid of death, what can they expect to deter him with?

Chief Yan, pressing his throbbing head, gestured for Ma You to be escorted away from New Era Square. Reporters who had initially been eager to interview Ma You now stood rooted to the spot, afraid to pursue him, fearing they would hear even more horrifying statements from him.

What seemed like a favorable situation for the police and the government was ruined by Ma You’s few words. What’s even more unsettling is that his threats weren’t just empty rhetoric or bluster, he genuinely believed he would become a vengeful ghost.

He’s already so powerful while he’s alive, who knows what will happen to him as a ghost? Who dares to gamble? Nobody dares to! So what should they do with him now?

Chief Yan was stunned by Ma You’s flurry of punches and was at a loss when the leaders who had been paying close attention to the case started calling him one after another and gave him two instructions. First, Ma You must be severely punished, otherwise it would not be enough to appease public anger, second, the negative impact of this matter must be minimized, otherwise it would cause social unrest.

Chief Yan readily agreed, but after hanging up the phone, he found himself in a dilemma. He could tell that the leadership still intended to execute Ma You, this was actually what headquarters planned to do all along. Once Ma You was apprehended, the court would immediately put him on trial and he would be promptly taken to the execution ground, a process intended to be broadcast live across all channels.

Only when the public witnesses Ma You being brought to justice can this most horrific and bizarre tragedy in the history of the People’s Republic of China come to a perfect end.

But now, the military and police’s entire plan has been ruined by Ma You’s casual words, to the point that Chief Yan strongly suspects that he, like Teacher Fan and Dr. Song, has the ability to see through people’s hearts, which is why he came up with such a method to protect himself.

But Chief Yan clearly understood Ma You’s thought process from his crazed eyes. He wasn’t talking nonsense, he genuinely wanted to become a vengeful ghost. And now that he had publicly proclaimed this delusion, it was impossible for Chief Yan to mitigate the negative impact on society. The entire capital would be plunged into continuous turmoil because of him. Alive, he was a threat, dead, he would be a nightmare!

Chief Yan wanted to punch Ma You’s face, which looked like a demon, but he also knew that doing so would only highlight the military’s embarrassment and helplessness.

“What should we do now?” He asked Meng Zhong.

Meng Zhong stared intently at Ma You, gritting his teeth as he asked, “Can I kill him?”

Chief Yan waved his hand and sighed dejectedly. Clearly, the police were helpless as well.

Zhuang Zhen pointed to Fan Jialuo and Song Rui, who were standing on the periphery of the crowd, and said confidently, “If you encounter any problems, you can’t go wrong by asking these two. One of them has brains, and the other has methods.”

Chief Yan slapped his thigh, and his worried expression vanished instantly.

Seeing the group of people rushing towards them, Song Rui had already provided a solution before they even had a chance to speak, “If we want to reduce and eventually completely eliminate the social impact caused by Ma You, we only have one way to go right now.”

“Which way?” Chief Yan hurriedly asked.

“We need to interview him again and make him give a full and sincere confession in front of the whole nation, in the most pathetic and helpless state. Only by completely breaking his image as a terrifying demon and making the public realize that he is just an ordinary and vulnerable person can the negative impact he has caused be completely erased. He calls himself a god, so we must pull him down from his pedestal.”

Chief Yan shook his head and said, “But this is exactly what we planned before, yet Ma You ruined it all. Killing a person is like killing a cat or a dog to him. It’s impossible for you to make him realize his mistakes and sincerely repent. If we can’t deter him, he’ll still talk nonsense in front of the camera.”

Suddenly Chief Yan’s eyes lit up, and he asked, “Dr. Song, do you know hypnosis?”

Song Rui shook his head and said, “Hypnosis won’t be very effective on someone whose thinking is completely disordered. The reason he can so ruthlessly kill others is because he lacks empathy and therefore cannot feel the sadness and pain of others. Only by teaching him empathy can he feel guilt, remorse, and self-reproach for his crimes, and only then will he sincerely apologize in front of the camera.”

Chief Yan urged, “Then you should start psychological treatment for Ma You as soon as possible.”

Song Rui smiled wryly and said, “I can’t cure him. Empathy requires long-term training and accumulated learning. It’s a skill that must be cultivated from childhood. Intervening after adulthood is too late, and the effect will be minimal.”

Chief Yan was stunned for a while before saying, “Then why did you say so much before……”

Song Rui pointed to Fan Jialuo standing next to him and chuckled, “I can’t intervene in Ma You’s psychology, but Teacher Fan can.”

Fan Jialuo had already understood Dr. Song’s meaning, and waved his hand, saying, “Let’s go, take me to see those who died unjustly.”

Without a word, Chief Yan led the two to the warehouse where the victims’ bodies were kept. Pushing open two heavy doors, the first thing they saw were rows of mortuary beds and bodies covered with white sheets. In a corner of the warehouse, several forensic doctors were squatting on the floor, rummaging through body parts, piecing them together to form complete human figures, and then sewing them back together. The horrific scene was almost unbearable to witness.

Chief Yan stood still after pushing open the door. Even on the battlefield amidst the roar of gunfire, he had never seen so many severed limbs. He turned his back, took a few deep breaths, and then led the two inside.

Fan Jialuo instructed, “Remove the white sheet from their bodies.”

Chief Yan hesitated slightly, but Song Rui walked over and lifted the white sheets one by one.

Noticing their unusual behavior, the busy forensic doctors quickly stood up and frowned as they looked over. One of the doctors tried to stop them, but another grabbed his sleeve and whispered, “That’s Teacher Fan. He must have a reason for coming to see the body.”

The forensic doctor, whose vision was becoming blurry from being so busy, finally managed to stop.

The forensic doctor who was trying to stop him said again, “Come on, let’s go take a look.”

They removed their rubber gloves and plastic raincoats, hurried over, and upon seeing what Teacher Fan was doing, their curiosity was instantly replaced by astonishment and disbelief. Teacher Fan simply placed his hand over the face of each deceased person, silently sensing for a few seconds, before moving on to the next.

Because their deaths were so gruesome, the faces of these victims were far from peaceful, some had wide-open eyes, others distorted features, and still others stiff muscles, all conveying a sense of eeriness and oppression. But at this moment, as Teacher Fan’s hand gently stroked their faces, their eyes, which had remained closed, slowly shut, their tense muscles relaxed, and they revealed a serene state.

The warehouse, which had been extremely empty and cold, was stirred by a few warm breezes after Teacher Fan walked around it. The forensic doctors, whose faces were brushed by the wind, stood there stunned. When Teacher Fan walked up to them, they heard him repeatedly chanting a sutra, which seemed to be a mantra for rebirth or a sutra for deliverance. The pronunciation was strange, but it cleared their minds and relaxed their spirits.

Finally, he stopped before the mountain of body parts, silently sensing them for a moment before rolling up his sleeves, putting on gloves, and placing them one by one on the long plastic sheet. He didn’t need to repeatedly examine the physiological characteristics and skeletal structure of the body parts like a forensic doctor, nor did he need to identify the gender, calculate the height, or measure the weight. He simply picked them up and put them down casually, piecing together a complete human body in a few quick movements.

His divine sense had already categorized the scattered and fragmented body parts, and he could tell which was which at a glance. With Dr. Song’s help, he completed the body parts that several forensic doctors had been working on for days and nights without success in just half an hour.

He took off his gloves and, as usual, lightly stroked the face of each corpse, plunging them into a peaceful and eternal slumber.

Witnessing this scene, the forensic doctors, who had always been devout believers in science and disdained dealing with ghosts and spirits, were moved to tears. The deceased’s family kept calling to ask when they could return their loved one. The doctors were anxious, but even more afraid of mixing up the bodies, causing the deceased and their family eternal regret. The immense pressure of this job was almost driving them to the brink of collapse. Facing so many faces filled with resentment and bitterness every day, they endured constant mental torment.

But now, just like these peaceful corpses, their hearts have also found redemption and liberation. They thought this experience would be the most terrible nightmare of their careers, but unexpectedly, in the moment of despair as they struggled in the nightmare, they suddenly encountered the dawn.

From now on, whenever they recall Teacher Fan’s calm and serene face and his warm hands, they can immediately break free from this terrifying dream and firmly believe that while there is darkness in this world, there is also light!

Several forensic doctors suppressed their sobs and bowed in unison, saying, “Teacher Fan, on behalf of the deceased’s family, thank you for your selfless help!”

Yes, Teacher Fan has always been selfless, otherwise, he wouldn’t have secretly come to this place to perform rituals for the deceased. He could have easily told the families that he could bring peace to their loved ones, then performed the miracles before their eyes, gaining even more worship and faith. But he didn’t. He came quietly and worked peacefully, as if everything was as it should be, as if it were only natural.

“Teacher Fan, I have previously slandered you online. Please forgive me!” The youngest forensic doctor stepped forward and shouted as he was about to leave.

Unsurprisingly, he received several eye rolls from his colleagues.

Fan Jialuo waved his hand, curled his lips into a smile, and left in silence. His steps were hurried, as if he had something else to do.

Several forensic doctors watched him walk away, then looked back at the huge warehouse full of corpses, and could no longer feel any gloom or oppression.

Chief Yan only then asked in a low voice, “Teacher Fan, what were you doing just now?”

Fan Jialuo explained in a low voice, “I took away the feelings these deceased individuals had at the moment of their deaths and brought them back to Ma You. Isn’t he lacking in empathy? Then I’ll teach him empathy.”

Song Rui seemed to remember something, and couldn’t help but lower his eyes and smile.

Chief Yan didn’t understand what he was saying, but he knew for sure——Teacher Fan really could handle Ma You! How would their confrontation unfold? He was filled with anticipation……

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Chapter 236. Fan Jialuo, What Exactly Are You?

Fan Jialuo stayed in this space in a meditative posture for five days. The magnetic field he released changed from being extremely aggressive on the first day, to slightly weakening on the second day, then to only defending and not attacking on the third day, until it became convergent on the fourth day and completely disappeared on the fifth day.

He portrayed the entire process of a strong person slowly weakening under the torment of hunger and thirst, and Ma You actually believed it. For even though he had “become a god,” he would feel hungry if he didn’t eat a meal and thirsty if he didn’t drink for half a day. So he naturally assumed that no one in the world could survive without eating or drinking.

His background determined his knowledge and perspective, which cannot be changed by the strength of his abilities.

He extended a finger to poke Fan Jialuo’s drooping head, trying to make his corpse slowly collapse. Then he would step on his back, open a portal to make a grand entrance outside, then collect the corpse, grind it to pieces, and splatter blood and chunks of flesh across the entire New Era Square. He would also place this person’s head on the sculpture of the woman holding a book, and then write a line in his blood: 【Reading is utterly useless! 】

So, in his eyes, Fan Jialuo is nothing but a fart, hahaha! Ma You was amused by his own imagination, his mouth widening to reveal a row of gleaming white teeth, his appearance resembling a demon. Just as he was about to touch the man’s hair, a cold hand suddenly grabbed his fingertips and forcefully twisted them upwards……

The cracking sound of breaking bones, mixed with a scream, reverberated through the space, causing the eerie green lamps overhead to sway. In the rapidly flickering light, Fan Jialuo raised his lowered head, revealing a pair of deep, dark eyes that shone like cold stars.

He did not die at all. On the contrary, his power, consciousness, and magnetic field were just as strong as when he first entered the space.

Realizing he had been tricked, Ma You screamed in terror, “You tricked me!”

Fan Jialuo didn’t bother to say a word to him. He grabbed his broken index finger and pulled it forward, then grabbed his neck and slammed his head against the metal wall.

Ma You was so shocked by the impact that he saw stars and collapsed to the ground. He flailed his arms and legs wildly, trying to get up, but his back was pinned down by Fan Jialuo’s knee.

“Do you think a god would be in such a sorry state?” Fan Jialuo whispered in Ma You’s ear, his breath icy cold, devoid of any human body temperature.

The chilling air made Ma You’s hair stand on end. He struggled to get up, tilting his head back as if to hurl insults, but an even colder hand covered his forehead.

“You are not worthy of being human.” Fan Jialuo made his judgment in a cold tone, releasing a magnetic field from his palm and probing into Ma You’s body to extract the thing that had caused his mutation.

Unsurprisingly, this was also a jade pendant, about the size of a peanut, lifelike, with a faint shimmering light. Only after the light faded did it reveal its dark gray color. There was also a trace of blood mixed in with the jade, which was caused by too much killing.

Fan Jialuo clenched his fingers and absorbed the jade pendant into his body, while Ma You stared at him with bloodshot eyes. Although he didn’t understand what had just happened, he knew he had lost something extremely important. He tried to control the space, but found that it had completely severed its connection with him. The feeling of emptiness and powerlessness made his body and soul tremble.

“You……you, what did you take from my body?” His teeth chattered involuntarily, making a clicking sound, as he was terrified.

“I took your power.” Fan Jialuo stood up, mercilessly crushing Ma You with his magnetic field, and slowly said, “But that power never belonged to you in the first place.”

Ma You tried to struggle and resist, but his body felt as if it were pressed under a mountain, completely unable to move. Having stayed in the space for five days without food or water, Fan Jialuo’s power had not weakened, on the contrary, it had become even more formidable. Furthermore, he possessed the ability to strip others of their power. What exactly was he? Was he truly human?

Ma You stared at Fan Jialuo in terror, then frantically tried to create a space in his mind, but failed. The power that once made him feel like an omnipotent creator had truly vanished. His fantasies could only remain fantasies, never to become reality again. He had become a complete mortal.

Seemingly sensing his thoughts, Fan Jialuo coldly said, “You are just a mortal.”

“No, you’re talking nonsense! I am the chosen one, I have awakened the ability to manipulate time and space, this is a forbidden technique, do you understand? Forbidden techniques can only be used by Gods! I don’t believe you can take away my power, I’m just too tired, I’ll be fine after a while, you just wait, I will definitely tear you to pieces!” Ma You twisted on the ground like a turtle, shouting some neurotic words.

Fan Jialuo reached out and touched the open door, saying with a half-smile, “Is this the forbidden technique you’re talking about?” With each word he uttered, a corner of the space on the other side of the door, which belonged exclusively to Ma You, collapsed.

Unlike the spaces that confine others, the space Ma You created for himself was bright and warm, filled with expensive furniture and decorations he had stolen from elsewhere, making it look like a luxury apartment.

At this very moment, the apartment is disintegrating into points of light, inch by inch. The expensive furniture and decorations, including the evidence he collected from the victims, such as their fingernails and teeth, all float lightly onto New Era Square.

Ma You stared wide-eyed, utterly terrified and incredulous at the scene before him. This person…… this person had actually stolen his power and made it his own! How could he do that? Was he truly a God?

An indescribable sense of fear caused Ma You to completely collapse, while Fan Jialuo gripped the back of his neck, utterly disintegrating the eerie green space——

The crowd standing around the square, as well as the staff surrounding the soft chair, all thought that Fan Jialuo had died.

They didn’t say a word, but their heads were bowed, in a gesture of silent mourning. Just then, a dazzling white light flashed above the chair, followed by a luxurious leather sofa that appeared out of thin air and slowly landed, then a two-meter-wide bed, a wardrobe, a coffee table, a massage chair……

The sight of the strange object falling from the sky stunned everyone. Before they could react, two figures suddenly appeared directly in front of the chair. It was none other than Teacher Fan, who had been missing for many days, and the murderous Ma You.

The cameras standing around the soft chair never stopped working, so the moment the two appeared, the scene was broadcast live to the television channel that Chief Yan had kept on, and also to a huge billboard towering over the edge of the square.

The once arrogant and domineering Ma You was now like a newly hatched chick, easily held in Teacher Fan’s palm. He looked up and saw the heavily armed soldiers and police around him, the dark mass of people standing around the square, and his own disheveled and ugly appearance on the billboard.

He first stared in disbelief, his eyes widening in astonishment, then his face contorted in agony as he began to struggle frantically. Though he had lost his power, his pride as a “God” remained undiminished.

In stark contrast to his reaction, the crowd who witnessed the scene burst into cheers of surprise and threw flowers into the air, transforming the once desolate square into a sea of joy.

Fan Jialuo handed Ma You over to the soldiers and police who quickly surrounded him, then looked at a camera directly in front of him and said, word by word, “There are no gods in this world. I only said that to cooperate with the police. If you encounter danger or difficulties in your life, please go to the police or relevant departments. Do not seek help from ghosts and gods, as that will not solve any problems. Ma You has lost his power and can no longer kill. He will receive the punishment he deserves, so please rest assured.”

Upon hearing these words, the crowd chanted his name even more enthusiastically, expressing their gratitude and regarding him as a hero.

Enveloped in this intense wave of emotion, Fan Jialuo’s face showed a rare hint of embarrassment. However, he didn’t linger in this atmosphere for long, because the person he cared about most was waiting ahead. He used his magnetic field to shoo away the swarming reporters and strode towards Song Rui and Xu Yiyang, who were standing hand in hand not far away.

Xu Yiyang flew into his arms like a bird, his moist eyes filled with joy, but also with a hint of fear.

The five days and nights of waiting almost wore his heart out.

Song Rui took off his thick coat and draped it over Fan Jialuo’s shoulders, then silently embraced him. He didn’t utter a word, but his heart was overflowing with joy, longing, and reluctance to part. He knew that for this man, expressing his feelings through emotions was more powerful than words.

Surrounded by such intense emotions, even without body temperature or heartbeat, Fan Jialuo felt as if he had found the feeling of being alive.

“I’m back.” He gently patted Dr. Song’s back, those simple words conveying a thousand unspoken feelings.

The reporter tried to get close to the three people embracing, but was kept at bay by some force. Helpless, he had no choice but to rush towards Ma You, who was surrounded.

To completely dispel the public’s previous panic, the government intentionally encouraged more media coverage of Ma You’s arrest, and therefore did not prevent reporters from interviewing him. One reporter pushed to the front, held the microphone to Ma You’s mouth, and shouted, “Why did you kill people?”

Ma You was pinned to the spot with his hands tied behind his back by two soldiers. His hair was disheveled, and his face was haggard, but his eyes were unusually bright, “Why?” He stared intently at the reporter, grinning, “Because it’s fun!”

The reporter was clearly taken aback by his response. He was expected to tell a tragic story about his childhood, recount his upbringing and moral decline, then offer a tearful confession, begging for forgiveness. Instead, he said so directly and without remorse——I did it for fun.

The negative impact of his answer was unimaginable, to the point that the reporter displayed an extremely obvious expression of horror in front of the camera. He came from a legal channel and had interviewed countless heinous criminals, but he had never seen anyone like Ma You. His evil was not due to being forced by circumstances, nor was it because he was uneducated and ignorant of right and wrong, rather, he was born evil, evil to the core, evil with a sense of righteousness and without any restraint.

The reporter’s hand holding the microphone began to tremble. The many questions he had prepared were now rendered blank by fear and chilling dread. He suddenly realized that the person in front of him might no longer be considered a human being, but rather a complete and utter demon.

He didn’t ask any questions, but a female reporter next to him indignantly questioned, “What right do you have to take someone’s life just because it’s fun? Are you an animal?”

Ma You, who had been standing still, suddenly rammed into her. Although he was quickly subdued by two soldiers, he still frightened her so much that she screamed and retreated in panic.

Seeing the female reporter’s pale face, he laughed triumphantly, then gritted his teeth and said, “You are the animals, I am a God! I am the ruler of this world! Whoever I want to die, will die!”

The female reporter was terrified by his bloodthirsty threat. Extreme anger and extreme fear battled in her mind, forcing her to shed two tears. This scene was broadcast live, putting considerable psychological pressure on the viewers.

The once bustling New Era Square was now deathly silent. Everyone was looking up, their eyes filled with hatred and fear as they stared at the distorted, smiling face on the billboard. Viewers glued to their computers or televisions were frozen in place, a chilling fear seemingly creeping into their very bones and the depths of their hearts.

The entire venue fell silent, leaving only Ma You’s manic laughter echoing in the air.

It took a while before one of the reporters reacted and shouted back, “Teacher Fan Jialuo just said that there are no gods in the world, and that you have no power and can’t kill anyone! You are not a god, you are just a captured criminal!”

Upon hearing the name “Fan Jialuo,” Ma You, who had been smug just a moment ago, froze on the spot like a statue, as if struck in a fatal spot. His ruddy complexion turned deathly pale at a visible speed, and his feet instinctively retreated, leaning against the two soldiers as if seeking protection. His slightly dilated pupils were filled with hatred, but also concealed an indescribable fear.

Such an obvious emotional reaction greatly encouraged the reporter. He knew he was right, so he pressed his advantage, “Ma You, you really have no power left, right? You can no longer create that kind of space to kill, right? You are now just an ordinary person, and you will receive the most severe punishment from the law! We will execute you!”

However, to his surprise, as soon as those words were uttered, Ma You, who had just been listless, slowly broke into a crazy smile.

“I’ll be executed?” He stared intently at the reporter, his eyes instantly bloodshot, not from fear, but from an intense longing.

The reporter was taken aback by his unusual reaction and hesitated for a while before nodding firmly, “Of course! You’ve killed countless people, the law will definitely punish you severely.”

“When will you sentence me to death?” Ma You asked, taking the initiative.

“I heard the court will put you on trial immediately, you don’t have many good days left!” The reporter said, regaining his composure and speaking in a harsh tone.

“Hahaha, hahaha…” Ma You’s eyes widened, flashing with a strange light, and he murmured nervously, “Do you think that since there are people like me in this world, there must also be ghosts? If I die, will I become a ghost? Ghosts are more powerful than humans, right?”

The despair of losing his power drove him to utter madness. His yearning to become powerful again reached such a point that it completely corrupted him from human to monster. He was willing to try anything, including death, to regain his divine status.

The reporter was stumped by his question, and the thought of such a possibility sent chills down his spine.

Ma You stared intently at the camera, muttering, “Yes, I don’t have any power right now, but what if I became a ghost? Would I be the most powerful ghost in the world? Could I still kill people like I do now? Of course I could, because ghosts can see people, but people can’t see ghosts! Then I could go on a killing spree and do whatever I wanted, hahaha……”

Recalling those horror movies about ghosts and the omnipotent killing methods of vengeful spirits, Ma You became increasingly excited as he spoke. Then, he frantically rammed his head against a soldier’s gun barrel, shouting with extreme urgency, “Come on, come on! Kill me now! If I die, I can become a ghost and take revenge on the whole world! Hahaha!”

The crowd, who had been cheering and celebrating enthusiastically just moments before, now stared blankly at the scene, gripped by a deeper fear……

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Chapter 235. Ma You, Who Sought His Own Doom

TN:- Sorry for not updating this long. I am on a vacation trip, and didn’t expect I have to face network problem in Hills. Documents was not loading and sync. And could not inform you all as well. 

Posting 6 Chapters today😇

Zhou He returned to the ward looking disheveled, with a bruise on his lip, a large bump on his forehead, and a cracked phone screen, yet his face beamed with an irrepressible joy. His daughter, Zhou Hui, waved her little hand and asked, “Baba, I want Mama! When is mama coming back?”

Since her high fever subsided and she regained consciousness, she has been constantly repeating this phrase——while getting injections, while eating porridge, and even while watching TV under the covers. Due to the intense trauma she experienced, she has long forgotten the scene of her grandmother being shredded and falling into the fountain.

Every time she asked, Zhou He’s eyes would redden, and then he would force himself to lie, “Mama is working overtime at the company, she’ll be back soon.” Then he would turn his head away and secretly wipe his tears with his back to his child.

This time, Zhou He’s eyes were still red, but not from unspeakable grief, but from overwhelming joy. He cupped his daughter’s slightly flushed face and said excitedly, “Mama’s on her way, she’ll be there soon. After you get your shot, Baba will take you to find Mama.”

Perhaps Zhou Hui still remembered something in her subconscious, for upon hearing this, she let out a scream of extreme joy, “Baba, are you serious? You’re not lying to me, are you?”

“It’s true, it’s true, this time it’s absolutely true.” Zhou He hugged his daughter tightly, his back to her, tears streaming down his face. His mother’s death was a foregone conclusion, but his wife’s return brought endless hope to their family, which was on the verge of collapse.

The father and daughter hugged for a while before separating, then pointed to each other’s tear-streaked faces and said childishly, “Laughing with one eye and crying with the other, hahaha!”

Zhou He tore off a few sheets of paper napkin and wiped his and his daughter’s faces clean, then collapsed onto the hospital bed, completely relaxed. His phone was still vibrating, mostly with messages of condolence from relatives and friends. The guy who had caused him to be beaten by the crowd was also sending messages, one after another, all cursing and slandering Fan Jialuo.

Zhou He glanced at it a few times, then his eyes turned red with anger. He pressed the record button and cursed mercilessly, “Gangzi, I originally thought that since we’ve been best friends for decades, if I ignored you, you’d shut up, and we wouldn’t have to fall out. But I really didn’t expect you to go so far! You saw the news, didn’t you notice that your Saozi(sister-in-law) was among the rescued hostages? Who were you cursing? That’s your Saozi savior! If I ever hear you insult Teacher Fan again, I’ll beat you up every time I see you! You bastard, if you’re so capable, why don’t you go challenge that Ma You? Fine, I’m not going to waste my breath on you anymore. To put it bluntly, it’s easy for you to talk when no one in your family died this time. If someone in your family had died, let’s see if you’d still dare to slander Teacher Fan like that! You’ll get your comeuppance sooner or later for your inhumane words!”

Zhou He sent the voice message and promptly deleted his “best buddy.” Only today did he realize that associating with someone with such warped values was a form of self-destruction. Someone who always sees others as worthless is likely filled with worthless things themselves.

After blocking all of this guy’s contact information, Zhou He hurriedly logged into his own social media account and deleted the content that had previously criticized Teacher Fan. Even though he reacted quickly, he was still attacked by many netizens after logging in. These days, antis are the most unpopular bunch around, everyone loves to tear into them whenever they get the chance.

After deleting these shameful stains, Zhou He earnestly wrote:【Teacher Fan, I’m sorry. Also, thank you for saving my wife and our whole family.】 He pinned this Weibo post and finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling for a moment that his soul had been redeemed.

After anxiously waiting for most of the day, the hospital finally notified him that he could visit the rescued family members. He quickly took his daughter and took the elevator to the rehabilitation center on the fifteenth floor. Before he even entered the ward, he heard his father’s hearty laughter.

This morning, Father Zhou was contemplating jumping off a building in despair, but now he’s all smiles, constantly urging his wife to drink more chicken soup. Humans are creatures with incredibly strong willpower, as long as they are given a sliver of hope in the face of utter despair, even just a tiny spark, they can quickly pull themselves together.

When his daughter-in-law was rescued, Father Zhou stood on the balcony watching. He was almost overjoyed, and the pain of losing his wife dissipated in his ecstasy. When the hostages were rescued, the hearts of these survivors were also freed.

Zhou He, carrying his daughter, ran a few steps and rushed into the ward. Seeing his wife, whose face was slightly pale but eyes were very bright, he burst into tears before he could even say a word. Zhou Hui, like a little bird, threw herself into her mother’s arms and cried loudly with emotion.

Zhou He walked over, hugged his wife, and then pulled his father, who was standing to the side, closer, saying with a sob, “No matter what we’ve been through, we must forget the pain and live bravely. Our family must never fall apart!”

Except for a bewildered Zhou Hui, everyone nodded emphatically with red eyes. Zhou Hui’s mother wiped away her tears and suddenly said, “Husband, whether this family will fall apart depends on your behavior. If you dare to speak ill of Teacher Fan again, I will divorce you.”

Deeply moved Zhou He: ……——

Throughout Beijing, joy and sorrow unfolded, and the city underwent a process of rebuilding after despair. Ma You’s massacre ceased, no more people disappeared without a trace, and there were no more torrential downpours of blood or countless pieces of corpses falling from the sky. The staff who had gathered at New Era Square gradually dispersed, leaving only a few liaisons and supervisors.

Song Rui stood motionless in the center of the square, silently staring at the empty chair. Xu Yiyang, whose hand he was holding, was also staring intently at the same spot. Their expressions were calm, but their dark eyes were filled with a layer of moisture, whether from the cold wind or from being steeped in sorrow, it was hard to tell.

“Let’s persuade them to come over and warm themselves by the fire. It’s only -2 degrees today, freezing cold to death,” Sun Zhengqi whispered into his girlfriend’s ear.

Hu Wenwen rolled her eyes at him and scolded him irritably, “Can you please not mention that word? It’s so unlucky!”

Sun Zhengqi thought it made sense and quickly raised his hands in surrender. The two ran out of the makeshift tent and tried to persuade Song Rui and Xu Yiyang, but only received silence from them.

Chang Sheng and Chang Zhen were in another tent, talking anxiously:

“ShiXiong, do you think it is possible for Fan Jialuo to come back?”

“Possible.”

“You have this much confidence in him?”

“How many years has he lived? How many years has Ma You lived? Are the two comparable?”

“That’s true. So tell me, why is Ma You so powerful? It’s said that he was just an ordinary person before, without any special abilities.”

“I don’t know either. There are still many doubts in this case, but unfortunately the police won’t let metaphysical society get involved.”

“How is Nianci? Why don’t you call Nian’en and ask about her?”

“I just asked him, Nianci’s internal organs are failing. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong with her.”

“We all just experienced stagnation or regression in our cultivation, so why did she suffer such a severe backlash? She didn’t even kill the person.”

“I don’t know either. If we want to save her, we can only wait for our Shizu to come out of seclusion.”

“Can Nianci wait?”

Chang Sheng remained silent for a long while before slowly shaking his head. Judging from the situation, he was afraid they couldn’t wait any longer. Just as he was feeling a pang of pain in his heart, Lin Nian’en called, saying that senior sister might not be able to hold on any longer. She suggested that they send her to Longyin Temple so that the Abbot could chant sutras for her and cleanse her karma, which might save her.

Chang Sheng’s eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed.

While those outside struggled for survival, Fan Jialuo within the spatial dimension ceased his fierce offensive, confining his magnetic field to his own body and standing silently. Having finally gained a moment to catch his breath, Ma You briefly sensed the other spaces, then let out a hoarse roar, “You’re toying with me! You let all my prey escape!”

His own space overlapped above Fan Jialuo’s space, isolated from the outside world. If he didn’t consciously sense it, he wouldn’t know what was happening outside, so he naturally assumed that Fan Jialuo had released the hostages.

While he was furious, his fear and hatred for this person also reached their peak. However, before he could do anything, after pausing for only a dozen seconds, Fan Jialuo suddenly released the magnetic field again, which slammed into the metal wall with a bang.

Ma You’s wild roar abruptly stopped, followed by a muffled groan, as if he had been punched hard in the abdomen, so painful that he couldn’t even speak.

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!” He gasped for a while before uttering the venomous oath, then strained with all his might to compress the space.

The metal wall, which had been sunken, slowly returned to its flat state, then shrank inch by inch, attempting to crush Fan Jialuo into a pulp.

Fan Jialuo’s magnetic field blocked the contraction of the walls and then slowly expanded them. The two were locked in a tug-of-war, one advancing while the other retreated, or like an arm wrestling match, each trying to outdo the other in strength to see whose bones would break first.

Without a doubt, Fan Jialuo was the most powerful enemy Ma You had ever encountered. Even if he wouldn’t admit it, he knew in his heart that this person was indeed stronger than himself, because the other’s expression remained calm and composed throughout, without breaking a sweat or even frowning once. He was too relaxed!

The fear of potential defeat gripped Ma You’s mind, further fueling his competitive spirit. His bloodshot eyes darted around, and he somehow mastered the technique of distorting space without any instruction.

As if sensing something, Fan Jialuo immediately withdrew his hands from the wall, compressing the vast magnetic field to its limit and concentrating it on his body surface.

As he instantly adjusted his strength, the metal wall simultaneously sprouted many sharp spikes, each over a meter long, enough to turn any person in the space into a hedgehog.

Seeing that his idea could actually become a reality, Ma You let out a wild laugh, but the next second he coughed in horror and astonishment. The sharp spikes snapped one by one upon touching Fan Jialuo, becoming as soft as if molded clay.

Fan Jialuo stood amidst the dense array of spikes, his expression calm and his posture relaxed. He tilted his head slightly, looked at the emergency intercom, and said with a half-smile, “Don’t tell me that’s all you’re capable of.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the spikes surrounding him were shattered by an invisible magnetic field, along with Ma You’s pride and arrogance as a “God.” Ma You gasped for breath, unable to utter a word, for the facts had proven that he was no match for this man.

Fan Jialuo shook his head and chuckled, then slowly sat down, crossed his knees, made a hand seal with his fingertips, and began to meditate.

Ma You panted heavily for a while, then chuckled smugly, “Hahaha, you’re only slightly stronger than me. Do you think you can break through my space? If you can’t, I can trap you to death! I’ll keep you from eating or drinking for days and nights, and see if you can still be so arrogant!”

Fan Jialuo, who doesn’t need to eat and drink, looked up abruptly, a panicked expression on his face. He then unleashed his magnetic field with all his might, colliding with the space as if he wanted to escape immediately. Ma You quickly used all his strength to compress the space, holding him even tighter. The two were locked in combat again, and the fierce clash had turned into a silent war of attrition.

Thinking he had grasped the enemy’s weakness, Ma You was panting heavily, yet he chuckled softly, his voice filled with madness and self-satisfaction.

Fan Jialuo slowly expanded the space, then contracted it slightly every now and then, feigning exhaustion. His head was bowed, so Ma You couldn’t see the slight upturn of his lips. In this game of cat and mouse, the first day passed, followed by the second, the third, the fourth……

Fan Jialuo gradually weakened his magnetic field, remaining seated and motionless. Meanwhile, Ma You, finding the battle increasingly easier, believed victory was assured and often laughed arrogantly above Fan Jialuo’s head.——

The flow of time within the space was the same as outside. On the first day, everyone stood in the square full of hope and waited. On the second day, some people began to panic. On the third day, Hu Wenwen and Sun Zhengqi, who were responsible for guarding the square, hugged each other and cried secretly several times. On the fourth day, some people felt despair. On the fifth day, Chief Yan came, Meng Zhong came, Song Wennuan came, Yuan Zhongzhou and others all came, and even Chang Sheng and Chang Zhen, who had a grudge against Fan Jialuo, came.

They stared intently at the soft chair, silently praying for a miracle, their wind-dried faces gradually tinged with deep sorrow. They knew that without food and water, no one could survive five days.

Crowds occasionally gathered on the streets away from the square, but were kept at bay by police tape and soldiers on duty. Drivers passing the square would slow down and glance out the window for a moment. Beijing’s social order seemed to have returned to normal, everyone was going to work or school as usual. However, everyone’s hearts were bound together by an invisible rope, tightly connected to this soft chair.

Prayers for Fan Jialuo appear daily on television, online, and even on banners in the streets. His safety has become everyone’s biggest concern.

Chief Yan kept a channel open to broadcast the story of the soft chair, never giving up even as hope dwindled. He draped a thick coat over Xu Yiyang’s shoulders, patted Song Rui’s shoulder, and advised, “Take the child back and get some sleep. Waiting any longer will ruin your health!”

“No need, he’ll be out soon.” Song Rui shook his head, his tone certain.

Yet everyone who came forward to persuade him received the same answer. He said it every day, but the person he was waiting for never appeared. He seemed rational, yet also seemed driven mad. Xu Yiyang held his hand tightly, his small body trembling slightly. Without a doubt, they were the people in the world most afraid of losing Fan Jialuo.

Chief Yan wanted to persuade him further, but when he caught a glimpse of Meng Zhong shaking his head, he swallowed back all the words he had to say.

Around 7 p.m., a large number of people spontaneously gathered around the square, standing outside the cordon and silently watching the scene.

Zhou He, holding his wife’s hand in one hand and his daughter’s hand in the other, slowly walked over. He first closed his eyes in prayer, and then placed the flowers in his hands on the steps.

The army sealed off the square, preventing them from entering, they could only stand on the edge and look around each day. Many others shared their good intentions and prayers, and in no time, the steps of the square were covered with all sorts of flowers.

Everyone seemed to have accepted Fan Jialuo’s heroic sacrifice, and Ma You in space thought so too. He stared at the young man who sat cross-legged with his head down, silent and motionless, and tentatively asked, “Are you dead?”

The youth was as serene as a stone sculpture.

Ma You panted heavily for a while, his wheezing sound like a venomous snake crawling and slithering in the narrow space, its tongue flicking out, cold and sticky, making one feel nauseous. The young man remained motionless, and no longer emitted any terrifying magnetic field, his vibrant life force seemed to have completely dissipated.

“Ha….haha……”

A hysterical laugh echoed through the space. A moment later, a door appeared on the metal wall. A scrawny young man with a sleazy appearance carefully stepped through the door, first circling around Fan Jialuo a few times, then kicking his knee with his toe, before extending an index finger and slowly poking at the crown of his head……

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2 responses to “Chapter 235. Ma You, Who Sought His Own Doom”

  1. Laka0502 Avatar
    Laka0502

    Thank you for your hard work… I’ve been searching this novel translation after reading it at CG.

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      😇

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Chapter 234. Teacher Fan Is Never A Fraud

Dr. Song said that the best approach after entering the space was to slowly probe Ma You’s limits. Provocation was acceptable, but it had to be done carefully, otherwise, angering the other party would lead to disastrous consequences. Fan Jialuo knew he was right, but he also had his own considerations in the actual implementation.

Having experienced countless battles in his life, he could accurately grasp the mindset of any enemy. He knew how to completely crush a person, both physically and mentally, rendering them utterly demoralized. Therefore, upon entering the space, instead of employing a gradual, probing approach, he immediately caught Ma You off guard.

His vast magnetic field filled the narrow space to the brim, violently impacting, sweeping, and tearing it apart…… He knew, of course, that he would face death once the space shattered, but did Ma You know this?

The answer is, of course, no. Ma You had no way of knowing, because he had only hunted ordinary people before, and had never encountered a psychic or cultivator. He wouldn’t know what kind of strength these people possessed, or whether they could survive after the space shattered. He knew nothing about the power of others, and even his own power was only superficially understood.

This is why Fan Jialuo needs to capture him as soon as possible, otherwise, once he gains a clearer understanding of his own strength, he will become unrestrained and reckless. This world will become his hunting ground.

At this moment, Fan Jialuo was launching a fierce attack on this space. The rusty metal walls were deformed by his vast and boundless magnetic field, creaking and groaning as if they were about to collapse at any moment. His merciless attack intimidated Ma You, making him subconsciously believe that this person wanted to escape.

Ma You had no time to think, he almost immediately channeled all his strength into the space. He struggled to restore the dented metal walls to their original shape, and then, in the struggle, he was horrified to discover that this Fan Jialuo was truly extraordinary. What he said in the video was true, he was not an ordinary person, and he possessed the power to fight against gods.

Every arrogant person believes they are unique in the world. This is especially true of someone like Ma You, who is both arrogant and possesses bizarre abilities. Why does he call himself a god? Because he believes he is powerful enough to rule the world. When he discovers he is no longer the only one, or even the strongest, his rapidly escalating jealousy will drive him to pour all his power and consciousness into this battle. 

So he began to draw upon the power of other spaces to replenish this space, starting with just one or two, and later in batches. He couldn’t allow this person to escape successfully and then conduct another live broadcast, otherwise, he would lose face, and his authority as a god would be challenged like never before!

While Ma You was focused on fighting against Fan Jialuo, Zhou He’s daughter was already in the hospital receiving an IV drip. Her high fever had subsided slightly, and she had regained consciousness, sipping the porridge that the nurse had brought her.

Seeing that his daughter was showing signs of improvement, Zhou He’s anxious heart finally settled down. He covered his daughter with a blanket, told her not to touch the hand with the needle in it, then washed the bowl of porridge and took it back to the nurses’ station. Thanks to the nurses’ meticulous care and selfless help, otherwise, how would he, a grown man, have known that children need to eat something before getting injections?

He walked down the corridor, his eyes darting around, his ears perked up, his whole being tense and on guard. The hospital was noisier than usual today, with people constantly pushing stretchers and running around, their expressions unusually panicked.

Zhou He knew these people weren’t injured by Ma You, because Ma You would only capture people and bring them into his spatial dimension, either strangling them immediately or trapping them to death, never leaving a single survivor. These people’s visits to the hospital probably had other reasons, but they were more or less related to Ma You’s massacre.

Soon, Zhou He’s guess was confirmed. A middle-aged woman lay on a stretcher, crying and shouting, “Old Zhang, hold on! Our daughter has only been taken away, she’s not dead yet. The police said they will definitely rescue her. What will your daughter do if you leave first and come back to find you gone?”

The man, clutching his chest and with bluish lips, slightly raised his hand, then slumped it back down. He appeared to have a very serious heart condition.

Zhou He quickly pressed himself against the wall to let these people pass, then continued walking forward. As he walked, his eyes reddened again, and he squatted down and began to cry. His mother and wife had also been captured by Ma You and taken into the space, then instantly turned into countless pieces of flesh and blood, falling into the fountain pool. The others had three days to live, but they died without even understanding what had happened.

Thinking of this, Zhou He was overcome with grief, and he slumped down, clutching his hair and wailing. He had to feign gentleness and calmness in front of his child, and suppress his emotions in front of his father, but in this corridor full of strangers, he could freely vent his inner pain and despair. Everyone was a stranger, and everyone was experiencing their own misfortunes. He could cry as he pleased, and who would even glance at him?

His weeping seemed contagious, those who had been walking along the corridor with stern faces suddenly found their eyes reddening, and some even tilted their heads back, trying to hold back their tears. Several nurses rushed over to comfort Zhou He, but when they opened their mouths, only short, sobbing sounds escaped their lips.

“Stop crying, the police are preparing to rescue the hostages, hurry and watch the live broadcast!” A doctor rushed out of a ward and ran towards his office.

“What? People who have been captured and trapped in another space can be rescued?” Many people expressed their doubts.

“It’s true! Hurry back to your rooms and watch TV! The police are already making preparations!” A patient poked his head out of his room and shouted excitedly.

“Really? Come on, let’s go back and watch TV!”

All the hospitalized patients ran back to their rooms, while more people converged on the lobby, where a huge LED screen was broadcasting the rescue operation live. Zhou He, supported by two nurses, anxiously tried to run back, but was swept away by the crowd and ended up squeezed into a corner of the lobby.

He looked up at the big screen and saw that it was filled with images, each showing a monk holding a talisman and standing in a certain place, surrounded by many police officers, soldiers, and medical staff.

The scene was noisy and chaotic, making it impossible to see what was happening. No reporters stepped forward to provide commentary, and only a line of text kept scrolling at the bottom of the screen——Police are rescuing the hostages. Please rest assured, justice will ultimately prevail over evil!

Panicked, Zhou He counted the small images that kept changing frame by frame and found that there were exactly forty-seven, which matched the number of missing persons reported by the police.

Could they really rescue them all? A glimmer of hope had just risen in his heart when it was quickly crushed by pessimism. How could humans possibly escape from demons? The power of the two was simply not on the same level! Thinking this, tears streamed down his face again, as did many others watching the big screen with tears streaming down their faces.

Time ticked by, and in the small image at the very top, an old monk suddenly glanced at his watch, then picked up his walkie-talkie and spoke. The monks in the other images also raised their walkie-talkies to reply, then stared intently at their own watches.

Their movements were so synchronized that Zhou He glanced at his watch. It was 9:03 AM. Was there some special significance to this time? Many others, like him, unconsciously looked at their watches, their faces filled with confusion.

Two minutes later, their doubts were answered. The monks threw the talismans in their hands into the air, caught them with their palms, closed their eyes, and a dazzling white light burst forth from their palms, which quickly condensed into a door. With a gentle push, the door opened.

Behind the door, narrow, eerie green spaces appeared, each containing one or more young girls lying on the verge of death. Contrary to the police investigation, the number of people rescued was far more than forty-seven, but rather fifty or sixty.

Only then did reporters appear amidst the chaotic scene. They rushed towards the rescued girl while quickly providing commentary.

“Hello viewers, this is reporter XX from XX TV station reporting for you. Previously, the police forbade anyone to discuss our rescue plan to prevent Ma You from learning about it. But now that the hostages have been rescued, we can interview them. Comrade, how are you now? Are you feeling alright?”

The girl being questioned by the reporter hugged another girl who was also imprisoned in the same space, crying as she said, “We…we want water, is there any water? That beast made us kill each other, drink each other’s blood, and eat each other’s flesh. He said that only in this way could one of us survive. Waaah, he’s a devil!”

The reporter handed them bottles of water that had already been opened, and they immediately snatched them and gulped them down, tears streaming down their faces as they drank, trembling as they went. Other scenes showed similar expressions, some even bit their wrists and drank their own blood. If it weren’t for the government’s timely rescue efforts, their fate would have been unimaginable.

Those watching this scene in the hall suppressed the cheers that welled up in their throats, replaced by an indescribable fear. To lock people together and force them to kill each other, only the devil could conceive of such an idea!

Insults such as “beast,” “animal,” and “may you die a horrible death” echoed throughout the hall, while Zhou He stared intently at the large screen, his eyes almost bursting out of their sockets!

In that fleeting glimpse, he thought… he thought he saw his wife! He quickly put down his bowl and forcefully pushed his way forward, shoving the people around him. Those he stepped on or pushed complained, and he shouted, “Excuse me, please make way! I think I saw my wife!”

Upon hearing this, everyone swallowed their complaints and not only made way for him but also escorted him to the front of the large screen. At the same time, the hostage list compiled by the police was released, updated from forty-seven to sixty-six, and Zhou He’s wife’s name was prominently listed.

She didn’t die! She and a young woman were locked in a space together, simply because Ma You wanted to watch them kill each other. Having grown tired of the previous games, he was constantly developing new ones, his cruelty allowed more people to survive.

“It’s my wife, it really is my wife! She’s not dead!” Zhou He shouted, pointing at the screen, his face contorted with ecstasy.

The crowd, who had been suppressing their grief and anger, erupted in thunderous cheers. After experiencing so much death and terror, the news of the hostages’ rescue was undoubtedly a shot in the arm for them!

Amidst the enthusiastic cheers, the middle-aged woman who had just been running crying down the corridor suddenly swung her legs like lightning, plunging headfirst into the crowd and shouting, “Make way! Make way! My daughter has just been rescued! I need to get her! My daughter isn’t dead!”

A look of wild joy spread across her face, but tears streamed down her face.

Zhou He quickly followed her, but then heard a dignified voice coming from the large screen, “Families of the hostages, please do not panic. We will immediately send them to the military hospital for treatment. This is the hospital’s hotline. You can register by calling this number. Once we have verified the identities of the family members, we will arrange for you to meet them. If we determine that the hostages are not in any danger, you can take them home whenever you wish.”

Military hospital? Isn’t this the military hospital? Zhou He and the woman, who were rushing forward, quickly turned back and were pushed to the front of the big screen by the enthusiastic crowd.

A middle-aged man in military uniform was being interviewed by a reporter; judging by his shoulder insignia, he was a general. He looked haggard, with large bags under his eyes, clearly indicating he hadn’t slept in a long time. When the reporter asked who planned the rescue operation, he didn’t mention the government, army, or police. Instead, he took the microphone, looked at the camera, and said in a serious tone, “This rescue operation was planned by Teacher Fan Jialuo. While the hostages were being rescued and the deceased were being comforted, Teacher Fan was currently engaged in a life-or-death struggle with Ma You in the spatial dimension. Without his restraint, we simply couldn’t have opened these spaces to rescue the hostages.”

The middle-aged man pointed at the camera and said, word by word, “I know that opinions about Teacher Fan have always been mixed, but I want to tell you all here that Teacher Fan is not a fraud, not a charlatan, and certainly not a madman! He is a spiritual medium, and also a hero who rescued these sixty plus hostages, and even the entire city of Beijing! He will definitely come back safely, and we are waiting for him here!”

The middle-aged man handed the microphone back to the reporter, gave a military salute, and then hurriedly walked away.

The interview footage shifted slightly, focusing on the solitary armchair still positioned in the center of the square, surrounded by numerous cameras. The general, the soldiers, the police, and the frontline workers all walked towards the armchair, silently awaiting the hero’s return.

Zhou He was stunned, tears streaming down his cheeks without him even realizing it. Behind him, he could hear the whispers of the crowd.

Some people said, “So Fan Jialuo really is a psychic! I always thought it was fake. Then that video he filmed provoking Ma You wasn’t just trying to gain attention or create hype, but was actually cooperating with the government’s rescue operation? He’s so brave!”

Before official recognition, no matter how it’s broadcast on television or verified in reality, people will always find various reasons to question this person. Zhou He understands their feelings because he used to feel the same way. Some people are just so narrow-minded, they can’t tolerate those who are different from themselves, nor can they stand being unconventional.

If everyone thought this way, if no one could accept each other’s uniqueness and differences, would there still be people like Fan Jialuo in this world? Would anyone still stand up for someone in danger? Thinking of this, Zhou He couldn’t help but feel a chill of fear.

While he was still in a daze, his best friend sent him a voice message, “Hey Zhou, Zhou, have you seen the latest news? That idiot Fan Jialuo actually dared to challenge Ma You! He’s definitely not coming back this time, aren’t you happy? Let’s chip in and buy him a wreath, hahaha…”

Clearly, this guy is also a die-hard black fan of Fan Jialuo. He’s just criticizing for the sake of criticizing, without considering what the common people would suffer under Ma You’s extremely brutal rule if Fan Jialuo failed.

Zhou He, who had assumed the voice message was a blessing, clicked on it in public. Upon hearing its contents, his expression froze. The middle-aged woman standing beside him, whose daughter had been rescued, looked at him with astonishment, then violently knocked his phone away, shouting insults, “You SOB! Teacher Fan saved your wife, and you still want to send him a wreath? You’re a fucking ungrateful beast!”

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Chapter 233. Consequences Of Angering A God

Fan Jialuo and Song Rui sat quietly by the flowerbed, saying nothing, simply watching the busy staff members coming and going in the square. Some were doctors, some were police officers, some were soldiers, and some were government officials. Knowing full well that Ma You could infiltrate any corner of Beijing and arbitrarily hunt down and kill anyone, they still bravely and fearlessly persisted in their work.

Weren’t they afraid? Of course they were. Fan Jialuo could sense the terrifying atmosphere permeating the square without even needing to probe the magnetic field. Yet, not one of them deserted, they simply went about their work silently. They were doing the right thing, and that is the driving force behind the world’s operation, humanity’s survival, and the continuation of civilization.

“I love this world, and I love humanity.” Fan Jialuo suddenly said.

Song Rui glanced at him and said casually, “Because of your existence, I’ve also started to like this world.”

A blush crept up the tips of Fan Jialuo’s ears, but he didn’t reply. His eyes, reflecting the morning light, looked so bright.

Song Rui ruffled his hair and waved, saying, “Go, go and hold fast to your post, do what you believe is right. I’ll be here waiting for you.”

Fan Jialuo nodded, gave Dr. Song a deep look, and then walked towards the soft chair placed in the center of the square. Around it, in unseen corners, Chief Yan had arranged numerous assault teams and snipers. Even knowing that Ma You might not reveal himself, they were fully prepared.

Song Rui followed behind Fan Jialuo, walking slowly in his footsteps, but then suddenly chuckled, “Your friends have arrived.”

“Huh?” Fan Jialuo followed his gaze and saw Song Wennuan rushing over with Yuan Zhongzhou, Zhu Xiya, Ah Huo, He Jinglian, and Ding Puhang. At a time when everyone else was avoiding the area, and when Ma You was gradually approaching and likely to unleash a massacre, they bravely came.

Upon seeing Fan Jialuo, they raised their hands and waved, their faces showing no fear, only eagerness, “Teacher Fan, we saw your advertisement, so we came here specifically to help you! Just let us know if you need anything!”

Fan Jialuo’s eyes crinkled into a smile, and he couldn’t help but smile, “Go help them activate the formation and rescue the hostages.” He pointed to the group of monks gathered together, speaking without any politeness. But it was precisely because of his bluntness that Yuan Zhongzhou and the others, who had been somewhat apprehensive, immediately relaxed and smiled.

“Alright! Let’s go!” Everyone agreed with great enthusiasm, their faces filled with eager excitement, as if they were entering paradise rather than a death trap. They also had faith and things they needed to protect, so sacrifice and dedication became a pure joy.

Fan Jialuo stood there gazing at them for a long time before continuing his walk towards the square after the morning light had spread. Seeing Chief Yan directing staff to remove the lights, microphones, and cameras, he stopped them, saying, “Don’t remove them, continue the live broadcast.”

Chief Yan looked at him in astonishment.

Song Rui explained from the side, “Continuing the live broadcast is the best way to completely dispel the public’s panic. Ma You’s existence can no longer be hidden. If the public doesn’t see him being arrested with their own eyes, everyone will live in fear and anxiety for the next two or three months. If we want to restore normal social order as quickly as possible, we must reveal the truth.”

Chief Yan thought for a moment and nodded in deep agreement. Yes, public opinion could no longer be suppressed. It was better to expose the truth to the light of day and let it evaporate on its own. The more the government concealed the truth, the more terrifying the stories would become in the minds of the uninformed public, plunging the entire society into prolonged turmoil.

“Okay, let’s continue the live stream.” He immediately instructed the staff to put the camera back in its place.

Fan Jialuo nudged Dr. Song’s arm and whispered, “Wait for me to come back, and take good care of Yangyang.”

“Okay.” Song Rui looked at him intently, his eyes filled with reluctance, but also with restraint and understanding.

Fan Jialuo walked back to the soft chair and sat down, gesturing to continue the live stream. His exceptionally handsome face lit up all the billboards in Beijing. He maintained his usual relaxed posture, hands clasped on his knees, his slender index fingers tapping the back of his hands lightly, as if he were utterly bored.

He was dressed in luxurious clothes, with elegant manners and a mysterious aura. His eyes and brows exuded an unshakeable indifference, making him the center of attention of millions simply by sitting there. He claimed to be the only god in the world, and his words actually sounded somewhat believable.

Seeing him reappear on the billboard, Zhou He was stunned. At the same time, many others were also stunned, they couldn’t understand why this person would do something so absurd.

Before the people could figure it out, Fan Jialuo on the billboard vanished into thin air, and a hoarse male voice came from above the empty armchair, “I’m here, hahaha! I’m here! See? This is what happens when you anger the god! When I’m done playing, I’ll cut Fan Jialuo’s corpse into countless pieces and throw it into the gutter to feed the rats, hahahaha……” The rampant laughter spread in all directions from directly above the armchair, as if it were everywhere.

This bizarre scene terrified everyone, yet the live stream continued even though the chair was now empty. Every billboard in Beijing displayed this strange sight. A lone chair placed in a square, and every ten or twenty minutes, the camera would change direction, filming it either in a wide shot or a close-up.

The people have already been captured, what’s the point of doing this? Is it to intimidate the public? Is it to show everyone just how terrifying Ma You is? These people are completely insane, utterly insane!

Zhou He was nearly scared out of his wits by the sight of Fan Jialuo vanishing into thin air. After regaining his senses, he began pounding on the windowsill, walls, and coffee table to vent his overwhelming fear. Hearing the noise, Father Zhou ran out and asked tremblingly, “What’s wrong?”

“No, nothing.” Zhou He didn’t dare tell him such a terrible thing. He walked stiffly into his daughter’s bedroom, touched her forehead which was still burning with fever, and then collapsed onto the bed.

He desperately wanted to take his daughter to the hospital, but every main road in Beijing was closed, so even if he had a car, he couldn’t get out. If this continued, would his daughter suffer brain damage from the fever? Thinking this, Zhou He quickly got up and began to try to cool his daughter down physically.

“This is no use. I wiped her down all night, but Huihui’s fever just won’t go down. We have to go to the hospital!” Father Zhou said in a hoarse voice, holding a basin of warm water.

“I know we need to go to the hospital, but I can’t drive my car out! What can I do?” Zhou He roared, his eyes red.

The father and son argued about it, and similar sounds echoed from every household in the same building. Some were sobbing, some were wailing, some were calling for help, and others stood on their balconies staring blankly at the fountain pool filled with blood.

In just one night, the world went from being a paradise to a hell.

Just as Zhou He was arguing most fiercely with his father, the doorbell suddenly rang, and a muffled voice came through, “Is anyone home? We are staff from the military service station, and we are here to deliver supplies to you.”

Zhou He, whose family was out of rice and cooking supplies, immediately perked up his ears. His father rushed to open the door. Even if they didn’t eat, the child with a high fever needed something. Zhou He couldn’t stop him in time, so he grabbed a kitchen knife and followed him out. Fortunately, there were indeed two soldiers outside, both dressed in crisp uniforms, with bottled water, rice, instant noodles, cooking oil, vegetables, and other supplies piled up at their feet.

Zhou He quickly hid the kitchen knife behind his back and went to greet them with tears of gratitude.

Two soldiers helped them carry their belongings into their home and asked gently, “Do you have any other difficulties? You can let us know first, and we will help you resolve them later.”

“Yes, yes, yes! My child has a persistent high fever, and I want to take her to the hospital!” Zhou He exclaimed excitedly.

“Let’s take a look.” Two soldiers went into the bedroom to check on the child, then took out their phones to report to their superiors. Instructions came quickly from the other end, but Zhou He couldn’t hear them clearly because of the distance, so his expression became increasingly tense.

After a while, the soldier hung up the phone and explained, “We need to distribute the remaining supplies to your neighbors. We’ll be there in a few minutes. Pack up the child’s things, and we’ll take her to the hospital.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou He burst into tears. Without thinking, he gratefully said, “Thank you, thank you. In critical moments, the People’s Liberation Army comrades are the most reliable. You are the people’s great saviors! Unlike those actors who only know how to hype things up all day long, they dare to joke about matters of life and death.”

The soldier, who had been shaking his hand in a friendly manner, frowned and his face darkened upon hearing this. His companion questioned him bluntly, “Are you referring to Teacher Fan as an actor?”

“Who else but him?” Zhou He had made smearing Fan Jialuo his homework, and now he habitually spoke up, “He’s a complete madman, he’ll jump on any bandwagon to become famous! The whole city is under martial law, and he’s still out there filming commercials, living the high life! Well, he just got his comeuppance, he was captured by that Ma You. Damn it, LaoZi was almost scared to death by him, he’s just causing trouble for the whole city.”

The two soldiers exchanged a glance, their faces growing increasingly grim. The soldier who had shaken hands with Zhou He suddenly increased his grip, causing him to cry out in pain, “Ei, ei, ei, PLA comrade, please be gentle! My hand hurts so much!”

The soldier not only didn’t let go, but increased his grip even more, his tone icy, “Comrade, we need to clarify something for you. Teacher Fan isn’t trying to ride the wave of popularity or become famous, he’s assisting us in capturing Ma You. We can tell you the truth, not only is Teacher Fan’s live stream playing on the billboard outside your house, but billboards throughout Beijing, including television channels and online media, are broadcasting Teacher Fan’s live stream.”

Another soldier turned on Zhou He’s television and kept changing channels, allowing him to witness a bizarre scene. Every channel was showing the empty chair, while trending news was displayed as scrolling subtitles below.

“Besides the government, who else could get the national media to broadcast this live simultaneously? Teacher Fan wasn’t just trying to ride the wave of popularity or advertise, he was using himself as bait to cooperate with our arrest operation. You should know what kind of danger you’d face confronting a serial killer like Ma You, right? Teacher Fan might never come back. You may not be grateful for everything he’s done for you, you may not understand, you may not remember, but please don’t slander him. He’s a hero, not a madman.”

The soldier released Zhou He’s hand, saluted, apologized, and then carried the remaining supplies to the opposite door.

Only after they disappeared through the neighbor’s door did Zhou He finally come to his senses. He looked at his aching hands, then back at the lonely chair on the billboard, and his cheeks flushed crimson. So Fan Jialuo wasn’t just trying to ride the wave of popularity! To capture Ma You, he had actually disregarded his own life, and those who witnessed his sacrifice were calling him a madman.

When everyone was only concerned with their own safety and disregarded the lives of others, he bravely stood up to fight against evil. The world treated him with slander, defamation, humiliation, and misunderstanding, but he repaid the world with protection, tolerance, sacrifice, and dedication.

He possessed unwavering courage, which he poured into every moment of crisis without hesitation or retreat.

He was always so unique, and always so silent, never offering a single word of justification for the motives behind his actions. And as for those who loathed him——what, exactly, was their reason? Was it simply because he was unlike everyone else? Was it merely because he never uttered the sort of words that pander to worldly conventions?

Zhou He walked to the balcony in a daze, looking at the empty chair. Thinking of the person who might never return, he couldn’t help but burst into tears. Only today did he realize just how despicable and petty his former self had been. If his heart couldn’t hold such a noble person, what could it hold? Only filth and rubbish?

Zhou He was filled with remorse and worried that the two People’s Liberation Army comrades would refuse to take his child to see a doctor because of his slander against Fan Jialuo. Fortunately, it turned out that he was being narrow-minded again, he always thought the worst of people. The two soldiers rushed back after delivering the supplies, picked up the child, and left.

Zhou He was overjoyed and hastily packed a few clothes before following them. Father Zhou couldn’t keep up with them and could only wait anxiously at home.

After boarding the military vehicle and driving in silence for a while, Zhou He, holding the child, stammered, “Comrades of the People’s Liberation Army, I am truly sorry for what happened earlier. I misunderstood Teacher Fan and said many bad things.”

“Wait until Teacher Fan comes out of Ma You’s space before you apologize to him in person.” The soldier in the passenger seat said, waving his hand.

Zhou He was stunned for a moment before asking, “Teacher Fan can still come out?”

“Of course, he is an extremely powerful psychic. Who else could catch Ma You with his own hands? In fact, he was the one who helped to solve Ma You’s case. Otherwise, we might never have known why those victims disappeared into thin air and why they reappeared as corpses.”

“Yes, who would have thought of this? Everyone outside said that the killer was a ghost, but who would have thought it was a human.” Zhou He wanted to find out why Ma You had such a strange ability, but he was afraid of touching on military secrets. His lips moved a few times, but in the end he didn’t dare to ask.

The soldier driving seemed to have a high opinion of Fan Jialuo, emphasizing, “In fact, the fact that we can drive your daughter to the hospital now without worrying about being ambushed by Ma You on the way is all thanks to Teacher Fan. After he enters Ma You’s space, he will do his best to restrain him, preventing him from killing anyone, and we will all be safe. We can even rescue all those who are missing.”

Hearing these words, Zhou He was greatly encouraged, but a wave of guilt washed over him. Recalling the things he had said to slander Teacher Fan, he questioned his conscience——Zhou He, are you even human?

Meanwhile, Fan Jialuo was standing in a narrow, cramped, dark green space, looking around with great interest. Then he spread his arms, braced them against two rusty walls, and fiercely released his vast magnetic field……

Ma You, who was originally smugly preparing to watch the show: !!!

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Chapter 232. Teacher Fan: This World Belongs To Me

Zhou He was a die-hard fan of Su Fengxi. Of course, when Fan Jialuo’s prophecy came true and Su Fengxi appeared at the concert with such a hideous and ugly appearance, his beautiful impression of her was completely shattered. But he was different from ordinary people, he wouldn’t become a fan of Fan Jialuo just because Su Fengxi’s image collapsed.

That person did have some peculiarities, but dislike is dislike, no reason needed. Seeing his face and hearing his voice instantly brought a wave of nausea to Zhou He’s mind. This was Zhou He’s most immediate feeling towards Fan Jialuo.

He posts about hating Fan Jialuo online almost every day, and even though he is often harassed and insulted by his fans, he has never given up. He dislikes his unconventional style, the calmness and indifference in his eyes, and especially his seemingly all-seeing eyes.

But today, he forgot to do his “homework,” and just held his phone tightly, staring intently out the window through the gap in the thick curtains.

His father tried to peek through the curtains, but was coldly shooed away, “Pa, go back and watch over Huihui. Don’t come near here.”

With gray hair and red, swollen eyes, Father Zhou staggered a few steps, then stopped, turned around, and asked in a trembling voice, “Are your Ma’s and your wife’s bodies still there? Has anyone helped them clean up? I want to go downstairs. I can’t stay at home anymore. I’m old, it doesn’t matter anymore. I can’t stay here!” He slowly sat down on the ground, covered his face with his hands, seemingly wanting to cry but holding back for the child in the room, and only a few broken breaths escaped his throat.

Zhou He’s eyes reddened as well, and he gritted his teeth, saying, “Pa, go back! Don’t say such discouraging things! Huihui still has a high fever. If you don’t help me take care of her, what am I supposed to do? There are only the three of us left in our family. If you collapse, how will Huihui and I survive? Huh?”

Zhou He turned around and glared at him, his eyes seemingly about to burst, tears streaming down his face. He pulled back the curtains a crack, and through the crack, one could vaguely see the lights outside, flashing red and blue, constantly changing——the distinctive glow of police lights.

Father Zhou struggled to his feet and pleaded, “Just let me see it, just one glimpse.” As he spoke, he walked to the window and squeezed past his son, who was occupying the gap.

Zhou He had no choice but to press down on his shoulder to minimize the possibility of him being exposed. The two seemed to be guarding against something outside the window, but in fact, even they themselves didn’t know what that thing was. Some rumors said it was a vengeful ghost, some said it was a demon, and some said it was a god.

Father Zhou crouched down to look outside. His previously suppressed breathing suddenly turned into heavy gasps, and then his forehead slammed against the glass. He could no longer hold back his sobs and burst into tears. He saw the fountain pool below the window, shimmering with a bloody light, and the pieces of corpse still floating in it, his wife’s body among them. They had just celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and were preparing to spend another decade together, but they never expected the tragedy to strike so suddenly and so tragically.

Many forensic doctors stood by the pool, continuously scooping up body parts with nets and arranging them on a long plastic sheet to piece together a complete human body. One of the forensic doctors, who was specifically responsible for identifying the body parts and putting them back in their proper places, suddenly collapsed. Several nurses hurriedly rushed toward her, yet she lay there for only four or five seconds before struggling to scramble back to her feet. Without uttering a single word, she first burst into a fit of violent sobbing, pounding the ground as she wept——her demeanor one of absolute, unbridled grief and indignation.

Even from that distance, her cries could still be heard clearly, like needles pricking, like knives scraping, tearing at the heart in waves.

Father Zhou seemed to have caught her cries, his sobs grew louder and louder, and he hung precariously from the windowsill, as if he might fall at any moment. Without his wife, he didn’t want to live anymore.

Zhou He himself was also crying, but he still covered his father’s mouth tightly and pleaded in a barely audible voice, “Shh, shh, Pa, don’t cry. What if that ghost hears us? It doesn’t matter if you and I die, Huihui is only five years old, she’s still so young!”

Father Zhou pried his son’s hands off and said desperately, “Huihui’s whole body is burning up like fire. The medicine isn’t working, and the police won’t let us go out. What can we do but stay with her? She witnessed her Nainai and Mama’s accident. She’s probably scared out of her wits! If she doesn’t make it through tonight, neither of us will live. We’ll all die together.”

A deep despair gripped Father Zhou’s heart, causing him to lose the will to live. Otherwise, he would never have uttered words that sounded like a curse upon his granddaughter.

Zhou He dragged him back to the bedroom, ordering him to stay by his daughter’s bedside and not think about anything else, before returning to the window to continue looking out. After his father left, he thought the living room would be quiet, but instead, he found himself surrounded by faint cries——from upstairs, downstairs, and across the street. The residents of Happiness Community could no longer feel any happiness, for many of their loved ones now lay in the fountain below, their blood rising into the sky as a mist. Every breath they took was now soaked in the stench of death.

Zhou He stared at the thick pool of blood that resembled a purgatory, and he simply couldn’t imagine that his mother and wife were now lying in it, floating and sinking, broken and fragmented.

Blood filled his pupils, stinging his eyes and bringing tears to his eyes. He had to close his eyes, calming the flames of anger and hatred within him, then took out his phone and repeatedly refreshed the police website, trying to get some latest information. He had to find out what had happened. No matter what the killer was——be it demon, monster, or malevolent spirit——as long as it still walked this earth, he would find it, and then he would kill it!

Seemingly because Du Shasha’s disappearance triggered unpredictable public opinion, the police finally stopped being secretive and released a more complete case report this time. Zhou He firmly remembered the murderer’s name——Ma You, a madman who thought he was a god! His half-body photo was also posted at the top of the report, he looked like a very weak and ordinary young man.

Zhou He stared intently at that face, thinking resolutely——So it was you! If I am fortunate enough to meet you again in some corner of the world in the rest of my life, I will use my life to destroy you!

Zhou He believed the police report, because he knew that since Beijing was under a state of wartime emergency, the government would never joke about something like this. He kept refreshing the news webpage and saw all sorts of reports, supermarkets emptied of stock, shops vandalized, the entire city closed for the next day, and streets under curfew……

One after another, photos filled with chaos and panic appeared on Zhou He’s phone screen, as despairing as if the end of the world had arrived. Suddenly, he saw a photo of hundreds of body parts scattered in a workers’ shed. Unable to bear the bloody impact, he chose to close his eyes.

He could no longer look at this world that had changed beyond recognition overnight, nor could he look at people’s hearts. Who on earth could do such a thing!

In his grief and despair, he heard a calm yet familiar voice in his ear, “There is only one god in the world, and that is me, Fan Jialuo.”

A God? Fan Jialuo? Zhou He had a natural sensitivity to this name, which he slandered and even cursed every day, so he immediately opened his eyes and looked in the direction from which the sound came. It was a huge billboard standing opposite Xingfu Square, which had been off just moments before, but was now suddenly lit up, shining as brightly as the sun in this night when even neon lights dared not flicker.

Zhou He’s mind was instantly captivated by it.

The voice came from a blurry figure sitting in a luxurious armchair, bathed in dazzling light from behind, shrouding him in darkness. All around was pure white light, he was merely a pitch-black silhouette, yet strangely, it evoked a feeling that the whole world had faded away, leaving only his vibrant presence.

The light slowly moved from his back to his side, illuminating half of his face and giving his high nose, deep-set eyes, and thin lips stunningly beautiful lines. His skin was even whiter than the light, while his pupils were as black as an endless universe, where stars, planets, shooting stars… all the celestial bodies in the vast sky could be found, giving him an instant, fatal attraction.

What is this? At a time like this, why on earth is Fan Jialuo still trying to advertise himself? Has he gone completely mad with the desire for fame? Zhou He inwardly cursed him, yet his gaze remained stubbornly and uncontrollably riveted upon the man. Faintly, he even heard the sound of someone upstairs sliding open a floor-to-ceiling window and stepping out onto the balcony.

These people are practically risking their lives to get a clearer view of Fan Jialuo!

The video continued, and the dazzling light shifted from behind to his side, illuminating Fan Jialuo’s exceptionally handsome face and revealing his relaxed and carefree demeanor. He crossed his long legs, one hand resting lightly on his knee, the other lazily propping up his forehead. The shadow cast by his hand blurred his features, but made his star-studded eyes appear exceptionally bright.

Zhou He felt as if all his thoughts, all his gaze, all his consciousness were being held captive by those eyes. He was completely unable to do anything but stand motionless and stare at this person. Meanwhile, Fan Jialuo raised his chin at the opportune moment, his tone becoming increasingly dismissive, “This world belongs to me. I am extremely displeased with the behavior of some who presume to be a false god. Without my recognition, Ma You, what are you?”

Hearing this, Zhou He gradually realized——Was Fan Jialuo actually provoking that serial killer? What was he planning to do? Had he gone mad? Now was not the time to ride the wave of popularity!

However, no one could stop Fan Jialuo’s mad actions.

His raised foot began to swing casually up and down, the spotless toe gleaming in the light. This slightly frivolous gesture revealed his inner disdain perfectly. He curled his lips into a smile, his tone half-smiling and half-mocking, “Ma You, do you dare show your face before me? Do you dare to stop living like a rat, scurrying around solely in the gutters?”

He lowered his crossed legs, leaned forward slightly, and stared intently at everyone. His slender fingertips extended, and with a slight flick of his wrist, he smiled disdainfully, “I’ll be waiting for you at New Era Square. I will crush your internal organs just as I would stomp a rat to death, leaving you to die without a shred of dignity.”

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, which shone like cold stars. The light slowly shifted from his side to his back, plunging him back into darkness. In a bright white halo, he was the only striking figure.

The billboard went dark, and Zhou He felt a sharp pain in his chest. He realized he had unconsciously held his breath and watched the incredibly childish video. Fan Jialu was provoking Ma You, saying he would be waiting for him at New Era Square for a face-to-face duel. Was he insane? Was he courting death?! Good heavens!

At that moment, Zhou He actually forgot his inexplicable disgust for this person and instead genuinely worried about him. Having witnessed too many deaths at once, he could no longer bear the passing of another dazzling life. Of course, he also had to admit that hearing Fan Jialuo say he wanted to crush Ma You and make him die without any dignity gave him an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

He opened the window crack and stared for a long time at the now-extinguished billboard, his mind in turmoil.

From above, on someone’s balcony, a low shout suddenly came, “Fan Jialuo has guts! At a time like this, he is the only one bold enough to step forward and say a few words.”

Yes! That’s just Fan Jialuo’s style. He dares to say what others dare not say, he does what others dare not do, he offends people others dare not offend without hesitation. Even among millions of people, he is the most special one. To put it nicely, he is unconventional, to put it bluntly, he defies the world.

Zhou He finally realized that the reason he disliked Fan Jialuo so much stemmed from his uniqueness and unconventionality. He was like an anomaly, deeply irritating him. Yet now, when everyone else was gripped by fear, falling silent, disappearing, and cowering at home, he stood up and challenged the murderer. Regardless of his true feelings, at least for this moment, Zhou He admired him.

“I hope you’re just saying it and you won’t actually wait for him in the square. If you live, and if I live too, I’ll never speak ill of you again.” Zhou He huddled under the windowsill, muttering to himself as tears streamed down his face——

At the same time, Fan Jialuo left the brightly lit filming location and went to Chief Yan’s side for a final conversation with everyone.

“When is the best time to save them? That’s for Abbot Changjing to decide. He should be able to sense the changes in the strength of the space created by Ma You,” Fan Jialuo said, looking at Abbot Changjing.

“Benefactor Fan is indeed a powerful psychic, it seems he has seen through my cultivation.” Abbot Changjing clasped his hands together and solemnly promised, “I will certainly not fail Benefactor Fan’s trust.”

Fan Jialuo raised his wrist and said, “Let’s check our watches. It’s 4:43 a.m. now.”

Everyone checked their watches carefully, and then nodded in unison.

Fan Jialuo gave a few more instructions before approaching Dr. Song, who had maintained a somber expression. Dr. Song raised his chin and suddenly asked, “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“Say what?” Fan Jialuo asked, his face full of confusion.

Song Rui said in a deep voice, “Tell me about your plan this time, and what you will face after entering that space. I know that in the outside world, your power may be comparable to that of a god, but in that space, Ma You is the true god. You acted so calmly, as if you were certain that you would return safely, and you avoided talking to anyone about the consequences of the plan’s failure, in order to minimize obstacles, right? You don’t want anyone to disrupt your plan, including me, right?”

Fan Jialuo remained silent.

Song Rui stared into his dark eyes and said with a wry smile, “Others have been unknowingly calmed down by you and forgotten the dangers of the plan, but I won’t. Do you know why I didn’t stop you?”

“Why?” Fan Jialuo asked earnestly.

“Because of the promise we made. A long time ago, we promised that no matter what situation we were in, we would trust each other unconditionally. Do you remember?”

Fan Jialuo suddenly realized, his voice becoming hoarse, “I remember.”

“I remember, so I didn’t stop you. I believe you will come back as promised, right?”

“Yes, I will come back.” Fan Jialuo nodded, then suddenly smiled, as if he had just thought of something.

Song Rui couldn’t help but smile, then pulled him over, held his head in his arms, and pressed his forehead against his, whispering again, “You must come back.”

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Chapter 231. Only God In The World

Ma You is an extremely dangerous and uncontrollable figure. If capturing him is an incredibly difficult task, then simultaneously capturing him and rescuing all the hostages is utterly impossible. The expansion and contraction, and even the shattering of space, are all at his single thought. And how fast can a thought be? Compared to the speed of sound, supersonic speed, or even the speed of light?

Chief Yan wasn’t a scientist, he couldn’t explain how fast a human thought could move in a flash. However, he did know that if human thought were extended, it might be able to create a complete universe. Under these circumstances, he couldn’t demand that Teacher Fan both capture and save people, he only hoped that he could return safely.

However, while he wasn’t demanding, Teacher Fan was very demanding of himself, his sense of mission and responsibility was too strong! Chief Yan was deeply moved, but he didn’t forget to express his support, “Teacher Fan, rest assured, we will definitely cooperate with you unconditionally!”

Fan Jialuo pointed to a group of monks not far away and asked, “Are they reinforcements invited by the Tianshui Sect?”

“Yes, these masters are all senior monks from Longyin Temple, invited by the Tianshui Sect to help activate the formation.” Chief Yan gestured with his chin toward the nine people not far away, “They are disciples of the Tianshui Sect. There were originally twenty-one, however, twelve of them perished earlier while attempting to activate the formation. The few remaining are so inept that they cannot even properly draw the array diagram, despite having struggled with it for over an hour.  We were unable to save that hostage, either. The door had already been pushed open, but the disciples of the Tianshui Sect refused to exert any further force, the door swung shut once more, and the hostage was strangled to death……”

Chief Yan wiped his face, unable to bear recalling the scene of blood mist filling the sky.

Fan Jialuo patted him on the shoulder in silent comfort, and finally said, “You asked all the monks and the people from the Tianshui Sect to come over. I have something to say to them.”

Chief Yan immediately put aside his distractions and invited the people over.

Taking advantage of the moment, Song Rui asked in a low voice, “What do you want to do?”

Fan Jialuo replied, “You are an expert in dissecting the human mind, but in a contest of power, I am the expert. Do you agree with this point?”

“Agree.” Song Rui nodded.

“Then whatever plan I propose later, you can’t object, at least not in front of others. We can discuss any issues privately, is that okay?”

Song Rui remained silent with a sullen face.

Fan Jialuo grasped his arm, his tone serious, “You must consider the bigger picture.”

Seeing everyone gathering around, Song Rui reluctantly nodded, “Okay, I won’t object in front of others.”

Fan Jialuo breathed a sigh of relief, then gently patted Dr. Song on the shoulder.

Meng Zhong looked at the two of them, his tone somewhat conflicted, “Ei, that’s not right! Why do I feel like the atmosphere between you two is like an old married couple having a family meeting?”

Upon hearing this, the two, still lost in their own thoughts, froze. One involuntarily blushed, while the other smiled silently with a slight upturn of his lips.

“Does it look like it?” Song Rui coughed lightly, his fist pressed against his lips, but his narrow eyes, which were exposed, curved into crescent shapes. In this moment when danger was about to erupt, he could even taste a hint of indescribable sweetness in them.

Fan Jialuo opened his mouth, as if wanting to refute or defend something, but ultimately chose to remain silent. He glanced quickly at Dr. Song, then looked solemnly at the group of monks. The color drained from the tips of his ears, but instead crept onto his handsome face and the corners of his beautiful eyes.

Song Rui gave him a deep look, then turned to face the group of monks, a gentle and serene smile on his lips.

Senior monks：……

“Chief Yan said you have a way to rescue all the hostages? What do you need us to do?” Chang Sheng spoke first, his tone surprisingly calm.

Fan Jialuo took out a list and said, “The police have currently counted forty-seven hostages. I want to ask you, how long would it take you to draw forty-seven Qiankun Shifting Formation?”

Chang Sheng said with shame, “If Chang Zhen and I work together, we can draw one in an hour. Even if the nine of them work together, they can’t draw one in an hour. But Chang Zhen and I have lost our cultivation, so we can’t help.”

Fan Jialuo nodded and said calmly, “So, you might not be able to complete the formation in two or three days. In two or three days, the hostages might have already died of thirst.”

Chang Sheng said with difficulty, “Yes.”

The nine Tianshui Sect disciples standing behind him felt insulted. The most competitive one stepped forward aggressively, ready to retort, but Chang Zhen punched him in the abdomen, causing him to gasp in pain.

“Is what Fan Jialuo said wrong? Do you think you can finish drawing the formation before the hostages die of thirst?” Chang Zhen questioned sharply.

“He’s clearly deliberately making things difficult for us! Yes, we can’t possibly draw all forty-seven formations within three days, but we can at least draw half. We’ll save as many as we can!”

Song Rui sneered, “If you rescue one hostage and anger Ma You, he will kill all the remaining hostages. I suppose you’ve already received such a warning?”

Remembering the girl whose body was torn to pieces by the spatial manipulation, the nine disciples were silent for a moment. Then, one of them retorted defensively, “True, we did provoke him, but he only killed that one hostage. The others are still alive.”

Song Rui’s tone grew increasingly cold, “So you’re proud of only killing one hostage? You’re satisfied with only saving half the hostages and then watching the other half go to their deaths?”

The disciple：……

Chang Sheng couldn’t stand it anymore. He turned around, swung his arm, and slapped the person hard across the face, shouting with extreme disgust, “Shut up! If you can’t speak human language, then don’t speak! We’re here to save people, not to kill them!”

The disciple’s teeth were loosened, and he glared at his senior brother with an aggrieved expression, only to be startled by the fierce look in the other’s eyes. This wasn’t the look of someone looking at a fellow disciple, it was more like looking at a disgusting piece of trash, as if he wanted to kick him to the ends of the earth. The disciple immediately cowered, his lips twitching slightly before he finally hid behind someone.

Song Rui then nudged Fan Jialuo’s arm and said gently, “Go on.” Now he not only takes on all the dirty and tiring work, but also handles the arguments and fights.

Fan Jialuo glanced at him with a smile, then looked around at everyone and said seriously, “Ma You believes himself to be a god, superior to this world. If we save people one by one, he will feel that his authority and divinity have been challenged, and the consequences will be absolutely disastrous. Therefore, it is best for us to save everyone at the same time, so as not to give him the opportunity to kill for revenge. In other words, I need you to prepare forty-seven formations at once, arrange for forty-seven people to activate them, and at the same time break through Ma You’s space.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chang Sheng shook his head dejectedly, “It’s impossible. We can’t draw forty-seven formations in three days. Moreover, activating a formation requires draining the cultivation of more than a dozen people at the same time. I’m afraid even all of us combined can’t do it.”

“It can be done.” Fan Jialuo said decisively.

Chang Sheng was drawn to his determined eyes and subconsciously asked, “How?”

“I will openly provoke Ma You, daring him to come and capture me. Once inside his space, I will attempt to destabilize it from within, pushing it to the brink of collapse. To counter me, he will inevitably be forced to divert the vast majority of his power simply to maintain the integrity of that space.”

Upon hearing this, Song Rui instinctively opened his mouth, but remembering his previous agreement with this person, he barely managed to suppress his anger. He bit the word “no” hard between his teeth.

Fan Jialuo seemed to sense something, and patted him on the back, continuing, “Right now, Ma You is holding countless ropes, the other end of which is tied to countless prey. These prey don’t know how to resist, so he can leisurely enjoy their desperate struggles. But imagine if one of the prey is incredibly strong and about to break the rope and escape, what will he do?”

Abbot Changjing said knowingly, “Amituofu, he will drop the rest of the ropes and hold on tightly to the one that is about to break.”

Fan Jialuo nodded, “That’s right. He will keep reinforcing the space I am in, but his power is limited. My space has consumed most of his energy, so other spaces will naturally become extremely weak. Opening them may be easier than piercing a piece of paper.”

Upon hearing this, Chang Sheng understood and felt a great sense of responsibility, “Therefore, the key is whether we can prepare all the necessary formations.”

Fan Jialuo nodded and said, “Absolutely!”

“Then I’ll immediately have all the disciples from the surrounding cities come over to draw the formation. It should be quick by plane.” Chang Sheng sent a group message while saying apologetically, “I’m sorry, Shifu said that the formation cannot be passed on to outsiders, and I can’t make that decision.” Before this, he would never have bowed down to Fan Jialuo, that traitor, but now, he sincerely added, “We’ve done a lot of wrong things and caused you a lot of trouble. I’m sorry.”

Fan Jialuo waved his hand and walked away without a word. The most useless words now were simply “I’m sorry.”

Chief Yan instructed Chang Sheng to compile a list of Tianshui Sect disciples from nearby cities, promising to send a special plane to pick them up. In his view, teaching the array diagrams to Teacher Fan was the quickest way, perhaps Teacher Fan could draw all forty-seven patterns in one go, without wasting these few hours. However, the array diagrams were in their minds, not something he could force them to hand over. Trying to reason with them might just waste more time.

Chief Yan was busy dispatching planes, Chang Sheng was busy notifying his junior brothers and sisters, while Fan Jialuo was pulled aside by Song Rui for a serious talk.

“You’ve already forgotten the key points I asked you to highlight. The internal turbulence is meant to provoke Ma You!”

“Don’t worry, he won’t kill me right away. The more I resist, the more he wants me to submit, that’s a human weakness. In a god’s mind, being offended by a mortal is the most unbearable thing. Moreover, when he realizes that all his other prey have been rescued and I am the only hostage he has left, he is even less likely to strangle me easily. He will fight me to the death, and my life will be more secure.”

After pondering for a while, Song Rui had to nod and admit, “You’re right. The fewer the hostages, the higher your value.”

“So you agree to my plan?”

“Agreed, but you need to be careful with your temper during the duel.”

“Okay, I’ll be careful.” Fan Jialuo raised his hand.

The old-fashioned Song Rui was stunned for a moment before realizing what he was waiting for. He hurriedly raised his hand to lightly tap his palm, then shook his head helplessly and let out a low chuckle. It seemed he was simply powerless against this man.

Seeing the two walking over side by side, looking relaxed, Meng Zhong teased, “Is the family meeting over?”

This time, the two of them showed no resistance, instead, they readily nodded.

The disciples of the Tianshui Sect arrived at New Era Square at around 1 a.m. the next day. Before they could even put down their luggage, Song Rui summoned them together for a meeting.

Initially, these people looked down on this so-called Dr. Song, thinking he was an amateur trying to instruct experts and would only ruin things. However, after hearing his explanation, they were all stunned. He had already devised an assembly-line drawing method before they even arrived, allowing each person to focus on their area of expertise, leaving the rest to others. This maximized everyone’s time and energy, while producing the most perfect drawings.

“They say birds of a feather flock together.” Chang Sheng said with a sigh as he walked to the long table covered with forty-seven talismans after the meeting, “This Dr. Song is Fan Jialuo’s best friend. One of them is incredibly powerful, and the other is full of cunning. No wonder they almost captured the elusive Ma You. If we had been able to set aside our prejudices and get to know them better, and had a little more trust in them, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.”

Chang Zhen said in a low voice, “We ruined their plans, and we have to make amends.”

Lin Nian’en placed the still-aging Lin Nianci on a stretcher and walked over to whisper, “Did Fan Jialu really betray our sect back then? I don’t think he’s a bad person. A bad person wouldn’t risk being killed to save a group of ordinary people. What would he be after?”

When this topic came up, Chang Sheng and Chang Zhen both fell silent. What good does it do for them to feel that Fan Jialuo doesn’t seem like a traitor? If the Shizu says he is one, then he is——and there is no room for anyone to object.

Time ticked by, and before dawn, all forty-seven arrays were completed, their lines remarkably smooth and clear, far surpassing any diagram drawn by the Tianshui Sect disciples in the past. Examining them one by one along the long table, Chang Sheng had to admit that the wisdom of ordinary people could indeed surpass even the arts of Taoism.

“Are you ready?” Fan Jialuo asked as he approached, his body exuding a very pleasant fragrance.

He had changed into a pure black suit, his hair slicked back, revealing an exquisitely handsome face. On his wrist hung an expensive, luxurious mechanical watch, and his sapphire-encrusted tie clip and cufflinks gleamed under the lights. Every inch of him exuded the qualities of nobility, elegance, extraordinary, and excellence……

He seemed to walk on a halo of light, exuding a cold and aloof aura, appearing so superior and captivating, completely different from his previous calm and gentle demeanor.

Chang Sheng was stunned for a long time before stiffly nodding.

Lin Nian’en took several steps back, his face flushed, and complained softly, “Hell, why’d you have to get so handsome?”

Fan Jialuo glanced at him, said nothing, carefully instructed Chang Sheng a few words, and then left. In fact, his attire was also arranged by Dr. Song. In the other party’s words, it was a preemptive strike and a silent provocation. Seeing such a radiant person stand up to provoke him, Ma You’s jealousy would instantly rise to its peak, and he would rush over at the first opportunity.

Since the incident, Dr. Song’s analysis has never been wrong, so Chief Yan was very willing to listen to his opinion. He immediately invited the best styling team in Beijing to create this outfit for Teacher Fan at any cost. Now, Teacher Fan only needs to stand there, without doing anything, to command the submission of everyone who sees him. This is what it means to use one’s good looks to commit crimes.

Song Rui stared at him for a long time, then said in a hoarse voice, “I’m starting to regret it——”

“What?” Fan Jialuo adjusted his sleeves as he walked towards the brightly lit filming location.

Song Rui opened his mouth, but then changed his mind and said, “It’s okay, you go ahead and get busy.”

Fan Jialuo gave him a strange look, then leisurely walked to the center of the square, sat down on a luxuriously designed armchair, lazily crossed his long legs, one hand resting naturally on his knee, the other supporting his forehead, his deep eyes staring straight ahead, and said in a casual tone, “There is only one god in this world, and that is me, Fan Jialuo……”

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One response to “Chapter 231. Only God In The World”

  1. jujube Avatar
    jujube

    Ah, Fan Jialuo and Song Rui are back in action! I can breathe again!

    Reply

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