Chapter 334 - A Book Called the Book of the Devil

At one in the morning, Shuiyun Hall had completely fallen.

The Ace of Spades gunners stationed at the venue had been nearly annihilated, with only a handful managing to escape. The top executive of the transport department, the King of Clubs, was severely injured and had to be carried out by subordinates who risked their lives to protect him.

At 1:05 a.m., a secluded, well-lit, three-story tall manor nestled halfway up a hill on the outskirts of Fengnan City hosted a meeting that had started at eleven the previous night and was still ongoing.

Six figures stood imposingly inside the spacious meeting room. They were all in uniform black attire, exuding an air of severity and solemnity, with white gloves signifying their status. Their movements and speech carried the dignity of those in power.

Everyone was present, except for the King of Clubs from the transport department. He was unconscious from his injuries. The room was filled with senior executives, most from the sales department and two from the transport department.

The atmosphere in the room was tense. They were currently discussing the assassination department and the antiques department. From the flawless takeover of Duststorm's antique transit warehouse two days prior, to the rapid deployment of support, the assassination department had been mentioned most frequently because of their combat strength.

Duststorm had made their stance clear over the past few days. They were ready to battle the Ace of Spades in Fengnan City. This was both a cause for excitement and concern for the Ace of Spades.

Their excitement stemmed from the fact that Duststorm was no longer hiding in the shadows but had openly revealed themselves.

According to what the Ace of Spades' executives knew, although Duststorm had developed quickly in recent years and displayed formidable strength, they still lacked the experience of Ace of Spades, an established underground force in control of an entire region. This was a golden opportunity to drag Duststorm into the open and deal a devastating blow. This would potentially wipe out their greatest obstacle in one decisive strike.

However, they were concerned about Duststorm's bio-engineered humans.

Since not all the executives had witnessed them firsthand, some were skeptical about the existence of these so-called "undyings." Their suggestion was to increase firepower and utterly obliterate the opposition. Others were convinced and recommended using mercury-enhanced weapons. Some believed that both measures should be used simultaneously.

In any case, the majority of the Ace of Spades executives were quite wary of Duststorm's bio-engineered human forces and currently had no solid countermeasures.

The one consensus they had reached was to wait for support from the assassination and antiques departments. The gunners stationed at the Shuiyun Hall outpost could be used as reinforcements when they launched their counterattack. They were happy to rely on superior weapons and greater numbers.

Although the bio-engineered humans from Duststorm were formidable, they had only received intelligence of one or two small squads. While they could indeed be quite impactful, they were unlikely to be decisive in a large-scale battle dominated by bullets and heavy weaponry. The goal was to crush all opposition with overwhelming force.

Ring ring ring... Ring ring ring...

At 1:10 a.m., the brass telephone on the black wooden table in the corner of the meeting room suddenly rang.

The lively discussions among the executives halted, and they all turned to look at the King of Spades and the Ace of Spades seated on the eastern side of the room.

The chair creaked as it slid back slightly. The King of Spades, who was closest to the brass phone, stood up, slowly walked over, and reached out to lift the heavy receiver.

"Hello?"

A low, mocking laugh came from the other end of the line.

"Who are you?"

The King of Spades' eyes narrowed instantly. He could hear the disdain and malice in the laughter, signaling that this was no friendly caller.

"Don't kill me... don't kill me!"

Suddenly, the phone crackled with static, followed by the sound of someone begging for their life, mixed with loud, pounding noises.

The King of Spades' face changed abruptly. He recognized the voice—it sounded like one of the King of Clubs' trusted lieutenants from the transport department, who was currently stationed at Shuiyun Hall.

Could it be that something had happened at Shuiyun Hall?

The King of Clubs immediately asked urgently, "Who are you?"

There was no immediate response from the other side, only more screams. He quickly signaled to the other executives that something had gone wrong at Shuiyun Hall. He gestured for someone to investigate immediately.

A voice suddenly rang out on the other end of the line.

"Who am I? You Ace of Spades have been going against us for a while now. I'm just here to collect a little interest in advance..."

The voice was eerie, with fluctuating tones and an unsettling, erratic rhythm. The speaker sounded almost unhinged.

"Duststorm! What have you done to Shuiyun Hall?"

The King of Spades immediately realized who he was dealing with and demanded answers. The other five executives at the table stood up, leaning in to listen closely.

"Shuiyun Hall? Haha! Of course, we slaughtered everyone. Gutted them and left rivers of blood! That's the price for daring to offend us, you pig-like mortals! But it's a pity. The tribute was too little, barely enough to fill a tooth. Tomorrow, I'll come to collect much more..."

They heard someone screaming on the other end of the line, followed by the sickening sound of a human breathing their last breath. It was as if a bloodthirsty beast was devouring flesh, with the sound of gnashing fangs chewing raw meat filling the air.

It was disgusting and sticky, sending chills down everyone's spine.

The King of Spades' hand trembled, and his eyelids drooped slightly. He knew the transport department lieutenant who had screamed had been brutally killed.

Duststorm wasn't just issuing a challenge; they didn't seem to care about the Ace of Spades at all. It was pure mockery.

The King of Spades immediately struck back. "You're angry because your precious antique transit warehouse in Black Sand City was completely taken over, aren't you? When it comes down to it, it's all about who has more guns. We have countless assassins and gunners on the way. Let's see who comes out on top! Bring everything you've got, Duststorm. There will only be one voice in the underground world of Beiliu County!"

The unyielding tone of the King of Spades was met with manic laughter on the other side, as if his words had thoroughly amused the caller.

"You think Duststorm is something? They're nothing but our dog! We were the ones who gave them power and drove their actions. We thought this level of assistance would be enough to sweep through Beiliu County, but...they were a bunch of useless fools! Even with the Black Blood Seal, they were defeated by mere humans! But it doesn't matter anymore.

"When the master's not around, we needed wild dogs to do our bidding. Now that the master has returned, we'll wipe out those little clowns with a flick of a hand! Duststorm's mission has officially come to an end.

"Remember our name—Blood Spirit Society! Hahahaha..."

The line went dead, leaving only a sinister, lingering laugh that chilled the air in the meeting room.

"Blood Spirit Society..."

The executives of the Ace of Spades repeated the name, their brows furrowed with a newfound sense of dread.

"The Duststorm that's been our adversary all this time... was just a pawn of the Blood Spirit Society? Even the Black Blood Seal techniques used by Duststorm's top assassins were gifts from this Blood Spirit Society?! What's their background?"

One of the executives asked gravely, "Has Shuiyun Hall really been wiped out? We had dozens of elite gunners stationed there. The King of Clubs even brought in heavy machine guns and grenades! We didn’t even receive a message from them! We only found out because the enemy told us..."

Another executive pressed his temples, the veins bulging on his forehead.

The atmosphere in the room grew unbearably heavy. Minutes later, a subordinate entered, reporting that they couldn't reach anyone at Shuiyun Hall. A scouting party had been dispatched.

Another ten minutes passed.

Suddenly, the top executives received news: King of Clubs had narrowly escaped death, severely injured but alive. He had fled to the division's estate and was receiving emergency treatment in the medical room. They quickly left the conference room and rushed over.

When they pushed open the door, they saw King of Clubs lying on the bed, missing an arm. His hair was disheveled, his clothes stained with blood, and his face was a picture of despair and exhaustion. His dull eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.

"What exactly happened at Shuiyun Hall?"

King of Spades walked to the side of the bed, trying to suppress his impatience as he asked. He had never seen King of Clubs in such a defeated state, so despite his anxiety, he kept his tone as gentle as possible.

"They're dead... all dead... everyone is dead..." King of Clubs muttered. "The handguns didn't work, the submachine guns didn't work, grenades didn't work, even the heavy machine guns were useless... They're truly undying and indestructible! Even after being blown in half, they'd crawl back up, using their hands and teeth to keep fighting..."

King of Clubs closed his eyes, as if resigning himself to fate, and mumbled, "We can't beat them. Duststorm has monsters that don't die! How could ordinary people possibly kill such creatures?”

Suddenly, King of Clubs became agitated. He reached out with his only intact hand and grabbed King of Spades. His bloodshot eyes were filled with terror, his face a mix of pain, fear, and other complex emotions. He looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

“I was so stupid, so naïve. Fifty to sixty of our brothers were wiped out in mere moments, and those monsters even ate people!"

"Alright, calm down, calm down. Rest for a while, and we'll talk about it later. Let's go for now," King of Spades reassured King of Clubs before leading the other top executives out of the medical room.

More than half an hour later, the details were finally clear.

Superhuman speed, strength, and reflexes! Bodies that wouldn't die even when torn apart by bullets! And cannibalism!!!

Was this the bio-engineered human unit from the Duststorm?

No, this was the Blood Spirit Society. The so-called bio-engineered human soldiers were just the lower-level combat personnel of the Blood Spirit Society, who were assisting Duststorm's operations. The more they thought about it, the more terrifying it became. If Duststorm was already this difficult to deal with, how much more powerful was the Blood Spirit Society?

Fear crept over the group. Their confidence in the support coming from the antique and assassination departments, who were expected to arrive this morning, was instantly shaken.

King of Spades and Ace of Spades immediately requested instructions from the Deputy Leader that night, hoping to receive a specific plan based on the current situation.

Should they continue the fight, or retreat quickly?

The answer they received was: continue fighting!!!

Deputy Leader Black Joker gave them his promise. He would mobilize elite fighters from the areas near Fengnan City overnight to provide strong support. Moreover, these experts wouldn't be from the Ace of Spades organization but from an entirely different force. All of them possessed power beyond ordinary human limits.

They could work together with several departments to eliminate Duststorm.

Black Joker emphasized over the phone that these experts were incredibly strong and must be shown proper respect. It was best to cooperate with them and let them take the lead during battle. If things went smoothly, they could quickly eliminate the enemy forces and decapitate them before they could recover.

"Understood," Ace of Spades said before hanging up the phone.

He exhaled heavily. He hadn't expected the mysterious Deputy Leader to have such external forces at his disposal. They weren't completely powerless against the Blood Spirit Society after all. Now that they had been promised the support of those wielding supernatural powers, everyone's spirits lifted.

Time passed, and the darkness of the sky slowly gave way to daylight.

Shuiyun Hall was now under the control of the Blood Spirit Society. It wasn't just the team that had attacked the night before—many more Dead Blood had gathered since then.

There were now four or five captains at the same level as the man in the leather jacket. They all stood quietly at the entrance, waiting.

It seemed that a significant figure was about to arrive.

At seven in the morning, a black car smoothly cruised down the street and stopped in the open area in front of the entrance of Shuiyun Hall.

Click.

A pair of polished black shoes stepped onto the ground, and a handsome gentleman, dressed with elegance and authority, got out of the car. He held a golden-purple wood cane in his hand and had an air of grandeur.

"Vice President, sir," the captains, all Dead Blood elites, immediately greeted him with utmost respect as they bowed. Even the man in the leather jacket abandoned his usual arrogance.

This was Adam, the Vice President of the Blood Spirit Society. One of the most powerful beings in the Blood Spirit Society, he was an Indestructible-Rank fighter, and stood at the top of the supernatural world's food chain.

He had just awakened from a long slumber six months ago, and after spending several months adjusting to his new body, he was beginning to make his move.

The leather-jacketed man had only recently learned that Vice President Adam was personally getting involved in this operation against the Ace of Spades organization. It seemed like he wanted to use this victory to announce his return.

"Hm, what's the situation here?" Adam glanced at the unfamiliar faces in front of him. He had been asleep for so long that some of his subordinates had changed bodies, and he no longer recognized them.

"Everything is going well. We wiped out one of the Ace of Spades' outposts yesterday. This is their former hall. There's still one more division in Fengnan City, which we’ve located..." The man in the leather jacket quickly reported all the intelligence he had gathered, without holding anything back.

"Hm, well done. Come and claim half a drop of the Blood of Immortality..." Adam said lightly.

The man's breathing immediately quickened as his eyes turned red. He ignored the envious stares of the other captains and replied excitedly, "Yes, sir!"

The two of them then walked into a nearby building.

Adam reached into his coat and pulled out a palm-sized square box. It was neither entirely metal nor entirely wood, and was smooth and polished.

This was the Kupan Demon Box, a treasure long controlled by the Blood Spirit Society. It could extract the blood of the strong and transfer their knowledge and skills to others!

It was an extraordinary and unique ability. However, the Blood Spirit Society didn't know that the Kupan Demon Box also contained a hidden book.

The Book of the Devil!