"I've brought him back."
In Room 406 of Mingyue Hotel, Chen Junting had long been waiting—wide awake, anticipating this moment.
Knowing the scene ahead might turn gruesome and bloody, he'd refused Ning Tian's request to join him in his room.
Now, Elder Zhi Yong and Yang Zihan materialized inside one after another, dragging behind them Zhang Xuan—the Bloodbear Douluo—who looked like a half-dead dog.
Clearly, after capturing him, they hadn't brought him straight here. First, they'd beaten him senseless, stripping him of all combat ability before hauling him over.
Chen Junting showed not a shred of pity for the barely breathing wretch.
He turned to Zhi Yong and Yang Zihan. "Second Grandfather, Aunt Yang—no one else noticed, right?"
"No one… except that old glutton," Zhi Yong replied.
Old glutton?
Ah—must be Elder Xuan.
As the thought crossed Chen Junting's mind, Zhi Yong added, "By the way, that old glutton just told me: tomorrow, everyone should gather for a meeting."
"Everyone?" Chen Junting paused. "Shrek?"
"Not just them—Xing Luo and Tianhun too."
Chen Junting instantly understood. This "gathering" was undoubtedly to finalize their assassination plan.
After agreeing, their attention returned to Zhang Xuan.
Before Chen Junting could act—
"Xiao Chen… are you sure you want to do this?" Yang Zihan asked, her brow furrowed. She'd already heard from Chen Junting what he intended to do with the Bloodbear Douluo.
But that method…
"Aunt Yang," Chen Junting shook his head, saying no more.
A silent wave of spiritual energy radiated outward, sealing off the room. Then, an overwhelming pressure—of a completely different tier—began seeping from Chen Junting's body. A figure slowly emerged.
"Master… I'll trouble you."
Lifting his gaze, Chen Junting summoned Electrolux in full form.
The moment Electrolux appeared, both Yang Zihan and Zhi Yong respectfully clasped their fists and bowed. They clearly knew who he was—and held him in high regard.
Since Electrolux would be performing the procedure on Zhang Xuan, Chen Junting had naturally sought his consent first.
After exchanging greetings, Electrolux simply said, "Leave it to this old teacher."
His right hand rose gently. Around him, boundless radiance converged into a tricolored staff—gold, silver, and violet—pulsing with divine power.
The staff's tip touched Zhang Xuan's forehead.
Instantly, terror far beyond anything he'd ever felt flooded his mind.
He instinctively tried to resist—but it was like an ant trying to shake a mountain. Utterly futile.
"@νウж…"
Ancient incantations spilled from Electrolux's lips. Mysterious runes wrapped around Zhang Xuan's entire body.
From the staff's tip, a stream of black energy—contrasting starkly against the brilliant tricolor light—flowed into Zhang Xuan's brow. Death itself seemed to coil around him.
This marked the moment Zhang Xuan began his forced transformation—from living man to undead abomination.
The agony was indescribable.
And this torment was merely the beginning of his punishment.
Minutes later—
"Ugh—"
As Electrolux withdrew his power, Zhang Xuan, breath nearly gone, let out one final, feeble sound before rolling his eyes back and collapsing into unconsciousness.
When he awoke next, he would no longer be human—but a creature of undeath.
"It's done," Electrolux said calmly. His voice carried no fatigue—likely thanks to recent rest. "He is now an Abomination. I've also planted hidden seals within him. Normally, he'll appear entirely human. He'll retain his memories—but will be utterly incapable of revealing tonight's events in any form. However, with but a thought from you, he will obey your command. And if you wish… he can be erased—body and soul."
Chen Junting nodded in satisfaction—then asked the critical question: "This 'erasure'… would a self-detonation count?"
"Naturally," Electrolux replied, as if he'd anticipated this. "And in such a case, the explosion would be even more devastating—since it combines both physical and spiritual detonation. My estimate? Even a Level 98 expert would suffer significant injury."
Only Level 98?
That's… a bit underwhelming.
Clearly, Chen Junting wasn't fully satisfied.
In his view, unless the explosion rivaled a peak-Limit Douluo strike, it wasn't good enough.
"Perhaps… I should add some extra ingredients."
A spark flashed in Chen Junting's eyes—he'd just had an idea. Turning to Electrolux, he asked, "Master, are you skilled in… human modification?"
Electrolux stroked his beard lightly, his tone serene. "Heh… I dabble. Just a little."
Dabble?
You're being far too modest, old man.
While inwardly amused, Chen Junting's hands moved swiftly. Without a word, he pulled something from his storage-type soul tool.
Thud—
"Careful! Careful! Do you even know what this is—?!"
The moment the object appeared, even Zhi Yong and Yang Zihan instinctively bristled—their hairs standing on end!
But just as quickly, the oppressive aura was forcibly suppressed.
"Grade-9 Fixed Soul Engineering Artillery Shell," Yang Zihan murmured, staring at the nearly two-meter-long weapon of mass destruction before her. "Xiao Chen… what exactly are you planning to do with this?"
"Put it inside him, of course."
Ignoring their horrified expressions, Chen Junting casually patted the shell—Tai'e, co-developed by Xuan Ziwen, Elder Lu, and Huo Yuhao during their spare time.
Just as they wondered how such a massive shell could possibly fit inside a human body, Electrolux took the artillery shell in hand—and acted again.
In the next second, Zhang Xuan's body swelled grotesquely, flesh expanding violently until he towered at five meters tall—his volume growing proportionally.
Then, a gash split open across his chest.
Amidst the group's nauseated stares, the Tai'e shell slowly sank into his torso.
Once the wound sealed shut, no trace of the modification remained visible from the outside.
Zhang Xuan then shrank back to normal size.
"Since there's nothing more for me here," Electrolux said, "I'll return."
Before Chen Junting could say another word, the ancient necromancer vanished back into Chen Junting's sea of consciousness.
"If this works… the Holy Spirit Cult and Sun Moon Empire are in for a world of pain," Chen Junting murmured, a faint smirk curling his lips.
Using a human as a living bomb was undeniably immoral—but so what?
Let me be immoral!
"Second Grandfather, please take him back."
Zhi Yong nodded, re-wrapping Zhang Xuan tightly in vines like a dumpling, then flew off into the night.
"Xiao Chen."
Yang Zihan suddenly called out, her expression grave.
But before she could speak—
"Aunt Yang… is this about the necromancy?"
In an instant, Chen Junting understood.
"You're still as sharp as ever," she sighed, her sternness melting into weary resignation. "Since you already know, I won't lecture you. Just… be mindful of the consequences. This necromantic magic—it's even more sinister than we imagined. Don't let anyone see it."
Chen Junting nodded knowingly.
'People's words can kill', he thought. 'I get it.'
After all, the technique Electrolux had just used was arguably more horrifying than anything evil soul masters did. If exposed, Chen Junting would become the continent's most wanted target overnight.
"I understand," he said firmly.
Yang Zihan's eyes turned icy cold.
"But if someone does witness it…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
Just one word lingered in the air:
"Kill."
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