novelraw Chapter 33: Sea of Darkness - (33)
Chapter 33: Sea of Darkness - (33)
Fang Zhi realized he could no longer willingly walk into danger without purpose.
During the first two instances, he refused to believe it was inevitable, thinking that the Huntress killed him simply because he wasn’t cautious enough. In the subsequent attempts, he became increasingly vigilant, but neither surprise attacks nor striking preemptively proved effective. The Huntress operated like a flawless killing machine, swiftly adapting even when revealing minor vulnerabilities and launching devastating counterattacks.
In modern society, how could such a person exist? Was she a professional assassin? What role does she play in the Second World?
Fang Zhi racked his brain, trying to recall every detail of each encounter leading up to his death.
The first time the Huntress killed him was in Jinshui City, adjacent to Tonglin City and his hometown. He had been consumed by selecting the next sacrifice, stealthily searching for prey on consecutive nights for two days. Already having murdered one victim, he dragged the body into the sewers to hide it, and at daybreak, he quietly sought refuge in nearby abandoned buildings to rest.
It was Monday morning when Fang Zhi, while resting, suddenly encountered the Huntress. She immediately drew her blade and attacked. He tried to fight back but couldn’t even touch the hem of her clothing. Fang Zhi turned to flee, but the woman possessed the ability to teleport using shadows, stalking him like a cat playing with its prey. Instead of finishing him off, she seemed to intentionally herd him towards the rooftop. Eventually, cornered with no escape, the Huntress shattered his jaw with a kick before sending him plummeting down from the building.
In the Second World, Fang Zhi consumed Divine Blood, awakening his superhuman abilities and transforming his physique to gain extraordinary recovery powers. However, even with these enhancements, falling from such a height would instantly shatter his skull upon impact, leading to certain death. Only while alive could Flesh Regeneration heal his injuries; once dead, its healing capability became futile.
The Huntress’s second attempt on his life occurred one day earlier than before, on Sunday night.
Fang Zhi, emboldened by his newly awakened superhuman abilities, believed no one could kill him. He felt invincible! Convinced that his previous defeat was merely accidental, he resolved that by being more cautious, avoiding shadowed areas, and not letting the Huntress control his movements, she would be unable to harm him again.
Driven by a desire for revenge, Fang Zhi planned to acquire a suitable weapon. Initially, he considered robbing a police officer to obtain a gun but deemed it too difficult. Instead, he stole a large meat cleaver from a butcher shop as a fallback. With his crimes now known, the police were pursuing him relentlessly. The city’s security patrols increased in frequency, and many officers carried armed protection. A bullet to the head would undoubtedly prove fatal.On Sunday evening, Fang Zhi disguised himself to buy food from the convenience store. Surprisingly, despite her dimming eyesight, the elderly woman instantly saw through his disguise and recognized him as a wanted fugitive, promptly pressing the alarm button.
Fang Zhi killed the old lady, grabbed the food, and swiftly fled.
Then came the nightmare—coincidentally, the Huntress lived nearby. Hearing the blaring siren from the convenience store, she emerged to investigate. Spotting Fang Zhi running frantically, she drew a gleaming kitchen knife from her waist and chased after him.
Unluckily for Fang Zhi, carrying a large machete was inconvenient, so he hadn’t brought it with him while going out to purchase food.
Even more unfortunate was that at night, the Huntress’s abilities were maximized due to the abundance of shadows everywhere! Her movements became virtually unrestricted!
With ease, the Huntress caught up to Fang Zhi, employing her usual cat-and-mouse strategy to corner him, leaving him no escape route. Predictably, Fang Zhi fell for it again, being driven towards the nearby construction site.
If he deviated from the hunter’s predetermined path, she would flash behind him and stab his kidneys, striking swiftly before retreating. The excruciating pain caused Fang Zhi to wail uncontrollably, losing all sense of direction amidst his agony.
After enduring nearly two dozen stabs from the Huntress, Fang Zhi suddenly realized he had once again been driven upstairs. He turned to counterattack, but the Huntress swiftly struck his spine with her blade, rendering him paralyzed and immobile. Then she dragged him to the window and tossed him down.
In this third Death Cycle, Fang Zhi composed himself and analyzed the information at hand.
Since the Huntress possessed superhuman abilities, she must undoubtedly be a player. As someone from the Jingchu region, she likely received a quest notification related to investigating Cultist killings. Having been killed twice consecutively by her, Fang Zhi was certain that the Huntress had a strong purpose—her goal was to eliminate him, which she indeed achieved both times.
Filled with hatred, Fang Zhi desperately wanted to teach her a lesson; he aimed to kill her and offer her soul to the omnipotent Lord.
During his previous death, Fang Zhi learned the approximate location where the Huntress resided. Upon reverting, he stealthily stole a meat cleaver and positioned himself near her dwelling, waiting like a patient hunter. This time, he chose a meat cleaver instead of a large machete because the machete proved ineffective last cycle—it was too conspicuous and unwieldy. Size alone doesn’t guarantee usefulness; what matters most is suitability.
Persistence paid off, as Fang Zhi successfully spotted her while on guard.
During their first two encounters, the Huntress had been fully armed with long clothing, pants, and a firefighter’s mask. Surprisingly, beneath her mask, she wore additional bandages or strips of fabric for further concealment, leaving only her eyes exposed.
Moreover, the Huntress never spoke; Fang Zhi had never heard her voice. She remained silent while pursuing him, striking her blows, and even throwing him down the stairs.
From start to finish, she uttered not a single word, focusing solely on killing.
Fang Zhi searched for a long time, meticulously investigating until he finally located the small inn where the Huntress resided. It seemed she was from out of town, specifically visiting this city to investigate him. As such, she didn’t have a permanent residence and stayed only at an unregistered black-market inn, which did not require identification.
Fang Zhi was baffled by the fact that even when the Huntress went shopping, she would disguise herself. She was dressed in long clothes and pants, a baseball cap, a mask, and cheap, colorful children’s sunglasses perched above her nose, completely concealing her eyes. Fang Zhi couldn’t discern her appearance at all. He purchased a telescope and attempted to peek through the inn’s windows, but discovered that her curtains were always tightly drawn without the slightest gap.
Damn, this woman’s defenses are truly impenetrable and all-encompassing!
Patiently hiding in the shadows, Fang Zhi awaited the moment when the Huntress would leave the small inn during daylight hours.
He couldn’t attack the Huntress at night, as darkness would enhance her combat abilities. The best time would be during the intense daylight hours. When she stepped out, he planned to follow closely behind her and strike suddenly, aiming for a fatal blow.
People tend to lower their guard during the day, believing that nighttime is the most dangerous period.
Fang Zhi waited for his opportunity.
Due to the extreme heat, very few people were on the streets; even the elderly seeking shade under trees had disappeared.
The Huntress ventured out just when the midday sun was strongest and shadows were sparse. Fang Zhi knew his chance had arrived.
He was aware that the Huntress’s teleportation ability not only relied on shadow coordinates but also had distance limitations. Through their two instances of pursuit and evasion, he had roughly determined the maximum range.
However, what frustrated Fang Zhi immensely was that the Huntress consistently walked along the shadows near walls, never crossing the street in the open.
Fang Zhi felt exasperated—how could such a woman exist? With caution bordering on paranoia, was she still human?!
Finally, around a corner, Fang Zhi spotted his opportunity. She needed to cross a zebra crossing with no nearby flower beds, tree shades, railings, or any obstructions within five meters! It was a rare and perfect moment!
Pretending to be a passerby, Fang Zhi followed her across the street.
As they reached the middle of the road, he swiftly moved forward, suppressing his footsteps, and lunged towards the Huntress with a knife drawn.
Suddenly, Fang Zhi was taken aback as the Huntress evaded his strike. With lightning speed, she drew a gleaming kitchen knife from behind her waist and thrust it backhandedly, piercing his lung.
He coughed up blood, and at that moment, the Huntress before him vanished. Although lacking shadows around her diminished her flexibility, she could still utilize the shadows of two nearby individuals for movement. Having learned from previous encounters, Fang Zhi anticipated her tendency to attack from behind. He swiftly stabbed her in the back without turning.
Clang! His blade was blocked!
“You know me. You’re aware of my abilities,” the Huntress said grimly from behind him.
As she spoke, she delivered a swift kick to Fang Zhi’s lower body. His face turned purple, his expression contorted, and he stumbled several feet away, nearly losing grip on his knife as he fell to the ground.
This was the first time Fang Zhi heard the Huntress’s voice—it was icy, clear, and youthful.
“Your target is me; you’ve been tracking me all along. Before stalking me, you were already monitoring my residence, and you deliberately chose a spot without shadows to make your move. When did you become acquainted with me?” The Huntress flicked blood off the kitchen knife, her eyes harboring a hidden murderous intent beneath those comical toy sunglasses. “Do you possess a superhuman ability? Did you learn about me through your power?”
Fang Zhi’s courage shattered at her keen perception, and he hastily scrambled to his feet.
“Run; run slowly if you must, while I kill leisurely.” The Huntress was unusually irritable and agitated. “You’ve forced me to draw my knife in broad daylight, ruining my chance of being a law-abiding citizen. For that, I’ll slaughter you ten thousand times.”
This intersection was newly constructed, with relatively few passing vehicles. At noon, it happened to be completely deserted, but there were surveillance cameras overhead, though it was unclear if they were powered on.
As soon as Fang Zhi got up, the Huntress kicked him back down. Each time he tried to rise, she knocked him over repeatedly. If he attempted to run faster, she would stab his waist, slowing him down. And if he aimed to counterattack with his knife, she’d ensure both his waist and legs took additional cuts.
He staggered several dozen meters away, weaving from the middle of the road to the roadside, leaving a trail of blood behind for just as long.
Fang Zhi’s mental defenses utterly collapsed.
Bruised and battered, his body healed, only to sustain new injuries continuously.
“Please, just kill me quickly! Kill me!” Fang Zhi cried out, clutching his head in despair, “Stop torturing me!”
“Why do you want me to kill you? Are you not afraid of death?” The Huntress paused. “Surely you can’t truly be fearless?”
Fang Zhi stared, bewildered.
What kind of monstrous woman is she? How can her senses be so acute?
Fang Zhi gave up struggling and stopped trying to flee; after all, he still had resurrection attempts left.
Once time reverted, everything would start anew, giving him another chance.
Gripping his knife tightly, Fang Zhi contemplated a swift slash at his own neck to commit suicide and restart.
However, just as he made a move, the Huntress kicked away his knife.
“Is it madness induced by those so-called gods that makes you unafraid of death, or were you inherently fearless?” the Huntress muttered to herself. “No matter, it’s broad daylight, and I shouldn’t delay too long… You really picked an opportune moment and location… There seems to be no better way for me to handle this.”
At any moment, someone could arrive here.
One side of the road featured a small park with a fountain. Although the fountain wasn’t spraying water, the pool within had accumulated to nearly half a person’s height.
The Huntress appeared to lose interest. With a swift motion, she severed his spine once again, then dragged him by the collar to the fountain pool and tossed him in.
In agony and despair, Fang Zhi gasped for breath, bubbles escaping from his mouth. With his nerves severed and his body paralyzed, he couldn’t even attempt to struggle.
Fish in the fountain circled around Fang Zhi, pecking at the blood seeping from his wounds.
In the final moment before his vision went dark, Fang Zhi saw the Huntress pull out her phone from her pocket, seemingly refreshing some webpage.
Fourth Death Cycle.
Fang Zhi entered a hysterical state. With red eyes and after much thought, he decided against confronting her directly. Instead, he planned to create a large-scale gas explosion to kill the Huntress. Upon resurrection, he hastily rushed to the location where they had previously encountered, but unexpectedly, at this time, the Huntress had not yet arrived in Jinshui City. Her usual small lodging was empty.
Filled with vengeance, Fang Zhi couldn’t bear to wait even a single second longer. He immediately ran to a secluded urban village in Jinshui City and killed a family of three, offering them as sacrifices to the deity he believed in.
The deity extended a tiny psychic tentacle, connecting with Fang Zhi’s mind and imparting revelations to him.
Mad, frenzied whispers flooded his brain, accompanied by scattered, fragmented images.
He glimpsed the Huntress’s face and her whereabouts! She appeared significantly younger than he imagined, looking only around eighteen or nineteen years old. At that moment, she was in a tastefully decorated room, seated next to another lovely girl. Together, they sat at a table, with the Huntress seemingly giving a lesson to the girl.
The images seemed to play at double speed. Fang Zhi witnessed the Huntress packing up and leaving. As she pushed open the door, he caught sight of the house’s address number, the name of the residential community, and the street sign indicating the neighborhood’s location!
He saw all this information!
The eerie, frenzied whispers receded as Fang Zhi exited his state of spiritual connection. Blood flowed from his orifices, with streams of nosebleeds dripping down. He wiped away the blood, his eyes now heavily bloodshot, and couldn’t help but burst out laughing uncontrollably.
Communicating with the deity came at a cost. Within the secret cult, those who engaged in direct or indirect communication with the deity became increasingly deranged. This was Fang Zhi’s second time communicating with the deity, and his expression displayed an ecstatic madness. Kneeling on the ground with utmost devotion, he said, “Great and Merciful Lord, thank You for granting Your most loyal believer divine revelation.”
Fang Zhi promptly set off, stealing a motorcycle and traveling along secluded rural roads devoid of surveillance towards Tonglin City. The high-speed train journey would have taken only twenty minutes, but to avoid detection, it took him four hours by bike to reach his destination. By the time he arrived in Tonglin City, it was already Friday morning.
This time, he couldn’t afford to rush. Rubbing his hands together, he resolved to teach that Huntress a painful lesson.
With meticulous patience, he scouted the area and, as dusk approached, stealthily scaled the residential compound’s fence. Based on the vision he had received, he broke into the home of the pretty girl.
Disguising himself as a delivery person, Fang Zhi knocked on the door, rushed inside, and knocked out the girl’s parents. Starting with the most easily intimidated-looking girl, he coerced her to reveal her identity and questioned her about her relationship with the Huntress.
However, the girl named Su Rong was remarkably tight-lipped, gritting her teeth and refusing to disclose the Huntress’s contact information or even her true name.
Just as Fang Zhi was about to employ brutal methods to continue pressuring Su Rong, the doorbell rang.
The familiar voice of the Huntress came from behind the door: “Rongrong, it’s me. I’ve brought my senior year notes for you.”
Having developed PTSD from his previous torment, Fang Zhi’s initial reaction upon hearing the Huntress’s voice was to recoil. He swiftly glanced at the tearful Su Rong, signaling fiercely for her not to make a sound.
But Su Rong screamed, “Run, Sister Xinxin!”
…Catastrophe!
Fang Zhi’s hair stood on end. The Huntress appeared the very next moment. Her misty form effortlessly penetrated the wall’s barrier, teleporting twice in quick succession to instantly materialize beside Fang Zhi.
Lifting his leg, he aimed for her knee! But a distinct cracking sound echoed as his jawbone shattered.
The Huntress fought unarmed, relying solely on hand-to-hand combat and targeting vulnerable areas like eyes, temples, and lower body strikes. Even without weapons, Fang Zhi was no match for her. He scrambled to escape, leaping out of the window.
Su Rong’s apartment was on the third floor, with no security bars installed; falling from this height wouldn’t be fatal.
However, the Huntress grabbed a kitchen knife from the living room before following Fang Zhi through the window. Conveniently, this particular window faced the shaded side of the building, allowing her to utilize Shadow Shuttling to land safely. In just a few swift steps, she caught up to him and precisely plunged the knife between his spine vertebrae, causing his entire body to go limp.
The community lotus pond lies just three meters ahead.
Upon seeing it, Fang Zhi immediately knew how he would die this time—by drowning.
As expected, the Huntress threw him into the pond without hesitation.
Fifth Death Cycle.
On Friday morning, Fang Zhi woke up again.
There was a limit to how many death cycles he could endure. With each death, the interval between his resurrections shortened. If the moment of his resurrection coincided with the exact time of his death, he would cease to revive entirely.
He could only wait the next seven days until the Death Cycle resets, allowing him to continue using this ability.
Fang Zhi panted heavily like an enraged mad bull; his breaths labored.
With disordered steps, he paced back and forth, incessantly muttering to himself—sometimes praying to his Lord, other times cursing the Huntress.
He didn’t want to flee, but the reality was that each time he confronted her, he ended up running away, which deeply humiliated him.
“It’s because I’m not strong enough…” Fang Zhi murmured.
He could effortlessly kill several ordinary people, but he couldn’t defeat the Huntress, who seemed like a killing machine.
Fang Zhi kneeled down and prayed, “Great and merciful Lord, if I offer more sacrifices to you, would you grant me the power to slay my enemy?”
There was no response from the divine entity.
The assistance God could provide was limited; He had not fully awakened, preventing His strength from bestowing upon Fang Zhi.
Fang Zhi’s eyes turned completely red with desperation.
“A gun…” It struck him suddenly. “If I could have a gun, just one gun… I could kill her. No… killing her alone is not enough; I must kill everyone associated with her!”