Chapter 103 - 100: Tears of the Goddess of Death

Chapter 103: Chapter 100: Tears of the Goddess of Death

Li Mingyue stared at Jiang Chaosheng in astonishment.

She had considered many possibilities for the deal.

For example, information about the Anomaly Investigation Bureau, him taking control of her, or even forcing the Bureau to do something for him.

But she had never imagined that the price of the deal would be her own lifespan!

Li Mingyue glanced at Jiang Chaosheng.

He wasn’t joking.

Li Mingyue lowered her head and began to calculate.

’If I was meant to live to a hundred, two-thirds of my lifespan would be about sixty years.’

’I’m twenty-four now. If my total lifespan becomes forty years, then I’ll only have sixteen years left.’

’Of course, if I wasn’t blessed with a long life to begin with and wasn’t going to live to a hundred, then the time I have left would be next to nothing.’

Li Mingyue pursed her lips tightly, her mind grappling with the decision.

’To obtain a Taboo Item, but leave myself with less than sixteen years... is it worth it?’

Actually, it could be reframed as another question.

’Is it worth losing my life for the Anomaly Administration Bureau?’

Suddenly, the image of Liu Wei’s funeral flashed through Li Mingyue’s mind.

The memory of his horrifically mangled face gave her a surge of courage.

Li Mingyue looked at Jiang Chaosheng:

"Alright. I’ll do it."

Jiang Chaosheng smiled faintly, rising to walk into the back room.

Li Mingyue felt a pair of eyes on her.

She turned her head and met Jin Meiting’s worried gaze.

Jin Meiting also never imagined that her master would choose to have Li Mingyue trade her lifespan for a Taboo Item.

She had assumed he wanted Li Mingyue to join the Taboo Association, or perhaps act as a spy within the Anomaly Administration Bureau.

Li Mingyue gave Jin Meiting a brilliant smile, motioning for her not to worry.

Jin Meiting lowered her head.

She felt like she had led Mingyue to ruin.

A short while later, Jiang Chaosheng returned, holding a small, exquisite box.

Jiang Chaosheng placed the box on the table. He opened it, took out an azure bead, and said:

"Taboo Item 0-19, the Eye of Hela. It’s yours."

Li Mingyue froze.

"Hela?"

In Nordic Mythology, Hela is the Goddess of Death who rules over aging and decay.

’This Hela... could she mean *the* Hela?’

Jiang Chaosheng pushed the small box across the table.

"Yes. That Hela."

Li Mingyue’s pupils trembled with shock.

’A Taboo Item... was actually the eye of a goddess!’

’This antique shop owner could casually trade a goddess’s organs through such a bizarre transaction!’

’Who in the world was he?’

’No, wait... is he even human?’

’I once suspected he was a god, and now it seems I have my proof.’

Li Mingyue gently touched the Eye of Hela.

In the next instant, the Eye of Hela transformed into a ray of blue light and shot into Li Mingyue’s eye.

Li Mingyue was instantly struck by a searing pain.

Her vision began to blur.

Jiang Chaosheng’s voice rang out:

"The transaction is complete. You may leave."

Hearing Jiang Chaosheng dismiss her, Li Mingyue clutched her eye and staggered outside.

Jin Meiting watched Li Mingyue’s retreating figure, her eyes filled with pity. She walked up to Jiang Chaosheng and spoke:

"Wouldn’t it... have been more beneficial to you to have her join the Taboo Association?"

Jiang Chaosheng chuckled softly.

"Why would I want someone whose heart is loyal to another camp?

You saw it yourself. She would give her life for the Anomaly Administration Bureau without a moment’s hesitation.

Instead, I’d much rather the Anomaly Administration Bureau learn my rules."

Jin Meiting froze.

’His... rules?’

To let the Anomaly Administration Bureau know that ’Mr. Dusk’ can enable humans to perfectly control Taboo Items, and to let them know that ’Mr. Dusk’s’ deals are as tempting as they are dangerous.

"And one more thing,"

Jiang Chaosheng added.

Jin Meiting quickly looked at him.

A slow, deliberate smile crept across Jiang Chaosheng’s lips.

"Tell me, do you think this righteous young Sheriff will betray her own convictions just to stay alive?

She has immense faith in the regulations of her office; I have to admit, she is a truly upright Sheriff.

When she discovers that her own time is running out, and that she can devour the lifespans of ordinary people... will she turn into a Demon?

I do so love to watch these kinds of choices being made."

A shiver ran down Jin Meiting’s spine.

The sun was shining warmly outside, yet she felt a deep, chilling cold.

...

Li Mingyue clutched her eye, stumbling through the streets. She didn’t even know how she’d made it off Anxiang Street.

Gradually, her vision returned to normal, and she could see clearly again.

As Li Mingyue looked at the pedestrians coming and going, a look of horror filled her eyes.

Beside her was a construction worker.

A few lines of simple text floated above his head.

Name: Liu Xi.

Age: 35.

Remaining Lifespan: 36 years, 17 days, 8 hours, 42 minutes.

Li Mingyue swallowed hard, then looked at a young woman about her age standing in a shop’s doorway.

Name: Qian Duoduo.

Age: 25.

Remaining Lifespan: 1 minute.

Li Mingyue trembled from head to toe.

’One minute?’

Suddenly, the sign above the shop fell, smashing directly onto the woman’s head.

Screams and shouts erupted. The pedestrians on the street scattered into a panicked crowd.

Li Mingyue touched her left eye in disbelief.

’I can see... lifespans!’

Li Mingyue rushed over.

The young woman was already dead.

Her lifespan had hit zero.

Li Mingyue walked on in a daze.

Suddenly, she felt something wet on her cheek.

Dazed, Li Mingyue touched her face, then stared at her wet fingers.

Tears.

Her left eye was crying.

’Why is this happening?’

Li Mingyue turned her head and saw a bar.

Without realizing it, she had walked right up to the Night Bar.

This was Bai Juzhi’s hideout.

Li Mingyue stared at the closed doors.

The bar wasn’t open yet.

Li Mingyue could sense the continuous fading of life force from within.

’What in the world is Bai Juzhi doing in there!?’

"No, this can’t be!"

Her eyes flew wide.

’A Sheriff’s duty is to protect people’s lives and property. How can he be in here, acting like a butcher!’

Without a second thought, Li Mingyue burst into the bar.

You could call her reckless, or you could call her young and hot-headed.

Cao Ye had explicitly warned her that Bai Juzhi was an extremely dangerous individual.

He was a high-level agent loathed and feared by every Investigator in the Anomaly Administration Bureau.

If not for the protection of Director Zhao Pengcheng, he and his pack of wolves would have committed enough crimes to be executed a hundred times over!

But if you’re not hot-headed, can you even call yourself young?!

...

The bar was dimly lit.

The owner, Wang Qiang, sat dejectedly in the center of the dance floor.

When he saw Li Mingyue, he gave a wretched smile.

"W-we’re not open yet."

Li Mingyue flashed her badge.

"Sheriff."

Investigators from the Anomaly Administration Bureau carried all sorts of credentials to make their work easier.

A look of indelible fear appeared on Wang Qiang’s face.

"I-I didn’t call anyone! Y-you need to leave! Get out!"

Li Mingyue’s eyes darted around the room.

"Where is he?!"

Wang Qiang froze.

’This Sheriff came here with a purpose.’

’Could she be looking for those fiends?’

Li Mingyue ignored Wang Qiang and ran upstairs.

She could already sense the source of the fading life force.

Li Mingyue rushed to the second floor and threw open the door to a private room.

The gruesome scene inside was something not even a movie would dare to depict.

Two waiters were leaning against the wall, holding apples up with trembling hands.

Zhang Xiao’Er patted one of the waiters on the cheek.

"Still wanna call the cops, kid?"

Several bodies already lay on the floor.

The other men were snickering menacingly.

Bai Juzhi sat in the center of the sofa, watching the scene unfold with a beaming smile.

Li Mingyue’s eyes widened in fury. "What are you doing?!" she roared.

’These people are Demons, the most vicious criminals... Why would the Anomaly Administration Bureau recruit them?!’

Li Mingyue couldn’t understand it, nor did she want to.

One of the men chuckled and reached out to touch Li Mingyue’s face.

"Well now, where did this little thing come from? Never seen you before. You look pure. Why don’t you keep me company tonight?"

Li Mingyue swiftly grabbed the man’s hand and twisted it with all her strength.

CRACK.

The sound of shattering bone echoed through the room.

The man let out a piercing shriek and dropped to his knees.

The others advanced on Li Mingyue, their faces contorted with rage.

Li Mingyue’s voice was sharp.

"And you call yourselves Investigators?!"

Everyone froze.

’This girl knows about Investigators?’

A soft voice drifted through the room.

"We’re certainly not Investigators. And we couldn’t care less about the title."

All eyes turned to Bai Juzhi, who was sitting in the middle of the sofa.

The vicious thugs immediately fell silent.

They were utterly terrified of this man, who looked more like a middle school teacher than anything else.

They were all international fugitives, mercenaries, assassins, and rogue agents.

The Anomaly Administration Bureau had recruited them—or more accurately, Zhao Pengcheng had recruited them.

He gave them the title of Investigator and had them handle the Anomaly Administration Bureau’s dirty work.

However, Bai Juzhi never allowed them to call themselves Investigators.

Bai Juzhi looked at Li Mingyue.

"I remember you. Cao Ye’s new apprentice.

You’ve got some skill to have found me here.

If you can live a long life, you’ll be greater than Cao Ye."

Hearing those four words, "live a long life," Li Mingyue’s heart skipped a beat.

Bai Juzhi waved his hand dismissively.

"All of you, get out. I’m going to have a chat with her."

The men bowed respectfully to Bai Juzhi, then filed out of the room in an orderly fashion.

Li Mingyue glared at him.

"You just let your men run wild like this?!

What do you think the authority you’ve been granted is for?!"

Bai Juzhi picked up a wine glass and said softly,

"I’m carrying out a mission. Some sacrifices are to be expected."

Li Mingyue gritted her teeth.

"Aren’t you afraid of facing retribution!"

Hearing this, Bai Juzhi couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"Retribution? What retribution could I possibly face?

I’m living a perfectly wonderful life."