Chapter 6: Demon
Li Jun had to find a place to rest for a while and then figure out the current situation.
He once again soared across the sea of clouds.
Only this ti, he had not flown for long. As soon as he flew out of the city and approached the great mountain by the seaside, he already felt sowhat exhausted.
He borrowed the cover of a rain cloud, descending with the drizzling rain and landing within the mountains.
When he landed, his feet touched the ground lightly, like that of a true bird.
He once again recalled the records about the Feathered People: “Classic of the Southern Wilderness, there exists a nation of Feathered People. Its people are all born with feathers, capable of flight, but unable to go far.”
By borrowing the power of the Blue Bird, he had grown strong to a degree that even he felt was inhuman and inconceivable, and he had even gained the ability of flight.
However.
These outward abilities manifested on his body could only be considered as enhancents to his physique brought about by the existence known as demon. At least, they were still within reason.
As Li Jun walked through the mountains, he soon spotted from a high vantage point a dilapidated earthen brick house nestled in a valley. It must have been abandoned for a long ti.
When his Double Pupils swept across the place, he imdiately had a premonition.
“This place should be safe.”
Supernatural power—the ability to seek fortune and avoid calamity.
This ability was the true supernatural power of the Blue Bird, the most unreasonable aspect of it.
He made his way into the earthen brick house. On the ssy floor lay a bamboo basket that seed to have been used by the previous occupant to keep chickens. He placed the severed head he was carrying into that basket.
That head seed to have truly been frightened by Li Jun to the point of terror, not daring to resist in the slightest.
Afterward, Li Jun sat down on a small wooden stool.
He exhaled, focusing his attention on his breathing, and the Double Pupils in his eyes slowly contracted, overlapping into one again.
At the sa ti, Li Jun’s body was continually shrinking. This was normal. His body had been distorted by demonic power before, and what was happening now was simply returning to its original state.
But gradually, Li Jun felt sothing was wrong.
Sitting on the stool, he watched his distorted body return to normal, the jade-green feather patterns on his skin fading bit by bit, and his feet shrinking a size smaller.
Yet even after his body returned to normal, it did not stop. Li Jun’s body continued to shrink. His feet beca smaller than before, and the hair on his legs turned into soft down.
Li Jun found a broken red plastic mirror in the inner room, picked it up, and looked at his reflection.
“How could this be?”
He realized his appearance seed much younger.
The tattered school uniform on his body also looked as though it truly belonged to him now.
Li Jun quickly understood sothing—wielding such power with a human body also ca at a price.
“I don’t know if this is the price of using the power of the Feathered People, the supernatural power itself, or perhaps both.”
“Most likely, it should be the latter.”
“Only, in what way is this price to be repaid? Does it manifest outwardly only at tis like this, making appear younger?”
Li Jun could not confirm this question for the mont and no longer dwelled on it. He already had too many troubles and problems at hand and had to sort them out by priority.
It seed like he had two choices: one was to escape back into so-called normal life, and the other was to face things head-on. But clearly, at this point, running away could not solve anything, nor could he return to any so-called normal life.
A storm was about to sweep across the entire world, and he stood right at the very center of it.
“What I need to do is grasp more information.”
“First, why are these Wood Guests trying to kill , and how can I eliminate this danger completely?”
“Second, what exactly is the matter with those Daoist Priests?”
“Third, what is the so-called strange illness, and what is the truth behind that Divine Stone from the depths of the cosmos?”
After sorting out the matters he needed to handle next, Li Jun imdiately began to analyze what abilities he possessed to support him in accomplishing this series of tasks.
“First of all, I have several abilities. One is the supernatural power to seek fortune and avoid calamity. Another is the ability to transform into a Feathered Person. And another is the incomprehensible ability to travel to the primordial age.”
“In addition, I also have a Wood Guest in my possession. From his mouth, I may be able to dig out so clues to start with.”
Li Jun opened his eyes and looked at the head in the bamboo basket. Imdiately, he saw its teeth beginning to chatter.
“Speak!”
“What exactly are you, why did you co after , and who else is behind you?”
The head, frightened out of its wits, hurriedly spilled everything about its origins and what it knew, as if pouring beans from a bamboo tube.
“My na is Tao Limin, I am from Tao Mountain Island.”
It was a cluster of cold, white buildings.
At the entrance hung a long row of signs: “Center for Unnatural Death Appraisals,” “Corpse Autopsy Center,” “Institute of Special Pathological Biology,” “South Port City Ninth Funeral Ho,” and so on, giving anyone who looked upon them a clear warning: outsiders keep away.
The Man in Black Uniform with Glasses held a report in his hands, hurried into an office, and pushed open the door. Inside sat a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit, reading several docunts.
The man with glasses stepped forward and handed over the report.
“Director, this is from the laboratory—an analysis report on the tissue samples of the twelve attackers!”
The Director asked him to give a brief explanation, and so the man with glasses began to report while standing.
“This is an entirely new virus, completely different from the infected of the Double Pupils Virus we discovered before. It is highly likely to be the very thing recorded in the ancient texts handed down by the Longevity Temple—demon!”
“And based on the attackers’ special plant-like lifeform, we have nad them—”
“Wood Guests.”
This was the first major discovery regarding demons.
The Director asked him: “Lu Gang, can it be determined what exactly demons are?”
Lu Gang replied: “For now, we can tentatively define demons as a new form of life created through transformation by a special virus. They are completely different from humans, possessing their own independent tabolic systems, unique genetic information, and even the potential for reproduction.”
Lu Gang spoke with utmost seriousness. Such a lifeform—alien to humans yet capable of reproduction, possessing intelligence and powerful special abilities—one could easily imagine what kind of threat they would pose if their kind multiplied.
The Director looked at him: “Can we truly, based on just one report, conclude that demons are a kind of lifeform?”
Lu Gang himself was unsure: “Regardless, Li Jun helped us eliminate this kind of lifeform, so at least one major problem has been temporarily resolved.”
But the Director did not feel reassured by Lu Gang’s words: “I fear the problem has not been resolved at all—rather, it has only grown more severe.”
Lu Gang sensed sothing: “What is it?”
The Director raised the docunt in his hand: “According to the investigation, all twelve of these people ca from Tao Mountain Island, and the entire Tao Mountain Island lost contact not long ago.”
Lu Gang said: “Then we’ll just send people to contact them again.”
The Director said: “It cannot be contacted.”
Lu Gang was confused: “You an the entire island disappeared?”
One could say that people lost contact, but the island itself was still there. Even if communication was cut off, as long as people were sent over, the island could not run away.
The Director leaned forward, his posture grave.
“Tao Mountain Island is still there, satellites can see it, but no one can approach it or discover it.”
Lu Gang felt it was even more incomprehensible. What did it an to be able to see it but not approach it?
“How could such a thing be possible?”
The Director handed over the stack of docunts in his hand and told Lu Gang:
“This is our compiled record of everything that happened on Tao Mountain Island before it lost contact.”
Lu Gang sat down and began to read them one by one.
The first file.
At the top was a photo of an old man, his na was Tao Yougen.
【May 2nd, Tao Mountain Village, Tea Road Community received a report that Tao Yougen had gone missing. He suffered from Alzheir’s disease. Three days later, the missing person was found outside the village, claiming he had found the legendary Peach Blossom Spring.】
【May 7th, Tao Yougen went missing again. He has still not been found. According to interviews, his family said that, for unknown reasons, a peach tree suddenly appeared behind their house. Tao Yougen’s grandson said he could hear his grandfather’s voice calling from the peach tree at night.】
The second file.
The photo was now of a child nad Tao Shu. Looking down at the family relations, one could find his grandfather’s na, Tao Yougen.
【May 15th, Tao Mountain Hospital admitted a patient nad Tao Shu. According to the diagnosis, his brain had been severely damaged, and he had lost nearly all mory. Yet while asleep, he repeatedly mumbled that he had seen his grandfather and said he had beco an immortal being.】
The third file.
It was filled with many photos, one of which was a group picture of Tao Mountain Hospital.
【June 1st, Tao Mountain Hospital suddenly lost contact. On the night of June 13th—the very night Tao Mountain Island completely lost contact—a nurse from Tao Mountain Hospital nad Chen Yu was found on a fishing boat at Qiaozhen Pier, exhibiting signs of ntal disorder.】
【According to her, mbers inside Tao Mountain Hospital began showing abnormalities starting the night of May 16th. Everyone began experiencing disorientation, unable to leave the hospital.】
【Then, all mbers began to show symptoms of amnesia and forgetfulness, specifically forgetting to return ho or forgetting important matters, even forgetting who they themselves were.】
【When the symptoms of forgetting beca so severe that they forgot who they were, the infected’s bodies began to twist and distort. Organs such as hands, feet, torso, eyes, ears would randomly grow in different places on their bodies.】
Next in the file were a series of ssy photographs.
Each photo was horrifying. One could see people whose facial features had shifted to unthinkable positions, as if their faces had been turned upside down.
There were also people whose hands and feet had swapped, with a hand on the left and a foot on the right, walking crab-like in an utterly terrifying manner.
Even worse, there were people whose bodies twisted into a shape like braided dough, limbs stretching like branches—yet such people still had not died.
And the fourth file.
It contained satellite images comparing Tao Mountain Island before and after.
Turning to the last page, there was only one passage:
【June 13th, Tao Mountain Island disappeared from everyone’s sight. All people on the island lost contact.】
Lu Gang carefully examined the satellite photos and discovered that beginning in June, massive ridge-like structures began appearing on the surface of Tao Mountain Island.
These ridge-like structures bulged across the island’s ground, sprawling over it like the roots of so enormous plant.
Between these ridges, a strange mist spread.
Lu Gang put down the file, looking sowhat at a loss.
“How was this done? This completely defies reason!”
“What kind of power could erase an entire island from everyone’s sight?”
The Director: “Do you still think demons are rely a kind of lifeform?”
Lu Gang: “For this kind of existence that surpasses common understanding, we need to investigate further.”
The Director: “In ancient tis, all abnormal and strange things or phenona were called demons. Sotis, perhaps we can find so clues in old legends and myths.”
He stood up and added another sentence:
“Our institute and all other departnts have received notice. We must find a way to rescue the island’s residents, at all costs.”
“Lu Gang, you are the one who has had the most contact with and understanding of the Wood Guest lifeform, and you also have field experience. I hope you can personally go to Tao Mountain Island as a consultant for this operation.”
“This is an extrely dangerous mission. I think you should—”
Lu Gang imdiately straightened up: “Director, don’t play this set with . I’ve already got goosebumps. How could I not go?”
The Director nodded: “There’s no ti left. You must depart now.”
Seaside.
A shabby pier.
A group of people waited on the pier, n and won, old and young. So wore sun hats, so had caras slung around their necks.
“What’s going on?”
“Why hasn’t the boat to Tao Mountain Island co today?”
“Didn’t they say there are boats every morning and afternoon? It’s already over an hour late.”
At this mont, several uniford staff mbers appeared and closed off the pier, placing a shutdown sign at the entrance.
On the sea, patrol boats bearing the insignia of the Mariti Police Bureau appeared, sealing off this sea area.
But groups of people still sailed out in boats toward the location of Tao Mountain Island. Although the island had beco invisible to the naked eye, satellites and certain diums still allowed observation of its existence.
This ti, they seed fully prepared and began their landing plan.
The seawater carried a fishy stench.
At first, seabirds could still be seen, but as they drew closer to Tao Mountain Island, not a trace of seabirds remained.
Lu Gang was sitting on an ordinary fishing boat, but in the distance he faintly saw the silhouette of warships. His heart trembled, and he felt a strong sense of security.
From the fishing boat, he boarded a patrol ship and then t the commander of this operation.
“Hello, I’m Lu Gang.”
“I’m Luo Zhen, welco, Consultant Lu.”
The ship had already arrived at the target location, but before their eyes was still nothing but the boundless sea, with nothing else to be seen.
At this mont, Lu Gang picked up a cara and flipped open the display screen.
Imdiately.
An island appeared on the display.
What the naked eye saw, and what appeared on the instrunt, were two completely different images.
Those who knew so inside information remained calm, but a few others were so shocked they cried out.
“This is really like seeing a ghost.”
The first landing party was a twenty-man squad, with Lu Gang among them.
Every operative wore heavy-looking AR glasses, for only with such instrunts could they see the island.
The squad rode speedboats and quickly reached the edge of the island, then landed ashore.
But in the eyes of those farther away, the mont they stepped onto the island, everyone completely vanished.
Coastline.
Lu Gang raised his head.
Looking at this island that had disappeared from the naked eye’s visible world, he saw the island shrouded in thick fog. The vague shadows of houses, buildings, and schools could be glimpsed within. Perhaps due to the AR glasses, the sky also appeared much darker.
In the distance, within the dense fog, a “high wall” stretched across, likely the sa thing seen on the satellite maps.
“Do not take off your glasses. In key monts you can use phones, caras, or other devices, but keep them charged.”
“Always maintain communication. If you lose sight, do not move. Stay where you are and wait for support.”
Before the official departure, Lu Gang reminded everyone.
On this island, once you removed the glasses, you could see nothing at all. Naked eyes had already lost their function here.
Once a person fell into it, they would completely lose their way.
Then lose themselves.
Finally, even their bodies would be lost.
Roadside noodle stall.
Li Jun was eating noodles, dressed now in a flexible tracksuit and wearing a sun hat.
Next to him sat a few students huddled together, watching a phone.
“Did you see the video?”
“Yeah, I saw it.”
“Damn, that was aweso!”
Li Jun glanced sideways, secretly taking a look at the video. On the phone played the footage of him killing those Wood Guests at the square yesterday.
And the title read: “School Uniform Hero Battles the Undying.”
What a lousy title.
However, beneath the video was marked 【Suspected AI-generated Video】, and the most brutal and bloody scenes had been cut out.
Not only did this make it lose its most shocking parts, but the label also made most people who saw it dismiss it with a laugh.
Yet, all the countless witnesses last night knew exactly what had happened, and naturally, in this city, such news could not be covered up.
“It’s fake, right!” one student doubted.
“It’s real, my brother saw it with his own eyes. That big crater is still there.” another imdiately retorted.
“Look at this school uniform, isn’t it from our school?” one of the students noticed.
“Could it be from our school?” The students beca even more excited.
Afterward, in their argunt to prove whether it was real or not, they opened up various apps, each filled with discussion posts about yesterday’s event.
Even in the face of countless doubts, the sheer number of witnesses and the flood of evidence being uploaded made the heat of the matter grow into an unstoppable trend.
The most widely spread photo.
It was of Li Jun holding up the head of that undying monster under the streetlamp. Against the light, only a silhouette could be seen, thus passing review, but the powerful stance contrasted starkly with the trembling Wood Guest.
The students argued excitedly, not realizing that the head of that very Wood Guest was sitting inside the backpack on the ground right beside them.
Li Jun finished his breakfast and, through the students’ phones, also learned of the situation online.
He shouldered his backpack and walked into an alley. At the end, where no one was around, he removed his new shoes and placed them into his backpack.
He spread his hands and once again transford into a Feathered Person.
His great wings stirred up a violent wind as he soared into the sky, flying toward Tao Mountain Island.
At that mont, a few students on their way to school happened to see him take off.
“Look!”
“Superman!”
“What Superman, that’s yesterday’s School Uniform Hero.”
“He really exists, is he going to save the world?”
The students’ eyes lit with excitent as they watched Li Jun, but by the ti they anxiously pulled out their phones to record, Li Jun had already vanished into the clouds of the sky.
Tao Mountain Island appeared in an instant. In Li Jun’s eyes, the island was laid bare before him with no concealnt.
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