The Unmasking of Old Wu

“I’ll wait for you at the intersection ahead.”

Having delivered his words, the driver promptly drove away.

This left the two individuals standing isolated by the roadside, buffeted by the biting wind.

They currently found themselves in the city’s outskirts, near its periphery, and at this hour, not only were pedestrians scarce, but even passing vehicles were few and far between.

“Are we just waiting here?”

“Yes, I’ve already messaged Old Wu, and he said he’d be here shortly.”

Xiu Lan stood quietly nearby, idly tapping at her phone screen. Yao Jing, curiosity piqued, stole a glance, just in time to catch a glimpse of her search history:

“In modern times, if a friend commits an illegal act and you know about it but fail to report it, do you bear legal responsibility?”

“How to persuade a friend who has committed a crime to turn over a new leaf.”

“What historical judgments exist for those who choose to prioritize righteousness over family?”

“…”

‘What the hell?’

Feeling a pang of fear, he averted his gaze.

“Is he your friend?”

“He’s not just my friend; I’d even consider him my benefactor.”

Xiu Lan paused her mindless scrolling, a reminiscent tone entering her voice as she recalled:

“When I first arrived here, unfamiliar with everything, he helped me settle in. Later, after discovering I suffered from Blood-Thirst Syndrome (TL Note: A fictional condition in this novel that causes an insatiable thirst for blood, requiring special inhibitors to manage.), he even offered me this delivery job in exchange for inhibitors.”

“Rest assured, however, if he truly is involved in Huang Siying’s incident, I will show absolutely no mercy.”

The resolute declaration emanated from the black-clad figure beside him.

‘It’s far too dangerous to be friends with this person.’

Recalling the search history he had just illicitly glimpsed, Yao Jing felt his fear intensify, prompting him to subtly widen the distance between them.

****

“My apologies for the wait.”

A man clad in black riding gear dismounted from his motorcycle. Appearing to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, he possessed a tall, fair-skinned physique, and his short hair lent him an even more invigorated appearance.

He surveyed Yao Jing, who stood beside Xiu Lan, then offered, “My apologies, my apologies. I was delayed on the way. And this… is your new friend?”

[Within the Mutual Aid Society, ‘new friend’ typically denotes a newly afflicted Blood-Thirster.]

Upon seeing Xiu Lan nod, he extended a hand to Yao Jing. “Hello, my surname is Wu, and my full name is Wu Liyun. Since you’re Xiu Lan’s friend, you can just call me Old Wu.”

“Hello, hello, my name is Yao Jing…”

Evidently the type to quickly warm to strangers, Yao Jing was about to shake hands, exchange pleasantries, and perhaps glean some insider information, when he was abruptly cut off by an icy voice.

“No need for pleasantries. Can you tell me if you recognize this person?”

Even with her face obscured by the black overcoat, those present could sense the speaker’s current displeasure.

“Let me see… For something so minor, you could have just sent me a photo on your phone. There was no need to travel all this way.”

Wu Liyun’s gaze shifted to the photograph in Xiu Lan’s hand, and his eyes widened. “This is…”

As if he had spotted a dangerous individual, he spoke with a rush of urgency. “I know this person. His name is Huang Siying, and he used to be a member of the Mutual Aid Society. Everyone helped him maintain a normal life, but he, in turn, stole important items from other members…”

“Cough, cough.” Yao Jing couldn’t help but let out a cough.

Yet, Wu Liyun, growing increasingly agitated with each word, completely failed to notice the escalating chill in the atmosphere. He looked at the two of them and declared:

“If you can provide his whereabouts, I—no, the Mutual Aid Society—will certainly offer a substantial reward.”

“Are you finished?”

“If you encounter him, it’s best to keep your distance. He’s very dangerous now… AAAAAAH!”

Xiu Lan cut off Wu Liyun’s speech, took a few steps forward, and swung a punch directly at his abdomen. The man’s body was sent flying backward like a cannonball, with a speed that left no room for reaction.

“What are you doing?!”

Wu Liyun clutched his stomach, where a searing pain emanated from. He stared incredulously at the young woman before him. “Aren’t we friends?”

His words, however, did nothing to halt Xiu Lan’s subsequent actions. As she stepped onto the muddy ground, her black overcoat seemed to dissolve into shadows, and the young woman, imbued with a palpable killing intent, delivered a second punch.

“Bang!”

The punch was blocked.

‘Just as I expected…?’

Xiu Lan’s eyes narrowed.

Wu Liyun’s appearance had utterly transformed. His arms were crossed, blocking the young woman’s fist, and his body had swelled by an entire circumference. From his back sprouted dense, yellow-glowing tentacles that ceaselessly writhed, seemingly absorbing something, while above his eyes, a pair of small, narrow pupils had emerged.

“So you’ve become a ‘monster’ too.”

Xiu Lan intensified the flow of shadows, and Wu Liyun, who had been desperately struggling to hold on, finally succumbed. With a violent roar, he was once again sent flying by a single punch, carving out a human-shaped crater where he landed.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down, don’t kill him.”

Yao Jing, who had been observing the battle for a while, asserted his presence. He stepped forward, placing his greatsword against Wu Liyun’s neck. “Now, we ask, you answer.”

“What is the Blood-Thirster Mutual Aid Society?”

“It’s exactly as the name implies.”

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t play word games with me.”

Yao Jing kicked Wu Liyun, then restrained Xiu Lan, who was by then grinding her fists, ready to strike again. “Just watch. I’m afraid you’ll kill him.”

“The Mutual Aid Society was originally a philanthropic organization, spearheaded by ‘The Doctor,’ providing assistance to Blood-Thirsters.”

“Originally? What about now?” This came from Yao Jing.

“Is this ‘Doctor’ the mastermind behind everything?” This came from Xiu Lan.

Wu Liyun’s expression flickered erratically, as if he were deliberating how to explain. Yet, upon seeing the black fist hovering ominously before him, he rationally chose to cooperate:

“The current Mutual Aid Society has broken free from The Doctor’s dictatorship. It is now jointly governed by an ‘Elder Council,’ comprised of Blood Kin who have successfully passed the trials.”

“Continue.”

This world was fractured.

The heroes of the Association stood at its apex; their very existence sustained the prevailing human civilization. Yet, ever since the Association’s establishment, an inexplicable chasm had always persisted between the Inner Realm and the Outer Realm.

Hunters of the Outer Realm, being ultimately mortal, even with the creation of formidable weapons known as Armaments (TL Note: A powerful class of weapon, often custom-made, used by hunters in the Outer Realm.), found their efforts to be but a drop in the ocean, as the annual casualty rate remained stubbornly high.

As for ordinary people, no matter their numbers, they were nothing more than ants trying to shake a tree before the Blackbloods, utterly defenseless.

Should the current heroes perish, it would be no exaggeration to say that contemporary society would possess no power to resist the Blackbloods, and only utter destruction would await all.

This was a fractured world, where the distance between its extremes was too vast; rather than a human civilization, it was more accurately a civilization dependent on heroes.

However…

“Blood-Thirsters will become a new hope. As long as they overcome the trials, they will attain new life and become members of the ‘Blood Kin.’ With immortal life and power beyond reason, Blood-Thirsters, once ostracized, will achieve a new status. It’s even possible for them to become ‘heroes’ of the Outer Realm.”

Wu Liyun proudly thumped his chest, his face radiating an expression brimming with hope.

“But no matter how many of your level arrive, you’ll all just be cannon fodder,” Xiu Lan retorted dismissively.

“That’s because I’m merely a low-ranking Blood Kin. There are many high-ranking Blood Kin above me. They are incredibly powerful, and might not even lose if they were to face a hero directly.”

Wu Liyun countered.

“Heh, who are you trying to fool? If they truly possessed that kind of strength, the Regulatory Bureau wouldn’t be in charge right now. I’d sooner believe I’m a hero than believe that.”

Xiu Lan rose impatiently. “They’re nothing more than a bunch of rats who can’t stand the light of day. Tell me, where is their gathering place?”

“What do you intend to do?” Wu Liyun and Yao Jing simultaneously grew wary.

“To conduct a thorough clean-up, of course. No matter how difficult to kill, or how detestable they are, bothersome cockroaches always need to be dealt with eventually.”

“No.”

Wu Liyun interjected, “The Blood Kin are teeming with experts; it’s far too dangerous to go alone. I cannot stand by and watch you throw your life away.”

Yao Jing looked utterly bewildered. “Even after she just tried to kill you?”

“Well…”

“While this might sound like boasting…”

Shadows coalesced in Xiu Lan’s hand, gradually forming the shape of a longsword.

With a flourish of the blade, the young woman pointed the sword tip downward, touching the ground, and dragged the shadow sword as she advanced step by step towards Wu Liyun.

“However, as I am now…”

Under Wu Liyun’s horrified gaze, the path carved by the shadow sword formed a bottomless chasm, finally halting before him. He had no doubt that a mere touch from that weapon would send his soul to the underworld.

“…possesses an incomprehensibly immense power.”

“I, I, I…”

“That’s enough!”

Yao Jing’s sharp rebuke interrupted Wu Liyun’s mental inclination to immediately prostrate himself.

“Do you genuinely believe you’re in a normal state right now, Xiu Lan?!”

“You already asked me that in the car, and I’ll tell you again: as long as my objective is achieved, these things are utterly irrelevant.”

‘What on earth is wrong with this person?’

Yao Jing frowned. Judging by her behavior in this situation, Xiu Lan struck him less as someone eager to punish evil and promote good, and more as someone in a fit of self-abandonment, her emotions swinging wildly from one extreme to another.

‘This is precisely why I dislike children.’

“Um… may I interject for a moment?”

Wu Liyun timidly raised his hand, cutting short their argument, and under Xiu Lan’s scrutinizing gaze, he spoke with a tremor in his voice:

“The Blood Kin’s operational locations aren’t fixed. Peripheral members like myself need to wait for orders from superiors to learn the specific addresses. So, if you ask me now, I can’t tell you anything.”

“…”

“Haha, there you have it then.”

Clasping Wu Liyun in an arm, Yao Jing’s expression shifted dramatically into a smile. “How about this kid stays under my supervision? I’ll contact you immediately if there’s any news. You should get some good rest first, and perhaps even consider a psychological evaluation.”

Without waiting for Xiu Lan’s reply, Yao Jing, with Wu Liyun nodding like a pestle, quickly made their escape from Xiu Lan’s presence, arm-in-arm as if they were old friends.

Immediately afterward, accompanied by a whistling sound, a special vehicle from the Order Maintenance Squad swept past in the distance, gradually fading from the young woman’s sight.

“…”

Gazing at the indistinct skyscrapers in the distance, then at the motorcycle Wu Liyun had arrived on, Xiu Lan suddenly remembered something crucial.

‘Wait, I don’t know how to ride a motorcycle!’