Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 112 - 109 Comes to an End

Chapter 112: 109 Comes to an End

The Shadow Swapping Monster displayed a despair unlike before.

Previously, although he had rationally understood that escape was impossible, he still harbored a desire for life emotionally. But now, he had completely lost even that spirit. It was as if all the bones in his body had been extracted, and he had lost the strength to support himself. If not for still being grabbed by the Flame Palm, he would have already fallen to the ground.

Now that his true form was exposed, his way out sealed off, and his secrets laid bare—even losing his power—he probably truly felt life was no longer worth living, his face covered with a dense hue of despondency.

"I’m sorry, but you still have to face the questions," Lu You said coldly, "It’s time you answered us, where is the Weirdo Maker?"

The lips of the Shadow Swapping Monster began to move on their own, and he said, "I don’t know."

"After you became a monster, the Weirdo Maker must have come to see you a few times, conducted physical exams, right?" Lu You continued, "Have you really never sought to find out their true identity and origins? Even though you don’t know about the Human Bureau, you must have some understanding of him. Think hard! There must be some clues."

"... I don’t know," the Shadow Swapping Monster said in a disheartened tone.

Lu You frowned.

"Does he really have no clues?" I asked.

"No, there should be some. It’s just that he currently lacks the initiative to think. With my questions, he simply doesn’t have immediate answers. He needs to think seriously before he can respond... That’s about right."

After thinking for a while, Lu You spoke again to the Shadow Swapping Monster.

This time, he seemed to finally demonstrate his professional quality in interrogation techniques.

"Don’t you want to drag the Weirdo Maker down with you?" he asked.

"..." Upon hearing this, the Shadow Swapping Monster showed a slight change in expression.

"You must be very aware that the Weirdo Maker and those aristocrats who treated you like a dog and a tool are no different," Lu You’s voice gradually took on a more seductive tone, "He is not some philanthropist; he gave you power only to use you as a lab rat.

"You must have often imagined, one day... pulling that arrogant man in the meaningless metallic mask off his high horse. To make him grovel before you like a dog, repenting for what he has done to you..."

Zhu Shi furrowed her brows, moved a couple of steps to either side of Mazao, slightly raised her hand, then put it down. I felt she might have wanted to cover Mazao’s ears, as if there was a dark adult conversation happening and she didn’t want a naive child to hear it.

Zhu Shi’s concern for Mazao often resembled that of care for a child, even they only had a four or five years age difference. Although I always saw Mazao as a younger girl than myself, I found it difficult to strictly perceive her as a child.

"If..." the Shadow Swapping Monster spoke, "If I comply with you, will you let me go?"

"No, you’re doomed," Lu You said as coldly as solid ice.

"Then why should I help you?" the Shadow Swapping Monster countered.

"Because this way, you have a chance to drag that guy down with you!" Lu You declared decisively, "Now, I’ll ask you again, where is the Weirdo Maker?"

"...Should be in the old city district," the Shadow Swapping Monster finally spoke.

Although the effect of the Truth-telling spell might have played a role, he was obviously more cooperative than before: "There’s a place there like a high-end clinic. Every time he would send me a message two days in advance, instructing me to go there myself, then he would collect tissue samples from my body and conduct various other tests.

"But the place is deserted and covered in dust, he probably only brings people there when necessary."

"I see. Examining a monster would definitely require the appropriate facilities and equipment, and a location to store these tools... That makes sense," Lu You nodded, "So, what is the location in the old city district?"

The Shadow Swapping Monster shook his head, "He has sealed my memories related to that place. Only under the specified time and conditions can I remember that place."

"What time, what conditions?" Lu You asked.

"The time would be the evening he planned to examine me. About tonight," the Shadow Swapping Monster answered, "As for the condition, I must go to that place alone, and I cannot reveal the location to anyone other than myself."

Upon hearing that, Lu You’s eyes lit up: "So, the Weirdo Maker will appear at that location tonight!?"

"Yes," the Shadow Swapping Monster nodded.

"Good. You just mentioned your memories are sealed... Let me see!"

Lu You continued to grasp the other’s head, closing his eyes, seemingly analyzing thoughts, or perhaps trying to access memories.

After a moment, he opened his eyes but remained silent, pasting several white talismans on the other’s head, then closed his eyes again. Meanwhile, his left hand kept forming complex, intricate hand signs, as if performing a complex divination.

Another while passed, and he opened his eyes with a frown, saying, "No use. The Weirdo Maker not only treated his related memories, but also prepared a quite powerful counter-Divination strategy in advance. I can’t ascertain the location the Weirdo Maker is going to."

"What do we do now?" Zhu Shi asked, "We can’t let him live till tonight. The seed of the heart will leave his body before that, and Mazao can’t stop that."

After pondering, Mazao said, "I have a way."

"What way?" Lu You asked immediately.

"I have an ability similar to Divination, which I can use on this Shadow Swapping Monster," Mazao said, undoubtedly referring to her ability to trace the target’s past experiences when investigating the Shadow Swapping Monster’s severed hand. "However, the monster’s body also contains the seed of the heart. Such substances with strong mana fluctuations will disrupt my perception, so I must kill him first before using it."

"It’s okay, as long as we can find the Weirdo Maker, it doesn’t matter if you kill him," Lu Youxun said without hesitation, then asked, "How confident are you? Do you need the whole body?"

Mazao glanced at me covertly before answering, "I’m very confident, just leaving the head will be sufficient. But normally speaking, I would need at least a week to gather the information I want."

"A week? That’s going to be too late!" Lu Youxun found it hard to accept. "He makes regular contact with the monsters, and in a week he might discover that all the monsters in this city have been eradicated. After that, he won’t use that location anymore and is unlikely to continue developing monsters in this city."

But I had sensed a trick, and Zhu Shi also paused slightly.

"Normally speaking?" Where was there a "normally speaking" in Mazao’s case? When it comes to matters related to the supernatural, clues might as well throw themselves into her hands!

In other words, she might be able to find out immediately, but she was just being cautious around strangers.

Perhaps due to his emotional instability, Lu Youxun seemed unable to display his usual level of observational acumen and ended up accepting it, "Okay, that’ll do. It’s better than finding out nothing."

"Then, let me..." Zhu Shi stepped forward, sword in hand.

But I remembered something Agent Kong had once said.

Zhu Shi was afraid of bloodshed and killing.

She always tried to carry these burdens herself because she did not want those around her to go through such terrifying experiences.

I decided it would be me who killed the Shadow Swapping Monster, and I stepped in front of her.

She looked at me, not understanding my intention.

Just then, two more figures entered the little grove surrounded by trees, led here under the guidance of "Firefly": Changan and Jinyu.

Seeing the naked Shadow Swapping Monster, Jinyu was slightly dazed. The latter, upon seeing his daughter appear here, exclaimed incredulously, "You... how are you here? Wait, that dress..."

Without a word, Jinyu took out a golden-red mask and wore it on her face.

The Shadow Swapping Monster froze, "That mask... you’re ’Jinyu’ from the store!?"

"Are you planning to kill him?" Changan asked me.

"We are about to kill him," I said. "But there’s still time for Jinyu to talk to him last."

"Dad, I heard you’re going to die," Jinyu said to the Shadow Swapping Monster, mask removed, "I’m not going to plead on your behalf. If you have any last words you want me to pass to mom, say them now. As your daughter, I can do that much for you. But remember to keep your mouth clean. If it’s nonsense, I won’t relay it."

The Shadow Swapping Monster coldly replied, "Get lost, I have nothing I want to say."

"I do have something I want to say to you, though," Jinyu said.

"Spit it out, then!" the Shadow Swapping Monster cursed.

Jinyu, seemingly accustomed, continued without changing her expression, "I was initially planning to infiltrate the nightclub to set you up using myself. Although someone meddlesome interfered halfway, to be honest, even without interference, I doubt you would have chosen me.

"Because you always stubbornly chose another person, a little girl who is seven or eight years younger than me. I want to ask you, why was it that little girl? Are you really just a pedophile?"

The Shadow Swapping Monster’s expression changed several times, then he sneered, "So what if I am?"

"That nightclub has now been busted, I saw that little girl being protected by the enforcement team, and also saw her face after she removed her mask," Jinyu said.

The Shadow Swapping Monster’s expression shifted slightly.

And I recalled the appearance of that little girl.

Previously, through "Firefly", I saw the face of the little girl after she removed her bunny mask, just like Jinyu. I recognized her because she hadn’t temporarily removed her Jinyu hairpin. Honestly, while her face was quite attractive, there was nothing particularly memorable about it. Just a typical goose egg-faced little girl.

Thinking of this, something seemed to stir inside me.

Goose egg face, Jinyu hairpin...

"Why was it that little girl?" Jinyu repeated her question.

"...," the Shadow Swapping Monster slowly closed his eyes, "I’m just a pedophile, no other reason."

Jinyu looked at him for a long while, then finally said to me, "Sorry for taking up some of your time. Please kill him now."

I nodded, then turned around and placed my hand on the shoulder of the Shadow Swapping Monster.

Flames completely consumed his body.

He was dead.