From a distance, Luo Jin trailed behind the Licker. As expected, the thing had evolved mimicry abilities—troublesome, to say the least. But what Luo Jin really wanted to know was how it had become a Licker, and even more disturbingly, how it had managed to evolve to this level without being stopped.
Abyssal Worms—the parasites that infect humans—originated from the Abyss. Their spontaneous appearance was extraordinarily rare, and even when one did surface, it usually died out quickly. In Tianjing, under the radiance of the Lunar Goddess, the odds were even lower. Typically, these creatures were summoned in secret by cultists, and that only happened when Night Watchmen failed in their duties. But this Licker... it was born within the city.
That was the part Luo Jin couldn’t ignore.
In nearly all cases, psionic awakenings were stable. Even if someone lost their mind or went rogue, the damage was usually contained. That was the whole reason the Night Watchmen existed—to swiftly neutralize threats. And no sane Awakened would ever willingly touch an Abyssal Worm. Sure, it granted temporary power—but the price was monstrous transformation. Everyone knew that. It was more dangerous than pledging to a Dark God. If this was a random fluke, so be it. But if it was intentional? That meant cult activity. And cults were not supposed to be operating under the noses of the Night Watchmen.
He wasn’t being paranoid. Luo Jin had led the Tianjing Night Watchmen squad for fifteen years. In a job with such a high mortality rate, surviving this long was nothing short of a miracle. Thanks to their efforts, the city had remained stable for the most part. Incidents happened, but they were always contained. The Lunar Church had even recognized his work—he was set to be promoted to Chief Disciplinarian of the Order Academy.
Sure, there was political maneuvering behind the scenes, but for a Night Watchman, this kind of promotion meant crossing class lines. For someone of common birth, it was the highest possible honor.
All he had to do now was wait for the transition. That is—if the Night Watchmen could get the current situation under control. But the past month had brought nothing but bizarre incidents. And now, a Licker that retained rational thought? Luo Jin couldn’t help but suspect that someone was targeting him personally.
It was only a hunch—but he intended to see exactly what was behind this creature.
A wounded and starving Licker would naturally seek out Awakened humans. Only Awakened bodies could fully restore its injuries. But they were dangerous prey. For the moment, strong, healthy humans would do—rich in life-force, perfect for replenishment.
Tianjing was packed with big players—City Guard units, knight regiments, Night Watchmen, not to mention the divine might of the Lunar Church. All were deadly threats to a Licker. But outside the city?
That was a whole different story.
The Licker soon caught the scent of a group radiating vibrant life energy. Among them was a weaker Awakened. Slipping in through the shadows was laughably easy.
Luo Jin followed—still not intervening. He knew this area: a hideout of the Spade Crew, a gang operating in Blackwater. Down in the underground slums, gangs held all the power. The Spade Crew wasn’t the worst of them, but they were still scum. Luo Jin didn’t feel the slightest bit saintly toward their kind. He wanted to know what the Licker would do next.
Attacking Night Watchmen was practically suicide. Even for a rational Licker desperate for psionic energy, there were other options. Why would it risk attacking them? Was it driven by vengeance?
Highly unlikely. Which meant something wasn’t right.
Luo Jin lit another cigarette.
Moments later, the Spade Crew’s hideout erupted in noise—screams, furious shouts, chaos. The kind of brutal panic that was all too common in the Underground City. People could scream their lungs out here and no one would bother checking.
The sounds were ghastly—enough to reach even Li Xin’s home. But there, it only registered as a dull thrum. Ordinary people wouldn’t notice. Aunt Fei gently patted little Xueyin, trying to lull her back to sleep.
Li Xin, however, sat up straight.
He could sense a psionic reaction. And this wasn’t some petty turf war. Judging by the sound, it was coming from one of the major gang zones. He frowned. That bastard Qi Eight-Blades was no saint, but after their “talk,” Blackwater had remained relatively stable. The guy hadn’t caused trouble since. If he was dead and someone new took over, things could get messy—especially since most people weren’t as easy to reason with. More importantly, if a monster had slipped in and was lying in wait, that would be a real threat.
Li Xin quietly slipped out of his room.
Back at the Spade Crew’s den, several were already dead. The survivors were ghost-white, some vomiting at the sight of the feeding Licker. A few had pissed themselves and collapsed. Their boss—Qi Eight-Blades—was an Awakened, wielding a massive saber and locked in brutal combat with the creature.
The Licker had already killed several, chewing as it fought. A severed forearm dangled from its jagged teeth. Eight grotesque eyes locked onto Qi Eight-Blades, radiating a psychic pressure that chilled him to the bone. The look it gave him—it was like watching someone eye a roasted steak. He knew what this was. A Licker. A full-blown, nightmare-class freak. Way out of his league.
He didn’t run—not because he was brave, but because he knew better. If it had locked onto him, fleeing would only make it worse.
BOOM—
He barely managed to block a strike, but the impact sent him flying. Spinning mid-air, he rolled and flung a chair at the monster, bolting for the exit without a second thought.
As for his boys? They were on their own.
The Licker gave a guttural cackle and scrambled after him, all four limbs pounding the floor. The real prize was the psionically awakened Eight-Blades—just like the Night Watchman, he was delicious.
And wouldn’t you know it, the direction Eight-Blades was running? Straight toward Li Xin’s neighborhood.
He had backup there. Maybe. But first, he had to stay alive.
His thoughts were sharp and clear. Screw everything else—survival first. But behind him, the slithering, wet sound grew louder. The thing had nearly caught up—less than ten feet now. A rank stench hit his nostrils, making his skin crawl. Fear turned his legs to jelly.
Hesitate and you die.
With a roar, he whirled and hacked at the Licker.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
He swung wide, pouring everything into his attacks. Screaming nonsense to psych himself up, he unleashed his signature technique—Eight-Blade Severance. He wasn’t trying to win. He was just buying time.
The Licker, sensing real danger, dodged. But Eight-Blades was already turning and running again. It paused, all eight eyes rotating unnaturally, registering something almost like... a grin.
Then it pounced.
Eight-Blades didn’t even look back. He pulled something from his pocket and flung it behind him.
BOOM—
A puff of Hextech black powder exploded, spreading a foul stench and a curtain of blue flames in the darkness.
He took off at full sprint.
“Brother Xin! HELP!!”
The Licker shrieked in agony. The flames wouldn’t go out, and instead of burning it up, tumors began to bubble up on its flesh, absorbing the fire. That trick had pissed it off badly.
Mid-pounce, it lashed out its tongue—twisting, grotesquely long, it snapped forward, striking just ahead of Eight-Blades.
Eight-Blades had experience. He swung his saber back—
And nothing. Didn’t even break the surface.
The tongue wrapped around the blade with horrifying suction cups. He felt his hair stand on end—raw strength slammed through him, yanking him backwards, blade and all. He tried to let go, but—
Too late.
His right leg was already caught.
CRACK.
A clean snap. His bone shattered.
The Licker's forked tongue coiled like a steel whip around his leg. This thing had been an Awakened once. Now mutated into something far stronger—completely beyond him.
In that moment, he saw the Licker’s true face—its warping flesh, gaping jaws dripping blood, rows upon rows of needle-sharp teeth still speckled with meat.
Faced with death, Eight-Blades did the only thing left.
He punched it in the face.
“I’LL BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH MY DAMN FIST!!”
But just then—
THWIP—
The Licker twitched. A crossbow bolt embedded in one of its eyes.
Before it could react, a figure descended. It thought it was moving to counter.
Too slow.
A bone spear plunged straight into its chest. Even its mutated, hardened body barely slowed the strike. The spear pierced through.
The Licker unleashed a shriek that rattled the tunnels—its entire body flaring crimson, a pulsing red glow flickering from within.
It didn’t even look at Eight-Blades. Or the attacker.
It bolted.
A primal force drove it—run. Whoever this was... it couldn’t win.
Watching from the shadows, Luo Jin’s eyes widened. One heartbeat of distraction—and the battle had flipped completely.
A spear through the heart hadn’t killed it?
That wasn’t good.
He dashed forward. But before he could cover ten steps—
POP.
The Licker’s skull burst.
Viscous fluid sprayed the ground. Its body convulsed, twitching on the floor.
Luo Jin let out a breath of relief—then froze.
A figure stood beside the corpse.
The spear was still lodged in a grotesque, slug-like parasite—black as ink, fat as an adult’s palm.
Squeeeak… Squeeeak… Squeeeak…
The translucent worm writhed in protest before being crushed into pulp. The corpse that had been twitching violently only moments ago went limp, its flesh rapidly shriveling. A foul, briny liquid seeped across the ground.
Li Xin glanced at Qi Eight-Blades.
Seriously? He ran straight toward my house?
Eight-Blades shivered under the weight of that stare. Truth be told, he hadn’t thought at all—it was pure survival instinct.
Suddenly, the monster’s body twitched again. Something small and fast—a shadow—launched itself toward Eight-Blades.
Another Abyssal Worm.
BOOM—
A silver flash exploded mid-air. The worm was struck dead-on, instantly igniting in flames. Inside the fire, it screeched in fury, then turned to ash.
Whatever bravado Eight-Blades had left as a gang boss had long since vanished. He sat on the ground, panting like a dog. His pants were soaked through with sweat.
“Goddamn it. What the hell kind of horror movie is this?”
Li Xin wasn’t surprised. His gaze moved to the man nearby holding a Hextech Sealing Rifle. Official uniform. Government-issued.
Luo Jin.
The man strode forward, calmly wiping down the silver barrel, etched with intricate runes, before holstering it at his waist. He didn’t even glance at the trembling Eight-Blades. Instead, he studied the remains of the Licker... then turned toward Li Xin.
The boy stood quietly, body still, face calm but cautious.
“I’m Luo Jin,” the man said. “Captain of the Night Watchmen in Tianjing.”
Li Xin didn’t react, but Eight-Blades, sitting on the ground, damn near had a heart attack.
Luo Jin.
The infamous Night Watchmen captain. A man feared by both the underworld and the upper class alike. He was the real deal—a power broker in Tianjing with actual teeth. Eight-Blades scrambled to his feet, wiped his palms on his pants, and limped over with both hands extended.
“Captain Luo! Hey, wow, what an honor! I’m Qi—uh, they call me Little Qi or Little Blade. Spade Crew, sir. Been looking up to you for a long time!”
Luo Jin gave him a cold glance. He had no interest in saving gangsters. The only reason he intervened was to prevent more Lickers from spawning. Worms were gestating. That meant someone was raising them.
Eight-Blades didn’t take the snub personally. He kept smiling. When you’re this outmatched, being polite was the only move that mattered. Everyone present—dead or alive—could squash him like a bug. Pride didn’t mean much compared to staying alive.
Luo Jin locked eyes with Li Xin again, with a trace of interest.
“You’ve got some skill. Are you two working together?”
Li Xin’s face lit up with a grin—honest, humble, and just a bit cheeky.
“Captain Luo, you’re joking, right? I’m just a good citizen. I don’t know this guy at all. I was just passing through. Nothing to do with me, so I’ll be on my way.”
Luo Jin chuckled. The kid’s dodge was elegant. Poor kids grew up fast, especially in the Underground City. You couldn’t treat them like ordinary kids.
“We’ll see about that,” he said. “Little whatever-your-name-is, explain to him what the Night Watchmen do.”
“Ahem. Captain’s talking to you, Li Xin.” Eight-Blades stepped in with an obsequious grin. “Lemme give you the rundown. The Night Watchmen are a legit authority department in the Li Long Kingdom. They’re the elite of the elite—handle Awakened issues and supernatural threats. Real guardians of the people. And this man right here? He’s the top dog in Tianjing’s squad. Our guardian deity.”
“We wild Awakened folks are supposed to report and register with the Night Watchmen, by the way. I’m a model citizen—been registered for years.”
He bent forward in a half-bow, still smiling. He knew Luo Jin wasn’t exactly known for mercy. The guy had been captain for over a decade—cold as steel and just as lethal.
Luo Jin gave him a look, then turned back to the Licker’s body. His silence made Eight-Blades break into a cold sweat.
Was there something shady behind this Licker?
“Captain Luo,” he said carefully, “this monster’s got nothing to do with me, I swear. I know you hate evil—I used to run a few scams, sure, maybe collected protection money once or twice. But under Li Xin’s mentorship, I’ve turned over a new leaf. We just hang out now, have a couple drinks, shoot the shit. No girls even. That’s how sad our gang is—we’re barely even a gang.”
He forced a laugh. “And now we’re monster snacks on top of that. You… you’re not gonna silence us, right?”
There were girls, but they hadn’t called any over tonight. He’d heard Luo Jin was still single. Maybe that’d help.
Luo Jin wasn’t thinking about jurisdiction. Blackwater wasn’t under his direct authority. He’d been pondering something else.
This place had been... unusually peaceful.
No murders. No supernatural reports. For a slum, that was suspicious.
And now... this kid.
Fast. Efficient. Deadly. The Licker had already been weakened, sure—but the boy couldn’t be more than sixteen or seventeen. Calm and clinical. That wasn’t normal.
Luo Jin was impressed. And suspicious. If this boy was tied to gangs, that needed checking.
“You both did well tonight,” he said. “Your name’s Li Xin, right? Swing by Night Watchmen HQ sometime in the next couple days. Standard procedure—we’ll just log your file and get some details.”
He must’ve sensed the tension and added with a slight smile, “Nothing serious. No need to worry—it’s just paperwork.”
Li Xin nodded. “Sure thing, Captain Luo. But my mom’s waiting for me to come home for dinner.”
Luo Jin chuckled and nodded.
Li Xin bolted.
Dinner? At this hour?
Eight-Blades started limping away in tiny, quiet steps, hoping no one would notice.
Then—
“Did I say you could leave?”
The voice was cold and sharp.
Eight-Blades froze mid-step.
He turned slowly, plastering on his best awkward grin.
“Little Blade’s still here, sir. Ready for orders.”