The Origin of Horror

Even though she hadn't slept a wink all night, Xu Rong was full of energy.

Unable to contain her boundless curiosity any longer, she hurriedly washed up and was about to head toward the old city district. No matter how terrifying Wu Tao might be, she had to ask for the truth!

Just as she was about to leave the house, her phone rang at an inopportune moment.

"Ring, ring..."

Xu Rong glanced at the caller ID on the screen. Thinking it was official business, she had no choice but to answer.

To her surprise, the voice on the other end sounded somewhat overly attentive and greasy.

"Captain Xu, today is a rare day off, and the entire country has just survived that terrifying tsunami. It's truly a cause for universal celebration. On such a joyous day, I'd like to invite you to lunch. I wonder if Captain Xu..."

Hearing this, Xu Rong lost whatever little interest she might have had.

She immediately hung up with a cold tone.

"Not interested."

The current situation was becoming increasingly complex. Bizarre natural disasters and mysterious powerhouses were constantly emerging. How could she have the time to entertain a greasy colleague? It was one thing for him to constantly fawn over her in the past, but under the current circumstances, as a member of the Demon Hunting Department, he still lacked the slightest bit of awareness. He truly had no sense of responsibility.

Putting away her phone, Xu Rong immediately left the house and headed out.

Before nine o'clock, she had already arrived at Wu Tao's front door.

"Knock, knock!"

After the nervous knocking.

The nine security doors opened one after another. The lazy Wu Tao slowly raised his eyes. Seeing Xu Rong appear, a faint light couldn't help but flash in his eyes, and a trace of expectation appeared on his face.

"It's you."

"How is it? Is there news from your headquarters?"

Hearing this, Xu Rong looked embarrassed and hurriedly and nervously explained.

"No, no..."

"There is no news from headquarters yet. The reason I came is to invite you to lunch, and I have some questions I'd like to ask you along the way. I wonder if you are free?"

Toward the end of her sentence, her voice grew increasingly nervous.

Xu Rong had never invited anyone to a meal before, let alone a grown man. Moreover, facing a mysterious powerhouse like Wu Tao, the apprehension in her heart was multiplied!

Wu Tao, however, looked calm. Hearing about a meal, he gladly nodded.

"Sure."

Xu Rong was taken aback by his response, and a gleam of pleasant surprise burst from her eyes. It was unknown whether it was because she had succeeded in inviting a man for the first time or because she had the opportunity to ask her mysterious questions, but her face was full of excitement, and the blush on her cheeks added to her charm.

This appearance was completely unrelated to her rumored reputation as a cold-faced Asura. If her colleagues were to see this, their jaws would definitely drop in shock...

It didn't take long.

The two of them sat in a private room of a riverside restaurant. Eating and discussing matters in a quiet and secluded environment was the best choice. Enjoying the scenery from the window also made one feel relaxed and happy, involuntarily easing the tension.

She saw that Wu Tao had eaten with a satisfied expression and looked somewhat pleased after wiping his mouth.

Xu Rong gripped her water glass tightly to embolden herself, her red lips trembling as she spoke.

"Mr. Wu."

"Could you tell me who exactly you are, and how to explain the various abilities you displayed before? If classified by Demon Hunter standards, what rank would you be...?"

Her rapid-fire questions were filled with apprehension, and a hint of expectation was hidden within the cautious gleam in her eyes.

Facing the beautiful captain in such a state, Wu Tao didn't mind, much less feel annoyed. After all, he had just eaten her food, and he still needed her help to find Sister Han.

However, pondering over her various questions, he found them difficult to answer.

He could only smile faintly and give an ambiguous reply.

"Well."

"If I were to reveal my identity and strength, it would not only subvert your understanding but also cause a lot of trouble. It's better for you not to know."

Xu Rong's eyes widened in stunned silence.

Even though these words were very vague, a smart woman like her could instantly discern a lot of profound meaning from them!

The various anomalies she had witnessed before were already shocking enough, yet this Mr. Wu's identity could subvert all of that understanding and even cause considerable trouble...

Just how terrifying of a truth must this be?

Xu Rong couldn't imagine what kind of matter would be considered trouble by this man, and she dared not think further about Mr. Wu's true identity and specific strength!

There was only one thing she could be certain of: this man's background was absolutely a world-class secret.

What did this mean?

Having worked in the Demon Hunting Department until now, Xu Rong knew better than most that an existence of this level was almost tantamount to a taboo. If ordinary people were to get involved, it would only lead to a dead end.

Just as Mr. Wu had said, it was better not to know...

At this thought.

Xu Rong couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine. She quickly changed the subject, not daring to ask anymore.

"Mr. Wu..."

"Are you satisfied with today's meal? Although our Pingjiang City is a small place, its local customs and practices also have their unique aspects. In the future, if there is anything we can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask."

No matter what, this powerful and mysterious man held no malice. Making a gesture of goodwill and befriending him for the time being was absolutely the right move!

Hearing such goodwill, Wu Tao also smiled and nodded in response.

He didn't sense the slightest bit of malice from this woman, and as for a threat, that was even more out of the question. Having a bit of assistance was always much better than having another enemy.

After a few sentences of idle chatter, the two of them, having eaten and drunk their fill, took a leisurely stroll back.

On a joyous day filled with street-wide celebrations.

A man and a woman chatting relaxedly while walking under the trees by the road would look like a couple to anyone. Especially since there was a slight contrast in their appearances and attire, it made people even more convinced of this possibility.

After all, in this day and age, looks and such were unimportant; the strength to survive was king. A beautiful flower stuck in cow dung was already a standard operation.

Walking along the way, they naturally drew the envy and secret sighs of many people. Xu Rong felt a bit embarrassed by the stares.

Fortunately.

There weren't many people in the old city district. Gradually, the road became empty and quiet, and this annoyance disappeared.

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last long.

Not long after walking along the long ginkgo-lined road, they ran into a passerby head-on at a corner.

That man's reaction was several times more intense than the previous passersby. He clearly paused, his eyes sweeping over the laughing and chatting duo a few times, and his gaze grew increasingly icy. He immediately let out a cold shout!

"Xu Rong!"

Startled by the sudden shout, Xu Rong looked forward and responded in a daze.

"Zhou Pengfei?"

She truly hadn't expected to run into this guy even while taking a stroll.

It was one thing for him to make that greasy phone call in the morning, but to run into him again in the blink of an eye, and for him to even put on a foul face and call her by her full name to her face, it truly made her increasingly irritated.

What was even more infuriating was...

Before she could say another word, the other party had already spoken with a cold face and gritted teeth.

"Xu Rong!"

"How could you do this!"

"I invited you to a meal first thing in the morning, and you actually rejected me. It's one thing not to give me face, but now you're out strolling the streets with this stinking loser!"

"I, Zhou Pengfei, am considered a figure of status. My looks and prospects are both commendable. In what way am I inferior to this kind of person?!"

He opened his mouth with a barrage of aggrieved rhetorical questions, as if he had suffered a tremendous injustice.

Xu Rong stopped in her tracks and stared coldly.

She truly couldn't understand.

Why did this Zhou Pengfei feel so good about himself? He spoke as if her refusing to eat with him was some massive sin.

They were only colleagues. Did she need this guy's permission to decide who she ate with?

What was even more ridiculous was...

The filthy loser Zhou Pengfei was running his mouth about was actually thousands of times more powerful than he was. Even if his father came, he wouldn't dare cross a mysterious figure like Mr. Wu.

Sigh...

Xu Rong felt a wave of resignation and could not be bothered to pay any attention to the doctor.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Pengfei only pushed his luck further. His face darkening, he turned to glare at Wu Tao.

"Hey?"

"Kid, what's your background? Not to sound harsh, but for someone looking like you to have the guts to dine with her, you must have some serious backing, huh?"