Ding Your Lifespan Is Running Low

This night was destined to shake Xia Country to its core.

The Gourd Immortal, a scourge who had wreaked havoc for over a century, was dead!

And he had been killed by an unknown young man.

Night Emperor.

This name had now entered the sights of ancient martial arts families, powerful clans, and influential sects.

In the capital,

several elderly men dressed in Tang suits sipped tea leisurely.

"Who would have thought the Gourd Immortal was still alive?"

"Tsk tsk, I grew up listening to horror stories about him. Now, half-buried in the grave myself, I finally hear news of his death."

"Night Emperor… this young man who appeared out of nowhere is quite interesting."

A half-bald man with graying hair took a sip of tea, cutting through the chatter with a calm but deliberate tone.

"What do you all think of this kid called Night Emperor?"

"Our juniors dug up some interesting details. He knows Qi Control, and it’s clear he’s been practicing for years."

Another elder, his eyes glinting with amusement, glanced at the half-bald man.

The half-bald elder set down his teacup, his expression darkening.

"The secret art of the Qi Control Sect… Hmph. Cheng Yuanfeng has trained quite the disciple!"

In the southwestern region of Xia Country, Yunjiang,

a gaunt young man draped in tattered black robes emerged slowly from the miasma-filled swamps and forests.

The faint purple poison mist swirling in the air had no effect on him. A closer look would reveal his pale, almost ghostly complexion, unsettling in its unnatural pallor.

Beep beep!

From the folds of his ragged robes, he pulled out an old black feature phone and flipped it open.

"The Gourd Immortal is dead? Pity. I was planning to hunt him down."

His eyes gleamed with cold malice as he read the message. The Gourd Immortal’s ability to prolong his life by consuming the life force of others—now that was something he coveted.

But as he scrolled further, his brows furrowed.

"Night Emperor… from Jiangbei City? Hah! What kind of trash is this?"

Just then, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

Ding! Slaughter of 10 Yun Crocodiles complete. [System Replacement] achieved. Host: Zhang Fan. Confirm replacement of Surgical System with Poison Master System?

"Replace!"

Zhang Fan suppressed his excitement, answering firmly.

"Medicine can’t kill people."

"But poison can."

At the Jiangbei City Law Enforcement Bureau,

the atmosphere was tense following the sudden events at the Night Blossom Club.

Inside the conference room, officers gathered around a holographic projection.

"We may be an independent organization, but we are still the protectors of this great nation! What right do you useless fools have to wear these sacred white uniforms?!"

A square-faced man with a hooked nose—Yang Chengbin, the Provincial Law Enforcement Chief—slammed his fist on the table, roaring at the screen.

"Night Emperor, a man this ruthless, has been hiding right under our noses in Jiangbei City! What the hell have you all been doing?! You have three days to capture him—dead or alive! Fail, and every last one of you is fired!"

Under the Chief’s fury, the Bureau’s higher-ups broke into a cold sweat, not daring to utter a word.

Several officers instinctively glanced at Yan Zhi.

"The boss lady called it."

They had initially dismissed Night Emperor as a petty troublemaker, a small-time criminal pushing his luck.

But now, he had single-handedly slaughtered the Gourd Immortal!

Finally, they had a reason to deploy their full force to hunt him down.

Yet, Yan Zhi remained eerily calm.

Seated at the far end of the long table, she casually propped her long, slender legs on the conference desk, filing her nails with a handheld buffer—completely indifferent to the Chief’s outburst.

His anger might as well have been background noise.

"Captain Yan, do you have any input?" Yang Chengbin forced out through gritted teeth.

As much as he wanted to scream at this woman, he knew the consequences would cost him his position.

She was here on a temporary assignment—a high-profile figure sent from the capital to "gain experience." Once her two-year stint was over, she’d be gone, and he wouldn’t have to endure this anymore.

"Yang Chengbin," Yan Zhi began coolly, her phoenix-like eyes sharp with disdain.

"I’d like to know—why are we ordering Night Emperor’s execution when he just eliminated the Gourd Immortal, a blight on this nation?"

"Why?! Night Emperor broke into a club and took over a dozen lives in one night! Isn’t that reason enough?! Watch your tone, Captain!"

Yan Zhi lowered her legs and crossed her arms, letting out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Oh? Throwing your weight around now, are we?"

Yang Chengbin clenched his jaw.

This woman’s background was untouchable, and her skills were even more terrifying.

His better judgment told him not to provoke her.

"First!" Yan Zhi slammed her palms on the table, her voice icy.

"Every single person Night Emperor killed was a criminal with blood on their hands. The Gourd Immortal alone had a bounty of over a million for his capture—after evading justice for a century! Yes, Night Emperor broke the law, but sentencing him to death is reckless!"

"Second!" She continued, her gaze piercing.

"He infiltrated the Night Blossom’s underground prison and freed countless missing persons—saving hundreds of families. That is a merit no one can erase!"

The other officers stared in shock.

Yan Zhi, who had always been hell-bent on making Night Emperor pay… was now defending him?

Also, I remember, the Gourd Immortal was supposed to be someone's mission, right? He was even commended for completing it successfully. So why is this old bastard still sneaking around harming people? Who's going to answer for this?!

Yan Zhi's eyes were icy as she demanded an explanation.

A terrifying oppressive aura surged from all directions!

The law enforcers in the meeting room felt as if they could barely breathe.

Yang Chengbin's face turned ashen, his chest heaving with suppressed rage, but he remained silent.

"If I find out who's sitting on their ass, secretly colluding with those scum in shady deals—I'll be the first to cut them down!"

Yan Zhi's voice was frigid as she made a throat-slitting gesture, then snatched her white Law Enforcement Bureau uniform from the seat and stormed out.

Yang Chengbin's face flushed purple with fury. Only after Yan Zhi left did he finally explode like a rabid dog, barking, "Lawless! Absolutely lawless! How could the Law Enforcement Bureau have such a disgraceful, unruly enforcer?!"

Meanwhile, the very troublemaker who had turned everything upside down was now barefoot, lounging on the couch, watching TV while sipping beer and gnawing on chicken feet.

Creak!

The door of the shabby rented apartment swung open.

Shen Muxuan walked in, exhausted after a long day of work, her expression troubled.

"How's Aunt Zhou doing?"

An Yi glanced up at her and asked.

"Chuanfang Supermarket reopened today, but Aunt Zhou still seems off. She's been really down."

Shen Muxuan lowered her head, her voice somber.

An Yi set down the chicken feet, took a slow sip of beer, and stared blankly at the sanitary pad commercial on TV for a long time.

Two days had passed since the chaos at Night Emperor.

Time was the only remedy for grief—there was nothing else to do but wait.

"By the way, what's the deal with my lifespan?"

An Yi abruptly changed the subject.

"That night, ten years were suddenly deducted. You should have a little over a year left now."

Shen Muxuan thought for a moment before answering earnestly.

Crunch!

An Yi crushed the beer can in his hand!

His eyelids twitched violently.

One year left to live?!

"Fck!"

"Fck, fck!"

"Fck, fck, FCK!"

An Yi was beside himself with rage. "Something this important, and you're only telling me now?!"

Shen Muxuan recoiled in fright, stammering, "I—I thought you knew! You've been so cheerful every day, I thought you were just... really optimistic and positive."

An Yi: "..."