Conspiracy and the Gut Hunter

Bai Cangshu leaned against the window of the second-floor office in the White Park. Lin Qinfu, his wrist wrapped in thick bandages, stood at the door with his head lowered.

"I’ve done as you instructed. The flesh business and telecommunications operations have been shut down, some personnel have been dismissed, and everyone remaining has been transferred to the liquor business…"

The pain in Lin Qinfu’s wrist was unbearable, but without the other man’s permission, he did not dare leave the park to seek treatment. There were still bloodstains and chunks of flesh on the courtyard walls.

The brutality of the man before him was beyond imagination.

He hesitated, unable to understand what this Boss Bai was trying to do. The two most profitable businesses had both been shut down. Was he really counting on the drug traffickers up in the mountains to support such a large group of people?

Bai Cangshu had not dismissed those people out of moral or legal considerations. It was simply that the women covered in needle marks were too much of an eyesore for him to keep around, while the telecommunications business involved too many people and was far too troublesome.

Doing liquor business was the only easy and worry-free option. All he had to do was head into the mountains later and patiently "talk" with those drug traffickers whose deaths would never be reported or avenged. Then this industrial park of his would more or less be established.

The next step, naturally, was to develop an intelligence network and transform this No. 815 scam park into a new-generation headhunting group. Yes, "headhunting" in the literal sense.

In such a chaotic environment, death was perfectly normal. Few people cared how many died or disappeared in this country every day.

The overly safe environment of East Xia had made many people lose their ability to adapt to danger.

But Bai Cangshu was quite at ease.

Leaning against the window, he held several photographs. These were among the few pictures ever taken of Grandpa Mo.

The man in the photos was bare-chested, dark-skinned, and fat. He did not look like the speedy type. He wore gold on his ears and around his neck, and none of it appeared to be special equipment.

Overall, there was nothing remarkable about him from his appearance.

Yet according to the rumors, he had single-handedly stormed a drug traffickers’ den and slaughtered a gang of nearly a hundred people who carried guns and had no psychological reservations about killing.

Clearly, he possessed some kind of special ability.

"You said someone once heard a terrifying bear roar coming from Grandpa Mo’s territory?"

Lin Qinfu froze, not understanding why this man cared so much about those unsubstantiated rumors surrounding Grandpa Mo.

When making a living in a place like this, one always needed a few intimidating tales. In the early days, those stories were why people feared you.

But Grandpa Mo had grown quite powerful now and had even established ties with the authorities. There were even rumors that he had begun assembling a private army hidden in the mountains and forests.

A Grandpa Mo like that was already moving toward the level of the Five Great Families. Ordinary park bosses and those hiding in the mountains did not dare provoke him at all.

But with his head under someone else’s roof, Lin Qinfu did not dare question him. He could only answer dully.

"There are such rumors. Maybe Grandpa Mo really does keep a bear. In his old park, it was said that worthless pigs were fed to the bear."

Bai Cangshu nodded and continued scribbling on the white paper in his hand.

Suspected to possess a summoning or transformation-type ability.

After thinking for a moment, Bai Cangshu turned to inspect the layout of his park. The field of vision was excellent. It was a park carved out of the mountain forest, with few obstructions. A plan began to take shape in his mind.

"Little Lin, does the park have surveillance cameras?"

Lin Qinfu paused before realizing that this vicious man, who looked barely over twenty, was actually calling him "Little Lin."

"Uh, yes. There are a few cameras, all along the outer walls and in the work areas."

He had installed the cameras to prevent the pigs from escaping or slacking off.

Bai Cangshu waved a hand.

"Move all the cameras onto this building. Point them at the square outside."

Lin Qinfu was full of questions, but he could only follow the man’s orders. He planned to act docile for now. Once the other man lowered his guard in a few days, he would find a way to kill him or simply flee and let Grandpa Mo teach this arrogant bastard a lesson.

Did being able to fight really matter when you were out making a living?

What era was this?

Still, he had to admit that Mr. Bai was absurdly good at fighting. Could someone really kill four men armed with AKs barehanded?

He felt the world had gotten a little insane lately. Over the past six months, he had heard plenty of outrageous rumors like this. This time, though, he had seen it with his own eyes.

Could it really be like those short dramas from East Xia said? Had spiritual energy returned?

Or had humanity started evolving again, only without taking me along?

His thoughts were a mess as he turned and left the office. Looking at the somewhat empty park, he felt terrible. The business he had built with his own hands had been seized just like that.

Fuck, bastard. I’ll kill you sooner or later!

He muttered under his breath. Inside the office, Bai Cangshu’s lips curled up.

He sat in his chair. A flash of light flickered in his hand, and a silver-white ring appeared.

Weapon ARM · Telekinetic Ring

Quality: Blue

Description: A special magical tool produced in the magical world Mar Heaven, possessing special ability effects.

Equipment Requirements: Constitution > 8, Spirit > 5

Effect 1: After equipping, meditation efficiency increases slightly.

Effect 2: Can be activated using Spirit. After activation, Strength increases by 20%.

Effect 3: For each additional ring equipped, Constitution requirement increases by 4.

This was the item that the Reincarnator codenamed Li De had transferred to Bai Cangshu before dying. It was one of the magical tools from MÄR.

It was an extremely convenient and miraculous special item.

Not only did it have low usage requirements, its effects were also excellent. Everyone in that work fought using various silver magical tools collectively known as ARMs.

They were categorized into Nature ARMs, which wielded elemental power; Weapon ARMs, which specialized in close-range bladed combat; and Guardian ARMs, which summoned all manner of powerful guardians.

There were also Holy ARMs, skilled in sacred energy and healing, and Dark ARMs, whose use came with tremendous risks but powerful effects.

Relatively speaking, Weapon ARMs were usually the least rare. However, these two Telekinetic Rings were quite practical because of their useful special effects.

Bai Cangshu’s Constitution was currently 13. He directly put on both rings at once.

He clenched his fist, willed it, then lightly brought it down on the rosewood desk.

Boom!

The tabletop instantly shattered.

The rings amplified Bai Cangshu’s strength to a certain degree and released it in the form of attacks accompanied by special telekinetic force. Depending on the user’s intent, they could also serve as a kind of shield.

Bai Cangshu was very satisfied with the effects of these two items. They were even more useful than the precious Bio-Implant, Spirit Gathering Finger, that he had purchased himself.

The sound of the rosewood desk shattering made Lin Qinfu, who was still in the hallway, tremble. He ran even faster.

That afternoon, he received word that Bai Cangshu wanted him to purchase a batch of special medicinal herbs, mainly from East Xia, Neon, and Goryeo.

"Three Immortals Grass, Feather-leaf Demon Lantern, Tomorrow Leaf…"

Lin Qinfu frowned. He had never even heard of these tongue-twisting herbs, but Bai Cangshu’s order gave him a glimpse of an opportunity.

He immediately sent one of his trusted men to drive to a nearby town with the list of medicinal herbs.

Naturally, the man also carried the message he needed delivered.

Lin Qinfu stood in the first-floor yard. This was normally where the pigs were allowed outside for fresh air. Now, aside from a few people installing cameras, it was completely empty.

Lin Qinfu turned to look at the second-floor office and revealed a cold smile.

But the next moment, Bai Cangshu’s face poked out of the window, making Lin Qinfu’s heart jump.

With a smile, Bai Cangshu waved and shouted, "Make it quick!"

He then leaned his whole body out of the window and watched the people installing cameras on the walls and in several concealed spots. He nodded in satisfaction.

Lin Qinfu broke out in a cold sweat, but the other man did not seem to suspect him. He patted his trusted man on the shoulder.

"Remember, tell Grandpa Mo that Bai Cangshu is very good at fighting. He needs to bring more guns…"

After thinking about it, perhaps influenced by Bai Cangshu’s repeated questions about the rumors surrounding Grandpa Mo, he added, "It’d be best to bring the bear too!"

His trusted man nodded, drove a battered pickup truck out of the park, and floored the accelerator as he sped away.

Bai Cangshu counted the days on his fingers. He knew that even if Grandpa Mo received the news and rushed over, it would still take at least a day or two.

Given the level of strength he had displayed, the other side definitely would not take him lightly.

And he just happened to be quite busy lately as well…

With a thought from Bai Cangshu, his figure vanished, returning once more to the public space.

A message appeared before him.

LT44344564 (Conspiracy) had sent a contact request: I’m at stall E385 in the Slum Area. Come quickly for a trade.

This kind of contact was a designated communication conducted by the space at the cost of a certain number of Dimensional Points. However, the message could only be seen when both parties were inside the space.

It was a special means of communication that required knowing a Reincarnator’s number or using a Reincarnator’s stall.

For unfamiliar Reincarnators who were not team members, it was already the most convenient contact method. There was no need to worry about being traced in the real world.

Bai Cangshu had originally planned to visit the official stall of the Destiny Gathering to buy items, so he decided to meet this Reincarnator who also knew the method for special fusion attributes.

If the other party was not an Information Broker or had not bought the information, then knowing this method meant they had earned at least one S-rank evaluation.

They were a Reincarnator with considerable potential.

Wearing the Mask of the Old God, which had begun to earn a small Fierce Reputation, Bai Cangshu appeared in the Slum Area and drew the attention of a small crowd.

Conspiracy wore a crow mask that completely concealed his face. But in the space, Avatars came in all kinds of forms. Wearing a mask was also a way to enhance one’s recognizability.

Seeing Bai Cangshu arrive at his stall amid so many gazes, he recognized him as the owner of the materials from Heartless Demon Doma.

"You didn’t confirm my trade. Does that mean you already know that method?"

Bai Cangshu glanced over the items at the stall. He had to admit that Conspiracy perhaps did possess some real strength.

Bloodline Item · Genetically Mutated Spinal Fluid

Quality: Purple (Extremely Rare)

Description: The spinal fluid of a Supernatural Ability User from a certain world. It possesses the potential to mutate one's genes and awaken supernatural abilities.

Price: Negotiable

Effect: Hidden by stall owner

Most of the other items were related to supernatural abilities as well.

"Yeah. I got an S-rank evaluation once, so I naturally learned it."

"What, did you just loot a supernatural ability mission world?"

Conspiracy did not deny it. Instead, he assessed this newly famous Reincarnator through his crow mask. Just one mission world ago, this man had been selling materials from a low-difficulty world like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Yet now, there were rumors that he could make the Fifth Element collapse. The gap in strength was enormous.

Either someone had lied, and the information was inaccurate.

Or the other party’s strength had increased at an astonishing pace.

Or… it was both.

Conspiracy nodded and answered with an unrelated question.

"It seems you really are someone worth socializing with, unlike those idiots who only know how to waste my time."

Conspiracy looked disdainfully at the idiots in the distance who were still wasting their precious time watching him and Mercenary Tao. Those people would never survive more than a few Reincarnation missions.

They were not worth his effort to socialize with.

But someone like Mercenary Tao was different. He had value.

"I want Doma’s head. If there’s anything at my stall you’re interested in, we can talk."

Just as Bai Cangshu was about to speak, a long, narrow blade appeared before the stall.

A red glow radiated from its blade.

"Hey, you two aren’t planning to trade privately, are you? Since we both made offers, you should naturally let us bid fairly, right, Mercenary Tao~?"

The woman’s voice carried a peculiar magnetism. It was neither crisp nor husky, yet it seemed capable of making one’s heart waver slightly.

In the public space, any abilities that could influence others had no effect. Therefore, this was her own natural gift, born from her voice.

Bai Cangshu turned and saw a woman in a purple robe standing beside the stall, holding a long blade with a curved tip.

A smile appeared on Bai Cangshu’s lips.

"I didn’t expect the Gut Hunter to really make her Avatar exactly like Elsa Granhiert."

"You’re quite interesting."

Most people in the Reincarnation Space tried every possible way to conceal the truth of their abilities.

For example, if you were a Zoan Type Devil Fruit Ability User, you might disguise yourself as someone with a Werewolf bloodline to keep others from learning the true nature of your ability.

Concealing the true form of one’s ability prevented others from targeting it.

But the woman before him seemed to be revealing the true nature of her ability through both her weapon and appearance.

Either this was a more thorough deception and disguise;

Or…

Bai Cangshu looked into the uninhibited eyes of this woman and confirmed that she really was simply that arrogant.

She did not hide the truth of her ability at all. She wanted to humiliate you like this, then kill you.

Seeing someone disrupt things, Conspiracy rose to his feet as well.

All three were somewhat famous Reincarnators. Their gathering alone was enough to draw attention, not to mention that Mercenary Tao was among them.

It inevitably gave rise to all sorts of speculation.

Many somewhat famous lone-wolf Reincarnators eventually formed teams together.

Some of the powerful teams that were now widely renowned had taken shape exactly this way.

Black Butler stood in the distance. He had originally planned to give Mercenary Tao some worthless information to build a relationship, but upon seeing this scene, he began to speculate as well.

Were these three going to form a team?!