"I'm hungry." A woman with heavy makeup pointed at the plate of squirrel - shaped mandarin fish in front of Ji Chaosheng with the tip of her chopsticks. Her eyes were like a hungry wolf staring at its prey, and her voice was full of eagerness.
The man beside her, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, swallowed with a "gulping" sound in his throat and managed to squeeze out a "yes" with great effort. When he stood up, his tongue involuntarily licked his dry lips, wondering why he was so hungry today.
At this time, more than twenty pairs of eyes were fixed on the chopsticks slowly approaching Ji Chaosheng. The man only felt that the chopsticks in his hand were as heavy as a thousand pounds.
"Hey, got it. This piece of fish is really firm." The man's hand holding the fish trembled slightly as he put the fish into his wife's bowl. The golden - fried fish was shiny with an alluring oil - like sheen, and its sweet smell wafted over, instantly overpowering the fishy smell when they first entered.
"This whole - fish banquet is really wonderful. Let's all start eating, haha."
Seeing him start to eat, the others were like being unchained, their chopsticks flying madly in the air as if in an intense boxing match.
"Oh, this fish is incredibly tender. It almost melts in your mouth!"
"Yes, and that steamed perch, the taste is simply amazing!"
"Yes, yes, that braised fish head is the ultimate delicacy!" Everyone was immersed in this delicious meal and couldn't extricate themselves.
"Of course. All the fish in our fisherman's - delight restaurant are freshly killed and cooked. It's so fresh that it could make your tongue fall off!" A middle - aged man with a sun - tanned face from years of fishing grinned, showing a set of white teeth. He was the owner of the fisherman's - delight restaurant. He was not very muscular and was holding a large red plastic square bucket in his arms, which was full of silver - white live fish. It was heavy, and occasionally a few drops of fishy - smelling water splashed onto the floor.
While everyone was eating and drinking merrily, Ji Chaosheng accidentally bumped his elbow, and a small fish bone fell to the ground. Before the neighboring guests noticed, the bone was kicked aside by someone without anyone knowing, as if it had never been there.
Just then, the owner of the fisherman's - delight restaurant suddenly raised a hand and waved it in the air a few times, with a somewhat unnatural smile on his face, and said to everyone, "I'm sorry, everyone. I don't know what happened, but there are flies in the store today. It's really spoiling everyone's fun."
"If the fish banquet is made so well, the hygiene should also be up to standard."
"Yes, yes. If it's like this again, we won't come next time." Although they said so, their hands didn't stop and they continued to eat heartily. Ji Chaosheng watched those people with mouths full of oil and also took a few bites.
"Cough, cough." Ji Chaosheng suddenly clutched his neck, his face turning bright red. His painful appearance startled everyone.
"Young man, what's wrong with you?"
"I got a fish bone stuck in my throat." Ji Chaosheng's facial features were all wrinkled together as if he had swallowed some bitter medicine. Everyone looked at his painful appearance and expressed their regret.
"You're so unlucky. You didn't get to fully enjoy such a delicious meal."
"I'll go to the kitchen and ask the owner for some white vinegar." Every time he swallowed, he felt uncomfortable, and the others all showed sympathetic looks.
"Hurry up, hurry up."
The owner of the fisherman's - delight restaurant stood at the stairway entrance, like a statue, staring fixedly at this group of people with no expression on his face.
When Ji Chaosheng approached, a glint of vigilance and confusion that was hard to detect flashed across the owner's face, but it quickly returned to normal.
"Boss, actually, I came this time to talk to you privately about a large business deal." Ji Chaosheng blinked, with a sly look in his eyes. "Are you available now?"
The owner slightly narrowed his eyes and looked Ji Chaosheng up and down, thinking to himself: This kid seems to be full of ideas about making money. He's probably just a novice agent who wants to make some money from me. Humph, I'll play along with him then.
"Sure, since you're sincere, follow me then." The owner turned around and led Ji Chaosheng towards the depths of the fresh - produce area.
The fresh - produce area was at the end of the kitchen. In order to maintain a low temperature, a separate room was specially built. The door was made of heavy aluminum alloy, which was both rust - proof and anti - theft, looking very solid.
As soon as he entered the room, the owner heard a low and eerie voice from behind, "Boss, you forgot to close the door."
"Close the door for what..." The owner's heart tightened. He turned around and saw Ji Chaosheng standing there with a meaningful smile on his face.
The boss was just about to open his mouth to ask when suddenly, with a "clang", the door was slammed shut.
Immediately after that, a strange gurgling sound echoed in the room. The boss turned around and saw, his face instantly turning as white as a sheet. He was just about to call for help when he found that he couldn't make a sound.
For a while, the entire fresh - produce area was deathly silent, only the eerie gurgling sound kept echoing.
Ji Chaosheng returned to his seat and let out a sigh of relief, thinking that it was finally quiet.
Several people gathered around.
"Boss, is the vinegar so magical? Are you all right so soon?"
"I was just scaring myself... It's all right now. Just look if you don't believe me."
Everyone leaned their heads in -
"Bang, bang, bang - " Several gunshots rang out in succession, and more than twenty people present fell to the ground one after another, and more than twenty white pellets landed in Ji Chaosheng's palm.
"Well, this task has been easily completed."
The previously mouth - watering fish banquet scene seemed to be scattered by a gust of wind. In the plates, where there were just the fragrant grilled fish, braised fish and fish soup, there were now only a few half - dead raw fish left. Their scales reflected a cold white light, apparently having just died of dehydration and suffocation.
A few people were the first to wake up dazedly from the ground. They felt as if their heads had been hit by a heavy object. When they saw the real appearance of the fish banquet, but their memories seemed to be fragmented, and a strong stench wafted over.
"This fisherman's - delight restaurant is really strange. Is this a raw - fish banquet?"
"But these Spanish mackerels, hairtails, and yellow catfish... These are not fish used for raw food."
Everyone looked at each other, having no idea what had happened.
"Where is the boss? Boss!" The man at the beginning shouted anxiously twice, but there was no answer. He was extremely worried and lifted his leg to walk towards the tightly closed door.
"Huh? Why can't this door be opened? It's locked tightly." He pushed the door hard, but the door didn't move at all.
"This store is too spooky. Let's call the police quickly." Someone suggested.
"Yes, the boss has suddenly disappeared. He just came in with fish in his arms." Another person's voice was full of uneasiness.
"I've already called the police. Everyone, don't panic first. Let's wait until the police arrive." Someone spoke to soothe everyone's emotions.
These twenty - odd people were all traveling to Liancheng. Unexpectedly, on the first day, they encountered such a strange thing, and everyone was full of uneasiness in their hearts.
Soon, a group of police officers in black arrived at the scene. Ji Chaosheng sensed a familiar gaze on him.
He looked up and saw a young man nodding slightly at him. Then he stood up and walked towards the door, brushing past the young man as if there was some mysterious agreement between them.
"Leave the follow - up matters to you." Ji Chaosheng said, and the young man nodded gently.
"'Appetite', with a difficulty level of B. This mission only gives fifty points." Ji Chaosheng played with the twenty - odd memory balls in his hand. "Alas, even a little is still something."
His mind was spinning rapidly. "I'm about to graduate soon. I have to choose a Spiritual - Phase school and a specialization direction before June."
Behind the seemingly peaceful city, the Spiritual - Phase divided the world into two.
Ordinary people in the White Realm go to school, start families, and lead peaceful lives. While those who have awakened their Spiritual - Phase will be guided by envoys to the Black Realm, that is, the Spiritual - Phase Realm.
But this secret has always been blocked by various forces in the Spiritual - Phase Realm.
At most, people in the White Realm discover that they have some talents. Some become super scholars, some become martial arts masters, some win championships in games and become professional players, and some are extremely sensitive to making money and climb onto the rich list...
The unknown Spiritual - Phase enlightenment makes the Spiritual - Phase Realm far superior to the White Realm.
Because of this, there are always some malicious mutants "smuggling" into the White Realm to harm ordinary people.
Just like today, the mutant who disguised himself as the owner of the fisherman's - delight restaurant used the Spiritual - Phase - "Appetite" to create an illusory scene of fresh fish delicacies with excellent color, aroma, and taste.
Seemingly, people were eating fish, but in fact, the people in the illusory scene were having their lifespans sucked away.
This fisherman's - delight restaurant has been an old store for ten years. I don't know how many people have unknowingly become victims.
At this time, it is necessary for "Spiritual Guards" like Ji Chaosheng, who wander on the edge of the Black and White Realms, to take action.
How did Ji Chaosheng discover the boss's flaw?
Actually, it was the fishy smell that couldn't be concealed.
"'Appetite' can be created, but 'fishy smell' can't. How can a fish store without a fishy smell not arouse suspicion?"
So there must be real live fish in the store, and his Spiritual - Phase happened to be water...
"So you used spiritual power to create enough water and trapped him by changing the pressure. He surely didn't have the strength to open the door, and then the hungry fish would swarm in."
A tall and handsome young man in black walked up to Ji Chaosheng and stood beside him.
"It's not worth praising. If the spiritual power is not enough, rely on wisdom."
"I saw a strange character on the table. It should be left by you, right?"
"It's nothing. It's just the oceanic characters I studied in the White Realm myself. Coincidentally, fish can also understand it."
This made the young man silent. After a long while, he managed to say, "When are you coming back?"
A glint of coldness flashed in Ji Chaosheng's eyes. "Soon."
Today was the full - moon day. Ji Chaosheng was soaking in the pool as usual. Few people came here, and the courtyard was silent.
The moonlight shone on the pool surface, gently surrounding Ji Chaosheng. His breathing quickly followed the familiar rhythm. On countless nights like this, Ji Chaosheng practiced by borrowing the moonlight.
Three years ago, Master Ji Chengping and several strong members of the Ji family disappeared in the human world. The Ji family could no longer stand in the Spiritual - Mind Realm, and the huge family fell apart. The younger generations could only seek shelter everywhere.
The Ji family also lost the guide in the Spiritual - Phase Realm. Since three years ago, Ji Chaosheng had been wandering in the White Realm, barely making a living with an identity given by the Spiritual - Guard organization.
"Three years ago, I took the turtle - shell token left by my master. Under the guidance of the Turtle Immortal, I broke through to the third level of the Phase - Tool in one go."
"But after that, it seemed that I hit a bottleneck."
The Phase - Tool Realm is the first realm of the Spiritual - Phase. There are a total of nine levels, which determine the degree of mastery of the Spiritual - Phase.
Take Ji Chaosheng as an example. At the first level, he had to rely on visible water such as lakes and rivers. After breaking through to the second level, he could mobilize spiritual thoughts at will to control water. After the third level, water became his sixth sense extending to the world.
Ji Chaosheng took out the turtle shell again and examined it carefully. The turtle model seemed to come to life, and its four limbs slowly retracted into the turtle shell.
The dark - blue turtle shell began to crack little by little, as if someone was carving on it. Finally, it became a strange five - limbed turtle pattern.
"The Chou hour, the southeast Qian position."
"It's that senior summoning me."