Becoming an Evil God and Stealing His Wife - Chapter 14

Li Jiu found a natural opening to steal a glance backward. His sharpened senses immediately picked out a tail trailing him at a precise distance. Thanks to a strategic angle, his eyes caught the gleam of metallic badges tucked just inside their coat lapels very similar to the one Kong Tianxiang wore.

However, theirs featured a black background with silver wings.

More Quality Inspection Department personnel. I wonder what the tier difference is between gold and silver wings?

Feigning casual interest in his surroundings, he withdrew his gaze. His enhanced constitution and sensory faculties were the sole reason he could detect these trained agents at all.

Behind him, the plainclothes tail grew slightly suspicious of his sudden head tilt.

“Did he spot us? Has our operational tradecraft deteriorated that badly?”

“Improbable… he’s mathematically verified as an ordinary civilian. He’s likely just looking around randomly. He doesn’t frequent this district; it’s natural curiosity.”

“Regardless, compile it into the log and submit it when the shift rotates.”

Upon returning home, Li Jiu spent a quiet moment speaking with Li Mengmeng before heading into the kitchen to prepare lunch. The little girl remained right by his side, watching his hands move with absolute focus.

“Mengmeng,” Li Jiu said, keeping his tone casual but firm. “When you’re home alone, you must remain vigilant. If you perceive anything unusual or find yourself facing danger, adapt instantly to protect yourself. If the situation permits, scream for help as loudly as possible. There are people nearby who will intervene.”

Li Mengmeng looked up, her expression turning tense. “Brother, did something happen? Are you in danger?”

Li Jiu shook his head, offering a reassuring smile. “I’m perfectly fine. I’m simply a bit anxious leaving you home unsupervised.”

Wang Yun’s target was strictly him; the killer had no reason to target an eleven-year-old girl. Furthermore, with Kong Tianxiang’s assurance that covert guards were deployed around the perimeter, her safety was reasonably guaranteed.

After their meal, Li Jiu retreated to his bedroom.

Sitting on the edge of his mattress, he retrieved the mysterious illustrated index. It remained frozen at two pages: the Bleeding Eye and the Lice Parasite.

He had already committed every syllable of these two entries to memory. If he encountered them again, he would strictly adhere to the operational notes: if it was the Bleeding Eye, sever line of sight and flee; if it was a Lice Parasite, exploit its photophobia and sprint toward a light source.

Yet, while the major thoroughfares of Wangdong City featured streetlights, the vast majority of the alleys remained blanketed in absolute pitch black.

I need a reliable flashlight. I’ll check the general store this afternoon.

After consolidating the data in his mind once more, he concealed the index.

Earlier that morning, he had pressed Kong Tianxiang on whether the state possessed definitive means to eliminate these anomalies. In truth, Li Jiu already knew they did—otherwise, the existence of the Quality Inspection Department would be entirely redundant. What he truly sought was the how.

Having it confirmed from an official’s mouth that these entities could indeed die reinforced two crucial theories: first, it validated his hypothesis that the enigmatic Shen Guan had successfully executed that Lice Parasite; second, it drove home the reality that he needed to learn how to kill them himself.

Anomalies clearly extended far beyond the two listed in his index. Running couldn’t resolve every crisis indefinitely the looming threat of Wang Yun proved that. As long as he maintained a normal job and lived an open life, an ambush was inevitable.

Even with the entities he knew about, his tactical options were severely limited. The lower-tier Lice Parasites feared light, but ambient light didn’t inherently destroy them.

Can conventional physical trauma wound an anomaly?

He decided he would procure a defensive tool during his shopping trip—something that could double as leverage against Wang Yun. The Quality Inspection Department wouldn’t simply hand over classified tactical methodologies to an ordinary civilian, meaning self-reliance was his only path forward.

Back to the grind.

Li Jiu triggered his Stealth ability once more, pacing the confines of his bedroom.

After days of relentless trial and error, his mastery over the cloaking mechanism had grown considerably smoother. He could sustain the cloaking field for slightly longer intervals, and as long as he didn’t push his limits past the burning point, his caloric consumption had finally stabilized to a manageable level.

He was thoroughly satisfied with the progress.

Following a brief period of recovery, Li Jiu stepped out to complete his errands.

Emerging from the mouth of his isolated alleyway, he traversed two major boulevards until he reached Xiaozhuang Street the primary commercial artery of South District 3.

The street was a chaotic hive of activity. The sheer volume of foot traffic surged instantly, filled with the booming cries of street vendors and a dense tapestry of overlapping chatter. It was loud, worn-down, and filled with the gritty, human vitality characteristic of the slums.

Stepping into the dilapidated yet bustling thoroughfare, Li Jiu felt the familiar, heavy scents of District 3 wash over him. The residual irritation sparked by Wang Yun’s threat began to dissolve into the background noise.

Though District 3 was desperately poor compared to the central districts, it possessed all the fundamental establishments required for survival.

He began by browsing several basic apparels stand, systematically comparing prices until he selected two sets of thick, heavily insulated garments for both himself and Li Mengmeng. They were durable, functional, and simple in design.

For Mengmeng, he intentionally selected pieces with a slightly more elegant cut.

“Young man, your eye is dangerously sharp,” the proprietress laughed, wrapping the clothes. “Your haggling skills look like they’ve been forged over twenty years. Between that handsome face and that smooth tongue of yours, I’ve practically given these away for zero profit. You better make sure you come back to my stall next time, you hear?”

“Next time for certain, ma’am,” Li Jiu replied with a charming smile, taking the heavy bundles and stepping away from the enthusiastic shopkeeper.

He systematically checked off the items on his mental list. Beyond the winter clothes, he needed a doll for Mengmeng, a high-powered flashlight, a defensive implement, and various household staples.

And some street food for the ride home.

He glanced at the roadside stalls; the rich aromas of local snacks regularly drifted past his nose. While the culinary standards here couldn’t compare to his original world, they possessed a rugged charm unique to this universe, with a few items closely mirroring comfort foods from his past life.

A brief wave of nostalgia washed over him. Shaking it off, he decided to save the food run for last and directed his steps toward a prominent general store situated near the center of the block.

It was the largest, most comprehensive hardware and dry goods supplier on Xiaozhuang Street, known for reasonable rates. The vast majority of his remaining list could be secured right here.

Since it was standard working hours, the store interior was relatively quiet. A burly owner with a buzzcut was occupied behind the counter, leaving Li Jiu free to navigate the crowded aisles.

The basic household provisions were easily located, but the store’s selection of dolls was sparse and visually unappealing.

When it came to a defensive implement something highly lethal yet compact enough to remain completely hidden on his person Li Jiu circled the hardware racks twice before concluding that a blade was his absolute best option.

The store’s cutlery selection was vast, ranging from standard kitchen cleavers to heavy bone-choppers. Hidden at the absolute deepest corner of the display rack, one particular item caught his attention. Unlike the bare blades exposed to the air, this one came equipped with an aged, dust-laden sheath.

Li Jiu extracted the weapon, slapping the thick layer of grime off the scabbard before drawing the steel to inspect the edge.

It was a professional-grade boning knife. The total length measured 27 centimeters, with a slender, gleaming 16-centimeter blade that tapered to a lethal point. It was incredibly sharp, catching the dim store light with a cold brilliance.

It was love at first sight.

He balanced the hilt in his palm, executing a few subtle testing movements. The ergonomics were perfect, the weight distribution flawless, and it could be angled discreetly into his standard canvas travel bag without drawing an ounce of attention.

Found it.