CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 30: THE DANCER

The decadent environment.

Wu Liang and Xu Qingling wandered not far from the dance floor as the latter introduced the consumption of this area.

Watching the men and women constantly twisting on the dance floor, he couldn’t help but sigh.

He suddenly felt a sense of the dancers oblivious to the nation’s peril, singing carefree despite the looming threat.

No matter how much the supernatural resurgence threatens people’s survival, as long as society exists, these decadent indulgences seem to persist, with some always enjoying it without restraint.

Before coming here, Wu Liang had actually reviewed the Ghost Compendium records and found no traces of Fierce Ghosts near Heaven and Earth.

Yet he still came to investigate, fearing undiscovered supernatural events aside from the public-funded reimbursement.

Like the earlier Shouyi Ghost incident, where he was the first discoverer, there had been no records of Shouyi Ghosts in the Ghost Compendium prior.

Because it had never been discovered before.

"Mr. Wu, you don’t seem interested in this outdoor dance floor? How about we check the indoor area?" Xu Qingling misunderstood Wu Liang’s sigh.

She instinctively thought this basic entertainment venue wasn’t invigorating for him.

Promptly, despite Wu Liang’s bewildered expression, she guided him to deeper parts of the club.

This indoor dance floor, compared to the previous one, was not only more explosive but many faces seen on TV were here as well.

Both men and women, with unrestrained joy.

The spotlight was on a stunning dancer beneath a conspicuous steel pole at the forefront, showcasing her dance prowess; her high skill level was plainly evident.

Most in the dance floor were captivated by her performance, some even stepping off their tables to admire her up close.

Yet Wu Liang noticed something strange—

"Manager Xu! Can you introduce the lady dancing on the pole?" Wu Liang raised his voice amidst the deafening music.

Xu Qingling, hearing Wu Liang’s interest in the dancer, was unsurprised, commenting with satisfaction, "Her name is Li Shan. Half of the guests in this dance floor came for her!"

"She’s quite the legend here; she worked anonymously for three to five years but suddenly studied dance somewhere and drew massive customer interest, swiftly becoming our star dancer!"

"If Mr. Wu is interested, I can have her perform for you alone in your private room later?"

Listening to Manager Xu, Wu Liang did not refuse.

For he found the problem to be with this dancer!

Her dance, it has serious issues!

Perhaps it was because everyone on the dance floor was mesmerized by the beat, or those not engaged were drawn to her movements.

No one noticed her gradually bizarre dance, exuding an inexplicable allure!

Li Shan’s dance moves grew increasingly complex, as if her body had no bones, and many moves Wu Liang saw were quite alarming, seemingly beyond human capabilities.

Yet as more people joined her dance, they began mimicking her complex moves unwittingly!

They didn’t possess her boneless flexibility, producing loud cracks in their bodies, but they forcefully kept up with Li Shan’s routines.

Wu Liang even saw several sustaining injuries with noticeable swellings likely indicating fractures from failing to keep pace.

Yet bizarrely, despite the conditions.

They still wore near-maniacal smiles, absorbed in her wondrous dance, attempting to rise to continue dancing alongside Li Shan.

It was as if her dance hypnotized everyone, making them focus solely on twisting and dancing.

Until their bodies were utterly exhausted and unable to continue, did some finally stop, collapsing at the dance floor edge to be taken away by staff for rest.

Even then, those fatigued individuals still trembled as if desiring to dance further.

At first glance, the dance floor seemed normal, but upon closer inspection, it was eerily grotesque to the extreme!

"Hmm? Why aren’t the waitstaff affected?"

Wu Liang found two puzzling issues—

One, regardless of proximity to the dance floor, the waitstaff showed no signs of manic dance inclination, focusing calmly on serving others.

Two, they didn’t seem to notice anything odd about the dance, calmly retrieving customers hopelessly injured without surprise.

"Mr. Wu? Do you want to join and dance for a while?" Xu Qingling’s voice, akin to demonic whispers, resonated in his ear.

Despite the deafening music in the indoor area, she didn’t shout, yet Wu Liang clearly heard every word.

Even more inexplicably—

Upon hearing Xu Qingling’s suggestion, Wu Liang inexplicably felt a surge of desire!

Both his mind and body felt a bit feverish, with the wish to dance becoming ever more evident!

Just when Xu Qingling thought this young man would soon eagerly join the dance floor, his response caught her by surprise.

"Haha, I’ve always been uncoordinated; dancing is best appreciated from afar, and I don’t like participating myself." Wu Liang politely declined, shaking his head.

Let’s not forget, he had someone far more adept at subconscious influence—a brother known as Nightmare.

After acquiring the Deep Dream Realm ability from Nightmare, such subconscious and psychological influence.

Wu Liang had developed exceptional resistance!

This brief spark of desire stirred by Xu Qingling’s words was quickly suppressed by Wu Liang, with even his bodily heat dissipating rapidly.

But that was already sufficient!

The dancer’s eerie moves, the waitstaff’s stability, combined with Manager Xu’s enticing words.

Made Wu Liang suspect a frightening possibility!

The anomalies within Heaven and Earth might be known by all staff members!?

Not only aware, but even aiding such sinister effects, intent on exposing every patron to these strange influences!

"Interesting, this whole place resembles a gold-eating monster that gradually dissolves people’s will; where could its source be?"

Wu Liang squinted as he observed the dancer named Li Shan at the forefront of the dance floor again.

Earlier Manager Xu mentioned she suddenly rose to fame as the headliner.

So, what happened recently?

That allowed her to transform from obscure to a creature displaying such bizarre dance moves?