Chapter 747: Chapter 16: The Beast of Desire

“What’s going on, Alandia?!”

(Douglas has transformed into a beast, and the Shadow Mist City barrier reacted automatically to absorb him in order to protect the citizens’ safety.) Alandia explained.

“What did it protect? This damn barrier has dragged us into it too!”

(This was supposed to be a precise and quick containment, but with the Holy Fire Armor damaged, the barrier is no longer stable, thus affecting the nearby individuals.)

(Ah shit, the old commander really did mention this… What a mess!)

The exchange between the two took only a moment. In reality, Douglas launched a surprise attack. Gongsun Ce made a split-second decision, using telekinesis to push the police officer and Philis to a safe distance.

The frenzied Douglas howled incessantly, his ugly face resembling an aged zebra, a speck of golden light concentrated in his hands, turning into a twisted lamp as large as a hammerhead. From its spout, blood-like smoky filth sprayed violently at his every movement.

“I want to live…!” Douglas roared madly, smashing the lamp at Gongsun Ce, “I want to live!! I’ll take all of you—”

“Get lost!”

Gongsun Ce clenched his right fist, delivering three consecutive Invisible Fist strikes and repelling the mutated Douglas several meters. Kerky stood beside him and whistled, “Yo, he’s transformed into a beast.”

“What the hell is ‘transformed into a beast’?!”

“It’s turning into a beast of desire, dummy,” Kerky made a grotesque face. “Desire too strong and being a Void Phase Mage, of course, it would trigger the Kong Hua Realm erosion and turn into a big monster right away.”

“Arghh!” Douglas dropped to all fours, charging like an actual wild animal. Kerky somersaulted to avoid the impact, as agile as an acrobat. “Quick, take him down, Mister~ Otherwise, he’ll be completely taken into Shadow Mist City and start fighting with your knight friends!”

“Shut your mouth if you’re not going to help!”

Dozens of telekinesis ropes shot out, firmly binding the raging Douglas. Three invisible spears flew, piercing through Douglas’s body. Putrid blood splattered in the mist, and his horse-like head twitched from the severe pain. “Calm down, Douglas!” But the stimulation of blood made Douglas’s frenzy even worse; rolling, he bypassed Gongsun Ce, who couldn’t defeat him instantly, and headed toward Philis and McDonald!

“No! No!!!” “Help—!”

The mutated lamp created muddled waves in the swamp, and before the two could be smashed into pieces, Gongsun Ce sent them flying into the air in the nick of time.

“How do we fight, Alandia?” Gongsun Ce roared in his mind. (Smash his lamp?)

(That would shatter Mr. Douglas’s mind, leaving him in a near vegetative state. Try to snatch his lamp instead.)

The young man in black charged in front of Douglas, attracting his attention straight on. “Argh!!” The transformed Douglas slapped wildly with both palms, each hit creating a huge crater in the ground like a landmine explosion. “You’re a bit slow, old man!” Gongsun Ce, enhanced by telekinesis, dodged the attacks with great speed. Seizing the chance, he stomped down, hitting Douglas’s right arm before it could withdraw. “—Arghh!” The strong kick planted Douglas’s right hand into the ground. Telekinesis fists struck his head and torso at that moment, completely throwing him off balance.

The mutated beast flipped over to the ground, the oversize lamp flying from his grip, and Gongsun Ce caught it with telekinesis. He twisted open the lamp cap and saw inside, instead of lamp oil, were various precious jewels and ornaments.

(What now?)

(Do as I instruct. First…)

Douglas struggled to turn over, the frantic look in his eyes catching sight of his own lamp. The young man in black scooped out the treasures inside the lamp and callously tossed them to the ground.

“—Arghh!!!”

Douglas struggled madly, but his head was firmly held down by Gongsun Ce. The young man emptied the lamp thoroughly and said with severity, “Douglas Burstone, your Impermanence Skill is the lamp of wishes. What is your real wish now? Is it to protect your own life or to covet Viscount Buck’s wealth?”

The transformed Douglas slowed his movements, and the voice of an old man could just be discerned amid his roars, “Want… money… want… to live…”

“The court might show leniency to an old man who killed by accident, but it will never forgive a greedy beast.”

Gongsun Ce put the lamp down and stepped back, slicing a lock of Douglas’s hair with a Telekinesis Sword.

“Be human or remain a beast; it’s your choice.”

The heavy telekinesis restraints made it impossible for Douglas to continue fighting. Deprived of the means to vent his emotions through attack, his ferocious beast nature gradually succumbed. The mutated lamp lay before him, and the discarded treasures and the sword suspended above his head stimulated his faint human nature, making him reconsider.

“I…”

A glimmer of clarity emerged gradually in Douglas’s vertical pupils. It was the light of rationality, opposing desire.

The gold and silver treasures in the swamp instantly dissipated like smoke, and the lamp shrank back to its normal size, becoming a beautiful lamp fitting of a fairy tale description. Douglas’s form returned to normal, transforming back into a gaunt old man.

The sneaky ambiance of Shadow Mist City quietly dispersed, and they were back in the reality of the capital. Douglas kneeled on the ground, holding his lamp, and murmured softly, “I want to live, sir… I just want to live.”