Chapter 050: Elimination

Lin Ye walked forward step by step, holding a bottle of mineral water in one hand and slowly twisting the cap open with the other. Throughout the entire process, his expression remained calm and unconcerned.

"If you surrender and beg for mercy, I might consider letting you go."

However, the anomaly approaching in his line of sight showed no signs of fear.

"No self-awareness?"

Unable to perceive danger, so it acts recklessly?

This behavior was completely different from the yellow-haired anomaly that had transformed into a staff member at the hotel. Back then, when faced with the threat of the peculiar weapon, the yellow-haired anomaly had immediately begged for mercy, demonstrating a strong survival instinct characteristic of "intelligent beings."

But this one...

Other than retaining a vaguely humanoid shape, it had almost nothing human left in its appearance.

Its charred, cracked face oozed with liquid, rendering its features unrecognizable. Except for its somewhat prominent eyes, its mouth and nose seemed to have fused together completely.

The burnt stench of charcoal in the air grew even stronger.

The temperature rose,

A stark contrast to the cool stillness of the night.

As the distance closed,

Lin Ye clearly noticed that the temperature around him was higher compared to earlier at the same range.

The burning had intensified.

'Sizzle...'

The sound of burning fat crackled, echoing down the empty street.

'Tap…'

'Tap…'

Footsteps rang sharply.

Lin Ye's gaze remained fixed on the anomaly. His demeanor showed no trace of panic.

'Roar...'

With a sudden bellow, the anomaly exploded into action. Its face twisted in fury, pale eyes bulging grotesquely, chunks of flesh splitting apart as its charred form surged forward with speed far greater than before.

Faster, fiercer.

In the blink of an eye,

The anomaly was upon Lin Ye. It grinned sinisterly, its right hand raised high, as if it could already envision the scene of Lin Ye being struck, burned, and writhing in agony.

'Whoosh!'

What it struck, however, was empty air.

The anomaly froze momentarily, stunned.

"Over here!"

It immediately twisted its head in the direction of Lin Ye's voice.

Lin Ye had activated Time Stop.

"So, you are aware,"

That sudden, calculated charge from seven or eight meters away proved that the anomaly could strategize. Against anyone else, it likely would have succeeded.

But unfortunately for it, its opponent was Lin Ye.

"Here, let me give you a bath,"

Lin Ye poured all 500 milliliters of water directly onto the anomaly's head without spilling a drop.

Once done,

He swiftly created a significant distance to avoid being caught in any aftermath.

'Drip…'

Time Stop ended, and time resumed its flow.

"Boom…"

The instant time flowed again, a thunderous sound erupted, and a burst of white steam shot out in all directions.

Lin Ye felt the heat from the steam wash over him.

"Did it work?"

From afar, Hina Tachibana watched closely.

Although she didn't understand how Lin Ye had done it, the anomaly's form began to change.

It worked.

It must have worked.

The night wind, stronger than before, quickly dispersed the white mist.

The anomaly reemerged, its eyes reflecting a mocking smile.

It wasn't dead not even significantly harmed.

"No damage?"

"It's not water?"

Impossible.

If water wasn't the key to defeating the anomaly, then the coin it dropped used to operate the vending machine wouldn't have made sense as part of the scenario.

He must have overlooked something.

"Not enough quantity?"

Did it require two bottles?

Lin Ye immediately twisted open the second bottle of mineral water he carried and activated Time Stop again to confront the anomaly.

At a distance of one meter, he saw the mocking glint in the anomaly's gray eyes even more clearly.

Something was wrong.

This wasn't right.

There was definitely something wrong.

Lin Ye withdrew his hand and screwed the bottle cap back on.

He calmed himself and once again surveyed his surroundings. In the distance, near the vending machine, Tachibana Hina is face was filled with anxiety and worry. The street was empty, a few fallen leaves suspended mid-air, frozen in time. The streetlights still cast their white glow, dispelling the darkness.

How could the eerie, possessed creature be properly killed?

"Firelight in the night…"

"Did I... see the fire?"

At that moment,

Lin Ye finally figured it out.

The key was extinguishing the fire!

He had to locate the source of the fire.

Lin Ye immediately picked up a stone from the roadside.

"Bang…"

"Bang…"

He smashed all four nearby streetlights, one by one.

"Roar…"

The moment time resumed, the eerie creature let out a furious roar.

But it suddenly noticed the change in the surrounding light.

Now enveloped in darkness, it alone emitted a faint, bright glow, standing out starkly in the night.

The fire was revealed.

"I finally understand why, in areas without streetlights, you deliberately slowed down, not pursuing closely but following us from a distance after we'd moved far enough ahead,"

"So, this was the reason."

Lin Ye smiled as he spoke.

At that moment,

The eerie creature's confidence shattered. The calm, assured expression it had maintained vanished completely.

Lin Ye took one step forward, and the creature instinctively stepped back.

"So, you are conscious. Well then... please, die now!"

As Lin Ye finished speaking, the creature turned and fled.

But time was once again frozen.

Lin Ye poured the water directly onto the burning core of the creature.

"Aaaaargh!"

A wail of agony echoed.

From a distance, Lin Ye watched as the creature collapsed to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain. He let out a slow breath.

It was done.

The possessed anomaly was finally eliminated.

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