As the saying goes, "One should be a hero in life and a ghost among heroes in death."
After experiencing the benefits of using soul power to create independent soul entities, Yang Hongtao could not bear the thought of losing this magical ability and turning back into an ordinary person.
Since that's the case, there's no point in hesitating. His soul power is severely depleted and needs a lot of replenishment, so why not just give it a try now? If he succeeds, he'll never have to worry about running out of soul power again. If he fails... well, he can just become a ghost again!
Thinking of this, Yang Hongtao gritted his teeth, raised his head, and stared intently at the evil spirit swooping down from mid-air. His lips parted slightly, and although no sound came out, heavy syllables began to resonate deep within his soul—
"Om Mani Padme Hum—"
As always, as the six-character mantra resonated in Yang Hongtao's soul, enormous characters flew into the air and transformed into six white halos of different sizes. The white halos radiated a sacred light, enveloping an area of about five meters in radius.
Five meters is roughly the current limit of these apertures. After the largest aperture expands to five meters, it suddenly stops and then begins to shrink rapidly.
At this moment, the ghost of the assassin had already rushed into the area covered by the light, and his ghostly claws were only about half a foot away from Yang Hongtao's neck.
After the six halos lit up one after another, the ghost froze, and an extreme sense of fear instinctively arose from the depths of its soul. It no longer cared about fighting Yang Hongtao, and suddenly turned around to try to escape into the air.
However, it was all too late! The first circle of light rapidly contracted, like a series of giant stone crushers, instantly turning the assassin's ghost into countless fragments, never to be whole again.
Then the second ring of light contracted, frantically squeezing and condensing the fragments...
Until the six beams of light completely entered Yang Hongtao's body, the poor dead ghost had been processed into the purest and cleanest soul energy, which was directly replenished into Yang Hongtao's soul. The ghost's lingering memories from its previous life were completely separated from the original soul, packaged into a set of unorganized information, and stored separately in the vast memory bank in Yang Hongtao's mind.
"Ah...ha...I'm not dead!"
Yang Hongtao subconsciously touched his body and found that he was still intact and had not truly separated from his body again. He jumped up with great joy.
In his excitement, he forgot that the huge transformer in front of him was leaking high voltage. He jumped, and upon landing, he forgot to land on one foot, and was immediately shocked by the voltage difference between his feet, letting out a strange "whoa!"
Volume 1: The Rebirth of a Prodigy, Chapter 35: The Cross Dart
At this moment, Yang Hongtao was only a little over a meter away from the severely leaking transformer. The high-voltage electricity was still very strong here. In an instant, Yang Hongtao's hair stood on end from the shock, and his body felt numb and painful, as if someone had grabbed his entire body and brutally ravaged it.
This is truly a case of joy turning into sorrow!
After being shocked by the electric shock, Yang Hongtao became much more sober. Fortunately, it was just the aftershock of the high voltage, so it wasn't very strong. In any case, he wouldn't be like that assassin, whose entire body was cooked by the electric shock.
Although his body was somewhat numb, Yang Hongtao still managed to lift one leg. In this way, the pressure difference disappeared, and Yang Hongtao could hardly feel the high voltage flowing under him.
Yang Hongtao breathed a sigh of relief, then decided that he had to waste a little more soul power to restore the transformer to normal. Otherwise, if other pedestrians passed by and were electrocuted, it would be his fault!
Fortunately, to eliminate the leakage of the transformer, it was not necessary to completely restore the terminal to its original angle. It was enough to slightly shift it about one centimeter in the original direction, which did not consume much of Yang Hongtao's soul power.
After Yang Hongtao had completely purified and absorbed the assassin's soul, he discovered that the soul energy contained in this relatively complete soul was several times greater than that of the remnant soul that had been exposed to the sun.
Or perhaps it was because the assassin had received special training, so his soul was much stronger than that of an ordinary person. In any case, Yang Hongtao felt that the soul energy this ghost added to him was equivalent to the total soul energy extracted from the remnants of more than a dozen death row inmates.
This was an unexpected surprise for Yang Hongtao. If he could find a few more ghosts of this caliber, he could probably return to his peak condition.
With a slight movement of the terminal block, the high voltage on the transformer immediately decreased, and the young assassin's body, which was half-hanging on it, lost the attraction of the high voltage. After swaying a couple of times, it fell down with a "thud," lying face up under the transformer, still emitting wisps of acrid black smoke.
Although the smell of the corpse disgusted Yang Hongtao, he had no choice but to hold his nose and approach, remembering that Zhou Ziwei's wallet was still in the guy's pocket.
Even if he wasn't afraid of the trouble and was willing to report the ID card lost and reissue it, leaving such things on a corpse would be a foolish thing to do and just wait for trouble to come knocking on his door. Yang Hongtao would naturally not make such a mistake.
Seeing that there were still no pedestrians around, Yang Hongtao quickly put his fingers under his sleeve before reaching into the corpse's pocket and taking out Zhou Ziwei's wallet.
Yang Hongtao then took the cell phone out of the corpse, intending to turn it on and check the call logs and recordings.
In retrospect, this could be considered a move Yang Hongtao had made earlier.
As evening fell, after Yang Hongtao used his soul power to establish an independent soul entity within the phone, he didn't just let the phone ring twice to scare away the assassin. Instead, he memorized the phone's number and all the numbers that had recently been contacted by the phone. Finally, after discovering that the phone possessed many special functions that were unimaginable for ordinary phones, Yang Hongtao sent a request to the phone's independent soul entity, enabling the phone to automatically record calls and automatically track incoming calls via satellite positioning.
Yang Hongtao pondered that since the assassin was hired to kill, he would inevitably need to contact his employer afterward. If the phone could fully enable these two functions as Yang Hongtao requested, it might actually be able to find the employer through the phone recording and satellite positioning!
However, when Yang Hongtao found the cell phone on the corpse and discovered that this seemingly ordinary but incredibly powerful phone was also constantly emitting black smoke, he was stunned!
Oh no! I was only thinking about using high-voltage electricity for a surprise attack, hoping it would have unexpected results, but I forgot that doing so would also cut off the only clue! Now that the phone is electrocuted like this, it would be a miracle if it still works.
However, despite this being the only possible outcome, Yang Hongtao was still somewhat unwilling to give up and pocketed it without further ado.
Although the phone is definitely ruined, the memory card inside may not be completely broken. We can try to restore it when we get back. Even finding just a little clue is much better than guessing here!
Having obtained what he needed, Yang Hongtao didn't linger any longer. Otherwise, if someone saw him later, it would be troublesome. Moreover, he was carrying a gun, and if the police saw him and questioned him, it would be even more dangerous!
In any case, this trip wasn't in vain. Killing this assassin can be considered as completing half of his goal. Although he can't really rest easy from now on, at least he should be able to keep off assassins for a day or two!
Yang Hongtao was in high spirits and walked quickly. He didn't even bother to call a taxi. He planned to walk all the way to Rainbow Street to pick up his Mercedes-Benz, and then he could go back to his villa and have a good night's sleep.
With nothing else to do, Yang Hongtao decided to sort through the various jumbled memories he had obtained from the young assassin as he walked.
Yang Hongtao soon discovered that the memories he obtained from the assassin's soul were the most complete he had ever received. The memories contained almost all of the assassin's skills and knowledge in various fields, and all of them had been inherited.
Actually, it's not surprising when you think about it. After all, this is the first complete soul that Yang Hongtao has captured, not the kind of fragmented soul that has been shattered by the sun. So it's normal that the memories he obtained are more comprehensive.
However, in this most complete memory in history, the majority of things were still various skills and knowledge. As for who the assassin had met before, Yang Hongtao could hardly find out. Even if there were a few people who left a deep impression on the young assassin, they were just very vague faces.
It seems that even the most complete memories, after being crushed and condensed by the halo formed by the six-syllable mantra, are difficult to preserve all of a person's memories from their lifetime, especially those related to other people.
In this respect, only Zhou Ziwei's remnant soul did not retain many other memories, but only allowed Yang Hongtao to remember some random beauties.
I wonder if this different situation is because Yang Hongtao inherited Zhou Ziwei's body?
Yang Hongtao had originally planned to search through the memories left by the assassin to see if there were any memories related to the employer who hired the assassin to kill him, but now it seems that this idea is unlikely to be realized.
Fortunately, Yang Hongtao hadn't held out much hope anyway. After a quick search, he realized it wasn't possible and gave up.
However, this search of the newly acquired memories quickly led Yang Hongtao to discover the young assassin's true signature skill—the various memories related to the cross-shaped dart.
This was the first set of relatively outstanding skills in concealed weapons that Yang Hongtao had obtained, so he naturally attached great importance to it.
After all, we live in a society governed by law, and it is illegal to possess firearms. So even if Yang Hongtao is a very skilled marksman, he cannot carry a gun for self-defense at all times.
The cross-shaped dart technique is no less effective than a pistol at short distances. With this skill for self-defense, Yang Hongtao's safety level will be significantly increased.
This discovery delighted Yang Hongtao once again. He immediately stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, and quickly integrated this part of the memory into his soul.
In less than two minutes, Yang Hongtao had already begun to integrate this foreign memory with his own soul.
After the initial integration, Yang Hongtao should be able to unleash about 50-60% of this unique skill.
If he wants to develop this skill to the level that the assassin originally possessed, he will have to rely on constant exploration in his daily life. After all, the connection between these memories and Yang Hongtao's soul is limited in a short time. Without a complete connection, it is naturally impossible to master it to a profound level.
But... to unleash the full power of this cross-shaped dart, he needs to have a few cross-shaped darts in his hand, right? As the saying goes, even a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice. If he doesn't have cross-shaped darts, then no matter how perfectly he integrates this unique skill, it will all be for nothing.
Earlier, when Yang Hongtao was searching the assassin's body, he had noticed that there were several cross-like objects stuck in the assassin's belt. At the time, he didn't pay much attention to them and just thought they were decorations. Now that he had absorbed the assassin's memories, he realized that those cross-shaped gadgets were the assassin's unique hidden weapon - the cross dart!
Volume 1 The Rebirth of a Prodigy Chapter 36 No Interest
After obtaining the assassin's memories about the cross-shaped dart, Yang Hongtao naturally learned about the manufacturing method and simple blueprints for this type of dart. He knew that the production of this dart was quite complicated, and it could only be hand-forged by skilled craftsmen, who would spend three to five days meticulously crafting it before a qualified cross-shaped dart could be produced.
The six cross-shaped darts on the young assassin's body were passed down from his ancestors and had a history of over a hundred years. Originally, there were twelve darts in a set, but after a hundred years of changing hands, only these last six remained.
These days, finding a blacksmith is a hundred times harder than finding a talking gorilla. So if Yang Hongtao misses out on the few ready-made darts on the assassin's corpse, he doesn't know when he'll have the chance to make a dart suitable for his use.
Having realized this, Yang Hongtao did not hesitate at all. He immediately turned around, took a step, and ran back the way he came.
Now Yang Hongtao can only hope that the assassin's body hasn't been discovered yet! Otherwise, if there are people next to the body, Yang Hongtao really won't be able to do anything.
Although he thought so, Yang Hongtao knew that the chances were extremely low. Just this round trip had already wasted almost half an hour of his time.
Although the street where the killer's body was located was somewhat secluded, it wasn't completely deserted. The possibility that it hadn't been discovered by anyone after so long was almost zero.
The only hope is that everyone who discovers the body is a cowardly, petty citizen who wouldn't want to cause trouble even if they saw the body, so that they might be able to keep it a secret for a while.
However, hope is hope, but reality is always rather cruel. When Yang Hongtao arrived at the street he had just been on, he found that this place, which was originally extremely deserted, was now almost as bustling as a market.
A hundred people stood at a distance, craning their necks and standing on tiptoe, watching the spectacle with excitement on their faces.
Inside, two police cars were parked, their flashing lights still blinking. Several uniformed police officers were crouching down, examining the body.
Seeing this, Yang Hongtao could only sigh helplessly, then turned and quietly retreated.
He wasn't worried about what the police could find out, since the killer had indeed been electrocuted by high voltage, and he believed that any forensic doctor who performed the autopsy, unless they were blind, would definitely be able to reach that conclusion.
Therefore, the police could only conclude that the man's death was an accidental electrocution. If the killer had relatives, they could have sued the power company. However, Yang Hongtao was certain that the killer had no relatives here, so he could only die under mysterious circumstances.
However, this means that it will be very difficult for Yang Hongtao to obtain the six cross-shaped darts he wanted.
Although there is no doubt about the cause of the assassin's death, anyone with common sense would know what the six cross-shaped darts on his body were for.
In this way, the six darts will most likely end up as evidence and be sealed by the police. It will probably not be so easy for Yang Hongtao to get his hands on them!
Yang Hongtao had no good ideas at the moment and could only give up for the time being. After all, although the cross-shaped dart was precious, it was not worth risking public condemnation by going to the police to snatch it.
Disappointed at not getting the cross-shaped darts, Yang Hongtao lost interest in wandering the streets. He hailed a taxi back to Rainbow Street, and as he was about to drive his Mercedes home, he suddenly heard someone hurrying up behind him, a soft, alluring voice ringing out—
"Mr. Zhou, could you please wait a moment?"
Yang Hongtao didn't even need to turn around; just by listening to the voice, he could tell that the person coming was definitely the behind-the-scenes owner of Linglongxin Bar, the irresistibly charming Sister Yue.
Seeing Xin Yue's breasts trembling as she walked too fast, Yang Hongtao's body instinctively heated up again. He subconsciously swallowed, then chuckled and said, "Eh... what does Sister Yue want? Does she regret giving me a free meal earlier and is chasing after me to ask for the money back?"
Upon hearing this, Xin Yue smoothed her hair and smiled charmingly. Her alluring and seductive demeanor was on full display in every gesture, causing Yang Hongtao's heart to pound wildly once again.
"Mr. Zhou, you're joking. Your sister Yue is not the kind of petty woman. Besides... just for that cup of Yangchun Baixue that you personally made for me, what's a little treat to one drink or even every day from now on?"
Although Yang Hongtao's body was somewhat out of control due to Sister Yue's teasing, his mind was still relatively clear. Hearing Xin Yue say this, he knew that she was just being polite and giving him a false favor.
Yang Hongtao, inwardly disdainful, casually said, "Oh... Sister Yue, so you mean you want to give me a free meal forever? Hehe... That would be too much trouble. Besides, if Sister Yue isn't here in the future, it's hard to say whether the free meal will be free or not. I think... well... I heard that your Linglongxin Bar has a limited edition VIP gold card, specially given to high-ranking officials and dignitaries. It's said that with this gold card, you get a 50% discount on all purchases. Hehe... Since Sister Yue is so sincere, don't talk about a free meal forever. Just give me any VIP gold card you like."
A few days ago, when Yang Hongtao was still nicknamed "Bullet Head," he overheard Zhou Ziwei talking to some young master Xu about the Linglongxin Bar's VIP gold card in this bar. Speaking of which, the Linglongxin Bar's VIP card is extremely rare and hard to come by; only eight have ever been given away in the entire Dangyang City.
As the saying goes, scarcity increases value. With this limited edition, the gold card seems to have become more than just a discount; it has become a symbol of prestige.
It is said that a holder of the Linglongxin VIP Gold Card once transferred the card for some reason, and it was sold for a sky-high price of 880,000 yuan.
It's just a bar! And yet, their cheap discount cards sold for 880,000! Yang Hongtao didn't know if those people were completely out of their minds, but he had to admit that this bar was indeed incredibly valuable.
Yang Hongtao's casual question to Xin Yue about the gold card was just a joke. He figured Xin Yue wouldn't actually give him such an expensive gold card just for a drink. Yang Hongtao just wanted to see how Xin Yue would refuse.
To everyone's surprise, Xin Yue didn't show the slightest embarrassment upon hearing this. Instead, she smiled radiantly and gave Yang Hongtao a captivating wink. Then, she said in a coquettish tone, "What's a gold card? If Mr. Zhou is willing to do me a small favor... I can even give you a diamond card, which is only available within our Bairui Group, for free."
As Xin Yue spoke, she took out a card from her handbag that shone with dazzling brilliance and appeared to be studded with diamonds.
"Hmm... You probably haven't heard of this Diamond Card, have you? This is something only board-level managers at our Bairui Group possess. With this card, you can get everything for free at any hotel, bar, or other restaurant under the Bairui Group, and you also enjoy other privileges comparable to those of a group board member. For example... small-amount financing, or recommendations for mid-to-low-level positions within the group... So, Mr. Zhou, are you interested in this card I have?"
Yang Hongtao wasn't very clear about the details of Bairui Group, but judging from Xin Yue's tone, it seemed like she was quite arrogant.
So this diamond card, which is equivalent to the status of a director of the Bairui Group, must be many times more valuable than that VIP gold card, right?