Chapter 16: The Phantom Hound Demon Child (Part Two)

Page (1/3)
10:30 PM, outside the apartment building.
Chu Hengkong wielded a long spear coiled by his tentacles. The spear measured two meters and one decimeter in length, forged entirely from refined iron—head and shaft alike—making it exceptionally heavy. In ancient battlefields, spears were mostly made with wooden or bamboo shafts; a pure iron spear was too heavy for most, but for Chu Hengkong, it was just right.
The spear was not a relic, but it was sufficient. He wore newly custom-made leather gloves on his right hand, with a sensory necklace embedded in the palm and two water-bullet stickers affixed to the back of the hand. This setup allowed him to easily activate two relics with a single fist, saving effort.
He had eaten dinner early and walked around at night to acclimate his eyes to the darkness. Before undertaking any serious business, he always prepared thoroughly—whether killing a man or dealing with a dog.
After nightfall, the atmosphere inside the abandoned apartment building transformed completely. The dim hallway lights flickered on, casting eerie shadows on empty spaces. The malevolent spirit made no attempt to hide its hostility, issuing warnings to the man outside. Chu Hengkong ignored everything and strode into the building, striking the iron door with his spear. The sharp knocks echoed relentlessly through the corridor.
The spirits inside were enraged by the intrusion and their provocation; a low growl issued forth, and a fierce wind howled through the darkness.
Doors throughout the apartment burst open as several black shadows, accompanied by the sound of slicing air, lunged at Chu Hengkong—rusty iron blades and knives. The spirit’s power indeed grew stronger at night; it need not appear in person but manipulated objects from a distance with eerie force. About a dozen sharp weapons darted in from all directions, like the spirit’s razor-sharp teeth. Their speed far surpassed ordinary water bullets, while Chu Hengkong wielded only a single spear.
His spear tip flicked.
In an instant—so swift it made no sound—all the weapons clattered to the floor. The spirit’s telekinetic control seemed to fail, the flying blades shattered upon impact. The man with the spear calmly stepped over the fragments and walked on. The spirit, shrouded in shadow, was momentarily bewildered. It did not understand what the man had done. Normally, a barrage of knives would send intruders fleeing, but this method seemed useless against him.
The spirit decided to change tactics, lifting a heavy butcher’s cleaver. The blade was broad and thick, its weight alone enough to crush a man unconscious. Yet under the spirit’s power, it flew silently, merging completely with the shadows. It slipped behind Chu Hengkong, aiming to strike his torso.
The cleaver slammed into the wall, yet in its thick blade was a round hole. Fine cracks radiated from the hole, and the cleaver shattered like glass, scattering fragments across the floor. The spirit was stunned. This time it understood its failure. Chu Hengkong’s spear tip moved before the cleaver accelerated, and the blade shattered just as he withdrew the spear. The spirit saw the beginning and end but not the process—the moment the spear thrust out was as if it had been hidden. Even an ethereal ghost leaves traces, but this mortal man had delivered an invisible strike!
Chu Hengkong slowly raised the steel spear, aiming at the damp wall.
“Is this all the speed you have at night?” he smiled. “Not enough. Or… let your master come!”
As the last word left his mouth, he broke into a run down the corridor. The spear swiftly scraped along the wall, sparks flying from its tip. The waiting team outside immediately covered their ears, hearing an agonizingly grating noise—like nails on a blackboard, but a thousand times more piercing. The sound reverberated through the empty hallways, creating an indescribably terrifying roar.
The spirit howled in frustration; it could no longer endure even a moment of this noise. Even humans would consider it torture; for a dog, it was unbearable!
Suddenly, all the lights inside the apartment shattered. Every door slammed shut, shards of glass and blades forming a sharp storm that swept through the narrow corridors. Every hiding place was blocked. Chu Hengkong had no choice but to defend and withdraw. Regardless of his choice, the chaos would cease.
However, the spirit miscalculated again. The noise stopped only momentarily. Chu Hengkong slid his tentacle backward, gripping the spear with his right hand reversed, and shouted as he unleashed force. The iron spear transformed into a club, smashing down into the heart of the storm.
“Hah!”

Page (2/3)
The blades recoiled, the storm reversed, and the spirit’s assault was shattered—by a stronger wind! A clear path opened before Chu Hengkong as the fierce gust carved a way. He continued running, spear tip now stabbing at the glass, amplifying the screeching noise a hundredfold.
This was the advantage of wielding a weapon: greater range, stronger force, and more versatile tactics.
“Awooo—!!!”
A sharp bark exploded from the darkness. Windows shattered into fragments as the angry spirit’s fury radiated even to the team outside. The spirit could no longer hold back; it wanted to tear this fool to pieces. Dust and shards swirled toward the stairwell, illuminated by a sickly green light. A black beast emerged.
Its body formed from gray dust, with sharpened wooden claws and teeth. Its giant eyes, the size of fists, glowed with hatred and malice like burning embers. The spirit bore no resemblance to a dog; it was the monstrous wolf of a child’s nightmare. It howled like a fierce wind as it charged.
Chu Hengkong smiled. The thing he feared most was a ghost lurking in shadows, harassing endlessly; a true form was easier to handle.
He stood firm and fired two shots. The guns flashed like silver streaks, not aiming for throat or eyes, but striking the wolf’s claws. The wooden claws were pierced, but the spirit’s ethereal body remained unharmed. The wolf leapt high, snapping at Chu Hengkong’s head.
Its jaws closed, tearing only air. Chu Hengkong bent his knees, ducking the pounce. His right hand gripped the spear tightly; a purple light flickered. The spear swept low, scraping the ground, severing the wolf’s two hind claws.
After the first exchange, the wolf landed as Chu Hengkong remained crouched.
The wolf felt confident; after all, a bare-handed man could not harm it, only shatter wood and stir dust. Suddenly, it dissipated and reappeared behind Chu Hengkong, jaws snapping fiercely.
Chu Hengkong sensed the wind behind him, heard the beast’s footsteps, yet did not rise—there was no need yet. His right foot coiled with power, his left foot silently pulled back. As the wolf’s jaws opened, he explosively pushed off the ground, stepping forward with his right foot, spinning and twisting his body into a left hook, the spear swung backward with his arm’s strength.
The strike pierced through the wolf’s dusty outer shell, striking something deep inside its body.
The wolf froze as if electrified, rolling on the ground with pained howls. Chu Hengkong’s attack had worked—he had wounded the ghost with iron.
This was expected. From the first round of battle, he had planned this strike. Breaking the wooden claws reduced interference. Dodging and closing the distance allowed him to activate the sensory pendant as the wolf flew overhead, enhancing his vision to see through the dust and into the wolf’s core.
Inside the massive form lay a stone collar. He guessed this was the key to the spirit’s malevolence.
In Huilong City, countless people and beasts died unjustly each year. Why had this pet dog become the building’s spirit? Either some strange bloodline or a relic’s effect had awakened it. Now that critical relic was struck by his spear, like squeezing a venomous snake’s fatal spot. The wolf writhed in pain, then scrambled to flee.
Chu Hengkong calmly flicked out a tentacle, the iron spear chasing the wolf’s body, thrusting three more times at the stone collar.
All three strikes hit the same spot. The collar cracked, fractures appearing on its surface. The wolf howled, collapsing to its knees. Chu Hengkong stomped on the collar, slowly raising his spear as if to shatter it completely.
“—Stop hitting Hau!!”
A little girl’s cry echoed in the darkness. A strange suction force snatched the collar away, and Chu Hengkong’s spear struck empty air. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking if he missed again, even a dog would know he was holding back. He slung the iron spear over his shoulder.
Sure enough, the little ghost girl he’d seen in daylight appeared. This time she no longer hid inside the wall, though she still cowered beneath the green light. The great black wolf whimpered gently beside her, obedient like a true pet.

Page (3/3)
“Sir, please don’t hit him anymore.” The little ghost girl’s voice was pitiful. “Hau didn’t mean to bother you. Please let us be.”
Chu Hengkong felt a headache at the tone. He was never good with women or children, and this ghost was a little girl. He sighed and suddenly asked, “Are you a good child?”
The little ghost’s mouth parted slightly, confused by the question. Hesitantly, she said, “I, I am…”
“Being alive means being a good child. Once dead, don’t cause trouble.” Chu Hengkong said coldly, “Huilong City is vast. If you don’t make trouble, no one cares about you or your dog. But if you’re restless, people like me will come to deal with you.”
The girl said nothing, taking two steps back. Chu Hengkong softened his tone, trying to appear kind and gentle—a difficult feat for a killer. “I don’t kill children. Hand over the collar and behave yourself. This ends here.”
“...No.” The little girl clutched the collar tightly.
Chu Hengkong pressed his brow. The stubborn resolve in her eyes was like nails. This was why he disliked children—they were always obstinate and single-minded, clutching what they held onto with iron will, never letting go, no matter how much you kicked or beat them. They only stabbed you with the nails in their eyes, turning tiny problems into battles against the whole world.
Chu Hengkong made one last effort. “I’m a police officer. If you have enemies, the police uncle can help you kill them…”
“So you’re a cop.” The little girl looked down. “Are cops any use?”
“When my mother was beaten to death, you weren’t there. When they hit me and Hau, you weren’t there either… I screamed until I lost my voice but no one came… Now my parents are dead, and the police finally come—to hit my dog…!”
Blood-red tears streamed from the little girl’s eyes. She stared at Chu Hengkong, her cries near wailing, “My whole family is dead. What use are you here for?! Go die! All of you go die!!!”
A piercing explosion followed her cries. Chu Hengkong immediately raised his spear.
In the next instant, sickly green energy burst from around the girl. The giant wolf charged out, now at more than twice its previous speed!
The wolf’s head slammed into the iron spear, sending a tremendous shockwave up the shaft. The force was like a massive hammer, smashing Chu Hengkong against the ceiling.
In moments, the layered floors between the third and fifth levels shattered one after another. Chu Hengkong was violently thrown from the second floor to the fifth. The impact penetrated the spear and struck his body, forcing him to cough up blood.
At the same time, agonizing pain erupted across his body. Invisible blows rained down like raindrops. Though the space around him was empty, his senses told him dozens of fierce spirits were beating him mercilessly!