C3 The Demon Creatures Underground

Lee Jiaxiang was genuinely at a loss, staring at the thick needle in disbelief. "Is this for a cow?" he wondered aloud. Looking up at Ji Jinfei with a pained expression, he asked, "Are you sure you didn't grab the wrong needle?"

"I'm sure," Ji Jinfei replied with a cheeky grin. "But if you marry me, I might make it a little easier for you."

Jiaxiang gritted his teeth and said, "Just give me the shot."

"Alright then, drop your pants and show me your backside," Ji Jinfei teased with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Cut it out," Jiaxiang huffed. "This is clearly for an intramuscular injection. Whether it’s in the butt or the shoulder, it’s the same. Don’t try to fool me—I’ve been to school long enough to know better. Just do it in the arm."

With that, he took off his shirt and rolled up his sleeve, revealing a strong arm. Ji Jinfei glanced at it, smirked slyly, and said, "Alright, no choice then."

Ji Jinfei dabbed his arm with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab and plunged the needle in. Jiaxiang felt a sharp, piercing pain. "Wow, this needle really packs a punch," he thought, gritting his teeth through the discomfort. By the time the shot was over, sweat was beading on his forehead.

Pulling the needle out, Ji Jinfei said, "Master, the serum injection is done. We should get ready." She then took out two small bottles, handed one to Ji Yeying, and they both downed the contents.

Watching them, Jiaxiang exclaimed, "Wait a minute, you have an oral version of this serum?"

"Yeah, so?" Ji Jinfei replied innocently.

"So why did I get an injection?" Jiaxiang felt like he’d been played for a fool, especially after claiming to be well-educated.

Ji Jinfei shrugged, "You didn’t ask. You only asked if it was the right needle, and it was. You never asked if there was an oral option."

"I..." Lee Jiaxiang was so taken aback that he swallowed his words.

Seeing the situation, Ji Yeying quickly said, "Alright, enough fooling around. Let's get moving and finish this mission so we can go back and split the reward. Lee, you're the scholar here and know the terrain well, so could you lead the way for us?"

"Sure," Lee Jiaxiang replied through gritted teeth, secretly plotting where he might get back at these two. They were really something else.

Normally, you would take the elevator to enter the underground lab, but due to concerns about fires or other issues, there was also a staircase. It wasn't usually used, but to be safe, Ji Yeying decided they'd take the stairs.

Lee Jiaxiang led them to the stairwell door. The area was relatively clean. Ji Jinfei checked it out and said, "Boss, those creatures haven't gotten in here."

Ji Yeying nodded, sniffing the air carefully. "That means those creatures aren't very strong. We'll search each level thoroughly. Be sure not to leave any of them behind. If they attack us from both sides, we can handle it, but Lee here might not."

Lee Jiaxiang wanted to object, but seeing the situation, he realized he was indeed the weakest link. He swallowed his protest. Ji Jinfei smiled and said, "Don't worry, it won't be a problem."

They quickly descended the stairs, immediately hearing a rustling sound from below. It was the creatures moving around. Ji Yeying frowned and said, "They have good hearing. Be careful and get your weapons ready."

Ji Jinfei quickly unclipped his belt, and with a flick, a sharp sword sprang out. Meanwhile, Ji Yeying deftly produced two hidden blades from his sleeves, a skill not many could master.

Seeing this, Lee Jiaxiang thought to himself: So they're experts after all. I figured as much. They hardly brought anything with them yet dared to claim they were Demon Suppressing Masters. They really do have some skills.

As they descended to the basement level, they were confronted by two massive sliding doors, each secured with a keypad lock. Lee Jiaxiang remarked, "This place is all about secrecy. Without the code, there's no way in."

"If you know the code, hurry up and enter it. We'll clear each level before moving to the next. Let's go," Ji Yeying instructed.

Lee Jiaxiang quickly punched in a series of numbers, and the door responded with a beep. Before he could react, the door was suddenly flung open from the inside, and a fly spider, as tall as a person, lunged out, spewing venom straight at him.

Ji Jinfei dove to the side, pulling Lee Jiaxiang with her, narrowly avoiding the attack. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ji Yeying swiftly moved in, slicing through the creature's head with a hidden blade, severing a small orb on top. The fly spider collapsed, twitching a few times before it died.

"Hey, you troublemaker, how long are you planning to pin me down? Get off already," Lee Jiaxiang's voice came from the side. Ji Yeying glanced over to see Ji Jinfei sprawled on top of him, refusing to budge.

"I... I'm hurt. I can't get up," Ji Jinfei replied weakly.

Lee Jiaxiang tried to wriggle free, but Ji Jinfei held him down with surprising strength. Ji Yeying shook her head, grabbed Ji Jinfei by the collar, and lifted her off, saying, "If you keep messing around, I'll kick you out of the team."

"Hehe, Master, I was just joking with this handsome guy. No need to get so mad," Ji Jinfei said, putting on a pitiful face.

Lee Jiaxiang quickly scrambled to his feet, dusting himself off. "Can we not joke like that? I have a girlfriend, you know."

"What?" Ji Jinfei looked disappointed. "You've got a girlfriend and you're still messing with me?"

"Clearly, you're taking advantage of me, okay?" Lee Jiaxiang looked utterly defeated.

Ji Yeying quickly separated the two and said, "Everyone, shut up and listen to my orders. Jinfei, you take the lead, Lee, you're in the middle, and I'll cover the rear. Stay alert. I thought I saw a two-headed fly spider earlier, but this one's single-headed. Be careful."

Lee Jiaxiang scoffed, "I thought a Demon Suppressing Master had some special skills, but it turns out you're just using knives and swords to fight. If I'd known, I would've gathered the martial arts students from our academy to handle it."

"Yeah, right," Ji Jinfei said as she moved forward. "If you had done that, we'd be collecting your remains. Do you think the short sword you're holding is just any ordinary weapon? And Master’s famous Pocket Universe Sword, along with this valuable weapon I have, are all refined by us Demon Suppressing Masters. Ordinary weapons can't harm these creatures. Dream on."

Lee Jiaxiang paused, "Are you saying these weapons are specially made?"

"What do you think?" Ji Jinfei replied, cautiously scanning the surroundings. Just then, a rustling sound echoed around them, indicating something was approaching.

The lab was filled with long tables, each about waist-high, blocking their view of the other side. The rustling suggested there were at least five or six of those fly spiders, not just one or two.

"We're in trouble, Master. We're surrounded," Ji Jinfei stopped and listened intently. "What should we do, Master? Should we strike first?"

The rustling ceased, as if the fly spiders were waiting for the right moment. Ji Yeying smirked, "Jinfei, just charge forward. Lee, you handle the left flank. Got it?"

Lee Jiaxiang gritted his teeth and said, "No problem, I'll protect it."

"Who told you to protect it? If you have the ability, take one down. The fly spider's weak spot is the small bulb on top of its head. Cut that off, and they're done for. If they attack with venom, dodge if you can. Don't do anything reckless," Ji Yeying ordered immediately.

Lee Jiaxiang nodded. Suddenly, Ji Jinfei shouted and charged forward. Sure enough, five fly spiders jumped up around them. One faced Ji Jinfei directly, while two others attacked Lee Jiaxiang from the left, and the remaining two went for Ji Yeying on the right.

At this moment, Ji Jinfei chuckled. The fly spider coming at him spat venom, but instead of retreating, Ji Jinfei advanced. Just as the venom was about to hit, he rolled forward along the ground, not only dodging the venom but also landing right in front of the fly spider. With a leap, he dodged another spray of venom that barely missed his shoes.

Taking advantage of this opening, Ji Jinfei swung his sword, slicing off the small bulb on the fly spider's head. Meanwhile, Ji Yeying had already finished her battle, but Lee Jiaxiang was being pushed back. The two fly spiders seemed to exploit the short reach of his knife, coordinating their attack to close in on him.

Ji Yeying swiftly moved in, her Pocket Universe Sword sweeping in an arc, slicing off the bulbs on the heads of the two fly spiders. Watching them retreat, Lee Jiaxiang finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thanks."

Ji Yeying replied coldly, "No need to be so polite. I'm only helping you because of the two thousand bucks you paid."

Lee Jiaxiang suddenly remembered he had paid and could only smile, saying, "That's great. I hope for more help in the future."

Without looking up, Ji Yeying added, "I forgot to tell you, that two thousand was just a deposit. Saving you once costs a thousand, so you have one more rescue left. If I save you a third time, there will be extra charges."

"What? Isn't it a one-time payment?"

"Nope."

"Man, you're such a bloodsucker." At this point, Lee Jiaxiang felt like crying but had no tears left. He was really stuck on this sinking ship.