As they spoke, the black mist quickly converged and swept toward the two women. Luna Xiao let out a surprised cry, forcibly channeled her qi, and stamped out the Seven-Star Steel Steps. Her hands crossed before her chest—her left hand supporting her right elbow, while her right thumb, pinky, and ring finger joined, with her index and middle fingers extended—forming the 'Ghost-Banishing Seal.' She pointed, and a beam of white light—"whoosh!"—shot toward the nearby sandalwood altar table, sending the five wine cups spinning into the air.
Luna Xiao flicked her hand seal—"thud! thud! thud! thud! thud!"—the five yellow jade wine cups instantly embedded themselves in the positions of the Five Elements. She quickly chanted, "Heaven and earth unbound, yin and yang without borders, divine light of the Three Realms, golden steel energy, shield my body—by law, grant!"
With a twist of her right hand, the five yellow jade wine cups at the Five Elements positions burst forth with a cool white glow, instantly forming a bright, crystalline barrier that enveloped Luna Xiao and May Gu. The surging black mist was forcibly blocked outside the barrier.
Daniel Nagumo paused, then praised, "Hmm, a Qimen Five Elements Demon-Repelling Array! Not bad! Luna Xiao, your skills are impressive! But let's see how long you can hold out—"
With that, Daniel Nagumo flicked his sleeve and turned to the sky, forming a strange hand seal. Two fluttering white chrysanthemum petals fell onto the two shriveled corpses of girls by the hot spring. As he chanted a bizarre incantation, a terrifying scene unfolded—the two dead, shriveled girls suddenly twitched, then jerked upright, standing on the ground. Their rolled-back eyes were lifeless, their faces ashen, but as Daniel Nagumo continued his ghostly chant, their arms suddenly grew longer, tearing through their clothes. Their withered hands turned gray-black, their nails lengthened and gleamed with a dark shine. They had become terrifying zombies, slowly advancing toward the Qimen Five Elements Demon-Repelling Array shielding Luna Xiao and May Gu—
"Ah—they're alive! They're coming toward us—" May Gu, witnessing such a horrifying dark art for the first time, couldn't help but tremble in fear.
"Damn! That's the Nine Chrysanthemums Society's corpse-controlling art, turning the dead into zombies immune to the Five Elements. Our array might not be able to stop these two zombies!" Luna Xiao said gravely, channeling her qi to maintain the barrier while frantically searching her mind for a way to counter the corpse-controlling spell.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Andrew Qi and Warren Cloud chased the Lean Tiger & Fat Dragon brothers to the small stone bridge by the hot spring. They attacked together, and after just a few exchanges, forced the brothers to retreat in disarray, scrambling to escape. Lean Tiger Gavin Strong shouted, "Damn! We can't hold out! These two are too fierce—Old Zhu, quick, call for backup! Or we'll be toast!"
Fat Dragon Leo Bright hurriedly retreated several steps, then whipped off his camo vest—"whoosh!"—a streak of green light shot into the sky and exploded, dazzling bright. He'd fired a signal flare.
"Hmph—so you have reinforcements. No wonder you dared to cause trouble here with so little skill! Who the hell are you guys, anyway?" Andrew Qi demanded coldly.
Fat Dragon Leo Bright, panting, shouted, "Heh—our background is huge! Wiping out your Thirteen Enforcers would be a breeze!"
Andrew Qi was momentarily stunned, then sneered, "Oh, really? Well, let's see about that—if you survive today, then you can keep bragging, you fat idiot!"
With that, his hands hooked like claws, Andrew Qi unleashed a vicious 'Eagle Pounces on Rabbit,' aiming straight for Fat Dragon Leo Bright's throat.
Seeing Andrew Qi's ferocious attack, Leo Bright knew he couldn't withstand it, so he quickly retreated, arms raised to block—"smack! smack!"—he staggered back several steps and fell to the ground. Two chunks of fat had been clawed from his arms, blood streaming and pain unbearable. As Andrew Qi closed in, Leo Bright screamed, "Mom! I can't take it anymore! Jade Swann, hurry up and save me!"
"Hmph—not even the King of Heaven could save you!" Andrew Qi snorted, changing his claws to go for the kill. Suddenly, he sensed something behind him, ducked his head, and glanced back—just in time to see a streak of blue lightning, crackling with thunder, blasting toward his chest!
Andrew Qi quickly dodged with a leap—"boom!"—the lightning struck where he'd just stood, leaving a smoking crater.
Immediately, a stunningly beautiful young sorceress appeared at the edge of the hot spring. She wore a sky-blue tight crop top and a short skirt, her long, shapely legs accentuating her curvy figure. Her glossy hair was tied in a simple ponytail, her flawless skin radiant, her delicate face framed by bright, autumn-water eyes and rosy lips. Her features were exquisite, and her playful smile curled up mischievously.
Upon seeing the beautiful sorceress, Leo Bright's eyes lit up and he scrambled toward her, shouting, "Ah-ha—Jade Swann, you finally showed up! If you'd been any later, I'd be dead for sure!"
But the sorceress ignored Zhu Gelian and instead coldly smiled at Andrew Qi, whose face shifted uncertainly. "Heh, old devil, how do you like my Celestial Five Thunders Spell? Pretty fierce, huh?" she said, striding toward him.
"Celestial Five Thunders Spell! You're from the Celestial Thunder Society?!" Andrew Qi demanded coldly.
"Heh, that's right! I am Jade Swann of the Celestial Thunder Society! I came here today just to deal with you Thirteen Enforcers! Old thief Andrew, if you want to surrender, say so now—maybe I'll spare you!" The sorceress proudly thrust out her chest, boasting.
"Ha! Just you, a girl from the Celestial Thunder Society, think you can take me on? You're way too cocky and clueless!" Andrew Qi snorted.
"Oh? What if you add us in?" With a sweet female voice behind Jade Swann, Rainie Cheng appeared in her Interpol uniform, looking heroic. She held a P229 pistol with a laser sight, the red dot aimed right at Andrew Qi's forehead.
Then, from the small stone bridge came the rapid footsteps and metallic clatter of heavy boots. A squad of SWAT officers in black combat gear, faces masked, stormed in with Type 95 assault rifles, their dark barrels all aimed at Andrew Qi and Warren Cloud.