Chapter 78: Offending the Holy Paradise Church Once Again

A true master indeed, he ran with astonishing speed—clearly accustomed to daily training in the woods, his legs a blur, leaving even Owens in the dust. Unfortunately for him, he was Owens, while Lin Xiao was Bolt.

Blessed with extraordinary physique, Lin Xiao was no longer an ordinary human; he had long since surpassed the limits of humanity, reaching a realm beyond the mundane. With each stride spanning over five meters, he moved so swiftly he nearly matched the cars on the roadside.

“My God, are you Owens reborn?” a startled driver exclaimed, jaw dropping as he lost control of the steering wheel, nearly crashing into a tree by the road.

The exorcist, fleeing ahead, sensed someone giving chase. Confident in his own power, he believed he’d quickly leave his pursuer behind, only to realize the distance was closing fast. Alarmed, he darted into a narrow alley, hoping the terrain would shake his pursuer. If not, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill—the audacity to chase him was, in his mind, a death wish.

Hearing the footsteps gaining, the exorcist suddenly stopped and shouted, “Stop! If you value your life, turn back now!”

His answer was a massive hand, five pitch-black fingers like the claws of a demon, lashing out at his face.

“My God, what is that thing?” the thought barely flashed through his mind before the giant claw seized his head and slammed it hard against the wall.

Bang!

The crash echoed, leaving a dent in the wall and making Lin Xiao’s scalp tingle. The exorcist was knocked out cold, a huge bump swelling on his forehead but no blood spilled; though not as strong as Lin Xiao, his physique was far superior to any ordinary person.

“Perhaps I overdid it,” Lin Xiao muttered apologetically. “I only just learned to use the Demon’s Left Hand—no experience, not great at controlling the strength. Still, with your constitution, you should survive.”

He walked over and hoisted the unconscious exorcist by the neck. With his current strength and reflexes, any sign of resistance and he could snap the man’s neck in an instant—no fear of a surprise attack.

Dragging the exorcist out of the alley, he was met by a police car pulling up. Chief Hope stepped out, spotted the culprit in Lin Xiao’s grasp, and spat, “Damn it, is this bastard dead?”

A veteran detective nearly undone by this criminal—his pride was wounded.

“He’s alive, just knocked out. He won’t be waking up any time soon. Chief Hope, this man is dangerous and possesses special powers. Be careful when you detain him—don’t treat him like an ordinary criminal.”

Lin Xiao was genuinely concerned for Chief Hope’s safety. No matter how low their rank, these extraordinary beings could easily harm regular people—there were plenty of means at their disposal.

“Understood. We covered these cases at the academy. We’ve got special handcuffs and shackles just for people like him, rest assured,” Chief Hope replied confidently. He was no stranger to strange cases—dark lords, mind flayers, all manner of ghosts and witches; he had experience.

“Be extra careful—this guy seems able to influence emotions and control minds. Best lock him up alone, don’t let him keep spreading his twisted words or stirring up the other inmates.”

Lin Xiao’s worry was evident; Chief Hope was practically his stepfather now. Whether for Joey’s happiness or the peace of the town, he couldn’t let Hope come to harm.

Hope nodded, signaling he’d remember his words. Lin Xiao thought for a moment and decided to see this through—he’d escort the exorcist all the way to the station, leaving Joey to take the others home for dinner.

Hope had no objections; with Lin Xiao’s abilities, his presence was reassuring.

They loaded the exorcist into the police car and drove back to the supermarket. The crowd had long since dispersed, wary of Hope returning to settle scores.

Lin Xiao explained the situation to Joey and the others; she had no objections, taking Will home and telling Lin Xiao to finish up quickly so they could eat together.

Following Chief Hope to the station, Lin Xiao unexpectedly ran into two old acquaintances: Nick Reinhardt and the arrogant werewolf, Eddie.

“Hey, Byers, what brings you here?” Nick greeted him, while Eddie, eyes darting about, searched for a glimpse of Number 11. Not seeing her, he grinned, “Changed your mind? Need our help taking care of loose ends?”

Lin Xiao rolled his eyes. Eddie wasn’t a bad guy, just couldn’t keep his mouth shut—always one step from a beating, probably thanks to his husky genes driving his IQ down.

Chief Hope explained the reason for their visit and had Lin Xiao bring the prisoner into the interrogation room.

Lin Xiao dragged the exorcist inside. Chief Hope produced special handcuffs and shackles, securing him tightly to the interrogation chair.

Since he was already here, Lin Xiao decided to stay and listen in—an opportunity to learn more about their captive.

Chief Hope poured water over the exorcist’s face, rousing him. The man blinked awake, quickly taking in his surroundings, clearly searching for any chance to escape.

“Don’t bother. Those cuffs and shackles are custom-made—just got them from the higher-ups, specifically for dealing with people like you. Be smart: confess who you are and why you incited the public to attack me. Do you understand how serious assaulting an officer is? You’ll be behind bars for a decade at least.”

Chief Hope sat across the table; Lin Xiao stood behind him, ready in case of any tricks. Outside the room, Nick and Eddie listened in.

The exorcist’s gaze flickered, landing on Lin Xiao. His expression changed—he recognized him from the night they drove out the demon child.

“So it was you. Why did you capture me?” he suddenly asked, fixing his eyes on Lin Xiao.

“Isn’t it obvious? You bewitched the public, incited them to attack the police, and broke the law. I was acting as a good citizen. By the way, Chief Hope, is there a Good Samaritan award or something?”

Chief Hope shook his head with a wry smile—this guy never missed a chance to cash in. He was almost his stepfather now; couldn’t he do a favor for free?

The exorcist fell silent, lowered his eyes, and said, “I was unlucky, caught by you. I have nothing to say. Take me to court or throw me in prison—it’s up to you.”

And with that, he refused to speak further, no matter how Hope pressed him.

Seeing this, Hope had no choice but to send him to holding for the night, planning to transfer him to the county authorities in the morning.

“Byers, there’s something I need to tell you,” Nick called out as Lin Xiao was about to leave, his expression troubled.

“What is it, Officer Nick?” Lin Xiao had a good impression of Nick—reliable and not as abrasive as Eddie.

“I noticed a black serpent tattoo on his arm. He’s likely a member of a cult—something called the Sanctified Paradise.”

“Sanctified Paradise?” Lin Xiao repeated, a sense of foreboding creeping in. Could it be he’d crossed yet another extraordinary organization?

This was getting out of hand—was he to become an enemy of the world?