《Crossing Reality and Game: I am Achievement Master》


 Chapter 1 – The beginning of everything

    Staring at the repetitive lines on the screen, the young man in front of the computer impatiently tapped the space bar to skip the dialogue.


    Finally, a blue box appeared on the screen, with the following words:


    Seeing this, the young man nodded in satisfaction, stretched lazily, and muttered, "This acquisition rate, tsk tsk, my half-month of grinding wasn''t in vain."


    He skillfully took a screenshot of the achievement and posted it in a gaming group chat.


    As expected, the screen was flooded with messages of "Cool" and praises of "Awesome!" The young man loved this feeling of being the center of attention, as aside from being somewhat good at games, he was quite ordinary in every other aspect.


    The young man''s name was Ye Shuangluo, a gaming enthusiast who loved collecting all the achievements in games.


    To Ye Shuangluo, collecting all the achievements in a game was the true joy of gaming.


    At school, Ye Shuangluo was just a small, unnoticed figure with average grades, an unremarkable appearance, and mediocre athletic ability.


    The only thing special about him was his background. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yes, Ye Shuangluo was an orphan. His parents were turned into minced meat by a drunk truck driver when he was nine.


    The truck driver was sentenced to death.


    Notably, Ye Shuangluo''s parents left him a substantial inheritance.


    Due to his age, the inheritance was temporarily managed by his uncle and aunt.


    Fortunately, Ye Shuangluo was lucky; his uncle and aunt did not mistreat him like the evil relatives in many stories, depriving him of food and clothing.


    His uncle and aunt treated him well, although they did use part of the inheritance to buy a car, a house, and a bunch of luxury items for Ye Shuangluo''s twin cousins.


    But Ye Shuangluo could accept this, after all, they had taken care of him for so many years, and even hiring a nanny wouldn''t be free.


    So, even though his cousins often said he was freeloading at their house, Ye Shuangluo never got angry.


    After all, what could two little brats know? They were just parroting what they heard from adults.


    Ye Shuangluo lay back in his swivel chair, his gaze uncontrollably drifting to the window.


    Outside, the maple leaves were slowly falling, and Ye Shuangluo suddenly felt lost. What would his future be like?


    He was already 17 years old, and according to the law, he would be able to control his parents'' inheritance when he turned 18.


    But would his uncle and aunt really return the money to him?


    After a brief thought, Ye Shuangluo concluded:


    Not to mention his aunt, who always looked down on him, even his uncle Jiang Yiming had clearly gotten used to a high-society lifestyle.


    It''s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go back.


    At that moment, a message notification sounded from the computer.


    Ye Shuangluo slowly sat up, only to see a blue pop-up window on the screen, resembling a chat window from a communication software.


    Faced with this sudden situation, Ye Shuangluo tried to close it with the mouse and keyboard, but all attempts failed.


    Even unplugging the computer to force a shutdown didn''t work; the screen remained lit.


    Despite the bizarre situation, Ye Shuangluo didn''t panic. Instead, he considered whether to smash the screen with a hammer.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo was about to destroy the computer, he inadvertently saw the content in the small window.


    "Giggle, is this a multiple-choice question? There''s no option to refuse."


    Ye Shuangluo was holding a hammer in front of the computer screen. If he wanted, he could easily smash it to pieces.


    But the small text seemed to have a magical power, making Ye Shuangluo''s heart race uncontrollably with excitement.


    It felt as if his body was telling him that he would regret it for life if he missed this opportunity.


    So Ye Shuangluo dropped the hammer, sat back at the computer, and moved the mouse to select "Very much."


    As soon as he made the choice, the small window on the screen turned into a white light that engulfed him.


    Then the computer screen went dark, as if nothing had happened.


    ***


    When Ye Shuangluo opened his eyes again, he found himself in a desolate ruin, with no one around.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo was wondering what was going on, a mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind.


    After listening to the mechanical voice in his mind, Ye Shuangluo, relying on his years of gaming and novel-reading experience, silently thought:


    "Personal Panel."


    With Ye Shuangluo''s call, a light screen visible only to him appeared in front of him.


    ***


    ***


    Ye Shuangluo clenched his fists, feeling an overwhelming surge of energy, as if he had boundless strength.


    This feeling was intoxicating, but he didn''t get too carried away, knowing that his current attributes were a benefit from the game system.


    But Ye Shuangluo believed that with effort, he could soon possess even greater power than he did now.


    After silently making up his mind, Ye Shuangluo noticed the talent section at the end of the attribute panel.


    With a thought, the talent panel unfolded.


    Achievements currently available:


    ***


    Looking at the familiar achievement panel, Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but smile.


    A quick look at "pawread dot com" will leave you more fulfilled.


    A truly interesting game with achievements to unlock¡ªhis joy was doubled.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 2 – Initial Achievement

    With a swift sound, a Suit Man with a blank expression, like a walking corpse, was struck down to the ground by a blow.


    He seemed to struggle to get up, but the assailant stepped on his body and then mercilessly smashed his head with an iron rod, killing him.


    The one who killed the Suit Man was a boy about sixteen or seventeen years old, and that boy was Ye Shuangluo, who had just entered the game.


    After checking his Personal Panel, the Game System appeared again and issued the Main Quest.


    Since players were allowed to explore freely, Ye Shuangluo naturally left the ruins and picked up an iron rod along the way.


    Walking down the street, Ye Shuangluo discovered that this world seemed to have undergone an unimaginable disaster, with many "humans" resembling walking corpses on the road.


    Their every move was just like zombies in movies and games. After confirming that they indeed had no Intelligence or thinking ability like zombies, Ye Shuangluo decided to attack one to test it out.


    As expected, the zombie without Intelligence and thinking ability was easily killed by him.


    Perhaps it was because Ye Shuangluo indeed lacked empathy and had a cold personality.


    So when he killed the zombie with the iron rod, he felt nothing at all.


    Looking at the zombie lying on the ground, Ye Shuangluo tilted his head. Normally, one would feel uneasy the first time they killed someone, right?


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    But the fact was, he felt nothing, and even wanted to kill a few more.


    After all, killing zombies also counted towards the "God of Slaughter" series of Achievements.


    Glancing at the nearby zombies one by one, he noticed that the sound of killing the zombie at his feet wasn''t small, but the nearby zombies had no reaction.


    This made Ye Shuangluo feel something was off. It seemed too easy; these zombies seemed to have no awareness of resistance.


    But he didn''t think much about it in the end, and instead, he picked up the iron rod and walked towards another nearby zombie.


    Soon, Ye Shuangluo killed five zombies and successfully completed his first Achievement.


    As the mechanical sound echoed in his ears, Ye Shuangluo felt a significant change in his Five Senses.


    This Perception didn''t seem to appear on the Personal Panel, meaning it was a hidden attribute?


    The significant enhancement of his Five Senses made Ye Shuangluo even more motivated. The next Achievement required killing 95 more zombies.


    As for the ones after that, Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but shake his head at the absurd numbers. He decided to focus on the current Achievement first.


    ***


    He didn''t know how much time had passed, but just as Ye Shuangluo was full of energy, the game prompt sounded in his mind again.


    Ye Shuangluo frowned and checked the Achievement Panel.


    Villain (78/100)


    The progress of Villain was more than halfway done. He only needed one or two more hours to complete it, but Ye Shuangluo didn''t hesitate at all and immediately entered a nearby Dessert Shop.


    There were a few zombies in employee uniforms inside the Dessert Shop. Ye Shuangluo used the terrain to easily kill them one by one, then quickly pulled down the shutter door.


    After doing all this, Ye Shuangluo went to the back of the Dessert Shop and sat down on the ground.


    As a veteran player immersed in games for many years, Ye Shuangluo knew one thing very well:


    Greed itself isn''t wrong, but untimely greed often leads only to death.


    Ye Shuangluo rested on the ground for a while, then got up and went behind the counter.


    The computer behind the counter was still on, displaying surveillance footage, allowing Ye Shuangluo to observe the movements of the zombies outside the door.


    At first, there was nothing unusual, but as night slowly fell, the originally stiff movements of the zombies became more agile.


    Their grayish-white pupils gradually turned blood-red, and several zombies suddenly looked towards the Dessert Shop where Ye Shuangluo was hiding.


    This made Ye Shuangluo''s heart skip a beat. Could they sense him inside?


    His guess was confirmed in the next second, as the zombies began to run and one by one slammed their bodies into the shutter door.


    The loud banging quickly attracted other zombies, and soon the area in front of the shutter door was packed with zombies.


    Seeing their ferocious appearance, like bloodthirsty beasts finally awakened from slumber, Ye Shuangluo was immensely grateful that he hadn''t hesitated earlier. Otherwise, facing this horde of crazed zombies, he would have been torn to pieces in less than three seconds.


    Fortunately, the shutter door was sturdy, and the zombies shouldn''t be able to break in. But Ye Shuangluo didn''t let his guard down, gripping the iron rod tightly to ensure he had some means of resistance if the zombies did manage to break through.


    After two or three hours, Ye Shuangluo checked the surveillance again. Even though the zombies'' bodies were battered and bloody from the collisions, they hadn''t stopped.


    This situation made Ye Shuangluo think for a while. Recalling the system''s hint about nightfall and the need to find a safe place to hide, he seemed to understand something.


    Do these zombies enter a Berserk state at night?


    Daytime zombies were like walking corpses, easily killed by any prepared adult man, and they moved very slowly.


    But nighttime zombies were a completely different species. Ye Shuangluo had no doubt that facing these frenzied zombies, unless heavy firepower was used, any number of people would just be fodder.


    Thinking about his other series Achievement:


    But then he thought, his talent:  S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stayed awake all night, but thanks to the Novice buff that added 5 points to All Attributes, his body was already beyond that of an ordinary person, so staying up all night only made him slightly tired.


    ***


    When daylight came, the zombies'' eyes turned grayish-white again, and their bodies became stiff and sluggish once more.


    The large group of zombies gathered at the Dessert Shop door slowly dispersed in all directions, leaving only a few lingering at the entrance.


    Seeing this, Ye Shuangluo opened the shutter door, killed the remaining zombies at the door with his iron rod, and continued exploring northward.


    ***


    With another swing, Ye Shuangluo knocked down a zombie and then skillfully killed it, hearing the mechanical prompt again.


    Gaining another Perception reward, Ye Shuangluo immediately felt a significant enhancement in his Five Senses.


    Originally, he had mild myopia from years of gaming, but now he was sure his vision had not only recovered but was better than the average person''s.


    This noticeable improvement made Ye Shuangluo quite pleased, but thinking about the astronomical numbers for the next stage, he couldn''t help but shake his head and decided to take it as it comes.


    For now, he decided to complete another series of Achievements. Ye Shuangluo skillfully summoned his Personal Panel and opened his talent interface.


    To complete this Achievement, he needed to find a living person first, and then figure out how to be judged as saving a life.


    These things still needed to be explored. The immediate priority was to find a living person.


    Ye Shuangluo continued clearing zombies while searching for survivors, but he found nothing.


    It seemed all the living had been turned into zombies, but Ye Shuangluo didn''t give up.


    Eventually, he arrived at a residential area. The place was in ruins, and the apartment buildings looked like they met the criteria for condemned buildings.


    Could there be any survivors here?


    As Ye Shuangluo pondered, he suddenly heard a strange sound above him and instinctively took a step back.


    In the next second, a bottle fell from above, landing right in front of him. If he hadn''t stepped back, the bottle would have hit his head.


    Looking at the glass shards on the ground, Ye Shuangluo''s eyes narrowed slightly. Was this like getting a pillow when you wanted to sleep?


    He looked up, scanning each window one by one, and finally saw a figure at a sixth-floor window.


    Thanks to his +3 Perception attribute, he could clearly see the person''s appearance even from the sixth floor.


    The culprit who almost hit him with the falling object was a girl, looking no older than her early twenties.


    At this moment, she was standing at the sixth-floor window, frantically waving, seemingly wanting him to come up.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 3 – Tears of the Hypocrite

    With a swift motion, Ye Shuangluo dispatched the zombie blocking his path in the hallway.


    He continued up to the sixth floor, pondering as he walked.


    Was it just his imagination, or were these zombies not as sluggish as they were yesterday?


    A suspicion began to form in Ye Shuangluo''s mind. Could these zombies be evolving?


    When he reached the sixth floor, the security door slowly opened, and a scantily-clad girl peeked out, glancing downstairs.


    Seeing no zombies, she sighed in relief and thanked Ye Shuangluo, "Thank you for coming to rescue us. We''ve been trapped here for almost a week, and our supplies are nearly depleted."


    "No need to thank me, it was just a small effort."


    Although she had almost hit him, it didn''t seem intentional, so Ye Shuangluo let it go and smiled kindly.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo''s approachable demeanor, the girl couldn''t help but start plotting.


    Noticing her contemplative look, Ye Shuangluo didn''t bother to ask what she was thinking. Instead, he summoned his Talent Panel with a thought.


    Seeing this skill, Ye Shuangluo''s expression turned a bit strange. Saving someone and getting a skill for killing in return¡ªthis talent was definitely unusual.


    But... a smile tugged at his lips. As a hardcore player, he knew the strength of such a limitless skill. The more, the merrier.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo was feeling pleased with his new skill, the girl spoke up:


    "Um... I haven''t introduced myself yet. I''m Yi Ran, and this is my brother Yi Ming. Little Ming, thank the big brother for coming to get us out."


    Yi Ran called out, and a boy of about five or six years old ran out of the room.


    "Thank you, big brother."


    "When we see Mom and Dad, we must tell them to thank you properly for escorting us. Got it?"


    "Got it."


    Watching the siblings'' exchange, Ye Shuangluo frowned slightly, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.


    "Sorry to interrupt, but I don''t recall saying I would take you anywhere."


    Despite Ye Shuangluo''s cold and distant tone, the girl didn''t seem to notice. She replied matter-of-factly:


    We are "pawread dot com", find us on google.


    "The whole city is almost unsafe now. You''re definitely heading to the shelter in the city center, right? We can go together for mutual support."


    Yi Ran had just finished speaking when her brother, still clinging to her leg, added:


    "Yeah, if you take us there, I can ask Mom and Dad to give you lots of money."


    Ye Shuangluo sneered at the mention of money. Not only was he not from this world, but in an apocalypse, money was as good as useless paper.


    He could barely take care of himself; how could he afford to drag along two burdens?


    "There''s no way I''m taking you with me. I''ve cleared out all the zombies in this building. You can leave on your own."


    With that, Ye Shuangluo turned to leave. Seeing this, Yi Ran panicked and shouted:


    "You can''t leave us here! Otherwise, I''ll use a loudspeaker to attract all the nearby zombies!"


    Hearing this, Ye Shuangluo stopped in his tracks and slowly looked at Yi Ran, saying:


    "Are you threatening me?"


    Facing Ye Shuangluo''s terrifying gaze, Yi Ran was scared but still mustered the courage to say:


    "You forced me. I told you we have no supplies left, and you still insist on leaving a weak girl and a child here. How is that different from killing us? You''re a murderer!"


    The familiar tactic of threats and moral blackmail made Ye Shuangluo''s mood sour. He remembered a couple in the Main World who had done the same.


    Back then, he had no power to resist. But now?


    After a moment of thought, Ye Shuangluo''s grim expression vanished, replaced by a smile.


    "Fine, I''ll take you with me."


    He started to move again. Despite her earlier threats, Yi Ran''s body began to tremble as they got closer.


    Her brother, Yi Ming, though only five or six, was even more composed than his sister. He had the guts to threaten again:


    "Don''t think about hurting us. If anything happens to either of us, the other will use the loudspeaker to attract the zombies. We''ll all die together."


    Ye Shuangluo''s expression remained unchanged. He seemed not to hear Yi Ming''s threat and asked calmly:


    "Zombies are less active at night. We''ll leave then. Any objections?"


    "N-no."


    Hearing Yi Ran''s response, Ye Shuangluo gave the siblings a meaningful look, then sat down on the stairs to wait for nightfall.


    The siblings quickly shut the security door, clearly not wanting to talk to him anymore.


    ***


    Night soon fell, and the security door opened again. Ye Shuangluo turned to see the siblings had taken all their valuables.


    He didn''t bother to remind them of anything, picked up the iron rod beside him, and led the way downstairs.


    The siblings cautiously followed him, soon reaching the building''s entrance.


    Ye Shuangluo took a deep breath and stepped out.


    The siblings followed, but the moment they stepped out, they sensed something was wrong.


    Why were the zombies'' eyes red? They realized they had been tricked.


    They tried to retreat into the building, but it was too late. The zombies had already caught the scent of living humans and were driven by instinct.


    The zombies charged at the siblings. As for Ye Shuangluo, he had already sprinted towards another building.


    Yi Ran tried to drag her brother back inside and close the door, but the zombies were already upon them.


    Countless withered arms reached through the door gap, making it impossible for Yi Ran to close it.


    She tried to flee upstairs, but the zombies forced the door open and swarmed in.


    "Help..."


    Before she could even scream, the zombies tore her apart. Her brother followed her to the afterlife moments later.


    Ye Shuangluo, who witnessed the entire scene, remained expressionless. He rushed into another building and ran upstairs.


    During the day, when he rescued the Yi siblings, he noticed something: these zombies seemed unable to climb stairs.


    Otherwise, there wouldn''t be just a few scattered zombies on each floor. Now, his theory was confirmed.


    The zombies indeed couldn''t climb stairs. They only frantically chased the scent of living humans, even trampling over each other.


    The zombies trampled over their own kind in their pursuit of Ye Shuangluo. Finally reaching the top floor, Ye Shuangluo glanced back at the three zombies that had followed him.


    If it was just three, he wasn''t afraid. From his high vantage point, he swung his iron rod and knocked the zombies down.


    After dealing with them, Ye Shuangluo remained vigilant, eyes fixed on the stairwell.


    Ten minutes passed with no more zombies coming up. He finally relaxed a bit. After the Yi siblings died, the game system seemed to have made a sound.


    But the situation was too urgent then for him to check. Now that he was safe, he called up the panel to view the system notification.


    Ye Shuangluo chose to claim the reward, and a necklace resembling a teardrop appeared in his hand.


    ***


    After reading the attributes, Ye Shuangluo felt the necklace was utterly useless.


    He was dealing with zombies, creatures without intelligence or the capacity for goodwill and trust.


    Pursing his lips, he reluctantly put on the Tears of the Hypocrite. Better to have it than not.


    Having done all this, Ye Shuangluo glanced out the window. The purple moon cast an eerie, cold light.


    Silently, he thought to himself:


    "These zombies are so quiet during the day but go berserk at night. It must have something to do with this purple moon."


    With that thought, Ye Shuangluo resolved to find a safe place to hide at night from now on.


    For now, he planned to rest a bit and leave at dawn.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan


    S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 4 – First Choice

    We are ", find us on google.


    A sleepless night.


    Ye Shuangluo got up and stretched his body. Although he hadn''t slept for two days, he felt only slightly fatigued.


    This made him even more eager to see how strong he would become when his attributes were higher.


    Of course, anticipation was one thing, but the immediate priority was to leave this place. So, he stepped on the countless zombie corpses on the stairs and walked down step by step.


    As for where to go next, Ye Shuangluo didn¡¯t have a good answer. After all, the main quest mentioned free exploration.


    So, he decided to continue exploring eastward. Maybe he could meet some survivors, allowing him to earn more achievements or trigger side quests.


    ***


    After walking for about three or four hours, Ye Shuangluo saw a large supermarket across the road.


    He quickly walked over and indeed saw several people armed and seemingly patrolling.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo holding an iron rod didn¡¯t surprise them. The leader even took the initiative to speak.


    ¡°Hey, little brother, did you see our message online and come to join our settlement?¡±


    Online? Could it be that after all this time, the internet hasn¡¯t collapsed yet?


    Ye Shuangluo nodded calmly and said, ¡°Yes, since there are more people here, it¡¯s definitely safer than being alone.¡±


    The leading uncle sighed and asked, ¡°Did you come alone? What about your family?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve all passed away.¡±


    Ye Shuangluo¡¯s expression was calm, but the people opposite him showed sympathy simultaneously, clearly thinking his family had died at the hands of zombies.


    The leading uncle wanted to say something to comfort Ye Shuangluo, but seeing his expressionless face, he swallowed his words.


    ¡°Old Wang, take this little brother to Miss Su for registration. Without registration, he can¡¯t get any food.¡±


    Hearing the leader¡¯s words, a bespectacled uncle stepped forward from the team.


    Then, Uncle Wang led Ye Shuangluo into the large supermarket. As they walked, Uncle Wang couldn¡¯t help but speak.


    ¡°Little brother, you look quite young. Are you still in school?¡±


    Ye Shuangluo nodded. Uncle Wang suddenly sighed deeply and said with a melancholic tone:


    ¡°Sigh, my son is about your age. He got into a foreign university, but then this happened. I don¡¯t even know how he¡¯s doing now.¡±


    Listening to Uncle Wang¡¯s worried yet proud tone, Ye Shuangluo didn¡¯t feel much. After all, he hadn¡¯t felt familial affection for a long time.


    In his memory, his parents¡¯ faces were already blurred. If they were still alive...


    But there were no ¡°ifs.¡± Ye Shuangluo didn¡¯t indulge in melancholic thoughts.


    After all, it was meaningless. The only thing he needed to do now was to keep getting stronger and enjoy the fun this game brought him.


    Soon, they arrived in front of a voluptuous woman. Seeing Ye Shuangluo¡¯s unfamiliar face, the woman frowned.


    ¡°Another newcomer.¡±


    Her words seemed like a question but were actually a statement. Anyone could hear the dissatisfaction in her tone.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what Brother Lin is thinking. We barely have enough food, and he¡¯s posting messages online, attracting a bunch of freeloaders.¡±


    After complaining, the woman scrutinized Ye Shuangluo, her gaze like she was examining a product or a piece of clothing on sale.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn¡¯t help but feel uncomfortable under her gaze, a violent impulse surging in his heart.


    At this distance, he could send her to her death with one strike.


    The woman was startled by Ye Shuangluo¡¯s sudden killing intent, instantly reacting like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.


    ¡°What do you want?! You want to kill me? Are you crazy?¡±


    Ye Shuangluo ignored the woman¡¯s outburst. He had indeed felt the urge to kill her just now.


    But in the end, he suppressed it, knowing that this was the so-called ¡°harboring a weapon, a killing intent arises.¡±


    Uncle Wang, on the other hand, wore a flattering smile, full of appeasement.


    ¡°Miss Su, I¡¯m really sorry. I apologize on behalf of this little brother. He¡¯s a pitiful person, all alone with no family.¡±


    ¡°Old Wang, I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think about it. I absolutely won¡¯t register this kid. It¡¯s either him or me.¡±


    Hearing Miss Su¡¯s words, Uncle Wang felt a headache coming on. He was about to persuade Ye Shuangluo to say something nice and soften up, but Ye Shuangluo had already disappeared.


    ***


    At this moment, Ye Shuangluo found  a secluded corner, curiously looking at a flashing light on the ground. When he and Old Wang had passed by here, Old Wang hadn¡¯t noticed the light.


    In other words, Old Wang couldn¡¯t see the light; only he could.


    Thinking of this, Ye Shuangluo squatted down in front of the light and tentatively reached out to touch it.


    After silently choosing ¡°yes¡± in his mind, the light in front of him exploded instantly.


    world, it¡¯s very useful to you.


    ***


    Taking advantage of the absence of others, Ye Shuangluo took out the Wind Chaser Type I from his space backpack and began to examine it closely.


    The Wind Chaser Type I didn¡¯t look much different from the handguns in Ye Shuangluo¡¯s world. Perhaps the only difference was that the handguns in his world were mostly black.


    In contrast, the Wind Chaser Type I was a combination of navy blue and sky blue, looking like a piece of art made for display.


    Ye Shuangluo gently caressed it, finding even the texture to be excellent, making him reluctant to part with it.


    However, the usage requirement mentioned having wind attribute qualification. Ye Shuangluo wasn¡¯t sure if he had it.


    But there was a straightforward way to find out.


    Ye Shuangluo gripped the Wind Chaser Type I, his finger on the trigger. A slight pull, and the bullet would be fired.


    In the end, he abandoned the idea and put the Wind Chaser Type I back into his space backpack. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because he remembered the system¡¯s prompt in his mind.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo put the handgun back into his space backpack, a deafening roar suddenly echoed in his ears.


    Accompanying the roar, the game system¡¯s prompt sounded in Ye Shuangluo¡¯s mind.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 5 – Horned Zombie

    Run or fight?


    Ye Shuangluo hadn''t had time to seriously consider the risks and rewards of the two choices.


    The deafening roar echoed again, louder than before, indicating that the source was rapidly approaching.


    No time to think. Ye Shuangluo hurried towards the supermarket entrance. As he reached the door, he was met with a terrifying sight.


    A towering zombie with horns, holding a zombie in each hand, had already bitten off the head of the one in its left hand.


    Ye Shuangluo arrived just in time to witness the horned zombie stuffing the zombie in its right hand into its mouth.


    Watching the gruesome and bloody scene of cannibalism, Ye Shuangluo''s body couldn''t stop trembling.


    The horned zombie was at least three meters tall. Just looking at it made Ye Shuangluo feel like his breath was about to stop.


    At this moment, he finally understood why there were so few zombies nearby. They were probably all eaten by this giant.


    Although he wasn''t sure of its combat strength, the sheer terror from its height alone made Ye Shuangluo start to shake.


    Noticing Ye Shuangluo''s gaze, the horned zombie slowly turned its head towards him.


    As their eyes met, the horned zombie threw the headless zombie in its left hand fiercely at Ye Shuangluo.


    Facing the incoming projectile, Ye Shuangluo''s body finally stopped trembling. He rolled to the left, narrowly avoiding the attack.


    Ye Shuangluo had no doubt that the horned zombie was interested in him.


    That greedy look in its eyes was like a pervert seeing a naked beauty.


    That look of desire and greed made one question if it was really a zombie.


    If he had a choice, Ye Shuangluo would never choose to fight to the death. He didn''t know anyone in this supermarket and would abandon everyone without hesitation to escape. But now, the zombie had definitely set its sights on him.


    So... is fighting the only option?


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the crystalline on the horned zombie''s forehead, the most distinctive feature apart from its size and horns.


    Could that be its weakness?


    There was only one way to find out.


    Ye Shuangluo took out the Wind Chaser Type I and started shooting at the charging horned zombie.


    He aimed at the crystalline on the zombie''s forehead, but two shots missed, and one hit its arm.


    The horned zombie was now in front of him. Ye Shuangluo quickly put away the Wind Chaser and picked up an iron rod to face the enemy.


    Ye Shuangluo was forced back five steps. The horned zombie''s terrifying strength made his hands numb from the shock.


    Although it was flesh and blood, the collision of its palm with the iron rod produced a metallic sound.


    But there was no time to think about it, as the horned zombie lunged at him again.


    Ye Shuangluo rolled to the left and swung the rod at the zombie''s calf.


    Another familiar metallic sound, making Ye Shuangluo''s heart sink even further.


    If its entire body was this hard, his attacks were no different from scratching an itch.


    The horned zombie, frustrated by its elusive prey, let out a beast-like roar. The sound froze Ye Shuangluo in place, as if he were scared stiff.


    Ye Shuangluo felt like his head was struck by a heavy hammer, the dizziness making him unable to move.


    The next second, a massive force sent him flying. His body spun several times in the air before crashing into a wall.


    Ye Shuangluo struggled to stand, his mind filled with system warnings.


    His vision blurred, and images of his long-deceased parents flashed in his mind.


    The iron rod he had carried since arriving in this world fell to the ground due to his weakness.


    Is this the end?


    Perhaps because he was close to death, Ye Shuangluo started seeing flashbacks.


    Parents, uncle and aunt, and those annoying twins.


    Ye Shuangluo shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Though it had little effect, at least the flashbacks disappeared.


    He was unwilling to give up. He had seen a larger world and had the chance to see more beautiful scenery. How could he stop here?


    Perhaps due to his near-death state, Ye Shuangluo''s mind started working frantically. This zombie was different from any he had seen before.


    Besides its height and horns, the most significant difference was the crystalline on its forehead.


    During their fight, he had tried multiple times to attack the crystalline, but the horned zombie had always protected it fiercely.


    That must be its weakness!


    An inexplicable thought popped into Ye Shuangluo''s mind, as if it were intuition or something telling him.


    With a thought, the Wind Chaser Type I appeared from his space backpack.


    Although his previous shots had been ineffective, he now had a strong feeling that this shot would be different.


    The horned zombie lowered its body and charged at Ye Shuangluo like a bull. Just as it opened its bloody mouth to bite off Ye Shuangluo''s head...


    A loud noise instantly caught the horned zombie''s attention.


    It couldn''t help but look back at the source of the sound. In that split second, Ye Shuangluo, without any hesitation, gripped the Wind Chaser Type I with one hand and aimed at the horned zombie''s weak spot.


    At that moment, time seemed to slow down. Ye Shuangluo''s enhanced five senses began to perceive everything around him.


    In a trance, Ye Shuangluo seemed to see the invisible and formless wind.


    With a loud bang, the Wind Chaser Type I''s muzzle spat out a pale cyan bullet, which did not disappoint Ye Shuangluo.


    It hit the crystalline on the horned zombie''s forehead accurately and shattered it instantly.


    The horned zombie tried to reach Ye Shuangluo, but after a few steps, it collapsed to the ground.


    Ye Shuangluo gasped for breath. He had won, successfully killing the monster that threatened his life.


    Perhaps due to the sudden relaxation of his tense body, Ye Shuangluo felt dizzy and fell to the ground.


    Sitting on the ground, looking at the fallen horned zombie, a huge sense of achievement welled up inside him.


    After the horned zombie''s death, a faint white treasure chest inexplicably appeared on its corpse.


    Looking at the treasure chest within reach, Ye Shuangluo guessed it was similar to the novice supply pack, visible only to players.


    But Ye Shuangluo didn''t open the chest immediately. Instead, he took out a red potion from his space backpack and drank it.


    As the potion entered his body, he felt a warm sensation spread throughout, and his previously weak body regained its strength.


    He slowly stood up and stretched. His Health Points had returned to a healthy green in the attribute bar.


    Find the original at "pawread dot com".


    Now that he had recovered, it was time to see what the treasure chest would yield.


    As his first treasure chest since entering the game, Ye Shuangluo valued it greatly. Before opening it, he prayed to all the gods he knew.


    With a thought, the white treasure chest slowly opened, and a long blade, interwoven with red and black, appeared before him.


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    ***


    In a nearby supermarket, a bald man silently observing Ye Shuangluo saw the sudden appearance of the blade in his hand and muttered to himself:


    "Could this be the rarest of all new humans, the Space System new human, mentioned on the official website?"


    Clearly, Ye Shuangluo obtaining Mortal Kill from the treasure chest had led to some misunderstanding.


    Meanwhile, Ye Shuangluo was fondly playing with Mortal Kill. As his first weapon from a treasure chest, it held great sentimental value.


    Moreover, the blade was indeed powerful. He had just tested it on the horned zombie''s body, and it cut through the metallic-like flesh with ease.


    If he had this blade before the fight, he could have easily turned the horned zombie into a dead dog.


    Finally, Ye Shuangluo glanced at his old companion, the iron rod that had been turned into scrap metal by the horned zombie''s immense strength.


    After a silent farewell, he walked towards the supermarket.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 6 – New Humans and Him

    Inside the supermarket, people watched Ye Shuangluo. Just moments ago, under their gaze, this young man had killed the mutant zombie outside, effectively saving all of them.


    However, instead of feeling grateful, they looked at Ye Shuangluo with fear, anger, and resentment.


    The looks from the crowd made Ye Shuangluo feel puzzled, but he didn''t dwell on it. Instead, he sincerely thanked a girl holding a gong:


    "Thank you for saving me. If you hadn''t distracted it at the crucial moment, I would''ve been devoured by that zombie. My name is Ye Shuangluo. May I ask your name?"


    Ye Shuangluo thanked the girl earnestly. The girl just waved her hand and smiled: S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No need to thank me. After all, you were protecting us. My name is Shen Lingling. Nice to meet you."


    The girl stared at Ye Shuangluo, as if she wanted to say something but was hesitant.


    Ye Shuangluo noticed this and said, "I have something to discuss with her privately. Could you all give us a moment?"


    The nearby people, respecting Ye Shuangluo, immediately walked away.


    Hmm?


    He suddenly sensed something and looked at a bald middle-aged man among the group.


    His perception told him that the bald man harbored some inexplicable malice, seemingly directed at both him and Shen Lingling.


    Ye Shuangluo frowned slightly. Ever since he arrived, this Bald Guy had been secretly observing him and Shen Lingling, coupled with this subtle malice.


    A killing intent gradually rose in Ye Shuangluo''s heart. He trusted his perception; there was definitely something wrong with this man. He didn''t like dealing with crises when they erupted; he preferred to nip them in the bud.


    Once everyone had walked away, Shen Lingling seemed to make up her mind and asked:


    "Um... just now, you made a knife appear out of thin air... Are you also a New Human?"


    New Human? This was an unfamiliar term, but Ye Shuangluo quickly guessed its meaning. Moreover, he noticed the girl said "also," which meant...


    "Yes, I am also a New Human. So, you are too?"


    Shen Lingling bit her lip, seemingly making a decision, and said:"Yes, I am also a New Human, from the Time System. I can see the most likely future among many possibilities."


    Hearing this, Ye Shuangluo''s pupils contracted slightly. The ability to foresee the future was truly high-end. He hadn''t expected to encounter it in the Trial World.


    "In the future I saw, your shot missed because the Horned Zombie was moving at high speed. After you died, that Horned Zombie killed everyone in the supermarket.


    So, you don''t need to thank me so much. I was actually saving myself too."


    Ye Shuangluo fell silent. To be fair, without Shen Lingling distracting the Horned Zombie, he might indeed have missed the shot.


    "Um... since you''re also a New Human, do you know where the New Human base in this city is?"


    Shen Lingling hoped for a positive answer, but she was disappointed when Ye Shuangluo shook his head and said:


    "I don''t know. I just became a New Human too."


    Hearing this, Shen Lingling became extremely dejected and muttered:


    "I see. I thought I finally found an organization, finally wouldn''t have to live in fear."


    "Um... I also just became a New Human. Why do we have to live in fear?"


    Shen Lingling was stunned, clearly not expecting such a question. Her expression turned inexplicably sad as she slowly said:


    "You are also a New Human, so you should know that we all turned into zombies first, then turned back."


    Huh? Ye Shuangluo was shocked. Turning into a zombie and then back? Was that even possible?


    "When we turn back, we gain all sorts of amazing abilities, but... it means we no longer belong to humans or zombies.


    Zombies crave us more than ordinary humans, and Old Humans see us as a threat and want to kill us all.


    I miss my parents. They all turned into zombies. In my memory, I was just in school yesterday. I only slept for a night, and a month had passed. The world had come to an end."


    As she spoke, she couldn''t help but squat down and cry. Ye Shuangluo wanted to comfort her but didn''t know what to say.


    Fortunately, Shen Lingling stopped crying after a short while, stood up, and wiped her tears.


    "Sorry, I lost my composure."


    "It''s okay. Sometimes crying can help release emotions, and you might feel better."


    Ye Shuangluo looked at Shen Lingling, who seemed no different from a normal person, and felt a twinge of pity.


    She had only slept for a night, and when she woke up, she saw her loved ones turned into zombies, while she became an outcast in the world.


    Humans wanted to hunt her, zombies wanted to eat her, and her parents were gone. It was impressive that she hadn''t gone insane and could still pretend to be a normal human.


    "I''m curious about one thing. Why do Old Humans see us as a threat? If we don''t use our abilities, we should look no different from normal people, right?"


    After Ye Shuangluo asked this, Shen Lingling''s expression turned strange, and she said in a peculiar tone, "Have you not been online much since you turned back into a human?"


    Ye Shuangluo shook his head. Although the internet hadn''t collapsed after the zombie crisis, he had been busy killing zombies and earning achievements these past few days, so he hadn''t had time to check the internet.


    Seeing that Ye Shuangluo genuinely didn''t know, Shen Lingling began to explain:


    "We are seen as a threat by Old Humans because... the New Humans in the Capital staged a coup. They believe New Humans are the future rulers of Earth, and all Old Humans are defective and should be eliminated.


    Find the original at ".


    From the day we awakened, there has been a deep divide between us and all Old Humans.


    In the Capital, there are reportedly New Humans who volunteered for dissection. It was discovered that New Humans and Old Humans are already two different species, and we even have reproductive isolation."


    Reproductive isolation... That indeed meant they were not the same species. Ye Shuangluo now somewhat understood why those people looked at him with such disgust and fear.


    Looking at Shen Lingling in front of him, Ye Shuangluo suddenly remembered his two biggest questions since coming to this world.


    "Classmate Shen, I have another question. Since the internet is still intact, shouldn''t other things be undamaged too?


    Why are there so many zombies rampaging on the streets? Shouldn''t the authorities have immediately sent soldiers to suppress them?"


    "...It seems you didn''t watch much news before the apocalypse. When the Purple Moon descended, humanity''s most prized thermal weapons all turned into scrap metal."


    At this point, the girl''s expression turned strange because, just a moment ago, under everyone''s gaze, the young man in front of her had used a handgun that didn''t look like an ordinary one.


    Ye Shuangluo knew what she was thinking but couldn''t explain it. Fortunately, the girl didn''t press further, which relieved him.


    They continued to chat, and Ye Shuangluo took the opportunity to ask his biggest question since arriving in this world.


    "What is the cause of this zombie crisis? Is there any information online?


    I''ve encountered many zombies these past few days. They have no aggression during the day but go berserk at night. How do they infect others?"


    Yes, this was his biggest confusion so far. From his observations, these zombies would attack any living person they encountered at night, always trying to kill and eat them.


    Shen Lingling was also puzzled. This was a difficult question, one that top scientists worldwide, who hadn''t turned into zombies, couldn''t solve.


    "Unfortunately, humanity has yet to discover the transmission route of the zombie virus. There were no signs beforehand, and overnight, the virus spread globally."


    At this moment, a mechanical voice from the game system suddenly echoed in Ye Shuangluo''s mind.


    The amount of information was staggering. Besides himself, were there other trial players in this world?


    Of course, having other trial players was a minor issue. What truly shocked Ye Shuangluo was the mention of "He" in the quest description.


    In most games, novels, or anime, "He" usually referred to a deity.


    With the power to destroy all of humanity''s thermal weapons and forcibly initiate the evolution of all humans, should I say, as expected of a deity?


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 7 – Green

    The two chatted for a while, and Ye Shuangluo casually asked:


    "Who was that bald guy just now? He looked fierce, doesn''t seem like a good person."


    "Bald guy? You mean Brother Lin? He''s the leader of our settlement. He may look scary, but he''s actually a really good person."


    "Is that so..."


    Ye Shuangluo recalled what the woman said when he registered earlier, that they actively took in people whose lives were destroyed by zombies.


    If he died, could this settlement still hold together?


    As Ye Shuangluo pondered, his killing intent gradually subsided, but he couldn''t just do nothing.


    ***


    In the distance, Brother Lin was staring intently at Ye Shuangluo and Shen Lingling, muttering to himself.


    "That boy... he must be one of those damned New Humans. Why did Shen Lingling help him out of nowhere? Do they know each other? Or is Shen Lingling also a damned New Human?"


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Brother Lin remembered his parents in the Capital who died at the hands of New Humans, and he felt a surge of uncontrollable rage.


    Although Ye Shuangluo and Shen Lingling weren''t part of the New Humans from the Capital, Brother Lin equally despised every New Human.


    Thinking back to Ye Shuangluo''s fight with the Horned Zombie, his ability seemed to be space-related, a rare power but one that couldn''t effectively protect its user.


    A cold glint flashed in Brother Lin''s eyes. If he could catch him off guard, he could definitely kill him.


    Just as Brother Lin was fantasizing about killing Ye Shuangluo and then slaying Shen Lingling to avenge his parents, Ye Shuangluo suddenly walked towards him. Even though the boy did nothing, Brother Lin felt his hair stand on end, an indescribable sense of oppression emanating from the young man.


    Watching the boy slowly approach with a knife, Brother Lin wanted to flee as far as possible, but his legs were trembling uncontrollably.


    At this moment, in his eyes, the boy was no longer a fellow human but a beast ready to pounce and kill him.


    When they were close enough, Ye Shuangluo whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:


    "I''m going to leave for a while. If I find out that anything happened to Shen Lingling when I get back, I''ll kill you."


    The boy''s tone was calm, but the calmer he was, the more terrified Brother Lin became.


    Brother Lin had already abandoned the idea of ambushing and killing the boy. He lowered his head and said respectfully:


    "I... I understand. I will take good care of Lingling."


    "You better not get any funny ideas, or I''ll find you no matter where you run and chop you to pieces."


    Hearing Brother Lin''s promise, the boy still wasn''t reassured and threatened him again. Only when he saw Brother Lin''s submissive attitude did he finally feel a bit more at ease.


    Next, Ye Shuangluo finally had time to check his personal panel. After killing the Horned Zombie, he seemed to have heard several system notifications in his mind.


    It was an attribute that couldn''t be increased through conventional means. Ye Shuangluo''s eyes lit up.


    With higher Luck, the chances of getting good items from treasure chests would increase, and the probability of some skills activating would also go up.


    Then, he looked at the skill bar. The previously empty skill bar now had a new skill.


    This skill had a high ceiling, Ye Shuangluo thought. He already had some initial ideas about developing the wind element.


    At that moment, a gentle breeze brushed against the boy''s cheek. The wind was soft, instantly dispelling all his fatigue.


    Ye Shuangluo felt his body return to peak condition, and even his mental exhaustion seemed to be soothed.


    "During the battle just now, was it you who helped me? Was it you who told me its weak point was the crystalline on its forehead?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s question was destined to go unanswered, but when he asked it, he already had an answer in his heart.


    Finally, he took out a half-damaged crystalline from his space backpack.


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    What should he do next? Ye Shuangluo began to seriously ponder.


    He had no chance with that world quest; after all, to stop this evolution, he would need to kill Him.


    Ye Shuangluo knew his own limits well and wouldn''t take on such a suicidal task.


    Ultimately, his gaze fell on the last line of the Viral Nucleus''s special effect.


    An idea struck him¡ª


    After all, the rewards from elite monsters were definitely higher than those from normal monsters, and although they were much stronger, Ye Shuangluo now had Mortal Kill in hand.


    Combined with his formidable attributes, killing the other mutant zombies wouldn''t be too difficult.


    Without further ado, Ye Shuangluo grasped the Viral Nucleus. Instantly, he felt a mysterious pull from the south.


    ***


    A knife covered in a greenish-blue glow slashed towards the zombie ahead with incredible speed.


    Accompanied by the sound of the blade slicing through flesh, the zombie collapsed powerlessly to the ground, blood gushing from its severed neck.


    Ye Shuangluo flicked the blood off his knife, his slightly furrowed brows indicating his dissatisfaction with the recent strike.


    Along the way, he had killed many zombies with Mortal Kill, but the special effect had never triggered.


    After all, Mortal Kill could even slice through the body of a mutant Horned Zombie, let alone ordinary zombies¡ªit was like cutting through vegetables.


    In such circumstances, the Kill Order naturally couldn''t be triggered.


    Of course, he wasn''t just killing zombies for fun; he was trying to develop his only skill, "Wind Affinity."


    According to the skill description, "Wind Affinity" granted him wind element resistance, health regeneration, and the ability to slightly control wind elements.


    In fact, Ye Shuangluo found through testing that he could indeed slightly control wind elements, but only slightly.


    The wind elements he gathered under his control could only last for about three seconds before dispersing.


    But Ye Shuangluo thought of the Wind Chaser Type I, which used wind elements as bullets.


    He immediately had an idea:


    The result didn''t disappoint him. Wind elements could indeed be applied to weapons, but they would still disperse after three seconds.


    However, three seconds were enough for Ye Shuangluo to strike, and with the wind elements'' enhancement, the strike would be much faster.


    But for some reason, no matter how much he practiced, there was always a strange awkwardness during actual use.


    "Forget it, I''ll practice more when I get the chance."


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the building in front of him. According to the Viral Nucleus''s guidance, the other mutant zombie he was looking for should be in the basement of this building.


    Taking a deep breath at the entrance, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.


    "Uwaa"


    As soon as he entered, several zombies lunged at him with bared teeth and claws.


    Ye Shuangluo first used the Wind Chaser Type I to kill the ones in front, then charged at the remaining zombies with Mortal Kill in hand.


    Splat, splat, splat...


    At that moment, Ye Shuangluo was like a tiger among sheep, and even the fiercest zombies couldn''t withstand a single strike from him.


    In no time, almost all the zombies in the building were killed, with only one left under Ye Shuangluo''s foot for observation.


    Ye Shuangluo glanced outside the building; it was still daytime.


    Logically, these zombies should be quiet during the day.


    Why were the zombies inside the building so active, and...


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    Ye Shuangluo looked down at the green-eyed zombie under his foot. Its green pupils were particularly striking.


    Under normal circumstances, zombies'' pupils should be grayish-white during the day and blood-red at night.


    He recalled the eyes of the zombies he had just killed; they all seemed to have green pupils.


    These special green-eyed zombies were no weaker than the frenzied red-eyed zombies at night. Ye Shuangluo looked at the elevator ahead. Despite the apocalypse, it was still operational.


    His intuition told him that he could find the answers to all these questions in the basement.


    Whether it was the green-eyed zombies or the exceptionally unique Horned Zombie.


    With a single strike, he finished off the zombie under his foot and walked towards the elevator. He pressed the down button, and the elevator doors opened immediately.


    Entering the elevator, Ye Shuangluo noticed that the -3 button was protected by a layer of bulletproof glass.


    Clearly, this was to prevent the building''s employees from accessing the -3 floor.


    But obviously, this bulletproof glass couldn''t stop Ye Shuangluo.


    With one slash, the bulletproof glass shattered. Ye Shuangluo nonchalantly pressed the -3 button.


    Soon, the elevator arrived at -3.


    As soon as he stepped out, Ye Shuangluo saw a large number of animals¡ªtigers, sheep, dogs, cats...


    All of them were preserved in formalin, and Ye Shuangluo noticed that some of these animals were incomplete.


    For example, a cow had lost its horns, and a tiger had lost its tail...


    Ahead of the elevator was a sophisticated-looking door.


    The closer he got to the door, the more restless the Viral Nucleus in his hand became.


    When Ye Shuangluo reached the door, it suddenly opened automatically.


    Clearly, the host was inviting him in.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but smile and then stepped through the door without hesitation.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 8 – Zombie Mother 0

    After entering the room, a series of high-tech instruments came into view, with the most prominent being the surveillance system of the entire building.


    "Your body... is truly unscientific."


    Ye Shuangluo looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a white lab coat, looking at him with a half-smile.


    "I heard there''s a group of freaks with special abilities gathered in the Capital. They call themselves New Humans. Are you one of them?"


    The young man''s gaze was intensely invasive, filled with a fiery curiosity that made Ye Shuangluo feel uncomfortable all over.


    "Actually, compared to those New Humans with special abilities and antisocial tendencies, I think you deserve the title of freak more."


    As Ye Shuangluo spoke, he communicated with the surrounding Wind Element, ready to strike down the man in front of him.


    The young man remained indifferent, even when Ye Shuangluo called him a freak. He just smiled and said, "I''m really curious, how did you find this place? But never mind, more than that, I want to dissect your body right now to see why it''s so strong."


    By the end, the young man in the white lab coat had become inexplicably manic and excited.


    He turned and slammed a button behind him. Two nutrient pods instantly opened, and two Mutant Zombies roared as they approached the young man in the white lab coat.


    "Yin, Chen, break this guy''s arms and legs and bring him over. I want to dissect him and see why his body is so strong."


    Facing Chen, who had antlers and eagle claws, and Yin, who had a tiger''s head and tail, Ye Shuangluo didn''t feel the slightest bit of tension.


    In the next second, the two Mutant Zombies simultaneously launched an attack on him.


    Chen was faster and reached Ye Shuangluo first.


    Just as it was about to attack with its eagle claws, Ye Shuangluo moved. He reversed his grip on his knife and chopped off Chen''s eagle claw with one strike.


    Then, the Wind Element covered Mortal Kill, and he slashed down from top to bottom.


    Chen still wanted to roar and attack, but a line of blood extended from its forehead to its abdomen.


    In the next moment, its blood sprayed out like a fountain.


    Yin had just reached Ye Shuangluo. Seeing its companion''s gruesome death, its biological instinct made it want to flee at all costs.


    But as it turned, Ye Shuangluo grabbed its tiger tail, forcibly stopping it, and Mortal Kill pierced through its brain.


    Yin didn''t even have time to let out a cry before it left this world.


    Unfortunately, these two Mutant Zombies didn''t drop any Treasure Chests.


    "Your two little toys are dead. Why don''t you call out a few more?"


    Ye Shuangluo flicked the blood off Mortal Kill and slowly walked towards the stunned young man.


    It had to be said, after the battle with the Horned Zombie, Ye Shuangluo had undergone a transformation.


    First, he obtained the handy weapon Mortal Kill, and then he gradually developed the basic usage of the Wind Element.


    The result was that he, who once struggled against a single Mutant Zombie, could now easily slay two of them.


    "Don''t, don''t come any closer!" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo approaching like an Asura, the young man panicked completely.


    He wanted to escape, but in this enclosed room, where could he run?


    Soon, he was caught, a knife pressed against his neck. Ye Shuangluo asked with a friendly smile, "I''ve only killed three of your Mutant Zombies. Tell me, where are the other nine?"


    With his life in someone else''s hands, the young man didn''t have time to think about how Ye Shuangluo knew there were twelve Mutant Zombies in total.


    "Two are dead, three are in the Capital, and I sold the other four abroad for more materials."


    Looking at the knife pressed against his neck, the young man broke out in a cold sweat. At this moment, he realized that no matter how much of a genius he was, he was just like any ordinary person¡ªhe would die if killed.


    "In that case, you''re useless now?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s hand applied a bit of pressure, the blade slowly cutting into the young man''s neck.


    The pain in his neck told the young man that if he didn''t think of something quickly, he would soon be decapitated.


    Thinking of how decisively Ye Shuangluo had just killed, his brain worked frantically, trying to find useful information.


    Finally, the young man thought of something that might interest Ye Shuangluo and hurriedly shouted, "Don''t kill me, I know where Zombie No. 0 is!"


    Hearing the young man''s words, Ye Shuangluo stopped pressing the blade into his neck and asked with interest, "Zombie No. 0?"


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    The young man, knowing he had bet correctly, quickly said, "Yes, the mother of the zombie virus, the one who spread the virus worldwide by herself."


    This reward was indeed generous, and Ye Shuangluo was tempted. He would never miss any chance to become stronger.


    So he withdrew Mortal Kill, and the young man in the white lab coat collapsed to the ground, tears uncontrollably streaming down his face.


    He had survived.


    Before he could celebrate, a gun was pressed against his forehead.


    "I''ll give you one chance. Explain everything about Zombie No. 0. If I''m not satisfied, expect a bullet in your brain.


    And don''t doubt whether this gun can be used. I''m a New Human, a New Human with special abilities."


    Facing the threat of death again, the young man dared not slack off and immediately began to recount what he knew.


    "About a month ago, a fishing boat pulled up a coffin from the sea, a crystal coffin.


    The fishermen immediately handed over the coffin. We used many methods and finally opened it, but we didn''t expect that inside was a..."


    "What was it?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s curiosity was piqued.


    "A baby girl, a newborn baby girl."


    "Is this baby girl Zombie No. 0?"


    The young man nodded and answered, "Yes, she is Zombie No. 0.


    Two female researchers were responsible for taking care of her. She looked no different from an ordinary baby.


    But in just three days, she grew from a newborn to a three-year-old child."


    Even now, the young man was still amazed by that scene, which defied the biological growth rate and could only be described as a miracle.


    "She continued to grow a year older each day. No matter how we researched, we couldn''t figure out why her body grew so fast.


    Soon, she had been at the research institute for half a month. By then, she looked like a 15-year-old girl. She was incredibly beautiful, almost unreal."


    Ye Shuangluo frowned. Why emphasize her beauty?


    The young man paused, then sneered, "There was an idiot named Qi in our research institute. From the day Zombie No. 0 arrived, he was always very attentive to her.


    We thought he was just curious as a scientist.


    But we never expected that he fell in love with her.


    That idiot! He betrayed his own kind for that freak and even tried to help her escape.


    On the sixteenth day, Qi inexplicably treated everyone to water. Fortunately, I always looked down on him, or I would have drunk the water mixed with Zombie No. 0''s blood.


    In the end, everyone in the institute except for me and a couple on leave turned into zombies."


    Hearing this, Ye Shuangluo''s expression turned strange. Fortunately, you always looked down on him¡ªwhat a weirdo.


    But the young man didn''t notice and continued his story:


    "Realizing something was wrong, I immediately notified the nearby military. When Qi tried to escape with Zombie No. 0, they ran into a fully armed military unit.


    With no other choice, Zombie No. 0 had to prematurely start spreading the zombie virus.


    At that moment, all the firearms became useless scrap metal.


    Many soldiers in the rescue team were turned into zombies, allowing Qi and Zombie No. 0 to escape.


    But I always looked down on him. After all, Qi was as dumb as a pig. I knew his plan from the start.


    So I intercepted him at his destination, and we made a deal.


    He gave me Zombie No. 0''s heart. Without her heart, she couldn''t continue to grow, and the zombie virus wouldn''t evolve further."


    "What will happen if the zombie virus evolves again?"


    The young man was silent for a moment before saying, "¡­Airborne transmission. No humans will survive."


    Hearing "airborne transmission," Ye Shuangluo''s pupils contracted slightly. That was indeed terrifying.


    "You said you know where Zombie No. 0 is."


    The young man nodded frantically and quickly said, "Yes, I know where she is. Qi, that idiot, is hiding with Zombie No. 0 in an underground base in this city."


    "Why do you scientists always hide underground? Are you all rats that can''t see the light of day?"


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, the young man could only laugh awkwardly. He hid here for safety, as zombies couldn''t smell humans underground.


    As for why Qi, that idiot, also hid underground, he didn''t know. Maybe, as the monster in front of him said, Qi was a rat that couldn''t see the light of day.


    The young man took a few steps back, picked up a map from the table, and handed it to Ye Shuangluo, explaining, "That guy and Zombie No. 0 are probably in this location."


    Ye Shuangluo took the map. There was a marked spot on it, clearly indicating their hiding place.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 9 – The first

    Looking at the map in his hand, Ye Shuangluo suddenly seemed to think of something and commanded:


    "You just said you have the heart of Zombie No. 0. Take it out and let me see."


    The young man didn''t dare to refuse. He operated the instrument twice, and instantly, the floor in the center of the room split open. A table with a glass cover slowly rose from the ground.


    Ye Shuangluo''s gaze was immediately drawn to the heart of Zombie No. 0 inside the glass cover.


    Unlike the zombie hearts he had seen before, the heart in front of him was like a piece of art, as fragile as crystal, as if a gentle touch could destroy it.


    The most amazing thing was that even though it had left the Mother, it was still beating slowly.


    Without hesitation, Ye Shuangluo stored it in his space backpack and then asked, "This thing is mine now. Any objections?"


    "No, you can take it."


    Faced with Ye Shuangluo''s method of taking first and asking later, the young man felt as if his heart was bleeding. Without the heart of Zombie No. 0, he could no longer create special mutant zombies like Yin and Chen.


    But at this moment, he was the fish on the chopping board, with no right to choose.


    Finally, Ye Shuangluo prepared to leave. The young man breathed a long sigh of relief, watching his back, ready to see off this harbinger of doom.


    Unexpectedly, Ye Shuangluo suddenly turned around, looking at him coldly, and asked:


    "Did you just step with your left foot first?"


    Huh?


    The young man was stunned. What did it matter which foot he stepped with first?


    "You stepped with your left foot first. It seems you don''t respect me."


    Ye Shuangluo shot the young man''s head off without hesitation, then turned and left without a second glance. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ***


    Following the mission guide, Ye Shuangluo quickly arrived at the location of Zombie No. 0.


    But he also understood that getting inside wouldn''t be easy.


    After all, within his line of sight, at least a hundred zombies were tightly surrounding the entrance to the underground.


    The most crucial part was that these zombies'' eyes were not gray-white but blood-red.


    This meant they were not mindless corpses but monsters that would go berserk and hunt humans upon sight.


    "This is troublesome. In broad daylight, why are all these zombies red-eyed? Is it something Qi did, or... is it the ability of No. 0?"


    He didn''t know the answer to the question, but he didn''t need to. He only needed to know one thing.


    Could he kill all these zombies by himself? If not, how could he lure them away?


    After some thought, he decided to use the simplest and most brutal method:


    However, he wouldn''t charge in unprepared. Glancing at a nearby alley, he silently counted down in his heart, getting ready.


    He took out his Wind Chaser Type I and shot at the distant zombie horde.


    Without waiting to see the result, he immediately ran towards the narrow alley.


    Almost halfway through the alley, he turned and drew his Mortal Kill, facing the horde of crazed zombies, beginning his slaughter.


    He had noticed that the alley was narrow, only allowing three people to pass side by side at most.


    Thus, in this narrow alley, no matter how much the zombies wanted to tear him to pieces, only three could approach at a time.


    Clearly, if he only had to face three zombies at once, it shouldn''t be too difficult.


    In the narrow alley, as the zombies in front fell, those behind would immediately fill the gap.


    Ye Shuangluo fought and retreated, not daring to relax for a moment, his Mortal Kill continuously harvesting the enemies'' lives.


    He could feel that amidst the endless slaughter, something seemed to be brewing.


    After an unknown amount of time, the dense horde of zombies had dwindled to almost nothing.


    With a few more slashes, he killed the last few zombies and walked out of the alley, stepping on their corpses.


    During the battle, he had been hit by zombies a few times, causing his clothes to be torn to shreds. Fortunately, these zombies didn''t have the ability to infect others through scratches.


    Moreover, he had "Wind Affinity," which restored two Health Points per second, allowing him to kill all the zombies successfully.


    Now that the obstacles were cleared, it was time to claim his victory spoils.


    With a mix of excitement and anxiety, he slowly walked down through the entrance.


    To his surprise, the underground seemed to be an air raid shelter.


    And it wasn''t just any air raid shelter; various supplies were scattered all over the place. Outside, people fought to the death for a bit of supplies, but here, these precious items were discarded like trash.


    However, it seemed only one person lived here, along with a half-dead zombie Mother, so they didn''t need such a large amount of supplies.


    As Ye Shuangluo ventured deeper, he reached the innermost part of the shelter, facing a round door.


    A piece of paper was stuck to the door. Ye Shuangluo reached out and tore it down, beginning to read:


    "If you''re here for supplies, they''re all outside. Take whatever you want."


    This... must have been written by Qi.


    If he were a native, he might have chosen to take the supplies and leave.


    But he wasn''t. He wasn''t here for the supplies; his target was only one:


    According to the mission guide, No. 0 should be behind this door. He was already at the doorstep; there was no turning back.


    He directly stabbed his blade into the door, turned it clockwise, and then pulled it out, creating a circular hole big enough for him to enter.


    When Ye Shuangluo entered, he found the space inside surprisingly small, about 50 square meters.


    So he immediately saw a young man with a lovesick smile, and the object of his affection: a girl with a large gash in her chest, soaking in nutrient fluid.


    Perhaps sensing someone behind him, the young man turned around suspiciously, seeing a boy who had somehow broken in.


    A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.


    "You, how did you get in here?"


    When he noticed Ye Shuangluo''s gaze fixed on No. 0 behind him, he panicked but tried to maintain his composure, saying, "You can take all the supplies outside. You see, I have nothing here. If you try anything, I''ll fight you to the death."


    "Idiot, his vitality is terrifying. If you provoke him, the fish will die, but the net will remain intact."


    A cold, ethereal female voice suddenly sounded. Qi looked at the girl in the nutrient fluid in disbelief, asking in surprise:


    "Great, No. 0, have you finally recovered? I''ve always been worried about you, afraid you would never wake up."


    The girl in the nutrient fluid still had her eyes closed, looking like a sleeping beauty, truly pitiful.


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 10 – Legendary passive

    "Human, if I¡¯m not mistaken, it was that human named Song Qi who told you I was here, right?"


    "So what if he did? So what if he didn''t?"


    Ye Shuangluo looked at her with great interest. Even though she didn''t open her mouth, he could still hear her voice. Could this be some kind of telepathic communication?


    Seeing that both of them were ignoring him, the simp Qi became anxious. Maybe he was eager to prove himself, or maybe he just wanted to assert his presence.


    He actually roared at Ye Shuangluo:


    "Song Qi, you broke your promise! I clearly gave you Zombie No. 0''s heart, and you still betrayed us."


    As he spoke, the desperate simp lunged at Ye Shuangluo.


    Ye Shuangluo slightly sidestepped to avoid his attack, and in an instant, Mortal Kill was unsheathed, slashing towards Qi''s head.


    The strike was so swift that Qi could only turn around in disbelief before collapsing to the ground, blood gushing from his neck like a fountain.


    After killing Qi, Ye Shuangluo sneered coldly:


    "That was your agreement with him. What does it have to do with me?"


    Taking two steps forward, he looked at Zombie No. 0, who was now within arm''s reach, and thought to himself:


    "This time, I really hit the jackpot."


    In his eyes, the girl soaking in the nutrient solution, who looked like an ordinary young girl, had a blood-red skull symbol above her head.


    That was the mark of a boss, and the blood-red mark on Zombie No. 0''s head was so dark it was almost black.


    This piqued his interest as he looked at Zombie No. 0, who seemed to be merely asleep with her eyes closed.


    Her pure and beautiful appearance made it easy to understand why that foolish simp would betray his own kind for her.


    For some reason, just by looking at her, Ye Shuangluo felt an urge to die for her.


    Regaining his clarity, Ye Shuangluo immediately raised his blade and slashed at Zombie No. 0.


    With his superhuman physical strength, even reinforced glass couldn''t withstand his strike.


    As the glass shattered, Zombie No. 0''s cold and ethereal voice sounded again.


    "Powerful human, please put away your blade."


    "You want me to put it away just because you said so? That would make me look bad."


    "Human, I can give you anything you want. Please don''t stop my birth."


    Ye Shuangluo stood with his blade raised, watching as Zombie No. 0 grew visibly weaker after leaving the nutrient solution.


    "What if I insist on stopping you?"


    "...This is a sacred evolution. Even if you kill me, you can''t stop it. At most, you''ll be a small obstacle on this sacred path."


    "Pfft, hahaha."


    Ye Shuangluo covered his face with one hand and laughed wildly, his laughter filled with mockery and disdain.


    "Since you say I''m just an obstacle, then I must try to block you."


    "...Human, you can''t stop this evolution. This is His decision. No one can change or stop it. You are all just discarded failures. Don''t delude yourself."


    The Wind Chaser Type I easily shattered Zombie No. 0''s head. This monster, which could have destroyed the world if it had been born, was thus killed.


    "Such a chatterbox."


    After Ye Shuangluo shot Zombie No. 0, a black treasure chest slowly appeared on her corpse. He put it into his space backpack, planning to open it after returning to the Main World.


    At the same time, the mechanical voice of the game system echoed in his mind.


    Ye Shuangluo naturally chose to draw, and instantly, a golden light burst before him, so bright that he had to close his eyes.


    When the light faded, he opened his eyes to see the passive skill he had drawn.


    Ye Shuangluo stared in shock at this skill. It was incredibly powerful, almost like a cheat.


    A World-Destroying boss, huh?


    Though he was tempted, Ye Shuangluo shook his head helplessly. This time, he got lucky, but next time, he might not be so fortunate.


    But if he had to say, Ye Shuangluo looked up at the sky. He should also count as a World-Destroying boss, right?


    The entity easily turned all human weapons into scrap metal, a power that was awe-inspiring.


    Maybe one day, he could become as strong as Him, or even stronger.


    Out of nowhere, this thought suddenly appeared in Ye Shuangluo''s mind.


    Looking at the zombies rampaging around him, Ye Shuangluo gripped his long blade and charged forward.


    Even though he knew it was futile, this world was destined to fall unless someone could cut down the Purple Moon in the sky.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t do that now. He was just an ordinary person who couldn''t save this world. At most, he could kill Zombie No. 0 and delay its downfall.


    ***


    Four days later.


    Pfft!


    With three swift strikes, Ye Shuangluo cleanly killed the two zombies in front of him.


    "Not even halfway there?"


    [Ding, this trial is about to end. You will be teleported in five minutes. Please prepare.]


    He was unwilling. For four days, he had hunted zombies almost without rest.


    But in the end, he hadn''t even reached halfway.


    He hadn''t even earned the "Killing Maniac" secondary achievement, let alone the highest achievement of this world, "God of Slaughter."


    But there was nothing he could do; he was out of time.


    Taking one last look at this world, Ye Shuangluo chose to return and was teleported away.


    ***


    When Ye Shuangluo regained consciousness, he was back in his room. Everything around him felt both unfamiliar and familiar.


    In a daze, he felt as if a lifetime had passed.


    Even though only seven days had passed in the Trial World, it felt a hundred times more exciting than his previous seventeen years.


    He was still savoring the thrilling experiences of the Trial World. Every adventure he had gone through felt like a feast, leaving him wanting more.


    Then he remembered that entering the Trial World meant he had been missing for seven days in the Main World.


    And unfortunately, his homeroom teacher was a diligent and strict person. After he skipped classes, his teacher would definitely notify his guardians.


    Thinking about how his uncle and aunt would go crazy with anger, stomping their feet because he slipped out of their control, he felt oddly pleased. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if he had to do it again, he would make the same choice.


    Such an interesting game, if he missed it, he would regret it for life and curse his own stupidity countless times.


    As he pondered what excuse to use to placate his uncle and aunt, a message notification sounded from his computer.


    Hmm?


    Who sent him his first message after returning?


    Curious, he sat down at his computer to check the message.


    "Awesome, you''re amazing!"


    "You finished an hour ahead of everyone in Heavenly Capital. You really showed them up this time."


    "Maniacal Laugh.JPG"


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the screen with a strange expression. The message was from his online friend, username "¤´ Lost Black Cat©g", a non-mainstream name belonging to a game enthusiast who loved the Aesthetics of Violence.


    They had met through a game, and because the username was so non-mainstream, Ye Shuangluo always called him by his game name: Zi Han.


    What puzzled him was that he had posted that screenshot in the group seven days ago, and this guy was only now praising him.


    As he was wondering, he glanced at the time in the bottom right corner of his computer and was stunned.


    He thought seven days had passed in the Trial World and the Main World, but only about an hour had passed here.


    "So that''s it, different time flow rates?"


    Ye Shuangluo immediately understood. Only an hour had passed in the real world, so no one had reported him missing.


    That''s good; he didn''t want to be exposed so soon.


    Ye Shuangluo chatted idly with Black Cat. Suddenly, the screen went black, and then the blue square box reappeared.


    The box read:


    Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan

 Chapter 11 – Growth Equipment

    Looking at the chat window on the computer, Ye Shuangluo''s fingers lightly tapped the keyboard to start the conversation.


    "What are you..."


    He was unsure how to address the other party because he realized that the other party might not be human at all.


    (Excellent warrior, you humans have given me many names, Gaia, Alaya...


    In essence, I am the World Consciousness of your world.)


    World Consciousness...


    A flood of related content from games and novels flashed through his mind, but he couldn''t quite grasp the purpose of the sudden appearance of the World Consciousness.


    So he decided to chat casually for a bit to see if he could get any useful information.


    "I''m excellent? How so?"


    (Your A+ rating is proof of your excellence, and you also possess... a very special talent.)


    "My talent is special?"


    Although Ye Shuangluo felt his talent was powerful, he thought others'' talents wouldn''t be too far behind.


    (...Very special. I can''t even view your talent.)


    "You can view others'' talents?"


    (Of course, as the World Consciousness, each world in the game is an independent server, and I, as the World Consciousness, am naturally the exclusive GM of this server.)


    With that explanation, he understood. As a GM, it''s normal to be able to view player data, right?


    But not being able to view his own... It seems his talent is indeed very special.


    (I''m not interested in what your talent is exactly. After all, as a player of this server, the stronger you are, the better. I just want to inform you of something.


    At 10 AM three days from now, a group of Humanoids will invade this world. Please be prepared.)


    "Why me? With my current combat power, the military should be able to handle it too."


    (The reason is simple. Only if you players kill the invaders can I obtain the coordinates of their world.)


    So that''s it, a reverse invasion.


    As a professional player who dabbles in all kinds of games, Ye Shuangluo understood the World Consciousness''s words very clearly.


    (Of course, I''m telling you this so you won''t be unprepared. The enemy will likely open portals in five locations simultaneously, one of which is near your school.


    But don''t worry, besides you, other players will also join the fight. Even the strongest player on our side should take action.)


    An invasion from another world, Ye Shuangluo didn''t think much about the pros and cons or plan what to do. After all, if the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up.


    Compared to the world invasion, he was more concerned about another matter:


    "Do we have many players here?"


    (If we take the entire human population as the base, you are extremely rare, less than one in a hundred million.)


    Less than one in a hundred million, that sounds like very few. But if we take the entire human population as the base, there should be at least 80 to 90 people.


    And these 80 to 90 people are not ordinary; they are superhumans with abilities like flying, invulnerability, and taking on thousands alone.


    Thinking back to before he entered the game, this world seemed peaceful and calm on the surface.


    But it turns out there were such turbulent undercurrents.


    (Alright, I''ve said what I needed to say. Now, take a good rest, interesting little guy.)


    After the World Consciousness finished speaking, the blue chat box on the computer disappeared automatically.


    Ye Shuangluo shrugged, shut down the computer, drew the curtains, and then collapsed onto his familiar bed.


    Finally... he could rest for a while.


    ...


    Ye Shuangluo woke up naturally, stretched lazily, and then glanced at his phone.


    He had slept for a full 18 hours, which was understandable given that he had been on high alert in the Trial World with no time or place to rest.


    Ye Shuangluo got up and walked to the window, pulling open the curtains. The warm sunlight instantly bathed him, and he squinted in enjoyment.


    The Main World is still the best, without those zombies that go crazy at night, allowing for a good night''s sleep.


    He even felt that the air in the Main World seemed much better than in the Trial World, although he knew it was mostly psychological.


    But he still greedily took deep breaths of the fresh air. After all, the air in the Main World wouldn''t turn people into zombies. Just for that, the Main World was a clear winner.


    After enjoying the fresh air and warm sunlight, Ye Shuangluo sat back on his bed and took out the treasure chest that dropped from the last boss in his space backpack.


    It was a pure black treasure chest. Although he could open it with a thought, he chose to open it with his hands for the sake of ceremony.


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, you have obtained 100,000 Points.]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, you have obtained the Eyes of Charm.]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, you have obtained Virus Essence.]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, you have obtained Pluto.]


    ...


    Points should be the universal currency, given in large amounts but not worth too much attention. The real focus should be on these three items.


    [Eyes of Charm]


    [Type: Skill]


    [Learning Condition: Female player with Charisma attribute above 10]


    [Effect: When used on the opposite sex, the target must make a Will judgment. If they fail, they will fall into a "Charmed" state.


    When used on the same sex, the target must make a Mental Judgment. If they fail, they will enter a "Confused" state.]


    Ye Shuangluo was initially interested in this skill, but seeing the learning condition, he fell silent. Only female players could learn it, so what use was it to him?


    Next item, next item.


    [Virus Essence]


    [Type: Consumable]


    [Effect: Increases Strength by 2, Constitution by 3, Agility by 2 upon injection.


    Also has a chance to grant a special skill.]


    [Evaluation: This is the result of numerous human experiments by a Mad Doctor from the original timeline. It can grant a frail human a body that surpasses ordinary limits.] S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Virus Essence was a vial of reagent. Ye Shuangluo looked at the reagent in front of him and then at the evaluation mentioning the Mad Doctor.


    Could it be that the Mad Doctor he killed was the one who created this? That guy was indeed always conducting human experiments, though whether zombies count as humans is debatable.


    Finally, his gaze fell on the last item in the treasure chest.


    Pluto was a necklace, a fine silver thread running through a black-and-white gemstone. Just by its appearance, it looked extremely valuable.


    [Pluto]


    [Quality: White]


    [Type: Growth-type Equipment (Accessory)]


    [Special Effect: Captive Souls]


    After killing a powerful enemy, you can choose to imprison their soul in Pluto. These powerful souls will grant you various enhancements.


    Current number of capturable souls: 0/1


    Upgrade method: Wear Pluto and personally kill 1000 ordinary enemies, 10 elite enemies, and 1 boss enemy in battle.


    Current progress: 0/1000, 0/10, 0/1


    [Evaluation: Being killed while alive and having your soul imprisoned after death is undoubtedly tragic. But being chosen and imprisoned among many souls indicates your recognition of their (his/her/its) powerful strength.]


    ...


    Growth-type equipment!


    Ye Shuangluo''s breath quickened involuntarily. In any game, growth-type equipment is rare and powerful.


    He didn''t expect to get his own growth-type equipment so soon.


    Excitedly, he put Pluto around his neck. As for the Tears of the Hypocrite? It could roll as far away as possible. Who would want such a useless item?


    He casually listed the "Tears of the Hypocrite" on the exchange and stopped caring about it.


    However, Ye Shuangluo was a bit disappointed that there were no powerful individuals in the real world for him to kill, making Pluto''s special effect "Captive Souls" untestable for now.


    But there was no need to rush. The game panel appeared before him, showing that the next trial was also in three days.


    Looking at the countdown on the game panel, Ye Shuangluo calculated a bit and found it was in the afternoon.


    This meant he could deal with the invaders at noon and participate in the trial in the afternoon.


    "They really have my schedule all planned out. Looks like it''s going to be a busy day."


    After complaining, Ye Shuangluo checked out the new functions on the game panel, which had been unlocked after his first trial.


    Forum


    Exchange


    Training Ground


    Arena


    Private Space


    He had briefly looked at these functions.


    The Forum function was like most forums, allowing players to communicate. It had both a server-specific forum and a global forum.


    The Exchange was for handling unused equipment or items and purchasing needed supplies or equipment.


    The Training Ground allowed players to practice their skills freely, with a low cost. He planned to try it out when he had the chance.


    As for the Arena, as the name suggests, it was for players to fight each other. Given the world invasion, it was likely that relations between worlds weren''t friendly.


    Interestingly, the Arena had a tiered system, meaning you could only participate in arenas matching your player level.


    For example, Ye Shuangluo could only match with other Reserve Players.


    The Private Space function was probably the most considerate feature of the game system.


    Every player who passed the first trial was granted a Private Space by the game system.


    The game system would carve out a space in the void that belonged entirely to the player. Although it started at only 20 square meters, it could be expanded with points.


    "This solves the housing problem. Even if my uncle''s family kicks me out, I won''t be homeless."


    Ye Shuangluo made a not-so-funny joke and then laughed at himself.


    He then used the game system to bring up the command menu and chose to enter his Private Space.


    A flash of white light, and in the blink of an eye, he was transported to his Private Space.


    He looked around. The space wasn''t large but was particularly empty, with only a machine in the corner.


    Walking up to the machine, its information popped up instantly.


    (Attribute Enhancer)


    (This machine is used to allocate free attributes.)


    "So this is how you enhance personal attributes."


    Ye Shuangluo sat in the machine, and the attribute panel immediately appeared.


    ...


    Reserve Player Ye Shuangluo (from sl1122 world)


    Health Points: 100% (This attribute cannot be fully quantified and will change based on injury severity.)


    Spiritual Power: 50/50 (Intelligence Attribute ¡Á 10, current recovery rate: 1 point per minute.)


    Strength: 4 (related to Attack Power and carrying capacity)


    Agility: 4 (related to Movement Speed and attack speed)


    Constitution: 5 (related to Health Points, defense, and resistance to abnormalities)


    Intelligence: 5 (related to skill damage and Spiritual Power limit)


    Charisma: 6 (related to interactions and summoning skills or items)


    Luck: 4 (related to item crafting and various probabilities)


    Find the original at " ".


    PS: The average adult male has 5 points in each attribute, with Luck being 1 point.


    Talent: Achievement Master (unique special exclusive talent)


    Free Attributes to allocate: 13 points


    Allocation suggestion: Main attribute Charisma, secondary attributes Intelligence and Constitution.

 Chapter 12 – Defense War Begins

    After reviewing the latest attribute panel, Ye Shuangluo felt his head was full of question marks.


    First of all, why had his Mana Points turned into Spiritual Power?


    Although he hadn''t used Mana Points at all in the Trial World, it suddenly changing into something unknown was bewildering. He couldn''t tell if it was a good or bad thing.


    Secondly, why had his Charisma Attribute decreased by 1 point while his Agility Attribute increased by 1 point? Could it be that the missing Charisma point had been converted into Agility?


    No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn''t figure it out, and eventually, he gave up thinking about it.


    Losing a point in Charisma was fine, at least his Agility had increased.


    When it came to attribute allocation, he completely ignored the suggested distribution. Choosing Charisma as the main attribute? He wasn''t crazy.


    Charisma could affect interactions and summoning-related items and skills.


    But he didn''t have any summoning skills or items right now. As for interactions...


    He preferred putting a knife to someone''s throat; at that point, he could do whatever he wanted.


    Looking at his various attributes, he quickly came up with a distribution plan.


    "Allocate 4 points to Strength, 4 points to Constitution, 4 points to Agility... and 1 point to Intelligence."


    In the end, he still allocated 1 point to Intelligence, as it affected his MP limit.


    But what exactly was this Spiritual Power for?


    He could feel that he could control something, and it was quite easy, like using his own limbs.


    But he didn''t really know what the Spiritual Power was for.


    However, he didn''t have time to ponder it now, as the attribute allocation had already begun.


    Pain, excruciating pain.


    This was Ye Shuangluo''s only feeling at the moment. As the attribute allocation started, he felt as if his body and even his soul were being torn apart.


    The worst part was that despite the pain, he didn''t pass out.


    He knew it was the system''s ability keeping him conscious.


    But he would rather pass out; the pain was unbearable.


    He had been severely injured by a modified Horned Zombie in the Trial World, feeling as if his whole body was falling apart, even having flashbacks.


    But that pain was not even one percent of what he was feeling now. It felt like his bones were being shattered and reassembled repeatedly, about a hundred times, before the enhancement was over.


    Ye Shuangluo stumbled off the Attribute Enhancer, his eyes dazed. He didn''t know how he had managed to endure it.


    Just then, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind.


    (Friendly Reminder: The initial attribute allocation will cause extreme pain. If the player cannot endure it, they can choose to block the pain.)


    "You must be joking! You tell me this after I''ve already finished the allocation!!"


    Ye Shuangluo almost roared. He could accept the pain as the price for becoming stronger.


    But the game system telling him he could block the pain only after the process was complete made him feel like going crazy.


    Unfortunately, the system ignored his anger and roars. Ye Shuangluo sighed helplessly, "Forget it, whatever, let it be!"


    He took out the virus serum he had just obtained from the Treasure Chest and glanced nervously at the Attribute Enhancer.


    Would injecting this virus serum into his body hurt just as much?


    After hesitating for a moment, he still injected the serum into his body, pressing the plunger to inject all the virus serum.


    After the injection, he tensed up, ready to endure the soul and body-wrenching pain.


    But to his surprise, no pain came. Instead, a warm sensation spread from his chest throughout his body.


    So comfortable.


    He almost moaned; it was so comfortable, like a traveler who hadn''t drunk water for three days and nights suddenly falling into a spring.


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    After half an hour, the warmth gradually faded.


    Ye Shuangluo eagerly called up his attribute panel, and his attributes had undergone a complete transformation.


    Ye Shuangluo (Reserve Player of World sl1122)


    Health Points: 100% (This attribute cannot be fully quantified and will change based on injury severity, currently Constitution Attribute ¡Á 20)


    Spiritual Power: 60/60 (Current recovery rate is 1 point per minute)


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 10


    Constitution: 12


    Intelligence: 6


    Charisma: 6


    ...


    Compared to before, his attributes had undergone a dramatic change.


    Strength and Agility, which were originally only 4 points each, had increased to 10 points after allocation and virus serum injection.


    Constitution had changed the most, going from 5 points to 12 points.


    It was now his highest attribute.


    Intelligence had also increased from 5 points to 6 points.


    After this round of enhancements, his previously weak body had regained the strength he had when he received the novice buff in the Trial World.


    No, it was even stronger than in the Trial World. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After enhancing his attributes, Ye Shuangluo turned his attention to the "Heart of Zombie No. 0" in his space backpack.


    This was his first collectible, and it said it needed to be placed in the Collectibles Room, but he didn''t know where the Collectibles Room was or how to activate this function.


    [Honored Reserve Player, it has been detected that you possess a collectible. Would you like to spend 50,000 points to activate the Collectibles Room function?]


    So it required points to activate?


    But he had just obtained 100,000 points from the Treasure Chest, so he chose to activate it without hesitation.


    After activation, there wasn''t much change in his Private Space, except for a display cabinet that suddenly appeared in a prominent spot on the left side.


    When Ye Shuangluo''s gaze focused on the display cabinet, a prompt box popped up.


    [It has been detected that there is a collectible in the Reserve Player''s space backpack. Would you like to place it in the display cabinet?]


    Ye Shuangluo chose yes, and the "Heart of Zombie No. 0" was instantly transferred from the space backpack to the display cabinet.


    Interestingly, it was still beating slowly and rhythmically.


    [Congratulations on achieving: Novice Collector]


    [Reward: +0.5% chance of obtaining collectibles after killing enemies]


    The reward for this achievement was, well, better than nothing.


    At this moment, he frowned slightly, realizing that his Private Space was only 20 square meters.


    It was barely enough for now, but what about when he had 10 or 20 collectibles?


    Looking at it this way, the Private Space was indeed a bit too small.


    [It has been detected that you have related needs. Would you like to spend points to expand your Private Space?]


    [Current price: 1,000 points per square meter]


    "I never thought that even in this god-like game, I''d still have to work hard to buy a house."


    After a casual complaint, he chose to expand his Private Space.


    Rumble


    With the sound of construction, the space instantly expanded by ten square meters.


    [Current price: 2,000 points per square meter]


    "At 40 square meters, will it cost 4,000 points to expand further?"


    Ye Shuangluo hoped he was overthinking it; otherwise, this thing was a bottomless pit.


    ...


    "If you don''t work hard now, you''ll regret it in the future!"


    Listening to the teacher''s passionate speech from the podium, Ye Shuangluo boredly twirled the pen in his hand.


    Three days ago, he was still fighting zombies, and now he was sitting here drinking chicken soup for the soul. Life was indeed unpredictable.


    It proved that increasing Intelligence Attribute didn''t raise IQ, but it did help him concentrate better.


    For example, even though he wasn''t focusing on the teacher, he still remembered every word the teacher said.


    When the class ended, all the students rushed out because the next period was their most anticipated physical education class.


    Ye Shuangluo leisurely walked at the back. After all, he was an average student with an introverted personality and a modest family background.


    Moreover, a pair of twins were always ruining his reputation at school, so he had no friends and could only immerse himself in the game.


    As he walked towards the playground, lost in thought, the ground suddenly shook.


    "Is it an earthquake?!"


    "Ahhh, help!"


    "What... what is that?!"


    "A... a monster!"


    Amidst the chaotic noises, Ye Shuangluo''s eyes lit up.


    [Dear Reserve Player, the space gate has opened, and invaders have arrived. Please prepare for battle.]


    "Finally, I''ve been waiting so long I almost fell asleep."


    He quietly moved to an empty spot, took off his school uniform, and put on the fox mask he had prepared from his space backpack.


    Finally, he took out Mortal Kill from his space backpack and headed towards the playground.

 Chapter 13 – The boy wearing the Lion Mask

    When Ye Shuangluo arrived at the playground, a chaotic scene unfolded before his eyes.


    Countless boys lay on the ground, some unconscious, others writhing in pain and wailing.


    The girls were being chased around the playground by a group of green-skinned dwarfs, but it was clear they couldn''t escape. Some were tackled to the ground, others struck down by weapons.


    These green-skinned dwarfs wielded spears, long guns, and large wooden clubs, greedily eyeing the young boys and girls scattered across the playground, even drooling with filthy saliva. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were short, each about 1.2 to 1.4 meters tall.


    Their faces were filled with greed, and what they seemed to covet most were the youthful girls and some of the strong boys in the school.


    Looking at their appearances and greedy eyes, a name flashed through Ye Shuangluo''s mind: "Goblins."


    Of course, more eye-catching than these goblins was the massive gate, ten meters tall and ten meters wide, that had appeared at the school entrance at some unknown time.


    Goblins continuously streamed out of this gate, all of them excited, their eyes filled with greed as they looked at the boys and girls on the playground.


    "Truly disgusting."


    Ye Shuangluo withdrew his gaze, silently muttering to himself, then took out his Wind Chaser Type I from his space backpack and fired three shots at the goblin horde.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The three shots accurately claimed the lives of three goblins, drawing the attention of both the goblins and the boys and girls on the playground.


    The boys and girls first showed signs of joy, but upon seeing that it was just one person, and that this person was wearing a mask and holding a knife, seemingly cosplaying, they fell back into despair.


    The goblins, however, didn''t think that much. They were only filled with anger, furious that their kind had been killed in front of them.


    Three goblins lunged at him first. As they closed in, he showed no intention of dodging, as if he were paralyzed with fear.


    But in the next moment, he moved.


    Ye Shuangluo gripped his knife in his left hand and slashed cleanly from right to left.


    In one swift motion, he cut all three goblins in half mid-air.


    Plop!


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    As the three bodies hit the ground, the boys and girls were stunned.


    They hadn''t seen the slash clearly at all and almost thought the masked stranger would be taken down by the green-skinned creatures.


    Ye Shuangluo nodded, satisfied with his slash. It seemed his training over the past few days hadn''t been in vain.


    Perhaps it was the hidden weapon talent boost from the "Master of Weapons" legendary passive that made using both the Wind Chaser Type I and Mortal Kill feel particularly smooth.


    [Blade Mastery Beginner LV.2]


    [Effect: Increases damage by 4% when using bladed weapons]


    [Evaluation: Obtaining this skill means your blade mastery is at least at the beginner level]


    However, his talent with firearms wasn''t as high, so he used a self-selected skill book.


    [Firearm Mastery (Hot Weapons) Beginner LV.1]


    [Effect: Increases damage by 2% when using firearms]


    [Evaluation: Obtaining this skill means your firearm mastery is at least at the beginner level]


    "Gilakaso!" (Goblin language)


    The goblins, enraged by the death of their companions, swarmed towards Ye Shuangluo.


    He didn''t retreat. Wind Element attached to his legs, he charged at the goblins with Mortal Kill in hand.


    Slash, slash, slash...


    With the support of his powerful attributes, Ye Shuangluo used Mortal Kill to harvest the lives of the goblins one by one.


    The goblins, initially filled with anger and greed, saw their numbers dwindle, their anger fading, and their greed vanishing completely.


    They were slaughtered like pigs and dogs, the fox-masked youth reaping their lives with devilish efficiency.


    Finally, after thirty or forty goblins had died, they chose to flee.


    But among all the goblins, there were always one or two exceptions.


    Ye Shuangluo''s keen five senses allowed him to hear a goblin attempting to sneak up on him from behind. Without turning, he thrust Mortal Kill backward.


    Instantly, the goblin leaping at him from behind was impaled.


    Adhering to his principle of waste utilization, he gripped Mortal Kill and flung it towards the cluster of goblins ahead.


    Several goblins were knocked down, but the others ignored their fallen companions and continued to flee.


    Ye Shuangluo casually flicked the green blood off his blade. Though he was alone, his presence alone suppressed the hundreds of goblins opposite him.


    Through the recent battle, he realized that aside from their high agility, the goblins'' other attributes were similar to or even lower than humans.


    However, the goblins had combat experience and weapons, so it was understandable that the students on the playground were no match for them.


    Watching the fleeing goblins, Ye Shuangluo felt things weren''t that simple. If the invasion was so easily thwarted, the World Consciousness wouldn''t have specifically warned him.


    Sure enough, as the goblins tried to escape the school, a beast-like roar echoed from a distance.


    Accompanied by the roar, the ground seemed to tremble, causing the fleeing goblins to halt.


    They instinctively formed two lines, as if welcoming some important figure.


    Something was coming. Ye Shuangluo tightened his grip on his long knife.


    Soon, a tall goblin clad in armor slowly approached from a distance.


    The most distinctive feature of this goblin was its head. Unlike other goblins, it had a bear''s head.


    For some reason, Ye Shuangluo thought of the horned zombie, but this bear goblin was different.


    It wielded two heavy-looking war hammers, clearly intelligent enough to use weapons.


    At this moment, a goblin approached the bear goblin, speaking and pointing towards Ye Shuangluo.


    "Sasa Imurado!" (Goblin language)


    The bear goblin roared in anger, smashing the tattling goblin into minced meat with a hammer.


    "What a temper."


    If the appearance of ordinary goblins caused chaos, the bear goblin''s arrival threw everyone into complete panic.


    Anyone who saw this behemoth would find it hard to stay calm.


    It was a biological instinct.


    The massive body was intimidating. Before this, the largest humanoid Ye Shuangluo had seen was the horned zombie, but even that would be dwarfed by the bear goblin.


    But Ye Shuangluo felt no fear. He knew he couldn''t escape this time.


    Just as he prepared to fight, he suddenly turned to look at the rooftop of the teaching building.


    In his perception, a strong presence had suddenly appeared there.


    His perception proved accurate. On the rooftop, a youth wearing a lion mask rode a black panther, surveying the ground from above.


    Ye Shuangluo noticed the youth, and so did the bear goblin.


    Perhaps displeased by the youth''s lofty gaze, or for some other reason, the bear goblin clashed his hammers together and muttered in his language.


    "Gilakakusa!" (Goblin language)


    He then hurled a hammer at the youth on the rooftop. The youth leaped into the air, his panther dissolving into starlight.


    Though the lion-masked youth descended, he didn''t land on the ground but stood in mid-air.


    Hovering, he looked down at the bear goblin with disdain and disgust.


    "Such foolish and filthy creatures like you should be burned to ashes."


    The youth raised a finger, a flame appearing at his fingertip, then drew a line in the air.


    "Listen to my call, Divine Flame Lion King."


    As the youth spoke, a massive portal appeared in mid-air, opening wide.


    Roar!


    The bear goblin roared at the portal, throwing its remaining hammer at it.


    The hammer melted into molten iron mid-flight, unable to withstand the heat.


    In the next moment, a giant lion wrapped in golden flames leapt from the portal, slamming the bear goblin to the ground with a paw.


    Ye Shuangluo, who witnessed the entire scene, was in awe of the giant lion.


    The lion was enormous. The bear goblin, nearly four meters tall, looked like a dwarf beside it.


    The size difference between the bear goblin and the lion was like that between a human child and an adult lion.


    With such a size disparity, the bear goblin was pinned to the ground, unable to move.


    Despite its desperate struggle, the giant paw remained firmly on its head.


    "Lion King, stop playing. Kill them all."


    Hearing the youth''s urging, the Divine Flame Lion King stopped toying with its new toy.


    Golden flames surged from its paw, and in an instant, the bear goblin was reduced to ashes.


    Though the bear goblin turned to ash, the golden flames didn''t extinguish.


    Instead, they seemed intelligent, spreading into countless sparks that latched onto the goblins emerging from the portal.


    For some reason, these sparks didn''t incinerate the goblins instantly like they did the bear goblin.


    Instead, they caused the goblins to wail and beg in agony.


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the youth hovering in mid-air. Due to the mask, he couldn''t see the youth''s expression.


    Was he watching this scene indifferently, or was he excited by his handiwork?


    He shook his head, unable to discern the youth''s thoughts.


    But one thing he knew: the youth was strong, strong enough to kill him a hundred times over if he wished.


    He decided not to linger, preparing to go home and rest, to be ready for the afternoon trial.


    As for the others on the playground and in the teaching building?


    After the lion-masked youth released the Lion King to burn the bear goblin, they had already fled.


    Neither the giant lion nor the youth stopped Ye Shuangluo from leaving.


    The youth simply watched his back, lost in thought.


    Five minutes later.


    When all the goblins had turned to ash and no more emerged from the portal, the giant lion leapt back through the gate.


    The lion-masked youth took out a scroll from his space backpack. As he opened it, a white light flashed, and he disappeared.


    Walking home, Ye Shuangluo belatedly realized something: the lion-masked youth had been wearing his school''s uniform.


    Was he, or perhaps she, also a student at this school?


    Was there such a formidable person in his school?


    But wasn''t the youth afraid of being exposed? Wearing the school uniform so openly, while he had at least taken his off.


    Then again, the youth was an experienced player and likely knew what he was doing.


    He didn''t need to worry about the youth. He needed to focus on the fact that this incident had been witnessed by hundreds of people on the playground and in the teaching building.


    Considering the World Consciousness had mentioned five simultaneous invasions, at least a thousand people must have seen it.


    The internet would likely explode soon, if it hadn''t already, but that didn''t concern him much. He needed to rest and prepare for the next trial.

 Chapter 14 – The Second Trial Begins

    [Congratulations to the Reserve Player for successfully repelling the invaders]


    [Faced with invaders from another world, you crushed their invasion with overwhelming strength. Your contribution in this battle is 574 (1.28%)]


    [Due to the total annihilation of the enemy invaders, the enemy world''s gate will be forcibly opened for one month. During this time, players from this world can choose to counter-invade]


    It seems that everyone else has also resolved their battles.


    Ye Shuangluo leaned back on the sofa, contemplating the pros and cons of a counter-invasion.


    The advantage, of course, is that he can use those chattering goblins to boost his progress on Pluto.


    Moreover, in his view, whether it''s an invasion or a counter-invasion, it can be seen as a cross-server war in a game.


    In such cross-server wars, the winner always takes all, and the loser is cast into hell.


    The downside is naturally the high risk. Although he can kill as many goblins as come, and even that bear goblin is not unbeatable.


    But who can guarantee that the bear goblin is the strongest combat force in the other world?


    Of course, this world gate will be open for a month.


    The time flow rate between the Trial World and the Main World is different. After a month in the Main World, he might have completed three trials and become an official player.


    By then, his strength would have significantly increased, and he might be able to plan a counter-invasion.


    At this moment, the talent that had been quiet since he returned to the Main World suddenly activated.


    [Congratulations on achieving the "Novice Guardian" achievement]


    [Novice Guardian (Primary Achievement)]


    [Achievement Condition: Participate in a world defense battle in the Main World]


    [Reward: Primary Guardian Buff]


    "To think I could get an achievement, what a pleasant surprise."


    He immediately claimed the Primary Guardian Buff and checked what benefits it could bring him.


    [Primary Guardian Buff]


    [Effect: When you are in the Main World, any damage to you will be reduced by 5%, and any damage you deal will be increased by 5%]


    This buff has great potential and will likely become very powerful in the future.


    Moreover, the word "Primary" indicates that this buff can be upgraded.


    Ye Shuangluo immediately checked the advancement conditions for the Novice Guardian achievement.


    [Guardian]


    [Condition: Participate in at least three world defense battles and achieve over 10% contribution in at least one battle]


    Three times, and he needs to achieve over 10% contribution in at least one battle. Looking at his 1.28% contribution in this battle, Ye Shuangluo decided that this achievement was not something he could force and decided to let it happen naturally.


    As he was about to start the second trial, he felt a rare sense of nervousness. He took deep breaths to calm himself down.


    He didn''t know what environment the second trial would be in. Considering the possibility of water and food shortages, he had bought a large amount of instant food and drinking water two days ago.


    After checking the supplies in his space backpack again and ensuring everything was ready, he slowly closed his eyes and waited quietly for the system prompt.


    After an unknown amount of time, a mechanical voice slowly echoed in his mind.


    [A new trial is about to begin. Do you want to enter the Trial World immediately?]


    "Yes."


    A strong sense of dizziness overwhelmed him, and Ye Shuangluo felt his vision go black before losing consciousness.


    ¡­¡­


    Ye Shuangluo opened his eyes and looked around, finding himself seemingly transported to a deep forest, surrounded by trees.


    [Next, an introduction to this world. Please listen carefully]


    [In the early years of the Qi Yuan era, a new emperor ascended the throne, seeking immortals and the secret to eternal life]


    [In the fourth year of Qi Yuan, an immortal was moved by the emperor''s sincerity and bestowed a divine stone to forge an immortal body for the emperor]


    [In the 185th year of Qi Yuan, the emperor, now two hundred years old, decided to hold a grand birthday banquet in the imperial city, ordering every official to present a satisfactory birthday gift]


    [What the emperor didn''t know was that at this moment, the imperial city was already filled with all sorts of demons and monsters, and people from various sects and factions]


    [Some came to kill him, while others sought the divine stone that forged his immortal body]


    [The imperial city, seemingly peaceful and harmonious, was actually a cauldron of hidden dangers, ready to erupt in chaos at any moment]


    [You are a bodyguard escorting an official''s birthday gift to the emperor. The chaos in the imperial city seems unrelated to you]


    [But once you step into that city, you may find that you no longer control your fate]


    [500 points have been automatically spent to help the Reserve Player master the language of this world]


    [Basic memories of this identity have been infused]


    [Main Quest 1: Escort the Birthday Gift


    Quest Description: You are a bodyguard hired by an official to escort a birthday gift. You need to deliver the gift to the imperial city alive and intact.


    Quest Reward: 2 Free Attribute points]


    A flood of unfamiliar memories was directly implanted into his mind. After absorbing them, he understood what it meant to deliver the gift alive to the imperial city.


    At this moment, the sound of chains clinking came from behind.


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    Turning towards the sound, he saw a carriage pulled by two horses, inside which two young girls looked at him helplessly and angrily.


    Ye Shuangluo''s gaze instantly fixed on the two girls, not because of their stunning looks, but because they had fox ears and tails.


    Yes, these two girls were the gifts he had to escort, children born from the union of a human and a fox spirit.


    As human-beast hybrids, they inherited human appearances and some fox body parts.


    Interestingly, although they were twin sisters and looked almost identical, they had very subtle differences.


    The elder sister was a silver fox, while the younger sister was a white fox.


    It was said that their father was a genius scholar known far and wide, and their mother was a white fox who had lived for about five hundred years.


    As for why the elder sister was a silver fox, it was said that her maternal grandmother was a silver fox.


    Although Ye Shuangluo found it absurd that there was genetic inheritance in a world with spirits, what was even more absurd was that humans in this world seemed to have no reproductive isolation. Any species could have children with humans.


    These twins were the best example. Even if a fox became a spirit, it couldn''t transform into a human, at most using illusions to appear as a beautiful woman to others.


    But in reality, it was still a fox.


    However, even without reproductive isolation, such hybrids were very prone to dying young. The chances of a hybrid being born safely and reaching adulthood were extremely slim.


    The odds of twin hybrids reaching adulthood were even lower.


    In summary, if these twins could be safely delivered to the emperor, the official who sent them might indeed get a promotion.


    Coming back to his senses, he looked at the twin girls in the cage with some pity.


    But the two girls stared at him with hatred and anger.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I''m not the one who captured you."


    From the memories infused by the system, he knew how these two girls were captured.


    It started when an apprentice herbalist encountered a gray wolf in the mountains. The apprentice was so scared that he froze and collapsed.


    The apprentice thought he would be killed by the wolf, but just as the wolf was about to bite him, a girl appeared and saved him.


    To the apprentice''s surprise, the girl had fox ears and a tail.


    The apprentice told his master about this, and his master saw an opportunity.


    The master contacted an official he was friendly with. The official, being knowledgeable, immediately understood the situation.


    The official, thinking of the emperor''s order for a satisfactory birthday gift, decided to capture the fox girls as gifts.


    The official led over two hundred strong men and several skilled fighters into the mountains.


    They found the girls, discovering they were twins.


    The result was that the beasts trying to protect the twins suffered heavy casualties, and less than ten percent of the men the official brought survived. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the official felt it was worth it. The twins, as birthday gifts, would surely please the emperor, earning him a great reward.


    However, the heavy losses in capturing the twins forced the official to hire the most famous escort agency in the area at a high price.


    ¡­¡­


    "Grandmother was right; humans are all bad!"


    The white fox sister bared her teeth at Ye Shuangluo. He smiled slightly, not taking it to heart, and turned to sit on the carriage, saying slowly:


    "If your grandmother told you that humans are all bad, why did you save that apprentice herbalist?"


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, the silver fox sister lowered her head in dejection.


    Indeed, if she hadn''t felt pity and saved the apprentice from the wolf, perhaps they wouldn''t have become prisoners, and everyone wouldn''t have died.


    Maybe the question reminded them of sad memories, as both sisters fell silent.


    After a while, Ye Shuangluo looked up at the moon in the sky. It was late; they should continue their journey at dawn.


    He jumped off the carriage, intending to start a fire to dispel the darkness, when a strange and sharp laugh suddenly came from behind.


    "Hee hee hee."

 Chapter 15 – The Death of Mandrillus sphinx Big Jin

    The moment Ye Shuangluo heard that eerie laughter, his legs instinctively propelled him forward like an arrow leaving the bowstring.


    Almost simultaneously, the spot where he had been standing was smashed into a large pit.


    As the smoke cleared, a humanoid creature approximately 2.2 meters tall emerged from the pit.


    At this moment, Ye Shuangluo finally saw what this humanoid creature was.


    The creature had a bizarre appearance, covered in blood-red fur, with a bright red nose and bridge.


    Ye Shuangluo frowned. The beast reeked of blood, a stench that seemed to emanate from its fur.


    The smell made him feel nauseous and led him to a hypothesis: the beast''s fur wasn¡¯t originally red but had been dyed by blood.


    Upon closer inspection, he identified the species: Mandrillus sphinx.


    As someone who enjoyed learning about strange and unusual knowledge, he recognized the beast almost immediately.


    The two sisters, who had been lifeless in their cage, regained their vigor upon seeing the Mandrillus sphinx. The white fox girl even shouted joyfully:


    "Big Jin, you came to save us!"


    "Hehehe."


    The Mandrillus sphinx let out that eerie, sharp laugh again, gesticulating wildly.


    The silver fox girl frowned at the Mandrillus sphinx''s antics and couldn''t help but say:


    "Big Jin, did you eat children again? You promised me you wouldn''t use babies as food anymore."


    Her words were full of reproach, which instantly displeased the white fox girl, who retorted:


    "Sis, now''s not the time to worry about what Big Jin eats! They don''t see us as humans anyway. I say we stop holding Big Jin and Grandma back."


    The silver fox girl wanted to argue with her sister but, considering their current situation, her expression darkened.


    Yes, no matter how hard she tried, she was still an outcast. In their eyes, she and her sister were just monsters wearing human skins.


    As the younger sister chattered and the older sister despaired, the Mandrillus sphinx grabbed the iron bars of the cage, seemingly trying to tear them apart.


    Seeing the Mandrillus sphinx completely ignore him and attempt to rescue the twin foxes, Ye Shuangluo moved. He delivered a flying kick that sent the Mandrillus sphinx crashing into a large tree, snapping it in half.


    The twins realized they had celebrated too early; there was still a bodyguard escorting them to the capital.


    "Rescuing people in front of me without even saying hello?"


    Ye Shuangluo said as he leisurely took out Mortal Kill from his space backpack.


    "Roar!"


    The Mandrillus sphinx''s facial features contorted, glaring at him with a demonic expression.


    In the next second, the Mandrillus sphinx charged at him on all fours, seeing him as the villain obstructing its rescue mission.


    Ye Shuangluo infused Wind Element into his legs and charged straight at it.


    As the distance closed, the Mandrillus sphinx swung a massive palm down.


    Swish!


    The blade infused with Wind Element was so fast that the twins in the cage couldn''t even see when it struck.


    Drip, drip...


    Blood dripped from the Mandrillus sphinx''s severed hand, splattering on the ground. It looked at its half-severed hand in pain but did not scream or show fear.


    Ye Shuangluo glanced at the severed hand at his feet and couldn''t help but admire:


    This Mandrillus sphinx truly had strong survival instincts, almost becoming a spirit beast.


    In that brief moment of combat, it had sensed the threat of death when Ye Shuangluo struck and chose to retreat.


    Though it was a bit late, losing half a hand, it was better than losing the whole hand.


    Inside the cage, the twins were anxious. They couldn''t see the strike but understood from the battle that Big Jin was no match for this young man.


    The white fox girl gripped the bars and shouted desperately:


    "Big Jin, run! Don''t worry about us!"


    Ye Shuangluo sneered, "Come and go as you please? Not that easy."


    The Mandrillus sphinx, though fast, was outpaced by Ye Shuangluo under the Wind Element''s boost.


    However, the Mandrillus sphinx didn''t seem to intend to flee. Instead, it licked its wound and prepared to charge again.


    "Roar!"


    With a roar, it leaped towards the cage, aiming for the twins, realizing it couldn''t win against Ye Shuangluo.


    As it landed in front of the cage and grabbed the bars, ready to escape, a cold voice sounded behind it:


    "I told you, did you ask me before rescuing anyone?"


    Slash!


    The sound of a blade cutting through flesh echoed as the Mandrillus sphinx was struck in the back, blood spurting out. The cut was so deep that its shoulder blade and spine were visible.


    The Mandrillus sphinx tried to stand but was kicked to the ground by Ye Shuangluo.


    The twins were horrified, but what happened next was even more unbearable.


    The young bodyguard stepped on their playmate''s back and chopped off all its limbs.


    "Big Jin! You bastard! Get your filthy foot off Big Jin!"


    Seeing their childhood playmate treated this way, the white fox girl''s heart bled.


    The silver fox girl, though not shouting like her sister, trembled, revealing her panic.


    "If you kill Big Jin, I swear I won''t let you go."


    Ye Shuangluo glanced at the white fox girl in the cage. Did she not realize her situation? She was a prisoner and still dared to threaten him.


    He bent down, grabbed the Mandrillus sphinx''s head, and chopped it off.


    Slash!


    Ye Shuangluo held the Mandrillus sphinx''s head, looking at its wide-open eyes, a look of eternal grievance. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    He sneered disdainfully:


    "It seems you didn''t understand that if you want to kill, you must be prepared to be killed."


    He tossed the head in front of the cage.


    Seeing their playmate''s severed head, the younger sister gritted her teeth in anger, while the older sister fainted from grief.


    Ye Shuangluo ignored their reactions, focusing on the Mandrillus sphinx.


    After its death, a white treasure chest floated above its body.


    The chest''s quality was white, which was expected given the Mandrillus sphinx''s weakness.


    What truly delighted Ye Shuangluo was that the Mandrillus sphinx met the criteria for Pluto''s "Captive Souls" special effect.


    Chains, visible only to him, entered the Mandrillus sphinx''s body, pulling its soul into Pluto.


    [Mandrillus sphinx "Big Jin" soul, Strength attribute +1 upon captivity]


    [This soul is only effective for Strength attributes below 20 points]


    [Retain? Yes/No]


    Following the principle of "better than nothing," Ye Shuangluo chose to retain and imprisoned the Mandrillus sphinx''s soul in Pluto.


    Instantly, he felt a noticeable increase in his strength.

 Chapter 16 – Breath of Nature

    "One day, I will skin you alive in front of Big Jin''s grave."


    Ye Shuangluo glanced at the white fox girl inside the prison cart, her face twisted in madness. He was curious where this fox got the confidence to escape.


    Even if she could escape, who gave her the confidence to kill him?


    If looks could kill, Ye Shuangluo believed he would have been dismembered by these two foxes a thousand times over, enduring all kinds of torture.


    In fact, if he wasn''t worried that killing these two foxes would affect his main quest evaluation, he would have sent them to join that Mandrillus sphinx by now.


    But just because he couldn''t kill them for now didn''t mean he would tolerate their verbal attacks indefinitely.


    "You said you would skin me alive in front of this beast''s grave. Forget it, you can''t do it."


    As he dragged Big Jin''s corpse to the fire, the white fox initially didn''t realize what he was doing.


    But when she saw Ye Shuangluo sharpen a branch and skewer Big Jin''s leg meat on it to roast over the fire, she understood his intentions.


    The white fox girl began to frantically bang against the prison cart, cursing non-stop:


    "You damned bastard! You should go to hell! I''ll kill you."


    Ignoring the white fox''s curses, Ye Shuangluo focused on roasting the meat.


    After a while, the aroma of the meat assaulted his enhanced senses.


    He brought the roasted meat to his mouth, suddenly remembering a question: Is this thing poisonous?


    But he quickly dismissed the thought. If it had any poisonous abilities, it would have been used against him already.


    He took a small bite of the meat, and his eyes lit up instantly.


    Delicious, very delicious.


    Even without any seasoning, the meat was surprisingly tender and flavorful.


    Was it because the creature was a spirit beast, and its meat had become more delicious after years of cultivation?


    Thinking of this, Ye Shuangluo glanced at the two fox girls in the prison cart.


    At that moment, even the usually outspoken white fox curled up in a corner, hiding.


    She wasn''t stupid. After seeing him eat Big Jin and then look at her and her sister with interest, his intentions were clear.


    But Ye Shuangluo soon looked away, which made her breathe a sigh of relief. Yet, she felt a surge of anger for feeling grateful that he didn''t intend to kill her.


    Ye Shuangluo regretted that these twins were in human form; he naturally couldn''t bring himself to eat them.


    As he savored the meat, his talent suddenly activated.


    [Congratulations, you have triggered the achievement: Gourmet]


    [Achievement Description: Taste five unique delicacies]


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    Five unique delicacies¡ªthis "unique" was quite broad. What counted as unique?


    Ye Shuangluo thought for a moment and concluded that spirit beasts and exotic creatures, which ordinary people couldn''t eat, naturally counted as unique delicacies.


    This achievement didn''t need to be rushed. In a world full of spirit beasts, there would always be opportunities to kill four more.


    After eating and drinking his fill, Ye Shuangluo prepared to open the treasure chest dropped by the Mandrillus sphinx.


    With a thought, the chest slowly opened, and a blinding white light flashed before his eyes.


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, you have received 2000 points]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, you have received Breath of Nature]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, you have received Beast Summoning Flute]


    Breath of Nature


    Quality: White+


    Equipment Type: Shoes


    Requirement: Constitution 8 points or higher


    Special Effects: Nature''s Blessing (Passive: Automatically restores 5 Health Points per second


    Active: Summon the Spirit of Nature, instantly restoring 500 Health Points. Excess will become a shield.


    Cooldown: 8 hours)


    Beast Summoning Flute


    Quality: White


    Item Type: One-time use item


    Usage Restriction: Any attribute not exceeding 20


    Effect: Blowing this flute summons a beast with the same attributes as the player.


    PS: The beast remains for 1 hour.


    Evaluation: Can be surprisingly effective in certain situations.


    ¡­¡­


    Ye Shuangluo rubbed his eyes. Was his luck turning?


    Killing a small Mandrillus sphinx had given him such good equipment.


    He immediately equipped Breath of Nature, and a warm current enveloped his entire body.


    The special effect of Breath of Nature restored 5 Health Points per second, plus 2 Health Points per second from Wind Affinity.


    Combined, he could now restore 7 Health Points per second. Although Health Points couldn''t be fully quantified, based on the formula, his maximum Health Points were around 240.


    In other words, no matter how badly he was injured, as long as he had a breath left, he could fully recover in a minute.


    This greatly enhanced his survival and endurance in battles.


    Just entering the Trial World and obtaining such useful equipment put him in a good mood.


    With this pleasant feeling, he leaned against a tree and slowly fell asleep.


    ¡­¡­


    Upon waking, Ye Shuangluo stretched lazily. The morning breeze was exceptionally gentle, lightly brushing his face.


    He felt in top condition and immediately picked up Mortal Kill, which he had been holding while sleeping, and began practicing.


    With spiritual power, the once difficult-to-control wind element became as obedient as a kitten.


    He could not only attach the wind element to his weapon for attacks but also infuse it into any part of his body to enhance himself.


    However, doing so consumed his spiritual power. Fortunately, he currently had no equipment or skills that required spiritual power.


    After practicing infusing the wind element into his body and basic blade techniques, he felt that with a bit more practice, his Blade Mastery skill could level up again.


    Perhaps because the skill level was low, leveling up was currently easy.


    After finishing his blade practice, Ye Shuangluo sat back on the carriage, ready to continue his journey.


    The road was unusually quiet. The white fox girl, who had been barking non-stop last night, seemed like a different person, except for her still venomous gaze.


    Ye Shuangluo found it quite pleasant. He didn''t like noise, and this was just right.


    As for why the white fox girl had changed, he didn''t care. Even if a biting dog didn''t bark, what difference did it make?


    If the dog had any intention of biting, he would just kill it. No matter what schemes or plots the white fox had, he didn''t care.


    If she provoked him, he would kill her.


    Thus, the three of them traveled in silence, continuing their journey.


    By noon, Ye Shuangluo stopped the carriage, threw some dry food into the prison cart, and jumped off the carriage to lean against a tree, ready to enjoy his prepared meal.


    "Whoa!"


    A sudden urgent voice called out. Ye Shuangluo looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man on a white horse rushing toward them.


    Ye Shuangluo placed his hand on Mortal Kill, ready to fight if the newcomer had ill intentions.


    But the young man on the white horse had no intention of fighting.


    He stopped in front of the carriage and jumped off his horse. When he saw the twin girls in the prison cart, they also saw him.


    The white fox girl instantly broke her silence, rushing to the iron bars and desperately reaching out to grab the young man.


    "You pig! My sister saved you, and you got us into this mess!"


    Oh?


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the young man with interest. So this was the little medicine boy who caused the twins to be captured.


    But why was the white fox girl going crazy again? Was this a breaking point?


    "Miss White, I''m sorry. It''s my fault."


    The medicine boy knelt on the ground, his head repeatedly hitting the ground until it was bleeding.


    "I know you didn''t mean it, but my family died because of you, so I hate you."


    The silver fox girl''s voice was devoid of emotion, only endless calm and coldness.


    The medicine boy''s face was already covered in tears and blood, mixing and flowing down his face.


    He kept muttering, "I''m sorry, Miss White."


    Ye Shuangluo shook his head. This was the sorrow of the weak. Because they were weak, they were treated as objects, gifts to please the powerful.


    He quietly gripped his blade. He didn''t want to experience the helplessness felt by the twins and the medicine boy.


    So he needed to become stronger, a force that no one could control or dare to provoke.


    Ye Shuangluo made a silent vow, and the medicine boy stopped his apologies.


    He slowly stood up and knelt again in Ye Shuangluo''s direction.


    "Bodyguard, please allow me to accompany you."


    "Accompany me?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s gaze lingered on the medicine boy. "Give me a reason to agree."


    "I''ve saved some money over the years as a medicine boy, and my master recently gave me some reward money. Altogether, I have about 800 taels of silver. I''m willing to give it all to you."


    Is the currency in this world so devalued? How could a medicine boy have so much?


    But Ye Shuangluo seriously considered it. The currency might not mean much to him, but it could be useful.


    "Alright, I agree. But I have a condition: you take care of these two. I really don''t want to feed them."


    "Deal, I agree."


    The medicine boy immediately agreed and respectfully handed Ye Shuangluo a silver note.


    Ye Shuangluo took the note and seemingly casually put it in his clothes, but actually stored it in his space backpack.


    ¡­¡­


    After traveling for another afternoon, they finally emerged from the forest and reached the main road.


    As they rested for the night, the medicine boy Lin Xingchen quietly approached Ye Shuangluo with a fawning smile.


    "Bodyguard, ahead is the Tian Nan Mountain Range. Should we prepare to take a detour?"


    Ye Shuangluo looked at Lin Xingchen without speaking, but his aura instantly intimidated Lin Xingchen, who hurriedly explained:


    "Bodyguard, I don''t mean to underestimate you, but the Tian Nan Mountain Range is infested with bandits. If we don''t take a detour, I''m afraid something might happen."


    Before Ye Shuangluo could respond, the game system''s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.


    [Side Quest Triggered: End Killing with Killing]

 Chapter 17 – End Killing with Killing

    "What''s your take on the bandit problem in the Tian Nan Mountain Range?"


    Ye Shuangluo asked casually while polishing his beloved sword.


    "Ah... I think there are just too many bandits and robbers in the Tian Nan Mountain Range. The emperor could have sent troops to wipe them out long ago, but he hasn''t done anything. It''s really..."


    His voice trailed off because he knew criticizing the emperor was a capital offense.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo''s calm expression, he sighed in relief. He was quite afraid of this boy who seemed a year or two younger than him.


    Having followed his teacher to practice medicine and save lives, he had met many powerful figures in the martial world and could tell the difference between someone who had killed and someone who hadn''t just by their aura.


    So, he was always cautious and polite when talking to Ye Shuangluo, fearing that one wrong move might get him killed.


    But Ye Shuangluo didn''t care about his words. He wasn''t a native of this world and didn''t harbor any patriotic sentiments.


    He stared blankly at the quest panel in front of him, lost in thought.


    [Side Quest: End Killing with Killing


    Quest Description: The Tian Nan Mountain Range is plagued by rampant banditry, with numerous bandits entrenched there.


    For 20 years, countless civilians and merchants have perished, turning the Tian Nan Mountain Range into a forbidden zone.


    Even merchants who dare to enter must pay exorbitant tolls, and less than one in ten make it out alive.


    Bones have piled up into a mountain, and countless restless spirits wail every night, seeking redemption in vain.


    To confront evil, you must be more ruthless than it. If they love killing, let them become part of your killing spree.


    Use absolute violence and slaughter to stop their killing.


    Minimum Completion Requirement: Kill at least 1,000 bandits, and slay at least one of the Sixteen Kings.


    Quest Reward: Based on the number of bandits killed.]


    ...


    This quest was undeniably difficult, and he struggled to find a solution.


    The minimum requirement was to kill at least 1,000 bandits.


    That''s 1,000 bandits! He didn''t have any area-of-effect skills and could only kill them one by one.


    Even if it were 1,000 defenseless pigs, it would take him a long time to kill them all.


    Ye Shuangluo shook his head. The game system really overestimated him by issuing such a side quest.


    He looked at the endless, towering Tian Nan Mountain Range in the distance. Should he go in?


    He was conflicted. He couldn''t forget that he had a main quest to complete. If anything went wrong and delayed the main quest, it would be disastrous.


    Thinking of this, he asked, "Lin Xingchen, how many days until the emperor''s birthday?"


    Lin Xingchen quickly replied, "Today is the fourth. The emperor''s birthday banquet is on the nineteenth, so about half a month."


    Half a month, huh?


    Ye Shuangluo fell into a long silence. Seeing this, Lin Xingchen quietly stepped aside, not daring to disturb him.


    "Sigh... the usual method."


    Ye Shuangluo took out a coin from his space backpack, a keepsake from his late father.


    He tossed the coin into the air, recalling his father''s words.


    "Ah Luo, if you ever face a difficult decision, why not flip a coin?


    It''s not because it will make the right choice for you, but because in the moment you toss it, you''ll know what you truly want."


    Ye Shuangluo caught the falling coin, and the hesitation and confusion in his eyes vanished.


    If he hesitated here and didn''t dare to accept the challenge, what right did he have to call himself a master of his own fate?


    Although he had decided to take on the side quest, he wouldn''t rush in blindly. He needed to understand the situation first.


    Thinking of this, he began to search for Lin Xingchen. Since Lin Xingchen had advised him to take a detour, it was clear he knew something about the situation inside.


    "Miss Bai, here''s the dew I collected. Please drink some!"


    Lin Xingchen handed a gourd filled with dew into the prison cart. Before the silver fox girl could move, the white fox girl grabbed the gourd and threw it out forcefully.


    "Get lost! Who wants your dirty water? I wish I could drink your blood and eat your flesh!"


    Lin Xingchen knew the two had grown up in the mountains, drinking dew and eating fruits since childhood.


    Seeing the twins hadn''t had water for a day and looked listless, he had spent an hour climbing high to collect a gourd of dew. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It took two hours to collect, but only three seconds to spill.


    Lin Xingchen smiled bitterly, picked up the gourd, emptied the dew, and said to the twins in the prison cart:


    "Miss Bai, Second Miss Bai, you haven''t had water for a day. You can''t go on like this...


    Second Miss Bai just reminded me that you might not be interested in dew anymore. What you really want to drink now is probably my blood."


    Hearing Lin Xingchen''s words, the silver fox girl in the prison cart suddenly opened her eyes.


    She watched as Lin Xingchen used a dagger to cut his arm, letting his blood drip into the gourd.


    Ye Shuangluo, watching from a distance, had a complex expression. He didn''t know how to react.


    The cut was deep, and the blood quickly filled the gourd.


    When Lin Xingchen handed the gourd back into the prison cart, the white fox girl didn''t throw it away this time. Instead, she eagerly grabbed it and drank deeply.


    In her haste, some blood even trickled down her lips.


    After drinking about half, the white fox girl paused and looked at her sister. Seeing her sister shake her head, she continued drinking.


    When you''re just trying to make great content at .


    Ye Shuangluo had thought the white fox girl was all talk, but she actually drank her enemy''s blood as she had threatened.


    Human blood was so metallic, yet she drank it down. But then, she was a hybrid of human and beast; maybe her taste buds were different and she found it delicious.


    Lin Xingchen, seeing his blood being drunk, was worried.


    "Miss Bai, you should drink some too, or your body won''t hold up."


    "No need. I''ll drink the water the bodyguard gave us."


    Lin Xingchen wanted to say more, but Ye Shuangluo called him over, so he had to go.


    Standing before Ye Shuangluo, Lin Xingchen nervously watched the boy sitting by the fire.


    The boy''s hand rested on his leg, fingers tapping rhythmically on his knee.


    "When I asked you about the bandit problem earlier, your answer was decent.


    Now, tell me, what''s the situation inside the Tian Nan Mountain Range?"


    "You are a bodyguard. You should know the situation in the Tian Nan Mountain Range better than I do. Why ask me?"


    As soon as he said this, he regretted it. Since the other party asked, he should have just answered honestly, not dared to question back.


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t speak, just looked at him coldly. In that moment, Lin Xingchen felt a sense of danger and quickly corrected himself.


    "But since you asked, I''ll tell you what I know!"


    He quickly squatted down, not daring to let the young bodyguard look up at him.


    "The Tian Nan Mountain Range is plagued by rampant banditry, with many factions, but the real power lies with sixteen leaders.


    They are known as the Sixteen Kings in the martial world, said to be towering giants with blue faces and fangs, and three heads and six arms."


    "Stop!"


    Ye Shuangluo interrupted him, looking skeptical.


    "Are you sure they all have three heads and six arms, and blue faces and fangs?"


    Questioned by Ye Shuangluo, Lin Xingchen stammered, "Uh... that''s what the rumors say."


    Rumors, huh? Not very reliable, but not completely dismissible either. What if they really did have three heads and six arms, and blue faces and fangs?


    Better be prepared. Ye Shuangluo''s tapping on his knee quickened as he asked again:


    "How many bandits are there in the Tian Nan Mountain Range? Do you know?"


    "Uh, not exactly. Every year, people who can''t find food or are fleeing crimes go in. Probably tens of thousands."


    Hearing this number, Ye Shuangluo fell silent. Although he had mentally prepared himself when he saw the minimum requirement of killing 1,000 bandits,


    he was still silent upon hearing the actual number.


    He suddenly understood why Lin Xingchen had some resentment towards the emperor when mentioning the bandit problem in the Tian Nan Mountain Range.


    Tens of thousands of bandits, tens of thousands of desperados. How could the emperor let them grow unchecked?

 Chapter 18 – Breakthrough Method

    Ye Shuangluo kept pondering over how to deal with the bandits in the Tian Nan Mountain Range.


    First of all, a frontal assault was out of the question. His current combat strength wasn''t sufficient, and if he got caught in a swarm of enemies, he would be dragged to his death.


    So, he had to outsmart them. Ye Shuangluo''s mind raced as he simulated various strategies.


    Finally, a flash of inspiration struck him¡ªpoison.


    With this idea in mind, he couldn''t wait to ask Lin Xingchen, who was nearby.


    "You mentioned taking a detour earlier. Where to?"


    Lin Xingchen sighed in relief. The young bodyguard had just asked about the situation in the Tian Nan Mountain Range.


    He had feared that the young man, driven by a sense of justice, wanted to charge into the mountains to eradicate the bandits.


    It seemed the young man wasn''t foolish and knew his limits, avoiding unnecessary risks.


    Thinking this, Lin Xingchen immediately took out a map from his pack, spread it on the ground, and pointed it out to Ye Shuangluo.


    "Sir, we are here now. If we want to avoid the Tian Nan Mountain Range, we have to detour to the west."


    Lin Xingchen''s finger moved across various points on the map.


    Suddenly, Ye Shuangluo''s finger jabbed at a specific spot on the map, and he asked, "If we detour to the west, there''s a small town nearby, right?"


    "Yes, there''s a small town. If we set off early tomorrow and don''t rest along the way, we should reach it by dusk. We can rest there."


    Ye Shuangluo nodded and waved his hand, signaling Lin Xingchen to step back.


    Lin Xingchen was more than happy to comply and immediately went to rest.


    After some time, Ye Shuangluo heard faint snoring from Lin Xingchen. He sighed inwardly. This was the downside of having strong perception and keen senses.


    He couldn''t sleep, not because of the noise, but because his mind was restless.


    The night was long, destined to be a sleepless one for him.


    Eventually, the night passed.


    Lin Xingchen opened his eyes and immediately saw the young man leaning against a tree, staring directly at him.


    "Good morning. You woke up quite early."


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t correct him or mention that he hadn''t slept all night. He mounted Lin Xingchen''s horse and simply said, "Follow me."


    Lin Xingchen didn''t say much, taking over the role of the driver and leading the carriage with the twins inside.


    Ye Shuangluo galloped ahead, finally reaching the small town by dusk.


    Lin Xingchen and the twins in the carriage were left far behind.


    Despite losing sight of them, Ye Shuangluo wasn''t worried.


    Lin Xingchen was a smart man with family and responsibilities. Escorting the twins was the least he could do.


    With that thought, Ye Shuangluo stopped worrying about when they would catch up and focused on his task.


    He found a random passerby and asked for the location of the most famous pharmacy in town. After getting directions, he thanked the person and headed there.


    Soon, he arrived at a pharmacy named Changshengtang.


    Upon entering, he was greeted by the scent of herbs. Strangely, the smell wasn''t overpowering or bitter but rather refreshing.


    "You look healthy, young man. Are you here to get medicine for a family member or friend?"


    The speaker was a middle-aged man in his thirties, dressed in a long robe, with a kind smile that made people lower their guard.


    Ye Shuangluo got straight to the point, "Do you have any poison here?"


    The middle-aged man frowned slightly, clearly displeased, "What do you mean by that?"


    "Exactly what it sounds like. Do you have any poison that can kill someone instantly?"


    "Hmph!"


    The man snorted coldly, his face darkening.


    "This place is for healing, not for selling poison. I may not be a renowned doctor, but I won''t sell harmful substances. Please leave!"


    Ye Shuangluo could sense the man''s suppressed anger, like a powder keg ready to explode.


    "Healing, huh? How many people can you save in a day?"


    The man''s face grew even darker, and he replied coldly, "I may not be highly skilled, but I have a healer''s heart. If possible, I''d hope no one ever needs my services. How could I count how many people I save daily?"


    Clearly, the man didn''t want to answer.


    Ye Shuangluo chuckled, looking him in the eye, "Do you know the Tian Nan Mountain Range nearby? It''s filled with thousands of bandits."


    "I''ve been running this shop for years. Of course, I know about the bandits. What are you trying to say?"


    Seeing the man''s impatience, Ye Shuangluo sneered, "Then you must know that every one of them deserves to die. Shouldn''t they?"


    The man was taken aback but then nodded firmly, "Absolutely. Their crimes are so heinous that even ten deaths would be too lenient."


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from ".


    Hearing this, Ye Shuangluo''s lips curled into a smile, "Do you know the saying, ''Killing to protect life, cutting off evil to save people''?"


    "The bandits in the Tian Nan Mountain Range deserve death. If they live, many more will die because of them. If I kill them, wouldn''t I be saving lives?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s words left the man speechless.


    Seeing his hesitation, Ye Shuangluo pressed on, "Have you considered that your town is so close to the Tian Nan Mountain Range? What if one day, the people you saved are killed by the bandits? What would you do then?"


    This was the final straw. The man''s face changed dramatically as he pondered.


    After a while, he seemed to make up his mind. He closed the pharmacy door and gestured for Ye Shuangluo to follow him inside.


    "Please, come in. Let''s talk inside."


    Ye Shuangluo gladly accepted. Inside, the man scrutinized him, as if trying to see through him.


    Ye Shuangluo met his gaze without fear.


    After a long silence, the man finally looked away and spoke slowly, "I don''t have any poison that kills instantly, but..."


    He opened a medicine chest and carefully took out a packet of powder.


    "This is an anesthetic I developed. A normal person who inhales it will feel weak and limp. In large doses, it can cause unconsciousness or even death. Even martial arts experts can only resist it briefly."


    He handed the powder to Ye Shuangluo but held on tightly, not letting go.


    "I''ve lived for forty-six years and met many people, but I can''t see through you. I only ask one thing¡ªkill as many bandits as you can." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that, he released the powder. Detailed information about it appeared before Ye Shuangluo''s eyes.


    ...


    [Xue Nanxing''s Special Anesthetic]


    [Effect: Causes immediate unconsciousness if Constitution is below 6; causes weakness and loss of resistance if Constitution is below 8; immune if Inner Strength is above 2000]


    [Description: Developed by Xue Nanxing, owner of Changshengtang, initially to reduce patients'' pain. However, in large doses, it can be lethal. Dosage control is crucial.]


    "Doctor Xue, I have a request too. May I?"


    "Please, go ahead."


    "Give me all the powder you have."

 Chapter 19 – Poisoned tens of thousands of bandits

    "Old Liu, do you think it''s fair that while the other brothers are inside eating meat and drinking wine, you and I have to stand guard out here?"


    "If you ask me, Li Six-Fingers is just making a fuss over nothing. Who in their right mind would dare come to the Tian Nan Mountain Range looking for death?"


    The middle-aged man frowned slightly, nervously scanning the surroundings. After confirming there was no third person around, he scolded:


    "Are you looking to get yourself killed? How dare you call the Sixth Leader by his name! If he hears you, he''ll rip your tongue out."


    The young man waved off the middle-aged man''s warning nonchalantly and said:


    "It''s just us here. The others are probably having a blast inside already."


    "Damn, you have to admit, our leader knows how to have fun. The women he brought up the mountain this time are all so fresh and tender. Especially the one leading them, that tiny waist, those hips... just a squeeze and they''d drip water."


    The young man closed his eyes, a look of intoxication on his face, his fingers pinching the air as if imagining the sensation.


    This lewd display immediately drew the middle-aged man''s disdain, but thinking of that ripe, peach-like beauty, he couldn''t help but feel a ripple in his heart.


    "Stop daydreaming, kid. Only the Sixteen Kings have the right to enjoy such beauties. We should just focus on our guard duty. Maybe if one of the leaders is in a good mood, they''ll reward us with a woman to play with."


    After a pause, the middle-aged man continued to reassure:


    "Don''t be so impatient. The Fourth Leader said this banquet will last three days. Tomorrow, it won''t be our turn to stand guard, and we can go inside to drink and eat our fill."


    Their conversation indeed went unheard by others, their words scattered by the wind.


    On the other side, a breeze blew past, and an image inexplicably appeared in Ye Shuangluo''s mind.


    Two men standing guard, talking about a three-day banquet, beautiful women...


    After a while, he processed this information, gaining some clarity in his heart.


    The wind was his ally, comforting him in times of distress and helping him to the best of its ability.


    If the wind in the zombie world was like a gentle sister, soothing his wounds, then the wind in this world was like a comrade-in-arms, ready to charge into battle and offer strategic advice.


    Coupled with his naturally high perception attribute, he could receive things others couldn''t see or hear.


    [Your skill Wind Affinity has leveled up, skill effects enhanced]


    [Current effects: Wind Element Resistance +25 (+10), Health Points regenerate 4 (+2) per second]


    With the skill upgrade, he could feel a significant increase in the wind elements he could control.


    He could vaguely sense the flow and direction of the wind.


    Feeling the wind''s movement in the air, a thought struck him. Although he couldn''t control a gale, he could sense the wind''s direction.


    In other words, if he found the right moment to scatter the powder, the wind would naturally carry it into the Tian Nan Mountain Range.


    This idea was crazy, but he wanted to try it, even if it failed.


    Ye Shuangluo called up his skill panel, looking at the Legendary passive "Master of Weapons" that occupied an entire page. Since obtaining it, he hadn''t truly tested its power.


    If the plan to poison the bandits failed, he would have to resort to guerrilla tactics to slowly gather a thousand men.


    ...


    The next evening.


    Ye Shuangluo sat in the inn room, looking out the window into the distance.


    A gentle breeze blew, as if reminding him it was time to act.


    Descending the stairs, he saw Lin Xingchen in the inn''s backyard, talking to a pair of twins. He glanced at them indifferently, roughly guessing what the twins were discussing.


    Mounting the horse Lin Xingchen had brought, he rode straight towards the Tian Nan Mountain Range.


    Perhaps because no one had dared enter the Tian Nan Mountain Range for a long time, he encountered no obstacles and even climbed to the top of a mountain.


    Standing at the peak, his gaze coldly fixed on the mountain at the center of the range, the best location.


    His keen eyesight allowed him to see clearly the fortress at the mountain''s summit, where a lively celebration was underway.


    No, it was more like a small town, with about twenty to thirty thousand bandits inside.


    Taking a deep breath, he pulled out ten sacks of powder from his space backpack, standing silently, waiting for the right moment.


    Rustle.


    The sound of wind blowing through the leaves reached his ears.


    The wind had picked up.


    Now was the time. Ye Shuangluo scattered two sacks of powder into the air.


    The powder drifted with the wind, quickly reaching the fortress where the banquet was held.


    The bandits, unaware of the impending danger, continued to eat, drink, and discuss their next raids, "robbing the rich to help the poor."


    After all, they needed to rob others to alleviate their own poverty, so it made sense to take money and women from the rich to support themselves.


    As the bandits fantasized about a bright future, some began to feel their bodies growing heavier.


    Clang.


    A wine jug fell to the ground.


    Thud.


    A person collapsed.


    As the first person fell, others followed like bowling pins, one after another.


    Those still conscious sensed something was wrong. Several leaders tried to channel their inner strength, only to find it sluggish.


    They were horrified. They had been poisoned.


    A man with a white tiger tattoo on his chest slammed the table and shouted at a bald man to his left:


    "Hu Laosi! You prepared the food and women this time. Are you trying to kill me?" S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bald man retorted angrily:


    "Shut your damn mouth, Lin Laowu! I''m poisoned too."


    To read the uncut version, go to pawread dot com.


    "Enough!"


    A one-eyed man at the head of the table, presumably the leader, halted their argument, his face dark.


    "How many years has it been since anyone dared provoke us? It seems the world has forgotten the fearsome reputation of the Sixteen Kings."


    "A bunch of bandits, claiming a fearsome reputation? More like infamous scoundrels."


    Hearing this mocking voice, the sixteen bandit leaders turned to its source, curious to see who dared speak so boldly.


    A young man in strange attire, holding a black long blade, was walking towards them.


    As he reached the center, the young man glanced at each of the Sixteen Kings, then tilted his head and suddenly smiled:


    "So, you are the Sixteen Kings? No three heads and six arms, no blue faces and fangs."


    The bandit leaders glared at the young man with hatred. They had just been poisoned, and now this young man appeared.


    It was obvious to anyone that he was the one who poisoned them.


    But they couldn''t fathom how he did it. They had thoroughly checked the water and food, finding no issues.


    As they pondered where things went wrong, Ye Shuangluo''s voice echoed through the fortress:


    "No wonder they call you Li Six-Fingers. You really do have six fingers."

 Chapter 20 – Generous Quest Reward

    "Li, so it was you and this kid working together all along!"


    Just as Ye Shuangluo finished speaking, Hu Laosi slammed the table and stood up again.


    Even their one-eyed leader looked gloomy, staring coldly at him and said, "Sixth Brother, you need to give us an explanation."


    Compared to Hu Laosi''s agitation, Li Six-Fingers was much calmer. He slowly explained, "Big Brother, Fourth Brother, this young man just said I have six fingers, which means he only heard of my reputation before and is meeting me for the first time. How could he be working with me?"


    Hu Laosi and the one-eyed leader were taken aback. Thinking it over, it seemed to make sense.


    "Hahaha."


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but laugh heartily. How could there be such foolish bandits? How did they survive until today?


    He looked at the bandits within the stronghold. Some were dead, some unconscious.


    Clearly, despite their numbers and high reputation in the martial world, they were just a rabble.


    Otherwise, so many wouldn''t have died.


    Now, those merely unconscious were considered the elite among these bandits.


    As for those still conscious, there were even fewer¡ªprobably only sixteen bandit leaders.


    After all, according to Doctor Xue, those with strong internal energy could resist the effects of the drug to some extent. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Li Six-Fingers suddenly asked, "Young man, who exactly are you, and what deep hatred do you have with the Tian Nan Mountain Range to resort to such ruthless measures?


    You commit such inhumane acts, do you think there''s still a place for you in this vast martial world?"


    Ye Shuangluo looked at Li Six-Fingers, whose forehead was now beaded with sweat, as if speaking had exhausted him greatly.


    Clearly, even if his internal energy was strong enough to resist the poison, he was still suffering.


    Hearing the other''s attempt to accuse him, Ye Shuangluo sneered, "If we''re talking about inhumanity, you lot are far worse.


    Your leader just said you have a formidable reputation in the martial world, built on the bones of countless innocent people.


    Killing you all is an act of justice, a great merit.


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    As for who I am, that''s not important. What''s important is that you all will meet Yama today."


    "Impudent!"


    Lin Laowu, who had a white tiger tattoo on his chest, roared and grabbed a spiked club, leaping at Ye Shuangluo.


    [Your passive skill "Master of Weapons" has activated. The enemy must make a Will judgment.]


    [Judgment... failed. Forced stun for 0.5 seconds.]


    Clang!


    Ye Shuangluo easily parried the blow, using one arm to knock the spiked club away, then swiftly slashed Lin Laowu in half at the waist.


    Lin Laowu didn''t resist at all, standing there dumbfounded like an idiot.


    "Fifth Brother!"


    The remaining leaders showed sorrowful expressions, perhaps because of their deep brotherly bond, or perhaps because they realized they were next.


    The skill "Master of Weapons" truly deserved its own page in the skill panel, directly forcing opponents into a stun during battle.


    "Damn it, brothers, grab your weapons, let''s take him down together."


    Following their leader''s command, the hot-tempered Hu Laosi immediately picked up a hammer and swung it at Ye Shuangluo, who dodged by tilting his head.


    Hu Laosi forcibly channeled his internal energy, grabbing another hammer with one hand and charging at Ye Shuangluo.


    At the critical moment, "Master of Weapons" activated again.


    Hu Laosi froze in place, and Ye Shuangluo didn''t miss the opportunity, slicing off his arm holding the hammer and kicking his knee, making him kneel.


    When Hu Laosi came to, he was already kneeling with a blade to his neck, the pain and emptiness in his arm making him realize what had happened.


    He looked up at the strange young man with some reluctance, but the other looked at him with pity and reminded him, "I suggest you take a look behind you."


    Hu Laosi turned his head with difficulty, and the scene before him almost made him faint from anger.


    It turned out that right after the one-eyed leader gave the order, he had turned to escape through a secret passage, with the others following him.


    Only Hu Laosi, the honest person, had actually grabbed his weapon and charged.


    "Next time, don''t believe everything people say."


    Thud!


    Before Hu Laosi could turn his head back, he was beheaded. His last look showed reluctance and anger, but no regret.


    Clearly, he didn''t regret being a bandit, nor did he regret committing so many heinous acts.


    After beheading him, Ye Shuangluo didn''t linger, summoning the Wind Element to his legs and chasing after the escaping bandits.


    The hurried footsteps behind made the slowest, Eighth and Ninth Brothers, turn their heads.


    What greeted them was a blade covered in Wind Element.


    The blade pierced their hearts, skewering them like candied hawthorns.


    This scene shattered the spirits of the remaining bandits, especially when they noticed the boy''s eyes¡ªcold and emotionless.


    The cold eyes and the boy''s slaughtering actions made them realize they would likely meet the same fate.


    The leader''s face darkened. He knew that if the Fifth Brother was killed in one move, the Fourth Brother wouldn''t last long either.


    But he didn''t expect the Fourth Brother to be just as weak, also killed without resistance.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    They could all hear their own quickening heartbeats¡ªfear, a feeling they hadn''t experienced in years.


    "If you let us go, all our treasures are yours."


    Giggle!


    The Twelfth Leader tried to bribe Ye Shuangluo, but before he could finish, he was split in half.


    "Let me live, I''ll be your dog."


    Giggle!


    The Eighth Leader knelt without hesitation, crushing his dignity, only to be beheaded.


    The remaining leaders watched their long-time brothers die one by one, and finally decided to fight together.


    Though they knew they stood no chance against the boy, they still clung to a sliver of hope, wanting to struggle.


    But weakened by the drug, they were no match for Ye Shuangluo.


    In a few swift moves, they were all cut down, their blood and flesh scattered.


    Giggle!


    With one final stab, Ye Shuangluo pierced Li Six-Fingers'' heart. Looking at the blood and three white treasure chests at his feet, he burst into laughter.


    He had succeeded, completing what seemed an impossible task.


    He put the treasure chests into his space backpack and turned to leave, setting the wine cellar on fire as he went.


    The wind fanned the flames, quickly engulfing the stronghold.


    Standing on a nearby hill, Ye Shuangluo watched as the flames consumed the stronghold like a small city.


    His pupils reflected the raging fire in orange-red hues.


    The fire would burn away all evil. Under the blazing flames, those merely unconscious bandits would all be burned to death.


    He didn''t care if there were innocents among those he poisoned or burned. Perhaps some didn''t deserve to die, but so what? He wasn''t a judge, nor the government.


    Moreover, since they enjoyed the benefits of others'' violence, they should bear the consequences. That was only fair.


    ...


    He pulled up the Quest Panel and chose to submit the quest.


    [Side Quest: End Killing with Killing]


    [Completion: Miraculous]


    [Quest Evaluation: Perfectly combined your abilities and external factors, cruelly poisoning thirty thousand bandits.


    This was your slaughter feast, and as the protagonist, you didn''t disappoint the attendees, sending them off with despair and resentment.]


    [Quest Reward: Asura Demon Eye (Skill)


    Special advancement clue for Killing Power skill


    10 Weapon Refinement Stones


    Blood Demon Armor (Equipment)


    For completely annihilating the enemy, you receive a hidden reward: Demon Soul Amber]


    Five rewards in total. Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but smile. Wasn''t this like taking off right from the start?


    [Skill: "Killing Power" level up]


    [Current Effect: Each of your attacks carries Killing Power, ignoring enemy defense and dealing 100 (+90) damage.]


    "Killing Power finally leveled up. Truly a double blessing."

 Chapter 21 – Asura Demon Eye

    Ye Shuangluo sat on a large green stone at the mountain peak, placing Mortal Kill on his lap as he began to review his quest rewards.


    [Asura Demon Eye]


    [Type: Special Skill]


    [Effect: This skill consumes 1-5 points of Spiritual Power per second when activated (you can freely choose the amount). During activation, Perception attribute increases by 2-10. Each attack will carry attribute damage equal to your Perception, and when the damage reaches a certain level, it will apply a negative buff to the enemy.


    Current attribute damage types: Fire, Ice


    Possible negative buffs: Burn (reduces the effectiveness of healing items, skills, and effects by 20%, decreases Health Points by 15 per second)


    Freeze (increases skill cooldown by 25%, reduces movement speed by 20%)]


    [Learning Requirement: Perception attribute must be 20 or higher]


    [Note: Learning this skill may cause changes in the player''s personality, such as impulsiveness, irritability, cruelty]


    [Upgrade Requirement: 100,000 Points, Millennium Demon Heart]


    This skill was very powerful, even comparable to Ye Shuangluo''s Legendary passive "Master of Weapons."


    But the awkward part was that he couldn''t learn it yet, as his Perception attribute was still below 20 points.


    He remembered that in the last Trial World, there were a series of achievements that could increase this attribute, but now that he had left, there was no way to achieve those to boost his Perception.


    Since he couldn''t learn the skill at the moment, he had no choice but to store it in his space backpack to gather dust.


    Quickly adjusting his mindset, he began to review the next reward.


    [Special Advancement Path Clue for Killing Aura Skill]


    [This reward is a knowledge-based reward, requiring collection before detailed content can be viewed]


    [Current Progress: 1/3]


    [Killing Aura skill may seem ordinary, obtained by killing a few enemies, but it can actually advance into a special skill through unique means]


    This thing... was indeed somewhat useless for now, as he hadn''t even acquired the prerequisite "Killing Aura" skill. He decided to keep it for now; perhaps he might get lucky and complete the collection someday.


    Next, next.


    [Weapon Refinement Stone]


    [Type: Special Item]


    [Effect: Refines the weapon further upon use]


    [Note: This item can only refine a weapon to its quality limit but cannot break through the quality]


    This thing... Ye Shuangluo took out a Weapon Refinement Stone from his space backpack and tentatively placed it on Mortal Kill''s blade.


    Instantly, the Weapon Refinement Stone turned into liquid and merged into Mortal Kill, emitting a faint glow. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Having fought countless battles with Mortal Kill, Ye Shuangluo could clearly feel that it seemed slightly heavier than before.


    Since this was his beloved blade that had fought alongside him, Ye Shuangluo took out all the Weapon Refinement Stones to merge them all.


    However, Mortal Kill reached its limit after absorbing only four stones. When he tried to apply more, the stones had no reaction.


    [Mortal Kill]


    [Quality: White+]


    [Type: Weapon (Blade)]


    [Special Effect: Kill Order


    At the start of combat, mark an enemy. Every three attacks on the marked enemy add a layer of "Killing Mark," up to five layers.


    Killing Marks can be detonated to deal massive damage.


    (When attacking an enemy with Killing Marks using Mortal Kill, each layer of the mark increases damage by 8%)]


    [Equipment Requirement: None]


    [Sharpness: 10]


    [Durability: 55/55]


    [Evaluation: Among white-quality weapons, there may be rivals, but none stronger]


    Ye Shuangluo caressed his beloved blade, feeling that the refinement had made the already sharp Mortal Kill even more formidable.


    He cherished Mortal Kill, perhaps because it was the first weapon he obtained from his first Treasure Chest, or perhaps because he had slain countless enemies with it.


    Setting Mortal Kill aside, he began to review the next quest reward.


    [Blood Demon Armor]


    [Quality: Green]


    [Type: Equipment (Armor)]


    [Defense: 10 (for reference only)]


    [Special Effect: Frenzied by Blood (activates after consuming 50% of max Health Points)


    Upon activation, greatly increases Attack Power, decreases Defense, and converts 10% of damage dealt into Health Points.


    Duration: 10 minutes, Cooldown: 24 hours]


    [Equipment Requirement: Must have personally killed at least 100 people (requirement met)]


    [Durability: 50/50]


    [Description: This demonic armor was forged by a deranged cult leader using 100 lives. The cult leader eventually conquered the world with 8,000 elite soldiers wearing this armor, claiming the supreme throne]


    This was the first green-quality equipment Ye Shuangluo had obtained, and it happened to be the armor he lacked.


    Ye Shuangluo immediately discarded his blood-stained clothes and equipped the Blood Demon Armor.


    One had to admit, with his innate Charisma of 7 points, Ye Shuangluo looked like a young general in this armor, exuding a sense of heroic vigor.


    Silently, he opened the system panel to test the equipment''s transformation function.


    After all, wearing armor in an ancient world was normal, but in the Main World or a modern world, it would be too conspicuous.


    Finally, Ye Shuangluo reviewed the Demon Soul Amber, an extra reward for perfectly completing his quest.


    [Demon Soul Amber]


    [Type: Special Item]


    [Quality: Black]


    [Usage: Drip your blood on it, and the Demon Soul Amber will transform into an exclusive skill stone]


    Exclusive skill stone?


    Ye Shuangluo picked up Mortal Kill from his lap, cut his finger, and let his blood drip onto the amber.


    The Demon Soul Amber immediately shone brightly, first white, then black, and finally a red glow.


    When the light faded, the Demon Soul Amber had transformed into a heart-like stone.


    [Exclusive Skill Stone (Ye Shuangluo)]


    [Skill Generation in Progress (1%)]


    Good news: there''s a progress bar.


    Bad news: no idea how to increase it.


    Ye Shuangluo stared at the heart-like black skill stone, his heightened Five Senses allowing him to hear its heartbeat, synchronized with his own.


    He tossed the strange skill stone into his space backpack and stood up. The nearby stronghold was still burning fiercely, but he had no intention of watching any longer.


    Leading his horse down the mountain, he checked his talent interface. It seemed to have chimed a few times during his killing spree, but he hadn''t had the chance to look.


    [Congratulations on achieving: Son of Destruction (single-handedly destroyed an organization with over 500 members)]


    [Reward: Solo Guild Permission Card (allows you to create a guild with only yourself, bypassing the usual player number requirement)]


    [Congratulations on achieving: Elite Slayer]


    [Reward: Luck +1]


    [Congratulations on achieving: Butcher (killed a being of the same race by any means)]


    [Reward: Perception +2]

 Chapter 22 – Runaway Twins

    The three types of rewards given by the achievement were equally generous. Let''s not even mention the Solo Guild Permission Card for now, as its usefulness is still uncertain.


    The other two achievement rewards, Luck and Perception, are rare attributes that cannot be increased through conventional means.


    The former can increase his chances of getting good items from treasure chests in the future, and some skills might also require it.


    If this game has a strengthening feature, then the role of Luck would be even greater.


    As for the Perception attribute, although he couldn''t see the specific value, the noticeable enhancement of his five senses each time it increased was undeniable.


    It''s worth mentioning that after receiving the achievement rewards, he took out the "Asura Demon Eye" skill book and tried to learn it again.


    The result was still a system prompt indicating a learning failure, which made him shake his head. He really didn''t know when he would be able to incorporate this skill into his skill tree.


    Unlike the Perception attribute, the increase in the Luck attribute didn''t bring any particular sensation. It wasn''t like other attributes, where you could immediately feel the change once they increased.


    However, on the attribute panel, his Luck attribute had indeed increased.


    Unfortunately, the Elite Slayer achievement didn''t have a higher-level achievement.


    This meant that no matter how many more elite units Ye Shuangluo killed in the future, there was no way to further increase his Luck attribute.


    What a pity. Ye Shuangluo had originally thought that after obtaining the Elite Slayer achievement, he might get a higher-level achievement like Leader Hunter.


    Oh well, Ye Shuangluo shrugged, not feeling too regretful. After all, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.


    ...


    At dawn, before the sky was fully bright, Ye Shuangluo, who had traveled all night, returned to the small town.


    The first thing he did upon returning to the town was to head to Changshengtang. Perhaps because he had come too early, it wasn''t open yet.


    He wasn''t in a hurry, so he waited at the door for a while. After the rooster crowed, the wooden door in front of him was gently opened.


    Doctor Xue had just opened the door when he saw Ye Shuangluo standing in front of him, clad in blood-red armor.


    "You... why are you here so early?"


    Although he found it strange that this young man, whose behavior and attire were both odd, had changed into a suit of armor, Doctor Xue didn''t ask. Instead, he invited Ye Shuangluo inside.


    Upon entering the house, Ye Shuangluo immediately clasped his fists and bowed deeply.


    Doctor Xue was startled and quickly reached out to help Ye Shuangluo up.


    "What are you doing? I can''t accept this."


    "No, sir, you absolutely deserve my bow. Thanks to the medicinal powder you gave me, I was able to eliminate the bandits in the Tian Nan Mountain Range."


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, Doctor Xue was first stunned, then seemed to understand something, and looked at the young man in front of him with surprise.


    "You... you went to the Tian Nan Mountain Range last night?"


    Ye Shuangluo nodded and said calmly, "Mission accomplished. All the bandits in the Tian Nan Mountain Range are dead."


    "You were too hasty. You should have planned more carefully, otherwise..."


    Suddenly, Doctor Xue stopped. He must have misheard. He seemed to have heard something unbelievable.


    "You... you just said, all the bandits are... dead!"


    Doctor Xue stammered, looking at Ye Shuangluo in shock. When he saw the other nod, his mind exploded.


    The bandits in the Tian Nan Mountain Range, if he remembered correctly, numbered at least thirty or forty thousand.


    Even if he had given him ten whole sacks of medicinal powder, how did he manage to eliminate them all in one night? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Doctor Xue racked his brains but couldn''t figure out how he did it.


    After all, he was just an ordinary person. How could he imagine someone scattering the medicinal powder into the wind, letting the wind carry it into the stronghold?


    "Thanks to the medicinal powder you gave me, Doctor Xue, otherwise I wouldn''t have known how to deal with those damned bandits."


    Ye Shuangluo looked gratefully at Doctor Xue, who could be considered his benefactor.


    If it weren''t for him, he wouldn''t have been able to complete this side quest perfectly, nor would he have received such generous rewards.


    He was naturally not the kind of person who would be ungrateful and not think of repaying kindness. The first thing he did upon returning to the town was to come to Changshengtang to thank him.


    "Doctor Xue, here are 800 taels of silver notes. Please accept them."


    Ye Shuangluo took out the silver notes from his space backpack and handed them to Doctor Xue, but Doctor Xue seemed to still be in shock and hadn''t recovered.


    Ye Shuangluo shook his head helplessly. He could understand the other party''s reaction.


    If it were the Main World, before he became a player, and someone told him that someone could withstand a nuclear bomb and not die, he would probably have the same reaction.


    In the end, Ye Shuangluo left the silver notes for Doctor Xue and then got up to leave.


    As he left, Doctor Xue''s eyes were filled with complexity, both admiration and fear.


    "This young man, I... can''t see through him. But someone like him, who kills without batting an eye, will probably stir up a storm of blood wherever he goes."


    Doctor Xue watched the young man''s back, thinking of his terrifying action and execution capabilities, and felt a bit uneasy for the martial world and the country.


    But then he found it somewhat amusing. Perhaps this young man would cause chaos in the martial world and the country, but what did that have to do with him, a mere doctor?


    ...


    Returning to the inn, the prison cart was gone, and so was Lin Xingchen.


    Ye Shuangluo asked the innkeeper and learned that shortly after he left, Lin Xingchen had checked out and left with the twins in the prison cart.


    As for this result, well, it was expected.


    When he left, seeing the twins in the cage talking to Lin Xingchen, he guessed that Lin Xingchen might be persuaded.


    Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he helped the two escape.


    According to the innkeeper, shortly after he left, Lin Xingchen checked out and left with the two fox girls.


    This meant they had been on the run for a night.


    One had to admit, if an ordinary bodyguard encountered such a situation, they might really have no solution, but Ye Shuangluo was no ordinary bodyguard.


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    He directly called up the quest panel, opened the main quest interface, and clicked on the tracking option.


    A small map instantly appeared before his eyes, with the two most conspicuous red dots moving continuously.


    This was his confidence. With this quest tracking feature, no matter how the two fox girls jumped around, they couldn''t escape his grasp.


    Before leaving, to thank the innkeeper for always answering his questions enthusiastically, he casually rewarded him with a piece of gold.


    The innkeeper, perhaps never having seen such a generous guest, was moved to tears. Perhaps out of a sense of reciprocation, he hurriedly said:


    "Sir, if you''re going to find your companions, please be careful. There''s a white tiger nearby that has killed many hunters and passersby."


    White tiger?


    Ye Shuangluo''s eyes lit up. He hadn''t forgotten the achievement "Gourmet" triggered when he ate the Mandrillus sphinx meat upon entering this world.


    To achieve this, he needed to eat five special delicacies.


    He didn''t know what kind of delicacies were considered special, but if he used the Mandrillus sphinx "Big Jin" as a standard, perhaps animals that had become spirits or were about to become spirits were special delicacies.


    However, guessing here was useless. The best way to verify was to take a bite of the white tiger meat, and the answer would naturally be revealed.


    With that, Ye Shuangluo, full of anticipation, rode his horse in the direction of the two red dots on the small map.

 Chapter 23 – The sky has cleared, the rain has stopped, and the white fox girl is on her way again

    In the forest, two young girls were riding on a giant white tiger.


    What was strange was that the tiger, the king of all beasts, would actually allow two human girls to ride on its back.


    But upon closer inspection, one would notice that these two girls didn''t seem to be ordinary humans¡ªthey had fox ears and tails.


    These two girls riding the white tiger were the runaway twin fox girls.


    After much pleading from the silver fox girl, Lin Xingchen finally decided to help them escape.


    "Sister, where are we going next?"


    "Grandmother once mentioned that the Sun Dragon Lord established a Dragon Palace in the West Sea to protect all the spirits and monsters. If we travel day and night, we can reach the West Sea in at most a month, and we''ll be safe there."


    The white fox girl nodded, clearly thinking it was a good idea. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and turned her head toward the direction of the town, murmuring:


    "What a pity, I wanted to take Snowflake to get revenge on that bodyguard who was escorting us."


    Mentioning Ye Shuangluo, the white fox girl immediately recalled the scene where he killed and ate her playmate.


    That scene was an eternal pain for her, causing her hatred for him to reach its peak.


    Hearing her sister mention the bodyguard, the silver fox girl''s eyes also flashed with cold light. She didn''t lose her composure like her sister, but that didn''t mean she wasn''t angry. She also hated the young bodyguard who ate their playmate to the bone.


    Unfortunately, they had no idea where that young man had gone.


    But if he hadn''t suddenly disappeared, they probably wouldn''t have been able to escape captivity.


    Speaking of which, their successful escape was really thanks to Lin Xingchen. The silver fox girl touched her slightly bulging belly.


    Don''t blame me, little medicine boy, your life was originally saved by me, and now I''m taking it back. You won''t blame me, right?


    The white fox girl regretted not getting revenge on the young bodyguard, while the silver fox girl was thinking about their future path.


    Suddenly, the white tiger they were riding on bristled all over and turned around with a deafening roar.


    The sudden turn almost threw the two sisters off, but they managed to hold on tightly to the white tiger''s fur.


    "Snowflake, what''s wrong?"


    The white fox girl stroked the white tiger''s bristling fur, trying to calm it down.


    But her efforts seemed to have no effect. The white tiger remained vigilant, staring ahead as if sensing something terrifying approaching rapidly.


    The two sisters looked ahead but saw nothing. Just as they were puzzled, they heard a faint sound.


    Clip-clop, clip-clop!


    They exchanged glances, recognizing the sound of horse hooves.


    The sound grew louder, confirming their suspicion, and seemed to be getting closer.


    They grew tense, feeling a strong premonition of impending disaster.


    Soon, they saw the source of the sound.


    A young man in blood-red armor riding a white horse appeared before them.


    Their pupils contracted. They would recognize that face even if it turned to ash¡ªit was the young bodyguard who had been escorting them!


    "Well, well, you two sure have a lot of animal friends."


    That voice was still so indifferent. The white fox girl clenched her fists and sneered:


    "I was just thinking what a pity it was that I couldn''t kill you before leaving, and now you come to me yourself."


    "Tsk tsk, you''re still so unaware of your own limitations. I really don''t understand what makes you so arrogant. Is it that big white cat you''re riding?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s gaze locked onto the white tiger beneath the twins. This must be the white tiger the innkeeper warned him about.


    It was truly killing two birds with one stone¡ªretrieving the quest objective and advancing his achievement progress. How wonderful.


    Ye Shuangluo''s lips curved slightly, but the white tiger in front of him was on high alert.


    It could feel the human''s gaze on it, as if looking at prey and food.


    The intense malice was unbearable, so it roared again, either to bolster its courage or to provoke.


    "Roar!"


    The roar was earth-shattering, shaking the leaves off nearby trees.


    [The enemy has used a skill on you. You need to make a Will Judgment.]


    [... Judgment passed. The skill has no effect on you.]


    Ye Shuangluo shook his head. The roar didn''t affect him much.


    But his white horse fainted, either from the loud noise or the white tiger''s imposing presence.


    On the other side, the white fox girl, who had been tense, saw Snowflake''s display of might and felt confident again. She taunted: S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you kneel and kowtow to me three times, I might consider leaving you a whole corpse. Oh, by the way, do you want to know Lin Xingchen''s last words? Do you want to know how he died?"


    Seeing the white fox girl flaunting on the white tiger, Ye Shuangluo thought of an idiom story he learned as a child.


    The fox borrowing the tiger''s might.


    He never thought he would see a live version of it one day. Truly, you live and learn.


    Hearing her mention Lin Xingchen''s last words, he shook his head. How pitiful.


    When Lin Xingchen handed his blood to the white fox girl and she drank it without hesitation, he understood one thing.


    This white fox girl, regardless of her strength or intelligence, would definitely do what she said. If she said she would eat your flesh and drink your blood, she meant it.


    "I don''t care how he died or what he said before he died. Now I give you two choices.


    First, obediently get back into the prison cart.


    Second, I beat you half to death and throw you in."


    As he said the word "throw," Ye Shuangluo''s killing intent became palpable, even causing the white tiger to take two steps back.


    The white fox girl remained outwardly calm but was deeply shocked. It had only been one night, but why did this young bodyguard seem like a different person?


    The killing intent around him was like that of an Asura who had just emerged from hell.


    Just looking at him made her eyes sting.


    The white fox girl gritted her teeth, about to have Snowflake attack, when her sister, sitting behind her, suddenly leaned in and whispered.


    "Wait, let me handle this."


    The silver fox girl jumped off the white tiger and, under Ye Shuangluo''s gaze, her eyes turned pink.


    Her beautiful eyes looked at him with deep affection, and the love in her gaze could melt steel.


    For a moment, romantic scenes filled Ye Shuangluo''s mind, all featuring the silver fox girl.


    [The enemy has used a Charm skill on you. Making a Mental Judgment.]


    [... Judgment passed. The skill has no effect on you.]


    "Come to me~"


    Ye Shuangluo slowly walked toward the silver fox girl, looking at her stunningly beautiful face that combined sensuality and purity without any discord.


    The silver fox girl sighed in relief, thinking she wouldn''t have to fight directly. Just as she was about to give the next command, a hand suddenly grabbed her neck and slammed her into a tree.


    She passed out before she could react.


    "Once, a woman more beautiful than you did the same thing to me, and I killed her."


    He glanced at the white tiger in mid-air, which was pouncing toward him with the white fox girl.


    Clearly, the sister had noticed he wasn''t charmed but didn''t tell her sister, instead letting the white tiger take the opportunity to attack.


    What a good sister she was, truly sisterly love.


    He stood still, not dodging, not even drawing Mortal Kill.


    The white fox girl in mid-air sensed something was wrong, but it was too late.


    The two ghost heads on the shoulders of Ye Shuangluo''s Blood Demon Armor came to life, biting into his neck.


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    Special Effect "Blood Frenzy" activated.


    It was his first time activating this special effect. As it activated, a violent urge to kill surged in his heart.


    Kill, kill the two people and the beast in front of him, tear them to pieces.


    As he struggled to suppress the rising urge to kill, the white tiger with the white fox girl reached his attack range.


    He infused Wind Element into his leg and delivered a spinning kick, sending both the tiger and the girl flying, then charged in their direction.


    He had temporarily suppressed his boiling urge to kill because he knew he couldn''t kill the twins just yet.


    As he charged, he drew Mortal Kill and slashed at the white tiger''s forehead.


    Slash!


    Mortal Kill easily cut through the white tiger''s flesh but got stuck in the bone.


    Failing to kill with one strike, Ye Shuangluo was about to follow up when he heard the white fox girl curse:


    "You devil, why? Why can''t you just die obediently!"


    Her ridiculous words made Ye Shuangluo laugh, so he temporarily abandoned the idea of finishing off the white tiger.


    "You really don''t learn, do you? Have you forgotten how that Mandrillus sphinx named Big Jin died? I must say, these animals are really unlucky to be your friends."


    With that, he slashed down, and the white fox girl closed her eyes.


    Of course, Ye Shuangluo didn''t kill her, at least not yet. He used the back of his blade, causing the white fox girl to pass out.

 Chapter 24 – Gourmet Achievement progress plus one

    "Roar!"


    Hmm?


    Ye Shuangluo turned his head and saw the White Tiger with a bleeding head trying to escape.


    Coincidentally, the White Horse that had just fainted from fright woke up at this moment. Seeing the White Tiger trying to run, it thought the tiger was coming to eat it.


    Even a rabbit will bite when cornered. The White Horse decided to fight back desperately, raising its hooves high to stomp down.


    But the White Tiger easily dodged, and then, enraged, it bit the White Horse''s neck, snapping it.


    After killing the White Horse, the White Tiger, perhaps smelling the blood, had its beastly instincts triggered and began to feast. As it ate, it suddenly felt a chill down its spine.


    Turning around, it saw a young man with a knife standing behind it, tilting his head and watching.


    Only then did the White Tiger remember it was supposed to be escaping.


    It''s over. I''m done for!


    But the young man didn''t seem intent on killing it. Instead, he casually stabbed the knife into the ground.


    Then he flexed his wrist and looked at the tiger coldly.


    The young man then pressed the White Tiger''s head to the ground with one hand and began pummeling it with the other, raining blows like a storm.


    This one-sided beating lasted a full ten minutes, the longest ten minutes of the White Tiger''s life.


    When the attack finally ended, the White Tiger felt pain all over, its body seemingly falling apart.


    Struggling to lift its head, it saw the young man standing in front of it.


    "Hey, big cat, I could have chopped you up just now. Do you know why I didn''t kill you?"


    The White Tiger shook its head in a very human-like manner, surprising Ye Shuangluo. But considering the world''s background, he found it quite normal.


    "You can understand me, that''s good. Saves me some trouble. You killed my horse, so now you''ll take its place.


    Pull the cart and take me, those two foxes, and the human to the capital."


    The White Tiger showed a look of resistance upon hearing it had to pull the cart.


    Ye Shuangluo smiled slightly, walked over, and slowly squatted down, gently stroking the tiger from head to back, speaking in an incredibly gentle tone:


    "You''re right, you are the king of beasts. How could I humiliate you like this? I should just kill you."


    As soon as he finished speaking, he forcefully pressed the White Tiger''s head to the ground with one hand and pulled out the Mortal Kill knife to chop the tiger.


    "Roar~"


    The White Tiger immediately begged for mercy, but Ye Shuangluo was unmoved, coldly asking again:


    "Big cat, I''ll ask you one last time. Will you pull the cart for me? If yes, roar once. If no, I''ll send you to the afterlife right now."


    "Meow."


    Hmm?


    Ye Shuangluo was stunned for a moment. Did he just hear a meow? This White Tiger just meowed.


    It should be a White Tiger, not a white cat, right?


    He recalled the White Tiger''s appearance. When he slashed its forehead, there was indeed a "king" character there.


    Suddenly, he had a guess and tentatively asked:


    "Are you trying to please me? Because I called you a big cat, you''re mimicking a cat?"


    The White Tiger sensed the killing intent from the young man weakening and knew its method was effective, its tail starting to wag slowly.


    It seemed it was indeed trying to please him.


    Ye Shuangluo''s killing intent gradually dissipated. He never considered himself bloodthirsty; killing was just a means to an end for him.


    ¡­¡­


    When the white fox girl woke up, she found herself back in the familiar cage.


    What shocked her even more was that Snowflake was pulling the cart.


    "You... what did you do to Snowflake!"


    Leaning against the cart, Ye Shuangluo lazily replied:


    "I just asked if he wanted to live or die. I didn''t force him; it was his choice."


    If you could let him live, why did you kill Big Jin!


    The white fox girl didn''t voice this thought, perhaps because she was almost killed by Ye Shuangluo''s knife, she was a bit scared.


    Seeing the obedient White Tiger "Snowflake" pulling the cart, a venomous thought suddenly crossed her mind. Why can this useless thing live while Big Jin had to die?


    Though she knew she shouldn''t think this way, the more she forced herself not to, the more entrenched the thought became.


    "Snowflake," being a beast that had gained sentience, had extremely sharp instincts and perception, so he naturally sensed the flash of malice from the white fox girl.


    This made him feel aggrieved and angry. If it weren''t for helping you, would I be reduced to pulling a cart? Not only are you ungrateful, but you also harbor malice towards me.


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    Originally, due to the silver fox girl''s charm ability, "Snowflake" had a good impression of the two girls, but now all that goodwill had vanished.


    ¡­¡­


    Soon, night fell. Ye Shuangluo lit a fire and then looked up and down at the White Tiger, considering where to cut a piece of meat.


    Snowflake, terrified by the look in his eyes, lay flat on the ground. Didn''t you say you''d spare my life if I pulled the cart? Why do you look like you want to eat me now?


    Noticing the White Tiger''s unease, Ye Shuangluo petted him like a cat, soothing him as he did.


    "Good big cat, I keep my word. I won''t kill you. I just need you to contribute a piece of meat. You don''t mind, right?"


    What else could Snowflake do? Could he refuse?


    Ye Shuangluo seemed to be discussing it with him, but his tone left no room for doubt, clearly just informing him.


    So Snowflake could only close his eyes in despair, resigned to his fate.


    "Good boy."


    Ye Shuangluo''s gaze lingered on him for a while before finally settling on his waist.


    With a swift motion, a chunk of over ten pounds of tiger meat was cut off.


    Snowflake felt intense pain in his waist but endured it without making a sound. Pain was better than death.


    Ignoring the White Tiger, who was trying hard not to scream, Ye Shuangluo cut the tiger meat into small pieces, skewered them on branches, and roasted them over the fire.


    Soon, a rich aroma filled the air.


    Smelling the meat, Ye Shuangluo thought it was about ready and took a small bite.


    It melted in his mouth, still as delicious and tempting as ever, a perfect delicacy needing no seasoning.


    Unlike the Mandrillus sphinx meat, tiger meat had a natural spiciness that was just right, making one want to take another bite after the first.


    ¡¾Congratulations on eating a special delicacy, Gourmet Achievement progress +1¡¿


    ¡¾Current progress 2/5¡¿


    Unknowingly, the over ten pounds of tiger meat was down to the last bite. Just as Ye Shuangluo was about to eat it, he noticed the White Tiger sneaking a glance.


    Seeing the White Tiger peeking, Ye Shuangluo thought for a moment and asked:


    "Do you want to try?"


    Snowflake looked at Ye Shuangluo with resentment, unable to tell if this human was genuinely inviting him or just mocking him.


    He thought this human was a bit exaggerated. Could it really be that good? Watching the human seem addicted, he felt a chill.


    He feared that after finishing the meat, the human would go wild and chop him up for more.


    Fortunately, after finishing the meat, Ye Shuangluo seemed satisfied, leaning against a tree to rest, not making any moves. This finally allowed the White Tiger to relax.


    It had been a long time since he felt such fear. The last time was shortly after he was born when an old hunter found his den.


    As the only white tiger, he was kept for last by the old hunter. He would never forget how the hunter held him up, inspecting him like a piece of merchandise.


    Though he later grew up and gutted the old hunter, the fear the hunter instilled in him became an everlasting shadow.


    Now, Ye Shuangluo, with his formidable strength, seemed poised to replace that old hunter as his new nightmare.


    Snowflake looked at the young man leaning against a tree, seemingly asleep. His years of combat experience told him this was a good opportunity for a sneak attack.


    But his survival instincts warned him that if he dared to attack, he would be killed on the spot. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the end, he chose to follow his instincts, closing his eyes and slowly falling asleep.


    At this moment, Ye Shuangluo slowly opened his eyes. He hadn''t been asleep, just testing if the White Tiger would try to attack him while he slept.


    The result was satisfactory. The White Tiger was sensible enough not to risk its life, which put Ye Shuangluo at ease.


    He took out three treasure chests from his space backpack, obtained from the stronghold in the Tian Nan Mountain Range. Since the last few people were killed together, he wasn''t sure who dropped which chest.


    But that didn''t matter. What mattered was that it was time for the fun of opening treasure chests.


    Ye Shuangluo excitedly rubbed his hands together. This was his first time opening treasure chests since his Luck attribute had increased. He hoped to get something useful.


    ¡¾Congratulations, you have received 1800 Points¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, you have received Beauty''s Tear¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, you have received 2500 Points¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, you have received the Ming King Subduing Demon Sutra¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, you have received 2000 Points¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, you have received the Ghost Luo Blade¡¿

 Chapter 25 – Mysterious Shan Ren

    ¡¾Beauty''s Tear¡¿


    ¡¾Type: One-time Use Item¡¿


    ¡¾Quality: White¡¿


    ¡¾Effect: This item is only effective on human females, capable of arousing their desires. The higher the Charisma attribute, the better the effect. If the Charisma attribute is below 4 points, the effect is completely nullified.¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: Good news, this thing is useless to you. Bad news, this thing is useless to you.¡¿


    Ye Shuangluo''s face darkened almost immediately. If he wasn''t mistaken, this thing seemed to be an aphrodisiac.


    Although its effect was peculiar, it was still trash.


    He initially wanted to throw it away but hesitated for a moment and decided to put it into his space backpack, planning to sell it later.


    He believed that although it was trash, someone might still be interested in it.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡¾Ghost Luo Blade¡¿


    ¡¾Type: Weapon (Blade)¡¿


    ¡¾Quality: White¡¿


    ¡¾Special Effect: Ghost''s Cry. Each hit in battle doubles the pain felt by the enemy.¡¿


    ¡¾Equipment Requirement: Listen to the cry of an evil spirit once.¡¿


    ¡¾Sharpness: 4¡¿


    ¡¾Durability: 15/15¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: As a white-quality weapon, it is pitifully weak. However, its true purpose is not for combat but to torture the enemy.¡¿


    ¡­¡­


    To be honest, this weapon was inferior to Ye Shuangluo''s Mortal Kill in every aspect, but he was still very interested.


    After all, the evaluation stated that its true purpose was to torture the enemy.


    Ye Shuangluo grasped the blade, and a cacophony of ghostly wails echoed in his mind before vanishing instantly.


    Whatever he thought of, a gentle and kind smile appeared on Ye Shuangluo''s face.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡¾Ming King Subduing Demon Sutra¡¿


    ¡¾Type: Passive Skill¡¿


    ¡¾Effect: After learning this skill, Internal Power +300, Constitution +1, Strength +1, Intelligence +1, and gain a special buff: "Subduing Demon" (Damage to practitioners of demonic arts +20%).¡¿


    ¡¾Learning Requirement: Internal Power above 1000 points and must learn the prerequisite skill: Diamond Subduing Demon Technique.¡¿


    ¡¾Warning: Learning this skill may cause significant changes in the player''s personality. Please choose carefully.¡¿


    ¡¾Introduction: This is the supreme martial art of the Mo Ye Temple, the sacred place of martial arts in this world.¡¿


    ¡­¡­


    This was a skill book, a special skill book that could cause significant personality changes upon learning.


    The last time he saw such a description was for the Asura Demon Eye, which Ye Shuangluo still couldn''t learn. But even the Asura Demon Eye didn''t come with a warning.


    After glancing at the stringent learning requirements, he shook his head. In terms of practicality, this thing was even less useful than the Beauty''s Tear.


    At least that thing could be sold; this one probably couldn''t even be sold.


    ¡¾Prompt: Esteemed Reserve Player, this skill contains a portion of the world''s essence. You can contribute this skill to the system, and the system will reward you.¡¿


    ¡¾Contribute: Yes/No¡¿


    Ye Shuangluo nonchalantly chose yes, as the skill book was useless to him anyway.


    Soon, the Ming King Subduing Demon Sutra was enveloped and devoured by a stream of data. As it disappeared, a white-covered book lightly floated down in front of him.


    ¡¾Bodhi Heart¡¿


    ¡¾Type: Passive Skill¡¿


    ¡¾Effect: Spiritual Power +100, recover 1 point of Spiritual Power every three seconds. Gain a special buff: "Bodhi" (Skill upgrade cost reduced by 10%).¡¿


    ¡¾Learning Requirement: Intelligence attribute greater than or equal to 6.¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: For you, this skill is all benefits and no harm.¡¿ S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­¡­


    Ye Shuangluo chose to learn it without hesitation. Instantly, his mana bar extended, although he couldn''t use it at the moment.


    After learning the skill, he couldn''t help but shake his head. Even after increasing his Luck attribute, the effect wasn''t significant.


    Opening a treasure chest yielded three pieces of junk. If the game system hadn''t recycled one, he would have gained nothing.


    Feeling a bit exhausted, he closed his eyes, genuinely ready to sleep this time.


    ¡­¡­


    The next day.


    Ye Shuangluo slowly woke from his sleep. Sleeping in the wilderness wasn''t a pleasant experience; he missed his bed in the Main World.


    Standing up and walking to the cage, he noticed that the two girls seemed to have woken up long ago.


    The white fox girl still glared at him with eyes full of hatred and anger.


    As for the silver fox girl, she seemed to have been beaten into submission and didn''t dare to look at him.


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t care much. He lightly kicked the White Tiger, who was sleeping nearby.


    "Hey, big cat, wake up. We need to continue our journey."


    Snowflake was forcibly awakened, and just as it was about to throw a tantrum, it heard the voice of that ominous star.


    It immediately shivered, all sleepiness vanishing, and stood up with all its might.


    Ye Shuangluo glanced at its waist. The place where he had cut a piece of flesh with a knife yesterday had already scabbed over. It looked like it would heal in two or three days at most.


    This gave him some ideas; he could cut a piece of meat from this White Tiger every few days for a treat.


    Feeling the malicious gaze, the White Tiger felt a wave of sorrow. Although it didn''t know what the other party was thinking, it knew it couldn''t be anything good.


    Just as the White Tiger was preparing for a desperate struggle, the young man suddenly patted its head and then sat on the cart.


    "Don''t just stand there, let''s continue our journey."


    The malice suddenly disappeared. Although the White Tiger didn''t understand, it was relieved to have escaped with its life.


    (Forget it, there''s no need to let a mere craving for meat affect my main quest progress.)


    For Ye Shuangluo, his primary goal was always to become stronger. Everything else was secondary.


    ¡­¡­


    The White Tiger''s speed far surpassed that of ordinary horses. Just a morning''s sprint covered more distance than three days of travel before.


    Ye Shuangluo held the map he had bought in the town, silently calculating the distance in his mind.


    Suddenly, the White Tiger came to an abrupt stop, looking ahead with a wary expression.


    Ye Shuangluo temporarily put down the map and looked forward.


    A giant python, over ten meters long, blocked the road. What was even more astonishing was that the python had two bulges on its head, as if something was about to grow out.


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    What surprised Ye Shuangluo the most was a young man with a bamboo basket on his back, surrounded by the python''s body.


    The python didn''t seem to have any intention of harming the young man, merely encircling him and doing nothing else.


    As Ye Shuangluo observed the python, it suddenly charged in his direction.


    Instinctively, he drew his blade, but the python collapsed to the ground about seven or eight meters away from him.


    Hiss~


    The python kept flicking its tongue, as if trying to say something, but no one present understood.


    Eventually, the python slowly closed its eyes, seemingly unconscious or perhaps already dead.


    Ye Shuangluo gripped his blade tightly, cautiously approaching the python.


    He first poked it with his blade, then made a cut on its body.


    But no matter what he did, the python remained motionless. His Perception also told him that the python was indeed dead.


    Still, he found it hard to believe. This python was about to grow horns, such a powerful creature, how could it suddenly die?


    "Brother, there''s no need to test it further. It is indeed dead."


    A gentle, jade-like voice came from behind. Ye Shuangluo reflexively turned around to see a handsome young man with a smiling face standing behind him.


    Although the young man smiled brightly, Ye Shuangluo found it hard to believe. When had this person gotten behind him without him noticing?


    Ye Shuangluo''s Five Senses were very keen. He could clearly sense even the flapping of nearby insects.


    His powerful senses allowed him to detect any creature within a 5-meter radius without turning around.


    But the young man had approached him silently, meaning that if the young man had intended to attack, Ye Shuangluo would already be dead.


    In an instant, Ye Shuangluo, who had been feeling somewhat proud due to his recent victories, put away his pride. He was still too weak.


    The young man looked at Ye Shuangluo, who was on high alert and gripping his long blade tightly, and said helplessly:


    "Brother, there''s no need to be so tense. I mean no harm."


    But Ye Shuangluo didn''t respond, instead distancing himself from the young man while discreetly observing him.


    The young man smiled wryly and took a few steps back.


    "Is this distance enough to put you at ease?"


    Although they had distanced themselves, Ye Shuangluo still didn''t dare to relax.


    "¡­Did you kill this python?"


    The young man touched his nose and smiled:


    "Just a little trick."


    Hearing the young man''s admission, Ye Shuangluo gripped his blade even tighter.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo''s tense demeanor, the young man couldn''t help but say:


    "Brother, there''s no need to be so nervous. I didn''t kill this python with my own strength, just with an external object."


    "An external object?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s curiosity was piqued. What kind of external object could instantly kill such a massive python?


    The young man took out a torn sachet from his waist and began to explain.


    "This is a sachet I made myself, filled with powder extracted from a large number of beast-repelling flowers. The python was killed by this."


    A mere sachet could kill such a huge python? Ye Shuangluo found it hard to believe.


    ¡¾Extremely Crude Beast-Repelling Sachet¡¿


    ¡¾Type: Equipment (Accessory)¡¿


    ¡¾Quality: Green¡¿


    ¡¾Effect: Wearing this item causes beasts to automatically retreat. When the item is broken, all beasts within three meters will be forcibly killed.¡¿


    ¡¾Durability: Damaged¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: The item itself is unremarkable; it is the creator who elevated its quality.¡¿


    ¡­¡­


    Alright, now Ye Shuangluo believed him. The young man hadn''t lied; it was indeed an external object that killed the python.


    But he didn''t lower his guard because the young man had indeed approached him silently.


    Of course, outwardly, he sheathed his blade and cupped his hands:


    "I misunderstood you, brother. Please forgive my excessive caution. But when traveling the world, one must be careful."


    The young man waved his hand, his face still wearing that sunny smile.


    "No problem, no problem. Being cautious is right when traveling the world."


    The young man glanced at the White Tiger pulling the cart and the twin fox girls in the cage.


    "Brother Ye, you seem to be having quite the adventure, traveling with beauties, using the sky as your blanket and the earth as your bed. And these are twin sisters too. You are indeed fortunate."


    The young man winked at Ye Shuangluo, with a look that said, "We''re all men here, I understand."


    This made Ye Shuangluo chuckle but he still explained:


    "You misunderstand, brother. I am a bodyguard, and these twin sisters are my cargo."


    Hearing the word "cargo," the young man seemed to ponder and asked:


    "Brother Ye, are you perhaps taking these twins to the capital?"


    "How did you guess?"


    The young man smiled confidently and explained:


    "It''s simple. These twins appear to be born of a human and a fox. Such mixed breeds are highly sought after among wealthy merchants and high-ranking officials, and twin sisters are even rarer. Since they are cargo, there must be a recipient. Ahead lies only a small, impoverished village, and beyond that, only the capital. So, Brother Ye''s destination must be the capital."


    You were about to say "half-breed," weren''t you? You definitely were.


    Ye Shuangluo''s eyes never left the young man, so he caught the fleeting contempt in the young man''s eyes.


    (This person seems to look down on hybrids of humans and spirits.)


    Although he had many suspicions about the young man, Ye Shuangluo showed nothing on the surface.


    "Brother, you guessed right. These twins are a birthday gift for the Emperor, entrusted to me by a certain lord."


    The young man nodded, seemingly unsurprised.


    "By the way, I''ve talked so much with Brother Ye, but I still don''t know your name."


    "I am Ye Shuangluo."


    "Ye Shuangluo¡­"


    The young man repeated the name several times, his brows furrowing as if something puzzled him.


    "¡­What a good name. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am just a wanderer in the mountains. If Brother Ye doesn''t mind, you can call me Shan Ren."


    Shan Ren? That''s an unusual name.


    "Brother Shan Ren, where are you headed with that bamboo basket?"


    "The Emperor''s birthday is approaching. Although I am just a wanderer, I also want to go to the capital to share in the festivities."


    This answer was normal, but Ye Shuangluo felt something was off.


    Suddenly, the system''s voice echoed in his mind.


    ¡¾Side Quest Triggered: "Traveling Companions"¡¿


    ¡¾Quest Description: You have encountered a strange young man who calls himself Shan Ren. He exudes an air of mystery. You can choose to travel with him, but it is an extremely dangerous choice.¡¿


    ¡¾Quest Requirement: Travel with Shan Ren and reach the capital alive.¡¿


    ¡¾Quest Reward: Special Attribute Points ¡Á4 (Special Attribute Points can enhance Perception, Elemental Resistance, and Tenacity)¡¿


    Extremely dangerous, huh?


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the quest reward and thought of the "Asura Demon Eye" skill book gathering dust in his backpack. He then said:


    "Brother Shan Ren, since we are both heading to the capital, why not travel together?"


    Shan Ren didn''t refuse but cupped his hands and said:


    "To travel with someone as skilled as Brother Ye is something I would gladly do. Thank you for the company."

 Chapter 26 – Half

    Beside the giant python''s body, Ye Shuangluo lit a fire, sharpened some branches, and prepared to have snake meat for lunch.


    Interestingly, Shan Ren claimed to be a vegetarian and didn''t like eating meat.


    Ye Shuangluo understood this.


    Using Mortal Kill, he chopped off a few pieces of meat, skewered them on the branches, and started roasting.


    One had to admit, chopping meat was also a form of knife training.


    As you chop, you gradually understand how much force to use with each cut, where to chop, and what posture to use.


    It''s worth mentioning that while Ye Shuangluo was roasting the meat, the White Tiger was hiding to the side, almost drooling with hunger, tears uncontrollably streaming down its mouth.


    Such a large python, he couldn''t finish it all by himself, so he chopped off a piece of over twenty pounds and tossed it over.


    With a howl, the White Tiger leaped up and caught the piece of snake meat, then squatted down and started devouring it.


    Watching the White Tiger gnawing on raw meat, Ye Shuangluo thought that at least it had worked hard for him, pulling the cart all morning.


    He couldn''t treat it too poorly, so he tossed a piece of roasted snake meat in front of it.


    The White Tiger took a bite of the cooked meat, then spat it out immediately, looking disgusted and resistant.


    It seemed that it still preferred raw meat over cooked.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t be bothered to care; after all, it had been eating raw meat for at least a decade and it hadn''t died yet.


    At this moment, Ye Shuangluo''s attention was entirely focused on the snake gallbladder in front of him, which he had just dug out from the giant python.


    Perhaps because the python''s body was enormous, its gallbladder was much larger than usual, about the size of a regular basketball.


    [Half-Dragon Snake Gallbladder]


    [Type: Special Item]


    [Quality: Blue]


    [Effect: Increases Health Points limit by 200, Skin Defense by 10 after consumption. Small chance to comprehend the special skill "Dragon Might."]


    [Consumption Requirement: Constitution and Strength both above 10 points]


    [Evaluation: This gallbladder contains the essence of a leader-level giant python. It was a poor creature on the verge of transforming into a dragon, but it encountered someone it shouldn''t have.]


    ...


    After reading the evaluation, Ye Shuangluo held the Pluto around his neck, feeling a bit regretful. Pluto was just one leader-level enemy away from advancing.


    Oh well, there would be more opportunities in the future.


    Ye Shuangluo brought the gallbladder to his mouth, the enticing aroma wafting from it. Without hesitation, he took a bite.


    As soon as he bit down, his mouth was filled with juice.


    The taste wasn''t fishy but sweet, similar to a carbonated drink, but even more refreshing.


    He devoured the entire gallbladder, and after finishing, he still wanted more.


    How to describe it?


    It was like entering an air-conditioned room and drinking a whole bottle of iced beverage after sweating profusely from intense exercise on a scorching summer day.


    [Congratulations on eating a special delicacy, "Gourmet Hunter" progress +1]


    [Current progress: 3/5]


    Seeing the "Gourmet Hunter" progress increase again, Ye Shuangluo felt invigorated.


    Just two more to go, victory was in sight. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, it was a bit disappointing that he still hadn''t comprehended the "Dragon Might" skill.


    It seemed his Luck attribute wasn''t high enough. Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but shake his head. Last time, he didn''t comprehend a skill after injecting "Essence Liquid" either.


    It seemed it was indeed a small probability, perhaps one in a thousand or even less.


    Ye Shuangluo ate the roasted snake meat while his thoughts wandered.


    After eating and drinking his fill, he looked at the massive python corpse in front of him and felt a bit troubled.


    He didn''t want to expose his space backpack to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    Although he knew it was a pity to leave so much meat here, he had no other choice.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo''s reluctance to part with the giant python, Shan Ren smiled slightly. The ring on his finger flashed with a dark light, and the python''s corpse disappeared instantly.


    Seeing this familiar scene, Ye Shuangluo was a bit incredulous. He hadn''t used his space backpack.


    "If Brother Ye likes this python meat so much, I''ll store it for you to eat on the way," Shan Ren said.


    Ye Shuangluo pretended to be surprised and asked, "Store it for me? Could it be that Brother Shan made the python disappear?"


    Shan Ren raised his hand, showing the ring, and introduced, "Yes, I stored the python in my ring."


    Ye Shuangluo looked at Shan Ren''s ring, and its attributes instantly appeared.


    [Exquisite Space Ring]


    [Type: Equipment (Accessory)]


    [Quality: Blue]


    [Special Effect: Inner World (Space area 1000 cubic meters, can store living creatures)]


    [Durability: 100/100]


    [Evaluation: This ring is made from the skull of a Void King Beast. Unlike that crude, ordinary sachet, it is exquisitely crafted and practical, clearly made with care by its creator.]


    ...


    A space ring.


    Ye Shuangluo never expected Shan Ren to have such a high-end item.


    "I''m truly enlightened. I didn''t know such treasures existed in this world. How did Brother Shan obtain it?"


    "Haha, it''s nothing special, just a little trinket I made when I had some free time. If Brother Ye likes it, I can give you one next time."


    Facing Shan Ren''s enthusiasm, Ye Shuangluo shook his head and declined the offer.


    "No, thank you. I can''t accept such a gift without earning it."


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo''s lack of interest in the treasure, Shan Ren didn''t say much, just slowly rubbed the space ring.


    Honestly, this scene was quite creepy, considering the ring was made from a skull.


    Ye Shuangluo could only tell himself that at least it had been processed.


    But to nonchalantly caress a skull-made artifact, Shan Ren was indeed a tough character.


    Not wanting to watch this unsettling scene any longer, Ye Shuangluo asked, "Brother Shan, I know it might be a bit presumptuous, but I''m really curious about what you have in your bamboo basket."


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s question, Shan Ren didn''t say much. He took the bamboo basket off his shoulder and carefully opened the lid.


    Inside was a very beautiful little snake, so beautiful that if one didn''t look closely, they might think it was carved from jade.


    With ruby-like eyes and a jade-green body, the little snake looked like the most perfect piece of art.


    Shan Ren extended his hand, gently rubbing the little snake''s body with his fingertip, his gaze and tone incredibly tender.


    "His name is Jade, and he''s my family."


    Treating a snake as family, Shan Ren indeed exuded an eerie vibe.


    Suddenly, Ye Shuangluo had a bold thought. Could Shan Ren also be a snake?


    If he were a snake... how old would he be to have transformed into human form?


    When he descended into this world, the game system had given him some knowledge about it.


    Spirits couldn''t transform into humans; this was almost an ironclad rule in this world.


    But only almost. There were still some spirits that could transform into humans, though they were fewer than a handful.


    Shan Ren seemed to sense his gaze and turned back with a smile.


    The smile was still as warm and sunny, but it felt terrifying to Ye Shuangluo.


    Ye Shuangluo always felt that Shan Ren''s gaze towards him, the twins in the cage, and the White Tiger was the same.


    That gaze was familiar, but he couldn''t recall where he had seen it before.


    Now he suddenly remembered. It was the same gaze his classmate had when they were assigned to raise mealworms in pairs and write observation diaries in elementary school.


    That classmate had looked at the mealworms with the same gaze.

 Chapter 27 – Demon Heart

    On the prison cart, Ye Shuangluo and Shan Ren sat side by side.


    Ye Shuangluo glanced at Shan Ren and suddenly spoke, "Since I first met you, Brother Shan Ren, your eyes haven''t left that book in your hands. It makes one curious¡ªwhat kind of book could be so captivating?"


    Shan Ren smiled slightly upon hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, closed the book, and handed it to him.


    Ye Shuangluo took the book from Shan Ren and softly read the small characters on the cover.


    "¡®Immortal Talks,¡¯ by Gao Yangzi. This name sounds like a Taoist title."


    "Brother Ye, you have sharp eyes. Gao Yangzi is indeed a Taoist title.


    This Gao Yangzi is very knowledgeable and talented. This book seems to talk about places where immortals might have appeared and left traces.


    In reality, it introduces many local customs, which are quite interesting. I never tire of reading it."


    Ye Shuangluo then remembered that this world seemed to have immortals. The old emperor, who was about to celebrate his birthday, had been given a divine stone by an immortal, allowing him to live to two hundred years old.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from ".


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo''s gaze linger on the book, Shan Ren proactively handed it over.


    "If Brother Ye is interested, I can lend it to you for a few days."


    With nothing else to do, Ye Shuangluo reached out and took the book, thanking him.


    "Then I won''t stand on ceremony. Thank you, Brother Shan Ren."


    ...


    "In the 28th year of Haotian, I followed the traces of an immortal to Heilong County. It is said that 400 years ago, an immortal ascended to heaven riding a black dragon here.


    Because the dragon was black, the place was renamed Heilong County 400 years ago.


    After investigating, I found nothing special about the place and was about to give up. But then, I saw a green scale in a farmer''s house.


    This green scale is impervious to water and fire, unbreakable by blades and spears, and weighs a hundred pounds. It seems to be a dragon scale.


    According to the farmer, their family has worshipped this scale for generations, for exactly 400 years, coinciding with the legend of the immortal''s ascension.


    Final conclusion: An immortal might have appeared here 400 years ago, but the black dragon story is likely just a rumor."


    After reading the last chapter, Ye Shuangluo closed the book. As Shan Ren had said, it described many local customs.


    Likewise, the book was full of praise for the immortal, almost to the point of worship.


    It was akin to the fanatical essays written by fans in the Main World for their idols.


    Anyone could see that Gao Yangzi greatly admired the immortal; otherwise, he wouldn''t have followed the immortal''s footsteps from the second year of Tianyuan to the 28th year of Haotian.


    From the first chapter in Tianyuan 2 to the last in Haotian 28, fifty-eight years had passed.


    The young Taoist, full of vigor and righteousness in the first chapter, had become a smooth and indifferent old Taoist by the last.


    Through this book, it felt like seeing another person''s entire life¡ªbrilliant yet pitiful.


    In the end, Gao Yangzi never got to see the immortal he had pursued his whole life.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but feel that the story shouldn''t end in Heilong County. Perhaps Gao Yangzi eventually met the immortal but didn''t write it down.


    Ye Shuangluo turned back to the first page, where Gao Yangzi had written in the prologue:


    "If I truly find the immortal, I want to ask him how to ensure that everyone can eat their fill and smile. The immortal must have a way, for he is an immortal!"


    Ye Shuangluo felt conflicted. In the story''s background, the country had suffered three consecutive years of drought, making life unbearable, like a living hell.


    When people face insurmountable despair, they pray to gods and immortals, just as Gao Yangzi did.


    But whether he eventually found the immortal to solve the drought remains unknown.


    Shan Ren watched as Ye Shuangluo closed the book and asked, "Brother Ye, have you finished reading?"


    Ye Shuangluo nodded, and Shan Ren continued, "What do you think of the book?"


    "...It''s quite good."


    Ye Shuangluo seemed distracted, pondering a question.


    Gao Yangzi searched for fifty-eight years without finding the immortal, yet the emperor found him in just three years.


    The immortal even bestowed a divine stone upon the emperor, granting him longevity, perhaps even immortality.


    Why?


    Could it be that the immortal made some deal with the emperor, thus granting him the divine stone?


    "Brother Ye seems to have some thoughts. Why not share them?"


    Shan Ren''s voice carried a natural warmth, making people want to confide in him.


    [Someone has used a charm skill on you. You need to make a Will judgment.]


    [... Judgment failed.]


    "Brother Shan Ren, what do you think of immortals?"


    "Oh?"


    Shan Ren seemed surprised by Ye Shuangluo''s question but answered nonetheless, "Immortals are the greatest beings in this world. Whether human, spirit, or beast, they all need to revere and worship them.


    What does Brother Ye think of immortals?"


    Ye Shuangluo opened his mouth, about to speak his mind.


    [Someone has used a charm skill on you. You need to make a second Will judgment.]


    [Judgment fail...]


    Just as the second judgment was about to fail, Ye Shuangluo''s Legendary passive skill "Master of Weapons" suddenly shone brightly.


    [Your Legendary passive "Master of Weapons" has activated, triggering the hidden effect: "Demon Heart."]


    [Reattempting Will judgment... Judgment successful. You are immune to this charm.]


    "Immortals are so great; naturally, I revere and admire them.


    Of course, my admiration outweighs my reverence. If I were fortunate enough to meet an immortal, I''d be willing to give up ten years of my life."


    Ye Shuangluo''s face was full of fervor, as if he truly worshipped immortals.


    Shan Ren looked at Ye Shuangluo curiously. This didn''t seem like something he would say, but his ability hadn''t failed.


    After all, he had just used it on Ye Shuangluo with remarkable effect.


    So, was Ye Shuangluo speaking his mind?


    On the other hand, Ye Shuangluo''s heart was pounding. He had almost spoken his true thoughts.


    If he had admitted that he didn''t worship immortals and even felt some resentment, he didn''t know what the consequences would be, but it was clear Shan Ren had ill intentions.


    Perhaps... he would have died.


    Shan Ren might have killed him on the spot, without even giving him a chance to resist.


    He had felt like a puppet, with Shan Ren as the puppeteer.


    How could a puppet resist its master?


    Damn it!


    Ye Shuangluo was furious inside. This feeling of helplessness was something he never wanted to experience again.


    Having someone put a knife to his throat, leaving him to pray they wouldn''t kill him, was something he never wanted to go through again.


    Though seething inside, Ye Shuangluo showed nothing outwardly.


    He had to admit, his acting was good¡ªat least Shan Ren hadn''t noticed any flaws.


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 Chapter 28 – Master of Weapons of Four Special Effects

    [Demon Heart: Immunity to a certain extent of illusions and mental skills


    Note: The more this effect is triggered, the stronger the Heart Demon within you will become]


    At the last moment, it was this special effect that saved him.


    How should I put it? This newly born special effect is very powerful, but its drawbacks are equally significant. It can be said to be a sharp double-edged sword, capable of cutting off others'' heads as well as your own.


    After all, even though he didn''t know what a Heart Demon was, it was obvious that nothing good would come from it becoming stronger.


    Ye Shuangluo opened the skill panel and turned to the Master of Weapons page.


    [Conqueror] [Divine Weapon] [Weapons Control] [Demon Heart]


    Four special effects in total, four overwhelmingly powerful special effects.


    Ye Shuangluo could only say, it truly lives up to being a Legendary passive.


    He recalled the battle with those bandit leaders in the Tian Nan Mountain Range.


    No, it shouldn''t be called a battle; it was more like a one-sided massacre.


    Every time they tried to attack him, "Conqueror" would activate, and they would be forcibly stunned.


    In the end, they could only be beheaded by Ye Shuangluo in frustration, without even putting up a decent resistance.


    While he was secretly marveling at the power of the Master of Weapons, he suddenly noticed that the introduction seemed to have expanded.


    [Introduction: Standing above all beings and at the pinnacle of countless weapons, you are the Master of Weapons.


    Having this passive means you have already won at the starting line, but to truly become the Master of Weapons, you still have a long way to go.


    You must also ensure that you are not devoured by the Heart Demon. Right now, you control the demon, but if your will falters, it will control you.]


    ¡­¡­


    After a three-day journey, Ye Shuangluo and Shan Ren finally arrived at a small village.


    This lifted Ye Shuangluo''s spirits, as the map showed that this village was less than a thousand miles from the capital.


    At the current speed of the White Tiger, if they traveled non-stop, they could reach the capital in at most half a day.


    Looking up at the moon in the sky, it was already evening. He decided to rest in this village for the night and set off for the capital early the next morning.


    After sharing this idea with Shan Ren, Shan Ren readily agreed.


    So Ye Shuangluo asked Shan Ren to wait outside while he went in to communicate with the villagers.


    He also wanted to prepare them mentally to avoid being frightened by the White Tiger.


    After all, seeing a fierce tiger in the middle of the night could scare someone to death if they were timid.


    Entering the village, Ye Shuangluo saw a few ragged children with patched clothes playing.


    Seeing a stranger, the children were not afraid and swarmed around him.


    They bombarded Ye Shuangluo with questions about who he was, whether he was a good person or a bad person, and what he was doing in the village. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although the children were chattering away, he didn''t find it annoying. He even took out some fruits from his space backpack and handed them to the children.


    Surprisingly, the children didn''t eat the fruits immediately but ran home with them.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo was puzzled, an old man with a cane slowly walked over from a distance.


    When the old man reached him, he looked Ye Shuangluo up and down and asked respectfully:


    "Young master, I am the village chief of this village. May I ask what brings you to Dongfeng Village?"


    As he spoke, the old man didn''t even dare to look up, as Ye Shuangluo was wearing a set of luxurious armor, indicating his wealth and status.


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    Ye Shuangluo clasped his hands in a polite gesture and said courteously:


    "Greetings, elder. My surname is Ye, and I am a bodyguard. I am passing through your village and would like to stay for the night. I wonder if you could grant me this favor."


    Hearing that Ye Shuangluo was a bodyguard and so polite, the village chief became less reserved.


    "If you don''t mind the simplicity of our village, I would be happy to host you."


    Upon hearing the village chief''s agreement, Ye Shuangluo thanked him again:


    "Thank you, elder. By the way, there''s one more thing I need to inform you about.


    On the way here, my horse was eaten by a tiger, so I had no choice but to use the tiger to pull my cart. Please be prepared and don''t be frightened."


    The village chief looked at Ye Shuangluo in surprise. His calm demeanor suggested that this was no big deal.


    "Alright, but please keep the tiger under control. Our village is home to only the elderly, women, and children, and we can''t afford any trouble."


    "Of course."


    After communicating with the village chief, Ye Shuangluo went back outside the village and brought the cart in.


    Naturally, he sternly warned the White Tiger not to make any noise or run around.


    The White Tiger agreed, not wanting to be beaten or even killed by Ye Shuangluo. He hadn''t yet found a tigress willing to bear his cubs and couldn''t afford to die young.


    Re-entering the village, many children and elderly came out to watch.


    Some brave children even rushed up to touch the White Tiger''s fur, scaring a few elderly people nearly to fainting.


    Fortunately, the White Tiger did nothing to the children, which allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Of course, the elderly weren''t just there to watch the White Tiger; they mainly wanted the children to thank Ye Shuangluo.


    Ye Shuangluo might not have known, but the fruits he casually handed out were rare treats that the villagers could only enjoy during festivals.


    Ye Shuangluo led the White Tiger, closely following the village chief.


    He was puzzled; this Dongfeng Village seemed strange. Along the way, he had only seen children and elderly, with no young or middle-aged adults.


    No men or women of that age group at all.


    Recalling the village chief''s mention that the village was home to only the elderly, women, and children, he wondered where all the young people had gone.


    While Ye Shuangluo was deep in thought, the village chief had already led them to a secluded house in the village.


    "This is my son''s house. It may be a bit simple, but I hope you won''t mind."


    "Elder, you jest. We are grateful for a place to rest and avoid sleeping in the open. How could we mind?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s tone remained courteous, so much so that the silver fox girl in the cage doubted if this was the same arrogant young bodyguard she knew.


    The village chief took one last look at the White Tiger "Snowflake," which was much larger than an ordinary tiger. As a somewhat educated man, he knew that there were mystical creatures in this world.


    This White Tiger was clearly one of them, so how powerful must Ye Shuangluo be to subdue it? The village chief couldn''t even imagine.


    He took one last look at Ye Shuangluo, who was about the same age as his eldest grandson. Despite his martial prowess, he lacked the arrogance of those in power.


    What a strange young man, the village chief thought, shaking his head as he hobbled back to his own home.


    Ye Shuangluo entered the house, which was filled with dust, likely from long disuse.


    He didn''t mind and said to Shan Ren:


    "Brother Shan Ren, I''ll stay here, and you can take the room next door."


    Shan Ren nodded without a word and walked towards his room.


    This puzzled Ye Shuangluo. Why had Shan Ren become so expressionless since entering the village?


    The once-smiling Shan Ren, who always seemed like a breath of spring, now wore a blank face.

 Chapter 29 – The emperor with dementia

    After a long time, Ye Shuangluo finally slept in a bed for a night. Although this bed wasn''t as comfortable as the one in the Main World, it was still better than sleeping outdoors.


    When he woke up, Ye Shuangluo walked out of the house and took a stroll around Dongfeng Village.


    He noticed that many children were already up early, boiling water and cooking.


    More importantly, he realized that there were no young or middle-aged people in the village.


    Only children, no older than twelve or thirteen, and elderly people in their sixties or seventies.


    It was practically a village of left-behind children.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but shake his head. How pitiful.


    Just as he was about to wake Shan Ren and continue their journey, he ran into the village chief.


    The village chief was surprised. He hadn''t expected someone like Ye Shuangluo, who looked like a pampered young master, to be up so early.


    "Young master, you''re up early. It''s not even the hour of Chen yet."


    "It''s not that early. I saw many children in the village up earlier than me."


    "Sigh."


    The village chief sighed deeply, as if he had an endless sorrow that he couldn''t express.


    "We old folks can barely move, so we have to let the children cook."


    Hearing this, Ye Shuangluo''s heart stirred, and he directly asked the question that had been on his mind:


    "Village chief, I have a question. I''m not sure if I should ask."


    "Young master, feel free to ask."


    Ye Shuangluo smiled slightly and voiced the question that had been buried in his heart since yesterday.


    "Why are there only old people and children in the village? I haven''t seen a single young person."


    The village chief fell silent for a long time before he finally spoke bitterly:


    "They''ve all been conscripted by the current Emperor."


    Hearing the word "conscripted," Ye Shuangluo instinctively felt that he was about to hear something shocking.


    "Sigh, five years ago, the current Emperor issued a new decree.


    The decree stated that everyone from the age of 14 to 55, regardless of gender, must serve in conscription.


    I was 56 five years ago, so I was spared. But my son and daughter-in-law..."


    The village chief sighed deeply and continued:


    "Sigh... As for when they will return... My son and daughter-in-law were conscripted five years ago. I haven''t seen them since."


    Ye Shuangluo found it hard to believe. It didn''t make sense.


    Five years and they still hadn''t completed their conscription?


    What was the Emperor up to?


    According to what Ye Shuangluo knew, there was only one Royal Dynasty in this world, with no opposing countries or regimes.


    So it wasn''t for building defensive structures.


    The Emperor''s motives were baffling, at least to him.


    "And three years ago, my grandson turned 14, and he was taken away by the soldiers to serve in conscription too."


    Hearing this, Ye Shuangluo felt deeply sorry for the village chief. He could hear the loneliness and confusion in the old man''s voice, but he didn''t know how to comfort him.


    "Sigh... Judging by your age, young master, you must have paid the exemption fee?"


    Exemption fee?


    This was a new term. The village chief seemed to notice Ye Shuangluo''s confusion and explained:


    "The current Emperor, wise and mighty, issued another decree five years ago, closely related to the first one.


    If you don''t want to serve in conscription, you can pay a hundred taels of gold to be exempted. That''s the so-called exemption fee."


    This Emperor must be crazy for money.


    That was Ye Shuangluo''s first thought. He had never heard of such a ridiculous decree.


    If money could exempt you from the law, could you also pay to commit murder and arson?


    Ye Shuangluo felt helpless to comment. This old Emperor, who had lived for two hundred years, must be senile.


    Otherwise, why would he make such foolish decisions?


    He suddenly thought of the numerous bandits in the Tian Nan Mountain Range and began to understand.


    Of course, understanding didn''t mean they weren''t still deserving of death.


    Perhaps because of his bad mood, Ye Shuangluo decided to leave immediately after bidding farewell to the village chief.


    Returning to where they had stayed the previous night, he found that Shan Ren and White Tiger were already awake.


    So, after saying goodbye to the village chief, they continued their journey.


    Sitting in the cart, many children stood at the village entrance, curiously watching him.


    Perhaps because he understood their fate, Ye Shuangluo felt an immense sense of oppression.


    Those children, some as young as five or six, and the oldest around twelve or thirteen, would soon have to serve in conscription too.


    The greatest suffering is not enduring hardship, but the inability and lack of awareness to change it.


    As White Tiger began to run, the cart was pulled along.


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    After leaving Dongfeng Village, Shan Ren suddenly asked Ye Shuangluo beside him.


    "Do you think they are pitiful, Brother Ye?"


    "Quite pitiful... Many children in the village have never seen their parents since birth, growing up with their grandparents.


    When they grow up, they too will have to serve in conscription. It''s truly pitiful and sad."


    "Haha, I thought Brother Ye was the type of person who believes in ''a great hero rises from countless bones.'' I didn''t expect you to have such a sentimental side."


    "A great hero rises from countless bones? Why do you say that?"


    Ye Shuangluo was genuinely curious why Shan Ren thought so. They had only known each other for two or three days, yet Shan Ren seemed to understand him well.


    "Just a hunch."


    Ye Shuangluo knew Shan Ren was evading the question and clearly didn''t want to say more.


    He knew that pressing further wouldn''t yield any answers, so he didn''t bother asking.


    The two continued their silent journey towards the capital.


    As they neared the capital, Shan Ren suddenly spoke again.


    "Brother Ye, did one of those two foxes escape?"


    It seemed like a question, but his tone was full of certainty.


    "How did you know, Brother Shan?"


    Shan Ren smiled slightly and began to explain.


    "Compared to ordinary creatures, children born from the union of humans and magical beings are much more gifted.


    They are born with the wisdom that magical beings take centuries to cultivate. This is a gift from their human parent.


    But if they want to receive another gift from their magical parent, they need to pay a small price. Do you know what that price is, Brother Ye?"


    Shan Ren''s sudden question caught Ye Shuangluo off guard, but after a moment of thought, he answered:


    "Is it eating human flesh?"


    Clap, clap, clap.


    Shan Ren couldn''t help but applaud, praising as he clapped, "Brother Ye is indeed wise and talented, truly a man of both intellect and valor.


    That''s right. If they want to awaken, they need to eat humans, and not just any humans.


    Family, lovers, close friends, mortal enemies¡ªthese people are more effective.


    But after eating humans, their value plummets. After all, high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants cherish their lives. How could they keep a man-eating monster by their side?"


    Ye Shuangluo fully understood Shan Ren''s explanation. Just like in the Main World, man-eating beasts would be killed because once they tasted human flesh, they would add humans to their diet.


    "These half-human, half-magical beings who awaken by eating humans are collectively called ''demons'' by humans.


    So, Brother Ye, the cargo you''re escorting has a major problem. This mark could hold you accountable. The Emperor might even punish you."


    For some reason, Ye Shuangluo felt that Shan Ren was trying to manipulate him.


    [The enemy has used a Charm skill on you. You need to make a Will Judgment.]


    [Demon Heart activated. You will ignore this Charm.]


    Ye Shuangluo: Heh, nice try.


    S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 30 – Quest completion

    "If that old emperor dares to hold me accountable, I''ll ask him if he thinks my blade isn''t sharp enough!"


    "Haha, Brother Ye, you truly are bold and skilled. I admire you."


    Although Shan Ren was praising Ye Shuangluo again, he was actually quite puzzled. He wasn''t sure if the seeds he had planted earlier had taken effect.


    If they hadn''t, why would Ye Shuangluo suddenly react this way?


    If they had, why did it mature so quickly? Shouldn''t it have only matured when the emperor imposed punishment?


    Noticing Shan Ren''s reaction, Ye Shuangluo knew he had guessed correctly again.


    This one was indeed trying to charm him into a confrontation with the emperor.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he couldn''t tear off the facade right now, Ye Shuangluo would have gone up and slashed him twice.


    On the way, Shan Ren kept probing, but Ye Shuangluo deflected each attempt with perfect responses, leaving no gaps.


    Finally, they arrived at the capital.


    Even though Ye Shuangluo had mentally prepared himself beforehand, he was still shocked by the opulence of the city when he arrived.


    The city walls were made of jade, and the roads underfoot were paved with gold.


    As for the city gates, they seemed to be made of diamond.


    And this was just what could be seen from outside the city; who knew how many more luxurious and rare treasures lay within.


    Dongfeng Village was only a thousand miles away, yet the difference was like two different worlds.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo was about to enter this luxurious city to explore, a hand stopped him.


    "Stop!"


    The gate guard blocked Ye Shuangluo, looking at him with disdain.


    "Are you from the capital? Without a residence permit, you can''t enter."


    After saying his official line, the guard muttered under his breath:


    "The Emperor''s birthday banquet is approaching, and now all sorts of people dare to come to the capital to beg."


    Although it was muttered, Ye Shuangluo heard every word clearly.


    He tilted his head slightly, looking coldly at the guard without saying a word, letting his killing aura wash over the guard.


    The guard, enveloped in this terrifying killing aura, felt like he couldn''t breathe and was filled with despair. Was he going to be killed here?


    Just as the guard was preparing his last words, a voice suddenly spoke.


    "Brother guard, don''t be so rigid. The Emperor''s birthday banquet surely hopes to receive blessings from the people.


    If only the locals bless him in the end, the Emperor might not be very happy."


    It was Shan Ren who spoke. Hearing the mysterious Shan Ren speak, Ye Shuangluo slowly retracted his killing aura.


    The guard, gasping for breath, looked at Ye Shuangluo in fear and quickly said:


    "Right, the Emperor said that if outsiders want to share in the joy, they can get a temporary permit for ten thousand taels of silver as a birthday gift for the Emperor."


    Ten thousand taels? This emperor must be crazy for money. The city walls and gates must have been built from the people''s hard-earned money.


    Ye Shuangluo certainly didn''t have ten thousand taels, so he pointed to the twins in the cage.


    "I am a bodyguard, entrusted by a certain lord to deliver a birthday gift to the capital. Do I still need a temporary residence permit?"


    "Even if you''re delivering a birthday gift, you still..."


    Another guard started to speak but was interrupted by his companion.


    "Of course not. You should have said so earlier. Please come in."


    No joke, there would surely be many more outsiders to fleece, but this person...


    Recalling the terrifying killing aura he had felt earlier, the guard shivered.


    How many people had this man killed? If they angered him, he might slaughter them all.


    "By the way, the birthday gift I brought..."


    The guard who had been intimidated quickly said:


    "You can leave it here. We have many other gifts here, and someone will come to collect them later."


    Looking at the mountain of gifts, Ye Shuangluo shook his head. This world was truly rotten. The emperor was senile, and officials only thought about flattering him.


    After delivering the cage to the pile of gifts, a system prompt sounded in his mind.


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, for completing Main Quest 1]


    [Reward: 2 Free Attribute Points]


    After confirming the quest completion, Ye Shuangluo didn''t hesitate and cut the reins binding the White Tiger.


    "Big Cat, you can go now. You''ve worked hard coming all this way."


    If it weren''t for this White Tiger, he wouldn''t have reached the capital so quickly. It was a blessing in disguise. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The White Tiger roared loudly after being freed.


    Finally, it could get away from this harbinger of doom. It was too much to bear.


    Thinking about how its life was finally spared, its eyes grew moist. Shan Ren, surprised, said:


    "I never thought this White Tiger had such deep feelings for Brother Ye. Truly a bond between master and servant."


    No, no, this big cat was definitely crying tears of joy because it was about to escape.


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the big cat and suddenly bent down to whisper in its ear:


    "Big Cat, although I''m letting you go, don''t do anything you shouldn''t. Otherwise, even if you flee to the ends of the earth, I''ll find you."


    Although Ye Shuangluo spoke softly, the White Tiger had seen him go mad before and quickly nodded, indicating it understood.


    After giving the White Tiger a final pat, Ye Shuangluo stood up and waved.


    "Goodbye, Big Cat. Go back and continue being the king of beasts."


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, the White Tiger bolted away, not wanting to stay near this harbinger of doom for another second.


    Watching the White Tiger run off until it was out of sight, Ye Shuangluo and Shan Ren finally entered the capital.


    Once inside, Shan Ren laughed heartily:


    "This time, I really owe it to Brother Ye. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for a country bumpkin like me to come up with ten thousand taels."


    "A small matter, not worth mentioning."


    "Haha, Brother Ye, you truly are a remarkable person. Traveling with you has been worth it.


    But it seems it''s time to part ways, Brother Ye. Let''s say our goodbyes here."


    As he finished speaking, Shan Ren''s demeanor suddenly changed, becoming ethereal and noble.


    "Meeting is fate. How about this, I can promise Brother Ye one reasonable request. Tell me the next time we meet."


    With that, Shan Ren turned and disappeared into the crowd within a few breaths.


    "Next time we meet..."


    Ye Shuangluo had a strong premonition that nothing good would come from meeting Shan Ren again.


    If possible, he would prefer not to meet again.


    [Congratulations on completing the Side Quest: "Traveling Companions"]


    [Reward: 4 Special Attribute Points]


    So, the quest only completed upon parting ways.


    After entering the capital, the side quest had remained incomplete, and he thought there was a bug.


    Finally getting rid of the ticking time bomb beside him, Ye Shuangluo felt a wave of relief. He was alone again.


    Honestly, he preferred acting alone, free and unrestrained, without any ties.


    Thinking about it, the "Solo Guild Permission Card" from the achievement reward was quite useful.


    It allowed him to create his own guild without needing companions or friends, making him appreciate how well his talents suited him.


    Next, he found an inn and sampled some of the capital''s specialty dishes.


    To be honest, the taste was quite good.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t progress his "Gourmet Hunter" achievement.


    By the way, the capital was indeed the capital; everything was expensive. Even a simple inn cost fifty taels per night.


    The key was that it wasn''t much different from the inn he had stayed at near the Tian Nan Mountain Range.


    But he still chose to spend the money. He didn''t want to sleep on the streets and truly become a beggar in the capital.


    Besides, the money he spent was from robbing bandit dens, so he didn''t feel the least bit guilty.


    Sitting in the inn''s room, Ye Shuangluo checked his attribute panel.


    The side quest had rewarded him with 4 special attribute points, and he began to study them.


    According to the system, special attributes included Perception, Elemental Resistance, and Tenacity.


    Perception was an old friend, no need to elaborate.


    Then there was Elemental Resistance and Tenacity.


    For Elemental Resistance, he currently only had Wind Elemental Resistance, which was increased by "Wind Affinity."


    He roughly checked and saw that almost all elements¡ªmetal, wood, water, fire, earth, light, dark, wind, thunder¡ªcould be increased. One special attribute point could add 10 points to Elemental Resistance.


    Finally, there was Tenacity, the attribute that excited him the most.


    Tenacity''s function was simple: control resistance.


    To put it simply, it was like having a super armor.


    This attribute could resist various negative states, greatly enhancing survival ability.


    If Tenacity was high enough, he could even continue fighting for a few seconds after his heart was pierced.


    Don''t underestimate those few seconds; they could be enough to use a health potion.


    In short, he was very tempted.


    Ye Shuangluo''s gaze shifted between Perception and Tenacity.


    Finally, he gritted his teeth and put all the points into Perception.


    He really wanted to add the Asura Demon Eye to his skill set. Sorry, Tenacity, maybe next time.


    But this time, whether it was because he added too many points at once or a qualitative change occurred, he felt dizzy after adding the points. He barely made it to the bed before collapsing onto it.

 Chapter 31 – Extraordinary Perception

    Ye Shuangluo slowly opened his eyes and blinked in confusion.


    The world seemed different to him now.


    Upon waking up, he noticed the air was filled with various colorful particles.


    The green and ice-blue particles seemed particularly close to him. He realized these particles must be elements.


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player. Perception has broken through 20 points, reaching the Extraordinary standard.]


    [Since Perception is not a Five-Dimensional Attribute, Extraordinary Force Field cannot be activated.]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, for comprehending a special skill: Seventh Sense.]


    [Due to your special attribute: Perception breaking through 20 points, you can choose one of the following rewards:]


    [1. Eye of Illusion Break (Increases illusion resistance by 25 points)]


    [2. Six Ears (Periodically, you can hear some unknown secrets)]


    [3. Blood Hunter¡¯s Nose (When you come into contact with blood, if its owner is within a thousand miles, you can sense their location)]


    [4. Tiger¡¯s Tongue (Your tongue extends by 0.5 meters and grows barbs)]


    [5. Sage¡¯s Hand (When you touch items made by other players, there is a chance to obtain the recipe for that item)]


    Ye Shuangluo pondered over the five rewards. They seemed to correspond to the five senses.


    First, he eliminated Six Ears and Tiger¡¯s Tongue. He wasn¡¯t afraid of becoming an oddity, but the benefits of these two were too low.


    Then he ruled out Sage¡¯s Hand, as its current benefits were minimal.


    Ultimately, he had to choose between Eye of Illusion Break and Blood Hunter¡¯s Nose.


    One was a straightforward increase in illusion resistance, while the other was a tracking ability.


    After a brief consideration, he chose Eye of Illusion Break.


    No matter what, he wanted to maximize his illusion resistance. He could never forget the experience of being manipulated like a puppet by Shan Ren.


    That humiliation, he would never forget.


    After selecting his reward, he opened the skill panel to check the special skill he had comprehended.


    [Seventh Sense Lv.max]


    [Type: Special Skill (Passive)] S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Effect: Child of Elements (You will be favored by all elements, increasing your affinity with them. All-element resistance +20)]


    [PS: This skill cannot be enhanced through conventional means.]


    [Description: There are a million different Seventh Senses for a million people. Even blood relatives won¡¯t have the same Seventh Sense.]


    ¡­


    Well, as expected of a special skill that requires Perception to reach 20 to comprehend, its effects are indeed powerful.


    Right off the bat, it grants +20 to all-element resistance.


    As a seasoned gamer, Ye Shuangluo naturally noticed something: it cannot be enhanced through conventional means.


    Which means it can be enhanced through unconventional means.


    Interesting.


    Ye Shuangluo¡¯s lips curled up slightly. It seemed the road ahead for him was still long.


    Of course, future matters could wait. The most important thing now was...


    Ye Shuangluo eagerly took out the ¡°Asura Demon Eye¡± from his space backpack, carefully blowing off the non-existent dust.


    [Do you wish to learn the skill?]


    ¡°Yes, yes, stop with the nonsense!¡±


    He could hardly wait. Finally, he could add this skill to his skill set.


    As Ye Shuangluo chose ¡°yes,¡± the skill book instantly dissipated, and he successfully learned the ¡°Asura Demon Eye.¡±


    Phew...


    At last, he had resolved one of his major concerns, but... there were still more.


    Ye Shuangluo opened his space backpack again. Next to where the ¡°Asura Demon Eye¡± had been, there was a black special skill stone, pulsating like a heart.


    Its rhythm matched Ye Shuangluo¡¯s heartbeat, seemingly unchanged.


    But the progress bar had broken through from 0 to 15%, a significant leap.


    However, he still didn¡¯t know how to increase it.


    Judging by its name, could it be related to killing, destruction, or some inner desire?


    But he didn¡¯t bother to think too much about it and tossed it back into the space backpack to gather dust.


    As long as the progress bar increased, he would wait until it reached 100%.


    Closing the space backpack, Ye Shuangluo opened the quest panel again.


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, for completing Main Quest 1.]


    [Generating new main quest... Generation complete.]


    [Main Quest 2: Choice]


    [Quest Description: The capital is currently home to multiple factions.


    There is the ¡°Emperor¡± and his mysterious imperial guards.


    There are the Rebels, who rise against the tyrannical and incompetent king.


    There is the ¡°Thieves¡¯ Guild,¡± seeking retribution for an old grievance from a hundred years ago.


    There are the ¡°Demons,¡± who, despite their arrogance, aim to slay the Immortal.


    And then there are a few foolish, ambitious clowns plotting for the divine stone.


    You must choose one of these factions and help them achieve their goal.]


    [Quest Reward: No reward generated without choosing a faction.]


    After reading the quest description, Ye Shuangluo began to compare the factions.


    First was the Emperor, the ruler of the capital. This one was easy to eliminate.


    The reason was simple. When Ye Shuangluo first entered the capital, his talent had suddenly activated without warning.


    [This world has been fully analyzed. Generating a series of achievements for you.]


    [Ding, special achievements generated.]


    [Achievement: Assassinate the King]


    [Achievement Requirement: Slay the two-hundred-year-old emperor in broad daylight.]


    [Achievement: Demon Slayer]


    [Achievement Requirement: Kill five evil demons (0/5)]


    Although it was supposed to be a series of achievements, there were only two.


    Perhaps his talent had sensed Ye Shuangluo¡¯s dissatisfaction with the emperor, hence generating such achievements.


    Although he knew it would be difficult, he still wanted to complete the ¡°Assassinate the King¡± achievement if possible.


    So he would never choose the Emperor¡¯s faction.


    The second faction was the Rebels.


    To be honest, he wasn¡¯t surprised that there was a rebellion. After all, the one sitting at the top was a tyrannical, senile old emperor.


    If no one opposed him, that would be abnormal.


    As for the ¡°Thieves¡¯ Guild,¡± judging by the name, was it a guild of thieves?


    But they were here to seek retribution, which left Ye Shuangluo uncertain.


    The last faction was the ¡°Demons,¡± who aimed to slay the Immortal.


    Ye Shuangluo recalled what Shan Ren had told him about becoming a ¡°Demon.¡±


    A hybrid of human and demon, requiring awakening.


    But why would they gather in the capital to slay the Immortal, unless...


    He seemed to understand something. Was the Immortal, who lived only in others¡¯ words and legends, also in the capital now?


    If that were true, then achieving the ¡°Assassinate the King¡± achievement would be much harder.


    Explore the extended edition on .


    After all, the Immortal seemed to have a good relationship with the emperor and had even bestowed a divine stone to forge an immortal body for him.


    Given this, the most suitable choice for him was indeed the Rebels, as both shared the same goal: the emperor.


    As for the faction of ambitious clowns, Ye Shuangluo directly ignored them. There was nothing more to say about them.


    Having confirmed his target, his next task was to find the Rebels and join them.

 Chapter 32 – Rebels Grand Strategist

    In fact, Ye Shuangluo hadn''t even figured out how to find the Rebels when he discovered a note in the meal delivered by the inn''s waiter.


    "Midnight, Stars Chamber of Commerce warehouse. We hope the young hero can come for a chat.


    Rebels"


    After reading the note, Ye Shuangluo found it unbelievable. Was this like someone delivering a pillow just as he wanted to sleep?


    Could it be that his Luck attribute was finally working?


    But were the Rebels really this bold, delivering a note in broad daylight without fearing he might report them?


    Ye Shuangluo thought for a moment and decided it wouldn''t hurt to check it out. After all, he had just learned a new skill and was itching to test it on someone.


    ...


    Late at night.


    Ye Shuangluo arrived in front of the sixth warehouse of the Stars Chamber of Commerce, feeling a bit impatient.


    The note only mentioned the warehouse of the Stars Chamber of Commerce but didn''t specify which one.


    The Stars Chamber of Commerce was a renowned large business in the entire capital, boasting a total of 13 warehouses in this prime real estate.


    He had searched five warehouses without finding any Rebels. He swore that if this one didn''t have them either, he would go straight back to the inn to sleep.


    Fortunately, as he approached this warehouse, a few scantily clad, provocatively dressed women surrounded him.


    "This must be the young hero Ye, right? Hehe, so young and handsome."


    "Giggle, you little minx, don''t scare the young hero."


    "Young hero Ye~ We''ve been waiting for you for so long. Why did you take so long? Naughty~"


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the women surrounding him with a dark expression, their scent making him want to vomit.


    But the women seemed completely oblivious to Ye Shuangluo''s anger, still chattering around him, with some even daring to try and touch him.


    Finally, he couldn''t bear it any longer. He converted half of his Spiritual Power into Wind Element and began to spread it out from his body.


    Whoosh...


    The women around him were instantly blown away by a strong wind, unable to even open their eyes.


    They couldn''t understand why a sudden gust of wind had appeared.


    But Ye Shuangluo had no intention of answering their questions. He asked:


    "Did someone tell you to wait for me here?"


    The most beautiful woman among them managed to open her eyes a crack and said in Ye Shuangluo''s direction:


    "Yes, Vice President Sun booked our entire Xianyu Pavilion and told us to wait here for you."


    Although she couldn''t open her eyes, she could feel that the young bodyguard, who was likely a novice, had a terrifying aura.


    Having gotten the answer he wanted, Ye Shuangluo strode towards the nearby warehouse.


    Once he was far away, the strong wind that had kept the women''s eyes shut finally dissipated.


    The women, all veterans of the pleasure quarters, quickly realized that the strange wind was definitely related to the young man.


    The more they thought about it, the more frightened they became, and they all chose to flee.


    Only the most beautiful woman didn''t run away. Her fawning smile had long disappeared, and she thoughtfully watched the warehouse door from a distance.


    ...


    Inside the warehouse, surrounded by various goods, a large group of people sat around a table. He quickly walked over.


    "Young hero Ye is here, please have a seat."


    The speaker was a middle-aged man in a sky-blue long robe, exuding a scholarly air.


    He was the only one who stood up to greet Ye Shuangluo, while the others remained firmly seated.


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t stand on ceremony and sat in the only empty seat, clearly reserved for him.


    As soon as he sat down, he felt a strong sense of malice from directly in front of him.


    Ye Shuangluo looked towards the source of the malice and saw a tall, brown-haired young man.


    The young man seemed to notice Ye Shuangluo looking at him and met his gaze without backing down.


    This puzzled Ye Shuangluo. It should be his first time meeting this brown-haired young man, so why did he look like Ye Shuangluo had stolen his wife?


    "Sorry, young hero Ye, it was our oversight. We forgot to specify the exact location on the note. You must have spent a long time looking for us."


    It was still the middle-aged man in the sky-blue robe speaking.


    The others had strange attitudes, some disdainful, some curious, and some contemptuous.


    This made Ye Shuangluo feel very strange. They had invited him here, yet now they acted like this.


    "No problem. Were those women also arranged by you?"


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s question, a chubby man with a jade thumb ring sitting next to him smiled and said:


    "I arranged that. Was young hero Ye satisfied?"


    Ye Shuangluo nodded, then tilted his head with a smile and said:


    "You thought of sending women to greet me but didn''t think to specify the exact location on the note.


    So the famous Rebels are just a bunch of people who think with their lower halves, huh?"


    "How dare you!"


    Three identical-looking men, likely triplets, slammed the table and attacked Ye Shuangluo simultaneously.


    "How dare you!"


    Ye Shuangluo, already seething with anger, found a perfect outlet. He wouldn''t be polite.


    Gathering Wind Element in his palm, he raised his hand, and the three men were pulled together.


    Then Ye Shuangluo delivered a powerful kick.


    Bang!


    A terrifying explosion echoed through the warehouse, reverberating continuously.


    Everyone stared in shock at the three brothers lying together, their fate unknown.


    After a while, chaos erupted. Some checked on the brothers, while others glared at Ye Shuangluo.


    When they finished checking, they were all extremely furious.


    "Their bones are mostly shattered! How dare you be so ruthless!"


    Facing the accusations, Ye Shuangluo remained calm, speaking slowly:


    "You all saw it. They attacked me first. Should I have just stood there and let them beat me?"


    "Even if they attacked first, did you have to cripple them like this!"


    Ye Shuangluo was amused, recalling a saying from the Main World: Ignoring the facts, don''t you have any fault at all?


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo laugh made the Rebels even angrier, but none dared to act.


    After all, fighting Ye Shuangluo meant he wouldn''t hold back; he would go for the kill.


    The three who attacked him were still lying on the ground, likely crippled for life.


    Seeing their anger and hesitation, Ye Shuangluo found it even more laughable and decided to be direct.


    "Let''s not beat around the bush. You left the location on the note but didn''t specify it to give me a hard time, right?"


    Thud.


    The middle-aged man in the sky-blue robe knelt on the ground, sincerely saying:


    "Sorry, young hero Ye, it was all our fault. I apologize. Please forgive us."


    He even kowtowed three times. Since the other party was so sincere and those who attacked him were already crippled, Ye Shuangluo decided not to pursue it further.


    "Alright, I forgive you."


    He sat back in his original seat, smiling at everyone.


    The others exchanged glances, surprised at how easily Ye Shuangluo was appeased, and returned to their seats.


    Except for the two people sitting on either side of Ye Shuangluo, who moved their chairs to the other side.


    Ye Shuangluo felt helpless. Was he really that scary? He was a good person, wasn''t he?


    "Young hero Ye, to be honest, Lord Su asked us to invite you.


    He believes you might be interested in what we''re about to do." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Shuangluo rested his chin on his hand, intrigued:


    "Gathering so many people in the capital is indeed interesting. Are you planning to assassinate the emperor?"


    "Cough, cough."


    The chubby man coughed several times, looking at Ye Shuangluo in shock, surprised he dared to say such a thing.


    "Young hero Ye, don''t joke. The emperor is protected by Immortals. How could we possibly kill him?"


    "Yes, the emperor has an immortal body. How could we mere mortals kill him?"


    "Exactly, how can we, mere mortals, compare to the emperor''s immortal body?"


    Ye Shuangluo frowned slightly. These people were supposed to be Rebels, opposing the emperor''s incompetence and tyranny, yet they lacked the courage to face him.


    Why bother rebelling? They might as well go home and farm.


    Noticing Ye Shuangluo''s displeasure, the chubby man quickly changed the subject.


    "In fact, the first time we heard your name was from Ah Xiong."


    Ye Shuangluo followed their gaze and saw that Ah Xiong was the brown-haired young man who had been hostile since he arrived.


    "Ah Xiong and young hero Ye are not only from the same clan but also from the same hometown, Wuzhou."


    The chubby man realized his mistake as soon as he finished, seeing Ye Xiong''s face darken.


    Ye Shuangluo smiled and asked:


    "Do we know each other?"


    "No."


    "Then why the long face? Do I owe you something?"


    Ye Xiong glared at him, his teeth clashing, seemingly wanting to tear him apart.


    "How are Yao Yao and Su Su?"


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t recall who these names belonged to.


    A woman across the table, seeing Ye Shuangluo''s confusion, added:


    "Yao Yao and Su Su are twin girls born of a human and a fox."


    Ye Shuangluo suddenly understood, smiling:


    "Oh~ You should have just said those two beasts. Why give them names?"


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo dismissively call them beasts, Ye Xiong exploded.


    All thoughts of the bigger picture and patience vanished. He only wanted to kill Ye Shuangluo.


    Ye Xiong stood up abruptly, flipping the table.


    Sensing hostility, Ye Shuangluo didn''t hesitate, adhering to the principle of striking first.


    He kicked Ye Xiong in the chest, then quickly grabbed his arm and pulled.


    Bang!


    Ye Xiong''s burly body slammed into the ground. Before anyone could react, Ye Shuangluo raised his long knife.


    Slash!


    When they realized what had happened, they saw a familiar thick arm flying through the air.


    "Ahhh~"


    Ye Xiong screamed in agony from the pain of losing his arm.


    "Ah Xiong!"


    The Rebels panicked, grabbing their weapons to rescue their comrade.


    "Don''t move."


    Ye Shuangluo placed his knife against Ye Xiong''s neck, coldly watching the others.


    Seeing this, the Rebels hesitated, not daring to move.


    "Drop your weapons, or I''ll kill him."


    To prove he wasn''t bluffing, he slightly cut Ye Xiong''s neck.


    The Rebels exchanged glances, then reluctantly dropped their weapons.


    Ye Shuangluo got what he wanted but showed no joy.


    In fact, he was disappointed. These people were too stupid.


    Dropping their weapons now was like putting their heads on the chopping block.


    If all Rebels were this useless, he might consider joining the Thieves¡¯ Guild or working alone.


    "Stop."


    A small but commanding voice echoed in the warehouse.


    The Rebels, who had been at a loss, immediately found their backbone.


    They lined up and respectfully bowed to the voice''s owner.


    Surprisingly, the owner of the voice wasn''t a tall, invincible-looking man.


    It was a young man, seemingly not much older than Ye Shuangluo.


    He wore simple white clothes, plain to the extreme.


    But even such simple attire couldn''t hide his extraordinary looks.


    Sword-like Eyebrows and Starry Eyes, red lips, white teeth, graceful and elegant...


    It seemed every word describing handsomeness fit this young man.


    Although Ye Shuangluo couldn''t see his attributes, he was sure this young man''s Charisma was off the charts.


    But despite his good looks, he exuded a domineering aura, carrying a red long knife that didn''t match his image.


    The moment Ye Shuangluo saw him, he had a strong intuition that this was a master, completely different from the indecisive fools around him.


    "You must be young hero Ye. I am Su Zhan, the Grand Strategist of the Rebels."


    Grand Strategist?


    Ye Shuangluo sized up Su Zhan.


    Based on looks alone, he did resemble a strategist.


    "So, you''re in charge here?"


    "Yes, I hold the highest position among the Rebels in the capital. I hope young hero Ye can give me some face and spare my subordinate."


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the calm Su Zhan, sensing the aura of a strong person.


    "I can let him go, but on one condition: you spar with me."


    After a moment of silence, Su Zhan nodded.


    "...Alright."

 Chapter 33 – Ice Obedience

    Su Zhan agreed to the battle invitation, and Ye Shuangluo kicked the prone Ye Xiong aside.


    The Kill Order was activated, marking the opponent.


    Asura Demon Eye opened, and his eyes slowly turned from pitch black to blood red.


    Finally, he strengthened his legs with wind spiritual power and charged towards Su Zhan.


    Clang!


    When Ye Shuangluo kicked Ye Xiong aside, Su Zhan had already drawn the blood-red long blade from his back.


    The two blades clashed fiercely, and Ye Shuangluo retreated five steps while Su Zhan remained unmoved.


    In this contest of strength, it was clear that Ye Shuangluo had lost.


    Without a moment''s pause, he continued to use the wind element to enhance his speed and weapon.


    Clang! Clang! Clang!


    The sound of the two blades clashing echoed continuously in the warehouse. No matter how Ye Shuangluo tried to attack or from which direction, he was always seen through.


    He attacked over a dozen times, each time easily blocked.


    "Sigh."


    Su Zhan sighed, feeling a bit bored.


    This young bodyguard was strong, but that was all. Although his attacks grew stronger with each strike, his strength was still insignificant in their current plan. There was no need to continue playing with him.


    So he decided to take the initiative and end this farce.


    "Seven Kills Technique, Second Form."


    With a single slash, a terrifying blade aura instantly surged towards Ye Shuangluo.


    Ye Shuangluo''s instincts screamed at him: if he couldn''t dodge, he would die!


    He instinctively dodged to the left, but the blade aura seemed to have tracking capabilities, following him to the left.


    Boom!


    The blade aura exploded upon contact with Ye Shuangluo, kicking up a cloud of thick smoke.


    Su Zhan sighed and was about to turn and leave when he heard a defiant voice.


    "Hey, Grand Strategist, the fight isn''t over yet. Where are you going?"


    As the smoke cleared, Su Zhan frowned slightly, seemingly seeing something unbelievable.


    Ye Shuangluo stood in place, his blood-red eyes still filled with boiling battle intent, and a large puddle of water on the ground.


    Su Zhan couldn''t understand. Even if he hadn''t used the Seven Kills Demon Blade but the Red Flame Demon Blade, reducing the power, that last move shouldn''t have been something a mortal could withstand.


    Ye Shuangluo appeared unscathed, but in reality, he had used all his strength.


    Fortunately, he had automatically comprehended a new skill after gaining extraordinary perception; otherwise, he might have really been done for.


    [Ice Obedience Lv.1


    Skill Effect: Ice Element Resistance +15


    You can control the ice element.


    Skill Description: Loyal to the one blessed by the endless frost, ice is your most faithful servant, transforming into a shield to block all attacks and a sword to pierce the hearts of those who dare to obstruct you.]


    [PS: This skill is self-comprehended by the player and cannot be improved through skill points or other means. Please explore ways to enhance it on your own.]


    ...


    At the moment the blade aura was about to reach him, in a split second, he converted all his spiritual power into ice elements, forming a barrier in front of him.


    He also activated the special effect of his shoes, "Breath of Nature," creating a 500-point shield.


    Only through layers of weakening and protection did he barely withstand the attack, but forcibly gathering the ice element had nearly exhausted all his spiritual power.


    But he had one last move.


    Ye Shuangluo raised his hand towards Su Zhan and then clenched his fist tightly.


    Killing Mark, explode!


    Boom!


    After the explosion, Su Zhan''s clothes were torn apart, and his left arm was injured.


    Drip, drip...


    Blood dripped from Su Zhan''s arm to the ground.


    The entire warehouse fell silent, everyone staring in shock at the two confronting each other. The invincible Grand Strategist had been injured.


    Su Zhan, however, showed no signs of displeasure or anger. He curiously looked at Ye Shuangluo.


    He couldn''t figure out how Ye Shuangluo had done it, but he was indeed injured.


    How interesting! S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The usually calm and composed Su Zhan became serious, and his arm wound began to heal rapidly before their eyes.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo prepared to face a storm of attacks, Su Zhan suddenly reverted to his calm demeanor and sheathed his blood-red blade.


    "We don''t need to continue this fight. That last slash... consider it the price for cutting off Ye Xiong''s arm. We''re even now.


    Let''s call it a draw."


    "Agreed."


    Ye Shuangluo deactivated the Asura Demon Eye, having no desire to continue the fight.


    Since the other party offered an out, he took it.


    This spur-of-the-moment duel seemed to end in a draw, but Ye Shuangluo knew very well that if they continued, he would definitely suffer a crushing defeat.


    His perception told him that the opponent hadn''t even used half of his strength.


    Even so, he had been beaten without any chance to retaliate.


    What a terrifying man, Ye Shuangluo thought, curious as to why such a man would serve under someone else.


    On the other side, after changing his clothes, Su Zhan scanned the crowd with a cold voice, reprimanding them:


    "I believe I said to invite Young Hero Ye over, as he is a guest of our rebels. Is this how you treat a guest?


    Moreover, when I arrived, you were about to put down your weapons. What were you thinking? A bunch of useless fools!"


    The crowd was scolded harshly, but they were actually quite helpless.


    They initially wanted to give Ye Shuangluo a show of force to curb his arrogance.


    Of course, they knew this would anger him, so they had a bunch of women waiting at the door.


    When Ye Shuangluo arrived, they planned to use the women to calm him down, but he turned out to be indifferent to women.


    And who would have thought this kid had such a sharp tongue, directly provoking the Feng family brothers into action, only to be crippled by him.


    Explore the extended edition on


    This wasn''t a big deal, but they never expected Ye Xiong to act recklessly and get his arm chopped off, which was quite embarrassing.


    Even more embarrassing was that when they tried to help, they almost got themselves killed.


    At the same time, they felt somewhat fortunate that the Grand Strategist arrived in time. If he had been any later...


    They glanced at the Feng family brothers lying on the ground, thinking that might have been their fate.


    From the duel between Ye Shuangluo and Su Zhan, they could tell that even though this young bodyguard couldn''t defeat their Grand Strategist, he could easily handle them.


    After reprimanding his subordinates, Su Zhan turned to Ye Shuangluo and said:


    "Sorry, we were rude. On behalf of Ye Xiong, I apologize to Young Hero Ye."


    Ye Shuangluo snorted coldly, neither accepting the apology nor rejecting it.


    On the other side, Ye Xiong was helped up by the others, clutching his severed arm and glaring at Ye Shuangluo.


    "Try glaring at me again, and let''s see how many more arms you have for me to chop off."


    Ye Shuangluo placed his hand on Mortal Kill, ready to strike.


    "Ah Xiong! Apologize to Young Hero Ye! Immediately!"


    Su Zhan commanded Ye Xiong in an irrefutable tone, but Ye Xiong remained defiant, still glaring at Ye Shuangluo.


    "Sigh."


    The Grand Strategist of the rebels sighed. This was why he disliked these half-human, half-demon beings; they had no brains.


    "Sorry, Young Hero Ye, it seems this beast won''t apologize. Do as you please."


    Ye Xiong looked at Su Zhan in disbelief. Did he just hear that right? Su Zhan wasn''t going to intervene?


    Wouldn''t that mean...


    Slash!


    Ye Xiong''s head flew high, his face frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened.


    "I don''t need your apology. Just be more careful in your next life."


    Ye Shuangluo wore a kind smile as he sheathed his blade, having decapitated Ye Xiong right after Su Zhan finished speaking.


    [Congratulations, your achievement "Demon Slayer" progress has increased.]


    [Current progress: 1/5]


    Ye Shuangluo hadn''t expected Ye Xiong to be a demon, but it made sense. Since he arrived in this world, normal people had black hair and eyes, while this guy had brown hair.


    Ye Xiong... could he be a hybrid of a human and a bear?


    The rebels looked at Ye Xiong''s headless corpse, feeling a sense of shared fate.


    Su Zhan, however, became serious, addressing the crowd with a stern expression:


    "We are currently in the capital, the enemy''s stronghold. I know you are all trusted aides of various generals, but don''t forget, I am the commander of this operation.


    I hope no one disobeys my orders again. If anyone dares to defy me next time, I will personally deal with them according to military law!"

 Chapter 34 – Soul Extinction Plan

    Inside the warehouse, everyone else had already left, leaving only Su Zhan and Ye Shuangluo behind.


    The two sat at the table, and Ye Shuangluo was the first to speak:


    "That Ye Xiong doesn''t seem to respect you much."


    Su Zhan remained indifferent, his tone calm as he replied:


    "Actually, none of the people who came to the capital with me this time listen to me. That''s why I need your help to get rid of Ye Xiong, that troublemaker, as a warning to the others."


    Ye Shuangluo pursed his lips, clearly not expecting Su Zhan to be so candid. He said somewhat helplessly:


    "So, I''m just a tool for you, huh? Well, I wanted to cut him down anyway.


    But you said they don''t listen to you. What''s going on? Aren''t you the Grand Strategist of the Rebels?"


    Su Zhan took a small sip from his teacup and spoke unhurriedly:


    "Yes, I am the Grand Strategist of the Rebels, but our faction is divided. They are all cronies of the six generals, so naturally, they only pay lip service to me."


    "The six generals... Ye Xiong, that brute, is also a crony of one of the generals?"


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, a figure flashed before Su Zhan''s eyes, and even he couldn''t help but feel a headache.


    "Yeah, Ye Xiong follows a very troublesome guy."


    Ye Shuangluo recalled the system prompt when he killed Ye Xiong and suddenly had a guess.


    "Is that general... a demon?"


    Su Zhan looked at Ye Shuangluo with some surprise, clearly not expecting him to know about demons.


    "Yes, the Overturning Sea General is known to have the most superior bloodline among demons, a freak born from a Flood Dragon and a human, a monster that ate its own mother at birth."


    Su Zhan said this in the calmest tone, but then he changed the subject and asked:


    "Since you think the general Ye Xiong follows is a demon, you must have figured out Ye Xiong''s identity too."


    Hearing Su Zhan''s words, Ye Shuangluo tentatively voiced his earlier guess:


    "Could it be... Ye Xiong is the offspring of a human and a bear?"


    "Exactly."


    Hearing Su Zhan''s confirmation, Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but gasp. Ye Xiong''s mother must have been something else to withstand the onslaught of a bear.


    Seeing through Ye Shuangluo''s thoughts, Su Zhan said with a half-smile:


    "By the way, Ye Xiong''s father is human, and his mother is a brown bear."


    Hiss.


    Even more outrageous. Ye Xiong''s dad must be a real piece of work.


    A toothpick stirring a big pot, and he succeeded. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The anecdotes about Ye Xiong''s parents greatly lightened the mood.


    After chatting a bit more and learning about the internal situation of the Rebels, Ye Shuangluo suddenly asked:


    "I''m quite curious. I''m just an ordinary bodyguard. Why did you send someone to invite me as soon as I arrived in the capital?"


    "Actually, it was His Highness''s idea."


    There was only one person in the world whom the Grand Strategist of the Rebels would call His Highness.


    The founder of the Rebels, the king to whom all Rebels pledged their loyalty.


    "I don''t think I''ve ever met your king. Why would he take an interest in someone as insignificant as me?"


    Su Zhan smiled mysteriously and pointed a finger upward.


    "The world only knows that His Highness is extraordinarily skilled in martial arts and a genius in military strategy, but few know that his true expertise lies in astrology.


    Before I left, His Highness found me and ordered me to find you first when I arrived in the capital."


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Although he found astrology quite far-fetched, Ye Shuangluo immediately asked:


    "Why find me first?"


    "Because His Highness observed the celestial signs and discovered that the Fate Master of the Breaker Star had descended.


    His Highness found it very strange. Generally, all Fate Masters are chosen by the stars at birth.


    How could someone be chosen by the stars more than a decade after their birth?"


    "Ahem."


    Ye Shuangluo turned his head to the side. He knew why, of course, because he had only just arrived a few days ago.


    In the Breaker Star''s perception, he was probably just a newborn, so it chose him. It made sense.


    Ye Shuangluo had some understanding of the Breaker Star.


    After all, the trio of Kill (Seven Kills), Break (Breaker Star), and Wolf (Greedy Wolf) often appeared in countless games and anime.


    Breaker Star represented conflict, akin to the daredevil units in the military, the vanguard forces, charging into battle with the purpose of fighting and destruction.


    Could the achievement "Assassinate the King" also be related to the Breaker Star?


    Ye Shuangluo recalled the personality traits associated with the Breaker Star and realized he matched almost all of them.


    Arrogant, decisive in killing, persistent...


    Well, it''s not necessarily a bad thing, though it''s not particularly beneficial either. It just exposed him for no reason.


    Seeing that Ye Shuangluo didn''t want to discuss it further, Su Zhan didn''t press. He wasn''t that curious.


    He didn''t care why Ye Shuangluo suddenly became the Fate Master of the Breaker Star after so many years. He only wanted to do one thing now.


    "His Highness wants me to meet you and, if possible, invite you to join us.


    So, I formally invite you, Ye Shuangluo, to join us."


    Su Zhan stood up and extended his hand.


    [The second-in-command of the Rebels invites you to join the Rebels. Do you accept?]


    [Yes/No]


    Silently choosing "Yes" in his heart, Ye Shuangluo also stood up and shook Su Zhan''s outstretched hand.


    "Of course, I do. I''ve always wanted to join the Rebels and fight against the corrupt imperial power.


    After all, who knows what kind of idiotic moves an old, senile emperor might make if he stays on the throne."


    "Hahaha."


    Although Su Zhan didn''t understand what "idiotic moves" meant, he could hear the deep disdain and contempt Ye Shuangluo had for the old emperor.


    "Now that I''ve joined the Rebels, I''m one of you. Grand Strategist, can you tell me what our mission is this time?"


    "Of course. Our only goal this time is to destroy the Ghost Legion of the dog emperor."


    [Detected that a Reserve Player has joined the Rebel faction. Main Quest 2 has been activated.]


    [Main Quest 2: Soul Extinction Plan]


    [Quest Description: Over a hundred years ago, after the emperor gained an immortal body, he dismissed all his soldiers.


    Everyone thought the emperor had gone mad, and his brothers took the opportunity to lead their armies to attack the capital.


    When they reached the city gates, they found that although the emperor had dismissed all his soldiers, one last army remained by his side.


    This was a special army because they were all dead. They had long since died, and now their souls inhabited armor and weapons to fight for the emperor.


    No matter how brave the emperor''s brothers'' armies were, they couldn''t kill them again.


    In the end, the emperor killed all his brothers, and this army became renowned throughout the world, known as the Ghost Legion.


    Now, this Ghost Legion is the biggest obstacle on the Rebels'' path to victory.


    Your goal is to destroy them, to make the name Ghost Legion a thing of the past.]


    [Quest Requirements: Kill 500 ghosts and personally kill at least one vice-captain.]


    [Quest Reward: 3 Free Attribute points]


    ...


    A bunch of dead people, or rather, an army of souls.


    Ye Shuangluo frowned slightly. He didn''t seem to have a way to harm souls, which made things a bit tricky.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo frown, Su Zhan thought he was afraid of the Ghost Legion''s reputation and felt a bit disappointed.


    This was supposed to be the Fate Master of the Breaker Star, unmatched in the world, yet he was showing fear before the battle¡ªa grave mistake in military strategy.


    Just as Su Zhan was about to say something, Ye Shuangluo spoke first.


    "May I ask, Grand Strategist, how do we destroy the Ghost Legion? After all, they are just inhabiting armor and weapons.


    Even if we destroy their armor and weapons, they can just find new ones and come back.


    Have we found the Ghost Legion''s weakness? If so, I''m willing to be the vanguard."


    Hearing this, Su Zhan, who had been disappointed, instantly showed a satisfied smile. As expected of the Fate Master of the Breaker Star, always at the forefront.


    "We have indeed found a way to deal with the Ghost Legion."

 Chapter 35 – Dim Breaker Star

    [Soul Slayer Powder]


    [Effect: Can enchant weapons, granting them the special effect "Soul Extinguish"]


    [PS: This item¡¯s effectiveness is greatly reduced against living souls and benevolent spirits]


    [Evaluation: You¡¯ve already met one master craftsman; this is an item crafted by another master craftsman]


    ¡­¡­


    Discover the complete story on


    Ye Shuangluo stared intently at the small bottle Su Zhan had taken out, which contained a special powder.


    This powder was specifically designed to combat the Ghost Legion.


    Just moments ago, Su Zhan had personally enchanted his Mortal Kill with it.


    According to Su Zhan, the effect of this powder lasts only three days.


    In other words, they needed to complete this mission within three days.


    Coincidentally, three days later was also the old emperor¡¯s birthday.


    "Grand Strategist, I have one last question. The Ghost Legion has at least tens of thousands of soldiers, while we have less than a hundred. Even with the Soul Slayer Powder, it¡¯s hard to destroy the entire Ghost Legion, isn¡¯t it?"


    Su Zhan smiled slightly and replied:


    "The Ghost Legion is a special army. No matter how many times you destroy them, they can always come back, unless¡­"


    Su Zhan paused, a terrifying killing intent emanating from him.


    "Unless you kill their leader, the Legion Commander. At that point, the entire Ghost Legion will be annihilated."


    Ye Shuangluo felt the terrifying killing intent from Su Zhan and couldn¡¯t help but be curious.


    Did he have a grudge against the Ghost Legion¡¯s commander? Why did his killing intent become so intense at the mere mention of the commander?


    Su Zhan quickly regained his previous calm demeanor, but his hand, gently stroking the blade, still trembled slightly, indicating that his heart was not as calm as it appeared.


    "In any case, our goal is to kill the Ghost Legion¡¯s commander. The dog emperor¡¯s two-hundredth birthday is coming up, and he will definitely be in the capital."


    Ye Shuangluo guessed that "he" must refer to the Ghost Legion¡¯s commander.


    The opponent¡¯s combat power was likely on par with Su Zhan¡¯s, so Ye Shuangluo didn¡¯t expect to take him down and complete the main quest beyond expectations.


    He decided to honestly kill 500 ghosts and then find an opportunity to take out a vice-captain.


    ¡­¡­


    Sitting on the bed in the inn, Ye Shuangluo opened the system menu and checked the battle logs.


    [Detected enemy weapon attack. Your passive skill "Master of Weapons" second special effect: Conqueror activated]


    [Opponent must undergo a Will judgment¡­ Judgment passed, opponent is immune to your skill effect]


    This was the battle log from his fight with Su Zhan. His Master of Weapons skill had not failed.


    "Conqueror" activated, but Su Zhan¡¯s Will passed the judgment, allowing him to attack normally.


    This was the first time Ye Shuangluo had encountered someone who could pass the judgment.


    Before this, "Conqueror" had always been invincible when enemies used weapons in battle.


    But the fight with Su Zhan taught him a harsh lesson, showing him that "Conqueror" was not omnipotent and that not everyone would fail the judgment.


    Even so, "Conqueror" remained a powerful special effect, effectively helping Ye Shuangluo deal with minor enemies.


    In future battles, only those who could pass the "Conqueror" Will judgment would qualify to fight him; those who couldn¡¯t were just fodder to be easily dispatched.


    Thinking this, "Conqueror" seemed like a perfect detector for minor enemies.


    After a brief internal joke, Ye Shuangluo put away his smile, closed his eyes, and began to review his battle with Su Zhan.


    "Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have attacked from here. If I had attacked the lower part, I might have broken through his defense¡­"


    Ye Shuangluo continuously replayed the battle in his mind, occasionally mimicking moves with Mortal Kill.


    After an unknown amount of time, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind.


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, your skill: Blade Mastery has leveled up]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, your skill: Blade Mastery has leveled up]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, your skill: Blade Mastery has leveled up]


    [Congratulations, Reserve Player, your skill: Blade Mastery meets the conditions and has automatically advanced to Blade Proficiency]


    [Blade Proficiency Lv.1]


    [Effect: Increases damage by 10% when using blade weapons]


    [Evaluation: Congratulations, you¡¯ve taken another step on the path of blade mastery]


    ¡­¡­


    "Whew."


    Blade Mastery advanced three times in a row, perhaps due to accumulated experience or the pressure from the battle with Su Zhan, or maybe both.


    In any case, he had grown stronger.


    Grasping the hilt of Mortal Kill, his battle companion seemed even more comfortable in his hand than before.


    Sheathing Mortal Kill again, Ye Shuangluo sat by the window and gazed at the starry sky.


    The starry sky of this other world was brilliant, unlike the Main World, which was shrouded in smog, where stars were rarely visible.


    Here, the stars were dazzling, visible at any time.


    He searched the sky for a while before finding the Breaker Star that had chosen him as its Fate Master.


    For some reason, among the three stars of the "Seven Kills, Greedy Wolf, Breaker Star" constellation, Seven Kills and Greedy Wolf were exceptionally bright.


    But Breaker Star was dim, like a candle about to go out, ready to be extinguished by any slight breeze.


    This puzzled Ye Shuangluo, who continued to gaze at Breaker Star.


    After a while, he noticed that the starlight from Breaker Star seemed to be shining on him.


    The starlight didn¡¯t bring any noticeable changes, only an inexplicable sense of hunger.


    This hunger wasn¡¯t a physical need for food but felt more like his soul was yearning for something.


    Ye Shuangluo pondered the starlight on his body, thinking he might be craving more starlight.


    But looking at the dim Breaker Star, he felt this was a bit too demanding.


    Ah, no, it was demanding too much of the star.


    He guessed that soon, Breaker Star¡¯s companions, Seven Kills and Greedy Wolf, might kick it out of the "Seven Kills" constellation.


    Ye Shuangluo knew Breaker Star¡¯s condition was abnormal, but he had no way to help, as he didn¡¯t even know why Breaker Star was so dim.


    Hmm? Wait.


    Ye Shuangluo suddenly thought of someone who might know why Breaker Star was so dim.


    The king of the Rebels, the man who had predicted his arrival by observing the stars.


    Su Zhan had personally said that the king of the Rebels was skilled in star observation.


    Since he could observe the stars, he must know why Breaker Star was so dim.


    ¡­¡­


    Ye Shuangluo found Su Zhan and expressed his desire to ask the leader about why Breaker Star was so dim.


    "Why is Breaker Star so dim? You don¡¯t need to ask His Highness; I can answer that."


    Su Zhan put down his book, stood up, and walked outside, where endless starlight immediately bathed him.


    Ye Shuangluo looked up at the sky and found the star emitting the starlight.


    Seven Kills, a member of the "Seven Kills" constellation, was exceptionally bright even among the myriad stars.


    Seven Kills even seemed to be overshadowing the constellation¡¯s central star, Greedy Wolf.


    Ye Shuangluo had a sudden guess and tentatively asked:


    "Could it be¡­ the stronger the Fate Master, the stronger the star?"


    Su Zhan nodded, and Ye Shuangluo was instantly struck, looking up at the stark contrast between Seven Kills and Breaker Star, feeling deeply affected.


    Seeing Ye Shuangluo¡¯s reaction, Su Zhan chuckled and comforted him:


    "Don¡¯t worry, Breaker Star isn¡¯t like this because of you.


    It became like this because over a hundred years ago, its previous Fate Master¡­ was killed."


    Ye Shuangluo asked in confusion:


    "Does the death of a Fate Master cause such great harm to the star?"


    "Usually, it wouldn¡¯t, but Breaker Star is special.


    Breaker Star is a star of war, and each Fate Master is an unparalleled warrior.


    Each time they are defeated, Breaker Star suffers significant damage.


    Especially the previous Fate Master, who was the number one in the world."


    "Wait!"


    Ye Shuangluo interrupted Su Zhan, having noticed a contradiction.


    "If the previous Fate Master was the number one in the world, how was he killed?" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Zhan looked towards the direction of the palace, his tone somber as he said:


    "Because he was the number one ''human,'' and the one who killed him was an immortal."

 Chapter 36 – Freeload successful

    The previous Fate Master of Breaker Star was personally killed by an Immortal.


    This news hit Ye Shuangluo like a bomb, leaving him stunned.


    "Why did that Immortal kill the previous Fate Master of Breaker Star?"


    Su Zhan didn''t answer the question. He simply returned to his desk and continued practicing calligraphy, stroke by stroke.


    After a while, he finally spoke without lifting his head:


    "If you want to restore Breaker Star to its former glory¡­ it''s quite difficult. But if you just want it to be less dim, then you only need to keep fighting and winning."


    Su Zhan initially wanted to say it was impossible, but he chose a more tactful approach in the end.


    Ye Shuangluo tilted his head. Was this an evasive answer?


    But it didn''t really matter. After all, he came here to find out why Breaker Star had become so dim.


    Now he not only knew the reason but also how to help Breaker Star. That was enough.


    Besides, how the previous Fate Master died wasn''t that important to him.


    So Ye Shuangluo bid farewell to Su Zhan and left.


    After he left, Su Zhan sighed.


    Why did the Immortal kill the previous Fate Master of Breaker Star? Of course, he knew the answer.


    But how could he tell Ye Shuangluo that the Immortal did it to turn that person into the commander of the Ghost Legion?


    With a great battle looming, he couldn''t let anyone under his command know about this, to avoid demoralizing them before the fight even began.


    "Sigh."


    Su Zhan looked up at the dim Breaker Star and sighed deeply. As the Fate Master of Seven Kills Star, Breaker Star''s current state also affected him significantly.


    After all, "Seven Kills, Greedy Wolf, Breaker Star" always shared the same fate.


    Thinking of the method His Highness had told him before leaving, he couldn''t help but shake his head.


    To restore Breaker Star''s former glory, the current Fate Master would need to kill the previous one in a one-on-one duel.


    But this was too difficult. Even Su Zhan couldn''t gain any advantage in a duel with that person, let alone Ye Shuangluo.


    So Su Zhan didn''t plan to tell Ye Shuangluo. He feared the young man might do something reckless.


    ...


    After leaving the Rebels'' base in the capital, Ye Shuangluo began searching for combat targets in the city.


    Su Zhan had already told him that continuous fighting and winning could improve Breaker Star''s condition.


    Since that was the case, he would find someone to fight.


    He glanced at the achievement interface. If possible, he also wanted to complete this achievement.


    [Demon Slayer]


    [Progress: 1/5]


    Since arriving in this world, he had only encountered three demons: the twins and Ye Xiong.


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    Thinking of this, Ye Shuangluo suddenly remembered the twins. They were no longer his quest objective and could be dealt with.


    So he quietly approached the city gate, only to find that the birthday gifts had already been taken away.


    This disappointed him, but he quickly regained his spirits.


    Since he couldn''t increase the progress of the Demon Slayer achievement, he might as well try to complete another one.


    [Gourmet Hunter (Eat five kinds of special delicacies)]


    [Progress: 3/5]


    Regarding this achievement, Ye Shuangluo didn''t think it was very difficult. This was the capital, the place with the most dignitaries and nobles.


    The meat of magical creatures was so delicious that he didn''t believe the nobles of this world could resist such culinary temptations.


    Although he couldn''t find those magical creatures, he could find people who ate their meat.


    ...


    Ren Tianxing was a well-known wealthy merchant in the capital, with many high-ranking officials as his drinking buddies.


    Even in front of the emperor, he was not an unknown figure.


    But now, this wealthy merchant was sitting at his dining table as if on pins and needles.


    Because there was a knife on the table, and beside it sat a young man in blood-red armor.


    "Uncle, don''t be nervous. I''m just here for a meal. I''ll leave after I eat."


    Ren Tianxing didn''t speak, silently vowing to strengthen his household''s defenses in the future.


    Just a moment ago, he was eating and drinking with a girl, planning to kiss her and have a drink.


    With a crash, the bodyguard he had hired at great expense was sent flying, smashing the table.


    Then this young man walked in, swaggered over, and sat beside him, demanding rare ingredients for a meal.


    Although Ren Tianxing looked kind and gentle, he had been a ruthless character in his early years and naturally wouldn''t comply easily.


    Moreover, he had faced the emperor before and wasn''t easily flustered.


    So he slammed the table, intending to call for someone to deal with the intruding young man.


    But the young man merely glanced at him and said something that froze him in place.


    "Don''t bother. I''ve taken down all your guards and bodyguards. Even if you smash the table, no one will come to save you."


    Hearing this, Ren Tianxing threw the woman in his arms aside and stumbled out.


    Then he saw the guards and servants piled up like a small hill in the garden.


    So the wealthy merchant returned to the living room with a gloomy face, choosing to comply with Ye Shuangluo''s demands.


    Since his chef was also among the pile of people, he decided to cook himself.


    Picking up the pots and pans he hadn''t touched in 20 years, he took out the rare ingredients delivered just yesterday and prepared a feast for the young man, personally serving it at the table.


    "This is a black mountain goat that lived for 150 years. It has been running since birth, so its legs are particularly strong, the best meat on its body.


    This dish is an ink spirit chicken that lived for 18 years and 88 days. According to numerous tests, it tastes the best when slaughtered on this day.


    And..."


    Ren Tianxing carefully introduced all the dishes on the table, constantly observing the young man''s expression.


    Fortunately, the young man seemed very satisfied. Ignoring the introductions, he started eating right away.


    "Mm... not bad. I didn''t expect someone so wealthy to cook so well."


    Ye Shuangluo chewed the black mountain goat''s leg meat slowly. The meat was tender and had a grassy aroma despite being meat.


    He enjoyed both the taste of meat and the freshness of vegetables. Not bad at all. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations on eating a special delicacy]


    [Progress +1 (4/5)]


    After finishing the black mountain goat''s leg, Ye Shuangluo picked up the ink spirit chicken and started gnawing on it.


    The chicken meat melted in his mouth, and the bones were so soft they almost dissolved with a single suck.


    In just 20 breaths, he had devoured the entire chicken.


    Ren Tianxing was dumbfounded. This guy ate too fast, like a starving ghost reincarnated.


    [Congratulations on eating a special delicacy, progress +1]


    [Congratulations on achieving: "Gourmet Hunter"]


    [Would you like to claim your achievement reward?]


    Ye Shuangluo chose "No" for now. Claiming the reward here was too risky. If he suddenly passed out after claiming it, he''d be in big trouble.


    Standing up and stretching, Ye Shuangluo smiled and said:


    "Thanks for the meal. If I get the chance, I''ll definitely repay you."


    Ren Tianxing shook his head, indicating it wasn''t necessary.


    "If you really want to repay me, then just never appear in front of me again."


    Of course, he only dared to say this in his heart. Besides, he felt that as a wealthy man, he would never need the young man''s repayment.


    Ye Shuangluo smiled, guessing what Ren Tianxing was thinking, but he didn''t care. He had achieved his goal.


    As for why he chose Ren Tianxing''s house?


    There was no special reason. He didn''t know the man; he just wanted to freeload a meal.


    Ren Tianxing''s mansion was the closest to his inn and looked extremely luxurious, indicating that its residents were either rich or noble.


    Returning to the inn, Ye Shuangluo eagerly opened the achievement interface and chose to claim his reward.


    [Congratulations on receiving the reward: Self-Devour (Skill)]

 Chapter 37 – Prey and Hunter

    [Self-Devour Lv.1]


    [Skill Type: Active Skill]


    [Effect: After activation, All Attributes +5, Health Points +1000, Health Points recovery doubled. This state lasts for one hour. After one hour, All Attributes drop to 5 for 24 hours.]


    [Note: Can only be used once per world. Refreshes upon entering a new world.]


    [Upgrade Condition: Consume 10 types of gourmet food.]


    [Evaluation: Have you ever considered that by consuming a large amount of gourmet food, you might also become a delicacy in the eyes of something else?]


    ...


    Ye Shuangluo casually closed the skill panel. As expected of a skill rewarded by the Achievement System, it was as powerful as ever.


    But it also had a significant drawback. If he couldn''t finish the battle within an hour of activating the skill, he would suffer the negative effects. At that point, with his All Attributes reduced, he would be like a lamb to the slaughter.


    This skill could only be used in a true life-and-death struggle.


    Perhaps... it could come in handy for the battle the day after tomorrow. A dangerous gleam flashed in Ye Shuangluo''s eyes.


    He wondered who the lucky recipient of this skill would be. He was quite looking forward to it.


    ...


    Year 186 of Qi Yuan.


    It was a new year, and also the emperor''s 200th birthday.


    The entire capital was bustling with activity. Even though it was already midnight, the streets were still filled with people.


    At this moment, Ye Shuangluo was not in the city but outside it with Su Zhan.


    As for why it was just the two of them, the reason was simple.


    "They''re too weak. I''m afraid the aftermath of the battle would harm them. Just the two of us are enough for the palace raid."


    Ye Shuangluo agreed. Those guys combined weren''t even a match for him alone.


    Outside the city gates, Su Zhan walked around, seemingly searching for something. After making a round, he finally found what he was looking for and stomped lightly, revealing a large hole beneath his feet.


    "A tunnel?"


    Ye Shuangluo clicked his tongue in amazement. He hadn''t expected there to be a tunnel outside the city.


    Su Zhan jumped in first, and Ye Shuangluo followed without hesitation.


    The tunnel wasn''t wide or high, so the two had to bend over and move forward one after the other.


    "Who dug this tunnel, and where does it lead?"


    "His Highness dug it himself. He started when he was six and finished at seventeen. Eleven years of work. It leads directly to the palace."


    Ye Shuangluo was both puzzled and shocked.


    A six-year-old child digging a tunnel every day for eleven years? Was this normal?


    He silently recalled what he was doing at six. It seemed his parents were still alive then...


    Forget it, better not to remember.


    This tunnel was dug by the king of the Rebels himself. Why would a six-year-old child dig a tunnel to the palace?


    Wait, maybe it wasn''t to the palace but to outside the city.


    Ye Shuangluo suddenly had a guess. Could the king of the Rebels be the old emperor''s offspring?


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    The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Otherwise, why would Su Zhan keep calling him His Highness?


    What was this?


    A son forming a rebel army to fight against his father?


    What kind of prime-time family drama was this?


    As Ye Shuangluo silently ridiculed in his mind, Su Zhan whispered, "We''re here."


    Su Zhan climbed out first, and Ye Shuangluo followed silently.


    As soon as he emerged and saw the light again, Ye Shuangluo realized something was wrong. Several bizarre-looking individuals were staring at them like prey.


    Clap, clap, clap!


    A young man with deer antlers and snake scales clapped his hands and said, "The Emperor truly foresaw everything. You really used this tunnel to raid the palace."


    Ye Shuangluo nudged Su Zhan and said, "Looks like we''ve walked into a trap."


    Su Zhan didn''t speak, his face still expressionless, as if he wasn''t surprised by this turn of events.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but shake his head. They were surrounded, yet he remained so calm. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?


    He observed the five bizarre-looking individuals opposite them. They all seemed to be demons, each possessing some animal feature.


    A young man with a wolf head and claws, a boy with deer antlers and snake scales, a girl with cat ears, a girl with swan wings, and a man with an elephant trunk.


    Wait, an elephant trunk?


    Ye Shuangluo was shocked as he looked at the man with the elephant trunk.


    He had thought Ye Xiong''s father was already invincible, but someone even more formidable had appeared. Whose subordinate was this?


    "How is my brother?"


    The boy with deer antlers and snake scales suddenly asked, his tone familiar as if he and Su Zhan were old acquaintances.


    Ye Shuangluo curiously looked at the boy. Deer antlers and snake scales indicated he was likely born of a dragon and a human. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Could this be the Overturning Sea General''s younger brother? Wasn''t his mother devoured by him at birth?


    Although Su Zhan hadn''t known Ye Shuangluo for long, he knew the latter was a curious person. He directly satisfied his curiosity.


    "This is that freak''s half-sister."


    Sister?


    The "boy" with dragon horns not only looked cute but also had a standard young boy''s voice, and...


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the flat chest of the "boy" with dragon horns and felt it was normal not to realize she was a girl.


    "Bug, where are your eyes looking?"


    The dragon-horned girl''s tone turned icy, clearly offended by Ye Shuangluo''s behavior.


    She powered up her left leg and charged at Ye Shuangluo, her snake-scaled left hand clenched into a fist, intending to punch the offending bug to death.


    Bang!


    Naturally, Su Zhan wouldn''t let her harm his teammate in front of him. He drew his sword and slashed.


    The dragon-horned girl''s fist collided with Su Zhan''s Red Flame Demon Blade, and she was sent flying by a tremendous force.


    Su Zhan calmly instructed Ye Shuangluo behind him, "The battle is about to begin. I might not be able to look after you. Be careful and hold on as long as you can."


    The battle was imminent.


    Three girls simultaneously attacked Su Zhan.


    The dragon-horned girl and the cat-eared girl engaged in close combat, while the swan-winged girl flew in the air, her feathers shooting at Su Zhan like arrows.


    Clang, clang, clang!


    Su Zhan''s Red Flame Demon Blade moved at incredible speed, deflecting all the feathers.


    As for the two in close combat, they were no match for him.


    Su Zhan fought three at once, leaving the remaining two to Ye Shuangluo.


    The wolf-man and the elephant-trunk man looked at him disdainfully. An unknown nobody dared to oppose them? Truly ignorant.


    Ye Shuangluo drew Mortal Kill and activated the Blood Demon Armor''s special effect "Blood Frenzy."


    A familiar urge for destruction and slaughter surged in his heart. This time, he didn''t suppress it because this battle required no restraint.


    The elephant-trunk man and the red wolf-man sensed something was wrong. Their beast instincts were screaming warnings.


    "Something''s off with this kid. Attack together."


    The elephant-trunk man and the red wolf-man attacked first. The wolf claws came from the left, and the elephant trunk swung from the right.


    Ye Shuangluo gripped his sword with one hand, blocking the red wolf-man''s claw and taking the elephant trunk''s hit with his body.


    The elephant-trunk man realized something was wrong, but it was too late. After taking the hit, Ye Shuangluo grabbed his trunk with lightning speed, pulling him close.


    The red wolf-man tried to intervene, but as soon as he touched Mortal Kill, the ice element froze his wolf claw.


    He tried to thaw it, but a strong wind element pushed him away. In the few seconds he tried to thaw and approach again, the elephant-trunk man was already pulled in front of Ye Shuangluo.


    Whoosh!


    Ye Shuangluo grabbed the elephant trunk with one hand and repeatedly smashed it with wind and ice elements, breaking the trunk.


    The elephant-trunk man felt dizzy and staggered back, collapsing to the ground.


    Bang!


    With a swift kick, Ye Shuangluo struck his head, knocking him down. He then mercilessly mounted him, punching him repeatedly.


    By the time the red wolf-man arrived, the elephant-trunk man was barely breathing, clearly dead.


    The red wolf-man couldn''t believe it. Demons had strong vitality, and the elephant-trunk man was among the best.


    But this formidable companion had been beaten to death by a human they had looked down upon.


    Fear crept over the red wolf-man, more intense than when he had faced a tiger at birth.


    He wanted to flee but knew exposing his back to the enemy was foolish.


    So he attacked Ye Shuangluo, who was still on the elephant-trunk man, with a wolf claw.


    Caught off guard, Ye Shuangluo was sent flying. The red wolf-man didn''t relax, keeping his eyes on the human boy he had just struck.


    Ye Shuangluo slowly stood up, tilted his head, and asked with a kind smile, "Little red dog, didn''t you eat?"

 Chapter 38 – Slay the giant wolf

    "Awooo!"


    The red wolf-man let out a howl, drawing the attention of the three monsters and one human engaged in battle nearby.


    When the three bizarre-looking girls saw the already dead elephant-trunk man, their faces were filled with disbelief.


    How long had it been? The elephant-trunk man was already dead.


    But when they saw Ye Shuangluo, who was exuding a killing aura, they began to understand.


    Su Zhan was quite surprised. This kid hadn''t even used his full strength when fighting him. It seemed he didn''t need to worry about him anymore and could focus on dealing with the three troublesome girls.


    On the other side of the battle, shortly after the red wolf-man howled, his body began to grow larger. Human features slowly disappeared, replaced by a wolf''s tail and fur.


    Ye Shuangluo found it fascinating. This red-haired wolf-headed freak, realizing he couldn''t beat him, decided to stop being human altogether.


    He pulled out Mortal Kill, which he had casually stuck into the ground after beating the elephant-trunk man, and his eyes slowly turned blood-red.


    Asura Demon Eye, activate!


    Kill Order, activate!


    With the activation of the Asura Demon Eye, Ye Shuangluo''s already powerful perception was further enhanced.


    He silently sensed the giant wolf''s aura, which had increased several times compared to before.


    But this ability must have some limitations; otherwise, the red wolf-man would have used it earlier.


    After his body stopped growing, the giant wolf lost its sanity, but it seemed to remember its target was Ye Shuangluo, and it swiped a massive paw at him.


    Bang!


    Under the absolute suppression of strength, Ye Shuangluo was sent flying on the spot.


    The giant wolf then extended another paw, ready to crush him.


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t just wait to die. He converted his spiritual power into wind elements to hover briefly in the air, then used the wind elements to jump again, narrowly avoiding the paw.


    The giant wolf roared at Ye Shuangluo above, the terrifying sound waves almost knocking him down.


    But he managed to stabilize himself and took the opportunity to jump onto the giant wolf''s back.


    "Awooo!"


    The giant wolf shook its body frantically, trying to throw Ye Shuangluo off.


    But not only did Ye Shuangluo stay on, he took the chance to slash it a few times.


    [Your attack dealt: 47 points of slashing damage + 20 points of fire attribute damage + 100 points of true damage (Killing Power) + 58 points of ice (wind) element enchantment damage]


    With layers of buffs stacking up, each slash from Ye Shuangluo caused the giant wolf excruciating pain, making it feel like its entire body was on fire.


    In fact, this was the additional effect of the Asura Demon Eye, which not only inflicted damage but also continuously tormented the enemy.


    In agony, the giant wolf became even more frenzied, charging straight into a palace pillar.


    Under the impact of its massive body, the pillar supporting the palace cracked.


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    The three monsters and one human fighting nearby naturally heard the commotion. The swan girl, who was in the safest position, turned her head and angrily said:


    "Damn it, does it want to bury us all alive?"


    Just as she finished speaking, she heard her companion''s urgent voice.


    "Jinghong, watch out!"


    "Seven Kills Technique, Fourth Form"


    Splat


    The crimson demon blade pierced through the swan girl, leaving her in disbelief as she looked at Su Zhan, who had suddenly appeared before her.


    So fast, she couldn''t react at all. Su Zhan had been hiding his strength from the beginning.


    It wasn''t until her final moments that she realized the truth, but it was too late.


    And she was right; Su Zhan had indeed been hiding his strength, waiting for the moment they let their guard down to kill one of them.


    So the moment the swan girl turned her head, she was already a dead woman.


    "How dare you!"


    The cat-eared girl didn''t have time to grieve or rage before she heard Su Zhan''s demonic voice in her ear.


    "Seven Kills Technique, Sixth Form (Su Zhan''s Version)"


    The terrifying gray blade aura sliced the cat-eared girl in half, leaving only one of the three girls who had been attacking Su Zhan alive.


    Bang!


    While Su Zhan was swiftly killing two of the monsters, the giant wolf continued to ram into the pillars.


    Ye Shuangluo, supported by the wind elements, hovered in mid-air, relentlessly attacking the giant wolf''s back.


    "Killing Mark, explode!"


    Every time the mark was fully stacked, Ye Shuangluo would unhesitatingly detonate it.


    With more and more wounds on its back, the giant wolf''s strength waned.


    Bang!


    The giant wolf''s massive body crashed to the ground, unwilling to stand up again. It hurt so much, really hurt.


    "Awooo~"


    It let out a massive wail, its final howl in life, heard by almost half the capital.


    The bustling crowd on the streets instantly fell into chaos.


    In the palace hall, the old emperor, dressed in a green dragon robe and celebrating his birthday, frowned slightly and said discontentedly:


    "Today is my 200th birthday, what are those monsters trying to do? Such a buzzkill!"


    A bored young man sitting below yawned. In the entire hall, he was the most conspicuous, being the only one in black armor.


    "I told you to let me go. How could those beasts possibly be a match for Su Zhan?"


    The old emperor snorted coldly, his tone even more displeased:


    "Commander Xiao didn''t say that before. If you had agreed to help earlier, I wouldn''t have needed to call them."


    "That was then, this is now. I had special reasons before.


    But who knew it would be so boring here, filled with sycophantic fools. I should''ve gone to fight Su Zhan instead."


    The few people being called fools didn''t dare show any dissatisfaction. After all, this young man was the guardian of the entire capital and the Emperor.


    The young man stood up nonchalantly and walked step by step to the Emperor, an act of great disrespect that the Emperor seemed accustomed to.


    "You should go... That noise sounded like a wail. Those monsters have probably lost."


    The Emperor frowned slightly but immediately got up to call the attending merchants and officials to leave.


    He trusted the young man''s judgment. With him as the guardian, nothing would go wrong.


    After the Emperor left, the young man sprawled arrogantly on the Emperor''s dragon chair, muttering to himself:


    "Su Zhan, you''re finally coming. I''ve waited a long time for this showdown."


    In the other side of the palace, Ye Shuangluo deactivated the wind elements and landed steadily on the ground.


    "Well done."


    Su Zhan nodded, a satisfied smile on his face, "I knew I wasn''t wrong about you. You fought well, didn''t disappoint me."


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the three corpses at Su Zhan''s feet and shook his head. Three beautiful girls, all killed just like that.


    "Your hair..."


    To others, Su Zhan still had long black hair, but to Ye Shuangluo, several strands of white hair had mysteriously appeared.


    Su Zhan waved it off nonchalantly, "Just three years of lifespan, no big deal.


    He should be waiting for us in the palace hall. Let''s go quickly."


    "Mm."


    Ye Shuangluo touched the Pluto around his neck. The giant wolf had triggered its special effect, indicating that Pluto considered the giant wolf a formidable opponent.


    Naturally, he chose to activate the "Captive Souls" special effect, capturing the giant wolf''s soul into Pluto.


    Additionally, the giant wolf had dropped a green treasure chest, which he stored in his space backpack.


    After finishing everything, Ye Shuangluo jogged a few steps to catch up with Su Zhan.


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 Chapter 39 – The Soul of the Wolf King Ling Chi

    [The soul of the "Wolf King" Ling Chi, when imprisoned, has a chance to trigger "Wolf King''s Fury" with each attack.]


    [Wolf King''s Fury: The Wolf King "Ling Chi" will appear in the form of a giant wolf and launch an attack on the enemy.]


    [Yes/No to replace]


    Ye Shuangluo hesitated for a moment and chose No.


    Although the soul''s ability seemed powerful, the probability aspect made it unreliable.


    It seemed he would continue using the soul of the Mandrillus sphinx "Big Jin" until a more suitable soul appeared.


    As Ye Shuangluo and Su Zhan hurried towards the palace hall, they ran into a squad of soldiers clad in black armor. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Intruders, kill!"


    Ye Shuangluo stopped Su Zhan from making a move and charged forward himself.


    He hadn''t forgotten that he still had a main quest to complete.


    With the quest enemies delivered right to him, there was no way he would let Su Zhan steal his kills.


    With one slash, he shattered the armor of the foremost Ghost Legion soldier, and a black soul instantly floated out from the broken armor.


    Ye Shuangluo swiftly slashed at the floating soul, which was trying to find another armor to attach to, and it dissipated immediately.


    Surprisingly simple, he thought, as he charged into the midst of the soldiers.


    It seemed like he was surrounded, but in reality, he had encircled the dozen or so Ghost Legion soldiers by himself.


    Ye Shuangluo''s attributes were more than enough to crush these Ghost Legion soldiers. He didn''t even need to activate his Asura Demon Eye to kill them all.


    Hiss!


    With the sound of gas dissipating, the last soldier of the Ghost Legion squad was taken care of.


    After the battle, Su Zhan looked at him thoughtfully.


    "You... seem very invested in the Breaker Star."


    "Uh, yeah, after all, I''m its Fate Master."


    Su Zhan thought Ye Shuangluo had fought first to help the Breaker Star, so Ye Shuangluo naturally admitted it.


    On their way, they encountered several more squads of Ghost Legion soldiers. Each time, Su Zhan would step aside, letting Ye Shuangluo fight.


    Notably, when they passed by a warehouse, Ye Shuangluo found a "familiar face."


    "Hey, Big Cat, how did you get caught?"


    The White Tiger "Snowflake," locked in a specially made cage, almost cried upon hearing the familiar voice. How could he always run into this jinx?


    Not long after parting ways with this jinx, he had run into a terrifying young man in black armor.


    Snowflake still remembered the young man muttering about not having prepared a birthday gift and deciding to take a big cat back as a makeshift present before knocking him out with a punch.


    He really wanted to roar, "I''m the king of beasts, a tiger, not some big cat!"


    Why did both this jinx and that terrifying young man call him Big Cat?


    Snowflake looked at Ye Shuangluo outside the cage with full resentment, then suddenly realized something.


    Meeting this jinx might be a good thing; he could save him!


    Thinking this, Snowflake began to act cute frantically.


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t disappoint him, slashing open the cage and then effortlessly riding on his back.


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    Snowflake had no choice but to become Ye Shuangluo''s mount.


    So, the two of them, along with the tiger, sped towards the palace hall.


    By the time they reached the palace hall, Ye Shuangluo had already maxed out his progress with the regular soldiers. Now, he only needed to take down a vice-captain to complete his quest.


    But when they entered the hall through the back door, it was already empty.


    "Looks like we''re late."


    Su Zhan frowned slightly. He had expected his old rival to be waiting here.


    It seemed something had changed.


    ...


    In the forbidden area of the palace.


    A young man in black armor was choking a young Taoist priest.


    At his feet lay the corpses of more than a dozen Taoist priests.


    "The elders of your Thieves'' Guild don''t come to die themselves, so they send a bunch of little mice instead.


    Where did you little mice get the courage to steal the divine stone? You''re just a bunch of rats that can''t see the light of day."


    The young Taoist priest was gasping for breath, but hearing the young man insult his senior brothers and master, he spat a mouthful of blood at the young man''s face in extreme anger.


    "Bah! You undignified watchdog, you don''t deserve to insult my senior brothers and elders."


    The young man was already a soul, so the Taoist priest couldn''t actually spit on him, but he still felt offended. He tightened his grip, crushing the Taoist priest''s throat.


    The Taoist priest''s head tilted, and he died, but even in death, his eyes remained fixed on the young man.


    The young man''s mind echoed with the Taoist priest''s words, "You undignified watchdog!"


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    He stomped on the heads of the Taoist priest and his brothers, cursing continuously.


    "Damn rats, a bunch of rats that can''t see the light of day. I''ll kill you all."


    ...


    "So, you''re saying the Thieves'' Guild plans to steal the divine stone."


    Ye Shuangluo followed closely behind Su Zhan. Even riding the fast White Tiger, he struggled to keep up with Su Zhan''s pace.


    Su Zhan nodded, his usually calm face showing rare urgency.


    "They''re too impatient... They''ve waited all these years, and now they can''t wait a few more hours?"


    From the sound of it, the Thieves'' Guild wasn''t just a group of petty thieves.


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t ask further, just patted the White Tiger, signaling it to go faster.


    "Roar~"


    Snowflake felt bitter but couldn''t say anything. He was already running with all his might but still couldn''t keep up with the human ahead.


    He swore that once this was over, he would hide in the deep mountains and never come out again. The humans outside were all monsters.


    ...


    Hiss!


    The Rebels took down the Ghost Legion soldiers blocking their way and charged into the palace with overwhelming force.


    But when they reached the hall, they all stopped simultaneously.


    The old emperor was greedy and lecherous, with no ambition. The capital had already consumed ninety percent of the nation''s wealth to build, and his palace had taken half of that.


    Jade and emerald formed the steps, and gold and silver paved the roads.


    The ninety-nine steps in front of the hall would make anyone marvel, but none of the rebels had the mind to admire them now.


    Because on those jade steps sat a young man, one all the rebels knew well.


    Xiao Shan, the commander of the Ghost Legion, the number one in the world 185 years ago.


    If they could kill him, the entire Ghost Legion would collapse.


    But no one dared to step forward and fight him.


    He was alone, yet it felt like he had surrounded everyone present. His composure and dominance seemed to tell everyone that no matter what they did, he didn''t care.


    Because he would crush all their schemes.


    Xiao Shan looked at the rebels with disdain, his terrifying Killing Aura soaring into the sky, scaring them into retreating.


    "A bunch of hiding rats, today I''ll slaughter you all."


    "Let''s see if you have the ability."


    The voice came from behind Xiao Shan, making him turn his head.


    A young man riding a White Tiger stood at the top of the steps, looking down at him.


    And beside the young man was someone Xiao Shan knew all too well.


    "Su Zhan, you''ve finally shown yourself!"


    One was the commander of the Ghost Legion, the other the Grand Strategist of the Rebels. They had clashed countless times on the battlefield and knew each other well.


    "Xiao Shan, as an old rival for many years, can you tell me the truth? Has Fu Hai betrayed us?"


    "Hahaha." Xiao Shan laughed loudly, "When you ask that question, you''ve already got your answer, haven''t you?"


    Su Zhan fell silent. Although he had always disliked that freak, they had indeed worked towards the same goal. He never expected that freak to betray them.


    "In that case, is he also in the capital?"


    Xiao Shan nodded and said, "Of course, he''s now protecting the emperor in my place."


    Having gotten the answer he wanted, Su Zhan sighed deeply, then drew the Red Flame Demon Blade, his Killing Aura no less terrifying than Xiao Shan''s.


    "I understand. Thank you for telling me the truth. As a token of gratitude, I will fight you with all my might."


    Xiao Shan''s eyes lit up with excitement. The boredom of the banquet and the anger from the insults had made him eager for a battle to vent his frustration.


    Just as Su Zhan was about to step forward, Ye Shuangluo stopped him.


    "Grand Strategist, leave him to me. You go deal with the traitor."


    Su Zhan was taken aback, but seeing the determination in Ye Shuangluo''s eyes, he didn''t say much, just patted Ye Shuangluo''s shoulder.


    "Make sure you win."


    Then he hurried to another battlefield. He indeed wanted to deal with that damn traitor immediately.

 Chapter 40 – The battle between the Breaker Star and the Fate Master

    Seeing Su Zhan leave, Xiao Shan was furious. In his memory, the Rebels didn''t seem to have anyone named Ye Shuangluo.


    "I don''t know you, kid. Looks like you''re a newbie. Your Grand Strategist really underestimates me."


    Ye Shuangluo gazed at Xiao Shan at the bottom of the steps. He didn''t need anyone to introduce him; he could tell this young man was most likely the commander of the Ghost Legion.


    On his way here, he had encountered many soldiers of the Ghost Legion, all of whom were faceless, with nothing but black mist inside their armor.


    "Not talking, huh? Fine, I''ll deal with you first, then kill all the rats here, and then go after your Grand Strategist. I should still have time."


    Xiao Shan''s casual attitude infuriated the Rebels, but they knew they were no match for the commander of the Ghost Legion.


    The only one who could possibly face him was the newly joined Ye Shuangluo.


    But everyone present had seen Ye Shuangluo being brutally beaten by Su Zhan in a previous battle.


    So they didn''t believe Ye Shuangluo could win, but if he could hold out for a while, they could escape.


    At that moment, Ye Shuangluo suddenly looked up at the starry sky.


    Above the firmament, the Breaker Star shone brighter than ever.


    Even though it was already dawn, the capital could still clearly see the dazzling star in the sky.


    And this dazzling star was pouring all its starlight onto Ye Shuangluo.


    [You have received the blessing of the Breaker Star]


    [Temporary buff acquired: Health Points +500, Spiritual Power +500, All Attributes +5]


    As the starlight flooded into Ye Shuangluo, the hunger that seemed to come from his soul completely vanished.


    No one else could see this scene, but Xiao Shan looked on in shock.


    "So, you''re the Fate Master of this generation''s Breaker Star?


    But... I used to be one too."


    Xiao Shan looked up at the Breaker Star, and half of the starlight that was originally for Ye Shuangluo began to tilt towards him.


    [Side Quest Triggered: One Shining Star is Enough]


    [Quest Description: By chance, you have gained the recognition of the Breaker Star and become its Fate Master.


    However, the former Fate Master of the Breaker Star, Xiao Shan, though long dead, still exists in a special form.


    Two kings cannot coexist. From the moment you meet, only one can survive.


    Kill Xiao Shan and show him that there can only be one Fate Master of the Breaker Star.]


    [Quest Requirement: Kill Xiao Shan]


    [Quest Reward: Power of the Breaker (Skill Book)]


    Ye Shuangluo knew he had to give his all in this battle.


    Xiao Shan also changed his casual demeanor, seriously eyeing his successor.


    "Since you''re this generation''s Fate Master of the Breaker Star, let me, your predecessor, give you a proper lesson."


    A mass of black energy surged from Xiao Shan''s body, forming a dark blue demonic blade.


    Without a word, Ye Shuangluo jumped off the White Tiger, his eyes slowly turning blood-red.


    Self-Devour, Asura Demon Eye, Kill Order, activate!


    With layers of buffs activated, Ye Shuangluo drew his blade and charged at Xiao Shan.


    Bang!


    The two blades clashed fiercely.


    Unexpectedly, Xiao Shan''s blade couldn''t withstand the collision and shattered. His armor was also slashed by Ye Shuangluo.


    But he didn''t care at all. Black energy surged, and the shattered armor on his chest instantly restored itself.


    The demonic blade that had just shattered also returned to its original form.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Ye Shuangluo attacked relentlessly, while Xiao Shan showed no intention of defending.


    Neither of them defended, it was purely attack against attack.


    The Rebels, watching as VIP spectators from a distance, were dumbfounded. The battle between these two Fate Masters of the Breaker Star was like a fight between two raging beasts.


    They knew they should leave quickly, but they couldn''t move. They were desperate to know who would emerge victorious.


    Half an hour later.


    Bang!


    Xiao Shan''s blade shattered again, and his armor was slashed once more.


    This time, although it quickly restored itself, both of them noticed that the restoration speed had slowed down.


    Though the difference was slight, it was indeed slower than before.


    Xiao Shan''s expression had long changed from relaxed to extremely serious. This was the first time he had encountered such a tough opponent.


    He knew the Rebels had developed something called "Soul Slayer Powder," specifically designed to hunt the Ghost Legion.


    Or rather, specifically designed to hunt him.


    But... why did it hurt so much? sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Shan, being a soul entity, shouldn''t feel pain anymore, but every time he was slashed, it felt like falling into an ice cave or being burned by flames.


    The most crucial part was that this kid, who seemed to be a pure human, had life force and recovery abilities even more terrifying than those of the demons and spirits.


    The wounds he inflicted almost healed at a visible speed, stopping the bleeding, scabbing, and then healing.


    So as long as this kid protected his heart and head, he could fight recklessly.


    "Hey, kid, I don''t want to fight you anymore. How about we call it a truce?"


    Ye Shuangluo ignored him, attacking relentlessly like a storm.


    "Aren''t you worried about your Grand Strategist? That Overturning Sea General is no ordinary foe. Don''t you need to help him?"


    Bang!


    In response, more relentless attacks followed. Seeing that his words had no effect, Xiao Shan grew angry. Did this kid really think he was afraid?


    It was just a matter of continuous attacks to see who would fall first. He didn''t believe he would lose to an unknown kid.


    Ten minutes later.


    Xiao Shan regretted it. The restoration speed of his armor and weapon was getting slower and slower.


    What used to restore instantly now took a full five seconds.


    This novel is available on ".


    And... it was really painful.


    If the initial pain was barely tolerable, as time passed, the pain was driving him to madness.


    And that kid still looked full of energy, with no visible wounds except for his broken armor.


    No, he couldn''t continue this fight.


    Xiao Shan had a strong premonition that if he got slashed again, he would die.


    Escape! He had to escape immediately.


    The moment Xiao Shan turned to flee, Ye Shuangluo converted all his Spiritual Power into ice elements. A massive amount of ice spread rapidly from his feet.


    Xiao Shan was instantly frozen in place, but the ice couldn''t hold him. In less than a second, he shattered the ice.


    Crack!


    But as he broke free, Ye Shuangluo had already caught up and slashed down.


    Even though he no longer had the Spiritual Power to maintain the Asura Demon Eye, it was no longer necessary.


    This slash shattered Xiao Shan''s armor.


    Xiao Shan''s armor broke piece by piece, and he could feel his soul slowly fracturing.


    Even at this moment, Xiao Shan couldn''t believe he had lost. How could he lose? He was the invincible Fate Master of the Breaker Star.


    At that moment, Xiao Shan suddenly saw several chains coming at him.


    He was almost powerless to resist as the chains grabbed him and dragged him into a mysterious space.


    Silence, a deathly silence.


    The Rebels looked at Ye Shuangluo as if he were a god. That was the commander of the Ghost Legion, and he had just been taken down.


    Thanks to the Game System''s cognitive modification, they didn''t find it strange that Ye Shuangluo could casually release ice.


    But they were still in awe, as the area within fifty meters was covered in ice released by Ye Shuangluo, and the temperature had dropped several degrees.


    Ye Shuangluo stood with his blade, his killing aura even more terrifying than before.


    The White Tiger, hiding and watching, couldn''t help but gasp. The terrifying young man who had captured it had just been killed. Indeed, the Fate Master was the most formidable.

 Chapter 41 – Pluto Ascension

    ```


    ¡¾Congratulations to the player for completing the side quest: One Glowing Thing is Enough¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations to the player for completing the main quest: Soul Extinction Plan¡¿


    I have to say, Xiao Shan is the most rewarding enemy Ye Shuangluo has encountered so far.


    Not only could he capture souls, but killing him also allowed Ye Shuangluo to complete both the main quest and the side quest.


    He even dropped a gray treasure chest, something Ye Shuangluo had never seen before.


    ¡¾Cursed Treasure Chest¡¿


    ¡¾Description: There is a 1% chance of obtaining a cursed treasure chest each time you get a treasure chest.


    This type of chest can only be opened by the player who killed the enemy.


    To open it, certain conditions must be met.¡¿


    ¡¾Opening Condition: Immortal Descends to the Mortal Realm


    (In a past battle, Xiao Shan was toyed with by an Immortal. He gave it his all but couldn''t even touch a single hair of the Immortal. This was his life''s regret.


    To open this chest, you must harm an "Immortal" in any way.)¡¿


    A cursed treasure chest, huh? Interesting.


    Regarding the opening condition, Ye Shuangluo rarely showed a contemplative look. Any way, huh? He had some ideas.


    But the most important thing right now was to claim the rewards for the side quest and the main quest.


    ¡¾Power of the Breaker Star Lv.max¡¿


    ¡¾Skill Type: Special Passive¡¿


    ¡¾Effect: Each attack ignores 15% of the enemy''s defense¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: This is the blessing given by the Breaker Star to its most outstanding Fate Master. May you carry this blessing into battle and achieve victory after victory.¡¿


    Ye Shuangluo looked up at the Breaker Star. It had changed, becoming so dazzling.


    This light was different from before; the previous light was more like a last burst of brilliance.


    The most unbelievable thing was that he could actually feel emotions of joy and excitement from it.


    At the same time, on a street in the capital, a figure carrying a bamboo basket suddenly looked towards the palace.


    "Huh, Xiao Shan is dead... Who could have done it? Could it be that the king of the Rebels has arrived in the capital?


    Oh dear, I guess I have to go take a look."


    ...


    After killing Xiao Shan, Pluto had met the conditions for advancement, and Ye Shuangluo naturally chose to advance it immediately.


    With a flash of ghostly light, the Pluto pendant around his neck had completed its advancement.


    ¡¾Pluto¡¿


    ¡¾Quality: Green¡¿


    ¡¾Type: Growth Equipment (Accessory)¡¿


    ¡¾Special Effect: Captive Souls


    After killing a powerful enemy, you can choose to imprison their soul in Pluto. These powerful souls will provide you with various benefits.¡¿


    ¡¾Current Captive Soul Capacity: 1/2


    Soul of Mandrillus sphinx "Big Jin"¡¿


    ¡¾Special Effect 2: Soul Prison


    Can store souls that Pluto has captured but you do not wish to imprison temporarily, and can replace imprisoned souls.


    Current Capacity: 1/10¡¿


    ¡¾Advancement Method:


    Basic Condition: Wear Pluto and personally kill 2000 ordinary enemies, 20 elite enemies, and 3 boss enemies in battle.


    Current Progress: 0/2000, 0/20, 0/3


    Special Condition: Viewable after meeting the basic condition¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: The name of Pluto is forged from the bones of endless beings. You have only taken the first step.¡¿


    ...


    Pluto had advanced, increasing the maximum number of souls it could imprison by one.


    It also gained a new special effect, allowing him to store souls he did not wish to imprison and to replace them.


    This greatly expanded his operational space.


    As expected of growth equipment, it was indeed powerful.


    Ye Shuangluo was very happy, but he did not ignore the conditions for Pluto''s next advancement.


    The basic conditions were twice as many as before, which was not a big deal for now.


    There was also a special condition, although he couldn''t see what it was for now, it was definitely going to be difficult.


    He didn''t worry too much about the advancement conditions for now. Future problems could be dealt with in the future.


    What he needed to do now was to check the effects of Xiao Shan''s soul, which he had just defeated.


    After silently praying in his heart, he opened the information panel for Xiao Shan''s soul.


    ¡¾Soul of Breaker Star Fate Master/Ghost Legion Captain Xiao Shan¡¿


    ¡¾Effect: Starlight Illumination, Evil Repulsion, automatically removes one debuff (negative status) from the status bar each month¡¿


    ¡¾Effect: Each attack has a chance to summon a number of Ghost Legion soldiers equal to your Intelligence Attribute, with a small chance to summon seven vice-captains of the Ghost Legion, and a very small chance to summon Ghost Legion Captain Xiao Shan to join the battle.


    Note: The Ghost Legion has a total of members, which is also the maximum number of Ghost Legion soldiers you can summon.


    When this soul is imprisoned, each time you kill an enemy, there is a chance to convert the enemy into a Ghost Legion soldier.¡¿


    ¡¾Note: This soul is a special dual soul, with a cooldown time of one hour for each switch¡¿


    ¡¾Imprison? Yes/No¡¿


    !


    A special dual soul, and both buffs provided by the two souls were very powerful.


    One could help him remove negative statuses, although the cooldown time was a bit long.


    The other could summon helpers during battle and seemed to have growth potential.


    Ye Shuangluo immediately chose to imprison it.


    After the imprisonment was completed, his body, weakened by Self-Devour, was instantly enveloped by a warm current, and the weakness was swept away.


    Ye Shuangluo, fully restored!


    ¡¾Esteemed Reserve Player, it has been detected that you have completed all main quests in this world. You can choose to return immediately, or stay in this world for up to 12 more hours before being forcibly returned.¡¿


    ¡¾Return immediately? Yes/No¡¿


    Ye Shuangluo chose no, he still had one last thing to do. It wouldn''t be too late to return after finishing that.


    "Boom!"


    A beastly roar, like thunder, suddenly reached Ye Shuangluo''s ears.


    It was a sound he had never heard before, carrying an invisible pressure.


    The White Tiger was so frightened that it lay on the ground, trembling, covering its ears with its paws as if trying to block out the sound.


    The Rebels nearby looked in disbelief in the direction of the sound.


    "How could it be... Has General Fu Hai really betrayed us?"


    As members of the Rebels, they were naturally very familiar with General Fu Hai''s roar.


    They had also heard Su Zhan and Xiao Shan''s conversation just now, but they thought it was just a lie Xiao Shan told to crush Su Zhan''s fighting spirit.


    But it turned out to be true. One of the six generals of the Rebels, hailed as the strongest man among the Rebels, General Fu Hai, had actually betrayed them.


    For a moment, they were at a loss. Was their rebellion really meaningless?


    Ye Shuangluo, on the other hand, was not as confused as they were. He merely glanced in the direction of the sound.


    Then he ran to the trembling White Tiger, climbed onto its back, and whispered in its ear:


    "Big Cat, take me over there."


    Upon hearing the familiar voice of the harbinger of doom, the White Tiger, for some reason, was no longer afraid.


    That roar did indeed carry an innate pressure, but compared to the harbinger of doom, it was nothing.


    "Roar!"


    The White Tiger let out a thunderous roar and carried Ye Shuangluo towards the direction of the sound.


    For the full version, visit [ ].


    ...


    Su Zhan stood on the ground, his white clothes almost completely stained with blood.


    Even though he was covered in wounds, he still calmly looked at the figure in the sky.


    In the sky, a Flood Dragon with deer antlers and snake scales spoke in a mocking tone.


    "Su Zhan, give up. Without the Seven Kills Demon Blade, what do you have to fight me with?"


    Su Zhan knew better than anyone that he couldn''t win, but he still raised the Red Flame Demon Blade in his hand, pointing it at the Flood Dragon in the sky.


    "Fu Hai, although I always called you a freak, I always thought we were comrades, comrades who could entrust our lives to each other.


    Why did you betray us?"


    "Hahaha." The Flood Dragon laughed uncontrollably, as if he had heard something incredibly funny.


    "Because I''m not satisfied. Why should I fight so hard, only to let that Xiao guy sit on the supreme throne? He doesn''t deserve it!"


    "How dare you!"


    Su Zhan shouted angrily. Even though he was covered in wounds, even though his comrade had betrayed him, he had shown no extra emotion, but now he was furious to the extreme.


    "His Highness is more suited to sit on the supreme throne than anyone else in this world. You beast have no right to insult him!"


    The Flood Dragon looked at Su Zhan''s extremely angry expression and couldn''t help but laugh again.


    "Hahaha, Su Zhan, you really are his most obedient, most loyal dog.


    Don''t worry, after I kill you, I''ll send him down soon, so you can reunite in the underworld." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Flood Dragon opened its mouth wide, gathering a large amount of lightning in its mouth, ready to blast Su Zhan.


    "The capital is really a great place, it even has such a big long worm."


    A young man''s voice suddenly came from behind the Flood Dragon, followed by a domineering tiger roar.


    "Roar!"


    A sharp pain came from the Flood Dragon''s tail, and then its entire body was forcibly pulled down from the sky by a huge force.


    Boom!


    Its massive body crashed heavily to the ground, and the culprit shouted to the severely injured Su Zhan:


    "Hey, you over there, almost dead, I hope I''m not too late."


    Su Zhan looked at the familiar figure, a slight smile appearing on his lips.


    "Too bad, if you had come a little later, I would have already killed this long worm."


    ```

 Chapter 42 – Dragon Slayer

    Ye Shuangluo arrived riding the White Tiger just as the Flood Dragon in the sky was gathering strength for a final blow to finish off Su Zhan.


    In a split second, he infused the Wind Element into the White Tiger and commanded it to leap up and drag the Flood Dragon down.


    The White Tiger was initially reluctant. Though it was the king of beasts, the Flood Dragon in the sky was a terrifying opponent.


    The overwhelming Dragon Might made it almost impossible for him to move.


    But with the menacing star riding on his back, brandishing a blade, he had to choose: die now or pull the Flood Dragon down.


    So, the White Tiger reluctantly leaped up and forcibly dragged the Flood Dragon down from the sky.


    "Chomp chomp."


    Snowflake chewed on the meat he had just torn from the Flood Dragon.


    He had to admit, it was the toughest meat he had ever eaten, especially with the scales that made chewing even harder.


    But he kept chewing desperately, knowing this might be his only chance to taste dragon meat in his lifetime.


    And... it was incredibly delicious.


    He completely understood why the menacing star loved meat so much¡ªit was just too good.


    The Flood Dragon, now in human form, looked very similar to his half-sister, both having antlers on their heads.


    The difference was that his sister only had snake scales covering half her body, while he was entirely covered in them.


    He glared at the White Tiger, who was still chewing, his face twisted in anger.


    With a thought, he gathered a massive amount of lightning in his palm and struck out with a bolt of lightning.


    Bang!


    The lightning bolt was intercepted halfway by an ice shield.


    Naturally, it was Ye Shuangluo who intervened. Tilting his head, he looked at the Overturning Sea General and said seriously:


    "Freak, it''s not your fault you''re ugly, but it''s your fault for coming out to scare people."


    "Giggle."


    Su Zhan, standing to the side, couldn''t help but laugh. He never expected Ye Shuangluo to have such a sharp tongue.


    The key was his deadpan expression, which made the insult even more lethal.


    "You want to die!"


    The Overturning Sea General couldn''t remember the last time he had been called a "freak."


    Even Su Zhan, who had always disliked him, only called him that behind his back.


    The last time he heard it was in his childhood, from ignorant villagers who knew nothing but still called him a freak.


    He had later repaid those villagers by turning them all into charred corpses with his lightning.


    In a fit of rage, he transformed back into a Flood Dragon and soared into the sky.


    This time, he flew even higher, beyond the reach of the White Tiger.


    Rumble!


    Countless bolts of lightning rained down on Ye Shuangluo, who stood calmly in place.


    The Overturning Sea General eagerly watched from above, hoping to see the mouthy brat turned into charcoal, but he was disappointed.


    Ye Shuangluo merely raised his hand slightly, and countless ice shields formed in mid-air, blocking each bolt of lightning.


    The Overturning Sea General couldn''t believe his eyes. His signature move, the Rain of Thunder, was being blocked so easily.


    "Is that all you''ve got, you overgrown lizard?"


    Ye Shuangluo taunted again, his disdainful tone and smiling face making the Overturning Sea General furious.


    "Think you''re good at blocking? Let''s see you block this!"


    The special scales on the Overturning Sea General''s forehead glowed blood-red, and several scales on his waist and abdomen vanished instantly.


    The Rain of Thunder continued to fall relentlessly, with the ice shields blocking each bolt.


    Unnoticed, a purple-red bolt of lightning mixed in with the blue thunderbolts.


    The Overturning Sea General thought he could catch Ye Shuangluo off guard, but Ye Shuangluo''s Perception had already warned him.


    His Perception told him that if he took this hit, he might be seriously injured or even killed.


    Naturally, he wasn''t foolish enough to take it head-on. He covered his legs with Wind Element and ran.


    Unfortunately, even though he chose to dodge, the purple-red lightning seemed to have tracking abilities and followed him.


    Ye Shuangluo frowned slightly but stopped running. He used his Spiritual Power to create multiple ice shields in front of him.


    Crack crack crack!


    The purple-red lightning shattered each ice shield with destructive force.


    Just as the lightning was about to break through all the ice shields and strike Ye Shuangluo, he did something unexpected.


    He converted all his Spiritual Power into Wind Element and shot into the sky, heading straight for the Overturning Sea General.


    The Overturning Sea General didn''t know what Ye Shuangluo intended, but seeing him approach, he instinctively tried to move away.


    But how could his speed compare to Ye Shuangluo''s with the Wind Element?


    Ye Shuangluo reached his head and grabbed onto his antlers, refusing to let go.


    The purple-red lightning, still tracking Ye Shuangluo, followed him into the sky.


    The Overturning Sea General realized what Ye Shuangluo was doing but it was too late.


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    The purple-red lightning was already above him.


    Rumble!


    In a desperate move, he opened his mouth and swallowed the lightning. As he did, Ye Shuangluo took the opportunity to jump off him.


    Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a terrifying blade aura slashed through his midsection.


    "Seven Kills Technique: Final Form"


    "Ugh~"


    He let out a painful howl. Though he wasn''t cut in half, a massive wound opened in his body.


    Blood sprayed from the wound like rain.


    Bang!


    His body crashed to the ground, creating a large crater.


    After delivering the slash, Su Zhan''s deep black hair turned half white at a visible speed.


    But his face showed no regret, only disappointment that he hadn''t killed the freak with one strike.


    Ten minutes earlier, after Ye Shuangluo arrived, he suddenly heard Su Zhan''s voice in his mind.


    "You''re probably not good at dealing with large enemies. I have a move specifically for him, but it requires some time to charge. Distract him, and I''ll find a chance to deliver a fatal blow."


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t know how Su Zhan was communicating with him, but he chose to trust him.


    So he taunted the Flood Dragon, drawing all its attention to himself.


    As a result, the Flood Dragon ignored Su Zhan, who was charging up for a big move.


    The result was a single slash that severely injured the Flood Dragon.


    The Flood Dragon reverted to human form, staggering as he tried to stand.


    Slash!


    A lightning-fast blade severed his hands.


    The Overturning Sea General looked at his severed hands on the ground, blood spraying from his wrists like a fountain, still in shock.


    Finally, the intense pain hit him, and he knelt, howling in agony.


    "Hiss! Ugh! Ah! My hands!"


    The lightning-fast slash was Ye Shuangluo''s doing, testing his new skill, "Breaker Star''s Power."


    The result was satisfactory. With the power of Breaker Star, he had severed the top-tier demon''s hands with one strike.


    Since the test was complete, there was no reason to keep him alive. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If not for the test, he would have decapitated him or stabbed him through the heart long ago, not just cut off his hands.


    Sensing Ye Shuangluo''s killing intent, the Overturning Sea General desperately called out to Su Zhan.


    "Su Zhan, save me! Don''t let him kill me. We''re comrades, fighting side by side!"


    Su Zhan looked at the pleading Overturning Sea General, recalling their past experiences together, and sighed.


    "...I can''t bear to watch you die."


    The Overturning Sea General felt a glimmer of hope, only to see Su Zhan silently close his eyes.


    Slash!


    The blade cut through flesh, severing his head.

 Chapter 43 – May you have great martial fortune

    ```


    We are ", find us on google.


    ¡¾Congratulations on achieving: Dragon Slayer¡¿


    ¡¾Reward: +100 Lightning Element Resistance¡¿


    ¡­¡­


    After beheading the Overturning Sea General, a system notification immediately rang in Ye Shuangluo''s mind.


    He had earned another achievement, and this time, it directly rewarded him with 100 points of Lightning Element Resistance.


    Unfortunately, there were no enemies using lightning elements around; otherwise, he would have loved to test the extent of this 100-point resistance.


    Casually storing the green treasure chest that had dropped into his space backpack, Ye Shuangluo was about to step towards Su Zhan when the White Tiger suddenly pounced towards him.


    "Nom nom nom"


    He watched in shock as the White Tiger, like a Peke, lay on the ground, continuously licking the blood flowing from the Overturning Sea General.


    He called out twice, but the White Tiger seemed addicted, focusing solely on licking the blood on the ground.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t be bothered with it anymore and quickly walked over to Su Zhan.


    But when he reached Su Zhan, he hesitated to speak.


    "Your hair..."


    Recalling their first meeting, Su Zhan was a handsome young man in his prime with a head of black hair.


    Now, half of that black hair had turned white, though he still exuded extraordinary charisma.


    But he no longer looked like a young man in his twenties, more like an old man nearing the end of his life.


    Su Zhan smiled nonchalantly and said the most outrageous thing in the calmest tone.


    "Just twenty years of lifespan... I never thought you could defeat Xiao Shan."


    Ye Shuangluo twitched his mouth. How could he speak so lightly?


    He didn''t sympathize with Su Zhan because he knew Su Zhan didn''t need sympathy. Su Zhan must have thought deeply before making that decisive strike.


    "Just a lucky win. Where''s the old emperor?"


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t waste words and directly asked about what he was most concerned with.


    Su Zhan shook his head, indicating he didn''t know either.


    "When I arrived, only that freak was here."


    His gaze fell on the headless corpse, and for once, his tone carried a rare hint of frustration.


    "If I had known I would face him in the capital, I should have brought Seven Kills."


    Su Zhan knew very well that if Ye Shuangluo hadn''t arrived in time, he would have died at the hands of the traitor Overturning Sea General.


    He was very grateful to Ye Shuangluo, but also very angry.


    Angry at his own incompetence, he couldn''t imagine the complete failure of the mission without Ye Shuangluo.


    He couldn''t tolerate his incompetence causing His Highness''s plans to fail.


    Boom!


    Both of them looked towards the direction of the thunder.


    "That direction... it must be the Thieves'' Guild making a move, and the dog emperor should be there too.


    That''s a bustling area, and they''re using such large-scale magic. Are they crazy?"


    Honestly, although the dog emperor was there, Su Zhan didn''t plan to go over. His mission in the capital was already complete.


    Xiao Shan was dead, and the Ghost Legion had been freed with his death.


    He didn''t plan to get involved in the mess between the Thieves'' Guild and the dog emperor.


    But just because he didn''t plan to get involved didn''t mean the other person present wouldn''t.


    Ye Shuangluo looked towards the bustling area, intending to see if he could achieve his final accomplishment in this world before returning.


    "Su Zhan, I''m going to assassinate the old emperor. Let''s part ways here."


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, Su Zhan was stunned. He didn''t expect Ye Shuangluo to say that.


    "The dog emperor is indeed hateful, but there''s no need to rush. You can come back to Lingzhou with me, and we can plan carefully."


    Su Zhan didn''t want Ye Shuangluo to throw his life away because he knew that person was also in the capital.


    Moreover, he didn''t understand why Ye Shuangluo was in such a hurry, as if he was running out of time.


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t explain anything to him. They were comrades, but now, their paths had reached an end, and it was time to part.


    So Ye Shuangluo turned and waved, then kicked the White Tiger, who was still licking blood, in the butt.


    "Big cat, stop licking. Do me one last favor and take me over there."


    After saying that, he skillfully mounted the White Tiger.


    The White Tiger was startled awake by the kick, utterly confused. What had he just done? Why was he suddenly licking blood?


    Wait, did this menacing star just say to do him one last favor? Was he about to be free?


    Thinking of this, he let out a joyful roar and ran with all his might in the direction Ye Shuangluo pointed.


    Su Zhan watched the figure riding the White Tiger grow distant, his mind filled with words to persuade him to stay. But in the end, he only said:


    "May you have great martial fortune."


    ¡­¡­


    Boom!


    Above the sky, dark clouds gathered, and bolts of lightning struck down.


    Each bolt of lightning struck a protective shield on the ground.


    Inside the shield were the calm old emperor, the trembling ministers, and the wealthy merchants he had invited to the banquet.


    The old emperor watched the lightning strike the shield with indifference.


    Even though the shield was riddled with holes and about to shatter, he remained calm, as if he didn''t care at all.


    Outside the shield stood a dozen Taoists, dressed in robes, old and young, male and female.


    Each of them held a special hand gesture.


    Occasionally, one would change their gesture.


    The dark clouds in the sky were summoned by them, and the bolts of lightning were guided down by them.


    The leading Taoist shouted in a deep voice:


    "Xiao Haoming, today is your death day. The nineteen of us from the Taoist Alliance will perish with you."


    The Taoist had a look of determined sacrifice, and the others shared the same expression.


    Inside the shield, chaos had erupted among the others, but the old emperor remained calm, even reminiscing about the past.


    "Xiao Haoming is indeed my real name. It''s been so many years since anyone called me that. How nostalgic."


    Bang!


    Just as the old emperor finished speaking, the shield was shattered by the lightning.


    "Ah!"


    The ministers and wealthy merchants scattered in all directions, but the dark clouds in the sky did not dissipate.


    Countless bolts of lightning struck down mercilessly, killing the fleeing ministers and merchants one by one.


    Ren Tianxing was also one of the guests invited by the emperor. After the shield shattered, he chose to flee south.


    But as his companions were struck down by lightning one by one, he closed his eyes, giving up the struggle, ready to embrace death.


    But after a while, he didn''t feel the pain of being struck by lightning. He couldn''t help but open his eyes.


    He found a massive ice shield above his head, and at the same time, a somewhat familiar voice came from beside him.


    "See, I told you I would repay you."


    Ren Tianxing looked at the voice''s owner, a young man riding a White Tiger, looking at him with a half-smile.


    Seeing the face he never wanted to see again in his life, Ren Tianxing''s emotions were extremely complicated.


    "Why is it you? How... how are you here?"


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t answer him, continuing to ride the White Tiger forward, leaving him with one last sentence.


    "Leave quickly. This is no place for a merchant like you."


    Ren Tianxing wasn''t one to hesitate. He took a deep look at the young man riding the White Tiger, vowing to repay him someday. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Shuangluo used the ice shield to block all the lightning aimed at Ren Tianxing. Only when the latter was completely out of his perception range did he feel at ease.


    Then he jumped off the White Tiger and patted its head.


    "Big cat, you''re free now. Leave quickly; it''s too dangerous here."


    "Roar"


    In fact, the White Tiger didn''t need to be told. He knew very well how dangerous it was here, with lightning everywhere, ready to strike him at any moment.


    So, after Ye Shuangluo spoke, he immediately ran towards the city gates.


    ```

 Chapter 44 – Assassinate the King

    Boom!


    Under the bombardment of countless heavenly thunders, the emperor deftly dodged them all with his agile movements.


    The Taoists nearby, in order to maintain their spells, could only stand there foolishly.


    Fortunately, the thunder was dense, and the emperor could only dodge for now, unable to spare a hand to deal with them.


    But the emperor was, after all, just a mortal with a flesh and blood body, and everyone makes mistakes.


    He stumbled over a stone, and a bolt of lightning was already less than a meter away from him.


    All the Taoists present held their breath. Was the moment they had been longing for finally about to happen?


    Crack!


    An ice shield silently appeared above the emperor''s head, completely blocking the lightning.


    The emperor, who had been calm all along, curiously looked at the ice shield above his head. Who had stepped in to protect him?


    The Taoists, whose hopes were dashed, looked in disbelief at the suddenly appearing ice shield. Who was it? Who was protecting the emperor?


    Crack, crack, crack!


    Countless ice shields suddenly appeared in mid-air, blocking the descending lightning one by one.


    Accompanying the appearance of the ice shields was a boy dressed in strange attire.


    The Taoists watched the boy walking towards them step by step, tense and wary.


    "Who goes there!"


    They were very nervous; the boy had just appeared and summoned countless ice shields to block the lightning.


    Such power was definitely not simple.


    Moreover, the boy had just protected the emperor, so he was likely an enemy rather than a friend.


    They felt a bit desperate. They had finally found a chance when Xiao Shan was not by the emperor''s side to protect him. Was this hard-won opportunity going to be wasted again?


    "Don''t be nervous, I''m with the Rebels."


    Hearing Ye Shuangluo''s words, the Taoists looked at him as if he were joking.


    The Rebels and the court were mortal enemies. How could someone from the Rebels save the emperor?


    Ye Shuangluo shrugged. Of course, he acted because he wanted to kill the emperor with his own hands.


    That was his achievement goal. He had stayed here just to hunt the emperor.


    But why did they call themselves the Thieves¡¯ Guild instead of the Taoist Alliance when they were clearly a group of Taoists?


    Ye Shuangluo didn''t understand their organization''s naming, but he didn''t bother to say more.


    He took out Mortal Kill from his space backpack, and the Wind Element instantly covered the blade as he slashed towards the old emperor.


    The swift strike, like a gust of wind, was dodged by the old emperor.


    Although he was surprised that the old emperor could dodge the strike, he immediately swung a few more times at the emperor.


    But for some reason, the old emperor always managed to avoid the fatal blows.


    So, it became a scene of him slashing and the emperor dodging, leaving the Taoists who were struggling to maintain their spells dumbfounded.


    What was going on? He had just saved the emperor, and now he was trying to kill him.


    A young Taoist, watching Ye Shuangluo''s actions, suddenly started to imagine:


    "Could it be that he, like us, has a deep-seated hatred for this emperor and wants to kill him personally?"


    Everyone suddenly understood. That made sense.


    No wonder he saved the emperor earlier and now was trying to kill him.


    Crack!


    The old emperor tried to dodge again, but Ye Shuangluo had already frozen his feet with the Ice Element.


    So, the old emperor could only stand there, waiting for the death blow.


    Giggle!


    His head was directly chopped off.


    But there was no joy on Ye Shuangluo''s face because his talent didn''t prompt him, which meant he hadn''t killed the emperor.


    He directly plunged the blade into the emperor''s headless body, shredding the heart.


    This scene made others feel nauseous. The emperor was already dead, and yet he was still desecrating the body.


    It must be a deep-seated hatred.


    Although they lost the chance to kill the emperor themselves, they didn''t really mind that much.


    Ye Shuangluo shredded the emperor''s heart into pieces, but his mood was heavy.


    Still no prompt, the achievement of Assassinate the King was still not completed.


    He had chopped off the head and shredded the heart.


    The emperor should be dead by now, so why wasn''t it completed? Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He felt a vague unease, as if something bad was about to happen.


    Just as Ye Shuangluo was both puzzled and uneasy, the entire capital suddenly shook violently.


    "An earthquake? And now of all times!"


    The Taoists stopped maintaining their spells, and the dark clouds in the sky instantly dispersed, and they scattered as well.


    Ye Shuangluo plunged his blade into the ground, gripping the hilt tightly to maintain his balance.


    The ground cracked open, and a milky white, eyeless, mouth-only worm suddenly burst out from the ground.


    As the worm emerged, Ye Shuangluo saw the "scenery" beneath the capital.


    Bones, countless bones, piled into mountains of bones.


    There were children''s, young people''s, men''s, and women''s bones.


    These bones seemed incomplete, some only heads, some only arms.


    Ye Shuangluo suddenly understood where those who served in labor went. The children in Dongfeng Village might never see their parents again.


    Unlike Ye Shuangluo, who focused on the bones, everyone else focused on the giant worm.


    "What a huge worm."


    At this moment, whether they were rebels, Taoists, or residents of the capital, they were all dumbfounded.


    The worm, after emerging from the ground, blocked the sun above them, making the entire capital feel like night had fallen.


    "You have successfully angered me!"


    The worm could talk?


    Wait, the Taoists realized, the worm referred to itself as "me."


    They looked at each other, clearly thinking of the legendary story that even three-year-olds knew in this world.


    An Immortal bestowed a divine stone, forging an immortal body for the emperor.


    This eyeless, mouth-only worm, could it be the legendary immortal body?


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the emperor''s enormous "immortal body" and understood why the achievement hadn''t shown as completed.


    It seemed that killing the emperor in this form was the key to completing the achievement.


    At this moment, Ye Shuangluo knew he had to fight with his back against the wall.


    This was his final battle in this world, a test of his growth here.


    His black eyes slowly turned blood-red, and the battle intent in his gaze could no longer be restrained.


    Asura Demon Eye, activate!


    Kill Order, mark!


    After doing all this, he charged towards the emperor with his blade.


    The Taoists were amazed at this scene.


    Was this rebel boy really that brave?


    He had just chopped off the emperor''s head in human form, and now he was the first to charge again. He must have a deep-seated hatred for the emperor.


    "You lowly worm, how dare you come forward to die!"


    A worm calling someone else a worm, how ironic.


    The emperor let out an angry roar, a deafening sound that echoed throughout the capital.


    No eyes, yet he could still see?


    Ye Shuangluo quickly observed his surroundings and decided to use the nearby buildings to approach the emperor.


    It turned out that the emperor''s body, though intimidating, had little combat power.


    Ye Shuangluo leaped from building to building, easily landing on the emperor''s body.


    Read the most updated version of this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at [ ]


    "Lowly worm, how dare you touch my great and supreme ''immortal body.'' I will eat you, crush your bones bit by bit."


    Now that he was on the emperor''s body, he didn''t waste any time and directly stabbed down with his blade.


    Giggle!


    The blade easily pierced the emperor''s skin. Though it was a trivial wound to him, he let out a wail.


    It hurt so much. He hadn''t felt pain in many years.


    But Ye Shuangluo frowned. The damage was too low. The emperor''s enormous body limited the damage he could inflict.


    He had to find a way to increase the damage.


    He simply left Mortal Kill embedded in the emperor''s body, then gripped it tightly and started running across the emperor''s body.


    As he ran, the blade quickly slashed across the emperor''s body.


    "Ah!"


    The wound rapidly expanded, and the emperor began to madly crash around the capital in pain.


    His human form had been decapitated, but that body was just a decoy to mislead others.


    Even if it were dismembered, he wouldn''t feel anything.


    But now it was different. Now his "immortal body" was being harmed.


    Everyone in the capital could see this scene, a moment they would never forget.


    A boy in strange attire, standing on a giant worm.


    The boy was as small as an ant, yet he caused the worm immense pain.


    As the wounds on the emperor''s body grew larger, blood gushed out continuously.


    It started raining in the capital, a green, corrosive rain.


    The old emperor kept wailing, rolling around trying to shake Ye Shuangluo off.


    But he failed. Instead, Ye Shuangluo took the opportunity to further enlarge the wounds.


    As the wounds grew larger, Ye Shuangluo suddenly noticed a glowing spot on the emperor''s body.


    Since the emperor''s entire body was milky white, it was impossible to see the glowing spot without climbing onto him and looking closely.


    Ye Shuangluo quickly ran to the glowing spot and used his blade to dig down rapidly. Soon, he saw what was glowing.


    It was a heart, a crystalline heart.


    Ye Shuangluo had a hunch that destroying this heart would kill the old emperor.


    The old emperor also sensed his heart was exposed to the air, and he panicked, starting to beg for mercy.


    "No, don''t kill me. I can give you many treasures. I''ll make you a high official, a prince!"


    "Old emperor... you look so pathetic right now."


    Crack!


    Ye Shuangluo shattered the crystalline heart with a single slash.


    As the heart shattered with a crack, the emperor''s enormous "immortal body" slowly ceased to move.


    [Congratulations, you have achieved: Assassinate the King]


    Clap, clap, clap!


    "Wonderful, absolutely wonderful."

 Chapter 45 – Playing with the Immortal

    "Ye Shuangluo, your martial skills are truly exceptional. You actually managed to kill the emperor."


    A young man clapped his hands as he walked over.


    The young man had an unremarkable appearance, the kind that would blend into any crowd.


    But as he got closer, a thought appeared in everyone''s mind.


    Why did I think he was an ordinary person?


    "...Should I call you Brother Shan Ren, or should I, like everyone else, kneel and address you as Immortal?"


    Ye Shuangluo''s voice was not loud, but it left all the Taoists around him in shock.


    They stared at the young man in horror. He was an Immortal? The Immortal who only existed in legends?


    "When did you find out?"


    "Actually, I had my suspicions not long after we met."


    "Why? I believe I didn''t reveal any flaws."


    "Left ''Ren,'' right ''Shan,'' together they form the character for ''Immortal.''"


    Clap, clap, clap!


    Shan Ren, no, the Immortal, couldn''t help but clap again.


    "Such keen insight and terrifying observation skills. Indeed, even among insects, you are the finest."


    "Heh."


    Ye Shuangluo sneered coldly. Arrogant, as expected of a legendary Immortal.


    The Immortal wasn''t carrying his bamboo basket this time, and the small snake that was always with him was now coiled around his neck.


    Interestingly, the snake, which was originally the length of a finger, had grown to the size of a bowl.


    Perhaps because of its larger body, the dragon horns on its head, which were previously inconspicuous, were now clearly visible.


    "If I''m not mistaken, it must be the owner of the dragon scale mentioned in the last chapter by Gao Yangzi."


    The Immortal neither confirmed nor denied it. He casually reached out and summoned the divine stone from the forbidden area of the palace.


    Seeing the divine stone, the members of the Thieves'' Guild became uneasy. The leading Taoist respectfully said,


    "Great Immortal, years ago you decreed that our Taoist Alliance be renamed the Thieves'' Guild and that we could only revert to our original name after stealing the divine stone.


    Today, I dare to ask, what was your intention behind this?"


    The Immortal stroked the head of the snake coiled around his neck and nonchalantly replied,


    "There was no particular intention. I just found it amusing."


    Upon hearing this, the leading Taoist neither collapsed nor became angry.


    He had long suspected this answer but was unwilling to believe it. He didn''t want to believe that the efforts of the Taoist Alliance over the years were just a joke to amuse the Immortal.


    "People say that Gao Yangzi angered you back then, so you decreed that we change our name to the Thieves'' Guild."


    "Gao Yangzi... he was an interesting insect."


    Despite the Immortal''s insult, the Taoist''s expression remained unchanged.


    In the calmest tone, he said,


    "My name is Ziyang. Gao Yangzi was my grandmaster. I want to tell you on his behalf that you are nothing but scum, unworthy of anyone''s worship."


    The Immortal did not get angry. He casually flicked his finger, and Ziyang''s body instantly exploded into countless blood droplets suspended in the air.


    "Why are you insects always so annoying? Gao Yangzi was like this, and so are you."


    Although the Immortal had just killed the disrespectful Taoist Ziyang, his gaze remained fixed on Ye Shuangluo.


    Ye Shuangluo had witnessed the entire scene and gleaned some information from their conversation.


    "Gao Yangzi found you in the end, didn''t he?"


    The Immortal''s eyes showed a hint of surprise, but he nodded.


    "Yes, he found me in the end, hoping I would solve the calamities plaguing the world."


    "Is there more to the story?" Ye Shuangluo added, "There should be more to the book ''Immortal''s Musings,'' right? Since he found you."


    The Immortal looked at him strangely but eventually took out a book from his space ring and tossed it to him.


    [Collectible: Gao Yangzi''s ''Immortal''s Musings'']


    [Effect: When placed in the collection room, all Taoists you encounter will have a +5 innate favorability towards you.]


    Ye Shuangluo hadn''t expected to obtain a collectible from this, a pleasant surprise indeed.


    He skimmed through the book, learning about the final chapter of Gao Yangzi''s life.


    "You let him go in the end, just so he could die with a shattered faith and regrets?"


    "Yes! Don''t you find it interesting? Giving someone hope and then ruthlessly taking it away."


    Madman, a complete madman.


    No more words were needed. Ye Shuangluo marked him with a Kill Order.


    Even though Ye Shuangluo knew he stood no chance against this man.


    Facing Ye Shuangluo''s attack, the Immortal didn''t even lift a finger. He was sent flying by an invisible force.


    "Why bother? How could an insect possibly defy the will of the Creator?


    Brother Ye, don''t worry, I won''t kill you. I''ll use the remaining divine stone to transform your body, forging an immortal body far superior to that foolish emperor you killed."


    Ye Shuangluo said nothing, gripping his long blade tightly, and charged again.


    The Immortal stood still, not even bothering to move.


    To him, everything Ye Shuangluo did was futile.


    Perhaps to make Ye Shuangluo despair, he didn''t immediately repel him this time.


    Instead, he stood there, letting Ye Shuangluo''s strikes hit his shield.


    In Ye Shuangluo''s eyes, it seemed as if the Immortal had an invisible armor, blocking every strike ten centimeters away from his body.


    Whoosh!


    As Ye Shuangluo relentlessly attacked, a crossbow bolt flew straight at him.


    Clang!


    An ice shield appeared in front of him, blocking the bolt.


    Ye Shuangluo reached out towards the direction of the bolt.


    The twin fox girls hiding behind the crossbow were instantly enveloped by the Wind Element and pulled towards him.


    Giggling!


    With one swift motion, he skewered the two foxes like candied hawthorn.


    The white fox girl looked incredulous, seemingly unable to believe she was really going to die this time.


    The silver fox girl, her sister, showed a look of relief.


    [Congratulations on achieving: Demon Slayer]


    [Reward: Wind Element Affinity +10]


    He hadn''t expected to achieve this in the end, a pleasant surprise indeed.


    "How pathetic, Brother Ye. Are you venting your anger on mere animals?"


    Clearly, the Immortal misunderstood Ye Shuangluo''s actions, sighing in disappointment.


    Ye Shuangluo offered no explanation, continuing to swing his blade.


    The Immortal casually waved his hand, swatting Ye Shuangluo away like a fly.


    "Ugh."


    Ye Shuangluo spat out mouthfuls of blood, but his eyes showed no despair.


    He planted Mortal Kill into the ground, struggling to stand, and asked the Immortal a puzzling question:


    "...Immortal, do you bleed? If you get hurt, do you howl in pain like humans?"


    The Immortal frowned, not understanding.


    But he soon realized, as Ye Shuangluo extended his hand and clenched his fist.


    Killing Mark, explode!


    Boom!


    Five layers of Killing Mark detonated.


    Breaker Star''s Power was a good skill, allowing Ye Shuangluo to ignore 15% of the enemy''s defense with any attack.


    Combined with the explosion of five layers of Killing Mark, the blast''s power rivaled some of the Main World''s thermal weapons. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the smoke cleared, the Immortal still stood there, unscathed, not even a speck of dust on his clothes, but his expression was grim.


    "Hahaha."


    Ye Shuangluo laughed wildly, his voice echoing across the battlefield.


    "See? This is an Immortal. Though terrifyingly strong, he is not invincible."


    "I''ve changed my mind. I''ll grind your bones to dust, imprison your soul in a puppet, and torture you. Don''t worry, I''ll regularly give you a new puppet body."


    Facing the enraged Immortal, Ye Shuangluo knew he would be torn to pieces instantly, with no chance of resistance, so he decided to flee.


    "Return!"


    As he chanted in his mind, Ye Shuangluo felt dizzy, still unaccustomed to spatial teleportation.


    The enraged Immortal nearby suddenly sensed a strong spatial fluctuation, originating from Ye Shuangluo.


    Realizing what was happening, the Immortal frantically tried to stop Ye Shuangluo, but it was too late.


    He could only watch as Ye Shuangluo''s body became increasingly ethereal, eventually disappearing completely.


    "No!!!"

 Chapter 46 – Boiling Main World

    ```


    [Esteemed Reserve Player, the following events have influenced your current rating]


    [Completion of Main Quest: Slight increase in rating]


    [Completion of Side Quests: End Killing with Killing, Companionship, One Shining Light is Enough: Significant increase in rating]


    [Defeated Ghost Legion Commander Xiao Shan, Overturning Sea General of the Rebels: Significant increase in rating]


    [Your final rating is: S+]


    [Reward: 10 Free Attribute points, Points]


    ¡­¡­


    Returning to the familiar room, Ye Shuangluo sat on the soft bed and casually picked up the phone he had left on the table before leaving.


    "Only three hours have passed in the Main World."


    He tossed the phone aside and leaned back on the bed.


    He knew there were still many things to do, but right now, he just wanted to sleep for a while.


    ¡­¡­


    "Sharing the snow, we grow old together."


    The incessant ringing of his phone woke Ye Shuangluo from his deep sleep, making him quite annoyed. Of all times, why call when he was sleeping?


    He picked up the phone and saw that it was his "Uncle" calling.


    Coincidentally, just as he picked up the phone, the call ended, and his Feixin app was flooded with messages.


    Uncle: Xiao Shuang, I heard something happened at your school. Are you okay?


    Uncle: Xiao Shuang, your aunt and I haven''t seen you in a long time. We miss you. Come over for dinner this weekend.


    Uncle: I''ll have your aunt make your favorite spicy crayfish.


    Uncle: Smiley face.JPG


    Ye Shuangluo read the messages with a blank expression. He wanted to laugh but couldn''t.


    First of all, that''s my house you''re living in. Secondly, it''s your son and daughter who like spicy crayfish.


    Ye Shuangluo is allergic to seafood, a trait he inherited from his father. Yet, spicy crayfish often appeared on their dining table.


    The reason was simple: his uncle and aunt used to bring their twins over to freeload when he was a child.


    He was speechless. His dear uncle Jiang Yiming was still as hypocritical as ever, pretending to care deeply for him while looking down on him.


    It was truly nauseating.


    Regarding this invitation to dinner, Ye Shuangluo''s evaluation was: A weasel paying respects to a chicken, up to no good.


    Who knows what they were eyeing this time? Ye Shuangluo thought for a long time but couldn''t figure out what else he had that they could take.


    Since he was already awake, he decided not to go back to sleep. He picked up his phone and opened a few short video apps.


    As expected, the internet was in an uproar.


    He scrolled through several videos, all discussing the same event.


    Doomsday theories, conspiracy theories, spiritual revival theories...


    He even saw videos of himself and the Lion Masked youth (or girl) slaughtering goblins.


    The video quality was so clear that you could even see a few pimples on the face of a female student lying on the ground.


    Ye Shuangluo checked out the other videos by this blogger and was surprised to find that, besides the videos of him and the Lion Masked youth (or girl), videos from other places had also been uploaded.


    And the most crucial part was that these videos were bloody and violent, yet they hadn''t been taken down.


    Ye Shuangluo glanced at the blogger''s name: "Ordinary Observer."


    Observer, huh? The name fits.


    He put down his phone, sat in front of his computer, and opened a browser. The trending topics were all about this event.


    The top trending topic was: "The Dark Side of the World, Superhumans Actually Exist."


    On the forums he frequented, there were photos of him and several other players. Some had basic disguises like masks, while others had no disguise at all.


    It seemed like things had really blown up.


    Ye Shuangluo checked the time. It had been eight or nine hours since he dealt with those goblins.


    He had swaggered back home, so logically, someone should have come looking for him.


    But he had slept through the night, and still, no one had come.


    He shook his head, too lazy to wonder why no one had come. It was better this way; he enjoyed the peace.


    He reopened the system panel and discovered two system messages he had missed after receiving his rating rewards.


    [Obtained World Essence, additional rewards available]


    [Congratulations, you have earned the title: Kylin Marquis, Legend Level +1]


    Ye Shuangluo thought for a moment and remembered that he had opened a Treasure Chest and got a useless Skill Book.


    The system had said that the Skill Book contained World Essence and could be recycled, giving him a useful skill in return.


    He hadn''t expected that not only did he get a useful skill, but there were also additional rewards after leaving.


    This World Essence seemed quite valuable.


    [You can choose two of the following rewards]


    [1. 200,000 Points]


    [2. 3 Free Attribute points]


    [3. Challenge Task Card]


    [4. Bloody Hunt Arrow]


    [5. Random Green Quality Equipment]


    First, he ruled out the first and fifth options. Points were useful, but they couldn''t compare to the other rewards.


    As for the Green Quality Equipment, if it were a choice, he might hesitate, but random? No thanks.


    The second option was a must. Who could refuse Free Attribute points?


    Ye Shuangluo quickly chose the 3 Free Attribute points, then had to decide between options 3 and 4.


    ¡­¡­


    [Challenge Task Card]


    [Type: Special Item]


    [Effect: Upon entering a Trial (Derivative) World, automatically activates a challenge task with generous rewards]


    [PS: The challenge task is extremely difficult and carries penalties for failure. Choose wisely.]


    [Evaluation: For the brave, this is the best item. For the cowardly, it belongs in the storage.]


    ¡­¡­


    [Bloody Hunt Arrow]


    [Type: Special Item]


    [Effect: Input a player''s ID, and it will cross worlds to lock onto the player. The next time they enter a Derivative (Trial) World, you will accompany them.] S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Evaluation: Some players with secondary professions might be able to crack its formula and mass-produce it.]


    ¡­¡­


    After reading the detailed information on the two items, Ye Shuangluo chose the Challenge Task Card without hesitation.


    The Bloody Hunt Arrow had a great effect, but it wasn''t very useful to him.


    He hadn''t made any enemies with other players yet, so he didn''t need it to lock onto and hunt anyone.


    After selecting his two rewards, he opened the other system message he had missed.


    [Kylin Marquis]


    [After you left, the Immortal was furious, but unable to vent his anger on you, he took it out on everyone in the capital.


    The "Jade" accompanying him transformed into a demon dragon, and a poisonous mist enveloped the entire capital.


    At the critical moment, the King of the Rebels arrived at the capital and personally drove away the Immortal.


    After this battle, the Rebel forces grew stronger and successfully seized the world a year later.


    The King of the Rebels was crowned Emperor, later known as the Northern Moon Emperor.


    After the Rebels seized the world, your name was celebrated as one of the Seven Generals of the Rebels.


    During the rewards and recognition, due to your outstanding contributions in the battle at the capital, you were posthumously awarded the title of Kylin Marquis.


    The Northern Moon Emperor regretted not being able to meet you for the rest of his life.


    The history books describe you as: A celestial demon star descending to the Mortal Dust.


    After settling mortal affairs, you tread the moonlit path back.]


    ¡­¡­


    "Seven Generals? What kind of status does that traitor have to be on par with me? He became a traitor, so why hasn''t he been removed?"


    Casually complaining, Ye Shuangluo rested his chin on his hand and said helplessly:


    "Actually, I regret it too. Oh well, if we''re both heroes, there''s no need to meet."


    Ye Shuangluo shrugged. He did feel a bit regretful about not meeting his temporary superior.


    There were many rumors about the King of the Rebels among the people, but according to Su Zhan, the King was knowledgeable, decisive in killing, and skilled in both literature and martial arts.


    In the popular rumors, there were celestial phenomena at his birth, with a lunar eclipse and a sky full of stars, which is how he got his name.


    So, was his name Xiao Tiangou?


    Ye Shuangluo couldn''t help but smile. It was good that the King of the Rebels was crowned Emperor in the end.


    No matter how poorly he did, he could never do worse than that 200-year-old old emperor.


    ```

 Chapter 47 – Wolf Feast

    Ye Shuangluo (Reserve Player of World sl1122)


    Health Points: 100% (This attribute cannot be fully quantified and will change based on injury severity. Currently, it is Constitution Attribute ¡Á 20)


    Spiritual Power: 160/160 (Current recovery rate is 0.3 per second)


    Strength: 10+1


    Agility: 10


    Constitution: 12


    Intelligence: 6


    Charisma: 4


    Luck: 5


    Special Attributes: Perception (20), Tenacity (0)


    Free Attribute Points: 18


    ¡­¡­


    Ye Shuangluo looked at his attribute bar with a complex expression. His Charisma attribute had dropped again. It was 6 points before, but now it had become 4 points.


    This wasn¡¯t the first time, but he couldn¡¯t figure out the reason. He hadn¡¯t even disfigured himself.


    He was puzzled but eventually gave up thinking about it. After all, he didn¡¯t really need the Charisma attribute.


    Focusing on the other attributes, he began to ponder how to allocate them.


    Soon, he made a decision.


    ¡°Allocate 5 points each to Strength, Agility, and Constitution, and 3 points to Intelligence.¡±


    Strength, Agility, and Constitution are the three main elements that dominate combat, complementing each other.


    As for Intelligence, it directly increases Spiritual Power, which was sufficient.


    He needed to activate the Asura Demon Eye during battles, and it consumed Spiritual Power too quickly.


    Without enough Spiritual Power, if the skill suddenly deactivated at a critical moment in battle, wouldn¡¯t he be left singing a sad tune?


    After deciding on the allocation, Ye Shuangluo nervously sat on the Attribute Enhancer.


    Gritting his teeth, he chose not to block the pain.


    He didn¡¯t want to spend a lot of time adapting to his new body after allocating the attributes. A bit of pain was fine; he could grit his teeth and bear it.


    Creak, creak!


    As the machine started, the familiar intense pain spread throughout his body again. Ye Shuangluo gritted his teeth and endured it.


    Perhaps because it wasn¡¯t his first time, or maybe his pain tolerance had increased, he felt it wasn¡¯t as painful as last time.


    ¡­¡­


    Half an hour later...


    Ye Shuangluo staggered off the machine, his expression calm, even feeling like saying, ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Skillfully, he opened the attribute bar to check his new attributes.


    Strength had increased to 16 points, Agility to 15 points, Constitution to 17 points, and Intelligence to 9 points.


    With the increase in Intelligence, his Spiritual Power limit had risen to 190.


    Feeling the overwhelming power within him, Ye Shuangluo enjoyed the sensation. This thrill of life evolution was simply addictive.


    He wanted to become stronger, to climb higher peaks, to see just how powerful he could become.


    Of course, the most important thing now was to take one step at a time, slowly developing and growing stronger.


    Calming his excitement, Ye Shuangluo placed the collectible he had obtained in the last world, "Immortal''s Musings" by Gao Yangzi, into the collection room.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that a character on the book''s cover, after "Immortal''s Musings," had been smudged out, suggesting the original title wasn¡¯t "Immortal''s Musings."


    After trying to decipher it for a while, he realized the missing character seemed to be "Seed."


    Immortal''s Seed?


    As expected of you, Gao Yangzi.


    ¡¾Congratulations on adding a collectible. Achievement "Accomplished Collector" progress +1¡¿


    ¡¾Current progress: 2/10¡¿


    Hearing the talent prompt in his ear, Ye Shuangluo opened his talent.


    ¡¾Congratulations on achieving "Assassinate the King"¡¿


    ¡¾Reward: Unlock Special Attribute "Armor"¡¿


    Armor: Can resist physical damage. The higher the Armor, the more physical damage it can negate.


    Ye Shuangluo studied this newly unlocked special attribute.


    The conclusion was, it was very powerful, surprisingly powerful.


    With the Armor attribute, every attack from the enemy would be reduced.


    If the enemy¡¯s Attack Power couldn¡¯t surpass his Armor attribute, the damage dealt would be zero.


    For example, Ye Shuangluo¡¯s Armor attribute had just been unlocked and was only 15 points.


    If he were to engage in PVP, the enemy¡¯s combat interface would look like this:


    ¡¾You dealt damage to Reserve Player sl1122¡¿


    ¡¾The enemy player has the Armor attribute; your attack will be reduced¡¿


    ¡¾Since your attack cannot break through the enemy¡¯s Armor attribute, the damage dealt this time is: 0¡¿


    The enemy would probably be frustrated if their hard-earned damage couldn¡¯t break through his defense.


    While Ye Shuangluo was pleased, he was also a bit troubled. He had originally planned to add points to Tenacity with the special attribute points he had obtained earlier.


    But to meet the learning conditions for the Asura Demon Eye, he had to allocate points to Perception first, planning to add Tenacity later when he had the chance.


    Now, with the addition of the Armor attribute, he was torn between increasing Armor or Tenacity with the next special attribute points.


    ¡°Forget it, who knows when I¡¯ll get the next special attribute point. No point thinking about it now.¡±


    Ye Shuangluo gave up thinking and took out a few treasure chests from his space backpack, lining them up on the ground.


    Two green treasure chests from Overturning Sea General and the Giant Wolf, and a gray treasure chest from Xiao Shan.


    He had barely met the conditions to open the gray Cursed Treasure Chest by using the Killing Mark on the Immortal at the last moment.


    Glancing at the gray treasure chest, he turned to open the two green ones first, saving the best for last.


    Opening the two treasure chests, a green light flashed by.


    ¡¾Congratulations, Reserve Player, for obtaining 5000 Points¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, Reserve Player, for obtaining 4000 Points¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, Reserve Player, for obtaining Flood Dragon Horn¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, Reserve Player, for obtaining Dragon¡¯s Reverse Scale¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, Reserve Player, for obtaining Red Flame Wolf Claw¡¿


    ¡¾Congratulations, Reserve Player, for obtaining Wolf Feast¡¿


    ¡­¡­


    ¡¾Red Flame Wolf Claw¡¿


    ¡¾Type: Material/Special Equipment¡¿


    ¡¾Quality: Green¡¿


    ¡¾This item can be further processed or transplanted to become special equipment¡¿


    ¡¾After testing, your compatibility with this item is extremely low, with a transplant success rate of 13%¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: It¡¯s quite useless for you. Of course, if you think you are the Child of Destiny, you can gamble on the 13% chance¡¿


    ¡­¡­


    ¡¾Wolf Feast¡¿


    ¡¾Equipment Type: Accessory (Ring)¡¿


    ¡¾Quality: Green+¡¿


    ¡¾Special Effect: Wolf Pack Feast


    Consumes 100 points of Spiritual Power to activate. Once activated, all allied units gain a buff. The buff type will depend on the number of allied units. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With 5 people, Health Points limit increases by 100 points.


    With 20 people, Health Points limit increases by 200 points, and 5 Health Points are restored per second.


    With 50 people, Health Points limit increases by 500 points, 10 Health Points are restored per second, and 5% of the damage dealt by each attack is converted to Health Points.


    The buff lasts for 1 hour, with a cooldown time of 12 hours¡¿


    ¡¾Evaluation: Once the Wolf Pack Feast begins, it won¡¯t stop until all enemies are torn apart¡¿


    ¡­¡­


    Points were guaranteed from every treasure chest, nothing much to say about that.


    The Flood Dragon Horn and Dragon¡¯s Reverse Scale were materials, clearly dropped by the Overturning Sea General. Although he couldn¡¯t use them, he could sell them.


    Unfortunately, no Skill Books were dropped.


    As for the Red Flame Wolf Claw, unless he was out of his mind, he wouldn¡¯t attempt the transplant.


    Finally, Ye Shuangluo looked at the "Wolf Feast" with a complicated expression. The effect was top-notch.


    Unfortunately, he probably wouldn¡¯t use it.


    After all, he was a lone wolf, and this equipment required at least five allied units.


    Wolf Feast was more suitable for large guilds; they would likely love its special effects.


    Overall, none of the items from the two green treasure chests were useful to him.


    Next, it was time to open the gray Cursed Treasure Chest. Ye Shuangluo silently washed his hands.


    After silently praying, he opened the treasure chest.


    There was no light or phenomenon; inside the chest was just an ordinary-looking book.

 Chapter 48 – Feng Liuli

    ```


    [Congratulations to the Reserve Player for obtaining the Unbeatable Aura]


    The gray Cursed Treasure Chest contained no reward points, offering only a single reward.


    Unbeatable Aura¡ªit sounded quite impressive.


    Ye Shuangluo curiously checked the detailed information of this skill book.


    [Unbeatable Aura LV.Max]


    [Skill Type: Special Skill] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.


    [Effect: Each time you win a battle, your aura becomes stronger than before.]


    [Learning Condition: A hundred victories without a single defeat.]


    [PS: Once learned, if you are ever defeated, the skill will be automatically destroyed.]


    ...


    After reading the skill description, Ye Shuangluo was left scratching his head. What kind of weirdo skill was this?


    Your aura strengthens after each victory, but what good is a stronger aura?


    Winning without fighting?


    The key issue was that when he tried to learn it, the system informed him that he didn''t meet the learning conditions.


    Ye Shuangluo guessed that his previous crushing defeat against the Immortal had broken his winning streak, making him ineligible to learn the skill.


    Although the skill was strange, he figured having it was better than not having it at all.


    Ye Shuangluo tossed the skill book into his space backpack, planning to take it out once he met the condition of a hundred victories without a single defeat.


    After putting the skill book away, he remembered there was something else in his space backpack that had been gathering dust.


    [Demon Soul Amber]


    [Skill Generation in Progress (85%)]


    "Still not done?"


    Ye Shuangluo fiddled with the black skill stone that pulsed in sync with his heartbeat. He had no idea how to increase the progress bar, but it was steadily rising.


    Even though the progress bar was almost full, he still didn''t understand it. Shaking his head, he tossed it back into his space backpack to gather dust.


    It was almost done anyway; he''d deal with it later.


    Next, he went to the Player Forum and posted a few bounty threads to see if he could acquire the items he needed.


    ...


    "Yawn."


    Ye Shuangluo sat in front of his computer, bored and yawning. The games that once made his blood boil now felt incredibly dull.


    The problem was, these games were ultimately designed for ordinary people.


    Compared to ordinary people, his attributes were already superhuman.


    With his Perception fully activated, he could clear these games with his eyes closed.


    Casually closing the game, Ye Shuangluo opened the Player Forum again.


    His bounty threads still had no responses.


    "That''s strange. Isn''t this forum supposed to be visible to all players? Why is no one responding?"


    He just wanted to know how to obtain the Millennium Demon Heart and understand how to perform a reverse invasion.


    Despite offering a bounty of fifty thousand points, no one had answered him.


    If other people''s threads were equally ignored, he could understand.


    He randomly opened a few threads and saw others engaged in heated discussions, making him ponder.


    At that moment, he noticed someone had sent him a private message.


    World sl1122 "Feng Liuli": "Are you crazy? How dare you openly ask about obtaining the Millennium Demon Heart on the Player Forum?"


    On the Player Forum, everyone could choose a codename, either their real name or a fake one.


    In private messages, the prefix indicated the sender''s world.


    This meant that Feng Liuli, who sent the private message, was from Ye Shuangluo''s world.


    World sl1122 "Breaker Star Fate Master": "What do you mean? I just posted a bounty asking about items needed for skill upgrades. How does that make me crazy?"


    The other side seemed to hesitate before sending a long message.


    World sl1122 "Feng Liuli": "You must be a newbie, right?


    It seems you really don''t know. The Player Forum isn''t just for human players; it also includes players from other worlds and races, including the demon race.


    By openly posting a bounty for the Millennium Demon Heart, those demon race players probably think you''re provoking them.


    The Millennium Demon Heart can only be obtained by killing demon race players in PVP."


    After reading Feng Liuli''s message, Ye Shuangluo suddenly understood why no one had answered his question.


    "Only obtainable through PVP?"


    He tapped his finger lightly on the table. He had always thought the Asura Demon Eye was more suited for PVP than PVE.


    It turned out the upgrade materials required PVP, confirming it as a PVP skill.


    Ye Shuangluo scratched his head, feeling a bit troubled. He had probably offended a large number of demon race players.


    Looking at his bounty threads again, he figured deleting them now would be pointless.


    While Ye Shuangluo was feeling troubled, Feng Liuli sent another message.


    "Can I ask which region you''re from? Kyushu? Sakura? White Elephant?"


    Ye Shuangluo chose to ignore the message.


    Although Feng Liuli had kindly warned him, he wasn''t about to reveal his identity so easily.


    Ding ding ding.


    Suddenly, a series of message notifications rang in his ears, not from the Player Forum but from a game group chat he had joined earlier.


    As soon as Ye Shuangluo clicked on the group chat, he saw a large red box.


    [This group chat has been banned for involving sensitive adult content.]


    ???


    Ye Shuangluo was bewildered. What had happened? How had the group chat disappeared?


    The next moment, the group owner pulled him into a new group.


    The screen was filled with question marks as many people asked what had just happened.


    Amidst the chaos, ¤´ Lost Black Cat ©g suddenly apologized in the public chat.


    The screen instantly quieted down, and someone tagged ¤´ Lost Black Cat ©g, asking what had happened.


    Before he could respond, a bunch of people suddenly joined the group chat.


    Their usernames were all two characters long: Seven Seconds, Ming Le, Qi, Chu Mo, Jia Xu, Xia Yi, Qing Qian...


    Ye Shuangluo looked at these names, deep in thought, feeling like he had heard of them before.


    Among them, the one named Seven Seconds seemed to be the leader. As soon as he joined, he tagged everyone.


    Then he posted in the public chat: "Zhao Moyi, you ****."


    The screen was filled with asterisks, indicating the message had been censored.


    Ye Shuangluo finally remembered where he had heard of them.


    They were the Internet Mad Dog Group.


    The Internet Mad Dog Group was a bunch of online trolls who constantly ranted and raved, criticizing everything.


    It was said that some of them were skilled hackers who could easily find out your personal information.


    Anyone targeted by them usually ended up in big trouble.


    Apparently, they were targeting ¤´ Lost Black Cat ©g, whose real name seemed to be Zhao Moyi.


    After cursing, they tagged her and posted a bunch of photos and information in the public chat.


    Ye Shuangluo examined the information and realized they had dug up Zhao Moyi''s entire family history.


    He had always thought ¤´ Lost Black Cat ©g was a non-mainstream boy, but it turned out she was a non-mainstream girl.


    No, she was a non-mainstream girl online, but in real life, she was a dignified and elegant young lady.


    From the photos posted by the mad dogs, Black Cat appeared to be a noble and graceful lady in real life.


    Ye Shuangluo squinted at the obscene messages filling the screen. What an eyesore.


    In his friend list, Black Cat''s avatar had dimmed, indicating she was either offline or invisible.


    Though he couldn''t see her expression, she was probably on the verge of tears.


    Ye Shuangluo sighed. No one in the group, not even the owner, dared to speak up for Black Cat, fearing they might get dragged into the mess.


    But Ye Shuangluo wasn''t afraid.


    Just as the group owner had given green hats to the previous administrators after creating the new group, Ye Shuangluo moved his mouse and muted all the mad dog members.


    The group chat fell silent instantly. Satisfied, Ye Shuangluo nodded. The world was finally quiet.


    ```

 Chapter 49 – Brother Black Knife who is being cyberbullied

    "How dare you? Aren''t you afraid of offending this pack of mad dogs?"


    Ye Shuangluo had just muted the entire Mad Dog Group when the group leader immediately sent him a message.


    "A bunch of stinking rats that belong in the sewers. What do I have to fear?"


    If it were the old Ye Shuangluo, he might have been cautious, not wanting to get involved with these mad dogs. But for the current him, the so-called Mad Dog Group was nothing more than a notorious pack of rats.


    Ding ding ding ding ding!


    The group chat kept chiming with the sound of new members joining. His action of muting them seemed to have enraged the Mad Dog Group. They switched to a bunch of alternate accounts and started spamming his information instead of Zhao Moyi''s.


    Ye Shuangluo looked at the screen filled with his personal information and yawned out of boredom.


    "Is that all?"


    Suddenly, two messages caught his attention.


    Seven Seconds: "No wonder you''re so uncivilized, muting others while they''re talking. Turns out you''re an orphan with no parents."


    Yi Ran: "Senior Seven Seconds is right. Why didn''t you get hit by a car along with your parents back then?"


    Ye Shuangluo: ...


    He had to admit, they were indeed professional online trolls, hitting him where it hurt and leaving him speechless.


    He couldn''t be bothered to argue with these rats and directly muted the group chat notifications.


    Ding ding ding!


    His computer suddenly chimed again, this time with a message from his little fan, Black Cat.


    "Master, you didn''t need to stand up for me."


    "They''re targeting me; it has nothing to do with anyone else."


    "But Master, you just provoked them. Now they''re definitely going to come after you!!"


    "Master, I''m sorry. It''s my fault, boohoo."


    Seeing Black Cat''s immediate message, Ye Shuangluo confirmed she wasn''t offline but invisible. She must have been lurking, otherwise, she couldn''t have messaged him so quickly.


    "It''s okay, there''s nothing about my information worth exposing. But what did you do to provoke those rats?"


    Black Cat was silent for a moment before replying after about two minutes.


    "..."


    "It''s because of him."


    Black Cat sent a photo. Ye Shuangluo opened it and was stunned. The photo showed a young man wearing a fox mask, holding a black long knife in one hand, with several goblin heads at his feet.


    "This seems to be my photo. What''s it got to do with me?"


    Ye Shuangluo was puzzled and typed his question directly.


    "Isn''t this Brother Black Knife? What''s it got to do with him?"


    Yes, although netizens didn''t know who Ye Shuangluo was, they had already given him a nickname. Although he found the nickname hard to accept, the netizens had already associated it with him.


    "I saw a post on the forum discussing the true identities of these ''superhumans.''"


    "Everyone else was having a rational discussion, but Brother Black Knife was being cursed by a group of people. They said he was too cruel, killing goblins with one strike each. Goblin lives matter too! Some even said his skill with the knife was too practiced, implying he might have honed it by killing people. They also said Brother Black Knife was hiding his face, suggesting he might be an escaped convict. I couldn''t stand it and argued with them."


    "One girl said Brother Black Knife hiding his face meant he was definitely not a good person. She even compared him to that Western elf-transforming Louise, saying women are stronger than men."


    "I argued with her, and when she couldn''t win, she said I was done for."


    "Later, I found out that the girl I was arguing with was a member of the Mad Dog Group."


    So that''s how it was.


    After hearing the whole story, Ye Shuangluo understood. He was being cyberbullied, and Black Cat had defended him, offending the Mad Dog Group members, which led to her being targeted.


    He opened his browser and searched "true identities of the superhumans." Sure enough, the first result was that post. Just as Black Cat had said, the identities of others were being rationally discussed, but he was being cursed by a group of people, with over a thousand comments already.


    The post even had links to videos from many feminist bloggers, all of which were demeaning him.


    Ye Shuangluo closed the browser expressionlessly. He could guess why only he was being insulted. When the world gates opened simultaneously in five places, about 14 players participated in the defense. Others displayed flashy powers like lightning and thunder or summoning beasts. Among them, his performance was the most straightforward, giving the impression that anyone could do it, just by wielding a knife.


    People have a tendency to admire strength, but they also harbor dark thoughts. The anonymity of the internet amplifies these dark thoughts. The people insulting him were either jealous, seeking attention, or simply couldn''t stand him.


    "Master, it''s my fault. I''m sorry."


    Black Cat sent another apologetic message.


    "It''s fine, I don''t care."


    Ye Shuangluo was a magnanimous person. If someone offended him, he wouldn''t mind too much; he''d just tell them to be careful in their next life.


    The Mad Dog Group was notorious for cyberbullying, exposing people''s information, and inciting online violence. Their "glorious achievements" even included a few psychologically fragile victims who couldn''t bear the cyberbullying and chose to end their lives. But because most of them were overseas, it was hard to bring them to justice.


    Ye Shuangluo tilted his head. He had to admit, he couldn''t out-argue so many people. But he couldn''t be bothered to argue with these rats.


    "Seven Seconds..."


    Ye Shuangluo''s eyes narrowed slightly. This person named Seven Seconds was the one leading the insults and doxxing him. If he could find this person, he could take down the rest.


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    Ye Shuangluo scrolled through his contacts and found someone with the username "Ming Wang."


    "Are you there?"


    "Yeah, what''s up?"


    "Help me locate someone."


    He sent over Seven Seconds'' main and alternate accounts.


    "Whoa, Seven Seconds? Isn''t that someone from the Mad Dog Group? If I help you, I might get targeted too."


    "So you''re planning to refuse?"


    "No, I mean: it''ll cost extra!"


    "Maniacal Laugh.JPG"


    Ye Shuangluo nodded. It was the familiar taste. They were old friends, and he knew Ming Wang''s capabilities well, so he directly transferred 2000 yuan to him.


    "Whoa! You''ve struck it rich recently, huh? I was ready to haggle, but you just paid up."


    "Cut the crap. Get me Seven Seconds'' information within an hour."


    "Got it, boss. Please wait a moment."


    Half an hour later.


    Ye Shuangluo was intently watching battle videos of other players. Judging by their performances, he wasn''t the strongest among the 14 players, but he was definitely not weak either. Among the 14, at least 7 were new players like him. Yet, he was the only one being cyberbullied.


    "This Louise is so weak. Why do so many people think she''s stronger than me?"


    Elf Goddess Louise, a figure worshipped by countless feminists both domestically and abroad. Before becoming a player, she was already a minor celebrity on foreign social media. She came from a wealthy family and was a bona fide white rich beauty. During the goblin invasion, she transformed into an elf and used her longbow to defeat the invading goblins. Her combat movements were extremely graceful, and she openly revealed her face. Although Ye Shuangluo found her actions flashy, she indeed gained countless fans. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ding ding ding!


    "Boss, I''ve found it. Here''s what you wanted."


    Ming Wang''s efficiency was indeed high. In just half an hour, he had found the information Ye Shuangluo wanted. Looking at the information Ming Wang sent, Ye Shuangluo''s face broke into a kind smile.